Chapter 190
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: The Time Triplets
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Marcelo Machado.
Born in the slums of Brazil, he was a member of a gang based in São Paulo.
He had survived by hunting rats and bugs, rummaging through food scraps. Upon reaching adulthood, he realized something.
He had absolutely no empathy for others.
He'd always lived solely for his own survival, leaving no room for such trivial sentiments to form.
But to him, that was practically a blessing.
Subjugating others and executing them cruelly brought him no torment.
In fact, it felt refreshing, even enjoyable. So, it was only natural that he veered down a dark path.
Everyone gets a few chances in life to decide how they'll live.
Marcelo, however, believed such opportunities had never come his way.
He'd simply lived as he was born to live.
Then, every human was given a choice. A choice to determine life after the translocation.
Marcelo chose the easy, familiar road.
The path of killing others and climbing over their corpses.
Now, he sat in a mansion at the heart of Azelfog. On an ornately decorated chair reminiscent of a throne, flanked by his underlings lined up on either side.
This place had originally been a noble's mansion, but it had fallen into the hands of Marcelo's crew. It certainly hadn't been taken kindly.
"Marcelo, this is too much, isn't it?"
"Yeah, Jonas is dead, and the rest came back half-crippled or died on the spot!"
Marcelo kept his mouth shut tight despite the underlings' criticisms.
It happened often enough.
He was used to putting up with it, given the kind of scum he kept around.
One of his top lieutenants spoke up.
"Jonas wasn't all that useful to begin with. He started limping after that last job. We'd probably have ditched him after a couple more uses anyway."
"...What?"
"You think this is some dreamland of hope? We all hope to be useful to each other. Anyway, Jonas played his part. So, what's the next plan, Marcelo?"
Marcelo rested his elbow on the chair's arm and leaned his face against his hand.
"...The Hunter's supposedly arriving in Azelfog soon. Word from the Goats."
The Goats.
That's what they called the cartel leaders he answered to. Sometimes they referred to the cartel itself as the Goats.
"The Hunter? Who?"
"The Triplets."
"Th-the ones who only move for money?"
"Yeah. Twenty platinum for a kill, forty if they subdue him."
"Th-that much? Isn't it excessive for dealing with the Ghost Swordsman?"
Ghost Swordsman was another moniker for Han Yeo-myeong. His eerie arm more than justified the name.
"The Ghost Swordsman's strong. That's why we're pulling him in. Plus, being from Nevenia, he might offer other help down the line..."
"Couldn't we handle it ourselves?"
"If I threw everyone at him, sure. But how many of us would walk away with our heads still attached after the fight?"
Nods of agreement rippled through.
One of the other underlings spoke up.
"Speaking of... did you see that thing during the day?"
"Oh, you mean the new monster that showed up."
"What do we do? Maybe hold off until we figure out who it is..."
"Foolish talk."
"Why...?"
"Normally, you'd be right. But if we—who took a one-sided beating from the Ghost Swordsman—just sit back and wait, they'll think Marcelo's scared of him."
"...Ah!"
"Fear fades, and ruling gets harder. A ruler must embody terror itself. Only by seeming inhuman can you control humans."
"So, how do we split the manpower...?"
"Let Gustavo track down that thing. We prioritize the Ghost Swordsman. He was the target anyway. Who knows? If he accepts our offer, we might snag that monster too."
Marcelo spoke calmly.
"Tonight's the deadline. ...Talks end tonight. If they come swaggering in, we make our move."
Thud...
One of Marcelo's crew hit the floor. Until moments ago, he'd been gripped by the throat in Han Yeo-myeong's hand.
"We've come this far, so we might as well go in."
"Yeo-myeong... you sure about this? Wouldn't it be better to contact your benefactor and storm in together?"
"I left word at the inn. But he seems to be out all day on business. Still, if talks with Marcelo go south, he'll show up on time."
"So... we're heading into Marcelo's lair alone to 'talk'?"
"If we miss the timing, they'll hit us first. And we have to try everything before asking for help. That's what I learned."
"No way! That can't be the lesson. You just twist things to suit yourself sometimes!"
"What's the point of dumping it all on someone else without even trying? Especially something this big."
"......"
"If it gets dangerous, we run. Marcelo's no match for me—or even Mari."
"...It's not just about scores. Marcelo's infamous for his brutality. That's arrogance talking."
"Maybe it is. But that's how I've always gotten stronger. Head-on charges are all I know."
"Ugh... you stubborn idiot. Yeo-myeong, can I smack you?"
"No."
Han Yeo-myeong smiled.
"Besides, reliable allies like you don't come around often. Pushing hard now could be a valuable experience."
"Some last words... you're insane."
This reckless side of Han Yeo-myeong had formed after heading west. He'd lived with desperate fury to survive there, shaping who he was now.
He and Mari entered the mansion.
The moment they stepped inside, Han Yeo-myeong's expression hardened.
Not from tension, but readiness for potential combat.
"Marcelo's waiting, Ghost Swordsman."
"Means he's open to talk."
Rumble...
The door to Marcelo's room had a unique design, requiring two people to pull it open from both sides. Even this trivial detail revealed Marcelo's love for showing off.
As Han Yeo-myeong entered, he saw Marcelo seated.
Then, the underlings standing to either side caught his eye.
"Marcelo, I'm here to talk."
"Talk? Sure. I'd make time for the man who killed half my crew and crippled the rest."
"I just want the item we agreed on. That was the original deal."
"Ah, right... that."
Marcelo pulled a small box from his pocket.
Click...
Whoosh...
As the box opened, a black orb inside emitted an eerie glow.
"But I'm feeling a bit hard done by. We could've talked it out sooner, and my innocent men wouldn't have died. No guilt?"
"None at all."
"Heh... cold one. But things have changed, Ghost Swordsman."
"What?"
"Work for me. I'll forgive you for killing my men."
"Pass."
"Think it over. Lone wolves are fools. A crazy world like Pandea will end up in our hands—guys used to wielding power. You really think you can stop them all alone?"
Han Yeo-myeong replied firmly.
"Even if I can't, someone who can is out there."
"What?"
"I'm tired of this. What's your answer?"
"Reject my offer, and we have no choice."
Shhk...
In an instant, three identical men stood in the room.
He could guess how they'd appeared, but their ability to mask their presence was astonishingly refined.
"...Damn it."
Han Yeo-myeong smiled wryly.
"You called the Triplets?"
The one on the left among the Triplets spoke.
"Morning do dawn? Nah, Evening'll take it."
"Lunch does."
"Then Morning takes the girl."
"Evening'll watch."
"Got it. Money splits even."
They were known as Morning, Lunch, and Evening. Also called the Devils of Coin.
Lunch said.
"Subdue the woman, man if possible. That's the job."
Mari's face stiffened.
"Yeo-myeong, run!"
Han Yeo-myeong shook his head.
There was one fact only they knew, and he trusted it.
Mari couldn't fathom his judgment.
But splitting up now meant death, so she followed his lead.
Lunch eyed Han Yeo-myeong and murmured.
"Hm... strong. 15 minutes, subdued."
"That's long! Help?"
"No."
Lunch stubbornly insisted on handling Han Yeo-myeong alone, so Evening asked Morning.
"You?"
"This one's 3 minutes. Subdued."
"Quick."
[Lunch uses Time Pact.]
[Pact time: 15 minutes.]
[As long as the pact time is met, all stats increase by 20%.]
[No allies except the participant may interfere with the Time Pact.]
[Being late for the pact incurs punishment.]
[Morning uses Time Pact.]
[Pact time: 3 minutes.]
[As long as the pact time is met, all stats increase by 50%.]
[No allies except the participant may interfere with the Time Pact.]
[Being late for the pact incurs punishment.]
"Start."
Fwoosh-!
Fwoosh-!
The battle erupted suddenly.
Han Yeo-myeong and Mari separated.
The Triplets were infamous even for joint assaults.
Morning wielded dual daggers against Mari; Lunch, a long straight sword against Han Yeo-myeong.
They were assassins raised by the Goats.
Monsters among monsters, each with mid-7 million adventurer scores, honed solely on high-profile kills.
Whish-!
Claaang!
A heavy strike crashed down on Han Yeo-myeong's blade.
Screeech...
"...Fast."
Han Yeo-myeong's speed ranked top among peers—assuming his Ghost Arm did its job.
"Ha!"
Han Yeo-myeong switched to offense.
Fwoosh-!
Whiiish-!
Clang! Claang! Clang!
It sounded like one swing, but visually, three slashes poured out in succession.
"Strong... 15 minutes enough?"
Claaaang!
Lunch pushed back forcefully.
Crack...
Cracking his neck side to side, Lunch eyed Han Yeo-myeong.
"Block this."
[Lunch uses Time Lag.]
[For a short time, attack impacts trigger belatedly.]
Whish-!
Lunch's blade bent at an odd angle, aiming for Han Yeo-myeong's leg.
Han Yeo-myeong swiftly parried.
Then, an odd sensation hit.
Thud-!
Too limp for a blade clash.
'Danger!'
He braced for the follow-up slash.
Whooosh-!
As expected, Lunch didn't miss the opening.
Thud! Tap! Clang!
Tap!
Delayed impacts piled on, forcing Han Yeo-myeong into defense instantly.
Lunch slashed while speaking.
"Might end quicker..."
But Han Yeo-myeong wasn't easy prey.
His eyes blackened as ultra-fast thrusts rained down.
[Han Yeo-myeong uses Ultimate: Wind Hole.]
[Thrust damage scales with strike speed.]
[Physique: Black Hand assists the strike.]
"Hup!"
Lunch paled, blocking the thrust with his blade's flat.
Claang!
CLAAANG!
Crack...
Spurt...
Spluuuurt!
"Urgh..."
"...Tch."
To Han Yeo-myeong's regret, Lunch didn't die from that hit.
He retreated, swapping his broken sword for another.
"Close... misjudged. 15 minutes won't cut it."
Lunch hastily stanched his punctured shoulder.
[Lunch uses Time Extension.]
[Pact time extended by 30 minutes.]
[All stat increases fixed at 10%.]
[No further time extensions.]
It might seem Han Yeo-myeong had the edge, but the situation said otherwise.
"Got her."
"Urgh..."
Thud...
Mari had lost to Morning.
The blood on Morning's dagger was likely hers.
"Mari!"
"Don't move recklessly, Ghost. Unless you want to lose her, we'll..."
Defeat seemed certain for Han Yeo-myeong's side.
But salvation arrived just in time.
Spluuurt-!
An underling trying to bind Mari lost his head.
No one saw it; heads turned only at the sound.
Mari dangled limply over the Fairy Knight's shoulder like laundry.
Morning felt more curiosity about this sudden Fairy Knight than anger at losing his prey.
"What the hell?"
The answer came not from the beaming Karen, but from the man strolling casually into the room.
"Oh, uh... should I take off my shoes?"
The uninvited guest in Marcelo's lair was Kang Seol.
Karen said.
"This girl's still breathing? Not dead. These guys the bad guys? They seem too nice... did we get the wrong house?"
"Really? Good then. Mr. Han, you okay?"
Morning adjusted his stance.
No presence from the man baffled him, but he had countermeasures for such cases.
"Marcelo!"
"Mm..."
"Extra pay?"
"...Of course."
Morning eyed Kang Seol.
"Dead in 10 seconds."
"Me?"
As he replied, Morning activated his ability.
[Morning uses Ultimate: Lantern Show.]
[Pact time fixed at 10 seconds.]
[As long as the pact time is met, all stats increase by 50%.]
[Time feels slowed during duration.]
[No allies except the participant may interfere with the Time Pact.]
[No punishment for being late.]
Whooo...
Morning vanished from everyone's view.
More precisely, he moved so fast no one could track him.
For those 10 seconds, Morning felt omnipotent.
Like he could kill anything.
Countless powerhouses had fallen to this ability.
'Slow!'
Black energy uncoiled from Kang Seol's hand, swiftly forming a knight. The knight drew its sword even faster.
But slower than Morning.
At least, that's what he thought.
'Summon? Doesn't matter. Slice first...'
Prick!
A chill grazed his right arm.
Even then, Morning stayed focused.
Glancing at pain plays into the enemy's hands. Eyes stay locked on the foe.
'Lost the right arm! When...?'
Time still crawled slowly.
Morning gritted his teeth.
'Arm's a fair trade. Still took a loss.'
His remaining arm swung for the throat.
Bwoooom...
Time seemed to slow.
No, it wasn't.
'Why... do I feel... so slow? And what’s that black energy?'
The murky, sticky aura from the knight felt like it was dragging him through a nightmare.
Shlurp...
As the black energy enveloped him, realization dawned.
'Not seeming slow... I was slow.'
His vision spun wildly.
Not the body rotating—the head floating mid-air.
'I'm... dead.'
Splaaaaaat-!
Morning's limbs exploded outward like they'd gone through a shredder.
[Karuna awakens a new ability.]
[Karuna awakens Persistent: Black Wave.]
"......"
"Wha... what the hell..."
Morning died without even lasting his promised 10 seconds, limbs torn apart.
Marcelo and the remaining twins—Lunch and Evening—stared at Kang Seol, who had engineered this absurdity.
Kang Seol looked down at them all.
"So, who's Marcelo here?"