Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 134

Sangmin’s eyes sparkled like a kid meeting their favorite celebrity.

“Choi Hyun-seok! You’re Choi Hyun-seok, right?”

“Y-You must have me confused with someone else.”

Choi Hyun-seok waved his hand dismissively, looking uncomfortable.

However, Sangmin, upon hearing his voice, clapped and jumped up and down.

“It is him! Wow~ How can I meet a Korean here! And it’s Choi Hyun-seok! What a coincidence!”

“Haa… Do you know me?”

“Is there anyone in Korea who doesn’t know Choi Hyun-seok!? A martial arts superstar! The strongest man in the world! Every time Choi Hyun-seok had a match, I was bursting with national pride! Hahaha!”

Sangmin laughed heartily and shouted.

Drawn by the commotion, other warriors approached from behind.

“Sangmin, what’s going on? Who is that guy?”

“Choi Hyun-seok! You don’t know him? WFC [World Fighting Championship] martial arts heavyweight champion!”

“A martial arts champion…?”

“Is he a fighter, then?”

“I think I’ve heard of him. I think I saw something online, saying he’s the best champion ever…”

Regardless of his colleagues chattering behind him, Sangmin’s gaze was fixed solely on Choi Hyun-seok.

“Choi Hyun-seok! How did the match go!?”

“Pardon?”

“The fourth title defense match!”

Suddenly, Sangmin lowered his head, his expression darkening.

“I arrived here the day before the match… If it weren’t for that damn traffic accident, I would have watched all your matches. Haha!”

“The title defense match ended successfully. After that, I won every match until the seventh.”

“As expected! A legend of invincibility! Then after the seventh…?”

At Sangmin’s question, Choi Hyun-seok pointed downwards with his finger.

Understanding the meaning, Sangmin’s eyes darted around.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. We’re all in the same boat, anyway.”

“But how did you…?”

“I was hit by a truck while crossing the crosswalk. Damn it.”

“Even the strongest man in the world can’t beat a truck, huh.”

“I’m also human.”

For a moment, the atmosphere between them became somber.

As Choi Hyun-seok said, even a martial arts champion is just a human.

They can never defeat the reincarnation truck [a common trope in web novels where characters are hit by a truck and reincarnated into another world].

At that moment, a white man from behind came forward and extended his hand.

“I’m Niccolo. I’m from Italy.”

“Ah, yes. I’m Choi Hyun-seok.”

Choi Hyun-seok shook his hand.

Niccolo nodded with a gentle smile.

“Can I call you Seok? Korean names are hard to pronounce.”

“Well, do as you please.”

“Then, Seok. Did you also receive a quest here?”

“Yes, I did.”

Choi Hyun-seok nodded.

Since they already knew each other as warriors, he didn’t think there was any need to hide the quest.

“I see. This is going to be a competition.”

At the word competition, Choi Hyun-seok’s brow furrowed.

“What do you mean?”

“As you know, isn’t it most efficient for five people to share a warrior quest?”

Choi Hyun-seok closed his mouth.

Warrior quests have efficiency? He had just learned that warrior quests could be shared.

Niccolo, interpreting the silence as agreement, continued.

“We have always completed quests with the optimal efficiency of five people. We don’t want to reduce efficiency by adding two more people we don’t know here.”

“I understand.”

Abelson wasn’t a warrior, but he left them to think as they pleased.

Niccolo continued.

“Let me tell you in advance, the average combat power of our party members is 50,000. The highest, me, is a little over 60,000, and I even received the title of Regular Warrior in just under three years.”

Niccolo was suddenly boasting about himself.

Choi Hyun-seok listened, wondering how far he would go.

“We have successfully completed as many as fifty warrior quests so far. We have never failed even once.”

“…”

“So, I advise you not to waste your time and look for other quests, Seok.”

The way he said “Seok” at the end sounded like the English word “suck,” which made him feel very unpleasant.

Because “suck” was also a word often used in swearing.

‘Is achieving 60,000 in three years something to be proud of?’

Choi Hyun-seok pondered for a moment.

Is that idiot boasting right now?

Or is he asking me to take it easy on him because he’s such a pathetic guy?

‘Whatever, the important thing is that he wants me to give up the quest.’

Choi Hyun-seok shook his head.

Whether it’s 50,000 or 100,000 combat power, he had no intention of giving up the quest he received first.

‘These days, this is the only way to level up.’

After leaving the Demon King’s army, it wasn’t easy to find a way to get stronger.

He had to keep moving, so training wasn’t easy either.

There weren’t any events to level up, so the warrior quest was the only driving force for growth.

“I’m sorry, but I have no intention of giving up the quest, so look elsewhere.”

“Haa, that’s why I don’t like dealing with Asians….”

The moment Niccolo was about to say something unpleasant, Sangmin quickly jumped in.

“Haha…! Choi Hyun-seok, may I ask what your combat power is?”

It was clear that he intended to prevent his colleague from making a mistake, but Choi Hyun-seok didn’t want to cause any trouble, so he let it go.

“My combat power?”

“Yes. I know it’s rude for warriors to ask each other about their combat power, but… you’re called the strongest man in the world, so I’m just too curious.”

Choi Hyun-seok decided to be honest.

Even if he hid it, they could just check it with a combat power measuring device.

“It’s 100,000.”

“Pardon?”

“100,000.”

“How long have you been here? If you’ve done up to the seventh defense match, you must have come much later than me…”

“I haven’t counted, so I don’t know exactly, but it hasn’t been a year.”

At Choi Hyun-seok’s words, the other warriors behind him snorted.

“Liar! 100,000 combat power in less than a year!?”

“What a bluff. It’s a lie that will be caught anyway.”

“I can’t stand it. I have to check it with a measuring device right now.”

“Stop it!”

Niccolo from Italy shouted.

“Don’t do anything rude.”

“But Niccolo! How can he bluff like that in front of us? It’s annoying!”

“I told you to stop.”

Niccolo made a stern expression.

Then his colleagues avoided his gaze and clicked their tongues.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked something unnecessary and ruined the atmosphere…”

Sangmin scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.

“It’s okay.”

“Seok, we’ll be going now. This warrior quest is all about finding the culprit, so even we with low combat power have a chance of winning.”

Niccolo retreated with a strange smile.

“This competition seems like it will be fun.”

“Think as you please.”

“Haha! Then goodbye.”

The warrior party disappeared to the second floor.

Even as they moved, they were saying things like, ‘Is 100,000 combat power even possible?’ and ‘He’s just proud because he’s a champion.’

‘Are they frogs in a well [an idiom referring to people with a narrow view of the world]?’

He didn’t feel good, but it was a useful conversation.

Choi Hyun-seok learned a few things.

Warrior quests can be shared, and it’s most efficient with five people.

Multiple warrior quests can arise from one incident.

Asking about the other person’s combat power or measuring it without permission is rude among warriors.

Finally, the growth rate of ordinary warriors is not very fast.

‘All of this is valuable information for me, who doesn’t know much about this world.’

It might seem like trivial information, but it was good for Choi Hyun-seok, who didn’t even know these basic facts.

“Choi Hyun-seok, you must have been a famous person in your previous world.”

Abelson spoke to him.

Choi Hyun-seok chuckled.

“I was a martial arts fighter.”

“A martial arts fighter?”

“Well, I made a living fighting other people in the arena for money.”

“Ah, so you were a famous gladiator.”

“I didn’t use a sword, but it’s probably similar.”

Abelson nodded as if he understood.

At that moment, Rachel peeked her head out from Choi Hyun-seok’s arms.

“Anyway, Warrior! Are you going to let those rude guys get away with that!?”

“What’s wrong with you again?”

“It feels bad!”

“Then what should I do? Go and beat them up because I feel bad? Kill them? What am I, a psychopath?”

“Hee!? Weren’t you!?”

Choi Hyun-seok grabbed Rachel’s cheeks tightly.

“You’re dead.”

“Nyo, Jwokying…”

“Tsk.”

He clicked his tongue once and let go of Rachel.

“Let’s just complete the quest first and leave this village.”

He didn’t like that his name was revealed, but it couldn’t be helped.

He couldn’t forcibly shut their mouths.

“Let’s start searching again tomorrow.”

Choi Hyun-seok is just doing his job diligently, as always.

***

The warrior party that went up to the second floor gathered again.

Alice, the only woman in the party, spoke first.

“Do you believe what that guy said?”

At her words, everyone’s eyes gathered.

“He said he has 100,000 combat power in less than a year. Does that make sense?”

“Leave it alone. It’s just a bluff anyway.”

“If you’re so curious, check it with a combat power measuring device later in secret.”

“Forget it. Did you see the clothes those guys were wearing earlier? They’re no different from rural farmers. What can guys without proper armor or weapons do? Puhaha!”

Everyone took turns saying a word.

The atmosphere was that no one believed Choi Hyun-seok’s words.

Sangmin didn’t like these reactions from his colleagues, but there was nothing he could do.

He was subtly ignored in this party.

“So, what are you going to do? Niccolo.”

“About what?”

“Are you going to let those guys alone?”

At Alice’s words, Niccolo frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

“They might interfere with us.”

“Leave them alone. What can those guys do even if they interfere?”

“Still…”

Alice still didn’t seem to like something.

At that moment, Yakubu from Nigeria smiled slyly.

“Are you perhaps because of that woman?”

“What does that mean?”

“You saw the blonde woman next to that champion earlier, right?”

At Yakubu’s words, the men all smiled.

“Wow! She was really amazing, wasn’t she?”

“She was prettier than a movie star.”

“Is that woman also a warrior?”

“That’s why they’re together.”

“Ha, that champion is so lucky. Where did he meet such a woman?”

At that moment, Irfan from India said.

“That woman, can’t we bring her to our party?”

“What are you talking about? We always decided to move with only five people.”

“No, just because we bring her doesn’t mean we have to share the quest, right? There are still slave systems left in this world…”

At the word slave, his colleagues were startled.

“You trash! Even so, that’s not right.”

“Ugh, stop saying disgusting things!”

“Haha! I’m just kidding!”

At his colleagues’ backlash, Irfan waved his hands and retreated.

“Everyone, stop there.”

Niccolo, sitting on a chair, stood up and settled the situation.

“Let’s rest today. We’ll have to move diligently from tomorrow.”

***

The next day, the group was also immersed in searching, wandering around the forest around the village.

“Ahem, Bobo, stay still.”

“Kwang!”

At Choi Hyun-seok’s words, Bobo barked loudly in his arms.

He was using a cloth to make a baby carrier and was holding Bobo as if he were carrying a baby.

He couldn’t keep holding him in his arms forever.

“Sigh. To think I’m playing the role of a dad without even being one.”

Choi Hyun-seok didn’t want to do it either.

He wanted to put Bobo on the ground and tell him to follow, but he couldn’t.

‘Who knows what kind of accident he’ll cause if I let him loose.’

He had to always hold Bobo in his arms and pay attention, as he didn’t know when Bobo would suddenly change and eat something.

“Is it time to go back soon?”

Choi Hyun-seok looked at the sky with a face like an old man full of regrets.

The forest began to turn red with the sunset.

He was sad for a moment at the thought of having to return without any results again today.

“I should grill some meat!”

He quickly felt better again at the thought of dinner.

His steps towards the village were light.

“Abelson!”

After a while, he ran into Abelson returning at the entrance of the village.

“Any results?”

Abelson shook her head with a sad face.

She also seemed to have come up empty.

“Don’t be too discouraged. Something will come out if we keep looking.”

“Yes.”

“In that sense, I’m thinking of eating meat for dinner today, how about it?”

At that moment, Abelson’s head turned sharply.

She looked at Choi Hyun-seok with eyes so sparkling that you couldn’t believe she was depressed just a moment ago.

Then she suddenly blushed and coughed for no reason.

“Ahem, if Choi Hyun-seok wants to…”

It was too late to pretend otherwise now that everything was revealed.

But Choi Hyun-seok decided to let it go appropriately because that appearance was quite cute.

“Let’s go back to the inn and take a shower first.”

“Yes.”

At the moment of moving their steps.

“This is…?”

Suddenly, Abelson’s expression hardened, and she started running.

“Abelson, what’s wrong!?”

“I feel a faint magical energy!”

Screams were heard from afar.

“Kyaaak! Hera has come back to life!”

“Dofman is in danger!”

Choi Hyun-seok’s speed became even faster.

Now he was starting to feel the magical energy too.

He rushed past Abelson and the others at an incredible speed, and something finally came into his sight.

‘…Is that even a person?’

Hera, the woman who had died a few days ago and whose funeral he had watched, was holding her father, Dofman.

“Kheheeek!”

“He, Hera… how…”

Hera bit Dofman’s neck instead of answering.

A chunk of flesh was cut off.

Blood gushed from the torn artery.

“Kyaaaa-!”

“Ugh! It’s a monster!”

Choi Hyun-seok, who had cut through the fleeing villagers, grabbed Hera’s head and pushed it away.

“Khaaaaak!”

Hera struggled with a blood-soaked face.

An indescribable foul smell flowed from her body and mouth.

“Ah, the smell is really terrible.”

Choi Hyun-seok suppressed the urge to blow her head off and grabbed Hera.

At the same time, he glanced over to check on Hera’s father, Dofman.

‘Is he dead…’

Dofman was not moving with his eyes turned inside out.

He seemed to be no longer of this world.

To be killed by his daughter who died a few days ago was a tragic death.

“That’s…!”

At that time, Abelson, who had belatedly run over, joined him.

She looked at Hera and seemed to notice something, making a surprised expression.

“Khaaaa!”

“What happened? This woman clearly died, didn’t she?”

Choi Hyun-seok asked, pressing down on Hera, who was struggling in his arms.

“It’s probably Necromancy.”

“Necromancy? What’s that?”

“Magic that uses the dead and their souls. There are records that some demons used it. This is the first time I’ve actually seen it…”

Even while exchanging conversations, Hera continued to scream and rampage.

Watching her struggles, Choi Hyun-seok was starting to worry.

He was reminded of the zombies that often appear in movies.

“Does this perhaps transmit if bitten? Like zombies… I wouldn’t turn into that too, would I?”

“There are no such records. However, as it is a decaying corpse, there is a high possibility of transmitting various diseases.”

“Ah, that’s a problem in its own way.”

“Yes. Even if it’s not a big wound, your life will be in danger if you don’t treat it properly.”

Choi Hyun-seok nodded.

“First, we need to tie her up somewhere.”

“That would be good. We need to investigate properly.”

“Abelson, please bring some rope.”

Choi Hyun-seok said, moving Hera towards the tree.

At that moment.

Pow!

Hera’s head exploded from magic that flew in from somewhere.

Thud!

Blood and flesh stuck stickily to Choi Hyun-seok’s face.

It’s not as hot as expected.

The smelly, cold blood made his head even hotter.

“Are you okay?”

Turning his head, he saw Niccolo and his fellow warriors walking over with silly smiles.

“We helped because it looked urgent.”

“Ew, what is this?”

“It must be contaminated by evil magic!”

“Ugh, I don’t like it~ The smell is also foul!”

“Isn’t it a zombie? A zombie!”

The warrior party chattered, treating Choi Hyun-seok like an invisible man.

Choi Hyun-seok looked up at the sky and sighed deeply.

‘There was a saying in the old days…’

If you have three patience, you can avoid murder.

It was a very famous proverb.

Those words sounded like this to Choi Hyun-seok.

‘If you’re not going to kill, there’s no need to be patient.’

He lightly loosened his body and tapped Niccolo on the shoulder.

“Hey.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Be careful not to accidentally die.”