Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: I Want to Go to the 2nd Floor (4)
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I am an intellectual capable of wise judgment and rational decisions.
It doesn't mean I'm some barbarian who swings an axe at someone's skull just because they shoot me a cold glare.
What separates humans from beasts? I believe it's our ability to communicate, share opinions, and work toward mutually desired outcomes.
Even if it means letting go of a slightly bigger gain, we seek ways that benefit everyone.
That's true humanity—not the nauseating, holier-than-thou kind, but the genuine care one person shows for another.
'Let's think this through. Has anyone in this godforsaken Labyrinth City ever shown that kind of humanity?'
Cold reason dredged up past events. The conclusion came swiftly.
'The vast majority of people in this world aren't human at all.'
Beasts and savages, chasing nothing but their own selfish gains.
How many times had I been screwed over in Labyrinth City? Easily over a dozen.
'When you never know what shit's coming next, shouldn't you strike first?'
"Master."
Kakchi's voice pulled my sinking thoughts back to the surface. I quickly reassessed the situation.
Considering Zelvin and Mercy were glued to them, the odds of these guys being innocent explorers approached zero.
"Those ones have rehabilitated explorer badges on their belts. They used to be outlaws."
Kakchi whispered softly beside me. Just as I suspected.
But even if they'd been outlaws in the past, they were explorers now. The badges on their belts proved it.
Unless they threatened us first like Deluna's crew, smashing their heads in over a tense vibe would just paint us as outlaws too.
For now, I needed to watch and wait.
I calmly addressed the one I pegged as their party leader.
"Are you planning to use the teleport trap, by any chance?"
"Yeah. Why?"
The teleport trap was an area-of-effect hazard. If they triggered it, we'd get dragged in too. And separately from that...
'Rude bitch confirmed.'
Her tone was trash after my polite approach, so I dropped the formalities.
"Could you hold off until we've cleared the teleport trap's range?"
I eyed them as I spoke, starting with the rude one who'd just replied.
Derusio LV. 21
High level. Top-tier among junior explorers. No wonder they were heading to the 5th floor.
The rest averaged around level 15. Zelvin and Mercy's pale faces were dragging that down.
And moreover...
'This bitch too?'
What the hell was with this curse? Every time I met someone rude and shady, they had it. Like a certified asshole badge or something.
Not everyone with the marionette curse was evil, but every shitty person I'd encountered carried it.
My guard went up even higher. I tightened my grip on the axe handle just enough not to tip them off.
"Nah, don't wanna."
Derusio smirked as she spoke. Total scumbag vibe.
"Why should we care about you? We're busy enough getting where we need to go."
"...10 seconds. No more, no less—just 10 seconds. Give us that, and we'll be out quick."
"Fine. 10 seconds it is."
What?
She agreed too easily after all that posturing, throwing me off for a split second—but I couldn't afford to freeze.
I was about to bolt with Kakchi and Jermi when...
"Time's up!"
Derusio declared it, and her goons blocked our path. We hadn't even moved yet.
"...What the hell is this?"
"What? I gave you 10 seconds. Feels like that's passed while we've been staring each other down, right?"
Dogshit logic. It hit me then—they never planned to let us go.
"...What did we even do to you? We haven't done a damn thing."
A question lingered. Why would a rehabilitated outlaw-turned-explorer pull this crap?
'Only one reason makes sense.'
Those eyes gleaming with lust told the story.
So I played up the frail Balkan act as much as possible.
Trembling, shrinking back a little.
"...?"
"...B-Big Brother..."
Kakchi and Jermi shot me confused looks, but that wasn't the issue right now.
"Th-That bastard again...!"
"A-Ah, th-the, the axe, the axe..."
Zelvin and Mercy clutched their heads like they were reliving trauma from me.
"Hey, you guys okay...?"
Two goons' attention split toward the commotion.
But Derusio's eyes stayed locked on my arms and thighs, ignoring the noise.
Makes sense. Three days in the Labyrinth—pent-up frustration had to be boiling.
'Thanks, Deluna.'
Your memorable performance is saving my ass big time.
"W-We just barely made it to the 2nd floor. Getting caught in that teleport trap would be the end for us..."
"That's your problem. No reason we should care."
"You're 5th-floor explorers— what could you possibly want from us...!"
"Eh, your gear looks meh. But like you guessed, it's not about the gear, is it?"
Derusio licked her lips with a red tongue. I could hear her gulp from here.
"No matter how busy, gotta squeeze in some fun. You. Drop those pants."
Even for Labyrinth City's bottom-barrel explorer scum—and rehabilitated ones being the worst—this crossed every line.
"Won't make you strip the chestplate. Gotta have some conquest vibe, right? Just the pants. I'll be nice. Yeah?"
She was brazen, like she had backup.
'Either a brainless horndog charging in blind... or she really does have backing.'
Logically, the latter seemed more likely.
Zelvin and Mercy had tried similar shit but folded under my threats, so whatever her "backer" was, it favored only her.
'If I could snag that backer, maybe get a hint on this curse?'
"You fucking bitch—!"
Kakchi gasped and nocked an arrow—the poisoned one I'd given her—aimed at Derusio's forehead.
"...Talking like that to a man... unforgivable."
Jermi gripped his spear in a thrusting stance.
"Haha. Chill out. This is good for you too, yeah?"
Derusio swallowed hard, staring me down.
"If that guy plays nice, I'll give you time to clear the teleport zone. No more pranks like before. So choose: Let him serve us and walk away alive, or end up as cold corpses we fuck?"
What sparked this standoff again?
They tried using the teleport trap, nearly dragging us in.
Yet she spoke like she was offering mercy.
"That's not something you should even—"
"Kakchi. Calm down."
"No, Master! That bitch is telling you to—"
"Densi."
"...!"
Calling her by name froze her solid.
First time I'd done it.
Her eyes quivered. She bowed her head immediately.
*Grind*—
Her teeth ground in suppressed rage.
I stealthily slipped a dagger from her belt to mine.
"Big Brother. No way. As long as my eyes are burning, I won't let you go through that."
Jermi, ever the sensitive soul by this world's standards, teared up and looked ready to charge.
"I'm fine, Jermi."
"..."
I patted his shoulder, feeling it tremble.
Then I leaned close and whispered so only he could hear.
"When I approach those bastards, grab Kakchi and bolt the opposite way."
"...! Got it."
I never planned to go down easy.
Plan was simple: Lure them into complacency, then bail.
High success odds. The 2nd floor was a trap-filled minefield where you couldn't see a step ahead.
'And we've got Kakchi.'
Without her trap-sensing skills, they'd never track us—even if they tried, it'd wreck them.
Jermi seemed to catch my drift. Good.
"You really gonna keep your word if I play along?"
After that 10-second bullshit? Fat chance. But I played it up to lower their guard.
"Heh. Sure. What a tearjerker sacrifice. Makes me wanna fuck you even more. Yeah, drop the axe and come here."
Derusio grinned like some NTR manga villain, the type that'd fuck the heroine and send a video.
Fine by me. If she saw it as a sacrifice, she was oblivious. Perfect.
*Clang*—
The axe hit the ground with a metallic ring.
I approached Derusio cautiously, scanning the field.
My stats outclassed any one of them individually, but as a party, they had the edge.
Thanks to Zelvin and Mercy's freakout, two goons turned back, and about four peeled off rearward.
Three threats upfront now.
Derusio was the strongest I'd faced, but also the most overconfident.
That arrogance was a godsend.
"Come on. Hurry up. And strip yourself."
Face-to-face, she leered pervertedly. Her hand groped my thigh roughly.
I quietly faked unbuckling my belt and drew the hidden dagger.
Derusio's sly smile twisted into a grimace.
"You little sh—"
Fast reaction. But a hair too slow.
*Schluck!!*
"Gaaahhh!!"
Kakchi's dagger lodged lightly in Derusio's collarbone.
Aimed for the carotid, but she'd sacrificed her left hand to block it.
Seasoned explorer, huh? Without the horniness, she'd have been a nightmare.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
Two goons drew swords and charged. Goons gonna goon, though. My agility doubled theirs—good luck.
"Aaaak!"
I yanked the dagger from Derusio's hand and hurled it.
It nailed an incoming goon's neck perfectly. He foamed blood and dropped.
Perfect spot—right by my axe. I scooped it up along with another dagger.
Dispatched the second goon effortlessly.
"Ugh, huff, you bastard. If you'd just played nice, this wouldn't have happened!"
"Told you. Just give me 10 seconds. Couldn't wait, so you fucked up."
Derusio ignored me, barking another order.
"Hey! You lot! Trigger the teleport trap! To the 5th-floor fountain!"
"Got it!"
One goon eyeing Zelvin lunged for the trap.
'Good enough.'
I spun to bolt. Getting caught halfway would suck. Jermi was already grabbing Kakchi to run. Nice one. I'm right behind.
*Crunch!*
"Where ya... grrr... goin', spear fucker...?"
"Shit!"
The "dead" goon grabbed my ankle like a vice. Die with dignity, damn it—tough bastard.
Severed his wrist with the axe and leaped—
*Breeeeeeen*—
A sickly yellow flash erupted behind, the ominous noise echoing through the Labyrinth.
Sound alone screamed bad news. Trap triggered.
Glancing back, Derusio—staunching blood, clasping hands with her party—grinned wickedly.
"You're fucked."
Shit.
'Still time!'
Teleport range: 100m. 10 seconds from trigger to activation.
My agility: a whopping 17.
I trust you, legs. Move! You can clear 100m in 10 seconds! 2 seconds gone—8 left!
*Thud-thud-thud!*
Feet pounded stone, wind whipping my face. Footprints scarred the floor from the force.
Thighs exploded with power. Usain Bolt couldn't touch this.
Ahead, a stark line like a 100m finish—yellow inside, normal stone outside. Cross it, escape the zone.
Kakchi and Jermi entered my view, matching pace.
'I can make it. Close, but I can!'
I'd escape the teleport trap!
Or so I thought—
Then the world slowed again.
Legs stretched forever, no progress. That eerie calm returned, time frozen.
"Fuck."
Why? Another trap? No activation sound. Not that.
Then what?
"Ah."
Got it. The dilemma.
My agility's 17. I can barely cross that line.
Kakchi and Jermi? Way slower.
They can't make it, no matter what. Best case, sucked in at the last second.
Now I knew why the calm focus hit again.
This wasn't time to sense danger.
'It's forcing me to choose.'
Kill the goblin? Or run?
Sacrifice health and points for freedom? Or invest in agility to survive?
This time:
'Ditch Densi and Jermi, escape solo?'
Or:
'All three drop to the 5th floor?'
Obviously the first. Survive first, right? Parties aren't forever. Shit happens. This was ours' end.
Not 3rd or 4th—5th floor. Who knows the hell waiting.
'So why am I hesitating?'
Three of us on 5th floor? Still deadly. Worse, actually.
I could scrape by on stats, but those two? One monster and they'd flail to death.
Protecting them? Arrow-trap hell times ten.
'Ditch 'em. Just do it. How attached can you get so quick? Close your eyes and bail. You'll forget fast. That's Labyrinth City.'
Inner voice whispered. Choose. You know the smart play.
World sped up.
I made my choice.
Not first. Not second.
The third.
Catching Kakchi and Jermi, I pulled every ounce of leg power upward.
*Slam!!*
Palm-shoved their backs hard.
"?!"
Like a gale hit, they flew out of the zone.
Shock and pain mixed on their faces, visible even here.
Yellow light surged wildly behind. Almost over.
At least they'd land safe outside when it hit.
'Idiot.'
I made a dumbass choice. Prioritized them over myself.
But for my future, I had to.
What separates humans from beasts?
Finding mutual benefit, even at personal cost.
'Knowing when to take the L.'
I chose humanity.
'Though this one's a big L.'
Still, I bet those two I "bought low" on will skyrocket and return the favor.
Most in this world are selfish beasts, but those two won't forget my debt-dump.
My own selfish calculus—they'd help till the end.
"Master—!"
"Big Brother!"
They hit the ground and turned back.
"Nooooo! Don't go! Please don't!"
Kakchi sprinted desperately, hand outstretched.
No chance. I'd shoved 'em far.
A faint smile on my lips, swallowed by yellow light, I spoke.
"Farewell."
*Breeeeeeen.*
Eerie noise and strange buoyancy hit.
Thus, I fell to the 5th floor.