Chapter 212
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: 4 vs 2
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“Tch.”
A regretful sound escaped Jeffrey’s lips.
He hadn’t shown himself from the start to pull off a surprise attack just like this.
But it had been easily blocked, caught by presence detection.
“You had more allies, huh.”
Ma Kyung-rok sneered at Jeffrey and Joo Seong-tak.
“A butler and a cripple... Heh heh. You’re not seriously feeling safe with it being 4 vs 2, are you? Christine?”
“Who said it’s 4 vs 2?”
When he turned his head, Seo Ah-rin was already standing there with her summons in tow.
It was a massive force including four fairies, three golems, and two soul knights.
“CEO. Why don’t you call it quits now? You think this will solve anything?”
“Actress Seo.”
Ma Kyung-rok’s brow furrowed in dissatisfaction.
“I took in a talentless girl like you and raised you this far, but I never thought you’d stab me in the back.”
“You invested in me from the start because you saw potential, didn’t you?”
“Now you’re talking back. Surviving to Round 12 has made you think you’re a proper player, huh?”
“A lot’s happened since then. I learned not to trust people like you.”
“So that’s why you’ve been avoiding us lately? Plotting to betray us like this.”
“Don’t play the victim. That won’t erase the murders you committed.”
“Why not? It’s simple—just kill everyone here.”
Ma Kyung-rok grinned like a psychopath.
He was openly showing his killing intent now.
“No choice then. I’ll have to subdue you.”
“Heh heh, ridiculous. As if Actress Seo has what it takes to subdue me...”
Before he could finish, Ma Kyung-rok twisted his body.
A golden beam from the fairy grazed the spot where he’d been.
“This cowardly bitch interrupting me mid-sentence...”
Grinding his teeth, Ma Kyung-rok raised his sword.
No more pretense—he’d kill her right here.
With that sole intent, he kicked off the ground and lunged.
“I’ll kill you without even needing to devour you!”
But his sword was blocked before it could reach Seo Ah-rin.
Clang-!
The three golems stood in front like sturdy tanks.
“You rock-headed bastards.”
Ma Kyung-rok swung his sword wrapped in dark aura.
Boom- Boom!
The tough golems crumbled like tofu.
Of course—an aura that could slice iron chains wouldn’t be stopped.
As he moved to cleave the last golem, Ma Kyung-rok suddenly pulled back his sword and leaped aside.
Ziiiiing-!
The four fairies fired beams from all directions.
Barely dodging, Ma Kyung-rok steadied his rattled nerves.
‘Can’t underestimate those winged pests...’
The beam damage scaled with the summoner Seo Ah-rin’s magic power.
Meaning the fairies grew stronger as her level rose.
With firepower that scorched the floor with smoke, evasion was the best option.
He had Dark Armor for defense, but it was weak to magic damage, so extra caution was needed.
‘Annoying winged pests.’
Just then, a soul knight’s sword slashed through the spot where Ma Kyung-rok had been.
Whoosh-!
He dodged, but it was a sharp strike.
“Where does a mere summon dare to interfere?”
Slash!
His dark aura-clad sword bisected the soul knight’s body.
‘One left now.’
Ma Kyung-rok smirked, but only briefly.
The remaining soul knight’s body suddenly swelled enormously.
‘What the?’
The soul knight, now 1.5 times larger, vanished from sight in the blink of an eye.
Startled, Ma Kyung-rok reflexively raised his sword, clashing with the soul knight’s blade.
Kclang-!
The changed power made Ma Kyung-rok’s eyebrow twitch.
‘Strength and speed are up. And...’
Kclang! Kclang! Kclang!
‘It’s blocking my dark aura attacks.’
His dark aura, which could cut anything, blocked by a mere summon’s sword.
Absurd, but undeniable.
The soul knight’s onslaught was quite fierce.
‘That bitch Seo Ah-rin must’ve learned a summon enhancement skill at level 60.’
Admiration came with a sigh.
He had to kill a seemingly useful talent with his own hands.
“Ruin Slash.”
As the condensed dark aura flashed to cleave the soul knight in two—
Twitch-
Ma Kyung-rok’s body lurched to the side.
‘What? Taunt skill?’
The remaining golem had used taunt, drawing his attention.
His sure-kill strike veered toward the wrong target—the golem.
Kaboom-!
The last golem shattered pathetically and vanished.
Stunned by the immense power, Seo Ah-rin didn’t hesitate.
‘Now! Subdue Ma Kyung-rok!’
Silently commanding her summons, the fairies and soul knight charged simultaneously.
Seeing the fairies’ eyes flash as they prepared beams again, Ma Kyung-rok withdrew his dark aura and enveloped his whole body.
Time to use the skill he’d learned at level 60.
‘Dark Dimension.’
A skill that phased his body into space, deflecting attacks.
And so—
The beams and soul knight’s strike hit simultaneously, but Ma Kyung-rok took no damage.
Instead, the summons suffered.
The dimensional refraction reflected the attacks back.
Sizzle-!
Slash-!
The fairies and soul knight, hit by their own attacks, vanished instantly.
Seo Ah-rin, dazed as her summons were wiped out in a flash, snapped to.
‘Summon, summon...!’
She tried to call them again, but it was useless.
Only a message of 10 minutes cooldown remaining appeared.
Ma Kyung-rok was already right in front of her.
“Time to die.”
As he swung his sword—
Ting-!
A thrown dagger from the side blocked it, making Ma Kyung-rok frown.
“Annoying pest, for an assassin.”
Ting- Ting!
While Jeffrey threw daggers to draw attention, Seo Ah-rin distanced herself from Ma Kyung-rok.
Irritated, Ma Kyung-rok switched targets.
‘Actress Seo’s attack-incapable anyway. She can’t do shit for a while.’
Deal with the pesky Jeffrey first, then go back for Seo Ah-rin.
‘Killing a bug like that is nothing.’
Dodging Jeffrey’s throws and closing in, Ma Kyung-rok swung.
Swish- Swish-!
Agile as an assassin.
‘Not even trying to block— he knows a dagger can’t stop me, or he’d die.’
Fast, sure, but dark aura could easily bind his feet.
Like this.
Swish- Thud!
“Urk.”
Dark aura wrapped around Jeffrey’s ankle and flung him away.
“It’s over.”
A leg-bound assassin was as good as crippled.
Proving it, Ma Kyung-rok thrust into his chest.
“Gahhh!”
He screamed in death throes, but Ma Kyung-rok had overlooked something.
‘What? A clone?’
The one he killed was Jeffrey’s clone.
‘No way—the assassin’s level 60 skill...’
Too late to realize.
Jeffrey had already flanked him from behind.
“Die...”
He stylishly shouted to stab the neck—
Thud-!
Ahn Sang-chul’s shield bash foiled Jeffrey’s sure-kill.
“Are you alright, CEO?”
“Thanks, Manager Ahn. Nearly went to the afterlife there.”
Jeffrey groaned in regret, but Ma Kyung-rok smiled.
No more clones or invisibility now.
‘Jeffrey’s as good as dead. Then Seo Ah-rin and Christine next?’
Glancing at the three, Ma Kyung-rok felt a sudden unease.
‘Wait. Wasn’t there one more?’
The prosthetic-armed, prosthetic-legged cripple was gone.
Not even presence detection picked him up—must’ve fled in fear.
‘No helping it. Kill these three at least.’
The situation heavily favored Ma Kyung-rok.
No one here could block his dark aura, which grew with his black magic power.
Christine, the famed saint, had limits protecting allies.
She could only heal— no way to counter his one-slash kills.
“It’s over. All of you.”
So Ma Kyung-rok acted leisurely.
Never imagining it would be his poison.
“Huh?”
As he approached slowly, he spotted the cripple he thought had fled.
Joo Seong-tak’s grinning face stirred inexplicable anxiety in Ma Kyung-rok.
‘What’s he grinning at?’
Following his gaze, there lay Ma Kyung-soo’s corpse—the one he’d killed.
“Corpse Explosion.”
Joo Seong-tak murmured softly, and—
KABOOM-!
Ma Kyung-soo’s body exploded, hurling Ma Kyung-rok into the warehouse wall.
It happened in an instant.
“Urk, grrrgh...”
Skin-burning pain hit, but Ma Kyung-rok struggled up.
Not enough to keep him down.
But no time for complacency.
“Corpse Explosion.”
Joo Seong-tak’s follow-up detonated Ma Kyung-sang’s corpse in the warehouse.
KABOOM!
With thunderous roar, the small warehouse exploded, blasting the unguarded Ma Kyung-rok far away.
“Grrgh...”
Consecutive hits left him too weak to stand, but he forced himself to his knees.
He nearly collapsed, but Ahn Sang-chul barely caught him.
“Are you okay?”
“Ribs are... urk, cracked, I think.”
“Not now. Live to fight another day.”
“......”
Ma Kyung-rok bit his lip in frustration, but options were slim.
“Fine.”
Supported by Ahn Sang-chul, he turned to leave.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Jeffrey pursued, but Ma Kyung-rok’s icy glare halted him cold.
“Come if you’re confident. Killing trash like you is nothing.”
“......”
Leaving an English warning-not-warning, Ma Kyung-rok vanished with Ahn Sang-chul.
No one chased.
Not Seo Ah-rin, Christine, or Jeffrey.
They’d been reminded anew of Ma Kyung-rok’s strength.
“We let him escape in the end. What now?”
“No choice.”
A voice answered Seo Ah-rin’s question.
It was Yamtti.
“Huh? Yamtti?”
Seo Ah-rin, recognizing the familiar face, brightened then grew puzzled.
“How’d you get here, Yamtti...”
“Black Scythe told me the situation.”
“Oh.”
Recalling Yamtti was Black Scythe’s real-life acquaintance, Seo Ah-rin nodded.
That explained her presence.
Though the situation had already ended.
“If you came to help, you’re too late.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
Despite arriving late, Yamtti showed no regret.
Rather, a satisfied look, like her task was done.
Seo Ah-rin found it odd but dismissed it as her imagination.
Unaware it wasn’t.
* * *
“Phew, let’s... rest a bit.”
“Yes, CEO.”
Ma Kyung-rok leaned against a tree.
His injuries were too severe to continue through the mountains.
“Unexpected. That cripple was that strong...”
Using corpses as bombs.
Whoever he was, top 5 material?
Even injured, Ma Kyung-rok wondered about his nickname and class.
“How are the injuries?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry. A few broken ribs and some scorched skin tissue.”
He downplayed it, but he knew.
Too severe for first aid.
‘If only Christine’s heal were here now.’
Heal could mend bones.
Restore necrotic skin easily.
“Damn. Wild to kill when you want, but miss it now.”
With a self-mocking chuckle, Ma Kyung-rok nodded to get up.
But Ahn Sang-chul didn’t respond.
Just an oddly heavy atmosphere.
“Go back now.”
“What?”
“Christine can heal you. Confess your wrongs and get treated.”
Ma Kyung-rok’s face chilled.
“Manager Ahn. You telling me to get treated and thrown in jail?”
“Better than dying, no?”
Irked by the words, Ma Kyung-rok openly showed displeasure.
“You’re treating me like I’m already dead?”
“You are dead. By my hand.”
“What’re you...”
Stab-!
Ma Kyung-rok looked down at his chest in shock.
Piercing his skin was none other than Ahn Sang-chul’s sword.