Chapter 99

Translator: Penny

Chapter 99

Time-Delayed Prison entry, 3rd day in real-time.

The time my body and mind have experienced is 65 days.

The number of enemies defeated is four.

The reason why the number of enemies fought was smaller than expected was because I fought the same enemy repeatedly until a somewhat 'rational' victory was achieved.

No need to eat.

No need to sleep.

But even in that situation, training wasn't particularly more efficient.

Training was always an ordeal.

I gritted my teeth.

[NPC – Azure Sword Namgung Jin-woon 6th Rank]

The third one to appear, and the one giving me the most trouble.

Namgung Jin-woon's Domain was terrifying.

It was a Domain that made me understand what a 'Domain' truly was.

As I leaped backward and uploaded the Domain filmed with the Terminal, the seniors in the Transcendence Gallery informed me about the Domain's identity.

Hmm.

But I don't have the confidence that I can definitely create an extraordinary Domain.

The strategy for the Monarch Sword Formation.

The principle itself wasn't that difficult.

It's just hard to pour in the amount of Magic Power to reach the principle.

I smashed the spiral circles visible on the floor with a Sword Force-clad sword.

I shattered a total of twelve spirals, shaking the form of the Monarch Sword Formation.

Sseogeogeogeogeok!

And carved out the upper body.

I shook off the blood on the sword.

I had more time.

From the perspective of a Martial Artist who hones their Martial arts for a lifetime, it might not be a very long time.

But for me, it was almost two years, to exaggerate a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠little.

Scenario extension.

If I had to pick a similar case in my Tower life, it would be the Floor where I suddenly had to fight the Knight Dekan.

But back then, it wasn't a forced situation like this, and there was at least the option not to do it.

But this time, it was a completely forced situation.

When there's more time, there are bound to be more thoughts.

That wasn't just a delusion I was feeling, but something the Heavenly Demon here told me.

There are many cases where people try to dismantle the rising Heart Demon in vain, only to fall into Qi Deviation.

Thoughts were quite scary.

From thoughts about recent events to thoughts about past events.

Agony about my entire life arose.

***

"Hey."

Ban Ineoreu was visible.

Two days after entering the 13th Floor. Ban Ineoreu, munching on the sandwich I had given her, spoke.

"You're giving me such high-quality food so readily, you're a decent guy?"

In the end, I even took out instant ramen and shared it.

I glossed over it as Martial Arts World food, and she just believed it.

"Ugh, feels warm inside."

Ban Ineoreu got up and looked at the sky.

Right.

This first meeting was quite new.

When we played catch.

There was a moment when I read a vague emotion on Ban's face as she wiped the sweat flowing down her face with a cloth.

I could now sense that that emotion was agony.

At the end of the catch, Ban had said those words.

"What was the hardest thing? While climbing the Tower."

Looking at Ban saying that, I said that.

"When I can't trust myself."

Ban smiled faintly.

"Right, that kind of situation always exists."

Ban nodded slowly and asked another question.

"So, how did you overcome that kind of situation?"

I tilted my head at Ban's question.

"Was there ever a time when I completely overcame it? I just tried not to regret it. Constantly."

Even when bizarre choices of multiple choice questions appeared before my eyes.

Even in moments when death came to my doorstep.

I tried hard not to regret it.

I remembered the faint smile Ban had when she heard my answer.

As if she were right in front of me now.

That illusion vividly surfaced.

I reached out my hand.

Just before my gesture reached her, the illusion disappeared.

Ban made a choice for me.

Even so.

I don't think my words had a big impact on Ban's last choice.

I didn't think she was the kind of person who would bend her will and move her heart because of my words.

Reason.

Will I ever be able to hear the reason for that choice?

***

Again, the past came to mind along with the illusion.

The events of a few months before I was summoned to the Tower.

"You worked hard."

"Yes, hyung. I'll be going."

"Okay."

I handed over the baton to the part-time hyung at the night ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shift and left the convenience store.

I stopped my hurried steps.

Someone was standing in front of the convenience store.

The young man with a face that looked good-natured at first glance looked at me and said.

"Long time no see, hyung."

"Yoo Ji-hoon."

Yoo Ji-hoon was a baseball junior.

Yoo Ji-hoon grinned.

"Wow, this hyung. I haven't seen you in a while, and you're using my last name to talk to me."

I was taken aback.

"Okay, Ji-hoon."

It had been almost two years since I had seen him, but I didn't feel that much distance.

That was probably because the time we spent together was quite intense.

"Are you free?"

"It's past midnight now, is it right to ask if I'm free?"

At my words, Yoo Ji-hoon scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

"Sorry, it's a bit inconsiderate."

"I can't help it since you're already here. Where do you want to go?"

After a moment of thought, I pointed with my chin at the bar diagonally across the street.

Grandpa Beer, which is always crowded with people.

"Call!"

Yoo Ji-hoon, who spoke cheerfully, took the lead.

Tting!

The bell hanging above the door rang clearly.

There were fewer people than usual for Grandpa Beer.

But still, about half of the chairs were filled.

Yoo Ji-hoon, who had his ID checked, smiled.

"I guess we still look young, right? Don't we?"

"You crazy bastard. You're twenty now. I'm twenty-one."

Yoo Ji-hoon laughed even more.

I recalled an article I had seen a few days ago.

I couldn't help but remember it.

"I saw the rookie draft. Congratulations."

It was an article about Yoo Ji-hoon entering the path of professional baseball by joining a professional team.

"If hyung's arm hadn't hurt, hyung would have been on the mound first."

After finishing his words, Yoo Ji-hoon continued to stare at me intently.

"Is it a little better now?"

"It's better. But if I start playing baseball again, it'll twist again."

The doctor looked at me with a bitter smile when I gave up baseball.

He said it was a good choice.

"Whatever it is, I hope hyung does what you want to do."

"Okay."

I looked at Yoo Ji-hoon.

There was something I wanted to say.

In fact, it was something I should have said a long time ago.

"I'm sorry. Back then."

Yoo Ji-hoon was the first guy to approach me and ask if I was okay when my arm went bad again on the mound, and he was also the guy who had his collar grabbed by me in the waiting room right after that.

No matter how I thought about it, I thought I couldn't make ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a comeback on my own.

And compared to that self, it was probably a sense of inferiority towards the junior who seemed like he would soar in the future.

Yoo Ji-hoon shrugged his shoulders.

"I forgot it a long time ago. A long time ago."

Yoo Ji-hoon grabbed a handful of snacks in the center of the table.

And poured ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it into his mouth.

Wagjak-

I apologized.

And the fact that the answer that he had forgotten about the apology came out right away meant that he hadn't actually forgotten about it.

I smiled bitterly and held out my beer glass.

Jjaeng-

Yoo Ji-hoon's beer glass, which immediately recognized my intention, touched mine, and the sound rang out.

Yoo Ji-hoon and I each only drank two glasses of draft beer.

That's because neither of us intended to get deeply drunk.

Yoo Ji-hoon and I went outside the store and walked slowly.

"Hyung."

"Okay."

"You remember me taking hyung's interview, right? That thing. The one where they told me to pick someone respectable among the same students."

I remember.

Although it's not a good memory anymore.

"Back then, hyung was so cool. I have no intention of giving up on anything."

Yoo Ji-hoon staggered as if he was borrowing the intoxication to speak, even though he wasn't very drunk.

"Still, my self-esteem rises on the mound, so I don't feel like I'm going to lose. Kiyahaaaa!"

"Stop it, you bastard."

"Keuk keuk keuk!"

Yoo Ji-hoon, who was laughing heartily, put his hand on my shoulder.

"Hyung, I'm here to tell you that you can do anything if you do it right."

"Okay."

"I enjoyed the meal. I'll buy next time."

The junior, who had come to find me, a fallen soldier who had fallen from the mound, the day after being nominated as a player, went home after saying those words.

What was I thinking back then?

I guess I thought it was fortunate that I bought him a meal as a senior.

Probably, that's what it was.

***

The fiercely swirling memories subsided in my head.

The fragments of memory that I thought were sharp wounds were not actually that sharp.

The past events were tied up, albeit clumsily.

The problem was only in the present.

I kept swinging my sword.

I kept sparring.

But the creation of a Domain was not achieved.

Even if I tried to build it up, it soon collapsed like a sandcastle.

As if it wasn't a Domain I could create yet.

On the 200th day in Time-Delayed Prison time.

I faced the 7th Rank for the first time.

[NPC – Severing Evil Sword Emperor Moo Jin-yeol 7th Rank]

And.

A ray of light diagonally cut through the atmosphere.

My right arm floated up.

Paak!

Immediately after the severed section of the cut-off right arm and the arm swimming in the air reattached.

This time, I felt a cool sensation on my neck.

My consciousness was cut off.

I died for the first time.

Tudduk-

The severed head reattached.

My vision flickered.

I had already heard that from the Heavenly Demon, but I had no intention of dying.

Because it would feel dirty.

And it actually felt dirty.

It didn't end with dirtiness.

It hurt quite a bit.

All senses are the same as reality.

In other words, the pain is the same.

The enemies come out sequentially.

Therefore, there was a high probability that the Severing Evil Sword Emperor Moo Jin-yeol, the first 7th Rank to come out, was Initial Order of the 7th Rank.

Geom Gak-ju, the one I have to face.

Geomma Pyo Wi-heon is Middle Order of the 7th Rank.

There was no time to be frozen.

I took a deep breath.

I drew my sword.

I fight.

Until I kill the opponent.

Again.

If it still doesn't work.

Again and again.