“Indeed, the Screaming Execution! To slice the head of the Baseball Boss in one go!”
“It’s a simple task for me.”
“Just how incredible of a man are you, argh!”
“Hehe, if you keep getting surprised one by one, it’ll never end… Well. I’ve brought you all the heads of the baseball thugs, so report it to the coffin and collect the money.”
“Uaaaaah!”
Leaving behind the fussing Galbijong, I entered the lair.
This time, by swiftly dispatching the Baseball King with one strike, I properly demonstrated my power to my subordinates. Galbijong isn’t just acting up for no reason. Everyone was so moved, their eyes were shining. Making my subordinates recognize my charisma— that is the first step in running an organization.
But honestly, I was surprised too.
No matter how you slice it, to take down a head-level demon in one stroke— it really hit me how off the charts my Spirit Strike’s destructive power is. Although I did get stronger thanks to the Four Fairies.
Anyway.
As the host, I came back and lightly handled some work before initiating a feast. After taking care of a big task outside, a little celebration was in order.
I gave a brief toast, had a drink, and filled my belly, then quickly took the legal team out with me. It’s usually better for the leader to distance themselves during such occasions.
“Geunhyeop, is it okay not to eat more?”
“Serin, the host should always be the first to leave in a gathering. It encourages people to follow along.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Hehehe, that’s how the world of men works.”
“Stop saying weird things and shoo away that drunkard. Drinking while inebriated will lead to trouble.”
“Okay.”
“What’s with that ‘okay’?”
It’s something.
As I quickly returned to the lodging, Hayoung, who had arrived first, welcomed me. She was in the midst of conducting some research, probably to check my state before making me consume the “Yodan”.
“Yodan is truly Yodan, huh? Clean yourself up and come back. I’ll feed you.”
“Got it.”
I easily cleared the drunkenness with some breathing exercises. Since I only had one drink, and the alcohol served during the meal was low in potency, it was easy to shake it off quickly.
“Is Serin around?”
“Hehe, I told you to clear the intoxication but it seems you’re being intoxicated instead?”
As I jokingly called out, Serin came over and said, “What, do you want me to join? What’s happening?”
“Hmm! I’m about to take a bath, so prepare to help me immediately!”
“Yes. I will assist you. Come here.”
“Hahaha! You’re so cute! I really like how adorable you are!”
After receiving a bath from Serin, I came out and declared, “Let’s eat!”
I picked up the Yodan.
“Wait a second. Let me put some talismans on you.”
“What are you planning to experiment with?”
“Just a little bit?”
Hayoung attached talismans on me as if she was sticking on pain relief patches. Then she laid me down inside a prepared makeshift barrier and placed her hands on my lower abdomen.
“Now eat.”
“Okay.”
Grabbing the Yodan from the Baseball King with my fingers.
“Nom.”
The moment I consumed it—
—Hwaaaah.
I felt the unique icy aura of the Yodan flowing down my throat. However, it wasn’t particularly a strong stimulus. I had already consumed the Yodan given by the Four Fairies.
I couldn’t feel any strong reactions from this loser’s Yodan.
“…”
Still, I could feel the energy settling down into my lower abdomen. It felt like pouring water into a bucket, the energy itself was accumulating. Though it wasn’t in a significant amount.
But I could vaguely feel myself getting drowsy. A sensation of balance between wakefulness and dreams. I had experienced this once before. Consuming Yodan can lead to such feelings.
All I could see around me was darkness. I was on all fours doing something. Smelling? Am I smelling something? In that unclear state of mind, I briefly lost my consciousness and opened my eyes again.
“Hoo… I’m back. Hayoung, how much time has passed?”
“About an hour?”
“Not too long. How is it?”
“Look at this.”
Hayoung handed me a blackened talisman.
“What’s this?”
“It’s what was stuck to your body. At some point, it suddenly got burned.”
Why?
“This talisman reacts to the energy. When you consumed the Yodan, it took on the shape of that energy. That’s when the burning started.”
“…”
“But… at some point, that energy flow disappeared. This means the energy was refined into your internal power. And it happened quite rapidly. Maybe one of your organs is purifying that energy, leaving only the internal power behind.”
“Is that for real?”
Then the Four Fairies has given me a look at my heart?
As I asked nervously, Hayoung shook her head.
“Honestly, I don’t know yet. It does seem your body is capable of purifying that energy. We’ll figure it out with more research. Let’s make progress, okay?”
“Sure.”
“But has anything changed?”
“Anything changed?”
Come to think of it.
“My sense of smell feels a bit sharper?”
Somehow it felt like my sense of smell had heightened. Hayoung’s scent seemed a bit stronger. Or rather than just being stronger, it felt like I gained the ability to read the information contained within the smells more accurately— almost instinctively.
Like a dog.
“My smell has gotten sharper? Am I smelly…?”
In an instant, Hayoung startled and started checking herself, but that wasn’t it.
“No, it’s not that my smell is stronger. I think this means my ability to read information through smells has markedly increased. I can feel it instinctively.”
“…”
“Why? When we smell meat, don’t we think it smells delicious? That ability has gotten stronger.”
That’s the capacity to discern information about meat with just a faint scent.
“Is that so? Is it because of the Baseball King’s Yodan? It seems my sense of smell has heightened.”
“Seems like it. Ah, anyway, I’m tired. It’s late, right? Thank you for staying by my side. Let’s head to bed.”
“Okay.”
A heightened sense of smell, huh.
I thought it might be quite useful in the future.
I will continue to fight against the demons. No matter where they hide or where they are situated. If I can find them using this sense of smell, I could dramatically reduce the time it takes to track them down.
It’s a great ability.
Could I even train my sense of smell?
If it’s possible, I should work hard on that too.
—
“Dude, hey! Don’t train your sense of smell by sniffing at my chest!”
“Uh-oh? Staying still? Stay still.”
“What do you mean stay still?!”
Hayoung pouted, but when I forcibly gripped her wrists and pressed my face into her chest, she eventually gave up and wrapped her legs around my waist.
“If you’re going to do that, might as well go all the way…”
“Alright. Today’s experience points are all racked up.”
“Hey!”
I let go of her hips, and Hayoung yelped. Unfortunately, doing such things since midday makes it impossible to use the day effectively.
Hayoung grabbed a blanket to cover her torso, and I immediately made my way outside.
“Geunhyeop! Not again with the sense of smell training, ah!”
Serin couldn’t escape from my reach either. I immediately chased after her, kneeling down with one leg and burying my face into her firm backside.
“Why are you sniffing around, stop! What are you doing, pressing your face into a lady’s backside?!”
“Ah!”
Serin’s face turned beet red as she smacked my head.
Seriously, it felt like my head was about to explode— no!
It really hurt!
“Ouch, Serin! That’s too strong! How can you hit that hard?!”
“I’m sorry! Are you okay?!”
“Found an opening.”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
Taking advantage of Serin’s shock as she worried about my head, I slithered like a snake and buried my nose back into her backside.
This was literally habitual sexual harassment. But still, it was essential training to develop my sense of smell. Though it’s a bit lewd, it’s a necessary task.
“Kim Geunhyeop, you…!”
—Bam!
Ultimately, I received an even stronger smack and ended up knocked out.
“Ugh! My head feels like it’s cracking…!”
I’m done for, seriously.
“Now, now, it’s because you keep embarrassing me! Ever since that day, you keep trying to stick your nose into my backside at any opportunity! Really…! There’s a limit to all this lewdness!”
“But if I want to enhance my sense of smell, this is the best method.”
“Be quiet!”
No! If I get hit more, my head is really going to crack!
“Ha! You keep asking for me to sit down on your face while you’re still in your undergarments, I mean, this is so complicated. Geunhyeop, even though we are husband and wife, asking for such strange things…”
I do sound a bit pervy.
“Serin, I know it’s a ridiculous request. But when you gain this kind of power, you know? It’s the best time to train hard, you know? You need to help me out.”
“Ugh!”
Bringing up training, Serin’s face flushed.
Honestly, it is a bit extreme, but it’s still training. Even though she says all that, she’s still playing along with me.
“I-I mean, I need to prepare my heart for it. Do you really understand how embarrassing this is? Please don’t suddenly ask me to do that.”
“Hehe, I understand. I’ll just go out for a bit.”
“Go ahead.”
Maybe she’s sulking, as Serin turned away sharply.
I’ll have to bring some sweets later to soothe her.
“Hm.”
As soon as I stepped outside, I took a deep breath and began interpreting the hidden information in the scents around me. It wasn’t that the smells felt any stronger. It felt more like the information contained within those smells popped up in my mind.
When I focused on the scent of food, I could faintly sense where it originated from. Following that trail would lead me to a restaurant.
Moreover, I could feel the distinctive metallic scent of the Martial Arts World. I could sense when someone far away approached, and I could vaguely locate what was behind me at that moment.
I realized after obtaining this ability.
This is an incredible power.
It literally felt like a new sense emerged. It’s a very advantageous ability for me, a martial artist. It may not be useful in a fray, but in daily life, it proves tremendously helpful.
“Tra la la.”
Thus, I moved on, training my sense of smell by sniffing the scents of the streets.
While doing that, I caught a whiff of a familiar yet unpleasant smell.
“This smell…?”
What is it?
I felt a sense of nostalgia from the smell.
It wasn’t bad or anything; I just felt an ominous and unpleasant feeling as soon as I caught it. Is it dangerous? I felt that somewhat, but… what is it? It’s bothering me.
What kind of smell was it again?
Feeling an unbearable curiosity, I followed the scent.
“…”
As I continued following it, I discovered a man. He was short and had a shifty appearance. He looked like a rat.
“Oh.”
The moment I saw him, I realized.
This is the smell of a demon.
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