Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Ambush
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I opened my eyes at Suni's warning.
Faint moonlight illuminated the room.
'Who could it be?'
The only humans around here were from the Heavenly Gate Sect.
But they had no reason to come so late at night.
'Not the Heavenly Gate Sect, then...'
Stragglers who wandered in from somewhere, or maybe those raiders?
Six Awakeners.
Not high-ranked.
In terms of the original world, one C-Rank and the rest a bit below that.
Still considerable force in this world.
I patted the plump butt of Ji-ah, who was sprawled over me sleeping, to wake her.
"Mm? Oppa?"
Ji-ah, freshly woken, lifted her head with a dazed expression that looked quite cute.
"We're under attack."
"A-an attack?"
Ji-ah startled and pushed off my chest to sit up, her pretty breasts jiggling impressively.
My eyes were inevitably drawn to the pink tips swaying at the ends.
"Ahh..."
Ji-ah let out a small moan as she felt my thing still firmly inside her.
"I'll go check it out, so head to the kids' room and stay with them."
"C-can't I help...?"
"Stay with Chae-won and Su-ji and guard the kids."
I had no intention of letting them reach the kids, but you never know with people, so a bit of tension was good.
"Got it. Be careful."
Ji-ah gave my cheek a light kiss, hurriedly dressed, and headed to the kids.
I left the bedroom and walked the silent hallway.
Mana swirled around my naked body, forming a simple black combat suit.
The moonlight was bright enough; no visibility issues.
I didn't care either way, but for the intruders, it was a pretty favorable condition.
I'd already pinpointed their locations via mana sensing.
Descending the stairs.
I spotted them slinking through the first-floor hallway, searching.
I'd thought they were wanderers, but against expectations, they were Heavenly Gate Sect members.
'Didn't think they'd pull something like this.'
No attempt to hide their identities; they came boldly dressed in fine hanbok.
The face of the leader looked familiar.
It was Cheon Su-ho, Baek Seol-hwa's senior brother who'd gotten beaten by me before.
Spotting me, they flinched and halted.
"What... probably not here for a friendly visit..."
"Saves me the trouble of hunting you down."
Cheon Su-ho's eyes glared at me with hatred and murderous intent.
I couldn't understand why he looked at me like that.
But his intent came through clearly.
"You came to kill me."
"........."
He answered with silence.
"Orders from the Sect Leader old man?"
"No!! Don't insult my master!! He's not the type!!"
His outburst suggested it wasn't the Heavenly Gate Sect Leader's command.
Then it was his solo act.
'No way... came for revenge after that beating?'
What a petty guy.
I'd shown mercy, but he didn't appreciate it.
I'd spared his life; he should be grateful and slink away quietly.
"Release the women and children at once. We might let you live."
One of his lackeys said that.
What nonsense was this?
Unlike the turbid Cheon Su-ho, they had clear, conviction-filled pure eyes.
Just hearing it, I could guess how Cheon Su-ho lured them.
"These idiots know too?"
"Straight to insults? What a lowlife."
I'd asked Cheon Su-ho, but the lackeys bristled.
"Brothers, this guy's unreasonable."
Cheon Su-ho didn't want them talking to me, lest I find an escape.
'Did he think I'd beg for my life?'
Yeah, if I begged, these naive lackeys might spare me.
But from Cheon Su-ho's perspective, who wanted me dead, that couldn't happen.
"Indeed... if he were reasonable, he wouldn't have lusted after the women."
How to deal with these idiots?
Killing them was no issue.
But it wasn't enough.
Especially that one.
Cheon Su-ho, ungrateful for the mercy, now irked me even more.
"Hm. You look fit, but relying on that alone will get you hurt bad."
"How kind of you."
-Crack. Crack.
I lightly loosened my neck.
I didn't want to damage the base.
So no massive weapons I favored.
They weren't worth it anyway.
Just fists.
-Shing.
Reading my battle intent, they drew swords from their waists.
We faced off.
Silence fell.
They weren't moving first.
'What're they doing?'
Fine, I'd go to them.
I closed in fast and threw a punch.
-Boom!
Cheon Su-ho in front blocked my fist with his sword.
"......?"
'He blocked it?'
Ecstasy lit Cheon Su-ho's face at blocking my punch.
He thought he could do it.
Blocked a strike beyond their level.
-Whoosh!
Sword auras wrapped blades attacked from all sides in the gap.
I easily dodged and pulled back.
Without Cheon Su-ho, none reached C-Rank, yet they wielded sword auras smoothly.
Manifesting mana at a lower stage.
Suni reported after grasping the mana flow.
'Resonating?'
Strange technique.
-Bang! Bang!
-Clang! Clang!
We exchanged blows.
Six swords centered on Cheon Su-ho attacked seamlessly.
I blocked and dodged with hands easily.
'Weakness?'
Suni's words meant overwhelming them would negate the advantage.
Or area attacks.
Ingenious weird phenomenon, whatever it was.
But blocking my attacks? Six wasn't enough.
I ramped up power gradually to test limits.
Initially countering with swords a bit.
As my power grew, they struggled just to block.
Faces paling with each hit, panic showing.
Cheon Su-ho's was the worst.
Grimacing in disbelief, grinding teeth.
Trouble came eventually.
"Urk!!"
One of Cheon Su-ho's juniors, tightly coordinated, vomited blood.
Others looked bad too.
Another weakness: blocking unblockable hits damages all six.
Time to finish.
"Try blocking this."
Seen the fun; I threw a devastating punch at Cheon Su-ho.
Sensing the power, their eyes mixed fear, tension, defiance.
"Raaahhh!!!"
Cheon Su-ho roared to overcome, blocking with sword.
Honestly, thought he might die.
If so, no helping it.
That level then.
-KABOOM!!
Impact shattered hallway floor and windows.
Tried to hold back, but damage done.
Unused living space, but irked my possessiveness.
These weirdos damaged my home.
Blockers spat blood from severe internal injuries, collapsed.
"Kuh... kuhuk... cough!"
"H-how is this..."
Seemed near death.
Expected one dead, but ability exceeded; none killed.
Cheon Su-ho spat blood but glared with undimmed fury.
"A scum like you! Why!! WHY!!!"
Couldn't grasp his grievance.
Couldn't believe defeat, it seemed.
Very bitter for Cheon Su-ho.
His hostile glare irked me anyway.
-Thwack!
Punched Cheon Su-ho's face.
"Kuhk!!"
-Drip drip.
Broken teeth, nosebleed; now looked decent.
What'd I do wrong to them?
No, especially Cheon Su-ho was the ringleader.
Couldn't forgive.
Tried to kill me twice.
Others maybe, but him? Neck off.
But plain kill felt lacking.
Good idea hit.
Bound hands/feet with rope, strung like dried fish.
"Wh-what're you doing? Just kill us!!!"
Severe injuries, no internal energy; rope sufficient.
Planned to drag to Heavenly Gate Sect.
Execute him there.
How would they react?
Abandon them?
Attack me?
Didn't matter.
"Kyaak!"
Dragged roughly regardless of rolling agony.
Internal wounds, bound tight; hellish.
Six adult men.
Heavy, but no issue for me.
Realized destination as dragged to Heavenly Gate; struggled wildly.
"Arghh!! J-just kill us!!"
Futile against my strength.
Cheon Su-ho's especially fierce.
Eyes showed fear of facing sect for sins.
Confirmed good decision.
Quiet night.
Men's pained screams echoed streets.
No mercy intended.
What could they do?
Their own doing.
Ignored wails.
Dragged them into Heavenly Gate territory.