I Was the Supporter of a Popular Dungeon Streamer, but the Power Harassment Was Too Much, so I Quit. I’m Useless Anyway, so It Shouldn’t Be a Problem, Right? Huh? The Views Are Dropping Like Crazy? - 74

Chapter 74: At Argo

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In a room within the pyramid-shaped labyrinth, Argo, constructed from special stone materials… Kisaragi sat in a chair, staring at the door that no one would come through. The room’s interior resembled an interrogation room from a crime drama. Across from Kisaragi was a desk and another chair.

All possessions aside from clothing and ‘scrap’ had been confiscated. However, the restraints were loose—her hands were only bound by handcuffs. Still, a magic absorption sigil had been inscribed on them to prevent her from using magic.

“How are you feeling?”

Ul appeared, carrying a tray of food. After setting the tray on the desk, Ul took a seat across from Kisaragi.

“…How do you think I feel?”

“Fair point.”

“Why did you abduct me? Do you plan to use me as a hostage?”

“Not at all. The reason we took you is this.”

Ul pointed at the necklace around Kisaragi’s neck—an OOPArt.

“This is just scrap…”

“Scrap? Not a chance. That OOPArt is something special.”

With a knowing expression, Ul continued,

“Its name is Kohaku. It is one of only four living-type OOPArts in existence.”

“Uh…”

Kisaragi couldn’t grasp what Ul was saying.

A living entity? This is just an accessory. It doesn’t breathe, it doesn’t have a heartbeat.

In the first place, she had never heard of a living-type OOPArt before. She knew of OOPArts that could capture and control monsters, or ones that made dolls seem alive, but an actually living OOPArt? She had never heard of such a thing before.

“Well, technically speaking, it will become one. Right now, it’s still in its egg stage. When your soul truly matures, the egg will hatch and Kohaku will awaken. Kohaku is powerful. After all, its power is—”

“Wa-wait! Hold on!”

“What’s wrong?”

“This doesn’t make any sense. I’m the first person ever to be compatible with this OOPArt, which means there are no records of it anywhere! So how do you know so much about my OOPArt?!”

No matter where she looked, she couldn’t find any information about it. That was why Kisaragi had deemed it as a mere ‘scrap’ and yet, Ul spoke about Kohaku as if he had seen it firsthand.

“That’s simple. We know the future.”

“…What?”

Ul spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“The Beast System, the C-Parts, didn’t you ever find it strange that a small organization like ours possesses such advanced technology?”

“Are you saying…You acquired those technologies from the future?”

“Precisely. Based on that premise, I’d like to tell you about our objectives and ideals. Listen to what I have to say and if you find yourself convinced… I want you to join us.”

With that, Ul began to speak—about the very workings of this world.

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Labyrinth Argo – 10th Floor (Top Floor) – Boss Room

In the corner of the room stood a green horse—the aquatic beast, Kelpie. The Kelpie was bound head to toe in chains and locked in a cage. Though it possessed the ability to control water, it was so weakened that it couldn’t even produce a single drop. Now, it was nothing more than a lump of flesh waiting for the final blow. The Kelpie was the boss of this labyrinth. If it were defeated, the labyrinth itself would disappear. That was why it had been kept alive—just barely. 

Standing before the Kelpie’s cage were two women. One was a woman with a snake tattoo, Eika Hebiya and the other was a Seeker that Hamura had once supported, Mia Naruse.

“D-dammit…!”

Naruse collapsed onto the floor.

“At this rate, there’s no way you’re getting a spot as an executive.”

The boss room was covered in marks of battle—scars left by Hebiya and Naruse.

“Agh! This pisses me off! How the hell did I lose to some no-name like you?!”

“The reason’s obvious. Your swordsmanship is sloppy. Your handling of OOPArts is pure garbage. You’re an idiot and on top of that, your personality is trash.”

“You little…!!”

“But you’ve got decent instincts. If you actually put in the effort, you’d probably get pretty far.”

“Oh, really? Yeah, I thought so! I do have talent, don’t I?!”

Hebiya let out a sigh at Naruse’s sudden change in mood.

“…Hey, why’d you even join us? You don’t actually resonate with our ideology, do you?”

“Of course not. I have only one goal, to crush Shibuki Hamura and Sae Isshiki!”

“You’re seriously willing to pick a fight with an entire labyrinth city over a personal grudge? Unbelievable.”

“What’s wrong with betting my life on a grudge? There’s nothing more important than my own emotions!”

Hearing that, Hebiya let out a small laugh.

“You know… You kinda remind me of someone.”

“Remind you? Of who?”

“An old friend. Maybe our organization actually needs reckless idiots like you.”

“Idiot?! Don’t get cocky, you damn snake woman! One more round!!”

“Fine by me.”

Naruse swung her thunder blade, Inazuchi.

“『Raisou Reppa』!!!”

Countless lightning slashes shot toward Hebiya. Hebiya deflected every single strike with her OOPArt yo-yo, Hakuda.

“Damn, she’s fast! What the hell is that yo-yo technique…?!”

Hebiya pulled her yo-yo back to her hand and then threw it underhand. Naruse tried to dodge, but the yo-yo stretched endlessly, chasing after her.

“Hakuda will track its target no matter where they go.”

“But the longer you stretch it, the further it gets from you, leaving you wide open!”

Naruse stabbed Inazuchi into the ground.

“『Raisou Reppa』!!!”

Spears of lightning burst from the ground in front of her, each one shooting straight toward Hebiya. In an instant, Hebiya reeled her yo-yo back and threw it at a stone pillar near Naruse.

“What?! When did she—?!”

“Returning it is when Hakuda is at its fastest.”

The yo-yo coiled around the pillar, and Hebiya used the rope’s tension to propel herself at high speed toward it.

“Oh, crap—?!”

“And that’s checkmate.”

Landing behind Naruse, Hebiya threw her yo-yo, wrapping her up tightly in glowing threads of light.

“Let me go, you idiot!!”

Hebiya watched her struggle with amusement.

She’s able to polish her techniques this quickly… Mia Naruse… She really does have talent. No wonder she was that Joker’s Seeker. 

Hebiya’s gaze shifted to Naruse’s OOPArt, Inazuchi.

But honestly, that thing is even more terrifying than her talent. Lightning-fast strikes, a form that can shift at will and still nowhere near its full potential… Just how powerful is this OOPArt…?

Lighting a fresh cigarette, Hebiya turned to Naruse and asked,

“Hey, how strong do you want to get?”

“I don’t care about being strong! I just want to stand out! I want to be the center of attention, the most dazzling beauty in history! I want every woman to strive to look like me! I want them to try to become like me with makeup and plastic surgery! I want every man to fantasize about me and jerk off like monkeys! That’s the kind of woman I want to be!”

A being driven entirely by self-obsession. A creature of insatiable, ruthless desire.

But no matter its shape, desire—when strong enough—can be a source of power.

“…I see.”

Hebiya thought of her old friend again and let out a small chuckle. She unraveled the yo-yo’s restraints and walked toward the room’s exit.

“Wait, where are you going?! We’re not done yet!”

“Sorry, but I’ve got other things to do. I have a date.”

“D-date?!”

Naruse, who had never had a boyfriend before, stared at Hebiya’s back, biting her lip in jealous frustration—completely unaware that the person Hebiya was going to meet was someone she knew.

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