Chapter 146
Chapter 146
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 146
>Chapter Title: The Outlaw's Agony
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Chapter 146
>146.
>After that, his life changed.
>His kin could be freed from that hellish agony.
>Because he had taken all of that suffering upon himself.
>-Ah…… Aaaah……!!
>In those moments, the searing pain engulfed his entire body and corrupted his mind.
>The boiling rage made him stronger, more ruthless.
>-O-Outlaw…… R-Run……!
>-Please…… Please don't abandon me……!
>That was when it began.
>That was when they stopped rejecting him and started fleeing instead.
>When the ghost soldiers came to be called not some worthless foreigners, but "Outlaws."
>No one ignored them anymore.
>And just as they had suffered until now, he showed no mercy.
>[You gain immunity to pain once inflicted by the target.]
>The power of a name was truly astonishing.
>Any pain inflicted by an opponent once would never be felt again.
>Pain that couldn't kill him only made him stronger.
>[You inflict pain upon the target.]
>If he seized a target and invoked the power of his name, they all writhed in excruciating torment.
>Grab their head, and he could make their brain burn. Grab their arm, and he could twist it in agony.
>They all broke under the pain, repenting their past sins and begging forgiveness……
>-But…… death…… is what…… you'll…… pay……
>Pain merely mocked them.
>Past sins didn't vanish with mere repentance.
>The suffering they had caused could not be erased.
>It could only be forgotten, or forgiven.
>-Remember…… it…… vividly……
>He hated that.
>He hated that the ones who had slaughtered his comrades could stretch out and live comfortably just because of "forgiveness."
>He hated that the pain they had felt could be so easily forgotten.
>That was why he wanted everyone to feel this pain and remember.
>-Kraaaagh!
>-Spare me…… Please……
>-What did we do wrong……! That wasn't us!!
>……But when had it started?
>When he wiped out three generations of the family that killed his comrades?
>-Outlaw! The Outlaw's here! Everyone, run!
>-Tell…… the Sovereign……!
>-Waaaah! Mommy! Daddy!! Don't leave me!!
>-S-Sorry…… I'm sorry……
>When he turned back to the child left behind by fleeing parents who chose to save themselves, condemning that innocent child to death after a mere second of hesitation?
>-Kuhk!
>-Kraaaaaagh!!
>-Sp-Spare……
>Or when he burned down an entire district?
>He didn't know.
>He just knew one thing.
>The vengeance that had begun as hatred for a world that rejected them had, at some point, twisted into something ugly.
>He had been consumed by the flames of revenge.
>-You've committed too many sins.
>-……
>By the time he realized it, it was too late.
>-Murder, torture…… Whoa, just these two and the counts are insane? I wouldn't have that many…… No, wait, maybe I do? Anyway.
>-No helping it. By the laws of the Underworld Gate, your entire race must be exterminated.
>The Underworld Sovereign.
>The absolute monarch who managed the underworld in place of its absent master, whose word was law itself.
>He had been captured by this being, and his entire species teetered on the brink of annihilation.
>-Isn't it wild? When we first met, you were the victim, and now you're the perpetrator. Never thought we'd reunite with you as a psycho mass murderer like this.
>-……The sins…… were…… mine…… Please…… end it…… with…… me……
>-Can't do that. If I don't punish according to the law in the trial, I lose my sovereign status?
>He was overwhelmingly powerful.
>Even gaining immunity through the power of pain, new agonies came flying.
>Agonies he couldn't possibly endure.
>Over ninety percent of his kin perished, along with precious comrades and subordinates.
>-Wh……y…… am I…… still…… alive……
>Pathetically, the survivors were himself and the fifty soldiers who had followed him.
>He thought he had fought at the forefront, leading the charge, but his instincts had feared death.
>-Ah……
>Even as he vowed to bear all the pain in their place, in the final moments, he had wanted to live.
>Ugly as it was, he had accepted his comrades' sacrifices.
>-……Ah…… Aaaah!!
>He couldn't bear his own patheticness.
>Atop a cliff where a lava waterfall melted the earth, "Pain" wailed endlessly.
>That was when it happened.
>They say opportunities come by chance.
>-Argh…… Who's making all this damn noise?
>A man pierced through the lava waterfall and appeared.
>He looked utterly annoyed, as if freshly woken from sleep— a being even they, who had dwelled in the underworld for ages, had never seen.
>One thing was certain.
>Just looking at him conveyed an unfathomably vast power.
>-……Who…… are…… you……
>-No need to know. This is why I hate losing rock-paper-scissors…… Finally fell asleep during infiltration, and now this racket? Tsk.
>The man coolly answered, then grumbled to himself.
>For some reason, in that instant, Pain's instincts spoke.
>If he grabbed hold of this man, he might escape this crisis.
>-What? Help you? Get exterminated?
>Clutching at straws, he tried to grab him, but all he got was mockery.
>-What's that got to do with me? Nah. I hate hassle. I was dragged here against my will as is.
>-……I don't…… ask…… for…… much……
>-Then what.
>-You seem…… to have…… come…… from…… outside. Please…… let…… us…… live…… in…… the living world……
>-Wow. What the hell's this guy saying? How's that not much?
>-……Impossible…… after all……
>Of course. They were beings born in the underworld.
>Barring special circumstances like the time the Underworld Gate had accidentally opened before, they could never go to the living world.
>There was no way he could make that possible……
>-Nah, it's not impossible. That monster of a Commander…… er, the Commander could probably do it.
>-……Then……!
>-No can do. You're not one of us. The Commander doesn't see any lifeforms as living except our own. ……Though honestly, we don't see ourselves much differently.
>-Th……en…… I'll become…… one…… of…… you……
>He possessed the power of pain.
>He was certain it would be useful.
>He appealed to that point, but the man scoffed as if it were laughable.
>-Hah, you? Fleeing from a dump like this? Be grateful it's me—you'd be toast if those guys heard you spout that crap.
>-……
>As he drew up his energy, the lava churned.
>The waterfall-like flow halted as if frozen solid, coming to a complete stop.
>Every sense of the Outlaw screamed danger.
>It felt just like……
>Standing before the Underworld Sovereign.
>'No, perhaps even beyond that……'
>But that lasted only a moment.
>He relaxed his energy and chuckled.
>The world returned to normal.
>-Our system's run by the Five to begin with, so no dice. Though…… there's a vacancy lately, and that monster filled it. But that's an exception.
>That was when it happened.
>-Over there! Outlaws in that spot!
>-Everyone, prep magic! The Underworld Sovereign's orders are to exterminate without fail!
>The Sovereign's legion spotted them from afar and poked their heads out.
>The distance was considerable, but elites like them would close in within twenty seconds.
>No more time left.
>-Looks urgent.
>-……If you're…… not…… helping…… then…… forget it……
>Gnashing his teeth at the mocking man, Pain was about to lead the Outlaws in flight.
>The man glanced between him and the distant legion, a intrigued smile flashing as his eyes gleamed.
>He pulled something from his bosom and tossed it over casually.
>-Wh……at…… is…… this……?
>A half-key infused with yin energy so piercing it cut like a blade—even he, accustomed to the underworld's chill, felt the cold.
>-On a night when the full moon rises, and only then, you can descend to the living world with that.
>-Find the Piece of Fate. It'll guide you. It's pretty important to us.
>-……Why…… me……?
>-Kind of a test. We can't move yet—it's not time. Bring back the piece, and we'll accept you as one of us. Should satisfy even the Commander.
>With that, he stepped forward as if doing a favor and extended his hand.
>Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak-!!!
>A shockwave poured out, sweeping the area.
>A single strike obliterated the rocky terrain and the entire legion beyond.
>Lost in awe at the overwhelming might.
>-What're you doing? Go on. Don't wanna save your kin?
>-……Th……ank…… you……. I won't…… disappoint……
>-Argh, you talk so damn slow. Just go already. Perfect timing—full moon tonight.
>-……
>And so the Outlaws crossed into the living world.
>On that night they rode the moonlight across.
>The night they plotted to find the other half and topple Sargis's Citadel.
>-Wh……at…… are…… you……
>-……Me?
>Some annoyingly handsome human ghost was spotted.
>-Uh…… Call me the dashing phantom thief.
>He winked cheekily and bolted.
>Stunned only briefly, they grasped the situation. Their clear vision clouded over like fog.
>-Wow…… my king……. He stole…… the compass……
>-……Catch…… him…… No matter…… what……!
>-Gr…… Graaaaaah……!
>That day—the day the Soul Compass, culprit behind today's chaos, was stolen.
>And so today arrived.
>* * *
>[Phase 3 has activated.]
>[The leader of the Outlaws, 'Pain,' opens his eyes.]
>[Just…… one…… more…… step…… ahead……]
>Crimson eyes flashed.
>They were not eyes. They were pure agony.
>Beyond those chilling, blood-soaked orbs, the sufferings of countless lives were visible.
>[……Just…… one…… step…… that's all…… it was……!!]
>Blood tears streamed from the eyes of he who bore all that pain.
>The pathos was chilling to the bone.
>As the smoke cleared, revealing the creature's wretched form, the players shuddered.
>"Chills……"
>"This is Phase 3……? The force is insane……"
>Emotions too vast for humans, who lived mere decades, to fathom.
>Even Do-hyun froze at the heartrending misery that raised goosebumps.
>Saa.
>In an instant, it closed in and reached out.
>He missed the movement but instinctively pulled back, saving his neck.
>Snap.
>But his arm was inevitably seized.
>The price was gruesome.
>[Your arm breaks under the power of pain.]
>Kwaduduk!
>His gripped left arm twisted and snapped like a twig.
>'Crazy……!'
>Impossible.
>No matter how realistic, this was a game. Limbs didn't shatter from damage—even organ rupture or a pierced heart was just critical damage, no lasting harm.
>Arms never broke from taking hits.
>'Special debuff……!?'
>Barring a few boss patterns.
>This cheat ability, notoriously hard to trigger, it wielded like breathing.
>Shocked as he was, Do-hyun didn't just take it.
>Slash-!
>Amid it all, he swung his darkness-clad blade at vital points.
>But the creature didn't flinch.
>[Pain once inflicted upon the target.]
>[The leader of the Outlaws, 'Pain's' power is not whole.]
>[Immunity to once-received attacks via the power of pain for 20 seconds.]
>'What the fuck kind of bullshit……!'
>Skills were one thing, but immunity to basic attacks too?
>And a pattern that crippled on contact?
>A utterly deranged combo and difficulty.
>[Blue Peacock is used.]
>Still, Do-hyun didn't give up, unleashing near-frantic assaults.
>One of the few skills it hadn't resisted.
>[Charging Slash is used.]
>[Rising Dragon Kick is used.]
>He threw everything he had, but it wasn't enough.
>[The leader of the Outlaws, 'Pain's' health is below 10%.]
>Blue Peacock, Charging Slash, Rising Dragon Kick.
>Even taking the full combo to vitals, it wouldn't die.
>'Skills not used yet…… more skills……'
>None.
>No means left.
>All skills were on cooldown, and every one had been used on it at least once.
>[6 seconds remain on Pain's immunity effect.]
>Meanwhile, its invulnerability had 6 seconds left.
>Snap.
>Easily seizing his throat, "Pain" ground his teeth in unbearable fury.
>[Because…… of…… that…… bastard…… comrades…… who didn't…… have to die…… perished……]
>The fifty soldiers had dwindled to barely sixteen.
>They had hidden behind the lava waterfall where that man dwelled, desperately fleeing, but couldn't save the comrades caught in the encirclement.
>Each time, Pain could only grit his teeth, rip at his arms, and watch them die.
>[Interferers…… shall…… be…… executed……]
>No more interference allowed.
>Kill this one, tear that damned ghost apart, and fulfill the greater cause.
>-M-My lord!!
>-N-No!
>-Riza!!
>Ignoring the Guardians' screams, "Pain" tightened his grip on the throat.