Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Judgment
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Judgment
The six jewels emitted a dazzling radiance. Each color harmonized, showcasing an enchanting hue that asserted its presence.
It was a light beautiful enough to steal one's heart.
But its brilliance was neither warm like the sun nor gentle like the moon.
A chill ran down Red's entire body.
The eerie sensation from the light made the fine hairs on her skin stand up, and a cold chill began to freeze her body.
As the terribly dreadful magic emanating from the jewels clung to her, negative emotions faintly surfaced, disrupting her concentration.
“These jewels are the most valuable treasures I possess. Each one holds a special meaning and a corresponding power, but... I suppose such details are unnecessary.”
The immense energy swelled even further.
Just how much larger was it going to get?
But just as great power comes at a price, the magic of the jewels was adversely affecting their master.
Cracks slowly began to form on Midas's face with a faint crackling sound.
But Midas, seemingly unconcerned, did not stop pouring his magic into the jewels.
He knew full well that his actions were destroying his own body, yet he did not stop.
“Try and take this!”
A golden gaze filled with fighting spirit met a pair of red eyes.
And then.
The immense magic gathered in the jewels was released, and a six-colored beam of light shot out fiercely.
“Hah!”
At the same time, Red planted her feet firmly and took a step forward.
Red's eyes blazed, and she swung her arm.
A golden flash shot out with a deafening roar.
The spear, flying in a golden arc, cut through the light of death and destroyed the jewels.
Then it pierced straight through Midas's torso.
His body, now with a large hole in it, staggered before falling backward.
A moment later, a tumultuous noise echoed throughout the arena.
The entire space shook violently, and the world slowly began to crumble.
At that moment, the golden cage high in the sky began to fall.
With Midas's defeat, the firmly shut door of the cage opened on its own.
Red, who had been wondering how to rescue Lily, saw her eyes widen slightly. For the white-haired girl had just leaped out of the cage.
*Wait?!*
A human without wings like a bird could not escape the grip of gravity, of course, so her small body fell rapidly.
Red let out a dry laugh.
A normal child would have cowered in fear in such a situation. But Lily was different. She was no ordinary child.
Or perhaps she jumped because she believed Red would catch her safely.
If so, she had to live up to that expectation.
Red leaped up.
The moment they crossed paths, Red moved her hands with perfect timing.
She safely caught Lily and pulled her into her arms.
“It's all right now.”
Red landed lightly.
She looked at Lily in her arms, and a small smile played on the girl's lips, as if she found something delightful.
Red reached for Lily's forehead. And *flick!*
Lily blinked, having been flicked on the forehead.
She thought Red was going to pat her head again and was ready to accept it, but a sudden flick!
Lily rubbed her forehead and pouted slightly as if sulking, but instead of apologizing, Red began to lecture her.
What if she had gotten hurt? Why would she do something so reckless?
Lily's eyes darted around in distress before she hung her head low.
Seeing this, Red smiled faintly.
Reckless action aside, she must have been scared, but she had endured it well, and as long as she was safe, that was all that mattered.
Red gently stroked Lily's head.
Softly, she patted her head.
Lily silently accepted the warm touch, but soon, perhaps out of shyness, she pushed her hand away.
*
The situation was over.
Whether due to the aftermath of the fierce battle or the defeat of the space's master, the arena, its purpose served, began to crumble.
As if being sucked into the sky, the broken debris floated high up and vanished.
We have to get out before this place completely collapses and disappears. Otherwise, we might be trapped here forever.
“Wait here a moment.”
I nodded at Red's words.
Red approached the man who had kidnapped me, as if she had some unfinished business with him. My curiosity piqued, I trotted after her.
I stood beside Red and looked down at the man lying on the ground.
He's completely tattered.
His body, which had kept regenerating even after being beaten by Red, was now far from regenerating; it was slowly falling apart.
“Still alive, I see.”
Red muttered.
She wasn't wrong.
But she didn't need to bother finishing him off. He didn't have much time left.
The immense magic I had felt from the man was now just a spark, and even that was slowly dying out.
The man flinched slightly, as if sensing our presence.
But.
Lacking the strength to move, he simply lay there, even though we had arrived.
The man took a long, ragged breath and spoke with difficulty.
“Congratulations... on your victory...”
“...”
“You won... in a fair fight... So I must give you a reward...”
“I don't want anything from you. Just disappear.”
Red refused coolly.
Despite the cold rejection, the man let out a chuckle, as if amused.
“But if you insist on giving me something, then before you disappear, tell me who did this to you. Who tampered with the mind of one of the Seven Deadly Sins.”
Huh? This guy was one of the Seven Deadly Sins?!
The secret behind his immense magic was revealed in that moment.
But what does she mean, manipulated?
Knowing nothing, I just watched quietly.
“After my fight with you... someone came to see me... A man who called himself a prophet...”
“A prophet...? Don't tell me he's the snake you mentioned earlier?”
“Yes... It would be best... not to speak with him... Otherwise... like me and that other one... the snake will coil itself in your head...”
“That other one? You mean the other survivor was also targeted?”
“Yes... my friend, Wrath... is in the same predicament as I...”
"A fitting end for a villain."
His gaze, which had been wandering in the air, struggled to focus on Red.
The light in his nearly extinguished eyes revived slightly, and he continued speaking between violent coughs.
“Just one thing... Before I go, just one... answer me... You... you said helping others was for your own sake. What does that mean...? Money, honor, your Fixer rank... What are you doing all this for...?”
At the man's question, my ears perked up.
Judging from the context of the conversation, it was a question about why Red helps people.
I was curious about that too.
Why someone as strong as her would go to such lengths to help others, even at a loss to herself.
But given Red's personality, I didn't think she would grant a villain's request.
So I had half given up, but Red did something unexpected.
Red lowered her eyes slightly. Her pensive face looked as if she were seriously considering the question.
Then, Red took a cigarette from her coat pocket.
She put it to her lips and raised her head.
The moment she was about to light it.
Her eyes flickered to the side and happened to meet mine.
Red's face showed a flicker of surprise, as if saying *Oops!*, and she put the cigarette back in her coat pocket.
Red glanced at me and spoke with an awkward expression.
“There's nothing grand about it. I just do it because I want to. Unlike you, I'm just not the type to be indifferent enough to abandon someone in trouble.”
“Why...? For what... to go that far...”
“Let me ask you this. Do you need a special reason to help someone?”
*Thump!*
The man's eyes widened.
It was an answer he clearly hadn't expected, and his face was one of utter shock. His pupils trembled.
I understand how the man felt.
Because I, too, was inwardly surprised by Red's words.
To think there was someone in this bleak, selfish world who would say such a thing.
And from Red's mouth, no less.
For a moment, I wondered if she was lying, but it wasn't in her character to make something like that up.
It was so absurd that I had to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst out.
In this world, people don't carelessly help others unless there's something in it for them.
The saying "If you want help, pay up first" doesn't exist for no reason.
And if they won't help even with money? You have to ask with more.
That's the kind of world this is.
Someone like Red couldn't possibly be ignorant of that.
Yet, for her to say such a thing... is it because her strength allows her to say it so easily? Or has her personality always been this way?
*What a truly foolish person...*
A person who doesn't fit in with this city.
A person terribly too good to survive in this world.
“Kh-kh-kh... Truly... absurd... What a truly foolish... answer... Befitting of the jewel I tried to obtain...”
“Someone like you could never understand.”
“Yes... You're right...”
The golden eyes were losing their light.
Now, only a small part of his upper body remained.
I could hear the sound of his life extinguishing.
“This is my reward... for your satisfying answer... It would be wise... to be wary... of the Cult of the Grim Reaper...”
“What?!”
*!?*
Red and I were both startled by the words that suddenly came from the man's mouth.
The Cult of the Grim Reaper?!
Why is that name coming up here?
“What do you mean, the Cult of the Grim Reaper? Are you saying this incident is related to them? That kidnapping Lily wasn't just about luring me here, that there was something else? Hey!”
Red bombarded the man with questions.
I gathered a bit of magic at my fingertips, preparing for the possibility that the man might say something unnecessary.
“Tch!”
Fortunately, after spitting out those incomprehensible words, the man could not continue.
What little was left of his body had completely crumbled away.
Confirming his death, I withdrew my magic.
*CRASH!*
With the man's death, the space began to collapse even faster.
Red scooped me up into her arms.
Red ran swiftly toward the exit.
I turned my head, taking in the vanishing space one last time.
I don't feel any sympathy for the man's death.
The man was one of the Seven Deadly Sins; countless people must have met their ruin at his hands.
A miserable end, befitting a villain.
Many rejoice at a villain's demise. But I can't smile. A sense of desolation makes me feel melancholic.
I saw a reflection of myself in his end.
I'm no different from him. No, I'm worse.
After all, I am the infamous Grim Reaper.
Having driven so many to their deaths, I wonder what kind of end I will meet...
Suddenly, I became curious about my own final moments.