Chapter 290 Let's Live Kindly
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 290
Chapter Title: Let's Live Kindly
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The uninvited guests who had entered the inn broke into a cold sweat.
Some even trembled while holding their weapons.
Someone could have opened their mouth, but no one could make a sound.
Because the barbarian right in front of them was playing the lute.
Pluck.
Strum.
They could tell just by listening to him for a moment…
Terrible playing skills.
Pitch and rhythm playing around as they pleased.
He was someone who had never learned how to handle an instrument.
However…
No one pointed out that fact.
Why?
Because the half-barbarian they had considered a nobody up until now turned out to be a famous warrior in Labyrinth City.
His skill in handling instruments might be terrible…
But his skill in handling a sword would be no joke.
Like that…
The men stood awkwardly and listened to Jeong Yoo-shin's bizarre performance to the end.
The pig-like middle-aged man opened his mouth.
"Th-That was an excellent performance."
"Thank you. I put my heart into it."
"...You played diligently, what is the name of the song?"
Jeong Yoo-shin, who had been thinking for a while, opened his mouth.
"Labyrinth."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's answer, the men trembled slightly.
Shiver.
Goosebumps ran up their spines and swept past the napes of their necks.
They realized it…
This man…
Had expressed that the labyrinth, where no one knew what would pop out, was the most appropriate name for his music just now.
They had thought that he was terrible with the lute, but was even that a deception?
What in the world was this half-barbarian?
People became increasingly confused by Jeong Yoo-shin's completely unpredictable actions.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked around at the men and opened his mouth.
"Tell me exactly what the item you're looking for is."
One of the subordinates stealthily lowered his weapon.
"Will you spare us if we tell you?"
"I'll kill you peacefully."
"..."
The fat man and Jern exchanged glances.
Jern stepped forward while gripping his elven single-edged sword.
"Attack."
"B-Boss."
The flustered subordinates stuttered.
Jern raised his finger and pointed at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"We'll all die anyway. Look at that guy's eyes. He's someone who’ll chase us to the ends of the world just to catch and kill us all. Rather, we’ll have a chance of winning if we rush in all at once."
The subordinates surrounded Jeong Yoo-shin, half-doubting. Because they had no other option.
Jeong Yoo-shin stood up and handed the lute to Malakai.
"Hold onto this well. If even a drop of blood splatters on it, you're dead too."
"Yes... Yes!"
Jeong Yoo-shin moved his feet and stood in the middle of the inn hall.
Maces, daggers, longswords, hammers, war axes, spears.
The mercenaries were holding various weapons.
There were even guys stepping back and loading their crossbows.
Jeong Yoo-shin relaxed the strength in his arms and stood quietly.
"..."
The suffocating silence was brief.
The battle began with a single glance from Jern.
Thwack!!!
A bolt flew while aiming for Jeong Yoo-shin’s head.
He tilted his head and dodged the bolt.
"Diiieeee!!!"
At the same time, the other guys rushed in immediately.
'Two from the front.'
A mace and a dagger.
Jeong Yoo-shin moved fast, snatched the mace and the dagger, and swung them.
Smaaaaaash!!!
Smaaaaaash!!!
The heads of the two subordinates rushing from the front burst like firecrackers, and they fell.
Splatter.
Brain matter, skull fragments, eyeballs, and blood fell to the floor.
He threw the dagger and pierced the forehead of the guy loading his crossbow.
Jeong Yoo-shin took a backstep and twisted his body.
A guy thrust an arming sword at him from the side.
While dodging, he grabbed the guy's hand and twisted it.
Craaaaack!!!
The guy whose wrist bones were crushed screamed.
"Kuaaaaaaaak!!!"
"You bastard, overreacting like that…"
He grabbed the arming sword and lifted it.
It was a one-handed sword that he hadn't held in a long time.
"This sensation, it's chilling."
He swung it and cut the neck of the screaming guy.
Slaaash!!!
Blood spurted out from the cleanly cut cross-section of the man’s neck.
Splaaaaaaash!!!
As the guy's head flew and spun in the air as it fell to the floor…
Bolts flew again through the gaps between the people.
Thwack!!! Thwack!!!
Jeong Yoo-shin swung the arming sword without batting an eye and deflected them.
Clang!!! Clang!!!
Jeong Yoo-shin held the arming sword in a reverse grip and slowly walked over.
The subordinates rushed toward Jeong Yoo-shin and let out strange yells that he couldn't tell if they were shouts or screams.
"Haaaaaaak!!!"
"Diiiieeeet!!!"
Jeong Yoo-shin stepped in and threw his body between the gaps of the subordinates.
When he saw an opening, he swung the mace to crush bones and heads.
And he thrust the arming sword into their vitals.
Blood and cries spread through the inn.
Malakai watched the sight with trembling eyes.
How could he move so freely without batting an eye among 20 men?
Moreover, there was no mercy in his movements.
He even killed the subordinates who had realized the situation and begged for their lives.
Jeong Yoo-shin raged like a storm and carefully cut their breath one by one.
Just 2 minutes.
That was the time it took for the clean inn to become dirty with blood, innards, severed limbs, and heads.
Jeong Yoo-shin swung his sword and shook off the blood.
Flick.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the arming sword he was holding and clicked his tongue.
The blade had lost its sharpness due to blood and fat clinging to it.
"Look at the grease. You've all been eating well."
He threw the arming sword on the floor and looked at the last two remaining men.
They could have intervened during the battle, but the two didn't move at all. Of course, he knew why they had just been watching.
"Have you grasped all of my abilities?"
"..."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's question, the men couldn't say anything.
They didn't know what abilities this half-barbarian possessed.
They had heard that he used Sacred Weapon, but…
The barbarian right in front of their eyes hadn't used any abilities at all, let alone his Sacred Weapon, while killing their subordinates.
It was confusing.
What in the world type of ability had he used?
His swordsmanship was the same.
It seemed like he had learned it from an illustrious swordsman.
Or it seemed like he hadn't learned it at all.
They had sent their subordinates first to grasp his skills, but…
They hadn't found out anything until they all died.
Rather, they felt like they had encountered a more difficult problem.
"Who between the two of you is stronger?"
"...!"
At Jeong Yoo-shin's question, the fat, middle-aged man opened his mouth.
"Jern, step forward."
"...Understood."
Jern stood in front of Jeong Yoo-shin and grabbed the hilt of his single-edged sword.
Jeong Yoo-shin stared intently at Jern and scratched his head.
'Well now…'
Suddenly getting into a drawing stance…
"..."
Has this guy really achieved an Imprint Synergy?
Jeong Yoo-shin looked at the skinny man in his 30s and opened his mouth.
"Jern."
"..."
Jern didn't say anything.
He had quite a tense expression.
Moreover…
'His hands are trembling.'
Jeong Yoo-shin, having a premonition of victory, took a step forward.
"Jern, relax your face."
In an instant…
Jern's eyebrows twitched, and the veins in his wrist bulged.
The moment his sword was about to be drawn from its scabbard…
'Now.'
Jeong Yoo-shin moved like lightning and reached out with his hand.
Smaaaaack!!!
When Jeong Yoo-shin's palm struck the end of Jern's sword hilt.
The sword that was just about to slip out of the scabbard returned to its original place.
Looking at the barbarian who had appeared right in front of his nose, Jern trembled.
A martial art no one had ever seen before.
He had tried to draw his sword, but it was blocked by the barbarian's hand.
Jeong Yoo-shin was also surprised.
'I've become this strong?'
He had now personally experienced the performance of the level up that he had been unsure of before.
However…
Jeong Yoo-shin didn't show it and just smiled disdainfully.
"Jern, you're slow. Aren't you ashamed of the alias ‘Thunder Blade’?"
"Hoooooo!!! Hoooooo!!!"
Jern began to breathe roughly, as if he had a premonition of his death.
"Tell me honestly. You're not Jern, are you?"
"..."
Jern didn't open his mouth, but his eyes said everything.
"Tsk. I knew it. There's no way a weakling like you would have such a grand alias."
Jeong Yoo-shin formed a knife hand and pierced Jern's chest.
Craaaaack!!!
The spear hand crushed Jern’s ribs, pierced his heart, and popped out of his back.
"Kuhuuuuuuk!!!"
Jern let out a death rattle and collapsed.
Jeong Yoo-shin swung his hand to shake off the blood and looked down at the middle-aged man who had slumped down next to him.
"So, what did you say your name was?"
"Hah... hah...!"
The middle-aged man gasped for breath and fainted just like that.
"Well now…"
Jeong Yoo-shin scratched his head and looked at Malakai.
"The smell of blood is too thick. Clean it up."
"Yes."
Malakai stood up and moved a few steps, then he collapsed on the floor and started vomiting.
"Bleeaaaargh!!!"
Jeong Yoo-shin pointed to the storage room.
"Malakai, there are rags and gunny sacks in the storage room, so bring them, wipe the floor, and put the limbs and bodies in the sacks."
"Hoooooo!!! Kuhaaaak!!!"
"Answer."
"Yes!!! Bleeaaaargh!!!"
Malakai answered loudly, tried to stand up, but he slipped and rolled on the floor.
"A lot of blood had spilled. Don't dirty the floor anymore and move carefully."
"Yes!!!"
Malakai staggered to the storage room, brought out the cleaning supplies, and cleaned the floor.
"Don't go to the well, wash them outside. It's still raining hard, after all."
"Yes!!!"
Jeong Yoo-shin dragged the fainted middle-aged man, sat him down opposite him, and picked up the lute.
While he was strumming and playing the lute for a while…
Matthias and Radament entered the inn.
Radament's eyes momentarily widened.
"Wh-What is this...?!"
It seemed like he had only been gone for a moment, but the inn had become a sea of blood at some point.
Flesh and body parts that still remained were rolling around the inn floor.
And Malakai was cleaning the floor while vomiting.
"S-Skar, wh-what in the world’s going on here?"
Radament approached the barbarian and asked.
Jeong Yoo-shin shrugged.
"I don't know either. I was just about to ask."
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his hand and slapped the fat, middle-aged man's cheek.
Slaaaaaaap!!!
The middle-aged man, his head turning, fell off the chair and rolled on the floor.
"Kuhuhuhut!!!"
The man opened his eyes and trembled.
Jeong Yoo-shin raised his finger and pointed at the chair.
"How long are you going to sleep? Come and sit down."
The middle-aged man staggered up and sat next to Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Name."
"Pardon?"
"I asked what your name is."
"It's Dobby."
Isn't that too cute for a fat, middle-aged man's name?
"Dobby, do you want to be free?"
Dobby's eyes widened.
"Pardon? Yes."
"Recite everything that has happened so far."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's demand, Dobby stuttered and explained.
Jeong Yoo-shin, who had been listening for a while, nodded.
"You guys, the Red Storm Mercenary Group, are people who did various businesses at the border of the Eastern Alliance and the Empire? Are you saying that you stayed outside Labyrinth City and came here after being called by the Vaisis Clan?"
"Yes."
The Vaisis Clan.
Somehow, he didn't have a good feeling about this.
'Putting that aside…'
Jeong Yoo-shin continued his questions.
"What business?"
"We do whatever makes money."
"Tell me in detail about the 'item' you mentioned."
"I don't know exactly either. I just came here after hearing a rumor that a magic tool that can move long distances through space had come out."
"What does it look like?"
"I heard that it looks like a small compass."
"...!"
Matthias and Radament's faces stiffened.
Radament turned his head and glared at Matthias.
"Matthias, this uproar is because of you."
Matthias bowed his head deeply like a sick chicken.
"I-I'm sorry."
Jeong Yoo-shin immediately grasped the context.
"Don't tell me that the dimensional travel magic tool was misrepresented as a spatial movement magic tool and the rumor spread all over Labyrinth City?"
"It sounds like it."
Jeong Yoo-shin turned his head and looked at Matthias.
"Matthias."
"..."
"Please answer me, Matthias."
Matthias trembled.
"S-Skar, I'm sorry."
"Why in the world are you doing this to me?"
"..."
"You definitely have a reason for committing this kind of fucking bullshit, right?"
Matthias kept his mouth shut and glanced at Malakai and Dobby.
"..."
Is it a top secret that he can't say in front of others?
Jeong Yoo-shin stroked Dobby's head, who was sitting next to him.
"Dobby, go to the monster dismantler shop and bring Snout."
"Pardon? I'm going?"
"Yeah. Hurry up and bring him here."
Dobby hesitated.
"Wh-What if I run away?"
"Dobby, try it once. Let's see what happens."
Dobby hesitated, then shot up from his seat and slipped out of the inn.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked down at Malakai.
"Malakai."
"Yes."
"Go outside and stand guard a bit. And wash the rags."
"Alright."
Malakai ran outside while holding the blood-soaked rags.
"Now, let's talk refreshingly."
Matthias opened his mouth.
"The Mage Tower Master went missing in the labyrinth."
"Keep talking."
"We suspect that the Mage Tower Master might have traveled to another dimension."
"The reason you think so?"
"It was a time when the labyrinth was very unstable. Just like now."
Jeong Yoo-shin stroked his forehead.
The next chief of the barbarians went missing in the labyrinth.
The Mage Tower Master also went missing in the labyrinth.
"You don't think he's dead."
"How could we see it that way? The Mage Tower Master was also our peer and friend. We couldn't just let it go and forget about it."
Matthias and Radament's expressions were similar.
Faces of deeply missing someone.
Jeong Yoo-shin, unable to watch any longer, turned his head and looked at Malakai who was standing outside the inn.
The sight of him diligently rubbing the blood-soaked rags in the pouring rain…
Jeong Yoo-shin, who had been observing Malakai's back for a while, slowly opened his mouth.
"So you're saying that you're going to stab me in the back and use that dimensional travel magic tool to find the Mage Tower Master?"
"I'm sorry. I was just going to appraise it and return it to you, but the moment it was identified as a dimensional travel magic tool, I was blinded by greed and committed a sin."
Matthias, with a haggard face, bowed his head deeply.
"It's my fault. I’ll gladly accept any punishment."
Radament, who had grasped the situation, also bowed his head to Jeong Yoo-shin then.
"We committed a shameful act. Skar, punish me instead."
Jeong Yoo-shin glared at the ceiling.
'In the end, it came to this because of one person?'
For some reason…
The sly old man from the herbal medicine shop wearing a cone hat came to his mind.
He was a kind and warm old man.
Although teaching a kid strange massage techniques was a bit of a red flag.
'I heard that he was flirting with the grandmother next door, I wonder what became of that?'
Jeong Yoo-shin let out a deep sigh.
"Hoo. I'll let it slide just this once. There won't be a next time."
"Th-Thank you!!!"
The two old men shouted with tears in their eyes.
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head.
"First, cooperate in finding the lost magic tool."
"Trust us and leave it to us!"
"Ah! And the appraisal of that magic tool isn't finished yet, right? Since someone took it in the middle?"
"That's right."
"Do a thorough appraisal of the magic tool."
"I will."
"I'd like to ask for one talented woman among the intermediate-rank low mages. I have an acquaintance who needs to form a party, but unfortunately, they don't have a mage."
"I-I understand."
"And there's a fox beast-person named Luna at that pharmacy, and she has a talent for summoning magic, right? Please assign a good teacher to her. And you guys prepare the textbooks too"
"Uh... Um."
"Oh right! You know I'm a sponsor of the Children Love Clan, right? Drop by there and see if there are any talented children, and take them and raise them. If not, at least give them a generous donation."
"...?"
"My feelings are very hurt, so please prepare a few good magic scrolls as well. If there are good magic tools, my uncomfortable feelings might be resolved 'a little'. Oh my! While you're at it, clean up this inn too. The smell of blood is so off-putting that I can't sleep. I'll tell you the rest later if I think of anything else."
"..."
The two old men kept their mouths shut and remained silent.
Jeong Yoo-shin tilted his head.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Is there anything you're uncomfortable with?"
"N-No! L-Leave everything to our Mage Tower!"
Radament barely managed to say that, his cheeks trembling.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded, stood up, and put his hands on Matthias and Radament's shoulders.
"I look forward to working with you two. Come to think of it, today was a lucky day for me."
Tap. Tap.
The two Mage Tower elders trembled while sitting in their chairs.
They clearly realized it.
They were…
'Firmly caught by the nose by this barbarian!'
Jeong Yoo-shin called Malakai, who was standing outside while getting endlessly rained on.
"Malang Cow*, come in. Why are you standing there like that when it's raining? You'll catch a cold."
"Yes!"
Malakai hurriedly came in and started diligently wiping the floor with a rag.
Jeong Yoo-shin stood with his hands behind his back and watched the gradually stopping rain.
"As expected, people should live kindly."
Malakai jerked his head up.
"Pardon?"
Jeong Yoo-shin waved his hand.
"Work."
"Yes."
Dawn, passing midnight.
A small smile appeared on Jeong Yoo-shin's face.
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T/N - Lol, I knew it! Not only was the MC’s father from this world, but even that pervy old man that taught him those weird massages. Also, of course it’s the Vaisis Clan again. I guess it’s time to wipe them out.
Lastly, damn! The MC got so strong after his level up. He even pulled off that sword hand through chest bit in animes. Brutal, I approve! 👍
*"말랑카우" (Malang Cow) is a very famous, soft, chewy milk candy brand in South Korea. As you can tell, the MC is making a pun out of Malakai’s name.