Episode 95. Tower of Trials (6)
Prepare for S-class monsters?
Dante recalled the S-class monsters he had seen in the monster encyclopedia in BS’ study.
‘Siren. Sirens were hallucinatory monsters, maybe… … .’
In the old days, siren meant a mermaid or a witch who was half human and half beast. However, in the modern superhuman society, sirens do not have the characteristics of ‘half-human’.
Instead, the characteristic of beguiling humans with a beautiful voice is similar to that of an old siren. This was the reason why the individual name Siren was attached.
A hallucinogenic gas erupted into the capsule where Dante was lying. It is a banned substance because it is similar to old-fashioned LSD. It was used on a limited basis only when testing superhumans’ resistance to hallucinations.
in the dark.
A voice was heard in Dante’s ears.
“Oh, my pretty baby. what did you draw? 」
Dante opened his eyes.
It is inside Charlie’s base villa where he lived for 17 years.
The appearance of my parents when I was young without a single wrinkle.
‘… … mom? How old are you?’
Young Dante sat down on an old sofa and held out his sketchbook.
“Uncle Roy! 」
“Did you draw Uncle Roy? 」
” huh! 」
What Dante drew in his sketchbook was not a person.
‘It’s a pattern. Around that time, I started to see a pattern.’
Memories of my childhood lasted forever.
I remember crying and crying every time my parents left for a mission. Memories of being empty because of my parents who never came back no matter how much I let them go.
There were few good memories.
afraid.
It’s stuffy.
A heavy fear chokes his throat.
A ghastly voice came over the fragment of memory.
“Your parents hated you. Even after giving birth, I regretted it. You are a child born by mistake. you know that too 」
“To your parents, you were never number one. You always resented your parents. Even when they closed their eyes, you were just a burden. You shouldn’t have been born! You ruined everything! giggle 」
“Hamel hates you. Didn’t you leave Hamel’s side at the most difficult time? Hamel didn’t abandon you, you abandoned Hamel. Are you still sad? A buggy baby. Kkkkkkk. 」
Emotions surge.
Dante shouted, shaking his clenched fist.
“no. No!”
The devil’s whispers continued.
He constantly criticized Dante and alienated people around him.
“To BS, you are just a tool to be used. You know best what happened to your parents. You will be like that too! 」
“Jun already knew the scenario for this test. You must have guessed. But you hid that fact. I didn’t want to share information with a little guy like you. Jun used you. 」
“The person you trust the most is Alicia, right? Don’t be mistaken. Alicia is jealous of you. Says gossip to BS all the time. You don’t even know that, and you confide in her, don’t you? devil. Alicia put a bad comment on the Next Tube commercial video! Do you understand now, kid? Dragging. 」
Dante took a deep breath and calmed himself down.
‘It’s hallucinations.’
Auditory hallucinations are one of the symptoms of schizophrenia.
Why is a normal person suddenly possessed by hallucinations and going crazy? It is because the stories heard through auditory hallucinations are believable.
For example, “Alicia died a year ago! If you hear hallucinations like this, Dante won’t believe it. Because I know exactly that I was alive yesterday.
However, hallucinations are based on past memories or facts that even the person concerned has forgotten.
‘Is work more important to my parents than me?’
‘Why hasn’t Hamel contacted you? Are you sad about anything?’
‘What is the purpose of BS?’
‘Because Uncle Jun is the president of Nexon, he might know the scenario.’
It was all Dante actually thought about and worried about. In this way, hallucinations create new stories based on actual memories and thoughts.
If this is repeated, at some point you will believe that the hallucinations are real, and you will be led into a serious situation where you follow the instructions given by the hallucinations.
Dante brooded over what the hallucinations had told him.
‘Alicia posted bad comments on my video? What bullsh*t, really.’
Alicia wanted to swear openly, but she was never a bad person or a lunatic behind the scenes.
Besides, isn’t there a history of being stabbed in the back and hurt by your best friend?
“I wish I could have told you what I didn’t like. I don’t understand why he laughed so hard in front of me and gossiped about me behind my back. 」
Dante had heard similar stories from Alicia many times.
After fully recognizing the hallucinations, I felt at ease.
The hallucinations began once again.
“Alicia… … . 」
‘Alicia is not that kind of girl. So get out of here!’
「Sick! pup! 」
‘I’m just going to introduce myself.’
The view has changed.
pure white interior.
Previously, I was with my classmates who had gone up to the 11th floor, but now I was alone.
[ You have passed the bonus round. Check out your rewards. Quit the game. ]
The scenario ends when it is determined that the player correctly recognized the auditory hallucination by measuring brain waves and body rhythm.
‘Is it over? Who are you going to ask for the reward?’
The capsule opened and I felt the warm air.
Dante opened his eyes and got up.
Jia Han greeted Dante with a light smile.
“Are you done already? How great?”
“Is this really the end?”
Dante felt it was two full days in the bonus round alone.
“Yeah, it’s over. It’s only been ten hours since I was in the capsule.”
“But what is the reward?”
“Give extra points when working in the Mage Tower.”
Dante clenched his fists and cheered.
“Oh yeah! Big pumpkin.”
“What I just did is a hallucination tolerance test. It’s very difficult to get through.”
Jia Han had already been tested.
Psychedelic monsters are very difficult to deal with. If you attack without resistance, you may mistake a colleague for an enemy, and a tragedy of fratricide may occur.
From noble mtl dot com
Among incumbent superhumans, about 3 percent passed the test. Passers-by were preferentially put into S-class planets with hallucinogenic monsters.
Jia Han continued the explanation.
“If you succeed in entering the Magic Tower, it will be quite advantageous for assignment. Usually, new graduates who just graduated start from D-class and move up step by step, right? However, if you have Hallucination Resistance, you can skip the lower stages and be dispatched directly to Class A or Class S.”
“It’s good, right?”
“of course.”
Jia Han put her thumb and forefinger together and rolled it up.
“First of all, money is different. If the newcomer is dispatched to S-class along with the seniors, it will be completely sucked. That’s why we usually don’t send new recruits.”
“It seems that hallucination-resistant people are in short supply?”
“that’s right. What can I do when I’m out of work? You should bring a newcomer with you.”
It wasn’t just because of his parents that Dante was aiming for the Mage Tower. Isn’t that the best option for beginners?
In modern society, there was such a law.
“The pay of private mercenaries cannot exceed that of a superman of the same level belonging to the Wizard’s Tower. 」
There was a justification for enacting these laws.
Social interests take precedence over private interests.
The Mage Tower is a national institution and exists for the continuation of mankind. On the other hand, the private mercenary group was a group that pursued profit.
If the private mercenaries raised their wages, there was a possibility that talented superhumans would escape.
The large mercenary group offered an annual salary that was almost the same as that of a superman belonging to the Mage Tower.
Even though the Mage Tower and large mercenaries have similar wages, the Mage Tower affiliation takes a few more things.
fame and connections.
Jia Han escorted Dante to the door.
In front of the door, it’s only a few meters away.
She kindly opened the door and asked Dante a question.
“But how did you do it so quickly?”
“hmm… … . There are people I really believe in. So I got it. Because he could never have cursed at me.”
“good job. Then go and rest.”
“yes! thank you.”
Dante checked his phone as he exited the building. There was a text from Alicia.
[Choi Goe: Contact me when you’re done!!!!!!!!!! ]
Judging by the number of exclamation marks, Alicia seemed to have passed the bonus round as well.
[Me: Where are you? ]
[Choigoe: Raise your head. ]
Dante raised his head.
‘5, 4, 3, 2, 1.’
The green dot, which was 100 meters ahead, ran to the front of Dante in just 5 seconds.
But somehow, his expression didn’t look bright.
Alicia asked.
“How is it?”
“I got through to the last round. I was told to play a bonus round on the 11th floor?”
“Good. Good job!”
“you.”
Alicia pushed the crown of her head.
“Comfort me quickly.”
“why. Did you drop out early?”
“Ninth floor. I got hit by a teammate. i’m depressed So let’s go shopping. huh?”
Same visual simulation center hallway.
Fabio waited for someone while pacing the hallway.
Soon after, a female student came out into the hallway with long hair down to her hips.
Lirico Greenwood.
He was a member of the team with Fabio and Alicia since 1st grade, with magic bullet skills comparable to Alicia.
Lirico smiled broadly and approached Fabio.
“What are you doing here? Were you waiting for me?”
“huh. Can I talk to you for a second?”
“huh!”
Fabio entered the empty meeting room with Lirico.
Fabio asked.
“What are you doing?”
“huh? what?”
“Alicia. We were on the same team. Why did you kill him?”
“hmm… … . Alicia and I have been rivals since first grade. That’s why Risha took it out while she was careless. It’s true that we’re close, but it’s a competition. Did I do something wrong?”
“Risha hurt. You know that. Did you have to do that knowingly? that’s why i hate you Jealousy over the line.”
Lirico’s eyes fluttered at Fabio’s words.
“me… … do you hate jealousy?”
“You and me. It’s been 13 years since kindergarten. From then on, you always liked me. If there’s a girl I’m even a little interested in, you’ve somehow separated them, right? While telling all sorts of lies.”
family friendly
So, the two of them spent a lot of time together since childhood. from kindergarten to college. They all went to the same school.
“What is that… … .”
“When I was young, I was naive and didn’t know much about it. But not anymore. You can clearly see what you are doing.”
“I’m like a lie… … .”
Life turned in Fabio’s eyes.
He pushed Lirico’s upper body and drove him against the wall.
“Don’t touch Lisa. before killing them.”
“Me, how could you do this to me? We are old friends.”
“so. I’ve been watching you since you’re my friend. don’t look ahead know? I’m not talking empty words.”
“… … .”
Lirico trembled slightly.
‘It was exactly this look at the incident 8 years ago… … .’
It had been exactly 8 years since he had seen Fabio get so angry. At that time, I was angry with someone other than Lirico.
“Don’t think of bullying Risha in any way. What if I find out? Then I’ll start with your family, not you. Got it?”
Lirico grabbed Fabio’s forearm with a trembling hand.
“sorry. I won’t do that in the future, never. So we… … .”
Fabio’s reaction was cold.
He roughly shook off Lirico’s hand and left the meeting room.
On his way to the dormitory, Fabio found an unripe watermelon in the distance. Fabio lightly loosened his stiff facial muscles with the palm of his hand and charged toward the watermelon.
“Lishya! Was Dante there too? What are you doing?”
“I was just talking about the test.”
“Oh yeah?”
Fabio looked at Alicia and talked.
“miss. Our exams are over. Do you want to go shopping together?”
Alicia cupped her hands in front of her chest and blinked.
“As expected, you know me very well. I was already coaxing Dante into going shopping.”
“Are you putting it on?”
“of course. Let’s go to our beauty salon. I want to dye my hair pink again.”
“pink? You are pretty no matter what you do.”
“You know, you know.”
thought Dante.
… … What do you know!
‘me. do you have to get out? i want to fall I feel like my stomach is rumbling… … .’
“hey. I’m just… … .”
Jingjing jingying.
Then text messages arrived one after another.
Risha is the only person who blows up text bombs like this. Who is it?
Dante checked the text.
[D.O: Are you done? where are you. Contact me when you’re done. ]
[ D.O.: You dare kill me? I was hit by a grenade thrown by you and me and died on the first floor. ]
[D.O: When it’s over, come out with a statement of reflection. Serious brother! really behind ]
[Dio: That’s right! I’m back for real! I’m just!! ]
Alicia pulled her head out and tried to peek.
“Just what. who? Why do you stop talking?”
“It’s nothing. I want to go shopping scared.”
The wind is bitter today.
The back bone is cold.
It seemed that leaving the campus as soon as possible would be beneficial to his health.
“Oh, it’s cold. let’s hurry. senior, let’s go go! Go go go!”
Lirico, who was watching from a distance, took out his cell phone and made a call.
To Fabio’s father.
“Uncle, it is me. I… … I saw the same eyes as I did 8 years ago. You know how much I love Fabio, right? I’m really worried. Fabio suddenly said he wouldn’t leave me or my family alone… … Whoops.”
– Calm down, Lirico. Thank you for contacting me.
“I… … Please don’t talk about me. I’m really scared… … It shouldn’t happen again like it used to.”
– I know what you’re talking about, so don’t worry.
The call is over.
Lirico wiped away the tears with an expressionless face.