Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Sad Clown (2)
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01.
"Wh-why are you here...?"
Ferroln's lips trembled like they were caught in an earthquake. The voice leaking out from between them carried unmistakable tension and fear.
As if he'd just seen something out of a horror movie, an earthquake shook in his pupils. Unlike his rigid upper face, his lower face was still smiling, making for a fairly grotesque expression.
"S-supposedly... you were in Yeouido..."
He somehow knew about the clash between Ace and me in Yeouido and mumbled haltingly. I could only let out a sigh.
"That was days ago..."
I didn't even live in Yeouido, so why was he bringing up something that happened nearly a week ago? Frowning, I spoke to him in an irritated tone.
"Answer my question. I asked if you're willing to talk."
At the same time, I revealed the Ice Blade a bit more from the magic circle and completely froze his entire lower body in hoarfrost. Only then did Ferroln give a short nod.
"O-okay..."
"Good."
Was tough love the answer after all? Why didn't monsters or humans ever just do what was asked the first time? It wasn't even a difficult request—just a simple invitation to talk.
💬 Whispers — Citizen Hey, wait—isn't that Selverion...? — Citizen Huh? Looks like it...? — Citizen Ferroln and Selverion...? — Citizen She's pretty... — Citizen Are you kidding? We're all fucked—we're gonna die! "......"
Meanwhile, since I'd dropped my disguise and revealed myself, the fleeing citizens around us started murmuring as they spotted me. With all those eyes on us, proper conversation was impossible, and moving spots risked Ferroln pulling some stunt, so I came up with another approach.
"...Ice Wall."
In Season Off Fantasy, a skill's purpose could change depending on how the user wielded it.
Ice Wall was originally Selverion's defensive tool—a massive barrier of ice to block enemy attacks—but I raised it on all four sides around me and Ferroln, cutting off the people's line of sight while sealing every possible escape route for him.
With walls on all sides, sounds wouldn't carry properly outside, so now we could have a proper, unhurried talk.
I directed my first question at him.
"First off, who are you?"
In a way, the most crucial figure. This was me asking if the Ferroln before me was, like me, a human who'd undergone a change.
"......!!"
Ferroln's body flinched at my question. But rather than showing outright panic, he tilted his head with an awkward smile.
"What do you mean by that...?"
Struggling to pry his lower body free from the hoarfrost fused to the ground, he spoke toward me. A voice full of pride rang out.
"I'm Ferroln. Can't you tell? The stage boss guarding Fate's Circus!"
"Hoo..."
Right, it was true enough that he was Ferroln now. But that wasn't what I was asking.
"You know that's not what I mean."
"Ugh..."
"Tell me—who were you originally? What kind of person were you?"
He was far too naive, hot-tempered, deficient in every way, and petty-seeming to be the real in-game Ferroln. His personality felt cheap and vulgar somewhere.
"...Don't even think about lying. I'm asking because I already know."
"......"
I'd known he wasn't the real Ferroln the moment he'd spat curses at me. The game's Ferroln was cruel, sure, but always polite and used honorifics.
"..."
Ferroln looked up at me with confused purple eyes. After staring for a moment, he averted his gaze and mumbled so faintly it was barely audible.
"...Nothing to know."
"...!!"
Not the detailed answer I wanted, but it was enough. It implied he was originally human—a player—like me.
Sure enough, the other stage bosses were transformed humans too. If Selverion and Ferroln were, then Nevalkal battling the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, and the nine unappeared stage bosses—they were probably all humans who'd changed.
...That raised one question. If they were transformed humans from this Earth, why attack players and people?
In my and Ace's case, they'd plotted to subjugate me first, forcing the clash. But Nevalkal struck preemptively, and this Ferroln committed serial murders—they were actively hostile toward humans.
Nevalkal was untouchable across Earth's oceans, fine. But Ferroln, killable by Gwangjin-gu safe zone players alone if they tried—what gave him the confidence to draw a blade on people?
"Next question—why kill people?"
"You sure know a lot."
Ferroln let out a sneer at my query.
And then, as if giving up, he took a deep breath and began his tale.
"It was for revenge."
"Revenge?"
"Yeah, revenge."
Straining against the ice clamping his lower body, he gritted his teeth and said,
"There were people I wanted to kill."
"..."
"Really kill 'em, grind 'em to dust—but I was a total loser loner, so I couldn't do shit."
Ferroln looked up at the clear blue sky with a sigh. His mouth was smiling, but at the same time, it was crying.
"Does it make sense getting bullied for being ugly or fat? Treating someone like a slave or trash just 'cause they can fight?! You little shits!!"
"You..."
"So I killed them. Got power, became Ferroln—why the hell should I hold back? Why? I can finally win, so why sit still?!"
"......"
The reason for his serial murders wasn't some impulsive whim or erosion by Ferroln's original personality.
He was simply a man with deep grudges who'd resolved to use Ferroln's power for revenge.
From his story, it sounded like he'd been ostracized and bullied by classmates. Yeah, living a hellish daily life— I got why he'd committed murder.
Becoming the stage boss Ferroln, it must've been hard to just swallow all that rage and frustration.
He seemed pretty young too, which would've made it even tougher.
Yeah, I understood. Tormentors who'd pushed him to the brink—revenge, even killing them in the end, I could get that.
But it gained him nothing. Short-term rage vent, sure, but long-term, he'd end up dying pathetically.
Because he was none other than the weakest stage boss, Ferroln. Not Selverion, not even Billstein—the punching bag Ferroln. Word of serial murders from him? Every SPR guild would rise up to hunt him.
They'd come charging with fire in their eyes to claim the easiest subjugation and glory. No way the Ferroln before me could weather that.
That's why I decided to stop his murders and revenge here.
If he lost his life to a wrong choice born of fury, it'd leave a bitter, nagging feeling.
"Yeah, I get you."
"..."
"But let's wrap it up here."
"Wha...?"
"Antagonizing people won't do you any good. It'll just put you in danger. Let's find another way. I'll help."
Fellow feeling for a playable character turned stage boss, plus considering his young age—I meant the advice sincerely.
"Wrap it up? An-another way?"
"Yeah."
"...Who the hell are you to spout that crap?"
But anger never allowed calm judgment. He twisted his face at my words urging him away from murder.
"No other way. Gotta kill all those bastards to end it. Kill 'em, rip 'em apart, dump 'em in the sewer—that's how it ends!!"
"..."
"You know my pain? Ever been at rock bottom? Always getting beat, can't tell anyone, no friends, living in hell?!!"
"...Yeah, I have."
I nodded briefly at Ferroln's howling outburst.
"Me too. Rock bottom, betrayed, lost everything in a blink."
Friend's scam leading to business collapse.
People and family abandoning me.
And myself with nothing left.
If he'd known the school's rock bottom, I'd known society's. We weren't so different. That's why I wanted to stop his misguided choice all the more. Revenge could be had other ways.
"So I get how you feel. Calm down, let's talk more."
"Shut up!!"
"Haa..."
But there was no sign of the conversation progressing further. Ferroln's face was dyed in madness and rage, looking incapable of rational thought.
"Fuck, you can say that shit 'cause you're Selverion. You mocking me? You mocking me?! "
He picked up his fallen sickle, shattered the hoarfrost fixing his lower body, and rose to his feet.
I just watched him with a frown.
"No, you don't get it. You got no right to stop me."
"..."
Ferroln poised to charge me again. I readied myself to meet him. Words alone weren't going to convince him.
"You don't know you don't know you don't!!"
"..."
"Fuck why stop when I can win what right you boss me around."
His eyes unfocused, he kept mumbling nonsense. Then he glanced at me and flashed a meaningful smile.
"Gonna kill 'em all. Every last one."
And then, toward the one open spot not blocked by the ice walls—the sky—he leaped with all his might. Probably planning to escape above me.
...Hide for now, then plot later, I figured.
Yeah, far wiser than fighting head-on. Selverion lacked clear mobility skills, so he thought he could slip away easy.
But he'd overlooked one thing. Ferroln's stats didn't surpass Selverion's in any way.
I soared higher and faster than his skyward leap, seizing his throat hard with my hand.
"Eh? Wha-what...?!"
Confirming me blocking his path midair, his pale white face went even whiter. Hovering, I whispered coldly into his ear.
"...Listen to me, please."
"Eh? Huh?"
Then I slammed him into the ground.
A massive boom echoed as dust billowed up.