A state of emergency has been declared in the city.
Euaaaaaaaaaah!
"What, what?!"
"Are those loan sharks crazy?"
"Why are you guys acting like that all of a sudden?"
Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo!
Just one day.
The paradise city that had been peaceful until just last night was suddenly filled with chaos in just one da
y.
The market guys were making a lot of noise this morning.
This time, the suddenly maddened debt collectors joined forces and began storming the bank.
Flash-
Kuwaaang!
The aura of the loan sharks, each wielding a weapon and emitting magical power, was fierce.
Around their necks were worn the credit chokers that still strangled them.
And even at this moment, the LED numbers on the choker were counting down, adding interest little by li
ttle.
"No, don't they value their lives?"
"I know when the bomb will explode on my neck!"
The city's citizens who saw the sight could not help but be bewildered.
But they knew too.
Credit chokers don't explode anytime soon.
It only explodes when a debt is not repaid.
As long as the interest was paid on time, it was a device that even a bank with great power could not blo
w up at will.
Those loan sharks are well aware of this fact, which is why they attack the banks so bashfully.
But even though we knew that so clearly, why didn't we do it until now?
Of course, it's because they're scary.
To be more precise.
"Aren't the fruits of bankers scary?"
In this land where healers are scarce, the group called Bank, which holds a large amount of Alfheim's fruit
s, is truly invincible.
How can you fight against those who can quickly recover from exhaustion and instantly recover from injuri
es by just eating the fruits that are piled up in the warehouse?
Especially when they were determined to defend the bank and fight a defensive battle, those bank emplo
yees were the ones who became immortal.
Of course, if you keep fighting, you might win somehow.
Because we can push forward with greater force and quantity.
But what would be left then?
If you were injured during a fight, that would be a problem in its own right.
But there was a more fundamental problem.
"If the bank disappears like this, where are we going to pay our debts?"
Yes, that's right.
Just because banks disappear doesn't mean debt disappears.
Rather, since there will be no place to repay the debt, the interest will only increase over time.
And then bang!
… … In the end, everyone's head will explode and they will die.
but.
"… … That sounds fun, doesn't it?"
Someone muttered.
The citizens nearby also began to watch from afar the battle between the bank employees and the loan s
harks who had turned into a mob, one by one, raising the corners of their lips.
Yes, that's right.
In the first place, this place is a city of villains.
If these people were good people who cared about the lives of debt collectors, they would not have fled t
o North Korea in the first place, being chased by the association.
"Hey! Cheer up!"
"It's crowded there!"
"Hold on like a hawk!"
Before we knew it, there were even citizens cheering on their rampage.
But I really didn't want them to win.
Boom!
"Phew! One of them died!"
"You idiot! You should have blocked the choker instead of the leg just now!"
There is laughter here and there at someone's death.
From the beginning, the loan sharks had a fatal weakness.
It's a choker.
If you try to take off the choker forcefully or if it receives a certain amount of external impact, it will burst.
Bankers who knew this fact were attacking the debt collectors' chokers at every opportunity.
It was a very wise decision to overcome the overwhelming numerical disadvantage.
Then, as the citizens watched, they began to notice something strange.
"huh?"
"Why are the bankers so hurt… … ."
As time went by, wounds began to accumulate on the bank employees' bodies.
Yet no one fell back to eat the fruit.
"Wait a minute, isn't that right?"
"Was that rumor true?"
The citizens' eyes changed.
The debtors who had been burdened with debt and resentment for a long time immediately turned into ri
oters as soon as they heard the 'rumor', but for citizens without debt, the rumor could not spread as quickly
as it did.
Half in doubt.
There was no reason for citizens to suddenly become bank robbers just because they heard rumors that t
he bank's warehouse was depleted of fruit.
But what if the rumor was true?
"… … Child, this makes a difference."
licking.
"Okay. Hehe."
Citizens who had been watching with their arms crossed began to swallow their saliva one by one.
"If the rumors are true, should I take a peek too?"
"It seems like they're starting to get tired of each other… … ."
There's no one in this city who hates money.
Even if you're not in debt, the more money you have, the better.
What if the bank fails?
It's actually a good thing for ordinary citizens, not debtors.
"Even if this city falls apart, the executors will build another city."
"It would be much more profitable if you just took the money and moved to another city."
Gooooooo!
Adding insult to injury.
In the end, even the citizens who had no debt ended up becoming rioters.
This was very unfortunate news for bankers who were growing increasingly tired of dealing with loan shar
ks.
"Hey, did these guys take the drugs as a group?"
"Why are you guys like this today, seriously!"
The bankers gritted their teeth and mustered all their strength.
Fortunately, they also had a last resort to fight against the mob.
The ability to draw on the energy of the fruit they have eaten so far!
This is the moment I witnessed the bank president killing the vice president a while ago.
It was like an instinct that I had developed on my own, even though no one had taught me how to do it.
Kwajik!
The bankers' hands plunged into the chests of the dead debtors and clutched their hearts.
Juwaaaaah!
Then, he sucked the power of the fruit that the debtors had consumed while alive, which had accumulate
d in their hearts, with his fingers.
Just like the roots of a tree absorb nutrients from its surroundings.
Clang!
"Ugh. This is delicious. Is this real?"
"Ugh. This kid has only eaten five berries so far."
He could even guess the exact number of berries the debtor had eaten.
And in proportion to that number, the accumulated wounds on the bankers' bodies were healed.
The remaining energy even amplified their strength more than usual.
The bankers snickered as they looked at their fingers, which had become hard and cracked like tree roots
and wiggled hideously.
Even though it looks like this, isn't the effect killing it?
"Hey, what is that?"
The eyes of those attacking the bank widened at the sight of the bank employees who had changed so bi
zarrely.
But the confusion only lasts a moment.
In the first place, has there ever been a person living in this city who hasn't eaten a single fruit?
Now, not only bankers, but other citizens also instinctively realized the power they possessed.
"Oh, that. I think I could do that too."
"me too."
Flash.
A flash of light appeared in the eyes of the loan sharks who were attacking the bankers.
And without saying who would go first, they scattered, ripping open the chests of the dead corpses lying
nearby and grabbing their hearts.
Juwaaaaah!
"Wow! It really works!"
"This is killing me? It's more efficient than the fruit!"
Those who joined the battle late, perhaps because they had no accumulated wounds on their bodies, tre
mbled with the tremendous elation that came over them the moment they sucked the power of the fruit.
I could feel the power of the fruit, highly concentrated within my body.
And then I realized the truth I should never have known.
"Hahaha! What is this? I was an idiot who bought and ate fruit all this time… … ."
Phew!
"I know."
"… … ?!"
The man who had been laughing out loud in excitement opened his eyes wide and his body became stiff.
Before he knew it, a woman's hand had secretly approached him from behind, and out of nowhere, it pier
ced his back and grabbed his heart.
Juwaaaaak-
The woman sucked the fruit's power from the man's heart, whispering devilishly in his ear.
"You could have just killed anyone like this, but you've been wasting your time trying to make money all t
his time."
"You, you… … !"
The man was unable to continue speaking and died on the spot with his heart in the woman's hand.
The bankers who saw the whole scene sighed.
It was a total disaster.
"… … When the bank president comes back, we're all dead."
"At this rate, the bailiff might come today."
"Should I run away now instead?"
Those who just said this were actually lacking in the ability to execute.
Clang!
The bank employees, already alert, hurried into the bank and swept up the money before running away.
Even if another city were created by the Executors, this coin would still be used as the same value in the
new city.
And there was someone who was quietly watching all this from afar.
Harvester Hasul.
Hasul was happy with whatever happened to the city.
Because there is something very important left to do now.
Strawberry cake.
There's finally only one piece of cake left from the market this morning.
From now on, it was important.
Should I eat the strawberry on top of the whipped cream first?
Or should I save the strawberries until last and eat them in one bite at the last moment?
… … Gulp.
After staring at the last remaining strawberry cake with such serious eyes for a long time and swallowing
her saliva, Ha-seul finally made up her mind.
Let's eat it tomorrow since it's too late.
And in an effort to divert attention elsewhere, he decided to focus on his own mission first.
Whirlwind.
Hasul was holding a strawberry cake in one hand and a giant scythe in the other, slung over her shoulder.
Jumped up onto the building.
No one could detect Hasul's presence due to his nimble movements.
So, Hasul went into a quiet alley where there was no one and took out the walkie-talkie that she had hidd
en.
Chijijik-
After a while, the radio turned on and I calmly relayed the situation in the city to his lips.
"Reporting. This is the Shadow of Paradise. An abnormality has occurred. A riot has broken out in the city.
This is due to a villain named 'Ber' who first arrived in the city yesterday… … ."
-Phew!
"… … ?"
Hasul tilted her head for a moment at the noise coming from beyond the radio.
But soon after, the voice of Association Chairman Woo Jin-cheol was heard.
-Are you saying that 'Ber' just appeared there?
At that moment, Hasul's ears perked up.
Is it because of my mood?
There was a faint smile in the voice of Chairman Woo Jin-cheol.
Hasul took a moment to reflect on what he had reported, then answered the question earnestly.
"Yes. Of course, it's probably just a random pseudonym, so it doesn't really mean anything… … ."
-No, it does. It means a lot to me. Thank you so much for sharing.
"… … ?"
Hasul became even more confused by the answer he received.
It's not even a city riot, it's just a villain's alias.
Is this worth it?
I can't even guess why… … .
That was when.
[Was it you?]
Creepy!
Suddenly, a voice was heard from behind Hasul.
I got goosebumps.
An opponent who can fool your senses and come right up to you!
WHHHHHH-!
Although he was surprised inside, Hasul's body was already swinging the weapon according to the surviv
al instinct that was ingrained in him.
Kookwakwang!
A giant scythe cut through the air in a large semicircle.
An attack powerful enough to cut straight across the wall beyond.
But surprisingly, there was no one there.
Like a ghost.
"Who are you!"
[Shadows are everywhere.]
"… … !"
To Hasul's surprise, the answer to her question came from beneath her feet.
When he hurriedly looked down, there was a pitch-black shadow starting from under Hasul's feet, laughin
g with its mouth wide open.
Looking at Hasul.
"Huh!"
Hasul swung his scythe without hesitation and cut down the shadow.
Flash!
Sickle of the harvest.
A scythe made of foreign stone cut through space and attacked shadows.
but.
[Trivial.]
Bam.
"… … !"
Hasul was astonished.
Your attack has been blocked!
So vain!
Swoosh-
Surprisingly, the shadow that had been smiling at Hasul suddenly pulled out one of its pitch-black arms a
nd grabbed Hasul's scythe with two fingers.
Then, starting with that arm, the shadow slowly began to raise its body from the ground.
In front of him, Hasul lost his will to fight.
'What the hell is this devil… … .'
It's far away.
For the first time, Hasul felt such a vast abyss with no end in sight.
Yet the creepiest thing of all.
'There is no sign... ... of life.'
I can't believe it.
Even though I could see it so clearly with my own eyes, it was difficult to read its movements to the point
where I had a hard time even determining its location.
The difference in class is ridiculous.
[I'll ask.]
Black ants.
A winged humanoid ant demon with black vapor billowing from its body was squinting its pure white eyes
and staring intently into Hasul's eyes.
He lifted the sickle of the harvest, which he held with two fingers, lightly from Hasul's hand.
[Where did this weapon come from?]
The harvest sickle, which was so large that it felt burdensome to Hasul herself… …looked like a trivial toy
to the ant demon that had grown so large.
at that time.
"… … Berga went here?"
[Keeec?]
hook.
Suddenly, someone's voice was heard from afar, and the presence of the guy who had been completely in
control of the area disappeared as if it were a lie.
"...under?"
My blocked breathing passages cleared up.
And when Hasul looked forward again, it was already… … .
[Keeeek! Your Majesty!]
Just as its presence had shrunk, an ant that had shrunk to the size of a fist in an instant was flying out of
the alley.
[You couldn't stand it anymore and you missed me?!]
… … A head of such a cute and disgusting size.
By comparison, he dragged a harvesting sickle of a relatively huge size on the ground.