Chapter 183
Chapter 183
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: S4. Succubus's Dream / Year 440 Extermination Squad -3
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He's here.
Right now, right outside the door.
I don't know who he is. Could be a newspaper boy, some horny bastard trying to hit on Yuri, or maybe a fellow Extermination Squad member.
But no matter who it is, he'll be poison to me. The newspaper might have info that pins me down, and if it's a colleague, he might spot me and scream, "That guy's a black mage!" before launching a surprise condemnation.
So better to eliminate him. Luckily, this world's pretty sloppy, and the Queen's NPC creation skills aren't refined.
I'd planted an info bomb on the door handle leading into Yuri's mansion. Yeah, I took a bit from the ones I brought with me.
He's right at the door. I can sense his presence. I smirked faintly, feeling like a hunter watching his trap.
Knock knock knock.
He knocks. Yuri reacts.
"...Someone? I didn't get any prior notice, so..."
"Isn't it that punk trying to hit on you? Want me to chase him off?"
"No thanks. How's your scrawny ass gonna chase anyone away? It could be urgent news... And if it's some dog in heat, I'll turn him into your friend."
She's talking about neutering him with a primitive shockwave blast, I bet. I added flatly,
"Not like I don't get hard or anything."
"...I didn't ask! God, I didn't ask!!"
I poke her a little, and she jumps. The moment her attention snaps to me, I snap my fingers. Activate the info bomb.
Tick.
A small explosion, and malicious info shoots out.
To her, it'll look like hideous thorns sprouting from the handle, stabbing the guy. He'll writhe all over before bursting into dust without a trace.
Yuri grumbles as she opens the front door warily. Nothing outside. Just a few specks of dust rolling on the floor. She blinks.
"I swear I heard knocking."
"Maybe some neighborhood kid pranking? Knocked and ran."
"...Even the local kids look down on me now?"
I chime in casually from behind, and she mutters a bit gloomily. Wait, that's not what I wanted. I quickly soothe her.
"Kids don't overthink like that. Nah, Yuri, it was probably just the wind brushing against it by chance. Don't think so negative, okay?"
"...You really think?"
"Yeah, really. Come on... let's get back to what we were doing. You gonna use this as an excuse to bail? We've still got tons of Jenga left."
"You were the one clinging just a minute ago!"
Yuri spins and heads deeper into the house. I glare at the NPC's dusty remains and quietly close the open door.
Sixteen down already.
Back to a brief peace.
How's this fight going? To explain, one fact must be clear.
This world's center is Yuri. Even if the Queen pulls the strings...
Everything she thinks is weird or impossible gets a debuff. Everything she accepts without hesitation gets a buff.
So within her view, there's rules and order. Settings and logic must hold, or demerits kick in.
If some amateur mage invaded here, it'd be different.
But I've got the skills to twist those minor demerits into counters. So no matter how the Queen struggles, as long as I'm here, the bare minimum conditions for this showdown hold.
The Queen knows it too. Last time she tried framing me forcibly, she ate a counter punch.
So both she and I are unfolding the story around Yuri. Like that NPC knocking on the mansion door just now.
Simple rundown.
I've got a minus setting: cooperating with "Red Regeneration." Ultimately, the Queen will use it to make Yuri hate me.
I need to defuse this time bomb before it blows / or max out intimacy with Yuri so she thinks, "No way he'd do that."
A few methods come to mind. Like how I fabricated Bennett's story—I could role-play as a black mage who infiltrated "Red Regeneration" as a double agent for revenge.
Or claim "Red Regeneration" tech can be used for good, like Robin Hood style: take lives from death row inmates to heal the disabled...
Possible, sure.
But personally, way too risky.
The GM drives the story. The Queen dominates this space. No matter my counters, I can't control the world's flow.
Well... short-term maybe, but it guzzles energy and sucks efficiency.
"Brushed your teeth? Washed your face and done hair care? Stretched before bed?"
"Mind your own business."
Like nagging Yuri on looks—it takes tons of effort.
Anyway.
No matter how I sell double agent or "actually a good guy," the Queen can wreck it with three NPCs.
Victim 1: Little girl reminding Yuri of her past. Village wiped out by that bastard—condemns me then dies.
Ally 1: Yuri's Extermination Squad coworker. Shoves docs proving what a shit that guy's official.
Villain 1: Horde shows up, licks Yuri's boots. When I appear: "Boss! Still got that twisted hobby? Building rapport with this kid just to kill her later?" Framing me hard.
If the world's rigged against me, my tap dance means squat. So my conclusion:
Counter everything.
The optimal strat: catch Yuri's awareness / Queen's prepared kills with counters to strengthen my position.
To attack via narrative flow, the Queen's laying groundwork sneakily. Like suspicious objects pre-planted in my house... and one more.
"Hidden bases of the black mage group 'Red Regeneration,' and info on collaborators."
"Encrypted docs, so seniors are working day and night... but analysis almost done—should yield results."
The "encrypted docs" Yuri mentioned before. Major threat.
Now that Yuri knows, they exist somewhere. Even if not, easy to fabricate by bundling info.
Some NPC will deliver to her eventually.
A bomb growing stronger over time.
Docs cracked in 2 hours? Suspicious. But if it takes a week? Feels legit.
So danger's ramping up.
Need countermeasures. Best from my side: be next to Yuri when she checks the docs...
Manipulate info live for "innocent" frame. Shifts the board big time.
So stick to Yuri like glue...
"...Aren't you going home soon?"
"Can't I crash?"
"Like hell."
Fair enough.
I pack quietly and withdraw. No point scratching a healing scab. Before leaving, I wave with a grin.
"See ya tomorrow!"
"Don't come!"
Mouth says no, but eyes say yes. Like a pup pretending disinterest but begging for play. Crystal clear.
Means "come tomorrow." I saunter home with a lazy smile, then head to the attic and focus.
Twist info into shape. Thin, long tube to slip past Queen's eyes, reaching Yuri's house.
Adapting the trick from the Capital Knights' interrogation room... wiretap.
This timing—me away—is prime for Queen's schemes. Wait till morning, when I can join Yuri.
Check progress mentally.
Over days, info bomb install at 50%.
Minor interference, no biggie.
World's narrower than thought. Like a game with unloaded map—black void past city sections.
Mapped key spots mentally. Mostly Extermination Squad and Defense Bureau.
Lifeline solid. Queen's persistent, but can't breach Violet Magic Tower Master's backup.
Once bombs done, option to smash in instead of "key" from Yuri.
Wonder if we'll be close enough by then.
Three hours pass?
ZZT. Zzt.
Suspicious noise up the tube. Half-open eyes snap focus. Read info. Yuri's comm crystal flashes; half-asleep, she answers groggily.
"...This is Yuri. Acknowledged."
Yuri yawns hugely, heads to splash water and shake off sleep. I bolt up.
Queen picked today.
Decoded docs at Window 4. If I beat Yuri there, swap before she sees—neutralize this offensive.
I vault silently out the window and dash. Know Window 4's spot from steady intel. Go. Hurry.
Racing under the fake moon.
Said Yuri's view has rules/order. Her perception sways power/efficiency here.
Flip it.
Outside her view, crazy shit's fine.
FWOOOMPH-!!
Wall explodes; monster like ogre/orc mashup bares teeth. I rip wings from back, maneuver dodge.
Ground tilts, folds in half. Meteors rain from sky. NPCs twist into spears, launch at me.
Solid ground turns bubbling lava instantly.
Queen spots my move to Window 4, warps world for all-out assault.
Inception-level aggressive nightmare. Whole world hates me, tries killing.
Not scared. Flashy visuals, thin info. Clunky moves. Easy breakthrough.
Queen knows. This is to stall me.
Till Yuri reaches Window 4 first.
I turn eagle, butterfly, charge nightmare. Ground stretches like taffy? Punch hole, fold space, dash.
Eventually, Queen's attacks turn passive.
Yuri's out, en route. She'd freak at folding world/beam from moon. Speed up.
Blast obstacles, reach Window 4.
The Queen humbly admitted it. That guy's a monster.
At first... didn't plan to kill or split him. Need to eat him whole. Devour every bit of info in that head.
No big wounds to absorb lossless. Melt slow and gentle.
Shatter him, risk losing precious knowledge? Tragic.
So... go easy, hold back. That's what she thought.
Because he was just human. Violet Magic Tower mage? All illusion mages she'd seen were inferior. Huge gap vs. innate info-life succubus.
Young. Mere decades lived. Vs. her centuries dominating dreams/minds—vast chasm, she figured.
Opening with eyes popping on his body? Dizzying moment. But still, she held advantage.
Wrong.
Started light: sap strength. Human can't imagine ground turning monster to swallow him.
But casually dismantled. She took a hit instead.
Fine? Info loss okay. Smash to submission, summon eldritch ancient giant for unspeakable terror.
"Fake Cthulhu."
Didn't budge.
After, screw info—total assault. Max creativity, hit blind spots.
But he shrugged like he knew all. Seen world warp/fold before?
Full power world-warps? Unfazed. How? Her domain...
So. Admitted.
That mad mage does what I can't. Admission opened path. Assume he reads all intent. Dig trap ahead.
You've clocked "encrypted docs," on guard.
Now, secret contact to Yuri Lancer. To Window 4. My senses/magic see you meditating homebound.
No action? Nah. You're watching Yuri my way. Bet. Twist info, crystal comm to her—you'll notice.
Yeah, heading to Window 4. Knew it.
Pretend caught kid—feign panic, delay attack. Like buying time.
But no. Want you at Window 4.
Time to flip the war. Turn comedy to tragedy, silly spring dream back to nightmare. Queen thought, stroking red lips with faint satisfied smile.
One step ahead.
Creeeak.
Enter rundown warehouse. This is Window 4. Extermination Squad NPC inside? Info bomb'd him.
Inner door reinforced heavy black box. Info clenched tight.
Won't let you delete even if beaten. Super hardened.
"Encrypted docs" beyond. Beefed so Yuri sees.
Check Yuri: ~10 min out. 10 min tight for wipe.
Better steal, hide forever. Reach for docs, open door—
WHOOSH.
CRASH-!
Sucked in. Sudden pull drags me inside; door slams shut.
Soothe aches, grab handle. Locked. Decompose info? Too solid—short-term impossible.
Trapped. Ambush.
But tiny room tie-down? What for...
"...Well, look at this bastard..."
Scan room. One blood-smeared dead Extermination Squad corpse. Shredded doc model. My fingerprints everywhere.
Anyone sees: me destroying evidence. Obvious.
Yuri's coming here. Show her suspicious scene, spike doubts on me.
Manipulate before she arrives?
Impossible. All reinforced—takes time to break.
Escape? Time issue. Feel Queen's gaze. She'll cling if I bolt.
"Ha..."
10 minutes till Yuri mistakes me for "Red Regeneration" goon.