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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Eve of the Storm (2)
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Ranking 22nd Jay Henderson and seven top rankers had their senses on high alert. They advanced step by cautious step down the wide-open road, eyes scanning every direction.
All eight were summoning their avatars at full power.
Rustle.
"Flame Chain!" "Ichiban Yari!" "Iron Hammer!" "Grasp of the Evil Spirit!" "Binding Veil!"
Sensing movement beside the road, the eight hunters unleashed a barrage of sharp attacks.
"Keeeaak!"
A massive crater gouged the bushes, and the goblin inside was literally torn to shreds.
"Lost goblin, huh."
"Benderson, we're just 100 meters from the village gate now. No low-rankers ambushing around here among the weaklings?"
"No way. By now, those bastards must be desperate to stay alive."
Benderson stroked his chin, puzzled.
"Maybe the party that went ahead of us was too strong, so they hid inside the village. Like ambushing the moment the murder restriction lifts. Or picking us off one by one when we scatter inside."
"Benderson, look at the sun. The gate's about to close soon."
No clocks meant no exact time, but sunset was near. Get stuck outside after the gates shut, and you'd be wide open for night raids or worse. Benderson wondered why the low-rankers had wasted their last shot at a counterattack, then entered the village.
"Forty-four."
Gonghyeok confirmed the number who'd entered the village. From a makeshift hammock of branches in a tree a bit away, he peered at the GM map.
"One party left. They'll come through a portal or dodge today's chaos and enter tomorrow."
Gonghyeok rose from the hammock.
"Time to get the groundwork done."
It had been thirteen days and seventeen hours since the first-floor mission began.
Until the village murder restriction lifted.
Time remaining: six hours, thirty-four minutes, fifty-five seconds.
= = =
Several top parties were already inside the village.
Benderson's group searched it high and low with them. But not a single low-ranker in sight.
Just a handful of invalids holed up in house corners, or the incompetent few still weeping and begging for mercy.
The six parties remaining in the village gathered in the square.
"Big trouble. Looks like all the low-rankers united as one and bailed."
No lowlifes left inside meant they'd marched out as a group. Somehow, the low-rankers had banded together.
"If they're waiting for us outside tomorrow morning, we're screwed. Even rabble—if a hundred of them set up camp out there, it'll be a tough fight."
"Laffin, check the surroundings."
"Hmm. Nothing but monsters reacting within five kilometers."
"Maybe they bailed early out of fear of the midnight slaughter tonight. Smart, in a way."
"Or they're camped at some dungeon, picking off parties one by one as they enter. Even clumped together, they're in groups of thirty or fifty at best—no way they rack up proper scores like that."
"Nah, they're united for joint scores on boss kills or dungeon clears. Nab that all at once, and their rankings skyrocket."
"You can't even enter boss rooms or named monster fights with more than ten, right?"
"Half or more'll die, but from their view, better than everyone croaking in the coliseum in a week."
"Then let's pair up two parties at a time for hunts. That way we can handle even if they clump in thirties. And if they split up without a plan..."
Everyone swallowed the rest unspoken.
'We just hunt them down.'
Silence fell, then blue text appeared before their eyes.
[15 days have passed since the first-floor mission began.]
[The village murder restriction is now unlocked.]
[Devil-side quest granted to all: 'Kill freely. Kill the people in the village.']
[Angel-side quest granted to all: 'Save people. Stop the murders in the village.']
"Save people?"
Hollow laughter rippled through them. Their gazes turned to Azazel atop the platform.
"Ain't everyone but fifty dying in a week anyway?"
Azazel remained silent, eyes closed.
"Kya aaak!"
"Angel! Please answer our pleas, Angel!"
Six who'd clung to the angel for two weeks, plus two injured, were dragged into the village square.
"Eight, huh."
"Spare us, please spare us!"
"We didn't do anything wrong! We never fought back against you, and we stayed quiet even when you fought others!"
Shrill cries pricking at consciences. About sixty humans gathered here total.
Anyone bold enough to declare 'Let's hurry up and kill these humans in front of us for coins' in front of people had to be a bit off in the head.
"Six parties but eight people—numbers don't match. Process 'em and split the total coins."
Ranking 5th Maria spoke matter-of-factly. She'd softened her words, but it meant kill them quick. Two weeks in Babel was plenty of time for a person to turn full murderer.
Even so, the hunters glanced awkwardly at each other. Maria sighed and drew her sword.
"I'll do it."
"Kya aaaaak!"
"You—I brought you water every morning, didn't I? It's me, Sapi Salari. Fellow Malaysian!"
One bowed in silent prayer. A woman shrieked madly. A man begged his compatriot for mercy. At the utterly human scene, one hunter gulped hard.
"W-wait."
One raised a hand and stepped forward. Balding thirties brute—Brandon. He always saddened everyone with tales of his daughter back in Texas.
"What?"
Maria's sharp glare. Brandon took half a step back, then steeled his face and spoke.
"The women... at least the women..."
"You're not seriously asking me—a woman—to go easy on women, are you?"
"I mean, no need to kill 'em right now, right? Just a bit—no, a few hours later?"
Brandon flushed, nodding toward an empty house.
"It's, uh, awkward to say to you, Maria, but... we guys have some business first..."
He tried to hide it, but lecherous intent oozed from his face.
Woman Maria grimaced. But the surroundings buzzed in agreement. Maria was one of the leaders here, but bucking everyone's vibe spelled trouble.
Stab.
"Guh... urk."
Her rapier plunged into the throat of the man bowed in prayer. Maria replied coldly.
"Do whatever."
"Sorry for the hassle."
"Let's get it done quick!"
A few men rose, dragging the women off. For some, the talk was already over.
Soon screams and shouts echoed from empty houses. Maria, frowning, scanned the surroundings and spoke low.
"Excluding these, the fifty-three of us gathered here—we won't turn on each other for coins, right?"
"Of course. Top rankers gotta stick together. Any betrayer gets pulverized by this fist."
Ranking 3rd Kim Seongchul rolled his shoulders threateningly. No one, him included, fancied trembling through sleep fearing betrayal.
"Good. Then everyone here is an ally from this moment. To prove it..."
Maria swept the crowd with cold eyes.
"'X'—who among you is it? Step forward."
Hunters eyed each other. 'X', who'd registered rankings once a day ago then vanished. Normal hunting meant high odds they were here. All eyes locked on who it might be.
But after thirty minutes' wait, no X.
"Guess trust is lacking. Let's all reveal our rankings so X can come out."
"Hey, that's kinda..."
Moore Jackson cut off the reluctant voice heavily.
"We're all allies. Allies reveal plainly."
19,820 points—current ranking 1st Moore Jackson's high-handed command forced those listed anonymously to refresh their rankings.
But even after all fifty-three updated, no X among them.
"No X here, huh."
As Maria pondered, one raised a hand.
"Actually, heard a rumor from some lowbie hunters."
"Rumor?"
"Yeah. They said they met 'X'. Paid coins for details. Seems he's a solo hunter."
No oath forbade spilling tales. So the story leaked from his mouth.
= = =
Ten hours before the murder restriction lifted.
Northern Waterfall Dungeon, a day's trek from the village. Too far, so shunned by hunters.
"Oppa, is he really okay alone?"
Yeonsi sat at the dungeon entrance, sighing deeply.
Ninety low-rank hunters swarmed the spot.
"He'll be fine. You heard the plan long ago, right? Boost as many as possible to joint 50th to save lives."
"Sigh, it was thrilling at first. But talking to top rankers... will they even listen?"
Yeonsi recalled Igor Bashmakov from before. Casually dooming people to starve for coins. Could all top rankers really abandon greed?
"He's the type to tackle what normal folk shy from. Must have something in mind."
"Yeah? Still, sigh..."
"Yeonsi, let's lead these folks as asked. Didn't Gonghyeok say so?"
"Yeees."
Yeonsi, face limp, pulled Flesh Mending Flowers from her hand. She'd spent the day making items for the dungeon-injured.
She'd planned to give free, but Gonghyeok insisted—small coin fee for trades.
Soma Sangai sank into thought.
Talk?
Yielding mutually, conversing to consensus, marching to a happy world. Just thinking warmed the heart.
But Soma, who'd preached under the Tibetan exile government only to face machine guns and flamethrowers, knew it was pie in the sky.
The world ran mostly on force and gain, not happiness or harmony.
'He knows facts others don't. Could leverage that for a dramatic compromise.'
If he meant real talk, why bar all low-rankers from the village?
His oath power could've covered top hunters without lowbie contracts.
Soma harbored dark thoughts. Far-fetched, but maybe Gonghyeok chased out the hunters because...
Soma's gaze turned village-ward.
'What for are you...'
killing people?
= = =
Day fifteen, morning reached the village.
Two parties had pulled night watch, then fooled with women till afternoon sleep. They had watch duty too, of course.
Four parties prepped for dungeons. Scout avatars confirmed: as of 5 a.m., no low-rankers around village.
"Kim Seongchul's party?"
"They're taking it easy. Not leaving at dawn—going at eight?"
"Then you go then too."
"Yeah, paired two parties for backup. Catch you later."
Two parties. Sixteen packed rations and gear, stood at the gate. At 6 a.m., village gates creaked open for the hunt—and they saw.
A massive boulder barring the way.
A lone man stood before it.
Hellhound mask ferocious, iron spiked mace in hand—the fiend's aura froze them all.
"Hey, you guys ever see that freak in the village?"
"Nah, but looks like the 'X' description from yesterday."
Hesitation, then the frontman shuffled out.
"What's with this rock? Gotta clear it."
He edged toward X warily. X dragged his shoulder-slung spiked mace straight across the ground.
Line from gate end to end. A boundary drawn.
"You lot ain't hunting anymore."
'X' declared boldly.
"What?"
"Cross this line, you all die. Don't."
Bewilderment spread across the sixteen faces.
"What the—crazy? What right you got blocking the road?"
The Korean man stepped forward in outrage.
"Don't move it? Who you think you're X-ing?"
Spear drawn in a flash, he manifested his avatar and advanced. No holding back now weapon was out.
"Here I come! One-Strike..."
Mid-swing, he crossed the line. Gonghyeok drawled lazily.
"Ignition."
[Ignition Booster (D) activated]
Explosion—and the man's head vanished. No—smashed by the spiked mace, sunk into his body.
Crunch!
Gruesome sound. Waist crumpled like a crushed can, folding over and over, spilling guts and filth on the ground. The 1.8-meter man squashed to about thirty centimeters.
Splat.
Mace lifted, blood and chunks stretched stickily. The weapon returned to X's shoulder.
"You lot don't pass."
He's smiling.
X's amused tone froze the fifteen hunters.
A seasoned hunter reduced to a meat lump. The culprit couldn't hold back laughter.
Impossible to see the figure before them as human. Boss mob in human skin, or...
'Demon'
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