Chapter 162

Chapter 162 Perception(5)

‘The situation in China involved serious player oppression.’

In such a situation, how did they manage to concentrate mana on that guy? Even without asking anyone to verify, I could roughly guess the situation.

‘Auction function, huh….’

It wasn’t bad to confirm that concentrating mana was realistically possible. However, neither the method nor the result were satisfying, causing me to become thoughtful again.

To achieve the gold rank, one needed ten million mana.

‘A whopping ten million.’

In simple terms, this meant trampling on thousands or tens of thousands of life forms to obtain mana.

Whether it was demi-humans or monsters, killing that many naturally led to accumulating combat experience.

However, when facing me, Jang Ryun swung his sword less frequently than the silver rank, Yun Jihye. It was clear he lacked the skill to find an opening against me.

“Could it be that he has less experience than her?”

Jang Ryun had amassed mana through a loophole to become a gold rank. The auction function must have been the method used.

“No wonder, I thought it was a bit early for a gold rank to appear.”

I, too, used a sort of loophole to achieve a gold rank. Thanks to Karlos’ authority and Kerak’s spear, I had the opportunity to gather mana in an abnormal way.

Without such loopholes, it was too early for a gold rank to appear in a natural growth route.

“It seems like he hasn’t trained much either.”

Except for the first time, he didn’t use magic, which was strange. It wasn’t that he didn’t use magic, but rather he couldn’t.

He wasn’t accustomed to arranging mana, so he couldn’t use magic while engaging in rapid exchanges of attacks and defenses.

In this game, which had no automation, neglecting training was a grave mistake with no room for excuses.

Considering he was on the same level as me, it was laughable to think he lorded over others here with that rank.

“Hah.”

I admittedly considered whether I could also raise high-ranked players through auctions.

But I had no desire to recklessly pour mana into someone who didn’t even go through proper training.

What I envisioned was to channel mana into a bronze or silver rank who seriously contemplated the role they had in this war.

That way, at least ten million mana wouldn’t seem wasted. Feeling both frustrated and despondent, I let out a sigh.

During this time, as I approached him, Jang Ryun, who was pointing his sword at me with a glaring gaze, fumbled in his pocket. He soon retrieved a paper bag.

“Hmm, smell.”

He inhaled the black powder inside through his nose.

“Haha!”

I laughed incredulously. I wasn’t naive enough not to recognize what I had just witnessed.

What rational person thinks of absorbing drugs in a situation like this? It was so absurd that my battle spirit momentarily subsided.

Nevertheless, I diligently gathered my spirit again and spun my spear around.

As I approached Jang Ryun, who wouldn’t come to me, with purposeful strides, he retreated cautiously.

Having given him enough time, he might use magic again, but he still didn’t seem to intend to use any mana.

His agitation appeared to prevent him from even managing his mana.

“Shouldn’t he have graduated from that stage during his bronze rank days?”

Every time I confirmed his laughably incompetent skill, the corpses I had witnessed kept coming to mind.

It was so disheartening to think so many people had been killed by a punk like him.

The fact that he could execute such one-sided actions just because he was a player was baffling. Disturbed by the thought, I harshly thrust my spear at him.

Clang!

For a moment, my spear was parried by his blade, almost reflexively.

Clack, clack.

The strength I had exerted was so forceful that sparks flew as the spear slid along the sword’s edge.

From what I had seen and experienced, my spear should have ended up piercing Jang Ryun. His skill and situational response were just about at that level.

But unexpectedly, Jang Ryun caught my spear with his hand. Though surprised by the unexpected turn, I gathered my mana without panicking.

Jang Ryun’s fingers were sliced off smoothly, like tofu, as blood spurted out. Further pressure wasn’t difficult to apply, but I froze as if paralyzed. I observed a black shadow creeping up from Jang Ryun’s neck.

“Veins…?”

The sight of veins protruding on his skin, moving as if alive, was striking. The issue was their dark, almost black, color.

The black veins quickly spread over Jang Ryun’s face and forearm. Watching that naturally brought to mind a story I had stored in my memory.

– They extracted blood from monsters to create a new drug.

– Its effect is dangerously potent, turning veins black and swelling, with visible muscular bulging, almost rendering the person inhuman.

Remembering what Eisa had said, bang!

Jang Ryun kicked the ground with incomparable force and speed, striking me.

“Ugh!”

In an instant, I was pushed back. But would I let pride succumb to this easily? In the blink of an opportunity, I materialized my attribute mana. The blue flashes surged towards Jang Ryun, who wore a thrilled expression.

Meanwhile, I regained my balance and raised my spear again.

“Aargh!”

Steam rose from Jang Ryun’s body. It was a direct hit. He should have been paralyzed and unable to move for a while. But seeing him moving as if nothing happened took me by surprise.

But my surprise was short-lived as Jang Ryun’s sword descended from above. Calmly, I raised my spear to block it.

Boom.

A heavy force pressed down on me from above. The stone floor of the cavern cracked, creating a circular crater. As I endured the pressure across my body, my eyes turned cold.

There was a definite difference in power from what I experienced a few minutes ago. I could now fully grasp the meaning behind Eisa’s words.

“It seems he enters an awakened state.”

It seemed that his physical abilities were being artificially enhanced through drugs. While my gaze had turned icy cold, Jang Ryun’s expression was even more flushed.

As my eyes met the black veins invading his cheeks and around his eyes, boom, boom, boom!

Jang Ryun swung his sword down, attacking me like a madman.

“Bwahahahahaha!”

“Crazy bastard!”

There was no better way to describe him. Though Jang Ryun swung his sword faster and stronger than moments ago, that was all there was to it.

“Instead of being threatening, it’s more like a hassle.”

Though Jang Ryun’s strength increased and his speed quickened, it wasn’t enough to match my experience. As evidence, as soon as I swapped Kerak’s spear for a dagger, Jang Ryun’s movements became clumsy.

“You fool.”

Seizing that moment, I swiftly closed the distance and bound Jang Ryun’s sword with the dagger in my left hand. Then I thrust the dagger in my right hand deeply.

The motion lasted only a moment and was done without any extraneous movements.

“Brata Dagger Technique.”

It was a technique I naturally learned while sparring with Kim Yul.

As part of a systemic dagger technique training, I was also accumulating Kim Yul’s experience in dealing with opponents.

Recently, I had been consistently practicing interpersonal combat using a dagger. Thanks to this, the dagger in my right hand swiftly approached Jang Ryun’s torso like a boxer’s jab.

And before Jang Ryun could even avoid the attack.

“Ahhh!”

I could neatly chop off his right arm. Subsequently, I caught the neck of the now disarmed opponent and slammed him onto the ground.

Crack-!

The ground split as Jang Ryun spat out blood.

“Ugh!”

However, his glaring eyes were still ferociously glinting with madness. Sensing his mana stirring, I promptly retrieved a magic stone from my inventory.

It was the high-rank restraint used on Yun Jihye, remembered from our escort to Busan. As soon as the magic stone shattered, blue chains surged up to bind Jang Ryun.

“Argh!”

Checking the timer displayed at the top of my vision, I gripped Jang Ryun’s collar more tightly. Then I asked a question that had been bothering me from the start.

“Where did you acquire Cretoll?”

Choking from a constricted throat, Jang Ryun coughed and laughed.

“Why, should I share some with you?”

I hadn’t noticed in the chaotic struggle, but his tongue seemed slightly loose. “It’s a shame to just give it away… It’s truly the best I’ve ever tried.”

He sniggered, his remaining hand grasped my arm holding his neck.

“Do you think it will end by capturing just me? Everything you are doing is futile!”

Then he suddenly shouted, seemingly having a fit. His demeanor abruptly changed as he pleaded for his life with a sly smile.

“If you spare me, I’ll give you all the Cretoll.”

His coquettish manner seemed habitual, and I could hazard a guess about his life.

But I had no interest in Jang Ryun’s past or background.

“It sounds like there’s more.”

What did he mean by saying things wouldn’t end just by capturing him?

It likely meant more of his damn trafficking faction existed.

Ladriol had only discovered Jang Ryun’s gang near Viceta. It was uncertain how many more were outside this group.

Executing these here while sparing those elsewhere was illogical. Therefore, extracting details about his network through Jang Ryun was indeed necessary.

“If you promise to spare me, I might tell you.”

Jang Ryun’s grip on my arm weakened. He even laughed, a sense of composure in his chuckle.

‘He seems confident I have no choice but to spare him.’

It was a ridiculous misbelief.

“Just die.”

Because there were still players who survived. Armed with this information, confirmed through the map, I snapped Jang Ryun’s neck without hesitation.

Even if fake, a gold rank remains a gold rank.

「Mana is being absorbed. Some corrupted mana is mixed.」

A substantial amount of mana was absorbed. The contamination level was higher than expected but with the existing larger mana pool I had, it wasn’t problematic.

The current Purification trait reached Level 2, with skill proficiency exceeding 98%.

“What option will come at the next level?”

Alpha is a position directly filtered by the system to support player growth. With that, the growing Purification trait specific to Alpha will be more suited to aiding multiple players as it develops further.

Reviewing the status window while revolving the Purification trait close to leveling, I checked Jang Ryun’s corpse.

More precisely, remained eyeing the symbol above his rapidly snapped and lifeless head.

“Senoa of Humility.”

Among the players who died burning alive today, about 70 to 80% bore Senoa’s symbol.

“Do they not know, or are they turning a blind eye?”

From the meeting with the system, the impression I had of Senoa wouldn’t condone such actions.

“Was the portrayal that day merely a facade?”

As I contemplated Senoa’s symbol, suspicion and distrust grew deeper.

Are there truly personnel from the 7 Great Orders involved in this affair?

How does the drug cartel that primarily moved around the USA and Mexico connect with this trafficking group?

“It seems these guys have unexpectedly significant weight.”

However, if they thought I would simply let them off, they’d be sorely mistaken.

Recalling Horfe, someone whose counsel would be invaluable regarding this affair, I dismissed the flame magic and stood up.

“I need to meet with Horfe.”

Damned System

TL’s Corner:

The 7 Great Virtues are asses. Except for Palao, since, you know, he dead.