88th Episode: Frustration Builds the Man
“Hahaha.”
“Stay strong, Contractor.”
“I’ll give you a reward when it’s over.”
In a pitch-black space where not even an inch ahead could be seen, a darkness that evoked the curtain of a trial, I stood there.
Before me, the Three Fates floated and said those words.
They were mocking me. I wanted to retort, but I didn’t have the time for it.
It was because my body was being pummeled like crazy by those onyx spheres.
“Aaaaghh! Haaak! Just a sec! Time out! My bones! This hurts to the bone!”
Puwuburk, Puburk, Puupuruk!
The thudding sounds of impact echoed cleanly from all over my body. Every time that happened, my body flew all over like a piece of paper.
My whole body was already in tatters, and my internal organs felt like they were being twisted.
I kept throwing up, even though I had nothing left to throw up from earlier.
“Contractor, does it hurt a lot?”
“But you need to become stronger, and there’s no way around it. So, enjoy it, contractor.”
“Is it fun, contractor?”
Fun? Shit, you bastards!
I glared furiously at the Three Fates with bloodshot eyes.
Their three faces, framed by their robes, were slowly spinning in place in mid-air. All three faces were beaming while looking at my miserable state.
“Ha-ha-ha.”
“Enjoy yourself.”
“Yap-yap-yap.”
I wanted to punch them. I wanted to beat the crap out of those serene, spinning smiling faces.
But what could I do? All this pain was a result of what I had asked for. They had only done what I requested.
Puupuruk. Puburk!
Before I could indulge in lamentation, dozens of black spheres hurtled toward me again and continued their beating. All my wandering thoughts disappeared.
The single thought that arose in its place was this:
“It hurts. It hurts too much… This level of pain was unexpected!”
Regret was rushing in like a flood.
I mentally cursed the foolish me from an hour ago.
“Become stronger, become stronger! Let’s grow even stronger!”
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see you more once you get stronger.”
“But we can’t let our precious contractor break down.”
While watching the Three Fates, who were still twirling a good distance away and clapping their hands, my consciousness was drawn back to that regrettable moment an hour ago.
That painful decision that had led to this hellish situation.
*
“Alright, alright. I’ll facilitate your transition to a Nightstalker.”
“What about the difficulty level?”
“Choose among the following: Lowest, Low, Medium, High, and Highest.”
Difficulty? What kind of difficulty suddenly?
As I raised my head in curiosity, I then recalled Zenon’s mention that a trial had to be surpassed to change jobs. It must be referring to the difficulty level of that transition trial.
There were differences depending on the difficulty level, right?
The Fates nodded in unison.
“There is. The reward for the job change.”
“If the difficulty level is low, it’s easier, but the bonus stats or skills will be less.”
“And if the difficulty level is high, naturally the reverse applies.”
I see.
Then there’s no hesitation. Power, even if by a little, definitely increases survival rates.
Let ’em eat cake. No fails, yes sir. For the bonus stats and skills!
“Any guy worth his salt would choose the highest difficulty. Challenge me at the top level.”
At my confident declaration, the Fates’ faces lit up before slightly frowning, as if slightly worried.
“But… contractor, if you fail, you might not finish by today.”
“The top difficulty level is really hard. We don’t recommend it.”
“Contractor, you might die. Why don’t you just choose the easiest level like others?”
Have the Fates ever worried about your life? It’s terrifying.
I caved instantly.
“Alright… then, I’ll go with the level lower, so just the high-level difficulty.”
I admit it. Honestly, I chickened out.
But when those previously beaming, sunflower-like Fates joined together and tried to dissuade me with those somber expressions, wouldn’t it be stranger not to feel fear?
If the trial drags on so much as Undrethred warned, and doesn’t end today, it’s also a big issue.
… Well, this is pursuing practicality. Let’s go with that.
“The high level is tough, too… we’re worried.”
“Hmm. Our contractor can do it, right? After all, you have endured death more than fifty times.”
“R-really? Could you handle it?”
The Fates, who had somewhat apprehensive expressions, chattered nervously.
I briefly considered just taking the lowest difficulty level they recommended, but then I remembered I’d look ridiculous doing it. So I held back.
Instead, I brimmed with tension and bravado and raised my voice.
“Well, then, just give me the test! A man doesn’t say two different things from one mouth!”
“Haven’t you already said two things?”
“Tsk.”
“Just go for it like that.”
The Fates giggled at my exaggeration and raised their hands skyward.
Uuuuum. The gargantuan scythe hovering above them resonated as it slowly cut through the air. The ink-black space parted helplessly, shooting out sparks with a buzzzz of sparks.
And from the split gap, there tumbled out spheres the size of my head.
“We’ll start the trial now.”
“The essence of a Nightstalker is agility.”
“Which is why we’ll test your agility here.”
As soon as they spoke, the black spheres began streaking in all directions.
What had been zig-zagging around eventually started circling and maneuvering around me. There were quite a lot of them. More than 20… no, more than 30.
…Damn it. The content of the test is pretty clear already. I swallowed hard.
“So from now on, dodge these balls.”
“If you survive until the 10-minute time limit, you pass.”
“Simple, right?”
Wait a minute. The passing condition for the test is ‘survive’?
Does that mean ‘you might die’?
I chuckled nervously as I stared at the spheres circling around me. A bead of cold sweat trailed down my cheek.
“Let’s go.”
“The trial for the job change.”
“Starts now.”
As their words ended, there was a dull thud sound.
Checking where the sound had come from, it was from my stomach.
“Urgh, ku- ugh…”
I lowered my shaking head to look at my stomach. One sphere had already snuck in, embedding itself into my stomach and emitting a white mist.
‘Damn, when did it…!’
If I’d only been wearing leather armor, I’m pretty sure that I’d have died instantly. A chilling certainty washed over me.
And at that moment, the sound of the air screaming, “Zzaay!” pierced my ears.
“Damnit!”
Without thinking, I immediately leapt.
Toodududud! Right after I had been standing, countless balls rained down. The spheres flew at a speed that couldn’t be followed by the naked eye, pounding the black floor below.
The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.
“…”
It was far beyond my imagination.
What the hell is this insane speed? Avoid this? These spheres move as fast as Halsenberg? And there are dozens of them?
During that brief moment when my thoughts seized up, Pifipipip! the spheres embedded in the ground all shot up into the sky together. They then circled and showered toward me from all directions.
“Aaaah!”
Left, right, duck my head, roll on the ground.
Before I could even gather my wits, a sphere flew in from behind and hit my back. Puuuuuuuhk! With a heavy impact, my body was launched forward like a bullet.
“Hh, hhukkkkk!!”
This is now a matter of survival. I have to use whatever I can to live.
I immediately employed the skill I had just acquired. Flying is obviously easier to dodge with than being a clunky ground pounder, right?
Phooaaahk! The cape flapping behind me tore into two, transforming into enormous crow-like wings.
Without even a chance to bask in the fluttering feathers, more spheres rained down after me as I soared high into the sky.
‘Dammit! Go left…!’
But there was one thing I had failed to consider.
Wings are not a basic organ people usually have, and you can’t expect to freely move them the first time you fly.
“What? Hey, wait a minute! Where are you going??”
When I had intended to slightly shift left, my figure shot off like a cannonball. Speed I couldn’t control made me tumble wildly like a crumpled paper airplane.
By the time I managed to stabilize and start gliding, the spheres were already nearly upon me.
‘No way!’
I desperately twisted my body to dodge, but I couldn’t avoid every single sphere.
Pupupuruk! Heavy impacts pounded my whole body.
“Kuh!”
A few spheres grazed my body. A graze was enough to make me dizzy.
Even with defense, this is how it feels. Given the still-dull pain, it seems my defense hasn’t completely worn out yet, but at this rate, it will likely all be erased soon.
‘Let’s land!’
I clumsily flapped my difficult-to-control wings and sharply descended. The cape fluttered wildly once I touched the ground.
“Fatal Thorns!”
Bruuddukduk. My cape repeated bunching up and scattering before transforming into ten writhing thorn-tentacles. The edges and sides of the tentacles were extremely sharp, resembling a softsword (軟劍) more than a tentacle.
‘Counterattack!’
I struck the approaching spheres with all ten tentacles. Luckily, controlling the tentacles was similar to Seven Sword Pierce, so it wasn’t hard to adapt.
Zzaay! The tentacles, reading my intent, all fired toward the spheres. I watched hopefully as they clashed.
Pasaasak!
To my shock, the tentacles were torn to shreds like paper in front of the spheres’ momentum.
“Shit! They’re not even affected !!”
Zzaay! I barely ducked my head to avoid a sphere hitting my head straight on. It was thanks to the tentacles slowing down the speed a bit that I could react with my reflexes to dodge.
‘There’s still some hope!’
I can’t give up like this. I drew out the Vestark and Espada, channeling mana into them.
Pajijijik! Sparks erupted. The cobalt energy flickering swords intertwined chaotically with the black spheres in the air.
‘Seven Sword Pierce!’
Pipipip! The released cobalt mana blades collided head-on with the spheres.
The black spheres had only one fixed destination, which was me, so their movement path was very simple. It wasn’t difficult to stab the mana blades into each sphere one by one.
Kyeeng, Kyeeng!
But the mana blades shattered futilely in the air with those sharp sounds. They couldn’t stop the spheres’ advance.
It felt similar to Fatal Thorns. It’s less like the attacks are being defended against, and more like they’re being absorbed.
“Useless, contractor. In this trial, offensive actions are a foul.”
“That sphere will nullify all forms of attack.”
“And since you cannot use Ether during the trial, remember that, contractor.”
Damn it, why didn’t you tell me earlier!
I shot a glare of resentment at the Three Fates who were nonchalantly lounging around like eating popcorn across the river. Then, with gritted teeth, I jumped once more.
Kwagwaaang!
As if on cue, the spheres circling nearby shot like meteors toward where I had been.
The shockwaves again gave me a tangible sense of their incredible speed.
“Un… uh! Shit… Shiit!!”
After that, it was a scene of pandemonium.
I rolled wildly on the ground and twisted my whole body, doing everything in my power to struggle.
“Kheuhk! This… this hurts to the bone!”
By entrusting myself to instinct, I barely managed to avoid them, but my downfall was just a matter of time.
With each moment, more spheres managed to hit me. The number of spheres striking vital points increased.
Puuk! A sphere grazed my shoulder.
“Kuaaaaah!”
I screamed. Simultaneously, I realized.
The pain was now noticeably clear. My defense had finally bottomed out.
The excruciating pain was beyond endurance, collapsing my defensive stance. I lost my balance in a flash.
Ah. This is the end. I resigned myself inwardly.
Pupupupubruk!
A loud striking sound rang out as my organs were brutally twisted. Spheres pummeled my body from all directions. My skull hummed as my vision wavered.
I collapsed where I was and curled up as much as I could. Over me, spheres mercilessly hammered down.
“Aaaah! Wait! Short break! My bones are being hit! Sirs! Ladies! Save me! Just a moment!”
I wriggled my whole body, shouting at the top of my lungs.
“Your job transition trial.”
“Has been replaced by.”
“A bully from your school days.”
The Three Fates, with excited expressions, looked down at me while swimming around in mid-air.
I silently screamed while continuing to get hit by the spheres.
