WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈
Chapter 352: The White Ending (3)
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4.
I tilted my head.
"A lunatic?"
Villager F「Yes, that's right. If you keep going that way, you'll encounter a very dangerous lunatic. You must not approach them! ...Of course, you mumbling to yourself in the middle of the road as if talking to thin air makes you seem quite mad yourself...」
This stick figure?!
Villager F「Even if you're a strange madman, the one living over there is extremely dangerous. They slash at anyone who approaches!」
"Heh."
Villager F「Among us, they're called the [Mad Warrior]. Since they settled there, not a single person has been able to cross to the other side... All communication was completely cut off.」
I grasped the situation.
Here, the world only extends left and right. When a lunatic appears and blocks the path, transportation is severed from that day forward.
"Is there no way to bypass them?"
Villager F「There used to be... But it's been a long time since the lunatic appeared. Over a hundred years, perhaps. That lunatic destroyed all the detours around the place they blocked. Even if we forcefully create a detour, they smash it as soon as they see it. There's no way to cope with it.」
Truly a lunatic.
Normally, even if a path was blocked, one could dig tunnels or build sky bridges to bypass it. "Tunnels" are literally paths dug underground. "Sky bridges" are created by erecting pillars and laying bridges. However, the [Mad Warrior] smashed all such detours.
"Are they that powerful? This Mad Warrior."
Villager F「Haven't I said it? It's been such a long time, and still, the situation remains the same. Countless warriors who challenged the lunatic lost their heads. Now, nobody dares to confront them. As a result, the trade between the east and west was completely ruined!」
The villager made a sullen expression (· ω ·). The faces of other villagers listening to our conversation weren't much different. Or rather, they were exactly the same. Thus, several villagers simultaneously made (· ω ·) (· ω ·) (· ω ·) (· ω ·) expressions.
All looking at me.
That's kind of scary...
Villager F「I don't know how far you plan to travel, but it might be best to make a U-turn at this village.」
The villager advised me with a resigned look (; -Д-) on their face.
Villager F「Beyond here is practically off-limits. Rest up for a day and then head back.」
I gratefully accepted the hospitality and stayed at a villager's house for the night.
Though a few more questions were exchanged to ascertain whether I was a dangerous traveler, it seemed the villagers ultimately deemed me completely harmless. They treated me with great courtesy as their guest.
"I just need to take care of that Mad Warrior and then I can leave."
I said to the Guardian Spirit while lying in the bed provided by the villagers.
"Clearing the stage can be done anytime. But that lunatic is, in a sense, a monster. A monster of this world. Who knows when another hunter will come up to the 75th floor again? If I just ignore them and move on, it might be decades before anything changes."
Idiot「Doesn't really matter, does it? It's up to you.」
The Guardian Spirit spoke indifferently.
However, the Guardian Spirit was inherently an honest person. He was nothing but a corpse without his honesty. Especially in this world where expressions are blatantly revealed. When the Guardian Spirit made a bothered expression (;ㄱ_ㄱ), it was impossible not to notice, even if I didn't want to.
"Why so? You look like a complete idiot."
Idiot「No... Hmm. I suppose it's because that Mad Warrior or whatever is said to be the strongest in this world. And although I don't remember, I definitely cleared the 75th floor.」
"Yes, I guess so."
Idiot「So, it's been bothering me. I would have undoubtedly taken down anyone who held the title of the world's strongest, right? How could such a person still be alive and well?」
"Hoh."
It was a valid point, but since it wasn't impossible, I easily provided an answer.
"They must have appeared after you cleared this place. What's so strange about that?"
Idiot「Is that so...?」
The Guardian Spirit looked uneasy but couldn't argue against my point. It was the most plausible explanation. We decided not to dwell on it any further and had a good night's rest.
The next day, we headed towards the location where the lunatic was said to be lurking.
Villager F「I told you not to go there, young man!」
Even though I was an outsider, spending the night without any issues seemed to make a significant difference. The villagers were noticeably friendlier than yesterday, and yet, they were more frantic in trying to stop me.
Villager E「I knew it from the moment that young man started muttering to himself. His madness has flared up!」
This villager's face looked like this: (оﾟдﾟо);;
Villager D「Right. There's madness that harms others, and then there's madness that harms oneself. This fellow is the latter. Tsk tsk.」
This villager was ( •᷄⌓•᷅ ).
Villager C「Maybe he came here looking for a place to die... His beloved must have left him. But he didn't have the courage to end it himself, so he came to this village looking for someone to do it for him... Ah, it must be so...!」
And that person over there was ( ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ ).
A variety of expressions saw me off.
As I left the village, a sign that read [Danger! No Trespassing] blocked the path. I lightly jumped over it. Unlike the well-maintained village, the further I stepped out, the more desolate the path became.
On the other side of the path, the [Mad Warrior], who had instilled fear in the residents of this world, sat quietly.
Lunatic「......」
The warrior was expressionless (=_=). It was hard to tell if their eyes were open or closed. However, as soon as my right foot crunched a weed, making a rustling sound, a speech bubble appeared above the warrior's head.
Lunatic「It's been a while since I've had a visitor.」
In this world, the ground was basically represented as ━━━. There could be thick grass or scrub, but its basis was ━.
For some reason, however, only the ground around the seated warrior was drawn as ┻┻┻┻. At first I thought they were rather large weeds, and then I thought they were a stand of reeds taller than weeds.
Unfortunately, they were neither.
Lunatic「Are you a challenger?」
Those were all 'swords' stuck in the ground.
Lunatic「If you've wandered off the path and ended up here by mistake, I'll grant you one last act of mercy. Turn back. But if you've come to challenge me, I'll gladly entertain you.」
"......"
Lunatic「No. Perhaps I was foolish to even utter such words, considering I focused on the sound of your footsteps as you approached. The consistency of your footsteps was astonishing. The stride of your tens of steps was frightfully the same. It's impossible to think that someone with such a realm and experience would stupidly stray off the path and end up here.」
The warrior slowly stood up.
Lunatic「Let me ask. Are you a hunter?」
I blinked.
"Are you a hunter too? Did you climb the Tower and end up trapped in this stage forever?"
Lunatic「No. I am not one of your kind. I am a pure and innocent native, born and raised in this world. But that too is a foolish statement. According to your claim, I wasn't born in this world but died in the other world, and thus I'm merely living in the afterlife.」
Swish.
The warrior pulled one of the countless swords stuck in the ground around them. It seemed all the swords scattered around were their blades.
Lunatic「But I do have some connections with the humans you call 'hunters'.」
Throughout the drawing of the sword, the warrior maintained an expressionless (=_=) face. Perhaps not expressionless, but indifferent. It was difficult to seriously gauge their realm in a world barely represented by stick figures.
"Connections?"
Lunatic「Sword Emperor.」
Then, the warrior inscribed an unexpected name in their speech bubble.
Lunatic「I am waiting for the day the Sword Emperor returns, having been defeated by him.」
5.
From that point on, the circumstances the warrior disclosed were simple.
Lunatic「According to the Sword Emperor, I was someone born in the same world as him who later died. In other words, I too was once a hunter.」
"......"
Lunatic「It's a story I can't remember, but here, in this world, the Sword Emperor certainly said so. Therefore, it cannot be a lie. At least, he believed without a doubt that I was 'an old warrior who lived and died in the same world as him'. In other words, the Sword Emperor and I were acquaintances.」
"…Did the Sword Emperor tell you what name you had in life?"
Lunatic「He did.」
The warrior recited the alias they couldn't remember.
I turned to look at the Guardian Spirit.
"Is that correct?"
Idiot「Yeah. Right. And every time their speech bubble appears, the name displayed is also the one I know. What they're saying is probably true.」
The Guardian Spirit confirmed the facts.
Lunatic「To learn that the world where I live is actually an afterlife was surprising. But there is no need to feel subjective surprise merely because something is objectively surprising. I dueled the Sword Emperor and lost. Yet the Sword Emperor said, 'I have no hobby of killing an old compatriot who is already dead a second time,' and spared my neck.」
"......"
Lunatic「It was a truly humiliating act. Even if it was a previous life, it is a life I cannot remember. Was I supposed to live forever in defeat, no, to go on being dead in defeat? I told him that in that case, he should accept another duel with me later.」
The Guardian Spirit casually accepted the request for a rematch.
Promising to return and fight after breaking through the 100th floor.
Lunatic「Time passed.」
And he forgot.
It was inevitable. Events related to the pillars were all meant to be forgotten. That was the law of the tower.
Unlike me, the Guardian Spirit did not secure immunity to memory loss. And the [Staff of Time Immemorial] was not as kind as to teach everything to the Guardian Spirit as she did for me.
Upon reaching the 80th floor, the Guardian Spirit's memories from the 70th to the 79th floor would have been completely distorted.
Lunatic「Well, I think the Sword Emperor is dead.」
"......"
Lunatic「No. Maybe he just can't find where I am. The world is quite vast. I settled here and threatened anyone who came, fearing he might not find me. Thanks to that, my notoriety spread. Enough to reach the entire world. In other words, there's no way he can't find me now.」
I sighed.
In the end, the Guardian Spirit's reckless promises were the cause of all misdeeds.
"You are one hell of a public nuisance..."
Idiot「No, no. Wait. I might not know about other things, but this time, I'm unfairly accused. I really don't remember, you know?」
"That's the problem, that very fact that you don't remember. Really."
Idiot「Grr...」
Just like on the 50th floor, there are many issues left unresolved because this guy failed to conquer the 100th floor.
I'm unintentionally cleaning up the messes the Guardian Spirit made while climbing the tower.
Lunatic「It seems you know quite a bit about the Sword Emperor.」
"Yes. It's too complicated to explain in detail, but... You can roughly consider me a disciple of the Sword Emperor. And I doubt the Sword Emperor will ever return to duel with you."
Lunatic「Is that so.」
The warrior's indifferent expression (=_=) remained unchanged.
Lunatic「Then I shall have to take you down in the Sword Emperor's place.」
"Ah... So it comes to this, huh?"
Lunatic「Of course. If I back down now, all that long time will have been wasted. If the Sword Emperor is dead, then that is all there is to the story, and I must simply stew over it. But matters are different if the Sword Emperor's disciple has appeared. From your perspective, this may look like taking out anger that has nothing to do with you, but I wish to soothe my disappointment by defeating at least you. No. It certainly is displaced anger. I will defeat you and vent my fury.」
"Straightforward, aren't you?"
Lunatic「Is that so? I wouldn't know. I'm unfamiliar with the concept opposite to honesty.」
Well, fine.
I came here intending to defeat them anyway, so it doesn't matter.
It's not just about hunting a lunatic, but also about cleaning up the Guardian Spirit's mess, which has its own significance.
Lunatic「Then, let's have a fair fight.」
Thump!
Stepping on the ground and marking it with large fonts, the warrior charged at me. I, too, drew my holy sword. As I looked for an opening, watching the warrior swing their sword wide...
'Wait?'
I realized a fatal flaw at that moment.
'Huh? What?'
I extended my perception of time with Aura. In the elongated timeline, the warrior was raising their sword high. If it had been a normal situation, I would have also raised my sword to block. That was the standard.
The problem was.
'...Where exactly are they swinging their sword?'
From my perspective, accustomed to three-dimensional fights, the warrior's two-dimensional sword swings were completely unfamiliar!
'Upper right? Lower left? Or just straightforward? So should I also raise my sword straight to block? Wait, how do I deflect the sword to the side? Is deflecting even possible here? This is just a flat plane!'
In a hurry, I tried various stances. A stance to block the upper right. A stance to block the upper left.
But the stick figure representation in [this world] was pathetic. I couldn't be certain what stance I was taking, how to completely block the opponent's attack, or even which [path] the opponent was attacking from!
As a result, I could only make a dumbfounded expression!
(;;⊙д⊙）!?!?
Lunatic「Prepare yourself.」
While I fumbled around, the stick figure warrior didn't seem to care and continued their charge.
"Wait! Just, just a moment! Hold on! Something's strange..."
Shhk!
The stick figure warrior swung their sword at me. Thus, I was faced with two choices, block the upper part or the lower part.
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