Crushed Beneath Mythic Gravity

A few days earlier, I'd opened up to Yoon Seoyeon about some of my abilities. I'd explained the emergence of the main quest, and she nodded in understanding before getting ready to head out. I set aside my half-eaten meal and pulled up my status window.

I began distributing the points I'd been saving.

With all the trait level-ups complete, I checked the description for Black Eye again.

"This trait hasn't changed at all?"

I tilted my head in confusion. It was odd that the description remained the same despite the level-up, but I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't have time to dwell on it right now.

"Kim Geon! You ready?"

Yoon Seoyeon's voice called out. She was already geared up for battle, gripping a baseball bat in her hand.

"Yeah, let's go."

We headed for the apartment.

Inside the apartment complex, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the vast parking lot evoked the image of an ancient Roman Colosseum. Dozens of people stood in a massive circle, and at its center knelt Lee Seoyul, like a condemned prisoner awaiting execution. Her frail shoulders trembled with terror, her pale face already stained with despair. Thick beads of sweat trickled down from beneath her short-cropped hair.

"Who were you with? Why were you tailing us, and what did you see? Spill it all."

Kang Cheolho's voice echoed coldly across the parking lot like cracking ice. Cruel delight flickered in his eyes. But Lee Seoyul just quivered her lips in silence, mute as a stone.

Kang Cheolho clicked his tongue and shook his head. Then he turned his gaze to the middle-aged woman captured beside her.

"Maybe you'll talk if I fuck your mom right in front of you~"

Kang Cheolho's lips curled up like a demon's. He circled behind Lee Seoyul's mother and roughly grabbed her breast with his filthy hand.

"Ugh...!"

A small groan escaped the woman's lips. As his dirty tongue licked her nape, her entire body shuddered in revulsion.

"I was a decent guy with some purity left, you know? You forced my hand."

Kang Cheolho whined as if he were the victim. But his actions only grew more violent.

"Mom...!"

Lee Seoyul scanned the crowd with pleading eyes. But no one stepped forward. Everyone averted their gazes and bowed their heads. In this world, defying a tyrant's whims meant death.

Lee Seoyul stared at her mother in utter despair. Despite the pain, her mother forced a smile, as if to say it was okay. Kim Geon's face flashed in Lee Seoyul's mind—the warmth she'd felt during their brief time together. The first act of pure kindness in this hellish world. But to betray that in return... Her heart felt like it was being torn apart, yet family came first.

"I'll talk!! Who I was with, why I was there—everything! Just let my mom go..."

Lee Seoyul's voice was a raw scream. But Kang Cheolho only grinned wider, more viciously.

"Hahaha! Let her go? I'll fuck her even after you talk. And you too."

While kneading Lee Seoyul's mother's breast, he grabbed Lee Seoyul's chin roughly with his other hand.

"You're a girl, huh? Almost fooled by that short hair."

His hand seized the collar of her top and tore it open viciously.

"Kyaaak!"

Lee Seoyul's upper body was exposed. Her pale skin and the curves hidden beneath the bandages wrapped tightly around her chest revealed her secret womanhood.

"Mother and daughter? Already drooling over this. Best shit in the world?"

Kang Cheolho cackled like a madman. His insane laughter echoed through the entire parking lot. The onlookers turned away. It was too horrific to watch, yet no one dared intervene.

—Kuuuung!

A massive boom rang out as something plummeted from the sky. An impact like a meteor strike sent dust billowing into the air. Kang Cheolho, his gang, and the apartment residents all whipped their heads toward the sound.

Two black silhouettes slowly emerged from the dust cloud.

"What the hell, who else..."

Kang Cheolho muttered with a scowl, but as the dust settled, his expression flipped completely. His lips twisted into a devilish grin, like a hunter finally cornering long-sought prey.

"Well, well... Felt something fishy, and it was you after all?"

I smirked back.

"Hey~ Baldy, long time no see? Head looks even shinier."

"You little shits got mouths on you."

Kang Cheolho's voice dripped with blatant murderous intent.

"...Thanks?"

A vein bulged on his forehead. I scanned the surroundings. Muttering residents, Kang Cheolho's crew glaring like they were ready to pounce. And a beautiful woman with her clothes rumpled around her chest. Lee Seoyul, topless with bandages binding her breasts.

Why's she like that? No... wait, surely not? Nah...

Pushing the thoughts aside, I locked eyes with Lee Seoyul. Terror, guilt, and hope swirled in her gaze.

Kang Cheolho noticed and leered sleazily. He shot a meaningful glance at Ryu Kyung-hwan.

"Wanna see a fun show?"

Ryu Kyung-hwan nodded and raised his hand. Invisible threads shot through the air, wrapping around Lee Seoyul like spider silk. Suddenly, her body jerked unnaturally, like a puppet on strings. She scooped up a dagger from the ground and charged at me.

"N-no...!"

A scream tore from her lips. Her body moved against her will, but her mind was clear. The despair of harming the one who'd shown her kindness shredded her soul.

Yoon Seoyeon panicked at the sight of Lee Seoyul rushing with the dagger.

"Hey, why's that kid...?"

"Looks like she's being controlled."

I stopped Yoon Seoyeon as she raised ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her hand to apply a debuff. Spotting the marionette trait user hidden in the crowd wouldn't be easy. Lee Seoyul's low stats and non-combat trait made her attack unthreatening anyway. The real challenge was neutralizing her without harm while killing Kang Cheolho.

I pondered my next move.

—Rumble

My vision warped, revealing something new. Remembering the Black Eye level-up, I spotted a dark crimson thread pulsing like a vein from the back of Lee Seoyul's neck, stretching into the crowd. It hadn't been visible before.

Following it led me straight to Ryu Kyung-hwan's eyes. He flinched, clearly rattled that his hidden spot was exposed. But he quickly sneered, as if to say, What can you do from there?

Ryu Kyung-hwan manipulated more threads. Lee Seoyul sped up, and 2~3 level goons charged me. Seizing the gap, he fired a new crimson thread at me. I dodged, but punches from the gang forced me to take a glancing hit on the shoulder. An unpleasant connection linked me to him.

Then—

—Thud

Someone collapsed. Ryu Kyung-hwan face-planted.

"Argh!"

He groaned under an invisible crushing force. The crowd recoiled in shock, twisting Kang Cheolho's face.

"What the fuck?"

Ryu Kyung-hwan frantically tried to retract his mana threads. He recovered the one on Lee Seoyul successfully, but the one on me yanked harder instead.

Confirming Lee Seoyul freed, I yelled to Yoon Seoyeon charging over.

"Yoon Seoyeon! Get her somewhere safe!"

"Got it!"

As Yoon Seoyeon evacuated Lee Seoyul, I faced the encircling gang. A confident smile played on my lips.

I had Gravity at 2x active. My stats were boosted, and constant training made it feel comfortable now. The gang's attacks barely scratched me.

My gaze fixed on Ryu Kyung-hwan. I felt the connection. As he lay sprawled, something clicked. Closing the distance, I gradually ramped up the multiplier.

—Kraaak!

A scream erupted from Ryu Kyung-hwan. Confirmed. The gravity meant for me alone was hitting him too.

With certainty, I dismantled the gang one by one. Fists dropped them instantly. Enhanced strength and defense turned it into a one-sided slaughter.

Reaching Ryu Kyung-hwan, I grinned devilishly.

"What's your bench max?"

The pressure mounted on me too, but my trained body held. Meanwhile, a Rare-grade invisible armor manifested on Ryu Kyung-hwan, shielding him.

"Damn, already got Rare gear? Think it'll hold?"

I cranked it higher.

—Wood-crack! Crackle!

My bones ground audibly, but cracks spiderwebbed across his armor.

"Not enough yet?"

With a cruel smile, I played my final card.

—Kruuuuugh!

I gritted my teeth and endured. Muscles tore, bones threatened to shatter—but Ryu Kyung-hwan suffered worse.

—Crackle! Pop!

His invisible armor shattered completely, and 32x gravity slammed into him raw.

"Aaaaagh!!!!"

His agonized howl filled the parking lot. Fluids erupted from his body in a grotesque spray—intestines from his rear, stomach contents, eyeballs, even brain matter from his skull.

—Crunch

In the end, Ryu Kyung-hwan was crushed flat, like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a bug under a giant's palm.

I didn't need to kill him this way. Could've just walked up and finished him. But discovering new facets of my trait was... fun.

Shaking off the thought, I turned—

—Flinch

Kang Cheolho, his gang, even the residents—all stared at me in abject horror.

I broke the silence.

"Next."