Chapter 17
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: 16. Villain Subjugation
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If I violate the Divine Sword's little sister here, I'll become a Divine Sword user too, right?
N-No! Get away! I hate it!
A strange memory flashed through my mind, making me want to vomit.
I barely pulled myself together and glared at the bastard.
Kim Seung-jun's body, after his first phase ended so pathetically, was literally a monster shattered all over. It was more like a grotesque aberration.
Even Choi Si-woo would probably find this disgusting.
"Ugh, that's gross. What the hell is that? Its body's all broken."
"And it's getting even grosser?"
"What the heck is it even made of? Bbeom-mi Jang is super scared!"
The women stared at it like it was the filthiest thing on earth, and finally, the monster shell staggered back to its feet.
"Kee-keeek! Kkukukuk. This is the power of the Black God Cult! This isn't the end! I will evolve further! Behold! The moment I break free from this cocoon, I will kill you all!"
As it declared its evolution, black threads wrapped around its body, starting to form what looked like a cocoon.
Sure enough, it gets stronger in phase two. The girls were already struggling, and if phase two kicked in, that perverted goblin might end up raping them.
Can't let that happen.
"You crazy bastard. Why don't you go call the instructor quick?"
"Hawawawa. Bbeom-mi Jang doesn't wanna die!"
"Go call her now? It'll evolve or whatever by then."
"W-Wait, Yoo Eun-ha? Don't go? It's dangerous!"
Creepy. Creepy. Creepy. Gross. Gross. Gross.
I was starting to get used to that text. One thing was clear: I wouldn't feel better until I killed this thing.
Evolution? Who said I'd give it time to evolve? Doesn't it know transformation time for enemies is just free damage time?
So I drove my sword, enchanted with anti-magic, straight into the cocoon made of its mana.
Puuk!
"Gack!? What the hell is this sword? Coward! Attacking during evolution!"
What did it expect? It was trash not worth sparing.
As the frog flailed impaled on my sword, I picked up a goblin helmet and scooped up the oil globs scattered around, dumping them all over this disgusting frog-goblin-whatever.
"N-No way? You bitch! Coward! Sneaky! At least wait! Gack!?"
I wordlessly shoved the sword deeper without mercy.
Then I pulled a lighter from my pocket and flicked it on.
Finally realizing what was coming, it started shaking its head.
"Y-Yoo Eun-ha! I'm sorry! It was a mistake! Spare me! I won't come after you again! No! Don't throw that!"
"If you came to kill, you should've been prepared to die yourself."
I tossed the lighter.
It hit the oil-soaked body and ignited instantly.
Whoosh!
"Kwaaaaaah! You evil bitch! Sneaky bitch! If I'm going down, you're coming with me! Die! Yoo Eun-ha!"
Burning alive, deprived even of its evolution chance, the monster lunged at me one last time—but a spear flew from somewhere and pinned it to the wall.
"Kuhuk!"
"At least I got the finishing touch, right?"
Han Su-ji flashed a victorious smile as the monster struggled futilely to pull out the sword and spear from the wall.
Soon enough, it burned to ashes.
Only after it was a pile of cinders did the filthy nightmare that had invaded my mind finally lift, clearing my head.
Maybe from overexertion, my vision started blurring.
Right when I needed a smoke, I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and stuck it in my mouth.
"Ah, my lighter."
Realizing too late I'd tossed it without thinking, I scolded myself as I blacked out.
Korea Hunter Association
The protagonist of the previous work, Yoo Jin-seok, was having another busy day.
He'd once blocked the Pyongyang Gate, saving the world from plunging into hell, but monsters hadn't vanished.
He was rich enough to retire from hunting, but the first-generation Divine Sword user, burning with a sense of justice, was coming back from another monster hunt.
Suddenly, a smirking colleague from the office approached.
"Hey, Jin-seok, your little sis pulled off something big?"
"What do you mean?"
"That new student in Hansung Academy's Class A, Kim Seung-jun? Turns out he was a Black God Cult freak, and Yoo Eun-ha took him down."
"For real?"
"Yup. Just like her big bro's sister. Anyway, shouldn't you praise her as her brother?"
The colleague handed Yoo Jin-seok a report summarizing the freak incident in the training dungeon.
Yoo Jin-seok struggled to process the suspicious info.
He'd wiped out the Black God Cult years ago. Survivors?
Resuming activity meant they'd regained some power. Headache incoming.
'That said, Eun-ha...'
Something felt off. He'd been too busy lately, basically hands-off, which worried him more. And now she took down a freak?
Colleagues confirmed it, and she was in the hunter hospital collapsed.
'How the hell?'
Call it rude, but Eun-ha just holed up playing games. Immature kid. Yet she caught a freak at Hansung Academy?
Maybe Kim Ji-hye trained her? Nah, rude but she sucks at teaching kids.
Rebecca? No, different fields.
'Haven't seen her in a while. Maybe visit under pretense of checking on her.'
So it's a new story for the disqualified heroine, right? Like DLC?
It's a novel.
Let's call it a side story then. Hahaha. And there's something you don't know.
What bullshit—damn, filtered again.
Hahaha. I hate profanity. Anyway, this isn't a novel or a dream.
What?
This is reality.
Bullshit has limits.
Hahaha. Anyway, living in a world of constant life threats on a timer, denying reality only hurts yourself. Got it? Now wake up.
Annoying voices dragged me from sleep.
Would I wake up dozing at the office like always?
Or faceplanted at my monitor mid-webnovel?
One sure thing: the smell hitting my nose wasn't my messy bachelor pad or office funk from my thirties.
I cracked my eyes open.
"...Unfamiliar ceiling."
Pristine checkered tiles, humidifier in the corner of my vision.
Up to here, I half-jokingly guessed overwork hospitalization.
Then I saw my slim hand and pale skin. Despair.
The line between dream and reality blurred. Maybe I was never Yoo Eun-ha. Maybe the corporate drone in mundane life was just my fantasy.
"Screw it. Sleep more."
Muscle aches everywhere. Had to rest.
Glancing aside, that suited guy catching my eye was getting more detailed.
Teacup in hand. Probably not real tea.
No need to overthink. I pulled the blanket over deeper.
I'm one with the blanket. Our unbreakable bond—
But the world wouldn't let me sleep.
"Yoo Eun-ha."
Unwelcome voice. Instinctual disgust.
This was big bro's voice.
The original template for Choi Si-woo.
Previous work's protagonist, so part of me wanted to face him, but nah. Too annoying. Just wanna sleep.
"Sigh, I know you still hate this brother. Never thought sending you to Hansung Academy to toughen up would lead to this. I'm truly sorry about that."
Got it? Go home. Lemme sleep.
"When I heard you took down a freak, I was shocked. Happy too, but my sister going through that... blablabla."
Fucking loud.
"Hunter guilds are watching you now... I don't want you becoming a hunter. Just stay healthy... muttermutter."
One genuine curiosity.
Heroines into this chatterbox sane?
Even wordier than Choi Si-woo. That guy's at least perceptive. This one's selfish, ignores everyone.
Ears rotting. Not aunties gossiping.
After yapping forever, Yoo Jin-seok sighed.
"Stuffed this month's allowance generously since I'm sorry. Rest up. I'm heading out."
Thud.
Damn guy's finally gone.
Recited the anthem's fourth verse in my head to survive.
From what he said, video of me taking down the freak spread.
Checked hunter community on my phone.
Somehow, a conceptual post with my fight against freak Kim Seung-jun was up.
Clicked: me executing Kim Seung-jun. Filmed from Bbeom-mi's angle, obviously.
Han Su-ji's spear at the end? Edited out. Looked like I soloed.
Problem: My line killing Kim Seung-jun became iconic.
"If you came to kill, you should've been prepared to die yourself."
Fr, that's some badass iconic line.
Wasn't he a classmate? Killed without hesitation?
Upper commenter an idiot? Black God Cult has kill-on-sight orders forever. You cultist?
Could've spared him though?
Fuck, Yoo Eun-ha collapsed after. Not like she could let it live. Newbies man.
Hehe, wanna burn my eyes too.
Hunter community mostly praised me, some questioning if killing was necessary.
No real hate though. Black God Cult's evils were world-known. In Korea, they suicide-bomb so often, kill orders stuck.
What about Hansung Academy anon board?
Yoo Eun-ha is def a badass lol fr
Reina and Han Su-ji said she stepped up to protect them.
Why them? Academy's full of lesbians, why only those two?
Fuck. Look up. Only lesbians here? Save the guys too.
Lol still just a 1st year newbie.
Hyping Yoo Jin-seok's sis too much?
Here, my lesbian rumors fuel daily gossip.
As I rose at Hansung Academy, upperclassmen started checking me—probably 2nd or 3rd years. Few 1st years dare ignore me.
"Whatever. Let 'em yap."
Knock knock.
Burritoed in hospital blankets, now this ashy-haired guy shows.
That weird hair color? Only Si-woo's.
Barging into a girl's room uninvited.
"Y-Yoo Eun-ha."
"Sigh. Divine Sword users everywhere today."
"No way, even Senior Yoo Jin-seok came?"
This punk. Skipping academy, yet eyes sparkle at Jin-seok's name.
"Yeah, you little shit. Why'd you bail? Would've ended faster with you."
"Ah, sorry. Had stuff to do."
Stuff? What stuff? Late apology gesture won't cut it.
Barring funerals, canon demanded your presence.
But you ghosted. How strong are you really? Even off-canon, Kim Seung-jun was your trial.
"Brought strawberry smoothie. Forgive me once? Real unavoidable circumstances. Got cream puffs too."
Smoothie?
"One time only?"
Sideline the excuse, forgave for now.
"Heard around: this blew up big at academy."
"How much time passed?"
"Already 3 days?"
Woke after 3 days, straight to previous and current protags? Honored.
Choi Si-woo yapped canon-filler: Black God revival, freaks near academy.
"Association's watching Hansung now. Freak showed up."
"Yeah?"
"So, mind if I guard you awhile? You live alone."
This guy's hitting on me? Heroine vibes? Canon shift, still wants to protect?
Sigh, tempting. But I'm still into girls. Plus, post-Kim Seung-jun, he links with Association.
Not time to babysit me.
Wait, I took Kim Seung-jun. What happens to him?
"Kinda ended up connected to Black Dragon Guild."
"That intel-famous guild?"
Mid-size but elite, info even corps envy. Skills all recon/search base.
Makes sense if Association block led to Black Dragon ties during my fight.
"Black Dragon intel: Black God Cult attacking Hansung soon."
What?
"Kim Seung-jun was probably a pawn. Next one's stronger."
Hold up. Even Black Dragon shouldn't know that yet—no Cult hideout intel.
"Couldn't protect you this time, but next, I definitely will."
How do you know that?