SSS-Class Revival Hunter-Chapter 189: Prima Donna (1)

The reaction to the dance drama was sensational.

“Sold out! Tickets are once again sold out!”

“You’ve all heard that our Wild Fire Sword Dance was so realistic that even the police came to get us! It’s time for Playhouse on Fire to carry on the legend! Estelle the Demon King is also coming up! The legend of a full house theater continues!”

“The actors use only their facial expressions and dancing skills in these plays!”

“Witness the new trend of the era!”

Troupe Yapper rapidly grew in size. A new ticket agent was hired, and more actors joined. We still couldn’t keep up with the demand, so we screamed in joy.

[Heretic erosion level is at 44%.]

“Welcome to the stage where every beckon becomes fervor and temptation. Here, everything is a dance!”

“Cheer for the fiery aura!”

[Heretic erosion level is at 32%.]

I was training the actors even more vigorously now. “Keep your chin up! But! Remember! To! Relax! At all times! When you’re angry, you clench your fists. When you see or hear something you don’t like, you frown. Your body should respond accordingly to your emotions. The more in sync your emotions are with your body, the more naturally your aura will manifest! Now!”

Every time I clapped, the troupe members moved.

“Good! Next!”

Clap!

Following the choreography I designed, the actors moved their limbs. I could hear them huffing and puffing as beads of sweat fell from their foreheads.

“Next!”

The choreography I was teaching to the members had a mix of two origins. The first was how the Teras used to move in the primordial times. The other was the forms of the Demonic Heaven Arts, which had been created over a long period.

“Okay! Next!”

In the most primal rhythm and the most violent gesture, the Terras stomped their feet. The three original members took the lead, while the newly joined actors served as backup dancers. A total of twenty-four members were dancing with perfect synchronization.

[Heretic erosion level is at 28%.]

I smiled. “Great. Let’s take a break.”

“Ugor!”

“I thought I was going to die!”

“I’m exhausted... Our little boss’ training is so hard...”

The Terras sat down on the floor, groaning. However, the actors’ faces were never gloomy. They sweat a lot, but they liked it. They smiled in a way that only those who lived their dreams could smile.

Hmm. I think they’ll be okay now. It’s time for me to retire.

—What?

Sonia turned her head in surprise. After I possessed her, she had been wandering around me as a spirit. Every day she became happier and happier because she was becoming a famous actor.

—Mr. Kekerukker? W-What do you mean by retiring?

I’m saying that I should stop possessing you. I came to this era because I had a mission. Now that it looks like everything is going to turn out fine, I should return your body to you.

Sonia jumped up and down.

—No, no, no! You’ve made it this far, so retiring is ridiculous! You’re the best actor in Goru right now! You’re a superstar in the history of Terras and the first primo uomo in the history of Sylvans to achieve great success in Cavefire plays! Retirement is out of the question! Absolutely out of the question!

I grinned. That’s good. Didn’t you say that your dream is to become a successful actress? Well, your dream has now become a reality. Enjoy it to the fullest.

—B-But...

Are you scared?

Sonia closed her mouth.

I shrugged. It’s understandable. You desperately wanted to succeed, but this is all my doing, not yours. You feel at a loss because you don’t know what to do if I leave. Am I correct?

—Ugh... Errrr...

I gave her a very simple choice. You can retire, too. The legendary actress vanished just as suddenly as she burst into the field of acting! You can just announce your retirement and say, “I’m no longer interested in acting now that I’m at the top.” Well, there will be repercussions, but people may idolize you even more. Doesn’t that sound cool?

It would seem cool on the outside, at least.

Unless you go on stage, people won’t even know that you changed. You made a lot of money and have quite a reputation, so it’s time to enjoy a splendid retirement.

Sonia pursed her lips.

—You’re right, Mr. Kekerukker. I guess I was overthinking it.

Yup, then is it okay to invite your parents to the next performance?

—What?

Your parents. You got kicked out of your house, so you need to show them that you succeeded without their help. Show off to them. People say that the most satisfying way to flaunt is to do it in front of your family.

—Ah...

What? Do you not want to show off to your parents?

—N-No, that’s not it...

Then I’ll invite them.

I took out an invitation and handed it to a nearby ticket agent, a young Sylvan. When it was time for the Sylvans to go out into the world and start working, they went on an intense hunt for high-earning jobs.

“Please deliver this to the three-story building with a green roof on Leafy Hill.”

The ticket agent gave me a snooty glance. “Chief Choreographer, I’m sorry, but I’m a ticket agent, not an errand boy. This may not mean much in other people’s eyes, but I am proud of my affiliation and job.”

“That’s great. Can I buy your pride with one gold coin?”

“Leafy Hill, you said? I’ll be quick!”

The ticket agent stormed out of the theater, holding an invitation and a gold coin.

—Ah.

Unsure why she had reached out to the agent in the first place, Sonia withdrew her hand awkwardly.

That is an invitation to the special seats. The price will be exactly that of the cart you received when you left home. It’s a price with a symbolic meaning. What do you think?

Sonia glanced in the direction that the ticket agent had run to.

—Yes, I think it’s okay.

Time passed.

[The Black Witch has successfully completed the quest!]

I started hearing news from my fellow Hunters, who had been quiet for a while. In this stage, everyone was completing a different quest, unlike last time.

The Black Dragon Master was the first to finish.

I was amazed. Even though her rank dropped because of me, she still led the most supreme guild in the Tower.

She’s a veteran.

Two days later, a neat-looking old vampire visited the theater.

“Hi.”

I was training the actors, as usual. Since it was time for training, the theater was closed. But for some reason, the old vampire came inside with no hesitation, simply watching me with a smile on his face.

Is he a stalker?

People like him had been showing up for some time now. However, the vampire’s attire—a black suit and leather boots—was a bit grandiose for a stalker. The handle of his cane was covered in gold, and silver rings lined his fingers.

“Uh, sir, the theater is currently closed. If you want to see the actors training, you should make a reservation with an agent...”

“Hmm... I didn’t know we needed a reservation to meet each other. It didn’t strike me in the slightest. Should I apologize?”

The old gentleman’s voice was quite low, but there was something familiar about the way he spoke.

I stealthily raised my aura and tried enveloping the old vampire, but my attempt was blocked as if there was a wall between us. This would be impossible unless his aura mastery was advanced enough. I noticed a black aura gently flowing down the old vampire’s cane.

“Wait. Don’t tell me... ”

The old, unfamiliar vampire chuckled in a familiar manner. With my mouth agape, I unwittingly pointed my finger at him.

“Black Dragon Master...!”

The vampire laughed like a child who had successfully pulled off a prank. “I knew it was you.”

“Why—wait, how did you end up looking like that?”

“I can ask you the same question. People would love to hear that the Death King possessed an elf.”

The members who were concentrating on practice looked my way. Thinking this could be dangerous, I quickly took the vampire to a dark corner of the theater.

“How did you know it was me? Wait, haven’t you cleared your quest?”

“Yeah, I have, but I didn’t tell the Tower that I was going to leave. If I’m unlucky, I’ll have to wait a long time until everyone is done with their own quests. That would be boring, so I came to check what you and the others are up to.”

“Wow...”

Amazed, I looked at the vampire, or rather, the Black Witch. I thought the outfit was flashy, but it turned out to be her taste.

“Your elderly rizz is awesome...”

The Black Witch smiled. It was the same smile I had learned from her. “Thank you. If I take a picture of you and show it to your duke, she will be happy.”

“I want to see Raviel so badly these days...”

“Don’t talk like you’ve begun to miss her only recently. Oh, by the way, you wanted to know how I knew it was you, right? Simple. I teleported to the largest Terra city and asked if someone became a star overnight.”

“Was that all you needed to deduce who I was?”

“Who else could it be? Death King, you tend to hoard all the madness in the world.”

“I’m innocent.”

The Black Witch cocked her head and looked toward the stage. “Anyway, I came to pay you a visit. Wow, you’re actually leading a troupe. Are you getting ready for a dance drama?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t take you for a dancer.”

“Although I call it a dance, the choreography is just a combination of martial arts moves. It’s a bit difficult, but I’m making it work with my aura.”

“You’re too modest...” While watching the members practicing, the Black Witch’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “I want to see you perform.”

“Are you talking about my Cavefire plays?”

“Yup. People are going crazy about them. I want to see just how amazing they are since the whole city is going wild about them. When is the next performance?”

“Nothing is really planned yet...”

“Come on.”

“I have quite a bit of plays ready. Umm. This is a bit embarrassing... Would you like to watch the beginning of Playhouse on Fire? I created it based on the Tower’s tenth floor.”

“I would be very grateful.”

“Okay. Please take a seat.”

I went up to the stage and clapped twice. The troupe members who were practicing their choreography turned in my direction.

“Okay, let’s get to today’s final practice. This is a group dance that happens at the beginning of Playhouse on Fire. No one forgot it, right? Great. Start when I play the music.”

I played background music with my aura. The troupe members demonstrated the choreography more skillfully than before.

Playhouse on Fire, which brought back memories of the children playing in the Infernal Mansion, was flashy at times. However, the choreography mainly followed the Terras’ movements from the primordial time. The beginning of the play ended with children running to avoid the slave traders who tried to capture them.

“Great work, everyone! You may now disperse! You can stick around and practice more on your own, but it’s up to you. Just tell me beforehand. Yes, yes, thank you for your hard work. Yes. See you tomorrow!”

I said goodbye to each actor and then headed to the auditorium. The Black Witch was seated right in the middle.

“How was it?” I asked.

The Black Witch said nothing. Perhaps she was lost in thought. Her chin rested on her palm as she glanced around the empty stage.

“It was awesome. Why didn’t anyone think of this before?”

“What?”

The Black Witch sprang to her feet. “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Black Dragon Master?”

“Wait here, Death King. Even if you clear the quest, don’t leave the stage under any circumstances! Oh, please sleep here tonight if possible. It will be annoying if I can’t find you when I get back... Teleportation!”

The Black Witch disappeared. I sensed the presence of her aura from above. When I looked up at the hole in the roof, I saw her floating in the sky, but she soon disappeared again.

“What in the world...?”

My question was answered the next day.

[The Paladin has successfully completed the quest!]

Thirty minutes after hearing the Tower’s voice, the Black Witch used her trademark Teleportation, bringing a very surreal sight before me.

“Why are you so hasty?”

Splash!

In the theater populated by dirt, stones, and trees, I could hear... water? Yes, it sounded as if someone was splashing around in a bathtub.

“Fingills lose their vitality without water! How many times have I told you this? If you shove me into a fish bowl just to move me around...!”

Inside a bathtub, a mermaid with gills indignantly splashed the water with her tail. The Black Witch apologized to the mermaid in the bathtub with a very unapologetic expression.

Wait, a Fingill?

I asked, “Miss Paladin?”

The mermaid stopped moving and slowly turned her head, meeting my eyes.

“Uh, it really is you, right?”

The mermaid stopped flapping her tail and let it slowly submerge in the water. Still, I could see it swaying powerlessly since she was in a small bathtub, looking like a flounder swimming in a seafood restaurant’s aquarium. She was dressed, but her flounder tail swayed in her temporary fish bowl.

Despite the very heavy silence weighing down in the theater, the Black Witch said, “Sorry, I know you don’t want anyone to see what you look like right now, but there is something you really need to see. You’ll probably be surprised and wonder why you hadn’t come up with something like this. You majored in music, Paladin, so among us, you’re the expert—”

“Black Dragon Master.”

“Yeah?”

“Die.”

Splash!

The Black Witch was soaked in bathtub water.