First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 61

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 61

 

Darkness fell over the party’s faces.

 

Bael and Joseph were the people who had witnessed firsthand the scene of Irin Kramer reclaiming first place with an overwhelming score difference during the first screening.

 

Ariel also knew enough about Irin’s strength through information shared by Bael.

 

“Third place in the first screening…”

 

Ariel gulped nervously.

 

Although the first screening first place title had been taken by Tanya and Ragnor, the fact that Irin was currently the top predator in the examination hall remained unchanged.

 

“Everyone prepare for battle.”

 

Following Ariel’s command, Bael and Joseph raised their weapons with tense faces.

 

Irin waved her hand dismissively as if it was ridiculous.

 

“I’m not interested in small fry, so get lost. Hey you, dark-haired guy! Only you come forward!”

 

Everyone’s attention focused on me at her blatant designation.

 

I irritably ran my fingers through my hair.

 

“Hah, damn it…”

 

So you were serious about having a fight in the main exam?

 

Enough to wait for me here until your neck nearly fell off?

 

This level of obsession could be called madness.

 

I roughly rubbed my face with dry hands.

 

Ariel glanced at my actions then turned her gaze to Irin.

 

“Third place! Was your name Irin? I don’t know why you’re interested in this commoner, but in terms of first screening scores alone, I’m higher! If you’re going to fight, fight me!”

 

Ariel pointed her sword tip at Irin.

 

Veins bulged on Irin’s forehead.

 

She gripped her axe handle tightly and glared at us with blazing eyes.

 

“I told the small fry to get lost!”

 

Kwaaaaang-!

 

The axe Irin threw embedded itself in the ground.

 

Ariel, who dodged by a hair’s breadth, broke out in cold sweat as she looked at where the axe had struck.

 

A huge crater had been carved out.

 

If it had hit properly, it would have been certain death.

 

“Crazy bitch…”

 

Even the usually composed Bael was so disgusted by Irin’s antics that he spat out profanity.

 

Dash-!

 

Joseph, who had been standing far away, kicked off the ground and charged toward the axe embedded in the earth.

 

“Everyone snap out of it! Are you planning to all fail here?”

 

He seemed to be thinking of retrieving the axe himself and stealing the weapon from Irin.

 

It was very quick and effective situational judgment.

 

However.

 

“Hey there, mister.”

 

Kurrung-!

 

Irin left an afterimage as she instantly reached the point where the axe was embedded.

 

It didn’t even take a moment to reach the ground from atop the giant monster’s corpse.

 

She was so fast that the air vibrated and let out a thunder-like explosive sound.

 

“Do you know what I hate most in the world?”

 

Irin left the axe alone and extended her fist toward Joseph.

 

Joseph was still in the same charging posture.

 

He couldn’t react to Irin’s abnormal speed and failed to control his body.

 

“Bugs acting above their station! You little runt!”

 

The scene of Irin’s fist making contact with Joseph’s face played out like slow motion.

 

Joseph seemed to sense his end as he closed his eyes with a quiet curse.

 

“…Damn it.”

 

Peoooong-!

 

With a sound like a balloon popping, bright clusters of light swirled around.

 

The air exploded from the destructive force of the punch, creating a small storm.

 

Joseph’s form could no longer be found.

 

The examination hall, judging that a direct hit from that punch would turn his entire body into jerky scraps, had forcibly transported Joseph away.

 

“Damn!”

 

Bael grimaced and retreated.

 

Irin Kramer’s military power far exceeded the level they had assumed.

 

With their numerical advantage now reduced, if they panicked here, their chances of victory would decrease even further.

 

“Asel! Hurry and provide support!”

 

“Where are you looking, bug?”

 

Buuuung-!

 

Sparks flew from Irin’s eyes.

 

She closed what must have been dozens of meters of distance in an instant and drew her axe blade across Bael’s neck.

 

Bael couldn’t even leave a death cry as he turned into clusters of light and was forcibly transported away.

 

Now only three people remained in this space.

 

Just me, Irin, and Ariel.

 

“…Kugh!”

 

Ariel looked back at me with a face full of anger.

 

“Why were you just standing there? Commoner! Did your body freeze up from tension?”

 

“…”

 

“She’s strong enough that we couldn’t guarantee victory even with four people! If the party gets wiped out, it’ll all be because of you, so remember…”

 

Ariel couldn’t finish her words.

 

Because I had brought my sword to her neck.

 

The blade dug slightly into her skin and a drop of fresh blood flowed down her neck.

 

“You… what are you trying to do right now…”

 

“I don’t really like people who are steeped in elitist consciousness.”

 

I remembered how she had rudely divided people by their origins from our first meeting.

 

It was behavior that closely resembled someone I hated most.

 

I applied force to the hand gripping my sword along with a chillingly sharp voice.

 

“Just shut up and die.”

 

Swish-!

 

Bright clusters of light bloomed as the sword cut through empty air.

 

The reason I had endured my displeasure and formed a party with these guys was more than 90% because of Bael’s information.

 

Since Bael had been eliminated, the rest had no value whatsoever.

 

‘If my skills aren’t good enough to handle even this much alone, then failing would be right.’

 

There was no obligation to keep them alive.

 

“I thought they’d be at least minimally helpful.”

 

I never expected them to be completely wiped out so helplessly without being able to do anything.

 

Though I had planned from the beginning to use them all appropriately and abandon them halfway through anyway.

 

“Wow…”

 

Irin, who had been watching me team kill from a distance, stuck out her tongue.

 

“That’s completely trash, isn’t it?”

 

“You’re no different, you crazy pleasure killer.”

 

“That kind of comment is a bit hurtful. I’ve never actually killed a person even once, you know?”

 

“Didn’t you say before that you got tired of monster hunting and wanted to hunt people?”

 

“That meant I wanted to fight strong opponents! I wouldn’t actually kill them, obviously.”

 

Irin spun her axe around and around in the air.

 

The sight of a slender girl handling an axe as big as her body like a toy was very surreal.

 

“Anyway! Finally it’s just the two of us left.”

 

Irin glared at me fiercely while wearing a bright smile across her face.

 

“Now that I’ve dealt with all the small fries, let’s have some sticky fun just the two of us!”

 

Crackle-!

 

Irin charged at me while sparking with lightning.

 

With each step she took, the ground cracked and the air exploded.

 

This confirmed it for sure.

 

Irin Kramer. Her score was definitely around 1.2 million points, right?

 

It seems this girl also hadn’t used her full power when striking the crystal orb during the first screening.

 

‘So she was holding back too, yet she gave me shit about not doing my best and all that crap.’

 

Perhaps that’s exactly why she felt even more competitive toward me.

 

She must have been intrigued by the fact that someone other than herself had achieved a high score while conserving their strength.

 

Clatter-

 

I threw the sword I was holding onto the ground.

 

Irin, who had been charging, made a bewildered expression as if asking what the hell I was doing.

 

“You’re really being annoying.”

 

I quickly dove into Irin’s embrace.

 

I grabbed her arm holding the axe and her collar, then slammed her to the ground.

 

“Gueek!”

 

Thud!

 

Irin rolled around on the stone floor, getting covered in dust.

 

A round crater formed in the ground centered on where Irin had crashed.

 

However, a skilled warrior’s response was quick.

 

She immediately corrected her posture, got up, and unleashed a barrage of furious axe strikes.

 

“You bastard!”

 

Whoosh! Whisk! Whoosh!

 

Irin swung her axe wildly like a blood-crazed berserker.

 

I moved my upper body this way and that, continuously dodging her axe strikes by just a hand’s width.

 

Irin bit her lips hard.

 

She must have been frustrated and irritated.

 

She could cut my throat if she got just a few centimeters closer, but her attacks kept missing by a hand’s width.

 

“Ugh! Ah, seriously!”

 

A blue aura shroud enveloped Irin’s entire body.

 

Her level was 4-star.

 

She looked to be around my age at most, so it was an amazing achievement.

 

“You’re dead, you slippery bastard!”

 

Her movements gradually became faster.

 

Irin’s axe blade, with her aura activated to the maximum, gradually tightened around my throat… or rather, it didn’t.

 

I still dodged her attacks very leisurely.

 

Irin’s complexion became colored with confusion.

 

She probably never expected that even with her best efforts, she couldn’t even scratch me.

 

Then, the moment I saw an opening.

 

Thwack-!

 

I kicked Irin’s shin and knocked her down.

 

“Aaah!”

 

Crash!

 

Irin fell face-first onto the floor in an unsightly manner.

 

Without giving her time to respond, I threw a punch toward Irin’s face.

 

Just like when Irin had eliminated Joseph with a single punch just a few minutes ago.

 

My fist falling toward her face seemed to move in slow motion.

 

“…!”

 

Irin squeezed her eyes shut.

 

But the punch didn’t reach her.

 

Because I stopped my fist right in front of her.

 

“…Ah.”

 

Irin slowly opened her eyes and saw the fist that had stopped right in front of her.

 

Both her cheeks turned red as radishes from shame.

 

I asked indifferently.

 

“Want to continue?”

 

Shake shake.

 

Irin vigorously shook her head. Her blue hair swayed left and right.

 

I extended my hand to her.

 

Irin seemed to have completely accepted the result and quietly stood up, taking my hand.

 

Of course, that wasn’t true.

 

“Die!”

 

Grab.

 

I caught Irin’s arm as she swung her axe aiming for my chest.

 

Does this girl not know when to quit?

 

At this point, I couldn’t help but get annoyed too.

 

“Ah, come on! You know you can’t win. How long are you going to keep this up?”

 

Irin glared at me sullenly.

 

“…Why aren’t you eliminating me?”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“You’re really fucking strong. I lost. It’s a complete defeat. But this is a test, isn’t it? You could easily eliminate me, so why aren’t you doing it?”

 

I answered while picking up the sword I had dropped on the ground.

 

“I have some things I want to ask you.”

 

“What?”

 

“How did you know I would come here?”

 

Irin had waited here without leaving after defeating the Flame Venom Scorpion King.

 

Knowing that I would arrive afterward.

 

Didn’t she say right when we first met that she thought her neck would fall off from waiting?

 

“….”

 

Irin glanced at me as if I was being ridiculous, then snickered.

 

“You’re being narcissistic.”

 

“What?”

 

“I wasn’t waiting for you specifically. I just waited because I thought some strong guy would come.”

 

Was that so?

 

Looking back, her words hadn’t clearly specified who she was referring to.

 

“Then why did you tell only me to come forward as soon as you saw me?”

 

“I thought it must be fate. The guy I had my eye on during the first screening appeared right in front of me! Wouldn’t that be exciting?”

 

So thinking she had been waiting for me was just my misunderstanding.

 

Damn. I feel like the back of my neck is getting hot for no reason.

 

It seems Irin would have been fine with anyone as long as she could have a fun fight.

 

“How did you find the Lair of the Flame Venom Scorpion King? Do you also have information about the labyrinth?”

 

“Huh? I don’t have anything like that.”

 

“Then how….”

 

“Instinct, instinct.”

 

Irin puffed out her breath with an “ahem.”

 

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m from a northern warrior tribe. The sense to locate prey is one of the essential qualities for a hunter.”

 

“So you’re saying you just walked around following your instincts and happened upon the monster’s lair?”

 

“Exactly!”

 

Irin snapped her fingers with a cheerful laugh, seemingly proud of herself.

 

I was once again amazed by her abilities.

 

‘Just how good is her ki sense?’

 

Pinpointing the location of a motionless monster from such a distant range would be a difficult task even for me right now.

 

Since my power is limited, my ki sense has also deteriorated significantly compared to my previous life.

 

Perhaps it really is a hunter’s instinct, as she claimed.

 

It might even be a special ability specialized in tracking and detection.

 

“Can you find other monsters too? Or even other examinees?”

 

If what she said was true, I could rake in points in droves just by following this girl around.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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