The plaza, bustling with people, was incredibly noisy.
Originally, they were participants in the game as per Adam’s intent, but they were frozen in place by Red’s fierce warning.
Wait. Stay still.
The people had no inclination to defy those words.
However, it wasn’t that their freedom of thought was suppressed, so different opinions began to emerge from various places during their wait.
Can we really just stay still?
Isn’t it better to try and escape when we have the chance?
Many were even unable to let go of the prize money for winning the game.
An enormous sum that one could never hope to touch even after a lifetime of work; with that money, one could do anything and perhaps live happy days.
For those living at the bottom of the Outskirts City, it was truly enticing, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Giving that up?
No!
Even if it meant stepping on others, they wanted it.
Those dissatisfied with not being able to participate in the game subtly expressed their displeasure and tried to incite the crowd to take action.
Each time.
“Ow!”
“Ah! Hot!”
“Ugh, my back… why is it suddenly like this…?”
A silver-haired girl in a mask secretly spread fine particles of magic power throughout the plaza, stinging people with wrong intentions.
She was preventing an incident from occurring.
Of course, a child’s playful warning couldn’t completely eradicate human greed.
An atmosphere of tension filled the plaza, with no one knowing when an incident might happen.
Amidst the tautness, the situation suddenly changed.
“What the!? What is that!!”
“A monster!! It suddenly appeared from thin air!”
“Ahhhhh! What the hell!?”
Four huge monsters suddenly revealed themselves in the plaza.
The monsters had grotesque appearances that looked like they crawled out of a terrible nightmare, and the chilling, dreadful aura they exuded enveloped the entire plaza.
Some people expressed panic, threatening to plunge the plaza into chaos in an instant.
But instead, that extreme fear froze everyone, and nothing happened.
They trembled like prey before a predator.
“We’re going to die. We’re going to die.”
“Damn it. Why did I end up in a place like this…”
“Ughhh…”
Even before hell, there were some who did not succumb to fear.
The Solvers, who had been holding their breath among the crowd, sensed something was off with the monsters.
They presumed something was wrong with the monsters and thought that perhaps now was the chance to eliminate them.
After exchanging thoughts and opinions, the Solvers with somewhat decent skills took the lead and stood before the monsters.
The moment the brave Solvers charged towards the monsters, the previously still monsters began to move.
Thus, battles were about to be waged from each position.
First.
The monster standing in the northern position was [Death].
It was a shapeless being wrapped in a shabby hood.
Its appearance resembled that of the Grim Reaper, and just like how humans cannot understand death, its face was filled with dark shadows.
[Death] wielded a massive scythe to reap life and sow death.
The one confronting such a monster was a burly, stout man.
“Gwahahaha! Even if it looks like a ghost before my fist, it’s all over for you!”
The man wore a massive gauntlet on his right hand.
The material embedded in the gauntlet had the power to obliterate anything sturdy, except for a few things.
As the man rushed in, several other Solvers followed his lead.
Just as he activated the device and swung his fist towards [Death].
Swoosh—.
[Death] swung its scythe wildly.
The man and the Solvers that had rushed in were instantly reduced to mummies and soon became mere bones, their dust scattering into the air.
Those watching that spectacle turned pale, and even the screams that threatened to escape were swallowed back.
“…”
The monster in the southern position was called [Abyss].
It resembled a giant sphere covered in pure white wings.
Although it looked ordinary, the terrifying aura emanating from the sphere was anything but.
The one facing such a monster was a robust, well-trained man.
“I don’t know what you are, but if I burn you with fire, you’ll disappear.”
The man’s body was made up of various mechanical parts.
Thanks to that, he could generate flames with powerful heat directly from his body, even without a flamethrower.
He stepped forward as several other Solvers followed him.
The man wrapped flames around his arms and was about to shoot fire from his fists.
Suddenly, the many wings covering the sphere unfurled.
The sphere’s center had an eye, and that eye, which had been closed, opened.
They say when you look into the Abyss, the Abyss looks back at you.
The flames’ man and the Solvers, upon seeing [Abyss]’s eye, were hit with an indescribable, profound fear that consumed their sanity.
The human mind was far too weak to withstand the Abyss.
The Solvers confronting [Abyss] had blood dripping from their facial features, and their bodies soon inflated like balloons before bursting.
Ordinary people screamed in horror at that gruesome scene or vomited on the floor.
“P-People… exploded.”
“Ewwww!”
The monster in the eastern position was named [Gluttony].
It looked like a deep-sea fish settled in the abyss.
With its smooth skin, rotund body, and fat four legs.
Above all, its grotesque appearance provoked disgust.
Before [Gluttony], a werewolf stepped forward.
The werewolf carried a large fork and knife on its back.
“Awooooo~ Fish are just prey to me.”
The werewolf narrowed its eyes with the gaze of a predator aiming for its target and stomped the ground.
Other Solvers also followed this brave attitude.
As the werewolf let out another chilling howl and lifted the fork and knife it carried, [Gluttony] opened its mouth wide.
Countless arms extended from inside its mouth, swiftly grabbing at those charging at it.
The arms that had caught their prey retreated back into its mouth, and [Gluttony]’s jaw shut.
People covered their mouths with both hands and turned their eyes away.
“This can’t be happening…”
“No way. I knew that werewolf Solver was quite skilled. How could it go down that easily?”
The monster in the western position was called [Despair].
Sitting leisurely on a massive chair made of skulls, [Despair] was a gigantic skull adorned with shining jewels.
“Hahaha, even if I look scary, I’m nothing special!”
“What do you think of our strength!”
“If this guy is like that, I might be able to take down the rest easily.”
The Solvers charging at [Despair] swung their weapons with smug smiles on their faces.
People looked at those Solvers with expressions of horror.
[Despair] let out a wicked laugh.
A moment later.
“U-uh…?”
The solitary Solver looked around uneasily as if sensing something was wrong.
The Solvers who had fallen over, bleeding on the ground.
[Despair] looking down at him.
Realizing the situation, the solitary Solver’s face turned increasingly pale.
He had taken down not [Despair], but fellow Solvers.
As if to repay the enjoyable play, [Despair] simply gestured, obliterating the remaining Solver.
The cackling [Despair] filled people’s ears, leading them to cover their ears and tightly close their eyes.
“Ugh, I’m scared. Help me.”
“We’re all going to die.”
“Uuuuh, I want to go home.”
The monsters that had slain the challenging Solvers calmed down once again.
These four monsters were strong enough for Adam to boast about to Red, powerful chess pieces indeed.
As they watched the Solvers fall effortlessly before their overwhelming strength.
People sank into a deep despair.
Money and everything else no longer mattered.
They just wished someone would eliminate those monsters.
A moment later.
As the previously still monsters began to move in unison, people were startled.
Ah, it’s the end.
Everyone thought that at that moment, a deep darkness enveloped the entire plaza.
In the darkness, the monsters all lifted their heads, gazing in the same direction.
A very small black sphere had appeared above.
That black sphere consumed all the colors and sounds present in the plaza.
The monsters were staring at the black sphere.
No, at the little white-haired child in a mask standing beside the black sphere.
As the monsters laid eyes on the child, they instantly realized.
They could feel the hellish energy flowing within that little child’s body.
Their instincts warned them to run, but as mere chess pieces, the monsters could not escape without Adam’s command.
They remained on standby until further orders, but they were allowed to kill anyone trying to escape the plaza or charge at them.
The four monsters moved in unison.
First, [Death] charged at the little Grim Reaper, swinging its scythe to bestow death.
But it was blocked by the little finger lifted and poised, and as the Grim Reaper lightly gestured, black flames erupted from [Death]’s body, engulfing it entirely in an instant.
Just as one would feel uncomfortable letting a mere imitation act like the real thing in front of the genuine article.
In the hellfire, [Death] met its end and was completely obliterated.
Next up was [Abyss], which spread its wings wide to fly toward the Grim Reaper.
The feathers melted away like wax wings challenging the sun.
The eye of [Abyss] sparkled as it tried to show the abyss.
However, the brightness exuded by the Grim Reaper completely blinded [Abyss], and it plummeted back down, crumbling into dust in the air.
[Gluttony] opened its mouth wide as if trying to consume even hell itself.
Countless arms reached out from inside and were about to seize the Grim Reaper.
But a dark blue blade thrown by the Grim Reaper sliced through the arms and entered [Gluttony]’s throat.
In that instant, [Gluttony]’s massive body shriveled inward, compressing as it absorbed everything that made up [Gluttony] into the dark blue blade.
The moment it did, a cackling sound echoed.
Evil laughter could be heard as black threads ensnared the Grim Reaper’s body.
As the Grim Reaper turned lightly toward [Despair].
The blade that had absorbed [Gluttony] swiftly flew through the air, grazing [Despair].
A long vertical line was etched on [Despair]’s body, and with that laugh, [Despair]’s body split in half and ceased to exist.
All four monsters confronting the Grim Reaper met their deaths.
The time it took for them to embrace death was merely 12 seconds.
As the black sphere vanished, the darkness enveloping the plaza dissipated.
“Uh? What just happened?”
“The monsters? Where did those monsters go so quickly?”
“More importantly, was there always a chill in the air here? It feels like it got cold.”
Unable to comprehend what transpired.
The people were bewildered.
They trembled slightly with the sudden chill and felt a measure of relief.
They realized that being in this place was extremely dangerous, yet remaining still here was the safest option.
Without exception, they all set aside their greed for money and behaved calmly.
“…What the hell just happened?”
“Who knows.”
In response to Lena’s question, filled with doubts, Lily shrugged her shoulders, pretending not to know.
*
“What the hell just happened? Why have all the chess pieces I sent disappeared!?”
The darkened screen lit up again, showing the plaza.
Seeing the monsters he sent disappearing, Adam was thrown into confusion.
“…”
Watching the screen, Red’s eyes held an inexplicable sadness.
After closing his eyes for a brief moment, he opened them again.
He turned his head toward Adam.
“The game is over.”
“Ugh, this can’t be happening. Why… why on earth…?”
Adam, who was pacing back and forth, suddenly stopped as if realizing something.
And murmured quietly.
“Could it be?! No, if that’s the case, the reason the Cult of the Grim Reaper asked for help makes sense.”
“The Cult of the Grim Reaper?”
At those words that couldn’t be ignored, Red’s eyebrows twitched.
“Could this event be connected to the Cult of the Grim Reaper?”
“Hah, it doesn’t concern a dead man like you.”
“I have to lay everything bare.”
“Don’t act like you’ve won just because the game is over. I was surprised by the unexpected turn of events, but nothing is finished yet.”
Adam’s lips and hands stretched wide into a big grin.
Red also grinned, showing his sharp teeth.
“My power can dominate people, cities, and even the world! Before my power, your shallow sense of justice will be torn to shreds!!”
“Oh really? I’m looking forward to it.”
