Chapter 300
Chapter 300
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 300
Chapter Title: The Fourth Night (19)
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The game had come to a halt.
The casino was inaccessible, and even the hidden games' timers had frozen.
It was because all the 'allowances' permitted for the night's progression had been exceeded, triggering a runaway state.
Along with countless anomalies.
For the first time, an 'error' had emerged.
An error.
It was the catalyst that summoned the 'Great Rift'.
When massive errors accumulated and coalesced, a 'Great Rift' would soon open.
Thus, the moment an 'error' occurred, all 'games' in the Creator Abyss would grind to a stop.
"What a mess."
A colossal demon descended and surveyed the surroundings.
This demon, possessing no fewer than seven wings, was one of the seven vassals of the 'Lord of the Great Sins'.
One of the demon lords spotted him and cried out in shock.
"I-Is that not Lord Gospel of Pride?"
The Lord of the Great Sins commanded seven demons known as the 'Seven Deadly Sin Vassals' as his subordinates.
Gospel of Pride was one of them, renowned as the most powerful 'fixer' among them.
"Ten minutes."
"Pardon?"
"I'll correct all the 'errors' within that time and be gone. I have no desire to linger any longer in the mess stirred up by some two-bit Demon King of Karmic Fire."
"......"
The demon lord clamped his mouth shut.
He was insulting the master he served, after all.
But he couldn't retort.
Treating roughly a being dispatched on orders from the Lord of the Great Sins would mean instant death on the spot—not to mention putting even the Demon King of Karmic Fire at risk.
Besides, in the current situation, Gospel of Pride was a golden lifeline.
The demons of the Seven Deadly Sins rivaled even the average demon kings.
They were true monsters said to stand toe-to-toe with demon gods within their own domains.
"What 'error' should I eliminate first?"
"The, the Creator of Death."
"Creator of Death? Never heard of it."
"It's a witch. Likely the 'Black Witch' is involved."
"Oh ho."
Interest sparked on Gospel's face.
It had been ages since he'd heard the Black Witch's name.
The witches who had fled into the depths hounded by demons.
The Black Witch was their leader, yet she hadn't shown any notable activity for quite some time.
Or so it seemed.
"Did they succeed in creating the 'Lord of Pride'?"
"Pardon? The Lord of Pride...?"
"Doesn't matter if you don't know. Anyway, this should be amusing. A million times more so than that Demon King of Karmic Fire."
Gospel knew that the Black Witch's sole endeavor was crafting the 'Lord of Pride'.
As a demon bearing the name of 'Pride' himself.
He had erected 'Towers of Pride' across myriad abysses, luring countless races to climb them to their deaths.
Offering them as sacrifices to forge a false 'creator'.
Yet the Black Witch's scheme had long failed to bear fruit.
Gospel of Pride smirked.
'Let's see how my fellow bearers of Pride's name get along.'
It was an all-out assault, plain and simple.
Park Chan-woo had played nearly every card he had.
He had even summoned the Primal God Arcana, the foxes, and Adora.
A loss here meant losing everything.
But since he'd gone all in...
'Demon King of Karmic Fire. You'll have to go all in too.'
All in.
His opponent would be in trouble otherwise.
And Park Chan-woo's intent hit the mark perfectly.
The Demon King of Karmic Fire had clearly called for aid from the 'Lord of the Great Sins'.
The issue was the form that aid would take.
He wouldn't appear personally, but if the Lord of the Great Sins did show up, it would be certain defeat.
An absolute loss.
No chance of winning.
But if it was just a bit of help...
'...Gospel of Pride.'
...Then it was worth a shot.
Adora was currently wiping out the casino's demons alongside the Primal God Arcana.
Causing absolute mayhem, as one might expect.
Park Chan-woo periodically shared Arcana's vision to monitor the situation.
And soon enough, he realized that Gospel of Pride had made his entrance.
A demon of the Seven Deadly Sins.
A monster on par with a demon king.
'If Adora can't win, all our plans go up in smoke.'
Could she win?
It wasn't impossible.
After escaping the Tower of Pride, becoming the lord of the 'Land of Valhalla', and fulfilling the creator's role, Adora had achieved unimaginable growth.
Proving why the Black Witch had tried to mold her into the 'Lord of Pride'.
In truth, Adora possessed the greatest witch talent acknowledged by the Black Witch herself.
An overwhelming talent for 'death'.
So she could do it.
If, by some fluke, she lost...
Gospel of Pride's next target would be him.
As if to prove it.
"Kill him!"
"Participant number 499,284!"
Demons surged forward like a tidal wave.
Some were upper-rank demons over level 80.
No one to rely on for help.
It was a make-or-break moment of endurance.
"......Entertaining."
Park Chan-woo simply smiled.
It had been ages since he'd felt this way.
The thrill of standing on the precipice with no one to save him.
Time to test his growth.
He drew a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"'Absolute One.'"
Park Chan-woo's entire body turned pitch black, like living shadow.
Adora stared at the one standing before her.
A being radiating demonic power on an entirely different level from the demons she'd slain so far.
A monster beyond the reach of even her gestures of death.
"Are you the 'Lord of Pride'?"
"......"
"I am one of the loyal seven vassals serving the 'Lord of the Great Sins'. I am Gospel of Pride. It seems the 'Black Witch' has succeeded in creating another 'Pride' like me."
"......"
"Hm, as expected of a fellow 'Pride'. What rotten luck."
Pride.
Arrogant and haughty.
Adora's demeanor fit the bill perfectly.
Daring to stand before Gospel of Pride in utter silence.
Truly the epitome of pride!
But bearing the name 'Pride' wasn't merely about attitude and behavior.
It was because they wielded the authority of Pride.
Gospel spread five fingers.
"Five minutes."
"......?"
"In that time, I will kill you. That is my promise. The authority of 'Pride'."
The name of Pride lay in imposing restrictions on oneself to amplify power.
Gospel stared straight at Adora.
As if daring her to use her 'authority of Pride' in turn.
Adora raised her hand.
Then drew it across her throat.
"Die."
The authority of death.
Her witch name and her most potent incantation.
"Oh...! Impressive! A truly powerful 'Pride'!"
Crack!
Gospel's throat began to slice open bit by bit.
Realizing death was gnawing at him, he let out a cheer.
But then.
"......However, it's a bit disappointing. Too predictable. And no matter how much you command me to 'die', I won't perish until the five minutes I've promised are up."
His expression froze in an instant.
Gospel's wound healed even faster.
The true authority of Pride resided in its solutions.
For instance, his vow to 'kill within five minutes' didn't solely mean the death of a living being.
"Instead, what you hold most dear will die right now."
"......What nonsense are you spouting?"
"The authority of Pride can turn illusions into reality. That's the true reason the Black Witch created you. But it seems you don't know how to wield it properly."
Within his open palm.
Whoosh!
Something materialized.
The translucent body of someone was gripped in Gospel's hand.
Adora's expression hardened further upon seeing it.
In contrast, a smile crept across Gospel's lips.
"Is this your most precious existence? If I clench my fist, it'll die instantly."
"......"
"Want to save it? Then die yourself."
Gospel's words rang true.
Immense authority dwelled within his very 'words'.
The power of that authority surpassed even a demon king's.
If he clenched his hand, it would indeed perish.
Moreover.
...The 'illusory' body in Gospel's grasp was indeed the one she cherished most.
Though it surprised her, seeing what Gospel had summoned left no room for denial.
'Park Chan-woo.'
It was an illusion of 'Park Chan-woo'.
What should she do?
She knew Park Chan-woo wasn't one to die easily.
He commanded the loyalty of dragons and might truly be 'Dragon God Sepiro'.
No matter how transcendent Gospel of Pride's authority was over demon kings, it wouldn't touch 'Dragon God Sepiro'.
However.
That body was far removed from Dragon God Sepiro's 'true form'.
In other words.
Park Chan-woo's physical body could indeed crumble to dust.
Hence, the dilemma.
If... Park Chan-woo truly was an avatar of Dragon God Sepiro.
If that avatar turned to dust...
Would he return?
'He wouldn't.'
She was certain.
That's the kind of man he was.
He might craft another avatar and live on as a different being altogether.
Or... he might not be Dragon God Sepiro at all.
He could genuinely die.
No easy choice.
Yet.
'If I back down here, he'll be even more disappointed.'
That was Park Chan-woo's nature.
Unyielding, never giving up.
Adora herself had been inspired by that spirit time and again.
Therefore.
"I will absolutely not die by my own hand."
"Is that so?"
Crunch!
Gospel clenched his fist without a moment's hesitation.
The illusion mimicking Park Chan-woo's form crumpled.
Soon, Gospel's authority manifested, bringing 'death'.
"There, he's dead now. Next, I'll kill another of your precious ones."
An authority that had never failed before.
Slaughter what she cherished one by one until she yielded.
But.
"...Hm?"
Gospel tilted his head.
No satisfying sensation.
No death rattle or final scream.
Had the authority failed to take hold?
'Impossible.'
Something was off.
This had never happened before.
And moreover.
"...What is this?"
Instead, his hand began turning black.
Snap!
Soon, his hand severed and fell away.
"What in the...?"
Gospel stared at his severed arm in bewilderment.
Adora smiled.
"You touched what you shouldn't have."
"What...?"
"He is not a being you can kill. Fool."