SSS-Class Revival Hunter - Chapter 208

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 208: Cheat (1)

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"I investigated as my wife suggested."

Raviel placed a stack of newspapers with a thud.

"Did you find anything?"

"Yes. She's quite a famous student."

The newspapers were marked with a lime-green highlighter. Where it was highlighted, the words [Miss Jaa], [J], and [Jaa Soo-Jeong] were written. The minor’s real name was exposed.

Such is the media of this era.

"She's more known by her nickname than her real name. Commonly referred to as [The Ghost-Seeing Detective]. Ask anyone on the street, and one in two people knows her."

"Even without appearing on public broadcasts, that's quite something..."

"The younger they are, the more likely they know her. Especially high school and middle school students; there's hardly anyone who doesn't know her. Even if they don't know the details of her activities, they've at least heard the term [Ghost-Seeing Detective]."

The interest wasn't entirely positive.

"Most respond with [Ah, that fraud?]. It's unfortunate. The person you claim to be the Tower Master doesn't seem to have a good reputation."

"......A fraudster."

Two days ago. The day I met the Tower Master.

Uburka and Raviel had tracked me down using my Aura. I introduced them to Jaa Soo-Jeong, claiming she was the Tower Master. Both were surprised but agreed to stay here for a while.

When I asked if it was okay to stay for a bit, [Jaa Soo-Jeong, a third-year student at Shinseo Middle School, Class A] nodded expressionlessly.

"Yes. It's okay. There are many empty rooms. Feel free to stay as you like."

However, there was a condition.

"Please get my permission before entering the warehouse. And try not to wander around the house after 1 a.m. It's the children's playtime."

I took the advice seriously.

No matter how brave I am, I'm not keen on playing with ghosts.

Especially when Aura doesn't work at all, it's already a mystery.

"Twelve administrative sanctions. Eight civil lawsuits currently pending."

Raviel furrowed her brows.

"Considering her young age, she's been through too much trouble. No wonder she’s treated as a fraudster... Seeing ghosts is indeed astonishing. But Gong-ja, are you sure this girl is the Tower Master?"

"Yes. I'm certain."

Chop, chop, chop, chop.

In the kitchen, a knife danced rhythmically.

The Tower Master.

The student named Jaa Soo-Jeong in this world, with her back turned, was chopping a raw chicken. Preparing dinner, with Uburka assisting her.

"When I was conquering the stage here, there were several strange points."

"Strange points?"

"Yes. Originally, this world is a manifestation of the trauma of the Constellation Killer."

I had once faced the Constellation Killer on the 50th floor.

Although I succeeded in killing one of Constellation Killer’s puppets, I ultimately lost.

The trauma of Constellation Killer that I glimpsed as I died is the very identity of this place [City of Ascension - Side Story].

"When the trauma was being manifested, I heard the Tower's voice."

I wrote on the notebook.

Warning.

Re-enacting the trauma of your killer.

Extracting the necessary data from your memories.

The important part is the last sentence.

"The landscape depicted in this world was Constellation Killer’s trauma, but the 'paint' used to draw it came from me. Hence, the characters' appearances all changed to people I know."

The class president became Black Dragon Master.

The student council president became Raviel.

My mother and father became Master and Guardian Spirit, respectively.

But there was exactly one exception, the only [person who did not exist in my memories].

"Kim Yul's face didn't change."

"Hmm."

"I had no idea what Constellation Killer looked like in a previous life. Since I didn’t know, I couldn’t remember. Yet, in the world of trauma, only Kim Yul retained his original appearance from the start."

Raviel stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"......Indeed, that's strange. If your memories were extracted, [Kim Yul's face should have changed to someone else's]."

"Exactly. The conclusion is clear. Kim Yul was extracted from [another data source], not my memories. Borrowed from someone else's memory. I'm convinced that [someone else] is the Tower Master."

"On what basis?"

"I do have evidence."

I picked up the pencil again.

"The Tower said something strange when I cleared this world."

I recalled the voices I had heard.

Clear conditions met.

Considering the peculiarities of this stage, a judgment is requested.

Judgment complete.

The Master of All Lives acknowledges 'Stage Clear'.

"Until now, the Tower assigned the decision of whether a stage was cleared or not to the responsible Constellations. The Constellation in charge of floors 21 to 30 was [Holed-Up Head Librarian], Hamusutra. But for some reason, this world was directly judged by [The Master of All Lives]."

"......."

"In other words, this stage was specially managed by [The Master of All Lives]."

There's more evidence.

"A suspicious message was delivered immediately after the stage clearance was recognized."

Today, the 29th floor has been cleared.

The Master of All Lives announces on behalf of the tower.

You’ve worked hard, everyone.

May fortune be with you.

There was a longer message in between, but I can’t remember that.

But this is enough.

[The Master of All Lives] made an exception and personally offered congratulations.

"There’s no doubt. The Tower Master managed this stage."

I spoke with certainty.

"Kim Yul's appearance was also manifested by the Tower Master. According to [The Princess Who Strolls Through Mirages], the Tower Master once lived in this world. Lived the life of the most unfortunate person. And coincidentally, this girl Jaa Soo-Jeong knows Kim Yul."

"......She managed the school animal pen with him."

"Yes."

So, using the Tower Master's memory, Kim Yul could be recreated.

This resolves the data gap.

"It makes sense. But if that girl is the Tower Master, why has she lost her powers and memory?"

"......."

I looked at Jaa Soo-Jeong's back in the kitchen.

Sizzle, sizzle.

The old pot boiled with chicken.

"There are several possibilities I can think of......"

"But?"

"From what I've seen, the Tower Master, no matter what happens, does not interfere much with the affairs of the Tower. Unless it’s a truly dire situation, she does not reveal herself. [She stays as an ordinary human unless in a critical situation] - she might have imposed such a limitation on herself."

I set my pencil moving again.

Raviel leaned over my shoulder, looking at the notebook.

Regarding Trauma.

"For example, trauma. I can see the trauma of the person who killed me. This is guaranteed by my skill [Returner’s Winding Clock]. However, the question arises: what determines the trauma?"

Scribble, scribble.

Two possibilities were written on the page.

Regarding Trauma.

1. Trauma remembered by the subject.

2. Trauma that, even if not remembered by the subject, had a significant impact on their life.

"Initially, I thought it was the first option. But..."

“The existence of this world's stage negates option one.”

“Yes. Because Constellation Killer did not remember the trauma of his time as Kim Yul."

The answer was the second option.

Events that impacted life, whether remembered or not.

That's the nature of the trauma my skill reveals.

“The Tower tends to mend any inconsistencies that arise. The contradiction that arose when Constellation Killer's trauma was being reenacted was this.”

1. The trauma of Constellation Killer’s past must be reenacted.

2. However, Constellation Killer lost all past memories due to his skill.

3. The conflict between [Kim Gong-Ja's skill] that manifests trauma and [Constellation Killer’s skill] that erases the past.

4. Contradiction occurs.

“The Tower recognized this as a crisis situation. So, the Tower Master, living as an ordinary middle school student, Jaa Soo-Jeong, temporarily awoke to resolve the issue. The Tower Master thought of a way to resolve the inconsistency, but…”

5. In a hurry, data is extracted from Kim Gong-ja's memories instead of Constellation Killer's.

“She hesitated at the last piece of the puzzle. The Tower Master probably thought: Is it really right to replace even Kim Yul, the original subject of the trauma, with someone else’s face?”

"......."

“This is [Kim Yul's Trauma]. It’s one thing to overlay surrounding characters with different images... but if even Kim Yul is changed to someone else, it's no longer [Kim Yul's Trauma]. It becomes a lie.”

The Tower Master could not allow herself to change Kim Yul's face.

That's the kind of person she is.

Finally.

6. Kim Yul’s appearance alone is restored using her own memories.

7. After the stage is cleared, the Tower Master withdraws her powers and memories again, then returns to living as the ordinary [Jaa Soo-Jeong].

“This is my conjecture about the true nature of this world.”

“Indeed. There are still many unanswered questions, but… impressive.”

Raviel stroked my bangs.

“Busy as you are with climbing the Tower, you take time to reflect on the past and seek the truth. Such effort is your most shining talent. No other Hunter pays as much attention to the Tower as you do.”

“It's basic for me.”

“No, it’s a deduction only possible for you. If it weren't for you, no one would have gathered information about the Tower Master, and without your skill, you couldn't have drawn her out. Take pride in it without reservation.”

Raviel praised me.

Hehe.

“Gong-Ja, what do you plan to do next? Even if that girl was the Tower Master, she now lacks both power and memory. Her ability to see ghosts is remarkable, but that’s it.”

Hmm.

“If my deduction is correct… there’s one way to bring back [The Master of All Lives].”

“Oh?”

“When a contradiction arises due to a skill, the Tower cannot resolve it internally. The judgment of the Tower Master is needed. So, if we cause another contradiction, the Tower Master will appear.”

“That makes sense. What exact contradiction do you intend to create?”

“I will be killed by Jaa Soo-Jeong’s hand.”

"......."

Raviel pressed her lips together.

I spoke emphatically.

“Then, a problem arises in the reenactment of the trauma. Trauma highlights an event that greatly influenced the subject's life. Whether remembered or not. So..."

Jaa Soo-Jeong's (Tower Master’s) Trauma.

1. The trauma of the middle school student Jaa Soo-Jeong, living in this world.

2. The trauma from her existence as the Tower Master, before she began living Jaa Soo-Jeong’s life.

“A conflict arises. The Tower won’t be able to decide [which trauma] to show.”

"......."

“Following Constellation Killer's example, it’s correct to show [The Tower Master's Trauma]. That's the source. I’ll be incredibly close to the truth of the Tower, to the identity of the creator and ruler of the Tower, before even breaking the 50th floor.”

"......."

“This might be the first and last chance.”

Tap. Tap.

Raviel tapped the table.

“...

Can you be certain it's the last chance? Maybe after reaching the 50th, 60th, 70th floors, you’ll learn the Tower Master's secrets.”

“I can say that for certain.”

I glanced sideways.

The Guardian Spirit, with arms crossed, listened to our conversation.

-Hmm.

The Guardian Spirit’s nose wrinkled.

-I reached up to the 99th floor, but never encountered someone like the Tower Master. I only learned about [Pillars] after meeting Kim Zombie here.

This was a testimony from an experienced individual.

-If we compare it to a game, reaching the 100th floor is like seeing the ending. There will be rewards fitting for an ending. But the [game developer] has nothing to do with the ending, right? Whether it's the developer's identity or personal life, it's irrelevant. I couldn’t reach the 100th floor, so I can’t say for sure… but probably the 100th floor and the Tower Master are unrelated.

I nodded.

“Yes. According to my Guardian Spirit, there's absolutely no information about the Tower Master up to at least the 99th floor.”

This has no connection with the progression of the Tower.

In a sense, an Easter egg.

Information about the creator of the Tower, the developer of the stages.

"I want to know the identity of the Tower Master.”

"......."

“Why did that person create the Tower? How? Why choose to live the life of the most unfortunate person in each world? If there’s a chance to know, I want to seize it.”

“And you think this is the last chance.”

“Yes. I think so.”

The secrets of creation.

The life of the creator.

That’s worth risking a life for.

“Raviel.”

I looked earnestly into Raviel’s eyes.

“Please allow me to be killed by that girl."

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