SGB: Episode 38
Episode 38: Guild (3)
[Flesh Explosion]
It’s one of the few insane skills that uses the character’s health as a cost.
Perhaps because the adrenaline hasn’t kicked in yet, I feel the pain pierce through my Pain Resistance, but…
The result is clear.
Sizzle!
The bars are half melted by the blood splattered from the explosion.
I push sideways, and the bars bend easily.
“Keuheuheu…”
Despite the pain, both my hands heal quickly.
It’s not just the effect of the Undying Engraving, but also thanks to the vampire’s essence I recently acquired.
As soon as I step out into the hallway, I see a guard.
“Wh, what! Who are you!”
It’s the guard who asked me about my last meal earlier.
He must have heard something exploding and rushed over…
“Eek! An es, escapee! An escapee!”
Before he can make any more noise, I immediately dash forward and punch him in the stomach.
Thwack-!
The guard collapses weakly.
As I quickly search his pockets and retrieve the keys, the other prisoners, who were watching the situation with interest from inside their cells, start going wild.
They’ve figured out what I’m trying to do.
“Hey! Barbarian! Are you really doing this?!”
“Kihihihi! You’re crazier than I thought!!”
“Me too! Take me too!”
Considering that this is under the Explorer’s Guild, most of these guys are probably marauders.
But…
‘I’m not in a position to be picky.’
A poor barbarian who has been falsely accused doesn’t care about such things.
‘They’ll all die soon anyway.’
The only good marauder is a dead marauder.
This belief, which I formed within a few days of opening my eyes in this world, will probably remain firm for the rest of my life.
“Hwahaha! Freedom! Freedom!”
“Let’s go outside!!”
I release all the prisoners on the same floor.
They’re not the kind of guys I can control, but that doesn’t matter.
That wasn’t my intention in the first place.
“Waaaaaaaa!!”
After that, there’s no need for me to do anything.
As if madness is contagious, the prisoners unite and head upstairs, subduing the guards and releasing more prisoners with the keys they acquire.
Of course, there are quite a few who don’t participate in the escape, even though I opened their doors.
About 50% of them.
‘They’re probably guys whose investigations are still ongoing, or those who are truly innocent like me.’
As I quickly make my way through the chaos, I see prisoners gathered in front of one spot.
It’s the interrogation room I’ve been in and out of countless times in the past two days.
The situation is quite simple.
“Go ba, back to your rooms!! If you go back now, we’ll pretend nothing hap…pened!!”
Guards trembling in fear behind the locked door, and prisoners trying to tear it down.
“We need the keys those guys have to go upstairs!”
“Tear it down!”
However, no matter how much they shake it, that thick iron door doesn’t seem like it’s going to budge.
Phew, do I have to go through that again?
Just as I’m thinking that…
“Do you think you’ll get away with this! You’ll all be executed! Executed!!”
A rather familiar voice comes from beyond the door.
I look through the small barred window and see the interrogator bastard cowering between two guards.
I didn’t expect to meet him so soon.
“Everyone, move aside!!”
I push through the prisoners with joy and approach the door.
And I repeatedly detonate my left arm, which hasn’t fully recovered yet.
‘Flesh Explosion, Flesh Explosion, Flesh Explosion…’
After about five repetitions, the lock mechanism is disabled as the handle melts away.
It’s the result of my flesh, blood, and pain.
The prisoners erupt in cheers.
“Waaaaaaaa!!”
“Barbarian! Barbarian!! Barbarian!!!”
“He’s the barbarian of freedom!!”
As I enter the interrogation room, the interrogator’s eyes widen.
“Yo, you! How, how the hell… uh, how…!”
Well, it wouldn’t be easy to understand.
Most abilities possessed by 9th-grade explorers are insignificant. That’s why they didn’t bother with any restraints besides the bars.
How could they have known I had this kind of ability?
I only have one thing to say to him.
“Blame your unfortunate family background that couldn’t nurture your imagination.”
“I grew up in a perfectly normal family!!”
“Lying on top of everything, you’re truly despicable.”
“Wha, what! Keuheok!”
I punch him in the gut, releasing the anger I’ve been holding back, and the interrogator collapses to the ground, writhing like a bug.
His thick layer of fat must have absorbed the shock because he’s still conscious.
“Yo, you crazy…!”
This pig who didn’t receive proper family education spouts all sorts of curses at me, even though he can barely breathe.
“You’re a dead man walking! Using abilities within the prison and causing this kind of chaos! Do you think you can handle the consequences?!”
Consequences?
“That’s something you should be thinking about now. If my plan succeeds, you’re fucked.”
“What the hell can you do!”
I can’t help but laugh.
“What can I do?”
Even his question is wrong.
“You should be asking what I can’t do.”
I’m the kind of guy who can do any crazy shit if my life is on the line.
So, it’s a bit unfortunate for this unimaginative bastard, but…
“Just go to sleep for now.”
When you open your eyes, one of us will be in hell.
Thwack-!
I punch him in the face instead of his chubby body, and the interrogator faints, foaming at the mouth.
That’s when the guard shouts something at me.
“Keys.”
“Do, do you even realize what you’ve done!”
I do.
But what am I supposed to do about it?
I would have died if I had stayed there.
I only say one thing.
“Keys.”
“It’s, it’s not too late—”
“Keys.”
“He, here they are…”
I take the keys and turn around. As if in a movie, the prisoners clear a path for me.
Thud, thud.
I walk past them and stand in front of the stairs leading to the ground, taking a deep breath.
Is it really okay to escalate things this much?
That worry briefly crosses my mind, but…
‘They’re the ones who didn’t give me a choice.’
I turn the key and shout,
“Let’s gooooo!!!!”
Everything that happens from now on is self-defense.
And above all, it’s to protect my precious life.
[Flesh Explosion]
It’s one of the few insane skills that uses the character’s health as a cost.
Perhaps because the adrenaline hasn’t kicked in yet, I feel the pain pierce through my Pain Resistance, but…
The result is clear.
Sizzle!
The bars are half melted by the blood splattered from the explosion.
I push sideways, and the bars bend easily.
“Keuheuheu…”
Despite the pain, both my hands heal quickly.
It’s not just the effect of the Undying Engraving, but also thanks to the vampire’s essence I recently acquired.
As soon as I step out into the hallway, I see a guard.
“Wh, what! Who are you!”
It’s the guard who asked me about my last meal earlier.
He must have heard something exploding and rushed over…
“Eek! An es, escapee! An escapee!”
Before he can make any more noise, I immediately dash forward and punch him in the stomach.
Thwack-!
The guard collapses weakly.
As I quickly search his pockets and retrieve the keys, the other prisoners, who were watching the situation with interest from inside their cells, start going wild.
They’ve figured out what I’m trying to do.
“Hey! Barbarian! Are you really doing this?!”
“Kihihihi! You’re crazier than I thought!!”
“Me too! Take me too!”
Considering that this is under the Explorer’s Guild, most of these guys are probably marauders.
But…
‘I’m not in a position to be picky.’
A poor barbarian who has been falsely accused doesn’t care about such things.
‘They’ll all die soon anyway.’
The only good marauder is a dead marauder.
This belief, which I formed within a few days of opening my eyes in this world, will probably remain firm for the rest of my life.
“Hwahaha! Freedom! Freedom!”
“Let’s go outside!!”
I release all the prisoners on the same floor.
They’re not the kind of guys I can control, but that doesn’t matter.
That wasn’t my intention in the first place.
“Waaaaaaaa!!”
After that, there’s no need for me to do anything.
As if madness is contagious, the prisoners unite and head upstairs, subduing the guards and releasing more prisoners with the keys they acquire.
Of course, there are quite a few who don’t participate in the escape, even though I opened their doors.
About 50% of them.
‘They’re probably guys whose investigations are still ongoing, or those who are truly innocent like me.’
As I quickly make my way through the chaos, I see prisoners gathered in front of one spot.
It’s the interrogation room I’ve been in and out of countless times in the past two days.
The situation is quite simple.
“Go ba, back to your rooms!! If you go back now, we’ll pretend nothing hap…pened!!”
Guards trembling in fear behind the locked door, and prisoners trying to tear it down.
“We need the keys those guys have to go upstairs!”
“Tear it down!”
However, no matter how much they shake it, that thick iron door doesn’t seem like it’s going to budge.
Phew, do I have to go through that again?
Just as I’m thinking that…
“Do you think you’ll get away with this! You’ll all be executed! Executed!!”
A rather familiar voice comes from beyond the door.
I look through the small barred window and see the interrogator bastard cowering between two guards.
I didn’t expect to meet him so soon.
“Everyone, move aside!!”
I push through the prisoners with joy and approach the door.
And I repeatedly detonate my left arm, which hasn’t fully recovered yet.
‘Flesh Explosion, Flesh Explosion, Flesh Explosion…’
After about five repetitions, the lock mechanism is disabled as the handle melts away.
It’s the result of my flesh, blood, and pain.
The prisoners erupt in cheers.
“Waaaaaaaa!!”
“Barbarian! Barbarian!! Barbarian!!!”
“He’s the barbarian of freedom!!”
As I enter the interrogation room, the interrogator’s eyes widen.
“Yo, you! How, how the hell… uh, how…!”
Well, it wouldn’t be easy to understand.
Most abilities possessed by 9th-grade explorers are insignificant. That’s why they didn’t bother with any restraints besides the bars.
How could they have known I had this kind of ability?
I only have one thing to say to him.
“Blame your unfortunate family background that couldn’t nurture your imagination.”
“I grew up in a perfectly normal family!!”
“Lying on top of everything, you’re truly despicable.”
“Wha, what! Keuheok!”
I punch him in the gut, releasing the anger I’ve been holding back, and the interrogator collapses to the ground, writhing like a bug.
His thick layer of fat must have absorbed the shock because he’s still conscious.
“Yo, you crazy…!”
This pig who didn’t receive proper family education spouts all sorts of curses at me, even though he can barely breathe.
“You’re a dead man walking! Using abilities within the prison and causing this kind of chaos! Do you think you can handle the consequences?!”
Consequences?
“That’s something you should be thinking about now. If my plan succeeds, you’re fucked.”
“What the hell can you do!”
I can’t help but laugh.
“What can I do?”
Even his question is wrong.
“You should be asking what I can’t do.”
I’m the kind of guy who can do any crazy shit if my life is on the line.
So, it’s a bit unfortunate for this unimaginative bastard, but…
“Just go to sleep for now.”
When you open your eyes, one of us will be in hell.
Thwack-!
I punch him in the face instead of his chubby body, and the interrogator faints, foaming at the mouth.
That’s when the guard shouts something at me.
“Keys.”
“Do, do you even realize what you’ve done!”
I do.
But what am I supposed to do about it?
I would have died if I had stayed there.
I only say one thing.
“Keys.”
“It’s, it’s not too late—”
“Keys.”
“He, here they are…”
I take the keys and turn around. As if in a movie, the prisoners clear a path for me.
Thud, thud.
I walk past them and stand in front of the stairs leading to the ground, taking a deep breath.
Is it really okay to escalate things this much?
That worry briefly crosses my mind, but…
‘They’re the ones who didn’t give me a choice.’
I turn the key and shout,
“Let’s gooooo!!!!”
Everything that happens from now on is self-defense.
And above all, it’s to protect my precious life.
_________________________________________
The Explorer’s Guild’s prison is built deep underground.
And the double doors leading to the surface are so thick that the people above ground couldn’t sense anything until the situation escalated to this point.
‘That’s a good thing for me.’
Clack.
I climb the long stairs and open the door. Unlike the underground prison, I see a peaceful interior.
There are employees doing administrative work and explorers crowding in front of the counter.
“Uh, how did you get in here?”
One of the employees asks me, having appeared inside the building where ordinary explorers are not allowed.
Of course, there’s no need for an answer.
The employee, seeing the open door behind me, understands the situation in an instant.
“An es, escapee!”
As soon as the employee shouts, everyone’s attention turns to me.
A heavy silence descends.
However, among the quick-witted explorers who live by improvising, there’s one who is particularly fast.
“Miss employee! If I catch that guy, how about a drink with me after work?”
The man standing next to the female employee jumps over the counter and charges towards me.
And that’s when…
“Waaaaaaaa!!”
“The smell of freedom!!”
The prisoners start pouring out from the bottom of the stairs.
“Uh, uh, uh…?”
“St, stop them!”
“The guild will provide rewards! Explorers, please lend us your strength!”
“Aaaaaak!!”
The prisoners charge in fearlessly, even with their bare hands, and the explorers draw their weapons and fight back.
“Kill them!!”
In the peaceful Explorer’s Guild branch, a sudden bloodshed begins.
As the mastermind behind all this, I take a step back from the front line and quickly head towards my destination.
‘There’s no time.’
The prisoners can probably only buy me about 5 minutes.
They have nothing that can be called a weapon except for a few clubs taken from the guards.
I climb the stairs to the 2nd floor and check the windows.
‘As expected, escaping outside is impossible.’
The commotion has already reached the outside, and even the explorers on the main street are watching with interest.
If I go out in this state, I’ll get beaten up and dragged back down.
The answer lies above.
“Wh, who are you!”
I knock out all the employees I encounter in the hallway with my fists and check the 1st floor through the railing.
Dozens of people are engaged in a brawl.
I stretch out my hand above their heads.
And…
‘Flesh Explosion.’
My hand explodes, and acidic blood showers down like a sprinkler.
“Aaaaaak!”
Explorers, prisoners, everyone who gets splashed with my blood screams in unison.
I feel a pang of guilt, but…
It can’t be helped.
To increase the success rate of the next plan.
「Character has cast [Sacrificial Engraving].」
As I activate the follow-up skill, tattoos appear on the foreheads of those who got splashed with my blood, emitting a red light.
「Character’s physical abilities temporarily increase based on the number of sacrifices within a 100-meter radius.」
The number of sacrifices is easily in the dozens.
‘So this is why athletes take drugs.’
Power surges through my body.
The railing I’m gripping crumbles with a rustling sound.
Even the anxiety I had inwardly disappears completely.
With this, I can definitely do it.
“Uwaaaaak!!”
I leave behind the commotion on the 1st floor and climb the stairs again, heading to the 3rd floor.
‘It seems like they haven’t left.’
I peek through the slightly open door and confirm that the 3rd floor is completely different from the lower floors.
The entire floor is an office space.
It has a rather sophisticated atmosphere with its wooden furniture, decorations on the walls, and plaques.
“What the hell is all this commotion! Go check it out!”
“Yes! Branch Manager!”
‘That guy must be the branch manager.’
I hide behind the door after confirming the target.
And the moment the man who received the branch manager’s order opens the door to leave…
I punch him in the jaw with all my might.
Crack.
Uh, I didn’t intend to break his jaw…
Thud.
The man collapses to the floor limply, even though I thought he would be somewhat skilled since he assists the branch manager.
At the same time, the branch manager jumps to his feet.
“Wh, who are you!”
Me?
“A wronged barbarian.”
To add a bit more detail, I’m here to prove my innocence.
In the barbarian way, through physical means.
“The commotion downstairs must have been your doing too!”
The man, who has quickly grasped the situation as befits a branch manager, immediately draws a sword that was displayed on the wall.
His posture is not ordinary, as if he’s a former explorer.
The employees downstairs were just a bunch of pen-pushers.
Well, it doesn’t matter since I came here prepared and even doped up for this scenario.
“Miss, please come behind me.”
“Ye, yes!”
As soon as the woman who was sitting across from the branch manager hides behind him, both sides are ready to fight.
‘Is this like a boss battle in a game?’
I take one last deep breath.
To succeed in my plan, I have to subdue this guy.
If possible, before the commotion on the 1st floor ends.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
Is it because of the [Sacrificial Engraving] I cast on dozens of people?
The moment I push off the ground, my body is propelled forward with explosive acceleration.
Honestly, even I can’t get used to this speed, but…
The branch manager is no slouch either.
“Don’t be foolish!”
He accurately reads my movements and thrusts his sword towards my wrist in a precise trajectory.
However, it’s not enough to cut through the bones of a barbarian in Super Barbarian Mode.
Clang!
A dull sound as if something is stuck.
The blood splattered from the cut wound stains the branch manager’s shoulder.
Sizzle!
“Ack! Aaaak!”
The branch manager is in agony from the unexpected pain.
What follows is ridiculously simple.
I take advantage of the opportunity and punch him in the Adam’s apple, and that’s the end of it.
“Keu, keuheok!”
The branch manager gags and falls to his knees.
It’s a boss battle that ended too quickly compared to how nervous I was, but…
Well, he probably didn’t expect this kind of thing to come out of blood.
It seems like the people at the Explorer’s Guild have a tradition of lacking imagination.
But I’m different.
“Yo, you…!”
I always imagine the worst.
Since I don’t know what kind of essence this former explorer might have, I knock him unconscious with a blow to the back of his head.
Alright, then the first ingredient is secured.
“Pl, please spare me!”
But what should I do with this lady?
Judging by the way the branch manager was bowing to her, she seems to be of high status.
“Th, that lady is the regional manager’s daughter! If you touch her, you won’t get away with it…”
What the, how did this guy wake up so quickly?
Thwack!
I knock the branch manager unconscious again with even more force and calmly continue my thoughts.
‘The regional manager’s daughter…’
It seems like things will go a bit more smoothly.
Or maybe it will get out of hand.
“Branch Manager! Are you alright!”
It seems like the commotion on the 1st floor has been settled, as an employee comes up to check the situation here.
Of course, there’s no problem.
The branch manager has already been promoted to my pet parrot.
“Tell him you’re fine.”
“…I’m fine. More importantly, what happened downstairs?”
“We’ve taken care of everything for now! A few escapees have fled into the city, but we’ll find them soon.”
“That’s… a relief.”
“Ah! But where is Assistant Manager Robert? I thought he would be here with you…”
Assistant manager?
He’s resting in the closet with a shattered jaw.
Of course, there’s no way the branch manager would answer that honestly.
“Just make up an excuse.”
“…He’s out on an errand. I have some urgent matters to attend to, so please make sure no one comes up here until I call for them.”
“Yes!”
The employee leaves, and I immediately come out from under the desk.
The regional manager’s daughter is nestled in my arms.
The branch manager glares at me, his mustache twitching.
“I sincerely advise you to stop this now, for your own good.”
“I see.”
I ignore the branch manager’s advice.
For my own good my ass.
If I stop here, I’ll just die?
“Think about it carefully. Whatever your goal is, there might be a way I can help—”
“I see.”
As I nod in agreement and pick my ear with my pinky finger, the branch manager shouts in exasperation.
“You crazy bastard! Do you even realize what you’re doing!”
I do.
No, to be honest, I’ve heard it so many times since coming here that my ears are about to fall off.
So what the hell am I supposed to do?
Do something crazy or die.
It was a binary choice.
“I see.”
I nod roughly once again, and the branch manager, as if he can’t believe it, tries to shout something, but…
“What do you mean, you see—”
“I’ll kill this woman if you don’t shut up.”
As I pretend to tighten my grip around the regional manager’s daughter’s neck, the branch manager shuts his mouth as if nothing happened.
Looking closely, his face is pale.
Well, it’s understandable.
A mass escape incident occurred at his branch, and the regional manager’s daughter, who was with him, was even taken hostage…
He must feel utterly helpless.
No matter how this ends, this guy won’t get away scot-free.
‘Serves him right.’
As I’m thinking that, the woman who’s being held hostage suddenly speaks up.
“My name is Julian Urbans. Not ‘this woman’.”
Unlike her previous terrified voice, her voice is calm now.
I check the sound of her heartbeat as our bodies are pressed together, and it’s quite stable.
“Tell me what you want. There must be a reason why someone like you is doing this crazy thing, right?”
“Someone like me?”
When did this woman ever see me before?
As I tilt my head in confusion, she continues,
“Even though you’ve caused this kind of incident, you don’t look scared at all. Your breathing is even, and your eyes aren’t trembling.”
“Get to the point.”
“You planned all of this, didn’t you? And for a long time.”
Plan? I did.
About 30 minutes ago.
‘I listened to her, and it was a waste of time.’
“Maybe you even knew that I would be here today—”
“Be quiet.”
“Eugh, eugh!”
I roughly cover the woman’s mouth with my hand, who seems to have an inflated sense of self-importance, and then demand the necessary preparations from the branch manager.
“Bring me the investigator who was in charge of me, a guy named Hatsu Young from the ‘Crystal Alliance’ clan that operates on the 1st floor, a mage from the Magic Tower, and an official priest from the temple.”
The stage is set.
So now it’s time to turn the tables.
The Explorer’s Guild’s prison is built deep underground.
And the double doors leading to the surface are so thick that the people above ground couldn’t sense anything until the situation escalated to this point.
‘That’s a good thing for me.’
Clack.
I climb the long stairs and open the door. Unlike the underground prison, I see a peaceful interior.
There are employees doing administrative work and explorers crowding in front of the counter.
“Uh, how did you get in here?”
One of the employees asks me, having appeared inside the building where ordinary explorers are not allowed.
Of course, there’s no need for an answer.
The employee, seeing the open door behind me, understands the situation in an instant.
“An es, escapee!”
As soon as the employee shouts, everyone’s attention turns to me.
A heavy silence descends.
However, among the quick-witted explorers who live by improvising, there’s one who is particularly fast.
“Miss employee! If I catch that guy, how about a drink with me after work?”
The man standing next to the female employee jumps over the counter and charges towards me.
And that’s when…
“Waaaaaaaa!!”
“The smell of freedom!!”
The prisoners start pouring out from the bottom of the stairs.
“Uh, uh, uh…?”
“St, stop them!”
“The guild will provide rewards! Explorers, please lend us your strength!”
“Aaaaaak!!”
The prisoners charge in fearlessly, even with their bare hands, and the explorers draw their weapons and fight back.
“Kill them!!”
In the peaceful Explorer’s Guild branch, a sudden bloodshed begins.
As the mastermind behind all this, I take a step back from the front line and quickly head towards my destination.
‘There’s no time.’
The prisoners can probably only buy me about 5 minutes.
They have nothing that can be called a weapon except for a few clubs taken from the guards.
I climb the stairs to the 2nd floor and check the windows.
‘As expected, escaping outside is impossible.’
The commotion has already reached the outside, and even the explorers on the main street are watching with interest.
If I go out in this state, I’ll get beaten up and dragged back down.
The answer lies above.
“Wh, who are you!”
I knock out all the employees I encounter in the hallway with my fists and check the 1st floor through the railing.
Dozens of people are engaged in a brawl.
I stretch out my hand above their heads.
And…
‘Flesh Explosion.’
My hand explodes, and acidic blood showers down like a sprinkler.
“Aaaaaak!”
Explorers, prisoners, everyone who gets splashed with my blood screams in unison.
I feel a pang of guilt, but…
It can’t be helped.
To increase the success rate of the next plan.
「Character has cast [Sacrificial Engraving].」
As I activate the follow-up skill, tattoos appear on the foreheads of those who got splashed with my blood, emitting a red light.
「Character’s physical abilities temporarily increase based on the number of sacrifices within a 100-meter radius.」
The number of sacrifices is easily in the dozens.
‘So this is why athletes take drugs.’
Power surges through my body.
The railing I’m gripping crumbles with a rustling sound.
Even the anxiety I had inwardly disappears completely.
With this, I can definitely do it.
“Uwaaaaak!!”
I leave behind the commotion on the 1st floor and climb the stairs again, heading to the 3rd floor.
‘It seems like they haven’t left.’
I peek through the slightly open door and confirm that the 3rd floor is completely different from the lower floors.
The entire floor is an office space.
It has a rather sophisticated atmosphere with its wooden furniture, decorations on the walls, and plaques.
“What the hell is all this commotion! Go check it out!”
“Yes! Branch Manager!”
‘That guy must be the branch manager.’
I hide behind the door after confirming the target.
And the moment the man who received the branch manager’s order opens the door to leave…
I punch him in the jaw with all my might.
Crack.
Uh, I didn’t intend to break his jaw…
Thud.
The man collapses to the floor limply, even though I thought he would be somewhat skilled since he assists the branch manager.
At the same time, the branch manager jumps to his feet.
“Wh, who are you!”
Me?
“A wronged barbarian.”
To add a bit more detail, I’m here to prove my innocence.
In the barbarian way, through physical means.
“The commotion downstairs must have been your doing too!”
The man, who has quickly grasped the situation as befits a branch manager, immediately draws a sword that was displayed on the wall.
His posture is not ordinary, as if he’s a former explorer.
The employees downstairs were just a bunch of pen-pushers.
Well, it doesn’t matter since I came here prepared and even doped up for this scenario.
“Miss, please come behind me.”
“Ye, yes!”
As soon as the woman who was sitting across from the branch manager hides behind him, both sides are ready to fight.
‘Is this like a boss battle in a game?’
I take one last deep breath.
To succeed in my plan, I have to subdue this guy.
If possible, before the commotion on the 1st floor ends.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
Is it because of the [Sacrificial Engraving] I cast on dozens of people?
The moment I push off the ground, my body is propelled forward with explosive acceleration.
Honestly, even I can’t get used to this speed, but…
The branch manager is no slouch either.
“Don’t be foolish!”
He accurately reads my movements and thrusts his sword towards my wrist in a precise trajectory.
However, it’s not enough to cut through the bones of a barbarian in Super Barbarian Mode.
Clang!
A dull sound as if something is stuck.
The blood splattered from the cut wound stains the branch manager’s shoulder.
Sizzle!
“Ack! Aaaak!”
The branch manager is in agony from the unexpected pain.
What follows is ridiculously simple.
I take advantage of the opportunity and punch him in the Adam’s apple, and that’s the end of it.
“Keu, keuheok!”
The branch manager gags and falls to his knees.
It’s a boss battle that ended too quickly compared to how nervous I was, but…
Well, he probably didn’t expect this kind of thing to come out of blood.
It seems like the people at the Explorer’s Guild have a tradition of lacking imagination.
But I’m different.
“Yo, you…!”
I always imagine the worst.
Since I don’t know what kind of essence this former explorer might have, I knock him unconscious with a blow to the back of his head.
Alright, then the first ingredient is secured.
“Pl, please spare me!”
But what should I do with this lady?
Judging by the way the branch manager was bowing to her, she seems to be of high status.
“Th, that lady is the regional manager’s daughter! If you touch her, you won’t get away with it…”
What the, how did this guy wake up so quickly?
Thwack!
I knock the branch manager unconscious again with even more force and calmly continue my thoughts.
‘The regional manager’s daughter…’
It seems like things will go a bit more smoothly.
Or maybe it will get out of hand.
“Branch Manager! Are you alright!”
It seems like the commotion on the 1st floor has been settled, as an employee comes up to check the situation here.
Of course, there’s no problem.
The branch manager has already been promoted to my pet parrot.
“Tell him you’re fine.”
“…I’m fine. More importantly, what happened downstairs?”
“We’ve taken care of everything for now! A few escapees have fled into the city, but we’ll find them soon.”
“That’s… a relief.”
“Ah! But where is Assistant Manager Robert? I thought he would be here with you…”
Assistant manager?
He’s resting in the closet with a shattered jaw.
Of course, there’s no way the branch manager would answer that honestly.
“Just make up an excuse.”
“…He’s out on an errand. I have some urgent matters to attend to, so please make sure no one comes up here until I call for them.”
“Yes!”
The employee leaves, and I immediately come out from under the desk.
The regional manager’s daughter is nestled in my arms.
The branch manager glares at me, his mustache twitching.
“I sincerely advise you to stop this now, for your own good.”
“I see.”
I ignore the branch manager’s advice.
For my own good my ass.
If I stop here, I’ll just die?
“Think about it carefully. Whatever your goal is, there might be a way I can help—”
“I see.”
As I nod in agreement and pick my ear with my pinky finger, the branch manager shouts in exasperation.
“You crazy bastard! Do you even realize what you’re doing!”
I do.
No, to be honest, I’ve heard it so many times since coming here that my ears are about to fall off.
So what the hell am I supposed to do?
Do something crazy or die.
It was a binary choice.
“I see.”
I nod roughly once again, and the branch manager, as if he can’t believe it, tries to shout something, but…
“What do you mean, you see—”
“I’ll kill this woman if you don’t shut up.”
As I pretend to tighten my grip around the regional manager’s daughter’s neck, the branch manager shuts his mouth as if nothing happened.
Looking closely, his face is pale.
Well, it’s understandable.
A mass escape incident occurred at his branch, and the regional manager’s daughter, who was with him, was even taken hostage…
He must feel utterly helpless.
No matter how this ends, this guy won’t get away scot-free.
‘Serves him right.’
As I’m thinking that, the woman who’s being held hostage suddenly speaks up.
“My name is Julian Urbans. Not ‘this woman’.”
Unlike her previous terrified voice, her voice is calm now.
I check the sound of her heartbeat as our bodies are pressed together, and it’s quite stable.
“Tell me what you want. There must be a reason why someone like you is doing this crazy thing, right?”
“Someone like me?”
When did this woman ever see me before?
As I tilt my head in confusion, she continues,
“Even though you’ve caused this kind of incident, you don’t look scared at all. Your breathing is even, and your eyes aren’t trembling.”
“Get to the point.”
“You planned all of this, didn’t you? And for a long time.”
Plan? I did.
About 30 minutes ago.
‘I listened to her, and it was a waste of time.’
“Maybe you even knew that I would be here today—”
“Be quiet.”
“Eugh, eugh!”
I roughly cover the woman’s mouth with my hand, who seems to have an inflated sense of self-importance, and then demand the necessary preparations from the branch manager.
“Bring me the investigator who was in charge of me, a guy named Hatsu Young from the ‘Crystal Alliance’ clan that operates on the 1st floor, a mage from the Magic Tower, and an official priest from the temple.”
The stage is set.
So now it’s time to turn the tables.
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