Shot Put
"It was you, you No Genealogy delinquent."
Thankfully, he wasn't that oblivious. Yeom Jin-gwan whipped around and glared at me like he wanted to kill me on the spot.
"Didn't hear that right, you bald loser?"
He must've pulled student records just to dig up dirt. Makes me wanna blast him with the shotgun.
Bang!
I fired the pre-loaded shell, but a low-grade vengeful spirit lurking in the shadows burst out and shielded him. Well, I hadn't expected him to go down that easy anyway.
"What're you waiting for? Run."
The guy had spun on his heel to bolt, but my words made him hesitate—he knew what I'd do if he tried. He wasn't the type built for direct fights, but hey, guy's got pride; the taunt triggered his instincts.
"Heard you're a top student. I'll mark your back up nice with big red circles, just like a test paper."
Click. I reloaded.
Yeom Jin-gwan stood frozen, facing me down. The spirit erosion space had stopped draining energy, so my ammo was plentiful. But his supply of low-grade vengeful spirits for shields was running low. He'd realized he couldn't escape without taking me out first.
"Don't get cocky just 'cause you scrapped a few vengeful spirits."
Spouting lines like a third-rate villain straight out of a bad drama—not at all like a high school freshman—Yeom Jin-gwan drew a feather spear from his ring. The aura leaking from his Reverse Ethics Armament, the Heretic's Flag, mingled with the cursed flames burning over the brand seared into his forehead.
Crunch.
Reacting to that eerie power, the mole statue he held split in two, blackish-brown mist billowing from within. Looked like when his underground infiltration plan failed, he was switching to another use for the armament.
<We just gonna let him do that?!>
"Of course not."
Bang! Bang!
I closed the distance with suppressive fire, but as expected, vengeful spirits threw themselves in the way, blocking the shots.
"Don't think this is over."
Grinding his teeth, he swallowed the beast soul from the statue. His form warped into something barely human.
Crack. Snap.
Bones and flesh twisted with sickening sounds, his body swelling in size, sprouting sharp claws and shaggy fur. It was like a missing link between a mole and a bald deadbeat dad—everything but his face turned full monster. Gemma gagged at the sight.
"Absorbed a corrupted beast soul, huh."
Those were animal spirits killed by curses to begin with. Turning them into vengeful spirits wasn't hard. But Yeom Jin-gwan went further, using the feather spear's control to assimilate them into his own body. He'd turned himself into a monster.
The difference from a real monster or vengeful spirit? This was an application of the Heretic's Flag's power, so his reason stayed intact.
Grrrrrr.
"Aigoo, how cliché."
Pattern I'd seen a dozen times in games. Powered by the Reverse Ethics Armament that had been sucking up students' spirit energy earlier, his hide was thick—shotgun pellets barely scratched it.
So—
"Come at me."
I drew the Jangdori from my belt. The Reverse Ethics Armament I'd snatched from the Bastards' transport last night.
"Fool. That's what your reckless bravado gets you—death!"
The next instant, a brutally straightforward charge. Claws extended straight, barreling in. Special trait: wrapped in corrupted ancestral power and spirit energy. Trajectory was obvious, but the absorbed strength made it hard to dodge even knowing it.
Slash!
The attack grazed my shoulder. Cloth shredded, flesh dangling. I barely rolled aside to avoid the follow-up, but mole-man Yeom Jin-gwan—true to loser form—didn't stop at one swing. He planted his feet wide and hammered down with root-level headbutts.
"Die! Die! Die!"
Boom! Boom! Crunch!
His relentless claw strikes aimed at my crotch while I sprawled awkwardly on the ground reeked of some twisted obsession.
<Dodge properly! You're gonna get neutered!>
Gemma yelled desperately as I dragged myself backward with just my arms.
"It's my junk on the line—why're you freaking out more?!"
<Less talking, more moving!>
I didn't wanna see her red-faced, screaming in my ear anymore. I surged up, snatched the Jangdori, and charged.
"You ecosystem-trashing freak, who're you trying to wipe out...!"
<You got no genealogy.>
"Oh, right."
Didn't matter if I couldn't activate its special ability. It'd pack the punch I needed anyway.
Grrr!
Yeom Jin-gwan recognized the Reverse Ethics Armament and raised his arms defensively. Figured I'd smash down on him since I was holding it. Didn't matter if I could use its power—he imagined the raw destructive force and his body reacted on instinct.
And that split-second gap? Exactly what I'd baited.
Whoosh!!
I hurled the Jangdori with everything I had. It whistled past his temple and embedded in the vines blocking his escape route behind him.
"Ha... haha."
He lowered his guarding arms and let out a hollow laugh.
"Idiot."
He backed up quick, yanked the Jangdori free, and gripped it. The feather spear and Jangdori resonated, his mutated body's aura surging stronger.
"I'll put this to good use."
"Eh, if it were me, I wouldn't have pulled it."
"I earned the right to wield this power by slaughtering my family! My resolve's on a whole other level from trash like you!!"
"Wasn't what I meant."
I smirked at his massive misunderstanding—then 'they' arrived.
Slash.
A sharp blade pierced the vines beside Yeom Jin-gwan. Right where the Jangdori had been stuck seconds ago.
Rip!
Even weakened, the erosion space's vines should've resisted normal firepower. But the blade sliced through like tofu, carving an arched doorway.
Thud!
"Activating a Reverse Ethics Armament just to give away your position? Touching."
Three figures in full-face helmets emerged through the vine-door. Bastards members—the ones who'd sold Yeom Jin-gwan the vengeful spirit pot.
"Why are you guys here...?"
Yeom Jin-gwan blinked in confusion, but realization dawned, lighting up his face.
"Ah, after-service? I'll pay extra—slice up that delinquent punk for me, pals."
No one asked, but he spilled that he was the spider-mask buyer. Major delusion.
Truth was, the Bastards were here because—
Clang!
"Gaaahhh!!!"
The sharp Jangdori that cut the vines severed Yeom Jin-gwan's left hand—the one holding the Jangdori.
Thump.
One unarmed guy scooped it up fast.
"Ugh, filthy. Evangeline's tainted with that bug bastard's grubby hands."
He wiped the blade obsessively with his sleeve like it was his girlfriend.
"Wh-what the hell are you doing?!"
Yeom Jin-gwan clutched his stump, reeling back in disbelief.
"That's our line. Finish the deal and fuck off—why steal the Reverse Ethics Armament and the cash?"
"When did I ever—"
Shing!
The three Bastards ignored him and leveled weapons at Yeom Jin-gwan.
<Good thing they showed up right on time.>
"What're you talking about? I called them—been watching since earlier."
Even smashing the anchor point, entering an erosion space from outside ain't easy. Teachers or not, their ancestral powers repel each other against the grudge energy holding the space. But Reverse Ethics Armaments, close to vengeful spirit power, slice through like we just saw.
Students' safety secured. Bonus: Bastards now hate Yeom Jin-gwan and his backers.
<Delinquent brain, always scheming.>
"Thanks for the compliment."
Why Bastards targeted him instead of me? Simple. The night I robbed their vault and snagged the Jangdori, I deliberately exposed my face knocking out the guy holding it—disguised as Yeom Jin-gwan. Burned the image in his eyes.
Unless he's a total moron, he'd recognize the guy in front of him as the masked trader from minutes ago. Once the drugged dude wakes and finds the cash gone, Bastards track the "traitor." Nailed it, as you saw.
"This was all your doing too...!!"
Yeom Jin-gwan screamed, but I tuned him out. Now just wait for the pissed-off crime bros to hack him apart, then jump in.
"Over here! Intruders!"
But my plan went slightly sideways. Teachers spotted the hole and Bastards faster than expected.
"...Retreat for now."
The leader-type spoke; the other two lowered weapons.
Click.
Before leaving, he lifted his helmet visor and eyed me. Ice-cold gaze.
"Wondered how you'd fare on your own. Looks like you're thriving."
Visit sometime. He said that, then black metallic wings sprouted from his back.
Fwoosh!!
Bastards peeled out low and fast.
<You know them...?>
Gemma looked baffled, but I couldn't answer. Memories from my body's original owner's soul fusion replayed—definitely included that cold-eyed face.
I strained to recall the name when Gemma cut in.
<Wait, that bastard's escaping!>
While I spaced out, Yeom Jin-gwan dispelled the erosion space and scrambled out a window.
"We're saved!"
"We can get out now!"
"Everyone! No running—gather by class and check headcounts!"
Teachers rushed to secure descending students and chase Bastards—total chaos.
Still stuff to rip from Yeom Jin-gwan, so chasing solo was ideal, but the gap was huge.
<Burn remaining spirit energy, might catch up...>
"Nah. Catch him without killing? Pointless."
Let him go like this. As I thought that, someone tapped my shoulder.
"Hey, bro. Need a hand?"
U Hyo-chung thumbs-upped beside a grinning U Jeong-guk, flashing teeth too white for no reason.
And exactly four seconds later, in Park Myeong-gwan's backyard, shirtless Grandpa U Jeong-guk grabbed my ankle and spun me like a shot put athlete.