Chapter 248
Chapter 248
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 248
Chapter Title: Hell Difficulty
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The frontmost row of the formation.
Right in the dead center, Yuri stuck up his hand.
The 50th Cohort froze for a moment at Yuri's question before snapping to attention in shock.
"M-Me?!"
"You idiot!"
Just a dozen seconds earlier.
The bespectacled man's warning to carefully choose a difficulty if they valued their lives might as well have gone in one ear and out the other with that question.
And since it had squandered their one and only chance, screams of rage erupted from all directions. It was only natural.
"You crazy bastard! Is that your idea of a question?!"
"That's something you're supposed to figure out on your own!"
"I-Invalid! That question doesn't count!"
Jeers and fury poured in from every side.
But Yuri, at the center of it all, just casually picked at his ear like it was no big deal.
His face said he couldn't care less if they yelled.
Watching him, the bespectacled man smirked.
'I figured as much...'
Given Yuri Holland's personality and past behavior, it wasn't hard to predict he'd pick Hell difficulty.
Even so, he hadn't expected him to choose it without a second's hesitation.
'So now you don't even need to be cautious anymore.'
It was justified, really.
Yuri Holland had long surpassed the level of a typical rider.
He could've graduated the Cradle ages ago.
Out in the world, he'd easily qualify as one of the 'strong.'
For someone like that, the Cradle was just a playground hiding treasures.
'But Hell difficulty... even you will have to struggle a bit.'
With a faint smile, he adjusted his glasses with a flick.
Glint.
Sunlight reflected sharply off the lenses.
"The Hell difficulty entrance is that way."
The bespectacled man thumbed over his shoulder.
Seeing it, the 50th Cohort raised even more of an uproar.
"W-Wait! This isn't right!"
"Even if it's first-come-first-served, that question was too much...!"
"W-We want a different question!"
Pleas for mercy echoed everywhere, but the bespectacled man just chuckled and turned away.
"That concludes the explanation. Good luck."
He left without offering even a sliver of possibility, cold as ice.
The 50th Cohort desperately reached out after him.
Yuri, ignoring his peers, shoved his hands in his pockets and clicked his tongue.
"Tch tch. You think yelling will make him come back? What a waste of effort."
His pitiful tone only made the 50th Cohort glare daggers at the back of his head.
'This is all because of him!'
'That damn mouth of his is always the problem!'
If looks could kill, Yuri would've died dozens of times over.
"Ah!"
But those rage-filled stares vanished the instant Yuri turned around.
Yuri grinned at his cohorts.
"Anyone wanna join me in Hell difficulty? I'll take good care of you! Who's in?"
"......"
The 50th Cohort hurriedly averted their eyes, desperate not to meet Yuri's gaze.
Yuri smirked at them and waved lightly.
"Whatever. If no one's coming, I'm off. See you in 100 days."
Hands in pockets, he strolled away and soon vanished from sight.
The 50th Cohort stared blankly after him.
Then someone muttered a realization.
"Wait... this quest lasts 100 days, and that guy's going into Hell alone... doesn't that mean we won't have to see him for 100 days?"
"......?!"
That spark ignited across the entire cohort like wildfire.
"Oh!"
"Yeah... it does!"
It turned into thunderous cheers.
"Shit! A 100-day vacation!"
"We're free!"
"This is what happiness feels like!"
Ecstatic at the thought of escaping Yuri for 100 days, they vowed never to approach Hell difficulty—even if they had the skill.
Amid the cheers, Arin asked Gunter,
"Where are you headed?"
Gunter silently stared down the path Yuri had taken.
Arin's eyes widened.
"No way—you're following Yuri?"
"As if."
Gunter shook his head slightly.
"I know my limits. Hell difficulty... that's not for me."
No matter how much he'd grown in the past year, he couldn't compare to Yuri.
Chasing that monster for something beyond his grasp could shatter him.
Even so...
'I can handle a little overflow.'
If he didn't risk that much, the gap would only widen.
With that in mind, Gunter decided.
"I'm going Hard."
Arin beamed and shot her hand up.
"Me too!"
"I'm hungry!"
Boppi grinned wide and raised both hands too.
Meaning he'd join them.
Gunter felt oddly uplifted and smiled faintly.
"Alright, together then."
"Let's go, let's go!"
"I'm hungry!"
And so Gunter, Arin, and Boppi.
As Yuri and his crew peeled off, the cheering crowd started coming to their senses one by one.
"Man, they always act like hotshots and charge ahead first."
"Hey! Let's move too!"
Grumbling at the leaders' backs, they hurried after.
A short while later.
A Black Sword soldier approached the bespectacled man and reported.
"All 50th Cohort members have entered the tower."
"Breakdown by difficulty?"
"One in Hell, thirty-four in Hard, sixty-nine in Normal."
"...No one picked Easy?"
"Yes."
"No one in Easy... and thirty-four in Hard?"
Amused, the bespectacled man grinned.
"One guy's got everyone else acting tough too."
Either that, or they'd all gained confidence like him.
Staring toward the tower, he smirked.
* * *
Yuri arrived at the Hell difficulty entrance.
He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
"Anyone can see this is hell's gate."
What awaited him was a grotesque, massive stone statue.
A demon's head with a savage expression, mouth agape.
A pitch-black cave yawned within that maw.
The entrance oozed an eerie gloom that would make the faint-hearted back away.
But Yuri felt nothing. Hands in pockets, he stepped right in.
Crunch crunch.
His footsteps echoed in the darkness-cloaked passage.
Dim as it was, the straight path let him walk without issue.
How long had he gone?
"Hm?"
Light appeared at the end of the pitch-black space.
Already bored, Yuri picked up the pace and soon entered the lit area.
What greeted him was the now-familiar acrid scent... and,
"You're here?"
A voice laced with irritation and delight.
Yuri waved at the woman standing under the glowing luminescent stones.
"Long time no see, Coco!"
His cheerful greeting echoed in the small space. Coco scowled and exhaled smoke.
Puff.
"Don't you know better than to shout in a sealed space? Whisper."
"Smoking a cigar in a sealed space isn't exactly polite either."
"I've been here a while. You just arrived. Adapt to me."
"You've been here longer, so you're the host and I'm the guest. Entertain your guest?"
"...You never shut up, do you?"
"I never lose a verbal spar, no matter what other fights I lose."
Yuri kept yapping without missing a beat while Coco glared.
Sparks flew between their eyes.
Crackle.
After a staring contest, Coco sighed.
"Listen up. One explanation only."
"Yep, ears open!"
Seeing Yuri perk his ears playfully, Coco inhaled deeply with her cigar smoke.
Then explanations poured out in a rush.
"This Hundred-Day Tower is newly opened. The quest is to climb as many floors as possible in 100 days, but you can pick rewards midway and leave. Hell difficulty gives two reward chests per floor. Claim them, and you're done there."
"......"
"But choose to go up, and they're on hold. Clear the next, and you get both. Fail or quit within 100 days, and you lose everything prior."
"Uh......"
"Clear up to Floor 8 for 16 cumulative rewards. Floor 9 has four, so full clear nets 20 chests. Oh, contents are luck-based."
"......"
"You'll be locked in for 100 days, but we'll open vending machines, a bank, and the grade board periodically. No questions. Explanation over."
Yuri's cheek twitched at the breathless dump of info.
Petty revenge for the banter.
Sighing softly, he pieced it together in his head.
His eyes lit up with interest.
"So it's all or nothing."
He could bail midway for some rewards.
But Yuri hadn't considered that from the start.
Coco smirked at his confidence.
"Why not grab a few chests and bail without greed?"
"Why?"
"Bigger chance of nothing than everything."
"Why?"
"Even for you, Hell difficulty won't be easy."
Her challenging gaze dared him. Yuri crossed his arms.
"You... prepared thoroughly, huh?"
"I did."
"You predicted I'd pick Hell?"
"I did."
Her smug reply made Yuri's eyes gleam.
'Fun. So you tailored this Hell just for me?'
Probably because it was the first run, allowing adjustments.
Stroking his chin, Yuri asked Coco,
"But seriously, what'd I do wrong? Why target me like this?"
Innocent eyes, like he had no clue.
A vein popped on Coco's forehead.
"...You really don't know?"
"Nope?"
"Since you entered the Cradle..."
"...Entered?"
"Our workload tripled exactly."
"What'd I do?"
"Ignoring quest rules, habitual equipment sabotage, brawls sending five times more critical cases to the infirmary."
"Wow, more work means more pay, right?"
"Pay's the same, work tripled. That's the issue."
"Take it up with your boss then. Why me?"
"Our employer's scary as hell. Complain, and heads roll. So I take it out on you."
"Us weaklings have it rough."
"Jealous? Go complain to the boss for us?"
"...Even I'm scared of her."
No way he'd ask the Sword Lord for raises for Black Sword soldiers.
"Anyway, this is revenge for extra work? Abuse of power?"
"No idea what you mean."
"Shameless."
Yuri whistled, then grinned provocatively at Coco.
"Wanna bet?"
"Bet?"
"If I clear this quest or not. Within 100 days, all nine floors."
Chin raised.
Arrogant, confident eyes.
Coco puffed smoke.
"A bet... how'd you know I love those?"
"You look the type."
"Heh, fine. I bet you fail in 100 days. Five quest reward chests. Your stake?"
"If I fail... for the next year, I follow quest rules, no breaking equipment, no bleeding or injuring sparring partners."
"...Wrapping basic rules like some grand sacrifice. Clever."
"Don't like it? Won't take the bet?"
Yuri smirked like take it or leave it. Coco smiled back.
She stepped back silently and pulled a wall lever.
Rumble.
The wall parted, revealing a dark passage.
She nodded at it.
"Deal."
Yuri grinned past her into the new path.
"Bet's on."
Short and confident. Coco reset the lever.
Rumble. Thunk.
The cave swallowed Yuri and sealed shut.
Hell difficulty, Day 1, had begun.