The Psychopath's Poison

Was I getting careless just because it was a variable? I heightened my senses to the max and pressed forward. I stored my sword in the ring. My heart pounded with excitement. And now the constellations' attention too?

I spotted a punk smoking nearby. Our eyes met. The guy grimaced in surprise the moment he saw me.

"Who the hell are you?"

"The ghost come to fuck you up."

No questions asked—I drew my sword and slashed his throat. He crumpled with a pathetic flop.

I immediately extracted his blood to replenish my stock. Grinning, I paused for a moment.

Large marts might vary, but the food section's usually on the bottom floor.

I headed to the lowest level. Sure enough, the presences prickling my skin were strongest down there. But they felt like massive roars, like something was rampaging.

Someone's fighting.

I descended via the now-stilled escalator, sorting my thoughts as I went.

No matter how you slice it, it doesn't add up. Kids not even old enough to be called adults pulling this shit just because they saw an opening?

Of course, kids these days were cunning as hell. Basically byproducts of unchecked lust. If they'd been born normal humans, would they live like that? Nah, they'd be busy studying or chasing dreams. I rested my chin on my hand, recalling why South Korea's public safety had been tanking lately.

Southeast Asian immigrants, fake refugees posing as foreign laborers, and those half-moon copycats imitating Japan.

Broad strokes, that covered it. Were they involved here? Nah, some were even in school uniforms. Probably regular students who snapped in this mess.

Then the real boss must have a vicious head on their shoulders. Maybe even running errands for the mob.

That made sense. I paused. Wait, wasn't this an opportunity?

I grinned.

Joo Jin-tae shouted me out to lure me here, right? Time to use that. While completely ignoring the bastard.

I didn't really crave popularity. But since things had escalated, becoming a community legend sounded fun. Why? 'Cause I'm number one.

If this apocalypse drags on, talent will be in demand. Make the enemies' assets come to me as allies!

I opened the community function. Scanning it closely, I spotted the screenshot tool. I whistled.

Perfect. Huh?

I'd reached the bottom. Overturned boxes that should've been neatly stacked littered the place. Shattered mannequins lay scattered. And there, dozens of punks dressed like total badasses—school uniforms hacked down to look like yakuza outfits. Did they think that was cool?

In front of them knelt about fifteen people. Plenty of corpses around too.

Looks like they lost.

I crept closer, muffling my steps. Voices carried over.

"So what're you gonna do about it? Messing with us is a big sin."

"Don't do this."

"Don't do this, my ass. You Man-ho hyung-nim or what?"

"We can't start like this. We have to hold onto our humanity."

"Fuck that, hold onto what? You think the law's gonna save you? Cops? In your dreams. Especially you old fucks."

"Please, spare us! No need for this—we'll share what you need!"

"Just hand it all over! Your food, your women, everything!"

I watched for a bit. They hadn't noticed me yet. Perfect time to appraise their status windows one by one.

Hmm, this guy's lame. This one too. That one—dick enlargement? Pass.

It was a bit shocking up close.

No useful ones. Mostly weird shit, househusband skills, midnight singer, stamina king.

My head spun. So many useless abilities. In peacetime, maybe they'd carve a niche. Now? Trash.

"Alright, auntie first. Drop the underwear."

"What? Kid, that's crossing the line!"

"Wanna see real crossing the line, bitch?"

I eyed the guy who'd been talking. Last in line, huh?

Oh?

Bingo.

Finally, a useful ability. Name: Kim Sin-tae.

17 years old, pulling this shit? Hya, walking the elite course in crime.

Yeah, you see it on the news sometimes. Classmates bullying in outlandish ways. Defying teachers or raping them. That's their kind. Born to lose. No pity.

I leaned against a nearby mannequin to watch more. The moment I did, it wobbled and crashed down.

"Oops."

Clatter! All eyes snapped to me. I clicked my tongue and stood.

"Heh, what kind of flimsy-ass mannequin is this? Made in China?"

"Who the fuck are you?"

Kim Sin-tae shot me a cold glare. I glanced at him briefly and gave a short wave. Nice to meet ya—not him, his ability. Then I sighed and surveyed the room. Everyone staring in this situation. I shrugged.

"Alright, alright. Keep watching, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠kimchi!"

Click!

I struck a double V-sign pose and screenshot. People tilted their heads in confusion. I sauntered over to Sin-tae leisurely. Time for the main event?

"Who am I? You don't need to know."

"Crawling out from hiding now, huh? Old enough to know shame?"

"And you? Your dad fucked your little sis, and you still pull this? Did you join in?"

"What?"

Kim Sin-tae's eyes lost focus for a split second. On the verge of snapping. But it didn't scare me. Maybe 'cause he was just a shitty villain imitation. I samba-danced lazily to taunt him. Guys like this? Provoke 'em for maximum effect.

"Oh, sorry. Too blunt. Forget it."

"Everyone, move. I'll strip that fucker."

"Suck, I like girls."

Kim Sin-tae gripped an iron pipe and advanced. That's when I raised my pooled blood overhead. He was deluded, thinking he owned this battlefield.

"Want a one-on-one? Who says? First, lust byproducts—cut! Keep Korea green and clean!"

The blood orb trembled like it might burst. It split in an instant into dozens of blood-red bullets, raining on the punks. They stared blankly before getting shredded. So dumb and green. Couldn't aim higher. I clapped leisurely.

"Aw, thanks for the 21 points!"

"W-what? What the hell was that?"

"Your oh-so-ignored superpower."

"No fucking way? I hoped it was bullshit! Fuck!"

Sin-tae laughed hollowly. I shaped the remaining blood into a blood hammer and grinned.

"So, buddy. When you charging?"

"You're lucky."

"Hm?"

"Found this while item hunting? Scraped points from the kids to buy it. Eat shit."

Sin-tae tossed a can-like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thing. I swung the hammer to smack it away—wanted to launch it over the wall. But on impact, it tore and flashed blindingly.

What the—

I whistled. No vision blur or anything. Honestly, a bit chilling.

What, items like this exist? Huh.

As the flash faded, Kim Sin-tae charged swinging his pipe.

"Die, you fuck!"

"Screaming that loud boost your combat power or something?"

I ducked low. The pipe whistled viciously through empty air. He glared with crazed eyes. Must've hit a nerve. He thrust wildly like a maniac. I dodged each one.

"Fuck! Fuck! You bastard aaaah!"

"Used your head for once? Too bad."

"Die! Dieee!"

"If an Awakened ignores powers, they deserve to die."

I dodged the pipe leisurely, planning to watch more. But my side stung. Checking—nail in his shoe's toe, kicked up into my ribs.

"Oh?"

"Diiiie!"

Whistling air as the pipe came. I rolled diagonally to evade. Sin-tae smashed the pillar behind me. Pipe hummed, and he dropped it.

"Fuck!"

Now grabbing a baseball bat. I laughed in disbelief.

"Weapon master arrived?"

He raised the bat and charged. Ignoring it, I hammered his ankle with a recovery kick.

"Kuk!"

His stance crumbled but he lunged again. Gutsy. But not over.

Reap.

Opposite angle from the recovery kick—nailed his ankle again. Sin-tae hopped like a frog and fell. I approached leisurely. He swung the pipe desperately. I hopped over it. Cursing, he rose. I stomped his rising knee hard. Felt the cartilage crunch real-time, muscles and fat shredding below.

"Gaaahhh!"

"Lust byproduct feels pain too?"

Pain didn't stop his bat swing. Insane grit. I ducked. Wrapped his pivot leg between mine and yanked.

Double leg.

His stance collapsed. I booted his groin.

"Gheaaaak!"

Dropped the bat, crumpled. I looked down leisurely.

"Hurts?"

"F-fuck, dirty bastard!"

"Hm? Hold up. Everyone! This a stadium? Here to watch a match?"

My deadpan drew blank stares from the onlookers. I shrugged.

"Yo, this UFC? We fighting a match? Nah, fucker."

"Ugh."

"You live fair and square? Liar opens his mouth. You know you're a heinous villain, right? Nah, middle school edgelord."

"Urk."

"I-I'm gonna kill you painfully. Hate fake-ass villains like you."

Real evil's more common than you think. They're in civil service or suits doing politics bullshit. Compared to them, Kim Sin-tae's a joke. Tries to look like a tiger but just a housecat. Fear dawned on his paling face. Ah, that look. Good. First time seeing it today. A strange thrill hit me.

Grabbed a nearby bat and beat his whole body. Whacked him good.

"Whew, this prime ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ribeye? Or meat patties? Kyaa."

Focused on face, ribs, knee cartilage. When he sagged blood-soaked, final blow to the groin, then drew my sword.

"Guheuk!"

Used Gluttony's Blessing. Gotta praise the good.

"Ability Nullification Flashbang was solid. But that's it. Can't even fistfight, yet you charge?"

"S-spare me. Please."

"Bullshit, flop."

"Hngh, please!"

The sinister fuck now sniveling. Disappointing. What villains do people like? Ruthless with a backstory? Good guy pretending evil? Nah. Pure evil. Why? No laundry needed. No shitty narrative.

"Not careless 'cause you made a variable?"

"Fuck, how, hngk."

"Next life, don't reincarnate. Useless to society."

"You dog."

Smashed his face to pulp with the bat. Flopped like a wet doll. Grayish brains oozed from the wreckage. What a pain.

I grinned at the description. Screenshot Sin-tae's corpse before it vanished. The punks' too. Posted to the community laughing.

"Alright, check reactions later. First."

I advanced slowly. Eyed the kneelers. All trembling hard. Licked my lips and reached out.