Chapter 44
Every gaze in the tavern focused on him.
But Jeong Yushin did not so much as blink, keeping his eyes on Calik alone.
So this was what they meant by a fine blade. Not a single bit of fat, blood, or bone clung to it.
Jeong Yushin lowered the dao and looked around the tavern.
It was obvious at a glance.
Their will to fight had broken.
Even though quite a few remained, they were only looking for somewhere to run.
Men who were weak before the strong and strong before the weak.
They were scum.
He couldn't let them live.
Jeong Yushin charged at them with his dao.
The men wet themselves and scattered like a flock of sheep.
Each time the dao flashed, screams and pleas swept through the tavern.
They struggled desperately to escape somehow, but not a single one escaped him.
One ran this way and that, raving.
One tried to use his companion as a shield and flee.
One moaned in pain.
One could see nothing because his eyes had been cut.
One begged for mercy, claiming he had an aged mother.
One charged at him in despair, hurling every curse he knew.
One had soiled his pants and stared blankly upward.
One denounced him as a devil.
Jeong Yushin let all the sounds wash over him, cutting, ripping, hacking, and slicing like an indifferent butcher.
The tavern, which had erupted in commotion, soon fell silent.
He killed every last one who was still alive.
Except one.
After looking around the floor painted with blood and entrails, Jeong Yushin sank heavily into the chair from earlier.
“Tarman.”
He called the name of the one remaining man.
His murderous intent continued to burn endlessly without subsiding.
“Bring me a different drink.”
At Jeong Yushin’s words, Tarman’s pants began to grow damp.
Jeong Yushin rose when he saw that.
“P-please... spare me!”
Tarman fell to his knees and slammed his forehead into the floor.
Jeong Yushin looked down at Tarman, then went to the counter, took out a bottle and two glasses, and brought them over.
He returned to his seat, uncorked the bottle, and poured the drink into a glass.
Trickle.
He brought his nose close and smelled it, then raised the glass and drained it in one gulp.
He tilted the bottle again and refilled the glass.
“When is the boss coming?”
“P-please!! Spare me!!”
Tarman trembled and begged.
Jeong Yushin sighed deeply.
“Let’s not talk.”
He tilted the glass, drank slowly, and set it on the table.
Jeong Yushin spent his time contemplating Tarman’s head as he begged on his knees.
How much time passed?
Clatter!
The wooden door opened, and someone entered.
It was a leopard beastkin.
The newcomer was male. His glossy black fur was striking.
He looked exactly as Aldein had described.
‘Calik Hyman.’
A former mid-rank explorer and an executive in charge of middle management for the Crimson Hunters.
Four imprints in total.
[Acidic Spit]
[Iron Arm]
[Tracker’s Nose]
[Deadly Hand]
He was the kind who blocked attacks with sturdy arms, spat acid to blind his opponent, and then killed them with a fatal blow.
An opponent who surpassed Jeong Yushin in both skill and number of imprints.
But what did that matter?
This one also deserved to die.
Calik glanced around and clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, tsk. You killed quite a lot.”
Step. Step.
Calik plopped into the chair across from Jeong Yushin.
“Ska, looks like you ate something good in the labyrinth.”
Jeong Yushin said nothing, only tilting his glass.
Calik turned his head and looked at Tarman.
“Hey, newbie, come pour me a drink.”
Tarman rose and tipped the bottle.
Glug. Splash.
Because his hand was trembling, the drink splashed all over the table, and little made it into the glass.
Calik scratched his head.
“This bastard’s become a complete idiot. Get lost.”
Tarman put the bottle on the table and backed away.
Calik picked up the bottle and filled his glass.
Trickle.
“Ska, are you a murderer?”
“...”
Without answering, Jeong Yushin leisurely tilted his glass.
“These fellows all have families too. Cute sons, pretty wives, and parents they’re supposed to look after.”
“Why did you kill Dito’s family?”
Calik sighed deeply once more.
“Haa. This is absurd. Now isn’t the time to ask that, you crazy bastard. You’ve been marked by us.”
“...”
“And once you saw the dagger’s insignia, you should’ve run straight to the Eastern District and slammed your head into the ground. Why did you keep comfortably going in and out of the labyrinth behind that bear?”
Jeong Yushin and Calik met each other’s eyes.
Calik snickered.
“In all my life, I’ve never seen a Barbaroi who doesn’t mate. Every damn place you go is the Swordsmanship Guild or the orphanage. This bastard doesn’t seem like a Barbaroi.”
Calik turned his head and looked at Tarman.
“Am I right?”
“I-I don’t know.”
Tarman answered with difficulty, trembling.
“If you don’t know, go find out, you useless bastard.”
Calik rubbed the corner of his eye as if frustrated.
“Ska, you have two choices.”
Calik unfolded his fingers one by one.
“One. Join me.”
“Two. Die here.”
Jeong Yushin leaned back comfortably in his chair.
In silence, Calik and Jeong Yushin faced one another.
Calik looked into Jeong Yushin’s eyes.
“I don’t make offers like this often. I’m saying it because you’re a novice explorer with skill and guts. Work under me.”
Was he generous, or was he someone who could replace his underlings whenever he pleased?
Calik continued.
“I’ll teach you how to survive in the Labyrinth City. You demon. You’ve got potential.”
Jeong Yushin’s mouth slowly opened.
“Fuck off.”
At Jeong Yushin’s one-word reply, Calik shook his head.
“Huh. Crazy bastard.”
Jeong Yushin narrowed his eyes.
His vision wavered. He couldn’t suppress the murderous intent surging in his chest.
The world repeatedly turned red, then blue.
‘Main mod or sub-mod—that is the question.’
Hallucinations flashed chaotically beneath his eyes.
Beneath the lights of the red-light district, a hobgoblin and Siemus held hands and danced. A man-faced centipede sang with Darmong.
Unable to endure it, he tossed out a word.
“Come to think of it, joining is the right choice. Yes, yes.”
Calik sighed.
“Too late.”
“Asura Balbalta.”
First strike, certain victory.
He kicked the table.
Bwoooooom!!!
The wooden table exploded. Splintered wood and glass scattered through the air.
Before anyone knew it, Jeong Yushin had drawn his long dao and charged at Calik.
“Crazy!!”
Calik drew his longsword with a single scream.
Kaaaanng!!!
The sword and dao collided, sending sparks flying.
Calik gritted his teeth and swung his sword.
‘Crazy bastard. Where did this guy come from?!’
He had definitely only been to the labyrinth three times. And one of those times, he had entered as a porter.
He had underestimated him. That was why he had lost the initiative.
Driven onto the defensive, Calik moved this way and that to evade the dao.
Clang!! Kaaang!!
The sounds of sword and dao colliding rang through the tavern.
Tarman trembled in the corner, unable even to think of running.
They exchanged blows several times.
Jeong Yushin stepped on entrails fallen on the floor. His stance collapsed for an instant, and he staggered.
‘An opening!’
Calik’s eyes lit up.
Calik swung his sword horizontally.
Swaaash!!!
Calik’s sword aimed at Jeong Yushin’s arm.
Tshak!!!
Jeong Yushin twisted his body quickly and dodged. The shoulder of his coat was lightly cut, and blood seeped out.
[Revenger]
The imprint activated.
Blue ghostfire flared in Jeong Yushin’s eyes.
Kaaang!!!
Sparks flew.
The sword and dao collided again and separated.
‘What kind of strength?!’
Calik gritted his teeth.
The force crashing against his sword was monstrous.
The two men clashed as they wove among shattered wood and corpses.
Clang!! Kaaang!!
As sparks flew and they exchanged blows, more and more sword cuts appeared on Jeong Yushin’s body.
His opponent was a mid-rank explorer, and one who had spent years in Labyrinth City, making his living in the underworld.
The difference in skill born of years could not be ignored.
But Jeong Yushin did not shrink back.
As his flesh was cut and blood scattered, the blue ghostfire in his eyes burned even more vividly.
Kaaang!!!
Once again, the sword and dao collided.
The two men pressed their blades together and entered a contest of strength.
Krrrrrrr!!!
The sound of grinding metal rang out from the tangled sword and dao.
Jeong Yushin and Calik locked eyes.
In that split second.
Calik shut his mouth and puffed out his cheeks.
‘It’s coming.’
[Acidic Spit]
Jeong Yushin turned his head.
He couldn’t dodge completely.
Thick saliva splattered across his neck and shoulder.
Sssssizzle!!!
His flesh and clothing burned with a bubbling sound.
Crunch!!!
“Ghk!!!”
A moment later, tremendous pain shot up from his shin.
Jeong Yushin gritted his teeth.
Something sharp shattered his shinbone and lodged firmly inside.
Jeong Yushin shoved the sword aside and limped backward.
Something protruded from Calik’s shoe.
It was a jackknife hidden in the sole.
“How do you like that?”
Calik smiled viciously.
“...Not bad.”
Jeong Yushin answered calmly and tightened his grip on the dao.
Calik let out a maniacal laugh and swung his longsword.
He was a man seasoned in the underworld.
He would never let go of victory once he had seized it.
Jeong Yushin limped and raised his dao to block.
Since his shinbone was shattered and he couldn’t plant his foot firmly, the force behind his dao naturally weakened.
The situation grew increasingly unfavorable for Jeong Yushin.
Calik leisurely drove Jeong Yushin back, seemingly enjoying the situation.
Swoooosh!!!
The sword came slashing sharply. Its target was the right arm.
He calculated the sword’s path in an instant.
He twisted his body. But his injured leg kept him from fully dodging, and he rolled.
As he rolled across the floor, sticky blood clung to his coat and hair.
Calik charged and brought his sword down.
No way out.
He couldn’t dodge.
Jeong Yushin raised his dao while kneeling.
Kaaang!!!
The powerful sword strike twisted the wrist gripping the dao.
Blood spurted from his right shin.
Kaaang!!!
Calik struck down once more.
Jeong Yushin’s body collapsed completely.
Bwoooom!!!
Calik’s foot slammed into Jeong Yushin’s solar plexus.
Jeong Yushin flew backward and hit the wall. The dao he had been holding also flew somewhere and landed.
“Kheok!!!”
Jeong Yushin writhed like a worm as he exhaled.
Calik grinned and rested his longsword on his shoulder.
“You put up quite a fight. Sorry I briefly suspected you weren’t a Barbaroi.”
“...”
“Let’s finish this. Stick your neck out.”
Jeong Yushin staggered to his feet. Calik clicked his tongue.
“I almost failed to recognize the tiger cub in you. Dangerous bastard. Just die already.”
Whoooosh!!!
Calik’s sword aimed at Jeong Yushin’s neck.
[Sacred Weapon]
A golden longsword formed in his hand. He gripped it with both hands and raised it.
Kaaaaaang!!!
Sword clashed with sword. Shards of light flew.
“That imprint!! I knew it!! What a joke!!!”
Calik bared his teeth and growled.
He pressed close as if refusing to give ground. They entered another contest of strength.
Jeong Yushin’s golden sword was pushed back toward his shoulder by superior force.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
The golden longsword vanished. Its weapon-summoning duration had reached its limit.
Calik grinned.
No obstacle remained blocking his way.
He raised his sword and drove it straight into Jeong Yushin’s body.
The sharp tip tore through his entrails in an instant and emerged through his back.
The chilly sensation of the sword rummaging through his belly.
Then pain came crashing in, and Jeong Yushin’s mind went blank.
In his flashing vision, he bit his tongue hard.
“How’s that? You should’ve just gone quietly. You stubborn bastard, making such a...”
Calik taunted him.
“Ptui!!”
Jeong Yushin spat out the blood he had held in his mouth.
“You fucking son of a—!!!”
Calik staggered back in shock.
The blood Jeong Yushin spat flew into Calik’s eye, obscuring his vision.
Crunch!
Calik tried to pull out the sword embedded in Jeong Yushin’s belly.
But the hilt wouldn’t move.
Jeong Yushin’s hand gripped Calik’s sword tightly.
He held it so firmly that it didn’t budge.
‘What the—?!’
His shock lasted only a moment.
Crack!!!
Calik’s head snapped backward.
His vision flashed, and blood poured from his nose.
Jeong Yushin’s headbutt crushed Calik’s nasal bone.
Calik screamed and spat acid wildly.
Jeong Yushin ignored it and drew his head back again.
Headbutt.
Craaack!!!
“Khaaagh!!!”
Calik screamed and twisted his body. But Jeong Yushin was faster.
[Sacred Weapon]
A dagger of light plunged deep into Calik’s belly.
“Kuhhagh!!!”
Calik let out a single scream, staggered backward, and fell to his knees.
Shuuuuuk.
With trembling hands, Jeong Yushin pulled the longsword from his belly. Normally, he should have left it in and gone to the temple, but he trusted the Revenger Imprint.
Clatter.
The longsword fell to the floor.
Slurp.
Blood flowed across the floor.
Jeong Yushin limped toward Calik.
Fear widened Calik’s eyes.
“Kheok. Kehk.”
Calik looked desperately at Jeong Yushin with eyes that seemed to have something to say, but he only kept coughing up blood.
Jeong Yushin grabbed Calik’s muzzle.
‘What the—!’
He gradually tightened his grip. Calik’s mouth slowly opened.
Sizzle.
His fingers smoked and stuck to the flesh from the acid spit, but he paid no attention.
“Agaaagak.”
With his mouth forced open to its limit, Calik trembled.
‘Please!! Please!!’
Tzzzzzt.
The corners of his mouth slowly began to tear.
Calik shook his body with all his might, but Jeong Yushin did not budge.
“Agaaagak!!! Agaagak!!!”
Tears ran from Calik’s eyes.
Swaaaargh!!!
His lower jawbone shattered, and his mouth tore completely open.
“Khaaagh!!!”
Calik’s eyes rolled completely back.
Jeong Yushin released Calik’s mouth and rose.
Because the Revenger Imprint continued to activate, his body was slowly healing.
The amount of blood flowing from his belly had decreased.
Jeong Yushin staggered, clutching his belly, found an intact chair, and sank into it.
The tavern was a wreck of blood, corpses, and broken tables.
Jeong Yushin tapped the table.
“Tarman, bring me a drink.”
Overwhelmed by Jeong Yushin’s mad battle, Tarman trembled and could not move.
“I said bring me a drink.”
Jeong Yushin said again.
“Yes?! Yes!”
Tarman ran to the counter, rummaged through the liquor cabinet as if he would break it, and brought back a bottle and glasses.
Tarman hurried over and set the bottle and glasses on the table.
Jeong Yushin picked up the bottle and poured the drink into a glass.
Trickle.
Jeong Yushin raised the glass and poured the drink into his mouth. But he did not swallow.
He rolled it around in his mouth once, then spat it onto the floor.
“Ptui.”
Blood-mixed liquor spread across the floor.
Jeong Yushin leaned back in his chair.
He drew in through his nose, filling his lungs with the blood scent permeating the tavern as though savoring it, then exhaled.
“Who was going to teach whom how to survive in Labyrinth City?”
Jeong Yushin muttered as he looked up at the ceiling.
The unending murderous intent did not settle; it became madness that prodded at Jeong Yushin’s mind.
Jeong Yushin turned his head and looked at Tarman.
“Tarman.”
“Yes!”
“Kneel.”
“Huh?”
“I said kneel.”
Tarman knelt on the floor where blood had spread thickly.
“P-please... spare me.”
Jeong Yushin tapped the glass lightly.
“You’re a truly pathetic man. You kidnapped and tortured children and their mother, then tore their mouths open and killed them just to make money? Are you even human?”
“I... I didn’t do it.”
“You must have helped. Do you expect me to believe you just because you say you didn’t?”
Jeong Yushin continued while looking at Tarman’s head.
“Why did you get involved in a place like this?”
“I... I needed money.”
“Wasn’t there work in the Southern District?”
“...I lost my job because of the labyrinth closure order. They said they’d pay a lot... Believe me!!! I really didn’t know it was this kind of work!!!”
‘What should I do with you? Should I spare you for Anne’s sake?’
Killing intent surged like an incoming tide, then ebbed like an outgoing tide, again and again.
“I’m losing my mind.”
Jeong Yushin swept back his blood-soaked hair.
He looked up at the tavern ceiling.
Tarman bowed his head and trembled, shouting something.
Jeong Yushin couldn’t hear him.
Jeong Yushin rose from his chair and walked among the dead.
He found a dagger among the dismembered corpses and took it in hand.
“Tarman, raise your head.”
Tarman lifted his head, then froze upon seeing the dagger in Jeong Yushin’s hand.
Jeong Yushin slowly went behind Tarman and stood there.
“What should I do? It’s quite a dilemma.”
“P-please... spare—”
Jeong Yushin spoke in a low voice.
Holding the dagger made his murderous intent surge again, enough to make his head spin.
“Shut up.”
What was Tarman thinking?
Was he regretting his sins?
Or was he merely begging to preserve his life for the moment?
He couldn’t know.
The human heart was another labyrinth.
That fact scraped mercilessly at Jeong Yushin’s mind.
Jeong Yushin grabbed Tarman’s hair.
Snip.
Cut hair fell to the floor.
Whenever murderous intent surged, Jeong Yushin cut off some of Tarman’s hair.
‘Should I kill him?’
‘Should I let him live?’
Tarman’s hair fell to the floor in handfuls.
With no talent as a barber, Tarman’s head became ridiculous.
How fucking pathetic.
Having already killed thirty-one people, he was acting like this late at night because he couldn’t kill the last one. It was pathetic enough to drive him mad.
Had his devotion to a childhood friend gone astray?
If he had been in Tarman’s position, what would he have done?
Would he have merely watched? Would he have stubbornly insisted on the right path?
Probably.
‘Enough.’
He stopped thinking.
Jeong Yushin glared at Tarman’s head with bloodshot eyes, then threw the dagger far away.
“Don’t ever let me see you again. You pathetic bastard. Leave Labyrinth City. Reform yourself.”
Siemus came to mind, then faded away.
Jeong Yushin retrieved the dao shoved into the corner and walked among the dead.
On the way, he saw Calik rolling his eyes and vomiting blood from his torn mouth.
Was he still alive?
Jeong Yushin kicked Calik’s neck.
Crack!!!
Jeong Yushin’s boot mercilessly crushed Calik’s neck bone.
The long tongue protruding from his torn maw went limp.
What a pathetic death.
Would he die like this himself someday?
Thinking that, Jeong Yushin opened the tavern door and went outside.
Dark night.
Someone was standing outside the tavern.