Chapter 55
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: 7th Floor - Cleanup
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Life as an Exile is something you couldn't even imagine from the outside world.
What happens when you live that kind of life?
The human body doesn't get endlessly tougher just from training.
Even martial artists' methods for hardening their knuckles rely on causing tiny fractures and then letting them heal.
The bones knit back stronger each time, but ligaments and such are a different story.
They might seem tougher at first, but no one knows when bone disease might set in and turn you into a cripple.
I figure the mind works the same way.
It doesn't exactly get tougher—it just gets numb.
And then, out of nowhere, some emotion stabs right through the dullness.
That's when you feel a little worn out.
Eliminating the survivors was a purely mechanical task.
None of the Exiles had any particularly threatening gear or abilities.
Even the ones who thought they were hot stuff were only on the 7th floor, after all.
No guns, no sudden angel race changes.
That in itself was suspicious.
Our own party was suspicious enough.
The standout was the assassin who got launched by the Girl's roundhouse kick and somehow survived.
Full-body fractures and a bunch of other stuff.
We had Healing Potions left from the ranger party, so we could save him.
The angel gave a wistful smile and tried to take the life of her former party member.
"Why throw it away?"
"...Pardon?"
There'd be a spring on the next floor anyway.
No reason to skimp on potions now.
The revived assassin looked baffled, and the angel's eyes went wide.
We untied the ranger party and brought them over.
While we were at it, we called the Girl, the Hunter, and the Youngest too.
The map being what it was, the weather was brutally cold. We hunkered down in a suitable cave and dug into the walls.
Just lighting a fire in an ice cave made it warmer than you'd think.
Our party aside, most of them didn't have proper cold-weather gear.
Color started returning to the survivors' faces.
It was like an igloo classroom.
The Girl looked up in awe at the spot where I made them take notes and memorize everything.
I'd done this plenty of times before.
Long ago—too far back to pinpoint exactly—I'd compiled early-game strategies while desperately trying to pass on my knowledge and save people.
Nothing complicated. Just simple stuff that was easy to understand and use.
They were skeptical at first, but when even the angel listened intently, everyone focused up.
The sun had set by the time class ended.
By then, they all had looks of genuine admiration.
Our party members, already familiar with it, just went about their usual business.
The angel asked cautiously,
"Um, senior... if it's not too much trouble, could I ask how many years you've been in here?"
"Yeah, 97."
No point hiding it now.
Aside from the angel, these were Exiles I'd never see again, and I'd partied long enough with my crew for plenty of back-and-forth.
The Youngest just nodded blankly, like it hadn't sunk in, while the Girl had a casual "huh, okay" expression.
The Hunter looked mildly surprised but nodded in acceptance soon enough.
The rest of them? Jaws on the floor.
"H-Hyper veteran level, sir."
"Not many stick it out till the bitter end, right?"
"You could retire in style."
"Ugh, don't say 'retire.' Makes me sick."
Strictly speaking, rankers and hyper rankers weren't challengers.
Challengers die and move on to another world.
They'd given up on liberation, on escape.
They were the ones content to lounge in the kingdom, enjoying riches and glory.
"Retirement" just meant stepping back from the spotlight and grabbing power behind the scenes.
Not that it was inherently bad—but treating challengers like idiots and harassing them was the problem.
Leave us alone, and they'd still eye any amazing gear or cards we might bring back.
I could never approve of that.
Most kingdoms were already overrun by those types—forming guilds, seizing power.
"Y-Yes, sir..."
The angel wagged her tail like a puppy, her expression all meek. She'd seemed timid before, but now she was positively shriveled.
If only she had half the Girl's spunk.
"So, you wanna join my line?"
"Of course, senior!"
After 70 years, new entrants to the kingdom were rare as hen's teeth.
Your mere existence became headline news.
You couldn't hide your tenure there.
I'd end up exposed too.
I knew from exhausting experience how tiring that got.
And fixing that tiredness? Even more exhausting.
So, plan was to send the angel ahead first.
A 47-year angel popping out of the tutorial would make waves, but manageable enough to carve out a spot.
Like an advance party.
This run, we were trying everything.
First time for me too.
Feels fresh.
"I'll do my best!"
"Good. But first things first—something serious."
"Pardon?"
"Flight practice. Learn to handle that angel race properly. The feather-shedding was embarrassing even for me to watch."
"Y-Yes... P-Pardon?"
Her face cycled through every emotion like she didn't know which one to pick. All joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure crammed into one expression.
Soon to be all pain and grief, though.
With me—the one holding all the reins—staying silent, the 7th floor's vibe got weird.
Our party just did their usual: maintenance, Mind Map consultations with me.
But the others kept stealing glances, gauging the mood.
Everyone knew the run was ending soon, so morale was low anyway.
A few came back with questions. I answered mechanically, out of rote courtesy rather than genuine care.
The Girl's presence helped loosen things up bit by bit.
PVP floor unwritten rule.
Once it's all over and the outcome's set, no more enemies.
Some might grieve lost party members, but few turned it into grudges.
Interactions were too brief, and everyone too numb, for that level of emotion.
In the end, after a little more time, most seemed satisfied.
"If kobolds show up early, explore underground..."
"God's suffix changes standing even within factions..."
"Fairies eat meat too, surprisingly."
"Orc script to memorize..."
Don't ask why it turned academic.
They'd racked up plenty of head-scratchers and tough calls along the way.
No internet to google it—just trial and error.
They might not reach the kingdom this run, but they'd saved dozens, hundreds of runs maybe.
And at the end of it all, they even thanked me. Hilarious. Thanking the guy who killed them.
But that's how it is here.
The goddess spoke.
「That's curious too. Old-timers like you are rare enough, but I've never seen one who wants to stay human.」
'Gotta be human to clear it. I'm going home. Wanna live as one there too.'
「That's weird too. No urge to bask in glory here in the Labyrinth?」
I could do the ranker thing in the kingdom if I wanted. Probably better than most.
'Lived too long—even forgot when I started thinking that way. At first, it was like, game's gotta be beaten, right?'
「Hmm, original motivation, huh. Clinging to something does help survival here, I'll give you that.」
'What was yours, Goddess?'
You can't reach the divine seat by settling as a ranker. Only those who challenged to the end.
「...Forgot.」
Gods don't need coping mechanisms anyway. If worn out, just ride the divine currents.
'No Pantheon around?'
7th floor had decent odds for it.
Pantheons could spawn on any odd floor.
Harder on recruitment hubs like 3rd or boss floors like 5th.
First encounter was usually 7th.
「Pantheons block gods' views too. No clue here.」
'No followers but ours anyway.'
「That angel's not for me?」
'Fair point.'
「Hee hee, exciting! Always envied other gods bragging about their angel or demon followers.」
Angel or demon followers definitely enriched a god's life—no denying it.
But they came with hassles. She seemed thrilled, so no need to mention.
I sat at the edge of an empty iceberg.
A vast frozen sea stretched out, majestic even to behold.
Mostly unfrozen, but ice floes bobbed on the waves.
Sunset too, perfect timing.
Solemn, lonely—romantic scene.
Odd floors weren't continental extensions like evens.
More like pocket subspaces.
This land didn't exist on the continent. Gone once we left the floor.
"Why the wistful stare?"
"Wistful? Just looking."
The Girl's voice.
She'd snuck up soundlessly—startled me, but I didn't show it.
"Not even flinching. Should've gone full king mode and pounced."
"That'd just be cute."
Probably would've jumped a bit, honestly.
"Got something to discuss. Cool?"
"Not romance advice, I hope..."
"Who asks the guy himself?! Seriously!"
She scrunched her nose trying for angry, but her mouth twitched into a smile.
Kid couldn't manage expressions to save her life.
She plopped down beside me, permission or not.
Then,
"Do you know what I did out there?"
"Exorcist."
"Eh, that's the gist... More like a hero, really."
"...Even high schoolers get chuunibyou these days?"
"No!"
Her story boiled down to that.
Her Earth had monsters popping up everywhere, attacking people nonstop.
Certain families with superhuman powers protected the world across generations.
"Ugh, saying it out loud sounds so cringy. In the West, they call 'em heroes anyway."
"Korea probably picked it up too. Histories align."
"Kinda, yeah. Not that glamorous, though. After-school calls to handle outbreaks, teaming with cops to nab fleeing criminals."
"Like a civilian contractor for police?"
"Spot on. Not super popular or anything. Just a job? Family trade for me."
Hard to gauge how peaceful—or not—that world was.
"So, what's eating you?"
"Hey, I was setting the mood."
"Guys are like that."
"Anyway, it was about protecting people. That's how I saw it, how I was raised. Trained from childhood, always taught that."
"And you toughed out the rough parts?"
"Yeah... But..."
Expressive kid. Deep worry dragged down even her perpetually upbeat eyes.
She sniffled.
"This floor, I suddenly forgot all that. We've always struck first before."
True, on reflection. Outlaws were obvious villains. Clear refugees to protect.
Greenskins? Anyone fresh to the Labyrinth treating non-humans as people would be the real marvel.
They didn't look human anywhere you sliced it.
"Those five in the ice cave at first... Their outfits..."
They weren't some savvy party that knew what was up. More lucky stragglers who'd made it.
Second theme being tundra? Unavoidable.
Ragged, but jeans, t-shirts, hoodies—outside-world clothes.
One had jury-rigged broken glasses.
"And the one in the puffer jacket... Hit me out of nowhere. What am I even doing?"
"Never killed outside?"
"Only against crooks I couldn't just subdue?"
"How'd it feel?"
She pondered.
"Didn't faze me, but the adults chewed me out hard."
"Why?"
"Said don't smile while stabbing."
"Yeah, that's... a bit much."
I stared, for real.
Her face crumpled like a guilty cat, sniffling.
"Ugh, but... Even if not human, the sword feel was just... good. Got praise for monsters."
"That's all?"
"I'm honest, so truth: humans feel even better... Uwuu."
She wiped tears, nose scrunched, face twisted.
Like reason clashing with instinct. Knowing it's wrong made it worse?
What do you call this? Well-socialized psychopath?
Still, I had advice for that.
"World's not like schoolbooks, huh?"
"Not one bit. Labyrinth wasn't even in the curriculum. Home, school—always 'noble peacekeepers.' Is this okay for me?"
Puberty hit, full force. Late bloomers happen.
If you've just followed orders, gone with the flow without deep self-reflection, it sneaks up.
Surprisingly common in the Labyrinth—first real self-confrontation.
Even for adults.
No safety nets, no wards to protect or protected by.
Just you, facing your life head-on. Experience you can't get normally.
I gave my standard line to party members who'd vented similar mental woes.
"Trust me."
"Huh?"
"You follow 'cause you like me. Consulting 'cause you like me."
"Saying it yourself is kinda cringe..."
Cringe and deal.
"I guarantee: you're doing fine. Just keep it up. Don't agonize over killing. We're all just surviving like that. Wild animals too, right?"
"Yeah..."
"I'm badass, know most of what goes down here. Guessing right even when clueless."
"Okay."
I hole up alone to recharge when drained for a reason.
Gotta stay the party's core, the reliable pillar everyone leans on.
Without a godlike anchor, late-game collapse is instant.
So I always say,
"If you're wrong, I'll call it first. If you're struggling, I'll spot it first. Won't wait for you to come—I'll come to you. That's the leader. Got it? Lean on me all you want."
"Sniff. What do I do? More reliable than Dad. Sniff."
"Dad talk's a bit..."
"Oppa then?"
"After we date."
For a split second, her ears and tail seemed to perk—wait, no such thing, but vibe.
"W-Wait, is this a confession?"
"Nah, you're the one challenging. I'm always cheering."
Deadpan, emotionless—key for this.
Her eyes scanned my face for tells.
Futile.
"Sheesh. Conditions too vague."
"Weren't those your solo start and terms?"
"Hmph, might confess first at this rate. Totally crushing."
"Hug?"
"Yeah."
She drooped into my arms.
The quietly watching goddess spoke.
「You live a tough life.」
'No "innie" jokes this time?'
「How could I joke? That burden you're carrying looks too heavy.」
'Speech getting mature too?'
「'Cause I am. Rookie.」
'Fair.'
Gods rock.
Over 97 years, countless lives—post-god-friendship chats like this happened.
They always got me.
Thousands of years? Beyond even my ken.
Guess you really mature after that span.
'Can I whine sometimes?'
「If you need to.」
'Thanks. You can whine to me too, Goddess. Comfort each other.'
「Aren't I always?」
'Huh, true.'
A bit later, the goddess again.
「No betraying after all this heart-to-heart, right? No converting? Promise?」
'Gimme back my feels.'
「Gotta live for the senior. Hmph.」