Chapter 123: Clash of Brute Strength and Skill (Bonus)

Whether they surrendered or resisted, the outcome would be the same.

Finn didn't care what choice this toad of a woman would make. Aside from retrieving that special child, his mission was to utterly crush Ishtar's forces.

Phryne Jamil was Ishtar's only real combat asset—the sole Level 5 in the Familia—so naturally, she was at the top of his list for a thorough beating.

For the sake of the Pallum's rise, Finn wasn't about to let any opportunity to showcase their strength slip away.

"Arghhhh!"

Phryne gripped her axe tightly, her massive body accelerating with shocking speed. It was hard to believe that such momentum could come from a woman over two meters tall with an enormous frame.

From the front, she looked like a charging land dragon barreling straight toward him.

But to Finn, that kind of brute-force rush was meaningless. With his masterful spear technique, a single thrust targeted a vital point, halting Phryne's charge and forcing her to block instead.

Finn wasn't someone who relied on raw strength. That wasn't his domain. Agility and flexibility were where he excelled.

Reading his opponent, exploiting openings with deep combat experience, and using precise spear strikes to suppress them—this was Finn's fighting style.

Even with her charge blocked, Phryne refused to back down. Her enormous axe came crashing down toward Finn.

But to him, it was too simple—far too easy to read.

Rather than meet it head-on, he sidestepped gracefully and drove his spear at her hand gripping the axe.

Even a Level 5 body couldn't withstand an elite weapon's strike. The hand she relied on, far from delicate, was pierced clean through.

Pain shot through Phryne. Seeing her hand run through, she instinctively knew—she couldn't stop. If she did, the next blow would drive that spear straight into her throat.

Snatching the axe with her other hand, she swept it fiercely at the approaching Finn.

He didn't panic. Instead, he stepped lightly back, dodging the horizontal swing. In the instant her attack missed, he lunged again—his spear darting straight for her throat.

"!?"

In that moment, her wide, toad-like eyes shrank sharply. She dropped low with surprising speed, yet the spear tip still grazed her face.

Blood trickled down that nightmare-inducing face, making it look even more grotesque.

But it was that wound—on her face—that made her snap completely.

To a woman, nothing was more important than her looks.

For Phryne, who fancied herself a beauty rivaling even the Goddess of Beauty, her face was everything.

"You dare put a scar on my beautiful face!!!"

Her voice thundered across the battlefield, startling Finn into a brief pause.

Staring at that twisted expression—completely unrelated to anything remotely resembling beauty—Finn was left speechless.

And he wasn't alone.

The men from both the Loki Familia and Ganesha Familia had heard her shout. She was so loud that it was impossible not to hear her.

And the moment they processed what she said, and looked at her face…

Most of them felt a wave of nausea.

Some couldn't even stop themselves from blurting out in disgust.

"You? Beautiful? You look like a Frog Shooter from the second floor."

Murmurs of agreement followed.

Though it wasn't clear who said it aloud, the remark instantly gained unanimous approval from the surrounding men.

Most of the prostitutes in the Ishtar Familia were renowned for their beauty—so how was Phryne Jamil, their captain, such a repulsive sight?

That comment struck a nerve in Phryne's psyche—her most sensitive and untouchable spot. Her eyes flared with murderous rage as she whipped her head around, ignoring Finn entirely and locking onto the man who had insulted her.

"Die!!!"

Her anger exploded into a burst of speed and power far greater than before.

But Finn stepped in to block her path.

As the giant axe came cleaving down, he gripped his spear tightly and twisted its shaft. At the moment of impact, he lifted it.

Clang!

The perfectly-timed spin and deflection reversed the momentum of the downward blow, redirecting it with such force that the axe was flung into the air.

"Arghhhhhh!"

The torque from the clash twisted Phryne's arm viciously—her bones snapped and tore away from the flesh, leaving her arm mangled.

At that sight, Finn immediately lost all interest in continuing the fight.

"It's over, Phryne Jamil. If you surrender now, you won't suffer further."

"But if you're still foolish enough to keep going, then prepare to die."

That was Finn's final warning.

If this toad of a woman was still too unhinged to understand, then he would cut her down right here.

But he really didn't want to.

Because if she died here and now, what would become of the anger and grief of those she'd sold? This wasn't just about the Pallum—there were Elves too. Riveria's fury also needed an outlet.

This toad had to die.

But it would be better if she died at the hands of her victims, not his.

A chill ran down Phryne Jamil's spine. Her fear surged even stronger.

She stumbled back, disregarding the pain in her arm, and quickly gave in.

"I-I get it... I surrender..."

Finn shook his head slightly. A Level 5 like this was just an oversized punching bag.

No magic, no refined technique. She'd only made it to Level 5 thanks to an abnormally tough body.

But without the mindset to match, her performance was pitifully subpar.

"Everyone, converge on the center. Restrain all members of the Ishtar Familia!"

None of them would escape this time.

The Guild wouldn't hand out death sentences to them all, of course—but punishment was inevitable.

Even so, Finn didn't move on to oversee the operation.

Right now, his focus was on watching Phryne Jamil, making sure she didn't cause any more trouble.