STGAAB Novel MTL - Chapter 781
Chapter 781: 13th Month (8)
Rough breathing, radiating heat. Eyes filled with determination and relentless resolve. Hands and shoulders trembling with excessive excitement.
The barbarian warriors had an overwhelming desire for real estate. Well, I had intentionally fueled that desire after I began developing the holy land.
Home ownership = A great warrior.
This equation had firmly settled in the minds of all the warriors, and now that notion had become even stronger. Thinking about it, it was only natural. Most of the barbarians who ventured out from the holy land settled in District 7, the area closest to it.
But with both District 7 and 8 completely wiped out and the next closest place, Kommelby, being too expensive, it wasn’t suitable for warriors to stay there. Sure, District 9, which avoided the devastation of war, was somewhat better in comparison to the wildly overpriced Kommelby……
“If you have a home, you won’t have to sleep on the streets!”
“The rent in District 9 has skyrocketed to five times the usual price……!”
“Exactly! And it’s far from the holy land, so I don’t have any friends there……!”
As a result, most Barbarians had returned to the holy land, effectively living as homeless people under the guise of communal living. This made sense, given that the recent war had produced numerous refugees, and the entire city was suffering from a housing crisis. With rent prices soaring through the roof and the labyrinth closed, blocking any chance of earning money, the warriors had no way to afford rent.
‘We’ve survived this long thanks to the manual labor we managed to pick up……’
Currently, most of the warriors were heading out into the city, doing grueling labor, and earning just enough to scrape by each day. But in the midst of all that, ‘houses’ were being offered as a prize?
“I—I’ll go first and take the challenge……!!”
“No! Let me! I’ll challenge first!!”
The warriors erupted in an explosive frenzy, and the news quickly spread to all the Barbarians in the holy land.
‘If I try to back out now……’
My popularity would take a nosedive. Though, to be honest, I couldn’t care less about my approval rating. But still, I didn’t want to see our barbarian warriors moping around, looking miserable during the festival.
So……
“Ainar.”
“Ah, No! This is something that must be done! And besides, Bjorn! Y-You can spare at least one day for us! You’re the chieftain—!”
“Calm down. I never said I wouldn’t.”
“…Huh? Is, is that true?”
“Yes, let’s just move to a different location. It’s too cramped here.”
“Oh, then we can go to the Proving Grounds!”
So we headed to the Proving Grounds with all the warriors.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve been here……’
The Proving Grounds was a vast pit dug in the middle of the forest, used whenever warriors engaged in their sacred duels. In my case, I came here when I inherited the title of chieftain.
“Come at me……!!”
As soon as I dropped my weapons and clenched my fists, the warriors’ gazes shifted. ‘Sure, it was true that they we’re fighting for houses, but did he really have to look down on us like this?’ was the kind of feeling they gave off.
“No matter how great a chieftain you are, bare-handed won’t be easy!”
“Stop talking and come at me!”
“Behel—laaaaaaaaah!!!”
And so the duel began. Even though I had thrown down my weapons, no weaklings dared to challenge me.
“The next challenger is Velikta, son of Ryuman!!”
“Velikta the Dragon Hunter!!”
“Waaaaaaaaah!!”
From the start, well-known warriors from within the tribe stepped forward to challenge me, and I fought them diligently. And of course, as expected……
‘Why is it so hard to make me bleed……?’
Though the fights dragged on a bit due to the sturdy nature of both sides, in the end, no matter who I faced, I never ended up bleeding. The fact that most of the Barbarians relied on physical damage played a big role. Considering that the core of a Shield Barbarian’s defense was physical resistance, it was practically impossible to make me to bleed……
“…I’ve lost. The chieftain truly is a great warrior……!”
“It was a good fight.”
“Ugh… No one can defeat the chieftain……!!”
“He’s a monster, a monster!!”
As the notable warriors continued to fail one after another, the enthusiasm of the onlooking warriors, who had been fired up earlier, quickly died down. With no hope in sight, their spirits were crushed just as quickly.
‘What should I do? I haven’t even used [Giantization] yet……’
Perhaps sensing that the mood had been ruined, Ainar stood there, groaning, unable to do anything. For some reason, it reminded me of Ainar during her coming-of-age ceremony. Back then, she had tried to lead the way to the city as a but ended up lost, making that same expression. Hah, looks like I’ll have to help again this time.
“Time for a break!”
I temporarily halted the duels and approached Ainar. I suggested an idea to her, something that could turn the ruined atmosphere around, and Ainar’s face lit up with joy as she addressed all the warriors.
“The duels end here……!! From now on, we’ll all drink together!!”
“…Drink?”
“The rules are simple! We all drink together, and whoever lasts the longest wins!!”
“Is the prize still the same?!!”
“Of course! If you last longer than Bjorn, I’ll build you a house!!”
…What? A house for each person? I never agreed to that?
“Uooohhhhhhh!!!”
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
For a moment, I was overwhelmed by Ainar’s reckless promise, but once the words were out, there was no taking them back.
“This is a drinking duel……! A sacred drinking duel!!”
“Drinking duel! Drinking duel!!”
“Uooohhhhhhh!!”
The warriors, apparently liking of the name Ainar had just come up with for it, kept shouting with excitement.
‘Hah… Whatever……’
Unable to bring myself to dampen this atmosphere, I just stayed silent and after a little preparation, the full-fledged drinking battle… no, what might become a barbarian tradition, the Sacred Drinking Duel, began.
Now, the first drink……!!”
At Ainar’s shout, the thousands of warriors seated on the ground in the Proving Grounds all lifted their cups at once.
“Pour……!!”
They downed their drinks in one go. And then repeated the process.
Two cups, three cups, four cups, five cups…….
As the rounds continued, warriors began dropping out.
“Ugh… Urp……! Puheueueueue……!”
“Karubo, son of Bulak, has thrown up! He’s out!”
“Daaaaamn it!!”
The pace at which we were drinking was absurdly fast, and most of the warriors were already quite drunk from enjoying the festival earlier……
‘At this rate, I might actually win?’
That thought gave me a burst of energy. After all, if by some chance more than a thousand warriors lasted, the barbarian tribe would go bankrupt that same day. As the chieftain, I had to somehow prevent that future……
“Now, pour……!!”
Sixteen cups, seventeen cups, eighteen cups…… With each cup of liquid poured into my stomach, I could feel myself slowly getting more and more drunk.
‘…How long has it been since I last got this drunk?’
To be honest, I don’t really know my own drinking limit. In this body, I’ve never drank until I blacked out. Ever since my natural regeneration and poison resistance stats dramatically increased, even when I do get drunk, I sober up ridiculously fast, making it even harder to stay intoxicated.
“Alright, this is the seventy-third cup……!!”
As more and more warriors dropped out, either by vomiting, passing out, or getting up to use the bathroom, the tempo of drinking became faster and faster. Probably because there was less preparation time needed……
“Fill it up! This is the hundredth cup!!”
“Waaaaaaaaaah!!”
…Huh? When did it get to a hundred? Looking around, the number of warriors still holding their cups had noticeably dwindled.
‘About a hundred left… maybe?’
I couldn’t be sure of the exact number, but my stomach was feeling heavy. I could feel the alcohol filling my gut, and now it was trying to climb up into my throat.
‘A hundred people means a hundred houses… then if we convert that to money……’
Suddenly sobering up at that thought, I activated my ability. Well, it makes sense, right? If the problem is a full stomach—.
[You have cast Giantization.]
Then the solution is to just expand my stomach. Sure enough, enlarging my body made me feel better, and even my bladder, which had been on the verge of bursting, had more room now. Though, the second hurdle seemed to be approaching faster than expected.
“This is the hundred-and-fiftieth cup!!”
…This is killing me.
‘…Thirty left?’
What the heck are they made of? Do they have some kind of subspace in their stomachs? Or are they drinking something else entirely? The thought crossed my mind, but at least I could take comfort in the fact that the remaining challengers weren’t in their right minds either.
“Hehehehehe… hehehehe……”
“More alcohol… Hehehe… Hehe……”
“House……! My house……! Urp……!”
Even while barely conscious, the warriors clung to their desire for a house, their faces resembling zombies. Watching them, I forced myself to stay focused.
‘Just a little more……’
I just need to hold on. It’s not like I haven’t been through worse. Back at Ice Rock, things were tougher than this.
Yeah, so……
“151st cup!!”
I drank. Through my spinning vision, I saw a few more warriors collapse simultaneously.
“152nd cup!!”
After countless battles, my instincts told me. This is the tipping point.
“153rd cup!!”
Just a few more cups. Whether I endure or not in these next few rounds will decide the winner.
“154th cup!!”
As expected, a few more warriors dropped out. It was a moment of reawakening to the harsh truths of life.
“155th cup!!”
The harder it is for me, the harder it is for my opponents. In the cold, unforgiving world of competition, the winner and loser are determined by who can hold on until the very end.
“156th cup!!”
And I must always win. Because the loser has to give something up—.
“157th———— cup————!!”
Ugh, now it’s getting dangerous……
…How many are left?
“Hundred and sixty— th— cup—!!”
The sound gradually began to fade. My vision began to narrow as if I had entered a tunnel.
“Hundred and sixty— th— ———!!”
Ah……
“———— ————!”
The moment I sensed I couldn’t hold on any longer, I saw one of the remaining warriors through my blurred vision. I had planned to drop out once it came down to three people, but I had gotten so drunk that I hadn’t even realized there was only one person left—.
‘…Huh?’
At that moment I noticed something very strange about the last remaining warrior.
‘This guy……’
I wondered how someone with a living body could drink that much alcohol.
‘He’s been pissing his pants while drinking……?’
How could such a person exist in this world? Even for a Barbarian, there are certain lines that should be upheld. I was left mouth agape at this behavior that disregarded the very essence of human civilization, human rights, and even the natural order. Not from shock, but from admiration.
“Ah……”
Groundbreaking. The determination to defy all existing conventions in order to win. And hidden within that—.
Pssshhhhh—.
Circulation. Not blocking what comes, but letting it flow out.
“Ah, ahhh……”
Yes, this is the essence of Taiji…
“Ahhh, ah……”
In his soggy state, I saw nature itself.
‘From the beginning……’
Nature does not feel shame. Nature is not bound by rules. Nature simply is.
Like Mount Tai.
‘From the beginning… was this a battle I couldn’t win……?’
As a mere mortal, I could never defeat someone who had already become one with nature. I humbly admitted my defeat.
“I lose……”
That was my last memory.
***
When I opened my eyes, it was night. My body was stiff, but contrary to my expectations, my hangover wasn’t that bad. Both my stomach and head felt fine. Well, better than expected.
‘First, the bathroom……’
Recalling that transcendent moment I saw before losing consciousness, I hurried off to the bathroom. But perhaps someone noticed my movement?
“Looks like you’re finally awake.”
“Emily?”
“Drink this. It’s honey water.”
“…Thanks, but were you waiting for me?”
“…Of course not. I just happened to pass by and heard you.”
Hmm, well, that’s a relief. I chugged down the honey water that Amelia had given me and asked.
“How long was I out?”
“A day.”
“Then today’s the last day of the festival.”
“Are you disappointed? About missing the last day?”
“No way. The sooner the festival ends, the sooner something new can begin. I’m actually glad.”
Amelia seemed to be somewhat taken aback by my answer, so I quickly changed the subject. After all, there was something I was curious about.
“By the way, what’s the name of the guy who beat me?”
That scene of infinite circulation was deeply etched in my mind, but unfortunately, I hadn’t gotten a good look at his face.
“Vector. I heard he’s the third son of Kiltau or something.”
“Vector, third son of Kiltau……”
That name sounded familiar? Who was he……?
“Ah……!”
I remembered. He was there when I first became the chieftain and oversaw the coming-of-age I could tell he was a newbie right away from his stiff expression and darting eyes—.
“Wait, hold on……?”
Suddenly, my body stiffened. Like the time I was poisoned by basilisk paralysis poison.
My muscles tightened, and a cold sweat ran down my back.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Amelia asked in concern, but I couldn’t escape the horrifying truth I had just uncovered.
Vector, third son of Kiltau.
The barbarian who had become one with nature, wielding the mysteries of Taiji. An absolute master who had left their mark on history with their flowing water technique.
Yeah, that was him, but……
“No, no way. Haha……”
Maybe it was a big misunderstanding.
“They can’t possibly be a modern person.”
It couldn’t be possible.
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