Chapter 171. Queen (2)
Tick tock.
Time rewound with the sound of a clock, and the Queen’s voice faced. However, the words that she recited at the end were like a rope tightening around Yoon-seok’s heart. She knew about pocket watches…?
That was definitely what she said. She told him to go ahead and die because he would come back to life anyway, and she said she had many stories to tell him when he woke up.
‘Something is wrong…’
His lips felt dry. He was indeed too relaxed. Yoon-seok was confident that he would succeed in this mission even if it weren’t normal with Cheon-ma. So, he wanted to buy some time after meeting the Queen and made a grand plan to use {Predation} on Dracar. He kept only the best situation in mind, and at no point did he assume the worst.
Although there was Dracar’s warning, he didn’t think that the final boss of the 21st-floor mission would be strong enough to take his life with a single word.
“Oh, it has been a long time!”
Hearing Jeffrey’s awkward greeting, Yoon-seok took a deep breath and looked around.
“…!”
Cheon-ma was leading the Expedition in the front. Next to her, Jin Mu-zhen helped issue commands, and a demon and an elf were quarreling behind them. It perfectly matched what it looked like five minutes ago. The only difference was that Jeffrey’s words had changed.
“Hey, are you feeling uncomfortable…? Your hands are shaking…”
Yoon-seok reflexively unclenched his fists. It wasn’t severe, but his fingertips were trembling. Standing still, he clenched and opened his hands a few times. Contrary to his concern, they moved well, so there were no problems with his body.
All of a sudden, the tremors disappeared.
“I’m sorry, but I will decline the offer.”
“Yes? Offer? I haven’t said anything yet…?”
He felt sorry, but he didn’t have time to explain properly. Yoon-seok left Jeffrey behind and headed off. He only had five minutes left; he had to come up with something at that time. How could he survive against such a being? To be honest, he didn’t have a clue yet……
But maybe Dracar could give him one. But the moment Yoon-seok approached-
Whoosh!
His vision darkened.
* * *
His eyes gradually brightened. When Yoon-seok came to his sense, everything was gray… no, everything had stopped. Cheon-ma, Jin Mu-zhen, Jeffrey, and the other Expedition members were frozen as if in a frame. Only Yoon-seok was free to move.
—You’re awake.
When he turned to the sudden voice, he could see two eyes looking down from the gray air. He didn’t know why such a monster appeared on the 21st-floor mission, but whether it was a ranker from the duels or anywhere else, this was something no single challenger could match. To compare, this felt like the entity he had met in Heaven or the man who had granted him power on behalf of the Tower.
—How rude. I can’t believe you’d compare me to those scumbags who have given in.
Yoon-seok suddenly stiffened. Aside from how his thoughts were read, he felt chills run through him just from hearing her voice.
—Don’t be afraid. I am not your enemy
“You’re not my enemy…?”
She killed him once, and now she said that she wasn’t an enemy?
—That is a misunderstanding. It just happened because of a psychosensitivity phenomenon with the fake.
It sounded like she was making excuses, but Yoon-seok didn’t understand.
“What do you want from me?”
As long as she could read his thoughts, it was impossible to hide anything. However, the only thing that came back was a voice full of disappointment.
—Wake up. That’s the only thing.
It was a different voice than before. It was benevolent, warm, and somehow even sorrowful.
—I knew it as soon as I saw you. You are one of the candidates chosen by the Tower. The Tower will someday use you to kill me, using the skill they gave you.
The skill that the Tower gave him? Something immediately came to mind: the S-rank effect that allowed him to destroy the indestructible. Killing those who couldn’t be killed. He was sure that was what she meant.
Ba-dump.
His heart started beating faster. Perhaps the Queen would be the one to answer his questions. Yoon-seok decided to open Pandora’s box.
“…Is that the Tower’s purpose in making challengers?”
—That’s right. To be precise, they’re trying to pick out a few special ones. Like you and that girl who came with you.
He had been thinking about it for a while, but perhaps the Tower was like a military facility designed to prevent the invaders. Thinking that Yoon-seok noticed what the Queen wanted.
‘Is she trying to appease me?’
She wants to persuade the candidates chosen by the Tower to change their minds.
“Why me?”
Yoon-seok wasn’t the only candidate the Queen mentioned. Cheon-ma and Celestial Buddha, perhaps both of them were also the candidates, as well as the former Expedition Leader in his lifetime.
“Why did you call me, not her?”
Cheon-ma was undoubtedly a better candidate than himself. The rating given to her by the Tower was much higher. But why did the Queen call only him? Was it just a matter of order?
—It’s not like that.
After reading his thoughts, the Queen answered.
—Wake up. Then you will know everything.
“What does that mean?”
—I don’t have much time to explain.
She didn’t have time? Just when he was wondering what the hell that meant-
Crack-crack-crack-!
Fine cracks arose through the gray world. Yoon-seok clenched his teeth, going through the questions he still wanted to ask. Who are you, what is on the final floor of the Tower, and is it true that you can achieve your dreams by reaching there? She didn’t hear any of them.
—Make good use of the dwarf I sent. Even though it’s a fake, only with his help will you be able to return alive?
Crack-!
The cracks spider-webbed around him. The two eyes floating in the air slowly closed.
“Wait!”
Yoon-seok reached out his hand.
—Do not forget, Rick Gerssey.
The broken pieces couldn’t be put back together.
—In the past and now, the Tower is your enemy.
With her voice echoing in his head, the still world collapsed.
* * *
Time began to flow again. The cold sweat soaking his body seemed to tell him that what happened had been real, however. Who the hell was this Queen? What did she mean by calling him Rick Gerssey? He was confused, but…
‘That’s not what I have to focus on right now.’
The fake that the Queen mentioned before was likely the Queen reproduced in the Mission. And even though she was fake, she had the power to swat Yoon-seok like a fly.
‘But the one who called me… she doesn’t want me, a candidate, to die, right? No, then who else is Rick Gerssey?’
Yoon-seok shook his head.
‘Let’s think about it later.’
The Queen told him to use the dwarf she sent. If that was true, it was no coincidence that he ran into Dracar. The only being able to solve this mission that had been ruined by the death of the former Expedition Leader and the Guardian Dragon. He was the master key chosen by the real Queen to help Yoon-seok.
“Dracar.”
“…Sob, hic-hic.”
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Yoon-seok forced Dracar to stand up. Only then did he stare at Yoon-seok with annoyance.
“Since I know you’re not crazy, let’s talk for a moment.”
“…Why should I do that?”
Why, he asked? Otherwise, everyone would die. Cheon-ma, himself, the Expedition members, each of them would be slain by the queen. However, those words wouldn’t work. Having already given up on everything, he wouldn’t listen to intimidation and torture either.
So instead, Yoon-seok chose the standard method.
“I don’t have time to go round and round.”
“Then I hope you don’t waste your time and fuck off.”
“I need your help.”
Yoon-seok bowed his head. Faced by a completely different attitude from before, Dracar brushed his beard and fell into thought for a moment.
“You didn’t say anything until a few hours ago, but when I see you doing this… did you meet the Queen?”
“Yes. I met her.”
Yoon-seok explained that he died as soon as he met the Queen and returned five minutes ago using a disposable item. He didn’t speak of the Queen he met in frozen time.
“Hehehehe. So now you understand, huh?”
“If I understand, can you help me?”
“No, why should I? If you saw it, you would know. This is already the same as her front yard. But you’re going to survive this?
Dracar smirked. Yoon-seok felt annoyed. Aside from the uncooperative attitude, he didn’t like this act of waiting for death.
“What’s wrong with struggling?”
“It isn’t wrong. It’s just stupid.”
“Stupid? When I asked you why you climbed the Tower before. You said you were going to live. Was that a lie?”
“That’s…”
Yoon-seok had a rough idea of what was motivating him.
“At that time, they were all enemies worth fighting because there was even a small hope of surviving. But the Queen we will be facing is different. So you’re not going to do anything?”
Dracar clenched his jaw.
“…Why aren’t you breaking down?”
He asked as if he didn’t understand at all, as it was a question that Yoon-seok couldn’t even think about.
“Because I’m still alive.”
He struggled to be alive; it was nothing new. He had done it over and over again to reach this point.
“The Queen is fundamentally different from us. I saw her crush a dimension with my own eyes. As long as the seal has been lifted, nothing will change no matter how hard we try.”
Certainly, what he said may be true. Even though she was a fake, the Queen’s powers that he experienced were truly beyond imagination. He had been slain without knowing what had happened. However…
“Can that be a reason not to try?”
Before he was advised to use Dracar, Yoon-seok had approached him to get more information. It might be impossible to overcome the current situation even with that, but Yoon-seok tried.
“Trying, huh…? You’re not even praying.”
“…”
“So, how much time do you have left?”
“Two minutes. No, must be one minute left now.”
Dracar grinned.
“If it were me, I would have spent that time thinking of the woman I love. Oh, is there a girl you love?
“…”
“That’s a miserable life, so die already.”
It was hard to agree with him, but it was a good sign that Dracar’s voice was becoming livelier. However…
“So, will you help me?”
“How can I help you even if I want to?”
Yoon-seok’s lips drew a thin line at the ensuing grumbling. The Queen said he would overcome their difficulties with this dwarf’s help, so even if he didn’t know what it was about, he asked him for help. But did something go wrong? Or was it a lie?
Yoon-seok threw away his growing doubts.
“Think about it! There must be something you can do to help! All you have to do is help, and I can kill the Que-“
—Kyaahahaha, Kyahahahahahahaha!
Laughter echoed as he urged Dracar on, matching the voice Yoon-seok heard before he died. However, the words that followed were different from before.
—…If the dwarf helps, you say you could kill me?
Her voice was full of murderous intent and madness.
—You’re interesting to watch, but you keep crawling endlessly!
“I was going to tease you for a little while, but I can’t.”
Dracar clicked his tongue and shouted.
“Give it to me!”
“…?”
“Give me the regression item you mentioned earlier!”
When Yoon-seok pulled out his pocket watch, Dracar quickly placed his hand on it. At the same time, a system message filled his eyes.
[The cooldown time of the Old Pocket Watch (Rank S+) is reset by the unique skill Reset.]
After spacing out for a while, Yoon-seok felt goosebumps rise in his arms.
“Rosaline.”
Dracar whispered.
“When you get back, show me that item and tell me that name. Then I’ll do what I just did without question.”
“…Who is Rosaline?”
He grinned at Yoon-seok’s question. At that moment-
“No matter what time or dimension I am in…”
Whoooosh-!
“She is a magical woman who can wake me up just with her name.”
The darkness raged.
* * *
[You died.]
[The Old Pocket Watch (Rank S+) returns the owner to 5 minutes ago.]
It was now the second time, but nothing had changed this time. The darkness shook around him, and he died once more.
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Tick tock.
Time stopped and then slowly reversed. Yoon-seok looked at Dracar as time flowed backward. Then, for a moment, their eyes met. It must have been an illusion from the angle. However…
‘Just say Rosaline.’
His eyes seemed to say something like this: if you don’t want your life to end miserably, don’t ever give up.