47. S: Black Pedestal

In a calm manner, I glanced forward and quickly aimed my bow, before then...

“Tsk.”

Before then clicking my tongue and sidestepping, as I avoid a red beam piercing for my head, nevertheless...

“What a Mad Nightmare, this place has become...”

Saying that I quickly fall on one knee avoiding another red beam, before then resuming my aim and...

Fuush. Fuush

And shooting an arrow and another, as I successfully attack the two glowing squares. Then, not bothering to check the result, I quickly stand and then stepping back as I avoid a series of beams, I once again sidestep avoiding more, before then turning my face to the side and looking for the glow of blue to shoot...

And like that, as if dancing on the Little Stage of Death, I kept moving agilely, avoiding the Cruel Red Beams, while also always keeping an eye on my surrounding in search of the Vanishing Blue Glow, after all...

“it’s hard to keep up...”

Nevertheless, I didn’t have a choice in this game and so...

“Even if it’s hard, it’s the only thing I can do...”

“Acquiring points, that is...”

Absentmindedly saying that I kept my eyes on my surrounding, while calmly noting the changes of music and light... and like that, I played a Rhythm Game, a Very Dangerous and Hellish Rhythm Game, where even a slight distraction may lead to not only death or pain but...

“To Failure and Repeat too...”

And that, in my opinion, is worst... having to fail and repeat this game, having to lose and start this nightmare again...

“Haaa... it’s really crazy.”

Saying that I quickly spin in place and then, taking aim forward, I...

TZzzuuu.

Laser sound.

Puufsh.

Flesh piercing sound.

“Ugh…!!!”

I grit my teeth as the pain and heat from a sudden gaping hole in my stomach assault me, before then doing my best in temporarily ignoring it as I correct my aim again and...

Toward the Final Blue…

“Shoot...”

Saying that and gritting my teeth, I with a tired face look ahead, as instantly as it leaves my bow, an Arrow...

Ping.

... Meet the Blue, just for both of them to then disappear. And finally seeing that, I...

“Haaa... this was tiring..”

I drop powerlessly to the ground, overwhelmed by all that just happened, while also...

“Agh... it hurts...”

While also wincing from pain, as I glance at the hole in my stomach quickly healing, still...

“that... was close...”

Saying that and feeling my wound completely healing, I still can’t believe it... the fact that even with all of my effort to reach this point, I would have still lost it all if that beam had attacked my head and not my stomach...

“Sigh... I should be more careful next time...”

Saying that and regretting how seeing the final square made me let my guard down, I close my eyes, taking a deep breath and calming myself for a moment. Only to then...

“I DID IT, YEAAAH.”

Only to then open my eyes, clench both my fists and jump to the air in a gut pose, screaming my victory...

“Finally, YEAAAHHH...”

-Final Wave Complete-

......

Feeling happiness and joy at finally reaching the end of this game, I suddenly found myself jumping and screaming about my victory for a while... but not a short one, though.

Cough... so anyway, I have at last completed the final wave and also reined my happiness and so, it’s time...

“time to check my rewards.”

Triumphantly saying that I look at a notification in front of me and then, I...

-Wah, Good-

-Final Wave Complete-

I ignore the Retry button and instead click on the Finish button next to it, when suddenly...

-Move to the next room-

With the appearance of a new notification, all the walls of the room glowed in blue light. Then, as that light slowly faded, what appeared this time, was...

“... a door?”

Confusedly muttering that, I freeze in place waiting for a moment, but...

“... there is no level-up notification this time?”

Even though I cleared the final wave? Thinking so, and feeling lost, I wait in my place a little just in case, but...

“Sigh... there is no level-up notification.”

Saying so and giving up, I look ahead of me toward the door at the other side of the room, and then...

I grit my teeth and begrudgingly walk on the black path leading to said door.

Then opening the door and entering, what I saw then was first, a small white room, even smaller than my safe room, second a black shiny pedestal in the middle of that room reflecting light, and third was...

“A book, a ring, and a big silver box?”

Saying so and feeling confused, I don’t move from my place and instead glance at my side for instructions to follow, but...

“... There are no new notifications?”

Saying that and gulping, I suddenly feel some nervousness, but not allowing it to control me, I...

Step forward.

Toward the black pedestal, I step forward. Before then glancing at the three things in front of me. But as expected, these are probably...

“Rewards, right? I mean, even if it’s just tutorial or whatever, there should be rewards, after all, right?”

Saying that and feeling some excitement, I look at the three things in front of me, a book, a ring, and a silver box and so...

“First is the book.”

I mean, in a situation like this, a book would probably either be a Skill Book, a Grimoire, or something similar, right?

“and so, naturally, I should first check the boo-....”

“......”

“...... sigh.”

I guess it’s not always, ha? Thinking such and feeling depressed, I once again carefully look at the book in front of me, and what’s written there in a small text is...

[System Manual(special edition)]

“Sigh... W-well, even if it’s not a skill book, a manual is s-still valuable, right?... No, actually, isn’t a system manual even more important than just a skill? I mean, w-with a manual you can probably get to know the game’s system and stuff, s-so yeah, a m-manual is probably mor-...”

“... Haaaa, who am I lying to....”

“... Sigh, and I had to put all that effort...”

“... How sad, life is....”

Saying so, and feeling like a depressed office worker who’s just had his two years of work project rejected for no reason, I take a deep breath and glance at the ring this time. After all, it’s a ring, you know? A Ring. And not to mention, that with necessities like a System Manual being presented already, now is probably the time for real rewards and so, this ring is probably...

“A crazy and broken artifact...”

Smiling and saying so, I wear the ring, before then examining it with my eyes, and as expected. That lame design, that plain-looking black iron, it’s clearly screaming ‘I am a Hidden Treasure’, and knowing that, I calmly clench my fist and then pointing it forward, I focus all my mind on the ring as I...

-Metal Ring: a plain-looking ring made of metal .-

“Pfuu…!!!”

As I spit blood from shock.