I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills

Chapter 116

Distributing Punishment

***

Kraush, who had defeated an associate professor in the entrance exam, gave Haring a look that seemed to say he wouldn’t fall from just an explosion.

Haring seemed at a loss for words.

“Unexpected situations can happen anywhere.”

He wouldn’t deny that.

But Kraush decided not to nitpick since her intention to help was clear.

Besides, there was no time to argue.

Kraush drew Rain Thunder Prime.

Haring quickly drew two daggers from her waist.

Below the collapsed floor was a long corridor of the ruins.

Beyond that corridor, the presence of Erosion Species could be felt simultaneously.

Their target was none other than Kraush and Haring.

“We don’t have time for more talk. I’m heading straight for the Erosion Sorcerer. What about you?”

“I’ll follow.”

Well, she didn’t have much choice.

“What can you do?”

At this point, Kraush didn’t know much about Haring’s abilities.

She had left the Skyborne Generation on her own.

She left to kill Bianca, who was the White Ghost at the time.

Kraush didn’t hold any grudge against Haring.

The emotions he had towards Bianca were mainly guilt.

He felt sorry for her death.

He had no intention of avenging her death by targeting Haring.

Bianca killed the Poison King who massacred her family, and Haring did the same for her vengeance.

“Stealth, poison, daggers. Not great at frontal assaults or detection.”

“Then I’ll handle the front. You look for openings to attack.”

Kraush lightly invoked Annihilation Erosion.

Black flames began to flicker on the golden blade of Rain Thunder Prime.

Boom!

An Erosion Species burst through the outer wall.

Its body was covered in steel-like spikes.

It rolled towards Kraush like a ball.

It moved fast enough to tear apart a human body instantly.

Kraush swung Rain Thunder Prime without hesitation.

Boom!

As Kraush and the Erosion Species collided, smoke rose.

Through the smoke, the Erosion Species peeked its head out, looking bewildered.

Kraush had stopped its roll without even stepping back.

“Are you done?”

“Squeak?!”

The Erosion Species panicked as Kraush’s black flames intensified.

But it was too late.

Haring, who had hidden in the darkness, swung her two daggers.

Slash!

The purple aura on Haring’s daggers sliced through the neck muscles of the Erosion Species, decapitating it.

The daggers cut cleanly through its thick neck.

Kraush recognized it.

The Lagrain family’s secret poison technique, Extreme Blood Poison.

A technique that uses a myriad of poisons.

The one she used likely dissolved flesh.

Kraush remembered it as her preferred poison during her academy days.

‘Still effective.’

Poison is one of the most aggressive means.

It was very effective against Erosion Species.

If the Lagrain family hadn’t started the war, they would have been formidable allies against World Erosions.

Kraush recalled the past and clicked his tongue.

‘I’ll save them all this time.’

The talented individuals who could fight World Erosions would all be spared to prevent destruction.

No way they’d be allowed to die easily.

Kraush turned to Haring, who had just landed after killing the Erosion Species.

Thanks to his senses, he already knew the location of the Erosion Sorcerer.

“Haring.”

Kraush spun Rain Thunder Prime and aimed it at the ground with a sinister smile.

“Ever tried digging a tunnel?”

“Huh?”

As Haring looked puzzled, Kraush plunged Rain Thunder Prime into the ground.

Black flames surged from his sword.

“If you haven’t, you’ll get a chance now.”

Special experiences for special peers.

＊ ＊ ＊

Juio Irma, an Erosion Sorcerer,

a middle-aged man with noticeable wrinkles, was sitting in front of an altar.

He held a crystal skull in his hand.

The eerie crystal skull glowed as darkness flowed from Juio’s hand.

The darkness wavered, following the light from the altar.

It was the power of the Night God.

He had been storing the Night God’s power in the crystal.

As expected, the power was still weak compared to the true power of the Night God.

Boom!

Just then, he sensed that an intruder had appeared.

Juio felt the presence of his defeated Erosion Species from afar and smiled.

“Foolish Yellow Tower scum. They don’t even realize they’ve walked into a trap.”

Juio knew the Yellow Tower had requested the academy to deal with him.

They wanted to handle him cheaply.

Stupid idea.

‘I’ll capture the academy members and use them as hostages.’

Many academy members were nobles.

No matter how skilled they were, inside the Night God’s tomb, he was invincible.

So, he ambushed them as soon as they entered.

He would capture them, preventing interference from the Yellow Tower or others.

In the meantime, he would absorb the Night God’s power fully.

Then, no one could stop him.

‘The damned Yellow Tower scum will understand soon.’

He was born to parents who were once slaves, now abolished in Devrham.

Although he had innate magic talent, the stigma of his lowly birth remained.

The Yellow Tower scum never recognized him, worsening his inferiority complex over time.

One day, he discovered a ruin.

It was the tomb of a forgotten demigod who had challenged the gods.

Even in death, the god left power in the tomb.

Realizing this, Juio saw an opportunity.

He began researching continuously in the ruins.

But the ruin couldn’t be managed by magic alone.

After much thought, he turned to the power of World Erosion.

He met the Moon Rabbit, a World Erosion.

After crawling through the lawless zone, he knelt before the Moon Rabbit, seeking to become a servant.

The Moon Rabbit, being generous, shared the power of World Erosion, encouraging him to pursue his dream.

To repay that kindness, he would make the Night God’s power his own.

He would become a god, the highest rank in the status system loved by the Yellow Tower scum.

His face filled with anticipation and desire.

Crash, boom!

Just then,

the ceiling above the altar collapsed.

Juio looked up in shock.

He hadn’t expected the ceiling to fall.

Someone burst through the ceiling, landing with black flames swirling around them, golden blade glinting.

“Are you the idiot touching my stuff?”

“What?”

Juio was taken aback by the sudden question.

But Kraush, sensing the night energy from the crystal skull in Juio’s hand, smiled.

“It’s you. Time to distribute some punishment.”

＊ ＊ ＊

Inside the Night God’s tomb,

before the grave containing the god’s body, Juio looked at Kraush and suppressed a laugh.

Judging by his uniform, Kraush was clearly an academy student.

A mere teenager.

‘He came all the way here without any fear.’

Juio now understood why he hadn’t sensed him approaching.

It was due to the energy emanating from Kraush’s body.

‘A curse? World Erosion?’

A peculiar energy flowed from Kraush’s body and sword.

The ruins were filled with Erosion Species placed by Juio.

Through them, he detected any non-World Erosion presence.

But Kraush exuded an energy similar to World Erosion, making it undetectable.

Even if detected, he hadn’t expected someone to burst through the ceiling.

“Who are you?”

“I told you, I’m here to punish you.”

Kraush casually replied, cracking his neck.

Juio frowned, feeling disrespected.

Despite that, Kraush’s power was at a master level.

It was unimaginable for a young adult.

Not an opponent to be underestimated.

‘The Yellow Tower scum must have sent a real monster.’

A noble born with such power at a young age.

This was why nobles valued lineage.

‘Better for me.’

With such a lineage, his family must cherish him.

Perfect as a hostage.

“I have a proposal.”

Juio spoke first.

Kraush stood still, Rain Thunder Prime lowered at his waist.

“If you attack me, your friend above will die to the Erosion Species. The ruins are filled with creatures you can’t imagine.”

Some were truly dangerous.

Juio barely controlled them, keeping them for a potential full-scale war with the Yellow Tower.

“Surrender, and your friends will live.”

Juio knew this age group well.

Academy students cherished their friendships.

Though such things were meaningless.

Kraush’s eyebrow twitched for the first time.

“Friend?”

Ignoring everything else, he seemed bothered by that word.

Seeing this, Juio smiled.

“Yes, your friend. Mentioning friends must have hit a nerve, huh?”

“You bastard, dragging him into this. Talking about friends.”

Spat back with a curse,

Juio was stunned by the insult.

Nobles didn’t usually speak so coarsely.

“You need a beating.”

Kraush stomped the ground.

Heat emanated from his body, steam rising as Juio’s eyes widened.

Kraush’s power surged several times over as he charged.

“Damn you!”

Realizing Kraush had been hiding his power, Juio extended his hand.

Rumble!

The entire space shook.

Kraush ran straight at him, but it was a mistake.

This place was Juio’s specially prepared battlefield.

He would make him pay for this fearlessness.

“Devour him!”

A giant worm-like Erosion Species appeared through the ceiling.

It opened its mouth, filled with rows of teeth, to swallow Kraush whole.

Kraush exhaled quietly.

As his concentration peaked, he drew Rain Thunder Prime.

Annihilation Erosion

First Form

Sky Annihilating Draw

Rain Thunder Prime, sheathed in black flames, slashed out.

The strike split the Erosion Species in half and continued towards Juio’s neck.

“Ah!”

Juio’s scream and a thunderous crash filled the air.

The surrounding area was engulfed in black flames, the tomb in disarray.

Juio, unharmed, had his arms raised defensively.

He had used the Night God’s power in the crystal skull to activate a defensive spell.

“The power of that strike…”

Despite surviving, the spell was shattered by one draw of Kraush’s Sky Annihilating Draw.

Juio was horrified by the immense power.

Dangerous.

He quickly extended his hand.

Thunk-

Juio heard a sound from his side and turned.

There was a girl with short black and purple hair.

He hadn’t sensed her presence.

Realizing it was a skill, Juio understood too late.

She had driven the dagger deep into his side, meeting his eyes before pulling it out.

Pop!

Blood poured from Juio’s waist.

The moment the dagger pierced, his vision blurred and spun.

“Ugh!”

Blood spurted from his eyes and mouth.

He realized the dagger was poisoned.

The poison spread through his body.

If it had been aimed at his neck, he might have defended himself.

But he was caught off guard by Kraush’s attack.

‘From the start, he planned this.’

Kraush’s dismissive attitude was to draw his attention.

He was meticulous.

A lifelong underdog.

He wouldn’t act without knowing his opponent’s capabilities.

He would lull them into complacency until ready to strike.

That’s how he survived.

Realizing he had been completely outmaneuvered, Juio gritted his teeth.

His sclera turned black.

He gathered the power of World Erosion to delay the poison’s spread.

His only option was to unleash the Night God’s power.

He gripped the crystal skull, ready to crush it.

Slice!

Kraush’s sword reached Juio’s right arm in an instant.

Juio’s arm and the crystal skull rolled to the ground.

“I told you.”

Juio’s eyes widened as Kraush’s fist aimed for his jaw.

“You need a beating.”

Thud!

Kraush’s punch knocked Juio unconscious.

Inch Strength

Two more strikes lifted Juio’s body into the air.

“Ugh!”

Juio rolled on the ground, eyes turned back, completely unconscious.

As Kraush exhaled, Haring, who had hidden after retrieving her daggers, appeared.

She had made it easy to deal with an unfamiliar opponent.

“Is that poison lethal?”

“No, but it leaves lasting side effects, making movement difficult.”

Terrifying.

Kraush considered learning about poisons.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Then he realized poison was similar to curses.

‘This could lead to something good.’

He might develop a new type of curse.

“Haring, what’s your secondary class?”

“Special Arts.”

“Good. Later…”

Kraush began to speak but his eyes narrowed.

He saw Juio’s right arm floating behind Haring.

“Haring.”

Kraush infused black flames into Rain Thunder Prime.

“Run this way.”

As he spoke, black darkness spread from the crystal skull.