Chapter 453
Chapter 453
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 453
Chapter Title: Kim Katt and the Ghost House
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"Heard some D-ranks went there... a few days ago. No word on if they made it back."
"Maybe those morons just went and croaked?"
"Who knows. Hmm, if they all bit the dust, we might be able to go scavenge their gear."
"Kekeke, scavenging corpses, you bastard."
"Kekeke, same goes for you. Wanna check it out? We could poke around nearby and grab anything valuable. If it looks dicey, we bail."
"Round up the kids?"
I crossed my arms and pretended to scan the bulletin board while quietly eavesdropping on the adventurers gossiping about the missing persons case.
The mansion Kobson had mentioned was already pretty infamous.
It started with a few adventurers heading in and not coming back, and now even more had gone to search it and vanished.
Word was, people from nearby villages were going missing too, and an investigation quest was already in the works.
Truth be told, "missing" just meant they went somewhere and didn't return—which for adventurers basically equaled dead. Already, guys were lining up to loot the corpses. Finder's keepers, after all.
That was why it was blowing up among adventurers as some mysterious haunted mansion. Some were even yapping about possible treasures or antiques inside.
"What the fuck."
My take? Some insanely tough monster had wandered into the area and was picking off anyone who got close. That seemed like the obvious answer... though the mansion popping up out of nowhere was suspicious as hell.
Still, buildings gonna building—high chance it was infested with other monsters, bandits, or brigands nesting inside.
Either way, with people vanishing, there had to be some physical threat behind it. I'd been holed up investigating with Elise for days and had no clue this was going on.
Hold up.
Could demons be involved too?
Not succubi or high imps, but other demons slipping through the gate and holing up in that mansion. Made perfect sense. Hell tourists roaming around like stray dogs was par for the course.
Ah, shit.
If I'd known before sending Elise off, I could've asked her to come along. But nope, I find out right as we're about to head out. Talk about rotten luck.
Still, a mansion... reeks of money just looking at it.
Stripping gear off the corpses alone would net a decent haul.
Sure, as many vanishings as there'd been, it'd be dangerous—but nothing my skills couldn't handle.
I knew exactly what I was capable of.
I trusted my strength. I trusted my blade.
So no reason not to dive into a money-making gig.
That was my usual line of work, after all.
"Barbarian, huh? Whatcha doing there?"
"Kobson?"
Lost in thought, Kobson shoved his chin right up in my face. This guy, jamming his jaw in like that—what the hell was he thinking? You a sawmander or something?
"Long time no see, asshole. What you been up to?"
"Kekeke, curious, eh? Guess I'll grace you with an answer."
"Hit the jackpot again?"
Kobson, who I'd run into after a few days, had this cocky vibe oozing off him. Probably 'cause he was decked out in proper gear now. Yeah, adventurers needed good equipment to feel at ease.
"Jackpot? Kekeke! Something like that!"
He bellowed with laughter.
Looked way too pleased with himself.
"Like hitting the jackpot, huh? No way... you scored a girl!"
Did this bastard finally bag a chick?
"Nah, fuck no. Damn it, not that. A girl would've been better."
"Then what, shithead?"
"Brace yourself first."
I did as Kobson said and got ready to be shocked.
What the hell was he gonna drop on me?
Suspicious as fuck, I eyed him, and he pulled a magician's trick—plunging his hand into his pocket and whipping out his adventurer's tag.
"Feast your eyes!"
"What the... holy shit! What is this?!"
—D-rank Adventurer Kobson.
Not his old E-rank tag. A full-on D-rank one.
"You fucker! What the hell happened?! You ranked up?!"
Kobson ranked up?!
"Kekeke! Damn right! Finally did it! Been grinding quests like mad lately—guess all that experience piled up! Ranked up yesterday!"
"No fucking way! This real?!"
"Fucking real! Gahahaha!"
He must've been dying to brag, 'cause he ordered two beers with a huge grin. Celebration round on him—fine, I'd humor him.
Kobson ranked up.
Guy was a gambling addict and boozer, sure, but he grinded jobs nonstop. For an adventurer, he had his head screwed on straight—wasted cash but stayed diligent.
Years of that life? He'd built up know-how and skill. Even when we were stranded in the jungle, his chops were solid.
Keep at it, and ranking up was inevitable.
Though grinding for gambling money was the weirdest part.
New gear top to bottom, and a rank-up to boot.
Bastard was hustling hard.
"Kekeke! Keep stacking coin like this, I could snag a girl in the city and settle down!"
"Dumbass. No heading home?"
"Why go back now that I'm D-rank? All my cred's here now."
"Yeah, fair."
Kobson's dream: save up, hook a wife, marry, settle here.
First step? Quit the gambling.
"Then dickhead, shouldn't you drop booze or gambling?"
"Sigh... yeah, planning to. That's why just one round. Cutting back on both."
Here's hoping it lasts past three days.
"Weirdly got your head on straight for once. Anyway, congrats, you prick. Reminds me of that jungle clusterfuck."
"Kekeke! Same here! That mess probably leveled me up. Facing an alraune broadened my horizons or whatever."
"Yeah, yeah."
I nursed my beer while he bragged.
Kobson was bursting with confidence now.
"Anyway, Barbarian. You eyeing that infamous mansion everyone's buzzing about?"
He chomped on jerky as he said it.
Figured he'd be interested.
"Obviously. Why, wanna go?"
"Well, I'm D-rank now—time to swim with the big fish. Figure I'll network with other D-ranks, build some rapport. No more hanging with those E-rank thugs."
Surprisingly constructive.
Ditching the scrubs right after ranking up? Smart thinking. That's how you turn into a top-tier adventurer.
A true rogue's mindset.
"You... actually think smart for once!"
"Hehehe! Gotta! Different league now!"
Whether D or C, once you rank up, cozy up to your peers. Unlike shady E or F-ranks, they were solid. You'd work together long-term—connections mattered.
I thought that way once too, fuck.
People are all the same assholes.
Harpie shitheads.
Ditch me, huh?
"So, Barbarian. Wanna tag along? If it's hot, we bolt—no looking back. You know me: poke, if no good, drop it. Bail if risky. Our shared wisdom."
Kobson said it with swagger.
"Knew you had the smarts. Yeah, that's the play."
My preferred MO too.
If fighting's the only out, fight. But if there's an escape window, take it. Kim Katt's survival 101.
Kobson ran the same playbook.
That's why I trusted the guy.
"Hehehe, exactly. Only D-rank I'd pitch this to is you, Barbarian. Wanna go? We can round up others too."
"Fuck it, let's go?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Right, for shit like this, stick your head in first. Let's roll!"
"Woo!"
Just like that, Kobson and I teamed up to scout the mansion. He'd scout some extra hands. Dude was pumped.
We split, set to meet tomorrow morning.
Heading to the mansion meant prepping.
Should loop in Cloudy and Winia too.
Got home, and Winia was deep in magic research in her comfy clothes. She'd been at it lately but hitting a wall.
Lisha helped sometimes, but breakthroughs were personal.
Mages needed time and focus.
"Hoo... blackie home?"
She snapped out of it, closed her book, and sighed heavily.
"Early today?"
"Yeah. Early bird."
"Magic not clicking? Tough?"
"Fucking stressful, seriously. Head's gonna explode. Not progressing at all. Haa... blackie, this shit sucks so bad."
She stood, hugged me tight, and unloaded complaints laced with curses. Her chattering in my arms was adorable.
"Heh, book's wrong? No way our Winia can't nail it."
"...yeah, must be the book. That's it."
I was gonna comfort her a bit before bringing up the job, but she looked up and said,
"Blackie, relieve my stress quick."
"How?"
"Gotta spell it out?"
"Whoa."
Swept her up and hauled ass to the second floor.
Soon as we hit the room, she stripped rough, yanked my clothes off, shoved me on the bed, and climbed on top. I was rock hard instantly.
Yeah, easing Winia's stress was my duty.
Cloudy was sleeping right there, but the commotion woke her.
"Katt... back?"
"Sis woke up."
Ended up relieving Winia's stress—and Cloudy's nonexistent one too. Morning romp with the three of us, then sprawled on the bed.
"Cloudy, Winia. Teaming with Kobson for a job."
"Your gambling buddy? You took a gig without my okay?"
"Nah, not a gig. Something intriguing—gonna check it out."
Told 'em about the mansion and my chat with Kobson.
Neither knew about it. Hadn't hit the guild or Magic Tower lately, so no rumors.
"I told you to chill at home while I research. Why keep heading out? Hate home that much? Who's relieving my stress without you? Don't go."
Winia gnawed my pecs after hearing it out. Tickled like hell.
"Hehe, sis'll handle it?"
"Ah, don't touch sis. Hnng! Stop! Super sensitive now!"
Cloudy slid over, stroking Winia. Hmm, if Winia said no-go, trouble.
But then Cloudy spoke.
"Katt, go. Warriors refine constantly over resting. Can't leave Winia alone, so I'll stay too? Handle it solo?"
"Hehehe, what worry? 'Course I can."
Greenlit.
Tell Karin and Lisha tonight.
"Sigh... fine. Not dangerous, right blackie?"
"Kobson's rule: no good, we bail hard. Winia, I beat a succubus. No sweat. Earning cash, back soon."
"You're more important than cash."
"Ow."
My heart.
"Know you're badass, but worry anyway. Haa. Deal: after this, obey me a full month. Got it?"
"Got it."