Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: Trap (2)
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"Uh... It doesn't seem to be going well."
Oliver said as he watched the ogreman shrug off a barrage of bombs and bullets unscathed.
While the Pinkmen handled the enemies that appeared on the right, Oliver had dealt with those coming from the opposite side in the same manner. But things unfolded differently for him.
The gang members heading his way were fewer in number and lightly armed with trench clubs, shovels, and hammers. However, they had several mutants in tow.
A quadrupedal hound wearing nothing but pants.
An ogreman over three meters tall.
Oliver had planned to lure them in as far as possible before unleashing a volley of firepower to take them down. But as always, things didn't go according to plan.
One of the gang members said something to the ogreman and sent it charging alone.
'That bastard's stealing our stuff! He even insulted your mom! Go smash him!'
The ogreman stared blankly at Oliver, seemingly believing the words, then let out a roar and charged.
Thud! Thud!! Thud!!!
The footsteps grew louder as it picked up speed, and the ground began to shake slightly.
They had low intelligence but exceptional physical prowess, making them perfect for frontline duty—it seemed the rumors were true.
Because of that, the painstakingly set Grudge Trap activated solely for the ogreman.
Black lava erupted upward like an explosion from the Grudge Trap.
It had enough power to blow a normal person's lower body clean off, but the ogreman merely collapsed to its knees.
It screamed in pain, but that was the extent of it.
Now Oliver understood why Jonathan had said they should avoid encountering this headache of a monster if at all possible.
'Though it doesn't seem all that aggressive, for something like that.'
While the ogreman hesitated from the pain in its legs, the gang members unleashed a second mutant hound.
The chain around its neck was released, and it charged at Oliver with astonishing speed, aiming for his throat.
The plan was to close in instantly and overpower the black mage weak in close combat.
Fortunately, Oliver reacted in time, and with more preparations beyond the Grudge Trap, it wasn't a huge issue.
'Minions.'
At Oliver's call, the minions waiting in the alley corner rushed in and detonated on approach, striking both the ogreman and the hound simultaneously.
Amid the explosion and rising dust...
Other minions followed, spewing Hate Bullets to finish off the enemies, and Oliver joined in, firing away.
The hound, with its swift legs and sharp teeth, couldn't capitalize on its strengths and died pathetically.
Not surprising, after being caught in the bombs and subjected to indiscriminate concentrated fire.
But astonishingly, the ogreman rose again, covered in dust and with mere scratches—just like after the initial Grudge Trap.
The only difference was that it was far angrier now.
A voice from the Y District gang in the back rang out.
"Looks like you came relying on some cheap tricks, but that shit doesn't work here! Kill him, Happiness!"
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
The ogreman called Happiness bellowed a dull yet heavy roar and charged again.
The Pinkmen guarding the opposite alley tried to come help, but Oliver raised a hand, signaling them to hold position.
The ogreman was stronger than expected, true, but scattering the front line would be more dangerous.
The ogreman, now right in front of him, tripped over something and fell forward.
"Krueng?" It looked at its foot and discovered a shadow tendril binding one leg.
The shadow tendril clung to the fallen ogreman like sticky vines, crawling up the other leg, torso, arms—squirming tighter and tighter.
Unnerved, the ogreman thrashed in panic, but the tendril only constricted harder.
Normally, Oliver would squeeze with the shadow tendrils to kill it, but the ogreman's tough skin, thick fat, and muscle layers made that impossible.
At best, it could hold the ankle.
And even that might break free with the ogreman's strength—he couldn't let his guard down.
So while managing the shadow tendril, Oliver gathered emotions at his index fingertip, focusing and compressing them.
'More... more... more...'
A Hate Bullet compressed to this degree. First time using it since Duncan?
As he prepared the Hate Bullet, Oliver glanced at the gang members in the back.
They stood frozen, flustered by the ogreman flailing in the shadows.
Seeing this, Oliver calmly finished compressing the Hate Bullet and aimed at the ogreman.
"Kruuuuuuuh!!"
The ogreman steadied itself, snorted hot breath, planted both arms on the ground, and tried to rise.
Then, astonishingly, the emotions in the shadow drained rapidly, and the tendrils began tearing bit by bit.
Snap. Snap...!
Without further action, it would break free on its own. Impressive.
"Truly impressive."
"Krueng?"
The panting ogreman lifted its head at Oliver's praise.
Its eyes met Oliver's index finger pointed right at it.
"Sorry."
Thung!!!
With a dull thud, the ogreman resisting the shadow tendrils flopped face-down on the ground.
A massive hole in its head spewed black smoke, and Oliver wiped the ogreman's blood from his face and body.
The two Pinkmen guarding the warehouse exit with Oliver stared in shock, astonishment, and fear.
"... Did I make some mistake?"
"N-No... It's just—"
Right on cue, Jonathan finished the job and emerged from the abandoned temple.
Having retrieved the items, he thanked Oliver and the team for holding the outside while he grabbed the auction goods.
"Thanks, good work. Dave too, appreciate it... What the hell is that?"
Jonathan started his greeting but reflexively asked upon seeing the fallen ogreman.
Genuinely shocked, he quickly glanced between his team and Oliver, grasping the situation instantly.
"... Did you take it down, Dave?"
"Yes, it came my way."
"Whoa... Jackpot! Soloing an ogreman. When the boss called you in, I figured you had something going for you, but damn, this is next level...! Any interest in joining the Pinkmen?"
Bear asked boisterously, hefting the heavy magic bag on his back.
A pure offer born of genuine admiration, no ulterior motives.
Oliver politely declined.
"I appreciate the offer, but sorry."
"Why? We're the most respected crew around here. With your skills, you could rise to team leader easy. If not, me and the boss could push it upstairs—get you the best terms."
Jonathan cut in to stop the eager Bear.
"If he wanted in, he'd say so. Not our place to push. Drop it."
"I'm just saying, it's frustrating watching talent waste away in a small pond."
"Mission first. Ten minutes left. Plenty of time, but no slacking—especially not here."
Bear grunted in agreement, unable to argue.
"Can't be helped. Still a shame. That thing could fetch a nice payout."
He meant the ogreman, of course.
Oliver felt the same regret. He wanted to harvest it for materials if possible, but its massive bulk was an issue.
Even Bigmouth couldn't swallow something that big.
Chopping it up would degrade quality, but doable—except time was short.
They had to be out in ten minutes, and processing that sturdy giant corpse was tight.
He couldn't neglect the mission for personal gain, either.
Jonathan thought the same, warning the team to focus and urging everyone to move out.
"Alright, let's get out of—"
"—Says who?"
A third voice cut in abruptly. Everyone turned toward the source, forming combat formation.
The man in the shadows watched them leisurely and clapped.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
His applause oozed leisure, mockery, certainty of victory, and arrogance.
An unexpected unidentified man.
Yet Oliver sensed a familiar eeriness from him.
The awkwardly clumped life force and emotions within his body.
Without thinking, Oliver asked,
"... Are you with the Cannibal Chef, by any chance?"
Jonathan and his team looked shocked. The unidentified man stepped out of the shadows to reply.
He was still utterly relaxed, as if victory was assured.
"Ho... Thought you were a dimwit, but maybe not entirely?"
"You know me?"
"First time face-to-face, but I've seen you through my dimwits."
"Dimwits? ... You mean the ones who infiltrated the auction house?"
"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Right... Thought you might be useful for a sec, but you failed anyway. Shouldn't have let meat like that in."
Meat? Oliver shook his head.
"Not quite. All three were skilled in their own right."
"Ah, correction... Definitely dimwits. Defending trash like that."
The man grinned, baring his teeth. As the conversation dragged, Jonathan reined Oliver in.
"No more talk. He's stalling."
Jonathan showed the watch on his combat suit.
Two minutes wasted on one exchange.
"Process him quick and get out. Mess up, and Y District dogs swarm us."
"Sent by who?"
"Funny! Don't know your skill, but you think you can handle all of us alone?"
"Alone? Who said?"
The man bared sharp fangs and retorted. Simultaneously, he extracted massive life force and emotions from his body, then multi-cast black magic.
Revive Obedience Burning Life Lay the Foundations
Muscle Up • Steel Bone • Fury • Endurance Skin
The mass of life force and emotions enveloping his hands separated per spell, infusing dozens of nearby corpses.
The corpses revived per the spells, gained control, toughened to withstand them, then layered with strength boosts, bone reinforcement, skin hardening—every enhancement imaginable.
Reviving dozens alone was tough; stacking multiple disease-line black magics even harder. Yet the man before them did it effortlessly.
His arrogance felt justified.
"Want something more fun?"
With the spell, the corpse chunks shattered by Oliver's attacks merged into a massive corpse golem.
The situation flipped in an instant.
"What the fuck!"
"Kuh...!"
"Formation! Formation!"
The Pinkmen panicked at the sudden zombie horde but formed a circle per orders.
Pathetic compared to the surrounding zombies.
In truth, a single swing from the corpse golem or ogreman zombie would shatter them.
"Drop your weapons and surrender. Won't kill you right away."
The man urged surrender, but Jonathan refused, probing for info.
"Manipulation-line black mage? Thought the Cannibal Chef was disease-line."
"Narrow-minded. At your level, that's the limit. Reach the peak in anything, and it all connects."
"I see. But for someone at the peak, you're awfully dumb."
With that, a purple magic circle formed beside the man's head, and a bullet struck.
Not a normal bullet—the mana-infused one pierced and exploded his head, pulverizing from the jaw up.
"Manipulation black mages are nothing once the caster's down, ability be damned. That's why they always hide."
Jonathan said to the head-shattered man.
A perfectly effective ambush.
But something was off.
Zombies should collapse if the caster dies—yet they stood fine.
"Kuhahaha! So fun messing with idiots. Think one bullet takes me out?"
"How about this?"
Oliver asked. Then, a blue flash from a distant building, and a massive mana clump lased toward the man.
Ziiiiing——!!!
So powerful it vaporized the intervening ogreman corpse instantly.
The laser swept forward, scorching the ground, then thermal energy condensed and exploded. Ziiiiii——Boom!!!
Blast wave and heat surged, leaving nothing but ruins ahead.
Nothing at all.
As everyone stared in shock, Oliver took two steps forward.
"... Think we can go now."