NOVEL WEB Chapter 62
“Even if I don’t eliminate them, they’ll either self-destruct fighting amongst themselves, get taken out by monsters, or fail to meet the benchmark points and wipe themselves out.”
Sure, they call it benchmark points, but like with absolute evaluations, the passing cut-off is terrifyingly high.
On top of that, the time given is set up so that you don’t have enough to take down low-scoring monsters to meet the benchmark.
Those weaklings without the guts to step on others are basically designed to fail no matter what they do—it’s a pretty ruthless structure of the monster hunt.
But if you ask why I’m targeting the weaklings who will fall out on their own…
“Because it’s fun.”
Staring at me, on the verge of paralysis with my body froze and tongue stiffening, was some nameless extra who asked why I was taking out people first instead of monsters.
I could’ve given a nicer, more plausible reason. If I claimed competitor elimination to monopolize the monsters, that guy would’ve probably resigned himself to it.
But I thought that kind of expression was pretty boring. If possible, I wanted him to squirm and refuse to accept it, claiming it was nonsense.
In pain and despair, cursing myself for being unable to resist a reason I couldn’t accept.
Wishing to live, not wanting to end like this, crawling desperately till the last moments of breath…
That ridiculous and amusing expression is just so entertaining.
I know, my nature is truly awful.
Even that person voiced a strong opinion about it, saying everything else is fine, but couldn’t we do something about that?
However, I just couldn’t help it. I was born this way. What can I do, Boss?
It’s just so enjoyable to trample on the hopes of others.
With claws, I ripped the throat of the extra glaring at me with bloodshot eyes, silencing him.
Of course, his head didn’t come off; that would be too much.
Before long, the extra crumbled away, vanishing like smoke. Tsk. If only this space could simulate blood splattering too.
Calming my disappointment, I released the hardened slime I was controlling.
…This suit is starting to grow on me a bit?
I never fought anyone while wearing it, so I wasn’t sure, but wow, this slime is surprisingly sturdy.
I knew it could change form, but still, I had been dismissing it since, you know, it’s just slime.
However, after slicing through some lackey’s magical barrier, I changed my mind.
I thought it would break. Never expected to slice it in one go.
And I wasn’t even using full power! I just swung casually, thinking it would break, and it did.
For a lackey, it was a pretty solid barrier, just to be clear. Hence, I attacked on purpose.
If sturdy is all it had, then that wasn’t the case. I think it even provides a slight strength enhancement effect.
Although I can amplify my strength with magic, I couldn’t swing a boy my size around.
But while wearing this suit, I could do it.
Comparing it to real enhancements, it’s lacking, but still, considering it’s just a suit, it was an extravagant feature.
On top of that, it can harden itself right before a hit—this slime is way too smart to just be called slime.
It’s definitely not made from regular slime, that’s for sure. But I wouldn’t know how it’s made.
All I can do is enjoy the suit’s features to the fullest.
Of course, although it has many good features, I could never adapt to its looks.
Injecting magic into my legs, I leaped up into a tree, then nervously looked for my next prey.
With the time spent hunting weak ones to meet the benchmark while trying to catch high-scoring monsters, I was low on time.
It’s not like there’s a penalty for not meeting the target, but I want to feel good about it.
While surveying from way up high, I suddenly heard a loud noise not far away—was a fight breaking out?
Finally, the tear-jerking bloodbath among the weak was starting. I was getting all hyped to watch instead of hunt.
After all, the more pathetic the fight, the more thrilling the spectacle! With no onlookers around, I hopped madly between trees towards the scene.
And the fight turned out to be from someone I didn’t expect at all.
“Now I get it, Class A? You just got lucky to sit there.”
“Shut up…”
Lucia and a girl presumed to be from Class B were battling it out, both using their powers.
Lucia was using shadows to attack, but the girl she was up against had light powers, a complete counter, and it seemed she was struggling.
This scene feels familiar… Oh right, it was a quick panel in the original where they cut to show the heroine’s side when she and the protagonist separated.
If I remember correctly, soon Lucia will push past the critical point and start using light.
The girl will just barely dodge it and then concede upon feeling the difference in ability.
Thinking of seeing a scene from the original made me a bit happy. But it’s a signature move, so it would be boring if she dodged it.
Carefully approaching without getting noticed, I shaped my fingers like a gun and aimed at the Class B girl.
During their brawl, with all the noise, I got pretty close and yet that girl didn’t even notice me.
Lucia… I guess her rage made her blind to me.
“…Shut up, just shut your mouth! I didn’t want to be born into this crap either…! So what am I supposed to do!!”
Hearing the girl’s words seemed to topple Lucia’s mental barriers, as light started flowing from her body instead of darkness.
The once all-black hair of Lucia now had strands of white showing through.
An attack was coming soon. The girl must have sensed it, as she tried to evade, twisting her body away from the disaster.
And then our eyes locked.
Goodbye, I mouthed as I shot out a slime needle coated in paralysis poison.
Struck by the slime needle, the girl tried to say something, but her body stiffened and she couldn’t even run away or speak.
So it was only natural she would get knocked out by the radiant light.
“I didn’t want to be born like this either…”
Seeing her cry was delightful, of course. But Minhо would show up soon, so I had to get out of here.
I had to mess up his power-up, but as for the girl situation? No need to touch that.
And maybe more entertainment would come from it.
I couldn’t be sure, but it seemed Class B was trying to keep an eye on Class A.
Leaving Lucia, who was in tears, behind, I made my exit.
Minho would comfort her; my job was to hunt and intrude.
– – – –
“…Phew! Glad I managed to hit the benchmark before it ended, Jinhyeon.”
“Right? I had no idea that only the last attacker gets the points. Almost got into big trouble.”
Yeonhwa said she was really shocked back there while brushing her chest in relief, but on the other side, she looked worried.
“Why?”
“Well… it doesn’t seem like the game’s structure is team-oriented, right? But we’re currently playing as a team? I’m worried what they might say about that…”
“That’s unlikely. If team play was prohibited, Justitia would have announced it.”
Is that so? Yeonhwa tilted her head but nodded, thinking it might be true.
“Right…?”
“So let’s focus on maintaining our points now. The teacher did say that taking out others to grab their points is one way, too. Less than five minutes left, but there could be thieves lurking.”
“Thieves… Haha. Not exactly a thief. I also caught monsters to earn my points. Well, borrowed a few points from others, but still!”
As we chatted, someone popped out from behind a tree and started talking to us.
Yeonhwa immediately flicked her fingers and ignited her gloves, creating a ring of flame to trap the sudden arrival.
“Whoa. Attacking while I’m talking, huh?”
But the person dodged the fiery ring by jumping and continued speaking while floating high above.
“Don’t worry, I’m not an enemy. At least not right now. The only reason I moved all this way is to make a declaration. While your Class A is drawing the world’s attention, we Class B…”
While he was floating in mid-air, the boy suddenly hunched over strangely and fell straight down.
“Uh, uh…?”
Yeonhwa and I watched in confusion, wondering what he was doing.
It didn’t take long to realize it wasn’t an act, but a real fall.
As he hit the ground, the boy disappeared, turned into powder.
“Wh-what was that…?”
“Oh, don’t be too surprised; it was me. He was being disrespectful, so I just shot him down.”
“Blanca?!”
Yeonhwa looked surprised and pleased when she saw Blanca appear from atop a branch.
“If you’re wondering what I’m doing here, I’ve already scored points and was watching what the others were doing. And just as expected.”
Then she must have seen that.
Blanca warned Yeonhwa not to hug her, saying her clothes would melt if she got too close.
“Just as expected…?”
“Seems like other classes are a bit envious of us. They’re keeping an eye on us.”
“Envious… I think someone mentioned a declaration of war not too long ago, and it’s actually happening.”
Hearing Blanca’s words, Yeonhwa looked a bit pained.
“Blanca, how did you earn your points?”
But my main interest was how she gathered her points.
Was it through righteous means or dangerous ones? I wanted to know.
“I caught some monsters. I took down a few that came charging at me, but they didn’t give much.”
Oh, I see. So it was self-defense.
In that case, it’s fine, I guess.
As the bell indicating the end of the match rang, the first match concluded.