Chapter 42
I pulled Han Song-hee into my left arm to shield her and quickly checked her condition.
She's terrified, but fortunately, no visible injuries.
Letting out a sigh of relief, I released my hold on her and stood up.
“……Hey, Villain. What the hell do you even get out of pulling this crap?”
“I can grant freedom to the children and make those filthy humans pay back the pain they've inflicted on them!”
“Children? You mean the fish?”
I pointed at the tank shrouded in mist.
The man didn't deny it, just glared at me instead.
This guy's serious?
What, is he the World Tree or something?
Ridiculous.
“You got some mental illness or what?”
“……Shut your mouth!”
BANG!
The Villain stomped hard and bellowed.
“You humans are the ones who made me this way!”
His malice was directed solely at me.
Not what I intended, but perfect.
Keep staring at me.
Ignore everyone else.
I curled the corner of my mouth slightly and quietly swung my left hand behind my back.
“Run.”
“……!”
Han Song-hee nodded.
She carefully backed away from behind me.
Seeing her sneak off, the citizens started fleeing the scene one by one.
“Humans are arrogant! I… I despise humans who discriminate just because we're different!”
The Villain charged at the fleeing people, ignoring me completely.
I kicked him right before he reached them.
“Gurk!”
The Villain was shoved backward.
But he wasn't badly hurt.
He just sprang right back up and glared at me.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly at the sight.
“This is a real problem.”
Killing the Villain would be easy.
Too easy.
“But they said I can't kill him.”
Can't kill him, apparently.
Jeong Chan-woo had drilled that into me on the way here.
I know you're strong, but don't swing violence mercilessly like against that Serggal bastard.
I'd love to call Jeong Chan-woo for backup right now, but he's tied up dealing with another Villain we ran into en route.
So yeah, I'm in a bind.
One punch would end it, but no.
Can't wrap him in Muyeong or body-slam with Musangbi either.
Swing my right arm big for that, and the mist concentration might shatter the cracked glass.
Plus, I don't have the mental focus left for it anyway.
And if I put even a little too much power in, the glass behind the Villain would collapse too.
That'd be like fixing the barn and losing the cow—total idiot move.
First time my right hand's been sealed like this.
Essentially can't use my right hand properly.
Just a normal human otherwise—can I even do this?
The Villain charged at me at high speed.
“I'll make you especially into fish food.”
Crack.
His mouth gaped wide.
Sharp teeth like blades gleamed between strings of drool, lunging for me.
I exhaled calmly and stepped forward just like Elpinire had.
“Like this, huh.”
Thwack!
My instep slammed perfectly into the Villain's jaw.
His charging body floated up.
But.
“Weak!”
Still not a solid hit.
The floating Villain thrust his right hand at me.
It wasn't a normal human hand.
A razor-sharp shark fin.
A gash opened in my gut before I could defend.
The smirking Villain slashed wildly at me with both hands.
“Die, die die die die!”
Shwick shwick shwick!
Blood sprayed everywhere.
The black aquarium floor gradually turned red.
After his final swing, the Villain used my bloodied gut as a springboard and leaped back.
“Hah, hah.”
That should kill him, he thought, peering ahead.
So he couldn't believe it.
Even caught B-rank monsters in a B-rank Gate he sneaked into.
“Wh-what!? Why aren't you dead!?”
I was standing on both feet, unharmed.
The Association hunter who should've been dead stood fine.
The wounds peeking through my torn clothes had already healed.
The Villain stared in confusion.
“Oh, that? Hurt like hell, but… not that bad?”
I tilted my head at the Villain.
If you ask if there's no pain, nah, there is…
But lethal pain? Eh.
“What the…”
I ignored the gaping Villain and looked at my left hand.
This won't end at this rate.
I can't land effective blows.
The moment he realizes that, he'll dodge me and go after the fleeing civilians.
Better than letting people die, but swinging my right hand risks it.
Will the glass hold?
The intact glass opposite would shatter for sure.
I stroked my chin, eyeing the Villain.
Yeah.
I did land the attack successfully.
Not 100%, but I roughly mimicked Elpinire's moves.
But it lacked punch to be effective.
Way weaker than what Elpinire pulled off.
So, why?
Simple answer.
“No mana cloak.”
Elpinire, Elses-to, Elspier.
All the elves fighting to protect the World Tree.
They all fought cloaked in mana.
But not me.
Just bare-handed brawling.
So.
“Let's cloak up.”
Just wrap it, right?
I inhaled deeply and expelled mana from my body.
Synchronization Rate 3.1%
At first, it felt blocked, wouldn't come out.
But focusing all my nerves on expelling mana, it started flowing slowly from my body.
“Wh-what's that power?”
Seeping out.
Black mist leaked from my body.
I finally exhaled the held breath, opened my eyes, and smiled.
The Twisted Lord of the Underworld says you've finally realized.
I couldn't even respond to the Black Dragon this time.
Now that I get it, I feel like an idiot for so long.
“Yeah.”
Smoke isn't a technique of the Black Dragon.
Smoke is one of the Black Dragon's dormant powers.
In other words, like the Register of the Dead, it's a skill I can just use.
So why had I been mutating my right hand to use Smoke all this time?
Because that's how it started.
I made it over my right hand first.
Too easy, too simple a path.
I never realized and just kept doing it that way.
Smoke is the Black Dragon's power.
So my mana isSmoke itself.
That's why Elpinire saw violent mana pouring not from my right hand, but my whole body.
I inhaled deeply and draped the flowing Smoke over my body.
“Oh.”
Flutter.
No special intent needed—the black mist cloaked my body.
As if it was meant to be that way from the start.
Naturally, the black mist enveloped me entirely.
You have successfully covered your entire body in black mist.
Smoke derivative skill Muhwan created.
Wraps the body in black mist to strengthen it.
Derivative skill?
I've seen utility skills, but derivative's new.
Curious, but later.
Now's for.
Muhwan
Dealing with the Villain in front of me.
I kicked off the ground lightly.
Slow.
Compared to Musangbi.
But versus my normal jump.
“Guhk!”
Impossibly fast.
I burrowed into the Villain's guard in an instant and uppercut his jaw with my left palm.
His body floated up.
Pivoting firmly on my left foot, I swung my right leg in an arc.
The Villain raised his arms to block the leg.
Instead, his razor fin sliced my leg.
But now he knows.
Wounds like this are nothing.
So after blocking, he dropped low and gaped his mouth.
“……What the hell.”
Pop pop pop!
Something white shot at me fast.
Squinting, I saw: his sharp teeth.
“Kekekek! Sharks can regrow their teeth!”
Not meant for this, but whatever.
He fired teeth at me rapidly.
Sharp as arrowheads—could pierce if careless.
But those teeth.
“So what?”
A casual foot stomp, and a mist wall rose, blocking them.
As sharp as arrows, but useless if they don't connect.
His attacks blocked so easily, the Villain's face filled with despair.
Confirming the barrage stopped, I tore through the mist with my left hand and lunged.
Then kicked his head hard.
“Gahk!”
Thud thud thud thud!
The Villain bounced across the floor like a skipping stone.
I kicked off after him and clenched my right fist tight.
“Kkung!”
“Don't worry.”
Cheori cried out from my pocket, but it's fine.
“Already released the Black Dragon.”
My right hand was back to normal already.
Grinning, I slammed the ground lightly.
Smoke - Musangbi
Output's way weaker without Black Dragon, but that's good.
Not too fast, not too slow—perfect speed.
I caught the bouncing Villain instantly.
As he slowed, I overtook him, slammed both feet down to brake, twisted my waist, and punched.
Muhwan - Podongkwon
Like a ripple from a water drop on a calm surface.
A fist-ripple on the mist-sea.
The calm mist rippled outward at contact.
“Guhk……!”
That shockwave invaded purely as impact.
Seeping into the target's body.
The Villain spewed blood mid-flight.
Confirming his trajectory toward the mist-blocked glass, I spread my right hand.
“Said you wanted them to feel like fish, huh.”
Nice.
“You first, then.”
Shh.
The mist dispersed.
Cracks spiderwebbed further across the glass instantly.
Then the flying Villain smashed into it.
Crash! Shattering glass.
He plunged into the aquarium water.
I resealed the leaking glass with mist and turned.
“Whoa……”
Click.
Shutter sound echoed.
I sighed long at Han Song-hee blankly holding her phone.
Behind her, the fleeing citizens stared at me dumbfounded.
“Told you to run.”
“I, I did run!”
“This?”
“School taught us: if Villains attack as a group, don't stray far from the hunter!”
Hmm……
Yeah, Jeong Chan-woo mentioned that.
Rescuing civilians, hunter always sticks with them—standard protocol.
Makes it seem like she did the right thing.
I chuckled, then winced at my throbbing forehead.
Feels like it's gonna split.
Maintaining the wall was tough enough, then more Smoke.
Honestly, the view's shaky now.
Can't move a step.
Sighing deeply, I leaned against the mist-filled wall, sat on the floor, and touched my ear.
“This is Han Mir. Villain subdued. Request civilian evac support.”
Can't leave anyway—gotta hold the wall.
Job done, time to rest.
I forced my eyes shut to give my aching head a break.
“Hoo……”
Much better.