Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

Chapter 12: The Confrontation with Gavin

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU PSYCHO?!"

One of the survivors, who had been keeping quiet, finally exploded in frustration. Though it was understandable to be annoyed by the noise, provoking someone like Gavin Park could be incredibly dangerous. As expected, the moment he was insulted, Gavin reacted instantly.

"What? Shut up? Did you just say that to me?"

"Yeah! Shut up already! Are your ears clogged? I'm stressed enough without you making it worse... Ugh!"

Crash!

"Damn, now even worthless idiots think they can talk down to me. You're first to die."

"Aaah! Please, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! Please spare me, I—Aaaargh!"

Just as Justin predicted. With a sigh, he rushed toward the sound of screams.

After crossing a few buildings, Justin spotted Gavin clinging to the second floor of a small villa. The security bars and screens had already been torn off, and it seemed like Gavin was about to break into the building through a large window. He had discarded his sword on the ground, as it was getting in the way of the intrusion.

"You little rat! Come here so I can kill you already! Don't make this harder than it has to be!" Gavin shouted.

"Help! Please, someone help me!" the person inside screamed.

"You idiot. Why did you have to mouth off? Know your place," Gavin sneered.

"The one who doesn't know his place is you, Gavin," Justin called out.

At the sound of Justin's voice, Gavin whipped his head around. Before he could fully process who was speaking, Justin pointed his finger at him.

"Black Missile."

Boom!

"Aaagh!" Gavin screamed as the Black Missile struck his side.

A satisfied smile appeared on Justin's face. Just as expected, in a fight, whoever lands the first blow has the upper hand.

Thud!

"Aaagh! Damn it!" Gavin cursed as he tumbled from the second floor like a fly swatted by insecticide. Writhing in pain, he clutched his side, rolling on the ground in agony.

For nearly a full minute, Gavin thrashed around in pain before finally letting out a whimper, tears streaming down his face as he stood up.

"You bastard! I'll kill y—" Gavin started.

"Black Missile."

Boom!

"Aaagh!" This time, the spell struck his kneecap, and Gavin collapsed again, screaming in pain.

Justin chuckled dryly as he observed Gavin. The same Black Missile that could pierce through a goblin's skull had only shattered Gavin's bones.

"How much did you pump into strength? Not even a drop of blood, just a broken bone," Justin muttered to himself.

"I'll... I'll kill you!" Gavin roared.

"You still don't get it, huh? Black Missile."

Boom!

Gavin let out a strangled cry of pain, his voice too weak to scream any longer. The repeated blows had left him incapable of even fighting back. Each hit shattered a bone, leaving him in unbearable pain, unable to retaliate. By the time Justin had fired five consecutive shots, Gavin's body spasmed with each impact, and his attempts to resist had become nothing more than twitching on the ground.

Boom!

"Aaagh!"

"You idiot. Just because the game became real, did you think you could fight like you did in a game?"

A person isn't a video game character who can walk around with dozens of arrows lodged in their body. If you break your toe, you can't even walk. If your thumb is hurt, you can't hold a weapon. Break a leg or a rib, and you're no longer a fighter—you're a punching bag.

Once Justin was sure he had completely incapacitated Gavin, he stopped casting. As he approached, he could hear Gavin's muffled sobs.

"Sniff, sniff... Please... stop..." Gavin whimpered through tears.

"Are you... crying?" Justin asked, incredulous.

The man who had been terrorizing others now lay on the ground, bawling like a child. There wasn't an ounce of pity in Justin's heart, only disgust.

"Stop crying, you bastard. I don't want to hear garbage like you sobbing."

The same person who took pleasure in making others cry now wept pathetically, and it only disgusted Justin more. Despite the warning, Gavin kept sobbing pitifully.

"If you don't stop, I'll hit you again," Justin threatened.

At the sight of Justin raising his finger again, Gavin quickly bit back his tears, choking on his sobs as he quieted down.

"Now that's better," Justin said, clicking his tongue in annoyance as he looked Gavin in the eye.

"Gavin, why are you like this? What's your problem?" Justin asked, his tone calm.

"...."

"You're a beta tester, right? You got skills, didn't you? So why aren't you doing your quest? Why are you acting like a lunatic, harassing other people? Is it some sickness that makes you go crazy if you don't hurt others?"

Gavin said nothing, his wet eyes fixed on the ground. It wasn't that he had nothing to say—it was clear he felt too humiliated to respond.

"Unbelievable," Justin muttered, a wry smile on his lips. Even in this situation, Gavin refused to admit defeat, clinging to his pride.

"Fine. It's not like talking will get us anywhere. You're the type of guy who lives by a hierarchy. To you, anyone without power or authority is beneath you. And if someone you see as beneath you dares to speak up, it's 'how dare they,' right?" Justin said, leaning closer.

"...."

"When you use violence and they resist, it's 'how dare they.' When you harass them and they get angry, it's 'how dare they.' Anytime anyone argues with you, it's always 'how dare they.' That's why you tried to kill me and that guy—because we dared to speak against you," Justin continued.

Gavin's attitude wasn't all that uncommon. It was the mindset behind dating violence, workplace bullying, and other forms of abuse. In Gavin's world, anyone who questioned him or resisted his authority was committing an unforgivable offense.

Even when someone like Gavin gets hurt in retaliation, they don't reflect or feel remorse. They only grow angrier, fueled by the humiliation of being beaten by someone they consider inferior. Their fragile ego demands that they seek revenge, to restore their place at the top of the hierarchy.

"And you're probably already planning how to get back at me, aren't you? Even if I let you go now, you'd just try to find a way to get revenge," Justin said knowingly.

Gavin remained silent, his face twitching with rage and humiliation.

"But there's something you don't realize, Gavin," Justin said, his voice softening.

"...."

"There are no cops in this world anymore."

Gavin blinked, his expression shifting from anger to confusion.

"What...?" he mumbled, clearly not understanding what Justin meant.

"There are no police, Gavin. I'll say it again, just so you understand. There's no one left to stop me from killing you," Justin repeated calmly.

"...."

"There's no one to punish me. No law, no justice. Do you get it now?"

"...."

Justin chuckled dryly, shaking his head at the disbelief on Gavin's face.

"Gavin," Justin said, locking eyes with him.

"Why should I let you live when there's no one to stop me?"

"....!"