Chapter 79

Chapter 79. If You Die, Think of It as Your Fate (1)

Everyone in Ruquer misunderstands Keter. They think he causes trouble without any basis and enjoys gambling.

But that’s only half true.

Sometimes he does, and sometimes he doesn’t.

Keter’s seemingly impulsive actions often have a solid foundation. He just doesn’t bother to explain himself.

Going back in time, Keter had anticipated that he would face the “Trial of the Goddess” with Cork from the moment he sought him out. So, as soon as he arrived at the Mercenary Guild, he immediately checked the request board.

He had long noticed Cork’s tricks. Keter, known as the “Master of the Gambling Den,” could detect cheating just by listening, even with his eyes closed.

Even as he punished Cork for his tricks, he didn’t change the content of the request. He had planned to take on the S-rank request from the start.

The extermination of the A-rank named monster, the “Red Comet.”

Even the Grand Duke, the ruler of Ruquer, had given up on it, and even Walt, the Sword Demon, a 6-star powerhouse, had failed to capture the white bat.

Who could have expected that Keter would call the Red Comet by a familiar name?

“Jjokjjok, you’re quite the celebrity.”

A childish name came out of Keter’s mouth.

But that was the real name of the named monster that had terrorized Ruquer, the Red Comet.

Jjokjjok, Keter’s pet. In his previous life, it had disappeared when he returned from Sephira, severing their bond.

Keter had a strict rule of not getting attached to pets, so he didn’t feel much regret… or so he thought. But when it disappeared, he felt a bit sad.

Back then, he had taken out his frustration on poor Maknun. Why didn’t you take care of Jjokjjok while I was gone?

Maknun protested, saying he had fed it blood every day, but at some point, it stopped coming and eventually disappeared.

“That guy really loved my blood.”

Keter first found Jjokjjok when it was soaked in the rain and near death. He picked it up out of curiosity.

Jjokjjok only drank blood. It started with animal blood, but eventually, it only drank human blood, and later, it wouldn’t even touch ordinary human blood.

“Go find your own food.”

The only thing Jjokjjok never got tired of was Keter’s blood.

But after feeling his mana and aura being drained, Keter remembered letting Jjokjjok roam free.

“It’s time to run away.”

Anyway, Jjokjjok would appear within a minute whenever Keter called, especially if he bled first. It could even come within 10 seconds.

This meant Keter could complete any request immediately if he wanted to.

But he didn’t.

Revenge shouldn’t be so simple.

Happiness and despair are inversely proportional. Unhappy people feel less despair. Only happy people feel greater despair.

Keter had already warned them. He would bring down a massive destruction on those who crushed his dreams.

So he deliberately pretended to lose. To make Cork believe in victory. To let him revel in the peak of happiness.

And now was the time.

There was nothing difficult about it. In a secluded place, he cut his right palm with a dagger, drawing a little blood. Then, he blew a high, sharp whistle.

Sssssssss…

A sound tickling his ears came from afar. Keter was slightly puzzled.

‘It’s never come this fast before.’

Even at its fastest, it took a minute.

But now, it hadn’t even been 5 seconds. It couldn’t have been nearby by coincidence; it felt like it was coming from a very distant place.

Kiiii-!

Out of nowhere, a white bat appeared in the air and landed on Keter’s shoulder.

A named monster that appeared faster than sound, without any warning.

The Red Comet… no, Keter’s pet, Jjokjjok.

“That guy, always so cute.”

Jjokjjok, a white fluffy bat, was truly adorable.

The size of a fist, with naturally round eyes, perky ears, and fur softer than anything in this world.

Jjokjjok seemed equally happy to see Keter, rubbing its head against his neck in affection.

Keter, feeling the warmth after decades, stroked Jjokjjok’s head, enjoying the brief connection.

It was an utterly peaceful scene, but one that would make Walt and Hansen faint.

The Red Comet, which had killed dozens of strong ones in the blink of an eye and fought evenly with the 6-star Walt, was acting like a docile cat…

“While the world is ruled by the powerful, what the powerful love is cuteness. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that cuteness rules the world.”

Then, Jjokjjok jumped down to Keter’s right palm and began licking the blood.

The little tongue eagerly lapping up the blood was the epitome of cuteness in this world.

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Once the small pool of blood on his palm was gone, Keter grabbed Jjokjjok. Any more, and it wouldn’t be good.

“Let’s finish the request first. I’ll give you more at home… huh?”

Keter, trying to lift Jjokjjok, was puzzled by the situation.

It was holding on.

Its snout was firmly attached to the wounded palm, sucking away. The strength was so great that Keter couldn’t pull it off.

“This is strange. We’ve only been apart for less than a week here.”

If it had been a long separation, it might make sense, but Keter had fed Jjokjjok before leaving for Sephira.

This level of obsession was unusual.

The problem was, the intensity was increasing.

“Hey, hey, that’s enough!”

Keter now seriously exerted strength to lift Jjokjjok.

But it held on.

No, it didn’t budge, as if it had become one with him.

“This is bad.”

The numbness in his right palm. Jjokjjok was eagerly sucking blood through the small cut. Keter could already feel his stamina dropping. If this continued, his aura and mana would be drained too.

“Even if you’re cute, this is too much.”

Crackle!

Aura surged from Keter’s right hand. If strength didn’t work, he’d push it away with aura.

But Jjokjjok was serious too.

“Is this crazy guy still holding on?”

The white fur turned red. It was more natural to call it the Red Comet now.

“Fine, let’s see if you can hold on to this.”

The tattoo on Keter’s left arm trembled, and a black current surged from his palm. He summoned a “Mana Arrow” without calling Amaranth.

Kiiiiiiik!

Even an A-rank named monster couldn’t withstand a Mana Arrow. Jjokjjok let out a tearing scream and lifted its snout.

“You bastard!”

Keter didn’t miss the chance and threw Jjokjjok away.

Jjokjjok, rolling on the ground, had changed.

“It’s getting bigger, in real-time.”

It wasn’t just the fur puffing up.

Its body was simply growing larger.

Thud, thud, thud.

The sound of muscles and bones expanding echoed vividly, and Keter’s gaze rose.

Jjokjjok, now the size of a house, had truly become the Red Comet, no, a meteor.

The giant red bat, now the Red Comet, stood still like a statue, looking around.

“Jjokjjok. Do you recognize me?”

Keter called out to Jjokjjok just in case. In response, Jjokjjok opened its mouth wide towards Keter.

Kiiiiiiing…

Wind gathered around Jjokjjok’s mouth.

Keter stroked his chin and muttered.

“This is going to hurt.”

Piiii- Twaaaang!

A sonic breath pierced through Keter and Ruquer.

* * *

The gray fog enveloping Ruquer is of unknown origin.

Though called fog, it’s not just an ordinary fog that obscures vision. It’s something more special.

The secret of this fog is known only to a select few in Ruquer, but there’s one effect everyone knows.

Sound doesn’t travel.

That’s why Ruquer, usually chaotic, feels eerily quiet.

But that long silence was broken.

Pwaaaak!

Buildings were torn apart and roads flipped. The sonic wave then swept over the people.

Those unlucky enough to be near Keter had their eardrums burst and died without knowing why. It was a blessing. Others were torn to pieces by the sonic breath.

A long, empty space appeared in densely packed Ruquer. A miraculous space created by the Red Comet’s sonic breath.

At the edge of the sonic breath, a hand emerged from the rubble, and Keter climbed out.

Defending with Amaranth, Keter was alive, but blood dripped from his ears, and his body was bruised all over.

“As expected of an Artifact. It held up, huh?”

Keter spoke casually, but Amaranth urgently said.

[Look ahead!]

“I don’t need to look!”

Keter leaped into the air and jumped again.

Below him, a massive shockwave erupted.

Twaaaang!

The Red Comet, dozens of meters away, had charged.

Its speed was so fast that a red afterimage lingered like a heat haze.

“If that hits, even my bones won’t survive.”

Jjokjjok’s rampage.

This was a first.

Without hesitation, Keter fired an Aura Arrow from the air. Pet or not, cute or not. If it attacked him, Keter would show no mercy.

Thud!

Keter’s Aura Arrow, filled with sincerity, struck the Red Comet’s back.

But it wasn’t deep enough to be fatal.

Kyaaaaak!

“Seems like I just made it angrier.”

Having grown in size, the Red Comet lost its flight ability and attacked with its claws. Its speed, however, was faster than before.

Keter twisted his body in mid-air, dodging the attacks like an acrobat.

But these were techniques that consumed aura and mana, so he couldn’t keep it up forever.

Landing on a rooftop, Keter jumped again without a chance to draw his bow.

The Red Comet, pushing aside all obstacles with its body, left no room for a proper attack. So Keter shot arrows while dodging.

Thud!

Every arrow struck the Red Comet’s body, but it didn’t seem to matter.

But to the onlookers, it looked different.

“What’s this! Keter is hunting a named monster!”

“That, that’s the Red Comet! The size is a bit different, but it’s definitely it!”

It would be strange if the people of Ruquer didn’t gather after such a commotion.

Among them, many recognized the Red Comet.

In any other city, people would scream and run, but Ruquer was different. They flocked around the Red Comet, driven by greed.

‘The story of eating an A-rank named monster’s heart and becoming a Master isn’t a fairy tale, it’s almost true.’

‘From bones to blood, skin, everything is a treasure. A windfall! Hehehe, hehe.’

‘This is a chance to gain fame by defeating a named monster.’

With their own desires, over a hundred people gathered. They seemed oblivious to the overwhelming divine power and killing intent the Red Comet exuded.

This was another effect of Ruquer’s gray fog.

It removes fear and amplifies desire.

“Solver! I’ll help you. Just remember my name!”

A man, clearly strong, rushed towards the Red Comet under the pretense of helping.

He was a former knight, a 3-star at that. After killing his family for adultery and fleeing to Ruquer, he harbored a desire to return to his hometown someday.

A clear aura surged from his sword. He swung it with all his might towards the Red Comet, shouting.

“My name is…”

Thud.

The knight’s face disappeared. His headless body staggered and fell.

The Red Comet spread its wings wide. Blood from the knight’s neck began to gather around it.

“We’re screwed.”

Keter subtly moved away. Unaware, the people of Ruquer cheered.

“It’s trying to use a curse. Attack it all at once!”

“Waaaaah!”

The naive ones charged first.

Those with brains stayed back.

But the truly smart ones had already fled long ago.

Pshhhh!

The blood orbiting the Red Comet exploded. The charging crowd was torn to shreds before they could even react.

Those watching couldn’t escape the explosion either, getting caught in it.

Every drop of blood created was now under the Red Comet’s control.

Kiiiii…

The Red Comet let out an eerie sound, looking around. Its gaze was clearly searching for Keter.

Kik!

A cry that seemed to say, ‘Found you!’

Keter, strategically retreating across rooftops, looked at Jjokjjok, which had found him immediately.

To the Red Comet, buildings were no obstacle. The orbiting blood droplets were the ultimate shield and sword. The buildings offered no resistance.

Keter stopped running and sighed.

It wasn’t a sigh of resignation, but one filled with complaints.

“I guess I’ll have to kill it.”

A crimson Mana Arrow was loaded into Amaranth. Not one, but two arrows were nocked simultaneously.

Rather than wasting Mana Arrows in a half-hearted fight, Keter intended to end it in one shot without losses.

The bowstring was drawn to its limit.

Jjokjjok was right in front.

As Keter was about to release the arrow-

“Keter! What are you fighting now!”

Hearing Luke’s voice from the ground, Keter immediately changed his plan.