Chapter 22
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: 【Play】
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“What am I supposed to do?”
Some underground space. The lights were on bright, but that was it.
“Who knows.”
I looked around the space that resembled a small concert hall, but there was nothing special.
Once the lights came on and nothing happened, we’d rummaged through everything, leaving the place a mess. Iron chairs were smashed or shoved aside, and props scattered everywhere were broken beyond recognition.
In short, it was a disaster.
“Well, maybe it wants us to put on a play or something.”
Grumbling, I grabbed the red curtain in front of the stage and yanked it all the way across, closing it off. Then I pulled the curtain from the other side to fully block the stage and gripped the rope next to it.
“There’s a curtain rope. Pulling this just opens it, right?”
“Probably.”
Ryu Cheon-hwa, already bored, ignored me completely as he disassembled—or rather, smashed—some machine.
Shhh. I lightly tugged the worn, frayed rope.
“Once we watch the play, the curtain opens and the show—”
Flash.
The moment the curtain parted, the brightly lit surroundings plunged into darkness, all the light focusing on the stage.
“…Oh.”
Clang. Ryu Cheon-hwa tossed the scrap metal in his hand aside and stepped up to the stage.
A play unfolded on stage. Life-sized wooden puppets, unadorned and dangling from red strings, moved along them. It was like a play or a puppet show. That was it.
It didn’t spark any interest or curiosity. I knew this was just meant to grab attention.
Still…
‘Even I think I’m pretty good at acting.’
Closing the curtain, finding the rope and opening it in one go—all deliberate. A solo performance I’d scripted myself. When you already know everything, you just want to wrap it up quick, right?
“No co-star, huh.”
“Looks that way.”
A single wooden puppet creaked across the stage, all alone.
“Is it telling us to act? Or watch?”
“Why not both?”
“Huh?”
“We’ve got two people.”
I glanced at Ryu Cheon-hwa, and he smirked faintly back at me. Quick on the uptake, as always.
“Hmm… Fine, I’ll go up.”
Pretending to make a gracious concession, I hopped onto the stage.
“……”
“……”
Nothing happened.
In the awkward silence, I scratched my head sheepishly, then formed a scythe in my grip. With a light swing, I sliced off the wooden puppet’s head.
Thud. Roll roll.
The head rolled across the floor for a moment before snapping back to its place, like time rewinding. I furrowed my brow at the sight.
This time, I severed the red strings controlling the puppet. It collapsed with a clatter, parts scattering lifelessly across the stage.
“…Done. Done?”
“Up.”
Whoosh. Ryu Cheon-hwa leaped onto the stage in one bound, brushing past my head. He grabbed something and landed beside me.
“What the…”
“Are your senses a bit dull?”
Severed red strings fluttered down from Ryu Cheon-hwa’s hand.
“…Strings?”
Spotting the strings on the floor, I looked up. Red strings writhed across the ceiling like insects.
“What…”
Before I could finish, boom! Something landed on the stage with a massive tremor.
“Puzzle stage would’ve been worse, I guess.”
Ryu Cheon-hwa muttered under his breath.
Lifting my head from the noise, I saw the source: twice the size of a normal person. Masks of various expressions floating around its face. A wooden puppet in a neat suit stood there.
“Mid-boss, right?”
“Probably. Or maybe a key.”
“But why a wooden puppet?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ve had black residents swarming everywhere, even shadowy figures inside armor, but the big boss monster is just a wooden puppet? No connection?”
“Valid question, but—”
Crash! The puppet’s fist, already charging, was blocked by Ryu Cheon-hwa’s arm.
“I wouldn’t overthink something we just need to kill.”
“…Right.”
I formed a scythe in my hand, spun it once, and swung at the puppet right in front of me.
Clang! The blade, swung with full force, didn’t cut deep—it stopped, caught in the puppet’s hand from the start.
“No rank here, remember.”
“Unmeasurable.”
“So it could be S-Rank.”
“Likely.”
Boom! Ryu Cheon-hwa smashed the puppet with his other fist, sending it flying into the wall with a huge shockwave. It creaked for a moment before staggering back up.
“Huh.”
Click. A crying mask appeared on the puppet’s blank face. The stage shook violently as paper-like thorny vines overran it.
“What now…”
The vines lunged at us relentlessly, blocking our path to the puppet.
Clang! Clang! I slashed at the paper vines with my scythe. They looked like paper, but why so tough? Each strike rang like metal on metal.
As endless vines swarmed and I geared up to fight back, the puppet’s mask switched to an angry one. The vines vanished, and a massive sword appeared in its hand.
“This could drag on forever.”
“So figure something out.”
“Smashing it should reveal the trick.”
Flutter. I turned at a flash of red in my vision. Ryu Cheon-hwa had draped a kingly cape—white fur with red cloth—over one shoulder. Full Pattern Activation.
‘…Always thought this, but.’
His activated form suited him perfectly. Arrogant demeanor, but competent at his job. Opens his mouth and loses any goodwill, but not bad-looking. Like a grumpy king, right?
“Something to say?”
“Nah. Just suits you.”
Boom! The puppet swung its sword with gale-force wind. I prepared to counter with a fierce White Star but froze. Ryu Cheon-hwa looked puzzled.
“Problem?”
“Just hit me. The theme here is a play, right?”
Whoosh. I dodged the puppet’s attack and continued.
“So what role is that?”
“…Hero?”
“Exactly.”
“…What’re you getting at?”
“If that’s the hero, are we the villains?”
“…Imaginative.”
“Even I think so.”
Random timing, but no natural opening later anyway. Planting a “what if” seed in the back of my mind was enough.
Screech. The puppet reeled from Ryu Cheon-hwa’s punch, clutching its stomach in agony. Then clatter, the mask changed.
A grinning mask.
The plain sword gleamed brightly, studded with gems.
“Getting ridiculous.”
Boom! Ryu Cheon-hwa rocketed forward, grabbed the puppet’s neck, crushed it with a crunch, and tossed it down. The headless body crumpled.
A clear difference from before. We’d both been holding back until now. I figured he’d restrain himself this time, but nope.
“Play or not, just kill the monster—”
Clatter. Creak creak.
The puppet twisted back up, jammed its broken head back on, donned the crying mask, and summoned thorny vines. Ryu Cheon-hwa darkened, launching another fierce punch.
Minutes passed like that.
“…Just smashing won’t work.”
Break its body, toss parts away—it always reformed and continued the play.
“Needs some condition.”
“Looks like it. Wanna try what I said?”
Ryu Cheon-hwa nodded.
“Then get off stage.”
“What’re you…”
“Plays have one villain. Two, and the hero wins. Plus, a play without an audience is lonely.”
“……”
He frowned briefly, then quietly stepped down.
‘Two could work, but.’
With him up here, instant clear was off the table. Easier solo.
Sizzle. I pivoted slightly, facing the opposite side. The puppet wore the crying mask again. Soon.
Rustle. Thorny vines emerged, wriggling across the stage. I braced for combat, but…
“…Huh.”
The vines guarded the puppet, never approaching or attacking me.
Vines block anyone from the princess. As the villain who summoned them, no attacks made sense. Earlier, they struck because I acted out of role.
The mask switched to angry. The puppet charged with its massive sword, grazing my shoulder.
‘Fighting’s easiest with Ryu Cheon-hwa, but.’
Boom boom! Stars hit the puppet, shredding its suit.
Crack! My neck suddenly grabbed, I choked reflexively. The sword blade flashed toward me. I crushed the puppet’s arm, then kicked its gut.
“Ugh…”
Attacking weakly to avoid breaking it led to hits sometimes, but clearing this stage mattered.
Ending the play was the clear condition, requiring the puppet to finish its role.
Smashing into the wall, it rose, switching to the grinning mask. Then.
‘Finally, the end.’
The sword glowed like a holy blade, aimed at me. It charged faster than before.
As I gripped my scythe to block…
My body wouldn’t move. Panicking, I struggled, but red strings bound me, arms splayed.
Ryu Cheon-hwa tried rushing the stage, but countless strings repelled him. He severed them, but more grew endlessly.
“…Huh.”
I dumbly watched the charging puppet. Then, creaking, it turned its head toward Ryu Cheon-hwa.
Stab.
Right through my center, the massive sword pierced.
Drip. Drip. Blood trickled from my body to the floor.
“…….”
Vision blurred, everything hazy. My mouth gaped, wanting to speak, but only metallic sounds emerged. Faint voices reached me, but faded before registering.
Drip. Strength drained; I couldn’t stand.
And then.
Swoosh!
The sword yanked free, and all consciousness ceased.