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SSS-Class Suicide Hunter (Web Novel) - Chapter 282: Final Vote (3)
Chapter 282: Final Vote (3)
This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml
Translator/Editor: Ryuu
A shout was heard.
"Family Head!"
"Viper!"
Until now, the spectators had been quietly watching our fight. Although the Sword Saint had shouted earlier, that was just getting back at Viper, which deserved respect. It was proper etiquette for outsiders to quietly step back during a duel.
But now that the duel had concluded, they rushed in urgently.
"Stop!"
"You’re the last ones who should be moving!"
And those people immediately divided into two groups, facing off against each other.
On one side stood the King of Death Family, led by Ester. She had been the Demon King of Autumn Rain, Preta, a daughter, and now a family Advisor of our lineage, always ready to counsel me right or wrong.
On the other side stood the Ghost Tribe, led by a figure in a white helmet and full-body suit. It was the leader of the 256 True Color Ghost Troop that had joined at the end of the Dragon Resistance.
"What are you blocking! A bunch of clowns dressed in color-coordinated costumes!"
"And you guys, where are you headed to play cards? All in black. You guys are simply our RGB code 000000 ~The Real Black-."
"Even lacking sense in making aliases!"
"And what’s your alias?"
"I was once called the Saintess of the Wilderness, the Demon King of Autumn Rain, and Preta. Now, I am known as the Advisor of the King of Death Family!"
"Uh, what... that’s actually kind of cool..."
The leader of the Ghost Troop hesitated while scratching the back of his helmet, but Ester paid no mind.
So, I had to step in and stop Ester.
"Ester. Let it be."
"No, Family Head! I cannot!"
Her immediate objection felt like rebellion. Slightly shocked, I lowered my head, and Ester glared at the Celestial Martial Guild Master.
"The Celestial Martial Guild Master’s words to you, Family Head, are arrogant and disrespectful to the point of being unbearable."
"......."
"Always the possibility of you going astray? Ha. Falling into demonic obsession, slaughtering civilians and commoners indiscriminately, erasing all the screams in the human world as if they never existed, slaughtering all humans, gathering only those worthy of survival to create a small paradise. That's what the Celestial Martial Guild Master is talking about as your danger."
"Right."
Viper barely propped himself up on his palms, then slid on the grass and fell back into the mud.
"Damn it...."
Feeling embarrassed, he gradually calmed his breath.
He said,
"You're right. I think you, all of you Demonic Cult bastards, are capable of falling into demonic obsession at any time, causing an unprecedented massacre."
"......You."
Ester gritted her teeth.
"How long have you been observing the Family Head? Without knowing the people around the Family Head, what kind of people they are, and with what resolve they have taken up the lineage's flag. Despite all of us swearing to assist the Family Head with our lives and honor! Yet still..."
"It's not about 'yet still.'"
Viper coughed, clogging his neck wound with mud, but it didn't stop the bleeding.
"It's exactly that."
"......What?"
"You won't be able to stop your Family Head if he falls into demonic obsession."
Ester clenched her fists.
"Ha. I may have fallen, but I am the Demon King of Autumn Rain. When my tears become raindrops, thousands of ogres, orcs, goblins, and numerous monsters turn into raindrops and form an army. A bit of elevation in skill level doesn’t compare to a mere swordsman."
"Yeah, you guys are strong... damn strong."
Viper coughed out blood.
Then he smirked.
"But can you stop the Family Head if he falls into demonic obsession?"
"Yes. Of course. Even if it costs my life..."
"No, that’s not it. Imagine the specific situation. Did you really hear what I said? Huh? We're talking about your Family Head, Kim Gong-Ja."
Viper looked around.
Like a tired swordsman who sat in the middle of the Colosseum, shoulders drooping.
"Who is Kim Gong-Ja? Huh? Who is the Heavenly Demon of our era? Take a look. He didn’t fall into demonic obsession even when his master died. He just accepted it as sadness. Why did the master have to die when there are so many people deserving death in the world, huh? He didn't even let out a roar of anger. He just... just mourned while sending her off. Actually, this guy is tough."
Sitting in the Colosseum of the jungle, Viper raised his voice.
"Even if the world ends or the heart of his most beloved woman is torn apart, ah, he's fine! He never falls into demonic obsession. Holding onto his sanity, thinking if he lets go, he's nothing, whatever hellish event befalls, he never falls into demonic obsession."
Clap, clap, clap.
Viper clapped his hands. Despite the wounds on his hands, already bandaged, every clap made blood ooze from the not yet healed wounds.
"Such impressive patience. His level of controlling his mind is almost superhuman."
"......."
"Lady, what on earth would it take for Kim Gong-Ja to fall into demonic obsession?"
Silence ensued.
"He's seen the world end countless times, so that won’t do. He's seen the world end in especially horrible ways. That won’t work either. So what would it take? Truly... when human malice, combined, crushed, and so concentrated that just being close or smelling it makes you think, [Ah, this is hell]... Only that might do it. Only then, our Family Head, the Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult, might finally lose his mind."
Viper chuckled.
"Then, you. All of you retainers. Could you stop Kim Gong-Ja?"
"......"
"Would you want to?"
"......"
"What kind of hell will you see then? I don't know. I can't even imagine. But if it’s hell horrifying enough for Kim Gong-Ja to lose his sanity... and then, if he tries to kill all those who created and ignored that hell..."
Viper glanced around.
Advisor Ester, Chief Warrior Uburka, Shadow Kim Yul, Head Steward Silvia Evanair. Even the Sword Saint, who wasn’t officially part of the family but volunteered as a bodyguard.
“Could you all... stop Kim Gong-Ja?”
“We are..."
“Rather, it seems like you'd follow Kim Gong-Ja to kill those bastards who created that hell. Flipping your lids.”
"......"
“In other words, the entire lineage, the entire doctrine, would fall into demonic obsession and massacre the entire world. Wow, what a picture.”
Viper laughed lightly.
“Among you are a former Constellation, a current active Constellation, a hunter who earned an alias for slicing up Constellations, an Apostle who almost destroyed the world with the power of Constellations. The rest aren't ordinary either. The elites of the Demonic Cult who survived the end of the world. The elite! Nearly a thousand subordinates capable of at least high-level Demonic Arts...."
Thud.
Viper picked up a stone and tossed it.
It fell in front of Ester.
“Looks like an easy force to destroy a world, right?”
"......"
“If the Heavenly Demon falls into demonic obsession, it’s natural for the entire family to follow suit, and if you all, fully obsessed, roam the tower, then that’s the end of the world. The end.”
Thud.
The second stone tripped up in front of Uburka’s front paw.
And then.
“King of Death.”
Thud.
“Heavenly Demon.”
Thud.
“Hey, Kim Gong-Ja.”
Thud.
“You need me."
"......."
“Without me, you’re doomed."
"......."
“When you feel like you’re about to go mad, when you think, ‘How can someone create such a hell? If you’re human, shouldn’t you at least do this much?’ When you start to get enraged, when your heart races and blood rushes, turning your body red with anger.”
Thud.
A small stone flew and tapped near my heart, just where Viper had pressed his fist earlier.
Looking over, Viper was grinning.
“I’ll be there to restrain you.”
"......."
“If you can’t be restrained, I’ll kill you.”
So that's it.
And the moment I fall into demonic obsession and am executed by Viper, the Orthodox Faction wins.
No.
It would mean the defeat of the Demonic Cult.
“Ha."
I laughed.
“What a long... a battle that will take so long... 10 years? 20 years? 30 years? Maybe even centuries. Liǎofàn. Are you proposing a martial contest that lasts for centuries?”
“That’s right.”
Viper laughed.
“From my perspective, it’s like getting a contract job that lasts centuries, so thank you.”
Hmm.
Right.
“Alright, Liǎofàn.”
Ester looked up at me.
“Family Head……?”
“Ester. There’s no time limit in a martial contest to begin with. To determine whether Demonic Cult or the Orthodox Faction is right, Master and the Head of the Martial Alliance had to fight 990 martial contests. Even as the world was ending, they continued their contests, yet no decisive outcome was reached. There’s no need to rush.”
Ester took a deep breath. Then, as if spitting fire, she said,
“Family Head, you will never fall down the wrong path.”
“Why do you think so?”
“Well, because I have already walked down that path.”
I thought of the clouds mixed with ashes, of the rain pouring down red.
Yes.
That's right.
“Thank you.”
“So even if you seem to be straying, we will all unite to persuade you, grab you by the scruff of the neck if necessary, and pull you back.”
“I trust you.”
“There's no need for someone like him, though."
“But still, I might fall down the wrong path.”
I patted Ester's head.
Then I looked at Viper, who was roughly wiping his mud-covered face with his hands.
“Liǎofàn.”
"......."
“Thank you.”
I bowed my head.
“For your effort for me. For spending time to defeat me. I really appreciate it."
"......."
“You said you were jealous of me, but it wasn’t an ugly jealousy. You didn’t slander me. You didn’t plot to harm me. You just looked at me straight, acknowledged your jealousy, and tried to beat me. I think... you are beautiful.”
"......."
“Rather, it’s embarrassing for me to think that my Flying Ki Sword Technique would naturally extinguish your jealousy. You had already overcome your jealousy long ago. You’re incredible.”
I stood up. It was hard to breathe due to the sunken chest where the fist had hit, but I endured and walked towards Viper.
"......."
Seeing me approaching, Viper seemed a bit tense.
‘Yes.’
I know.
What to say at this moment, at this time.
‘It’s inevitable to feel tense.’
Facing the person you’ve envied, the person you’ve admired, finally coming face to face, meeting at the same eye level, what would you want to hear from them?
What do they desperately want to hear?
What do they need?
As someone who envied and admired Yoo Soo-Ha more than anyone, I know.
“Liǎofàn.”
I lightly tapped his shoulder.
“You’re quite a madman yourself.”
"......."
“I don’t dislike good madmen. I like them. You even thrust your fist into my heart... really, you’ve worked hard.”
"......."
“You were like the protagonist.”
I smiled broadly.
“But if you think that’s enough to cut my neck when I fall into demonic obsession, you’re far from enough. Train harder. Don’t neglect your practice.”
Liǎofàn made a baffled face.
“Look at this guy talking. If someone saw this, they’d think you just won?”
“Hey. Think about the situation. When I fall into demonic obsession, my combat power rises, you know."
“What kind of calculation is that…”
Liǎofàn laughed helplessly. I also sat down in front of him and laughed.
“Let’s have a drink.”
Soon someone brought drinks. The cups were prepared, and they were filled with liquor.
Then a petal fluttered from a branch and settled on the rim of my cup.
[Counting complete.]
The observing tribe had made their decision.
[Option 2 Votes: 00.00%.]
[Option 1 Votes: 100.00%.]
[Stage Clear.]
Perhaps what they had been watching was not the stage, but the transparent tears that flowed in someone's eye.
“Yeah, let’s have a drink, Kim Gong-Ja.”
He said.
“You crazy bastard.”
Thus.
[The 47th floor has been cleared.]
The last vote was completed.
