The Druid Who Swallowed Mother Nature - Chapter 9



Only Noblemtl

Episode 9. The Spirit’s Cocoon

Hit the button!

The footsteps were loud.

There was no sign of him trying to hide it, as if he was telling it on purpose.

‘It puts psychological pressure on you.’

Even while you are trapped, you can feel someone chasing you.

I couldn’t help but tremble in fear and panic.

This was also a strategy.

‘It came out.’

Something is moving in the darkness, approaching.

I hid in the shadows and kept a close eye on them.

“Kikkikkik!”

A faint laughter, like scratching a blackboard, could be heard.

The guy’s figure was visible through the gently setting moonlight.

“I caught one today too. The harvest is really good.”

Among the facial features, the first thing that caught my eye was the prominent beak nose.

Small stature, short limbs.

His worn-out clothes could not hide his muscular body.

The fingers that were twitching, unable to hide their anticipation, were a deep green.

‘Goblin.’

They are a low class of people who live off the slums.

As I said before, they are closer to a minority group than a different race.

They are often shunned and discriminated against due to their heterogeneous, murky green skin, ugly appearance, and high crime rate.

‘Racism is not surprising.’

It is a world where human rights have fallen to the ground.

If you think about it, it wasn’t a big deal.

Moreover, goblins are a dangerous group that makes a living by pickpocketing, robbery, and kidnapping.

It was useless, so it was worth it.

“I heard a stranger came in after a long time. Could it be him? He must have a lot. It would be worth it to find him.”

“You idiot. Where the hell do you think you are?”

There was a hint of humor in his tone, as if he was saying something so funny.

One more guy popped out behind the one who arrived first.

‘Two guys.’

Two was roughly the expected number.

What a great guy they caught in the slums.

There is no need to come as a group.

‘Just right.’

Two would be enough for me to catch and kill alone.

“Hey, should we start cooking now?”

Those who had been mocking me to my heart’s content slowly approached the trap.

He had one hand in his pocket, as if he was about to take out a weapon.

“……uh?”

“what’s the matter?”

“There’s no one there?”

“It wasn’t because it was dark that I saw things differently, was it?”

“How could that be? This seems like a malfunction… … .”

The moment they questioned it.

Choaack!

The trunk of the world tree extended from my fingertips.

“What, what is it!”

“Eww!”

The trunk of the world tree was wrapped around their feet.

The men were terrified and tried to tear it off, but the trunk of the World Tree was resilient.

It bounced with a whip-like elasticity, then crawled up like a snake, squeezing the upper bodies of the men.

“Krrrrr!”

Men with their arms tied and necks strangled were struggling in the air.

The power of the World Tree’s trunk was too much for a lowly goblin to withstand.

I revealed myself once they were neutralized.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

The goblin’s eyes turned bloodshot as he looked at me.

I silently wiggled my fingers connected to the trunk of the World Tree.

Soon the men who had their throats strangled were gasping for breath.

The faces of the guys who realized my identity turned pale.

‘In some ways it’s better than magic.’

I felt it when I subdued the supervisor, but the utility of the ability is decent.

It was efficient because it was not lacking in power compared to basic magic and there was no need to bother preparing catalysts and the like.

It was very useful, even to the point of being covert.

“I don’t need two guys to open my mouth.”

I searched the pockets of one guy who was still resisting roughly.

“Samdanbong… … .”

As expected, he was hiding a weapon.

Stab!

When I unfolded it and pressed the switch, a strong current flowed through the pole part.

It’s enough to brighten up the surroundings for a moment, so if it hits a person, it won’t just cause them to faint.

‘It’s an illegally modified item.’

There’s no way a three-sectioned baton for self-defense could have this much power.

It was clear that these guys had done more than just robbery.

‘I don’t feel guilty.’

I swung my staff without hesitation.

Phage crackle!

“… … !”

The effect was clear.

The light flashed brightly, and the whole body of the man who touched the three-tiered peak convulsed.

As one fell, the pupil of the other one trembled violently.

“Just keep quiet, I’ll let you open your mouth.”

“… … I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please save me!”

As soon as I opened my mouth, the guy screamed.

I knew this would happen.

I calmly ran the baton over the guy’s exposed skin.

“Can I be quiet?”

“… … .”

For this kind of guy, threats are the best.

The look on his face as he looked at me was like he had seen a ghost.

“You know no one will come if you make a fuss. Just answer the questions I ask you.”

There’s no use shouting.

He should have known better.

It is up to them how they handle the prey they have in their hands.

Even if they said they would spare him, they wouldn’t let him go unharmed.

‘It’s common for screams to erupt during torture.’

The guy’s screams would have been treated the same way.

“How many people are there in your group in this neighborhood?”

“… … Yes, thirteen.”

I subdued two, so eleven.

There were quite a few.

‘It’s probably impossible to finish it in one day.’

He clicked his tongue and moved on.

Areas of responsibility, weapons available, raiding methods, presence of leaders, etc.

Since I had a lot of time, I carefully compared each one with the knowledge I already had.

‘Fortunately, nothing has changed.’

It’s exactly what I know.

Now that we’ve completed the basic checks, the main topic is here.

“Where is the hideout?”

“… … .”

For the first time, the answers that had been pouring out like a torrent were blocked.

I frowned.

‘The goblin won’t sell out his comrade?’

Innate meanness did not discriminate between your side and mine.

They were the ones who sold their parents and siblings in order to survive.

That’s how I’ve seen it, that’s how I’ve learned it, and that’s how I’ve lived.

In order to care about loyalty, it would have been normal to keep your mouth shut from the beginning.

It was beyond my expectations that he would keep his mouth shut just because I asked him to tell me the location of the hideout.

“… … .”

It was at that moment that I was wondering if the threat had worn off.

I looked into the guy’s eyes.

I don’t know when it started, but my focus started to unravel.

“What, did you faint?”

He released the mouth and adjusted his strength so that other parts would not be in danger of harm to his life.

But it seemed like he got scared and fainted.

It was outrageous.

“Damn, I should save another guy… … .”

“Krrrrrrr!”

“… … !”

I felt a clammy fatigue on my outstretched arms.

“The World Tree is astonished.”

The World Tree, as surprised as I was, jumped and shook its trunk.

“Kuaaaah!”

The goblin, who had fainted, went wild.

I almost lost sight of him for a moment.

Phage crackle!

“Crunch!”

I was surprised, but it was a meaningless rebellion.

I swung my staff without panicking.

The high voltage made the guy silent no matter how hard he flailed.

“… … What are you doing all of a sudden?”

I muttered, caressing my aching wrist.

It’s not just the fish caught in the net that are jumping around.

The impact felt in my palm was intense.

It was a monstrous strength that could not have been achieved with such a thin body, to the point where the restraints could have been released.

“I don’t think I did any particular acting.”

There was no need to hide such brute strength.

It would have been better to have released the restraints from the beginning.

It was the same when I fainted.

Although they know how to show off their tricks, they are clumsy and their tricks are easily exposed.

“Then what on earth is this case?”

My eyebrows furrowed involuntarily.

If all the goblins living here were like this, it wouldn’t be easy to get requests.

Then, a message that appeared out of nowhere added to the confusion.

“I found a piece of the spirit’s cocoon!”

“The spirit’s quivering fragments are beating!”

“The World Tree rejoices!”

“……government ordinance?”

A hazy glow spread from the goblin’s corpse.

***

“mister.”

When I opened my eyes, the sun was at its zenith.

The world tree was stretching as if it had overslept.

Well, I’ve been living day and night reversed for the past few days.

It was inevitable to catch goblins that were mainly active at night.

When I lightly stroked it, the world tree rubbed its body against my palm like a puppy.

“Are you awake?”

A child was seen peeking out through the slightly open door.

It was the kid from District 7 who begged me and introduced me to this house.

“Can I come in?”

“okay.”

“Really?”

“Come in, there’s nothing dangerous.”

Only then did the child feel relieved and step forward.

It’s a tough neighborhood.

They probably asked permission to set traps for intruders.

‘There’s no need to set a trap.’

I secretly retrieved the World Tree trunk that was lying on the floor.

If there was an intruder, you would have felt it.

The World Tree was safer than a ship that could easily fall apart.

“what’s the matter?”

“Would you like to eat this?”

The child suddenly held out the bowl.

What was inside wasn’t money, it was food.

Should I call this a potato?

It looked similar, but it was different from the one I was used to eating because it was hard and had a tough shell.

I refused, my mouth turning sour.

“Take it. You probably don’t have enough to eat, so what kind of gift is this?”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“I’m a bit hungry.”

“Then eat it. It’s okay since there’s a lot of money left over from the money the old man gave me before.”

The child insisted again and again.

He hesitated until the very end, and even laid down a seat next to me as if to say, “Let’s eat together.”

I bit into the potato without further ado.

… … There was no hidden taste different from what was seen on the outside.

Still, I swallowed it with great difficulty because it was a sincere offering.

After I emptied the bowl, I asked.

“What’s the atmosphere like around here these days?”

“It’s changed so much.”

The child answered as if he had been waiting for me to ask.

“The adults said that the goblins are nowhere to be seen. Someone must have taken care of them, and the remaining goblins have all hidden.”

It was as expected.

‘I’ve been hunting goblins for four days.’

There was never a day that was a waste.

There are only six that I have dealt with.

Now that we’ve dealt with nearly half of them, it’s time for them to realize that they’re being targeted.

“You’re lucky, sir. Everyone who’s come here so far has died quickly.”

He seemed quick-witted, and he seemed to be a lover.

I didn’t know what I was doing.

“If everyone is already dead, why did you bring food?”

“I heard the goblin was quiet. I haven’t seen you outside, and I thought you must have starved, so I brought you some.”

“……thanks.”

“From what I’ve experienced, being hungry is the saddest thing. I know it must be hard for you, but you shouldn’t starve.”

The child comforted me by patting my shoulder with his small hand.

I swallowed my laughter.

‘Do you think I’m the one who lost all my money and was kicked out here?’

During that time, I was wandering around catching goblins without even washing up, so I was a bit dirty.

The clothes were also in a beggarly state.

I could easily mistake my reflection in the broken window for my own.

‘Still, you have a kind heart.’

If you were to share food in a slum, it would be like giving it all away.

He was definitely a child too good to rot away here.

“… … But why am I an old man?”

Regardless of the content, there is one word that consistently bothers me.

When I asked him blankly, the child tilted his head as if to ask what the problem was.

“no?”

The eyes looking up through the unkempt hair were pure.

Looking at this face, you call me an old man.

The feeling was strange.

“… … Okay.”

It’s also embarrassing to ask a child if my face looks like that of an old man.

I thought so and let it pass.

“I saw that you’re alive, so it’s okay. I’ll go back now.”

The child who had finished his business stood up from his seat.

It really seemed like the purpose was to confirm life or death.

“And stay quiet for the next few days.”

It was an unexpected warning, just like the first day.

I asked why.

“why?”

“The goblins here are different. Sometimes they get really vicious and run wild.”

Becoming cruel?

I listened.

“It will happen soon. Then, no one will go out of the house, so you will do the same.”

“Don’t you know why it happens like that?”

The child had an expression on his face as if asking why.

“If you knew, you would have followed along… … ?”

“That’s true.”

I really asked a pointless question.

I sent the child away and became lost in thought.

‘A goblin that is getting stronger.’

This is something I have been experiencing consistently for the past three days.

I don’t know the conditions.

The strength of those who went berserk was different from that of their normal kind.

‘It would be terrible if everything changed like that, but I can’t give up here.’

I raised my arm, which had grown from the World Tree, to my chest.

The unusual skin with leaf-like growths has adapted over time.

But that was before I came to Earth 7.

In the meantime, something has changed again.

Woohoo!

On top of the trunk of the World Tree, which rose like a nest, something oval-shaped was stored.

It had a mysterious appearance, looking like either a bird’s egg or a plant seed.

The scale-like carapace on the surface was hard and rough like the bark of a tree.

“The spirit’s quivering fragments are pulsating.”

“The World Tree holds a piece of the spirit’s cocoon.”

“government ordinance.”

The power and source of the World Tree.

Why I Chased Greenwood.

I recovered the spirit traces from the rampaging goblin.