Now This Survivor Group Belongs to Me
I spoke toward the inside of the stationmaster's office. “The entrance was blocked by the Poison Humans. They couldn't have gotten out. They're probably hiding using some stealth-type skill... Come out quietly while I'm still asking nicely. You can't escape.”
I'm standing right next to you, though. I have no intention of running. Well, this actually worked out perfectly. Thanks for sending out all the people with clear minds. What a blessing.
I stepped out through the Gate of Rest. The moment I appeared, the Poison Humans who had been standing there blankly rushed toward me. But—
“Stop.”
At the leader's voice, they all froze at once. This felt strangely similar to my own Thralls. Absolute obedience to their master's words. What kind of skill was it, exactly?
As I pondered this, the leader spoke to me. “The woman who was with you, come out as well.”
“Why? You still can't give up on fucking her? That's a bit troublesome. Jisoo is my woman.”
The leader ground his teeth at my words before replying. “Who said anything about fucking... No, there's no need to hide it at this point. Yes, you're right. Until just a moment ago, that was exactly what I was planning. But not anymore. I'm calling her for a different reason, so could she please come out?”
I stared at the leader silently for a moment before calling out to Jisoo. She emerged from the Cradle of Rest. Seeing her suddenly appear, the leader said, “...So it really was a stealth-type skill. Anyway, a wise choice. You couldn't have stayed hidden forever.”
No, we could have stayed hidden for an incredibly long time if we wanted. But there was no need to tell him that.
“There. I came out just like you wanted, mister. Now what?”
The leader sent all the Poison Humans inside the stationmaster's office outside. They even carried out the sleeping A-young. Now only three of us remained in the office: me, Jisoo, and the leader.
He pulled a metal case from his pocket and said, “Earlier, I was suppressed far too easily. It was humiliating. To think I was overpowered in my naked state by a young girl who still smells of milk...”
Yeah, that must have been humiliating. It really was pathetic to watch.
“I was originally planning to just capture you and turn you into a Poison Human, but I think I should clear up some misunderstandings first. What happened earlier wasn't because I lacked strength—”
“Ah, whatever. What's your class, mister?”
If I just knew his class, I wouldn't have to listen to this useless chatter. At a glance, it clearly seemed related to 'poison,' but that didn't guarantee he wasn't a Hero. If I killed him without thinking and he turned out to be a Hero... the game would be over just like that. What a pain in the ass.
Perhaps annoyed that I'd cut him off, the leader glared at me intently. “Young friend, you lack manners. You need to be educated.”
“What manners does an old man who puts women to sleep with sleeping poison so he can fuck them have? Stop talking shit and tell me your class already.”
“...You fucking bastard...”
The leader ground his teeth and muttered before pulling a goblin poison needle from the metal case. “I tried to treat you nicely, but you keep crawling up my ass. Before I turn you into a Poison Human, I'll have to give you a thorough education.”
He stabbed the poison needle deep into his own forearm again. That thing again? Was he going to spew sleeping poison again? I prepared to jump back into the Cradle of Rest the moment he released the toxin.
But instead of exhaling sleeping poison, the leader took slow, deep breaths and repeatedly clenched and unclenched both fists. His body shuddered once, then he looked at me and Jisoo and spoke in a low voice.
“You want to know my class? I'll tell you. If you survive my hands, that is.”
The leader recited a line straight out of some edgy middle-school fantasy and charged at us. His speed was visibly incredible at first glance. However—
THUD!
He flew straight back from my kick at the exact speed he'd charged in. I might not look like much, but my average stats were over 40. The leader slammed into the wall with a loud crash.
“Kuhk!”
He let out a scream and collapsed in a heap. What? It was that easy?
I looked at him with pitying eyes and said, “Mister, this is so embarrassing for you. You came in with such a cool line and got one-shot.”
Watching the leader struggle to get up, I spoke again. “Are we done now? Hurry up and tell me your class. It's starting to get annoying.”
“Ha, fuck... this is humiliating...”
The leader looked at me in disbelief. Then he pulled out the metal case again. “I underestimated you too much. I was too stingy with the poison needles. Alright, I'll show you properly this time.”
He took out every single poison needle from the case. Five in total. He stabbed all five into his arm at once.
Now I could roughly guess the secret to the leader's strength. Those needles must trigger some effect that lets him use sleeping poison techniques or temporarily boost his stats. That would explain how he could go on rampages against monsters. In short—doping.
When the scrawny old man had stabbed in just one needle before, he'd shown incredibly fast movement. Now he had five needles in his arm. Did that mean he was five times stronger than before?
“Krrrrrrgh!!”
Bulging veins like thick cords erupted all over the arm where the needles were embedded. The leader looked at me and Jisoo and spoke in a low growl.
“This is the first time I've injected this many needles at once. I might not be able to control my strength properly. If you don't want to die, you'd better dodge well.”
Ugh, gross. The veins that started in his arm seemed to spread across his entire body. Was that even safe?
As I frowned at the sight, the leader charged at us again with terrifying speed. Scary. I really don't like fighting directly. So—baton pass.
I took one step back and entered the Cradle of Rest. The moment I vanished from his sight, the leader looked around in confusion.
“Stealth again? Fine, hide and watch what happens to your woman!”
The leader switched his target to Jisoo and began attacking. One punch from him sent her flying backward hard.
“Kyaaaak!”
Jisoo definitely lacked combat experience. After regaining her mind, she hadn't fought properly even once. But Jisoo-mon had friends.
“Jiyoon, go out and help her.”
“Yes, oppa.”
Jiyoon grabbed her club and dagger and stepped out of the Cradle of Rest. The leader, who had been approaching the fallen Jisoo, looked at the suddenly appearing Jiyoon with wide eyes.
“You... who are you...?”
Jiyoon ignored his reaction and called out to Jisoo. “Jisoo! Get up! We have to fight. Remember what I told you yesterday?”
At Jiyoon's words, Jisoo staggered to her feet. While I was sleeping, the three of them must have stayed up all night chatting and exchanged some useful advice.
Jiyoon tossed her club to the risen Jisoo, then charged at the leader with her dagger. The leader dodged Jiyoon's dagger and tried to counter, but Jisoo's club came flying in, forcing him to retreat. Soon he was completely overwhelmed by their coordinated assault, unable to attack and only able to dodge desperately.
“Kugh...!”
Hmm. Maybe because they used to be friends? Their coordination felt surprisingly good. From what I could see, the leader's current stats seemed slightly higher than Jisoo and Jiyoon's. Since their average stats were in the 40s, the leader was probably around the 50s? Stats like that were incredible. Enough to crush most opponents. As long as those opponents weren't Jisoo and Jiyoon.
He was strong, but not strong enough to beat our Jisoo-Jiyoon combo. In the end, the leader took a heavy blow to the abdomen from Jisoo's club and collapsed.
“Kuhuk!!”
Jiyoon pressed her dagger to the fallen leader's throat, ending the fight rather anticlimactically. I stepped out of the Cradle of Rest.
The leader, with a blade at his neck, trembled as he looked up at me. “Y-you hid until the fight was over and then came out... You cowardly...”
“Yes, next druggie.”
“W-what did you say?!”
As the leader flared up and tried to get up, the edge of Jiyoon's dagger dug deeper into his neck. Feeling the sting, he turned deathly pale and sat back down obediently.
“Now, mister. It's hard to keep fighting, right? Keep your promise. What's your class?”
“...”
When the leader stayed silent again, Jiyoon's dagger dug even deeper into his neck. Blood trickled down. Finally, the leader shouted desperately.
“P-Poison Master! My class is 'Poison Master'!”
Hmm, I didn't think he was a Hero anyway. Finally got proper confirmation on his class. Poison Master, huh. Interesting class. The doping technique and... Poison Humans? How did he make those?
“Mister, then those Poison Humans you mentioned earlier—”
My words were cut off as the Poison Humans stormed into the stationmaster's office. They shoved their way in aggressively, pushing Jiyoon and Jisoo aside. The now-freed leader quickly fled outside.
“Ha! You stupid fools. Kill them all!!”
At the leader's command, the Poison Humans with pitch-black eyes advanced toward us. Hmm, it felt a bit reluctant to kill these young women who had become Poison Humans. Was there a way to stop them?
The answer came surprisingly easily. These Poison Humans felt similar to my Thralls. If the caster died, they would probably stop too. Besides, I now knew he wasn't a Hero.
“Juniel!”
I summoned Juniel, my strongest combat asset. She stepped out of the Cradle of Rest, received my will, pulled her shoulder back, and hurled the hand axe she was holding.
With a chilling whoosh whoosh whoosh, Juniel's thrown axe weaved perfectly between the Poison Humans. Then—
THWACK!
The flying axe buried itself squarely in the leader's skull.
“Guh... kkh...”
The leader, who seemed about to say something, collapsed on the spot. Ugh, gross. Look at all that blood spraying out.
You have leveled up.
Please distribute your skill points.
Oh, it's been a while since I leveled up. While I was celebrating, the Poison Humans who had been approaching us all collapsed like puppets with their strings cut.
Whew, good thing. Killing the caster really was the answer. I checked on the fallen Poison Humans and confirmed they were all still breathing.
I also approached the fallen leader. The stationmaster lay with his eyes rolled back and a hand axe embedded in his forehead. Blood was still pouring from the wound, soaking the floor. Ugh, disgusting. Why did you have to act like such a lunatic? I still had questions left to ask.
Now what? Should I just leave like this?
As I frowned at the corpse, I started hearing commotion from outside. Damn, perfect timing. It sounded like the people who had gone out on patrol were returning. Hmm, if I stayed here like this, it would be obvious I was the one who killed the leader. Not that I wasn't the culprit, of course.
I sent Jisoo, Jiyoon, and Juniel back into the Cradle of Rest, then dragged the leader's corpse inside with me. I'd come up with a better idea than just running away.
This survivor group. And the Poison Humans. I'm going to take them all for myself.