Hell Difficulty Tutorial Chapter 805 - For a few more minutes

POV Nathaniel

A day after our ascent to the 11th floor and a quick check confirming a degree of safety, I step into Beyond. Precisely as anticipated, the familiar surroundings greet me, with Ruby stationed behind her usual counter.

“Hey,” she offers as a greeting.

“Hey,” I reciprocate, taking a seat in the chair opposite hers.

Emerging from the oppressive heat of the 11th floor, the atmosphere here feels remarkably soothing.

“Biscuit isn’t currently within Beyond?” I inquire, unable to hold back the question, though a strong suspicion already guides my thoughts.

“He is not,” Ruby confirms. She quickly adds, “Why not linger here for a bit longer before you activate a Tutorial Stay token? They’re half a million shards apiece. Such an expenditure shouldn't be made lightly.”

“I doubt I possess the capacity to concern myself with that cost at this exact moment,” I remark, yet I remain seated.

“That particular floor underwent significant devastation,” she observes.

“Indeed, it did.”

“So, how are you processing the events?”

I take a brief pause to collect my thoughts before shrugging. “It’s rough, but truthfully, I’d been anticipating a setback of that magnitude. It aligns with the very nature of this difficulty level. Things could have spiraled into far worse outcomes. This particular failure doesn’t fundamentally alter our situation or inject fresh urgency into our resolve. We were already acutely aware of the imperative to grow stronger. As you aptly put it: a flawed floor rife with errors, some preventable and others merely unfortunate twists of fate.”

“That’s a valid point,” she agrees softly, subtly encouraging me to elaborate.

I see no impediment to doing so. People invariably find some solace in airing their grievances to an attentive listener, so why deprive myself of that? “Biscuit is gone. Our connection is severed. Yet, I will locate him, or destiny will reunite us.” I pause, leaning back to gaze upward. “He possesses considerable strength, so I am confident in his well-being. However, I suspect that is not something you can confirm for me?”

“It’s a delicate matter. As a Ruler, certain actions or pronouncements on my part could attract undesirable scrutiny from the system. Prudence dictates my silence for the time being.”

I acknowledge her position with a nod. “I comprehend. Then there’s Noodle, who continues to suffer from the wyvern’s bite. We believe that voracious reptile is attempting to absorb some of its blood, and I suspect Noodle has begun to undergo a transformation.”

“I am aware that you also carry a portion, stemming from your encounter with the hatchling.”

“That is correct. Lily and I intend to utilize it, either to attempt a forceful enhancement or evolution of my bloodline trait, should that prove feasible, or to bestow it upon a more suitable individual within our group. The remaining quantity is scarce, so the outcome remains uncertain.”

“Exercise caution.”

“Within reasonable bounds,” I reply, pausing once more, this time with a heavier heart, the kind that renders speech difficult. “And then there’s Aaron. His physical form, his mana heart… everything, obliterated. He has now been reduced to a consciousness residing within his brother’s mind.”

“It was the more favorable of the dire alternatives.”

I nod in agreement. “Undoubtedly. That madman even transferred all his accumulated stats to Dennis just before his physical vessel was destroyed, effectively doubling Dennis’s attributes. Aaron can also lend partial support with certain skills and abilities. Consequently, Dennis has experienced a substantial surge in power, and he’s been making light of entering Beyond himself, though I suspect that humor serves as a shield against succumbing to despair. Apparently, on the higher floors, individual quests can be initiated to gain entry into Beyond.”

“That is indeed possible. Such opportunities typically commence on the tenth floor, with infrequent occurrences on lower levels. An upgraded difficulty modification token is no longer a prerequisite. However, by that stage, the available time to explore Beyond or capitalize on its unique events and quests is considerably diminished.”

“A self-evident truth,” I concur, deciding to voice further grievances. “If you had witnessed the scene… Aaron intervened to shield Izzy. My control over the lightning faltered when the hatchling exploited my compromised state following Biscuit’s abrupt disappearance. Had Aaron not acted, Izzy would have perished. Yet now, he lacks a physical form, and it remains unknown if his existence is precarious, if he is counted among the participants, whether the stats he imparted to Dennis will persist, or if he retains the capacity to level up and grow stronger. Lily might be capable of cloning Dennis or systematically dismantling him, piece by piece – extracting a limb, healing it, removing a leg, healing it, then utilizing the collected components to construct a ‘clone’ into which Sophie could potentially transfer Aaron. But such a vessel would lack a mana heart, and I fear that without that vital center of mana, it would be incapable of sustaining his consciousness. Even if we managed to replicate Aaron’s brain perfectly, we would merely be fabricating a duplicate. To simply state that the situation is ‘unfortunate’ would be a gross understatement.”

Ruby, who has been listening with unwavering patience, offers a sympathetic nod. “It is indeed a profoundly unfortunate situation. Did you experience fear?”

“Absolutely. I was terrified when I witnessed his physical form dissolve. I genuinely believed I had lost a friend. But my own fear pales in comparison to the anguish he and his brother must be enduring.”

“Don’t dismiss your own scars. You have endured a great deal as well. Your bond was lost, and your body continues to betray you. You exist in perpetual agony, burdened by the knowledge that a single misstep in mana control could spell your doom. On top of that, the immense responsibility of being the strongest rests solely upon your shoulders. Your planet, your family, and your very life are endangered by that man. The situation on Earth is evolving as he establishes his presence and crafts strategies for the coming decades, not merely the immediate future. To preempt your question: he is adhering to his word, and your loved ones are secure.”

“If you phrase it that way, it certainly sounds like a lot,” I conceded, allowing myself a moment of respite. It was especially noticeable as I saw her reach out, her touch gently siphoning away the burden of controlling my mana. As she took over, it felt as if a relentless hum faded into the background, and a palpable weight lifted from my spirit.

Still, my gaze remained fixed on her. “But this is the path I willingly embraced. As for the circumstances beyond my control, I have gained rewards that ordinary individuals could only fantasize about. It’s evident that such gains come with a significant cost.”

My attention drifted to one of the mana stones resting on her table. “I’ve contemplated this, Ruby. I often find myself thinking these predicaments arise from my own inadequacy in strength, and to a degree, that is true. Yet, when I look upwards, towards the Rulers and towards you, I can’t help but perceive a certain deficiency in each of you. This leads me to believe that even if I were to achieve your level of power, the situation wouldn't fundamentally change. We would still be bound by countless agreements, objectives, and the very system itself.”

Her eyes narrowed as I shifted my gaze from the table back to her. “And I find myself questioning, Ruby. When was the last time you genuinely exerted your absolute maximum effort? My thoughts often turn to Lissandra, as she was when I encountered her on the second floor. Content with her position, unchallenged as the strongest, she stepped aside to allow others from her world to ascend and demonstrate their capabilities. Then I reflect that you, I, and she share a certain similarity. At this very instant, I feel a surge of anger. A powerful motivation. There are numerous actions I wish to undertake immediately, vengeful promises to uphold, and pledges to prevent such occurrences from ever happening again. Nevertheless, I have experienced these emotions before. In the months to come, these feelings will likely diminish from a raging inferno to softly glowing embers. I suspect this is the inherent nature of humans and other beings.”

She maintained unwavering eye contact, offering no response, so I let my words trail off and looked away from her. A minute passed in shared silence.

Then, she broke the quiet, posing a question. “And what drives your actions?”

Numerous replies presented themselves, the standard responses I often employed, but for an fleeting moment, a memory of the Lumoran Champion, Feroy, surfaced. He had spoken with a subtle tenderness when I’d posed a similar question to him.

However, I voiced a different sentiment: “Because as long as I hold the title of strongest, no one can seize what is mine or compel me into choices I do not wish to make.”

“That is reassuring to hear,” she responded. “Would you prefer to shift the conversation to something lighter before you depart?”

“Why not.”

“The Lycan you encountered on the ninth floor is the Ruler of Wrath, currently regarded as the third or fourth most powerful Ruler. There’s a debate about whether he or I should hold the third position, though I believe the answer is quite apparent.”

“It is indeed.”

“Good boy. Now, for an interesting tidbit: after Kindness and I were blocked from intervening when you escaped to Beyond with his appendage, you nearly made a trade with him for it, opting for it over Diligence.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, ‘oh.’ While amusing, I doubt it would have been a particularly pleasant experience for you. Another matter. Would you care to know why he abstained from the votes concerning the new floor quest?”

“Please enlighten me.”

“He was too preoccupied with laughter after witnessing Lust’s replica being annihilated by that Weredeer. Although she possesses no more combat prowess than an average Champion in direct confrontation, it is rather unfortunate that she met such an end, especially given that he was indirectly responsible.”

“How did she even achieve the status of Ruler?” I inquired.

“The tenth floor’s duration spans two months. At the conclusion of this period, the Champion would have obtained the egg and presented it to her, at which point she would have discovered its nature. For her, it represents a cherished memory, as she successfully charmed a wyvern, subsequently enhancing her strength considerably. Currently, she has tamed an additional wyvern of similar caliber and numerous other formidable beings she has added to her ‘collection over time.’ However, she remains relatively weak in direct combat, despite her other formidable attributes.”

“Are you certain you are permitted to divulge all of this information?”

“Today… the rules hold little sway over me.” She moved her hands, reaching into a drawer, and retrieved two glasses, placing them before us. From the same repository, she produced a bottle that, by all logical accounts, should not have fit, and proceeded to pour a vibrant green liquid, adorned with faintly glowing yellow sparks.

Lifting my glass, I take a drink, then another. For a brief instant, my eyes close, savoring the peculiar warmth that permeates my being, allowing my mana control to slacken further. Ruby assiduously aids me, preventing any harm to my body, while the remaining mana infiltrates the afflicted area. This process, capable of endangering even formidable individuals, poses no threat to her whatsoever.

“Would you like the fur pelts and wood you acquired from the Magi? I can prepare them for your journey to the 11th floor,” she inquires.

“No,” I reply, shaking my head. “Kindly dispatch them to Crimson Forge, along with the Everwood. I shall return within a few days.”

“Consider it done,” she states, refilling our glasses.

I drink once more, observing that with each subsequent sip, my body and mind grow increasingly numb in an peculiar fashion. All sounds recede into the distance, rendering me a mere spectator.

“This must be quite costly,” I remark, taking another swallow.

“Exceedingly so. Its creation is no longer possible.”

“Grant me a portion to carry with me.”

“Ten million shards per bottle.”

Mid-lift, as the glass nears my lips, I halt, scrutinizing her to ascertain her sincerity. She appears quite serious.

Consequently, I partake in another sip before rising to refill both our glasses, ensuring mine is filled to the very brim.