Absolute One Is Also New to Fatherhood - Episode 38

Warlock instinctively sensed that the situation was spiraling in an unexpected direction.

Aldebaran.

The name of the god worshipped by the Union had been uttered out of nowhere by his opponent, but...

'How in the world...?'

The man before him had just canceled the forbidden spell that was on the verge of activation—by manipulating the vast amount of mana Warlock had released with impossible precision.

Warlock was no amateur when it came to magic, so he could vaguely grasp just how absurd this feat was. Even he, the most skilled mage in the Union, had never dared to imagine something so beyond common sense.

'Does that mean this bastard's mana alone surpasses the combined mana of dozens of mages gathered to cast that forbidden spell...?'

Struggling to regain his composure, Warlock immediately demanded,

"H-How... how do you know that name—?"

Kang-jun answered curtly.

"What a coincidence."

Then, with a hollow laugh, he added,

"Of all the places you could've fled to hide... you ended up here."

Kang-jun felt a burning heat rise in his chest, as if he had swallowed a handful of scorching pebbles.

Looking back now, it seemed like nothing had gone his way.

The Earth he had finally returned to after so much hardship was no longer the home he remembered.

Awakened, Gates, monsters—just a few unfamiliar terms had completely reshaped this world.

Though it was a chaotic place in many ways, his daily life here had been satisfying. Wasn't an ordinary, peaceful existence exactly what he had longed for all this time?

So he had made up his mind.

At least here, he would blend in with the ordinary people, avoiding attention as much as possible, quietly guarding his mundane life.

But then...

One nuisance after another kept interfering with his resolve, and now even past grudges had come knocking to provoke him. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

He wasn't pleased.

The swirling vortex of mana around Kang-jun grew even more violent.

The robed men, unable to withstand the pressure, were gradually forced back.

"Imperial Decree."

At those words, Crabsley knelt on one knee, bowing his head in reverence...

"Grand Minister of the Cabinet, Chartia von de Crabsley, heed my command."

"Yes, my liege."

"Since this is a rare feast, enjoy it to your heart's content."

Crabsley responded in an utterly solemn tone.

"By your will, I shall indulge..."

As he finished speaking, a crimson glow flickered in Crabsley's eyes.

Warlock, who had been nervously chewing his lower lip, suddenly screamed like a man possessed.

"What are you all standing around for—?!"

Snapping out of their daze, the dozens of mages hastily scrambled to form battle lines, but—

Whoooosh—!

In the blink of an eye, Crabsley vanished, and before anyone could react—

Crrrrack—!

—one mage's neck twisted at an unnatural angle.

Thud.

The mage collapsed forward without even a final scream, his body limp.

Riiip—!

Crabsley seized the fallen mage's robe with his massive hand, yanking him up before sinking his fangs into the exposed nape.

In ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠moments, the mage's skin shriveled rapidly, leaving behind a desiccated husk resembling a mummy.

"As exquisite as Earth's cuisine may be... I'm afraid nothing compares to this flavor."

Crabsley wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, wearing a chilling smile.

The remaining mages, faces pale with terror, instinctively began stepping back—

Swoooosh—!

—only for Crabsley's body to dissolve into a swarm of hundreds of bats, scattering before reforming in their midst.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

With movements as fluid as a seasoned dancer, he systematically slaughtered them.

Limbs tore like paper under his grasp.

His razor-sharp claws carved through flesh as effortlessly as a blade through soft tofu.

"Delicious..."

Even as he hunted through the crowd like a wolf among sheep, Crabsley never forgot to savor the taste and scent of blood—a rare indulgence.

Drenched head to toe in crimson, he murmured with a faint madness in his voice.

"A sweetness so intoxicating, it's dizzying..."

As he trailed off, he raised both arms—

Ruuumble—!

—and the ground rippled like waves.

Shhhhk—!

The mangled corpses of the mages floated upward, defying gravity.

Then, sharp red spikes erupted from below, impaling the bodies and lifting them high into the air.

"T-This can't be...!"

Overwhelmed, Warlock didn't even think of resisting. He collapsed to his knees, trembling.

Crabsley glanced at him, licking his lips before striding forward.

"Ah... the last bite."

Desperate, Warlock turned to Kang-jun and begged.

"A-Anything! I'll do anything, just spare me—!"

"Anything?"

"I-I'll obey any order, please...!"

Crabsley paused, waiting for Kang-jun's command.

If his liege wished to interrogate the man, he would hold back.

"A shame."

Kang-jun's voice was calm, devoid of any inflection.

"I'd prefer a world without trash like you for that child to grow ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up in."

At those words, Crabsley resumed his approach.

"P-Please...!"

Kang-jun watched as Warlock scrambled backward on the floor.

"Don't resent me too much."

His tone was almost casual as he continued.

"Isn't this just how parents are? You want to show your child only the good things... let them hear only the good things..."

Just as Crabsley seized Warlock's collar—

"Don't take it personally."

"Please—!"

"You're just dying a little sooner than the rest."

Kang-jun's gaze swept over the impaled corpses lined up behind them before adding softly,

"I'll hunt down every last one of them."

Crabsley yanked Warlock closer, sinking his fangs into the smooth flesh of his neck—

"And kill them all."

Soon, Warlock's thrashing limbs stilled, falling limp.

Crabsley tossed the drained body aside, panting heavily as his shoulders heaved.

"You've worked hard."

Kang-jun patted Crabsley's broad back lightly before suddenly raising a hand—

Whoooosh—!

Whoooosh—!

Whoooosh—!

Countless black hands surged from the floor, coiling around the corpses like vines.

They grew rapidly, shaping into coffins before sinking into the earth, taking all the bodies with them.

"Hmm..."

Kang-jun exhaled deeply, lost in thought as he slowly organized his chaotic mind.

Aldebaran was far from the concept of peace, so he needed to be found and eliminated as soon as possible.

And the Union, stirring up trouble under his influence, would be much easier to deal with if wiped out entirely...

"Seems I'll have to issue another decree."

As Crabsley bowed again, Kang-jun continued calmly.

"Find their stronghold and Aldebaran's hiding place as quickly as possible."

Past experience told him interrogation would be a waste of time.

Crucial information would undoubtedly be sealed by powerful restrictions.

"By your will."

Kang-jun turned toward the exit, adding quietly,

"Let's head back."

"Yes, my liege."

"Still working today?"

"Night shift..."

As the two walked down the corridor, chatting idly—

"This bastard's still passed out here."

Kang-jun frowned at Go Du-yeol, who lay foaming at the mouth, and nudged him lightly with his foot.

Cough...!

Go Du-yeol spat out a mouthful of blood, rolling several times before coming to a stop at the door.

Meanwhile.

Still lost in his dream, Go Du-yeol couldn't help but be gripped by confusion.

"H-Hey, junior...!"

His beloved junior, Kwak Du-pal (?), suddenly opened his mouth wide—

—and took a huge bite out of a dumbbell, chewing exaggeratedly.

"Senior, you should try some too."

"H-Hey, Du-pal!"

"That's not my name."

"W-What are you—?"

"We haven't even introduced ourselves properly."

"Du-pal, snap out of it—!"

"Senior, don't you remember?"

His junior smirked before adding,

"Take a look outside."

A sense ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of dissonance hit Go Du-yeol as he turned toward the gym's window.

"W-What the...?"

For some reason, a Tyrannosaurus was passing by outside.

Further away, volcanoes erupted repeatedly, and several UFOs hovered in the sky.

"Ah..."

In that moment, Go Du-yeol realized.

"Damn it, it's a dream...!"

Even knowing it was all a dream didn't change anything.

"Senior, have a bite!"

His junior was still munching on the dumbbell.

ROOOAR—!

Outside, the T. rex kept roaming, volcanoes kept exploding, and—

Beep beep!

—UFOs still flew overhead.

Then—

BOOM—!

The entire building shook as if from an earthquake.

"Damn it, wake up already!"

"What the hell's going on?!"

"This idiot's been—!"

The sudden clamor snapped Go Du-yeol awake.

"Ugh..."

Go Du-yeol, just roused from sleep, spat out a mouthful of blood.

A few loose teeth, dried and corn-like, clattered to the floor.

Blinking groggily, he saw the faces of his fellow hunters staring down at him.

He jerked upright, slurring his words.

"Wh-Whar 'appened to Kwak Du-pal...?"

The Ice Witch, Seol Eun-bin, tilted her head. "Kwak Du-pal?"

Missing most of his teeth, Go Du-yeol struggled to speak.

"K-Kwak... Du... pal..."

Then, the Divine Spear, Kang Joo-won, asked in awe,

"Hey, did you hold off their attack alone?"

"Attark...?"

"Even among S-ranks, the top tiers are on another level..."

Kang Joo-won jerked his chin toward the machine room behind them.

Go Du-yeol, face swollen like he'd been stung by hornets, turned to look—

—and froze at the sight of the blood and gore strewn across the floor.

W-What the hell is that...?

Of course, he had no memory of any of it.