The Reverse Scale, And Kim Han’s Anger

Do not anger Kim Han of Rebound. Better to pick a fight with a god in charge. At least then you might die cleanly and quickly.

—A representative’s warning who witnessed the Blood Path.

It was a premonition. My heartbeat slowed as if something had dropped out of my chest, then felt like it had fallen away entirely. At the same time the cloak trembled and an alarm sounded.

I activated spatial teleportation and left the reception room for the training ground.

Sure enough, the members frowned, checked one another, noticed Naruan and Hugo were missing, and treated it with uneasy nonchalance.

“Try contacting them.”

At my words, Lee Hyo-ju attempted communications several times, then shook her head, worry creasing her features.

“Treat everyone quickly and have those who are fine come to the indicated location first…!”

I gave a terse order and was about to move when a huge purple dragon appeared above Exorsus.

“Ja-ryong……”

The Ja-ryong revealed its form—that meant the situation was that serious.

“Lee Hyo-ju!!”

When I called, she nodded, lips pressed tight. Trusting her, I forced the spatial teleport.

The piercing light faded, and in the cleared vision the Ja-ryong loomed, tightly holding Naruan while silently enduring the representatives’ attacks.

Perhaps there was an order not to attack humans indiscriminately. Naruan, cradled in the Ja-ryong as it withstood every blow, looked grave.

“Chief… definitely… hehe. You… are… dead now.”

Naruan’s weak voice met my eyes and thundered in my ears.

I thought I heard shouting nearby and Hugo’s voice too, but it washed through me like distant noise.

‘Confirm.’

“…He, he. …It’s hard, Captain.”

Kneeling, I cradled Naruan’s head with one hand, wiped blood from her cheek and mouth, and felt her panting. I pulled a white orb from my inventory, placed it between her lips, stroked her apricot hair—matted and darkened with blood—and spoke.

“You did well. Sleep a little. You’ll be fine when you wake.”

“…Okay.”

With a short, weak answer, Naruan’s body scattered into particles of light and vanished—like a fairy meeting death.

The light that seemed about to scatter instead gathered, swept around me, and rose skyward.

The sensation was utterly unfamiliar. A feeling I’d never known in any past life washed over me: something hot and explosive welling in my chest while my head coldly analyzed the present to find the best outcome. It felt like operating two bodies at once.

“Guardian.”

『Yes.』

The Guardian’s voice was oddly solemn.

“Look.”

—Yes, master. Speak.

Posik’s ego did not chatter; it answered in a soft but forceful voice.

“I don’t want a single one of the trash here to die or escape.”

While Guardian linked with Argus’s Eye to set a virtual area in my vision, Posik slid free from my waist and floated up. It lengthened, stretched, and finally transformed into a limp longsword about ten meters long.

I reached out with my right hand, used the art of grasping the void to pull the ‘True Flame’ from where Naruan had been, and grasped it.

Vrrrr— Fwoosh—!

“Don’t worry. Your master is alive. Your master’s revenge should be done by your own hand, right?”

Bzzzz—!

“Struggle as much as you can.”

Holding True Flame, I spoke to the frozen representatives in a low voice filled with divine power. No— I begged them. Hold on as long as you can.

“Uh, uaa…? Kraaak!”

“Wha, what is that!”

“Aagh!! W- water!”

“W- water!!”

“What is this!! It won’t go out!”

Those stunned onlookers watched, vacant, as True Flame consumed an arm—or both—of someone who couldn’t even dodge a simple slash.

Representatives writhed and screamed as their flesh burned down to bone; their screams turned the area into instant pandemonium.

“Please hold out as long as you can.”

“Sik, handle it.”

—Yes.

The flaccid Posik flying outward looked like a dragon writhing as it flew; it moved opposite the way I sent it originally.

Out of reflex I had aimed for necks, then forced myself to flinch and instead severed arms or legs to prevent escape.

I pressed forward, leaving howls in my wake until no representatives remained to block my path.

“Kraaaaa—!”

“Aagh!”

“P-please… kill me.”

After only a short advance I was slightly breathless. I checked my divine power—nothing was wrong.

“Destroy it.”

When Guardian finished speaking, Posik darted off.

A single representative’s limbs were severed and the oppressive device that had restrained them vanished with a scream.

Their terrified eyes flinched at the mere meeting of my gaze.

Why did they look at me like that? Why had they touched me when I still had a mountain of preparations and so many other things to worry about? When it was only this level.

That tiny one who always flitted about and acted foolishly nevertheless put me above anyone else—Naruan.

She even went around saying she preferred me to Mors, earning a scolding from Mors. If I ordered it, she would cheerfully bring back someone’s head whom she was friendly with.

Once called Battle Puppet in a past life, she was now my family and my child.

Her body was covered in slash marks.

Flare—

“Waaaaaaah!”

Fwoosh—

“Kyaaak!”

Flare—

“Waaaaaah!! I-it’s hot!!”

Fwoosh—

“Aaaah!!”

Each time the wind carried the sound of rising flames, screams followed.

They fell to the ground, collapsing, fainting and waking repeatedly—the breath knocked out, waking to scream at the top of their lungs, then fainting again.

At Guardian’s words I halted, looked around, and glanced up at the sky.

Black currents of energy were rising, divine power and chaotic momentum mingling and undulating as they climbed.

So that’s why my body had felt strangely tired.

“Phew…….”

Why none of the representatives had fled despite their terror.

“Hoo…….”

Why, aside from the screams, there was no other sound.

“Huh……”

Because upon entering the Battlefield of the Gods, I had used my full force for the first time.

After three deep breaths to gather myself, the black currents that had shot skyward finally dissipated.

Although the oppressive force over them was gone, none of the representatives could move easily.

As I stepped forward slowly, creating cripples without arms or legs, I sensed Rebound unit members arriving one after another.

“Hugo!”

“Shumix!”

Some members rushed onto the field to check Hugo and Shumix’s conditions or took positions to guard them; the rest surrounded the area so no one could escape.

“Do not kill them.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

As everyone answered, Lee Hyo-ju—trembling for the first time—asked in a small voice, and the members halted motions that had been about to spring.

“K-Kim Han. Na- Naruan, I can’t see Naruan……”

Even the screaming representatives clamped their mouths and fell silent.

Seventy or so pairs of eyes turned to me. Hugo hung his head, shoulders shaking.

“…Naruan has been moved for now. It’s an emergency. She may die.”

“……!!”

“……!!”

“…Capture!”

“…Do not kill them. Their hearts belong to Naruan. Limbs are unnecessary; as long as the heart keeps beating.”

I gave a decisive order to the surprised members: capture them alive. Maim them only enough to prevent movement.

“…Time stop. Grant limitation. Dirge of Broken Hearts!!”

A snake with a blue head and white tail extended in all directions from Lee Hyo-ju’s hands.

“Space sever. Divide.”

By Hazel’s power, the representatives who tried to flee found themselves blocked as if by a wall.

“Ice Cutter. Transmute. Sharpness.”

Arun, unusually serious, cast his magic.

“Gluttony. Nightmare.”

A black, ominous aura rose from Mae Young-ryeong’s body.

Those who observed the battlefield from afar that day could understand why Rebound Legion’s cloak was dark red.

Though bathed in blood and stained with flesh, the cloak bore no visible mark.

Lajo trembled in endless fear.

The black pupils visible in Kim Han’s eyes—something flickering and burning within them—were enough to reveal his rage.

Yet Kim Han’s expression was unnervingly calm. He stood as if thoughtless, emitting terrifying momentum without his face changing.

Only then did the representatives seem to understand why this had been considered an accident—an unexpected misfortune.

This was not what Lajo had wanted. It was an accident.

‘G- gotta run……’

Fight or block? There was none of that. His head held only the thought of getting out.

But just as Lajo tried to move his newly freed body, something blue brushed his legs.

With a burning sensation his upper body lurched while his legs felt empty.

Looking down, he saw his legs where they had been a moment ago—blood pouring from severed thighs as his body tilted and rolled.

Lajo could no longer hold coherent thoughts amid the raging pain.

Just before he fainted, his eyes fixed on chunks of meat writhing on the floor in the same ruined condition as him.