Chapter 257
Chapter 257
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 257
Chapter Title: Those Martial Artist Bastards
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The world is filled with an infuriating rage that's hard to comprehend.
There are so many absurdities, so many incomprehensible things. For someone like me with a perfectly rational mind, this world is one where outlandish events beyond my wildest imagination happen as a matter of course.
That's why war never disappears.
Of course, there are the KKK, neo-Nazis, imperialists—society's festering tumors howling and rampaging in the dark corners of the internet.
That's the reason war persists. Humanity is foolish, incapable of forgiveness, compromise, or admitting fault. Instead, they endlessly spew their ugly emotions and slaughter themselves and others in the name of justice. That's our nature.
Wrong.
I think that's profoundly mistaken.
If one day I save this world as the architect of Fusion Confucianism, I'll start by stamping out that kind of mindset, I vowed.
"Aigoo, fuck."
I'd been deep in such thoughts, devising detailed plans for efficiently burning sugarcane fields where black people were being exploited, while walking down the street.
My vacation had gone to shit, but wasn't it time to return to everyday life?
Winia had gone to the Magic Tower on some errand, and Claudia tagged along out of curiosity about the place. Winia griped about her coming, but in the end, she went off happily on a date with her favorite big sis.
I was heading to the guild.
Better deposit my savings before winter hits.
Fall is the season when monsters stir. Even those bastards need to stockpile energy to survive the winter, since they're living creatures too. That leads to raids and plundering against humans.
—Residual Scent.
That's when it happened.
I caught a familiar smell.
"..."
The scent spread wide, as if deliberately luring me in.
What is this... this smell?
It was etched in my memory. A fragrance that made my head throb... I wasn't sure. But like a moth to a flame, I followed it, entranced.
A color visible only to my eyes.
If this scent had a color, it would've been vivid orange.
—Thump thump.
The more I followed that bright orange trail, the faster my heart pounded. Excitement? Anticipation? Something like that. I didn't know exactly, but this smell was violently stirring me.
With rage.
When I finally reached the source, I beheld the truth. Shocked, I could only drop to my knees and claw at my head.
"Oh...! Ooh...!!! Ooooooh!!!!!!"
—Tremble.
My whole body began to shake uncontrollably.
"How much for this?"
"Four coppers for the pretty martial artist girl!"
"Heh, I'm not that pretty. You say that after seeing my forearms?"
"So humble too! For that, I'll knock off one more copper!"
It was Serka.
She was bantering peacefully with a fruit vendor, grinning like she was having the time of her life... What the hell? Cognitive dissonance hit me so hard I couldn't process the scene.
Only after observing that pathological, mad, dreamlike unreality for a moment did my mind snap back to reality.
"..."
A laugh.
A smile.
I saw laughter and smiles.
I couldn't help but question it.
Was laughter even allowed for a prime KKK candidate like her...?
...This defies my common sense?
I plunged into utter chaos.
If there was an apocalypse, this was it. If there was hell, this was its deepest pit. As I said, this world brazenly hosts outlandish events beyond imagination.
An era where villains laugh peacefully— if that's not hell, what is? I felt the misalignment, the wrongness. Come to think of it, even bandits shed tears after massacring people.
Wrong.
They don't know their place.
They don't know their limits.
Unpunished, they don't recognize their wrongs.
Unrepentant, they don't perceive their sins.
My mood plummeted into an abyss of despair.
—Villains shouldn't laugh.
A sticky darkness rose from my toes, filling my body. My vision blackened. The world darkened. In that shadowed realm, only Serka laughing ahead was visible.
"Thanks. I'll eat well."
"Come again, I'll give you a deal next time!"
"I definitely will."
Buddhist teachings. Confucian doctrines. Heavenly Demon Divine Cult lessons and my experiences. Finally, my father's wisdom blended with King David's teachings whispered in my mind.
[Go.]
「Kieeeekeeee—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!」
The rage exploded alongside my roar. Before I knew it, I was charging at Serka with superhuman speed. —Tap tap tap! She turned at the sound and spotted me.
"Serka!"
"Gasp!"
Startled, Serka hurled fruits at me and bolted like mad. How dare she! How dare she turn her back on the Heavenly Demon Kim Katt!
This bitch insults me the moment she sees me!
She still doesn't know her wrongs!
A furious chase ensued!
I unleashed everything, erupting in explosive speed! But Serka showed the agility typical of criminals, darting away nimbly!
I have to catch her!
"Uoooooooh—!!!!!!!"
In my frenzy, I pursued with suicidal tumbling and inhuman windmill spins. An unstoppable impulse!
My impulse sublimated into extreme overkill!
"Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!"
Serka glanced back, saw my acrobatic midair spin, and recoiled in horror. Like a small animal spooked by a loud noise, I went berserk chasing her.
—Heh heh...
—Heh heh...
—Heh heh...
Her laughter echoed in my head, her smile overlapping in my vision. Ugh, uwaaaaaah! No! This can't be! I can't accept it!
"Kraaaaaah!!!!!!!"
A scream burst from my mouth!
All eyes around turned to me!
"The only time you get to laugh is when you're writhing from kuru or zonah disease!!!"
"Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!!!"
"Even that's unforgivable!!!"
My amplified rage spewed endlessly! But my gymnastic display kept me from catching up!
Then, like maggots swarming a corpse, martial artists gathered. Serka's screams had advertised to the whole neighborhood.
Seeing me obviously chasing her, they assumed I was the perp and charged.
"Who the hell are you! What are you doing to our girl!"
"Stop right there!"
This happened before too.
"H-Hey...! Wait! That black-haired guy!"
"No way, the one from back then...!"
But that incident only proved martial artists were no match for me. After slaughtering nearly a thousand mermaids, would I fear you lot!
"Get lost, you moronic fuckers!!"
—Kuheok!
—Kek!
I double-launched into two trying to halt their charge; they spun comically before crashing down.
Running speed plus raw strength.
Plus mana power in a clean strike.
"O-Onii-chans!"
"Stop! Serka! Stop now and I'll let it go!"
"D-Don't lie!"
"I fucking hate liars in this world, you cunt!"
The pursuit continued.
Gutting attacking martial artists widened the gap. Was I really going to fail? God no! Victory's in sight! Hitler herself is right there...!
—Paat!
"Finally you show, you barbaric sword-slinger!!"
"What?"
A booming shout rang out as someone blocked my path. Landing amid dust, she—no, it was her—in a white cheongsam with long blonde hair whipping—
"Tormenting Serka again... Come at me! This time I won't fall for your cowardly tricks like last time!"
—A mare-like thigh that caught the eye: the martial arts instructor.
She struck a bold pose before me.
"Who the hell are you!"
I halted and pointed accusingly.
"W-What?! It's Mariel! Forgot already?!"
"I don't remember every piece-of-shit fuck!"
"Eeek!"
In that brief pause, Serka had fled far away. Lucky bitch. I had my chance, but before I could thrash her like last time, it fizzled.
Fuck this!
Fuming, I ground my rage teeth.
My fists hummed.
"Since that humiliating day, I haven't forgotten you for a second! How dare you tarnish a martial artist's name with such cowardice!"
This fool didn't even notice my fury, ranting excitedly on her own.
She lectured on cowardice while assuming a violent stance ready to pounce. But full of openings. Habitually analyzing, I saw countless flaws.
"Cowardice is just the loser's excuse. Making excuses for your defeat?"
To my sharpened eyes—stronger than before—Mariel looked pathetic. She'd lost to me twice already. Not worth remembering.
"That's not it! Don't muddy the truth with nonsense! Forgot attacking while I was removing the boot you told me to take off?!"
She really took it off when told?
That's her fault for stripping.
"You idiot, that's on your carelessness. Blame me for you letting your guard down in real combat? Ridiculous!"
I scowled.
Mariel scoffed instead, declaring proudly.
"I wasn't careless, barbaric sword-slinger! You were the dishonorable one!"
"Bullshit, you fucking bitch!"
How dare she lecture me on dishonor!
—Papapaat!
Furious, I instantly assumed the Execution Fist Law's murderous battle stance! I won't overlook such an insult. Fine. Like last time, beat her down and rob her blind.
"Come at me! If you don't, I'll go!"
She snarled.
"Why go? Worthless trash gets first strike. Come take your hit."
"Such insolence... You'll regret it!"
—Paat!
Mariel kicked off the ground.
Her cheongsam's hem flared, revealing her mare-like firm thighs. The pure white long boots below suited her, undeniably.
Then, at her hip's edge, white tied strings peeked.
Wh-what?! String panties?!
Critical hit!
—But I won't fall for honey traps.
With my mind as clear as a still mirror, such temptations are less than roadside pebbles. Claudia's prettier and sexier anyway.
"Today, I'll have my revenge!"
Mariel closed the gap in an instant, unleashing a kick. —Whoosh! A gale-force strike, packed with serious power.
However.
"Too slow."
Just two steps.
Execution Steps evaded the swung leg.
Strong attacks miss, and that's that.
"Movements too big."
In the fray of blades where lives hang by threads, dancing the line between life and death—such lukewarm kicks won't touch me.
"Predictable trajectory."
I raise my arm.
Execution Fist Law's greatest strengths: 'change', 'application', and 'compatibility'. Flowing seamlessly with Taekwondo and Heavenly Demon Divine Arts, it's the foundational battle art solidifying all martial foundations.
—Boing boing.
Steps twist my waist. Arm rises.
"Heavenly Demon Heaven-Shattering Palm."
I counter into Mariel's exposed side.
—Puk!
The palm strike burrowed into her flank. Exploit openings. That's how you kill foes and survive. That's combat's principle.
"Kuhk!"
Before she could retract her kick.
Unlike my expectation of her tumbling, Mariel swallowed her groan and instantly widened the gap.
Good call.
Clutching her side, she glared.
"Good reflexes. But against this Heavenly Demon, it's lacking. No, inferior. Even with first strike yielded, this? If I go, it'll be a sight."
—Crack.
I loosened up.
We hadn't even started.
"Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon."