Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Rampage (1)
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Yuri retraced the path he had taken just a few hours earlier.
‘To find Tessa, the fastest way is to head back to that fork in the road first.’
He didn’t know the exact route into the Demon King’s Castle, but the starting point had to be where the entire 49th Cohort had gathered.
If he followed the [49th Cohort Entry Route] where he had parted ways with Tessa, he’d reach the quest’s starting point, and from there, he could continue the search and find Theresia.
That was his thinking as he moved, but Yuri soon had to revise his plan.
“Huh?”
Three people appeared right in front of him.
Yuri blinked at the sight of them, their yellow epaulets standing out especially bright.
‘The 49th Cohort?’
They were the ones who had set off believing Jerry’s trick—that the path they were taking was the [Path of Shame].
Of course, oblivious to that fact, Yuri focused on one thing alone.
‘If these guys showed up here… that means Tessa could show up here too, right?’
Brightening up, Yuri dashed toward the 49th Cohort members.
The three from the 49th Cohort panicked at the sight of him running toward them with a big grin.
‘Red epaulet? 50th Cohort?’
‘What the hell are you?’
‘Why’s a 50th Cohort guy coming out from there?’
To them, who believed this was the path leading to the [Path of Shame], Yuri’s appearance was completely unexpected.
And what followed exceeded their expectations even more.
Shh-.
Yuri, mid-run, vanished like a mirage.
He reappeared moments later on the left flank of the 49th Cohort.
Still standing there dumbfounded, unable to process the situation, they faced Yuri, who flashed a bright smile and swung his sword.
Thwack- crunch!
The sheathed sword slammed into the back of the head of the leftmost one.
Struck by the sudden blow, he toppled forward and didn’t get back up.
He had passed out in one hit.
The remaining two hurriedly drew their weapons.
‘F-Fast!’
‘What the hell is this guy?!’
A 50th Cohort member appearing out of nowhere.
A rude ambush.
And then, an utterly absurd shout piled on top.
“I’m in a hurry, so if you answer my questions nicely, I’ll let you go peacefully!”
The two survivors’ faces hardened at Yuri’s shout.
‘After knocking someone out, you’re talking about “peacefully”?!’
‘Ask your questions first!’
Rendered speechless, the two desperately fought back.
But they couldn’t stop Yuri, who had already surpassed even Theresia, the fastest in the 49th Cohort.
Crack-.
Thwack- thwack- thwack.
“…Guh?!”
Another one went silent after Yuri’s lightning-fast strikes smashed into his head.
The last one, after taking three hits, clutched his solar plexus and rolled on the ground.
Fortunately, he hadn’t passed out.
Not because he was tough, though.
Yuri had deliberately held back to keep him conscious.
It had taken just over ten seconds to put all three on the ground.
Cough-cough-.
The surviving 49th Cohort member squinted up at his opponent.
Only then did he realize who it was.
‘Yuri… Holland!’
At first, in the chaos and with his short hair, he hadn’t recognized him.
But even if he was a low-rank performer, the only 50th Cohort who could take down three 49th Cohort members in seconds was Yuri Holland.
And besides.
‘This familiar pain!’
How could he forget this pain stabbing straight into his solar plexus!
He bit his lip hard.
‘Yuri Holland, record holder for the Hundred-Step Consciousness.’
And….
‘The bastard who swept up all my rabbit pelts without a shred of conscience!’
That’s right.
He had participated in the pelt-gathering quest as a rabbit and had all his pelts taken by Yuri.
On top of that, he had a history of getting thoroughly beaten for lunging at Yuri.
Thanks to that, he had a rough idea of what kind of guy Yuri Holland was, so he instinctively shrank back.
“Wh-Why…?”
He looked up at Yuri with an expression of utmost grievance, as if asking why he had suddenly attacked them.
Yuri shrugged.
“If I’d asked nicely first, you would’ve snapped, ‘How dare a puny 50th Cohort get cheeky!’ right?”
“…….”
“So I skipped that pointless, inefficient chit-chat and went straight to the rough stuff. It was gonna come to blows anyway—why waste time flapping our gums?”
“…….”
…This asshole, why’d you decide to skip it on your own?
…What about our say?
‘Not only did I get hit three times while the others went down in one, but….’
Yuri’s nonchalant words only deepened his sense of injustice.
Ignoring that, Yuri pressed urgently.
“Come on, no time to waste. Answer quick so it’s good for you. Is the whole 49th Cohort coming up this path? Did you happen to see Tessa?”
“……?”
“Hmm, that’s weird. Someone like Tessa should be up front. How’d weaklings like you get here first?”
“Ah…….”
“Or are there multiple paths and she took a different one? Is this the easiest route?”
“Uh, well…….”
“Do you know where Tessa went? No?”
“N-No, it’s…….”
“Argh, I said no time! Scary uncle’s gonna come rampaging soon! Spill it!”
A hint of anxiety flickered in Yuri’s eyes as he rapid-fired his questions.
‘Not much time left.’
He had thrown that mana-infused stone as hard as he could, but there was no way that guy would go down from just that.
It had only bought him a little time at best.
Growing desperate, Yuri rolled up his sleeves.
“Sigh, I tried to settle this nicely with words, but you won’t talk to the end?”
“…….”
“Fine! Let’s see how long my senior can hold out….”
Crack-crack-.
The survivor paled at the sight of Yuri approaching while rolling his shoulders, and desperately reached out.
“W-Wait!”
Whether his plea reached him or not, Yuri stopped short.
He looked up at Yuri with moist eyes.
“S-So!”
“……?”
“…Who’s Tessa? Tell me… that, and I’ll answer…….”
At the gaze full of imminent explosion and injustice, Yuri quietly relaxed his tensed fist.
* * *
“Alright, let’s get moving too.”
Jerry said that as he dusted off his butt and stood.
Those around him voiced their doubts.
“Already? Seems like more people are still coming up. No need to wait?”
“Just one or two can handle this spot. We need to head up and rein in those idiots causing chaos.”
“Rein in?”
“They might try to turn back if they realize the path they took leads to the Demon King’s Castle. So we gotta shove them all the way to the end. With force.”
“Ah.”
“Makes sense.”
Many nodded at Jerry’s explanation.
As he suggested, they left one person to brief any latecomers and turned back, entering the ‘real Demon King’s Castle Entry Route.’
The group numbered over thirty.
Jerry looked a bit surprised.
‘This many… didn’t expect them to stick to their word.’
At first, since only a few had entered the ‘fake Demon King’s Castle Entry Route,’ Jerry had thought, ‘Well, of course.’
He had doubted how many in the Cradle would keep their promises.
But surprisingly?
As time passed, more and more started taking the fake path to the Demon King’s Castle.
And most of them were top performers from the end-of-month evaluations.
The lower ranks, seeking the easy path, had chosen the [Path of Shame].
That’s when Jerry realized.
‘It wasn’t about loyalty or keeping promises.’
Those who didn’t shy from dangerous challenges and aimed high.
And those who chose the safe path for their own comfort.
This fork had clearly separated the two.
‘That’s what divides the top from the bottom…….’
An interim result showing that only challengers could rise.
If it hadn’t been blackmail, Jerry—who had tried to betray—felt a pang in his chest.
‘I really am… a nobody.’
And somehow, such a guy was now leading this group.
That made it feel even heavier.
“Haa…….”
Jerry let out a small sigh, and the thirty followed him.
How long had they walked?
What stopped the thirty-strong crusade toward the real Demon King’s Castle was the groaning from ahead.
“Ugh… ughh…….”
“Grrk…….”
Two people hung from trees like wet rags, unclear what had happened.
Two more lay stacked side by side, legs twitching like crushed bugs.
And the last one….
“Argh, seriously no time and you stop someone just passing by to pick a fight? Wanna die?!”
Slap-.
…He was grabbed by the collar, getting his cheeks slapped repeatedly.
After slapping a few more times, the attacker let go.
“Phew, count yourself lucky. No time, so I’ll stop here… wait, no! Two more!”
Slap-slap-.
After exactly two more slaps, he released the collar.
The guy, who had passed out long ago, flopped to the ground.
Jerry’s face drained of color at the horrific scene before him.
No, precisely, at the one who had created it.
His lips trembled as a small voice escaped.
“Y-Yuri… Holland?”
The outlaw turned at the small but clear voice.
At the same time, Yuri waved happily.
“Huh? Jerry senior!”
After a light greeting, he tightened his loosened top, which had come loose from all the movement.
To keep the Power Crystal from falling out.
And then….
“I’m busy today… so let’s talk later about unfinished business.”
He quickly brushed past Jerry.
A question mark popped up over Jerry’s head.
‘…He just left? That guy?’
Jerry had never met Yuri without some hassle.
Yuri always started it.
But today, he said he was busy, didn’t torment him, and just left?
Did that make any sense?
Frowning at the unexpected situation, Jerry noticed murmurs spreading among the stunned 49th Cohort members.
“That guy earlier was definitely 50th Cohort, right?”
“Jerry said it—Yuri Holland.”
“That Yuri Holland? But why’s he here?”
“No, more importantly, why were those guys getting beat by Yuri Holland?”
Everyone speculated on Yuri Holland’s appearance and what it meant.
As the chatter flew in all directions.
“I… saw it.”
One of the 49th Cohort muttered gravely.
All eyes turned to him.
“Saw what?”
“When he was tying his top earlier, I caught a glimpse.”
“So what’d you see?”
“The Power Crystal.”
Many let out disbelieving laughs.
“What?”
“What nonsense is that?”
“Yeah, right. Why would the Power Crystal be with that guy?”
Murmurs and shock spread quickly, but most dismissed it as nonsense.
Except one.
Jerry rushed to the speaker and grabbed his shoulders.
“Y-You sure? That was definitely the Power Crystal? You didn’t see wrong?!”
“Yeah, sure! It was pretty big, but definitely the Power Crystal!”
He insisted he had eaten one himself and seen many at the auction house.
No way he was wrong.
Sparks flew in Jerry’s mind at his comrade’s confident words.
‘Th-That’s it!’
All the puzzle pieces clicked together.
Yuri being so busy he passed by without bothering him, unlike usual.
The new path he appeared from being the [Demon King’s Castle Entry Route].
And him brutally beating comrades heading to the Demon King’s Castle.
‘And crucially… the Power Crystal the Demon King should have is with that guy?!’
Jerry swallowed dryly.
His fists clenched.
‘Yulia, your guess was wrong! The Demon King wasn’t picked for skill—it was personality!’
This Demon King must have been chosen for his rotten character, not ability.
To think the Cradle prepared such a twist.
Shivering with goosebumps, Jerry shouted in a trembling voice.
“Grab him!”
“Grab who? What?”
“That bastard from earlier!”
“…That bastard? Yuri Holland?”
“Yeah! That one!”
“……?”
Jerry bellowed his conclusion to his head-tilting comrades.
“That bastard, Yuri Holland… is the Demon King!”
“……?!”
Shock spread like wildfire at Jerry’s shout.
The thirty all whipped their heads toward where Yuri had vanished.
In their minds, the situation reassembled to fit Jerry’s revelation.
The real path to the Demon King’s Castle.
Their battered comrades.
The Power Crystal too.
Never dreaming Yuri was the princess who escaped the Demon King’s Castle, flames of fury blazed in their eyes.
They turned back the way they came.
“Grab him!”
“We just need to catch that bastard!”
“Let’s go!”
Everyone, fired up, charged en masse toward where Yuri had gone.
And leading the pack was Jerry.
“You’re dead meat, you bastard! Fuhuhu.”
Jerry felt his comrades, chasing the Demon King alongside him, especially reliable today.
For some reason, his face looked thrilled.