Chapter 114
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Soul's Promotion Battle
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"Kieeeek!!!"
I'd been under so much stress that I let out a pterodactyl screech. The roar went on for a good while. And finally, when my voice hit its limit, it ended.
As I caught my breath and tried to calm down, everyone was staring at me in shock. I rolled my eyes back at them and said,
"Yeah. I'm definitely sticking with you fuckers. Either quest with me, or abandon the quest with me. Pick one, pick."
These bitches had pissed me off that much—I'd chase them to the ends of the earth.
Dare to humiliate me? Now there were only two endings left. Either we all ditch the quest together, or we all slog through it feeling like shit.
Honestly, the thought of them succeeding without me and pocketing the reward made my blood boil. If I can't have it, none of you can. That was common sense. That was justice.
If others are trolls,
then I'll just become a troll too.
"Hey, fuck, Kusto. Let's go. We gotta do the quest, right?"
Screaming it out had purged all the crap inside me—my stress was way down.
—Whoosh!
I drew my sword and swung it hard through the empty air, calling out to Kusto. At the same time, I chained together the forms from the branch swordsmanship I'd been practicing, showing off my skills.
It was purely for intimidation.
"He's... he's insane... Kusto, you hear that? What quest with this lunatic! Let's head back right now! This is why you don't deal with barbarians! I'm right, right?!"
The mage freaked out at the bizarre display and shrieked.
"Calm down, Roel. We can't abandon the quest here."
"Then what? Just take him along like that?"
"No need for that. We just smash that swordsman fucker and head out ourselves. That's it."
Serka's face turned vicious as she glared at me. She was radiating raw killing intent, like she planned to beat me down right here. She rolled her shoulders, cracked her knuckles, and started prepping for a fight. Pathetic bitch. All I could do was snort.
Fine. Props for not flinching at my sword. Whether she was fearless or just gutsy, I'd give her credit anyway.
But I'd given her a chance.
Too bad—she'd die young. Messing with someone weaker than me meant just one thing. Death. Nothing but death.
Maybe I should bolt with Cloudy to another town. Wandering with her sounded fun.
"Fine, so we're ditching the quest then? Bring it. I don't go easy on women. Chef and human butcher Kim Katt handles tender women's meat too."
"Hah! Underestimating me 'cause I'm a woman? Fucking swordsmen!"
Serka started striding toward me like she was really about to charge.
—Stride stride!
Stride stride? Nah, her steps were even—she'd learned some footwork. In that case, no holding back. I'd ram my sword right into her face in one go.
Let's see if she still calls swordsmen pussies with steel in her mouth, you little shit. I'd been itching to kill some martial artists anyway. Good timing.
Just as she got halfway to me.
—Slap!
"No way!"
At the sudden sound, I let out a whoop and dropped my guard.
"Ah..."
Kusto had slapped Serka across the cheek.
Serka's face flushed red as she stared blankly at Kusto, like she'd never seen it coming. Her dumbstruck look screamed 'why?'
"N-Now... it's... e-enough... D-Don't... f-fight... no matter... what I... s-say..."
Kusto forced the words out with agonizing effort. Not sure if he was really struggling, but his speech sounded worse than climbing Mount Everist. Like he was uttering his last words, he continued.
"L-Let's... go back... The quest... ends... here... And you... y-you all... f-forever... g-goodbye... N-Never see... you... a-again..."
That was the finisher.
Serka stared at Kusto's face like her heart was shattered.
Brutally, Kusto cut her off cold, turned to the mage bitch, and drove the wedge deeper.
"R-Roel... Y-You... t-too... s-same..."
"What?! Why me?!"
"D-Don't know... that's... w-why you're... a-asking...? G-Guess...? N-Now... y-you're... d-done... too..."
"What's your problem right now?!"
Kusto shook his head. A normal, sensible reaction. I was starting to like the guy. He approached me and politely apologized.
"K-Kim... Katt... s-sir... S-Sorry... B-But now... n-no choice... L-Let's go... b-back..."
But that wouldn't fly.
Fuck, anything but the promotion—I really wanted that.
"...Kusto!"
I opened my mouth to say something, but Serka barged in.
"S-Sorry! My bad. I-I'll stop, so no more talk of... breaking up...!"
Serka's voice cracked like she was about to cry as she pleaded with Kusto. I couldn't make sense of it. What the hell was their deal? No clue, but from how things were going, I'd snagged an opportunity.
Hmm, nice. Going smoothly.
For a while, the two bitches wailed on. Seemed like some bizarre bond between them transcended my understanding.
After a long cry, they reached an agreement with Kusto. They'd quest without picking fights with me. Cheerful talk of carrying Roel if she collapsed, with Serka hauling her.
Situation sorted. Roel and Serka still eyed me warily but said nothing, just glared under Kusto's watch.
"Th-Then... l-let's... d-depart..."
Anyway, the priest's flaming slap had restored the party to normal-ish. We set off again. Felt like a massive time sink. After that, things went ridiculously smooth.
But.
Why the fuck was my gut twisting again?
Watching them actually pull it together made my insides churn all over.
Seeing those shit-tier bitches steel themselves for the quest was unbearable. Unable to hold back the impulse, I spoke up.
"Ah, fuck. I'm beat. Hey, let's rest."
"...?"
"Hey, you deaf? Hey fuck! I'm tired! Let's rest!"
I twisted my face and bellowed savagely. The party's mood plummeted to hell's abyss in seconds. Serka's face turned beet red as she yelled at me.
"That... that fucker...!"
"What? Fucker?! This whore cunt just called me fucker?! Hey Kusto!"
I bellowed Kusto's name like I was shattering the earth. This wasn't bitching. It was righteous public morals, parental manners.
My dad had a booming voice. He never took shit—a true man. Embarrassing as hell when he raised hell at the butcher shop, but now was the time for his boldness to be my virtue.
"Kusto!!! This bitch is talking shit to me and it's okay?! Mages can rest but not me?? Why! Why the fuck are you doing this to meeee!! Whyyy!!!"
"C-Calm... d-down... s-sir... K-Kim... Katt... sir...!"
Kusto restrained Serka, who was about to lunge. She turned meek again, grinding her teeth as she turned away.
Doing this felt goddamn good somehow.
Yeah.
Righteousness rewards good, punishes evil. Sinners suffer—that's right.
Watching the villains suffer bloomed satisfaction in me. They'd all committed to finishing the quest, eyeing me cautiously. Me raging wouldn't matter now.
"Rest! Rest! Ow, I'm dying!"
"U-Understood... L-Let's... r-rest... then go..."
In the end, my bullshit forced another break. I plopped down a bit away from the group again. The two bitches glared, but said zilch.
"..."
I picked up a small pebble rolling around.
And chucked it.
—Thwack!
"Yow!"
"Nice."
The stone nailed Serka's nape perfectly.
Her face contorted as she whipped around to me.
"What the hell?!"
"Hey, bored. Sing something."
"W-What? You swordsman fuck!"
She stomped up but glanced at Kusto and froze. He checked her face, then looked at mine with a sour expression.
"K-Kim... Katt... sir? W-What... are you... d-doing...?"
"Huh? We're questing together all day anyway, just trying to bond. Went too far? Sorry. Hey! Serka! My bad! Hurt bad?!"
"Th-That... th-that... fucker...!"
Anger management bitch.
Anyway, rested enough, time to move.
"Hey! Break's over! Let's go!"
Watching Serka's beet-red meltdown was pretty fun. She couldn't charge me. Kusto had trained her good. We headed out again. Party mood was total chaos.
"RoelRoelRoelRoelRoel, Roooeeeel!!!"
I chanted the mage's name while walking. She ignored at first, but finally snapped.
"Shut up! Shut it!"
"Shut up! Shut it!"
"Don't mimic!"
"Don't mimic!"
Exaggerated gestures mimicking her—she clutched her head like she was losing it. Hadn't felt this good lately; her freakout was hilarious.
"Hic... hic... Why... why am I dealing with this..."
Roel finally burst into tears.
Maybe I went too far—decided to console her.
"Gramps, why cry all sudden? Breaks my heart."
"Waaaah!!!"
"Don't cry."
Don't cry, tones.
"Hey, hey. Fuck. Stop bawling and let's go."
Still, we had to move, so I cut the comfort and suggested constructively. Serka looked ready to explode, Kusto was coughing like his fix was unraveling to the cosmos.
This.
This was the vibe I wanted.
"Hey, Serka. Hurry up. Quest time? Calm your girl. Crying like a kid."
"Y-You...!"
"What eyes? Hey, Kusto. Can I fight this bitch? She's mouthing off, fuck! Die, one of us? Hey! Answer! Answer me! Why ignore when I talk!!!"
—Shing!
I drew my sword again.
Kusto's eyes bulged in plea. Normies suffer, huh. Hell, partying with these bitches was abnormal. He was probably nuts too.
"S-Stop... p-please... w-we're... s-sorry..."
"Hmm, yeah? Your side fucked up, right?"
He bowed his head apologizing. Shocked their man submitted? The martial artist and mage clung to him in horror.
What situation was this.
I couldn't comprehend.
So alien, like this spot was cut from the world—eerie illusion.
In that mood, the party set off again.
The two women were already sunk in sticky darkness. To light the fuse, I messed with Serka.
"Dumb bitch. Serka! Where you going! Over here! Walk by me!"
"C-Can't take it anymore! I'll kill you!"
And right as we moved, this.
Haa.
World's just full of shit.
—Keeeek!!
This time, not Kusto—monsters stopped our fight.
From ahead, monsters were charging.