Chapter 153
Chapter 153
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: Drexler (2)
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Looking back on his memories, there weren't many who harbored as much hatred toward Devil Worshippers as Drexler.
Of course, who wouldn't hate the bastards who wrecked the world?
But Drexler's hatred was on another level entirely. Sometimes, it even made Gray uneasy.
Just take the anecdote Carlyle remembered.
It had happened on a day when drizzle was falling, right after a battle with demons.
"Drexler. There you are."
"Ah, hyungnim."
The man with the jackal head grinned amiably.
...The amazing thing about Drexler was that you could see his expressions clearly despite the animal head.
Carlyle sighed and brushed back his hair, soaked from the rain.
It wasn't uncommon for members of the Hero Party to vanish suddenly, giving everyone headaches, but this guy was by far the worst offender.
His thought process was utterly unpredictable from start to finish.
"There's still cleanup left from the battle. Took me forever to find you."
"Aigoo, you had it rough? Sorry about that. I'll make it up double when we get back."
"You have to do everything I tell you to."
"Tell me anything. I'll work like a dog. Or a jackal, maybe?"
"...Not funny."
"Come on, give me a smile—don't be like that—"
Drexler responded with his usual gentle smile to Carlyle's words.
...Truth be told, the old Carlyle would have been impressed here.
Aside from Vespa, no one in the war against demons had the mental bandwidth left to look after others.
In a war brutal enough to strip away everyone's humanity, almost no one retained that level of common sense and consideration.
Even Carlyle himself, after repeating so many cycles, had forgotten his own humanity at times.
In that sense,
Drexler was almost as gentle and kind as Vespa.
He never fought with anyone. No matter what they did to him, he'd just laugh it off. He never complained about dirty work.
He was considerate, thoughtful, and never betrayed trust.
That Panhaima and Gray were razor-sharp despite their frayed nerves—and yet Carlyle somehow kept the Hero Party running—was probably because Vespa and Drexler were the gentle ones.
But.
It was precisely because of that kind nature that this man's peculiar quirk stood out even more.
"Still, there's one left. Let's finish this one and go."
The jackal grinned as he flipped over one of the corpses scattered around with his foot.
...It was a girl, still alive.
Her body was a bloody mess from the battle scars, but she was definitely still breathing.
"..."
Carlyle let out a deep sigh.
"Gonna kill her?"
"Obviously, hyungnim. She's a Devil Worshipper."
Carlyle didn't argue.
The most exhausting part of fighting demons was dealing with all the people already deeply infiltrated by their influence. Even a girl like this had contributed to wrecking the world—no denying that.
But.
This was essentially an opponent who'd already lost all combat ability.
Pretending to be dead amid the corpses showed she'd even lost the will to fight.
...Right now, Drexler was going through all these strewn bodies, methodically killing anyone still alive.
No exceptions, whoever it was.
Something he didn't need to do at all—just pure "want" on his part.
Driven by pure hatred.
"...P-please, spare me..."
The girl stammered, trembling.
Her cracked voice came out in coughs.
Her terrified eyes fixed on Drexler.
"I know you... You're the honorable warrior of the Sand Kingdom..."
"Whoa, hyungnim. Check this out. She knows my homeland?"
"You swear honorable battles to your great ancestors, don't you? Would they be proud of you killing an innocent like me?"
Drexler snorted at her desperate plea.
Then.
"—Of course they would."
With a smile.
Those words came out.
"Revenge is the highest virtue back home. What're you talking about?"
Then.
Crunch.
The sound of her being stomped rang out.
Bones, muscles, organs—all crushed—as blood sprayed from the girl's mouth.
The gurgling of blood filled the corpse-strewn plain.
"...Drexler."
Carlyle stared silently at the girl crushed to death beneath his foot.
"Did you have to kill her like that?"
"Hmm?"
"Couldn't you have done it painlessly?"
Carlyle said, looking down at the girl's face twisted in agony.
"I could have. Why, hyungnim? Feeling pity for her?"
"..."
"Don't fall for it, hyungnim."
Drexler said as he nudged the girl's corpse.
Her body twitched—and in the hand she'd tucked inside her clothes,
...was a dagger she'd been hiding.
She'd probably have stabbed him if he'd hesitated from her tears.
"Snakes, all of 'em. Back home, they say when you kill a snake, act like one yourself. Why show pity to a snake?"
"..."
"So I'll do whatever it takes to kill these bastards."
"..."
"Honestly, I don't hate that you're kind, hyungnim. Parties need one like you to keep folks from breaking."
Drexler spoke with his usual affable smile.
"But... a lot died around me because of that. Too many to count."
His kind, genuine smile held nothing but pure sincerity, without a speck of falsehood.
"I'm not like that. At least not when it comes to catching these ones."
His face was splattered with the blood that had erupted from the girl he'd just crushed.
...Like an angel and a demon coexisting in one body.
"Keep being that way, hyungnim."
Without a doubt.
"I'll handle all the snake shit needed for killing snakes."
That memory existed.
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So.
The chill running down Carlyle's spine the moment he recognized the man was only natural.
If you couldn't intuitively grasp what Drexler was up to,
It was usually a harbinger of something horrific about to happen.
Especially if Devil Worshippers might be nearby.
And the scene that followed only fueled that ominous feeling.
"Now, now! The auction for this magnificent beast starts right away!"
As the auctioneer spoke, Drexler stretched with a massive yawn.
"That's what I keep saying—I'm not the beast. Won't listen to a word I say."
The auctioneer blanched and backed away at the sight.
Even with Mana Control Devices strapped all over him to prevent movement, and every "restraint device" prepped in case he rampaged, he was still moving freely.
"S-stay still! Unless you want to get hurt! You slave on the block...!"
"No, that's what I'm saying—I wasn't caught as a slave. Look at me. No matter what, they wouldn't let me in."
Drexler said as he raised his arm high.
Beneath his clothes, blue "lines" began pulsing across his body.
It was the activation of "Turo," the ability used by warriors of the Sand Kingdom.
"Got some folks in here I need to kill."
The auctioneer clearly sensed the ominous vibe.
"...A-activate the restraints! Block his mana!"
With those words, the mechanisms in the iron cage clunked ominously.
At the same time, Drexler's eyes widened.
Something felt off with the mana gathering in his body.
"Hm?"
Drexler swung his arms side to side.
"Oh, this overloads the circuits if I use mana, huh? Mess up, and the body's toast."
"You know that, so behave—!"
"Yeah."
Ignoring the auctioneer's desperate plea,
Drexler chuckled and continued.
"Can't help if it burns."
With those words.
From his left arm, a massive blue "bow" ignited into existence.
The restraints reacted instantly, scorching the arm where the circuits flared—but Drexler ignored it, scanning the auction house.
He paid no mind to his arm, now charred black from the overheated mana circuits.
"Hmm—not sure who's who with all the masks. No choice then."
Carlyle took a deep breath at the sight.
He grabbed Elena beside him.
"Sunbae, get down."
"W-what?!"
"Now!"
His voice grew urgent.
He had a rough idea of what the guy was about to do.
"Hyungnims, nunims, sorry about this. Might sting if you move, so stay put. You won't die, promise."
Then.
"Shoot everyone here—"
Immense mana condensed inside the bow on his arm.
"—and something's bound to turn up."
With those words.
Like an explosion.
A barrage of arrows erupted in all directions.
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