Chapter 512 - Interlude
"—Alright…"
That pointless habit of doing a right and left lunge before taking off—I'm not sure when I picked it up.
The warm-up, which isn't as meaningful here as it is in reality, provides next to zero positive effect on my avatar's body. It's a purely mental routine, a way to get in the zone and fire myself up.
In any case, my resolve is more than ready. Not only that, but my stats, skills, titles, and equipment are all at their absolute peak. There's nothing more I can do to improve my current setup.
If I can't do it with this, I'll finally give up.
I came here today with that level of determination—or so I tell myself, as always. I already know that I'll just shamelessly try again next time.
"It's been… almost three full days, hasn't it…?"
I think of the record set by that unconventional successor and great forerunner, the one who literally soars through the sky far above me. It's a famous story that when he conquered this place in the past, he ran for roughly three days straight.
In other words, he died, over and over again, for three days. Even here, where death is but a fleeting moment compared to other places, to be able to stomach so many game overs is just not sane.
I can only feel the fundamental difference in our beings, the 'gap' between us. He truly must not have possessed even a shred of 'fear.' No matter how many times I come here, I can never get used to the terror of those murderous projectiles hurtling toward me at blinding speed.
But this time, I've resolved to follow his example.
For three days, no, until this spirit of mine breaks—no, until it's ground to a fine dust. Until these legs can no longer move, I'll hole myself up in here for as many days as it takes.
If I end up broken beyond repair, well, I'll figure it out then. I've never had anything to be proud of besides these legs anyway, so it would be a lie not to give it my absolute all.
"—Just you watch, [Acrobat]…"
I am the pioneer and the pursuer. The man once known as 'the fastest.'
I never had anything as grand as pride—I was just doing what I wanted, how I wanted—but I do have a man's stubbornness, if nothing else.
Frustratingly, the first-place flag was snatched away, but as for that…
"But second place… is a decent honor in itself…!"
My avatar took a silent step forward and vanished into a blur.
My stats, polarized into Agility (AGI) and Dexterity (DEX), and the power of the mobility-assisting skills that filled ninety-five percent of my skill list, all activated at once—and twenty seconds later.
"Agh, sh—BA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!?"
A chain of endless screams began to echo through the spiraling crimson tower.
Who could it be?
I, was, hoping, I could, update, again, tonight (I couldn't).