"What the hell is this?"
The moment I spotted the door leading outside and tried to step through, a translucent system window blocked my path. Ignoring it, I forced my way forward, but it was like hitting an invisible wall—my body just wouldn't go out.
"Mister?"
"...Rio. Wanna step outside for a sec?"
"Sure!"
Just in case, I sent Rio out first. Unlike me, she slipped through without any issue.
"I'm out!"
"...Haa..."
Fuck. What the hell is going on?
Getting dragged into this bizarre world was already giving me a headache, and now I couldn't even leave this damn place? Cleaning duty? What the fuck...
⚙ MAIN QUEST ⚙Clean the Demon God's Ruins! Current Pollution Level: 99.8% Reward: A Wish
"...Ah."
Quest.
...So this is the 'cleaning duty'? Then what's the cleaning area? This place is the 'Demon God's Ruins' or whatever?
"...Rio. I can't go."
"What?! Why? Come with me!"
"It's not that I won't. I can't."
I want to get out of this filthy shithole too. But what can I do when this goddamn system window is forcing me to stay?
"If we stick around here, those humans who attacked our village might come looking!"
"...I know."
I'm well aware of that problem. That woman who tried to kill me—I got lucky and chased her off, but I figured she'd come back. That's why I was trying to escape even faster...
"...Rio. I've got my reasons for not being able to leave. So you run far away first."
"No way! I was taught to repay any favors!"
"Forget the favor. Just escape before that woman or her buddies show up..."
"Here? Arcna?"
"...!!"
I was just about to send Rio away since I couldn't keep her trapped here with me when I sensed movement in the bushes, followed by a human voice.
"Eek...!"
The moment the voice hit, Rio flinched and scampered behind me, hiding. I tensed up too, gripping my lifeline—the [High-Pressure Cleaner]—and stared in the direction of the sound.
"What? There's actually a door in the middle of the forest?"
"Oh! That's the Red Demon kid Arcna let go earlier!"
"And a half-demon next to her? Is that the guy Arcna mentioned? Doesn't look as weak as she said."
"What's with those clothes? Never seen that style before."
'...Damn it.'
From the direction of the voices, a group of men emerged. Every one of them clutched weapons with blades glinting sharply, clearly advancing on us with hostile intent.
"...You...!!"
And among them, the woman I'd punched a hole through her gut glared at me with bloodshot eyes.
'Fuck.'
I figured she was alive since she vanished suddenly... but how the hell is she this fine? I clearly blew a huge hole in her stomach...
"That the guy?"
About a dozen people showed up, and finally, a green-haired man with a spear strapped to his back pushed through the bushes. Like he was their leader, the rough-looking guys naturally parted for him, placing him at the center.
"...A real half-breed, huh."
As if surprised, he eyed the black hair peeking from under my cap and muttered nonsense. Just like that woman...
"...I'm human."
Hoping maybe dialogue could defuse this, I calmly addressed the leader. That crazy bitch tried to kill me because she saw my hair and mistook me for some demon half-breed. If I cleared up the misunderstanding, maybe things would change?
"Pfft! Haha! What the hell's this mongrel saying?"
"Happens sometimes. Guys who blabber 'I'm human!' even though they've got filthy demon blood."
"..."
Fuck. Both my parents are human. Most Koreans have black hair. Hell, I'm not even from this world.
"...Seems like there's a misunderstanding..."
"Hey. Mongrel."
To show I meant no harm, I'd been talking with my arms spread wide, but the green-haired guy called me 'mongrel' and leveled his spear at me.
'What? Some liquid dripping from the spear...'
"You dare hurt my woman?"
"...Your woman?"
"Arcna."
With that, he thumbed toward the mage woman who'd been glaring daggers at me. So her name was Arcna. Wait, not important.
"...She attacked me first, trying to kill me...!"
"So?"
It pissed me off being called a mongrel and treated like a criminal, so I protested that she struck first... but the green-haired bastard didn't even pretend to listen.
"Doesn't matter. What matters is a filthy demon-blooded mongrel like you touched my woman."
Fuck... Rio mentioned this, but they really lose their shit over black hair.
"But mongrel... what're you after?"
"...What?"
"Don't play dumb. Arcna already told me. You noticed her teleport and let her go on purpose? To scout our position? What for?"
"What the...?"
I noticed the teleport and let her go on purpose? What bullshit. I didn't even know why that mage vanished suddenly.
"Bring allies to ambush us? Suspicious how a mongrel like you suddenly got strong enough. Mongrels can't even handle mana or magic properly..."
Not even waiting for my response, the green-haired prick rambled on. As I watched silently, Rio tugged my sleeve from behind, trembling.
"Mister... that guy's a Hero..."
"...Hero?"
The guy who wields the holy relic from that one true god?
'What kinda Hero is this asshole?'
The Hero image from Rio's words was supposed to be holy, righteous... that kinda thing.
"Hm? Figured it out? Yeah! I'm Rox, the Hero chosen by the holy relic 'Baikal'!"
Apparently overhearing Rio's whisper, he boasted his intro. Who attaches 'sir' to their own name?
"Whatever. Doesn't matter what you're scheming... I'll hear it from your mouth!"
-Splash!
"Urk?!"
He'd just finished his solo intro when Rox suddenly swung his spear through the air. The suspicious liquid dangling from the tip flew straight at us. I instinctively shoved Rio behind me, so she dodged, but I got drenched in the eerie green goo.
"Kyahaha! Protecting the demon brat... Talking about being human, but can't hide that filthy blood, huh?"
"Mister...!!"
Fuck. Demon this, that—who'd just stand by and watch a kid get hit? But what's this liquid? Why's it dripping from the spear on its own...
"Dunno why you didn't use a barrier... but taking my poison head-on? Idiot!"
Fuck, poison? It just comes out of the spear automatically?
"Dealing with shady fucks like you is simple. Poison 'em first, then ask what you want—they hold out at first, but soon spill even their panty color!"
"Ugh...!"
I frantically tried peeling off the poison-soaked clothes, desperate not to let it touch my skin, when Rox laughed at me.
"Too late. My poison melts armor. That thin cloth? Gone in seconds, seeps into your skin, poisons you..."
-Plop plop.
"...?"
[Janitor's Clothes (Lv. Max)]: Janitor's uniform that repels all dirt!
'Huh?'
The sticky, dangerous-looking dark green liquid fell off harmlessly as I shook myself a few times. Contrary to Rox's threat of melting my clothes, my janitor uniform was spotless, like new after the poison sloughed off.
"...No barrier? Made it so thin even I couldn't notice over your clothes...?"
Rox had kept his casual attitude throughout, but seeing the poison drop off powerlessly, his face turned serious as he glared at me.
"...Arcna wasn't bullshitting."
Fuck. No clue. Talking? This prick just sprayed poison at me outta nowhere? Thought I was done for. No idea why I'm fine... but yeah, no room for talk anymore.
[High-Pressure Cleaner (Lv. Max)]
-Krrrrsh!
The attack that had punched a hole in Arcna's gut. I pulled the trigger on the [High-Pressure Cleaner] in my hand, unleashing a torrent of high-pressure water from the nozzle. But the moment I gripped it, Rox sensed something ominous and swiftly ducked. The blast missed him and nailed the guy behind instead.
-Thwack!
"Gaaahk...!"
"Mustal! You bastard...!"
One buddy down, and the laughing thugs' faces hardened instantly as they drew weapons. But having seen the water blast's power, none rushed in recklessly—they just watched me.
All but one.
-Whiiiish!
"!!!!"
"Mister!!"
Rio, who'd been calmly watching from behind, called out. Turning to look, I saw Rox—in the same low dodge from evading my attack—gripping his spear one-handed, poised to throw.
'Danger...!'
-Whiiiish!
I sensed his follow-up and felt my hairs stand on end, desperately trying to move, but Rox's green spear shot from his hand faster.
'Ah.'
Dead.
Death loomed right before my eyes, and the world seemed to slow. Every surrounding detail flooded my vision.
Rio screaming, yanking my hand to save me; Arcna grinning with glee; the enraged men over their fallen comrade; Rox fixated on his spear tip...
⚙ SYSTEM ALERT ⚙Pollutant Detected Classification: [Large Waste], [Toxic Waste], [Metal] Collect this pollutant?
The spear tip grazing past the entrance to this passage we stood in, a holographic window flickering by.
"...Collect?"
I latched onto that one word from the translucent window and muttered it absently.
⚙ SYSTEM CONFIRM ⚙Collecting the pollutant.
Another translucent system window popped up, and the green spear vanished without a trace.