SSS-Class Hunter is Going to Rest - Chapter 95



Only Krnovel

Episode 95 Towards the 100th Floor (8)
2024.06.18.

Turning back time.

Suji shut her mouth at the ridiculous story. They

say even the Hunter System was artificially created, so she thought that nothing could be impossible, but at the same time, she thought that it was ridiculous.

Elaine, who had been staring at her for a while at a loss for words, sat up straight with her father’s legs crossed. Then she clasped her hands with a bitter expression.

After a long silence, he opened his mouth.

“I understand whether you believe me or not. From here on, this is why I’m telling you this story now.”

“I really don’t understand anything right now, so tell me why or whatever.”

“The 100th floor reward, 〈Deviation〉, is one for each tower. For each 〈Tower of the Sage〉.”

“… … .”

“Once 〈Deviation〉 is used, it is consumed. There are as many as the number of countries in the world… … .”

“Since the First Wave, there has been a lot of unification between countries… … There are 102 countries. In that case… … .”

“That’s right. That’s the number of 〈Deviations〉 that exist.”

The item that turns back time, 〈Deviations〉.

There are 102 of them?

At first, I didn’t understand it.

If there were that many such incredible items, there would be endless ways to utilize them.

It might even be the starting point for preventing that hellish destruction.

If there really was something that great, the ‘great beings’ would be bragging about it.

‘… … But, wait a minute.’

102

102

Suzy briefly thought about the number.

It was a number that was strangely familiar.

‘Because it’s the number of countries in the world?’

No, it felt more like a number she had heard recently.

– This time, they really did an amazing job of organizing the system, didn’t they?

“What do you mean ‘this time,’? How many times have you done this?”

– That’s right. Right now, they’re down 102 to 101.

Just as I couldn’t seem to remember, a phrase from the first conversation I had with the owner of the ring flashed through my head.

Suzy furrowed her brow.

What could be the coincidence of these numbers? Was it a coincidence?

If not?

She organized the information floating around in her head and put it into her mouth.

“Let’s say everything Elaine is saying is true. She’s been to the 100th floor, and there’s an item called “Deviation” at the top of each tower. And that item has the power to turn back time.”

“Yes.”

“There’s such a good item, and Elaine knows the strategy to get to the 100th floor?”

“Yes.”

Even though Suzy was asking, Elaine simply answered obediently.

She ruffled her hair. Her purple hair flowed down her shoulders.

Suzy glared at the hair tangled around her fingers and asked.

“In such a favorable situation, this is all we’ve gotten to?”

“Up until now, it was Daphne, not me, who’s been using “Deviation.” So with the accumulated experience, I could climb the tower more easily and get another 〈Deviation〉.”

“… … Me?”

“Yes. Exactly, I don’t understand how Daphne felt. After all, I only heard the story. Anyway, Daphne told me that even after conquering all 101 towers, she still couldn’t solve the ‘End’.”

All the puzzles fell into place.

In the most unpleasant way.

The 〈Deviation〉 item that sounded like a miracle had been used up 101 out of 102.

And even after that, the betting game that the ‘Great Beings’ played around with hadn’t changed one bit.

Suzy shut her mouth tightly. She

could have just dismissed all the nonsense Elaine was saying, but all the pieces fit together too well.

He explained again, thinking that Suzy hadn’t taken it in.

“The reason I was able to climb the 100-story tower up until now is because the one who used that 〈Deviation〉 was Daphne. She said that the beginning was difficult, but after that, it was easy because I was just climbing the floors I had already climbed once.”

“… …Elaine.”

“Yes.”

“If all of this is a lie, that would be really bad too. If all of this is true, I can’t tell you how disappointed I would be in Elaine. Tell me why you kept your mouth shut until now, and why you pretended not to know when our team was having such a hard time. I’ll let you in.”

Elaine didn’t seem to care that she was so angry. She

simply continued speaking in a calm but desperate voice, as if she were confessing to some religious god.

“There is a problem with 〈Deviation〉.”

“… … What is that?”

Elaine said, covering her arm with her other hand, unable to erase her bitter smile.

“The person who used 〈Deviation〉 will eventually return to the point where they started.”

“… … Time paradox?”

If it were possible to go back in time to the past, there would naturally be the problem of time paradox.

Even if Elaine who went back to the past changed or learned something new, it wouldn’t be passed on to Elaine in the future. There would be various problems.

He shrugged his shoulders at Suji’s words.

“It’s similar, but a little different. In the first place, two people of the same age cannot exist in the same time period.”

“So?”

“That’s why if one person repeatedly uses 〈Deviation〉, the time they can utilize it will gradually decrease. You have to use another item before the time you used the item once approaches.”

She nodded.

If time constraints were increasingly pressing, the difficulty would inevitably increase, no matter how much information I had from the past.

So what about this time?

Elaine said as if she had read her mind.

“Since I’ve already taken over the baton, Daphne can use the item whenever she wants this time.”

“Are you telling me to use 〈Deviation〉 now?”

“I’m just leaving the possibility open. Personally, I hope it’ll be successful without using it.”

“… … Why?”

“I thought it was impossible to succeed this time. I had one more item left anyway, and I thought it would be more efficient for Daphne to use 〈Deviation〉 than for me to use it. I just thought I’d give Daphne time to cool her head.”

“Keep talking.”

“Anyway… … .”

He stopped talking and glanced at Soo-ji’s eyes as if observing her, then opened his mouth again.

“… … Anyway, this was going to be a failed episode. I didn’t want to burden her unnecessarily. I thought it would be good if Daphne could approach it with a little more composure. I’ve never seen Daphne’s face as bright as this episode. In every moment I can remember, Daphne has been blaming herself for not putting in enough effort, even when she was covered in blood. That’s all.”

Su-ji looked at his gaze that was staring at her.

Pity?

Longing?

Sorry?

No.

It was nothing but honest affection.

But there was no way that that could explain everything right now.

‘Did you think that would make me feel good if you said that?’

She couldn’t suppress the frustration and anger boiling inside her and jumped up from her seat. You

wanted to see a bright face?

That’s why you kept your mouth shut?

That means you already knew all the gimmicks as you went up each floor. How could such a ridiculous excuse work when you didn’t even tell them in advance and kept it to yourself?

You could have prepared for your team members getting hurt.

But before she could even ask that question, a shiver or a goosebump ran through her body. She

thought of the scars she had seen on the beach that covered his naked body.

Elaine was always the one who was hit by traps that popped up in unexpected places or by sudden changes in boss monsters.

She thought it was a coincidence.

He, who had the ability to not even get hurt easily, was always being played around by variables.

My head was spinning.

“Then why did you keep your mouth shut? Why did you tell me?”

“I wanted to see you succeed this time. I became convinced that I had obtained something that I couldn’t obtain even after turning back time.”

“… … Defeating the apocalypse?”

“Yes.”

“… … No, how. Why, why… … .”

Suzy stuttered out words that didn’t connect well, and he mumbled.

“I should have told you sooner. I’m sorry.”

She looked into Elaine’s dark eyes and suddenly realized.

One thing was missing.

It seemed like it was composed of perfect logic, but one thing was missing.

Suzy walked over to Elaine and grabbed her by the collar and stood her up. Then she pushed him, who was a head and a half taller than her, against the wall and said,

“There’s something else you’re hiding. Right?”

“… … Daphne.”

“You said it so naturally that I almost let it go. You just said that. Two people cannot exist at the same time. If Elaine wrote “Deviation,” what happens to Elaine?”

“… … I decided that I must tell you now because the point at which I turn back time will come soon.”

“When?”

“A week later.”

“When that time comes… … .”

Elaine answered in a tone that sounded like she was soothing a child.

“I don’t know. Another me will exist. However, my memories of this me will not continue. I am a completely different being. That is why I think this body is nearing its expiration date.”

The strength in her grip on his collar naturally drained.