Chapter 315

Chapter 315

[Translator – Clara]

[Proofreader – Lucky]

Chapter 315: Surplus Humans (2)

“Oh. It’s Finally awake, huh,” Vikir said, stretching.

A huge flower bloomed atop the clock tower. It spread its petals wide like a smile, chewing on humans as if they were food.

Crunch, slurp, chomp...

Blood and flesh mixed in the viscous fluid, flowing steadily. As the blood seeped through, the nearby vines, previously shriveled like dried-up raisins, seemed slightly less wrinkled.

All the students recoiled in fear at the horrifying sight.

The fairy chuckled and spoke, “[This plant only devour one person a day. Even a single victim a day is enough. It feast on both the living and the dead.]”

S-Rank threat. “Bloodsoaked Jade Flower”

Despite its immaturity, it exuded a powerful aura that required it to consume one human per day, unlike the Hellhounds encountered in previous stages it was a far more dangerous creature.

Instinctively aware of the danger, the students stared at the carnivorous flower atop the clock tower with pale faces.

“Unbelievable! We’re supposed to endure 69 days in a place infested with such monsters?”

“No, no. It’s 68 days now!”

“Damn it! It’s the same!”

“Calm down! It’s not about the reduced time but why it’s reduced!”

“Maybe we can find a way to reduce it further here!”

With the recent death, the number of days they had to endure decreased. But even 68 days were by no means a short time.

With limited food and water, and the situation where one had to become the prey of this monster every day, it was a dire circumstance.

Everyone looked around anxiously, consumed by fear and anxiety.

Meanwhile, the Flower extended its long tongue, picking out bits of flesh stuck between its teeth before slipping back into slumber.

[Did you see that? If you don’t provoke it, it won’t bother you.]

However, the fairy’s subsequent words stiffened the expressions of the relieved students, as the Flower’s respite only lasted momentarily.

[Well, it’ll wake up soon anyway.]”

The nightmare had only just begun.

Now, the students had to endure cold, hunger, and battles with the Bloodsoaked Jade Flower for 68 days.

Some students attempted to attack the Flower’s stem, but it was impossible to harm an S-Rank monster with mere physical force.

Moreover, they were significantly weaker compared to their strength outside the tower.

“Ugh, I feel so weak!”

“Aaah! I don’t want to be in the same space as that monster! I don’t!”

“But the ruins are too cold. If we’re not close to that monster, we’ll freeze...”

“Ugh! I’d rather freeze to death in a concrete sewer!”

“Do you really think that plant won’t find you? Didn’t you see how its roots and vines spread out?”

“Ah, what are we supposed to do? Hungry, thirsty... How can we endure 68 days here?”

The students despaired, utterly confused and terrified, not knowing what to do.

Then, as if offering solace, the fairy spoke, “[Don’t lose hope. Shall I give you a special gift?]”

Simultaneously, peculiar items materialized in front of all the surviving students.

...Boom!

“....Was that supposed to be a joke?”

People can typically survive without eating anything for 3 to 7 days. If they can drink a little water, they might last up to 20 days. So enduring for 68 days in this cold, desolate wasteland without food was unrealistic from the start. Moreover, if the Flower wakes up again tomorrow at this time, that’s also a problem.

“If it just goes back to sleep after eating one person, why don’t we all just run away and let the slow ones get eaten?”

“That seems fairest. In other words, it’s survival of the fittest.”

“Yeah, right. If you’re slow, you die.”

“Couldn’t we just team up against that Flower? Is it really that strong?”

As the students exchanged opinions, the fairy interjected as if it had forgotten something.

[Oh, right? The flower gets annoyed when you meet a lot? It might eat all 68 people at once? It might be best to not move much?]”

It ended it’s tone in a high note as always, It seemes as if it was asking a question rather than telling something.

Finishing it’s statement, the fairy pointed to a window inside a nearby building.

All eyes turned to where piles of thick bones were stacked, remnants of Hellhounds.

The surrounding area was littered with the shattered corpses of the massive beasts.

The fairy chuckled and projected a hologram through one of the windows, depicting a scene from the previous stage where Hellhounds fought against the Bloodsoaked Jade Flower.

Nearly a hundred Hellhounds, each baring their teeth and claws, rushed toward the Flower.

...And the outcome was gruesome.

Snap!

In a matter of seconds, the hundred Hellhounds couldn’t even last against the Flower for 10 seconds.

Within 3 seconds, half of them, about 50, were whipped by the Flower’s vine, tearing their torsos and limbs apart.

The next 4 seconds, almost 40 were impaled by the roots, becoming bloodied messes on the ground.

The last 3 seconds until the count reached 0, the surviving 5 Hellhounds melted into a handful of Bloodwater as they were struck by the Flower’s deadly breath.

Afterward, the Flower feasted on some of the Hellhound corpses before getting bored and moving elsewhere.

Total annihilation.

“....”

A silence fell among the students. Even the Hellhounds that tormented them in the previous stage looked pathetic in comparison.

If the Flower becomes more vicious as people move,

It could be the worst-case scenario, killing all 68 people at once. Ultimately, sacrificing one person per day would be the better option.

The chilling silence pervaded the ruins. The remaining 68 students began to engage in a silent struggle of wits.

Cold and hunger. And the danger of being chosen as a sacrifice to the monster.

Moreover...

“That carnivorous flower. It’ll eat even if we throw corpses at it, right?”

“It probably will. It eats everything, alive or dead, as that ugly fairy said earlier”

“So, it’s not like we’ll all just be eaten one by one every day.”

“Yeah, if we’re all going to die anyway, might as well just die, right?”

“...Yeah, that makes sense. If it eats corpses too, it’ll be easier, won’t it?”

“I think the same. Maybe even easier than the previous stage.”

Even some who sent dangerous glances toward other students.

The atmosphere in the ruins was becoming increasingly unbearable.

[Translator – Clara]

[Proofreader – Lucky]