Chapter 41: Rise
Thud thud thud!
“Oh, the Boss Juicer!”
“Whoa, I’ve only heard rumors about that at drinking parties. Never thought I’d see it in person.”
“He’s pushing too hard. Gonna get himself killed.”
“Damn, how long’s it been since we’ve seen the boss struggle like this?”
The bandits snickered while Cheoldu’s crew tensed up.
Even Kim Jin-tae, who’d always believed fiercely in Kang Cheoldu, felt a dizzying moment of doubt.
‘Shit, what do I do?’
His entire body trembled.
‘Why am I always so useless?’
Had he ever truly helped Cheoldu since arriving in Nova?
Was staying back just because he was weak really the right choice?
Just… standing there.
Was this how you supported a friend?
“Fuck this.”
He wasn’t a damn cheerleader.
Jin-tae turned to Ki Yong-su and Choi Jun-seop.
“Got any stat stones? Strength ones, preferably!”
“I have a few, but—”
“Hand ’em over!”
“…”
Choi Jun-seop shook his head.
“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s reckless. Even if Cheoldu uses his freakish adaptability to boost his strength instantly, Jang Ho-cheol’s already absorbed over 50 strength stones. With his active skill doubling that power…”
Simple math put Jang Ho-cheol’s strength equivalent to over 100 stat stones.
“Goddammit, just give them to me!”
“Here, take these!”
Ki Yong-su pulled five stat stones from his waist pouch and tossed them over.
“Captain Choi! If we do nothing, Cheoldu dies!”
Didn’t they have to try something, success or not? That guy had stepped up to avenge Jin-tae’s mother in his place.
‘If only that wasn’t a lie.’
They might never have come to this bandit den. They could’ve just hunted around the mountain fortress and headed to Obongsan.
If Cheoldu died here, Yong-su doubted he could live with the guilt.
“Fine. Take these.”
Yong-su retrieved a backpack from his inventory and dumped out 22 strength stones.
Total: 27 strength stones.
More than Cheoldu had ever consumed at once.
‘At least double his current power.’
Even if the numbers still didn’t match Jang Ho-cheol, it didn’t matter.
A human channeling ogre strength?
Cheoldu was a barbarian who could shatter boulders.
“Grrrraaaaah!”
Even now, his pained roars echoed—but he hadn’t stopped fighting.
Advertisements
Jin-tae clutched the stones and sprinted.
“Cheoldu!”
“Where d’you think you’re going?!”
A bandit moved to block him, but Choi Jun-seop’s sword flashed.
Swish!
“Interfere, and you die.”
“Hah! Knew it. You’re that bat bastard from the special forces, aren’t you?”
One of the sub-bosses smirked, recognizing Jun-seop.
“…”
Damn. Time to drop the act.
Jun-seop glanced at Jin-tae, but the latter’s focus was solely on Cheoldu.
As Jun-seop held the line, Jin-tae lunged forward.
Crrrunch.
Cheoldu’s torso creaked under pressure, ribs threatening to snap.
“You little shit! Let go!”
Jin-tae had to get those stones to him.
Swiish!
A Level 1 sword slash!
He’d hoped to force Jang Ho-cheol to release his grip, but—
Thud!
Instead, the bandit boss twisted, taking the blow on his shoulder without loosening his hold.
“Cheoldu! Your hands!”
If Cheoldu could just free his arms… but withdrawing them risked his ribs shattering.
“Uuuurgh!”
Cheoldu strained, but Jang Ho-cheol’s ogre-like strength was overwhelming.
“Give. Up. Already!”
Jang Ho-cheol was sweating too.
Ogre Power’s duration depended on mana reserves—and his were running thin.
‘Dammit, almost out of time!’
Why wouldn’t this bastard break?!
He could crush boulders, yet this meathead’s body held firm. Embarrassing.
“Huff… Just yield. I’ll spare you. Admit defeat.”
“Nnn… No!”
“I’ll make you a sub-boss!”
“S-s-s… Still no!”
Crack.
Jang Ho-cheol grinned. That sound—ribs finally breaking.
“Gaaaaah!”
Blood streamed from Cheoldu’s nose as he screamed, spit flying.
“Should’ve quit. Now you die.”
Taking him in would’ve been nice, but only if he were manageable.
Someone this stubborn? Too dangerous to keep alive.
As Jang Ho-cheol mustered his final strike, a sharp zing! grazed his temple.
An arrow.
Ki Yong-su already nocked another.
‘Shit, a veteran archer.’
That shot would’ve taken his eye if he hadn’t dodged.
“Raaaah!”
In that split-second distraction, Cheoldu dropped his weight and rolled free—slipping out like a seasoned grappler.
“Cheoldu! Here!”
Jin-tae tossed him the stones and every coin he had.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Cheoldu activated them all without hesitation.
“GRRRAAAAAUGH!”
Agony worse than broken ribs wracked his body. Ten stones had been his previous limit; 27 flooded his system at once.
Sssss…
His skin burned crimson, sweat vaporizing on contact. Ants seemed to crawl beneath his flesh—an indescribable, maddening itch.
“You bastard!”
Jang Ho-cheol charged again.
Thwack! Thud!
But Cheoldu’s defense—honed through judo and jiu-jitsu—made him hard to pin.
“Fuckin’…!”
Cheoldu used the momentum to flip Jang Ho-cheol overhead.
Bam!
The bandit’s thick neck saved him from a broken spine.
Whiff!
A wild kick followed, but Cheoldu moved like a serpent, seizing Jang’s arm.
Snap!
“AAAAAH!”
No matter Jang’s strength, one arm couldn’t withstand Cheoldu’s full weight. The left arm bent backward, limp.
“You son of a—!”
Jang Ho-cheol yanked a mace from his inventory.
“I’ll crush your skull!”
Advertisements
“Bring it, mutt!”
Cheoldu didn’t flinch. Agility stones sharpened his reflexes; his body adapted faster, dodging each swing.
Whoosh!
The mace slowed—Jang’s mana depleted. Ogre Power faded.
“You bastards! Kill him!”
“Hahaha!”
Cheoldu grabbed Jang’s retreating form.
Whoom!
He caught the descending mace mid-air, wrenching it free.
Swish!
Testing its weight, he spun it—a steel club thicker than a baseball bat, perfectly balanced.
“Hmph.”
Crack!
The mace shattered Jang’s knee.
“GAAAH!”
Jang clawed at Cheoldu’s throat, but the thick muscles didn’t budge.
“Who’s stronger now?”
“You… fucker…”
Crunch!
The mace obliterated Jang’s right shoulder, leaving both arms useless.
“Huff…”
Cheoldu exhaled, still burning through unabsorbed stones. 40? He’d surpassed his limits—a new goal set.
Advertisements
He glared at the remaining bandits, now gulping nervously.
“Any objections to avenging Yong-su’s mother?”
“N-none!”
“Nah.”
“We all gotta die someday.”
Cheoldu nodded, then looked down at Jang Ho-cheol, cursing his crew.
“Traitorous scum! No loyalty!”
“How many inventory slots you got?” Cheoldu asked.
“Just kill me, damn you!”
After a decade in Nova, the man had guts. Cheoldu obliged.
Crash!
The mace crushed Jang’s skull, shocking the bandits.
Poof.
Light erupted as Jang’s corpse disintegrated like a monster’s, leaving a hefty pack behind.
“The boss’s treasure!”
“Jackpot!”
Greed lit the bandits’ eyes—Jang had hoarded their strongest loot in that bag.
Cheoldu hefted it.
“Want it? Come take it.”
They swallowed hard but stayed rooted.
“Real men, huh?”
No one fled, but none attacked either.
‘Not running? Good.’
His blood boiled—he wasn’t done fighting.
“Yong-su’s mother’s debt isn’t paid.”
When taunts failed, he threatened:
“I’ll offer all your heads on her memorial altar.”
“?!”
The bandits charged, and Yong-su’s conscience fled to the afterlife.
