Chapter 255: I’ll Change the Protagonist (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 255: I’ll Change the Protagonist (4)
“The rules are simple. Two-on-two, alternating turns. No killing.”
The lunatic with the calm aura continued her explanation.
Wait, didn't you just say you were going to slit our throats? Why the sudden mercy?
“Instead, if you lose, you lose a comrade.”
“What exactly does ‘lose’ mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. You’ll be fitted with mana-suppressing handcuffs and handed over to the opposing side. We won’t kill you. We won’t even inflict pain. But you’ll be our property, to do with as we please. If we tell you to lick our feet, you lick. If we tell you to prostrate yourself, you prostrate. Just think of yourselves as slaves.”
And she was saying this while the video was being broadcast live to the internet?
Heroes need to maintain a certain image. If footage of a hero kneeling like a dog and licking a villain’s boots got out, it would be archived forever, haunting them for the rest of their lives.
“We just have to win, right?”
Yoon A-young, who had been listening quietly beside me, spoke up as if it were no big deal.
I turned to look at her, and her calm eyes met mine. Her composure—devoid of both arrogance and doubt, as if winning were simply the natural order of things—made me smirk.
She was right. All we had to do was win.
“Then if you lose, do you become my slaves as well?”
I let out a deliberate, arrogant laugh, but the villain simply nodded slowly without a hint of a reaction.
“Sure. Do whatever you want.”
If the cameras weren't here, I really would have had my way with them. What a shame.
Thwack!
“Ow! Stop kicking me.”
I don’t know how she knew I was having impure thoughts, but Yoon A-young delivered a swift kick to my backside. As I was rubbing my smarting rear, the villain added one more thing.
“Since you’re at a disadvantage, I’ll give you a choice. If you lose, you can either give up a comrade or have that woman over there drugged.”
Drunk on the drugs, Ahn Ji-young didn't even understand what the villain was saying; she just giggled and waved at me.
“I don’t think either of those are particularly ‘good’ options.”
“Like it or not, those are your only two choices. Either lose a comrade or let that woman suffer a bit more. For the record, I’m going to use the first slave as my dog.”
“Then I’ll take the first slave as my ow—”
Thwack!
“Hey, let me finish my sentence!”
I shut my mouth after Yoon A-young kicked me again.
“Decide who’s going out, but you have to participate in every match.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
“Because I look like an easy target?”
I asked with a broad grin, but the villain shook her head.
“I don’t underestimate you. That time has long passed. It’s simply because you’re the protagonist.”
The word ‘protagonist’ grated on my nerves, but the fact that I could keep fighting was actually quite good. Seeing as they weren't insisting on one-on-ones, they must be pretty confident in their ability to handle me.
But here’s the thing. We’re probably a lot stronger than you’re expecting.
“Satomi.”
“Yes, Captain. I am ready.”
Satomi stepped forward, her eyes gleaming.
“A samurai is my opponent? How boring.”
The fat woman stood up, cracking her neck.
As a rule, there are almost no fat Awakened. While people with naturally small frames like Anna or Hwa-ryeon aren't rare, most Awakened burn through calories so quickly that their bodies become lean and agile.
The fact that she was fat despite that meant she likely had a related skill. Was it a physical reinforcement skill? Or some other weird skill the producers cooked up?
It didn't matter. Losing wasn't an option.
The Tall Girl and the Fatty stepped onto the stage, and I followed with Satomi. As the barrier wall went up, Satomi stared at me intently.
“Captain. How shall we proceed?”
She wasn't asking for a strategy. She was asking whether she should leave them half-dead or just barely alive.
After the defeat by Victoria, the members had worked themselves to the bone to strengthen their skills. Even to me, someone who had survived the military, their training volume and passion were impressive. Their confidence had risen right along with their improved skills.
“Just don't kill them.”
“Understood.”
Satomi curled her lips into a smirk and turned her gaze toward the villains.
“Are they seriously ignoring us?”
“I think I’ll use that samurai bitch as my chair.”
The Tall Girl and the Fatty glared at Satomi, gnashing their teeth.
As soon as the match began, I stepped back.
“…”
The villains watched my back in silence as I turned away and walked off, completely ignoring the two of them. Dozens of eyes fell on me as I leaned against the barrier wall and crossed my arms, creating a heavy silence.
“What? I’m out here, just like you asked.”
“You’re more arrogant than the rumors suggested.”
“There’s a difference between arrogance and confidence.”
While I smirked, Satomi approached the two with a light, airy gait, as if she were out for a stroll. Her walk was so ordinary that her presence felt faint; by the time they noticed her, she was already within striking distance.
Shring—
With a chilling sound, Satomi unleashed her battōjutsu. The sword, thrusting out in the straight line characteristic of the Wonmyeong-ryu style, lashed toward the Tall Girl’s body like a spear.
“Gah!”
She managed to block it in a panic, but the Tall Girl was forced back as her forearm was sliced halfway through. Satomi immediately swung her extended blade outward, slashing at the Fatty.
“…”
Just as the blade was about to strike the Fatty, who wasn't even attempting to defend, Satomi stopped her attack and leaped back.
“You have quick instincts.”
The Fatty gave a sleazy grin and charged at Satomi with a full-body tackle.
“Your sword can’t cut me!”
It must be a skill that nullifies slashing attacks. Given all that excess fat, it probably worked against blunt force too.
Retreating from the Fatty’s charge, Satomi spoke coldly.
“There is nothing my blade cannot cut.”
Actually, you’re not quite there yet.
It was good to be confident, but she was getting a bit too carried away. However, a skill of the Fatty’s level was easy enough to overcome.
Satomi glanced at the Tall Girl’s position in the rear and lowered her sword. Her blade, which seemed to quiver slightly, suddenly surged upward, slicing through the air.
Slash!
The Tall Girl, who had been running behind the Fatty using her as a shield, widened her eyes and collapsed forward as a deep gash appeared on her body. Seeing the Tall Girl get hit despite the distance and the physical obstruction, the Fatty panicked.
Holding her sword high, Satomi gave a chilling smile and spoke with pride.
“This is the Captain’s K-Sword technique: Backwoods Thicket-Slasher.”
Aaaaaagh!!
Don't say the name! And it's not a K-Sword!!
I didn't teach you that so you could advertise it to others! What are you doing when there are cameras everywhere?!
While Satomi’s announcement left both the enemy and me flabbergasted, her high-held sword swung down in a basic vertical strike. However, the blade, imbued with enough monstrous strength to cleave through anything in its path, slammed directly into the Fatty.
The Fatty, who had been cocky because of her defensive skill, saw her flesh spread out like pizza dough before being sliced clean through.
“Aaaaaargh…!”
Satomi looked down at the Fatty rolling on the ground as if there was nothing more to be done. She wiped her bloodless blade on her forearm and sheathed it.
The Tall Girl had collapsed without even getting to use her skills, and the Fatty had been defeated when her skill was bypassed entirely. The villains stared blankly at the overwhelming gap in skill.
“Th-this isn't what we were told!”
“…”
The villain who had been running her mouth earlier shouted in a panic, but no one answered. Satomi, who had handled everything flawlessly—aside from proudly shouting ‘K-Sword’—walked over and knelt on one knee before me.
“I have dealt with them all, as per the Captain’s orders.”
…You did well, but isn't the kneeling a bit much? What are people going to think of me?
I gave a word of praise to Satomi, who was showing a gesture of loyalty as if we were in a lord-vassal relationship, and then looked at the villains.
“So, who’s next? We’re staying in.”
The atmosphere on the villains' side turned grim after their two confident fighters were crushed. The loudmouth villain was now hesitating, while the calm one stared at me with cold eyes.
“Which one are you taking?”
“I’m going to arrest and take all of you anyway, so anyone will do. Actually, for now, I’ll take her.”
When I pointed at the Tall Girl, one of the villains treated her wounds and placed mana-suppressing handcuffs on her. Having regained consciousness, the Tall Girl walked over with a humiliated expression and stood before my team.
Click—
Lee Yu-na naturally swapped them for the handcuffs we had brought.
“You don’t trust us?”
“Give me a reason to trust you. I don’t even trust this game, to be honest. You lot would flip the board the moment things stop going your way.”
“It’s almost like you’re asking us to do exactly that.”
The calm villain stood up and stepped onto the stage.
“Red, you’re up too.”
“No, I… fine, I’m coming…”
Oh, finally stepping out.
The loudmouth villain—Red—hesitated under the calm villain’s gaze before following her out.
“Do you call each other by hair color? Then are you Blue?”
“Unfortunately, you’re wrong. I’m called Navy.”
“Then shouldn't that guy be called Burgundy instead of Red?”
“You have a very masculine eye for detail when it comes to colors. Sorry, but you shouldn't expect that kind of sense from women.”
Navy gave a smirk and raised her spear.
I wouldn't say I know colors well enough to be praised for it, though.
Seeing Red and Navy take their combat stances, I looked at Satomi.
“I’ll take the lead this time.”
“Yes, understood.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Satomi stepped back and stood near the barrier.
Seeing me step forward, Navy narrowed her eyes.
“It’s an honor to have you step out personally.”
Unlike the other villains, she didn't look like she was underestimating me. You guys seem to know quite a bit about me, don't you?
Usually, people would ignore me because I’m a Supporter. To not let your guard down at all—did someone tell you about me?
“I just really wanted to hit that one myself.”
“I was staying quiet, but this little shit is asking for death.”
Red glared at me, radiating bloodlust. Even though he was venting his anger, he wasn't underestimating me either. I guess you heard a lot from Baek Seo-woo?
As the two of them charged, I retreated, drawing Astra and firing in all directions. As the bullets ricocheted off the barrier and the floor, smoke began to billow out. As I continued to retreat, the space enclosed by the barrier filled with smoke.
I could feel Satomi swinging her sword to clear the smoke from her immediate area. Suddenly, Navy lunged out from the thick, blinding haze.
“This is too naive. Isn't it a bit late to be searching with your eyes?”
Navy, having sensed me through mana, thrust her spear. The smoke swirled around her spear as if caught in the eye of a storm, and a thrust so fast it was invisible to the naked eye pierced through Jeong Yeon-woo.
As Navy faltered at the sensation of piercing empty air, I pressed my shotgun against the back of her head.
“You should have used your eyes.”
Bang!
I delivered a load of buckshot to the back of her head and vanished back into the smoke. Dozens of decoys, each carrying a set amount of mana, were screaming that Jeong Yeon-woo was right there.
I approached Red, who was swinging wildly at nothing, buried a round of buckshot into his side, and retreated.
They tried to clear the smoke by swinging their weapons, but in a sealed barrier, there was nowhere for the smoke to go.
“Fuck! Where are you?!”
Despite having plastered every inch of his exposed body with buckshot, Red was still full of energy. As I thought, bullets alone just don't have enough destructive power.
Whack!
I flipped the shotgun around and slammed the butt into Red’s head with a power swing. If Michelle’s disciple, Vanessa, had seen this, she would have screamed about the barrel bending, but the old woman must have anticipated this; the weapon was incredibly well-balanced for swinging.
It had a very satisfying ‘heft’ to it. Plus, it was sturdy enough to handle rough use. She probably saw a movie where the protagonist beats enemies with a shotgun or something.
Following Michelle’s implicit intent, I began to beat Red mercilessly.
“Agh! Fuck!”
I dodged Red’s wild flailing and hid back in the smoke.
“Calm down, Red.”
“Do I look calm right now?! Fuck! I’m going to kill that bastard!”
“Just counter whatever comes at us while we’re back-to-back. His basic physical stats are lower than ours.”
Navy calmly pinpointed the core issue. As she said, it was hard for me to attack unless they showed an opening first.
But you see, we have a close-quarters specialist on our side.
Satomi, holding her sword high, emerged from the smoke in front of them.
“We’ve been had…”
With Navy’s bitter smile, Satomi’s sword swung down.
—BOOM!
With a shockwave that seemed to blow away all the surrounding smoke, the two of them were slammed into the ground by Satomi’s blade. Although she had swung it while still in the scabbard, the two of them coughed up blood and lost consciousness from the sheer impact.
As the smoke cleared and the stage became visible, everyone stared at us in a daze.
I looked at the remaining villains and smiled.
“So, who’s next?”