Chapter 120
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Change of Mind (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Gerkken led us to an apartment building.
A towering structure standing where the maze's exit should have been. Its exterior looked rundown, yet it stretched endlessly upward into the fog-shrouded sky.
We approached slowly, the whole thing screaming suspicion from a mile away.
"Here we are."
Sure enough, there was a card reader by the main entrance.
I held up the key pieced together from the fragments.
Beep-
The automatic doors slid open. The three of us stepped inside almost in unison.
The first-floor lobby was ordinary enough.
Like an old apartment building, it had resident mailboxes, corridors branching left and right, stairs in the center... The only suspicious thing was the person slumped there in the middle, head bowed low.
An enemy?
I gripped my bone sword tightly.
─Finally here, huh.
The voice came from over there first. It was unusual— husky in tone but piercing my ear like telepathy.
─Congratulations.
Black coat and dress pants, giving off a noir vibe.
A woman with long black hair tied back in a ponytail.
The moment I saw that sharp face, I recognized her instantly.
Not that it was a surprise; she was a celebrity in the underworld.
We'd even crossed paths before regression.
─You three are the first.
Her name was Akane Kedjen Meol.
Her professions were legion: puppeteer, necromancer, engineer, surgeon, mage, and Theia Esil's greatest rival... to name a few.
A freak.
─Did you enjoy the maze?
She was perched on an antique leather suitcase large enough to hold two or three people.
"What are you doing here?"
I asked almost unconsciously. We'd been somewhat acquainted before regression, and half-formal speech nearly slipped out.
─Not 'who are you,' but 'what are you doing.' Looks like you know me.
Akane arched one eyebrow sharply.
"...You're famous."
Fortunately, she'd been a renowned genius since childhood.
─That was ages ago... Anyway. Names first.
She pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it.
Gerkken glanced at me. Soliet did too.
Probably telling me to go first, just in case. Names could decide rankings.
She sure knows how to repay favors.
"Sion Askal."
─Sion As... kal.
Her brow furrowed. She clenched her teeth so hard the filter snapped clean off.
Soliet (currently smoke-free) stared blankly at the fallen cigarette.
"You seem to know me."
I threw her words back at her. Akane lit another cigarette.
─I do. How's your body holding up?
Akane was straightforward.
"......"
I never much liked people reciting my medical history, then or now—but Akane was the exception.
It was actually surprising.
Even before regression, she'd treated me like an old acquaintance from our first meeting. And here she was, four years younger, doing the exact same thing.
"It was fine back then."
─...I see.
Akane lit her cigarette again. She exhaled a long plume of smoke.
─Next? Order doesn't matter.
"Soliet Arkne."
A snort. Akane smirked openly at her.
─Still chasing Nightmares?
"You psycho—"
Soliet's face stiffened. She glared at Akane with fiery eyes.
─And you must be Gerkken. How's your brother?
"......"
Was this part of the evaluation too? Akane prodded like a needle, and even Gerkken lost his composure for a moment.
No, I was surprised too.
Gerkken had a brother?
"I thought you were an only child."
"...Does it matter?"
Gerkken shot back, his voice unusually gritted.
I subtly stepped back.
"Not really."
─Got all three. Confirmed. I'm Akane, the maze designer hired by the Association. Also the supervisor guaranteeing your safety until you leave.
"......"
A freak as supervisor.
It was a bit absurd, but whatever.
Her true nature wouldn't come out for at least four more years. She'd hidden it masterfully for ages. At this point in time, she was plenty qualified for a College Board contract.
─The Association commissioned the maze to test crisis resolution, physical ability, judgment, survival skills, mana capacity, and finally mental fortitude.
Akane explained.
─So this final stage, the apartment, is simple. Mental fortitude. Climb as high as you can in the remaining time. Each floor has 100 steps.
I eyed the central stairs. The building's height from outside flashed in my mind.
Looks like this is as far as I go.
─Questions?
"......Non-evaluation questions are okay too?"
It was Soliet.
She'd calmly masked her hostility. Akane met her gaze impassively.
─No.
"Why? You brought up non-evaluation stuff first—"
─But reach the 100th floor, and I'll give you my card as a reward. Call anytime.
"......"
Soliet ground her teeth but nodded quietly soon after.
That's when I sensed some fateful "development" unfolding.
Before regression, Soliet and Akane had been comrades. Soliet was how I'd met Akane in the first place.
So was this the start for those two?
A "fated event" that would happen regardless of my regression, beginning right now?
─One more announcement.
Fuuu... Akane puffed on her cigarette and pointed.
─Do not enter room 101. Ever.
101. Right at the end of the right corridor.
I glanced at the door. An ominous aura faintly emanated from it.
─Curious?
Akane smirked. I nodded.
Hnnng- She rose, bracing her knee. Tall and lithe, even bigger than me right now.
─Your assassin's in there.
"......An assassin? Shouldn't we report this outside?"
─It's fine. We're civilized types. We agreed to a truce until your evaluation ends.
Akane stubbed out her cigarette and checked her wristwatch.
─20 hours left. Rest in a room first or head up now. Your call.
I looked at Gerkken and Soliet.
"You two heading up right away?"
"......Yes."
Soliet answered while glaring at Akane; Gerkken nodded silently.
Both looked scary. Akane must've hit a nerve.
"Alright. I'll rest a bit."
This was my limit.
I couldn't push further.
My poor-efficiency body had only gotten side-sleeps and near-camping this whole time anyway.
"Good work."
Gerkken and Soliet immediately ascended the central stairs. I headed into room 102.
Shwaaaaa—
I'm in the shower.
Finally, hot water.
Body-wide fatigue melting away.
"Groooaaah......"
An uncle-worthy groan escapes me.
Only 20 hours left, but I've made it this far—no lingering over scores.
Top 100 is plenty.
But.
"Meeting Akane here."
I pondered under the hot spray.
Akane was my mentor Theia Esil's rival. They'd been at each other's throats but shared a twisted bond. She'd eagerly helped Theia in her darkest hour.
Even crafted me a perfect prosthetic after I lost my arm.
"Assassin......"
I dredged up memories around that keyword.
Akane and the assassin.
...I'd nearly died back then. Took three months to recover. Haven't caught a single high after that day.
A fragment of memory surfaced.
In the future, when I'd gone to her for the prosthetic procedure.
The "that time" she mentioned was probably right now.
...Should've killed that Growl bastard back then. Still a thorn in my side.
"Growl."
I murmured lowly, eyes opening.
S-rank freak, Growl.
Later, he'd lurk as an assassin for Libra—especially Jedric—like a societal cancer. Massacred countless under Libra's orders, killed my old comrades.
The sooner he died, the better for me. But at my current level, I couldn't even scratch him.
"......"
No, maybe in a "specific situation."
Growl would soon clash bloodily with Akane. Almost certainly, both would sustain mortal wounds. Even Akane pushed to death's door.
Of course, a near-dead Growl would still crush me with his pinky.
But...
The future I knew had to change.
My future was nothing but defeat and frustration.
If I didn't kill Growl now, I never would—until I died.
"Why not try."
I shut off the shower. Toweled off as I stepped out. Slipped on pants roughly.
Then.
─I'll just shower and head up. Go on ahead.
A familiar voice—and the door burst open!
I blinked at her.
"......"
It was Elise.
"......"
Her initially blank eyes widened slowly. Pupils rolling. Earthquake or frantic scan? Good thing I had pants on.
Soon her cheeks flushed beet red.
I said one thing.
"This is my room."
Slam-!
Elise shut the door instantly.
I scratched my nape, went over, and locked it. Flopped onto the bed without a thought.
Eyelids drooped the moment I lay down.
Sleep trickled in, then poured.
"Yawwwn~"
I woke 10 hours before evaluation end.
Solid 10-hour sleep. Condition peak.
I headed to the lobby.
─Laid-back, aren't you. Others left ages ago.
Akane spoke from the same spot. That's when I figured it out.
"A puppet?"
─Took you long enough. Dullard.
"......How many have passed?"
─97.
97.
Roughly top 2-3% of 4,000.
"That's plenty. Satisfied."
─No ambition.
I glanced at room 101. The mana undulating inside persisted. Preparing something.
Ignore for now.
─Don't underestimate stair-climbing.
I stepped onto the central stairs. Heeded her advice and climbed carefully.
No issues.
As I've said before, my stamina's peculiar.
Small tank, but top-tier recovery. Tires quick, rebounds quick.
Not "excellent," just "unique."
"Ugh, tiring."
This building's stairs per floor: 200 steps from the first. Tough even without obstacles.
I rested 2 minutes every 50 steps.
[2nd Floor]
By the 2nd floor, I was sweat-soaked.
No footwork or movement arts.
Long hauls like this drain more with mana use.
Just climb step by step.
[3rd Floor]
[4th Floor]
[...]
[11th Floor]
11th floor.
Midway up its stairs, I found a guy collapsed from exhaustion. Barely breathing.
He glanced at me but lacked the energy to speak.
"?"
Odd to me.
If he made it this far, top tier—yet struggling with stairs?
[15th Floor]
Another on the 15th. This one plastered to the floor like a barnacle.
[18th Floor]
From the 18th, one every 20 steps—dozens scattered.
"Worn out from getting here, huh."
That's what I thought.
Sleep it off and climb.
[18th Floor]
[19th Floor]
[20th Floor]
[21st Floor]
Climbing steadily, nearing the 25th.
I spotted a massive back ahead.
"Groooan......"
Zombie-shambling, mountain of a man with a deathly face, climbing stairs.
I passed him lightly and looked back.
"......"
He looked too. Familiar face. Kain.
"Tough?"
I asked casually. Kain tried speaking but clutched his chest—heart strain?
"Huff... huff......"
Leaning on the railing, panting raggedly, then vomiting blood-like.
"You...... how...... did you...... climb......"
"Just climbed. How else do stairs work."
Of course, Kain wasn't a stamina specialist knight. Big builds suffer more in stair marathons.
"This bad?"
"Freak...... bastard."
But he stared like I was a monster.
I'm hurting too. No deception—limbs shattering, heart pounding, sweat pouring.
But not cardiac-arrest bad like him.
"Gravity......"
Kain collapsed face-down mid-sentence.
I pulled water from my pack and handed it over.
"Ah...... thanks."
Exhausted Kain was surprisingly meek. Knows gratitude.
"Wait, gravity?"
His last word belatedly suspicious.
I unbuttoned my sleeve. Held the button, dropped it.
Thud-
Unnaturally fast.
"Gro...... an."
Kain gulped water, face to wall.
"Carry you?"
Kain turned. Humiliated expression, but soon chuckled and shook his head.
"......Brat. Good stamina."
Acknowledging tone—then flop-
Passed out.
"What. Dead?"
I checked his nostril.
Breathing, luckily.
"......Gravity, huh."
I clenched and unclenched my hand. Picked up the button, dropped again.
Thud-
Gravity pulling harder than normal.
Now that I thought it, my body didn't feel usual lightness.
"Got it."
Now certain.
In short—partial immunity to mana interference.
The machine squid's mana ritual didn't work on me; this gravity spell falters too.
Don't know the extent of "partial" yet.
For some reason, my body gained "partial immunity" to mana interference.
If I had to guess... maybe from the anti-demon treatment for my mana disease? The anti-mana procedure?
"Whatever."
Climb first.
I left fainted Kain and stepped onward.