Ch.178[Chapter 178] The Awakened Gacha World

“Don Castello! According to plan!”

Z shouted toward Don Castello.

Everyone’s attention focused on Don Castello.

Of course, Don Castello had no idea about any plan.

That would be obvious.

This plan was something Z had just thought of moments ago.

“N-no! I don’t know anything!”

As the fog cleared, Don Castello’s position was revealed.

Don Castello was flapping his hands in confusion, using his entire body to convey that he knew nothing.

“…!”

“Everyone stay still.”

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica turned their heads toward the source of the sound.

There was Don Castello, being held hostage by Z.

“Everyone put your weapons down. Before I stab this one in the neck.”

“How foolish.”

Sir Dominic spoke to Z.

“Have you forgotten that nothing is more worthless than death in Gacha World?”

“Oh, I know that of course.”

Z smiled vilely.

“But you know what, would this still be worthless?”

Z took out a radio and began speaking into it.

“I’ve captured Don Castello. If necessary, I’ll self-destruct, so stand by at your position.”

Roger, came the reply from the other end.

“…What did you just do?”

Sir Dominica nervously pointed her gun at Z.

Z pressed closer behind Don Castello and glared at Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica.

“What did I do? I just sent some people to the respawn point.”

“!”

Don Castello shot a nervous, surprised look.

“Your respawn location is probably-“

Z whispered just loud enough for only Don Castello to hear.

Don Castello’s face turned pale upon hearing those words.

Because what Z said was true.

“Now please follow my instructions.”

Z, still holding Don Castello hostage, glanced at Don Castello.

“Let’s start by tying up that incompetent pig.”

“P-pig?”

Don Castello clicked his tongue in disbelief.

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica approached Don Castello as if they had no choice.

Don Castello had signaled with his eyes to comply with the demands for now.

“Father never told me about this! Let me go! I’m going to fight that guy right now! Let go! I said let go!”

Don Castello shouted while flailing his arms and legs.

“I may be chubby but I’m not a pig! Apologize right now!”

“Apologize, huh.”

Z looked at Don Castello with cold eyes.

“Don’t you understand your situation?”

“M-my situation?”

Don Castello repeated stupidly.

“What about my situation?”

“You really don’t get it.”

Z clicked his tongue.

“Can’t you even calculate which is more useful—an incompetent but obedient pig, or a competent and obedient subordinate?”

“…”

Don Castello seemed shocked by those words and just stared blankly at Z.

Thanks to this, Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica were able to easily bind Don Castello.

“Now.”

Z gave his next order.

“Tie each other up.”

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica glared at Z.

But Z responded by pressing the dagger closer to Don Castello’s neck.

Finally yielding to the threat, Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica tied each other’s arms.

They could probably untie themselves alone, but it would certainly take some time.

“I… I… was just a sucker?”

While everyone else was subdued, Don Castello remained in shock, unable to grasp the current situation.

He had lived without lacking anything, without missing anything.

But he had always been greedy as if lacking something, and foolish as if missing something.

How foolish he was—he only now realized the fact that he had been foolish.

“That can’t be. It can’t be…”

“Why not, Don Castello.”

Z mocked Don Castello, who was crawling on the ground like a caterpillar.

“…My father won’t stand for this.”

Don Castello threw what he thought was his trump card threat.

But Z continued to mock Don Castello.

“If I was afraid of that, I wouldn’t have approached you in the first place.”

Their father, Don Citadello, the president of Black Bio, was indeed a fearsome power figure, but Z was also well-known in the underworld.

If things went wrong, he could just disappear.

“Don’t worry. You might get better intelligence after being brainwashed.”

Z taunted Don Castello.

“…Really?”

But true to form, Don Castello.

He completely fell for the hopeful promise of improved intelligence.

“…Well, this might be better than your current state.”

Z said that and turned on his radio.

“This is Z. This is Z. I have captured Don Castello and Don Castello alive. As a bonus, I’ve also subdued Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica. I repeat—”

That’s when it happened.

The sound of a bell ringing—ding!

The sound was so loud that Z forgot he was in the middle of a radio transmission and covered one ear.

“…What’s that?”

“What do you think it is.”

The bell sound didn’t stop after just once.

“It’s the sound of charging completion.”

A total of 12 rings, including the first one.

After the 12 rings ended, a deafening silence followed.

It wasn’t just in the office.

The entire Gacha World fell silent.

Z glanced at the Ferris wheel visible through the window.

And he saw the number floating above the Ferris wheel.

12/12.

The clock hands pointed to 12 o’clock.

…

Rewinding time to before Z invaded the office.

The Governor looked out over the battlefield, which had almost reached a stalemate, from atop the guard post.

It was only after creating what could be exaggeratedly called mountains of zombies that they finally escaped the zombie threat.

“I don’t know if I should call this fortunate…”

In truth, they were able to defeat all the zombies thanks largely to Sir Dominic, Sir Dominica, and that Ferris wheel.

Most of the attackers had gathered there, leaving only zombies behind, which made it easier for the Governor to clean up the situation.

After hours of intense battle, the Governor sat down on the guard post stairs to catch his breath.

And looked at the distant Ferris wheel filling with light.

The Ferris wheel with 10/12 written on it.

The count that had risen after the explosion.

Hadn’t the count been showing 9 just moments ago?

The Governor examined the Ferris wheel carefully.

And finally realized that the Ferris wheel had a shock-absorbing charger.

He knew because there was one at the Governor’s base too—very cheap and with excellent after-service.

“…This changes things.”

The Governor stood up.

“All units hearing this transmission, direct your firepower at that Ferris wheel. Throw everything you’ve got at it.”

And he gave orders to the remaining androids.

Bullets and shells began to rain from all directions.

The percentage rapidly increased.

11/12.

Almost there now.

The Governor thought.

12/12.

And the Governor was right.

…

“This, this is impossible!”

Z began to panic as he saw the Ferris wheel starting to operate.

And with all his might, he stabbed the dagger into Don Castello’s neck.

Or rather, tried to stab.

The dagger, swung with tremendous force, seemed to be caught by something and couldn’t move past a certain point.

“Why would it be impossible?”

Don Castello casually pushed Z’s arm away and stepped forward.

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica also untied their bonds and stood behind Don Castello.

[The Gacha World’s landmark, the Ferris Wheel, is now operating!]

[According to Gacha World rules, actions that harm others are strictly prohibited!]

Right after the system window appeared, an enormous wave of energy radiated from the Ferris wheel.

No, it wasn’t a shock wave. Perhaps it was a wave of light.

As that sparkle spread throughout Gacha World, everything in Gacha World began to operate.

“…But this is outdated.”

Z said hopefully, refusing to give up.

And immediately picked up the radio to communicate with headquarters.

“Bring down the firewall now! I repeat! Bring down the firewall!”

At Z’s cry, the brilliantly and mysteriously sparkling light suddenly dimmed.

Z rushed toward Don Castello.

Sir Dominic raised his shield firmly in front of Don Castello.

Sir Dominica fired her gun, twisting the trajectory of the dagger.

Z’s attack ended in failure that way.

Leaving a long scratch on Sir Dominic’s shield.

“That’s enough. I can still attack here.”

But Z seemed satisfied with that much.

The battle wasn’t over yet, and opportunities remained.

Or so he thought.

In fact, at this point, all personnel at headquarters where the boss was located had entered Gacha World.

“…Villains never know when to give up.”

I’m a villain too, but this is a bit much, Don Castello muttered.

“Now you have no more cards to—”

“Why would you think we have no more cards?”

Don Castello interrupted Z.

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica tried to calm their excitement at finally having the chance to learn about the “gimmick” Don Castello had mentioned.

“Look.”

Don Castello opened the door and went outside.

“Where are you—!”

Z followed Don Castello outside, thinking he was bluffing and trying to escape, but soon he froze in place, his gaze fixed on something.

“…!”

“Remember when I asked why we needed to restore the Ferris wheel?”

Sir Dominic and Sir Dominica were equally speechless.

That’s how amazing what was happening at the Ferris wheel was.

The Ferris wheel began to float up into the sky.

And the other rides followed one by one, rising up and then transforming into human shapes.

The Ferris wheel positioned itself like a halo behind the amusement rides that had transformed into the form of a monk sitting cross-legged.

While all the rides emitted light, the bright light of the Ferris wheel felt like the halo of a saint descended from heaven.

[Gacha World’s last hope, Wheel, has appeared!]

[Feel free to give a standing ovation if you wish!]

“This is what it was all for.”

Don Castello turned his head toward Z.

“How about that? This is our final card. Do you have any cards left?”

But despite Don Castello’s question, Z could only stare at that enormous mass of light.

“…”

And here, there was one more person blankly staring at this beautiful final weapon of Gacha World.

Don Castello.