Ah, So Sour!

I was curious how things would play out if I didn't intervene.

If Seo Hamin was supposed to become a wandering murderer, that meant she killed this tattooed thug — but was that even possible with her strength alone?

"Looks tough."

"Giving up already? Come on, thrash around a little more!!"

"Psycho."

A swaggering, overconfident tattooed punk might swing that axe thinking he could drop me in a single blow — but this guy wasn't that type.

Whoosh!! Swish!!

After every strike he kept his axe moving as fast and tight as possible, never leaving an opening. Rather than hunting for one killing blow, he was clearly determined to stack up even the smallest wounds, one after another.

And that wasn't all.

Whoooosh!!!

Every so often he'd put real power behind a swing and force me back — especially whenever I edged toward the spear stuck in the wall.

"Missing it that bad? Heh heh heh..!"

"Not really."

In one smooth motion he yanked the descending axe up on a diagonal, driving me farther from the wall. The moment I reached for it he twisted his body clear and wrenched the axe free.

Swish—

He was definitely making full use of a hand axe's short length and razor edge.

"You're pretty sharp, huh?"

"......"

He'd been about to draw the blade across my arm like a violin bow. Clicking his tongue in disappointment, he went right back to those tight, economical swings, pressing me hard.

Anyway — he got here fast. I almost fell asleep waiting.

"Hah..! Hah..! Hah..! Hah..!"

Kim Hyeonsu burst through the open front door, gasping, eyes flicking between me, the tattooed thug, and the corner where Seo Hamin and Seo Hayun were huddled. His face was doing a lot of thinking.

That settled it.

Kim Hyeonsu's quest had something to do with Seo Hamin, Seo Hayun, or both of them. There was no other reason a guy who'd been lying around on the first floor pretending to be sick would haul himself all the way up to the eighth floor, sweating like a pig.

He'd clearly left the sisters to this tattooed thug — and the second I stepped in, he came running because he was terrified it would fail.

So what now?

No — how was Kim Hyeonsu going to move?

Whoooosh!!!

Jesus—

I scowled as the tattooed thug carved a genuinely nasty line toward my face.

"You don't have time to be looking elsewhere."

"I do."

"Keep talking shit. Don't go regretting it after you're dead — focus. Don't kill my buzz!!!"

This bastard was the same breed as that Fake Cult Leader back at the church, the one who kept whining for someone to play with him.

Swish!! Swish-swish!! Whoosh!!

Apparently jealous that I was paying attention to Kim Hyeonsu, he started swinging even harder.

Acceleration.

Stat Amplification.

The spear was still stuck in the wall, and my movement was already faster than his, so I pushed Strength up to 22.

Ssslick— Grab!!

I flipped my left hand outward, caught the wrist swinging the axe, shoved it just enough to break his line, then yanked and twisted my body, wrapping my right arm around his. Combining left hand, right arm, and the rotational force of my turning body, I ducked forward and threw him clean over my shoulder.

A modified version of a judo shoulder throw I'd learned for a bit as a kid.

CRAAASH!!!!

Yeah — high Strength stats felt good.

"Guh-hack!!!"

The tattooed thug smashed through the big wall-mounted TV, shattering the screen to pieces, then hit the floor and retched up a string of spit.

Suddenly much closer to him, Seo Hayun clutched Seo Hamin — who was still holding her side — and shoved them both deeper into the corner.

Kim Hyeonsu, who'd been circling around me and the thug toward the sisters, stopped dead in his tracks.

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

"You said you were going outside. What are you doing up here?"

"Th-that's... I was worried about Hamin and Hayun..."

"It's fine. Even if it takes a while, this'll be cleaned up in five minutes."

"Ah... right...."

Alright. Five minutes left on the clock.

Think you and that tattooed thug can team up and kill me in that window? The second you attack me, Seo Hamin isn't going to just sit there.

"......"

What was there to hesitate about?

I still had the poison I'd given Seo Hayun. Seo Hamin would absolutely have taken something that dangerous away from her precious little sister — and because it was so dangerous, she would've handed it off to Kim Hyeonsu for safekeeping.

Don't tell me Hayun still has it??

"Seo Hayun."

"Y-yes..?"

"You still got what I gave you?"

"Ah... yes! I've got it safe.."

"......"

Oh, for fuck's sake.

Why do you still have it!

No choice, then.

"Throw it over here."

"Huh??"

"Now."

"Ah..! Yes!! H-here!"

Seo Hayun frantically dug a little container out of her pocket — the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠kind cosmetic samples came in — and lobbed it toward me.

I'd planned not to catch it and let it sail toward Kim Hyeonsu instead. And as if on cue, the tattooed thug sprawled under the TV let out a roar that made the whole thing look completely natural.

"UAAAAAAAH!!!!!"

"Jesus— you scared the hell out of me, asshole!"

I put on a little act of flinching at the sudden shout, conveniently failing to snag the container as it hit the floor and rolled right up to Kim Hyeonsu's feet.

"I'll kill you..!! I'm gonna fucking kill you!!!!"

"Getting this worked up over one slam into a wall."

"UAAAAH!!!"

On all fours, the tattooed thug scrabbled for traction, then heaved himself up and charged.

But I was faster.

Grab—

I spun, seized the living-room table — absurdly small relative to the sofa and the room — and swung it like a bat.

Whoooosh!!

CRACK!!!!!

The wooden top split clean in two, a perfect visual of the impact. The thug's body went flying — straight toward Kim Hyeonsu, who was bending down to pick up the container from the floor.

Thud!! Thump-thump!!

No loyalty at all, this guy.

Instead of catching his airborne partner, Kim Hyeonsu sidestepped like a matador, fingers clamping tight around the container as he turned his head to watch the thug tumble across the floor.

I walked over as if I were going to finish the tattooed thug off — and stopped right beside Kim Hyeonsu.

"Man, I'm wiped.. hah.. hah.. once the skill drops off it's brutal.. hah.. hah.. hah.. hah.."

"......"

What are you waiting for, man?

I'm standing here with my mouth hanging open, panting my lungs out — shove the damn poison in already!

I watched Kim Hyeonsu's head tilt a fraction toward me, the hand gripping the container trembling. Both hands on my hips, I tipped my head all the way back.

"Hah..! Hah..! Hah..! Strength's just draining out of me.. hah.. hah.."

"......"

Why are you this much of a coward?!

Just drop the stuff in the open mouth — free pass straight to the stomach! So put it in already!

I was about ready to explode at Kim Hyeonsu's gutlessness when a glance downward caught the movement — his thumb pushing the lid off the container.

And finally, he moved.

Grab!

He clamped onto my jaw — already tilted high from the head-back pose — hooked his index and middle fingers behind my teeth, wrenched my mouth open, and dumped the open container straight in.

The Cursed Lemon Candy bounced once off the roof of my mouth, then stuck to my tongue like a magnet.

"What the hell are you doing?!!"

"Hyeonsu!!!"

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

"Die!!!!"

"Nngh..!! Nnnngh..!!!"

Kim Hyeonsu snapped my jaw shut and pressed down on the crown of my head so I couldn't open my mouth no matter what. I clawed at his face with both thrashing hands, kneading it like clay in a desperate struggle.

This wasn't acting.

The little notice that had flashed when I first received the Cursed Lemon Candy—

(※ Extremely sour.)

That was not a lie.

That was not exaggeration.

No matter how sour something is supposed to be, this is way too fucking sour!! You pervert god!!!!!!

"NNNNNNNGH!!!!!!!!"

"UAAAAAH!!!!"

A life-or-death struggle erupted — me thrashing to pry my mouth open and spit it out, him doing everything he could to make me swallow.

THUD!!!

I hit the floor flailing. Kim Hyeonsu pinned me with his whole body, crushing down on the top of my head and my jaw so my mouth stayed locked shut.

Sour.

So sour.

Sour enough to make tears and piss come out.

No — this wasn't just sour.

It was like someone had ripped out my tongue and glued a vinegar-pickled lemon in its place.

No. Not even that.

This was a sourness vinegar and lemon couldn't begin to touch. It felt like I'd fallen into water several times more acidic than either, thrashing and gulping it down.

I could feel it all — the tears streaming from my eyes, the snot pouring from my nose, the drool running from my mouth.

"GRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!"

That was how I learned it.

When a person eats something too sour, their eyes roll back and they foam at the mouth.

And after a certain point, even the screaming stops.

Funny thing, though — I was pretty sure my eyes had rolled back, but I could still see just fine.

Don't tell me that's it?

No way. That can't be it, right?

"Hah..! Hah..! Hah..!"

"What the hell was that!!! Oppa!! Snap out of it! Oppa!!!"

"......"

"Hyeonsu.. why on earth...."

Of course it wasn't over.

But what kind of quest is this even supposed to be?!!

I'd expected the end of this quest chain to involve sex — but not with conditions like these!

By the way — can someone stop ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hitting me already?

Slap!! Slap-slap!! Slap-slap-slap!! SMACK!!

That hurts, you little shit!!

"Oppa! Snap out of it!! Oppa!!!! Please just open your eyes properly..!!"

"......"

"Hayun!!"

"Kyaa!!"

Thank you, Kim Hyeonsu.

You just saved my life.

Seo Hayun — who'd been straddling my thigh and slapping my face without mercy — screamed and bolted upright. My head dropped and cracked against the floor, but compared to her open-handed assault on my cheeks, that barely registered as pain.

"Seo Hamin. Drop the weapon. Or your sister dies right here."

"Hyeonsu..! What the hell is wrong with you?! If this is a joke, cut it out right now!"

"Does this look like a joke to you?! Drop the weapon!!"

"U-unnie...!"

"I dropped it! I dropped it, so let Hayun go..."

"Turn around! Now!!!"

"......"

My rolled-back eyes finally settled into place.

Seo Hamin turned toward the veranda. The knife Kim Hyeonsu had been holding to Seo Hayun's throat — fist knotted in her hair — rose high.

He must have been in a real hurry, though.

He had no idea the veranda window was reflecting that raised blade above Hayun's head in perfect clarity.

And Seo Hamin, watching that reflection every bit as clearly as I was, spun and lunged for Kim Hyeonsu.

But something was faster.

The speed of me bolting upright.

"AH, SO SOUR!!!!!!!"

"Guh-hack!!!!"

I came up off the floor with the thrashing vitality of a live fish and uppercut Kim Hyeonsu's jaw on the way, launching myself skyward like I was ascending to heaven.

But I still couldn't escape it.

This hellish sourness.

"GRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!"

Drool kept pouring from between my clenched teeth, meeting the snot streaming down from above and forming a little river. My throat started to burn like I'd been chugging liquor over fifty percent proof.

I thrashed in agony for a long while, choking myself with it — and then the tattooed thug, who'd been laid out by the table, came charging in.

"Die!!"

"TOO SOUR!!!!"

"Guh-hack!!!!"

I couldn't take it anymore.

To shake off the sourness saturating my entire body, I hammered the tattooed thug's whole frame with my fists the way Gihun used his Beatdown skill.

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!!!!!!

I wondered if even a fraction of the sourness I was feeling was getting through to him.

"Urrrgh...!!!"

"I SAID IT'S TOO SOUR!!!!!!"

I grabbed a fistful of the tattooed thug's hair — his head as soft and pulpy as pork tenderized with a cutlet mallet — and dragged him straight across the living room.

Then I hurled him out through the open veranda window.

"UAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!"

Being the eighth floor, the screaming didn't last long.

The Skill Acquisition Ticket I still hadn't used made the thug's skills flicker up in front of my eyes — but none of it registered right now.

More importantly.

Ssslick—

I turned toward the kitchen.

Water... no. Milk.

I needed a liquid with zero sourness — something that could neutralize it.

"Nngh..!! Nnnngh...!! Out of the way!!!!!"

"Kyaa!!!"

"KYAAAAAH!!!"

"Uh...! Uhh...!! GUHHHHHHH....!!!!!!!!!"

Unlike Seo Hamin and Seo Hayun, who screamed and flung themselves sideways, Kim Hyeonsu — just now pushing himself up — couldn't get clear in time.

So I kicked off the floor, launched, and drove a fist straight down into the back of his skull.

CRAAASH!!!

Thud—

Kim Hyeonsu went face-first into the kitchen island. I didn't even glance at him — yanked the fridge open and dumped every drink inside straight into my mouth.

Thankfully, carbonated stuff and sweet drinks with no sourness at all.

But it still wasn't enough.

Click—

I poured beer in after them.

Glug-glug—

Soju too.

Only then did the sourness clinging to my tongue start to ease.

Either that, or my tongue had just gone numb.

"Hah..! Hah..! Hah..! Hah..!"

"......"

"......"

Finally reclaiming some scrap of reason, I looked at Seo Hamin and Seo Hayun, both slumped on the floor gasping for air. I started walking toward them, meaning to ask if they were okay — and then the leftover sourness ambushed me, a sudden electric jolt through my whole body.

"Khgh..!!!!"

I clutched my throat with both hands again, writhing, and Seo Hayun's voice reached me.

"A-are you okay..?"

"Ghk!! Grgh..!!!"

"H-Hayun, come here! Get behind unnie! Seo Hayun!!"

"What if the stuff Oppa Juhan ate.... what if it's one of those drugs that makes you lose your mind, unnie..?"

"What are you talking about..!"

"Look at him — he's clearly not in his right mind..!!"

"That's why I said get behind me!!"

Huh?? Not in my right mind?

Yeah. That works.

Grab—

I seized a fistful of Kim Hyeonsu's hair — still foaming at the mouth on the floor — dragged him over, and flung him onto the sofa.

Then I started pounding him with my fists like a punching bag.

Making sounds like an animal.

"Grrh..!! Grrh...!! GRRRRRGH...!!!!"

"L-l-look at that..!"

"Quiet..! Quietly, follow unnie... we have to run...."

"......"

Run where?

I grabbed Kim Hyeonsu by the hair again, chucked him out the veranda too, and shut the window.

Then I sprinted and caught Seo Hamin and Seo Hayun as they crept toward the still-open front door.

BANG!!!

I beat them to the entrance, slammed the open door shut, and turned around.

"O-oppa...!"

"Stay back!!!"

"GRRRRRRGH..!!!!"

"I'm scared..! Please stop... kyaa!!!"

"Hayun!!"

I shoved Seo Hamin aside and pinned Seo Hayun against the wall.

Then I grabbed her T-shirt with both hands and ripped it open.

"KYAAAAAH!!!"

"NO!!! Don't you dare! You animal!! You monster!! Do it to me instead!!!!"

"......"

Should I, then?

I turned away from Seo Hayun — who'd gone limp and slid down the wall — and faced Seo Hamin, who was hammering on my skull with both fists. I caught her wrists.

Then I crushed my mouth over Seo Hamin's lips — her eyes going wild with shock — and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shoved my tongue inside.

"Nngh..!!!"

One hit. Done.

Courtesy of the Cursed Lemon Candy sourness still coating my tongue.

Thud—

"Ueeeegh....!!!!"

Seo Hamin crumpled to the floor, tongue hanging out of her gaping mouth, drool running freely. I calmly undid my pants and dropped my underwear.

The composition was too perfect not to.

The perfect angle to put my cock straight into that open mouth.

"Mmph!!!"