Monk Kim Ho’s off-beat projectile attacks combined with sweep kicks kept going without pause.
Yap yap, yap yap-yap! Yap, yap-yap!
[K.O!!]
Until the fighter’s health bar was completely drained.
Looking across, a thick vein had bulged on the Blood Sword Commander’s forehead.
But it quickly disappeared, and he steadied himself with a few deep breaths.
“Hoo— Ha— Hoo— Ha……”
Then, pretending to be composed, he spoke.
“So your hobby is making people angry. That’s quite a bold claim. It was certainly… a unique kind of stimulation.”
“You don’t think that was the end, do you? We’re just getting started.”
“……!?”
For a moment, the Blood Sword Commander’s expression stiffened, but then he let out a confident smile.
“…As expected, you don’t disappoint. Let’s continue.”
“Sounds good. Next round.”
Soon, we each inserted another coin into the arcade machine, and the character select screen appeared again.
The reason even I, the winner, was playing again was simple.
He can’t be allowed to build up resistance.
If someone is exposed to the same kind of irritation over and over, they eventually grow numb to it.
I needed to provide a different kind of frustration.
Fortunately, this fighting game had a wide variety of characters.
While the Blood Sword Commander once again chose his standard fighter,
On my screen stood a bulky sumo wrestler.
Every time he moved, his belly jiggled heavily.
My favorite character.
Before long, the screen shifted to the stage.
The two characters glared at each other from opposite ends as the message appeared.
[Ready?]
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
The wrestler lumbered forward with heavy steps.
Unlike the monk, he didn’t have any long-range attacks.
But his true strength showed once he got up close.
He reached out with his thick arms, grabbed the Blood Sword Commander’s fighter—
“Here we go!”
—and hurled him clean over his shoulder.
The fighter crashed to the ground in an awkward heap before getting back up.
But by then, the wrestler was already reaching out again with both arms.
“Hraaah! Hup!”
A booming battle cry, followed by a clean throw.
Just as he tried to go for another technique, the Blood Sword Commander’s fighter stepped back to create distance.
Then he launched a flashy combo attack, but something that hadn’t worked in the first match wasn’t about to suddenly work now.
“I can see it allll~~”
Not a single hit got through. Perfect defense, followed by a smooth, flowing counterattack.
The wrestler subdued the fighter with a joint lock, then grabbed him by the collar and hurled him hard.
“Here we go—!”
Throw, throw, joint lock, slam, throw, joint lock, grab and trip him down…….
From the Blood Sword Commander’s perspective, every time he tried to do anything, he got caught in another technique. He was spending more time watching helplessly than actually controlling his character.
The sense of powerlessness and frustration he must have been feeling was probably beyond words.
“……”
“……”
Meanwhile, my companions were now looking at me with expressions that went past cold… more like they were staring at trash.
This is all for the sake of world peace.
Shouldn’t that earn me at least a little understanding?
“Hrrat-cha-cha!”
Even then, the wrestler continued showing off a wide variety of techniques.
But just like with the monk, the fun didn’t last long.
[K.O!!]
The fighter’s health was chipped away bit by bit until he finally collapsed.
At the machine across from me, the Blood Sword Commander—
“Khrrrgh…… Haaah…… Khrrrgh……!”
—was breathing heavily and roughly.
Veins bulged across his forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot red.
“……”
A naturally hostile atmosphere began to form.
The Blood Sword unit members surrounded us, casting grim, ominous looks.
They looked ready to attack at any moment.
In response, my group also shifted into a combative stance.
Metal balls clinked in Dang Il-bi’s hand, while Ahn Jeong-mi and Seo Ye-in prepared to draw their magic guns at any second.
Even the shadow at my feet churned violently.
Fortunately or unfortunately the Blood Sword Commander seemed to regain his composure just before exploding.
“Khrrrgh…….”
With one last deep breath, he returned to his usual clean-cut, almost church man-like appearance.
Just as he was about to speak, I cut in first.
“I trust you’re not about to say ‘let’s call it here’ already. Someone of your stature…the great commander of the Shura Blood Sword Unit…”
“Wait, what I was going to say was—”
“Isn’t the Blood Cult ruled by the law of the strong? You should show your subordinates a strong and impressive side of yourself.”
If he refused here, he’d only end up humiliating himself in front of his men.
Before the Blood Sword Commander could say anything else, I fired off a barrage of taunts like a machine gun.
“Of course, if this is your first time dealing with something like this, it’s understandable to be afraid. Anyone would be when facing an insurmountable opponent.”
“……!”
“Still, I’m a bit surprised. You’ve been part of the Blood Cult all this time, and you’ve never met someone like me?”
“You—”
“Maybe it’s a better place to live than I thought. Could be a warm, welcoming community once you get to know it.”
“…Don’t make baseless assumptions.”
“Did I go too far? Still, isn’t it true? You’re hesitating.”
Across all times and places, a simple “What, scared?” was always effective.
The Blood Sword Commander’s face stiffened as he shot back,
“When did I ever hesitate? You kept interrupting me, that’s all.”
“Then I must’ve been mistaken. In that case, we can go straight to the next match, right?”
“…Fine.”
This is the kind of moment you’re supposed to handle better.
If he truly wanted to cultivate his mind and achieve composure, he should’ve just laughed off my taunts and deferred it for later.
That would actually bring him closer to enlightenment.
But it seemed the Blood Sword Commander still had a long way to go.
If he used this failure as a stepping stone, he might reach that level someday—
But will there even be a next time?
Pushing that thought aside, I looked at the character selection screen.
The Blood Sword Commander seemed to be changing strategies and picked a different character.
Instead of a “standard fighter” he chose a more “balanced fighter”.
Meanwhile, on my screen appeared an old master of fist techniques. His hair was completely white and his face was full of wrinkles.
He was also tiny and frail, about the size of a child, with a hunched back that barely reached other characters’ chests.
He had an official name, but I gave him my own nickname.
Up-and-Down Grandpa.
Everyone will see why soon enough.
Naturally, he was my favorite character.
The screen soon transitioned, and the countdown began.
[Ready?]
[3]
[2]
[1]
[Start!]
The two characters quickly closed the distance.
The first to strike was the “Up-and-Down Grandpa” I was controlling.
He shot his hand out like a mantis and jabbed at the opponent’s Adam’s apple.
“The top’s wide open!”
Next, he kicked the opponent’s knee and shouted again.
“The bottom’s exposed!”
Then he struck the opponent’s jaw.
“Found a weakness up top!”
“Top! Bottom! Up! Down! Down! Up! Up!”
Relentlessly targeting high and low without pause. That’s why he’s called “Up-and-Down Grandpa”.
The Blood Sword Commander did his best to defend, but the constant mix-ups were impossible to keep track of, and he started taking clean hits one after another.
Once again, my companions turned to look at me.
“……!”
“……!”
They even seemed a bit awestruck at how creatively I could torment an opponent.
Dang Il-bi muttered under his breath.
“What a terrifying man. One we must never make an enemy of……”
Meanwhile, the forced high-low guessing game continued, and the “balanced fighter” was finally struck in the throat and collapsed onto the ground.
[K.O!!]
Crash!
With a loud impact, the arcade machine on the other side shattered into pieces.
Unable to continue the game, the Blood Sword Commander slowly rose from his seat.
“……”
He glared at me while trembling—
—but only for a moment.
His face quickly turned pale, and he vomited a mouthful of blood.
“Gwehck!”
Not only had his [Geas – Clear Mind Like Still Water] been broken, but his internal energy had gone haywire, pushing him into qi deviation.
The Blood Sword unit members watching shouted in alarm.
“Commander!”
“What are you waiting for?! Attack!”
At the order of a man who seemed to be a vice-commander, they all drew their swords and charged in from all directions.
Dang Il-bi immediately swept his hand wide.
Steel balls, infused with immense internal energy, scattered outward.
Clang! Clang!
Thud-thud-thud!
Most deflected or blocked them with their swords, but some were struck directly and pierced through by the steel balls.
Even those who managed to defend were forced to hesitate for a moment and Ahn Jeong-mi and Seo Ye-in seized that opening, firing a barrage of mana bullets.
Ratatatatatatata!
Several Blood Sword members were hit by the shots, while others deflected them as they pushed forward.
And the moment a sword was swung, a mass of shadow suddenly surged up from beneath Seo Ye-in’s feet and blocked the strike with its body.
It was none other than Qyu Lab Director.
Spat!
Right after, a pitch-black form brushed past a Blood Sword member at a speed too fast to see, and he collapsed to the ground clutching his neck.
After even summoning Qyu Shadow Lord, Dang Gyu-young also emerged from my shadow.
When she waved her hand toward the fallen Blood Sword members, their shadows abandoned their owners and were drawn in.
Sssssss…….
“The unbearable slot emptiness ends now…….”
▷Shadow Extraction [4/4]
1. Lab Director (A)
2. Shadow Lord (A)
3. Blood Sword Member (B)
4. Blood Sword Member (B+)
In the next moment, shadows surged upward, and two Shura Blood Sword members…no, two Qyu Blood Sword members were summoned.
And they began swinging their swords at their former comrades.
Not stopping there, Dang Gyu-young focused her mind.
The shadow at her feet spread out in all directions.
Sssssss…….
The entire game center, from floor to walls to ceiling, was dyed black.
She had deployed [Shadow Corridor].
Slash!
A Blood Sword member severed a Qyu Sword member’s neck, but another Qyu Sword member immediately rose up beside him.
Just as he tried to sever another neck, a steel ball flying in from the side pierced through his abdomen.
“Urgh.”
The entrance of the game center was also in chaos.
Shweeeeeee—!
Tududududu!
It seemed Dan Han-bi and the Hye-seong Group employees were pushing in to join the fight.
The Shura Blood Sword unit was a formidable force in its own right, but their opponents included multiple A-rank experts.
On top of that, their leader had already been neutralized, causing the tide to tilt sharply in our favor.
Not long after the battle began, their numbers had already been reduced to less than half.
And then it happened.
Kwoooooah—!
From within the pitch-black interior filled with shadows, a blood-red aura surged upward.
At its center was, as expected, the Blood Sword Commander.
Soon, the aura took shape, transforming into six arms, each gripping a sword.
[Asura Blood Demon Art].
There was no longer any trace of the gentle, church man figure on the Blood Sword Commander’s face.
Rather, he had become something closer to an evil spirit, or a yaksha.
He glared at me and spat out his words as if chewing them.
“I will tear you apart and kill you, no matter what.”
I had thoroughly provoked his anger, and on top of that, he had lost one of his powerful traits.
He must have wanted to vent his rage, at the very least.
In that case, as a proper hero candidate of the Dragon Slayer Academy, I had a duty to answer his sincerity.
So I raised my voice to the fullest and mimicked the lines of the characters I had controlled until now.
“Yap yap! Hrrat-cha-cha! Your upper guard is open! Your lower guard is weak!”
“Yooou—!”
With a furious roar, the Blood Sword Commander kicked off the ground.
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