Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Wonderriot Circus
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Unlike the dark audience seats, the stage was filled with bright lights, and atop it, the Pierrots grabbed microphones and began shouting excitedly toward the crowd.
【♥Ah, microphone test, microphone test! Can you all hear my cute voice clearly?】
【♦Are you messing around right now! Of course they can hear it fine! Anyone who can't, speak up! I'll drill open those clogged ears for you!】
【♣Bro… your voice is too loud. My ears hurt.】
Their voices boomed throughout the entire interior.
Especially that Angry Mask guy……
He was the loudest of the three.
【♦Ugh! When the hell is the show starting! I'm bored out of my mind! Hurry up! Start it already! You crazy bitch!!】
【♥Argh, seriously! Bro, can you shut up for a sec? You're drowning out my cute voice!】
Watching the scene unfold like some morning soap opera, the sense of dread in my chest only grew.
‘Noise… I hate you even more now.’
==========
/Ghost Story Log
[Wonderriot Circus]
:Identification Code Cd-▓▓F-4
Come visit the illusory land of ‘Wonderriot Circus’!
For ▓▓▓ years, you'll see performances nowhere else, right here at Wonderriot Circus!
Fun guaranteed!
Love guaranteed!
Tears guaranteed!
▓ guaranteed!
Come join our stage right now!
-Introducing the Troupe.
♦[Angry Mask]
:He never actually gets angry. It's all just acting. Don't worry! And he's got ridiculously insane strength, so look forward to it.
♥[Love Mask]
:Her acrobatics are enough to make anyone fall for her! But watch from afar only. She's a 'quick-to-fall' type. Couples are banned from entry. (She's super jealous☻.)
♣[Tear Mask]
:His tearful acting is called divine. His tears are so perfect that after the show, everyone's tears wouldn't stop—an shocking anecdote!!
Main performance program……
【
Your participation is the main event.
】
Physical suppression possible.
Mental damage extremely high.
*Additional notes.
Join the circus.
Obey the Pierrots.
You could become one of the troupe too.
Lau▓
gh
ter
▓▓
Severe
.
-[Ideological Contamination Occurred]-
▓▓View▓ this ▓ma▓te▓ri▓al.
Viewable rank_▓▓
Intern
.
Deploy current ghost story with ▓▓
Assistant Manager
rank. (
Incomplete data.
)
==========
The rank of this ghost story was none other than 'F-Rank.'
Unlike all the hype just moments ago, this was the lowest-ranked F-Rank ghost story.
The fact that even the [Ghost Story Archive] rated it F-Rank meant it wasn't particularly dangerous—a sort of certification seal.
So this ghost story was way easier than I'd thought!
……But I knew that wasn't the case.
No one could miss that blatantly censored Ghost Story Log.
Cd-▓▓F-4
‘There’s no such thing as ▓▓F rank!’
F-Rank my ass.
This ghost story's potential was on par with B-Rank, just like that 'Conductor' bastard before.
And if.
I approached it the wrong way.
It would escalate to A-Rank or higher danger.
While my inner turmoil raged, the Pierrots were bickering loudly among themselves.
【♥And sorry, bro. You're just a supporting role to highlight my cuteness? The audience came to see my cu~te looks. Not some dumbass brute with nothing but muscles.】
【♦Blabbing on and on…… blab blab!! Just start the damn show, you crazy bitch!!】
【♥…Seriously, Second Bro is the least cute. I miss First Bro. Not this ugly, retarded dumbass bro.】
【♣St、stop fighting.】
It was an argument bordering on internal strife. But this was probably just everyday chatter for them.
I already had this ghost story's behavior patterns and rules mapped out in my head.
And I knew it was different from all the ghost stories I'd faced so far.
Capturing these guys would be……extremely tricky.
Once the show starts, they drag audience members onstage and torment them in ways that vary by target.
The key here was rules and roles.
Breaking the Pierrots' rules meant danger.
One mistake here, and it's over.
Dealing with this ghost story solo was nearly impossible from the start.
I swallowed a deep sigh inwardly.
'Damn, this is brutal.'
Tap tap-
?
Lost in thought, I felt a familiar tap on my shoulder and slowly turned my gaze there.
Squeeze-!
The Bear Doll was cheering me on as always.
That sight was, as ever……
Adorably cute.
'………Haa.'
I slowly steadied my breathing.
Inhaling and exhaling deeply over and over, I faced the reality before me.
I wasn't alone.
I had my trusty cute Bear Doll Trio watching my back!
Tap! Tap! Tap!
'Just do it like always.'
With one man's over-the-top morale boost, the spotlight illuminating the stage center shifted to the audience seats.
The light swept quickly through the crowd.
This was the signal that the circus performance had begun.
【♥Alright-alright-alright! The world's cutest me will host! Who will be our lucky guest to join us for a fun show?!】
【♦Tch. Finally starting.】
Love Mask's announcement signaling the start and Angry Mask's booming voice faded as I watched the frantically moving lights.
I muttered softly.
'Too fast!'
I hadn't expected the lights to move this quickly. I wasn't ready yet.
I just hoped it wouldn't stop on me.
Please!
'Not first! Anything but first!'
Tap! Tap! Tap!
The light stopped moving.
Countless spotlights shone on a single seat in the audience, and Love Mask's excited voice echoed throughout the circus.
【♥Suit and handsome!! Totally my type!! I like him! I like him!】
【♦Shut up and get out here already!】
【♣Bro……loud.】
I caught my breath.
A sharp-looking man in a black suit had been selected as the guest.
I'd figured anyone tagged 'handsome' by a ghost story would have some flaw.
But he was perfectly fine-limbed, a genuine handsome guy.
The ghost story's standards of beauty weren't that different from a normal human's.
…Ah, no.
Actually, there was something more urgent to address first.
That handsome guy in the black suit.
'He's a GRA agent!'
Like with Jackpot, I'd been running into GRA people a lot lately. And seeing the shadowy figures moving near him.
There were probably a bunch of GRA agents here.
Seriously……
GRA's go-to tactic was overwhelming numbers. And I'd always hated that.
Treating people like disposable consumables—that chilling mindset.
……Ah.
'Am I any different?'
【♦……Tch!!】
A tongue-click echoed.
Angry Mask stood with arms crossed, clearly pissed.
【♦…Didn't I tell you to hurry up and come out?】
Crack-
The ground under Angry Mask's feet shattered.
Thud!
In an instant, Angry Mask vanished, leaving people bewildered and looking around.
When they turned their gazes again.
Angry Mask stood before the male employee.
【♦You sluggish bastard crawling like a snail……Did I say crawl out, or did I not!!】
Squeeze-!
Angry Mask grabbed the employee's collar and hoisted him up in one go.
The man's face stiffened in crisis.
“W-Wait! I'll go! On my own feet! So put me……”
Chomp!
But Angry Mask had no intention of listening.
【♦Land properly yourself! You sluggish bastard!】
Whoosh!
“W-Wai!!”
Angry Mask flung the employee high into the air.
Hurl!
Straight to the center of the stage. The employee flew at high speed and hit the ground.
Splatter!!
Like a water balloon bursting.
Chunks of flesh scattered across the stage center, pooling into a red puddle.
No trace of the employee remained.
Love Mask, drenched in his blood.
…Crackle-!
【♥You stupid bro bastard! I said I claimed him! What am I supposed to do with him all wrecked now! You idiot!!】
Love Mask poked at the flesh chunks with a pout.
Tch.
【♦…Can't even land right.】
Angry Mask just scolded the employee for failing to land properly.
'……Crazy bastards.'
But.
Thanks to our employee's noble sacrifice, I'd bought a little time. Your death wasn't in vain, handsome.
I had to finish prepping before the next guest selection.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Lights flared up again, searching for the next participant.
Meanwhile, my hands slipped into my Employee ID, drew the Revolver.
Without mercy.
I pressed the barrel to my temple.
I desperately wished for the bullet color to come out right.
Really desperately.
Hoping this desperation reached our Black Skull Mark.
'Please deliver again! Skull guy!!'
Click.
I pulled the trigger.
Tick.
A feeble puff of air escaped, and I checked the flag color from the barrel.
Tap!
The lights stopped too.
All lights beamed down on one person in the audience.
Once again, Park Yeon-jeong wasn't chosen.
The selected one was a woman with long straight hair and ill-fitting horn-rimmed glasses.
“…I just go down, right?”
Not a GRA agent.
From her appearance, she looked like a civilian unlucky enough to get caught in this ghost story.
But for a civilian, she walked without hesitation.
Did she know something about this ghost story?
As the confident woman headed to the stage, our eyes met near the stairs.
She faltered slightly and muttered softly.
“…Flames on his head.”
“…….”
As if sensing my presence, she quickly looked away.
But I didn't take my eyes off her.
For a very simple reason.
'……Hansol?'
Long time no see.
Ah, no.
Why are you here of all places?
A reunion with Hansol, one of the applicants from my first Noise ghost story cohort.
But the meeting spot.
Was the worst possible.
Unlike the previous GRA agent, her immediate compliance was a good call.
But she had no items to stand against those Pierrots. As a civilian, all she could do was……
Become a fun plaything for the Pierrot Trio.
'…Why of all people, Hansol.'
If it were a total stranger, fine.
But watching someone I knew die right in front of me left a bad taste—not just one or two qualms.
Tch.
This time, it wasn't Angry Mask.
The tongue-click came from the Love Mask Pierrot.
【♥Boring girl got picked. Lame, lame. Do whatever, dumb bro.】
Her tone implied no interest unless it was a guy.
Angry Mask was already back at stage center, eyeing Hansol.
【♦Better guts than that sluggish bastard earlier. Alright, let's start the show……】
“Wait!”
A man's loud voice from the audience.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Lights swept the seats again, revealing a man with one hand raised high, flashing a sleazy smile down at them.
To others.
He'd look like a monster cloaked in black flames.
“I'd like to join as a guest too. Mind if I do?”
【♦……What?】
A guttural rasp.
Angry Mask stomped, displeased by the intruder.
Grab!
Someone gripped Angry Mask's wrist and shouted at him.
【♥No way! Not this time!! Guys who volunteer as guests are rare! And that guy……I like him even more than the previous handsome one!!】
【♦…Haa, what a pain……Hey!】
!
A ear-piercing yell made everyone in the audience hold their breath.
Everyone but one.
【♦I can't stand hearing your yapping anymore, you crazy bitch. Get out here now.】
“Yes, sir.”
It was idiotic.
I could've played dumb and passed.
Even knowing her face.
I knew watching longer for the perfect timing was the smart move.
Yet I slowly stood.
Step-
This action was pure contradiction.
My steps naturally led to the stage.
Step-
I could've just ignored it.
Left Hansol—who didn't recognize me—alone.
But one man ended this absurd situation.
In a single, utterly foolish, illogical moment.
-Because I wanted to save her.
Because I wanted to.
Call it selective hypocrisy, but I know my limits.
So.
I chose her.
The one with ties to me.
I was confident I could definitely save this woman.
Hate me for being selfish.
But.
I'm no Superman superhuman.
No hero.
Just a person trying his best to survive.
‘Of course, if the chance comes, I'll save you GRA folks too.’
Step-
My steps halted beside Hansol, and in a soft whisper only she could hear, I murmured.
“I'll save you. So follow my lead.”
“!!”
“I figure you've got the brains for it. Human☺.”
Park Yeon-jeong finished, recalling the boss he knew.
Hoping she'd follow, he laced his voice with cheer for a good impression.
【♥Then at last! The fantastical performance everyone's been waiting for—starts now!】
Yes, that insane performance had begun.