Anyway, a Happy Ending

I'd shouted "Next!" with a show of bravado, but first I had to cleanly finish off the ones already down.

Crunch!!!

So they couldn't get back up.

"Gyaaaaaah!!!!!"

"Uwaaaaaah!!!!!!"

I stomped on their ankles one by one, snapping the bones. At the sight of the Kim Myeongjun and Kim Myeonghyeon brothers writhing and howling in agony, Lee Yeonghun and Kim Jaemin—who had been crawling across the floor—shot to their feet and charged.

"Die, you sons of bitches!!!"

"You fucking bastards!!!"

"Aaagh!!! Aaaagh!!"

"Ghk!! Kuhhk..!!!"

Those two were done. Next up was Park Dongsu.

But what if Park Dongsu and Jeong Doyun attacked together? The guy was holding a machete and an entrenching shovel.

No need to worry about that.

That stubborn Yang Jaeyeol had ignored my order to stay put and was already swinging his axe at Jeong Doyun.

"Uwaaaaaah!!!!!"

"Park Dongsu! Take this one first...!"

"Not happening."

While Yang Jaeyeol marked Jeong Doyun, I sprinted straight at Park Dongsu.

"You fucking...!! You think I'm some easy mark?!!!"

"How'd you figure that out?"

Enraged, Park Dongsu swung the entrenching shovel with everything he had. And that was the dumbest choice he could have made. His body was locked up tight with tension, making the attack slow and riddled with openings—something I could slip past just by dipping my waist a little.

Still, that was pretty damn chilling.

Whoosh!!!!!

The shovel tore through the air right over the back of my head with vicious force, sending a shiver down my spine, but it left Park Dongsu's torso wide open and empty.

Thud!!!!

I was right-handed, but I drove my left fist into his side. The liver sat right there. A liver blow. Even trained boxers who conditioned their bodies for years would crumple if they took one clean. It wasn't about the torso—it was about shocking the organ inside—so all that thick muscle was useless...

"Ah.. you gym-rat bastard..!"

"Die!!!"

He yanked the shovel back wildly and brought it down. I arched my back and retreated. Then a massive hand, callused and thick, came flying at me.

Grab!!

Park Dongsu's left hand shot out. My right hand met it in midair, fingers interlocking.

"You dumb fuck. You're dead now!"

His confidence surged. With that size difference, a pure strength contest was something he had every reason to believe he would win.

But Park Dongsu didn't know.

"You know what? This system is completely fair."

"What the hell are you... Gyaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!"

His fingers and wrist twisted backward until they nearly snapped. Park Dongsu's knees buckled and hit the floor.

"Ah, it hurts!! It fucking hurts!! Shit! It's really gonna break!!!!!"

His forearms were twice as thick as mine. And yet he was on his knees screaming in pain while I just looked down at him in silence.

All because of this system.

I'd put two of my three stat points into Strength and one into Agility. Right now my Strength sat at 6. Even the protagonist's highest starting stat had only been 5. That meant the initial cap was probably 5. And my guess had been dead-on. The fact that Park Dongsu and I were now eye-to-eye proved it.

"No matter how strong you are, stats are absolute. Got it? You dumb muscle pig."

"You fucking bastard!!!!!"

Park Dongsu tried to swing the entrenching shovel still gripped in his right hand. But my enhanced dynamic vision and the Agility that had climbed to 4 registered it instantly and reacted.

Thud!!

My left foot rose and jammed into the inside of his elbow. The shovel never even got to swing; the attack was completely blocked.

My turn now.

Whoosh—

I used his arm as a springboard and launched myself into the air. Then I drove my folded right leg upward with everything I had.

Crack!!!!!!

My knee slammed square into Park Dongsu's jaw. The whole lower half of his face had to be shattered. Even if he turned into a zombie, he wouldn't be able to bite anyone. A nice, well-behaved zombie. Assuming he even survived.

Thud—

His head snapped back so hard his neck nearly broke, yet the forward weight of his body still sent him crashing face-first onto the floor, blood drooling from his mouth.

"H-Hyung..! Jaeyeol...!"

Park Mingu's voice snapped me around. Was I already too late?

Grab—

Whoosh!!!!

I lunged and seized Yang Jaeyeol by the scruff of the neck, yanking him back with everything I had. I'd given it my absolute best, but it looked like I'd been just a fraction too slow.

Slash!!!

Jeong Doyun's descending machete sprayed blood from the left side of Yang Jaeyeol's face. It had probably left him looking exactly like the version I'd seen in the webtoon—a scar running from above the eyebrow down across the left eye to the cheekbone, the pupil gone milky white and blind.

"Jaeyeol!!!!"

"Auuuugh..!!!!!"

"Jaeyeol! Are you okay?!"

I let go of the scruff I'd been holding. Park Mingu was already rushing over to check on him. And because of this bastard, I needed both hands free as fast as possible.

"Ha... this has gotten a little annoying."

"A little?"

I echoed Jeong Doyun's words back at him, just to make sure.

"Yes, a little."

"Hmm.... Jaeyeol, I'm borrowing this for a second."

I bent down to pry the hand axe from Yang Jaeyeol's grip—the one he still refused to release—when

Whoosh!!!!

Jeong Doyun closed the distance in a flash and brought the machete down. And somehow, every single one of my predictions kept landing perfectly.

Thud!!

I'd already expected him to strike the moment I let my guard down. The instant I heard his foot slam against the floor, I mirrored him—waist low, driving off the ground myself.

At a glance it might ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠have looked like suicide, charging straight at a man mid-swing with a blade. But once I closed that tight, the descending machete became useless. Of course, it wasn't raw talent—I'd just borrowed a move from one of the fight ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scenes between the protagonist and a blackened Yang Jaeyeol in the webtoon.

Thud!!!

I drove my shoulder into his solar plexus and rolled across the floor with the toppling Jeong Doyun. Yes—rolling. I deliberately kept tumbling until I came up over his head where he lay sprawled. Then, the moment I twisted my crouched body, my hand shot out.

Grab!

My left hand locked around the right wrist that still held the machete.

Smirk—

The corner of my mouth lifted. Jeong Doyun's face twisted into a full grimace. He'd been sneaking glances the whole time. He'd seen me overpower Park Dongsu with raw strength. And the fact that his face was crumpling like this meant his Strength stat was lower than mine.

"Thanks. You were so fast I was wondering how I'd catch you, but you kindly gave me the opening yourself."

"You bastard!!!"

Jeong Doyun twisted toward the trapped right arm, rose onto one knee, and threw a punch.

Thud!!!

The fist landed clean—right on the forehead I'd deliberately shoved forward. Another move cribbed from the protagonist's fight with Yang Jaeyeol.

Having good eyes really makes this work.

"Gyaaah!!!!"

"Did it break?"

"Uwaaaaaah!!!!"

"What are you doing? Screaming won't make your hand free."

He kept trying to wrench the right hand still pinned to the floor free, but he couldn't overcome the absolute difference in Strength stats that applied equally to everyone. So he chose to drop the machete and grab it with his left instead. His fingers were probably already broken and useless, but there was no reason to take the risk.

"Whoa!!"

Because he'd voluntarily released the machete, my right hand was even safer. I simply yanked. Jeong Doyun's entire body came with it, and I slammed my forehead into the bridge of his nose as it jutted forward.

Crack!!!

If I can just remember every way the protagonist fought, I'm going to get insanely strong. Everything I try works.

"Ugh...!!"

Blood from Jeong Doyun's broken nose and mouth pooled on the floor where his face was planted. My own forehead had split a little too—scraped by his teeth when I drove into the bridge of his nose.

Hmm... actually, maybe this worked out?

When I'd entered the earthen room earlier, I'd smeared blood on my forehead to fake an injury. Now I had the perfect alibi for it. This guy was turning out to be useful in all sorts of ways.

Swoosh—

Still gripping his wrist, I rose to my feet. Then I set my left hand against his elbow and folded it the wrong way—against the joint.

Crunch!!!

Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠though I was the one making the sound, it was so visceral it raised goosebumps on my own skin. The sensation in my hand wasn't pleasant either. So that was enough. The rest wasn't my job.

"Jaeyeol, can you do it?"

"....Yes."

Yang Jaeyeol, pressing a towel Park Mingu had brought against his left eye, dropped the blood-soaked cloth to the floor and walked over. In his right hand he still clenched the hand axe he had refused to let go of no matter what.

"Ghhh..!! I-I lose! I lost!! So please, just spare..."

"Sorry. That's not my call."

"P-Please... please spare.... me!!!!!!!"

I squeezed my eyes shut tight. Blood might spray from Jeong Doyun's head.

Thud!!!!!

Thud-thud-thud—

Damn, no mercy at all.

If a guy like that ever blackened and started hunting me down.... Ah!! Han Nari!!

Before Yang Jaeyeol found her, I needed to get inside and at least clean things up a little...

"J-Jaeyeol...."

"......"

Shit.

Thankfully, Han Nari still had her pants on as she emerged from the earthen room, leaning on O Jihye for support. Yang Jaeyeol left the hand axe buried in Jeong Doyun's skull without a word and trudged toward her.

"You......"

"Are you okay?"

"....You idiot..! You're the one who's hurt!!!! Hic.. huuuk...."

Han Nari lifted her hands but couldn't bring herself to touch his wounded face, breaking down in sobs. Even now, Yang Jaeyeol smiled and gently stroked her hair.

"......"

Damn it...

Looking at that, I felt like a real piece of garbage...

Anyway, it ended in a happy ending, so that was something, right?

Ah, right. There was this too.

Whoa.. jackpot...

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

After dealing with Jeong Doyun's group, the atmosphere hung heavy for a full day, like a house in mourning. Everyone had nearly suffered something terrible—and had done something terrible themselves.

"......"

"......"

"......"

"......"

Yang Jaeyeol had killed Jeong Doyun. Kim Jaemin and Lee Yeonghun had killed the Kim Myeongjun and Kim Myeonghyeon brothers. And Park Mingu, even though I'd offered to do it, had insisted on finishing Park Dongsu himself. All three of them had shared the guilt Yang Jaeyeol would feel as a friend. They'd figured that if he were the only one who'd taken a life, the weight of it would crush him.

"They're good guys."

"Unlike someone I know."

"......"

"How can a person even do that?!"

"Do what?"

"What do you mean 'what'..! Taking a virgin like that and just..! And putting it inside..!!"

"Keep it down..!!"

"Why? Guilty? Scared someone else might find out?? Then you shouldn't have done it..!!"

"It was the only way to save everyone! And I did save them! You think I did it because I wanted to?!"

"Wow.. lying without even wetting your lips. Who was the one smacking their lips wanting to do it again..!!"

"Th-That... how did you even see that..."

"Ugh, you hopeless pervert..!!!"

"Ahem..!"

I cleared my throat and turned away, only for O Jihye—who had been glaring daggers at me—to grab my arm and yank.

"What..!"

"You need to go explain yourself!"

"To who?!"

"Who else? To Nari. And to me too..!"

"......"

I hadn't managed a proper explanation back in the earthen room. I'd only said that it was the only way to save everyone. Since it was a personal quest, I couldn't speak the details or write them down. So the best explanation I could give was this.

"So... you and Oppa... had to do that kind of thing... so Oppa could get stronger... is that what you're saying..?"

"That's it. If I try to explain any further, the words just won't come out. I can't write it down either."

"......Okay.."

She didn't look like she fully believed me. But I'd saved everyone. I'd kept the promise I'd made, so she didn't dig any deeper.

"Then was it the same that other time too?!"

"Yeah."

"Is that a quest?"

"......"

No answer came out. So I just flicked my eyes up and down. That worked.

"So it is, right?"

"......"

"Haa...! Then you should've just said so!"

"The words won't come out!!! What have you been listening to this whole time?!"

"Fine, fine. Then let's set a signal."

"What kind of signal?"

"A signal only we know for when that kind of quest comes up again. That way I can either convince the others or just handle it myself!"

"Ah! You're pretty smart, huh??"

"You're the dumb one!"

"Then for the signal..."

"How about this..?"

Han Nari raised her hand with her index and middle fingers crossed. The hand signal people used when they wanted to show they were lying.

Not bad.

"Good. From now on, I'll signal like this. And Nari."

"....Yes.."

"I'm sorry.."

"It's okay... it was a situation where you had no choice...."

"But.. about what happened that day.. you didn't tell anyone else, right..? Jaeyeol or..."

"H-How could I ever tell anyone about that!!!"

"Haha.. right? Just checking.."

"Oppa, you absolutely cannot tell anyone either! Understand?! It's a secret just between the three of us here! A secret we take to the grave!!"

"Obviously."

"Got it, Nari."

"What secret??"

All three of us flinched at the exact same moment and whipped our heads in the same direction. And of course it had to be Yang Jaeyeol.

"J-Jaeyeol..!"

"What secret?"

"Uh?? Th-That's.... well..."

"She peed herself!"

"What??"

"...What..?"

"When we were hiding in the earthen room, Nari got so scared she wet herself. That's the secret."

"U-Unnie...!! When did I ever..!!"

"Ah..! S-Sorry! I didn't hear a thing!!"

"Hey! That's not it! It's really not!!"

"I said I didn't hear anything."

"Hey..!!!!"

"Ah, right! Hyung! If we're lucky, a rescue team might show up!"

"What??"

Thanks to O Jihye's quick thinking, Han Nari's pitiful fate of blanket-kicking for the rest of her life suddenly didn't matter much. The words "rescue team" were far more important.

Anyway, it was a relief.

It had ended well.