Chapter 429
Chapter 429
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 429
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Kuuuung…
The vibration from the external warehouse rippled out to even the distant buildings.
The three investigators, each missing an eye, clung to their hazy consciousness while tied to chairs and muttered.
“What… happened?”
“No way… someone came to save us…?”
“Haha… that’d be nice…”
A brief silence.
They knew it too.
The odds of rescue here were incredibly slim. Even if a horde of Investigation Bureau agents swarmed in, it wouldn’t be an easy fight.
And since they’d vanished mid-mission not long ago, no massive backup was coming.
The man coughing up blood-flecked phlegm spoke.
“I don’t wanna die… not in a dump like this…”
Right then.
Knock knock…
A timid rap on the wooden door.
“Excuse me. Smells like blood. Mind if I come in?”
An unfamiliar voice.
Clank… clank…
The door was locked.
No way to open it from outside without a key.
Kujiiik-!
“Ah, it’s open.”
Smashed was more like it.
Kiiiik…
Thud…
The blood stench wafted out through the door.
“Hmm… you guys look like hell.”
The investigators, accustomed to the dark, took a moment to make out the figure addressing them.
Step…
Step…
Only when the intruder drew close could they etch her details into their minds.
Woman.
Fairy.
Red hair.
Beauty.
And… Investigation Bureau uniform.
It was Karen who’d found the imprisoned, tortured investigators.
“Investigation Bureau…? From the Bureau?”
“Eh, sort of. Shut up now—I’ve got some basic revitalizers.”
Kang Seol’s meds, packed just in case.
Click…
“N-No… stop…”
But unlike their initial hope of gulping it down easily, the investigators writhed as they forced the stuff down their throats.
“Ah! They tortured your esophaguses too? Going that far—those kids are vicious.”
“Cough… cough… You really came from the Bureau… for us?”
“It’s… complicated.”
“If you’re here to rescue us… how much backup? This building has…”
“Just me.”
At those words, expressions dawned on their faces—not contempt or betrayal, but concern.
“You came alone? You’re insane…”
“Do you even know where you are? Get out!”
“R-Run! If they notice, you’ll end up stuck here too. Go tell them we’re here!”
Karen tilted her head.
“What’re you talking about? If I run, you’re definitely dead.”
“……”
“Don’t wanna go home?”
“……”
One investigator murmured.
“I wanna go home… take a hot bath…”
“Hurry up and go! We made noise—they’ll be here soon!”
“Those masked guys slinking around? If it’s them…”
“No! Not them… anyone’s dangerous alone, but compared to the ones upstairs…”
“…They did that to your eyes?”
Every one of them missing a single eye.
Recalling it, tears poured from their remaining eyes.
“Go… if you don’t wanna end up like this…”
Only then did Karen stop smiling.
Swish…
She stood and headed for the door.
“I’ll get you home.”
“…What?”
“Wait here a bit. Be right back.”
As Karen gripped a pillar to head back up, she spotted someone at the corridor’s end.
Across the hall.
A man with a thick beard.
The gang’s leader, Benhyu.
He stared straight into Karen’s eyes.
* * *
Meanwhile, on the building’s fourth floor.
“Hmm… hmm… here?”
“What the hell are you doing?”
“What?”
“Can’t you not put that grotesque crap here? I’m seriously gonna puke.”
“Come on… bodies are all the same. Give it some love.”
What she’d lined up were eyes floating in strange fluid. All human eyes.
Over twenty of them.
She’d collected far more, but the rest were back at base.
The eye-obsessed killer, Silk, spoke.
“But Duret, taking longer than usual, huh?”
“Didn’t you hear that boom earlier? Last one, so they’re smashing it up big.”
“Smashing it that hard just makes cleanup a nightmare later…”
“We’re bailing today anyway. Probably unleashing everything before we go.”
“More importantly, where’s Benhyu?”
“Dunno? Haven’t seen him since earlier.”
Knock knock knock…
All heads turned to the door.
“Benhyu always this polite?”
“Nope.”
“…Then that guy’s dead meat.”
Silk grinned and called out beyond the door.
“Who is it?”
“Who… are you?”
A playful reply echoed back.
“Planning a prank? I like that stuff too.”
“…Lucky you. Heave-ho.”
Kujiiiik…
Karen smashed the door open again.
“Opened it.”
She appeared inside beaming, her uniform cap pulled low.
“…Fairy?”
“Whoa… prime merchandise. Bet I could get good coin for that.”
Silk scowled.
“You an investigator by chance?”
“Eh? Yeah.”
“What’s with that reaction. Why’re you here? Wrong turn? Didn’t meet Duret?”
“Isn’t this where the bad guys hang out? Looks like I found the right place.”
They exchanged glances at Karen’s words.
“Pfft… heh… hah… what’d she say?”
“Oh dear, dangerous one showed up. Gonna take us in?”
Karen shrugged, swinging her arm.
“Depends.”
“Depends? What’s the alternative?”
“Might kill you? If you resist?”
“…What? Kill us? By yourself?”
“Yeah. Resist and you die.”
Silk snorted, turning back.
“She says she’ll kill us? Oh no, guess I gotta die. Can’t resist a beauty—might just croak.”
They all took her words as a joke, but the tattooed man—silent till now—spoke up.
“Everyone, on guard.”
They snapped to attention, forming a practiced battle formation.
“…What? For real?”
“She’s strong.”
“Strong? That fairy?”
Karen just stood there smiling.
Fwaaah…
“…Group attack.”
“Damn it, what’re you on about… Adol! What is it!”
“Dunno. But… ominous.”
Silk eyed Karen seriously, biting her lip in attack stance.
“Our fortune teller says so, so we follow. Still, need a motive.”
She addressed Karen.
“Mind taking off your hat?”
“Hat?”
Swish…
Karen removed her cap, revealing her features clearly.
“Whoa…”
“…Eyes.”
More than her perfect features, Silk fixated on her eyes.
“Those eyes… most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I want them. No, I’ll have them!”
“…Knock me down, they’re yours.”
Adol spoke.
“Go all-out from the start.”
He tore paper to activate his power.
[Adol uses Frank Admission.]
“I’m Adol. Barely any strike power. I weaken foes, buff allies.”
[Relieved Mindset activates.]
[Weakening effects on enemies rise 30%.]
[Buff durations on allies extend 20%.]
The triple-sword wielder said.
“Stallet. Mirror user… one of twenty illusions is my real self.”
[Relieved Mindset activates.]
[Mirror owner doubles.]
“Just doubled.”
Zzeeeeng…
[Stallet uses ultimate: 20 Truths.]
[20 mirror illusions surround the target.]
Massive mirrors filled the space.
All reflecting Stallet.
Chrrrrk…
Silk scattered seeds around.
“Silk. Plant attacks.”
[Relieved Mindset activates.]
[Plant growth 30% faster, recognizes allies.]
Stallet said.
“Alright, then…”
“One missing?”
“…What?”
“There’s one more here.”
“……Silk, Adol’s right. This one…”
“Pretty sharp, huh?”
Ssslrk…
A man appeared from thin air.
“Found me. Mahan—ambush is my specialty.”
[Relieved Mindset activates.]
[Stealth hides presence more, no killing intent till strike.]
[Stealth ambush crit damage +50%.]
Flick…
Karen tossed her cap aside casually.
“Gotta introduce too? Karen, knight.”
“…What?”
“Like fire, but skipping it today.”
“…Why?”
“Uniform’d burn. Owner’s gift—would be sad.”
“What’re you…”
“Start then?”
“No, first strike’s mine.”
Stallet’s illusions posed in mirrors. Thrusting stance.
Ssss…
Fwaaah-!
[Stallet uses Illusion Barrage.]
[Real mixes with fakes in attack.]
[Fakes deal no damage.]
Ssshhk-!
Illusions lunged swords at her.
Passed through like ghosts.
[Stallet uses Light Mirror.]
[20 Truths begin rotating.]
Ssssss…
Mirrors spun.
“…Eyes hurt a bit.”
“Don’t worry—whole body’ll hurt soon.”
Chrrrrrrk-!
Carnivorous flowers sprouted instantly.
Zzaaak-!
[Silk uses Man-Eating Flower: Vine Whip.]
[Man-Eating Flower attacks target with vine whip till new order.]
Chaaak-!
Chaaaaak-!
Vines whipped like lashes. Hit rate so-so.
“Now, everyone dodge!”
Fwhoosh…
Illusions burst from mirrors feinting attacks—vision spun.
Vines snagged Karen’s ankle in the chaos.
“Gotcha!”
Flipped upside down, arms raised, Karen spun wildly.
“Wheeee… flying…”
Like a lame ride, she forced a thrilled face.
“Urp… motion sick though.”
Stallet struck the exposed target for real.
Fwaaaah-!
Illusions leaped from mirrors—one real mixed in.
Pop-!
“Aah!”
Karen’s eyes flashed—she’d waited for this, snapping vines and stabbing at Stallet’s real body.
Clang…
Not his real one.
“How’d you know?”
“Presence. Fake though?”
“Yeah, fake.”
“Wasn’t it real? Felt real…”
“Real yet fake. Real body’s here. Told you—I doubled. As long as mirrors exist, you’ll never catch me. But I can hunt you forever.”
“…Unfair.”
The twenty Stallet in mirrors spoke.
“The world’s unfair.”
“The world’s unfair.”
“The world’s unfair.”
Fwaaah-!
Illusions charged again; overgrown vines targeted her too.
Karen spun fiercely this time.
Kaaaang-!
“Tch…”
Her parry hit a shadow strike from darkness.
Drip… drip…
Sizzle…
Poison from Mahan the assassin’s dagger hit floor, corroding a wide patch.
“Swung something that nasty?”
“…Still cocky. How long?”
“Leave her—destined to die soon. My darling flowers’ll dismantle everything but the eyes.”
Zzzzzzt…
[Silk uses Overgrowth.]
[Man-Eating Flower grows 150% past limit.]
Snapping to, she saw massive flowers crushed against the ceiling, filling space.
Silk said.
“Annoying bunch, but decent allies. How ’bout it? Hand over eyes nicely, maybe I let you live.”
Karen spat.
“…Like the investigators you caught?”
“Saw them? Yeah, my work.”
Karen dropped her smile.
Showed blank face first time.
“Was fun. Now counting ten seconds.”
“What?”
“What’s that mean?”
Karen left her words.
“Spit out whatever you wanna say or leave in ten seconds. Might share by campfire sometime.”
“…Ten seconds? Why…”
“After ten, you all die.”
That instant.
Whooooosh…
Karen’s pent-up—no, hidden—killing intent erupted.
If intent could solidify, like a bomb blast.
“Th-This…”
“W-What…”
Karen folded a finger.
“Ten… nine…”
Those before her felt senses ripping apart.
Survival instinct tried shoving them from her, but failed.
Run.
Can’t run.
Legs won’t move.
Fight then.
Only way.
Kill her.
To live.
Sensory collapse crushed reason next.
“F-Fin… ish.”
“Dieeee!”
Stallet’s strike flew at Karen.
Fwaaah-!
Craaash-!
Found real amid illusions. But it turned fake.
“Krhat! You can’t…”
Then, Karen’s eyes locked on a mirror—his real one.
“What…?”
Whoosh-!
Zzzzt!
“Gaaaah! How…”
Karen yanked Stallet from the mirror.
“Your buddies peeked here.”
“Kek… wrong anyway. I…”
[Stallet uses Ego Split.]
[Mirror owner scatters to all mirrors.]
“All fake and real.”
“Knew it.”
“What?”
Fwaaaang-!
Her sword arced once.
Kwaaaaang-!
All mirrors shattered.
“Guhurk…”
World collapsed; bisected Stallet rolled, upper and lower halves with mirrors.
Whirl-!
Zzaaak-!
[Silk uses Man-Eating Flower: Vitality Drain.]
[Man-Eating Flower restrains and drains target till new order.]
Whirrrlk-!
Vines from all flowers swarmed.
No escape for Karen.
Chrrrrrk-!
Cocooned instantly.
“Now! Mahan!”
“Saw it.”
Mahan stabbed at cocoon.
Fwhoosh-!
“…Huh?”
Sword pierced from inside, skewering Mahan’s heart.
Invisible, silent.
Pinned his spot, struck first.
“Guh…”
Rip…
Cocoon tore; Karen surged.
“W-Wait! I’m thi…”
Slash-!
Adol’s head floated.
Exactly ten seconds—three down. Silk next.
[Adol’s Frank Admission ends.]
“U… uwaaaaa!”
Terror of death shattered Silk’s mind.
[Silk uses Man-Eating Flower: Asexuality.]
[Man-Eating Flower multiplies and rampages till new order.]
Surrounded by flowers, she lashed wildly.
Kwaang-!
“Where!”
Kwaaaang-!
“Where are you!”
Kwaaaang-!
“Come out! Monster!”
Karen vanished.
Only glimpses of crawling Stallet.
“Huff… huff… where…”
Then.
Kwaaaang-!
Floor she’d stood on shattered; arm thrust out.
“Kyaa…”
Kuuung…
Vines yanked her back like a snare, concussing her.
“G… u… why… why so strong…”
Karen gazed indifferently at fallen Silk.
“U-Use me. Strong like you, I’ll give everything.”
“No. Owner’d hate you.”
“Owner…?”
“Yeah.”
“You serve someone…? Impossible, you’re…”
Karen met her eyes.
“Still want my eyes?”
“Beautiful… eyes…”
“…No good. Using fire. No witnesses…”
Swish…
Someone grabbed her ankle.
Stallet, crawling bisected.
“Unfair…”
Karen shook off his hand.
“World’s unfair. Like you said.”
Thud…
Stallet died; doomed Silk murmured.
“Eyes… beautiful.”
Roarrr…
Fire lit her body.
Not hot flash-ash instant—slow melt.
“Gaaaaaaah-!”
“Slowly… to ash, with your inner evil.”
Karen retraced her steps.
In the less bloody space, she reappeared.
Thud…
Thud…
Dusted off her cap, pulled it low like before.
The three investigators looked up.
Karen grinned.
“Let’s go home.”