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Level 496's descriptive illustration.
Level 496 is the 497th level of the Backrooms.
Description
Level 496, as known as "A perfect ending?", is an infinite pool hotel housing manipulative mental entities. Entrants usually faintly enter beneath an advertising billboard. The billboard stands at 470 centimeters above the ground and displays a poster detailing the structure, the hotel's rates, a bird's-eye map of the buildings, and visuals showcasing the hotel's interior. The pools are mostly circular areas constructed around the hotels. The hotel has an outward-opening glass door that cannot be moved. Inside, there is a reception desk, with 90s-style soft chairs placed on the stairs' landings, unlike the brand found in Frontrooms. The brand names are typically 20-character expressions. Ascending the stairs alters the event sequence and causes the first alternative event sequence to occur upon the glass doors closing.
The external structure of the hotel resembles 'The Marsh House' in Frontrooms, with the difference that the interior architecture no longer adheres to Euclidean geometry after the event sequence activates and starts to deform. The pool sizes are variable and interconnected structures; the water inside is safe for both entry and consumption, with temperatures fluctuating between an average of 19 to 25 degrees Celsius, altered by different event sequences. Although the exact dimensions cannot be calculated due to the interconnecting circular pools, an estimated average diameter of 121 meters for each area can be inferred. The frequency of repetition for each area remains undetermined due to the event sequence influence, although it can be assumed that every area repeats approximately every 121 meters based on a rough estimate. The air temperature in the level is consistently 3 degrees Celsius higher than the water level, yet subject to change due to the event sequence. Waiting outside until dusk triggers the second alternative event sequence. Noteworthy details include finding a neon lid inside the pool, leading to the third alternative event sequence upon contact; discovering rarely appearing locked 'Employee Only' doors in the hotels, breaking their locks, or using a key found at the level's reception, resulting in the fourth alternative event sequence. Additionally, traversing extensively in any direction before the event sequences commence can abruptly lead to The Void.
Event Timeline
Event sequences on the level manifest four alternate time frames triggered by specific stimuli, resulting in abnormal occurrences and the formation of illusions within the level. While the exact cause remains unknown, these triggers are believed to activate entities referred to as 'Perfectionists of perfection.' The information currently available about the level, post-event sequences, and its high danger level comes from survivors and some files. This indicates that the level might possess far more event sequences than the ones we have in our possession.
First alternative event sequence
First Floor
When climbing the stairs, the doors close, and a black liquid fills the building up to the last step of the staircase. It's never advisable to consume this liquid as it causes tissues to burn and the formation of abnormal and highly dangerous tumors upon contact with living organisms. The stairs lead to infinite hotel corridors reminiscent of Level 5, albeit on a much smaller scale. Doors placed at intervals along the corridor can be opened, leading to different corridors, hotel rooms, or staircases. Wanderers must act swiftly as strange creatures emerge from this black liquid over time. These creatures are slower than an average person and can be evaded by running or hiding in rooms initially. However, as time passes, more creatures appear, making the level increasingly perilous. Strangely, if these creatures fail to capture someone after about 10 minutes, they rapidly dissolve, causing the floor to fill with the black liquid. The means of escaping this level is to reach the 11th staircase accessible through the doors. At the end of the 11th staircase is an elevator that, upon entry, closes its doors and transports you to the 2nd floor.
Second Floor
The inside of the floor resembles a supermarket-like environment, although it's quite large, it doesn't extend indefinitely. Due to the shifting of the areas, investigating it can be quite difficult. The only danger on the floor is the traps. In many places, there might be dangerous traps. These might be an optical illusion but it's unknown if they can cause physical harm. Although blamed on the entities in the level, due to the danger of researching, this information remains theoretical. One advantage of the floor is having a rich supply of food and supplies. However, these can also be traps, so caution is advised. A known way out of the floor is to find the location of the cash registers and interact with the devices inside them. Wanderers who have done this report suddenly disappearing and waking up on the 3rd floor.
Third Floor
This floor is an ancient prison, filled with bones and corridors. Due to the darkness of this floor, not much exploration has been conducted. The only known fact is if a 'Perfectionists of perfection' starts deceiving you with your memories and hopes, may God help you as you're taken to the 4th floor.
Last Floor
This floor resembles a massive laboratory, housing numerous experiment rooms and storages. Wanderers are isolated here, making exploration of the entire floor extremely perilous due to both the 'Perfectionists of perfection' and the 'Creatures' within the level. Each wanderer awakens in a different experiment room, which depends on sheer chance. Some survivors claim that certain team 'mates' no longer resemble their former 'mates' due to experiments conducted on them, though the motives behind these entities' actions remain unknown. These beings apparently convert their victims into a 'perfection', seemingly adding them to a non-Euclidean substance, performing a ritual akin to exorcism to transform them. While this data is said to come from some survivors, its accuracy is not fully verified. However, evidence suggests that human remains are stored on the 3rd floor by them. The storages are filled with strange, seemingly sci-fi substances, and entering these storages is not recommended due to the unknown nature of these materials, which pose various threats. The rest of the floor consists of long corridors. Sometimes, the only way out is through the ventilation systems found occasionally, leading wanderers to Level 497, as claimed.
Second alternative event sequence
Once night falls, the pool water turns into Liquid Pain, triggering the immediate appearance of entities within the area. This marks the beginning of the 2nd alternative event timeline, following the first section until the beginning of 3 a.m. The onset of night triggers heightened paranoia in the explorer, followed by the emergence of strange creatures from the pool. The hotel doors lock, and the misting of the windows obscures visibility inside. As time progresses, the number of creatures increases; however, despite the progress in this event timeline, the individual does not fall into The Void. Within an hour, an intense mist envelops the level, dense enough for human discomfort. This mist does not affect the entities, allowing them to still perceive the explorers. Hence, it is advisable for individuals to seek refuge in specific locations during this alternative event timeline.
After 3 a.m.
Past 3 AM, the sky turns red, and the temperature drops to -9 degrees Celsius, causing the Liquid Pain in the pool to start boiling. Surviving beyond this point becomes extremely challenging as the entirety of the Liquid Pain in the vicinity vaporizes into the air. This vaporization causes severe skin irritation and prolonged exposure may lead to permanent blindness if in areas with high gas concentration. To avoid inhaling the gases, it's advisable to acquire the gas mask located beneath the reception desk before the event timelines begin. Post this time, optical illusions commence, causing physical harm to explorers, and in rare instances, natural disasters may occur. Survivors who endure until dawn are said to find themselves in Level 200.
Third alternative event sequence
Interacting with the neon lid in the pools triggers the activation of the 3rd alternate event sequence. When this happens, the pool walls swiftly rise by 14 meters, causing the water to drain. Subsequently, the pool freezes abruptly, separating the level from the pool. This situation arises from a mismatch in the synchronization of event sequences, causing an individual's experience within the level to exist in a different time frame than others. The level transforms into a labyrinth and is quite safe. The way out involves wandering for a considerable duration and eventually entering a door marked with the number "3", leading to Level 15.
Fourth alternative event sequence
Entering the 'Employees Only' door presents a spiral staircase descending downwards, stretching about 13 km in length. The descent takes a considerable amount of time, during which one can still exit as long as they haven't reached the bottom of the staircase. However, these stairs come with their own set of hazards. Some steps might glitch upon interaction or abruptly explode. The intensity of these explosions isn't precisely known, but they're believed to yield slightly less energy than a matter-antimatter interaction. For unknown reasons, the entities of the level can be triggered in this area, potentially making the event sequence more challenging. Thus, wanderers are advised to carry Almond Water with them for this alternative event sequence.
Beyond
After descending the stairs, the wanderer finds themselves in a golden room reminiscent of the chambers in Level Phi, containing only a single door. Upon entering the door, a signboard greets the wanderers, reading "Level 283". The area itself consists of an infinite expanse of matrix-style columns and glitched elements. Besides the room itself, there are no physical elements within the area. As everything else is virtual, there is no gravity within this space. The golden room disappears shortly after exiting, transforming the area into a sort of virtual data ocean. Since the columns and glitched elements are virtual, they cannot be interacted with or collided with. However, touching glitched elements is not advised, as they would, in the best-case scenario, teleport individuals to a different part of the level. Unfortunately, in most cases, an unfavorable outcome occurs, resulting in individuals being glitched themselves. The signboard in the level shifts to different locations after exiting the room but isn't a physical element. Interacting with this signboard acts as an exit path from the level, leading individuals to Level 283. Interacting with the columns is not recommended as doing so would randomly teleport individuals to a different level.
Entities
Although there is no known physical entity in the level, it is believed to possess its own unique spiritual presence.
Perfectionists of perfection
Description
"Perfectionists of perfection" is an abnormal entity present within the level, and its physical appearance is not distinctly defined. As they often manifest in the guise of one's greatest fears, providing an accurate visual description is challenging. They primarily exist as negative thoughts within the mind rather than a physical form, but this can vary with each event line.
Behaviors
The entities within the level possess high-level mental manipulation abilities. In certain event sequences, they can manipulate the minds of wanderers to create optical illusions, altering bodily systems when triggered to suit their desires. These entities are known to be sourced, powerful, and dominant within the level. According to speculation, they might have created the level to ensnare wanderers in order to develop something they term "Perfection." Although the exact nature of this "Perfection" remains unclear, documentation at the reception desk suggests it could be a being residing in multiple universes attempting to control the "Reality Level," a singular entity responsible for maintaining balance and laws within the universe. (These concepts are derived from the files, but as they seem insufficient, further research is necessary. Inquiries have been made to groups in the Backrooms, yet due to the level's disruption of electronic devices, this information's exploration by individuals is highly perilous, hence no confirmed feedback is available at present.)
Biology
Although these beings do not possess a complete "biology", they predominantly exist in more "spiritual" forms. Moreover, they interact with and alter the brains of living beings, akin to a form of "Spiritual Parasite".
Discovery
The exact dates of discovery are unknown, but it is believed that rumors about those who exited the level started to increase in the 1990s and have continued to multiply significantly in recent years.
Colonies and Outposts
Due to the dangerous nature of the level's structure, no outpost can be established.
Entrances and Exits
Entrances
The first known entrance is accessed through Level 495's methods. Also No-clipping into the emergency exit on Level 283 will take to here.
Exits
In the level, one can reach Level 497 through the 1st alternative event timeline path. Surviving outside until sunrise in the 2nd alternate event sequence leads to reaching Level 200. Entering the door labeled "3" in the 3rd alternate event sequence leads to Level 15. Interacting with the signboard on 4th alternative event line leads to Level 283. Additionally, interacting with the columns also results in being randomly sent to a different level, but due to its riskiness, it is not recommended.