## Chapter 327 – The Martial Artist Bastards
“That sounds interesting. How do you do it?”
Just thinking that I could easily extort money by beating up thugs like I just did made me restless.
I wouldn’t mind trying that business myself.
If each guy paid 10 coppers a month, even just ten of those guys would bring in a hefty 1 silver a month.
Maybe this is a primitive form of a guild.
It’s primitive because modern guilds offer protection and teach useful skills in exchange for money, while this primitive guild I’m thinking of just dishes out violence and extorts.
Legal protection is out of the question, and even the City Guard turns a blind eye in this slum. Murders between beggars happen as easily as breathing, and violence and extortion aren’t even considered crimes in the first place.
That’s probably why cults like the Eternal Life Church dug their way in here.
So, beating a few criminals to death here wouldn’t cause any problems. There were no legal issues with starting a primitive guild.
No, it was more than just not having problems; it was almost doing a good deed.
The more I thought about it, the more being the guild master of a slum’s primitive guild felt like being a chivalrous hero. And I liked that I could instantly transform into Judge Dredd if I didn’t like something.
“Don’t even think about it, you bastard. This is my territory. If I have a partner, my share will decrease.”
“No, I’m not planning on taking over your business. I’m just asking if all you have to do is beat up kids and extort them? Just curious.”
If things went well, it felt like I could make a decent income. I wasn’t expecting too much, but I got greedy when I heard it could be pocket money.
“Pretty much, yeah? You just kill a few self-proclaimed bosses as an example. It’s not a problem to cause a ruckus here anyway.”
“Hehehe, you’re a killer. I knew it.”
“You’re one to talk.”
I always thought of Lisette as someone to hate unconditionally, but it was surprising that we had some common ground.
Of course, I haven’t forgotten the grudge.
But I’ll let it slide today since she told me a good story.
“Okay, so that’s how it is. Good to know.”
I’ll keep this in mind and make sure to use it someday.
It seems Lisette has created a source of income like the thugs I messed up earlier and manages them with her fists. Having skills definitely meant there were easy ways to make money.
So, maybe I can do it too.
“Well, see you later. We’ll settle our score next time we meet.”
As I said goodbye, Lisette looked at me with a sharp gaze.
“What, if you really want to fight, come to the guild. You’re just too scared to come at me now because one of us will die, right?”
She knew.
“What kind of mess do you think I’ll see if I go to your place again?”
“This guy’s chickened out.”
“I haven’t chickened out, you bitch.”
“If you want to be an instructor, come anytime.”
“No way.”
With those words, I left the blood-soaked scene. Now, let’s go see Lady Risha.
“An instructor.”
Of course, I wouldn’t even consider it if I died and came back to life.
Anyway, my conversation with Lisette made me think a lot. That’s right. This is another world. A harsh world ruled by power and violence.
I also lived in the slums when I first came to this world, so I had a lot of bad memories and regrets.
I was beaten up by thugs and had the money I managed to get stolen several times. At that time, I was just frustrated, sad, and hateful.
If I didn’t have money, I had to starve.
Being robbed, giving in. And if there was a beggar who looked weaker than me, I would secretly go and steal their bread. I lived a shattered life, roughly like that, as if a mirror had been broken.
That was the daily life of Kim Kat, an F-rank adventurer with no foundation.
Even in that bottom, those criminals were the ones who trampled on others like demons to live better, taking small advantages and indulging in sweetness.
Now it was my turn to trample on those back-alley trash.
ㅡHeavenly Demon Chivalrous Hero Kim Kat.
That’s quite a cool title.
Thinking roughly like that, I walked through the alleyways as if they were my own home. I had been here several times because of Risha, so it had become quite familiar. The dirty alleys and the beggars weakly glaring at me felt so familiar.
ㅡ…
Above all, the occasional passersby were familiar. They all looked like wanted criminals, and it felt like it wouldn’t be a crime to brutally beat them to death in broad daylight where everyone could see.
ㅡThey were all glaring at me as they moved.
“…”
As I walked while tolerating their glares, a rough-looking man in ragged clothes walked towards me and glared at me fiercely.
What’s up?
Do I know him?
ㅡHalt.
He even stopped in the middle of the way and just stood there, turning his head and looking at me as if he was examining me.
ㅡThe ominous feeling I felt at that moment was definitely not my imagination. Usually, these guys look at their opponents to see if they can shake them down.
If they see a sign of weakness, they immediately start their work.
But is he thinking that even after seeing me fully armed? Or maybe he just doesn’t understand the superiority of “armor.”
Anyway, he kept looking at me, so I thought he had something to say, so I decided to ask him first.
This was clearly a provocation.
“What are you looking at?”
“…”
“What are you looking at? It hurts my feelings when you keep glaring at me like that.”
ㅡShake shake.
When I spoke first, he looked around.
I wondered if he was looking for his comrades, so I put my hand on the hilt of my sword ㅡand then he turned around and started running away with all his might!
“What, what is it! Why are you running away!”
For a moment, I felt like I was possessed by something, and before I knew it, I was sprinting with all my might to catch up with him. How dare he glare at me and then turn his back on me?
I can’t stand not chasing after him.
If the other person is a powerless weakling, then never tolerate the provocation they start; that is the doctrine of Fusion Confucianism.
ㅡThump thump thump thump thump!
With his pathetic running speed, he could never escape from me. It didn’t even take 10 seconds to catch up with him, who had run out before me.
“…Huh?! Why are you chasing me?!!”
Only then did he realize he was being chased, and he shouted in shock.
But I was already flying through the sky. In other words, I was in Flying Kim Kat mode. In this state, no one can stop me.
“Kim Kat Drop Kiiiiiiiiick!!!!!!!!”
ㅡThwack!
As usual, the dropkick landed very cleanly.
“ㅡKuh?!”
I hit him with the soles of my feet and used my leg strength to push him away.
ㅡBang!
The series of movements created a very murderous blow due to the mana that had permeated my muscles and body. He was hit by it and flew all the way to the other side, colliding with the wall.
ㅡCrash!
“Keuhahaak!!!!”
This was almost done instinctively.
I couldn’t help it because of the obvious hostility I felt. It was a clear provocation, a challenge. These things must never be forgiven.
Still, just in case, I slowly approached the side where he had flown to check his true intentions.
ㅡWhoosh.
Dust was rising.
As it cleared, I saw the man writhing in pain.
“Keuhaak…! Keuheuk! What the hell…! What the hell is this guy… Kahak!”
He twisted his body like a maggot and cursed as he tried to grab his back. The more I looked at this guy, the more suspicious he seemed.
He really was planning to shake me down.
“What? This guy?”
Today, things are going wrong.
“Kkeueueueuk…! Keuhak! It hurts so much…! Damn it! Who are you! Why are you suddenly acting like this!”
Hearing those words, I felt my mind go blank for a moment. Like before, and now, so many things are making me angry.
“You damn bastard. You were the one who kept staring at me!”
As I kicked the scattered box fragments and shouted, he reflexively put up his guard.
“Th, that’s…”
“And you ignored me… You little shit, you thought I was a joke, didn’t you? And if that wasn’t enough, you dare curse at me? You’re dead today.”
Looking at the state of the guy, it seemed like this moment was the time to become a chivalrous hero. It might be okay to test it out on this guy.
“You’re going to be my primitive guild member number 1 from today, you son of a bitch!”
“What the hell are you talking abouㅡ”
“ㅡShut up!”
Overwhelmed with anger, I immediately started beating him like crazy. ㅡThwack! ㅡWhack! ㅡCrack! Seeing him getting messed up in real time with every kick, I felt a sense of justice welling up inside me.
This is the mindset of a chivalrous hero.
“Uaaaaaaagh!! Stop it! Please! I was wrong!”
“Why do you provoke people like that! Tell me the truth if you don’t want to die!”
I recalled my experience interrogating the cultists with Elise last time and mercilessly beat him. These guys only understand the stick.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I was trying to pickpocket you! I’m sorry!”
“Who in the world pickpockets so obviously!”
“Keuhak!”
As I delivered the final blow to the guy, a strange scream like a pig’s cry came out. Finally, I spoke to him, who had become a human pulp.
“Give me everything you have!”
“Here, here… it is…”
He struggled to take out three copper coins from his pocket. 3 coppers? Well, should I forgive him since I’ve gone this far? I took it and put it in my pocket.
“You damn criminal. Live a good life from now on, you hear me? Isn’t the reason the people’s hearts have changed like this because guys like you keep messing with the people who come into the slums? Huh?”
Let’s give him some good words and send him on his way.
“Keuheuk…! I understand! I will live diligently from today! So please forgive me!”
“Tsk tsk tsk, you orphan. Now get out of here. If you only have 3 coppers with you next time, it won’t end like this. Carry some money with you.”
“Yes… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
ㅡStagger stagger.
He got up like a zombie and disappeared into the alley, holding his face. This was definitely a smooth start for the first time. As they say, the beginning is half the battle, and I’ve already earned 3 coppers.
“Satisfying.”
As I quietly satisfied myself and shook my arms and legs,
“O… Oppa?”
A familiar voice was heard.
When I turned around, Lina was standing there in a shabby state.
Seeing that she was alive, it seemed like she had been doing well.
“Isn’t that Lina? How have you been?”
“Ah, it is Oppa… But um, that person just now…?”
Did she witness the assault? She seemed a little frozen, so it seemed like it. Anyway, seeing this girl after a long time felt quite welcoming.
In many ways, I was entangled with Lina by bad luck, but honestly, since she’s a young girl, I can’t help but feel like I want her to do well.
“He was trying to pickpocket me. He deserved to be beaten, right?”
“Ah… Yes. That’s right. How have you been?”
“I’ve been doing great. But you…”
But when I looked at her, she was in a shabby state.
This is strange.
I clearly gave Lina 5 silvers as her share after resolving the cult incident back then. It was the value of her contribution to taking the trophy at the risk of her life, combined with my condolences for her deceased grandmother.
Honestly, the life of a normal slum girl like Lina is not expensive at all.
The large sum of 5 silvers was more of my recognition and condolences.
But with that much, she should have changed her fate… Lina still looked like a damn beggar.
“Why are you still a beggar? I remember giving you a lot of money back then. Don’t tell me you’re addicted to gambling too? Did you blow all 5 silvers already?”
“N, no, it’s not like that. It’s just… I’ve been living here, so a little…”
“A little?”
Lina started to avoid my gaze, stammering as if it was a difficult story. Well, Lina has her own circumstances. I don’t intend to pry.
If you can’t endure the storms of the world with your own strength, then all that remains is death.
“A little… because I keep getting robbed…”
What?
“What? You’re getting robbed? What are you talking about? Don’t tell me you got all 5 silvers stolen?”
Is this kid still getting extorted?
No, even so, getting extorted for 5 silvers is…
“Yes… right the next day…”
Hearing those words, I roared.
“Those sons of bitches dare to extort the condolences I gave!!!!!!!”
