novelraw Chapter 157
Chapter 157
Chapter 157
Gaeta Steiner.
One of the most powerful members of the Sword Prison Society, proud defenders against the Dungeon Foundation.
Even though they're called "Sword Prisons," that doesn't mean they wield swords.
"Sword Prison" refers to a prison of swords—in other words, a sacrifice.
For the grand ambition sought by their leader, they gather sacrificial swords.
As a child, Steiner grew up in a rural village in Germany, a simple boy who survived an age of turmoil.
One night, a Dungeon Break occurred near his hometown.
The town had been spared from the East-West unification conflicts, but in a single night, their peace was flattened by a horde of Dungeon Frisiansheep (Labyrinth Sheep).
What saved Steiner was a single envelope from the Foundation.
'You qualify to become an explorer under the Foundation.'
He became an explorer and swore revenge.
He worked as an explorer for about 20 years, but never rose through the ranks, always stuck admiring the heroes from below.
Eventually, his thirst for revenge faded, and thinking he could make more as a part-time worker, he ended up among the impoverished working class.
He never became a hero.
There were no dreams in his dungeon life.
Over time, resentment toward the Dungeon Foundation welled up inside him.
He blamed the Foundation for his poverty—for sending that envelope.
For selling him a dream called "hero" and deceiving his younger self.
That if he'd just gotten a normal job and built a career, he'd have been a hundred times better off.
At that point, what truly saved him was the path of faith and depravity.
Discovered by a heretic from the distant Far East, he acquired supernatural skill power.
He came to believe that the Sword Prison Society was necessary to achieve his goals.
Revenge against the Dungeon Foundation that wrecked his life.
That was Gaeta Steiner's fiery, depraved, late-blooming youth.
A force field formed, and metallic substances nearby began to float softly.
Super-electromagnetic force encompassed the laws of space and time.
A smile with deep dimples twisted into amusement.
"You know, I really hate explorers who act like they're some kind of hero."
Saying that, Steiner adjusted his round sunglasses.
His dark gaze was fixed on the young man—Finger Man—who had protected Pollen Fighter.
Steiner recognized that an extraordinary big shot had appeared.
He knew the rumors about Finger Man.
JPN A-rank, ranked 10th: "Finger Man."
[Basic Information]
Gender: Male. Age: Unknown. Address: Unknown. Background: Unknown. Nationality: Unknown. Abilities: Unknown.
No data exists about him in the Dungeon Foundation's database.
He suddenly appeared about four months ago, and rapidly climbed the ranks to A-rank.
In the recent Double Dungeon incident, it's said he solo-conquered both the Archon Dungeon and a Class 4 dungeon.
[Personal Profile]
Ruthlessly stoic, both with himself and others.
Hates having his identity exposed more than anyone. Those who dig into his secrets are killed.
Said to be pursuing a world-scale plan to purify humanity and build a new civilization by constantly training and evolving himself.
Has a taste for grotesque hobbies, said to repeatedly kill humans and extract experience points for fun.
[Abilities]
IQ of 420. Reportedly fluent in 24 languages.
Able to infiltrate any culture and become anyone—he's been sighted all over the world, but all reports contradict each other, making him an incomprehensible existence.
With his iconic finger snaps—snap snap snap—he's said to annihilate any enemy with just a single snap.
[Key Testimonies]
"Don't try to uncover his identity... you'll be killed... I'm warning you, just stop..." (Former ace reporter)
"He asked me 'power?' in front of the station... maybe he was offering me a demonic contract... it was a terrifying experience..." (Tribal representative, Gunma Prefecture)
"That man is gentle and also an incredibly intelligent explorer." (Foundation receptionist)
"That guy's way too harsh on birds, chi. Someone should report him to the animal rights group, chi." (Wild small bird)
"Any dungeon he passes through turns into charred remains." (S-rank explorer "Trumpman")
[Notes]
Anyone who earns his hostility never comes back alive. That's why he's called the ruthlessly cold-blooded hunter. Finger Man is always the one doing the hunting.
Never approach him out of mere curiosity. Not if you want to avoid regret.
"(Finger Man... he's much younger than I imagined. Asian, maybe. Doesn't look like he's carrying any weapons.)"
Steiner watched him cautiously through his sunglasses, scanning him up and down.
"You must have had a smooth ride. Everything just works out for you—how enviable."
"I don't really plan on chatting with you."
Finger Man calmly raised his hand.
Steiner had already been warned to be wary of this explorer.
The most famous rumor about Finger Man—he can turn any enemy into charred remains with just a snap.
"(Crap! It's coming!)"
Steiner expanded his force field to the max and rapidly drew in all nearby metal.
Vending machines, steel beams, bicycles, cars, utility poles——
He generated a thick barricade of scrap between himself and Finger Man.
——Snap.
Finger Man snapped his fingers.
Golden destruction took the form of a spear, tracing a beam of light that pierced through the barricade.
It then caused a massive explosion, flipping the ground and cracking the earth along with a nearby souvenir shop.
Damage to the city: 1.4745 trillion yen.
A whirlwind of destruction and collapse swept through and blew everything away.
When the chaos settled, Steiner was still standing.
He had lost one arm, his body half-burned, and was bleeding profusely.
"Gah... ahh..."
He pulled a narcotic-type recovery potion from his coat and jammed it into his thigh.
"Ugghhh aaah! Aaghh, ahhhh, aaaaah, AAH..."
His blood and flesh convulsed as the wound closed and hemostasis kicked in.
Steiner adjusted the position of his round sunglasses.
"Hah, hah... what a bastard... his skill power is on a whole other level..."
Finger snap.
He had underestimated him, somewhere deep inside.
He figured Finger Man must be strong.
But a part of him still believed his "Electric Generator" skill could handle it.
"Electric Generator" manipulates magnetism to adapt to any situation.
Offense, defense, mobility—it even has a bunch of clever techniques.
But after taking the "legendary finger snap" of urban legend, even Steiner felt like his confidence and skills were nothing more than a child's game.
Overwhelming power.
Finger Man's advantage should only be that, and that alone.
Steiner's ability could express anything at a high level.
Even if he lost in power, he surpassed in everything else.
Yet still, he was mentally crushed by sheer power.
"Damn it... so in the end, violence... is violence really what solves everything...? Is this what they call the true power of a hero...? Fine then, I admit it—right now, you're stronger. Bravo, bravovo, ahh, truly, bravo... Finger Man."
As he spoke, Steiner pulled something from his coat pocket.
A dried-up finger he never wanted to use.
He had so much faith in his skill that he thought relying on this would mean admitting defeat.
But he didn't have the luxury to say that anymore.
The path of destruction left by the ultimate spear extended far beyond.
A scorched smell like lightning racing across the ground filled the air, and dust danced around him.
Finger Man lightly stepped over the cracked earth.
On the other side, Steiner was leaning against a pile of scrap metal.
"Finger Man, I'll take you down here."
"You don't stand a chance."
Finger Man calmly raised his hand.
At the same time, Steiner also reached out his hand.
In it, he held a withered finger torn from the base.
He snapped his fingers.
The blow that was thought to be the finisher fizzled out.
Finger Man knew.
Because just the other day, a black bird had done the same thing.
"That's... the Witch's Withered Finger...?"
"Bravo, bravo, well spotted.——Now then, I'll kill you. One-sidedly."
A black rope entangled Finger Man's leg.
It was an electric cable stretched across telephone poles.
Now, it served as one of Steiner's methods of expression.
The electric cable writhed like a sentient tentacle.
Obeying Steiner's command, it lifted Finger Man high into the air and then slammed him into the ground.
The brutal attack was repeated over and over.
Each time, Finger Man bounced between sky and earth.
On the twelfth time, when he was lifted by the cable——
In the sky, he held a golden sword in his hand.
Steiner was filled with a sense of urgency.
Wondering where that weapon had come from.
"Calibur."
Finger Man muttered softly and swung the sword.
A golden wave was released.
A destructive light chased along the path of the slash.
Overwhelming power.
The image of the hero he had admired so much it burned him.
A colossal threat, absurd evil and tragedy, selfish rampage—he appeared to face it all.
And then, crushed it under an even greater absurdity of justice.
Ahh, that is truly the hero.
"Bravo."
Steiner, swallowed by the light, smiled deeply.