Read Novel Full Chapter 156: Greed’s Gaze
Chapter 156: Greed’s Gaze
Sylvia Fulton, or Greed as she was known now, sat on a mock throne upon the highest ridge of a cirque looking down into the basin below.
She’d arrived a few days ago, just in time as the strike force was about to attack Envy, whose dungeon was located on the floor of the basin. Of course, her appearance had thrown off the would-be raiders and led to a weird stare-down.
After all, Greed was thought to still be gone from the world, but she’d shown her face brazenly to the attackers sent to take down Envy. Which meant two things...
The Vice had knowledge of the attack.
And Greed was no weakling.
Most knew by now that a Vice was weakened outside their dungeon. To see one walking freely meant strength — or terrifying confidence. Either way, even if they thought she hadn’t been alive long in the world, no one present was foolish enough to underestimate her.
Little to their knowledge, though, was that Greed had been around much longer than any of them thought... she’d survived that little civil war last year between the Vice.
It was humanity’s fault for assuming she died.
In any case, Sylvia’s trek to Envy’s dungeon was long and dangerous.
But not because of humans, no...
She had to cross the land devastated by the Great War 200 years ago — The Lost Expanse. These lands were now controlled by the beasts and the beasts alone.
And because there was no human presence, and very little Vice presence, a bountiful portion of the land was also corrupted, with no containment efforts to combat the Seeds.
Thankfully, no terrible ones had spawned, and Greed had been taking care of the minor ones that sprouted on the edges every few months, but it was only a matter of time before a Seed that went under her radar or was simply too strong for her to handle appeared and infected all the beasts in the Lost Expanse.
Sadly, Greed wasn’t strong enough to travel straight through the Lost Expanse, so she had to walk around, which added a month to her travel time.
Sylvia looked at the two Champions she brought with her, who stood stoic and statue-like on either side of her.
’How boring...’
She was Greed! So why were all of her Champions so dull and lifeless?!
After letting out a slight sigh, Sylvia’s gaze lowered to the strike force sent to dispatch Envy.
In particular, her gaze fell on a young man...
’The Hero of Virtue.’
Even from this distance, Greed felt her soul recoil in his presence.
It was deeply unpleasant.
’I hope I’m compensated well for this excursion.’
The entire force numbered a mere thirty, but each member was one of the strongest humanity had to offer.
Which, when in comparison to the Vice, wasn’t that strong.
In fact, those who reached Bloomed were considered generational prodigies, and those who rose to Elevated could be counted on one hand.
Sylvia, at the Bloomed rank herself, could sense she’d have a fair chance against the group, especially if all of Envy was involved. Meaning none of the opponents below seemed to be Elevated.
It was quite clear that the strike force knew that as well. They hadn’t attacked yet, after all.
Sylvia’s gaze settled on a goat that began climbing up the slope of the cirque toward her.
Its jumping was pitiful, as if not used to its own body.
Well, that’s because it wasn’t.
Sylvia addressed the goat after it finally reached her.
"What is it you want?"
The goat, after settling, responded:
"My master wishes to slaughter the enemy forces."
Sylvia scowled at the warrior, currently wearing a goat’s face.
"I suppose she understands that my help does not come free."
The warrior of Envy responded.
"Of course. My master has agreed to compensate you accordingly."
Sylvia chuckled as she rose from her mock throne.
Then, she held her hand out and absorbed it into her subspace.
"Very well."
Sylvia looked to her left and right, then said:
"Juniper, Runcal. Let’s advance, shall we?"
The small prickly assassin on her left and the tall, burly man of stone on her right nodded.
A moment later, the goat transformed into a copy of the Hero of Virtue. Which doubled the terrible effect on her soul.
’So he’s only Emergent, huh?’
Sylvia knew the man’s rank because the warriors of Envy could only mimic creatures of the same rank as their master.
A moment later, the warrior transformed into the woman at the hero’s side. The effect returned to its previous strength.
’She looks just like a pirate.’
She had an eyepatch covering her left eye and a sword that looked like a swashbuckler strapped to her belt. Thin leather armor under a brown coat.
Sylvia snapped her fingers, and a path of golden stairs appeared under her feet.
With a pleasant smile, she began her descent down the stairs toward the strike force. Each step she took was accompanied by the jingle and jangle of jewels.
Instantly, all thirty of the force tensed as they noticed her descent down the slope of the cirque, alongside two beasts and an unknown who could copy their appearance.
Greed walked slowly, letting the mortals below grow frenzied and panicked as they screamed at each other to prepare for battle.
Sylvia laughed as she withdrew a bow from her subspace.
"How pitiful."
’I’ll give them an amuse-bouche.’
After leveling out her current step, Sylvia grew a wicked grin and summoned a golden arrow.
Then, slowly, so the humans below could watch her every move, she nocked the arrow, pulled back on the string, paused for a little, and released.
Like a bullet from a sniper, the arrow seemed to ignore air resistance and shot through the air in fantastic grace, and plunged into the hearts of one of the would-be invaders.
’Twenty-nine left...’
However, the moment that man fell to his knees and breathed his last, the others all finally agreed on what to do.
Retreat.
’Ah...’
’How boring.’