Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Hyenas (2)
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The villains who called themselves hyenas immediately donned masks and gear to conceal their identities at their leader's command, fully prepared to move out at a moment's notice.
"Move quietly."
The demon contractor, Nam Woo-won, covered his face with a robe once more and equipped his staff weapon before following behind them.
To counter any unforeseen variables, he decided to move personally. The stakes of this plan were far too high for him to even contemplate making a mistake.
The thirteen hyenas—handpicked as the most capable in Terrarium—moved stealthily toward the hospital housing their target, obeying his orders.
As the premier hospital in the Primordial City, it naturally had guards on duty. Unfortunately, those guards, who spent their days merely subduing rowdy civilians without issue, stood no chance against the hyenas, who specialized in dealing with people.
No, they weren't even worthy opponents. The hyenas, equipped with stealth skills and items, closed in and subdued them in an instant.
Nam Woo-won observed from afar and sent a signal.
—Go subdue the target and bring them before me.
The reason he didn't enter himself was simple: once the hyenas brought out the target, he would seize what he desired and bury every last one of them along with the target.
Even for him, facing all thirteen hyenas would be a hassle. Not that he would lose—mere E- to E-rank rabble couldn't defeat a D-rank demon contractor like him.
This operation demanded stealth and speed, so he had no intention of wasting time battling them.
He began preparing a black magic trap to sweep them all away, while the hyenas—utterly oblivious to their leader's intentions—vanished into the hospital to carry out their orders.
There were fewer than twenty people inside the hospital. Dismissing the fourteen residents left just six combatants.
But why were they in a hospital? It meant they were bedridden patients with injuries.
They were no match for the hyenas. Even at full strength, victory was doubtful—much less injured and facing a surprise attack.
The hyenas knocked out all the residents but slaughtered every player. Residents risked troublesome system penalties if harmed, but players did not.
It was a deviant indulgence, a bit of fun: silencing them, toying with them cruelly, then killing them.
Excluding Shin Juha—who occupied a top-floor VIP suite thanks to the guard captain's recommendation—the other five players were brutally murdered in mere minutes.
This outcome fell squarely within Nam Woo-won's expectations. Those unruly, violent thugs wouldn't pass up such an opportunity.
The brief delay even allowed him to refine and perfect his trap.
Satisfied after venting their stress, the hyenas ascended to the top floor, where only a single presence lingered.
They burst into the luxury room where their target slept, oblivious to the overwhelming predator within.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Presences. Killing intent. A fishy blood scent sharpens the mind. My settled heart pounds madly once more.
Ssshh.
The room door slides open, and thirteen presences surge toward me in a flash. And my one thought...
"Bugs."
Arrogant mana stirs my body. The Myriad bracelet on my wrist morphs into a sword, cleaving the five insects rushing me.
One strike. No resistance, no retaliation possible. An invisible sword slash bisected their upper and lower bodies.
"What the fuck!"
"Crazy... they all died in one go?"
Faint terror creeps in behind their shocked exclamations.
Before they could register that something had gone terribly wrong, I moved. A voice screams in my head: Rip these insolent beast whelps apart right now.
Show these fools who dared ignore me and attempt this pathetic, half-assed assassination what happens.
I'm used to it by now. But this time, I see no need to stubbornly resist that voice.
I move to Pride's whispers. As if thrilled that I'm obeying, Pride rages even wilder.
Overwhelming ashen mana infuses the blade, carving through foes. Not one could endure even a single clash.
I wasn't using any proper skills. The weapon projected by Myriad wasn't some legendary divine sword.
Simply a difference in caliber. The gulf between them and me was vast.
Before entering the Abyss—no, before the hidden stage—I might have struggled against them.
But not now.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
Might of the Iron Giant
Strength increased by 1.5x
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
Power of the Giant God
Strength massively amplified (5x)
The two skills synergize perfectly. Might of the Iron Giant boosts my strength 1.5-fold first, then Power of the Giant God multiplies it by five more. Topped off by the World Destroyer title's final damage doubling.
No stage-0 villain strutting around could block this. Not my full power, but damn close.
Not even C-ranks could withstand this strike.
Left to right. The sword cleaves.
Pride's mana erupts along that path. Overwhelming destruction rends them asunder.
Not cleaved—detonated. Six upper torsos vanish. The lone surviving hyena stammers backward, legs buckling as he collapses and soaks himself in yellow liquid.
I step closer and demand.
"What are you?"
"Aghhh..."
Slash.
I sever his arm. Mana seals his mouth before he can scream in agony.
Teetering on the brink of losing his mind to pain and terror, his survival instinct paradoxically flares—he shoots me a look pleading to spill everything.
I withdraw the mana, and his mouth opens.
"We're this city's villain gang! We call ourselves hyenas among ourselves! Our leader ordered us to steal the recommendation letter you got from clearing a quest!"
Recommendation letter? Ah, the one from the Holy Kingdom's cardinal. Yeah, that was among the rewards.
Come to think of it, that's pretty important to me too.
Quest 478's rewards had already transferred to my inventory via the system when I killed the monster. I'd forgotten it amid the hidden stage's haul, but with business in the Holy Kingdom, it was a crucial prize.
Without these idiots, I'd have overlooked it entirely.
So, for that—time to die. One last question.
"Where's your leader?"
His eyes shift at "leader." A flicker of boldness, of courage, as if backed by something mighty.
"H-he's a demon contractor! From the prestigious Ten Thousand Demons Legion! How dare you treat his servant like this!? You'll die the moment you meet him! Hahaha! He's waiting on that mountain over there—for us to drag you in!"
Got it loud and clear. But here's the thing...
"If I feared that crap, I wouldn't have slaughtered you all. I'd have subdued you first and extracted intel."
The leader of these lowlifes. I could gauge his level without seeing him.
Being a demon contractor is a mild surprise.
Those contracted with demonkin or devils. Humanity's betrayers, evildoers. Utterly useless alive.
I decapitate him cleanly and turn to the window.
In the room shrouded in darkness and death, the blazing red Solar Eye manifests.
"There you are."
I revert Myriad to bracelet form, open my inventory, and draw Longinus.
"Perfect timing for a test run."
Just the right opponent showed up.
Vrrrreeee—!!!
The moment Longinus powers up, I invoke the rune's ability.
"10x acceleration."
Longinus's internal time accelerates tenfold. Its startup surges in seconds, unleashing its powers.
1%... 2%... 3%... 5%
In just one minute, it hits 5%—my perceived limit. Combat-viable for sure.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
Divine Relic: Godslaying Holy Lance, Longinus — Startup at 5%!
✨ LIMITED SPECIAL AUTHORITY UNLOCKED ✨
Slayer of the Inevitable — Evasion immunity, fixed damage Weapon Stained with Divine Blood — Recovery blocked Most Heinous Divine Relic — Maximum cruelty Returning Holy Lance — Auto-retrieve + bonus damage on return Death Piercing the Cross — Persistent fixed DoT damage
I hurl the activated Longinus at the man reflected in the Solar Eye.
BOOM!!!
A massive explosion shatters every windowpane as Longinus streaks through the air like a meteor in the night sky.
I pursue the spear straight to the demon contractor leader.
Leaping several buildings in a blink, I reach the mountain—to find the demon with two-thirds of his body blasted away.
Corrupted by demonic energy, his skin had turned black, small horns sprouting forth.
"Demonization?"
A form of awakening where demon contractors fully embrace demonic qi to wield their fiends' and demonkin powers more perfectly—a skill that warps the flesh like theirs.
It naturally came loaded with buffs boosting physical prowess and stats.
Yet he couldn't block Longinus's strike. I hadn't expected him to, but a mere 5% yielding this power...
Worthily a mythic-grade relic. I retrieve it, flick off the filthy demon blood, store the lance, and approach.
Astonishingly, he was still alive.
"Skill? Title? Not a rune. Unique ability, then—the type that lets you tank one brush with death."
Anything less, and his survival defies explanation. Even I couldn't have blocked that throw.
Shame I can't layer those two skills on top here.
Regrettably, strength amps bore no relation to Longinus's destructive output, dictated solely by startup rate.
Of course, World Destroyer title's 2x damage still applied—explaining these results.
"Kkh... If you... kill me...!"
"What? The Ten Thousand Demons Legion will avenge you? As if. You're a nobody. Barely D-rank, a worm who awakened demonic qi in place of mana via a demon pact."
I'm certain. The Legion won't give a damn about this one's death. Sure, a few buddies might seek revenge. But... birds of a feather, they won't be much stronger.
This incident will expose demonkin in stage-0, prompting the city to bolster defenses.
And above all...
"I'm heading to Earth anyway."
So what? Without hesitation, I form a sword with Myriad and sever his neck.
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