Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Misfortune Isn't Over Yet
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"Finally... it's over."
I heaved ragged breaths, ignoring the scrapes all over my body as I tossed my sword aside and collapsed onto the sandy floor. Fortunately amid the misfortune, the 100th wave had actually been manageable compared to the previous ones.
The only enemy that appeared was a single boss. Of course, even buried under every buff we could stack, the thing was still stronger than me, but Seo Mi-na and I had been able to take it down together.
"Let's rest here a bit longer."
It had already been over five days since we entered the hidden stage. We'd gotten by on catnaps to recover our energy so far, but this time I planned to sleep soundly for half a day.
I pulled the tent I'd prepared from my inventory. We took turns sleeping eight hours at a time, then headed to Floor 6.
The floor of the massive cavern split open with a rumble.
A enormous human head wearing a crown emerged first, followed by the body of a lion with faded golden mane.
It was the Sphinx from myth—the monster that posed riddles and brutally killed those who failed. Also known as the agent of the sun and pharaohs.
-Ah... such long solitude! After the sun lost its light and fell, I've been fallen for a time beyond counting! But I endured that endless wait, and now my mouth opens to pose riddles once more!!!
The creature let out a long roar, looking down at us with playful eyes.
-Foolish, stupid humans! Are you ready to solve my riddles?! Half-mad from endless isolation, but the sun's power still shines within me! The moment I saw your eyes, every riddle of your world flooded my mind! Heh heh heh! So many fun ones. But I am a merciful Sphinx! I'll ask only ten questions of you 'humans.'
"What happens if we get it wrong?"
-Keh heh heh! Good question! If you miss three out of ten...!!! I will unleash the sun's power on one of you. You'll face the Sun's Judgment—something you can't possibly dodge at your level! And since I'm in a good mood, just one. Normally I'd devour you all, but since I'm finally free of my seal, I'll let it slide! So if you don't want to solve them...!
The Sphinx's massive head leaned close to us. It opened its mouth with a mischievous grin and glint in its eyes.
-You can intentionally fail, sacrifice one as tribute, and the rest head to the pyramid's top. Keh heh heh, I've seen enough of you humans' selfish hearts to be sick of them.
What a filthy gracious offer. I stepped back a pace from the Sphinx's head.
-Shall I begin the questions?
As the Sphinx dropped its playfulness and adopted a solemn expression to prepare its question...
Misfortune prepares its deadliest dagger, craving your demise!
That's when Misfortune, silent since Floor 2, finally spoke up. A completely unexpected question burst from the Sphinx's mouth.
-What word describes the situation of a hundred fruits right before dying?
"......"
"......"
Incredibly, this Sphinx bastard spouted an Earth-style nonsense riddle.
-Kyahaha! Tough one! No idea, right! Frustrating! You'll fail! Kyahaha! 10 seconds left!
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
-Bzzz! Wrong! The answer was encyclopedia! You ignorant fools! Kyahaha!
Crazy bastard. Should I just cut off that fucker's head and move to the next floor right now?
I clicked my tongue in irritation, pissed at myself for seriously pondering such an absurd riddle.
Either way, we flubbed the first one right out the gate. One life left.
-Next question coming right up!
Du du du du du!
The insane psycho Sphinx added its own sound effects as it posed the next.
-One word for a warehouse packed full of candles? 10 seconds!
The countdown began, and as I racked my brain...
"Candle-packed."
-Parararambam! Correct!
Incredibly, Seo Mi-na nailed it. She nodded in satisfaction at her success, seemingly eager for the next one.
'She's a total nutjob.'
But that's why she's reliable. With her 4D brain, she'll probably ace these absurd ones too.
-This one's easier! Which sheep among sheep is the hottest? 10 seconds!
"The sun!"
-Correct!
And so, the showdown between the Sphinx and Seo Mi-na began.
-Why are zombies called dumb low-tier monsters?
"Their heads are half-empty!"
-Correct!!
-What if you put shoes between hat display racks at a hat store?
"Capsaicin?"
-Uh... correct!
The questions kept coming, and Seo Mi-na nailed every one except the first.
Now, the ninth riddle!
The Sphinx glared down at us with an oddly displeased expression.
-Impressive. But too bad. This one's gonna be brutal! You're done for!
"What're you yapping about? Even if we miss this, we can get the next! Hurry up and ask!"
-Keh heh! Is that so? Here it comes! What did the guy who speculated in real estate his whole life say right before dying? 10 seconds!
10
9
8
7
6
5
"Grr! ...What?"
4
3
"It's fine. We can miss one more. Still got the last chance."
2
1
-Bzzz! Answer's the grim reaper! Shame. Been ages since I met humans who aced so many... but this is it!
"What the hell?! We only missed two out of nine!"
-Keh heh heh! True, you did. But I didn't ask only you! I said I'd question the 'humans'!
"What bullshit is that...?"
Misfortune smacks the back of your head hard, pouring all its remaining power into declaring 'it's over'!
-Before you climbed up here, another human came. He got my first question wrong. So you humans have three misses total—judgment time!
A black sun rose above the Sphinx's crown.
-Kyahahaha! Time for judgment! O sun, rise above your target and judge!
I sensed it instinctively. That sun would float over my head! The reason Misfortune had been saving up misfortune until now!
And sure enough, the black sun that had hovered over the Sphinx's head now floated above mine.
"What the fuck!"
An instant-death verdict targeted me, leaving exactly ten minutes on my life.
But the real absurdity was that someone else had already flubbed the first riddle. Impossible unless Lee Ji-hyeong had come back as a zombie.
"What bullshit is that?! Who else was here besides us...!?"
As I yelled in disbelief, a figure partially dropped its stealth right in front of me. One of the faces from my memories I'd never forget smirked vilely.
"You borrowed our money and ran, and now it ends like this, huh? Shin Juha. I'll call your debt paid with what I get from this hidden stage. Bye now."
"Fuck, Kang Cheol-woo. Why the hell are you here?"
Before regression, the boss's right-hand man who treated me like a slave and exploited me—the company vice president, and crueler than the boss himself. That tenacious bastard connected to my endless bad karma had appeared. The bad tie I'd wanted to sever so badly.
"I never thought you'd actually run. Your sick sister was your weakness, the trap that dragged you into that swamp. But how'd a broke punk like you afford a Miracle Guild VIP room in Seoul for her? Couldn't touch your weak spot."
This fucker! I wanted to lunge and rip that yapping mouth off. But the Sphinx loomed behind him, watching us with thrilled eyes, making it impossible.
"So I tailed you. Then the Star Cloud Guild scout team leader approaches me! Kill you, join their guild, get paid—what's not to like? And you find this hidden stage, hand me the treasure! What do I do with all this gratitude?"
The sneering prick fully shed his cloak, canceling his stealth skill, and gave me a final wave.
"Thanks to you, I'm soaring. You die pathetically here."
Grit!
Never guessed the tail on me besides Lee Ji-hyeong was this guy too. Guess he didn't fully trust that still-green prospect.
Anyway, who knew this bastard was from Tutorial-7 Zone. What are the odds?
'Star Cloud Guild, and those company fucks!'
Ignoring the messages laced with Misfortune's mocking laughter amid my blazing rage, I checked my remaining time.
"So, you think I'm dying here?"
"Yeah. You can't dispel the Sphinx's power! Rare-rank F+ boss! And originally even stronger! It's Rare now, but it used to be Legendary-grade! Oh, no emotion skills for you?"
I clenched my fists tight. Taking a deep breath, I glared and spoke softly to Seo Mi-na, who fidgeted with guilt over flubbing the riddle.
"That guy's an F+ hunter. Can you handle him?"
"...Yeah. Definitely!"
"Don't have to kill. Just hold him. I'll kill that damn Sphinx, then deal with him."
"What?!"
Ignoring her shock, I slowly walked toward him.
-Keh heh heh! Gonna kill me, human? Me, apostle of the sun, guardian of this pyramid! Dream on—don't throw an egg at a rock. Accept death meekly. You can't win with that puny power.
"Dumb fuck, pulling idiot shit to the end! This boss isn't meant to be beaten! Fucking noobs!"
I flashed a venomous grin back at the two sneering pests.
"Is that so?"
At the same time, I activated a hidden ability.
"Equivalent Exchange."
A translucent scale appeared behind me. The Sphinx sensed something off the moment it saw it.
-What are you trying to do?!
Had it felt the omnipotent power in my ability? Too late.
"Give me the power to beat them and overcome death!"
"Exchange."
A whopping 650 million in black money vanished in an instant... My Infinite Stat hit F- (100/100), and power surged through my body—enough to beat anyone.
"Think I'll lose to you now?"
"Wha... what pressure?"
-He honored the promise with a loophole—don't slack, attack! Even I can't guarantee victory!
"Too late."
Kwajijik!
Seo Mi-na's lightning smashed into Kang Cheol-woo as he lunged at me, and I charged the Sphinx.