Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Casino (5)
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Unlike the noisy auction hall filled with flashy lights up front, the corridor leading to the staff area was eerily quiet and dimly lit.
Faint emergency lights were the only illumination on the cold metal walls, and the air carried a mix of dust and oil.
I scanned the corridor cautiously, moving quickly while muffling my footsteps.
Red dots indicating patrolling figures flickered intermittently on the mental map in my head.
"...There."
It wasn't long before I encountered the first masked monster.
I nearly locked eyes with it right after turning a corner—it was on patrol—but luckily, it was looking the other way.
I immediately crouched low and slipped into the shadows.
'Assassination.'
As I silently recited the skill name in my mind, a sensation washed over me, as if all surrounding sounds faded ever so slightly.
Like a thin membrane had formed around me.
Now, my footsteps made no echo in the corridor.
I crept up behind the monster soundlessly, drew the Returning Sword without a second thought—no, I didn't even draw it—and struck its nape with the edge of my hand, channeling my strength precisely.
Thud!
Rustle.
With a dull sound, the monster's neck snapped. It collapsed without resistance, scattering into chips across the floor.
Strangely, neither the sound of my attack nor the monster falling echoed through the corridor.
It was only audible to my ears.
The Assassination skill seemed to have an effect that blocked noise around me.
'This... could be useful.'
Confirming the Assassination skill's utility and my ability to dispatch the masked monster silently and reliably boosted my confidence.
I started moving faster and more boldly.
As I progressed through the corridor, I took out two or three more patrolling monsters the same way.
Chips began piling up on the floor each time.
"...Three."
Then, at a point where the corridor widened, I spotted three masked monsters gathered together, standing guard.
The narrow passage left no room to detour.
The mental map showed no other path to the warehouse area besides this one.
I had to pass through here.
'Three at once... possible?'
I hid behind the wall for a moment, observing their movements.
They just stood there, glancing around, showing no particular motion.
'Worth a shot.'
I began timing it.
The moment one of the three strayed slightly from the other two and turned its head, I moved.
Shing.
I drew the Returning Sword from my belt.
Without hesitation—not targeting the isolated one, but the two clustered farther away—I hurled the sword like a javelin.
Whish—!
Empowered by my immense strength, the blade sliced through the air and pierced both monsters' chests simultaneously.
Thuck!
The two monsters scattered into chips without even screaming.
The sword, having passed through them, embedded itself in the opposite wall.
"...!"
Only then did the remaining one grasp the situation and charge at me.
But it was too late. I'd rushed forward the instant I threw the sword, gripping the empty scabbard in reverse and smashing it straight into the center of its mask!
Crack!
With the sound of the mask shattering, the final monster collapsed limply, turning into chips.
I scanned the surroundings, breathing heavily.
Fortunately, no other monsters came running at the noise.
The sword stuck in the wall had made quite a racket, putting me on edge.
The path to the warehouse seemed relatively clear now.
That large space beyond this corridor was probably it.
I took a deep breath and stepped toward the dark corridor ahead.
Upon reaching the warehouse door, a heavy iron gate stood half-open.
Suspicious as it seemed like a trap, I had no choice but to proceed now.
"...Let's go."
Even to myself, it felt like a bold step as I squeezed through the open gap.
Creak...
Bang!
The moment I stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind me with ferocious force, locking.
Simultaneously, the faint emergency lights illuminating the warehouse corners winked out, and powerful spotlights zeroed in on me.
"Urk..."
My eyes burned; I couldn't see a thing for a moment.
"Grrr..."
A beastly growl echoed from the darkness, shadows rippled like mist, and black smoke began seeping from every corner of the warehouse.
From that smoke, masked monsters with plain white masks emerged one by one.
The sight of those featureless white masks lifting in unison was straight out of a horror flick.
Finally appearing was a massive masked monster, far larger than the ones I'd faced before—clearly the leader—and dozens of regular masked monsters surrounding it.
Surrounded on all sides in a desperate crisis.
"...Haha..."
My heart raced with tension, yet a strange calm settled over me.
'Yeah, things were going too smoothly.'
This was more like a proper monster encounter.
Tapping the scabbard at my waist twice summoned the familiar weight of the Returning Sword into my hand. I gripped it firmly, bracing for their assault.
In the taut silence, one masked monster broke the tension.
"Kieeak!"
It charged with a shrill cry.
Two more followed right behind.
I cleaved the first one's mask cleanly as it barreled toward me, dodged the second's attack, and thrust into its gut.
The two dissolved into chips in an instant. But then—
Thump!
A kick from a masked monster outside my vision slammed into my side!
"Grk... damn it."
It packed a heavy punch.
Yet, there was no pain.
Instead, a faint crackle emanated from the Returning Sword in my grip.
The sword had absorbed the damage for me.
I immediately shattered the mask of the one that kicked me, but the incident taught me a lot.
'My movements are too big.'
The monsters weren't particularly faster than me or coordinating their attacks well.
I was just relying on my overwhelming strength, swinging wildly, which made my transitions slow and full of openings.
I needed to change my approach.
I had plenty of power anyway.
Efficiency was key.
I adjusted my fighting style on the fly.
Minimal, concise motions. Short, quick movements.
Targeting only their masks.
'Control the power...'
Clang! Slash!
Crack!
The tide turned in a flash with my refined movements.
Even without wide swings, my empowered blade pierced their sloppy defenses, smashing masks effortlessly.
Their attacks were blocked before reaching me, and my counters landed fatally every time.
One, two, three...
How much time passed? When I came to, I wasn't fending off charges anymore.
I was chasing down the terrified ones trying to flee, precisely slicing or smashing their masks.
Chips littered the floor, and the horde of masked monsters had nearly vanished.
Only the big leader and a few stragglers remained.
"What the...?"
The remaining masked monsters seemed to abandon the fight, tearing off their own masks.
They dissolved into smoke and shadows, retreating as they'd arrived.
I stared blankly before shrugging it off.
Only the massive masked monster was left.
I focused on it first.
As I approached, it backed away, hurling broken shelves and crates at me.
"Grrr!"
Whoosh—!
Swish!
Roaring like an enraged bull, the projectiles were threatening but avoidable.
I dodged lightly, closing in.
Then I swung the Returning Sword at its leg.
But—
Swish!
The blade passed through harmlessly, like cutting mist.
'What? No physical form?'
Startled, I activated [Weak Point Detection Lv.1].
[Weak Point Detection Lv.1 activated.]
Target weak point: White mask only.
The rest of its body appeared faint, but the white mask on its face glowed a vivid red.
The only weak point was the mask.
Screech!
As the sword sliced futilely through its leg, the monster let out a creepy, grating noise.
Then, as if waiting, it lunged with a massive hand, clamping down on my sword arm with crushing force!
Immense grip strength.
At the same time, cracks spiderwebbed across the previously intact Returning Sword with a sharp snap, shattering it to pieces!
But I grinned instead.
"Got you, you bastard."
It probably thought it'd destroyed my sword, but I had something more reliable.
Instead of pulling my seized arm free, I grabbed its arm with my free hand.
Then, with all my strength, I yanked its arm downward.
I'd seized the hand it had materialized to grab me.
"Kikigik?!"
A contest of pure strength.
Despite the size difference, I toppled its bulky upper body forward.
Its mask dropped to my eye level.
Too tall to reach before, now it was perfect.
"Eat this!"
I raised my empty hand to grip the scabbard and drove it full force into the center of the lowered mask.
Crunch!
With the mask's shattering, the scabbard pierced through without resistance.
The masked monster froze for an instant.
Then—
Rustle—!
Chips rained down across the vast warehouse.
"...Haa, haa..."
I exhaled raggedly.
Not sure if it was a hard fight, but I'd won my first battle that truly got my blood pumping.
A strange elation washed over me.
At least I'd shed the "coward" label, right?
Click.
Then the door creaked open, and a masked monster with a drawn mustache appeared, staring at me.
"..."
I swallowed silently, raising my scabbard.
A name tag on its chest read [Manager].
The monster glanced between the debris of its comrades, the mountain of chips on the floor, and me.
'The real boss?'
Unlike the others' plain masks, the mustache made it stand out.
And the [Manager] tag confirmed it was a key monster in this casino.
I gulped.
The manager monster placed a hand lightly on the door.
Click.
Then it closed the door.
"...Huh?"
Silence followed that action.
I waited a moment, confirming it wasn't coming back.
No time to waste—I hurried to search the warehouse for the evening auction items.