Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Time to Feast
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Click.
Do-hyun casually switched off the camera.
'This broadcast should be more than enough.'
Babel Farms could now be considered utterly ruined.
No matter how much money they'd poured into politicians, with this many eyewitnesses, there was no coming back from it.
Plus, he'd turned countless Americans into fans of Genocider, hitting that extra goal too.
'Now it's playtime.'
Pretending to rage at the victims' sight? All an act.
He'd seen far worse horrors more times than he could count, so Do-hyun felt no real emotional stir.
Instead, something else gnawed at him.
Gulp.
Hunger.
'So many main course grades!'
He'd held back for the sake of smooth "broadcasting," but no need anymore.
"You bastard, how dare you...! I won't let you die easy."
The moment Eric, the CEO, snarled.
"Upper right! He's on you!"
"Hmph! I see him!"
True to their S-rank status, they detected Do-hyun's stealth and scoffed, readying counters.
But,
Slash! Splash!!
"Huh?"
A red line slashed across the neck of the S-rank hired from Colombia, blood fountaining out!
True to S-rank caliber, even with his carotid severed, he didn't drop dead right away.
Thanks to his unique skill flooding his veins with drugs, granting zombie-like tenacity.
But even the mightiest skills had limits.
Flash!
Countless lines carved into the Drug Magician's body in a blink.
"Gaaaaaaaagh──!!!"
The Drug Magician spewed blood from every inch of his body and finally crumpled, unable to hold on.
'Oh, nice skill.'
Enduring lethal wounds like it was nothing? Might as well have a spare life.
"What are you doing? Block him!!"
Eric CEO bellowed like a demon, but
Slash! Splash!!
This time, the S-rank villain from Bolivia.
True to his name, he wielded blood as shields, but he couldn't even react before falling.
'Eh... no standout skills. Blood Shield's covered by blood magic anyway.'
He'd just boost his stats instead.
Devouring stats like this wasn't bad either.
Stockpiling as much as possible in his soul beforehand meant bigger gains at the Lv. 8 promotion hidden piece.
"Insolent fool!!"
The Babel Farms executives stepped up.
President Brown.
VP Arthur.
Executive Director Roll Capo.
All S-ranks, Lv. 7.
President Brown was upper mid Lv. 7, the other two middling. They'd synced attacks plenty before; their combo was vicious.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-
From the rear, Executive Director Roll Capo unleashed a portable machine gun barrage on Do-hyun.
Not wild spray—his marksman skill Machine Gun Shower.
Bullets would track no matter how Do-hyun dodged.
Simultaneously, second-line VP Arthur raised a hand, his Phantom Magic illusions scrambling Do-hyun's senses.
Finally, President Brown.
His elegant Crescent Sword technique sliced to bisect Do-hyun.
A combo even an Lv. 8 Nova would struggle with!
But.
"You look so tasty!"
Do-hyun bared his teeth in a grin, and the unbelievable happened.
Slash-!
Blood fountained from President Brown's neck.
"!!"
Do-hyun charged straight at VP Arthur, who paled and began casting—only for Do-hyun to vanish.
Splash!!!
Executive Director Capo at the rear bled out and collapsed.
"Wh-what the...?!"
VP Arthur stammered.
Four S-ranks gone in the blink of an eye!
Even an Lv. 8 Nova couldn't pull that off.
"N-no way... Level Nine?"
Lv. 9 Pulsar Star.
Triple S in the old grading system.
If Lv. 8s were a nation's top dogs, Lv. 9s were apex predators in Awakener superpowers only.
Even in America, teeming with S-ranks, only twenty Lv. 9s existed—treated as national treasures.
"Not Level Nine. Actually Level Ten?"
"Wh-what?!"
"Waaagh!!"
"Gaaaaaaaagh!!!"
Do-hyun bellowed, and the guy collapsed bonelessly.
Not content, terror made him piss himself.
'Tsk tsk. Pathetic.'
Villains or not, it was disappointing.
All the American S-ranks he'd met so far fell short.
The future looked bleak.
Anyway.
Slash!
'Phantom Magic blends necromancy and illusions—pretty useful.'
Do-hyun whistled contentedly, belly full after ages.
But it wasn't over.
"What'd you say last time? Base pay ten bucks, zero incentives?"
Eric stared like at a ghost, then blurted,
"S-sorry!!! W-we'll give you all Babel Farms' hidden assets, p-please just spare my l-life...!!"
Slash!
Fed up, Do-hyun lopped off his head.
Eric was an Awakener but low-level—no worthwhile devour.
Instead, Do-hyun consumed the lingering "memories" in his soul.
'...Is America really okay? Way more rotten than I thought.'
Do-hyun grimaced.
He'd gleaned Babel Farms' political ties straight from Eric's memories.
No discriminating between Labor or Liberty parties.
Worse: Plenty knew NHD was an Outer God relic sacrifice yet allied anyway.
Eric didn't know details, but hints of an Outer God-worshipping cabal among politicians, tycoons—the U.S. elite.
'Eh... won't change much. Planned to flip it all anyway.'
Do-hyun turned.
One last guy left.
"Enjoy the show?"
A figure emerged from the shadows.
Hong Kong's hero, Black Sword Ethan Lau.
British-Chinese mix, movie-star handsome.
"If you were hiding in the corner, why not run?"
Do-hyun said flatly.
"Run now? I'll let you live."
Looking at Ethan Lau, no hunger stirred.
Not wicked.
Deflated, Do-hyun offered him a chance.
"Genocider, come to China."
"Hm...?"
"You're not for an evil empire like America. Only China can stop the coming apocalypse. Come to China."
Do-hyun wondered if he was sane, but Ethan's eyes burned with fervent belief.
'China's full of those. Patriot zealots.'
"You know your Chairman worships Outer Gods? All the secretaries too."
"...A necessary evil to avert the end."
He knew.
'Brainwashed.'
Folks fell into Outer God cults for many reasons—one was the indoctrination they'd save the world.
"You an Apostle?"
"!!"
Ethan's face hardened.
"Yes, I've received grace from the Great One. Come to China, and you can too."
Do-hyun clicked his tongue.
'Gotta kill him.'
Ethan drew his sword, sheathing it in deep black aura.
Not a skill.
Power bestowed by an Outer God.
'Soul Force on Lv. 8 level.'
Strictly, below true Lv. 8.
Weaker than Sara, or Super Force's Smith.
Still, Do-hyun grew more cautious than against Sara recently.
'First real deal this round.'
Do-hyun was capping at Lv. 7 power now.
He toyed with S- and Nova-ranks because he was a combat savant.
Flip side: Any proper Lv. 7 fighter could match him.
Ethan Lau was one.
"......"
Silence hung.
Neither moved, wary.
Do-hyun broke it first.
Step.
One step toward Ethan Lau.
Ethan twitched a brow, matched it.
Do-hyun smirked, stepped again.
Ethan followed.
Distance shrank bit by bit.
'Fun.'
Do-hyun didn't prefer fights without "appetizer,"
but a worthy foe after so long thrilled him.
Sword range now, Ethan spoke.
"...Late, but the martial art I wield is Black Line Sword."
China styled skills as martial arts, techniques, spells. Sparring etiquette named your art.
Most Chinese Do-hyun met skipped etiquette; Ethan had that, plus romance.
'Too bad no hunger pangs.'
Had to kill him anyway.
Wished it was someone tasty instead.
"No specific skill for me... I'll kill you with a diagonal slash."
Ethan twisted his lips.
"Cool."
No sarcasm—genuine admiration.
In that instant, Ethan sensed defeat, his death.
Do-hyun blurted,
"Surrender now?"
Ethan scowled like insulted.
"Shut up!!"
Flash!
A black line slashed the air. Dull yet sharper than any attack this round.
Do-hyun honored his foe's "romance."
No blood magic or fresh Phantom Magic.
Straight clash with Black Line Sword.
Slash!
Do-hyun's knife slit Ethan Lau's throat. Black Line Sword grazed his a hair's breadth away.
"Fine... diagonal slash."
Thud.
Ethan collapsed; Do-hyun watched impassively.
Not wicked, decent guy—wasteful, but no regrets.
He'd slain plenty like him before.
Still,
Shhh.
A murky energy seeped from Ethan's body.
Blackish, murky, eerie—not mere darkness.
The grace he'd received.
Do-hyun snatched the fragment midair.
-Kiiiiiiiiiagh!!!!
Gripping it, a horrific shriek pierced Do-hyun's spirit.
Not just unpleasant—it could shatter his mind if he let go now.
But he didn't.
Eyes bloodshot, he clenched with full might.
-Kiiiiiiiiiagh!!!
The fragment wailed differently—terrified of Do-hyun.
Do-hyun wasn't unscathed either.
Drip.
Blood trickled from his nose.
Undeterred, he poured in more force.
He knew.
Erasing a mere shard meant nothing.
Just venting.
But he wanted to vent.
Blood streamed from ears and eyes; with a Flash!!, the fragment powdered.
Smoke rose from the dust—
-ᚾᛟᛏ ᛒᚨᛞ··· ᚠᛟᚱ ᚨ ᛗᛟᚱᛏᚨᛚ.
⟨ OUTER GOD VOICE ⟩
A tongue utterly alien to Earth echoed.
Like from the abyss's depths.
Familiar to Do-hyun.
For the first Outer God encountered this round, Do-hyun gave his usual greeting.
"I will kill you."