I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison - Chapter 134

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 134

 

The Sewer Rat gave no answer.

 

Even though it had spoken to me first.

 

― ….

 

I leisurely crouched down.

 

“What should I call you?”

 

A calm voice cut through the empty air. I knew that the black rat’s pupils were fixed on me without wavering.

 

“Former Boss?”

 

The rat squeaked once.

 

“Or… a loser who was dishonorably driven out?”

 

― By that logic, are you a loser who abandoned your position and left?

 

Finally, an answer came back.

 

It was a gentle voice, but one with thorns embedded in it.

 

“Shouldn’t greetings come first?”

 

This tiny Sewer Rat was the former Boss who had his position abnormally stolen by Ramona.

 

― …It’s been a long time, Mint.

 

It was a fragment of the man called ‘Clark’.

 

― Come to think of it, both of your titles are perfectly accurate. It doesn’t matter which one you use.

 

Contrary to his calmly accepting voice, the Sewer Rat squeaked and moved its front paws frantically. As if protesting.

 

― You suddenly disappeared and I wondered where you’d gone, but you’ve been in this Prison all along….

 

“I suppose you thought I’d escaped.”

 

― Well, I did think you might be the first to achieve Prison Break.

 

As I was quietly watching the Sewer Rat.

 

There was commotion behind me.

 

It was the sound of Ged’s Group surrounding Helios and laughing.

 

― How unusual, for you to have such colleagues.

 

Clark seemed to notice the cheerful laughter too, as the Sewer Rat briefly turned its eyes away.

 

“How did you know I was here?”

 

― ….

 

“And how did I recognize you? Oh, for reference, I’ve been good at stepping on rats since I was twelve.”

 

The rat squeaked.

 

― Tsk, why are you pretending not to know? You know my ability too, don’t you? More precisely, it should be called a hidden ability.

 

That’s right. Clark had Truth-Seeing Eyes.

 

The conditions for use were very strict, so even he rarely used the ability.

 

It was an ability I knew about because I had seen him with Mind’s Eye before.

 

Moreover, it was an ability I had told him about.

 

“I didn’t think you’d want to find me badly enough to shave off your lifespan.”

 

― I’m going to die anyway, so what’s the problem? I’ve already lost everything.

 

The first Boss who was defeated but didn’t die. I had no way of knowing what happened to such a Boss.

 

‘Come to think of it, didn’t they say he disappeared after being defeated by Ramona?’

 

Did he perhaps hide somewhere in the Tower?

 

― It’s a shame I’m only finding you now. Well, it can’t be helped, but it doesn’t matter.

 

“….”

 

― From what I can see, the 100th Floor seems to be your goal.

 

The rat came even closer to my feet.

 

A hazy impression formed in my mind.

 

A man with a scholarly appearance wearing glasses.

 

Despite having a weak face and body, he was someone who lived quietly while hiding his strength when I was the Boss.

 

― Are you going to the 100th Floor in that form? Will you become the Boss again?

 

The impression I remembered became clearer.

 

“Who knows. I have no reason to tell you, do I?”

 

Even at my leisurely response, the rat wasn’t flustered.

 

He had guessed my goal wrong, but naturally I had no intention of telling him.

 

― I don’t know the reason, but I’ll help you.

 

“Why?”

 

However, he was also a prisoner.

 

― Because like a loser, I want to pathetically cling to someone stronger and kill them.

 

The face of the scholarly man pushing up his glasses with a sinister smile flashed by. It was very clear.

 

It was the face that a fellow prisoner had described as ‘that bastard is handsome but smiles creepily.’

 

Instead of answering, I calmly tilted my head.

 

“But how are you still alive?”

 

― I almost died, but somehow survived. Then I met a collaborator. It’s Deril, so you know her well too.

 

“….”

 

― More importantly, what’s your answer?

 

I could roughly understand the situation.

 

It seemed Ramona had been massacring high-grade prisoners after becoming the Boss.

 

In response to this, those who formed an opposition faction seemed to have gathered around Deril.

 

Under Ramona, there would probably be gathered those who worship such a crazy person – equally insane individuals.

 

It was common for the Tower to be divided like this into halves or multiple factions.

 

It was just quiet when I was the Boss.

 

“What’s the hierarchy like from the 91st Floor onwards now? I’ve been on the lower floors for a while, so I’m out of touch with the news.”

 

The Sewer Rat tilted his head for a moment, then listed all the names from the master of the 91st Floor to the master of the 99th Floor.

 

They were all names I knew.

 

“Well now, many have climbed up from below.”

 

Many of the top-tier prisoners I originally knew had disappeared. That meant they were all dead.

 

“Then let’s do this.”

 

From the 95th Floor onwards, it seems those following Ramona have taken most of the positions.

 

“Send me and my party directly to the 95th Floor.”

 

I smiled leisurely.

 

There was a shortcut here too?

 

* * *

 

“Helios.”

 

Helios turned his head. It was night, and this was the cell we shared together.

 

We were lying side by side as always, so Helios’s face was close.

 

At some point, Helios had started sleeping well.

 

Well, it would be strange if he didn’t collapse from exhaustion after being worked so hard. I thought, but then again.

 

Considering how he couldn’t sleep even after all that training on the 30th Floor range, there seemed to have been a problem back then.

 

Helios slept well now.

 

Even so, we still slept together.

 

“…I still can’t sleep. So put me to sleep.”

 

When Helios said this, I pretended not to know and lay down beside him.

 

“You only take shortcuts, Disciple.”

 

“…? What are you suddenly talking about.”

 

Helios’s elegant face wrinkled slightly.

 

It had been several months since he entered this prison. Had he grown during that time too?

 

‘To think his height and build could grow even more from that point.’

 

It was probably largely due to his body being reconstructed after using up all his Kia in both the first and second special examinations.

 

I changed today’s schedule. I didn’t go to the 91st Floor.

 

Helios seemed puzzled but followed obediently.

 

Since when had he become so compliant?

 

I tapped under his chin lightly.

 

“Hurry up and sleep soundly. The summit isn’t far off.”

 

“…”

 

Helios, who had been staring at me intently, slowly closed his eyes.

 

Instead of falling asleep, he opened his mouth to ask me.

 

“Master, are you satisfied?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“I’m asking if you’re satisfied with my current achievements.”

 

What does my satisfaction matter? Even as I thought this, I nodded slowly.

 

“Very satisfied. I wonder if there’s anyone else who has risen as quickly as my disciple.”

 

“…”

 

I gently stroked Helios’s head and then pulled away.

 

“You’re my greatest pride.”

 

“…Then that’s enough.”

 

Helios pulled my hand over and placed it on his cheek.

 

Her eyes were still closed, but her cheeks, neck, and ears.

 

Were all deeply flushed red.

 

“I’ll definitely go to the 100th Floor too.”

 

Early morning.

 

I opened my eyes earlier than Helios. Leaving my deeply sleeping disciple behind, I quietly snuck outside.

 

The sky looked as if the morning sun was just about to rise.

 

“Finally showing your face for once?”

 

When I came out to a corner of the garden. A sarcastic voice reached me.

 

I saw red hair cut in a short bob.

 

It was a woman with a massive build.

 

I unconsciously recalled Ramona always grumbling that she took up all the space by herself.

 

It was prisoner Deril, who had been my roommate.

 

“Ah, but that face isn’t one I know, so this isn’t really a reunion, is it?”

 

“…”

 

“I heard everything from Clark.”

 

“…”

 

“The preparations are complete. I just came to let you know.”

 

Our eyes met. Deril seemed either irritated, or perhaps harboring something I couldn’t understand.

 

I knew that person cared for me deeply.

 

“So what you wanted was revenge after all, wasn’t it? And this whole thing now is some process toward that.”

 

“…”

 

Deril had an eye patch over one eye that I hadn’t seen before.

 

I recalled Ramona bursting into maniacal laughter, saying she had taken one of Deril’s eyes.

 

“How can you not say a single word about coming together? Or at least, if you’re going, that you’re going…”

 

“Deril. The truth is, I don’t really like you very much.”

 

“…”

 

The woman’s voice stopped.

 

“I think I liked you once. Of course, personal preferences don’t mean much to me.”

 

“…”

 

“If someone broke your arm or Ramona’s, I’d smash that bastard’s ribs to pieces – to that extent, yes. There were days when things were okay.”

 

After Mama died, we became okay. At least that’s how it appeared on the surface.

 

After that, I became the Boss.

 

The two of them eagerly appointed themselves as my right and left arms.

 

Even then, we seemed peaceful and fine.

 

Deril said she took charge of the faction opposing Ramona.

 

“You want the Boss to change, and I want to easily reach the 95th Floor. Our goals align.”

 

She was certainly strong and straightforward in character, so it would suit her well.

 

I had actually expected that the two of them would clash after I disappeared.

 

“…Right. If it means you becoming Boss again. That’s enough for me.”

 

I didn’t correct Deril’s misunderstanding.

 

I saw that Deril opened her mouth to say something in response to my words that it was only that much, then closed it again.

 

I didn’t ask.

 

“The preparations are complete.”

 

* * *

 

“Where did you go from so early in the morning?”

 

“For a walk.”

 

Helios slightly furrowed his brow.

 

I could see him thinking, ‘Suddenly doing something you don’t usually do?’

 

“Oh my, Master sometimes wants to have some time alone too.”

 

“Well. I suppose so. As long as you don’t leave, it doesn’t matter.”

 

“…”

 

Helios got up from his seat first.

 

Right now we were in the Cafeteria full of people.

 

“Is it the 91st Floor today?”

 

Helios smiled.

 

“No Master’s special hint this time?”

 

I put down my Food Tray and got up from my seat.

 

“No hint.”

 

I’ve prepared the Escalator though. You just need to get on it.

 

So.

 

In the midst of all these preparations being complete.

 

In a situation where Helios just needed to step on what I had confidently prepared.

 

“Haa, haa…”

 

“H-He defeated the Master of the 95th Floor!”

 

Exactly one hour later.

 

This situation was something even I hadn’t anticipated.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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