Chapter 96 |
-16 : 12 : 55
The world was bathed in the glow of the sunset, but the setting sun itself was nowhere to be seen. The sky was obscured by heavy snowfall.
“Hoo...”
I was perched on the wall, looking down at the monsters. The creatures writhing and jostling below. Occasionally, their gazes would turn sharply towards me.
The words of An Kyung-Nam, the man with glasses. Strictly speaking, they weren’t entirely correct.
Even in the tutorial, those who committed wrongdoings were duly punished, and the same applied to the second floor.
Even the last room on the third floor wasn’t a trap, as the man with glasses thought. It was a well-intentioned room that had been stained red by the repetition of misguided history.
“...Did they say the first tutorial was two months ago?”
Of course, the room couldn’t have been stained red in just two months. It’s more accurate to say it had been red from the very beginning when the tower first appeared. The one who made the tower probably intended for this misunderstanding. But, as the man with glasses said, it’s important that it wasn’t a trap.
Then, what is the reason I found some credibility in the words of the man with glasses was simple?
“...Raphael.”
The archangel. That guy we met on the second floor doesn’t consider them to be humans. What did he call it? Different class? He sees the humans of the tower not as humans but as livestock. That kind of angel is currently the overseer from the first to the fifth floor.
Given this background, the words of the man with glasses held a certain plausibility. Sin? You shouldn’t commit it. But killing beings from another world isn’t a sin, is it? That’s the kind of logic that could be used.
“…”
However, I don’t have the nerve to test this theory myself.
Objectively speaking, my current state is not normal. Rather, it’s fair to say I’m slightly unhinged, and I’m aware of that.
But if I were to slaughter people on my own here... I don’t know what would happen to me then.
“There you are.”
As I was lost in thought, looking down at the monsters. A touch on my shoulder brought me back.
“Are you feeling any better?”
Baron Jorge, stroking his beard, smiled.
“How about you, Baron? Are you alright?”
“I’ve made all the preparations I can. Now, it’s up to the heavens.”
Baron Jorge said this while looking up at the sky.
“It’s a bit cloudy, though. Haha.”
The usually somber Baron Jorge now felt as light as a feather. Light and airy.
“Do you have something to say?”
“...I do.”
Baron Jorge plopped down next to me. He rummaged through his pockets for a moment, then withdrew his hand with an awkward expression.
“Ah, right, no cigar. Must be getting old, my memory’s not what it used to be.”
Baron Jorge opened and closed his hand absently, then suddenly asked,
“Jun-ho.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you protecting us?”
“…I promised, didn’t I?”
“Promises mean nothing. It all comes down to the person.”
Baron Jorge picked up a broken stone and flung it toward the horde of monsters.
“The day I inherited the title of baron... I swore to the gathered crowd that I would always fulfill my noble duties and protect my people.”
“…”
“Of course, @#^#@*@$---- I can still say I’ve done my duties to the best of my ability.”
His words were partly obscured by the tower’s filtering, but his emotions were clear to me.
“But... we’re going to suffer devastating losses today. More will die than survive. Surviving unscathed is almost impossible.”
The sky gradually darkened. The last rays of the sun were fading.
“I’m determined to challenge the impossible. Even if I have to sacrifice myself, I’ll try to save as many people as possible.”
Baron Jorge turned to look directly at me, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening.
“I won’t ask you to join me. I won’t ask you to sacrifice yourself like I plan to.”
“…Baron.”
“Instead... do as much as you can. Please.”
Baron Jorge put his arm around my shoulders. I felt a gentle warmth flow from his arm.
“This is all the mana I have. It should help you train as I have... I’m sorry this is all I can give.”
“…”
I could only close my eyes tightly.
This was a dignified plea for survival. A nobleman, laying down his pride, begging me to save his people.
“Well then... see you alive.”
Baron Jorge staggered down the wall. His departing figure was so forlorn I couldn’t bring myself to stop him.
***
Right after Yoon Jung-hyun announced the room assignments.
“Damn it, this isn’t right!”
“Is being strong a crime? Huh? Is it?”
The atmosphere among the players was extremely hostile. Especially the stronger players.
Yoon Jung-hyun had performed his task admirably. He had objectively assessed the players’ strengths and distributed them as evenly as possible among the rooms. There likely wouldn’t be much difference in capability between the rooms.
“I got good trait because I’m talented, and I got stronger because I worked hard. So why should I have to sacrifice?”
Which meant, the strongest in each room would have to take on the most responsibility.
That’s how communities work. Those with more give more, and those with less give less. For a common goal, this is a natural phenomenon.
“Let’s be real. Why should I bear the loss for those weaklings? Is that fair?”
But this was an ideal community scenario. In reality, the strong don’t yield. They take advantage instead.
“And you all know we have to fight for at least five hours, right? If that’s the case, I’ll be fighting for at least three hours because of these assignments. Isn’t this just sending me to my death?”
Listening closely to the strong players’ arguments, it’s clear that their points aren’t entirely without merit.
Even I, who wield near-godlike power from their perspective, can be caught off guard if I’m not careful. Combat is not just about skill; it’s about split-second decisions and focus.
If this is the case for me, what about the other players? If they’re told to walk the tightrope between life and death for three hours, would they accept it willingly?
Their reactions are far from overreactions. This is a matter of life and death, after all.
But if they choose to abuse their strength, I have a plan too.
“Hey.”
“What, you son of a… Oh, Jun-ho?”
“Do it.”
“…”
“Do it. I’ve memorized all your faces. They’re setting up guilds in both the US and Korea. Do you think you can live your whole life without running into me?”
In the tutorial, I might have tried to persuade them instead of threatening them. I would have learned about their personalities and stories through regression, befriended them, and gently convinced them. Those who were truly moved by me would have followed my lead.
But I’m too tired for that now. I’m exhausted.
If these guys come at me with the arrogance of the strong, I’ll respond in kind.
“Jun-ho, sir. We’re almost ready.”
Yoon Jung-hyun approached just in time.
“We’ve prepared emergency rations, equipped all the weapons, and set up traps, though I doubt they’ll do much good. This is the best we can do.”
Suddenly curious, I asked Yoon Jung-hyun.
“Mr. Jung-hyun.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you working so hard?”
“…”
Yoon Jung-hyun. The man who suggested we stick together as soon as I was summoned to the fourth floor.
Despite the consistently dire situation, he remained steadfast and did his best. More accurately, he trusted and followed my judgment. I was curious about that.
“Haven’t you ever thought that my direction might be wrong?”
“Well… I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t.”
Yoon Jung-hyun shrugged.
“But what’s scarier than a wrong direction is a divided one. At least, that’s how I see it.”
Yoon Jung-hyun smiled, glanced around, then whispered to me.
“And I have my own reasons to believe in you. You don’t need to worry too much about me.”
“I wasn’t worried.”
“Really? Thanks. That means you find me reliable. Here’s the magic tool.”
Yoon Jung-hyun handed over the magic tool and walked away. I silently watched his retreating figure.
***
-6:12:11
The wall trembled.
The sky was strangely tinted red.
“They’re coming.”
The time was almost up.
– – – End of Chapter – – -
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