Overwhelming Difference in Power

This webtoon is so unfriendly it doesn't even bother explaining the skills.

That's why the protagonist's party has to try each skill for themselves, figuring out the effects and how to use them through trial and error. The same goes for other people's skills. You have to take the hit yourself to learn what the ability does, how long it lasts, and what the cooldown is.

But I can skip a fair amount of that process. Especially with a skill I already know.

"Is my role in this world getting bigger? All the skills the protagonist gets keep showing up for me."

Stat Amplification.

The skill does exactly what it says—amplifies your stats for a set period of time. Not every stat, though. Only one gets the boost, and you have to sacrifice another in exchange.

For example, I can dump my completely useless Mental stat of 8 and pour it into the Agility I need most right now.

"At level 1 it's three points, right? Oh! Yeah, that's it!"

But that wasn't the end of it. I'd also gotten two more stat points as a quest clear reward.

Everything into Agility.

Seven plus three made ten. My Agility had suddenly jumped into double digits.

The effect was incredible.

Taat!!!

I planted a foot on a car roof and leapt—flying far farther than I'd expected.

Tadak!

I landed like the Terminator, clearing the zombies surrounding the minivan in a single bound, then twisted my body and swung the riot shield in my left hand.

Tuk!!

I knocked aside a reaching zombie hand, then jerked my face back to dodge another clawing from a different angle.

Seuk—

Hwik!!

Watching the zombie hand that tried to grab at my face, I rose casually, then thrust the entrenching tool in my right hand straight out to the side, stabbing into a zombie's chest to keep it from closing in.

I bent at the waist, spun my body in a full circle, and lightly slipped past the zombie that had been trying to grab me from behind.

So this was the power of Agility 10?

Hwik— hwik— hwik— seuk— hwik—

Like a matador—or a martial arts master—I weaved through the charging zombies without even touching them, slipping free of the encirclement.

Tak-tak—

I stamped the balls of my feet against the floor, finished my prep, and took off at blistering speed through the underground parking garage, toying with the zombies that gave chase.

Of course I wasn't actually moving at superhuman speeds. It just felt so fast I kept wondering if I was really allowed to be this quick.

"Kraaaagh!!!"

"Kraak!!"

"Kraaagh!!"

"Kraaaaa!!"

"Kraak!!"

"Kraaa!!!"

Zombies pouring in, me racing out. This wasn't possible just because my Agility had gone up. Even when I'd escaped the underground shopping arcade, this had been more valuable than raw movement—that was why the reckless plan had worked.

My eyes.

Hwik!!!

Hwiik!!

Hwik!!

Hwaak!!!

I could see them. Every single one. And I could move my body to match every motion.

That made the impossible possible.

Tadadadat!!!!

I locked the riot shield tight against my body with my left arm, dodged everything I could, and used the entrenching tool to bat or shove aside whatever I couldn't avoid, bursting through the gaps between the zombies in an instant.

"Augh..!!!"

Out into the blinding sunlight.

"To the nation... K-Kang Juhan!!!"

"Ah, keep singing~"

"Hurry!"

"To the n-nation!! Born as a sturdy!!!!!!"

"Kraaagh!!"

"Kraaaaa!!"

"Kraak!!"

"Kraaa!!!"

While Kwon Suhyeok held the zombies riled up by the military song, I twisted and sprinted toward the residential-commercial apartment building.

It should have been around here... ah, there.

"Hyung! Over here!!"

"Hey!! Here!!"

"Oppa!!!"

Just in case, Park Mingu had slipped his phone into my pocket before the underground arcade operation started. I'd used it a moment ago to explain the plan to Lee Yeonghun, so they were waiting there ready to drop the rope ladder anytime.

"Pull me up!"

"Haul!!!!"

"Ugh..!!!"

"Can't you just climb up yourself?!! You're too heavy!!!"

I could have climbed on my own like O Jihye's desperate shout suggested, but holding a riot shield and entrenching tool in both hands made it pretty awkward.

"Huff..! Huff..! Huff..!"

"Hah! Hah! Hah!"

"Haa..! Haa..!"

"Haaa.. haaa.."

"Ah.. I think my arms are broken....!"

Just hauling one person up had wiped them all out. But that didn't matter at all.

"Where's Park Dokyeong?"

"Gihun hyung and.. Jeongyeon are.. keeping a good eye on him.. huff.. huff.."

So they'd sent Lee Jeongyeon along with Gihun so it wouldn't look weird if Gihun followed him alone. But he still hadn't come up?

These people really weren't the generous type.

"Honey!!!"

"Is everyone okay??"

"You okay?! Anyone hurt?!"

Everyone fretted as they welcomed the people who'd made it back from the underground arcade. But their faces were all dark. Even though I'd lured a ton of zombies into the underground parking garage, their expressions stayed grim. It didn't look like exhaustion—they'd probably found Kim Hyeonji, the one I'd crippled so she couldn't walk.

"Hyung!!"

"Yang Jaeyeol!! You okay?!"

"I'm fine, Nari. Are you okay, hyung?"

"Me? You can see for yourself."

"Park Mingu...!"

"Hey, Kim Seonye.. are you crying right now??"

"I'm not crying?! Who said I was crying!"

"Looks like you're cryi— keuhk!!!"

"Don't make people worry about you!!"

"Hey..! You didn't have to hit me in the solar plexus...!"

Our side was having its own emotional reunion. They really had come back from a dangerous situation.

And right on cue, the Park Dokyeong I'd been looking for made his appearance.

"Is everyone unharmed?!"

"Dokyeong hyung..."

"Dokyeong..."

"What's wrong..? Did someone get hurt?!"

Looking at that face alone, he really seemed to be sincerely worried.

"Hey, shit-pants. You kept a good watch, right?"

"You really want to die..!!"

"Sorry. So? The surveillance? Anything suspicious?"

"I didn't notice anything? He just wandered around checking whether the windows and doors were properly blocked."

"Um..."

"Yeah, Jeongyeon. What did it look like to you?"

"Well.. when the quest complete message popped up.. his expression got a little sour and his mouth looked like he was cursing..."

"Really?? I didn't catch that?"

Gihun wasn't the most perceptive guy, so he might have missed it. That made Lee Jeongyeon's words more trustworthy. Or maybe I'd already decided on the answer myself and was only hearing what I wanted to hear.

The odds of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that were high, so let's see how this bastard answered.

"Hyeonji..."

"What about Hyeonji??"

"Dokyeong."

"Yes, hyung."

"Weren't you with Hyeonji?"

"Yes. When they said zombies were coming in from outside, I went up to the second floor with Hyeonji and we watched their movements through the window together."

"So you stayed with Hyeonji the whole time?"

"No. She suddenly said her stomach hurt and went to the bathroom. It seemed to be taking a while, so I walked around the second floor alone tracking the zombies. But why are you asking?"

"Hyeonji...."

"This."

"This is..."

"It's Hyeonji's phone. She was on the first basement level. Music still playing.. already turned into a zombie."

"What?! Th-that's ridiculous! Why would Hyeonji turn into a zombie?! No..! There's no reason for Hyeonji to go down there!!"

"Exactly."

"Right. Anything come to mind?"

"No.. I.. have no idea..... Why on earth... would Hyeonji go down....."

He had no idea?

If that was acting, Park Dokyeong didn't belong here—he belonged in an acting academy.

"Hey, Kang Juhan."

"Yeah?"

"Why are you so suspicious of that guy?"

"I was wondering the same thing..."

"Me too, hyung."

"Same..."

Why I suspected Park Dokyeong... just a gut feeling. Something about him felt off.

"Aigoo, damn.. I thought it was something serious..! Why would you suspect someone over that?! And there's no reason for him to put the people who went downstairs in danger! We all got the same quest anyway. That filthy quest only I didn't get..!"

"......"

Quest?

Quest??

Right. The quest.

What if Park Dokyeong alone had received a quest that required putting the people who went down into the underground arcade in danger?

That would give him plenty of motive.

But that was pure speculation and forced logic. And for only Park Dokyeong to get a different quest while everyone was gathered in the same place?

I'd gotten one. At the sauna, I'd received a quest before Yang Jaeyeol's group and O Jihye got theirs.

If Park Dokyeong was a Stranger like me and Gihun—someone who'd entered this webtoon world from outside—then it was possible. Getting a different quest all alone.

"Hey, where are you going??"

I walked steadily toward where Park Dokyeong and the others were gathered.

Deopseok—

I grabbed Park Dokyeong's shoulder and spun him around.

"Wh-what is it..?"

"You said you weren't confident with your body so you wouldn't fight with us, right?"

"....Yes. That's correct. I do feel sorry about that..."

"Was it like that from the start?"

"Pardon??"

"I'm asking whether you also stayed behind when the people here went down before I arrived."

"Yes. I did not go down."

"I see."

"Then let me ask. Why are you asking me these things?"

"Because I think you're the culprit."

The word "culprit" sent a ripple through the crowd, and Park Dokyeong's face twisted. Naturally his voice rose too.

"Culprit?!"

"While we were fighting zombies on the second basement level, someone came down to the first basement level and removed the barricade blocking the parking garage entrance."

"And you're saying that was me?!"

"Yes. Not only that—I believe Park Dokyeong is the one who turned Kim Hyeonji into a zombie, stuck a phone playing music in her pocket, and lured the zombies into the underground arcade."

"Listen here!! Why are you doing this to me?! Why are you trying to pin this absurd false charge on me?!!"

"I have three reasons for suspecting you."

"Hoo...! Go ahead. What exactly is this evidence that I'm the culprit."

"I didn't say evidence. I said reasons for suspicion."

"Whatever! Just say it..!"

I raised my left hand and spread my thumb, index, and middle fingers. Then I folded the thumb and stated the first reason.

"First, even though you're a man, you didn't join the fight."

"I already explained that...!"

"Second, Kim Hyeonji, who had been with you the whole time, was found as a zombie on the first basement level without anyone knowing."

"I don't know anything about that either! And there's no reason for me to put all of you in danger!!"

"That's exactly it."

"Pardon?!"

"Third....."

"What's wrong? Can't think of any more absurd reasons?!"

So that wasn't it. Park Dokyeong wasn't a Stranger who'd entered the webtoon world like me. Or maybe it was because other people were present?

I couldn't say what I'd planned to, but I still had to finish the sentence.

"Because the quest is different."

"......"

"The quest is different..?"

"Has anyone here checked Park Dokyeong's quest?"

"Check a quest..?"

"You can do that??"

"How??"

"Not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just quests. You can check other people's status windows too. The quest's already cleared so we can't share that now, but put your hand on the person next to you and say 'share status window.'"

"Share status window.."

"Huh??"

"What? What do you see??"

"Hyung's status window..."

"It actually works?!"

"So!!!! What the hell does that have to do with anything!!! Why does that make me the culprit!!!"

Park Dokyeong suddenly flared up and screamed. So I put my hand back on his shoulder and spoke.

"Share your status window. You said you're not confident with your body, right? Then your stats should be low too, yeah?"

"......"

"Everyone put a hand on Park Dokyeong. See it with your own eyes. What this bastard's stats actually look like."

"Y-yeah, Dokyeong! Don't take this suspicion—just show us cleanly!"

"That's right, hyung! Just prove it!"

"Prove what... what am I supposed to show?!! Everyone get your hands off me!!!!"

"Dokyeong..."

"Hyung..."

"Dokyeong..."

"Huff..! Huff..! Huff..!"

He glared at me fiercely, breathing hard from the excitement.

"Why get so worked up? It's like you're confessing you're the culprit."

"Shut up...!"

"Cursing now? You were putting on such a kind, polite act."

"Ha... acting? Fine, I was acting. So what?"

"Is that a confession?"

"Hyung..."

"Dokyeong..."

"Shut up! You retarded bastards!!!!"

He started losing it.

"What's wrong, hyung..?"

"Dokyeong, calm down! You're not like this!!"

"Why are you getting so worked up?? You didn't do it!"

"Fuck...!! You should've just died nicely!! Why come back alive and make things annoying!! You maggot bastards!!!!!"

The surroundings went silent in an instant. Everyone had lost their words at the sight of Park Dokyeong with the mask off.

"Yeah, I killed her. I choked Kim Hyeonji until she passed out, put a phone playing music in her pocket, opened the entrance you blocked, and let the zombies in. All me."

"Th-then our kids dying was also..."

"That was because your retarded kids were stupid and weak and died."

"What..?"

"The idiots who got all puffed up from a little pep talk and went downstairs, weak enough to get bitten and die. Ah, looking at how you can't even understand, I guess the stupidity was genetic."

"You..! You...! You son of a bitch!!!!!"

The middle-aged man who'd lost both sons couldn't hold back his rage and charged. But the same man who'd bravely fought zombies and ultimately put his own two sons to rest with his own hands was sent flying in a pathetic heap.

"Keuhk!!!!"

"Mister!!!"

"A bug like you dares pick a fight?"

"Dokyeong, you..!"

"What? Did you think I was weaker than you? Then you should've insisted I wasn't. You stupid bastards."

"Why on earth..! Why on earth!!!!"

"Why what? I just played along so you'd go down and die and I'd get more rewards. What, you got a problem with that?"

"You crazy bastard!!!!!!"

Someone driven by pure fury swung a bloodstained machete, but Park Dokyeong dodged it far too easily and drove a counterpunch into the face.

"Retard."

"Euk...!! Uueuk...!!"

"A-are you okay?!"

"And you."

Now Park Dokyeong's gaze turned to me. No one around even thought about jumping in anymore. Because of the overwhelming difference in power.

"What?"

"Because of you all my stats got wiped. How are you going to compensate me?"

"Ah~ so you raised your stats by the number of people ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠who died in the arcade."

"Yeah. I did. How high do you think my stats are right now?"

"Dunno... pretty high, I guess?"

"Scared now? Thinking you're fucked?"

"No."

"What?"

"How high do you think my stats are?"

"......"

Raising stats by the number of people who died? That was a lie. Stats were hard enough to get in this world—why would the system hand them out almost free to a guy like him when even the protagonist struggled for them?

And it was all too obvious. The way he dodged attacks and counterattacked.

"I can see it all. Exactly what level you're at."

"Bullshit..! Stop bluffing!!!!!!"

Park Dokyeong charged and threw a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠punch. Fast. Faster than Yang Jaeyeol even.

But my Agility was at 10 right now. Even if he'd dumped everything into Agility, his would still be lower than this. That single motion proved it.

Seuk—

Hwik!!

I simply tilted my head and lightly slipped past the flying fist. Park Dokyeong's face flooded with shock. Then I closed in along his extended arm and seized that shocked face like I was slapping it with my palm.

Puk!!!!

Was that the end?

No.

Hwaak!!!

Kwajik!!!!!!

I slammed the back of his head into the floor hard enough to crack it.

"I told you. I can see everything."

"......"

But ending it like this would be a little unsatisfying, wouldn't it?

.

.

.

.

.

.

Just as expected.

There it is.