Chapter 199
Chapter 199
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: ACT.37 The Unstoppable (4)
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“Go Yeong-jun said you were dead.”
“I didn't die. I almost did, though. Hmm... or did I? Did I die and come back? I'm not really sure myself.”
Jeong Su-ji smiled faintly.
Should I call it an alluring smile, one unfitting for her age?
I could tell from that single action that the succubus's influence was quite significant.
The power of bewitchment is amplified in proportion to one's appearance.
Since she was already pretty, she would have been an ideal contract partner for a succubus.
“Is that really Su-ji?”
“Su-ji...?”
The twins also looked unsure of how to react.
Thinking about it, this is absurd.
The fundamental reason Go Yeong-jun almost awakened Madness was Jeong Su-ji's death, yet here she is, alive and well.
I couldn't even begin to guess how things had gotten so twisted.
Jo Min-ah managed to speak.
“If you weren't dead, why didn't you show yourself sooner? And who are these people?”
“Because this was the plan all along?”
At Jeong Su-ji's gesture, a few nearby players got down on all fours, forming a pyramid.
She then climbed to the top of the human pyramid as if it were the most natural thing in the world and sat down, crossing her legs.
The disconnect between this and the last image I had of Jeong Su-ji was jarring, to say the least.
Jeong Ha-yeon also let out a disbelieving laugh.
“If Go Yeong-jun found out that I and Mister Lee Seon-yul died, he'd go dark, raise hell, and take care of the rebels for me, then self-destruct in the end, right? Then I can just leisurely take the empty throne here. Simple, isn't it?”
“What...?”
“You knew Yeong-jun would become like that and still used him?!”
The twins couldn't recover from the shock.
I scoffed inwardly.
“Your personality has changed a lot.”
“Can you be so sure it's changed? Maybe I was just good at hiding my true personality all this time.”
No, that's not it.
Jeong Su-ji possessed the 'Absolute Good' trait.
But now, it was gone without a trace, replaced by traits of a completely different nature.
The fact that she initially had the 'Absolute Good' trait meant that even the system judged her to be an incredibly kind person.
'Either she was good enough to fool the system, or she's a different person now.'
If I had to choose, I was certain it was the latter.
The circumstances strongly suggested that Jeong Su-ji had made a contract with a succubus, and it wasn't uncommon for someone's personality to do a complete 180 after making a contract that involved offering everything to a devil.
Deceiving the system was just that difficult.
“...Chatter, chatter, so noisy. Be quiet. I told you I'm going to do what I want.”
Jeong Su-ji suddenly snapped irritably at the empty air.
Just like with Besial, no one else could see the succubus attached to Jeong Su-ji.
“Did the succubus tell you to get revenge on me, one way or another?”
“Yes. That's right. But honestly, I'm not interested in what the succubus says. Oh? But how did you know it was a succubus?”
“It's obvious. You're using the power of bewitchment so openly.”
“Hmph.”
Jeong Su-ji brought a hand to her lips and gave a strange smile.
The power of bewitchment grew stronger.
Being of the same gender, Jo Min-ah and Jeong Ha-yeon found it relatively easier to resist and were holding on, but Jo Min-woo had already lost his senses.
This was different from when I had borrowed power from a succubus.
This was a level of power that couldn't be achieved unless the contractor had wagered their very life.
“Oppa. How about we become the kings of this place together?”
Jeong Su-ji flew through the air, slowly approaching me before cupping my face with both hands.
“With your power, it's possible. If you can just fill the role of the military strength we lack, we can become the greatest faction.”
“...You're a bold little kid.”
“That's right. I may look like a little kid now. But I won't stay a little kid forever, you know?”
Behind Jeong Su-ji's sweet-whispering figure, I could faintly see the form of a succubus.
As expected, at this close range, I could use Extreme Eye to see who was hiding behind her through the contract.
[Kim Se-hyeon...! I'll kill you! I'll kill youuu...!!!]
I could see the succubus losing its form and reverting to its true devilish appearance.
From the succubus's perspective, I must be its mortal enemy.
And since even Asmodeus had sided with me, its hatred would be even greater.
“The succubus won't just stand by.”
“It'll probably throw a fit. But there was no clause in the contract saying I had to harm you, oppa. In the end, it's my decision. I was never interested in the succubus in the first place. I'm just helping it to the extent that it gave me power.”
The succubus must have had two objectives.
One was revenge against me.
The other was to regain its lost power.
“Ugh...”
Jeong Su-ji reached out and grabbed the shoulder of a nearby player, and in an instant, his face became gaunt as his essence was drained.
That was the power the succubus gave its contractor, and also the means by which the succubus itself recovered its strength.
By draining essence, the contractor grew stronger, but a portion of that also strengthened the succubus.
The smile on Jeong Su-ji's lips deepened.
“I need time to make this power completely my own. You're the perfect person for that role, oppa. Be my shield. Then, afterward, I'll be the one to protect you.”
“Don't listen to her anymore!!”
Thinking I was swayed by the bewitchment since I was standing still, Jeong Ha-yeon raised her voice.
“The way you are now is because you made a contract with a devil. I don't know what the terms were, but you've been tricked by a devil's tongue. There's no way a devil would make a contract that purely helps a human!”
*Crackle!*
Golden lightning repelled the formless energy.
Jeong Ha-yeon had defended against Jeong Su-ji's bewitchment using pure mana.
I was inwardly impressed.
Even with the base resistance from being the same gender, completely escaping its influence was no easy feat.
Especially when it was a bewitchment that drew upon nearly the full power of a succubus.
Yet Jeong Ha-yeon had managed it.
“That's true. With the power of an archangel, you could probably interfere with the contract and forcibly break it. And you're right, unni, my personality did change like this after contracting with a devil.”
“Just wait. I'll make sure to turn you back to normal.”
“Are you sure that's okay?”
Jeong Su-ji gave a strange smile.
“Because if you do that, I'll die, unni.”
***
Why did things suddenly turn out this way?
I watched Mister Lee Seon-yul, who was fighting a desperate battle, as I gasped for breath.
His face was covered in sweat, but the number of people chasing us wasn't decreasing.
If he were alone, he would have escaped easily by now.
But because he was protecting me, he was stuck, and this is how it ended.
“Kuh...!”
It seems even the strong Mister Lee Seon-yul couldn't handle so many enemies.
There were so many wounds all over his body that I couldn't even count them.
The blood streaming from a cut on his forehead was blocking one side of his vision, which must have made it even harder.
Not that I'm in any normal condition myself.
'It... hurts...'
My side feels like it's on fire.
I'm too scared to look.
But I knew very well that there was a deep stab wound there.
My face is reflected in the pool of blood on the floor.
Have I ever been this pale in my life?
Honestly, it feels like a miracle that I'm even alive right now.
“Mister... just leave me.”
“Don't say that.”
My voice was so faint it was about to break, surprising even myself.
Mister Lee Seon-yul cut me off flatly.
“I will protect you and Yeong-jun. Even if it costs me my life, I'll somehow save you two and send you back.”
“...Why are you going so far?”
“I wouldn't be able to face Se-hyeon-ssi otherwise...”
*Boom!*
A large water bubble burst, sending many people flying backward.
Even though he could control the water sharply enough to cut people, he only pushed them back, saying he couldn't hurt the brainwashed people. That was just like him.
“An adult doesn't need a reason to protect a child.”
After saying that, Mister Lee Seon-yul sent the people approaching from both sides flying as well.
I think he's a really cool adult.
I'm worried about Yeong-jun, too.
We got separated while running away.
But Yeong-jun will be fine. He's good on his own.
The problem is me.
'It's cold...'
My consciousness keeps fading.
It's not cold weather, but it feels like a winter wind is blowing.
Is this what it feels like for your consciousness to sink into a cold, deep place?
I think Mister Lee Seon-yul keeps shouting something, but I can't hear him.
[Don't you want to live?]
Instead, I heard that voice.
***
A contract with a devil isn't absolute with no room for intervention.
Although many conditions are required, it's possible to intervene from the outside and break the contract.
However, in Jeong Su-ji's case, using this method was impossible.
“You'll die...?”
Jeong Ha-yeon's face stiffened, and she couldn't move forward.
“Because my life was extended through this contract. If the contract is broken, I'll die immediately.”
Jeong Su-ji answered as if it were an obvious question.
A checkmate.
After hearing those words, Jeong Ha-yeon would be unable to act.
That's just her personality.
'Her life was extended through the contract.'
That meant nullifying the contract would also erase her extended life.
Since she likely made the contract right before death, she might not die instantly, but she would die soon after. That much wouldn't change.
Unless there was a legendary elixir that could even revive the dead.
“It's not that bad of an offer, is it? I'm not saying I'll conquer the world, nor am I saying I'll leave the monsters alone. I just want to establish a large faction here. Honestly, in a world like this, the easiest way to survive is to lead a large faction, right?”
“The larger the faction, the greater the risk of internal division or rebellion.”
“That's not a possibility for me, so it's fine. You know, right? This power.”
Jeong Su-ji's eyes glowed pink.
[You are being affected by 'Bewitchment'.]
[Unique Effect, 'Watcher Beyond the Screen' is responding.]
[The effect of 'Bewitchment' is completely ignored.]
“Though for some reason, it doesn't seem to work on you at all, oppa.”
[Kill him! Kill that bastard Kim Se-hyeon!!]
“This kid's all talk and no action, too.”
Jeong Su-ji licked her lips.
Putting everything else aside, Jeong Su-ji getting stronger was directly linked to the succubus's power growing.
Jeong Su-ji herself didn't seem to care much, but for me, it was the most important point to consider.
“I refuse.”
“Is that your answer?”
“There is no other answer.”
“A regrettable decision.”
With a look of regret, Jeong Su-ji slowly backed away.
The bewitched people instantly filled the gap.
Jeong Ha-yeon's expression relaxed slightly as if in relief, but it was truly just a little.
“You all can't bring yourselves to use violence against these people anyway, right? If you're not going to join, you should at least stay out of the way.”
At Jeong Su-ji's nod, the bewitched people began to charge like zombies.
It's impossible to enthrall this many people in such a short time with bewitchment alone.
Bewitchment is also a type of mental interference, which makes it possible.
By subtly inserting bewitchment into the brainwashing implanted in the players through Ada's mind control, she could intercept it.
“I told you before.”
I let out a small sigh and drew up my mana.
“That you're bold.”
*Fwoosh!*
With a snap of my fingers, countless lines of darkness shot up, binding everyone around us.
Jeong Su-ji struggled in panic, trying to break the darkness, but it was impossible.
Soon, Jeong Su-ji gave up trying to escape and changed her tune.
“I know. You can't kill me either, oppa.”
“...”
Killing Jeong Su-ji wouldn't be difficult.
The problem was how it would look to Jeong Ha-yeon and the twins.
Jeong Ha-yeon, who was just about to come back under my protection, leaving again; the walls of trust I had painstakingly built with the twins crumbling significantly.
Neither was a welcome outcome.
“Alright. Then how about this? Give up on this place and retreat. Then I'll let you go without doing anything...”
*Thwack.*
With a gruesome sound of tearing flesh, Jeong Su-ji froze mid-smile.