I Became an Illegal Cheat User

87 – Greed (2)

『…Stones?』

The greed that charged at me tilted its head in confusion.

It was perplexed as to why I suddenly threw a stone instead of using a perfectly good weapon.

Even while harboring such confusion, its eyes quickly scanned the stones.

It was checking to see if the stones flying toward it were something special, given that I was using high-tier items.

After a moment of this, its face twisted in a grimace.

‘…Is it really just a stone?’

It had realized that the stones hurtling toward it were nothing more than common pebbles scattered by the roadside, not some extraordinary weapon.

But it didn’t know.

A common pebble that doesn’t even qualify as an item.

That when my cheat effect is applied to that pebble, it becomes something far from ordinary.

──!

The stones flying toward greed vanished.

At the same time, I felt an immense shockwave, and before I knew it, my body had been pushed back about 10 meters.

Normally, I would have been smashed to the ground in an instant, just like when I was hospitalized last time.

But thanks to the two Aegises I had switched to as a shield and the armor I was wearing, I was merely pushed back.

Of course, I had used the speed limit release, so there was a price to pay.

Crackle, crackle, crackle…!

The twelve Aegises I had worn on my ten fingers and held in my hands disintegrated.

‘…Wh-What?’

Once again, greed’s body vanished, but this time only its mouth remained, dropping to the ground with a thud.

Along with it, the weapons that had been floating in the air and chasing after it clattered to the floor with a loud crash.

And then, following that—

……KWA-aaaNG──!!

A tremendous roar erupted from the spot where the stones had disappeared.

‘That makes two.’

Now, it had four death-evading items left.

I hurriedly pulled out twelve new Aegises and equipped them.

At the same time, I readied a Thunderbolt and aimed it at the remnants of greed.

No, I tried to aim it.

If only the Thunderbolt hadn’t vanished from my hand.

“…Even a common stone shouldn’t be underestimated.”

The mouth attached to the fragment of Greed’s head moved.

Before that mouth, the Thunderbolt I had intended to unleash was fading away due to the constraints of the Infinite Item.

At the same time, the parched ground began to tremble.

Then, dirt, stones, and dust coalesced around the fragment of Greed’s head, and in an instant, a new body was formed.

In that moment, I realized that the death-evading item used this time was the ‘Blessing of the Earth (S).’

“I will not let my guard down, even for the smallest things.”

As Greed’s body fully recovered, it brushed off the remaining dirt and raised its hand with a swift motion.

At that, the scattered weapons around us began to rise into the air, gathering towards Greed.

Of course, I wasn’t just standing by and watching that spectacle.

Just as I had done before, I lifted twelve stones with telekinesis and hurled them towards Greed.

But true to Greed’s boastful declaration of vigilance,

Before the effect of speed limit release could even activate, the stones were stolen from me.

“…The day has come when stones are stolen.”

Greed grimaced as if it had touched something filthy, throwing the stones it held onto the ground.

Well, it always collected only high-grade items.

Yet, no matter how threatening it may be, using a steal on such utterly insignificant stones must have tarnished its pride.

“Lee Yu-jin….”

Greed glared at me with a gaze filled with malice, extending its hand.

Then, I saw an intangible energy shooting from its hand.

From the feeling of that energy, it seemed to be telekinesis.

In response, instead of throwing stones, I sent out my own telekinesis towards it.

Crackling…!

As our telekinesis clashed, a deafening sound erupted, and the space around us warped.

In that moment, Greed’s eyes, which had been glaring at me with murderous intent, widened slightly in surprise.

It was no wonder, as the collision of Greed’s telekinesis and mine distorted the very fabric of space.

In a struggle of powers with the same ability, the outcome is determined not by rank but by the amount of ‘Qi’ and ‘Magic Power’ possessed by the user.

Yet, here I was, holding my ground against the sixth strongest telekinesis among the twelve named ones.

“…This is surprising.”

Even in a state of rising malice, one cannot help but be astonished.

『The intensity I feel is certainly at an upper mid-level… but does it possess this much energy?』

‘Well, that’s because I have infinite energy.’

I answered its question inwardly, gradually pushing back against its psychic force, little by little.

At the same time, I activated the injector filled with mana recovery potion.

Whoosh.

With the sensation of a needle piercing my waist, the mana that had been rapidly depleting surged back up.

‘…If only I had infinite mana, I could have overwhelmed it.’

Of course, thanks to the extreme skill that lifted the speed limit, I had managed to lose two bonus lives from greed.

But in moments like this, when engaged in a battle of energy, I couldn’t help but wish for infinite mana.

‘Still, I should think positively.’

The reason I gained infinite energy was because the speed limit had been lifted.

I let out a short sigh and transmitted a grenade box into the ground beneath it.

『…Hmm?』

Noticing the flow of mana, Greed looked down.

As soon as I saw its gaze shift elsewhere, I pulled a grenade from my inventory and removed the pin.

Then, I immediately transmitted it into the ground where the grenade box was.

And shortly after.

…KABOOM─!

A massive explosion erupted beneath Greed’s feet.

It was an explosion that anyone would deem instantly lethal.

But unfortunately, it did not die.

And understandably so, surrounded by the white flames filled with divine power.

『…A new ability, a new item. Lee Yu-jin, you truly possess a great deal.』

It stood there, unfazed, looking at me.

Step by step.

Emerging from the flames, Greed casually tossed a shield to the ground, one it had pulled out who knows when.

As it did, the shield, which had taken lethal damage, transformed from black to gray and slowly faded away like Aegis disintegrating.

『You are indeed a being of great greed.』

Greed’s red eyes sparkled with a sinister light, scattering the essence of avarice.

“When I obtained the soul of a giant.”

Around Greed, enormous weapons that could have been wielded by a giant appeared.

“When I seized the flames of the phoenix.”

Black flames erupted from Greed’s body.

“When I swallowed the heart of a dragon.”

Scales, akin to those of a dragon, sprouted from Greed’s form.

It exhaled a hot breath… no, a torrent of fire, and slowly raised its right hand.

“Such an intensely coveted being is a first for you.”

So,

“Please, die for me.”

Greed gazed into my eyes with those transformed, dragon-like orbs.

The weapons, filling the sky, aimed directly at me.

In the face of that sight, I tried to hastily escape my position.

Tear apart evil and kill it.

Thus, prove your purity.

…Damnable talent, as if the Demon Slayer (S) could never tolerate fleeing before evil, poured forth anger, hatred, and a primal instinct for destruction through the essence of elixirs and divine medicines into my emotions.

In the end, I gave up on fleeing.

Instead, I tightened my grip on the aegis held in both hands, resolved to confront it.

As I did, I lifted the stones around me with telekinesis.

No, every stone I lifted vanished.

Greed had taken them with steel.

So, I switched the speed limit release to ‘OFF.’

Having lost even the stones as a means of attack, there was no need to maintain the cheat.

I glared at Greed, filled with the anger and hatred surging from deep within me.

At that, Greed’s eyes gleamed with a red light, as if even my appearance was something to covet.

“Lee Yu-jin.”

“Your abilities, your possessions, your soul… everything about you.”

Greed swung its raised hand down sharply.

“Give it all… to me, Greed.”

With those words, the weapons aimed at me unleashed their fury all at once.

I took in the sight before me and exhaled sharply.

Then I embraced the fury, the hatred, the instinct for destruction.

Reason began to blaze fiercely.

My heart pounded violently, supplying hot blood, supplying strength.

Crack…!

The grip on Aigis tightened with even greater force.

And when the surrounding landscape transformed once more into a hell reeking of sulfur.

I shall slay evil.

The demon slayer began to move.

&

Weapons beyond counting poured down like rain.

Various melee weapons flew in to slice and shatter.

Various ranged weapons hurled projectiles to pierce through.

The demon slayer scanned the incoming attacks with his eyes.

He recognized what he could take with his body and what he needed to deflect with his shield.

And as soon as the recognition was complete, he moved without a moment’s hesitation.

First, he swung his shield at the massive sword that was falling as if to cleave him in two.

Clang─!

With a thunderous clash of metal, the enormous sword was deflected away.

At the same time, the demon slayer activated the injector for the mana recovery potion and caught the projectiles.

Then he hurled them back at the incoming projectiles.

Clangclangclangclangclangclangclang!

Projectiles collided with projectiles.

But there were even more projectiles flying toward him.

Thudthudthudthud!

The projectiles battered against the demon slayer’s body.

Yet, thanks to one of the effects of the Atlas Armor, “40% reduction of incoming ranged damage,” the amount of damage absorbed was minimal.

And the weapons and projectiles that had been striking his shield occasionally shattered, simultaneously flying toward Grid in a form made of mana.

It was Aigis’s “30% chance to reflect 50% of damage” effect.

However, no reflected damage reached Grid.

Thud, thud, thud!

The defensive items circling Grid were absorbing the reflected damage.

The Demon Slayer glared at Grid, filled with rage and hatred.

With that, he deflected the weapons flying toward him from Aegis.

The projectiles were met with his body.

Thud.

The Demon Slayer took a step toward Grid.

Thud, thud!

This time, he took two steps.

To stop the advancing Demon Slayer, massive weapons were brought down.

A gigantic morning star struck the Demon Slayer’s body.

Aegis was destroyed.

The Demon Slayer moved forward.

A blood-stained greatsword slammed down on the Demon Slayer’s shield with a thud.

Two Aegis were destroyed.

The Demon Slayer moved forward.

A menacing giant axe struck the Demon Slayer’s torso with a thud.

Three Aegis were destroyed.

The Demon Slayer moved forward.

Bang!

…He was hit.

Aegis was destroyed.

Yet, he moved forward.

Bang, bang!

….

…It was destroyed.

Yet, he moved forward.

Thud, thud, bang!

….

……

Moving forward.

『…Ah.』

Greed gazed at the demon slayer as if entranced.

『…I desire it.』

That steel-like spirit.

『…I want to have it.』

That tireless body.

『…I want to take it!』

That indomitable soul!

『Lee Yu-jin, Lee Yu-jin…, Lee Yu-jin─, Lee Yu-jin─!』

Greed, who had been shooting weapons, slammed into the ground.

『Lee Yu-jin──!!』

And then charged toward the demon slayer, who was sending forth deep, deep anger and hatred.

“Greed.”

The demon slayer came to a halt.

With a swift motion, he tossed two grayish shields to the ground and pulled out ten Aegises from his inventory.

Sliding the Aegises onto his ten fingers, he clenched his fist tightly with a crack.

He stomped the ground with a thud, twisting his waist.

『Lee Yu-jin─! Give me all of you─!』

And then, toward the loathsome face of Greed.

『Give it all to me…….』

He unleashed a full-powered light hook.

&

&

&

Kwaaah─!

Grid’s head exploded.

But as if it had never happened, it returned to its original state.

He had evaded death thanks to the effect of the death-evading item, ‘Pharaoh’s Hourglass (S).’

‘…That makes three.’

With a precarious rationality that felt like it could melt away at any moment, I counted the number of death evasion attempts Grid had used.

Then, I turned to Terra, who was anxiously watching me, and asked, my heart racing as Grid’s body was struck fiercely.

“Terra, how much time is left?”

– …Sir! 30…, remaining…, is…, left!

The voice came through in fragments.

But fortunately, I could hear the remaining time from that voice.

‘…30 seconds.’

Only 30 seconds left.

Not much time at all.

I exhaled a hot breath.

Then, I gripped my mind tightly and moved my body as the Demon Slayer guided me.

『…Kuhak, kuhak! Lee Yoo-jin─! Lee Yoo-jin──!!』

Grid burst into laughter, as if in ecstasy, and threw a punch at me.

In response, I also threw a punch toward Grid’s fist.

Kwaaang─!

The moment our fists collided, a powerful shockwave erupted.

The impact caused two of the Aegises to vanish.

With the Atlas Armor reducing close-range damage by 50%,

and the effect of the Demon Slayer lowering his stats by 40%,

Grid was still formidable.

『If I kill you, that iron will of yours will become mine!』

Grid struck my side with a face full of greed.

Three Aegises disappeared.

In retaliation, I aimed for Grid’s heart.

Puhhh-oom!

His chest burst open along with his heart.

But thanks to the death evasion item, he returned in an instant.

‘That makes four.’

『…Kuhak─!』

The Grid who had evaded death exhaled a plume of black fire.

Then, he slammed my head down with his elbow and shouted.

“If I kill you, that tireless body will belong to me!”

Five Aegises vanished.

All Aegises disappeared.

In a hurry, I tried to summon the Aegis through teleportation.

“Yoo Jin──!!”

Grid’s fist struck my chest first.

Kwahhh─!

“…Kuh!”

With immense pain, my body was pushed back.

At the same moment, a system message appeared in my field of vision.

[‘Demon Slayer (S)’ derivative passive ‘Indomitable’ effect activated.]

[For 30 seconds, health recovery speed increased by 200%, and all debuffs are negated.]

As the Indomitable effect activated, my health began to recover rapidly.

I activated the injector containing the healing potion and initiated the teleportation of the Aegis I had just failed to summon.

Watching the Aegis equip itself on my ten fingers, I pulled a shield-shaped Aegis from my inventory.

“…If I kill you, that indomitable soul will belong to me!”

And just as I was about to strike Grid with the shield, who was rushing towards me in pursuit.

– …Arrived!

A faint cry from Terra echoed in my ears.

At the same time.

Kuguguguguguguguguh──!!

“…Kuhak─!”

An immense force, imbued with intangible energy, fell from the sky and crushed Grid.

Kwahhh─!

Grid collapsed to the ground like a frog.

No, he didn’t just fall; he sank into the ground.

I lifted my gaze.

There, I saw Kali looking down at Grid with an angry expression.

“…Kali──!!”

Grid, realizing what was weighing down on him, cried out Kali’s name.

But Kali descended before me, indifferent to Grid’s ramblings.

Then, placing a hand under my chin, she spoke in a gentle voice.

“Lee Yoo-jin, you’ve worked hard.”

At the sound of her voice, the anger and hatred surging from deep within me quickly subsided.

Even the ‘Demon Slayer (S)’ recognized that the situation had come to an end.

No, perhaps it was the overwhelming presence of Kali that had intimidated him.

As I thought this, relief washed over me in that moment.

『Do you think… do you think I would be caught like this─!』

Grid, unable to move under Kali’s telekinesis, shouted in a voice filled with rage, summoning his magic.

Then, like a high-level corrupted being that had self-destructed while clinging to a golem, he attempted to unleash his magic.

No, he tried to, but Kali’s telekinesis shattered Grid into pieces from head to toe first.

Then, over the remnants of Grid’s body, black ash began to rise like a fog.

And not long after.

– Lee Yoo-jin!

The fog transformed into Grid’s form.

As soon as I saw that figure, I recalled the death-evading item, ‘Marionette’s Resurrection (S).’

‘…This will be the fifth one.’

Now, he had only one death-evading item left.

But unfortunately, today I could not kill him.

That was because the ‘Marionette’s Resurrection (S)’ item—

– I will definitely, I will definitely have you!

Revives in some body where a piece of his soul is embedded.

“Where do you think you’re running to!”

Kali shot her telekinesis toward Grid’s soul, which was flying toward the continent of death.

But in his soul state, Grid flew on, completely unaffected by Kali’s power.

“…I missed.”

Kali muttered in a somewhat disheartened voice.

Seeing her like that, I slumped down onto the floor and let out a deep sigh of exhaustion.

‘Ha… today has truly been exhausting.’

Still, it was a day where I gained much for all the fatigue I endured.

Guarding the outpost.

Slaughtering hundreds of thousands of the fallen.

Destroying the five death-evading items that Greed possessed.

And…, I learned which named entity might invade during the upcoming ‘Duel Season.’

‘Greed, with only one death-evading item left.’

I could hear it.

The sound of difficulty decreasing.

‘Still, I should prepare.’

Because unexpected variables might arise.

I organized the plans swirling in my mind and transformed my armor back into bracelet form.

“Ahh…, refreshing.”

A cool breeze enveloped my entire body.

Feeling that breeze, I took a golden apple from my inventory.

And crunch!

I took a big bite.