## Chapter 57 – The Black Magician’s Request
ㅡSwish.
Since time immemorial, it has been righteous to use a sword when words fail. A club is the best medicine for a mad dog. It seemed a sincere conversation with Maurice was necessary.
“Why? Gonna kill me with that?”
“Kill who? A person isn’t some damn dog, throwing around the word ‘kill’ like that.”
I am going to kill him.
However, unlike me, who had drawn his sword, Maurice seemed relaxed. This probably wasn’t the first time he’d pulled off such a scam, had he been through this situation many times? Either way, there’s no way to solve this now other than bloodshed.
“So, what’s with the sword? A party member dies… Thinking of retiring from the adventurer life, are we?”
“…”
I frowned.
When adventurers form a party and report it to the guild, it’s also a procedure to ensure their safety. To put it extremely, there’s a possibility of disguised robbers luring them in as a party and then killing them.
If a death occurs in a party registered with the guild, an investigation will be launched. That’s what Maurice was talking about.
“And that goes for everyone here. Four people go out hunting, but only three come back? Do you think those three will even be able to set foot in the Adventurer’s Guild?”
More than anything, if a party member dies, they’ll be branded as ‘those bastards who let their comrade die’ by the surrounding adventurers and become outcasts. Even if that’s not the case, suspicion arises. ‘Isn’t that bastard trying to screw us over to steal our money?’
If that happens, their adventurer life in the city is over. They can’t find companions and have to fend for themselves alone. If that happens, there’s no choice but to flee to another city.
Maurice was a thug who extorted money by exploiting the adventurer’s ecosystem. He seemed quite confident, believing that his method would work this time as well.
“You son of a bitch, your tongue’s damn long. So? Because if you die, all three of us are screwed, we should shut up and hand over the hide? This bastard’s been squeezing money like that? Aren’t you ashamed?”
“You have a tendency to exaggerate. That’s not what I meant. And how many times do I have to say it, I’m not having you hand over the hide. I’m just asserting my rightful ownership.”
He was coming out completely brazen. Either give him the hide for free, or he dies and all three of you are screwed.
It was truly amazing audacity. Looking at it from a slightly different perspective, he was a true warrior who could risk his life to make money. No wonder he’s still E-rank at his age. I must always be careful not to become someone like that.
“Mr. Katt, it seems like this person doesn’t understand words. Maybe we should just let it go…”
“No, Mr. Gibson. So, we’re just going to hand it over for free? It’s 5 coppers per person, 5 coppers. That’s a lot of money. And if we look like pushovers once, a swarm of bastards will come trying to pull the same crap, won’t they?”
The adventurer industry is structured so that you’re screwed the moment you look like a pushover. Winnie is a prime example. Once they caught a sucker, they exploited him to the very soul. Oppressing low-rank adventurers like that wasn’t anything new.
Still, if I unilaterally cut down Maurice here, the disadvantages would also fall on Gibson and Claudie. I was conflicted… I can’t set obstacles in their path with my own recklessness. I have a conscience too.
And to do that because of money worth about 5 coppers per person is absurd. It’s a lot of money, but it’s not worth a lifetime.
But if I don’t fuck Maurice up here, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep soundly. As I was holding the sword, unable to do either, Maurice muttered.
“To try to kill someone for just one hide, you truly are a savage. I was uneasy from the first time I saw you. But you do have some sense. There’s no good in killing me, after all.”
Damn it.
I’m going to kill this bastard.
“Mr. Gibson, Ms. Claudie. I want to kill that bastard, is that okay?”
“Please calm down, Mr. Katt.”
Gibson seems to have a lot to lose, probably because he’s still a teenager. I waited for Claudie’s answer. According to the principle of majority rule, if she allows it, I will swing my sword without hesitation. She had been standing still with her arms folded all along.
She, who had been standing silently, smiled and opened her mouth.
“Oh, quite manly, aren’t you? I like it. A good man should possess both intelligence and savagery at the same time. These days, such men have become rare. Most guys have neither, or only one of the two.”
Claudie, who had approached me, scanned me from head to toe as if measuring me. It felt like she was measuring my height and shoulder width, and I was embarrassed by the sudden physical examination.
“Katt, you seem to have both.”
“Uh… is that a good thing?”
“Of course!”
ㅡClap!
She clapped her hands and shouted, looking up at the sky.
“Oh, Night Heaven Fighting God Hel-kan! May I establish a duel in your name at this place! Please bestow your grace upon these two warriors!”
It was like praying to their god. A duel? What is she planning to do?
“Katt, put the sword down on the ground.”
Put the sword down? Ah.
Realizing the meaning of those words, I immediately threw off the sack I was carrying on my back and took off the sword belt as well, placing them on the ground. There was such a method. I stretched my arms and neck.
“Hey, Maurice, was it? You put down the axe too.”
Claudie demanded that Maurice put down his axe as well. But is Maurice someone who listens to others? He naturally protested.
“Why should I?”
That was the moment Maurice questioned.
ㅡSwoosh.
With tremendous force, two curved swords drew clear trajectories. Claudie, who instantly twirled the curved swords and shattered Maurice’s axe into three pieces with movements like a bizarre sword dance, smiled wryly and said.
“Because I told you to.”
“Uh, uh…”
The shattered axe fell to Maurice’s feet. He stared at it with a dumbfounded expression.
“I’d like to just kill you and be done with it, but I’m starting to like this city. I have to resolve this peacefully.”
Claudie smiled at him as she said that.
“From now on, we’ll have a duel without weapons. The winner gets to decide what to do with the hide.”
“A, a duel? That’s ridiculous. Why should I follow that?”
“Hehe. Your opinion doesn’t matter. I’ve already offered a prayer to Hel-kan.”
A duel.
That was the brilliant idea. If we throw away our weapons and have a brawl, there’s no problem. Wow, I’ve been living so brutally lately that I was just thinking about killing him and dealing with the aftermath, but there was such a peaceful solution!
I immediately applauded Claudie with admiration. She responded by smiling at me.
“Hehehe, you’re screwed now, mister. Do you know anything about the Siljang Fist Technique? I’m a black belt in that.”
For the purpose of intimidation, I confidently showed off the three stances of the Siljang Fist Technique.
“Koui Koui.”
From now on, it’s a legitimate ass-whooping time.
As I strode forward, Maurice stammered and shouted.
“I, I have over 20 years of adventurer experience! If you act like this, I’ll have no choice but to report it to the guild. Either way, it’ll be even harder to live as an adventurer.”
“Mr. Maurice, you stuttered♡”
I, who had become joyful, said with a smile full of affection. His face immediately contorted. He probably hadn’t expected this situation. I was only thinking about killing him and how to deal with the aftermath, but I had never thought of resolving it with a fistfight. The martial artists have a pretty good culture too.
“Hmm, it seems like both of you are ready. Then, start. I’ll personally deal with anyone who runs away. I’ll punish them in the name of Hel-kan.”
The flustered Maurice looked around. But now there was no one to help him. Would Gibson help him, or would Claudie, who had declared the duel, help him? He has no allies here.
I clenched my fist wearing the gauntlet tightly. It was literally a fist of steel.
“ㅡNo one can stop,”
“Y, you’re making a mistake! You guys!”
I stood in front of Maurice. He must have realized that he couldn’t escape either, as he awkwardly took a stance. But unlike the young me, he looked like he was in his 50s. It was physically impossible for that old body to beat a young body in its prime.
Weakness Neglect ON.
“Impulse Dejaaaaat!!”
I let out a lion’s roar as it was and threw a punch with all my might. At this moment, the gauntlet was not armor. It was just a murderous weapon in the form of a glove.
ㅡPow!
“Taste the steel fist-ah!!”
A cheerful striking sound rang out. With that crisp sound, an unbelievable pleasure from the fist that hit Maurice’s face traveled up my arm and reached my brain. A tingling pleasure, I burned with fighting spirit.
“Kuhup!”
The flesh on Maurice’s face rippled as bright yellow teeth flew out in droves. The sight seemed to be in slow motion.
“Keuheoeok!”
He fell backward and rolled. It was a critical hit. Continuing consecutive attacks. There is a technique that is perfect for a fallen opponent. I jumped high and slammed an elbow into him.
“Judgment Elbow!”
“Keo, Keohup!”
His body was quite solid, but it couldn’t withstand the ravages of time. There was more flabby flesh. All kinds of striking techniques went into the fallen him. At this moment, I was a master of steaming. A master of fist steaming.
“Good job! Wohoo!”
Claudie exclaimed.
In other words, it was the moment when mercy disappeared from my fist, which was already faint, thanks to the cheer of the round girl.
“Keuhak! Keuheuuk!, Stop! Stop…! Kahak!”
That’s how the time of mental reformation continued. Claudie, who was the referee, said that I had won and plucked a bunch of wildflower petals and sprinkled them on me, but as Maurice’s doctor, I decided to have a little more extension time because the treatment results were not satisfactory yet.
This time it’s the Taiko Master therapy.
I picked up the axe handles that Claudie had cut into three pieces with both hands.
ㅡRefreshing sweat flowed.
“Hoo, mister, are you a good boy now?!”
“Gelelgelelgel…”
The duel only ended after I had completely fucked up Maurice. He foamed at the mouth.
A sense of satisfaction that I hadn’t killed anyone and that I had resocialized him as a member of society welled up from the bottom of my heart.
“Hehehe, that was really good! I’m sure Hel-kan enjoyed watching it too!”
Claudie, with a smile on her face, patted me on the back. It was a blow that seemed to crush the armor. I feel like this has happened once before.
“Okay, you won. So, what should we do with the hide?”
I straddled Maurice’s stomach. What should we do with the hide? It would be good to sell it and divide it, but I didn’t want Maurice to get a share of it.
I felt a little bad to leave Maurice out and divide it among ourselves. He was my patient. At some point, we had developed a bond that transcended doctor and patient.
“Then… ah, that would be good.”
Then, what should I do with it? If I swallow it, Gibson will be caught.
Then, there is only one answer.
“Ms. Claudie, you should take this hide.”
“Huh? Me?”
She tilted her head as if surprised.
“Yes. In the first place, it was thanks to Ms. Claudie that we solved it. And didn’t you peel off all the hides of these Scale Wolves in the first place? If you consider that hard work, I think it would be best for Ms. Claudie to just take it.”
Gibson hadn’t contributed anything to the resolution of the situation, so I decided to just hand it over to Claudie. Peeling off the hide is also a skill. If it wasn’t for her, it would have taken longer, and the condition would have deteriorated due to poor skills, so I wouldn’t have been able to get the right price.
“…Okay. Since you say so, I’ll take it.”
“Buy some엿with it.”
“엿?”
“I mean buy something delicious.”
Claudie, who received the hide, stared at my face for a while.
“Why? I’m embarrassed.”
“…It’s nothing. Okay, let’s go back.”
