City Values
“Kamun, der, itur.”
‘Dark Watcher’ radiates ‘Fear’.
Attribute ‘Administrator’ nullifies the ‘Fear’ effect.
The thing tried to hit me with a fear effect, but the Administrator attribute snuffed it out cold.
“Graaaah… itur…!”
“Shut it, bonehead.”
I peeled off one glove and flung it at the creature. The glove smacked against its body and flopped uselessly to the ground.
“I challenge you to a duel, Dark Watcher.”
“Kraaaah! Itur!”
“M-Mom?”
Dokja spun around at Yoo Sangah’s words, startled. Even the Dark Watcher froze for a beat, as if it hadn’t expected anyone to understand it.
“Yoo Sangah-ssi, I told you to stay back!”
“No, it’s not that—just now that monster said ‘Mom’…”
“So… ka, kard, emiren?”
“Ah, is that not the right pronunciation? Akedu?”
“Kalidu!”
The creature finally seemed to have found someone it could talk to and answered Yoo Sangah. Dokja stared at the exchange in pure disbelief.
So the interpretation actually works…
“…So what exactly is it saying?”
“Well… it’s been repeating ‘Become my mother’ this whole time…”
“Kalidu!”
The thing pointed at each of us in turn, as if confirming the translation.
“M-Mother? I’m not even married yet!”
“Kalidu!”
“W-Why am I the mom?! I’m the dad!”
But the Dark Watcher took Han Myungoh’s protest as agreement and jammed one of its tentacles straight into his mouth, forcing something down his throat.
The moment Dokja saw that, she bolted forward.
“Yoo Sangah-ssi, you’re not planning on kids anytime soon, right?”
“Of course not!”
Dokja severed the tentacle clean through.
“Graaaah! Kaliduuu!!”
“Your duel opponent is me.”
I drove a heavy thrust of the rapier into the thrashing body that was still whipping tentacles at Dokja.
“Kraaaah!!”
“Quiet, skull. Focus on me.”
The creature shrieked and unleashed every attack it had—swipes, stabs, coils, the works. But the Shank Association specialized in one-on-one duels. If I couldn’t handle this much, I had no business taking jobs.
I slipped past its strikes by a hair and kept landing consecutive hits. Still, the thing was furious that Dokja had cut its tentacle and kept lashing out at her. Dokja blocked as best she could, but a weapon carved from mole-cricket bone stood no chance against a Grade-7 demon species.
“Dokkaebi! You’re watching, right?!”
“U-Ugh.”
The black dokkaebi from the station reappeared in midair.
“Y-You knew I was here?”
“There should be a package for me by now. Hand it over.”
“Heh-heh, th-that’s not my department. Th-That’s Bihyung’s job.”
“You’re filling in for Bihyung right now. Can’t you see the constellations fretting?”
Constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ hounds the dokkaebi ‘Biryu’!
Constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ threatens the dokkaebi ‘Biryu’!
Constellation ‘Protective Courage’ searches for its partner!
Under the barrage of constellation pressure, the dokkaebi Biryu reluctantly handed the item over. A broken-bladed sword settled into Dokja’s grip. The Dark Watcher saw the weapon and froze for a split second.
“Not a chance.”
I didn’t waste the opening—nine rapid thrusts punched into its body.
“Kieeeek!”
It screeched and scrambled back.
“Ki-ki-kick, y-you think you can even fight with that?”
“I-It’s broken, and y-you can’t even use it without a really special skill…”
But Dokja simply closed her eyes and focused. Blue energy began pouring from the broken blade.
“N-No way?! H-How?!”
A new blade of pure blue energy formed from the broken sword—Broken Faith. The Dark Watcher reeled in shock and swung at her, but Dokja sliced every tentacle clean off. The effort of forging the blade had drained her; she staggered.
“Dokja-ya. You okay?”
“Yes… I’m fine.”
I stepped forward protectively, honorifics already forgotten. Dokja steadied her breathing and reset her stance. Another aura flared around her a moment later—probably a Bookmark. She shot forward and carved into the Dark Watcher.
“Gwoooorgh!!!”
It tried to counter, but Dokja dodged every pattern as if she already knew them all and kept pressing the attack. In one perfect instant she found the gap and cut deep.
“Ka, kar… mien. Dero…”
“‘H-How did you dodge every single attack…?’ it says…”
“Just…”
“Read a lot of books.”
“H-Holy… C-Constellations, did you all just see that? Did I imagine it…?”
Constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ widens its eyes.
Constellation ‘Protective Courage’ exhales a satisfied plume of cigarette smoke.
Constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ plucks out a satisfied hair.
“A-An Ether Blade this early in the scenarios…?”
“Technically it’s not a real Ether Blade. The real thing is way stronger.”
“R-Right! Strictly speaking, she loaded ‘White Azure Energy’ onto Broken Faith, which absorbs mana to form a blade…”
The dokkaebi couldn’t stop gushing in awe at Dokja’s feat.
“Sub-scenario’s done. Pay up.”
“Ugh, fine. H-Hold on!”
Clear conditions met!
🎁 Reward: 500 Coins acquired.
A handful of constellations marvel at the scenario you created.
“S-So you’re not killing that thing?”
“I’m a pacifist.”
“P-Pacifist…?”
“I don’t kill lightly.”
That’s rich coming from someone who casually slaughtered grasshoppers on the subway.
The dokkaebi bought Dokja’s odd excuse and started trying to talk her into finishing the job—huge rewards, over seven thousand coins, every temptation it could invent. Dokja didn’t even listen; she just kept walking.
Yeah. Killing that thing only brings trouble…
Thud—
Grade-7 Demon Species ‘Dark Watcher’ has been slain.
“Ha… haha…”
“Hahahaha! I-I can get stronger now too!”
“Kim Dokja, you bastard! Bet you didn’t see this coming?!”
“…”
“You idiot! What kind of pacifism is that in a world like this?!”
“That’s why trash like you never becomes the top dog! You hear me?!!!”
By slaying the Grade-7 Demon Species ‘Dark Watcher’, Demon King ‘Demon God of Wrath and Lust’ has sensed the killer’s existence.
Demon King ‘Demon God of Wrath and Lust’ will hunt the incarnation who delivered the final blow until death.
Demon King ‘Demon God of Wrath and Lust’ will place a horrific curse upon the final striker!
“Huh?”
Final Striker: Han Myungoh
…You absolute fucking moron.
“W-What the hell is this message?!”
“Ah… did I forget to mention?”
“We left it alive on purpose.”
“Let’s just open the rewards together.”
“Hayeon-ssi, it’s over now. You can come out.”
“…”
“…Hayeon-ssi?”
Kill him.
That bastard doesn’t deserve to live.
Anyone who laughs like that after stabbing the people who saved his life needs to die for everyone’s sake.
I raised the rapier and walked toward Han Myungoh.
“Hayeon-ssi! Stop!!”
Dokja stepped in front of me.
Why? You’re the one he hurt.
Why are you stopping me? Why?
“Han Myungoh-ssi has already paid the price!”
“There’s no need to go further!!”
“No… need… to go further?”
“Yes. So please calm down.”
“…”
Is that so…
I still… don’t need to do that yet…
“…Hayeon-ssi?”
Strength drained from my body and I pitched forward. The feathered hat and rapier vanished; my original clothes returned.
“Hayeon-ssi? Hayeon-ssi?!”
Attribute ‘City Values’ returns to sleep due to unmet conditions.
Ah… I’m so sleepy…