Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Descent to the Earth's Core
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The world shakes east, west, south, and north.
No, it's my mind that's shaking.
The massive eyeball commands me to burst it.
That irresistible order leaves me no chance to resist, forcing my tentacles toward the eyeball.
Pop!
The giant eyeball bursts with a light, cheerful sound like a balloon popping, giving the illusion that it ended far too easily.
And of course, that's exactly what it is—an illusion.
The brief moment of mental stability doesn't last. The split chunks reform into smaller eyeballs, all staring right at me.
The headache that feels like it's tearing through everything starts up again.
"Ha..."
If I burst that one, it'll split into dozens more, making it even harder to deal with.
Even stronger mental manipulation calls my tentacles back out.
But my mind, now fully aware of the situation, isn't going down without a fight.
I focus my vision, and like an optic nerve, a thin red thread connects from the eyeball to the ceiling.
I twist the tentacle that's flying toward the eyeball against my will, slicing the thread instead.
In that instant, the eyeball drops powerlessly.
Ten eyeballs left.
All I can do is hope my mind holds out for ten more rounds.
I push through the eyeballs' interfering will and sever three threads at once.
I can't afford to stab the eyeballs.
I pour all my focus into cutting every last thread.
"Hoo..."
I already feel completely drained.
Deep doubts creep in about whether it's worth all this suffering just to check out the place.
"Guess I have to endure this much."
I quickly check my body for issues and head downward.
The next hazard awaits on floor B62.
I cautiously step into the floor, and there's nothing there.
Not even stairs leading down.
At that moment, the number B62 gets overlaid with a small "5:00" painted in red.
Right beside it, "4:49" appears, followed by "4:48."
I can feel the temperature inside rising with every passing second.
Hmm, this feels like a good spot to take a breather.
I need to escape this floor within the five-minute limit, but I already know how.
Time limits usually mean puzzles or hidden paths, but not here.
I fire a tentacle at the spot where new numbers are appearing in real time.
"Grrrrk."
A grotesque creature lets out an unpleasant death rattle and reveals itself.
One hand is a brush, the other holds red paint.
The timer stops. The floor melts away, revealing the hidden stairs.
The next danger is on floor B84, and since this is B62, I have about 22 floors of leeway.
I keep descending the stairs.
As B62 turns to B66 and then B72, an eerie voice echoes from somewhere.
"Sob... Huhu. Mommy, Daddy... Save me."
It's clearly the voice of a young girl.
I go down further, and a fork appears—two paths splitting off.
Both bend away, so I can't see what's at the ends.
But the girl's crying keeps coming from the right path.
The last remaining rule besides the final one slams into my brain.
-Other anomalies may occur. Act according to your own judgment.
"Hmm..."
Obviously an anomaly.
No way a little girl is crying down here where even I can barely make it.
And right at this convenient fork!
The question is which way to go.
Let's observe the surroundings first.
There has to be a hint somewhere besides the fork and the crying.
Common sense says go the quiet way.
But I know better.
Common sense doesn't apply on these stairs.
"Sob... Huhu. Mommy, Daddy... Save me."
The voice comes again.
It's identical to the first time—no difference at all—which feels off.
Like a recording on repeat.
The slim chance it's a real person drops to zero.
So, left it is.
"Kill— at... na."
"?"
Some static noise?
"Kill it at... I—"
Coming from the left?
Focus a bit.
"Kill it? Belly, belly's hungry. I that..."
"Fuck!"
The right side's cries were masking it.
Head to where the girl's voice is.
This is a gamble, but my reasoning points that way too.
Add calculation to a gamble, and it becomes strategy.
I cautiously enter the right path, finding a skeleton and an old radio.
The radio plays the exact sob I heard: "Sob... Huhu. Mommy, Daddy... Save me."
"Creepiest thing I've seen on these stairs."
If I'd gone left without realizing, I'd be in a real mess.
I take a moment to steady my mind and body, then descend again.
Underground floor B83.
Now, going down starts the next trial.
It's an old man.
I can't make out his exact shape—he's huddled against the floor—but I recognize him as an old man.
Blink, and he's standing, staring at me.
No other movement.
But I can't go down the stairs like that.
The old man's crumpled face stares through me.
I stare back in response.
Time drags on, and slowly, he hunches back down.
If the solution's simple, better not waste energy.
I confirm his state once more and descend.
About 20 minutes of peace pass, and suddenly the floor reads B97.
Underground floor B97. The last one.
I go down, and inside sits a plain round wall clock all by itself.
"Fuck."
I don't usually swear much, but nothing else fits.
The final rule of this tale.
-Someday, the owner of the stairs will awaken.
Normally, you'd have two days inside before that happens, so no big deal.
But a clock appearing on the floor means...
At least it's B97—a blessing.
Just three floors to go.
No time to stand around.
I head straight for the stairs.
Something shatters above.
The owner of the stairs is coming down.
Its speed surpasses any airplane, leaving me no margin for error.
B98.
"Faster!"
As underground floor B98 nears its end.
Rooooar—
The owner of the stairs treads right behind me.
No, "treads" isn't right.
It's a massive worm-like body plastered with human mouths, eyes, and limbs.
This isn't some other dimension.
I can open the key and return to the shop anytime.
"But."
Do all this again?
"Fuck that."
I shine the flashlight straight into its eyes.
To something locked in darkness its whole life, that intense light must hit like a gunshot.
Kieeeek—!
A cacophony of mixed screams shakes the stairwell.
Just as planned, the owner hesitates and halts its advance.
The B99 beside it fills me with hope.
I pour power into my legs.
I relax the muscles tensed for defense, channeling everything into my legs.
That thing's fast.
Faster than anything I've faced so far.
Just sprinting down won't cut it.
Power surges from my legs to my soles.
Taut muscles tremble, generating heat.
I take the first step—slow, but not too slow.
Thud.
These walls and floors are tougher than steel.
But my power exceeds what the thick concrete can handle, cracking it with a massive boom.
Yet the fissures don't spread further—like it's still not enough.
I've put everything into my legs; nowhere left to draw from?
No, not true.
A tentacle erupts from the shadow.
The tentacle, somewhat independent, isn't directly tied to my stamina.
It just weakens with heavy use.
The tentacle slams toward the floor.
Rumble—boom!
The floor crumbles, and I drop through.
Kreeeek—!
The monster recovers and chases right after me.
Thirty-five fingers reach for me, eleven red eyes track me.
One massive mouth in the center gapes to swallow me whole.
But it's too late.
I squeeze out every last bit of strength—even for daily life—and kick the wall hard.
The recoil launches my body sideways.
The monster snaps its jaws shut fiercely, but I've been gone for ages.
Blink, and I'm at my destination.
"Gah..."
Pain like my lungs pierced floods in.
Of course, my body's fine—no anomalies.
Just my superhuman physique exhausted from the intense exertion.
"Huff... Ha."
Feels like I used more energy in this short burst than my recent wiki binge.
Truly terrifying, an endless malice I can't match chasing me.
"Still."
I succeeded.
I force my gasping head up from the ground.
A wondrous sci-fi scene fills my vision.
No matter how history changes, it won't reach here.
This is Earth's center—the inner and outer core. Any change here would bring unbearable catastrophe to the planet itself.
I walk toward the central area and can't help but realize the inevitable truth.
"Haha... This is real."