### Chapter 23: The Magical Beast and the Joyful Summer Festival #1
It had been unbelievably clear and sunny, as if the monsoon were just a myth.
The midday sun soared high in the sky, drying the soggy earth.
As the sun arose, all the beasts of the Western Forest gathered under the banner of the tiger, Lao-Hoo, known as the lord of the woods.
I scowled as I watched bizarre creatures converging in the expansive garden.
Seeing the march of all kinds of strange critters felt like I was attending a circus for animals.
“Ah, those cliff goats are here for the festival, too! I heard one of them is making a name for itself as a mighty warrior. I didn’t think they’d actually join the competition!” Salome marveled, watching the animals entering the garden.
Following Salome’s gaze, I spotted a group of big, horned creatures with nasty expressions entering. I couldn’t tell if they were mountain goats or something else entirely.
The ground trembled as the goats stomped, making a thud, thud.
“Hey, you losers! The spot of the lord of the forest belongs to our esteemed Baphomet!”
The goat herd parted like the Red Sea, revealing a strange, bipedal goat who strutted out from inside.
It glared at the other animals, showing off its horns and muscles, acting as if it could skew everything that annoyed it.
Salome raised an eyebrow at the unexpected bipedal goat, seeming amused.
“Oh, it’s a satyr! Looks like that one is the champion of goats and sheep. I’ve never seen a satyr up close before!”
“Is it strong?” I asked.
Salome replied without a second thought, “Oh, it is. Its legs, honed from climbing cliffs, are super strong and can even shatter rocks with a kick!”
“Sounds serious.”
I eyed the satyr, Baphomet, his thighs bulging like thick tree trunks.
If kicked by those legs, I’d be counting my ribs. Whether it could actually crush rocks was questionable, but it definitely looked intimidating.
“Why don’t you goats hang out in the corner munching on grass? Or did you come here to be my lunch?”
“What? Who just said that?”
Baphomet’s lips twisted as he tried to track down the source of the sudden jab.
“Which one of you said that?”
“It was me, you j*rk!”
A shadow emerged from behind the goat herd.
Moving gracefully like a feline, a sleek black puma sauntered into the garden.
Baphomet snorted in disdain at the uninvited guest’s arrival.
“Oh ho, who do we have here? It’s Sugar the Black Puma! I thought you were just a skinny stick and mistook you for a twig. I assumed you’d perished along with the old king. Looks like you’re still hanging on? Probably haven’t eaten much, huh?”
The goats around Baphomet erupted in obnoxious laughter, bleating, “Meee-hee-hee!”
The puma casually brushed past the goats, muttering, “You lot chattering away as Lao-Hoo’s underlings is going to end today. The king of the forest is about to change.”
“Talk tough, huh? Are you going to wet yourself in the arena again like twenty years ago? The smell of your urine lingers long after!”
“That j*rk…”
Baphomet and the suddenly appearing black puma glared at each other, the air thick with impending conflict.
Just minutes ago, animals had fought like this, so Salome stepped in to mediate.
“Looks like you’re all boiling over with excitement. I’ll go sort this out.”
As Salome prepared to flutter her wings again…
BOOM! BOOM!
The forest shook with earth-rumbling sounds, suddenly freezing all the beasts in their tracks as they turned their heads toward the noise.
A wild, ragged breath parted the trees and bushes as a massive figure made its entrance.
“Lowly creatures, don’t disturb the sacred festival! You’re mere extras!”
The immense being with protruding fangs reminded me of the warrior Muhamba I had seen in the Ant Cave.
If Muhamba was a solitary warrior, this fellow seemed to lead a battalion of fighters.
Standing on two legs, the beasts marched in formation into the garden.
The terms “march” and “advance” fit them perfectly.
I watched their procession, unable to tear my eyes away, and curiously inquired, “What kind of animal is that?”
“It’s a pig.”
“A pig?”
Salome’s answer hit me like a blunt object.
I recalled hearing an offhand mention of pigs living in the forest recently.
I had just assumed they were wild boars, but these creatures looked like humans with pig heads! They could just as easily pass for orcs from some fantasy tale.
‘Creatures resembling humans are likely descendants of the forest’s lord,’ I recalled.
Though I thought breeding was rare, judging by their numbers—about a squad’s worth—they didn’t seem so uncommon after all.
‘Are they fruitful because they’re pigs?’
Lost in thought, Salome added quietly, “To be precise, they are the elite warriors of the Ross pigs. Pigs have historically been strong enough to claim the title of lord of the forest three times. Their bodies are proof of their long history and pride.”
“Uh-huh.”
I nodded along, though my thoughts wandered to potential barbecue prospects.
How delicious would they be if roasted over a fire?
“Those aren’t even noble creatures. The everlasting ice flower shall belong to our mighty tusked tribe this year because our best warrior is competing!”
The pigs chuckled haughtily, snuffling as they reveled in their arrival.
The once chaotic atmosphere quickly chilled, perhaps from an overwhelming presence they exuded that I couldn’t grasp.
‘Are they major contenders? Are they that strong?’
While I was sizing up the pigs’ strengths, they began to shuffle and, one by one, drop to their knees.
All the beasts around them followed suit, bowing their heads low in a show of respect.
Feeling puzzled, I turned to see a massive shadow behind me casting over everything.
A mountain—or rather, a giant head rose high into the sky.
The lord of the forest, Lao-Hoo, had arrived without a sound, taking a deep, rumbling breath.
He glanced around with his distant eyes, seemingly surveying the area.
【Welcome, warriors of the West. Some familiar tribes are here as well as newcomers.】
Lao-Hoo’s voice resonated, possessing an uncanny power that echoed straight into our brains.
With his towering figure and commanding voice, he captivated the audience and bared his sharp fangs in a grin.
【The notorious pigs have arrived, so it seems all participants have gathered. I won’t talk long.】
Lao-Hoo paused like he was taking a moment to catch his breath.
An austere silence fell over the once noisy garden, not even a bird dared chirp.
Soon, Lao-Hoo growled deeply, his voice rumbling like thunder.
【Fight to the d*ath. Until only one remains standing!】
Thunder echoed in clear skies.
I smoothed down my bristly fur and surveyed the surroundings.
The bodies of the beasts flattened to the ground trembled, either in excitement or fear.
【Now, let us hear from the champion introduced by Jim, the contestant who has just reached the stage of this festival.】
Lao-Hoo lifted me onto his broad paw.
【Everyone, raise your heads. This is the king’s champion introduced by Jim.】
I was taken aback as I stood perched on his paw, overlooking the sea of faces staring at me.
‘What am I supposed to say?’
All the beasts’ eyes were on me.
“What’s that thing?”
“Never seen that before. Looks like a scruffy hedgehog.”
“A hedgehog is from the South, isn’t it? Could be a Ratel! Look at those fangs and claws!”
“Ratel used to live in the East, though.”
The beasts began murmuring among themselves.
I hesitated, unsure of what to say, when suddenly someone rose and raised a paw high.
“I have a question!”
【Speak.】
The long-tusked pig gestured for permission from Lao-Hoo, speaking with a tone of confusion.
“O king, who is that? I’ve never seen such a beast in the West. Did he come from another region?”
【Indeed, he comes from the South.】
“From the South!”
“The land of savagery…!”
The crowd began to stir in unison.
“I’ve heard that those from the South would even eat their own family in times of hunger…!”
“They say they love mint chocolate…like that toothpaste tree bark!”
“Oh my, how can they even eat that!? Barbarians, those fools!”
“Scram! How does it make sense to have an outsider at the festival? Go chew on some roots instead!”
In an instant, the uproar turned into volleys of insults aimed at me.
I remained silent, simply listening to the chaos.
Finally, Lao-Hoo, unable to hold his tongue any longer, spoke up.
【This guy comes from the South, but he is a warrior among warriors. I, along with Elder Ilgast, vouch for him.】
“The Elder Ilgast acknowledged his qualifications?”
At the pig’s inquiry, a sparrow named Pepe flew in to chime in.
【Yes, indeed! Though the creature has no lineage, he is strong enough to take down the Stalker of the Rainy Day!】
“A Stalker on a rainy day? When it’s not even clear skies? Hmph.”
The pig sniffed, sounding less than impressed, opening its mouth as if to say something, but then closed it repeatedly.
With a tsst, the pig finally sat down.
“Well, since I have the Elder’s and the king’s blessing, I won’t say more, but I hope he doesn’t ruin the sacred festival.”
【Don’t worry. He’ll provide a fine fight fitting for a warrior. Now, declare your ambitions.】
Lao-Hoo prompted me.
“Uh, ummm.”
Clearing my throat, I awkwardly shifted.
“Uhm…”
“Lao-Hoo is lying!”
Just as I was about to speak, someone in the audience shouted loudly.
All eyes quickly turned to the source of the voice.
A sleek, black puma, Sugar, who had caused chaos upon arrival, stood confidently.
【That voice…it’s Gallum the Black Panther, huh? So you’re saying Jim is lying? What do you mean by that?】
“I say Lao-Hoo is lying…ah, rumors have been circulating. Isn’t it something all the beasts here in the West know? That Lao-Hoo is lying to us?”
Calmly, Gallum wandered among the crowd without a trace of anxiety.
【Jim has told no lies; he lacks the skill for that. Speak plainly.】
“Let’s cut to the chase then! The Everlasting Ice Flower. It’s that mythical flower that nobody’s ever seen. When it was announced as a prize for this festival, didn’t we all gasp?”
【E-Everylasting Ice Flower?】
Lao-Hoo stumbled over his words for the first time.
Since he usually maintained a serious demeanor, his fluster was remarkably evident this time.
Seeing Lao-Hoo flustered, Gallum added a sharp proclamation.
“No one has seen it, and only Lao-Hoo knows of its existence. I bet if you’re a creature of the Western Forest, you’ve heard of this flower. Could it be that the Everlasting Ice Flower is just a lie?”
The animals blinked at each other, looking confused.
【That’s not true! The Everlasting Ice Flower exists. What need would there be to lie about something that doesn’t exist?】
“It might be to deflect. To soil the sacred festival, to muddy the times of the king’s change. Lao-Hoo, it seems you concocted this tale to avoid losing in the festival over ten years ago because you don’t want to face the shame of being dethroned!”
【Ha! Are you implying I’ve ever dodged a challenger? To present a prize is merely an act of mercy on my part. How could you not realize that?】
“Well, then show us that Everlasting Ice Flower!”
【Show, you say?】
Lao-Hoo’s voice trembled loudly.
He looked so flustered that I felt bad for him.
“Why are you so flustered? Do you have a reason you can’t show it…?”
【Ah, no! It’s normally invisible, and well…】
“Are you showing us this flustered king?”
Gallum shouted to the audience, trying to incite their reaction.
Lao-Hoo’s panicked excuse only heightened the audience’s turmoil.
Lao-Hoo, who was frowning just moments ago, let out a deep sigh.
【Pepe, bring it here.】
“W-What is it?”
【What do you think? It’s the Everlasting Ice Flower! You know how it looks, right?】
“Uh…um…yes, I’ll…go get it! Yes! It’s the Everlasting Ice Flower! I’ll get it!”
Pepe, eyes wide and shaking, finally soared off somewhere.
Time passed, and soon, the sparrow returned clutching something tightly in its talons.
‘What is that?’
I frowned.
Lao-Hoo opened his mouth wide, looking triumphant.
【You… brought it!】
