I'm the Only Totem in Another World - Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Secret Leap Forward （2）

━ …Who is it?

I bestowed Divine Possession upon her. My vision changed from the altar where Totem No. 1 was located to a pitch-black place.

It was so dark that I couldn’t see an inch ahead.

Being able to bestow Divine Possession means she’s a Barbarian Priestess…but I’m concerned because I’ve never heard this voice before.

I sent letters to all the Barbarian tribes marked on the map through Tteunteuni last time. I contacted all the tribes that were still surviving.

Was there a tribe that wasn’t marked on the map, or that was living outside of their designated location?

“I am Asha, daughter of Dozwa and Sharon, and the Priestess of the Black Coral Tribe.”

An unknown tribe. I’ve never heard of it.

“This is the first time I’ve spoken directly to the Loa-nim, so I’m trembling. I can’t believe you’ve truly descended to the earth.”

And she said this is the first time she’s spoken ‘directly’?

━ Priestess Asha, it’s nice to meet you. What brings you here?

Normally, I would have said something like, ‘I’ve created the Tribal Federation in Symphony, so come if you can.’

The reason I didn’t was because I judged her to be suspicious.

The fact that she’s in a place so dark that I can’t even see her outline is also unusual. I can only hear her voice right now.

“You’re wary of me. I understand.”

Did she grasp my intentions? The woman who called herself Asha laughed softly.

There seemed to be a slight metallic sound mixed in with her voice… Was it my imagination?

“You must find me suspicious. A Priestess of a tribe you’ve never heard of, and you can’t even see me… Will you give me a chance to clear up this misunderstanding?”

━ Speak.

Asha took a brief breath and continued.

“Our tribe doesn’t live on land. We’re called the Sea People. Just like other tribes, we worship Loa.”

━ The Sea People.

I’ve heard of them. I was told there were tribes that operated in the sea, although we didn’t communicate with them due to various issues.

I didn’t hear good things about them. Paya scorned them, saying they lived by plunder.

They’re called pirates by the civilized people, shunned even among their fellow Barbarians.

“It was a year ago. The Loa Tuga-nim came to me. He appeared in my dream and showed me various scenes.”

Tuga. The Loa with the appearance of a crab, primarily worshipped by the Sea People.

…A bad feeling is creeping up on me. I couldn’t speak easily.

━ I see.

Let’s hear her out for now.

“Of course, he didn’t tell me much, only showed me vague images. That’s the nature of divine prophecy.”

Asha added, “This is how I interpreted it,” and continued.

“He prophesied that Malak-nim would descend to the earth. He said he would bestow a blessing, and that we should follow Malak-nim and save the earth.”

A ‘screech’ sound could be heard. The sound of something sharp scraping against something soft.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t a sound a human could make.

Ha.

I held back a sigh that was about to escape reflexively. My bad feeling was right on target.

━ …What kind of blessing was it?

I couldn’t even exercise my blessings or physical strength in this situation. I had no choice but to ask, even though I knew the answer.

“Tuga-nim bestowed a blessing that transforms us into a form optimized for battle. Thanks to that, we were able to cross the ocean and reach land.”

That’s it. The probing is over.

━ Where are you now?

“We’re on the coast of Martba. It’s been a little over a few months since we arrived.”

Damn it… I knew it.

Those damn sea monsters.

I checked my status window. The phrase written in small letters in the corner of the status window.

━ Final Goal: Operate in secret. Defeat the demons and the servants of the goddess, and seize control of the earth. If your identity is revealed before that day, you will pay a great price.

Tuga. That damn crab must be one of the Loa who wrote this.

Jin Malak was right. The Loa are not on my side, and they’re not gods for the Barbarians either.

They’re nothing but a group of vile opportunists trying to seize control of the earth during this crisis.

“The reason we’re contacting you now is because we’ve finished our preparations to a certain extent. We want to know where Malak-nim is. We…”

━ Why didn’t you pray to me until now?

I really, truly asked out of curiosity.

The thought that I could have stopped these bastards’ schemes wouldn’t leave my mind.

“We had to make various preparations. In order to accept Malak-nim, we had to be reborn. As the reconstruction is nearing completion, we contacted Malak-nim…”

━ Is Tuga also descended now?

I cut off Asha’s words again and asked.

It seems she doesn’t know that I’m not Jin Malak. Then I can speak more forcefully.

“…No. But he sometimes appears in my dreams and gives me various oracles. He instills knowledge that’s difficult to understand with human language.”

This damn bastard. He’s determined to ruin my plans.

It was clear that he acted knowing that I would have to turn against the possessed when I revealed my identity.

━ Why did you do such a thing?

I wanted to ask Asha this.

“Pardon?”

━ You summoned a high-ranking demon in Quinton and put the Paladins in danger, didn’t you?

Tuga wouldn’t have ordered such a plan. It must have been her own judgment.

“The Paladins are the most threatening beings after the demons. They grow stronger endlessly, as if they have no limits. I thought it would be best to check them when the opportunity arose.”

━ …You could have joined forces with them to drive out the demons. They could have been a great help in saving the earth.

I held back my curses and spoke.

“Saving the earth… So that’s what you think.”

What?

“I’ll ask just one thing. Are you also saving the civilized people, Malak-nim?”

━ Yes.

“Why? Why are you saving them?”

━ I don’t know why I need a reason. They can also become my followers.

“Then it’s because of your power. You need many sacrifices to recover your strength, Malak-nim.”

━ …

Am I really talking to a person right now? This woman, something’s off about her.

“Asha and the Black Coral Tribe will help with the recovery. We alone are enough. You don’t need to listen to the prayers of the civilized people one by one.”

━ I’ll decide that.

“…I don’t understand.”

That’s what I want to say.

“I don’t understand why you’re trying to save the goddess’ minions, or why you’re not hostile to the Paladins. They’re all enemies that need to be killed anyway.”

She couldn’t understand because she considered civilized people as enemies from the start.

I’m speechless. What should I do about this?

━ …I need the help of the civilized people to rebuild the earth.

“Rebuild. Do you want to restore it to its former state? To the way it was when the civilized people ruled?”

Because of the effect of Divine Possession, I can feel Asha’s hatred.

She deeply loathed civilized people.

“We don’t need civilized people in the new era. They can just be good food, like they are now.”

…Food?

“Malak-nim, you seem to be lost and wandering. Don’t worry. I’ll be your companion. I’ll advise you on what to do from now on.”

She seemed to interpret my silence as ‘confusion.’

No. I was feeling anger. Anger towards the Loa Tuga and Asha.

“Ah, the completion of my new body is almost finished. I’ll be able to see you soon, Malak-nim.”

Asha uttered in a voice filled with joy.

I was wrong. I can’t have a normal conversation with this woman. Persuasion and all that went out the window a long time ago.

With a ‘thump, thump’ sound, the unidentified space where Asha was vibrated.

“I and the Black Coral Tribe will help with Malak-nim’s manifestation. So that you can take a physical form on earth. After that, I will become Malak-nim’s bride. We and our children will rule the earth.”

What the hell is this nonsense?

Asha couldn’t hide her excitement and kept muttering. As if possessed by something.

With a ‘creaking’ sound, the unidentified space split open.

I briefly turned my gaze away because of the sudden influx of sunlight. As I thought things were getting a little better, I looked ahead…

“Tuga! Tuga! Tuga! Tuga!”

“Asha-nim has become his avatar!”

“We will be the masters of the earth!”

Hideous monsters, half-fused with seafood, were roaring out cheers.

The sea monsters Hanna mentioned.

They were adorned with various bones as ornaments. Naturally, they were all human bones.

In the center of them was a crab-shaped totem.

Hanna… She said she saw the sea monsters making something. I wonder if she saw them making the Tuga totem.

“Malak-nim, look at me. Isn’t it beautiful?”

Asha was neither human nor crustacean.

Over three meters tall, she had a bizarre appearance that was a mixture of the two species. It reminded me of a bug queen from some sci-fi game.

She said she was an avatar. She’s definitely a different being from a demigod.

“I will lead them to Malak-nim’s side. Now, tell me where you are…”

━ No.

I cut her off firmly and assessed their numbers. About two hundred.

━ Wait there.

I withdrew the Divine Possession and transferred my consciousness to Totem No. 3, where Rake was.

I now have a reason to defeat them.

It’s not just because I don’t like the monster bride.