Chapter 14
Chapter 14 - Complete Preparation (萬全)
"Oh, damn it. This is really unbearable."
I wiped the blood flowing from my forehead and muttered. It was an injury from nearly burying my head on the ground due to intense pain.
After the numerous memories from my previous life poured in like a flood and entered a stable phase, a heavy current of reflection hits hard. I was currently sitting on the floor in the aftermath of this.
Killing time idly seemed pointless. I decided to objectively examine my situation.
'First, the Box of the Dead was incredibly helpful in restarting.'
I had wondered where I would use this item when I received it, but using it as a time capsule to the past was quite impressive, past me.
I decided to continue using the Box of the Dead in this manner. Although, to be honest, I was doubtful if it had any other use.
First, just like in my previous life, I tore off the front of my clothing to make a cloth. And I continued to write on the parts I hadn't finished.
―Do not move rashly. Focus only on the residual sentiment. You are already dead.
The last sentence was both humorous and a warning.
My initial self moving carelessly was largely because I had no memory of being dead before. Just making me aware of this fact would have a significant effect.
"Okay. Now I'll change..."
I removed the original cloth and replaced it with a new one.
This way, even if I wake up after dying, the box will glow purple like before, signaling an item update. The next version of me will ultimately be me, so when seeing this, I'll recognize the anomaly.
The awareness that this isn't the first time I'm waking up here.
'Then I'll endure the meta.'
And like the current me, I'll be able to buy some time to think slowly.
I suddenly turned my head and looked around. The sewer branched into four directions. If I consider the direction where I was killed by the assailant as forward, there are front, back, left, and right. Four directions.
'Let me think a bit.'
In my 18th life, I discovered the corpse pile was in the back. I had been killed continuously in the forward direction. The back sewer ends at the corpse pile, while the forward path extends quite long.
'That means, if we assume the assailant moved my corpse... at this point, he has already visited the corpse pile side.'
I opened my eyes wide and completely overturned my previous premise.
I see. I didn't directly encounter the assailant heading towards the corpse pile. Either I caught up with the assailant going in the same direction, or the assailant noticed my presence following behind.
'What the hell...'
I need to choose quickly. Where should I go to avoid encountering that assailant? First, definitely not forward. Left, or right?
No. I soon shook my head. The answer had just flashed in my mind.
'Back. Towards the corpse pile.'
What I'm trying to do now is simply buy time. In the current situation, whether the right or left path, nothing is certain.
I clenched my fist and muttered with a deeply furrowed brow.
"I... do not want to waste my life."
Minerva's words, "Don't break," lingered in my mind.
Dying is terrifying, no matter how many times you might not die. Even if I've died 100 times, the 101st version of me will certainly fear death.
My experience of breaking 19 times is already sufficient. I strictly want to avoid the 20th.
'Whether his purpose is patrolling or murder... he probably won't return to a place he's already been.'
Unlike the left or right paths, the short sewer to the back is straightforward. I already know because I've been there before. The assailant won't return to that corpse pile for a while.
Clear evidence created by my numerous deaths and experiences in previous lives. A remarkable achievement.
"Let's go."
Once decided, there's no reason to hesitate.
I immediately rose and moved towards the back sewer.
* * *
My ultimate goal is to somehow get out of this sewer.
First, I need to go up to the ground, and then I can boast about being a hero and go on an adventure or whatever.
'Right now, I haven't even opened the prologue or the packaging.'
So if some suspicious figure ultimately interferes with my exit from the sewer, I must repel that figure. I need to have at least enough power to fend them off.
To do that, I think I need about three things.
'First, a complete map of this sewer.'
I need to accurately understand the geography of this place and track the movements of the suspicious figure.
I'm already creating this based on memories from my previous life. Since some of my previous selves had reached the end of the front waterway, I almost perfectly know the front and back waterways.
Of course, I was killed by a waiting suspicious figure as soon as I reached the end, but at least I'm certain there's no exit there. In other words, I'll eventually need to explore the left and right sides.
'Second, leveling up.'
No matter how I plan my route and struggle, my power is crucial when I ultimately face the moment of confrontation.
My current level is 2. The highest level I reached in my previous life was in my 17th life. That was the corpse lying in a pile of bodies. At that time, my level was around 11. So the 18th me, who received 38% experience, was reborn at level 5.
'But even then... I was no match for that suspicious figure.'
Of course, as always, I was ambushed. Though I became more agile with a higher level, the wounds from the ambush were shallow.
So I tried to resist, but it was impossible. The suspicious figure's skills far exceeded mine at the time.
At least level 20. To ensure safety, I need to level up to about 25. Not to win, but at least to be able to react to their attacks.
'The last third is... full charge of ether.'
The numerous benefits of 'ether' that I only learned after my 18th life. As long as the enemy's power vastly surpasses mine, I must utilize it to the extreme.
'In my previous lives, I had moments when ether was full.'
However, I either thought it was insignificant or never had the chance to use it. Most of the time, I would peacefully enjoy the adventure mood, get ambushed, and have my breath cut short.
Only in my 18th life. After messing with a hunting rat and becoming half-dead. Only I, who had water ether emerge at a timely moment, realized the usefulness of ether.
'What I need is time. The method is simple.'
My plan is straightforward. First, I'll wait until the necessary ether appears. If unnecessary ether comes out, I'll drink it and wait again until the needed ether appears.
Dubbed the 'Ether Indian Rain Dance Operation'.
'I don't need attack ether. My goal isn't to defeat that suspicious figure.'
What I don't need now is attack power, that is, fire ether. My plan is to charge all 10 ether slots using only defense, agility, and recovery ether.
According to the current plan, 433 strategy is ideal. It's not soccer. Meaning 4 for recovery, 3 for defense, and 3 for agility.
'After doing this... I might have a chance.'
So. What am I doing right now?
Hiding among mountains of corpses and infinitely enduring.
"Ugh... the rotten smell...!!"
Needless to say, staying still among corpses is not an easy task.
First, there's the stench. The mood is indescribably creepy. Sometimes when my belly itches and I scratch, maggots that were eating the corpse come out with my fingernail. Startled, when I move, I come face to face with an eyeball that has fallen from somewhere. I thought I was about to faint.
And I've been doing this for a day now.
"Endure... I'll survive if I endure...! Endure, Park Jeong-yong...!"
The reason I'm doing this is simple. It's a precaution for when the suspicious figure might come. Isn't playing dead better than actually being dead?
Try being a corpse about twenty times yourself.
What I've realized by repeating death is that death becomes more terrifying the more you know about it. If I can survive, I'll willingly do worse things.
"I-It's about time to come out...."
I looked at the ether bottle tearfully and anxiously.
Time is almost up. Perhaps due to my desperation, my body's timer now almost precisely knows when the ether will emerge.
Sure enough, soon a bright cluster of light poured from my body.
The condensed and refined light was completely sucked into the condensation bottle. I turned my gaze to the panel with hope.
[Skill Success - Ether Collection (Passive)]
[Having fulfilled a certain time, fire ether has been collected in the ether condensation bottle.]
[Time remaining until next ether generation - 3 hours]
"Oh, for f***'s sake!"
Cursing, I immediately drank the bright red ether. Tiger-like energy surged to the point of tears.
The thought of being stuck here for at least the next 3 hours brought tears to my eyes without warning.