Chapter 16
Chapter 16 – Trauma Penalty (1)
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Translator: HH
Black Dragon .
The guild that had ruled at the top since the Tower opened .
[We didn’t fail the 10th floor because we lack the abilities to . ]
The Rank 2 hunter who controlled Black Dragon . She challenged the 10th floor tens of times . Everytime she challenged it, she failed . The Rank 2 hunter lost, but she saved all the hunters who participated in it . In an interview, she said this .
[We were just unlucky . ]
When Flame Emperor had passed the 10th floor himself, he announced to everyone .
[Luck is also a skill, losers . ]
It was the interview called Loser Announcement .
After that, Black Dragon started to be wary of Flame Emperor after being turned into a loser group…well, it wasn’t important anymore . Yoo Soo-ha had already died in my hand . The possibility of that kind of interview was gone now . But the problem was this .
‘Why was the Flame Emperor able to clear the 10th floor?’
‘Because he was just stronger?’
Or .
‘Because there was another reason?’
The answer was revealing itself in front of me right now .
2 .
[The boss stage is commencing . ]
At the same time the voice rang out, the residence started to change .
Everywhere, candles started to tilt over . Fire started where they tilted over . It was like they had poured oil on it beforehand . Fire instantly swallowed the western-style residence .
-Hahahaha!
Only the dolls were fine in the fire .
-You’re it! We’ll run away!
-Let’s run away, run away! Let’s run away from here!
Hundreds . No, thousands of little dolls . Dolls filled the first floor lobby . There were probably ten thousands of dolls all over the entire residence .
‘One of these . ’
Gulp . I swallowed my spit .
‘The [Real Doll] is hidden somewhere . ’
A probability of 1/10,000!
This was the reason why people had failed so far .
‘Burning all the dolls while I find the real one . If I escape before I die, I only have about 10 minutes to look . ’
The fire burning the residence wasn’t normal fire . It was a shape of Aura, called hellfire .
That meant .
‘This entire residence is burning up with Aura . ’
A boss monster who knew how to use Aura!
So far, people who challenged it died from hellfire, escaped, or met one of these two fates . Hunters risked their lives on the probability of 1/10,000 but it was a waste . They only burned to death with horrifying screams .
And here…was the secret why only the Flame Emperor was able to succeed .
“That guy sucking all the luck . ”
I muttered to myself .
Yes . The Aura of the boss monster was the same Flame Emperor’s .
To other players, this was hellfire . However, Flame Emperor felt comfortable like it was his own bedroom . Since the 10th floor’s boss monster’s hellfire was the same property as Yoo Soo-ha .
“Tsk . ”
‘He probably looked around until he found the real doll . ’
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And he bragged about it saying luck was also a skill .
He definitely wasn’t someone I liked .
-The hunter that lives off of luck is you .
“What do you mean, I live off of luck?”
I crinkled my eyebrows at his mocking .
“I’m barely hanging on with my Aura right now . ”
Sweat dripped down between my eyebrows . The burning heat! My body was covered in what was incomparable to the heat of a hot spring . If I didn’t use my Aura, I would’ve burned to death already .
-Yeah . But 1 minute is probably gonna be your limit .
Annoyingly, Bae Hu-ryeong knew my exact condition .
-Also, grandpops Marcus would be able to last 30 minutes . Do you know why he hasn’t challenged here yet? It’s to extend that 30 minutes to 1 hour .
“…ah, yes yes . Thank you for confirming the gap in our skills . ”
-Heeheehee .
Bae Hu-ryeong freely flew around the lobby that was burning in fire . Dolls were laughing below and ghosts were snickering above . There wasn’t a better ghost house than this .
-So? You only have 2 Coins but what are you gonna do now?
“What else would I do . I have to die . ”
-Look at you . Do you think your Aura will suddenly increase if you die here?
Bae Hu-ryeong sniggered at me .
-There’s only 2 ways to clear this room! Find the real doll with luck, or be able to use Aura real well until you find the real doll . But you only bet 2 Coins on yourself, stupidly . It’s not gonna work probably .
“Hehe . ”
Even while sweating, I kept my smile .
“This guy knows one but not two . No . Is it that he knows two but not three?”
-What?
“Let’s see who’ll win after dying once . ”
Now I had 20 seconds until my Aura ran out .
I approached a doll that was closest to me . The reason was…well, I didn’t really have one . I just thought it was boring to stand there waiting to die . I just might’ve been real lucky for the doll in front of me to be [Real] .
-Are you gonna play with us?
Creaaak .
The doll’s neck twisted . Only her neck twisted . It wouldn’t be strange if she was casted in a horror movie right this second . She was wearing a frilled dress, but her dress didn’t burn at all . Like it was immune to the fire .
“Got you . ”
I put the doll’s head on my hand and spoke .
Giggle giggle .
The doll let out chuckles with her indifferent face .
-Beep! Not me!
That wasn’t the only thing she released . let out Lips . Skin, Eyes . Her body slid down like paper . The fire instantly swallowed the doll, and she continued to speak like a broken record .
-Not me! Not me! Not me!
-Not! Not, me . Me…me…not…me…
-Not…me…
It completely melted down .
“Wow…”
I was speechless . My body felt hot but I was shivering . It was more horrendous than I imagined .
“I got goosebumps . Why would they make the boss monster like that?”
-Who would know the great meaning of the Tower . Zombie . A weak ass like you getting a fucking cheat skill is also a meaning of the Tower . If the Tower had a personality, it would probably be a pervert psychopath .
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“You really…”
I couldn’t complain any longer .
“Keuk!?”
My Aura had run out .
The flames ran at me like they had been waiting for this moment . The soles of my shoes melted first . Then my clothes . And the fire moved onto my hair .
“Ah,”
From my head to my feet .
“Ack! Aaaaaack!!!”
My entire body was burning . Although my skin was sliding down, the fire didn’t stop . Rather, it clung on me tighter like it found a delicious snack . Nerves . Bones . Throat . Liver .
“Ow, sh…! Uk, keackkk!”
-And you’re a pervert that surpasses the Tower . Ke . Even if you want to be the greatest hunter in the tower, you accept burning to death like it’s nothing . I admit it, Kim Zombie! You’re a real pervert!
I wanted to die .
Quick, I wanted to die even a second faster!
“Uuuh…!”
I couldn’t speak . The sound was muffled . My eyes and ears had been burned .
The moment I felt like my head would explode from overheating, the voice came from my subconscious like it had been waiting .
[You have died . ]
Damn .
They should’ve killed me a bit faster .
‘-Puhua!’
I breathed like someone who had just surfaced after a long dive . Although I hadn’t really let out a breath, and it was just a feeling .
This was the Nether World . It was the black place my bare body roamed like a ghost .
[Your death has satisfied the skill condition . ]
[The Monster Hellfire Maiden’s skills are being randomly copied . ]
And it was a place of opportunity for me as well .
[Skills cards are being created . ]
Cards floated up in the black nothingness . Was it something unexpected? Although it was a boss monster, there was only 1 golden card . All the other cards were silver or poop-colored .
‘Let’s see . You haven’t forgotten your promise, right?’
-I know . Sheesh . Do you see me as someone who would break their promise? Don’t worry .
Bae Hu-ryeong smirked .
-Let’s see . What kind of skill does this lady have?
Bae Hu-ryeong floated up and headed towards the opposite side of the cards . He was letting me know the information on the cards in advance to me .
-Oho! Hey, this one’s lit!
Bae Hu-ryeong read the golden card .
[Hellfire Trap]
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Rank: S-
Effects: Regrets . Resentment . Complaints . What you couldn’t do, the voice that you couldn’t say, the wishes that you weren’t able to achieve . Burn them all . ‘It’s hot . ’ Is it hot? Make the world a clump of fire . ‘I feel like I’ll die . ’ Die . If you want you, the Aura’s hellfire will descend anywhere within 2 km of you .
No one can leave the hell without your permission .
No one .
※However, you have to be within the radius .
It was a scary skill .
-This one’s definitely it . Zombie, shut up and get this skill .
‘…’
-Hm? Hey, Kim Zombie . Why is there no reply?
‘No . Nothing . ’
I knit my eyebrows .
‘I don’t know why, but there’s something off about it . ’
What was it?
It was an amazing skill . But there was something off . I felt uncomfortable, like I had choked on something and couldn’t get it out . The feeling of the water pipe being broken but not knowing where it was .
‘…Anyways, read the next skills . ’
-Hm? I don’t think there’ll be a better skill than this . Can’t you just pick this?’
‘There’s a skill I’m looking for . C’mon, quickly!’
-Humph,
He pouted, but he read the rest of the cards .
-Alright, listen well . [Labyrinth Plan] Class, [Doll Controller] B Class, [Target Attack] B- Class, [Trap Installation] C Class…
Pause .
-… .
He was smoothly reading the cards and cut himself off . The last skill . Bae Hu-ryeong’s eyes shook at the shining silver card .
-Fuck?
I smirked .
‘That’s right . ’
-N, No, it’s not…wait…
‘It’s fine . I got it . You don’t have to read it . ’
I was sure .
That was the card I wanted .
[Please select a skill card . ]
The cards started to fly around . They were fast . But I had focused on one card from the beginning, and it didn’t confuse me .
-Hey! Gong-ja! Hey! Let’s not be like this .
Bae Hu-ryeong continued to shout, like he knew .
-Look at this . Wow, a golden card! Wow, S Class skill! Dope! If you have this you can make hellfire when you want . How cool is that .
‘I don’t know . ’
-Why don’t you know! I’ll fall in love! If I was a girl, I would fall in love at Kim Gong-ja, your charm! Let’s get it! Let’s go, Kim Gong-ja’s celebrity life!
I grinned .
‘You should’ve realized something was strange . ’
There were clues .
‘Out of the ten thousands of dolls, there’s only one real one . The real one is the user of the skill, so of course, they won’t be damaged . ’
I held out my hand .
‘But why are the fake dolls fine as well?’
And I grabbed the silver card .
-Aaaack! No! No! Shit, no!
‘There’s only one answer . Sword Emperor . ’
I flipped over the silver card .
[Night and Day Fire Caution]
Rank: A
Effects: Ow, that’s hot! If we leave this alone, our house will completely burn up, right? But now, you don’t have to worry . The living and non living things you choose will be immune to the fire and not burn .
※However, damage from water and ice increases by 300%
Yup .
The 10th stage . Hide and seek of the hellfire residence .
The boss didn’t have just the ability to burn things up .
‘Let’s go!’
They also had the opposing skill, not making things burn .
I clenched my fist and let myself be drowned with victory .
‘I came! I saw! I conquered!’
-No…no, sob . This isn’t right…this really isn’t right…
Bae Hu-ryeong’s mentality collapsed .
‘What do you mean it’s not right? With this skill, it’s over if I make myself immune . I can slowly look for the real doll now . Game over . From today, you’ll have to call me Gong-jnim!’
-Damn…shit…fuck…this is a scam . It was set to be like this…
‘Uwahwahwah! Call me Gong-jnim now!
My voice rang in the dark space .
A voice that wasn’t mine rang out as well .
[Selection complete . The skill is being copied . ]
[You are being regressed to 24 hours ago . ]
It was the celebratory message that signaled my win in the best .
Now, I could return to a day and challenge the 10th floor again .
Clearing it was right in front of me now .
[Your current hunter rank is E class . ]
However, that wasn’t the end today .
[You will receive a penalty due to your skill . ]
-Huh?
‘Oh . Right . ’
It was the alarm I didn’t see when I was Rank F .
But this time, for the first time, I received my first penalty .
I wondered which penalty would be given .
[The trauma of your enemy is being reenacted . ]
[The extremity is Weak . Hell Road . ]
‘Hm? Trauma?’
I tilted my head at the unexpected word .
‘What does it mean to reenact the trauma of my enemy…’
Before I could finish speaking, the world in front of me turned white .