Chapter 41 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Heavenly Demon and Hit-and-Run Awakener
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Safe Dungeon area, a massive cave-like A-Grade Dungeon.
"Im Ho-jin. Did you drink all night again?"
Kim Gwang-seok, the leader of Team Mads with a greatsword strapped to his back, glared at Im Ho-jin, who was trudging along at the rear, groaning.
"I told you not to drink on dungeon days. Your skill is heavily affected by your condition."
"Got it. I said I got it."
As Im Ho-jin irritably waved him off, Son Chang-min, who was walking beside Kim Gwang-seok with a dagger in hand, let out a sigh from up front.
"This is really worrying. He's not gonna fail his skill like last time, is he?"
"I can hear you all, you know?"
Just as Im Ho-jin snapped back irritably.
Ruuuuumble!
From far off in the darkness came the roar of a beast.
The cry of this A-Grade Dungeon's boss monster. The Poison Elephant.
"Why's it out already?"
Son Chang-min shouted, and Kim Gwang-seok urgently yelled.
"Ho-jin! Ho-jin! Activate your Invisibility Stealth skill quick!"
Invisibility Stealth skill.
Im Ho-jin's skill as a 6th Grade Awakener that rendered the target invisible and even erased their presence.
Team Mads lacked a tank capable of withstanding high-level monster attacks like energy fields, so they evaded attacks with Im Ho-jin's Invisibility Stealth skill.
"Got it."
Im Ho-jin took a deep breath and spread both arms toward his teammates.
A transparent ripple spread out in all directions, enveloping the five team members including himself.
Hummm.
With a low vibration, their bodies gradually turned fully transparent. But at that moment,
"W-wait! Me!"
Of them, only Son Chang-min's lower body from the waist down turned transparent, while his upper body remained clearly visible.
"W-wait a sec."
Im Ho-jin, flustered, reached out again, and this time Son Chang-min's upper body vanished while his lower half stayed perfectly exposed.
"You kidding? The Poison Elephant's coming right at us…"
As Son Chang-min gritted his teeth and scanned the surroundings while yelling,
Thud. Thud.
A massive shadow slowly emerged from the darkness.
It resembled an elephant, but its entire body bristled with blade-like protrusions.
This dungeon's boss monster, the Poison Elephant.
Ruuuuumble!
Spotting Son Chang-min, who hadn't been hidden, the Poison Elephant raised its long trunk studded with protrusions high into the air.
* * *
"You bastard!"
Outside the dungeon, Kim Gwang-seok grabbed Im Ho-jin by the collar.
"I told you not to drink!"
Team Mads' members were covered in large and small wounds all over their bodies.
Especially Son Chang-min, carried on a comrade's back, groaned while drenched in blood.
"You bastard! How many times has this happened? If you're gonna get wasted, don't even show up! We almost died again!"
It was already the sixth time.
The number of times the team had suffered severe injuries relying on Im Ho-jin's Invisibility Stealth skill.
No matter how much Kim Gwang-seok and the others coaxed and pleaded, Im Ho-jin's drinking habit never improved.
"If you're not gonna crawl out, we wouldn't expect the Invisibility Stealth skill and just go straight in!"
Enraged, Kim Gwang-seok shook Im Ho-jin by the collar.
"You crawled out saying you could use it! Then use it right! How can the guy cloaking the team get blackout drunk the night before a raid schedule!"
At Kim Gwang-seok's shout, another teammate behind him urgently spoke up.
"Gwang-seok, Chang-min needs treatment now. We gotta head back quick."
"You bastard."
Kim Gwang-seok shoved Im Ho-jin away and turned.
"Im Ho-jin, you're no longer a member of Team Mads. Got it? Find another team."
"Fuck. Fine. I said fine."
"What?"
Im Ho-jin glared at Kim Gwang-seok and yelled.
"It's dirty anyway. Fuck off. I'll just find another team."
After shouting, he huffed past the team members.
"You think you can't join another team if not here? Ptoo."
Im Ho-jin glared at each Mads member one by one, spat on the ground, and left.
* * *
A few days later, evening. A tavern in a bustling downtown street.
"Word sure spreads fast."
Im Ho-jin downed the whiskey filling the table and sighed.
"Even with an Invisibility Stealth skill, can't find a team."
The Invisibility Stealth skill was quite rare and versatile for tactics, coveted by many Awakener teams.
But Im Ho-jin was already infamous among Awakeners as a total fuck-up.
He'd spent days looking for a new team, but not one would take him.
"Never gone solo before… Guess I gotta leave town."
With rumors spread everywhere, staying in the area was hopeless.
Better to head to another city.
"Yeah. Let's go. Soon as I sell the house, city's bye-bye."
Having made up his mind, Im Ho-jin emptied another glass of whiskey. Then he slowly stood and exited the tavern.
"Ahh, so stressful."
Stumbling, Im Ho-jin pulled the car keys from his pocket.
Drinking till blackout was bad enough, but his worst habit was needing to drive after to feel satisfied.
"Alright, one last joyride."
He pressed the ignition on the yellow sports car parked in the alley and floored the accelerator.
Vrooom. Screeech.
With a low exhaust growl, the wheels spun in place before the car shot out like a bullet.
"W-what!"
Passersby in the alley dodged Im Ho-jin's sports car in surprise and yelled.
"Drive straight!"
"Hahaha!"
Im Ho-jin rolled down the window, cranked the music, and sped down the empty city streets.
The faster the car went, the more lights blurred wildly.
The speedometer had passed 160 km/h, but Im Ho-jin's eyes slowly drooped shut.
"Hm? Dozed off? Uh uh?"
Opening his eyes, Im Ho-jin saw an old man crossing the crosswalk ahead.
Screeech.
Slamming the brakes produced a deafening noise as the car halted.
But too late—a thud, and the pedestrian old man was flung to the opposite sidewalk.
"Huff. Huff."
Gripping the wheel, Im Ho-jin sweated coldly, breathing raggedly.
"Fuck. Of all times…"
Gritting his teeth, he cautiously scanned around from the car.
Quiet road—fortunately, no CCTV or people in sight.
"Is he alive?"
The old man, bleeding from the head and collapsed, didn't stir. Scanning again, Im Ho-jin cautiously spread both arms.
Hummm.
With a low vibration, the fallen old man's body gradually turned transparent.
"This way, no one'll know when it happened."
Hiding a sinister smile, Im Ho-jin opened the dented hood and hammered it out with his palm.
For a 6th Grade Awakener like him, fixing a car hood was nothing.
Click.
Getting back in, Im Ho-jin hastily fled the scene.
Two days later, inside a snack bar in a complex apartment commercial area.
-In the heart of the city, a bizarre incident occurred. This morning, an old man bleeding on the sidewalk near the XX Road entrance intersection suddenly appeared…
The wall-mounted TV was reporting on the incident from days ago.
-…Victim A was found too late, rushed to hospital, but succumbed. Witnesses say it resembled an Awakener's stealth skill…
In the corner seat, the Heavenly Demon chewing bibimbap expressionlessly watched the TV.
"Chomp chomp chomp."
His jaw moved like precise machinery, rhythmically pulverizing the food without error.
[XX Road entrance is near Heavenly Demon's rooftop room.]
Nameless, perched on the Heavenly Demon's shoulder watching the TV, blinked.
[The culprit's obviously an Awakener. If Heavenly Demon had been nearby, you could've caught them. Shame.]
"Slurp."
Grabbing the bowl whole, the Heavenly Demon slurped the broth, then disinterestedly scooped more bibimbap.
He enjoyed various TV shows, but showed zero interest in news.
The next day.
Having left the shop early, the Heavenly Demon returned to the rooftop and read interior design books.
Nameless, bored watching the Heavenly Demon sit rigidly at the low table, slipped into the nearby charging station.
"Hmm."
Deep into the book, the Heavenly Demon murmured.
Glancing at the clock, it was already 1 a.m. He'd been immersed for five straight hours.
"Impressive, really."
[What is?]
Answering the nanobot's question from the charging station, the Heavenly Demon mused aloud.
"Reading this world's script fluently. Well, with gods standing on the earth here… no wonder."
Standing, he rummaged and headed out.
[Where to?]
As Nameless scurried after, the Heavenly Demon said.
"Feeling peckish. Gonna grab a bite outside."
[I'll guide you.]
Popping legs from its round body, Nameless hopped onto the Heavenly Demon's shoulder.
[No food spots open till dawn nearby. Recommend a convenience store for a quick snack.]
[Excluding Awakener-only ones. They've got more raw ingredients than food.]
Nameless projected an arrow at the Heavenly Demon's feet.
As the Heavenly Demon walked indifferently following the arrow,
Screeeeech.
A yellow sports car whipped around the corner in a wild arc with screeching tires.
Boom.
The Heavenly Demon halted, watching the recklessly speeding sports car.
[Heavenly Demon, evade.]
"Why?"
[Erratic vehicle motion indicates drunk driving. Trajectory suggests it's heading straight for you…]
No sooner had it spoken,
Boom!
A explosive crash echoed as the high-speed sports car slammed into the Heavenly Demon.
But he stood firm in place, while the car crumpled, white smoke billowing from the hood.
[Are you alright?]
"No issue."
Though his inner energy was nearly depleted, the Heavenly Demon's body had reached Diamond Body.
Its hardness surpassed A-Grade physical skills like 'Hardening' that turned flesh into rigid material.
Even a full-force dump truck wouldn't threaten his life.
Click.
Then the door opened, and a young man in a black jacket stumbled out.
"Damn."
The bleary-eyed man sighed, seeing the Heavenly Demon embedded upright in the sports car.
It was Im Ho-jin, the 6th Grade Awakener who'd killed the old man days ago.
"Dead again?"
Looking wasted as usual, he clutched his forehead and resignedly spread both arms.
Hummm.
A low vibration rippled with transparent energy surging toward the Heavenly Demon.
"What."
The wave spreading around him dissipated upon touching the Demonic Blood Battle Robe.
The robe's power repelled all external forces, nullifying the skill.
"What the hell."
Rubbing his eyes, Im Ho-jin approached the steadfast Heavenly Demon.
"Why isn't the Invisibility Stealth working? It worked fine on that old man I killed days ago."
Locking eyes with the red gaze looking down, Im Ho-jin staggered back.
Incredibly, the massive man pinned in the car was unharmed, staring at him.
[Heavenly Demon. This seems to be the hit-and-run culprit from the news.]
Nameless on the Heavenly Demon's shoulder pointed a spindly arm at Im Ho-jin.
[He hit the old man then hid the scene with stealth skill and fled.]
"W-what. Nanobot?"
Snapping alert, Im Ho-jin realized.
The red-eyed musclebound man was an Awakener like him.
"Damn!"
Im Ho-jin spun and bolted the other way.
"You got lucky, asshole!"
A veteran Awakener of over a decade in dungeons, a natural brawler.
He figured the Heavenly Demon was just some musclehead with no real skill.
[Heavenly Demon, pursue him quick. Must catch him.]
"Why?"
[Why? He's a villain who killed a defenseless old man.]
"What's that to me."
[?]
Pushing the intruding car aside, the Heavenly Demon said flatly.
"The weak die eventually. I'm no officer; no interest."
[Heavenly Demon. He killed the old man for no reason.]
"Reason."
Gazing at the distant sky, the Heavenly Demon said calmly.
"Did martial artists living blade-in-hand have reasons for life and death? It's survival of the fittest. The weak are doomed to fall."
[This isn't the martial world.]
"Irrelevant."
From another world—no, the merciless martial world—the Heavenly Demon was indifferent to others' deaths.
To him who'd conquered it through endless bloodbaths, a stranger's death was like a roadside frog dropping dead.
[Survival of fittest… martial world… death…]
Suddenly Nameless's eyes flashed, whirring.
Analyzing the aloof user's mindset, indifferent even to self.
[Do you remember the puppy that led you to build the Ten Thousand Demon Palace?]
Analysis complete, Nameless spoke calmly.
[That reckless drunk driver kills puppies.]
"What."
[Leave him be, and soon this city's strays will meet their end under his wheels.]
Nameless gauged the apathetic Heavenly Demon's disinterest in human affairs, citing puppies instead.
To him, a connected 'puppy' death mattered more than an unknown 'human's'.
"Is that so."
Recalling the puppy that breathed its last at his feet, Blood Flame Radiance surged in the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
"Then I'll catch him."
[I'll track.]
"No need. I have tracking arts too."
Activating Heavenly Demon Great Ability, he leaped atop the building forest in one bound.
Spotting the fleeing Im Ho-jin, the Heavenly Demon blocked his path instantly.
"What."
The eerie red eyes and bizarre blazing aura around him.
Seeing the shadowy figure drop from thin air to bar his way, terror surged in Im Ho-jin.
"You fuck. Wanna die?"
No reaction to his curses. Clenching his fist, Im Ho-jin said.
"I'm a 6th Grade Awakener. Know what that means?"
Ignoring him, the Heavenly Demon strode forward. Gathering glistening energy in his whole body to his palm as he reached out.
[Heavenly Demon.]
"What."
[CCTV here.]
"So?"
[Could cause you trouble. Recommend handling inside the alley opposite.]
"You fuck!"
Then, Im Ho-jin donned hidden titanium knuckles and lightning-punched at the Heavenly Demon's face.
'Heh heh.'
Seeing the Heavenly Demon stand dumbstruck, Im Ho-jin smirked triumphantly.
A 6th Grade Awakener's strength could lift a small truck. With titanium knuckles, even a Hardening Awakener would drop in one hit.
Crack.
"Argh."
But striking the Heavenly Demon's face shattered the knuckles, twisting Im Ho-jin's fist instead.
"Ugh. What the…"
Instead of answering, the Heavenly Demon lightly punched out.
Boom!
Im Ho-jin's body flew straight from the pot-lid fist.
Whoosh.
The Heavenly Demon instantly closed in, looking down at Im Ho-jin slumped against the opposite alley wall.
"Why randomly kill lives (puppies) with no grudge. Do you enjoy slaughter?"
"Whether I kill lives (people) or not, what's it to you. You a cop or what?"
"Gutsy. The booze?"
"What?"
"I'll remove that first."
Crack.
The Heavenly Demon lightly reached, crushing Im Ho-jin's left wrist.
"Arrrgh!"
Im Ho-jin screamed, writhing in agony on the ground.
"You fuck!"
Crack.
Now his right ankle shattered.
Fear and despair finally replaced the booze in Im Ho-jin's eyes.
"You… you fuck."
Crack.
His right wrist crushed next, Im Ho-jin wept and groveled.
"W-wait… Sorry. I'm sorry! Spare me! Please, please spare me!"
[Heavenly Demon. No need to kill.]
Even as he blubbered tearfully, the Heavenly Demon wore a faint smile.
To Im Ho-jin, it was more terrifying than any monster he'd seen.
[Want to live? Human?]
Nameless hopped forward, shoving its face at the fallen Im Ho-jin.
[There's one way.]
* * *
-A few days ago, the incident where an injured old man appeared in the city center—remember? The culprit's finally caught. 6th Grade Awakener Im某 used Invisibility Stealth to…
-…Found severely injured in the wrecked car, Im某 had left an audio confession of all his prior hit-and-runs playing…
Watching Yoo Eunho's tale and the hologram recording, Cho Hong said.
"So that guy solved the hit-and-run?"
Then, Shin Chaeyoung, staring into space deep in thought, murmured lowly.
"Is that good?"
"What?"
"Just beat up the hit-and-run perp who hit him and reported it."
"Cold as ice."
Yoo Eunho shrugged at Shin Chaeyoung's—known as the Ice Princess—frozen gaze.
"Well, yeah, could see it that way."
Setting the hologram player back on the table, he grinned.
"But hear this story, and you'll change your mind."
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