The Boss Wants to Die

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The Boss Wants to Die

“Lead the way.”

“Initiating guidance!”

The fluttering sound of bat wings quickly faded into the distance.

I briefly debated unfolding my wings of the Evil God, but shook my head and leapt across to the opposite roof instead.

My order to pick a secluded spot seemed to have gotten through loud and clear.

The bat flew so far out past the village outskirts that I began to worry we might leave the rest field entirely.

If I drifted too far, it felt like the collar might send an alert.

If Akt found out about this, knowing how long he held a grudge, the thought of how annoying he’d be already made me tired.

“It’s right here!”

Heart pointed toward the forest behind a weathered wooden signpost.

Landing softly on the dirt ground, I stepped lightly inside.

There wasn't a single streetlamp and it was pitch-black, but the eyes of the Evil God saw through the dark, rendering the surroundings crystal clear.

Venturing a little deeper, I spotted Michael resting against the base of a tree.

The trees filled the sky so densely that not a single ray of moonlight penetrated the forest.

Only the holy stone on the Holy Sword strapped to his back cast a faint, soft blue glow.

“Hi there.”

I offered a casual wave in greeting.

Michael’s face remained frozen like ice, doing nothing but glaring at me.

“What’s with that look? Can’t you see me greeting you?”

“Why did you call me here?”

“Impatient, aren't we?”

I shrugged and leaned my back against a tree trunk.

The crisp dawn air cast a chill over this distinctly unwelcoming reunion.

“Turns out you were right. Akt is far more deceitful than I thought.”

“And?”

“So I figured I need to be much more careful if I want to get you to kill me. That’s why I’m gathering more information. You were rambling on about how well you knew Akt, calling him a snake, a schemer, and all that.”

“……”

“Keep talking. Tell me about Akt. I’m in the mood to listen now.”

Michael glared at me with pure contempt, but realizing there was no other way out of this situation, he clicked his tongue sharply.

He parted his lips, looking thoroughly displeased.

“Akt Hevgenia is a criminal who fled with the Magic Sword of the Sanctuary. He’s a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment. And I am the holy swordsman dispatched from the Sanctuary to capture him.”

An unexpected story unfolded.

I looked at Michael with a curious expression.

I wasn't surprised by words like "magic sword" or "criminal"—I was surprised to learn that each player had their own unique story.

‘Weren't all the stories supposed to be the same? Could each player really have a different storyline?’

Sleeping, eating, and living like a real person in a self-sustaining world was already surreal enough, but this was a whole new level of astonishing.

‘What’s the point of being a boss monster? I’ve lived trapped in the Demon Castle without knowing a single thing about this.’

Savoring this newfound fact, my curiosity piqued.

“What is this magic sword?”

“You don't know what the magic sword is?”

“Why should I?”

Michael knitted his brows in utter disbelief.

“The magic sword is a fragment of you. Even the records state that it is a shard of malice broken off from the Evil God. And you’re telling me you don't know about it?”

“How should I know?”

I gave a light shrug.

“Do you have any idea how many gnats have buzzed around me up until now? While swatting them away, a tiny fragment like that could’ve easily broken off. Am I supposed to keep track of every little piece?”

Looking as though he didn't want to exchange another word, Michael clamped his mouth shut.

I had no intention of letting him stay quiet, however.

I needed to squeeze every last drop of information out of him down to the marrow.

“Whether you hate me or not, that’s your business, so feel free. But finish what you were saying. This is a contract.”

Clenching his jaw so hard the muscle bulged, Michael balled his hands into fists.

I sighed, resting a hand on my hip.

“Don't you realize that at the end of this humiliation lies my death?”

“……”

“Once this contract is fulfilled, you’ll get to run that Holy Sword clean through my heart. Are you really going to act like an idiot just because your pride is hurt for a moment?”

“That’s……!”

Rendered speechless, Michael failed to produce a counterargument and shut his mouth.

I commanded sternly.

“Talk.”

Swallowing back curses, Michael forced himself to speak.

“The magic sword breathes poison into the human heart. It constantly whispers to destroy and kill.”

‘Sounds a lot like the Evil God inside me.’

I nodded.

“Anyone who grips that sword eventually loses their mind. They turn into a murderous fiend. That is why I am hunting Akt Hevgenia.”

“Akt seemed perfectly fine, though. Aside from spouting crazy nonsense from time to time, that is.”

I pressed an index finger against my temple and twirled it in circles.

“That’s because Akt developed an immunity. He has carried that sword since he was very young.”

Michael’s gaze grew distant as he recalled the past.

“A young child, newly created, is when the grace of the Main God remains strongest. Even the magic sword struggles to extend its evil reach.”

“So once they grow up, it’s passed to another child, and that’s how the Sanctuary manages it?”

“No. The magic sword ultimately corrupts a person’s soul. That is why Akt Hevgenia has carried it continuously since childhood.”

I tilted my head indifferently.

Another question surfaced.

‘Childhood, huh. When a player creates a character, do they start from childhood? Or is that just a backstory setting?’

Lightly tapping my cheek, I asked,

“Why Akt of all people? That’s practically a sacrifice. Forcing someone to live their whole life as a scabbard for a magic sword, having their soul ruined in the process.”

“Truthfully, it was not a burden he should have had to bear,”

Michael replied bitterly.

“Because he was just a child. It was different from now, where he’s undeniably a criminal for fleeing the Sanctuary with the magic sword. It was entirely the sin of his father.”

‘Akt’s father? Hmm……’

This trivial storytelling suddenly felt tedious.

Akt’s past was intriguing, but it wasn't what mattered to me right now.

I needed information that was more useful and practical.

“Enough about that. Tell me about Akt’s personality instead. What matters right now is getting myself killed behind his back.”

“……”

“Is there anything else you know? Like why he’s pulling these bizarre stunts, or some special plan he used to share with you, things like that. Even better if you can tell me how on earth he got his hands on legendary items.”

“……”

Michael fell silent, as if he had forgotten how to speak.

It wasn't out of stubborn defiance like before.

When I had first met Michael, he had worn that exact same expression.

A look tinged with distress, utterly bewildered, as if being chased by something he himself couldn't be certain of.

Yet judging by his trembling lips, it wasn't that he had nothing to say.

Even so, Michael chose silence. A foolish decision.

“I thought you weren't this stupid. Do you really have the luxury to hide things from me right now?”

Click-clacking my way over to him, I planted the heel of my shoe firmly onto the chest of Michael, who was sitting against the base of the tree.

As the high heel dug into his flesh, Michael grimaced in pain.

“While I’m being nice, you’d better behave—”

Ta-daaa~!

“……Huh?”

A sudden fanfare erupted. Bewildered, I checked the hologram.

[Congratulations!]

‘……For what?’

[As of 5:00 AM, one week has passed since leaving the Demon Castle!]

[Achievement unlocked! You have acquired a new title!]

[Free Evil God!

You have endured outside the Demon Castle for one week without returning.

You are now a Free Evil God. Roam the world and spread your infamy!]

A flood of system windows popped up, followed by another triumphant fanfare and a cascade of additional prompts.

Ta-daaa~!

[Quest unlock conditions met.

― Title acquired: Free Evil God (1/1)]

[Synchronization complete. Loading quest program……]

Frozen in place, I stared blankly at the rapidly turning hourglass.

Ding!

[The quest program has loaded successfully.]

Ding!

[A new quest has arrived.]

[A Heart of Devotion to the Evil God.

As the Evil God, you must increase the number of people who worship you. Gather companions and uncover the truth of the Evil God.

― Target currently in progress: Michael Iruvre.

― Clear condition: Reach 80 points in Michael Iruvre’s favorability.

― Reward: Unlocks one hidden story.

― Time remaining: 29 days, 23 hours, 52 minutes.

※ Warning! This quest carries a penalty. If the quest ends in failure, you will receive the title ‘Incompetent Evil God.’ The title will persist for four months, during which any plan you make will result in utter failure.]

‘What did you just say……?’

Utterly dazed, I looked down.

Still pinned beneath my high heel, Michael Iruvre glared up at me, his cheeks flushed crimson with humiliation.

Above his short, curly blonde hair that looked like a cherub’s, a new numerical value materialized in the form of a hologram.

[Michael Iruvre’s favorability: –97.

177 points remaining until quest completion.]

“……”

“……”

Silently, I lifted my foot.

Michael’s sacred priest robes, crumpled beneath my heel, were soiled with dirt and dust.

He brushed off the dust irritably as he pushed himself up from the ground.

He clearly had no desire to experience having his chest stepped on by me a second time.

[Michael Iruvre’s favorability has decreased by 1 point.]

[Michael Iruvre’s favorability: –98.

178 points remaining until quest completion.]

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake……’