Chapter 22: Kind Saintess.

The distance from the Hero Guild building to Kim Gi-tae’s house was short.

Especially since the area around Kim Gi-tae’s house was quite secluded.

There was a maze of alleyways.

Not that anyone would actually worry about getting lost there, even in broad daylight or at night.

But what if a kind ‘Saint’ dragging a mace happened to be there?

Especially at night, right?

There’s no CCTV here.

Really, it’s just a coincidence.

Well, considering this guy, it makes sense he’d be able to keep in touch with the Silver Lightning Gang.

Looking around, with all the abandoned buildings and the lack of residents, this place seems perfect for a criminal like him, right?

Anyway, since it’s like this, I can block any escape routes that idiot Kim Gi-tae might try to take in advance.

And then…

-What are you planning?

At the goddess’ question, I slipped my hand into my sleeve and pulled out a sinister-looking purple orb.

“Tada~! Dungeon Core!”

The Dungeon Core is an item that creates dungeons adapted to the environment.

I got it after killing one of the demon king’s generals, and it was sitting in the hero’s inventory.

-No way, are you planning to…?

“This much is necessary so that no one even knows he’s dead, right?”

I infused magic into the core and activated the dungeon.

Fwoosh!

In an instant, the surrounding area turned into a dungeon zone.

Even though it already had a maze-like feel, the walls multiplied, turning the place into a true labyrinth.

From the outside, it still looked like the same space, but the moment Kim Gi-tae entered, he’d be trapped like a rat in a gigantic maze.

-Oh, wait. This is a redevelopment area.

“Huh? Ah, well. It’s not like it’s my land, right?”

Sure, there were notices posted around.

But is it my land?

No, it’s someone else’s.

If it were mine, I couldn’t do this, but since it’s not, I can make a dungeon or even a magic zone here, all in the name of the goddess!

-You said the same thing when you turned that nameless lord’s land into a drug farm. And stop dragging me into these things.

“That worked out well! The villagers became drug experts thanks to me, so shouldn’t you be happy?”

-Because of you, the entire village became drug experts…

“That’s in the past. Let’s leave it at that.”

Cutting off the goddess’ words, I began manipulating the dungeon.

Since I couldn’t spawn any monsters, I made the entire area around Kim Gi-tae’s house into a maze.

Of course, it was a map that only I could memorize.

[Respawn Field]

With the Respawn Field set up, everything was perfect.

Today, I was going to crush that bastard thoroughly.

Sure, I could kill him, but why not enjoy smashing his skull in?

“Now that I’ve set up the Dungeon Core, this dungeon is my domain. So, that idiot Kim Gi-tae is…”

I could sense movement within the labyrinth.

He had already entered.

Welcome to the urban maze.

Now, it’s time for the Saint’s first round.

“Just wait and see, you damn wench.”

Oh, I hear someone muttering that from a distance.

Just wait and see, you damn wench, huh?

Sounds like it’s directed at me.

I can already guess what he’s thinking.

So, what should I do? The plan is simple.

Crush his skull.

Drrrrk…

Our little Gi-tae has entered the labyrinth, not realizing it’s a maze, so it’s time to give him a chance to rehabilitate.

Right?

By pure luck, Gi-tae was quite close by.

“Hmm, he’s pretty close.”

Drrrrk…

As I walked a bit further, I spotted that familiar face in the distance.

That ridiculous sight of him in a cast looked so pathetic.

“Found you.”

Hearing my voice, his face twitched.

The man who once sneered at me was now backing away.

When fear grips someone, they can’t move their legs properly.

Kim Gi-tae fell backward, wetting himself.

“He…hiiick! You…you! Are you here for revenge?”

“Revenge? No. I just thought I should take care of you before you become more of a nuisance.”

It wasn’t about revenge. I was just tired of him.

“This is the city! Do you know what’ll happen if you kill me?”

True, we’re in the city.

But isn’t this a secluded spot?

Also, it’s a redevelopment area.

“What kind of misunderstanding are you under? I’ve killed more people in the city than outside.”

“You insane psychopath!”

Is this really someone in a position to talk, when he was the one who instigated the situation, then pathetically tried to hire others to do his dirty work just because his arm got broken?

Not that I feel like arguing about it.

What’s the point of talking when my decision’s already made?

He can die not even understanding what he did wrong.

As Kim Gi-tae’s face twisted in terror, I smiled the same way I did when I crushed the demon king’s skull.

“There’s just too much trash in this world that needs to be taken care of.”

“P-please, spare me! I won’t do it again! I won’t hire anyone again!”

Ah, I knew he’d beg like that.

“No, I just want to kill you.”

“W-what?”

“Do I need to repeat myself? Being a villain is just an excuse. You simply messed with the wrong person.”

“Ah…”

It was simple.

I just needed to swing my mace and crack his watermelon-like skull.

Crunch!

Kim Gi-tae’s watermelon burst open.

“Wow, for a moment there, you really looked like a sadistic killer! That’s exactly how my disciple should be!”

“Why are you getting excited?”

I really can’t figure out what gets the goddess excited. Is she a psycho?

Anyway, I’ve set up the Respawn Field.

I can bring him back to life whenever I want.

Since I’ve set up the entire dungeon with the Respawn Field, he must’ve respawned somewhere else by now.

I’ve blocked all the exits, so he won’t be able to leave.

“Let’s take our time finding him.”

I’ll circle around the areas where he’s moving, slowly.

And sure enough, not long after, I heard his voice coming from one of the newly created alleyways.

“Huff…huff…that crazy bitch. I swear she killed me. Was it a dream?”

Oh, he respawned pretty close by, didn’t he?

It wasn’t a dream.

Well, it’s normal to be confused.

After all, most people stay dead, but he’s somehow still alive.

So, of course, he’d think it was a dream.

But he should still feel something off.

Like his body aching or the vivid memories.

At the very least, he must’ve clearly felt his head cracking open.

“Haha…yeah, if I were dead, I wouldn’t be standing here, right? It was just a dream. A nightmare, because I was worried that crazy bitch would come after me.”

Sure, keep thinking that.

It makes it more fun to toy with him.

“Wait, isn’t something strange? Why am I lying here?”

“No, no, it’s fine. It was just a dream. I must’ve passed out somehow.”

He’s really good at talking to himself.

Fine, think what you want.

It makes it more satisfying when I break him again.

Now then, let’s see.

Hopefully, he doesn’t break too easily.

I slowly followed behind him.

Dragging my bloodied mace along with me.

Drrrrk…

“Huh? That…that sound! That damn wench? No, no, it’s just a hallucination, right?”

Our little Gi-tae insisted it was just a hallucination and started running.

With everything he had.

Desperately.

Trying to avoid having his skull smashed in by me.

Hearing only the sound, he’s already running away.

It seems he’s deeply scarred mentally.

But what can I say?

This saint is having too much fun.

Clank, drag…

As soon as Kim Gi-tae sees me, he starts sprinting with all his might.

“Ah… aaah! Don’t come near!”

Isn’t it human nature to want to go closer when you’re told not to?

I slowly, very slowly, follow him. Kim Gi-tae won’t get far anyway.

After all, the stamina of a low-level grunt like him doesn’t even compare to mine.

Clank, drag…

“Yikes, yikes, aah!”

No matter how hard he tries to run, it’s pointless.

Eventually, he’ll collapse from exhaustion.

“Whose head shall I crack today? Oh, that one looks perfect~”

“Don’t… don’t come any closer, you crazy bitch! Don’t!”

Kim Gi-tae, running for dear life, stumbles over his own feet in panic.

I approach him slowly, ever so slowly.

As he sits on the ground, moving backward, his legs are already soaked.

Poor thing.

“This head looks nice~”

“N-no… was that not a dream?”

“This head looks nice~ This head looks nice~”

Crack!

Once again, Kim Gi-tae’s head bursts like a watermelon.

Ah, yes, that’s the feeling.

Now that he’s dead, he’ll respawn soon.

Where will he come back this time?

“It can’t be a dream… not when it feels this real…”

As expected, he respawned not far away again, just over the wall.

Silently, I climb the wall and peek over.

There he is, checking his body, still trying to figure out whether it’s a dream or reality.

“I have to… I have to get out of here.”

Clank, drag…

I scrape the wall lightly with my mace, and Kim Gi-tae looks up and locks eyes with me.

“Wh-what? Again? No… no, nooo!”

Seeing me perched on top of the wall, he’s absolutely terrified.

What a coward.

Still, teasing him like this is so much fun.

I tilt my head unnaturally like a broken cogwheel.

Creak… crack…

The sound of bones cracking is just a bonus.

“This head looks~ That head looks nice~”

“Nooo! You monster! You freak! Get away! I… I’ll call the police!”

Too bad we’re in a dungeon where the police can’t reach.

Sure, phones might work in some previously established gates, but not in a newly formed dungeon like this.

He doesn’t even realize he’s in a dungeon.

What a pitiful fool.

“Damn it!”

Finally snapping out of his fear, Kim Gi-tae throws away his phone and starts running again, this time at full speed.

Well, running at full tilt isn’t a bad choice.

But there aren’t many options left for him.

This time, I decide to run too.

Clank, drag!

Dragging my mace, I match his speed, watching him as I hum softly.

“Whose head will it be? How many heads today?”

“Aaaargh!”

And so the chase continues, long and drawn out, until Kim Gi-tae, completely exhausted, trips over a rock and falls again.

Now, it’s time to finish him.

“I won’t do anything bad ever again! I swear!”

By now, his pathetic, backward shuffling is almost comical.

His face, smeared with tears and snot, is pitiful enough to make me think he might truly repent.

But, unfortunately for him, even if he swears not to do anything bad again, it doesn’t matter.

What’s done is done.

Interrupting the mood with pleas for mercy is just annoying.

“What do you think will come out of this head~”

I rest my mace on his neck, letting his blood from earlier drip onto his skin.

It’s his blood, so he probably doesn’t mind.

And besides, he’ll respawn soon anyway.

“P-please… stop… just stop!”

Gripping my mace with both hands, I swing it down.

Crack!

Kim Gi-tae dies for the third time.

But of course, this isn’t the end.

Not even close.

I think it would be nice if there were more Kim Gi-taes to smash.

Over and over, I crush his skull, and with each round, he grows more and more broken.

By the fifth time, he starts laughing.

“Heh… heh heh… heheh… hahaha!”

After the fifth death, he simply laughs.

Clank, drag…

“Yeah, you bitch! You whore! Go ahead and kill me!”

Isn’t it generous of me, this kind saint, to grant him release?

Death is mercy.

Finally, Kim Gi-tae is asking for it, begging for salvation.

This is true rehabilitation, isn’t it?

I give him a round of applause.

Sure, his language is crude—calling me a bitch and a whore—but considering Kim Gi-tae’s upbringing, I’ll let it slide.

After all, the important part is that he’s finally seeking redemption.

“Congratulations! You’ve earned the right to be saved!”

“Huh? So you’re letting me go?”

“Yes!”

Of course, by ‘letting go,’ I mean releasing him to the afterlife.

Crack!

And with that, I send him off…