Chapter 16 Trauma Penalty (1)

Translator: HH

Black Dragon.

The guild that had ruled at the top since the Tower opened.

[We didnt fail the 10th floor because we lack the abilities to.]

The Rank 2 hunter who controlled Black Dragon. She challenged the 10th floor tens of times. Everytime she challenged it, she failed. The Rank 2 hunter lost, but she saved all the hunters who partic.i.p.ated in it. In an interview, she said this.

[We were just unlucky.]

When Flame Emperor had pa.s.sed the 10th floor himself, he announced to everyone.

[Luck is also a skill, losers.]

It was the interview called Loser Announcement.

After that, Black Dragon started to be wary of Flame Emperor after being turned into a loser groupwell, it wasnt important anymore. Yoo Soo-ha had already died in my hand. The possibility of that kind of interview was gone now. But the problem was this.

Why was the Flame Emperor able to clear the 10th floor?

Because he was just stronger?

Or.

Because there was another reason?

The answer was revealing itself in front of me right now.

2.

[The boss stage is commencing.]

At the same time the voice rang out, the residence started to change.

Everywhere, candles started to tilt over. Fire started where they tilted over. It was like they had poured oil on it beforehand. Fire instantly swallowed the western-style residence.

-Hahahaha!

Only the dolls were fine in the fire.

-Youre it! Well run away!

-Lets run away, run away! Lets run away from here!

Hundreds. No, thousands of little dolls. Dolls filled the first floor lobby. There were probably ten thousands of dolls all over the entire residence.

One of these.

Gulp. I swallowed my spit.

The [Real Doll] is hidden somewhere.

A probability of 1/10,000!

This was the reason why people had failed so far.

Burning all the dolls while I find the real one. If I escape before I die, I only have about 10 minutes to look.

The fire burning the residence wasnt normal fire. It was a shape of Aura, called h.e.l.lfire.

That meant.

This entire residence is burning up with Aura.

A boss monster who knew how to use Aura!

So far, people who challenged it died from h.e.l.lfire, escaped, or met one of these two fates. Hunters risked their lives on the probability of 1/10,000 but it was a waste. They only burned to death with horrifying screams.

And herewas the secret why only the Flame Emperor was able to succeed.

That guy sucking all the luck.

I muttered to myself.

Yes. The Aura of the boss monster was the same Flame Emperors.

To other players, this was h.e.l.lfire. However, Flame Emperor felt comfortable like it was his own bedroom. Since the 10th floors boss monsters h.e.l.lfire was the same property as Yoo Soo-ha.

Tsk.

He probably looked around until he found the real doll.

And he bragged about it saying luck was also a skill.

He definitely wasnt someone I liked.

-The hunter that lives off of luck is you.

What do you mean, I live off of luck?

I crinkled my eyebrows at his mocking.

Im barely hanging on with my Aura right now.

Sweat dripped down between my eyebrows. The burning heat! My body was covered in what was incomparable to the heat of a hot spring. If I didnt use my Aura, I wouldve burned to death already.

-Yeah. But 1 minute is probably gonna be your limit.

Annoyingly, Bae Hu-ryeong knew my exact condition.

-Also, grandpops Marcus would be able to last 30 minutes. Do you know why he hasnt challenged here yet? Its to extend that 30 minutes to 1 hour.

ah, yes yes. Thank you for confirming the gap in our skills.

-Heeheehee.

Bae Hu-ryeong freely flew around the lobby that was burning in fire. Dolls were laughing below and ghosts were snickering above. There wasnt a better ghost house than this.

-So? You only have 2 Coins but what are you gonna do now?

What else would I do. I have to die.

-Look at you. Do you think your Aura will suddenly increase if you die here?

Bae Hu-ryeong sn.i.g.g.e.red at me.

-Theres only 2 ways to clear this room! Find the real doll with luck, or be able to use Aura real well until you find the real doll. But you only bet 2 Coins on yourself, stupidly. Its not gonna work probably.

Hehe.

Even while sweating, I kept my smile.

This guy knows one but not two. No. Is it that he knows two but not three?

-What?

Lets see wholl win after dying once.

Now I had 20 seconds until my Aura ran out.

I approached a doll that was closest to me. The reason waswell, I didnt really have one. I just thought it was boring to stand there waiting to die. I just mightve been real lucky for the doll in front of me to be [Real].

-Are you gonna play with us?

Creaaak.

The dolls neck twisted. Only her neck twisted. It wouldnt be strange if she was casted in a horror movie right this second. She was wearing a frilled dress, but her dress didnt burn at all. Like it was immune to the fire.

Got you.

I put the dolls head on my hand and spoke.

Giggle giggle.

The doll let out chuckles with her indifferent face.

-Beep! Not me!

That wasnt the only thing she released.let out Lips. Skin, Eyes. Her body slid down like paper. The fire instantly swallowed the doll, and she continued to speak like a broken record.

-Not me! Not me! Not me!

-Not! Not, me. Memenotme

-Notme

It completely melted down.

Wow

I was speechless. My body felt hot but I was s.h.i.+vering. It was more horrendous than I imagined.

I got gooseb.u.mps. Why would they make the boss monster like that?

-Who would know the great meaning of the Tower. Zombie. A weak a.s.s like you getting a f.u.c.king cheat skill is also a meaning of the Tower. If the Tower had a personality, it would probably be a pervert psychopath.

You really

I couldnt complain any longer.

Keuk!?

My Aura had run out.

The flames ran at me like they had been waiting for this moment. The soles of my shoes melted first. Then my clothes. And the fire moved onto my hair.

Ah,

From my head to my feet.

Ack! Aaaaaack!!!

My entire body was burning. Although my skin was sliding down, the fire didnt stop. Rather, it clung on me tighter like it found a delicious snack. Nerves. Bones. Throat. Liver.

Ow, sh! Uk, keackkk!

-And youre a pervert that surpa.s.ses the Tower. Ke. Even if you want to be the greatest hunter in the tower, you accept burning to death like its nothing. I admit it, Kim Zombie! Youre a real pervert!

I wanted to die.

Quick, I wanted to die even a second faster!

Uuuh!

I couldnt speak. The sound was m.u.f.fled. My eyes and ears had been burned.

The moment I felt like my head would explode from overheating, the voice came from my subconscious like it had been waiting.

[You have died.]

d.a.m.n.

They shouldve killed me a bit faster.

-Puhua!

I breathed like someone who had just surfaced after a long dive. Although I hadnt really let out a breath, and it was just a feeling.

This was the Nether World. It was the black place my bare body roamed like a ghost.

[Your death has satisfied the skill condition.]

[The Monster h.e.l.lfire Maidens skills are being randomly copied.]

And it was a place of opportunity for me as well.

[Skills cards are being created.]

Cards floated up in the black nothingness. Was it something unexpected? Although it was a boss monster, there was only 1 golden card. All the other cards were silver or p.o.o.p-colored.

Lets see. You havent forgotten your promise, right?

-I know. Sheesh. Do you see me as someone who would break their promise? Dont worry.

Bae Hu-ryeong smirked.

-Lets see. What kind of skill does this lady have?

Bae Hu-ryeong floated up and headed towards the opposite side of the cards. He was letting me know the information on the cards in advance to me.

-Oho! Hey, this ones lit!

Bae Hu-ryeong read the golden card.

+

[h.e.l.lfire Trap]

Rank: S-

Effects: Regrets. Resentment. Complaints. What you couldnt do, the voice that you couldnt say, the wishes that you werent able to achieve. Burn them all. Its hot. Is it hot? Make the world a clump of fire. I feel like Ill die. Die. If you want you, the Auras h.e.l.lfire will descend anywhere within 2 km of you.

No one can leave the h.e.l.l without your permission.

No one.

However, you have to be within the radius.

It was a scary skill.

-This ones definitely it. Zombie, shut up and get this skill.

-Hm? Hey, Kim Zombie. Why is there no reply?

No. Nothing.

I knit my eyebrows.

I dont know why, but theres something off about it.

What was it?

It was an amazing skill. But there was something off. I felt uncomfortable, like I had choked on something and couldnt get it out. The feeling of the water pipe being broken but not knowing where it was.

Anyways, read the next skills.

-Hm? I dont think therell be a better skill than this. Cant you just pick this?

Theres a skill Im looking for. Cmon, quickly!

-Humph,

He pouted, but he read the rest of the cards.

-Alright, listen well. [Labyrinth Plan] A- Cla.s.s, [Doll Controller] B Cla.s.s, [Target Attack] B- Cla.s.s, [Trap Installation] C Cla.s.s

Pause.

-.

He was smoothly reading the cards and cut himself off. The last skill. Bae Hu-ryeongs eyes shook at the s.h.i.+ning silver card.

-f.u.c.k?

I smirked.

Thats right.

-N, No, its notwait

Its fine. I got it. You dont have to read it.

I was sure.

That was the card I wanted.

[Please select a skill card.]

The cards started to fly around. They were fast. But I had focused on one card from the beginning, and it didnt confuse me.

-Hey! Gong-ja! Hey! Lets not be like this.

Bae Hu-ryeong continued to shout, like he knew.

-Look at this. Wow, a golden card! Wow, S Cla.s.s skill! Dope! If you have this you can make h.e.l.lfire when you want. How cool is that.

I dont know.

-Why dont you know! Ill fall in love! If I was a girl, I would fall in love at Kim Gong-ja, your charm! Lets get it! Lets go, Kim Gong-jas celebrity life!

I grinned.

You shouldve realized something was strange.

There were clues.

Out of the ten thousands of dolls, theres only one real one. The real one is the user of the skill, so of course, they wont be damaged.

I held out my hand.

But why are the fake dolls fine as well?

And I grabbed the silver card.

-Aaaack! No! No! s.h.i.+t, no!

Theres only one answer. Sword Emperor.

I flipped over the silver card.

+

[Night and Day Fire Caution]

Rank: A

Effects: Ow, thats hot! If we leave this alone, our house will completely burn up, right? But now, you dont have to worry. The living and non living things you choose will be immune to the fire and not burn.

However, damage from water and ice increases by 300%

+

Yup.

The 10th stage. Hide and seek of the h.e.l.lfire residence.

The boss didnt have just the ability to burn things up.

Lets go!

They also had the opposing skill, not making things burn.

I clenched my fist and let myself be drowned with victory.

I came! I saw! I conquered!

-Nono, sob. This isnt rightthis really isnt right

Bae Hu-ryeongs mentality collapsed.

What do you mean its not right? With this skill, its over if I make myself immune. I can slowly look for the real doll now. Game over. From today, youll have to call me Gong-ja-nim!

-d.a.m.ns.h.i.+tf.u.c.kthis is a scam. It was set to be like this

Uwahwahwah! Call me Gong-ja-nim now!

My voice rang in the dark s.p.a.ce.

A voice that wasnt mine rang out as well.

[Selection complete. The skill is being copied.]

[You are being regressed to 24 hours ago.]

It was the celebratory message that signaled my win in the best.

Now, I could return to a day and challenge the 10th floor again.

Clearing it was right in front of me now.

[Your current hunter rank is E cla.s.s.]

However, that wasnt the end today.

[You will receive a penalty due to your skill.]

-Huh?

Oh. Right.

It was the alarm I didnt see when I was Rank F.

But this time, for the first time, I received my first penalty.

I wondered which penalty would be given.

[The trauma of your enemy is being reenacted.]

[The extremity is Weak. h.e.l.l Road.]

Hm? Trauma?

I tilted my head at the unexpected word.

What does it mean to reenact the trauma of my enemy

Before I could finish speaking, the world in front of me turned white.