Chapter 256
Chapter 256
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 256
Chapter Title: Roll-Back
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Jang Hyun-deok is originally taller than me.
By about 10 cm? But the build of Jang Hyun-deok who was supporting me from behind at that time was clearly much larger than just 10 cm—way more. 20 cm? No, it wasn’t like he’d grown just a few centimeters; it felt like being clutched in the grip of a monster hundreds of meters tall.
Or like becoming prey caught in the jaws of a massive beast, right on the verge of being chewed up.
It was already a posture like being forcibly hauled upright, not merely supported.
Even in that situation, I was furious.
If I’d had even a scrap of mana left, I could’ve blasted him with a spell. Damn it.
If I could’ve interacted with the barriers I’d set up on Jang Hyun-deok’s body, maybe I could’ve even landed a decisive blow on that bastard. But I’d exhausted all my mana attacking the [Predator of the Mountains].
That’s why I shouted something like “You son of a bitch!” or “Let go!” and swung my fist at the face of the monster holding me.
Sure enough, the thing possessing Jang Hyun-deok’s body didn’t even flinch from my punch, and as if to twist the knife in my gut, it said this:
“You swung your fist at me, but it had no meaningful effect.”
I don’t clearly remember what curse I spat back at that, but I definitely remember what he said next.
“No, that’s not what I meant. If we convert the damage your bare-handed attack can inflict on me into points, it’s about 1 to 4 points. Add your penalty trait [Melee Weakness] for -1 point, [Disadvantageous Position] for another -1 point. And you’re currently under [Status: Exhaustion], so that’s -1 more. In other words, the maximum damage you can deal is 1 point.”
I unleashed another torrent of furious curses, but he continued in a completely expressionless tone, without even a hint of a smile.
“However, Jang Hyun-deok receives +1 Natural Armor while possessed. If you want to deal even 1 point of damage to me, you’ll need to change your posture or shake off the exhaustion status. Of course, even then, I’ll block your posture change attempt with a Strength check, and thanks to the size difference correction and your exhaustion penalty, it’ll auto-succeed.”
Writing it out like this reignites that fresh surge of rage all over again.
His words and actions, the casual terms he tossed out, the sensations I felt on my skin at the time, the info displayed in the message windows.
I’m recording it all in exhaustive detail because I don’t know how it might come in handy later.
As if to prove he’d block any posture change attempt, he wrapped his left arm around my shoulder and neck.
His arm moved less like a human limb and more like the tentacle of some horrific monster, leaving me unable even to squirm freely.
“I’ll handle things one by one, in order of priority.”
With that, he raised his right hand and pointed at the [Predator of the Mountains].
The [Predator of the Mountains] still had that surreal, higher-dimensional form, but for some reason, in that moment, it felt oddly off—like it was flustered.
“That’s a bit much, isn’t it? A spontaneous event outside my intent. The goal is to provide clearable challenges, after all.”
I tried to respond to his words, but he didn’t wait for my answer.
“No. The warning has already been issued. You ignored it.”
This wasn’t directed at me. He was speaking into empty air, just like Tudor often did. I couldn’t hear the other side’s voice, but it had to be the [Predator of the Mountains], right?
“I agree on that point. The power you have now was something you seized through your past achievements.”
The [Predator of the Mountains] expressed some meaning, and the one possessing Jang Hyun-deok replied.
“Fellow being of the abyss? Ridiculous. Did you think you held the same rank as us? In my eyes, the [Feast’s Offering] nestled in my arms right now seems far more impressive than you.”
The [Predator of the Mountains] expressed some meaning again.
“Within the rules, you’ve already lost. Without this brazen intrusion, your final incarnation would’ve been repelled by the [Feast’s Offering]. That’s one loss. You broke the rules, so a forfeit is in order. That’s two. And yet another loss—you revealed that bloated true form, and still, this [Feast’s Offering] here didn’t yield to you. He bared his teeth and claws, wounding you.”
The [Predator of the Mountains] expressed some meaning again. Somehow, I could sense the surreal bewilderment in it.
“No. Damage numbers aren’t the point. You’ve already proven yourself unfit for the current era’s level. By the authority handed down through our ancient covenant, I’ll expel you from our table.”
A voice dropping like a guillotine. At the same time, a piercing ring in my ears. The [Predator of the Mountains] seemed to have expressed some meaning beyond human perception. Was it perhaps a scream?
“No. You won’t return to your original form. You’ll be less than that. When you come to, find some wretched flesh to possess.”
Crack.
What did he do?
A repulsive tearing sound came from near Jang Hyun-deok’s head? No, lower, from his throat area.
It sounded like bones snapping.
What did that bastard do using Jang Hyun-deok’s body at that moment? Goosebumps crawl up my neck just thinking about it. Some sinister act unfolding right behind my head.
But I had no right to witness the act itself—only the result it triggered.
[System: ‘Abyssal Being: |\|`/a®|_a†|-|◎+ëP’ activates its unique trait ‘Delete Object;’.]
[System: ‘Abyssal Being: Predator of the Mountains’ has been removed.]
[System: Reboot the world to fully purge remaining data.]
Pop.
With a hollow sound like a channel flipping, the [Predator of the Mountains] that had blanketed the entire sky vanished.
Everything drawn skyward by the [Predator of the Mountains]’ gravity began plummeting back to earth.
It was gone.
I said make it disappear, and that colossal thing just... vanished.
It was all a cosmic-level joke, a multidimensional farce.
The mastermind who dragged me into this hellish world?
Revenge?
Isn’t this a god—beyond gods? Do I even stand a chance against something like that?
At the time, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing, and I felt the thing behind me—the one holding me—slowly crane its head forward to look down at me.
A being from a dimension far above mine was gazing down. With eyes that held no readable emotion—or rather, an expression carrying feelings I, from a lower dimension, couldn’t comprehend.
And right around then, I heard the sounds of everything the [Predator of the Mountains] had lifted crashing back to the surface.
Thud. Crackle, boom.
And then splat, thump—the sounds of human bodies bursting.
Startled by those gruesome noises, I flinched and regained a shred of sanity.
As if he’d been waiting for that, the monster possessing Jang Hyun-deok spoke in a voice dripping with utmost mercy.
“We could proceed like this, but some of the issues he caused could pose serious problems for future progress.”
A sweet, soothing whisper tickling my ear.
His voice slipped into my ear canal like a fine feather, passing through my eardrum to tease the inside of my skull and brain.
And he continued.
“To resolve this widespread issue, I’ll restore part of the events to a prior point in time.”
The tone suggested I should be grateful.
He stared at me for a moment, then slowly spoke. It was a question.
“What do you say? Will you continue the challenge?”
It seemed a bit out of left field at the time, but looking back, maybe it was to gauge just how broken I was as the [Feast’s Offering].
If I’d given an answer he didn’t like, this [Game] might’ve ended right there.
I don’t know what response he wanted, but here’s what I said:
“You’re asking if I’ll keep challenging? This game? Me?”
I was doomed to die anyway.
Even if I survived, I’d just wander under this monster’s thumb, getting crushed somewhere in the shadows of this world.
And this was probably my only chance to interact with him like this.
So I didn’t stop.
“I wondered who turned [Cthulhu World] into this trash game. It was you? You! You bastard! You ruined this game!”
The arm binding my neck and shoulder twitched slightly. Clearly, this was a reaction he hadn’t anticipated.
“I ruined this world? I’m curious what reasoning led you to that conclusion.”
A question came back.
Sneer, dismissal, mockery, rage, some meaningful hint of a grander scheme, or just game over...
Out of all the reactions I’d imagined, this was the one I liked best. Buoyed by a surge of conviction, I pressed on.
The situation that flusters a game operator most?
I knew exactly what it was.
“You’re gonna restore to a prior point? Offering me a rollback right now? Undo this situation?”
“Yes. It means I’ll resolve this unforeseen problem and unstable state for you.”
“Bullshit! Just give me my experience points!”
He fell silent for a moment at my words. Seemed like a solid choice.
“Did you say experience points?”
“Yeah! My experience points! What kind of operator removes a field named mob right when the player’s about to kill it? I was this close to taking it down, and you screwed me! Hand over the experience, achievements, and rewards I earned!”
“...You were just about to kill it?”
I could’ve said, “You almost got yourself killed, asshole?” But he kept his usual polite tone.
This meant there was an opening I could exploit.
“Yeah! You interfered, so I couldn’t! And what’s this about rollback? What kind of absurd operation is that?”
Once I got started, the words just poured out.
Maybe it was because the sheer absurdity of the scene had numbed my fear and common sense completely.
“You ruined everything, so cough up the compensation! No rollback crap—keep going from here! And problems? That’s your mess to fix! Live-service it without rollback and sort it out yourself!”
After listening to me rant for a while, a low chuckle finally escaped his lips.
My first thought was honestly, “Ah, I’m dead now.” But that wasn’t the vibe of the laugh.
Even looking back now, I can’t tell exactly what he meant by it, but he laughed like a regular human enjoying a fun, amusing situation.
* * *
“Mythos.”
A voice cutting into the flow.
It was Heo Sang-hyun.
“Hm? What’s up?”
“I’ve prepared a meal. Please eat.”
“Huh? Now? What time is it?”
“It’s six hours past lunchtime.”
Ugh, his voice was still polite, but the words had thorns.
“Already that late? Wait, doesn’t that just mean it’s dinnertime?”
Heo Sang-hyun finally scowled and descended the stairs.
“You didn’t eat breakfast or lunch, did you?”
“Uh— I did.”
“You did?”
Heo Sang-hyun strode right up, staring straight into my eyes.
“Snacks and stuff...”
“That’s not a meal. Come on.”
“Alright, alright. Give me a sec.”
Guess I can’t keep writing the journal. I gestured toward the table.
Flutter-flutter-flap—
The notebooks and books spread across the table flapped their covers like wings and took flight. They zipped around messily before settling each into their proper spots.
In the end.
In the end, just as that bastard declared, the rollback happened.
Meaning this world was forcibly restored to a point before the [Predator of the Mountains] descended.
“Phew... glad it got restored...”
Honestly, proceeding without restoration would’ve been a nightmare. What I wanted wasn’t the rollback—it was compensation.
And I got what I wanted.