Chapter 268 You're Already Dead
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 268
Chapter Title: You're Already Dead
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Johannes looked around.
In the distance, the naked residents of the Eastern District were looking their way.
Johannes let out a deep sigh.
"Skar, are you alone?"
"I am."
"You've gone completely mad. This isn’t a place for a guy like you to come."
"You're right. This bathhouse is magnificent. It's a fine sight."
The tattooed man sitting next to Jeong Yoo-shin interjected.
"Cut the crap, you bastard."
The latter turned his head and looked at the man.
A familiar face.
He was the guy who Jeong Yoo-shin had slapped for sneering last time.
The man shot up and walked closer to Jeong Yoo-shin.
"You suddenly appearing and and asking if we want to see a magic trick? You crazy bastard, do you think we're a joke?! You bastard, lift your head straight. Hurry up and lift your head...!"
Stab.
The man stopped walking. His body trembled, and his strength drained away.
He slowly lowered his head. A dagger was embedded in his abdomen.
Before the man could open his mouth.
Jeong Yoo-shin grabbed the man's shoulder, pulled out the dagger embedded in his abdomen, and stabbed again.
Stab!!! Stab!!! Stab!!! Stab!!!
"Kuh... kuk!!! Kuhuk!!!"
The guy with the tattered belly collapsed.
Splash.
The water splashed upward.
Red blood spread across the surface of the bath water.
The man with the dagger in his abdomen floated on the water while spewing blood from his mouth.
"Ta-da. It was a magic trick where the dagger disappears."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's words, the big guys who were about to get up froze.
Because the madness that they saw in this barbarian’s eyes that was difficult to describe in words had paralyzed them.
The guy the barbarian had just killed was a man with an imprint called 'Iron Skin.'
Such a guy had been stabbed a few times with a dagger and had become half-dead.
But Johannes was calm from beginning to end.
He swept up his long, indigo-colored hair and opened his mouth.
"Skar, do you really have to do this? Will you be satisfied if I give you some money? I can't understand. Why in the world are you doing this?"
"You’re humiliating me, you know."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Johannes, you must have approached me while knowing that I'm the representative of the small and medium-sized clan alliance. If you wanted to buy me off, you could have easily done a divide and conquer strategy with the small and medium-sized clans. Am I right or wrong?"
"...."
"Skar, you came all the way here alone just because of that suspicion? You're crazy. Your mind has been eaten by the darkness of the labyrinth."
"There are days when my mind goes back and forth. But not today."
Jeong Yoo-shin sat on the edge of the bath, stared at Johannes, and continued.
"Today is a day when my mind’s clear."
Johannes stared at Jeong Yoo-shin.
The sight of his eyes glistening with killing intent…
This man had come with the intention to kill.
Johannes slowly stood up.
"Alright. I'll go and change my clothes then."
"Do you think I'll send you off nicely?"
Jeong Yoo-shin threw himself into the bath, but Johannes had already disappeared.
Whoosh.
The space where Johannes had been just until now distorted, and the surroundings shook.
"Ah, shit."
Jeong Yoo-shin spat out a curse and turned his gaze.
Johannes was far away, heading toward the changing room.
While he was distracted, the big guys rushed in.
"You bastard!!!"
"Fucking die!!!"
Jeong Yoo-shin drew his bastard sword and swung.
Slice!!!
A severed arm spun in the air and fell onto the surface of the water.
Splash!!!
"Kuaaaaaaak!!!"
The slaughter began with a scream.
The naked men charged at Jeong Yoo-shin while screaming.
He dodged the guy who threw himself at him from the right.
And he also deflected the fist that flew from the left.
He struck the head of the guy running down the middle with the pommel of his greatsword.
Craaaack!!!
The man’s skull caved in, and an eyeball dangled from his eye socket.
"Huuh."
He kicked the flailing guy away, and water splashed upward.
"Get him!!!"
He grabbed the mouth of the guy who was screaming right next to him.
"Wh-...?!"
The guy's eyes widened in surprise.
Creeeeak!!!
He grabbed the man’s jaw and tore it off.
"Kueeeeeeek!!!"
As his facial muscles and lower jaw were torn off, the guy let out a scream as if the world was ending.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the man's jaw, which was dripping with blood, and then threw it into the bath.
"Look at the cavity. The gums are also damaged. He was a guy who didn't take care of his teeth. Thanks to me, he'll save on the cost of dentures."
"You crazy bastard!!! Rush him all at once!!!"
Someone shouted bravely.
However…
A few had already turned their backs and started to run.
"..."
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled at the man who was staring blankly at his comrades' backs.
"Isn't it a world where you come with nothing and go with nothing? Don't be too disappointed that you're left alone now."
"Shit!!!"
Jeong Yoo-shin rushed at the remaining men, sliced their arms and legs, and struck them with his fists.
The curses turned into pleas and screams.
And the clean bathhouse gradually turned red.
Jeong Yoo-shin swung his sword and meticulously dismembered the big guys.
How long had he been cutting?
"Haaaaaaa!!!"
The last remaining man rushed at him while letting out a cry that was either a scream or a sob.
He reached out, grabbed the man's head, and smashed it against the corner of the bath.
Baaaaaaaaak!!!
Blood flowed out.
Baaaaaaaaak!!!
Baaaaaaaaaaak!!!
After smashing the man’s head several times, his body convulsed and his broken teeth fell out.
Jeong Yoo-shin left the convulsing man as he was and stood up.
"Hoo."
The clean bath was tinged with blood.
Severed arms, legs, intestines, and loose feces were floating on the surface of the water.
Jeong Yoo-shin slowly walked out of the bath.
"H-Heeik!!!"
A dwarf who seemed to be a bath scrubber was trembling, unable to leave.
A young guy with no beard.
A friend who looked a little like Einhorfer.
Jeong Yoo-shin approached him and planted a deep kiss on the dwarf's forehead.
Smooch.
"Don't work in the Eastern District."
Pssssss.
The dwarf wet himself and collapsed on the spot.
Jeong Yoo-shin left the bathhouse and asked an employee standing near the entrance.
"Where's Johannes?"
"Skar, do you think you'll be safe after committing such an act?"
"Where's Johannes?"
"Here."
Johannes, who had changed his clothes at some point, was standing outside the bathhouse.
Jeong Yoo-shin took a blood-soaked coin from his pocket, placed it in the employee's hand, and went outside the building.
Johannes aimed a dagger at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"There's no need for words since you've come this far. I'll show you the power of a true Imprint Synergy, you fly-like bastard."
"Bullshit."
The dagger disappeared from Johannes's hand.
Whoosh.
Jeong Yoo-shin instinctively twisted his body.
Stab.
The disappeared dagger was embedded in his shoulder.
Teleportation.
An imprint ability that moved a desired object to a desired location.
'Did he move the dagger inside my body?'
It was indeed a terrifying ability.
"What a pity. I was aiming for the heart."
Johannes disappeared from his sight.
Once, twice, three times.
Johannes repeated his blinks, came right in front of Jeong Yoo-shin, and swung his dagger.
Whoooosh.
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his bastard sword.
Kra-booooooooom!!!
Although a sword and a sword had clashed, a roar burst out instead of a sharp sound.
Johannes’ strength, enhanced by the Power Link, pushed Jeong Yoo-shin back.
Screeeeeeech!!!
The iron plates that had been added to the soles of Jeong Yoo-shin’s walkers scraped the road, sending sparks flying.
Jeong Yoo-shin was barely able to stop by plunging his sword into the ground.
"Skar, you're pretty good."
"..."
Jeong Yoo-shin silently pulled out the sword that was embedded in the ground.
Johannes inwardly smacked his lips.
Only after hearing Skar's words a moment ago could he understand the Vaisis clan leader's intentions.
Literally…
If he could just win over this Skar bastard.
He could have gotten the chance to eat up the small and medium-sized clans under him all at once.
It would have been a shortcut for taking over their businesses.
And it would have been a good way to capture and sell their clan members.
It was a real shame.
'He must have gotten to that position because he's quick-witted.'
But he was still just an intermediate-rank low bug.
To think he was so arrogant just because he had beaten that Rex bastard from the Beast Clan once.
'This is your grave.'
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
After three more blinks, he moved through space and stood in front of Skar.
He raised his dagger.
Skar's gaze was fixed on the dagger.
Johannes's eye-smile deepened.
[Teleportation]
The raised dagger moved through space and embedded itself in Skar's chest.
"Kuhuk!!!"
As blood gushed from Skar's mouth, a blue will-o'-the-wisp began to burn in his eyes.
Johannes knew what kind of imprint it was.
The Revenger imprint.
Without stopping, he threw a punch and hit Skar's chest.
Crack!!!
He broke his ribs with a single punch.
Skar's body was pushed back again.
Skar was barely able to stop by kneeling on one knee and plunging his sword into the ground.
Johannes slowly approached and looked around.
The well-to-do people of the Eastern District in their old-fashioned clothes were watching.
But no one dared to approach them.
It was natural, since this was an event related to the 8th-ranked Vaisis Clan.
"Skar, do you understand now?"
Johannes asked with a faint smile.
In just a few punches, Jeong Yoo-shin’s ribs were shattered, and he was pushed back.
The difference between one who had achieved an Imprint Synergy and one who hadn’t…
"This is the difference between you and me."
"Kuk!!! Ptooey!!! Bullshit."
Jeong Yoo-shin spat out a bloody saliva and stood up again.
His wrist was aching and creaking.
And because a broken rib fragment was piercing his lung, it was difficult for him to breathe properly.
However…
'This is manageable.'
He slung his bastard sword over his shoulder and walked slowly.
Johannes's eyebrows twitched.
"Hmph."
After a few more blinks, he reached Jeong Yoo-shin and swung his dagger.
Swoooosh!!!
It wasn’t just a simple swing. It was a slash filled with the strength enhanced by the Power Link imprint.
In a moment…
Skar's pupils, which were shedding streams of blue will-o'-the-wisps, narrowed.
He swung his bastard sword a step ahead of Johannes.
Claaaaaaaaang!!!
A roar of iron clashing with iron. Johannes's arm, which was holding the dagger, was thrown up.
"What...?!"
A parry?
'Y-You crazy bastard!'
To not even bat an eye at a blow aimed at his neck, and to accurately strike it, aiming for the gap while he was swinging his dagger.
It wasn’t something a sane person could do.
Johannes’ heart grew cold.
Skar instantly switched to a half-swording stance and swung the pommel of his sword.
Whoooosh!!!
A blow aimed at the temple in close combat.
Johannes used his blink to step back.
Skar wiped the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth and smiled.
"Well. You dodged that."
Johannes felt it intuitively.
'I can't fight for long.'
The barbarian had the Revenger imprint. If he let up, the man would just recover from his injuries.
It would be a drawn-out fight.
Since there were more than a few eyes watching this fight from a distance, it wouldn't be helpful for his clan to drag this on.
It would also be a black mark for an intermediate-rank high explorer who had achieved an Imprint Synergy.
Moreover…
This half-barbarian bastard…
To think that he could instantly read his opponent's breathing and parry with his sword after just a few exchanges of blows.
It was a terrifyingly frightening talent.
What was even more frightening…
Was his boldness to parry without batting an eye in a life-or-death situation.
'I'll kill him.'
Johannes took out 10 daggers from his pocket.
[Teleportation]
The 10 daggers on his fingers disappeared.
Whoosh.
The daggers moved through space and advanced.
A silent blow of death.
Skar instantly threw his body and rolled, but a few daggers were still embedded in his body.
Johannes disappeared.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
From the distance, Johannes repeated his blinks and quickly approached Jeong Yoo-shin.
The latter gritted his teeth.
Sacred Weapon.
He wouldn’t use it.
The closer Johannes got, jumping through space, the stronger the sound of the air being torn became.
Whoooosh.
Johannes, who had reached him in an instant.
At the same time, a huge gust of wind raged, and the tails of Skar's coat fluttered madly.
Johannes swung his dagger.
"Die!"
Swaaaaaaaang!!!!!!
The dagger tore through the wind and aimed for his neck.
Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes widened as he gripped his sword.
'It's coming.'
Johannes's upper arm, bicep, and tricep movements.
Jeong Yoo-shin read the angle of the man’s elbow, his breathing, and even his gaze, and found the optimal path.
One.
Two.
Three.
Now.
He thrust his bastard sword forward.
Claaaaaaaaaang!!!!!
As a roar and a shockwave burst out…
Jeong Yoo-shin's body was thrown back like a bullet, broke through a building, and was embedded in it.
"Huk. Haaak."
Johannes gasped for breath and then looked down at his dagger.
A dagger with a broken blade. A shallow impact.
He was sure…
That guy was still.
Not dead.
Johannes shouted.
"Skar!!!"
From between the collapsed buildings, Skar staggered out.
"...Why’re you calling me?"
Skar's condition was serious.
His bastard sword was broken.
His coat was in tatters.
And one of his arms was dangling at a strange angle.
Blood was flowing from one side of his head, as if his head had been split open when he hit the wall.
Nevertheless…
Johannes got angry instead.
"Why!!! Why aren't you using your imprint ability?!! Use your Sacred Weapon!!!"
Jeong Yoo-shin wiped the blood that was welling up and grinned.
"Kuhuhu. Teacher, you must have a lot on your mind, right?"
"..."
"Kueeeek!!! Ptooey!!! Teacher, you must be thinking something like this. 'Could it be that this guy got a cheat imprint better than Sacred Weapon in the labyrinth?'"
Johannes's eyes widened as if they would pop out.
Jeong Yoo-shin spread his arms wide. His pupils were glistening with a strange light.
"Well, you have a good eye. That's right. If you just admit this one thing, I'll tell you the imprint I got this time."
"..."
"You act like a big shot, but you're just a piece of trash like the other Eastern District bugs. A pathetic piece of trash who exploits others and sucks their blood to stay alive."
Griiind!!!
Johannes gritted his teeth.
To think that a mere intermediate-rank low explorer who hadn't even achieved an Imprint Synergy…
Had the gall to toy with an executive of the 8th-ranked clan in the Eastern District!
Johannes's eyes became bloodshot.
"Skar!!! You son of a bitch!!!"
A voice full of rage echoed in the street.
Jeong Yoo-shin swallowed his blood and grinned.
'Good.'
Lies, suspicion, insults, and sarcasm became an invisible blade that mercilessly tore Johannes' composure to shreds.
Jeong Yoo-shin slowly picked up his longsword that had fallen on the floor.
'You're already dead.'
‘You fucking idiot.’
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T/N - Damn, we’re getting teased. Well, no choice but to wait for the next chapter. For you guys, at least. 🤭
Also, pretty smart of the MC to mess with Johannes by making it seem like he has something new to rely on apart from his Sacred Weapon imprint. Because from what I understand from the previous chapter, the MC’s mana is only enough to use his newly imagined weapon once, which is why he’s not using the other weapon imprints.