Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Sadako's Rampage
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"Kyaaaaah──!!!"
A passerby's scream echoed out─the [Oni] sent flying backward by Sadako's kick.
Just from the class name, it was clear her greatest strength was [Superhuman Strength].
On top of that, as a yokai-like being with the moniker [Superhuman Strength Demon God], she could wield all sorts of bizarre techniques and mystical powers.
But her opponent was a navy officer who, in a certain sense, was the most troublesome foe to deal with, surpassing even those oddities.
Her two arms turned pitch black, morphing into metal as they thrust forward.
Clang clang──!!
Sadako swung her fists, which were merely magic-enhanced and not even a dedicated weapon from the 【Tower】 like the Oni's, pounding away at the club.
She pressed the attack fiercely with deafening crashes, but aside from the initial surprise kick, the Oni showed no major damage. A glint flashed in the Oni's eyes as she swung her club wide.
The slashing strike cleaved the air, shattering nearby building windows and flipping parked cars, slashing their underbellies.
Against the backdrop of terrified citizens who couldn't flee in time and collapsed screaming, the two climbers locked eyes fiercely.
One was a Japanese 【Legendary Class】 affiliated with the [Six Freaks].
The other was Japan's VTuber, now so famous that hardly anyone there didn't know her, one of the top climbers.
"No need to explain to the cops who started it──that's the best part!!!"
"You lunatic!!"
Sadako had long anticipated a physical clash with the [Six Freaks] someday.
From the [Engineer]'s subordinates she met while filming Ichigo's membership stream, to the [Outlaw] she faced later.
To be honest, she'd barely won those fights by teaming up with her comrades.
But she'd never once won cleanly with her own power.
That gnawing frustration had built up into a massive grudge in Sadako's heart, and now, with this heaven-sent opportunity, she grinned like a madwoman.
The Oni's intimidating aura was enough to cower not just monsters but climbers too, but her opponent was Sadako.
Be it a giant monster or a sword master leaping out, there was almost nothing she feared except baths.
And ever since experiencing the killing intent from the 【Man-Eater】, the Oni's aura only registered as "This bitch has some grit?"─nothing more.
A sane [Wizard] would never dream of fighting with their own body in the first place.
The Oni, unfazed even by the unfolding battle defying her expectations, poured [Yokai Energy] into her gripped club.
Blue ghostly flames flickered and rose.
The mystical "ghost arts" unique to [Oni], using their special stat [Yokai Energy], swung toward Sadako and slammed down.
Boom──! The asphalt road cracked with a heavy thud.
"Kyah──!! That hurts!!"
Sadako, crossing her arms to block, let out an impressed gasp at the immense strength.
But only for a moment. She rolled her shoulders casually and grinned, saying to hit her as hard as their boss.
The blue ghostly flames creeping up her arms soon transformed via her [Shape Change] skill into even hotter, fiercer flames, igniting her fists.
"Navy Karate! Homage Divine Fist──!!"
The blazing flames gathered on Sadako's fist, forming a massive fireball that shot straight ahead.
"Fire Fist!!"
"Weak!!"
The Oni inhaled deeply and exhaled flames from her mouth, her own yokai fire devouring Sadako's blaze and sweeping over her in a wave of inferno. Yet Sadako, not burning but glowing white-hot like molten metal amid the flames, charged through straight into the Oni's embrace.
Her superheated fist slammed into the Oni's chest with a craaaack──! Cracks raced from Sadako's fist to her shoulder, splitting open.
So tough!
Her slender frame looked no different from Sadako's, but the compressed muscles within rivaled Wakamo's durability.
Wakamo's came purely from mana reinforcement, so Sadako gauged the Oni's at around 300,000 based on sensation.
A combat Legendary Class would have self-buffs and all sorts of skills.
"Strike down, lightning!!"
As the Oni raised her club, a bolt crashed from the clear sky.
Sadako countered the bolt-from-the-blue with near-prophetic reaction speed.
Leaping up to seize the falling lightning in her hand, she thrust it high.
Her legs turned to mist as she soared, like standing on clouds, and she infused mana into the gripped bolt, transforming it into a massive lightning spear─resembling Susanoo.
Krarung──!!
The lightning pierced the Oni, branching out everywhere, blacking out the city block as all lights vanished.
As sunset faded to darkness, the two climbers clashed again.
Fists and club collided, sparks flying every which way alongside fierce bolts.
"One-Eyed Heaven!!"
At the Oni's call, a massive eye formed in the sky, unleashing a storm.
Whirlwinds wrapped the thick club, razor winds shredding roads and buildings, snapping poles and sucking in wires, even coiling lightning─Sadako pulled back her fist with all her might against the colossal storm filling her view.
"Navy Karate──"
[Assimilation Fusion], [Dual Change], [Forced Mutation], [Property Change].
The [Variation Wizard Master]'s [Shape Change] extended beyond Sadako to her entire mana-reaching "domain."
Forcibly sucking in space, rapidly altering properties, condensing and expanding mana─fusing everything, including the air.
A refined version of the [Mana Shockwave] the fake Wakamo had shown in the Mystery Tower before.
The rampaging energy built into intense vibrations, a spherical transparent wave coiling and trapping in space.
"Violent Quake──!!"
The transforming space collided with reality, cracks spiderwebbing before the Oni's eyes.
An illusion of splitting vision─then the shockwave burst outward in all directions.
The formless, violent vibrations wrecked havoc, twisting innards; the Oni vomited blood in agony.
Roads split, buildings cracked; the city shook like an earthquake.
And on that quaking ground, even after taking Sadako's punch, the Oni endured with grit and swung her club with a deafening roar, finally smashing Sadako's body.
Torn by winds, electrocuted by lightning, the [Oni Strike] infused with [Yokai Energy] struck true.
Even a tank would be pulverized to mincemeat in one hit─taking it head-on without defense meant the fight was decided.
Unless the opponent wasn't human.
Boiing──
The sheer elasticity was palpable from the sound alone.
Unburst despite the hit, Sadako flew back like a baseball struck by a bat, her body unscathed.
"Uwaaaah!!"
The shopkeeper screamed upon seeing Sadako hurtling toward him.
She crashed into the shop wall, then sloooowly──sucked inward.
The Oni paused, seeing her absorbed into the wall upon impact.
Sadako rocketed out like a rubber cannonball, her body turned to steel, slamming a kick into the Oni's face with full momentum.
Kwarang──!!
The Oni braced with both feet planted, sliding back, then hurled Sadako down with neck strength alone─but Sadako bounced like rubber, landing cleanly.
"You...! What the hell..!"
"Can't tell? My Shape Change left 'just me' behind long ago?"
Boiing boiing──
Sadako bounced on the ground like a trampoline, then her feet turned to water, diving under with a splash and vanishing.
The Oni chased in shock, but only hard asphalt greeted her.
Rumble rumble──
The ground beneath began to shift─no, not shift; it was surging up.
"Jee─hahaha!!"
Sadako fused and assimilated the city's buildings, roads, and cars into a colossal urban giant, swinging a fist to smash down on the Oni.
"Don't underestimate an Oni!!!"
Casually blocking and deflecting the building-sized fist with one arm, she swung her club skyward; the shockwave shattered the urban giant Sadako's head to pieces.
"Not underestimating. I just saw through your strength."
Crackle──
Sparks from severed power lines.
Even as the Oni stood unfazed amid the electrified water from the burst hydrant, Sadako─now lightning─emerged riding those currents behind her, whispering.
"When did you─"
Shwaaa──
A white world spread from Sadako.
The city lost all color in seconds, turning white then freezing solid.
Hydrants spewing water, lines crackling lightning─all frozen by Sadako.
And to the trapped bystanders, she dealt no harm, gathering her power.
Pitch blackness coiled around her arm, like wrapping the oncoming night.
"Black─"
Bang!
A bullet pierced her chest just before her straight punch; Sadako gritted her teeth.
Turning to the non-vital shot, a sharp blade flew at her.
The diagonal slash drew blood as she staggered back; an armed thug stood before her.
"Die, Japanese bitch!! Hand over Korea's national treasure you stole!!"
"──Huh?"
Before her, suppressing her chest wound, stood a climber in familiar-looking armor.
About to be killed by a stranger─and one with serious grudge.
"A Japanese holding Admiral Yi Sun-sin's treasure? Shameless mutt with no shame!!"
"Don't kill her!! I can't handle it. Be our hostage for negotiations."
A pirate-clad climber sauntered out from the alley.
Sadako, eyeing the smoking flintlock and her chest hole alternately, glanced at the Oni emerging from the ice.
A flintlock musket, ignited by flint sparks, couldn't pack that punch─had to be Legendary Class 【Pirate】.
"Want our boss's Mystery Tower?"
"Bingo! Quick on the uptake. Wouldn't want to lose anything, so be a good hostage."
Even knowing Wakamo Inarizushi's strength, he pursued his desires without hesitation.
For those risking life in endless "climbs," fear might be a distant stranger.
"Too bad we can't fight fair. Thought I was facing a saint or something?"
The Oni warned Sadako in the 3:1 scenario: Don't forget most [Six Freaks] are criminals.
Sadako teared up, sobbing.
"Sob sob... Oni-san...!!"
"──If you hand over the item quietly, I will"
"Opening──!!"
Sadako leaped once more, her kick slamming the Oni's chest, sending her flying back.
The pirate fired at the sight, but the bullet passed through her sand body─then a warrior in Joseon double-layered armor swung his sword, but Sadako scattered as mist, calmly widening the gap.
Even reverting, blood flowed from the sword slash and bullet hole on her chest.
Fatal wounds to anyone.
"No full restore?"
"That's the skill."
Sadako shrugged off the sneering pirate's taunt with an "Oh, really?"
"What now?"
Clang clang──!
All five fingers turned razor blades, clashing with a sinister ring.
"Hey, Oni! Pin her quick!! Club up!!"
"Can't?"
Flop──
No matter how the Oni poured strength and yokai energy, the club flopped limply. Sadako stretched with a yawn, spitting blood from her mouth.
"I don't know how strong you are. Bad matchup for you guys?"
"Shut up, Japanese!!"
"[Elemental Change: Ice]"
Ice elements shot out, exploding midair to unleash cold, birthing a thick blizzard.
From the blizzard, the Oni burst through wreathed in flames; the pirate ambushed from behind, unknown skill, aiming his muzzle at Sadako.
"[Elemental Change: Flame]"
Molten bullets midflight into flame elements formed a fiery barrier; Sadako lightly tapped the Oni's balloon-inflated, yokai-infused floppy club.
It shattered into snowflakes, structure analyzed.
Sadako raised a finger toward the Oni's shocked face.
Flame and ice elements flew at her finger, colliding.
"[Elemental Change Magic: Elemental Force]"
Blinding light─exploding elements expanded outward.
"Uoooooh!!!!"
Roaring fiercely, shattering Sadako's magic with a bellow; horns erect, ghostly flames in eyes, yokai energy aura-clad Oni charged again.
The pirate stomped to raise waves as shields, smashing ice walls, cutlass dripping poison-like mana as he lunged.
The warrior leaped high, sword descending to bisect Sadako.
"[Werebeast]!!"
Sadako morphed into a massive deer-human, antlers batting away the warrior's sword, hind hooves kicking the pirate closing from behind flying.
Amid it, five sword strikes from the pirate blackened wounds, poison spreading rapidly, staggering Sadako.
Thud──!!
Dulled by the Oni's swing, Sadako crashed through a building, crumbling four more before halting amid rubble, struggling to rise.
Without werebeast form, that hit might've killed her for real.
Rising, a bullet pierced her shoulder, arrow her chest; trembling, the Oni's vengeful kick smashed her face.
A monstrous downward strike to shatter her skull flipped Sadako upside down, spinning her face-first into the ground.
"...Didn't kill her, right?"
"Controlled my strength!"
"Looks like it."
"....Huh?"
Sadako rose, rubbing her jaw like nothing happened.
Visibly exhausted, she sighed in frustration.
"Ahh──Can't win with karate."
Chill──
The most sensitive Oni beast-leaped backward instinctively, distancing from Sadako.
Even without knowing what she'd do─instinct screamed warning.
Yes, she'd been holding back completely... Her specialty was [Death Touch].
A wizard at the pinnacle of [Shape Change], able to reshape and kill on palm contact.
An extreme, vicious, murderous technique─she was restraining it.
"Eetcha"
Drawing her wakizashi from within, she tossed the sheath aside, resting the flat on her shoulder.
"[Seimei-ryu Onmyo]"
At the incantation declaration, pirate and warrior drew swords and charged, but skeletal ghosts surged before them, blinding vision.
Sadako, now lightning-wreathed behind the Oni, strolled leisurely.
The three turned late to pursue─white lines etched on their bodies.
"Yellow River Slash"
Frozen wounds unnoticed split open, blood gushing from sword cuts.
──This was why Wakamo Corporation climbers were the trickiest.
Impossible to predict their [skills].
Even just those taught directly by Wakamo Inarizushi overflowed with variables.
And their monstrous strength?
"Got it.... [Item], and even the [Mystery Tower]. Aiming high? Show some grit.... Let's fight!!!"
Wounds on her body vanished like erased.
[VTuber Model] reset, but to others, hyper-regeneration.
Her monstrous form broke their will further.
But getting hurt, dying, outnumbered─her ghostly nonchalance was more unnerving.
Advantage still [Six Freaks], yet no sense of victory.
She was fiercer than the Oni.
A climber craving battle, shunning no strife to grow stronger.
"More importantly, who's that?"
"『Three Provinces Naval Commander』!"
"Oh, for real? But turtle ship owner's me. Sword's mine, armor's mine─aren't you the fake?"
"I'll kill you──!!!"
"Don't fall for the taunt, idiot!!"
"──You're a newbie, huh?"
Despite the pirate's shout, the charging Legendary Class 『Three Provinces Naval Commander』 touched Sadako's hand─fused to the wall as a statue.
He'd revert soon─but if Sadako destroyed it first, defenseless death.
"Got your hostage?"
"....In one year, you raised a real monster....."
"Why risk life for a useless [Mystery Tower]?"
Pirate lost all fight; close combat with Sadako was suicidal worst matchup, so Oni held back.
If wanting the [item], just request trade from Wakamo. Brute force theft was dumb.... but for the cleared, rewardless [Mystery Tower]? No reason.
──Obviously, climber info isn't fully shared.
Even Asuka-user Wakamo had group-only or personal secrets.
The first to clear Mystery Tower, the pirate knew something.
"Just buffs for this item? Weird.... There's a secret, right?"
"Sharp kid. As expected of that bald guy's daughter."
Sadako turned at the voice behind.
The Sword Saint stood there, smiling kindly at her.
"Speaking of swords, can't ignore you."
Eyeing his drawn sword, he beckoned: wanna try? Then drew a small knife.
"Regrettably, no smaller sword than this."
Sadako ignored the blatant taunt and sneer.
【Sword Saint】 out, using her as hostage for [item] and [Mystery Tower]?
Either confident facing Wakamo Inarizushi's wrath,
Or necessary enough to risk it.
Sadako bet the latter, tossing her wakizashi to the ground.
"No one's gotten the 100th floor reward here. All just mortals, right?"
Like Yu Ying's [Alchemy - Hyper Adrenaline], Sadako had a 100th-floor skill.
"Feeling like you picked the wrong opponent yet?"
Sadako's [magic] swallowed Kyoto faster than the Sword Saint drew.
[Six Freaks] fled using [Scrolls] and escapes.
Plan failed─epically.
──Opponent way stronger than expected.
But relief bloomed in the pirate: no one would steal it now.
In the end, the last holder wins the treasure.
※※※
The woman who became underworld boss, 『Xiao Liang』.
As Rong Wei predicted, she grew strong struggling to survive isolated from civilization.
In the self-proclaimed "martial world" beyond 『Martial Lord』's coffin interference, mastering martial arts, climbing and conquering towers.
Towers provided infinite resources, making isolation sustainable.
Martial Lord, with Collector seizing China, unleashed his nurtured underlings.
Among escapees from the sealed martial world were climbers.
Xiao Liang was one, pursuing Martial Lord's power.
Her talent, strength, uniqueness─struggled adapting to this world.
But underworld shadows mirrored martial world; she adapted fast.
Might makes right.
In a world proving all by strength, she killed and crushed obstacles to claim the throne.
As Chinese government faltered, she ruled the crime syndicates, reaching even for the light's throne.
She was special, after all.
.......But not this special, she never imagined.
Shocked by her identical double, then horrified learning her identity from underlings.
Fox god freed from seal? Real live ancient god? And my ancestor...?
Then I'm truly special─way more than I thought?
"Know Plum Blossom Swordsmanship?"
"Y-Yes...?"
"Well, maybe not. Greet your ancestor."
"Uh.... Greetings...."
Pitifully, strong but unlearned Xiao Liang bowed awkwardly.
No life of courtesy or reverence; stiff as board.
The head-patting "Good girl!" should've irked, but she was dazed.
"Rong Wei, doesn't she look just like you?"
"Beyond looking alike."
Even asking 10 strangers, they'd say sisters or twins─dead ringers.
"Live 1,000 years, you'll be this beauty too."
Mei showed Xiao Liang Kang Yeoul's photo.
She claimed hard training could make her buff like Wakamo.
"Uh... she's 1,001 this year..."
"Women fudge age a bit!!"
Scale too vast?
Xiao Liang forced "I see," turning for help, but underworld execs and goons equally baffled.
"Perfect. Rong Wei, make her next deputy. Want president? Study hard from today. 12 academies, cram."
"Y-Yes...?"
"Mismanage country, die in rebellion or invasion."
Mei saying it, Rong Wei sighed recalling China's boom-bust history. Xiao Liang blinked blankly atop "ancestor's" lap, showered in doting tales.
"Now, this is Yu Ying. My ward...."
Glancing, Mei gulped at Yu Ying─eyes burning hate enough to kill, heaving breaths toward Xiao Liang.
Wakamo fully committed to fox god RP, soul-deep acting.
Everyone ignorant of truth; if Wakamo says, it's truth!
Jealous? Do it yourself! Like some martial VTuber.... or historical Joseon official broadcaster....
Inner cute empress cheers: Holy Merhen Empire's Empress supports you! You can do it! Fight!
Buoyed, Wakamo-as-Mei RP'd desperately.
"Daughter."
Grin.
Yu Ying beamed, chest out proudly, smugly looking down on Xiao Liang.
"Yu Ying, this is Xiao Liang, your future underling. Call her big sis."
"Hi, sis."
"....Uh, hi... little sis?"
No time to think. Mei pushed nonstop.
"My descendants! Problem solved!! Blessings galore!! Skills galore!! From today, ancestor's your backer─underworld joins New China gov! Got it!!"
Mei smoothly swallowed the org whole.
Unlike ignorant Xiao Liang, execs knew enough: sounds good...?
23 years her senior, yet flown by Mei; "So cute! Adorable!" praise awkward yet elevating, smile twitching.
"Our descendant, underworld boss? Worked hard! What tower climbing?"
"Sichuan Province 100-floor... cleared two so far..."
"What floor?"
"72..."
"Time to bus our descendant."
Wakamo hit affinity first. Winning climbers' hearts?
Dark world boss respects strength─make her idolize?
Ancient answer: one way.
Trash Legendary? What to do?
Good VTuber broadcast? What?
[Guardians] or [Six Freaks] fixes?
Climb the tower.
[Challenging Sichuan Province Tower Floor 72 Trial]
-Climber, shatter walls, overcome hurdles.
-Destroy your rival, seize power!
-Climber, show your martial prowess!
※You're climbing in a party with another climber.
Climbing improperly.
Next floor difficulty rises.
[Platinum Achievement Conditions]
-[Impossible via party entry over normal methods.]
First "party" climb, accepting harder difficulty, Wakamo dove in.
Xiao Liang beside Mei eyed her worriedly.
"Who's coming?"
Eager Mei loosened shoulders, pacing the dojo.
Before her appeared a nostalgic foe.
"Careful, ancestor. Opponent's a Flow Energy master!"
"Feels like it!"
Casual reply to concern seemed unserious.
Opponent─[Void Spirit Energy's Living Soul Strengthened Corpse].
Recognizing Mei, it flinched: "Why you here?" expression.
"Oryaat!!"
Fight impossible, strat long broken; the corpse got rolled up and smashed by Mei.
Clearing gave Mei just [Bonus Stats].
No tower coins─pointless climb.
[Chinese Tower] baffled why [Korean Tower] invaded, but no rewards, so she'd leave?
They watched Wakamo anxiously.
No reason to climb for trash rewards!!
[Korean Tower] drooling alien-like terrified Chinese Tower, praying fervently.
Unlike Japanese Tower.
Hope exists.
"Party climbing ups difficulty, right?"
Yes.
Party counts as two, factors in, skyrockets difficulty!!
"Then free advanced technique lesson? Score, sweet!"
Regrettably, Wakamo was wastefully, excessively genius.
No rewards? I'll take 'em.
Korean Tower clearly licked over Chinese Tower.