Chapter 316: Underhanded Tactics Are Always Exceptionally Useful
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 316: Underhanded Tactics Are Always Exceptionally Useful
"Two Fourth-Tier martial artists, one Sublimation-Tier mage, and... one ordinary person. You lot really think highly of a lowly Second-Tier martial artist like me."
Facing the four people who had surrounded him, Muen let out a helpless sigh.
Up until now, the most troublesome enemy he had defeated in a head-on clash was the peak Third-Tier Banshee.
Yet every single person here possessed an aura far more terrifying than hers.
Perhaps they hadn't sacrificed their entire beings to an Evil God like the Banshee had—granting them the vitality to survive even decapitation—but the stench of blood and malice clinging to them proved they weren't cowards who relied solely on borrowed power. These were true desperadoes, men and women who lived with their heads hanging from their belts.
These kinds of people were often far more frightening.
And then...
Muen glanced sideways at the priest, who hadn't looked at him once since the beginning, still offering his pious prayers with his back turned.
No matter how Muen sensed him, the man appeared to be an ordinary person without a single ripple of Mana or Fighting Spirit.
He practically had "I am the weak point, break through here" written across his face.
But according to the usual tropes, these were exactly the types who were the most dangerous.
Pushing those thoughts aside for the moment, Muen turned back.
"Since you're all being so 'hospitable,' why not introduce yourselves?"
"Haha, does the Duke's son want to know whose name to curse in the afterlife?"
The grim-looking man grinned, baring his teeth. "Then take this great one's name to hell and make the devils tremble! Listen well—my name is Barton. Butcher Barton!"
God, that’s so edgy...
Muen’s lip twitched as his gaze shifted.
"Fullar," the woman said, falling silent immediately after.
"Hyena, your esteemed Lord Ten Billion."
The man with the crazed expression spoke in a raspy voice. "That's what everyone calls me. As for my real name, I forgot it long ago! Haha, forgotten, forgotten!"
"The Great Lord..."
Fine then.
One chuunibyou.
One stoic woman.
One psychopath.
And... one religious nutjob.
A perfect lineup. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like he'd be getting any useful information out of them.
"Muen."
Just then, Liya quietly tugged at his hand and whispered in his ear:
"I recognize them."
"Hmm?"
"I've seen those names in the gazettes. They're terrifying—most are wanted criminals famous throughout the Empire, even the whole continent."
Liya’s voice trembled slightly.
"Butcher Barton, a necrophiliac who loves drinking fresh blood. Fullar is the younger of the Bersha sisters, a defector from the Tower of Origins who personally murdered her mentor and several Imperial pursuers.
"And then there's the Man-Eating Hyena. Rumor has it he came from a secret Imperial laboratory. He's a monster with hands soaked in blood."
"I see..."
Muen pulled his lips back into a stiff smile.
"Just as I thought."
After all, besides these true desperadoes, few would dare take a contract to assassinate the son of a Duke.
But even though he’d guessed correctly, it wasn't exactly something to be happy about.
"It seems a head-on fight isn't going to work out well."
Seeing the playful, confident looks on their faces, Muen suddenly spoke up.
"Everyone, how about we talk?"
"Talk?"
Barton sneered. "What is there to talk about with prey? Does the noble Duke's son want to choose his way to die? Fine. Do you want to be dismembered alive, or should I skin you first before pulling out your tendons?"
"Sorry, neither. I've been pampered since I was a child; I'm very afraid of pain."
Muen shrugged, putting on the cowering expression of a profligate young noble and blinking.
"How about this? You want money, and I don't want to fight. Whatever the person who hired you is paying... I'll double it!"
"..."
The area fell into a sudden silence.
Fullar’s eyes snapped open, looking at Muen in surprise.
The arrogant Barton was about to say something, but he was momentarily stunned by Muen’s overwhelming display of wealth.
Hyena was bobbing his head, muttering things like "Twenty billion" over and over...
The tension that had been at a breaking point suddenly eased.
Gulp.
Barton swallowed hard. "For real?"
"Of course. Lying at a time like this wouldn't do me any good."
"You'll give it to us now?"
"Not right now. No one carries that much money on them, do they?"
Muen spread his hands. "I have to get out of here first."
"Then how do we know you're not lying!"
Barton grinned savagely. "I'm not stupid. Who's to say you won't just turn around and have that Duke father of yours kill us the moment you're out! I won't believe a single word from you nobles!"
"If you don't believe us, then why did you accept the commission from those people?"
"We don't know the employer's identity. Besides... they paid a deposit."
"..."
"How about this? Since you're being so 'sincere,' if you give us a deposit, we'll believe you. How does that sound?"
Barton’s eyes darted around before landing on Liya.
"You seem to care quite a bit about this lady. Why don't you hand her over to us? You can bring the money to redeem her later. What do you say?"
"Barton!" Fullar frowned, but Barton ignored her and continued.
"Don't worry. We're not like you hypocritical nobles; we value our word most of all. As long as you bring the money, we will definitely return this beautiful, charming lady to you... 'completely intact.'"
Barton made no effort to hide his gaze as he scanned Liya’s perfect figure, which even the oversized men's coat couldn't fully conceal. His eyes flashed with heat as he emphasized the words "completely intact."
"What do you think of my proposal, most noble Young Master Campbell?"
"...I see. It does seem like a decent proposal."
Muen pondered for a moment, then turned with a smile. "What do you think, Liya?"
"I..."
Liya stared intently at Muen. His expression was gentle, showing no hint of deceit. A complicated light flashed in her eyes, and she suddenly lowered her head, her hands tightly gripping the edges of the coat.
"I... I can do it. If it helps Muen, being a hostage is a small price to pay. I can do it."
She tried her best to keep her voice calm, but it still carried a slight tremor. She was gripping so hard that her knuckles were turning white.
"...Very well."
Muen paused for a second, then turned back, his face still wearing that warm smile.
"Since Liya has agreed, there's nothing to hesitate about. I'll leave Liya with you for now while I go get the money. Twenty billion in total, right? I can scrape together that kind of pocket change.
"But in exchange, you must guarantee her safety and that she remains... 'intact.'"
"Haha! I like a man who's straightforward! Don't worry, everything will be as you wish. She's much safer with us than with a useless brat like you."
Barton laughed loudly, his eyes once again darting hungrily toward Liya. A faint, imperceptible sneer curled his lips. As if intentionally, he suddenly reached out a hand toward Muen.
"Then... here's to a happy cooperation?"
"..."
Muen fell silent for a moment and sighed again, as if he had completely convinced himself. He tucked Elizabeth back into his waist, signaling his harmlessness, and slowly walked forward until he stood before Barton.
He reached out his own hand.
"Yes. Here's to a... happy... COOPERATION!"
In an instant.
The last word was drawn out sharply.
Like the screeching feedback of a broken recording.
In that moment, what Barton met was not a hand symbolizing friendship.
It was.
An iron fist... crackling with lightning!
Muen’s face was expressionless as he channeled a technique that had become instinctual into his fist. He gripped an infinite amount of shockwaves, carrying the weight of a thousand tons as he smashed his fist directly toward Barton’s face!
The air was torn asunder; the gale howled!
At such a short distance, even a Fourth-Tier martial artist should have found it nearly impossible to react.
But the sneer on Barton’s face didn't fade.
In fact, it grew even wider.
Clang—!
A dull, heavy sound rang out, like the low growl of steel.
Muen’s fist stopped just centimeters from Barton’s face. No matter how the lightning roared, it could not advance an inch further!
At the same time, a spray of crimson blood bloomed in Muen’s vision. Intense pain jolted his senses, causing his brow to furrow.
It felt as if he had punched a steel blade.
"Ha! Haha! Hahahaha!"
The mocking laughter finally erupted. With unparalleled derision, Barton ridiculed the stupidity and naivety of the person before him.
"Ha! The Duke's son! Ha! The blood of Campbell! Haha! Kid, did you really think I'd agree to something so ridiculous? Did you really think I'd believe you'd pay twenty billion for a woman?
"Ha! Deception, betrayal, abandoning companions, and then seeking revenge afterward—those are all tricks I grew bored of years ago!
"And besides..."
Barton licked his lips with an exaggerated expression. "Once I kill you, can't I do whatever I want with this woman anyway? Why would I be stupid enough to agree to your naive request?"
"..."
"Haha! You fell for it! You were tricked! Fooled by my amazing acting! You damned nobles are as stupid as ever!"
Barton stared fixedly at Muen. He wanted to see shock, rage, and uncontrollable fear on Muen’s face. This was what he loved most—just like his title, "Butcher," he loved cutting his opponents in half and watching their upper bodies crawl forward in despair, leaving a trail of organs and blood as they cried and begged for help.
That sight brought him the ultimate pleasure and ecstasy...
But.
A flash of confusion crossed Barton’s eyes because Muen’s face did not show the expression he wanted to see.
Instead...
A trace of mockery mirrored his own.
"It's wonderful that your acting is so excellent, Mr. Barton."
Muen was still smiling—the same smile as before.
But this time, the smile made Barton’s expression change instantly.
"You see, didn't you do a great job of deceiving... your companions?" Muen said, his eyes filled with the same playfulness Barton had shown.
Huh?
Barton whipped his head around, only to find Fullar and Hyena standing there dazed, seemingly unable to process the sudden turn of events.
It made sense. Since everyone was acting, who would know what these two drama queens were actually up to without watching for a bit?
And so...
This was the opportunity Muen had been looking for!
"Liya!"
The shout erupted from his chest, nearly bursting Barton’s eardrums.
In an instant.
It was as if a long-accumulated, majestic Holy Light descended from the heavens, pouring into Muen’s body through every pore.
An endless sense of weightlessness washed over him, as if he were standing amidst the clouds.
Muen suddenly drew Elizabeth. Under the resonance of the Holy Light, the pure white short blade let out a joyful hum!
Only now did the well-suppressed fury leak from the depths of Muen’s eyes. Under the effect of Time Dilation pushed to its limit, a blade-light that illuminated the sky fell like a cascading galaxy!
Thunder Roar.
Slash.
Ten Stacks!
BOOM—!
The blade-light collided with the invisible edge before Barton, the resulting shockwave raging like a storm.
But no matter how hard the blade was, how could it withstand Elizabeth when she was fed by Holy Light?
In an instant, blood splattered. A gash in the earth extended from beneath Barton’s feet for a hundred meters.
"Damn it!"
It was as if a clown's mask had been ripped away. Feeling the stinging pain in his body, the mockery on his face vanished, replaced by surging rage.
"You bastard! You think this will work? You're still just a Second-Tier ant!"
The air around Barton began to warp as massive amounts of Fighting Spirit erupted from his body, forming a solid barrier.
The blade-light struck the barrier, pushing through layer after layer, but it ultimately couldn't overcome this nearly inexhaustible invisible obstacle and eventually dissipated.
Seeing this, Muen looked somewhat helpless.
Even after stacking so many buffs, he was still blocked. This was the insurmountable gap between realms.
Teacher Mela had mentioned before that one reason she didn't recommend him learning powerful martial techniques was that the stronger the technique, the more it required one to be at the Fourth-Tier to unleash its true power.
This was because a martial artist undergoes their first true metamorphosis upon reaching the Fourth-Tier.
Solidified Fighting Spirit.
After entering the Fourth-Tier, refined Fighting Spirit is no longer just a supplementary energy; it becomes a powerful substance that can be shaped at will—becoming a sharp sword or a sturdy shield.
It was ridiculously useful.
No matter how many cheats one had, it was hard to beat someone with a much higher level.
But Muen didn't lose heart.
Even if his raw strength was inferior, now that they were playing by his rhythm, it wasn't up to this country bumpkin whether they were dancing the disco or the cha-cha!
Muen gripped his twin blades and slashed again! And again! And again!
Ten Stacks!
Ten Stacks!
Ten Stacks!
Blood sprayed, and his skin cracked, but Muen didn't care.
Thunder hummed; shockwaves vibrated.
With the support of the abundant Holy Light, Muen was like an inexhaustible ox, frantically unleashing a torrential storm of attacks.
The Fighting Spirit barrier began to weaken.
After holding out for a few breaths, Barton couldn't resist any longer and took a step back.
With the first step came the second, then the third, until he was in full retreat.
Finally, the Fighting Spirit barrier shattered completely. Barton turned pale and spat out blood, roaring:
"Fullar! Hyena! How long are you going to just watch!"
"..."
A long chant finally echoed. A serpent of blazing fire condensed and lunged fiercely at Muen.
Muen ignored it.
Because Holy Light flared up.
Divine Protection blocked the magical intrusion.
But in the next moment, a foul, bloody wind swept in. Sharp claws suddenly tore through the Holy Light protection, leaving a gruesome wound on Muen’s back.
"Wooo... Twenty billion! My twenty billion!"
Hyena bobbed his head, tears streaming down his face, but his hands—mutated into claws—tore through one layer of Holy Light protection after another.
The claws struck Muen’s back, leaving bloody gashes and a vibrant green hue.
Poison.
Deadly poison.
Muen also coughed up blood, but his expression remained unchanged as he continued to swing his blades.
"It's... it's useless!"
Barton propped himself up with his hands, his feet kicking wildly as he frantically dodged Muen’s attacks.
He laughed one moment, looked terrified the next, and then sneered—looking like a madman, then a clown.
"Hyena’s claws will tear you to shreds any second, and Fullar’s next spell is almost ready! You can't kill me, Muen Campbell! You can't kill me!"
"Is that so?"
Muen’s gaze swept over his surroundings. His movements suddenly paused, and he sighed.
"It seems I really can't kill you!"
"That's right! That's right!"
Seeing Muen stop, Barton was overjoyed and immediately became arrogant again.
"Muen Campbell, get on your knees and beg for mercy now! I might be merciful enough to leave your corpse in one piece. Otherwise... otherwise, I'll make you experience pain worse than hell..."
"Sigh, there's no other way. At a time like this, I can only..."
Muen turned a deaf ear to Barton’s threats. He calmly tucked Elizabeth back into his waist and said casually:
"Use my ultimate move."
"What... ultimate move? You still have an ultimate move?"
Barton’s expression froze.
"Of course," Muen sneered. "Mr. Barton, surely you didn't think that as the son of a Duke—and a peerless genius who can beat you like a dog while only at the Second-Tier—I wouldn't have some trump card hidden away?"
As soon as he spoke, the powerful magic about to engulf him suddenly halted and swirled back, forming a Mana barrier around the solemn-looking Fullar.
The crazed Hyena also froze for a moment before jumping away, crying out:
"Ultimate move! A twenty-billion ultimate move! Scary!"
Barton almost spat blood watching this.
Both of them had chosen self-preservation at the same time.
But it made sense. They thought this would be an easy mission, but the target, Muen Campbell, was far more terrifying than they had imagined.
If he could beat Barton like a dog with ordinary moves, how terrifying would his so-called "ultimate move" be?
Perhaps... it really wouldn't be a problem for him to take one or two of them down with him.
His performance just now wasn't fake!
So, naturally, self-preservation came first. Losing one person was no loss to them; in fact, it meant a bigger share of the reward!
"You... you bastards! He's lying to you! He's lying! He doesn't have an ultimate move!"
Barton’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He roared frantically while retreating at high speed.
"Kill him! Kill him now!"
"Oh, Mr. Barton, since you don't believe I have an ultimate move... why are you so afraid?"
Muen’s figure blurred as he quickly caught up to the fleeing Barton. He reached out, aiming his palm at him.
"Stop running. Accept my wrath, Mr. Barton!"
Muen’s expression was cold as iron. Massive amounts of Mana gathered in his palm.
Barton was terrified.
That's it!
He was gathering all the Mana in his body—this was the ultimate move!
He really had one!
Terror turned into despair.
Barton closed his eyes miserably, waiting for death.
The others also looked grim, reinforcing their defenses.
In his despair, Barton heard Muen shout the deafening name of that ultimate move—
"Take this! My foolproof Holy Light Modified: Ultimate Demon-Piercing Light Kill — Illumination Spell!"
"Eh?"
The group let out a collective, dazed cry.
What?
Illumination Spell?
And so, amidst their clown-like expressions of bewilderment, a light as bright as the sun erupted from Muen’s palm.
It shrouded everything.