I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills - Chapter 1
[EP.1] The Ruined World
“Damn.”
A male cursed out loud.
It was a situation where he couldn’t help but swear.
Inscribed with smudged patterns of curses all over his body, they were clearly visible.
His right eye had long lost its function due to a curse.
Moreover, he could barely feel half of his body.
His name was Kraush Balheim.
He was once called the disgrace of the Balheim family.
‘Disgrace, my ass.’
However, such a term of disgrace was now a thing of the past.
He was one of the warriors who fought against the world’s annihilation, known as the Skyborne Generation.
Even the family that always treated him as unworthy finally recognized him.
So, out of a desperate longing for that recognition, he struggled even more fiercely.
But the outcome was horrific.
Before his eyes, as meteor showers poured down, the world was being destroyed.
The worst catastrophes had grown uncontrollable, engulfing everything.
Kraush helplessly observed such destruction.
Then, he turned his head to look at the man next to him.
“What are we cough, to do now……”
Kraush could barely speak due to the curse.
Yet, the reproach in his voice was palpably clear.
“What are we to do.”
At that moment, a man with dazzling white-blond hair resembling the sun looked up.
T h i s w a s co pi e d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
Even amidst the doom of the world, his sublime face seemed almost unfairly handsome.
Arthur Gramarte, among the greatest of the Skyborne Generation, was called the King of Heroes.
The words of the Empire’s proudly proclaimed King of Heroes were ironically laughable.
Because, despite everything, three women were comforting and consoling him, each in her own way.
He wasn’t a King of Heroes; he was a King of a harem.
“The world is over. It’s the end.”
Arthur’s response was alarmingly calm.
Considering the countless lives sacrificed to bring him this far, his tone was shockingly casual.
As if the annihilation had nothing to do with him.
“And you’re saying that? Cough, how many people trusted in you……!”
“Kraush, shut up! Arthur did his best!”
At that moment, a woman with a sea-like hair color shouted.
Kraush’s brows furrowed deeply.
Her name was Sigrid Ephania.
She was the third princess of the Ephania Empire and the very person who had elevated Arthur to the position of an imperial candidate for the throne.
The princess, who was so blindly infatuated with Arthur, she’d become blind to everything else.
However, her swordsmanship was formidable enough to rival Arthur himself.
“Damn, cough cough! Princess Sigrid, after all the crying about being half-blind, I managed to make you see. And now you tell me to shut up? Is that how you speak?”
T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r o m ki ng m t l. o rg
Unlike his usual demeanor, Kraush spoke with a sharpness in his voice.
In response, Sigrid looked at Kraush with contempt.
“How dare you speak like that in front of me, Sigrid? Aren’t you afraid of the consequences?”
“Consequences? Consequences!”
Kraush spat blood from his mouth and threw his hands up toward the heavens.
“The world has ended, so who cares about consequences?! Damn it! Ephania, whom you cherished, has vanished into the night. Cough, hack, it’s gone!”
Hearing that, Sigrid’s eyes widened in shock.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Yet, seeing her like this, Kraush rather wore a look mixed with scorn.
She had been someone who, believing in her royal status, had perpetually treated everyone, except Arthur, with contempt.
Especially with Kraush, who was never treated well.
The primary reason was that Kraush belonged to the most powerful house in the Starlon Kingdom.
“Oh, since the academy days, you’ve been nothing but a nuisance!”
Their bitter history began back at Rahelrn Academy.
Sigrid, a natural talent in swordsmanship, was the center of everyone’s expectations.
In contrast, despite hailing from the powerful Balheim family of the Starlon Kingdom, Kraush was nothing special.
Had he just been compared, it wouldn’t have bothered him.
But Sigrid was the head of the empire’s faction at the academy.
Hence she persistently tormented Kraush to crush the kingdom’s faction.
Thanks to that, Kraush faced not only the disdain of the empire’s faction but was also ostracized and called a disgrace by his own kingdom’s faction.
The phrase ‘disgrace of the kingdom’ had become so common to his ears it made them ring.
Still, Kraush endured it.
He was indeed the worthless son without any talent.
And she was essential to the Skyborne Generation who would save the world.
“I was so blinded by you!”
But all of that was over.
The world had perished, the empire evaporated due to the World Erosion, and the kingdom suffered the same fate.
Therefore, with a voice laced with hate, Kraush pressed down on his right eye with a hand.
If he had known it would come to this, he’d never have stolen the curse afflicting that mad woman’s eyes.
“You’re nothing but a thief!”
Sigrid snapped back, her own eyes lighting with anger.
She drew her sword known as the White Dragon’s Fang.
The chill that emanated from it felt like it could freeze Kraush at any moment.
But Kraush simply sneered.
A thief who knows nothing but stealing.
“Yeah, cough cough, that’s right.”
T h i s w a s co p i ed f r o m k in gmt l. o r g
Kraush detested his own abilities.
As she said, all he could do was steal.
[Skill · Black Hood]
Stealing the possessions of a target.
＊Conditions
1. The value of the target’s possession is determined by the target.
2. The conditions for stealing are set based on the target’s perceived value.
It was a skill granted by a god he’d made a pact with, an ability to steal in the most literal sense.
The more valuable the possession was to the target, the harder it was to steal, an odd ability indeed.
But there was one advantage to this ability.
‘Even curses caused by the World Erosion could be stolen.’
He was able to steal curses that no other expert sorcerers in the world could solve.
T h i s w a s c o p ie d f rom k i n g m t l .o r g
Because of this immense advantage, Kraush had been a part of the Skyborne Generation.
However, he now bore curses numbering in the hundreds in his body.
Among them, one curse prevented him from dying but at the terrible price of never being able to sleep again, which is why he was still alive.
He should have died a long time ago due to the sheer number of curses.
‘I thought I’d soon reach a four-digit number.’
T h i s wa s c o pi e d f r o m k i n g mt l. o r g
Regrettably, the world was destroyed before he could reach that milestone.
All of the curses festering in Kraush’s body were stolen from members of the Skyborne Generation.
Arthur’s curse of Dread Dominion.
T h i s w as co p i e d f r o m k in gmt l . o r g
Sigrid’s curse of Perpetual Darkness.
The Saint’s curse of Malicious Piety.
The Emperor’s curse of Source of Evil, and so on.
He had taken the curses from all of them, even those who had now perished.
A curse was an entity of no value to its bearer.
Thus, Kraush’s Black Hood could be most effectively utilized.
“But, without me, none of you would have even made it this far…”
Anger flickered in one of Kraush’s eyes.
“Is that right, cough, Abella?”
He turned to the location he referred to, where a woman had been crying in Arthur’s embrace since earlier.
She was small in stature and held a staff engraved with stars.
The greatest prodigy dispatched by the Mage Tower and a fellow Skyborne Generation member, the Red Witch Abella.
She too had come this far as Arthur’s companion.
“Arthur, what do we do, Arthur?”
However, she did not even pretend to listen.
Ever since the world’s demise, all she had done was cling to Arthur’s side, crying incessantly.
‘Anyway, that was typical of her.’
Originally, she had completely ignored him, not even acknowledging his words.
When the pain of a curse tore through his body and he went to the Mage Tower for pain relief, they turned him away at the door.
That’s just one of many times he’d been humiliated.
Since that time, he had detached himself emotionally from her.
“You couldn’t cast magic because of the curse that took your voice, but cough, cough, you cry well enough.”
And yet, she had impudently kept asking him to steal the curses tormenting her.
To this day, he could still feel a scraping pain in his throat due to her curse, which also caused him to cough.
“Just stop with your pathetic display.”
Then another voice spoke up.
A woman stood quietly behind Arthur.
She was the Red Witch Abella, who had collapsed in grief since earlier, unable to look away from him.
She was the tower’s greatest prodigy and a fellow member of the Skyborne Generation.
“Arthur, what are we going to do.”
But she didn’t seem to hear.
Ever since the world’s ruin, she had done nothing but weep by Arthur’s side.
‘Well, it’s always been that way, hasn’t it?’
She had always ignored him, not even giving him the time of day, especially when he was in agony from a curse so intense that he had sought painkillers at the mage tower – which he wasn’t even allowed to enter.
Of course, that humiliation was far from the only one he had experienced at her hands.
From that point on, he had already withdrawn all his affection toward her.
“You can’t use magic because of the curse that took your voice, but cough, cough, crying seems to suit you just fine.”
Nonetheless, she persistently demanded he steal her curses, a demand he found absolutely disgusting.
To this day, he felt as if his vocal cords were being scratched by steel because of her curse, which also provoked his coughing.
She was Mary Diana, the spear of the Ephania Empire and the strongest knight devoted to protecting Sigrid.
Though an alluring woman with jet-black hair and a glamorous figure that matched her towering height, to Kraush Balheim, she was nothing more than contemptible.
The reason being, a great number of the curses afflicting him were thanks to that foolish woman.
The ‘Strongest Spear’ was a joke.
Her self-esteem was disgustingly high, to the point where she inserted herself headfirst into battling against worldly erosion—a situation that mandated immediate retreat only to accrue curses, which was revolting in itself.
“Pathetic? Bullshit, do you not remember how, desperate to hide your feelings for Arthur, you were struck by a curse that forced you to speak only the truth and you begged me to steal it away from you?”
And yet, the very next day after the curse was lifted.
The sight of Sigrid and Arthur entering the same room together was utterly maddening.
Because of them, he missed out on the first date he’d promised for that day.
Not that dates mattered now, all was pointless with them dead.
“So all you can do is spout such nonsense?”
“I can’t, can I? Cough cough, because remnants of your curse still linger on me!”
Had not the curses naturally counteracted each other, he wouldn’t know what he might have said there and then.
“At the very least, you could have saved the world, right?”
Kraush let out a rough breath as though he had surrendered everything, and turned to look at Arthur.
Arthur was the biggest issue here.
Arthur, who until now had never once disappointed anyone.
He always acted as if he knew the future, skillfully managing every situation.
Yet, in the end, he panicked and now he lay fallen.
Despite this, Kraush stayed with Arthur.
Those around Arthur were all idiots.
But Arthur was at least someone who acknowledged he needed him.
Although Arthur didn’t particularly discourage those exhibiting aggressive behavior towards Kraush.
Kraush had remained with the Skyborne Generation as he became this wreck because he believed he was also of use to them.
“You had a knack for it, didn’t you?”
Kraush remembered what Arthur had muttered while looking at the world’s ruination.
“It’s all over.”
As if just another play had come to an end.
T h i s w a s c o p ie d f ro m k i n g mt l. o r g
Those casually spoken words made all of Kraush’s efforts until now seem futile.
“Yeah, but in the end, we failed this time too.”
While mulling over this, Arthur got up.
Beneath his chest, thick blood was dripping down.
That was why Abella had clung to him, continuing to weep.
Because Arthur was dying.
After all, like the others, he had failed to stop the world from perishing.
“This time, too?”
But Kraush mulled over the words Arthur had just uttered, as if they hinted at a prior experience.
“Don’t worry. This time was different. I’ve obtained what’s known as the Inheritance of Memory.”
The expressions on the three women’s faces changed upon hearing him.
T hi s w a s co p i e d fro m king mtl . o r g
Their looks seemed to suggest they had already made some agreement with Arthur a long time ago.
Kraush’s brows scrunched up as he watched them with curiosity.
“Arthur, what does that mean? Am I the only one who doesn’t understand?”
“Kraush, this isn’t the first time for destruction. This world has been perishing over and over.”
Arthur’s calm statement only deepened Kraush’s confusion.
What nonsense was this about the world being destroyed repeatedly?
Had Arthur gone mad in the end?
“But it’s alright. I can just go back.”
“What? What kind of nonsense is that! Arthur! You, Sigrid, Abella, Mary, you know something, don’t you!”
Despite Kraush’s outburst, the three only looked at Arthur.
As if in this world, there was only Arthur.
“Since we’ve come this far, I’ll explain.”
Finally, Arthur decided to give an answer.
T hi s w a s c o pie d f r o m k i ngm t l . or g
“It’s regression.”
Regression?
Kraush’s eye twitched violently.
That was a term you’d expect out of a story, not from Arthur’s mouth.
And it appeared the other three women were already aware of his regressions.
“Re, regression?”
As he spoke, Kraush felt as if all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.
It all made sense now why Arthur seemed to know the future.
Arthur’s eyes were sincere.
He really was regressing.
“And this time, I’ve gained the Inheritance of Memory. With it, the memories of Sigrid, Abella, and Mary can also be carried back to when I regress.”
“So you plan to regress and start over?”
If he couldn’t prevent destruction alone, then regressing with others to prevent it was the next step.
Realizing this, Kraush’s eyes widened.
Perhaps they really could prevent the end of the world.
Even though this cycle was a failure, if he went back with these three, all competent despite their flawed characters, the chances of success would be much higher.
Suddenly, he glimpsed a ray of light.
The light of hope in a world doomed to destruction.
“Yes, we’ll all start over.”
Suddenly, upon hearing the word ‘all,’ Kraush jerked his head up.
The three beside him already knew this fact early on.
But what about himself?
As the Skyborne Generation died one by one, he had stubbornly survived, enduring through all the curses he had stolen.
“Wait. Arthur.”
Thus, Kraush decided to ask.
You were the one who acknowledged me, weren’t you?
“…Me?”
It was in that moment, with lips that struggled to part, that he posed the question.
Arthur, at first simply observing Kraush, slowly began to smile for the first time.
“Puahaha!”
Upon hearing the sudden burst of Arthur’s laughter, Kraush was stunned. Arthur lifted his head slowly, tears wiped away by Abella.
His golden irises shone clearly.
“Kraush, what good would it do to convey memories to you when your body and mind are already in tatters?”
Arthur gazed down at Kraush, who sat in a daze, and said so.
“Don’t worry. I quite like you, you know. Without you, the Skyborne Generation couldn’t have come this far. Your ability to steal curses is quite handy. But that doesn’t mean I need the current you. What I need is you following me with a clear mind.”
His words treated him like a tool.
A disposable tool to be disposed of after use.
Needed for regression, yet nothing more, nothing less than a tool.
“See you again, Kraush.”
With those words, bright light began to leak from Arthur.
Realizing Arthur had begun to use regression, Kraush tried to rise in panic but tumbled to the ground.
One of his legs, ruined by a curse, failed to move properly.
Rolling in the mud, Kraush spat out blood and shouted towards Arthur.
“Wait, wait, wait for me! Arthur! Take me with you! Damn you! If you’re going, take me too!”
But still, the expression on Arthur’s face remained unchanged.
From the beginning, Kraush had no value in Arthur’s life.
His pretense of recognition was solely because of Kraush’s utilitarian value.
He had never really accepted him as a comrade.
And now, had he just realized this fact?
‘That’s something I’ve known…’
In truth, Kraush had realized it long ago.
When members of the Skyborne Generation ignorantly abused him, Arthur merely watched without a word.
As if that treatment of him was only natural.
If Arthur really considered him a comrade, he would have interceded long ago.
Rather than recognizing his contributions, he too treated him as nothing more than a tool.
T h is w as co p i e d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
‘I was just…’
Reassuring himself inwardly.
Feeding his starved self-esteem by telling himself he was aiding the Skyborne Generation, that he must prevent the end of the world—that’s all it was.
Just like that.
Is this truly the end?
Really?
Kraush’s consciousness began to fade.
He gazed down at his own hands.
The decaying world.
Arthur, leaving.
The ability to steal what others possess.
He had never considered this part, especially since his body had already been wrecked by curses in the early evening.
But he had always had a nagging question.
Could he really not steal skills?
Of course, since a skill was the most important to someone, it wouldn’t be easy to steal.
But now was not the time to be worried about that.
Kraush’s hand lifted towards Arthur.
Would Kraush have acted the same way in Arthur’s previous cycle?
If he had succeeded, then he too would have regressed just like in this cycle.
Not having done so must mean he failed.
But it didn’t matter.
If he didn’t do this, under a world erased by annihilation, everything would become meaningless anyway.
“Damn it all!”
With a curse, just as Kraush’s outstretched hand shone bright.
Kraush lost consciousness along with the blinding light.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Huh?”
The bright light vanished, and a solitary question echoed out.
Within a meteor shower heralding destruction, one man’s head slowly lifted.
As he did so, he realized there was no one beside him and slowly began to open his eyes wide.
“What, what is this?”
He had undoubtedly supposed to regress, so why was he here?
As he pondered this question, his thoughts were interrupted by the meteors raining overhead.
Arthur Gramarte, who was originally supposed to regress and greet the 10th cycle, was now meeting his true end here on his 9th.
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