Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: 108. A Dirty Job Full of Variables (2)
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Somehow, he'd managed to coax them, but Scott had started drinking with the other two fixers.
The aroma alone suggested it was top-shelf stuff.
Oliver wasn't much of an expert on booze, but thanks to a few swigs from Forrest, he could tell good from bad well enough.
They'd hesitated at first, but after a sip or two, the druid pulled out some green beans as a snack—probably because their mouths felt dry—and the others began crunching away at them too.
"Pretty tasty, huh?"
"Right? ...Anyway, you're really not gonna have any?"
Scott asked Oliver.
"No, I'm good. What about the young lady? Don't you need to watch over her?"
"Nina's got eyes on her with the goggles, so it's fine."
A more laid-back attitude than expected. Oliver wondered if this was okay, but since he had no authority to complain, he kept quiet.
Come to think of it, Forrest had warned him about this already.
The underworld was full of all sorts—employers and employees alike. Anything could happen, and it wouldn't be strange.
Some took the money and vanished. Others bolted at the first sign of trouble. And some even stabbed you in the back.
That's why you had to anticipate every scenario when working, especially in a group.
Which was exactly why Forrest had advised against taking this job.
And yet, Oliver had accepted it anyway. So he had to handle it himself.
Leaving the drinking fixers behind, Oliver decided to scout inside and outside the villa—just in case.
It was something he should've done earlier, but since nothing seemed urgent, he'd put it off. In other words, he was starting to feel a bit uneasy now.
Oliver checked outside the villa.
There were several cars parked, a forest out back, a lake in front, and fields on either side.
'Hmm, the perimeter's too wide.'
So he judged, then surveyed the first-floor hall of the villa.
It was a decent size, with pillars and expensive decorations. While poking around, Oliver planted a few devices where no one would see.
Nothing fancy: sheets of paper inscribed with Anthony Family black magic circles, tucked in alongside test tubes filled with emotions and life force.
And chunks of bone and human flesh bought from the Gray Market, fashioned into meat bombs, hidden in display cases and corners.
He'd calculated the blast radius carefully, though midway through he wondered if it was overkill. But he didn't stop.
You had to do the job you were paid for. And better safe than sorry.
Finally, Oliver returned to his private room, pulled out Big Mouth, and loaded the corpse doll—Rag—and the black magician with Third and First. He layered on a few black spells for good measure, then stationed them outside as backup.
With preparations done, Oliver took a break. That's when a beep-beep sounded in his ear.
Not the communicator from Forrest, but the one provided here—which had only rung for roll calls until now.
Oliver brought the ladybug-shaped device to his mouth.
"Yes, this is Oliver."
"It's me. Where are you?"
"Nina? In my room."
"Perfect. Time to work."
Work. That meant intruders. Scripture was right after all.
Nothing worth having comes easy.
He'd thought they'd just let him coast through.
"What're you doing? Get out here."
As Nina urged him, the distant rat-tat-tat of machine guns echoed.
Real intruders, it seemed. Oliver focused his eyes and stepped outside.
His black magician vision kicked in, expanding his sight range in an instant. He spotted people waiting far off at the villa's edge.
'Twenty... no, thirty? But something's off.'
It really was.
Even with Nina already firing, their emotions were calm—almost nonchalant. And on closer look, Nina's bullets weren't even grazing the intruders; they were hitting random spots.
As if she had no intention of aiming.
"Ah, there you are."
The tall druid Scott appeared, wearing only faded green jeans.
His lean, muscled torso was bare and tattooed. Reading Oliver's gaze, he explained first.
"This? My battle gear. Gotta stand out in this line of work."
Oliver wanted to ask who there was to impress, but work came first, so he just nodded. It did stand out, for sure.
"Heard we have guests?"
"Yeah. Do you know where the others are?"
"Don't worry. They didn't pass out from the booze. Already went out to engage. Gordy and Russell specialize in close quarters. With Nina's support, they'll be formidable."
"I don't see them."
Oliver said bluntly.
Not a guess—he'd scanned thoroughly with focused eyes.
At some point, their emotional signatures had vanished. Scott grinned.
"Sharp one, huh?"
With that, Scott swung his long arm back and unleashed a full-force strike.
In that split second, Oliver deployed a Black Shield ahead of him as planned.
He also donned a pre-made Black Suit. Then Scott's fist collided with the shield.
BOOM————————!!!!
The Black Shield shattered with a deafening roar, and Scott's fist slammed into Oliver's body.
Luckily, the Black Suit absorbed the direct hit, but the force was immense all the same.
Enough to send him flying far away.
"Operation underway. You bastards."
The druid spoke into his communicator. At once, everyone—inside the building and out—sprang into action.
Half the guards inside ambushed and killed their fellow guards. The attackers outside rushed the villa like they'd been waiting.
This job had gone wrong from the very first button.
Forrest's words suddenly came to mind.
'...Childish and emotional. Childish jobs end filthy, emotional ones are full of variables. Both are the worst.'
Oliver had clearly drawn the short straw.
"Heh... You're definitely not like other black magicians. Most heads would've exploded from that one hit."
Scott approached, saying so. A green aura enveloped his arms—distinct from magic, divine arts, or black magic.
The power of nature that druids wielded, no doubt.
"...What happened to the other two? They didn't seem like easy marks."
"To your level, maybe. Not to me. Should've just drunk with me. Would've been easier for everyone."
Oliver focused his eyes. Half the attackers outside were closing in; the guards inside advanced on Jane's room with murder in their hearts.
"It's over. Give up. You're the last one left. That pretty girl? She's done for soon. Breaks my heart, but business is business. So just die easy. No point surviving anyway—you'll be hunted as a murderer your whole life."
He wasn't wrong.
Guards were at Jane's door, while Scott blocked Oliver. No way to reach her.
Assuming Oliver had made no preparations, that is.
CRASH——!!
Glass shattered from Jane's room far away, followed by a shout from the druid's communicator.
Spot on.
For just-in-case scenarios, Oliver had loaded the corpse doll with stealth black magic and ordered it to rescue Jane if needed.
In fact, Rag and the black magician had burst through the window, killed the traitorous guard, and saved her.
"Kyaaaaaaa—!"
But Jane screamed louder at the corpse doll than the would-be killer.
Nina yelled through the communicator.
Rat-tat-tat-tat—the machine gun roared through the villa. Thankfully, Jane didn't seem hit.
The druid shifted his gaze from the communicator to Oliver.
"Heh... Not a total idiot, then."
"Just prepared for contingencies. Instead of fighting me, wouldn't helping Nina be better?"
"Kukuku, crazy bastard. Now I get why Duncan warned me."
"Ah, so it was... But is it okay to spill that?"
"Who cares? ...You're dead soon anyway!!"
With that, Scott charged like a bison.
Oliver timed it perfectly and fired Cling Spider Web.
[Cling Spider Web]
Powerful restraint black magic that binds the target completely, sealing both body and magic. Weak to external impacts.
One solid hit, and it was over.
"Kuaaaaaaaa——————!!!"
As the web closed in, Scott bellowed at full volume.
Beyond mere sound, it carried physical force. The black web tore apart helplessly, and the shockwave hammered Oliver.
Not from outside, but rippling through his insides. Agonizing.
The druid pressed the advantage, lunging with his freakish physique to ram Oliver.
Suddenly, a minion burst from Oliver's pocket and fired a Thrust point-blank at the oncoming druid.
The shockwave countered the full-speed charge perfectly, dealing serious damage. Still, momentum carried them crashing together, smashing through a wall into the entrance hall.
KABOOM———!!!
"Ugh......"
Oliver staggered to his feet.
Dust swirled amid scattered concrete chunks. His head spun.
Small mercy: Scott was hurt too.
Blood trickled from his ears as he wobbled, furious at taking a hit from Oliver. Veins bulged on his forehead.
"You fucking prick...! Dirty tricks like that......!"
Muttering, he tossed a green bean at Oliver's feet—the same snack from before.
Green light erupted, vines sprouting instantly to bind Oliver.
"Hey, druid! All that bragging, and what the hell? I said take your time!"
The thugs finally reached the villa.
From their tone, they were Scott's allies. The druid yelled back.
"Shut up and kill him first! I've stripped and tied him up...! Do it!!"
They smirked and aimed at Oliver.
Underestimating him from his state—a huge stroke of luck for Oliver.
BANG——! BANG——!
The pre-planted meat bombs detonated.
Inspired by Puppet's black magic, they showered the area with bone-and-flesh shrapnel. Most thugs dropped.
The survivors hesitated in shock. Oliver activated his hidden black magic circle.
The concealed test tubes reacted, spewing life force. It poured into the fresh corpses, granting new unlife.
"Kraaaaa......"
"Kuhuhuhuhu......."
"Aaaaaa......"
A dozen zombies spawned in seconds.
Oliver didn't stop: more circles triggered [Obedience], [Burning Life], [Muscle Up] to buff them, then topped with [Blister].
Zombie muscles swelled, purple blisters bubbling on their skin.
And on anyone they bit.
"Guh...! What the hell......!"
A bitten thug screamed at the blisters erupting on his own body.
Deadly at a glance. Oliver's theory had panned out.
Zombies infected with disease black magic could transmit it via bites.
Confirmed, Oliver turned more corpses into zombies and sent them after the intruders infiltrating the villa. And of course, he didn't forget the druid.
"Th-this crap—!"
Overcoming the shock, the druid swung wildly, ripping zombies like a massive bear swiping with its paw. But tiny blisters began forming on his scrapes.
"!!!"
Not severe, but the purple blemishes on his clean skin rattled him. He lost composure, backing away while healing himself.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!"
Oliver seized the moment.
Shadow tentacles seized the druid, stabbing at his gut.
At the last second, bark covered his body, blocking the pierce. Tougher than it looked.
"Huff...! Huff...! You're done anyway! Black magic's sustain sucks in long fights! Me? Near the woods, I can go forever! I'll win! Gonna eat you alive."
Huh, new intel.
Druids apparently powered up near forests.
Made sense for nature wielders.
"But seems physical attacks are your limit?"
Oliver eyed the druid's arm, blisters multiplying.
Hit a nerve—the druid's face twisted in shock. Oliver infused more black magic into lingering zombies and flesh chunks.
They adhered to the druid per Oliver's will. He encased himself in Black Marble—a full-body black orb shield—then intoned.
The corpses and flesh encasing Druid Scott exploded.
Stronger than Wrath Bomb. The massive hall was splattered in contaminated blood and meat.
The druid didn't escape unscathed.
His bark armor was largely shattered, huge purple blisters foaming on the skin beneath.
Badly infected, he knelt immobile. The vines binding Oliver loosened.
Oliver pointed at the druid's head.
"Ah, what a shame. Mr. Scott, you're no good anymore."