Chapter 7

Yoo Jonghyuk just stared at his own sword before staring at mine. "No, the blade will not change anything."

[Due to your achievements and parameters a new skill has been gained.]

[Kyokuchi] [B]

[Allows for a perfect execution of movement in familiar environment.]

[Proficiency can be raise the rank.]

I stared... This was a skill that my alter-alter had. Perhaps this was a type of type of transference of skills utilising the fact that we are fundamentally the same person? I was a heroic spirit, and usually I could not learn more skills. However perhaps this was an exception as the rules of the world a different?

I would not look a gift horse in the mouth.

"So what now?"

I look back only to find Jonghyuk comically trying to strike three times at once. After confirming it wasn't possible he simply stated. "We look for hidden stages. They can be everywhere. And they usually contain treasures or rewards."

"I have a feeling there's one somewhere here."

A hole was found through the dirt as I waited for him to come up. Surely it would not take long. Maybe a few minutes at most.

A few moments later he came up with a satisfied smile on his face as he shook the dirt off. "We need to make up for lost time. Let's go."

"You go on ahead. I'll meet up with you sometime later. I'm sure you have things you want to do."

He nodded as I waved goodbye. "I'll be waiting or meeting the others at the station."

And just like that we split our ways as he went right and I went left. It only took a few moments running at top speed, but I eventually arrived at a station, Geumho Station.

Immediately I did not like that man. That smile and fake mask of a nice person reminded me of one person that a majority of the Shinsengumi hated, "Serizawa..."

"Ah. A newcomer! Welcome to the Geumho Station. I'm the one in charge here. Cheon Inho." He raised his hand for a handshake as his beady eyes glanced at Norimune. Already he was setting himself up to die if he so wished to try take action."

"I'll only be staying here for a while until I regroup with my original party then I'll meet with another acquaintance later."

I sat down on a small desolate bench. A small hand reached out to my knees as my hand reached out for Norimune before stopping shakily in a hurry as I had almost cut down a child on instinct. My hands shook a bit before I apologised "Sorry there. You must have been sooo good at sneaking up that I didn't notice!" I gave her a bright smile. She laughed "You're fun mister! The others here and mommy are all gloomy and sad." Her voice dropped "I don't have anyone to play with. You're so cute and handsome mister! Will you play with me?"

It touched my heart. Even in this scenario, children would remain as innocent as the world would allow them to. If it was to make even one child more hopeful to grow older then I would willingly smile as much as they wanted.

"So what do you want to play?" I offered her my hand as I dismissed Norimune. "Let's play cards! Mommy brought it back from one of her trips to the surface."

I crouched down as I sat the child on the bench. "Alright let's play cards."

~~~~

Interlude- Kim Dokja

[There are 20 minutes left until the paid settlement.]

[Prepare the survival fee.]

I belatedly noticed the time. That's right. It was already that time. It was amazing that the word "paid" sounded so scary.

"Coin, coins please!" "I don't have enough coins! Please, a few coins…"

100 coins wouldn't be a problem if they faithfully participated in the scenario, but such humans were rare.

And there were people smiling as they watched from afar. These guys already had enough coins. It was Cheon Inho and the Cheoldoo Group.

A few women flocked towards the gang members and cried out.

"Y-You said you would give me 100 coins before!" They replied with disgusting faces. "Hrmm, is that so? I don't remember."

"Oh, Dokja-ssi! You came just in time." Cheon Inho smiled as he found us. I had a foreboding feeling as Cheon Inho spoke in a loud voice. "Dokja-ssi has a lot of coins! How much? You are probably the richest one among us, right?"

[The character "Cheon Inho" has activated the "Incite Lv. 2" skill.

The crowd looked my way. "C-Coins?"

"Who has a lot of coins?"

It didn't take long for all eyes to turn to me. Cheon Inho, he was a really great guy. "Y-You are Dokja-ssi?"

"Please save me!"

People panted as they approached. The number of people flocking was estimated to be at least 20. If I gave all these people coins, I would lose 2,000 coins. But if I didn't give them coins, I would become a big villain of Gumho Station.

~~~~

I could see the end, I was quite impressed with Dokja's deductions. Sherlock would have been proud if Fujimaru could do the same. However I stared at the small child sleeping in my arms.

-Four Minutes Ago

"Hey Mister. People need these coins to survive right?" I nodded, "It's unfortunate, but this is the way the world has become. It's why people like me, have to set it right."

"I don't like the coins. They cause arguments and make mommy mad. Mommy often comes back with bruises because she has to earn coins."

"They make everyone more mean and they don't care or help each other."

I was deep in thought, this child had already seen and analysed the situation with intuition that could only be gained by a child who was still innocent.

"It's true. Coins are the source of the problem. However there is another source, I've only been here for a day so I can't say much. But there is definitely another reason why your mommy is sad."

She smile, it was a solemn smile. "Oppa... Do you think that If I didn't exist then mommy would be more happy?" That question froze me, no child should have that type of thought.

"I don't have enough coins and mommy seems to be mad all the time. So maybe if I just died then mommy wouldn't have to worry about getting my coins as well."

I sighed "Hey, go take a nap alright? Have a nice dream... By the time you wake up, this will be all over. It'll be like it never happened. Trust this big brother okay?"

She smiled as I covered her ears a bit to giver her silence as she rested her head on my lap.

-Present Time

I tapped and transferred 100 Coins to the child as I kept the noise away from her.

[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" respects you and is inquisitive of your next decision.]

"You don't need to respect me. I'm not capable of love or understanding complicated things. I can't solve problems like Sherlock and Da Vinci. I can't resolve things peacefully."

"I can only solve things with my blade."

The slaughter began as people began to needlessly kill. The mother of the child soon found her sleeping as I smiled "At least I would preserve those who would carry the hope of the old world. As long as even one prayer existed, then so would heroic spirits answer them."

*Shuck*

Norimune flew from its sheathe as the man who had tried aiming for the mother and child duo found his head rolling on the floor.

In that moment I became the cool-headed man slayer I always was. A cold blade meant for protecting humanity.

I slaughtered.