Chapter 154: The Deceiver, Gordius
“Movement in the northeast is getting serious. We need to mobilize the military.”
“No, we cannot do that. The Pangolins are currently excited about the savior, the white spider. We will get into trouble If we recruit the warriors who should be supervisors.”
Akulda, the governor of the northern Ashurada tribe, furrowed his eyebrows while listening to his entourage.
“I must meet with Koprik.”
A member of the entourage hesitantly said, “But Koprik has been sleeping deep inside the large temple for a month now. If we wake them up…”
“They would surely get angry.”
Koprik was the guardian responsible for the northern Ashurada tribe. Although Koprik had lost to the Great Ashurada who ruled over the Rakshasas and became a subordinate, Koprik still had a higher rank than any other Rakshasa. While Akulda held the highest position as governor in the city of Siol, which could be considered the main city of the northern Ashurada tribe, the powerful guardians of Ashurada were an exception to the hierarchical system.
Akulda said, “Prepare an offering. It needs to be enough to calm Koprik’s anger and allow for a conversation.”
“The offering we sent to Ashurada not long ago was already significant. And the Pangolins’ resistance will be strong.”
“There’s nothing we can do about that. If something big really is happening in the northeast, we can’t resolve it without Koprik’s help.
The enslaved Pangolins in Siol were gathered, and candidates for sacrificial offerings were selected. There was some resistance from the Pangolins, perhaps because of the old legend that was rapidly spreading among them, but the Rakshasas were able to swing swords as big as the Pangolins, and the Pangolins couldn’t resist that without being properly armed.
Once the first group of candidates were chosen, the remaining Pangolins expressed anger, but at the same time let out sighs of relief. But soon after, the second group of candidates were selected.
“The first offerings are to calm Koprik’s anger, and the second offerings are to ask Koprik for a favor. Do not go against the will of the guardian.”
The town square of Siol once again fell into chaos, but the time taken to collect the sacrificial offerings didn’t go beyond Akulda’s expectations.
The offerings were brought into the temple according to the procedure upheld by the Rakshasa priests, or more specifically, in a way that wouldn’t anger Koprik. The screams of the Pangolins echoed from the inner temple.
Akulda waited in front of the large temple for the priests to offer the sacrifices and come back out. Initially, Akulda was supposed to go in when the priests came out of the temple and gave Akulda the sign that it was okay to enter, but something unexpected happened.
-Oh, darn it… it’s stuck in my teeth again.
With the sound of heavy footsteps, a black shadow came out from the temple.
-Is there nothing else that can be offered other than those damn Pangolins? Those pieces of trash don’t even have much flesh, and their skin is tough to chew on.
The shadow remained visible even under the sunlight. Koprik was a black panther that was 30 meters long, and it was around 9 meters tall even when measured at the level of its shoulders. Its sparkling yellow eyes looked like moons as they casually scanned those gathered in the town square, while its mouth was covered in blood.
.
Akulda was bewildered and said, “Great Koprik, have you seen our priests…”
-Huh? Priests? Were there priests too? There was something a bit chewable. I guess it was the Rakshasas.
Koprik chuckled in a low voice.
Akulda wasn't taken aback. Despite Koprik's animal appearance, it wasn't ignorant. Everything it did was calculated. Rather than getting angry for being woken up, it ate the Rakshasa priests as well to obtain more offerings, and rather than an act out of hunger, Koprik had likely done so in protest and for fun. And Koprik only left Akulda in the position of governor because Akulda played along with its antics.
‘I guess we need to choose priests again.’
Koprik then said.
-Anyway, what did you wake me up for? You better prepare yourselves if you woke me up for something insignificant.
Akulda bowed down and replied, “Great Koprik, we Rakshasas are facing significant difficulties. Please help us.”
Koprik looked at Akulda with interest.
-You? Is it that the fish in the west has started moving? Did they finally fill giant water pouches with seawater and start marching while pouring it over themselves? If that’s the case, I must have a look myself.
“...Well, I don’t think that’s the case.”
Akulda began to explain that some Rakshasas had run away from a village in the northeast. And according to eyewitnesses, there emerged a group made up of various species holding sticks that produced thunder-like sounds, and whenever the sticks emitted light and smoke, Rakshasa warriors would collapse. Since then, communication from nearby villages stopped one by one, and a legend about a savior began to spread among the Pangolins. Reconnaissance teams had been sent, but they never returned either. So although it was evident that something was going on, the situation didn’t allow for the army to be mobilized.
-...So that’s why you need my help?
“Yes.”
-Then I shall go to the town to see for myself. I’m looking forward to tasting something other than Pangolins.?
Koprik was already leaning toward the north of the temple.
Akulda then said, “...You cannot.”
-I can’t?
“Yes.”
‘If something were to happen to Koprik, we would be in big trouble’
It didn’t matter if Koprik died. That might even be better. The Rakshasas relied on slaves for labor, but it constantly decreased because of the guardians ruling over them. However, if Koprik didn’t die and only got injured, then Akulda would be the one to bear all the anger.
Akulda said, “I’m not sure what kind of danger there will be, but I cannot let you face it. It would be enough for you to go around the village so that the Pangolins don’t harbor thoughts of vengeance. Pangolins are cowards, so that alone would keep them in check.”
-Hmm… Going around the village…
Koprik continued to say.
-If I go around the village without you, I might just eat the Pangolins as I please.
Akulda suppressed the desire to sigh.
‘It’s worth it if that means getting over this situation.’
“...You may do as you wish.”
-Good. I will. You go take care of your own affairs.
After saying so, Koprik went toward the offerings that were tied up on top of the altar, which were rightfully its own.
***
The players looked down at Koprik and said, “That’s…a giant black panther.”
Eldar replied to Lunda, “It’s likely a nahual.”
“Nahual?”
In the Pantheon’s conference room, only Sung-Woon, Lunda, and Eldar remained. Although the players didn’t experience fatigue and didn’t need sleep, all the players agreed that it wouldn’t be efficient for all of them to continuously monitor the situations, excluding Sung-Woon. In other words, they needed some kind of change to feel refreshed. And due to that agreement, they agreed upon a shift schedule for them to take turns taking breaks and getting out of the conference room, which was why Sung-Woon, Lunda, and Eldar were the only three currently in the room.
Eldar then said, “It started out as a deity from Aztec mythology, but due to the nature of the Lost World randomly adopting myths, legends, and folktales from Earth, you can simply think of it as a giant black panther with mysterious power…”
“Okay. Anyway, you’re saying it’s a divine being, right? When only looking at what it does, it doesn’t seem much different from a fiend.”
“That part is indeed questionable.”
Sung-Woon agreed on the inside and looked down at Koprik. Creatures in The Lost World were divided into quite a few categories. First, there were people, which were also called sapiens. Although they had clearly diverged into many species, they shared a similar form of appearance through convergent evolution, and they were the sources of followers for the players. Then, there were also animals, which would eat people and sometimes get eaten by people as well.
Up to this point, these beings were also found on Earth, but what came next, namely the monsters, were where things went slightly differently. Among the monsters were giant and powerful creatures that people couldn’t easily face alone, and strange creatures such as Drakes, Cockatrices, and Gargoyles were included in this category.
In addition, there were creatures called Abominations. Unlike monsters that could be raised as livestock, these Abominations existed as individual entities and were perceived by the players as field bosses. Similar to these Abominations were divine beings. They bore a similarity to Abominations in that they existed as individual entities, but unlike Abominations, they weren’t typically enemies of players. They were generally neutral or even helpful with good intentions, so if used well, they could benefit a player.
The next category of creatures were those that were still inadequate in the eyes of the gods but ruled over people because of their high intelligence—fiends. And Koprik, which the players currently saw as a nahual, seemed to be closer to a fiend than a divine being.
“Perhaps it’s because of the being called Ashurada,” said Sung-Woon.
Lunda replied, “Do you think Ashurada could be a player too? But they aren’t on the player list.”
“I don’t know. Wouldn’t there be a cheat that could be used to hide oneself from the list? But they did also say it was a guardian.”
“Then a fiend?”
“Maybe. Or perhaps something even greater than a fiend.”
Lunda nodded in realization.
Then Eldar said, “Anyway, Koprik seems quite strong. Even though we’re armed with guns, wouldn’t it be a little troublesome to deal with it at the current level of power? Sending Lakrak might be…”
“It’s too early to use such a high-level card. And if Vasen happens to initiate a preemptive attack, we’ll end up fighting in the enemy's territory, which would lead to a penalty.”
“Then do you have another good plan?”
“Yes. Koprik looks pretty strong. That’s rather a good thing.”
“Good?”
“I’m gonna make another creature creation. It’s one of the methods I used to employ quite often, and I have a template already, so creating it will be simple. However, it’ll require a skill that’s only accessible when a certain Small Area reaches a certain level, and I can’t meet it alone.”
“Oh, really?”
Sung-Woon pointed at Eldar’s face.
“Follow me.”
“What?”
Lunda, who was beside Eldar, was also surprised.
“Huh?”
***
A few days later, the recently created creature, named Gordius, began to crawl with its small and long body as soon as it landed on the ground. Compared to its siblings, it was surely a small and fragile creature. It was about 10 centimeters long, and the only reliable part of its body seemed to be the strong teeth at the tip of its head, which could even bite through steel.
Even the mini pigs that the Pangolins raised as livestock, which were the weakest creatures nearby, were natural enemies to Gordius.
Gordius crawled while repeatedly bending and stretching its fragile body.
-I…will survive…
For a creature that looked similar to a worm, those words sounded very resolute, but Gordius certainly possessed enough intelligence in its tiny body. Gordius knew its origin as well as its purpose.
-I am the child born between the watcher, Night Sky, and the messenger of the gods, Dancing Shadow God…
Of course, it did have a somewhat distorted understanding of itself.
-My purpose is…that…over there…
Gordius didn’t give in as its muscles screamed in pain, but instead crawled up the high platform that was blocking its path. Gordius only relied on smell and temperature to navigate itself. And where it was heading was the top of the altar, where the Pangolins were tied up and waiting. More specifically, it was heading toward a Pangolin’s…
-...Hole!
Soon afterward, Gordius crawled up the leg of the Pangolin that was sitting at the very rear end and penetrated into the Pangolin’s body through an opening. Having been waiting on the altar to be offered as a sacrifice, the Pangolin became wide-eyed at the unexpected feeling. One of the priests had noticed the Pangolin’s weird reaction, but they ignored them after a glance.
‘Seems like a sick one also got included. But it doesn’t matter because that gluttonous monster would eat anything.’
As a giant shadow appeared, the Pangolins began to scream. It was one of the Rakshasas’ guardians, the nahual Koprik.
-Come on, time for a bite!
Soon after, Koprik got to the Pangolin that Gordius had entered. Gordius knew that it was now its turn. Just before Koprik chewed on and swallowed the Pangolin, Gordius came out of the Pangolin’s body and quickly pierced through the roof of Koprik’s mouth.
-I am the deceiver, Gordius.
-Hm?
Koprik felt a sudden pain in its mouth and heard a voice that seemed to ring inside its head.
-Night Sky created my body, and I learned techniques as an actor from Dancing Shadow God…
Gordius quickly pierced through the skull, blood-brain barrier, and cerebrospinal fluid that separated itself from Koprik’s brain.
-I shall become you.?
Gordius was a Gordian Worm.
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