Chapter 28. Autumn Rain is Blood (1)
Chapter 28. Autumn Rain is Blood (1)
1
Silence fell.
It was a silence that hung only between the guardian spirit and me. The Demon King's Reward. Floor 99. I read the Demon King's Reward over and over. The words saying they would send me straight to Floor 99 kept circling in my head.
-It's a trap.
The guardian spirit spoke as if cutting off my thoughts.
-It's definitely a trap. Zombie, do not fall for it.
'I know... I know. Of course it's a trap. Of course......'
I muttered inside my head.
It was obvious that the Demon King's Reward was a trap.
Because.
'There's no way that fucking lunatic didn't pick the Demon King's Reward when he saw this option.'
Because there was a precedent named Flame Emperor Yoo Soo-ha, the greatest psychopath of all time.
'That lunatic definitely picked the Demon King's Reward. He's the type to react with "what's wrong with killing other hunters?" And yet... that bastard was messing around near Floor 40, not Floor 99. Which means......'
I deliberately chewed over my thoughts calmly.
'The Demon King's Reward is a trap. That lunatic probably picked the Demon King's Reward at first, then regressed once he realized it was a trap. I don't know exactly what kind of trap it is, but......'
But.
'...Honestly, it's tempting.'
My heart pounded.
'It's a chance to get the skill of the Floor 99 boss monster. This.'
Even if the Demon King's Reward was nothing but a trap, Flame Emperor and I were fundamentally different. Unlike Yoo Soo-ha, I didn't necessarily need to defeat the boss monster.
Just going to the boss and getting beaten to death was a gain.
'If it's the Floor 99 boss, it should be the strongest except for the Floor 100 boss......'
It would be a lie to say I wasn't tempted.
'Floor 99.'
How long would it take to climb to Floor 99 through normal means?
One year? Five years? Ten years?
Maybe it would take even longer than that. Even Flame Emperor, who just shut up and killed like a psychopath, took ten years to reach only Floor 40. That.
That, in one go.
-Gong-ja.
The guardian spirit stared at me.
-Don't do it.
It was a voice I would never normally hear.
The guardian spirit was looking at my face seriously.
-Look at me. I am the Sword Emperor. I'm someone who climbed to Floor 99 alone and failed. And I'm telling you, this is a trap. A disgustingly vicious trap.
"......"
-With your current skill, killing all the top rankers down to 10th place is difficult. Even if you did kill them all, it's a problem. No matter how hard you struggle, you absolutely cannot break through the wall of Floor 99. Give up cleanly.
I stayed silent.
Maybe it was because he was the only person in this Tower who had broken through to Floor 99. The guardian spirit's words carried a steely persuasiveness, sharp and alive.
'Is the Floor 99 boss monster that strong?'
The guardian spirit frowned.
-There isn't one.
'What?'
-There's no boss monster on Floor 99. Instead, something far more vicious... tch. Goddammit. Suddenly old memories are coming back. Anyway, it's a trap!
The guardian spirit turned his back and sat down. Like a little kid sulking because he couldn't have candy. I was a bit taken aback.
'No, what the hell is waiting on Floor 99 that makes you like this? You're freaking me out. This is the first time I've ever seen you act like this. What, is there something like a demon god waiting instead of a monster?'
-Hmph. I'm not telling you!
I'd misspoken.
He wasn't like a little kid. He was an actual little kid.
-I hate to admit it, but Kim Zombie, you're doing well. Keep doing what you've been doing. Then Floor 99 will clear itself.
"Hmm."
I sank into thought. I fiddled with the hilt of the dagger at my waist. The dagger that had been with me every time I killed myself over 4,000 times. The dagger I had swung when I killed Yoo Soo-ha. It was nothing but a cheap dagger, but touching it calmed my mind a little.
'Alright.'
I made up my mind.
'This run, I'm throwing it away.'
The guardian spirit perked up his ears.
-Throwing it away?
'Yes. I'm going to pick only the safest route. Gains, rewards, I'm skipping all of it. I'm just going to figure out how the situation plays out.'
-Skipping all gains and rewards...... What the hell. Don't tell me you're not even going to take [Goddess's Reward]? Why? There's no need to go that far.
'It's fine. One step back for two steps forward.'
The more urgent things are, the longer way around you go.
I slowly opened my mouth.
"Everyone."
The hunters in the audience chamber turned toward me.
"Right now, the Floor 11 stage reward is showing for me."
"Oh? Good for you."
The Witch reacted first. Maybe because she hadn't seen [Goddess's Reward] and [Demon King's Reward] yet. The Witch was as expressionless as usual.
"I was just getting bored waiting for the quest. If you pick your reward first, the rest of us will pick in order. Take your time choosing."
"Yes. I've already made up my mind."
In front of the watching top rankers, I declared.
"I will not choose any reward."
Silence settled over the audience chamber. The Heretic Questioner and Viper, who had taken out playing cards in the meantime, also looked at me. Three seconds. Two seconds. One second. After a brief stillness, the Witch finally furrowed her brow.
"What?"
It was already too late.
[You do not select a stage reward.]
[You will be unable to select a special class.]
[If you forfeit the reward, you may only select a role from Floor 13 onward.]
[Are you sure?]
I answered with firm resolve.
"Yes. I, the hunter Kim Gong-ja, will not choose any reward."
Flash!
The selection window floating before my eyes shattered into pieces. That wasn't all. Inside my head, a sacred voice and a gloomy voice rang out one after another.
[The Goddess of Protection expresses doubt at your choice.]
[The Demon King of Fall Rain laughs quietly.]
The hunters looked dumbfounded.
"Kim Gong-ja? What are you doing......?"
"Hmm."
At that moment, the Sword Saint narrowed his brow. His seasoned eyes swept the empty air. By ranking in clearing the Floor 11 stage, I was 1st and the Sword Saint was 2nd. Now, after me, the Sword Saint was reading [Goddess's Reward] and [Demon King's Reward].
"...I see. I understand. You chose the safest option."
The Sword Saint looked at me.
"But was there any need to go so far as to forfeit the reward? Young man. It may be nothing but an old man's fussing, but I worry that in pursuing safety too much, you might end up collapsing in place."
"Thank you for your concern. But I have no regrets."
"Hmm. If you have no regrets, then that's fortunate, but......"
The old man let out a low hum. The other hunters watched our exchange in confusion. Their faces said they couldn't understand what we were talking about at all.
"...No."
The Sword Saint shook his head.
"Forfeiting the reward entirely is still too timid a way of handling things. Forgive me, young man. I shall choose the Goddess's Reward. And I shall select [Knight Commander of the Aegim Empire]."
Creeeak!
It was the moment the Sword Saint made his decision. The great doors of the audience chamber opened. A group of knights marched in. Splendid silver armor. The knights arrived before the old man and knelt on one knee.
"We pledge our loyalty to the empire's highest sword!"
"Ho."
The Sword Saint looked down at the knights with interest.
"So this is how roles are assigned."
"Hm? Aha? Is that so?"
After the Sword Saint came the Heretic Questioner. Third in stage clear ranking. The Heretic Questioner tilted his head, then let out an "Ah!" of lament. His face showed he had finally grasped the whole situation.
"I see. I understand now! Ah-ha. It's similar to a mafia game."
Of course, except for me, the Sword Saint, and the Heretic Questioner, the other hunters were still bewildered. The Witch furrowed her brows.
"...I have no idea what you people are talking about."
"Don't worry! I'll explain right away!"
The Heretic Questioner spread both hands. Scratch. Scratch. Letters began carving themselves into the smooth marble floor. The Heretic Questioner had loaded aura into his fingertips and was engraving characters into the marble.
"Everyone, take a look!"
The hunters crowded over and looked down at the floor.
+
[Goddess of Protection]
Description: The goddess who protects the Aegim Empire has been moved by your devotion! The goddess has decided to entrust you with an important position in the empire.
.
.
.
+
The hunters buzzed.
"What?"
"Floor 99? Is this for real......?"
There had been no particular reaction while reading the Goddess's Reward. But when they reached the Demon King's Reward, the guild masters' faces changed. They were visibly shaken.
The Witch's expression darkened especially.
"This is......"
"Yep! It's similar to a mafia game! For convenience, shall we call those who chose the Goddess's Reward [Heroes], and the person who chose the Demon King's Reward the [Traitor]?"
The Heretic Questioner smiled brightly.
"But there is a decisive difference. The [Traitor] is far more disadvantaged than the mafia! There are as many as 9 [Heroes], while the [Traitor] is only 1. And on top of that, we have the Vigilante Corps Vice-Captain with us!"
The Heretic Questioner pointed at the Paladin.
The Paladin was looking down at the marble floor with a blank face.
"Think about it! The Vice-Captain has the [Lie Detector] skill. Ah-ha-ha. In mafia game terms, she's like the police. Even if someone among us chooses the Demon King's Reward, it's fine! The Vice-Captain can expose who the [Traitor] is right away!"
"Hm... That's true."
The Paladin slowly raised her head.
"As long as you all trust my word, that is."
"Either way, this is a game infinitely favorable to the [Heroes]! Hunter Kim Gong-ja. Forfeiting your reward was a bit of an overreaction!"
The Heretic Questioner adjusted his hat.
"To break through Floor 11 in first place and receive no reward at all. Hm! That's a decision I find hard to imagine. While I salute your decisiveness, I shall select [Grand General of the Aegim Empire]!"
Creeeak.
The great doors of the audience chamber opened once more. General NPCs entered, red cloaks billowing. The generals stopped in front of the Heretic Questioner and saluted vigorously.
"Loyalty to the empire's highest banner!"
"Ah, splendid. I look forward to working with you!"
The general NPCs lined up behind the Heretic Questioner.
This was the decisive blow.
"Tch. I hate all this brainy talk. Anyway, picking a reward is the better deal, right? Then I'll pick [Royal Guard Captain]."
Viper too.
"Then I'll select [Foreign Minister]. It looks the most harmless."
The Paladin too.
"...I'll take [Chancellor]. Please, I'm begging you, absolutely do not choose the Demon King's Reward. If no one picks it, this reward will disappear on its own. The wisest thing is to let it vanish. Everyone, keep that in mind."
The Witch too.
"Worry not. Hmm. Well, I shall naturally take [Finance Minister]."
The Count too.
All the remaining hunters chose their rewards.
Before long, the audience chamber was full of NPCs. Murmur, murmur. Behind the Sword Saint, who had chosen Knight Commander, the knight order lined up. Behind the Witch, who had chosen Chancellor, civil officials stood in rows.
-Wow.
In the vast audience chamber, there was only one spot.
Only behind me, there was no one. It was empty.
-You really are the only one who didn't take a reward. You okay with this, Zombie? Even if you're throwing away this run, isn't this a bit much?
'No.'
I was certain.
Maybe it was instinct I had as a hunter.
'This is the right answer.'
When to pounce on prey and sink your teeth in.
When to give up on prey and back off quietly.
I—
[Reward settlement is ending.]
I sensed that now was exactly the time to back off.
[All top clearers have completed their selections.]
[Kim Gong-ja, Sword Saint, Heretic Questioner, Viper, Paladin, Witch, Count.......]
A voice rang out in the audience chamber.
The hunters quietly exchanged glances each time their names were called.
[Reward forfeiters: 1.]
People turned toward me. I was the only one here who had announced forfeiting the reward. The voice was as good as testifying that I had enjoyed no benefits at all.
The hunters briefly wore expressions that said, "He really didn't take a reward."
[Those who received the Goddess's Reward: 8.]
Soon their faces hardened.
[Those who received the Demon King's Reward: 1.]
The hunters looked at one another.
[Total: 10.]
[All top clearers have completed their selections.]
[We inform you once more.]
Silence fell.
[Reward forfeiters: 1.]
[Those who received the Goddess's Reward: 8.]
[Those who received the Demon King's Reward: 1.]
[All top clearers have completed their selections.]
It was a long silence.
[May fortune be with you all.]
2
Crunch.
The first thing to break the stillness was the sound of someone grinding their teeth.
"How foolish......!"
The Black Dragon guild master. The rank 2 hunter. The Witch.
"I told you! Absolutely do not choose the Demon King's Reward. And yet... you idiots!"
Killing intent flowed from the Witch. Her face wasn't expressionless like usual either. Hatred. Contempt. Fury. Her face, twisted beyond a mere frown, glared around at everyone present.
"Fine. Words don't reach fools. Very well! I'll declare it here and now as the master of the Black Dragon. I don't yet know who dared to betray us, but I will gift that wretch the most painful death imaginable."
"Hmm. Astonishing."
The Heretic Questioner stroked his chin.
"It's a game overwhelmingly disadvantageous to the traitor. And yet someone chose the Demon King's Reward...... As the Black Dragon Master says, an extremely foolish choice! Ah-ha. Of course, in its foolishness, it is also endlessly human!"
"Ah... fuck."
Viper scratched the back of his head furiously.
"Ah, I get it. I get it. This mood. This air. It's that feeling from when we cleared the early floors of the Tower...... My back and neck are tingling like crazy. A few people are going to die today."
"Indeed. It feels like back when the Five Great Guilds were the Ten Great Guilds."
The Count fanned herself. A soft, gentle tone. But the gaze shooting out from beyond the fan was cold as a wild beast's.
"A lot of people died back then. A lot of people killed. Isn't that right?"
"Shut up! Everyone be quiet. This is no time to be wallowing in old stories."
The Witch's expression was twisted.
"Paladin!"
"Mm."
"Interrogate everyone with [Lie Detector] right now. Every single one! If even one person refuses to answer the Paladin's questions or evades them, I'll kill that person right here and now!"
Everyone knew it wasn't an empty threat. The Witch was radiating killing intent, and the killing intent rose off her aura like heat haze. Pitch-black in color. Ink-dark aura. A color that cursed all the light in the world.
"I was planning to do that even without you saying so."
The Paladin nodded quietly.
"First, let me state that I am not the traitor, and begin."
And the Paladin turned her steps.
The first person she approached was... none other than me.
The Paladin stood tall before me.
"Hunter Kim Gong-ja."
"Yes."
"You forfeited your reward, so you are not on the list of suspects. It may not even be necessary to test you. Nevertheless, I will ask. Did you, by any chance, choose the Demon King's Reward?"
"No."
The audience chamber was still.
All the hunters watched us.
After a few seconds of silence, the Paladin nodded.
"Truth."
Sighs of relief escaped here and there.
The Paladin walked without pause toward the next person.
Step.
The audience chamber floor was laid with marble. Every time the Paladin stepped on the floor, her footsteps echoed especially loudly. We followed her steps with our eyes.
"Sword Saint."
"Speak."
"Did you choose the Demon King's Reward?"
The Sword Saint folded his arms.
"On all my honor. Absolutely not."
"Truth."
Step.
"Heretic Questioner."
"Yes! Ask me anything!"
"Are you the one who chose the Demon King's Reward?"
"I'm sorry, but."
While no one else opened their mouths, the Heretic Questioner's laughter flowed out. The laughter bounced off the marble floor and slid across the armor worn by the knights and generals.
"I am not! I don't want to die at the Black Dragon Master's hands just yet!"
"Truth."
Step.
"Viper. Did you choose the Demon King's Reward?"
"Fuck. No, I didn't!"
"...Truth."
Step.
"Count. Did you choose the Demon King's Reward?"
"...I didn't either."
"Truth."
Step.
The air gradually sank. When it was revealed that I wasn't the traitor, sighs of relief had escaped. But as one person. Then another. Then yet another person's truth was declared, the audience chamber overflowed not with sighs but with silence.
Like water slowly rising.
Before we knew it, the silence had risen up to our chins.
"......"
"......"
The Paladin faced the Witch.
All the hunters except the Witch had already been questioned. This was the final interrogation. Toward the hunter who led the guild said to be the strongest in the Tower, who was counted second only to the Sword Saint, the Paladin drew a deep breath.
She spoke.
"Black Dragon Master."
"...Yes."
"Did you choose the Demon King's Reward?"
There was stillness.
"No... It wasn't me."
Stillness continued again.
The Paladin slowly parted her lips.
"...Truth."
And so, at last, complete silence sank down.
No.
We sank down into silence.
"Wait... Then, what?"
Viper looked around in all directions.
"Who is it, then?"
The Sword Saint looked at the Witch. The Witch looked at the Heretic Questioner. The Heretic Questioner looked at the Count, and the Count looked at Viper. Viper threw his gaze at the Paladin as if clinging to her, and the Paladin looked at me in silence.
Everyone looked at everyone.
"Why is everyone saying no......?"
But no one answered.
"Fuck! Who betrayed us?!"
No one.