Chapter 40

No matter how much of a body-enhancing User you are, if your ability isn’t strong enough, it’s tough to handle chunks of iron with just your bare body.

The kidnapper’s jaw, precisely hit by a steel fist in a vital spot, shattered, and his eyes rolled back.

He wasn’t killed instantly, but leaving him like that would be as good as dead.

But Isaac didn’t even blink at the carnage he had caused and launched himself toward the next opponent.

The next opponent was a skinny man.

As tall as a pole, the man immediately thrust his hand forward as Isaac charged at him.

“Is it a projectile ability?”

As Isaac predicted, a translucent gray wave spread from the man’s hand.

A shield? Or a visualized wave?

Isaac didn’t stop and wrapped himself in repulsion.

In a fight, the most important thing is initiative.

The moment you lose initiative to the enemy’s numbers, the fight is as good as lost.

The wave that collided with Isaac’s repulsion shattered, and Isaac’s fist mercilessly slammed into the kidnapper’s face.

“Pathetic.”

No matter how lawless they are, lackeys like these aren’t going to be strong.

He ignored the kidnapper who fell from his punch and quickly scanned the area.

“Three left.”

How many more are inside?

Isaac assessed the situation and ducked to avoid an incoming fireball.

Then, he immediately fired a steel ball from his hand, sending it straight into the mouth of the kidnapper who had shot the fireball.

“Shi…”

The man, with holes in his lower jaw and neck, spewed blood like a fountain and collapsed onto the cold floor.

“Shi, shit…”

Victory was already firmly in Isaac’s grasp. The kidnappers, realizing they could die if they made one wrong move, turned to flee.

But how many can escape from someone who can push and pull everything?

Isaac generated a powerful gravitational force across his entire body, forcibly pulling the fleeing kidnappers back and grabbing each by the nape of their necks.

“Where do you think you’re going? We’re not done talking.”

“P-please spare us!”

“I, I have a wife and kids like rabbits—”

“Like you have a family. If you want to live, spill everything you know.”

Isaac, with the faint sounds of impacts and screams in the distance, threw the kidnappers against the wall.

“We’ll talk! Just spare our lives—”

A thud sounded between the two pleading for their lives. Naturally, it was one of the steel balls stuck to Isaac’s hand.

“Eek…”

“Stop squealing like a pig and talk. How many people are inside this factory?”

“T-twenty…”

“Enemies. How many underlings does Cobra have?”

“F-fifteen…”

‘Not too few, but not too many either.’

On our side, two.

On their side, sixteen including Cobra.

‘If we know they’re coming first, and if communication isn’t timely, we can finish this before they arrive.’

But things weren’t going that smoothly.

We lost the frog.

‘He must have gone to call Cobra. Judging by his speed, they might arrive even sooner.’

After making his judgment, he fired two more steel balls.

‘No need to keep them alive.’

They’re criminals who committed unforgivable crimes, and in this brutal world, misplaced mercy is nothing but poison.

Even in that prosperous era, it was like that. How could he afford to show mercy in this era?

With a bitter look, he surveyed the carnage he had caused and quietly left.

——

What does it mean to be fast?

In this desolate world, those who survived didn’t truly understand the meaning of speed.

Trains haven’t run on broken tracks for a long time, planes just hover over the few remaining cities, and cars can’t even dream of reaching decent speeds on the ruined roads.

So, his ability to boast speed that rivaled horses since childhood drew attention.

Speed and human endurance, both granted by his ability.

Speed, blessed with both, had the makings of a great hero.

So, Speed never doubted that he would become a hero.

And that his future would be like the heroes in movies, overcoming hardships to become the greatest hero.

But, sadly, his life wasn’t smooth.

The red carpet he was supposed to walk on was stained with blood and pain.

‘I need to subdue them as fast as possible and rescue the hostages!’

He approached the kidnapper at a speed that left only afterimages and grabbed his arm. The kidnapper, without a chance to resist, was thrown and screamed, alerting the others to the intruder’s presence.

“What the hell?!”

“Damn it, I was just about to have some fun…”

Six kidnappers emerged from the shadows.

They paled at the sight of a man in somewhat eye-straining tights, rare in the swamp area.

“S-Speed?”

“Your evil plans have been exposed! Quietly put on these handcuffs!”

Words poured out of his mouth at an incomprehensible speed.

Unable to understand, the kidnappers quickly caught on and reacted violently.

“What are you saying?!”

“Stop messing around!”

No one knew the fate of criminals caught by heroes better than those connected to Seoul’s underworld.

The kidnappers hastily used their abilities.

A wall of ice and a softening floor separated Speed from the kidnappers.

And a deafening roar.

‘Annoying abilities. But!’

He had faced far more dangerous villains than these small-time crooks. Speed kicked off the ground and leaped toward the wall.

The hostages, who had been holding their breath in fear, turned their gaze to Speed.

And then—Speed ran up the wall, dashed toward the ceiling, and vaulted over the ice wall.

The hostages barely had time to marvel at his speed and agility before a gust of wind made it hard to even open their eyes, and his hand formed a blade.

“Sleep tight!”

Precise and sharp strikes hit the kidnappers’ necks in rapid succession.

None could resist the terrifying speed of his hand chops, and Speed quickly tied up the kidnappers in a corner.

“A hero!”

“You came to save us, right?!”

“Yes, yes! Does anyone know where the keys are?”

“The frog! The frog has them!”

“Oh no.”

Speed looked at the iron bars with a troubled expression.

He had seen the frog-like man running away in the distance.

‘It’s hard to break the bars with my ability.’

Do I need to ask the hostages for help?

Speed was pondering how to rescue the hostages when—

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah! Isaac! Could you help me? The guy with the keys ran off…”

“Wait a moment.”

Isaac approached the bars, grabbed the keyhole, and used his repulsion at full power.

Not superhuman strength, but close.

With nearly double the force he used when he first activated his ability, Isaac crushed the keyhole and opened the door.

“I’ll open the door. Speed, get them out quickly. Cobra will be here soon.”

“Got it!”

The two quickly evacuated the hostages from the dark room. But Speed’s expression grew worse.

“Isaac. The professor’s son isn’t here!”

“Huh?”

‘He was here just a moment ago—’

“That damn frog…”

“Y-yes! The frog came and took a boy earlier!”

“Damn, he’s quick.”

‘He noticed the target and took a hostage in that short time?’

Things had taken a serious turn.

But… Isaac calmly looked in the direction the frog had fled.

“Speed. Send the hostages to the Crocodile Bird territory and let’s go catch Cobra.”

“…Yes. Understood.”

Determination filled the two men’s eyes.

The hostage was most likely with Cobra.

Isaac watched the hostages leave and counted the remaining steel balls.

‘Not many. And no easy way to replenish them…’

After this fight, he’d need to get new weapons.

About an hour later, activity increased outside the factory.

Sensing Cobra’s arrival, Isaac and Speed confidently stepped outside and glared at the kidnappers exuding a menacing aura.

‘There he is.’

“P-please save me…”

“Shut up! Damn brat!”

“Ah!”

The boy, struck by a rough fist, collapsed onto the mud.

Speed was about to rush forward, but Isaac stopped him with an arm.

“Rescuing the hostage comes after taking them down.”

“…I got carried away.”

“Hmph. Trash like you messing with others’ business.”

“Maybe they’ll come to their senses after being sorted by that trash.”

Isaac stepped forward and stretched.

His attitude, treating them like third-rate thugs, made Cobra’s temple vein bulge.

“What? You little punk… You think you’re hot stuff just because you got lucky and killed Salmusa?”

“Oh, smart. You even know the word ‘hot stuff.’ I thought Cobras just hissed. Maybe you should change your name to ‘Puppy.'”

“You damn brat!”

Provoked, Cobra charged at Isaac with his massive frame.

The final showdown had begun.