Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: The One Who Seeks the Throne of Greed
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Red shot out from the waiting area, running swiftly and without hesitation.
Normally, the people gathered in the plaza would have engaged in a fierce battle for survival, playing through the games prepared by the organizers one by one.
But Red had no intention of playing along.
All she had to do now was find the mastermind behind this and take them down.
A game where sensor-equipped robots turned their heads, sniping and killing any participant who moved while the sensors were active.
Red dashed through the hail of bullets like an arrow, breaking through in an instant.
A game where walls closed in from both sides, and one could only survive by matching their posture to the shapes in the walls.
Red broke through by running far faster than the walls could close.
A game that demanded extreme luck, requiring participants to cross a bridge of mixed tempered and regular glass within a time limit, where bad luck meant falling to one's death.
Red crossed the glass panels with ease, moving much faster than the speed of a fall.
After that, a series of perilous games designed to easily claim lives targeted Red.
But Red cleared them all effortlessly, without a single scratch.
As far as the games were concerned, Red's existence was no different from a bug.
The bug simply broke through the games head-on.
And all too easily, she reached the final finish line alone.
It was a vast plaza where sandy dust swirled.
Red looked around.
There was nothing.
A strange and immense energy, palpable even from a distance, filled the entire space, yet its source was unseen.
Just then, a sound echoed throughout the plaza, and the ground began to vibrate.
The ground split open, and a large figure emerged from the fissure.
A giant mechanical beast.
Atop the machine, a person was seated.
It was a handsome man with blue hair.
His face was so gentle and refined that it would capture the gaze of anyone, regardless of gender.
The man sat with his legs crossed, one hand propping up his chin, looking down at Red with a profound gaze.
Red looked up at the person looking down at her.
Her eyes were cold and sharp.
Not only was his greasy face not her type, but an ominous aura and a nauseating, rotten stench emanated strongly from his body.
It was the air of someone who had taken lives without hesitation.
“Are you the one? The administrator of this place?”
Despite her murderous expression, which would make even the bravest person flinch.
The man showed no sign of fear. Instead, his handsome face was slightly contorted, as if displeased.
"This is troublesome," the man muttered quietly.
He let out a long sigh and spoke.
“Ahh, you're just as rough and impolite as the rumors say. To ruin the games I worked so hard to prepare like this. Thanks to you, my carefully laid plans have been completely shattered.”
The man had three objectives.
One was personal.
The other two were requests.
Of those, the requested tasks had not gone according to plan.
Her overwhelming skill had derailed his plans all too easily.
“My original plan was to show you the true nature of humanity by having the participants fight, struggle, and betray each other for money or survival during the games. I wanted to draw out their ugliest sides. Then, when you were the last one standing, I was going to ask if you still believed in people. But now, it's all ruined.”
With a groan, the man buried his face in his hands and bowed his head low.
His shoulders trembled.
Was he despairing over his ruined plans?
But then, a faint laugh escaped from him.
Heh heh heh.
When he removed his hands, the man's face showed no sign of disappointment.
In fact, a look of immense relief was plastered on his face.
“Well, it doesn't matter. To be honest, I didn't expect it to go according to plan anyway. I never thought such childish games would work on you. After all, you're the famous Crime Killer, the one who smashes all the world's evil with her fists!”
The bizarrely curled corners of his mouth slowly settled down.
“I merely prepared this stage for you as a way to achieve my own goals while currying favor with an acquaintance, but oh well. What can you do when the actor refuses to follow the director's script?”
Red's eyes narrowed.
“Who are you?”
The man clapped his hands as if he'd just remembered something important.
With an elegant gesture, he gave a slight bow.
A cruel smile blossomed on his face.
“My name is Adam. The man who will take his seat on the Throne of Greed. Remember my name well on your way out. It would be a shame to die without knowing the name of the man who defeated you.”
Red repeated Adam's name and face in her mind, tilting her head slightly.
“That's strange. The Squad Amusement Park is sponsored by a wealthy philanthropist. It would have been difficult for trash like you to just waltz in and set up such a massive facility.”
“Hahaha. That's because I'm the one who gave that rich man his money. I was the one who ordered him to build this place for my own amusement. You have no idea how thrilling it is to sit up high and watch people run around in chaos~.”
Seeing the ecstatic expression on Adam's face, Red scowled.
“A disgusting hobby, fit for trash.”
“Heh heh. It's an amusement only the wealthy, like myself, can enjoy.”
“But the Throne of Greed… Are you talking about the Seven Deadly Sins? You said the throne was empty. Did the other two die?”
“No. Strictly speaking, the two you missed are still alive and well. But they've already been defeated once. The seat is practically empty. That's why I intend to take it.”
Adam, still with his legs crossed, laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them.
A wide arc formed on his lips.
His murky eyes, swirling with greed and desire, shimmered profoundly.
“You see~ I want to sit in the seat of Greed among the Seven Deadly Sins. It suits me, don't you think? And then I'll fill the rest of the seats with my own people. My dream is to become a shadowy mastermind, manipulating this world from behind the scenes.”
As he confessed his dream, Adam's face looked as innocent as a child's.
Glimmering, passionate, and purely evil.
“But!!”
Adam's gentle expression contorted with rage, veins popping on his forehead.
“You keep getting in the way of my dream! Crime Killer, Red!! Lost in your pathetic hero games, you've destroyed so many organizations I'd invested in! What's the point of laying the groundwork when you come along and ruin everything?”
“Right. I think I have a good idea of what kind of person you are. But what were you doing all this time, only to come after me now? I have to ask... are you that scared? Of me.”
At the mocking smile on Red's lips.
Adam roared in denial.
“As if!!!”
Adam slowly caught his breath.
Regaining some of his composure, he gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile.
“Honestly, I wasn't ready to fight you until now. But that's over. All my pieces are in place.”
“I see. Understood.”
Red pulled down on the leather gloves she wore.
She clenched her fists and took a stance.
“I'll hear the rest after I take you down.”
“Yes! That's the spirit. It makes coming here worthwhile. But before that!!”
Adam snapped his fingers.
A clear sound echoed softly.
*Snap.*
Directly between Red and Adam.
A large hologram appeared in mid-air.
Like a child welcoming something fun, Adam spoke with a cruel yet pleasant smile.
“Let's play one last game.”
Looking at the screen, Red's brow furrowed slightly.
The screen showed the plaza filled with people.
The problem was the four massive beasts positioned at the north, south, east, and west points of the plaza.
“As you can see, I've sent my pawns to the participants' waiting area. The moment I give the order, they will move to kill everyone in that plaza.”
Adam’s smile grew even more sadistic.
“The rules of the game are simple. You choose one: me, or them.”
As long as she silently endured Adam's attacks, the monsters wouldn't move.
But the moment Red moved, the monsters would kill the people.
Just as Adam said, the rules were simple, but it was a game that was unconditionally disadvantageous for Red.
Red's face hardened at the unfair game.
At her reaction, Adam chuckled and continued.
“So what choice will the fist that upholds justice make? Will you silently swing your fists to destroy evil, even if it means creating mountains of corpses and rivers of blood from the powerless?”
Adam spread his right arm wide.
“Or will you cast aside that shallow justice and silently endure this ordeal to save all those lives?”
Next, he spread his left arm wide.
Then he stretched both outstretched arms toward Red.
And in a very loud voice.
“Noooooow! Choose!”
The moment he finished speaking.
*Boom!*
The violent and ferocious giant mechanical beast Adam was riding on exploded.
“Isn't it obvious? I'll defeat you and save the people.”
Red kicked off the ground, lunged at Adam, and threw a punch.
The mechanical beast moved swiftly to protect Adam, and as a result, it sacrificed its life.
It barely managed to protect him.
Of course, the force of the explosion sent Adam's body flying through the air before he landed on the ground in a spectacular fashion.
Tumbling over and over.
Covered in dirt and dust, Adam coughed repeatedly.
Annoyed by Red's unhesitating actions, he stood up.
He wiped the dust from his mouth with his arm and spoke.
“Foolish! Do you really think that's possible? You will die here at my hands. Or do you believe in the people in the waiting area? That they can defeat those monsters? No matter how many Fixers are there, they can never defeat the four great beasts I've placed.”
Adam continued without pause.
“The four great beasts there are some of the strongest pieces in my arsenal. I sent them to instill even greater despair. Each one is a monster that would require multiple teams of SS-Rank Fixers just to have a chance of being taken down!”
Adam laughed loudly, "Khahahaha!"
He was certainly taken aback by how little time Red spent deliberating.
But that only made her choice all the more enjoyable for him.
The bold judgment and cold resolve to sacrifice anyone to destroy evil.
A distorted image of a hero, far removed from the ones in books.
It proved she was no different from the other humans in the city.
“Did you want to play hero that badly! Now, Crime Killer Red. Watch closely and see the result of your little hero game!!”
Adam swung his arm wide, staring intently at Red's expression.
To see that face.
But her expression was not what he expected, and Adam's body froze.
What? Why? How?
Red's expression was impassive.
Her utterly nonchalant attitude gave Adam a sudden sense of unease.
“Why that look on your face?”
“Who knows? Maybe it's because I believe in a possibility I once considered....”
Adam frowned at her incomprehensible words.
Red recalled something from the past and quietly shifted her gaze to the screen.
Adam followed her gaze.
The entire screen showing the plaza suddenly went black.