Chapter 62
Chapter 62
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Reversal
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Going back in time to the moment Ruin stormed out of the Magic Tower in a rage after spotting Is, Ariana, and Prelia.
"Haa... that fucking bastard."
Ruin kept sighing and cursing under his breath as Is's face flashed through his mind.
Never in his fifteen years of life had he felt this confused.
"Shit..."
The Black Knight had spilled a ton of info before dying, but only one thing stuck in Ruin's head.
"A star close to the moon..."
The way the Black Knight had called Is that—and the look in his eyes when he said it—burned crystal clear in Ruin's memory.
The Black Knight hadn't said a word about Ruin and was far stronger, which hit Ruin even harder.
"..."
Ruin glanced down at his own hand.
Unlike Is's hand, which was covered in calluses and scars from that brief glimpse before, his own was just starting to toughen up.
"...Am I the one who's wrong?"
Before meeting Is, Ruin had been proud of his pristine, beautiful hands.
No one else could catch up to his talent, no matter how dirty their hands got.
But lately?
The Saintess he liked had chosen effort over talent. Blocking the Black Mage's self-destruct? Effort again.
Stepping into the Tower of Terror where all power vanished? Effort. Earning awe from the Black Knight? Effort.
It felt like his core belief—that talent always beat effort—was being utterly shattered.
"...Grandfather."
Ruin's eyes reddened as he thought of his grandfather, who always had advice for times like this.
"Maybe I should head back home."
Is had begged him to come along, but with the Black Knight dead, no one would complain if he bailed.
Ruin closed his eyes and wrestled with the decision in his head dozens of times.
"Reverse."
"...!"
In that instant, someone whispered right in his ear.
Ruin whipped around, sword drawn in a flash.
"...What the hell?"
But the alley behind him was empty.
And that's when Ruin noticed something was off.
"...Hold on."
Goosebumps prickled across his skin.
"...Why does my voice sound like this?"
Instead of his usual masculine tone, a thin, beautiful feminine voice came from his mouth.
"Wh-what?"
Panicking, Ruin stumbled backward.
In his fluster, he tripped and fell on his ass—and that's when he saw it.
"Kyaaaaah!"
The massive twin peaks jutting from his chest.
"This is insane, insane, insane!"
Ruin groped at his body frantically.
Thanks to being the Hero, his physique had always stayed perfect without effort—but now his waist had narrowed, his hips widened, and everything softened into feminine curves.
His hair had grown long enough to drape past his shoulders sometime during it all.
But amid all those changes, the real problem stood out.
"Fuck, my greatsword!"
It was the absence down below where his trusty blade had always hung.
He snatched up the sword he'd dropped and checked his face in the reflection. Staring back was a stunning black-haired, red-eyed beauty with a look of utter shock.
"...Fuck."
He'd turned into a woman.
The realization hit, and Ruin bolted straight for the Magic Tower.
'The mages will know how to reverse this!'
That was his plan. But the moment he arrived, tension gripped him.
"Wh-what...?"
All the kids playing outside the tower lay collapsed on the ground, fast asleep.
"Which bastard did this to the kids...!"
Ruin realized someone was behind this and sprinted inside at full speed.
'This is the tower with the most kids...!'
He had to check on the children, on Ariana, and...
'That bastard Is...!'
Is's status too. Whatever was going on, that guy always had a way to fix things.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"...So you came to me for help?"
"...Yeah."
She—no, Ruin—had burst in after ripping the door off its hinges.
At first, when she claimed to be Ruin, I thought she was some crazy chick from a comic who thought she was a guy. But her speech, mannerisms, and outfit all checked out. She really was Ruin.
And hearing her story confirmed it.
My immediate thought?
'The Reverser's already made his move?'
The Reverser had arrived.
The "Reverse" she'd heard.
That was the incantation the Reverser chanted every time he used his black magic.
It was practically confirmed, but one question lingered.
'Why reverse her gender?'
Why gender of all things?
In the game, when you fought the Reverser, he'd flip the player's 'stats'.
Swap strength and agility, or defense and stamina—stuff like that. So why gender?
The answer came quick.
'No point overthinking. The game's become reality.'
This wasn't the game anymore; it was real life.
Stats, classes, gender—anything could be flipped now.
'Decision made.'
With the Reverser confirmed as the culprit, my next move was set.
"Hero."
"That look—you've figured it out, haven't you?!"
"Yes, exactly."
What I had to do was simple.
"I can't do a damn thing. You're on your own."
Ignore it.
"Eh...?"
Ruin stared blankly, not getting it.
She looked adorable, but remembering it was Ruin inside made me want to puke.
'Think of Ariana...'
Whew, better.
Anyway, only one reason for ignoring her: the hidden item in this city.
'Just shove the hidden item at her, and it'll be fine.'
Find it, hand it over, and the spell lifts. Ruin can handle the rest solo.
It was useless against the Black Knight but perfect for black mages like the Reverser.
I moved to slip past Ruin and head out for it.
But she grabbed my arm.
"Hey! You can't just leave me like this!"
"...Isn't Lib High Priest here?"
"That guy's wrecked! Fucking weakling..."
"Oh."
I rushed over and shoved the door slab off Lib.
"Haha, thanks, brother."
Lib High Priest grinned, a few teeth missing and his body mangled, thumbs-up despite it all.
He stretched a bit, then chanted a prayer.
-Crack. Creak.
His body healed rapidly.
In under ten seconds, he was good as new, rolling his shoulders.
"Hero, even as a woman, you look great—"
"You crazy fuck!"
-Boom!
"..."
Ten seconds back to normal, and Lib was embedded in the wall again. I let it slide this time.
More importantly...
"But Hero, shouldn't you have gone to the Violet Tower Master first?"
"I-I mean..."
Ruin hesitated, face flushing.
'Fuck.'
Her manly soul twisting things up inside, but I kept a straight face and waited.
"I thought you could fix it."
"Pardon?"
"I said I thought you could solve it!"
What the hell?
Had she figured out I was possessed?
"Whenever crisis hit, things always worked out if you were around."
"Ah."
That was it.
I'd panicked thinking she'd sniffed out my possession, but then she added:
"And... I don't want the others seeing me like this..."
"Pardon?"
"You and that idiot Lib are chill enough, but Ariana? She'd look at me with disgust. Prelia? That bitch would cling like crazy. The Violet Tower Master... he's invisible anyway, but the girl next to him would glare daggers. And the Crimson Tower Mistress too..."
"I see."
Me and Lib wouldn't make a fuss, but the others would freak—and she was too embarrassed for that?
"S-so!"
-Grab.
"Gah!"
Ruin suddenly yanked my collar.
Her height had shrunk with the change, forcing me to bend at the waist naturally.
"You cannot let anyone else see me like this! Got it? If it gets out, you're dying with me!"
Tears welled in Ruin's eyes as she warned me.
-Thud.
Something dropped behind me, against the door.
"...Is?"
"Ah."
This has to be Ariana.
Why am I scared to turn around...?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Meanwhile, behind the Violet Tower.
[Guruk...]
"...Gu Poison."
Prelia stroked her Gu Poison with a sinister smile.
"You don't think my feelings for Is are fake, do you?"
[Gur...]
"...I see."
Prelia's lips quivered.
She gripped the Gu Poison tighter.
"Gu Poison, what should I do?"
[Gu, guruk...!]
"I have to love someone! And he seemed like the best bet!"
[Gureeeek...]
"I could like people normally! But my personality got 'reversed'!!!!"
She squeezed so hard the Gu Poison looked ready to burst.
"Why! Why can't I just be happy?!"
Prelia screamed in fury, but...
"...What am I even saying? I'm so happy right now!"
She flashed a bright smile like nothing happened and let go.
"Oh no! Did I squeeze too hard?! You okay, Gu Poison?"
[Gu, guruk...]
"Ahaha! Don't worry about me—such a sweet boy!"
-Swish.
Prelia stood up.
"Alright! Let's go see our cute little Holy Knight again!"
[Guruk...]
With that, she headed back inside the tower to find Is.