Chapter 69 – Floor ?. Question Time

An infinite space filled entirely with white in all directions—front, back, left, and right—that would make you go blind if trapped for just one day.

An old sofa and an antique TV with a tilted antenna.

In front of it, a blond man mumbling something while holding his bleeding nose. Disliking the sight, I raised my fist, causing him to flinch and cover his face with his arms.

“H-hey, isn’t that too harsh right after arriving?”

“Too harsh?”

I lowered my gaze to look at the bandages tightly wrapped around my chest, stained red with blood seeping through.

“Seriously?”

“Hmm…”

The sofa received my body softly despite the creaking sound of springs being overworked.

I looked at the TV screen in front of me, still showing only static and noise with nothing visible.

Zzzzzzzzzz—

The noise was loud enough to hurt my ears, but strangely, it wasn’t irritating.

“So?”

At my sudden question, his eyes seemed to ask what I was referring to, so I rested my arms on the armrests and sank deeper into the sofa.

“I’m asking how you evaluate my playthrough of this area. Last time you were going on about whatever and said it was the best play of the deceased in life.”

“I don’t remember saying that, but…”

ㅇㅇ briefly rested his chin on his hand as if lost in thought, then muttered to himself as if having an internal conversation: “Hmm. Yeah. Yes. Right.” Then he completely wiped away his nosebleed, which had finally stopped, and stood up.

Despite his somewhat insane movements making me not want to be near him, I waited curiously for what he would say.

“Of course, you did great this time too. Great, but… I think you ran wild like an untamed colt.”

My expression naturally turned fierce at this guy who threw me into such a place on a whim and then complained that I was a bit aggressive, but when he gestured with his palm outstretched telling me to wait, I sat back down after starting to rise.

“I can guess what you’re thinking, but… isn’t this time for reflecting on your strategy? Why not listen to my advice? It might help you.”

“I won’t hit you, so stop making excuses and continue.”

“Phew…”

Seeming relieved, he pulled out an identical sofa from thin air and sat on it.

I was quite displeased having my field of vision filled with his face as he sat directly opposite me, but I’d punch him when leaving again.

Sitting on the sofa and crossing his legs in an attempt to look charismatic, he erased even the bruise from being hit and continued speaking with a smiling expression that didn’t match his haggard face at all.

“The Maze of Osiris is a sacred realm that arose from the divine body of a god who died by injustice. It plays a quite important role in the world, so it should be treated with care.”

My fist was already itching at this introduction that somehow seemed to blame me.

Are you scared?

I’m excited..! Just give the order, master!! Now, right now!!

“But the upper section is completely burned, the middle section is completely burned, and the orcs who had long made their home in that jungle have lost their territory, while the lizards, with all competitors gone, have gained unprecedented dominance. Thanks to that, the ecological balance has been broken.”

“So that’s my fault? That was the best choice I could make in such a human-rejecting environment.”

For Floor 6, I could have just escaped, but for Floor 8, I had a lot to say.

To overcome the fusion entity that invaded while I was in critical condition after being forcibly dragged down by the Thief Goblin, drastic measures were necessary.

Even if I had been in perfect condition, there was an 80% chance I would have died without the option of spamming scrolls.

Besides, since the fusion entity had invaded the village, the village was already half-destroyed, so I shouldn’t really be held responsible for the orc village.

“But from a strategic perspective, you did excellently.”

“…”

Was he giving medicine after causing the disease? I gifted his face with my fist after he spewed complaints and then suddenly praised me.

“Gaaahh!”

He’s getting cocky.

***

“Anyway… you dealt with all the abnormally appearing guardians and helped my friend who couldn’t rest find peace, so although it will take time, the jungle will return to normal.”

“…”

“As for the burned areas… well, time will solve that too.”

In the end, all he talked about was what would happen to the jungle, not anything helpful for my exploration.

Since it wasn’t my world anyway, I couldn’t help but feel indifferent.

I couldn’t go back there and had no intention of doing so anyway, so it felt like hearing news about a forest fire burning somewhere.

“Finally, the journey ahead of you is not one an ordinary person could endure.”

With a subdued atmosphere, the guy, who had been rubbing his bruise, turned the sofa around as if to watch the TV.

Looking at the screen still filled with static white noise, he let out a deep breath mixed with profound worry.

“Albert.”

The name of the white-haired old knight.

“Once a Royal Guard who reached the pinnacle as a human in a human body, but that’s only within the human category. He hasn’t reached the vessel of superhuman like your body that I created.”

“Blue Tongue.”

The name of the different species warrior with red scales contrasting his blue membrane.

“He can be considered the strongest among the intelligent life forms living in the Maze of Osiris. Due to racial differences, his physical abilities are excellent, and his techniques have reached a certain pinnacle, but the same applies.”

“What are you trying to say?”

He slightly turned his head and glanced at me with worried eyes.

“I’m saying there’s a reason why I use you all… rather than these completed beings.”

Click- As the TV screen turned off and the static noise disappeared, silence descended upon this white wilderness.

Not a sound of wind, not a sound of insects—the somehow creepy silence felt like it would drive one mad after just a day.

“Whether big or small, these are people you’ve grown attached to, and I’m worried about what you’ll be like at the end of your journey.”

“Are you saying they’re going to die?”

“Not necessarily. But from what I see…”

His head tilted slightly and then returned.

Though it was a small nod, it was an action filled with affirmation.

Somehow annoyed by that small nod, I clicked my tongue and kicked the sofa for no reason. Making thud- thud- sounds, it wobbled as if about to fall over but returned like a roly-poly toy.

“But that’s also your choice. Overall, my evaluation is that you did great this time too.”

“Feels like you’re talking down to me.”

After pounding the sofa for a while, I threw myself back onto it.

The violent movement seemed to have opened my chest wound slightly, as the bandage felt damp, but I wasn’t in the mood for treatment.

It would heal on its own if left alone anyway.

“Do I get to ask questions this time too?”

“Yes.”

He briefly counted on his fingers, opening and closing them, then showed me two fingers.

“Since I couldn’t properly answer your last question, I think up to two questions should be fine.”

Come to think of it, when I met him last time and asked why he gave me such a crappy magic, I was forcibly ejected back to my room.

Is it that you don’t want to tell me, or that you can’t?

I was curious, but since I didn’t think he’d tell me even if I asked again now, I asked him a question I had been thinking about.

“Is there a way to restore a human infected by the Bell of the End back to normal?”

“Hmm… you mean you want to turn Kali back into a human?”

When I nodded, he nodded back as if to say he could answer that.

“There is a way. That parasitic organism isn’t the type that eats the host’s brain and takes its place; rather, it’s the type that suppresses the host’s mind and momentarily brings it out when needed.”

I couldn’t help but grimace at that grotesque explanation.

Takes it out when needed? What is it, a 500ml milk carton in a shopping basket? How can you put in and take out a person’s mind?

I thought the brain-eating explanation from before was more realistic.

It shows up in movies occasionally too.

“You don’t look convinced. I’d appreciate if you believed me a little. I have no reason to lie to you, right?”

“…Seriously?”

This crazy bastard seemed completely unaware of what he had done. Maybe an MMA full combo would bring him to his senses. Right now, I felt like I could recreate all the moves I’d seen in videos on him.

But before that, I had to place my fist on his mouth as he preempted me.

“The Bell of the End… the way to remove what’s attached to Kali is simple. Find Mateo. You should know him, right?”

“Mateo? He can solve it?”

Mateo. A familiar name. Of course, since it was the name of an NPC who appeared in D.D.

And I smacked my forehead, wondering why I hadn’t thought of this.

The Parasite Master, Mateo.

He is a monstrous person waiting for me in the next area, one who can raise and control thousands of parasites in his body, hardly seeming human.

Having figured out how to restore Kali to her original state, I had one question left.

I pondered what I should find out with it.

There were many things I wanted to ask, but I was debating whether I should ask about what I needed most or the most fundamental question—the neurons in my brain were fighting and exchanging blows, showcasing a match reminiscent of K-1.

Oh, neuron athlete K-38471! Unable to hold back, he’s picked up a chair! Using blunt weapons in the match is against the rules!

No sooner said than done, he’s been ejected by the safeguard!

The neuron that tried to use a blunt weapon was thus subdued by the security personnel on standby and pitifully dragged away.

Having decided on my question for him, I crossed my arms and buried myself deep in the sofa, as if protesting that I would endure even if he didn’t answer this time.

“When we met after I passed Floor 5, you said you had expectations for me this time.”

“Mmm~ you remembered. Good memory.”

“Don’t ever underestimate the K-education system that implemented rote learning from the age of three. Yellow chicken head.”

ㅇㅇ smiled gently and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees.

“If you’re curious about that, I should tell you. Yes, this isn’t the first time you’ve seen me. Rather, you’ve seen me too many times and forgotten too many times. By the way, you always ask this question at this point.”

“What…?”

I received an unexpectedly forthright answer, but I couldn’t help but furrow my brow in confusion.

And his following words answered my question.

“Sixty-seven times. That’s the number of times you’ve moved toward despair, fallen, and returned. And I’ve always been watching.”

“What does that…”

“But you understand, don’t you? When you die, you lose everything and return to the starting point. A familiar system, isn’t it?”

Permanent death. In English, Perma-Death.

Unlike the convenient save/load systems typically found in games, it’s an essential element of the genre that makes you lose everything you’ve gathered the moment you die and mercilessly throws you back to the bottom, making it impossible to undo momentary choices.

“Shin Yuhyun, the moment you die, all your memories disappear, and the world resets.”

Is this what they mean when they say that if you’re too shocked, you don’t feel anything?

It was clearly shocking news, yet my heart beat calmly and regularly, and my mind was perfectly clear.

“But don’t misunderstand. This is actually a protective measure for you.”

“A protective measure?”

“Because even if the body that’s been carved away by exposing itself to that nightmarish despair returns, the mind and soul don’t. If I hadn’t erased your memories, you would have already become a wreck at Floor 1.”

It made sense.

Every moment spent wielding weapons, risking life amid flying blood and flesh, was chipping away at someone who had lived a peaceful life.

And how terrifying is the pain of being cut, stabbed, and exploded by blades?

His words were plausible. It was actually something that should have happened.

“My goal isn’t to break you and make you suffer. Of course, as the person involved, you might think it’s hypocritical, but I’m desperate too, so I can’t back down.”

He messed up his blond hair and got up from the sofa, slowly walking toward the stretched white plain where there was nothing.

It was as if there was something there, but the peculiar sight made it seem like he wasn’t moving forward at all.

“That’s all I can tell you for now. See you again, Shin Yuhyun.”

“…Tch.”

Creak-

As my vision shook, the empty white space changed into my familiar room, which remained unattended and again covered in dust.

If not for the bandages wrapped around my chest, I might have thought I was hallucinating due to mental illness, as I lay down on the mattress I was sitting on, looking at the scenery that had changed like a mirage.

“…You all?”