NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Rumble.
“Ah.”
It was only after I saw a thick cloud of dust rising from the crumbling wall that I snapped back to reality. A gasp slipped through my parted lips.
[Good, then let’s move on to the next action…!]
‘Wait, wait, stop!’
[What? Why?]
The Demonic Sword immediately handed back control, just like it boasted earlier. With the sword dangling in my grip, I stared at the partially collapsed wall.
‘What should I do about this…?’
Thoughts collided: ‘It’s a place meant for training, so it should be fine, right?’ and ‘What if they ask me to pay for it?’
These sorts of dilemmas only came up when I was playing baseball with friends back in elementary school. There were times we broke windows of a 98-story skyscraper (the ball bounced around like a rubber ball, leaving a mess), or even knocked down an alien spaceship observing Earth!
And then the answer came back to me just like that.
‘Gargandoa, can you just hide inside my forearm for a sec?’
[I was having so much fun!…]
The Demonic Sword whined but followed my request. It turned a deep crimson and flowed down like blood, finally absorbed into the engraving on my forearm. The glowing mark that had recently shone softly instantly became much calmer.
“Huh…”
“What the…?”
I glanced around discreetly.
There were various slaves: one trembling on the floor, another with their mouth agape in a daze, and yet another who had dropped their sword and was just flapping their lips in shock.
A variety of slaves stared at the ruined wall. I tiptoed backward, keeping an eye on my surroundings.
‘Alright, let’s use this chance to escape.’
In the comedy world, it was a given that the last one remaining would take the blame. It’s a terrifying place where the clueless get all the responsibility.
I desperately stifled the sound of my footsteps and hurriedly slipped out of the training arena.
‘I’ll leave the rear to you!’
I silently sent tearful goodbyes to the remaining slaves, then quickly distanced myself from the training grounds.
*
‘N-no way. How am I supposed to kill this guy?’
A slave huddled on the floor of the training arena swallowed dryly, unable to steady their trembling body, recalling words from a prominent client they had met not too long ago.
‘He said that guy is just overconfident because of his weapon, with no real skills at all! How can someone rely only on a weapon—with no skills?! Plus, aside from that, he assured me he’d handle any monsters killed with that weapon from the storage!’
The slave recalled the trajectory of Lian’s swordplay: the elegantly arcing spear and the sharp killing intent veiled within the fluid motions. If they had stood before him, they’d have been sliced clean in half.
‘Damn it, those guys were just spewing nonsense…’
The slave recalled another slave they had recently encountered, who had accepted the job to deal with ‘Lian’ before them.
The dude who always strutted around like he owned the place had nearly lost it, screaming not to approach Lian. At the time, it had just appeared ridiculous.
Weren’t they just relying on their weapon?
The slave smirked to themselves but didn’t dare act rashly. There were several others reacting the same way. That’s why the slave had planned to check Lian’s abilities with their own eyes before making a move.
‘If I had known his skills were like that, there’s no way I’d have accepted the job! They offered way too much money for something so simple…’
Cursing inwardly, the slave stood up unsteadily, their legs shaking like jelly.
‘I can’t do it, I absolutely can’t.’
Sure, money is important, but the most crucial thing is staying alive. Turning down a big client could also cost them their life, but at least they might have had a chance to survive.
The slave staggered out of the training ground, making for their big client.
*
“Tsk…”
Bulging eyes, a face full of wrinkles, and a slick head.
The one the slave called the ‘big client’ lounged on a luxurious sofa, tapping the round top of his cane on the floor.
“How can it be so difficult to deal with just one slave? I knew it wasn’t right to entrust this to those lowly creatures hanging out on the lower floors!”
His voice was that of a cranky old man, not exactly pleasant to listen to. He tapped his wooden cane against the floor several more times before abruptly stopping, making a loud thud.
He narrowed his eyes and smacked his lips as if spotting prey, like a frog ready to spring on a fly.
“Still, he seems like quite a delightful hunt… It might be fun to play with him myself.”
He grinned and popped up from the sofa. The old man, barely taller than an average woman, cast a long shadow as he stood. He tapped his cane against the floor as he left the room, heading toward his associate’s quarters.
Having secured a nearby room, he quickly reached the door of his acquaintance ‘Totogen.’ His shadow stretched long, and a man seamlessly emerged from it, as if it were completely natural.
He confidently stepped forward and knocked.
Knock knock.
Without waiting for a reply, the man slipped back into the old man’s shadow. Soon after, Totogen’s servant opened the door.
The servant’s face paled slightly upon recognizing the old man and quickly stepped aside.
“Ah.”
“What brings you here, Bansook?”
Totogen welcomed his associate warmly upon seeing his face. The old man, or Bansook, tapped his cane on the floor as he made his way to sit across from Totogen on the sofa.
“I hear you recently found an intriguing slave?”
“Ah…”
Totogen let out an unexpected sigh at Bansook’s words. Bansook’s lips twisted into an oddly creepy smile, making his wrinkled face contort further.
“It just so happens that I’m also interested in that fellow… Can I join in?”
“You?”
“Yeah. He looks mentally tough—just my type.”
Bansook chuckled lightly, giving his cane a playful tap on the ground. Totogen fell momentarily silent.
It was customary for the first person to claim a slave to have their fun before passing it on as a gift. However, this kind of thing was rare.
Nobody wanted to just hand over their toys because someone else was eyeing them—especially not just because they’ve grown weary of playing with them.
So, anyone looking to seize a slave later had to ask for permission in advance—like right now.
Totogen honestly wanted to enjoy Lian himself until the moment the slave met their end. But…
‘It’s hopeless.’
They had already flopped at trying to kill him using hundreds of monsters and even failed at pairing him off with top-tier slaves from the upper floors. Even direct torment had come up short; there was no way left to break Lian.
And now, here came Bansook, offering help, making it hard to say no.
‘…Alright, what I want is his despair. It wouldn’t hurt to team up.’
Totogen glanced at Bansook, who wore an equally unpleasant expression.
Both Bansook and Totogen shared similar tastes. Totogen enjoyed watching the pure spirits of children shatter, while Bansook found pleasure in torturing and subjugating strong-willed individuals until they broke.
It was precisely for these reasons that they had become fast friends.
Bansook’s method of breaking a slave’s spirit was a bit too direct for Totogen’s taste, but if it meant fracturing Lian’s psyche, he didn’t care how it was achieved.
“Fine, let’s go with that.”
“Ha ha, wise decision!”
Totogen and Bansook joined forces to shatter Lian’s spirit.
*
[Partner, how about this line after taking down an enemy? “Ah, this is the difference between you and me.”]
Where does it come up with these lines?
I observed the Demonic Sword, which was now bursting with energy like it was on party mode, radiating an alluring red glow.
[Or how about saying it right as you hold the sword? “I refuse to move a single step from here! That way, we can be even!” How’s that? Pretty awesome, right?]
I envisioned the Demonic Sword rolling around on the floor in embarrassment over its own ‘cringey moments’ as it matured, and tucked that line in my brain for later.
[Why aren’t you responding? Ah, is my line just too epic for words? Of course, because it’s coming from me! But listen up! If you don’t practice, you won’t be able to shout it out when it counts. Let’s get some practice in, quick!]
I gazed at the Demonic Sword and thought.
‘Did it really eat something strange?’
As those thoughts crossed my mind, I couldn’t help but glance down at my own body.
‘…The Demonic Sword has only drunk my blood, right?’
If that’s the case, could the growing otaku angst of the Demonic Sword be my fault?
‘Nah, can’t be.’