<Chapter 1446> 1446. Dark Moon
A grenade soared through the air, colliding with my barrier and detonating in a burst of fiery chaos.
Shrapnel hammered against the barrier like a savage drumbeat, but it remained unyielding, steadfast. My barrier stood as resilient as ever.
“This isn’t our league! We need to report this to the boss…!”
The thugs turned tail, panic-stricken, attempting a hasty retreat.
But I had no intention of letting them escape so easily. With a casual flick of my hand, the winds began to stir.
[Wind Cutter]
Blades of razor-sharp wind sliced cleanly through their arms and legs, severing limb from body.
“AAAAAAAAAAH!”
Their blood painted the alleyway in crimson hues, a deliberate act on my part.
‘These ones are examples.’
I needed to appear as brutal as possible. Fear was the weapon here—if they were too terrified to rise against me, all the better.
I raised my palm.
WHOOSH.
An invisible storm swirled atop my outstretched hand.
“S-someone save us…!”
I unleashed the wind upon those who could no longer flee, their limbs severed. Like meat being churned in a blender, their bodies were mercilessly shredded by the swirling gale. Turning away from the mangled remains, I strode toward the gang’s hideout, the sticky residue of their blood clinging to the soles of my boots.
It wasn’t exactly a pleasant sensation.
Twenty meters ahead, the building loomed into view. It was undoubtedly the Harv’s Gang headquarters. But there would be no foolish charge straight into enemy territory.
‘They must’ve heard the screams of their dying comrades. They likely know I’m here and have set traps accordingly. Not that I’m truly worried—but one can never be too cautious.’
[Detection]
I cast the spell, sending ripples of mana outward in concentric circles. Information flooded back to me, painting a vivid picture of the surrounding area.
‘No traps in the alleyways for now…’
My gaze shifted to the building before me.
‘Twenty-three men. They’re surrounding the entrance, fully armed. And that figure at the back—Harv himself, perhaps?’
The optimal solution would be to avoid entering the hideout altogether and instead unleash an area-of-effect spell right here in the street. A single devastating blast could obliterate both the hideout and its occupants.
‘But that wouldn’t leave much room for fear, would it?’
Besides, there were things I still needed to confirm.
With calm determination, I took a step forward toward their lair.
Using telekinesis, I opened the entrance and stepped inside. Hostile eyes pierced me from every corner of the room. The faces of the gang members brimmed with menace; some bared their teeth like feral beasts, growling threats under their breath.
‘Do they think feigning anger will mask their terror? How pitiful.’
If they wanted to attack, then let them try. My hand slipped casually into my pocket, though my layered barriers—five in total—were already prepared. Even if they somehow managed to bring down this entire hideout with explosives, it wouldn’t so much as scratch me.
“What brings a magician to our humble abode?”
From the rear of the room, a black man with a scarred cheek and a shaved head bearing red tattoos regarded me with suspicion.
“Why has a magician come here?”
“What do you—”
“Are you seriously asking this in such a casual way? Your gang started it, didn’t you?”
“…We’re laying low. Recently, we killed some sniveling guy, but unfortunately he turned out to be a government official. So here we are, lying flat.”
“Yoo Yu Chicken.”
“Hm?”
“The owner of that place is me.”
“……”
“You should know why you deserve to die now.”
I openly raised my hand. A magic circle forms in mid-air.
“Wait! Hold on just a second! It seems there’s been some misunderstanding. We never intended to kill you! We just wanted to figure out the chicken recipe!”
“And what were you planning to do with the recipe? Start a chicken business?”
“Sell it! An old friend of mine said that recipe was definitely worth money! He even said he’d buy it himself!”
“Who is this friend?”
“Jon Clark! The owner of the Fish & Chips shop across from yours!”
“……”
My face contorted with anger. When they spread rumors about using dirty oil to sabotage my business, I somehow managed to hold back. But now they’re trying to kidnap me and steal my recipe using a gang? Would it have ended with just kidnapping if I weren’t capable?
As the shining magic circle disappeared, Harvess let out a sigh of relief.
“Alright. Let’s settle this with words. If there’s been a misunderstanding, we can clear it up, right? We admit we were wrong first. If I had known you were like this, I wouldn’t have messed with you. This whole thing happened because Jon Clark made an unreasonable request. We need to teach *him* a lesson.”
“Isn’t Jon Clark your old friend?”
“So he *was* a friend. Apparently, he killed one of our guys in an alley… But let’s not dwell on that misunderstanding. Jon Clark will get his. We’ll handle it ourselves, so let’s call it quits here.”
“What if I say no?”
“……It’s best not to underestimate us too much, spellcaster.”
The thug began channeling mana. His muscles bulged, and his eyes turned blood red.
‘Barbarian Warrior.’
One of the selectable classes from the original game.
The Barbarian Warrior’s core ability is Berserk (1). By consuming both mana and life force simultaneously, they drastically enhance their physical abilities. Life force can be restored through healing.
Snap.
I flicked my finger.
Three magic circles instantly formed in the air. The thug’s confident expression momentarily warped.
“We’re part of the Jupiter Union. Even if you kill all of us, that won’t be the end. The Jupiter Union will come after you if you kill us.”
“I can negotiate with the Jupiter Union separately. I doubt they’d care about scum like you.”
“We’re a united group! We’ve sworn loyalty over drinks! The Jupiter Union keeps its promises!”
“Please. Criminals talking about honor? You already threw Jon Clark under the bus like trash.”
“That’s different!”
“It’s not. Enough of your nonsense. Time for you to die.”
I activated the prepared spells. Thanks to my rant, the casting time was drawn out quite a bit.
“What are you doing?! Kill him!!”
[Gravity]
[Electric Field]
[Wind Cutter]
The gang members stagger as increased gravity takes effect. On top of that, sizzling electric currents race along the ground, temporarily paralyzing them. Dozens of wind blades soar—not toward them, but directly at Harvess. My plan was to eliminate the most troublesome one first, then deal with the rest leisurely.
If there was a miscalculation, it was underestimating how dangerous Harvess truly was.
‘The Wind Cutter didn’t faze him. For someone only ranked 2… Is this the power of a Barbarian Warrior?’
This was my first real encounter with a Barbarian Warrior, hence the oversight.
“ROOOOOAAAAAAR!”
Clangclangclang!
His right arm transforms into a sword…
It’s changing. It’s a fairly sophisticated mechanical prosthetic. A thick, blood-red sword energy clings to the blade. The bastard lunges and swings his sword. One barrier shattered.
‘Still got 4 barriers left.’
While the brute pounds on the barrier, I calmly calculate my spell formulas.
“Gggghhhhaaaaaa!”
“Boss! Boss! Help us!”
“This crazy bitch… Appeared out of nowhere…!”
Screams and gunshots erupt from behind.
“What the hell is that?!”
Harvus’s face contorts in anguish. Something was rampaging behind me. My curiosity and alertness spiked simultaneously. It’s not wise to take my eyes off the enemy in front, but whatever’s back there might be an even stronger foe than Harvus. Trusting in my barriers, I glance backward.
It was a ninja.
A silver-suited cyber-ninja. The tight suit clung to her body, revealing every curve. Her chest and hips were so large they reminded me of watermelons.
She wore a fox mask, with dark brown hair tied into a ponytail.
The ninja darted between the gangsters, swinging her ninjato. Though the gang members couldn’t keep up with her speed, I could clearly see her every move. The problem? My eyes kept drifting toward her bouncing, voluptuous bosom.
‘This isn’t important right now. Focus…’
My gaze drifts back to her chest.
I couldn’t help it. It’s a man’s instinct. And surely, that’s what she intended.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The female ninja slaughtered the gangsters as she charged toward me. Her skills were impeccable—she’d decapitated 22 men, yet not a single drop of blood stained her body.
I unleashed the magic I’d prepared.
[SPIKE]
Huge spikes erupted from the ground, impaling her body.
Poomf!
With a deflating explosion, her body burst like a water balloon, turning into water before splashing onto the floor.
“What the hell are you?!”
I turned around again. There she stood, holding her ninjato, slightly leaning forward. Her enormous breasts sagged downward, capturing my attention once more. I forced myself to look away and glanced at Harvus, who was trembling with his right shoulder severed.
The judgment came swiftly.
The ninja’s target wasn’t me—it was Harvus. More specifically, the destruction of Harvus’s gang. The reason? Unknown. Could be personal vengeance or a job. I lean toward the latter.
I extended my hand—not toward the ninja, but toward Harvus.
[LIGHTNING GRAB]
I cast the third-tier spell. Electric currents crackled from my hand gripping his head, illuminating the space. The electricity vaporized not only his brain but also his blood. Smoke rose from Harvus’s fallen body.
“This guy was mine first.”
“…”
“If you wish, you can claim you killed him. I don’t care.”
The female ninja relaxed her stance, ready to pounce just moments ago. She straightened her back, showcasing her curvaceous figure even more blatantly. Her overly sensual physique made *me* feel awkward just looking at her.
“Domu. Eugene Meyer. Invisible Blade.”
“Domu. Invisible Blade. Eugene Meyer. …You know me?”
“Heheh. You’re the rising star of this industry. I’ve heard stories. You’re the first person in this city who’s acknowledged my greeting. Since I’m in a good mood today, I’ll quietly withdraw.”
“Hold on, wait. The power you use is….”
Before I could finish, the ninja sprinted toward the window. Crasshh! She disappeared, flaunting her massive rear end as she went.
