Chapter 353

352 Revival and Reunion #3

Criticism and hate comments, along with defamation and strange rumors, are the fate of famous entertainers.

My mom’s favorite singer, Na Hoon-Ah, reportedly said this about the many rumors and criticisms he faced during his lifetime:

“Just let them be. The more they criticize me, the more fiercely those who love me will defend and love me!”

Whether he truly said this or not is uncertain, but one thing is definite—it was an admirable and manly statement.

So, following this teaching, I had decided not to bother explaining or addressing the rumors and criticisms about me and just let them be.

“I’m the even greater man who drove Hassan to d*ath.”

“That’s right, sir! If that pink-haired girl hadn’t used her wicked sorcery, Hassan wouldn’t be seeing the light today!”

“That pink-haired girl. If I see her again, I won’t leave her be. Her outfit was bizarre and drew so much attention-.”

“We’ll catch that foreign witch and show the virility of the continent’s men!”

When I realized the people around me were being harmed by this, it was enough to truly ignite my anger. Let them criticize me—I’ve done many things lacking and have shown cowardice and disgrace in a lot of ways.

But tolerating people who could potentially harm Luna or my other friends felt like something I would regret later.

“Umm, do you not realize someone is listening? Aren’t you being a bit too reckless?”

So I couldn’t help but approach them, even knowing it was a provocation aimed at me.

“Who do you think you are to speak so freely?”

“Sir, over here.”

They were a group of men.

A crowd of rugged men with beards and scars. About ten of them? Judging from the necklaces hanging around their necks, they seemed to be of the Iron Tier or Bronze Tier. Likely adventurers from the Mars Guild. At their waists hung belts full of potions and swords or maces worn from long use.

Their leather armor and shirts were worn but carried an aura of experience and skill rather than just decrepitude.

Such men stood together, darkening the surrounding atmosphere, with passersby slipping away quietly.

It would be appropriate to compare this to avoiding middle school delinquents smoking in a corner.

Adventurers from the Mars Guild, perhaps.

Why would Mars Guild adventurers have a grudge against me?

Of course, plenty of possibilities come to mind. As I’ve already said, I haven’t exactly lived a diligent life. Certainly, making enemies along the way wouldn’t be strange.

“Finally, Samarian.”

“Sir, this is really stirring things up!”

Yet this man, radiating hostility towards me, doesn’t register. He acts like he knows me, but his face doesn’t stir any memory.

Bald. A face that would better be described as scarred and rugged rather than noble—a face you wouldn’t easily forget. Yet simultaneously the stereotypical appearance of a delinquent or thug you might see anywhere.

Still, if he was bald, I wouldn’t have forgotten him easily.

“Who are you?”

“What? This b*stard! How dare you not recognize me? You little fraud!”

In response to my question, the bald leader of this group turned red with anger. His entire head glowed crimson like a boiled lobster.

He shouted.

“I am Uter, the Son of Light, you b*stard! Because of your cowardly tricks, I fell from my position and honor and plunged into ruin!”

Uter?

Uter, the Son of Light.

Ah, indeed, something about that sparked a memory.

Cloud-like, vague memories stirred. Back when I was still new as an adventurer, shortly after meeting Luna, when I trembled with just a few coppers in my pocket.

At that time, I had gotten into a scuffle with some delinquent-like guys and Luna had helped by unleashing her bees. Together, we beat them up.

One of the knives we took from them became a part of my arsenal back when I was making a name for myself as Hassan the Three Sword Style user. One of the Bronze Tier adventurers I defeated at that time must’ve been Uter.

I didn’t know he’d gone to jail?

Already released?

In any case, it’s nice to see him again.

“Hey b*stard, you were that curly-haired punk, weren’t you? Why’s your head bare now? You didn’t use to be this bald.”

“Curls? You curly-haired b*stard! Anyway, glad to meet you. Everyone, watch closely—I’m about to show you what kind of scams this b*stard pulls and how he deceives!”

The group of men who had surrounded me.

If all of them were to attack, it could lead to quite a big problem. It’s not something I could end without bl**d being shed.

As I slightly tensed up,

Slip.

The bald Uter cut off everyone with a gesture and faced me.

“Unaware of the efforts and training I put in in prison just to meet you, are you? All I thought about every day was you—your face, your fists. The humiliation you gave me. Every single day, every single night I thought about you.”

Shiver.

At that moment, an eerie chill ran down my spine.

Thinking about me day and night without fail? Is this guy… gay? Maybe I should’ve suspected it when I saw him surrounded by so many men.

Suddenly, I started feeling apprehensive about all the other guys around here.

“You, bald gay b*stard!”

“What? Bald gay?”

Crack.

Unable to discern whether they were his forehead or scalp, but the veins stood out like crazy. He surely looked like he was about to pounce on me, but—

“I’m not falling for your bullshit taunts anymore. Deceiving others like that is your specialty, isn’t it?”

He regained his calmness and smirked.

“I know all about you, Hassan. There’s probably no one in this city who knows more about you than me. I’ve already heard all about you, your deeds—those things the little nymphs go around claiming, and even that the rumors spread by the wandering minstrel are lies!”

“Minstrel? Do you mean Malco?”

“Yeah, sure it was that b*stard with a shitty name. I already got a full confession out of him.”

Hearing Malco’s name made me feel a brief sense of joy but also concern. Malco wouldn’t normally confess to something like that.

Moreover, I had come into the downtown area to meet Malco, the guy who lived by singing to crowds, hoping he’d have some expertise in handling people, given his experience running a shrine.

“Did you do something to Malco?”

“Ho ho, no need to worry. I’ll do the same to you soon enough!”

Grrr—

The bald man Uter stood before me, fists clenched. His stance was slightly tilted to the side, both legs planted firmly on the ground like sturdy pillars.

“…”

That made me slightly tense up as well. The last time we met, this guy was just some Bronze Tier sword wielder, wasn’t he?

What kind of boxing technique is this?

Still, even for a beginner’s form, his skill seemed relatively firm.

Whoosh—

The pressure emanating from him was comparable to that of seasoned adventurers. It seemed he wasn’t lying about his training and efforts while in prison.

Grrr—

The man’s clenched fists were calloused. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t be as scarred as this.

“Behold the Divine d*ath Fist of Albrheim.”

“The Divine d*ath Fist of Albrheim?”

“My fists can slay gods. I’m going to k*ll you, you barbaric b*stard!”

Whoosh—

Uter rushed at me. His footwork was quick. Closing the distance in the blink of an eye, it was more than mere running—it was proper footwork.

“Flash Cutting of Swift Lightning!”

As he closed the distance, his punch whizzed past my left cheek.

Swish!

I thought I had evaded, but my cheek felt as though it had been sliced by something sharp. bl**d sprayed out like a burst bl**d vessel, which didn’t seem normal.

I quickly distanced myself.

“What the hell is this?”

Crack—

A strange, swirling electrical energy surrounded the man Uter’s fists. Magic? Aura? Something like that. In any case, it wasn’t ordinary.

I had thought of him as just another random Bronze Tier adventurer but clearly, he seemed to have real combat ability.

“You dodged that?”

Though surprised as well, Uter looked similarly unsettled.

After all, when I fought him the last time, I was just a novice adventurer at the Iron Tier. Now, I’m a veteran who’s reached level 35.

Just in time to get rid of built-up energy.

“Che.”

I stomped my feet twice on the ground. My agility, now at superstar-level 10 at level 35.

Pair this with the Flash Step technique taught to me by Kalidur, and my body became like an arrow slicing through the air.

“Jet Kick!”

I lunged towards the man’s body, extending both fists in a cross. My fists carried the force of my strength level 15.

“Argh, Arrrrgh!”

Sensing the danger, Uter screamed and flailed his arms.

However, my fists reached his chest before his could repel mine.

Of course, I stopped just short of making contact.

Boom!

The aftermath, however, violently shook the tree behind him, with strong energy radiating from his chest.

Brick paving stones on the road were sent flying, along with swirling sand and dust.

His punch would’ve been equivalent to what they called the Piercing Fist.

Only because I stopped partway, otherwise, a hole would’ve blasted through his chest, rendering recovery impossible.

“Awwrggh, sh*t… How a kick is supposed to come with fists…?”

Uter lay flat on the ground, trembling.

d*mn. He’s tougher than he looks. It wouldn’t have been strange for him to pass out.

“Arrgghh…”

Ah, he fainted.

Now, I should send him back to jail.

As I reached to grab the back of his collar at that thought,

Zzzzing…

A chill ran down my neck. My fear sensors flared—a powerful killing intent. If I stayed here, I might d*e.

With that thought, I swiftly raised my arm.

Clangclang!

A tremendous impact struck the arm I had raised, akin to being hit by a solid steel rod.

Clang!

An additional sound like a cannonball hitting metal added to the sensation.

“Ugh!”

Even someone as tough as me couldn’t avoid losing balance and kneeling on one knee. I was utterly taken by surprise by this sudden ambush.

Who?

A comrade?

There was no time to think.

Swoosh!

A sharp blade of water aimed for my neck.

Too late to dodge.

The only option was to counterattack. But with the attacker unseen, my punch might reach them before theirs destroyed me.

So I raised my fist with all my might and slammed it into the ground.

Bang!

“Earthflow Wall!”

Simultaneously, a storm of soil, rocks, and broken bricks erupted around me. This debris was irrelevant; what I aimed for was unsettling the attacker’s footing by creating a hollow ground beneath them.

“!”

Someone seemed slightly disconcerted. At the same instant, I created distance between us.

And I, too, was surprised.

“What? You, bald guy! What are you doing attacking me!”

The man who had attacked me was a bald, pointy-eared monk in flowing robes—Kalidur.

“Showing loyalty to fellow baldies?”

I wondered if there was some kind of unspoken bond between bald people. If that subtle reason caused Kalidur to become hostile to me, what should I do?

Could I even defeat that immensely powerful Kalidur?

But Kalidur, calmly flicking the dust from his robes, spoke.

“Not exactly. I merely recognized the unfamiliar energy of a foreigner and challenged you to a duel. To dodge my attack twice was impressive.”

Only then could I relax. As I brushed the dust from my hands, the surrounding onlookers, who had been watching with concern, let out a collective sigh of relief.

Wow, what fists! To tear up the ground like that. He really could handle a lion, it seems.

The rumors must’ve been true…

I suspected new rumors would soon spread across the city. However, there was more pressing matter at hand.

“Kalidur, it’s been a while. How’ve you been?”

When was the last time I saw him? Wasn’t it when Elpride caused that fire?

Kalidur, with his boot pressing down on the neck of the unconscious bald man Uter, said:

“I’m stationed at the Venus Shrine. Heard there was trouble caused by someone demonstrating Albrheim’s martial arts in the park, so I came. What a curious meeting.”

So he’s been living at the Venus Shrine all this time.

Surrounded by beautiful women—suddenly, I started to feel envious of him.

“I heard you’re building a new shrine?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Already aware of your extraordinary energy, I never imagined you’d become a God of this continent.”

“Yeah, me too. It still feels surreal.”

“A person’s perspective and vision don’t change overnight, so it’s natural. Anyway, it’s good to see you again. By the way, there is something I wanted to discuss with you.”

Something to discuss with me?

“What’s that?”

“It’s about a certain woman. Deathshadow.”

Deathshadow?

That name reminded me—it’s the second name of Elpride.

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