Episode 37 - Room 103, Cursed Room - 'Athanasia's Human Ranch' - Final Trial (6) FIN
Episode 37 - Room 103, Cursed Room - 'Athanasia's Human Ranch' (6) FIN
[User: ㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁ
Date: Day ㅁㅁ
Current Location: Layer 1, Room 103 (Cursed Room – Athanasia's Human Ranch)
Sage's Advice: 3]
Elena sniffled as she grabbed my arm.
"Elena unni. Did you wake up in the facility?"
"Sob... I was definitely in a dog state, then suddenly there was a flash and I came to. Four others woke up besides me."
"Four... Seungyeop and Eunsol unni died before waking up, so that's Ga-in oppa, Jincheol oppa, Mukseong grandfather, and Ari. Plus you, unni."
"Yeah. Everyone's confused. This place is so scary. I really don't know what's going on... Did Songi wake up alone and explore a place like this?"
"I woke up quite a while ago. Long enough that I can barely remember."
"I see... Let's go meet the others quickly."
----Stab!
While we were having a cozy conversation, Elena pulled a knife from her embrace and thrust it like a comb's teeth, piercing through Songi.
It can't be helped. Songi is under alien mind control!
Rather, ending it this quickly would be mercy.
Consciousness grows hazy.
*
Elena stabbed herself with a knife and collapsed before my eyes.
So this was the only way.
Honestly, it was too obvious. Hotel colleagues appearing out of nowhere in this situation? Even the acting was awkward.
I don't know how Athanasia, controlling 'Elena', interpreted 'Elena.'
At the very least, the 'Elena' I know wouldn't be the type to cling to my arm crying like a child.
Even so, I couldn't undo the domination over Elena unni—the command to 'kill Songi.'
I realized it the moment I used the bracelet. The entity dominating Elena unni had overwhelmingly superior mind control skills compared to me.
It must be Athanasia.
The domination itself was impossible to break. I had no choice but to distort her five senses and induce self-harm to kill her.
Now I'm killing Elena unni for the second time? I'm slowly getting used to it.
The first time was through possession, the next with a sound mind. Could there possibly be a next time?
I grew up hearing that outside the hotel, I was so frustrated and timid I couldn't even kill an ant...
I hated those words too, but I never imagined I'd end up living by killing people close to me twice.
I couldn't undo Elena's domination, but her words didn't seem like complete lies.
Probably, the claim that four people aside from the already-dead Seungyeop and Eunsol unni had 'woken up' wasn't a lie.
However, one questionable point—Teacher should have 'stopped' the Athanasias in the 'Engine Room,' so how on earth could they control humans to attack me?
Is it a stronger individual than a typical Athanasia? Doesn't matter.
I pressed forward to face the final trial the hotel had prepared.
*
------Boom!
How can a person hitting a structure with their fist produce a sound like being struck by a hammer?
Could I survive being hit by a fist like that?
------Boom!
Almost three minutes now. I've been frantically rolling around everywhere.
Jincheol oppa's absurd physical capabilities.
-Thwack!
Ah, I got hit by Ga-in oppa. I'll definitely get revenge when I get out.
The bigger problem is that there's one more.
Though not to the extent of Jincheol oppa who seemed to have completely transcended humanity, the reason I could withstand the combined attacks of Ga-in oppa, who was at least an ordinary adult male, for several minutes was simple.
The moment we met, I almost instinctively twisted their vision, making their focus misalign.
I had no time for further manipulation. Unlike Elena, both of them rushed to beat me to death the moment they saw me!
At least when both their visual focus was distorted, there were about two instances where they attacked each other.
After that, rather than charging simultaneously, they attacked sequentially, so I could at least dodge...
But how long can I keep dodging?
At some point when I'm too exhausted to move, Jincheol oppa's absurdly powerful punch will come flying.
It feels like even a glancing blow would kill me.
Stalling for time is meaningless. Originally, their stamina would be far superior anyway.
What I need is a single moment. If I could just hold onto one person for exactly 3 seconds...
In the end, this is a moment that requires a decision.
---------Crash!
My left arm was crushed in an instant. Dangling loosely, it looks like a rubber band.
Normally, wouldn't someone faint from pain the moment their arm gets destroyed like this?
Should I call it fortunate?
I've become increasingly accustomed to mental manipulation through 'various perspectives,' and I blocked my pain perception long ago.
But... the feeling of looking at an arm flopping around like noodles is truly subtle.
The moment I deflected a blow with my left arm.
I bought 3 seconds. With my intact right arm, I blindly grabbed Jincheol oppa's upper body and met his eyes.
A long time isn't needed. Just 3 seconds. I erased 'me' from oppa's eyes.
Then I overlaid 'my appearance' onto Ga-in oppa as Jincheol oppa perceived him.
If Jincheol oppa had cognitive abilities, he wouldn't fall for such a crude shape-swapping manipulation.
But the two had rushed at me mindlessly without any conversation since meeting me.
Clearly behavior with suppressed intellect. Then wouldn't such crude manipulation work?
My prediction hit the mark.
Aha, it takes less than 10 seconds for Jincheol oppa to beat Ga-in oppa to death.
After that, I naturally made Jincheol oppa dive from a position about 5 stories high on the facility's outer side to grab Songi floating in the air, and I thought:
What on earth am I doing here?
From eyes that seemed to have long since dried up, water was squeezed out—perhaps because the human heart still had some moisture left to wring out.
I want to get out. It's so—agonizing.
*
My body doesn't move well.
Probably because I was beaten repeatedly by Jincheol oppa and Ga-in oppa.
When I was getting hit, I wanted to get out and get fierce revenge...
But since I killed both of them with my own hands, there's no need for revenge anew.
I blocked the pain with the bracelet, but the bracelet is a tool that deceives the mind, not a healing tool.
There was no way to force my broken body to move.
Could I possibly defeat Mukseong grandfather or Ari in this state?
When I had nearly reached the central cavity where 'Teacher' was imprisoned, dragging my half-collapsed body.
A flash of light.
Ari flew over like lightning and grabbed my throat!
What is this?
I can't understand. The bracelet only manipulates the target's mind—it's not something that grants superpowers!
Even if I told Ari to 'fly!' she shouldn't be able to fly, so what's going on?
Unless Ari could originally fly regardless of the bracelet—
My neck was instantly constricted and I couldn't breathe. Even the bracelet didn't work.
What on earth is this kid?
Is it ending like this? I suffered in pain for weeks, maybe months? And it ends this meaninglessly?
Ah--------------
"Oh my, sorry."
?
"My timing for waking up was a bit late. Even I have difficulty controlling this completely. But you woke up before I killed you, unni."
"Y-you, what on earth..."
"But what is this facility? I woke up but I really don't know. Absolutely nothing.
But I do understand one thing. While we were all playing animal farm, unni made incredible progress alone?
This feeling... it seems like you reached right before the final ending alone..."
"..."
"Those are eyes full of curiosity. But me too. There are sooooo many things I want to ask you, unni.
But I guess now's not the time. I usually don't like this kind of thing, but this time I'll trust the judgment of someone who came alone to right before the ending.
Unni. What do you think I should do?"
Questions. Questions. Questions. Countless ?'s spring up in my head.
What on earth is this kid?
But Ari is right. Now isn't the time to satisfy curiosity.
"I'm sorry—but die. If you get mind-controlled again, there'll be no answer then."
"I just woke up and you're telling me to just die. Unni, you're scary. Same for Mukseong grandfather?"
"Same. Athana—I don't know, anyway, the 'enemy' can dominate your minds. If you can't maintain this state of having your consciousness returned, then just die."
"... From just a brief conversation, I felt it. You seem like a completely different person from before. You didn't seem like someone who could make such... ruthless judgments and quick decisions."
"..."
Ari tilted her head for a moment and looked at me.
Anyway, what Ga-in oppa said in passing was right.
This kid's way of speaking is subtly all over the place.
At first she called me unni, now it's you.
Right before turning away,
Ari left her final words in this room.
"You really worked hard. I'll die first, believing that you'll reach the ending. At least, neither me nor Mukseong grandfather will become obstacles."
*
You've come.
"..."
I have waited for you.
"Have you already become free?"
You could say that.
"I thought all three control devices had to be released?"
When you slew all your companions, this one realized it had no remaining pieces and its mind crumbled.
So I released the third one myself... If you trace the causality, it's no different from you having released all three.
The special Athanasia I saw a few days ago.
Without even legs, a massive body covered only in tentacles, like a spider-starfish magnified hundreds of millions of times, lay sprawled before 'Teacher's' tank.
"Did this Athanasia... dominate my companions' minds?"
Yes. Because this individual was recently 'developed,' I too learned of its abilities only belatedly.
A kind of enhanced individual. It could even resist my 'stop.'
Perhaps it was an individual the Athanasias prepared as a counter to me.
"Even so, it ended up dying like this."
Your contribution is great.
I raise my head and look at 'Teacher,' no, the 'Devourer.'
How could I not have known?
Why did I think of that being as an infinitely beautiful, mysterious, and benevolent creature?
Only now that I can protect my mind with the bracelet do I understand.
The being that appeared before my eyes is the most ominous symbol in the universe.
An endless ominous momentum condensed into a single point, with the screams of countless sentient beings swirling. Now I know.
The Athanasias raised and extracted the intellect from countless sentient beings.
It was all to offer to the absolute evil before my eyes!
My entire body—trembles.
You fear me.
"Now I can see your horrific true nature."
True nature, you say. Are you certain of that?
"What... do you mean?"
There is still time, so let us converse a bit more. It wouldn't be bad to see something entertaining either.
Suddenly, my consciousness soared endlessly.
A vastly unfolding cosmic space.
Within it, dozens of small rooms orbiting around the 'Engine' where the 'Devourer' existed.
What was happening in those rooms imprinted itself in my mind in an instant.
Unidentified hands rising from throughout the rooms squeezed all the Athanasias.
From still-living larvae to adults. Without distinguishing anyone, the 'hands' ruthlessly tore apart and wrung out the Athanasias in an apocalyptic hell.
"What on earth is this..."
Isn't it quite a spectacle?
"Why are you doing such a thing?"
It's a simple story. Though it may not be amusing, consider it hearing 'Teacher's' venting of grievances.
The tragedies produced by the 'Tower of Trials' are not actually complete originals. They recreate events that actually occurred in the 'real universe's' history. Of course, with some variations added.
Before I was trapped in the tower, I was actually imprisoned by the Athanasias and enslaved for eons.
So I'm simply returning the favor.
"Estavio said you couldn't leave this place anyway and had a separate purpose. Is 'revenge' your purpose?"
You could say that. You seem quite displeased. Do you feel any sympathy for the Athanasias?
Even knowing how they treated countless sentient beings? Even you humans were sacrificed. In the first place, didn't you yourself slaughter Athanasia larvae?
"I... that is..."
I'm not trying to blame you. I am speaking of human immaturity.
"Human immaturity?"
Humans cannot escape the framework of sensation and instinct. Why do you feel displeased seeing this sight?
Do you truly judge that the Athanasias' suffering is unjust? You yourself know that is not the case.
It's simply because your instinct feels fear from the cruel scene unfolding before your eyes.
"Why is it wrong to feel disgust or fear upon seeing a cruel scene?"
Child. I am not speaking of right and wrong. I wish to speak of the mindset you need to endure this Tower of Trials.
You said earlier. That you saw my true nature and knew I was an ominous being.
Now look again.
My consciousness instantly descended, and I stood before the 'Devourer' once more.
Before me was the teacher I had first met on the day I woke up in the ranch.
The most—beautiful creature in the world. A body shining like starlight, small wings filled with hazy radiance. The majesty of a god descended from heaven.
Do I still appear to you as an ominous being?
"I don't understand anything. I've only realized that you shake my heart."
Child. Do not be enchanted by what is visible to your eyes. Beauty. Ugliness. Sacredness. Evilness.
You judge all of these by visible beauty and ugliness. Close your eyes and think. Have I ever harmed you?
I have undergone no change whatsoever, yet you overturn your evaluation of me as easily as flipping your palm based solely on my exterior. This is precisely humanity's weakness. This is what I wanted to tell you.
Escape the limits of your senses. Embrace clear reason. That is why I bestowed the bracelet upon you.
Once again, my consciousness ascends.
No, this time it wasn't just my consciousness—my body itself ascended.
What is happening?
At some point, the spaceship crumbled, the universe crumbled, the 'stage' crumbled.
And what remained was a single truth. The reality of Room 103, revealed after all falsehoods disappeared.
A door—appeared.
Trembling all over, I grabbed the doorknob.
Finally, my long nightmare has ended.
As I lost consciousness—I wondered. So what on earth was the 'Devourer'? A god? A demon?
Ha! I knew the answer from the beginning.
He was my 'Teacher.' No unnecessary modifiers seem needed for that.
/You have succeeded! A human ranch more cruel than hell! However, humans too rear inferior beings for their purposes, which is no different.
Perhaps, discussing such things in terms of good and evil is meaningless, isn't it?
Anyway! The incapacitation of all companions, endlessly powerful enemies! You overcame all those trials and finally reached the final ending.
By liberating the Devourer and succeeding in eliminating all Athanasias, you resolved the root of the curse. Congratulations.
...
...
...
...
Final resolution among companions occurred! Congratulations! With the occurrence of a final resolver, all members return safely.
...
You have acquired the legacy 'Various Perspectives'./