Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Jaws of Ruin
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"Oh, shoot."
The cleaning lady hurriedly slipped on her gas mask. The mana concentration here was so thick that ordinary people could barely stand without something to block it out.
'The human body is so frail.'
Demons didn't have that limitation, of course. She moved along with the mask on, and no one gave the cleaning lady a second glance.
This building was only used for training sessions, so they always needed cleaners afterward. The high mana density meant they paid well, drawing plenty of people.
She passed through the bustling crowd. Ignoring all the looks that said, 'Why isn't that person working?'
She exited the building and headed down the mountain. Even with a gas mask and mana-blocking clothes, a normal person would struggle to move here—but her steps were unhindered.
Down she went. At the base appeared the docks, where ships tied up.
A ship had just arrived. It was carrying the evening supplies for the students undergoing hellish training.
"Oh, you here to help unload? One person's not enough. Get more folks. Can't lift heavy stuff alone in this air."
She didn't respond. She walked slowly over and stared at the man next to the one who'd spoken.
He was dressed in a suit. Even behind his sunglasses, his exhaustion was unmistakable—dark circles hung low, skin sallow and dull.
Their eyes met. He nodded.
"Hey? What are you—"
The attack on the man beside him was instantaneous. Half his head flew off before he could even scream.
"What the—? Why isn't it getting off—"
Even the people following behind died without grasping the situation. The sunglassed man gathered the bodies. Four corpses, swollen and leaking blood.
No words were exchanged. A glance was enough. Or really, no glance needed—they were both controlled by the same master.
The man began walking toward the island's outer edge, drawing something with the bloody brush of a corpse.
The woman stood before the supplies. She stared at the stacked crates, then patted her side. As if counting something.
"Six should be enough without dying."
At those words, a grotesque sound echoed.
Crunch—!!!! Crunnnnchhhhh!!!!
It shattered. Without her laying a hand on them, the bones broke as if tribute was being exacted.
Bones harvested right up to the brink of death. Massive supplies vanishing.
An offering was the symbol of a contract.
The sea wind whipped into a frenzy.
Crackle. Crackle.
I stared blankly at the spitting flames. Raphael beside me had empty eyes too.
Simple reason. We were exhausted and starving.
Training here was twice as brutal as usual. One push-up felt like three back home.
What does that mean? Neither of us got any special treatment, so we trained double, triple as hard. Fine, we could endure that. A hundred times over, even.
But then came the real problem.
—No dinner.
—Something happened to the supplies. No way to contact the outside. This place warps signals.
—Dinner's self-serve tonight.
That's what they kept repeating. Self-serve my ass. Sure, it's an island. Mana-adapted animals roam around.
Even now, the bushes rustled, wild beasts popping out.
But who guts them? Who processes them to eat?
"This isn't even official training. Aren't they breaking human rights laws? Can't we sue?"
"You'd never win in court."
Tch. Raphael clicked her tongue, hugging her drawn-up knees tighter. I tossed wood on the fire, staring blankly too.
"Should've brought all our stuff."
Who could've predicted this? I figured they'd at least feed us. They brought people here to train, after all.
Of course, we had food. Cola, snacks, jelly—whatever Raphael hoarded.
But that's not what we craved.
"Rice. I want rice and meat. Hell, pizza, chicken, burgers—I'll settle for that."
"Demanding much? Got ramen if you want. No pot, though."
"Smash and eat it? Then just snacks. But snacks don't fill you!! I want real food!!"
Who doesn't? I want hot rice with kimchi, spam on top.
I wiped the drool from my mouth. Talking about it made me hungrier.
"What, are we cavemen? We're 21st-century intellectuals."
"Right! We buy processed meat!!"
Harsh words. Sure, this training might prep for getting trapped in a dungeon. But that's planned—this is just chaos.
"Raphael."
"What."
"Wanna just fill up on snacks?"
"After training all day? Is that enough for your pride, Seong-hoon? Not for me. I need real food."
"So what do we do?!"
Beats me—Raphael pouted. Stomach must be killing her. Pride's for when you can afford it.
I stood up. Couldn't starve like this. Catch a rabbit or something.
Gutting... figure it out later.
"Where you going?"
"To find food."
"Finally rejecting 21st-century civilization? Wait—you're not off for island secrets or fun stuff alone?!"
"Nope."
No such thing. Secrets? This was just an island with natural anomalies.
No dragons, so no dragon heart. Nothing but thick mana—ordinary otherwise.
Oh, right. One treasure-ish thing, not secret. Mana-soaked amethyst cave. Pretty as hell.
Doesn't do anything, wastes stamina. Not going.
I asked Lachesis where small animals were. Big enough for two.
Her answer was awkward.
What? Didn't take long to get it.
"Kyaaaaah!!"
Something burst from the bushes. Brown hair braided to the side, swaying. Flower-like eyes.
Behind her, something with glowing eyes charged. Quadrupedal, massive, snout flaring, ferocious momentum.
"Wild boar?!"
"Eek?! Lee Seong-hoon!!! Save meeee!!"
Yang Min-ji waved frantically as she ran toward me. Boar hot on her heels.
"Wait. Why me?!"
"Why?! Save me!!"
Save what? You? Or me, now dragged in?
I ran too. Raphael's amused laugh echoed behind. Ah, damn it.
"Why run?! Iron club it!! I'm dying!!"
"Iron club why? It's precious life—food!!"
"Calling it food disqualifies you?!"
Whatever. Don't care. Precious life or not, dead it's meat—but clubbing ruins it.
Yang Min-ji chased by boar, me chased by Yang Min-ji. Bizarre chain, but short-lived.
I spotted the thing in her hand. No wonder the rattling earlier.
"Where'd you get that."
"This? They gave it when I asked?!"
"...Seriously?"
"You didn't take yours?"
Yang Min-ji held a canteen. For boiling water. Military issue.
We sulked and left empty-handed. Should've asked.
"Seong-hoon~ Guess we starved 'cause we're idiots!!"
"Shut up!!"
Fine, save her. No choice. I reached out, opening [Inventory]. Pulled one item.
Not scythe, not iron club. No robe or Levatein. I gripped the item that settled in my hand like an extension and glanced back.
Assumed position. Nothing fancy. Honestly, no idea.
From [Inventory], amid countless blue spears, I pulled a single rune. Stuck a Post-it on the launcher, fired it with the arrow.
「Auto-Aim」 sent it straight to the leg—perfect hit. Rune exploded, shadows binding the boar.
Squeeeeal—!!!
The shrieking boar couldn't brake its momentum and tumbled. Yang Min-ji approached, eyes sparkling at the sight.
"Awesome!!"
Feels weird hearing that from the original owner.
Whatever. Mine now.
Yeah. Finder's keepers.
Dinner in one word: delicious.
This boar was prime. Mana-rich meat was insane.
Ah, Lachesis guided the butchering. Rest went to Benia in [Inventory].
Soft [Delicious.] came back. She's good.
Plus ramen from Yang Min-ji's canteen.
Satisfied. Super satisfied. Even big eater Raphael lay content. Don't lie on dirt.
"No dirt. No lying down after eating. Why pick the worst habits?!"
"Dunno. Tired."
Look at her. I hauled up the blonde rolling in dirt. Stop resisting. Get up. Remember you're an angel!
Finally upright, I glanced at the quiet brunette. Humming, staring at her legs.
"What're you doing."
"Treating wounds."
Wounds? Curious, I approached—legs covered in scrapes. Minor ones. No way...?
"Leave it, it'll scar."
Yang Min-ji's hands glowed, as expected. Warm light enveloped her legs, wounds healing.
"Wait?! Yang Min-ji, you use miracles too?!"
"Miracles? It's a skill."
Skill for scrapes. Doesn't know how OP it is. That's why demons targeted her in the original.
Don't spam it.
But I preempted it. No targeting now. I cleared demon hotspots first.
Even if Kim Tae-hyun weakens, Yang Min-ji won't die.
Huh. Good news.
"Amazing. You an angel, Yang Min-ji?"
"Human."
"Hm. Wanna be? Not healing exactly—"
"It feels like time turned back."
Suddenly.
Silence fell. The cheerful chat froze like a lie. All eyes turned toward the voice.
Not just us three.
Clatter, clatter—!!
The pendant at my neck thrashed wildly, pointing the way.
A woman stood there. Haggard face. Dark circles to her cheeks. Cleaning uniform.
But wrong. Bones twisted all over, form distorted. Still, she forced movement.
Neck grotesquely snapped. Dead wouldn't surprise—yet she moved. No pain felt.
I understood instantly.
"Raphael."
"W-what?"
"Sorry."
Guess the flag king was me. Sorry for misunderstanding.
Didn't know my mouth was the jaws of ruin.
Well, thoughts count.