Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Omen (2)
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“But you manage the monsters surprisingly well.”
“Aren’t you raising one yourself, Team Leader?”
“Oh, that one?”
Suhyun recalled the Poshukan tiger kept on company grounds. The cub he had brought back from Poshukan was now practically fully grown.
However, just because Suhyun had brought it didn’t mean the tiger saw him as its master. It would cower and tuck its tail whenever it saw Suhyun, but it was Sha who mainly gave the commands.
“Well, we have a dark elf around. They excel in that area.”
“Impressive. Monster handling is still a field that requires a lot of research, and you’re a few steps ahead.”
“It’s not just monster taming where other races surpass humans in specific fields. Dark elves have less interaction with us, so the gap feels wider.”
“The way they manage monsters in a place like this is simple. They just lock them in sturdy cages.”
Simple in words, but it was downright barbaric. They merely fed the monsters inside enough to keep them alive. Naturally, the confined monsters grew increasingly ferocious.
“But won’t the monsters go completely berserk in there?”
“That’s the point. The spectators love it. They might even encourage it for that reason. Of course, they don’t have any advanced techniques for handling monsters here.”
After finishing his words, Jo Min-wook checked the betting options before turning his gaze to Suhyun.
“Have you decided?”
“I’m not sure since it’s my first time.”
“You can just do it for fun. Want me to recommend? I bet on Ju Dong-soo for over five minutes but under seven. That has the highest win rate. He’s not the type to drag it out that long.”
“Sounds like a reliable fighter.”
“Fighters with over ten wins rarely fail unless something unusual happens.”
Suhyun turned his head to scan the hologram displaying the monster and fighter info. These stats alone weren’t enough to judge accurately.
“Oh, here he comes. That’s Ju Dong-soo. He’s known for close-quarters, bloody brawls. The other side is the monster.”
With flashy production effects, the fighter appeared in the arena. The cage holding the monster slowly rose from underground. Inside, a raptor glared with red eyes, growling lowly.
“?”
Suhyun sensed something off. The monster’s aura was unusual. He had hunted so many raptors that he could tell their condition at a glance—enough to open a butcher shop with them.
This raptor was different.
Suhyun frowned. It wasn’t just the raptor bothering him. Even if it was off, it was still a raptor. He could kill it in one strike if he wanted, and he didn’t even need to fight it now.
‘Have I always been this sensitive?’
The frown came from his senses. Normally, assessing a raptor required getting close—judging by its eyes, breathing, gait. That was discernment from knowledge and experience.
But now, his body sensed it before he even looked closely. The monster’s condition was abnormal.
“…!”
He saw the fighter called Ju Dong-soo waving to the crowd. But Suhyun felt something else—an aura-like wave emanating from him.
Superpowered users didn’t automatically recognize each other without special abilities. Suhyun was the same; he had guessed a few times based on experience or intuition.
But now, he could clearly sense it. That the man was a superpowered user, and the nature of his power.
“Team Leader?”
“Ah, sorry. I was just thinking for a moment. You said no failures, right?”
“Yes, but there’s a trick—if you bet on the outermost time slot for time-based bets. Failure counts as overtime…”
“Then I’ll go with that.”
“Huh? It’s Ju Dong-soo’s first match. He might not look impressive to you, Team Leader, but he’s a solid fighter.”
As Jo Min-wook said, Ju Dong-soo didn’t have overwhelmingly strong superpowers. But it was enough for a raptor. A normal one, at least.
To Suhyun’s eyes, this raptor wasn’t normal. He didn’t know who tampered with it, but its ferocious aura was no joke.
“That raptor doesn’t look like easy prey.”
“Uh, if you say so, Team Leader…”
Jo Min-wook hesitated. Suhyun’s insight on Cameron was unmatched by anyone. It had been acknowledged even before he became a magic user.
“The payout for overtime is over a thousand times… Ah, whatever.”
“Have you decided?”
A staff member in a suit approached politely. Jo Min-wook had never received such treatment coming alone.
‘Power really is nice!’
It was probably because Suhyun used the Director’s seat; word must have gone up, and they knew who he was. A VIP among VIPs like Suhyun warranted special treatment.
“Yes. This one, please.”
“Call if you need anything.”
Suhyun waved instead of replying—a dismissal. Jo Min-wook smacked his lips watching it. How often would he get such treatment in a lifetime at the arena?
‘Wait, no. I can’t let this slide. I need to make sure Team Leader Kim Suhyun enjoys himself!’
If word got back to the Director that only he had fun after coming this far, it wouldn’t end well.
“How do they handle security here?”
“You mean the monsters? They usually use ones that can’t climb up to the stands.”
The fighting area was strictly isolated from the stands. It was elevated, and powerful security measures prevented monster escapes.
“There’s also a standing force. To handle any incidents immediately.”
“That should be fine, then.”
“Pardon?”
“No, nothing. Starting now?”
“Ah, yes. It’s starting!”
Cheers erupted like they’d burst eardrums. The cage descended. With roars, human and monster clashed.
* * *
“Yes! That’s it! Press him!”
“Didn’t you bet against the boss, sir?”
“Oops…!”
Jo Min-wook then remembered he had bet on the fighter losing. But Ju Dong-soo handled the raptor skillfully.
Dodging attacks with his artifact while inflicting wounds, he clearly had the upper hand. To the crowd, he was already poised for the killing blow.
“Finish it quick, you bastard!”
“Hold on longer! Keep holding!”
“Pathetic. So pathetic.”
Suhyun muttered, lost in thought. He had brushed it off, but the raptor’s odd state nagged at him. Normally, he wouldn’t care.
‘Did someone drug it? Who? Why? Match-fixing for money?’
Where money was involved, scammers always swarmed. Suhyun had no intention of hunting them down. As long as they didn’t interfere with him, it felt like a waste of time.
“Huh? Wha—what? What?!”
“Damn XXX!”
The staggering raptor suddenly charged. Caught off guard, Ju Dong-soo made a mistake—blocking what he should have dodged with his artifact. The raptor slashed with unimaginable speed.
Slash!
His chest tore open, blood spraying. Ju Dong-soo staggered, screams exploding from the stands.
“Match stopped! Match stopped!”
Armed combatants rushed in from nowhere, charging the raptor. Ju Dong-soo lay pale, unable to rise. Some worried, but most cursed.
“I bet so much! Get up! Get up!”
“J-j-jackpot…!”
Jo Min-wook muttered in a daze. It didn’t feel real. How much had he just won?
“Team Leader, tell me this isn’t a dream?”
“Not a dream. But we might get suspicious looks.”
“Huh?”
“This outcome isn’t normal. A first-timer like me predicting it might raise eyebrows.”
Jo Min-wook laughed and shook his head.
“No way. Even if they suspect, they won’t say it aloud. Not unless they’re crazy.”
No one would approach Suhyun over a small sum (big for Jo Min-wook) asking, ‘Did you rig this?’
Suhyun wouldn’t cause a scene calling in big shots, but those with much to lose saw it differently.
“Ah, cleanup’s done. Preparing the next match.”
Jo Min-wook grinned ear to ear. Earning years’ salary in one go left him floating. He didn’t care about the losers raging below.
Jo Min-wook resolved: trust whatever Suhyun said from now on. Even if he claimed red beans made the best fermented blocks!
‘He’s like a ghost. What to do with this windfall…’
“Why only the fighter?”
“Let’s get a car first… Huh?”
“Is the second match a different format? Why no monster?”
“Same format. Yeah, it hasn’t come up. Broken?”
The orc in the arena tilted its head, puzzled. Normally, the monster rose first, then it performed.
Boom!
A loud crash from behind, and the promised troll burst out. It hadn’t come from the usual spot, but people hadn’t noticed yet.
“What? Why from there…?”
The orc muttered at the approaching troll stomping without a cage. He didn’t know what happened, but he had to fight. Standing still got him nowhere.
“Huh?”
“That…”
Gasps escaped the crowd. The troll emerging from the fighter’s entrance was fine.
Until the horde of monsters swarmed behind it.
“What the hell…!”
Jo Min-wook freaked at the writhing mass. It looked like they’d released every monster in the arena.
“What are they doing?! Filming the fighter’s death?!”
“This isn’t what we agreed on!”
The orc bolted the other way in panic. One troll was tough enough; no way he’d face that horde.
“Hey, is that okay?”
“How’s he supposed to handle that alone…”
The crowd panicked, but only because they felt safe. Only the orc in the arena was at risk.
That changed soon.
Boom! Crash!
The troll grabbed a raptor and hurled it high. No teamwork—the raptor thrashed in resistance. But the troll’s strength prevailed, sending it sailing over the barrier into the stands.
“Aaahhhh!”
“Help!”
“Run!”
The raptor, dazed from the fall, spotted prey and gleefully roared.
“That troll’s got some brains.”
“Team Leader! This isn’t the time to critique monsters!”
“No need to worry.”
Suhyun strode down. From afar, he saw the raptor clawing at its first victim.
Clang—
The raptor dumbly looked around. Its back-strike claw had bounced off.
Suhyun bent his extended arm.
Crack!
The raptor’s neck twisted a full turn. Unimaginable telekinetic control. Jo Min-wook gaped at Suhyun. He knew Suhyun was strong, but not this effortless against a monster.
‘Amazing!’
As he doused the immediate fire, the orc wailed in the arena.
“Open up, you bastards! Open the damn thing!”
Monsters loomed behind, ready to pounce. But staff were just as panicked. The exit was blocked, and opening the barrier would unleash them on the stands.
“Where are the mercenaries?! Go in and suppress them!”
‘Are you insane?’
The mercenaries exchanged incredulous looks. Enter that monster-infested pit alone?
Regardless, the supervisor barked orders.
“Activate all security systems! Evacuate!”
Heavy thuds as massive weapons targeting monsters roared to life.