Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: It's Already Too Late
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Shh.
I pressed my index finger to Park Yumin's lips to calm her down.
Three shadows were slowly emerging from the fog.
Thud. Thud.
Their footsteps were steady.
All three were clad in matching light leather armor.
Sword and shield up front, spear behind, and a bow at the very rear.
No one would mistake them for a hastily thrown-together party.
'A pre-formed party.'
In this stage where 30 people were randomly matched, pulling off such a perfect formation meant one thing.
One of them had used the Leader's Qualification card back in the tutorial, and they'd come here as a group assembled on Earth beforehand.
'That much is fine. But...'
The item clutched in the hand of the archer at the back, who seemed to be their leader.
They'd already found that?
A bluish beast bone embedded in the bow's body.
A faint effect swirling with wind.
[Wind Bone Bow (Rare)]
I could tell at a glance.
That thing only drops from a hidden chest tucked under a remote cliff on the opposite corner from the spawn point—not even in the map's center.
And they'd snagged it and made it all the way here already?
The answer was simple.
They'd ignored all the monsters, grabbed just that item, and sprinted the shortest route straight here.
'Obvious. They got prior info from someone experienced. Or bought it.'
They knew.
The layout of the area. The locations of the hidden items.
And above all... that the system let you steal items by hunting other humans.
"Whoops, sorry about that!"
The bowman feigned surprise as he lowered his weapon and shouted.
He had a mild-mannered face and a friendly smile, but his eyes weren't smiling at all.
"The fog's so thick, we thought you were monsters. Your movements looked too slick—figured you were some mid-boss or something."
Bullshit.
That arrow he'd just fired hadn't aimed for my head—it struck right next to Park Yumin.
If he'd really thought we were monsters, he'd have targeted the biggest threat: me.
Instead, he went for the girl in the back who looked like she had zero combat ability?
'Testing the waters.'
Seeing if I'd protect my ally or ditch her and run to save my own skin.
If not that, then they were just the type to harass random people for kicks.
Either way, they thought like criminals.
"Come on out! Let's get a look at each other—we're all human here!"
I ran the calculations for a moment.
That bow... I want it.
Rare-grade bows are tough to snag early on. With it, my Unerring Aim skill would hit peak efficiency.
It would've been mine anyway if they hadn't gotten to it first.
'Feels like they stole my stuff.'
No reason to dodge.
I twisted my lips into a smirk and stepped out slowly from behind the tombstone.
"Calling a person a monster? That's a bit much."
As I revealed myself, I could see their eyes darting all over me.
The Specter Leather Armor draped over my body, the sword in my hand, the dagger at my waist, and the spear slung across my back.
Their gazes screamed, 'Not a total pushover—we can strip him clean.'
But their appraisal didn't last long.
Because Park Yumin poked her head out hesitantly from behind me.
"B-Big Brother..."
She clung to my arm with a terrified expression.
Huddled up like that, her already tight leather armor stretched even tauter.
The leather strained against her ample chest, squeezing it bare and bold.
A overwhelming swell that jiggled with every breath.
Thighs ready to burst, cinched waist.
Gulp.
The shield guy up front audibly swallowed, loud enough to hear from here.
The spearman behind him couldn't tear his eyes from her cleavage.
Even the leader-archer widened his eyes for a split second before flashing a sleazy grin and pretending to sling his bow over his shoulder.
Of course, it was still in easy reach.
"Oh dear, a lady's with you. Sorry if we startled you—we're a bit on edge."
He strode forward, casually closing the distance.
"As you can see, we're a pretty well-equipped team. Got lucky and spawned with our buddies."
"Lucky indeed. Not easy to run into people you know out of 30 randoms."
I lobbed a pointed jab, but he brushed it off smoothly.
"Haha, tell me about it. Feels like hitting the lottery. But looks like you've got a lot of baggage over there."
He nodded at Park Yumin and clicked his tongue.
"Dragging a woman around in a hellhole like this must be rough. She doesn't look like a fighter at all."
A subtle wedge.
Painting me as an 'incompetent leader' and her as 'dead weight' to pry open a psychological gap.
"We've got exactly one spot open in our party. Filling a four-man group gives bonus experience, so we were looking...
He ignored me completely, locking eyes with Park Yumin.
"Miss, come with us. As you see, we've got solid gear and experience. No need to slave away behind that grumpy guy—we'll bus you safe and sound. Easier for him to move without the load, right?"
Obvious ploy.
Either to neutralize me by holding the woman hostage, or just plain horny.
Disgusting either way.
I swallowed a hollow laugh and crossed my arms.
Stepped aside just enough to clear a path for her.
"You heard him? Their gear looks way better, safer too."
"Y-Yes...?"
Park Yumin's eyes went wide as she stared at me.
"Your call. Sticking with a solo like me's just gonna be hard. Wanna go with them? I don't care."
I put her on the spot.
If she went, I'd cut her loose without a second thought.
I could find another porter, and these guys? I'd just kill them all.
But before I finished speaking—
Grab!
"N-No way!"
Park Yumin freaked and latched onto my left arm.
Squish.
A heavy, soft pressure clamped down on my entire forearm.
The overwhelming bounce and warmth seeped through even the leather armor—nearly made my head spin.
Did this woman have no sense of boundaries, or was it instinct?
"No way! I'd rather die than leave Big Brother!"
She was dead serious.
The three men's faces soured instantly.
A mix of bruised pride and jealousy at her chest mashed against my arm.
The leader twitched his brow and sneered.
"Miss, you can't judge by appearances. Guys like him ditch women first in a pinch. We're friends—loyalty's guaranteed."
"What do you know about Big Brother?!"
Park Yumin snapped back.
To her, I was already a god, an absolute savior.
The problem? Her faith was a bit... excessive.
"Do you know how strong my Big Brother is? He took out that creep who tried to jump me earlier in one hit!"
"...!"
The leader's eyes flickered.
But Park Yumin's rant didn't stop.
"Kicked that big brute's jaw to pieces with one strike and knocked him out! Hoisted him up and slammed him into the ground! No mercy, no hesitation... Oh."
She didn't need to say that much.
'Please stop. This girl's something else.'
I rubbed my forehead internally.
Her so-called praise was spilling all my intel to the enemy.
She probably meant it as 'Don't mess with my bro—he's tough!' But against guys with no qualms about crime, it changed things.
'One-shots people' meant my stats were freakishly high. 'No mercy' proved I wasn't a pushover.
In other words, she was advertising: 'Dangerous guy—kill him for sure.'
"Hoo..."
The archer's face hardened, friendly smile gone.
He scanned me again slowly.
This time, not as a rival—but as 'prey' or a 'threat that must be eliminated.'
'What now? What're you gonna do?'
He'd figured it out.
That I'd crushed the rapist wannabe she mentioned and taken his loot.
Guys who knew player-kills paid big would peg my bounty high.
"Is that so? You really know how to... handle people."
The leader slyly gripped his bowstring behind his back.
Tension thickened the foggy graveyard.
The swordsman and spearman chuckled darkly, readjusting their weapons and fanning out to my flanks.
Forming a encirclement.
No more hiding their intent.
I chuckled and pried Park Yumin off my arm, shoving her behind me.
"Yumin, fall back and cover your head. Unless you want blood splatter."
"Y-Yes...? B-Big Brother...?"
"Finally showing your true colors."
I stared down the archer.
"No more bullshit. We both know what the other is."
"Ha, sharp one."
He raised his bow at my heart.
"Tough luck running into us here. Blame fate—we'll put that nice gear to good use."
"We'll see."
I slipped my hand into my pocket with a feral grin.
They had no idea.
That I was way more vicious than them.
"That bow looks pricey."
In my eyes, they weren't people anymore—just walking treasure chests.
Especially that bow. It was mine.
"Hand it over."
"What?"
"Less painful than dying and getting looted."
"Crazy bastard."
Twang—!
The string snapped from his fingers.
The wind-cutting arrow hurtled at my forehead.
Dead-on trajectory.
A slight head tilt and it whiffed past.
"Huh?"
Before their eyes could widen, I'd already burrowed into the swordsman's guard.
The slashing blade and thrusting spear tip speared only empty afterimages.
No need for weapons.
Crack—!
My Unique-grade power-boosted fist.
All my strength caved in the swordsman's face in an instant.
"Guhk!"
He couldn't even scream, launched airborne into a nearby grave.
Overwhelming speed and devastation.
The remaining two paled and staggered back at the sudden carnage.
I shook the blood from my fist and grinned.
"You. What'd you just call me? Crazy bastard?"
Sorry, but that line...
Too late for regrets.