episode_0019

“You son of a bitch, you’re harassing my woman, do you expect me, as a man, to just stand by even if I’m a rookie? You horny womanizer, you?”

What could be a more certain justification for a male than protecting his woman, his offspring, and his family?

Eugene threw that magical keyword right in front of Kyle’s face through a blatant lie and the perfect acting that followed.

“Wh, what the hell???”

As a result, Kyle was caught off guard without fail,

“!!???”

Jeanne, who heard her younger brother call her ‘my woman,’ widened her eyes even more,

“!!!????”

The Red Fox Mercenary Group colleagues also had explosive reactions.

“What, are that newbie and the Red Fox Mercenary Group leader in that kind of relationship? Is that what he’s saying right now?”

“That seems to be the case!”

“Did you hear? They’re saying they know each other intimately!”

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The love affair of Jeanne, the most beautiful woman in the Pangea mercenary residence area,

The gossip swept through the mercenary tavern, and the crowd began to buzz with excitement like the audience at an underground arena.

“Li, lies… You’re lying, you son of a bitch!! Where did you get that bullshit!!!”

Eventually, Kyle’s face became the most distorted it had ever been, and he entered denial mode.

It was because the most primal purpose he was obsessed with had been violated.

Furthermore, the result of that violation was the image of a defeated male,

Kyle, who was already captured by macho culture, could never accept that.

“Just looking at how you were sitting until just now, it’s clear you’re not in that kind of relationship, so what!! Don’t talk nonsense, you rookie!!”

Still, Kyle wasn’t one to have slow wit.

He sharply tried to exploit a gap in the argument.

“You’re such a thug that you can’t distinguish between public and private matters, but our leader isn’t like that. This is clearly a mercenary group dinner, you son of a bitch. Do you think she’d be playing lovers with a rookie like me here? Is that how you do things in your White Wolf Mercenary Group?”

However, Eugene was the perfect counter for the thug Kyle.

That was because he had also gone through a turbulent time in his past life.

“That’s right! What he’s saying makes sense!”

“Haha! That friend is quite savvy for a rookie!”

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Thus, public opinion leaned further towards Eugene Schneider.

‘Damn, do you think I’ve never chased after a woman or two? That girl definitely didn’t have a boyfriend!’

Kyle was completely cornered,

With a look of grasping at straws, he relied on his own intuition and examined Jeanne’s expression.

‘Stay calm, I need to give Eugene strength here.’

He lied, and is continuing to lie, that younger brother Eugene Schneider.

However, seeing Kyle’s explosive reaction, Jeanne also noticed Eugene’s intentions.

So, she immediately controlled her expression and began to send positive glances.

‘Damn, is what that bastard saying true???’

That’s how Kyle was 100% hooked.

“Haha! It would be even stranger if a beauty like that didn’t have a boyfriend. That’s why I told Kyle to refrain, saying it’s better to assume she has a boyfriend.”

“You too? I also said that to Kyle.”

“Even in this dirty mercenary world, there’s such a thing as business ethics.”

Whisper! Whisper! Whisper!

The onlookers were also hooked.

As a result, the crowd’s conversation style changed from sharing doubts to openly criticizing Kyle.

Kyle had gone from a dangerous thug to a pathetic pervert,

In the mercenary society, harems are considered a capability based on macho culture,

But they are enraged by the act of stealing another’s woman, so they are turning against him so rapidly.

‘Damn it! This is bad! At this rate, I’ll lose both the woman and my livelihood! If I lose face in this world, it’s over!’

The title of ‘bad guy’ is a medal for Kyle.

People just curse at bad guys behind their backs, but in front of them, everyone is cautious and lowers their heads.

However, a person who is ignored,

A person who loses face, is sentenced to death.

The future left for such a mercenary is nothing but public ridicule and mockery.

“You son of a bitch rookie…”

That’s why Kyle, the vice-leader of the White Wolf Mercenary Group,

“Come out here and let’s settle this.”

Applied for a one-on-one duel with Eugene.

**********

“We’ve placed too much of a burden on you, being a rookie.”

“I anticipated it and did it anyway. Leave it to me.”

The two mercenary groups began to head outside for the duel,

The duel location is the street in front of the mercenary tavern.

Ivan, who was matching his pace with Eugene as they headed there, couldn’t help but feel worried.

Then, Eugene replied with a rather nonchalant expression.

In the combative mercenary society, accidental duels between them happen frequently.

However, in those cases, most of them don’t lead to proper results and end up vaguely.

The reason is that they arise due to expendable emotions, so the moment those run out, they pretend not to know and fizzle out under certain justifications.

On the other hand, deliberately arranged duels are different.

First of all, they don’t happen as easily as one might think.

That’s because once you start, you have to see it through to the end.

In other words, it only ends when one side is completely subdued to the point of being unable to fight, and the loser loses almost everything.

Therefore, it’s only natural that they would be more cautious in arranging it than with accidental duels.

Nevertheless, Kyle, who was cornered, applied for a formal duel because he would fall into despair anyway,

And Eugene accepted because he had used the extreme measure of Jeanne being his woman.

In the macho mercenary world,

If someone harasses your woman and challenges you to a fight, it’s considered a severe loss of face as a male to just let it go.

‘I heard the rumors and people are flocking in.’

The street in front of the mercenary tavern slowly began to appear in Eugene’s forward view.

And there, a considerable number of spectators had already taken their places.

Once an official duel is established, a public or private duel is decided.

Leaders who have too much to lose usually choose private duels,

In that case, only key close aides attend and the duel takes place in a private location.

But Eugene and Kyle’s goal is to further humiliate the loser.

So, it was naturally decided to be a public duel,

And the chosen location was the street in front of the tavern where everyone could watch.

‘Isn’t the fight the equivalent of the mercenary’s dopamine, taking responsibility for liquor, meat, and sex? If I add one more thing.’

As a result, even people who were drinking in other taverns gathered after hearing the rumors of the formal duel.

Eugene’s first event in the Pangea mercenary residence area

Unintentionally ended up being held as a main event.

“Kyle is a Fighter class, right?”

“That’s right, hyung! But how did you know that, hyung?”

Eugene confirmed Kyle’s class with Thomas, who was on his left.

“His knuckles have considerable calluses. And looking at the side where he wears gauntlets, it seems like he’s wearing relatively heavy armor gauntlets. If so, that means he’s become quite accustomed to Runner Awakener combat.”

“Wow! That’s accurate! You really have a keen eye!”

Eugene, who anticipated the duel being established after deciding to intervene instead of Jeanne,

Analyzed Kyle thoroughly from that point on.

Thomas, who was having a conversation with Eugene with a worried expression,

Reacted with a somewhat interested expression to the rookie hyung’s extraordinary observation skills.

Kyle, a Fighter class centered around special gauntlets and greaves,

Became a Fighter Runner at the age of 25, as he revealed himself, and is 26 years old this year.

“Still, the compatibility is not very good. If it’s a blunt weapon class, clubs are allowed. Swordsmen can wield wooden swords. Would you like to use a wooden sword?”

Thomas conveyed the countermeasures he had in mind to Eugene.

In the past, duels were conducted using one’s own unique weapon.

However, since the establishment of the Management Knight Order,

Knives, axes, and metal weapons are prohibited in duels within the mercenary residence area.

Of course, wandering mercenaries often break that taboo, commit murder, and then leave.

“No, I’m going to fight with my bare fists too. To end it cleanly will make a stronger impression on the spectators.”

“The opponent is a Fighter class!! And a Runner!!!”

“Calm down, they can hear you over there.”

“Ah…!”

Eugene’s response to the countermeasures Thomas offered was unconventional.

He intends to counter Kyle’s specialist class without using blunt weapons.

“Just don’t die, Eugene-ssi! If you just stay alive, I can heal you!”

“Yes, Priestess Sophia. I will keep that in mind.”

In the moonlit street,

As they got closer to the duel location, Sophia gave him some encouragement.

The problematic secular priestess seemed to be quite excited about the occurrence of a major event.

Chak…!

“Eugene, let’s stop now, even now. I’ll take responsibility as the leader. There’s no need for you to step up instead of me.”

Just as Eugene was about to walk out into the middle of the street,

Jeanne grabbed Eugene’s wrist and said quietly.

She also seemed to have noticed that her younger brother, Eugene, had stepped up to protect her dream as his older sister.

‘Jeanne seems very worried.’

Sss…!

Eugene slightly turned his head to look at Jeanne’s face.

In her expression and tone, there was an attempt to maintain unwavering composure as the mercenary group leader.

However, from her hand grabbing Eugene’s wrist,

He could feel that she was putting in a considerable amount of strength.

The feeling of preventing him from going out,

Her younger brother taking on a burden because of her and walking into danger,

A suffocating sense of anxiety was rushing into Jeanne’s heart.

“Leader, we’re supposed to be lovers right now, though. Shouldn’t you be showing a more desperate face to keep up appearances, and wouldn’t that make me want to fight even more?”

Hehe!

To relieve that anxiety,

Eugene gave a relaxed smile and answered like a mischievous younger brother provoking his older sister.

“Eugene, you idiot moron! How can you say such nonsense in this situation!!!”

Sniffle!

Jeanne made an annoyed expression and retorted quietly.

But her face, with its tearful expression,

Jeanne’s slightly reddened eyes looked as if tears of frustration from not being able to do anything about the current situation would pour out at any moment.

“….”

And behind Eugene and Jeanne, Priscilla, wearing a monk’s hood, was silently watching the two.

“I’ll win and come back. Don’t worry.”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Leaving behind the overwhelmed Jeanne,

Eugene walked towards the middle of the street where the duel would take place, showing a confident back.

Thump…! Thump…! Thump…!

That reliable back,

Jeanne’s heart was pounding.

Chuh-uhk!

Finally, Eugene and Kyle formed a confrontation line with a distance of about 6m between them.

“You’re going to duel without a weapon? Don’t they give you even the minimum amount of information in your mercenary group?”

Pfft!

Kyle scoffed as he looked at Eugene, who was facing him barehanded, being a Fighter class.

The prohibition of formal weapons gives wings to the Fighter class.

Kyle’s appearance, overflowing with confidence to the point of it spilling over.

“You’re too pathetic to even come up with a strategy.”

Honestly, Kyle thought that by this point, the rookie mercenary Eugene would feel the atmosphere of being at the edge of a cliff and his spirit would be broken.

However, Eugene slightly disregarded Kyle as if he wasn’t even worth laughing at.

Crack!!

Then, Kyle’s face was filled with anger and he frowned, and

“I’m going to smash your jaw and rape that red-haired leader woman!!”

—Paaaaat!!

At the same time as spewing out fearsome explosive power, he dashed towards Eugene like a runaway train with no brakes.

‘I’ll confess honestly.’

Eugene looked at Kyle’s tank-like rush with a nonchalant expression.

‘I’m a person who has no choice but to win this fight.’

And then he was certain of his victory.

“Kahaha! He’s frozen in place!!!”

Cheo-uhk!

The opponent started with an explosive dash,

But Eugene didn’t even take a combat stance in front of him, whether he had frozen or lost his mind,

Kyle was even more elated and charged his fist.

‘Why can’t I lose, the reason is’

Sss…!

After confirming even that, Eugene slightly bent his knees.

—Thueo-eo-eo-eong!!!!

‘In my past life, I was a mixed martial arts practitioner of a considerable level.’

Then, he delivered a very concise and quick counter-tackle to Kyle, who had come into close range.

Seo Eugene, Eugene Schneider’s past self, a Korean,

Is a person who trained in mixed martial arts for nearly 10 years.

“Keueo-eo-eo-eok!!”

Because Kyle, carrying a lot of weight, eventually even swung his fist,

His already burly upper body was leaning even further forward.

Eugene’s counter-tackle crashed into that structure’s abdomen like a cargo truck,

So Kyle’s expression was not only miserably distorted, but a desperate scream burst out from his mouth.

‘If you come in like this, I can succeed with the counter-tackle even with my eyes closed.’

Kkwah-ah-ahk!

After that, Eugene unfolded a quick and organic series of movements.

With Kyle’s body levitated by the counter-tackle, he strongly caught both of his hamstrings using his arms.

The expression on Eugene’s face as he performed those skillful movements was, by comparison,

Like that of a wine connoisseur savoring a properly aged wine.

—Kudangtangtang!!

In that state where his hamstrings were so perfectly caught,

Kyle wasn’t even allowed to flail unconsciously.

So, Kyle fell backwards as he was, crashing to the ground with a loud noise.

“Uwo-eo-eo-eo-eo!!!”

Lightning-like speed,

Spectacular takedown achieved under smooth connecting movements,

The spectators who had gathered full of the street after hearing the sound of the duel erupted into a thrilling cheer.

“Hehe! He, he did that!!!” “Wow, Eugene hyung!!”

Of course, Eugene’s Red Fox Mercenary Group colleagues were also astonished, and

“!!!!!!!”

Jeanne, who had been watching anxiously, also had wide eyes.