Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: Battle Royale - 3
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Battle Royale is like a lottery draw.
Countless people invest their lives to buy lottery tickets and wait to hit the jackpot.
But only a tiny fraction get to enjoy the thrill, while the rest meet their end.
Some might plead they had no idea what they were getting into, but what can you do about that?
In the apocalypse, ignorance is a death sentence.
"I'm a murderer."
No matter how you dress it up, that's the unchangeable truth.
I've killed a lot of people, and I'll kill more in the future.
Doesn't matter if they're thugs, maniacs threatening my life, or survivors attacking my friends.
The number 37 appeared in my field of vision.
It's the count I need to reduce to earn a revival ticket.
Others might kill them, or monsters might take them out.
But nothing changes the fact that I have to be the last one standing.
"Two."
Thwack. A man with a bolt embedded in his chest toppled over.
He'd spotted me and tried to fight back with a looted club, only to die.
How futile.
Why do they all swing clubs when they should be firing crossbows?
"They're starting to catch on..."
Anyone would figure it out with the limited status windows, the numbers, and regenerating weapons.
This is a battlefield where you have to kill each other.
Crying and whining just turns you into prey.
"Hah!"
A woman who didn't want to end up as prey lunged at me.
Stones floated into the air, threatening me.
She's a telekinesis user—one of the many women among them, it seems.
Dressed in filthy rags, she charged straight into my arms.
She wasn't giving me room to shoot the crossbow; she planned to stab with a knife.
Of course, I was already mid-cast.
"Open dimension gate."
A blue dimension gate suddenly appeared in front of her, acting as a wall.
"Ack!"
She smashed her nose against it and collapsed with a scream.
The floating stones naturally dropped with a thud.
I closed the gate and fired the crossbow.
The number changed from 35 to 34.
"..."
Nothing worth looting or checking.
I turned away from the corpse, but Dingo crouched low and growled.
Something was up. Crawling on my belly, I peeked and saw two people surrounding someone.
That outfit looked familiar.
Ah, the two Chinese guys from Incheon.
The man had brainwashing, and the woman controlled wind, right?
Brainwashing wouldn't be easy to use here. What a shame for them.
The man spat out.
"You just attack indiscriminately without even talking?"
What the hell is he saying?
The surrounded man shrugged.
"No point. No matter what you say, we still have to kill each other."
"What is this place?!"
The woman yelled sharply.
"Battle Royale. Only one survivor."
They flinched at his words.
So their suspicions were confirmed?
Aside from me and Kimbap Lover, someone else knew about Battle Royale.
He blinked to the man's side in an instant and smashed his head with a club.
Blink.
With all stats plummeted, reactions were inevitably sluggish.
The Chinese man groaned and fell, while the woman panicked and summoned wind.
As dirt and stones erupted wildly, the man muttered in dismay.
"Wind? What the..."
I was surprised the first time I saw it too.
The man rolled left, familiar with such situations.
The Chinese woman cut off the wind to focus elsewhere, fully exposing herself.
Should I kill her now?
No, better to wait until the fight ends.
Intervening could get me attacked from both sides.
The two exchanged fierce attacks with their abilities.
The ground bulged here and there, and the woman rolled to dodge the man's sudden approach.
"Hng!"
The woman was on the defensive.
But the man had a weakness too: consecutive Blinks gave him headaches.
Ignore it and keep using them, and that's what happens.
"Kuh!"
The man clutched his head and rolled on the ground.
The woman seized the moment, raising both hands.
Whoosh!
Wind lifted the man's body into the air.
Instead of screaming, he grabbed a tree branch and dangled.
The instant she dropped the ability, he Blinked right in front of her nose.
"Fucking bitch, you're tough."
Thwack!
His club struck her waist.
She couldn't even scream, mouth agape as she clutched her side.
His club swung toward her head.
Now.
I pulled out the Tokarev and shot the man.
Thud!
He collapsed like a sack of straw without hitting her.
Damn, shot a bit early.
The woman seemed confused by his fall but quickly realized and bolted.
Quick thinker.
I aimed the Tokarev at her, but dirt and bushes erupted.
Hard to pinpoint her position like this.
I patted Dingo's butt, who was crouched beside me.
"Chase her."
He dashed off but just circled the dusty area.
Did she flee upward?
By the time I looked up, she was gone into the trees.
"...Lucky."
We'll meet again later anyway.
Checking the battlefield, I spotted a regenerated item.
Leather gloves that boost Dexterity.
Battlefields block system items, so we have to use these.
One-time use; they vanish after Battle Royale ends.
A small bow regenerated too, but no need for it.
"Ranged weapons are starting to appear."
Woooow—
Sudden wolf howls echoed.
The silver wolf pack from before?
Dingo perked his ears.
Better to divide tasks here.
I sent Dingo outside the forest.
If things go as planned, Kimbap Lover has no choice but to enter the woods.
"You have to, so play along."
Round 1 passed, and the monster wall shrank the battlefield.
Survivors gradually grasped the rules.
Avoid monsters, use regenerating items to kill each other.
Some realized the visible number showed remaining survivors.
The quick ones armed up and charged into the plains.
Their destinations: snowy mountains and lake.
Monsters trapped by walls made the field chaotic.
Some fell to goblin poison volleys.
Others killed those tripped on rocks.
A brutal world of the strong devouring the weak unfolded.
And Kimbap Lover was the predator.
"Stop."
A man charging at him halted, engulfed in light.
This Binding trait wasn't omnipotent.
It couldn't stop tiny movements, obstacles en route, or if focus broke.
Kimbap Lover learned that after a few tries.
He loosed an arrow, but it missed the man's head.
"Turtle bastard! Can't even hit that?!"
"Fuck you."
Kimbap Lover flushed at the first Chinese insult he'd heard.
Turtle? Turtles meant turtle soup to him. Why use it as a curse?
What a mess.
He hadn't expected Binding and archery traits to conflict.
Focus on one, and the other fails. Maddening.
He flinched at monster noises behind, only to jolt again.
Binding had released; the man charged.
Physical enhancement made him fast too.
Kimbap Lover barely held him with intense focus.
"Kaoli banz! Release me!"
"Nobody releases just 'cause you say so, chink."
Kimbap Lover kept the man in sight, slowly backing away.
Something surged inside him.
Why did nothing go right?
He'd entered Battle Royale brimming with confidence.
Chinese knew nothing; he'd have the edge.
But that crumbled like sand the moment it started.
Survivor numbers dropped rapidly!
Who? What kind of player?
Some Chinese who figured it out and hunted?
Or another Korean?
If—if it was Dajeong or Kimbap Lover reducing the count?
Plus two non-stackable traits. Headache-inducing.
"Fucking nothing works..."
But he'd kill this one at least.
As he nocked an arrow, silver-maned giant wolves appeared distantly.
Awoooo—
The pack's howl rang across the field.
"Fuck."
Top predator arrived; lesser ones flee.
But Kimbap Lover hesitated.
No point dying to wolves anyway?
Kwang!
The pack swarmed the man instantly.
Lead alpha tore his throat; screams filled the air.
"N-no, stay back!"
Kimbap Lover slung his bow and fled.
Awoo—
Several wolves pursued on alpha's order.
He Blinked away desperately.
At forest-plains border, someone waited.
Black clothes, mask, crossbow and gun ready.
Kimbap Lover gasped.
A gun?
How?
The man aimed at him.
Long suppressor attached.
Kimbap Lover forgot Binding, hands shooting up instinctively.
But the barrel betrayed expectations and flashed.
"Run!"
The man's command.
Kimbap Lover bolted into the forest without defiance.
Gun scarier than monster wall.
'Fuck, fuck!'
Why this? Who is he?
Thoughts swirled; he tripped on a rock, face-planting.
Heavy footsteps and gunshot behind.
"Get up! Run!"
"Fuuuck!"
"Hey. Monsters'll swarm."
The man relentlessly drove him.
No Blinks or Bindings allowed.
He somehow knew; threatened instant death if used.
Yet he always hid behind trees.
How'd he know obstacles block Binding?
Yap! Yap!
A dog ran beside, menacing him.
Wolves, man, now dog looking down on him.
Kimbap Lover swallowed rage and ran.
Monster wall loomed.
"Wh-what now?"
"Just run!"
Bang!
Massive gunshot.
Something whizzed past; chaos.
After running far, oddly, monster wall gone.
Blasted through.
'Wh-what?'
Cold metal pressed his head.
"What? Not running?"
"H-how? The wall..."
"Time to worry? Pathetic."
Pathetic...
What Dajeong often called him.
Kimbap Lover surged with emotion but swallowed anger; no dodging bullets.
Short Blink range frustrating.
"Far from escaping. Keep running."
The man's voice shocked him.
Escaping the battlefield? That's the plan?
Masked man prodded with gun barrel.
"Stay and die by me, or run. Choose."
"If I run... can I live?"
"Depends how well you run, Pale Swordman."
Even knew his name. Who?
Overwhelming power plus gun... maybe...
An idea flashed.
"K-Kimbap Lover?"
"Shut up and run. Delay more, you die."
Sung-ho drove him harshly.
"Ugh!"
Pale Swordman stumbled pitifully, but this was to save him.
Cross monster wall and kill final monster to escape judgment.
System bug, 50% chance.
If Pale Swordman doesn't vanish after...
Groooar—
Owl Bear roar somewhere.
Pale Swordman froze in terror.
Frustrated, Sung-ho yelled.
"Keep running!"
"O-Owl Bear...?"
"It'll work! Run!"
Bang!
Bullet grazed his head.
Pale Swordman sprinted wildly again.
Owl Bear appeared.
Groooar—
As it spread wings, the running dog beside charged, barking.
Sung-ho shouted from behind.
"Bind that fucker!"
"...Huh?"
"Don't stand there! Bind it! You can stop things!"
"O-okay!"
Pale Swordman focused, Binding the Owl Bear.
But its strength made it twitch free.
Terrified, he turned; Sung-ho hurled a spear.
Kraaang!
Spear in gut; Owl Bear roared in pain.
Its wingbeats blew dust over Pale Swordman.
Binding fully released; Sung-ho cursed, firing revolver.
Bang! Bang!
Cylinder spun; six shots hit body.
Aimed head, all missed.
Unfazed, it charged Sung-ho.
"Ugh!"
Sung-ho rolled away.
Regaining senses, Pale Swordman hadn't fled—firing arrows at Owl Bear.
Trait activated? Arrow hit eye precisely.
"Good! Keep its attention!"
"O-okay!"
Pale Swordman loosed arrows nonstop, lips bleeding unnoticed.
Superhuman focus.
Attack with bow on approach, bind after.
It took arrows to head, suffering.
Tough vitality, but this damage hard to endure.
Plus dog barking, disorienting.
Sung-ho drew longsword from bag; Owl Bear tried fleeing.
"Bind!"
Pale Swordman bound it; Sung-ho charged, sword raised.
Longsword pierced back; Owl Bear died.
As it stilled, Sung-ho shoved Tokarev at Pale Swordman.
"No Binding. Doesn't mean fingers can't move."
"It's Binding, not..."
"Whatever. Walk that way."
"..."
Pale Swordman eyed him warily, walking deeper into forest.
Wondering if escape real, why save him.
Sung-ho said from behind.
"Low odds of escaping battlefield, but better than dying."
"How low?"
"50 percent."
"I-I have 50% chance of dying?"
"Then don't come."
True.
He just didn't know Sung-ho joined Incheon's Battle Royale event.
Sung-ho said.
"You kinda know who I am?"
"...Kimbap Lover... right?"
"Yeah. You don't know me, but I know you well. Even your three traits."
"Bunny Duo and Dajeong blabbed..."
"I figured some out too. Anyway, you're in my palm. Don't do stupid shit."
"What do you want? Why this?"
"Can't have you dying now."
Pale Swordman's eyes shook.
"Why?"
"Figure it out yourself. Last part was good."
Sung-ho prodded his back with gun.
Light gathered on shoved body.
Suddenly, Pale Swordman stood in empty suburb, not forest.
"...Huh?"
Incredibly, he'd escaped Battle Royale.
Knees buckled; he collapsed.
"Why save me..."
No one to hear.
Battle Royale - 3 End