Chapter 183: 39th Floor. World of Espers (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 183: 39th Floor. World of Espers (6)
At first, the Director couldn't comprehend the situation.
His jaw hung open as he blinked several times in disbelief. However, his denial didn't last long. Soon, his face twisted into a hideous grimace.
"You—you—you! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Shut up."
Kang Jun-hyeok swung his arm as if swatting a bothersome fly. The lunging Director was struck mid-air and slammed into the wall. Without sparing him a second glance, Kang Jun-hyeok spoke to the girl.
"Come out."
"…What are you trying to do?"
"I wonder."
Perhaps this was the wrong answer. There was a high probability that the 'correct' path was to let the girl’s power go berserk.
But would Gu Bijan have truly let this girl die like that? Would he have allowed her to remain a fleeting life that bloomed and withered without ever achieving anything?
No. Gu Bijan wouldn't have done that.
Kang Jun-hyeok opened his mouth. "You are a meaningful existence. Live. Move forward, and walk your own path."
"I don't want to." The girl shook her head. "My life has no meaning. To me, this world is like shards of glass. I can piece them together haphazardly, or I can shatter them so thoroughly that not even dozens of pieces can be matched back together. I don't want to live in a world like this anymore."
The girl lowered her head, looking exhausted.
"When a homeless man tried to attack me, I wished he would just disappear. As a result, he vanished. Every homeless person in the surrounding area did. When I was hungry and thought about wanting to eat the food from a nearby restaurant, everything from that restaurant's food to the last drop of water in its kitchen appeared before me."
Uncontrollable reality manipulation was a disaster—both for the world and for the wielder herself.
"If I wish for something, it happens. Do you know what that means? It means I can't wish for anything."
What meaning is there for an existence that cannot harbor a single desire?
"I entered that White Prison of my own accord because it was a place where there was nothing to wish for. The only reason I followed you was because I couldn't even wish to resist. And yet, because I have a shred of will to live, I can't even bring myself to commit suicide. So please…"
"Be quiet."
"Ow!"
Kang Jun-hyeok gave the girl a light thump on the head.
"…You hit me?"
To the girl, who looked utterly dumbfounded, he spoke casually. "What's a kid who hasn't even reached adulthood talking about? Just shut up and live your life."
"Did you not hear a word I just said? I—"
"So what?" Kang Jun-hyeok said dismissively. "Can't you just control your powers once you become an adult?"
"I told you, if I fail, the world breaks!"
"Then you can just fix it again."
"……."
The girl was left speechless by his utter lack of logic.
Kang Jun-hyeok continued. "Live your life. Even if you fail, regret, and slip along the way, don't give up and keep moving forward. Desire many things. Hope and pray. At the end of it all, you'll be able to live the life you want."
[Hmm?]
[Kang Jun-hyeok?]
Eldiria and the Master of All Weapons realized it simultaneously. These weren't Kang Jun-hyeok's words. He was using his own mouth to deliver someone else's message.
After a moment of contemplation, the girl slowly spoke. "…Then what about you? Surely you aren't saying you'll egg me on like this and then take no responsibility?"
"Hmm."
Kang Jun-hyeok thought for a moment. What would Gu Bijan have done?
With his exceptional sense of justice, he probably would have promised to watch over the girl until she grew up. And he would have kept that promise. In fact, Gu Bijan had stayed on the 39th floor for a very long time. He likely helped the girl until she could stand on her own. That was probably why he had spent a year here.
But in the end, he wasn't Gu Bijan. He was Kang Jun-hyeok. And the girl was asking Kang Jun-hyeok.
Therefore, there was only one answer he could give.
"I have to live my life. And you live yours."
"Isn't that a bit too irresponsible?"
"That's just how life is. Live desperately. Move forward. If it gets too hard, come find me then. I can at least offer you some comfort."
"Ha, hahahaha. You've got some nerve."
The girl let out a hollow laugh. However, the despair from before was gone. She placed her hands on her knees and stood up.
"…You'd better keep that word. I'm definitely going to find you and whine my head off."
"I can handle that much."
Kang Jun-hyeok shrugged. The situation was settled. However, Kang Jun-hyeok's objective had not yet been achieved.
What else am I supposed to do here?
As his mind raced, the girl, who was heading outside, paused. "Where are you going to stay now?"
"I'll have to go back to Useless."
"Useless?"
"Because I'm a Non-Esper."
"Ah. You did say that. I don't get it, but if you say so. Hmm."
After a moment's thought, the girl gave a bright smile. She spun around and approached Kang Jun-hyeok.
"Then if you have an Esper power, you can enter Psychotic City, right? Good."
The girl clapped her hands. And she wished for it with all her heart.
"From now on, you're an Esper. What power would be good? Let's go with Telekinesis. It's the most versatile."
[Passive Skill: Telekinesis has been acquired.]
[Stat: Psychic has been acquired.]
[Huh?]
[What?]
Startled voices rang out. Kang Jun-hyeok's eyes widened. The girl grinned.
"Now you can enter the city, right? We'll be neighbors from now on. I look forward to it."
The girl held out her hand. Kang Jun-hyeok slowly reached out and took it. At that moment, the quest ended.
[39th Floor Quest Cleared.]
[Rewards will be determined based on your performance.]
[Calculating achievement rate…]
[Calculation complete.]
[Achievement Rate: 100%]
[Perfect Clear. Congratulations! Additional rewards will be granted.]
[The effect of the Title: Perfect Player has been added.]
[0 Gold has been rewarded.]
[You have acquired the Perfect Clear reward: Passive Skill: Telekinesis.]
[You have acquired the Perfect Clear reward: Stat: Psychic.]
[Players who have Perfect Cleared the 39th Floor: 2.]
[Universe Announcement.]
[Please offer your congratulations! Citizens of the Universe! A Perfect Player of the 39th Floor has appeared.]
[Feat +6]
Kang Jun-hyeok returned to Earth. He stood still, not moving an inch. After a moment, he spoke, sounding utterly baffled.
"What is this?"
* * *
The 39th floor had been Perfect Cleared.
In a way, it was only natural. He had killed five of the Rulers of Psychotic. That alone was an achievement that would carve his name into history forever. But that wasn't what was truly important.
[Passive Skill: Telekinesis]
• Rank: Mid-Rank
• Proficiency: F
• Description: An Esper power that allows the user to move objects without touching them. At this stage, it can only be used within a localized range.
"…Ha."
Kang Jun-hyeok let out a dry laugh. He had actually obtained an Esper power.
Acting as Gu Bijan, joining All For Equal, moving according to their orders, and facing the Rulers—as if all that effort meant nothing, he had gained the power through nothing more than the girl's final words.
It was absurd. It was enough to make him feel drained.
But this was the nature of reality manipulation—a power that rendered conventional concepts and values meaningless. Having dealt with it himself in his past life, albeit in a limited capacity, he knew its strength. Even so, he hadn't expected it to be this easy.
"I didn't even need to go to Useless."
If this was how it worked, he could have just stayed in Psychotic, gathered information, and approached her. But of course, that was only something he could say in hindsight. At the time, the only information he had was that Gu Bijan had headed to Useless, so he'd had no choice.
Kang Jun-hyeok lightly flicked his finger. His phone, which had been sitting some distance away, flew into his hand. Eldiria groaned, and the Master of All Weapons also seemed quite shocked.
[Telekinesis. You really did get it.]
[I've never seen anything like this before.]
"Have you never seen a reality manipulator?"
[Their existence is known, but I have never encountered one directly. They are ability users shrouded in mystery. Perhaps Pixie might know something.]
At the Master of All Weapons' words, Kang Jun-hyeok summoned Pixie and shared his memories with her. Pixie's eyes went wide.
[A reality manipulator? Something like that was there?]
"The Master of All Weapons said you might know something."
[An ability user who can interfere with the very concept of the universe. I was interested, so I looked up various pieces of information. But I've never met one in person either.]
The reason was very simple. Most reality manipulators ended their lives in suicide.
[If they wish for something, it comes true. It's not easy to control, either. Everything can break and collapse based on a minor emotional shift. The mind of a human who hasn't reached transcendence cannot endure it. There's a high probability they either commit suicide or shut themselves away in their own dimension where no one can reach them. They are one of the most dreaded existences.]
In that sense, Pixie thought the girl was quite remarkable. She was controlling her power through her own will and living her life without dying.
[Seeing as she didn't make a name for herself in the original universe, it seems she eventually broke and collapsed… but she's impressive. And powerful. To turn a Non-Esper into an Esper just by wishing for it.]
"Thinking about it, it was actually quite dangerous."
The girl had granted him an Esper power just by wishing for it. Conversely, it meant she could have permanently erased his abilities as well. Since he was under the System's protection, it was hard to say for sure, but the possibility existed. After all, she had erased his Divine Power, Internal Energy, and Mana.
Excitement flickered on Pixie's face. [It's my first time seeing a reality manipulator in person. This is so interesting.]
[550 Starlight.]
It was a significant amount of Starlight. The total Starlight he currently possessed was 2,960. If he cleared just one more floor, he could obtain Pixie's box.
I'll be able to use it starting from the 41st floor.
Kang Jun-hyeok nodded. "That's enough. Thanks."
Kang Jun-hyeok offered his thanks, but Pixie didn't leave immediately. She stroked her chin as if deep in thought.
[She gained a certain amount of will through your final advice. She won't be easily broken. And… she said she would definitely find you to complain.]
"It's all just something that happened inside the Tower, isn't it? It's all in the past."
Events inside the Tower generally could not affect the outside world. The only exception was the blood pact with the Red Dragon Anthonia, but that was only possible because Anthonia existed in this world as well. However, the girl did not exist in the current universe. She was a figure who had died in the original timeline. Nothing could happen.
[……Right. I suppose so.]
Pixie withdrew her thought. No matter how much she can manipulate reality, she wouldn't be able to escape the Tower directly. That was an over-the-top assumption.
She scoffed at her own ridiculous delusion.