Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Monster
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“Grrr...!”
...
How long had I been walking through the rain?
Something emitting an ominous sound was blocking the road.
It wasn't just one or two.
Green-skinned brutes wielding clubs.
A small bar that seemed to be its name floated above the bastard's head.
Some kind of beast, huh?
Beasts.
They were the only existences in Katabi besides humans.
Creatures that lived by instinctively slaughtering people.
Katabi's assassins were always itching to kill each other, but beasts were a different story.
When an overwhelming beast appeared, they would halt their wars and prioritize hunting it down. Beasts were public enemies in Katabi.
I'd hunted them endlessly.
I wasn't any different.
Back in the days when I roamed all over Katabi, forcing nations to submit.
I'd encountered countless beasts.
From common animal-like forms to powerful ones resembling dragons.
There were times my seed nearly dried up.
Among the things that made me strong, beasts ranked second only to assassins in importance.
With so many varieties, their powers and abilities varied wildly, letting me pile up all sorts of experience and strength as I hunted them.
“Grrr!!”
Nice to see you.
The troll struck an extremely aggressive pose.
It looked ready to charge the moment I took one more step.
In Katabi, beasts had made me strong.
Here, it seemed monsters would fill that role.
Crack.
Perfect timing. I needed to test this out anyway.
I'd swung it around roughly while walking.
But nothing gauged my current state like real combat.
With 95% of my original power gone, I had no clue about my body's limits.
If I got dragged into an unworthy fight like this, I could end up dying pathetically.
Step.
I stepped forward toward the troll slowly closing in.
I eyed the club whistling toward the left side of my face.
My eyes were sharp.
I ducked sooner than the timing I'd judged right.
Whoosh!
The troll's club grazed past my top hairs.
My body reacted far slower than expected, but it wasn't bad.
At least I wouldn't get tagged by the troll right in front of me.
My dynamic vision had definitely dulled.
Kalderon's system, which reclaimed 95%.
I'd thought my eyes would be exempt, but no such luck.
Bloody training had honed my sight to perceive time differently from ordinary folk.
Now? Just average human level.
Swish.
I dodged another club smashing down from overhead.
The reason I could evade so easily, even without perfectly reading the enemy's moves like before, was simple.
Experience.
I'd faced thousands upon thousands of beasts and assassins.
Humanoid beasts like the troll ahead? I'd seen their movements countless times.
So even without my old elite dynamic vision, predicting attack trajectories was child's play.
Dodging was sufficient for now.
I evaded a few more times, probing my body's condition.
Next up: attacking.
How much power could I muster?
“Grrr!”
I wished it'd stay put a little.
I wanted to gauge my output gradually.
I seized the arm of the charging troll.
Crack!
“Grraaaah!!”
True to its build, the troll's bones weren't particularly sturdy.
Its arm snapped cleanly in the direction I desired.
I snatched the club it tried to drop and jammed it straight into its maw.
Crunch!
Now it couldn't even scream, just pouring cold sweat.
Moments ago it had been brimming with fight; now it finally grasped the situation.
“Stay nice and still like that.”
Explosion Engraving.
I didn't need to study the skill's usage.
First time using it, yet the method was already etched in my mind.
Flash.
A tiny spark ignited on my left index finger.
I transferred it to my right fist, engraving the pattern.
A simple glyph took shape, my right fist emitting a faint crimson glow.
Not a visible message, but the info registered naturally.
Ki, gained after selecting Engraver.
Current max Ki: 50.
Like mana for a mage—a resource.
Depletes on engraving use, replenishes after.
“Gr... Grr...!”
Instinctively sensing peril from the engraving on my right hand, perhaps.
Cold sweat streaming, the troll twisted to flee.
Making a break for it on its one good leg.
Crunch.
Of course, I had no plans to let it.
I had plenty more I wanted to try; it couldn't scram now.
“Where you going?”
I yanked its head by the hair, dragging it back.
Swipe.
I hoisted my engraved right fist.
“We're just getting started.”
Boom!!
Whoa.
A bit taken aback.
Planned to pummel it gradually and measure my power.
But one engraved punch and the troll burst apart.
Just testing the engraving once.
Should've paced myself.
I gazed down at the troll's anticlimactic corpse.
Fist impact site: head and part of upper body vaporized in gruesome fashion.
Didn't even hit hard, yet the engraving's power exceeded expectations.
Swipe.
I crouched and reached out toward the troll.
Not to mourn.
Its nearby club looked handy; planned to grab it.
Abilities sealed meant weapon skills went too.
But no learned techniques needed for a basic club.
“Well... then.”
I eyed the road, briefly obstructed by the troll.
“Shall we keep going?”
Is this really Korea?
No, is this even Earth?
“Cheap and sharp! Swords that cut anything!”
“Shields that block the swords next door! Blocks everything!”
Sure enough, the trip lined up with market day.
The destination bustled with folks hawking their wares.
School gone?
Familiar bricks confirmed the spot.
Just crumbled everywhere, no school shape left.
This must be Donga Village.
Dunno the current name, but 15 years back, the village by the school was Donga. Calling it that.
Clank clank.
People striding in massive plate armor.
Dunno if just here, but worlds apart from the Korea I knew.
Felt like Polly Market from that MMORPG I played at 10.
And what's that?
Amid the vendors.
Someone with faint light shimmering around them.
Foreigner vibe.
Normal looks otherwise—what's with the glow?
To quench curiosity and adapt fast, I headed straight for the man.
Step.
- Be kind to non-enemies! No flexing strength!
Recalling Master's character lesson.
“Hello.”
“Ah, hello.”
The brown-haired, blue-eyed man nodded back.
Up close, even more foreign features.
“Sorry to bother a stranger, but there's odd light. Mind explaining?”
The man cocked his head, staring hard.
Face screaming 'who's this weirdo?'
“You come down from some mountain or what?”
Didn't know precisely.
But vibe said I should know the obvious.
Not just me seeing his glow.
“Old accident. Out cold, back after 15 years.”
“...!!”
My quick fib startled him; he scratched his head.
“Sorry, didn't realize. Name's Debi. Immigrant.”
Nice guy.
Expected grilling on my sloppy lie.
Debi just apologized, bowing.
“Kang Hyuk here. Immigrant, though...?”
Fancy title, but no biggie. Kalderon merged the worlds. Most stick to originals, but folks like me migrate for fresh starts.”
Debi indicated the faint light wavering.
“Status mark, basically.”
Swipe.
Debi lifted his left hand, showing the back.
Faintly glowing glyph etched there.
“Proves otherworld origin. Confirms legal crossing. Issuing agency's got my deets too.”
Whatever system, for tracking otherworld migrants.
Vital for crimes—unregistered IDs a hassle.
Wonder about mine.
Birth registered, sure.
But vanished 15 years.
Records purged? Wouldn't shock.
“Just Earth nations do it. Some worlds beef up borders instead.”
Sensible; management nightmare.
“But.”
“Yeah?”
Head-tilted Debi leaned in.
Eyes darting, scrutinizing my face.
Debi spoke, puzzled.
“Hmm... Mr. Kang Hyuk, Korean native, right?”
“Yep.”
“Kinda... unfamiliar look. Stared like a creep, sorry.”
Debi retreated; I chuckled awkwardly.
“Haha... Yeah, I'm a bit unusual.”
Makes sense.
Jet-black hair against pale skin, blood-red eyes.
Hair, skin debatable, but eyes? Rare worldwide.
Changed mid-killing spree.
Soon after ditching Master for bloodbath fields.
One day, brown eyes turned crimson.
Joked 'hell's gate from overkill.'
Memory tickled a smirk.
“Anyway, 15-year accident means Kalderon's new to you?”
“Yes. Wanna hear what went down.”
“Hmm... Doubt it's useful.”
Debi gathered thoughts, explained.
Kalderon hit his world 10 years back.
No warning, nada.
“Earth same. Worlds fused, classes assigned. Monsters popped up too—haven't met any yet.”
Troll earlier, Kalderon's doing.
“Dunno if monsters migrated. Chaos ensued regardless.”
Inevitable.
Unknown system demands class pick, unleashes monsters—no riot odd.
“Initial freakouts, fear. No changes though. Research futile. So everyone's adapted.”
Bottom line: Kalderon vets clueless too.
Just surviving the shift.
Glow mystery solved.
“Thanks, super helpful.”
Bowed to Debi's straightforward rundown.
“No sweat. Adapt well.”
Greeted back smiling Debi, turned.
Where next?
Spinning left me directionless.
Mulling options...
Shimmer.
Huh?
Purple light traced a path in empty air ahead.