Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 30. Curtain Fall
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-Clang!
"Argh-!"
I didn't even finish screaming before I flew back and slammed into the wall.
The impact against my back cut off my breath instantly.
"Hey! You alive?!"
Song Arin came running from across the room and helped me up.
"You're all talk about how confident you are, and then you just grab the nearest metal rod and charge in?"
"What kind of amazing fighting skills did you think I had?"
I caught my breath and replied to Song Arin.
Where would I even get fighting skills? I had confidence in sorting charts faster than others, scrutinizing details meticulously, and handling payroll distribution better than the average person.
"Can you hypnotize it by any chance?"
"I already tried. Didn't work at all. Felt like punching a wall."
"This is bad."
Song Arin snapped back at my words, bristling.
"But why'd you talk like you were so sure of yourself!"
"Because I'm sure we'll win."
I recalled the results of the three experiences so far.
First: failed.
Second: failed.
Third: failed.
Fourth: finally, we were fighting properly in the same ring.
"For now, we need to buy as much time as possible."
"How?"
"How do you think? We fight."
"I have no fighting skills!"
"Do I?"
Song Arin scowled and snatched the metal rod from my hand.
"Fine, I'll do it then!"
With that, she boldly charged at the Red Lady, swinging the metal rod—
-Clang!
"Kyaa-!"
—and soon rolled right next to me.
"...Can we really win this?"
Song Arin barely stood up and eyed me suspiciously.
"Yes. We can win."
I just needed one solid hit.
The problem was there were no guns here.
What if I swung the metal rod with Critical and hit a weak spot, but it got blocked?
Then we'd really be done for.
In other words, we had to create that one opening.
We could do it if we coordinated our attacks well.
Even if our bodies and reflexes were just average human ones, if we moved together fluidly like flowing water—
Huh?
"Hang on, Song Arin."
"What."
Song Arin stared at me blankly.
"That thing you said. You can infer my thoughts right now, yeah?"
"...Yeah."
"Then couldn't we move like we're one body?"
"Ah... Why'd I even infer that?"
Song Arin grimaced.
"...Not impossible."
"Then why the face."
"First, it'd take too long. Second, assimilating my mind deeper would probably make me feel really shitty. Mostly the second one."
"Ah. Then get ready quick. I'll buy the time."
"Got it."
Song Arin stepped back a few paces and locked eyes with me.
"Leave it to me. From now on, I'm gonna imprint myself on you even deeper."
"Yes."
Feeling her piercing gaze, I gripped the metal rod and faced the Red Lady ahead.
Nothing was visible above her mouth still, but looking at her no longer caused any issues.
I knew it.
In this play now, her role wasn't the overwhelming slaughterer anymore.
She was just a villain from a flop production.
The problem was she was still plenty strong as a villain.
If Yoo Daon had been here, she could've tanked it somehow with her body alone. If Jang Chaeyeon had been here, they could've fought on even terms.
But right now, it was just one good-eyed buffer and one hypnosis debuffer.
Could we win?
Normally, no.
But I never planned to win by fighting like this from the start.
I just needed to hold out here for a few steps.
I raised the metal rod and waited for the Red Lady to approach.
She came slowly toward me,
then suddenly her hand chopped at me like she meant to kill. I barely managed to block with the rod.
-Clang!
Something rang in my ears like before, pushing my body back, but I held on.
I heard something whooshing through the air, and this time there was no chance to block.
I kicked off the floor and rolled sideways.
Her fist smashed into the spot I'd just left. Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
Before I could even see the next move, a kick flew at my solar plexus. I crossed my arms to block it.
-Thud!
"Grk...!"
An awful sound came from my left arm.
No doubt it was broken.
Still, I couldn't run.
I gripped the metal rod with my right hand and stood again.
I glanced at Song Arin.
Sweat beading on her forehead, she kept watching me.
Not much longer.
Just block one more time.
It opened its mouth wide.
Human teeth dripping saliva faced me.
As someone who'd died to that once, I never wanted to experience it again.
It lunged at me, thrusting its grotesque face forward.
No blocking this with one hand.
Gritting through the throbbing pain, I braced my left arm to support the rod against the incoming impact.
-Boom!
The Red Lady's teeth clamped the rod and shoved, and unable to hold, my body flew back with it.
"-!"
Not even time to groan.
I rolled across the floor a few times with it before stopping.
My left arm screamed in agony.
The Red Lady stood first.
Her head twisted unnaturally toward me.
She grinned brightly.
No more holding out.
As I desperately called Song Arin's name in my mind, finally a woman in familiar clothes stepped in front of me protectively.
It was Song Arin.
Song Arin turned only her head to look at me.
"Thanks. You held out great."
"Why're you talking like that?"
"I'm assimilated with you, so my speech got messed up like this. Use casual speech from now on or something."
Song Arin faced off against the Red Lady, and I barely got my aching body up behind her.
Song Arin's gaze was fixed above the Red Lady's head.
Copying my ability to see info floating overhead—to the point where I could just call her Kim Jaeheon MK-2 at this rate.
"Why do you always fight with your eyes a bit too high up like that?"
"You know your speech is kinda pissing me off?"
"Shut it."
Song Arin grabbed some bricks from who-knows-where and stood next to me, one in each hand.
"Just aim for one good hit."
"Got it."
Song Arin glared at me, and I averted my eyes.
"You move first, I'll line it up."
"Yes."
Once more, it opened its mouth and charged us.
Holding the metal rod, I blocked its teeth again.
In that moment, Song Arin timed it perfectly like we'd planned and smashed a brick into its head.
A dull thud echoed.
Its head caved in grotesquely.
Still biting the rod, it flailed its arms wildly.
Song Arin pulled back quick, and I yanked the rod free in the gap, putting strength into my arm.
We dove back into the fight.
I'd block, Song Arin would strike; she'd dodge, I'd strike. The back-and-forth repeated over and over.
My left arm dangled uselessly now, no strength left in it, and Song Arin was panting, bleeding from spots all over her body.
But the Red Lady wasn't unscathed either.
Her head was so caved in it was unrecognizable, her arms and legs twisted unnaturally to the point she barely qualified as human anymore.
"Now finish it!...!"
"Understood."
Song Arin gasped it out, and agreeing, I raised the metal rod.
[Critical: 1->0]
The world turned black and white, slowing down.
In the now-familiar sensation, I eyed the Red Lady.
A red dot flashed near her neck.
I swung the rod down.
At the same instant, her right hand shot toward my face.
In the slowed world, that arm charging at my face was pure terror to anyone watching.
But I wasn't scared.
Song Arin's hand came down with the brick, smashing its arm.
The right hand grazed my face,
-Thud!
and my metal rod sank into its neck like it was sucked in.
"-! -! -!"
The Red Lady, who'd never made a sound once, screamed.
Her body began crumbling.
And then,
[Your bond with Song Arin has increased.]
[Through your bond with Song Arin, Song Arin acquires Combined Skill - Method.]
[Method - Perfectly assimilate with someone to mimic their traits. Appearance does not change.]
[Method - 1]
If you're gonna pop up, do it earlier next time.
"Damn! We did it!"
Song Arin threw both hands up and yelled.
Her nails were broken, fingers swollen bright red.
I looked at my left arm.
It dangled completely limp now, useless.
Clap!
Song Arin slapped her own cheeks with both hands.
"Aw! Finally over!"
Had she released the imprint? She shook her head a few times, looked at my left arm, and made a worried face.
"...You okay?"
"Yeah, sorta. Still alive."
The play would end soon anyway, and my arm would go back to normal.
"Come here."
Song Arin grunted as she supported my shoulder and helped me up.
"You don't have to."
"Be grateful. How many guys in the world get carried by Management Bureau's Song Arin?"
"Wouldn't if they knew your personality."
Song Arin jabbed my side with her elbow.
"Anyway, good work."
"You too."
The world crumbled around us.
People vanished, the ground caved in.
Soon, the two of us collapsed too.
...
I opened my eyes inside the theater.
Song Arin?
I turned my head to look beside me,
"What're you staring at."
Song Arin eyed me with a crooked expression, one eyebrow raised.
"It's over?"
"Comms just came back, so I contacted the Bureau."
Song Arin pulled out her phone.
"The Bureau will be here any minute—"
-Boom!
"Jaeheon!"
Yoo Daon's familiar voice rang out.
"...You called HR?"
"...No."
Song Arin shook her head at my question.
"Guess they just showed up."
Seeing the two hurry over to me, I sighed, then reached into my pocket for my phone,
"...?"
I felt the texture of unfamiliar paper inside.
I pulled out the paper.
[Thank you for watching Act 1. Kim Jaeheon of the Management Bureau. We eagerly await your next visit. - The Troupe.]
Elegant handwriting on fine paper.
...
Something felt off.
But for now, it was over.
Time to rest. Request some vacation. And—
*
"Introduce yourself. New team member Song Arin."
...
...
...
"What is this?"
"It's a long story."
Song Arin let out a long sigh next to the Team Leader.