Chapter 10: The God of Water’s Wrath

“Kill me.”

A moment later, a hollow voice escaped from the fallen Gerard.

“This is ridiculous… I devoured all those guys who were laughing and chatting just moments ago, growing stronger in the process.”

” And yet, I still can’t defeat a mere passing human?”

Though he didn’t show it outwardly, Gerard was in deep shock.

He had fought and killed those he once knew, and in turn, others had done the same to him.

There was no way he could come out of it unscathed. Deep down, he had been teetering on the edge of despair, and now, he had lost to a lone human.

The strength he had obtained was meaningless he had been utterly crushed.

Of course, that was just Gerard’s misconception.

Seyul wasn’t just some random human passing by he was the strongest being in his original world.

If Gerard had managed to land even a single wound on him, he would have been worthy of titles like Spear King or Spear God.

But even at his weakest, Seyul was still an opponent leagues beyond Gerard’s reach.

“Alright.”

Seyul responded without hesitation to Gerard’s plea for death.

There was no reason to spare him, so he intended to grant his wish without delay.

“Hey, before I die, there’s something I want to ask.”

Gerard spoke up just as Seyul approached with his spear in hand.

“I once admired the tales of human heroes that I happened to come across.”

” I wanted to be like them. I trained in spear techniques, got exiled from my home, and ended up like this… Was it wrong to have such admiration?”

As he faced death, his past flashed before his eyes.

A story about a hero he had once read as a child.

A hero who, despite lacking monstrous strength, ruled the battlefield with just a single spear.

As a mere low-ranking monster, Gerard had been drawn to that tale.

If that human hero could grow stronger, then maybe he, a weakling among monsters, could also become powerful by mastering the spear.

That belief had led him to devote himself to spear training.

But in the end, it had only earned him resentment from other monsters, leading to his exile to the land of outcasts.

Even there, he had continued his training. But this was how it all ended.

He had given in to the temptation of forbidden power, only to be utterly humiliated.

Now, he was about to die at the hands of an unknown human.

He couldn’t help but voice his thoughts aloud, almost as a desperate plea.

“Admiration isn’t a sin. But compromise is.”

Seyul’s answer made Gerard flinch.

“Compromise…? I see. Without realizing it, I had compromised.”

His expression became vacant, as if he had reached a profound realization.

“You’re right. I did compromise. ”

“Just because others tried to steal power from others to become stronger, I convinced myself that it was okay for me to do the same.”

“Even in desperate times, there are lines you shouldn’t cross.”

” This isn’t something you can justify by saying just this once. ”

“It consumes you until you can’t stop. Just like you, who kept craving more power and ended up losing what truly mattered.”

Seyul didn’t know Gerard’s full story.

But one thing was clear he had dedicated his entire life to mastering the spear.

“Whether you succeeded or failed, you should have pushed forward using the spear techniques you devoted your life to. ”

“You claim to take pride in your spear, but the moment you abandoned it, you had already lost.”

” Have you ever truly honed your spear techniques after you became like this? Or did you just rely on brute force to make your spear stronger?”

Seyul wasn’t mocking him.

His words were spoken out of genuine sincerity.

After all, there had been a time when he, too, was tempted by powerful magic and other abilities, neglecting his primary weapon the spear.

‘It’s too late for him now, but I can’t just stand by and say nothing.’

That was why he decided to give Gerard a final piece of harsh advice.

“…No, I haven’t. I was just satisfied with how strong my spear became by taking in more power.”

Gerard let out a bitter chuckle.

“So I ended up neglecting the very weapon I had spent my entire life mastering…”

A self-deprecating sigh escaped him.

“What a joke. I deserve to die, don’t I?”

Unlike before, when he had spoken out of despair, there was now a sense of relief in his voice.

If his death was simply the price of his own compromise, then he could accept it.

“Hey, I have a question for you this time.”

Just as he closed his eyes, accepting his fate, Seyul spoke up.

“When you die, can I take your spear?”

“…What?”

Caught off guard by the absurd request, Gerard stared at him in disbelief.

The viewers, who had been quietly watching the dramatic moment, also snapped back to attention.

[Wait, what?]

[“Can I take your spear?” lmao]

[Is she seriously asking the guy she’s about to kill if she can loot his weapon?]

[What a cold-hearted woman!]

[Why is everyone acting surprised? Looting fallen enemies is a staple in games.]

[Yeah, but asking first makes it weird!]

[“Excuse me, sir, would you mind if I loot your corpse?”]

[Who even asks permission for this?!]

[Is this some kind of teabagging ritual?]

[Her personality is awful, but this is hilarious.]

<[User: Huuung has donated ₩20,000]>

<[User: Yerin has donated ₩5,000]>

The reactions were a mix of shock, disbelief, and amusement.

Meanwhile, completely unaware of the chaos in the chat, Seyul continued.

“You see this spear I’m using? It’s actually just a cheap one I picked up somewhere. Maybe because of that, it’s starting to feel a bit off in my hands.”

She held up her weapon for Gerard to see.

“So, I was thinking I might use yours instead.”

“…You could’ve just taken it after killing me. Why even ask?”

“Because getting permission makes it look better.”

“Hah.”

Gerard let out a dumbfounded laugh but then gave a slight nod.

“Do as you please. I won’t have any use for it once I’m dead anyway. But my spear isn’t that great.”

“For something ‘not that great,’ it seemed pretty sturdy.”

“…Now that I think about it, it felt like it improved while I was using it in battle.”

“It improved while you were using it?”

“Maybe it was absorbing my enemies’ blood along with me. Who knows? You still want something so mysterious?”

“As long as it’s durable and sharp, I don’t care.”

It was an unsettling remark, but Seyul dismissed it without much concern.

“If you ever come across that man in the future, be careful. I’m sure he’s been teaching this cursed technique to others besides me.”

With the deal settled, Gerard left his warning as his final words before losing his life to Seyul’s spear.

“Hmm~.”

After finishing Gerard off, Seyul discarded her old spear and picked up the new one.

She swung it a few times in the air, testing it out. Satisfied with the feel of it, she continued on her way.

[Huh?!]

[She’s just leaving?!]

As Seyul walked forward without hesitation, the viewers were taken aback.

[What about the goblin mentor?]

[Go check out the goblin mentor!]

[Gerard literally warned you before he died!]

[Aren’t you at least curious about the guy who caused all this?]

[We’re curious!]

[Go find the mentor and see what’s going on!]

[We’ll donate if you go!]

<Gargarga has donated ₩10,000>

[She didn’t even glance at the donation?!]

[Unbelievable.]

[This is frustrating!]

Despite the viewers’ desperate attempts to push for more information, Seyul paid them no mind.

[Sigh…]

The chat was filled with protests, but eventually, they trailed off into sighs of resignation.

Seyul continued walking, undeterred by anything or anyone.

But then, she encountered an unexpected obstacle.

“A river?”

The path was cut off by a vast and deep river.

As Seyul examined the river with a troubled expression, a narration played.

<After countless adventures, you have finally earned the right to cross.>

<However, to do so, you must traverse a river inhabited by monsters.>

<Can you make it across?>

<Monsters are dangerous on land, but even more so in water.>

The narration provided an ominous explanation of the situation.

With a new development unfolding, the previously quiet chatbox bored from Seyul’s constant walking erupted with activity.

[She’s already at the river?!]

[She’s not supposed to cross yet!]

Uneasy messages filled the chat.

According to the game’s setting, Seyul was still in the frontier a region where relatively weaker monsters resided.

The mainland beyond the river, however, was home to significantly stronger creatures.

Typically, players were expected to thoroughly explore the frontier and strengthen themselves before crossing.

But Seyul had ignored all of that and pushed straight ahead, making the viewers understandably worried.

[She’s strong, sure, but she hasn’t leveled up at all!]

[Can she even fight in the mainland without upgrading?]

[The enemies there are on a completely different level!]

[Who knows…]

[Her speed is great, but she’s skipping too much!]

Despite their concerns about her survival in the mainland, no one doubted that she would cross the river.

<Human, halt.>

After all, as soon as she reached the river, an NPC automatically appeared to assist her.

“You again?”

At the sudden voice, Seyul scowled.

She immediately recognized it was a voice she had become all too familiar with.

Upon turning around, her suspicion was confirmed.

It was the Water God.

“I told you to stop showing up!”

<I don’t want to be here either!!>

The Water God shouted back at her.

Though he disliked it as much as she did, he was one of the five gods programmed to assist in the game’s progression.

<Listen well, human. I don’t want to deal with a menace like you either. So I’ll just give you a bit of help and leave right away.>

He had built up such a strong grudge against Seyul that he didn’t even want to look at her, despite her breathtaking beauty.

Hoping to get this over with quickly, he got straight to the point.

<This river is home to beings known as Mermen half-human, half-fish creatures.>

< If you attempt to cross carelessly, you’ll be forced to fight them in their home turf: underwater.>

Mermen weren’t particularly strong on their own, but the battlefield posed a problem.

Even skilled players could struggle due to the unfamiliar underwater combat mechanics, making victory uncertain.

That was why, whenever a player reached the river, the Water God appeared to offer assistance.

<I shall grant you a blessing that will allow you to breathe and move underwater as if you were on land. >

<With this, you’ll have no trouble fighting in the water.>

<However, keep in mind that the blessing will vanish once you cross the river, so accept it without hesitation.>

The river was an unavoidable natural obstacle.

And a temporary blessing.

Seyul assumed this would be acceptable, but—

“No.”

His resolve remained unchanged.

[I knew it.]

As Seyul shook his head, the viewers did the same, while the God of Water trembled in frustration just like last time.

<What is it this time!>

“I just don’t want it.”

<You don’t even want a temporary blessing to make it easier to fight the mermen in the water? Then what exactly is your plan?!>

The God of Water pressed him for an answer.

“I’ll just swim across.”

Seyul said it casually, making the deity’s eyes widen in disbelief.

<You’re rejecting my blessing and choosing to swim through waters filled with mermen who want to kill you?>

“Yep.”

<Then why won’t you accept the blessing?>

“Is swimming with your power the same as swimming with my own?”

<You’re insane.>

The God of Water was left speechless at the sheer absurdity of Seyul’s plan to swim across that vast and deep river.

[Even an Olympic gold medalist would die trying to cross that.]

[And there are monsters in there too.]

[What kind of guts does he have?!]

Most of the viewers were equally dumbfounded.

But Seyul had his own reasons for his stubbornness.

‘I am a Melusine.’

A Melusine wasn’t just a female dragon.

It was a water dragon, known to dwell in lakes and rivers.

As an aquatic creature, swimming came naturally to him.

Ever since he became a Melusine, his swimming ability rivaled that of a fish.

‘I could live underwater indefinitely, so I should be fine in the game too.’

Trusting his abilities, Seyul stepped toward the water.

“I’ll handle this myself, so don’t interfere.”

He waved a hand dismissively at the God of Water before diving into the river without hesitation.

Everyone watching was utterly shocked as he swam across.

<I can’t take this anymore! You damned brat!!>

The God of Water reacted the most explosively.

<You ungrateful little wretch. Is that how you treat someone trying to help you?>

After repeatedly offering aid only to be rejected, his anger was understandable.

<I will never forgive this. Just you wait you’ll regret your actions soon enough!>

A system message appeared in place of the deity’s furious shout.

[Marked as an enemy?]

[A god can turn hostile?!]

[This is the first time I’ve seen this!]

In four years since the game’s release, no one had ever encountered this phenomenon, and the chat was in chaos.

[This stream really has it all.]

[Even the gods used to let things slide, but not this time.]

[Isn’t it bad if a god becomes hostile?]

[Obviously.]

[But let’s be real, he had to have pissed them off a LOT. LOL.]

[Honestly, he brought this on himself.]

[If I were that god, I’d have punished him long ago.]

[RIP. He was a good water god.]

[Should’ve just played along.]

Some viewers complained, but

[This is what makes him entertaining.]

[His stubbornness is what makes this fun.]

[Honestly, the gods are the weird ones for forcing their help on him.]

[You know what? Fair point.]

Others praised Seyul for sticking to his own path.

Whether criticized or praised for making an enemy of a god, Seyul remained unfazed and continued swimming across the river.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t seen the system message.

Even if a god turned against him, he simply had to overpower them and move forward that was all there was to it.