Chapter 44
Transator: Ekdud
Proofreader: coyotte508
TL Check: KobatoChanDaisuki
Chapter 44 – Tower (3)
At that moment the fairy appeared above everyone’s head.
‘…’
While Chulman frowned, the fairy quickly started to babble:
“Hello everyone. Congratulations on clearing a room. Heehee. It was decent enough for 10 people to clear right?”.
Everyone unconsciously nodded at these words.
It took about a day for them to get through one room.
And runes had come out too.
The fairy spoke as it looked at these people.
“Well it’s exactly at the difficulty for 10 people. But isn’t the reward a bit too lacking for a day’s worth of work?”
Everybody flinched.
‘Looking at it again….’
They had ignored it because they were hunting the beasts whilst being on guard with the nearby people but it seems like the beasts they had killed had not dropped a single artifact.
‘This is a bit troublesome.’
Artifacts and skills were important beyond anything else.
Runes did not create a substantial gap and even if there was a gap it was still possible to catch up to it.
But a good artifact or a skill was different.
Chulman had an incident where he collided against somebody of similar skill level as him.
A guy who tried to rape a woman.
Thoughts of his daughter enraged him and made him collide against him.
Of course he had calculated that the guy would realize their skill levels and then refrain from colliding against each other.
But this was a misconception.
They were at similar levels in terms of strength but a huge difference was made at a decisive moment due to their artifacts.
He had almost died because his sword had broken apart after colliding against that guy’s sword a few times.
If you take into account the fact that the difficulty of the Tower would continue to increase then the level of one’s artifacts could not stay stationary.
The fairy smiled while looking at the people trapped in their thoughts.
“Come on everybody. We aren’t that heartless. We’ve prepared it right here! Since it has taken around one day the rewards should be around this much right?”
The fairy pointed towards the entrance.
The people who saw this stopped for a moment.
Artifacts were placed in front of the 10 doors.
Artifacts that were listed under the 10 Man Room on the map.
<Roropin’s Sharp Hook>
<Circlet of Kiladerape>
…
<Haul’s Glove>
Chulman asked the fairy:
“Do we just need to take one of them then?”
Ten people. Ten doors. 10 variety of artifacts.
It was quite an obvious choice.
The fairy grinned at these words.
“How could that be. Only one out of those 10 doors will open.”
“…One? Then ten people would go through one door but only one artifact will be given?”
The fairy smiled as it spoke again.
“Could you first check the standards of those artifacts?”
Everyone pulled out their maps as they started to check the options of the artifacts.
And then flinched.
‘… Why is there so much difference?’
<Haul’s Glove>, which was in front of the door which said <10> was pretty good but it was something one could achieve by working just a bit harder.
And 10 of them existed too.
On the other hand, the single <Roropin’s Sharp Hook> which was in front of the room with <1> or two of <Circlet of Kiladerape> in front of the room with <2> were at a level which couldn’t even be compared to something like Haul’s glove.
An overwhelming difference in power.
The fairy laughed as it saw this.
“The figure listed in front of the door isn’t a number. It is something that tells you about how many could survive. The number of people leaving this room alive hangs on your decisions. Heehee.”
“…”
“It’s not bad to choose the 10th door and leave together in a nice manner with Haul’s Gloves. Though I wouldn’t recommend it due to the structure of the tower.”
“Fuck…”
It wasn’t just a problem of this moment.
He would just be dead meat if he was to take the Haul’s glove and was to face a crossroad of choice like this and meet somebody who had killed off the other nine and had gotten something like the hook.
Chulman cursed out loud as he gripped the sword in his hands.
The moment they started to move away from each other Suhan shouted out.
“Wait! Come to your senses! Isn’t it a safer choice to get through the next level together as ten!”
Everyone flinched at these words.
Of course it was logically better to have nine comrades than a single weapon like that.
And even more so if you take into account that you were the one who might die during the fight.
The fairy smiled.
“I don’t know. Heehee. Is it okay for you guys to be at such a leisure when this is just a start? After this room…”
Suhan aggressively glared at the fairy as he shouted.
“Shut up.”
“…”
Everyone flinched as they got away from Suhan.
‘That guy. What are his thoughts. To go up against the fairy…’
Chulman looked at Suhan with a worrying expression.
He felt bad for him because though guy’s personality was pretty good, he was about to get killed by the fairy.
But the fairy didn’t act out and instead made an amused expression as it spoke:
“What an aggressive man. Can I really not speak about it then?”
But then a man in the corner spoke out.
“No. Please continue. I must hear this out.”
The man looked at Suhan as he spoke.
“You shut up instead. Shouldn’t we at least hear what is about to come. If you aren’t going to take care of all our lives then don’t cut off important intel. Do you want to die or something.”
“… This bitch.”
Suhan glared at the man but he could not swing his sword.
Because that guy was one of the three strongest along with Suhan.
If they fight here then they would be helping them to choose the eighth room.
The fairy continued to talk.
“It might not be bad to go along with ten people but you will cross against the people of other rooms. Though the number of people you would get tangled up with depends on the room.”
Everyone became serious at these words.
If they choose Haul’s glove then all ten of them could survive.
But going together at this moment did not guarantee them going together next round.
‘No. It’ll be good if we don’t become enemies then.’
This was proven by previous experiences.
And what if the people they meet in the next room had also been in a 10 Man Room but chose the 3rd or 4th door?
What if they were from a 40 Man Room and had chosen the 10th door?
If you start at similar starting points then the level of artifacts was the most important part.
If they head off like this then they have to go against people who are armed with much more powerful artifacts.
“…”
Everyone’s expressions turned cold.
A definite decision to increase their chance of survival in this damnable structure.
Keep on choosing the low-numbered door and arm themselves.
It might be hard in the beginning but once they grasp the advantage the gap will continue to increase.
But even though everyone had such thoughts they couldn’t move thoughtlessly.
Since there was no guarantee that they would be part of the winning side even if they felt greedy.
Suhan spoke cautiously whilst looking at everyone:
“Wait! If we fight here then we might receive injuries and get hurt! If we go into the next room in such a situation then it’ll still be dangerous! It’s just better to go as ten…”
“Oh. All your injuries would get healed as soon as you go through the door. We should at least give that much as service when you fought so hard to take over. Heehee. Having a limb cut off is okay too so fight well.”
“This damnable…”
While Suhan was flustered from the fairy’s words, Youngjae looked at Suhan for a moment and then smirked.
“Why are you trying so hard to survive all together. Quite a funny guy.”
“What?”
Before Youngjae’s words ended, a woman started to walk towards Youngjae’s side.
Suhan narrows his eyes.
Mijee.
One of the three strongest along with Youngjae.
“What is…”
“I just like the idea on this side. Let’s do it simply. Those who want to be with us stick here. We can organize it roughly. Even if it isn’t the 1st or 2nd room hmm… 4? 5th room sounds good?”
‘Damnit… it seemed like they were talking quite a bit on the way here…’
Chulman grinded his teeth as he looked at Youngjae and Mijee.
They didn’t predict things up to this point but had shared some part of their thoughts.
Suhan grinded his teeth and shouted at the scene in front of him:
“You crazy bastards! Why are you doing this when we can end it without fighting…”
Youngjae laughed.
“We could end it without fighting. But it seems like if we were to do so here then we would get eaten by those who had fought and won. That’s what I’ve had to go through.”
“Fuck…”
While Suhan grinded his teeth, Youngjae clicked his tongue inwardly.
“It’s going to take all day.”
As soon as his words ended, Youngjae rushed out and swung his sword around him.
Kwadududk.
Ududuk.
“Kuaaaak!”
Chulman, who had been off guard, had his wrist cut off.
He had tried to dodge backwards because he wasn’t that dull but his wrist had flown off because there was a bit too much difference from the start.
Everyone who had seen this started to crazily head behind Suhan.
They had all realized.
That they would all die if this was to continue.
That guy was a maniac.
“You bastard!”
The opponent was two.
But it was two of the three strongest people here.
‘Damn… and that guy was hiding his true strength.’
Chulman grinded his teeth as he looked at Youngjae.
He had known that he was strong but for him to be this strong.
One could see how much muscle they had by looking but there was no way to find out about the number of runes they had before they get into a full head on clash.
If one were to hide their skills like that then there was no way to know.
They would not be an opponent if they didn’t group up with Suhan as the center.
Youngjae smirked as he saw this.
“Damn. It’s the opposite effect. I had done it to get you guys to this side. Then there’s only two people along with this lady?”
It was a very disadvantageous situation from one point of view but Youngjae didn’t show it as he charged towards Suhan.
And a sword fight had occurred after the other people had also charged in.
“This bitch! Die.”
“You fucker! Getting blinded by the artifact!”
Youngjae and Mijee were strong but Suhan was not a pushover either and they also had an advantage in numbers.
And everyone, excluding Chulman who was rendered unable to fight, started to send off a bloodthirsty aura from all around.
No. There was still another person who was not involved in the sword fight.
“Hey Minhee…”
“U…uuu…..”
The child who had barely held a sword up against the beasts was scared out of her wits and could not get near as the people started to clash with each other.
Chulman who had been clutching onto his wrist looked at her with a sad expression.
Words of her having to help out had came up to his throat.
But he couldn’t say so after seeing a child who was so scared.
‘Damn…Youngjae this bastard…’
Chulman tried to heal his wrist with all his strength but it seemed like he won’t be able to for a while because the ligaments in both of his hands had been cut off.
And soon after the fight had ended.
“Kuuu…”
“Kuuk…”
The result was that Youngjae and Mijee had won.
The skills which Youngjae had hidden was really much higher than the norm.
They had both become bloody but the others could not even stand and were all rolling about the floor with painful expressions.
Mijee grinned as she looked at that Youngjae.
“Hoo… you fight well. But why didn’t you try to kill any of them? Is there a reason?”
Everyone had fallen to the ground but none had died.
Of course they had their wrists cut off and had suffered extreme injuries so they were unable to fight but they were still alive.
Youngjae laughed as he spoke.
“There’s a reason for this. Anyhow…”
At that moment Youngjae’s expression froze frightfully.
And then he pushed Mijee away.
“What are you…”
And in the spot where Mijee had fallen from, a sword had flown past it with extreme speed.
And the sword continued to swing as it stabbed Youngjae.
Mijee was able to dodge barely but still had a deep wound on her shoulder and Youngjae’s abdomen was punctured from that.
“Kuuuk…”
Youngjae mumbled at the handle of the sword which had gone through him.
A speed which was not even comparable to the fight before.
Youngjae coughed out some blood as he looked at Minhee who had thrown the sword.
“You… your skills… why did you stand still if you were this good?”
Minhee laughed coldly as she answered:
“No reason for me to act out when you are doing the work I was going to do for me. It’s a first meeting somebody crazier than me.”
<Lord. I’ve cleared this place easily.>
Minhee laughed as she sent Wongyung a message.
She had been looking for a chance but it was quite burdensome because the three were quite strong.
And this was why she was going to look out for chances for a while.
In order to aim for their backs when an even more dangerous situation occurred.
The fairy had set it up but she had clicked her tongue and given up.
Because it didn’t seem like a fight would happen.
But then that Youngjae guy started to fight with them.
‘I’ve blown my nose without even touching it.’ (*Note: Korean saying meaning “Something was done without me having to do anything”)
This was why greedy people were good.
It was hard to go against ten people even for them.
But there was a reason why they had gone in one to two at a time.
Since there was no need for them to fight them all alone.
Things became really easy if one or two people like him existed.
While Minhee was laughing quietly, Youngjae mumbled coldly in front of Minhee.
“You guys really have too much patience. For you guys to come out only when I do this.”
He had always felt it but the problem with these guys was the fact that they had too much patience.
That was why they would only come out when one had set up everything.
It was going to be even more dangerous from now on, it’ll be troublesome if he proceeded without taking care of such things.
‘Tsk. Though it’ll heal… it hurts like hell.’
As soon as the room opened everybody would get healed.
Of course there’s nothing they could do about the ones who were dead.
“What?”
Even before Minhee could react, a dagger which had come out from around the thigh pierced Minhee’s chest.
‘It’s the second floor now. Let’s see each other soon.’
He would just kill off small fry like these on the way.
The real goal is the guy whom he would meet on the third floor.
Hansoo laughed coldly as he thought of the <Treasure Hunt> that would happen in the next room.