My Alter Ego’s Path to Greatness - Chapter 61

#61

Before the Storm (2)

“Wahahahah—! This is good! “I like it very much!”

Harley patted her new helmet and let out a satisfied laugh.

〈Grizzly Bear Head Helmet〉

– A helmet made by a highly skilled craftsman by processing the head of a magical beast, a grizzly bear. The effect of filling the free space with absorbent material is excellent in alleviating external shocks. It is made in one piece with tough leather to cover the shoulders and back.

It was a specially made item made from the head of a demonic beast that had been saved just before returning to the city after rescuing Cecily, in place of the broken black leopard helmet.

Since Tarak had a developed mercenary industry, the craftsmen’s skills were generally good, producing quite excellent items.

This is also the result of Hubert going out of his way to find a skilled craftsman and commissioning it.

As a bonus, he got all new demonic tooth accessories and returned to the appearance of a perfect barbarian warrior.

“Anyway, I will only sell weapons if the person who wants to use them comes in person. “Master craftsmen are picky.”

The only thing we haven’t gotten yet is a weapon for Harley to use.

While walking around the blacksmith shop, Hubert found a fairly good weapon, but the craftsman who made it said he would not sell it unless he personally came to use it.

‘Actually, it’s not a big deal just going in person. I really like it too.’

Because of that, Harley was walking the streets of Tarak majestically again today.

Even though everyone was whispering, they couldn’t say anything to him and just avoided eye contact.

But that situation didn’t last long.

“Kek, what is that old-fashioned little thing? “I’m the one responsible for disgracing the South.”

A complaint made openly without lowering the voice as if to be heard.

Harley’s steps suddenly stopped.

My eyes slowly returned to where the sound came from.

‘This is another unique situation.’

How can you say something like that even after looking at this intimidating figure?

What kind of brave person is this?

On the side of the road where Harley’s gaze was directed, three men were gathered together, frowning and looking at him.

They all gave off the impression that they were skilled warriors, with above-average physiques and strong muscles on their broad shoulders.

What they had in common was that each of them had various tattoos all over their bodies.

Even after making eye contact with Harley, they raised their voices even more without any sign of hesitation.

“You’re bragging about being a warrior when you have no qualifications.”

“What is that clumsy graffiti? “I guess you wanted to imitate the imprint?”

“Are you really Southern? The same goes for the mismatched eyes. Are you of mixed race?”

…From what I heard, it seemed like they were really warriors from the South.

Since Tarak has a developed mercenary industry, it was not strange to meet people who came from other regions like this.

Based on information collected in advance, the facial shape was changed to resemble southerners as much as possible, but it must have felt out of place to the locals.

‘What is needed in times like this is shamelessness.’

He spread his shoulders wide and approached them with confident steps.

Because Harley, a manly man, does not avoid a fight that comes his way.

“Are you insulting this body right now? I have no shame whatsoever as a warrior! “You guys seem like southern warriors too, so why are you criticizing this cool appearance?”

Naturally brushing aside the suspicion of being a fake Southerner and focusing on the question of clothing, he stood in front of the warriors and looked down at them.

Their size was not small by any means, but when they stood in front of Harley, the difference in eye level was more than half a head.

“under! “Because of people like you, the entire Southern people have become a laughing stock!”

“You should only wear clothes like that at traditional festivals. “Stop walking around arrogantly in places like this!”

“There is no way you can fight properly with such ineffective clothing. “Seeing as there isn’t a single wound on his body, he looks like a clown with only built up muscles, right?”

Their attire was like that of an average mercenary, with ordinary leather armor partially lined with metal.

It was a very sad reality.

‘I already knew, but I’m disappointed. An era in which the romance of barbarian warriors has already disappeared.’

Despite several rounds of arguments again, the differences in opinions were not resolved.

“I can’t understand! So in a situation like this, there is only one solution, right? Hahaha!”

Among the information about the South that I researched in advance, there was one thing that really impressed me.

When a conflict arises between warriors, it is a custom to assert each other’s claims through bare-handed baktu.

It was a tough way to compete using only physical strength without using weapons or aurors.

“If you’re dissatisfied, don’t just keep your mouth shut, but prove it with your skills?”

“Palpuni without a single mark…!”

One of them gritted his teeth at the refreshing provocation.

An instant fight broke out between him and Harley, who handed over the weapon they were holding to a colleague next to them.

“I don’t mind if all three attack me at the same time?”

“What do you think of a warrior’s honor? “I am enough on my own!”

“Hoo? okay?”

A fierce smile appeared on Harley’s lips, and her muscles slowly swelled.

Every single muscle that was clearly exposed due to the clothing came to life and wriggled violently.

Startle!

The southerner standing across from me flinched without realizing it, but he didn’t back down, probably because he was confident in his skills.

Of course, his confidence didn’t last long.

puck!

“Kek.”

“next-!”

one person.

“100 million-!”

“Next!”

two people.

Kwasik!

“Ugh… you’re not southern! “With this level of skill, you don’t even have the imprint of a warrior!”

And until the end.

In the first place, there was no way that they, as humans, could defeat this body with only physical strength.

That fist didn’t do much damage to Harley’s strong muscles, and the difference in strength was so far that it couldn’t even be compared…

‘Actually, it was an unfair fight from the beginning.’

His body, which was already like a monster, was always strengthened by naturally flowing biological force even without the use of aurors.

‘Rather than that, this might be a better chance.’

He looked down at the Southerners sprawled on the floor.

Unexpectedly, I picked up real warriors from the South while walking down the street.

It was a meeting between Harley, the fake Southern guy, and the locals.

‘If these guys are good, I think they’ll have a lot of potential to take advantage of…’

He immediately relaxed his expression and burst into hearty laughter.

“Hot hot hot! “These brothers are quite capable!”

“Tongue…brother?”

“We had a brief fight over a difference of opinion, but I met someone from my hometown who shares the same blood with me, and this was also fate! At this level, they can be called brothers! Haha!”

“What kind of point is that…”

“Uh-huh!”

As I glared at the guy who was spouting off nonsense, he quietly looked away.

“Hmm! “As you may have guessed, I’m not really from the South.”

“But why do you look like that….”

“Useup—!”

I had a physical conversation that made my body healthy for a while with rude guys who kept picking on the tail of their words.

And I was able to take them, who quickly became polite, to an alley and have a serious conversation again.

“There’s a deep reason for all of this, right? “Where should I start talking about this?…”

Then, as a preparatory work to rationalize his origins and persuade them, he slowly began to lay the groundwork.

“I heard that my father was a famous warrior in the South. Oh, don’t ask who it is. I just heard that, so I don’t know the details. Anyway…”

A confession of past history that started out of nowhere.

The warriors looked shocked, but since they had already sorted out their ranks, they had no choice but to listen quietly and not say anything.

And so the heartbreaking love story continued.

A story that began with a fateful encounter between a southern warrior.

A woman from a foreign country who made the worst first impression on each other, but their fate continues to bind them…

Misunderstandings, conflicts, and reconciliation caused by differences in values.

After going through many events and overcoming differences in social status, they fall in love.

But their ordeal was not over…

The daughter of a tribal leader who liked the warrior began to interfere with their relationship.

In the end, the warrior rejects the advances of the tribal leader’s daughter and chooses to run away from her fate.

The woman, whose pride was hurt by being rejected, sends a pursuer to them…

After all sorts of hardships, they end up entrusting themselves to a slash-and-burn village in the west.

At that time, the fruit of love had already been borne between them…

“Yes, that was this body.”

Harley finished speaking and looked around.

Gulp—

“…so what happened?”

“Brother, don’t stop talking and try to talk more.”

The southern men, who at first listened to his story with frowning expressions, were already fully immersed in his story.

‘It’s a story that’s roughly a mixture of clichés. It works better than I thought.’

Well, it’s a common location on Earth, so it would be an interesting story here.

In addition, since the South is a collection of numerous tribal alliances, it was also a likely development.

“Hmm… But the tragedy is not over. The devilish power of the daughter of the persistent evil tribe leader has reached that point. A family of three who dreamed of a happy life….”

Also, ‘K-Shinpa’ cannot be left out of the story.

Harley closed her eyes and told the story with emotion.

A father’s tearful struggle to save his wife and children, with the pursuers tightening at every moment.

After repeated runs and battles, he succeeded in defeating all his pursuers, but the warrior eventually collapsed from serious wounds.

A child who knows nothing and smiles brightly in his mother’s arms.

Warrior… With trembling hands, the father hung the beast tooth ornament he was wearing around the child’s neck.

‘Now you have to protect your mother without me. ‘I… with that necklace, you to the end…’

The father collapses without finishing his sentence and the mother sobs.

And… the warrior’s will passed down to the child.

After that, there were no more pursuers, but it was not easy for a woman to save her child alone.

But she raised her child steadfastly and confidently.

I miss my deceased husband every night and make it a joy in life to share those memories with my children.

‘Why! ‘What kind of person was your father?’

‘He was a very nice person. He was truly a model warrior. ‘What happened once…’

While listening to his mother’s story with sparkling eyes, the child held his father’s memento of jewelry in his hands and dreamed of becoming a great warrior.

And… tragedy returns again.

“…I buried that ornament with my mother. I thought that my mother, who had loved each other her whole life and missed my father until the very end, needed it more. “It is enough for me to simply carry on my father’s will.”

That’s why I, who’ve never been to the South, walk around like this…

Harley closed her eyes again as she spoke with a serious voice full of emotion.

The long story ended with a moment of silence.

And….

“Whoosh… whoosh!”

“Brother… Brother! “You are a proud son of the South!”

“cancer! As long as that will is passed on, he is already a great Southerner. “As for the lack of knowledge, we have to replace our father… haha…!”

The warriors shed tears, unable to come to their senses due to the spicy taste of ‘K-Sinpa’, which boasts a long history and tradition.

They barely seemed to calm down, but when they saw Harley’s face, they sobbed again for a long time.

‘Was it too weak? It’s difficult to keep doing this.’

“Hot hot hot! No need to worry too much! “Now this body has become a great warrior!”

Harley burst into laughter to lighten the mood, but…

“Well… you’ve grown up. “He grew up really well.”

“What if there is no cancer imprint? “He’s already a great warrior!”

The warriors looked at him with a proud smile.

Like all real men, I seemed to have already forgotten that I had been hit by him a while ago.

‘I think these people are a little too absorbed.’

It was as if he viewed himself as his son.

Young warriors who appear to be in their 30s at most…

“Hmm, anyway. So I have a lot of fantasies about the South, but I actually know very little about it? “I’m here because I’m not ready yet, but I also plan to head to the south, the home of my heart, one day.”

At his words, the southern warriors all nodded with serious faces.

“It must have been a problem because there was no one to teach it.”

“But don’t worry brother! It was fate that we met like this, and we will teach you about the true spirit of the South!”

“Yes, I will make it so that your father will be proud when he sees it.”

‘done. I guess I can get tweezers lectures from local instructors.’

I tried to convince them by force if they didn’t believe me, but they were simpler than I thought.

Harley smiled proudly and nodded.

“Ahahaha! I would be grateful if you could do that! Come to think of it, we didn’t even make a full statement. “My name is Harley!”

That’s how he was able to make new subordinates… no, friends.

Whenever I have time, I might be able to help ‘Harley’s best friend’ Hubert with his work for a little while.

A friend’s friend is also a friend!

‘I should also think about the meeting with Hubert part of Boy Harley’s journey.’

From Hubert District, who is busy preparing business with Tarak’s Harley, to Heinz, who is busy managing Heterosis.

Now, everyone’s time flows equally.

The situation for the remaining two avatars was reaching its peak.

***

Hans stayed there for several months and cleaned up the laboratory he had grown fond of.

The high elves’ exploration of this area will soon begin.

It would be possible to avoid the search by removing nearby trees in advance or canceling the summoning at the right time, but I did not make any preparations to avoid it.

[Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk At that point, there’s no need for that anymore.]

But even though the scheduled time had passed, I didn’t feel any sign.

There should definitely be some sign by now…

‘Is the schedule wrong? ‘They’re exploring other places first.’

Maybe I couldn’t find it because it was inside the cave’s barrier.

Although I was nervous, I felt relieved.

but.

It was a little early to express such sentiments.

Same time.

Roselia Grand Shrine.

High elf Lafori called the officials involved in this operation.

“I found it.”

The eyes of church officials widened.

Of course, Heinrich, who was also there, was the same.

‘Even though I was on edge, I didn’t feel any energy. When?’

I didn’t feel any signs, but it seems like the search was already over.

‘It’s bigger than I thought?’

Laforie looked around at the people who seemed excited and spoke in a firm voice.

“The monster forest on the west side of the continent. The energy of the Immortal King was detected there.”

Hans’ location was finally discovered.