Chapter 52: The Hidden Floor (4)
The Hidden Hidden Floor
The golden sphere—Hwang, the first Big Breeder—watched what had just occurred through the screen.
A Regular who used the same kind of power as Zahard and his companions, causing an error in the Big Breeder program before disappearing.
Judging by his appearance, he was clearly a child of Arie Hon.
And yet—why did he wield power of the same lineage as them?
"…So he's finally making a move."
With that, Hwang flickered out of existence.
....
"Where do you want to go? Or should we split up and head to different stages?"
The moment I said it, I realized splitting up might not be a great idea.
No matter how much weaker they were back then—back in their D-Rank Regular days—those beings were still unpredictable. Dangerous in their own right. And who knew what lay on the paths leading to them?
It might be safer to move together.
If it came down to it, I could probably protect everyone even against the Family Heads' data.
"Actually—never mind. Let's just go together—"
"I think it's better if we go to the places we want individually, Hoaquin."
Hwarang looked at me with clear, unwavering eyes.
When Hwarang got like this, his resolve was absolute. It wasn't easy to change his mind.
I was worried—but there was no helping it.
After all, we were just data here. Our consciousness had transferred over.
Even if we died, we wouldn't truly die.
Still, caution was necessary.
Getting expelled from the Hidden Floor would be a waste. This was a place you could only enter once.
"You won't actually die, but you will get forcibly kicked out of the floor. So be careful. If anything happens, contact me immediately. I'll come."
"Thanks for worrying. But don't stress too much.
I just want to see their faces, that's all."
With a smile, Hwarang waved and disappeared into the next stage.
Garden of Beautiful Flames.
That would be where Yeon Hana, the head of the Yeon Family, resided.
"Uh… then I'll go too, hyung. I'm curious about what the Family Head was like when he was young."
"You too? Alright—be careful. Contact me if anything happens. And don't pull out your Observer camera in front of Lord Tperie like an idiot."
"Haha… got it, hyung."
Luf smiled brightly and entered Lighthouse Island.
The domain of his family—the Tu Perie Family.
Tu Perie Tperie would be there.
Seriously, even now, the stage names were absurdly on the nose.
Just from the names alone, you could tell exactly who ruled each one.
And then—
Only Maschenny and I were left.
Why hadn't she gone yet?
Maschenny stared at me for a moment before speaking flatly.
"…You look like a babysitter. Nagging every time someone moves to the next stage."
"Haha, now that you mention it… yeah. But what can I do? I worry."
"Anyway, I'm going to Sweet Castle. What about you? The Altar of Swords, I assume?"
"Hmmm… probably."
That vague answer earned me a muttered What is that supposed to mean… as Maschenny stepped forward and entered the gate to Sweet Castle.
"See you later. Should I worry about you too?"
"No need."
And just like that, she disappeared.
Cold as ever.
Now, I was the only one left in this space.
If everyone else was going to see their Family Heads, then I should do the same.
With that thought, I stepped into the Altar of Swords stage.
I planned to visit every stage the Ten Great Families occupied anyway.
Shuuuaa—
"When you're done with your business, contact me.
After that, let's move together."
Got it.
Understood.
Yessir.
After sending the message through the Alignment Gauge, I looked around.
White marble made up the entire stage.
And in the distance—standing tall—was a sword of light.
That must be the destination.
Just as I was about to move—
I felt a presence behind me.
I turned around.
Standing there was Maschenny, staring straight at me.
"…Maschenny?"
Why wasn't she at Sweet Castle?
Why was she here?
"Did you come to stick together? That works too. We can see your father for a bit, then head to Sweet Castle—!"
Something was off.
Sensing the distortion, I twisted my head instinctively.
A lightning spear brushed past me.
So my intuition had been right.
That wasn't playful force—it was far too strong.
And coupled with her cold, emotionless gaze…
Ah. Right.
This was that Maschenny.
"…You being my sworn enemy feels oddly disappointing."
She looked the same—but her clothes were different.
The outfit she wore during our duel at the Festival of Blades.
My third encounter with Maschenny.
To think our rematch would come like this.
"Did you use a rematch token or something?"
"Don't try to dodge the issue. When I use an actual rematch token, we're fighting again."
"Haha. Worth a shot."
Maschenny swallowed a Thunder Pill from the very start.
Violent sparks surged around her body.
I'd already felt it from that lightning spear—this wasn't the Maschenny from the festival.
This was present-day Maschenny's level.
…That made things tricky.
Controlling my strength wouldn't be easy.
I really should've practiced that more with the God of Guardians.
"So, Maschenny—try not to complain if I get a little rough."
"Go ahead. I'll keep regenerating anyway. We can fight forever."
Sworn Enemy or original—same personality.
Her lips curled upward as excitement, battle lust, and pure joy bubbled over.
Truly the Khun family's greatest battle maniac.
Then again—I couldn't talk.
The reflection in Baekya showed the same expression on my own face.
"Heh. Then let's warm up before meeting our Family Head."
White light burst forth from Baekya as I swung it.
At the same time, blue lightning poured down from her spear technique.
The clash began.
"…So that's the Palace of Spears."
After clearing the quests in Sweet Castle at a rapid pace, Maschenny gazed toward the palace visible in the distance.
The stage's name was Palace of Spears. Judging by the aura she felt, her father was undoubtedly there.
Just as she was about to step forward toward it, she instinctively turned her head at a familiar presence.
"Wow, you made it here already? That was fast."
White robes adorned with elaborate patterns.
A ponytail.
A white crown resting atop his head.
A carefree smile on a pale face.
It was definitely him—and yet, unmistakably not.
Something about him felt different.
"…Who are you?"
"Who else would I be? Hoaquin. More precisely—your sworn enemy."
Only then did Maschenny remember.
When they first entered the Hidden Floor, the Scale had mentioned something in passing—a sworn enemy.
She'd forgotten about it amid the chaos, but now it came back to her.
So Hoaquin was her sworn enemy.
"…That works out nicely."
Crackle— crackle—
Sparks flared in response to her emotions as a smile crept onto Maschenny's lips.
When she sparred with Hoaquin, they were always serious—but the only time they'd truly fought with their lives on the line was during the Festival duel. Sparring was fun, but for someone as innately battle-hungry as her, nothing compared to a fight where life and death were at stake.
It was a shame that they wouldn't truly die—but she had no intention of being expelled from the Hidden Floor either, so the stakes felt real enough. Her senses were no different from reality.
A no-holds-barred, blood-soaked battle.
This was exactly the moment she had been waiting for.
And I even get to have my revenge.
"Haha. Aren't you enjoying this a bit too much?
Then again—I guess I am too."
Hoaquin drew his sword, baring his fangs in a grin just like hers.
This sworn enemy was far weaker than the real him—
but still strong enough to threaten her life.
That alone was enough to make her fighting spirit boil over.
Ah… if only this world of data were a true reality, where life was genuinely at stake.
Maschenny pulled Shinsu into herself in an instant and declared, as if issuing a notice:
"Hoaquin. I'm going to kill you brutally—just so you know."
"Chilling. I don't want to kill you either, but I am planning to—so keep that in mind."
With Shinsu fully charged, Maschenny immediately unleashed her spear technique.
Five lightning spears formed in rapid succession and were thrown one after another toward Hoaquin.
In response, massive Shinsu blades erupted from the ground, blocking each spear in turn.
The moment those blades dissipated, another spear flew in.
Maschenny-style Lightning Spear Art: Tres Cuernos (Three Horns)
Electric spheres formed around the blue trident, then detonated—a torrent of high-output lightning crashing down.
To counter it, Sworn Enemy Hoaquin unleashed his own sword technique.
Arie Sword Art, Fourth Branch, Seventh Form:
Moonlight Sword — River Wind, Bright Moon
Sword and spear collided.
Light and lightning devoured one another.
Hoaquin and Sworn Enemy Maschenny.
Maschenny and Sworn Enemy Hoaquin.
The four figures—real and reflected—moved with bodies ablaze in battle spirit, reveling in the fight.
And somewhere nearby, the palace's residents jolted awake from their sleep, startled by the sudden clash of thunderous noise.
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