Chapter 9
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Cockatrice Hunt
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I arrived at the Adventurer's Guild right before sunrise, and there I spotted a familiar face—a guy sitting at a table, nursing a beer. I decided to hold off on the greetings for now and headed straight to the counter.
The counter was manned by a short male staffer.
He was a dwarf with a stocky build and arms so thick they looked ready to burst. He was endlessly scratching at a scar on one of those arms, moving like it was some bug crawling on his skin... But more importantly, this crazy bastard... was it not bleeding right now?
"Excuse me, the party for the cockatrice subjugation..."
"Oh, that? It's the guy over there, the one sitting."
The dwarf clerk pointed with his finger.
"..."
Speechless, I turned to stare at the table where the man sat. He noticed my gaze and waved at me. Partying up with this asshole? It'd been a damn long time.
"Yo, barbarian prick. Long time no see."
"Kobson, you fuck... You've gotten even rougher since last time. And how many times do I gotta tell you I'm not a barbarian, you prick."
Kobson.
An E-rank adventurer with freckles galore and blond hair down to his neck, Kobson was the half-friend type who'd ranked up to E-rank on the same day as me.
We went way back.
Even back in F-rank days, we teamed up plenty.
I plopped down across from Kobson.
"Kekekeke... This prick, a barbarian sitting at the same table as me? Shouldn't we call the city guards or something?"
"You're fucking dead."
Kobson was the kind of racist prick who loved ethnic jokes. He probably thought it was his way of being friendly, but I hated that "barbarian" shit.
"But man, your gear's improved since last time. Where the hell you been rolling?"
Kobson's equipment looked way better than I remembered. With a helmet and breastplate, he'd clearly come into some coin. Honestly, it pissed me off with jealousy—my whole body started itching.
"Messed around in the mud vine pit. Might rank up to D soon."
"You ranking up? Nah, let's skip that. Anyway, cockatrice subjugation today, right? Looks like you and me are in the same party."
"Yeah, guess so. What a coincidence. Let's do this. You'll shit yourself when you see how much stronger I've gotten, barbarian prick."
"If you've actually gotten stronger, I'll flip in the air and fall over, you shithead."
I bullshitted back and forth with Kobson.
Hell, it really had been ages since I'd seen his face.
Sun was about to rise, but that mage from yesterday's rumors? Still no sign. Call it prejudice, but keeping people waiting like this? Total psycho. All mages are like that.
'Die, mages' is my life motto. I fucking hated mages. Another one? 'Surviving another day'.
"You know nothing? I'm just going off guild intro too, no details."
"Not much, but cockatrice showed up in the western farmlands. Local militia can't handle it. They're sending a subjugation party including a C-rank mage."
"Fuck. You know everything."
What the hell was "not much"?
"Guess we wait for the mage."
"Grab a drink? Barbarian's treat, of course."
"Fuck off, you mongrel."
People in this era drank like water, so no hang-ups about boozing on the job. Not my thing, though.
"You guys? The cockatrice grunts?"
As we killed time, a woman's voice came from behind.
Finally here? I turned around. Keeping people waiting this long—what kinda freak...
"Oh! Long time no see, blackie?"
The woman who saw me acted like we were buddies. Blackie? ...What? Who the hell...? My brain raced. A few people called me that, but...
"...!"
Suddenly, I jolted like a cat spotting a cucumber! Too shocked for even a scream! Worse than a lightning bolt! My whole body started shaking!
Standing there was a mage with ridiculous pink hair!
Shorter than me by a lot, carrying a staff taller than herself—didn't matter. What did was the purple robe half-exposing her huge tits.
Those tits jogged my memory. I freaked internally. Holy fuck! This mage was Winia! No way this bitch was the C-rank mage joining our subjugation party?!
"No hello?"
Winia narrowed her eyes.
"Uh... g-good to see you... Lady Winia..."
My awkward greeting tangled my tongue. My brain couldn't process this reality. The shocking reunion froze my mouth. I stiffed up tense, and Winia's face twisted ugly for a sec before she grinned.
"Blackie, formal talk between us? Be casual, casual!"
Winia drawled weirdly, slapping my back. The shock nearly made me puke the inn soup from breakfast. Mage strength beating my toughness? HP already halved.
"Ow! I can't be casual with you, Lady Winia!"
How could I drop honorifics with this bitch? Even dead and revived, no way. I tried backing off, but she glared murderously.
"Casual."
"Still..."
My life flashed before my eyes.
"Do it."
Her domineering tone terrified me. I shook like a leaf. Save me, Kobson. I pitifully glanced; he just watched confused. Dude had no tact.
"Got it?"
Any more resistance and I'd be roasted. I gave up.
"O-okay then... s-sure?"
"Hehe, yeah! Casual, casual! We're working together starting today, right?"
I knew I was fucked. Not my first rodeo with this bitch, but zero good memories. Pure hell. I wanted to bail now, pants down. But the receptionist's face stopped me.
What kinda dilemma! Why her on my demotion final boss?!
"Winia. A friend?"
Then a blue-haired prick showed up, looking ready to snitch.
Probably our last party member.
"Yeah, my buddy."
If you're buddies with her, you're buddies with the world, you fucking bitch. The curse rose to my throat. My feelings for Winia? Pure hate and grudge.
The blue-haired guy glanced at my face.
"Looks like you're from Mirkeshan?"
Mirkeshan: blanket term for aggressive nomadic tribes without clear borders. Usually called "barbarians" derogatorily. Main trait: black hair, black eyes. Like me.
"Ah, yeah. Specifically from the Korea tribe on the outskirts."
I spouted my usual lie about origins. Mirkeshans had tons of tribes, so any name fit. Perfect cover for my vague identity.
"I see. Origin doesn't matter. Nice to meet you. I'm William."
"I'm Katt. E-rank adventurer."
William said he was C-rank like Winia. C-ranks were vets. Handled mid-sized monsters no problem. Cockatrices? Huge two-legged bird monsters. Poster child for mid-sizers.
"Done talking? Let's head out. Blackie, c'mere."
"Yes..."
"Blackie. Not listening? Wanna keep distance?"
"N-no, it's not..."
I reluctantly crawled over. Winia stood on tiptoes like I was a big dog, petting my head. So humiliating, my body burned. Damn, fuck...!
"Let's go then."
William led, and I glumly followed the group. Couldn't imagine the suffering ahead. Western farmlands were a trek, so cart planned.
Stuck with this bitch that long? Despair. F-rank hell memories bloomed. Mostly topped with Winia's abuse.
"Barbarian prick. Nice connections too."
Kobson yapped beside me, envious of my tie to that hot mage body. Not envy—pity. He didn't know shit. He'd flip if he did.
Me and Winia? Bad blood. Huge grudge on my end. One-sided, but sky-high.
Back when F-rank blocked me. Barely scraping by as dimension-jumping illegal, I got hired as grunt for her party.
Job: Carry their crap, loot, like F-rank mules. Followed all day, back-breaking labor. Just to eat tomorrow.
Then these evil fucks "jokingly" stiffed my pay. Worked full day, no promised coin. Laughed and ditched.
Not just that—abused like a dog on job. Called me savage, beat me. Couldn't fight back.
That's when I learned hate. Joke to them, life to me. I raged but couldn't explode—no recourse. Starving, swallowed tears alone...
Humiliating. F-rank drifters face endless discrimination. My "barbarian" looks amplified it. E-rank got guild protection, less overt now, but subtle. Guild help? Barely jack shit.
Anyway... One brutal survival day.
Found lone Winia, good mood. She'd stiffed me—arch-enemy. Rage surged. Mage, but woman, smaller. Could flatten her, get revenge. Had a weapon. Worth a shot.
Then I stupidly challenged her to duel, felt death's terror, and bolted.
"Fuck."
Ignorant isekai noob mistake.
Despite that horror, same guild meant run-ins. She'd leverage it for free labor.
Daily dog-beatings. Me beating a mage? Impossible. Hell life. True 'Isekai Loser Kim Katt'.
Thought she moved towns, safe. This insane coincidence...!
And C-rank now, you fucking bitch?! No chance against her!
...But I'm solid E-rank now. Guild protects rights; can't bully like before. Swallowing hate, I eyed her beaming grin.
Life in this world sucked balls hard.
"Blackie, something to say?"
"No..."