Chapter 95: Bad Fate (2)

My vibe, twice as menacing as usual, spooked So-hee, but she managed to ask.

“Who’s that?”

“Old subordinate.”

I answered simply, but it was more than that.

One of my Organization’s executives.

Not one of the few who knew my face, but his standout trait kept him close for a long time.

I’d leaked info to heroes, getting over half my executives caught, but this guy slipped away.

Given his Trait, getting caught would’ve been harder.

Never thought we’d meet like this.

“So, super strong?”

“Eh, borderline S-rank. Keep him for other uses.”

Borderline S-rank—not to be scoffed at, but by my standards, barely above a nuisance.

His raw combat power lagged behind other executives, but he had strengths that made up for it.

“What’s so great?”

I tapped her nose with my finger.

“His nose. Called himself a wolf, but acted like a dog.”

Most detection Traits relied on sight, hearing, sometimes touch.

Enemies prepped for those, but smell?

They were sloppy.

His nose saved us from traps and ambushes multiple times.

Great for tracking too.

His weaker combat was relative to my top guys—in a back-alley pit like this, he’d rule like a king.

Wolf Fang, striking poses, retreated to the entry tunnel.

The announcer, spitting into the mic, rambled.

[Today’s tournament winner gets a shot at the champion! Before we start…]

I tuned him out, planning how to catch Wolf Fang.

He knew the terrain, was fast, and if he bolted, it’d be tricky.

At least he didn’t know my face—gotta use that.

[For guests wanting to join the event match, you can enter the main bout based on performance…]

Leaning on the railing, So-hee asked?

“You gonna fight down there?”

“Fight? Who?”

Deep in planning, I frowned, puzzled.

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

We stared, mutually baffled.

Our wires crossed.

So-hee flailed her hands, explaining.

“No, in situations like this, don’t you sneak in, climb the ranks, and pop out at the end?”

The announcer was even hyping guest entries.

Given my usual style, she thought I’d mask up, join, and thrash everyone—especially since I was itching to vent.

But I was unfazed.

Realizing her point, I flicked her forehead.

“Ow!”

“Too many dramas. Why bother?”

Sure, these fighters were criminals in an illegal arena—fair game as villains.

But a reason to beat them senseless?

Nope.

Stress relief was a pretext, but these guys weren’t tough punching bags—just water balloons.

Not bursting them was the real work.

Leaning harder on the railing, I added.

“Too much hassle.”

That was the main reason.

I’m no fool.

Why slog through steps when there’s an easier path?

“Let’s watch, move when the time’s right.”

“Got it.”

* * *

The matches dragged on.

As expected, it was a clown show.

If I’d joined, subduing without killing would’ve stressed me out more.

But weak fights were fun for spectators.

The back-and-forth was visible to normals, so the crowd went wild.

Not just hot—madness.

“Wooo!”

So-hee got swept up, gripping the railing, rocking back and forth.

I was a bit shocked.

She’s got a violent streak?

Or pent-up stress?

Gotta watch her.

The match ended.

[Why so fast! Match five done! Winner: ‘Crownless’! Ended it in one round with a hidden trump card! First prelims over! After a break, part two…]

The break calmed the heat. I turned to So-hee, frozen post-match.

I smirked, approaching.

“What, you win a bet?”

She checked her betting ticket.

I’d said watching was boring, so she’d bet blindly.

No info, pure luck and gut.

She’d picked the hardest bet—predicting all five matches’ winners and rounds.

I didn’t think she’d win.

But—

“Yeah.”

She stared between the ticket and me, blurting.

“…Really?”

Now I was stunned.

“How much? You bet ten thousand won?”

“Uh, thirty thousand.”

She checked the odds.

Some were underdogs, so the payout was—

“It’s twenty million now.”

700 times her bet.

A chicken turned into a Bbi Bbi.

I genuinely marveled.

“That’s Trait-level.”

Or possessed by a gambling god.

She got serious.

“Should I quit my job and go pro?”

Normally, I’d call it nonsense, but I couldn’t.

Her eyes were crazed.

Steady public servant, now dopamine-drunk—hard to stay sane.

I sighed inwardly.

Who’d have guessed?

I urged it, so I’d fix it.

Didn’t want a rare friend hooked on gambling.

Silently, I pulled thirty thousand won from my wallet.

“Here.”

She took it, asking.

Why?

Wanna bet together?

“No, give me the ticket.”

She handed it over.

I tore it in half—rip—then shredded it to dust.

“Huh? What?”

She couldn’t process it.

Seconds later, she snapped out of it.

“Why? Why?!”

I dumped the scraps in a trash can.

As she kept yelling “Why,” I tapped my eye with my finger.

“Your eyes went wild. Cash that, you’re hooked.”

I’d run gambling dens as a villain.

Her look was like the worst addicts.

She teared up.

“My money…”

“Your money? I gave you thirty thousand. You lost nothing. Think you can launder that? You’d get caught.”

I could clean it, but no way.

My cold resolve snapped her back.

Slumping, she muttered.

“Yeah, that much money with no info—definitely suspicious.”

She pocketed the crumpled bills.

No more bets.

She poked my side, grumbling, but that was it.

More matches passed.

The main tournament began.

The vibe shifted.

Earlier matches had danger, but they were victorious.

Now, it's different.

Two fighters faced off—not as opponents, but lifelong enemies.

Not subduing—killing was the goal.

Murderous intent flooded the ring.

The crowd’s chants echoed, jagged.

“Kill! Her!”

I frowned.

The ring wasn’t a ring anymore—a sacrificial altar where someone had to die.

The announcer, no longer explaining, hyped the carnage, fueling the crowd’s bloodlust.

Their mad cheers drowned the arena, craving murder.

“Crazy bastards.”

My short verdict.

Even the useless Legal Department would’ve warned me, so this was likely a rare event.

So-hee, sensing the off vibe, looked uneasy.

“Something’s wrong. You okay?”

“Of course not.”

I pondered.

The plan was to watch, move when Wolf Fang hit the ring.

An executive—catching him was worth more than a few escapees.

But—

“Not worth a life.”

Past mistakes didn’t outweigh lives now.

No rules, no fouls.

Crashing the ring wouldn’t be an issue.

As I moved to jump in, a thought stopped me.

Wolf Fang didn’t know my face or voice—always modulated.

But not my scent.

I doubted he’d remember it after ten years, but better minimize variables.

Glancing around, I looked at So-hee.

“What?”

Instead of answering, I hugged her tight—whoosh.

“Eek!”

She stiffened, shocked.

Not a gentle hug—crushing.

No clue why, but she didn’t mind.

As she reached to hug back, I let go.

Her hands flailed in empty air.

“What! Why!”

I tugged my shirt, sniffing deeply, then checked my sleeve.

“Think our scents mixed.”

Unlike her panic, I was calm.

“I don’t smell!”

“Not that kind—human scent. To fool him, they need to blend.”

“S-Skin!”

“I’ll be back.”

Leaving her repeating “Skin!” like a broken record, I leapt over the railing.

Landing below, security guards hiding under the stands tried to stop me.

“Wait! Authorized personnel only!”

They couldn’t.

Easily subduing them, I strode to the octagonal ring.

I tore through the chain-link and iron chains, forcing a gap to enter.

The arena fell silent as I stepped in.

Fighters and crowd froze at my intrusion, but the announcer broke it, thrilled.

[What’s this! A sudden guest intrusion!]

The crowd buzzed.

[A new face!]

Ignoring his squawking, I stood between the fighters, glancing at each.

“I came to watch a fight, not a slaughter. No killing.”

It looked like I was stopping them, but they didn’t feel it.

My gaze, voice, stance—all belittled them.

They weren’t wrong.

I meant it.

Enraged, they charged.

I stayed calm.

“Play nice.”

Blades and Traits aimed at vitals.

Before they hit, I grabbed their wrists.

“Handshake? I’m game.”

Crunch—

Their wrists twisted, weapons dropping.

I kicked them out of the ring.

Crack—

Wrenching their wrists up, I forced them to their knees, grabbing their napes.

They clawed at my hands, but couldn’t break free.

“Time for a peace kiss.”

I slammed their heads together.

Bang!—

Too brutal for a headbutt.

Blood and teeth flew.

Their faces caved, and they passed out.

Stacking them, I sat on top.

The arena went silent.

Two top fighters, downed in seconds—spectators were stunned.

The announcer recovered first, sensing the opportunity.

[A strongman appears! Mocking and crushing ‘Cloud’ and ‘Crazy Guy,’ top contenders! A fate worse than death!]

Ceiling cameras zoomed on me, my face on the screen.

Propping my chin, I said boredly.

“Next.”

Waiting quietly was done.

More matches might turn murderous.

No choice.

I’d teach the value of life, one by one.

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