I Killed the Hero and Took His Achievements-Chapter 22: Welcome to the Dungeon (It’s a Trap)

[Location: Arcadia - Hero Welcoming Center]

[Time: 10 minutes post-summoning]

The New Heroes were surrounded by masses.

"Please sign my shield! Hero Kenji! Please marry my daughter!"

Kenji was soaking it up. He posed with his katana. "Don’t worry, citizens! I, Kenji the Samurai, will defeat the Demon King!"

Alice, the Paladin, looked nervous. "Kenji, shouldn’t we check our stats first?"

"Relax, Alice-chan! We have Plot Armor! We are the protagonists after all."

I walked through the crowd. I wasn’t wearing my Emperor’s Robes. But I was wearing a hooded cloak with a glowing question mark above my head. And yes, I used [Illusion Magic] to literally put a ’?’ over my head. Transmigrators like them always treat us like a game. They are like moths drawn to a flame with that symbol.

Kenji saw me instantly. "Whoa! Look guys! An NPC Quest Giver!"

He ran over to me hurriedly. "Greetings, Old Man!" Kenji shouted. "Do you have a quest for all of us?"

I lowered my hood slightly, revealing a scarred, grizzled face (illusion). "Greetings, Travelers," I rasped like an old man. "I see you have the aura of world’s destiny."

"Yes, that’s us!" Kenji grinned gleefully. "What’s the quest? Kill monsters? Deliver a letter?"

"No," I said gravely. "The situation is dire. The Demon King is gathering his forces. But there is hope."

I pulled out a map. It was a fake map I drew on a napkin five minutes ago. "Deep in the Caverns of Arthur, there lies the Sword of Infinite Victory that was permanent stabbed into a stone, no one can pull it. Only the Chosen One can pull it from the stone."

Kenji’s eyes turned into bright lights. "Sword of Infinite Victory? That sounds like SSS-Rank!"

"It is," I lied obviously. "But be warned. The cavern is extremely dangerous. Only those with true hero can enter."

"We’ll take it!" Kenji smashed his hand on the map. "System! Accept Quest!" The System pinged.

[Hidden Quest Received: The Sword of Victory.]

[Difficulty: Tutorial.]

[Reward: Legendary Weapon + Harem Blessing.]

"Let’s go, team!" Kenji shouted. "To the Caverns!"

The party cheered gleefully and ran off toward the city gates.

I watched them leave.

Sylvia de-cloaked next to me. "You’re evil."

"I’m capable. Now, while they are busy fighting chairs that bite back, we have business."

"Business?"

"Yes. The Contest starts in an hour."

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[The Arcadia Coliseum]

The stadium was packed. 100,000 spectators.

[Event: The Continental Championship]

[Prize: The Orb of Divination.]

The Orb of Divination was an artifact that could answer one question about the future.

"Contestant #42: The Masked Merchant!" The announcer shouted.

I walked into the arena. I wore an exquisite venetian mask and a suit.

My opponent was a Berserker from the Badlands. He was 7 feet tall. Muscular man. He’s holding two axes.

"I WILL DRINK YOUR BLOOD!" the Berserker screamed.

"I will drink your milkshake," I replied.

FIGHT.

The Berserker charged.

I didn’t draw a weapon. I reached into my pocket, then I pulled out a Bag of Gold. "Hey!" I shouted.

The Berserker paused. "What?"

I tossed the bag at his face.

[Skill: Bribe.]

(Chaos Broker Class Skill: Forcefully changes target’s aggression).

The bag hit him. It bursted open. 500 gold coins suddenly scattered on the ground. The Berserker looked at the gold. Then, he looked at me. "That’s... that’s a year’s wages."

"Walk away," I said, "and I’ll double it."

The Berserker dropped his axes. "I surrender!"

The crowd booed unrestrainedly.

"It’s Financial Consulting," I shouted to the audiences

[Winner: The Masked Merchant.]

I walked back to the waiting room.

Sylvia was waiting.

"That was expensive," she noted.

"Cheaper than repairing my suit if he got blood sprayed on it."

"Master, looking at the bracket... your next opponent is troublesome." She pointed to the board.

[Semi-Finals: Masked Merchant vs. Saintess Clara.]

"Clara?" I frowned. "I thought Seraphina was the only Saintess."

"She was. Clara is the replacement. The Church grew her in a hidden cage."

"A cage-grown waifu?" I raised an eyebrow.

"She uses Mind Control Magic. She makes opponents surrender by showing them their sins and wrongdoings."

"Sins?"

I laughed wickedly. "I have so many sins, insurmountable at that. This is going to be so much fun."

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[Semi-Final Match]

Clara stood in the arena. She looked like Seraphina, but with lifeless, and puppet eyes. "Sinner," Clara spoke. Her voice was amplified magic. "Kneel and repent." She raised her staff.

[Spell: Judgment of the Soul.]

A beam of white light hit me. Usually, this spell forces the victim to relive their worst memories. I stood there while I closed my eyes. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Memory 1: Me killing Arthur. (Funny).

Memory 2: Me burning the Slime Queen. (Disgusting, but essential).

Memory 3: Me scamming Gallywix. (Profitable).

I opened my eyes.

"Is that it?" I asked. "I was expecting guilt but I just feel Nostalgic."

Clara blinked. Her figurine face showed confusion. "Impossible. No soul is without regret!"

"I have regrets," I admitted. "Like that time I didn’t loot the Goblin King’s shoes. They were +2 Agility."

"DIE!" Clara shrieked. She switched to offensive magic. [Holy Arrow].

I raised my Black Gold Card. "System. Transaction."

[Skill: Hostile Takeover.]

[Target: Clara’s Staff.]

I didn’t block the spell. I bought the agitator. The staff suddenly flew out of her hands and into mine.

"Hey! That’s Church’s property!"

I inspected the staff.

[Item: Staff of False Idols.]

[Effect: Brainwashing +50%.]

"Gross," I said. "Into the trash." I snapped the staff over my knee.

SNAP.

Clara shrieked as her connection to the Church’s hive-mind was completely severed. She collapsed while clutching her head. "The voice... the voices are gone!" She looked up at me. Terror. "What are you?"

I walked over. I slightly bent down to her eyes level. "I’m the guy who breaks the plaything the Church tries to sell." I snapped her forehead.

[Skill: Sleep.]

She passed out.

[Winner: The Masked Merchant.]

The crowd was silent. I had just dismantled a Saintess in 30 seconds without casting a single attack spell.

I looked up at the VIP box. The Tournament Organizer was watching. He wore a cloak of natural starlight.

[Target: The Prophet.]

[Level: 90.]

He wasn’t human. He was an Observer for the Interstellar Species. He smiled at me.

I smiled back. And mouthed one word. "Soon."

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In the meantime...

Kenji is currently being eaten by a Mimic disguised as a treasure chest. Alice is crying. Plan proceeded perfectly.