CHAPTER 49: WILL BE FIXED SOON!

"Look, he’s definitely not a beautiful girl or a sexy woman. So tell me, why should I bother remembering the face of an ugly guy like him?"

Bangrave Land was a vast, fertile area with a few long mountain ranges stretching across its expanse. The land also served as the border between the Liurnia Kingdom and Asura Kingdom.

Because of its large size, it was impossible for the Liurnia Kingdom to fully oversee Bangrave Land. As a result, they established only a few settlements along the major routes, leaving the rest of the area unprotected. This lack of security meant Bangrave could not be classified as a Safe Zone.

t the answer straight from their mouths."

As I walked closer to my destination, Richie’s words suddenly echoed in my mind. Instinctively, my gaze shot upwards, scanning the ceilings and roofs above.

"Nothing, huh? Well, Richie said his drink buddy saw an owl. It’s noon now, perfect napping time for an owl. I guess even a beast tamer can’t push their pets to go against their nature."

I was on the verge of exhaling in relief when a faint squeak reached my ears. My head instantly turned around to the noise’s direction, catching sight of a rat. It stood there, staring at me oddly before darting off somewhere else.

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.

"A rat? I recall Peter was seen conversing with one. That odd stare... could that have been one of his tamed animals?" I whispered to myself.

At this very moment, a flash of lightning struck my mind.

’Is it possible for Peter to be nearby at this hour? Or better yet... is he at my house?’

If that were the case, I had to act fast. Capturing him now could save me a massive amount of effort, and might just be the key to wiping out the Sadis Gang entirely.

With that thought, I reached into the worn cloth bag where I kept all the items Althea had given me and pulled out a fiery red pill.

[Mid-Tier Temporary Stats Enhancer Pills]

[Function: Grants the user a temporary boost in all stats to B-Rank for 60 minutes.]

[Usage: Consume directly.]

"It might be reckless to use this pill so soon, less than a day after arriving in this world, but for the sake of my future... for the sake of a good night’s sleep without worrying about a knife pointed at me in the dark... this is worth it."

Without hesitation, I placed the pill in my mouth, but didn’t swallow. Instead, I held it between my cheek and gum.

This way, I could activate it instantly if things went south. And if Peter wasn’t nearby, I wouldn’t waste it.

While keeping the pill tucked away, I reached into the bag again and pulled out a thin talisman with a drawing of an eye without eyelids.

[Inspection Talisman]

[Function: Allows the user to see a target’s personal information, such as name, stats, race, and age. It can also reveal weaknesses or hidden conditions and illnesses.]

[Usage: Aim the talisman at your target. It can be used from a distance. Speak your chosen Incantation to activate it.]

About half a minute later, using a building as cover, I cautiously craned my neck around the corner and looked down Nolan Street.

I spotted someone right away.

A lone figure stood outside a two-story building that I recognized immediately.

’That’s the original Aiden’s house and massage parlor... or should I say, my house now.’

My gaze shifted from the building to the man standing dead center in the street. The whole area was deserted, likely because of the drifting rumor. And aside from the hunched figure, there was no one else around.

A white pigeon rested on his shoulder, looking docile.

I hurriedly pulled my head back behind cover.

Even though I had never seen Peter in person, his description had been so vivid, so detailed, that I could picture him clearly, and the man I just saw matched it perfectly.

’I couldn’t be mistaken... the description fits him perfectly. That’s definitely Peter. And that pigeon, it has to be one of his controlled pets.’

Without wasting another second, I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what was about to come.

I tilted my head slightly and swallowed the pill I’d been holding in my cheek.

The pill had been tasteless and odorless while resting in my cheek all this time. But the moment it slid down my throat, everything changed.

It dissolved instantly, before it even reached my stomach.

A sharp, burning scent flooded my nostrils, and my throat ignited with pain. It felt like I had swallowed fire.

Almost immediately after, a searing pain ripped through my entire body.

It felt like every inch of my muscles was being torn apart and rebuilt, stronger, thicker, more flexible, only to be torn apart again. Over and over. Dozens, maybe hundreds of times... all within seconds.

Inside me, it felt like my organs were on fire. My heart, lungs, liver, blood vessels, everything, was cooking in some infernal heat. I could feel them twisting and reshaping, adapting to the new power flooding through me.

For a second, I felt frozen in place.

However, almost instantly, I forced myself to be calm. I simply reminded myself that my stats were four ranks above his. There was no need to fear someone so terrifyingly outmatched.

’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."

No wonder he had found the man’s face to be somewhat familiar!

When he first entered the Adventurer circle in Arsnova, one of the very first things his peers had gifted him was a list of dangerous people that he should avoid at all costs. Among those names, "Giant" Brian was included in the list.

Aside from being infamous for his bad temper, Brian was also known for having a long history of crimes, mostly harassment toward women. Yet, somehow, he always managed to evade punishment. No one knew exactly how, but many believed it was because the Guild saw him as a valuable asset. As a result, they often covered up his misdeeds and cleaned up his messes.