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Translator: penny
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Prophet's Coffer
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Time was short, so I immediately opened the [Prophet's Coffer].
The box bounced and shook violently before spitting out a single item and vanishing in a blur of afterimages. What it left behind was a compass.
'This is...'
Guides the user to their most fervent desire. The needle points to the fastest route in real-time, but activation requires at least 80% recognition of the target. Increases Intelligence by 20. Dissipates upon escaping the fourth Trial.
I was at a loss for words for a moment.
I'd expected an item helpful for this Trial, but a Mythic-grade one? No way.
Especially since this compass was an exceptional item.
'One of the five compasses made by the ancient god Aspellos. The third one: [Starlight Navigator's Guidance].'
Every compass crafted by Aspellos has a needle that moves according to the owner's desires.
Think of that broken compass from a certain pirate movie—only far more advanced.
This third one specifically guides to the fastest path to the destination.
'Of course, it comes with pros and cons.'
While it optimizes time, the quickest route can sometimes be the most dangerous.
As long as you watch out for that, the [Starlight Navigator's Guidance] was top-tier.
'The downside is the Replica penalty.'
All Replicas carry some kind of drawback.
In this compass's case, the "80% or higher target recognition" requirement.
I'd wondered if it could track Dracalon hatchlings, but sadly, no dice.
Swish. Swish.
The compass needle spun this way and that. Every time I shifted my desires, it jerked in new directions without fail.
"Min-jun?"
"Dickhead. Fight or flight? If fight, let's go with first strike wins."
Shin Seo-yeon assumed a combat stance. Honestly, if she stepped up, clearing the monsters would be a breeze. That's the caliber of [Primordial Flame].
But the goddess's words gave me pause.
-Please refrain from environmental destruction. That forest is vital to us all.
'No low-rank god spouts nonsense like that.'
I didn't know where the line for "destruction" was, but with [Primordial Flame] ranking in the top five for raw power, better to hold off for now.
Already on the Management Bureau's radar—no need to give them ammo.
"So what do we do?"
I pocketed the compass after a glance.
It wouldn't solve our problem right now.
"No choice. Let's escape first."
"How? We're surrounded."
"Tons of 'em. Without some deus ex machina luck, breakthrough's impossible."
Isera popped out of the bushes in stealth, shaking her head.
"We can't just sit here, though?"
Right—Seo-yeon had a point. Staying meant death. I looked up and scanned the surroundings.
In that brief moment, people were tussling with each other.
"Move! Get out of the way!"
"Don't butt in! This spot's mine!"
"Screw you!"
They were fighting tooth and nail for prime positions.
Current survivors: around 500.
In other words, being at the group's center meant protection without fighting—so everyone desperately shoved toward the middle.
What clever folk.
Thwack!
"Oof."
The brawl intensified, and the crowd finally pushed our group hard, claiming our spot.
I caught the Saintess as she stumbled back, and when I turned, the usurpers glared like we had a problem.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, thanks to you. Thank you, Min-jun."
"What the hell with those guys? Wanna smash 'em?"
"I'm really fine, Seo-yeon."
Just like that, we were shoved to the outermost edge. They even drew blades to ward us off, fearing we'd reclaim it.
'Humans are endlessly selfish.'
Aren't they?
Not that there are no altruists.
Most of them are dead.
'Everyone here climbed over others.'
Trials aren't some jolly team-up romp. If they were, 75% of the population wouldn't be gone. And this was already the fourth.
'Anyone who cared for others died long ago. The survivors? Frauds in false masks.'
Those who trampled others to rise.
Or even if not, those who exploited them.
These selfish survivors acted the same here.
'I'm no different.'
My group isn't either. We've all stepped on and used people to reach this point.
No one's clean here. So they backstab, sabotage, exploit—without a shred of guilt.
...Yet some who still shine remain.
Rustle. Rustle.
"Mind if we pass?"
Even in life-or-death chaos, some stayed aloof, walking their path unswayed.
Unyielding to circumstance, forging ahead by their convictions.
While all scrambled for the center, these few moved against the flow.
'Those people...'
The twelve who'd rested to our right on [Oracle Island] slipped out of the crowd one by one.
They stretched calmly, eyes on the forest—accepting death if it came.
Even in dying, they'd charge ahead without harming others.
It just left a bitter taste that types like them always died first.
"What now?"
My group looked to me, wondering if we'd try breaking through like them. Sorry, but I planned the easy way.
"Don't worry. We go up."
"Huh?"
I demonstrated first. Scooping up the Saintess, I kicked off with my shoes.
Boom!
"Whoa!"
"Wh-what?!"
The explosion launched my body skyward like a rocket.
[Slippy's Magic Engineering Shoes - Gale: Shoes made with magic engineering. +10 Agility. Channel mana for instant leap/boost. 1 use per day.]
The thrust was insane—even Dracalon's corpse, twenty stories tall, shrank beneath my feet in a flash.
While carrying the Saintess, no less.
"Ha-na, stay calm. Coming down slow now."
"O-okay!"
But the ascent peaked, then gravity took over, pulling us down gently.
Thus, the Saintess and I landed atop Dracalon's body.
"Made it. Any issues?"
"No. J-just my heart racing."
"Whoops. Back at the Rest Area, there's aerial flight training. Try that. You'll adapt quick."
Nod.
I set her down and peered below. Everyone gawked up at us in shock.
"See? Come on up. You two grab one each."
"Got it."
At my order, Shin Seo-yeon and Han So-hee scooped up Jua-hyun and Kim Yu-rim, then leaped.
Boom!
Isera stood guard for interference, then grabbed the shopkeeper last and jumped.
Once our group vanished from the ground, the uproar erupted.
"What?!"
"Don't leave us—take us too!"
"Please!"
They reached toward us atop Dracalon's corpse, begging for rescue.
'If you're not taking responsibility, don't take 'em.'
They'd lounged in the shade, blaming Jeju Alliance only when shit hit the fan.
No need to even consider that type.
The moment you save 'em, they'd tail you, demanding protection.
Then the soft-hearted Saintess would beg me, forcing me to haul dead weight.
Even feed 'em, probably.
'Better no trouble than the backlash. Good for everyone.'
"Oh no, what do we do?"
Right on cue, the Saintess was rationalizing our lack of spare shoes. Perfect time to cut ties.
'Actually worked out. Better they get cleaned up by the Bureau here than become future headaches.'
So I ignored them to move on—but paused. Those twelve from earlier caught my eye.
Deep-hatted faces I couldn't quite make out.
But they upheld their principles, harming no one.
'Wanna help them. But saving just them looks bad.'
...That was why I stood frozen, staring for a while.
No big reason. Then, something snagged my attention.
"Please take me too! I beg you!"
"Take me! I promised to meet my daughter at the next Rest Area! She'll die without me!"
Amid the mob gathering below, someone late to the party broke free toward the twelve.
Against the flow, she stood out. Pure coincidence—a flailing hand knocked her hat off.
The revealed face? I knew it all too well.
'Lee Eun-jung?'
Black bob cut.
Petite as Isera.
Abnormally high Strength, rough hands.
"Comrade Eun-jung, you alright?"
Nod.
From behind the pressed crowd, the woman silently picked up her fallen hat, dusted it off, and met my gaze.
One of humanity's 100 representative heroes.
A shining hope like stars in the night sky.
Another S-Rank player, hiding her presence amid this bullshit Trial, quietly watching me.
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