CHAPTER 46: WILL BE FIXED SOON!

’I’m stronger than him... I’m stronger than him...’

I repeated the words like a mantra.

To distract myself from his predatory gaze, I simply closed my eyes. As darkness enveloped me, the fear gradually receded, replaced by a growing sense of calm.

All the while, I never stopped walking.

By the time I opened my eyes again, I had closed a good chunk of the distance between us.

After going through a few more steps, I finally arrived in front of him.

"Do you know who I am?"

I heard him asking the question.

Without meeting his gaze, I replied calmly, "Yeah. You’re ’Rat’ Peter, right?"

"So you do know me, and you still walk up to me like this? Either you’re brave... or just plain stupid."

He spoke with a harsh, arrogant, and truly menacing tone, exactly the same tone that most thugs used when they tried to intimidate their victims.

My body froze again, fear seizing me before I could even fight it off. I closed my eyes once more, pretending not to hear his words, hoping to stave off the terror. When I opened them, I deliberately avoided his gaze, an easy feat, given that I was much taller.

"I don’t know what you’re trying to pull by walking up to me, but I’m busy right now. So I’ll let you off... just this once."

Then, suddenly, he reached for my robe.

Before I could think, my body moved on its own.

Just like when I caught a fly earlier, out of instinct, I slapped his hand away.

Pa!

Before I could fully register what had just happened, Peter dropped to his knees, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"A-AHHH! My hand! My fingers!"

"Ah, sorry, I’m still not used to my new power," I blurted out, the words escaping before I could stop them.

Then I blinked. Wait... why the hell did I just apologize? And wait, I’m actually this strong already? A single slap from me just crushed five fingers of a notorious criminal?

Then why the hell did I freak out twice earlier from his gaze? He’s weaker than me! I’m stronger than him! There’s no reason for me to be afraid of him and his kind anymore if I possess this power!

While I haven’t reached that manhwa-level power where a flick of my wrist can shatter mountains, this is already seriously impressive!

"A-asshole! Bella, get him!"

I was still stuck in my thoughts when my danger senses kicked in, like an alarm going off in my brain.

I hurriedly looked up.

That’s when I saw it, a snake lunging toward me.

But the strange thing was... in my eyes, it was moving slowly. Ridiculously slow, like it was trapped in a muddy swamp.

’So slow?’ I raised my eyebrows in puzzlement.

The snake in my vision moved so terribly sluggish, making me wonder if it was weighed down by a full stomach. But as I watched, I saw it was thin, almost starving, as if it hadn’t eaten in days.

It was easy to catch its head right in the middle of the air.

I was never a fan of snakes, but I wasn’t such a hater that I’d kill one without a second thought if it were right in front of me. So, I gently moved my fingers, intending to stroke its head and calm it down.

But again, still unfamiliar with my new strength, I underestimated myself. Like... underestimated myself too much.

Splat!

Its skull burst like a crushed watermelon, spraying blood and brain matter between my fingers.

My eyes widened as I stood there, startled.

I was telling the truth. There were only seven thugs inside, and their strength was nothing remarkable, probably just like the ones I’d fought by the city gate. Had they stayed on the same floor, it would have taken me even less time to get rid of them.

And during that moment, I truly realized just how monstrous I’d become.

A thug I’d once needed to be careful around, the kind I would have feared in my old life, was now no different than an ant I could simply trample.

’If this is the power I get from just possessing a B-Rank physique, I can’t even imagine what I’d be like at S-Rank. Would I be a demigod-like? Hah. Looks like my childhood dream of becoming as strong as Goku was just around the corner after all...’

Words couldn’t describe how thrilled I was. Considering the strength and power I always longed for, now in the palm of my hand.

I soon continued in a nonchalant tone, "I know I said I’d give you a minute to think it over, but I’m afraid I’m gonna take back that. I don’t really have time to wait. So here’s the deal; tell me where your boss is right now, or I’ll start breaking the rest of your fingers."

"What?" Peter’s eyes widened in horror.

Even now, he was still silently enduring the pain of his broken right hand. Tears welled in his eyes at the thought of his left hand being next. He couldn’t afford to lose any more fingers, not when it hurt as hell!

Yet, he knew that if he spilled information about his boss, there’d be no place left for him in the gang. He’d have to change his identity and disappear, move far away, because once they found out, his body would be floating in the river for everyone to see.

But on the other hand, if he kept his mouth shut, the devil standing in front of him looked like he was ready to start the torture to force the answer out of his mouth.

"Please... spare my life!"

Peter suddenly dropped to his knees, pleading.

"Why are you kneeling? Get up and tell me where your boss is." I demanded coldly, wearing my scariest expression. Now that Peter clearly feared me, I figured it was better to keep up the cold act rather than slip back into my usual self.

When he didn’t budge, my eyebrows knitted together in irritation.

"Are you trying to annoy me?" I said grimly.

Peter flinched like a whipped dog. Slowly, he lifted his head, speaking through clenched teeth, "I-I just need to tell you where my boss is... right?"

I stared at him for a second, then let out a chuckle.

"I changed my mind. Get up. You’re taking me to him now. And don’t even try thinking about doing anything stupid. One lie, one trick, and you’ll end up like your men inside. Or worse."

"Y-you killed my men?" Peter was in shock. In his mind, he began counting time. How long was he even in the house? Ten seconds? Twenty? And all of my men... wiped out? How the hell is he this strong? Does coming back from the dead usually give you such overwhelming power like that? What the hell is even he, right now? An undead? Or a human?

So many questions bombarded his mind that he felt his head might explode.

"Guess," I shrugged.

That alone was enough to get Peter racing back to his feet. He shot up from the ground, wiping sweat from his brow and no longer daring to drag things out.

"If I take you to my boss... you’ll spare me, right?" he asked carefully.

"Yes,"

He exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for a decade. "This way," he said, gesturing hurriedly.

I was about to follow when a thought made me pause.

"Wait a minute,"

"Y-yes?" Peter turned stiffly, looking like a frightened lamb about to be slaughtered.

"First, tell me where he’s staying."

He nodded quickly. "He usually stays at the Carnivore Bar on Mowa Street. I was supposed to report back there after retrieving the map from your place."

"A map?" I repeated, puzzledly.

Peter nodded again, his tone noticeably more respectful now. "Yes, a map. That’s why my lord, uh, Alduin Sadis, targeted you. He believes you stole something important from him."

I didn’t comment on the sudden shift in his attitude. Instead, I focused on what he’d just said.

’A map? I don’t remember anything in the original Aiden’s memories about taking a map...’ I tried to jog my memories for a hint, but quickly abandoned the idea after realizing it might take too long.

’Forget it. I’ll just ask Alduin directly when I meet him.’

’I didn’t expect he’d choose the same place his gang uses to accept requests from outsiders. Bold move. Is he that confident the place won’t get raided by the Knights or the Church? He must be backed by a secret supporter or have an insider on the inside, that’s the only way he’d be this confident. Well, whatever the reason, it works out for me. The bar’s not far from my current position, and with my present agility, hopping across rooftops like a cat wouldn’t be a problem. I could probably get there in a few minutes.’

"Let’s go,"

Before Peter could even react, I grabbed him by the collar and carried him up. With my current strength, his weight felt like nothing more than a feather.

"W-Wait! What are you—"

’Well, that was unexpected.’

Peter was equally stunned. Bella was his secret weapon, his hidden trump card. He’d always believed no sane person would ever expect him to hide a snake up his sleeve, making it a deadly trap for anyone who dared to approach.