Volume 1 Chapter 43 Gathering with the Villainous Guildmaster and Those Who Have Been Played IV [Irankus VIII]
The outskirts of town. Deep in the forest.
Irankus stood face to face with Act.
'WHY?! WHY DID YOU FIND THIS PLACE... ACT AGE?!'
I thought I was being so careful, so secretive with my plans.
But right when I was about to strike, Act's people were already here, defending this place.
And there he was, right in front of me.
"I have no obligation to answer you."
'...YOU COCKY LITTLE BRATTT!'
No matter how you slice it, Irankus realizes Act saw through his entire plan.
But he wasn't about to admit defeat.
'FU, FUHAHAHA! WHAT AN IDIOT! THE WEAKEST OF MEN, BARGING INTO THE ENEMY'S TERRITORY!'
"You're the idiot. Don't you remember I'm here?"
Silver Hair's maid steps forward, radiating killing intent, in front of Act.
Her eyes held clear animosity towards Irankus.
"I won't let you touch my master."
'HAH...! YOU USELESS MAID! YOU STILL DARE SAY THAT, LOOKING AT THIS GUY...?!'
Irankus slams his hand onto the ground.
Suddenly, the forest animals start to panic.
The beasts flee in all directions, as if from something terrible.
It was a full moon tonight.
But the moonlight vanishes abruptly.
"! MASTER! WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"[IT'S A GOLEM.]"
This world is filled with countless Dungeons.
Each Dungeon holds a powerful monster called the Dungeon Boss.
"THIS GOLEM SEEMS TO BE A SHADOW REPLICA, BUT IT POSSESSES POWER EVEN EXCEEDING THAT OF A DUNGEON BOSS."
Act uses his Appraisal Eye to measure the Golem's abilities and calmly states.
'THAT'S RIGHT! THIS SHADOW GIANT... IS THE STRONGEST UNDERLING I PAINSTAKINGLY CRAFTED!'
The Extermination difficulty of a Dungeon Boss is S-Rank.
This shadow giant possesses even greater strength... but.
'WHY!? WHY DON'T YOU EVEN FLINCH?! WHY?!'
"Frederica. Shut it down. Before that big guy attacks the town."
"Understood."
With a determined leap, Frederica dashed toward the shadowy giant that had emerged from the forest.
'IS THAT REALLY OKAY? DOES THAT WOMAN THINK SHE CAN TAKE DOWN MY GREATEST CREATION~?!'
But Act didn't respond.
He remained calm, staring intently at Irankus.
'ANSWER ME, ACT!'
"IRANKUS. SURRENDER NOW. YOU'VE LOST."
'WHAT...?'
For a brief moment, Irankus couldn't process Act's words.
But then, rage boiled up from the pit of his stomach.
'YOU... YOU THINK YOU CAN WIN IN THIS SITUATION?!'
"Of course. You're going to lose. My eyes are telling me so."
Irankus had always hated that gaze.
It felt as if Act were looking down on something invisible from a lofty height... that attitude infuriated him.
'I'LL KILL YOU... ACT! I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY!'
With a powerful kick against the ground, Irankus closed the distance rapidly.
Empowered by Dostoevsky and alongside the forces of the shadow army, he was granted a monstrous form.
It was an unbelievable level of strength and speed compared to before.
With arms like thick logs, bulging with muscle, he swung at Act.
"Too slow."
But Act anticipated his move, dodging perfectly with a slight shift of his body.
As he passed, a counter punch slammed into Irankus.
'GWAHHHHHH!'
Spinning, Irankus crashed to the ground.
'IMPOSSIBLE... IT CAN'T BE HAPPENING... WHY...?'
He had thought he was stronger now.
Yet Act effortlessly dodged his attack.
"You can't win against me now. Stop resisting."
It was as if Act could already see the future of victory laid out before him.
Meanwhile, in the town, the shadows of monsters were steadily dwindling at the hands of Act's comrades.
Total annihilation was merely a matter of time.
'Y-YOU FOOL! I STILL HAVE THE SHADOW GIANT ON MY SIDE...!'
KABOOM!
With a deafening crash, a giant arm landed beside Irankus.
'...WHAT?'
Looking up, he saw chaos unfolding before him.
A massive ice wolf sank its fangs into the body of the shadow giant.
'WH-WHAT!? F-FENRIR!? WHY IS THAT MONSTER HERE!?'
The giant swung its arm, trying to shake off Fenrir.
But the wolf evaded with a speed that belied its gigantic frame.
In mid-air, it unleashed a breath of ice.
In an instant, the trees of the forest and the shadow giant were encased in frost.
'UNBELIEVABLE...! WHAT KIND OF POWERFUL ICE BREATH IS THIS!?'
'DISAPPEAR, FOOLISH ADVERSARY.'
With a graceful spin, Fenrir twirled in the air and slammed its tail against the shadow giant.
Irankus watched in stunned silence as the giant shattered into countless pieces.
In a blinding flash, Fenrir transformed into a delicate maid.
'THE MAID WAS ACTUALLY FENRIR... SO, ACT HAS BEEN COMMANDING A LEGENDARY BEAST ALL ALONG...'
A profound sense of defeat engulfed Irankus.
Act was beloved by many, had Fenrir as his subservient, and held both status and honor as Guildmaster.
He had everything that Irankus lacked.
'HOW COULD SUCH A GAP HAVE FORMED IN JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS?!'
Frederica glared and spoke coldly.
"You are foolish. The gap isn't just now. Even before your banishment, there was a clear difference in strength between you and the Master. To be so blind and unjustly cast out..."
"Enough. This is a waste of time."
Act stepped forward, cutting Frederica off, and approached Irankus.
"Give up. Your ambitions have been crushed."
In Act's hand was a communication magic tool.
According to the report from the town's defense team, all of the shadow monsters had been eliminated.
'HA, HA, HA! NOT YET! IT'S TOO EARLY TO GIVE UP!'
With a savage thrust, Irankus drove his razor-sharp claws deep into his own heart.
Dark blood dripped steadily to the ground.
'UOOOOOOH! ACT! I... I WILL... TRIUMPH OVER YOU!'
At that moment, Irankus's body began to twist and evolve into an even more grotesque form.
"I will eradicate you."
"Stay back."
Act stepped forward and addressed Frederica.
"I will bring this to an end."
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