Chương 133: Chapter 133
JiHan tried to calm himself down. He hadn't imagined that Shizuru would go for his niece.
'It could have been a disaster if Ariel wasn't there to buy time. I can't stand still and do nothing now.'
The best defense was a good offense, so he decided to prepare a counterattack.
If he was going to do that, he needed information.
"Let's interrogate her."
Ariel changed back into her shadow elf form.
[Interrogation?] She said, [That's my specialty. May I join in?"]
"You're quite cooperative today."
[This woman humiliated me. I had a hard time with that red dagger.]
"Are you talking about the weapon she sent back through the laptop screen?"
[Yes. It was at least SS-rank... No... I'm sure that it was at least SSS. That woman was basically drowning in money.]
Was that glowing red dagger really so outstanding? It seemed like it really could be considered a national treasure.
"Alright, then, let's do this together."
Just when they were ready to start their interrogation…
"W-wait! I'll tell you everything I know!" Akari shouted with no intention of resisting.
"What?"
"What Shizuru put me through was worse than death. What torture could be worse than having control of your body taken from you? I'll fully cooperate!"
Akari trembled and hugged herself. "That bitch… after she took control, she tested it by making me kill my own parents… Then she mocked me for being unable to resist."
Ariel continued to translate the woman's Japanese and JiHan couldn't help his disgust.
'She's even more dreadful than I imagined.'
"Where does she live?" he asked.
"She has a house in Tokyo and another one in Kyoto. She mainly stays in Tokyo…"
Not only did the woman readily tell her where Shizuru lived; she also began revealing everything she knew of the other woman's weaknesses.
"She's obsessed with Akashic Pages and even created a trading company to get as many as she can."
"She created a company for Akashic Pages?"
"Yes. It's called the 'SZ Corporation'. It's a global company... And on top of that…" Akari said as much as she could about Shizuru—She even included the murders she'd committed under Shizuru's orders.
'Shizuru needs the Akashic Pages to sustain her power.' JiHan thought as he listened to her story.
Since Akashic Pages enhanced supporting Gifts, Shizuru was buying as many as she could to boost her abilities.
"So the Akashic Pages are the problem…" JiHan said, "If possible, I'd like to cut off her supply completely..."
[Akashic Pages will become extremely rare after the Tutorial Season ends,] Ariel explained. [They'll be pretty much gone in a few months."]
"Really? But still, I hate her doing well until then..."
JiHan looked at Akari and said, "Will you say everything you just told me on a Battle Tube stream?"
"Yes... Of course. I'd do anything to harm that woman."
"Good... I'll arrange a place shortly. Sae-ah, you..." He looked at his niece, who stood beside him with her head bowed. "What's wrong?"
"Uncle... It's just that I feel bad about what happened today..."
"There's no need to feel bad. I didn't expect this to happen either."
Victims shouldn't apologize. Instead, he wanted to congratulate her for being safe.
"You'll have to stick with me until Shizuru stops being a threat. Who knows what that crazy woman might try next."
"Yes, I'll be like a magnet clinging to your side!" She exclaimed.
"That's a good way to put it, but… Are you ok after using the Curtain of Void?"
"Hmm... I did see a bluish-gray fog rising in the distance."
"Really?"
Nothing much had happened when he used the item. It seemed like she would've been consumed by the void if he hadn't arrived so soon.
"Ah… I was too shocked to notice it before, but it looks like I received 'Void Archer' as a possible class evolution."
"Void Archer?" he asked.
"Yes. Unlike the other options, this one's shining pretty brightly."
A shining class?
[What color is it shining?] Ariel asked.
"Gold."
[So it's a unique class…]
"Oh, a unique class?"
[Yes. It seems like your encounter with the void gave the option. Usually, they recommend avoiding anything involved with the void.]
"Why?"
[They say that those who get involved with it sometimes vanish without a trace.]
"Ah..." Sae-ah mumbled, unable to hide her disappointment at the risk involved with the unique class, "Then I should give up on it…"
[It would be a shame to give up on a unique class because of a few rumors. Choosing it would be best if you want power.]
"Is that so? Hmm... I'll have to think about it."
JiHan gestured to Akari and said, "Should we go up and stream now?"
[We've Been Attacked!]
JiHan's millions of subscribers stirred when they saw the word 'attack' appear in the stream title.
- Wait. Mr. Sung was attacked?
- Who would attack him all of a sudden?
- I heard there was a commotion in the Sword Palace's underground supermarket.
- They said JiHan fell from the penthouse.
- Eh?? Why did he fall? Is he alive?
- He's alive. The channel wouldn't be streaming if he was dead. It seems like he jumped to get down faster.
Rumors had spread, and they were already waiting for JiHan's stream.
As soon as it started…
- Eh? Who's that?
- I've never seen that woman before.
The viewers were puzzled by the woman sitting nervously in the center of their view, and JiHan stood at the far end with his arms crossed.
- Could she be his girlfriend?
- Rejecting Sofia for her...? There's no way;
- I recognize her! She's that Japanese ninja otaku!
- She's the one who ambushed JiHan that one time?
- Yes. She used to be quite famous in Japan, but she hasn't streamed since she lost to JiHan.
The stream exceeded a hundred thousand viewers, and many of them knew who Akari was.
'Weren't she and JiHan enemies?' People wondered. 'Why is she suddenly appearing on the stream?'
"I'm Gato Akari…" She said.
- She's talking in Japanese. It seems real.
- I'll have to turn on automatic translation.
The viewers watched without much thought at first.
"I've come to reveal everything I know about the vile woman controlling Japan from behind the scenes: Ito Shizuru."
Starting with that, she told them everything she knew. Though she rambled at times, what she told them was shocking.
- Woah... Isn't this breaking news?
- Manipulation to commit murder, brainwashing, and taking control of a player's body? Is she a god or what?
- What a scam Gift, hahaha. Is there anything she can't do?
- Isn't it because she has a lot of Akashic Pages?
- But still, it's a god-tier ability at this point;
Akari was still talking thirty minutes later. That's how many wicked things Shizuru had done.
- How can we believe this? Maybe Akari's talking nonsense because she's being threatened.
- Isn't it weird that she's in Korea in the first place?
- Why would she be in the penthouse?
Some people couldn't believe her words and suspected her of colluding with JiHan.
"On top of that... AGH...!" She suddenly clutched her head.
A different voice came from her mouth as she said, "You crazy bitch. How much are you going to reveal...?!"
Akari's face started to shift into Shizuru's. Since it stopped mid-transformation, it looked nothing short of monstrous.
- Eek, what the heck is that?
- Ew, what's that?
- Ah, fuck. I can't even watch horror movies. Why did I turn on the stream?
"Die!" Shizuru screamed through Akari's mouth as she tried to regain control and force her to kill herself.
'So she was still here,' JiHan thought as he grabbed Akari's head and felt a foreign energy.
"Here it is."
Swoosh...
Smoke rose from the woman's head as he extracted the energy.
"KYAAA...!" Akari screamed; then her face shifted again and returned to normal. Sweat was dripping from her body.
"You all saw that, right?" she asked before continuing to reveal everything she knew.
Eventually, two hours passed.
"I'll let you know if I recall anything else."
Though the stream was over, the effects were just starting to be seen.
People in Tokyo began to gather in front of Shizuru's mansion that Akari had revealed the location of.
"Yes... Yes, Prime Minister. No. You trust me, right? That was just a garbage claim."
"Why would I try to commit murder? Do you think I'm capable of doing that, Chairman?"
Shizuru was busy answering calls. Last time, they'd been a non-concern, but people were trying to fact check this time.
She frowned as she went over the list of callers.
'Only those less affected by Enchantment are calling. I'll have to meet them and strengthen it...'
If she wanted to do that, she would need Akashic Pages.
She ground her teeth when she thought about how Akari had even exposed the SZ Corporation.
'What a useless alter ego. She can't even kill herself?'
She should've made the crazy bitch commit suicide before she could blab on her. Why was she dumb enough to not confirm her death?
"Shizuru, are you okay?" The Sword King asked.
"Yes, Ryuhei..."
"Can I help you with anything?"
Shizuru's eyes sparkled when she saw his worried look. He'd seen the stream as well, so his unwavering support was reassuring.
'That's right... As long as I have the Sword King in my grasp...'
His position on the Japanese team was absolute, so she'd be able to keep her political power as long as he supported her.
"Ryuhei... I'm struggling..." Tears welled up in her eyes as she embraced him. "After everything I've done for Japan..."
"Don't worry, I'm here," he said.
"Good... You won't abandon me, right?" she asked as she trembled in his arms.
Despite her act, her gaze was deeper than usual.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Battle Net Center, Dong-woo, the leader of the national team Warriors, thought about how he would welcome JiHan.
'He's annoying, but... his power is undeniable, so I have to make a good impression.'
After their overwhelming defeat, he was hoping to smoothly integrate JiHan into the team.
'Aren't alcohol and women the best ways to strengthen bonds between men?' Dong-woo thought as if it were common sense.
"Coach, can we have a welcome party for JiHan?"
"A welcome party...? Are you sure that's okay with the current chaos?"
"Did something happen? Well, wouldn't that make a welcome party even more important?"
"Hmm... Okay, but you won't invite outside guests, right?"
"No. It's just a celebration among us." Dong-woo laughed and reassured the worried coach.
"Alright. I hope there won't be more trouble after he arrives."
"Thank you."
After receiving the go-ahead from the coach, Dong-woo immediately called an outsider.
"Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?"
[It's a weekday, so I have to do the news.]
"I'm planning to hold a welcome party for Sung JiHan. Can you bring some friends?"
[Ah! Really?! Will JiHan really be there?]
"Yes. Don't come alone or else I'll stop you at the entrance. Bring as many friends as you can."
[Of course... I'll just have to mention his name to have people begging to come.]
JiHan had become overwhelmingly popular since the Sword King left. Even top celebrities would want to come meet him.
'I'll get to see some new faces.'
A smug smile formed on Dong-woo's face.
'I heard he doesn't have a girlfriend. I should be a good friend and set him up with someone.'
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