Chapter 59

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 59

Chapter Title: Mana Space Adaptation Training (1)

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"First, before we begin the assignment, we'll distribute smart watches to you all."

I stared intently at Shelton as he explained the assignment.

Mana stones? No, mana cores? Mana crystal cores, huh. It reeks of something fishy.

"These are smart watches embedded with mana stones. They'll allow you to enter the mana space and lock in your coordinates. Everyone, put on your watches."

I slipped the smart watch onto my wrist for now. No matter what, I couldn't throw a tantrum and refuse to do the assignment with him.

"Each smart watch has been assigned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a number. If your watch breaks, you'll be eliminated from the assignment and forcibly returned."

Nice, pretty number. Satisfying.

"We'll start in three minutes. The official name of the assignment is 'Mana Space Adaptation Training.' As I mentioned, the only goal is to endure for 30 hours. After 27 hours, the number of remaining survivors will display on your smart watches."

The guy pointed at his wristwatch as he spoke.

"Even if your watch isn't broken, if you find yourself in severe physical danger during the assignment, the watch's safety device will return you early. Of course, we'll be monitoring you too."

I examined the smart watch from every angle. It looked like a plain square device on the outside.

"However, we can't monitor mental stress, so keep that in mind. We can measure stress levels, but even if your stress or heart rate spikes abnormally, we won't force a return. It's your grades, after all. If it's too~ mentally tough, just press the forfeit button on your watch."

Shelton glanced around at the seniors as he continued.

"One minute left. It's a seriously creepy space, so prepare yourselves thoroughly. It might be fun to uncover what secrets it's hiding?"

The seniors all looked tense. I was curious too about what the guy had set up.

He's the type who won't lift a finger unless there's money in it, so for him to oversee the College Board twice, he must have received orders from the Magic Tower.

"If you can, close your eyes."

Shelton didn't give time to think.

"Alright... Assignment starts."

I closed my eyes too.

Rumble---!

The ground shook violently. In an instant, mana surged blindingly bright, and my vision went white.

Whoooosh...

Before I could even register the shift in reality, a cold draft blew from somewhere. My senses sharpened. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

I quickly opened my eyes.

"...Where is this?"

It looked like a hotel corridor. Red walls with candle-like lights flickering at regular intervals, but the end of the hallway was swallowed by darkness.

Whoooosh...

The wind blew again. Goosebumps rose all over my body. My nose turned red.

How could it be this cold?

Shivering, I activated the enchantment on my thermal underwear—"Heater."

"...This is indoors, right?"

It helped a bit, but the winter-like chill persisted. I clutched my collar tight and walked on.

"Hoo..."

Every breath came out as white mist, and my exposed face, hands, and feet felt like they might crack. My ears already felt torn off.

"That damn Shelton is no help at all."

Muttering to myself, I scanned the surroundings.

The corridor was lined with rooms, all numbered in the 200s.

"Second floor, huh?"

Suddenly, something green glinted far down the hall. Zooming in with the SZX-9500 Mana Optics ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Microscope, it was a vending machine.

I rushed over and peered into it. Plenty of useful stuff: drinks, water, meal kits, windbreakers, umbrellas, gloves, gas masks...

Next to it hung a framed notice.

"Hollenz Hotel..."

Why does it feel familiar? I don't think I've heard of it before.

"Clue?"

I checked the smart watch. The number '10' appeared on the screen. The vending machine had a tag reader instead of a coin slot, and items were priced with numbers.

Meal kits at 2. Windbreakers at 5. Gas masks at 20.

So, earn coins like this to survive? Why's the gas mask so expensive?

"Hmm..."

I glanced around cautiously. No one in sight.

Perfect.

I slyly gripped the vending machine's edge.

Krunch-crunch-boom---! I shook it wildly. It rattled violently.

Thud-thud-thud---! I elbow-smashed the front panel dozens of times in a row.

But it stayed intact no matter what.

"Hoo... Tough little bastard. Mana-processed plastic?"

I pressed my palm against the transparent panel, rubbing until it squeaked.

"...Memory."

I committed the material itself to my Notebook skill, then checked my surroundings again.

Still no one.

Perfect.

I quietly pulled mana tongs from my pocket. I preheated the tong end with mana.

Recall: This vending machine's mana-processed plastic.

Form: A blunt weapon optimized for smashing.

The mana in the tongs warped like transparent crystals, forming a hefty axe.

Materialization again.

"...♪♩~"

Whistling a tune, I gripped the axe and deployed Secret Sword Art.

Askal Style, First Stroke—Drawing Sword.

The axe at my waist shot out like a bullet.

Crack---!

The vending machine crumpled. The transparent panel shattered.

Freebies from here on out.

I stuffed meal kits, drinks, water—everything—into my bag. I donned the windbreaker, gas mask, gloves, anything to fight the cold.

"Livin' the dream."

Feeling good, I turned around.

That's when someone appeared at the corridor junction.

"Tell 'em I came back—I'm rappin', say I ain't dead, I'm here—"

A brown-haired girl babbling off-beat rap.

"No matter what you do, I resurrect—you're my minion—ain't scared—not even of ghosts, I'll win...?"

Rae Hilton, whose hair was ash-gray just last week.

"...Who're you."

She froze, scanning me up and down.

I checked my own getup.

Black windbreaker with hood up, gas mask covering the rest of my face, axe in one hand.

Her eyes bulged like they might pop out. I reached toward her—

"Kyaaaaaaa---!"

Rae screamed first and bolted.

Kyaaaaaaa...

"!"

A faint scream echoed from somewhere. Distant and muffled, but enough to make Elise twitch.

"Hmph."

She kept her composure.

In this vast hotel corridor, Elise was alone, but she could hold out for now.

Maybe because the hotel felt open.

Or perhaps because she hadn't felt truly 'alone' since arriving.

Anyway, Elise was walking in search of people.

Right now, she needed someone—anyone—to stick with. Ideally, someone easy to manipulate—

"...!"

In a flash, long, thin red hair slipped around the corner before a face.

She shuddered briefly at the sight but soon feigned calm and called out.

"...Soliet."

"Hm? Oh, yes. Elise. Nice to see you."

Even in this eerie place, Soliet was serene. The knight family's unshakable mind, perhaps.

"Yeah, nice. Found anything?"

"Not yet, but this hotel feels familiar."

"Familiar?"

"Yes. I stayed at one like it as a child, but... doesn't it feel like ghosts might appear?"

Ghosts.

Ghosts and spirits are different.

The 'ghost' from the mine class was a Grade 1 carcinogen and A-rank threat, while ghosts are pure spiritual phenomena. The Magic Tower even studies them.

"Yeah. Lucky we met. Team up?"

Elise asked casually, pondering excuses to lure her if refused.

"Sure. Let's."

Luckily, Soliet nodded readily.

"Then let's investigate."

The two walked side by side. Soliet tried every door handle they passed, but none opened.

"Hold up. Look."

Elise spotted something. A framed notice on the wall.

Both watches buzzed with the same message.

"Hm. Seems like a hotel rule, but we've got time before 10 PM."

Elise glanced up slightly at Soliet's words, eyeing the analog clock above the rule.

"Doesn't look like it, does it?"

"Pardon? Oh."

Soliet looked up too, eyes widening.

"1, 2, 3."

Elise counted to three aloud. In that time, the second hand jumped 24 notches.

"No reason for it to be wrong. Time here flows eight times faster."

Soliet nodded.

"Then that analog clock shows the real time."

"30 hours here is ten days."

Not like we'd actually endure ten days, so no issue.

"Isn't that a problem? 10 PM's coming up... and it's here."

It struck exactly 10 PM.

Kyaaaaak---!

A scream rang out almost simultaneously. Elise startled briefly but forced a grin.

"...Scaredy-cats are gonna suffer."

"You okay, Elise?"

"Do I look not?"

"..."

"I look fine, right? Hmph. What're you worried about?"

Soliet eyed Elise's pale earlobes, the sweat on her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nose.

She didn't point it out.

"Anyway, let's go. Find a way into a room. Not cold? I don't mind it."

"...A bit."

The cold was the biggest issue, as she'd said.

Elise was holding out with Mana Body active, but it drained mana and stamina.

"Stairs."

A staircase appeared at the corridor's end.

"Yeah."

Second floor now. Hotel lobbies are usually on the first, so down we go.

"Shall we?"

"Yes."

As they moved for the stairs—

"Shh."

"Yes. Saw them."

They ducked low.

Two monsters below. Human male build, but bodies swollen like tumors, dark red skin studded with bone shards, eyes, ears—gory messes.

Elise glanced at Soliet.

"I'll take right."

Soliet nodded.

"Yes. I'll go left."

Just mana-programmed foes. They could handle it.

Whoosh!

They charged like wind. Elise slammed a mana bolt into one's solar plexus first. Soliet roundhouse-kicked the other's jaw.

One exchange ended it.

The ambushed monsters dissolved quickly.

Soliet shrugged at the buzzing watch.

"Guess killing monsters gives coins."

"Yeah. Let's head down."

They reached the first floor.

"...A lot."

[1F Lobby: Casino: Restaurant: Cafe]

As he said, the lobby dazzled with front desk, lounges, vending machines, chandeliers. Right side led to casino and other facilities.

"Yeah, quite a bit."

But Soliet meant the presences. Watching them from hiding somewhere.

"If they're just hiding, they're cowards. No need to mind. Desk?"

Elise pointed to the desk. A human silhouette showed behind the 'Front Desk' frosted glass.

"Yes. Let's."

Soliet approached first. Elise matched her pace.

—Welcome to Hollenz Hotel.

A somewhat mechanical voice emanated from the desk. Human timbre, but unnatural inflection.

"How do we book a room?"

Soliet asked casually.

—You can reserve with coins. Double room: 50 coins per night. Single: 20 coins per night. Checkout is at noon across the board. Extend via room interphone.

Soliet nodded.

"Then, two singles—"

"Double room."

Elise cut in quickly. Soliet blinked in confusion.

"...Pardon?"

"We need a double."

"Uh..."

Soliet recalculated mentally.

Double: 50 coins a night. Singles: 20 each.

Singles were cheaper no matter what.

"Singles are more economical—"

"Double."

But Elise insisted. Uncharacteristic stubbornness.

Soliet had to ask.

"May I inquire why?"

"...We'll need watch shifts, right?"

Words Elise had mulled over hundreds, thousands of times before uttering.

"Ah. Makes sense."

Soliet understood.

Rooms weren't guaranteed safe. Anything could happen while sleeping.

"Then, let's split it Dutch."

"Yes."

Elise spoke to the counter before Soliet could change her mind.

"Double room. Book it, please."