Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Tower of Fate (3)
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'Wiki, are you screwing with me?'
I let out a hollow laugh at the strategy displayed on the wiki.
It said it was still analyzing, so maybe an answer would come eventually, but clearly not right now.
Thump! Thump!
"Huuuh..."
My ragged breathing filled the table in front of me.
The black hole of the gun barrel staring me down from across the table could blow my head off at any moment, and my heart pounded wildly at the thought.
'...No point saying anything, huh?'
Even if I tried convincing it like before that the guy on the right had more bullets, it wouldn't listen.
He'd almost died because of me just moments ago. If this hologram really was me, it'd shoot no matter what I did.
'Better just stay still.'
No good would come from provoking it further.
Success would just get me back to square one; failure would double the enemies.
'Please... come on, please...!!'
So here, it had to trust me.
I prayed over and over that the me on the left had trash luck too, that he was a scrub who couldn't even clear 50%.
A grin.
The me on the left flashed a wide smile at my trembling form and slowly pulled the trigger—
Click.
"..."
I squeezed my eyes shut as his face twisted in frustration when nothing happened.
'Holy shit, holy fucking shit...'
I raised my head and let out a rough breath.
I survived. Somehow, I'd made it through once.
'You two are both Han Seol, huh?'
Judging by the awful luck, holograms or not, they had to be me.
From my perspective, it was good luck; from theirs, it was rotten.
I had fewer bullets, so it'd be great if those two just went at each other, but that didn't seem likely.
'...Stop glaring like that.'
I ignored the left me's gaze, burning with desire to unload into my skull, rules be damned.
New text appeared in the center of the table, and the arrow began spinning rapidly.
Please, right first.
Best case: right kills left. It had to happen.
I swallowed hard, staring at the spinning arrow.
Clunk!
A grin.
I mirrored the left me's smile as the result came in.
'Yep, you're Han Seol too. Luck's shit, as expected.'
Of all the luck, left got picked again.
The left me—the one who'd targeted me and misfired just before—was aiming the barrel at me once more.
Two in a row? Too much.
I'd shot first in round one, but knowing this, I wouldn't have bothered.
60% chance.
High, but ambiguous.
Practically 50/50... I told myself to calm down.
Otherwise, I'd lose it. Or maybe I already was a bit.
My mouth went dry. He gripped the revolver without a hint of hesitation, pissed about my earlier maneuvering.
Meanwhile, my own revolver trembled like crazy in my hand.
'Try convincing him now...?'
He could see the bullet counts too.
Even without them, he'd know roughly how many shots each had. Unless he was an idiot, the smartest target probability-wise was obvious.
'Nah, stay still.'
One down, game not over. Only one could survive this room.
'Survive here, then team up with right against left.'
Wiser than making two enemies; better to gang up on one.
So, prayer meta it—
Click.
'Fuck, fuck... who shoots that suddenly...!!'
I exhaled sharply at the revolver's sound.
Survived. Again. Somehow.
"..."
'Haha! Dumbass!'
After catching my breath, I flipped off the guy whose face twisted in rage at his consecutive misfires.
He'd target only me forever anyway. No truce until one died.
Bang!
He slammed the revolver on the table in fury, but that was his problem.
Thanks to this 'Han Seol' who couldn't hit 60%, I survived another round.
Best play now: right gets next turn.
Right kills left, then I kill right on the final turn. End this damn Russian roulette.
'Please, please, please.'
I stared desperately at the new arrow on the table—
"..."
Pointing right at me. I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them.
'No way it'd be that easy...'
Who to shoot?
Logically, left. Next round, he'd almost certainly fire—with three bullets left.
No need to guess who'd he'd target next.
'My hit chance: 40%.'
If I succeeded by some miracle, right would target me.
Even if I failed, right would still go for left. I had left's aggro; no reason to shoot me.
Right 'me' had three bullets too, higher odds than me.
"...Eup!"
Left me thrashed, assuming he'd get shot for sure.
My 40 + right's 60 = 100%. You're done, loser.
'Targeting right would be stupid.'
Only choice was left, but success meant grim future.
One bullet left for me, three for right in a 1v1.
I glanced at the still-analyzing wiki and slowly raised my revolver.
"..."
Not left, not right.
Toward the empty space across from me, where the hologram had fizzled out.
'This round alone? Yeah, target left.'
But to survive the 10th floor, this was wiser.
Misfire or not, right would still target left.
If right misfired too and left went first next round? Dead anyway...
'Those odds? Shooting now is suicide too.'
That much bad luck meant just die.
As long as right didn't get pissy about me shooting air, this was optimal.
Click.
'Lucky.'
Misfire. No wasted bullet.
Now if right succeeded, we'd hit final round with equal bullets.
"...!"
"...!"
Both mes stared blankly, shocked I'd shot air.
Ignoring their stares, I watched the pointless arrow spin, then turned to right.
"Eup!!"
Come on, you have to nail this one.
Nail left, and we fight fair at 50%.
I didn't even want to think misfire, so I stared desperately at right me.
A smirk.
I sighed in relief as right me chuckled hollowly and slowly raised his revolver.
Worried he'd target me, but he had a brain after all.
Arrow stopped. Finger on trigger, he swallowed—
Bang—!!
'Yes, fuck yeah—!!'
Bang!
I slammed the table cheering as left reverted to blue hologram.
Right set down his revolver and squeezed his eyes shut; I grinned automatically.
"Suuup, fuu."
Cliff's edge. Single log bridge.
1v1, equal bullets, 50/50 odds.
'I'll survive.'
Arrow spun fast; I swallowed quietly.
First shooter had the edge now.
Grab it, and win rate skyrockets.
'Pleasepleaseplease...'
Clunk!
'Okay...!!'
Fist clenched as it stopped at me.
Advantage. Nail this, clear 10th floor.
'Sorry, Han Seol.'
Felt the gallery's hate for this place in my bones as I slowly raised the revolver.
Right me tensed, swallowing; I steadied my breath, finger on trigger.
Breathing deep, praying for success, just as I pulled—
Ding—!
"..."
Familiar chime froze my trigger finger.
This timing bugged me.
Swipe.
'...Now?'
Danger past, what good was it now?
I lifted my head to the wiki's result display.
Right me squinted like what the hell? A name floated over his head.
And right above—
Precisely over the revolver he held.
Unclear O/X marks appeared.
'Next turn... something like that?'
Not sure, but probably.
Next: fire, then two misfires, final: fire. Looked that way.
Maybe not, but nothing else fit.
Gulp.
I eyed the [O] for his next fire, swallowed, glanced at my revolver—
My [X] misfire had my jaw dropping.
"..."
If real, shooting first meant nothing.
Two left, only targets: each other.
Three apiece let me shoot air; not now. No variables.
'Fuck...'
To the end, really dying like this? I stared at Hologram B... the guy identical to me.
His hand shook violently on the revolver.
His eyes, fixed on my barrel, trembled clearly.
This was his first time being aimed at. Always others before.
Plenty scary; my heart raced first facing a gun.
I glanced between our revolvers.
Shoot normally? Dead.
So, struggle—live or die.
Swipe.
"...?!"
His eyes bulged like they might pop.
I jammed the barrel harder against my temple amid his bewildered stare.
A grin.
Gagged, I smiled wide.
Let's play real Russian roulette. Test our true luck.
We're the same. Losing to you? Unbearable.
If you're real Han Seol—dopamine-junkie gallery/gamer trash—
"Eup! Mmph!"
Come at me.
Eyes wide like a maniac, grinning hugely, finger on trigger.
Ignoring pounding heart, steadying shaking finger. Let's go nuts. I nodded at his revolver.
'Bite, bite, bite.'
Follow my lead.
I know Han Seol. You're me.
Uncertain death, but yield order? I'd claim the last shot myself.
"Kuh, kuhhuh."
"Huu... kuhkuph..."
I smiled at 'me' shaking his head in disbelief.
Laughter leaked from behind his gag; mine slipped out too.
Swipe.
"Kuhp."
"..."
I nodded slightly at Han Seol aiming at his own head.
[O] flashed over his revolver; I gripped phone under table hard.
Wiki, you're all I trust.
Suicide ending? I'll curse you forever.
Trusted it in Tower of Mind, survived; trust it here too.
"Kueup! Mmph... mmph... mmph!"
Nod.
Chin gesture and sounds synced timing.
Hesitate, betray? Dead. Normal shot? Dead anyway.
Fucking terrifying, but wiki legit... right?
Swipe.
Quick breath, finger on trigger.
"Kueup..."
One.
Scary. Terrifying.
"Eup...!"
Two.
What if wiki lied now?
"Kuhuuup!!"
Still, eyes shut tight, gagged scream, pulled trigger.
Click.
Wiki right—my misfire.
Survived. Analysis spot-on.
But—
'No way...? Misunderstanding...?'
Right 'me's finger didn't move on trigger.
Agreed simultaneous shot, but he just stared; hollow laugh escaped.
'Sneaky bastard.'
Dying like this? Staring at his hand—
Bang—!!
"..."
I blinked as maniacally grinning 'me' turned hologram a beat late.
Whoosh.
Cloth around mouth and waist unraveled.
[Round End] flashed victorious; I slumped in chair.
'...Hot.'
Revolver that froze my heart to touch now burned hot enough for blisters.
"Ha... haha..."
Survived.
Made it.
Not pretty, but cleared somehow.
"Ahahaha!!"
Dopamine flood filled my head; I clutched my face, laughing aloud.
Under dazzling spotlight on me, gripping revolver tight.
Sat there long after holograms vanished and door opened.
『Tower of Fate』
-10-
Click!
"Haa..."
I snapped a photo of the congratulatory air text.
Done. Thought I'd die at first, but survived somehow.
'Wiki, nearly lost my mind because of you.'
Showing blank screen suddenly? What then.
Trusted only you, my love's for you alone.
Step.
Chuckling hollowly, I exited the dark passage into the familiar cavern.
Tower of Fate floors 1-10 took about 20 minutes.
Time-wise, fastest of any tower. Laughable.
'20 minutes, but scariest so fa—'
...Not sure.
Boar chase, maze timer hitting zero, ghost selfie shakes.
All fucking terrifying. Different horrors. Most spectacular in my life.
Dopamine rush and self-pride at end, sure.
'40 floors in 24 hours.'
Woke here with ~364 days 17 hours left, I think.
Cleared 10 floors each tower before a full day passed.
"Fucking hustled, Han Seol... Proud of you...!"
Snapped timer, hugged myself, patted, smiled.
One floor a day fine, but I sprinted like mad.
Smile thinking rest in bed days straight—
Ding—!
'Came at last.'
Happy chime; head down, red (1) on internet.
Clicked question-mark icon; new window popped.
'Star Bang?'
Blinked at weird name; screen shifted.
Like internet page load, top-down reveal made me grin.
Familiar search bar at top.
Copied Star Wiki UI, but different.
Left-side categories. Grateful for kindness, clicked.
[Fashion/Clothing/Accessories]
[Weapons/Armor]
[Beauty]
[Food]
[Household Goods]
[Books/Music/DVDs]
...
...
No need to check each.
Saw categories and 'Star Bang'? Obvious.
"...For real?"
That site for anything in this world.
Rocket delivery next day.
Game? Novel? Irrelevant.
Wiki ark of knowledge; Star Bang ark of goods.
Grinned browsing unbelievable site—
Chiming windows trailed; top-right coin count skyrocketed.