WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈
Episode 456: Room 206, Curse Room - The Demon King Who Revives After 100 Days Re (18)
──────
- Cha Jin-cheol
--- Whirr!
This thing spun its wings like a helicopter.
Its body had lifted halfway off the ground, so it definitely had some ability to fly, however inadequate.
But...
“Another failure.”
As the black-haired girl beside me sighed, this thing proved to be another failed creation.
“Argh! It’s doing it again!”
“It’s trying to eat Seung-yeop. Why do you keep making man-eating monsters, Elena?”
Because it was a creature that saw people as food.
Besides, its wings were obviously too small for its body.
“I’ll handle it.”
I had dealt with so many failed creations since yesterday that I had lost count.
Fortunately, this one was not particularly strong.
--- Kieeeek!
An Otherworldly Star Fragment pierced its snout, and the monster melted like butter. I looked toward Paradise’s top star, Elena.
“Oh dear... Elena, it seems difficult.”
“I know.”
“Let’s take a break.”
“... Okay.”
The key to clearing a Curse Room over multiple runs was securing an escape route in advance.
For Room 206, obtaining the City Control Device in Deep Paradise meant escape.
The problem was that time flowed differently in the depths.
An exact calculation was impossible, but one hour in the depths was equivalent to over a week on the surface.
That meant we could not afford to fight every monster from the urban legends scattered throughout the depths.
We needed the ability to fly.
We had to reach our destination while ignoring both monsters and terrain.
That was why Paradise’s top star had come outside the city and was madly creating flying monsters, ignoring broadcasts and everything else.
The people at the broadcasting station were apparently trying to contact her nonstop, while Paradise’s entertainment news covered the top star’s disappearance every day...
No one cared about such trivial problems.
A-ri, one of the Demon King Cult’s leaders, had sent Sang-hyeon hyung to a place called the Sacred Domain, then quit her cult work and joined us.
Considering the flow of time, anyone who descended into the depths was effectively out of the picture.
“This is taking longer than expected. I didn’t think we’d get stuck before we even left.”
“Urgh... It’s not like Miss Elena can produce exactly the monster she wants one after another like a factory.”
“That’s true.”
It was not that Elena lacked proficiency with Ominous Imagination. This was simply a limitation of the ability itself.
Even Beatrix of Room 201, the original owner who had wielded that power for far longer, could not create the desired monster every time.
“That ability feels like gacha every time I see it.”
“Gacha?”
A-ri tilted her head at Seung-yeop’s comparison, so I added a comment.
“Hey, use words noona can understand. Did gacha even exist fifty years ago?”
“Ah, no, that wasn’t-”
--- Swish!
A-ri waved her hand with an incredulous look, and a sharp force jabbed me in the head.
“You think I don’t know the word gacha? I was just worried about how long it would take Elena to pull an SSR.”
“The time it takes Elena noona to pull an SSR? Hearing it put that way makes me feel suffocated.”
Every Inheritance had weaknesses.
The Otherworldly Star was powerful and could be used for a relatively long time, but it was difficult to control.
Final Flash was also powerful and easy to control, but it was a single-use attack.
Old Blood was so varied that it was hard to remember how many abilities it had, but its upper limit was low.
What about Ominous Imagination?
It was versatile and had a high upper limit, but it was difficult to control.
That limitation was what exhausted us right now.
“This won’t do. I should help.”
“Help? Isn’t this something Miss Elena has to deal with herself? Is there even anything we can do from outside?”
“Of course!”
At those words, Seung-yeop and I looked uneasy at the same time.
“By the way, you’re the one who has to help.”
“What? What? Me?”
What was that supposed to mean all of a sudden?
What did she want me to help with?
Elena spotted A-ri approaching confidently and took a step back.
“Eek! A-ri, what’s wrong?”
“Elena, I want to teach you the value of desperation.”
“Huh? What?”
The value of desperation?
“There have been a few times when you made a decent monster in one try, right?”
“Th-that was...”
“A situation as terrible as hell. A crisis where it wouldn’t be strange to die at any moment. In situations like that, your power becomes stronger and more precise.”
Terrible as hell?
A crisis where it wouldn’t be strange to die at any moment?
I was already uneasy!
“What are you suddenly talking about-”
“A-ri Land is now open!”
“What? What land?”
“Gyro Drop, start!”
“???”
--- Boom!
With a rumble as A-ri kicked off the ground-
A-ri shot high into the sky with Elena in tow!
“Eeeek-!”
Elena’s piercing scream rang out, followed by A-ri’s cold voice.
“If you want to live, fly!”
Then A-ri let go of Elena in midair.
“Fly! Live with your own power!”
“Eeeek! A-ri, you really are-!”
Only then did I understand what A-ri had meant by my help.
“Crazy!”
Elena’s body f a l l s s l o w l y.
The flow of the world had slowed because of Instant.
More accurately, my own thoughts had accelerated.
Perhaps worried Elena might get hurt, Seung-yeop summoned Yumi.
I hurried over and watched Elena drift down as slowly as a feather.
After judging exactly where she would land, I stood there in advance, reached out my arms, and-
--- Plop!
“Hah! I-I’m alive! Jin-cheol? Th-thank you!”
“...”
“A-ri, seriously! Do you want to see me make a monster to hunt you?”
“...”
Before we knew it, A-ri, Seung-yeop, and I were staring blankly at Elena.
More precisely, at Elena’s back.
“Elena.”
“A-ri! You really-”
“Look behind you. Jin-cheol isn’t holding you right now.”
“Huh?”
What would a living cloud feel like?
A living creature like cotton candy hung in midair, supporting Elena.
When Elena absentmindedly gestured, it even lowered her in response.
It definitely had the ability to fly, and it was neither too stupid to understand instructions nor violent.
It was the finest creature Elena had created since yesterday.
There was just one problem.
“But it’s too small. It needs to carry Jin-cheol and Seung-yeop too.”
“...”
“Not SSR, maybe SR? Looks like we’ll need a few more Gyro Drops until we succeed!”
...
About thirty minutes later, something like an enlarged version of the earlier cloud appeared.
Perhaps excessive use of her ability had made her more violent, because Elena was busy beating A-ri with her shoe in a rage...
“Let’s go! Let’s get going. Elena, calm down too!”
“Shut up!”
I thought to myself.
I felt bad for Elena, but we should have started the Gyro Drop much earlier!
Time was a precious resource in a Curse Room.
“This could’ve been done in thirty minutes, but we wasted two days. Next time, let’s push her off a cliff. It might only take ten minutes!”
“Y-Yumi, don’t say bad things.”
“... Okay.”
We were finally setting off.
* * *
[User: Kim Sang-hyeon (Wisdom)
Date: Day 488
Current Location: Room 206, Curse Room - ‘The Demon King Who Revives After 100 Days’
Directive: 3]
Three days had passed since the Demon King Cult dropped me into the Sacred Domain.
Amazingly, I was still alive.
“Hyah!”
--- Kieeek!
I brought my hammer down on the monsters rushing at me from every direction, things that could only be described as zombies.
Each one was nothing special, but there were too many!
“Hyah!”
It was strangely similar to what I had experienced in Hungry Ghost Hell.
Perhaps this place had been made with that very location as its motif!
This was a city.
A place like a model garden where the Demon King had crudely imitated Paradise.
--- Screeech!
Since it was a city, there were places resembling apartment buildings, and the metal doors looked fairly sturdy.
Could I get a moment to catch my breath?
“Huff! Dear me...”
The foul stench of rotting flesh came from behind me.
Unfortunately, there was no such thing as a safe zone in this place.
“Kiee-”
--- Crunch!
Since each one was insignificant, I could put them down without much difficulty.
The real problem was that this was not the end of them.
My heart pounded wildly.
An indescribable fear slowly stained one corner of my heart.
“Hah... I expected this, but it truly isn’t easy.”
It was a blessing that I had once served in the special forces, especially at a time like this.
I could endure this much with physical ability alone.
--- Oooooooooh!
A strange wave had been shaking the air for some time.
Seeing its source with my own eyes would be extremely dangerous.
Fortunately, I had an ability for situations like this.
[Directive: 3 -> 2]
‘Where exactly should I go?’
[Do not stay in a cramped place. Go outside the building. There is an enemy at the warehouse near the school, so-]
“...”
The Directive told me to leave the apartment building and check the warehouse near the school.
“Hoo... I wonder if everyone is doing well.”
Ga-in said he would gather followers with the mayor’s help this time.
Since Miss A-ri had sent me to the Sacred Domain, she would likely be heading for the depths by now.
How was Miss Song-i doing, trying to persuade the mayor without supernatural powers?
Thinking of my companions calmed my gloomy heart a little.
Right. In the Hotel, things like this were no more than temporary suffering in the end.
Even if I died, as long as one companion survived, this was a place where there would be a next time.
“Let’s go.”
The moment I opened the door-
--- Beeeep!
A violent ringing, as if a loudspeaker had been pressed to my ear.
Heat that seemed ready to burn my retinas alive.
Pain as though needles pierced my entire body.
“Aaargh!”
I collapsed to the ground and rolled, then rolled again.
I screamed endlessly and shed tears, lamenting my own weakness.
...
“Hah...”
If only I had known nothing!
No. Words like that were only born from weakness.
This place was a model city created by the Demon King, a place imitating the Hotel.
That thing just now was probably a fake Prisoner created by the Demon King.
If it was a fake Prisoner, I could understand why it passed by without killing me.
This was not yet the fifth run.
Before the fifth run, the Prisoner was stripped of agency and could only serve as a kind of Bad Ending.
“Hoo...”
Leaning against the wall in pain, I thought.
If there was a fake Prisoner, there would be a fake Adversary too...
“...”
What had my blessing, my Directive, told me?
Had it said there was an enemy in the warehouse near the school?
“Let’s go.”
I wiped my eyes, which still burned with pain, and used a piece of cloth to wipe the blood flowing from my ears.
One for all, and all for one.
My pain would become a stepping stone for my companions.
* * *
--- Clank!
The moment I entered through the school gate marked □□ High School, I quickly leaned against the wall.
Red blood flowed from my cheek, shoulder, and abdomen.
How many bloody battles had I gone through in such a short time?
Fortunately or unfortunately, despite being bitten several times, I had not become infected.
I wiped away the blood and steadied my breathing.
According to the Directive, there should be a fake Adversary inside the school.
I had to prepare for anything.
--- Ting!
“Should I be grateful even for this much?”
I picked up an iron crowbar from the floor of the guard post.
The city was set in Korea, so there was no way I would find a gun. An iron crowbar had greater reach than the iron hammer I had used until moments ago, so it was a decent weapon.
“Let’s go in.”
As I entered the old, massive high school, I thought.
This place was probably a fake Curse Room created by the Demon King.
If there were fake Prisoners and fake Adversaries, would there not be fake Inheritances as well?
Perhaps fake rewards were the secret behind the supernatural abilities possessed by the Demon King Cult’s leaders.
If so, were the cult’s leaders people who had overcome the trials the Demon King gave them in the Sacred Domain?
That thought answered several questions about the cult, but at the same time raised a new one.
“Demon King, you must still be watching me right now. Why did you imitate the Hotel?”
No answer came.
* * *
[Directive: 2 -> 1]
‘Where exactly is the enemy?’
[If you enter the third room on the right side of the second floor, the enemy will be there, so do not let your guard down and]
“The third room on the right side of the second floor?”
After moving to the second-floor corridor, I walked as quietly as a mouse.
Year 2, Class 1. Year 2, Class 2. Year 2, Class 4-
“...”
Had someone switched the class signs?
It could not have been a more childish trick.
That was apparently why the Directive had told me the third room on the right side of the second floor instead of Year 2, Class 3.
After slowly steadying my breathing-
--- Clank!
The instant I opened the door, I swept the area around it with the iron crowbar.
If someone had been hiding behind or beside the door, it was an attack they could not have avoided.
But there was no one in sight.
“Where are you!”
According to the Directive, the enemy has to be in this classroom!
[Directive: 1 -> 0]
[Fall forward]
“W-What? Forward-”
--- Thud!
The moment I froze in confusion at the sudden order to roll forward, a heavy impact struck me along with searing pain.
“Argh!”
Someone had struck me from behind.
“W-What is this! It definitely-”
The moment I saw the man who had appeared behind me, I instinctively knew the answer.
This man had been inside the classroom when the Directive appeared, then changed locations while I went upstairs!
“... How-”
“Are you wondering how I figured out how to counter your ability?”
“...”
“Because this isn’t the first time. Most of you use your advice at roughly the same time.”
“... Advice?”
“You react the same way every time, too. Does it appear as a different word to you?”
“...”
I was confused.
My body, my mind...
They hurt too much.
Then, as the raincoat-wearing man’s hand went into my chest to seize my heart, an unknown memory told me something.
“This is... This is my power... Diligence... My power!”
“It is not your power. It is my power.”
--- Crunch!
My consciousness blurred.
I wished this was all a dream.
Footnotes:
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