Chapter 95: The Mysterious Presence
“This place... Now that I think about it, it’s certainly a peculiar space...”
I silently listened to the old man’s words, letting the cool night air brush across my face.
So here in this “ordinary” space, someone was watching me.
“Don’t worry too much, lad. That presence—whoever it is—seems more curious about you than hostile.”
Is that so? But it’s still unsettling...
“Hehe, if it had hostile intentions, your skinny neck would have been cut by now.”
I swallowed, a chill running down my spine.
What should I do then?
“What else do you think? Just go about your business. Whoever’s watching you is beyond your control anyway. There’s no use preparing for what you can’t avoid.” The old man’s figure, hands behind his back, looked remarkably at ease.
This old geezer... Today, he seemed especially annoying.
But he had a point. If not for him, I wouldn’t have even known I was being watched.
I decided to relax. After all, as he said, there was nothing I could do about it.
Anyway...
I tilted my head slightly.
What did you mean by saying this space is peculiar?
He had mentioned offhand that this was a peculiar space.
“Remember you said that someone artificially constructed this space?”
Yes.
This was a dungeon created by Delilah, the Dungeon Maker—just as her alias suggested.
“Hmph. Compressing space endlessly to escape the effects of gravity... A clever way to gain control over time, indeed.”
“...?”
I tilted my head even more, utterly perplexed.
What are you talking about?
I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“Haah. Anyone with half a brain would understand by now... Talking to a non-genius is such a chore.” The old man sighed, stroking his beard with feigned exasperation.
If you know I don’t understand, then just explain it simply. Don’t tease me.
The old man continued after my complaint, “This dungeon, this space we’re standing in, is subject to less gravitational force than your world.”
Less gravity?
“Yes. By shrinking down this world and its inhabitants, she made gravity relatively weaker here.”
So?
I still didn’t get it.
“Tsk. You still don’t get it?”
Does that mean shrinking gives you control over time?
“If you don’t understand, just say so.”
Okay, I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.
“Hmm. Really?” His grin grew wider as if he were truly enjoying himself.
Ah, I think I understood now. The old man was having fun explaining this to me. After watching me progress independently, he was pleased to have something to teach again.
“Do you know how many times a dragonfly flaps its wings in a second?”
“...?”
A dragonfly? I wasn’t sure... Maybe 20 or 30 times?
“It depends on the species and size, but they can flap anywhere from 30 to 100 times per second. Do you know why they’re faster than humans?”
After a moment of thought, I answered.
And at that moment, I gathered all my strength for a decisive blow aimed at my right side—
“Eek!” A startled, youthful female voice rang out.
—Thud!
The figure of a female ranker appeared, her face twisted in shock. “Wh-What was that just now? How did you know I was here?” she shouted, bewildered.
“Heh.” I let out a dry laugh. “Before anything else, shouldn’t you be telling me who you are?”
After a week in this place, I’d finally tracked down a judge for the first time.
In a mysterious, circular hall filled with hundreds of holographic screens, hunters were displayed, their movements being carefully monitored.
“...”
At the center of the vast hall stood a figure cloaked in silence, shrouded in a hood that gave her an almost holy aura. Her name was Delilah—the Mirage of the World.
—Swish!
Another figure approached her from behind, a tall, muscular man. It was Lucas, the Red-eyed Arcane Swordsman.
“Lady Delilah.”
“Ah, Lucas. You’ve arrived.”
“One of the judges has already been discovered.”
“...Yes, I just saw.”
—Swish!
She raised her hand, pointing to a particular hologram. Joo Donghoon and a young girl appeared on it.
“...It’s Thundercry.”
Floa the Thundercry was a German ranker, holding the 84th spot in the world rankings.
“This doesn’t make sense. How could an unranked participant detect a judge...?” Lucas muttered in disbelief.
Not just any judge could serve in Delilah’s Trial. To be a judge here, one had to be at least within the top 100—a true ranker at a different caliber.
“Look closely. Joo Donghoon’s trial points have already surpassed 20,000.”
“...In just one week?” Lucas couldn’t close his mouth in shock.
“Yes, this newcomer seems quite promising.” Delilah’s smile was soft, as though she were genuinely pleased.
“Is that really okay? The previous top scorer only reached 10,000 points in a month...”
“There’s no harm in it.” She blinked calmly. “I merely provide the dungeon. Participants are free to use whatever means they wish to earn rewards. It‘s more beneficial for us if the participants are highly skilled and earn higher rewards.”
“...” Lucas nodded in silence.
He was one of the recipients of Delilah’s trials himself, so he knew well that Delilah despised intervening in her dungeons.
The dungeon’s difficulty was relative; the harder it was, the more the participants accomplished, and the more significant the rewards it generated. Her only involvement was ensuring the dungeon’s challenging design.
Lucas nodded. Each year, her trials birthed new rankers because she continually made her dungeons harder—no more, no less.
“Are you worried that this newcomer will surpass you in rank?”
“N-No, that’s not the case.” Lucas shook his head. “I’m just here to receive my chief judge’s reward. I have no other ambitions. But I’m just concerned...”
“About the gap widening between participants?”
“No, I’m worried that Thundercry made a mistake...”
“Surely you know that’s unnecessary.”
“True...”
Delilah had placed strict limitations on the judges. They could harass participants, but they could never aid them. Any attempt to help would immediately strip them of their role.
“But still... The judges weren’t supposed to appear for another month. That’s when the purpose of the trial points will be revealed...”
“Don’t worry, Lucas.”
“...”
“There’s nothing that’s ‘supposed to happen’ in this world. Remember, we’re just observers. Joo Donghoon finding Floa was entirely his own doing—whether by luck or skill. You need only focus on your role as a judge. Understood?”
“...Understood, my lady.”
With a respectful bow, Lucas’s figure flickered, and he vanished as swiftly as he’d appeared.