Chapter 2: The Difficulty Just Keeps Ramping Up, Doesn't It?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 2: The Difficulty Just Keeps Ramping Up, Doesn't It?
"System? You there?"
"..."
"Old Grandpa?"
"..."
"Goddess?"
"..."
"Kyubey?"
"..."
"Pikachu?"
"..."
"Anyone? Can't someone just come out and say something?"
After trying to call out every cheat-assisting character he knew and receiving zero response, Muen couldn't help but clutch his face as tears threatened to spill.
"Do I really not have any cheats?"
When other people transmigrate, they get cheats, beauties, and legendary weapons. It’s like the world is desperate for the protagonist to hit level ninety-nine in a single day so they can reach the pinnacle of life and marry a harem of rich, beautiful women without putting in any effort.
But when he transmigrated, not only did he have to face this disastrous beginning, he didn't even have a single scrap of extra help.
"Good heavens, I only pulled a 'five-golds-in-one-ten-pull' once! Even if I was trading my lifespan for that gacha luck, it shouldn't have come to this, right?"
"Oh, right. Those things are for protagonists. I’m just a supporting character."
Muen’s understanding of his own position became clearer. It seemed his fate as a blonde supporting character was basically set in stone.
However, actually following the original plot and drugging Celicia was absolutely out of the question. No matter how stupid he was, he wasn't stupid enough to actually light that powder keg.
In short, there was only one strategy for handling this situation: lay low.
"I wonder if apologizing to the protagonist in person tomorrow will clear the air. At worst, I’ll have to make some sacrifices. I just hope she doesn't make any unreasonable demands."
Muen gritted his teeth. He decided that even if the protagonist demanded he lick her feet tomorrow before she’d forgive him, he would... just do it.
Anyway, the feet of a beautiful girl weren't exactly a hardship to lick.
He just hoped she’d be wearing black stockings when the time came.
"Right, that's the plan!"
Muen pumped his fist, his mind made up.
Now that he’d reached a decision, all that was left was to—
"Ow!"
In the middle of his spirited resolve, Muen suddenly let out a cry of pain.
Something had flown out of nowhere and smacked him right on the back of the head.
"What the hell?"
Muen cursed under his breath, one hand clutching his head as he looked for the object that had hit him.
It was a book.
A black book.
"What is... this?"
Muen frowned.
For some reason, he felt a strange sense of familiarity with this book.
As if... it was something very important.
But in his memory, he had never seen this black volume before.
And... he looked up. He was in his room with the doors and windows tightly shut. Where did this book come from?
"Could it be..."
Muen’s eyes suddenly lit up.
"My cheat has arrived?"
The book was pure black. The cover had no patterns or designs, but perhaps because the black was so absolute, staring at it for too long made him feel as though his soul was being swallowed.
"It seems the heavens haven't abandoned me after all."
Muen was so moved he nearly burst into tears.
Cheats were good. Cheats were wonderful.
With a cheat in hand, even if he was just an ordinary salaryman, wouldn't he be able to kick the Soaring Phoenix and punch the Child of Destiny?
Fate? What was that?
Had they never heard the saying, "My life is mine to command, not the heavens'"?
Only...
How do you use this thing?
Looking at the wordless cover, Muen fell into confusion.
There wasn't even a starter tutorial.
Could it be that it contained some peerless cultivation technique that would make him invincible?
Muen swallowed nervously. Then, with a heart full of excitement, he slowly turned the page.
Inside...
It was completely blank.
"What gives?"
"A Wordless Heavenly Book?"
"Or does it need some special method to activate?"
Muen turned the black book over and over, even holding it by the cover and shaking it, but there was no reaction.
"Heh, don't tell me I have to do the whole 'blood recognition' thing."
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Muen felt a sudden warmth trail down his forehead.
A drop of crimson blood flowed down from the spot where the black book had just struck him.
As if everything had been perfectly calculated.
It landed precisely in the center of the page.
In an instant.
Flip-flip-flip!
Like a beast waking to the scent of blood, the black book began to flip its pages violently.
A terrifying suction force erupted from within.
Muen’s blood suddenly geysered from the wound on his head, surging continuously into the black book.
"Holy crap, what's happening?!"
Before he could even react to the gruesome scene, Muen’s vision went black, and he lost consciousness.
...
Drip.
Drip.
A dark space.
Flowing liquid.
Bone-chilling air.
And... a person?
Who is it?
【Ah, you’re finally awake. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.】
The voice sounded like two pieces of rusted iron scraping together, muffled by static. He couldn't even tell if it was male or female.
【Then, let us continue.】
Continue?
Continue what?
A blurry shadowy figure stepped out from the darkness.
A light of unknown origin shone on the shadow's face, but it looked like it had been pixelated; he couldn't see anything clearly.
【It’s already four hundred and seventy-two. As expected of you.】
Four hundred and seventy-two?
Four hundred and seventy-two what?
The shadowy figure continued to approach. She raised her hand, and something cold glinted in her grasp.
It was an exquisite small knife, thin as a cicada's wing.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
What was that flowing?
It was blood.
A lot of blood.
Flowing incessantly from four hundred and seventy-two wounds.
Accompanied by a pain that pierced to the very marrow of his bones.
【Ah, my heart aches so much right now.】
The shadowy figure lowered her head. Glistening liquid flowed down her face, mixing with the blood.
【I love you so, so, so, so, so much. But why... why did you...】
【You weren't supposed to be like this. You were so evil, so tyrannical, so selfish. You were supposed to grant others pain, not tolerance. You were supposed to make everyone hate you...】
【That way, you would belong only to me.】
【But you changed. You had a change of heart.】
【Changing your heart... is not allowed.】
The sharp blade glided over his skin.
With every stroke, it left a crimson mark that would never fade.
Whispers filled with infinite love and hatred echoed frantically in his ears like the buzzing of bees.
The shadowy figure leaned in close, bringing with her an indistinguishable scent of blood and flowers.
【So, I can only use my love to completely purify you.】
【Don't worry. I have plenty of love to give.】
...
"What was... that?"
Muen suddenly snapped his eyes open, gasping for breath. His face was pale, and he was drenched in sweat as if he had just escaped from the depths of hell.
"A dream?"
He was still in his own room. It was impossible for a strange shadowy figure to have subjected him to death by a thousand cuts.
A dream was the only explanation.
"But why would I suddenly have a dream like that? I was just..."
Muen looked at the black book in his hand, falling into a daze.
He stroked the black book, murmuring thoughtfully:
"And... that dream felt way too real."