WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈
Chapter 159: Great Snail Empire (2)
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3.
In the beginning, there was ‘Lime.’
The people did not know where 'Lime' came from or where it was going. However, 'Lime' chose the foremost among them, providing evidence so that the people would realize they were the chosen seed.
-Though the peoples under heaven be many beyond count, only you can pronounce both syllables of ‘Lime’ in full. I shall permit only you to call upon the holy name. Ah! This is your divine privilege. Take ‘Lime’ as proof that you are the chosen ones, and whether eating or defecating, dressing or undressing, sleeping or waking, chant ‘Lime’ always, so that in the very midst of your lives and voices you may bear witness to my existence....
“...What kind of bullshit is this?”
I asked, to which the Heretic Inquisitor responded with a broad smile.
“This is the holy scripture I created!”
“Holy scripture?”
“Yes! The Mountain Snail Tribe’s vocal organs are highly unusual. Of the seven tribes, only the Mountain Snail Tribe can pronounce [Lime]! That is why I made this sound the name of their god.”
With a light tap, the Heretic Inquisitor landed in the underground city. The rest of us followed. Beaming, he introduced us to the history of the ‘Snail Civilization.’
"Neither the Ghost Tribe nor the Fairy Tribe can pronounce [Lime] correctly! It’s simply because their vocal organs are different, but I attributed a mythological meaning to it."
The snails crawled around us, passing through our bodies as if we were invisible to them.
“The Mountain Snail Tribe can utter [Lime] as proof that Heaven chose them!”
"Why…?"
The Paladin spoke up.
"Why would you do this, Heretic Inquisitor? You know better than anyone the terror of religion. Misusing the name of a god recklessly can lead to irreversible consequences-.”
“Ah, I did not misuse it recklessly. I used it deliberately and with great care!”
"......."
“Use is different from misuse, and even more so from abuse.”
The Heretic Inquisitor smiled brightly.
“Everyone, religion is inevitable! Humans always seek causes. They search for reasons for their existence, for why the world exists. God. This word magically fills all ultimate causes!”
The Heretic Inquisitor pointed to a pillar. A gigantic pillar. Standing in the heart of the underground city, it rose from the floor of the cave and pierced through the ceiling. Pictures resembling Egyptian murals ran along it in rows.
The 'holy scripture' I had read earlier was also engraved on this pillar.
“But……"
“Paladin, I understand what you’re pointing out! But in this era, there is still too much unknown. They don’t know why it rains, why their hearts beat, why they must drink water to live.”
A gentle smile appeared on the Heretic Inquisitor’s face.
“Think about that fear.”
“Fear……?”
“Yes. Fear.”
The Heretic Inquisitor explained.
“Their hearts throb within them. They hear the beating but do not understand why. When injured, blood flows, and if too much is lost, they die. But they do not understand why the blood flows. Why bread tastes good, why they feel happy when full, why they must eat salt to live, they are completely ignorant.”
The Heretic Inquisitor clasped his hands as if in prayer.
“To them, the world is ringed by unknown monsters! No, monsters lurk even inside their own bodies. Knowing nothing, they merely live however life happens to carry them along. They are utterly ignorant and powerless in the face of their own lives.... Everyone, can you understand their fear?”
Clang!
A sound of mining echoed from afar.
Deep in the vast cave, miners were extracting rock salt.
“God resolves this ignorance and powerlessness. Now rain is not an unknown monster. It's the tears of God! The world sometimes sheds tears.”
Clang! Clang, clang!
Snail miners, secreting mucus, mined the rock salt. They grabbed sharp rocks with their tentacles and swung them.
“Now salt is not an unknown rock. In the beginning, the Earth Mother Goddess was torn apart and died, her hair became forests, her blood the sea, and her teeth salt. Salt is the remains of a god. Therefore, it's sacred and safe to consume. Ahaha! In modern terms, myth is like stamping a hygiene certificate on each food!”
With his hands clasped in prayer, the Heretic Inquisitor looked devout.
He recited in a gentle voice, like an unceasing stream.
“And god tells them. You were born because of me. I care about you, thus you are a being that concerns god. Do you see? Because of god, people find a reason for their empty lives.”
"......."
“Imagine!"
The Heretic Inquisitor smiled cheerfully.
“The heartbeat sounding within you is no longer the groan of an unknown monster. God lent people God's own form when designing them.
Therefore, this heartbeat is a rhythm God intended, and wherever I am, whenever it may be, I am overhearing music composed by God.”
The Heretic Inquisitor sighed.
“Isn’t it beautiful…?”
He looked around the underground city.
The world he had created.
Watching the civilization formed by the snails, this [Little God] rejoiced.
“Now people escape from just existing. They break free from being mere creatures! Finally, their lives have direction.”
We didn’t fall into this world meaninglessly.
We are loved by god.
“Humans constantly build temples. They create wonders to dedicate to god, manifesting evidence of being loved by god on Earth. Isn’t it wonderful? Isn’t it enchanting? People in this era are courting the world!”
"......."
“All love needs evidence. Effort. Instead of suffocating buried in fear, they struggle and fight to be loved by gods! Even if this love is a dark misunderstanding, sometimes people need misunderstandings to live. I bless them!”
The Heretic Inquisitor released his prayer pose and spread his arms.
“You might consider religion a necessary evil. But every necessary evil is born from a necessary good. These people still need a god! Because of god, they breathe, live, and love.”
That was the Heretic Inquisitor’s conviction (信念), and his thought of God (神念).
“Human beings need a reason to love a flower before they can shed tears over even a single bloom. God gifts them with infinite reasons! The god of antiquity does not annihilate human nature. Because god exists, people can finally understand themselves and love the world!”
Silence lingered.
Far away, the sound of rock salt being mined echoed.
I slowly turned to observe the 'underworld'.
-Slaves! Move! Lime!
-Rest time ended long ago. Lime! Hurry, load and transport it to the dock!
Snails clung to the stone walls and lashed out with their tentacles. Slap! The slaves carrying A-frame packs buckled at the knees. Perhaps they had already grown used to the beatings. Though they groaned, they stepped forward again.
-One, two. One, two….
Among them were Viper's people, the Ghost Tribe with a single horn on their foreheads. The dokkaebi were used to carry heavy loads.
-Shik. Shik, shiik…!
The people guided by the Paladin, the Gill-Fin Tribe, swam in the river leading out of the cave. The merfolk towed galleys through the water themselves, ropes wound tightly around their upper bodies and fastened to the prows.
-Purrurur! Baa! Purr!
The race guided by the Black Dragon Master, the Vampiric Tribe, was ceaselessly flying in the cave. Bats clutched scrolls or various items in their hind legs. They flew everywhere, from west to east in the cave, delivering goods to the residents.
"Ah."
Noticing my gaze, the Heretic Inquisitor smiled.
“This is Slimepolis, capital of the Slime Civilization. Its specialty is rock salt. According to myth, this is where the primordial Earth Mother dropped her head when she died! The Mountain Snail Tribe believes this cave to be the Earth Mother’s [skull], and the rock salt her [teeth]! Supplying these [sacred teeth] throughout the empire is its principal industry, and the Mountain Snail Tribe controls power through the salt trade.”
“…Amazing. Impressive, but still… 200 years?”
The Black Dragon Master sighed.
“It makes no sense. How did you endure two hundred years?”
“Hmm? We are in a kind of spiritual state now since we have embarked on the mission, aren’t we? 200 years is trivial!”
“No, I mean… it’s been 200 years.”
“Yes! During that time, I continuously possessed a white dog. When the dog died, I would possess its offspring.”
“But what I mean is… never mind.”
Mid-sentence, the Black Dragon Master looked exasperated. The other companions also had similar expressions.
The Heretic Inquisitor, still grinning, said,
“Therefore, the lineage of dogs I possessed is revered as divine beasts! They reside in the palace and temples. Today, the 34th divine beast died, and I was about to possess the 35th, but coincidentally, you all returned! Welcome back once again. Please, come in!”
"......."
The companions were silent.
Behind the Heretic Inquisitor stood a pillar, and beyond that, a sphinx-like statue. The statue, simply put, was a gigantic Welsh Corgi. It was clear what kind of dog the Heretic Inquisitor had been possessing.
And then.
-Kerrruruk!
A familiar cry came from somewhere.
-Kerrur, Keruk! Today's glory to our sacred White Lion! Ker!
-To the citizens of the great Slimepolis, I offer my blood! Gorr!
Thump! Thump!
Two goblins, each holding a sword and shield, banged them together. They stood on a flat mudflat. Countless snails surrounded the mudflat, cheering.
-Lime! I bet my entire fortune on you today, you filthy mold!
-Kirke! Show your might today! Kill them!
-Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!
Hearing the crowd’s cheers, the goblins roared.
-Gooooo!
And the goblins charged at each other. Mud splattered. They swung their daggers, fiercely striking each other's shields. Clang! Clang! The harsh and fearsome sound of metal echoed.
The cheering of the snail audience grew louder.
-Woo woo! Woo woo!
-You uncivilized, shell-less barbarians! Swing your forelegs! Limu! Stab with your forelegs!
-What are you doing! Move your legs, you fool! Lime! Lime!
I was momentarily at a loss for words.
"...Gladiators? They're gladiators?"
“Yes!”
The Heretic Inquisitor’s smile blossomed.
"Sword slaves!"
A goblin roared and swung their sword. Blood spurted. A red line opened across the skin their shield had failed to cover, across the body patterned with geometric tattoos.
“The Earth Spirit Tribe is famed for being both brave and clever! In Slimepolis, no, throughout the Slime Empire, they are the race most prized as sword-slaves.”
A wounded goblin screamed. The opponent seized the moment, grabbing the sword in reverse grip and thrusting it into the goblin's throat.
Blood spurted.
The audience cheered.
-Gooooo!
At that moment.
[The 32nd floor quest has been given.]
Letters formed before my eyes.
+
[The Great Snail Empire - Earth Spirit Tribe Edition]
Difficulty: B+
Objective: The unification of the tribes is imminent. The force driving that unification is the Mountain Snail Tribe. With their highly developed system of government and religious organization, they have subjugated the other tribes into slavery one after another. If left unchecked, every tribe will kneel beneath their slime.
You must rescue the Earth Spirit Tribe from the oppression of the Mountain Snail Tribe!
*However, if your guidance fails, the 32nd floor will end in victory for the Mountain Snail Tribe.
+
The Great Escape.
That was the mission of this stage.
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