The Lazy Boy Is, In Fact, the Strongest and Most Brutal Assassin. - Chapter 9: The World Seems Designed For The Good Ones To Die First.

The World Seems Designed For The Good Ones To Die First.

While Shia was exasperated by Il’s casual admission of his own worthlessness, an intense tension filled the air between the red-haired swordsman and the yakuza members.

The remaining customers in the bar had already scrambled outside, leaving only the disheveled old man who had been knocked over in the chaos and the bar owner, who was holding his head in despair.

The red-haired swordsman and the yakuza stared each other down. It was the yakuza who made the first move, surrounding the swordsman in a semicircle and launching a simultaneous assault. However, the swordsman remained calm. He squared his fists in front of his face, took a small step back, and quickly delivered a series of jabs from a compact stance. His fists landed swiftly on the noses of the attackers.

As the yakuza stumbled back, holding their noses, the swordsman delivered another strike—a backward roundhouse kick that arched like a bow, crashing into the back of one man’s head. The relentless attacks left the yakuza unable to evade, and they were slammed against the stone wall in a heap.

“That’s so cool…”

Rimrim murmured in awe, her eyes sparkling with hearts. Il clicked his tongue, feeling an unexpected annoyance at Rimrim’s infatuation. He didn’t want her to fall for someone else, but seeing anyone else attract attention was somehow irksome.

“How about it? Want to keep going?”

“B-Boss…”

The red-haired swordsman grinned confidently. One of the yakuza, sweating profusely, turned to Hiluluk.

“Tch, I guess we’ll have to try again later. May I ask your name?”

“My name is Haiker. Anytime you want to come at me, I’ll be here. I won’t run or hide.”

“You’ll regret those words.”

With that, Hiluluk tossed out a parting shot as he and the uninjured members carried their defeated comrades out of the tavern.

“Thank you very much!”

As soon as the yakuza left, Rimrim rushed over to Haiker with a sweet, cat-like voice.

“Are you okay? You were so brave, handsome!”

“Yes, thanks to you. I really appreciate it,” Haiker replied with a kind smile.

“Well then, I’ll be on my way,” he said, reaching down to grab his backpack.

But before he could, Rimrim swiftly caught his hand with both of hers and looked up at him with big, pleading eyes.

“Um, if it’s not too much trouble, would you let me treat you to a meal as thanks?”

“…A real aggressive girl, aren’t you?”

As Rimrim went in for the charm offensive, Il, standing behind her, couldn’t resist adding a sarcastic comment. Suddenly, he felt a sharp elbow jab into his stomach.

“Ooof…!”

“I-Il!?”

Shia leaned over, worried, as Il doubled over, trying to stifle his groans while a mysterious liquid dribbled from his mouth.

“Is he okay?” Haiker asked, a pained smile on his face.

Rimrim, acting oblivious, chimed in, “I don’t really know him, but maybe he just drank too much? Ugh, how gross☆!” She clung to Haiker even more tightly.

Haiker gave a wry smile, clearly amused by the situation. Meanwhile, Rimrim shot a fierce glare at Il, silently telling him to back off. (Don’t interfere! Read the room and just go away already!)

However, Il was not one to back down easily. Feeling annoyed, he decided to stick around until the end. With a nonchalant expression, he plopped down at the table where Rimrim and Haiker were seated, completely ignoring Rimrim’s deadly glare and continuing to engage Haiker in conversation.

Il didn’t have any real interest in Haiker; he just wanted to annoy Rimrim. But as he talked to Haiker, he found him to be a genuinely nice guy. Not only was he skilled, but he also had a pleasant appearance and a good personality. His tone was polite and soft, without any pretentiousness. Even Il, who viewed the world with a cynical eye, couldn’t find anything to criticize about him.

However, Il couldn’t shake the thought that Haiker was a fool. He had no idea how deeply the world was tainted by malice. Taking on yakuza without any backing was pure folly.

The next day, as expected, Haiker’s body was found floating in the filthy river that ran through the city.

His body was covered in knife wounds, a clear sign that he had been brutally cut down by a group of attackers. It was a gruesome end that left no doubt about the viciousness of his demise.