Ch.179Pride in Vanity (6)

# The Artist

He was a similar rabbit-like character in the original work.

After setting up Venati’s situation from behind, once the protagonist’s party stopped Deron, he would immediately betray them and leave.

Not only that, he would awaken a boss they had nearly defeated and forcibly start Phase 2.

For players who had struggled to clear Deron, it was nothing short of despair.

Especially from a newbie’s perspective.

[Category: Free Board]

[Title: What’s with this Artist bastard?]

I’m still a newbie who hasn’t cleared the first run

Currently trying to beat [EP31.Venati], but the boss patterns are seriously infuriating

Especially because of that bastard Artist, it’s absolute garbage

Like seriously

He suddenly appears and runs his mouth

Then awakens the boss I worked hard to defeat and runs away

Thanks to him, all my characters got wiped in Phase 2 Deron Hate

Thanks a lot you bastard

I’m going to destroy Lezia now

[Still on first playthrough?]

-> Rare to see such a fresh newbie

-> *inhales deeply* *exhales*

-> Smells sexy in here

[Why is the post content so explicit]

-> Shouldn’t this be tagged 18+?

-> It’s been a while since I’ve seen something this arousing

-> Damn… I need to go relieve myself

-> Someone please put all the elders above me in their place

[This too must be Chancellor’s grace…]

-> Surprise worship

-> THE CHANCELLOR

-> Story normalization is indeed thanks to the Academic Emperor

[Are kids these days crazy? What’s with this Chancellor worship meme?]

-> What’s so good about such an annoying character

-> You bastard! Are you saying our Chancellor is a useless prophet who couldn’t protect the academy, couldn’t help, couldn’t speak, contributed 0% to the story, a one-trick future-seer, the GOAT of incompetence, toilet bowl Galimar?

-> I didn’t say all that ;;

-> Academic evaluation always includes thorough self-objectification lol

Of course.

While it was infuriating that he awakened a nearly defeated boss and ran away.

What really got under everyone’s skin was the Artist’s signature teabagging.

He would constantly taunt and get on the protagonist party’s nerves.

In some ways, he was perfectly suited to be a villain.

Literally a character you love to hate.

[Category: Free Board]

[Title: STOP IT ALREADY YOU BASTARD!!!!!!]

How many times is this bastard going to appear?

1. Protagonist party defeats stage boss

2. Artist suddenly appears from somewhere

3. Does his teabagging, then awakens the boss for Phase 2

4. Players struggle to respond to the sudden calamity

5. Meanwhile, he slips away easily

This pattern has repeated 6 times already

After Deron, he’s awakened every boss we’ve encountered

And he’s pumping in so much demonic energy that they become ridiculously strong

How can the firepower of an awakened weakling match the academy’s top students?

This is why people say the difficulty is broken, damn it

[That pattern will appear about 3 more times FYI]

-> Please stop with this nonsense

-> Denying reality won’t help lol

-> If you’re annoyed, buy premium, you can skip from the second playthrough

-> But you still have to clear the first playthrough

-> Is someone holding a knife to your throat forcing you to do the first run?

-> This is too much ;

[The Artist parts are definitely annoying]

-> But the catharsis when you clear it is worth the struggle

-> Seeing the fox pierce through the Artist’s heart is truly satisfying

-> It’s one of the most memorable scenes for players

-> Despite all the complaints, it’s still a fun game

[Artist-gay is definitely annoying]

-> What kind of stupid nickname is that

-> Artist-gay lol

-> He’s actually gay according to official lore

-> ?

-> ?

-> Why is this true?

-> No seriously, it’s official

-> Artist-gay is gay…

Plus, this guy wasn’t just a one-time nuisance.

After the Venati episode, he appeared numerous times to torment players.

Every time the protagonist’s party raided a cult branch, he would suddenly emerge from the shadows.

Then he would casually awaken the cleared stage boss.

Or ambush one of the supporting characters.

In short, he would cause chaos and then leisurely leave the scene.

‘How irritating.’

Even I had to restart my playthrough multiple times because of him.

I didn’t need to see other players’ reactions to know how they felt.

With him popping up unexpectedly everywhere.

In the community poll for most disliked characters, he even beat the Chancellor for first place.

That’s how sensational his trolling was.

“Kuhek…!”

However.

Even such an infamous character.

Couldn’t escape the night.

“You seem to be in pain.”

A leisurely remark.

I was smiling while piercing through the Artist’s heart.

Those eyes that once mockingly sneered were now trembling with shock.

Unable to muster any taunts, the Artist could only breathe raggedly.

I could feel the twitching sensation at my fingertips.

Thump, thump, thump…

Beating slower and slower, until it stops.

The final pulsation from a pathetic creature.

I was savoring the perverse satisfaction and revenge it brought.

My ears caught the incoherent mumbling that couldn’t become a scream.

“Uh, urk, uh…”

“Hmm?”

I tilted my head.

Despite having his heart pierced, he wasn’t showing signs of dying quickly.

Perhaps this was befitting of one of the Seven Apostles of the Demon God.

Eyes stained with sin glared at me.

But that was all.

“How rude.”

Crunch-!

A simple clenching of my fist.

Following that movement, the loaded shadow extends.

The pitch-black thorns tear apart all organs from within, starting with the heart.

The physical body became nothing but a meat sack containing everything ground up like a smoothie.

Whatever life remained was crushed.

“Some people tend to misunderstand.”

Thud-!

The Artist’s body sprawled onto the floor.

His mushy appearance resembled a water balloon.

I smiled eerily.

“Just because I played along a bit doesn’t mean we’re equals.”

The Artist.

Originally, he would have made Deron go berserk and escaped himself.

It was a pattern that had worked several times in the original work.

But precisely because of that, I could counter it perfectly.

One of the main villains from the original work.

I’ve taken this guy’s head over 1,900 times in my previous life.

The slaughter I just carried out merely added one more tally to that number.

No grand narrative was needed.

“Did I look like your friend?”

I ask the minced meat at my feet.

Of course, there was no answer.

Corpses don’t speak.

“It’s definitely over.”

The most annoying enemy from the original work.

Perhaps he died most pathetically, without accomplishing anything.

I didn’t even want to dignify this hunt with the name of judgment.

I easily wiped the blood from my hands.

‘Maybe it’s because I disliked him so much. I seem to have gotten emotional.’

It didn’t matter.

Compared to what he did to Venati, this was an infinitely merciful end.

I calmed the slight heat that had risen.

Then, I fiddled with the crystal ball in my other hand.

It was something I had swiped from the Artist’s pocket earlier.

I whispered coldly to it.

“So… how did you enjoy your espionage?”

As expected.

The crystal ball was glowing red.

Someone had been watching the entire situation.

I spoke softly to the one sitting beyond the light, with that gloomy gaze.

But with killing intent carefully contained.

“Didn’t I tell you last time? That you would all pay the price.”

This target was Venati.

Next will be the businessman.

And finally, I’ll uproot all of you.

I covered my distorted smile.

Yet the ominousness couldn’t be hidden.

“You worthless things.”

A heavy silence descended.

Then, a voice returned from the crystal ball.

It was a voice covered in pitch-black noise.

-{“…This is honestly surprising.”}

The tone was stiff.

The other party didn’t reveal their identity, but I could roughly guess.

One of the Seven Apostles of the Demon God. The one called the second.

I spoke with a refreshing smile.

“Conductor.”

-{“Oh?”}

“Surely… you weren’t trying to catch me with such a simple trap?”

-{“Of course not. I hoped it might work, but to think you’d exceed expectations to this extent. As expected of a masterpiece containing that person’s power. Although right now you’re just ■■■■.”}

“You should prepare your neck. I’ll be visiting soon.”

-{“Huh, I do like your confidence.”}

A voice that didn’t lose composure despite my revealed killing intent.

Befitting the cult’s second-in-command.

He didn’t lose his pace.

Rather, he seemed amused, only provoking me.

As a higher-up, he seemed to know my identity as well.

-[“Ah, by the way.”]

The man beyond the crystal ball casually threw out words.

As if he had just remembered.

-{“Aren’t you worried?”}

-{“You led the Academy forces and invaded Venati.”}

-{“With you gone, and some faculty members absent… the Academy is practically an empty house.”}

-{“Do you think we would miss such an opportunity?”}

A maliciously spreading resonance.

It was like an awl striking an unexpected point.

Smoothly flying in to pierce my throat.

The silhouette beyond the screen smiled.

-{“Didn’t you anticipate this?”}

-{“That we wouldn’t infiltrate because the academy is on alert?”}

-{“Unfortunately.”}

The continuing voice.

The tone, subtly mocking yet not quite, was precarious.

Amelia’s pupils dilated as she listened to the conversation beside me.

Perhaps even she hadn’t predicted a counterattack.

The Conductor seemed particularly pleased.

-{“The grace of that person has already reached the academy.”}

Content suggesting an academy invasion.

Despite hearing such a story, I…

“Is that so?”

I was still smiling.

-{“Hmm…?”}

“Then~ shall we check on the academy’s situation?”

I take out another crystal ball from my coat.

A screen with light already coming through.

I receive the communication and increase the volume so everyone can hear.

Through the clear sound quality, only one voice is heard.

-{“Commander.”}

-{“As you arranged, the cultists have arrived here as well.”}

-{“The scale appears to be around 3,000. They seem to have swarmed in through a spatial barrier.”}

-{“Please provide further orders.”}

A deep, resonating voice.

Even mentioning a force of 3,000, there’s not a hint of trembling.

The usual light atmosphere has sunk into cold calculation.

The Conductor, who had gone quiet for a moment, soon utters a dazed murmur.

-{“…Impossible.”}

That’s right.

Even if it was just a voice, he would have recognized it.

After all, they had clashed on the battlefield several times.

At the same time, it was his archenemy who had cut off his lower body.

“Well then, shall we proceed?”

I articulate clearly.

The sharpest blade I’ve been hiding all this time.

“Lord Kyle.”

The Red Sword Saint.

My lips address the murderous spirit.

A slight pleasure flows down.

“Sweep them all away.”

-{“All according to your will.”}

The stars begin to move.