Chapter 126
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Because I Saw It
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"Ho ho, not bad for chicken feed. You spotted my unique skill Rule of Law at a glance."
Bellos said, sounding surprised.
In this era, where there were tens of thousands of unique skills alone—not to mention the countless rare and general skills that couldn't even be counted properly.
Even with its telltale trait of being tied to legal codes, recognizing a unique skill on sight wasn't something just anyone could pull off.
But for Yuna Kyung, a former PAB agent, it was par for the course.
Which was exactly why she was even more flustered.
[How are you using Rule of Law? That's the Law Court Archduke's unique skill!]
"Is there a problem?"
[Of course there is! Unless you're the Law Court Archduke in disguise or something...!]
Yuna Kyung froze for a moment.
Unique skills were one-of-a-kind.
That was an absolute truth in this Iron Age, which was why players who possessed them were treated as something special.
But what if someone else had the exact same unique skill?
There was only one answer.
"What's there to be surprised about?"
As Yuna Kyung reeled from the conclusion she'd just reached herself, Bellos sneered.
"It's common knowledge that if the previous owner dies, another player can inherit the unique skill."
That's right.
When the owner of a unique skill died, it was rare—but not unheard of—for another player to receive the same one.
After all, the number of unique skill owners stayed at one, and in the end, it was the contracted constellation that bestowed it upon the player.
So Bellos's words were logically flawless.
Except for one tiny issue.
[The Law Court Archduke is dead?]
"That's why I can use Rule of Law, isn't it?"
[No way! That sister who went toe-to-toe with the Summoner Lord and lived to tell the tale—why would she die?!]
Yuna Kyung demanded.
Even with a slight advantage, a level 100 player forcing a draw against a Monarch was the stuff of legends.
That's why even after she went missing, few had worried about her safety.
For the Law Court Archduke to have died quietly like that? No one would buy it.
But the moment Bellos spoke...
She felt an even greater shock.
"I poisoned her, chopped off her limbs, and tossed her to the monsters. Even the Law Court Archduke couldn't survive that."
[...What did you just say?]
"Didn't you hear me? Or are you pretending not to?"
A cold smile laced with mockery.
At that crystal-clear admission that left no room for doubt, Yuna Kyung felt the blood in her veins turn to ice.
[You killed the Law Court Archduke?]
"It was quite the enjoyable mission."
[And her constellation, the 'Impartial Judge of Law,' just handed over Rule of Law to you—the one who killed her contractor?]
"Pretty much."
[No way!]
"No reason it couldn't happen. Great constellations decide who gets unique skills."
[But that means... it's like...!]
Yuna Kyung couldn't finish her sentence.
Something was bubbling up in her mind.
Too vague and hazy to pin down, yet utterly ominous and horrifying.
She didn't know how to name it.
"Whether it makes sense or not isn't up to you."
Bellos ignored whatever she might say.
He just wore a cold sneer.
"Just like how your life is now entirely in my hands."
[...!]
Seeing Bellos's hand reaching for her, Yuna Kyung's face twisted in despair.
Now that she couldn't use Space Movement...
Escaping him was impossible.
And that murderous smile alone told her exactly what he had in store.
'I knew I shouldn't have gotten involved.'
Why had she pulled this suicidal stunt?
Lamenting her own foolishness, Yuna Kyung squeezed her eyes shut.
[Team Leader, please delete my phone's search history!]
"W-wait, waitwaitwaitwait a sec!"
"Rapping now? Nice rhymes."
"At least hear me out before you kill me! I've got a secret—an important one!"
"Pathetic. You've died dozens of times already, and now you're selling out just to cling to that one last thread of life?"
"If I was just gonna die anyway, I wouldn't be doing this! It's 'cause you're killing me so brutally every time!"
Ryu Gangcheol yelled, hands raised high in surrender.
Maybe because he died so easily.
Even before Rimon could charge, he'd already assumed the position. Rimon paused his swing and spat bluntly.
"Fine, you get one minute. Spill it."
"One minute? What can I even say in that?!"
"Don't like it? Die then, asshole. You think I don't know you're stalling?"
Rimon cut him off like a blade.
Ryu Gangcheol clicked his tongue.
Then he eyed Rimon's white hair, the scar by his eye, and the sword in his hand, one by one.
"Ain't you that Simon Whatever, the Last Sword Master or somethin'?"
"Rimon Asfelder, asshole."
"Weren't you on bad terms with the Seven Dragon Society? That's what the old textbooks said."
"What nonsense is that?"
"Textbooks are wrong?"
"Obviously."
Rimon snorted dismissively.
"Me and the Seven Dragon Society? 'Bad terms' doesn't even cover it. It's more like calling blood enemies childhood friends."
They'd tried to kill each other thousands of times over.
How could it just be 'bad terms'?
Watching Rimon proudly boast of centuries-old grudges, Ryu Gangcheol asked with a dumbfounded look.
"...Then why're you sticking your nose in this?"
"'Cause I feel like it."
Just because he had beef with the Seven Dragon Society didn't mean he'd let Liberation Brigade scum run wild.
Rimon met Ryu Gangcheol's eyes coldly and continued.
"Now that the chit-chat's over, spit out that secret or whatever. If it's good info, next time I'll just flat-blade you."
"That's a double-edged sword! You got no flat on that thing—how're you gonna flat-blade?!"
"Meant I'd just kill you."
"You call that negotiating?!"
"It is. If it's bullshit, next time I won't slice—I’ll bash your skull in."
Once he got beaten to death, he'd realize how lucky a clean one-sword kill was.
Rimon flashed a chilling smile.
Ryu Gangcheol stared in disbelief at the smile, murderous enough to rival any Liberation Brigade killer.
But he quickly sneered back.
"Don't get cocky. You're not in a position to toy with me right now."
"What bullshit is that?"
"By now, my comrades are probably ripping Hotel Leviathan apart."
As if venting his rage over his clones getting sliced without putting up a fight.
Ryu Gangcheol grinned wickedly.
"I admit you're strong, but it's too late to go back and stop 'em. If you wanna blame someone, blame that dumb head of yours..."
Krunch!
It was instantaneous.
Rimon swung his sword, slamming the flat against Ryu Gangcheol's neck.
Since it wasn't the edge...
His head didn't come off—instead, his neck snapped at an odd angle. As he spewed bloody foam, Rimon murmured low.
"Time's up."
"G-gurk... In the middle... of talking..."
"Should've said something important then, asshole. Not that worthless crap."
"Y-you'll... regret this."
Ryu Gangcheol forced a mocking grin.
But with his neck broken, he just looked ridiculous. Rimon sneered back.
"Doubt it. The moment you targeted Leviathan, you lot were already doomed."
"What... are you..."
Thwack!
As if he'd grown bored of the guy.
Rimon kicked Ryu Gangcheol's head, twisting his already crooked neck a full 360 degrees. He clicked his tongue lightly.
"Players, man."
Feints, diversions, all that jazz.
They schemed up every trick in the book but ignored the basics like 'know thy enemy.'
Classic player bullshit.
Like charging headfirst at a game boss.
If they didn't treat crime like a game, if they'd properly researched the Seven Dragon Society, they never would've cooked up this moronic plan.
"If you're gonna raid a place, at least scout who's inside first, you idiots."
He pitied the fools who'd set this whole board without even knowing who they were up against—or who their real enemy was.
With a sigh, Rimon took three steps toward the next Ryu Gangcheol clone.
Boom!
[...Huh?]
The moment Bellos reached for her, as Yuna Kyung braced for her second death and left those final-not-final words.
His body flew like someone hit by a truck in another world, smashing through the wall to the opposite end of the inverted pyramid corridor.
And right into a perfume shop, drenched in oil from shattered bottles.
Then a decorative candelabra toppled, setting it ablaze.
"Got a question."
Yuna Kyung blinked blankly at the perfume shop, now engulfed in flames and smothered by fire-suppressant gas from the ceiling, burying Bellos.
She whipped her head around with a creak at the clear, jade-like voice.
"Why'd you ask to delete your search history?"
How long had she been there?
The empty air from moments ago.
A delicate jade hand poked out up to the elbow, then parted space like a curtain to reveal a girl. Yuna Kyung's jaw dropped.
[...Princess sis? Why're you popping out of there?]
"Who knows why?"
The girl with jet-black hair.
Li Chingwei smiled gently as always, picking Yuna Kyung up violin case and all.
She set her on her shoulder, stroked the case slowly with her other hand, and murmured softly.
"So that's it. Their goal."
[Yeah, but... how'd you know?]
"Because I saw it."
[Huh???]
Out of left field.
An answer that made no sense, utterly meaningless. As Yuna Kyung stared in confusion...
Rumble!
"...Well played."
Bellos emerged, collapsing the half-ruined perfume shop debris.
Despite the massive impact, the flight, and being set on fire.
Not a scratch or scorch mark on him. He casually brushed dust off his shoulder.
And asked point-blank.
"How long?"
Yuna Kyung blinked at the sudden question.
Unlike her, Li Chingwei just smiled sweetly. Bellos eyed her coldly from across the hall and spoke again.
"Let me ask once more. How long have you been tailing me?"
"Who knows."
Even under his icy, murderous glare, Li Chingwei showed no fear.
She pondered with a thoughtful look, then smiled faintly.
"Not sure on the exact time, but probably around when you squashed three or four of our clan's warriors."