Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Na Youngho is Being Controlled
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Dokgo Hyun was utterly exhausted after fighting the two spirits.
"Wow, you're really persistent. Hehe."
"Must really hate dying, huh."
Han Se-kyung and Lee Woo-hyung, the two spirits, taunted him relentlessly.
But the spirits looked pretty worn out themselves.
'I thought spirits would be some kind of ghostly things, but they're more like players.'
Spirits bled when hit, their breathing grew ragged.
They had expressive faces, used skills, and even chatted casually.
"Hey, just one thing. Please?"
As Dokgo Hyun pleaded, the spirits kept their venomous glares but showed some interest.
"What're you curious about?"
The spirit Han Se-kyung asked.
Dokgo Hyun posed his question.
"Seriously, why leave Oh Sua alone and only try to kill me?"
"Are you nuts? Oh Sua has to survive to the end for us to revive."
"What?"
It was nonsense, but Dokgo Hyun sensed he'd latched onto a clue.
"Why would you revive if Oh Sua lives?"
"Because that's the truth."
Spirit Han Se-kyung said it frustratingly, while spirit Lee Woo-hyung gestured for her to stop talking.
"Enough chit-chat. You're just trying to trick us while we talk!"
From that, Dokgo Hyun realized one thing.
'These two have been convinced by Oh Sua...? No. More precisely, their minds are completely dominated.'
He didn't know how, but they weren't just ignoring Oh Sua—they were on her side.
Time was running short. If he didn't hurry to the poker room, penalties would apply.
'Break through.'
Taat!
Dokgo Hyun charged.
"Hmph!"
Lee Woo-hyung activated his [Barrier Creation] skill.
Kwarrr...!
A concrete barrier rose from the floor, blocking Dokgo Hyun's rush.
But.
Thud.
Dokgo Hyun placed his hand on the concrete barrier and used a skill.
"[Object Rewind]."
Drurrr...!
The forming concrete barrier rewound like footage being fast-reversed, vanishing completely.
Since it was created by a skill, [Object Rewind] could nullify it.
"Huh?!"
Lee Woo-hyung, seeing this for the first time, was stunned.
Puk!
Dokgo Hyun plunged the Venom Knife into the surprised Lee Woo-hyung's throat.
"Guhk."
Spirit Lee Woo-hyung died instantly without pain.
Dokgo Hyun, the one who landed the hit, clutched his nose as blood poured out in agony.
'The backlash is huge.'
Rewinding a thrown knife was one thing, but rewinding an entire wall created by an opponent's skill was far tougher.
'The heavier it is, or the more it's tied to the opponent, the harder the rewind!'
As he staggered with that thought, spirit Han Se-kyung attacked.
Zzzt! Zzzzt!
Han Se-kyung tore the space around Dokgo Hyun's eyes, trying to blind him outright.
But.
"[Afterimage Creation]."
Slrrk.
In his haste, Dokgo Hyun left multiple afterimages of just his staggering head.
Thut! Thut-thut!
Han Se-kyung's attack shredded only the afterimages.
"Ah?!"
Han Se-kyung, who thought Dokgo Hyun's skills were just speed-based, panicked hard.
Thud-bam!!
Dokgo Hyun [Instant Accelerated] himself and slammed into her with a body check.
Pubuk!!
The 180cm Dokgo Hyun's impact sent Han Se-kyung tumbling down the hallway.
Puk!
Dokgo Hyun mercilessly stabbed her with the Venom Knife, finishing her off.
"Two Poker hints acquired...!"
Thanks to taking down both spirit Lee Woo-hyung and Han Se-kyung.
Dokgo Hyun quickly checked the hints.
'Poker Round 3 Hint A: The first card in Round 3 is not an Ace and not odd.'
'Poker Round 3 Hint B: If the poker room for Round 3 is in the main building, the second card's number is 3.'
"Great...!"
Dokgo Hyun clenched his fist.
He'd secured two hints.
His odds of winning Poker Round 3 were now skyrocketing...
Puak!
An air arrow lodged into Dokgo Hyun's left shoulder from behind.
"...!!"
Dokgo Hyun flung himself sideways immediately.
Right after, a second air arrow flew in.
Kwabang!!
The hallway floor where he'd stood shattered.
'Sniper. Keep distance.'
Looking back, Na Youngho was approaching from the far end of the hall after his long-range shot.
'That bastard Na Youngho skipped poker to straight-up kill me in the Run Phase.'
Dokgo Hyun didn't yet know Na Youngho had been brainwashed by the [Shepherd Girl] skill's lie.
'Gotta bail first!'
Fighting an archer in a long hallway was disadvantageous.
Taat!
The game of cat-and-mouse between Dokgo Hyun and Na Youngho began.
"Hahk, hahk."
With a hole in his shoulder, Dokgo Hyun bled more the longer he ran.
As blood dripped, his breathing worsened, and the blood drops guided Na Youngho.
'Damn. Need to head to the principal's office.'
Dokgo Hyun paused at the stairs.
From the 4th floor, he'd have to go down to the 1st.
'...No. Going down means death.'
He worried about Oh Sua who'd fled down the stairs.
Dokgo Hyun had defeated two spirits.
'But what if the other two are also under Oh Sua's control?'
If he fled from Na Youngho chasing from the 4th floor and ran into spirits hiding on the 1st?
'I'd be sandwiched and done for.'
Tadadada...!
Na Youngho's footsteps grew closer.
'Damn it!'
Dokgo Hyun headed to the rooftop.
'Easier to dodge up here.'
Better to fight in the open rooftop than the narrow hallway.
The moment he reached the roof, Dokgo Hyun slashed one side of the rooftop fence with the Venom Knife.
Bwuk!
The fence didn't fully tear, but it was weakened enough to break if he leaped through.
Right then.
Tadadot...!
Na Youngho rushed to the rooftop door, cautiously peeking out before emerging.
"Prepare yourself, Dokgo Hyun."
Na Youngho openly showed his intent to kill.
Dokgo Hyun gripped the Venom Knife in a defensive stance, observing Na Youngho.
'Something's off. The vibe's different.'
Dokgo Hyun felt unease.
"Na Youngho. You aren't being controlled by Oh Sua right now, are you?"
"Controlled? No idea what you mean."
Na Youngho drew his [Air Bow], forming an air arrow.
But instead of firing immediately, he was cautious too.
'One shot opportunity.'
If Na Youngho missed, Dokgo Hyun could [Instant Accelerate] in the open space and counterattack.
Step... step...
Na Youngho approached carefully.
Dokgo Hyun blurted out.
"Oh Sua went down the stairs from the 4th floor."
Na Youngho tilted his head, took another step, and asked.
"So?"
"And you came up the stairs from that direction to shoot me. Meaning you and Oh Sua probably crossed paths on the stairs."
"So?"
"So why kill me and not her?"
"Because Oh Sua ordered it."
"Why follow her orders? Did you swear loyalty or something?"
"You crazy? I follow Oh Sua because it's the winning strategy."
"...Who told you that?"
"You're hopeless."
"That's my line."
Dokgo Hyun and Na Youngho both smirked simultaneously.
By now, Na Youngho had closed to a mid-range: perfect for a guaranteed hit, but safe from Dokgo Hyun's counter.
"Die well, Dokgo Hyun."
"You first."
Thud-bam!!
Na Youngho fired the air arrow.
Taat!!
Dokgo Hyun dove sideways.
Na Youngho smirked triumphantly at the sight.
'Just as planned!'
At this range, Dokgo Hyun had no choice but a big dodge.
'But I only fired half!'
Growing familiar with air arrows, Na Youngho had learned to charge a big mass of air, then split and fire only part.
'Finish with the other half!'
But.
Thud!
Zzzzt!
Dokgo Hyun had dove into the pre-slashed fence.
His body scraped and bled, but he evaded Na Youngho's aim.
"Kuhk?!"
Na Youngho raged at missing his target.
"You idiot! Falling from this height will kill even you!!"
No.
'If my timing's right, I'll live!'
Paat!
Just before Dokgo Hyun leaping from the rooftop hit the ground, he was teleported to the poker room—the principal's office.
"Heuk!"
"Kuhk!"
Dokgo Hyun and Na Youngho were teleported to this round's poker room: the principal's office.
In other words, both were late.
Tong! Tong!
Tong! Tong!
Two stigma marks each were added to their nails.
"Kuhk."
"Uhk."
The sensation was worlds apart from one stigma.
'Even with more stats than most, this hurts.'
Dokgo Hyun struggled to keep his expression neutral.
Oh Sua was watching him with wide eyes.
"Jeez, real habitual latecomers."
The principal, inheriting the Total Administrator's form and authority, sneered.
Dokgo Hyun panted.
"Give me a sec to drink a potion?"
"Hurry up."
Gulp gulp.
Thanks to the Healing Potion, not just Na Youngho's wounds but his ragged breathing recovered swiftly.
'Fast recovery. Probably because max stamina dropped too?'
Dokgo Hyun slowly tossed the empty bottle into the classroom trash can at the back, glancing at Oh Sua on his way back.
'If Oh Sua's real skill is brainwashing-related... Is it true?'
If so, this was the last line.
Oh Sua had already brainwashed two spirits and Na Youngho somehow.
While Dokgo Hyun fought Na Youngho, she might've recruited the other two spirits too.
Right now, Dokgo Hyun couldn't predict her method.
'Brainwashing must have trigger conditions. Problem is not knowing what they are.'
So, by the end of this poker phase at latest—before the next Run Phase—he had to uncover Oh Sua's skill.
"Ante phase! Place your chips!"
Clack, clack, clack.
The players each paid one chip.
"Card dealing order...? Hmm..."
The principal pretended to ponder, eyeing the players.
Dokgo Hyun feigned boredom inwardly praying.
'Please third! Anything but second!'
That maximized the hints' value.
"Oh Sua Player arrived first, so her first!"
The principal posed as if dealing, then.
"...Nah, that'd be boring. We'll randomize: Na Youngho, Oh Sua, Dokgo Hyun order!"
Pababat!
Cards were dealt.
'Perfect!'
Third betting order was ideal for Dokgo Hyun.
Hint A said the first card wasn't Ace or odd; Hint B said second was 3 if in main building.
Third best exploited that info edge.
And Dokgo Hyun's card was...
'Screwed.'
A 2, of all things.