Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Slaying the S-Rank Demon
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“Gah! You crazy... bas... What the hell are you? Cough!”
“No need to know.”
When I caught up to him, about half of his left side had melted away, and he was thrashing around.
Even in that state, he was desperately using an elixir and a regeneration scroll on himself with his remaining arm, fighting for his life.
My thought as I watched was, *Demons really are tenacious.*
“Hah... hah... you... son of a... please... p-please... spare... spare me. Please... please... I... I...”
Crunch!
But that pathetic struggle met its end at the tip of my sword.
For someone with the grandiose title of S-rank demon, it was an anticlimactic death, but he wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.
His plan alone had fully utilized his abilities and pierced the enemies’ psyche. Until he fired that arrow at me, even I hadn’t spotted him and was at a loss.
If he hadn’t let his emotions get the better of him with that shot at me disguised as a staff member, he would’ve completed his objective and slipped away cleanly.
“Well, that’s life for you.”
Rumble rumble crack!
In the meantime, inventory slots popped open next to his corpse like a hot spring bubbling up, spilling out all his possessions.
An S-rank demon had high enough stats for a massive inventory capacity.
True to form as a demon no one could trust even in their own ranks, items poured out—from cash and jewelry to all sorts of gear.
“Better grab what I can and get out fast.”
With the summoner dead, the A-rank boss monster rampaging at their main base would vanish soon enough.
Plus, after that flashy Paewang technique I unleashed earlier, the Blue Dragon Guild and others were undoubtedly rushing over.
So I decided to snatch the key equipment, items, and cash before bolting.
***
“Damn it! What the hell is going on? Staff! Follow me! Everyone else, secure the site! I’m heading to check that explosion spot.”
Go Cheonyong calmed his head, which felt like it might burst from the chaos, barked orders, and moved out.
Even as he ran, his headache throbbed at the thought of how to salvage this mess.
They’d been played by S-rank demon Jeong Min-su’s diversion, letting A-, B-, and C-rank boss monsters overrun their guild base and inflict massive casualties. The damage was already catastrophic.
*Damn, we got completely played!*
Including staff and Awakeners, over a third were dead. Factoring in the injured, two-thirds of their total force had taken hits.
With seven trailers lost to the boss monsters’ rampage, retreat was the only option.
*But the real problem is losing the struggle’s objective.*
The Blue Dragon Guild’s constellation, Blue Dragon, favored “struggle.” Overcoming adversity like this would yield returns proportional to the damage.
What it hated most was losing or having objectives stolen in competition. If Jeong Min-su had died in that earlier assault, they’d have to recover from all this on their own.
*That’s bad enough, but we need to figure out who infiltrated us and pulled this off...! Damn, what power. This is almost S-rank Hunter level? We need intel on that guy too!*
Running over the traces of Yoo Seongwon’s Paewang Cheon Geomryu - Jiseongseom, Go Cheonyong expressed his shock.
There was no intel saying Jeong Min-su could do this, so it wasn’t him. Identifying what monster had appeared was crucial.
“There! A body and items on the ground!”
“Shit! Too late? Everyone, search the area thoroughly. Track the footprints!”
They found Jeong Min-su’s decapitated corpse sprawled in the center of the ruins, along with his possessions.
But whoever took him down was already gone—no other traces.
Go Cheonyong ordered a pursuit based on footprints and clues.
“Captain, confirmed: it’s S-rank demon Jeong Min-su’s body. Among his items, we found the young master’s custom dobok and gauntlets.”
“Son of a bitch!”
Boom!
Furious, Go Cheonyong slammed his fist into the ground, triggering a small quake that shook the earth.
They’d suffered massive losses from the scheme, and the S-rank demon they’d targeted was killed by someone else.
For Go Cheonyong and the Blue Dragon Guild, it was the worst of the worst.
“Damn it all to hell! Who the fuck did this! Raaagh!”
“You managed to survive, I see.”
“Had to—my position lets me hide without fighting. Mind a one-on-one talk?”
“Looks like you’ve got something to say.”
In the distance, Go Cheonyong’s howl echoed.
Yoo Seongwon, having circled back, approached Shin Somi, the Baekya Guild Master who was directing cleanup, and requested a private meeting.
Everyone was too busy with damage control to notice them slip into a trailer alone.
“How bad is the damage?”
“Losing other staff or members is one thing, but a C-rank Awakener’s death stings. Judgment Knight’s a core class, and finding a suitable replacement is tough.”
“You don’t hire directly? Just recruit those chosen by your constellation lord?”
“Not exactly, but linking with those serving the same constellation builds trust. Better than running or hiding like some people, right?”
Her words carried a sharp edge, but Yoo Seongwon admitted they weren’t wrong.
Still, he’d show that sometimes surviving tenaciously beat fighting and sacrificing like idiots.
“But the real priority is the future of the survivors. Plus, trust and credit? Those trade in money.”
“This?”
What Yoo Seongwon pulled from his inventory was a portion of Jeong Min-su’s mana stones and jewelry.
He’d taken an amount a regular Scavenger might carry—to avoid suspicion that he’d taken down Jeong Min-su.
“How? Don’t tell me you...?”
“Nah~ An S-rank demon wouldn’t drop just this, right? More’s coming. I played staff, followed that guy, secretly took out a few Scavenger bastards who came after, and grabbed this. Use it to cover your subjugation losses.”
“You sure I can just take this?”
He couldn’t calculate precisely, but judging by the mana stone sizes, it was worth billions at least.
Shin Somi stared at him, baffled at the giveaway, but he shrugged and turned away.
“Gotta be useful for mutual aid, right? Just take it.”
“That’s really all? No ulterior motives?”
“Hmm~ If you insist, treat me to a home-cooked meal later. Never had one. Anyway, thanks for your time. Gotta get back before the other staff glare at me.”
With that, Yoo Seongwon left the trailer.
Left alone, Shin Somi stared blankly at the mana stones and jewelry, unsure. But weighing the day’s losses and her duty as Guild Master, she decided.
She’d repay this favor differently, then stowed them in her inventory.
***
“A bit wasteful, but handing this over at the perfect time—when they’re desperate for recovery funds from this disaster—should keep suspicions away.”
A massive sum dangled before a group reeling from subjugation losses. Hard to refuse.
This would build favor and credit, making Baekya Guild protect him even as a whole.
*Now, whatever I do, I’ll have an alibi.*
“Oh! Temp! You’re alive!”
“Yes! Just finishing my report. I’ll help right away.”
“We could use every extra hand. Oh, and somehow, that S-rank demon Jeong Min-su got killed. Gotta leave this hellhole before more Scavengers show. Hurry!”
“Got it!”
I casually rejoined the staff, helping prep to leave while checking my status.
Where it had said Lv. 30 during the fight, it now read Lv. 38.
Decent experience for an S-rank demon, but the huge level gap probably applied a penalty—like common RPGs.
*Levels slow after 20 anyway. Hitting 30-38 usually takes about 30 D-rank dungeons. This is fast. And my stats...*
[Lv.38 Yoo Seongwon]
Stat Growth: 21/21/21/21
Str:1,610 Dex:1,608 Vit:1,610 Mag:1,596
[Held Skills]
Path of the Great Knight (SSS)
(Unique) Myeong's Knight Grandel's Martial Talent
(Unique) Spirit Knight ‘Silleion Forest Blade’ Secret Art
(Unique) KMG TECH Master Device
(Unique) Tyrant Emperor Knight ‘Yucheon’s’ Lost Legacy, Paewang Cheon Geomryu
(Legendary) Dimensional Gate to the Sanctuary of the Nameless Knight Order
[Applied Effects]
Divine Beast's Power (All stats +1 rank (2x))
Finally hit SS-rank stats.
Whoa, what is this?
SS-rank and beyond isn’t officially recognized since no one’s reached it... But my growth screams SSS-rank potential.
*Of course, no one’d believe me... and I don’t wanna get caught.*
For reference, today’s S-rank demon Jeong Min-su was Lv. 80 with top-tier S-rank stats as an Awakener.
Getting exposed would end any shot at a peaceful life.
I resolved to be even more cautious.
Sure, if caught, I could cut ties and go full Scavenger life—not bad, but civilization’s conveniences are essential for someone like me who wants to live moderately.
*Anyway, S-rank demon’s dead. Back home, quiet staff gig and level up.*
“What the hell happened?”
“No clue. We’re screwed. Captain Cheonyong’s face was wrecked.”
“Who the heck stole the S-rank demon? That’s why we failed Blue Dragon’s trial?”
Murmurs...
In the distance, Blue Dragon Guild members and staff grumbled about the failed subjugation.
Yeah, they’d be pissed.
I’d basically saved them from crisis.
But the prideful “struggle”-obsessed Blue Dragon Guild lost their shot at returns equal to the losses, thanks to their constellation.
*Made enemies with them again. Didn’t get caught this time, though. Anyway, avoid them at all costs.*
They’d witnessed my Paewang skill’s aftermath, so using it later might tip them off. Best steer clear of Blue Dragon Guild entirely.
Even now, a booming voice echoed from their trailers, and what sounded like an S-rank Hunter’s rage was shaking them violently.
Whew, scary.
“Damn it all to hell!”
*Sorry about that. If you didn’t wanna lose, do better. Why fall for the bait~*
All I could do was mutter a half-hearted apology in my head.