Is this what supreme pleasure feels like?

  The Loan Shark burst into repeated fits of laughter, unable to contain his joy. He couldn't find the words to describe how entertaining everything unfolding before his eyes truly was.

  The mobile fortress was, quite literally, invincible. No matter what that cursed brat in the hood tried, the fortress continued its advance as if nothing had happened. Every time its numerous armaments spat fire, buildings crumbled and people were killed or maimed.

  Almost no one should have been capable of such a feat—not unless they possessed the might of a sovereign nation. It was a level of destruction that typically required an army testing its collective firepower with tanks, self-propelled guns, and various heavy weaponry to level a city.

  Yet, here was the Loan Shark, accomplishing it all with a power that belonged solely to him. And he did it to the accompaniment of countless screams.

  It was exhilarating.

  The sight of flowing blood and the thunderous roar of explosions set his nerves on fire. He couldn't help but laugh at how much the weeping and shrieking of the masses turned him on. His only regret was that there was no one by his side to share the moment and echo his delight. The subordinates around him could no longer be called human—though, of course, he was the one who had made them that way.

  Regardless, it didn't matter. The Loan Shark found meaning only in the fact that he was enjoying himself.

  "It’s a bit of a shame I couldn't kill all those rats trying to escape to the outskirts," he muttered.

  He loved the destruction, but he felt a flicker of annoyance at not having perfect control over everything. Ideally, every single person trying to flee should have been slaughtered. However, he had only managed to block the main road by deploying a hidden fortress; he hadn't been able to reach the other exits yet.

  No matter.

  After today, the world would know. They would know who the true king was. He let out a boisterous cackle at the thought.

  CRASH.

  The mobile fortress shuddered under a heavy impact. It wasn't a lethal blow, but it was significant. It seemed a shell from a military tank had scored a direct hit. Yet, it wasn't powerful enough to pierce the barrier and destroy the fortress's main body. It merely caused a slight tremor. Such an attack was formidable, certainly, but what meaning did it have if it failed to actually destroy its target?

  "Crush them," the Loan Shark commanded.

  Obeying his will, the fortress's turrets rotated. With a deafening blast, they unleashed energy projectiles that shouldn't have existed in this world. The shot struck the tank with pinpoint accuracy. The vehicle before him was supposedly the strongest weapon on the ground with substantial armor, but that was irrelevant. Despite the extra layers of armor plastered onto its front, the projectile pierced it in one go and detonated. The Loan Shark was in a state of absolute euphoria.

  "Yes! Yes! More! Do it more! A King’s procession requires grandeur!"

  He screamed in excitement, completely intoxicated by the carnage. Nothing was more enjoyable than this endless cycle of annihilation. The fact that this wasn't truly his own inherent power was trivial. All that mattered was that the power was now in his hands.

  The mobile fortress marched on, absorbing every attack and retaliating with overwhelming force. Everything in its path felt utterly futile. Shivering with a thrill at the sight of its relentless advance, the Loan Shark simply basked in the moment.

  "Hmm..."

  He suddenly grew curious about the status of his subordinates fighting outside. He knew the ones stationed near his office had been wiped out; if they hadn't been, that hooded brat wouldn't be running around like this. But they weren't his only assets. The other subordinates he had prepared would be moving for him elsewhere.

  BOOM.

  Just then, an explosion in the distance caught his eye—something aimed at the mobile fortress's blind spot. It was likely a helicopter.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  "They're doing well," he whispered with satisfaction. It seemed all the pieces he had laid out were moving according to plan.

  But a single thought began to surface in his mind, one he couldn't quite suppress.

  "What should I do when this is over?"

  Only now did it seem to occur to him that he should have prepared more for the aftermath. He felt a pang of regret for the oversight.

  So-young and Se-hee watched the Loan Shark’s rampage on the broadcast, laughing continuously.

  "He really is an entertaining man. To make such a grand spectacle... I love it," So-young remarked.

  Se-hee could only manage a bitter smile. The scene on the screen was no different from giving a dangerous toy to a child who refused to be told 'no.' In a war, such a weapon would be a game-changer. Seeing him attack even those trying to escape, it was clear he was spiraling beyond expectations.

  "This should be enough to put out the fire on that side for a while. Though the people here will be in total chaos," So-young said with a smile. To overcome the crisis in her home world, this place needed to become a living hell.

  She had intentionally gifted the Loan Shark this immense power for that very purpose, and he was performing remarkably well. In fact, his performance was so beyond her expectations that she couldn't hide her satisfaction.

  One thing was certain: the Loan Shark was now being completely consumed by his own power. Anyone who came into possession of such a thing would inevitably end up that way. He was a textbook example. There were always those who, instead of wielding a power that exceeded their capacity, were devoured by it, and So-young always enjoyed watching them. It was one of the small perks of her job.

  No matter what kind of life they had led, once they began this kind of rampage, there was no way to save them. Of course, since they had sought it out themselves, there was no reason to feel sorry for them. Despite having no real depth, most people possessed a groundless confidence. They believed they could control the power.

  But in reality, it was safe to say no one could. After all, she never handed such items to anyone who actually had the capacity to handle them. How delightful it was to watch the ruin of a person eaten alive by power as they stumbled through their final moments.

  So-young laughed and laughed. Beside her, Se-hee was also smiling at the broadcast, though not as intensely. The madness of fools is a wonderful thing to behold from a safe distance.

  "Speaking of which, that man who's still resisting... he really is something. He possesses something that should have driven him mad long ago," Se-hee said, referring to Jihyeon on the screen.

  So-young nodded. "That man is an unexpected catch. At such a young age, he hasn't been eaten by the power; he’s made it his own. Men like him are always rare, aren't they?"

  So-young watched Jihyeon’s movements with genuine interest. Faced with the worst possible circumstances, he was using every tool at his disposal. His desperate struggle almost looked sublime. However, no one knew if he had a chance of winning.

  Even if he managed to destroy the mobile fortress the Loan Shark was riding, there was still another one on the move. And if she remembered correctly, there were two more fortresses waiting to be activated. If all of them opened fire, only ruin would remain.

  In fact, the wisest choice might be to give up and run. Nothing was as pathetic as a fight with no chance of victory. But Jihyeon wouldn't give up. To stop him, only death would suffice.

  Still, the struggling of a man who refused to surrender was entertaining. So-young continued to watch him, eager to see what conclusion awaited.

  Nothing was working. The despair brought by that realization was indescribable.

  However, Jihyeon knew he hadn't been driven to his absolute limit just yet. He was painfully aware of how many had already been killed or injured. But Jihyeon himself was still alive. And through the battle so far, he had uncovered several facts. If he used them, he could surely find the key to victory.

  But to complete that key, he needed more time. Jihyeon kept moving, processing every scrap of information in his mind to find the answer.

  Thanks to a Tool that allowed high-speed movement, the risk of being hit was low. While he couldn't stop the deaths of others, he could at least avoid the worst-case scenario of being struck himself. Even if he were called selfish, he had no choice. If he died, there would be no way to stop this. In times like these, he had to be thoroughly pragmatic. Jihyeon didn't particularly like that fact, but he couldn't help it.

  Ignoring a throbbing headache, he moved and thought, desperately searching for a possibility. Thousands of scenarios were created and discarded in his mind. Simultaneously, he continued to calculate how to halt the legs of that massive, moving fortress.

  "Ah!"

  Finally, Jihyeon found an answer. It wouldn't end everything in one go, of course. But at the very least, it would make it possible to minimize the immediate damage.

  "I have no choice but to do it."

  Much of the city's infrastructure would likely be beyond repair for a long time. But it was a necessary price to prevent even greater slaughter.

  With that thought, Jihyeon activated the power of the Tool he possessed. He would likely be severely injured himself, but there was no other way. He had to move, if only for the sake of those he cared about.

  "Tch."

  But Jihyeon couldn't put his plan into action immediately. It seemed there were still snipers left on the other side. It would be difficult to proceed until they were all cleared out. Just now, his barrier had reacted to a shot from a sniper somewhere.

  Things were progressing far more tedious than he'd liked. At this rate, countless more would die. But he needed time to do what he had to do.

  "Everyone’s just getting in the way," Jihyeon muttered, a smirk touching his lips despite himself.

  It was like a game. A game worth clearing, despite the overwhelming number of obstacles. He knew he shouldn't joke when human lives were on the line. But he couldn't help the excitement.

  "Let's do this. In style."

  Jihyeon whispered, launching his will toward the sky. The moment he neutralized the one who had just sniped at him, everything began.