Chapter 281
Chapter 281
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 281
Chapter Title: Winter Serenade
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Snow had fallen heavily.
"Holy shit."
It wasn't just heavy snow—it was a goddamn blizzard dumping like crazy.
"Fucking bitches."
I muttered curses under my breath as I took in the sight of the city transformed into hell itself. With the apocalypse upon us, how could I not swear? The whole world was dyed in a madman's nightmare of pure white. Hell must surely be cloaked in that blinding white hue.
Overnight, so much snow had piled up—over two meters—that the entire world was buried, turning the city into what looked like a snow mound. It was the kind of scene only clueless kids would cheer for.
A deep sigh escaped me.
That was the view from the balcony.
At this rate, there'd be no hunting today.
"Oh my, oh my."
Claudy came up beside me, eyes sparkling as she peered outside.
"Has it snowed this much?"
Apparently, even if it snowed in the desert, it never reached blizzard levels. Staring at the nearly two-meter drifts in fascination, Claudy gripped the balcony railing and craned her neck to survey the city.
"Claudy, put some clothes on first."
"Ah."
Right now, she was in nothing but skimpy black lingerie that toed the line of sexy allure.
What if someone saw?
Anyway, I could already spot groups of people out shoveling snow. Whenever a blizzard hit like this, the Adventurer's Guild—tasked by the lord—would round up the city's vagrants, beggars, and F-rank adventurers to clear the streets for cheap wages.
Cheap labor to clear snow and help the poor at the same time.
I'd done plenty of it myself.
Looking down on those wretches from the third-floor balcony of this fancy inn—figures from my own past—stirred a mix of emotions.
This must be the dignity of a Heavenly Demon.
"Darkie... close the door... wind's coming in..."
Winia, wrapped up like a silkworm in the blankets, croaked in a dying voice.
As I moved to shut the window with an apology, Claudy—now in a pink robe—slipped inside. I closed the door and joined her to watch the scene outside.
"How fascinating. I've never seen this much snow before."
"Heh heh heh, yeah? I've seen so much I'm numb to it. Gotta be pretty amazing the first time, though."
Snow.
Fucking tons of it.
I was supposed to meet Kobson and Meria in front of the guild this morning, but with this shitshow, they'd probably bail on their own. Traffic was already paralyzed. The blizzard had hit way too early.
"Still hate the cold, though."
"Come here."
Claudy wrapped around my waist and rested her head on my shoulder.
Blizzard.
People shoveling snow.
Watching it all with her ignited some inexplicable urge deep inside me.
—My hands were trembling, too.
This must be what they call an irresistible impulse.
"—I gotta go out."
"Katt?"
I grabbed clothes and threw them on immediately.
No gear needed. Just clothes, cold-weather stuff, and Quilted Armor with a cloak like padding. For that, armor and swords were pointless.
As I rummaged for pants, Winia sat up, rubbed her shoulders and arms, tossed her bra aside, and said,
"It's fucking freezing out there. Darkie, get over here and suck my tits. I'm cold."
"Tempting offer, but..."
For a split second, I wavered.
"—The world calls for me."
"What bullshit is that?"
This world wanted Kim Katt.
Of course, on a day this cold, staying cozy under the blankets sucking Winia's tits wouldn't be half bad. Warming up cold-sensitive Claudy sounded nice, too.
But this impulse...
No stopping it.
"I'll be back."
"Mm... Katt, can't you just stay with us? It's cold."
"Claudy... I have to save the world."
I gazed at her with resolute, heroic determination.
"What on earth... Fine, I get it."
After a puzzled pause, Claudy smiled indulgently.
"But I expect some tonight?"
"Heh heh heh, you got it. Winia! Be back soon!"
"You're overflowing with darkie energy, seriously. Ah, cold. Sis, hurry in here."
Winia threw open the blankets.
Chuckling, I watched Claudy crawl in, then headed out.
"Ahh."
Time for snow shoveling.
Snow shoveling.
Snow shoveling! I bellowed the hated word in my mind as I descended to the first floor. Snow shoveling...! What a loathsome echo! Chewing it over like something from a madman's nightmare, revulsion and battle lust surged through me.
This place was a battlefield.
"Hey! Quit slacking!"
"Yeah, yeah! Pile it up over there!"
"It's too damn cold! Foreman! When's break time?"
"When this whole area's clear, worker."
The streets were already buzzing with shoveling crews.
The foul stench of snow hit me... the smell of the battlefield. I headed straight for the Adventurer's Guild. A path was already cleared, so I made good time.
"Oh! Barbarian! You came! Thought you might bail!"
"Hey, hey."
There were Kobson and Meria, shovels in hand, clearing snow.
"What the hell? You two are doing it too?"
"Can't leave the city anyway, so might as well, right?"
"Figured I'd come in case you were waiting, but nothing else to do, so here we are."
Such conscientious guys.
Would've been pissed if they hadn't shown.
I greeted them, entered the guild, and signed up for shoveling duty. Simple labor paid 4 coppers a day. But I had full confidence I could boost that pay based on performance.
Grabbed a shovel and headed out to the foreman.
"Here to shovel snow."
"Hm, good build on you. Alright, let me explain the shoveling procedure. Our sector runs from over there to..."
"—No explanations needed."
Heavenly Demon Snow Removal Technique.
I slammed the shovel blade into the ground. Boom! Snow fragments flew as power surged through my muscles. Rookie, who the hell are you to teach this Heavenly Demon about snow shoveling?
I am snow shoveling, and snow shoveling is me.
Don't flap your gums if you know nothing, little lamb.
—Bubbling.
My boiling battle lust finally took form, rising as white steam from my shoulders.
"...You alright there?"
I hefted the shovel.
This puny snow was no match for me.
—Gangwon Province's northernmost tip.
The eternally unmelting Eternal Snow Mountain's frigid peak—I, Army Sergeant Kim Katt, had erased it all with my own power.
How many billions, trillions, quintillions of soldiers met miserable ends trying to clear that snow? Turning that white hell into a snow-free zone single-handedly was my undeniable achievement, my legend.
And now, I had descended here.
Winter? Bring it. I'd yield everything else before yielding to winter. Armies of ice and blizzards? With this Heavenly Demon here, they're just scarecrows!
Behold! My power!
—Kieeeeeek!!!
I roared, circulating mana through my body.
Overflowing strength. Explosive, wondrous power! I plunged the raised shovel into a snow mound! Kwang! A thunderous boom as the snow wall crumbled, hurling the scooped snow skyward.
It crashed into the designated pile.
"Snow goes there, right?"
"Uh... yeah, of course."
"If I handle two people's worth alone, double pay?"
Fierce aura radiating, I asked the foreman.
"You seem confident! Give it a shot!"
"Uoooooh—!!!!"
They were carving paths and dumping snow into underground channels. I launched myself to the front lines.
—Shwish shwish shwish!
"Wh-what the?!"
"Insane momentum!"
Snow walls shattered and vanished in seconds.
True strength in hand—mere obstacles like these were nothing. Gripping the shovel, I used position and gravity for minimal effort stabs.
Nothing more vital in shoveling than rationing stamina wisely. Leveraging principles of the lever, I scooped snow. Thus, the Heavenly Demon Snow Removal Technique. Then hurled it.
—Kaboom!
"I-is that possible?! Barbarian!"
"No way!"
Kobson, Meria, and other workers gawked, tumbling over in shock. I spread wings of snow, 「blazing」「creating」 paths in an instant.
—Rookies, just watch.
My glare conveyed it as hatred and rage erupted. "Incredible!" the foreman exclaimed. I was already outpacing normal workers by double—no, triple...! No! Five times over!
"Power of mana!!!!"
I screamed, smashing snow walls! Army Sergeant Kim Katt would never yield to snow! At 100% power, I dominated the world!
"We can't lose either!"
"Hey! Stop gawking!"
Inspired by me, Kobson and the workers tried mimicking—sloppily—but none could match my undefeated, battle-hardened mastery.
You're all too green.
"Ugh, out of the way! What kind of shoveling is that?!"
I couldn't stand watching their pathetic display any longer and snapped.
"Fucking snow's cleared like this. Watch closely."
"Oh!"
The snow shoveling specialist, the tyrannosaurus of shoveling. The assassin of shoveling. No—the Snow Removal Heavenly Demon Kim Katt jammed his shovel into the side of a house-sized snow mound—
"Kraaaah!!"
—Splat!
The massive mound flew!
A path opened.
"Alright, everyone, shovel like that from now on."
"..."
They fell silent watching the mound disintegrate, then erupted in cheers. This was the Heavenly Demon's arrival.
"Foreman. 4 coppers feels light for my pay."
"30 coppers it is... But why's someone like you doing shoveling? You're a huge help, but isn't it a waste of time?"
To that question.
"For salvation and enlightenment."
I replied.
"No reason needed."
The blizzard fell.
It pissed me off.
That was all.
A Heavenly Demon never forgives whatever shitty thing displeases him. He hunts it down to oblivion. That's his nature.
Teaming up with the others, we shoveled till lunchtime, and I pocketed 30 coppers.
Using mana meant entering superhuman territory.
Obvious that supers out-earn normals on the same labor.
"Well, I'm off then."
"This crazy barbarian."
"Something else."
Too bad for Kobson and Meria—they had to go till sunset. With flurries starting again, they'd be stuck in town for days.
This is why winter sucks dick.
"Looks like we're grounded for a bit."
"Probably. We'll head out hunting once the blizzard passes."
Not sure if we could, but Kobson said it.
"Sure, let's do that."
"Snow Mountain's buried, so the owl bears are deep asleep. Best to go right after it clears."
"Wait, you still haven't given up on that?"
He seemed hung up on owl bears. Adventurer's spirit burning?
"One skin alone fetches dozens of silvers. How could I quit? Lately, I dream of nothing else."
"Fuck, then we gotta do it!"
"Heh heh heh, greedy barbarian."
Thud. Meria leaned her shovel against a snow wall, wiped sweat, and asked,
"Owl bear hides that pricey?"
"Yep, Miss Meria. Lots of empty hauls drove the price up."
No bullshit—dozens of silvers made it worth a shot. I said goodbyes and headed back to the inn.
Home earlier than expected, my two wives greeted me happily.
For the next few days, I shoveled snow, slacked off, and lived peacefully.
The blizzard stopped, but clearing the accumulation took time. Midwinter by the time we could venture out again.
"Today we hunt the owl bear!"
"Ooh!"