episode_0019

Witch’s Coven candidate, Jill the Ripper, was overflowing with confidence.

The authority she was granted was Extreme Destruction Four Cuts (極滅四斷).

It is a fatal authority that can instantly kill regardless of ability, as long as she can stab any part four times with a dagger.

‘At first, I wondered how I could use something like this.’

Anyone dies if stabbed by a knife. Especially since accepting the power of the Titan further strengthened her physical abilities, she could kill enemies just by hitting them.

Compared to the authorities other candidates possessed, she thought hers was useless… but seeing Behemoth’s hard hide changed that thought.

[Jill the Ripper, you seem very excited. You know complacency is forbidden, right? The opponent is strong enough to take down Janice O’ Lantern in one hit.]

[Of course. Isn’t that why I came with you? My ability is the best match for yours.]

[Yeah, yeah… though I can defeat Behemoth without your help.]

‘Irene Lupin’, who came with Jill the Ripper, was granted the authority Shadow Waltz, which allows her to teleport desired objects.

Because of that, Jill the Ripper believed she could easily activate the effect of Extreme Destruction Four Cuts. And the two decided to fight together.

[Magical Girls will swarm soon.]

Irene Lupin, with her thief-like intuition, anticipated the special subjugation team’s arrival.

[Then first, let’s take care of the annoying flies—]

[Destruction: Target acquisition complete, firing Particle Wave Cannon at 100% output!]

KWA-AA-A-ANG—!

However, the first to welcome the two was not a Magical Girl.

It was Hyunsung, who had transformed from Garuda to Antikythera. Floating lightly in the air with rocket thrusters like a robot, he decided to utilize the geographical advantage of being airborne.

Antikythera transformed both hands into cannons and then bombarded the terrain itself.

GWA-REUNG—! The air resonates. The aftermath alone instantly engulfed a third of the island in flames. It was already an uninhabited island with no civilians. Therefore, Hyunsung could unleash his abilities without any restraints.

“Pour it all out!”

[Approval: Macedonian-style— Wave Cannon equipped, 10 consecutive Arrows of Varlun loaded! Ahxian’s Torment online!]

KWA-AA-ANG—! Once again, a bombardment from unfamiliar weaponry pours down.

The different attacks completely leveled the area where the two candidates were, a relentless bombardment poured down, annihilating all life in the vicinity. If one only saw the damage from the explosion, it might have seemed as though they had been vanquished.

[Warning: A very fast object is attacking!]

[Damage on collision: Right arm loss!]

KWA-JIK—! Hyunsung quickly twisted his body sideways, but his right arm was completely ripped off by Irene Lupin’s touch as she sprung up from the ground.

[Regeneration: It will take 11 minutes to reconstruct the right arm with surrounding metal!]

“Transform into Garuda.”

As the range of transformations increased, the speed at which Hyunsung could transform into other Titans also accelerated.

Realizing that Antikythera, having lost its right arm, would be unhelpful for the time being, he transformed into Garuda to buy time, and thanks to that, he was able to evade Irene Lupin’s attack flying in from behind.

[What? It’s Cocky? It was a robot just a moment ago! It had that kind of ability!]

[Don’t be complacent! Even so, it’s a strong opponent that instantly dealt with the Magical Girls of Team 3!]

KU-UU-U-UNG—!

The charge using speed was quite dangerous even for Jill the Ripper, who had remained unharmed through all the bombardment. Seeing Garuda flying down as if to strike, she was startled and screamed as if shouting.

[Hey, do something!]

[Don’t worry, I’ve already touched its body.]

Lupin, the most famous thief in Europe, possesses the ability to freely steal objects she touches. With the added authority of Shadow Waltz, she could even freely control living beings she touched.

‘Annoying.’

Like this, I can’t utilize the advantage of speed. I predict that ability can be used again and again.

[It finally stopped.]

Garuda, moving at high speed, realized it had been teleported with a sensation as if being sucked somewhere. It was right in front of the two monsters.

One was a woman wearing a white fedora. She was flapping a pure white cloak, and her height was about 3m.

The other was far from human in appearance. It was wrapped all over with blood-soaked bandages and wore a tattered coat. A nauseating smell of blood emanated from its body.

[Attacking out of nowhere… Hey! Calm down and listen to me! We don’t want to fight you, you know? It seems there’s someone who wants to see you.]

Hyunsung did not reply to those words and changed his transformation.

The most colossal beast, Behemoth. A mass of hundreds of tons suddenly appeared. KWA-AA-A-ANG—! The air is pushed back. Simultaneously, a killing intent, as if being stabbed by knives, swirled around.

[What?! Behemoth and Cocky were the same person…?!]

[Change of plans. Since it’s come to this, let’s call a few more people.]

[What?! Hey! This is a chance we got, are you thinking of letting other bitches take it?!]

[Shut up. That’s the opponent who took down Janice O’ Lantern in one hit. If we don’t face it with full power here, both of us will die.]

Irene Lupin was not complacent. That fist containing the authority of annihilation cannot be defended against with any ability if it connects.

Moreover, due to the effect of annihilation, the effect of Shadow Waltz she had previously placed also vanished.

‘I guess Garuda and Antikythera are sealed.’

Hyunsung, having no way of knowing that fact, decided to refrain from transforming into Garuda. First, he intended to endure with his hard hide, then attack with Antikythera.

‘I can’t use the Great Thief’s Cloak. And that guy probably still thinks my ability is active.’

Irene Lupin felt relieved that her opponent hadn’t realized this fact.

Furthermore, she knew that Behemoth’s speed was extremely slow. At most, it was perhaps at the level of an adult man’s running speed.

Irene Lupin, who could move much faster than that, thought she could confidently evade.

[Cutting off limbs should be fine.]

The fist containing the authority of annihilation is swung. She must not be hit. Irene evaded by teleporting, then went behind Behemoth.

The Thief’s Cane-Sword was stuck into the hide. KA-ANG! Along with a sharp sound, her arm rang with a tingling sensation.

‘Carving it out with a knife will be impossible. But the ability has been activated again. Deep enough that even the authority of annihilation can’t dispel it!’

A great thief who steals everything can steal objects she touches.

The same applied to parts of the body. A part of the stabbed hide fell off with a thud, as if being ripped by an invisible hand.

‘Just how heavy and hard is it? I intended to steal the entire arm. But I only peeled off the skin.’

At that moment, Behemoth turned around. Irene flinched at the speed, which was faster than expected.

[Fast…]

PA-ANG—!

Irene Lupin flinched at the fist reaching out with speed far exceeding her expectation.

[Target: Irene Lupin’s movement analysis 31% complete.]

[Certainty: Launching fist along predicted trajectory.]

As Antikythera’s cold mechanical voice finished, her body moved on its own. Because she moved forcibly, her joints snapped in an unfavorable direction with a crack, but it wasn’t the time to care about such intense pain.

Faced with the unexpected attack, Irene Lupin chose evasion over counterattack.

[Flee, flee!]

Just before the fist connected. The unfortunate event of a direct hit to the torso did not happen. As it is said, a great thief always has one or two ways to pull their body out of danger.

‘What in the world is this… It suddenly got faster?’

Cold sweat began to trickle down.

Since accepting the Titan’s power, Irene Lupin had not known defeat. Whether it was when she won against three fellow Magical Girls, or when she fought against fellow candidates and took their lives.

She thought there was no opponent in this world who could defeat her. Perhaps even a full member wouldn’t be able to defeat her….

But reality was harsh. That monster in front of her was too strong.

[How many did you call?!]

[Uh, uh…?]

[I’m talking about reinforcements! How many did you call, damn it!]

[Three people! Just wait a little, three people will come soon and… Ah! Your cloak! Cloak!!]

The cloak grazed by the fist underwent annihilation. Like flames.

Irene Lupin hastily tore off and threw away her cloak. The cloak floating in the air vanished within a few seconds.

[As long as I can stab it four times somehow with Extreme Destruction Four Cuts! Make a gap for me!]

[I get it, just shut… The attack is coming!]

KU-UUNG—!

Behemoth, having regained its strength, didn’t just gain the authority of annihilation.

Even its strength had grown stronger, so each blow it swung was like a volcanic eruption.

The shockwave pushed by the fist annihilated objects in front, and the same applied to the left side of Jill the Ripper’s upper body.

[Heok…!]

Thanks to possessing a powerful life force, she could survive even if 10% of her body was lost. But Jill the Ripper was startled at how that happened in just one hit.

Therefore, she activated ‘Murderer’s Shadow’. It is a technique to hide within a dark shadow.

[Certainty: Win rate 100%, there is no defeat.]

[Warning: Magical Girls are approaching!]

[Prediction: If a fight occurs, there is a high probability of identity being revealed.]

If so, there’s no choice but to end it right here. Hyunsung judged that Garuda was better than the slow-moving Behemoth. Because the annoying enemy had disappeared.

Even if she was teleported, she wouldn’t be able to move properly with that injury.

[Transforming into Garuda.]

[Now!]

Judging that her attack would work now that the hard hide was gone, Irene Lupin tried to stab its neck.

But her judgment was mistaken. Unlike Antikythera, Garuda’s reaction speed was also transcendental. Garuda immediately turned around and grabbed the cane.

[Uh…]

KWA-JIK—! Irene Lupin’s face crumples. The fist, delivered at dozens of times the speed of sound, was capable of sufficiently crushing facial bone structure.

Immediately after that, the pure white thief quickly pulled her body back, but the fact that it was a critical injury didn’t change.

[Complete: Jill the Ripper’s movement analysis 78%. Dagger expected to penetrate left lung in approximately 2.3 seconds.]

Jill the Ripper, having just regenerated her body, ground her teeth and crawled out from the shadow. Now, instead of four stabs, she could probably kill with just one.

[Transforming into Antikythera.]

Matching that, Hyunsung changed his transformation. Antikythera, covered in iron armor, didn’t need to bother turning around.Though his arm hadn’t regenerated yet…. there were several attached weapons.

[Certainty: Apollo’s Wrath, output 500%]

KWA-REU-REUNG!

It is a weapon system originally equipped for flight, but also used to inflict terrible pain on nearby enemies.

[Kkeueok-!]

HWA-REU-REUK—! Hot flames instantly engulfed Jill the Ripper. The murderer, suffering severe burns, twisted her body this way and that and fell back.

[Ireneeee! Do somethinggggg!]

[Cr-crazy bitch! Hide in the shadow!]

[Kkeueuk? Th-that shadow? Where is it?!]

Because her eyeballs had burned away, Jill the Ripper couldn’t find the shadow to hide in. Seeing this, Irene, unable to stand it, quickly teleported away. But Antikythera’s weapon deployment speed was much faster.

[Scoff: Irene Lupin’s movements 98.3% grasped.]

[Question: Why do inferior organic beings slow down just because their facial area is crushed?]

A rotating drill popped out from the right arm that hadn’t been configured yet, piercing Jill the Ripper’s body. And WIIIIIIING! The high-speed rotating alloy scattered flesh in all directions.

[Member of the Witch’s Coven, Jill the Ripper, eliminated!]

[Acquired 500 BP!]

[Current BP: 610]

Hyunsung steadily gazed at the next opponent to kill. The opponent was a former Magical Girl.

Just how many people had she killed? Thinking about that, he felt no pity.

[Destruction: Apollo’s Arrow output 98%]

KWA-AA-A-ANG—! Heat projectiles fired at close range poured mercilessly onto Irene Lupin.

[Shadow Waltz! Shadow Waltz!]

[Boredom: Making the unit repeat the same words is a boring task for this unit.]

However, Antikythera had already grasped all of Irene’s movements. From the moment she stabbed Behemoth’s hide with her cane-sword.

If these two had gone all out from the beginning, he wouldn’t have been able to avoid a tough fight. Hyunsung thought so, feeling the intense pain in his arm that came late.

[Irene Lupin eliminated!]

[Acquired 500 BP!]

[Warning: Your actions have been witnessed by an unspecified number of Magical Girls.]

[Recommendation: Immediately kill the witnesses!]

He had no such intention. Why would he kill them? Hyunsung used the points for the purpose of protecting himself.

[Ruler of the Sky: Garuda purchase complete!]

[The Heavens hate you.]