WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈
Chapter 29: Autumn Rain of Blood (2)
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Nobody spoke.
Amid the silence, a voice not our own echoed.
[The Goddess of Protection laments the foolishness of the heroes.]
[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain bursts into delighted laughter.]
This voice was not just for me; everyone's faces darkened.
Among them, the Paladin spoke with difficulty, real difficulty.
"…Calm down."
Even after saying to calm down, she remained silent for a while. She carefully considered how to proceed with her words.
"Don't panic. Yes. Maybe the traitor has a skill to hide lies. It sounds absurd, but there's also the possibility of a split personality hiding among us. Everyone has their own trump cards, right? It's not entirely impossible…"
"Or."
Thud.
Sword Saint spoke up.
His cold gaze was fixed on the Paladin.
"Or, it could simply be that you are the filthy traitor."
"……."
The audience chamber turned icy.
Glances sharper than swords crossed the room. Until moments ago, the Sword Saint and the guild masters had been trading attacks. The heat and sweat had not even cooled, yet conflict was already breaking out again.
The Witch frowned.
"Are you doubting us now?"
"That's right."
Sword Saint readily admitted.
"Even if the young Paladin isn't the traitor, there's still every chance you lied to us. You leaders of the so-called Five Great Guilds have long been close. Crows hide among crows. Aren't you merely covering for one another?"
"Really, you…"
"Of course!"
The Paladin shouted, a desperate voice. Sword Saint and the Witch, who had been arguing, stopped and looked at her. The Paladin tried to regain her composure as she continued.
"Of course, logically, it's possible. Yes, I could be the traitor."
"……."
"But what's important is that we all don't lose our cool and stay calm. It's okay. We have overcome numerous crises and obstacles. Haven't we? We can get through this too if we trust each other…"
"Ahaha."
Laughter flowed.
"The vice-captain is naive. No, pure."
It was the Heretic Inquisitor.
"Trust. Hmm. Trust. Such a beautiful word! But building trust takes a lot of time. It took us nearly 10 years to cooperate as the 5 great guilds. Conversely…"
The Heretic Inquisitor adjusted his clerical hat neatly.
He brushed off his outfit.
"I find it hard to trust anyone outside the 5 great guilds."
"……."
"So, it's highly inefficient to spend another 10 years building trust with other hunters now. Yes, it's a waste of time!"
"Wait."
The Paladin's voice and expression were now desperate. Her composure during the festival on the 1st floor, when she asked me if a woman who graduated from a music college had no charm, was completely gone.
"Now is not the time for efficiency. Heretic Inquisitor, please…"
"Holy Technique."
The Heretic Inquisitor quietly brought his palms together.
"God of Flesh."
A white light enveloped his hands.
"Viper. You take care of the 10th."
The light spread.
"I will take care of the 8th and 9th."
"No, Heretic Inquisitor! Don't!"
"Holy Technique, God of Teleportation."
The Heretic Inquisitor and Viper disappeared. In the blink of an eye, the Heretic Inquisitor was already behind a hunter. The one who had conquered the previous stage in 8th place. Instinctively, that hunter turned around.
"What?"
An extra who had remained quiet until now, overshadowed by the presence of the major guild masters. No, it would be unfair to dismiss them as an extra. They had performed well in the previous stage and earned their place here. Compared with my former self, they were a hunter with a far brighter future.
But their future would never come.
"I'm sorry!"
The Heretic Inquisitor laughed gaily, his bare hands without any weapon. However, his long fingers were laced with a pure white aura.
Swoosh!
"Uh, ah...?"
A blood fountain erupted.
The hunter staggered.
They belonged to no major guild that could grant them power, possessed neither the solitary strength of the Sword Saint nor alliances with other guild masters like mine, and had merely graduated from the eleventh-floor stage with a somewhat high score. That hunter died just like that.
Easily.
[A hero has died.]
[They were not a minion of the Demon King.]
The voice echoed in my head.
[The Goddess of Protection expresses sorrow.]
[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain lets out a soft sneer.]
It was a murder that happened in the blink of an eye.
"Hi, hiiik!?"
Another hunter, who had conquered the last stage in 10th place, screamed. Fortunately, or unfortunately, they didn't need to scream for long.
Swoosh!
Teleported by the Heretic Inquisitor, Viper swung his sword. With one strike, the hunter's neck was cleanly severed, and their head fell to the floor with a heavy thud.
[A hero has died.]
[They were not a minion of the Demon King.]
Blood flowed over the marble.
[The Goddess of Protection falls silent.]
[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain roars with laughter.]
Swoosh!
The sound of a sword being unsheathed echoed somewhere. It was Sword Saint.
"So, you finally show your true colors!"
The old man's face was distorted with rage.
"Disgusting brats! Nothing has changed from the old days! Stop right there. If you don't, I'll personally put you down..."
"Holy Technique, God of Teleportation."
With a flash of light, the Heretic Inquisitor vanished.
The hunter who conquered the last stage in 9th place. As soon as they witnessed the deaths of those in 8th and 10th places, they ran. They didn't scream, they just ran. Their caution as a hunter was evident. But as they were about to escape through the door, the Heretic Inquisitor teleported right in front of them.
"Ah,"
The hunter reached out.
"Just, wait..."
"Yes!"
The Heretic Inquisitor smiled broadly.
"I'm sorry!"
The hunter's head burst.
They fell in the same posture they were in when they stretched out their hand and said, "just a moment." Thud. The headless body fell lightly. Blood and flesh splattered as the head burst.
[A hero has died.]
[They were not a minion of the Demon King.]
The voice flowed quietly.
[The Goddess of Protection is silent.]
[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain claps its hands.]
"Hmm."
The Heretic Inquisitor took out a handkerchief from his pocket.
His face was covered in bright red blood. He gently wiped his face with a tender touch. After a few wipes, the handkerchief was quickly soaked in blood.
"So none of the three was the traitor!"
Silence surrounded us.
"This complicates matters. I was certain one of the three would be the culprit! Ahaha. If it's not one of the three, it really means one of us is the culprit. The trust built over nearly 10 years among the 5 great guilds is about to collapse in an instant!"
The Heretic Inquisitor tossed the bloody handkerchief on the ground.
The handkerchief floated in a pool of blood like a paper boat.
"Wait..."
The Paladin trembled.
"I asked you to wait. I clearly said it… I pleaded for everyone to remain calm. And yet, Heretic Inquisitor, you again, just like before..."
"That's strange, vice-captain! I am calm right now."
The Heretic Inquisitor smiled faintly.
He still wasn't satisfied, as he took out another handkerchief with his right hand.
"I calmly considered the matter and judged that one of those three was most likely the culprit. My judgment turned out to be wrong! Still, let us take some comfort in having eliminated the most suspicious people first. Ah. It would be a disaster if the media were watching, but fortunately no one is filming..."
At that moment.
The handkerchief fluttered in the air.
Still unstained and white, it fluttered before falling to the ground. Before it hit the ground, something heavier fell first.
A right arm.
It was the Heretic Inquisitor's arm.
"Ah."
It was a relief that it ended with just an arm.
Had Viper not intervened to block Sword Saint's strike, what fell to the ground wouldn't have been an arm, but a head.
"Damn it...!"
Viper cursed, struggling in a fierce exchange with Sword Saint.
"Hey, religious nut! Next time, give a signal before you try to kill someone!"
"Ah, ah."
The Heretic Inquisitor narrowed his eyes, looking down at his severed arm on the ground. The white handkerchief fell on top of the arm, quickly staining red with blood.
"This has gone beyond troublesome and become serious. Aha. Without both hands, I cannot form the seals for my Holy Techniques. My apologies, everyone! I can no longer serve as a combat asset on my own!"
"Now, is that the problem...!"
Viper was visibly struggling. Sword Saint's attack was not just with the sword but also through aura, coming from all directions. Viper barely managed to block these relentless attacks.
"Somebody, damn it, help! I'm dying! Really dying!"
"Kim Gong-Ja!"
The Paladin called out.
"I entrust you with full authority! You may even hold authority over whether I live or die!"
It was almost a scream.
"You are the only one who didn't receive any reward! While there's even a 1% chance that any of us could be the culprit, you're the exception! You are 100% not the traitor!"
"……."
"So, please, I beg you! Stop Sword Saint!"
Sword clashes resonated loudly in the audience chamber. Witch and Countess had joined the fray against Sword Saint. Only the Paladin stood helplessly, shoulders sagged, looking at me.
I watched the fight unfolding before me for a moment.
'Sword Emperor.'
-Yeah? What?
'…Am I destined to be loved by psychopaths?'
I had thought a mess would ensue.
The hunters already seemed to be on bad terms. If a traitor emerged, I expected them to draw their swords without hesitation. That's why I gave up on the reward in the first place.
But…
'This is a total mess...'
I sighed.
"Ah, that's a good idea. Not bad!"
The Heretic Inquisitor interrupted between the Paladin and me. He was single-handedly applying a potion to stop the bleeding from his arm. Surprisingly, he showed no sign of pain or distress.
"In this situation, a majority vote would only be a hindrance. Let's suspend the 5 great guilds' system for now. It's inefficient! It's better to concentrate power on someone who is absolutely not a traitor."
"That means..."
"Yes!"
The Heretic Inquisitor smiled broadly, holding his severed arm.
"I too will entrust all decisions to Hunter Kim Gong-Ja!"
"……."
"Ah, I was confident that one of the three would be the culprit, but I have no shame. However, what's done is done! Until we catch the traitor, I won't trust my own judgment. Hunter Kim Gong-Ja, I will follow whatever you say!"
The Guardian Spirit muttered.
-Yeah. You seem destined to be loved by psychopaths. Rarely have I seen such a lunatic. There was only about one like him when I climbed the tower.
A truly unwanted destiny.
'I've ended up being entrusted with authority by the vice-captain of the Vigilante Corps and the head of the Pantheon...'
-You've made it big. Congratulations. Did you give up on the reward knowing this would happen? I was secretly admiring you for that.
'I knew it would be a mess, but who knew it would be this disastrous? What about those three who died for nothing? I guess I'll have to return once again later...'
I glanced at the Paladin.
She stood quietly, hand to her face.
"Excuse me. I have a question."
"...Yes."
Did she already know what I was going to ask? A sigh escaped from between the Paladin's fingers.
"He's always been like that."
She was obviously referring to the Heretic Inquisitor.
"When we first entered the tower, there was immense chaos. Especially with religious conflicts. People of different religions, or even the same religion but different sects, split apart and fought. When the Heretic Inquisitor appeared..."
"He appeared and?"
"...He killed them all."
The Paladin sighed again.
"Anyone who started fights over religion, regardless of nationality or background, he simply killed. He assassinated them as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Those are the only methods he has ever known..."
"Wow."
I had simply thought the religious groups, after repeated conflicts, had joined hands to form the Pantheon. That's what the media reported. But behind that, was there a thorough massacre...?
"Save me! Someone!"
In the distance, Viper screamed.
His voice seemed to rise an octave every minute.
"I'm gonna die! Fuck! I'm really gonna die! The Celestial Martial Clan Master is going to die today, you bastards!"
"Ahaha."
The Heretic Inquisitor adjusted his hat.
"I recognize that my mistaken judgment caused this entire disturbance. I have no excuse, but Hunter Kim Gong-Ja! As the condition for accepting full authority from me, could you please stop the Sword Saint?"
"Sigh. You are... No, never mind."
I shook my head.
"Let's talk about you later. Seriously. Right now, Viper really seems to be dying, so let's deal with this first."
"Yes! Please!"
I left the Paladin and Heretic Inquisitor behind and walked forward.
'Well, even if it's just for a moment, taking control of both the Vigilante Corps and the Pantheon is beneficial. They're both large guilds...'
I convinced myself.
A fierce battle was unfolding in one corner of the audience chamber. It was intense and dazzling. Frankly, at my current level, it was hard even to follow with my eyes. Joining such a fight was tantamount to suicide.
But I knew exactly what to say to stop Sword Saint.
"Sword Saint!"
No response.
"Sword Saint! You bowed to me today! Since you've already bowed, please listen to me! Stop fighting and let's talk among ourselves!"
Still no response.
Ah, no choice then.
I took a deep breath and shouted.
"I will ask your granddaughter out!"
Pause.
"If your granddaughter ever enters the tower, well, let's have a meeting. Whether we end up dating or not, I don't know, but she's a family member of Sword Saint, so she must be charming. So as someone who might become your son-in-law, please stop fighting!"
Sword Saint turned silently to look at me.
A long, quiet silence followed.
"...I never forgave these bastards."
"Yes."
"I'm not stopping because of your words, young man. But while crossing swords, I thought that I could kill them anytime. Then, it's better to find the traitor first and then wipe them all out. Right?"
Why are you asking me that?
Instead of arguing, I just nodded obediently.
"Ah, that's a really wise decision. Kill them later."
"Hmm."
Sword Saint slowly sheathed his sword.
On the other side, Viper gasped for air.
"Uh...? What? Am I, alive? Is it over...?"
Nothing is over.
We just temporarily stopped the immediate fight.
"Everyone, please calm down."
I addressed the hunters.
"I don't know who the traitor is here. We might not even find the traitor. But that's secondary. We don't need to find and kill the traitor to overcome this crisis."
"...How so?"
The Paladin asked.
"The traitor chose the Demon King's reward, which means they're already targeting our lives. We don't know when we'll be stabbed in the back."
"Look at this."
I pointed to the marble floor.
There lay three corpses, soaked in blood and flesh, but more importantly, the Heretic Inquisitor's inscribed words.
+
[The Goddess of Protection]
Description: The goddess who protects the Aegim Empire is moved by your dedication! She has decided to entrust you with an important position in the empire.
You can become the Prime Minister, the Grand General, or the Commander of the Knights of the empire. Choosing a position will also grant you the abilities and reputation associated with that position!
Warrior of the goddess! Join forces with your fellow warriors.
And destroy the Demon King's core located on the 20th floor!
*However, if you choose the Demon King's reward, you cannot choose the Goddess's reward.
+
"The Demon King's Core is located on the 20th floor."
I looked at each of the hunters' faces.
"Don't focus on how to find and kill the traitor. It's a trap. Don't fall for it. The traitor is probably trembling in fear right now. Maybe the system even automatically designated someone as the traitor. Who knows?"
"……."
"Let's all go fuck up the Demon King first."
The audience quieted down.
"Eliminating the Demon King also eliminates the Demon King's reward. It's a simple solution. No matter how absurd the tests the tower throws at us, or how much it tries to incite internal conflict among us, the solution is always simple."
A voice echoed in my mind.
[The Goddess of Protection's eyes light up.]
[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain clicks its tongue.]
I spoke with emphasis.
"Let's ascend the tower."
This was my answer.
"Let's shatter the Demon King's Core on the 20th floor."
An answer not only to the hunters but also a declaration to the tower itself.
In response to my answer, a voice responded.
[You are given the floor 12 quest.]
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