[Overcome the conditions presented and escape. Time remaining: 77 hours 19 minutes.] “Horien! What’s happening?” “A prisoner is escaping!” “What? How did that happen?” “Drop your weapons and surrender!” The second floor was exclusively for the guards. The sudden appearance of guards from every direction allowed me to deduce the chaotic state of the corridor. Already having removed my handcuffs, I felt minimal fear. I had a baton, which, while not exactly a weapon, would serve that purpose well enough. I observed the guards in front of me, still relishing the invigorating feeling of my strength returning after a prolonged absence. It felt like a waterfall reviving a nearly dry spring. Fully re-energized, I rotated my neck to each side, ready to fight. Unfortunately for them, they had already missed the prime opportunity to attack me. “If you won’t come in, then I guess I’ll have to go out there.” I accelerated like a streak of light. Since I didn’t want to kill the guards, I discharged a few bolts of lightning at the nearest guards, causing some to stiffen and collapse. Others managed to resist, however, so I brandished my baton, swinging it left and right. My strikes echoed sharply through the hall. Still, this baton isn’t bad at all, is it? It wasn’t on par with Soulbound, but it was surprisingly sturdy. With the frontmost guards taken care of, I stepped into the crowded corridor, only to be greeted by nearly a hundred guards. To be honest, it didn’t really bother me. Again, I sent out an electric wave and stunned the next wave of guards. Thanks to the prison’s high ceiling, I was able to jump over their falling bodies. Well, I could make a flashy exit like in Oldboy[1]. But really, is there a point? No one was watching, and speed was critical during an escape. Any delay here could potentially seal off an escape route. Also, dealing with these weaker opponents was tedious. I sped over the guards’ heads, covering half the corridor in no time. Occasionally, I had to swing my baton as some guards stood their ground. Shit, if I put any more power into lightning, it could kill someone. Therefore, a mild shock and the baton were my tools of choice. As I fended off a guard from the right and dashed to an opening on the left, someone launched a spell at me from behind. I rolled on the floor as several magical red spears whizzed overhead. Another batch of spears followed. Infusing my baton with mana allowed me to use it to break the spells. Though I had set up a curtain of lightning, they had broken through. A familiar face stood at the front of the guards. Phiri was there, baton in hand, looking at me. Just like I expected. She will take some of the blame if she doesn’t try to stop me. We hadn’t discussed this earlier, but it was entirely reasonable. Now that I had chosen to act alone, Phiri was compelled to fulfill her responsibilities. Merely observing from behind would have cast unnecessary suspicions on her. Even so, you are no match for me. She was gazing peculiarly at me. Although she appeared slightly frustrated on the surface, her eyes conveyed a complex mix of emotions. I noticed a hint of concern, likely stemming from her worries about me—especially since my escape had been interrupted earlier than planned. It crossed my mind that demonstrating an overwhelming presence could soothe her anxiety. After fleetingly glancing at her, I surged forward past the collapsing guards. “I said stop!” she commanded as she unleashed a barrage of spells, in rapid pursuit of me. Despite my efforts to break through, the path ahead was still obstructed by guards, naturally allowing her to catch up. With a dismissive turn of my head, I recognized that a fight was unavoidable. Even though I had been caught off guard by being discovered this early, I had planned for a potential confrontation with Phiri. I didn’t intend to respond. Without hesitation, I pivoted and charged towards her. Our gazes locked in that moment, and I could feel her mana intensifying. If I didn’t want to be doubted or taken lightly due to a lingering affection, I should show some sincerity. This will likely require a stronger show of force, especially compared to the other guards. It was also time to make a striking display. I activated Flash Strike for the first time during this battle. It was both necessary and unavoidable. My first time was dictated by fate, but this time, it will show them who is boss. I moderated Flash Strike’s intensity. If the guards were even remotely competent, then they should be able to track my movements. If used correctly, Flash Strike would make it seem like she was actually collapsing. Infusing the baton with lightning, I swung it at her. Just between the neck and shoulder. At the last moment, I intensified the lightning’s power and brilliance, while also easing up on the strike’s force. The impact created a loud and resonant noise, even though it hadn’t landed at full force. I immediately deactivated Flash Strike. Phiri promptly hit the ground, rolling from the impact. She tried to get up a couple of times but soon collapsed from the shock, seemingly drained of strength. Since we couldn’t communicate normally, I briefly stared into her eyes. For about a fleeting fifth of a second, we exchanged a silent conversation. “I hope you understand.” A subtle smile curled the corners of Phiri’s lips. “Hurry on.” I couldn’t be certain, but she appeared to be cheering me forward. I turned away from her and proceeded. Half of the corridor still lay ahead. [Overcome the conditions presented and escape. Time remaining: 77 hours 12 minutes.] My escape was causing a significant commotion. Naturally, the prisoners had realized that something was wrong. All of them began to yell loudly and indiscriminately, adding to the chaos. “Don’t let him escape!” The shrill sound of a whistle only added to the mayhem. Amidst the chaos, I navigated through the prison. A few guards had come down from the upper floors. Some were strong, but breaking through them wasn’t difficult. Ever since I had awakened my divinity, nobody had felt like a real opponent. Only the number of guards—dragging their injured selves as they chased me—had increased. At last, I reached the fifth floor, which I had overheard the guards talk about. It is structured a bit unusually. Unlike other floors, it was simply one straight corridor. Besides that, it was quite wide and tall. I spotted a door about four meters tall at the end of the corridor, in front of which a figure stood firmly, about two-and-a-half meters tall. The imposing figure holding a giant sword was somewhat intimidating. It is all appearances, of course. I had been a bit worried because of his nickname, Gatekeeper, but I could take him down in one hit—utilizing Divine Power. Without it, it could take a bit longer. The guards who had belatedly followed me formed a wall behind me, gasping for breath. “Huff, huff. That’s it!” “We’ve surrounded him!” “Meeting Runkeur means it’s the end for you!” “Heh. Idiot. Of all times to escape, you picked when Runkeur’s on duty?” They clearly expected him to handle everything while they stood idly by. I let out a quiet, amused breath. To be fair, he does look strong. His skin appeared as tough as stone, as if attacking it would hurt an opponent more than it would him. Not that it would work on me, though. I launched forward since there was no need to drag this out. He seemed to be the seventy-fourth floor’s miniboss, and I had been curious what a proper clash with him would feel like. Truth be told, if I really cared, I could summon him for combat training later. I switched the baton to my left hand as I darted in, swift as a gust of wind. Runkeur reacted on instinct, blocking with his left arm while reaching behind his back with the other. Seems like he is planning to intercept my fist, then draw his blade. I don’t know if that will work on me, haha. My fist blazed with divine light and crashed into his left arm. The crisp, unmistakable sound of breaking bones echoed through the hall. His snapped arm twisted and slammed into his side, shattering his defense. The full force of my blow had been cleanly transmitted into him. Runkeur let out a short, guttural cry as he was hurled backward. “Gahk!” He struck the wall with a thunderous impact and didn’t move again. The corridor, which had echoed with shouts and panic only moments ago, turned utterly still. A heavy silence lingered. I glanced over my shoulder with a smirk. They said that the warden’s office is on the top floor. I turned and ran, pushing open the massive doors ahead. Two paths unfolded before me: a staircase leading upward and a vast bridge leading out of an open doorway. Heading for the bridge probably ends the trial. I could just dash forward and finish it here, but I had made a promise to Phiri. I looked back. Past the cluster of guards crowding around Runkeur, I saw Phiri standing with someone’s support, her gaze locked on me. She shouted, her voice sharp and frustrated, “What are you waiting for, you idiots?! Catch him!” The guards responded clumsily to her order and rushed me in a loose formation. I met her eyes for a moment, then turned and charged up the stairs. Wind brushed against my face. Perhaps because this floor didn’t contain any cells, but the air felt fresh, no longer damp. Maybe it was due to my drive for justice, but my steps up the stairs felt as light as feathers. Hmm. For origınal chapters go to 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝔫𝔢𝔱 I was sprinting at full speed when I abruptly came to a halt; I had encountered a landing halfway up the staircase. The warden’s office was likely still above, but my senses had noticed two individuals on this floor. I assumed the warden’s living quarters were here. The presence of a magical barrier surrounding what appeared to be a bedroom added weight to that assumption. I immediately closed the distance, roughly dispelled the protective field encasing the room, and threw the door open wide. “W-who the hell are you?!” A man and woman scrambled up from the bed, both half-dressed and startled. They were fucking despite the chaos? The barrier had probably blocked sounds from both directions. I shifted my gaze. The woman’s wrists were fastened with cuffs, and my brow furrowed sharply. So he is sleeping with prisoners? Considering I had heard guards groped inmates, it wasn’t far-fetched. Absolutely disgusting. The warden was an aging member of a bipedal species. His appearance was rather grotesque, but surprisingly, he didn’t seem all that strong. In fact, his aura was weaker than Phiri’s. That alone challenged my assumption that he was this floor’s boss. Maybe he has connections with higher-ups. Ironically, the cuffed woman beside him looked stronger. Still reeling from sleep, the warden regained his voice and barked, “A-a prison uniform! Y-you! How did you get here?!” “W-warden! These cuffs! Take them off first!” Remove the cuffs? So she isn’t a prisoner? The absurdity of the scene made me pause and watch. Removing the cuffs wouldn’t change the outcome, nor would the guards climbing up from below. I fired lightning down the stairs. The guards stiffened and collapsed mid-ascent. Meanwhile, the warden had just released her cuffs and shouted, “Lothan! Kill him!” Lothan? Isn’t she the guard who vied with Phiri for promotion? I remembered overhearing her name mentioned by the gossiping guards. Lothan adjusted the slip falling off her shoulder, clenched her teeth, and turned to face me. Interestingly, her eyes weren’t on me—they were focused past me, full of silent dread. I instantly figured out what was going on. She was watching the incoming guards. Whether she had offered herself as payment for promotion or the warden had forced himself on her, that wasn’t an issue. The real problem was this vile, decrepit man. Everything led back to him. I rolled my neck and raised the baton. “Gosh, you really are out of control. I’ll be kicking in your teeth today.” 「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok, out of concern, has taken action to ensure that Phiri, an oppressed guard, does not suffer after the trial’s end.」 「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has completed the hidden mission ‘The Pain After the Trial.’ All stats increased by 2.」 「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained a devout follower. His divinity has increased slightly.」 1. A famous Korean movie. ☜