Although a Villain, My Wish is World Peace

Inside Gates, hunters become prey rather than predators, unbecoming of their name. All elements inside Gates are adjusted to favor monsters, and hunters are intruders infiltrating there.

The most dangerous time for hunters is the first day after entering a Gate. Because it’s time to adapt to a world they’re thrown into without proper knowledge.

But our situation was different.

As long as we have Han Seo-hyeon who can scrape up all the information in this Gate, we will never be hunted.

“Three are approaching from the west. They’re with a monster that looks like a dog.”

“Scouts.”

I pictured the monster Han Seo-hyeon described in my mind.

A monster with a lion’s face with long brown mane, human body, and walking on two legs with snake’s claws.

One thing came to mind.

For now, I need to see those guys with my own eyes to be sure.

I signaled to Kim Jae-ho with my eyes.

“We two will go. You two stay here.”

“Okay.”

For once, Han Seo-hyeon nodded silently.

Leaving the two behind, Kim Jae-ho and I moved our bodies up into the trees. All the trees densely filling this forest had thick branches and trunks.

We easily moved between trees as tall as 30m. It felt refreshing, like kicking through the air. While moving between trunks and branches, Han Seo-hyeon kept informing me:

[11 o’clock from Boss’s position.]

When I turned my head towards the direction Han Seo-hyeon told me, three monsters that looked like hybrids of lions and humans immediately came into view.

I slowly examined the guys slowly advancing towards us leading one glossy black dog, from atop a tree branch.

Over 2m tall, robust forearms. And crude bronze armor worn to protect their bodies.

They were Lion Heads as I expected.

The dog raised its head towards us as if sensing our scent carried on the wind. Before the dog could bark, Kim Jae-ho’s dagger flew through the air first.

After confirming Kim Jae-ho’s thrown dagger stuck into the dog’s neck consecutively, I created ice spears in the air.

The time from the ice spears being created to them piercing into the guys was instantaneous.

The perfect surprise attack timing that took their breath away didn’t give the monsters time to react.

With sounds of thud thud digging into the ground, the Lion Heads’ bodies were pierced right through by the ice spears.

Two Lion Heads died without making any sound.

Ting—!

But one Lion Head succeeded in deflecting my ice spear. It was an amazing reflex worthy of admiration.

The Lion Head who deflected the ice spear with the sword in his hand let out an angry roar at the death of his companions and dog.

Grroar!

His gaze immediately turned towards me hiding between trees.

“Good, you were the leader.”

But unfortunately, he was left alone, and his sword couldn’t reach me floating in the air.

I consecutively floated five ice spears in the air simultaneously.

“Your opponent is too bad.”

The guy’s attention was drawn to the ice spears appearing in the air, but actually the real danger isn’t me.

Kim Jae-ho who had somehow gone behind the guy waved his hand, and the dagger stuck in the dog’s nape moved.

The dagger flying through the air instantly pierced through the Lion Head’s body. But the dagger just stuck in the guy’s thick skin. The dagger that missed vital points couldn’t kill him.

So finishing off the guy writhing in pain was my job.

The five ice spears floating in the air simultaneously pierced into the guy’s body and his struggle stopped.

Only the sound of blood dripping from the monster pierced by ice spears wetting the ground could be heard.

“Good, it’s over.”

In an instant, three Lion Heads and one scout dog were dealt with.

I lightly threw my body down from the tree. Kim Jae-ho who had seeped into the shadows also raised his body.

When I canceled the summoned ice spears, the monsters’ corpses that were stiffly stuck in the ground crashed to the floor. After neatly arranging the monsters, Han Seo-hyeon arrived shortly after.

“It ended quickly.”

“Thanks to you, of course.”

They would be quite tricky opponents if we clashed head-on, but it was our perfect victory since we kept our distance and surprised them.

“This monster’s name is Lion Head. They’re tricky if you fight in close quarters, but their magic resistance is low so it’s best to deal with them from afar with magic.”

“By the way, couldn’t you have killed them more cleanly?”

At Han Seo-hyeon’s words, I turned my eyes to the Lion Head corpses. The Lion Head corpses pierced by thick ice spears were, well, honestly it was close to a miracle they were sticking together in one piece.

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, what Han Seo-hyeon needed was corpses as clean as possible. I scratched the back of my neck.

“I’ll handle them more cleanly next time.”

“Please be mindful. If the corpses are messy, there’s less I can do.”

“Got it.”

“Jae-ho hyung did well, this dog monster is quite usable.”

“Yeah.”

Meanwhile, to even recognize and praise the monster Kim Jae-ho handled.

Damn it! Next time, I’ll be the one to receive praise.

—I’m not sure who the boss is here.

Ahem, I got back to the main point.

“Anyway, the presence of Lion Heads means there’s a high chance the clear point of this Gate will be occupying their base. These guys live in groups.”

Usually, Gates are cleared by destroying Lion Head habitats.

I’d like to look for hidden elements, but it seemed there wouldn’t be any hidden elements for such a simple mission. Gates like this are discovered by dozens or hundreds.

The problem is that the process of destroying the Lion Head habitat isn’t easy.

“It’s a bit much for a C-grade mercenary group to handle.”

Lion Head habitats usually have about twenty to thirty living there. Lion Heads have low intelligence, but they have the characteristic of getting stronger as they gather due to good teamwork.

Especially their method of using their sturdy bodies as shields to create attack opportunities for their companions was desperate but always effective.

Before you know it, you’d often be surrounded by those guys while trapped by Lion Head corpses.

Usually, the limit of Lion Heads a C-grade mercenary group could handle at once was about five, so the general approach was to chip away at the Lion Heads’ forces bit by bit instead of directly attacking the Lion Head base.

Like dealing with guys who came out to scout like earlier, and setting traps to lure them out of their habitat.

But our choice was different.

“There’s no need to waste time unnecessarily.”

The time it took us to kill three was less than a minute. Even if there are many, I don’t think Lion Heads will threaten us.

So we decided to attack their habitat right away.

The time it took Han Seo-hyeon to collect all the necessary information was just one hour.

Right after information gathering was complete, we immediately raided that habitat.

To deal with those guys as cleanly as possible, I held a dagger instead of using magic.

If you cut the carotid artery, most living things can’t control their body, unless it’s a troll with regeneration ability. Even if it’s not an immediately fatal wound, guys with cut arteries soon lose strength and collapse.

I cut, cut, and cut again.

While I was taking down Lion Heads one by one like that, Kim Jae-ho was flying around. After sprinkling six daggers like rain, Kim Jae-ho hid in shadows and changed position. After appearing behind enemies, he swung a longsword while retrieving daggers. 

If they’re distracted by the sword swinging before their eyes, they’re immediately stabbed by daggers flying from behind. If they pay attention to the daggers, there’s no way to block the sword flying from the front.

Even while fighting alone, he dominated both sides of the enemy. Without anyone teaching him, Kim Jae-ho started handling those tricky daggers perfectly.

It’s such an amazing talent that you can only call it innate genius.

Throwing and catching. He freely moved daggers while jumping between spaces at will.

Later his speed became incredibly fast, and that sight was like one huge, what should I say…

‘It’s like a blender.’

—Sometimes I’m at a loss for words at your cheap expressiveness.

‘But doesn’t it look exactly like a blender? Anything that enters that space gets ground up.’

But behind that flashy performance…

“Ah! Jae-ho hyung! Boss comes to his senses, and why is Jae-ho hyung going crazy! How am I supposed to use something chopped up in pieces like this!”

Han Seo-hyeon’s nagging followed. Kim Jae-ho made a wronged expression, but even I saw there was no room for excuses.

Well, there wasn’t a single intact part on the Lion Head corpses Kim Jae-ho handled.

“This is, what. You said to handle them prettily.”

We were nonchalant despite that terrible sight, but Cha Song-jin was different.

“Urgh, urk.”

Cha Song-jin dry heaved looking at us covered in blood. Kim Jae-ho tilted his head.

“Did you eat something bad?”

“He saw something bad, that friend did.”

I clicked my tongue.

—How did he travel with the Top guys being so weak-hearted?

‘That’s why he couldn’t adapt.’

I wish he’d adapt somehow. It’s a scene he’ll have to see countless times from now on.

When I cut off the breath of the last Lion Head that was still breathing, an escape Gate appeared right before our eyes.

I turned on the power of the Gate maintenance device I had installed in advance.

Like that, our first Gate conquest took less than a full day. After coming outside, I immediately contacted Norman.

Norman was surprised at our contact.

[…You’re saying you already handled it?]

[Well, we have quite a bit of experience despite how we look…]

This kind of conversation was fine anyway.

[When can you come?]

I desperately needed a shower.

* * *

That evening we went to the container and slept like the dead. Norman was flustered at my words wanting to conquer a Gate right the next day, but we were able to be guided to the second Gate right away.

Taking the first day as a lesson, this time we specially brought additional artifacts.

—You’re acting uncharacteristically neat.

‘What do you mean uncharacteristic! Do you mean I usually look dirty or something?’

—It’s not that, but it’s amazing that you insist on showering even inside a Gate like this.

‘Ugh, if I skip showering for just one day, my whole body gets sticky and I can’t stand it.’

If it was a completely impossible situation I’d endure, but can’t I do it if I just bring artifacts in advance?

—It’s fortunate you’re not doing things like summoning water to wash.

‘Well that’s much less efficient.’

A portable shower is much better. Like that, we came carrying loads of luggage and soon encountered C-grade monster Groundogs.

I frowned as soon as I confirmed the Groundogs. Why? Because I had very unpleasant memories with those guys.

They were the guys who interfered with me at the moment of destruction.

When the guys rushed at me, I ducked my head to avoid them and then drew my dagger.

My sword accurately pierced between their ribs. Hot blood splattered on my face. Kim Jae-ho didn’t stay still either. Daggers flew and stuck into the guys’ heads.

A group of Groundogs was dealt with in an instant.

“Can I try what I wanted to do today?”

I nodded at Han Seo-hyeon’s question.

The beasts we killed were immediately undead-ified by Han Seo-hyeon’s magic power, leaving only bones. The skeleton bones imbued with black magic power turned black, and Han Seo-hyeon smiled brightly.

The black bones piled up neatly in Han Seo-hyeon’s fist.

“I thought you were making skeletons.”

“That’s good too, but I wanted to test bone bombs.”

“Is it your first time making them with beast bones?”

At my words, Han Seo-hyeon nodded shyly.

“Okay, give it a try.”

Han Seo-hyeon threw a bone about the size of a finger joint in front. And simultaneously, Han Seo-hyeon’s black magic power squirmed.

The bone that received Han Seo-hyeon’s magic power exploded and completely blew away the surroundings.

“Huh!”

The explosive power was so great that my body was pushed back a couple steps for a moment. I hurriedly drew out magic power to create a barrier against fragments flying around.

When I opened my eyes like that, what I saw was a huge crater.

“Wow.”

The destructive power was greater than expected. To think it’s this much from exploding just a small size about one finger joint?

“We’ll have to be careful using this.”