### Chapter 171 – Time to Choose, Selection of Rewards
—
– Han Kain
I was initially surprised by the fact that I could choose a reward, but what followed was equally mind-blowing.
To be eligible for a legacy, one has to be alive by the time the room is solved and have accumulated enough contribution points.
Contribution points are one thing, but being alive is the most critical part, especially when the Zero-Dimensional Eye has covered the world, yet some are still standing!
Soon after, a notification popped up to unravel my queries.
—
/Congratulations, participants! Once again, congratulations on solving Room 201!
Participants who have survived thus far and contributed to the final confrontation are eligible for a legacy.
Eligible participants are as follows:
1. Elena Ivanova (Justice)
2. Han Kain (Wisdom)
However, only one person can receive the legacy!
And thus, the ‘Time to Choose’ begins!/
—
Elena is still alive! It’s surprising enough that she survived, but she totally deserves it in terms of contribution.
Since the first attempt, both the second and third attempts faced the toughest barrier presented by Beatrix’s raw power. The one who fought hardest against Beatrix every time was Elena.
However, it’s a shame that my sister Eunsol, who gathered all the information during the second attempt, wasn’t selected. She probably perished the moment the Zero-Dimensional Eye loosened its grip.
… Sadly, I’ve experienced that already.
The time to choose – what did Jinchul Hyung say about it in the past?
Was there a setup for us to fight in a place like the Colosseum once we gather our wits? Not that I’m interested in fighting or determined who gets the reward—
I suddenly felt a dizzying sensation and lost consciousness for a moment.
—
When consciousness returned, I realized the place I woke up in wasn’t just any Colosseum.
It looked like a regular hotel room. There was a table, a bed, and even a display screen.
Turning my head toward the bed…
“Uwahhh!”
Elena was lying on the bed, possibly fainted. Her clothes were in tatters, appearing half-naked, but it was hard to think of anything inappropriate with her body soaked in blood.
…
Surprisingly, it didn’t seem to be her blood. Gently wiping with a blanket revealed that despite her torn clothing, her body didn’t seem severely injured. She was breathing steadily. Did she just collapse from exhaustion?
A moment later, Elena stirred awake.
Seeing her situation, she looked somewhat flustered as she took a sip of water and began to explain the events she experienced.
Elena explained that while fighting fiercely against Beatrix, her powers of Justice had nearly drained, and she thought she was doomed and ready to give up.
At that moment, Beatrix had suddenly flown off somewhere. It seemed she sensed my revival and hastily tried to prevent it.
While chasing after Beatrix in a frenzy, Elena’s power of Justice ran out completely, and she crashed to the ground, fainting. Now she was waking up.
“It’s lucky I fainted. If I hadn’t, I’d definitely be dead now.”
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing.”
I briefly summarized what I went through. When I recounted the moment the seal broke and the lead researcher awakened within me, Elena’s eyes widened.
… Since we exited the room of the gateway, I think this is the first time just the two of us have had a conversation. As we spoke, it felt somewhat awkward, and I wished something would progress quickly in the hotel.
Just as I felt we were ready, the room’s display began to flicker with a notification.
—
/Please decide what reward to select and which participant will receive it./
—
It was already clear who should get what.
I openly stated to the startled Elena, “You should have this legacy, Elena.”
“U-uh, there’s no need to be so courteous—”
“I’ve already been sealed once; receiving a legacy now would just mean being sealed again throughout the second floor. I’ll explain more once we get out, but I’ve already heard quite a bit about the sealing system, you know? There’s nothing that says a person once sealed can’t be sealed again. I could easily be sealed once more.”
“Right then…”
“By the way, it’s intriguing that we can also choose the reward. One of them seems to be ‘the Luminous Irregular Polyhedron,’ but what’s the other one?”
As if it were waiting for this moment, the display flickered again.
—
/Please select your reward!
1. Legacy, ‘Luminous Irregular Polyhedron’
2. Ability, ‘Ominous Imagination’/
—
One of the options was what I expected.
The peculiar tool the lead researcher used to create the cube, the ‘Luminous Irregular Polyhedron.’
The other option, however, wasn’t what I anticipated. It wasn’t labeled a legacy, but an ability, and it was something intangible from the start.
None other than Beatrix’s superpower, ‘Ominous Imagination.’ That was the second option presented by the hotel.
“Hey, Kain?”
“Yes?”
“You mentioned earlier that you briefly became one with the lead researcher, right?”
“Yeah. We’re separated now, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Do you still hold onto the lead researcher’s memories?”
“Even when I was merged, it didn’t feel like all the knowledge he accumulated throughout his life came pouring in. I only received the information necessary to solve the room, much like when using possession abilities. I still retain some of that knowledge.”
“Could you explain further?”
That’s true. Unlike Elena, who knows nothing about either the polyhedron or the ominous imagination, I have some baseline knowledge on both.
Neither the legacy nor the ability was something convenient or easy to use.
I started explaining as thoughts came to mind.
“Ominous Imagination, from what I’ve gathered while reviewing information, isn’t merely about creating monsters. Creating monsters falls under what’s called ‘high-dimensional applications’; fundamentally, it’s a power that makes ominous imaginings a reality.”
“Ominous imaginings become reality?”
“I don’t have specific examples available to share, so it’s tough to elaborate.”
“Really?”
“However… there is a slight caveat during the usage process.”
“A slight caveat?”
“It might induce a sort of mental illness in the user.”
“…The polyhedron, how about that one?”
“The polyhedron, this is the tool that the lead researcher employed to create the ‘cube.’ It’s a device that can twist space in various ways. It might produce a non-space or create invisible walls. Additionally, it can create transparent boxes that no one can enter or act like a sort of teleportation. The potential applications are literally limitless—a highly mysterious legacy.”
Elena’s eyes sparkled at those words!
Honestly, I found it so beautiful that I struggled to meet her gaze for a moment.
“That sounds great! Much better than a power that could drive me crazy!”
“However, the polyhedron also has a serious issue.”
“What’s that?”
“According to the lead researcher, the user should have the capability to perform calculations mathematically at every moment while using it. It demands an incredibly high intellect.”
“…”
“He figures that only a select few can create even a single wall effectively. By the way, he thinks he’s the smartest person on Earth.”
The hotel room went quiet. After stating that, I had nothing else I could say.
So it’s an ability that’s easy to use but might drive you insane—and a legacy that’s nearly impossible to utilize unless you possess the intellect of a genius.
What kind of rewards are these, anyway?
…
Elena was staring at me.
“Just have Kain decide.”
How could she put this weighty decision on me…?
“Well, I’ll just make a suggestion. I think the ‘Ominous Imagination’ has manageable side effects due to the hotel’s characteristics. It’s not that using the ability is difficult; rather, it’s the side effects that can arise during the process that are the problem, right? But considering a place that’s suitable for using such abilities, it would usually be the room of curses. Even if you went a little bonkers while using your ability in the room of curses…”
“Once we get outside, it’ll be okay again, right?”
“Exactly. So while the risk might be significant, it’s manageable. On the other hand, with the polyhedron…”
“I wouldn’t have a way to use it normally, unless I suddenly become a genius?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I mean, I’m not one of those top-tier folks in the Administration Bureau with a super-brain, you know. I’ve never been that great with studies.”
Seeing her reaction, it seemed Elena had realized what she needed to choose.
Elena should definitely pick the Ominous Imagination. At the very least, she needs to obtain a capability she can use normally.
As Elena stood to approach the display—
“Uwahhh!”
She had been covering herself with a blanket after her clothes got shredded in a battle, and now she stood up!
Freaking out, I turned around hurriedly, only to hear giggling behind me.
What’s happening? When I turned back, Elena had thrown the inner blanket over her like a gown while I was talking.
Feeling like a fool standing there slack-jawed, Elena fiddled with the display a few times.
“I made my choice!”
And with those words, the room we were in started to crumble slowly.
The long ordeal in Room 201 really did come to an end.
—
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 87
Current Location: Level 2, Corridor
Sage’s Advice: 0]
—
– Han Kain
— Wheeew! Whooosh!
“Ah-choo!”
The moment I stepped outside Room 201, I was immediately hit by a sweeping blizzard that felt like it was tearing at my skin!
In the distance, Jinchul Hyung shouted something at me.
“MMM! MMM?”
“What?”
Old Man Mooksung next to him shouted something, too.
“MMM!”
“What?”
What are they saying? The blizzard was so severe I couldn’t catch their words.
A conversation tab flickered.
Kim Mooksung: Are you awake?
Han Kain: Yeah. Elena acquired the legacy.
Lee Eunsol: Congrats, congrats!
Kim Ahri: Cheers!
Yu Songee: Cheers, cheers, cheers!
Elena: Thank you.
Cha Jinchul: Congratulations!
Park Seungyub: Cheers! Let’s run!
—
At those words, we all took off for the elevator in a frenzy.
It seemed that even though the room was completed, everyone had a ton of questions about Room 201.
And it made sense since, apart from me, basically no one truly understood the truths surrounding Room 201.
Most had either died shortly or lost consciousness after the Zero-Dimensional Eye awoke.
It seemed necessary to share what bizarre events unfolded in Room 201 while enjoying dinner tonight.
As I ran alongside Elena, she suddenly stopped.
“Elena? It’s really bad if you fall behind in this blizzard—”
“This is the kind of ability it is!”
“Yes?”
Elena turned to me as if her mind had been blown.
“I think I understand now. They said when you obtain a legacy, you automatically learn how to use it, and it seems it’s the same with superpowers!”
“Let’s just head for the elevator, okay? We can chat when we get to the first floor—”
“I’m sorry, but I already used it without realizing!”
“Excuse me?”
—
— Auuuuu! Auuuuu!
In a place where you could barely see 10 meters in the harsh blizzard, not being able to tell where was where in this icy hell.
Somewhere in the invisible distance, the howls of wolves echoed.
With a blank expression, Elena murmured, “I know this sounds strange, but when it snowed as a child, my mom always said there’s always a wolf outside on winter nights—”
“Elena! Stop! STOP!”
I covered Elena’s mouth with my hand.
Seriously! Now I think I understand what that ‘Ominous Imagination’ ability is all about.
I had recommended she acquire it, so what could I even say?
It seemed like it was going to be a long, tiring time while Elena mastered this power throughout the party time.
—
I’ll repay you with diligent serialization.
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