Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: No Mercy From Now On
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The man held two key-shaped artifacts that had been shattered into pieces.
An item I knew well—the artifact that President Baek Juseok always carried around. It was the Helmont Academy Intranet's Master Key.
"The president said something about classified data or whatever being inside, and told us not to destroy it, just hide it..."
"What? Then we weren't supposed to break it."
"Hey, use your brain. President Baek Juseok used this thing to manipulate stuff. And right now, NPS is right upstairs. What if we get caught by bad luck? You think only the president goes down? We'd go down with him—the guy who paid us off. With his personality, when he's about to get screwed, he'll definitely rat everyone out just to take us down with him."
"True... but what if he comes after us later for no reason?"
"Don't chicken out, you punk. How's he gonna know who smashed it? Hell, we've got dozens of guild members here alone. How's he gonna pinpoint us? And do you know how many guilds he's greased with money?"
"How the hell would I know that?"
"I'm kinda tight with our guild master and hear stuff sometimes. Baek Juseok's in the top ten domestic conglomerates, right? That massive fortune he scraped together by gouging students, taking bribes, doing dirty deeds, and all sorts of bullshit. Apparently, he blew more than half of it on backroom payoffs. We probably got here first for this evidence cleanup because we were nearby. The others will show up soon enough. So no way he'll figure out it was us anyway."
"Hmm... yeah, I guess so. But why'd he tamper with the Intranet Master Key?"
"Beats me. When do the big shots ever have reasons that make sense? Anyway, right now, they've pinned everything on that Choi Juwon guy. You know him, right? The one famous as an S-Rank Instructor."
"Don't know his face, but I've heard the name a lot."
"I don't know his face either. Honestly, who cares if it's a frame job or whatever—it's fucking satisfying. We're out here busting our asses for cash, and some wizard prick rakes it in just by playing instructor. Made me wanna puke. Now the whole world's shitting on him. How sweet is that?"
"Anyone overhearing would think you had a personal grudge. You don't even know his face—why hate him so much?"
"'Cause it pisses me off how he makes bank so easily. Don't you get it? We have to kill people, frame others, kidnap, threaten—do every damn thing just to scrape by. But that guy? 'This is how you use magic!' Wiggles his fingers a few times like an idiot, and suckers line up paying to listen. When I saw his income in the news, it made my blood boil."
"Fair enough... Hey, you didn't smash the Master Key on purpose, did you?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"No Master Key means no Intranet access. Forcing into the Intranet without it would take months. For Choi Juwon to prove he's framed, he'd need to log in and show the records were tampered with. But now he can't. Because you smashed it."
"Pfft, caught me? You're sharp as hell. Sure, I'm worried about Baek Juseok getting nabbed like a moron and spilling everything, but honestly? I just hate that Choi Juwon prick's guts. Hope he lives under that frame job forever, the fucker. Hell, why doesn't he just drop dead while we're at it?"
"Cold-blooded. Can't understand hating someone you've never even seen this much."
"I told you—easy money from being some S-Rank Instructor bullshit. If there's a guy I hate and a way to screw him, only an idiot wouldn't. And do guys like us need more reason to crush someone? Hell, you killed those randos you met yesterday just fine."
"I got paid to kill them."
"Real righteous, dumbass. Hey, we're at the perimeter already. I'll stand watch a bit, then catch up. You go first. Use the comm artifact if anything happens."
"Got it. Watch for five minutes, then follow."
The man left alone lit up a cigarette, took a deep drag, let out a sigh, and muttered to himself.
"Hah, fucking life. Never know what's coming. That S-Rank Instructor from the fancy academy, raking in cash like in the articles? Watching him crash and burn in an instant. And I smashed the one thing that could've cleared his name? Thrilling. Nothing beats dragging someone down."
"Hoo~"
I listened to the man's conversation and thought.
Why is the world so cruel to me?
I'd endured, tried to live like a proper human. Even if I hated someone, I'd sworn not to kill them. Because I'm a 'human' from Earth.
Despite my overwhelming power, no matter what, I'd tried to solve problems justly without killing. Even when unfairly expelled, I thought they'd recognize it someday and handled it gentlemanly.
Luckily, I met the Hunter Association President and even got NPS—one of the strongest state agencies—involved. I had hopes. For the state to deliver justice. For Baek Juseok's house to be raided, the Intranet Master Key seized, and my name cleared.
All I wanted was a sincere apology.
But the result, as you see, was a total mess.
'Baek Hyunseo, Shin Yura, Baek Juseok, Choi Seung-hyun, and now this faceless bastard.'
Why is the world so vicious to me? What did I do wrong for strangers to ignore, despise,, and treat me like a total loser?
'Because I was too soft.'
I finally realized. The bastards who fuck with me, treat me like shit—they need to be crushed without mercy.
If even faceless punks show this level of malice just because I'm famous and make good money, my life's already in the shitter anyway.
I can't comprehend it. Why only vicious shit happens to me, why I'm surrounded by morons. Am I cursed? Or just unlucky? Doesn't matter.
Either way, from now on, no mercy. In this world where fists are closer than the law, I'll give them a taste of their own medicine.
'First, I need to take down all the dogshit scum President Baek Juseok pays to do his bidding.'
I drew up my mana and chanted the spell.
-Whiiiiiing
In an instant, a chilling wind began to whip through the cave.
"Wh... who's there?!"
The smoking man whipped around in shock to stare at me. I muttered quietly.
"That thing..."
"Sh... show yourself! Or I'll kill you!"
"The artifact in your hand. That was the only way to clear my name."
"Wh... what the hell are you...?!"
-Swoosh
I instantly teleported behind him. But this guy had some experience—he precisely thrust his sword at my throat. As if killing people meant nothing to him.
-Stab
His sword didn't reach my throat; it pierced through his own hand instead. It didn't even hurt.
"Used to killing, huh?"
The man grinned and said,
"Dumbass. That last attack was wrapped in 'Aura.' Your whole body'll stiffen and go numb soon. Once your movements slow, I'll rip your limbs off one by one."
"Am... am I in danger right now?"
I ripped off my mask and grinned at him.
"You... know who I am?"
"Wh... who the hell are you?!"
"You didn't even know my face—why fuck with me?"
"Wh... what?"
"Never mind. If you don't get it, just die."
"Don't bluff! You'll be paralyzed soon an—"
-Thud
A massive ice spear slammed into his gut.
"Gaaack... what the...?"
"Can't die yet."
I chanted at him.
-Whoooong
His wound healed in a flash. At the same time, the countless ice spears from the earlier Blizzard began stabbing into his gut.
-Stab
-Whoooong
-Stab
-Whoooong
The cycle repeated endlessly: spear piercing, wound healing and ejecting it.
"St... stop..."
-Slash
"Aaaargh! Fuck! Why the hell are you doing this to me?!"
He spewed curses amid his agony.
"Why'd you fuck with me?"
"What bullshit are you spouting?! You think you'll get away with this?! Do you even know what guild we are?!"
"No clue. And I'm dying to know—what guild are you guys?"
"You're... fucked now, you bastard!"
I teleported above his head and layered gravity magic on myself.
-Swooooosh
My body plummeted with insane acceleration toward the ground. I reached out and smashed his head into the floor.
-Boom
-Sizzle
"Gaaaaaaah..."
I dragged his face across the ground.
"Pl... please... plea...se..."
His mouth torn to shreds, he could barely speak, whimpering apologies.
"Told you not to act tough. If you're gonna beg for your life shaking like a leaf, why strut like you're hot shit? Say it again like before—what guild are you from?"
"S... sor...ry... pl...ease... spare... me..."
-Thud
He dropped to his knees, tears streaming.
"Wanna live?"
The man frantically nodded up and down.
"Hah... fine, I'll let you live. But don't ever act up again."
I turned and pretended to walk out. Curious about his reaction.
-Rustle
Sure enough, I sensed him moving toward me.
"Die...!"
The moment he raised his sword for my back, I spun around, grinned, and unleashed the prepared spell.