Chapter 271: Girls Should Be More Ladylike—Tearing People Apart by Hand Is Way Too Brutal
When it comes to dads taking care of kids, isn't just keeping them alive enough?
That was basically Steven's attitude—and honestly, Skadi was already pretty satisfied with that. As long as Specter stayed alive, what more could she really ask for? With Specter's strength, it wasn't like anyone could do anything to her that easily anyway.
Once she made up her mind, Skadi left without any hesitation. That was just the kind of person she was—decisive and no-nonsense. The idea of dragging out a long, emotional farewell? Not her style.
As soon as she left, Specter immediately clung to Steven's side, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Steven raised an eyebrow at that.
Why did it feel like she preferred sticking to him over being with Skadi?
"You're really sure you still don't remember anything?"
He glanced down at Specter, who was now hugging his arm like a sweet, devoted girlfriend.
There was no shyness, no hesitation—just pure, clingy affection.
Steven couldn't help but ask what had been bugging him.
"Mm-hmm! That's right," she replied, smiling sweetly. "I still can't remember anything from the past, but everything happening now? I can see it all clear as day, my dear Mister Steve."
Her smile was radiant, her eyes crystal clear—no sign at all that she was lying.
Sure, she couldn't remember anything about the "Laurentina" Skadi had mentioned. But that didn't mean she could forget what Steven had done for her.
From the moment he freed her from that pain rooted deep in her soul, he had become her one and only hero.
Not to mention… she'd never exactly disliked him to begin with.
"Alright, fine. But let's get one thing straight," Steven said with a resigned sigh. He didn't bother trying to pull his arm away—he was enjoying the benefits, after all. Still, his tone turned serious. "I'm not like that orca who can stick to you 24/7. When I go deal with my own stuff, I'm not asking you to stay out of trouble—but if something does happen, at least let me know. Deal?"
To be honest, Steven had already realized something important: the Specter standing beside him wasn't really a "lunatic" anymore. At worst, she was just a slightly violent amnesiac—and a perfectly reasonable one at that, as long as she felt like communicating.
"Sure! But even if I do cause trouble, that's okay too, right? I do kill people, you know. Wouldn't that be a problem for you?"
Specter tilted her head with a playful smile.
Normally, if someone tried to lay down rules like this, she wouldn't even bother listening. But coming from Steven? She actually found it kind of… interesting.
"Not a problem at all. You like killing random people just for fun?" Steven asked back. "If they're scum who deserve it, then I've got no complaints. And honestly, no matter how much trouble you stir up, I guarantee it won't beat the messes I've made."
After all, Steven did show up in Kazimierz and immediately caused a huge scene. A little chaos was nothing new to him—and if anything, the more chaos, the more fun.
He was kind of hoping she would cause some trouble.
Just like how they picked up that little squirrel the other day—He actually kind of hoped things like that would happen more often.
"Hehe, then that's good enough for me," Specter said with a bright giggle. "As I thought, you really are different from everyone else I've ever known, Mister Steve. When I'm with you, I feel freer… more at ease. I knew I made the right choice."
Her smile deepened as she tightened her grip around Steven's arm.
Compared to the people who were always restricting her—telling her what she could and couldn't do—Steven's laid-back attitude was a breath of fresh air.
And Steven? He just chuckled softly, then began walking toward the address Sona had left him, with Specter naturally tagging along.
First things first: he needed to find a place to settle her down.
There was still a good chunk of time before the next Major, which meant he could focus on some other business for now.
Like, for example, checking in on what the K.G.C.C was up to—especially now that most of their top dogs in the Armorless Union were lying in hospital beds. Who would they even send next to deal with that squirrel girl?
Before long, Steven reached the location written on the note. Along the way, more than a few passersby glanced at him with envy.
Well, who could blame them? The petite girl clinging to his arm with that sweet, blissful expression—her delicate features and affectionate posture practically screamed lovey-dovey couple. It was the kind of scene that would make anyone jealous.
Not that he minded. Having a cute girl stick to him like glue? How could that possibly be a bad thing?
But when they arrived at the address, a faint metallic tang in the air made him pause, his brow furrowing slightly.
The smell of blood.
'...Did I show up too late? Don't tell me it's already over?'
Compared to Steven, Specter's reaction was… the opposite.
Her eyes sparkled as soon as she caught the scent. She let go of his arm on her own, her breathing growing more rapid with excitement.
"You really like this kind of thing, huh…? Killing, I mean."
Steven scratched his head, thinking about the original identity of the girl standing before him.
It made a bit more sense now.
She is a shark after all—a living embodiment of humanity's ancient fear of the ocean.
Slaughter. Blood. Cruelty. These were the traits people associated with sharks. Even if modern science had debunked a lot of the myths, the stereotype stuck.
Why else would movies like Jaws become horror classics? Even now, you had stuff like Sharknado and 3-Headed Shark Attack making the rounds.
In a way, it all… fit her vibe.
"It's okay," Specter suddenly said, turning toward him with a grin. "Compared to that… I still like you more."
Was that a confession? Or just another one of her jokes?
He wasn't sure.
Before he could react, Specter had already turned toward the source of the scent, ready to dash off into the chaos with barely contained excitement.
Time to let loose, it seemed.
But just as Specter was about to dash off, Steven reached out and stopped her with a gesture, silently telling her to wait a moment.
"Hm?"
Specter tilted her head in confusion. She clearly didn't understand—hadn't he said he wouldn't stop her from doing what she wanted? Why was he holding her back now?
The answer came swiftly.
From his inventory, Steven pulled out a weapon she knew all too well. And just like that, her smile bloomed like a flower in spring.
"It's not the exact one you're used to, but hey—it's still a chainsaw," he said with a grin. "Tearing people apart barehanded is way too unladylike, don't you think? At least with this, you won't get your hands dirty."
With a soft vrrrrrr, the motor whirred to life as Steven flicked on the switch.
He had to admit, the Vic's Modern Warfare Mod had been a real lifesaver—not only did it have a chainsaw, it even included obscure melee weapons like crowbars. Perfect for someone like him who preferred close-quarters combat with a modern flair.
He handed the humming chainsaw to Specter, giving her an encouraging smile.
Such a lovely girl—she really did deserve a proper weapon.
Tearing people apart with her bare hands? Too brutal. Way too unbecoming for a lady.
Specter eagerly accepted the chainsaw and gave it a few test swings through the air.
The moment she got a feel for its weight and grip, she practically bounced with excitement and skipped up to Steven's side.
"Thank you for thinking of me, Mister Steve. Here's your reward."
Before he could respond, she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his cheek—light as a feather, leaving behind a faint imprint of her lips. Then, with all the grace of a butterfly, she bounded away, chainsaw in hand, and charged straight into the nearby slum-like apartment building.
Steven stood there, momentarily stunned, a hand subconsciously reaching up to touch the spot she kissed.
That soft sensation still lingered. So did her scent, as if she were still right beside him.
"…She really was excited, huh."
He let out a helpless chuckle, then followed after her at a much more relaxed pace.
He wasn't worried about her causing any actual problems. One glance at the minimap confirmed that the entire building was crawling with enemies—red dots everywhere. No innocents in sight. Specter could go wild without the risk of a tragic mistake.
It was obvious: the K.G.C.C was serious this time. Compared to the forces they deployed against him before, this was on a whole different scale.
That said… there didn't seem to be any of their "top brass" leading the charge this time.
Soon enough, the sharp brrrrzzzz of a chainsaw tearing through flesh echoed through the air, accompanied by agonized screams that chilled the spine.
By the time he arrived, he couldn't even make out what had happened.
All that remained were broken, bloodied limbs in strange black uniforms, pools of blood splattered across the floor, and bits of flesh that told a gruesome story louder than any words could.
But Steven felt no pity.
These people had shown up armed with crossbows and blades—there was never any intention of sparing lives.
They were killers, plain and simple.
What filled Steven with far more disgust, though, were the corpses of civilians scattered among the chaos—ordinary people who looked like they'd once lived here.
Judging from the clean, fatal wounds on their bodies, it was clear that these assassins hadn't cared who got in their way.
"Guess we weren't the ones who showed up late," Steven muttered under his breath, gazing at the lifeless forms on the floor. "Even that squirrel probably didn't make it in time…"
'Was it the Armorless Union? Or the K.G.C.C?'
Either way, they'd moved far quicker than he anticipated.
It was a reminder—this wasn't just a tournament or a personal feud.
This was Kazimierz. And here, the real power didn't rest with knights in shining armor, but the shadowy hands pulling strings from behind the curtain.
He glanced around once more, quietly assessing the brutal efficiency of the slaughter.
Yeah, these people weren't just ruthless.
They were monsters.
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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