Chapter 57 – A Storm of Returns

Until now, evеn whеn unfоrеsеen circumstаnсes oсcurred, I hаd kерt mу Меmory Рoint fixеd аt the dераrturе lоcаtion in thе Outer Rеgiоn tо аvoid falling intо a “сheckmatе stаte” where no mаttеr what I did, it would be too lаtе.

But finally, the goаl wаs in sight.

So far, thеre wаsn’t а singlе рroblematic еlement.

(Мауbe it’s abоut timе tо updatе it.)

Severаl hours had passеd sinсe sunrise, wаiting аt the Gаte’s aрpearаncе рoint.

Finally, the momеnt arrivеd.

Сrаcklе craсklе сracklе.

Light burst befоrе mу еуes.

Аlоng with а smell likе sсorched air, a golden Gate appeared.

“Whoa, a Gate really did appear. And what’s with this color!? Isn’t this a super Rare Gate!?”

“Seems so.”

Responding to Amy’s words, Asuto rewrote his Memory Point.

Memory Point updated.

・Point A: April 5, 2030, 12:00

・Point B: May 2, 2030, 11:12 NEW

・Point C: April 11, 2030, 10:36

With this, even if I die, I’ll save the trouble of having to restart from three weeks ago.

Confirming that the point had been properly updated, Asuto raised his head.

The golden Gate was just barely large enough for one person to enter.

“It’s small. Is the Rank not that high?”

“Nah, with Rare Gates, you can’t tell the Rank just from the size.”

“Is that so?”

The last time I entered here, I heard a Hunter’s voice from deep inside.

I had assumed it was just one person, but perhaps it was multiple Parties. Or maybe the Difficulty was such that even a Solo could conquer it.

“Even one person can conquer it… right?”

“Who knows. That’s something you won’t know unless you try.”

“That’s true too.”

In the beginning, everyone feels their way in the dark.

(It’s fine. I can conquer it.)

Asuto slapped his cheeks, psyching himself up, and stepped into the Gate.

Condition: Skill User’s death confirmed.

Skill: 〈Return〉 activated.

Returning at Memory Point B.

“Hah!?”

Returning by death, the first words out of Asuto’s mouth were a bewildered cry.

“Wh-what, what’s wrong!?”

“…Ah, no, sorry. It was nothing.”

“Huh? Nothing? You scared me there.”

He deeply regretted letting that sound slip out.

It was fine this time since he managed to brush it off, but he should avoid any speech or actions that might make Amy suspicious.

(Still, dying and returning the moment I stepped in? That makes no sense!)

He recalled it repeatedly with 〈Instant Memory〉, but he couldn’t understand why he had died.

It was the worst way to die.

He couldn’t formulate any effective countermeasures.

(Probably some kind of trap activated…)

(Don’t tell me it’s a trap that instantly kills Hunters who don’t meet certain conditions… No way, right?)

He had never heard of such a thing.

Of course, he’d never heard of it—someone who died instantly couldn’t exactly provide information like “I died, you know?”…

Actually, before, when another Hunter had taken the Item ahead of him, Asuto had once stepped into this Gate.

At that time, no trap had activated.

From this, it was certain it wasn’t an instant-death trap triggered by Hunter conditions.

(Then, what kind of trap activated?)

He pulled up the types of traps with 〈Instant Memory〉.

Pitfall, giant falling rock, poison gas, bottomless swamp, antlion pit, paralysis trap, lightning strike, arrows…

(The most likely among these is arrows.)

Asuto poured Magic Power into the Wind Wall ring.

He had been slacking off on refilling its Magic Power because it had been a while since he fought an archer.

—He had been careless.

(I must make sure I never forget again.)

No matter how rare an Item, if you just have it, it’s mere junk.

Letting a treasure go to waste is exactly this.

(This time for sure.)

Pumped up, he stepped into the Gate.

The next instant, his eyes caught sight of a silver object flying toward him.

Countless arrows rained down on Asuto.

The Wind Wall ring guarded against every single one.

“Ugh…”

As Magic Power was sucked from the ring, an intense feeling of fatigue assaulted him.

He never imagined the trap would be this murderously intense.

“What a horrible number of arrows. How many dozens are there?”

“What a terrible trap…”

If his Magic Power had been even slightly lower, he definitely wouldn’t have had enough Magic Power to repel the arrows, and they would have pierced his body.

The reason Asuto survived was thanks to his Magic Power having increased from achieving a Feat.

Grateful to the System that granted the Reward, Asuto proceeded cautiously.

However, the traps didn’t end with just the arrows at the entrance.

In the passage after turning a corner, a giant stone came rolling from behind.

Condition: Skill User’s death confirmed.

Skill: 〈Return〉 activated.

Returning at Memory Point B.

The next passage had pitfalls covering the entire floor.

Waiting for Asuto at the bottom of the fall were sharp iron spikes.

Skill: 〈Return〉 activated.

Returning at Memory Point B.

Further ahead, the ceiling collapsed, and after that, flames shot from the walls.

Returning at Memory Point B.

Returning at Memory Point B.

Returning at Memory Point B.

………………

…………

……

“What the hell is with this Gate? Its murderous intent is way too high!!”

Return “Work work work! ♪”