SSS-Class Revival Hunter - Chapter 43

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 43: Their Time (4)

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Breaking through the twelfth floor required nearly a thousand deaths.

From the thirteenth floor onward, I would need fewer deaths than that.

‘Sword Emperor.’

-Why?

‘Let's make a bet.’

-What kind of bet?

I sent the first zombie's head flying. Slice! Its already-rotten neck parted beneath my blade as smoothly as soft tofu. Facing the dozens, hundreds, and thousands of zombies charging ferociously toward me, I spoke.

‘Let’s bet on how many times I'll die before reaching the 19th floor.’

-Hmm.

Sword Emperor stroked his chin thoughtfully.

-Okay. I bet on one hundred times or fewer!

I grinned.

‘Then I'll bet on ninety-nine times or fewer.’

-Wow, you cheap bastard. Do you really want to be that petty? Huh?

‘Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing.’

Sword Emperor chuckled.

-Alright then. Let's see how you, a zombie, handle your kind. But remember, a bet is a bet, so I won’t help you this time. Deal?

'Deal.'

I laughed amidst the endless surge of zombies.

[You have died.]

[You will return 24 hours back to the past.]

Laughing, I died.

ㆍ

[You have died.]

[You will return 24 hours back to the past.]

"Ah, first, I need to handle this horde... Black Dragon Witch, any ideas?"

"I'm already giving it my all. I'm the only one here with an area-of-effect skill, but it's tough. Besides, King of Death, can't you counter with your skill?"

"Ah, of course I will. But right now, it’s on cooldown... I can use it after about 3 coins."

"What's a coin?"

"It's a thing. Uh, anyway... Oh, is that... on the minimap? Hey, Sword Saint! Can you smash that big lid over there? It looks like a sarcophagus! I need to check something!"

"What do you mean to check?"

"I'll explain later, just please! I’m the prophet! Okay!?"

"Hmm..."

[You have died.]

[You will return 24 hours back to the past.]

"Okay! Sword Saint! That sarcophagus is actually a secret passage. There's a hammer underneath that's super effective against undead! Please go with the Witch and retrieve it for me!"

"I have been walking the path of a sword my entire life..."

"That hammer has an area-effect! If you slam it to the ground, it'll create a field that sweeps away the zombies! Okay!?"

"How do you know all this?"

"I'm a prophet! Okay!?"

"Ah, this guy..."

[You have died.]

[You will return 24 hours back to the past.]

"Now that the zombies are taken care of, it's time for the Demon King... What's that now?"

"That is a giant. And it’s a zombie. So, it’s a giant zombie, I presume."

"Hmm. Given the deep history of this temple... Perhaps it was a guardian giant who fell under the Demon King's control... If the Heretic Inquisitor were here, he might know more..."

“Wow. That man even knows about religions from other worlds? No wonder he's an SSS-Class clergyman.”

"It's all skill."

"That's what makes one SSS-Class, I suppose."

“How unpleasant. Did you have to bring up that good-for-nothing? Anyway, I'll handle that giant.”

“Yes, Sword Saint. Please do!”

"No, Sword Saint. Please continue to control the zombies with your area-effect skill."

"Now, listen here. That giant seems like the perfect test for my sword..."

"I'm the prophet! Okay!?"

“Honestly... Fine. Then who is going to face that giant?”

“The Witch, obviously. Please hit that zombie giant's eye with your beam.”

“I already am. It has exactly the sort of eye I want to hit. Having one huge eye is practically an invitation to shoot it.”

“Perfect! Let's go!”

[You have died.]

[You will return 24 hours back to the past.]

"Anyway, I'll take on that giant."

"Ghoul Summoning!"

"My goodness. King of Death, does your skill even have a cooldown?"

“There are circumstances... Now, the two of you need to handle the giant. And especially you, Witch. There's exactly one thing I need to ask.”

"What is it?"

"Don't aim for its eye."

"Why not?"

"It'll cause big trouble."

“But King of Death. Look at that one-eyed giant zombie. Look at that enormous eye. Do you see it?”

“Yes... I'm looking. I know that eye looks incredibly tempting to hit too. But you can't.”

“Why? That... eye, King of Death... If you could fire beams like I can, and you saw a giant with an eye like that...”

“I admit it... Witch, if I were you and someone told me not to hit that eye, I'd demand an explanation like a madman. I don't have time to explain now... Please. All right?”

"Ugh..."

"Just follow the young man's advice for now, Witch."

"Sword Saint, you too..."

"Let's see how it goes. After all, he claims to be a prophet."

"……Alright. I’ll do my best not to aim for the eye."

"Thank you!!"

We ran. We fought. We saved each other.

We spoke a great deal.

We did a great deal.

-My children...!

We shattered the zombies lingering in the temple.

-My general...!

We defeated the one-eyed giant that must have been a legend guarding this temple.

-Aaaah...!

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain decides to retreat.]

And,

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain retreats to the 14th floor!]

Once again, we pushed the Demon King to the next level.

Light droplets fluttered around, just as they had on the twelfth floor.

The temple, the boundary line dividing the continent, shone brightly like a newly polished shield.

Bells rang, and hymns resonated. Traders from the east rode horses, those from the west rode strange two-legged birds, exchanging greetings as they passed. Paladins practiced against each other with hammers, and orphans, once under the temple's care, sneaked glances at the traders with longing and at the paladins with admiration, before being dragged back to the chapel by the priests.

And at a spot overlooking the temple, a one-eyed giant, using the mountaintop as a chair, sat bored. Whenever a cloud resembling sheep's wool brushed past its head, it blinked its enormous eye and sneezed.

“The Mountain Lord sneezed!”

The chattering orphan showed fearlessness rather than fear. The priest scolded them, then bowed deeply to the one-eyed giant.

The one-eyed giant grinned and waved back at the priest.

Ah.

“King of Death.”

Mm.

“Yes... Witch. Let's go. Now, Sword Saint, are you ready?”

“Wait a moment. That trader over there is selling a good whetstone.”

Sword Saint bought the whetstone and began sharpening his sword. During this time, I turned my gaze from the giant and looked at the world map.

The red lands that had fallen away still seemed ready to surge back at any moment.

But there was enough time for the Sword Saint to sharpen his sword.

That was enough.

"King of Death."

The Witch took my hand. Sword Saint, having finished sharpening his blade, promptly took Witch's hand.

“Transfer."

Light enveloped us again.

“Hmm, the 14th floor is a forest. The Demon King... seems to have hidden."

“Be careful. Hostility is coming from all directions.”

“Let's proceed slowly, very slowly.”

[You have died.]

[You will return 24 hours back to the past.]

ㆍ

Thus, we defeated the Demon King, who had marshaled a fallen elven lord in the cursed forest.

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain decides to retreat.]

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain retreats to the 15th floor!]

ㆍ

Thus, we vanquished the Demon King, commanding the mermaid queen at the reversed waterfall.

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain decides to retreat.]

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain retreats to the 16th floor!]

ㆍ

And thus, we repelled the Demon King, leading wyverns atop the erupted volcano.

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain decides to retreat.]

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain retreats to the 17th floor...]

History regresses.

Back to before the Demon King's army invaded the empire.

Before invading multiple countries.

Before the breaking of the temple, known as the Shield of the Goddess.

Before the curse of the elven forest, the reversal of the waterfall, and the eruption of the volcano.

Further and further behind.

To a time before the Demon King reigned as the absolute lord of evil.

Fleeting.

Like waves engulfed by other waves, turning into a mere bubble, disappearing.

Like a falling petal.

With each floor we ascended, the Demon King's domain shrank, and its power weakened.

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain's existence becomes fainter.]

Just as the Demon King on the thirteenth floor had been weaker than the Demon King on the twelfth,

The Demon King on the fourteenth floor was weaker still than the one on the thirteenth.

And the Demon King on the fifteenth floor was weaker than the one on the fourteenth,

And so on, little by little.

[You have died.]

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain decides to retreat.]

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain's existence becomes fainter.]

[You have died.]

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain decides to retreat.]

[The Demon King of the Autumn Rain's existence becomes faint.]

ㆍ

-You!

Ninety-seven times.

At the end of my ninety-seventh death, I reached the nineteenth floor, an unknown backwater in a nameless little country.

-You!

The Demon King howled in that desolate land.

Not at Sword Saint or Witch.

The Demon King ground its teeth and glared directly at me.

-If it weren't for you!

Its eyes, bloodshot with rage.

-It's because of you! This is all your fault! If only you had followed the proper procedure... Yes! If it weren't for you, none of this would have happened! How dare a mere swordsman from another world...

I drew my sword.

"Ah, finally I can see your eyes."

-What?

“Exactly what I said. I've finally seen what your eyes look like.”

Originally, the Demon King of the Autumn Rain had no eyes.

It was a writhing shadow. A face without expression. Arms without hands. Covered in black liquid, continuously bubbling.

That had been the case.

"Does that make sense?"

Finally, the Demon King's mask shattered.

"A Demon King and a hero, never even making eye contact. That would’ve been a real tragedy."

At last, a part appeared that the wastewater did not cover. A red, bloodshot eye. Although it radiated vicious murderous intent... I was not afraid of its gaze. On the contrary, I was glad to see it.

I pointed my sword at the Demon King.

"Attack with all your might."

-You...

"Or run away again. Aren’t you curious? How much weaker you’ll become if you flee again."

-...

“If you don’t attack with your full strength now, you won't stand a chance.”

Even without the rewards from clearing the 19th floor, the Demon King on the 20th floor would inevitably be even weaker.

-You dare to speak... You, a mere hyena feeding on my flesh, what do you know...

A curse-like growl.

There stood a shadow that had lost its way and wandered.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“Ester.”