Chapter 148 – I Also Have Loyalty (1)

I silently observed the description that had appeared before me.

〈Authority of the King of the Underworld〉

A special ability obtained by reinforcing Murasame with the Stone of Immortality.

Simply put, it allowed me to resurrect and control those I had killed myself.

“Wow.”

Without realizing it, I let out an exclamation of amazement.

I finally understood why the players of the original game couldn’t stop talking about special abilities.

“With this, it’s not just worth burning the money for a luxury car—it’s worth burning the money for several houses.”

There were some conditions and restrictions, but it was still an incredible ability. Even so, I couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable with the concept.

Resurrecting enemies I had killed and using them at my convenience.

It was like bringing a fish back to life after turning it into sashimi.

‘…Isn’t this basically necromancy?’

Putting aside the strange feeling, this was great news for someone like me, who relied on fast and precise attacks.

My ability, [Blessing of the God of the Sword], was extremely effective in one-on-one duels.

However, it had a major weakness in fights against multiple opponents.

If the battle dragged on and the enemies kept swarming me, the situation could spiral out of control in a matter of seconds.

I had already experienced that before in the undead dungeon.

Even though the enemies were just simple D-rank corpses, making my way to the Draugr hadn’t been easy.

If it weren’t for Abel and Shail’s help, I wouldn’t have made it to him.

‘Even that night, when I wiped out the villains, I depended on the assistance of Knox and Altair.’

That’s why, if I could now have allies helping me in battle, even if they were corpses under my control, my combat style would become much more versatile.

This ability would be perfect for future dungeons.

In high-level dungeons, it was normal to encounter B-rank monsters as if they were just common enemies.

If I had a mount, I could reduce the consumption of [Blessing of Pain Immunity].

It didn’t matter if that mount was a cold corpse—I wasn’t in a position to be picky.

“It would be nice to have a chance to test this ability before entering a dungeon.”

For now, the only thing I could do was be grateful to Volundr for unlocking this ability for me.

I’d have to compensate him with a good bribe in the future.

“A mount…”

As I spun Murasame’s blade under the moonlight, the word “mount” reminded me of someone.

‘What is Choi Seol-ah doing right now?’

Several days had passed since the start of the semester.

I had seen her that morning, but only in passing.

Even then, she seemed to be avoiding me.

‘…She doesn’t have bad intentions, does she?’

I couldn’t trust her.

She was a former villain with a cunning and opportunistic personality.

She had no sense of loyalty—she only thought about her own benefit.

It was obvious she followed me around simply because it was convenient for her.

“Since she’s an instructor, if I could get her to help me with the election, the process would be easier.”

After storing Murasame in its sheath, I opened my drawer.

Among the essential items, a pair of earrings shimmered with an eerie glow.

They were proof that Choi Seol-ah was my mount.

As long as I had them, her chances of betraying me were practically zero.

However, there was still uncertainty.

Although most of the villains who had infiltrated the academy were already dead, there were still external enemies.

I couldn’t rule out the possibility that Choi Seol-ah might try to join them.

She could be looking for a way to free herself from the bind of these earrings.

“I’d better confirm this as soon as possible.”

I picked up my phone and started typing.

Knock, knock.

[Me: What are you doing?]

[Choi Seol-ah: (……)]

[Me: I need to talk to you in person. If you have time, let’s meet tomorrow.]

[Choi Seol-ah: (……)]

My forehead immediately furrowed. However, I held back before losing my temper.

‘Well… it’s late at night. She doesn’t have to respond right away.’

Besides, it wouldn’t be good if she replied instantly.

We weren’t a couple or anything.

After about 20 minutes of waiting…

Ring~

[Choi Seol-ah: (photo)]

It was an image.

In the photo, Choi Seol-ah was completely covered in blood.

***

A dark corner on the outskirts, shrouded in shadows.

In the center, Choi Seol-ah was chained, surrounded by more than twenty villains. Two burly men stood guard at the entrance.

Step, step—

A man in a black coat walked toward the center. His steps halted right in front of Choi Seol-ah, who was kneeling on the ground.

With her head bowed, her vision only reached the tips of his shoes. A thin trickle of blood dripped from her lips, staining the front of his shoes.

“Hey, Choi Seol-ah.”

“…….”

A gloomy voice ran down her back like a cold current. Since she didn’t respond, the man let out a deep sigh.

“Even if you’re a damn traitor and an idiot, did you really think you could betray us and get away with it? Did you think that just because you were inside the academy, we wouldn’t be able to catch you?”

Bam!

The tip of his shoe, still stained with her blood, dug into Choi Seol-ah’s abdomen.

“Kuhk!”

A sharp groan escaped her throat.

It was just a kick, but it felt as if her insides had twisted.

A thick clot of blood spilled from her mouth.

“My, my. What a pathetic sight for someone who used to call herself a villain. Lift your head. Even though Agor is dead, you still have some mana left, don’t you? Hurry up and heal yourself.”

The man’s gloved hands mockingly patted her swollen cheeks before grabbing her hair roughly and yanking her head back.

“…….”

“Tch. Don’t tell me you bit your tongue and can’t talk.”

The man slightly turned his head back and shouted at one of his subordinates, who was typing on a laptop.

“Any response from the guy we sent the picture to? His saved name is… ‘★My Lord★,’ right? I don’t know who the hell he is, but find him no matter what. If he hasn’t responded, track his signal and bring him here.”

“We’re tracking him, but this is a device exclusively for Joaquin Academy instructors. Its security is too strong. Unless he contacts us first, it’ll be difficult to breach it.”

The man clicked his tongue in frustration.

“If you can’t hack it, you’d better prepare your grave along with this bitch. Find that guy, no matter what.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Ha, ha—

Choi Seol-ah struggled to breathe.

Her lips were torn, her right eye completely swollen and bruised.

The stench of death lingered at the tip of her nose.

“Breathe, breathe… A traitor like you can’t die so fast. That would be too boring.”

Through her blurred vision, she barely made out the face of the man who was mocking her.

His skeletal frame gave him a ghastly appearance.

For days, she had been receiving strange text messages.

She had ignored them, thinking they were just phone scams or insurance ads.

However, for some reason, an eerie sense of unease had settled in her chest, prompting her to minimize any suspicious movements.

Maybe that’s why, when she met her Lord that morning, she only exchanged a brief glance instead of greeting him.

‘Damn it.’

It wasn’t until she was kidnapped that same night that she understood the meaning of those messages.

It was a death sentence sent by an organization.

The Villain Union.

The group that kept these human-shaped beasts under one banner.

They had sent their assassination squad, Vendetta, to execute her.

She had been too naive.

It’s not that she hadn’t anticipated this, but… Maybe she had grown too soft in the warm security of Joaquin Academy.

For a moment, she had forgotten that she was a villain herself.

That she was once Choi Seol-ah… and not just Instructor Kim.

‘…Damn it.’

Vendetta never lets a traitor escape. They are hounds that chase until the end.

And when they catch their prey, they tear it apart mercilessly, like fighting dogs.

These people didn’t just kill their targets.

They delighted in tormenting them before execution, savoring every scream and convulsion of agony.

Even among villains, Vendetta was the worst of the worst.

Not only were they strong, but they were a group of lunatics specialized in assassination and torture.

And in particular, their leader.

He had no real name, like most villains, but his cadaverous face and infamous reputation had earned him the nickname “Reaper.”

He was a trusted subordinate of Damian, that bastard who played at being a professor at the academy.

But unlike his master, Reaper had no restraint whatsoever.

Compared to him, Damian almost seemed like a rational person.

“…Damn useless trash.”

Reaper ran a hand through his hair, revealing his sunken face and sharp cheekbones.

Then, he called out to Choi Seol-ah again.

“Choi Seol-ah.”

“…….”

“Or should I call you Instructor Kim, now that you’re part of Joaquin Academy, huh? Wouldn’t it have been easier to just confess? All the other infiltrators are already dead. I just want to know how it all happened and why you betrayed us.”

With her lips bruised and broken, Choi Seol-ah barely managed to respond.

“…If I tell you… will you let me live?”

At her words, the shadows beneath Reaper’s brows deepened. There was a brief silence.

Then, suddenly, Reaper clutched his forehead and burst into laughter.

“Puhaha! Seriously? You’re still trying to survive? Fuck, you’re a complete lost cause! Listen up. There is no way you’re leaving here alive. But… if you talk and confess everything, maybe I’ll make it quick. I’ll cut off your arms and legs before I kill you.”

“…Ah.”

When Reaper let go of her hair, Choi Seol-ah’s head fell heavily.

She was trembling slightly with her head bowed.

Until just a moment ago, she had thought that the sense of danger she felt was because of Reaper.

But no.

This raw, wild sensation… was something else.

Her bluish lips barely moved.

Seeing her reaction, a mocking grin appeared on Reaper’s lips.

“My, my. Did you break so easily? And here I thought I could have a little more fun.”

Slice!

A single cutting sound echoed from the entrance.

Thud! Thud!

Two bodies fell to the ground almost simultaneously.

Twenty pairs of eyes immediately turned toward the entrance.

And just then…

Plop—

Two headless torsos collapsed, leaving behind a trail of dark blood.

Crack—

The dry sound of leaves being crushed.

But beyond the entrance…

There was nothing.

No.

It was as if everyone’s perception refused to register the presence of something.

“Boss! We’ve managed to track the signal… but something’s off. The location is less than 20 meters from here…”

The villain frantically typing on his laptop lifted his head a second too late.

Just in time to see the gleam of a blade slicing through the darkness and grazing his throat.

Slash!

‘What the hell is this, boss?’

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

He felt a tingling in his neck, like a fever. He looked down.

There was a long, thin knife embedded beneath his chin.

The handle had a 30% discount sticker and the logo of a dollar store.

‘…?’

The moment he grasped the situation, his eyes widened immensely.

His pupils rolled and rolled until only the whites of his eyes were visible.

“…….”

“…….”

In a matter of seconds, three lives had been extinguished.

Two headless bodies.

And an idiot with a knife in his throat.

“Puhahahahahaha!”

Choi Seol-ah burst into laughter.

Realizing something was wrong, Reaper grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up.

The chains binding her tensed, and her legs dangled in the air.

“What the fuck are you laughing at, you piece of shit?! What’s going on?! Is this your doing, Choi Seol-ah?!”

Her crimson bangs partially covered her eyes.

But on her face.

A twisted smile formed.

“You know what…?”

Her mouth opened, revealing sticky blood between her teeth.

And then.

The Vendetta members reacted immediately.

Without wasting any time, they all threw off their gloves and began casting spells.

The elite hunters who once reveled in provoking fear.

Were now consumed by absolute terror.

“Don’t do anything until you identify the enemy!”

“Shit! What the hell is going on?!”

Their bodies trembled instinctively.

Without realizing it, they grouped together, pressing their backs against each other.

Even the most ruthless villains share the same instinct for survival.

Step, step. Slow footsteps approached.

And then, the figure of the intruder appeared.

“Th-The Sashimi Saint?”

A boy with jet-black hair and midnight-colored eyes.

It was as if the darkness itself had birthed him.

“…Ehehe.”

Through her bangs, Choi Seol-ah’s eyes gleamed intensely.

And at the corner of her cracked lips.

A smile just as confident as the one she used to have as a villain took shape.

She took a strained breath and finally, with a trembling voice, murmured.

“You’re fucked.”