Scholar Slayer: Cheng Shi

Cheng Shi had always felt that this mysterious Scholar was plotting something, and that this plot was most likely not aimed at the players, but at Therius outside the door.

As for the specifics of this game, he couldn't guess, nor did he want to, because he was now a "brainless" Today's Warrior, not the "fragile" Clown who needed to constantly scheme against others to protect himself.

This change in identity finally allowed Cheng Shi to experience what it means to "all fear stems from insufficient firepower." He now has too much firepower, so much that he just needs a target to unleash a powerful shot.

Therius watched helplessly as his assets were stolen right before his eyes, without uttering a word.

"If you don't say anything, I'm leaving." With that, Cheng Shi got up to leave.

After being provoked repeatedly, Therius finally lost his composure and sighed as he said to Cheng Shi:

"I... do have a request."

I am indeed waiting for someone, a witness.

"A witness?" Cheng Shi frowned. Was there some element of Memory involved here?

But he quickly realized that the witness that Therius spoke of was not a profession, but simply a witness.

"Witness what?"

"Witness... my death."

"?"

As he spoke, Therius pulled a strange, slender dagger, about the length of a finger, from a drawer under the Experiment table.

"This is the tool I use to manipulate slices in my Experiment, the 'Concentric Dagger.' If it's not too much trouble, I beg you, please plunge the hilt of the Concentric Dagger into my heart and end this endless suffering for me..."

I've had enough of all this. I've had enough of being manipulated by my sponsors, whether in the Tower of Reason or the Grand Inquisition. They can't enjoy the Experiment, nor can they understand Experiment purpose. They just want a result, a result that's useful to them.

Even if this result does not contribute in any way to future Experiment...

Shortsighted, ignorant, Pride, and extreme!

These donors are always the same; I've seen through them, I've seen through these ignorant fools!

Therius's calm tone finally Change slightly. He looked at Cheng Shi with slightly excited eyes and raised the Daggers.

"Do not doubt my intentions. I cannot commit suicide; this is a shackle imposed on me by the Order."

That's why I want to ask you to help me end all of this; I've had enough.

Let my slices continue to serve them; I have no more attachment to this world without confidants.

I have waited for this moment for far too long, and finally, I have met an outsider.

So, young man, please, help me.

"For the sake of me helping you unlock the Gladiator Mask."

Seeing that Cheng Shi remained unmoved, Therius added fuel to the fire.

"I am the mastermind behind all the misfortunes in your life. Don't you... want revenge?"

"Tsk."

Cheng Shi's mind, which had just stopped working, started racing again. He looked at Therius thoughtfully and suddenly asked, "Why must you die by your own slicing Daggers? What are you trying to say?"

Therius was stunned; he had never imagined that anyone would be concerned about this.

"I... don't want to say anything. This is the most murder weapon-like thing in this workshop. If you were a Death Sentence criminal, in a fit of rage, it would be reasonable to stick Experiment tools into the perpetrator, wouldn't it?"

"Oh, I see. So you not only want to die, but you also want that so-called witness to see a plausible homicide."

This doesn't fit your current mindset. Why would someone who has no attachment to the world bother with all this decorating?

"..." Therius said with a conflicted expression, "I don't want others to know that I am a coward, I don't want others to know that I am afraid of this world being dominated by power and unable to freely approach [them], I don't want my name as Scholar to be shrouded in a shadow that can never be erased."

"Well, that makes sense, but I have a safer method."

As he spoke, Cheng Shi raised his hand and unleashed a [Thunderclap Judgment] spell without warning in the direction Li Yi had left.

"Boom--"

The lightning scorched the Playing Card scattered on the ground, and the blinding flash of light made Therius's expression change, and his pupils contracted sharply.

He was scared!

Cheng Shi discovered that the Amusement Ring had just consumed a layer of fear nourishment, was fully charged again.

Interesting, why would someone who is begging for death be afraid of death?

Cheng Shi looked at the Concentric Dagger on the table with a playful expression, then picked it up with a smile.

"Use this to stab your heart?"

"...Yes." Therius looked at Cheng Shi and suddenly hesitated.

Are there any requirements regarding the posture for dying?

"... No."

"I didn't see any clocks in your workshop, so how long until your witnesses arrive?"

"... It will probably take another 5 minutes."

That's enough.

After saying that, Cheng Shi plunged the Concentric Dagger into Therius's heart without hesitation, killing him instantly. The immense force even pierced through his body, and a spray of blood gushed from Therius's back.

"Cough..."

Therius died, and his last words were a loud cough.

Cheng Shi watched helplessly as the Scholar lay slumped back in his chair, eyes wide open in death, and slowly withdrew his hand.

Yet another, yet another Grand Scholar died before his very eyes.

History is truly fascinating; it always manages to cast a Clown in all sorts of absurd roles in the absurd past.

But this time he didn't unleash any Raging Tide, nor did he need to remember this boring history, because this was just a Trials background. No matter how much the players stirred up history here, it would never Change in the old chapters of the Isle of Hope.

However, while Change may not have occurred, surprises are never absent.

Just as Cheng Shi withdrew his hand, preparing to discard the Concentric Dagger, a surge of powerful soul energy carrying the force of death erupted from the tip of the Concentric Dagger, rushing straight toward Cheng Shi's face.

Cheng Shi chuckled, having expected this.

To be honest, Therius could see through them without Cheng Shi thinking. Therefore, he had been waiting for the moment when the other party would make his move.

But when Cheng Shi killed his body and there was no reaction, he even felt that he had been judging a gentleman by his own petty standards.

However, it now seems that he was right. Therius really had designs on him, no, or rather, on any outsider who could come here.

As he said, he may not have intended to harm himself, because the power of this soul was very restrained, more like parasitism than theft, a temporary parasitism.

He seemed to want to use his body as a ride to escape from this prison of "Order," just as he had once escaped from the Tower of Reason. Under pressure from the dissection and his patrons, Therius once again abandoned his Experiment.

But the problem is, whether you can get a ride depends on whether the driver agrees or not.

Cheng Shi didn't know what Therius's methods were, but he had enough backup plans and strong combat power to deal with everything, so he never panicked.

But when he discovered that the trump card Therius had been waiting for so long was actually [Death]...

At that moment, Cheng Shi almost burst out laughing.

No, buddy, it's a shame you didn't buy a lottery Lottery Ticket before you died.

Do you know the true value of a "dead" contract employee?

At this moment, if Cheng Shi wanted to, he could offer this seemingly vigorous soul as Sacrifice to the Great One on the Bone Throne at any time.

But he didn't do that.

Sometimes, whether or not you can get a ride depends not only on the driver, but also on whether the passengers who are already in the car agree.

The driver readily opened the door, and the new passenger eagerly boarded, and then...

The driver's mouth suddenly started chewing uncontrollably.

Cheng Shi only felt a mournful cry from the depths of his soul, and then he heard that familiar voice that hadn't spoken in a long time.

"It's sour and doesn't taste good."

Cheng Shi smiled, a very happy smile.