Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Episode 38.
“…….”
The feeding hall was now steeped in complete silence.
The mother, dead with its belly split open.
The corpses of gang members scattered everywhere.
The blood and flesh of villains coated the walls and floor.
Gunter’s eyes quickly scanned the spaces between them.
‘The Boss and the Priest…?’
The Boss was the first to catch his eye.
His lower body lay discarded near the entrance.
Easily recognizable by his expensive clothes and tattoos.
His upper body was nowhere to be seen, but it wouldn’t matter much.
The Priest’s body could be found against the inner wall of the feeding hall.
Slumped over a pool of blood, his upper body leaning against the wall.
The cause of death appeared to be excessive bleeding, starting from his groins.
After briefly examining the sharp wounds, Gunter raised his voice.
“Eddie!”
“Huh? Yeah.”
A face popped out of the chute.
“Go search outside to see if anyone escaped. Check on the people in the prison cells too.”
“Got it, leave it to me.”
Tadak-
Eddie’s receding footsteps.
Gunter immediately turned his steps toward the pile of corpses in the center.
And then-
Sreung-
Without warning, he thrust his sword into the middle of them.
Kkang-!
But what echoed was not the sound of flesh being torn, but a hard metallic clang.
Under the dim lighting, a shadow sprang from amidst the corpses.
The blood pooled in the X-shaped scar flowed down the man’s cheeks and jawline.
“You noticed, surprisingly.”
“…You don’t seem like the type to die getting caught up in this kind of brawl.”
“Hmm, is that your impression from peeping like a rat from the ceiling?”
Even as they spoke, Gunter’s eyes never left the Scarred Man.
He looked to be in his mid-thirties.
Ash-gray hair and yellow eyes.
His overall impression was exactly like a wolf.
The Scarred Man was no different.
Without avoiding Gunter’s gaze, he took in Gunter’s appearance.
His expression was eerily calm.
Was he not even regretful about the deaths of his subordinate members and the Boss?
His lips slowly parted.
“You intend to fight. Neither of us is making a wise choice.”
It wasn’t wrong.
This fight was a considerable burden for Gunter as well.
Not only was the opponent’s skill, estimated to be late Rank 2, formidable…
[Overdose duration remaining: 3 minutes]
His limit was approaching.
However, instead of retreating, Gunter tilted his sword, preparing to fight.
‘…….’
The air in the feeding hall was stale.
It was due to the old, musty Blood Mist that even the large amount of blood spilled moments ago couldn’t erase.
How many people had fallen into the Spider’s maw from this chute?
“A sense of justice… a fine time for it.”
Facing Gunter’s stern expression, the Scarred Man—with a twisted smile—
Shweik-
He charged as if flying and thrust his dagger.
Kkang-!
Instantly, their blades met.
Metal scraped against metal, deflecting, and the sound of their feet on the floor scattered rapidly in two directions.
Without a moment to catch their breath, heavy steel rained down again.
Kang-!
Kang-!
Kakang-!
A relentless exchange.
The man whirled around Gunter as if dancing, swinging his twin swords with tremendous speed.
Gunter, calmly on the defensive, parried some of the attacks while tracking his movements with his eyes.
He had faced him once before in his past life, but at that time, the Paladin and the Priest had intervened midway.
This was his first proper one-on-one, so reconnaissance was necessary.
‘Certainly… peculiar.’
In his right hand, a short dagger curved like a crescent moon.
In his left, a long, serrated dagger.
Both were polearms that looked extremely difficult to wield.
Yet, the Scarred Man wielded those incongruous twin blades as if they were his own limbs.
It wasn’t random.
Though the curves drawn by the two daggers appeared random, there was a consistent flow and intersection point.
…A form repeated within a specific framework.
It was clearly a sword style with a lineage.
And a remarkably high-level one at that…
‘How can a mere gang executive possess such skill?’
Kang-!
Kang-!
But regardless, the fight was gradually tilting in Gunter’s favor.
The man’s Stamina, having already fought a fierce battle, was depleted, and his injuries were not minor.
His breathing grew increasingly irregular, his movements sluggish.
Gunter fiercely picked up the pace, driving the Scarred Man toward the pile of corpses.
He had to end the fight before the Overdose duration expired.
“Kuh…!”
As a series of burdensome sword strikes rained down, the Scarred Man’s foot eventually stepped on the hand of a corpse.
A momentary shift in balance, a subtle collapse of equilibrium.
He struggled to regain his posture, but it was too late.
Gunter’s sword pierced that opening—
[Ninety-Nine Overlord Knight King shouts to sheathe your sword!]
Gunter froze abruptly.
‘…What?’
A completely unexpected message.
The Knight King revered justice and hated villains.
For him to dissuade Gunter from killing this wicked gang executive?
In that moment of surprise, as Gunter’s gaze lingered on the message—
Wheek-
An unfamiliar object flew through the air.
Pung-!
A smoke bomb.
With a deafening explosion that assaulted his ears, gray smoke suddenly obscured his vision.
Gunter’s back bent from the acrid powder that invaded his nostrils.
‘No!’
Despite feeling the pain, Gunter instinctively lunged forward and thrust his sword.
The sensation in his fingertips.
“Kuhuk!”
A suppressed gasp escaped.
But that was all.
Tadak-
The Scarred Man’s presence vanished instantly, beyond the range detectable by the Serpent’s Nest.
Where the smoke cleared, a long trail of blood remained on the floor, but he had already fled far away.
‘No…!’
Such a swift retreat that he didn’t even dare to pursue.
Gunter walked a few steps forward and finally stood there, dumbfounded.
“Ah.”
…His target for emptiness and rage was decided.
‘…Knight King.’
But before he could say anything.
[Addict Saintess urgently says to hear their story first]
[Red Street Pillar beckons you with an unusually serious expression]
[Knight King begins his explanation]
.
.
.
Listening to the ensuing story, Gunter had no choice but to accept it.
No… he even thought it was truly for the best that he hadn’t swung his sword.
* * *
It was time to move busily.
Gunter left the ruined feeding hall and rejoined the personnel remaining in the prison.
More precisely, the remaining ‘personnel.’
The two non-combatant men were nowhere to be seen.
“What happened?”
In response to Gunter’s question, Eddie scratched his head with a troubled expression.
“I just got here after catching the remaining gang members…”
The only one left in the cell was a woman.
She sat leaning against the wall with a composed air, and beside her lay the corpses of several gang members.
As Gunter and Eddie approached, she even waved her hand as if nothing had happened.
“Where are the other two?”
“Phew, with all that commotion outside, do you think those timid fellows would have stayed put? They cried and ran off long ago.”
“…I told them to stay put here.”
“I tried to stop them…”
The woman shrugged.
“Well, they’re grown adults, they’ll manage on their own.”
Kkiiik-
Gunter watched her as she emerged from the iron gate.
Deep green hair and teal eyes.
At first glance, she gave the impression of having weathered some storms, but the dense tattoos covering her limbs and her height exceeding 170 cm contributed to her presence.
Upon closer inspection, she looked younger than Brody.
She met Gunter’s gaze directly and let out a giggle.
“Handsome oppa, what are you thinking?”
“Why didn’t you leave?”
“Huh? You told me to stay here?”
Gunter pointed to the dagger dangling from her waist.
“You’re different. You have the skill to escape on your own if needed.”
The woman giggled bashfully.
“Mmm, there are several reasons why I didn’t leave…”
Then she bowed her head.
“First, I have to say thank you?”
“…….”
“My name is Roanna.”
Though she seemed to have some ulterior motive, it didn’t appear to be anything significant, so he lost interest.
Gunter turned around without replying and began to leave the empty bunker.
The gang members inside were annihilated, but personnel out on external assignments would return soon.
[Overdose Lv.1 duration has ended]
[Would you like to check the list of debuffs (7)?]
All sorts of drug side effects were crashing down.
His head was foggy, and his body felt heavy and sluggish.
Even low-level thugs would pose a significant threat if he met them now.
‘And the police department, which was said to be colluding with them, is also a concern.’
So Gunter hurried toward the exit.
Eddie and Roanna followed without complaint.
Only the sounds of ragged breaths and footsteps echoed for a few minutes.
They finally stood before the ground-level exit.
But the surprises weren’t over.
“You’re coming out now?”
At the end of the stairs.
A massive silhouette, silhouetted against the dim light, was waiting for them.
He strode down a few steps and waved at Eddie with a friendly gesture.
“Oh, our troublemaker is doing well too.”
Gunter, with his sluggish mind, tried to comprehend the situation.
“Ryan? How….”
“How what? You told me to come here.”
“Me?”
Ryan tilted his head.
“Wasn’t it you? You left a message at the inn, with coordinates and everything.”
“…….”
At his words, Gunter remembered the ‘helper’ he had forgotten.
Honestly, it was a very timely intervention.
“So, you didn’t come here empty-handed, did you?”
“Of course not. Just follow me.”
Gunter, Roanna, and Eddie followed Ryan.
Near the entrance, several gang members lay sprawled like frogs…
“Alright, alright. We’ll escort you safely to your destination!”
In front of them stood a sturdy carriage with a heavy frame.
As if by agreement, Gunter and his party let out sighs of relief.
It was finally time to go back.
.
.
.
The memories inside the carriage were hazy.
His exhausted body desperately craved sleep.
Gunter soon leaned his head against the window, dozing off.
Eddie and Roanna were the same.
The moment they were completely out of danger of death,
the accumulated fatigue from several days of harsh imprisonment crashed down on them.
Low groans and restless movements continued from various places.
“Ugh, miss.”
“…Dad, where are you going? Ugh.”
“…….”
The rattling sound of wheels.
When they ascended to the middle floors using the Ghost Elevator, he woke up once due to a strange sense of buoyancy.
Each time, Ryan would reassure them in a low voice.
“We’ll be there soon. I’ve already called a healer, so just sleep.”
Come to think of it, he forgot to ask their destination.
But it was safe to trust Ryan.
There was no way that guy would lead them to a dangerous place.
Gunter closed his eyes again, drifting off.
How much longer did the carriage silently cut through the darkness?
Tiring-!
A welcome notification sound blew away Gunter’s drowsiness.
[Self-Scenario Completed]
✔ Guided Eddie to a safe location.
Tiring, tiring, tiring.
The notifications continued incessantly.
[Level Up! / Lv.50]
[Strength 40 → 41]
[Reached maximum level. Proceed with Rank Trial to transcend to the next Rank.]
[Selecting tasks for Rank Ascension]
✔ Trial will be determined based on your past actions.
✔ Reflecting the influence of Trait ‘???’.
[‘Eddie Wilder’ joins your scenario as a companion]
[‘Brody Wilder’ joins your scenario as a companion]
[Easter Egg: Turning Point of Fate Occurs]
[You have broken the cycle of predetermined sacrifice and opened a possibility unknown to the world]
[A twisted fate grants a new path]
● Savior
You rescued the sacrifices who were originally intended to be offered to the Evil God.
They were already heading towards their predetermined death, but you, with your strategy, perseverance, and endless courage, brought them back to life.
Those who were rescued will never forget you.
- The affinity with companions who shared your journey permanently increases by 15.
- The rescued individuals will influence your journey in various ways, such as providing support, information, and patronage from different regions.
● Unintended Aid
The mother you destroyed was originally the vessel for the ‘Weaver of Despair’s’ descent.
His long-time enemy, ‘One Who Flies Before the Wind,’ is greatly pleased and wishes to give you a gift.
[Item Acquired! ‘Decision of Instantaneous Speed’ (Inner Elixir)]
Effect upon consumption: All movement-related abilities +10% (movement speed, evasion distance, jump, fall cushioning, etc.)
● Reward
Karma +400
[Current Karma: 853]
[Accumulated Karma: 2175]
[◇ smiles at you]
And as these grand messages concluded—
Tadadak-
Urgent footsteps echoed.
Kwadang- The sound of falling.
But he immediately ran again and threw open the carriage door in one go.
Crimson eyes quickly scanned the interior of the carriage.
Starting with Gunter, covered in dried blood scabs.
Ryan, smiling broadly, Roanna, watching with wide eyes,
and finally, Eddie.
“…Yo, Brody.”
His face, swollen and even more disheveled from being beaten so much, but he was alive.
Brody, as if exhaling, trembled lightly and sank to his knees.
And he deeply bowed to everyone.
“…Thank you.”
Once more.
“Thank you.”