Chapter 326
Chapter 326
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 326
Chapter Title: Those Martial Artist Guys
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"Don't hit me, you fucking bitch. What do you think I am, some thug? I was just greeting you 'cause I'm happy to see you, you little shit."
"R-Right. I believe you."
Mariel glanced at me cautiously before tentatively extending her hand.
I grabbed it firmly and pulled her to her feet. But this damn bitch Mariel squeezed her eyes shut and tensed up the moment I took her hand.
What the hell is wrong with you, you fucking retard?
Am I some kind of gangster?
Sure, I'd gotten kidnapped by the Martial Artist Guild last time, and Mariel had cheered when Rijette beat the crap out of me. But I'd put those feelings behind me ages ago.
Hadn't I gotten a good look at Guild Leader Riztina's pussy? It was cute, without any pubic hair like Cloude's, and it gave me some mental satisfaction.
And in the end, that incident let me make Karin my woman. So there were upsides.
Of course, that didn't mean the Heavenly Demon had forgotten the grudge. True Heavenly Demons never forget a grudge.
But it'd been mostly settled when I smashed their guild dojo to pieces. And beating the crap out of everyone from junior instructors to mid-level ones had lifted my mood a lot.
Call it partial revenge.
Plus, I'd pretty much forgiven them for Serca already.
So no need to pick a fight with Mariel now and stir up trouble. We never had any real violent beef anyway.
I wasn't planning to clash with the Martial Artist guys anymore.
"Why are you so scared? You think someone's gonna hit you?"
Mariel was tense as hell.
She seemed genuinely afraid of me.
"Wh-Who said I'm scared? I was just worried about a sneak attack!"
If I was gonna sneak attack, I'd have dropkicked her ass without saying a word.
"Same difference, isn't it?"
"Eek!"
Tremble tremble tremble.
"S-So, what do you want? If there's nothing, I'm outta here."
She said it boldly, but her shoulders shook and she avoided my eyes.
Just like Serca. No intention of bullying her, so I'd say hi and let her go.
One last thing.
"Hey, Mariel. Got a question."
"A question? What do you wanna ask?"
"You properly educated Serca, right?"
I wanted an update on the resocialization training for that hardcore racist, KKK-level bigot Serca. It was practically my duty. For other discriminated folks, and the weak.
We had to eradicate that evil ideology of racism.
Serca was the typical trash thug punk, backed by the Martial Artist Guild, strutting around with racism and provocations.
And she even had a mage friend, which made it worse.
As the saying goes, a needle thief becomes a cow thief. Racists like Serca turn into serial killers, rapists, Hitlers, or Tojo Hidekis. I had a duty to stop that ominous future for potential victims.
To prevent a second Congo massacre.
"...Of course we did it properly. She won't bother strangers she doesn't know anymore. Sorry about that."
Mariel cleared her throat and explained like she was reporting.
"Serca was mostly at fault, that's true. And this is... personally, on behalf of the guild leader... the kidnapping back then was really outrageous. I'm sorry. Apologies for that too."
She bowed her head to me.
"You little shit."
I hadn't expected an apology for that.
"You've become a real person while I wasn't looking."
"I was always a person! What kind of talk is that when someone's apologizing?!"
"It's a compliment, bitch. So, did you fix the dojo yet?"
It was smashed to hell, so rebuilding must've cost time and money. I hadn't been by, so no clue.
"Ugh...! You bastard! The dojo was wrecked, so we had to train in the open field all winter with snow falling! Do you know how cold that was?! And it's still not fixed! Some idiots got frostbite on their feet!"
Mentioning the dojo made Mariel's face twist in anger. She yelled in a fierce tone, all worked up.
Hey, I didn't do it.
"Wait, that was Karin, not me."
"Karin?"
"Yeah, our guild leader did it, not me."
"R-Right... And! All the instructors were out recovering all winter, do you know how hard it was for me?!"
She had a lot pent up.
Since I smashed all the instructors, she must've trained the members alone? Kinda pitiful if she was out in the snow all winter.
Her clothes looked ragged too.
"Heh heh, so you handled everything alone?"
"Yes! Don't laugh!"
Her yelling in excitement actually looked kinda cute.
She was pretty to begin with. Now I could finally see her face properly. Prejudices and hate had blinded me before.
With my anger mostly gone, Mariel wasn't just some Martial Artist punk—she was just Mariel. I could finally see her as a 'person'.
Anyway, no more business.
One last thing about Rijette, then bail.
"Alright, take care. But what's that Rijette bitch up to? What happened after?"
"Instructor Rijette? She's doing fine, nothing special."
"Yeah?"
"D-Don't tell me you're thinking of a rematch?"
I do have to.
No way I'd let it slide.
She had to pay for beating me up.
This grudge wouldn't fade until it was settled.
"Not out of the question. Tell her if you see her—I'm waiting."
"Hmm, she'll probably like that. Got it, I'll pass it on. But you sure? You fought her, so you know... Instructor Rijette's really strong. Way stronger than me."
Like she said, Rijette was a hundred times stronger than this punk Mariel.
Having fought her myself... even fully geared and at peak condition, I couldn't guarantee a win.
Rijette used claws as weapons too.
Thinking of the guild leader matching Karin blow-for-blow, proudly wielding those demon-hand gauntlets... yeah, a skilled Martial Artist with proper weapons could rival any swordsman.
But was that a problem?
I'm Heavenly Demon Kim Katt.
I didn't think I'd lose outright. If she was some otherworldly powerhouse, I'd kneel and lick her feet on the spot. But even if stronger, not by that much.
Then I wouldn't yield.
"I'm way stronger than you too, bitch."
"No! I'm telling you out of concern!"
I smirked, and she got indignant. Low boiling point. Anyway, thanks for the worry—I gave a final wave.
"Thanks anyway. See ya."
"..."
I turned and waved.
"Heavenly Demon, you take care too."
Her farewell came from behind. Better character than Serca, that one.
Got the Martial Artist Guild update, time to head out. Grab a sandwich or something on the way back.
Blazing sunlight.
Still early... they were probably both asleep. Sun said just past noon.
Maybe peek at Karin's face quick.
Should tell her the Martial Artist Guild scoop.
"Ah."
Wait, it's daytime—bad timing. Best to see Karin right before dawn ends or after guild closes at night.
Too awkward now. Peak busy hours, no time to chat. Can't interrupt her work.
Heading back to the inn? Then I remembered Risha telling me to come drink her milk again soon. Winter passed, spring halfway gone, still hadn't gone.
It's daytime anyway, not morning. Maybe swing by to say hi to Risha. Buy some fatigue-recovery potions on the way back.
"...Damn."
Meeting women one after another felt like I was some sleazy pillar husband.
What the fuck.
Decided.
See Risha, back to inn, then sneak out at night for Karin... Crazy. Too many women, not enough body or time.
Shocking.
I headed to the slums, lost in those thoughts.
Risha... Risha... Going to Risha's no problem. I had to follow Cloude's advice. Keep the relationship going, ask her to bear my kid later. First real man for her—big responsibility.
Turned into total seed-sowing Kim Katt.
Step step.
The city buzzed with spring energy, but nearing the slums brought that winter gloom thicker and thicker. Always the same here.
How's Lina doing?
Truth about eternal life and heretics revealed?
No clue.
...
I eyed the slum dwellers glaring from the shadows, holding their breath. Seeing these trash bastards lifted my mood—made me chuckle heartily.
I grinned at each eye contact, slipped into the alley, turned the corner, kept going.
Thud! Thud!
Groooan...!
S-Sis! Time! Just a bit more time!
Some weird noise as I walked.
Gack!
Stop, please!
Kim Katt, murder expert, judged it: sounded like someone beating a guy to death barehanded.
A fight breaking out?
"..."
Nothing better than fight-watching in this world.
Crack!
Splat! Splat!
Stoooop!!!
Pretty intense sounds.
Curiosity piqued, I decided to spectate.
Not planning to intervene and judge the violent criminals, loot their asses—nope.
I'm not some grim reaper crashing parties.
Nothing more fun than watching fights. I hugged the corner, peeked cautiously at the scene.
Heading this way for the black magic shop anyway.
Crunch!
Thump thump!
I slowly leaned out for a sneaky look.
Thump thump.
Heart racing. That's why people pay for arenas. Speaking of, where's Durban? Dead somewhere?
"Gaaah!! Sis! Please! Mercy!! Can't collect right now... Gack!!"
"Can't collect? Then die, bitch."
Thud!
The scene was a bloodbath of shirtless spring thugs. So gruesome, the downed guy caked in blood looked like he was wearing red tights.
Wriggle wriggle.
Nah, wriggling meant not dead—just beaten half to death.
"Gack!"
A strawberry nose flew into the wall from a face punch. Crash scattered crates and wood, kicking up dust.
Seemed thugs were getting one-sidedly wrecked.
I swallowed, peeked further to ID the ass-kicker.
"Hey, hey. No running. One runs, you all die."
Female voice.
Sis calls earlier... the beater's a woman? Voice rang a vague bell.
Then I saw—
Red hair.
Spiky lion-mane red locks. The perp was a woman. Risky hotpants, black crop top showing navel, spike-studded leather boots... familiar face.
"You shits didn't listen, huh? Hey, think I'm easy 'cause I'm a girl?"
"Groan... Sis, it's not that..."
"Killing you lot's nothing. Why not do what sis says?"
Crack!
"Gack!"
Big tits, violent woman.
The perp was Rijette.
Rijette was wrecking nearly ten slum thugs single-handedly.