Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: If Not Me, Who Will Do It? (3)
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Up to the 5th Floor, even if the difficulty was whatever, the one game everyone praised for being well-made was DAT.
It was a game that competed purely on graphics and storytelling from the start.
The exploratory vibe emanating from the lower floors was more than enough to ignite passion in players' hearts.
‘But floors 6 and 7 were where opinions really split.’
They were probably the floors that drove away even more newbies than the 4th Floor, the layer of darkness and plunder.
[This game is seriously unpredictable.]
This was a common complaint from users playing the 6th Floor.
— Why put a gimmick in a place that's not even a boss fight or boss room lol.
— A gimmick in a section you just farm straight through... yeah, that shit's infuriating.
— Went in hyped to farm crystal orbs on 6th Floor, got one-shot by a gimmick, lost my account. What were they thinking putting gimmicks in a farming floor...?
Some said it was intentionally placed to extend playtime.
Others called it a dev mistake from mashing together gimmicks they'd seen elsewhere.
‘Yeah, plenty quit because it wasn't their taste.’
But it wasn't something that drove away the absolute majority.
It wasn't why the game failed.
— Just skip 6 and 7. Feels like it's to stop crystal orb farming from printing money.
— 8th Floor onward feels like lower floors again. The exploration vibe intensifies with the story progression, and it's great.
— 8th Floor on is textbook RPG progression. Let's just say 6 and 7 were the devs zoning out. Please.
Players who were invested in the game chose to skip sections 6 and 7 entirely.
In fact, the consensus was that aside from crystal orbs, there was almost nothing worth getting there.
In other words, skip the crappy parts and enjoy the well-crafted ones.
‘That was the general vibe.’
Then one day, Reggin spotted a post that lit a fire in his aspiring DAT veteran heart.
[Isn't that 6th and 7th Floor gimmick actually connected to a hidden stage?]
This was around the time hidden stages and items on other floors were slowly being uncovered.
The Sword of the Saint did exist on 6 and 7, after all.
Reggin started seriously researching, thinking solving the gimmicks might lead to something.
‘Got the Sword of the Saint and collected data while puzzling out the gimmicks together.’
The results were, honestly, underwhelming.
[Not hidden. Calling it aggro.]
The conclusion was it had no relation to any hidden content.
Reggin admitted it might be something he just hadn't found yet, but the impact was huge.
[Uploaded videos of every gimmick solved. Some vary per run, but commons are up.]
What shocked everyone was that Reggin was the first user worldwide—East and West combined—to solve every gimmick.
— ...This ain't aggro?
— Math major? Einstein?
— Not math or Einstein... just has too much time.
— Dude got time to burn?
When they learned he poured every post-work hour into DAT, they were shocked again.
After that, even those dissatisfied with the game hesitated to complain.
— If the Archmage is chill, who am I to bitch...
— Solve all the gimmicks yourself before talking shit lol.
‘It was just shallow fame from grinding time, but it helped a lot of users, so it meant something.’
He only later learned it was just minor foreshadowing tied loosely to the main story.
"Go around the back?"
"I've read about it in a book. How to handle the blue stele gimmick."
From the perspective of someone who'd solved every gimmick, they weren't puzzles that required genius-level smarts.
Timing was tricky on some, and others needed tools.
But over 80% felt like escape rooms rated 3.5/5 difficulty.
"The shape of that edge on the blue stele is the hint."
It wasn't cut straight and smooth like a slab; the edges were jagged.
Not hexagonal, not heptagonal—lots of corners.
"Think of the blue stele as the center, and the whole house foundation as the tiles..."
"You step on the protruding parts of that stele?"
"...You avoid the protruding parts."
He began mentally dividing the floor stones into a chessboard pattern.
It was perfectly square tiles, so not too hard.
"Like this—all the empty spaces need stepping."
Judging by the blue stele, protrusions were traps.
So just step everywhere else.
Boom—!
"...Damn. Brought the disarm tools for nothing."
"They're different for each type. Better to have them."
The blue stele rumbled inward.
Signal that the gimmick was cleared.
"Now this area's safe."
"...Heh. Makes dodging gimmicks look embarrassing."
"Honestly, my heart was pounding. What if it didn't match the book? No guarantees."
"...Telling me that after was perfect timing."
Greg patted his chest and sighed in relief.
He had been a bit tense.
There could be elements different from the game.
‘But the blue stele just takes a leg at worst.’
Quick graft and potion chug fixed it, so he went for it—and the method matched the game.
If the rest followed suit, this space would be safe for two hours.
"No need to backtrack—just cross straight."
After that, whenever they hit a gimmick, Reggin and Greg solved it one by one as they went.
Other explorers detoured for hunting grounds or paths.
Now they could clear the 6th Floor several times more efficiently.
And sticking to routes explorers avoided meant no worries about steal parties.
* * *
"...Unbelievable."
At sunset.
Greg let out a disbelieving chuckle.
"First time hunting so leisurely on the 6th Floor."
"...Haha."
"That's why you said it's not too late? For the Sword of the Saint?"
"Part of it. Other parties avoid most gimmicks. We don't have to."
"Makes it stress-free."
Normally on 6th Floor runs, Greg tensed up fearing gimmick mishaps.
Crowded areas meant collision risks, so no relaxing.
This was a whole new world for him.
The comfort of exploration was night and day.
‘Of course, doesn't dodge every party.’
Some could clear a few gimmicks.
And detouring parties crossed paths often.
"Bother you much?"
Reggin pulled scrolls each time, staying alert.
But Greg seemed extra vigilant.
"...Yeah."
When they crossed one party.
Greg watched them pass completely before lowering his axe.
"Yesterday's talk keeps nagging at me."
"What you heard yesterday?"
"That woman. The one stabbed."
The twin-dagger brunette they'd seen.
"Reggin. I've been to the 11th Floor. Stepped on death's door a few times, I thought."
"I know you're experienced."
"But seeing her... this crossed my mind."
Greg eyed his axe blade and continued.
"If we'd clashed right there, you might handle it, but I'd struggle a bit."
"...That so."
"Haha... sounds crazy, I know. But I have instincts. Even without crossing blades, you gauge levels from aura and pressure."
"She was fiercely on guard. Had me tense too."
"Same here. Tsk. Can't confidently beat a wounded woman."
Frankly, the twin-dagger woman was strong.
Greg's talk of aura and pressure usually meant high level.
NPCs lacked levels, gauging by skill and caliber instead—so uncertainty.
‘If Greg feels intimidated, she's high-level. Not a 6th Floor main.’
Reggin had sensed her killing intent too. Solid pressure.
So his caution made sense.
"...You're more wary of the ones chasing her?"
He could tell who Greg truly feared.
‘The party that stabbed her—and's still pursuing. Can't not worry.’
Numbers disadvantage meant little for assassins.
The sword-stabber was a serious pro.
And one like that roaming free?
"...If we meet, I'll fight with my life."
Greg steeled himself anew.
"Probably late Phase 2 swordsman. Could hit 11th to 12th Floor."
"Could be."
Reggin and Greg's duo wasn't weak.
He'd bet against the cocky party pre-woman encounter.
Same for today's crossings.
‘The real issue is that unknown steal or plunder party...’
They decided to head back to the ruined cathedral for now.
Walking darkening streets, Reggin's mind raced nonstop.
‘Up to early Phase 3... we can handle two-on-two.’
Countless scenarios flashed in his head.
Past game parties. Data from countless fights.
Based on that, he broke down his and Greg's skills for contingencies.
‘Image training sans data is weak.’
But after hundreds, thousands of DAT hours fighting, Reggin crafted viable plans.
Even for sudden combat.
‘To survive.’
Even if they died, ways for him and Greg to live—Reggin brainstormed relentlessly.
* * *
Halt.
"...Greg."
"Someone's there."
Nightfall. Near the ruined cathedral.
Both stopped, eyes sharpening.
Gaze forward.
Staring inside the cathedral—where they'd camped till dawn.
Swish—
They moved cautiously.
Inside came more aggressive sounds than expected.
"You guys? The ones coming and going here?"
A light, sharp male voice followed.
A man slowly emerged in the cathedral's center.
He held wood from Reggin's dawn campfire.
Whoosh!
He tossed the half-burnt log to the floor and continued.
"Too bad. Not that bitch?"
Reggin couldn't look away from the sword in his other hand.
Dried crimson bloodstains on the blade—Reggin quietly drew a scroll.
Skeletons didn't bleed.
‘Steal party. Or the plunder party she mentioned. Or both.’
Whatever—someone who'd cut down humans.