Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 23. Closure
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I once watched a movie from a long time ago.
It was about the protagonist looping through a specific timeframe, trying to resolve something over and over.
And now, I felt like I had become that movie's protagonist.
-Clang!
Jang Chaeyeon uses telekinesis to deflect a slash aimed at Yoo Daon's neck.
-Clang! Clang!
But with the relentless barrage of slashes, Yoo Daon lets out a sigh and steps back.
"It won't work."
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon wears a gloomy expression.
It was a look like her pride had been pierced right through her core.
And it was understandable.
She had screwed up twice in this short time since arriving here.
*Clap*. As I applaud, both women's gazes turn to me.
"Let's try a different approach."
There's no point clinging to something that doesn't work.
It's better to move on quickly and find another path.
"What have we tried so far?"
"...Following the manual and walking a lap, punching holes in the walls, trying to force our way up."
"Right."
Naturally, the first thing we did was follow the manual and walk.
Though the part where my waist got snapped in half hadn't appeared at all.
We walked two or three laps like that, but we kept ending up in the same place.
Next was breaking the walls.
Jang Chaeyeon smashed them until her nose bled, but nothing came of it.
We hoped there might be space behind, but instead of space, endless concrete poured out, so we gave up.
Finally, dodging the blades.
The superhuman feat Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon had been attempting just now.
Dodge the blades to the end, send Yoo Daon up, and wait for rescue.
The conclusion, as you can see, was that there was a limit to blocking the blades, making it impossible.
"...I can't think of anything else."
Yoo Daon slumps down on the stairs with a weary expression.
"..."
Now Jang Chaeyeon's expression had pierced beyond her core to somewhere deeper.
In the end, as always, thinking was my job.
"I'll think of something."
I start piecing together the information.
This place can only be passed by following the manual.
In the end, if we rely on this manual, we got trapped here for not following it.
But calling the current phenomenon one created by the manual feels a bit off.
What is a manual fundamentally?
A manual is like a guideline.
'Bad things happen if you don't follow the manual.'
The reason is the horrific consequences that come from not following it.
A straightforward example would be what happens if someone touches the iron door on basement level 1 in a non-human state during the Butterfly's Dream incident.
In other words, irreversible events occur when you don't follow the manual.
If this were a standard Management Bureau manual, the moment Jang Chaeyeon nodded, her head should have flown off, leaving her body there. Or at least some equivalent incident.
I look at the manual's title once more.
[Manual for Those Who Failed to Follow the Manual]
It shouldn't end this softly.
Such a manual shouldn't exist in the first place. It should hint at punishments like eternal imprisonment for violations.
'Information contamination worsens the deeper we go, leading to many sacrifices. Thus, the Management Bureau has decided on new countermeasures.'
What if the manual I'm seeing is fake? What if the information is already contaminated?
Then what should I believe?
What else? My own eyes.
I scan the basement once more.
[Name: Basement]
[Age: -]
[Trait: Looping]
[Talent: -]
[Background: Why do lunatics who insist on making art with humans exist everywhere? Those who blame their lack of aesthetic sense on the materials can never achieve greatness in their lifetime, yet he opened a workshop to prove his stubbornness.]
[Weakness: This space vanishes with the owner's disappearance.]
Let's think about the basement.
It vanishes with the owner's disappearance.
In other words, the best method is for us to find and take out the owner.
The problem is we don't even know if the owner is here.
The idea of hunting down an owner whose existence we can't confirm feels too much of a leap no matter how I think about it.
In this state, the weakness is the clearest but also the most unrealistic.
That's the issue with this weakness.
"..."
I read the text carefully.
Art. Materials. Workshop.
Art gallery.
A thought flashes through my mind like lightning.
I spring to my feet, and a flicker of hope returns to Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon's eyes.
"Got a good idea?"
"Yeah."
"Free fall again?"
"No. Let's go smash some artwork instead."
The two tilt their heads.
*
In the end, the three of us are standing before the starting room again.
"Listen up."
I gather them and begin explaining.
"Our goal is simple. When we enter that room, we smash everything we see."
"Just smash it?"
"Yeah."
"Even the circle-dance ones?"
"Smash those especially."
"Huh?"
Yoo Daon tilts her head, but soon nods as if she gets it.
"If Jaeheon has an idea, then it must be good."
"...As soon as we enter, both of you get down."
And there's one person burning with insane fighting spirit.
Hope returns to Jang Chaeyeon's eyes. A look that says she's finally found her moment to shine.
I open the door.
The same darkness as before.
"Really get down the second we enter?"
"Yeah."
Jang Chaeyeon nods fiercely, eyes wide.
At her intensity, Yoo Daon and I just roll our eyes at each other and shrug.
"I'll go first."
As if it's natural now, Yoo Daon takes the lead into the darkness.
"...Then I'm going."
"Yeah. Stay put."
I follow behind Yoo Daon.
The moment we enter, the familiar darkness unfolds—I've seen it three times now.
I jump right and drop flat.
Soon, the surroundings turn into chaos.
-Boom!
-Thud!
-Crash!
Overwhelming force sweeps through.
The junk inside flies everywhere.
"Uh-ha, uh-heh?"
"Ahh~~!"
The things doing the circle dance are literally torn apart.
It was a storm worthy of the name.
Even I cover my head with my arms out of fear.
Did three minutes pass? Finally, the storm stops.
"..."
I look around.
Nothing is visible.
Should I head out?
Half-crouched, praying nothing happens, I tiptoe out the door to find sweat-soaked Jang Chaeyeon and Yoo Daon fanning her.
"...Did it work?"
"Seems like it."
Jang Chaeyeon leans against the wall, taking deep breaths.
Her sweat-dampened white hair gives off an oddly seductive vibe.
Better not stare.
I avert my gaze, wait for her breathing to steady, then speak.
"Let's go."
Passing the familiar operating room, we stand before the stairs where Yoo Daon's head fell off at least twice.
"...Go?"
Yoo Daon touches her neck anxiously.
"Not yet."
I step forward and draw my gun.
Assume this place is an art gallery.
An art gallery remains one because of its artwork.
Conversely, if the artwork vanishes, it's no longer an art gallery.
We've destroyed two pieces so far.
But one remains.
This place had three real threats.
First, the circle-dancing maniacs.
Second, the one who thinks it's a doctor.
Third,
I gaze at the landing where Yoo Daon's head flew.
[Critical: 1->0]
The world turns black and white, revealing the hidden entity on the landing.
A massive human with a grotesquely twisted face.
Clad in rags, it holds a giant axe.
[Name: Executioner]
[Age: Made 5 years ago]
[Trait: x]
[Talent: Axe Work]
[Background: This guards the basement, precisely and cleanly severing the necks of those who escape into the darkness.]
[Weakness: Be fast or strong.]
Its forehead glows red.
-Bang!
I fire without hesitation, the bullet piercing its forehead.
-Thud!
With a roar, the giant tumbles down the landing,
-and crumbles...
A crumbling sound echoes, and the three of us stand in the familiar Management Bureau underground hallway.
"...Whew."
Finally over.
As I sigh in relief, Jang Chaeyeon suddenly bows her head deeply.
"...Sorry."
It must be really bothering her.
"Because of me, something easy dragged on forever. I have no excuse."
"No, it's..."
Well, thanks to her, we took out the circle-dancers easily.
"I'll do anything. If you want, hit me once."
No, where would I even hit?
Before I can speak, Jang Chaeyeon keeps her head bowed.
The only wide area is her chest.
"It's f-"
"It's okay to think that way."
Yoo Daon cuts me off and speaks.
"..."
"At times like this, it's best to settle it cleanly. Be cool about it!"
"Ah. Sure."
Yoo Daon looks at Jang Chaeyeon and extends her hand.
"Stand up straight there."
"...Okay."
Jang Chaeyeon closes her eyes.
I've seen this scene a lot.
Usually, Yoo Daon hugs her now, says it's fine, their friendship deepens—
Before my thought finishes, Yoo Daon winds up her arm and slams a right-angle fist into Jang Chaeyeon's crown.
-Smack!
"Kek!"
With a bone-cracking sound, Jang Chaeyeon clutches her head, crouching and making a noise no human should.
"Be careful next time."
"...Y-yesh..."
Yoo Daon flexes her fist, eyes gleaming, while tears well in Jang Chaeyeon's eyes.
She had a lot pent up.
Yeah. I get it. If it were me, with someone who'd ripped off my arm, gouged my side, and twisted my neck 180 degrees, I'd feel the same.
Anyway, we survived yet again.
*
"...So, what happens if I quit?"
"What kind of talk is that?"
Team Leader drops his coffee.
[Name: Heo Chan]
[Age: 49]
[Trait: Complacency]
[Talent: Crisis Detection]
[Background: Living as a family man, he was pulling an all-nighter for his family's next meal when his job faced collapse.]
[Weakness: Let's keep going like this.]
"If you quit, I die."
"Then what can you do for me."
"...O-okay, okay. I'll assign you paperwork. I'll do it, so please don't."
Looks like I can rest for a bit.
As I think happily, a radio broadcast drifts into my ears.
[The musical 'Red Lady' is sweeping the nation with phenomenal popularity, setting the highest record in Korean history as-]