Chapter 80

The ancient Greek hero Theseus is said to have entered the labyrinth with a thread to find his way. And Hansel and Gretel walked into the forest, dropping breadcrumbs. So, what should I rely on to walk through this sewage?

The answer is blood. Of course, as someone who respects Confucianism, I wouldn’t waste the body inherited from my parents, so I didn’t use my own blood.

“Cough… cough…”

There were plenty of blood transfusion packs to spare. Using magic would kill them instantly, and their corpses would be destroyed, so I mostly subdued them with bare-handed combat or a knife. Of course, after subduing them, I’d cut their Achilles tendons and make a large vertical cut on their bodies to mark my path with blood.

“P-please spare me…”

“Wow, the audacity! After kidnapping children and beating them to death, this is what you have to say?”

It seemed there weren’t many among them with the Black Round Table tattoo. Most were just thugs or vagrants gathered to serve as henchmen. Of course, that doesn’t mean I sympathize with those caught up in it.

“Please, just spare my life…”

“Ugh, so noisy.”

I struck his temple with my middle finger, silencing him instantly. I don’t need such a noisy thread. I am Theseus, the one who will slay the Minotaur of this sewage labyrinth and claim glory. I licked the blood off my hand.

By the way, they really gathered a bunch of misfits. There were adventurers mixed in too—mercenaries, adventurers, assassins, vagrants, thugs… No distinction was made for gender or age. There were women, older individuals, and even young boys who had just outgrown their youth.

Not that it made any difference when killing them.

Having over 50 people crammed into this narrow sewage system, my clothes are now soaked in blood. These were expensive clothes, and they won’t compensate me for it. What a nuisance. The stench of the sewage is going to stick to them too, so I’ll just have to throw them away. Not even Febreze can get rid of blood and sewage smells.

“Ugh, so annoying.”

Today is definitely going to be my worst day. I had a nightmare I didn’t want to have, got pickpocketed on the street, saw children die, and now my expensive clothes are blood-soaked and reek of sewage. I’ll have to make them pay dearly for this.

As I was plotting how to make them pay, I heard footsteps in the distance. I’m not like those legendary blind mercenaries who can discern terrain and movement by sound or smell, but I can roughly tell the number of enemies and what weapons they’re carrying by sound and smell.

There are definitely… five of them, and their weapons are likely steel swords… The smell of blood mixed with iron makes detailed analysis difficult, but they’re about 40 meters away. Judging by their footsteps and scent, they’re on a different level from the bugs I’ve fought so far. Plus, unlike the narrow passage I was just fighting in, this one is wider, making it disadvantageous to fight with a knife.

In battle, the first strike is crucial. Fighting five at once is a bit bothersome, but a promise is a promise.

The ones who appeared were dressed neatly, with the Black Round Table emblem tattooed on their necks. Unlike the ragtag members, they exuded a threatening aura. It seems they’ve sent some of their most dangerous combatants to deal with me.

If that’s the case, my answer is simple.

“Lightning, crawl like a snake.”

A lightning bolt shaped like a snake split into five and shot forward at supersonic speed. But they easily dodged it.

“Ah, now we’re getting into the core. These aren’t just trash mobs, but actual fighters.”

I still have the advantage in distance. If I keep backing up and firing magic, I’ll win. That’s why ranged fighters are better in PvP.

Though my usable magic is limited… I can’t use fire, earth, steel, or wood magic that could damage the sewage.

Even with other magics, I need to adjust their power and range… but it’s enough to take out five people.

“Wind, become blades.”

I sent out dozens of wind blades, but they deflected them and charged at me. I was momentarily startled, and my stance faltered, allowing them to close in.

What magic can I use in this situation? Creating a shield of light is just a quick fix, and using “Lightning, crawl like a snake” at close range would only take out one at most.

How can I take out all five? As they charged at me with swords, that brief moment felt like an eternity. If this were the case, what would Master Kuroki, Master Ash, General Tae-oh, Master Bruce Lee, or even Kratos advise me to do?

Then, one of the masters gave me advice. I don’t necessarily have to shoot lightning in its usual form.

There was an NPC in the game who used a magic that Werner never used, but there’s no reason Werner couldn’t use it.

“Lightning, become my armor.”

I wrapped lightning around my body. Of course, I used magic to protect myself somewhat, but the electricity tingled as it seeped into my skin. Considering the electric torture training I endured as a child, I could handle this.

Then, I wrapped lightning around my hand and struck one of them in the neck. But a problem arose—the power exceeded my expectations. I meant to break his neck with a chop, but the lightning around my hand sliced through his neck like tofu.

Lightning hand cutter… the power was overwhelming. Of course, I couldn’t admire it for long. There were still four more. As one of their comrades lost his head, the others distanced themselves, regrouping and observing my movements.

“Hey, your friend just got decapitated, and you’re running away? If you’re going to run, at least say ‘Sorry…’ or something. Running away without a word means you won’t get the Mark of Friendship, you bastards.”

Of course, the one with the Mark of Friendship was that NTR scum who stole his friend’s girl. Thinking of him pissed me off, so I kicked the severed head toward them. Even Pelé would praise that shot—four goalkeepers, and none could stop it.

“Hey, rejecting your friend? His head’s trying to kiss you! Did you guys bully him? You bastards living alone? Did you plan a trip and then pull a hidden camera prank on him, you scum?”

Bullying, that trash culture imported from Japan. I can’t forgive ostracizing friends like that. Any culture that values stripping away bonds is important. One of my masters taught me to value friends.

“Even if we look different… we’re all friends… even if it was hard to meet… we’re all friends…”

I charged at them with lightning wrapped around me and pierced one’s neck with my index finger.

“Pika!!!”

Now, three remain… Sadly, I can’t spare them.

They swung their swords at me, but at this close range, their effectiveness was diminished.

Grabbing a steel sword, I channeled electricity through it, turning one into fried chicken. Then, taking advantage of their panic, I smashed another’s head into the wall.

Now, only one remains. He kept his distance, holding a longsword. It was too close for magic but too far to engage directly. And then, the lightning around me disappeared. Ah, the duration is quite short.

“Now that your fancy magic is gone, I’ll cut you down.”

Indeed, using magic now would mean getting hit, and fighting bare-handed would be at a disadvantage in reach.

So, I just threw a knife. Throwing weapons exist for moments like this.

“…Cheap tricks!”

He deflected the knife I threw, but in doing so, allowed me to close the distance. I never intended to kill him with the knife.

“Let’s die.”

I twisted his neck. The feeling of twisting a human neck is surprisingly satisfying—way better than twisting a chicken’s neck.

Lost in that sensation, I turned right while walking and found one more person. I thought he was another one sent to deal with me, but no.

Carefully observing the back of his head… it was Ricardo Carven, Werner’s comrade.