Chapter 67

 

The regressors inevitably find themselves frequently telling lies.

 

And the way to make those lies convincing is simple-

 

“Doesn’t this passage seem suspicious?”

 

-Just spout utter nonsense that sounds logical. At the same time, infuse it with earnest emotion.

 

Repeating the tutorial has significantly improved my acting skills, I believe.

 

“So far, every passage has been lit with torches. Bright and clear to see. But this one… it’s oddly dark.”

 

I already know the outcome.

 

Walking down this dim passage will lead to a stone door, and beyond that, a mirror maze – I’m already aware of this.

 

“I think this is a clue that the challenge relates to ‘sight’. It’s hinting not to trust what’s in front of us.”

 

In short, it’s just about attaching a process to the outcome. It’s not hard to fabricate a plausible story.

 

“So, if there’s an end to this passage… How about we all wear blindfolds and proceed? It’s likely related to ‘sight,’ and I think we can overcome it by covering our eyes.”

 

Of course, it only seems plausible on the surface, but the basis is ridiculously weak. It’s merely a suggestion of, ‘There are no torches from here, shall we go on with blindfolds?’

 

“…I’m not convinced.”

 

Naturally, it’s hardly convincing. It’s utter nonsense, after all.

 

Like in a tutorial, relying on the ‘awe’ trait to breeze through is not an option. From my experience, the stronger they are, the less likely traits work on them. Choi Ji-won has never been affected by the awe trait, not even once.

 

So, in essence, I have to make something utterly nonsensical seem possible, with a commonsensical approach.

 

But the way to make nonsense convincing is simple.

 

Thud.

 

The nonsense just has to be right every time.

 

 

 

***

 

“...Hmm. Next, I think we might find a weapon. Judging by these symbols here...”

 

“At this point, a goblin should pop out. The cave formation looks artificial.”

 

“Looking at the shape of this chamber, there seems to be a monster. Probably... a wolf, I guess. Considering the symbolic significance of wolves in primitive civilizations.”

 

Three times.

 

I’ve spouted nonsense three times, and it all turned out to be true.

 

“Wow...”

 

“Impressive...”

 

As a result, my meaningless blabber gained credibility. Simply because it has been correct multiple times.

 

“So, if there’s an end to this passage… How about we all wear blindfolds and proceed? It’s likely related to ‘sight,’ and I think we can overcome it by covering our eyes.”

 

Consequently, my theory of the ‘sight trial’ also gained persuasiveness.

 

“...But, wouldn’t it be dangerous to wear blindfolds?”

 

“We all have keen senses, right? If anything goes wrong, we can just take them off. Here, I’ll tear up my leather armor to make blindfolds.”

 

“...”

 

Though it was hard to believe for her, Dok Su-Hee, thinking that I had been right so far, donned a blindfold with a look of giving it one more try.

 

“Ah, Chan Hyung? Could you lend some killing intent to Kyung-Joon? Just in case. You know?”

 

“...”

 

After completing the ritual with An Kyung-Joon and everyone else wearing their blindfolds…

 

“Please raise your palms! Don’t take off your blindfolds until I say so!”

 

Kurururung.

 

Each placed their palms on the stone door, opening the sealed entrance.

 

“...”

 

Confident that all preparations were complete, I...

 

I stealthily removed my blindfold.

 

I had tied the leather covering my eyes loosely on purpose. Though I had said we shouldn’t look ahead, not looking at all could lead to unforeseen consequences.

 

“...I heard something.”

 

“...”

 

But the native spirit possessing An Kyung-Joon’s body seemed to have even heard the sound of the leather, as he began to prick up his ears sensitively. Such a beast-like guy.

 

“...Let’s go in now. You need to hold onto my shoulder tightly.”

 

Like children playing train, we held onto each other’s shoulders and slowly moved into the mirror maze.

 

“...Smooth and cold. Almost like mirrors designed to confuse the spirit of a warrior...”

 

Instead of grabbing my shoulder as instructed, An Kyung-Joon was touching the mirror next to him with one hand.

 

“No, no, how could that be? Why would there suddenly be mirrors in an underground cave? Maybe it’s obsidian or something?”

 

“It’s strange...”

 

Despite my desperate explanation, he continued to stroke the mirror, not relinquishing his suspicion.

 

“...”

 

Seeing An Kyung-Joon unharmed after touching the mirror suggested that it wasn’t the kind of trap that activates upon contact.

 

“Phew...”

 

At least I had prevented An Kyung-Joon from having an episode. There seems to be no immediate obstacle to clearing this maze.

 

Now, there are two main variables to consider.

 

First, the inherent gimmick of this mirror maze.

 

And second... An Kyung-Joon himself.

 

But the latter can be thought about later. For now, it’s not too late to focus on clearing the maze.

 

“Let’s go, then.”

 

And so, our group, with leather straps tightly bound over our eyes, plunged into the depths of the mirror maze.

 

***

 

How long had we been walking in the mirror maze?

 

Whoooosh.

 

A sinister wind brushed past.

 

I was diligently using the left-hand rule to navigate the maze.

 

“...”

 

Walking through the mirror maze, where my reflection was constantly in view, was no ordinary ordeal. It was hard to tell where the passages were and where the walls were, and seeing one movement repeated dozens of times made it feel like my brain was getting scrambled.

 

“...Gulp.”

 

Was it because my brain was fatigued?

 

Just now... it seemed like my reflection in the mirror moved.

 

It appeared to have curled up its lips, forming a creepy smile.

 

But logically, mirrors don’t move.

 

It must be an illusion, right?

 

“...”

 

I’ve learned from countless horror movies that brushing it off as ‘just an illusion~’ is a sure way to get killed.

 

Besides, this maze is part of the tower. It’s a space where anything unusual wouldn’t be surprising. It’s wiser to heighten my guard than to be complacent.

 

As I sharpened my senses and continued walking...

 

“Jun-ho Nim.”

 

“...Yes, Su-hee Nim?”

 

Dok Su-Hee suddenly spoke to me. I had stressed not to talk inside the maze unless it was urgent.

 

“Yes? Me?”

 

But Dok Su-Hee, having initiated the conversation, looked puzzled as if she didn’t understand why.

 

“...Didn’t you just call my name?”

 

“Me? No?”

 

“...”

 

Right, this is how it comes out.

 

Let’s see how long it tries to create this atmosphere of horror. If it’s going to be this blatant, I have my own plans.

 

At that moment, as I gritted my teeth and glared-

 

“...”

 

“...”

 

-I just made eye contact with my own reflection in the mirror.

 

It stared back at me with an eerily empty gaze and then...

 

Flashed a bright, chilling smile. So bright it could make someone’s skin crawl.

 

As the grinning figure’s mouth stretched grotesquely, almost reaching its ears-

 

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!”

 

-It lunged at me!

 

“I knew it would come to this.”

 

But I was already mentally prepared. There aren’t many gimmicks possible in a mirror maze, after all.

 

Usually, the person who touches the mirror is pulled into a mirror world, where a monster from this reversed world pretends to be them. A common trope.

 

The same applies here. The moment my reflection’s eyes met mine, I anticipated it attacking.

 

“Whoah!”

 

Swish!

 

I naturally dodged its sharp claws by a hair’s breadth and, seizing the opportunity, slashed at its throat.

 

“Easy.”

 

Such feeble attempts at horror cannot shake the steel-like resolve of a regressor. If the Archangel intended to rattle me, it should have prepared a more menacing trap.

 

With a confident expression, I flicked the blood off my sword when suddenly...

 

“...?”

 

In the mirror wall beside me, I saw something that should never have been visible.

 

“...The mirror.”

 

“...”

 

It meant I saw An Kyung-Joon’s eyeballs.

 

“So many mirrors...”

 

An Kyung-Joon, bleeding from his forehead, stood there with a face distorted like a fiendish assassin.

 

“...”

 

It seems the leather blindfold had been cut by the monster’s recent sword strike.

 

I should have blocked instead of dodging. A misjudgment.

 

“Damn it...”

 

I sighed once and gently closed my eyes.

 

“...Tirelessly trying to deceive me again!!!”

 

Crash!

 

 

 

***

 

Clang!!!

 

“Ugh!”

 

This time, after skillfully deflecting the mirror monster’s claws, I swiftly slashed its throat.

 

I instinctively refrained from blocking an attack because of my regression condition, but in such situations, it seems I need to consciously choose to block attacks.

 

“What, what’s that sound?”

 

“It smells like blood...”

 

“It’s nothing. Let’s keep moving.”

 

“There’s something squishy underfoot...”

 

After stumbling around for about 30 minutes past the corpse of the mirror monster-

 

“Can we take off the blindfolds now?”

 

-Finally, the end of the mirror maze came into view.

 

***

 

“...”

 

The attitude of the three people toward me had changed - An Kyung-Joon, who looked at me with a meaningful gaze, and Kang Chan and Dok Su-Hee, who seemed to wonder if I had eaten something wrong.

 

Objectively, the difficulty of the mirror maze was quite easy.

 

Though there was a monster lurking, it wasn’t particularly strong...

 

Excluding the part where An Kyung-Joon had a seizure, it was incomparably easier than the monster wolf.

 

“...”

 

Yes, that is, excluding the part about An Kyung-Joon’s seizure.

 

A suspicion began to sprout in my mind.

 

Could it be that An Kyung-Joon’s seizure was also part of the difficulty level?

 

If that’s the case... each room might have been custom-made. Such an ominous thought crossed my mind.

 

“Uh, can you see something?”

 

“...”

 

My sense of foreboding peaked when we arrived at the next room.

 

A long corridor stretched straight ahead.

 

The dense torches ensured clear visibility, but the emptiness of the space was unsettling.

 

Another monster jumping out? No, it’s too narrow for a monster to appear.

 

A corridor that goes straight like this...

 

“...Guys, step back a bit.”

 

I cautiously took a step forward, urging the others to stay back.

 

Click.

 

As the sound of steel gears interlocking rang out,

 

Ssssssshhhh!

 

Immediately, precisely five arrows were fired at me!

 

“Damn it!”

 

I had somewhat anticipated this and managed to leap back just in time to avoid the volley of arrows.

 

“...”

 

A cold sweat dripped down my forehead as my ominous premonition seemed to become reality.

 

‘This room must be a trap room,’ I concluded, thinking about the ‘click’ sound I just heard, combined with the arrows raining from all directions.

 

In fiction, heroes usually dodge just the vital shots amidst a barrage of projectiles, barely surviving and then tending to their wounds with potions or the like...

 

But for me, even a single graze means regression.

 

I was facing the worst counter since entering the third floor.

 

“...Haha.”

 

I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

 

It’s true, this is the worst counter. I know that to overcome this place normally, it would take hundreds, thousands of attempts.

 

But it’s alright.

 

“...Chan Hyung.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Can you destroy this whole corridor?”

 

Now, I too have a cheat key.

– – – End of Chapter – – -

 

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