9

"I don't particularly want to give punks like you a chance. But, just in case."

The girl pointed a finger at Bram.

"Anyone standing here because they were threatened by him or had no choice?"

As if entirely unfazed by the hostile atmosphere, the girl spoke calmly.

"If so, kneel. I'll spare your life."

"Who does this cocky bitch think she's pointing at?"

A man said, pressing down on the girl's shoulder with force.

'This is my chance to impress Bram.'

Unhappy with his usual position, the man congratulated himself for acting quicker than anyone else, then looked proudly at Bram and said,

"Boss, just give the word. I'll handle this bitch…"

The girl grabbed the man's hand on her shoulder. Then, with a swift motion, she yanked it sideways.

Crunch.

"Huh?"

With a strange noise, the man's arm was torn from his body.

Bright red blood gushed out like a fountain, spraying everywhere.

"Arghhhh!!!"

The man, still unable to comprehend what had happened to him, was overwhelmed by excruciating pain. All he could do was scream.

The girl kicked the man, sending him flying into the wall with a loud crash. His scream stopped abruptly.

"So, I'll take that as no one?"

The girl's murderous aura sent ripples through the crowd. Their comrade had died so easily. Fear began to creep into the men's eyes. A few of the more perceptive ones started sweating, wondering if they should kneel.

"Hahaha!"

Bram laughed loudly in the tense situation.

"So, you really are a monster."

Bram shouted at his subordinates, who were still in shock.

"You cowards! If you retreat from this bitch, I won't forgive you. Anyone who turns their back will face the most brutal punishment."

His booming voice shifted the atmosphere back to him.

"But, anyone who kills that girl will be richly rewarded. Expect something you'll never get again."

Perhaps it was no surprise that Bram was their leader. His words instantly changed the mood. The fear in the men's eyes disappeared, replaced only by greed.

"I guess I shouldn't have said anything."

Watching the men, the girl smiled faintly.

"Hell…"

The man's name was Fargal, a refugee who had fled his home country and hidden himself in Drax.

After becoming one of Bram's henchmen to survive, Fargal spent his days in reckless indulgence, living without care.

But now, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Smash.

Crunch.

Bang!

With each kick, flesh and bone were torn apart. People were literally being ripped apart in the girl's hands, like a child playing with balloons.

The space, soaked in the blood of countless corpses, resembled something straight out of hell.

Fargal had already lost his will to fight and collapsed to the ground. Trapped in overwhelming terror, his body was frozen stiff, unable to move an inch.

Death slowly approached him.

"I… I don't want to die…"

A white leg, stained with blood, appeared before his eyes.

That was the end of the line for Fargal.

"Useless fools."

Bram thought as he watched his subordinates die helplessly.

The sight of them, frozen in fear, doing nothing but waiting for death, looked utterly pathetic to Bram, who had once been a warrior.

His last subordinate had fallen without him realizing it.

As if to signal that he was next, the girl turned her head towards Bram.

"Yes… Monsters should play with other monsters."

The girl tilted her head in confusion at his words.

"A monster? You?"

Was she trying to provoke him? The girl looked at Bram with a contemptuous expression. Seeing her, Bram laughed inwardly.

"Yes… Be as careless as you like… I'll send you off just like I did him."

When Bram had lived the life of a warrior, there was a comrade who fought beside him, cutting down enemies.

But Bram resented him.

When Bram killed ten, that man felled thirty. When Bram killed one beast, that man hunted five.

An insurmountable wall. Bram couldn't accept that fact.

Eventually, Bram's resentment turned towards the man's life. When he caught him sleeping, Bram took his eyes, and with that, he easily surpassed the wall before him.

No matter how much one trained, the human body had limits. Bram knew that the cost of carelessness was death.

"Heh… Perhaps that's how it seems to you… But do you know this, girl?"

Bram slowly approached the girl, his hand hidden in his coat.

The girl stared blankly at him, as if she couldn't understand what he was doing.

When he finally pulled his hand out of his coat…

A handgun was in his grip.

Bang.

"…!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Bram fired.

The bullet lodged in the middle of the girl's chest.

Bram immediately swung his fist, striking the girl in the face. She collapsed to the ground from the impact.

"No matter how monstrous you are, you still only have one life. It's too precious to lose carelessly."

He tucked the gun back into his coat as he spoke.

"Still, I'm impressed. To have slaughtered all of my subordinates like this… Hahaha."

He stared at the fallen girl for a moment.

Then, as if his business with her was finished, he looked away and turned his gaze to Dania.

"This side is done. What about you?"

But Dania wasn't looking at Bram.

"Where are you looking…"

"He said he was a warrior, but his actions are more like a thug."

When he turned his head, the girl he had clearly killed was standing up lightly, as if nothing had happened.

"You! I definitely shot you! How are you…?!"

At a very close range, he had driven a bullet straight into her chest. No matter how much mana a superhuman possessed, she shouldn't have been fine.

"Are you an idiot?"

In the blink of an eye, the girl was right in front of him, swinging her fist toward his chest.

"My body remains unscathed even after smashing through rocks. Do you think a mere bullet, with no mana infused, would bring me down?"

Boom!

"Ugh…!"

He raised his arms to block, but her punch blew right through his guard, leaving a massive hole in his chest. Bram was sent flying and landed on the ground, vomiting blood.

"Ugh… You… bitch…"

The pool of his own blood beneath him grew larger, and his vision gradually blurred.

"I can't… die like this…"

"It's time for the extra to exit the stage."

Not understanding her words, Bram closed his eyes.

For someone who had been known as the feared King of the West, it was an absurdly futile death.

Lily stared blankly.

Bright red blood scattered everywhere like falling petals, the terrible screams of the dying, and body parts strewn about.

None of it registered in Lily's eyes.

What her gaze followed was a girl who seemed out of place amidst this grotesque scene.

The girl moved lightly, as if dancing, and a trail of blood followed her path like decoration, enhancing her presence.

Like a proud swan, radiating an elegant aura, the girl dominated the space around her.

Lily couldn't take her eyes off her.

'Beautiful…'

Thump-thump.

Lily's heart pounded heavily as intense emotions welled up within her.

'Ha… That scared me.'

When Bram fired the gun, my body instinctively flinched.

Having completed my military service, I knew well the destructive power of a gun. The gunfire was so loud it caused a ringing in my ears.

A single graze could leave lasting damage. A direct hit from the bullet would cause my body to explode from the sheer rotational force.

The memories etched into me during my time in the military surfaced again with the sound of the gunshot.

But the bullet had no effect on me.

The bullet aimed at my chest had only pierced my clothes, reminding me once again that this wasn't South Korea, but a world straight out of a fantasy.

I looked down at my hands.

They were so covered in blood that I could no longer see the pale skin underneath.

How many people have I killed?

Despite having slaughtered so many, my heart was not greatly disturbed. No, in fact, I felt a strange enjoyment, as if I were playing a game.

Am I unconsciously convincing myself that this is just a story in a novel?

I felt as though my heart was growing cold.

Though the place I'm in now is my reality, it's a world created by someone else. A story that follows the natural order, with a predetermined ending.

'It feels a bit lonely…'

I'm the only one who knows the future of this world.

Suddenly, I felt like I was the only one left in this world.

What reason do I have to stay in this world? Could it be that I—

"Hera!!!"

"Ugh?"

Dania hugged me from the front, when did she even get close?

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?!"

"Da…Dania? Mmff!"

"Hera… Thank you… thank you so much…"

Dania buried me in her embrace.

What I felt on my face was something soft and plushy. And this… this is…

"W-wait… That's… your… chest! No, hang on…! Ugh…"

"Blood! You're getting blood on you!"

"Just… stay like this for a moment… please… sniff…"

My mind went blank.

This situation was far too stimulating for me.

Even before I was possessed, I never had any connections with women!!

"Haa… Dania…"

But I couldn't resist the overwhelming warmth enveloping me.

'This… this feels good…'

After holding me for a while, Dania finally let go.

My face turned just as red as Dania's.

"I'm sorry… for hugging you so suddenly…"

"N-no… It's fine… but your clothes… the blood…"

She smiled at me softly, as if nothing had happened.

"It's alright. But more importantly, are you really okay, Hera?"

Looking at Dania's worried expression, I felt my heart warm up.

"I'm fine. Thank you for worrying about me, Dania."

"I'm really glad… Huh? Lily?"

A young girl tugged at Dania's sleeve from behind. I locked eyes with her.

She had ashen-gray hair with a silvery sheen, and her amethyst-like violet eyes gleamed. Though her face was still youthful, her beauty already shone through.

She was Lily, the yandere heroine who always followed the protagonist around.

"H-hello, Unnie…"

She shyly greeted me while glancing up at me.

It seems there are going to be a lot of things to think about moving forward.