Chapter 202
Chapter 202
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 202
Chapter Title: Wakamo Inarizushi's Influence
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Wakamo Inarizushi's influence didn't just affect her allies.
The Guardians were cautiously exploiting the Tower of Babel and the Russian Tower to their advantage.
The emergence of the Tower of Babel had made the Humans, including the Black Tower, cooperate with them a bit more.
On top of that, they'd succeeded in mass-producing Esper soldiers through the sub-classes unlocked by conquering the tower.
They'd even advanced further, successfully recreating the ancient climbers—the Ascenders—who had long vanished, in the modern era.
Devices attached to them generated Ether, granting them pseudo-authorities that fell short of the real thing.
Even without wielding true Authority, any modern Climber would hesitate to oppose them if they harnessed Ether.
And so, those who quietly climbed the tower, over and over, held their breath and bided their time.
Their low rankings didn't matter—they knew the Method, allowing them to acquire Authority faster than modern Climbers.
They needed sacrifices to ascend to godhood.
Most modern Climbers, upon gaining the qualifications and learning the conditions, chose to halt without crossing that wall.
It demanded ten thousand lives as if it were nothing.
The awakening of Authority came at that steep price, forcing blood to be spilled.
In the old days of the Ascension Tower, where they slaughtered each other, it might have been feasible, but mass slaughter was unbearable for those climbing the modern tower.
—So where exactly had the Guardian executives sourced such vast numbers of sacrifices?
Orphans and homeless victims of the tower's collapses and the disasters it spawned.
Nations torn by endless wars and civil unrest.
And the "criminals" supplied back when they lurked in America's shadows.
Some of those criminals had been used as offerings for Archdemon summons.
Traitors consorting with humanity's enemies (in truth, just civilians caught in witch hunts) were targets for the Guardians to eliminate.
There were plenty of people in this world who deserved to die, and their sacrifice would serve a noble cause.
Those dubbed Legendary Classes, who awakened Authority just by climbing the tower, only to risk being consumed by it.
The Guardians moved to eliminate them, guided by their ideology of managing and protecting humanity, ensuring the world remained under human dominion.
Even among Climbers, the unqualified who gained Authority might face removal.
【Who is the true leader of the Guardians?】
Countless factions, incomprehensible technological prowess, executives who had seized Authority first.
The world always keeps a wary eye on overwhelmingly massive groups, checking their power.
The 【Qin·East Asia Federation】 has many enemies. They just aren't visible.
※※※
"The executive went in first! Is the signal really cut off?"
"Yes, sir! Life signs have vanished!"
"[The Ascender's presence has disappeared. Human responses included.]"
Guardian forces clustering around the Ether-wreathed Ascender tensed, scanning their surroundings.
They had come to Switzerland with the executive who wielded Authority, alerted to the imminent Archdemon summoning.
No one thought the Silent Blade—one of the Guardians' strongest, having slain countless Legendary Classes—would lose to an Archdemon.
The Guardians had data on Archdemons from their first- and second-generation Satanists, giving them full confidence.
Soldiers armed with cutting-edge Ether firearms and deploying Ether barriers held their breath, guarding the only exit.
At the presence stirring from within, the vanguard drew Ether swords from their coats.
A unique Guardian technology, born from tech fused with Black Tower aid.
Its duration was extremely short, but without knowing its nature, Climbers would charge in blindly, trusting their Skills or stats, only to die pointlessly.
Of course, it was overwhelming only against Climbers—not a perfectly invincible force.
"Looks like even on a rest day, we've got a ton of unexpected guests."
As the door opened, a voice echoed from the darkness, prompting someone to shout, "It's Kang Yeoul!"
The worst Climber, ranked just below the Mediator on the Guardians' elimination list.
Without a word, everyone pulled their triggers, unleashing a hail of bullets at the entrance.
With the barrage came the waiting Ascender unleashing sword beams as blades of light.
The beams slashed across the ground, erupting in brilliant light that pierced the darkness, then slowly faded.
"—By any chance, were you waiting for 'this'?"
Among those present—even including the Ascender—the strongest executive's corpse was hoisted in the hands of Kang Yeoul, clad in pajamas.
The body, riddled with holes, was so tattered it could be mistaken for rags at a glance.
But even in the dark, the coat symbolizing the executive—and their boss who had entered just an hour ago—was unmistakable.
Her body splattered in blood, her golden eyes gleaming even in the shadows, turned toward the Guardians.
A Guardian soldier, staring at the pink-haired woman in disbelief, shouted.
"You don't even have 【Authority】! How the hell did you take down our Silent Blade?!"
It was an absurd question in a situation where death loomed.
But in response to the soldier's doubt, she flashed a chilling smile and countered with a question.
"Who am I?"
"Wakamo Inarizushi! Our arch-nemesis!"
"—Wrong."
"……!!"
"And not Baekmyeon Geumgoji, Seimei, or Taegongmang either. You thought a mere human could win?"
Lies. A trick to unsettle them!!
The opponent was just a 【Legendary Class】 after all. No idol from myth come to life!
Yet deep down, every Guardian present harbored a faint "what if."
Ether and Authority were thrilling, awe-inspiring powers—but never truly invincible.
"If she were killable with such meager tricks, she'd be dead already, right?"
With those words, a gale roared through, lightning forking everywhere.
In an instant, all light vanished, plunging them into total darkness amid screams.
"Hold the formation!"
"Watch all four directions!!"
"Use skills to track her!"
"Ascender—"
The deputy commander tried ordering the waiting Ascender, but its head cleanly severed from its body, thudding to the ground.
The clean, razor-sharp cut—only then did some subordinates cry out in panic that their Ether swords had vanished.
In the darkness, unable to distinguish friend from foe, they fired wildly in terror of imminent death.
They tried flare grenades for light, but they crumpled mid-air, falling as useless trash.
"Stick together over here!! [Light]!!"
A Wizard soldier risked it, casting magic to illuminate the dark.
Fighting a hopeless foe in the unfavorable dark was pointless, even surrounded.
They had to consider fleeing to report the situation.
The Guardians couldn't use electronics thanks to Aoi Asuka.
"Something's ahead..."
In the darkness, something larger than a tree loomed, staring them down.
A terrified soldier, eyes adjusting to the blinding light, opened fire.
Bullets pierced the thick bear hide, blades bit deep—but it was too thick.
Even Ether rounds ignored defenses, but as a Shifter, its very species had transformed completely.
The monstrous bear swung an arm lightly, shredding a man into flying chunks of meat.
No feral roars like a wild bear—just silent, mechanical pulverization of Guardians one by one.
Guardians who knew Won Da-hye was that bear's true form charged bravely.
But the bear's bristling fur turned to sharp spines, impaling them like a hedgehog.
Spikes like spears sprouted from its back, snaring fleeing Guardians and skewering them.
A Guardian with its spine severed convulsed, begging for mercy amid gushing blood.
In moments, ten Guardians dangled from back spikes as the bear scanned the dark with gleaming eyes for more prey.
Hiding was futile. Running was the only answer.
"Aaahhhhhhh—!!!"
A Wizard maintaining light beside them was suddenly yanked skyward.
Looking up desperately, countless comrades hung like fruit.
It evoked images of mass suicides clustered together.
More horrific: even fused head-to-tree, they lived, legs kicking futilely.
Their escape sealed, a deer-human with stunning white antlers gazed down from the tree.
"Spare me, spare me, spare me!!!"
Another comrade was seized by elongating rubbery arms, dragged up screaming.
They morphed into something else, losing their original form.
The only way out was waiting for the magic to wear off.
But head fused to tree meant no breath—they'd die first.
A frozen captive shattered on impact upon falling.
"Where you headed in such a hurry?"
From the dark, the deer-human gripping a human face spoke curiously.
With Shapeshift, it freely morphed anything in hand.
Plus, as a Werebeast—superior to Shifters via sub-class—it could beast-shift.
No escaping in the dark forest against a deer bounding branch to branch.
They plunged into thick mist, but it was part of the mage's body.
Inhaled, comrades twisted randomly, collapsing one by one.
Ether firearms barked, but bullets dispersed the mist-body harmlessly.
Our rounds lacked mana—they were ineffective.
Realization came swiftly.
"Kekekeke."
The hunter, guzzling a subordinate's booze while watching their flailing, waited for exhaustion.
Retreat blocked, the massive bear closed in, Kang Yeoul strolling beside it in pajamas and bare feet.
"Given up already? No grit."
She smirked, but irritation underlay the laugh—that was their last thought.
A casual hand-swipe from afar beheaded them, body toppling backward.
※※※
"That side's wiped out!! She's engaged Kang Yeoul!!"
"Silent Blade's down?"
"We've got an executive here too!! Hold!!"
Why were they losing ground?
The Guardian Ether legion retreated, firing on comrades' corpses to maintain the line.
The newly descended Emperor summoned soldiers, but they were mere spirits.
Phantoms of the past possessed dead allies' bodies, rising to wield weapons and advance.
Endlessly spawning undead: blow off a head, and intact spirits just sent new summons charging.
The Emperor's spirits outnumbered the Ether legion here a hundredfold.
The noose tightened slowly.
Invisible spirits rattled terrain, sowing fear.
But they had one more executive in reserve.
A higher-up who wielded 【Authority】.
"Ahahaha—★ You guys are total trash!!"
The Esper toying with that executive sparkled with glee.
She'd never seen such garbage.
Reading memories, Aiba marveled at how many the executive had killed for Authority.
Over a hundred kids under ten, no less.
"Over there~ um, do you not have brains? Invincible against Climbers? Sorry to say, but I! Was born an Esper!!"
As a Climber, she didn't need Skills—her innate powers let bullets phase through.
Telekinesis seized soldiers, smashing them together; wrenched guns afloat, firing into Guardian lines.
Guardians swept away in seconds.
Not stopping there: eye contact mind-controlled them to shoot allies or suicide.
However they fought, whatever tricks— she adapted instantly, overwhelming.
For Wakamo Corporation VTubers, it was basic basics.
Forged by President Wakamo's strict safety training into ultimate idols.
The executive, never using 【Authority】, was caught by Aiba, brain kneaded in her grip.
Hands plunged into his skull, yanking neural matter for agonizing torture.
"If I were a cop, I'd shoot you on sight. Sucks I'm not, so I can't kill you! Right?"
No one dared retort amid the blatant mockery.
Fallen corpses rose, marching for the Emperor from beyond death.
Killing former comrades.
"Rise."
At the advancing 【Emperor】's call, corpses—former allies—stirred.
No salvation in death, just meat shields to fall and die.
They shielded the enemy with their bodies, spilling radiant light and red blood for the crowned child king.
No hesitation in their actions; those corpses were no longer comrades.
More than mere bodies, they swung weapons like veterans addicted to slaughter.
Battle-hardened "past wraiths" knew no fear or terror.
Killing them meant nothing; destroying spirits, nothing.
Without slaying the Emperor leading the death procession, it was pointless.
Brave soldiers charging met the child Emperor's sword, heads severed.
Bullets spat fire, spilling blood as they crumpled.
—Then rose again, rejoining the ranks.
A repulsive, hateful scene that made the Guardians' targeting of 【Legendary Classes】 all too understandable.
They exploited the dead as disposable pawns, without respect or mercy.
"What're you staring at? Scum like you don't deserve to live."
Aiba's telepathic reveal of the executives' shocking truths.
To Yu Ying, orphaned by a tower losing her parents young, and the child Emperor, it ignited unbearable rage.
"Killed kids who lost parents too? Why?"
"Lives lingering in pain to die anyway—why complain about becoming stepping stones for humanity's protection!!"
Protecting humanity from what, exactly?
Drunk on self-righteousness, the Emperor ordered their execution if they felt so bold.
In the end, flight was their only path.
Terrain warped entirely, paths twisting inescapably toward them.
As if vowing no Guardian spared.
"Ah— hahaha!! What a fantastic mood today!! So refreshing I could fly. Will there ever be a vacation this fun again?"
The being once called the 【Executioner】.
The artist who crafted Man-Eater as artwork laughed, clutching it.
Amid shredding barrage tearing her body, she smiled on, blood replaced by "paint."
"—Is 【Authority】 beautiful?"
"More than my ecstatic hues?"
Impossible colors unfolded.
Indescribably dazzling, beautiful shades induced floating euphoria.
Soldiers approaching dissolved into paint, splattering gorgeously.
Paint on the ground birthed artwork; applause for human lives as art.
Admiration, admiration—for beauty alone.
"—Now, those worthless lives. I'll paint them in unforgettable fleeting colors."
Her held artwork stirred.
Man-Eater titled piece stood beside her, striking a majestic pose.
"If not, become dog food."
At its master's nod, the Executioner lunged as a rabid hound.
Ah, Man-Eater: merciless, fearsome, brutal.
But well-met master kept them undying.
Even shredded to shreds.
For the artist couldn't kill her frail subjects.
"Tossed into chaotic, formless art—off to the engineers! Ahahat!"
Guardians routed.
Two executives torn apart futilely, aces like Ascenders vanished in vain.
Carefully nurtured climbers met their end without scratching a foe.
Yet the crisis lingered.
Endless demons from the lodge strained against the witch's forest, aiming to revive the Archdemon.
But awaiting them: Wakamo Corporation's strongest.
Even Wakamo couldn't dent dragon scales with mana nullification.
Aiba's powers? Dragon's mental fortitude barred interference.
Scales ignored not just magic but most physical blows.
Equivalent to holding 【Authority】 uniquely.
Already possessed but unawakened—wishing to remain human VTuber—it flaunted Ether.
Unscathed amid demonic onslaughts.
Guardian soldiers' Ether firearms, desperately breaching to reach it, failed to crack scales.
"No way!! Authority holder!!"
Could tools wielding Ether via devices defeat a true Ether user?
"Tchya… Tchao dai dua dua wuyaah!"
"VTuber master incoming!"
The transparent dragon roared.
Its insanely powerful draconic bellow swept demons and Guardians alike.
Olga Romanova burst from the [Dragon's Lair], ending the lame hide-and-seek.
True dragon power unleashed by tossing [Glasses]…!!
"She's the best, our Iosif!"
And Olga never forgot VTuber demon Mei Shaolongbao—even if she spaced sometimes—unlike VTuber Iosif Khan.
Demons and Guardian remnants obliterated; soulstone from her hand passed to the waiting Satanist beside Mei.
Two years' toil flashed by, but no hesitation crushing it against Guardian ties.
Such resolve made him third-generation chosen.
"What now?"
"What do you mean, what?"
Mei shot the Satanist an exasperated look.
"Time to rest."
We're on vacation.
Sleepless night tangled in annoyances, but routine now—no anger.
"Shall I guide you around Switzerland?"
The trio, quickest to assess, volunteered as escorts.
Thus, the unprecedented crisis that might've doomed Switzerland.
The Guardians' uprising, dreaming grander ambitions with the Archdemon.
Crumbled once more under 【Wakamo Corporation】!!
Today too, the world is safe.
All thanks to VTubers!!