Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Settling Grudges
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“Cough! Pfft!”
Pain surged through me. I stared in disbelief at the sword protruding from my gut.
What the hell? Stumbling to my feet, I turned around to see a man glaring at me with eyes full of madness.
The man glanced at me gasping in agony, then at the two corpses lying far off—one of them Lee Ji-yong's—before bursting into manic laughter.
“Kuhahaha! Fuck! It's done! It's finally done! You bastards! Drop dead! Just fucking drop dead!”
The man charged at me. His movements were utterly pathetic. I sidestepped easily and threw a punch.
Thud!
My single fist sent him flying, rolling across the ground several times before collapsing. His hat and mask flew off, revealing his face.
“Moon... Kang-woon.”
How the hell did this guy get here? I thought he'd gone into hiding. What is this?
I reached back and yanked the longsword from my stomach.
“Argh!”
Pain clouded my mind, but I gritted my teeth and pulled it out completely. Blood poured out like a waterfall.
A fatal wound—it had pierced straight through my abdomen. My already exhausted body rebelled against my will, swaying unsteadily as if it could take no more.
“Potion...”
I had to treat the wound at least. I hurriedly opened my inventory, grabbed a potion, and shoved it into my mouth. But it didn't work. My life force replenished, vitality returned to my limbs, and my fatigue eased a bit, but the massive gash in my stomach showed no sign of closing.
No way. I looked at the longsword, drenched in my blood. Appraisal had analyzed it.
Fuck. Where did he get a sword like this? It's a demonic energy item—no, one tied to demons.
It'd cost tens of billions on the black market. No way a fired scout team leader who'd coughed up massive compensation could afford it.
Did he team up with someone else to come after me?
No. He didn't look coordinated—just plain insane. So where'd he get this item?
I didn't know. For now, I stood, tore off my shirt, and wrapped the wound tightly. To heal this, I'd need proper purification and healing skills.
That's why I'd tried to get a healer's skill. Damn it. I trudged over and looked down at Moon Kang-woon, who lay laughing hysterically on the ground.
“Tell me. Why the fuck are you doing this to me?”
His mad eyes fixed on me at my words, as if to say, You asking me that?
Ridiculous. Honestly, I had no idea what I'd done to this bastard Moon Kang-woon.
He seemed to think I'd ruined his life, but he was the one who'd shoved a shitty slave contract on me first, sent assassins twice, and planned the association attack.
I was just the victim. The only harm I'd done him was crushing Lee Ji-young in front of everyone—and even that was a fluke from my misfortune.
And he was trying to kill me over that?
“It... it's all because of you. Cough! You ruined my life!!!!”
Thud!
I kicked him in the face, knocking him out cold. He wasn't any different from those two or the demon.
An idiot who thought whatever happened to him was the worst thing ever. He'd failed to swallow a single emotion and tumbled into the abyss.
I had no intention of understanding—just pity and disgust. A moron denying the consequences of his own choices, blaming everyone else to the end.
If Moon Kang-woon had awakened, I'd have been in danger.
Right after a brutal fight, ambushed with a fatal blow. Even at D-rank hunter level, I'd be dead. But luckily, he was just a regular guy. No matter how worn out and injured I was, he was no match.
“Cough! Cough! Damn it. This hurts like hell.”
I'd lost too much blood. Dizziness hit me.
I slumped to the ground, breathing raggedly, and transformed Man-byeon into a sword. Sensing the presence behind me, I spoke.
“You wanna jump in too? I don't recommend it.”
The presence let out a small laugh, like someone who'd given up on everything.
“I'm not stupid. I hold no grudge or resentment toward you. If anything, only guilt.”
An old, feeble voice. Yet laced with resolve, like a man who'd made up his mind.
The presence approached and stood before me. An old man—someone I'd seen once before.
“Cough! We've met, right? At the association lobby. Lee Ji-yong's secretary?”
“Yes. Then and now, I helped the young master trap you. Honestly, I thought you wouldn't survive this time. You're even more impressive than I realized.”
So brazen. I wanted to kill him right there, but the mood held me back.
“I'm sorry. My sin is grave. I should have guided the young master away from the wrong path...”
The old man murmured, gazing at Lee Ji-yong's corpse with pity—and hatred.
It felt more like resentment than regret. Self-loathing twisted his face.
“No matter the young master's orders, I killed people. I couldn't refuse. I didn't want to be the sacrifice. And after staying by his side, I knew too much to run.”
The old man removed his glasses and placed them in my hand.
“I've gone too far. My actions make me sick, my hands stained with so much blood. Every night, the dead—the ones I wronged—come screaming. Why did I do it? What did I do to them?!”
Terror. Fear. His face paled, then slackened into total surrender.
“I can't expose his crimes. But you can. I'm tired now. I just want to rest.”
I looked at the glasses he'd given me.
“There's a camera and a small SD card inside. Records of the young masters' crimes, their dealings with demons, everything.”
Evidence. Exactly what I needed to legally dodge revenge for killing Lee Ji-yong.
Honestly, I couldn't fathom why this old man was doing this. Burying this would make me enemy to everything tied to the Changsung name.
Guilt?
Probably. That's when it happened.
“I'm truly sorry. Please forgive this wretched soul who can only atone like this.”
Before I could react, he drew a dagger from his pocket and plunged it into his throat.
His frail old body crumpled. A mind broken by the hell of guilt finally snapped.
Instant death. I laughed hollowly.
“What an idiot.”
I glanced at Lee Ji-yong's corpse. This bastard caused trouble for everyone around him to the bitter end.
I couldn't hold out any longer and collapsed. With trembling hands, I pulled my phone from inventory, dialed a number, and... my consciousness faded.
Abyss STAGE-666: The origin of all evil. Known as the demon realm, home to demons and devils. Somewhere in this vast stage, a roar filled with agony and terror echoed.
【Kraaaaaagh!!!】
The source was a demon clan member. A colossal worm over 50 meters long, its form a grotesque mashup of every insect's worst traits. Deriax screamed and rampaged, destroying everything around it.
Something was wrong with its true body. Its flesh crumpled and twisted without regenerating.
A massive hole gaped in its heart region, black blood gushing from the wound.
Half its soul was gone. And its most vital inherent ability had been stolen.
The system had forcibly conscripted it.
The original plan: forcibly descend, tear that damned pest apart until its rage subsided, then offer its soul and Lee Ji-yong's as sacrifices to offset the penalties.
Even then, penalties would only be nullified—the descent's cost would multiply, causing huge losses—but Deriax didn't care. That's why it had descended into an avatar body.
But it lost. The worst outcome. Instead of sanctions, the system opened a hidden stage amplifying the penalties.
And granted those penalties as compensation to the pest. It'd been stripped of everything, down to the clothes on its back.
【How dare you! How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!! Against me, Deriax!】
Dying in forced descent cost half its soul. It was effectively ruined.
The rank of a mid-to-low demon crumbled. Low... bottom-tier. No different from nameless beasts called mere monsters.
Fury boiled. But revenge was impossible. It couldn't even keep apostles now. Recovering would take centuries of total seclusion.
And even that wouldn't fully restore it. Because...
The ability that formed its foundation—the one that elevated it to mid-to-low rank—was gone.
【Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!!!】
As it spewed rage and pain, someone entered its domain.
【Puhahaha! What a sight! The mighty Deriax, brought so low! Living long lets you see everything!】
Another demon clan member—Keroun, Deriax's rival. In human form, he mocked the rampaging Deriax.
【Get out! Keroun! Unless you want to die!!!】
Deriax roared from its massive maw, but...
【Deriax. You're mistaken about something.】
Keroun approached the mouth, eyes gleaming as he whispered.
【Our ranks are different now. You're no rival—just a worthless bottom-tier demon.】
Simultaneously, Keroun's hand plunged into Deriax's body. Agony erupted in a screech.
【Aaaagh! As expected of a mid-to-low demon—delicious! So delicious!】
【Kraaaagh!! What are you doing! Let go! LET GO!】
Deriax's colossal body shrank rapidly. Power stolen. Rank devoured. Memories consumed.
Everything the demon Deriax possessed was predated.
【You bastard! How dare you! A demon devouring! The power of the Seven Deadly Sins! A devil lord!!!】
【Kuhuhuhu. A fragment of the power they granted me. How's it feel? All of you becoming part of me!!】
【The Demon Kings will never forgive you, Keroun!!】
【Kuhuhu. Those lazy asses moving for little old me? Sorry, won't happen. I'm leaving the demon realm soon anyway. I was just passing by, felt your power weaken, and checked. This is fun! Lost to a mere pest and got your core ability stolen?】
Crack! Crunch! Rip!
Its body shattered. Life drained, flesh withered and collapsed. Deriax felt death.
Its broken soul was devoured. By that damned bastard.
【Farewell, Deriax.】
That was Deriax's last memory. The end of the strongest mid-to-low demon was utterly pathetic.
【Heh heh heh. Earth... Earth, huh. What an interesting place.】
Keroun—the embodiment of gluttony who'd devoured it all, now a full mid-rank demon—licked his lips in excitement.
From the predated memories, he recalled one pest and smacked his lips.
【A pest with a seed!】
How tempting! The moment a mid-rank demon set its sights on Shin Juha.