Trapped in a Game That Flopped

Chapter 13

Episode 13

"Keo, heuk. W-Wait...!"

'Seriously, you're just going to attack me suddenly, without any warning?!'

There were quite a lot of testimonies from users who were attacked during their first meeting with the Lord of Nightmares, so I was bracing myself for it.

Of course, not getting attacked was the best-case scenario, but there was no knowing what would happen with the numerous AI variables.

I decided to go with the direction of kowtowing and sucking up to him, so I hid my gorgeous appearance and took on the role of a shabby NPC.

But the choking sensation was more real than I thought, and I panicked, frantically scratching at my neck.

The more I did, the hard chain didn't loosen, but instead tightened its grip on my neck even more fiercely.

Even in this situation, the pain transfer was limited, so it just stung a little but wasn't overwhelmingly painful.

However, the sensation of my throat being blocked was transmitted perfectly, so I couldn't make a sound properly.

It was a chillingly realistic implementation.

"I asked who you are."

Along with the murderous question from the guy who was attacking me without warning, minor damage effects like '-1' popped up.

HP 999

HP 997

HP 994

My health was decreasing at a rapid speed.

Since my health was full, it would take a while just from choking, but if he snapped my neck like this, I'd be sent straight back to Dover Village.

Of course, I was overflowing with teleport scrolls, so I could just come back.

But his suspicion and hostility toward me would skyrocket.

'Then he'd definitely try to kill me again, right?'

As if to prove my anxiety, the guy, standing right up against me, spat out with terrifying force.

"I'll ask one last time. Reveal your identity before I snap your neck."

"Keo, heuk! An... An apothecary...!"

"What did you put in that damn gun and shoot me with?"

"In-Insomnia, euk... Insomnia Potion...!"

I squeezed out my voice, which wouldn't come out, and answered as earnestly as possible.

But even though I answered everything he asked, he didn't easily release the chain.

Instead, the force choking my neck grew even stronger.

'What the! This crazy bastard, why isn't he letting go!'

As if to signal I was being attacked, my vision repeatedly turned red and then back to normal.

At that point, I had to admit it.

It seemed I had ended up on the worst route, where this sociopathic Male Lead bastard gets pissed off and harms the user.

"Heo-euk...!"

But I couldn't die, no, be auto-teleported, like this.

I desperately tried to think of a way to stop him, lowering the hand that had been scratching my neck and digging into my robe pocket.

I immediately felt the touch of the glass bottles filling my pocket.

I was dismayed. There was a way to put him to sleep right now, but it was a way to really put him to sleep.

'Damn it... should I make him fall asleep for a second, then wake him up with a punch to the face?!'

I seriously considered it, fumbling for the sleeping potion I had made along with the Insomnia Potion, aiming for rapport with the Male Lead.

Of course, it was nonsense.

If the disaster could have been stopped with such a shoddy method, countless users wouldn't have gotten a game over here and seethed.

HP 899

In that time, my health had decreased exponentially.

'No! I can't be trapped in this game without even getting started!'

It was then.

As I was frantically digging through my pocket in despair.

I felt a different texture, not a cold glass bottle, like a single lifeline.

It was long and thin, like a rope... and had a sharp end.

It was... from the 'Monster Tranquilizer Gun' that I had set aside to modify for feeding Kassel potions.

'A tran. qui. lizer. dart!'

HP 805

Since my vital point was exposed, my health was now dropping by almost 100 per second.

Even though time was running out, I honestly hesitated a bit.

If I stabbed Kassel with this, he wouldn't fall asleep, just be tranquilized, so it was the best choice right now.

'But...'

Max health, max defense.

His strength, stamina, and agility were all near max level too; where on the Male Lead's body could I possibly stick a dart?

Game settings aside, I clearly remembered Kassel's bare upper body I'd seen when I entered the prison.

The guy's body, tightly woven with solid muscle, didn't have a single gap for a small needle to enter.

If anything, the needle would bend.

Even if I aimed for a vital point, it was questionable whether I could properly stab the temple or neck of the guy clinging to my back and choking me.

'My neck would probably break first.'

Of course, vital points aren't just in the temple or neck.

That 'place' everyone knows about.

It was because of that place that I was just fiddling with the tranquilizer dart, deep in thought.

HP 575

But with my health almost half gone, I couldn't delay any longer.

There was only one vital point I could hit with the tranquilizer dart right now.

'Anyway, if I keep clearing hell-difficulty quests later... even if he's the Male Lead, won't he end up a eunuch at some point?'

Just because he was the protagonist didn't mean he didn't get injured at all.

I remember there were a few quests that had to be completed solo by the user because all the comrades, including Adam, were injured and isolated.

'There's no rule that the injury has to be to an arm or leg.'

The groin.

Just because it's a very important male vital point, there was no guarantee it couldn't be injured.

Of course, that's my guess.

Rationalizing it like that, I finally pulled the tranquilizer dart from my pocket.

Just as I was about to stab, the thought crossed my mind that this game did have a feMale Lead who had a love line with the Male Lead.

But I was in a hurry, so it wasn't my problem.

'Sorry. The tranquilizer might wear off quickly, so you might avoid becoming a eunuch...!'

I apologized inwardly and aimed for the guy's lower body.

Because of his 190cm tall setting, there was a considerable height difference with my 165cm.

There was only one chance.

"Heo-eu... S-euk... Not at all, srr... Keok!"

"...What?"

At my mumble, the guy who had been silently choking me, paused and asked.

'Actually, I'm not sorry at all! How dare a mere game character try to harm the great and precious Users?!'

Shouting that inwardly, I raised the tranquilizer dart high.

In that moment.

"Heok, Puha!"

My neck, which had been squeezed so hard my toes were lifting, was suddenly released.

At the same time, my body, which had been bound by the chain, fell weakly, as if thrown to the floor.

HP 577

As soon as the attack stopped, I could see my health slowly starting to rise.

"Heo-eok, heo-euk..."

I clutched my raw throat, an aftereffect of the pain transfer, and looked up at Kassel, who had suddenly let me go.

Even though he had just tried to commit murder, the guy was looking down at me with a surprisingly indifferent and calm expression.

'...Why did he suddenly stop?'

Honestly, I was a little disappointed.

It was a chance to rightfully screw over the guy who had constantly harassed users, always ranking high in the bug reports with his psychopath-like personality.

"...What are you holding in your right hand?"

The guy suddenly narrowed his eyes and asked.

That cold gaze snapped me to my senses.

'I'm screwed if he sees it.'

I couldn't put it back in my pocket, so I hurriedly tried to hide the tranquilizer dart by sticking it in my sleeve.

But I was too hasty.

"Ack...!"

I ended up stabbing it into the inside of my wrist and covering it with my sleeve.

And so, I rightfully lost my right hand. Dammit.

The Lord of Nightmares is suspicious of your scream.

"Ah, it's nothing! My throat just hurt so much..."

At the system window that immediately popped up, I showed him my empty hands and quickly made an excuse.

The stinging pain was brief. Soon, my right hand gradually went numb, and I felt the sensation disappear.

'The tranquilizer... it wears off quickly, right?'

Even pet monsters come to their senses after being caught.

But my completely stiff and unmoving right hand gave me no comfort, and a tear leaked out.

When I unconsciously lifted my head and glared at him resentfully, the guy had the audacity to glare back and snap.

"You tried to kill me."

"What?!"

I gaped at the absurd accusation, one that would make a passing dog smack its own cheeks and cry.

"K-Kill you? When did I...!"

As I was staring, wide-eyed, I suddenly noticed the guy's changed appearance.

He was definitely just lying there motionlessly at first, his limbs bound by manacles and shackles...

'How is this bastard standing on two feet?'

That question was resolved soon enough.

I discovered the chain that had been choking my neck coiled like a snake at the guy's feet.

And at its end, the remains of the wall, carelessly embedded.

Kassel's two wrists, still in manacles with chains attached.

My vision went blank as I looked back and forth between the two gaping holes in the prison's inner wall and the empty potion bottle lying on the ground in front of them.

'You monster... You ripped out the wall after just one High-Grade Potion?!'

It was totally broken.

The manacles and shackles binding him were definitely set to be enchanted to restrict the prisoner's power...

He tried to break my neck with the chain he ripped out after drinking one potion. Wasn't that just me digging my own grave?

"Sob, and whose fault is it that you can move like this...!"

It was so unfair I could go crazy.

This time, I sniffled a little and argued.

But, as expected of the biggest sociopath in the world, he didn't agree in the slightest and asked back with an arrogant expression.

"How did it feel just now, being choked?"

"Obviously...!"

I was pissed, and I wanted to turn you into a eunuch right this second.

But meeting those sharp, shining, crimson eyes made my mouth close on its own, and I automatically mulled over the meaning of his question.

Of course, there was nothing to mull over.

The Lord of Nightmares finds you unreliable.

The Lord of Nightmares feels a faint murderous impulse toward you.

The Lord of Nightmares reveals a certain level of killing intent toward you.

That petty bastard was getting revenge for me using the tranquilizer gun to inject the potion straight into his throat.

The system windows that popped up several times were all basically warnings.

Why did I brush them off, you stupid idiot...