Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Anomaly
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*Rumble...!*
'...Darkness?'
The moment I opened the door and stepped into the tower, an endless void of darkness welcomed me.
I couldn't see a thing.
It resembled the space from that bizarre anomaly I'd encountered before.
Blink.
'Back already?'
The instant I blinked, the tower snapped back to its normal appearance.
As if I'd imagined it, the familiar tower layout greeted me once more.
"...Some kind of loading glitch?"
It had only lasted about three seconds at most.
No voices echoed, no headaches struck.
The bug-like situation nagged at me, but I had no clue what caused it.
*Thud...*
"Just a normal tower?"
I muttered softly as the door shut behind me, but the space didn't shift.
Floors in tens often teleported elsewhere, but since this was the Luck Tower—and the 50th floor—I figured it might differ. Unexpectedly ordinary.
I'd braced for days like in the Tower of Wisdom, yet here it was, plain as ever.
'No guide text, wiki's silent.'
I waited, but nothing changed.
Maybe approaching the door triggers it? I stepped forward cautiously.
*Step-*
"What the...?"
Even right up to the door, nothing happened.
No inscriptions around it, no delayed traps like some floors.
Just nothing—absolutely nothing.
Swipe.
"What now...?"
Checking my phone on a hunch made my eyes narrow.
No wiki alerts, but a bizarre new glitch stared back.
'This is insane.'
This was a first.
"Data analysis impossible"—no need to decipher; it said so plainly.
Of course, no hints on what to do, so maybe that's why? Or just a wiki bug.
'What the hell is this?'
Did the 50th floor itself glitch out?
Scanning everywhere, even backtracking—nothing changed.
No guide text, no wiki strategy.
Swipe.
In the midst of it, I grabbed the exit handle just in case.
*Clunk...!*
"Ha."
I let out a dry laugh at the unlocked door.
*Rumble...!!*
Not a simple skip glitch, though.
'Darkness again.'
Tower of Fate 50th floor—no expected guide text floating.
Meaningless to leave? Or was this even the 50th floor?
Swipe.
"..."
I released the half-open door handle and glanced back.
Would staying put reveal something?
Maybe, but my gut said no.
Even if waiting was right, fundamental doubts filled my mind.
The anomalies so far, the kid from the Intellect Tower's words.
*Step-*
They sparked core curiosity.
I wanted to know why only I faced this.
*Boom!!*
'Door closes again, huh?'
Beyond the opened door: darkness, just like before.
The shut door had already dissolved into shadow.
'1 second... 2 seconds...'
No headache.
No burning eyes, no voices.
Counting silently while scanning around.
Blink.
"6 seconds."
I muttered as the normal tower reappeared.
Identical to before opening the door.
No guide text.
Wiki strategy unchanged.
Grip...!
Doubt mingled with sudden dread; I clutched my sword tight.
"Hoo..."
Not the Tower of Trials, yet tension built.
Realizing this wasn't normal weighed on me.
*Step-*
Lips parched.
The dimly lit tower prickled my skin unnecessarily.
My breath the only sound.
No interactions beyond my steps.
A place where only I existed, doomed to solitude forever.
'No gallery access, endless loop unknown.'
This wasn't climbing the Tower of Fate's 50th—it was endlessly walking its anomaly to escape.
Objectively assessing my plight, the danger sank in.
*Clunk.*
*Rumble...*
"Ha."
Grabbing the door handle again, it yielded easily.
Unpleasant noise; beyond the open door, only darkness awaited.
*Rumble-!!*
The exit door reverted to entrance, slamming shut.
'1 second, 2 seconds.'
Counting in the darkness once more.
'5 seconds, 6 seconds...'
Nothing, no one, nowhere.
Only darkness, the anomaly, greeting me.
In this spot—standing or falling?—the only facts:
"12 seconds."
Drift time lengthening—
Sting-!
"..."
And the headache, absent in prior darknesses, now began—the sole truth I grasped.
"1 minute 33 seconds."
Eighth darkness? Ninth?
Open door, look around, walk to next door, open.
Darkness greets, count silently there.
Just repeating that, confusion crept in.
'Time's definitely lengthening, but nothing else.'
No changes. Just prolonged void suspension.
"No, it is changing."
Precisely: headache throbbing skull-splitingly.
Eyes heating progressively.
Ten more doors, and I'd faint or go blind, I feared.
Something—anything—needed to happen soon.
Even reverting to normal tower; this was hazardous.
'...Should've stayed put at the start.'
*Step...*
Dragging my heavy body toward the next door.
Passed doors stayed shut.
Well, if it meant stopping now, I wouldn't have started.
*Clunk...*
*Rumble...*
Die or not—whatever happens, make it quick.
Fine if inevitably fatal, but this agony sucked.
'1 second... 2 seconds...'
*Rumble...!*
"..."
How many doors back was that one?
Memory failed. Headache shattered focus; couldn't count properly.
Something'll happen, something must.
That sole thought propelled me through endless dark.
*Thud.*
"Ugh..."
Mindlessly walking, I bumped into something.
One pause, and I might not resume; ignoring body's alarms, I'd pressed on.
'Handle...'
In blindness, groping hands found the handle I'd tugged endlessly.
Dry laugh at realizing it was the next door.
Darkness unrelenting, yet another door so soon?
*Clunk...!*
This darkness would end soon anyway, nothing ever appeared—so I opened it.
Enduring skull-tearing pain, eyeballs scorching unbearably.
The moment I crossed the new threshold—
"...Ah."
*Rumble-!!*
Overwhelming agony buckled my legs; I collapsed.
*Thud!*
"Fell asleep?"
"..."
Door slamming snapped me alert.
Voice from behind furrowed my brow.
"Must be boring, though it shouldn't be."
'Boring...?'
"Not much to do, but dozing here could spell disaster."
"..."
Eyes burned.
Open, yet blind.
"Ha... ha..."
Truly blinded? Involuntary laugh escaped.
"What, crying? Nightmare?"
"Nightmare...?"
Me, crying?
Not sure.
Head still throbbed.
Couldn't even feel tears—something off.
"Whatever. Shift change—go rest."
"..."
"Can't manage alone if you die too. Few left now. That thing's not done yet."
"Done...?"
"Z-63, y'know? Code tangled, fixing it—but dunno details."
Couldn't follow.
Curious what "managing"—wanted to ask, but words failed.
Best I mustered: vague syllables.
Swipe.
"This nonsense... really survivable?"
"..."
"Your eyes... bloodshot bad. Need rest."
"No..."
No rest needed.
Die or return—either way.
So, hear more before that.
"No? Go run vaccine now—"
*Weeeen-! Weeeen-! Weeeen-!*
"Ah sh%t, caught#? Not headquar&ters?"
Sudden ear-piercing alarm; eyes squeezed shut.
Mind fraying—what's happening?
Want to see something, ask properly.
"What... are... you... saying...?"
Body beyond control.
Not knowing if standing or sitting, it toppled sideways.
*Thump.*
"%, hey—!! Snap o@#$t of it!"
"..."
Flash.
"Gasp...! Gasp...!!"
Eyes opened; I gulped air desperately.
The tower. Back in the tower.
Faint headache lingered, not collapsing level.
Eyes warm, but vision clear.
'The door...'
Door wide open.
Like cleared; floating text beyond furrowed my brow.
Did nothing—searched by opening doors endlessly, nothing appeared.
"..."
Wiki unchanged.
Yet door flung wide.
'What the hell...'
Was that a dream?
Too vivid for one.
Body off-kilter, sure—but still...
*Step.*
I hauled myself up, shuffling blankly to the door.
Truly cleared? Or darkness swallows beyond?
Relive that scene? Had to check.
No thought to record; passed the floating text, through dark passage.
-1-
[Apocalypse 303:04:09:21]
[Section 1:04:09:21]
[198 / 63]
The emerging chamber and timers furrowed my brow.
'Not even minutes passed...?'
Void wandering felt like dozens of minutes.
Dream-whatever aside, chamber to tower, door open, passage out—should've taken that much—
'Time in the tower froze entirely?'
From last timer check, entering Tower of Fate, exiting to passage.
Just that span—roughly matches.
"..."
*Ding-!*
Head pounding from thinking, alert chimed.
Bonus for legit clear; involuntary smile.
"This is nuts."
What was it hiding?
Why show me this because of the Irregular?