Chapter 323: Dogma (3)

…Crack!

Vikir tore the chains off the necks of the Highbro, Middlebro, and Lowbro with his bare hands.

Meanwhile, the commoner students, with a bewildered expression, were pushed back.

Dogma, the leader of the commoners, asked,

“…What are you doing?”

But Vikir didn’t answer him directly. Instead, he said,

“Why mimic their actions while seemingly despising those with power?”

“What?”

“I guess you weren’t despising them but rather admiring them?”

Upon hearing this, Dogma frowned.

Even in his moment of realization, his gaze remained fixed on the iron chains in Vikir’s hands.

‘To tear off those thick chains barehanded… His strength stat must be quite high. Maybe around 4? 5? No… judging by how casual he is, it’s probably closer to 10.’

With a strength stat of around 10, Dogma could possibly overpower him.

Moreover, he had over 20 students with him!

“Don’t resist. If you won’t join us, we’ll have to cut off your hands.”

With Dogma’s words, the atmosphere among the commoner students changed drastically.

Unlike the noble and aristocratic students who only schemed to exploit each other, the commoner students were quick to unite and had strong determination.

Like the tangled roots of weeds.

“Hmm…”

Vikir’s feelings about this were subtle.

‘One receives fair rewards based solely on their own strength and effort. They can obtain things they couldn’t have at birth. The land of reversal, the land of opportunity, a new world.’

Vikir sighed softly.

‘…Are they thinking along these lines?’

It’s not entirely incorrect. At least, superficially speaking.

In fact, Vikir had seen quite a few humans who claiming they liked the world the demons created.

Surprisingly, even those with talents akin to great heroes joined the demon army in the era of destruction

…But in the end, among those who sided with the demons, not a single one turned out to be trustworthy.

The promised land of opportunity, the land of reversal, turned out to be nothing but hell, where their bodies were mostly demonized, losing their ease.

Even those who managed to maintain their memories and sanity from their time as humans had to spend almost unbearable amounts of time in loneliness, solitude, and pain.

‘Demons are solitary beings by nature, with no sense of kinship or solidarity between individuals. Humans can never understand the culture and mindset of these beings who exist solely as solitary entities..’

Demons fundamentally live alone. They have no parents, children, or friends. If there are any, they’re simply mimicking for convenience.

In other words, demons, considering themselves as singular species from the moment they are born into the world, never form intimate relationships with others.

Diaspora.

Humans, as both a species and a social animal, cannot understand demons, nor can demons understand humans. And those humans who became demons with the memories, rationality, and mindset of humans spend their lives in loneliness and solitude, belonging nowhere, with no purpose or hope, gradually withering away in the depths of life.

“…Many times, I’ve seen human heroes that turned into demons or monsters regret their choices and take their own lives in the end.”

The time they have to enjoy what they couldn’t possess before is short. After that, all that remains is eternal emptiness, anxiety, regret, and longing.

So, Vikir can’t help but regard Dogma, who is trapped in the shortsighted hegemony of opportunity and reversal, with a complex gaze. Eventually, Dogma and the commoner students under his command surrounded Vikir. Each of them was armed with inferior weapons that seemed like they picked from random boxes.

“Hey, aren’t you Vikir? I know you. You’re a commoner too. Join our side.”

“No matter how impressive you are, you can’t take us all down.”

“What’s your stat? If I kill him, I get to loot.”

“Nonsense – the one who kills gets the loot.”

As they confidently anticipated victory…

“Raise your hands.”

Vikir spoke briefly.

All eyes turned to Vikir, who had raised his hand halfway.

“I am disabled.”

“…?”

“I have an elderly mother and father to support.”

“…?”

“I have a long-time lover or am soon to be married, or perhaps already married.”

“…?”

Confusion was evident in everyone’s eyes at Vikir’s continued words.

Finally, Vikir uttered one last sentence.

“If you think you’re one of them, step aside.”

Laughter erupted from the commoner group.

Dogma chuckled and spoke up.

“You’ve read too many fantasy s? Do you really think you’re cool right now?”

“….”

“Are you high level? Do you have impressive stats? Or do you have some rare item? It just seems like a bluff… Why are you so confident?”

At that moment, a student among the commoners, wearing distinctive glasses, spoke up.

“That guy is level 1! This ‘Level-Stealing Glasses’ show everything! You can’t see the stats but…”

Upon hearing this, Dogma burst into laughter.

“….”

Vikir silently raised his fist, but no one paid it any mind.

“Oh? Planning to use your fist?”

“Huhuhuhe-”

“Hey, kid. My strength stat is over 5, you know? Your fist might just break for no reason.”

“Enough. You were quite famous outside the Tower, but not here.”

Right at that moment…

…Boom!

A loud explosion rang out, not from the ground, but from the root of the Abyss tree.

“What, what’s happening!?”

All the students looked up simultaneously.

There, an astonishing sight greeted them.

The sap, the island’s only food source, was gushing out from the well, accompanied by billowing clouds of dust.

And amidst the dust, a creature in a thick exoskeleton emerged.

‘…Oh. Is this what Decarabia was talking about?’

Vikir looked at the creature, which was busy sucking up everything from the sap pool.

It had the appearance of a human enveloped in the exoskeleton of a beetle.

Insect-King People. A legendary race said to have existed in ancient times.

But due to their enormous appetite and aggressiveness, it was said they had long since become extinct.

Who would have thought we’d encounter such ancient hominids here?

Meanwhile, unrest was brewing among the commoner students.

“That, that guy’s level is over 10! We don’t know his stats, but…”

“If his level is over 10, it means he must have amassed incredible stats. Unbelievable!”

“Ouch!? He’s devouring all our sap!”

“But, isn’t he… glaring at us?”

Soon enough, their leader, Dogma, drew his sword.

“Let’s defend our sap! Follow me! I’ll lead the charge!”

He seemed quite desperate. Being able to rule like a king on this small island was all thanks to that sap spring.

Eventually, Dogma rushed forward with his sword raised, attacking the Insect-King.

Swish –

A sharp swing.

But…

…Clang!

The sword which struck the Insect-King’s carapace and broke easily.

Squelch –

Blood trickled down the Insect-King’s forehead.

Thud –

A hefty black fist flew and slammed Dogma into the ground.

“Ugh!? W-What kind of strength is this!”

“Gasp! The sword didn’t pierce! His skin is incredibly tough!”

“P-Please spare me! I’m begging you!”

The commoner students who followed suit all fell victim to the Insect-King, being mercilessly knocked down.

An oversized monster. Suddenly appearing atop the tree, the Insect-King ruthlessly struck down all twenty students as if to imprint who the true master of this sap was.

Right at that moment…

“Step aside. Let’s try talking.”

Someone stepped forward before everyone.

It was Vikir.

Seeing this, Dogma gritted his teeth and shouted, “You madman! What conversation could you possibly have with such a monster? It won’t understand a word!”

“…It must understands the lingua franca.”

Dogma’s expression turned blank upon hearing Vikir’s response.

“Lingua franca? Is there such a thing?”

“Does that guy speak our language?”

“No, how could you even talk to a humanoid like that in the first place?”

As all the students sent looks of disbelief, suddenly…

Thud –

Vikir stood before the Insect-King.

“I have a question.”

[…….]

But the Insect-King remained silent.

It simply extended its massive arms, seemingly about to launch Vikir away.

“See! It’s just mindless!”

Dogma bit his lips hard. Soon, he would witness Vikir’s limbs being torn apart right in front of him.

…However.

“It seems talking won’t work after all. Looks like we need a translator.”

Vikir muttered briefly, then pulled out something excellent from his pocket.

It was none other than his fist.

Thunk –

With just one swift punch, the outcome was quite shocking.

Crack-

The black armor that had been effortlessly deflecting the attacks of the commoner students crumbled like a wet cookie in the water.

The Insect-King’s eyes widened in apparent agony, but it couldn’t scream or react further. Its mouth was too busy regurgitating everything it had swallowed, and it was slammed backward onto the ground.

“Now, are you willing to talk?”

[…Yes.]

The Insect-King responded in a surprisingly gentle voice.

“It can speak human language?” Dogma shouted

[…Yes, I can.]

“No, wait, did you really defeat that monster with just one punch?”

The commoner students all wore dumbfounded expressions.

Then, Vikir’s earlier words came to mind.

‘If you think you’re one of them, step aside.’

What if they had ignored that statement and attacked?

Shivers ran down everyone’s spine, a chill that didn’t match the season.

Right at that moment…

“You fools! Why are you just standing there frozen! It’s vulnerable now, can’t you see?”

Dogma incited the other students.

“That guy, he just defeated the monster after we tired it with our strength! It doesn’t make sense otherwise!”

The students began nodding one by one at his words.

“Y-Yeah. We’re all level 1, after all!”

“No matter how many strange candies he’s eaten, there shouldn’t be such a huge difference.”

“You coward! Snatching the finishing blow so shamelessly!?”

“W-We’re not too late yet! Let’s get him quickly!”

Soon enough, without anyone needing to be the first, all the commoner students sprang into action.

The fallen Insect-King cowered on the ground, trembling as it received countless kicks.

As Dogma passed by Vikir, he remarked, “Heh. This guy was probably the boss monster guarding the sap spring. No complaints about this situation, right? After all, you tried steal the finishing blow just like us.”

Then, a response came from beside Vikir.

“You shameless bunch! You’re the ones trying to steal the finishing blow!”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah!”

It was Highbro, Middlebro, and Lowbro. They stood beside Vikir, glaring at Dogma.

However…

“…There are no complaints.”

Vikir intervened to halt the actions of the triplets and responded briefly. Then, he turned his gaze upward.

“…?”

Dogma also followed Vikir’s gaze.

“WHAT THE HELL?!?!”

His complexion drained of color instantly.

The other commoner students who had been assaulting the Insect-King under Dogma’s command were similarly stunned.

Buzzing –

A tumultuous flapping sound echoed.

It was the sound emitted by countless Insect-Kings’ army descending from the abyss tree root.

“…W-Was it not a boss monster but just a mob?”

The blood drained from Dogma’s face like water.

The commoner students, trembling uncontrollably, couldn’t even fathom resisting.

…And then.

“I am disabled.”

“…?”

“I have an elderly mother and father to support.”

“…?”

“I have a long-time lover or am soon to be married, or perhaps already married.”

“…?”

“Or if someone has another major reason, that they shouldn’t meet their end here.”

“…”

“Step aside.”

This time, nobody dared to utter a mocking sound.

All the commoner students quietly began to withdraw, looking around cautiously.

“Done?”

As they all gradually stepped aside, Vikir concluded briefly:

“Then let’s begin.”