Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Really Likeable Newbie
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Plop... drip...
"..."
I'm seriously losing my mind.
Something keeps poking my back and shoulders from behind, like it's urging me to turn around right now.
A sticky liquid—saliva or blood or who knows what—trickles from the back of my head down my nape. I grit my teeth against the disgusting sensation spreading inside my clothes.
The sign that appeared after about an hour of walking says to turn around and greet it.
If I do turn around like this, do I die for falling for it? Or have I endured well so far and now it's finally over? No clue.
'Both the Trials Tower and Wisdom Tower cleared by following the stories written on the towers.'
The wiki only ever told how to tackle those commands quickly and easily.
This was the first time the wiki and the tower's story clashed.
Swipe.
The Star Wiki's wiki strategy floating on screen.
[I'm pregnant]
-Trust the wiki.
[Me too, I'm pregnant]
-Trust the sign.
'Even in this situation, only bullshit pops into my head.'
I have no idea which to trust or what choice to make.
Especially since an endless road stretched out again behind the sign.
Honestly. Truly honestly, I don't think I can take much more.
If it was a yaksha fight, maybe, but telling me not to turn around and now this—what the hell am I supposed to do?
'What happens if I greet without turning around?'
What if, in this state, I just face forward and say hello?
If I mix the wiki and sign halfway—
"Um, h-hello...?"
Splash.
Oh, crap.
Guess not.
I clamped my mouth shut as the sticky liquid trickled down my neck.
Shouldn't have provoked it. It was either turn around or ignore completely.
"...Ah."
Staring at the wiki strategy on screen stirred up unnecessary curiosity.
I knew it was insane even by my own standards, but once the question crossed my mind, I couldn't suppress it.
Squeeze.
"..."
I exited the internet app and turned on the camera I'd only used for verification.
Gazing at the sign on screen, I slowly moved my finger to the switch button.
'This doesn't count as turning around.'
If I just knew what was behind me, it'd be easier to decide.
Confirm its identity, and I could choose between sign or wiki.
Pure curiosity too—would a ghost even show up on a phone camera?
Gulp.
I swallowed hard, squeezed my eyes shut, and switched to selfie mode—
Click!
The moment I snapped the photo, I closed the camera app and cautiously checked the gallery.
"...!!"
Tremble tremble tremble.
'What the fuck.'
My hand holding the phone shakes violently.
It's there. Crystal clear.
If I had to describe the thing behind me, it looked like a ghost.
Purple face drained of color. Long black hair reaching the floor, covering half its face.
Distance sense off, but maybe three steps away?
Wearing pristine white mourning clothes, height impossible to guess. How do you even measure this thing's height?
'...Is it still doing that?'
Because its neck was several times longer than a normal person's.
Like a snake, it stretched its neck out, shoving its head right next to my tightly shut eyes, staring straight at the camera. A pair of blood-red eyes glared nakedly through the hair strands on screen.
More precisely, piercing through my closed-eyed self on screen.
Drip... splat...
My body shudders at the mystery liquid on my shoulder.
I don't even want to know what it is anymore.
'Screw it...!!'
Eyes squeezed shut, I step forward.
Sign schmind, I'm trusting our wiki.
That precious Irregular gifted me all-purpose internet.
Wiki-chan's saved my ass dozens of times already in one day.
Say hi to that? I'd die first.
Step.
Worst case, wrong choice? Walk another hour.
It's quietly following now—maybe even this thing can't do shit.
"You can't... go...?"
I freeze.
"You're really... leaving...?"
"..."
"You'll regret it...?"
W-Wiki, you sure it's safe...?
"Whoo—!!!"
Mwah! Smack smack smack smack!
『Tower of Mind』
-10-
Passing the sign was the right answer after all. Walked another thirty minutes or so to escape.
After the first sign, two more appeared at shorter intervals, but the quick ones felt even more suspicious.
Ignoring the gritted-teeth voice calling me, the touching hands, and the sticky liquid, I pressed on and found a wide-open door.
"I love you, Wiki! You're the best—I'll trust only you forever—!!"
Smoooch!!
I kissed the floating Star Wiki main screen over and over.
Phone screen's the dirtiest in the world? So what—it's my lifesaver; I'd kiss its soles too.
'What if I'd turned at the start?'
Restart at worst, maybe.
High chance of instant death too. Eaten alive or trapped forever—shudder.
Step.
-1-
"Whoa..."
Shoulders slump at the timer visible right after entering the chamber from the passage.
Mind Tower took nearly three hours.
Took less for Trials and Wisdom—why does the tower testing mind and spirit take longest?
'Without wiki, others would've taken longer...'
Gallery reactions yesterday and today say this pace is insanely fast.
'Just 10 floors in Fate Tower to unlock functions...'
I stared briefly at the floating [30 / 7], then shook my head.
Thought of heading straight to Fate Tower, but mind too fried—rest first.
Fate's said hardest anyway; better research properly this time.
Snapped a timer pic casually, dragged weary legs to hideout.
Creeeak.
"...Huh?"
Hideout looks a bit different.
Or rather, back to original while I was gone.
Slept-in blanket and pillow neatly folded. Half-eaten bread back to three loaves, canteen full again.
'Refilled?'
Not certain, but probably.
Date changed too—from 364 to 363 days.
Resets every 24 hours maybe.
'Pretty mysterious.'
Dragged to mystery world, mystery stuff nonstop—not that shocking anymore.
Just 'huh, okay.'
At least no food worries—good.
Post question later or read Manager notices thoroughly.
'Gotta wash first...'
Checked clothes and nape leaving tower—no sticky remnants.
Tower events, items, phenomena don't persist maybe.
Not confirmed yet though.
"Haa..."
Sigh at the gallery screen before me.
The fallout's still huge.
Told them no direct mentions, tone down harsh comments or attention—hasn't helped much.
Just getting one Irregular draws all gallery eyes.
But a 1st-run newbie gets one. Uses it without even escaping tower to browse gallery. Of course it's blowing up.
'Managing alone's too much...'
"How many is this now...?"
Can't even enter towers—staring at gallery, moderating nonstop.
Swipe.
-1534-
Apocalypse 53:06:10:52Section 4:06:10:52[354 / 308]
Glanced up at timer.
Days of rest fine. Not stuck anywhere hard.
Just hate this nail-biting gallery babysitting all day.
'My fault, but feels a bit unfair...'
Never happened before.
Irregular right after trapping in tower? Why bring to tower then?
'Don't know why towers even... anyway...'
This newbie's seriously likeable, in many ways.
Searched nickname, frowned at first post that pissed me off.
Said his piece and ghosted. This newbie wrecked my head all day.
Told him climb towers—he hits Trials Tower 1F done.
Stunned how, poof gone, back saying 10F cleared.
'Didn't even read my carefully edited guides...!'
Worried cuz urgent, checks posts—says bedtime, kill lights...!
Vans half a day, returns with what?
How?! I voted Wisdom??
Congrats!!
Mind Tower next? Mind next? Mind next? Mind next?
Long-eared aristocrat? Makes sense with that wisdom!
Sudden 10F Wisdom clear aggro pull!!
"Seriously..."
Quiet gallery reignited.
Proof posts daily dozens, but this newbie's on another level.
'20 floors in a day...'
Low runs, low floors—not impossible.
Tower-savvy or pre-powered vet, no sleep all-tower grind? Doable. Even higher possible.
Me too—no gallery duty, low floors nonstop? 50F in week confident.
'...But a sleeping 1st-run chick doing this? Doubtful.'
10th-run newbie maybe, but fresh noob how so fast?
"And... why post and ghost again...!!"
That's the annoying part.
Calm gallery refired, no replies, vanishes hours.
Ignores Qs, dismisses guesses with [lol].
Topic king... no, firestarter won't even show face.
'King God Wiki... nick search...'
(And more posts listed similarly)
"Haa..."
Eyes squeezed shut at every post bombing.
Knew attention inevitable, but moderator role complicates.
'First time enabling alerts on anyone in millennium-plus...'
My screw-up trapped him—want quick accurate help.
If he dies vanishing someday, I'd suffer years.
So say where going at least.
'Come back soon...'
Anxiety-peeking gallery moments later.
"Ah...!"
No hesitation, tap notification.
"Kyaaak!"
No...!! Warn for gross pic at least!!
Ding ding ding ding—
"Ah..."
Mind pics ok now? ㅇㅋ
"Aaa seriously...!!"
This newbie's driving me insane.
...Still, safe and sound—relief.