I Killed the Game’s Heroine

Chapter 13

Arc 3: Today, I continue to struggle through life. Just like usual.

A heavy silence lingers, feeling almost tangible.

To be precise, only our protagonist seems uncomfortable.

They can’t even meet my gaze, and when they try to speak, it’s as if their tongue is tied, pressing their lips together tightly.

It’s strange to think that after meeting the Cuckoo Uncle, this is the first time we’ve encountered each other again, and yet they seem to have so much they want to say.

However, since I am focused on the purpose of getting the earwax out of my ear, I ignore whatever the protagonist does and continue my thoughts.

I stand in the middle of a park about 30 minutes away from the residential area where the Sethani was discovered.

Both the protagonist and I are standing within a barrier that was set up to protect us as bait.

And, unfortunately, it’s just the purple-haired delivery kid who had dumped a curse on me when they came to my house.

This delivery kid still carries the lingering curse from the Sethani, and the exorcists said we are being protected together just in case something happens.

But to my eyes, it looks more like they want to take that kid with spirit power to the academy, like they’re laying the groundwork.

Of course, it’s not my concern, so I ignore it.

I rolled my eyes in curiosity and looked around.

Looking around, I noticed a park that was completely devoid of people, even in broad daylight.

At the same time, it gave off an atmosphere that could only be described as eerie.

It might seem strange to describe a place as eerie just because it’s empty, but this park is not just lacking people.

A pitch-black wall, shaped like a half dome, surrounds the park, completely blocking out the outside scenery, and anyone with normal sensibilities would feel the same way I do.

Even though there’s a wall that prevents any view of the outside, the interior is bright as if sunlight is pouring in, making me wonder what’s going on.

They say that this black wall is a barrier meant to protect us from the Sethani in case something happens.

I don’t really watch manga or movies, and the only thing I do watch is web novels, but no matter how I look at it, this black wall doesn’t give off a sacred image like a barrier meant to protect something.

On the contrary, it looks more like something meant to seal something away.

…Could it be that Gaeddong is trying to keep us here and threatening, “Do you want to go to the academy? Or do you want to starve to death here!”?

“Is that really a barrier?”

“-Ah! Yes! It’s definitely a barrier that prevents intrusion. There’s no problem exiting from the inside to the outside, but it blocks entry from the outside to the inside. It’s simple, but that’s what makes it a sturdy barrier!”

As I muttered in amazement, the protagonist, who must have heard my small voice, explained what kind of barrier this was.

They mentioned that with something placed all around and even a mold that creates the concept of isolation, even an incarnation wouldn’t be able to enter easily.

However, since I didn’t understand a single millimeter of what the protagonist was saying, I just chuckled.

What is this nonsense about the connection between spirit power and meridians, and that it means there’s a place in the park where we can’t return to the walking path?

The protagonist seemed to be trying to break the awkward atmosphere by catching onto the end of my words and explaining what a barrier is, but neither I nor the purple-haired girl understood what the protagonist was saying.

Realizing that their attempt to relieve the awkwardness only created an even more awkward situation, the protagonist closed their mouth.

The purple-haired girl also didn’t seem to be very friendly.

I didn’t care what they did, so it was clear that only our protagonist was getting frustrated.

No, to be precise, it seemed that they wanted to have a conversation with me, but since I wasn’t interested, it only seemed to frustrate them more.

The reason I’m acting like this isn’t that I’m upset about what I said before. It’s just annoying.

I’ve seen them kill spirits.

The more involved I get, the more it’s clear that it will only become a hassle for me. So, I’m ignoring it.

What the little protagonist said was honestly just a minor incident, like getting mud splashed on me while playing ball.

The protagonist in front of me, with their androgynous appearance, golden hair, and red eyes, is just a kid who hasn’t even gotten their ID yet.

I hadn’t noticed it before, as I had just passed by, exhausted.

But it’s not just that they look young; they’re also quite short, and their Adam’s apple hasn’t even developed! I wonder if they have hair down there!

A deep sigh escapes me.

It seems the protagonist has gone through everything I remember them going through.

Then that means they’re in a position where they’ve become friends with a dangerous spirit.

I know that becoming friends with a spirit is quite a remarkable feat in the context of this game.

According to what my younger brother said, the theme of this game is conversation, understanding, and equal friendship.

He said that for a spirit and a human to understand each other is akin to a miracle, like reconciling with a northern pig and going to the gym to become best friends.

Having accomplished such a ridiculous feat, while not knowing exactly what that piece of trash Yeong Hyeong is doing, everyone around is just calling them dangerous.

The little kid must have been ignited by their pride.

“I’ve become friends with a spirit! No matter what anyone says, I can understand each other through conversation with Yeong Hyeong!” That must have been the thought.

I, who have accomplished such a difficult task, am hiding the same intention.

It’s obvious. Kids and their thoughts.

My younger brother had said that Yeong Hyeong used that child’s feelings to approach this peculiar protagonist.

Becoming friends with a spirit and observing the exorcist who received that power, it’s certainly clear that it was originally Yeong Hyeong’s story.

Of course, now that it’s all messed up, let’s forget about the influence.

Anyway, I have no ill feelings toward the protagonist.

On the contrary, I just want to avoid the troublesome events that might arise from getting involved with this protagonist.

…But wait, was this game originally one that threw minors into the battlefield?

I felt dumbfounded looking at the protagonist’s appearance.

Typically, when a boy hits puberty in their early to mid-teens, they develop an Adam’s apple and have body hair growing all over, but the protagonist in front of me seems to smell like milk instead of having any hair.

They’re not particularly short, but the absence of any signs of puberty is slightly worrisome.

Is the academy a place that accepts elementary or middle school students? Are they really throwing such a young child into a fight against monsters that kill evil spirits?

As I thought about how it was indeed right to avoid the academy vicinity, I suddenly felt a gaze behind me and quickly turned around.

There stood the apron-wearing pervert who had been hanging around Nokra’s apartment balcony before.

As if to announce that they’ve lost their mind, the pervert, with flowers in their ears, was hiding in the Chrysanthemum Field in the park.

I was horrified and tried to alert the people next to me, but before I could even open my mouth, the pervert in an apron and jeans grinned, showing off their yellow teeth, and vanished.

…They said it was a barrier that couldn’t be breached from the outside, but that seemed to have been broken so easily.

I raised my hand to inform the protagonist next to me about this fact, but then quietly lowered it again.

After all, I already knew what was going to happen, and making a fuss wouldn’t change anything.

The protagonist and that purple-haired girl would be dragged away by the Sethani, and I would be attacked by the malevolent spirits. That was certain.

Before coming here, I had heard from Gaeddong about what she had seen.

What she saw was me, with a knife stabbed in my stomach, just before my neck was about to be cut off by a man dressed like the pervert who had just fled.

She said there were many malevolent spirits around, laughing at the sight of me.

Those malevolent spirits were wearing black scarves, the mark of Yeong Hyeong’s henchmen, and they had even asked me if I was a shaman.

But what’s important now is how to avoid that moment of crisis.

I know that the scene Gaeddong saw would definitely come to reality.

But that pervert in jeans looked weaker than me, so why was I in that situation?

Was there another strong malevolent spirit among the others?

There were a few methods that came to mind, but they were all practically delusions.

As I pondered what I should do to get through this crisis, I opened the shop to look around, but nothing concrete came to mind—

…Wait a minute. They even sell bombs. Crazy.

—————

[ Daily Goods ] [ Weapons ] ◀ [ Skills ]

● HK45– 40,000 won

● P2000 – 30,000 won

● Dynamite – 20,000 won

—————-

The shop sells not only swords and spears but also guns and bombs.

Seeing what was displayed in the dimly lit shop window, I was amazed. I made a decision.

After all, if there are many of them, wouldn’t it be a solution to blow them all up together?

The malevolent spirits would surely be surprised if I suddenly pulled out dynamite.

If the situation Gaeddong warned me about occurs, I’ll throw the dynamite immediately.

Those who kill people don’t want to die either. Even if they’re completely insane, they would still be startled by suddenly ignited dynamite.

It’s not dynamite, but I have experience escaping from those who were trying to take my organs with homemade explosives, so I definitely know the usefulness of explosives.

Having set up a rough plan, I waited for what would happen next.

I’m not sure if throwing a bomb can be considered a plan, but anyway, I took one last look at the protagonist, who was still being cautious, and then scanned the interior of the park.

The park was as silent as before, with no sound of insects or wind.

Currently, it’s said that the exorcists who can fight due to the appearance of the A-grade malevolent spirit Sethani are gathered in the residential area with their territories.

The exorcists who came to guard me and the purple-haired girl are outside this barrier.

The protagonist is really in a position to evacuate us if a crisis occurs.

The current plan of the exorcists is simple. If the Sethani takes the bait and comes out of its territory, they will take it down together.

If it doesn’t come out? If the malevolent spirit does not react when the target it cursed is nearby, then it’s not a malevolent spirit.

But since they don’t know exactly what skills this guy has, they set up this barrier just in case.

How did those malevolent spirits get through this barrier?

If Yeong Hyeong were here, they might have done something with their great spirit power, but Yeong Hyeong is gone now…

“Ah.”

The question that arose quickly led me to the simplest answer. They must have just been hiding in the park.

Those who figured out where Nokra lived wouldn’t have failed to find out the location where the bait would be protected, so it makes sense that they were hiding in the park.

Considering the appearance of the pervert just now, that assumption is most reasonable.

…That means they are already watching me from here, holding their breath—what a disgusting feeling.

Not only am I not being stalked by pretty girls, but I’m being stalked by criminals who kill people, which makes me click my tongue in annoyance. The protagonist shivered, as if they felt something was off.

What are they still being cautious about?

No matter how much of a protagonist they are, it’s not like this; since the person who came to guard me is acting like this, it was clear that the purple-haired delivery girl was also nervously looking around.

Even if they keep pretending not to notice, leaving it like this is becoming more and more irritating.

So, I sighed deeply, lamenting that I’m also quite a soft-hearted person.

“Do you have something to say?”

“-Yes. There was something I really wanted to say.”

As I opened my mouth, the protagonist stood in front of me, looking straight at me as if they had been waiting for this moment.

When we had locked eyes before, the protagonist had angrily questioned me about killing Yeong Hyeong, and afterward, they had been shocked to realize what they had said after hearing my response.

Even now, I could see guilt in the protagonist’s red eyes, but there was also a determination, as if they had made a decision.

People with such eyes, in my experience, tend to complicate things.

While I was reminded of some bad memories looking into the protagonist’s small eyes, they suddenly bent at the waist at a right angle.

While I wouldn’t say anything about someone bending at their waist since it’s their freedom and their body, seeing someone who had been acting like a dog in need of a bathroom suddenly do this made me wonder if they had a stomachache.

Just as that foolish thought filled my confused mind, the protagonist continued as if to fuel my confusion.

“Really! I’m so sorry! I spoke without knowing anything! I didn’t even know… exactly what she was… I was just imposing my thoughts on everyone around me… I’m really sorry for such nonsense!”

The protagonist looked as if they were ready to kneel at any moment.

Seeing the protagonist, who was even shedding tears and apologizing profusely, I couldn’t help but feel admiration.

When a person faces a problem, the easiest solution is to rationalize that they are right! But instead of rationalizing, they acknowledged their mistake and apologized!

“What happened that day… I didn’t tell anyone except Teacher Nokra. If it were her… she wouldn’t tell anyone else. But I still let it slip. If, if something happens because of my foolish actions, I swear I will help you.”

They promised not to do anything foolish again, and the protagonist averted their eyes.

I thought about saying, “Cheer up,” since they were saying such things, but I decided against it.

I don’t really know this kid that well.

They seem to have a good heart, so even if I told them to live as they wanted, they would probably manage just fine.

I thought that even if they were suddenly thrown into another world, they would make friends and live well while keeping their promises—yeah, my younger brother came to mind for a moment.

No, the protagonist doesn’t suddenly act like a fool in the street, so they are a better person.

I began to feel guilty for briefly thinking that they resembled my younger brother.

“Enough. Forget about that foolishness and live as you were. If you think it’s right and something you want to do, then push through regardless of what anyone says. Do whatever you want.”

Of course, you’ll be responsible for it.

I said that, and the protagonist, perhaps moved by my words, teared up and nodded vigorously, thanking me.

…Maybe they’re still young. They’re quite sensitive and tearful.

I hadn’t intended to make them feel bad, but as I chewed on my feelings of discomfort, the air suddenly became heavy.

The air turned heavy, as if a terrible poison gas had spread.

In an instant, ripples appeared in the barrier that surrounded the park.

A chilling cold began to settle in the park, which had previously felt ominous but was now filled with an eerie silence.

The flowers wilted, and the air felt as if it was rotting. Shadows began to loom, and the surroundings gradually darkened.

“- The barrier has changed…? This quality… No! If it becomes like this, it will instead become a necromancy that invites malevolent spirits!”

The protagonist seemed to realize something and drew their weapon, while the purple-haired delivery girl appeared flustered by the sudden change in atmosphere and looked around anxiously.

But then, suddenly, dozens, hundreds of hands emerged from the shadow of the purple-haired delivery girl.

Hands of various sizes quickly grabbed the delivery girl, and she began to be dragged into the shadows, unable to even scream.

“- Yoon-seo!”

The protagonist cried out her name and reached out desperately, managing to grab the delivery girl’s hand at a miraculous moment.

But both of them were swallowed by the shadows and vanished.

In an instant, I was the only one left in this park.

“Ah—damn it.”

Here we go.

As soon as the kids disappeared, I became alert to the presence I felt around me.

I immediately purchased dynamite from the shop, preparing to pull it out at any moment.

The sound of footsteps and breathing echoed in the previously quiet barrier. There were quite a few of them.

It was astonishing how many of them had hidden themselves.

I licked my lips and grabbed a spear instead of the broken Hwandu from the shop, looking toward the direction where the strongest presence was felt.

“What the hell.”

“Cough cough. So this is our third meeting? Kid.”

The strongest presence.

So, looking where I felt the strongest sensation, there stood none other than the apron-wearing pervert.

That guy, who must have been weaker than me, had hidden in the flowerbed a moment ago and had either taken some weird drug or something because he had bulked up significantly, with his jeans and apron stretched over his body.

The aura and amount of spirit power he radiated indicated that he was now at a level similar to mine.

I had no idea what was going on, but it was bizarre how suddenly he had become so strong.

I swallowed dryly, feeling a sense of crisis wash over my entire body.

Before thinking, I immediately threw the dynamite I pulled from the shop at him and dodged.

The dynamite I bought from the shop seemed to ignite immediately upon being thrown, exploding with a sound that tore through the world, far beyond any noise I had heard in a movie.

Boom! The explosion sent shrapnel flying in all directions, and under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have been strange for someone to die.

But why?

I couldn’t even think that the apron-wearing pervert might have just died.

And to prove that was the truth, a voice came from beyond the dust.

“Cough cough. To think dynamite and weapons would appear out of thin air. Is that your skill? Impressive. Had I not been in my current state, I would have surely died. No, if you weren’t strong enough to withstand such a shock, it would be correct to say I would have died! You’re truly someone worthy of being ordered to be killed by that person.”

My skin prickled, and I felt a heavy impact as if I had been hit all over my body, but I instinctively gripped my spear and glared ahead.

The apron-wearing pervert emerged from the cloud of dust, and while he wasn’t completely uninjured, he had scratches and bruises all over.

But even those injuries were healing quickly enough to be noticeable.

Is that really a human being? I stared at the apron-wearing pervert in disbelief.

He chuckled, a disturbing smile on his face, and said, “My skill is the Triple Kill. If I encounter a target I wish to kill three times and survive, I will be enhanced to a level where I can kill them.”

“If I die before encountering that target three times, it’s all over, and I can’t win against someone of a completely different level!”

He bared his yellow teeth again, showing off his fully healed body and flexed his bulging arm.

I understood why he had become so strong all of a sudden, but at the same time, I wondered why he was sharing that information with me—Ah. Golden prohibition.

It reminded me of the characteristic of spirit power that Nokra had mentioned.

A method of forcibly enhancing oneself by pointing out one’s weaknesses or potential crises. Golden prohibition.

Immediately, I felt his spirit power rise to a level above mine, clearly surpassing me.

Damn it, no wonder he kept getting in my face.

I clicked my tongue, trying to escape, but when I saw that those in black robes with black scarves surrounded me, I gave up.

I made a mistake. I should have detonated the dynamite immediately and escaped instead of blowing it up right in front of me.

No, it’s possible that they had tampered with the barrier to prevent me from escaping since they had come to kill me.

Although the thought that Gaeddong had thrown me in here to starve me to death if she didn’t come to the academy is slightly different, it became a reality in an instant.

So—this is it. I’m in a very dangerous situation. So. I should say this.

“Isn’t your nipple a bit too low?”

“You bastard! To point out a person’s complex with such a nonchalant face!!!”

If he bulked up like that, it would stand out if that was too low. The apron was too small to hide it.

I laughed and raised my middle finger at the apron-wearing pervert, who looked like he wanted to kill me.

End of Chapter