Episode 110: Three Shall Come
By the way, the greatest obstacle in the residential zone wasn’t the sniper whose position is already known, nor was it the junior followers of the Resurrection Sect. It was Seop Baek’s persuasion.
However, even that has become incredibly easy at this point.
“Why is that?” Simple.
“Jung Yong! My body isn’t battered… Is it…?!”
Because when I broke through the city streets, I didn’t have so much as a single scratch. Any reason for her to want to stick to me that much has disappeared.
I just had to walk towards Seop Baek with the proud bearing of some protagonist from a northern fighting manga, and give a single flick to the city streets while saying this:
“Seop Baek. Unnecessary. Resurrection Sect leader smashed. I can handle it alone. Retreat requested.”
“…Yes, yes… Ah, anyway, please be careful, Jung Yong.”
“Alright.”
That’s right. The reason Seop Baek originally pushed herself to stick with me was because she was worried about me.
Seop Baek isn’t someone who has low intelligence; she has a strong sense of justice and a lot of loyalty. As long as the source of worry is eliminated, she’ll understand and leave more easily than you’d think.
Yeah. In a way, this whole incident could ultimately be seen as a happening due to my own frailty.
I smiled bitterly while watching Seop Baek’s retreating figure as she hurried off.
“Residential zone is clear!”
Anyway, clearing the residential zone went as smoothly as planned.
The residential zone is simply a space where the citizens of Kern live, filled with houses and inns. As the stages progressed, the speed at which we’d clear this one area noticeably increased.
‘Their movements are way too predictable.’
Like how many there are in which inn, and how many in which house. Most of the time, they’re scattered in each building, so not only is it easy to remember their faces, it’s also much easier to grasp their rough distribution.
It took less than ten minutes to subdue all the Resurrection Sect members in the residential zone with chains.
“Huhk… Huhk… Sir… Do you… have any idea how many… have died until now…?”
—Hmm… about 300 people died, I reckon. And about 100 of those were from your doing at the start. Right?
“Damn it… yeah, I know. Enough talking.”
While being the majority shareholder of Astarte Corporation feels off, it’s comforting to think that only 300 people have died so far. Since all I had to do was cast binding magic whenever the chance arose instead of killing them one by one, a lot of time was saved.
I moved my increasingly heavy steps toward the commercial zone like soaking wet cotton.
“Kyaaaah! M-monster!”
“Daemon! Help me!!”
As soon as I entered the commercial zone, an array of screams reached my ears. I clicked my tongue and sped up my pace.
‘Shit… of all places, the sister’s in the commercial zone too.’
The commercial zone is already densely packed with the bioweapons deployed by the Cassas boss. And now, it seems the daemon sister I hadn’t seen until now has been wandering around here.
As I worried to myself, Vestark quivered in response.
—Don’t be scared, man. Anyway, it’s not like our current objective is to kill them, right?
“Ah. Yeah…”
—Just find the right moment to bind them. It’s easier and saves time compared to killing them.
As if sensing my restless mood, Older Brother Sooho spoke in perfect timing. It had tremendous effect. I shook off my uneasiness at his words and planted my feet firmly once again on the ground.
With a single leap, I arrived at the center of the slaughter scene and immediately used my skill.
“Shadow Chains!!”
Chulrrrrrk!
Darkness stretched from all sides like snakes, recklessly binding the monsters and Resurrection Sect members.
*
“Ugh… free me from this immediately… you treacherous bastard…!”
“Puhaa… haa… M-Madman… what have you… done with this…?”
I collapsed onto the ground, heavily panting, while in front of me, the daemon sister twisted her body around, wriggling violently while bound by the pitch-black chains.
Her face flushed red and her breathing heavy. Her muscled body was tightly bound with chains, and her armor hung precariously on her person. Wow man, now that I look, this scene…
—Looks like junior’s brain has taken over. Do you want to do this all over again?
“Uh-hek! H-how would I…?”
I quickly rose, the commercial zone job done, and drank the one remaining Water Ether. The crisp energy of water enveloped my body, restoring my drained stamina and mana.
In the invigorating cool sensation, I felt a complex emotion.
‘…What now?’
Seeing the empty Water Ether bottle made me ponder quietly.
Was it because I had bound over 600 entities at once? The mana depletion was beyond imagination. Every few seconds, a massive amount of mana was drained, making my head spin. And at that moment, I instinctively sensed my limit.
I grabbed my chest and squeezed out a voice.
“…Ah, no more than 10 minutes. My mana will overload soon, man.”
—10 minutes… Hmm, reinforcements will take way longer than that, I think. Are there any remaining Resurrection Sect members?
“Based on memory, there’s a small infiltration group in the back alleys… about twenty more.”
—Then we need to secure a means to restore mana fast… Is there anything useful, like a potion-selling vendor, nearby?
“Not that I know of.”
The only means I have to restore mana is Water Ether.
In the first place, potions are more valuable than jewels in this world, and it’s already a thank-you-luckily-we-have-some situation. If I had seen just one potion on the shelves, I would’ve already planned to clear the commercial zone earlier.
—Hmm, is there really nothing we can use to restore mana? That’s a bit problematic.
“Apart from potions, a means to restore mana… Ah.”
I stopped walking and exclaimed. I fixed my gaze on a certain point.
It was something that accidentally caught my eye. A building on the path leading from the commercial zone to the residential zone. It was old and shabby, not easily noticeable, but something familiar about the street scenery made me glance at it by chance—it was the Goddess Temple.
Temple. Flick. Priest. Blessing and consecration. Recovery.
Yeah. Recovery. A jolt of lightning went off in my mind.
I immediately charged toward the temple.
“FLLICK, PRIEST!!!”
KWAANG! The door was practically broken when I flung it open. Broken? Doesn’t matter. If there’s a repair bill, I’ll pay later.
I threw the broken wooden door aside carelessly and entered the temple. There, I saw…
“To the almighty Propisha, I beseech your eternal light to protect me… To the almighty Propisha, I beseech your eternal light to protect me… To the almighty Propisha, I beseech your eternal light to protect me…!”
Cuddled in the corner of the altar, Flick was trembling with his whole body. His delirious face, praying like crazy, looked quite pitiful.
I apologize, but I don’t have the luxury of time to escape reality. I quickly approached Flick and firmly gripped his shoulder.
“Hey, priest. Snap out of it!”
“HIEEEEEK! Aah! U-uh… Wha-? Who are y-you…?”
As Flick, who had been in a frantic state, locked sight with my face, his trembling slowly subsided.
But it didn’t end there. Flick eventually began to sob quietly, and then suddenly grabbed my hand and began crying loudly.
“Uh-uh… O, oh Propisha… T-thank you for sending a savior for me, a lowly one…!”
This man’s mind is pretty much gone. I had no choice but to let out a sigh and then smacked Flick hard once.
“YIK! This hurts in my bones!”
Hurts? Yeah. Made it hurt because that’s the reason I hit you.
I tried to hold back my strength, but my basic stats have already exceeded human levels, so his senses should have quickly awakened. Sure enough, Flick stared at me with tear-filled eyes, full of grievance.
“What’s this sudden outburst, hero! For a moment, I was by Propisha’s side!”
“As a priest, that was quite an experience. In return, do one favor for me.”
“Huh? F-favor…?”
“Simple thing. Just follow me around for a bit while continuously casting blessings on me.”
After I smiled awkwardly and made the request, Flick, after carefully considering it, turned pale.
“N-no, n-no… Are you saying… o-outside…?”
“Yes.”
“B-But there are blood-thirsty murderers everywhere, Hero! If we go out now, there will be no bones left! Although you might not care since you’re strong… But I’m nothing but a powerless dispatched priest from the countryside!”
“So you’re refusing my request?”
“T-That is…”
Flick was unable to finish his sentence. His face was deathly pale, and his neck shrank in fear. His expression clearly showed that he’d already said “no” a hundred times.
I smiled gently and nodded.
“Understandable. That’s fair. I get it.”
“Whew… Whew…”
“But my right hand doesn’t.”
“…?”
“Yep, exactly, Jung Yong. I want to teach this chicken-hearted priest a lesson.”
Having finished the one-man performance, I raised my hand once more.
Since the request was denied, it was now time for intimidation. I aimed my palm at Flick’s cheek and struck it again. It was a full swing that cut through the air.
“EEEK! I’ll come! I’m coming, I’m going!”
Just at the last moment before my hand made contact with Flick’s cheek, I stopped abruptly. A gust of wind similar to palm force swept past Flick’s face.
Flick adjusted his crooked glasses with a dazed look. He stared blankly at my smiling face.
Regardless, I stood up and immediately beckoned to Flick with my finger.
“We need to hurry. There’s no time.”
“Sniff, Sniff… Oh Propisha… Why must you impose such trials on me…!”
While sobbing softly, Flick wobblingly followed me. He continued grumbling the entire way.
I easily subdued him once more by simply raising my hand, and then I briskly proceeded toward the back alleys with the now well-behaved Flick in tow.
The remaining enemy positions had been identified in a past life. My strides through the dark streets were resolute without hesitation.
“KYAAAAH! Mommaaaa!”
It just so happened the last small group of Resurrection Sect members was attacking a vagrant girl.
I hastily stretched my hand toward them and shouted the skill.
“Shadow Chains!!”
Chulrrrrk! The swiftly emitted darkness enveloped them and hardened into steel chains. About twenty Resurrection Sect members instantly became immobilized.
It’s over. As soon as I saw them bound, my face suddenly relaxed without me noticing.
“Ah…!”
Thud. The vagrant girl collapsed, having lost the strength in her legs. She slowly turned her gaze toward me.
Brown hair. Below it, striking gray eyes filled with tears.
…Needless to say, I didn’t know her.
“A- Uncle… who are you?”
She asked. The “uncle” part irritates me greatly, but I decided not to pick a fight over that this time.
I turned my back and muttered one sentence.
“A person who fights as a hobby.”
With that as my last word, I slipped out of the alley again.
I signaled to Flick with my eyes, and he immediately understood, bestowing blessings on me. I could feel the mana that had drastically drained being swiftly restored even in that short moment.
—Tch. Although it was stupid, you looked very cool, Jung Yong.
Even my inner monologue has been taken over by Older Brother Sooho.
But I have to admit it—just now, I looked damn cool.
A toast to my handsome eyes.
…And also, to the intense gray eyes of the girl I just met not too long ago.
