Chapter 48
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Poison Among Poisons (4)
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Zzziiing—
A fierce wind whipped up around them from the ripples caused by the clash between the greatsword blazing white-hot and the gloomy demonic energy gathered on Sikariuus's legs.
And then the fierce exchange continued.
Every time the brutish greatsword and Sikariuus's legs collided in midair, sparks flew in all directions, scattering through the air before ultimately feeding the flames devouring the school.
“But honey, why were you so mad when we first met?”
“...”
Kwaang! Jjejeong!
Sikariuus unleashed a barrage of kicks with her legs while tapping her temple with the hand of her free upper body, opening her mouth.
Her pouty, bratty expression came as a bonus.
“Was it because we captured and raised humans?”
Min-jun offered no reply, instead spinning half a turn to target her side, but her eight legs left no blind spots, making it hard to find an opening.
She deflected the sword slashing in from the side as if she had eyes on her back, and the follow-up attacks met the same fate.
“Humans lock pigs, cows, and chickens in tight pens to get meat. We just wanted ‘human time,’ so we raised them. Is that wrong?”
Even amid the brutal clashes, Sikariuus wouldn’t shut up, but Min-jun didn’t respond at all.
First, to minimize inhaling the poison emanating from her.
Second, to avoid being swayed by her wicked tongue.
Of course, Sikariuus kept rattling on anyway.
Unable to plug his ears mid-battle, Min-jun had no choice but to keep swinging his sword while listening to her bullshit.
“Or are you mad because we made humans kill each other? What about dogfights then? Cockfights? Bullfighting, where they kill cows just for pleasure?”
“...”
Her words kept planting stray thoughts in his head.
“You think the same way deep down, don’t you? Right?”
“...”
Truth be told, she wasn’t wrong.
He couldn’t argue against her when it came to humans as a species, at least.
Humans hunted elephants for ivory, whales for oil, alligators for skin—they were no different from these monsters hunting humans for survival time.
‘Fuck off. What do you want me to do about it?’
Min-jun snapped back at the nagging voice in his own mind and swung his greatsword even harder.
If she was right.
If this apocalypse was punishment for humanity’s sins, as that one-eyed thing filling the sky had said.
Karma, reaping what they sowed.
‘So what? Does that change anything? Am I humanity’s representative? Why the fuck are you bitching at me?’
Even the Savior had said ‘That One’ was angry enough to strip him of his title.
So maybe humanity had already lost the right to be saved?
‘Humanity my ass. Why should I and my people atone for sins we didn’t commit? And I said shut the fuck up already.’
Why? Why was he struggling so desperately just to survive a little longer? Giving up would make everything easier.
Kung! Kwaaang!
““... ””
At some point, amid the ensuing silence, their clashes grew fiercer, and Min-jun’s movements grew larger accordingly.
And.
Sikariuus didn’t miss the opening.
“Got you.”
Puk—
Demonic energy shot out like a lance from Sikariuus’s hand, punching a hole through his abdomen.
Min-jun, who had dropped his sword, ended up skewered and dangling upside down in midair like a roast.
“Hmm~ You seem deep in thought, honey? Did my words sting a bit?”
“...Your breath stinks like hell. Can’t you shut up?”
“It’s natural—poison’s always pouring out of me. How’s it feel, my poison creeping through every corner of your body?”
“Dunno, I don’t really... kuhuk! ...feel it.”
As Min-jun coughed up blood but kept talking, Sikariuus gently wiped the blood from his face as if tending to a lover.
“Oh? Some humans do have high immunity sometimes. But honey, there’s one spot where the poison works no matter the immunity. Wanna guess where?”
“...”
“The lungs that draw in breath? The liver that detoxifies? Or the skin it touches first? Nope, none of those...”
She grabbed the upside-down Min-jun’s neck, pulling his face close, and licked her upper lip with her tongue.
“Here.”
Sikariuus’s index finger pointed at Min-jun’s chest.
“Look over there.”
He looked where her finger pointed.
He saw people scattering in all directions, and the spiders pursuing them.
“A few of those humans might escape this place as you intended. But I’d bet my core they’ll come crawling back soon. Why? Because I planted poison in their hearts. The poison of submission.”
“I... never submitted... to you?”
“Poison comes in many forms. Envy, jealousy, pride... that sort of thing. For you, it’s doubt and confusion.”
“So because of the poison you planted, I ended up flat on my ass alone?”
“Nope?”
“Heh heh... Even humans sometimes get lost in weird delusions.”
“...?”
“Fast enough? Took you this long to catch me.”
Chul-kek.
Min-jun had already pressed the cold barrel of the shotgun he’d raised to her face and continued.
“Done with the bullshit?”
* * *
Chul-kek.
Sikariuus seemed about to say something, but I wasn’t in a position leisurely enough to hear a dying monster’s last words.
I just focused on pulling the trigger of the shotgun packed with holy power.
And I did.
‘...’
No system message announced that I’d killed her.
Recalling past moments where I’d used the Dummy Ring to counterattack in crises, I couldn’t assume a monster lacked similar abilities.
One moment of arrogance was enough.
Even after the clicking sound and half her upper body vanishing, I kept staring at her crumbling form.
‘That thing?’
A rainbow-colored gem embedded where her heart should be was rapidly reconstructing her body.
‘Like this? Or this?’
I clumsily mimicked her method. I gathered the leftover holy power I’d used as a dam against the poison and drew it out into my hand.
Kwaduduk—
The holy power, more blunt than a blade, pierced the center of her rainbow gem.
With the power source desperately holding her half-blown body together losing function, Sikariuus’s massive form finally scattered into the wind like ash.
Ding!
[Absorbing ‘Gateway Core.’]
[Holy Power level rises dramatically.]
[Completed ‘Main Quest – Promotion.’]
.
.
.
[System detects interference.]
[Cannot promote to Platinum grade within ‘Outer God’s Star’ region.]
Thud.
I hit the ground. Ignoring whatever the message window blabbed, I crouched pathetically and tore a cloth scrap from my armor to stuff into the hole in my gut.
“Lost too much blood...?”
I hurriedly opened the Space Market to buy a Red Potion, but.
Whether from blood pouring from the hole in my gut, the poison I could no longer block with depleted holy power, or dizziness blurring my vision, I couldn’t make out the items even after opening it.
I don’t want to die.
I wanted to cling to life desperately even in this dogshit world.
“Fuck... can’t see shit.”
If I’d known I’d end up like this, I should’ve used ‘Reverse Fission’. Though I’d still end up weakly exposed to the apostles.
Even without sight, the message window alerts ringing chaotically in my ears felt welcome.
As long as they kept coming, I was still alive.
[Eliminated Sikariuus, closing the third gateway of ‘Atlnak’s Labyrinth.’]
[Completed ‘Sub Quest – Raid.’]
[Rewards: ‘Karma +1.0’, ‘3,000 hours’, skill ‘Sikariuus’s Blood’ acquired.]
[Generating antidote. Generation time (02:59:59)]
[Achieved first solo raid play!]
[Title and additional rewards...]
Crackling of the building burning, people’s shrill screams as they fled, spiders’ eerie cries.
Even the system alerts that had been noisily blaring.
All the chaotic sounds grew distant.
The message window alarms sounded muffled, as if drowned in water, for the last time.
In a world where eyes and ears were sealed, I slipped into my own solitary realm.
* * *
I was mistaken.
In my one-year terminal life, I’d been triumphing by killing monsters, even met the Savior.
I thought I was the protagonist of this world.
No, at least a close friend of the protagonist. Luck had been too good so far.
What I set my mind to, I achieved. Even things I hadn’t aimed for fell into my hands. Of course, not mere luck—it was a miracle born from my efforts, desires, and perfect timing.
But as miracles repeated, I started taking them for granted.
Before I knew it, I’d forgotten how to live fiercely, facing the world with complacency, subconsciously underestimating the monsters.
I’d judged hastily that what worked before would work again. Even though situations can change anytime.
‘So I ignored the system’s advice, charged her alone, and ended up like this.’
The system doesn’t spout nonsense. I’d received help through its messages multiple times yet ignored it.
‘When that quest popped up, I should’ve bolted right away...’
There was good reason for the belated quest telling me to gather six Gold-grade survivors for the ‘raid.’
Taktaktak.
My jaw muscles, free from tension, clattered my teeth restlessly. Body temperature dropping?
Actually, I’d lost sensation in my hands and feet for a while now.
‘Am... I really dying? It wasn’t long ago I was celebrating escaping the terminal diagnosis...’
Regret was pointless now, but it sucked that all I could do facing death was regret.
If I’d known how to raise holy power level, followed the quest to level 10 obediently...
Then maybe free from her poison...
Maybe broken all her legs...
All regrets... what’s the point. Regret? Why was I regretting... Huh? Where...
Darkness encroached on the edges of my blurring peripheral vision.
My mind grew hazy.
‘Dying like this? Dying ain’t shit—’
“Uncl□e, snap □ut of it!”
Someone seemed to be yelling, but it wasn’t clear. Everything annoyed me.
Sleep poured over me.
I just wanted to sleep soundly.
Slap. Slap.
“Hey! □ □sshole! Don’t clo□se your eyes!!”
Someone kept ruining my sleep.
Don’t wake me. I...
Wanna sleep...
....
..
.
And with that, my vision went black.