Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 050
Chapter Title: Trivial Heroism (2)
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Why the hell did I stand up?
That was the first thought that crossed my mind when I came to.
My head was a complete fog, whether from the pain wracking my entire body or from spilling a basin's worth of blood. With that foggy mind, I tried my best to think it over.
…Truth be told, Kang Haneul wasn't all that important a character to me.
She wasn't a major player, so there wouldn't be any penalty death like there was with Ji Ye-won. Sure, there might be some minor penalty, but once her withdrawal request was approved, she wouldn't be an academy student anymore. Which meant even that small penalty would vanish.
And that wasn't all. The extra quest didn't even have a failure penalty.
Besides, the character Kang Haneul didn't play a big role in the original story anyway. So the impact of her kidnapping could be ignored.
There was the uncertain future risk of Na Ju-yong getting his hands on her, but that could be dealt with slowly over time.
Failing Min Chae-ryeong's mission? My mission was to stop her withdrawal in the first place, not bodyguard duty. I'd even fought until I was a battered mess. No matter how demanding Min Chae-ryeong was, she couldn't chew me out for this.
‘…Yeah.’
Letting Kang Haneul go right here wouldn't bring me any immediate harm. That was the conclusion I'd reached after careful deliberation.
There was no reason at all to drag my aching body into the fray or risk my life charging at them.
And yet, why did I?
Why had I bothered to stand, ready to fight like this?
The question floating in my dazed brain was the same as before. My thoughts wouldn't connect properly, just spinning endlessly in place.
“You're a real idiot. If you'd just stayed down, you might've kept your life.”
Yoo Jin-su's words made my head nod instinctively. He was right—if I'd just lain there quietly, it would've been easier. Maybe I should pretend I couldn't take the pain anymore, collapse now, and just let them go.
“…!”
The moment that thought hit me, my eyes met Kang Haneul's. She was being held by his hand.
Kang Haneul was screaming silently. The knife at her throat kept her from struggling, and the hand clamping her mouth silenced her cries. Even so, her plea rang clear in my ears.
Save me.
Help me.
Looking right at me, those eyes filled with a wordless wish.
Even as clear tears streamed from her eyes, she strained to meet my gaze.
She wasn't saying it out loud, but she was definitely screaming it.
‘…Yeah.’
I got it. It was that gaze. Drawn by that gaze, I'd raised my foggy-headed body. That pitiful, whimpering expression had made me stand without thinking.
It was ridiculous. Who was I, some protagonist? What right did I have to get swept up in trivial heroism now?
That reckless heroism was a privilege reserved for protagonists.
Yeah, if the one here was the protagonist Ryu Tae-hyun instead of me. If he'd been in this spot, he would've jumped in without hesitation to save Kang Haneul. And he'd have succeeded, no doubt.
But me?
I'm not the protagonist. And it wasn't just about the abilities I had. Even if I'd possessed Ryu Tae-hyun instead of Ahn Su-ho, my inherent nature—my personality and values—were too far from a protagonist's.
I'm a typical everyman. The life I'd lived for the past 24 years was that of a typical everyman.
I hated crises and avoided danger.
I chose comfortable complacency over reckless challenges.
I thought it was fine to just get by in the middle of the pack, and that's exactly what I did.
I had as much altruism and morality as anyone else, and I acted on it—but only when it didn't cost me anything.
I'd never helped someone at the cost of serious personal loss. Let alone risk my life for a total stranger. Was that even possible?
Hell, even if I'd possessed Ryu Tae-hyun, I would've calculated the gains and losses of saving her before acting.
That's who I am. I looked at myself objectively. With an objective gaze, I told myself that standing up on some trivial heroism was a massive blunder.
Look. Heo Seong-chan's staring at me. Fists clenched tight, ready to strike any second.
I got lucky and survived earlier, but if I take another of those punches, I might really die this time.
If I were the protagonist, maybe I'd awaken some miracle power right now and beat Heo Seong-chan. But I'm not, and this world isn't that kind to me.
A wrong choice means death.
Yeah. Surrender now. Beg to be spared, for my life at least. They'd let me live if I did. That's what I thought.
It wasn't shameful at all. Any normal person would do the same. I'm a normal person. I'm not Ryu Tae-hyun or Han Gyeol-wol. A guy born and raised as an everyman like me—it's natural, it's the rule.
Know your place.
I kept repeating that to myself. But every time, Kang Haneul's pitiful gaze crushed it.
I tried my best to ignore that gaze.
Kang Haneul had nothing to do with me.
Even if she got kidnapped here, there'd be no backlash for me.
She was just an extra villain who faded into the background in the original story. No reason for me to risk my life for her.
I tried to think that way.
But every time, her face came into view.
That sadly twisted expression.
The clear tears trailing down her cheeks.
That pitiful gaze looking at me.
The moment I snapped out of it, I was facing Heo Seong-chan with my hands up in guard position.
I can't hand Kang Haneul over to them.
There was no calculation of profit or loss, no rationality, no justification in that judgment. Just that I couldn't. I didn't want to.
Because of this guilt lodged in one corner of my chest.
Kang Haneul wasn't supposed to face this crisis originally.
The fact that someone fairly strong in the original story had weakened this much.
The fact that she'd given up her hunter dreams and decided to withdraw.
And now, caught by these kidnappers, unable to resist properly, just helplessly waiting for me to save her.
Deep down, it all boiled down to my fault. Wasn't it my fault for barging into this world and twisting her predetermined life?
It was laughable. Why was it my fault she'd ended up like this? If anyone's to blame, it's the Blissful Heavenly Demon who changed her. I'm just another victim played by him, not the perpetrator.
But once that thought wormed into my head, it wouldn't leave easily. Even if the Blissful Heavenly Demon changed her life, if his goal was to put me in crisis, wasn't I still the root cause?
That thought welled up guilt in one corner of my chest, and that guilt made me stand here.
“…Fuck me.”
It was a foolish choice.
I knew full well it was foolish.
Yet the reason I stood here anyway.
It was a shred of conscience I couldn't discard.
A trace of the flimsy morality I prided myself on having as much as anyone.
A petty pride refusing to admit defeat.
A single step of defiance against the author who hates me.
But words like that weren't enough, so if I had to add more.
“…Come at me. I'm getting cold.”
It was the sprout of truly trivial heroism.
Someday far in the future, looking back on this day, I'd probably think that.
“That's more like it!”
As those sentiments scattered from my mind, Heo Seong-chan charged at me.
I didn't dodge. It was too fast to dodge anyway, and I had no intention of trying. Soon, his heavy fist slammed into my gut.
“Grk!”
I barely held on, keeping my body from flying back. But the impact didn't just vanish. The force that crushed my organs made the blood I'd swallowed burst from my mouth with a spurt!
–Clasp.
I propped my collapsing body against Heo Seong-chan's shoulder just in time. A clumsy clinch. With my trembling legs, it was the only way to stay upright. At that pathetic resistance, he sounded disappointed.
“Can't even dodge a simple attack like that? You're really on the brink of death, huh.”
He was the type who enjoyed combat from the start. Prioritizing the fight itself over mission success was a minus for a mercenary, but Yoo Jin-su's meticulous nature covered for it as his partner.
But even a partner couldn't micromanage every action once battle began.
The moment I stood, Heo Seong-chan looked delighted. He believed I'd show something worth seeing. That's why he didn't finish me off right away. He held back to see my next move. Even now, with me pressed right against him, he wasn't shoving me away.
I'd figured Heo Seong-chan would act that way. I hadn't expected to close the distance in one go, but it was lucky.
–Grab.
I lifted my right arm from his shoulder and seized his head.
A slow motion with no power behind it.
A cowardly strike slipping past his guard.
–Kiiiiing!
I activated the talisman with all my might, and a clear resonant hum rang out as the ring's gem glowed blue.
“Huh?”
“Seong-chan! Dodge! Something's off!”
Too late to react. Black smoke poured from my right hand, compressed to a sticky liquid-like serpent, and burrowed into Heo Seong-chan's ear.
“Gah?! What the—”
Immediately after, the snake coiled in his ear swelled secretly.
–Pop!
A small explosion, almost pathetic compared to the earlier noise.
But the result was anything but.
“What did you do to me…? Huh, what's going on?”
Heo Seong-chan staggered back and plopped onto the floor.
–Drip.
“Wh-what?”
Blood trickled from one of Heo Seong-chan's ears. His bewildered eyes turned bloodshot.
Seeing that, I knew my attempt had succeeded.
My most powerful attack was compressing a large amount of smoke created by the talisman and detonating it at once. Obviously, doing that in a confined room would catch me too. This was a desperate measure I'd pulled out for exactly that reason.
A technique to damage only the enemy by compressing a minimal amount of smoke and bursting it inside their body.
There were several hurdles to success. First, I had to get closer than punching range. Second, target a hole connected to their insides. Third, the enemy had to wait out the slight delay in talisman activation. That compression rate was impossible with my mana alone.
It was a technique insanely hard to land normally. But hard to land meant guaranteed results when it hit.
“What? Why can't I see? And why can't I hear? Huh? Wh-what?”
Heo Seong-chan clutched one ear, blood pouring from every facial orifice. The smoke burst in his ear must've ravaged his skull. From the looks of it, he'd lost hearing and balance in his left ear, plus vision in his left eye.
‘Wasn't enough power to kill in one shot.’
I'd fired it without any charge time, so no helping it. With 10-20 seconds to compress more, I could've blown his head off, but even a careless Heo Seong-chan wouldn't give me that long.
But in the end, he was combat-ineffective. Struggling to stand but unable to control his own body—he wouldn't fight anymore.
‘Alright then.’
Feeling the talisman's backlash slowly rising, I looked at Yoo Jin-su with eyes asking what he'd do next.
Yoo Jin-su couldn't hide his shock. No wonder—his partner, whom he trusted in combat, had gone down so easily.
But that didn't mean he couldn't fight at all. If he went all-in, honestly, I wasn't confident I'd win.
“Hey.”
So I took the initiative. To keep him from getting any funny ideas.
“A deal. Hand over Kang Haneul nicely. I'll give you your partner. Won't chase you either. How's that?”
As I spoke, I summoned black smoke in my grip. Aimed at the fallen Heo Seong-chan. Like I could kill him any second.
My action brought hesitation to Yoo Jin-su's face.
Risk it for the mission, or retreat accepting failure to save his partner?
He was clearly agonizing, but I knew his choice. What choice? Heo Seong-chan and Yoo Jin-su valued each other above all as partners. Sacrificing his life was never an option.
“…Fine. Deal.”
It didn't take long. With a reluctant nod, he met my glance, and slowly released the hand threatening Kang Haneul.
–Thud!
Kang Haneul stumbled over on shaking legs, half-falling into my arms. She hid behind my back, trembling.
I watched her for a moment, then dispersed the smoke in my hand. Grabbing Heo Seong-chan's ankle from afar, I flung him to Yoo Jin-su. He caught the body and whispered softly into Heo Seong-chan's good ear.
“Seong-chan. You okay?”
“Jin-su! Don't abandon the mission for me! Attack him now! Hurry!”
“I can't. I can't protect you, take him down, and kidnap Kang Haneul alone. Plus, police are coming soon. We lost.”
“Lost?! I didn't lose! We didn't! If that bastard hadn't cheated—”
“Maybe. But sometimes you retreat for victory. And this is that time, Seong-chan.”
“Damn it all…!”
Heo Seong-chan gnashed his teeth in fury and pointed off in my direction—a bit off due to his condition—screaming.
“I memorized your face! Just wait! Next time, no mercy! I'll win for sure! Got it?!”
“…Why don't you take him already?”
“…Thanks for the mercy.”
Hoisting the raging Heo Seong-chan over his shoulder, Yoo Jin-su headed out the front door. Through the open gap, faint police sirens echoed from afar.
At that siren sound, the last tension holding me up snapped.
–Thud.
“H-Huh? A-Are you okay?”
Kang Haneul caught my sudden collapse in panic. But I didn't have the strength to nod. Cumulative injuries plus the talisman backlash at the end—I was about to black out any second.
“…You okay?”
In my fading consciousness, I barely managed that. It came out casual despite myself, but Kang Haneul didn't seem to care.
“Y-Yes! I'm fine! But your wounds are too bad… F-First, 119…”
“Good. As long as you're… okay…”
As I slowly closed my eyes, Kang Haneul visibly panicked. No need to fuss like that. Anyone would think I was dying.
Wait, thinking about it, my injuries were bad enough that dying wouldn't be weird.
…Hold on, am I actually dying right now?
‘Fuck me.’
The thought of possibly dying brought belated regret. All my earlier resolve about guilt and heroism vanished.
I must be crazy. Hard enough taking care of myself, why'd I go saving Kang Haneul?
“H-Hey, stay with me! Don't close your eyes! Lose consciousness and it's over!”
“…Ah, fuck…”
“Yes! Swear to stay awake! Police and ambulance are coming soon, so just a bit longer…”
“…So why'd you have to go on about withdrawing…”
“Eh? W-what?”
In my blurring mind, I mindlessly blamed Kang Haneul. Blaming her so pathetically, looks like I'm fated not to be a protagonist.
“S-Sorry. Because of me. Because I said I'd withdraw…”
She mumbled that, looking down at me with fat tears streaming like a child. Biting her lip, sobbing hiccup after hiccup—just like Chae So-yeon.
‘…Ah.’
That moment, a sudden thought hit me.
‘…If I'd known it'd end like this, I should've brought Chae So-yeon along…’
A truly belated regret. My strength finally gave out, and I closed my eyes weakly. Kang Haneul shouted something, but my ears were ringing too loud to hear.
‘Damn, fuck…’
With that curse as my last, my consciousness sank deep into sleep.