Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Like Attracts Like (2)
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Arrrrf-.
"Did I receive special treatment? You really think that?"
A voice laced with laughter echoed across the deck from within the hallucination of the mad dog.
Yuri wore a sneer.
"Do you even know where you're headed right now?"
No one answered his question.
Yuri hadn't expected any response anyway, so he continued speaking alone.
"This is the Cradle. A place overflowing with more wealth than any bank in the world, boasting power stronger than any faction. Bribes don't work here in the slightest—it's a group that judges solely by ability. That's the Dragon's Cradle."
"……."
"And yet, you're saying the Dragon's Cradle granted special treatment to some random recruit? Does that make sense to you? Anyone who actually believes that should go get their head checked. You morons."
A chill settled over the group at Yuri's crude words.
Some bristled, hands drifting toward their weapons.
But Yuri had no intention of stopping.
"Ah, fine, whatever. Let's say, a hundred concessions, that it could happen. Sure, the Cradle is run by people, so anything's possible. But... "
His mouth kept moving without pause.
Now that he'd started,
Yuri intended to make it crystal clear.
Just what kind of guy he was.
Yuri unleashed his killing intent.
"But here's the thing. If some random recruit did get special treatment... shouldn't you take it up with the Cradle that gave it to him? Why are you bitching at an innocent guy?"
"……."
"And if you're jealous of his special treatment, or it pisses you off, then go bribe someone yourselves, leverage your connections... or if that won't work, go suck the Black Sword Troop's asses! Do whatever it takes to get your own special treatment!"
Yuri's sweeping gaze filled with utter disdain for those around him.
"Ugh, you idiots. If it were me, I wouldn't bitch at the guy who got it—I'd ask him for the secret on how. Tsk."
A heavy silence followed his low, derisive mutter.
"……."
Of course, not everyone there thought like the freckled boy.
But for some reason, no one immediately jumped in to counter Yuri's sneering words.
Deep down, they agreed to some extent.
Yuri's words weren't entirely right, but they weren't completely wrong either.
Anyone could see the freckled boy had started the provocation first.
And Yuri's response, over-the-top as it might have been, could suit someone worthy of the Cradle's recruits.
That's what they thought.
But not everyone felt that way.
"Even if that's true, your actions just now were excessive."
A deep voice rumbled, and all eyes turned to the back.
Where everyone's gaze converged stood none other than Gunter Irons.
Standing ramrod straight, Gunter fixed Yuri with a steady stare.
Yuri's head tilted slightly under that gaze.
"Excessive? How?"
"I agree with your thinking. This is the Cradle, and it wouldn't grant special treatment to some random recruit. The Cradle isn't that sloppy."
"So?"
"But just now, you used more force than necessary. You could have just told the boy with words, like you're doing now."
Yuri's eyes filled with even deeper pity at the measured words.
So, naturally, nothing nice came out of his mouth.
"Well, well? And what are you, some wise idiot?"
"...That's harsh."
"Or do you have some teacher complex? What good is telling him with words?"
Yuri let out a deep sigh as Gunter's eyes sharpened.
"Haa... Look, just because we're in the same 50th Cohort doesn't make us real friends. What, wanna hold hands and do a se-se-se cheer together?"
"……."
"Get it together—I'm telling you again, this is the Cradle. And those 'fellow recruits' are your competitors."
Yuri's index finger pointed at the passersby scattered around Gunter.
"And thanks to me tossing out that one guy, we've got one less competitor now? Man, I figured you'd at least thank me and bow or something."
Yuri shrugged.
Gunter's face hardened as he replied.
"Yes, we're competitors. I don't deny that. I have no intention of denying it. However...!"
Strength entered Gunter's voice.
"What we should have is fair competition. Even if conflicts arise in the process, we shouldn't treat each other as enemies or exclude one another."
"Why not?"
"Because someday... we might need to join forces as comrades."
"……."
Yuri's expression twisted oddly at the answer.
'Comrades?'
Join forces?
Those were foreign words to Yuri, who had always survived and fought alone.
That's why he couldn't respond easily to Gunter's words.
Though Yuri's eyes were hidden behind his wild bangs, the two locked gazes.
A heavy tension flowed between them.
Then—
Clap clap clap-.
Applause rang out.
Clap clap-.
The one-eyed man strode in, clapping.
He had been watching the commotion on deck from the start.
Now appearing leisurely, he alternated glances between Yuri and Gunter.
"I heard your heated debate."
Everyone wondered whose side he'd take—Yuri's or Gunter's, with their opposing values.
But what came from his mouth was something else entirely.
"The Cradle this, comrades that. Quite the entertaining talk. Yeah, fine. Good stuff."
The one-eyed man swept his gaze over the group.
"Save that crap for after you become official recruits. It's ridiculous watching a bunch of wannabes yap like this—I couldn't stay out of it."
At his words, a girl startled and piped up.
"Pardon? Aren't we already official recruits? Didn't they say if we survive the Forest of Beginnings until January 1st, we become official?!"
Some nodded in agreement.
The one-eyed man scoffed.
"Me? When?"
"Pardon?"
"I said if you survive a month, you shed the 'provisional' label and become 50th Cohort members who set foot on Cradle soil."
"Th-that's the same thin—"
"Who the hell are you to interpret my words?"
With that, a menacing aura rose from the one-eyed man.
His cold eyes scanned the surroundings.
"Who are you punks to twist my meaning?"
Those about to retort snapped their mouths shut.
His sneer deepened.
"You become official recruits after the inauguration ceremony. Until then... yeah, let's call you half-baked."
"Th-that can't be..."
Ignoring the stunned crowd, the one-eyed man turned to his subordinate.
"What happened to the guy who fell off the ship earlier?"
"He's fine."
"Were there 301 from this Forest of Beginnings 50th Cohort?"
"Yes."
"Perfect. One too many was bugging me anyway. Now it's exactly 300. Fish that guy out and send him home. Reason? Insolence. How dare he question the Black Sword Troop's handling of affairs? Pathetic little shit."
Those who watched the instigator of the special treatment controversy get banished so anticlimactically.
Among them, those who had sympathized felt a chill run down their spines.
Meanwhile, the one-eyed man's gaze landed on Yuri.
"You."
He sighed inwardly.
'This guy again.'
Whenever some provisional recruit caused a ruckus, he was always at the center.
'Already like this... how much more trouble will he stir up?'
He had two years left until his position changed.
The one-eyed man wished those two years would pass quickly.
He glared at Yuri and said,
"Once you're official recruits, I won't interfere no matter what bullshit you pull. But until then, you're all cargo under my watch. Even that brain-dead moron you dunked in the water."
The one-eyed man jabbed a finger at Yuri.
"You damaged my cargo without permission, so you'll pay for it."
At his casual nod, a subordinate scooped up Yuri's junk.
The point pouch and scattered odds and ends the one-eyed man had handed over just moments ago.
Having reclaimed them, the one-eyed man flashed a grin.
"Consider this payment. Alright, dismissed! Don't waste energy on bullshit—get some sleep!"
With a satisfied smile, he vanished.
Yuri was certain.
'He took it on purpose.'
From the talk of insolence and all that, the guy clearly hadn't liked the freckled boy either.
Especially since Yuri's actions were basically punishment on behalf of the Black Sword Troop for spouting nonsense.
So an incident like that should have been brushed off lightly.
In fact, Yuri had half-expected as much, even acting brash.
But...
'And now he tacks on extra bullshit and takes it back?'
Yuri muttered in disbelief at the one-eyed man's retreating back, which seemed oddly gleeful.
"Wow... guy's got some serious lingering grudge."
It had been mere minutes since he'd been thrilled about free points.
Now Yuri, wide awake, had his stuff stolen right in front of him, left penniless.
"...He won't give it back, huh?"
Sniff-.
Shoulders slumped, he slunk to a corner of the deck and curled up.
Sniff sniff-.
Yuri sniffled endlessly, whether from sorrow, tears, or snot.
A short distance away,
Two pairs of eyes gleamed brightly as they followed the pitifully shrunken Yuri.
* * *
After the commotion, the voyage proceeded in deathly silence.
Especially since Yuri's declaration of "I'm gonna be a huge shit!" had worked perfectly—his surroundings were deserted, barren as a wasteland.
Thanks to that, Yuri enjoyed the peaceful time he wanted.
For a while, at least.
The peace didn't last.
Yuri realized,
"Haa, gonna lose my mind..."
That in this world, there were utterly deranged people who wouldn't avoid shit but stepped in it on purpose to feel satisfied.
"Haaaah..."
Around noon, under the blazing sun.
In a wide patch of shade, Yuri sighed as if the ground would cave in.
'...How did it come to this?'
With that question, he tilted his head back.
Revealing the source of his massive shadow.
Bronze skin and a gleaming bald head.
A truly enormous build, easily over 2.3 meters.
Arms so thick his sleeveless black top—frayed into rags—looked like it had vanished, with forearms like boulders.
And the most striking feature: a red tattoo in a T-shape starting from his forehead, crossing the bridge of his nose, down to the tip.
This barbarian warrior look-alike had appeared shortly after Yuri's rampage.
Yuri, now self-proclaimed public enemy number one madman.
He'd successfully become the person everyone avoided, as desired.
Sure, the number who hated him had skyrocketed, but he didn't care a bit.
If anything, Yuri hoped this situation, this peace, would last longer.
That's when this guy approached.
Saying...
[I'm hungry.]