“How long are you gonna be like this, Kang Joo-yeon?”
It's scary how my mind has created another version of me in my head. I even wonder if this is the side effect of surviving from the Painting Labyrinth. And if that's the case, I hope it is rather than that voice being my true self. As much as I wanna make a comeback at this cold persona of mine, I can't help, but to listen to the words she's saying to me.
“Did you forget how pathetically weak you are in that Painting Labyrinth? No, even before you become a Slayer, you've given up to change yourself. Now you've the chance of getting stronger, you hesitate so much that right now you're gonna get killed by that bronze robot.”
I hear something is getting hurled towards my path. I jump sideways to avoid getting hit directly by it. Once that something lands in front of me (which also crushes the icy ground to make a huge hole in the rink), I clearly see it as one of the leftover debris from the ruined boat ride. The robot’s attack on me is repeated for the next several minutes as I frantically keep up my running away from it. It's worse that I’ve to keep on listening to my evil subconscious mind talking to me whilst I’m running for my life.
“How much longer are you gonna tolerate the insults hurled at you? When you never asked to become a Slayer…”
“Shut up. You don't know…”
“...what it feels like being looked down upon by higher-ranked Slayers who made no effort in any physical training or using their wits? What about that traitorous old weasel Jang? Your earlier raids had him be the leader who made those insults and unfair decisions for you. I bet that cowardly Mrs Park isn't any different. So do the S-rank Slayers you've met so far.”
More memories of my unfair treatment by Jang are vivid in my mind remembering his self-serving attitude towards Slayers who are lower ranked than he is. But since I happen to be the only lowest-ranked healer in the history of Slayers, the rest of the team raids either join in Jang's mockery of me or turn a blind eye and become so-called innocent bystanders.
Meanwhile, amidst thinking about the difficulties I've endured for two years, another thrown debris has managed to make me lose my balance and fall down flat forward. My dropped throwing knife has fallen down into one of the holes in the rink. My knees are scraped badly because of my sudden slip. And yet, I continue to let my mind listen to my other version whose voice changes to sound like the unknown man from the Painting Labyrinth for the next words being said to me.
“So, Weakest Healer~ are you gonna let yourself die here or give into your hatred which can give you so much power? The Guideline can work really well with this emotion being amplified. All you have to do is give in, Kang Joo-yeon.”
Give in, huh? That wouldn't be so bad. After all, I need more speed to slay that robot…
Just when I am about to give permission for my other version to possibly possess my body, I hear Old Man Amergin talking to me, or at least, I start to recite his wise words of advice within my mind now.
“Don't let the Guideline rule over you, Kang Joo-yeon. Rule over it.”
“Then…how…Old Man Amergin…”
The Guideline's notification’s ‘ding’ sound has somewhat helped me to get up quickly, enduring whatever wounds I've got from the robot’s throwing attacks. As soon as I run several steps forwards, it's thrown debris lands at where I fell down. Amidst my continuous running away, I read the notifications, and to my surprise, it seems that I'm given an opportunity to change the odds against me.
[You have secretly achieved the record of “Staying Alive from the Final Beast for 6 minutes”.]
[You have earned the right to distribute 20 available points given by the revisioned Guideline.]
[Stats of Kang Joo-yeon]
[Agility: 14]
[Vitality: 14]
[Endurance: 36]
[Strength: 14]
[Luck: 14]
[Available points from achieving a record: 20]
Is this your doing, old man? Or you who keep on taunting my mind whenever I'm at my breaking point? Whoever it is, I'll still use this power, but do know…
“I'm not gonna die that easily, you bastards!!”
And with literal swift thinking, an Explosion Potion appears in my right hand which I immediately toss as hard as I can, aiming at the face of the giant robot. Sure enough it explodes once the glass container crashes against its metallic left cheek. I'm aware that a low-grade weaponised item may not make a critical hit, but I'm doing this to make it get so distracted with the explosive light from the potion. I run quite fast as I go back to the ruined boat ride. Once I arrive, I quickly hide between any remaining large debris. I internally ask the Guideline how much time I've left to clear this Labyrinth.
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[Time limit: 9 minutes 59 seconds]
Even though I was running like a mad woman, I got a good glimpse at the robot’s feet. Its left ankle has a very crusty layer that it forms like a mound. Judging by its attacks on me way earlier on, it was using its right foot when it wanted to stomp me twice or so, including the scene where he ruined the whole indoor playground. Also, when it was throwing the boat’s debris, I looked behind to see it using its right foot as its anchor whenever it let go of the debris.
With this info I've gathered so far, I could only speculate one thing, and that is the robot is constantly avoiding putting immense pressure on its left foot. And that wound-like crater on its left ankle is the reason why it's avoiding using its left foot from doing any movement that requires heavy pressure on the foot. And another of the Guideline’s notifications has just appeared announcing its presence with a ‘ding’ sound.
[Six E-grade Throwing Knives have been crafted completely.]
I wanna become strong so that I don't have to feel lonely, scared & useless anymore. No. I don't want to feel like there's nothing I can do to help my loved ones. That's why this system in front of my eyes is my only chance to get strong for good. Even if it was originally created for an unpleasant purpose, I'm gonna use it to its full potential! I have to!
I summon the two last remaining Healing Potions and drink them that have my HP bar raise up at 620. After putting the empty containers aside quietly, I close my eyes and take a very deep breath. I don't know if it's my accidental pixie haircut or the complete removal of my torn sleeves, but I feel very light. To be more accurate, I feel more relaxed though I still can feel my heart beating very fast which is expected given that this will be my one-off attack on the robot. Alas, I divide and put my acquired points into three stats that may be crucial in determining my survival.
[Stats of Kang Joo-yeon]
[Agility: 20]
[Vitality: 14]
[Endurance: 36]
[Strength: 20]
[Luck: 22]
[Available points from achieving a record: 0]
My ‘status window’ looks really unbalanced, but I get a feeling a high ‘Agility’ and ‘Strength’ stat will be vital in my knife attacks on the robot. As for my ‘Luck’ stat being the second-highest of them all, may it help my wish to survive come true. I feel like a soldier as I fully prepare myself with the remaining eight throwing knives. For now, I plan to use each one in each hand.
Once again, I close my eyes and take another deep breath. With a reformed determination burning within me, I run out of the debris and into the open air where the robot has noticed my reappearance beneath its feet. As expected, it tries to catch me using its hands with its usual heating trait which I can feel some steam coming from, when it could’ve used its left foot to kill me.
Now I can understand how it took out the main bolt holding the boat ride. Regardless, I feel like its hand is going in slow motion so much that I'm able to constantly avoid its heating hand while I keep on running in circles around its left ankle. While doing so, I make consecutive stabs on its crusty wound.
Each knife in my hands eventually breaks at around one whole minute of its usage. I guess a merged weapon made up of claws of two Beast species isn't that durable against bronze armor even if ‘the wound’ doesn't have the same durability as the armor. Even so, I keep on giving blows with my next three sets of knives, summoning after the last set breaks into pieces. Finally, I'm down to my last knife and unsurprisingly, the Guideline's notification acts as a last warning.
[Time limit: 4 minutes 59 seconds]
It's now or never!
I summon my half-shield from the Guideline's storage, illuminating a blue light of electricity around me. I proceed to clang the shield against its left ankle a few times whilst I’m still able to avoid its heating grasp of me. Then, the robot makes another loud robotic roar, and sure enough I feel the air around me is getting hotter as if I'm in a volcanic hot spring.
“So you're not holding back, huh?! Guess I won't hold back after all!!”
My body instinctively has my hands gripping the half-shield tighter than ever, and my feet running even faster than I almost feel like I'm at Ms Han’s speed. Probably the reason why I'm able to push myself to the limit right now is because I put the acquired points into the stats which are appropriate to be emphasized in this scenario I'm currently in. Then, just when I see a crack start to form on the robot's crusty wound, its right hand is about to swing at me so I shifted my half-shield as close as it can to my chest. I get knocked out of the spot. I inwardly recall my shield to be put back into the Guideline's storage before I find myself tumbling backwards several meters from my enemy.
Now, that takes a toll on my bruises and cuts along with me feeling new cuts on my face. I grit my teeth, ignoring my HP bar currently being at ‘486’. I dash towards the robot while it prepares itself in a defensive stance. There are currently many holes in the rink due to its throwing the debris at me previously. That's why it has to stand where it's at; otherwise, it'll sink itself if it were to run towards me. I managed to close the distance between us when I've exactly three minutes to slay this robotic Beast. With my last summoned Explosion Potion, I immediately throw when I'm near the robot's left ankle again.
My current agility has helped me get away from the explosion’s shockwave which I still can't believe it's a low-grade item when it can blow up a whole bungalow. However, it's too soon to celebrate when I clearly see the wound has yet to be cracked open. Surprisingly, I did expect it to still be durable against that explosion. The robot suddenly decided to charge towards me regardless of each footing ruining the ice that each of its feet is sinking whilst running ahead. It’s very determined to kill me that it disregards its own safety. I guess I'm lucky to have this robot not being an intelligent enemy.
[Time limit: 1 minute 59 seconds]
Old Man Amergin isn't gonna like what I'm about to do now. But if I'm meant to die today…
“Then, so be it!!!”
I jump upwards with all my might that leads me to landing on the robot’s left arm. Its heating right hand is about to grab me, but I run forward with all my might that I successfully slip out of harm's way. It's no joke that I feel my sneakers are gonna melt due to the robot’s whole body acting as a boiling kettle. My vision becomes blurry due to the steam the robot's emitting from its body. My skin all over my body might be peeling off right now. Nevertheless, I keep on running while taking each deep breath.
[Time limit: 59 seconds]
As soon as I reach right behind its neck, I quickly get into a fetal pose; my hands grab each other’s wrist tightly around the neck. And what I’m about to do may surely have Old Man Amergin whisk me away to his dimension without my consent. I kind of smirk as I think about his worried look while calling me a suicidal maniac. And I admit I am because if I don't behave that way, I won't become strong at all. Alas, I proceed to do my suicidal attack without any hesitation.
[Activate {Lightning Control} Skill]
A powerful surge of yellow lightning strikes on the huge robot along with myself who still has her teeth being clenched while holding her hands tightly on her wrists. I can feel immense pain coming from my lightning magic. As the Guideline is still showing the countdown to me, it's also showing my HP bar declining rapidly, probably 9HP per second while my MP bar declined 1MP per five seconds. I admit seeing the bars make me feel anxious, but immediately, I shake off the feeling of fear dwelling from it as I continue to focus on attacking my prey with this self-destructive magic.
The whole ice rink is also affected by my Lightning Control skill as every solid ice emits loud crackling sounds that play in harmony with the sound from the ongoing lightning attack. As for the ruined boat ride, I can hear metal and wood being cracked thoroughly by my skill. The smell of them burning into the atmosphere gives me a bit of reassurance that I'm really giving it my all in this probably final attack from me.
I can see the melted icy water surrounding the robot turning into a reddish-brown color which no doubt it's coming from its ankle wound that has cracked open at last. This moment that feels like an eternity for me finally comes to an end when the countdown stops at nine seconds. I get a good look at my HP bar saying ‘36’ and my MP bar at ‘2’ before the huge body of Talos the Bronze Titan falls down sideways, and immediately, myself who can finally let go of its neck. My body sinks into the freezing water. As I sink further, I see the notifications before I lose my consciousness.
[You have completed the Special Mission - Spontaneous Labyrinth Alone.]
[You have gained 61984 XP for clearing The E-Rank of the Spontaneous Labyrinth - Notte World.]
[The Restart Program’s Participant - Kang Joo-yeon is officially an E-rank.]
[Your overall profile has been updated due to your level being renewed.]
[Name: Kang Joo-yeon]
[Level: 12]
[Title: Memory Reader; Tenacious Slayer; The Unkillable Healer]