Chapter 122: Good Child
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 122: Good Child
Finally, the moment had arrived.
I’d already gathered the 50 points required to meet the monster on the very first day.
So why did I swallow my resentment and grind for another 100 points?
"Fury Punch!"
"Agh!"
I caught a fleeing resident and delivered a solid fist to his face.
This was exactly why I gathered the extra points.
If I’d stopped at 50, who was going to pay me back for everything I’d endured until now?
Revenge is a dish best served in one giant heap at the very end. You don't just peck away at it with three or four points; you wait until you can utterly demolish them.
Crash!
"Uryaaaa!"
"Kyaaa! What do you think you're doing?!"
"What does it look like? This is for touching my ass!"
I stormed out after turning the house of an old woman upside down—the same one who had kneaded my butt like dough while I was running errands for her.
Wait, I’m still not satisfied.
I stepped back inside, delivered a slap just hard enough not to cause permanent damage, and walked out again.
"Y-You! Why are you suddenly doing this?! Don't you want the Water God's protection?!"
"I do, you bastard!"
I kicked a resident blocking my path right in the gut, then grabbed a nearby water bucket and drenched him.
This was the prick who poured sewage on me while I was cleaning a filthy portable latrine.
You should consider yourself lucky I have so many people to pay back that I can only spare a few points on you.
"You're all dead!!"
"Euaaaak! That guy’s gone crazy!"
"Kyaaaaak! Somebody help!"
I rampaged through the village, stopping at every house to cause a scene.
Since I’d helped almost every resident to gather those 150 points, there wasn't a single house I didn't have a history with.
"Hyung! Hyung, why are you doing this...? I... uh, the adults made me do it..."
"Oh? Is that so? Since you're still a kid, I'll let it slide."
The brat who had acted like a little shit the moment I arrived and threw bugs at me while I was eating started tearing up, quickly turning to run.
I lunged forward, grabbed his pants and underwear, and yanked them upward with all my might.
"Aaaaagh!"
"You actually believed that?! You really are just a kid!!"
"Agh! You dirty cheat! Aaaaagh!"
"All adults are dirty cheats! Muhahaha!"
No matter how much he screamed, I kept pulling his underwear up, crushing his crotch. Eventually, the fabric gave way and ripped, sending the kid tumbling to the ground.
Leaving the wailing brat behind, I glanced to the side and saw a resident peeking through a window, who quickly hid in shock.
Click.
Oh? Locking the door? As if that matters.
I enhanced my body, kicked the door in, and made sure to tap my watch to deduct 1 point.
"S-Stop! I know you have a lot of grievances against me—urgh!"
"If you knew that, you should've treated me better back then!"
This guy never even gave me errands; he just followed me around, tripping me or making snide remarks from behind.
I didn't earn any points from you, but I’ll gladly spend plenty on you.
I trashed his house, and since I still wasn't satisfied, I grabbed his face, slammed him into the floor, kicked him in the stomach, and walked out.
"Stop right there!"
When I stepped outside, a crowd had gathered: residents, the agents stationed in the village, and even my own teammates.
So this is what it feels like to be a bank robber.
The agents surrounding the house already had their weapons drawn, eyeing me warily. The residents, who had been screaming and running away just moments ago, grew emboldened now that they had the agents' backing and began hurling insults at me.
Just you wait. I’ve memorized every single face that just cursed at me.
As I scanned the crowd, my teammates caught my eye.
At least they looked like they’d take my side if things went south.
Yukina was a given, and Park Yu-jeong had naturally positioned herself behind the agents, looking at me with eyes full of anticipation—not as if she were waiting for orders, but as if she were begging them to give the order to attack.
The Comedy Duo were checking the atmosphere while gripping their sticks, and surprisingly, Takeo seemed intent on helping me, as he was glancing warily at the agents rather than at me.
As I assessed the situation, one of the agents stepped forward as a representative.
"On charges of attacking a Pioneer Village—"
"It's a mission."
I cut the man off and held up my pad to show him the mission I’d received.
However, since hundreds of people had already taken the exploration mission to investigate why the village wasn't attacked by monsters, the man simply scowled.
"What does the mission have to do with threatening the residents?"
"It has everything to do with it. Use some common sense—do you think a mage on a mission would go on a rampage like this for no reason?"
"..."
"I think he would..."
Shut up, Comedy Duo.
And Park Yu-jeong, don't you dare nod your head. You're a far more dangerous person than I am.
Whether he missed the duo's muttering or not, the man remained silent for a moment before responding.
"Can you explain what's going on?"
I checked the time on my watch and shook my head.
"No time for explanations. It's urgent. We can't afford to waste time here."
"Are you saying you're going to continue attacking the village?"
"Yes, because it's the mission. As long as there's no interference, it's a 100% success. Are you going to interfere?"
When I spoke with such confidence, the man hesitated.
You can't interfere, can you? The government is dying to know the reason behind this. They think humanity might finally reclaim territory from the monsters. Of course, that’s never going to happen, but still.
Are you going to take responsibility if I fail because of you? If you will, then I’ll stop right now.
"...Can you take responsibility for this?"
"Yes. If the mission fails, I'll take full responsibility."
"..."
"W-Wait a minute! Mr. Ibuki! What are you doing?! You're just going to let that madman be?! You're supposed to be here to protect us!"
Seeing the man hesitate, the residents all started chiming in to stop him.
But what can you do? A power that might save the world is more important than the sacrifice of a few residents.
"...I cannot condone the killing of residents."
"Don't worry! I will harass them exactly to the point where they don't die!"
They can't die.
They have to rot in this godforsaken village for the rest of their lives, suffering every moment.
"..."
"Time is ticking even as we speak."
I need to spend all my points before the monster shows up.
As I checked my watch and pressured him, the man turned his head away.
"...I will permit it, provided you do not cross the line."
"Mr. Ibuki!!"
"You're supposed to protect the residents! What are you doing?!!"
The residents screamed, but the permission had already been granted.
As the man led the agents away to disperse, the residents, who had been shouting at the top of their lungs, turned pale as they looked at me.
You had your fun tormenting me, right? Now it's my turn to have fun.
A short while later, I pressed the button on my watch with a satisfied expression.
With this, my Good Deed Points were at 60.
Since the points were checked manually, I left some just in case. If the monster didn't show up after I caused all this chaos, I’d be truly fucked.
The village, now a total wreck, was a beautiful sight.
There wasn't a single resident I hadn't hit, and not a single house that wasn't trashed.
Don't look at me like that. I'm a fair man, so I wrecked everyone's place equally.
The residents, now looking like beggars, realized the rampage had stopped when I sat down and glared at me with murderous eyes.
"Oh? Still not enough?"
But the moment I stood up, they scattered like cockroaches.
"Ah~ never mind. Don't be scared~"
When I sat back down with a grin, the residents hiding in various spots watched me with eyes full of resentment and humiliation.
Ah, how refreshing.
Tormenting people was such a joy. I finally understand the hearts of the residents—and Park Yu-jeong.
The man called Ibuki was watching me from a distance with his agents. Since I’d caused such a mess, they’d arrest me immediately if the monster didn't appear.
As I sat there quietly looking up at the sky, my teammates approached.
"Don't keep all the fun to yourself!"
"Are you okay? If this 'Water God' entity doesn't show up..."
Park Yu-jeong sat on my lap with a bright smile, while Takeo looked around worriedly.
You're a former thug, what are you so scared of?
Yukina, seemingly without a doubt that things would go well, sat next to me with a serene face and leaned her shoulder against mine.
"Heh heh—"
"Stop it. How long are you going to keep doing that unfunny bit?"
"..."
Rio, who was about to say something weird again, shut his mouth at my warning.
"Honestly, you never finish anything quietly, do you?"
The quick-witted Masayoshi returned to his usual self, sat in front of me, and pulled out some light snacks.
"Is it that fun to bully the weak without even eating?"
"It's damn fun! Tastes like heaven."
"...Well, they were pretty awful to us."
Masayoshi glanced at the residents and chuckled.
We shared the snacks he brought and chatted amiably, while the agents and residents watched us in silence.
"How much longer must we wait?"
As time continued to pass, Ibuki, his patience seemingly at its limit, approached with a grave expression.
I looked up at the sky, noted the position of the full moon, and smiled.
"Not much longer now."
"Do not forget your promise to take responsibility."
"I always keep my word."
"Anyone can say—"
As Ibuki was speaking, the atmosphere shifted.
There was no mana reaction, nothing to see or hear, but everyone, including the residents, felt that something was wrong and began to panic.
"The—The Water God is here!"
"You're dead now! The Water God who protects us is coming!!"
"The Water God will never forgive you!"
These opportunist bastards never learn, no matter how much you educate them.
The moment things look up, they get all cocky—well, I guess being positive is a good thing?
Oooooooo—
A low, beast-like wailing echoed from all directions.
The village was surrounded by thick, tall trees, making it sound as if the forest itself were crying.
Even Park Yu-jeong seemed tense at the anomaly; I could feel her body stiffen as she sat on me.
Nothing to worry about. It's a monster that has no intention of fighting humans.
The sound cut off abruptly, and a heavy silence fell over the village.
Just as one of the residents was about to speak, unable to bear the suffocating silence, the ground in front of me heaved, and a monster burst through the earth.
"A monster!!"
"Stop! Don't attack, back away."
Ibuki, who had been startled into transforming his stick into a weapon, looked back and forth between the monster and me before warily backing off at my command.
"A good child must receive a reward."
The words themselves were normal, but the voice was so eerie that it felt like it was offering a curse rather than a gift.
The monster, looking as if it were wearing a deer skull, stood about seven or eight meters tall, making its long arms and legs look even thinner.
Fleshy bits of unknown origin were stuck to its deer-like antlers, and every time they dangled, dirt showered down. It wasn't exactly a pleasant sight.
"W-Water God!"
One of the residents ran forward and knelt, prompting the others to flock over and prostrate themselves.
"Should we bow too? No matter how you look at it, that's a monster."
"It is a monster. But we don't have to fight it. For now."
"For now~"
Mulling over the words 'for now,' Park Yu-jeong moved away from me. She was likely preparing to fight if necessary.
The other teammates, despite seeing a monster that spoke human tongue, didn't falter and stood ready for battle at any moment.
I’m actually moved that the Comedy Duo is ready to fight.
"Water God! Please execute that man! He is a heartless criminal!"
These bastards. This is the first time they've actually met the thing, and instead of thanking it for protecting them all this time, they're already asking for favors.
The monster tilted its head at the resident's words and looked at me.
"You are a good child."
"Yes~ I'm a very good child~"
As I smiled, the residents grew flustered and began shouting all at once.
"That man broke into my home, threatened me and my helpless daughter, and used violence! We need the Water God's power! Are you going to abandon us?!"
"...Is 'Water God' what they call me?"
"Yes, they call you the Water God."
"I have never told them my name, nor have I told them to call me a god."
"Ah~ well, 'Water God' basically means a guardian deity who protects them—"
As I explained, the monster nodded.
Except for when the residents crowded around to kneel, the monster only looked at me and only spoke to me.
As if I were the only one worthy of conversation.
Because I was a Good Child.
"Water God, please punish that son of a bitch!"
What, do you have a contract with him? Are you going to hit him if he doesn't?
At the residents' voices, the fleshy bits on the monster's body swayed as if it were annoyed.
"What are they saying? Why must I punish a good child?"
"Who knows? Beats me."
I shrugged, and the residents stared at me blankly.
The ruined village was visible behind me, but so what? Did you really think human morality and that monster's morality would align?
"If they're annoying you, should I wipe them out?"
"I would appreciate that. I dislike noise."
The residents were horrified by the monster's response.
When I made a move as if to stand up, they all got spooked and ran away just like before, leaving only us and the agents in the plaza.
"A good child can accomplish much with small actions. Wise."
"It's nothing. More importantly, am I the only good child?"
"No, those two are also good children."
As expected, the Comedy Duo had also gathered 50 points.
When the monster pointed with a finger as long as a man's forearm, the duo flinched for a second but soon regained their composure.
The Geezer really does train them well. If only his personality were better.
"I shall give the good children a gift."
The monster waved its finger in the air, and I felt a strange sensation as if something were settling into my body.
"You need not resist. I am merely granting you one of my knacks."
The Comedy Duo, who had been resisting the power, hesitated for a moment before accepting it after I nodded.
It's a good thing, so take it. You have to take these things when they're offered.
"I hope the head of a crow hangs in the path of the good children."
"Yes, thank you."
The phrasing was a bit much, but since it was a blessing, I expressed my gratitude.
Then, I called out to the monster as it prepared to coolly sink back into the ground.
"Excuse me, but there are many things people are curious about. In the human world, we have a culture of 'tea time'... anyway, it's a culture where we drink tea together and talk openly. Would you like to experience it?"
"Is that so. Very well."
Thump—
The monster sat down heavily in front of me, kicking up a cloud of dust.
For the record, there is an option to fight the monster in the game.
Players who were tormented by the village often said 'to hell with the blessing' and killed the monster, but since I’m never coming back here anyway, there’s no need for that.
"Mr. Ibuki, please come over here."
"Huh? Me?"
"Yes. The government must have a lot of questions. And could you prepare some tea?"
I have to finish the mission properly.
And once I reveal the fact that other monsters simply avoided the village because they were terrified of this monster, the government won't waste resources here anymore.
I have to make sure these resident bastards don't get to live like kings on government subsidies.