Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: The Tenth Question
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A quiz, out of nowhere?
*Tick-tock—.*
Just then, the sound of a clock echoed from somewhere, and the shadow of a second hand actually appeared on the sign.
‘Is this magic?’
The sign itself didn't seem special, so it probably was.
The second hand on the sign moved slowly; judging by its speed, it seemed to take sixty seconds to make a full circle.
The suddenness of it all left me even more dumbfounded... but I remembered what I'd heard about the divine beasts during my talk with the Iron-Blooded Duke.
The Bednickers commanded a total of five divine beasts: a deer, a rat, a sheep, a dog, and a snake.
That meant the correct answer here was number three, the deer.
Coincidentally, there were four paths, just like the options in the question. It must mean I should take the third path, right?
*Step—.*
The moment I thought so and entered the third path.
[Correct.]
[The reward will be enhanced.]
An artificial voice spoke.
[To stop here, please go to the right.]
Another fork appeared inside the cave.
‘Aha.’
So, if I go straight, I'll get the next question, and if I go right, it's over.
I had no idea what kind of questions would appear, but I decided to go straight.
And once again, a sign appeared in a slightly wider space.
[2. Choose the option that best fits the description. (2 points)
- One of the four great swords of the continent.
- A treasured sword passed down through the Bednicker family, once wielded by the dark elf Kuset.
- Among the four great swords, it has the strongest aptitude for exorcising demons.
① Michael ② Gabriel ③ Uriel ④ Raphael
Current Score: 1 point.
※Warning※ Incorrect answer: two molars.]
The points I could earn had increased, and a "Current Score" section had been added.
And once again, the second hand began to move.
I looked at the question again.
"...Hmm."
I had no idea.
The Bednickers had more than one or two treasured swords, and the names of these swords were all ones I'd never heard before.
Even I, who had sold off some of the family's treasured swords, had never heard these names.
And what was with this warning?
"Incorrect answer: two molars?"
Did it mean they were going to pull out my teeth?
Who gave them the right?
I scoffed, but it didn't feel right to just guess randomly.
As I was wondering what to do.
[It is Michael.]
The Martial God's voice echoed in my mind.
It felt like it had been a while. I spoke.
‘You know about artifacts too?’
[That is no artifact. It is a divine name, now forgotten.]
‘What do you mean?’
[It means nothing. More importantly... I sense a very sinister energy ahead.]
I walked down the first path and said.
[Correct.]
[The reward will be enhanced.]
[To stop here, please go to the right.]
‘Should I stop here, then?’
Perhaps it was because of what happened with the High Priest.
I was now ready to accept the Martial God's advice.
I could get information about my Eldest Martial Brother at the academy, and I didn't necessarily have to insist on a contract with the snake.
[No. It is sinister, but it doesn't seem to hold any immediate hostility.]
‘Hmm.’
[For now, let us proceed, my disciple. I too am curious about these questions. I will speak up immediately if I sense anything amiss.]
‘Understood.’
I nodded and proceeded deeper into the cave.
It was a fact not easily noticed, but this cave was slightly inclined.
In other words, the more questions I answered, the deeper I descended.
Not a single ray of light penetrated this place, yet strangely, it wasn't completely dark.
It was dim, but I could still clearly make out the surrounding objects.
[3. Choose the race that was once treated as an intelligent species and a member of the Allied Nations, but is now considered a monster. (2 points)
① Kobold ② Orc ③ Lizardman ④ Gnoll
Current Score: 3 points.
※Warning※ Incorrect answer: two ears.]
[4. Which of the following was once one of the seven most powerful races but is now the rarest and hardest to find? (1 point)
① Giant ② Dragonkin ③ Elf ④ Winged Celestial
Current Score: 5 points.
※Warning※ Incorrect answer: five fingers.]
Some questions I knew the answers to, and some I didn't.
To be honest, I didn't know most of them, but I was able to answer without difficulty.
[The Lizardmen.]
[The Dragonkin.]
Because the Martial God gave me the correct answers.
[The one who created these questions seems to be incredibly knowledgeable about history.]
At first, the Martial God spoke with admiration, but by the eighth question, his tone had shifted slightly.
[8. The Nameless Empire, the only nation on the continent today, began as a federation. How many member states were there when the federation was first established? Choose from the following. (5 points)
① 5 states ② 7 states ③ 10 states ④ 15 states
Current Score: 15 points.
※Warning※ Incorrect answer: your tongue.]
Of course, I didn't know the answer to this one either, but I was leaning toward number two.
I'd heard the legend of the Nameless King uniting the seven races so many times my ears were ringing.
I waited quietly for the Martial God's voice, but for some reason, he didn't seem ready to speak.
‘Martial God?’
[...Number four. It was fifteen states.]
I nodded and entered the fourth cave. And again, the voice congratulating me on the correct answer rang out.
Now that I thought about it, that last question was worth a whopping five points.
The Martial God spoke in a more solemn tone.
[...I did not expect that someone who knows the origins of the empire still remained.]
‘Is it a truth that's difficult to know?’
[Indeed. That era was one of the most tumultuous periods in the continent's history. No one knew how small actions would be remembered by history, so all opposing factions were hell-bent on destroying each other's records.]
‘Hmm...’
[Could it be that ancient texts survived? Or perhaps...]
‘...’
[For now, let us continue.]
I did as he said and walked on, soon facing the next question.
[9. Choose the most heterogeneous Demon King. (5 points)
① Demon King of the Green Tongue ② Demon King of the Black Swamp ③ Demon King of the Crimson Moon ④ Demon King of the Achromatic Color
Current Score: 20 points.
※Warning※ Incorrect answer: one arm.]
At this point, for the first time, I glared beyond the cave entrance.
I had a feeling that the being beyond it was observing me.
[Hmm...]
Even the Martial God, who had answered without hesitation until now, showed his first sign of difficulty.
[This question is strange. The very standard of 'heterogeneous' is too subjective. It is unclear what criteria should be used for judgment.]
‘...’
[In the first place, the beings known as Calamity Gods are each lords of hell, transcendental from birth. From a human perspective, they are grouped under the category of Demon Kings, but in reality, they have almost nothing in common. They are all unique beings.]
‘...’
[...My disciple, what are you thinking?]
‘That a lot of bastards have it out for my arm.’
I muttered this nonsense and looked at the question again.
Come to think of it, I'd already seen three Demon Kings.
And I realized that, just as the Martial God said, they really had nothing in common.
Just looking at Nine and Tangtata, everything from their appearance and aura to the abilities they used was completely different.
But...
Despite that fact, I knew exactly who the most heterogeneous Demon King was.
As the Martial God said, the term 'heterogeneous' was somewhat ambiguous.
But no matter how unique each Demon King was, there could only be one who was from a completely different world.
*Step—.*
There was still time, but I stepped into the fourth cave without hesitation.
[My disciple? That is too rash—.]
[Correct.]
As the inorganic voice spoke, the Martial God fell silent, somewhat abashed.
Come to think of it, the forgotten Martial God knew a lot about Baek Rogwang, but he didn't seem to know about his disciple.
He had been quite surprised to hear that he had taken a disciple in the first place.
I suddenly became curious myself.
Why did Master suddenly take a disciple? Was there a reason why Eldest Martial Brother was the first? Could it be related to Eldest Martial Brother's excommunication?
It was a fresh realization, but I knew almost nothing about my Master.
‘...Anyway, how many questions are there?’
I felt like I'd descended quite deep underground by now.
Just as I had that thought, another sign appeared, but this one was different from the others.
This time, there were only two caves.
[10. Choose the correct answer. (10 points)
① Left ② Right
Current Score: 25 points.
※Warning※ Incorrect answer: your life.]
Are they insane?
To just tell me to pick left or right, without any clues?
[...My disciple.]
‘Just a moment.’
I stopped the Martial God from speaking.
Did he say he sensed a sinister presence beyond this point?
Even if not sinister, it certainly wouldn't be a normal person.
*Tick-tock—.*
I look at the question again.
The penalty was my life. Seeing the risk, I thought this must be the last question, and wondered if this was really the only clue I was given.
Should I just give up?
Couldn't I just go back the way I came and take the right path to exit?
The thought crossed my mind for a moment, but I shook my head.
It was unlikely that a quizmaster this erudite would have posed such a thoughtless question at the very end.
There had to be a hint somewhere.
*Tick-tock—.*
Ignoring the ticking of the clock, I briefly closed my eyes.
I recalled the previous questions in order and tried to imagine the quizmaster's personality.
Though it would be filled with my own subjectivity and prejudice.
‘An erudite and gloomy fellow. Someone who enjoys toying with people and has a cruel streak?’
All in all, a real piece of work... but perhaps they also had a fair and just side, with clear rewards and punishments.
After all, they gave me several chances to stop, and mentioned that the reward would be enhanced with each question answered.
‘Would such a person really ask such a half-assed question at the very end?’
An unnatural binary choice appearing at the final moment.
I slowly opened my eyes, cooling my heated thoughts.
About three seconds left.
I counted inwardly.
‘Three, two, one.’
*Tick-tock—.*
Finally, the second hand stopped moving.
"..."
Nothing happened.
Not only that.
[Correct.]
*Rumble...*
Along with the inorganic voice, a new passage appeared between the two paths.
*Rumble...*
I let out a deep sigh.
"...Insidious bastard."
My guess was correct.
Unlike the previous questions, the description didn't include the phrase "from the following."
Meaning the answer wasn't among the options, which left only one choice.
To choose nothing.
It was a simple trap, if you thought about it... but the nine preceding questions had built up an atmosphere of pressure under the time limit.
With a fed-up expression, I looked beyond the newly revealed space.
‘Just what kind of bastard is this?’
I simultaneously wanted to see their face and never wanted to lay eyes on them.
For now, I walked into the central cave.
*Step.*
The moment I took my first step into the unusually dark cave, I felt an unidentified liquid envelop my entire body.
I was slightly startled, but I soon realized it was a sensation I'd felt before.
It felt similar to when I used the ring from Asad to teleport.
Just like then, my vision went black for a moment before the scene inside slowly came into focus.
"...Hmm."
Could this really be called a library?
In a library, books are usually arranged on shelves, but here, they were strewn carelessly across the floor.
In some places, books were piled up like mountains.
*Splash—.*
There was even water pooled on the ground, but strangely, the books floating on it weren't wet at all.
I moved forward.
As I walked, constantly scanning my surroundings, I realized there were too many unnecessary tools for this place to be called a simple 'library'.
Glass bottles and beakers filled with various reagents, brain cells, internal organs, or parts of some unknown monster, a skull-shaped candle...
Unidentifiable dolls and taxidermied animals hung from the ceiling and walls, and on a table in the center sat a crystal ball emitting a brilliant light.
But of all the objects in the room, the one that drew my attention the most was the cauldron.
It was filled with a dark greenish porridge-like substance, and a staff was stirring the contents all by itself.
‘This looks less like a wizard's workshop and more like a witch's den.’
Though, to be honest, I don't really know the difference between a wizard and a witch.
In any case, a quick glance around revealed no sign of anyone.
Was the owner out or something?
"...To think a kid as green as you would answer all ten questions correctly."
Just then, a muffled voice reached my ears.
Unless my ears were playing tricks on me, the voice seemed to come from beneath the mountain of books piled in the center of the room.
*Rumble...*
At that moment, the pile of books stirred.