Duo Leveling LITRPG | Post Apocalyptic | SYSTEM-Chapter 36 - Subscribe... and Die

Chapter 36 - Subscribe... and Die

«Bros... subscribe... like!»

It was a phrase Jhin had heard many times before.

But to hear it coming from a Trigger was something else.

’A YouTuber, huh...’

If that was the case, then his desire must also be related to that.

The scope narrowed slightly.

Jhin’s eyes sharpened.

’If a YouTuber turned into a Trigger, then what kind of desire would it have been?’

Before the world fell into this state, there had been countless internet broadcasts.

Visible radio shows, gaming streams, beauty channels...

Each had pulled in viewers with interesting content.

So then, what kind of content had this thing in front of him made?

«ASMRRRRRRRR!!»

’Who the hell screams ASMR?’

No doubt about it now — this monster’s content must have been mukbangs based on ASMR.

Just looking at its bloated body and the bloodstains smeared around its mouth made that clear.

Maybe it was even planning a mukbang with human beings.

Surprisingly, Caleb seemed to recognize him.

«That guy... that’s Jaden.»

«Jaden?»

«Yeah. That way of shouting ASMR... I’m sure it’s the YouTuber Jaden.

But I heard he ended up on death row and was locked up.»

Now that he thought about it, Jhin vaguely remembered.

Once, Jaden had millions of subscribers with his extreme content.

But then he committed unforgivable crimes and fell into disgrace.

He had become a social scandal — a YouTuber who rose to infamy and ended up sentenced to death.

«Seriously, it’s like every dog and pig managed to break out of prison.»

The last content Jaden ever posted had been a "human flesh mukbang."

At the time, people had argued it was fake, just shock tactics.

But it turned out he had actually kidnapped people and used them for his broadcasts.

’In short...’

Whoooosh!

The bloated monster’s hand stretched out toward Jhin.

The arm extended unnaturally, like rubber, barely missing him as it whipped through the air.

Dodging swiftly, Jhin clenched his fist, his brow furrowed.

’...This guy was hopeless even before he became a Trigger.’

Another hand attack flew toward him — this time, dozens of hands splitting apart and trying to grab him at once.

Jhin nimbly dodged and closed the distance.

The moment his fist struck the monster’s solar plexus—

Squelch!

It sank into the flesh, utterly meaningless.

Jhin grimaced and leapt backward.

At once, another hand chased after him.

The monster grinned wide and said,

«Bros! First try failed, so second try... okay?»

«...Screw you!»

BANG!

Without warning, Millie’s revolver flared.

She hit the attacking hand squarely, then fired again — this time straight at the monster’s forehead.

But the damage was small.

Millie clicked her tongue.

«Gross how tough he is.»

«Be careful. His stamina is maxed out.»

Jaden, who had fallen into crime with his "human flesh mukbang," was now realizing that same fantasy as a Trigger.

Which meant — his desire was simply to eat.

’When it comes to eating, you don’t need strength or speed.

You just need stamina — a lot of stamina.’

«Broooss! Subscribe! Like! Pushhhh it!!»

The monster shouted in his clumsy, eerie voice.

This time, it swung both arms violently.

As if the desire to never lose Jhin had exploded, his hands split into dozens again.

Jhin activated Soft skills.

The number of attacks was overwhelming, but if he could read their flow, there was always a way through.

He focused sharply, tracing the movement of the hands narrowing in like a spiderweb.

Whoooosh!

BOOM! CRASH! BOOM! CRASH!

Missed attacks smashed the floor, sending shockwaves through the tunnel.

Moving with almost supernatural agility, Jhin dodged between the grasping hands.

At the same time, Millie fired again.

But once again, her bullets merely sank into the monster’s skin without inflicting real damage.

The thing was absurdly tough.

«Jhin! Maybe use a potion—»

«No. It’ll build resistance.»

«Huh?»

Instead, Jhin let out a slow breath and fixed his gaze on Jaden.

Now that he had identified the root of the problem, it was time to solve it.

The problem wasn’t that his hits weren’t landing —

it was that the damage wasn’t enough.

’That means... the attack power is lacking.’

Jhin moved swiftly.

Thwack!

His fist slammed hard into the monster’s solar plexus again — this time, with much greater force.

This time, there was a slight reaction.

The monster’s massive body shifted backward from the impact.

Jhin quickly leapt back, clicking his tongue lightly.

«Man, you’re tough.»

Currently, Jhin’s Strength stat was at 100.

Even without focusing purely on Strength at level 40, that was a monstrous figure.

But this Trigger was even tougher.

’The only thing left is to supplement it with magic power.’

There was a way.

Jhin glanced down at his weapon — the "Scarecrow’s Thorn Gauntlet."

It was made of wood, but its durability was excellent, crafted from the body of the Wilow King.

It wouldn’t break easily, even if he pushed it harder than before.

Jhin was satisfied.

’There are attacks you can’t do with mere tutorial items.’

Next, he boldly invested the stat points he’d earned after Trial nexus into magic power.

His current Magic was 100.

With another 100 added, it would hit 200.

Generally, meaningful changes happened at every 100-point milestone.

’At Magic 200, there’s something new I can do.’

Jhin smiled slyly and looked at the drooling Jaden, whose eyes burned with crazed desire.

It was a chilling sight.

’Magic Concentration.’

[Activating skill: ’Magic Concentration (F)’.]

When he opened his tightly closed eyes again, they were glowing golden.

A deep blue energy began coating his fist.

Rough, brilliant magic energy.

It still had the clumsy feel of an F-rank skill, and its consumption rate was brutal.

But Jhin didn’t hold back — not anymore.

He had 200 Magic now.

’It’s enough.’

Wooooom.

The blue energy, responding to his will, grew larger.

At the same time, the monster, again stretching out his hands, shouted:

«Subscriiiiiibe!»

«Liiiike!»

With obsession like that, even the followers he already had would run away.

Creepy bastard.

Jhin clicked his tongue and sprinted straight at him.

The monster, seeing him coming, grinned wide — thinking he had caught a fish swimming into his mouth.

But—

BOOOOM!!

A deafening explosion erupted, and the monster’s hands shattered.

Jhin shot through the gaping hole and raced toward the monster’s face.

The Trigger’s eyes widened in shock.

Jhin, staring into those eyes still burning with nothing but the desire to eat, gathered even more magic into his fist.

And said,

«I’ll grant your wish. I’ll smash that subscribe and like button.

Real hard — twice.»

BOOM!!

BOOOOOOM!!

[You have defeated ’Trigger of Gluttony: Jaden’.]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

The monster’s face caved in under the weight of the crushing blow.

The battlefield fell completely silent.

[You can now claim your reward.]

Stat +5

Ring of Attention-Seeking

[Would you like to claim all rewards?]

But Jhin couldn’t even check the rewards yet.

Because something else was happening.

Fsshhhhh.

As the monster died, its magic power evaporated into the air, and its bloated body rapidly shrank.

In no time, it looked no different from an ordinary human.

The real face — the one from the news — emerged.

And then Jhin saw it.

The mark drawn on the monster’s forehead.

«...Why is that thing here...?»