Showtime, On Stage!
The stage blazed brighter with every dazzling firework. I stared at it, mouth hanging open. Sure, this was all part of the plan, but damn, it looked even better than I expected. Like a world-class superstar had dropped in for a surprise tour.
The stage truly shone brilliantly. Wait a second. Looking closer, was that thing actually burning?
My eyes met Winz’s. She flashed a seductive hip sway and spun once.
Whoosh!
Winz hurled something. I knew exactly what it was.
‘Flare.’
I yanked my hood down and ducked. A moment later—
Whoosh, crack!
Even staring at the floor, the effect was blinding. The entire world flashed pure white for an instant. That flare packed one hell of a punch.
Once the glare faded, I stood up and tossed the hood back.
“Bets are closed. Time to prove myself, yeah?”
Whoosh, tatatatat!
I sprinted straight for Sinbadu. Halfway there—
“Hehe, not my usual weapon, but… this should do, right?”
“Hm?”
I glanced over my shoulder. Winz had snatched a staff from one of the dancing girls nearby and was already swinging it with graceful, precise movements. One by one, Sinbadu’s underlings dropped.
‘As expected of a future Weapon Master.’
Grinning inwardly, I faced forward again and launched myself at Sinbadu, who was still dazed by the flare.
Whoosh! Crack!
My flying knee smashed into his jaw. Sinbadu staggered back with a pained yelp.
“Kehk!”
I glared at him as he shook off the shock. He yanked out his axe and roared.
“Who the hell are you? What kind of crazy bitch pulls this shit on a good night?!”
“Who am I?”
“You ruined my perfect evening? I’m gonna carve you up and mount you on my wall, you crazy slut.”
“Nice hobby. Explains why you’ve got no friends and no girlfriend.”
“Shut your mouth!”
Sinbadu hurled the axe instead of swinging it. A francisca? I tilted my head and dodged. In that split second he went low, aiming for a takedown.
‘His footwork’s decent.’
I tried to slip aside, but a fist came flying out of nowhere. I barely leaned back.
“Haa!”
Sinbadu shouted as he threw the punch. I dodged it easily. Same rank, same level. This was an even fight.
Whoosh, smack!
His tricky low kick caught me off-balance for a second.
‘So this is how he fights without a weapon. Fits a mid-tier Runner.’
I checked his next low kick with my shin and blocked it. He snarled, clearly pissed.
“Slow, you dumb bitch!”
“And you talk too much.”
Sinbadu bit his lower lip and circled to my flank. He threw a left jab, breathing hard. I weaved. As I dodged, he suddenly bent his right arm and fired an elbow.
‘Combat sense isn’t total thug level, huh? Still…’
I swung my own elbow right back—not just a swing.
[Origin Divine Art – Parry]
Crack!
Sinbadu’s stance collapsed. He gritted his teeth, body swaying wildly.
‘Same rank as me. He’ll recover in a second at most!’
I closed the gap again and drove my knee up.
Crack!
My knee slammed into his temple. Sinbadu groaned and toppled, still twitching. I stepped in to finish him, but he flung a fallen chair at me in desperation.
“Kehk, you crazy bitch!”
“Rattled your brain? You need a weapon against someone smaller than you?”
“Shut up! Winning is all that matters! I’ve always fought from behind!”
“Behind, my ass. You’re just another weakling crying victim.”
I’d heard this exact spiel a thousand times—feminists demanding special treatment, ethnic groups screaming discrimination while grabbing every advantage they could. The moment anything didn’t go their way, they screamed oppression first.
Tap, tatat!
I vaulted over a fallen table and closed in. Sinbadu’s eyes flashed. He lunged, trying to use his signature speed. Mid-tier Runner speed, nothing more. At least to me.
Thud, smack!
He hit me with a double-leg takedown and slammed me to the floor. Straddling me, he grinned.
“Now you’re gonna learn how to submit to a man.”
“You really shouldn’t have been born.”
Whoosh, crack!
His pounding fist smashed down. I dodged; the wooden floor beside my head splintered. The guy was strong. Another pounding came. I bucked my hips hard, breaking his posture, grabbed his arm, and swung my legs up.
“Ugh!”
Crunch!
Triangle choke. Clean. Sinbadu’s face turned red.
“Kuh, kehk, you bitch, how…?”
“Your face is beet red. Embarrassed? Or is this your happy choke?”
“Shit, you’re a bottom-tier bitch, a total waste—”
“Still running your mouth even while getting choked.”
I sighed and poured more power into the hold. Same rank or not, he was in a losing position now. Pure grappling, and he was screwed.
“Grrrrr…!”
Sinbadu tried to stand, refusing to tap. Teeth clenched, drooling, he lifted me and slammed me down.
Crash!
Pain exploded through my back and neck. I coughed involuntarily. He raised his fist again. I released the choke, brought both feet together, and kicked him square in the face with an upkick.
Smack!
He staggered back. I wasn’t giving him another chance. The Imperial Guard sword flashed in my mind, but I shook my head.
‘A weapon against trash like him is overkill!’
I charged like a squirrel, fists clenched inside my gloves. Sinbadu swung wildly. I sidestepped.
Tatat, creak! Whoosh!
Exhaling, I activated the technique.
Here comes the national combo!
[Origin Divine Art – Rising Heaven]
Whoosh, boom!
I launched him upward. Not high enough, so I followed with an uppercut to the chin.
Crack!
[Origin Divine Art – Torrent Palm]
Smack-smack-smack-smack!
Hands and feet blurred, pounding every inch of his body. I didn’t care if he died or ended up crippled. All that mattered was maximum pain and damage. Sinbadu flew into the wall like a dog getting beaten on a summer day.
Even then he kicked out. Respect the spirit, but that was it.
[Origin Divine Art – Parry]
I broke his posture again, then drove him deeper into the wall with a flying knee. A spinning back kick crushed him further. I finished with another Torrent Palm barrage, hammering him so hard the wall cracked and he nearly went through it.
Smack-smack-smack! Crack! Rumble.
Sinbadu collapsed, a bloody mess. He spat blood and laughed, somehow still conscious.
“Ha… fuck.”
“Got any last words?”
“Nobles get to beat people up? You people shouldn’t even exist, you trash.”
I just shrugged and stomped on his lips.
“Honestly, you’re not wrong.”
“…Huh?”
“But hearing it from you kills the credibility. Not every noble is trash. There are good ones like me who educate scum like you.”
“Kuh, bullshit. Tilted playing field, glass ceiling—what the hell are refugees like me supposed to eat?”
“Did you even try? I gave you plenty of chances.”
Plain facts. People like him reacted in two ways: admit defeat, or—
“Shut up! You took everything! I’ve been discriminated against just for being Croz!”
—or scream baseless victimhood. I’d seen this type too many times. I poked his cheekbones.
“One thing. People who don’t work and just steal from others? We call them parasites.”
“What do you know?!”
“And what do you know about anyone else when you’re spewing glass-ceiling nonsense?”
“Shut up, you crazy bitch!”
He trembled, then suddenly sat up and swung a knife. Impressive stamina.
“Anyway, born with a dick and still acting this pathetic.”
His dying struggle didn’t even register as a threat.
[Origin Divine Art – Parry]
I redirected the blade. He dropped to his knees. I kicked him in the temple. He collapsed without a sound. Fitting end for trash like him.
But it wasn’t over.
I looked around. Plenty of his remnants left. Winz was fighting, but she had limits. I needed to make the rest surrender without fighting.
How?
Thud.
I picked up Sinbadu’s knife and started carving his limbs apart like a butcher. When he woke, his screams filled the pub. I severed key tendons and muscles, then tossed the knife aside.
“I won’t kill you. The lord will punish you personally.”
“This is oppression, persecution… kuh.”
“A bottom-tier bitch taking out worthless scum. What’s so bad about that?”
“Y-you… aaaaagh!”
I stomped his mouth, shattering several teeth. The sound was oddly satisfying. Sinbadu passed out.
Enemy defeated!
Acquired 3000 Slayer Points (SP)!
Emergency Quest ‘Sinbadu’s Chaotic Day’ Cleared!
Acquired 3000 Slayer Points (SP)!
Your exploits have been imprinted in the memories of every resident in the Wednesday territory!
That was the reward? Maybe the locals would finally see me in a better light.
Just as I thought that—
Thud-thud-thud-thud! Whoosh!
“My lady, kyaaah!”
Winz tackled me in a fierce hug. I felt every inch of her generous curves against my face and caught my breath. Everything was handled. I’d done it with my own hands.
While I was enjoying the moment—
Clack-clack, stomp-stomp!
Heavy footsteps approached. Fully armed soldiers poured into the pub. Their uniforms were familiar.
Raindrop.