WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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SSS-CLASS HUNTER WHO DIES TO LIVE

Chapter 292: Forsaken Believers (3)

The secret passage was pitch dark.

"Shiny, light up. What are you waiting for?"

[Shiny feels delighted to hear a command after a long time.]

[Shiny feels a severe sense of self-loathing for being happy about such a thing...]

Since integrating with all the sister swords and becoming a complete entity, Shiny has grown quite emotional. Yes, like a cheese pizza topped with camembert, cheddar, and gouda.

[Shiny points out that you forgot Parmesan cheese!]

Shiny shone brightly as if craving cheese pizza.

Despite being neglected for 150 years, the passage was relatively intact. Occasional rockslides were blocking the way, but that was nothing a slash of aura couldn't handle.

-Don’t even look towards the northeast.

The Guardian Spirit occasionally offered advice.

-If you do happen to look, make sure to break eye contact before 23 seconds. Their security system activates even underground. Ah, and don’t let your aura accumulate in your eyes. See that slightly different colored stone on the floor? Never step on it.

“Okay. Is this the right way?”

The Guardian Spirit knew exactly where to go and where not to look. There were traps every 12 seconds or so, but I avoided them all.

-Turn left at the first fork.

“Hmm. This way seems right... I just have a feeling.”

The Magic Tower's stronghold was as tempting as a Quattro Cheese Pizza before me.

-Oh, and there’s a monster trap ahead. Just go around the side and wall run.

“Hey, you're right again. I must be lucky. I felt something ominous about the right path at the last fork.”

All the while, I kept talking to myself.

Of course, it's not because I'm crazy.

-Aren't you?

“Hey, what do you take me for?”

-I take you for whatever you actually are, zombie.

Contrary to the Guardian Spirit's wicked imagination, my babbling was meant to confuse the watching Constellations as if I was simply lucky to bypass all these obstacles. As if I had some fortune or detection skill that made it so easy for me to evade traps, I kept on rambling.

[‘The Lonely Seeker’ is speechless at your progression speed.]

[‘The Barren Lady’ wants to pat you on the back.]

[‘The Incarnation of Love and Lust’ thinks about slapping your butt too!]

[‘The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth’ seriously doubts the skills you possess.]

Okay. Although some strange folks exist, these Constellations are taking the bait well.

I swiftly navigated through the secret passage. I could feel myself getting closer to the heart of the Magic Tower. The further I walked, the stronger the presence of something like aura but stickier and more noxious, like a toxic fog.

-Stop.

Abruptly, I halted at the Guardian Spirit's command.

-This part is crucial.

The floor illuminated by Shiny showed nothing unusual.

However, the Guardian Spirit spoke as if a red starting line had been drawn.

-The Magic Tower's mages, known collectively as [spiders], have bio-etched insignias on their bodies. These insignias serve as a kind of ID, allowing them free access. From this point, anyone without the spider's etching will be recognized as an outsider and trigger an alarm.

“Hmm. It seems like if I walk carelessly from here, I’ll get into big trouble…”

-But it’s also [detection magic]. There's a delay before the magic actually activates.

“Looking at it, it doesn’t seem like an instant-reactive trap…”

I casually acted while the Guardian Spirit chuckled at my performance.

-Six seconds.

The Guardian Spirit pointed forward with his left hand.

-You just need to get past it in six seconds.

"......."

-Actually, I'm not sure if it's six or seven seconds. Anyway, last time I ran through in six seconds, no alarm was triggered.

I turned my head. The passage stretched far into the darkness, too deep for even Shiny's light to reach.

I picked up a stone and threw it with all my might, like a baseball player, infused with aura...

"Hm."

The stone shot straight out. Except for the sound of it cutting through the air, there was nothing else. Only after a long while did I faintly hear a thud as it hit something.

The end of the passage didn't seem close at all.

-It’s a bit far, huh?

The Guardian Spirit snickered.

-Heh. Starting to get an idea of how awesome I was back then? I was like a comet streaking across the sky. My red hair fluttered, just like the tail of a comet.

"......."

Listening to him, I surveyed the passage.

‘So you crossed it in six seconds, huh?’

-Of course.

The Guardian Spirit shrugged nonchalantly.

-It felt like a leisurely walk, but it took six seconds.

Alright.

This will be fun.

“Constellations, I may not be a magic expert, but I have a nose for magical scents. It seems like the spiders ahead have laid a rather nasty trap.”

I put Shiny back in its sheath and began stretching my thighs and calves.

“I've just arrived on the 50th floor, and you’ve shown interest in me. So I want to give you a chance to judge what kind of person I am.”

[‘The Lonely Seeker’ is intrigued by your words.]

[‘The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth’ knows what lies ahead but remains silent.]

As I put Shiny away, darkness enveloped everything. The cold air filled with a strange, ominous magic, making the darkness seem like squirming tentacles.

After finishing my warm-up, I took a deep breath.

‘I’m running.’

Movement technique.

The technique I learned from my master was an improved version of what originated from the Kunlun Sect.

‘Run!’

The secret isn't just wrapping aura around the legs and feet.

I also form a small, sponge-like orb of aura under my soles.

I don't step on the ground directly. Instead, I step on the small aura mass, exerting force on my entire leg, and then explode that tiny orb.

It's a continuous process.

Naturally, a slight mistake could cripple your legs. Not only do I have to wield aura to prevent damage to bones and muscles, but I also use the explosive force of aura as propulsion.

‘Six seconds, you said?’

Facing the Guardian Spirit's challenge, I concentrated aura more intensely under my feet than ever before. Like a child pressing mud into a ball, I layered aura, creating a [spring] ready to explode at any moment.

‘Let me show you a 5-second run.’

Then, I launched forward.

Perhaps 'shot out' would be more accurate for such speed.

-Oh-ho.

1 second.

In the vast darkness, I heard the Guardian Spirit's whistle. Smiling, I focused solely on creating and stepping on the [aura springs].

The reactions of those other than the Guardian Spirit were even more intense.

[‘The Lonely Seeker’ is astonished by your aura manipulation!]

2 seconds.

The wind slashing past my cheeks was sharp. I wrapped my entire body in aura. The sticky magic, like a spider's web, attempted to block my charge.

Of course, I tore through the web-like magic and advanced.

[‘The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth’ is certain you're no novice!]

3 seconds passed, yet the end of the tunnel was still not in sight. However, the intensity of the web-like magic was increasing. My form was definitely getting closer to the Magic Tower, and at a very rapid pace.

‘4 seconds.’

I ran even faster. I compressed the aura springs under my feet more forcefully, more fervently. I started to feel that [pushing any further would be harmful], but it didn't matter.

‘5 seconds!’

Finally, I sensed a solid wall blocking my path. A dead end. The end of the secret passage. An entrance was revealed.

If I reduced my speed now, I could cut it close to 6 seconds and gently stop in front of the entrance.

‘Not yet,’

But I just kept running.

‘5 seconds!’

At that moment, BOOM! My body crashed into the dark barrier.

Rather than colliding, I basically demolished the wall.

Despite covering my entire body in aura, the impact was inevitable, so I tumbled on the ground.

"Ow, uh, owowow…"

Rumble.

The barrier I broke through crumbled, bricks falling apart. Amidst the rising dust, I slowly stood up, massaging my thighs.

No alarm for intruders sounded.

"Ah. Thank you, Constellations. It seems I've safely passed through the secret passage. My thighs are just... Ah, I pushed myself a bit too much."

[‘The Eyes Dwelling in the Labyrinth’ is at a loss for words.]

[‘The Lonely Seeker’ begins to pity the Magic Tower for having you as an enemy!]

The Constellations were clearly dumbfounded in their messages.

[‘The Incarnation of Love and Lust’ realizes you're crazy and is delighted!]

[‘The Incarnation of Love and Lust’ eagerly recommends not just a single quest but an entire campaign for you!]

[‘The Incarnation of Love and Lust’ is ready to promise you an enormous quest reward!]

Ignoring that one who had been like that since earlier.

‘Now, Sword Emperor. What do you think? Don’t you believe that the difference between 6 and 5 seconds represents an insurmountable wall separating the ordinary from the extraordinary? In other words, I am a meteor surpassing a comet. Comets may look stronger, but in English, comets are 'comets,’ and meteors are 'meteors'. In most RPGs, Meteor is a higher level spell than Comet, reflecting the general perception of the world...’

I was turning to tease the Guardian Spirit when it happened.

Snap.

I accidentally locked eyes with someone whose identity I couldn't discern.

"......."

"......."

Probably.

The figure in front of me seemed to be cleaning this underground area.

Looking around, I saw that the end of the secret passage turned out to be a sewer.

The smell of cheese missed its eating time emanated from various places. It was evident that this was a neglected area, and therefore, anyone who had to clean such a place was surely not a high-ranking official, nor a child of one, not even a friend of such a child's, but simply, the lowest of the low.

"Uh, uhuhuhuh, uhuhuh...."

The mage boy, obviously a low-ranking one, holding a broom, looked at me with terror-stricken eyes.

He twitched his toes as if to move (he was barefoot) but did not. Or rather, could not. He was completely paralyzed by fear.

“Intruder... intruder... there’s an intruder...!”

“Hello.”

I gently grabbed the boy's shoulder.

Politely smiling the whole time.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Eeek!?”

The boy clammed up.

From his perspective, I was a bare-bodied person who just smashed through a massive wall and appeared unscathed, albeit a bit stiff.

Though I must have been covered in dust from head to toe, my human-like appearance, even with a gentle smile, was unlikely to be very appealing.

“I seem to have lost my way.”

Nevertheless, I always tried to be kind to anyone. Still smiling pleasantly, I spoke to the boy in the softest voice I could muster.

“I'm not quite sure where this place is. Could you perhaps guide me?”

“This, this place is... the Magic Tower...! The Magic Tower’s second division...”

“Surely, this isn't the Magic Tower, right? Imagine, just getting lost and ending up here, only to be treated as an intruder. And the Magic Tower folks having to swiftly eliminate the intruder, and since the intruder wouldn’t want to die, they would have to silently kill the witness who discovered them. Surely this isn’t such a horrifying Magic Tower?”

“Eeek…!?”

The boy dropped his broom.

“No, no! This isn’t the Magic Tower! Absolutely not! I don’t know where that is! Please, just... I didn’t see anything... Ohh, I didn’t see it...!”

“Ah. That's good to hear.”

I genuinely felt relieved and nodded.

I wanted the boy to know that I was satisfied, so I gave him another smile. The boy finally seemed reassured and swallowed hard with a "gulp."

He must have realized I was harmless.

“I'm looking for the followers of Great Librarian of All Knowledge - Hamusutra. I have some business with them… Sorry to bother you, but since this place isn’t the Magic Tower and is just a slightly complex location, could you guide me?”

“Uh, those followers... are under strict surveillance. I... I’m just...”

“Ah.”

Squeeze.

“We should help each other out in life.”

I gave the boy's shoulder a more comforting pat.

“You can at least guide me, right?”

“...Yes, uh....”

The boy was trembling.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

Surprisingly, most of the human body is made of water, which occasionally gets expelled through the eyes.

"......I’ll guide you... just... please spare me......."

“Ah, see? There’s still kindness in this world!”

I patted the boy's back.

“Thank you. Nameless spider. I’ll surely repay you later. Ah, of course, once I safely escape from this place that is definitely not the Magic Tower. Let’s both make it out safely!”

“Huuuh... yes..."

“What’s your name? I’m Kim Gong-Ja, mage. And you?”

“Cha, Charumu... my name is Charumu.... Huuuh..."

For some reason, the boy shed more tears.

I was pleased that things were going smoother than expected. Then, a beat too late, I remembered I was in the middle of boasting to the Guardian Spirit.

‘Ah, right. Anyway, Sword Emperor. I was one second faster than you. One second leads to ten, then a year, and eventually a century. So, essentially, I'm a hundred years ahead of you, right? It proves that the Demonic Cult's movement technique is the best.’

-.......

‘Do you admit it? Mr. Six Seconds. Huh? Having fallen a hundred years behind someone who made a 5-second record.’

-Yeah....

For some reason, the Guardian Spirit looked incredibly disillusioned.

-Right... Viper isn't your rival for nothing…

‘What?’

-Nothing. Just go be the best…

Perfect.

Everything is perfect.

Now, off to heroically save people!

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