Chapter 6

- What the hell?! This guy just made it out alive?!

Kim screamed, upset.

Jin-Woo had his back to the door, so he couldn't tell what was going on.

- Has anything changed? - The boy asked urgently.

- The door closed a little.

- Are closing?!

- NO? NO. After the guy left, the door closed a little, but only slightly.

Jin-Woo remembered that one of the red flames disappeared as soon as the man left the altar.

He immediately felt cold in his heart.

One of the questions he had been unable to answer until now, as he stood atop that altar, finally found an answer.

How can standing at an altar be a sign of piety?

Indeed, he now had the answer to this dilemma.

***

After a few more minutes, the hunter unknown to Jin-Woo also couldn't stand it anymore and ran away.

Another red flame went out.

There are four hunters and four flames left.

Front, back, left and right.

To secure all four directions, the minimum necessary was four people.

Jin-Woo, Ju-Hee, Mr. Song, and finally Mr. Kim. A single person leaving now would result in a gap in vision.

Kim wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked hurriedly.

- Sung, what the hell is going on here now?

- All we have to do is stand and look at the statues. Until all the blue flames are gone. The blue flames are a timer. We will be free when they are all gone.

Jin-Woo gasped out everything he had deduced so far while clenching his teeth.

The now throbbing, burning pain in his severed leg wasn't making it easy for him to think.

The stump was no longer bleeding thanks to Ju-Hee's medical attention, but it still hurt and the wound was still large and open.

Kim nodded as his ears perked up.

The laws of this chamber have always left the path open to survival. The final law would not deviate from this. It couldn't, it would destroy all previous rules.

Jin-Woo was sure that no one else would have to die as long as the remaining people trusted each other.

It's a pity that Kim's thoughts were completely different than those of the younger hunter.

- Hey, boy... you might be right. But won't the door close completely once these flames disappear?

Jin-Woo couldn't answer this question.

- No... I'm not sure. The third commandment was the testimony of faith... So, we must believe, I guess...

He came to a conclusion after considering several variables, but until the result came in, he couldn't be 100% sure of anything.

But what Kim wanted was a clear assurance. Instead of the uncertain promise of everyone's survival, the definitive survival of his own self ultimately proved much more appealing.

A man was a selfish creature. Mainly focused on meeting your needs and ensuring your own survival.

Although there were individuals ready to make sacrifices and great deeds, they did not stand up to the majority of their species.

Many were worried about themselves first and foremost.

- Honestly, I never thought someone as weak as you could be so helpful. I always looked down on you. I never expected anything from you even when you joined us. Many people died today. But those who survived owe it only to you. All because you were able to solve the puzzles. I owe my life to you too. Thank you. However...

Behind him, Jin-Woo heard the clang of a falling sword and a sniffle. He already had a bad feeling about Mr. Kim's next words and actions.

- Mr. Kim Sang-Shik

- However... I also have a family. I don't want to die here. I don't want to die... Sorry. I can't stay here any longer.

With these parting words, Kim walked down the aisle. He then ignored Jin-Woo's desperate calls and ran towards the door. He stopped and looked behind him for a moment.

Although there was pain in his eyes, he did not retreat into the chamber. He turned and started running.

Jin-Woo gritted his teeth. Feeling tears leaking from his eyes.

Thanked him?

It's funny.

His escape...

It was the seal of their death.

He saved the lives of others, but what he received in return was definitely not something like gratitude. Maybe a disgusting substitute for it.

His whole body trembled with the pain of betrayal, but also physical pain.

As he suspected, as soon as Kim abandoned them, a loophole was created. Three people couldn't guard in all four directions.

The statues placed in blind spots began to move closer to the altar.

Slowly, step by step, they inexorably reduced the distance between them and the hunters.

There was no other way.

All three could have died...

Or just himself.

His voice was full of resignation and pain.

- You have to run away from here.

Mr. Song's eyes widened.

- Kim was right, I brought us here. If anyone has to be left behind, it's me. The door will not close as long as there is at least one person at the altar.

- What are you saying?!

- You two have your whole life ahead of you, run away.

Jin-Woo... He didn't like this idea. He... couldn't live knowing he left someone to die. Mr. Song was a good man. Reasonable, kind, and respectful to everyone.

Even to someone as useless as him.

Before Jin-Woo could start arguing with him, a groan and the sound of falling to the ground caught their attention.

Ju-Hee fell down in surprise as if her legs had suddenly turned to cotton wool.

The girl tried to get up, but her efforts were apparently ineffective because tears began to appear in the corners of her eyes.

- My... My legs... I can't move!

Both Jin-Woo and Mister Song's expressions hardened in an instant.

Ju-Hee's current physical condition looked terrible even at first glance. Her lips were a pale shade of gray and were also dry and cracked, while her whole body was still shaking uncontrollably as if someone was plugging her in every now and then.

She suffered from the side effects of overusing her mana to the limit, not only was her body on the verge of exhaustion from the constant running, dodging, and kneeling, but the drying out of all the mana made her condition worse.

In such circumstances, without medical assistance, he will lose consciousness in a few minutes.

And her condition was his fault.

If she hadn't tried to heal his leg, it wouldn't have been in such a terrible condition.

The guilt hit him like an ice-cold shower.

His incompetence was dragging someone down again.

As always.

But he had no time to think. While they were talking, the statues had already come to a dangerous distance.

Jin-Woo spoke with a determined look on his face.

- Sir, you should take Ju-Hee out of here.

- I said I would stay.

- I lost my leg. I can't help Ju-Hee. We can't all just die here!

It was impossible for him to take Ju-Hee, who couldn't even stand properly, and get out the door at the allotted time. He couldn't stand on his own and was supporting his own weight.

Not to mention someone else's.

Even if that burden was a slim girl younger than him.

Her body was now mostly limp. The limp body always felt heavier than normal.

There was another choice, abandoning Ju-Hee. However, Ju-Hee had already saved his life

several times, and the only reason she was in this state was because she was trying her hardest to help him.

Additionally, it was his voice that decided to enter here.

This was all partly his fault.

He definitely didn't want to feel guilty about abandoning such a person in this God-forsaken place.

- We don't have time anymore. Please go!

Song's expression remained hard as he helped Ju-Hee up. She shook her head desperately as tears streamed down her face.

- NO! Jin-Woo... I prefer to stay here..!

- I promised I'd buy you dinner, right?

Jin-Woo took out an E-rank magic crystal from his pocket and placed it in her hand.

- Help yourself. I'll claim my share later.

A smile formed on Jin-Woo's face, prompting Ju-Hee to scream in anger.

- This is not the time for jokes.

At this point, Jin-Woo nodded to Mr. Song. The older man then lightly punched Ju-Hee on the back of the neck. Easily knocking her unconscious.

With such depletion of mana, body, and psyche, she would no longer remain conscious for long.