Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Constellation Gallery EP.52
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Thugs hiding behind the building let out yawns.
"Did those bastards all crawl inside and kick the bucket?"
"How long are we gonna keep sticking around here?"
"Hey, look at the bosses."
"Not a single rat's squeak, and they're coming out."
Three people stumbled out from the building's exit.
The one in front had armor splattered especially red with blood.
The two behind him had spotless armor without a single scratch.
"Damn, look at that guy. His armor's soaked in blood. He did all the fighting, huh?"
"Yeah. Looks like the two women are just prizes he's dragging around."
Kwak Manho narrowed his eyes.
Survived a dungeon solo?
And his companions came out pristine?
"Wasn't it a dangerous dungeon?"
"Yeah. Had conditions attached. Ten high-grades."
Mid-grades were already tough, and he casually cleared a place with ten high-grades?
"Dangerous bastards."
"Tell me about it. Looks like that guy's the one who messed with Big Bro."
"Messing with him now would be risky for sure. But he's itching for a piece, gotta take a swing."
Kwak Manho put a cigarette in his mouth.
His right-hand man immediately spoke up.
"Boss. Smoke could give us away."
"Fine, fine. You guys keep watch."
Kwak Manho fully hid behind the building and lit his cigarette.
"They just fought and must be beat. Perfect time to jump 'em, right?"
"Who's that?"
His right-hand man squinted and turned his head.
One guy cautiously raised his hand and spoke.
"Boss, now's perfect. Fresh off battle, totally wiped out. Just stepped out the door, guard down."
"You crazy?"
"...Huh?"
"We don't even know his combat power, and you're talking about charging in? One wrong move, and we're all done."
The right-hand man added in a serious tone.
"We move when it's certain. That's our way."
"But Big Bro's revenge..."
"Big Bro got taken out, so we gotta be even colder. Lose our heads now, who's next? You wanna send me to the grave too? Think before you yap."
The mood went dead silent.
Everyone turned their eyes forward in silence again.
But then.
"Boss, the guy's gone?"
"Where'd the bastards go?"
"What? The two prizes are still there."
They frantically scanned around.
"Fuck, you distracted me with your bullshit, and now we lost 'em."
"Just wait, he'll show again. Prizes are still there anyway."
"You idiot, what if he finds us first?"
"B-Boss..."
"What the hell?"
The right-hand man felt something off.
A sinister presence closing in, very close.
And that presence was at the end of his subordinate's gaze.
"Hello there."
A voice came from right behind, right beside them.
"Looking for me, by any chance?"
"...Holy shit, fuck!!"
They all screamed in unison.
The right-hand man reflexively drew his sword, but something was already at his throat.
*
I'm not playing a VR game.
The reality I'm in is unmistakably real.
I know that in my head, but it keeps feeling off.
Pain is brief, and thanks to Spirit of the Constellation, even that doesn't scare me.
So the world keeps feeling like a game.
I wish stronger enemies would show up, I want more abilities to try, test them in real fights.
At this rate, I'll start acting like I'm playing GTA—no, more like Red Dead.
Lives won't mean shit, and anyone who pisses me off gets their head chopped without hesitation.
'I know full well that'd just make me like the scum I despise...'
Tulip and Harin.
If I didn't have those two by my side, I might've broken on day one.
The gallery folks saying ordinary people get their egos eaten by the Spirit, that it's not just hype—those words keep coming back.
Makes me wonder if I'm just a puppet.
'I'm moving by my own will.'
As I thought that leaving the dungeon, I felt a creepy presence.
"Harin."
"Yeah?"
"Is this the vibe you get when you're being tailed?"
Kang Harin looked around, then tilted her head.
"Nothing now?"
Really? Alright then.
Guess I gotta check myself.
Obvious thugs huddled together.
Familiar setup.
"Fuck, you distracted me with your bullshit, now we lost 'em."
Are they talking about me?
I quietly spoke from behind them.
"Hello? Looking for me, by any chance?"
"...Holy shit, fuck!!"
One of them reflexively went for his sword.
I was faster, my blade at his throat.
"You reached for your sword first, so self-defense, right?"
"...From the looks of it, seems like you struck first..."
The guy gulped but still ran his mouth.
"No. I moved when I saw you reach for your weapon. I was just faster."
Then, the oldest-looking one with a scar on his face spoke up.
"Whoa, must be a misunderstanding. You popped up sudden-like, spooked the boys into moving. Calm down first..."
Why's he look so damn tough?
Face says it all, and he's the one scouting solo—definitely the boss.
More importantly, Awakened or not?
I thought at him.
'Party invite.'
No message saying can't invite.
Got his subordinate hostage, so he won't move rashly.
Or maybe like that other boss, doesn't give a shit about his crew.
'Gotta check the rest first.'
Check each one, invite to party.
'...What? Most can join? All Awakened?'
Chills just then.
Why the hell did this asshole accept the party invite?
Doesn't he get it?
"More than that, uh, how... Even with Intelligence 10, should've been undetectable..."
"Oh~ You know about Intelligence. Mine's 11."
"El, Eleven...? Ten's the max... No way that's possible..."
While they talked.
One more.
Then another.
In seconds, party filled up to one spot left.
What the hell? These psychos all accepted without knowing what?
High chance they've accepted contracts before too.
Figure anything accepted means profit, so they hit yes first ask questions later.
'So what do I do with these assholes?'
Party members can't attack each other.
But keeping time bombs around based on a flimsy party fence? No way.
Problem is, no justification to kill 'em.
What if it really was just a defensive draw?
'...Nah, doesn't look it at all.'
Can't convict on suspicion alone.
Killing based on ugly faces? That's psycho shit.
Start chopping heads 'cause they annoy you? That's the end.
'Everyone I've killed so far had at least some justification.'
Cross that line once, and next it'll be anyone, on a whim.
Of course, all this thinking, these pretenses.
Just my rationalizing, excuses, hypocrisy.
But I wanna believe I only killed confirmed bad guys.
'So I can still feel human.'
That was when.
"You gutless prick!! Get off the boss now! Before I fuck up all your asses!!"
'...What?'
Turned, and there's a guy with a blade to Tulip's neck.
Dangerous. If he's Awakened too...
Okay, lucky for now.
But this guy, how weak to not even sense him?
No foul vibe at all.
That instant.
"Hey, asshole! Drop the sword!"
"Boss! Don't worry! Plenty of room through the helmet gap to stab the neck! He's got your life in his hands!"
"You crazy fuck!! Don't do anything stupid!!"
The boss frantically stops his own guy.
Kwak Manho yelled at his subordinate in horror, then turned to me.
"No, sir, it's not like that...!!"
Is this asshole the team troll like me?
Whatever.
Thanks for confirming they're scum.
'Kick your ass from party first.'
You too.
You, you, you.
And you.
'Keep only Tulip and Harin, kick the rest.'
The kicked ones stare blankly at their alerts.
While they're stunned, end it quick.
"Quick Step."
Kick off the ground, vision stretches.
Most dangerous first.
Slash. Slash. Swish swish swish slash.
Heads falling echoes with delay.
Thud. Thud. Thud thud thud thud.
Bodies stagger and collapse late.
Over in a flash.
Meanwhile, the one holding Tulip hostage.
Horror on his face turns beet red.
Then he grits his teeth.
'What.'
Aura shifted instantly.
Clear killing intent.
Sensation absent before.
"Fuck this!! Die with me!!"
He roughly raised his sword.
And thrust at Tulip's neck.
Clang-!
Panic in his pupils.
His eyes meeting Tulip's soon dye with fear.
"Wh-what the hell is this..."