35. Base Defense (5)

“Huu…”

I stood up from my seat.

I still don’t have enough Points to return home. As always, I need to earn more Points. To defend my base, I must purchase the items that appeared in the general store, and to buy these, I have to work my ass off earning Points.

I think I need to establish a method to earn Points regularly soon. Maybe by managing a monster nest separately to create a stable, periodic Points-earning structure.

“Ugh. My muscles are stiff.”

Well, not right now. First, I rotated my shoulders to loosen the stiff muscles and then tightened the Stun Fist I was wearing.

After using it earlier, I found it to be quite a good item. It was great for smashing things and also quite useful for blasting.

“As for weapons…”

I took out the machete. Its ruggedness made it perfect for rough use.

“Huu.”

I also checked the skills I currently possess.

Because in the past week, I’ve gained so many that there are some I haven’t even properly used yet.

[Acquired Skills]

-Support: Status Window Check, Monster Identification, Inventory Expansion (1)

-Magic: Magic Sensitivity, Magic Accumulation, Magic Emission, Magic Concentration, Magic Enhancement

-Curses: Paper Shikigami Creation, Shikigami Exorcism Method, Shadow Shikigami Creation

-Alchemy: Low-Grade Healing Potion Creation, Clay Golem Creation

-Fire: Fireball, Flame Emission

-Lightning: Lightning Strike, Lightning Whip

-Ice: Ice Bullet, Cold Energy Emission

-Light: Light Sword, Photon Barrier

-Martial Arts: Demon Digestion Method

-Engraving: Night Vision

-Blood Magic: Blood Replenishment, Blood Flow Acceleration

-Heresy: Corpse Offering, Torture Training, Heart Extraction

The support and magic skills are just passives, and I’m using the curse skills very well. The combination of Shikigami and the Shikigami Exorcism Method is almost all-purpose.

‘Elemental magic is being used decently, and light magic is on hold for now since it drains too much magic power…’

The martial arts skill, Demon Digestion Method, is hardly used. It erases my presence almost perfectly, but the restriction of not being able to move while using it is too limiting.

‘Blood Replenishment doesn’t get much use since enemies usually die before I need it… and Blood Flow Acceleration is still hard to handle due to its side effects.’

This is a bit disappointing. Using Blood Flow Acceleration definitely boosts physical abilities for combat, but if used for more than three minutes or pushed too hard, it causes internal damage, making me cough up blood.

‘Lastly, the heresy skills…’

These are powers gained from the contract with the Hunting God. Corpse Offering is a basic skill, and Heart Extraction hasn’t been properly used yet.

Torture Training is an incredible skill. Beat anything to death, and you can create a mindless minion.

‘So, the skill I’m currently using the least is…’

None other than Clay Golem Creation.

Aside from the day I first acquired it, I’ve never properly used this skill.

How should I put it? It’s a very awkward skill, I guess.

‘The magic cost is higher than Paper Shikigami Creation, but its power is lower than Shadow Shikigami. Plus, getting the required material-dirt-isn’t easy on asphalt roads.’

Its utility is bound to be low. Well, what can you do? With so many skills, it’s impossible to use them all evenly.

It’s not like there’s a skill allocation system. Just keep using the ones that work well-no need to force yourself to use the less useful ones.

“Now that I’ve roughly checked my skills, let’s go.”

I was about to open the door of the office I was hiding in and step outside.

Then, I detected some noise.

-Clank.

-Is he up here?

-Yeah. I think someone came in.

Someone’s after me.

I hear two voices.

But the sound of footsteps is three.

Three men were coming up.

“Hoh.”

Looks like the prey is rolling in on its own.

I checked my quest.

[Quest: Kill 100 people within 3 days (32/100)]

[Reward: 1000P, Random Weapon]

Only 32 kills so far. If I don’t reach 100 within three days, the 1000 Points and weapon will be gone.

‘Guess I need to hunt diligently?’

I entered the employee lounge and listened carefully, gauging the direction of the sound as I waited for them to approach.

Soon, the entrance to the office I was hiding in opened.

-Creeeak..

At the same time, the beam of a flashlight shone inside.

“If there’s someone inside, please respond.”

“We are young priests dispatched by the Youngsaenghwaranggyo Seongjaho to save the people.”

“We’d like to have a good conversation with you, sister.”

“You seem to be an Awakened. If you’re willing, would you join us in our cause?”

“If you come with us now, we promise you the treatment of a junior priest immediately.”

“Now, please come out, sister.”

Fucking cultist bastards.

I hid in the employee lounge and responded to them.

“Um… sorry, but I already have a god I believe in.”

I deliberately made my voice shaky, pretending to be scared. Moreover, when I mentioned already having a religion, they sighed deeply.

At the same time, they gradually moved closer to the employee lounge where I was hiding.

They were slowly closing the distance. Their goal is probably to either take me by force or persuade me to join their cult, right?

Do I really look like such a pushover?

They’re seriously coming all the way here to recruit a woman who flies around rooftops?

Well, their heads must be full of flowers if they’re this fervent about proselytizing for a cult.

‘Wait… if they’re a cult group… wouldn’t they have gathered all their family members for a religious assembly right now…?’

I checked the quest again.

[Quest: Kill 100 people within 3 days (32/100)]

[Reward: 1000P, Random Weapon]

My mouth is watering.

Just 68 more to go. Then I can buy the Frozen Seal Stone, Mandrian Seeds, and the Purification Emblem, right?

I decided. I’ll spare one of these three. Torture and beat him to find out their base.

Let’s kill the cultists.

This is something even the Blue Cross Group, which aims to save humanity, does blatantly. If I help out a bit, wouldn’t it contribute to the city’s safety?

Maybe I’m a bit kind, huh?

“Ah. Were you part of a church before?”

“No. Neither a church nor Buddhism.”

“Then…”

“I worship the Hunting God, you fucking bastards.”

The moment I realized through their voices that they had come close enough, I swung my fist toward the lounge door.

-KWAHAAAAANG!!!!!

Instantly, a massive shockwave erupted from the Stun Fist, shattering the door into pieces, and the fragments embedded themselves into the body of the cultist bastard standing right in front.

“GAAAAAHHHH!!!!!”

“W-what the hell!!!”

“IT’S SATAN’S DEVIIIIIIIIIL!!!!”

-FWOOOOSH!!!!

While spouting nonsense, one of the Awakened cultists tried to use some kind of ability, so I jammed Regina’s Blade into his throat and chased after the one trying to flee, forcefully driving the machete into his back.

“GURK..!!!!”

The bastard had magic crystals forming in his hand. It seemed he was trying to use a ranged ability after creating distance, but sorry-he was too damn slow for me to just stand there and wait for his attack.

“Drop dead and go to hell, you fucking bastard.”

“H-how… GURK… W-we just wanted to help… KUHAAAK..!”

“Why, you ask? Do I need a reason? I just fucking hate you guys. I don’t want to have a nice chat, don’t want your help, and sure as hell don’t want to join your shitty cult. So die. That’s how you can help me.”

FWOOOSH!!!!

Twisting the machete and pulling it out, blood and torn intestines spilled from the gaping wound.

Thud.

The religious rapist scum collapsed like trash. I looked at the remaining two.

“Guh… Gah… Gurk…”

The one with the blade stuck in his throat coughed up blood while pressing on the wound.

I stared into his eyes and retrieved the blade.

“GRK..!!”

As the blade was pulled out and returned to my hand, an enormous amount of blood gushed from his throat like a faucet.

Thud.

“Guh… Gah…”

“Now it’s just you left, huh?”

“P-please… please…”

“Stay still, you fucker. You’ll get hurt if you move.”

I approached the guy groaning with a piece of wood embedded in his gut and slapped his cheek.

“Hey, buddy. Tell me where you guys gather. Okay?”

I asked as kindly as possible.

While jamming Regina’s Blade into his thigh.

******

I’ve now arrived near the place full of the cult leader and his idiot followers.

A church as large as a castle had been built. What a bunch of ridiculous bastards.

‘Today’s goal…’

The goal was simple.

Annihilation.

Killing every last one of them is the goal.

‘That’s the place.’

Looking from afar, I could see a few young men on the rooftop of the building, scanning the surroundings.

Probably some youth group or something. All of them must be Awakened. It’s strangely a cult with a high proportion of Awakened.

‘From what that bastard said earlier… the cult leader’s bodily fluids have narcotic properties, right…?’

He was an Awakened. Moreover, his ability was the type that turns bodily fluids into weak drugs.

Effectively, he’s a drug dealer, but he cleverly evaded investigations and avoided legal sanctions while rapidly gathering followers.

Plus, he supposedly had a few named Hunters backing him.

Well, whatever. I just need to go in, kill everyone, and leave. Whether he has big shots behind him or not-what’s it to me?

I’m in a position where I have to kill as many people as possible to become a big shot myself.

No need to fear Hunters who aren’t even here.

‘Alright, then.’

I launched myself toward the cult leader’s castle.

I have a feeling I’ll easily surpass 100 kills by today.