Chapter 109

 

-00 : 12 : 22

 

The morning sunlight streams through the cracks in the collapsed ceiling. 

 

Scattered voices of players can be heard.

 

“Am I... alive?”

 

“Hah, hah, hah...”

 

Sighs of relief are let out here and there.

 

Yes, they are sighs of relief. Not shouts of victory.

 

“Min-hee... Min-hee...”

 

“Why... why you...”

 

Across the large room, people can be seen clutching whatever was left of their friends and crying. The faint smell of blood lingers unpleasantly in the air.

 

“Whew...”

 

When the wave first started, I thought I had succeeded.

 

The strategy was to herd the otherworlders into the large room and block the passages on either side that led into it.

 

Just like the day before, I was responsible for one side, and the rest of the players took the opposite side. It was a strategy that couldn’t fail.

 

That is, unless a pitch-black orc suddenly appeared.

 

A black orc, as if annoyed by the interference, slaughtered the other monsters with its own hands and marched up to the 4th floor.

 

The thing was... strong. Its innate physical abilities were on another level. Even for me, who had the hero trait, it took 20 seconds to bring it down.

 

It had incredible regenerative power, healing deep wounds in an instant. Its height nearly reached the ceiling. It had the strength to collapse the ceiling with a single blow and skin as tough as thick wood.

 

It wasn’t on par with the golem on the 3rd floor, but it was certainly a formidable enemy. Of course, it wasn’t invincible. The only reason I couldn’t kill it fast was because its neck was too thick, and its regenerative power was too strong.

 

In truth, it wasn’t a match for me.

 

The problem was that an identical creature appeared on the other side.

 

It swiftly wiped out the group of players guarding the passage and entered the room, massacring the otherworlders inside.

 

Of course, I arrived shortly after and took it down, but... there were casualties.

 

Fewer than twenty people died. About ten players and ten otherworlders. Compared to the previous rounds, the losses were absurdly low, but... once again, I failed to clear the 4th floor perfectly.

 

“What… what went wrong?”

 

In previous rounds, there were no monsters like this. Even if flying monsters appeared, there was never a creature this strong.

 

Wasn’t the 4th floor supposed to be about exploiting weaknesses? Is there something I’m missing?

 

Was it because there was no casualty for two consecutive days? Or something else was the problem?

 

No matter how much I agonized over it, I couldn’t reach a conclusion. I put in so much effort. I thought I’d succeed this time.

 

As I racked my brain, the timer went off.

 

-00 : 00 : 00

 

 

When I came to my senses, I was back on the 1st floor. I stared blankly at the message window that appeared before my eyes.

 

48,800 points. Assuming everyone survives including Baron Jorge, the maximum score seems to be 50,000 points.

 

“Whew...”

 

I forced myself to ignore the storm of negative emotions and creaked my body into motion. Because, as expected, the ‘reward chest’ was placed over on the other side of the 1st floor.

 

With this reward... maybe I won’t have to keep failing.

 

 

 

The rewards I received were the same as the ones from the previous round. Maybe it’s because they’re tailored, or perhaps that’s just how it’s set... For the record, obtaining the ‘Meditation’ trait twice didn’t cause it to evolve or anything like that. It just triggered a meaningless message: ‘Your proficiency has increased.’

 

 

 

These are the new rewards I received. The potion is the same one everyone knows... As for the Elixir of Omnipotence, it said it increases all stats by 10, so I drank it immediately.

 

“Hmm...”

 

Sitting on the bed, I reflected on this round.

 

It was good that I actively used my knowledge of the future to lead people. There was some resistance at first, but by the 4th day, people were actually eager to make themselves seen.

 

However... The orc that appeared on the final day was the problem. This thing was so powerful that even mid-to-high-tier players died because of it.

 

What went wrong? Where did I mess up? There are a few possible causes, but nothing is certain.

 

“If I don’t know...”

 

I’ll just have to do it again.

 

 

 

***

 

“Let’s just try building the wall higher.”

 

“What??”

 

“The current wall is... about as tall as a four-story building, right? Let’s raise it up to the height of a six-story building.”

 

“...That sounds tough...”

 

“Let’s just give it a shot.”

 

“...Alright.”

 

Right after the construction began, I realized it. Baron Jorge was right.

 

A wall isn’t something that can be built quickly, even with superhuman effort.

 

Even though the third night was fast approaching, the wall hadn’t grown much taller.

 

“Sigh...”

 

The plan to raise the wall higher was a failure.

 

 

 

***

 

“You, you, and you. Come over here.”

 

“...?”

 

“I’m appointing you as the ‘5th Day Special Task Force.’ The mission is simple. A black orc will appear, and all you need to do is survive. Just hold out and don’t die. Easy, right?”

 

“Uh, yes, sure... I understand.”

 

I selected only the strongest and assigned them the task of holding off the orc that appears on the 5th day. The plan worked well; though they were heavily injured, they didn’t fall to the black orc, which bought me enough time to deal with it myself.

 

My strategy was a success.

 

“Rrrrr...”

 

At least until the black wolf showed up a little later.

 

“Huh, huh!”

 

“It’s coming this way! Run!”

 

“Where can you run in such a small room... Aaargh!!!”

 

The black wolf didn’t engage with the players. It cleverly weaved through their legs and headed straight into the room, tearing into the necks of the otherworlders.

 

Once again, I failed to ensure everyone’s survival.

 

 

 

***

 

I laid traps.

 

I rearranged the personnel.

 

I mixed up the order of the countermeasures.

 

Even though I actively utilized my knowledge of the future, everything failed. The number of casualties gradually decreased, but it never reached zero.

 

Thinking I lacked strength, I dedicated one round entirely to training my mana.

 

I locked myself in the room, using the ‘Meditation’ trait while focusing on the sensations within my body.

 

As one day passed, then two, and eventually a week, I started to feel something faintly swirling inside me.

 

I didn’t undergo any dramatic changes like those depicted in novels with martial arts or swordsmanship, but simply spreading mana throughout my body made me feel my physical abilities improving.

 

Of course, despite that, I still failed. Even though I became slightly stronger, nothing fundamentally changed.

 

By this point, I understood. It wasn’t that I lacked power; it was that this 4th floor was designed to demand sacrifices. Someone had to die on this floor.

 

The enemies adapt to the way I fend off the monsters? Sure, that part is true.

 

But we should add the clause, “If no one dies, the monsters become increasingly stronger.” And if the otherworlders don’t perish, the monsters grow infinitely more powerful.

 

It’s like playing a game that employs ‘level scaling.’ The more I prepare and put in effort, the stronger the enemy becomes. My efforts are hardly felt.

 

“Sigh...”

 

This round, three otherworlders and two players died. People were a bit saddened, but mostly they were relieved, grateful that the majority survived.

 

Honestly, even this much is an incredible achievement.

 

Is it really necessary to save everyone? Only five people died? In a situation where everyone else would perish, saving all but five is nothing short of a miracle.

 

The word “compromise” reappears in my mind. At the same time, the discomfort that the word “compromise” brings drives me not to give in.

 

Is there an answer I want on this 4th floor?

 

What if I’ve been agonizing over a problem with no solution? What if I’ve been a clown, dancing to irrational rules scribbled by a child?

 

What if all the effort I’ve poured in has been meaningless?

 

What if… giving up at this point and focusing my efforts on Choi Ji-won is the correct answer?

 

“…”

 

But I can’t do that. I already know why I can’t.

 

After the first regression, the number of casualties dramatically decreased. The maximum was twenty, the minimum was five. It never deviated from that range.

 

However… just because the number of deaths was the same didn’t mean the same people died.

 

Sometimes it was this person. Sometimes it was that person. Sometimes it was someone close to me, sometimes someone I barely knew.

 

With each variable change, the deaths varied as well. It was like spinning a slot machine, producing different combinations each time.

 

“If I give up here…”

 

Someone will inevitably die.

 

And the moment I ascend to the 5th floor, that outcome becomes permanently fixed.

 

In essence, it’s like I’m choosing who will die. It’s as if I’m the one killing them.

 

In the end, I reach the conclusion that I must save everyone. But if I continue like this, there’s no end in sight. I’ve already tried everything that came to mind.

 

“Let’s do it.”

 

Given how dire the situation has become, I must take a gamble.

 

“What was his name again… Eom something, right?”

 

A risky gamble that might result in significant sacrifices.

 

But before that, there’s someone I need to check on. This person might hold the key.

 

I bit down on my tongue to steady my wavering mind.

 

 

***

 

A middle-aged man leisurely gathering food. He hums a tune as if he’s going shopping, packing jerky and other provisions.

 

“I can just eat snow for water… I’m looking forward to this. Hehe.”

 

His eyes are slightly glazed, but his expression is one of pure, childlike happiness, unfitting for his age. What is he planning that makes him so delighted?

 

“Mr. Eom Hong-Joong.”

 

“Oh, you know my name? But who are you?”

 

“I have something to ask you.”

 

After the first day, Eom Hong-Joong always disappeared somewhere.

 

I need to uncover this man’s secret.

– – – End of Chapter – – -

 

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