Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: How to Survive in Fusion Punk
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Mana Rampage.
It was a skill tucked away in an especially obscure corner among countless stars.
As if it were saying, don't you dare pay any attention to me.
Still, the reason Jin had chosen it was clear.
He'd never once seen a "Rampage" skill that fell short in short-range bursts.
And now.
Jin instinctively knew he'd made the right call.
Feeling the lightest body imaginable, with a storm of immense power churning inside.
Swish...!
The freak made a casual gesture.
That was all it took for Fenrir and Jin to be flung apart to opposite sides.
Boom!!
Immediately after, a massive explosion erupted behind them.
The steel frame of a three-story shelf, exposed to an invisible force, crumpled with a groan, spilling packaged goods everywhere.
In that split second, Jin closed the distance in one breath and threw a punch.
Whoosh—thud!
The sound of cutting wind followed by something blocking it rang out in quick succession.
A rainbow-hued barrier rippling in the air.
Jin, repelled by the backlash, immediately drew Gravis from his waist.
Bang—!!
A golden streak breaking the sound barrier collided with the barrier.
He'd aimed precisely where his fist had struck moments before.
Thoom!
A shockwave rippling from the impact point revealed the barrier's hidden outline before it vanished like a wave.
The glowing red projectile ultimately failed to pierce the shield and clattered to the floor.
All of this in a single breath.
"Fun!"
The freak laughed heartily and snapped his fingers.
Nearby shelf steel groaned and twisted, coiling around Jin's wrist like a living creature.
And then the lightning spell followed.
Crackle!
Zigzagging bolts of thunder shot forward, gleaming white.
But in that instant, Fenrir's sword sliced through the steel—slash—
Jin escaped the bind and barely dodged the lightning, leaping high.
He used the second-story shelf as a springboard, spinning in midair.
And slammed his heel down toward the freak.
Thud—!!
But it too was blocked by the barrier.
At the same time, an invisible force struck him.
Launched into the air, Jin gritted his teeth.
This time he'd anticipated the counter and curled up, yet the impact still rattled his bones.
What kind of bullshit cheat skill is this?
Beat on it for dear life, and the barrier absorbs every hit.
Show even a tiny opening, and a transparent hammer that crumples steel comes flying.
On top of that, chain lightning as a bonus.
At this rate, he'd end up feeling the Rocket Gang's pain.
Jin felt it in his bones once more.
That goddamn Plague Doctor was the real deal—a monster.
No doubt about it.
If he'd been alone, even with his Mana Rampage dad, he'd be dead for sure.
Which meant he had to protect him.
The werewolf holding the line solo over there.
"Graaah!!"
Fenrir roared, swinging his sword in a wide arc.
Flying steel scraps from all directions were sliced clean in half at once.
Even after, Fenrir dodged incoming spells while hammering away at the nauseating barrier, but his valiant efforts were for naught as a transparent force struck him, lifting his feet off the ground.
And the spot he was flung toward was piled with steel wreckage twisted and shattered by magic.
About to become wolf kebab at this rate.
Jin intercepted the massive flying body midair.
Sizzle...!
He barely stopped before the spines pierced his back, staggering as he asked the wobbling Fenrir,
"How many seconds left?"
"20? 15? No clue."
"Squeeze out some more. A few more hits and it'll break."
With that, Jin kicked off the floor.
The Plague Doctor loomed larger in his vision, expanding from a single point.
The barrier enveloping him. And the tiny cracks at its edges.
Just a bit more. Just a little longer.
He chanted inwardly, wringing out every drop of mana.
Crackle!!
The red sparks intensified.
His already superhuman speed accelerated even further.
Closing the gap at a speed that surprised even him, Jin swung his fist with everything he had.
Boom!
Finally, the barrier's groan changed.
The feel of skin contact. The hand feedback was distinctly different.
Before, it was like punching thick mud.
Now, it was like striking heavy steel plate.
So Jin didn't stop.
Planting his feet, he unleashed punch after punch without pause.
Thrusting, thrusting, thrusting again.
All sorts of spells poured from the Plague Doctor, shredding his body to rags, but he didn't even register it.
He only doubled down on the attack.
The sparks thickened further.
Crackle!!!
The light that devoured pain now began to devour his reason.
Next, it would be his life he had to surrender.
The fitting price, the natural progression.
That the barrier broke first might have been a small miracle.
Shatter—!
As shards flew and Jin's bloodied body tumbled backward.
A thrust like a lightning bolt plunged into the freak's chest.
"Grrr..."
Fenrir twisted his muzzle.
Then he advanced, one step, two, with all his might.
At the end, stairs led to the basement—the same ones he'd climbed.
The freak staggered backward toward them.
But only for a moment.
Grabbing the blade with his gloved hand, he slowly raised his masked face.
"Entertainment beyond imagination. Truly... delightful."
A chilling voice unlike before. Then, black energy surged from his body, poised to unfurl into massive wings—
Click.
Jin, Gravis already aimed, spat out ragged breaths.
"Now... fuck off!!"
Boom—!!
Thunderous gunshot.
From five meters away, the direct hit sent the freak toppling.
In Jin's eyes, the sequence stretched into endless taffy-like slow motion.
Tick. Tock. Tick-tock—
The internal clock, diligently ticking seconds, finally completed a full cycle and rang the bell—
And with it, a roar that swallowed heaven and earth swept through the warehouse.
What a godawful day.
Jin, who'd bought his favorite ramen from the convenience store.
Ripped open the bag with glee to soothe his empty stomach.
But lo and behold.
The product he bought specifically for the kelp... had no kelp.
Does that even make sense?
While others post proof pics of extras, what the hell is this?
Heartbroken, but no helping it.
Water already boiling.
Dumped in noodles, powder, flakes.
Slurped it down anyway.
Trouble started that evening: whole body aching, then symptoms worsening until he could barely stay conscious.
Bones cracking, muscles melting, organs burning.
Jin writhed through the primal agony all night.
Black out, wake, black out, wake—how many cycles?
Finally, dawn's pale light seeped through the window, dyeing the world.
A status window appeared before Jin's limp form.
(Complete!) Crisis
You survived.
Reward: Punk XP 3,000
"Raccoon!"
With a contextless shout, Jin regained consciousness and first saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
Nothing special there.
A Street Rat like him, no home or anything, woke to strange ceilings daily.
But the world's worst sensation jolted his mind awake. He bolted up, screaming,
"Food!"
A flinch from nearby. Turning, an unfamiliar face blinked before cautiously speaking.
"Are you okay?"
Jin, trembling like a junkie in withdrawal, replied,
"No. Not at all. Sorry, got any food? Urgent."
"O-one moment."
As the woman hurried off, Jin dripped cold sweat.
Others might call it a village farce, tell him to quit embarrassing himself—but it was graver than it looked.
Jin had PTSD from hunger; ignore it, and panic attacks followed.
This time especially bad—like five days starved.
Soon, she returned panting, plate in hand. He snatched it, shoving contents into his mouth without checking.
Crunching revealed apple pie.
With reason and color returning,
"What the..."
Spotting the IV needle in his arm late, he scanned the medical gear-packed space, then asked the blushing woman in the corner,
"Hey."
"...Yes?"
"Where am I?"
"Resistance base."
The answer came not from her, but unexpectedly.
A man pushed through the tent flap, eyeing Jin.
"How's the body?"
"You?"
At least a familiar face.
The guy who'd helped Jin and Fenrir sneak in at the job's start.
Albus, right.
Jin, dredging up the name, asked,
"So why am I here? Warehouse? How much time passed?"
"Whoa, calm down. I'll explain."
Albus dragged a chair beside the bed, plopping down.
"First, logistics warehouse collapsed. Total wreck."
"Then..."
"Yep. Job done. Go claim your cut."
Great news midway.
But too much unexplained to celebrate yet.
Jin quirked a brow: spill more.
"Wondering how you ended up here? Nothing much. That wolf beastman carried your unconscious ass back to the rendezvous."
"Ah. Fenrir."
Finally recalling his battle buddy? Comrade...? Anyway, beastman, Jin asked with a click of realization,
"What about him?"
"Groaned a few days like you. Better off, though—headed back to Downtown the day before yesterday."
"...What?"
This bastard?
Then what about me?
Is our brotherhood this weak?
Jin shuddered with betrayal, having lost his driver overnight.
Then, eyeing Albus, he asked,
"Anyway, 'few days'? Was I out that long?"
"Day five today. Three of 'em, thought you were a corpse."
"Hm?"
"You wouldn't know, half-dead, but temp hit 48°C. Doc said proteins denatured, organs hardened like stone, optic damage—blindness."
Blindness? Jin unconsciously touched his eyes.
Mana Rampage aftermath?
But Albus chattering away was crystal clear.
Knowing his recovery was insane, Jin joked anyway,
"Sounds like a total quack."
The corner woman flinched visibly.
She bowed quietly and slipped out.
"...Her?"
"Her."
Sudden heavy mood. Albus cleared his throat.
"You're alive—that's what matters. Heard you're an enhanced human too. Right?"
"Eh, sorta."
Denying it'd make no sense, Jin nodded and voiced his last question.
"Some monster was guarding the warehouse."
Albus made an it had to come face.
"Didn't see it myself, so no confirmation. But from what we checked, that factory wasn't just logistics."
He lowered his voice.
"They cleaned up fast post-mortem, couldn't linger. But in the basement ruins, found some bodies. Not TB guards. Mutants. Pump mana in, they'd rise and move."
Mutants?
The hell's that.
Jin's brow furrowed.
Felt like ominous talk incoming.
And he wasn't wrong.
"No idea? TB's in bed with Black Mages. Those lunatics... might not stop at Mute Town. Big enough, even the city gov ignoring us might move. Fuck..."
Albus looked deadly serious, but it didn't click for Jin.
Mutants a synonym for black magic?
Anyway, Plague Doctor's a Black Mage?
And tied to TB.
"Might not believe it, but we didn't send you expecting that in the warehouse. Just hit the hub, disrupt supplies. Still... sorry."
Jin scratched his cheek at Albus bowing.
"Whatever. Didn't die."
Downtown full of assholes anyway.
Jin weak to such apologies.
Plus, that nagging status window went from bitching just run to you lived? Here's fat XP.
No loss overall, he judged. Groaning, he lay back—but Albus's voice pierced his ear.
"Nah. No free labor in this game. We gained big too, thanks to you."
Jin's ears perked. He propped up again, groaning.
"So? What's the pitch."
"What else? Solo. Pay."