Chapter 120
Chapter 120
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Dark Hero
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A pitch-black room. Someone was hanging upside down.
"Please. Please, spare me."
The man's voice trembled with terror as he spoke.
Nothing was visible. All around was an impenetrable darkness.
Humans instinctively fear this kind of darkness.
Because there's no way to know what might lurk beyond it.
Ignorance breeds imagination. And imagination breeds fear.
Fwoosh!
At that moment, a single streak of red light ignited within the darkness.
The flickering candle flame drifted forward, approaching the man.
"Wh-who's there? Who are you?"
Of course, the candle couldn't be moving on its own.
Someone was there, holding it and drawing near.
"Who is it? Who are you?!"
The figure gave no answer. It simply approached.
The unidentified someone stopped at a certain distance after taking a few steps.
Sounds of something being dragged followed soon after.
Creeeak... creak!
A moment later, the candle was placed atop what looked like a table.
Leather creaked as if someone had sat down on the sofa beside it.
"I-I don't know why you're doing this, but let's talk it out. Yeah?"
"..."
"What do you want? What is it? Money? I'll give it all to you. I'll give you everything!"
"..."
"If it's not that, then let's just talk first. Say something, anything. We can discuss what I need to do to get out of here!"
Still, the other party offered no response.
Silence dominated the darkness. Only the candle flame burned in the center.
"No way! How can you treat a person like this..."
Ping!
"Huh...?"
At first, it felt like someone pinching his arms and legs.
Then it spread to his muscles being yanked, and finally...
"Aaaagh! Aaaaaagh!!"
It hurt. It hurt so much he felt like he would pass out any second.
A pain he'd never felt before. What... what was this?
It was as if something inside his body was being torn apart.
"Ughhh! Graaaah!!"
Cold sweat drenched his body in an instant, convulsions wracking him.
It was beyond horrific. Something that transcended nightmares.
"Huff! Gasp!"
The soul-rending agony finally subsided.
Breathing was difficult. He felt like he might die right then.
Thinking back to that pain, death might actually be preferable.
But ironically, that very pain ignited an even fiercer will to survive.
"W-wait! Just a second! Stop. Stop it!"
"..."
"L-let's talk it out. Yeah?"
As if there was nothing more to hear, the threads pulled taut again.
The man had to endure a torment worse than death once more.
"Hraaaaaagh!!"
His tear- and snot-streaked face reflected the light.
A stain spread from his crotch up to his belly—he'd lost control of his bladder.
There was no rational being left in this place.
Just a beast thrashing before the agony of death.
A lump of flesh dangling there, desperate not to die and trying anything it could.
"Please! Please!!"
He was going mad. He needed some kind of reaction.
Demand what they wanted. At least explain why they were doing this.
Only then could he figure out the next step to escape this pain.
But nothing—just the endless ripping of his limbs!
"Guhk! Krrghhh!!"
Even more terrifying, he couldn't even pass out.
He'd come close several times, but it was blocked every time.
Some strange technique kept his brain forcibly awake.
Forcing him into hyper-awareness, sharpening every sensation.
This would kill him. No, he'd end up in an even more pathetic state, unable to die.
Forced to endure an eternity worse than death!
"Aaaagh! I-I'm an insider from the Union! Graaah! I was in upper management. Not some low-level guy! So I know some things!"
"..."
"I'll tell you everything! The Union has been running all sorts of research projects for ages! Some of them escaped with me!! Where they're hiding!!"
The pain gnawing at his body eased just a fraction.
It wasn't his imagination. Only then did the man finally understand the answer.
The one beyond the candle was saying this:
I won't ask. You just spill everything.
There would be no end until he vomited up every last bit.
"...They're hiding in various secret hideouts! And some of the researchers were captured by villains! The Seven Evils—they might have handed over the data!"
Shhh!
In that instant, the torment shredding his body vanished clean away.
The candle moved, and the figure seated beyond it approached.
"..."
"Ah, aaah!"
Pain was an excellent teacher. He would never forget it.
The man quickly grasped what his captor wanted and opened his mouth.
"Th-the data is on an item that creates plague zones! It was originally made to use on monsters that are hard to kill, but..."
Fwoof.
The candle went out. Darkness enveloped the surroundings once more.
"..."
The man steadied his breathing and waited for what came next.
But no next came for him.
"H-hey. Hey?"
Was it over? Had he really been spared?
B-but if so, untie him first...
...Shhhh!!
Dozens of mana threads slithered like snakes and lunged at him.
Screams more wretched than death colored the darkness for a good while.
Back at the Clan after nearly two months.
As always, Yushin activated the elevator.
"You're late."
A familiar face greeted him upon reaching the pavilion.
It was the Black Woman. A faint trace of displeasure clouded her features.
"You've been off having fun these past two months. Even took a trip to England."
"Oh! Sorry about that, Boss. If you wanted to go, I can set it up for you later!"
"Never mind. I have no interest in those island barbarians."
"Hahaha! Got it. I'll make sure to prepare it properly!"
"This guy? I said never mind!"
"Hahaha! Of course, first class all the way, and a five-star hotel for lodging!"
She wasn't listening to a single word. The Black Woman clicked her tongue.
Then she glanced at Yushin and suddenly narrowed her eyes.
"You reek of blood. Quite strongly."
"What?! Really? Guess even perfume can't cover it!"
"It doesn't smell like hero blood, though. Surprising? Didn't you say you only kill heroes?"
"Aren't personal rules meant to be broken by the person who made them? Hahaha!"
Fair enough. The Black Woman smiled as if she couldn't care less.
"More importantly. While you were gone, my secretary had it rough."
"Oh? Did she?"
"No one to play Go with, so I was in a foul mood. She had to step in on top of her own duties."
Was that okay? Yushin tossed out a subtle question.
The Black Woman replied as if it were obvious.
"She wasn't as good as you."
"Hahaha! Glad you were satisfied!"
Good thing. Two months of close confinement paid off, Secretary.
She was already somewhat in the boss's good graces, so now it's safe to reveal.
"Boss."
"What is it."
"Did the secretary say anything else?"
"Like what."
"For example, that she's actually from the Union?"
A brief silence. And then...
Rumble!
The pavilion. The floor. The building. The ground itself shook violently.
Perhaps the entire area was quaking.
"What did you just say."
"Oh! Boss, calm down a bit. Hear me out?"
Before things escalated further, he hurriedly explained the situation. The key points only.
And he didn't forget to sprinkle in a bit of MSG.
The Union had taken countless lives hostage and threatened her!
Non-compliance could lead to catastrophe!
But the secretary passed on as little information as possible, and as late as possible!
The reason? She truly followed you!!
"..."
Perhaps thanks to his fervent gestures and words.
The shaking gradually subsided and soon stopped.
'Please, Boss. Can't you let it slide at this point?'
If the Black Woman tried to kill his secretary.
High chance he'd side with I-bora.
There was still too much info to extract from the Union.
Even with investigations worldwide, they were far from done.
"...I tried to hold back."
"Boss?"
"No matter how I think about it, I'm still pissed."
"Oh."
Ah, damn. So it came to this after all.
Not an ideal situation, but no choice...
"Does it make sense that you hid this from me?"
"From her position, she had no choice..."
"Not her! You! You!!"
...Hold on. What was this about?
"I'm not mad at my secretary right now. I'm mad at you!"
"Hahaha?"
"If she had truly betrayed me, this place wouldn't be standing. Approaching with that intent is annoying, but I've overlooked it since she's served me diligently. That's not hard. But! If you knew, you should have told me right away! That means you didn't trust me, doesn't it?!"
For a moment, Yushin felt a buzz in his head.
...Oh. Now that he thought about it, exactly right. Spot on.
He'd jumped the gun and made a mistake.
He could've trusted her once and gone through with it.
"Ahem! Sorry, Boss. I'll be more careful next time!"
"What next time! Does that cut it?"
"It does. Secretary! Secretary, come over and apologize with me!"
"Y-yes!"
I-bora hurried over and knelt before the Black Woman.
The Black Woman let out an incredulous chuckle at the sight.
"You really are..."
With a sigh, the Black Woman rose.
She prodded the bowed I-bora's head.
"No second chances."
"...!"
"I'm letting it go because of that sly bastard next to you. But that's it. If I catch you hiding anything again, you'll regret ever being born."
A warning laced with the Clan boss's—the Black Woman's—true intent.
Not some powerless threat from a nobody.
The woman beyond was a monster with the power to back it up.
A chill ran through I-bora as she hurriedly bowed her head.
"Secretary's fine. You, follow me."
The Black Woman strode off without waiting for a reply.
As Yushin followed, he thought, Oh, am I in for a scolding? Haha!