chapter 179 cute mist asks where is my respect

Mack lay on the ground, groaning in pain. His limbs were sprawled out like he had just survived a brutal boss fight—except the boss was Cute Mist's foot.

Cute Mist crossed her arms, still fuming.

Mack slowly sat up, rubbing his bruised leg, then looked at her with the most innocent expression.

Then—he made the biggest mistake of his life.

"Well, you're homeless now, flat-chested girl. Come with me."

Silence.

A storm gathered in Cute Mist's soul.

Mack blinked. "…Uh?"

Then—

"MACK, YOU ABSOLUTE DEAD MAN!"

Her rage exploded.

Mack barely had time to scream before Cute Mist's foot slammed into his side, sending him rolling like a ragdoll.

"CALL ME HOMELESS ONE MORE TIME!" Kick.

"CALL ME FLAT ONE MORE TIME!" Kick.

"I DARE YOU!" Kick.

Mack was now rolling uncontrollably, crashing into bushes, dirt, and despair.

"I'M SORRY—MIST—I MEAN—VICE LEADER—I MEAN—AAARGH!"

He tried to crawl away. She did not let him.

He tried to block the next kick. She kicked harder.

At some point, he resorted to begging.

"MERCY! HAVE MERCY!"

"DID YOU HAVE MERCY WHEN YOU CALLED ME HOMELESS?!"

"I WAS JUST STATING FACTS!"

"OH, YOU'RE REALLY GONNA DIE TODAY."

And thus—Mack was chased, beaten, and re-educated on the importance of respecting Vice Guild Leader Cute Mist.

Mack wiped the dirt off his clothes, taking deep breaths as he slowly got back on his feet. His whole body ached from the relentless kicking, but he still had that stupid grin on his face.

Cute Mist, however, was far from amused.

She stood a few feet away, arms crossed, eyes blazing with barely contained rage. Her foot tapped the ground dangerously, like a warning before the storm.

Mack knew he had already pushed his luck too far.

And yet… he opened his mouth.

"You know… I've been thinking."

Cute Mist's fingers twitched. "Mack."

He ignored the warning in her voice.

"I will not respect you."

The air froze.

Cute Mist's expression darkened. "What did you just say?"

Mack shrugged, completely unfazed.

"You're not a Vice Guild Leader anymore."

He took a step back.

Cute Mist's fists tightened.

"…Mack."

He grinned.

"You're just like me now. A nobody."

Another step back.

Cute Mist inhaled sharply, her knuckles cracking.

Mack's grin widened.

And then, with the courage of a man who valued chaos more than his life, he said—

"A homeless, flat-chested nobody."

Silence.

The air grew thick with murder.

Somewhere in the distance, a bird abruptly changed direction, sensing danger.

The trees seemed to sway away from Cute Mist's aura.

Mack had exactly 0.5 seconds to process his mistake before—

"MACK!!!"

Cute Mist's roar shook the ground.

Mack's survival instincts kicked in immediately. He turned and ran.

FAST.

"AAAHHHHHH!!!" Mack screamed, legs pumping at full speed.

Behind him, Cute Mist was gaining.

"COME BACK HERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE, YOU COWARD!"

"NEVER!!" Mack howled, dodging a flying rock that she had just hurled at him.

"YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?!"

Mack zigzagged between the trees, his brain working at full capacity to escape death. "I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE FUNNY!"

"I'LL SHOW YOU FUNNY, YOU DEAD MAN!"

Somewhere in the distance, a group of innocent travelers had been resting under a tree when suddenly—

A young man BURST out of the bushes, running like his life depended on it.

Followed by an absolutely FURIOUS girl, wielding a rock like she was about to commit war crimes.

The travelers just stared.

Mack tried to wave at them for help, but his arms were busy flailing for balance. "HEL—"

WHAM!

Cute Mist drop-kicked him into a bush.

Mack disappeared into the leaves with a yelp.

The travelers… slowly stood up.

And then, as one, they turned away.

They never spoke of it again.

Mack groaned from inside the bush. His body twitched, half-buried under leaves, dirt, and his own terrible decisions.

Cute Mist stood over him, arms crossed, still seething but slightly less murderously than before. "Are you done?"

Mack spat out a leaf. "Maybe."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "…What can we do now?"

Mack didn't answer immediately.

For the first time since this whole disaster started, he actually looked serious.

Still lying in the bush, he stared up at the sky, deep in thought.

Cute Mist blinked. "…Are you seriously thinking?"

Mack ignored her.

His mind raced.

They had nowhere to go. No guild, no backing, no resources. Their names were probably being dragged through the mud back at Rainbow Solutions right now. And to make things worse, Cute Mist's reputation alone meant that half the other guilds wouldn't even consider taking her in.

Not that she would want to, anyway.

As for himself?

He had never cared about status. But she did.

Mack tapped his chin, still lying in the bush. "…We need a plan."

Cute Mist squinted at him. "That's obvious, dumbass."

Mack didn't even react. He was too busy actually using his brain for once.

They couldn't go back.

Joining another guild was nearly impossible.

Starting from scratch would take forever.

…Unless.

A small grin crept onto his face.

"Hey, Flat—I mean, cute mist."

Cute Mist raised an eyebrow. "…What?"

Mack finally sat up, brushing leaves off himself.

"I think I know what we should do."

Mack brushed off the leaves, his expression oddly serious.

Cute Mist crossed her arms, waiting. "Well? What's your so-called genius plan?"

Mack tapped his chin, looking deep in thought.

Then, in a voice filled with pure mischief, he said—

"First, we accept the truth."

Cute Mist narrowed her eyes. "...What truth?"

Mack grinned. "That you're flat-chested, Cute Mist."

Silence.

The wind stopped.

Somewhere, a bird fell out of a tree.

Cute Mist's fingers twitched.

Mack realized his mistake exactly 0.1 seconds too late.

"WAIT—MIST—LISTEN—"

BAM!

Cute Mist drop-kicked him back into the bush.

Mack disappeared with a scream.