episode_0093

93. Black Forest Estate.

John stared blankly at the scene, then lightly snatched the whip.

“······!”

The manager didn’t even properly see the hand movement. Only then did he realize something was wrong.

Expert, he’s an expert!

“Wa, wait a minute─”

It was already too late. John subtly pulled the whip. The manager’s entire body leaned forward precariously.

John looked at the manager’s thick chin. Soon, he threw an uppercut with his empty hand.

Splat!

The manager’s figure soared into the air. It didn’t soar that high. The manager seemed to lose strength in his legs, and collapsed to the floor with a thud.

“”······!””

Everyone who had been watching their scuffle widened their eyes. However, the light that appeared on the faces of the slaves in the next moment was not a light of hope. Rather, it was closer to despair.

It wasn’t that there hadn’t been rebellions by slaves who had been throwing their weight around. It wasn’t frequent, but it definitely existed. Nevertheless, daily life in the farmland always remained the same.

The enraged wild boar was quickly subdued, and that was their fate.

‘Another reckless fool who only trusts his own strength has popped up.’

‘Tsk, he should have run away. It wouldn’t have been easy, though.’

The slaves thought so.

Soon, other managers slowly approached John.

The manager at the very front moved his wrists around and said.

“You must have been a tough guy in your village before you were sold as a slave, but you’re just a pig.”

“······.”

John didn’t answer. He just stood there blankly, watching the manager approach.

The managers surrounded John in a circle. They maintained a certain distance, a perfect distance to use the whip.

Just as the managers were about to launch their offensive─

“Wait, wait a minute. All of you step back. He’s not someone you can handle.”

A martial artist who suddenly popped out from their side said so.

The managers were startled. But whether they did or not, the martial artist’s gaze was fixed solely on John.

He tilted his head.

“I don’t feel any internal energy······ Is he just naturally strong?”

It wasn’t exactly a tone as if he were asking John. It was closer to a soliloquy.

“Well, whatever. He’s not an ordinary guy. Hey, wouldn’t you like to become a manager?”

“······!”

The managers were bewildered. They didn’t make such an offer to that bulky guy last time? Just how good is that guy for them to do this?

The gazes of numerous men were fixed on John. John answered bluntly.

“No.”

“I see.”

Even in the face of a sharp rejection, the martial artist didn’t show any particular reaction. He simply nodded.

He scanned the slaves with his finger and said.

“Do you want to protect these pigs? That’s unexpected. You don’t exactly seem like someone with a strong sense of justice.”

“It’s quite the opposite.”

“What?”

John slowly walked towards the martial artist. An attitude that didn’t care about the surrounding managers in the slightest. The martial artist raised an eyebrow.

“You think I caused this commotion just to become a mere manager? Bring the Black Forest Estate lord. I’m going to make him my subordinate.”

“······Huh, Puhahahahaha!”

The martial artist grabbed his stomach exaggeratedly and burst into laughter. He arched his back slightly, and didn’t even properly look at John.

About 2 seconds after he burst into laughter, the martial artist’s figure suddenly shot towards John like an arrow. It was a surprise attack using laughter as a smokescreen.

Light flashed from his chest. Before anyone knew it, the martial artist’s sword, which he had drawn, was moving towards John’s neck.

Reflexively, [Thought Acceleration] was activated. That’s because it was quite fast.

‘It would have been difficult to avoid if I didn’t have the trait.’

In other words, it was too easy in his current state. John slightly tilted his head.

Swish-

A small part of the old fabric near the shoulder is cut off. Tsk, the clothes are too flimsy. It’s not the outfit he originally wore, so he hasn’t fully adjusted yet. He should finish things here and take out his original equipment from the inventory.

John extended his fist while thinking trivial thoughts.

Bang!

“Ugh!”

The martial artist clutched his right abdomen and retreated. John raised a cloud of dust and chased after him.

It was shallow. He managed to curl up his body in that short moment to absorb the impact.

‘His physical abilities are worse than mine, but his technique is excellent.’

Still, it wasn’t like there was no impact. There was a slight abnormality in his movements.

Perhaps realizing that, the guy gritted his teeth and shouted.

“What are you just looking at! Attack him now!”

The reactions of the managers varied. Some reflexively swung their whips, some rushed in without thinking, and some just stood there blankly.

John grabbed the two whips flying in from both sides, then pulled them in strongly.

The managers who had been holding the whips were helplessly dragged in. Fortunately, they had learned something from observing the previous situation. They quickly released their grip. Thanks to that, only the whips that had lost their owners came towards John.

That’s what he was aiming for. John softly grabbed the handles of the whips, and then swung the whips around like a windmill.

“Aaaaaaagh!”

Whoosh- Thud!

A sound that was incomparable to when the managers had been swinging them was heard. The result was also incomparably different. The managers’ flesh exploded, so to speak.

Despite the gruesome sight, there were still guys who stubbornly charged at John. John lightly tossed the whip over his shoulder. His shoulder became blurry.

Fists that were quite hard for a human rained down on the managers.

Pow pow pow pow-!

The surroundings were somewhat cleared up. John grabbed the whip again. And he made eye contact with the martial artist who was staring at him blankly from afar.

When did he get over there.

Tap!

John kicked off the ground with all his strength. Most of the managers were either incapacitated or dead. None of the remaining guys had the will to fight.

Now, only that guy is left.

“Hic!”

The martial artist gasped as he saw John’s fierce eyes. He can’t win. The martial artist thought so. So he immediately turned his back to John.

‘I have to go back to the village! It’s impossible alone!’

The martial artist operated his agility to the extreme. He had been lazy with his training in agility. He vehemently hated himself in the past.

Swish swish swish-!

“Oh.”

John’s eyes sparkled. Certainly, it wasn’t a speed that an ordinary person without a status window could produce. Just like before, that must be the power of internal energy.

John looked around slightly, then placed his finger on the ground.

‘I wonder if you can do something like this with internal energy?’

He didn’t know. John had never seen martial arts novels or anything like that in modern times.

His magic power wriggled like a snake and flowed into the ground.

Dig.

Rustle-

The moment the martial artist stepped on a certain spot, the ground caved in.

“Aaaaaaagh!”

Perhaps he hadn’t expected the ground to suddenly collapse, the martial artist rolled pitifully on the ground.

The martial artist tried to get up again, stomping on the ground like a mole. But it was already too late.

“Sa, save me······ Please save m─”

“I won’t kill you.”

Bang!

John’s fist, which had already approached him, was embedded in his face. The martial artist buried his face in the ground again.

***

“Ah fuck, it was a dream!”

A man with a huge bump on his forehead jumped up from his seat and shouted.

It was a truly terrible dream. Not only were his subordinates defeated by a mere slave, but even he was miserably defeated by that guy! Why did he have to have such a dream, he should be careful today─

Bang!

“Ugh······.”

Thud-

A heavy weight was felt in his abdomen. The martial artist curled up and groaned. Who dares! The martial artist raised his head with bloodshot eyes.

“You’re finally awake.”

“······!”

“It’s not a dream. It’s reality. You’re slow to grasp the situation.”

The martial artist looked at John with trembling eyes. And immediately knelt down and slammed his face into the ground.

‘My face won’t be left intact.’

How many times is he going to slam his face today?

“Great hero! I was very rude!”

“······.”

John raised an eyebrow. Great hero? It was an awkward title.

“I was short-sighted and didn’t recognize the great hero! I’m truly sorry!”

“······.”

“Therefore, I will respectfully escort the great hero to a village under our Black Forest Estate! Please allow it!”

John looked at the back of the martial artist’s head and smiled slightly. For some reason, his intentions are too obvious.

From the emotions revealed in his expression, and from combining various factors, he could tell. That guy is still emitting hostility.

‘Escort, my foot. If I go back to the village, there will be another fight.’

Well, that was what John wanted.

John shouted at the man who was watching from afar.

“Brother Gong! Come here!”

“······Yes!”

Brother Gong, who had been hesitating for a while, hurriedly ran over. John said to him.

“Brother Gong. This man says he wants us to go back to the village together. He says he’ll treat us like honored guests. What do you think?”

Twitch, the back of the martial artist’s head twitched slightly.

Brother Gong rolled his eyes and looked at the martial artist. Honestly, he was still afraid, but it was already a foregone conclusion. He said with a determined face.

“It’s all complete nonsense. I guarantee it. There will definitely be all sorts of thugs entrenched in the village.”

John nodded in satisfaction at those words. And he looked down at the martial artist and said.

“That’s what he says? Do you have anything to say?”