I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 108

Chapter 108: Great Chieftain （4）

Anyway, maybe because I’ve seen a lot of high-level fights while hanging out with Rake, it wasn’t super exciting.

Honestly, the fight between Asha and Kanto was more entertaining. Asha’s flashy hand movements as she mercilessly beat Kanto were truly a work of art.

Pang!

This guy Isaac, he missed his attack again. If it had been Rake, she would’ve split him in half along with his axe.

Kung!

Ha, what is Kanto doing? He swung his axe down way too hastily. He should’ve gotten closer before striking. If it had been Rake, she would’ve sent Isaac to meet the Goddess by now.

Ttatat!

Ugh. Look at that backpedal. Even Rake crawling sideways like a crab would be faster than that.

Watching this makes me realize how amazing Rake is. She’s hunted demons since the early days of the Tribal Federation without a single loss.

Of course, I’m well aware that if I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t even be able to throw a single punch before getting completely destroyed. With this part-timer body instead of Malak’s, I’d probably lose even against Paya.

But what can I do about this itchy mouth? I really want to give some pointers.

“Hiya!”

He’s throwing his axe from there? Well, I did tell him not to be fixated on his weapon, but I didn’t mean he should just throw it away so easily.

“Ugh!”

Ah, so he threw it after forcing Isaac into a situation where he had no choice but to deflect it. Isaac’s rapier, having parried the heavy axe, snapped in half.

“Not bad.”

“That was a cunning strike.”

Rake nods, seeming satisfied with Kanto’s judgment. Harry also strokes his beard in agreement.

━ …

Looks like I was the idiot. Good thing I kept my mouth shut. I almost came across as a know-it-all god.

This is why backseat drivers are no good.

“Berserker! Berserker! Berserker!”

“Black Knight! Black Knight! Black Knight!”

As the audience chanted their pretentious nicknames, the two men began their fistfight.

Isaac had the advantage in terms of instantaneous speed, but Kanto’s overall movements were faster.

The powered suit may have enhanced his strength, but it couldn’t boost his reflexes.

Unlike Isaac, whose movements were choppy, Kanto flowed seamlessly from one strike to the next. His speed was enough to compensate for his relatively meager armament.

Just when I was starting to feel relieved, thinking Kanto would win at this rate…

Tsssiik━!

Gas erupted from Isaac’s left arm, enveloping Kanto’s face. It was an attack no one had anticipated.

“Ugh!”

Kanto frowned and stepped back slightly. It couldn’t have been anything too toxic since this was just a sparring match. Maybe he sprayed pepper spray?

In any case, the momentum shifted back to Isaac. He pulled out a three-section staff attached to the back of his armor, extended it with a clatter, and began to beat Kanto.

It’s not an ordinary item. It sparkles occasionally, probably because it contains magic stones.

“Ugh! Argh!”

This is a staff technique! No wonder the Mad Dog Kanto is struggling; it’s one of the best martial arts from the open world.

“You bastard!”

Finally, Kanto, who had been getting pummeled, opened his eyes. They were completely bloodshot, making him actually look like a berserker now.

Kanto grabbed Isaac’s hand holding the staff, flung it over his shoulder, and slammed him down with all his might.

“Ugh!”

Isaac, thrown to the ground, reached out his left hand towards Kanto. Just as I wondered what he was doing…

A small projectile flew towards Kanto. Kanto, who hurriedly raised his right arm to block it, flinched.

The projectile that stuck into his arm with a ‘plop’ was a small needle. Kanto’s face contorted as his right arm moved slowly, unnaturally.

Did he get hit with paralyzing poison?

“You cowardly bastard!”

“There’s no such thing as cowardice in the realm of combat. It’s just a loser’s excuse!”

Isaac, having sprung to his feet, charged at Kanto.

Wow, this guy. I’m starting to see him in a new light. I thought he’d be straightforward since he was a knight commander, but he fights dirty.

It makes me wonder if that ‘Gale Thrust’ or whatever he showed earlier was just a facade to disguise himself as an honorable warrior.

It’s actually more appealing. I think I understand how he managed to hunt mid-ranking demons.

Unlike Kanto, who prefers a head-on fight, he probably uses various tools and equipment for surprise attacks. He must have caught them off guard at unexpected moments.

But…is this even allowed?

“Isn’t that a foul?”

“It’s not a foul. Weapons are allowed in this match.”

“But he hid a concealed weapon.”

“Was there a rule against carrying concealed weapons?”

“Fight with all your strength, that’s the only rule. It’s not a foul.”

The audience seemed confused as well, scratching their heads, but eventually, the consensus was that it wasn’t a foul.

As with most barbarian cultures, the Great Chieftain tournament had few or no rules. As long as you didn’t kill a surrendered opponent, anything seemed to be allowed.

It’s practically a fantasy version of ‘Vale Tudo’. Perhaps Isaac cleverly exploited this.

Isaac continued fighting like a street brawler. Throwing dirt, firing another poison needle, launching concealed weapons from his armor—these were his signature moves.

“As expected, you never tire. You must have received an incredible blessing.”

Look at Isaac’s eyes. Even as defeat looms, his eyes still burn with the desire for victory. He knows he’s at a disadvantage the longer the fight drags on, yet he’s still looking for an opportunity to turn the tables.

Even if his methods are a little dirty, he’s still a warrior.

“I admit it. You’re a strong warrior.”

It seems Isaac’s sincerity reached Kanto, who had been fuming with anger, yelling things like ‘You’re no warrior!’ or ‘Are all knights this cowardly?’.

The drawn-out fight ended anticlimactically.

Kang!

Kanto’s fist struck Isaac’s helmet at an angle.

“Ugh!”

The helmet, unable to withstand the impact, flew off. Isaac’s surprised face was exposed to the sunlight.

Ppakak!

Kanto’s fist connected with Isaac’s face. The leader of the demon hunters collapsed, blood trickling from his nose.

Kanto was victorious.

“If you were a Paladin, I might have lost.”

Kanto approached Isaac, rotating his right arm as the paralysis gradually subsided. Isaac, seemingly drained of energy, lay on the ground, gasping for breath.

“Isaac.”

Kanto grinned and extended his hand.

“That was a good fight.”

“Phew, I’m glad you think so.”

“How about becoming my adjutant, the Great Chieftain Kanto’s right-hand man?”

Denzo, who was Kanto’s previous adjutant, was now in charge of the Tribal Federation’s garrison troops. They did need a new adjutant.

“…It would be an honor.”

Isaac grasped Kanto’s hand and stood up. The two men locked eyes and grinned.

These guys are acting like they’re in a shonen manga. At this rate, they’ll probably end up watching the sunset together.

“The Chieftain of the Blue Moss Tribe, Kanto, has become the Great Chieftain!”

“Great Chieftain Kanto! Great Chieftain Kanto! Great Chieftain Kanto!”

The barbarians cheered, celebrating Kanto’s victory.

“He lost, but he fought well!”

“It was a so-called honorable defeat.”

The civilized people also seemed satisfied in their own way.

Anyway, now that they’ve chosen a commander-in-chief, we can get back to auto-hunting.

With Kanto, Isaac, Noah, and hundreds of warriors, they should be able to take down even mid-ranking demons easily, right? The points should accumulate faster than before.

━ Fulfilling your responsibilities, staying true to your initial purpose, even when faced with great trials…

After giving a few appropriate words of encouragement, I returned to the altar with Rake. Noah was waiting for me.

“Um, Malak-nim.”

━ What is it?

“There’s someone asking for help on the community forum.”

Help. For our Tribal Federation? Let’s hear them out.

━ What is it about?

“The content…well…it’s like…”

Noah stammered, struggling to explain. Ugh, why is she so bad at this? It’s frustrating to listen to.

She’s still a bit afraid of me, her body trembling slightly. Maybe seeing me transform into a dragon scared her even more.

The user asking for help was Bangguseok Choseon. She said she became close with Noah, our Tribal Federation’s PR manager, through comments and messages.

She was hiding in a remote church with the Pope and a few other Goddess Religion followers when a horde of demons appeared and occupied the area.

They’ve erected a barrier to block the demons, but they can’t hold out for more than two weeks. They’re just waiting to die inside the church, so please help them.

If you do, we’ll all become members of the Tribal Federation and serve you, Malak-nim. The Pope and the other followers have agreed, so there won’t be any complications.

This is the gist of Noah’s rambling explanation.

━ Hmm.

Two weeks…it’s not extremely urgent. Checking the map, it’s not a very distant location. It’s actually quite manageable.

The Pope should have a lot of knowledge. We might even be able to get some help from him.

Even if Bangguseok Choseon is lying to save herself, it’s not a complete waste of time. Just killing the demons to gather points would be enough.

There’s a separate worst-case scenario. What if Karon is manipulating Bangguseok Choseon to lure me out?

It’s not common for demons to travel in hordes. Unless they’re Karon’s zombies.

…What should I do?

After pondering for a while, I made my decision.

━ Tell her this.

Even if it’s not confirmed to be Karon, I can’t ignore people dying in fear.

I can’t keep running from Karon forever.

Rake has good intuition; she’ll notice if Karon is up to something suspicious. If it seems dangerous, we can buy time with the ‘Totem of Chaos’ like before.

━ I, Malak, will go. Tell them to hold on and wait.

Let’s go.