Chapter 61

“Here it comes.”

Right after Cash’s warning, Owen threw a spear.

*Clang!*

Amon blocked the spear with his sword.

The clash of metal caused the air to vibrate.

As Amon stepped back slightly, Cash closed the distance to Owen.

Without hesitation, Cash swung her spear at Owen, who was now empty-handed after throwing his spear.

But just before her spear tip reached Owen’s chest,

“Ugh!”

Cash abandoned her attack and twisted her body, rolling to the side.

Immediately after, a spear flew past where her head had been.

The spear, flying through the air, returned to Owen’s hand and aimed at Amon’s party.

And in Owen’s now-empty hand, a new spear appeared.

Seeing this, Amon asked Cash,

“What’s with that spear?”

“The one he’s holding is his original, the one flying is from our family warehouse.”

“Fancy spear.”

“Expensive too.”

“Should we be careful?”

“No need. Even if it breaks, it can be repaired, so go all out.”

“Understood, Chairman.”

While the two exchanged banter, no attacks came.

Seeing Owen waiting for them, Amon smirked.

“Not falling for it.”

As soon as he said that, Amon disappeared.

In an instant, he reached Owen and swung a dagger.

In a spear vs. sword fight, the longer spear has the advantage, but that’s only if you approach on foot.

For Amon, who could close the distance instantly using Sky Step, that logic didn’t apply.

Now in Owen’s embrace, Amon swung his dagger without hesitation.

Owen, unable to utilize his spear’s advantage, was pushed back.

He had no choice but to pull out his second card.

The magic engraving on his arm glowed faintly.

Soon, a sinister green aura enveloped his arm.

Clearly not a beneficial effect, Amon quickly distanced himself.

Immediately after, Owen’s green arm passed through where Amon had been.

Green liquid dripped from the green arm.

*Sizzle!*

The floor melted with a sinister sound.

Amon swung his sword and confirmed with Cash via telepathy.

[Is that the poison you mentioned!?]

[Yes. Owen’s magic engravings are mainly poison-based.]

Amon also double-checked with Sonia.

[Sonia. Antidote?]

[I’ve prepared three fast-acting antidotes. I can make more during battle, but it’ll take time.]

[That’ll do.]

Soon, Amon and Cash charged at Owen again.

Owen threw his spear at Sonia and faced Amon and Cash.

His computer calculated a way to simultaneously control the spear attacking Sonia and deal with the two.

Owen then attacked Amon with a pattern he’d never seen from any humanoid boss.

Swinging his left hand, a green mist obscured their vision.

Unable to approach through the poison mist, a spear blade aimed at Amon through the smoke.

Amon, already prepared for the obscured vision, easily dodged with a backstep.

In contrast, Cash read the future, dodged the spear, and pressed further inward.

*Clang!*

The duel between the two future-readers began.

Their spears never hit each other.

Cutting through the air, blocked by each other’s spears, they maintained a tense standoff.

But Cash had Amon.

Moving behind Owen, Amon caught him off guard.

Faced with attacks from both sides, Owen activated his magic again.

*Thud!*

He stomped the ground, and snakes made of poison rose from the earth.

The snakes opened their mouths and lunged at Cash.

Meanwhile, Owen dealt with Amon.

Owen held his ground against both.

But—

*Bang!*

A gunshot rang out, and the snake’s head exploded.

[Thanks, Sonia!]

While deflecting the flying spear with bayonet skills, Sonia gave a thumbs-up.

Cash immediately charged at Owen,

“This is it!”

She successfully severed Owen’s arm.

Owen groaned and distanced himself from Amon.

Amon, who had been tightrope-walking against the spear, caught his breath and regrouped.

“Sonia. You okay?”

“Yeah. More or less.”

Sonia, who had been dealing with the flying spear, also looked visibly tired.

Sonia stared at Amon and handed him a serum.

“Just in case. Use it.”

“Thanks.”

Amon injected the serum near a grazed wound.

While injecting, he grumbled at Owen.

Blood dripped from Owen’s arm.

It wasn’t severed, but it was deeply cut.

No matter how much he could calculate the future, as a human, there were limits to what he could handle.

Owen was no exception.

As it stood, Amon’s party had the upper hand.

But they couldn’t relax.

[His movements are getting sharper. Am I the only one feeling this?]

[Same here.]

Cash agreed with Amon’s observation.

As the battle progressed, Owen was growing in real-time.

More accurately, he was analyzing Amon and Cash.

[In this aspect, computers are better than future vision.]

Cash, panting, sent a telepathic message.

In battle, future vision only shows futures to avoid and choices to make.

But computers go further, analyzing the opponent in real-time and suggesting more efficient movements.

The computer’s AI had already downloaded 30% of Amon and Cash’s movements.

“We need to hurry.”

After a short break, the two charged at Owen again.

With Sonia’s support fire, they managed to wound Owen once more.

But—

“Download complete.”

With those words, Owen grabbed Cash’s spear shaft.

The faces of the party members showed dismay.

Owen laughed at Cash, who was struggling to pull out her spear, and activated his magic.

He spewed poison mist from his mouth.

“Ugh! Bad breath!”

Cash let go of the spear and quickly retreated from Owen.

As she pulled out a serum to inject into her arm, Owen swung his spear at her.

*Clang!*

Amon blocked the spear.

Blocking Owen’s spear, Amon smiled fiercely.

“The download wasn’t just for you, you know?”

Though not as good as a computer, Amon’s insight wasn’t to be underestimated.

Owen shifted his attention from Cash to Amon.

“Oh? Let’s see then.”

With that, the duel between Amon and Owen began.

The two’s dazzling swordplay left Cash unable to intervene.

Sparks flew as spear and sword clashed.

At a glance, Owen seemed to have the upper hand.

But upon closer inspection, Owen’s face showed signs of defeat.

For one reason.

“Cheap bastard.”

“Tsk. Just a difference in allies.”

Amon was constantly being healed by Sonia.

Realizing that half-hearted poison wouldn’t take down Amon, Owen knew he needed a powerful blow.

“Fine… to take you down, I’ll have to make a resolve.”

“?”

At Owen’s muttering, Amon swung his sword in confusion.

And the sword severed Owen’s left arm.

“Got him!”

Cash cheered.

Amon also inwardly celebrated the feat.

But, the severed arm gradually transformed into a giant snake and lunged at Amon.

Facing the snake, Amon shouted.

[What kind of magic engraving is this!?]

[Sorry! I didn’t see that either! It seems he overcame the future!]

[What kind of shonen manga protagonist is he!?]

Clicking his tongue at Owen, who had suddenly awakened his resolve, Amon beheaded the snake.

The giant serpent screamed and spewed poison mist everywhere.

In the blurred vision, Amon held his breath and injected a serum.

As soon as his vision cleared, he began searching for Owen.

Amon’s eyes caught Owen on the ceiling.

Holding his spear downward, Owen chanted an incantation.

As a green aura infused the spear, Amon’s intuition rang alarm bells.

“Get back!”

At Amon’s warning, the party distanced themselves from Owen.

And as Owen finished his chant, he thrust his spear into the ground…

*Crash!*

Green spikes erupted from the ground.

Just before the spikes appeared, Sonia pulled out a blue ampoule and injected it into her arm.

Her vision pulsed, and time slowed slightly.

It wasn’t a Neural Acceleration Device.

More like a strong stimulant.

It boosted all physical abilities by about 10%, but given Sonia’s already strong physique, the effect was remarkable.

She picked up Cash and escaped the spikes.

With her natural reflexes, she dodged all the spikes and successfully evacuated Cash to a safe area.

Sonia set Cash down and checked her condition.

[You okay?]

[Yeah… thanks.]

[Didn’t see that either?]

[Nope. But it’s weird. Feels like something’s deliberately hiding it… Oh, where’s Amon?]

[Huh? Good question.]

The two belatedly searched for Amon.

Amon was nowhere to be seen in the space.

As they looked around, Owen also panicked.

“Where is…?”

At that moment,

*Click!* A deflating sound was heard.

A warning window popped up in front of Owen, and he instinctively brought his hand to the back of his head.

A sharp object pierced his hand.

He immediately realized it was an arrow.

Thanks to his bulletproof skin, the arrow didn’t penetrate his skull.

The arrow pierced his palm, and the arrowhead barely grazed the back of his head.

Owen laughed at the invisible Amon.

“Good attempt.”

Amon’s voice came from the ceiling behind Owen.

“Good result too.”

“?”

*Beep.*

Hearing the sound from his palm, Owen instinctively looked at the arrow.

The arrowhead was glowing blue.

Owen immediately understood the arrowhead’s effect.

Data deletion.

A device that emits a strong magnetic field, permanently damaging electronic components it touches.

Recalling where the arrowhead had touched, Owen’s face paled.

Behind his head was something more important than his brain.

“The chip…!”

His connection with the computer was severed.

Trembling, Owen faced Amon, who landed in front of him.

In Amon’s hand was a mini crossbow Owen didn’t recognize.

Amon smiled.

“You should save your trump card for last, right?”

Amon, who originally wanted to make a mom joke, kept it to himself forever in front of Cash.

*

With his connection to the computer severed, Owen lost his will and knelt.

*Groan!*

Coincidentally, his werewolf secretary was also taken down by the other party members.

The state of Amon’s comrades who had captured the werewolf secretary was a mess.

But everyone’s limbs were intact.

In contrast, the werewolf’s ankles were shattered by traps.

“It’s over.”

Amon thanked the Water Buffalo Tanker and signaled Cash.

Cash understood and approached Owen.

“Owen Rekhetio. Any last words?”

“…Last words?”

Owen looked up at Cash pitifully.

“What do I look like to you?”

“A once-respected brother. Now a failed traitor.”

“Yeah. I failed.”

Owen covered his empty left shoulder with his remaining right arm.

“Little sister.”

“Don’t call me that, you disgusting bastard.”

“Even in this situation… yeah. I only ever had my mother. Forever.”

Owen laughed hollowly and touched the back of his head.

For a moment, pity flickered in Cash’s eyes but was quickly erased.

Cash aimed her gun at Owen.

To end the tiresome feud.

But before pulling the trigger, the moment she met Owen’s eyes, she hesitated.

His eyes weren’t dead.

“Tch-!”

She immediately pulled the trigger.

The bullet pierced Owen’s head.

But Owen’s body didn’t fall, and the wound began to regenerate.

“Amon!”

Before she could call, Amon was already moving.

Amon aimed for Owen’s neck.

But Owen sacrificed his right arm and began to flee.

Other party members also targeted Owen, but…

“Go!”

The secretary, mustering his last strength, acted as a meat shield, preventing them from stopping Owen.

Owen took the elevator down.

Amon and the others looked at Cash.

“It’s fine. He can’t escape with that elevator.”

Cash said.

That elevator connected the underground secret facility to the upper floors.

It couldn’t stop at the lobby or lower floors, making it unsuitable for escape.

“Why would an investment firm have something like that…”

“We’re a megacorp too.”

They didn’t need an underground lab, but they needed space to handle confidential matters.

The small talk ended there.

They left the werewolf secretary’s cold corpse and headed underground.

Upon arriving underground, they found Owen backed against a massive machine.

A computer with countless brains floating.

Owen was staring at one of those brains.

Cash’s eyebrow twitched.

But she had already steeled herself and didn’t falter.

Cash aimed her spear at Owen.

“I don’t know what trick you’re pulling, but if you want to die here, I’ll grant that wish.”

But Owen’s response was completely out of context.

It was more of a monologue than an answer.

“Even when the world hated me, my mother always loved me. So I thought I was nothing when my connection with her was severed.”

“Are you insane?”

“But when my connection with her was cut, I realized. My mother wasn’t connected to me through this machine. Cash. See? This is how I’m connected to my mother.”

“What the… this is insane.”

Cash, responding to Owen’s monologue, was horrified.

Owen’s back had a brain connected to it.

Like a spinal cord, the brain’s stem pierced through a glass tank and connected to Owen’s navel like an umbilical cord.

“What the f***.”

Even the Bisexual Mage couldn’t help but curse.

But despite their reactions, Owen’s demeanor didn’t change.

If anything, he seemed ecstatic.

“Ah. Cash. I finally realized. Changing the world truly requires a mother’s love.”

At Owen’s words, Amon nodded, then got smacked on the back of the head by Sonia.

Meanwhile, Owen, in ecstasy, shouted.

“Love! It’s love! Everything is love! How can it be so loving! I finally realized how loving the world is!”

Cash was startled and hesitated.

In contrast, Amon tilted his head.

‘Why does this feel familiar?’

Where had he seen this before?

‘Ah.’

Thinking about it, it was like the cult leaders in Punk City 1.

Later, they’d combine with something demon-like and enter a new phase.

Remembering this, Amon drew his sword, forming a cross, and warned.

“Cut the umbilical cord while I’m being nice. At least die as a human.”

But Amon’s voice didn’t reach.

Owen kept calling for his mother.

“Ah! Mother! Look at me! I’ll show you this world!”

With his cry, the computer in the room exploded.

Brains spilled from the tanks, and lost wires headed for Owen’s back.

*Thud.*

The wires formed wings.

Owen drooled as his eyes sank into his flesh.

And the disappeared eyes appeared on the brain’s crown connected to his stomach.

“Ah! Finally, you’re by my side…!”

The room they were in shook.

The lights flickered, and the screens that were off also flickered.

And—

[Eek! What’s that!]

The Mute Sniper pointed, and everyone’s gaze followed.

On the monitor she pointed at was an eyeball.

Not just there.

On monitors, glass cups, even stagnant water.

Eyeballs appeared everywhere reflective.

The sight was enough to trigger trypophobia.

A natural human reaction.

But even as time passed, their bodies wouldn’t move.

As if the air had turned to stone.

It wasn’t just fear.

In that space, only Amon could move.

“Tch.”

Clicking his tongue, Amon prepared to charge at Owen(?).

The eyeballs all turned to look at Amon.

Owen spoke to Amon.

“If you’re thinking of kicking that desk to block my view, don’t. I can see it.”

“If you’re thinking of climbing the ceiling, don’t. I saw it.”

“If you think I won’t react, don’t. I saw it.”

He spread his arms and said.

“Ah. Amon. Poor child. Nothing you do in front of me matters. I saw it! Your future! Your thoughts! Your past!”

Owen shouted at Amon.

He knew what Amon would do, how he’d strategize, what he was thinking, what his past life was like.

And.

“How you were born.”

Owen curled his lips.

Owen laughed loudly in his omnipotence.

“This is love—”

But his words didn’t continue.

“Huh? Huh?”

First, confusion.

“No, that’s not it. I’m sorry!”

A sudden apology.

And—

“Ahhh!!! I’m sorry!!!! Please have mercy!!!!”

He began to sob and apologize.

As he apologized, the eyeballs staring at Amon and the party disappeared.

And the inexplicable pressure dominating the space also vanished.

Suddenly free to move, Amon’s party members staggered.

“Why’s he doing that?”

At the Water Buffalo Tanker’s movement, Amon shrugged.

Meanwhile, Owen gradually melted.

“Ah… ahhh…”

He turned into a snail, only able to lament.

---