Chapter 23: I will be back

“I finall caught you. I still have unfinished business with Zed, but this will put an end to your massacre. I will enforce the balance.”

I finally managed to catch Khada Jhin, known to the world as the Golden Demon, in Piltover, the land of the northern territories.

It was achieved through cooperation with Zed, after overcoming all the traps that guy set up in the fog stage.

Zed kept his promise with me and didn’t kill Jhin, but he ended up escaping.

But that’s not important now.

I have to take this brutal slaughterer, who is grabbed by the collar and lying in front of me, to Ionia.

And I have to lock him up so that he can never come out into the world again and disturb the balance.

No matter how many people he massacres, he cannot destroy the balance between spirits and humans.

However, after hearing my words, Jhin started laughing, shaking his body as if something was so funny.

Did he think that he would never be caught and went crazy because he ended up like this?

It wasn’t a pleasant sound to keep listening to, so I opened my mouth and told him to be quiet.

“Shut up, Jhin. Is this situation where you’ve been caught so funny? But this will end your evil path.”

“Hee-heeheeheeheum euhehahahahahaha! Evil? Me? You’re misunderstanding. Beauty can never be evil. So I am flawless. My work is also.”

“Did you go crazy from the sudden shock? Judging from the nonsense you’re spouting.”

“Of course. And I’m crazy? Isn’t that natural for an artist?”

This won’t work.

This guy is not the type of guy you can talk to.

That tone and attitude, he seems to believe that he is a truly flawless artist.

Thinking that I shouldn’t get caught up in this guy’s pace, I grabbed Jhin by the collar and lifted him up.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re crazy or not. What matters is that from this moment on, the fact that you have to be locked up until you die in a place where no one but me knows for the rest of your time. Just as my father put you in, I will do the same. You have no right to refuse.”

“Ah, yes, your father! I remember your father. He was mistaken that he could control me. But your father was a good man. Well, he will be remembered as a failure in history.”

I mustn’t get excited by what that guy is saying.

The moment I get angry and lose my reason, that guy will definitely be looking for a chance to escape from this place.

I can sufficiently ignore that level of provocation.

But, unlike my thoughts, the hand holding Jhin’s collar gets stronger.

Jhin seemed to be in pain from the suddenly strengthened force choking his neck, but the laughter towards me did not stop.

Seeing him do that without getting tired of it, I even thought that I had no choice but to admit it.

But it’s not just me and Jhin in this place right now.

There was Akali, the Fist of Shadow, who was captured by Jhin as a hostage after trying to surprise Jhin before me and Zed arrived, but instead fell into a trap. 

“Akali, why did you do such a reckless thing alone? If you had a long time of a month, you could have fully investigated the information and waited for me to arrive. I clearly told you before when I was your age that you weren’t ready, so don’t actively participate in this.”

“But I could have caught him! As a result, I was able to catch this guy with my help!”

“That’s the result. Think about what would have happened to you if it went wrong. You would probably have been recorded as another victim of this guy.”

I insisted to Akali, who was stubbornly refusing to admit her mistake until the end, that dealing with this commotion and going to Ionia was the priority, so I would punish her later.

If I didn’t do this, I wouldn’t have the face to see her father and mother, who had dedicated their lives to the Kinkou.

Jhin, who watched our exchange of words, began to mock us.

“What a vulgar farce. If you release me now, I can make it shine more. Smile… and scream. I can give you everything.”

“You can’t come to your senses even in this situation. Will that mouth shut up if I take off the mask?”

I tried to take off his mask and reveal Jhin’s true appearance.

But the face that came out after taking off the mask was not the face when I, my father, and Zed put him in prison together in the past.

As if he had read my thoughts, he said with a sneer.

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? Only the audience can see my real face. Changing the shape of my face is nothing compared to a killer performance!”

At that guy’s words, I just gave up on making that chattering mouth shut up.

If I argued with that guy any longer, I felt like my reason wouldn’t be able to handle it.

So Akali and I took this garbage guy and left that place to finish this case.

Good. Everything is going according to plan.

Those two fools don’t seem to be intelligent enough to read this body’s thoughts.

Come to think of it, how could anyone understand my genius?

I am beauty.

A lotus flower blooming in filth and garbage.

Shen is just a doll to replace his father.

His father’s death should have been part of my performance, but Zed used his hand first, so I had no choice but to miss it.

You’ll have to be the substitute.

Zed never told Shen who released me until the end.

Because of that great honor.

Someday, when Shen finds out that fact… that face will be beautiful enough.

Enough to write as a poem.

The things I did this time are just promotions.

Those high-ranking people who heard about the performance I did will call me as their personal composer and director.

Then I will get the opportunity to put on a bigger and more ecstatic performance.

Of course, it’s a bit unpleasant to listen to those old men.

Ah, inspiration comes to mind.

Soon, the scene of art that I will unfold on this canvas called Runeterra.

This show never ends.

I am a singer without a voice and a dancer without legs.

I will wait for the day when this world welcomes me again.

In the field of massacre, I bloom.

Blooming in the red dawn… like a flower.