44th Floor High-Rise Dungeon (1)

[Author: Peropero]

[Title: Translation of Reaper’s Round of 16 Advancement Interview]

Q. You had a fierce battle against Rime. How do you feel?

A. It was a valuable victory. It’s very difficult for a veteran player of that level to grow in such a short time, but Rime did it. It was a match that made me re-evaluate him.

Q. We couldn’t ask during the group stage because there were no loser interviews. What do you think was the cause of your previous defeat?

A. As always, there’s no other reason for my defeat. The opponent prepared well and was skilled. I couldn’t overcome it.

Q. You seem to have highly evaluated Gawol since the beginning of the Arena. Is there a specific reason?

A. I happened to see the preliminary match video. I just made an accurate assessment.

……

Q. Is there an opponent you’d like to face in the next match?

A. Due to tournament rules, it’s impossible, so I haven’t thought of anyone yet. Whoever I face, I’ll give it my all.

Q. The ground technique in the last match of the second set became an issue.

A. …I think it was a good move. I don’t particularly want to say anything else about it.

Q. There are rumors that you had personal feelings involved.

A. Absolutely not!

 

* * *

In the video, a man’s hands were trembling.

The background was presumably a folding table in a studio apartment.

A white bowl contained mint-colored ice cream and a serving of rice.

A freshly opened canned drink was poured over it.

I skipped the eating process itself as I didn’t really want to see it.

I just confirmed that the man succeeded in finishing the hellish meal.

Only after the video ended did I erase one nickname from my hit list.

If people make pledges, they should keep them well.

If you run away from something you have to do anyway, it creates unnecessary noise.

Distrust comes with a price.

I left a comment saying “Confirmed~” or something like that.

It was a happy ending.

– Is this year different? Luche, Traveler, Gawol advance to the winner’s bracket

– Reaper advances to Round of 16 after fierce battle

In the loser’s bracket, Reaper defeated a desperate Rime and advanced to the Round of 16.

I heard it was an intense match, but I had no particular reason to check.

In the Round of 16, you don’t face opponents from the same group.

The next opponent is determined by a draw conducted by the judges themselves.

Winners’ bracket advancers are 1st seeds. Losers’ bracket advancers are 2nd seeds, and they’re mixed.

My opponent will be a 2nd seed advancer from a group other than Group E.

There was a part in Reaper’s interview that caught my eye.

‘The next match opponent…’

Indeed, I couldn’t find any particularly notable players at the moment either.

While none of them were pushovers, they seemed lacking compared to names like Reaper or Kerberos.

As the average level of survivors had risen so much, they didn’t stand out particularly.

Moreover, since Traveler and Luche also advanced to the winner’s bracket, I couldn’t meet them in the Round of 16.

Instead, can I look forward to it from the quarterfinals?

“Ah, I don’t know. Aaaargh…!”

To stretch out my tired body, I extended my arms and legs, and my whole body screamed.

Still, it seems like my breathing has calmed down a bit.

My energy was completely drained, and I didn’t want to get up.

The rest area of this expensive hospital had a fatal addictiveness.

Even if you twist the clock, time flows.

Similarly, weekends keep coming, and today too, I received rehabilitation training with all my might.

Encouraged by being told my body was improving, I overdid it.

– The test results have definitely improved.

– Although the changes are still slight and not enough to show significant results, overall, you’re getting better.

I have a lot of time today, should I rest a bit more before leaving?

It’s absolutely not because the rest area cushions are soft.

I just remembered something I had to do.

Yesterday, I received a video of the kendo team from my master.

I was planning to watch it right after training, but I got sidetracked just trying to quickly confirm the pledge fulfillment.

Coming to my senses, I played the video, which showed men in black uniforms clashing with shinai.

“Wow, they all still have a long way to go. If they held shinai like that in front of me, I’d…”

A tickling feeling in my chest.

With mixed emotions, I made brief notes on my tablet.

Player names on the left. Comments on the right.

– Too much force in the right hand, left hand not properly supporting the sword. Might be good to use something like a men-nari to correct this.

– Lacks basic strength.

– Good innate physique but lacks fundamentals and is showy. Won’t last long if the mindset doesn’t change.

It was like a small side job for me.

Briefly reviewing the kids my master was teaching.

Even if my body is like this and it’s difficult to go to the dojo, my discerning eye hasn’t disappeared.

I started it as a way to repay kindness, but my master consistently deposited a fee.

At first, I tried to refuse adamantly, but it was to no avail.

Honestly, I couldn’t refuse further because it helped with living expenses.

If my legs were just a bit better, I could have tried coaching or something.

Because it was difficult to oversee training directly, there were limitations to walking the path of an educator.

No, would that meager salary have been enough to cover medical expenses anyway?

Well, it’s all in the past now.

Just occasionally watching videos like this is enough… hmm.

I’m not sure if it’s okay.

“Wow, is that kendo? So you’re interested in this kind of thing.”

“Eek!”

“Oh my, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Just as I was finishing up my notes, a voice from behind made me jump in surprise.

I wouldn’t have been startled if it was someone else.

It was because it was Luche’s voice.

“Was that rude of me?”

“No… it’s not that bad. Kendo is just something I used to do passionately in the past.”

“Hmm. Kendo looks cool. Are you resting after rehabilitation training again today?”

“Yes.”

While speaking, I felt a chill down my spine for a moment.

Recently, I’ve been exposing my voice in various places.

I was worried about what would happen if she noticed.

Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to have connected me with Gawol.

Well, the microphone on my connection device has some echo, and the sound quality is poor.

When heard in videos, it’s quite different from my actual voice.

Luche gave her characteristic eye-smile.

“Are you alone today? I was just about to head back. If you’d like, I can give you a ride.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“Shall I drop you off in front of the bus stop as usual?”

“Well… if it’s okay, could you take me to the shopping mall?”

“Of course. No problem.”

As we left the building, Luche slowly matched her pace with mine.

I felt at ease by her side.

It’s because this person doesn’t pity me.

She’s been in the same situation as me before.

She doesn’t give the kind of gaze that makes people feel miserable.

She just silently extends her hand at my destination.

“If it’s a shopping mall around here, the one near the terminal would be best. Shall we go there?”

“Yes, please. That would be fine. I’m not buying much, so anywhere is okay.”

“So you are going shopping. Is no one accompanying you?”

“I’m fine on my own.”

After walking a bit through the parking lot, the door of a luxurious car opened.

I’m completely ignorant about cars, but I could tell this was an expensive one.

It looked obviously high-end, and I had rarely seen it outside.

I awkwardly sat in the passenger seat, and the engine started.

“Da-eun.”

“Yes?”

“It’s been quite a while since we first met, hasn’t it?”

“Well, yes. Since I started rehabilitation training.”

An acquaintance with whom I occasionally exchange a few words or sometimes get a ride.

Still, if we count the time we’ve known each other, it’s been years.

By the way, I can’t get used to this car no matter how many times I ride in it.

The wheels must be moving, but I can hardly feel any vibration.

I wonder how expensive this car is.

Is this the level of salary for pro gamers in Korea?

I felt dizzy.

“Then, can I come along to the shopping mall?”

“Of course, that’s fi… Huh?”

“You’re so surprised that I’m taken aback. If it’s burdensome, you can refuse. I was too sudden.”

“No, it’s not that. I thought you’d be busy. I don’t want to be a bother…”

“It’s not a bother. I’m asking permission because I want to go too. I’m not very busy today.”

I nodded.

It would probably be better than wandering around alone.

This is the first time I’m going to a shopping mall since becoming a woman’s body.

A shopping mall reeking of perfume is a place that seems antithetical to my original self.

It was no different from a dungeon teeming with monsters.

“You just gave permission, right?”

“If Luche is going shopping too.”

“Me? Of course I have to. It’s been a really long time since I last went shopping.”

Huh? A long time?

Suddenly, hope rose in my mind.

Right. Come to think of it, Luche was a pro gamer.

If you pour countless hours into games, you tend to become afraid of spaces where sociable people gather.

Despite her glamorous appearance, she might be uncomfortable with shopping malls like me.

We’ve now become comrades facing a dangerous path.

Still, I should ask just in case.

“When was the last time you went?”

“Hmm, about a month ago? I should have gone when I had time, but somehow it ended up like this.

“……”

Traitor.

You deceived me.