Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Devil's Gamble: Checkmate
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I just went to the bathroom for a bit?
Right now, Information Junkie was located at the Anomaly Management Bureau, 8th Floor.
Those who couldn't access the Anomalous Tale Gallery were kept on the 7th floor for security reasons, separated from everyone else.
The current time was 18:01.
The day was Friday.
In simple terms, it was boozy Friday night.
Normally, this was the time when people would quickly slip away for appointments or whatever.
But.
Today was eerily quiet.
The team leader's office light, where they had clearly said they were heading out at 5 for an important meeting, was still brightly lit.
A phone ring would start, only to cut off immediately.
The research director.
When they messaged, it seemed like they'd come straight to my desk any second, but there'd been no word since.
Not to mention the 3rd Team leader.
Heard they couldn't join dinner tonight because they were helping out at the shop.
Senior.
Said they had to leave 30 minutes early for a wedding or funeral.
But no one made a sound of pulling out their chair.
More importantly, what about dinner tonight?
Doesn't this mean full no-show?
"Don't know."
Not like I was into that stuff anyway.
Come to think of it, me.
I'm not exactly great at office life either.
My gaze refocused on the table that had turned into a chessboard.
On the screen, the Newb was loading bullets into the revolver.
—Hey! Stop! I said stop! Human! How many bullets are you putting in?!
—What's the problem?
—This isn't Russian Roulette! What kind of insane country's Russian Roulette is shoving bullets into every damn cylinder?!
—Then we should have set the rules.
The Newb's eyes turned to him.
The guy, overwhelmed by the atmosphere, flapped his mouth uselessly.
But the Newb continued.
—Who decided Russian Roulette only gets one bullet in the pistol?
Added one final word to seal it.
—What's not specified isn't a rule. And the penalty's equal anyway.
The silver pistol rose onto the table.
At that moment, footsteps echoed from the stairs.
Given the time, only one person could be coming up.
The 7th Floor General Team Leader.
Thud— thud—
Sounds of blinds being drawn erupted simultaneously from everywhere.
Brightly lit room lights switched off.
Information Junkie followed suit right away.
For reference.
If they said they couldn't go to dinner because of a broadcast.
The 7th Floor General Team Leader wouldn't get it.
He's someone without access to the Anomalous Tale Gallery.
They'd probably come up soon.
Even if my social skills were zero.
I should probably—
—So, you're forfeiting the gamble?
Then, part two began.
No.
Can't forfeit.
Sat back down in the chair.
'Wrong move. Can't go even if called now.'
Turned on noise canceling.
***
Chess pieces tangled intricately on the board.
Information Junkie, who knew a fair bit about chess, let out gasps of admiration the whole time.
This was hardly a fight.
It was like an adult going all-out against a three-year-old.
—Check.
The Newb's voice rang out, and the gun fired.
At first, when the anomaly's head regrew, curses flew.
—Kuhuhu… Useless. Oh, and for the record, one shot won't kill me. Blame the frailty of human flesh if you must. Here, I'm practically immortal—
—...You, what the hell are you doing right now?
The Newb calmly straightened the chess pieces.
The guy panicked at that.
—Forgot the rules already? I told you clearly.
—Every loss, the defeated pulls the trigger. And… the survivor takes it all.
—Good thing you get it. No repeating twice.
It didn't last long.
As the game dragged on—
He realized just how agonizing it was not to die in one go.
"Check."
──Bang!
No point even if the guy's head regenerated.
What the regenerated guy saw was.
A cleared chessboard.
And the Newb sitting indifferently before it.
The game proceeded without pause.
"Check."
──Bang!
"Check."
──Bang!
"Check."
──Bang!
"Check."
──Bang!
Even the Anomalous Tale Gallery users noticed the anomaly's changes.
Regeneration that took under 10 seconds at first.
20 seconds.
30 seconds.
40 seconds.
...Now it barely recovered after several minutes.
Clear abnormality.
Yet the Newb's gaze never left the chessboard.
As if the guy's death meant nothing.
Finally.
The guy spoke up.
His face held no superiority, confidence, or leisure as a higher being.
Just raw greed for survival.
As he staggered up from his seat, the Newb said.
—Forfeiting the game?
The rule descended.
He picked up the pistol as instructed.
Click—
"Le-let's make a deal."
Click—
"What do you want."
Click—
"Money… I'll give you any amount of money."
Click—
The pistol's hammer slowly cocked back.
—Still haven't grasped reality, huh.
—What?
—You can't make offers anymore. You're no longer the owner of this gamble.
Deep into the night.
The building was past closing time.
A bit ago.
The deputy from the 7th floor had knocked on doors several times before leaving.
Fortunately, everyone stayed united in silence.
And that unity had held for hours now.
No one opened their doors, hunkered inside.
But couldn't tear eyes away.
Every moment was climax.
Urge to hit the bathroom surged, but held it back.
A few couldn't endure, door sounds came from somewhere.
Information Junkie endured.
And the reward for enduring pain was sweet.
Slowly, the Newb raised his head.
At some point, a mask covered the Newb's face.
Information Junkie's eyes widened.
'When...?'
Thought the mask on the guy's face wasn't from regeneration.
Was wrong.
With an ominous feeling, the Newb's mask began pulsing.
Red patterns.
Right next room.
The senior who moonlighted as a shaman whispered hoarsely.
"...! The anomaly's switched hosts...?"
The current situation clicked instantly.
Right now, the Newb was receiving an offer from the anomaly.
Hard to resist with normal willpower.
An anomaly's offer wasn't ordinary.
It stimulated human greed.
Shook endlessly—
Perfectly timed, a red command appeared.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[Please issue a command.]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Tearing eyes from the system window, Information Junkie watched the Newb.
The aura had changed.
But the Newb's actions hadn't.
Just.
The gun barrel's direction shifted.
──Bang!
A hole pierced the transparent orb.
And the Newb's mouth opened.
Calmly, without tremor.
—The gamble hall...
A brief hesitation.
But no one cared right now.
—Will be closed. Forever.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[Devil's Gamble will be closed.]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Rumble rumble rumble—
The gamble hall collapsed.
The anomaly's world that had swallowed countless people.
Began cracking and crumbling away.
The table split, golden chips scattered into the air.
The bizarrely warped space unraveled, reverting.
The light enveloping the Newb's body slowly faded.
A Gallery user sensing the oddity posted in chat.
[Flounder]: No way... reverted everything?
ㄴ[Apple Pie]: What does that mean?
As if hesitating.
A reply came.
ㄴ[Flounder]: ...If the price is already paid, participants won't return even if the gamble vanishes. Probably get erased with it. From the world.
Bewildered reactions followed.
ㄴ[Flounder]: But even so, give it all up? With that alone, so much could be... Sigh, never mind.
ㄴ[Flounder]: Not my place to meddle in others' business.
Brief silence.
Then, a short notification pinged.
ㄴ[Flounder]: Should do what I can. Proof the Newb's actions weren't meaningless.
['Flounder' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 200 coins.]
[For the Newb.]
This was insane.
Countless calculations flooded Information Junkie's mind.
Neutralizations, missions, next month's goals...
No 'slack' anywhere.
Everything tight.
200 coins now wasn't just sponsorship—it carved into survival.
Information Junkie.
Aren't you tight this month?
Gonna do extra missions?
"Don't."
Told himself that—
But fingers already moved.
Ignoring the owner's will.
Pressed the sponsor button on screen.
['Information Junkie' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 200 coins.]
[Info for free.]
And—
Information Junkie wasn't the only one who decided the same.
['Drifter13.1' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 50 coins.]
['Cream Bun' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 100 coins.]
['Storm Emperor' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 100 coins.]
['Crazy Woman' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 300 coins.]
['Drifter521.32' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 50 coins.]
['Drifter256.11' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 30 coins.]
['Human Centipede' has sponsored 'Newb120053' 100 coins.]
The screen now.
Overflowed with nonstop sponsorships.
And golden dust filling the space thickly.
"Well. Already did it... No point regretting now."
Smiled.
"This too... future me will handle."
Would double neutralization work.
Good luck.
Future me.
The Newb delivered the finale.
Picked up a pawn on the chessboard, toppled the king.
—Checkmate.
The black king hit the floor.
Crack—
Ultimately, the gamble's world fully crumbled.
Blinding light.
The screen slowly darkened, broadcast ending.
Just before the broadcast fully ended.
One chat posted.
[Narita]: You've been secretly hogging spectacles like this... just among yourselves till now?