Chapter 8

"Haa—"

I'm starting to lose my fear of death. Perhaps my heart is becoming numb to the relentless torrent of despair.

I've found a way to intimidate the black tiger. If I can run, I might be able to survive.

"But in the end, I can't run..."

A one-way path.

A door that never opens.

A monstrous black tiger.

"This is impossible."

I've always loved challenging action games, but this is on a level that can't be cleared. Honestly, if someone made a game like this, the company would be sued.

If this were a game, I could just give up and throw it away. But this is reality, whether I want to believe it or not.

Giving up, crying, or screaming won't change anything; I'll just die over and over again.

"Then, there's only one option."

That's right, the answer is simple. If I want to survive, I have to kill the black tiger.

It's an incredibly reckless idea, but I've already succeeded in blinding it. So, I have to find a way to stop its breathing from there.

"Hey, hello."

Eat or be eaten... No, in this case, it's a one-sided relationship where I'll be the one eaten. But this is the only opponent I have, so I might as well greet it. I doubt I'll be punished for it.

The tiger, which is usually so composed, seemed to frown at my unexpected response. It's the first reaction I've ever seen from it.

If I can start over after dying, I'll go all out.

I approach the black tiger with a confident stride, not showing any fear.

If someone like me approaches confidently, it will naturally be on guard.

It doesn't retreat, but it crouches, ready to pounce, watching me carefully.

It's about time for it to attack. My phone is ready; I can take a photo at any moment. I'll capture the black tiger's face.

Seeing the black tiger crouch, I recognize it as a pre-attack stance and thrust my phone forward.

When the black tiger jumps, I aim the flash at its face.

"Kyaan!"

Blinded by the light in mid-air, the black tiger turns its head away.

"Now!"

It was its last bit of luck to pounce on me like that!

Using its momentum and weight, I aim for the black tiger's throat with a ballpoint pen.

The impact is so strong that my shoulder almost dislocates, and the pen pierces my hand, but I can't let go now. Where else will I find the strength to endure?

"Uraaaah!"

Resigned to losing the use of my right arm, I push the pen deeper.

Holding the pen between my middle and ring fingers and supporting it with the bottom of my palm, it seems to have worked. I confirm that about 80% of the pen has pierced its throat, then let go and roll away.

"Kyaan, kyaan!"

The black tiger is scratching its throat with its front paws, trying to pull out the pen. But it's impossible to remove a deeply embedded pen with its paws.

Blood is gushing out. Even without pulling it out, so much blood is flowing. There's a reason for that.

I take the ink cartridge from the pen in my pocket. The pen embedded in the tiger's neck has had its ink cartridge removed, making it hollow.

The pen's tip must have reached an artery. It's like being stabbed with a large hypodermic needle.

At the last moment, the goddess of fate smiled on me. I've died so many times in this unreasonable situation; a bit of luck won't be punished.

The black tiger, unable to stop the bleeding, is desperately trying to pull out the pen with its paws.

Despite having eaten me so many times, its pitiful struggle gradually slows until it stops convulsing.

"Haaaah, it's over."

My right arm, which was thrust into the giant body, is still throbbing with a dull pain. My fingers won't move at all. With all that weight on it, it's no wonder my shoulder dislocated and my arm is useless.

I check to make sure the black tiger is dead. Picking up a softball-sized rock nearby, I throw it at the tiger's head with my left hand.

It makes a dull thud, but the tiger doesn't move. It's definitely dead.

My strength suddenly drains, and I sit down on the ground.

"I did it, I did it! I survived!"

A soulful cry bursts from my throat.

My animal-like roar echoes through the space.

"Haa, haa, haa... I really defeated it. I didn't die..."

Ahaha, what's this? I can't stop crying.

Tears are streaming down my face, now that the tension has eased.

After a while, the tears dry up, and I regain the energy to move.

"I can't stay here forever."

Turning to look at the black tiger one last time, I walk away.

As I approach the door, my heart beats faster. I've tried not to think about it, but there's a new fear. Even if I killed the black tiger, it won't mean anything if the door doesn't open.

There's a hopeful thought that I can investigate thoroughly without any worries, but the worst-case scenario is that the door won't open, and I'll starve to death, and time will reset.

"I have to avoid that. If that happens, I... won't be able to keep my sanity."

If the door doesn't open, there's no way to escape. I'll just wait for death and continue the endless cycle of killing. My body might reset, but my mind can't take it. The memory of the black tiger is what allowed me to defeat it, but it might also be my downfall.

Trying not to think about the worst possible future, I stand in front of the door and place my left hand on it.

Taking deep breaths and steeling myself, I push the door open with all my weight!

"Huh?"

The door, which was so heavy before, opens easily, and I tumble to the other side.

"Ow! I fell face-first... The lock opened?"

Rubbing my face and looking around, I see a small, white room. The temperature is comfortable, neither too hot nor too cold.

It feels like the entire room is covered in polished white tiles. I think the room is about ten tatami mats in size. There's a sink-like thing in the left corner where water is gushing out, and a blue-white glowing sphere in the right corner.

If I hadn't just seen the black tiger, I might have reacted more positively, but the sphere only makes me think, "Huh."

There's also a glass panel in front of me, slightly taller than me. There are two of them side by side, but what are they?

Looking around the room, I see another door on the opposite side from where I entered. The door I came through has vanished.

There's no going back, only forward. I'm not surprised by the disappearing door.

The suspicious glass panel in front of me. Is it safe to touch?

After struggling so much with the black tiger, I can't help but be suspicious of a suspicious glass panel.

I take off my tie, roll it into a ball, and throw it at the glass panel.

The tie hits and rolls on the ground. The glass panel shows no change.

It's obviously suspicious, but... should I touch it? I can't ignore it and move on.

There might be a trap, but I don't want to do nothing and waste time.

"Alright, I'm touching it!"

No one is listening, but I shout to myself, trying to build my courage. I'm ready.

Tentatively, I touch the glass panel, and countless words float up.

"Huh? This is Japanese, right?"

After seeing an unknown creature and repeatedly dying and resetting, I wondered if I wasn't on Earth, but the red words floating on the glass panel look like Japanese.

So, this is Japan?

But the situation feels like a fantasy world. I have a lot to think about, but I'll read it first.

"Um, what..."

"Congratulations on clearing the first stage. This room is clean and safe, so please feel at ease. You can drink the water in the corner; it's not poisoned. The blue sphere is a save point. Touch it and say 'save,' and if you die, you'll start from here—"

"Hey!"

The text continues, but my head is boiling.

What is this text... It's definitely a message left by whoever put me here. The problem is the content. It's completely game-like...

"What do you mean 'clearing the first stage'? A save point? Are you saying that all my struggles, risking my life, are just a game?"

Frustration makes my lip bleed. I'm so angry that I don't feel the pain.

I want to lash out in anger, but I have to hold back. The text continues, and I need to read and understand it all to make sense of this situation.

"—Entering this room will heal all your injuries. Your body will be perfectly restored as long as you don't die, so please keep going. Now, as a reward for clearing the first stage, please choose one of the following. However, you can only choose one at a time, and its effect will be etched into your soul, so it won't disappear even if you die.

1. Grant experience points for defeating the black tiger, raising your level and improving your physical abilities.

2. Steal one of the black tiger's special abilities: 'Presence Detection,' 'Night Vision,' 'Heat Resistance,' 'Dissolving Fluid,' 'Roar.'

3. Answer and explain why you are here.

4. Restore 5 Life Points.

Please choose one. The save point won't activate until you choose a reward.

By the way, the glass panel to your right will display your status when touched, so please refer to it—"

It's completely game-like.

The absurdity makes my anger fade. I don't know if the one who set this up is a god, a demon, or a human with magical technology, but it feels like they created a difficult game and are enjoying watching someone play it.

I have a lot to say, but now I need to focus on surviving.

Let's consider each reward one by one.

First, level up. If you're trying to be game-like, you should normally give experience points for defeating an enemy. Not being able to get experience points unless I choose it is a major flaw.

Next... is the black tiger's official name? The special abilities it can steal are 'Presence Detection,' 'Night Vision,' 'Heat Resistance,' 'Dissolving Fluid,' 'Roar.' I can guess what they do, but I can't be sure.

Answering the question of why I'm here is the most straightforward. I want to understand this unreasonable situation, but I can't waste a valuable reward on it.

Lastly, restoring 5 Life Points. If that's like HP or vitality, I don't need it since entering this room has healed my injuries. My right arm, which couldn't move, is now fine.

If it means something else, I have a bad feeling...

"Whatever I choose, I need to be careful. I'll check my status first."

I touch the glass panel next to me, trusting the text. Words and numbers float up, and I examine them carefully from corner to corner.

Yamagishi Amatsuna, Level 1

Health: 11 + 10

Mental: 13 + 10

Strength: 11

Toughness: 10

Dexterity: 9

Speed: 11

Special Ability: 'Guts' 2

Life Points: 93/100

There are a lot of things to comment on, but first, the level. The fact that there's a level system makes it completely a game, but I'm only at level 1. That means the experience points for defeating the black tiger really didn't count.

I think the average value for stats like health is probably 10. The dexterity value is accurate; I'm a bit clumsy. The +10 to health and mental must have a reason.

What's this special ability 'Guts'? I didn't know I had such an ability. Maybe the +10 to health and mental is an effect of 'Guts.'

If I steal a special ability from the black tiger, it will appear here.

And the Life Points. The 93/100 is concerning. I have a pretty good idea what it means. My bad feeling was right.

The number 100 has been reduced to 93. Since I was thrown into this place, I've died 7 times. It fits perfectly.

"So, I can reset 100 times, right?"

I thought I would repeat death and time resets forever, but there's a limit. The idea that I can die 93 more times to find peace isn't out of mercy.

With levels, saves, and Life Points, this is a complete game.

It's a high-difficulty action RPG where you repeat continues, memorize enemy placements, and devise strategies to clear it.

"Ah, I see... You must be watching me suffer like this. Is it fun, watching people suffer?"

Staring at the ceiling, I spit out the words. There might really be such an entity, and angering it could make things worse, but I can't help it.

"I'll clear this game and find the one who put me here. I'll take my revenge. I will!"

It's a declaration of war against an invisible enemy and a vow to myself.

I'm completely resolved. I used to play games on the highest difficulty without reading strategy guides or gathering information online.

High difficulty, bring it on. There must be loopholes or strategies in the game system.

I'll definitely escape from here before my Life Points run out.