The Tale of the Teapot Hero’s Revenge - Chapter 98 Gustav Maximilian

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Chapter 98 Gustav Maximilian

 

Gustav Maximilian, a brilliant mind, began serving as the aide to the first prince of the Deltirad Kingdom at the age of thirteen. Under the reign of the mild and competent prince, who was highly respected by the people and vassals alike, Gustav led a fulfilling yet somewhat unsatisfying life.

The pivotal moment in his life came during the rebellion of Brutogyu. The fifth prince, Brutogyu, who murdered his parents to usurp the throne, attacked the first prince, the heir. In front of Gustav's eyes, the first prince was mercilessly slaughtered.

It was at that moment that Gustav discovered something he had yearned for—the taste of the thrill at the very edge of life.

As he pulled the sword from the heart of the first prince and was faced with the blade, Gustav was smiling. He smiled with genuine joy and prostrated himself before Brutogyu. Under this man, he believed he could continue to savor the exhilarating thrill of living on the edge.

"Haa, haa... This is it, this feeling...!"

The pleasure of being chased by Hero Kyrie and frantically fleeing, the joy of not merely facing death. Being killed by the hero meant being removed from the cycle of reincarnation, signifying the death of the soul itself.

Amidst the extreme thrill, an ecstatic smile adorned Gustav's face, and saliva dripped from his mouth.

"Ah, splendid! It was the right decision to abandon Brutogyu...! To be able to experience such an incredible thrill...!"

The reason for leaving the tyrant's side was that his defeat was inevitable. In a battle where defeat was certain, there was no thrill of imminent crisis.

"Paladis... you were too overwhelmingly powerful, and I was getting bored. Fufufu... I'm so excited that I feel like I'm going to climax..."

He sprinted through the corridor at full speed until he reached a certain room. He then swiped his keycard at the plate and leaped inside. The hero was probably still alive. However, in this room, Gustav might be able to defeat the hero, who had depleted her strength in the deadly struggle with Levia.

"Haa, haa... I'll survive. I'll survive this time too, I will!"

 

○○○

 

From the exploding space, I somehow rolled out. This kind of living on-the-edge thrill was really too much.

"Is he... still alive?"

Even though I couldn't deliver the finishing blow, with that explosion, she must be dead for sure. After all, her face was engulfed in magma. However, I did not feel that I had gained strength from the hero's blessing. Maybe because she died in the explosion, and it didn't count as me killing her.

"Well, whatever. Right now, where did Gustav run off to?"

Despite being covered in wounds, I still had plenty of energy to kill an irritable middle-aged man. I absolutely had to kill him. That was the whole reason I came this far.

(I'll believe that Touka is... safe.)

I didn't have the energy or the composure to go looking for her right then. Even if I were to go to her, I might just be a hindrance. So, I believed that she was safe and focused on pursuing Gustav.

I opened the door and rushed into the corridor. I thought someone might be coming after hearing the explosion, but surprisingly, it was quiet, and no one was around. Except for Gustav.

"...There you are."

Far down the corridor, I saw him rushing with a clattering noise and rolling into a room. He's practically cornered; he's like a rat in a sack.

(But he's likely to come up with some other trick...)

Regardless of what he might try, I would crush him head-on.

As I held the magic key to the plate, the door slid aside with a sharp sound, which made me wonder about the mechanism behind it.

"...It's dark in this room."

The room Gustav had entered had no lights on, making it impossible to see anything. From the limited view illuminated by the hallway lights, I could discern shelves with several Gift Spheres lined up. It seemed to be a storage place for the experiment with artificial heroes. The thought that all these were made from the souls of heroes sent shivers down my spine.

As I stepped into, the door closed, leaving me in complete darkness. I cautiously moved forward, step by step, trying to assess the situation. Now, where is that impatient minister hiding?

"Nuun!"

Suddenly, I was struck on the back with tremendous force.

"Ah!"

I was sent flying and collided with the wall. But I was okay; I could still move somehow.

"Nuun... Couldn't finish you off, huh?"

Despite being in a sorry state, to send me flying like that...

Did Gustav still have some hired muscle around? I endured the pain and turned around. There was Gustav, whose right arm had inexplicably become muscular.

"...Hey, aren't you human?"

...I remember a crab-like creature that looked something like this. One of its claws was disproportionately large.

"What did you just say? Little girl, do you intend to call me a monster or a beast!"

"You're kinda similar, aren't you?"

"You... are too presumptuous! This is the 【Duplication】 Gift Sphere!! By concentrating the entire body's strength, even the weak can gain unparalleled power—"

-Bagyii...!

I slammed a powerful punch right into the chattering crab's face. His white eyes were now rolling, foaming at the mouth, making him look even more crab-like.

The enlarged arm returned to its normal size, and the creature fell backward.

"Oops, can't have you passing out on me."

Straddling over the fallen creature, I delivered another punch to his face. His nose was bent, blood pouring out, and four front teeth were broken. But hey, considering I woke him up, it's a small price to pay.

"Pff... You fool... How can I be defeated so easily..."

"Hey, you know, I can't let you die so easily. You need to stay awake until I brutally kill you. Otherwise, my family and everyone in the village won't find peace, you know?"

"K-Kill...? You, do you intend to—"

"Huh? Obviously."

What's with this guy? Saying such obvious things now and looking pale.

"Hii... Hiiiiiyaaaaaa!!! I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to!!!!"

I'm seriously disgusted. It's as if he's now realizing there's no way out and that death is the only option. So he started crying and wailing, tears and snot flying everywhere.

"No, I don't want to be killed! I don't mind killing myself, so please, please don't kill meeeee!"

Huh? Wait a minute. Weren't he afraid of dying? It seemed like he was extremely afraid of being killed by me.

"I see, understood. You're begging me not to kill you because you'll do it yourself, right?"

"P-Please! Tell me anyway to die, I'll do it exactly as you say! So, just don't kill meeeeee!"

"Yeah, sure, like I'm gonna say okay to that!"

-Bagi!

"Bugi!"

I landed a punch but not strong enough to kill him.

"That is your order, right?! The order you gave to slaughter my entire village! Why the hell should I listen to your plea?!"

-Gossh, Dogo, Meki!

"Bugya, please, stop!"

"Everyone in the village, my family, they didn't want to die!! Why do you, why do you people always act on your own selfish desires?!"

-Gossh, Gosha, Meki, Baki, Gucha!

"Stooop, it hurrrrts, pleassee!"

I swung my fists down over and over again. Everyone, just thinking about themselves even at this point. Can't any of them muster up a word of apology or regret?

"Why! Die, all of you! Just die already!"

"N-no, s-sorr...yyy, st...op it!"

Nothing more came out of his mouth but incomprehensible ramblings since a while ago. What the hell was going on? Why were these people messing up my life like this...!

While pounding, tears uncontrollably streamed down my eyes. Frustration, anger, helplessness.

Enough, it's over. There's no point keeping them alive; they would just keep babbling nonsense.

"Haa, haa. That's enough, that's enough."

"Sto...p, p-ple...ase."

"That's what I'm saying!"

I pull back my right fist and with all my might,

"There's no way I can forgive you!!"

-Dogushaa!

I slammed it forcefully into the face. The rotten garbage head bursts, and brains, eyeballs, flesh, and bones scattered everywhere. I hit too hard, maybe, as the floor even cracks.

"Haa, haa, haa."

My one hand hurts due to punching. The skin was peeled off, and maybe some bones were broken.

"G-gu, uuuu, aaah..."

That Gustaf guy didn't show any remorse, just kept spouting nonsense, begging for forgiveness.

Why did everything have to be taken away by these people who only think about themselves?

"Uwaaa..., uuu, aahhh..."

I killed one of my enemies, but it still doesn't feel satisfying at all. Overwhelmed by anger, frustration, sadness, and injustice, I raised my voice and cried again.

 

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