Chapter 157
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Battle Angel
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Ordinary angel Karen couldn't hide her fluster.
‘What... what bitch? What did that human just say?'
For a moment, she wondered if she'd misheard, but the human's expression told her otherwise.
A blatant sneer.
An inferior worm like that was flashing an obnoxious grin right at her.
[You bug of a human... has your head gone rotten?]
"My head's perfectly fine, you bitch."
[What? Ha, ha, ha...]
Truly dumbfounded, Karen let out a mechanical laugh, but her face crumpled in an instant.
[You damn human brat! That's it. You're dead.]
Without a second thought, Karen unleashed her one-time special ability [Subjugate] on the human before her.
It was a privilege granted solely to control humans—and it only worked on them.
However.
[Huh? W-What's this? Huh? Huh?]
Karen panicked for real and muttered to herself without thinking.
[Why? Why isn't it working?]
No matter how many times she tried, it failed.
'There's definitely still a chance to use Subjugate left?'
She'd never once used it on a human since receiving the ability.
Humans groveled at her feet without her even needing it.
'So why isn't it working? Why?'
She wanted to blow that arrogant human's head up like a firecracker, but nothing happened.
'Die! Die already! Die, you worm! '
No matter how murderously she glared or screamed internally, there was no change.
All she heard wasn't the sound of a head exploding, but the obnoxious human's taunt.
"What're you doing? I said kill me. Why? Can't do it?"
[T-This...!]
"Of course you can't. Subjugate targets the mind, after all."
[H-How do you...]
"Doesn't matter how I know."
Ryu Min approached with a devilish grin.
"There's one thing you need to get straight. Who's the boss and who's the underdog."
[Obviously I'm the...]
"Ever been slapped by a bug before?"
[What?]
Ryu Min's hand flashed.
Slap-!
The angel's head whipped to the side, and she crumpled like a tragic heroine.
Soon, her struck cheek flushed bright red.
Ryu Min's hand moved again in quick succession.
Slap-! Slap-! Slap-!
The angel couldn't even track when his arm had swung.
No—more precisely, she'd never experienced such a shock in her life, so the thought of responding never crossed her mind.
Who could've guessed that after descending on an oracle request, she'd end up getting slapped around by a human she'd dismissed as a bug?
Slap-! Slap-! Slap!
With each hit, the angel's lips swelled and blood sprayed.
Without Subjugate, she was no different from a regular person.
There was no way she could withstand a Player's strength.
At a glance, the slaps looked merciless and cold, but in reality, Ryu Min was pouring all his focus into controlling his power.
Not for nothing—all his stats had doubled.
It was the effect of the [First Angel Slayer] title, which boosted stats against holy types.
'Can't accidentally kill her. Just hit her enough to bruise her pride.'
Only after ten slaps did Ryu Min's hand stop.
'That should do it.'
The angel's once snow-white cheeks were red-hot like heated iron, and her split lips oozed blood.
"How's it feel getting smacked by a bug?"
[...]
"Get the picture now? Who's boss, who's underdog?"
Instead of answering, Karen glared at the human with venomous eyes.
She tried Subjugate once more, but it failed as expected.
'Why the hell isn't it working? Whyyyyy!'
In her inner scream, her gaze suddenly caught on another human.
'No way... does she not have Subjugate on her? '
She tested it by targeting that human.
Splatter-!
The head of the Holy Emperor behind Ryu Min exploded like a firecracker.
She'd wasted her last Subjugate chance on the wrong human.
'It works fine on her, so why no reaction on him!'
Absurd, but she'd burned her countermeasure regardless.
'No, not over yet.'
Feather dagger hidden in her wings.
Maybe she could kill that damn human with it.
But Karen stopped at the thought.
She lacked confidence.
No certainty.
Could she really subdue a human toying with her through overwhelming power with just a mere dagger?
'F-First, I need to ask what this guy wants.'
Gritting her teeth, she decided to bide for the next chance and asked in a resentful voice.
[What the hell do you want from me, human?]
"What I want? Obvious, isn't it?"
The human spoke like a thug and extended his hand.
"Hand over an item."
[What?]
"I'm not gonna ask for something ridiculous like excluding me from the survival game or guaranteeing I survive to round 20. You angels can't tweak the system anyway, looks like."
[...]
"Instead, make it reasonable. Got any items? Cough 'em up."
[I-Items?]
"You angels made this system, right? So hand some over—nicely now. You've got ways, don't you? If no items, something else then."
The human's demand was simple.
Not some massive system hack.
Just something profitable.
'No way that's possible. I'm just a 9th-rank angel who fills in as a guide sometimes!'
Her duties were handling oracles or pinch-hitting as a guide.
No authority to hand out items.
The system wasn't designed that way to begin with.
'Not just me. No higher angel has item-giving privileges either.'
It was a world run entirely by the system.
Humans might think angels planned and dragged them into the survival game, but that was dead wrong.
They were just ordinary angels acting as guides.
'What do I do? If I tell the truth, this bastard won't stay quiet...'
As Karen fell silent, Ryu Min scowled and slapped her again.
Slap-!
"Not handing it over? Won't talk?"
[Ugh...]
Not as hard as before, but Karen cried out in pain.
Her cheeks were so swollen even a light tap hurt.
'That damn human fucker!'
More than pain, it was her pride that stung.
Desperate for revenge, a spark of an idea flashed.
'Right, trick this idiot human into a trap. He actually believes I can give items, the moron?'
As Ryu Min raised his hand for another slap, Karen hurriedly shouted, hiding her intent.
[S-Stop! Fine, I'll give you an item!]
"Now we're talking. Hurry up."
[W-Wait. I don't have authority, but another angel does. I'll call her.]
"Another angel?"
Ryu Min tilted his head, then nodded casually like he didn't care.
"Call her. Wings or not, more birdbrains won't be a threat. But you—don't move a step from here. Can do that? Angels have ways to communicate, right."
[Y-Yeah. Got it. Wait 3 minutes. I'll call the angel with the reward...]
Ryu Min crossed his arms and waited, so Karen inwardly sighed in relief.
She barely suppressed a sneer from slipping out.
'Hee hee, you bug human. You're as good as dead. Daring to mock an angel?'
The angel she was calling was a battle angel.
On a whole other level from ordinary angels—created solely for destruction and slaughter.
'Once the battle angel comes, you're done for.'
Watching the human warily, Karen sent the distress signal and message upward.
Luckily, he had no clue what she was doing.
No idea who she was calling.
Looked bored, like he couldn't care less.
'No way a punk like him knows who I'm summoning. Heh heh.'
She swallowed an inner chuckle, but the angel was oblivious to three facts.
First, all her thoughts were being read by the human before her.
Second, that the human was strong enough to rip a battle angel apart.
And finally.
'That I'm deliberately acting to lure out a battle angel.'
No way Ryu Min, who could read thoughts, missed it.
What scheme the angel was cooking up.
'Thinks calling a battle angel gives her a win? Dream on.'
Ryu Min's goal from the start: kill a battle angel for the first-kill reward.
Her calling one was exactly what he wanted.
Precisely his intention.
'That's why I threatened for worthless rewards. Bruise her pride enough, and she'll call a battle angel.'
If he'd demanded a battle angel outright, her defiance might've stopped her.
Angels were a prideful race.
'So I played the clueless thug squeezing her for protection money.'
Luckily, she was falling for it.
A battle angel would arrive soon, and he'd claim the first-kill reward.
Ryu Min glanced at Yamtti, hidden behind him.
A quick nod, and she got it—staying out of the way.
No need for her unless Charm Rune somehow worked.
Dealing with angels was Ryu Min's domain.
'Come on. I'll tear apart whatever shows up.'
Eyes gleaming like a predator, Ryu Min eagerly awaited his prey.
* * *
Angels were ranked from 9th to 1st grade.
9th to 7th: ordinary angels.
6th to 4th: standard battle angels.
3rd to 1st: elite among battle angels.
And the seven archangels, deemed beyond ranks.
This was the heavenly hierarchy every angel knew.
Knowing the ranks, everyone dreamed of merits to climb higher.
But Vael, a 6th-grade battle angel, couldn't care less about merits.
He was sleepy as hell right now.
[Yawn. I'd have no regrets if I could just sleep an hour.]
On duty since yesterday, he'd pulled an all-nighter and yawned nonstop.
Angels had flesh like humans.
Different environment, but they slept to recover daily fatigue all the same.
Just no hunger, so no eating or shitting.
[Sleep for noble angels? Wonder why God made us this way. Would've been better as pure spirits without desires.]
Of course, better than humans with all those messy urges.
[How do humans keep up that crap? Oh, right—can't help it with urges.]
Vael knew it.
Angels were a noble race with incomparable power and mental fortitude to humans.
Sure, the weak flesh that couldn't beat drowsiness irked him, but overall, satisfied.
Though not with his current post, on standby for distress signals.
[Sick of it. Hope something pops off.]
Muttering to fight sleep, that's when.
It actually happened.
'Hm? Distress signal?'
A signal pinged from his sector.
He perked his ears, and a 9th-grade angel's message came through.
[Being threatened by what seems like a Player human. Help, battle angel sir.]
'An angel threatened by a bug human?'
Impossible, but not entirely.
Without Subjugate, a regular angel grabbed would be helpless.
That's why ordinary angels never got close to Players.
'Dumb bitch. What're wings for?'
Vael shook his head pityingly.
What a hit to angelic dignity.
But contrary to his annoyed mutter, his lips curled up.
[Perfect timing in this boredom.]
Chance to vent some stress after ages.
A Player defying an angel? Instant execution.
Meaning, he could dismantle the human's body and toy with it, no issue.
Plus, minor merit recognition.
'Whoever the human is, wrong target. Off to kill him.'
He knew the location from the signal.
Vael vanished in a flash of light.