Chapter 35: Room 103, Cursed Room – ‘Athanasia’s Human Farm’ (4)
[User: *]
[Date: Day ]
[Current Location: Floor 1, Room 103 (Cursed Room – Athanasia’s Human Farm)]
[Sage’s Advice: 3]
How on earth can I escape from this ‘farm’?
Surprisingly, the conclusion is rather simple. I absolutely cannot escape this place on my own. How on earth would a chicken manage to escape from a poultry farm?
If I can’t leave on my own, then the solution is to borrow the power of someone who can leave.
And the one who can leave, my teacher, is currently sealed by Athanasia.
In the end, all escape plans boil down to one question:
How can I liberate my teacher from Athanasia?
Plan A, which involved directly dominating Athanasia through a “Diverse Perspective” to unlock the control devices, ended in absolute failure.
Well then, it’s time for Plan B! I need to seek out a collaborator.
From sky to ground, the entire horizon was teeming with faces of unknown origins. Some faces emitted soft, continuous screams, while most seemed to have lost even the strength to scream properly, only producing groans.
Thanks to that, the vast plains were filled with chilling moans and groans.
There were countless faces of intellects I couldn’t comprehend filling the landscape.
If I hadn’t become desensitized to horrific scenes from enduring this farm for so long, I might’ve screamed the moment I arrived here.
With faces spread across the ground, even walking became an arduous task. On top of that, the squishy feel of the ground combined with bizarre mouths trying to bite my feet forced me to hop around like a bouncy bunny.
The Teacher mentioned that a collaborator is somewhere in this vast “Farm of Pain.” But where could it be hiding?
While I trudged forward with great effort, I noticed Athanasia appeared from a distance.
Should I hide? Nah, I think I’ll pass.
In a plain full of faces, hiding is a futile endeavor, plus it’s obvious that Athanasia, who possesses senses far superior to humans, must have already spotted me and approached.
At this point, I’ve become more familiar with Athanasia than with actual humans.
A giant humanoid creature stretching at least 6 meters in height, with thick tentacles forging its limbs, approached me. It scrutinized me silently before shifting into a slower pace, probably signaling for me to follow.
Has the Devouring One regained its strength?
Huh?
What? Did it just speak to me?
I was so startled that I halted instinctively. I had never communicated with Athanasia before!
Can you not comprehend my thoughts?
Uh, that’s not it! Can you guys even speak human languages? I’ve never heard that until now!
Let’s just say, I’m a special case. Let me ask again: What is the current condition of the Devouring One? You realize you can’t leave without his power.
Are you talking about the Teacher? He stopped all the Athanasia that were in his room.
Then he should have regained enough strength to send you outside.
This was my first-time conversing with an Athanasia. I asked a question that had swirled in my mind ever since I reached this place.
The teacher referred to this face-filled location as a prison for Athanasia.
It’s a hell created by pulling out and imprisoning the heads of beings that resisted Athanasia.
Why are you doing this? How can you be so cruel to humans and so many other beings?
What a foolish question. Has ‘humanity’ ever shown mercy to creatures deemed inferior?
I momentarily found myself speechless, but Athanasia continued.
In fact, the premise of your question is entirely flawed. Athanasia did not create this hell.
I can’t say for sure if the real Athanasia outside runs an operation like this, but this particular hell here was crafted not by Athanasia but by the Tower of Trials itself.
Tower of Trials. Are you referring to the Hotel?
Let me ask again, why are you assisting in the escape of the Teacher—or the Devouring One? Aren’t you also an Athanasia?
What value do my designated race and the puppet show hold?
Puppet show?! That word struck a chord in me.
This Athanasia…
It acknowledges that all of this is merely part of the Hotel’s mechanics.
Just like the Teacher.
Moreover, your question reveals that you don’t fully grasp the principles of this place.
The Devouring One isn’t after escape; he knows he can never leave.
What?
That was another shocker. The Teacher isn’t trying to escape?
So, what’s his goal? And what about you?
When the time comes, you’ll understand the objective of the Devouring One. As for my goal, you could say it’s about the continuity of my consciousness.
Continuity of your consciousness?
It seems you have some awareness of this place’s principles but not entirely. I have a proposal, so let me explain.
The Tower of Trials has existed for eons, drawing in multiple intellects, with those who completed the trials obtaining miraculous treasures.
Like I presumed, the Tower of Trials is indeed a reference to the Hotel.
However, most fail to complete it. The losers remain forever trapped in the Tower and become actors in the dramas played out by the Tower. They may sometimes kill participants or get killed in return, forgetting their identities and becoming part of the Tower…
So that means…
I am a loser.
I can no longer even recall my identity. Let’s rewind back to the initial question.
Why help the Devouring One despite being an Athanasia? It’s simply because they aren’t real.
They are beings unaware of their own identities or the nature of this place, blindly performing their roles assigned by the Tower to manage this farm of intellects.
Yet, in reality, they too are mere animals ensnared in this farm created by the Tower.
How could I possibly consider them kin?
Keep this in mind. There are only two genuine existences in this room: one is participants like you, and the other is the Devouring One.
So, according to what you say, doesn’t that make you real too since you know so much about the Tower and have awakened from your role?
I exist merely as a parasite, relying on the Devouring One to sustain my consciousness. He routinely shatters my role and restores my sense of self.
But is the self that’s been restored even the true self?
Who can say?
Perhaps I am just a puppet crafted by the Devouring One. Maybe I’m merely a tool meant to await participants like you.
Hence, I want to make a request.
When the day comes that you triumphed over enough trials from the Tower, you might reach either the Buddha or the Room of Resurrection.
Once you arrive there, please pray for the salvation of me, Estavio.
I am Athanasia.
You are likely stronger than most beings you will encounter in the Tower, and I assure you I will be of great assistance.
It reminded me of a familiar tale. After Kain-oppa got hurt at the pool, he heard this request from the Doctor when he visited Room 105. That’s when we learned that the Hotel apparently has some sort of “loser resurrection” mechanism.
After the Doctor, there was Estavio.
Not knowing what to say, I continued walking without a word.
Estavio too remained silent as we strolled through the plains choked with faces.
Had it been around two hours?
Honestly, traversing this plain of faces was so exhausting that I struggled within thirty minutes, leading Estavio to pick me up woefully without saying anything.
Having carried me through for a while, we finally stumbled upon some kind of structure.
Its appearance was utterly indescribable.
Strangely enough, it looked rather reminiscent of some gigantic living organism, no matter how I looked at it.
After stepping into that grotesque building, Estavio fiddled with some sort of control panel—it then began to move downward. Was this building some kind of elevator?
“Where are we headed right now?”
Didn’t the Devouring One tell you?
“He mentioned finding a collaborator who could help disarm the control devices.”
One of those devices is located beneath this facility.
“If we dismantle it, will the Devouring One be freed?”
You’ll need to deactivate all three. I can assist with two, but the last one will ultimately depend on you.
That will probably be the last trial set by this Tower for you.
A trial?
Why does this Hotel keep throwing trials at me when I’ve never even wished for treasures or anything like that?
Estavio seemed drained from the earlier conversation and didn’t respond any further.
Stab!
The third.
Once we sunk down to the basement, other Athanasia greeted us. They showed no suspicion at all upon seeing Estavio and continued with their tasks, while Estavio ambushed them effortlessly from behind, dispatching them one by one.
It was as if he’d executed this countless times before.
Estavio himself might be stronger than typical Athanasia, but the fluidity of his actions suggested this wasn’t simply about strength.
Perhaps the process of the Teacher sending participants to Estavio, and Estavio guiding them to free the Teacher
could have already happened a countless number of times.
I shook my head to dispel those thoughts. Such ponderings could wait until I reunite with the team outside. There are certainly smarter siblings out there who could sort through these musings.
For now, I need to focus solely on escaping.
After some time elapsed, all Athanasia, except Estavio, lay dead.
Even the transcendent Athanasia capable of mind-shaking with a mere flick had turned into just gigantic starfish after their heads were punctured by another Athanasia’s tentacles.
Even a dog regards a human like a god.
Now, I understood the implication behind those words. These beings were neither supreme transcendents nor gods. They were merely entities a tad stronger than humans.
In the center of the underground facility stood a translucent hologram.
Estavio set me down on the ground.
From here on, it’s your turn.
Do I have to use the bracelet for something? Shouldn’t you do it instead?
“Diverse Perspectives” is a tool that can only be used by its registered owner. The fact you can wield it means the Devouring One has taken some unfathomable action.
I lifted my arm.
Again, I was filled with that familiar sensation—my consciousness soaring into the void.
This time, my target was that hologram.
As soon as the bracelet activated—
I realized the ludicrous nature of this facility.
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