Chapter 61: The Beginning of Punishment -1

Thwack! Thud thud! Thwack thwack!

This is why the Laugh Challenge is so damn tough. In the end, Mino burst out laughing, and I exploded in anger. That's why the mental re-education is still ongoing.

"From now on, your name is Insight."

Huh?

"It carries my profound intention as your master for you to gain some damn insight. Got a problem with that?"

Could he even complain? Not with a club in my hand.

Shake shake. Guardian Insight. Pretty good name for him. This guy's the one who really needs insight. If he'd had any to begin with, he never would've charged at me.

But since he lacked it, he did—and got his ass kicked. So now he needs to learn insight.

"Alright, now guide me to the mine. And let's check your skills... Mining at level 7, Cain's Halberd Mastery at level 5? Plus some minor ones, and your stats are classic warrior build. You'll be useful."

As a former guardian, his stats ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were solid, and he had a named halberd skill. No idea who Cain was, but this guy sure wasn't him. A halberd is a polearm like a halberd—explains why he wielded it so well.

"Go catch one hostile minotaur and bring it back."

Huh?!

Insight ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bolted off in terror. Probably just wanted to get away from me ASAP. Either way, we've secured a minotaur, so now it's time to slowly tour the mine.

He said the entrance area was mineable, and even just there, mithril was plentiful. So we have to assume the Self-Defense Forces have stockpiled a ton of it.

They've got mithril, but we're higher level than them. More skills too. But our weakness? We're badly outnumbered.

Can't exactly bring orc warriors out for this. They're our territory folk, but the world wouldn't see it that way. They'd probably paint us as some demon lord or whatever. Plus, I don't want to drag our civilians into a non-territory war.

Our advantage is mobility. They might have cars for better speed, but riding horses or white tigers turns us into living weapons—we can pivot fast, exploit terrain.

Clang, clang, clang.

I'm mining nonstop while thinking this over. Need more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mithril to upgrade gear.

I returned to the territory after nearly 12 hours. Siho time, that's about six.

Insight couldn't cross over. He's designated guardian there.

But why can Hoya roam everywhere?

"Hoya, you're not just a guardian—you're something way bigger, aren't you?"

Pfft! Hoya covers her mouth with a paw, laughing. That's a dead giveaway. But she won't spill, so I drop it. I'm a quick quitter.

"Si-yeon, bro's home."

"Whoa! Big bro!"

"Why scream 'big bro' while swinging that mithril? Is mithril your brother now?"

"Naggy guys aren't popular!"

"It's fine. I was never popular anyway. Zero damage."

"That's bragging."

"My one redeeming quality. Clean relationship history. Pristine territory."

"Sigh, bro. Date a girl for real. Stop clinging to Hoya."

Si-yeon gives me that pitiful look. I tell her:

"You're misunderstanding. I'm not clinging to Hoya. She's clinging to me."

Nyaaaooong. Hoya sighs.

"Whatever. Hurry and prep. I'll help."

"Got it."

Si-yeon and I melt down mithril and start forging gear. How? Dumb question. Our blacksmithing? Dwarf tech. Mithril's a breeze.

And so the sibling blacksmith duo grinded through the day.

Took a solid seven days. For mithril gear.

Si-yeon's stubbornness turned us into the Steel Men trio. Seon-woo bought life-size Iron Man figures as templates. First suit took forever; after that, smooth sailing.

I focused on weapons. Succeeded infusing fire energy into a sword. Solid result.

Thanks to mithril, three items got skills. Random, but infusing fire made my Flame Blade stick. Fun part: it boosts to +2 when I use it.

"Whoa... actual item vibes."

Seon-woo marvels. Si-yeon looks pissed.

"My blacksmithing's higher—why only your stuff get skills?"

"Dunno. Lack of effort? Sincerity?"

"Shut up!"

"Yes ma'am."

She's got reason to be salty. She worked harder, higher level. It's my job. After advancing to Seeker of Truth, my comprehension skyrocketed. That's how.

"Anyway, let's roll. Leo?"

Seon-woo butts in.

"Call and he comes. Leo!"

A tiny white Pomeranian comes bounding excitedly from somewhere. Jumps right into my arms. Adaptation king.

"Leo, time for Hakashi revenge."

Woof woof! He's in.

We geared up and headed to Goblin Forest. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Still a gate near Hakashi's house, so we'll use that for Japan.

Dad and Seon-woo's connections say goblins are already raiding homes. SDF deployed a few times, but goblins bred fighters mid-fight. Monsters gonna monster.

"Let's go!"

Hakashi's house: welcoming committee.

"Halt!"

Obvious SDF grunts.

"Why?"

"Huh? That rude tone?"

"Was yours polite?"

"What the hell are these guys?"

Hakashi Gate hunters—Gate 2, SDF affiliation. Observation: Ito Hiroshi. His backups same gate. Can't attack me.

I casually scan them. Mithril katana, but not registered items. Still, leagues above normal gear.

"We're SDF. You gonna defy us?"

"Aren't you supposed to protect citizens? You are the threat?"

"Obviously. We're the great Imperial Army!"

"Bullshit."

Whoops, that was Korean.

"Korean?"

"Yup. But why? You said the gate owner here was Korean. Blamed him for loosing monsters?"

"Y-you bastard."

"So I'm making it true. You'd spin it that way anyway. Better to give you what you want than eat shit for nothing. Though not your mild flavor—Koreans love it spicy."

Then I spot a goblin peeking. Locks eyes, startles. That's him.

"Hide and you die."

"What?"

"Not you."

Goblins start emerging.

"Take all but that one."

The goblin orders the rest. Already the boss. Perfect timing—I check:

"Wh-what the—"

"Dunno? You're civilians now. Good luck. You, Ito Hiroshi—stay put. We got lots to discuss."

Goblins gleefully drag off the SDF. Smart, they were backups here. That goblin chief? Goblin Lord material. Promising.

"Yo, that cool?"

"You handle it then."

"Nah, not feeling it."

"Small fry?"

"You know me."

Si-yeon stayed chill. Like me? She even has Calmness now. Level 1.

"Wh-who are you?"

"Should ask what I am."

"Huh?"

"He don't recognize?"

I hold out Leo. Ito freaks.

"How's that dog...?"

"I saved him. He's the gate owner you hunted for—after you killed Hakashi."

"..."

Clueless face. Figures. Who'd guess pet inherits?

"One question: Thought killing Hakashi gets you gate rights?"

"I-I don't know."

"Liar. You guarded here, recognized Leo—you're deep in this."

Then—

Woof! Woof woof!

Leo spills to me. Even with Calmness, shocking.

"He was Hakashi's friend?"

Woof!

"This fucker's trash."

Shing! Slash!

Drew sword, lopped his left arm. First human cut, but didn't feel human.

"Approached as friend, used him, did that shit?"

What they did: Doped Hakashi to derangement. Installed cameras when lucid—diary caught it. Planned to control half-dead, hypnosis too.

That's why I'm furious.

"Gaaahhh!"

Scream echoes late. Now it begins. All involved pay.