[Round 18, Day 19, 16:20]
I checked the face of a man wearing purple robe over his head.
Again, the face was the sa as the others.
I pondered about this.
I could not help but wonder.
Could I repeat this?
Could I see their faces again?
That was not the case.
I tightened my grip and snapped the man’s neck.
After that, I confird the ssage.
[You cleared the 18th Floor of the Tutorial in h.e.l.l Difficulty.]
[All of your wounds and abnormalities will be recovered.]
[You acquired 3000 points as clear reward.]
[You acquired 3000 points for the best clear.]
[Many G.o.ds are showing positive responses to you. You acquired 7500 points.]
[Many G.o.ds are showing negative responses to you. 2500 points were deducted.
[An additional reward will be given based on your play record.]
[G.o.d of Death would like to give a part of the G.o.d’s power as a gift. Would you like to accept?]
[You acquired Soul Collect Lv. Max.]
[All G.o.ds in White Holy Temple are watching you.]
[G.o.d of Slowness is watching you.]
[G.o.d of Adventure is rooting for you.]
[G.o.d of Duel is silent.]
[G.o.d of Death is overjoyed from watching you.]
[G.o.d of Life is watching you in a negative way.]
[G.o.d of Pain is smiling at you.]
[G.o.d of Goodwill is feeling sorry for you.]
It finally ended.
I didn’t give a d.a.m.n about the clear rewards. I just crouched down at the spot and took deep breaths.
Purple clothes on the upper body and black clothing on the lower body.
It turned out that there were more than just one such target who matched the description.
There were total of six.
They had emotionless faces and responses. They were too strange to be called humans. Considering that all of them had sa body and face, I wondered if they were clones.
I was not certain.
However, I didn’t want to dig around to learn about this in more detail than what I already knew.
I was not interested.
I checked the map that the target was looking at before he died.
It was the map of the AoAeo island.
The map had red lines marking all over the place.
I wondered what they could an. Soon, I could figure out what the lines ant.
They were the whereabouts and movents of the targets.
During the 3rd, 13th, 23rd and 30th day, the targets gather at one place.
The place of their gathering was the plaza I was at just now.
... It was a great piece information.
If I had known about this secret eting place deep inside the island sooner, I could have waited until the 30th day and... kill all targets at once.
I cried from my regret and remorse.
I bit my lips. I bit my tongue. I tried to stop crying. However, I moaned along as they bled like my heart.
I could have avoided this tragedy, even if I had not found their secret eting place.
It was more than possible.
Since I was planning on staying at this island for a long ti, if I just forgot about clear condition and focused on living it up...
If I stopped searching after determining the location of the target...
Instead of provoking the target, if I killed him from a distance using a clean thod...
If I didn’t act so stupid and reveal myself to the target so carelessly...
The stupid and careless actions I had taken ca together and bought about this tragedy.
It was my fault.
Now, I cannot even go back.
I already cleared the stage.
I glanced at the portal that appeared below my feet and then started to walk.
Outside the secret eting place, there was still a bright sunshine. The light was shining down on .
It was uncomfortable to walk.
I could not take one step without a corpse getting in my way. The ground was drenched with red blood. The ground was sticky.
Like that, in discomfort, I walked. I found a cup that had so Paramal left.
It was Paramal that soone didn’t finish.
I was not surprised.
Paramal was found everywhere in this island. The drink was very common here after all.
I picked up the cup and tried drinking the Paramal that was still left in it.
It was sweet.
It was exactly like as if ice cream was molten.
That was all.
Now, it was no more or less than sweet water.
It did not make feel better or... connect to other people.
There weren’t any people left for it to connect to.
However, I could not stop drinking Paramal.
I walked down the street, and every ti I saw a gla.s.s of Paramal, I drank it.
I hoped that its effect would be revived at the end of its sweetness.
That day, I really drank a lot of Paramal.
I drank so much of it that I threw up several tis.
[Round 18, Day 20, 10:00]
There weren’t any Paramal left on the street.
I repeated drinking and throwing up. I drank it restlessly, so it was only obvious.
However, I continued to search for more Paramal.
I wanted to drink more of it.
What ca to my mind was Hyang’s café.
There was a large storage room under the café.
It was the storage room for Paramal.
I had a mory of drinking Paramal with Hyang at the storage room, so I went to find it right away.
As soon as I entered Hyang’s café, it felt odd.
It just so happened that it was ti for to eat the breakfast at Hyang’s café.
As a part of the morning routine that signaled the start of the day, I greeted the people inside the cafe, t Hyang and ate breakfast.
With not a soul inside, the café was quiet. I walked in and headed to the storage room.
I walked through the narrow and dark corridor that lead to the bas.e.m.e.nt storage room. As I walked, I felt that it was familiar.
I already knew well, how Hyang died.
The storage room’s door was locked.
I grabbed the lock and tightened my grip. I was able to tear it off with ease.
Inside the storage room were large wooden barrels. They were tightly packed together inside the room.
They all contained Paramal.
I brought out a gla.s.s and scooped up Paramal from a barrel.
Now, the beverage had no special effect. However, I think it is a little different for .
When I drank it, I felt its intense sweetness, enough to make my tongue go numb. Every ti I tasted its sweetness, I could rember the sensation I could feel until only recently, although the sensation lasted only while I was drinking it.
Also, I was just fooling myself into thinking so.
Still, I could not stop drinking Paramal.
That day, I spent the whole day drinking Paramal.
I threw up as much as I drank.
[Round 18, Day 23, 17:30]
Unwelco guests arrived at AoAeo island.
They were the ones who made Paramal and tried to control the people through it, probably.
As the targets did, they spread their voices throughout the entire island. The voices were commanding the people who drank Paramal.
Were they trying to find the survivors?
However, I was the only one who could respond to them.
As soon as I t them, I attacked them.
I was not all that interested in their goals or potential information.
As for the ship that they arrived in, I burned it.
After that, I returned to the bas.e.m.e.nt of the café.
That day, I spent my ti drinking Paramal and throwing up.
[Round 18, Day 29, 07:30]
I had thought this once.
I will lighten up by the ti I leave AoAeo island.
It was because I thought I won’t be leaving until I felt that way.
I think it went as I planned.
I had spent the past few days drinking Paramal and throwing up while crying.
I didn’t want to drink Paramal anymore.
I no longer felt regrets or remorse.
It was not that the emotions disappeared.
It was just that I had poured out so much emotion. Now, no emotion were left. No thoughts ca either.
I just felt empty.
My head and heart...
After I cried for a long ti, I felt numb. I felt empty. At the sa ti, I felt a little refreshed. That’s how I felt.
No thoughts ca to my head.
I didn’t feel anger. I didn’t feel sadness.
At this mont, I was emotionless.
I didn’t know if this state would continue, but I thought that I will be all right for a while.
It was ti for to leave.
First, I got out of the storage room.
Through the portal, I could leave the stage. However, I wanted to check my status for a bit.
Slowly, I checked the sensations, starting from the tip of my fingers.
There weren’t any problems.
As for my mind... I don’t know.
I think it would be good to take good care of myself so I won’t shake my ntality.
I opened the status window and checked my growth.
I leveled up a bit. Skills leveled up quite a bit as well.
If it was like the past, I would have been happy about them, since I gained things.
Although I didn’t feel any emotion, I felt the chill going down my spine as I thought of that.
I felt gooseb.u.mps on my arm and cheeks.
It seed I was not able to empty it all.
Well, how could I empty all of it.
I think it will continue to follow around.
I checked the Soul Collect skill that I received as the reward for clearing the 18th Floor.
[Soul Collect (Lv. Max)]
Description: After pondering on this for a long ti, the G.o.d of Death gifted the power to the challenger that the G.o.d had taken the most interest in lately.
Although careful, the G.o.d of Death is also impatient. The G.o.d is already regretting his decision.
As usual with all power skills, I could not figure out what this skill was for based on the description alone.
From the na, it seed like it was a skill for collecting souls. However, I could not get a feel for how to use it.
I should ask Kiri Kiri.
Beyond the window, I looked down at the street.
At the mont, there were several hundred thousands of souls here in this island.
I thought about trying out the Soul Collect as a test. However, I decided not to.
I don’t even know exactly what kind of effect it will have.
My wounds just stopped bleeding for a mont. I didn’t want to poke at it for the sake of a fickle curiosity.
After finishing the thoughts, I got on the portal that was just a step away.
“Teleport.”
I closed my eyes for a mont and opened. I was moved to the green field.
“I’m sorrrrying!”
As soon as I was moved to the field, Kiri Kiri scread and jumped toward .
She was throwing a tackle at . I collided with her and fell back.
“What are you doing, Kiri Kiri.”
Kiri Kiri tightly held on to and cried her eyes out.
“Hiiiiing. I didn’t do my job.”
You didn’t do your job?
Ah, is it because she didn’t give advice about the 18th Floor?
Actually, that was because I rushed back to the waiting room.
To begin with, I had not been hearing much advices on how to clear stages lately. Also, after clearing the 17th Floor stage, I had many things I had to mind.
If I am to a.s.sign bla, then this is not Kiri Kiri’s fault. It is my own.
“No. It is my fault. I should have stopped you from leaving and told you about the 18th Floor.”
It is really all right.
If it was a few days ago, then I may have resented her.
However, now, I didn’t feel emotions like resentnt or regrets.
“Kiri Kiri. Instead, I would like to ask you for explanation on the Soul Collect skill.”
“Hiiiing. I got it.”
Kiri Kiri lifted her head and responded.
However, she did not release her arms which were tightly holding onto my body.
I also asked her to give advice for the next floor.
Kiri Kiri said there won’t be much danger at 19th Floor.
As a side note, she included explanations on how to treat the cold and how to take care of soone who had it.
I didn’t have to worry about getting cold. So, this ant that I’ll be eting soone at the 19th Floor who has a cold.
This is slowly getting stuffy.
I got up and stretched.
I thought Kiri Kiri might unhand if I got up. However, although I got up, Kiri Kiri was still hanging onto .
She was like a koala.
“Can you please let go now?”
“Nooong.”
“I’ll give you cake if you let go.”
“Okaying!”
Kiri Kiri detached herself from imdiately.
I bought her a piece of cake.
“Hooouuuujaeee, aren’t you going to eat too?”
“I’m not going to eat. I don’t think I’ll be able to eat anything sweet for a while.”
Literally, I had been drinking Paramal until I puked.
So, I beca sick of anything sweet.
“Hiiiiiing... Please don’t kick yourself so much. It is not your fault. That was just a difficult trial.”
I’m sure she was trying to console . Still, I did not agree with her.
Anyway, I am thankful for her. She is showing concern for .
Still, I suppose I did get sothing from the 18th Floor.
I learned to be thankful to another in honest way.
“No. You had always been honest to your emotions and were not afraid to show them.”
She is complinting out of the blue.
“Usually, having other beings reading one’s mind is very scary and uncomfortable. However, you didn’t mind or other G.o.ds for looking into your thoughts. That was because you were not afraid to show us your thoughts and were not embarra.s.sed about them.”
I am not sure. I don’t think that’s why.
I have many embarra.s.sing thoughts. I do wish that I could hide them as well.
Still, well, it does feel good to be praised.
“Hoouuujaeee, you are!”
Kiri Kiri suddenly shouted.
She then closed her eyes. She started to think deeply about sothing.
She had been like that for a while. She suddenly opened her eyes widely, faced and said,
“Your fingers are beautiful.”
Kiri Kiri looked very proud as she said it. anwhile, I could not imdiately understand what that was for.
I was able to understand her intent only after I thought about what I had been thinking earlier.
She was giving complints for my own sake.
That sure is an odd one. She spent almost three minutes to think hard about it, and that’s what she ca up with? That my fingers are beautiful?
I wondered if I should take away the slice of cake. I gave it a serious thought.
“Ho.... Houuujaeee, you are!”
Kiri Kiri noticeably stumbled with words.
After that, she closed her eyes and thought hard.
I’m looking forward to her answer too.
I wonder what kind of complint would she give this ti?
“Your na is fun!”
As I thought, I think I should take the cake.
I said goodbye to Kiri Kiri and went back to the waiting room.
I had chatted away with her for a long ti before I left, so I was feeling a little excited. Now, my mood was calming down again.
I sat at the bed in the waiting room and thought about things.
My emotion had beco dull.
I wondered if this would beco a big problem later.
For now, there was nothing bad about it.
At AoAeo island, I really had seen the bottom of the barrel.
I cried like a crazy person and did all sorts of unsightly things.
My current condition was far more preferable than a continuation of that.
It was more comfortable as well.
Maintaining agitated emotional state is very taxing ntally and physically.
However, this might beco a problem later.
I feel anxious.
I checked my current ntal state as if I was a third person.
At a glance, I look as if I obtained the enlightennt.
I had thrown away all desires that human beings possess. I have defeated my own emotions.
However, I knew well that I didn’t obtain the enlightennt.
How should I explain this...
Right. I feel like I am currently in the state of anesthesia.
I had beco ntally numb.
Just like how senses beco numb from extre pain, just like that.
I had pondered about this for a mont. It didn’t look like there is anything that would cause problems.
This is not the first ti.
After I just fell inside the Tutorial, I had been constantly experiencing terror from life-threatening elents. I had been seeing numbers which indicated the death of people.
Also, I had spent ti in agony while blaming myself for not being able to save those people. As such days continued, before I realized, my heart had beco numb.
I had been treating myself without much care like an avatar in a video ga.
These are not so distant mories.
They are the things that have happened ever since I entered the Tutorial and until now.
To make a rough guess... It is until just before I summoned Idy at the 12th Floor and stayed with her.
I actually have been thinking that I had beco complacent and careless lately.
Killing and subduing the emotions and looking at situations objectively is helpful for survival and growth.
It is not a bad thing.
It was just that I have been too relaxed lately.
I organized my thoughts that way.
I finished agonizing over things. Afterwards, I was finally able to have a mont to spare to look around myself.
I looked around, but there wasn’t much.
It’s a waiting room, so it is just a waiting room. Well...
There was one thing that was different.
When I returned to the waiting room after the tournant was over, I was under the effects of extre loneliness and solitude.
I was in pain. I was sad.
Now, I didn’t feel that way.
As I thought, this is not a bad condition to be in.
However, my senses were still dampened.
I didn’t sense any movents from my eyes.
It was obvious.
There was just myself in the waiting room that was moving.
Other than the sound of my breathing, I couldn’t hear anything.
I held my breath for a mont. Now, I could only hear the sound of my heart beating.
Dugun.. Dugun...
The sound of the heart beat was very small. However, its presence felt as loud as thunder.
Following the rhythm of the heartbeat, I felt like the pressure inside the dark waiting room was rushing at .
The waiting room was dark and empty. However, it felt like the place was full of sothing.
I felt like I was going to get buried under my dampened senses.
There were not many things that I could do to escape this.
I opened the inventory and brought out Trans.m.u.table Thousand Arms.
Slash... Slash...
In this dull waiting room, the sound that I hated hearing, only the horrible sound of flesh being cut echoed.
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