Chapter 232. Gustavo
Knock knock—
With a knock, the door opened and slaves poured in.
They were called slaves, but until recently they were women who’d had families.
Now they were widows, with neither husbands nor children.
“We’ve selected slaves in their early thirties. They’re so well maintained you could believe they’re in their twenties, so they won’t be lacking for your enjoyment.”
“Khh—I’ve felt it for a while, but you really are a great match for me, Gustavo-nim, aren’t you? Even without me saying anything, you know exactly what I want and prepare it perfectly. Heh heh heh.”
Eyes bloodshot with excitement, DungaDunga stood and approached a woman he liked.
“Sniff, sniff. Huu—”
“……”
Even as he sniffed at the scent around their necks one by one like he was smelling flowers, the women couldn’t show the slightest displeasure.
They just stood there like mannequins.
They had to.
If they displeased him even a little, they might die like their husbands.
“Ohh, they’re all so obedient, like well-behaved puppies. Not even frowning.”
“Of course. Nothing can stand against power. Kill their families in front of them and they crawl on their own.”
“Heh heh, this is nice. Being able to use another human however I want.”
“How are they the same humans? They’re just civilians who weren’t chosen.”
“Ha ha ha, right. We Players are the superior humans who were chosen.”
“That’s why you should bring slavery to Brazil quickly. How does it make sense for civilians and Players to be treated the same?”
“Now that you mention it, you’re right. To think I’d seized the country but never thought to make them slaves… The moment I get back, I’ll arrest every last civilian. Ha ha ha.”
Laughing boisterously at the thought, DungaDunga brought a woman he liked and sat her down beside him.
“Alright, let’s have a drink poured by a Mexican slave. Pour it!”
“Yes…”
She couldn’t even lament the humiliation of being reduced to pouring drinks for a young man.
Given the situation, it was a miracle she was even alive.
“Hey! What are you doing just standing there? A guest came all this way—why aren’t you kneading his arms and legs?”
“Y-yes…”
At Gustavo’s order, the remaining women came over, hiding their fear.
When DungaDunga sat and received a full-body massage, his expression grew languid.
“Heh heh… Is this heaven? You’re treating me better than even my own country would. Thank you so much.”
“If you’re grateful, then next time you come, please pick out a few Brazilian slaves and send them to me.”
—[REDACTED: request involving sexual exploitation of minors]—
“Oh? So that’s your taste, huh?”
As Gustavo nodded, DungaDunga laughed as if he found it amusing.
“Ha ha ha! Fine. If I’ve received something, I should give something too. It’s good our tastes don’t overlap.”
“Thank you. Heh heh.”
With a satisfied smile, Gustavo turned off the TV screen showing Black Scythe, as if he couldn’t stand to look at it.
“Now then, shall we talk business in earnest?”
“Let’s.”
For a while, the two discussed their future plans as they poured and drank.
“Even if we control the media, it’s only a matter of time before the coup becomes known. You can’t hold the sand that slips through your palm.”
“I agree. That’s why we need measures for that.”
“How about this? We form an alliance in case other countries try to invade. If several stateless countries like ours gather, won’t that be strength?”
“Gustavo-nim, I think you’re really smart. The slavery thing, and now this alliance too. If we help each other when things get dangerous, nothing could be more reassuring.”
“This is a secret, but… according to the intelligence I’ve heard, India and China are showing movements to create independent states.”
“India and China?”
“Yes. Like us, they intend to create independent states where force reigns. I’ve also learned the nicknames of some ringleaders.”
“Really? That’s high-grade information.”
“By now, they’ll probably be reading the room because of Black Scythe’s speech. Whether they should create independent states or not. If we reach out first with a helping hand, it could be good for drawing them into the alliance. What do you think?”
“That’s an excellent idea. In times like this, Black Scythe’s speech is helpful, isn’t it? It gives us a pretext to band together. Ha ha ha!”
As DungaDunga laughed heartily and drained his glass, a thought suddenly came to mind.
“Hm… But you know, isn’t there another way?”
“What way?”
“We don’t necessarily have to become enemies with Black Scythe, do we? If possible, turning him to our side would be the best of all, wouldn’t it?”
“He openly provoked an unspecified multitude of Players in public. Do you think someone like that would cooperate?”
“Still, just in case, it doesn’t hurt to say it—”
As Gustavo suddenly sprang to his feet, the woman pouring him a drink screamed and fell backward.
“That son of a bitch talks about justice, slaughtered IS, and even declared war on us. He’s not the kind of bastard who’ll listen to words—”
Drip, drip, drip—
A cold sensation touched the sole of his foot.
When he looked down, liquor spilling from the bottle the woman had dropped was soaking his foot.
“You fucking bitch?”
Irritated all at once, Gustavo grabbed the woman’s hair and yanked her up.
“Kyaaah!”
“I let you live because you’re a woman, and you can’t even pour one damn drink properly?”
“I-it hurts. P-please let go—”
“You’re talking back as a slave?”
At the murderous voice, the woman realized too late.
Instead of begging forgiveness, without thinking she only thought about the pain.
“S-sorry. Sob… It’s my fault. I was wrong. I really— aaah!”
He flung her away as if throwing her, and clumps of hair tore out and fell.
“My mood is fucking ruined. Hey. Crawl over here and lick it.”
When he stuck out his foot, the woman crawled over with tears in her eyes.
It was humiliating, but honestly, it was a relief she wasn’t dead.
There were constant rumors that more than a truckload of people had been killed just because their eyes looked “unlucky.”
But she didn’t know.
Another rumor—that he became perversely different when it came to women.
“No. This isn’t enough for me.”
Pulling his foot back, Gustavo looked at DungaDunga.
“I’m sorry, but may I ask a favor?”
“A favor?”
“I want to punish this ungrateful bitch, but—”
—[REDACTED: reference to sexual interest in minors]—
“Ah.”
DungaDunga immediately understood and smiled slyly.
Seeing it, Gustavo also curled his lips upward.
He didn’t need to hear an answer.
A smile soaked in greed—that was enough.
“Your master says I should punish you? Come here. I’ll personally punish you. Heh heh.”
“Kyaaah!”
DungaDunga forcibly shoved the woman down onto the floor.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Sob… Please forgive me.”
“Tsk. Stay still, okay? If you mess up, you’ll get hurt.”
Just as DungaDunga took off his top and was about to violate the woman—
KWAANG—!
The door suddenly shattered, and everyone’s heads snapped around.
“Fuck, who—”
DungaDunga’s brow, offended at having his fun interrupted, slowly unfurled… then turned to shock.
Gustavo’s expression wasn’t much different.
Because they recognized who the person standing before them was.
“Black Scythe…?”
The one who came in was Black Scythe, the very man they’d been watching on TV.
For them, who believed no one could invade if they shot down missiles, it was an abrupt encounter.
“How did you get here—”
Before he could finish,
KWAANG—!
DungaDunga’s massive body crashed into the wall.
“……”
Gustavo’s expression turned blank.
He hadn’t seen when or how he moved.
He couldn’t even perceive it.
All that remained in his memory was the scene of DungaDunga slamming into the wall in the blink of an eye.
“Brazil’s Rank 2, DungaDunga, in a single hit…”
Gustavo’s stiff neck turned.
“Are you alright?”
“Huh? Y-yes…”
Black Scythe was helping the slave up—the one who had been pinned under DungaDunga moments ago.
Without even giving Gustavo a glance.
“Impudent. Showing me his back in front of me?”
He’d show that bastard what happens.
With that thought, he tried to summon his weapon—but he couldn’t.
“Huh? Why can’t I grab my weapon?”
There was no sensation at all in his palm.
When Gustavo looked down, confusion filled his expression.
The hand that should have been there was gone.
“Khk!”
Pain surged in belatedly. He wanted to clutch his wrist, but the other hand was in the same state.
Seeing both hands cleanly severed and lying on the floor, Gustavo couldn’t believe it.
He’d been attacked before he even registered it.
It felt unreal.
“What the hell? He was definitely showing me nothing but his back.”
“Just because I show my back doesn’t mean you can’t attack.”
As if reading his mind, Black Scythe answered, and Gustavo was startled again.
Black Scythe’s shadow seemed to dance, and two blades of darkness floated into the air.
There wasn’t even the sound of them cutting through the wind.
Thud, thud—!
Only the sound of blades sinking into his knees.
Thump—
Forcibly made to kneel, Gustavo was left behind as Ryu Min looked at the slaves.
“Everyone, please leave. I have something to talk about with this guy—alone.”
People hurriedly fled the room.
“Th-those slave bastards…!”
Even if I’d been reduced to this, they moved at Black Scythe’s words without a second of hesitation?
Feeling his pride wounded, Gustavo shouted,
“Stop! Any bitch who runs, I’ll track down and kill for sure! I remember your faces!”
At that threat, the women flinched and stopped at the door.
No one there could take Gustavo’s words lightly.
They’d experienced his brutality enough to be sick of it.
“Hurry back, you fucking bitches!”
As Gustavo pressed them, the women, watching for an opening, started to turn back.
Then Black Scythe stepped between them and spoke.
Unlike Gustavo’s snarling, his voice was calm.
“You don’t need to come back. Don’t worry—go home. After today, it’ll be hard for this guy to survive.”
“Fuck off. Do you think my men stationed outside will just sit there? I’ll kill every bitch who runs! The moment you step outside, you’re all dead!”
“Don’t worry about that either. Every Player in the vicinity is already dead.”
“What?”
Gustavo’s eyes widened even more than the slaves’.
“You killed all my men? You’re lying.”
“I counted how many I killed—129. Is that right?”
“……”
Silence was a wordless yes.
Ryu Min wasn’t lying.
“Survivor TO will shrink, but if it’s trash I can’t control, it’s better off gone.”
All 129 he killed before coming were cartel members under Gustavo.
Not good Players who were forced into it by power, but trash who enjoyed every kind of crime and acted on it.
Even if you spared bastards like that, they wouldn’t reform, and they’d cause trouble like colts with the reins cut.
If you couldn’t control them, disposing of them early was clean and left no future headaches.
“Y-you killed my men without a sound…?”
“It’s dangerous, so please go quickly. Leave this to me.”
At Ryu Min’s voice, the slaves came to their senses and hurried out.
In the vast space, only three remained—Ryu Min, DungaDunga, and Gustavo.
“Th-this…”
Trembling with uncontrollable rage, Gustavo soon sneered and spoke.
“I don’t know how you avoided interception and got here, but you won’t get the information you want. My mouth is heavier than I look. DungaDunga is the same—”
Thud—!
Gustavo froze, unable to continue.
Because he’d just seen Black Scythe stab and kill DungaDunga, who had been embedded in the wall.
“W-what? You’re just killing him like this? Without even asking anything?”
Weren’t you going to torture him for information?
Wasn’t that why you sent the slaves out?
“Nope.”
Seeing Black Scythe read his thoughts again, Gustavo stared at him as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Did you… read my mind?”
“Yeah.”
Black Scythe admitted it surprisingly easily.
Gustavo still looked shocked.
“H-how can you do that?”
“How or whatever—why would you need to know when you’re about to die?”
“A-aren’t you going to take information? You spared me because you had something you wanted to know, didn’t you?”
“There’s nothing I want to know. I already read everything I needed from your head.”
“Then why did you send the slaves—”
“Why I sent them outside?”
As he spoke, Ryu Min’s scythe pierced Gustavo’s heart.
“Guh—hk…”
Watching the bastard tremble and then slump his head, Ryu Min grinned.
“It’d be troublesome if other people saw the moment I kill you.”
After removing the limp corpse with Trace Erasure, Ryu Min took off his mask.
Waver, waver—
It didn’t take long for his appearance to change into Gustavo’s.
“Shall we start filming now?”