Chapter 58: Results of Training

Three assailants running towards me from the end of the alley.

The attackers, wrapped in black masks and dark clothes, blending into the darkness, flew at me like rippling shadows.

Instinctively, I drew out the shield from my spatial pocket and blocked the throwing daggers that were shot at me.

Bang!

The daggers thrown by the attackers stuck into the shield I was holding.

The impact was so great that my arm tingled, and I had to take several steps back.

Quite a destructive force. If I hadn’t raised the shield in time to block the daggers, they would have pierced my head and chest, killing me.

‘These crazy bastards.’

I immediately started to flee.

Unconsciously, I ran away to create distance between myself and them.

I could sense the murderous intent flickering in the eyes of the approaching attackers.

Along with a strong will to catch and kill me, I even felt as if they didn’t see people as people.

Could these guys be the culprits behind the recent serial killings in the slums?

Various stories and rumors I had heard recently about several horrific murder cases came to mind.

Although the exact reason wasn’t revealed, there were rumors about a group committing murders targeting the poor at night.

Since there were quite a few victims for it to be just a rumor, I vaguely thought that forces outside the Labyrinth City must be up to something.

Considering that Yuria went outside the city for work..

Given the circumstances, I could only think that the kingdom or empire targeting the Labyrinth City had released assassins into the city to cause trouble.

However, facing them directly felt different. The feeling was completely different from the rumors.

It felt more alien, more bizarre.

Something different from saying they were human like me..

That blind murderous intent of theirs showed a one-dimensional obsession that had been felt from the monsters in the labyrinth.

The simple purpose of killing people.

A somewhat inorganic sense of killing because they have to kill, regardless of individual pleasure or satisfaction.

The strangest point would be that I saw something in those guys just before I started fleeing.

My Spirit Eye caught the sense of discomfort wrapped around their bodies.

The three assailants chasing me smelled of the labyrinth.

‘No way.’

The worst possibility flashed through my mind.

Through conversations with Olivia, I heard that those things were going to do something.

And through conversations with Raphanel, I heard that they might be able to come out of the labyrinth.

These weren’t spies or assassins sent by forces outside the city to increase chaos in the city.

These were evil that had crawled up from the labyrinth.

Things that came up to kill people and extort their souls.

Heretics who believe in improper beings and dedicate their lives to that primordial evil.

These were things that had crawled up from below the level division of the 5th floor Underground City of the labyrinth.

It means they’re at least Silver Badge level strong. And three such beings are chasing me.

What will happen if I’m caught?

I had a strong premonition that I wouldn’t die peacefully.

‘Three Silver Badge levels. I’ll be caught up to soon. I need to make a move while there’s still some distance.’

What can I do against enemies with an absolute gap in strength that I can never overcome?

I tried shouting for help while running away, but there was no response.

Because hardly anyone walks around this alley that I frequently use.

Most of the buildings built here are warehouses or empty buildings that haven’t been filled with goods yet.

It means this is a place where no one would come at this time, even if it might be different during the day.

That’s why there were no brave people to appear in response to my calls for help.

But I can’t keep running like this either. I’ll be caught up to soon.

Their running is faster than the wolf pups in the labyrinth, and I’m gradually running out of stamina.

To begin with, this body had just finished training with Gon until a little while ago.

My stamina is already at rock bottom.

This isn’t going to work by just running away.

I had to confront them. But can I handle those crazy bastards alone?

Fear and terror rushed over me.

My chest felt tight and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

‘Get a grip. If you’re consumed by fear, it’s over.’

There’s a rumor that no corpse remains when killed by heretics.

The possibility of not even being able to resurrect is high. I absolutely can’t be caught by those guys here.

Even if I die, I need to lead the situation so that others can retrieve my corpse.

Then let’s use our heads for a moment.

Gon said that the most important thing in battle is momentum, and the next is using all the moves you have.

‘Three Silver Badge levels are coming to kill me. It’s difficult to win alone, and if I’m caught, there’s a high chance not even my corpse will remain.’

Then I should call people who can fight in my place or retrieve my corpse.

But this is a world without cell phones or security buzzers.

Moreover, even if I shout here, my voice won’t reach people outside the alley.

So I needed to let people know there was a problem here in the most eye-catching way possible.

What’s the best way to attract people’s attention on this late night?

It’s not hard to think of.

Fireworks are the best for drawing attention on a dark night.

I took out the oil bottles I had stolen after receiving them as conquest team supplies last time from my spatial pocket and threw them in all directions.

It’s difficult to shout and let people know I’m in danger, but it’s easy to set fires everywhere and gather people mindlessly.

A simple but deadly way of thinking to commit arson since it’s difficult to ask for help.

Since there are many warehouse buildings in the alley, wouldn’t setting fires minimize human casualties?

Of course, the goods in the warehouses or construction materials might all burn, but it can’t be helped.

I don’t need to worry about the aftermath. I have to commit arson right now to survive. The heretic bastards will take care of the compensation.

Not setting fires and dying VS Setting fires and surviving.

I chose the latter.

If I’ve decided, let’s not hesitate anymore and just do it.

Since there was no time to light fires with flint, I decided to use scrolls for instant firepower.

I took out the scrolls that Rien and Lady Lea had packed for me and recklessly tore them, sending fireballs flying towards the oil-soaked ground.

BOOM!!!

The fireballs exploded properly.

As the fire spread, hazy smoke rose into the night sky.

Arson successful.

The warehouses will burn brightly.

I’m really sorry to the warehouse owners, but this isn’t my fault.

It’s the fault of those heretic bastards trying to ambush people in the middle of the night, so I’m not guilty at all.

“Kuk..!!”

“A spatial pocket!?”

The heretics shouted in great surprise when they saw me take out oil bottles from thin air and set them on fire.

Unintentionally, I even heard the heretics’ voices. Now they’ll try to kill me to the end. This is insane.

Still, since I set the fires, people will gather in about 3 to 5 minutes from now, so I just need to hold out until then.

If I hadn’t set the fires, I would have been surrounded by those three and stabbed to death, but since I set the fires, I just need to hold out well.

‘It would be nice if they just gave up and left.. but they definitely won’t let me go, right?’

Now that I’ve heard those guys’ voices, conflict was unavoidable.

Alright, let’s really stay calm from now on.

Gon said. The really important thing is momentum.

I’m out of breath and can’t run away anymore.

If I’m going to be caught up to and have a knife stuck in my back anyway, it would be better for survival rate to face them head-on and hold out.

Good. From now on, I’m not going to back down.

Am I going to give up and die just because it’s 3 against 1?

‘I need to go pick up Olivia.’

To buy time, I needed to jump in desperately and break through.

I shouldn’t get entangled with enemies of that kind.

At my pace.

I had to make the enemies get caught up in my momentum.

I had to charge at them.

“Eraiii!!!”

Letting out a sound that was either a battle cry or a scream, I ran towards the guys charging at me.

Rather than waiting still, it would be better to charge at the charging guys and create variables.

With my shield in front, I pushed against the daggers aiming for my vital points.

Because of the flames blazing all around, the guys could no longer hide in the darkness, and they were flustered by the intensity of the rising smoke and flames.

There’s no better opponent for a head-on battle than a flustered assassin.

The most important goal is to not have my corpse destroyed even if I die.

I just need to take hits well without pain and endure with my body.

This might sound crazy, but this was pretty much the warrior’s way I learned from Gon.

Taking hits without pain.

Enduring as much as possible.

Resisting to the end.

The memories of being beaten to death by Gon are embedded in my body.

My body will move reflexively to the pain.

Let’s just not die before other people come.

I just need to protect my corpse.

Reinforcements will come soon.

‘Let’s hold out as much as possible.’

The blade of a black-dyed heretic assassin came aiming for my eye.

I didn’t avoid it and plunged in.

Throwing away fear, I hurled my body towards the heretic with all my might, as if pushing against Gon.

Bang!

Did the charge work?

‘It worked!’

I succeeded. The heretic I collided with head-on was pushed back by my charge.

The pressuring charge I had practiced dozens of times against Gon worked on the heretic.

“You son of a..!!!”

After sending one heretic flying and briefly indulging in joy, another heretic cut in from the side.

Bang!!

I sensed the attack with an almost bestial instinct and deflected it with my shield.

If I had been even a little late, a knife would have been stuck in my neck.

‘Oh no! I’m screwed!’

But the price of deflecting the dagger was that my chest was left wide open.

Another heretic thrust a strange dagger into my open chest.

If I allow this, it’s a fatal wound.

I’ll die with a knife stuck in my heart.

People haven’t come yet.

I need to hold out a little longer. Throw away the thought of dying and twist your body. As long as it doesn’t get stuck in my chest, it’s fine.

“Kuaaah!!!”

I let out a battle cry and jumped at the heretic while twisting my body as much as possible.

Thanks to that, the dagger that should have pierced my chest got stuck in my shoulder, and before my posture collapsed, I swung my axe half-mindlessly towards the heretic assassin’s neck.

Gon’s words that you can cut anything if you follow the grain came to mind.

I still don’t understand this grain well. But I felt like the axe was being sucked into the heretic’s neck.

A sensation of a critical hit about to occur.

Along with the feeling of a good grip, the axe precisely sank into the heretic assassin’s neck.

Kwaduk!!!

The axe tore through the skin and half-broke the neck bone.

As blood gushed out, the assassin staggered, clutching the gaping wound on his neck.

He collapsed after taking just a few steps.

Judging by the lack of movement, he seemed dead.

There was no sense of having committed murder.

Those things were already classified as monsters within me.

But there was no time to savor the joy of taking down a Silver Badge level strong opponent with my own hands.

The axe was stuck in that guy’s neck. I needed a new weapon.

I lost the axe as my posture collapsed, but I have my spatial pocket.

I immediately took out a one-handed sword and deflected the heretic’s attack.

My senses become extremely sharp.

The longer the fight went on, the more I could see their attacks.

The two remaining heretics kept attacking relentlessly to kill me.

Blades pierced my body, tore my skin, and carved out chunks of flesh.

Pain, agony, extreme pain.

I have to endure. This is no time to savor the pain.

Rica said.

Pain that doesn’t kill me makes me stronger, didn’t she say?

Rather, this pain kept waking up my mind that was trying to become hazy.

Because it hurts, I rather feel that I’m alive. I’m not dead yet. Though my body is drenched in blood, I was still holding out.

My body has already reached a state where it doesn’t move according to my will.

My vision is blurry. The sensation in my hands and feet is fading away, and my footsteps are becoming strange from the pool of blood spilled on the ground.

My strange footsteps oddly accurately avoided the heretics’ attacks.

It’s a sensation as if Shaka is controlling my body. No, I’m reading Shaka’s memories.

Should I say my proficiency is increasing?

Shaka’s remnants that he left behind and I have half-become one, sharing a single body.

Following instinct, I swing my shield to deflect daggers, and swing my sword to check the heretics delivering fatal blows. There’s no awkwardness in these actions.

So abilities were ultimately the embodiment of techniques built up by someone.

The warrior’s roar that makes enemies cower, the horse-head cutting that cuts down both horse and rider.

And all other skills called warrior abilities were ultimately techniques that could be obtained after long training and effort.

Abilities are tools that make it easier to use such techniques.

Abilities are ultimately just tools, as Raphanel said. I could now clearly understand what he meant.

And I finally realized how amazing Shaka’s remnant is.

This was the collection and essence of techniques that the warrior Shaka had built up.

Yes, what was engraved in me was the ‘essence’ of a warrior.

As my mind became hazy, one of the techniques he left behind was now manifesting through my body.

I start counterattacking while avoiding the heretics’ attacks.

As I pour out attacks, the two heretics step back.

Ah. I think I understand.

Now I can properly see what Gon was trying to teach me.

So this is the grain.

So this is what it means to endure.

I’m starting to grasp what battle is.

Fighting is ultimately dancing with your life on the line to the melody of death.

The approaching blades were no longer frightening.

Their murderous intent was just a small noise interrupting my melody.

Shaka sang, and I followed his song with my movements.

The warrior’s song is being engraved in me. Was this the tune Gon was humming?

I danced to the song of the dancers.

Shaka, were you a barbarian too?

There was no answer to my question.

I just realized that his traces engraved in me had become a little closer to me.

Just then, cracks appeared in the masks the heretics were wearing, and soon they shattered.

I could see the flustered looks in the heretics’ eyes.

They must be in a hurry too.

From their perspective, I, who had seen their faces, was an opponent that must be killed no matter what.

But they couldn’t kill me easily, so they seemed frustrated.

How ridiculous. These vulgar bastards.

They’re so desperate to take my life.

Not a chance. I absolutely won’t die nicely.

Even after exchanging several blows, there was no problem. Rather, I was slightly overwhelming them.

Of course, I won’t be able to go further than this because I’ve lost too much blood, but still, I held out without dying.

I can do this.

I took down one and two are left, so it’s become easier than at first.

If I hold out just a little longer, I’m sure I’ll be able to get out of this alley alive.

-Fire!

-The lumber storage is on fire!

People finally realizing there’s a fire and running over.

Their urgent shouts are getting closer.

You’re late. 3 minutes passed long ago.

Still, it’s good.

Now there’s really not much time left.

The two guys in front of me look like they’re about to run away too.

If I hang on like this, I think I can catch those two guys as well.

Let’s muster a bit more strength.

Shuk.

“Huh…? Kuk..”

Suddenly, I was stabbed in the side by an enemy approaching from behind.

No, I was pierced through.

A sword protruded through my stomach after piercing it. My vision spun at the sensation of my intestines twisting.

My thoughts stopped at the impossibly extreme pain.

My legs won’t support me. Damn, I feel like throwing up.

As I struggled with the pain, the enemy behind twisted the sword piercing my side, tearing my intestines.

I think my kidney burst. My intestines are spilling out of my torn stomach.

I didn’t have the strength to try to put them back in.

From the extreme pain, I fell forward and my face plunged into the pool of my own blood on the ground.

No, there were definitely three of them.

I killed one, and two were in front of me.

When did this guy appear behind me?

Were there four from the start?

Where were you hiding to do such a cowardly thing now..

Something that might be saliva or blood flowed from my mouth.

I can’t do anything anymore. I feel like I’m going to die.

Shaka’s song was cut off.

I could no longer feel his power.

As I writhed on the ground, the heretics hurriedly fled.

“It hurts….”

It hurts so much my teeth are chattering.

When the knife was stuck in my shoulder, I could bear it.

I could even bear it when daggers tore my skin and made wounds.

But I absolutely couldn’t endure the side.

Being pierced through and having my kidney burst, it would be crazy to endure that.

It hurts so much I can hardly breathe.

Pain that feels like death.

It’s 100 times worse than kidney stone pain.

“Kuhup..!!!”

As I writhed on the ground unable to get up, people approached me.

“Here!!! A patient!”

“What! Is he really alive!?”

“He’s still alive! We need to move him to the aid station!”

As my consciousness was fading, I was loaded onto a stretcher and transported.

I survived a fight where I had prepared for death.

Although I caught one and let three escape.

This was clearly a victory.