ATAPOW Chapter 11
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Chapter 11: What is a warrior
“It seems like any common riffraff is able to become a knight these days.” Ultraman shook his head. His voice sounded low and muffled as it passed through his mask before coming out. His two fingers that were enclosed in a leather glove had firmly intercepted the long sword that tried to stab him.
“Riffraff!? The lofty knight, who had just thrust the tip of the sword forward felt a few seemingly sinister veins pop out on his head. From the time he entered college all the way to his preliminary evaluation, he had believed that he was second to nobody. It was even to the point that the introductory knights that were one rank higher than him didn’t dare to be arrogant in front of him, there wasn’t much to say about the probation knights that were on the same level as he was. The praises that his tutor heaped on him and the respect his peers showed caused his proud and arrogant temperament to be even more condescending. It was so much so that he felt his lofty position was second only to the radiant knight.
‘How can someone like myself allow the existence of this guy in front of me? A guy who dared to provoke and vilify my talent? What’s more, the other party is just a despicable outcast! The difference between our positions is like heaven and earth!‘
“What’s with this strength? Did you not have breakfast? There just happens to be a noodle restaurant here, do you need me to wait for you?” Ji Bai, who was inside the costume, raised his eyebrow. His tone seemed to carry traces of ridicule in them.
The three knights who were looking at the scene on the side were completely astonished by the development that was happening thus far. It was especially so for the other two knights, they were so astonished that their jaws were about to fall to the floor.
‘Cullen, someone who had the highest potential of claiming the “Newcomer Knight” throne, had actually been defeated? He’s being toyed to the point that he lacks the power to retaliate! What’s more, it was by a mere commoner that just jumped out of the woodwork! Was he afraid that it might be fatal and not utilize his full strength? This makes more sense… As a knight, the aftermath of killing a commoner on the street is rather unpleasant.’
“…Scoundrel! You despicable outcast!” Cullen’s face whose color was the shade of scarlet at the beginning had now turned dark and reddish-purple. It was unknown whether this was the result of him ferociously using up his strength or due to the resentment aroused from his companions witnessing his defeat. His hands that were gripped onto the sword hilt began to tremble.
Cullen was so angered to the point his lungs were about to burst out. He had already exerted every ounce of strength from his body, yet, there wasn’t even a single reaction from his opponent. As for the Ultraman ahead of him, his motionless two fingers were firmly gripped onto the sword tip, it felt like a pair of mountains. His body had not shaken the slightest bit at all. Meanwhile, Cullen’s surging emotions had turned his complexion purple, seemingly like the color of pig liver. It was almost as if he had been sentenced to a round of shame play in public.
‘You bastard… I am going to kill you!!’ Cullen, whose gritted teeth were making grating noises, anxiously waited for the perfect time to act. At the opportune time, he discarded his sword hilt and drew a shiny flickering dagger from the pockets of his ceremonial robe. He then viciously thrust it without warning towards Ultraman’s abdomen.
“Too simple.” Ultraman had already acted the moment Cullen let go of his sword hilt. Holding onto the body of the longsword, he smashed it down through the wind like a sledgehammer. Cullen, who had just held onto the dagger and was preparing to thrust it forward, froze. Warm, scarlet liquid flowing down from his forehead, he rolled his eyes and fainted. It was evident that he was struck by the sword hilt.
“Cullen!” The short-haired knight was at a complete loss now. The valiant and vigorous expression in his eyes had vanished without a trace; in its place was a huge amount of disbelief and despair.
“Relax, he only fainted. I can’t guarantee if there are any repercussions, but he will still be able to live the rest of his life steadily. I’m not a demon after all.”
“You! …Who gave you the nerve?! D-Don’t you know who we are?!” Seeing Ultraman leisurely walk towards them with a bloodied longsword in his hand, the short-haired knight fell into a daze. ‘Even Cullen was toyed with, wouldn’t I just be inviting a beating if I go forward now?’ Even with these thoughts, his posture still had to show that he was in control of the situation.
“I don’t know, neither do I care to find out.” Ji Bai curled his lips inside the costume. He had listened to so many similar lines in the past that his ears were about to grow sores. Wasn’t the purpose of the short-haired knight’s speech just to inform him that he had a backer? It wasn’t any different than those speeches that claimed that ‘their dad was so and so1’.
“We’re actually members of the Chivalric Order of Radiant Knights! The direct subordinates of his Monarchy, the Radiant Knight!! Do you know what you are doing right now!?” The short-haired knight roared. Even as when he was facing death, his bark still carried the feeling of a high sense of self-esteem and superiority.
“What am I doing you say? Isn’t it obvious? I’m just beating up some local ruffians. Just doing my fair share of contribution to quickly realize the visions of a moderately prosperous society and the association eight major decision policies.” Ji Bai was unperturbed as he played around the weight of the sword in his hand.
“You…! According to the 32nd clause of the knights’ right act, a knight, or a probation knight and any warrior that was granted the title of knighthood has the authority to kill anyone who unjustifiably insults them! The 64th clause of the knights’ right act, A person who unjustifiably harms a knight is to be executed without mercy!”
‘Mm-hmm, so he’s fighting using his oratory skills now? Anyone is capable of doing that.’
“In the knights’ precepts and the section 364 of the knights’ creed; A knight that trespassed into a citizen’s property without providing a knight’s warrant is treated as a citizen and can be handled accordingly. Gratuitous destruction of a citizen’s assets and actions such as —extortion, intimidation, threats, and coercion will be punished severely without exception and clemency.
“Y-You…” The short-haired knight was immediately dumb-struck. His plan to bring up some self-beneficial clauses to intimidate the other party had completely fallen short. It seemed that the other party was more knowledgeable about the laws than himself, who was just wantonly reciting clauses to make it sound numerous and show off.
‘You’re too naive! To recite and use the knight’s creed against me? You should have taken a closer look at the stuff and find out who its creator is!’
“Also, let me correct you on one point. Those clauses you were reciting earlier were intended to protect warriors… And what is a warrior? It is a vessel for a truly sincere heart whose sole purpose is to efficiently protect and carry out a massacre. For the sake of exacting righteousness, they would muddy their blade with the fresh blood of demons. People like these are bonafide warriors and are the truest epitome of a knight.
“Have any of you ever killed a demon before? From what I can see, you don’t even know what a demon looks like.”
As he looked at the ‘Ultraman’ before him spewing out meaningful and heartfelt words, the short-haired knight was stunned.
“To garner self-confidence and superiority from bullying the average citizens, abusing your power and doing whatever you please because your privilege is higher than others, Does your actions suit that of a warrior? No…” Ji Bai shook his head. “These actions just prove that all of you are failures as humans.”
‘Clap. Clap. Clap…’ The sound of a rhythmic clapping noise slowly arrived from a distant place.
“Well said.” A calm and heavy voice could be heard.
Ji Bai slightly knitted his eyebrows inside his costume, and shifted his vision towards the source of the sound.
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- Original sentence is ‘My dad is Li Gang’. So basically, there was an incident in Hebei University where a car ran over 2 women. Instead of stopping, the driver went to the girl’s dormitory to pick up his girlfriend. When confronted by security guards and the students there, he told them to sue him instead, bragging that his dad was Li Gang, the deputy director of the local public security bureau.