Thorough Education
“You wanna go?!”
Was it reacting to Kim Jihun's divine power? Ralph bellowed in rage as he gathered his own divine power. But his control over it was abysmal. He had a lot of divine power thanks to his bloodline, but he utterly lacked the skill to wield it.
In the end, he took a solid hit from Kim Jihun.
-Thwack!
Jihun's fist, infused with divine power, slammed into Ralph's jaw. Ralph staggered back several steps from the impact before collapsing to the ground.
Witnessing this feeble display, Jihun was dumbfounded.
'No way... his divine power flow is that slow? He can't even defend properly?'
The strike Jihun had just thrown was merely a probe—a light jab to test Ralph's reactions. Naturally, he hadn't put much strength or effort into it. Yet it landed cleanly, and Ralph even flopped pathetically onto the floor like a dead fish. It was such an absurd situation that Jihun couldn't even chuckle.
Unable to read Jihun's incredulity, Ralph fumed.
“A sneak attack?!”
He scrambled to his feet and tried to gather his divine power again. But he was slow.
“You're the slow one.”
-Thud!
Jihun's fist crashed into Ralph's gut. As the sturdy blow connected, Ralph let out a agonized scream.
“Gahk!”
His face twisted in pain as he dropped to his knees on the ground, clutching his stomach with both arms. The intense agony left him unable to move.
Ralph felt like he was going mad from the pain.
'That guy's really just a mid-level god?!'
Jihun's punch had been vicious, with divine power flowing swiftly and sharply. When it buried into his abdomen, it felt like all his organs were churning violently.
Ralph groaned on his knees for a while. Jihun muttered in disbelief.
“You're... ridiculously weak...”
At first, Jihun had braced for an attack. Ralph was a direct descendant of a high creation god. That meant he had far greater potential than other mid-level gods. Jihun had already experienced that potential firsthand when sparring with Leila, another direct descendant, back in his low-level god days.
So he'd expected a fierce fight. But the reality was disappointingly one-sided. Ralph's skills fell far short of expectations.
“Unbelievable.”
Jihun sneered and turned to leave. He saw no point wasting more time on such weaklings.
Then Ralph groaned through his pain and shouted.
“Urgh...! Damn it! Grab him!”
Ralph barked the order, and the surrounding mid-level gods reacted. Excluding the incapacitated Ralph, the other four closed in.
Jihun stared at them in disbelief.
'These guys are all just as pathetic.'
As always, Jihun gauged their strength. Pathetically slow divine power flow. Minimal reserves. Frail bodies. Scant Creation Force. They were nothing but small fry.
To think these losers had been causing trouble all this time?
'Empty carts make the most noise, huh.'
At first, he'd assumed they had some skill to back up their bullying. But in truth, they were just paper tigers relying on their status as descendants of a high creation god.
So Jihun felt no fear—only ridicule.
“You guys jumping in too?”
Jihun taunted them mockingly. Enraged, the gang charged.
“Damn lowly scum!”
“Take this!”
They closed in and swung their fists. But Jihun dodged with ease. A master of divine power control, boosting his reaction and perception speeds temporarily with infused power was child's play.
To the enhanced Jihun, their punches were laughably slow.
-Crack!
Jihun's fist—sturdy and brimming with divine power—smashed into another mid-level god's cheek. The victim floated into the air for a moment before flying off pathetically.
“Argh!”
He was even weaker than Ralph, which was why a single hit wrecked him so badly.
After casually sending one flying, Jihun asked leisurely.
“So, wanna keep going? Come on, then.”
Had they finally realized Jihun's strength? The remaining three from Ralph's gang hesitated. With two already down, they weren't eager to rush in.
Seeing their pause, Ralph yelled.
“You idiots, Ricot! Pull that out!”
A mid-level god called Ricot drew something from his pocket. It was a club. Not just any club—an artifact, one infused with pain amplification.
Recovering from his pain, Ralph grinned wickedly.
'With this, I can pulp that bastard.'
He was confident. For mid-level gods like them, an artifact was a massive boost. Especially one optimized for brutality, with pain amplification. One solid hit would incapacitate the guy. Then they could gang up and lynch him.
Ralph smirked.
“Ricot, hand it over.”
“H-here.”
Ralph took the club and poured in his divine power. A menacing aura emanated from it as the artifact activated. Anyone struck by this would be crippled by unimaginable agony.
That's what he thought—until Jihun spoke.
“Hm, pulling out artifacts now, huh?”
Ralph sneered back.
“What, all cocky before, but scared now that you see an artifact? Hold still. I'll bash you soon enough.”
He swung the club threateningly. It whistled through the air.
Whoosh!
Far from intimidated, Jihun spread his arms wide and said casually.
“Hit me once.”
“...What?”
“Go on, hit me. I'll let you land one. Call it a handicap for dimwits like you.”
Ralph bristled at Jihun's smug attitude. But he grinned. Why refuse a free hit from a pain-amplifying artifact?
'Stupid fool! He spotted it's an artifact, but not the pain amp.'
Ralph raised the club with a smile.
“Fine. You asked for it. Let's see you endure this.”
“Quit yapping and swing already.”
Ralph swung with gleeful malice. The club sliced through the air toward Jihun and—
-Boom!
A massive impact rang out as it collided. Tremendous force. Ralph figured Jihun must have taken a huge hit. But when he checked—
“Wh-what the hell?!”
Ralph muttered in shock. Jihun replied, eyeing his stunned expression.
“What else? An artifact.”
Ralph wasn't the only one with artifacts. Jihun had them too—in spades.
-Hummm...
A necklace made by Mid-level God Kim Jihun for practice.
Effect: Generates a barrier.
Usage: Automatically generates a barrier in crisis situations.
The club Ralph swung was blocked by a translucent barrier perfectly shielding Jihun. It was a necklace Jihun had made just a week ago for practice, which he'd kept wearing. It had auto-activated to protect its owner.
Jihun taunted.
“You used an artifact first in this fight. So I will too.”
Jihun began pulling artifacts he'd made and stored in his subspace. Ralph and his gang gaped in horror. Artifacts were pouring out—not just one or two.
His own improved sword, made and refined by Mid-level God Kim Jihun. Emits sword aura when infused with divine power or Creation Force. Upgraded to mk.2.
Effect: Releases sword aura when using the blade.
Usage: Infuse with Creation Force.
His own improved shoes, made and refined by Mid-level God Kim Jihun. Temporarily boosts movement speed when infused with divine power or Creation Force. Upgraded to mk.2.
Effect: Instant movement speed increase.
Usage: Infuse with Creation Force. Dash quickly over a set distance.
Metal knuckles made by Mid-level God Kim Jihun. Extremely durable. Infused with pain amplification power.
Effect: Amplifies pain on impact.
Usage: Infuse with Creation Force. Amplifies target's pain on hit.
Swords, clubs, bows, knuckles... an endless variety of artifacts spilled from the subspace.
Ralph and his gang stared in shock at the mountain of artifacts. How could a mere mid-level god like Kim Jihun have so many?
Then Jihun's humming reached Ralph's ears.
“What should I hit 'em with? Something with good hand-feel would be fun.”
A chill ran down Ralph's spine. Jihun was seriously planning to bash them with artifacts!
Cornered, Ralph yelled desperately.
“Ch-cheater! Using artifacts is unfair! Fight fair with just divine power and fists!”
“Shut up. You used one first.”
“...”
He had no comeback to Jihun's simple retort.
Soon, Jihun selected his artifact and muttered.
“Alright! For hand-feel, knuckles it is. Maybe that'll knock some sense into you.”
He equipped the pain-amplifying metal knuckles.
Metal knuckles made by Mid-level God Kim Jihun. Extremely durable. Infused with pain amplification power.
Effect: Amplifies pain on impact.
Usage: Infuse with Creation Force. Amplifies target's pain on hit.
An artifact with the terrifying ability to amplify the target's pain. Jihun planned to use it on Ralph's gang.
Ralph's pupils shook with fear. He begged.
“Pl-please spare us! We won't do it again!”
“No.”
Jihun refused flatly and thrust his knuckled fist forward.
-Thwack!
“Teeeeeeeeeaaaaaaargh!!!!”
Behind the lecture hall in the creation district. Agonized screams echoed there for a long, long time.
...
“Ughhh...”
“Teeeeng...”
How much time had passed? Jihun's merciless beatdown finally ended. Ralph's gang—who had once mocked and provoked him—now writhed on the ground, groaning in pain.
Jihun smiled, feeling refreshed.
“Good. No more bad behavior, got it?”
“Urk... Y-yes...”
“We get...”
Thoroughly pummeled, they were groggy and could barely respond. But Jihun showed no mercy.
“Speak up. Want another round?”
Hearing him, they bellowed as if their crawling had been a lie.
“Ugh! Yes, sir! We won't do it again!”
“Never again! Sob sob...”
Jihun gazed at them contentedly. Disciplining pests like this gave him great satisfaction—and that's why he felt so invigorated.
He added one last warning.
“And quit bullying Marian. Do it again, and I won't hold back.”
“Y-yes!”
“Got it!”
Having been beaten senseless, they were in total submission. No more beatings, please.
Jihun smirked at them, then turned and walked away.
“Ugh... it hurts...”
“Mommy...”
After Jihun left, the groans of Ralph's battered gang echoed in the area for a while.