Chapter 80

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 80

Chapter Title: Small Fry

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"What a bunch of losers."

"What?"

I strode toward the women. The men stared at me with blank expressions before bursting into laughter.

"Hey, you little shit, what did you just say?"

"Thinks he can act tough in front of his girlfriend? But you gotta read the room first."

"Does that idiot really think he can handle this alone? Or is he just recklessly going all in, whatever happens?"

I positioned myself in front of Im A-rin like a shield and flashed a bright smile.

"Well, one thing's for sure—I'm not the type to bluff."

"Kukukuku. Crazy bastard. So you're saying you can take all of us by yourself?"

"He's rushing to his death just to protect some bitches!"

The thugs snickered, exchanging jokes like the situation was hilarious. But Im Man-gil, surprisingly, stayed silent, just watching me intently.

His calm eyes were carefully observing me.

'He must want to figure out if I'm bluffing or serious.'

What could I do? After scraping by at the bottom for ten years like dog food, everyone treated me like trash.

Sure enough, Im Man-gil suddenly broke into a friendly smile.

"Ha, love! That's great! I had a passionate romance once myself, so I get it. That feeling of giving everything and still being happy...! Fine. As a memento for reminding me of my old flame, I'll give you a chance."

"?"

"Fight me one-on-one. Win, and I'll let all three of you go."

The moment he said it, his followers let out sleazy chuckles. From behind, Im A-rin whispered,

"Don't accept. That guy's got some weird skill. Once it hits you, you can't move. That's how they all got caught. I'll create an opening, so at least you escape, Min-jun...!"

"Your girlfriend talks too much. But that's your only way out, right? Or do you plan to take us all on alone? Kukukuku."

I gave a sly smile.

"Yeah, after hearing that, it seems like I've got no choice."

"Good, you get it."

Im A-rin tried to stop me.

"Min-jun, no...! If we're fighting, let's all fight together! I'll help! Or I can summon my sister Min-hee from the sister unit first with this letter envelope—she's got real combat experience...!"

I raised my hand to silence her, and she immediately shut her mouth. I took one step toward Im Man-gil. He stepped forward too.

"So, you'll take my offer?"

I shook my head.

"I thought about it, but do I really need to bother?"

"Huh?"

"Why waste time on one-on-one with small fry? Just come at me all at once."

All at once...? The enemies stared at me in disbelief. I let out a scoff. Ignoring them, I beckoned with my hand for them to come on.

"What are you waiting for? Scared? Balls shrinking now that it's time to fight? Oh, wanna act tough in front of the girls?"

"What?"

"Should I come to you? But then you won't even get a chance to fight back before you drop dead. If that's okay, come on."

The enemies' faces twisted in rage. One lunged forward, yelling,

"You cocky little fuck, where do you get off bluffing?! Come here! Even if a truckload of you...!"

The words cut off as his head flew from his body, rolling across the ground. Thud—his body collapsed a beat later.

"......"

A heavy silence fell.

Then voices filled with shock echoed.

"Wh-what speed was that?"

"Fuck, what the hell? How's it that fast?!"

It had to be fast. My agility was insane.

Eight or nine times higher than theirs. What could they do? Having witnessed my speed, the enemies paled and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠started backing away.

Then a stern command rained down on them.

"Calm down!"

It was Im Man-gil. As he stepped forward, the small fry relaxed their faces.

The reason was simple.

"He can't move now!"

I tested by moving my body slightly. Sure enough, an invisible force had me completely immobilized.

This must be how he bound and killed Kim Jong-ho and the others.

"You shitty bastard, calling us small fry?"

"You bitch, say that again."

Two men approached me, unable to even twitch a finger under the binding. Gripping their blades, they grinned wickedly, eager to carve me up.

"Min-jun! Ugh, damn it."

Im A-rin, rushing to help, froze and cursed. She was bound too. As expected of a Mythic-grade ability—it was a real ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pain.

The men were right in my face now.

"Where should we stab first? Just say it. Eh? We'll respect your choice for the opener."

"Well, more importantly, do you know this?"

"Huh?"

"There are lots of ways to break bindings."

The mildest is waiting out the opponent's mana depletion. Not practical in a pinch like this, of course.

So I'd use one of the others.

"What bullshit is this?!"

"Stalling?! Fine, we'll start with your gut!"

Uneasy at my words about breaking it, they charged with weapons raised.

Smart move. At least they got to resist before dying.

"Huh?"

A flash of sword light—and the two crumpled forward, heads rolling free.

"Wh-what the hell?"

"A sword's floating in the air...?"

The crowd stared in shock at the scene before me.

The Giant Slayer hovering ethereally in midair.

'No need to swing the sword myself against these small fry.'

I gripped the blade with telekinesis and swung it. Whoosh! Like a flying sword from a wuxia novel, it sliced through the air under my will, carving up the enemies.

"H-how is this possible?!"

"Aaaagh!"

"M-my leg!"

"Damn it! Do something about that sword!"

Some tried fighting or blocking my sword, but the skill gap was too vast from the start.

The wielder was me, after all. Ten years of training, experience, and technique infused into every swing.

No rookies with less than a month under their belts could block it.

"Kaaaaagh!"

Most didn't survive three exchanges.

"You block it! I'll take him out right after!"

"O-okay! But how do we attack?"

"Huh? Th-that's..."

Above all, I was controlling the sword remotely with telekinesis.

Even if they ganged up to suppress it, they had no clue how. What kind of deathmatch do you fight against an immortal blade?

"U-uwaaaagh!"

"Spare me!"

In the end, they were helpless against a sword they couldn't subdue.

"Listen up!"

Im Man-gil, quick on the uptake, shouted,

"Beat the crap out of him! It's definitely his ability! Attack the main body!"

"R-right!"

"Target him!"

Finally realizing I controlled the sword, they rushed me en masse—but they only knew half the story.

Crack crack crack.

"Huh...?"

Something snapped, and my immobilized body suddenly moved. The charging enemies skidded to a halt.

"Wh-what?"

"How...?"

Even Im Man-gil looked shocked, eyes wide as he stared. I cracked my neck side to side and replied,

"How? Broke it with raw strength."

"What...?"

Bindings come in two types—physical ones like this can be shattered with power.

Of course, it requires a hefty stat investment.

With my strength already at 120, it was a breeze. Plus, I had full magic resistance gear equipped. Maybe that's why?

'Huh, it broke with just a little effort.'

It unraveled so easily, making my earlier compliance seem pointless. Seeing my relaxed expression, Im Man-gil bellowed,

"K-kill him! Attack! He's unarmed right now!"

He wasn't wrong.

Confirming my empty hands, the enemies charged fiercely.

'But I don't need weapons anyway.'

I dodged the incoming blades with a quick backstep, then surged forward, swinging my arm.

"D-dange—Guhk."

"Kweeeek."

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

Each swing sent an enemy's head spinning two or three times.

Bodies twisted unnaturally before snapping off; gut shots launched foes dozens of meters into walls, where they vomited blood and died instantly.

The effect of overwhelming stat differences.

"Haa... Haaah..."

The harpy shuddered at the sight, finally grasping what she'd messed with.

In under ten seconds, all enemies were dead—except one.

"H-how? How did you take us all alone?"

Im Man-gil shook his head in denial, unable to believe it.

"Who knows."

I approached him. He backed away, tripped on his ass, and crawled like a bug.

"Curious? But you already know the answer."

"I-I know the answer?"

"No need to play dumb. You've chanted it to yourself while killing countless people in this hellhole. But if you insist you don't get it, I'll spell it out nicely."

I squatted to eye level and smiled brightly.

"Simple reason. You were weak. I was strong. That's it."

"!!"

Yeah, that's the reason.

They were underprepared; I was over.

They lacked experience; I had plenty.

"Eek!"

Suddenly, Im Man-gil kicked at my groin while I squatted—but sorry, cheap tricks like that don't work on me.

Ten years of street smarts had mastered them long ago.

Crack.

Shallow ploys were no different.

"Th-this can't be. Me, with a Mythic ability, beaten like this...?"

I grabbed the leg of the crawling bastard. He struggled to shake me off but failed. Squeezing harder, I said,

"Think killing a few in the selection process makes you something? Feel like a big shot? Dream on. You're bottom-tier trash. Dime a dozen here."

"!!"

"To survive this hellhole, you need to be at least my level."

Im Man-gil stared straight into my eyes, then panicked and crawled backward, shaking his head wildly in terror, mumbling,

"Y-you... those eyes... that power... What the hell are you?"

"......"

"How much blood did you have to spill for that?!"

"What do you think? How much blood do you figure I've got on my hands?"

His eyes trembled at my question, and he whispered,

"M-monster."

Monster, huh...

The comrades who made it to the final trial in my first run would laugh if they heard.

I smiled and stomped his limbs, snapping them. I could kill him outright, but held back for a reason.

I didn't enjoy killing, and someone else wanted the honors anyway.

"If you want revenge for your boyfriend, go ahead."

Stepping aside, Kim Jong-ho's girlfriend approached with a blade, glaring down at him. Her arms soon moved frantically.

Stab! Stab! Stab!

"Aaaagh! St-stop! Please, just spare my life...! Mercy...!"

As if begging would save him.

The lines people spout when dying are so clichéd.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gestured reassuringly to Im A-rin, who had leaped toward me but hesitated at my bloodied left hand.

'Oh yeah, time to decide what to do with this one.'

Glancing down, the harpy—who'd pissed herself again—shivered, looking up at me.