I Became a Dark Knight in the Game

51 – Gabi Merchant Group (6)

“Father!”

Mazhar stood up in shock. But Kriel didn’t care about the tone of Mazhar’s grief.

‘…’

To be honest, Kriel felt a bit of guilt too. Mazhar Gabi had done his best to protect his father and restore the family’s harmony, and he had promised to help Mazhar.

But what can be done?

The most certain way to restore family harmony is to attack the elderly.

*

“What the hell?!”

The shock of Tushkin, who suddenly got punched in the face, was incomparable to anyone else present. Even the shock felt by Mazar Gabi couldn’t match Tushkin’s bewilderment.

Crack! The wooden frame of the bed Tushkin was lying on broke with a grand sound.

However, Tushkin’s face did not cave in, and he did not bid farewell to this world. It was thanks to the defensive artifact he always wore. A shield that absorbed impact. Even while pretending to be ill, the defensive magic in his accessory proved its worth.

For a moment, Tushkin’s mind was filled with chaos.

“Why all of a sudden?”

What grudge did someone have against him to punch an old man’s face? Did someone from a rival merchant group he ruined in the past dream of revenge?

That couldn’t be it. For merchants, remembering people is crucial. If someone looked like that, he wouldn’t have forgotten─

Before he could finish his thought, the second blow came. The shield, which had already reached its limit with the first blow, shattered with a clear, crisp sound.

“Ugh!”

At this point, a groan was a ‘human’ reaction. Tushkin let out a scream that was half calculated, half genuine.

“Stand up straight, Tushkin. Why did you meddle with the abyss?”

“What the hell are you doing!!”

Mazar turned pale and rushed at Kriel. Tushkin cheered for his son. Well done, Mazar Gabi. Get rid of that scoundrel immediately!

But Tushkin’s wish did not come true.

It was because of Morigina.

A typical priest would have tried to stop a companion from beating up an old man lying in bed without question.

But the priest next to Kriel was Morigina. She knew how sincere (sometimes foolish) Kriel was about chivalry, and she was also aware of his ‘innate’ ability to detect the abyss.

In other words, Morigina trusted Kriel enough to attack the old man together when Kriel did.

Blood flowed from Morigina’s palm in an instant, forming the shape of a weapon. The focus was on the speed of creation rather than the precision of the form, making it closer to a club than a mace.

While Tushkin grabbed Kriel by the collar, Morigina held the club with both hands and swung it without hesitation.

“Arghhh!”

This time, Tushkin screamed with 100% genuine fear. What is this? What did I do to deserve this unprovoked assault?

Mazar was wise. If Kriel and Morigina were demonstrating their power, he couldn’t stop them. Realizing he couldn’t physically restrain them, Mazar immediately opened the door to call the guard mage outside.

Armed, who had been bewildered by the series of events flowing smoothly from Kriel’s punch, finally came to his senses.

From the outward appearance, it seemed right to stop Kriel. But Armed knew better than anyone that the inner self was more important than the outer appearance. Ignoring the slightly stinging voice of her conscience, she blocked the door Mazar was running towards.

The sound of clanking continued. The mages who heard the screams tried to break down the door to get in, but the door wrapped in magical chains did not open easily.

Majar Gabi looked at Armed with a gaze full of betrayal.

“Armed Ket! How could you! I may not have been a good person to you, but my father was different! How much money did he invest in your society!”

“If the investor dies, there’s no need to repay the investment!”

It was Morigina who spat out these vile words. Majar, and even Armed, looked at Morigina with astonished expressions.

“Huh? Wait. I didn’t mean it like that?”

“Even I think that was a bit much.”

When Kriel added a word, Morigina lowered her head and raised her club again. Unable to bear the shame, she decided to escape by beating Tushkin.

“You crazy b*stards──!!”

In the end, Tushkin rose up in a fit. If he stayed like this, the plan and everything else would be for naught, and he would die a miserable death.

“F-Father!?”

Majar’s bewilderment deepened at Tushkin’s vigorous rise. How could an old man who had been thoroughly beaten be so lively?

Was it the last flare of life?

Tushkin’s body was boiling. Acrid smoke rose from his entire body. It was a phenomenon completely different from the sweat produced by exercise. Kriel nodded in satisfaction.

“You’ve revealed your true colors.”

Tushkin’s previously pale skin began to turn red. It was different from vitality. It was not a healthy pink, but a blood-like red. Majar also began to sense something strange.

“You, what are you─”

Before he could finish saying ‘what,’ Morigina threw the club to Kriel, and Kriel, imitating what Morigina had just done, swung the club with all his might.

“Ugh! This b*stard, hitting the same spot again…!”

“Majar. Do you remember what I said before I entered the mansion?”

A meaningful question about what he would do if the curse’s source was related to his family.

Majar realized the only possible explanation for the current situation, where his father, who had been on the brink of death, was now exuding vigor and growing in size.

If the one who cursed Tushkin Gabi was Tushkin himself. He had been feigning illness all along.

He could also guess why his condition worsened every day despite being healed by the hero every day during his childhood. Every time he was healed, his father would cast a new curse.

Why was the curse completely lifted at some point?

Majar remembered that the Gabi Trading Company was a military supplier to the Abyssal Front during his childhood. He calculated the date when his curse was lifted. The curse was lifted after the Gabi Trading Company’s contract as a military supplier ended.

In other words, it was the point when the dissolution of the Gabi Trading Company would no longer have any adverse effects on the Abyssal Front.

The truth surged into Majar Gabi’s mind like a tidal wave. Anger and hatred filled his heart, which had been struggling to regain a harmonious family.

Just as his resentment and betrayal towards his father were about to materialize into words.

“This is for failing to manage your son!”

Something like a spark flew towards Tushkin Gabi’s face, leaving a dark red trail. The moment the ash-like substance touched his face, a fierce flame erupted, scorching Tushkin’s face.

Mazarin, who was about to say something, lost his words as he watched the few remaining hairs on his father’s head catch fire.

“Ugh…! You wretch, Armed Ket!”

Fully grasping the situation, she showed no hesitation in attacking Tushkin Gabi. When the first fire attribute magic didn’t work, she swung her staff and pulled out a catalyst that condensed various attribute magics.

“The share for pulling out a research wizard for fieldwork!”

The wind attribute magic condensed in the emerald exploded. Green shrapnel fired in dozens of directions. Whistle! Morgina whistled.

She didn’t dislike such a temper.

Instead of the club given to Kriel, Morgina drew two proper blunt weapons and charged at Tushkin, who was still attempting to mutate. The rising blood was transforming his body, but Morgina had no intention of waiting for the enemy to show his true skills.

If this were an honorable duel, she might have waited about 5 seconds since Kriel was beside her, but the opponent was from the Abyss.

“Wait! This body has been struck by bone!”

It was a ridiculous scream, but the situation was far from laughable.

Bones were growing through Tushkin’s skin. It looked more like armor than a biological skeleton. His body swelled to more than twice its original size. The height of the Gabi mansion was by no means low, but it seemed cramped.

As his body was restructured to match his spiritual nature, revealing the true nature consumed by the Abyss, Kriel had no intention of standing by. She struck Tushkin’s mutating knee, causing him to collapse. His movements temporarily halted.

“Armed! Focus on physical force, not specific attributes!”

Physical strikes were relatively effective. Armed pulled out an obsidian spearhead. A magic that increased sharpness was applied to the tip. She added speed enhancement and doubled the curse of bloodshed. The spearhead imbued with magic was placed at the tip of the staff.

She imagined the figure of an archer. The staff was the bow, and the obsidian spearhead was the arrow.

Loaded.

The obsidian glowed with condensed magic. The magic was concentrated to the point just before the surface cracked.

Fired.

The black trajectory was drawn faster than sound. Only after it left the tip of the staff did the sound of breaking air follow. The backdraft alone cracked the wall.

“The share for giving the academy guys ample time to repay their debts and making them lazy!”

“That’s not a mistake, Kraaah!”