SSS-Class Sui**de Hunter - Chapter 58

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 58. Bibliomania (3)
4
Find the one who’s holding the book.
This was the command I’d given to the Hunters.
“You understand, yes?”
I moved between the Hunters as I spoke.
“The difficulty level can’t be too high. But it can’t be too easy either. An Apocalyptic Text of appropriate difficulty! And on top of that, choose one with rewards that match the challenge.”
Following my instructions, two hundred fifty Hunters began reading Apocalyptic Texts.
Since each volume recorded the trajectory of the world itself, every single Apocalyptic Text was tremendously vast. Even with all the Hunters devoted to reading, the books scarcely seemed to end.
“My lord, something’s amiss.”
The Heresy Inquisitor was the sole exception—the only one without a single book to read.
Across Crazy Psycho’s knuckles, the word “Fairy Tales” was still written.
“What is it?”
“I’m not receiving any Apocalyptic Texts. Is fairy tales perhaps a minor genre?”
“No way. There are people who’ve never read fantasy, and people who’ve never read romance, but there’s nobody who hasn’t heard of fairy tales. It’s among the most mainstream genres.”
“That’s true. Hmm, but then why haven’t I received even one…….”
Crazy Psycho tilted his head in confusion.
‘Because there’s no fairy tale that ends with the world’s annihilation, you natural fool.’
The words rose all the way to my throat, but I swallowed them.
And I pretended to know nothing.
“Who knows? Just wait a little longer. Surely among all these books, there’s at least one fairy tale.”
“Ah, you’re right. I suppose I was being impatient. I’ll wait patiently!”
Crazy Psycho scampered off and sat in the corner. I knew that no fairy tale would ever be given to him, the witch knew it, and every other Hunter knew it too.
“Hey, you religious fanatic.”
Let me correct myself.
The Emperor of Light Novels apparently didn’t know it.
“Yes, Lord of the Heavenly Martial Sect? You called for me?”
“This looks like a fairy tale. I found it mixed in with the martial arts manuals.”
“Oh! Thank you so much!”
The Heresy Inquisitor took the Apocalyptic Text from Viper. A bright smile, as if ground from angels and saints, hung at the corner of his mouth.
It was a bit frightening.
“Well then, my lord, I shall commence reading! Ahahaha, I’m so curious what sort of story this Apocalyptic Text contains!”
“Ah, yes… um, might I ask what the title of the Apocalyptic Text is?”
“The title appears to be ‘Me and Our Scapegoat’!”
Even the title was somewhat terrifying.
Eventually, every group received their books. And they read.
How much time had passed—meal time arrived.
“Uhhh…….”
“M-my eyes feel like they’re about to pop out.”
Groans of distress emerged from various corners.
The bookmark Maids were handing out sandwiches and black tea, and even this time, everyone accepted them without complaint—you could imagine how bad it was.
“My lord…….”
Even the Black Dragon Lord, who led the [Romance] group, was no exception.
“I, I can finally understand that Constellation’s feelings.”
“Pardon?”
“These Apocalyptic Texts. They’ve all gone on hiatus right at the climax.”
The witch’s face was markedly haggard.
“The heroine is confessing to the hero when a meteor falls. They’re about to hold hands and kiss when suddenly aliens invade. It’s all ruined! I mean, the meteor I can forgive, but aliens invading a court romance comedy—what even is that?”
Furthermore, the witch continued.
“The cruel part is, they were all incredibly entertaining up until the hiatus. The protagonists are charming, the stories are riveting—but the ending is trash! It’s like a perfect multi-course meal, and when you cut into the main entrée cutlet, you discover…….”
“No, you don’t have to say what you discovered. Can’t you see I’m eating a pork cutlet sandwich right now?”
“Oh, sorry, my lord. You’re right, here I am lacking delicacy while you’re eating, but no—I really have to say it! So when you cut into it, you discover…….”
“This is being livestreamed. Witch, you cool with that? It’s being livestreamed.”
The witch’s mouth snapped shut with a click. This person really did have a strange habit of getting touchy at odd moments—just like when matching eyes with that one-eyed giant zombie.
At any rate, just as I’d relaxed and brought the pork cutlet sandwich back to my mouth—
The witch, who’d been glancing around, brought her lips to my ear.
“When you cut into it, you discover…….”
In the heart of Babylon Square, were they watching with bated breath as the witch whispered into my ear?
Upon hearing the content of that whisper, I felt my breath truly catch. It was the sort of thing that would make me never want to look at a pork cutlet sandwich again for at least a month.
Oh, divine being. Please deliver me from this…….
[Sparkle is doing her absolute best to save you.]
I wish this god who couldn’t even save her own world would just stay quiet.
Of course, the god of this Grand Library didn’t save me either. Instead, the Corner Library’s master drifted lazily through the air, grinning like an idiot.
“Ah, it seems you all finally understand this lord’s suffering.”
The Librarian’s outward form was that of a child. But the smile spreading across her face now was anything but childlike. It was the smile of a gourmet who had lost her sense of taste after enduring too many bitter-sweet combos of existence.
“Why hide it? These 683 Apocalyptic Texts I’ve graciously permitted you to read are Demonic Art Manuals that boast particularly devastating destructive power even within my Grand Library.”
“Demonic Art Manuals?”
“Precisely. They are so delightful, so utterly captivating, that readers cannot help but fall in love with them.”
The Librarian’s laughter echoed with damp malice.
“But here’s the twist! Despite being this entertaining, you will never find happiness. No—you’ll become even more miserable because of it! Why? Because every single one of these Demonic Art Manuals ended in absolute garbage!”
The Black Dragon Lord swallowed hard.
“Did you deliberately choose only works like that? Just to make us suffer the same way you do?”
“You may think of it that way.”
“There’s no other way to think about it.”
“Now then! Fall with me into the hell of serialization suspension. Just like this lord, writhe eternally in endless torment! Come now! Suffer for me!”
The Librarian burst into maniacal laughter.
Some of the Hunters trembled with dread.
“Is she a demon?”
“Making us read only discontinued masterpieces. She’s insane.”
“This deserves divine punishment.”
Later I learned these were people whose hobby was reading novels. I’m not sure exactly, but the Librarian’s words seemed to terrify the book lovers among them.
That was when it happened.
“Ah, um, Hunter.”
“Hmm?”
A familiar voice called from somewhere.
I turned to look and saw a member of the [Fantasy] group waving. For a moment I couldn’t figure out who this woman was, but then her face clicked into place.
“Oh, it’s the boss, isn’t it?”
The Hunter who would one day grow into the Philosopher’s Stone Lord.
The Pharmacist who’d made me the Elixir was standing there.
“Did you receive an epithet too?”
“Oh, well, it just sort of happened. The epithet is just ‘Pharmacist’—nothing fancy, but… hehe.”
The Pharmacist who had become a Pharmacist laughed sheepishly.
I was a little surprised.
‘The Philosopher’s Stone Lord already has an epithet?’
No matter how talented a Hunter might be, this woman had been wandering the slums just recently. An ‘epithet’—it seemed too soon for the Tower to recognize such an achievement.
Even I, armed to the teeth with cheat skills and repeating insane stunts, had only barely obtained an epithet. So I guess those destined for greatness really are different from the start?
“Boss, that’s really impressive. How did you get an epithet in such a short time? See, my eye for people never fails. I could tell right away you’d make it. My investment paid off.”
“Oh, no! I’m not impressive at all!”
The Pharmacist waved her right hand dismissively.
“Really. I’m not being modest or anything—I just happened to be standing around and somehow got an epithet.”
“What?”
“I, I don’t understand it myself. A few days ago, I suddenly heard: [The items you have created are contributing to saving the world.] And just like that, I was given the epithet. Mm, I’m so sorry. I really don’t know what’s going on.”
‘Ah.’
The Pharmacist looked confused even as she spoke. But I was different. Hearing her words, the truth clicked into place in my mind.
‘It’s because of the Elixir she made for me!’
It was the Elixir I’d taken when fighting the Demon King.
During that desperate battle with the Demon King, I’d felt the drug’s power firsthand. Thanks to the Elixir heightening my senses, I could perceive his blade strikes in slow motion.
‘What? So…’
In other words.
‘I’m the one who helped this person level up?’
Without meaning to, I’d essentially given someone a free ride.
Whether she realized it or not, the Pharmacist fidgeted with her fingers.
“Really, the impressive one isn’t me—it’s you, Hunter! Or rather, I should call you the Demon King now… You’re the one who’s truly amazing. Just a few days ago you weren’t even in the rankings, and now you’ve jumped all the way to third! It’s such an honor to know someone like you! I really wanted to tell you this!”
“Come on, it’s nothing. I’ve just been lucky.”
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly as the Pharmacist giggled and clasped her hands behind her back.
“Demon King, if you need anything at all, just say the word! I’ll help with whatever I can!”
Wow.
What’s with this person?
Is she an angel or something?
-Zombie, wouldn’t you consider raising the bar a little on what you consider angelic?
‘Sword Saint, sir—I simply choose to trust people. No matter how often I’m betrayed, I can’t bring myself to stop believing in them. Surely it’s no sin to possess such a burning heart.’
-What hot-blooded nonsense today. In English, you’d call that a hot dog sound.
Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that last bit of nonsense.
5
Four days into our reading marathon.
We’d finally succeeded in reading the entire Apocalyptic Text.
Every hunter had declared their Complete Reading.
“The Romance group recommends a total of four works.”
“The Science Fiction group will recommend two.”
“The Mystery group…”
Each group announced their recommended selections.
Appropriate difficulty. Appropriate reward.
The recommended works lined up with both factors woven together perfectly.
“From my Fairy Tale group, I recommend this! It’s our only option, I’m afraid!”
+
[Me and Our Scapegoat]
Genre: Fairy Tale
Difficulty Level: A-rank
Participant Limit: 2 or more
※Currently under serialization hiatus.
Description: Humanity in this world succeeded in creating a utopia. However, maintaining that utopia required a special power source—namely, the screams wrung from innocent children who had committed no sin. It’s unfortunate, truly, but for the perfect happiness of seventeen million people, surely one innocent child must endure it, yes? Thanks to meticulously refined torture techniques and life-support treatment, we were able to extract approximately five years’ worth of screams per child. Efficient, isn’t it!
Reason for Hiatus: One hundred eighteen thousand years have passed since the creation of the utopia. The innocent children were eventually exhausted in their entirety. The utopia, deprived of its power source, came to a halt.
+
Hmm.
That Apocalyptic Text is worth checking out regardless of difficulty or reward.
But right now, a different Apocalyptic Text had caught everyone’s attention.
“The Jianghu group strongly recommends this work.”
The Sword Saint spoke.
The Sword Saint served as team lead for the Jianghu genre. Unlike someone else who merely appeared to be a devoted reader of Jianghu fiction but harbored the soul of a light novel emperor, the Sword Saint possessed genuine depth in the subject.
This elderly man spread open one Apocalyptic Text before us.
“This book, right here.”
+
[Records of the Celestial Demon]
Genre: Jianghu, Fusion
Difficulty Level: B-rank
Participant Limit: 2-4 people
※Currently under serialization hiatus.
Description: The Jianghu. A world where martial artists revere the Way, employ the Way, and pursue mastery of the Way! Into this realm came the Celestial Demon, seeking to unify all martial artists. The Demonic Cult, unified under the Celestial Demon’s banner. Forces that stood against such a cult. They clashed over the fate of the realm… or would have.
If only a mysterious super-plague hadn’t swept through.
Reason for Hiatus: An unidentified plague ravaged the world, claiming the Celestial Demon. The Demonic Cult was annihilated. Every other faction perished as well. The end.
+
“The reason we recommend Records of the Celestial Demon is simple.”
The Sword Saint continued.
“In this world, there exists a figure called the Celestial Demon—a martial artist who collected every Martial Arts Manual that exists throughout the Jianghu. Thus, in the Demonic Cult’s headquarters, a vast Martial Arts Secret Library was established.”
The Sword Saint’s expression turned awkward. Those not in the Jianghu group had all reacted with confusion: “Martial Arts Manual? Secret Library? What are you talking about?”
In the end, the Sword Saint abandoned Jianghu terminology and chose clearer language.
“Think of Martial Arts Manuals as books containing the secrets of skills. If we succeed in saving this world, we’ll obtain a library full of the greatest skills in the realm without spending a copper coin. It’s an opportunity for us hunters to grow even stronger.”
The hunters’ eyes gleamed.
“Martial Arts.”
“We’d gain new skills?”
“I mean, chances to learn new skills really are rare…”
“An opportunity to grasp the principles of the Jianghu!”
A positive atmosphere settled over us. Those like the Sword Saint, who valued personal martial prowess, reacted with particular enthusiasm. For now, our immediate strength matters most. That argument had proven persuasive.
It was good news for me too.
‘This is good, isn’t it?’
I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
‘If it’s a Jianghu world, there’d be plenty of real masters flying around. If I die just once to each of them… wow. Even if nothing else, shouldn’t I pick up at least one A-rank skill?’
-Zombie, true to form, your head’s stuffed with nothing but dreams of a free ride?
‘I found a world I’d like to mine for resources. But with my current strength, it won’t be easy.’
The Sword Saint fell silent.
Instead, another presence spoke.
[Sparkle alerts you: a presence has been detected.]
The blade at my waist suddenly thrummed with energy.
‘A presence? What kind of presence?’
[Sparkle tells you: your sister is very close by.]
‘My sister?’
Sparkle—the constellation known as the Guardian Goddess—had been shattered into five blades and sealed away. The Holy Sword at my waist belonged to one of them. As for where the other four had vanished, Sparkle herself claimed not to know.
Yet here, nearby, I could sense the presence of a sister blade.
‘Where? Where is it coming from?’
I looked around frantically.
The Grand Library of All Forms. Bookshelves stretched beyond the horizon itself. Each bookcase was massive. Looking up, they towered like monuments.
Naturally, I saw nothing but books.
[Sparkle advises you: stop searching about carelessly and focus on what is directly before your eyes.]
‘Directly before me? All I see in front of me is the Sword Saint… wait.’
The Apocalyptic Text.
A book that contains an entire world within it.
‘Could it be inside there?’
The Holy Sword thrummed.
[Sparkle confirms: Yes, warrior.]
[Sparkle tells you: she senses her sister’s presence emanating from the book the Sword Saint holds!]
In that moment, our destination was decided.
SSS-Rank Hunter Who Lives Only by Dying (Ongoing)
Author | Sin Noa
Publisher | Kim Ju-hyung
Published by | J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing | Han Jae-hyuk
Address | 204, 288 Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Daelung Post Tower 1st)
Email | [email protected]
Website | www.jayplemedia.com
© Sin Noa 2019
※ This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. in accordance with a contract with the copyright holder, and its contents may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
Violation of this may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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