Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Episode 9 – It’s No Fun Getting Out Only to Be Locked Up Again (2)
“Alright, move! Hurry up!”
I pulled the prison members to their feet and rushed them out of the cell.
“Faster! Move faster!”
I tried to go as quickly as possible, but everyone was so weakened that they could barely move.
Even while we struggled forward, shouting, screams, and crashing sounds echoed from deep inside the hideout.
‘Based on timing… that’s not Rev… so is it related to the first noise?’
The first sound we heard, when the guard ran off, was still the biggest unknown factor.
‘Because of that, we got our chance to escape… but still…’
“Hey! Run faster!”
“B-but… sir…”
“Just run!”
Every time we heard footsteps of bandits passing by, we hid and continued following the path Rev had shown us.
Eventually, we reached near the boss’s room.
‘Is Rev… still not done?’
Maybe there was no gunpowder in the storage room. Or maybe he got caught. Either way, we hadn’t heard any explosion at all.
‘Rev…’
When he revealed that he was a demon, I had been shocked.
Through the gaps of his clothing, I had clearly seen purplish skin, small horns pushing against his hood, and those inverted eyes that flashed whenever he blinked.
‘It’s him… from that vision…’
He looked exactly like the figure I saw during the illusion when I was learning sword techniques from Momo, sitting in a ruined castle.
‘If that vision is real… then how did it end up like that?’
In that vision, I seemed to know Rev well.
We even stood against each other with weapons drawn and fists raised.
But at the same time, we were glaring at each other like enemies trying to kill one another.
I held my head.
‘Focus… escaping comes first.’
Whatever our relationship was, or whatever the future held, I had to survive first.
We hid behind a stack of crates near the boss’s room and observed.
Unsettling screams and strange chirping noises filled the air.
This world even had bizarre bird-like sounds that made everything more unsettling.
“Hehe… butterfly…”
Suddenly, the lunatic among the prisoners bolted forward.
“Hey! Hey, wait!”
“Hehe… butterfly… don’t go…”
He kept reaching out at empty air and running uncontrollably.
“Damn it… both of you stay here!”
I told the old man and the child firmly, then chased after him.
“Hehe… butterfly… butterfly…”
“Seriously, why is this crazy guy so fast?!”
He was unnaturally fast. I chased him through the corridors until I ended up somewhere unfamiliar.
“Huff… huff… finally caught you…”
I grabbed his shoulder.
“Hey, what are you doing suddenly—”
“A…a…a…”
“Hey! What’s wrong?!”
He started tapping his own head with his fingers and suddenly crouched down.
“Mom… if I don’t move… stay still… don’t breathe… don’t speak… butterfly… think about butterflies… don’t move… don’t move… don’t move…”
Panic.
That was the only word for it.
I tried to lift him, tried to drag him, but he was surprisingly heavy and completely unresponsive.
“Damn it… what do I do…”
If I stayed here, not only me but everyone else would be in danger too.
‘Do I have to decide…?’
If Momo were here…
Just as my head started spinning, a loud explosion echoed.
Boom!!!!!
“...Rev!”
“Aaaaaaaah!!!!!”
The lunatic immediately stood up and ran.
Straight toward the explosion.
“No!!!”
I screamed as I chased after him.
“…Serves you right.”
“Rev…?”
From the alleyway, Rev stepped out.
“So this is what you were doing… of course that guy was the problem.”
“….”
“Let’s go.”
He grabbed my arm and pulled me forward toward the boss’s room.
Beep beep—
“…What is that sound? Birds?”
“No… you won’t believe it, but that’s—”
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”
The old man’s scream echoed from far away.
“Grandpa?”
“This is getting ridiculous.”
We increased our speed.
And when we arrived—
“…This is…”
“Expected outcome.”
The child and the old man were lying motionless in front of the boss’s room.
“Ugh… blegh…”
“Seriously? Never seen a dead body before?”
I quickly turned away and threw up. Rev casually poked one of the bodies with his foot.
“The boss did this. Same sword technique.”
“…Boss?”
“They must’ve attacked and now they’re running with valuables.”
Another crash came from behind us.
“They’re already here?! Get inside!”
Rev grabbed my arm and kicked open the boss’s door.
“W-What?! Who are you?!”
Inside, a huge bandit boss with a thick beard was hurriedly packing items.
“Momo!!!”
Among the things he was grabbing were Momo and Zildre’s sword hilt. The red object stood out immediately among the clutter.
I reached out toward Momo.
“Hey you bastards… what are you—”
The boss dropped everything and grabbed a rapier from the ground.
“A rapier… Imperial style.”
“Of course… I’m not like those trash outside…”
He smiled disgustingly and struck a flashy pose.
“Why are you standing like that…?”
Rev answered calmly.
“That’s an Imperial sword stance.”
“Imperial swordsmanship…?”
So this place really did have a connection with the Empire.
Rev raised his fists.
“This is bad… they have weapons, we don’t.”
“Heh. I learned demon fist techniques.”
“Demon fist…?”
“These are my weapons.”
It sounded impressive, but fists against a sword were a massive disadvantage.
“Even if you know martial arts, isn’t a sword just better?”
“True strength transcends weapons.”
“Wow… that sounds cool!”
The boss snorted.
“You filthy demon scum!”
“Huh? How do you know Rev is a demon?”
“Weren’t you the ones we captured?! Trash like you!”
He rushed forward.
Whoosh—
My body automatically dodged.
Rev shifted lightly and avoided the strike as well.
“You little rats!!!”
The boss became angrier and swung wildly.
“Isn’t that line way too cliché…?”
He really looked and acted like a textbook bandit boss.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Neither of us got hit.
“Nice, Rev!”
But Rev still couldn’t find an opening.
The boss then focused entirely on him.
“Now’s my chance…”
While he was distracted, I moved toward the pile of items.
“Not so fast!”
He instantly reacted.
Whoosh—
My body was forced back again.
“Damn it…”
Rev also got pushed toward me.
“…Rev.”
“….”
“Create an opening. I’ll land the finishing blow.”
“….”
He didn’t respond clearly, but I had to trust it.
“What are you whispering about?!”
The boss charged again.
“Rev!”
“Haah!”
I rushed forward to draw attention.
“Your attacks don’t work on me!”
“Shut up! I’ll kill you all!”
I mocked him loudly to provoke him.
“Failed scum like you shouldn’t exist! So what if you learned Imperial swordsmanship? Now you’re just a pathetic bandit!”
That triggered him.
“Slave traders?! You were going to sell us?!”
“Yes! Why else would I capture you?!”
That confirmed it. And it pissed me off even more.
“Then you really shouldn’t exist…”
I spread my arms.
“My name is Siwoo! A Hero from another world! I will destroy you and your bandit gang!”
The rapier aimed straight at my chest.
But—
Whoosh—
My body shifted sideways automatically.
“NOW!!!”
“Demon Fist Technique, Fifth Form—Full Power Straight Punch!!!”
Rev’s fist slammed into the boss’s side.
“Good! I knew you had it in you!”
But the boss barely reacted and swung his rapier, piercing Rev’s side.
“Gah!”
Rev staggered back.
“What?! You were supposed to be strong!”
“I never said I was strong.”
“You were talking about martial arts peak nonsense!”
“I never said I reached it. But I will one day.”
This idiot…
I quickly adjusted the plan.
While Rev kept the boss busy, I slipped around.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
He noticed me immediately.
Whoosh—
I kept dodging.
‘This is it!’
Rev was running out of time.
“Haah!”
“First Form—Piercing—”
“DIE!!!!!”
The boss kicked Rev away and swung at me.
Whoosh—
My body dodged again automatically.
“NOW!!!!!”
“Demon Fist Technique, Fifth Form—Heavy Straight Punch!!!”
Rev landed a solid hit on the boss’s side.
“Ugh!”
The boss collapsed sideways.
“This is our chance!”
Rev ran toward a side passage.
“Momo!”
I grabbed Momo from the pile.
“Siwoo! Are you okay?!”
“I’m fine! Are you hurt?!”
“I’m okay, but—”
“Stop talking to yourself and move!”
Rev shouted.
I strapped Momo onto my head and grabbed Zildre’s sword hilt.
Then—
BOOM!!!!!
The boss roared, fully enraged again.
“Already recovered?!”
“Heh… that punch…”
He laughed bitterly.
“Damn it… Rev! You should’ve hit harder!”
“That was a clean hit!”
The boss mocked us.
“You think fists can beat swords?!”
“Shut up.”
“Even if you trained—”
“Blade Technique First Form—Piercing Cut.”
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”
Clang—
The decorative rapier shattered instantly.
“…That broke way too easily.”
The blade turned into fragments.
The strike wasn’t even clean, but the boss’s leg was half severed.
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”
“…Let’s go.”
Rev turned away.
We escaped into the hidden passage.
Beep—
A strange sound echoed, and a beam of light blasted through the boss’s room, tearing through the cave wall.
“What the hell?!”
The shockwave destabilized everything, and the passage entrance collapsed behind us.
“Any later and we would’ve died…”
“Rev, focus. We need to move.”
“…Right.”
Then a voice echoed behind the rubble.
“You’re the boss? What a cliché-looking guy.”
A familiar word slipped through.
Hero.
“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!”
An arrow pierced the boss’s chest.
“What’s going on here…?”
“Wait…”
“….”
We watched through the cracks.
A black-haired man stood there beside the saint.
“Bandit gang eliminated. Where’s the next target?”
“Not assigned yet, Hero.”
“Hero…?”
“…That’s him. The one I mentioned.”
“…No way.”
My mind went blank.
That guy… is the Hero?
Then what am I?
I came to this world three days ago.
And now…
I was completely lost.