Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint - Chapter 516

WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Chapter 516: Hour of the Dog and the Wolf - 9

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Kito's memories began with a chalkboard eraser falling onto her head. When she opened the door and entered the academy, she fell for a very simple trap and ended up with a stark white mark on her head.

An academy where beastkin displayed childish innocence was hell for some. Kito was a rare rabbit beastkin, and the attention probably would not stop until someone tore off her ears. Things falling from above were an everyday occurrence. She would trip over strings or end up dangling helplessly in the air.

An animal might not understand traps, but Kito was human. After getting caught often enough, she came to understand what the trigger was, what chain reaction followed, and how it led to the final result.

Then, one day, Kito learned how to read that sequence and stop it. Traps aimed at her would narrowly miss their timing or stop working altogether.

At first, she thought she had simply become used to being caught in traps so often. Before long, though, she realized it was innate arcane. Kito happily bragged about it, but the beastkin who had teased her only laughed.

They said there really was such a useless innate arcane, that even her ability was as cowardly as a rabbit's. They called it a half-finished power that could only be used when there was a trap.

Kito was discouraged. Even she thought innate arcane that was useless without traps was clearly half-finished. Even with traps present, it only controlled when they activated. She had no idea how she was supposed to use it.

Still, innate arcane was innate arcane. Beastkin mages were valuable even in Ende, so they created the position of trap designer and put Kito to work. It was moderately useful, but far from something that could be called mystical.

Yet innate arcane was innate arcane. Given the right circumstances, it was a mystery that could turn someone into a god.

"Bark! Bark!"

A wolf rolled down the slope. It must have suffered quite a bit, because its fur was caked with dirt and dust. The wolf coughed harshly, spotted the beastkin, and immediately bared its fangs.

"A wolf! Form up!"

It was a wolf as tall as a person even on all fours. The dogs barked and surrounded it from every side while the Oberli guards formed ranks and thrust their spears.

At that moment, the wolf twisted its body in an instant, bit down on a spear shaft, and yanked.

"Whoa!"

The Oberli guard who had failed to let go of the shaft was dragged along. The moment their formation broke, the wolf lunged like lightning. Its huge jaws aimed for the Oberli guard's neck.

"How dare you! Receive God's permission!"

A large boulder fell onto the wolf's head. Before it could bite the Oberli guard, the boulder shut its jaws first. As the wolf yelped and backed away, it unfortunately stepped on a bear trap someone had dropped.

Crunch.

Sharp teeth clamped down on the wolf's front paw.

It was one of Fenrir's wolves. A mere bear trap would not incapacitate it. The Oberli guards were trained beastkin in their own right, though. They did not miss the brief opening when the wolf hesitated and rushed in.

"Now!"

"Stab it!"

Sharp spearheads surged toward the immobilized wolf. The wolf thrashed, breaking several shafts, but the Oberli guards took turns driving their spears in.

Spearheads wrapped in qi could pierce thick hide. The wolf struggled in the trap until it finally ran out of strength and collapsed.

It was a small victory, but a major gain. If they had encountered several dozen wolves like that on flat ground, they would have been wiped out before they could do anything.

"We won!"

The Oberli guard shouted, clenching a fist, when another small boulder fell onto the guard's head. Clutching the aching head, the guard heard Kito's voice.

"We? Toheng! It wasn't us! It was my ability, Kito's!"

"K-Kito?"

"Call me Lady Kito! I hold every trigger in this place in my hands. I am a god!"

Kito puffed out her chest confidently. As if responding to her, the entire ground trembled. Controlling triggers meant she could make the ground sink or pull at the vine roots whenever she wanted.

"Your lives are in my hands! From now on, show a little more respect when you ask for..."

"Be quiet!"

"Toheeeeng!"

What if the wolves heard her and came looking? I rapped Kito between the ears, and she crouched down while clutching her head.

"Enough. I'll bring the Obelisks, so hold out until then. If you pick off the wolves one by one with traps, you should be able to defeat them easily."

"Toheeeeng..."

"Answer me."

"All right..."

Okay. This place should be safe for a while even without me. Just as she said, Kito's power was practically divine in a situation where nothing would be strange if it collapsed at any moment.

I just hoped she would not do anything reckless.

'You know my power, yet you still treat me like this? I'm a god now. Hmph. Just wait until you get a taste of the Rabbit God!'

I needed to correct that habit.

The ceiling tilted, trying to smash my head. I reached out and braced it.

Kito's power maintained triggers, and she activated traps by voluntarily releasing them.

That meant I, who had stolen Kito's innate arcane, could maintain triggers as well. Only the ones I had touched, of course.

Kito, who had been imagining me suffering, stared at the unmoving ceiling in confusion.

"Toh? Why isn't it activating?"

"Don't do pointless things."

"Toheeeeng!"

After I smacked her head once more, Kito lay face down on the ground and groaned.

"You call yourself a god, then start acting like one. Get a grip. You're useful right now, but you aren't powerful enough to wipe out humans trained in qi arts or wolves. Keep fooling around and you'll die."

Even Demon Gods sometimes died. How could a mage behave so carelessly?

Kito answered with tears in her eyes.

"O-okay..."

'You said you'd make me a god! What kind of god can't even flick someone on the forehead?!'

I had used the whip, so it was time for the carrot. I soothed Kito.

"Anyway, the lives of everyone entering this trap are in your hands. You may not be the god of the world, but you hold the lives of Ende's people in your hands."

"Lives...!"

Was it a trait of Ende's people that their eyes changed when they gained power? Her eyes were gleaming strangely.

No, that was probably just a trait of people in general. Either way, one problem was solved. Now I only had to call the Obelisks over and tell them to protect Kito.

Kito had to stay alive for me to use her innate arcane.

"Then I'll be going."

"Wait. Magician! How are you going to get out of here...?"

There was no need to answer. I was in a hurry.

Using earthcraft, I gently pushed the ground. I turned the firmly blocked wall into a card and slipped through it. With Kito's innate arcane, I did not need to worry about a collapse. I could hold it off for a while.

Wolves were a little frightening when I could not read their thoughts, though.

"Ah. Found it."

After sliding down the ground for a while, I found a brown club embedded halfway through a huge boulder in the darkness. I grasped its handle. It felt heavy, but when I put some strength into it, I could lift it without much difficulty.

Jizan, thrown by the regressor. She said it would be difficult to retrieve right away.

Then I would borrow it for a bit.

"Excuse me. I need to use this."

With my lack of stamina, it would be difficult to use qi arts through Jizan. Still, a club with the weight of Mount Tai was a terrifying weapon by itself.

When I swung Jizan wide once, the ground above my head split apart like tofu and poured down. Along with the rocks, a wolf that had been buried somewhere fell as well.

The wolf shook off the dust, and our eyes met.

"Since fate brought us together like this, why don't we put our conflict aside for a moment and work together to find an exit?"

"Grrrr."

"Become my dog. Like you were tamed before."

"Ruff!"

The wolf immediately bared its teeth and charged. So it wanted to fight.

I reacted a little late because I could not read its thoughts. Stepping back slightly, I held Jizan out toward the wolf's face.

As a nice chewable stick came into view, the wolf eagerly bit down on Jizan. It kicked off the ground with its hind legs and charged harder, as though it intended to crush me along with the club.

"Do you think this is a dog chew? Fine. Eat all you want."

But Jizan would not budge under the wolf's strength. Startled by the weight in its mouth, the wolf's eyes widened. Its body bounced back as though it had been caught on a string.

I quickly gripped Jizan with both hands and twisted it like a joystick. The neck of the wolf biting Jizan spun around as well. The wolf realized it had bitten the wrong thing and opened its jaws, but I shoved it deeper so it could not get free.

"You can't return a dog chew once you've bitten it."

Crunch.

The wolf paid dearly for putting something in its mouth that it could not eat. The teeth caught on Jizan shattered in a shower. I threw the writhing wolf to the ground. I tried to crush it with Jizan, but at the last moment, the wolf slipped away with astonishing agility.

"That's why you should be careful about what you eat, understand? Ah, but all your teeth fell out, so I guess you have no choice now."

"Awoooo!"

"I don't play with bad dogs who won't listen."

Innate Arcane, Miss Goldberg.

Having stolen Kito's innate arcane, I searched for the triggers dormant beneath my feet. I wedged Jizan into a crack between the rocks and twisted it. The fissure widened, splitting the ground in half. The ground beneath the wolf lost its support and tilted sharply.

"Goodbye. Let's meet under better circumstances in the next life."

The toothless wolf plunged deep below with the pile of dirt. It could chase me if it wanted, but if a toothless animal dug through dirt and rocks, clawed its way up, and attacked me, I would give it credit.

Having shaken off the wolf, I used mind reading. Hundreds of people trapped underground, Obelisks and Beast Faction warriors who had nearly been caught in the aftermath, and other humans who had taken the King of Wolves' side.

The thoughts and wishes of thousands flowed into me.

I judged the direction and checked for dangers. Then I raised Jizan to find my way.

Earth Staff Style? I did not know any grand technique like that. Lamenting my meager strength, I swung Jizan around crudely.

Jizan made up for my lack of strength. Even when I swung it roughly, rocks broke, the ground collapsed, and a broad tunnel formed ahead of me.

It was really nice not having to worry about a collapse. After digging through the ground and walking for quite some time, I eventually thrust Jizan toward a crack between rocks where bright light shone through.

A boulder the size of a house leaped away like a toy, and the bright sky unfolded before me.

It was nice to see sunlight again after so long. As I slowly emerged, I saw the Obelisks and beastkin screaming and dropping to the ground.

Come on. I had barely escaped, and they were treating me like a ghost.

Sapien, who had been commanding the Obelisks, spotted me and strode over.

"You...! Magician!"

"Wow. I barely escaped after feeling my way through the dark, so it's nice to see your face too."

Sapien seemed glad to see me for a different reason, thrusting out a hand as if to seize me by the collar.

"Who are you using as bait?! Do you know what will happen if Teia gets hurt?!"

"Then hurry and follow this path. The ground is on the verge of collapsing. You're the only one who can save her."

"Don't just tell me, lead the way!"

"I can't. I have something more important to do right now."

"Something more important?"