44-Floor High-Rise Dungeon (1)
On screen, a man's hands trembled violently.
The background looked like a folding table in some studio apartment. A white bowl held teal-colored ice cream and a full serving of rice. An open can of soda was poured over the top.
I skipped past the actual eating — I had no desire to watch that part. I only needed confirmation that the man had successfully finished the hellish meal.
Only after the video ended did I strike a single nickname from my hit list.
If you're going to make a public pledge, you damn well keep it. It was something he had to do anyway — running from it would only create unnecessary noise. Distrust always carries a price.
I left a short comment: Confirmed~
Happy ending.
In the losers bracket, Ripper had crushed a furious Rime and punched through to the Round of 16. I'd heard it was a fierce match, but I had no particular reason to check the footage. In the Round of 16, you couldn't be drawn against someone from your own group.
The next opponent would be decided by a direct lottery run by the referees. Winners-bracket advancers entered as the number-one seeds; losers-bracket advancers as the number-two seeds — then everything got shuffled together. My opponent would be a number-two seed from any group except Group E.
One part of Ripper's interview had caught my eye.
Next match opponent, huh…
Truth be told, I couldn't find any particularly standout players either. None of them were the type to fold easily wherever they went — but stacked against names like Ripper or Kelberos, they still felt lacking. The average level of the survivors had risen so high that no one really stood out as distinctive.
Even Traveler and Luce had advanced through the winners bracket, so I wouldn't meet them in the Round of 16. But from the quarterfinals onward, I could start looking forward to it again, right?
"Ah, whatever. Aughhhhh…!"
I stretched my arms and legs to work out the stiffness, and my whole body screamed in protest. At least my breathing had settled somewhat. My stamina was completely drained — I didn't want to get up at all.
The lounge at this expensive hospital had a dangerously addictive quality.
Twist a clock all you want — time still flows. Weekends keep arriving the same way, and today, once again, I had thrown everything I had into rehab training. Hearing that my body was improving had given me a boost of energy, and I'd overdone it.
"The test results have clearly improved."
"The changes are still too slight to call significant, but overall, you're getting better."
I still had plenty of time today — maybe I'd rest a little longer before heading out?
It absolutely was not because the lounge cushions were so soft. I'd simply remembered something I needed to do.
Yesterday, Master had sent me footage of the kendo team. I'd meant to watch it the moment training ended, but a quick check on that pledge fulfillment had sent me wandering completely off track.
I pulled myself together and hit play. On screen, men in black uniforms clashed bamboo swords.
"Man, these guys still have a long way to go. If they'd gripped a shinai like that in front of me, I'd have—"
A restless itch stirred in my chest. Amid a tangle of complicated feelings, I jotted short notes on the tablet. Player names on the left. Comments on the right.
— Too much force in the right hand; the left isn't supporting the sword properly. Corrective drills like men-nari would help.
— Lacks foundational strength.
— Naturally gifted physique, but fundamentals are weak and he's all flash. Won't last long if he doesn't change his mindset.
It was a small side gig of mine — giving Master's students a quick once-over. My body made it hard to show up at the dojo anymore, but that didn't mean my eye for the sport had vanished.
I'd started it as a way of repaying a debt, yet Master deposited a consulting fee every single time without fail. I'd refused firmly at first, but it was no use. Honestly, it helped with living expenses, so I stopped turning it down.
If my legs had been even a little more functional, I might have tried coaching. Being unable to oversee training in person put a hard limit on any path as an instructor. Then again — on that kind of meager salary, could I even have covered the medical bills?
Well. Water under the bridge. Just watching the occasional video like this was enough to… hmm.
I wasn't sure "enough" was the right word.
"Whoa, is that kendo? So you have an interest in that sort of thing."
"Hyeek!"
"Oh no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
Just as I was nearly finished with my notes, a voice from behind made my whole body jump. I wouldn't have startled like that for anyone else. It just had to be Luce's voice.
"Was I being rude?"
"No… not that much. Kendo is just something I used to practice seriously, a long time ago."
"Hmm. Kendo looks cool. Are you resting after rehab again today?"
"Yes."
As I spoke, a chill ran down my spine for a moment. Lately I'd been exposing my voice in all sorts of places. What if she put it together?
Fortunately, she didn't seem to connect me with Ga-wol. Then again, the mic on my headset had a bit of reverb, and the audio quality wasn't great either. Hearing it through a recording, it sounded quite different from my real voice.
Luce gave me her signature smiling eyes.
"Did you come alone today? I was just about to head out myself. If you'd like, I can give you a ride."
"Ah — thank you."
"Drop you at the bus stop like usual?"
"Actually… if it's not too much trouble, could you take me to the shopping mall?"
"Of course. Absolutely."
As we left the building, Luce matched her stride carefully to mine. Walking beside her put me at ease. She never looked at me with pity. She'd been in the same position once herself — so she never cast those gazes that made a person feel wretched. She simply reached out a hand, silently, toward wherever I was trying to go.
"If it's a mall around here, the terminal side would be best. Shall we head that way?"
"Yes, please. I'm not buying much, so anywhere is fine."
"So you are going shopping. No one with you?"
"I'm fine on my own."
A short walk through the parking garage, and the door of a luxurious sedan swung open. I knew nothing about cars, but even I could tell this one was expensive. It looked high-end at a glance, and I'd almost never seen one like it out on the street.
I climbed awkwardly into the passenger seat, and the engine started.
"Daeun."
"Yes?"
"We've known each other for quite a while now, haven't we?"
"Well, yeah. Since the first day of rehab."
An occasional exchange of a few words, the rare ride in her car — that was the extent of our connection. Still, if you counted the time we'd known each other, it had to be measured in years.
Even so, no matter how many times I rode in this car, I never got used to it. The wheels were clearly moving, yet I could barely feel any vibration at all. Just how expensive was this thing? Was a pro gamer's salary in Korea really at this level?
My head was spinning.
"Then… would it be all right if I came along to the mall too?"
"Of course that's fi— wait, huh?"
"You're so surprised you're making me feel awkward. If it's a burden, you're free to say no. I know I sprang it on you."
"No, it's not that. I just figured you'd be busy. I don't want to impose too much…"
"Impose? I'm the one asking permission because I want to go. I'm not particularly busy today."
I nodded. Being alone was probably worse anyway.
Since ending up in a woman's body, this would be my first time going to a shopping mall. A place reeking of perfume and cosmetics was the natural enemy of who I used to be — no different from a dungeon crawling with monsters.
"So that was a yes just now, right?"
"If you're going shopping too, Luce."
"Me? Of course I am. It's been ages since I last went shopping."
Huh? Ages?
Suddenly, something like hope welled up in my mind. Right — Luce was a pro gamer. Pour enough hours into a game and even the most social spaces start to feel terrifying. For all her glamorous appearance, maybe she found malls as uncomfortable as I did.
In that moment, we became comrades facing a dangerous path together.
Still, better to check, just in case.
"When was the last time you went?"
"Hmm, about a month ago? I should have gone when I had free time, but things just ended up like this."
"……"
Traitor.
You deceived me.