《Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn鈥檛》 Chapter 3: The Waiting Room (2) Chapter 3: The Waiting Room (2) I was surprised to find myself alert and levelheaded¡ªessentially free from any alcoholic fuzz. I nced around and saw a stark white room devoid of furnishing or decoration. A disembodied voice abruptly spoke, narrating a notification window that had blinked into existence. It sounded emotionless and cold,cking even an ounce of kindness. [Wee. You have been selected as a climber underw G-14823. To prepare for future battles, please choose one of the weapons before you.] When did these appear? Various weapons had materialized out of thin air while I was focused on the cryptic message. Scattered around the room were longswords, daggers, bows, crossbows, maces, staves, and a collection of ornamental pieces with strange engravings. As if predicting that the participants would feel confused upon seeing the items, message after message popped up in front of me. [The Tower of Ordeal will provide you with one free piece of equipment. The talent you¡¯ll awaken will be determined by the type of weapon you¡¯ll select.] The voice continued reading the messages. [The content of this message has been simplified for the residents of zone C-66432. You will be categorized as a warrior, archer, mage, or priest based on the weapon selected. Since you will only have one chance to awaken your talent, it is highly advised that you choose carefully.]Ha Hee-Jeong hadmented that I had chosen a wand, not a melee weapon, which suggested the decision was irreversible. ording to Ha Hee-Jeong, I should pick something like a sword or a spear... That was when I saw a beautiful wooden wand with three elegantly carved stems at its tip. They curved around an amber-colored jewel, affixing it to the wand. [Old Magic Wand] - Aids with magic use. - Ornate. - Appears so old that it can break at any moment. My mind filled with visions of the amber-colored jewel shimmering as I cast powerful magic, raining down Hellfire upon legions of enemies. The thought of wielding this wand just seemed so natural to me. I¡¯ve always dreamed of bing a mage¡­[1] However, Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s angry outcry suddenly echoed in my mind. ¡°You couldn¡¯t use magic, so you ended up bashing enemies in the head with your wand!¡± Although epting that I was a mage with no magical talent would fill me with regret, the thought of smashing enemies¡¯ heads with a wand was too unappealing. Fine, I¡¯ll pick a melee weapon like Ha Hee-Jeong suggested. Worried that I would go back on my word, I quickly shifted my focus to the other weapons. Hmm, what should I choose? I turned my head and stared at the numerous weapons all around me. Although Ha Hee-Jeong had instructed me to choose a melee weapon, she hadn¡¯t specifically stated what kind it had to be. She could have at least told me what to pick. This is such a tough decision to make! Considering how much Ha Hee-Jeong regretted that I hadn¡¯t picked any of the melee weapons during our first run, she clearly believed that I had an aptitude for them. Although there were maces and ils among the options, I decided to choose between the three examples she specifically mentioned¡ªa sword, an axe, and a spear. ?¨¢???¦¢¦¥?? Sigh. Honestly, I was scared to choose a melee weapon. After all, I was just an average Joe. Although neither Ha Hee-Jeong nor the messages from the Tower of Ordeal had given me a detailed exnation, I was sure that climbing the tower would require me to go through many battles, and if I selected a melee weapon, I would have to face enemies up close. The fear I felt inside grew as my resolve weakened. Should I pick a bow instead? A bow is still a weapon... No, I had to stick to the n. Ha Hee-Jeong had told me to choose a sword, an axe, or a spear. I shook off the fear growing within me and centered myself. Remember what Ha Hee-Jeong said. I had to be willing to put my life on the line to conquer this tower. If I put my survival first but couldn¡¯t clear the hundredth floor, I would die anyway. Giving up wasn¡¯t an option. It certainly helped that I was in good shape, standing at 187 cm tall and weighing 81 kg. I also hit the gym regrly, and when I reached adulthood, I took up boxing as a hobby for about two years. All in all, I was confident in my athletic abilities. Objectively speaking, there¡¯s no reason for me to be scared. I would be fighting for my life in this tower, but based on physical ability alone, I probably ranked in the top five percent of the participants. Besides, Ha Hee-Jeong had said that in the future she hade from, I climbed the furthest even though I was a wizard with no aptitude for magic. In short, I had talent. Thinking about my circumstances from an outside point of view helped me feel a little less scared. Calmed slightly, I turned my gaze back to the weapons. Sword, axe, or spear. It was time to decide. Like most people in the modern era, I had never wielded these weapons. Still, I felt a little bit more familiar with a sword than an axe or a spear. Every movie¡¯s main character seemed to carry one, after all¡­ Let¡¯s go with a sword, then. After a bit of deliberation, I decided to follow my intuition. There was no point in pondering for too long when I didn¡¯t even know how to handle any of these weapons. Sword it is, then. Which one, though? There were different types of swords in the room¡ªlongswords here, shortswords there, thin rapiers in between, and broadswords galore. Since I didn¡¯t know how to properly use any of them, choosing the simplest-looking one struck me as the best option. Hence, I went and lifted the nearest ordinary-looking sword. When I thought of a sword, this was the image that came to mind. It was just over a meter in length, and it wasn¡¯t too heavy. [Chipped Longsword] - in looking. - Appears so old that it can break at any moment. - Sharp enough to kill something. Fittingly, the longsword¡¯s description in the notification window was quite unremarkable. Compared to the beautiful wand from earlier, I couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat deted about the sword¡¯s appearance. I considered switching to another sword, but I quickly realized that the others were in even worse condition. In fact, upon closer inspection, the Chipped Longsword looked top-of-the-linepared to the others. The translucent notification window updated. [Would you like to choose the ''Chipped Longsword''?] ¡°Yes.¡± To my surprise, all the other weapons in the room vanished without a trace. Their disappearance was as much of a mystery to me as their sudden appearance earlier. Seeing what could only be described as magic, the desire to be a mage surged within me again, but there was no turning back, nor should there be. I had chosen my weapon. The notification window changed once again. At the same time, a calm and detached voice spoke to me. [Please open the status window next. To open the status window, say ''Status Window'' aloud.] The voice spoke as if this was the natural next step. Following Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s instruction, I remained silent. After about ten seconds, the message changed. [The status window provided by the Tower of Ordeal is a critical tool that greatly aids climbers.] [Climbers can enhance their abilities through the status window.] The message swiftly changed as if urging me to act quickly. [Opening the status window now will grant you five attribute points. Attribute points can be used to enhance your abilities.] [Moreover, the status window allows climbers to monitor their stats and progress as they climb the tower.] [Without the status window, acquiring and using skills will be restricted.] [Please open the status window. Time remaining: 5 minutes 0 seconds.] The messages made not opening the status window sound like a huge issue. I would have opened the status window immediately had it not been for Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s advice. She had stated that opening the status window at any point would render climbing to the hundredth floor meaningless. She also specifically mentioned it was like signing a ve contract. [Please open the status window. Time remaining: 4 minutes 20 seconds.] [Please open the status window. Time remaining: 3 minutes 57 seconds.] Will I be able to survive without opening the status window? The message said I can raise my attributes through the status window, but does that mean I won''t be able to grow stronger without it? [Please open the status window. Time remaining: 3 minutes 20 seconds.] No, I was not supposed to waver. Ha Hee-Jeong came back from the future to warn me. She must have a n and a reason for telling me not to open the status window. I trusted her to lead the way.@@novelbin@@ [Please open the status window. Time remaining: 1 minute 13 seconds.] I stood there dazed, watching the time on the translucent window dwindle. With each passing second, my anxiety grew, and more tension built within me. [Please open the status window. Time remaining: 20 seconds.] When only twenty seconds remained, I suddenly felt scared. I wouldn¡¯t die immediately if I refused to open the status window, would I? Even if I didn¡¯t die, my ability to acquire and use skills would be restricted! Reminding myself of Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s warning, I barely managed to shake off my fear. ¡°No matter how much you are tempted¡ªeven if there¡¯s only one second left¡ªdon¡¯t open it. Opening the status window renders any progress or regressions meaningless. Got it?" [Time remaining: 0 minutes 04 seconds.] [Time remaining: 0 minutes 03 seconds.] [Time remaining: 0 minutes 02 seconds.] [Time remaining: 0 minutes 01 second.] [Time remaining: 0 minutes 00 seconds.] [You have chosen not to open the status window. You will be transferred to the first floor of the Tower of Ordeal to begin the tutorial phase. Wemend your spirit and wish you good luck.] An exmation involuntarily slipped from my lips. ¡°Huh?!¡± The message¡¯s voice now sounded warm and sweet,pletely disparate from its earlier emotionless tone. The moment I heard the voice¡­ everything turned white, and I returned to feeling like I was floating in an expanse of nothingness. *** ¡¸Invisible Message: Climber Kwon Su-Hyeok has not opened the status window and will thus assume the ¡®Challenger¡¯ status.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: As a result, Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok will not be subject to the disadvantages of the attribute enhancements thate with the status window. ¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Followingw G-14823-1, the Tower of Ordeal¡¯s difficulty level will be adjusted to the original ''Challenger'' stage for Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: From this point forward, gods are requested to enter the Tower of Ordeal using pseudonyms. The deity¡¯s original name can be used from the sixth floor onward.¡¹ *** [Wee to the first floor of the Tower of Ordeal. The first stage of the tutorial will now begin.] The warm voice earlier had vanished, which disturbed me a little. Instead, the messages now carried the same nd and unemotional tone as before. [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 17 hours 59 minutes.] I frowned at the message I received. Although it gave me my first task, it didn¡¯t really provide me with any other information or instruction. Couldn¡¯t they have at least given me my opponents¡¯ identity or size? In front of me was a long and fairly spacious corridor. It was about five meters wide and four meters high. Torches hung sporadically on the walls, faintly illuminating the corridor. They were firmly affixed to the wall, making it impossible to take them. Moreover, due to the considerable distance between them, they left some areas inplete darkness. Could enemies be hiding in that darkness? It would have been nice if I could see a bit better. Looking behind, I found a dead end, which left me no choice but to go forward. Hence, I took my first step, causing the dirt floor to crunch under my feet. I gripped the handle of the Chipped Longsword tightly, prepared to swing at the smallest sign of movement. I took a deep breath to steady my shaking. Calm down. Just calm down. Perhaps due to the deep breaths, I felt my tension ease a little as I took another step forward. 1. Editor¡¯s note: He kept saying that mages were supposed to be men ? Chapter 5: First Floor, Tutorial (2) Chapter 5: First Floor, Tutorial (2) ¡°Ugh..." Regaining consciousness, I opened my eyes to a dark stone wall. Shadows flickered on the ceiling, illuminated by the faint light of a torch. Huh? Ah, right. I had entered the Tower of Ordeal. Still lying on the ground, I tried to recall the events before I lost consciousness. After killing the goblin assassin... Ugh. Just the thought of the goblin''s corpse made me feel nauseous. Anyway, after the battle, I found the cut from the poisoned dagger. Luckily, the poison seemed to be non-lethal, considering I woke up unharmed. My stomach growled as my senses returned. Perhaps because I had vomited on an empty stomach, I felt a gnawing hunger rip through me. I let out a hollowugh. I couldn¡¯t believe I could still get hungry in this situation. Well, hunger is a basic human instinct. Human instinct or not, I had to endure since there was nothing to eat. I couldn''t stomach the idea of eating goblin flesh. I¡¯m not desperate enough to eat that disgusting thing. Lost in my foolish thoughts, I suddenly remembered the cut I had sustained during the fight. I quickly raised my left arm to inspect the wound, finding only a thin, red line that ran across the back of it. The skin had returned to normal, no longer ckened from the poison. Phew... The wound wasn''t as deep as I''d feared, and moving my arm wasn''t a problem. It was reassuring to see it functioning properly. Nevertheless, I was struck with the realization that. When I read the dagger was poisoned and saw the ckened wound, I thought that was the end for me. I need to be more careful. I wasn¡¯t aware of the poison on the dagger until I read its description. This would not be thest time I would find out more information after the fact. Avoiding injuriespletely was impossible, but there was plenty I could do going forward to avoid danger. ?????B?¡ì It urred to me that I didn¡¯t know how long I had been unconscious. I hurriedly checked the time. [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 11 hours 57 minutes.] Fortunately, there was still plenty of time left. It would have been a tragedy if it had run out while I was unconscious. Last I checked, there were seventeen hours left. Doing some quick math, I lost about five hours while unconscious. 11 hours and 57 minutes, now 56¡­ I only had about half a day left, which seemed like plenty of time at first. However, without any clue whaty ahead, I couldn''t be certain if it was enough. I stood up. A wave of anxiety washed over me, but I pushed past it and forced myself to remember what I had risked my life to learn. Don¡¯t rush, always be cautious, and never let your guard down. The close encounters with the goblin assassin and the countless traps had reinforced those ideas enough. I sheathed the dagger and picked up the crossbow. Since it wouldn¡¯t be smart to use it inbat without knowing how to fire it, I decided to practice with it. How exactly was I supposed to fire this thing, though? Should I just nock an arrow in the thin, long groove in the middle and pull? I didn¡¯t know what else to do, so Iid an arrow in the groove and hooked it onto the bowstring. Afterward, I pulled the bowstring back, noting that it didn¡¯t have much sticity. With a pull of the trigger, the arrow shot forward. Thump¡ª The arrow flew swiftly and embedded itself firmly in the wall. This can be quite useful. Now that I had learned how to use the crossbow, it was time to keep moving. After loading the crossbow and cing it on the belt¡¯s crossbow holder, I walked a few steps and picked up my sword. I had dropped it on the ground when I fainted. Huh? It was strange. The sword felt lighter somehow. In an attempt to figure out why, I swung it a couple of times. Swish! The sword certainly felt lighter now, and my swings had also gotten faster. Had my physical abilities improved after defeating the goblin assassin? Probably. It was far more likely than the sword losing weight spontaneously. However, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn¡¯t check if my abilities had increased through a status window. [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 11 hours 45 minutes.] I had secured both the dagger and the crossbow. The sword was in my hands again, and my steps felt light as a feather. I was growing stronger. Time to move. I cautiously took a step toward the darkness ahead. Using the Chipped Longsword, I then poked the ground ahead of me. Click¡ª I felt the trap¡¯s release clearer than ever. Ting! Hearing a sound from the ceiling behind me, I dodged sharply to the left. The arrow pierced the spot where I had been standing. ¡°..." With my faster reaction speed, dodging the trap proved easy. It was ridiculous how clear the trap clicking and the arrow firing sounded. I paused to think about my enhanced physical abilities. I had lost a lot of time while unconscious, and checking for traps with the sword made progress too slow. Should I just walk through the traps? I could probably dodge them now even if I were to step on them directly... no, I shouldn¡¯t throw caution to the wind. I needed to verify my abilities more. If I could avoid the next two traps, only then would I allow myself to proceed a bit more freely. I started walking again, poking the floor with the sword. *** After perfectly dodging three traps, I stopped checking the floor with my sword. Not even the ones that shot multiple arrows at once gave me much of a problem. I was now making quicker progress. [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 10 hours 32 minutes.] For nearly an hour, I was met with nothing but traps. The more I encountered and overcame, the easier it was to dodge the next one. It seemed that evading traps in itself slightly enhanced my physical abilities. Passing torches didn¡¯t make me nervous anymore. However, as I evaded traps instinctively, I saw something that finally made me stop. There they are. Two goblins stood near the next torch. They looked my way but didn¡¯t seem to notice me, perhaps due to poor eyesight. As quietly as possible, I took out my crossbow and held it in my right hand. Afterward, I carefully walked toward the goblins. I just need to take out one first. Eliminating a goblin under the cover of darkness would make this fight easier. Given the distance, I could probably even take out the other goblin with my crossbow before it could reach me. I entered the darkness cautiously. Gotta watch out for traps. Although most of the dark areas had traps, some didn¡¯t have any. I hoped this area was one of them. While I could dodge arrows, activating a trap could alert the goblins to my presence. Walking through the darkness, As I walked through the darkness, I felt a chill creep up my neck. I reflexively twisted my upper body to the left. Thump¡ª I heard a noise even though no trap was triggered. I fired the arrow toward it. ¡°Kriieee!" That had to be a goblin shriek. Fuck, the goblins in the open were decoys. Somewhere in the darkness, I heard a goblin begin to sprint. A sudden chill prompted me to roll backward quickly. Thump¡ª Something crossed the air where I had just been standing. I swung my sword reflexively, but I only shed empty air. To make things worse, I couldn¡¯t even see anything. Light, torch! I quickly retreated to an area where I could see. Before long, the goblins by the other torch had also entered the darkness. There were three in front of me. Are you fucking serious? Could I handle three? No, I couldn¡¯t worry about that now¡ªI had to do it no matter how many were trying to kill me. The goblin in the darkness used a crossbow. I had to keep that in mind and concentrate. Amidst heightened tension, I focused as much as I could and gripped my sword tightly. Two goblins burst from the darkness, and a sh of silver gleamed between them. I swung my sword diagonally upward. Chang! Heavy vibrations coursed through my fingertips. ¡°Krieeee! Human, die!" ¡°Krieee! Die, die, die!" While blocking the arrow, two goblins closed in on me. [Goblin Warrior] - A goblin, yet a warrior. - They act in pairs. Ignoring the translucent message, I concentrated and used my heightened senses to observe the movements of the goblin warriors. One of them swung its sword diagonally, but it looked so slow that I could easily see its attack¡¯s trajectory. I parried with my longsword, forcefully rebounding the goblin''s sword back up and sending its arm flying into the air. With its chest now exposed, I quickly shed the goblin horizontally across the torso. The heavy sensation at my fingertips indicated that the sword had prated deeply. ¡°Krieeee!" Green blood sprayed into the air. One down, two to go. I immediately sidestepped to the left, dodging the downward swing of the other goblin. Launching yet another attack, it let out an eerie scream right in front of me. ¡°Kriieeee! Human! You killed my friend! Die!" While preparing to block, I heard a crossbow string release. I quickly took a step backward. An arrow cut through the air between me and the goblin warrior. Watching the arrow pass by, I charged at the goblin again. I then used my height advantage to stab it from above. Perhaps startled by the arrow, the goblin was slow to react. Before it could raise its sword, my longsword had pierced its neck. ¡°Gurgle..." The goblin coughed up a disgusting mix of phlegm and blood, causing green fluid to gush out of its mouth. Now, only one goblin remained. Thump¡ª Right after the release of a bowstring, a silver streak entered my vision. I moved to the left, dodging the arrow. ¡°Krieee! Krieee!" The goblin shrieked in the darkness, seemingly furious that I kept evading its attacks. I couldn''t just let myself get hit out of consideration for its feelings, though. Come out, you little brat. With my sword in hand, I stared into the darkness. However, the goblin refused toe out of hiding. Instead, I just kept hearing it reloading its crossbow. Thump¡ª I twisted my head to avoid an arrow flying toward my face. Well, if you don¡¯t want toe to me, I have no choice but to find you. I paused just as I was about to charge into the darkness. Do I really need to rush in? I could dodge the goblin''s arrows anytime. Since it didn¡¯t have infinite arrows, it was bound to run out of ammo eventually. There was no need to engage in closebat in the darkness where I couldn''t see anything. Who knew what other weapons¡ªall potentially poisonous¡ªthe goblin had that could give me disastrous injuries and cost me in the long run? Once the goblin had run out of arrows, it would have no choice but to show itself anyway. I stood silently and waited for the goblin to shoot. Thump¡ª Dodge. Thump¡ª Dodge. I monotonously dodged the projectiles six more times. Finally, the goblin stopped reloading. Instead, I heard sobs from the darkness. What, was it crying? Thispletely unexpected behavior was disconcerting. I thought it would burst out in anger... If I hadn¡¯t known it was a goblin, I might have offered somefort. The goblin had been trying to kill me, though, so helping it was off the table. ¡°Sniff¡­ sniff..." ¡°Stop whining ande out!" I shouted, but instead of listening to me, it just cried louder. Why is it noting out? It had probably realized that it couldn¡¯t win against me. I certainly wouldn''t willingly offer my neck even if it was the only choice. But I wasn''t the one facing imminent death, and I couldn¡¯t spare the goblin. ¡°Hey,e out already. You¡¯re out of arrows, right? You¡¯re going to die anyway, so you¡¯re just wasting time by hiding at this point." Instead of responding, it just kept crying. Ah, screw it. I couldn¡¯t spend all day waiting for it to step into the light. Although I was still a decent distance from the goblin, I started swinging my sword toward the sobbing noises just in case it started attacking me. I had a longer reach, after all. Just as I was about to take another step, I heard the goblin speak in a tear-soaked voice from the darkness. ¡°Kriee. Please, human, spare me. Sniff." Since I couldn¡¯t see its grotesque appearance, its voice made me feel slightly sympathetic. No, I shouldn¡¯t feel this way. The first floor¡¯s task was to eliminate all enemies. I had to kill it. Better that it stayed in the dark since killing it there would make me feel less emotional. ¡°Sniff. Please, human, spare me..." the goblin begged again in desperation. Damn it. ¡°Alright, fine. Come out then." ¡°Krieee?" ¡°I¡¯ll spare you, soe out already. If you don''t, I will find you. Then... you know what will happen, right?" ¡°Kriee, krieee. Okay, I understand." @@novelbin@@ A tense, nervous, and notably small goblin walked slowly out of the darkness. [Young Goblin] - Small and frail. - Too young forbat. - Does note out of the darkness when threatened. *** ¡¸Invisible message: Young Goblin spared. The hidden mission ''The Hidden Sorrow of the Goblin Tribe'' of the Challenger''s Tutorial on the first floor will now start.¡¹ Chapter 6: First Floor, Tutorial (3) Chapter 6: First Floor, Tutorial (3) A tiny goblin slowly emerged from the darkness, its shoulders trembling seemingly in fear. [Young Goblin] - Small and frail. - Too young forbat. - Does note out of the darkness when threatened. Though I hadn''t seen many goblins, this one was the smallest by far. Instead of reaching my chest, it only came up to my hips. It wasn''t carrying any weapons apart from an unloaded crossbow. Even the name given by the system seemed odd. Not a goblin warrior or assassin, but just ¡°Young Goblin.¡± It was the first time I had seen one without a job title. It had a shiny bald head and green skin, looking up at me with teary eyes. My heart softened as its eyes met mine. The goblin was tiny, about the height of an elementary school student, and its green skin was soft like a baby¡¯s. This goblin was nothing like the previous ones I had encountered. It felt like I was facing a human child. ¡°Hey, what the hell are you?"¡°Krieee! Human! Stupid! Goblin is a goblin!" ¡°...?" Is this brat crazy? Is it too young to know better? Calling someone who spared their life ¡°stupid¡± was just in dumb. Annoyed, my face reddened. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid! I asked because you look too young. Why are you here?" ¡°Krieee, Goblin! Everyone fulfills their duty!" Does fulfilling their duty mean stopping people like me from going up the tower? ¡°Is it your duty to stop me?" ¡°Kriee! Yes!" ¡°Well, I don''t want to kill a child, but I don¡¯t really have a choice." I gripped my sword tighter, startling the terrified goblin. ¡°Krieee! Monster human! Goblin doesn''t want to fight!" ¡°But you told me that¡¯s your job." ¡°Kriee! Duty! Goblin doesn¡¯t have to fulfill it!" Going back and forth between different stances was such a convenient mindset. One¡¯s life was the most precious, whether human or goblin. Hearing this, a question arose in my mind. ?¨¢?????¨º? ¡°So, if I beat up the other goblins, would they surrender like you?" ¡°Krieee! Human! Don''t underestimate goblins!" ... What an idiot. ¡°You just said you don''t have to fulfill your duty." ¡°Krieee! No. Stupid human! All goblins fulfill their duty!" ¡°Ugh, what nonsense is this?" My annoyance surged to an even higher level. Seemingly sensing my escting mood, the goblin mmed up. What is it talking about? Suddenly, I realized it was referring to itself as ¡±Goblin.¡± Perhaps that meant it was only talking about itself earlier and now its entire race. ¡°Ah, you mean you don''t have to fight me, but others do?" ¡°Krieee! Yes! Goblin doesn''t stab humans in the back!" ¡°How can I trust you?" ¡°Krieeee! Goblin doesn''t lie!" the goblin shouted indignantly. I still couldn''t trust it, though. They were creatures that ambushed from the darkness. Its child-like appearance had softened my heart a bit, and I regretted not killing it when it was still hidden in the dark. However, that wouldn¡¯t stop me from ending its life if I needed to. [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 10 hours 10 minutes.] ording to the message, I was supposed to eliminate all enemies. However, if a goblin was no longer hostile toward me, would it still be considered an enemy? Premature sympathy could backfire, though, so it was best to err on the side of caution. Well, even if this young goblin tried to backstab me, it didn''t seem too dangerous. I decided to bind the young goblin¡¯s hands tightly and drag it along. I would kill it if the mission wasn''tpleted after killing all other enemies. ¡°Alright, I''ll spare you." ¡°Krieee! Human! Stupid but kind!" ... My sympathy was waning from its continued transgressions. I needed to fix its attitude. ¡°Call me stupid one more time, and I¡¯ll make you regret it." ¡°Krieeee! Human! Stupid!" ¡°No!" Should I just kill it? The goblin quickly read my expression. ¡°If you call me stupid again, I will stab you in the neck. Understood?" ¡°Krieeee. Goblin understands!" ¡°And don¡¯t ever disobey me. Got it?" I firmlymanded to prevent more nonsense. The young goblin nodded slightly. ¡°Alright. I''m going to tie your hands now.¡± Hmm, what can I use to tie it, though? It would have been nice if I had rope, but I didn''t. I quickly looked around for something to use as a substitute. That will do. I directed my gaze to the clothes of a fallen goblin warrior. If I tore it into strips and tied them together, it would function as a rope. Striding over, I stripped the dead goblin of its clothes. @@novelbin@@ Ugh. The nauseating smell of its blood made me gag. Still, the smell is better than before. Maybe because I had already seen a goblin corpse before, I wasn¡¯t as disgusted anymore. It was strange that I adapted to the gore so quickly, though. I stripped the clothes of the other goblin as well. After fashioning a rope from the clothes, I gestured to the Young Goblin standing foolishly off to the side. ¡°Come here and give me your hands." ¡°Krieee! Okay." The young goblin extended one hand, causing my brows to furrow. Seeing the change in my expression, it flinched and avoided my gaze. ¡°Give me both hands." The young goblin obediently extended both hands. While wrapping its arms with the shabby fabric, I noticed something glint around its neck. ¡°What''s that?" ¡°Krieeee! What are you talking about!" ¡°That thing around your neck." ¡°...¡± The goblin took a step backward, its eyes widening in rm. I quickly reached out with my left hand and grabbed its neck. ¡°Krieee! No!" ¡°What do you mean ¡®no?¡¯ You agreed to obey me in exchange for your life, so you say ¡®yes!¡¯¡± The goblin struggled in my grip, dropping its shabby crossbow and grabbing my shoulder with its right hand. I held the goblin in ce and reached out with my right hand, my fingers catching on a silver string. ¡°Screeeeeeech!¡± The goblin¡¯s scream was unbearably loud. Nevertheless, I untangled the string, revealing a purple gemstone dangling from a silver chain ne [Young Goblin''s Ruby Ne] - A young goblin¡¯s cherished ne. - The mysteriously glowing red gem seems to hide some secret. ¡°Hey, what''s this?" ¡°Krieee! It''s Goblin''s!" ¡°Hand it over." ¡°Krieeee! No!" This bastard. I spared its life, so it should just hand over the ne willingly. I heard goblins were greedy, but I didn¡¯t expect that this green monster would want to keep its life without paying for it. ¡°I saved your life, though." ¡°... Krieeee! Still! You can''t take that!" ¡°Do you want to die? I¡¯ll cut off one of your hands if you lie to me." I tried to pull the ne over the goblin¡¯s head, but some invisible barrier stopped it from being taken off. I wondered if this was another of the Tower of Ordeal¡¯s tricks. With all the strange things happening, I wasn¡¯t even surprised anymore. Maybe the ne woulde off if I killed the goblin? As if reading my mind, the goblin hastily eximed, ¡°Krieeee! You can¡¯t take it even if you kill Goblin!¡± ¡°... I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡± I truly didn''t want to. My conscience couldn¡¯t handle sparing the creature just to kill it for a gemstone ne. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t take it. Now, give me your arms again.¡± The goblin extended its arms once more. I tightly bound its thin wrists with the makeshift rope three times. ¡°Krieee! It hurts!¡± The young goblin grimaced in pain. I thought it was hrious that it pleaded with me to spare its life but was nowining about its treatment. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, deal with it.¡± The young goblin mmed up, looking up at me with tearful eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Krieeee! Goblin is Goblin!¡± ¡°This is not a good time to joke around, idiot. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ugh, never mind.¡± Come to think of it, the goblin looked like the house-goblin Doppy from the movies. Alright, from now on I¡¯d address the young goblin as Doppy. ¡°You¡¯re Doppy now.¡± ¡°Krieeee? Human! What do you mean?¡± ¡°Your name is Doppy.¡± ¡°Krieeee! Not Doppy! Goblin!¡± Ignoring the indignant Doppy, I turned toward the goblin warrior¡¯s corpse to look for anything useful. [Goblin Warrior¡¯s Rusty Sword] - Old and rusty. - It looks like it could break at any moment. Hmm, this was a pass as it was too short. [Goblin Warrior¡¯s Worn Leather Gloves] - Well worn. Holey. - Stained with goblin handprints. I looked around at the other items, but nothing seemed suitable for me. The other swords were in simr conditions, and the gloves were too small for me. ¡°What a waste of time. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Krieee! Goblin follows!¡± I walked forward, and Doppy hurriedly followed while wobbling with its bound arms. It was almostical. I briefly reflected on the recent battle as we walked, visualizing the goblin warriors'' movements. My physical abilities were gradually improving, and I could clearly see the change in my reaction speed and strength. Huh? That would mean I had my original capabilities when I encountered the first trap. If that was the case, how did I avoid it? Although my five senses failed to detect it, it seemed like I got a hunch when I was in danger. An eerie feeling or chill engulfed me when I stepped on the initial trap and got ambushed in the dark. Is this what they call a sixth sense?Was this ability developed during my talent awakening? It felt strange but beneficial nheless. I decided to look on the bright side since this sixth sense saved my life. ¡°Krieee! Trap ahead!¡± I stopped my foot mid-air. A trap? ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Krieee! Goblin can see in the dark!¡± ¡°You can see the trap?¡± I assumed that the traps in the darkness would be the same as the ones in the illuminated areas. The traps in the light appeared to be a part of the floor and weren¡¯t visible. ¡°Krieee! Goblin sees it!¡± Were the traps in the dark not as meticulously hidden? Well, not like it matters. ¡°From now on, tell me if there are enemies or traps in the dark.¡± ¡°Krieee! Goblin will tell if there are enemies!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll die immediately.¡± ¡°Krieeee! Understood!¡± Even though I hadmanded Doppy to warn me of danger, I still kept my guard up. After all, there was a possibility that it wouldn¡¯t warn me of goblins hiding in the dark. I had already let my guard down too many times. Continuing forward, I prepared myself for the trap. ¡°Doppy, step back for a moment.¡± Just because I knew about the trap didn¡¯t mean I intended to avoid it. Dodging would gradually make me faster, and I had to remove them anyway. *** [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 7 hours 27 minutes.] I had been walking for nearly two and a half hours. I was feeling hungry and thirsty, but there was nothing to eat or drink. All I could do was push forward and endure. I dodged traps as they appeared, and encountered two more groups of goblins. Contrary to my expectations, Doppy swiftly informed me of the hidden enemies in the dark. My opinion of Doppy changed from an untrustworthy monster to a somewhat reliable one. Moreover, I could handle the goblins more easily than before. Apart from my improved physical abilities, I was growing ustomed tobat. I felt myself growing stronger with each fight. I saw why Ha Hee-Jeong had said I was Earth¡¯s hope. I was d I followed her suggestion to choose a melee weapon. Hmm? Lost in thought, I barely noticed the end of the path. Arge wooden door stood there, nked on either side by two flickering torches. The door was adorned with strange patterns, appearing simr to something found in a temple. What was it called again? A mand pattern? [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 7 hours 3 minutes.] I cautiously approached the door, Doppy following close behind while holding its breath. [Do you wish to enter the boss room?] The standard dry voice apanied the message. After about eleven hours on this floor, I finally reached the boss room. ¡°Doppy, do you know what¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°... Krieeee! Goblin doesn¡¯t know!¡± The brief pause before speaking was oddly suspicious. ¡°Really? If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯m cutting off one of your hands.¡± Doppy shook its head firmly, the torchlight reflecting off its shiny bald head. ¡°Krieee! Goblin doesn¡¯t know!¡± Honestly, I couldn¡¯t tell if Doppy was lying. Even if it described what was behind the door, I wasn¡¯t sure I could believe it. Doppy had been reliable so far, but it could lie to me at any moment. I had made it this far, and there was no going back. [Do you wish to enter the boss room?] ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 9: Second Floor, Orc Warlord Karaksh (1) Chapter 9: Second Floor, Orc Warlord Karaksh (1) During Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s previous life, on the fifty-fifth floor. [Su-Hyeok, are you really a great wizard?] OP: Podrick Braum (Fifty-Second Floor) Did anyone watch Su-Hyeok during the 49th-floor group mission? ?? He upgraded his wand with a meteorite alloy. I almost pissed myself seeing him break a Minotaur''s skull with it. Seriously, can you do that just by enhancing strength and agility? His Body Reinforcement skill must be lvl 99. I''m pretty sure he''s a great wizard, but he still uses his wand as a club. - Kim Seon-Hu (Fifty-Second Floor): Take this post down. Su-Hyeok hates this kind of talk. - Park Bong-Pal (Fifty-Second Floor): The legend goes that Su-Hyeok beat a Minotaur with his wand while casting lvl 6 Fireball lmao. He must be really attached to magic... - Ernest Morgan (Fifty-Second Floor): Seriously, though, what if Mr. Su-Hyeok had chosen a melee weapon? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-fourth Floor): Take the post down while I am still asking nicely ^^. See you at the 61st-floor group mission~ - Braha Akif (Fifty-Second Floor): Mr. Su-Hyeok has appeared ??- Oh Chang-Joon (Fifty-Second Floor): lol Korea''s best DPS! The strongest magic warrior Su-Hyeok has appeared! - Kim Ji-Soo (Fifty-Second Floor): Can I join your party, Su-Hyeok hyung? Pretty please, hyung ?? *** [First Floor Conquered. Entering the waiting room.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has unlocked the waiting room, granting him ess to basic food and restroom facilities.] I found myself in a white room that looked almost the same as the one I had been in before the first floor. However, it had a few key differences. This room had a small bed, a desk, and a restroom in the corner. It was finally over. My soreness had disappeared, making me feel reinvigorated, and my wounds no longer ached. Entering the waiting room seemed to have healed my physical injuries. [You can now enter into sponsorship contracts with first-ss gods.] [Climbers can receive achievement points or abilities through sponsorship contracts with deities, which can greatly aid them in ascending the tower.] [First-ss god ''Heavenly Demon of the Universe'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [First-ss god ''Lord of Hellfire'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [First-ss god ''God of Sword Who Slices the Gxy'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [First-ss god ''Thunder Emperor Who Rules the Nine Heavens'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [First-ss god ''Echo of the Angry Sky'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] ¡­ Endless notification windows popped up before me, making it impossible to see anything else. There had to be hundreds¡ªno, thousands of them. Realizing how popr I was, I began to feel a bit emotional. ?¨¢?¨®£Â¨§s? Calm down. Ha Hee-Jeong had advised me not to enter into any contracts until the fifth floor. Even if I wanted to, there were so many offers that choosing one would be difficult. It would take hours to go through them all. ... I wish I could make them disappear. As soon as I had that thought, the endless pop-ups instantly vanished. A new message reced them. [11 hours 57 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] Along with the dry voice, bread and water appeared on the small desk. As soon as I saw the water, my thirst came rushing back¡ªI hadn''t drunk any water for nearly ten hours. I grabbed the bottle and drank greedily, the water rapidly disappearing down my throat. ¡°Kriieee! Human! Goblin! Water!" Startled by the voice behind me, I spat out some water. A bit of it went down the wrong way, sending me into a coughing fit. ¡°Gosh, you scared me!" ¡°Krieee! Goblin! Water!" Doppy reached out with both hands, its eyes fixated on the water bottle. Aside from its golden skin, it looked like the same old Doppy, not the dignified figure from earlier. Oh, right, a message earlier had said that Doppy would follow me. It seemed that meant we shared the waiting room as well. ¡°But I¡¯ve almost finished it." ¡°Krieee! What are you talking about? Water! There''s plenty!" ¡°Huh?" I turned back to the bottle, finding it full again. Refible water¡ªmagic really was amazing. ¡°Here you go." ¡°Kri!" I handed the bottle to Doppy, who then immediately brought it to its mouth. Wait a sec. It¡¯s not nning to touch its nasty lips on the bottle, is it? I had no intention of sharing a bottle with Doppy. ¡°Wait!" ¡°Krie?" ¡°Don''t drink from the bottle." Doppy stared at me, confusion evident in its expression. ¡°Kriieee?¡± I quickly snatched the water bottle from Doppy and showed it how to drink properly. Tilting my head back, I opened my mouth and poured the water in, making sure not to touch the bottle with my lips. ¡°Drink like this. If you drink from the bottle directly, I¡¯ll make you regret it." ¡°Krieee! Got it! Give Goblin the water quickly!" Although still doubtful of Doppy¡¯s ability, I handed the bottle back to it. It tilted its head back to mimic me, but it ended up missing its mouth and pouring water all over its face instead. ¡°Phuh!Krieeee!" ¡°Pfft!" Doppy looked like a drenched rat. The sight was hrious. ¡°Krieeee!" Frustrated, Doppy brought the bottle back to its mouth. Wait, is it going to drink directly from it? That brat! "Hey!" ***@@novelbin@@ After Doppy and I had thoroughly enjoyed the unlimited supply of bread and water, we took a quick shower in the bathroom andy on the bed. Unfortunately, the small bed didn¡¯t have enough space for Doppy. Sitting on the floor next to the bed, Doppy looked up at me with sad eyes. Sorry, Doppy. If I can buy a bedter, I''ll get one for you too. [11 hours 17 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] Having spent over thirty minutes filling my stomach, I finally felt somewhat rxed. I leaned the goblin pdin''s sword and shield against the corner of the room. Although I regretted losing my crossbow, I had acquired some good items in exchange. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t have that many opportunities to use a crossbow while wielding a sword and shield. As Iy there, my thoughts started to wander. I recollected the strange thing that Doppy had said after clearing the first-floor mission. ¡°Doppy, what did you tell me in the boss room again? Pendrick? Fenrike?" ¡°Kriee! Fenrike! Goblin! A god!" ¡°A god?" ¡°Kriee! Yes! Fenrike! Was trapped!" ¡°What kind of god gets trapped in a ne?" I thought gods were supposed to be omnipotent and transcendent. ¡°Krieee! Goblin doesn¡¯t know!" ¡°Then why did you have a ne containing a sealed god?" ¡°Krieee! Goblin was a saint! The ne! It''s Fenrike¡¯s holy relic!" ... Doppy was a saint? It was surprising that such a mischievous creature could hold that position. Well, I supposed a goblin saint made more sense than a goblin saintess. Imagining Doppy as a goblin saintess horrified me. ¡°So, I rescued the goblin god?" ¡°Krieee! That''s right! Fenrike said thank you! Goblin follows human!" ¡°... Oh, okay. Thanks." Rescuing their god seemed to have gotten me Doppy. It didn''t seem like a fair trade, butining to Doppy wouldn¡¯t help me at all. ¡°So, do you know what this tower is?" ¡°Kriieee! Goblin doesn¡¯t know!" I doubt I¡¯d get much information from Doppy, so I''d have to ask Ha Hee-Jeongter. I hoped she was doing well, although I was sure she would be fine since she already had previous experience. Still, isn''t the Tower of Ordeal too difficult? I was originally supposed to be a mage, but I can¡¯t even imagine clearing the first floor with magic. Does the weapon you choose affect the tutorial''s mission? If that weren¡¯t the case, anyone who had chosen to be a priest would have died. Even as a melee genius whom Ha Hee-Jeong had acknowledged, I still found the first floor incredibly difficult. I wondered if most people who had awakened as a warrior died. Maybe she told me to choose a melee weapon because they didn¡¯t have enough warriors in her past life? Hmm, I would have to ask Ha Hee-Jeong about this too. Well, I was d I received apanion who could use healing spells. If I had killed Doppy, I wouldn''t have gotten such an advantage. Would there be someone like Doppy on the second floor? Perhaps I should look for another hidden piece. ¡°Doppy, what healing spells can you use as a saint?" ¡°Krieee! Goblin is young! Can use Heal Wounds!" Heal Wounds was a valuable spell, but I had hoped a goblin saint would be able to cast more than that. Considering how tough the first floor was, though, I weed any advantage I could get. ¡°By the way, can you stop making that ''krieee'' noise? It''s really annoying." ¡°Kriee! Goblin''s vocal cords! Different from humans! Krieee! Can''t help it!" ¡°Fenrike spoke normally." ¡°... Kriieee! Fenrike is a god!" ¡°Uh-huh, okay.¡± Sighing, I resigned myself to tolerate that damn noise. Since that was just how his body worked, I couldn''t really argue. I already felt drowsy, and talking with Doppy only worsened it. Although wounds could be healed, it seemed fatigue couldn''t be. [10 hours 58 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] With about eleven hours left, I had enough time to get some proper sleep. I needed to rest before the next floor. ¡°Doppy, I''m going to sleep now, so you should get some rest too. We need to be ready for the second floor." ¡°Kriee! Got it! Goblin is tired!" As if sensing my desire to sleep, the waiting room dimmed. The wonders of magic... They sure were considerate in some unnecessary ways. Beating the first floor would have been much easier if the notification windows had been this helpful. *** [Wee to the second floor of the Tower of Ordeal. The second stage of the tutorial will now begin.] [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 9 hours 59 minutes] I had significantly less time to clear this floorpared to the previous one. Did that mean the floor was shorter? I still had plenty of time left after clearing the first floor, but that was only because I had only gotten injured once before the boss room. Dodging arrows was tedious, but the long march would have been dreadful had I been injured. ncing around, I saw a passageway simr to the one on the first floor. However, unlike the natural cave-like structure of the first floor, the straight stone walls before me seemed deliberately constructed. The tunnel had simr dimensions, though, with a width of five meters and a height of about four meters. The torches mounted on the walls illuminated the entire hall, leaving no dark patches on the floor. It''s nice that it''s bright, but... Up ahead, the path split into two. It looked like the second floor was designed as a maze. Which way should I go? I nced at Doppy, who was beside me. ¡°Kriee?" Doppy looked up at me innocently. Unlike before, it wore its red ne on top of its tattered clothes. Seeing it like this made me feel sorry for its ragged attire. Though I wasn''t much better off with my torn jeans and ripped hoodie, Doppy looked far more pitiful. Moreover, Doppy was a priest. Without armor to defend itself, I had to protect it during a fight. Damn, I should have picked up the te armor from the goblin pdin. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t do anything about it now. Back then, I was focused on the goblin pdin''s shield, and I didn''t know Doppy would being with me. The armor obviously couldn¡¯t fit me, so I hadn¡¯t bothered picking it up. Bringing my focus back to the present, I examined both paths. Should we go left or right? Taking the wrong path could be fatal. Considering the previous floor already had such dangerous traps, who knew what could be in store for us here? I needed to be careful. ¡°Doppy, which way do you think we should go? Aren¡¯t gods supposed to give guidance to their believers?" ¡°Krieee! Fenrike doesn''t tell Goblin anything!" Useless creature. It was still a goblin saint, though. It could have a good sense of direction. ¡°Doppy, which way do you want to go?" ¡°Krieee! Goblin goes where it wants!¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­ Do you want to go left or right?¡± ¡°Kriieeee! Left! Let¡¯s go left!¡± Alright, left it is. Let''s trust the goblin saint''s instinct. As we headed off, I felt a slight sense of unease creep in. However, since Doppy was connected to a divine being, I still decided to follow its guts. It probably had a better sense than I did anyway. ¡°There might be traps, so walk slowly and stay a few steps behind me." ¡°Kriee! Got it!" With Doppy now two steps behind me, I began walking steadily and cautiously. I had gotten used to the traps on the first floor, but that didn¡¯t mean I could already predict what awaited us. Chapter 10: Second Floor, Orc Warlord Karaksh (2) Chapter 10: Second Floor, Orc Warlord Karaksh (2) [First-Floor Boss Room] Ha Hee-Jeong frowned deeply. Refusing to open the status window had changed the tutorial drastically¡ªmore than she had expected. Its difficulty was unimaginablepared to her first attempt, where the tutorial was truly just a beginner-level introduction. Although the tutorial¡¯s difficulty varied depending on one¡¯s chosen equipment, most people still easily passed it in her previous life. For people who had chosen melee weapons, the fifth floor featured a group of goblin warriors. But now, things were different. Right from the first-floor boss room, a goblin pdin in te armor had appeared, nked by goblin warriors and even goblin assassins¡ªa total of ten enemies. ¡­ This is impossible. Ha Hee-Jeong felt a growing sense of dread. She had already fallen victim to multiple traps and ambushes, sustaining wounds that now weakened her. She had no trouble tracking the traps¡¯ arrows and detecting the goblin assassins brandishing their daggers in the shadows. However, her regression had also reverted her physique to that of an ordinary person. Its failure to keep up with her had made her reactions consistently a beat too slow. The moment she entered the boss room, Ha Hee-Jeong realized the harsh truth that defeating all the enemies was impossible. Regressor or not, she was still a mage. Mages were limited by their mana, and she had already used up a lot of hers to get here. The arrow wounds on her thigh and side didn¡¯t help either. If the goblin pdin weren¡¯t here, I could¡¯ve had a chance¡­But reality was harsh. A goblin with te armor and healing spells was a terrible match-up for a mage like her. To make matters worse, she also had to deal with the other goblins. I might be able to kill the others somehow, but¡­ She yed out multiple scenarios in her head, but each one ended with her falling to the goblin pdin. The spells she could cast with her remaining magic wouldn¡¯t be enough to prate its armor. Even if they somehow did, it would just heal any wounds. She was certain she¡¯d copse before she could defeat it. So this was why everyone chose to open the status window. She finally understood why people resorted to it in her previous life. The tower''s system had been designed to push people into viewing the status window. Without it, there was simply no way to clear this insanely difficult tutorial. Is this how I¡¯m going to die? Objectively, there was no chance she could clear the boss room. Desperate, she decided to try calling up the status window. ¡°Status window." As if eagerly waiting to hear those words, a notification window appeared before her. [Status window opened. The climber will now be sent to the first floor of the mage tutorial.] She felt a sense of relief upon realizing that she would be removed from the boss room, but it wasn''t just because she had survived. In this life and her first, she had always put her faith in Kwon Su-Hyeok. No matter how much she struggled, the thought that she could help him climb as long as she stayed alive reassured her. Without him, the Tower of Ordeal would be impossible to conquer. You¡¯re okay, right, Su-Hyeok? She desperately hoped he''d make it through the first floor alive. As she felt the familiar floating sensation and her vision filled with light, she fervently wished for Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s safety. *** [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 9 hours 37 minutes.] It had been about twenty minutes since we followed Doppy¡¯s suggestion to take the left path. So far, we hadn¡¯te across any enemy or trap. The first floor of the Tower of Ordeal had involved a lot of seemingly pointless walking, and the second floor seemed no different. Eighteen and ten hours for the first and second floors respectively seemed like a long time, but factoring in the walking made it make more sense. Perhaps the purpose of the long corridors was to gradually exhaust climbers, making them more vulnerable¡ªespecially if they sustained injuries along the way. ????¦­¨¯???s Although there were no signs of life, the path kept getting rougher and steeper. Doppy''s breathing grew morebored with each step, and doubt began to creep in¡ªmaybe we had taken the wrong path after all. ¡°I''m starting to think this might not be the right way.¡± ¡°Krieee! Trust Goblin!" Doppy replied confidently. It didn¡¯t inspire much confidence in me, though. I began to regret trusting Doppy''s instincts, but I quickly reminded myself that I couldn¡¯t me the little guy for this. I had chosen to follow it, so I had to deal with the consequences. This was why people needed to live proactively. Following someone else¡¯s decisions could make anyone start looking for excuses. I should just do what feels right to me. Looking ahead, I noticed the slope getting even steeper. Should I just turn back and take the other path? Click! Just then, I felt a trap activate under my feet. Fully expecting arrows toe flying, I tensed instinctively and prepared to move in any direction. However, I didn¡¯t hear any arrows being fired. What¡¯s going on? Did the trap malfunction? Is it too old or something? Rumble! Instead of arrows, a deep vibration began to resonate from further up the slope. Although I couldn¡¯t see anything, I could feel the tremors underfoot getting closer each second. Doppy let out a terrified scream. ¡°Kriieeeee!" Without hesitation, Doppy and I turned and bolted back the way we came. The situation was definitely getting out of hand. I¡¯d seen this in movies before¡ªthis had to be the sound of a giant boulder rolling down the hill. I felt intensely regretful for realizing toote that the steep slope wasn¡¯t just for show. Damn, I should have turned back earlier. "Kriee! Kriee!" Doppy was quickly falling behind due to the difference in our physical abilities. Its breathing became even more ragged as it continued to fall further back. We had to retrace the path we¡¯d been slowly walking along for twenty minutes. Could Doppy outrun the boulder to safety? Probably not. The problem was, I had no idea how fast that boulder was moving. Could I outrun it with Doppy on my back? Fuck, I don¡¯t know. I slowed down and bent my knees. ¡°Doppy! Get on my back!" "Krieee!" As ordered, Doppy leaped onto my back. As soon as I felt its weight on my back, I pushed off the ground and sprinted forward. I couldn¡¯t let the priest I¡¯d worked so hard to save die so pointlessly. In the short time we¡¯d spent together, I¡¯d grown attached to Doppy. I could give up on Doppy if it really came down to it, but until then, I decided to keep the thought in the back of my mind. Right now, I just had to focus on running. Rumbleeeee¡ª The vibrations were getting closer, which could only mean the boulder was gaining on us. I wondered if turning my head would let me catch a glimpse of the boulder through my peripheral vision. I didn¡¯t have the luxury of looking back, though. Turning even slightly would slow me down, and seeing the boulder wouldn¡¯t help us avoid being squashed. Fortunately, clearing the first floor had improved my physical abilities. Hence, even with Doppy on my back, I was still maintaining an impressive pace. Moreover, contrary to my initial concerns, Doppy''s weight surprisingly felt negligible. The only issue was that carrying Doppy restricted my arms, preventing me from reaching full speed. As we sprinted down the path, Doppy suddenly screamed. ¡°Krieee! G-Goblin sees it!" Fuck. It had to be talking about the boulder rolling straight toward us. I pushed my strained legs to their absolute limit. Rumbleeee¡ª I had to do something. At this rate, we would eventually get ttened. Aiming to free up at least one arm, I bounced my hips quickly, lifting Doppy slightly off my back. ¡°Kriee?!" Doppy yelped in surprise. I grabbed its waist firmly with my left hand, freeing up an arm. With the extra arm drive, I picked up speed while Doppy whimpered on my back. Rumbleee¡ª The boulder closed in on us even more, intensifying the tremors. At that moment, I spotted a fork in the path just ahead. Suppressing a surge of hope, I pushed myself even harder. My breathing was ragged, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. My thigh muscles twitched from exhaustion, feeling like they would tear apart at any moment. Just a little further. We¡¯re almost there. Despite my best efforts, though, the rumbling kept growing louder and closer. ¡°Krieeeeee! B-Behind us!" Doppy stammered. Rumbleeeee¡ª The deafening roar of the boulder was right at our heels. Finally, we reached the fork in the path. I pushed off hard with my left foot and then firmly nted my right foot, allowing me to make a sharp turn. My knees were screaming in protest from the immense pressure, but I had no choice¡ªI had to hold on. Please, just a bit more. I straightened up and threw myself into the opposite path, my trembling legs barely managing to support the force. Rumbleeee¡ª Crash! The massive boulder thundered past, barreling toward the second floor¡¯s spawn point. I gasped for air as I copsed onto the cold floor, the tension draining from my body. My chest heaved as I struggled to catch my breath. My legs were swollen and trembling uncontrobly. It felt like they were about to burst. I could hardly move them. ¡°Krieee! Human! You¡¯re amazing!¡± Doppy eximed, shaking my shoulder. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± I gasped, too out of breath to respond. I could only weakly wave my hand, signaling it to back off. Thankfully, Doppy got the message. To my surprise, though, it muttered something as it stepped back.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Krie! Heal wounds!¡± Heal wounds? Can that even help with exhaustion? To my surprise, a faint glow enveloped me before fading away. Although my breathing was stillbored, I felt my muscles gradually heal, easing some of the weakness in my legs. I supposed overworked muscles could be considered injuries. I now recalled that back in the first-floor boss room, the healing spell had eased my difort in areas that weren¡¯t directly wounded. ¡°Huff, thanks,¡± I finally managed to say. Doppy shook its head as it looked at me with admiration. ¡°Kriieee! Goblin is more grateful!¡± I nodded. Yeah, you should be thankful. I had saved it twice and even rescued its god. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep moving.¡± Thanks to the healing spell, I instantly recovered. I was still breathing a bit heavily, but a short walk wouldn¡¯t hurt. On the contrary, it would help bring my heart rate back down. Moreover, the timer for this floor was eight hours shorter than the first, so Doppy and I had to keep a good pace. Just as I was about to head down the right path, Doppy tugged sharply on my sleeve. What now? Do you want to rest more? You didn¡¯t even do anything. I looked at it with a puzzled expression, and it pointed insistently down the left path. ¡°Krie! Left! We go left!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see that boulder juste rolling from there?¡± ¡°Krie! Goblin said left! We go left!¡± Doppy clung tightly to my sleeve, its eyes filled with determination. Did it receive some kind of divine guidance? The trap came from the left side, so obviously we have to go right... or wait, could it be¡­? Doppy was a hidden piece on the first floor. Could there be a hidden piece on this floor too? One thing I learned from the first floor was how unforgiving this tower was. Despite taking in Doppy as mypanion, the hidden piece wasn¡¯t revealed until I had broken the ne in the boss room. Maybe the trap was meant to scare off climbers or kill them, hiding something valuable in the process. I wasn¡¯t sure, but the odds were fifty-fifty. Doppy and I had barely survived thatst trap, and if we encountered another one like it, we might not be so lucky again. On the other hand, another hidden piece could be waiting for us up there. Which would it be? A trap or a hidden piece? As I debated internally, Doppy tugged on my sleeve again. ¡°Kriee! Left!¡± ¡°Okay, fine. Let¡¯s go left.¡± Doppy was a goblin saint, after all. If it was this confident, it must have sensed something. I¡¯ll trust him one more time. [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 9 hours 21 minutes.] We had about nine hours left. With a deep breath, we started retracing our steps back up the path we had just fearfully fled. *** [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 8 hours 54 minutes.] We had been walking for a while, reaching further than before. Thankfully, no more boulders appeared. Instead, we encountered several traps simr to those on the first floor¡ªvolleys of arrows, spears, and hidden pitfalls. Although these disruptions were unfamiliar, they weren¡¯t too much of a problem. I managed to avoid most of them, and when I did get hurt, Doppy¡¯s healing spells patched me up. At the end of the uphill path, we came across... a dead end. There was arge round depression in the ground, where the massive boulder had originated from. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Haa...¡± I wasn¡¯t angry with Doppy, though. After all, it was my decision to trust it. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. I won¡¯t me you.¡± I called out to Doppy, but it was too busy rummaging through the ground, seemingly ignoring me. Maybe hearing my sigh made it think I was frustrated. Doppy was a good goblin. I didn¡¯t mean to make it feel bad, but I still felt a twinge of guilt and resolved to be kinder. ¡°Doppy, it¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s just¡ªhuh?¡± Just as I was about to reassure Doppy, it pressed something in the depression. Suddenly, a section of the previously solid wall slid open. Uh... Doppy? You¡¯re amazing. [Tower of Ordeal Second Floor, Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has discovered the hidden mission ¡®Orc Warlord Karaksh¡¯s Forgotten Tomb.¡¯ This will be reflected in his achievement points.] Chapter 11: Second Floor, Orc Warlord Karaksh (3) Chapter 11: Second Floor, Orc Warlord Karaksh (3) [Tower of Ordeal Second Floor, Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has discovered the hidden mission ¡®Orc Warlord Karaksh¡¯s Forgotten Tomb.¡¯ This will be reflected in his achievement points.] The wall slid open, revealing a chamber containing a glowing object. Drawn in like a moth to a me, I walked toward it, captivated. There¡ªIn the center of the chamber¡ªwas a golden mace embedded in the ground. But it wasn¡¯t just gold¡ªit was electrified. Sparks crackled around the mace, illuminating the space. [Orc Warlord Karaksh¡¯s Thunder Mace] - A relic of exceptional quality, despite its age. - Lightning crackles fiercely around the mace. - The lightning is harmless to the wielder. I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. This had to be the hidden piece on the second floor. It seemed that as a goblin saint, Doppy truly had a knack for finding secrets. Thanks, kiddo.I slowly approached the mace. Bang! A thunderous crash snapped me out of my reverie. Turning my attention beyond the mace, I noticed a massive stone coffin standing against the wall. With how focused I was on the glowing weapon, I hadn¡¯t noticed the coffin until now. ¡°Kraaaaaah!¡± Another deafening crash echoed as the stone coffin shattered, sending dust billowing into the air. Through the cloud of debris, a towering figure emerged, standing over two meters tall. [Orc Warlord Karaksh] The notification window disyed only its name, with no further exnation. It had an ominous aura, different from anything I¡¯d encountered before. Was it because this guy was genuinely strong¡ªstronger than even the goblin pdin? Orc Warlord Karaksh stared at me intensely, locking its blood-red eyes on me. Damn it, nothinges easy in this tower. I quickly adjusted my grip on my sword and prepared for the worst. ¡°Grrr.¡± The massive orc sported two enormous tusks that jutted out from its lips. Drool dripped from between Karaksh¡¯s tusks as it exhaled, its bloodshot eyes lifeless and strangely unfocused. ???????§¦? ¡°Skrieeee!¡± I heard Doppy¡¯s panicked gasp from behind me. Angling my head sharply, I signaled Doppy to back away. It understood and quickly retreated out of the chamber. I need to focus. Karaksh¡¯s aura was anything but ordinary, causing every nerve in my body to go on edge. My heart pounded harder and faster with each passing second. With my left hand, I tightened my grip on the shield, raising it just below my chin. Tensed, I held my sword in the other, ready to strike at any moment. The Thunder Macey between the two of us, although unfortunately, it was slightly closer to Karaksh. If I tried to rush for it, that monster would undoubtedly reach it first. It stood still this entire time, eyes zing as it stared me down. Neither of us moved, caught in a tense standoff. Should I make the first move? ¡°Grrr!¡± While I hesitated, Karaksh exhaled sharply andunched itself forward. Mid-air, its hand shot out, grabbing the mace. With practiced ease, it spun the mace and raised it above its head, all the while closing the distance between us. ¡°Kraaaaah!¡± Roaring, Karaksh swung the mace horizontally. Lightning crackled around it as it thundered through the air. There was no way I could block that¡ªnot with the electricity coursing through it. I didn¡¯t know how powerful that lightning was, but I didn¡¯t n on finding out. Dodging out of the way, I rolled diagonally to the right. Whoosh¡ª The mace flew just above me. I quickly regained my footing and assessed the situation. Damn it. Karaksh deftly flicked its wrist to redirect the missed swing, bringing the mace crashing down from above. With no time left to dodge, I raised my shield and braced for impact. Crash! The force from the Thunder Mace sent a shockwave through my arm. It numbed my left hand thoroughly, making my fingers feel paralyzed. I barely had time to react as Karaksh swung the mace down again, forcing me to roll sideways to avoid the crushing blow. Crash! The mace struck the ground, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air. This won¡¯t work. My left hand was still gripping the shield, and it tingled painfully. I needed to attack. This wasn¡¯t a fight I could win by staying on the defensive. A prolonged battle would only put me at a greater disadvantage. Gritting my teeth, I narrowly dodged another iing swing and looked for an opportunity to strike. Seeing a brief opening, I aimed my sword at Karaksh, but I was too slow. Forced to abandon the attack, I quickly brought up my shield to block the iing mace. The impact sent me flying, and I found myself soaring through the air. Inded roughly two meters away. Ugh... I felt dizzy. The back of my head throbbed from the impact. Fuck, I don¡¯t have time to rest. ¡°Kraaaaah!¡± I scrambled to my feet just in time to see the mace hurtling toward me once more. Instinctively, I raised my shield overhead to block the blow. Crash! The heavy impact reverberated through my arm. My arm made a sharp cracking noise as a jolt of pain shot through it. ¡°Aaargh!" I could tell from the agony that something was definitely wrong with the bone. Could Doppy cast a healing spell on me right now? I didn¡¯t have time to worry about that. I quickly retreated as I recalled the shield''s abilities¡ªhealing magic. ¡°Heal Wounds!" A faint glow emerged from the shield and absorbed into my left arm. The pain rapidly subsided, and the numbness in my hand faded away. The glow startled Karaksh, who had been charging at me, as it hesitated and stepped back. I needed to think. How could I defeat this monster? Karaksh was stronger and faster than me. I would lose if I fought it like I fought the goblins on the first floor. However, I noticed its attacks were simple, probably because it had lost its intelligence, and I was starting to get used to its pattern. I have no choice but to take a risk. The shield¡¯s healing spell wouldn¡¯t be avable again for another twenty-four hours. Even with Doppy¡¯s support, I would die if I continued going blow for blow with Karaksh. It was now or never. ¡°Damn it! Come on!" ¡°Kraaaah!" Karaksh charged at me again. Focus, Kwon Su-Hyeok. Focus. This time, the mace came at me from a high angle on my left. Instead of dodging diagonally, I rolled directly forward, feeling the mace barely miss my back. Rising, I swung my sword horizontally, shing across Karaksh¡¯s abdomen. ck blood spattered from the shallow wound. Fuck, it¡¯s too shallow. I could tell from theck of resistance that my sword hadn¡¯t cut deeply. Whether it was Karaksh¡¯s thick hide or dense muscles, the strike wasn¡¯t as effective as I had hoped. ¡°Kraaaah!" I quickly rolled to the side again as the enraged Karaksh brought its mace crashing down. I swung my sword in a quick, short motion, shing its forearm. Unfortunately, once again, the cut was too shallow. ¡°Kraaaaaawr!" Whoosh¡ª I leaned back, narrowly avoiding another horizontal swing. Karaksh spun the mace above its head, preparing to bring it down devastatingly. Now¡¯s the chance. I took arge step back, timing it perfectly with the mace''s swing, while tensing the muscles in my right leg. Boom¡ª The mace crashed into the ground. Leaping toward the mace, Inded on it with my left foot. I sprang off it, feeling my foot tingle from the lightning coursing through the mace. With my aerial advantage, I had a full view of Karaksh''s thick neck. This is it. I pulled my right arm as far back as it could go, then twisted my body, thrusting forward with all my strength. Shunk¡ª The sword pierced through the right side of Karaksh''s neck,ing out the other side in a spurt of blood.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Guhh..." ck blood glistened as it coated the silver de. Losing its bnce, Karaksh let out a wheezing sound and copsed. Phew, that was a perfect counterattack. If I had mistimed it, I would have been the one falling, mortally wounded. [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has defeated the demon-possessed ''Orc Warlord Karaksh.'' This will be reflected in his achievement points.] A wave of relief washed over me as the exhaustion hit me. The battle had ended much more quickly than I had expected, mostly due to the risk I took. This fight reminded me of the true unpredictability ofbat. I should always stay humble. Being strong and fast did not guarantee victory. I felt like my mindset had grown from this encounter with Karaksh. ¡°Krieee! Human! Are you okay?" Doppy came running over, a bit toote. Useless little thing. Any priest worth their salt should have known to cast healing spells during the battle, not after it was over. ¡°Kriieeee! Human is amazing!" Unfazed by itspliment, I decided it was time to give it a proper lesson. Priests should have cooldowns on their spells, but the shield¡¯s healing spell should be reserved as ast resort. ¡°Doppy, why didn¡¯t you use a healing spell during the fight?" *** [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 6 hours 45 minutes.] After giving Doppy a thorough lesson on when to use healing spells in battle, we retraced our steps. ording to Doppy, Karaksh had already been dead. Doppy said it was possessed by the specter of the tower or something like that, causing it to be consumed by madness. Interestingly, the ck blood it bled was a side effect of that. Although the battle was tough, it was worth it for the valuable reward. The Thunder Mace was now in my hands. [Orc Warlord Karaksh¡¯s Thunder Mace] - A relic of exceptional quality, despite its age. - Lightning crackles fiercely around the mace. - Harmless to the wielder. The way the electricity crackled around the mace was awe-inspiring. It felt like it satisfied the yearning for magic I had almost forgotten. After swinging the mace around a few times, I found it felt even morefortable to wield than my sword. If I had known how great this weapon was while I was in the waiting room, I definitely would have chosen it then. Well, I had it now, and that was what mattered. Now that I would be using the mace, I gave the goblin pdin¡¯s sword to Doppy. It seemed too wasteful to leave it behind, and besides, Doppy was on my side. Even a goblin like Doppy should have at least one weapon for self-defense. Of course, I¡¯m not sure how well it¡¯ll be able to use it. In truth, the goblin pdin¡¯s sword was too big for Doppy to handle. I could see it already struggling to carry the weapon, but I couldn¡¯t spend all of my time helping it. However, Doppy was still a growing goblin, and I figured it would be a good exercise for it. *** We continued walking for a while, encountering a group of four orc warriors at a fork, which I easily dealt with. About thirty minutester we reached a second fork, and I noticed another six orc warriors standing guard at the crossroads [Orc Warrior] - Brave. - Smells terrible. - Kills enemies gruesomely. The orc warriors had a simr build to humans but were more muscr. Although there were two more orc warriors than before, I didn¡¯t feel particrly tense about it. Just thirty minutes ago, dealing with four had been no problem. I was nervous the first time, but not now. Right after facing Karaksh, I was terrified, thinking all orcs were as formidable as it was. I quickly realized that wasn¡¯t the case. The orc warriors were certainly stronger than goblins. Each one was on par with the goblin pdin from the first floor¡¯s boss room. If I hadn¡¯t faced Karaksh, this might have been a real struggle. Defeating both the goblin pdin and Karaksh allowed me to realize I had grown significantly, making the battles with the orcs rtively easy. Using the experience I gained from saving Doppy on the first floor, I decided tomunicate with the orc warriors before fighting. ¡°Do you want to live?¡± Sadly, I received no response. It seemed that the Thunder Mace was the hidden piece of the second floor. Not giving my enemies more time, I enteredbat with the same strategy I had used against the four orc warriors¡ªquickly closing the distance, blocking with my shield, and striking with the mace. Seeing me approach, they charged noisily at me, weapons raised. ¡°Human! Goblin! Die!" However, less than two minutester all six orc warriors were copsed on the floor. Looking at their equipment, I couldn¡¯t help but notice a set of leather armor on one. ¡°Oh! Doppy, doesn¡¯t this armor look better?" ¡°Krieee! It smells less bad!¡± I had taken a set from an orc warrior earlier. Unfortunately, this new one was slightly bloodstained, but so was the one I was already wearing. I quickly swapped into the new armor. They smell the same, though. Contrary to Doppy¡¯s words, the stench was still strong. Doppy itself didn¡¯t smell much... Perhaps orcs were even less hygienic than goblins. Filthy creatures. ¡°Which way should we go?¡± I asked. ¡°Kriee, Right! Let¡¯s go right!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± After Doppy discovered the hidden room earlier, I decided to fully trust it. The goblin saint was indeed reliable. If I just followed it, everything would fall into ce. *** We encountered four more battles along the way. In the final encounter, there had been eight orcs guarding the crossroads, but it still wasn¡¯t too difficult. I did receive a minor injury to my shoulder, which Doppy quickly healed. After about two hours of marching, we finally reached the second floor¡¯s boss room. [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 4 hours 57 minutes.] [Would you like to enter the boss room?] Honestly, I wasn¡¯t nervous. I doubted that whatever was in the boss room could be stronger than the Orc Warlord Karaksh. The hidden room felt like it was designed purely to kill climbers. [Would you like to enter the boss room?] ¡°Yes,¡± I replied without hesitation. *** ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has defeated the soulless Orc Warlord Karaksh! Strength, Agility, and Stamina increased by 4.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Hidden missionpleted! All stats increased by 2.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained the skill Electricity Resistance lvl 2.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Pain Resistance is now lvl 3. Natural Healing is now lvl 3.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Indomitability is now lvl 5. Combat Focus is now lvl 6.¡¹ Chapter 12: Second Floor, At the Crossroads Chapter 12: Second Floor, At the Crossroads [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 4 hours 56 minutes.] I opened my eyes and saw a familiar-looking arena. Just like the first floor, we were on a tform floating inva. Across from me, a group of twelve orcs stood, waiting. [Time remaining untilbat begins: 0 minutes 10 seconds.] I didn¡¯t have much time, so I quickly scanned the enemies. Their lineup was as follows: one orc pdin d in te armor, one orc mage in a ck robe, two orc fighters in chainmail, and eight orc warriors in leather armor. [Time remaining untilbat begins: 0 minutes 08 seconds.] I hadn¡¯t faced a fighter or a mage on the first floor, but the rest of the lineup I already had experience dealing with. Thankfully, there were no assassins or archers¡ªonly the mage had long-range attacks. [Time remaining untilbat begins: 0 minutes 06 seconds.] Since this was my first time facing a mage, I had no idea what to expect. I needed to be cautious. I nned to take out the fighters first, then deal with the warriors. Hopefully, the pdin would stay out of the action untilter, like on the first floor. [Time remaining untilbat begins: 0 minutes 03 seconds.]I nced back at Doppy. It stood there with a fearful expression, leaning on a longsword that was longer than it was tall. On the first floor, the enemies hadn¡¯t targeted Doppy, likely because it was a fellow goblin. With how many orcs there were to deal with, I doubted that would be the case here. Protecting Doppy while fighting would be tough. Having a priest had been a blessing so far, but now it felt more like a burdensome liability. [Time remaining untilbat begins: 0 minutes 01 seconds.] Sigh... What should I do? Fuck, well¡­ I have no choice but to protect Doppy. I couldn¡¯t rely on the slim chance that the orcs would ignore Doppy. [Time remaining untilbat begins: 0 minutes 00 seconds. Initiatingbat.] As the message signaled the start ofbat, I stepped forward. Positioning myself in front of Doppy, I raised my shield just below my chin and gripped the mace tightly. Alright,e at me, fuckers. ¡­ Wait a second. Why aren¡¯t they moving? The group of orcs remained still, rooted to the spot, leaving me confused. The orc pdin standing in the center looked equally bewildered, hastily ncing around at the others. ?????B§§? ¡°Attack! Attack now! For Kal-Lai¡ªurgh!" Suddenly, one of the orc fighters standing behind the pdin drove a longsword into the pdin¡¯s neck. Crimson blood gushed from the gaps in the glistening te armor. ¡°Gah... Ugh..." The orc pdin crumpled to the ground as the orc fighter twisted the sword free. Having freed its sword, it turned to look at me with a heated gaze. What the...? What¡¯s going on? Why are they killing each other? ¡°... Liberator," the orc fighter rasped, almost forcing the word out. It dropped to one knee, with the group of orcs following suit like dominos. The orc fighter who had spoken earlier shouted emotionally. ¡°Liberator! We greet the Liberator!" Liberator? Me? I had no idea what was happening. ¡°Krieee! Karaksh!" ¡°Karaksh?" I turned my gaze to my mace, still crackling with lightning. So this is what the hidden mission was about. Apparently, defeating Karaksh allowed me to bypass the boss room entirely. No wonder the fight had seemed too difficult. The hidden piece on the second floor wasn¡¯t just the mace. [Congrattions. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the Second Floor of the Tower of Ordeal. Achievement points will be calcted.] Wait, that¡¯s weird. On the first floor, the message stated that I would be sent to the waiting room in the same message it mentioned calcting achievement points. That had forced me to rush to grab the shield back then... Would it send me to the waiting room now? [Time remaining: 4 hours 55 minutes. All enemies eliminated. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok haspleted the hidden mission ¡®Orc Warlord Karaksh¡¯s Forgotten Tomb.¡¯ Additionally, he conquered the boss room without unnecessary bloodshed. Achievement points will be calcted.] Suddenly, the arena shook violently as if an earthquake had struck. I quickly lowered my upper body to stabilize myself as the ground trembled. Rumbleeee¡ª A massive stone bridge erupted from theva behind the orc horde. The second floor¡¯s boss room had just been cleared, so why had this bridge appeared? [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 12,450 achievement points. Total achievement points: 26,676.] [A new optional hidden mission ''Orc Liberator'' has been unlocked due to thepletion of the hidden mission ¡®Orc Warlord Karaksh¡¯s Forgotten Tomb.¡¯] [Optional hidden missions are generally more difficult than standard hidden missions.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok may choose to proceed to the third floor withoutpleting the optional hidden mission ¡®Orc Liberator.¡¯] [However, sessfullypleting the hidden mission ¡®Orc Liberator¡¯ will be considered as having conquered the third floor.] ¡®Orc Liberator?¡¯ An optional hidden mission? This sounded like a chain quest from a game. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t entirely sure what was happening, but I refused to proceed to the next floor withoutpleting this mission first.@@novelbin@@ I met Doppy and earned the Thunder Mace bypleting two hidden missions. Hidden missions were hard to find and challenging toplete, but the rewards were more than worth it. Would I be able to find another hidden mission on the third floor? Discovering the hidden missions on the first two floors hadn¡¯t been easy. Each floor¡¯s hidden piece tested me in different ways. On the first floor, mypassion towards Doppy allowed me to discover the secret, and on the second, I found the mace by trusting in Doppy. The chances of finding another hidden mission on the third floor didn¡¯t seem very high. [If you wish to forgo the optional hidden mission and proceed to the third floor, say ¡®Waiting Room.¡¯ Time remaining: 0 minutes 10 seconds.] The real question was whether I couldplete the hidden mission. The mission linked directly to the fight with Orc Warlord Karaksh, which had been extremely difficult. Adding to the pressure, the message stated that optional hidden missions could be even harder. [If you wish to proceed to the third floor, say ¡®Waiting Room.¡¯ Time remaining: 0 minutes 07 seconds.] [Once the countdown reaches zero, you cannot change your decision.] I watched the countdown and prompts urging me to decide, remembering when I had chosen not to open the status window. There had been the same pressure and time limit back then... Suddenly, the message about the optional mission¡¯s difficulty shed through my mind. If these missions were "generally" more challenging for an average person, then maybe it wouldn¡¯t be too hard for me. It¡¯s hard to trust the Tower of Ordeal¡¯s messages¡­ The tower was unkind. It seemed intent on deceiving me, like when I first encountered Doppy and Karaksh. If I had killed Doppy or chosen the rightmost path after evading the boulder, I wouldn¡¯t have discovered the hidden missions. It even tried to mislead me from the initial waiting room by pressuring climbers into opening the status window. [If you wish to proceed to the third floor, say ¡®Waiting Room.¡¯ Time remaining: 0 minutes 03 seconds.] [Once the countdown reaches zero, you cannot change your decision.] I had to make a decision, and I was leaning toward epting the mission. After all, high risk meant high reward. Completing the hidden mission would only benefit me. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± The orc horde remained motionless, still kneeling. Seeing this, Doppy echoed mymand. ¡°Kriee! Goblin! Let¡¯s go!¡± Ignoring the countdown, I started walking toward the opposite side. Doppy hurriedly followed by dragging its sword behind it. [If you wish to proceed to the third floor, say ¡®Waiting Room.¡¯ Time remaining: 0 minutes 00 seconds.] [The optional hidden mission ¡®Orc Liberator¡¯ will nowmence. Time remaining: 59 minutes 59 seconds.] *** Just as I suspected, the Tower was ying tricks again. We crossed the stone bridge and walked through the passageway carved into the stone walls, encountering no traps. Instead, we came upon a fork in the road. To the right, I saw a simr to the one we had just traveled. But on the left... wow. There stood a massive orc, evenrger than Karaksh, supporting a colossal round boulder. Its muscles were bulging, strained beyond belief as it braced the boulder. Despite the t ground, neither the boulder nor the orc moved an inch. It was a bizarre sight. Would that boulder even roll if it let go? It wasn¡¯t out of the question. I¡¯d already seen plenty of inexplicable things within this Tower. If that boulder could roll on t ground, we¡¯d be in danger the moment the orc let go. Is that orc an enemy? I didn¡¯t think so. The aura it exuded didn¡¯t seem threatening. So what exactly is this ¡®Orc Liberator¡¯ hidden mission? [Hidden mission ¡®Orc Liberator.¡¯ Time remaining: 46 minutes 51 seconds.] Unfortunately, the message offered no exnation. There was no directive to kill enemies or goal to aplish. I deliberately made noise as I approached. The massive orc turned its head slightly at the sound, nced at me, and then refocused on the task at hand. Unlike with other individuals, no message appeared. While Orc Warlord Karaksh¡¯s description had no exnation of who it was either, at least its name had been disyed... After what seemed like forever, the orc rasped in a rough and crackly voice, as if it hadn¡¯t spoken in decades. ¡°Li¡­ liberator." What exactly is this ¡°Liberator?¡± In the boss room, the orcs called me that as they drove a sword through the orc pdin¡¯s neck. Have these orcs lost their god like the goblins did? Am I supposed to help them too? ¡°... Could you hold this up for a moment? I... just¡­ want to rest.¡± The orc asked, its voice trembling from the strain of holding the boulder. ¡°...¡± It was a pitiful sight, but I wasn¡¯t about to hold that thing for an orc. It might not be an enemy, but who knows what could happen? ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked. ¡°Pa... Rak... Tus.¡± ¡°Are you my enemy?¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just let go of the boulder and quickly take the other path?¡± ¡°If I... do... I¡¯ll lose... everything.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°...¡± Paraktus didn¡¯t respond. What does it mean that it would lose everything? I doubt the consequences would be that bad. Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to just drop the boulder and take the other path? The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed. If it could just avoid the danger by taking the other path, why did it ask me to hold the boulder, iming it would lose everything? Could Paraktus be another test from the Tower, baiting me with the orcs¡¯ earlier disy of goodwill? ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± ¡°...¡± It still gave no response. I looked at Doppy, hoping for some insight, but it was just staring at Paraktus''s back as if entranced, its mouth shut tight. ¡°Doppy?¡± ¡°...¡± Doppy, too, remained silent. What is going on? Why have they both suddenly gone quiet? I tried a different approach. ¡°Can I go down the right path and thene back to hold the boulder for you?¡± ¡°...¡± [Hidden mission ¡®Orc Liberator.¡¯ Time remaining: 43 minutes 37 seconds.] I quickly ran through my options. If not helping was the right answer, there¡¯d be no need toe back. If it wasn¡¯t, and I needed to help Paraktus, I wondered if I could return from the right path within forty minutes. Both Doppy and Paraktus remained silent as if mesmerized by something. It felt like the Tower had deliberately created this situation. This fork in the road was a point of no return. Ugh¡­ Left or right? The sess of the hidden mission depended on my choice. At this moment, I had the gut feeling that there was only one path to sess. ¡°Can I even hold that boulder up in your ce? It looks heavy.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Alright, I¡¯ll take over. I cautiously approached Paraktus and ced my hands on the boulder. At first, I didn¡¯t feel the weight. ncing at Paraktus, I saw a faint smile form on its lips. Fuck, I hope I didn¡¯t make the wrong choice. As Paraktus carefully let go, the immense weight suddenly pressed down on me. Every muscle in my body tensed¡ªmy entire strength was barely enough to hold the weight. I couldn¡¯t even turn my head or open my mouth. One wrong move would leave me crushed. Now I understood why Paraktus¡¯s voice had trembled so much. This boulder¡¯s weight seemed to adjust to the limits of whoever was holding it. ¡°Thank you, Liberator,¡± Paraktus said in a hoarse, relieved voice. I wanted to ask how long it nned to rest, but I couldn¡¯t speak. If I tried, I feared I might lose control and be overwhelmed by the boulder. In a desperate voice that contrasted its relieved tone from only moments before, Paraktus pleaded with me. ¡°Just... just hold on for a moment. Whatever you do, don¡¯t let go. Never!¡± Following that, it called out to Doppy. ¡°Come, child of Fenrike.¡± ¡°Kriieeee.¡± What? Where are they going? My mind raced, and for a moment, I almost lost control of the boulder. Focusing back on it, I poured every ounce of strength I had into holding it steady. Meanwhile, I could clearly hear the footsteps of Paraktus and Doppy as they headed down the other path. Chapter 13: Fourth Floor, Waiting Room Chapter 13: Fourth Floor, Waiting Room A surge of emotion rose within me. Why? Where are they going? Why is Doppy following Paraktus? ¡­ Am I screwed? A sense of dread began to creep in. Could being the "Liberator" mean sacrificing myself to free the orcs?Fuck. Even if I wanted to free myself, I was using every ounce of strength to support the boulder. The more I held it up, the clearer it became that it would be impossible to let go and escape down the side path. If I released my grip, the boulder would crush me before I even had a chance to move. There was some inexplicable force behind it, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how long Paraktus had been bearing this weight. ¡­ They¡¯lle back, right? No, they have toe back. Damn it, will they? I questioned myself as time ticked by. The boulder felt like a curse, and if I were in Paraktus¡¯s ce, I wouldn¡¯t return either. [Hidden Mission ¡®Orc Liberator.¡¯ Time Remaining: 42 minutes 31 seconds.]There were still forty-two minutes left. If Paraktus truly intended to return, it should have enough time to go down the rightmost path ande back. Ugh, I should have taken the other path first. Why did I follow my gut and end up in this mess? I hadn¡¯t even held the boulder for five minutes, yet I was already filled with regret. Has my decision-making been correct even once since entering this tower? Thinking about it, I concluded that my decision-making skills were rathercking outside of battle. I had saved Doppy on a whim, more frompassion than logic, and on the second floor, I¡¯d purely relied on Doppy¡¯s judgment. If I¡¯m wrong this time... I swore to myself that if I survived this, I¡¯d never trust my instincts again. Not that I¡¯d necessarily live to make that decision. *** [Hidden Mission ¡®Orc Liberator.¡¯ Time Remaining: 23 minutes 54 seconds.] Thest twenty minutes had been a grueling test of my endurance. If hell existed, it must be something like this. Lost in these foolish thoughts, I suddenly heard footsteps from the opposite path. The slow, steady sound was unmistakably from two creatures. Paraktus! Doppy! They¡¯re back! I fought to suppress the wave of relief surging inside me. Phew, I knew it! My instincts were right after all. I realized I tended to doubt myself and others too quickly. Doppy proved itself after I doubted it, and now my instincts were proving my doubts wrong once again. ¡°Well done, Liberator.¡± Paraktus¡¯s voice was clear and refreshed. It must have found food and water on the other path. ¡°Kriee! Human! You did well!¡± Doppy echoed. This little brat, you were silent when I needed you, and now you speak up. What had they been up to while I was suffering here? ¡°I was tasked with supporting the weight of life¡¯s burdens, and thanks to you, I can finally push them away,¡± Paraktus said cryptically as it approached from behind. ?¦¡N???¦¥? Is the "life¡¯s burdens" it mentioned referring to the boulder? It seemed so, as Paraktus''s voice was now full of hope. ¡°I should reward you properly.¡± Its rough hand reached over my head. I felt something cool settle around my neck¡ªa ne, perhaps? It felt weirdly ufortable, though. It was unsettling to have a massive, muscr orc over two meters tall fasten a ne around my neck. Its thick fingers brushed against my skin and sent an ufortable shiver down my spine. ¡°Thank you¡­ Liberator.¡± Paraktus stepped beside me, lifting its arms to support the boulder once again. The weight pressing against me began to ease. ¡°You¡­ can stop¡­ now.¡± I released the boulder, feeling a wave of blissful relief spread throughout my entire body. Ah, that was tough. Rolling my sore shoulders, I felt a foreign sensation around my neck. Right, the reward. [Paraktus¡¯s Determination Ne] - Given by Paraktus to the Liberator. - An unknown power is contained within the radiant emerald gem. - Grants Indomitability lvl +5, Combat Focus lvl +5 while carried The small emerald gem attached to the end of a thin silver thread shone beautifully, but the description seemed a littleckingpared to its radiant appearance. The "unknown power" mentioned in the message nagged at me, reminding me of the situation with Doppy. I didn¡¯t know what it was yet, but there was definitely something hidden within this ne. I¡¯ll figure it out one day, right? Anyway, this was a significant gain. I would face more enemies in the future, and raising the level of my skills would be instrumental in allowing me to ovee them. Even though the usefulness of the five levels in Indomitability and Combat Focus would shrink over time, I was sure I would eventually discover the true power hidden in this ne. Whatever secret it was hiding, my instincts were saying it would benefit me. I turned my gaze to Paraktus, who was still holding up the boulder. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ just a small reward¡­ for your kindness.¡± Paraktus¡¯s voice was steady now, without the earlier tremble. Suddenly, the golden ring on Paraktus¡¯s finger caught my eye. Did it retrieve that ring during its journey down the path? As I examined it more closely, I noticed the boulder shift slightly. I panicked, thinking that Paraktus was letting it roll toward me. ... Wait, what¡¯s happening? However, it wasn¡¯t losing control of the boulder. Paraktus was pushing it.@@novelbin@@ ¡°... Did that just move?¡± I asked, bewildered. ¡°...¡± No response came, just like before. Instead, a notification message appeared. [Optional hidden missionpleted. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been recognized as having conquered the third floor. Achievement points will be calcted.] [You are being transported to the waiting room.] [Time Remaining: 20 minutes 35 seconds. Optional hidden mission ''Orc Liberator''pleted. Achievement points will be calcted.] A faint smile appeared on Paraktus¡¯s face. Suddenly, the thought crossed my mind that I wanted to help it a little before being transported back to the waiting room. I rushed over and ced my hands on the boulder, feeling the weight increase as I added my strength. But this time, I sensed the boulder moving, even if just a little. Unlike the grueling pain I experienced before, I now felt a sense of exhration from pushing the boulder. [You have slightly contributed to defying the overwhelming ¡ö¡ö¡ö. Additional achievement points awarded.] The notification was blurred, its message unclear. What was that about? Did it appear because I helped push the boulder? While I pondered this, Paraktus spoke up. ¡°Thank you¡­ Liberator. One day, I will repay you. Until then¡­ stay alive.¡± [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 17,432 achievement points. Total achievement points: 44,108. He will now enter the waiting room.] Before I could respond, my vision brightened, and the familiar sensation of floating enveloped me. *** ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok haspleted the optional hidden mission. Strength, Agility, and Endurance increased by 3.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the boss room without fighting! Strength and Agility increased by 2.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Combat Focus is now lvl 8. Indomitability is now lvl 8.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained the skill Sixth Sense lvl 5.¡¹ ¡­ ¡¸Invisible Message: ording to its contract with the first-ss god ''Sky of the Nine Heavens'' Kal-Lain, the shackles binding the fifth-ss provisional god ''Will of Protection'' Paraktus have been released.¡¹ *** [Tower of Ordeal, Third Floor. Conquestpleted by alternate means. Entering the waiting room.] [Having conquered the third floor, you may now ess the ''Climber Leaderboard'' and ''Community.''] [You may now enter sponsorship contracts with second and third-ss gods.] Before I could fully take in the familiar white room, the mass of notifications offering gods¡¯ contracts flooded my vision. [Third-ss god ''Waves of a Sea Change'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Second-ss god ''Cosmos of the Wind'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Third-ss god ''Spear That Slices Through the Raging Tides'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [First-ss god ''Goddess of Fire'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Second-ss god ''Ruler of Six Thousand Skies'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] ¡­ The influx of messages made it impossible to see anything in front of me. Repeating the process from the first-floor waiting room, I simply thought, ''I don¡¯t want to see this,'' and the notifications vanished instantly. [9 hours 59 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] Met by the familiar sight of the small bed and table, I noticed that I had less rest time than in the previous waiting room. I remembered having twelve hours after clearing the first floor¡ªmaybe the tower wanted me to adapt to the rigor of conquering floors more quickly. ¡°Kriee! Human! Water!¡± I shoved Doppy aside as it darted toward the table. ¡°Hold on! I¡¯m going to drink first. There¡¯s an order to things Doppy, even with water.¡± I quickly grabbed the water bottle and gulped it down. Doppy watched me with pitiful eyes as the water rapidly dwindled. Hmm, poor guy. Well, I¡¯ve quenched my thirst enough. ¡°Alright, here you go.¡± ¡°Kriee! Water!¡± Doppy hastily snatched the water bottle and brought it to its mouth. Despite its urgency, it didn¡¯t drink directly from it, showing that my lesson had paid off. Turning my attention away from the water, I recalled that the notification mentioned I could now ess the Climber Leaderboard and the Community. ¡°Leaderboard¡­¡± The moment I spoke, a translucent window appeared before my eyes. [Would you like to make your achievement points public?] Quickly deciding it would be best to keep my total number of points hidden, I responded aloud. ¡°No.¡± The window updated, disying the leaderboard. [Climber Leaderboard] [1. Kwon Su-Hyeok, fourth floor. umted Achievement Points: 44,108 (Private)] [2. Ha Hee-Jeong, fifth floor. umted Achievement Points: (Private)] [3. Alexei Braham, fifth floor. umted Achievement Points: (Private)] [4. Ivo Andrich, fifth floor. umted Achievement Points: 802] [¡­] Scanning the leaderboard, I let out a sigh of relief when I saw a familiar name. Ha Hee-Jeong was still alive. Though I had expected her to survive, given that she was a regressor, it was reassuring to see her name there. Wait a second... The fourth-ce individual only had 802 points. What¡¯s going on? There were over 43,000 points between our totals. That made me wonder ifpleting hidden missions was that crucial. No, that alone couldn¡¯t exin the enormous difference. And why is everyone else on the fifth floor? Didpleting the hidden missions significantly dy me? I doubted that was the case either. I hadn¡¯t spent much time dealing with Doppy, Karaksh, and Paraktus, and I skipped directly from the second floor to the fourth. ¡°Community,¡± I said, hoping it might offer some answers. The leaderboard vanished, and the notification window refreshed. [What¡¯s the deal? How is Kwon Su-Hyeok in first ce while still on the fourth floor? Don¡¯t the floors have a time limit?] [If you know Park Doo-Cheol, a 31-year-old male from Yangcheon-gu, South Korea, please send me a message.] [If you know Chloe, a 24-year-old female from Birmingham, UK, please contact me.] [Did those mages and priests really make it to the fourth floor after just one battle?] [Oh man, what do you think will show up for melee warriors on the fifth floor? I almost got killed by the orc warriors on the fourth¡­] Wait, an orc warrior on the 4th floor? I faced an orc warlord on the second floor. Was this just clickbait? I couldn¡¯t help but be baffled. Just as I was about to click on the post out of curiosity, a small notification window appeared with a soft ding. [Ha Hee-Jeong has sent you a message. Would you like to ept it?] ¡°Yes.¡± - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): Hey, Su-Hyeok. Did youplete the third-floor challenges just now? FYI, you can send me a message just by thinking about what you want to say. No need to type. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Oh, yeah. I basically conquered the third floor. I conquered the second floor and went straight to the fourth bypleting a hidden mission. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): Hidden mission??? Good job, dude. Conquering these floors was tough, wasn¡¯t it¡­? Sorry. I didn¡¯t realize things would be more difficult if you didn¡¯t open the status window. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Hmm? The tutorial gets harder if a climber chooses not to view the status window? So¡­ was I the only one facing stronger enemies? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): What I have been going through is considered difficult? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): It¡¯s not just difficult; it¡¯s leagues beyond that. I gave up and opened the status window in the first-floor boss room. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have lost all hope. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): I¡¯m sorry. I gave up and left you to face the harder tutorial alone. It¡¯s my fault for not being more capable. I¡¯ll do my best to support you from here on out. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): No, it¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to apologize. So even a regressor like Ha Hee-Jeong gave up during the fight with the goblin pdin. Also, it was true that others didn¡¯t face an orc warrior until the fourth floor. ¡°...¡± It felt like I was hit in the back of the head. My brain started malfunctioning. This is ridiculous! If the first orc warrior appeared for them on the fourth floor, then what did they face on the third floor? Goblins? And what about the first and second floors? Did they encounter wild dogs or something? It seemed like others were breezing through the tutorial, while I was fated to suffer and struggle to reach the same point. No, I had to view the situation differently. I was the hope of Earth, after all. Heroes are meant to be lonely, right? As I tried to reassure myself with these thoughts, another message from Ha Hee-Jeong popped up. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): How many achievement points do you have? I¡¯m at 7,400 points. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Me? Around 44,000 points. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): What the heck? 44,000??? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Yeah. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): ¡­ I knew it. You¡¯re a natural with melee weapons. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): But Su-Hyeok. What on earth did you go through to earn 44,000 points? Chapter 14: Fourth Floor, Forward or Backward (1) Chapter 14: Fourth Floor, Forward or Backward (1) - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): You¡¯ve really, really been through a lot... - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): I¡¯m fine. Ha Hee-Jeong kept repeating how hard it must have been after I roughly summarized my journey through the first two floors. Her constant concern was starting to get a bit irritating, so I responded with a slightly curt message. Sensing my mood, she quickly shifted the conversation. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): With 40,000 points, you¡¯ll have plenty to grab once the shop opens after the fourth floor. You¡¯ll be able to im a lot before others even start umting points. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): A shop? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): Yeah, the shop opens after the fourth floor. I¡¯ll tell you what to buy after you conquer the next floor. It¡¯ll be the perfect opportunity to use the information I¡¯ve gained from my regression. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): What should I get? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): There¡¯s a lot. Elixirs, weapons, skill books. Although, for the really good items, you can only buy one of each. Let¡¯s not go into the details now, because honestly, even if I tell you them, you¡¯ll probably forget by then. I didn¡¯t expect the Tower of Ordeal to have a store. Also, skill books? Can I even use those without a status window? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Hey Hee-Jeong, can I even use a skill book if I don¡¯t have a status window? I heard there¡¯s a limitation on skills at the start. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): You probably won¡¯t be able to use them. But don¡¯t worry, skills aren¡¯t what¡¯s important for you. And don¡¯t stress about the status window either. Once you clear the fifth floor, you¡¯ll get one too. The revtion stunned me. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): What?!? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s all a scam. Although, without a status window, most people wouldn¡¯t even make it through the tutorial. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): But you can¡¯t enhance your stats even with the status window. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Wait, what? Howe? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): You¡¯ll probably just be able to view it. The stats will look the same, but I heard from someone else that there is a difference. We¡¯ll have to see once you get your status window. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Sigh, got it. Even Ha Hee-Jeong, the regressor, didn''t know everything. I blindly assumed she did, and I had wanted to rely on that knowledge for the next floors of the tutorial. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): I only heard it in passing, but I didn¡¯t expect the tutorial would get this hard. Damn that bastard. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Heard what? Who told you? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): You¡¯ll meet themter. I¡¯ll tell you more then. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Hmm, okay. But Hee-Jeong, when can we meet? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): On the sixth floor. We can see each other after the tutorial. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): The tower doesn¡¯t keep the people who didn¡¯t open the status window separate, right? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): As far as I know, no. Don¡¯t worry. I could meet Ha Hee-Jeong on the sixth floor. After meeting her, climbing the tower would be a piece of cake with her information. Just two more floors to go. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): How long until you enter the fourth floor? I checked the notification in response to Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s message. [9 hours 14 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): About nine hours. There wasn¡¯t much time left on the timer, and my body was seriously worn out. Fighting Karaksh and helping Paraktus had taken a lot out of me. Ha Hee-Jeong must have noticed since she urged me to recharge. ????¦¢¨º? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): Rest is super important. Get some rest now, and we¡¯ll talkter. Take care of your health. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): Got it. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifth Floor): Also, ignore the Community for now even if it is unlocked¡ªjust rest. Conquering the floors won¡¯t get any easier. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor):... Yeah. She knew me too well. I nned to check the Community before resting, and it seemed she anticipated that. Besides, I was already anxious about what might be on the fourth floor¡ªanother creature like Karaksh could be waiting. Let¡¯s take a nap first. I was truly exhausted. I needed to prioritize rest, and I could check the Communityter if I had enough time. Sensing my decision to sleep, the waiting room dimmed. Lying down on the bed, I felt the fatigue finally catch up to me. ¡°Doppy, you did well. Get some rest.¡± ¡°Kriee! Human! Rest!¡± *** [1 hour and 3 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] I slept for about eight hours, leaving me plenty of time until the fourth floor started. I didn¡¯t feel fatigued, and I could tell my stamina had improved from oveing the tower¡¯s challenges. Still curious about the Community, I opened it, and a post immediately caught my eye. [Climbers are notpetitors.] Author: Kevin Yurik (Fifth Floor) We all heard it when we entered the tower. If we fail to conquer the tower, Earth loses its sovereignty. The ones who threw us into this tower can do whatever they want, and if we don¡¯t clear it, we¡¯re all dead. Stop spreading false information. We need to work together. - Braha Akif (Fifth Floor): He''s right. - Erik Sekoff (Fifth Floor): The tutorial was easy as hell. It¡¯s obvious the rest of the tower will probably be just as easy. Who knows? Maybe if youe in first, you¡¯ll be the god of Earth. lol - Wang Wei (Fifth Floor): Only weaklings say garbage like this. They just don¡¯t have the confidence to climb higher. ¡­ I scrolled through the Community for a while before quietly closing it. A million people had been summoned to the tower. I wasn¡¯t sure how many were still alive, but judging from the posts, the tutorial hadn¡¯t been too difficult for most. Maybe over eight hundred thousand people have survived so far? Finding anything useful had been hard with the sheer volume of posts, many of which were posted by some truly crazy individuals. Still, some posts that shared helpful information or asked for help finding family stood out... but honestly, asking Ha Hee-Jeong directly seemed like the more reliable option. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fourth Floor): What are you up to? She didn¡¯t reply, probably asleep as well. With nothing else to do, Iy on the bed, allowing my thoughts to drift, when the orc pdin¡¯sst words suddenly echoed in my mind. ¡°Attack! Attack now! For Kal-Lai¡ªurgh!" Even though the pdin had been interrupted, my brain was fixated on the name. For some reason, it sounded like the name of a deity. Why did that name seem so familiar? Where had I encountered it before? Did it appear when I was spammed by the gods¡¯ sponsorship offers? No, that wasn¡¯t it. The sponsors¡¯ names weren¡¯t revealed in the messages, only their titles. I tried to trace through my memories. I had no recollection of hearing the name before entering the tower, so I must have heard it recently. Then it hit me¡ªthe first floor. Yes, that was where I had heard it. The goblin pdin in the boss room had invoked Kal-Lain, saying, ¡°Kal-Lain be with us!¡± But who or what is Kal-Lain? It appears to be a deity, but does it make sense for both orcs and goblins to worship the same god? ¡­ Wait a moment. Doppy¡¯s god was Fenrike, who had been trapped within the ne Doppy now carried. ¡°Doppy.¡± ¡°Kkriiik?¡± ¡°Do you know who Kal-Lain is?¡± ¡°Kriee, Goblin doesn¡¯t know!¡± Doppy¡¯s expression disyed its genuine confusion. It clearly had no answers, but the question still gnawed at me. ¡°Fenrike is supposed to be the god of the goblins, right?¡± ¡°Kriee! Fenrike is a god!¡± ¡°Then why could the goblin pdin praise Kal-Lain and still use holy magic? Isn¡¯t Fenrike supposed to be its god?¡± ¡°Krieee! Goblin lost their god! Goblin doesn¡¯t know about Kal-Lain!¡± Lost their god? ¡°So, did Kal-Lain imprison Fenrike?¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin doesn¡¯t know! It was a long time ago!¡± ¡°A long time ago?¡± ¡°Kriieee! Before Goblin were even born!¡± Before the goblins were born? Then, how does Doppy know about Fenrike? ¡°How did youe to believe in Fenrike?¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin suddenly heard Fenrike¡¯s voice! Then the ne appeared!¡± ¡°Hmm... But Fenrike was trapped within the ne. How could you hear it?¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin doesn¡¯t know!¡± Well, Fenrike was a god after all. Perhaps there was some divine mechanism at y. Was Doppy chosen because he was special? The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Doppy¡¯s understanding was limited, and the information I had extracted from it only raised more questions than it answered. Let¡¯s consider the possibilities. The first possibility is that Kal-Lain usurped the position of the goblins¡¯ and orcs¡¯ original deities. Or was Kal-Lain, in fact, the god of the orcs? That seemed unlikely. If Kal-Lain was the god of the orcs, why was Karaksh¡¯s corpse lingering in that hidden chamber like a vengeful spirit? The same question applied to Paraktus. And what about Doppy, the so-called goblin saint, wandering lost within the tower? Karaksh and Paraktus could be suffering a fate simr to Doppy¡¯s. If their original gods were still present, surely they wouldn¡¯t be in such a miserable state. Damn it. My thoughts swirled chaotically. Who exactly was Kal-Lain, and how could they have possibly usurped the positions of other gods? If my suspicions were correct, could it be that an orc god was trapped somewhere on the second floor like Fenrike had been on the first? Had I overlooked it¡ªor had Paraktus? It was certainly no ordinary orc, but the truth remained elusive. ¡°But wait¡­" The orcs and goblins had their gods. Then, who is the god of humanity? I mentally listed the names of holy figures from Earth¡¯s history. Jesus, Buddha, Ah¡­ Has there ever truly been a god watching over Earth? If there was one, why did they allow us to be pulled into this tower? Could it be that Earth''s god was powerless to intervene? The message I received at the pub stated that the Green Belt of region C-66432 had been lifted. What was a Green Belt, and since it was for an entire region, potentially not just Earth, was it beyond the reach of Earth¡¯s god? Or was it because of humanity''s dwindling faith? No one on Earth that I knew of had ever wielded holy magic. This tower could be some form of divine punishment for humanity''sck of faith. Would a god reveal themselves only after we conquer the tower, appearing in a grand, dramatic fashion? Questions kept surfacing, but answers remained elusive. Maybe I¡¯d ask Ha Hee-Jeong if she had any insights when she woke up. Sitting idly in the waiting room, my thoughts continued to spiral. Each one was more unsettling than thest. [43 minutes 27 seconds until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] Seeing the time left until the next floor, I found myself almost wishing to start it sooner. Once the next floor began, I could focus on the immediate challenges and push these troubling thoughts out of my mind. Between the traps and the tension of battle, I would be able to keep myself distracted from the unsettling ideas. ¡°Doppy.¡± ¡°Kriee?¡± ¡°Get me some water.¡± ¡°Kriee! Right away!¡± Doppy jumped up and quickly fetched a water bottle. @@novelbin@@ Forty minutes left. What now? ¡°I guess I should prepare for the fourth floor¡­" Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t know what to do to prepare. Every idea I had felt like it was running into a dead-end. I resigned myself to the fact that there was nothing more I could do at this point. I might as well pass the time with Doppy, letting the minutes slip away. *** [Wee to the fourth floor of the Tower of Ordeal. The fourth stage of the tutorial will now begin.] Once again, I was teleported to a stone corridor about three meters wide and four meters tall. Narrower than the previous floors, itsyout was reminiscent of them with flickering torches on either side. However, there was one ring difference. The path ahead sloped downward, disappearing into the distance, giving no hint of an end. An uneasy thought started creeping into my mind as I recalled the massive boulder from the second floor. Why is the fourth floor nted downward? I instinctively turned my head. Unlike the previous two floors where I had started directly in front of a wall, the path continued behind me at a steep upward incline. ... This isn¡¯t good. The ominous feeling grew stronger. Although I was faster now, carrying Doppy would surely slow me down. ¡°... Wait, where¡¯s Doppy?" For the first time since the first floor, Doppy wasn¡¯t with me. Then, a new notification shed before my eyes. [Escape. Time remaining: 1 hour 59 minutes.] As the message appeared, a low rumble began from a location out of sight at the top of the slope behind me. It was the same vibration I¡¯d felt on the second floor. The message left no room for doubt¡ªI had to escape. A giant boulder had to be rolling down, gaining speed with every passing second. Even though the time limit was only two hours, I ran from the boulder on the second floor for only about fifteen minutes. This would be a test of speed and endurance. I had no idea how long this corridor was, but I knew there were two hours on the timer, and there was no time for spection. I needed to act. Without hesitation, I pushed off and sprinted down the slope. Chapter 15: Fourth Floor, Forward or Backward (2) Chapter 15: Fourth Floor, Forward or Backward (2) [Escape. Time remaining: 1 hour 58 minutes.] There are moments in life when doubt seeps in. When every decision feels like it could ruin your life. It¡¯s that hesitation before shading an answer on an exam¡¯s OMR card[1], or the pause before responding to a job interviewer¡¯s question, ¡°Why did you apply to ourpany?¡± And now, I found myself in one of those moments. For thest twenty minutes, I had been sprinting downhill while a boulder chased me, echoing loudly and dangerously. With each stride, my uncertainty grew, gnawing at me. Am I heading in the right direction? The path had been eerily consistent for the entire time I ran. There was no shift in the gradient, no change to the stone walls or the floor beneath me. It was as if I was trapped in some kind of illusion. Wait, could this actually be an illusion? I realized that the sound of the boulder had remained consistent the entire time. The tremors hadn¡¯t strengthened, and neither had the rumbling increased. Could it be that my pace matches the boulder¡¯s speed perfectly?That was highly improbable. Such coincidences didn¡¯t happen in real life. I recalled how the tower¡¯s messages had always carried an element of deception. The tower is telling me to escape, but is continuing forward really the correct choice? Is there truly a boulder rolling toward me, or is this another trick? I decided to stop and catch my breath, focusing on the sounds and vibrations around me. Rumbleeeee¡ª The noises and tremors remained constant, neither growing stronger nor fainter. Damn it, I¡¯ve been duped again. I turned to head back up the slope but hesitated as a troubling thought crossed my mind. Isn¡¯t this too easy? Even if people initially panicked and ran downhill, it wouldn¡¯t take them long to realize they had been deceived. In fact, I only caught on so soon because I¡¯d been spooked by a simr trap on the second floor. Could this be a double bluff? The trick seemed almost too obvious. What if, after everyone figures out that the boulder isn¡¯t real, they turn back, and the real boulder starts rolling down? Or what if the path behind me is a dead-end, and I waste all the time I have to escape? ?¨¢??B?? ¡°If only Doppy were here¡­¡± I would¡¯ve trusted Doppy¡¯s instincts. I wondered why Doppy hadn¡¯t been teleported with me this time. The message on the first floor clearly stated that Doppy would apany me on my journey. If the challenge was truly a speed run, I could understand why Doppy wasn¡¯t here. There was no need to include another individual in a test of my physical prowess. Be that as it may, the fourth floor clearly required judgment and intuition. Everyone would have figured out that the noise and tremors were a trick. Following that train of thought, there was no reason Doppy shouldn¡¯t be here. On the second floor, Doppy¡¯s judgment and intuition were key in finding the optimal path. Wait¡­ What if this really is a speed run? The boulder¡¯s sound and the tremors might be a decoy, but it could be a double bluff, designed to make climbers turn back. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± My mind spun from the conflicting thoughts. What should I do? Move forward or retreat? [Escape. Time remaining: 1 hour 31 minutes.] Time slipped by as I stood there, paralyzed by indecision, knowing that staying still wasn''t an option. I needed to think simpler. On the second floor, the path forked multiple times. There had been countless choices, but I had Doppy¡¯spany back then. Even when I faced important decisions like whether to help Paraktus, Doppy was there¡ªsilent, but present. I could always depend on its presence when I needed it. But now, Doppy hadn¡¯t been summoned to the fourth floor. If I consider this simply¡­This had to be a speed run. I took a deep breath, steeled my resolve, and started running again. *** [Escape. Time remaining: 1 hour 11 minutes.] Thud¡ª Thud¡ª The rumble of the phantom boulder and the tremors beneath my feet hadn¡¯t changed. But something had¡ªa white portal was now shimmering before me. Seriously? Is it really over? Could it be this simple? I hadn¡¯t encountered any traps or hidden dangers. I wondered if the sound and vibrations existed just to trick climbers into running. Should I have turned back? On the first two floors, I¡¯d found hidden pieces. I skipped the third floor and didn¡¯t have the chance to look there. I had no clue if there would be a hidden piece here. Did I miss something? [Escape. Time remaining: 1 hour 9 minutes.] But it didn¡¯t matter now. It had taken me fifty-one minutes to sprint down this slope. Even if I turned back, I probably wouldn¡¯t have the energy to reach the starting point again. What if I had turned back earlier? Would I have made it here in time? Maybe not. Perhaps retracing my steps would¡¯ve wasted too much time, preventing me from reaching the end before the clock ran out. I shouldn¡¯t obsess over hidden pieces. Unlike Ha Hee-Jeong, I wasn¡¯t a regressor. If I stumbled across hidden pieces by chance, that was fine, but I couldn¡¯t afford to risk everything searching for them. The encounters with Karaksh and Paraktus hade close enough already. Finding hidden pieces was a bonus, but surviving and clearing the tower was what mattered. Moving forward was the right choice. As I approached the portal, new messages appeared.@@novelbin@@ [Congrattions. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fourth floor of the Tower of Ordeal. Achievement points will be calcted.] [Time remaining: 1 hour 8 minutes. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has sessfully escaped. Achievement points will be calcted.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 3,208 achievement points. Total achievement points: 47,316.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok did not step backward and trigger the trap. He has been awarded an additional 2,000 achievement points. Total achievement points: 49,316. He will now enter the waiting room.] I was right. If I had turned back, I would have activated the trap. My instincts had been correct, just like with Paraktus. While I rejoiced over my decision, the familiar sensation of weightlessness returned. As my vision brightened, I closed my eyes. *** ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok did not take a single step backward. Unshakable resolve! His skills have leveled up. Indomitability is now lvl 9. Sixth Sense is now lvl 8.¡¹ *** [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fourth floor of the Tower of Ordeal.] [Having conquered the fourth floor, you may now ess the ¡®shop.¡¯] [You may now enter sponsorship contracts with fourth-ss gods.] The familiar sight of the waiting room greeted me. Since I¡¯d only been on the fourth floor for about an hour, the white room and small bed felt even more familiar than before. [Fourth-ss god ''Foe of the Waves'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Fourth-ss god ''me of Devastation'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Third-ss god ''Guide of Lightning¡¯ proposes a sponsorship contract.] [First-ss god ¡®Mother of All Winds¡¯ proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Third-ss god ¡®The Stagnant Prophet¡¯ proposes a sponsorship contract.] I willed the notifications to disappear, and they obediently vanished. I was getting used to dismissing these messages with a mere thought. Another message appeared, informing me of the situation. [3 hours 59 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] The time to rest had been reduced to four hours, even shorter than the previous waiting room. I wondered if it was because the previous floor had been so brief. Even so, one hour of running followed by four hours of rest was not a bad deal. I wasn¡¯t tired, and if the wait was any longer, I would¡¯ve been bored out of my mind. Thanks to my improved stamina, I wasn¡¯t exhausted despite the hour-long sprint. I wondered how I should pass the time. Has Ha Hee-Jeong finished the challenges on the fifth floor yet? ¡­ Oh, right. Doppy! Where is he? ¡°Doppy!¡± ¡°Kee, keek!¡± I turned to see Doppy peeking out from under the small bed. I had warned it not to climb into bed with me, but I didn¡¯t mean to tell it to sleep underneath the bed. ¡°... Why are you down there?¡± ¡°Kriee! The room... too bright!¡± It seemed like the room stayed lit even while I was gone. But why sleep under the bed? ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Kriee! Human! You did well! Water! Bread!¡± Doppy rubbed its sleepy eyes and crawled out from under the bed, bringing me a bottle of water and some bread. I epted them with a nod, grateful for the smallforts that helped me unwind after the ordeal. I wasn''t particrly hungry and had nned to just drink some water. But since Doppy brought me bread, rejecting it felt wrong. ¡°Doppy, if this ever happens again, just sleep on the bed.¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin! Is that really allowed?¡± ¡°Yeah, just not when I¡¯m around.¡± ¡°Kriee! Thank you, human!¡± Doppy pped its hands in delight, beaming as if I had given it the world. It made me wonder why something so small brought it such joy. Have I been too harsh on Doppy? I didn¡¯t think so... Just as I finished the bread, a message from Ha Hee-Jeong popped up. [Ha Hee-Jeong has sent you a message. Would you like to ept it?] ¡°Yes.¡± How did she know? Ah, of course. She must have checked the leaderboard. So, did she clear the fifth floor while I was still on the fourth? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): You cleared the fourth floor? Nice job! - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Thanks, I see you¡¯ve finished the fifth floor too. Did you find out from the leaderboard? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Yep, I was just watching the Climber Leaderboard in the waiting room. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): But how did you already clear the fifth floor? I spent less than an hour clearing the fourth. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): I started the fifth floor right after you fell asleep. So that was why she didn¡¯t respond after I woke up. The Community and Climber Leaderboard were off-limits when climbers challenged a floor. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): How many achievement points do you have now? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Around 49,000. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): You had 44,000 after the second floor, so there probably wasn¡¯t a hidden piece on the fourth floor, right? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Maybe? I probably just missed it. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): No, it¡¯s likely there wasn¡¯t one. There aren¡¯t Hidden pieces on every floor. Her words made me realize that obsessing over hidden pieces might be pointless. She¡¯s right, if hidden pieces were scattered on every floor, they wouldn''t be so valuable. I should prioritize my survival above all else. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): So, when will you enter the sixth floor? Didn¡¯t you say we¡¯d meet there? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): The sixth floor won¡¯t start until every climber finishes the tutorial. Until thest person dies or makes it through, we¡¯re stuck in standby mode. Check out the Community. It¡¯s going crazy because of you ??. People are losing it because of me? What is that supposed to mean? I quickly opened the Community, and sure enough, the forums were in an uproar. [Why is Kwon Su-Hyeok ranked first on the leaderboard when he¡¯s only on the fifth floor?] [Why is this guy taking so long? The system says we¡¯re on infinite standby.] [Is this guy finding Easter eggs on every floor? He¡¯s always topping the Climber Leaderboard.] [Is he a mage or a priest? I heard those sses get some kind of enlightenment on the fifth floor. Or maybe not?] [He¡¯s definitely not a warrior unless he¡¯s torturing three orcs at the same time. Makes no sense otherwise.] [When I see Su-Hyeok on the sixth floor, I¡¯m going to teach him a lesson, lol] The Community was truly going crazy because of me. There were all kinds of posts about me: questions, arguments, and even insults. It looked like everyone was frustrated from all the waiting. I felt perplexed since it wasn¡¯t like I was doing this on purpose¡ªI hadn¡¯t even started the fifth floor yet. Should I post an exnation or something? While I mulled over the idea, another message from Ha Hee-Jeong popped up. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Su-Hyeok, head to the shop and buy the Lightning Essence. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Lightning Essence? Hold on. ¡°Shop.¡± A new notification window appeared in front of me. Coke, ramen, hamburgers... Familiar items immediately caught my eye. So, they sell food from Earth in the shop too, huh? It appeared that the shop had everything. Each food item was priced at 1 achievement point. Wait, are people seriously spending their hard-earned points on this? Didn¡¯t fourth ce only have 800 points or something? Then again, the sight of a cold can of Coke was pretty tempting. At just 1 point, it was hard to resist. First, let¡¯s get that item Hee-Jeong mentioned. Unfortunately, the shop wasn¡¯t organized into separate categories. It was one giant list, hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of items long. The only way to filter the list was through a search bar in the corner. I turned my attention to the search bar and typed in "Lightning Essence," watching as the items scrolled by rapidly. Finally, a single item popped up. [Lightning Essence] - Price: 45,000 points What? 45,000 points? The price made my jaw drop. Sure, I had the points, but no other climber could even dream of affording this. Has anyone else even managed to gather 1,000 points yet? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Hee-Jeong, are you sure about this? 45,000 points? Should I really buy it? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Yeah, that¡¯s the one. Use the remaining 3,000 points to buy a Physical Enhancement Potion. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): I don¡¯t know about this... It seems way too expensive. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Trust me. Someone without any talent used that to climb all the way to the nieth floor. Prices in the shop skyrocket after the tutorial ends. Later on, even if you have 500,000 points, you won¡¯t be able to buy it. Get it now before it¡¯s toote. 1. An OMR card is a type of answer sheet used in exams where you fill in bubbles for your answers. A machine scans these sheets to quickly grade the test. It''smon in multiple-choice exams. ? Chapter 16: Fifth Floor, A Lesson Beyond One Chapter 16: Fifth Floor, A Lesson Beyond One [Would you like to purchase the Lightning Essence for 45,000 achievement points?] ¡°... Yes." I forced the word out, my voice trembling. While I trusted Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s advice, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of anxiety and anticipation. This would be the first item I purchased, costing a whopping 45,000 points. I could hardly believe I was spending it all in one go. Pop¡ª With a blinding sh, a small wooden box appeared on the table. Inside the lidless boxy a small, transparent, and golden orb. [Lightning Essence] [Unique] - Imbued with the power of lightning. - The power within this essence is independent of the gods. - Absorption rate varies depending on the user''s capabilities.Tiny lightning bolts crackled within it, each one feeling almost alive. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Hee-Jeong, I¡¯ve got the Lightning Essence. What now? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): You¡¯ve got 4,000 points left, right? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Yeah, 4,316 points. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Use 3,000 points to buy the Physical Enhancement Potion. The shop only has one hundred in stock, and I bought one. There are ny-eight left, so I guess the third-ranked climber purchased the other one. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Got it. I quickly typed "Physical Enhancement Potion" into the search bar. The list refreshed instantly, disying the item. [Physical Enhancement Potion] x98 - Price: 3,000 points Conveniently, the shop disyed the remaining quantity alongside the item name. It seemed that the Lightning Essence was unique, which exined its steep price. [Would you like to purchase the Physical Enhancement Potion for 3,000 achievement points?] ¡°Yes." After spending 45,000 points, this 3,000-point purchase felt almost insignificant. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I was getting toofortable with spending points so freely. Again, a light shed on the table, delivering a small bottle. [Physical Enhancement Potion] - A limited amount exists in the Tower of Ordeal. - Enhances the consumer''s physical abilities. - Effectiveness varies based on the user''s potential. The liquid inside the bottle was transparent with a faint iridescent glow, signaling it was no ordinary potion. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): I got the potion. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Good. Now drink it. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Just drink it straight? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Yup. It¡¯ll probably taste awful, so just think of it as medicine. Make sure to drink it in one go, and don¡¯t even think about spitting it out! ?????¦¢§¦? Her warning about the taste made me hesitate. Hee-Jeong wasn¡¯t picky with her food, so if she said it tasted bad, it must be truly awful. But I had bought it already, so there was no backing out now. Just treat it like I¡¯m taking some bitter medicine. The faster I drink it, the faster it will be over with. I came close to vomiting, almost spitting it out the moment it touched my tongue. ¡°Gah!" ¡°Kriee! Human, are you okay?" Ignoring Doppy¡¯s panicked reaction, I forced the potion down. The taste was revolting, like the stench of rotten durian was flooding my taste buds. The awful vor lingered in my mouth, so I grabbed the water bottle and rinsed my mouth. Suddenly, a warm sensation spread through my body, and I felt overwhelmingly drowsy. My limbs felt heavy, and I could barely keep my eyes open. Did the potion do this? Just then, Ha Hee-Jeong sent an urgent message. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Su-Hyeok! Did you drink it? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Yeah¡­ I¡¯m so sleepy. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): No time to sleep! You need to take the Lightning Essence right now. Hurry! - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Right now? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Yes, right now! Don¡¯t even reply, just do it! Her urgency snapped me out of my daze. I reached for the Lightning Essence, hesitating momentarily. Would it be safe to touch? What if I get shocked? If that were the case, surely she would have warned me. I took a deep breath and grabbed the essence. To my relief, nothing happened. There was no electric shock, just a gentle warmth. I ced it in my mouth, unsure of how to proceed. Should I chew it or swallow it whole? Wait, there was lightning flickering inside the orb¡­ I decided it was best to just swallow it. If Ha Hee-Jeong rmended it, it probably wouldn''t harm me. Even with that thought, I balked at the idea of unleashing lightning inside my mouth. The moment the Lightning Essence slid down my throat, I felt a deep, resonating thud within me. Thud¡ª The thuds continued echoing, followed by an intense surge of heat that spread through me. The heat was nothing like the potion, feeling much more intense and overpowering. And then, an unbearable wave of drowsiness washed over me, quickly overpowering my ability to stay awake. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Su-Hyeok! Contact me in the next waiting room! - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): What¡­? I tried to respond to Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s message, but my eyelids were too heavy to keep open. My vision blurred, and I felt like I was burning up. I struggled to stay conscious, but it was futile. My consciousness was giving in to the overwhelming fatigue. ¡°Kriee! Human!" Doppy¡¯s frantic cry was thest thing I heard before everything went dark. *** ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has consumed the Physical Enhancement Potion. All physical abilities have been enhanced.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s identity as a ¡®Challenger¡¯ has been confirmed. The restrictions on the Physical Enhancement Potion have been lifted, significantly increasing all his physical abilities.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has consumed the Lightning Essence. His body has been infused with the power of lightning.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: The Lightning Essence is being absorbed into Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s enhanced body. His enhanced body has greatly increased the absorption rate.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s identity as a ¡®Challenger¡¯ has been confirmed. The restrictions on the Lightning Essence have been lifted, greatly increasing the absorption rate.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained the skills Lightning Essence lvl 3, Fire Resistance lvl 2. ¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Poison Resistance is now lvl 2. Pain Resistance is now lvl 5. Lightning Resistance is now lvl 5. Natural Healing is now lvl 5. ¡¹ *** When I finally came to my senses, I was already on the fifth floor. Though I could feel my eyes were open, it was pitch-ck, reminiscent of the shadows on the first floor. It felt as though I was floating, weightless, and without anything solid beneath me. I imagined this is what it would be like to drift in space. The only thing visible in the darkness was a glowing message, stark against the void. [Gain enlightenment in more than one area. Time remaining: 5 hours 52 minutes.] Damn, how much time has passed? How long was the time limit originally? How long have I been out for? ¡°Doppy?¡± I called out, but there was no response. I wondered if Doppy hadn¡¯t been summoned again. The tower said it would apany me throughout my climb, yet here I was, alone. What a scam. Anyway, what does it mean to "gain enlightenment in more than one area?¡± Isbat an area? Is it enlightenment about the tower? Or does it have to be something about myself? Taking a small step back, I thought about what I had experienced just before entering this floor. The Physical Enhancement Potion and the Lightning Essence had knocked me out cold. I felt different, charged with apletely unknown power. Could this be the power of lightning? No, now''s not the time to dwell on that. I had five hours to enlighten myself on whatever thing this trial demanded. I doubted whether I could do that in the given time frame. Why did Ha Hee-Jeong have me take those things before entering the fifth floor? Did she know I would be facing this trial? What a mess!@@novelbin@@ No, I couldn''t me her. She didn¡¯t know I had only four hours left when she urged me to drink them, and she might not have known how long I was going to sleep. If there had been stronger enemies on this floor, the power boost would have been invaluable. Also, the original time limit could have been six hours, which meant I could have only wasted less than ten minutes. Ha Hee-Jeong put her trust in me and supported me. I shouldn¡¯t have turned my frustration toward my strongest ally. I needed to focus on figuring out what ¡°enlightenment¡± was supposed to mean. From what I knew, enlightenment could strike in an instant, or it could take days, even weeks. I had to concentrate. But what exactly am I supposed to be enlightened about? I decided to narrow it down. Since this was a trial from the Tower of Ordeal, it likely rted to something that had happened since I was brought here. The first thing that came to mind wasbat. Before entering the tower, I had never fought a day in my life, yet I seemed to have taken to it like a duck to water. Ha Hee-Jeong even said that without me, no one would have made it through the Challenger¡¯s tutorial. Even Ha Hee-Jeong, who climbed past the nieth floor, had to give up in the first-floor boss room. Of course, that was partly because she was a mage, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. But I hadn¡¯t been enlightened about anything rted tobat. I hadn¡¯t learned how to fight properly. I just instinctively dodged, struck, blocked, and attacked the enemies. Whether it was taking on multiple opponents or facing Karaksh, I often relied on quick thinking rather than some profound realization. Well¡­ there was one thing I learned. I did learn a valuable lesson from my encounter with Karaksh: no matter how strong I was, I should never let my guard down. In battle, split-second decisions could determine everything. But does this really qualify as enlightenment? [Gain enlightenment in more than one area. Time remaining: 5 hours 23 minutes.] The notification remained unchanged. Does that mean the lesson I learned from fighting Karaksh doesn¡¯t count as enlightenment? Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve already internalized it. Or perhaps it was not enough to have just one enlightenment, as the message clearly said "more than one." Ugh, that was the most significant lesson I had learned, which I realized during the toughest battle I had faced so far, the fight with Karaksh. What else could there be? Something about the tower, perhaps? Suddenly, I remembered the ongoing inner conflicts I faced while climbing the tower. Every step and every decision had been a struggle. It all started with Doppy¡ªshould I save it, or should I kill it? That initial dilemma, born out ofpassion, led me to Karaksh andter to Paraktus. I was torn at each crossroads. I always questioned myself, whether it be following Doppy¡¯s advice, or helping Paraktus when I encountered him. These were the battles within my mind. Even from the beginning, I was conflicted, unsure of whether I should follow Hee-Jeong¡¯s advice or the tower¡¯s messages. Was opening the status window right or not? Was a melee weapon really a better option than the staff? Of course, it made sense to follow the guidance of Hee-Jeong, my friend and a regressor, but the decisions were ultimately mine. Whether I chose to heed Doppy¡¯s advice at the crossroads or decided to assist Paraktus, despite receiving counsel from others, the final choice rested with me. I could listen to advice, but the burden of responsibility was mine to bear. Is this what the tower means by enlightenment? The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Every choice and decision was ultimately made by oneself. This principle applied not just in the tower but also in life¡ªwhether it was about choosing a university, a job, starting a business, or investing in stocks, people made their own decisions. Ah, acknowledging this brings me some peace of mind. Perhaps what mattered most was that I considered this to be an enlightenment, no matter how trivial it might appear. Can the tower really reject something I believe to be enlightenment? Just in case, I would keep thinking about anything else that I might consider enlightenment. After all, there was still plenty of time left. *** [Time remaining: 0 minutes 00 seconds. You have gained enlightenment in more than one area.] Despite spending the remaining time in deep thought, I didn¡¯t stumble upon any other ¡®aha!¡¯ moments like before. I couldn¡¯t just convince myself that I had be ¡®enlightened¡¯ about something either. [Congrattions. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fifth floor of the Tower of Ordeal. Achievement points will be calcted.] Fortunately, the tower seemed to have acknowledged the enlightenments I had gained before. It felt like I cleared the fifth floor easily, just as I did the fourth. No, it didn¡¯t just feel easy, it just truly was. There weren¡¯t even any battles. Would I have faced instant death if I hadn¡¯t gained any enlightenment? The thought sent a chill down my spine. I was fortunate to have even been enlightened on such a small thing. As the message updated, that familiar floating sensation enveloped me. [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 4,000 achievement points. Total achievement points: 5,316. He will now enter the waiting room.] *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok haspleted the Challenger¡¯s Tutorial. He has been awarded an additional 10,000 achievement points. Total achievement points: 15,316.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained enlightenment, and now possesses the minimum qualifications to be a ¡®Candidate for Divinity.¡¯¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: The title ¡®Seeker of the Crossroads¡¯ has been granted.¡¹ Chapter 17: The Lost World of the Corrupted (1) Chapter 17: The Lost World of the Corrupted (1) [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fifth floor. He will now enter the waiting room.] I opened my eyes, immediately noticing Doppy on the bed. It lounged there nonchntly, gazing at me with its wide eyes. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of envy. Here I was, having just finished wrestling with profound thoughts and challenges to gain some sort of enlightenment, only to find Doppy rxingfortably. When it noticed I was awake, it quickly jumped off the bed. Its little face was filled with concern as it looked up at me. ¡°Kriee! Human! Alright? Human suddenly copsed! Disappeared!¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I reassured it, still a bit disoriented. ¡°Looks like you were resting well while I was gone.¡± ¡°Kriee! Human told Goblin! Rest on the bed!¡± ¡°... Right.¡± While I had told Doppy to use the bed if it ever found itself alone again, I hadn¡¯t expected that when I returned after clearing a floor I would feel so envious. Aren¡¯t we supposed to be climbing this tower together? ¡°Kriee! Human! Water! Bread!¡± ¡°Yeah, you should at least take care of me like this. Thanks,¡± I remarked as Doppy brought me water and bread. Since I wasn¡¯t particrly hungry, I refused the bread and only epted the water bottle. As I took a sip, a notification window appeared, albeit slightlyter than usual. [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok haspleted the tutorial. As a reward, he has been granted a status window.] [However, unlike a status window provided in the initial waiting room, he can only view it.] Just as Ha Hee-Jeong had exined, the status window I received only allowed me to view my status. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t quite understand why that was the case. To even unlock the status window I had struggled through and eventually conquered each of the floors in the tutorial. Why would the status window I unlocked have less functionality than the status window others received for free? Again, why is there such a restriction? Well, grumbling about it wasn¡¯t going to change anything. I called out with a mix of anticipation and resignation, and a new notification window appeared before me. ¡°Status window.¡± [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: None Strength: 78.7 Agility: 75.3 Stamina: 71.5 Mana: 41.2 Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 3, Sixth Sense lvl 8, Indomitability lvl 14 (+5), Combat Focus lvl 13 (+5), Natural Healing lvl 5, Pain Resistance lvl 5, Electricity Resistance lvl 5, Fire Resistance lvl 2, Poison Resistance lvl 2. ?¨¢?§°??§§? Title, affiliation, skills¡­ I slowly scanned the list, taking it all in for the first time. Everything was still unfamiliar, and I couldn¡¯t quite grasp what each stat meant. So, Lightning Essence was listed as a skill... But I had no idea how to use it. I can feel a strange power surging within me, but how am I supposed to harness it? Should I shout out the skill name like they do in games? ¡°Lightning Essence!¡± ¡°Kriee? Human?¡± ¡­ Nope, that wasn¡¯t it. Calling out the skill name did nothing. Doppy stood beside me, staring nkly at me as if trying to figure out what on earth I was doing. I felt a flush of embarrassment. Those innocent eyes made me want to disappear into the ground. Wait a second. When Doppy cast a healing spell, it shouted ¡®Heal Wounds!¡¯ Maybe the trick to using a spell was not just shouting the skill name, but rather, focusing on channeling the strange power within me... As soon as I thought about moving the power into my hand, lightning crackled across my palm. It was an astonishing sight. The streaks of lightning danced across my bare skin, yet I didn¡¯t even feel a hint of pain. ¡°Skriiieeeeee!¡± Startled, Doppy jumped back two steps. ¡°Scary, huh?¡± ¡°Kriee! Electricity! Human!¡± ¡°...Uh, ¡®Electric Human¡¯ sounds a bit weird, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Lightning! Human!¡± Sure, call me whatever you like. I left the excited Doppy behind, returning my attention to the status window. My highest stat was strength, with 78.7 points. However, I didn¡¯t have a frame of reference, so that value meant little to me. I was about to message Ha Hee-Jeong about my stats when the notification window updated once more. [You may now enter sponsorship contracts with fifth-ss or prospective fifth-ss gods.] For some reason, the messages were appearing a bit slower than they had on the previous floors. Was it because Ipleted the tutorial? And what exactly is a prospective fifth-ss god? During my brief conversation with Ha Hee-Jeong, she had only mentioned fifth-ss gods, not prospectives. This was something new. The notification window scrolled upward in front of me. [Fifth-ss god ''Prophet of the Sky Wind'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Prospective fifth-ss god ''Farmer of the Quiet Orchard¡¯ proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Fifth-ss god ''King of the Mercenaries'' proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Fifth-ss god ¡®Pirate of the Waves¡¯ proposes a sponsorship contract.] [Prospective fifth-ss god ''Wandering Minstrel¡¯ proposes a sponsorship contract.] As I stared at the notification window, a sense of unease crept over me. Up until the fourth floor, messages had asionally mentioned first and second-ss gods. But now, only fifth-ss and prospective gods were appearing. What¡¯s going on? Why have the higher-ss gods suddenly vanished? I couldn¡¯t make sense of it, so I decided to do the simplest thing: ask Ha Hee-Jeong. ¡°Message.¡± Instead of the message window to Ha Hee-Jeong appearing, the tower¡¯s notification was updated. [The Community and messaging functions have been temporarily restricted.] [All climbers who havepleted the tutorial must form a sponsorship contract to proceed to the next floor.] Damn it. The Community and messaging functions are restricted? Is this another one of the tower¡¯s tricks? I had no choice but to rely on my own judgment. Ha Hee-Jeong told me to sign a contract with a fifth-ss god, and the tower itself stated it was mandatory. That wasn¡¯t the only thing she had suggested, however. ¡°When you reach the sixth floor¡¯s waiting room, make a deal with the least impressive god you can find. They will probably look like a passing farmer. Understood?¡± I was nning to pick the most unimpressive fifth-ss god, but... Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned that the ranks the deities disyed could be swapped, like a sports draft. If that were the case, a prospective fifth-ss god would be the best option. The only thing stopping me from immediately choosing one was that I hadn¡¯t heard anything about them from Ha Hee-Jeong. It would be a disaster if these unknown prospective gods didn¡¯t follow the same rules, and their sses stayed the same after the tutorial ended. Should I y it safe and contract with a fifth-ss god instead? I decided to close the notification window and think it over. The swarm of messages was making it hard to concentrate. Just as I was about to close the window, one message caught my eye. [Prospective fifth-ss god ''Farmer of the Quiet Orchard¡¯ proposes a sponsorship contract.] Sometimes in life, there are moments when something just clicks. There is this feeling of certainty and attraction that¡¯s hard to exin. I looked at that message, knowing this was one of those moments. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint why, but my strong intuition told me I should contract with this deity. Come to think of it, I did have a skill called Sixth Sense. With that in mind, I found no reason not to trust my intuition. ¡°Yes.¡± The word had slipped out of my mouth before I realized it. [Challenger ¡®Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯ has formed a sponsorship contract with prospective fifth-ss god ¡®Farmer of the Quiet Orchard.¡¯] [The temporarily restricted Community and messaging functions have been restored.] [1 hour 59 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] The notifications kept rolling in, finishing up by informing me of how much time I had left. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t a lot. Even if I didn¡¯t n on sleeping,ying down and resting seemed wise. Just as I was about to do so, a message from Ha Hee-Jeong arrived. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Su-Hyeok, you conquered the fifth floor! I¡¯m so relieved! - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): Yeah, but I signed a sponsorship contract with a prospective fifth-ss god. Is that okay? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Huh? You got what in your sponsorship contract? A prospective fifth-ss god? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): Yeah, you told me to pick the most unimpressive one, so I went with the ¡®Farmer of the Quiet Orchard.¡¯ From her response, it seemed that Ha Hee-Jeong wasn¡¯t familiar with prospective gods either. I theorized they could be exclusive to a climber who cleared the harder tutorial. Could they be some kind of hidden piece? If so, that would be a stroke of luck. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Since it¡¯s like a draft, prospective gods are probably high-ranking among the first-ss gods. But we¡¯ll only know for sure when you reach the sixth floor. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): Hmm, I¡¯ve got a skill called Sixth Sense, and I had a strong feeling that I should contract with this god. Do you think it¡¯ll be okay? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): You have Sixth Sense? Well, considering you made it up here without a status window, that makes sense. What level is the skill? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): It¡¯s level 8... - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): What?? *** I shared my status window with the startled Ha Hee-Jeong. Each time I mentioned a skill or stat, she¡¯d jump and exim, ¡°What?!¡± Her reactions amused me quite a bit. As we continued chatting, it dawned on me just how absurdly high my stats were. Ha Hee-Jeong mentioned that for most climbers whopleted the tutorial, their stats averaged between fifteen and twenty. My stats are nearly four times the average, just based on the numbers. Moreover, the higher a stat was, the harder it was to raise. This tranted to stats giving a more significant boost in power the higher they were. My stats genuinely excited Ha Hee-Jeong, since she was convinced that I could fully capitalize on everything the sixth floor had to offer. I felt like I was finally meeting her expectations, and her confidence in my abilities gave me a mix of pride and satisfaction. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): How many achievement points did you get after clearing the fifth floor? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): I should have around 5,000 points... Wait, what? [Achievement Points: 15,316 / Total Points: 63,316] I was certain the fifth floor had only given me 4,000 points, but somehow, I gained an additional 10,000 points without even noticing. Sensing my confusion, Ha Hee-Jeong quickly sent a message. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): I somehow ended up with 10,000 more points without realizing it. I have 15,316 points now. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Oh, that happens sometimes. The system doesn¡¯t always reveal everything. In your case, it¡¯s probably because youpleted the tutorial without a status window. It wasn¡¯t until after her exnation that I fully understood. Well, I wasn¡¯tining¡ªfinding 10,000 extra points out of nowhere was like discovering money you¡¯d forgotten in a pocket. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Unfortunately, 15,000 points isn¡¯t enough to buy anything significant. For now, just get the Top-tier Climbing Suit and the Premium Leather Armor from the shop and equip them. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): Climbing suit and leather armor? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Yeah,st time you were too focused on the Lightning Essence, so I didn¡¯t mention it. Aren¡¯t you still wearing jeans and a hoodie? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): Yeah, they¡¯re practically rags at this point. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Sorry ?? I should have told you sooner. Hurry up and get those equipped. Following her advice, I opened the shop window and found that they weren¡¯t too expensive. The Top-tier Climbing Suit and Premium Leather Armor cost 500 points each. Or maybe they were expensive? After splurging on the 45,000-point Lightning Essence and the 3,000-point Physical Enhancement Potion, my sense of scale seemed a bit skewed. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): How do they feel? Comfortable, right? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixth Floor): Wow, what¡¯s this made of? It¡¯s incrediblyfy. The Top-tier Climbing Suit fit snugly, looking like a simple tracksuit, yet it was remarkably soft and flexed naturally with my movements. The Premium Leather Armor was of simr quality. The leather was firm, but it didn¡¯t impede my upper body at all. After wearing just jeans and a hoodie for so long, donning proper gear made me feel more prepared and focused. I feel like a real climber now. I couldn¡¯t quite exin it with words, but I felt more confident about my chances of climbing the tower. [3 minutes 11 seconds until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] As I chatted with Ha Hee-Jeong, the time had dwindled to less than three minutes. I noticed that off to the side, Doppy had grown bored waiting for me to finish my conversation with Ha Hee-Jeong. It was sitting on the bed, swinging its legs back and forth. I wondered if Doppy would apany me to the sixth floor. ¡°Kriee?¡± When I nced at Doppy, it looked back with its innocent eyes. I shook my head to signal that I wasn¡¯t saying anything, and Doppy, seemingly reassured, took another bite of bread. What a cute little guy. By the time Doppy finished thest bite of its bread, it was time to move on to the sixth floor. [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok will now be sent to the sixth floor of the Tower of Ordeal. [If there is another climber you wish to conquer the sixth floor with, please think of that climber.] I quickly thought of Ha Hee-Jeong in response to the messages. There had to be some sort of ¡®party¡¯ system, just as I had guessed. That would exin why Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned we could meet on the sixth floor. [The hidden titles of the deities will now be revealed. The deity with whom climber Kwon Su-Hyeok has formed a sponsorship contract is the first-ss god ¡®Omniscient Thunder Axe.¡¯] I smiled at the notification window that appeared as my vision brightened. It was a first-ss god. Given that it originally appeared as a prospective fifth-ss god, it probably was one of the higher-ranking first-ss gods, just as Ha Hee-Jeong had suspected. My intuition had been spot-on. *** [Wee to the sixth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Lost World of the Corrupted.]@@novelbin@@ [Survive. Time remaining: 47 hours 59 minutes.] My vision cleared, and I found myself in a rundown clearing. Scattered around were six others. They were Ha Hee-Jeong, four unfamiliar faces, and Doppy, who was standing just behind me. Ha Hee-Jeong spotted me and started to wave, but then suddenly froze. Hmm? What¡¯s wrong? ¡°Kriee! Human! Many humans!¡± ¡°Kyaaa! It¡¯s a goblin!¡± ¡°Ahhh! Fuck! What are you doing, man?! Kill it!¡± I turned to see a Caucasian man with a bow drawn, aiming an arrow straight at Doppy. Oh, right. They don¡¯t know that Doppy is on my side... Before I could stop him, the man released the arrow. It shot through the air, heading directly toward Doppy. Ah, damn it. Chapter 18: The Lost World of the Corrupted (2) Chapter 18: The Lost World of the Corrupted (2) ¡°Krieeee!" Time seemed to slow as the arrow streaked through the air toward Doppy, its trajectory visible to all. I despaired, thinking it was toote for me to react, yet somehow, before my train of thought could even finish, I instinctively swung my mace and deflected the arrow. At the same time, Ha Hee-Jeong must have cast a spell, as a translucent shield materialized in front of Doppy. However, I had already shattered the arrow with my mace and its shards ttered pathetically to the ground. Ah, right. I took the Physical Enhancement Potion earlier. Since I hadn¡¯t engaged inbat since the third floor, there had been no way for me to test how much my abilities had grown. Memories of the first floor shed through my mind, where I had rolled on the ground to dodge arrows. I had indeed grown quite a bit. While I silently admired my growth, Ha Hee-Jeong''s urgent voice interrupted my thoughts. ¡°Stop! Stop!" She was yelling at a Caucasian man poised with a bow, looking like he''d just stepped out of a barbershop with his tidy pomade-slicked blonde hair and chiseled Hollywood actor features. He wore a puzzled expression as he notched a second arrow. ¡°That goblin is on our side!" Ha Hee-Jeong shouted.The archer''s hand paused, uncertainty written all over his face. I looked around, noticing that the others were giving me dumbfounded looks. A burly man with thick eyebrows and a shiny bald head approached me, speaking with an awe-filled tone. ¡°Wait¡­ excuse me. You just deflected that arrow, right?" ¡°Sorry? Oh, yes," The man was impressively built and had to be the most muscr person I had ever met. He reminded me of a wrestler or someone who spent considerable time at the gym. ¡°Is that goblin really yours?" The Hollywood actor-looking guy[1] interjected. Seeing that he was still lightly pulling on the bowstring, it seemed he hadn¡¯t lowered his guard yet. ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t exactly ''mine.'' I don¡¯t own it. Its name is Doppy. We came up through the tutorial together." Doppy, who hid behind me after the arrow scare, peeked out and eximed, ¡°Kriee! Goblin! Human! Friend!" This prompted the actor to finally lower his bow. ¡°And though Doppy is young, it¡¯s a priest capable of casting healing spells," I added. The actor apologized by slightly lowering his head, his demeanor softening. ¡°Ah, I''m sorry. I thought it was attacking you guys." ¡°It''s okay. You didn''t know." Even though I was still partly irked, I decided not to make a fuss since Doppy hadn¡¯t been hurt and I could understand the actor¡¯s perspective. If a goblin suddenly appeared behind Ha Hee-Jeong, I would react defensively too. The awkward tension lingered, but since maintaining distance wasn¡¯t conducive to dialogue, we all gathered in the center of the clearing. Ha Hee-Jeong and I were joined by the bald man armed with a giant shield and sword, and close to him stood a young girl clutching a small mace. Next to them were the Hollywood actor with a bow and an African-American woman with a mace. One mage, one archer, two priests, and two warriors. Not a bad lineup. I noticed the African-American woman shooting wary nces at Doppy, clearly still distrustful. Just as Ha Hee-Jeong was about to speak, the bald man preempted her by introducing himself. ¡°Uh, um. My name is Seo Ho-Su, I¡¯m forty-four years old. This is my daughter, Seo Ha-Rin. She''s eighteen." "Hello, I¡¯m Seo Ha-Rin." The girl next to him lowered her head. Her long hair flowed down her back, enhancing her delicate beauty. ¡°It seems fate has brought us all together. Let''s introduce ourselves. You can understand me even though you are foreigners, right?" ¡°Yes.¡± "Wow, that¡¯s interesting." Seeing the introductions going off-topic and not wanting them to drag on, I seized the first opportunity to introduce Ha Hee-Jeong, Doppy, and myself. ¡°I''m Kwon Su-Hyeok, and I¡¯m twenty-four years old. This is my friend Ha Hee-Jeong, we''re the same age. This friendly goblin is Doppy." But as soon as I introduced myself, people stared at me, eyes widening in surprise. Why are they looking at me like that? The actor and bald man quickly asked what was on their mind. ¡°The Kwon Su-Hyeok and Ha Hee-Jeong who are first and second in the rankings?" ¡°Are you the climber in first ce?" Ah,e to think of it, I am quite famous in the Community. Because of me, hundreds of thousands had been stuck waiting indefinitely in the lobby... ¡°Ah, yes. I''m that Kwon Su-Hyeok. And yes, Hee-Jeong is second." The bald man pped and grinned broadly. ¡°Wow, we hit the jackpot Ha-Rin! With the first and second-ce climbers on our team, we won''t have to worry about dying on the sixth floor." I found the way Seo Ho-Su fussed fatherly over Seo Ha-Rin quite endearing. It almost felt like I was watching my own father. Still shocked by our identities, the Hollywood actor introduced himself next, followed by the African-American woman. ¡°I¡¯m Cole Grouse, twenty-seven years old." ¡°I''m Chloe Vincent." Unlike Cole, Chloe clicked her tongue as if something about the situation did not sit well with her. I couldn¡¯t quite ce it, but I could feel her negative vibes just from looking at her. ??????§§? Curious about their reputations, I whispered to Ha Hee-Jeong, trying to gather more information about our currentpanions. ¡°Do you know anyone here?" ¡°Actually, we got pretty lucky. Cole Grouse and I reached the nieth floor together during my previous life. I¡¯m pretty sure he is still ranked in the top hundred right now?" ¡°Really?" ¡°Yeah, and Ha-Rin had been with us since the forty-first floor. It¡¯s good to see her again. She¡¯s pretty good. I¡¯m not sure about Ho-Su, but as for Chloe... well, I don¡¯t know anything about her either." What she shared revealed that we had some decently talented people joining us. Reflecting on this, I couldn''t help but think that our team might be a little bit overpowered. Besides Ha Hee-Jeong and I, the first and second-ce climbers on the Climber Leaderboard, we also had a couple of teammates who ended up as powerhouses in Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s first life. Is the tower trying to help me? While I pondered about our team, I suddenly felt a piercing gaze. Turning around, I found Cole staring intently at me. Our eyes met, his gaze lingering for longer than I would have expected. Why is he staring at me? Is he challenging me because I made him wait indefinitely on the fifth floor? Does he want to fight? ¡°Ah, right, I should have mentioned it. He¡¯s gay." Ha Hee-Jeong whispered suddenly, causing me to snap out of my reverie and shift my focus. I had once heard that gay men often use subtle cues or signals to share their identity with others. Fuck, I don¡¯t care if you like men, but if you gaze for that long it¡¯s a little invasive, isn¡¯t it?. While this happened, Seo Ho-Su had been looking inquisitively at Doppy. ¡°Hey, this Doppy fellow, is it a pet or something?" ¡°No, Doppy''s not a pet. It¡¯s my colleague. It can think like us and even saved my life." ¡°Really? It saved the life of the top ranker? That''s impressive. Hello, Doppy?" Seo Ho-Su greeted Doppy as if it were a cute puppy. ¡°Kriee! Human! Nice to meet you!" The bald manughed heartily at Doppy¡¯s response. ¡°Oh, hehe. What a cute friend. Goblin! I¡¯m also pleased to meet you!" ¡°Ah, Dad, stop that!" Seo Ha-Rin seemed embarrassed by her father''s actions as she whispered quietly beside him. A beaming Seo Ho-Su ignored that however, going ahead and shaking hands with Doppy. I realized he didn¡¯t consider Doppy as a pet; he simply found it cute. Watching Seo Ho-Su as he conversed with Doppy, I had a faint premonition that he would turn out to be a good ally. ¡°Why are you calling it cute?" ¡°Huh?" Just as a warm atmosphere started developing, Chloe interjected sharply. ¡°Can''t we just kill it since it''s a monster? Isn''t it unpleasant anyway?" ¡°Wait a minute, miss!" ¡°We''re going to be traveling together from now on. How can we know if this thing won''t stab us in the backter?" she continued. ¡°Uh... Doppy saved this guy''s life.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see that happen. Even if that''s true, that¡¯s no guarantee it won¡¯t betray uster. I find all these monsters disgusting.¡± Seo Ho-Su looked at Chloe with an expression of disbelief. A chill reced the warmth in my heart, anger welling up within me. Is she insane? How could someone be so rude so quickly? She must be out of her mind. Crazy... ¡°Crazy bitch." Although I may have thought it, someone else actually said it aloud. @@novelbin@@ Ha Hee-Jeong stood next to me, fixing Chloe with a steely, unsettling gaze that reminded me of the intimidating eyes she¡¯d disyed in the bar before entering the tower. The intensity seemed to have frightened Chloe, her voice quivering as she responded. ¡°W-wha-what did you say? Are you spe-speaking to m-me?" I was surprised by Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s temper, but equally impressed by her confidence. Shutting my mouth tight, I listened closely as she pointedly addressed Chloe. ¡°It almost seems as if we begged you to travel with us. If Doppy is so unpleasant, why don''t you just leave?" ¡°But, we''re all humans...! We should support each other, not monsters!" ¡°And what¡¯s so great about humans? Don¡¯t they betray each other too? Aren¡¯t you a priest? Maybe you shouldpete with the goblin to see who casts better healing spells." ¡°...¡± Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s rapid response had silenced Chloe, leaving Chloe speechless and unable to formte aeback. However, the displeasure remained evident on her face, and the atmosphere became tensely quiet. It was at this moment that Seo Ho-Su stepped in to mediate. ¡°Uh, well, since we were destined to meet and help each other, why don¡¯t we skip the fighting and not turn against each other? We don''t know what lies ahead. Chloe, why don''t you apologize first?" Chloe reluctantly mumbled. ¡°... I''m sorry." Although I wasn¡¯t satisfied, Seo Ho-Su had intervened diplomatically, and it wouldn¡¯t be right to escte things further. Therefore, I simply nodded. Ha Hee-Jeong was clearly still annoyed. She leaned in and whispered to me, ¡°She is so annoying. It¡¯s always the useless ones who make the most noise." Her blunt honesty almost made meugh, but I suppressed it, mindful of the tension hanging in the air. As we whispered, Chloe nced over at us sharply. ¡°What are you staring at? Back in the day, you wouldn¡¯t have even been able to meet my eyes," Ha Hee-Jeong muttered under her breath. ¡°Pfft. Enough, stop it," I urged quietly. ¡°Sigh, you know I¡¯m only holding back because of you, right?¡± Suddenly, we heard a rustling noise from outside our small group of climbers. I looked around, finally taking our surroundings in. We were standing in what resembled an undeveloped construction site, enclosed by barricades. The rustling noise emanated from what appeared to be the entrance to this site. Beyond the open space, the scenery was eerily familiar, with high-rise buildings that looked like they had been lifted straight from Earth. ¡°Su-Hyeok?" Ha Hee-Jeong picked up on the strange sound too, tightening her grip on her staff. As everyone¡¯s attention shifted toward the entrance, a grotesque creature squeezed through a gap in the barricades. ¡°What¡­ what the heck is that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ that¡­¡± At first nce, I thought it was a human but quickly realized it wasn¡¯t. Small horns jutted from its head, and it had pallid, diseased-looking skin, encrusted with scales. The sight of the thing shambling toward us, intestines dangling from a rip in its stomach and face smeared with blood, was chilling. ¡°Is¡­ Is that a zombie?" It looked just like a zombie from a horror movie. When it entered through the gate and spotted us, it started running toward us at a terrifying speed. No ordinary human would be able to match its speed. ¡°¡ª ¡ª ¡ª.¡± Thankfully, we weren¡¯t ordinary humans. Before it could fully elerate, Ha Hee-Jeong murmured a few words. Immediately after, a fireball shot out and hit the creature''s head, blowing it to pieces. Surprisingly, the explosion was soundless. ¡°Su-Hyeok, take the lead! Everyone, follow him!" Before I could even ponder why the explosion was silent, Ha Hee-Jeong was already pulling me forward. The creature that had just exploded was only the beginning. More zombie-like beings began to crowd through the entrance. I adjusted my shield and gripped my mace tightly, sprinting to the front. Not needing more prompting, the others used the knowledge they had gained from the tutorial to take up their battle positions. I stood at the front with Seo Ho-Su, while Cole Grouse positioned himself in the middle, and Ha Hee-Jeong, Seo Ha-Rin, and Chloe took the rear. Despite the onught, I wasn''t particrly worried. It didn''t feel like we were going to lose. My physical abilities had improved significantly, and it had been so long since I had fought that my body was itching for action. Just a momentter, Ha Hee-Jeong shouted out amand. ¡°We need to break through!" Lightning coalesced around my mace as I prepared myself for battle. The mace began to sparkle more fiercely than usual, illuminating the area around us. 1. I will be referring to him as ¡®the actor.¡¯ ? Chapter 19: The Lost World of the Corrupted (3) Chapter 19: The Lost World of the Corrupted (3) During Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s previous life, on the seventy-third floor. ¡°Ah, are you referring to the time when I briefly held first ce? I still remember it clearly. How could I forget? It was all thanks to the remarkable discovery I made on the sixth floor." ¡°How did I find it? Well, that ce resembled Seoul. I don¡¯t know why those weird creatures were there, but it happened to be near my house." ¡°I was just terrified and tried to get to my house at first. Everyone else was out of their minds too. When I mentioned my house was nearby, they suggested we hide there." ¡°Since there were too many of those creatures upying the streets from Myeongdong[1] Station to Chungmuro[2] Station, we decided to enter the subway. Of course, there were some creatures inside the station too, but not as many. That¡¯s where I found it, walking along the subway tracks." ¡°I managed to find andplete a hidden mission within the time limit and got a huge boost in my achievement score. Huh? Why was I the only one from my team to get an award forpleting the hidden mission? ¡°Well, I''ve never told anyone this before. Not because I¡¯ve been drinking, but because I think you''d understand since you are the coldest person I¡¯ve ever met. ¡°I ended up killing them all. Wait, just a minute! Kkuk¡­ What, why?" ***[Contaminated ¡ö¡ö¡ö] - Used to be a sentient being. - The size of the horns corrtes to strength. - The hardness of the scales corrtes to strength. Clearing the path wasn¡¯t too difficult. With each swing of my mace, a creature fell. When we reached the construction site entrance swarming with disgusting zombies, Ha Hee-Jeong cast a spell, and we rushed through the gap created by her magic. [Survive for forty-eight hours. Time remaining: 46 hours 32 minutes.] We quickly dealt with the creatures outside and entered an unupied building. Settling down from the sudden fight, we gathered around and started talking. ¡°Guys, this is Korea, right? I saw signs in Korean earlier, but why are there zombies here?" ¡°I know right? I noticed that too." He was right. I had seen signs and ss marked with Chinese and Korean writing. Even the car license tes were Korean. ¡°It can''t be that the Earth has already been destroyed, right?" Ha Hee-Jeong responded to the man''s question. Although her tone was spective, she spoke with certainty. ¡°Probably not. The gods likely just made the floor look simr, since there weren¡¯t any humans, only these monsters." ¡°I hope that''s the case¡­" It seemed highly likely that this ce was simply modeled after Earth. ¡°By the way, Su-Hyeok." ¡°Ah, yes. Please, feel free to speak casually. You¡¯re much older than me, so there¡¯s no need for formality." ¡°Heh, should I then?" Seo Ho-Su responded to my words with a smile, as if he had been anticipating the conversation. His yful demeanor belied a genuinely affable nature, evident from the gentle smile he wore. ?¨¤??¦¢??? ¡°Your mace was surrounded by streaks of lightning... And I couldn¡¯t help but notice that it shone even more intensely during the fight earlier.¡± ¡°Ah yeah well, I found a hidden piece on the fourth floor by sheer luck, so that¡¯s how I got the mace.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong and I had expected this question, so we had discussed how I should answer this question. Karaksh¡¯s Thunder Macebined with the Lightning Essence I had consumed, not to mention my extremely high stats, allowed me to disy outstanding capabilities. Since I was the only one to havepleted the Challenger¡¯s tutorial and could not publicize that Ha Hee-Jeong was a regressor, it was better to simply say a hidden piece gave me my strength. The conversation shifted as Seo Ho-Su remarked with a chuckle, ¡°So the hidden piece on the fourth floor must be why you took so long to clear the tutorial. I¡¯m not surprised you are ranked first with the capabilities you just disyed. You moved swiftly, defeating everything in sight like the sh.¡± ¡°Haha, nah. I honestly think that everyone performed impressively.¡± It was true. As we arduously cleared a path, Seo Ho-Su adjusted his pace to match mine seamlessly, and Cole adeptly handled any stragglers. Obviously, Ha Hee-Jeong supported me skillfully, and the two priests also performed well by casting a vitality-boosting buff on Seo Ho-Su and me. Amid our scattered conversations, Cole suddenly brought up the sponsorship contracts. Come to think of it, there must have been a lot of people who got scammed... ¡°Oh, by the way, how did everyone¡¯s sponsorship contract turn out?¡± ¡°Heh, I thought I was signing with a fourth-ss god, but it turned out they were actually a second-ss god!¡± Seo Ho-Su¡¯s words had caught Chloe off guard, and she responded to him surprisedly, ¡°What? Why did you even sign a contract with a fourth-ss in the first ce?¡± From her expression, it was clear she regretted her decision. She probably got tricked on the first floor into signing with a first-ss god, which wouldter turn into a fifth-ss god. ¡°I just didn¡¯t like the names of the gods that offered me contracts. I mean, how do I exin this... None of the names had that romantic ir, so even if they were supposedly a first-ss god, they didn¡¯t appeal to me.¡± ¡°If things hadn¡¯t turned out differently, that would¡¯ve been a really dumb choice.¡± Chloe emphasized the word ¡°dumb,¡± reinforcing my negative opinion of her. Seo Ho-Su justughed it off. ¡°Haha, true. But I¡¯m someone who values having a bit of romance in my life. By the way, Chloe. It looks like you ended up with a fifth-ss god, right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh, right. Ha-Rin, who did you end up signing with?¡± After slyly shutting down Chloe, Seo Ho-Su smoothly turned the conversation to Seo Ha-Rin. ... Is this what experience does? ¡°The god I signed a contract with turned out to be a first-ss god. I didn¡¯t want to choose a first-ss god since I figured more people would want to sign contracts with them and then they wouldn¡¯t be able to support me as much. Looking back on it now I am d I made that decision.¡± ¡°Oh, I had the same thought and signed with a fifth-ss god too, whichter turned out to be a first-ss god. I assumed that fewer people would contract with lower-ss gods, so they¡¯d give me more attention. How about you, Su-Hyeok and Hee-Jeong?¡± To my surprise, both Seo Ha-Rin and Cole had signed with a true first-ss god. Do these people have some kind of good intuition? It was definitely a reasonable idea. After all, if everyone signed with the same high-ss god, there would be less support for each individual person. Can a single god have contracts with multiple people? I¡¯ll have to ask Hee-Jeong about this. But with everyone else around, it didn¡¯t feel like the right time to bring it up. I¡¯d have to ask herter. While I was lost in thought, the others were looking curiously at Hee-Jeong and me. Oh, right, it¡¯s our turn to share. ¡°My reasoning was simr to yours, so I also signed with what ended up being a first-ss god.¡± ¡°I just waited to choose a god with a title that resonated with me, and it just happened to be a first-ss god.¡± I nced over at Ha Hee-Jeong and wondered what her experience was like in her previous life. Did she also sign with a first-ss god back then? ¡°Yeah, I signed with the same god I chosest time, so a true first-ss god.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong had noticed my curiosity, and so she whispered to me. I nodded slightly, and Seo Ho-Su spoke up again. ¡°Does anyone actually know why we¡¯re required to sign these sponsorship contracts? It¡¯s called a sponsorship, but I haven¡¯t been sponsored anything yet, hmph.¡± ¡°Yeah, who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll figure it out eventually.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s with this ¡®share percentage¡¯ thing next to it? Feels like another scam.¡± Share percentage? What¡¯s that supposed to be? It must be rted to the contracts since it came up during the conversation, but I hadn¡¯t seen it before. Oh, right. I haven¡¯t checked my status window since signing the contract. Status window. In response to calling out ¡°status window¡± in my mind, a small, semi-transparent notification popped up. [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 0.00% / 100.00%) Strength: 78.8 Agility: 75.5 Stamina: 71.9 Mana: 41.5 My stats had gone up a bit, probably thanks to the recent fight. And now, a new stat called "share percentage" had appeared next to my sponsor¡¯s name. 0.00% / 100.00%... What does that even mean? If it hits a hundred percent, do I be some kind of ve?I need to figure this outter. I nced at Ha Hee-Jeong to signal my curiosity, but she just mouthed that we¡¯d talk about it afterward. Well, there wasn¡¯t much I could do right now anyway. But seriously, how long are we going to sit here doing nothing? As if answering my question, Chloe interrupted the silence with a sharp tone. She was probably still annoyed that she got stuck with a fifth-ss god. I couldn¡¯t me her. ¡°So, are we just going to stay here forever? Do we even have a n?¡± We had to survive for forty-eight hours. Maybe we could just avoid those zombie-like things until then. ¡°We¡¯ve rested and talked enough. It¡¯s time to move.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong nodded firmly and stood up, her voice leaving no room for argument. Knowing she was a regressor, I followed her lead without question. However, Cole, Seo Ho-Su, and Seo Ha-Rin stayed seated, looking puzzled. ¡°Wait, shouldn¡¯t we at least discuss where we¡¯re going before we rush out? This building isn¡¯t exactly dangerous, and if we rush out thoughtlessly, we could end up in trouble.¡± ¡°Yeah, Hee-Jeong. I get that staying here might not be safe, but we should at least figure out where we¡¯re heading before we start moving.¡± Cole and Seo Ho-Su took turns expressing their concerns, and honestly, they had a point. If I hadn¡¯t known Hee-Jeong was a regressor, I¡¯d probably be asking a simr question¡ªwhy the sudden urge to leave? I was curious how she¡¯d respond. ¡°Well, I have a foresight skill, so I know it¡¯ll get dangerous if we stay in one ce for too long.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Foresight skill?¡± Cole and the others were stunned, barely able to process what she¡¯d just said. Only Seo Ho-Su had managed to say anything in response, looking dumbfounded. A foresight skill, huh? That¡¯s such a smart excuse. If anyone questioned her decisions, she could simply say, ¡°I¡¯ve got a foresight skill,¡± and it would shut down any arguments. Of course, if things went south, she would get med. But with Hee-Jeong¡¯s knowledge from her past, that seemed unlikely. ¡°Yeah, if we stay put for too long, the monsters will swarm us, and there are stronger ones that could appear. I mean, if we could just hide somewhere and wait it out, that¡¯d be way too easy, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got a point there.¡± ¡°Hee-Jeong, so where exactly are we going? Did your foresight show you something?¡± ¡°We¡¯re heading to Chungmuro Station.¡± ¡°Chungmuro Station?¡± Ha Hee-Jeong nodded in response to Seo Ho-Su¡¯s question. ¡°You know how Su-Hyeok discovered a hidden mission, right? Our party has the first and second-ce climbers, so we should aim to find another one on the sixth floor.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯d definitely be good for us. But Hee-Jeong, do you even know where we are? How are we supposed to get to Chungmuro?¡± ¡°We¡¯re near the Chinese Embassy¡¯s Consr Office, which is about a ten-minute walk from Myeongdong Station. Chungmuro Station is right next to it, so it won¡¯t take us long to get there.¡± Ah, so this was Myeongdong.@@novelbin@@ That exined all the Chinese and Korean signs[3]. There was something about the way Ha Hee-Jeong spoke that motivated people. Maybe it was because she was a regressor and had a lot of experience dealing with situations like this. I wasn¡¯t sure if the others fully believed in her foresight skill, but regardless of what doubts they could have had, everyone got up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± After we checked our gear and weapons onest time, we headed out of the building. Our destination was Chungmuro Station, which was about a twenty-minute walk away if all went well. But who knows how long it¡¯d take if we ran into any trouble along the way. Either way, it was time to move. Alright, let¡¯s do this. Time to find that hidden mission. 1. Myeongdong is a bustling shopping district in Seoul, known for its vibrant streets lined with fashion boutiques, beauty shops, and a wide array of street food vendors. ? 2. Chungmuro is renowned as the cultural and historical heart of Seoul''s film industry, dotted with ssic theaters and specialized film equipment shops. Myeongdong and Chungmuro are very close to each other in Seoul, typically about a 5-minute drive apart. ? 3. Myeongdong is a popr shopping district that attracts arge number of Chinese tourists, leading businesses to cater to them with signage in Chinese. ? Chapter 20: The Lost World of the Corrupted (4) Chapter 20: The Lost World of the Corrupted (4) During Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s current life, in the sixth floor¡¯s waiting room. [Ha Hee-Jeong (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: N/A Affiliation: Tower of Ordeal Patron Deity: Fifth ss, The Master of the Five Carriage Wheels (Share percentage: 0.00% / 100.00%) Strength: 29.4 Agility: 37.9 Stamina: 35.5 Mana: 79.2Skills: Fire Essence lvl 4, Spell Precision lvl 7¡­ Her sponsor god had been demoted from a first to a fifth-ss god. She wasn¡¯t sure why that was the case, but maybe when she had regressed it had also affected her sponsor. However, that wasn¡¯t the critical issue. Ha Hee-Jeong sighed deeply as her eyes drifted away from the status window. Nothing had changed in this second life, either. Her status window still boldly dered her affiliation as ¡°The Tower of Ordeal.¡± *** Everything had seemed manageable when we started running from the construction site. Although it had felt like every enemy in the vicinity swarmed us, we hadn¡¯t been overwhelmed by the numbers. Oh how wrong we had been. These strange, unknown zombies had started appearing from all directions just as we reached the downhill stretch near the Consr Section of the Chinese Embassy. Thankfully, we saw Exit Three of Myeongdong Statione into view shortly after. The zombies filled the massive sixne road in front of the station. The moment one spotted us and let out a horrific shriek, the other thousands of zombies turned their heads our way. Then, they charged at us with terrifying speed. A shiver ran down my spine. It felt like we were trapped in a low-budget horror movie. For a moment, the sheer numbers overwhelmed us. ¡°This way!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look back! I¡¯ve got the rear covered!¡± As we descended the stairs leading to Exit Three, Ha Hee-Jeong chanted a spell, sending a wall of mes erupting in front of the enemies crowding us from behind. Blocking the zombies¡¯ path temporarily, the brief reprieve she created was just enough to allow us to push forward. Phew¡­ When did things get this bad? ¡°Hee-Jeong! How long will that wall hold?¡± ¡°Three minutes! Two if we¡¯re unlucky! We need to get to the tform before it fades!¡± ¡°Doppy! Cast a healing spell on Ho-Su!¡± Seo Ho-Su looked rough. He was covered in blood, making it hard to see where he was injured, but I could tell his movements had slowed. ¡°Kriee! Heal Wounds!¡± ¡°Vitality!¡± ¡°Vitality!¡± Doppy, Seo Ha-Rin, and Chloe shouted in turn. A brief, radiant light enveloped Seo Ho-Su and me. I could feel my drained energy being restored, enough to push through the enemies again. I swung my mace fiercely at the zombies charging up the stairs. ???§°?§¦s ¡°Guh, Guhhh!¡± Using the energy of the Lightning Essence that coursed within me, I unleashed a bolt at a nearby clump of enemies. The lightning surged through them, and those within three meters of the first impact crumpled to the ground. ¡°Run!¡± We fought through the zombies closing in on us and jumped over the turnstile. Thankfully, there weren¡¯t many inside the station. It was a stark contrast to the surface, which was swarming with zombies. Maybe they don¡¯t understand the concept of subways? Or maybe they just hate underground spaces? It definitely wasn¡¯t because they wanted to eat humans. During the chase, I had realized there were no traces of human activity on the sixth floor. It felt like the tower just copied the space without adding the details and actual beings. I had checked a restaurant out of curiosity, but there were no supplies, nor electricity. Even the building we first hid in was empty. ¡°Hee-Jeong, we¡¯re heading toward Chungmuro, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, turn right here.¡± We descended onto the tform, taking out any wandering zombies, then smashed through the screen doors. Before more could gather, we slipped onto the tracks and hid. ¡°Grrr¡­¡± The zombies that arrived on the tform after us couldn¡¯t spot us through the screen doors. They wandered around for a bit before heading back toward the turnstiles. It was time to move again. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°Su-Hyeok, it¡¯s to the right, yeah?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Seo Ho-Su and I took the lead, while the rest of the group quietly followed behind.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Ha-Rin doesn¡¯t talk much, does she?¡± ¡°Oh, my daughter¡¯s just really shy. She¡¯ll warm up once she gets to know you.¡± Worried that our voices might carry, I kept my conversation with Seo Ho-Su quiet. Out of the six of us, only Seo Ho-Su, Ha Hee-Jeong, and I were talking. Seo Ho-Su¡¯sment that Seo Ha-Rin was incredibly shy exined herck of conversation. On the other hand, Cole seemed like the kind of guy who didn¡¯t enjoy talking much, seeming more like the strong, silent type. Chloe, though¡­ I didn¡¯t think she was naturally quiet, and it felt more like she was sulking, keeping her mouth shut out of spite. And Doppy? It wasn¡¯t one to talk unless someone specifically asked it something. As we walked along the tracks toward Chungmuro, the awkward silence seemed almost tangible. Honestly, I had had less awkward first dates. It wasn¡¯t like we were staying quiet to avoid attracting zombies, either. There weren¡¯t any of those freaks on the tracks inside the screen doors. Maybe the zombies can¡¯t get past the doors? Also, I guess most people in this party just have a quiet nature. Who knows. Now and then, Seo Ho-Su and I exchanged a few words, while Ha Hee-Jeong tried to chat with Doppy and Seo Ha-Rin. Ha Hee-Jeong seemed eager to get closer to Seo Ha-Rin, probably because of what she knew from her first life, but Seo Ha-Rin looked a bit overwhelmed by the attention. I mean, if I were that shy and someone like Ha Hee-Jeong suddenly got all buddy-buddy, I¡¯d probably feel uneasy too. Does Ha Hee-Jeong even know what Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s like? Weren¡¯t theyrades before she regressed? I quickly realized that since they had met on the forty-first floor, Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s personality could¡¯ve changed before reaching that point. I was lost in thought when Seo Ho-Su nudged me. ¡°Su-Hyeok, are you listening?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I heard the part about you being into martial arts novels back in school.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s when I got hooked on genre fiction.¡± I bet Seo Ha-Rin took after her mother. There was no way she¡¯d be this quiet if she were like her dad. I nodded along as Seo Ho-Su kept talking, clearly enjoying himself. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, although I have read fantasy novels my entire life, I never thought something like this would actually happen to me.¡± ¡°You mentioned genre fiction novels had a lot of stuff simr to what we¡¯re going through now, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Status windows, towers, parties, constetions, gods. They were full of epic adventures.¡± He chuckled, but there was a hint of something else in hisugh. ¡°But that¡¯s just fiction. Living through this with my own daughter? That¡¯s apletely different story.¡± ¡°Yeah, I totally get that, and Ha-Rin¡¯s still in high school.¡± ¡°At this point, I¡¯m just thankful my wife isn¡¯t caught up in this mess. If Ha-Rin loses her dad, at least she¡¯ll still have her mom.¡± ¡°...¡± The conversation took a serious turn, and I wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. ¡°Su-Hyeok, this isn¡¯t a novel. I¡¯m not the protagonist. If something happens to Ha-Rin and me, promise me you¡¯ll save my daughter first. Okay?¡± ¡°... I¡¯ll save both of you.¡± ¡°Look, if you ever have to choose between us, I need you to save my daughter first. Please.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Seo Ho-Su¡¯s voice was calm, and I nodded. Only then did he seem to rx, a small, relieved smile appearing on his face. For someone who always seemed cheerful, it was clear he had his own heavy concerns. I wondered how much he had struggled before asking someone young enough to be his son to make such a promise. He probably brought it up after seeing my abilities and knowing I was currently ranked first. That makes sense, I guess. Seo Ho-Su never held back. He always put himself at risk to protect the others, making sure none of the zombies slipped past him. He also pushed himself hard, trying not to slow us down. I liked him. Yeah, he was a talker, but he was also someone you could trust. Neither he nor his daughter, Seo Ha-Rin, were the type to give up easily. ¡°Hold on.¡± Hearing Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s voice from behind, I tensed up, ready for action. The dim lights along the dark tracks flickered slowly. ... I couldn¡¯t sense anything, though. Huh? Wait, there is something. Although it wasn¡¯t moving, I could feel a faint pulse. It felt like the energy I sensed when using the Lightning Essence skill. Is this magic? A faint sensation of energy wasing from the far corner of the opposite track, the one leading from Chungmuro to Myeongdong. Lying there was a bizarre egg, wrapped in ck tendril-like veins. Next to it, a silver ring, ne, and a ck pill were all neatlyid out. ¡°... Is this what I think it is?¡± ¡°Looks like it. There¡¯s a ring and a ne here, too. And this...¡± ¡°That looks like some kind of elixir.¡± As we got closer, a notification window popped up. [¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö''s Corrupted Egg] - A creepy egg. - Whoever looks at it will feel uneasy. - Handle with care. The description felt like it was leaving out a lot. The egg definitely gave off a sketchy vibe, something that stirred up a deep, primal disgust. [¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö''s Ring] - Strength +4, Agility +2, Stamina +4, Mana +2 [¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö''s Ne] - Strength +1, Agility +3, Stamina +2, Mana +6 [¡ö¡ö¡ö Elixir] - An unknown elixir. The ring looked perfect for closebat fighters, while the ne seemed ideal for mages or priests. As for the elixir, its vague description left it aplete mystery. After checking out the items for a bit, Ha Hee-Jeong suddenly spoke up. ¡°Su-Hyeok and I will take these.¡± Her decisive tone made Chloe speak out in protest. ¡°Why!? Why do you two get to keep them?¡± ¡°We found these because of me. And do you really think you¡¯d have made it this far without Su-Hyeok and me?¡± ¡°W-well, you two did help a lot, but shouldn¡¯t we at least talk about it first? Just taking them like that seems unfair.¡± Chloe looked around for support, but Seo Ho-Su seemed to agree with Ha Hee-Jeong, and even Cole shook his head at Chloe. ¡°I think Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s right. We wouldn¡¯t have gotten this far without them.¡± ¡°So, what? I¡¯m the bad guy here?¡± Chloe grumbled, but Cole didn¡¯t argue. Instead, he asked Ha Hee-Jeong a question. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Hey, Hee-Jeong, is that egg the hidden mission?¡± ¡°Yes, breaking the egg will start the hidden mission.¡± ¡°That egg is seriously creepy, though.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just smash it and get it over with!¡± Ha Hee-Jeong looked at me like she was expecting me to break it. Does she really want me to do it? I gave her a questioning look, to which she nodded, confirming what I thought. I turned my attention back to the weird egg. Every time the ck tendrils around it twitched, it pulsed slightly. Alright, let¡¯s do this. I wrapped my mace in a thickyer of lightning and raised it high into the air. Wait a second. A strong feeling suddenly washed over me, the same one I had relied on during the tutorial, screaming that I shouldn¡¯t break it. Is this my Sixth Sense? I froze, my mace still raised, and Ha Hee-Jeong stared at me like I was losing it. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t break it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t break it.¡± Even though Ha Hee-Jeong was a regressor, she hadn¡¯t cleared every hidden mission. I¡¯d trusted my instincts during the tutorial, and now it was time to follow them again. ¡°Doppy, you can cast a spell that purifies objects, right?¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin! Can do that!¡± ¡°Cast it on this egg.¡± Doppy stepped forward. Just before it could open its mouth, the others started protesting, having finally recovered from their surprise. ¡°Su-Hyeok, Hee-Jeong has foresight, you know...¡± ¡°Su-Hyeok, maybe it¡¯s better to smash it like Hee-Jeong said we should?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a Sixth Sense skill. I¡¯m telling you, we shouldn¡¯t...¡± That¡¯s when we heard footsteps pounding toward us that sounded like someone was being chased. Everyone turned their attention to the path we had just walked. ¡°Please, help us!¡± ¡°Help! The zombies are right behind us...!¡± Five people were sprinting toward us, a horde of zombies closing in behind them. Damn it, these fucking idiots. ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± *** ¡¸Invisible message: The Corrupted Seraphim Queen¡¯s Egg has been discovered for the first time in Zone 54 of the Lost World of the Corrupted. All hidden missions in other zones have been canceled.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: The Corrupted Seraphim Queen¡¯s Egg was not destroyed. The hidden mission ¡®Lost King of the Corrupted¡¯ has been canceled.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: The hidden mission ¡®Lost World of the Corrupted Seraphim¡¯ has begun. 5,000 achievement points have been added to the point totals of the climbers who discovered the egg.¡¹ Chapter 21: The Lost World of the Corrupted (5) Chapter 21: The Lost World of the Corrupted (5) I swung my arm, bringing the mace down brutally in an arcing motion. It mmed into the zombie¡¯s skull with a sickening crunch, smashing its head like a ripe watermelon. ¡°Huff! Huff!¡± The group that had led the zombies our way copsed as soon as they passed us, gasping for breath. Out of the five we spotted, only three had made it. The other two unfortunately lost their lives to the horde as they tried to flee. Seo Ho-Su shouted something weird as he shoved his shield forward, guarding the neers. ¡°Bash!¡± He followed the move up by quickly stabbing the stumbling zombie. ... Did he just shout out the name of a skill? Sure, priests do that sometimes, but¡­ that didn¡¯t seem like a skill, though. He hadn¡¯t done this in the earlier fights. Is he getting morefortable fighting with us?Well, he did mention he was a fan of fantasy novels. If anything, it was a good sign that he was starting to get the hang ofbat. ¡°Gasp, thank you!¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you so much!¡± Once thest zombie fell, the survivors kept bowing and thanking us. They were three big guys, all holding swords. They looked like warriors. ¡°How¡¯d you even make it down here?¡± ¡°We were heading to Chungmuro, but then the zombies suddenly shifted to the other side. We took advantage of the gap...¡± ¡°Chungmuro?¡± ¡°Yeah, my home¡¯s there. But that... what is that?¡± One of the guys nced at the strange egg nestled behind us. Is he just asking out of curiosity? No, I can see a flicker of greed in his eyes. Saved from drowning, yet you¡¯re asking for the rescue boat. Honestly, I was annoyed. His eyes kept darting to the egg and the gear around it. Seriously? We just saved your life, and that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking about? ¡°We are the ones who found these items. Back off.¡± My words came out sharper than I intended. The guy must¡¯ve noticed my irritation because he quickly backpedaled. ¡°Oh, no, I wasn¡¯t trying to im anything. I was just curious... Were you guys heading to Chungmuro too?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s where we¡¯re going.¡± Seo Ho-Su answered smoothly, probably sensing my mood. The tension eased up a bit. ¡°Is it just me, or is this guy shady?¡± I whispered to Ha Hee-Jeong, but her response sent a chill down my spine. ¡°Yeah, we should kill him now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± We should kill him? Surprised, I turned to her and saw her ring intensely at the guy. "That guy is bad news, he¡¯ll do anything to satisfy his greed¡ªbackstabbing, betraying, you name it. Honestly, I¡¯d love to take him out right here, but for now... we don¡¯t have a choice, we have to let him be." ??£Á£Î???¨ºS? ¡°...¡± ¡°Keep an eye on him. I will too.¡± I nodded slightly, but I still felt uneasy. I had killed things that looked like people before, but the thought of killing an actual person daunted me. That was different, something I hadn¡¯t wanted to consider.@@novelbin@@ There was a huge psychological difference between killing something that looked human and killing an actual human. I figured this might happen someday... But now that I had to face that reality, it felt way harder than I had imagined. No, don¡¯t dwell on it now. She only asked me to keep an eye on him, nothing more. Let¡¯s just focus on what we were doing. ¡°Hey, Ho-Su. Do you want toe with us? Our ce is pretty big.¡± ¡°Well, I should ask my group first.¡± ¡°By the way, you were amazing back there! I was shocked by the way you blocked with your shield and then¡­ Bam! Stabbed right through!¡± ¡°Nah~ Su-Hyeok here is the real deal.¡± Seo Ho-Su and the guy were already chatting andughing like old friends. Meanwhile, I quietly called Doppy over before approaching the egg. Ha Hee-Jeong picked up the elixir, ring, and ne. ¡°You should take the ring and the elixir. I¡¯ll just keep the ne.¡± ¡°Okay, got it.¡± She handed me the elixir and ring before slipping on the ne. The ne gave her quite the power boost since I instantly noticed her steps be lighter. [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 0.00% / 100.00%) Strength: 82.8 Agility: 77.5 Stamina: 75.9 Mana: 43.5 Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 4, Sixth Sense lvl 8, Indomitability lvl 14(+5), Combat Focus lvl 13(+5), Natural Healing lvl 5, Pain Resistance lvl 5, Lightning Resistance lvl 5, Fire Resistance lvl 2, Poison Resistance lvl 2 As expected, my stats increased slightly ording to the ring¡¯s description¡ªStrength +4, Agility +2, Stamina +4, Mana +2. Surprisingly, my Lightning Essence skill leveled up as well. Now, it was time to deal with the weird egg. ¡°Doppy.¡± ¡°Kriee! Purification!¡± A radiant light descended on the ckened, corroded egg, but nothing happened. Was my Sixth Sense skill wrong?? Then again, I couldn¡¯t expect my Sixth Sense skill to be right every time since it was just that¡ªa sixth sense, not foresight. Wait¡­ Did the egg just twitch? ¡°Did you see that? I think it shook a bit.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Doppy, try it one more time.¡± ¡°Kriee! Purification!¡± Staring intently at the egg, I saw it twitch again. This time, I was sure of it. It had flinched slightly, barely noticeable unless you were paying close attention. ¡°Chloe, Ha-Rin, you both know how to cast Purification, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s all do it together.¡± When the three priests cast the spell simultaneously, the radiant light grew even brighter. Finally, we heard a faint crack, and the ck tendrils wrapping around the egg began to fall away. *** [¡ö¡ö¡ö ¡ö¡ö''s Egg] - An unordinary egg. - Whoever looks at it will feel curious about its origin. - Handle with care. ¡°So, what was your original n?¡± ¡°They said you¡¯d find a key when you break the egg. So there¡¯s this media center that focuses on movies in Chungmuro Station¡¯s underground...¡± ¡°But you weren¡¯t the one who broke it, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I just heard about it. They said there¡¯s a hidden door in that media center. I nned to find it, hide inside whatever room was behind the door, and wait out the remaining time.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong and I were sitting in the apartment near Chungmuro Station and had been discussing the twist that had urred. This ce belonged to that sketchy guy, and now, thanks to the notification window, we had learned that the word ¡°corrupted¡± was gone from the egg¡¯s description. That¡¯s a good sign, at least. Unfortunately, we had no idea what to do next. The change to the hidden mission had rendered Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s knowledge close to useless. ¡°So we purified the egg, but that cost us a safe hiding spot.¡± ¡°... When the twenty-four-hour time limit is up, the Queen will show up.¡± ¡°The Queen?¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a monster of a monster. Even with our current strength, I¡¯m not sure we could take her down. And she appears randomly. In the first round, almost everyone who encountered the Queen ended up dead.¡± After Ha Hee-Jeong finished speaking, she fell silent, thinking hard. The Queen, huh? If we manage to beat her, the rewards should be massive. Just then, something clicked for Ha Hee-Jeong and her face suddenly lit up. ¡°The egg! What if it¡¯s meant to be given to the Queen?¡± Since she knew about the Queen, it should¡¯ve been easy for her to connect the dots. I couldn¡¯t resist teasing her a bit, and she frowned at me in frustration. ¡°Oh, that makes sense. This egg isn¡¯t ordinary, so it¡¯s probably the Queen¡¯s. That¡¯s so obvious! How did you not think of that sooner?¡± ¡°Ugh, well, everything I knew about the hidden mission got turned upside down, okay? You¡¯d be just as thrown off if you were in my shoes.¡± ¡°Geez, and you call yourself a mage. Use your brain.¡± ¡°Wow, really? That¡¯s riching from you, Mr. Talentless Mage.¡± ¡°Ha, but I¡¯m a warrior now. And I¡¯m ranked number one~¡± The look on Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s face told me I should probably stop before she lost her cool. Who knows what she might do if I pushed her too far? [Survive for forty-eight hours. Time remaining: 37 hours 18 minutes] We had thirty-seven hours left. ording to Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s timeline, The Queen wouldn¡¯t show up for another thirteen hours. Should we just wait here and rest until then? ¡°So, what do we do until the Queen appears?¡± ¡°The original n was to get the key, then hunt down some zombie warriors to rack up achievement points before hiding.¡± ¡°And you weren¡¯t nning to fight the Queen?¡± ¡°Well, most of what I knew was just what I had heard from others. We¡¯ve also gone way off of my original n so I can¡¯t know what that has changed. There¡¯s no point risking our lives for a reckless adventure.¡± Wait, if the Queen is that powerful, aren¡¯t we in trouble too? Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s words suddenly made me anxious. ¡°Hey, Ha Hee-Jeong. If we mess up giving her the egg, aren¡¯t we screwed too?¡± ¡°No, if this is the Queen¡¯s egg, we¡¯ll be fine. The Queen isn¡¯t corrupted. She¡¯s just hunting down the humans who killed her kin. And if things go south, we can always run.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The way she said it so casually made me feel a bit more at ease. Does she already have an escape n? Well, she has been through this before, so she probably has a few tricks up her sleeve. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s rest until the Queen shows up. If things go wrong, we might end up running for twenty-four hours straight.¡± It turned out that she didn¡¯t have any backup ns other than to run away if things went south. If we wanted to clear this hidden mission, we would probably have to face the Queen anyway. Fine, let¡¯s rest. Maybe I could even take a nap. Looking around, I noticed the rest of the group was freshly showered and sprawled around the apartment. Some were already asleep, while others were staring nkly into space. I decided it would be best not to let our guard down too much, so I yelled out to everyone. ¡°Hey, everyone, wake up for a second. We should set up a watch rotation, just to be safe.¡± *** [Survive for forty-eight hours. Time remaining: 24 hours 15 minutes] We had spent thest thirteen hours resting, but I doubted anyone felt refreshed. We had the homeowner to thank for this. Jo Hyun-Su was the guy Ha Hee-Jeong had warned me about. We didn¡¯t want to go through the trouble of exining the situation to the others, so Ha Hee-Jeong and I took turns staying awake. I hoped the others hadn¡¯t noticed our guardedness, but if they had, I could tell them our reasonings once we built more trustter. ¡°Is everyone ready?¡± When Ha Hee-Jeong mentioned that the Queen would show up once there were twenty-four hours left, the group was split in their opinions. Some wanted toe with us, trusting Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s alleged foresight, but others didn¡¯t. ¡°If you don¡¯t want toe, then don¡¯t. Just don¡¯t me meter if things go south for you,¡± Ha Hee-Jeong said coldly, staring pointedly at those hesitant to join. In the end, six of us decided to proceed: me, Ha Hee-Jeong, Seo Ho-Su, Seo Ha-Rin, Cole Grouse, and Doppy. Chloe didn¡¯t want to take any more risks, so she chose to stay behind with the three other guys. Honestly, I was sure it was because she felt ufortable with our group, but nobodymented on it. To be honest, it was ufortable having her around. I was still worried about that guy named Jo Hyun-Su. ording to Ha Hee-Jeong, he was a backstabbing scumbag. Should we warn the others to be careful around him? Just as we were about to leave the apartment, Ha Hee-Jeong suddenly turned back. ¡°Hold up, I left something behind.¡± She had her wand, clothes, and ne, so I didn¡¯t think she was missing anything. ¡°Really? I¡¯ll go with you.¡± I started to follow her, but she insisted on going alone. ¡°No, just wait in the security office. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± What¡¯s up with her? Did she forget something personal, like a period pad? We did pick up some stuff at the convenience store earlier. That was the only thing that made sense to me. Yeah, that could be a little embarrassing. About five minutester, Ha Hee-Jeong came back down just as we were starting to feel ufortable in the cramped security office. ¡°Just had a weird feeling,¡± she whispered, looking relieved. A weird feeling? Maybe she had a sudden stomach issue? Whatever it was, I decided to respect her privacy. [Survive for forty-eight hours. Time remaining: 24 hours 0 minutes] [A ¡®¡ö¡ö¡ö Queen¡¯ has appeared in a random location. Be careful.] ¡°Skreeeek!¡± Right on cue, we heard a chilling screech in the distance. Standing at the apartment entrance, we heard ite roughly from ten o¡¯clock. That direction led to the Daehan Theater past Jaeil Hospital, which was an area we had passed earlier. ¡°That¡¯s near Chungmuro Station.¡± Considering the Queen spawned randomly, we got pretty lucky. Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned she didn¡¯t know how far the sixth floor extended. If our luck had been worse, we could have had to search all over Seoul for the Queen. ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± *** ¡¸Invisible message: The hidden mission ¡®Lost World of the Corrupted Seraphim¡¯ is in progress in Zone 54 of the Lost World of the Corrupted.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: A replica of the Seraphim Queen will not be spawned for the hidden mission. Instead, the real Seraphim Queen has appeared in Zone 54 of the Lost World of the Corrupted.¡¹ Chapter 23: Seventh Floor, Waiting Room Chapter 23: Seventh Floor, Waiting Room During Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s current life, on the sixth floor. ¡°What brought you¡­ Kkuk?¡± Before Jo Hyun-Su could finish his sentence, a fireball appeared out of nowhere, silently striking him down. He didn¡¯t even have time to react. mes clung to his unmoving body, burning it away. ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± The people standing in the apartment behind Jo Hyun-Su gasped in shock. They froze in ce gasping for air, so stunned they couldn¡¯t even scream. A momentter, Chloe Vincent managed to speak, her voice trembling with fear. ¡°Are you... are you crazy? What are you doing?¡± ¡°What am I doing? I¡¯m eliminating trash who betrayed his teammates for a hidden mission. A traitor.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯te any closer!¡±As Ha Hee-Jeong took a step forward, Chloe Vincent stumbled and fell back, desperately trying to crawl away, her hands and feet shaking. But soon, her back hit the solid wall behind her. ¡°Chloe Vincent, the xenophobe[1] who poisoned an ally from another race on the sixteenth floor. You miserable bitch, because of you...¡± ¡°What... what are you talking about?¡± ¡°... Forget about it.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong sighed and then turned her gaze to the two men who had just drawn their weapons. Although Ha Hee-Jeong had a clear view of them, they were hidden from Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s view by a set of pirs. ¡°And you two? You¡¯re the cowards who shoved your teammates aside while trying to escape.¡± ¡°What? Do you have any proof?¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to leave with peace of mind knowing trash like you are still around.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong smiled, an unsettling grin that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. *** [As a reward for clearing the sixth floor, the party system has been unlocked.] [If you wish to leave the party, simply say ¡®Leave party.¡¯ Leaving the party cannot be reversed.] [No party members have left. The party remains intact. Please vote for the party leader. You have three seconds to vote.] [Three] [Two] [One] [Voteplete. Results: three votes for Kwon Su-Hyeok, two votes for Ha Hee-Jeong.] [Climber Kwon Su-Hyeok has been elected as the party leader.] [The party leader has the authority to kick and invite members. The party has a maximum size of six members. Current party size: five.] After entering the waiting room, a series of notifications flooded in, and I had be the party leader before I knew it. Although I was hesitant to be the party''s leader, Ha Hee-Jeong said it was a good thing since the party leader earned slightly more achievement points. ?§Ñ¦­???¦¥?? Plus, the leader can invite or kick members. Being the party leader is basically like being the boss! Truth be told, I had voted for Ha Hee-Jeong, leaving me wondering who had voted for me. It was likely that Ha Hee-Jeong and Seo Ho-Su voted for me, but I wasn¡¯t sure about the others. Maybe they thought that Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s foresight wasn¡¯t as impressive as my strength. The system didn¡¯t count Doppy as a party member, which didn¡¯t surprise me, so we still had an empty spot in our party. What should we do about the empty slot? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): Hey, Hee-Jeong. We¡¯ve got one open spot in the party. What should we do? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): We can just leave it open for now. With fewer members, we¡¯ll earn more achievement points. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): But isn¡¯t it better to have a full party? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): Not really. And we¡¯re fine as is. Doppy¡¯s with us, too. If we want to recruit someer, I¡¯ll let you know. That was true. With Doppy in the mix, we basically had six members. Everyone else was pulling their weight just fine, too. *** Now that everyone had settled in the waiting room, I decided it was a good time to check the Community. I wanted to see how the other climbers were reacting to what had happened on the sixth floor. [Climber Community] [Kwon. Su. Hyeok. Praise. The. Light. Su. Hyeok.] [I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s true! Kwon Su-Hyeok took down the Queen, and that¡¯s why we finished the sixth floor so fast.] [For real? I was about to get swarmed by the zombies, so thank you, thank you so much. I love you, Kwon Su-Hyeok.] [If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it either. It was like something out of a movie. The way he controlled lightning was so badass.] [The Secret Truth: Here¡¯s why the sixth floor ended with twenty-three hours left on the timer.] [What? Why did it end early? I was in the middle of fighting zombies, but then a notification popped up and the challenge ended.] [??? Why did it end???] Browsing the Community, I noticed more and more posts praising me. I hazarded a guess that they were written by the three people I saved at Chungmuro Station. Well, I can¡¯t really tell them to stop. My face flushed from embarrassment, but I couldn¡¯t deny that receiving the praise felt good. I hadn¡¯t been admired like this once in the twenty-four years of my life. I wondered if this was how stars felt when they readments from their fans. Thanks to clearing the hidden mission on the sixth floor, our entire group had secured five of the top six spots on the leaderboard. [Climber Leaderboard] [1. Kwon Su-Hyeok, Seventh Floor. Total achievement points: 91,048 (hidden)] [2. Ha Hee-Jeong, Seventh Floor. Total achievement points: (hidden)] [3. Alexei Braham, Sixth Floor. Total achievement points: (hidden)] [4. Seo Ho-Su, Seventh Floor. Total achievement points: (hidden)] [5. Cole Grouse, Seventh Floor. Total achievement points: (hidden)] [6. Seo Ha-Rin, Seventh Floor. Total achievement points: (hidden)] [¡­] Each of our teammates had real potential, and now that we had earned so many points, I wanted to help them grow fully into it. - Seo Ha-Rin (Seventh Floor): Unnie, I bought the Physical Enhancement Potion like you rmended. Do I just drink it? - Cole Grouse (Seventh Floor): I got one too. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): Ho-Su, you bought yours too, right? - Seo Ho-Su (Seventh Floor): Uh, yeah. Just got it. I was d to see the newly added Party Chat buzzing with activity. Despite it potentially being a hassle, Ha Hee-Jeong was kindly exining things to them while also talking to me. Even though I felt like the leader should be the one taking the lead in answering these questions, Ha Hee-Jeong was far more qualified to teach our teammates. Seeing everyone else get a Physical Enhancement Potion, I decided that it would be worth it to invest in Doppy, as it would be climbing the tower with us. Of course, I asked Ha-Hee Jeong first before buying anything. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): By the way, is there anything we should buy on this floor? I was thinking about getting some gear and a Physical Enhancement Potion for Doppy. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): How many achievement points do you have right now? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): Hold on. Uh, 42,048 points. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): Wow, that¡¯s a lot. Well, you did pretty much clear everything yourself. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): How many do you have? Ha Hee-Jeong didn¡¯t respond. Oh, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have asked.Well, she¡¯s in second ce on the leaderboard, so she must have a good amount. Wait¡­ thinking about it now, she didn¡¯t look too happy back at the apartment. I wondered if it was due to her pride. After all, Ha Hee-Jeong was a regressor. I knew she meant it when she said I was Earth¡¯s hope. She had been giving me nothing but support until now. However, that didn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t sting for her to be in second ce behind me, especially after she had regressed in time. Ha Hee-Jeong had always been apetitive person. Yeah, I should avoid bringing this up again. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): I¡®m not gonna tell you. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): Alright. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor):... Don¡¯t take it the wrong way. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m jealous or envious. I¡¯m probably the person who wants to see you seed the most. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): I know that. Don¡¯t sweat it. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): I¡¯m just frustrated with myself. Even after going through all this, I still can¡¯t surpass you. In the brief silence between Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s messages, I could sense a hint of what she was feeling. It felt like a mixture of trust, admiration, respect, and even a touch of jealousy. I wasn¡¯t sure how to fully describe it. One thing was clear: Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s feelings toward me wereplicated. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): You don¡¯t need to buy anything right now. I was going to get you a potion or something, but then I remembered you already have one. You haven¡¯t used the Seraphim Elixir yet, have you? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): The Seraphim Elixir? No, I haven¡¯t. You told me not to. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): And the thunder mace and leather armor shouldst you a while. The shield could use an upgrade, but it¡¯s not urgent. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh floor): Hmm, okay. Ha Hee-Jeong knew what the following floors would be like, so I decided to follow her advice, just like I had been doing so far. I was about to ask what the next floors had in store for us when she sent another message. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): Let¡¯s save up a bit more and get you some better gear. The mace is decent, but I think there¡¯s a weapon that would suit you better. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): Really? But I like it better than a sword. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): A sword isn¡¯t your only other option. When we have time, let¡¯s test out some other equipment. Most people end up switching their main weapon as they climb and get a better sense of what fits them. The mace definitely felt better in my hand than the swords I had wielded, but Ha Hee-Jeong had two lives'' worth of experience climbing the tower with me. There was no harm in trying something new, and if I found something that suited me better, all the better. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): Oh, and don¡¯t worry about getting anything for yourself now. I can buy whatever items you want to get for Doppy, and I¡¯ve already been buying what we need for the climb, so just focus on saving your points. Don¡¯t waste them on unnecessary stuff. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): Huh? No, I can buy things too. I¡¯ve got plenty of points. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): It¡¯s fine, really. You need to save your points. I¡¯m counting on you. If something really importantes up and we¡¯re short on points, I¡¯ll ask you. Also, I just ordered the Physical Enhancement Potion and some items for Doppy. She¡¯s already been buying what we need for the climb? It was touching, but I felt a bit of pressure now that I was aware of it. Ha Hee-Jeong had been looking out for me so much, from the big things like guiding me through the tutorial, and now to the small things too. I needed to get stronger to repay her. Not wanting her efforts to go to waste, I made sure that Doppy drank the Physical Enhancement Potion. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): What¡¯s on the seventh floor? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): That¡¯s a secret. From now on, I won¡¯t tell you much about the tower unless it¡¯s really important. The same goes for the floors, except when it is about hidden missions. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): Huh? Why? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): If you go in knowing everything, you stop using your head. You need to use your brain and follow your intuition. That¡¯s what got you through the tutorial, right? Conquering the tower isn¡¯t just about strength, you need to develop decision-making skills too. It¡¯s good to get used to handling things on your own on the lower floors. ... She had a point, and I couldn¡¯t argue with it. I had been relying on Ha Hee-Jeong whenever I had a question. The only reason I hadn¡¯t done that while conquering the floors in the tutorial was that it wasn¡¯t an option. The only time I hadn¡¯t followed her instructions was when my intuition screamed at me. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor):... What if, just what if, I suddenly died? You¡¯d have to climb the tower on your own. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): You¡¯re not going to die. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): Haha, of course not. But just think about it a bit, okay? Anyway, take the Seraphim Elixir and get some rest. We need to start the seventh floor. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): Okay. Rest well too. I closed the chat window and sighed. Her death wasn¡¯t something I wanted to consider for even a moment, but Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s words lingered in my mind. What if, by some chance, Ha Hee-Jeong really did die? What would I have felt when I saw her dying during her first life? ¡­ Wait, Ha Hee-Jeong said she died on the ny-first floor. So how did she know I made it to the ny-fourth? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventh Floor): Hey, Hee-Jeong. You mentioned you made it to the ny-first floor. So how did you know I got to the ny-fourth? I waited, but there was no response. Whether she was ignoring me or had fallen asleep, I couldn¡¯t tell. Is this another thing she wants me to figure out on my own? I don¡¯t know if this is something I can make assumptions about... ¡°Kriee...¡± Doppy was already fast asleep and snoring softly, having just taken the Physical Enhancement Potion. Ha Hee-Jeong had gotten it some decent clothes, a new wand, and the Physical Enhancement Potion. I felt a little guilty for not taking better care of it earlier, but seeing it sleep peacefully with a content expression filled me with a warm sense of pride. Whatever. I¡¯ll take the Seraphim Elixir and get some rest. I was sure Ha Hee-Jeong would have shared more details if it was really important. *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has consumed the Seraphim Elixir. The power of a seraph now resides within his body.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained the skill Iron Skin lvl 1. ¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s identity as a ¡®Challenger¡¯ has been confirmed. His absorption rate has increased. His strength, agility, and stamina have been enhanced.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Iron Skin is now lvl 2. ¡¹ *** [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 0.00%(-?.??%) / 100.00%) Strength: 87.1 Agility: 82.2 Stamina: 81.4 Mana: 49.1 Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 4, Sixth Sense lvl 8, Iron Skin lvl 2¡­ After getting up and checking my status window, I noticed that all my stats had taken a slight bump upward. I had gained the skill Iron Skin as well. It seemed that the Seraphim Elixir had not only boosted my physical abilities but also imbued me with a seraph¡¯s unique, scale-like resilience. But it wasn¡¯t the growth that caught my attention the most¡ªit was the new, mysterious stat next to the share percentage. 0.00% (-?.??%). What on earth is that supposed to mean? When did the question marks even show up? I racked my brain trying to figure it out, but the answer eluded me, no matter how hard I thought about it. When I cautiously asked Ha Hee-Jeong about it, her response wasn¡¯t the clear exnation I had hoped for. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventh Floor): Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s a good thing. You¡¯ll understand itter, so just try to piece it together slowly. It was frustrating, but I decided to trust that she was holding back for a reason and let it slide. I figured I would understand it in time. Now, it was time to start the seventh floor. [Not all climbers have conquered the sixth floor. Climbers are not yet required to advance to the seventh floor.] [The seventh floor of the Tower of Ordeal is open for early ess. Would you like to enter?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s party is moving to the seventh floor of the Tower of Ordeal.] 1. A xenophobe is someone who has an irrational fear or hatred of people from other countries, cultures, or ethnicities. ? Chapter 24: Seventh Floor, The Eerie Forest and the Mad Weretigers (1) Chapter 24: Seventh Floor, The Eerie Forest and the Mad Weretigers (1) During Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s current life, on the sixth floor. Community of the Dead [Huh, what¡¯s this? I thought I died?] [This dude pissed himself so hard when he died that he missed the message. Seriously. I saw it lmao.] [Wow, how is Kwon Su-Hyeok so strong???] [Look at these clueless noobs. You don¡¯t know about the shining beacon of hope, Su-Hyeok?] [How would I know who he is?] [I¡¯ve been watching him since the first floor, and trust me, he¡¯s on a whole different level from you guys.] [The first floor? Is dying early something to brag about? You¡¯re an idiot, aren¡¯t you?][Whatever~ Dying on the first and sixth floor is basically the same~] [Shh, quiet. Su-Hyeok¡¯s hunting the Queen.] ... [Gosh, is he insane? He actually dodged that?] [Two-hit KO on the Queen ??] [Looks like that lightning ability is ridiculously overpowered. If I had that, I¡¯d be in first ce too, and I¡¯d have taken down the Queen. Ugh, life¡¯s so unfair.] [Haha, shut the fuck up.] *** [Wee to the seventh floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Eerie Forest.] [This forest is home to the mad weretigers. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s party must kill at least three of them. If they kill more than five, the Weretiger King will appear.] ?????¨§¡ì [If the Weretiger King is summoned, it must either be defeated or appeased with sacrifices. Time remaining: 5 hours 59 minutes.] The message in the notification window was unusually detailed. I hadn¡¯t seen such a thorough description of a floor or challenge up to this point. Is there something else hidden in this message? Having experienced the tower¡¯s tricks a few times, I couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious of the overly helpful message. I nced at Ha Hee-Jeong out of habit, but she shook her head, signaling for me to figure it out on my own. ¡°Ugh, this ce gives me the creeps.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s seriously unsettling.¡± The forest was eerily silent, void of the usual chatter of insects and birds, and it was filled with a faint mist that clouded our vision. The trees stood densely packed together, every one of their branches drooping toward the ground as if weighed down by some invisible force. ¡°Whoa, Doppy! Good to see you. You¡¯ve grown a bit, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Kriee! Baldy! Twinkle twinkle! Good to see you!¡± ¡°... Haha, our Doppy doesn¡¯t seem to know what ¡®baldy¡¯ means to humans.¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin! Never had hair! Humans! Had hair once!¡± Seo Ho-Su¡¯s jaw dropped, clearly taken aback by Doppy¡¯s words. He stood stock-still, almost like someone had cast a time-freeze spell on him. Laughter began to bubble up inside me, and I struggled to keep it from spilling out. If Iughed now, that would be a huge insult to Seo Ho-Su. ¡°Pfft!¡± Of course, not everyone was subject to the same restriction. His daughter, Seo Ha-Rin, was the only person who couldugh freely in this situation. I felt a pang of envy as I watched herughing her heart out, and I had to bite my lip to hold back my ownughter. ¡°Ahem. Doppy, you¡¯re bald too, you know.¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin! No hair by nature! Human! Had hair once!¡± ¡°...¡± Seo Ho-Su turned toward us, a forced smile spread across his face. Was it my imagination, or did I glimpse resentment in his eyes when he nced at me? ... I should probably have a serious talk with Doppy in the next waiting room. He needed to understand that calling someone bald could be a sensitive issue. ¡°...¡± Ugh, this is awkward. What should I do? I wanted to say something to lighten the mood, but someone beat me to the punch. Seemingly sharing my sentiment, Cole asked Ha Hee-Jeong a question. Whew, Cole¡¯s quick thinking saved us. Let¡¯s give him a round of apuse. ¡°Ha Hee-Jeong, any idea about what we should do on this floor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I can¡¯t just use my foresight whenever I want.¡± ¡°... I see.¡± Cole looked a bit disappointed, which only reinforced the idea that Ha Hee-Jeong had been right. It wasn¡¯t just me, our whole party was starting to rely on her. We needed to think for ourselves if we wanted to grow to our full potential. We couldn¡¯t be sure that Ha Hee-Jeong would be with us for every challenge the tower threw our way, so it was important to develop the strength to solve problems ourselves, even on the lower floors of the tower. I decided to take the lead, pulling some of the attention away from Ha Hee-Jeong. ¡°Well, since we need to kill at least three weretigers... finding them should be our first priority, right?¡± Cole responded to my question. ¡°Yeah, finding three in six hours... I guess it must be tough to track them down in the forest.¡± It was true that given the time we had, the number of weretigers we needed to hunt seemed low. Seo Ho-Su patted Cole¡¯s shoulder with a warm smile, seeming to have gotten closer to him at some point. ¡°Well then, Cole. It looks like it¡¯s your turn to shine. You¡¯re an archer, so your senses should be sharp, right?¡± Cole chuckled awkwardly and looked over at me. ¡°Haha, true. But don¡¯t you think Su-Hyeok has got a better sense for this?¡± It didn¡¯t feel like he was trying to dump the responsibility of finding the weretigers onto me, but more like he was just being humble. Or maybe he felt embarrassed that Seo Ho-Su had praised him in front of me. I couldn¡¯t just stand there looking serious, so I smiled at him. ¡°But what happens if we end up killing six of them and the King appears?¡± Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s voice focused us, breaking the lighthearted moment. Maybe the warning is rted to achievement points? I remembered some people in the Community saying they regretted not finishing off more zombies on the sixth floor. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s telling us we would be putting ourselves in serious danger if we get too greedy for points.¡± ¡°Yeah, that makes sense. Killing the king or offering a sacrifice... the sacrifice would probably be one of us, right?¡± ¡°Most likely. And for this to happen right after we formed a party... it feels like the tower is trying to mess with us.¡± Cole trailed off, and his words hung in the air, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°It¡¯s like the tower is trying to create tension within our group. The strongest person usually bes the party leader, so it might be tempting them to weigh achievement points against their teammates¡¯ lives.¡± ¡°Hmm, that sounds usible. The party leader¡¯s been given a lot of power, after all. If there¡¯s already tension in a group, they could easily sacrifice anyone who disagreed with them for points.¡± Seo Ho-Su nodded, his expression growing more concerned. Cole¡¯s theory made a lot of sense. If there were already cracks in a party, this kind of situation could easily tear them apart. By the time people reach the seventh floor, their parties could be inplete chaos. As I pondered this, I noticed Seo Ho-Su looking at me curiously. Is it because I am the party leader? ¡°Su-Hyeok, you....¡± ¡°Ho-Su, you¡¯re not seriously thinking I¡¯d do something like that, are you?¡± ¡°Heh, just joking. Ow!¡± He let out a satisfied chuckle, only to yelp when Seo Ha-Rin pinched his side. She was clearly unimpressed by his attempt at humor. ... Thanks, Ha-Rin. We are depending on you to keep him in check. As I silently thanked Seo Ha-rin, she raised a question. ¡°Do we really need to worry?¡± ¡°What do you mean, Ha-Rin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about the Weretiger King. Wouldn¡¯t Su-Hyeok oppa be able to take him down easily? He handled Seraphim Queen on the sixth floor without any trouble.¡± ¡°... Now that you mention it, Su-Hyeok did take down Seraphim Queen in two swings.¡± Suddenly, all eyes were on me. It was true that my strength had reached a decently high level. Facing the Seraphim Queen had been intimidating at first, but the actual fight had been easier than I expected. But even so, isn¡¯t everyone being a little too optimistic? I think they are putting too much faith in my abilities because of how easily I dealt with the Queen. I appreciated their confidence in me, but as the party leader, I couldn¡¯t ept the team making decisions without putting more thought into the risks first. If the Weretiger King turned out to be stronger than me, we would be forced to offer one of our party members as a sacrifice. That was a situation I was determined to avoid. ¡°But what if the Weretiger King is stronger than me?¡± ¡°Would the strength of a floor¡¯s boss increase that much after one floor? You handled the Queen alone on the sixth floor, and we¡¯ll be here to support you this time...¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°We need to prepare for the worst. I¡¯m not willing to sacrifice any of our party members.¡± Even though it seemed obvious to me, the group looked at me with a touch of admiration. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I looked away, only to catch Ha Hee-Jeong watching us with a satisfied smile. Her expression annoyed me slightly, but I knew she was right. It was important to help the party develop their problem-solving skills and judgment, even in situations as small as this one. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on finding the weretigers first.¡± Trying to shift the attention away from myself, I quickly redirected the conversation. After all, these concerns would only be relevant after we had taken down three weretigers. ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Heh, let¡¯s get to it.¡± ¡°First, we should decide on a direction. Let¡¯s start looking for¡ª¡± The sound of leaves crunching interrupted Cole mid-sentence. I turned my head toward the noise first, closely followed by Cole a split secondter. The mist made it hard to see very far, but we heard the rustling of branches grow louder. Crack. Withered branches snapped and fell to the ground. ¡°¡ªthe weretigers, but it seems we won¡¯t have to look far.¡± Through the foggy sight, the weretigers began to emerge. They were humanoid figures with sharp, tiger-like ws. ¡­ Fuck, we can¡¯t just stand here doing nothing. ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± Prompted by my shout, Seo Ho-Su quickly moved to my side and raised his shield. We could see six weretigers, but the rustling branches behind them suggested more wereing. How many are we up against¡­ Damn it, I should have known there was a reason the notification window from earlier was so detailed. As the weretigers closed in, I realized that all our earlier worries were pointless. We hadpletely misunderstood this floor¡¯s mission. The real challenge of the seventh floor wasn¡¯t to hunt down weretigers. It was to survive being hunted by the weretigers. And we still don¡¯t know how strong the king is. We couldn¡¯t afford to be reckless and immediately kill the weretigers chasing us without knowing how strong the Weretiger King was first. That meant we had to keep on the run, survive for six hours, and avoid going all out for fear of killing too many weretigers. ¡­ Could we really pull this off? I nced briefly at Ha Hee-Jeong, but she was just watching the weretigers indifferently. Her indifference frustrated me momentarily, but I quickly shook off the feeling. Ha Hee-Jeong wants me to seed more than anyone. I couldn¡¯t only rely on her. She had called me Earth¡¯sst hope, saying that I was the only one who could conquer the tower. In the end, this was something I¡ªno, we¡ªhad to aplish. I couldn¡¯t afford to be a sheltered flower in a greenhouse. Ha Hee-Jeong knew that too, which was why she had kept silent. I needed to grow and push forward on my own. She could only be a safety, nothing more. We would try our best, and if that didn¡¯t work out, then we would just have to take down all the weretigers. The Weretiger King? I would kill it just like I had the Seraphim Queen on the sixth floor if it came to that. ¡°Do your best to avoid killing them. I¡¯ll clear a path.¡± With that in mind, I charged in the direction I sensed the least movement. The weretigers, who had been hesitating, rushed to meet me head-on. Come on. It¡¯s time to fight. Chapter 26: Seventh Floor, The Eerie Forest and the Mad Weretigers (3) Chapter 26: Seventh Floor, The Eerie Forest and the Mad Weretigers (3) As soon as I charged forward, the rest of the party jumped into action. Chaos erupted around us, weretigers swarming in from all directions. ¡°Chaotic Flurry of Heaven and Earth!¡± Seo Ho-Su shouted as he shed his sword diagonally. ¡­ I didn¡¯t know why he called a single diagonal sh a ¡°chaotic flurry,¡± but even through his exhaustion, he seemed to enjoy calling out his skill¡¯s name. A bright grin was stered on his face. Despite the Weretiger King¡¯s appearance, he didn¡¯t seem the slightest bit worried. How can he be so carefree in a situation like this? Hmm¡­ I had discussed with the team that the Weretiger King might be stronger than me, but it seemed that hadn¡¯t fazed him. Is he so certain of my strength that he has faith I would win? I was sure that was the case. To be fair, even I believed I could overpower the Weretiger King, so it made sense the rest of the party would too. They had seen me take down the Seraphim Queen, and during the grueling three-hour chase, they had once again witnessed my overwhelming power. I nced over at Seo Ha-Rin and Cole, and neither of them looked particrly concerned as well.To think they endured three hours of running without a singleint¡­ I felt a deep sense of gratitude toward mypanions. The chase had been exhausting, so they could have easily said, ¡°Su-Hyeok, let¡¯s just kill them all and take down the king.¡± However, they didn¡¯t. Was it simply because I am the party leader? Or do they understand that relying solely on my strength wouldn¡¯t be good for their own growth? Now if I were to think about this more cynically¡­ Maybe they were just trying to stay on the good side of the top two rankers, Ha Hee-Jeong and me, to get some easy benefits. But honestly, it didn¡¯t matter either way. I couldn¡¯t spend all my time overthinking it. The human mind wasplex, with each decision influenced by a multitude of reasons. In the short time I had known them, mypanions hadn¡¯t shown any signs of having malice. ¡°Grrraaagh-!¡± The Weretiger King¡¯s roar echoed again, much closer this time. The first roar had seemed very far away, but thisst one was practically upon us. Already? The king is faster than I expected. ¡°Grrrr-¡± The charging weretigers began to retreat after hearing their king¡¯s roar, growling lowly. We needed to prepare. I used the brief pause to get the party back into their spots. ¡°Assemble around me! Let¡¯s recreate the formation!¡± Seo Ho-Su gulped nervously as he came up beside me, raising his shield. Just a moment ago, he was all smiles¡­ But I could tell that even he felt tense now that the Weretiger King was here. £Ò??£Î¨°£Â¨ºs? ¡°Grrraaagh-!¡± The King¡¯s roar was deafening, so close that it seemed toe from all directions. The sound of leaves shaking and branches snapping grew louder as it approached. ¡°Grrrr-¡± The weretigers surrounding us turned their heads toward the noise. They lowered their bodies and roared softly in reverence for their king. And then, through the bowed heads of the weretigers, the king emerged, standing over three meters tall. Its hackles were raised, much like an angry cat¡¯s. The puffed fur was orange with chaotic ck streaks, and the ws on its massive hands were at least one foot long¡ªfar longer than those of the other weretigers. ¡°Grrrrr.¡± Its half-open mouth revealed sharp fangs that were dripping with saliva. The king looked more human than the others, yet was somehow even more tiger-like. Its paradoxical nature was unsettling. The Weretiger King¡¯s reddish-brown eyes slowly scanned our group, then locked onto mine, as if recognizing me as the leader. ¡°Human¡­ human¡­¡±@@novelbin@@ I was shocked to hear its voice. The other weretigers hadn¡¯t spoken a word during the entire three-hour chase¡­ Other than their appearance, most of them are no different from tigers. The system described them as ¡°mad weretigers,¡± so I had assumed they were incapable of speech. Yet here was the king, speaking, and I wondered if it had retained some of its sanity despite its madness. ¡°Human¡­ human¡­¡± Surprisingly, the king hadn¡¯t charged at us. It just stood there and stared at us. Its half-crazed eyes flickered from inner turmoil, almost as if it was torn between patience and conflict. [The Weretiger King has appeared. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s party must either defeat it or offer a sacrifice that appeases it.] So, it¡¯s standing still waiting for a sacrifice? One that will satisfy it¡­ But how much is enough? The phrase, ¡°a sacrifice that satisfies the King,¡± nagged at me. In the waiting room, the Tower had limited the party size to six members. And after killing six weretigers, their king would appear. The repeated significance of the number six made me wonder... How many sacrifices would it take to satisfy it? Perhaps the number six meant nothing at all, but... Wait, why am I even dwelling on this? I brushed the thought aside. It didn¡¯t matter how many sacrifices the Weretiger King required. ¡°I¡¯m not sacrificing anything.¡± The Weretiger King¡¯s eyes snapped open the moment those words left my mouth, radiating an intense savagery. ¡°Grrrahh!¡± It started charging with a deep and menacing roar, the surrounding weretigers following suit. I sprang forward, determined to close the distance as quickly as possible. I needed to separate the king from the rest of my team. With the other weretigers converging on us, I couldn¡¯t guarantee the king would only focus on me in the ensuing chaos. Someone could get hurt if they were caught in the battle between the Weretiger King and me. I wouldn¡¯t be able to protect them all if it shifted its attention to my teammates in the middle of the fray. It was better for me to dive in and keep the king¡¯s focus on me. The Weretiger King leaped, its powerful legs propelling it into the air with incredible speed. It was clear its abilities were a cut above the other weretigers. ¡°Grah!¡± If it was a one-on-one fight, I would have dodged it. However, if I dodged, it could easily charge past me and go after the others. So instead, I raised my shield. Just before its massive w struck, I infused the shield with lightning. Boom! The impact reverberated through the shield, and I could hear the grating sound from the ws scraping against it. The Weretiger King flinched slightly from the shock. ... Unfortunately, the lightning hadn¡¯t affected the king as much as I had hoped. How thick is its hide? Seizing the brief opening, I swung my mace. The Weretiger King pushed off the shield, twisting its body to avoid the strike. He dodged my attack, but... Honestly, it didn¡¯t seem stronger than Seraphim Queen. The Weretiger King had relied on its natural agility rather than high stats to dodge my strike. Could the boss on the seventh floor really be weaker than the one on the sixth? ¡°Grah!¡± The Weretiger King lunged at me again. I sidestepped to the right while swinging my mace horizontally. Its ws shed through the air where I had just been, but my mace connected with its side. ¡°Yelp!¡± The sound of its bones cracking was sickening. The Weretiger King tumbled across the ground, rolling several times before scrambling back to its feet. It clutched its injured side. The Weretiger King nced at me, seemingly gauging my reaction. I couldn¡¯t fully understand what was going through its head, but it seemed uncertain of what to do next. What¡¯s going on? Is it... scared? ¡°Pfft.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out an incredulousugh. This situation was absurd. Aside from how the seventh-floor boss was weaker than the sixth, how could a boss be so hesitant? The Weretiger King stared at me, looking like a beaten dog with its tail drooping toward the ground. ¡°What the... What are you doing?¡± Of course, it didn¡¯t answer. I hadn¡¯t expected it to either. It had managed to utter ¡°human¡± earlier, but it was just as crazed as the others. Let¡¯s just finish this and get it over with. My party was still locked in battle with the other weretigers. As I stepped forward, the Weretiger King suddenly bolted toward them. ... Damn it! I should have just taken it down earlier! The king may have gotten a head start, but I couldn¡¯t let it reach my teammates before I did. Fuck. Ha Hee-Jeong had justunched a fireball and was now the furthest from the Weretiger King¡¯s path. First, I needed to call out to Seo Ho-Su. ¡°Chaotic Flurry of Heaven and...!¡± ¡°Ho-Su!¡± He was in the middle of swinging his sword while shouting his skill¡¯s name when he turned sharply at my call. Simultaneously, Ha Hee-Jeong conjured a wall of mes in front of the Weretiger King. But the Weretiger King didn¡¯t hesitate to charge through the three-meter-tall wall of fire. It pushed off its hind legs and leaped right through it. And directly in its path... was Seo Ha-Rin. Shit! If it had been Seo Ho-Su, at least he would have his shield... The Weretiger King¡¯s body caught fire as it barreled through the mes, but it didn¡¯t stop. It headed straight for Seo Ha-Rin. ¡°Ah...¡± Frozen in fear, Seo Ha-Rin stood rooted to the spot. Her eyes opened wide, and she trembled as the Weretiger King closed in on her. However, just before the Weretiger King struck Seo Ha-Rin down, her father appeared. ¡°Seo Ha-Rin!" Seo Ho-Su threw himself in the way. He had discarded his sword somewhere, and with his right hand, he shoved Seo Ha-Rin out of danger. Off bnce from his desperate dash, he managed to lift his shield at thest moment, but the Weretiger King was faster. ¡°Krhrrgh!" ¡°Daaaaaaad!" The zing Weretiger King barreled into Seo Ho-Su, and just as it did, the mes surrounding it vanished. It seemed Ha Hee-Jeong had acted swiftly, likely worried that the fire might injure Seo Ho-Su. ¡°Ugh!¡± Seo Ho-Su couldn¡¯t withstand the force and fell backward. The Weretiger King loomed over him, jaws snapping dangerously close to his throat. He struggled desperately, barely avoiding the bite, sacrificing his shoulder instead. The injury caused Seo Ho-Su to scream in pain. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± A split secondter, Cole¡¯s arrow embedded itself in the Weretiger King¡¯s back. I arrived just in time and swung my mace with all the strength I could muster. Crack! The sound of the Weretiger King''s skull shattering echoed as my mace struck the back of its head. The impact sent the beast copsing onto Seo Ho-Su while his mouth was agape. Blood gushed from the Weretiger King¡¯s mouth into Seo Ho-Su¡¯s, causing him to choke and cough violently. ¡°Ugh! Guh!¡± I quickly shoved the Weretiger King¡¯s lifeless body off Seo Ho-Su, and he continued to gag, spitting out the blood he had partially swallowed. Seo Ha-Rin rushed over and threw her arms around him while crying out. ¡°Dad! Heal Wounds!¡± A radiant light enveloped his wounded shoulder, slowly mending it as he struggled to sit up. [You have killed the Weretiger King. Time remaining: 2 hours 9 minutes.] As the notification appeared, the remaining weretigers scattered in confusion, having lost their leader. ¡°Dad! Are you okay?¡± Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s voice trembled with worry. ¡°Huff, huff. Yeah, I¡¯m fine... It¡¯s over now, huh?¡± Seo Ho-Su chuckled awkwardly, trying to reassure us despite being drenched in blood. Is this the wisdom of age? As I watched in awe, Seo Ha-Rin buried herself in his arms, sobbing. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡± Seo Ho-Su gently stroked her back with a warm,forting expression. We were lucky that Seo Ha-Rin hadn¡¯t died, and even more fortunate that her father hadn¡¯t been seriously injured. If he hadn¡¯t acted, Seo Ha-Rin would have been killed. Just as I sighed in relief, another notification appeared. [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has killed the Weretiger King. He has been awarded 2,000 achievement points.] [Climber Seo Ho-Su has absorbed a significant amount of the Weretiger King''s blood. Climber Seo Ho-Su will inherit the Weretiger King''s position. Transformation into a weretiger is underway.] Wait, what? Why? What the hell is this? *** ¡¸Invisible message: First-ss god Omniscient Thunder Axe wishes to sponsor a neutralizing agent.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Sponsorship is currently restricted. Sponsorships can still ur but are penalized andbeled as a pre-sponsorship. If a pre-sponsorship urs the climber loses additional shares, and the sponsor god bears additional ¡ö¡ö¡ö.¡¹ Chapter 27: Seventh Floor, The Eerie Forest and the Mad Weretigers (4) Chapter 27: Seventh Floor, The Eerie Forest and the Mad Weretigers (4) ¡°Urk!" ¡°D-dad!" The reassuring smile on Seo Ho-Su''s face vanished as his eyes began to tremble violently. His body followed suit and started to swell before our eyes. What should I do? I felt panic surge within me and I nced at Ha Hee-Jeong. She looked just as lost, her expression mirroring my confusion. Did this never happen in her first life¡­? That was likely the case. After all, how many people would end up drinking the Weretiger King¡¯s blood like Seo Ho-Su had? We were only supposed to have either killed the Weretiger King or offered a sacrifice. But if¡­ if this continued, then¡­ Would I have to kill him? Fuck.I would have to for Seo Ha-Rin and Seo Ho-Su¡¯s sake. He would never want to live his life as a crazed monster. Who would want to harm their ownrades or, worse, their own daughter? He had entrusted me with the responsibility of ensuring his daughter¡¯s safety over his own. I would put him out of his misery. Just as I braced myself to do what needed to be done, a notification appeared. [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s sponsor Omniscient Thunder Axe wishes to sponsor a neutralizing agent.] [Warning: This is a pre-sponsorship. epting will increase the sponsor¡¯s share percentage by twenty. Do you still wish to ept?] The god, whose intentions I never fully understood, suddenly offered a lifeline in this desperate moment. Is this what the gods do? Did they get some sick sense of joy presenting the sponsored party a choice they couldn¡¯t refuse when the stakes were highest? ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded, pushing down my anxiety about increasing the god¡¯s share by twenty percent. I recalled asking Ha Hee-Jeong about the share percentage before. She had warned me that it would be more dangerous the higher the god¡¯s percentage was. However, she also mentioned that avoiding an increase in share percentage entirely as we climbed the tower was impossible. She must have known that there would be moments like this. [Due to the sponsorship of the neutralizing agent, the sponsor god¡¯s share in Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok increases by 1.09% of Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s total shares.] [Due to the pre-sponsorship penalty, Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok loses an additional twenty percent of his shares. Current share percentage: 21.09%.] Ha Hee-Jeong had also reassured me not to worry too much about the share percentage. She said it could be reduced through my efforts, and if I was fortunate enough to have a benevolent sponsor, they might even help decrease it themselves. Sure, twenty-one percent was a high number, but it wasn¡¯t more important than Seo Ho-Su¡¯s life. I would just have to work harder. And if my sponsor turned out to be kind, all the better. ?????§à?¨¨S Lost in thought, I almost missed that the neutralizing agent was already in my hand. There was no time to waste. I quickly administered it to Seo Ho-Su, whose body was still convulsing violently. A few drops trickled down his chin, but I hoped it wouldn¡¯t matter. ¡°Dad! What¡¯s happening? Are you okay? Please, say something...!" The sponsored medicine worked almost instantly. Seo Ho-Su¡¯s shaking subsided, and he slowly regained consciousness. His once wild eyes refocused, and his body¡¯s swelling halted, though it didn¡¯t return to its normal size. ¡°Dad! Are you feeling better?" ¡°Y-yeah. What just happened...?" Seo Ho-Su¡¯s body was now significantlyrger. He had always been broad-shouldered, but now he looked even more imposing. His skin, too, had taken on an odd hue. It had a faint orange tint and was less like a human¡¯s and more like a tiger¡¯s. His eyes seemed sharper and held a feral glint. ¡°I lost consciousness when I felt myself transforming into a beast..." ¡°Su-Hyeok oppa saved you! Suddenly, this medicine appeared out of nowhere..." Seo Ho-Su turned to me with a bewildered look, and then his eyes filled with tears. Overwhelmed with emotion, he pulled me into a tight embrace, his nowrger frame enveloping me. ¡°Thank you, Su-Hyeok. Thank you so much..." ¡°No need to thank me. I said I¡¯d save both you and Ha-Rin, didn¡¯t I? Don¡¯t you remember?" ¡°¡­ Thank you." His rough hand patted my back, and I returned the gesture,forting him as best I could. It seemed like he had endured a torrent of emotions in the short moment before he lost consciousness. He probably thought this daughter would be left stranded alone in the Tower of Ordeal, while his wife was left on Earth not knowing her husband had died. As someone who had never been married or had a child, I couldn''t even begin to imagine the emotions he felt in that instant. All I could do was gently stroke his back in an attempt to offer somefort. ¡°How did you save me, Su-Hyeok?¡± ¡°My god sponsored me an item. They sent me a neutralizing agent which is some kind of medicine.¡± ¡°So gods do provide help, huh?¡± ¡°The notification window called it a pre-sponsorship. It seems like sponsorship is something that will be avable once we progress through more floors, like the Community or shops.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why no one¡¯s talked about receiving sponsorships before.¡± Cole nodded thoughtfully, then seemed to remember something and asked another question. ¡°So pre-sponsorships are possible, but no one else has received one¡­ Then the fact that you did, Su-Hyeok, must mean...¡± ¡°The pre-sponsorship increased my god¡¯s share percentage.¡± Hearing that, Seo Ho-Su¡¯s eyes widened in rm, clearly unsettled. I gave him a reassuring smile and nodded to let him know it was okay. ¡°... No, I¡¯m not worried about that, I expected that. Of course, we¡¯d face penalties. I¡¯m talking about the penalties the sponsoring god might face.¡± Cole¡¯s voice was steady. Penalties imposed on the god? Come to think of it, if only the climber suffered penalties, there would be no reason for gods not to offer pre-sponsorships. After all, an increase in the share percentage would be beneficial to them.@@novelbin@@ After a brief pause, Cole continued, ¡°In the Community, an increase in your share percentage stat was never viewed positively. And for good reason¡ªit probably benefits the gods more than us climbers.¡± ¡°But no god has offered pre-sponsorships, which suggests that the penalties they face might be substantial, right?¡± ¡°Yes, even knowing that their percentage of shares would increase, they likely avoided it because the penalties for them were too severe.¡± The pre-sponsorship had raised my god¡¯s share significantly, and now a fifth of my total shares were upied. If Cole¡¯s hypothesis was correct, my sponsor had probably faced even harsher penalties than me. What kind of penalties could they have incurred? I had no way of knowing. But one thing was certain: I had chosen the right god to sign a sponsorship contract with. They had been willing to take a hit for my sake, offering help when it was needed most. Wait... for my sake? The more I thought about it, something didn¡¯t add up. Was saving Seo Ho-Su really worth the risk for my sponsor?I wasn¡¯t the one turning into a tiger. Sure, Seo Ho-Su was a good person. But if I were being honest, his death wouldn¡¯t have posed a major problem for me. I would have been sad, but that shouldn¡¯t have been enough for my sponsor to justify taking such a big loss. Is there something that I don¡¯t know about Seo Ho-Su? But that didn¡¯t make sense either since Ha Hee-Jeong didn¡¯t have a recollection of him from her previous life. Why, then, would my sponsor risk so much to save him? While pondering, I nced at Seo Ho-Su and noticed he was looking at me with a puzzled expression. Cole seemed to be having simr thoughts, and he spoke up cautiously. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why your god chose to help Ho-Su. I think we should be grateful not just to you, but to your god as well.¡± ¡°Er, Su-Hyeok, thank you. I really can¡¯t say it enough¡ªthank you.¡± ¡°Oppa, thank you so much!¡± Seo Ho-Su bowed his head again, expressing his gratitude. Seo Ha-Rin followed suit, bowing beside him. They raised their heads and Seo Ho-Su gazed up at the sky. ¡°And, well... I don¡¯t know if you can hear me, but thank you, Su-Hyeok¡¯s sponsor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful as well Su-Hyeok¡¯s sponsor!¡± Ha-Rin added, lowering her head to the sky. Their sincere and slightly awkward disy of gratitude was both endearing and amusing, and I would haveughed if it wasn¡¯t for their genuineness. I looked around, noticing the eerie fog in the strange forest had lifted. The sky had cleared when they were giving thanks, too. Sunlight now streamed onto the once ominous forest, and a cool breeze brushed against my cheek. The trees, which had seemed so eerie before, no longer appeared so strange. The wind stirred the leaves gently, creating a peaceful rustling sound. Enjoying the newfound tranquility, I decided not to dwell on the mystery any longer. I didn¡¯t know why my sponsor had saved Seo Ho-Su, but it seemed likely that my god was kind-hearted. Seo Ho-Su was a good person, and that was more than enough for me. ¡°Shall we move on?¡± Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s voice broke the silence. Although her tone was calm, there was a warmth to it that suggested she was in a good mood. She must have thought Seo Ho-Su was worth saving, too. ¡°To hunt more tigers? Ho-Su just got healed, and we¡¯ve already taken down the boss. Maybe we should rest a bit more?¡± ¡°No, my foresight is telling me we should do something else. It activated after we killed the king. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a hidden mission or something else, but it seems like there¡¯s more to find on this floor.¡± ¡°... I see.¡± Cole nodded, looking a bit embarrassed. Seo Ho-Su let out a heartyugh and thumped his chest. ¡°Heh, don¡¯t worry about me, Cole. I¡¯ve gained a new skill called Tiger¡¯s Blood, and my stats have gone up a lot.¡± ¡°Tiger¡¯s Blood? Oh, right, the sponsor gave you a neutralizing agent, not an antidote¡­¡± Seo Ho-Su had clearly changed, and although he didn¡¯t look fully like a tiger, there was a slight tiger-like quality to him if you looked closely. This Tiger¡¯s Blood skill¡ªwould it make him more tiger-like as it leveled up? Would he eventually look like a weretiger? Would Seo Ho-Su be okay with that if that happened? ¡°Look at these muscles, ha! This is amazing! I can already feel the tiger¡¯s energy coursing through me. I can¡¯t wait to see what happens when the skill levels up!¡± ... Oh, right. Seo Ho-Su is a fitness enthusiast. He flexed his biceps and grinned from ear to ear, showing no sign of worry. I wondered if he was trying to reassure us, but on second thought, probably not. He looked genuinely excited, just like when he shouted out those bizarre skill names. It seemed my worries were unfounded. ¡°Hee-Jeong, where should we go next?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I caught a glimpse of a cave, but I¡¯m not certain where we are, so we¡¯ll need to search for it.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± In the midst of our conversation, Seo Ho-Su, who had been showing off his muscles, suddenly chuckled ominously. Why is heughing like that? ¡°Guys, I think I know where it is.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, ever since I got the Tiger¡¯s Blood skill, I¡¯ve been catching a whiff of something unpleasanting from a certain direction. I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s where we need to go.¡± Seo Ho-Su grinned triumphantly. I haven¡¯t noticed any strange smells, did his sense of smell get enhanced after bing more tiger-like? If that were the case, it was great news. Even if Ha Hee-Jeong had an idea of where we should go, we were still lost and didn¡¯t know our exact location. It would be much easier to find the ce directly rather than searching blindly, especially in a forest this vast, where getting permanently lost was a real possibility. ¡°Then let¡¯s get moving.¡± *** ¡¸Invisible message: Climber Seo Ho-Su has inherited the Weretiger King''s blood.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: The hidden area ¡®The Tiger and the Bear¡¯ will be added to the hidden area ¡®Weretiger King¡¯s Lair¡¯ of the Eerie Forest.¡¹ Chapter 28: Seventh Floor, The Eerie Forest and the Mad Weretigers (5) Chapter 28: Seventh Floor, The Eerie Forest and the Mad Weretigers (5) The forest no longer felt eerie. It exuded a vibrancy now that the mist was clearing. The weretiger¡¯s intimidating presence had vanished, reced by the cheerful chirping of unfamiliar birds and the harmonious sounds of insects. Even the once swampy ground had firmed up, providing solid footing beneath our feet. It was as if we had stumbled into a picturesque retreat. What happened to the ominous forest we saw earlier? Was it an illusion this entire time? The traces of mud still clinging to the backs of our legs suggested otherwise. Now that the forest had changed, they were one of the few remnants from our frantic escape. The entire situation was perplexing, almost as if a ghost had yed a trick on us. ¡°Dad! Look at this little guy. Isn''t it adorable?¡± ¡°Wow, it sure is cute. I¡¯ve never seen a bird like this before. Guess we''re not on Earth right now, huh?¡± ¡°Probably. It doesn''t look like any species from Earth.¡± Our party had changed noticeably as well. Seo Ha-Rin had been quite reserved but was much more talkative now. Clinging closely to her father''s side, she held hisrge hand tightly and chatted incessantly. ¡°Unnie! There''s something that looks like a rabbit over here!¡± ¡°Hmm, looks more like a big rat. Maybe a nutria?¡± ¡°Eek! A rat? Gross...¡± Seo Ha-Rin grimaced and took a step back. ¡°Krieee! Goblin! Can Goblin eat it?¡± Seo Ha-Rin wasn''t just talking to her father, she was engaging with everyone. Seeing her so bright and energetic brought warm smiles to both Ha Hee-Jeong and me. Her cheerfulness was infectious, lifting the overall mood of our group. It was heartening to witness such a lively atmosphere, especially considering how quiet our journey had been until now. Previously, Seo Ho-Su and I had been conversing the most, often chatting about topics like fantasy novels and martial arts. They were discussions about heavenly demons and frontier lords, which didn¡¯t interest the entire party. Now, with Seo Ha-Rin''s enthusiasm, everything felt much more dynamic and engaging. This is nice. Perhaps Seo Ha-Rin felt morefortable with the group after pouring out her emotions, lessening any previous reservations. It was also possible she had deliberately chosen to embrace a more cheerful demeanor after nearly losing her father. ¡°Oh! What''s this?¡± ¡°That looks like a poisonous mushroom.¡± Regardless of the reason behind her change, it was undeniably a positive development. Seizing a moment when everyone''s attention was elsewhere, I leaned toward Ha Hee-Jeong and whispered. ¡°My share percentage is at twenty-one percent. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Twenty-one percent? So the pre-sponsorship penalty added twenty percent?¡± Her eyebrows raised in surprise. ¡°Yeah, and the neutralizing agent was another one percent.¡± ¡°Twenty percent is quite a bit, but at your current level, it shouldn''t be a major issue. You will get opportunities to reduce itter. We''ll get more details in the waiting room anyway.¡± £Ò???????? We¡¯ll get more details in the waiting room? So the sponsorship system bes avable after clearing the seventh floor? I was eager to finally get an exnation of what it all meant. ¡°By the way, is the ce we''re heading to now another hidden mission?¡± ¡°No, it''s not a hidden mission but a hidden area. Remember the one you found on the second floor? It''s simr to that.¡± ¡°So, are we expecting another creature like Karaksh to pop out?¡± She shook her head with a smile. ¡°No enemies this time. It''s the Weretiger King¡¯sir. There''s a sword there that''s quite useful.¡± A sword, huh? That would be perfect for Seo Ho-Su. I preferred maces over swords, and since I already had a good weapon, Seo Ho-su could take this hidden prize. ¡°I am going to give that to Ho-Su. Do you think that would be fine?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. Besides, we might not have found it without him. In my first life, we only stumbled upon it by chance after defeating the king.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, you managed to defeat the king in yourst life too?¡± ¡°Yeah, but it was tough. Half of our party didn''t make it. That''s when I realized just how incredible your closebat skills were.¡± Huh? That¡¯s the first time she¡¯s shared that with me. So I started to stand out on the seventh floor? Wait a minute, didn¡¯t the seraphim swarm us on the sixth floor? I bet I was pretty good at killing all of them back then, too. ¡°You didn¡¯t realize that on the sixth floor?" ¡°Nah, since you were a mage you just cast spells while protected, so it wasn¡¯t as noticeable. And when the queen appeared, everyone was too busy running away." Hmm. Well, the Seraphim Queen was stronger than the Weretiger King. That reminded me that I had had some questions about the seventh floor. However, now that we had conquered it, Ha Hee-Jeong didn¡¯t have to keep the information from me. ¡°So, what happens if a party chooses the sacrifice?" ¡°If we hadn''t defeated the king, only one person out of the six would have been able to proceed.¡± ¡°Only one? That''s brutal. Your entire party would be decimated.¡± ¡°The seventh floor is designed to be a trap. If you confront the king head-on from the beginning, it''s not too difficult. Even with the other weretigers around, it''s essentially a six-on-one fight.¡± ¡°So running away is the wrong move.¡± ¡°Exactly. In most cases, defeating the king after running costs about four party members¡¯ lives.¡± ¡°Huh...¡± I muttered, contemting the harsh reality of the tower. ¡°But don''t get me wrong. Your decision wasn''t incorrect. Running was a sensible choice if you didn¡¯t know the king''s strength. These situations are always a gamble.¡± I nodded in agreement, acknowledging that the tower was an unpredictable entity. I had learned that back on the fourth floor. Ultimately, every choice was mine to make. Although the approach we took wasn''t the most straightforward method to clear the floor, the intense three-hour chase had significantly helped our party grow and be stronger. If you sent me back to the start of the seventh floor, I would make the same choice. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ve been thinking about what weapon you should wield. You didn¡¯t carry a shield in my previous life. Maybe that¡¯s why your movement seems awkward to me since I¡¯m so used to your old style.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t carry a shield?¡± ¡°No, you were more dynamic and aggressive with your attacks back then. I think it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t have the shield.¡± Hmm, that made sense. My attack patterns were pretty straightforward and consistent now, all I did was block with the shield and then counterattack with the mace. Ha Hee-Jeong continued with her suggestions cautiously. ¡°What if you tried fighting without the shield? I¡¯m not saying you have to, but just consider it.¡± Fighting without a shield, huh? Now that I thought about it, I didn¡¯t use a shield on the first floor either. Was I more aggressive back then? I was sure that was the case. My attacks had been more aggressive and I had mixed up my attack patterns. Or maybe that was inevitable? There had been no item with the same defensive capabilities as a shield on the first floor, so moving around more and seeking out advantageous positions had been my best choice. They say the best defense is a strong offense. Of course, using a shield had its advantages. I was already quite ustomed to it, and it provided a stable and consistent fighting strategy. On the other hand, it didn¡¯t feel like mybat skills were improving. Block, swing, repeat. My attacks were starting to feel mechanical. Sure, I could find ways to fight more dynamically even with the shield, but... maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try something different. I needed a push to be able to grow further. Not that I wasn¡¯t already strong enough, but there was no harm in getting stronger to handle whatever challenges I would face climbing the tower. Without the shield, I could sharpen my offense skills even more. ¡°Thest time you climbed the tower, you said I used a wand, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, but not just a wand. You also wielded a one-handed axe, a sword, and a mace. You know you can hold more than one weapon at once, right? You have two hands for a reason.¡± ¡°So I didn¡¯t stick to one weapon?¡± ¡°Not really. You said each weapon had its own feel, but... hmm.¡± ¡°So out of all the weapons I used, do you think the staff was the best fit for me?¡± My question startled Ha Hee-Jeong and she looked at me. Why is she so surprised? I am not talking about a magic wand, but rather something like a metal rod, a staff-like weapon. ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t even think about it,¡± she warned. It seemed that me as a mage in her first life had traumatized her. ¡°You did crack some heads with a staff, but you mainly used other weapons.¡± That was a bit disappointing. I thought that the staff paired with the Lightning Essence would allow me to live out my fantasy as a mage... Sadly, when I manipted lightning now, it didn¡¯t quite feel the same. There was no staff, no chanting of spells. Maybe someday I would get to try it out. Suddenly, Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, an axe! I think you used an axe the most. You switched weapons frequently, but on the ny-fourth floor, you used an axe.¡± ¡°An axe?¡± ¡°Yeah, you also used a staff. But whenever you used the axe, you always felt like something was missing. You didn¡¯t feel that way with other weapons.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I could give it a try. Maybe I felt that way with the staff also?" I strolled along, chatting quietly with Ha Hee-Jeong. Suddenly, excited voices broke out from the front of our group. ¡°We''re almost there... Oh, oh! There it is! We found it!" ¡°It definitely looks like a tiger''sir.¡±@@novelbin@@ ¡°It does, but why does it smell so bad in there? Isn''t this supposed to be the Weretiger King¡¯s home?" Seo Ho-Su looked puzzled as he sniffed the air. ¡°I''m not sure. I don''t smell anything.¡± Something felt off. Seo Ho-Su had inherited the Weretiger King''s blood, and this was supposed to be the king''sir. So why is he the only one who found the smell unpleasant when the rest of us didn''t notice anything at all? ¡°Let''s go inside.¡± We cautiously entered the dark cave. Since there was no natural light, Ha Hee-Jeong conjured a small me that cast flickering shadows on the walls. The cave was cool and damp, but otherwise unremarkable. After walking a few meters, we entered a small chamber. ¡°Hmm? What''s that?" My gaze was drawn to a sword stuck in the ground at the center of the chamber. Its handle was red, with ck stripes like a tiger''s markings, but aside from that, it didn''t seem all that different from any other sword. [Weretiger King''s Longsword] - A sword the Weretiger King intended to use as a human. - Reveals its true power when wielded by the Weretiger King. A notification window popped up, and Ha Hee-Jeong let out a small sigh. ¡°Oh..." ¡°What''s wrong?" I turned around with a puzzled look, and Ha Hee-Jeong leaned in and whispered softly to me. ¡°It''s meant for the Weretiger King. Ipletely forgot about that.¡± ¡°The Weretiger King? Oh!" It suddenly clicked that Seo Ho-Su had inherited the Weretiger King''s blood. This sword would show its true power in his hands. I wasn¡¯t surprised Ha Hee-Jeong hadn''t remembered this since it happened a long time ago for her. There was no way she could recall every little detail of her previous life. ¡°Dad! It says the sword reveals its true power when used by the Weretiger King!" ¡°Well, I guess that makes sense¡­ Haha." Seo Ho-Su replied with a sheepish smile and nced at me. Since I was the party leader, it seemed he wanted my approval. I had nned to give him the sword anyway, and I wasn¡¯t bothered by him asking for my permission. In fact, it made me feel a bit proud. ¡°It looks like the perfect weapon for you, Ho-Su.¡± ¡°Heh, you think so?" ¡°Absolutely. I don''t use swords, and Cole uses a bow." ¡°I agree. I think it''s best if you use it, Ho-Su." ¡°Thank you, everyone." Seo Ho-Su grinned as he drew the sword from the ground. For a moment, a faint red aura flickered around the de before fading away. Did anyone else see that? It happened so quickly that no one seemed to have noticed. I couldn¡¯t have imagined it; it was probably because the sword was revealing its true power. ¡°Why don''t we rest for a while? The weretigers aren''t around anymore.¡± ¡°I''m down. I''d like to explore the forest a bit more.¡± ¡°What about you, Su-Hyeok and Hee-Jeong?" ¡°I think it''s a good idea.¡± We had secured the sword Ha Hee-Jeong mentioned, and there was still some time left before the floor ended. Exploring this picturesque forest wasn''t a bad idea. The forest was one of the most peaceful sights we had encountered since entering the tower. Seo Ho-Su swung the sword through the air, a look of awe on his face, when he suddenly stopped. He sniffed the air, his expression shifting. ¡°Wait a minute. The smell... it''s noting from here, is it?" ¡°What do you mean?" Without responding, Seo Ho-Su continued sniffing. His nose twitched in a distinctly tiger-like way. He moved slowly toward a corner of the cave. He tapped the wall a few times before turning to us. ¡°Here it is!" He then pushed aside a massive boulder that had been blocking part of the wall. Was that rock always there? I hadn''t even noticed it until he moved it. It was clearly heavy, but Seo Ho-Su managed to shift it just enough to reveal another small chamber behind it. What¡¯s going on? I had thought the hidden area only contained the sword. I looked over at Ha Hee-Jeong, and she seemed just as baffled. ¡°I¡¯m sure there was nothing here before. I checked every corner when we found the hidden area in my past life.¡± What is happening? Could it be that Seo Ho-Su¡¯s status as the new Weretiger King revealed this? It seemed likely. Maybe only the Weretiger King could ess this chamber. ¡°Shall we go in?" We cautiously entered the newly revealed chamber, which was small¡ªabout 13 square meters. At its center, a strange symbol was drawn on the floor. It was a hexagram that looked like something a sorcerer might use. Inside the symboly a human skull, a round pill-like object, and a double-headed axe. [Bear King''s Galldder] - Vomited by the Bear King when it became human. - Contains the strength of the Bear King. [Bear King''s Double-Headed Axe] - A double-headed axe the Bear King intended to use as a human. - Steeped in the Bear King''s lingering grudge. A tiger? A bear? This sounds like the myth of Dangun[1]! ¡°Are these... our ancestors?" ¡°No," Ha Hee-Jeong replied firmly. But this clearly resembles the myth of Dangun! How does the Tower even know about that? ¡°Do you think Earth is the only with myths like this?" ¡°Well, no... but still..." It was hard to dismiss the uncanny resemnce, even if the myth of Dangun was just an allegory for tribal alliances. Despite Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s denial, my suspicions refused to go away. Seo Ha-Rin and Seo Ho-Su were also looking at us with puzzled expressions. Finally, Ha Hee-Jeong sighed and added, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not even the same as the myth of Dangun. The Bear King was trapped and died, and the Weretiger King went mad. It seems like the Weretiger King ran out and prevented the Bear King from escaping, so in its anger, the Bear King cursed the forest." ¡°Even so, it¡¯s too simr." ¡°Then, do you think we really fought in the middle of Seoul on the sixth floor? The tower could have just created the floor based on our knowledge." ¡°What are you even talking about?" Cole asked,pletely lost, not knowing anything about the myth of Dangun. Should I exin it to him? ¡°Cole, there¡¯s a Korean myth about a hero named Dangun..." Seo Ho-Su took over and exined it. After he kindlyid it out, Cole nodded in understanding. Seeing this, Ha Hee-Jeong sighed and turned toward the hexagram, muttering something under her breath. ¡°¨D¨D¨D.¡± Once she finished her muttering, the hexagram slowly faded away before disappearing. She had mentioned that the Bear King had cursed the forest. Was this hexagram the curse, and if so, did she just lift it? Somehow, I had expected that Ha Hee-Jeong would do this. ¡°I¡¯m going to give the Bear King¡¯s Galldder and double-headed axe two[2] to Su-Hyeok. Is that alright with everyone? Ok, let''s spend the rest of our time exploring the forest.¡± *** [Time remaining: 0 minutes 00 seconds. Congrattions. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the seventh floor of the Tower of Ordeal: the Eerie Forest. Achievement points will be calcted.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has defeated the Weretiger King, discovered the hidden area ''Weretiger King''s Lair,'' and discovered the hidden area ''The Tiger and the Bear.'' Achievement points will be calcted.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 2,750 achievement points. Total achievement points: 46,798. He will now enter the waiting room.] 1. The myth of Dangun is a key story in Korean culture that exins the origin of the Korean people and their first kingdom, Gojoseon. In the myth, Hwanung, the son of a heavenly god,es down to Earth and sets up a sacred city. A bear and a tiger ask Hwanung to turn them into humans. He gives them a test: they have to stay in a cave for 100 days, eating only garlic and mugwort. The tiger gives up, but the bear seeds and bes a woman. This bear-woman, Ungnyeo,ter marries Hwanung. Later, their son, Dangun Wanggeom, goes on to found the kingdom of Gojoseon. Dangun is considered the legendary first king of Korea, and the story is a big part of Korean identity and pride. ? 2. Bear King''s Galldder and double-headed axe ? Chapter 29: Eighth Floor, Waiting Room Chapter 29: Eighth Floor, Waiting Room During Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s first life, on the seventh floor. [Eerie Forest] ¡°Go ahead and run your mouth one more time." ¡°Ho-Su! We don''t even know what''s going to happen! What if the weretigers keeping after us even after we''ve offered sacrifices!? How will we be able to escape with the priest?" Seo Ho-Su clenched his teeth while shielding Seo Ha-Rin. He felt a volcanic rage brewing deep inside. Seo Ho-Su''s hand trembled palpably as he tightly gripped his shield. ¡°Damn it! How are we supposed to fight that thing?! Hurry up and make the sacrifice! He''s already exhausted! How long can the kingst... Ugh!" ¡°Dad!" They had been attacked numerous times during their ascent of the tower, but none had been as swift or as disastrous as this one. Thinking to himself, Seo-Ho stood still and watched as a party member copsed with a long gash in his throat. Sacrifice this bastard first.Yet the king remained dissatisfied. The others followed quickly after. Two, three, four. Seo Ho-Su believed each subsequent attack was just as deserved. Idiots. He spat on the ground. They considered fighting me but not the king? Morons, if they had fought earlier, perhaps we could have stabbed the king at least once. Seo Ho-Su cursed under his breath and turned his gaze back to the king.@@novelbin@@ ¡°... Human. ¡­ Human." The king was still not satisfied. Gathering his resolve, Seo Ho-Su looked back at Seo Ha-Rin, who seemed to realize what was about to happen. Tears streamed down her face. ¡°Ha-Rin, remember the shield spell Dad bought you?" ¡°Dad, no. Please, no..." ¡°Just activate it, and close your eyes for a moment. You know how much Dad loves you, right?" Seo Ha-Rin nodded repeatedly, her eyes brimming with tears. Sobs escaped her lips. ¡°Don''t cry." Seo Ho-Su whispered and wiped her tears with his bloodied hand, staining her cheeks crimson. ¡°Go up, Ha-Rin..." With those final words, Seo Ho-Su charged at the king. Momentster, the tower¡¯s emotionless voice startled her while she kept her eyes desperately shut. [The sacrifices have appeased the Weretiger King. The weretigers will no longer attack.] *** [This is Kwon Su-Hyeok¡­] - Writer: Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor) Hello, this is Kwon Su-Hyeok. For those who''ve just cleared the sixth floor, I''m here to share my insights from the seventh floor. The seventh floor¡¯s challenge begins right away¡­ (omitted)... I hope you conquer the seventh floor safely. I''ll continue to share strategies for every floor I clear ahead of the pack. §²¨¢?????¦¥? However, don''t rely solely on my strategies. If you''re capable, try to take advantage of every battle and grow on your own as you ascend. P.S. I travel with a golden goblin named Doppy, so please don''t attack it! I cannot be held responsible for the consequences if you ignore my warning. - Kim Seon-Hu (Seventh Floor): The first-ranked climber is here. Troops, attention. - Ernest Morgan (Seventh Floor): Thank you for your kindness. That''s why you''re number one. - Braha Akif (Seventh Floor): What happens if we can''t defeat the Weretiger King? How do we find the cave? - Christina Megan (Seventh Floor): Is that even a question, Braha? lol. Just be thankful he''s sharing these insights with us. Don¡¯t get greedy. - Lee Joon-Young (Seventh Floor): Kiyaaaa! Bartender! Bring down the Tower of Ordeal! It will be so easy to conquer it with number one¡¯s info~ ¡­ The Community buzzed with activity as climbers who had conquered the sixth floor discussed strategies and shared advice. Ha Hee-Jeong had encouraged me to post about the seventh floor, emphasizing the importance of managing one''s image while ascending. Writing kindly and informatively was crucial, as interactions with other climbers would be increasingly frequent. Being the top-ranked climber gave me some leverage, but I knew I couldn''t always rely on my strength alone. People voluntarily heeding my advice would be ideal. The responses in the Community had been overwhelmingly positive. My inbox was flooded with messages, and although I wanted to reply to them, responding to thousands of individuals was unfeasible. As Iy quietly in bed, I thought about the share percentage system. Upon entering the waiting room, a notification had alerted me that I could now receive sponsorship from the god I was contracted with. This was followed by a series of lengthy, detailed, and technical notifications. Deciding it would be best to share this knowledge with the other climbers, I summarized the information into nine statements, which Iter posted. 1. Sponsorship from a god increases their share percentage. 2. The increase varies depending on the god''s ss; higher-ranked gods offer more favorable terms for climbers. 3. Any increase to the share percentage stat bes fixed after a brief grace period. 4. Before fixation, the share percentage stat can be voluntarily reduced by limiting one''s stats proportionately. 5. Reduced stats aren''t permanent; they restore gradually as one ascends the floors. 6. Stats can be limited in increments of five percent. 7. Gods can use their shares that are fixed to wield the Dice of Fate,pelling actions from climbers. 8. When this urs, the likelihood that a god¡¯s will controls the climber''s actions is equivalent to the percentage of fixed shares that the god holds. Immediately afterward, the god¡¯s share percentage returns to zero. 9. If the god¡¯s share percentage is insufficient for the action imposed, the god incurs a disadvantage, and vice versa. After I had read through all the notification windows, I grasped why Ha Hee-Jeong was confident about my chances. Even if I were to limit my stats by twenty percent, my abilities would be more than adequate. Likely, my strength would still be top-ranked after taking such a penalty, and even so, any reduction would recover naturally as I ascended. This issue was trivial for me, but other climbers faced a daunting choice. If a climber was already struggling to ascend the tower, limiting one¡¯s stats was tantamount to sabotage. Given no other option, they would have to allow the god¡¯s share percentage to be fixed. However, once a climber¡¯s fixed share percentage stat increased, their sponsor could roll the Dice of Fate, controlling their actions. Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned that if the climber¡¯s sponsor got along with them well, they could reduce the share percentage on their behalf, though most wouldn''t. rmingly, the notifications had omitted a critical detail. They hadn¡¯t exined the consequences of the sponsor¡¯s share percentage reaching one hundred. While I could specte right now, the exact oues were uncertain. Nheless, if my share percentage increased, I could simply limit my stats to reduce it. Even with reduced stats, I would be strong enough to navigate the floors effortlessly, and my stats would eventually return. ¡°Kriee! Su-Yeok! Su-Yeok!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ What!?¡± Doppy¡¯s voice jolted me from my reverie. I had responded absentmindedly at first but then turned to Doppy in surprise once I realized what had happened. ¡°Doppy! Did you just call me by my name?¡± ¡°Krriieee! Yes! Su-Yeok!¡± ¡°Doppy! I¡¯m overwhelmed. You''re calling me by my name...¡± Doppy had always referred to everyone as ¡°human.¡± Whether it was directed at Seo Ho-Su, Ha Hee-Jeong, or me, it refused to call us anything else. Though it kept pronouncing my name as Su-Yeok instead of Su-Hyeok, I felt a parent¡¯s pride as if I had raised it myself. Wait, I had, hadn¡¯t I? I had saved its life, fed it, and sheltered it. It seemed Doppy had grown, a realization that filled me with nostalgia. ¡°Hey, you seem a bit bigger, don¡¯t you? Ho-Su was right in the forest.¡± Doppy puffed out its chest and proimed proudly. ¡°Krieee! Goblin! Grown!¡± It was pleased at the notion of having grown. ¡°Haha, yes, you¡¯ve grown a lot.¡± Doppy¡¯s child-like glee made meugh. Children relished being told they had grown, and Doppy was no exception. Yet, it still referred to itself as ¡°Goblin.¡± Perhaps that would change over time. ¡°Your clothes look a bit small, should I get you new ones?¡± ¡°Kriee! Not yet! It¡¯s okay!¡± ¡°By the way, why did you call me?¡± ¡°Bread! Tired of it! Goblin! Hungry!¡± I had thought the food would improve as we climbed up the tower, but it hadn¡¯t. It seemed like we would need to rely on the shop instead, which sold all varieties of food. Thankfully, the cost of food was just one achievement point. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± ¡°Kriee! Meat! Meat!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s have some meat for a change.¡± Although Ha Hee-Jeong had advised us to conserve points, spending a couple of points seemed inconsequential. I bought two steaks with two achievement points. ¡°Kriee! Meat!¡± ¡°Doppy. Don¡¯t be rude. You should say thank you before eating.¡± ¡°Kriee! Su-Yeok! Thanks!¡± ¡°Yes, good job.¡± The steak was delicious, reminiscent of Earth¡¯s cuisine. The shop offered many foods you would find on Earth such as soda, hamburgers, pork ribs... Are they airlifting these items from Earth?Do Earth¡¯s people know of our struggles, then? As Iy pondering, my thoughts drifted unexpectedly. A moment from the start of the seventh floor surfaced in my mind. Seo Ho-Su had been deeply hurt because of Doppy¡¯s words back then. ¡°Hey, Doppy." ¡°Kriee! Su-Yeok!" ¡°From now on, avoid calling anyone bald. Understood?" ¡°Kriee! Why not?" How do I exin this delicately? Goblins couldn¡¯t appreciate the sentiment since they were born bald. ¡°Umm..." I wondered what Doppy possessed now that he might lose in the future. That¡¯s when a brilliant idea struck me. ¡°Doppy, how would you feel if Fenrike were to disappear like he did before?" ¡°Kriee! Fenrike? A god!" ¡°No, imagine if Fenrike vanished suddenly, like when he was trapped in the ne." Doppy pondered for a moment and furrowed his brows slightly. Then his eyes began to brim with tears. ¡°Kriee! Goblin! Sad!" ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s sad, right? That¡¯s what it feels like to lose one''s hair suddenly..." ¡°Kriee! Human! Hair is a god?" ¡°Not exactly, but it¡¯s a simr loss." ¡°Goblin! Understood! No more again!" Doppy seemed to grasp the concept as it nodded vigorously. I may have created a bit of a misunderstanding, but at least it wouldn¡¯t call Seo Ho-Su bald anymore. Isn''t that a victory in itself? The meal that followed was brief. After finishing the steak, I was left with nothing else to do. [Other climbers have not yet conquered the seventh floor. Climbers are not yet allowed to advance to the eighth floor.] [All climbers must participate on the eighth floor of the Tower of Ordeal. Please rest.] The eighth floor required participation from all climbers. I became curious about the potential difficulties we could face, so I messaged Ha Hee-Jeong. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): Is there anything I should be wary of on the eighth floor? Not looking for specific floor details, just general precautions. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): The eighth floor... No. You don¡¯t need any of my advice. You''ll manage just fine on your own. Manage just fine on my own? The phrasing struck me as odd. Aren¡¯t all the climbers participating on the eighth floor? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth floor): Manage on my own? Am I not going there with you? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): It''s a floor that requires every climber¡¯s participation, but it¡¯s more of an individualpetition. I can¡¯t give you much more advice than that. An individual contest that requires every climber... Could it be an individual survival challenge? Something like a battle royale? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): You likely won¡¯t need to fight. Also, burn your share percentage now. This floor will basically be a free pass for clearing your share percentage stat. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): Hmm, gotcha. There was likely nobat, yet it was an individual contest that needed every climber. What could that mean? Mildly curious, I considered various scenarios, but I couldn¡¯t settle on anything concrete. Ha Hee-Jeong reassured me not to worry about it too much. And speaking of getting a free pass... - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): How much of the limited stats penalty is recovered per floor? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): Roughly five percent of your total stats? Depending on your performance, it could be more or less. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): Really? Then I should be back to normal by around the tenth floor. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): Yeah, wait no¡­If I take into ount the eighth and tenth floors... It could take until the eleventh floor. Eighth and tenth floors? Herments suggested they were simr, perhaps there was nobat on the tenth floor either. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): Actually, this scenario will benefit you. The higher your stats, the less they tend to increase. Because of that, the stat reduction from the penalty will allow you to gain stats faster, so once the penalty is lifted, you¡¯ll be stronger than if you hadn¡¯t limited your stats. That made sense. I felt reassured knowing I didn¡¯t need to fret about a stat reduction. Perhaps I should follow Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s advice and reduce my sponsor¡¯s share percentage. [Would you like to reduce your sponsor¡¯s share percentage by twenty percent to limit twenty percent of your stats?] [Limited stats will gradually recover as the climber ascends floors.] ¡°Yes.¡± Immediately after I responded, a sudden feeling of weakness washed over me. I felt slightly heavier, akin to the sluggishness that follows a strenuous workout. [Kwon Su-Hyeok has chosen to limit his abilities by twenty percent, reducing his sponsor¡¯s share percentage by twenty percent. Current share percentage: 1.09%] Just as I was about to stretch and adjust to my weakened state, Ha Hee-Jeong sent another message. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): How¡¯s the axe? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): Not sure yet. I¡¯ll probably need to test it in battle before I figure out if I like it. I had swung it a few times in the forest before arriving at the waiting room. The initial feeling was positive, and it even felt better than my mace. Yet, I wanted a real battle to get a good feel for it. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): You probably won¡¯t have a chance to use it until the ninth floor. Also, you haven¡¯t eaten the galldder yet, have you? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): No, I saved it for dessert. I''ll have it after chatting with you, Hee-Jeong. Wait, this won¡¯t make me turn slightly bearish like Ho-Su, right? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): Don¡¯t worry. Seo Ho-Su reacted that way because he consumed the blood raw. Yours is refined. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): Phew, I¡¯m d I don¡¯t have to worry about that. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Eighth Floor): Okay, any more questions? If not, enjoy the galldder and tell me how it affects youter. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): Yeah, sure. I¡¯ll talk to youter. *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has consumed the Bear King¡¯s Galldder. The power of the Bear King imbues his body.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained the skill Bear¡¯s Blood lvl 4.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su Hyeok¡¯s status as a ¡®Challenger¡¯ has been confirmed. The restrictions on the Bear King¡¯s Galldder have been lifted, increasing the absorption rate and enhancing his Strength, Agility, and Stamina.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Bear¡¯s Blood is now lvl 7.¡¹ Chapter 30: War, Peace, and Thieves (1) Chapter 30: War, Peace, and Thieves (1) Fortunately, Ha Hee-Jeong was right. Despite eating the Bear King''s Galldder, there were no visible changes to my appearance. Now it seemed almostughable that I had been worried about my skin changing color or my eyes taking on a different look, like what had happened to Seo Ho-Su. All I felt was a surge of energy coursing through my body, filling me with strength. [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 1.09% (-?.??%) / 100.00%) Strength: 77.2 (-18) Agility: 71.2 (-16) Stamina: 73.7 (-17)Mana: 42.8 (-11) Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 5, Sixth Sense lvl 9, Indomitability lvl 14(+5)... Bear¡¯s Blood lvl 7¡­ My stats had taken a significant hit after using the share percentage, although my status window conveniently disyed the stat reduction in parenthesis. Interestingly, it seemed like consuming the Bear King¡¯s Galldder restored some of my penalized stats. Although I was not particrly good at math, I roughly estimated about five percent of my stats had returned. Wait, maybe not? I hadn¡¯t memorized my stats, so it was hard to be exact. Since I could always check the status window, I hadn¡¯t seen a need tomit them to memory. Well, let¡¯s say it¡¯s about five percent. That¡¯s good enough. That meant I only had to restore another fifteen percent of my stats until I was back to my normal condition. If I regained five percent on the eighth floor, another five percent on the ninth, and thest five percent on the tenth, I would return to my normal self by the eleventh floor. Even if I didn¡¯t have to battle on the eighth and tenth floors, I could earn some extra penalty reduction on the ninth floor if I fought well enough. Factoring in the five percent my stats would return by every floor, and the chance my stats would increase along the way¡­ ??¦­???¨º?? Then theoretically, by the end of the ninth floor, or at least by the tenth floor, I would surpass my original stats. On top of that, I have acquired the Bear¡¯s Blood skill. Surprisingly, the skill started off at level seven. Even the Seraphim Elixir hadn¡¯t given me such a high-level skill. Considering how potent this elixir had been¡­ I am beginning to wonder if that bear really was one of our ancestors. Though, of course, that¡¯s probably not the case. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what Bear¡¯s Blood did. Regardless, I could feel a power surging through my body, potentially stronger than what my status window suggested. It was as if my physical abilities had somehow exceeded their usual limits. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Eighth Floor): Ho-Su, do you know exactly what the Tiger¡¯s Blood skill does? - Seo Ho-Su (Eighth Floor): I¡¯m not quite sure. It just feels like I¡¯ve got a bit more strength. I had asked Seo Ho-Su, hoping he might know more, but even he couldn¡¯t give me a clear answer. Well, as long as it wasn¡¯t a bad thing, there was no need to worry. More strength could only be a good thing. Or so I thought¡ªuntil I picked up the double-headed axe. ¡°Huh?¡± I saw the same fleeting glimmer I had noticed when Seo Ho-Su grabbed his sword, and it happened the moment I gripped the axe. For a split second, I was certain I discerned a ck light flicker across the axe¡ªit was unmistakable. The axe felt subtly lighter than it had before I took the Bear King¡¯s Galldder, but the reduced weight wasn¡¯t the only thing I noticed. It now seemed to fit perfectly in my hand, as if it had been custom-made for me. Even more remarkable, the surging power from the Bear¡¯s Blood skill felt noticeably stronger. I recalled that Seo Ho-Su¡¯s sword had mentioned in its description that it would reveal its true power when wielded by the Weretiger King. However, my axe didn¡¯t have such an exnation. [Bear King''s Double-Headed Axe] - A double-headed axe the Bear King intended to use as a human. - Steeped in the Bear King''s lingering grudge. I checked the description again, wondering if I had missed something, but it was still the same. The only interesting note was that it was, ¡°Steeped in the Bear King''s lingering grudge.¡± Could the Bear King¡¯s resentment be manifesting through the Bear¡¯s Blood? It seemed highly likely. I couldn¡¯t ignore the significant difference in how the axe felt before and after taking the Bear King¡¯s Galldder. It was just like how Seo Ho-Su¡¯s sword revealed its true power thanks to the Tiger¡¯s Blood skill... It turned out that the Bear¡¯s Blood wasn¡¯t just an incredible elixir, but also granted additional powerful benefits. I hadn¡¯t had the chance to test it in battle yet, so I wasn¡¯t sure if the axe was the perfect weapon for me. However, I couldn¡¯t deny there was a synergy between the Bear¡¯s Blood and the Bear King''s Double-Headed Axe. When wielding this axe, it felt like I could tap into my full, unpenalized strength. If I wield this axe, the twenty percent stat restriction won¡¯t be much of a problem. I swung the axe a few times to test it out. The room was cramped, causing Doppy to squeal and scurry into a corner, but I felt satisfied. With each swing, my confidence in the weapon grew. This would do nicely. After a bit more practice, I finally tossed the axe aside and threw myself onto the bed. Come to think of it, the Community... I remembered posting a summary in the Community about the tower¡¯s sponsorship system. Since the information was given to every climber when they cleared the seventh floor, it didn¡¯t get as much attention as a strategy guide might have. Still, I appreciated receivingments like, ¡°Thanks for the summary,¡± and ¡°Thank you for organizing this.¡± Each of those responses was a small victory for me, so I was satisfied. After all, I needed to maintain my good image. [Everyone, shut up and bow to Mr. Kwon Su-Hyeok.] [Eric Hockman (Rank 13,891) is a crazy bastard. Don¡¯t group with him.] [People really show their true colors in a crisis. He ran off on his own, lol.] [Thank you, Kwon Su-Hyeok. Thank you so much.] [The mage Lauren ter (Rank 239,284) is a total troll, ugh.] [Kwon Su-Hyeok summarized it. Read it carefully.] [So, what¡¯s the deal with sponsorships and share percentage? Is it okay to ept sponsorships?] [Haha, I got a skill through sponsorship, this is awesome!] When I checked the Community again, it was a whirlwind of activity, filled with climbers who had just cleared the seventh floor. No, "activity" wasn¡¯t the right word¡ªit was absolute chaos. There were posts thanking me for strategy guides, heated arguments between party members, and endless questions about the sponsorship system. Hmm, it¡¯s total pandemonium. I quickly exited the Community. I had hoped to find serious discussions or insightful theories about the sponsorship system, but... Maybe if I dug deeper, I could unearth something worthwhile. However, I had no desire to wade through the chaos any longer. They would sort things out eventually, and I was sure some useful ideas would surface. I¡¯ll check backter. Besides, I need to prepare for the eighth floor. *** [15 minutes 31 seconds until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] Finally! I was about to ascend to the eighth floor. One thing I had learned from this experience was that waiting indefinitely in the waiting room was pure torture. The cramped room offered little in the way of entertainment, wasn¡¯t spacious enough for a proper workout, and contained no distractions to help pass the time. Chatting with my party members had been fun for a while, but we quickly ran out of things to talk about. At the time, most climbers were still stuck on the seventh floor, so even the Community had little to offer. At least I had Doppy to keep mepany, but even it got tired after a couple of hours and copsed from exhaustion. A shared party rest area would have been nice... So this is how they felt. I began to understand the frustration of those who had cursed me back on the fifth floor. How irritated they must have been, waiting so long just because of me!@@novelbin@@ Now that I grasped their feelings, I felt a bit more sympathetic. Finding a way to pass the time on my own would be something I needed to work on. After all, I am ranked first... It was clear that situations like this would only be moremon. Our party would only continue to steamroll through floors that included the entire party. With Ha Hee-Jeong and me taking the lead, our party should have no problem conquering any challenge the tower threw our way. However, if we ran into this situation again where every climber was required to advance together, that would be a different story. We would end up waiting indefinitely again. I needed a solution as soon as possible. There was only so much time I could spend reviewing battles and nning my growth. Hmm, I¡¯ll think about this moreter. If I couldn¡¯t figure it out on my own, I could always ask Ha Hee-Jeong. She had been in the tower long enough to learn some tricks for passing the time in the waiting room. Alright, it¡¯s time to move on to the eighth floor. As a message shed before me, my vision brightened. [Time remaining: 0 minutes 00 seconds. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok will now be sent to the eighth floor of the Tower of Ordeal.] *** ¡¸Invisible message: The grudge of the Bear King embedded in the Bear King¡¯s Double-Headed Axe reacts to Bear¡¯s Blood. The power derived from Bear¡¯s Blood increases significantly.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: The hidden mission ¡®Grudge of the Bear King¡¯ has begun.¡¹ *** [Wee to the eighth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Room of Thieves, Theft and Retention.] [On the eighth floor, climbers can choose between theft and retention.] [If both climbers choose theft, they will engage inbat. The loser will die, and the winner will lose their two highest-level skills.] [If climber A chooses theft and climber B chooses retention, climber A will randomly steal one of climber B¡¯s skills. In this case, only climber A will receive 200 achievement points.] [If both climbers choose retention, they will proceed to the ninth floor and receive 1,000 achievement points each.] [Climber Kwon Su-Hyeok (Rank 1) and Climber Alexei Braham (Rank 3) have been paired. Time remaining: 59 minutes 59 seconds.] I found myself standing in a circr arena, simr to the ones I had seen in the first couple of boss rooms. Doppy... hadn¡¯te along. It was probably still lounging on the bed, fast asleep. Lucky little guy. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of envy. No, now isn¡¯t the time for that. I needed to focus. I was now on the eighth floor. From my perspective, at twelve o¡¯clock stood a tall blonde woman. At nine o¡¯clock at the edge of the arenay my double-edged axe, and at three o¡¯clocky her axe. It seemed we were both armed with the same type of weapon. Wait a second. Alexei Braham, ranked 3rd? She was the climber who kept holding the third rank even after our partypleted hidden mission after hidden mission. It was clear that this woman had alsopleted a hidden mission somewhere. But something about her didn¡¯t quite match up with my expectations. From the name alone, I had pictured a hulking, 190-centimeter-tall muscleman. Yet, standing before me was a tall but slender young woman. I wasn¡¯t underestimating her because she was a woman, it was just that her name and appearance didn¡¯t align in the slightest. Alexei Braham. It was a name that anyone would assume belonged to a man. Yet, here she was wielding a massive double-edged axe, no less. They say seeing is believing, but I still couldn¡¯t picture it. Hmm, whatever. The eighth floor¡¯s notification had given a long-winded exnation, but I didn¡¯t need to overthink it. While this floor might force others to strategize, that didn¡¯t apply to me. I was strong, and from my perspective, the rules were simple. All I had to do was dere that I would choose theft, no matter what. The 3rd ranked climber? I hadn¡¯t fought her yet, but I was confident I could beat her to a pulp within ten seconds. Who in their right mind would risk their life making such a reckless choice? Even if their opponent lost and died, the victor would still lose two skills. Unless someone waspletely insane, they wouldn¡¯t choose theft. ¡°Nice to meet you!¡± She called out, her voice filled with unexpected warmth. Is she Russian? Thanks to the Tower¡¯s trantion, I could understand every word she spoke, though it sounded a lot like ¡°Spasibo!¡± ¡°Hi there. Are you Russian?¡± ¡°Yes. Are you Korean?¡± Hmm, so I was right. Now it made sense why she was holding a double-edged axe. It seemed usible if she was Russian. She had to belong to the ¡°Country of Brown Bears[1].¡± They were the ones who drank vodka like water and wrestled bears with their bare hands. They defied normal logic. I had seen videos of Russians doing bizarre things on the inte. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to meet someone like you. So this is what the number one climber is like.¡± Her tone was ambiguous enough that I couldn¡¯t tell if she meant it as apliment or an insult. Enough with the small talk. Let¡¯s hurry up and finish the eighth floor so I can move on. First, I needed to convince her to choose retention if she didn¡¯t want to die. But how should I persuade her? Considering my image, relying solely on intimidation wouldn¡¯t be a good idea. It would be best to start by exining the power difference between us. Then, I could cautiously suggest that she couldn¡¯t beat me anyway. Finally, I would finish my reasoning by stating that, because I couldn¡¯t trust her, I had no choice but to choose theft. ¡°Hey, friend¡­¡± I began. ¡°I¡¯m choosing theft!¡± What? Theft? Did she just say she¡¯s choosing theft? I immediately reconsidered my earlier thoughts. I hadn¡¯t thought there were people crazy enough to make that choice, but apparently, one such person stood right in front of me. Has she lost her mind? No, that wasn¡¯t it. She probably didn¡¯t yet realize the difference in power between us. Maybe she thought she had a chance. I should exin it to her kindly. ¡°Hey, friend. Just for your information, my strength stat is¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m choosing theft!¡± She repeated, cutting me off again. ¡°No, hold on. Why don¡¯t you just listen to me for a second, ok?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re stronger than me! But I¡¯m still choosing theft!¡± Her expression was resolute, her determination unmistakable. It was clear she wouldn¡¯t back down. She really was insane... A heavy sigh escaped me as I realized just how stubborn she was. 1. "???" is a yful nickname used in South Korea to refer to Russia. Itbines "??," meaning "brown bear," a symbol often associated with Russia, and "?," meaning "country." The term humorously highlights the stereotypical image of Russians as tough and resilient, like brown bears. It''smonly used in informal or online conversations. ? Chapter 31: War, Peace, and Thieves (2) Chapter 31: War, Peace, and Thieves (2) ¡°Phew¡­¡± Climbers weren¡¯t meant to be enemies. Sure, wepeted while ascending the tower, but fundamentally, our goal was the same. We all had to clear the tower. Alexei Braham, ranked 3rd on the Climber Leaderboard, now stood stubbornly before me. She was a talented and promising climber who could be a reliable ally or even a member of my party. I was confident she could be a driving force in allowing Earth¡¯s climbers to conquer this tower. Honestly, I was only nning to use a bit of intimidation¡­ My original strategy was simple: make it clear to Alexei that the gap in our strength was immense, then tell her I would be choosing theft no matter what. If she valued her life, she would naturally choose retention. Once she selected retention, I would observe her reaction through her expression and eyes, then decide what to do based on my instincts. My Sixth Sense skill hadn¡¯t failed me yet. If she seemed trustworthy, I would be willing to choose retention too. But if something felt off, I would go with theft. In the best-case scenario, we would both choose retention and share the benefits. If she showed any signs of untrustworthiness and I chose theft, I wouldn¡¯t lose anything as long as she chose retention. Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s someone I can reason with¡­Alexei¡¯s demeanor left no doubt that she had no intention of choosing retention. Left with no other choice, I had to select theft and risk losing two skills. [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 1.09% (-?.??%) / 100.00%) Strength: 77.2 (-18) Agility: 71.2 (-16) Stamina: 73.7 (-17) Mana: 42.8 (-11) Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 5, Sixth Sense lvl 9, Indomitability lvl 14 (+5), Combat Focus lvl 15 (+5) ¡­ Looking at my skills, Indomitability and Combat Focus had the highest levels. Something critical that I needed to consider was whether the level bonus from Paraktus¡¯s Determination Ne counted. If it did, then Combat Focus and Indomitability would be my highest-level skills. If not, then it would be a tie for second ce between Indomitability and Sixth Sense. ???¦¯???? If we both chose theft and ended up fighting, I would lose two skills no matter what. Either way, it would be a significant loss. If I had to choose the lesser of two evils¡­ I would rather lose Combat Focus and Indomitability. Even if I lost those skills, Paraktus¡¯s Determination Ne would still give me five levels in both skills. However, losing Sixth Sense would be a bitter blow. It had saved my life countless times, especially during the hidden missions. Damn, did I miscalcte? I had assumed selecting theft would be the straightforward choice, but Alexei¡¯s reckless behavior had knocked my n off course. To be honest, I hadn¡¯t expected her to choose theft after recognizing me. Losing a skill hadn¡¯t been something I seriously considered. Alright, I need to calm down and think this through again. I needed to think carefully. What if I choose retention and she chooses theft? If that happens I will lose a random skill. The biggest issue with choosing that option was the cursed ¡°random¡± factor. It wouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal if I lost a lower-level skill like me Resistance or Poison Resistance since they could easily be regained. But what if I get unlucky? What if, by some chance, I lose Lightning Essence? That skill cost 45,000 achievement points and had limitless potential. Not only was it a unique item, but it had cost only slightly fewer points than I had right now. It would consume most of my 46,798 points even if I could buy it again. Losing Lightning Essence was simply not an option. While the probability of losing it was low¡­ I can¡¯t trust the tower. That was the biggest issue. Even though it imed to be random, based on how the tower had operated so far, it seemed more likely it would steal my best skill. Fuck, I underestimated the tower again. The eighth floor wasn¡¯t automatically advantageous for strong climbers. If a weaker climber was truly willing to risk their life, even a much stronger climber would find themselves in aplicated situation. Wait a minute. I thought back to Alexei¡¯s resolute expression. She was a promising climber, ranked 3rd on the Leaderboard. Why is she so determined to choose theft, especially against someone as strong as me? Does Alexei have such apelling reason that she is genuinely prepared to die? Or¡­ does she have the same n I do? I wondered if she was just bluffing about choosing theft, attempting to gauge my reaction before potentially switching to retention. Regardless, relying on spection would get me nowhere. The only way to find out was to ask directly. ¡°Why are you so determined to choose theft?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you nning to switch to retention after seeing how I react to your threat?¡± ¡°No.¡± With that, Alexei fell silent. She mped her mouth shut as if she had said too much already. Frustration crept into my voice, my irritation evident as I pressed further. ¡°Then what¡¯s your reason? If we fight, you¡¯ll die. There¡¯s no doubt.¡± ¡°I know. You¡¯re different from the others. I can tell by the aura you give off.¡± ¡°Then why? Why choose to die?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being robbed. We Russians don¡¯t back down from a fight. We prefer to be the ones taking rather than the ones being taken from.¡± It was impossible to have a proper conversation with her. Does she think this is some kind of medieval duel? The situation was spiraling into absurdity. Logic had been thrown out the window, and there was no room for negotiation. I wondered if she was stubborn, or if Russians just hated losing. I was on the verge of developing a serious bias against Russians, but I didn¡¯t have time for that now. I need to focus. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose Lightning Essence. However, Combat Focus, Indomitability, and Sixth Sense were far less vital skills. Though it would be tough, I could regain those skills. Each of those skills had been unlocked naturally after all. Moreover, Combat Focus and Indomitability were battle-rted skills; I could quickly level them up again. Should I just choose theft and sacrifice two skills? Or should I gamble and choose retention, hoping for the best? Ugh, I need to stop guessing. I normally didn¡¯t hesitate this much. I didn¡¯t like being led around in circles. Even though I was trying to manage my image, there was a limit. I don¡¯t need to y nice with a maniac. While I couldn¡¯t afford to lose Lightning Essence, the other skills could be regained. That was the only thing I was sure of. Theft it is. I will choose theft. ¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯m going to¡ª¡± Suddenly, my Sixth Sense kicked in, stopping me mid-sentence. The words ¡°choose theft¡± hovered on the tip of my tongue, refusing to leave my mouth. rm bells were ringing in my head. Did I miss something? My mind was a tangled mess of half-formed thoughts, clouded by the weight of my earlier considerations. I needed to rethink everything from the start. Wait, from the start? I recalled the notification that had greeted me upon entering the eighth floor. [Wee to the eighth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Room of Thieves, Theft and Retention.] [On the eighth floor, climbers can choose between theft and retention.] Hmm¡­ Why is it called the Room of Thieves? Why not just call it the Room of Theft and Retention? I could have easily dismissed this, but I knew better than to take the tower¡¯s messages at face value. The tower was notorious for nting subtle traps. Suddenly, a strange sense of unease washed over me. Alexei was still staring at me stubbornly. Alexei must have worked with others on the sixth and seventh floors, right? If she always acted this recklessly, the Community would have been abuzz about it by now. Given her rank, it would have been even more of a hot topic. I had been too fixated on the rulesid out by the notification windows. But now, my Sixth Sense was warning me that something wasn¡¯t right. We were in the room of thieves¡­ thieves¡­ There¡¯s a thief in this room. I was almost certain of it now. I quickly scanned the arena. It looked exactly the same as it had before. There was nothing unusual to the naked eye. @@novelbin@@ Could there be some kind of invisibility magic at y? Wait¡­ Something is off with Alexei, is she an illusion? The easiest way to confirm this was¡­ Lightning Essence. I pushed the skill to its limits. Lightning crackled along my arms, blindingly bright. I aimed a volley of lightning bolts toward the center of the arena. The bolts tore through the air and eventually dissipated, except for one spot. Near the center of the arena, a bolt struck something invisible, lingering. The lightning outlined a bipedal creature which was about the size of Doppy. Of course. This was the Tower of Ordeal. I should have been suspicious the moment I saw ¡°Room of Thieves¡± in the notification. Without hesitation, I lunged toward the spot where the lightning had lingered. I reached my target in less than two seconds. ¡°Gaaaah!¡± I grabbed what seemed to be its neck. This must be the thief, right? I squeezed the creature¡¯s neck, feeling its pulse under my hand. ¡°Grrrk! Grrrrk!¡± I channeled more lightning through my hand and poured it into the creature. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, apanied by a sizzle. The creature convulsed before going limp. At that moment, the illusion shattered. The arena fragmented around me as Alexei¡¯s image disintegrated. ¡°No way! Why would you choose that¡­ If we both chose retention, we could have just moved on! I thought you were a good guy based on the Community posts¡­? Wait¡­ what the fuck?¡± The real Alexei appeared before me as soon as the illusion shattered. I heard the tail end of her heated rant with what I assumed to be an illusion of me. She stood stock-still,pletely stunned, her face flushed with confusion. [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok haspleted the eighth floor¡¯s hidden mission by eliminating the Skill Thief Gremlin. As a result, the challenge on the eighth floor has been nullified.] [Time remaining: 42 minutes and 17 seconds. Congrattions. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the eighth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Room of Thieves. Achievement points will be calcted.] ¡°What¡­ what just happened?¡± Alexei stammered, clearly struggling to process the situation. It took her a moment to realize what had happened. Then, as if a light bulb had gone off in her head, she eximed, ¡°Oh! So that¡¯s what happened. No wonder¡­ I was thinking there¡¯s no way a top climber could be that crazy.¡± ¡°Ah! Fucking damn it! I was so close to figuring it out!¡± Alexei cursed, frustrated that the Skill Thief Gremlin had deceived her. Though, judging by her reaction, it didn¡¯t seem like she would have ever discovered it. ¡°You probably would have figured it out if you had more time. Anyway, see you next time.¡± You have to maintain a positive image, Kwon Su-Hyeok. Keep your face straight. I tried to sh a charming smile after I bid her farewell. Alexei responded in kind, her voice tinged with a mix of gratitude and exasperation. ¡°¡­ Well, thanks anyway! I did earn some extra achievement points because of you. Yeah, let¡¯s meet again andugh about this.¡± As her words trailed off, I felt that familiar sensation of weightlessness. It was time to go back to the waiting room. [Hidden mission ¡®Skill Thief Gremlin¡¯pleted. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 5,000 achievement points. Additionally, he will be rewarded a random skill level up.] [Total Achievement Points: 51,796. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok will now enter the waiting room.] *** ¡¸Invisible Message: Exceptional Sixth Sense! Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Sixth Sense is now lvl 10. Lightning Essence is now lvl 6.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Random skill selection in progress. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained the skill Mimicry lvl 1.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the eighth floor. Stats limited by the sponsor¡¯s share percentage have been restored by 5.2%. Current stat limitation: 14.8%¡¹ Chapter 32: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (1) Chapter 32: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (1) ¡¸(Breaking News) ¡®Tower of Ordeal¡¯ Climber and Rankings Updated.¡¹ ¡¸Kwon Su-Hyeok Maintains First ce.¡¹ At approximately 1:04 a.m. today, the Climber Leaderboard rankings were updated for this so-called ¡°Tower of Ordeal¡± situated in the Pacific Ocean. Kwon Su-Hyeok from South Korea has once again secured the coveted top spot, solidifying his position as the leading climber. Joining him at the top of the rankings, fellow South Koreans Ha Hee-Jeong, Seo Ho-Su, and Seo Ha-Rin have sessfully retained their positions in second, fourth, and sixth ce. These exceptional performances have ensured that Earth continues to hold the first-ce ranking among the fours in sector C-66432 after finishing the eighth floor. This achievement underscores the prowess and determination of Earth¡¯s climbers as they face increasingly challenging trials within the tower. ¡­ Despite the global interest from top scientists, the true nature of the Tower of Ordeal and the other intelligent beings encountered within remain shrouded in mystery. Researchers and experts are still grappling with the implications of the tower''s existence and the enigmatic entities from across the universe that inhabit it. ¡­ Spection about an alien invasion has gained momentum, particrly after the mysterious voice that resonated across Earth mentioned a ¡°Green Belt.¡± This has led to a surge in conspiracy theories, with some suggesting that the tower is a prelude to an extraterrestrial threat. ¡­ Amidst this uncertainty, one thing remains clear: Earth has managed to maintain its lead in the rankings,rgely thanks to the extraordinary efforts of Kwon Su-Hyeok and his fellow climbers. - jasdnb12: Damn~ This is intoxicating! Bartender! You better not close up shop! I¡¯m not going home tonight! - shdab9595: Bartender! Quickly bring out the National Pride shot[1]!! - terriyaki77: Bartender found dead from overwork, lol. - junnyjoon: Is the news broadcast urate? It should be statistically impossible for our small country to hold first, second, fourth, and sixth ce. - game_addicted_lifebb: As expected, Koreans thrive onpetition. Haha, if you¡¯re not aiming for first ce, why bother? ?? *** [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 1.09% (-?.??%) / 100.00%) Strength: 81.7 (-14) Agility: 75.2 (-14) Stamina: 77.8 (-13) Mana: 46.5 (-8) Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 6, Sixth Sense lvl 10, ¡­ Mimicry lvl 1 I was pleased to see that some of my limited stats had returned. Though I couldn¡¯t calcte it precisely, I estimated that about five percent of my stats had been restored. I had also acquired a new skill called Mimicry, likely from defeating the Skill Thief Gremlin. ???????s I wondered how the skill worked. Does it simply copy an opponent¡¯s skill? Theck of a skill description in my status window was frustrating. I would have to do additional testing to figure out how the skill worked. One potential option was to use Doppy as a test subject, but I didn¡¯t want to disturb its peaceful sleep. Additionally, both my Lightning Essence and Sixth Sense had leveled up. I was fairly certain Sixth Sense had leveled up because I listened to it on the eighth floor. Also, It seemed like defeating the Skill Thief Gremlin had rewarded me with a level in Lightning Essence. If the tower had randomly chosen a skill to upgrade, I got super lucky that Lightning Essence was upgraded. What if I had lost a skill at random on the eighth floor? Though I couldn¡¯t be certain, I had a strong feeling the Skill Thief Gremlin would have stolen my Lightning Essence skill at random. The thought sent a chill down my spine. From now on, I needed to pay close attention to every detail in the tower¡¯s messages, no matter how small. - Cole Grouse (Ninth Floor): Is everyone okay? Thank goodness you¡¯re all alive. - Seo Ho-Su (Ninth Floor): Haha. With Tiger¡¯s Blood and the Weretiger King¡¯s sword, there¡¯s no way I would die! - Cole Grouse (Ninth Floor): What happened to you guys? I lost a skill. Luckily it wasn¡¯t an important one, though. Cole had arrived in the waiting room a bitter than the rest of us, and he messaged us as soon as he could. I had been worried about him being slightly behind... and sure enough, he lost a skill. All in all, I was just d he survived. As for Seo Ho-Su... Judging by his grin it seemed like he had gained a skill. - Seo Ho-Su (Ninth Floor): Hehe, I got a skill called Iron Shield Mastery. - Seo Ha-Rin (Ninth Floor): The opponent and I chose retention, so nothing changed for me. - Seo Ho-Su (Ninth Floor): But something was odd. My opponent spent twenty minutes insisting they would choose theft, but then they chose retention. - Seo Ha-Rin (Ninth Floor): Really? My opponent kept saying they would choose retention. I was tempted to steal a skill, but I stuck with retention too. Reading my party members¡¯ messages, I concluded there were Skill Thief Gremlins in other parts of the eighth floor as well. Considering that the illusions Seo Ho-Su and Seo Ha-Rin experienced were different, it made sense that they might vary depending on the person. After all, not everyone would be like me and insist on choosing theft. Seo Ha-Rin showed such great self-control. It would have been disastrous if her opponent chose theft at thest minute, but she didn¡¯t let that sway her. When yourbat strength was low, ying it safe was essential. There was no need to take unnecessary risks. For someone like a priest, surviving and then advancing to the next floor was what truly mattered. The Community was in turmoil, filled with climbers who had been deceived by the Skill Thief Gremlins. [Fuck. You said you¡¯d choose retention Rophrin (Rank 8,321)! You¡¯re a fucking bastard!] [We both chose theft, and my hands are still shaking. Killing someone¡­ it¡¯s horrifying.] [Just got an amazing skill. Burp lol.] [Both of us chose theft and fought it out, but then the mage identally killed the Skill Thief Gremlin, lmao.] [You idiots, it was all an illusion! Stop fighting amongst yourselves!] [Reporting a liar: Lee Joo-Sang (Rank 182,731).] ¡­ Scrolling through the posts, I noticed I wasn¡¯t the only one who had caught a gremlin. However, it seemed like most people had discovered it by blind luck. Unfortunately, most climbers got duped, leaving themunity inplete chaos. People argued about who lied and who didn¡¯t, and even when others tried to exin that it was all just an illusion, they were ignored. Most climbers were blinded by anger, not even bothering to verify the truth. They just vented their frustrations instead. Hmm... Watching the chaos made my head spin. I decided it was in my best interest to close the Community until things cooled off. When things got this heated, avoiding adding fuel to the mes was the smart move. Closing the window, it struck me that Ha Hee-Jeong hadn¡¯t messaged me yet. She would normally send me a message as soon as we reached the waiting room on every floor, but this time, there was nothing. Why? What made this floor different? Even though the eighth floor had a hidden mission, she hadn¡¯t shared any information with me beforehand. That surprised me since she had warned me about every hidden mission she knew about up to this point. Given that others in the Community had discovered it, she definitely knew it existed. Maybe knowing my capabilities, she just trusted that I would handle it on my own. But that didn¡¯t exin why she would withhold everything she knew. After all, my Sixth Sense hadn¡¯t always worked perfectly. Suddenly, I recalled someone had posted that they had killed their opponent. Could it be¡­?Did Ha Hee-Jeong want me to experience what it was like to kill someone? I couldn¡¯t think of any other reason she wouldn¡¯t have told me. Honestly, that didn¡¯t make me feel resentful, but I was still curious about her motive. Ha Hee-Jeong had always said she would support me unconditionally, doing everything she could to help. If she wanted me to experience killing someone, there must have been a reason. Naturally, the first thing that came to mind was that I had difficulty with this in her previous life. Did I suffer a mental breakdown after killing someone in her first life? It didn¡¯t seem like something I would do. I had killed before, and even though they were non-human, it hadn¡¯t been a big deal. Was killing a human really that different? @@novelbin@@ I believed I knew myself well. When necessary, I could be colder and more calcting than anyone, which was why I had been prepared to choose theft on the eighth floor. But being prepared to do something wasn¡¯t the same aspleting the action. If I thought someone was evil and needed to be killed, would I be able to kill them with a clear conscience? The future was unpredictable. Ha Hee-Jeong knows the future. I wondered if she knew that killing someone would traumatize me, and hadn¡¯t told me anything because of that. Does she want to help me ovee that trauma early on? That seemed likely. I could be wrong, but I was almost certain. What kind of person was I then? Who did I kill, and how much did it break me? I had no way of finding out the answer by myself. As if in a trance, I opened the window to message Ha Hee-Jeong. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninth Floor): I was frozen, uncertain of what to say. Should I ask her why she didn¡¯t tell me? Should I confront her about whether she wanted me to experience killing someone? ¡­ No, that didn¡¯t feel right. I couldn¡¯t approach the conversation like that. I didn¡¯t fully understand what was going through Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s mind, but I knew it hadn¡¯t been an easy decision. Deep down, I realized that whatever she had chosen, she had done it for my benefit. She knew what wasing, the pain I would inevitably face, and it must have weighed heavily on her. Knowing what I would go through would have been as difficult for her as it would be for me. If I were the one who had regressed and was trying to help Ha Hee-Jeong, would I have made the same decision? If I had done that, how would I have felt? It sounded ridiculous, but I felt like I was empathizing with her. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninth Floor): Hey, Hee-Jeong, I caught the gremlin lol. In the end, I sent a message that didn¡¯t mean much. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Ninth Floor): Oh~ Congrats. I knew you¡¯d figure it out. Her response waspletely normal. However, it was slightly dyed. Unlike before, there was a slight pause after she received my message. That pause made me certain that my suspicions were correct. What could Ha Hee-Jeong be thinking right now? Is she worrying about how to help me in the future? I had no way to figure it out. I couldn¡¯t read someone else¡¯s mind after all. Until now, killing someone hadn¡¯t been on my mind. However, the eighth floor made me realize I needed to start mentally preparing myself for it, slowly but surely. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninth Floor): Is there anything I should watch out for on the ninth floor? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Ninth Floor): Hmm... It¡¯s safe to give you a heads-up about that floor. It¡¯s a maze that we¡¯ll need to navigate as a party. I don¡¯t know the exact way out, though. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninth Floor): That¡¯s fine, you can¡¯t remember every floor perfectly. Since it¡¯s a maze, we¡¯ll need to move quickly, right? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Ninth Floor): Yes, exactly. The main challenge will be to find the exit before the timer runs out. I did hear a rumor that there could be a hidden room there, but I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll be able to find anything. It made sense. A maze was the perfect location to ce a hidden room, since if you spent too much time looking for the secret, you wouldn¡¯t be able to find the exit within the time limit. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Ninth Floor): Unless we¡¯re incredibly unlucky, we should be able to find the exit. Don¡¯t worry about it too much, and the ninth floor will be perfect for testing your new axe out. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninth Floor): Got it. Just in case, I¡¯ll bring my mace too. The axe might not be a perfect fit for me. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Ninth Floor): Good idea, Su-Hyeok. There¡¯s not much time left, so try to rest a bit. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninth Floor): You too. Rest up, and I¡¯ll see you on the ninth floor. Because of how short the eighth floor had been, the ninth floor¡¯s waiting room rest period wasn¡¯t very long either. With about an hour to rest, I decided to close my eyes and catch some sleep, even if just for a little while. *** [Wee to the ninth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Maze of Kashatum.] [Escape from the Maze of Kashatum. Time remaining: 7 hours 59 minutes.] We were weed by the familiar sight of a long stone corridor, just like the ones from the tutorial. Strangely, behind our party¡­ was a white portal. [Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s party is currently at the exit of the Maze of Kashatum. They will now be transported to the center of the maze.] As soon as the notification disappeared, everything around us started moving rapidly. It felt like we were speeding down a highway in a car, with the torches lining the maze¡¯s walls shing by in an instant. Wait, this is a maze. I need to remember the path to the exit, even if it¡¯s just a little. Left, right, left, left, right, left... Orcs!? Memorizing the route, I suddenly saw a group of orcs standing right in the middle of our path. We were going too fast to avoid them. Damn it, we¡¯re going to crash! I tried to dodge, but my body was frozen, with nothing I could do. 1. This is not an actual phrase, the author just made up the term. ? Chapter 33: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (2) Chapter 33: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (2) ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Kiyaaaak...?¡± Thankfully, my fears were unfounded. Despite the panic, we didn¡¯t crash into the orc horde. Instead, the orcs passed right through us, as if they were nothing more than ghosts. I quickly realized it wouldn¡¯t make sense if we were forced to collide with the orcs if we couldn¡¯t control our movements. The imminent impact had been too startling for me to think clearly. ¡­ Fuck I need to keep memorizing. Where was I again? Left, right, left, right¡­? Damn it, those orcs hadpletely disrupted my train of thought. The maze¡¯s speed increased even more, with intersections appearing relentlessly. I tried to keep track of our pathing, but my brain couldn¡¯t keep up. Hmm... I decided to give up. Judging by how disorienting the maze was, I probably wouldn¡¯t have remembered the route even if I continued trying. As I pondered, more intersections continued to sh by. How many have we passed? Twenty? Thirty? We mostly saw orcs but asionally, other weird creatures would suddenly appear. They had interesting appearances, and one of them even seemed to be a minotaur. After what felt like a minute, our rapid shuttling through the maze finally came to a halt. In front of us was a dead-end wall. Now, we had to retrace our steps and find the exit. Just as I was about to turn around, a wave of dizziness hit me, likely caused by the rapid movements we had just experienced. ¡°Bleh, bleeeeeh!¡± ¡°Ha-Rin! Are you okay?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to throw up¡­¡± Apparently, I wasn¡¯t the only one affected. Seo Ha-Rin retched loudly, clearly overwhelmed by motion sickness. Is she especially prone to motion sickness? Seo Ho-Su quickly patted her back, trying to soothe her. They had always been close, but after the incident on the seventh floor, their father-daughter bond seemed even stronger. Their interactions felt warmer and more open than before. Watching their affectionate exchange brought a smile to my face. Thanks to Seo Ho-Su¡¯s gentle care, Seo Ha-Rin soon calmed down. We were ready to start moving. We had eight hours to escape the maze. Although the sheer amount of intersections had made me lose track of the route, we couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time. ¡°Now that Ha-Rin¡¯s feeling better, let¡¯s get moving.¡± Eight hours might seem like plenty, but not knowing the way out made it risky. If we made a wrong move, we could end up trapped in the maze. ¡°We need to escape within the time limit. Let¡¯s pick up the pace a bit.¡± Cole suddenly spoke up, ¡°Wait! Su-Hyeok, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary.¡± Confused, I turned to him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Sorry?¡± Why would he say that? Don¡¯t we need to hurry? Seeing my confusion, Cole shed a confident smile. With his actor-like looks, it was a strikingly handsome smile. But enough with the smiles¡ªhe needed to exin. ???§à?¨¨?? ¡°I hadn¡¯t shared this yet, but my memory is excellent. You could almost say that I have an eidetic memory. And luckily for us all, I¡¯ve memorized the way to the exit.¡± ¡°Oh... I see.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not rush. We should conserve our energy since we don¡¯t know what enemies we¡¯ll face along the way.¡± Seo Ho-Su beamed at Cole¡¯s words,ughing heartily. ¡°Wow, Cole! Not only are you a great archer, but you also have a great memory? You''re the perfect guide! Haha! I really did well choosing my party members.¡± I didn¡¯t doubt Cole in the slightest as he spoke with such confidence. He had never appeared so assured before. Normally, he stayed quiet and followed my lead without question. He was a loyal party member, after all. I decided to trust him. If he knew the way, we could move at a reasonable pace and still have plenty of time left over to gain some bonus achievement points... Wait a minute. If Cole knew the route perfectly, did we really need to head straight for the exit? The Maze of Kashatum... I could tell just from the name it seemed like the kind of ce that would hide a hidden mission or room. ¡°Cole, if we take different paths at the intersections, can you still remember the way back to the exit?¡± ¡°Of course. But why...?¡± ¡°If you know the way out, then we don¡¯t need to rush straight there. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to explore and potentially find a hidden mission or room?¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s a great idea. That¡¯s why you¡¯re the leader.¡± Of course, there was no guarantee we would find a hidden room or mission in the maze. If we didn¡¯t find anything, losing out on some bonus achievement points would be regretful. However, I think everyone would choose what I did given the situation. It was worth taking the risk, even if it meant possibly taking a slight loss. ¡°Alright, our new goal is to find a hidden room or mission on the ninth floor.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Hehe, let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Cole, please keep track of the paths we take.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± If all else failed, we still had Doppy in our party. I remembered how Doppy¡¯s instincts had led us to Karaksh¡¯s Tomb. ¡°Doppy." ¡°Kriee! Su-Yeok! Why calling Goblin?" ¡°Lead the way." ¡°Kriee?" Doppy turned to me with a confused expression, hesitantly stepping forward, before finally leading the way with determined strides. I hadn¡¯t meant for it to take the lead literally, but there it went¡­ *** Of course, I couldn¡¯t be sure that Doppy¡¯s instincts would lead us to a hidden room or mission. There was always the possibility that it was simply pointing us toward the exit or perhaps its previous sess was just a fluke. ¡°Kriee! Going left!" ¡°Cole, which way to the exit?" ¡°To the right." At the first intersection, Doppy had wanted us to go down a path that didn¡¯t lead to the exit. While I couldn¡¯t be certain that its instincts were guiding us to something hidden, it was worth following Doppy¡¯s lead at least once given its track record. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head left then. Cole, make sure to remember the route we take." ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Seo Ho-Su suddenly interrupted our conversation, his toneced with suspicion. ¡°Hey Cole, why do you keep ncing at me? You¡¯re not¡­ you know¡­ interested, are you?" Cole looked at him, wide-eyed and visibly flustered. ¡°Hmm?" Ah, that¡¯s right. Cole is gay. ¡°Well, uh, I am gay, but¡­" Seo Ha-Rin turned to Cole in shock, her expression a mix of disbelief and confusion. Seo Ho-Su was so startled that he instinctively took a step back. ¡°Huh? Cole, you¡¯re gay? Were you really looking at my dad because you¡¯re interested in him?" ¡°What, what!?" ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­!" Could it be that Cole really... likes Seo Ho-Su? No way. He was already in a rtionship... With everyone¡¯s eyes on him, his face flushed with a mix of frustration and embarrassment. Exasperated, Cole hurriedly exined what had happened. ¡°No, I am gay, but I was only looking because it¡¯s fascinating how much you¡¯ve started to resemble a tiger since the seventh floor." Seo Ho-Su gave a slightly awkward smile.@@novelbin@@ ¡°Ah, I see. I was just joking around, but when you said you were gay, my assumptions got the best of me. You really surprised me." ¡°I have a partner back on Earth. I was just amazed at how much your appearance has changed." ¡°Cole, are you sure?" ¡°Absolutely. I really do have a partner back on Earth!" Cole looked like he might cry at any moment, trying his best tomunicate his earnestness. Seo Ho-Su chuckled awkwardly and patted Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s shoulder reassuringly. ¡°Hehe, Ha-Rin, I was just joking. If I had really thought Cole was interested in me, I wouldn¡¯t have said that." ¡°It¡¯s just that you sounded so serious, Dad... I was shocked." ¡°Ah, Cole, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have teased you like that. My apologies." ¡°Haha, it¡¯s alright. No harm done." Seo Ho-Su gave a slight bow, clearly showing his remorse. Cole waved it off with a smile. ¡°I was just so curious that I couldn¡¯t stop staring at you. Didn¡¯t I mention my memory is excellent? Your tiger-like features have grown since Ist saw you." ¡°Really? I hadn¡¯t noticed." ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly what it is, but that¡¯s the feeling I get. I kept looking because I was trying to figure it out." ¡°Hmm." Seo Ho-Su inspected his arms and legs, trying to see the changes Cole was talking about. I couldn¡¯t spot anything different either... Ha Hee-Jeong, who had been quietly observing from behind, tapped my arm. I turned to look at her, and she gave a slight nod. It was a signal to move on. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep going. Let¡¯s be mindful of things like this in the future. We¡¯re all part of the same party, so let¡¯s respect each other." ¡°That¡¯s right. Cole, I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t think it through. I apologize." ¡°Haha. It¡¯s all good. Su-Hyeok, shall we move on?" ¡°Yes, let¡¯s get going." Following Doppy¡¯s lead, we passed through two more intersections. Although there had been a minor misunderstanding, the atmosphere in the party remained light. Seo Ho-Su stuck close to Cole, asking about his partner. Cole blushed slightly and began to talk about them. Even though Cole had said it was fine, it was clear Seo Ho-Su still felt a bit guilty. ¡°Huh?" We suddenly spotted a minotaur in the distance, killing our cheerful mood. The monster stood in the middle of the path and stared directly at us. It was massive, towering over three meters tall, and also wielded an equally enormous mace. Its bulging muscles strained against its skin, and two solid-looking horns jutted from its bull-like head. Everyone quickly got into battle position. Next to me, I could hear Seo Ho-Su take a deep breath, the sound echoing in my ear. ¡°Wait, let me handle this one." ¡°Hmm?" ¡°I want to test out my axe." I had been itching to test out my new double-headed axe. A one-on-one fight seemed like the perfect opportunity to see how it performed, rather than in a chaotic group battle. ¡°This is our first time facing a minotaur¡­ Su-Hyeok, are you sure?" ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose. But if things do get dangerous, please step in and help." ¡°Alright. If it were anyone else, I would¡¯ve insisted on stopping them no matter what. But since it¡¯s you, I¡¯ll guess it¡¯s fine. Shout for help if you feel like you can¡¯t handle it, okay?" ¡°Got it. Don¡¯t worry." Seo Ho-Su looked at me concernedly. I smiled back as calmly and confidently as I could, trying to reassure him. There was really no need for him to be concerned. I was certain I was stronger than that minotaur and didn¡¯t feel the slightest hint of danger. Taking a step forward, I moved toward the minotaur with my weapons at the ready. I wielded Karaksh¡¯s Thunder Mace in my left hand, and the double-headed axe in my right. My axe seems like it is designed to be wielded with both hands... Maybe it was because of my strength, but wielding it with one hand didn¡¯t feel difficult at all. If I found it impractical while I fought, I nned to ditch the axe and just fight with the mace. "Grrrr..." The minotaur reacted slowly, perhaps due to poor eyesight. It lifted the mace it had been dragging along the ground. Snorting, it took another step closer. Its breath formed steam in the air, lingering. It started to move faster, and I matched its pace, speeding up as well. ¡°Raaaargh! Die!" The distance between us closed rapidly. As the gap narrowed, I tensed my muscles and readied myself. I summoned lightning while swinging my axe, meeting the iing mace. ng! The sharp sound of metal shing rang out as our weapons collided and then recoiled from the impact. ¡°Hup!" Seizing an opportunity, I brought down my mace, but the minotaur quickly pulled back its leg, dodging my strike. My mace thundered through the air, hitting nothing. The minotaur¡¯s mace came flying at me again, and I swung my axe to counter it. ¡­ Something feels off. I couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint whether my issue was due to the axe itself, the mace I was holding in my left hand, or the fact that I was dual-wielding both weapons. Perhaps it was simply the unfamiliarity of fighting without a shield. But I had set out to test the axe, so I pressed on. Seeing an opening, I hurled the mace toward it. The minotaur couldn¡¯t react in time, and the mace mmed into its abdomen, forcing it back tworge steps. ¡°Raaaargh!¡± It charged again, and I gripped the double-headed axe with both hands before swinging it with all my might. The minotaur paused mid-charge, desperately raising its mace to block. ng! The impact sent the minotaur¡¯s mace flying high into the air. ¡°Grrr!¡± This was it. This was what the two-handed axe was made for. The moment the shockwave rippled through my fingers, I knew it. The sensation was electrifying, an exhrating thrill that surged through my entire body. I couldn¡¯t tell if this rush came from the lightning coursing through me or from the sheer power of the axe, but it was overwhelming. Now that the minotaur¡¯s chest waspletely exposed, I leaped forward. Lightning crackled along the axe¡¯s edge as I brought it down, aiming straight for the minotaur¡¯s chest. Chapter 34: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (3) Chapter 34: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (3) The axe pierced deeply into the minotaur''s chest. Its ribs shattered apart, producing a sharp, cracking noise. The axe¡¯s edge must have punctured its lungs because the minotaur couldn¡¯t even manage a proper scream. A raspy,bored breath escaped its throat, and air hissed out from its half-open chest. ¡°Guh..." I kicked its abdomen with my right foot, yanking the axe free as Inded back on the ground. The minotaur staggered backward before copsing slowly to the ground. Thud¡ª A faint tremor ran through the earth as a small cloud of dust rose where it fell. ¡°Oh my..." ¡°Wow..." I turned to the sight of all my party members staring at me, wide-eyed and ck-jawed.Hmm, was it really that surprising? I guess it did feel unnervingly perfect¡­ Seeing their astonished expressions, I found myself at a loss for words. Even Ha Hee-Jeong, who was usually unppable, looked genuinely shocked. If even she was that surprised, how must it have looked to the others? Feeling a bit awkward just standing there, I decided to walk over to them. ¡°Uh, why are you all looking at me like that?" ¡°Why are we looking at you? Su-Hyeok, what the fuck did you just pull off?" ¡°Huh? I just fought how I normally would. Though, the axe did feel like it suited me really well..." ¡°Fought how you normally would? No way! Su-Hyeok, that was on a different level than before." A different level? I didn¡¯t feel that way, so pletely different level¡± seemed exaggerated. Wielding the weapon feltfortable, so I had just moved in a way that made sense. This had been my first time fighting with an axe, and I had never wielded a sword or mace until entering the tower either. I always just moved instinctively, never consciously thinking about how I would swing my weapon. ¡°Su-Hyeok oppa, I don¡¯t think you realize how different it was. I mean, how should I put this?" ¡°It felt like you didn¡¯t waste a single movement. Of course, you¡¯ve always been efficient, but this fight was on another level¡ªclean and precise. I don¡¯t think it is possible to improve on, I¡¯d say." ¡°Yes, exactly! That¡¯s what I was trying to say. Cole really has a way with words." ¡°Ah, thank you." Seo Ho-Su and Seo Ha-Rin nodded in agreement with Cole''s assessment. Meanwhile, I could feel my face getting warm. Impossible to improve on? They were reallyying it on thick... ?????¨¯??¨§? After being praised so thoroughly right to my face, I finally understood the true meaning of overplimenting. Please, stop. I had already figured out that the double-headed axe suited me perfectly, so there was no need to keep praising me. I shot a pleading look at Ha Hee-Jeong, hoping she would help us move along by changing the subject. She seemed to have received the message, but instead of helping she just gave me a mischievous grin. Oh no, that¡¯s her "I am going to tease you" smile... ¡°Seriously, it was such a surprise. You looked so hot swinging that axe¡ªHa-Rin couldn¡¯t take her eyes off you." ¡°What!? Unnie!" *** About ten minutes after fighting with the minotaur, our party encountered a group of orcs. There were eight of them, but it wasn¡¯t a particrly challenging battle. Should I say I shed or chopped? I am unsure how best to describe it. "Ugh!" In any case, my axe cleaved one of the orcs'' shoulders in half. I kicked its chest, yanking the axe free from its body. Using the axe with one hand versus two resulted in a clear decrease in power output. Also, it just didn¡¯t feel nearly as satisfying. ¡°Hmm, wielding the axe with one hand feels noticeably less smooth." ¡°Yeah, I think you need to wield the axe with both hands to really feel its full power. It just doesn¡¯t have the same impact otherwise." ¡°Exactly! You were amazing earlier. Are you thinking of making the double-headed axe your main weapon from now on?" ¡°I think so. The axe feels like the best fit for me. I n to use it for the rest of this floor, but who knows what the future holds. Unfortunately, that means my mace will go to waste..." ¡°True, you can¡¯t just abandon such a good weapon." Seo Ho-Su nodded understandingly. Though the mace had served me well, it was clear that continuing to use it alongside the axe wouldn¡¯t be ideal. Still, I couldn¡¯t just leave it behind, so I decided to endure my frustration and dual-wield the axe and mace until we cleared this floor. Even though wielding the axe with one hand wasn¡¯t as satisfying, it was still more than enough to handle the enemies on the ninth floor. Huh? I had been chatting with Seo Ho-Su when I suddenly noticed Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s gaze fixed on the mace. When I turned to look at her, her eyes were practically sparkling. What¡¯s up with her all of a sudden? Is she interested in the mace? Sensing my curiosity, Ha Hee-Jeong gave a small nod, confirming my suspicion. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the mace and Seo Ha-Rin. It was clear she was hinting that I should give it to Seo Ha-Rin. Should a priest wield a mace? It seemed a bit unconventional. Then it hit me that Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned something about Seo Ha-Rin back on the sixth floor. Wasn¡¯t she known for being a ¡°hard-carry¡± priest? I had assumed that meant she was exceptional at healing, but now it seemed more likely that it referred to herbat abilities. Honestly, I have only been lugging this mace around since it would be a shame to leave it behind¡­ If I took it back to the waiting room, it would probably end up like my shield and sword¡ªcollecting dust in a corner. It made more sense to pass it on to Seo Ha-Rin, especially if she had the potential to be abat-oriented priest. Besides, having someone who could defend the party¡¯s rear was important. Up until now, Ha Hee-Jeong had done such an excellent job that I hadn¡¯t needed to think about it. She had our back, I had our front, while Cole and Seo Ho-Su did an excellent job supporting the two of us. However, we couldn¡¯t always guarantee that Ha Hee-Jeong could focus on covering our backline. It would be better to start training Seo Ha-Rin before the floors became more challenging. Plus, fighting without the mace¡¯s extra weight would be morefortable for me. ¡°Ha-Rin, would you like to try using this mace?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Seo Ha-Rin looked startled, clearly surprised that I had noticed her interest in the mace. She seemed a bit embarrassed. ¡°You might not need it often, but it¡¯s good to have a way to defend yourself in case enemies target the rear. What do you think?¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯d love to, but¡­ Su-Hyeok oppa, your mace isn¡¯t just any ordinary mace... Oh! I¡¯ll give it back to you after we finish the ninth floor!¡± ¡°No need. The double-headed axe suits me better and I¡¯d just end up storing the mace in the waiting room. If you think it could be useful, it¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± ¡°Really, it¡¯s okay. The axe is perfect for me, so I don¡¯t need the mace anymore. You should use it rather than let it gather dust.¡± ¡°This is such a valuable item¡­ Su-Hyeok, thank you so much.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± When I handed her the mace, Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s face lit up with gratitude, and she bowed repeatedly. Once again, I felt a bit awkward receiving such an overwhelming disy of appreciation. I had given it to her because I no longer had any use for it, but seeing her so thankful was nice. After all, there were plenty of people who didn''t know how to be grateful. ¡°Ha-Rin, are you sure you¡¯ll be okay? Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± Seo Ho-Su looked at her with concern, but Seo Ha-Rin nodded enthusiastically, filled with determination. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I can handle it. No, I have to handle it since Su-Hyeok oppa gave it to me.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had suddenly made her so proactive. She had certainly changed a lot since the incident on the seventh floor¡­ She engaged in more conversations with the party, and her interactions with Seo Ho-Su had be even more affectionate. It probably had something to do with almost losing her father. The moment when the Weretiger King charged toward our party probably tortured her still. Maybe she thought if she had been a little stronger when the Weretiger King arrived, her father wouldn¡¯t have turned tiger-like. Regardless, it was a positive change. A drive for improvement was crucial for any climber. ¡°Well, let¡¯s keep moving.¡± *** [Escape from the Maze of Kashatum. Time remaining: 6 hours 47 minutes.] This time, we encountered a horde of fifteen goblins. I was getting frustrated that we kept running into more monsters instead of finding a hidden room or mission. ncing quickly at Doppy, I wondered if fighting goblins made it ufortable, but it seemed unfazed. Then again, it hadn¡¯t had any issues when we fought goblins on the first floor. This is getting annoying¡­ Should I just quickly take care of them myself? No, this might be a good chance to test Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s skills. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. These weren¡¯t orcs, just goblins¡ªperfect for practice. After all, if what Ha Hee-Jeong said was true, Seo Ha-Rin had some talent in this area. ¡°Ha-Rin, I¡¯m going to let one goblin slip through to be your practice target. If it gets too dangerous, Ha Hee-Jeong and Cole can step in.¡± ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll give it a try!¡± ¡°Yup, good luck.¡± The sooner she trained, the better. Also, there was no real risk since even if Seo Ha-Rin made a mistake, Ha Hee-Jeong would be there to cover for her. Seo Ho-Su seemed a bit concerned, but after realizing the goblins were the perfect practice target, he nodded in agreement. He patted Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s shoulder with a steady, reassuring hand. ¡°Ha-Rin, you¡¯ve got this! But don¡¯t push yourself too hard!¡± ¡°Okay, Dad!¡± ¡°Everyone ready? Let¡¯s wrap this up quickly.¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s go!¡± After a brief exchange, we shed with the goblin horde. Well, calling it a sh would be an overstatement since our party bulldozed through them. In any case, I intentionally let one goblin slip by. Even though he had been preparing himself, Seo Ho-Su instinctively turned to check on the goblin as it passed by. I was surprised since normally, he wasn¡¯t the type to lose focus like that¡­ ¡°Ho-Su! Eyes front! Hee-Jeong will handle it.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Got it.¡± Seo Ho-Su quickly regained focus, returning his attention to the fight ahead. It was only natural for him to be worried about her. Interestingly, Cole seemed to be concerned as well. He lost his focus a little when he deliberately avoided the goblin I had let slip through, although he didn¡¯t stop it from charging toward the rear of our group. ¡°Kiieek! Stupid humans!" "Hiya!" Thud¡ª The lightning-infused mace came down in a sh, striking the goblin warrior on the head just as it was about to swing its sword. The goblin¡¯s skull caved in under the force of the blow, and it copsed to the ground. ¡°Oh¡­?" ¡°Huh?" Seo Ha-Rin stared at the fallen goblin bewilderedly, as if she couldn¡¯t quite believe what she had just done. She wasn¡¯t scared or flustered, seemingly more perplexed at how easy it had been. Even Cole, who had been poised with his bow, let out a surprised noise. Seo Ho-Su was caughtpletely off guard, his mouth slightly agape while mid-fight. Honestly, Ipletely understood their reactions since I was just as surprised. Ha Hee-Jeong had hinted at Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s potential, but I hadn¡¯t expected her to execute the attack so smoothly and effortlessly. Only Ha Hee-Jeong smiled knowingly from the back as if she had seen thising all along. Hmm, maybe Seo Ha-Rin should have chosen a melee weapon like I did@@novelbin@@ The thought crossed my mind as I watched her. Even though I had only seen her in action once, she clearly had exceptional melee talent. Her movements were too precise to be dismissed as beginner¡¯s luck or a fluke. I nced at the wand in Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s left hand. It suddenly seemed so inadequate. With a shy smile, she cautiously spoke up. ¡°Um¡­ Can I try that again?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. Go ahead.¡± We had already taken down more than half of the goblins, but there were still a few left. I let another goblin slip through toward the back. Actually, ¡°let slip¡± wasn¡¯t exactly the right phrase since the goblins had been mostly defeated, with their morale shattered. It was more urate to say I pushed one back toward her. Seo Ho-Su and I casually engaged the remaining goblins, driving one toward Seo Ha-Rin. "Kiieek! Die!" Perhaps it realized it had been underestimated because the goblin charged at her with renewed fury. ¡°Hiya!" Crack¡ª Another goblin¡¯s skull caved in. This time, a small lightning spark crackled inside the stterings of brain matter. It seemed I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the rear guard anymore, not with Ha Hee-Jeong and Seo Ha-Rin covering it. Up until now, I had fought conservatively to avoid letting enemies slip through, but maybe I could afford to be a bit more aggressive from now on. This experiment has gone well enough. We can finish the battle now. Three goblins remained. I charged forward, swinging my axe in a wide arc. ¡°Kiieek!¡± ¡°Gurgh!¡± The first goblin¡¯s torso was nearly split in half, and the momentum carried my axe into the second goblin, cleaving through its body as well. Both goblins were pinned against the wall of the maze, impaled by my axe. I yanked my axe free, driving off my left foot as I surged forward, bringing the axe down on thest goblin¡¯s head. ¡°Kiieek!¡± The goblin tried to block with its sword, but it was no match. ng¡ª The goblin¡¯s sword flew out of its hand, and with a satisfying crunch, my axe cleaved through its skull and into its chest. Blood gushed from the severed neck like a fountain. ¡°Wow, using both hands really does make a difference. Just watching you wield it was immensely satisfying.¡± ¡°Haha, maybe you should consider switching weapons too, Ho-Su.¡± ¡°No way! I¡¯m a swordsman, through and through. Haven¡¯t I told you? The sword is the king of all weapons. There¡¯s nothing better!¡± I didn''t really remember hearing that story, but I yed along, nodding and changing the subject. ¡°I think you mentioned it before¡­ Hey, what¡¯s that over there?¡± Once Seo Ho-Su started talking about things like that, he could go on forever. Who knew what else he would bring up, so it was best to have cut him off there. ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Over there, where the goblin horde was standing. Do you see that strange box?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, that. Why is there just one box sitting there by itself?¡± About twenty meters ahead, a single box was stuck against the maze wall. It looked just like a treasure chest, but... ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem suspicious?¡± ¡°Yeah, it does. It definitely looks off.¡± Chapter 35: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (4) Chapter 35: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (4) I wouldn¡¯t have been so skeptical if we had been rewarded for defeating a minotaur, but it seemed unlikely the tower would give a reward for defeating a measly group of goblins. Maybe the goblins had been storing their belongings in the box, but I doubted that as well. A treasure box after defeating goblins? That¡¯s too easy. Given everything I had seen in the Tower of Ordeal, such a straightforward scenario was hard to believe. Any experienced climber would find this suspicious. ¡°Su-Hyeok, there¡¯s a type of monster called a mimic. It consumes its prey by pretending to be a treasure box¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard of them, not to mention seen them in games before. Just when you think you¡¯re about to grab some loot, they jump out at you, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°In that case, let me handle it.¡± Leaving my party behind, I slowly approached the box. I hadn¡¯t encountered a mimic before, but since I already knew it was waiting for me, what could it possibly do to me? But as I got closer, doubt crept into my mind. Is this too obvious to be a mimic? The whole setup was a bit ridiculous. I wondered if it was actually a real treasure box or full of some goblins¡¯ junk. The simplicity of the situation felt off, especiallypared to the trials I had faced before. There wasn¡¯t even a notification window above the box, which made me even more suspicious. Hmm, it''s better not to overthink it. Whether or not I would find treasure, junk, or a monster, it would have to wait until we opened the box. If there really was treasure inside, surely it wouldn¡¯t matter if the box was destroyed. Even the tower wouldn¡¯t be that unreasonable. Two meters away from the box, I braced myself for a sudden movement from it. I quickened my pace, focusing on my steps¡ªright foot, left foot¡ªbefore bringing the axe down with all my strength. Crack! The box, which had been about to spring open, was split cleanly in half. ¡°Kieeek¡­!¡± The mimic let out a dying screech as it was cleaved in two, its cry fading into the air. Its thin, lifeless body, along with a thick stream of blood, spilled out from the shattered remains of the box. I turned back to my party who were cautiously approaching. ¡°It was a monster. I had a feeling something was off. The mimic is dead¡­¡± Just as I was announcing that the situation was under control, Seo Ho-Su suddenly shouted and frantically pointed at something behind me. ¡°Su¡ªSu-Hyeok!¡± What? The mimic is already dead, isn¡¯t it? I quickly spun around and spotted a small treasure box darting away at high speed. What the¡­? I didn¡¯t even sense it moving! It must have slipped out from the mimic''s corpse while I wasn¡¯t looking. The tiny treasure box was sprinting down the corridor of the maze, and something told me I couldn¡¯t let it escape. ?????????s? If a small treasure box appeared after defeating the mimic, it couldn¡¯t be ordinary. As if confirming that, Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s urgent voice rang out. ¡°Su-Hyeok! We have to catch that!¡± Having already made up my mind to chase it, I sprang into action before she even finished speaking. The little box was fast but not faster than me. Although I was closing the distance quickly, I wondered if I could catch it even faster...? It couldplicate things if more enemies were to appear. If they did, I could fight my way through them, but I would risk getting separated from the group. What if there is a fork in the path? We could lose track of each other. Suddenly, my Lightning Essence skill came to mind. Until now, I had only used it to release bursts of energy, but surely the skill was capable of more than just discharging lightning. If that were all it could do, it would have been called Lightning Burst instead of Lightning Essence and it wouldn¡¯t have been so expensive. It was lightning essence, after all. I realized my narrow imagination had been limiting its potential. The thought of using it in this way hadn¡¯t urred to me before, but maybe¡­ I channeled the lightning through my legs, where my muscles were already working in overdrive, and then let it surge through my entire body. Instead of merely surrounding my limbs, I allowed the lightning streaks to flow through me as I moved¡ªfaster, even faster. My legs, my entire being, felt as if it was bing one with the lightning. In an instant, the scenery around me blurred. What¡­? It felt as if I had skipped through space. Of course, I hadn¡¯t actually teleported, but the sensation was electrifying. Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion hit me. I am almost out of mana. My mana had flowed uncontrobly in that brief moment. It felt like I hadpletely emptied some theoretical mana reservoir. Simr to how I would be after exercising intensely, my heartbeat pounded loudly in my ears. I still can¡¯t control the speed or the mana expenditure, but if I could use this technique in battle¡­ The thought thrilled me¡­ But no, this wasn¡¯t the time for that. I would think about itter. The small treasure box had vanished from sight. I quickly nced back and saw the tiny thing sprinting straight toward me. It hadn¡¯t noticed me yet and showed no signs of stopping, even though I was right in its path. I swiftly reached out, snatching it up. ¡°Kieek!? Kieeek!¡± The small treasure box was about the size of my fist, with tiny iling limbs that stuck out. Through the slightly open lid, a pair of beady eyes gleamed sharply. Despite its cute appearance, I couldn''t help but wonder what exactly this creature looked like inside the box. It had to be the offspring of the mimic I had just killed. The resemnce was too close to be a coincidence, and it had emerged from the dead mimic¡¯s remains. Ha Hee-Jeong arrived a momentter, slightly out of breath. ¡°Hah... whew. Su-Hyeok, did you catch it?¡± Wait. Why is she alone? Where are the others? ¡°Yeah, I caught it. But where are the others?¡± ¡°I asked them to check the mimic¡¯s corpse for anything valuable. I also wanted to talk to you.¡± I nced back and saw the rest of the group rummaging through the mimic¡¯s remains. Even in death, the mimic might still hold something of value, considering it had taken the form of a treasure box. ¡°Phew, that¡¯s a relief. Catching a baby mimic isn¡¯t easy. You used Lightning Essence back there, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought I¡¯d try something different.¡± ¡°Smart move. I was wondering when you¡¯d start using it more creatively, and you managed just fine on your own. The essence has a lot of potential, so don¡¯t limit yourself.¡± ¡°Right, no limits. Got it.¡± So Ha Hee-Jeong knew about the essence¡¯s potential all along. I nodded and took her advice to heart. It was true that I had been using it too simplistically. When we get back to the waiting room, I should think about more potential uses of the skill. ¡°So, why do we care about this baby mimic? Is it useful?¡± ¡°Kiiit! Kiiit!¡± I held up the squirming mimic for Ha Hee-Jeong to see. The little creature iled its limbs as if trying to attack her, though it couldn¡¯t reach. The sight made Ha Hee-Jeong chuckle. ... It did look kind of cute, unlike its full-grown counterpart. ¡°This little guy can be used as an inventory.¡± ¡°An inventory?¡± ¡°Yeah, like in games where you store items and money. You know what I¡¯m talking about, right?¡± ¡°Of course, but isn¡¯t this thing a monster? Can it really be used that way?¡± ¡°Yup. The adult mimic is too big and aggressive to train, but the baby can be.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong took the mimic from my hand and gave it a firm shake. The baby mimic, which had been shrieking wildly, suddenly went limp and retracted its limbs. There were no visible holes for them to fit through, making it all the more mysterious. How does this thing even work? ¡°Once it¡¯s knocked out like this, you can ce it in a mimic storage box. Hmm, or was it called a collection box? I can¡¯t quite remember since it¡¯s been a while. Anyway, it¡¯s something you can buy from the shop.¡± ¡°So I just need to transfer the mimic into that box?¡± ¡°Exactly. Once it¡¯s inside, it won¡¯t be able to open on its own or grow anyrger. You¡¯ll be able to use it just like a regr inventory.¡± ¡°Wow¡­!¡± In that case, I can store the sword and shield that have been gathering dust in the waiting room. Should I use it to store loot I collect during battles too?@@novelbin@@ Actually, maybe not. The system didn¡¯t allow climbers to sell items to the shop, so it was pointless. Ha Hee-Jeong seemed to sense my thoughts and continued. ¡°Haha, I can guess what you¡¯re thinking. Bring along all the loot you¡¯ve collected, you¡¯ll need it on the tenth floor.¡± ¡°The tenth floor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a rest area. Every ten floors, so the tenth, twentieth, et cetera, there¡¯s a break. You can sell items there too.¡± ¡°A floor that is just a rest area¡­ So that¡¯s why you mentioned there wouldn¡¯t be any battles there. When you sell items, do you get achievement points?¡± ¡°Exactly. The exchange rate isn¡¯t one-to-one with the prices listed in the shop, but it¡¯s better than nothing. You can also use the loot to pay for equipment checks or repairs instead of using points.¡± ¡°Equipment checks and repairs?¡± ¡°Yup, but let¡¯s leave that for when we get there. We¡¯ve been here long enough, and the others might start wondering what we¡¯re up to. I¡¯ll exin more on the tenth floor.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Ha Hee-Jeong tossed the mimic back to me and turned to rejoin the group. Do I really have to carry this thing around? It¡¯s going to be a hassle... ¡°Oh, and by the way, starting from the eleventh floor you¡¯ll bepleting the trials alone again. Prepare yourself, the floor challenges you encounter could be more difficult versions of the trials normal climbers would face, just like in the tutorial.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Individual trials again? I tried to ask more, but Ha Hee-Jeong acted like she didn¡¯t hear me as she continued walking toward the others. Well, I¡¯ll find out soon enough. If it¡¯s the same thing she experienced in her previous life, I¡¯ll manage, and even if it¡¯s harder, Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s advice wouldn¡¯t even matter since she hasn¡¯t experienced it.In the end, I¡¯ll just have to face it head-on. But this mimic¡­ what should I do with it in the meantime? I nced at the goblin assassin¡¯s belt I had picked up on the first floor. Although it hadn¡¯t seen much use after I started wielding the mace, maybe it woulde in handy now. I shoved the baby mimic into the crossbow bolt pouch attached to the belt. Thankfully, it fit perfectly, although I hoped it wouldn¡¯t find a way to escape. After ensuring it was secure, I followed Ha Hee-Jeong back to the group. Seo Ho-Su was still rummaging through the dead mimic¡¯s remains. ¡°Did you find anything interesting¡± ¡°Eh, just some jewels and a few old weapons. Seems like this stuff was just whatever the goblins had lying around. By the way, did you catch that little critter?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got it tucked away in my bolt pouch. I think it can be used as an inventory, so I¡¯m bringing it along.¡± ¡°Oh, that''s great! I think I''ve read about using mimics like that in a novel before. Should we test it out by putting some of this stuff in there?" Seo Ho-Su¡¯s eyes lit up as he held out some worn-out weapons. I wasn¡¯t sure if those items could even be sold, but the eagerness in his eyes was unmistakable. He seemed more interested in testing the mimic¡¯s inventory function than keeping those junk items. Not wanting to dampen his enthusiasm, I pulled out the baby mimic again. Looking into the small box, a dark void filled the inside. ¡°Oh! So this is a baby mimic, huh? The big ones look pretty weird, but you can¡¯t even see this one¡¯s form. Is it because it¡¯s still a baby?" The dark void must be the mimic''s true form. Sadly, the cute little limbs that had poked out earlier didn¡¯t seem to be what it truly looked like. We also couldn¡¯t see its eyes anymore, just a dark, shapeless mass. ¡°Let¡¯s try putting these in," Seo Ho-Su said as he quickly ced the junk items into the chest. One by one, the items disappeared into the mimic¡¯s darkness. Even though the mimic was unconscious, it seemed to ept the items without issue. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all going in!" ¡°Yeah, it sure holds a lot." ¡°Dad, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re putting too much in?" ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine. See? It¡¯s all fitting!" I couldn¡¯t believe how much could fit into such a small box¡ªold weapons, goblin leather armor, and other junk. How many things had we put in already? As we marveled at the mimic¡¯s capacity, it suddenly came to its senses. Bright little eyes gleamed within the dark interior. There was something strange about those eyes... ¡°Kieeek!" ¡°Whoa!" The baby mimic let out a shrill cry and began to spew out everything we had put inside. Junk poured out from the darkness. It was clear we had overloaded it. I should have stopped Seo Ho-Su sooner... Wait¡­ Among the spilled junk, something gold shed. I quickly reached out and grabbed it. A small golden keyy in my hand. I examined it closely, and a notification window appeared. [Small Golden Key] - Cherished enough to be given to the mimic¡¯s offspring. - Seemingly connected to the Maze of Kashatum. This key is probably linked to a hidden room, right? It had to be. When I looked around, my party members were staring with their mouths agape. ¡°Haha, looks like this key is connected to a hidden room. Of course, it¡¯s useless if we can¡¯t find the room..." Even Ha Hee-Jeong looked dumbfounded. We had stuffed random junk into the mimic and out popped a key to a hidden room. It was ridiculous. Does this even make sense? In any case, it was all thanks to Seo Ho-Su¡¯s curiosity. Kudos to him! p, p, Seo Ho-Su is the best! *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has utilized his Lightning Essence skill in a new way! His skills have leveled up. Lightning Essence is now lvl 7.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has acquired the Golden Key! The hidden room will now reveal itself.¡¹ Chapter 36: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (5) Chapter 36: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (5) The Community of the Dead. [Fuck! Again? How is this even possible? Didn''t someone say they started watching Kwon Su-Hyeok on the first floor?] [Yeah, that was me. Why?] [I¡¯ve been watching him since the sixth floor. Hasn¡¯t he found a hidden room or mission on every floor?] [Yeah, that¡¯s right. Su-Hyeok has found the hidden stuff for each floor he has conquered.] [Crazy. Is he from the future or something? Sometimes when he talks with Ha Hee-Jeong, we can¡¯t even hear what they¡¯re saying.] [Idiot lol.] [No, seriously! Even if Ha Hee-Jeong has some kind of foresight skill, it doesn¡¯t make sense. She wasn¡¯t even with him on the lower floors, right?] [Well, except for the stuff they found on the sixth floor with her foresight skill, has he really gone looking for secrets on purpose? I think he has found them all because of good karma. He saved Doppy and Seo Ho-Su, so it¡¯s alling back to him ??. Let me exin it to y¡¯all again, it all started when he saved Doppy on the first floor...]*** [Escape from the Maze of Kashatum. Time remaining: 5 hours 54 minutes.] We ran into an issue about forty minutes after we gathered our gear and set out again. Although we had encountered three battles along the way, none of them posed any real threat. The problem arose when Doppy¡¯s usually reliable instincts began to falter. Reaching a new intersection, it hesitated, unable to decide which direction to take. ¡°Kriee! I¡¯m not sure!¡± ¡°Hmm... Doppy, just pick the direction that feels right.¡± ¡°Kriee! This one! No, wait, maybe not!¡± Doppy replied, uncertainty etched on its face. Up until now, we had relied on its judgment to navigate the maze, so the sudden indecision left everyone in the party uneasy. Fuck, where did we go wrong? ¡°Cole, you¡¯ve been keeping track of our route, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I know exactly where we are. Should we turn back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m debating on whether we should. We could either pick a direction and move forward, or go back and retrace our steps.¡± ¡°Retrace our steps to find a way out of the maze?¡± ¡°No, just to the previous intersection. Maybe that¡¯s where we went wrong.¡± What should we do? Should we go back to thest intersection? Yeah, that seems like a good idea. If Doppy is still indecisive there, we can figure something out. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the previous intersection and decide from there.¡± ¡°Alright, sounds like a n.¡± The walk back didn¡¯t take very long, only about fifteen minutes. However, when we arrived at the previous intersection, Doppy pointed toward the path we had just walked down. ??????? ¡°Kriee! It¡¯s the left!¡± Seo Ho-Su cleared his throat before giving Doppy a questioning look. ¡°Really, Doppy? The left again? We just came from there.¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin sure! Left!¡± Doppy repeated, standing its ground. Could it be...? ¡°Maybe we missed something.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean, Su-Hyeok?¡± ¡°I think whatever we are looking for is hidden between the intersections.¡± ¡°You know what, that actually makes sense. We didn¡¯t pay much attention while we were walking.¡± Right, when we hadn¡¯t seen any enemies, we picked up the pace. Since there was a time limit, we had to move as quickly as possible. ¡°Let¡¯s go back and check again. Keep an eye out for anything strange on the walls, floor, or ceiling.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Seo Ha-Rin responded enthusiastically. With renewed focus, we began retracing our steps once more. Although it was our third time walking down the same path, this was the first time we paid close attention to our surroundings. Let¡¯s stay sharp. We moved slowly for ten minutes, scrutinizing every detail of the corridor. However, nothing unusual stood out. The bricks that made up the maze walls were all the same size, and staring at the repetitive brick pattern was starting to strain my eyes. ¡°Oh!¡± Cole suddenly eximed, breaking the silence. Everyone¡¯s attention immediately shifted to him. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this look a bit off?¡± ¡°Huh? It looks the same to me.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t see anything unusual.¡± I looked closer at the spot on the floor where Cole had pointed. At first nce, it looked identical to the rest, but then I noticed there was a brick that was slightly smaller than the others. ¡°It¡¯s a little smaller, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a tiny gap around the edge, unlike the other bricks. Just enough to fit a fingernail.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like something we can press...¡± ¡°Yeah, Ho-Su already stepped on it, and nothing happened.¡± I pressed down on it with my foot just in case something would pop out, but nothing happened. What¡¯s this? A construction error? No, that didn¡¯t make sense. None of the other bricks had even a fingernail¡¯s width of space. The Tower of Ordeal wouldn¡¯t be this sloppy. ¡°Should we try pushing something into the gap?¡± ¡°Yeah, that might work. But what could we use to put in there? Is there something that would fit in this tiny gap?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± My axe was too wide and Seo Ha-Rin¡¯s mace wasn¡¯t suitable either. Seo Ho-Su had a sword, but... Our eyes met and Seo Ho-Su quickly stepped back, startled. ¡°Su-Hyeok, not my sword! How about using an arrow? An arrow would be better, right?¡± ¡°Come on, I wasn¡¯t thinking that! Cole, why don¡¯t you try shoving in an arrow?¡± I quickly redirected my attention to Cole, not wanting to push Seo Ho-Su any further. ¡°Yeah, using an arrow seems like the best option. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± I continued pretending that I hadn¡¯t considered using the sword. Given that Seo Ho-Su¡¯s found his sword in a hidden room, his attachment to it was understandable. Cole carefully inserted the tip of an arrow into the narrow separation. The gap was small, so it didn¡¯t go inpletely, but Cole gripped the arrow tightly and pushed it sideways. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± With a scraping sound, the brick and the one next to it began to shift to the side. The brick next to it must have been hollow.@@novelbin@@ As expected, Doppy¡¯s instincts hadn¡¯t failed us. Our trusty guide would surely prove useful again in the future. Seo Ho-Su, sharing my thoughts, patted Doppy on the head. ¡°Haha, Doppy¡¯s instincts weren¡¯t off after all.¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin smart!¡± ¡°Oh, right. Good job, Doppy.¡± As the brick moved aside, it revealed a metal handle. I assumed that pulling on it would reveal the hidden room. ¡°Su-Hyeok, should I pull it right away?¡± ¡°Yeah, go ahead. The sooner we clear the hidden area and get out, the better.¡± ¡°Alright, here goes.¡± Cole tugged at the lever. However, it was stuck. The lever was stiff and didn¡¯t want to budge easily. Should I help...? His face was turning red from all the effort he was expending. Not wanting to hurt Cole¡¯s feelings, I hesitated to offer. Seo Ho-Su was also watching from the side, although he cautiously offered assistance. ¡°... Do you need some help?¡± Cole refused outright, his pride clearly on the line. ¡°Huff! I can manage.¡± I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to move it. Cole finally gave up, admitting he wasn¡¯t strong enough to budge the lever. ¡°Ahem! It looks like we¡¯ll need Ho-Su or Su-Hyeok to do this.¡± He backed away, his face flushed with a mix of frustration and embarrassment. Whether it was from the effort or the sting of failing, it was hard to tell. Probably a bit of both. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Cole. You¡¯re an archer, after all.¡± ¡°Archers are strong too...¡± Cole muttered, his voice trailing off. Seo Ho-Su cleared his throat before turning to me. ¡°Su-Hyeok, why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± ... Does he think he can¡¯t do it? ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡± Despite my thoughts, I decided to take the initiative. I briefly considered making Seo Ho-Su try first, but with Seo Ha-Rin watching, I decided to help him save face. I set my axe down and approached the lever. Judging by how much Cole had struggled, it seemed really stuck... Gripping the lever with both hands, I gave it a firm tug. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± nk¡ª The lever swung effortlessly. It moved so easily that I was momentarily stunned. Cole¡¯s expression shifted from embarrassment to sheer curiosity. The shame of failing had been reced by a burning desire to know my stats. ¡°... Su-Hyeok, how high is your strength stat?¡± Cole asked, staring at me in disbelief. ¡°Haha, not that high.¡± If I tell him the truth, it might getplicated... The truth was, my stats were just that abnormal. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because I refused to open the status window during the tutorial, but my stats were significantly higher than average. Also, unlike what Ha Hee-Jeong kept saying, they increased incredibly fast. It would be a hassle if I had to exin everything. In hindsight, maybe I should have pretended to struggle a bit more... Thankfully, Cole didn¡¯t press the issue further. Just then, the ground beneath us began to shift, the heavy sound of stone grinding against stone filling the air. ¡°Ho-Su! Move back!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Seo Ho-Su jumped back just in time, as a staircase that descended into the darkness appeared in the spot he had just been standing. A dry wind blew up from below. So, the hidden room was at the bottom of a staircase... I hadn¡¯t expected that. I thought the hidden room would be behind a wall, not beneath the floor. But does it really matter? Whether it¡¯s down or across, we will clear it. ¡°I¡¯m heading down. Everyone, stay alert.¡± We didn¡¯t descend very far, just deep enough to reach what felt like a single level below. As soon as we reached the bottom, a notification appeared. [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s party has discovered the hidden room ¡®Resting ce of the Hounds.¡¯] Resting ce of the Hounds... The underground¡¯s darkness made me uneasy. Just as I had finished processing the first message, another notification shed before my eyes. [The Hidden Room ¡®Resting ce of the Hounds¡¯ has been unlocked. The hounds of Kashatum have been released.] ng, ng¡ª The sound of metal gates crashing open echoed from deep within the dark passageway. Momentster, the guttural growls of beasts reverberated through the underground space. ¡°Grrr, woof woof!¡± ¡°Hee-Jeong!¡± I called out. Before I even finished speaking, Ha Hee-Jeong conjured a wall of me in front of our party, casting light far into the darkness. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Through the illuminated tunnel, we saw dozens, no, over a hundred ck hounds charging toward us. The sheer number left our group momentarily stunned. These creatures looked unearthly, more like wolves than dogs. Damn, there¡¯s no time to be amazed. ¡°Prepare for battle! Keep the stairs at our backs and hold the line! I¡¯ll take the front!¡± While each individual hound didn¡¯t seem particrly dangerous, their overwhelming numbers were concerning. No matter how fiercely I fought, I doubted I would be able to stop every single one from slipping by. The only advantage we had was the bottleneck created by the staircase. Seo Ho-Su and Cole should be able to hold their ground, while Seo Ha-Rin would do her part. And if worsees to worst, there¡¯s always Ha Hee-Jeong. My goal was to create as much havoc up front as possible, drawing the hounds¡¯ attention. That should minimize the number that made it to the back. ¡°Stay sharp!¡± I shouted,unching myself forward the moment the words left my mouth. Lightning crackled around me, brightening the tunnel further. With the additional lighting, the charging hounds¡¯ mad, glowing red eyes were all too clear. Their frenzied gaze suggested they had lost their minds... Thankfully, insanity doesn¡¯t make a creature stronger. Once we finished off these beasts, there was bound to be a door somewhere that this golden key would unlock. I summoned more lightning, wreathing it around me, and then swung my axe with all my might, cleaving through the oing hounds. Chapter 37: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (6) Chapter 37: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (6) The hounds caught in the sweep of my axe were torn apart, with their mangled bodies flung to the sides. Those that weren¡¯t directly hit convulsed violently as the lightning arcing through the de seared through them. Damn it. I swung my axe again, trying to stem the overwhelming flow of hounds, but there were too many and the underground passage was too vast. Despite my best efforts, dozens slipped past me, their breath hot and ragged as they surged forward. How many more of these beasts are there? I had already cut down over a hundred, yet they kept pouring in endlessly from the darkness. I couldn¡¯t let myself get overwhelmed. Focus on what I can control. These hounds weren¡¯t strong individually. Their sheer numbers were what posed the real threat. However, I was sure they couldn¡¯t possibly multiply indefinitely. If I kept killing them, there had to be an end, and that was my only hope. I stopped thinking, letting instinct take over, and I started swinging my axe with renewed vigor.¡°Woof! Woof!¡± A hound lunged at me from the side, and I smashed it aside with the handle of my axe before bringing the de down to crush its skull. The creature¡¯s head exploded in a gruesome spray, leaving its jaws grotesquely twisted and sending an eyeball rolling across the floor. I watched this, a wave of regret washing over me. I had let my frustration get the better of me and allowed irritation to dictate my attacks. This wasn¡¯t how I was supposed to fight. Wasting two moves on a single hound was inefficient, especially in the face of such overwhelming numbers. I needed to be smarter and more precise. One strike should take out multiple enemies. That was the only way I could hold my ground. Taking a deep breath, I tightened my grip on the axe before swinging it in a wide arc. Hounds lunged at me from all directions, but I met them relentlessly with my fists, elbows, and axe. Every move needed to count. Ten minutes into the battle, a nagging feeling crept into my mind that something was off. I had ughtered hundreds of these beasts, yet the torrent of hounds showed no signs of slowing. Their bodies piled up around me, forming walls that blocked the passage. However, the hounds simply leaped over the carcasses of their fallen kin, undeterred. This can¡¯t go on. There has to be a limit, an end to this madness.Should I push through the endless horde of hounds? If I did, the rear of the party could be endangered. Sure, Ha Hee-Jeong was there, but still... Suddenly, I remembered the sound of the iron gates crashing down at the start. I need to close those gates. Instead of dragging the party through this relentless wave, I needed to push forward alone and shut the gates. Once the hounds were locked in, I could return and finish off the stragglers. ¡°Hey, Hee-Jeong!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it ande back!¡± ¡°What?!¡± In the middle of casting a spell, Ha Hee-Jeong swung her wand at a lunging hound before looking at me in confusion. Not bothering to exin myself further, I wrapped my legs in lightning andunched myself forward, dashing ahead. Ha Hee-Jeong would figure it out soon enough. ????¨°?¨§s ¡°Grrr!¡± Four hounds charged at me head-on. They were slightly staggered, but it wasn¡¯t a problem. I swung my axe upward from my left thigh, cleaving through the first hound, before continuing the motion through the others in one clean sweep. The hounds split by my axe didn¡¯t even have time to whine, except for thest one, which let out a suppressed whimper as my axe crushed its body. ¡°Yelp!¡± I quickly swung my elbow, countering a hound leaping at me from my left. The sickening crack of its skull shattering echoed around me. Just then, the area behind me began to brighten. As expected¡­ Ha Hee-Jeong had caught on to my n. I continued racing forward, and a dragon made of fire roared to life behind me, surging ahead and scorching a path through the hounds. The beasts howled in terror, trying to flee. However, their numbers worked against them. Trapped by their own kind, the fiery wave swept them up. A straight path opened before me, left behind by the dragon tail¡¯s trail. This is my chance. I drove my leg down harder, increasing my speed once more. This time, I made sure to focus on controlling my mana¡ªjust enough to wrap my legs in a faintyer of lightning without overexerting myself. Too much speed or mana would leave me burnt out before reaching my goal. I needed to stay close enough to the dragon¡¯s tail, and I couldn¡¯t afford to waste energy. Despite my efforts, controlling my speed was still tricky. I couldn¡¯t quite stick as close to the ming dragon¡¯s tail as I wanted, but I maintained a reasonable gap, close enough to follow its lead. Guttural barks broke through my thoughts. ¡°Ruff! Ruff!¡± Continuing to rush forward, I buried my axe into the foreheads of the hunting hounds lunging at me through narrow gaps. There were still plenty of enemies ahead, leaving me no time to dwell on these few hounds. The path was long. How far have I run? Two hundred meters, maybe? The dragon was once a towering presence that easily cleared the way but had shrunk significantly. Now, it wasn¡¯t much more than a flickering light guiding me forward. Still, that was better than nothing. Ah, I am almost there. Finally, the path led me to a massive iron door. A pair ofrge, wide-open iron gates nked the gate, releasing a relentless stream of ck hunting hounds from the passages beyond. They were what I was here to close, and I decided to start with the left side. I unleashed a burst of lightning, electrifying any nearby hounds. Sprinting forward, I cut through the convulsing hounds. The iron gate blocking the passagey t on the ground, waiting to be lifted. I spotted a hook at the top of the gateway. It wouldtch and close the passage if I could lift the gate into ce. But the gate was massive, and it wasn¡¯t going to be light. One hand wouldn¡¯t be enough. I swung my axe in a wide arc and then tossed it aside, freeing both my hands. I needed to act fast before the hounds could close in on me. Grabbing one end of the iron gate with both hands, I heaved it upward. As I did, more hounds lunged at me. ¡°Krowl!¡± I unleashed another wave of lightning to buy myself a few precious seconds. The current surged through the gate, causing the hounds clinging to it to shake violently. Taking advantage of the moment, I shoved the gate forward with all my strength. ¡°Yelp, yelp!¡± The gate crushed several hounds in the narrow gap, and their screams pierced the air. Damn it. The mangled remains had blocked the gate from fully closing. More hounds charged at my unprotected back. Although I was projecting streaks of lightning to fend them off, I couldn¡¯t keep doing that forever. Thud, thud¡ª Ignoring the pain, I mmed the gate into ce again¡ªonce, twice¡ªuntil finally, I heard the satisfying click of the hook catching. The left gate was sealed. I turned around, just in time to catch two hunting hounds sinking their teeth into my shoulder. ¡°Arf! Arf!¡± ¡°Rrrrr!¡± They snarled, gnashing their jaws and struggling in my grip. Their heads twisted and writhed, trying desperately to break free and tear into me. Time to see whose skull is stronger. Tightening my grip on the hounds, I mustered all of my strength before smashing their heads together. The sickening sound of bones breaking filled the air, and the hounds went limp, their fierce struggles ceasing as quickly as they had begun. Hmm, the hounds are too weak. I was given a brief moment of respite, quickly interrupted by more charging hounds. Grabbing the lifeless bodies of the hounds I had just killed, I swung them like weapons, scattering the oing attackers. When I finally tossed the corpses aside, I took a moment to assess myself. Doesn¡¯t seem like I am seriously injured. The expensive leather armor I was wearing had done its job. My forearm was scratched, but the wounds were shallow. I quickly retrieved the axe I had thrown earlier. There was no time to rest as more hounds kepting, and I needed to close the second gate. shing diagonally, I cut through the next wave of enemies. Now I need to close the right gate. I charged forward, swinging my axe with precise, controlled strikes¡ªhorizontally here, diagonally there¡ªand deflecting attacks with my arm. Pressing on, I took advantage of my Lightning Essence. Leaping forward, I cleared the distance in an instant. This time, I had an easier time lifting the iron gate since I knew what to expect. Making sure to st lightning at any hounds that came near, I closed the second gate without much trouble. ¡°Woof, woof!¡± The enraged howls of the trapped hounds echoed sharply from behind the bars. I smirked in satisfaction and turned my back to them. There were still plenty of hounds to clear along the path, but now we didn¡¯t have to worry about more appearing. It was time to return to my party members. *** ¡°Whew. Nice work, Su-Hyeok." ¡°Nah, it wasn¡¯t that hard. Hee-Jeong cleared the way, so it was manageable." ¡°That¡¯s right! Hee-Jeong, that ming dragon earlier was incredible!" ¡°Yeah, unnie. It was so cool!" ¡°Oh,e on, it¡¯s nothing," Ha Hee-Jeong replied with her usual calm smile. I had hoped she would show a bit of embarrassment. If she had, I would have tried to get back at her by teasing her with over-the-top praise. Unfortunately, I ended up a bit disappointed since she epted thepliments without skipping a beat. She was always soposed. ¡°Everyone''s fine, right? No injuries?" ¡°Nope!¡± ¡°Haha, we¡¯re all good." ¡°It wasn¡¯t that tough. Since our rear was blocked, we didn¡¯t face too much pressure. Ho-Su probably had the hardest time.¡± ¡°Nah, Hee-Jeong pretty much roasted them all with her fire.¡±@@novelbin@@ Thankfully, none of my party members were seriously hurt. The stairs had widened at a certain point, creating a chokepoint perfect for facingrge groups. Still, if it had been another party, they probably would have had a much harder time. Without someone like me or Ha Hee-Jeong, the entire group would have had to slowly fight their way through those hounds to close the gate. ¡°Hm?" I suddenly felt a strange pulse of manaing from the far end of the passage. Rattle¡ª Rattling noisily, the hunting hounds we had just taken down began to rise again, their bodies twitching unnaturally. ¡°Wait, are those... undead?" ¡°It¡¯s a necromancer!" ¡°Get ready for battle!" In the darkness, the glowing blue eyes of the hounds flickered like countless tiny mes. Damn it, we already killed hundreds of them. How many more do we have to kill? This never-ending swarm was exhausting. I could hold out, but my teammates weren¡¯t in the best shape anymore. Readying my weapon for another round, I heard Ha Hee-Jeong sigh behind me. ¡°Ugh... we don¡¯t have time for this." We had about five hours left¡ªnot exactly a lot of time. It had taken us nearly three hours to get here, and it would take a simr amount of time to return. And who knew how long it would take to clear the hidden room? Time wasn¡¯t on our side. ¡°Su-Hyeok.¡± ¡°Yeah?" ¡°If I use this spell, I won¡¯t be able to cast anything for a while. You got this, right?" ¡°What¡ª?" Before I could fully respond, Ha Hee-Jeong began chanting. She quickly finished the spell¡¯s chant, and the reanimated hounds lunged at us. ¡°Let¡¯s fight¡ª" I couldn¡¯t even finish my sentence. A massive wave of fire exploded in front of the party, swallowing my words. It was a sight to behold, a brilliant ze that pushed back the darkness of the underground like the dawn of a new day. Could this be called a fire tsunami? The colossal wall of mes roared down the passage, engulfing everything in its path. The grotesque undead hounds, still charging at us, copsed into ash,pletely reduced to smoldering piles where they stood. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from the fiery spectacle as it surged far into the distance. Ah, so this is what a real magician can do... ¡°Unnie! Are you okay?" ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I just burned through all my mana," Ha Hee-Jeong replied weakly, staggering. Seo Ha-Rin quickly caught her, helping her stay upright. Ha Hee-Jeong nced at the rest of the team who had turned around in shock, and gave them an awkward smile. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left. Let¡¯s finish this quickly." ¡°Heh, haha... Now that I think about it, Hee-Jeong has always been ranked second, hasn¡¯t she? I guess we never really thought about it because Su-Hyeok always overshadowed her. But damn, her skills are no joke¡­" Ha Hee-Jeong shrugged modestly. ¡°I¡¯ve still got a long way to gopared to Su-Hyeok." Cole, who was usually the calm andposed one, stood there with his mouth agape, unable to form a proper sentence. ¡°No, seriously... wow." Honestly, I was impressed too. Ha Hee-Jeong had always held back, allowing the rest of the team to grow. Even I hadn¡¯t realized just how powerful she really was until now. This was her true strength. And to think, she still didn¡¯t have as much mana as she did before the regression... I couldn¡¯t fall behind. Watching her made me realize I needed to step up my game. I had to push myself harder. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get moving. As Hee-Jeong said, we¡¯re running out of time.¡± Chapter 38: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (7) Chapter 38: Ninth Floor, Hounds of the Labyrinth (7) The hounds snarled viciously from behind the thick metal gates on each side of the iron door. Their growls were filled with hostility, almost as if they were daring us to even think about approaching. The sound felt like a warning, clear and threatening. ¡°Heh, bark all you want!" Ho-Su taunted as he tapped his sword against the iron bars, riling up the already enraged hounds. The long, tedious defense had irritated him, and he used this opportunity to vent that frustration. I turned my gaze back to the iron door. Has Hee-Jeong¡¯s wave of fire reached this far? The door was shut tight, but Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s spell had only scratched it, leaving dark scorch marks across its width. Seeing theck of damage from the spell made me realize how lucky we were to have gotten that key from the baby mimic. Without it, we would have been stuck at the entrance to the hidden room. I wondered if anyone else had ever made a mimic cough up a key like that. Probably not. If other climbers had discovered the hidden staircase, they likely would have been overwhelmed by the hounds, not even reaching the door. Or worse, the flood of hounds could have immediately killed them. Even if they had retreated up the stairs, they wouldn¡¯t have had time to shut the door behind them. And who knows if it would have stayed closed?¡°I really hope we don¡¯t run into more of those damn hounds inside¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, there were way too many. Since they are quadrupeds, their attacks are harder to predict since they are so fast and agile.¡± Seo Ho-Su¡¯sment snapped me out of my thoughts, and I noticed Cole nodding in agreement. He had a point. There had been too many hounds, and only Ha Hee-Jeong was equipped to handle suchrge numbers. But now, she had exhausted all her mana. Honestly, I would prefer a single strong enemy over another horde. I wasn¡¯t necessarily weak against groups, but my mana reserve wasn¡¯t exactly thergest. I couldn¡¯t afford to just throw lightning around without restraint. A few dozen enemies? Sure, I can handle that. But¡­ Even I would get worn out if we faced hundreds of enemies again. If I were alone, I could take my time and clear them out, but that wasn¡¯t the case here. Duringbat, I would have to worry about the others. Protecting them while fighting off a horde would be a nightmare. I hoped we wouldn¡¯t have to face another overwhelming swarm. With that small wish in mind, I slid the golden key we had gotten from the mimic into the keyhole at the top of the iron door. The door unlocked with a sharp sound, cutting through the tension in the air. Click. The rest of the party fell silent and waited. I was about to push the door open, but stopped and turned to the others. ¡°Everyone ready?" ¡°Yes!" ¡°Heh, let¡¯s get this over with. Hopefully, it¡¯s a treasure room without any monsters.¡± Seo Ho-Su grinned and pulled his shield tighter. Despite his casual tone, he was fully prepared for whatever mighte. ¡°Alright, opening it now." ¡°Wait! Let me do it." Seo Ho-Su suddenly stepped in front of me. ¡°There could be a trap. I have a shield so if something triggers the moment the door opens, I¡¯ll be fine." He had a point, though I figured I could dodge anything that came at us. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll cover you from behind." I decided to step aside and let him take the lead. Even if it wasn¡¯t a trap, I could react quickly to any sudden situation. No need to be stubborn when he''s so insistent. Positioning myself behind him, I gripped my axe tightly in my right hand, muscles tensing, ready to swing at any moment. Seo Ho-Su raised his shield to chin level, then cautiously reached for the door handle with his sword hand. He gave it a push. ¡°Huh?¡± Clunk. The door didn¡¯t move. It felt as though something heavy was bracing against it from the other side. ¡°... What the...?" Maybe it wasn¡¯t a push door after all. However, Seo Ho-Su didn¡¯t seem to realize that yet. He leaned into it and pushed harder with his shoulder. Clunk. Still nothing. He furrowed his brows in confusion, clearly puzzled. Does he still not understand? ¡°Uh¡­ I think it¡¯s a pull door.¡± ¡°Oh! Haha, of course. I thought I wasn¡¯t strong enough to open it." Seo Ho-Su shot a quick nce at Cole, but he couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment from me. It seemed like Cole struggling with the lever left quite the impression, so Seo Ho-Su tunnel-visioned trying to push the door instead of taking a step back to process the situation. Seo Ho-Su had probably assumed his own strength was the issue. ??§¡¦­???¨¨s ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try this again." He chuckled, then grabbed the handle before pulling this time. Creaaak. The iron door slowly swung open. Its loud, metallic screech cut through the silence. As the gap widened, we finally discovered whaty beyond. Immediately, I spotted a massive three-meter-tall hunting hound with two heads that stood in front of a dark figure. The figure was d in a ck robe and nked by another two-headed hunting hound. Finally, on a small altar at the very back of the room sat a single ck shoe. That had to be the reward. ¡°Prepare for battle!" I barked, my voice steady but urgent. @@novelbin@@ "Ha-Rin and Cole, protect Hee-Jeong at all costs!" I eyed the two-headed creature warily. What the¡ª? Not three heads, but two? This thing wasn¡¯t even a proper Cerberus[1] knockoff. It looked simr to the hounds we fought earlier... Are the ones we killed before their offspring? No, the number of heads was different. Well, no point in overthinking it. I couldn¡¯t allow my thoughts to wander right beforebat. I needed to focus. The two-headed hounds growled, ready to pounce at any moment. Maybe the smell of the dead pups¡¯ blood had angered them. Standing in the midst of it all was the dark-robed figure. That had to be the necromancer who had revived the hounds earlier. I need to take him out first. If I went after the oversized Cerberus wannabes first, the fight could devolve into chaos like in the tunnel. Ok, time to rush in. I recalled the sensation of elerating from earlier, how fast I had felt¡ªlike leaping through space. Gathering my mana, I summoned lightning into my legs before spreading it through my other limbs. ¡°Su-Hyeok, wait¡ª¡± Before Ho-Su could even finish his sentence, I sprang into action. I was gone in less time than it takes to blink. ¡°¨D¨D.¡± I was already in front of the necromancer. His grotesque, reptilian face came into focus, and I noticed he was murmuring something ominous. The necromancer¡¯s species was one I had never seen before, and the eerie sound of his chant filled the air. The necromancer''s eyes widened in shock when he realized how quickly I had closed the gap. He halted his spell, trying to back away. But it was toote. ¡°... Uh¡ª!¡± His panic-stricken eyes didn¡¯t even fully widen before my axe came crashing down. Crack! Lightning sparked as the de buried itself into his skull. He didn¡¯t even have time to scream as his eyes bulged out from the impact. Blood and brain matter oozed thickly from the wound and slid down his face. Hmm, is my speed a form of teleportation magic...? No, I had to stop obsessing over magic. Hee-Jeong¡¯s spell from earlier had clearly left too much of an impression on me. Now, there were only the two Cerberus dupes left. I have used up most of my mana, but¡­ I would still be able to handle them with brute force alone. Pulling my axe from the necromancer¡¯s crumbling skull, I watched as thick, dark blood sprayed into the air. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Seo Ha-Rin gasped, her mouth hanging open in disbelief. Ignoring her, I called out to Ho-Su, ¡°Just focus on protecting the others! I¡¯ll take care of the rest!¡± Normally, I would want the party to experience some fighting, but time wasn¡¯t on our side. Even if we rushed from here on out, we would be cutting it close. We needed to finish this quickly. Conserving my remaining mana, I sparingly used Lightning Essence as I charged at the Cerberus dupes. Seeing my charge, the nearest beast rushed at me, both of its heads snarling as they snapped their jaws ferociously. ¡°Grrr!¡± ¡°Grrrah!¡± For a brief second, I considered which head to strike first. Why not both? I swung my axe in a wide arc. The first impact caved in the left head, smashing it with ease. The swing continued into the right head, cleaving deep into it. The massive creature copsed with a heavy thud, but I didn¡¯t stop. I turned toward the second one, preparing myself for its charge. Good, it¡¯sing for me. Perhaps it was pissed that I had killed its master. Maybe it was pissed that I had killed its friend. Either way, it ignored the rest of the party and charged straight at me. I dodged its charge, stepping widely to the right, then mmed my axe into its side. ¡°Yelp!¡± The impact sent the beast rolling across the ground. Without giving it a moment to recover, I leaped forward and brought my axe down once more. Crack, crack. Both of its thick necks snapped in quick session. We had conquered the hidden room. It had been easier than I expected, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling things would have gotten far moreplicated if I hadn¡¯t taken out the necromancer first. In hindsight, my snap decision had proved to have been the right decision. I looked back at the others and realized they were all staring at me in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief. Did I finish the battle too quickly? Noticing my gaze, Seo Ho-Su finally broke the silence. ¡°Wow, Su-Hyeok... You okay?¡± He sounded like he was asking more out of formality than genuine concern, as his voice was tinged with admiration rather than worry. ¡°Yes, I''m fine." I replied casually, though my attention was already shifting back to the real prize: the shoes. [Kashatum¡¯s Sky Shoes] - Enhances all actions performed by the wearer¡¯s feet. - Allows the wearer to step again in mid-air. - Agility +3, Stamina +2. What caught my attention most was the ability to step on air. Just imagining the many new ways I could fight with these shoes made my heart race with excitement. I carefully picked them up. Hopefully, picking these up doesn¡¯t cause the gates to open again¡­ Thankfully, my worries were unfounded. I didn¡¯t hear anything from outside the iron door, and there was no sign the gates were opening. It was time to head back toward the exit. ¡°Alright, let''s get out of here." I smiled at my party members, who still seemed half-dazed. *** ¡°Oppa! What was that earlier? You were amazing! Bam! Pow! Pow!" Seo Ha-Rin eximed as she brimmed with energy. ¡°Exactly! I was worried the hounds might break free, but you just took out that necromancer in one hit!" Seo Ho-Su added, clearly still impressed. Making our way to the exit, I just smiled faintly at their enthusiastic praise. Before I could respond, Cole spoke up with his usual serious tone. ¡°Su-Hyeok, you should be more proud of yourself. Every time our party is in danger, you always manage to handle it so easily. The same goes for Hee-Jeong." ¡°Nah.¡± ¡°... Are you holding back to help us grow?" Cole asked, his question hitting the mark. I stiffened. Have they finally figured it out? After realizing on the seventh floor that my strength could negatively impact my party¡¯s growth, I started holding back during group battles. This had especially been the case here on the ninth floor, and when I had trained Seo Ha-Rin ¡°No, of course not," I replied, though Cole didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°Alright, then." After that, Cole fell silent, and both Seo Ha-Rin and Seo Ho-Su seemed lost in thought. Although Cole had epted my answer, I could tell he had a lingering suspicion. He probably realized that Ha Hee-Jeong and I intentionally gave the others space to grow during battles. It¡¯s not like I can openly admit that though¡­ We were doing it to be considerate, but I could see it potentiallye across as condescending¡­ Perhaps the best course of action was to pretend we didn¡¯t notice, even though we all knew what was really happening. I couldn¡¯te up with a better solution, especially not on short notice. The atmosphere remained weird, but our group continued walking toward the exit, with Cole asionally giving directions. I wasn¡¯t worried this would ruin the party¡¯s rtionships since they were all sharp-minded people. There probably isn¡¯t anyone else who would look out for them the way Hee-Jeong and I do. They might be confused now, but they would understand and appreciate our help eventually. With such bright futures ahead, I hoped they would keep pushing forward with us. *** [Congrattions. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the ninth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: the Maze of Kashatum. Achievement points will be calcted.] [Time remaining: 43 minutes 59 seconds. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the hidden room ¡®Resting ce of the Hounds.¡¯ Achievement points will be calcted.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 5,879 achievement points. Total achievement points: 57,675. He will now enter the waiting room.] *** ¡¸Invisible message: Using the Bear King¡¯s Double-Headed Axe has invigorated Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s Bear¡¯s Blood. His skills have leveled up. Bear¡¯s Blood is now lvl 8.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Combat Focus is now lvl 11. Natural Healing is now lvl 7. Iron Skin is now lvl 3.¡¹ 1. Cerberus is a three-headed dog from Greek mythology that guards the entrance to the Underworld, preventing the dead from leaving and the living from entering. It is a fierce, monstrous creature often depicted with additional serpentine or dragon-like features. ? Chapter 39: Tenth Floor, Waiting Room Chapter 39: Tenth Floor, Waiting Room During Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s previous life, the Community, on the thirty-first floor. [Reflections on the Tower of Ordeal, Divine Thrones, and the God of Earth.] - Author: Jimmy Hendrick (Thirty-first Floor) ¡­ Climbers will remember the cryptic term ¡°Green Belt¡± from the message we received before entering the Tower of Ordeal. This leads many to believe that the tower is an invasion by an alien civilization. However, no matter how much science can potentially advance, what we¡¯re experiencing can only be described as the work of a ¡°god.¡± ¡­ Thus, it''s reasonable to assume that the Divine Thrones are the gods of variouss across the universe. The sses are likely divided based on how manys they control or how powerful their divine abilities are. In the early floors, climbers were tricked by the Divine Thrones regarding their sses, but if we think of it as a welfare policy among the gods, it makes sense. After all, isn¡¯t there a draft system in sports too? ¡­ But this raises another question¡ªwhere is the God of Earth? Where do climbers who have chosen the priest ss draw their divine power from? Why does the priest''s status window not disy their holy power? Why do they consume mana when casting healing spells, unlike the other races discovered in the Tower of Ordeal? ¡­ From this, I suspect the Tower of Ordeal is a process meant to select a god for each. Yet, there¡¯s one detail that still troubles me: the phrase in the climbers¡¯ status window that reads, "Affiliation: Tower of Ordeal." What does this really mean? The same question applies to the true meaning of ¡°Patron Deity¡± and ¡°share percentage.¡± We have many guesses, but no definitive answers. Will we ever truly conquer the tower? ¡­ Tonight, I find myself longing to discover the God of Earth. *** [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None@@novelbin@@ Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 1.09% (-?.??%) / 100.00%) Strength: 90.4 (-6) Agility: 84.7 (-6) Stamina: 88.1 (-5) Mana: 52.8 (-2) Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 7¡­ Combat Focus lvl 16 (+5), Bear¡¯s Blood lvl 8, Natural Healing lvl 7, Iron Skin lvl 3¡­ My penalized stats had recovered significantly on the ninth floor, likely from the numerous battles I had fought. I was confident that once I stepped onto the eleventh floor, my stats would surpass those from before I burned the share percentage. ??¨¤????s? Considering the stats I had gained throughbat, it felt like I was getting a great deal. And the tenth floor is a rest area. The twenty percent stat restriction I had imposed on myself because of the pre-sponsorship hadn¡¯t been as difficult to deal with as expected. The eighth and tenth floors felt like freebies in many ways. Even the fights on the ninth floor hadn¡¯t been particrly challenging. I could feel my stats were significantly higher than other climbers¡¯. And my skill levels have risen a lot, too. Lightning Essence, Combat Focus, Bear¡¯s Blood, Natural Healing, and Iron Skin had all leveled up. Floors withbat provided a muchrger boost to both stats and skills. After thoroughly going through my status window, I had nothing to do but wait. [30 minutes 21 seconds until the rest period ends. Please rest.] The break time in the waiting room wasn¡¯t particrly long, probably because the tenth floor was a rest area. There had been forty-three minutes on the timer when we had arrived¡ªthe same amount of time that remained after conquering the Maze of Kashatum. Based on the time left until the next floor, I assumed we wouldn¡¯t enter the tenth floor until every climber cleared the ninth floor. Many climbers were still lost in the maze, and I was powerless to do anything except hope they would make it out safely. - Seo Ha-Rin (Tenth Floor): We only have about thirty minutes left! I¡¯m still a bit tired. Aaaah! - Cole Grouse (Tenth Floor): I know right? Why did we get such little time to rest? Also, the time shown on the timer is the same as thebyrinth¡¯s. Maybe the tenth floor is connected to the ninth? - Seo Ho-Su (Tenth Floor): Hmm, could be. But from what I¡¯ve seen in fantasy novels, there¡¯s usually a rest area every ten floors, so it¡¯s probably that. - Seo Ha-Rin (Tenth Floor): Really, Dad? I hope so! Since the rest of the party didn¡¯t know the tenth floor was a rest area, our group chat had been busy. Seo Ho-Su, meanwhile, had urately deduced the nature of the tenth floor. His power of insight gave me chills. Just how many fantasy novels has he read to be this sharp? Maybe that was why he was adapting so well to the Tower of Ordeal. ording to Ha Hee-Jeong, he was also excellent at choosing which stats to allocate points to. If I had known that I would end up in a strange tower, forced to fight for the fate of the Earth, I would have watchedbat tutorial videos on UTube... Suddenly, a wave of regret washed over me. Who could have predicted that I would be thrown into the Tower of Ordeal to fight for my life? Before this whole mess, I had been so busy preparing for job interviews that I could barely catch my breath. Then, a message from Ha Hee-Jeong popped up out of the blue. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): Hey, Su-Hyeok. What have you decided to do with your achievement points? Are you sure you don¡¯t want to buy a new weapon? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Nah, I¡¯m good with what I got. The Bear King¡¯s Double-Headed Axe is tied to my Bear¡¯s Blood skill. It gives me some kind of boost that makes it feel like I¡¯m overflowing with power, even beyond my abnormal base stats. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): But you have about 55,000 points now, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s more than enough to get a weapon that¡¯llst you through to the higher floors. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): I don¡¯t think I need one just yet. The axe isn¡¯t bad, and as the Bear¡¯s Blood skill levels up, it boosts my strength and agility too. I wasn¡¯t sure how long the Bear King¡¯s axe wouldst, but the Bear¡¯s Blood skill leveled up the more I wielded the axe. As long as there were perks I could squeeze from thebo, there didn¡¯t seem to be any rush to buy a new weapon. Plus, the axe fit me perfectly. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): What about elixirs? I feel like I could use some more mana. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): You¡¯ve had enough elixirs for now. If you use them too often, you will be resistant to their effects. So that was why she hadn¡¯t brought it up before. She had a point since too much of anything could backfire. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): How about some armor, then? You¡¯ll be on your own on the eleventh floor, and we don¡¯t know what challenges you could face. Your leather armor is a bit worn out and weak. What about some te armor? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Isn¡¯t it awkward to maneuver in? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): That¡¯s just because you haven¡¯t tried it. With your stats, high-end te armor wouldn¡¯t feel ufortable. She was coaxing me slowly, like a sly salesperson trying to seal the deal. The thought made me chuckle. It wasn¡¯t a bad suggestion, though. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Should I get it? What if it turns out to be ufortable? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): Seriously? If you don¡¯t want to change your weapon, you should at least get some good armor! Are you not concerned at all? I¡¯m worried sick about you! - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Why? I¡¯m doing fine. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): How can you be so calm? We have no idea what could be waiting for you on the eleventh floor. Didn¡¯t I tell you it could be tougher than the tutorial? You should at least be mentally prepared. You¡¯re way too rxed, and it¡¯s driving me crazy. Her words suddenly made me feel uneasy. I hadn¡¯t been challenged at all from the sixth to the ninth floor, which may have caused me to be a bit toocent. I thought back to the tutorial. Sure, I had skipped the third floor, but none of the other floors had been easy. It wasn¡¯t just a question of brute strength either. I had been forced to make difficult decisions, while others required me to ponder deeply about the true nature of things. Even the battles required a lot of mental effort. And that was just the tutorial. ¡­ I have gotten too cocky. I hadn¡¯t struggled much when I defeated the Seraphim Queen, Weretiger King, or the Necromancer. Beginning on the sixth floor, I hadn¡¯t felt any real danger. My mainints were just mild irritation and exhaustion. Of course, I pretended to be humble on the outside¡­ But ever since I unlocked the status window and realized I was significantly stronger than other climbers, I had secretly stopped taking the Tower of Ordeal seriously. Although somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that I needed to work hard and try my best, I had unconsciously taken my foot off the gas pedal at some point. Too much had happened since I felt the tension of my life on a knife¡¯s edge, leaving me to think things would work out as long as Ha Hee-Jeong was by my side. I had been too arrogant, so certain my strength was sufficient to conquer the tower. I hadpletely forgotten how hard it was to climb the floors just a few days ago. ... Fuck, I need to get my act together. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Sorry, I¡¯ve been an idiot. I got too full of myself because things have been so easy since the tutorial ended. Thanks, Hee-Jeong. You¡¯ve really helped me ept that I was acting arrogantly. Help me pick out some armor, okay? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor):... Alright, give me a moment. We can find something that suits you. Take a look and pick out some options you like, and then I¡¯ll help you decide on one. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Okay. Thanks, Hee-Jeong. Though she didn¡¯t show it, I could sense that my apology had eased Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s mood. Just as I was about to open the shop window, another message from her popped up. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): Hey, have you bought the mimic storage box yet? - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Not yet. I was checking my status window when I got your message. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): Get the box for the mimic first. I¡¯ll keep looking for armor. You don¡¯t have to buy it right now since you can get it at any point before you enter the eleventh floor. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Got it. I¡¯ll handle the mimic first. She was right. Since another waiting room wasing up, dealing with the mimic was more urgent than buying a new set of armor. I opened the shop window and searched for the mimic storage box. Huh? Even after entering the search term, nothing appeared in the shop window. Weird. Is it named something else? Come to think of it, Ha Hee-Jeong hadn¡¯t been entirely sure about the name either. What was the other thing she suggested? Mimic capture box? I re-entered a name into the search bar, and the shop window refreshed. [Mimic Capture Box] - Price: 1,000 points 1,000 achievement points? Not exactly cheap, but it wasn¡¯t a huge burden either. In fact, considering that it would be my makeshift inventory for the foreseeable future, it seemed like a pretty reasonable investment. As soon as I purchased the item, a small box appeared on the table in the waiting room. It was slightly smaller than the baby mimic I had been carrying around. [Mimic Capture Box] - A box that can capture baby mimics. - Cannot capture adult mimics. Hmm, how was I supposed to fit the mimic into a box that was clearly smaller than it? I started to worry about how I was going to transfer the mimic. Sure, it couldn¡¯t escape from this tiny waiting room, but I wanted an inventory now. Just like always, asking Ha Hee-Jeong was the quickest solution. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Hey, Hee-Jeong. How do I transfer this thing? The capture box is smaller than the baby mimic. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): It¡¯s easy. Just open the capture box, put it over the mimic, and it¡¯ll get sucked in on its own. Transferring the mimic was simpler than I had imagined. There was no need to wrestle the mimic into the smaller container or even pick it up. After all, the only thing I had seen in the mimic¡¯s box was an endless void. Even if I had wanted to grab the mimic¡¯s real body, there wouldn¡¯t have been anything to hold onto. It was as if the inside of the box was its own dark, unreachable space. I opened the box and pulled the baby mimic out from where it had been tucked inside my quiver. The little creature had been peeking out from the slightly open treasure chest lid, its eyes gleaming with curiosity. However, as soon as it saw me approaching, it hurriedly ducked back inside the box, trying to hide. It would probably be easier to knock it out first. Gripping the baby mimic, I shook it rapidly up and down with my right hand, hoping it would pass out. ¡°Screech¡­¡± The creature let out a strange, high-pitched screech. The sound became fainter as I shook it harder, and eventually, the mimic went limp, knocked out cold. Now, it was time to move it. I opened the capture box and ced the baby mimic¡¯s box upside down over it. Whoosh¡ª There was a soft hissing sound like air escaping, and just like that, the baby mimic was sucked into the capture box. Is that it? The process was so simple that it left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. I had expected it to be moreplicated, but it was over in an instant. Just to make sure, I sent Ha Hee-Jeong another message. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Hee-Jeong, the mimic just got sucked in, no problem. Is that really all there is to it? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): Yep, that¡¯s it. Now you just have to tame it. It won¡¯t listen to you at first, but once you train it, you¡¯ll have your own living inventory. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): Tame it? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): Yeah, and it¡¯s actually kinda cute ??When it doesn¡¯t listen, just give it a shake. That¡¯ll do the trick. Hmm, even though it''s for our convenience, isn''t this clearly animal cruelty? Sure, I had shaken it before, like on the ninth floor, but somehow I felt slightly reluctant this time. It was as if I were training it with a whip, and I didn¡¯t want to train it like that. Eventually, the mimic woulde to understand my heart as I raised it. Imagine a mimic that would spit out items onmand; it would practically be an automatic inventory. How fun would that be? I stuffed the mimic into the quiver. Luckily, the smaller box fit better than the original chest. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Tenth Floor): How¡¯s the search for armor going? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Tenth Floor): I¡¯m still looking, but it¡¯s hard to immediately decide on one. We don¡¯t have much time left, so let¡¯s talk about it when we get to the rest area. *** [Challenge Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s Party is now entering the tenth floor: Rest Zone 1.] [The tenth floor is a rest area for climbers. All aggressive actions are prohibited within the rest area. Climbers are invited to rest and rx as much as they would like. Time remaining: 35 hours 59 minutes.] Chapter 40: Tenth Floor, Rest Area (1) Chapter 40: Tenth Floor, Rest Area (1) [Wee to the tenth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Rest Zone 1.] [All aggressive actions are prohibited within the rest area. Climbers are invited to rest and rx as much as they would like. Remaining time: 35 hours 59 minutes.] As my eyes adjusted to the light, a vast field drenched in deep green unfolded before me. I had feared the hundreds of thousands of climbers would be teleported together in a chaotic mess, but instead, I was greeted by an eerily empty in. The sky was at dusk, painted with strokes of blue and orange. While the sun was setting, a brilliant crimson moon rose opposite it. The moon¡¯s alien presence emphasized the surrealndscape. A cool breeze meandered past, causing the wild grasses to dance. The grass rippled, one stalk brushing the next as it bent toward the ground. The wind swept through my hair too, bringing a refreshing coolness to my forehead. Seo Ho-Su¡¯s voice was filled with awe as he stood beside me. Seo Ha-Rin also gasped in admiration. ¡°Wow!" ¡°Heh, what a sight." It seemed like an understatement to merely call this view ¡°impressive.¡± I wished there was a more majestic term to encapste the scene, but ¡°beautiful¡± was all my mind could muster. The limitation of my vocabry frustrated me slightly.Turning my head, I caught Ha Hee-Jeong smiling warmly. She must have seen this scenery before. I followed her gaze, noticing a few peculiar buildings to the left of the field. Their designs were neither modern nor medieval. The architect would need an alien blueprint to design something like that. The structures and thendscape were mismatched, fitting together as well as day and night. ¡°Wow, you were right, Dad! You said this floor would be a rest area.¡± ¡°Hehe. Yep, I told you it was pretty obvious. I knew something like this would appear.¡± ¡°Exactly! I was nervous for no reason.¡± ¡°Shame, though. Normally, ces like this offer cement-based rewards... It looks like we didn¡¯t get anything this time. Our party could have taken all of them if there were.¡± Seo Ho-Su swallowed, clearly disappointed. I agreed with him. Since a leaderboard existed, it only made sense for there to beplementary rewards. But what could be done? If the tower refused to share, there was nothing we could do. ¡°Huh?¡± Other climbers began to appear across the vast, open in. I marveled at the otherworldly spectacle of people materializing out of thin air. They surveyed their surroundings just as we had done moments earlier before bursting into exmations of wonder. I estimated there were about a thousand climbers. While this might seem substantial, it was a mere fraction of those who had entered the tower. Looks like a number of people have survived so far. We are in Zone 1 of the tenth floor¡¯s rest area, right? It appeared that the tenth floor¡¯s rest area was divided into specific zones. After orienting themselves momentarily, the climbers began making their way toward the distant buildings, drawn by the promise of a brief respite. ??¦Á?¦Ï?§§? ¡°Those buildings look like ces we can rest. Shall we start heading over?" Seo Ha-Rin responded with a bright smile, ¡°Yes! Let''s go!" We grouped together and started toward the shelters. I could feel the other climbers¡¯ eyes on us, their gazes cautious but filled with an unmistakable joy they could hardly conceal. *** The rest area was organized into four sections: lodging, dining, an armory, and a general store. Lodging and dining were avable free of charge, a wee relief after the rigorous ascent. The armory and general store are akin to the waiting room¡¯s shop. They were primarily used for repairs and trading rather than for outright purchases. I had heard that, asionally, the armory would supply items that couldn¡¯t be found in the regr shop, though they often came with a hefty price tag. Many alien species from differents managed the rest area. Some resembled aliens that would appear on TV, others had hard, stone-like skin, and some even looked as delicate as cloth. They are quite a sight to behold. The armory and general store were scheduled to open the following day, so for now, we had secured rooms and were en route to the dining hall. The vast field, with its gentle breeze and the many people around, was the most tranquil ce we had encountered since entering the tower. Laughter echoed continuously around us. I noticed climbers with tears in their eyes, but the smiles on their faces proved they were tears of joy rather than sadness. As we approached the dining hall, I noticed the increasing number of climbers watching us. Rumors about us must have spread quickly. Suddenly, Ha Hee-Jeong''s low and steady voice broke through my thoughts. ¡°Just go. Keep a straight face. Don''t turn your head, just look ahead." She had suggested we should maintain a certain poise and leave a charismatic image in the public¡¯s mind. This would be a crucial tactic in this new and uncertain environment. Agreeing silently, I adopted a reserved expression and a cool gaze, trying to embody her rmended demeanor. @@novelbin@@ However, despite my efforts to remain aloof, I couldn''t ignore the climbers'' murmurs for long. My enhanced hearing picked up snippets of their conversations. ¡°Is that Kwon Su-Hyeok? He looks younger than I thought. He doesn''t seem very strong either.¡± ¡°Really? I think he has a powerful aura. Don''t you see the double-headed axe?" ¡°True, his aura is intense... but the bald guy behind him looks scarier. I know he¡¯s not really a muscle-bound tiger, although his size sure would make you think differently.¡± ¡°Keuk, you are right.¡± We continued toward the dining hall, the number of eyes turning our way only growing. They focused mostly on me, making me feel like a celebrity suddenly thrust into the spotlight. ¡°Holy shit. Does that party have five of the top six climbers?" ¡°From first to sixth, missing only third, that''s a cheat party. Isn''t this a crappy luck-based game? Wasn¡¯t the sixth floor supposed to create even teams? How did it turn out like this?" ¡°No, Kwon Su-Hyeok and Ha Hee-Jeong were originally first and second, so they''re pulling the party up.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so? Doesn''t that make it even more of a crappy luck-based game? If I were to party with Kwon Su-Hyeok, wouldn¡¯t that mean I''d be a top-five ranker too? Wow, how powerful is he to pull that off?" These types ofments were amon refrain in themunity. Though not entirely inurate, the remarks didn''t sit well with me. While it was true that all my party members were talented, they wouldn''t have achieved such growth without Ha Hee-Jeong and me. Despite this, hearing the spection about my party members while we were right there didn¡¯t feel great. My party didn¡¯t deserve suchments from these idle gossipers. Should I confront them? While I was stuck contemting this dilemma, Ha Hee-Jeong gently took my hand and pulled me aside. ¡°Not there. Go left." Have I been too lost in my thoughts? I nodded awkwardly, slightly embarrassed about my distracted state. *** Even during the meal, climbers continued surreptitiously watching and whispering endlessly about us. Some of the braver climbers even approached us, attempting to forge a rtionship or tter us shamelessly. ¡°Wow, you''re Kwon Su-Hyeok, right? The best climber!¡± ¡°All your party members are at the top of the Leaderboard. Haha, did you bribe the tower or something?¡± ¡°It seems like there¡¯s a spot open in your party. I¡¯m a mage and thirteenth on the Climber Leaderboard.¡± Requests and well-wishes continuously flooded us, hoping for a spot in our party or asking to meet again. Managing our public image, we exchanged names and conversed amicably, all while smiling warmly. Well, while I won¡¯t remember every single person¡­ It was better than not knowing them at all. As the meal drew to a close, no more climbers approached us. Everyone who had wanted to get our acquaintance had seemingly already made their move. With the strangers gone, our party began to indulge in some drinks, spurred on by Seo Ho-Su¡¯s enthusiasm. Well, it wasn¡¯t just because of him, as everyone except for Seo Ha-Rin had joined in excitedly. During our conversation, Seo Ho-Su and I discovered we had lived in the same neighborhood. ¡°What? Really? You lived near Dangjeong Station[1] too?" ¡°Yes, indeed! Haha, to think Su-Hyeok was from my neighborhood. What a small world! To meet a neighbor all the way up here feels weird but nice." Seo Ho-Su and I¡ªpotentially Seo Ha-Rin as well¡ªcould have crossed paths at some point. Funnily enough, knowing this made me feel even closer to Seo Ho-Su and Seo Ha-Rin. I felt this showed the value of shared origins in building a rtionship. ¡°By the way, the food and drinks here are really good." ¡°I¡¯m amazed these alien species know how to prepare food from Earth, and it¡¯s even better than simr dishes back on Earth," Colemented, and I nodded in agreement as I sipped my beer. Suddenly, Ha Hee-Jeong spoke up. ¡°Other areas might not be so lucky." ¡°What do you mean?" ¡°Only the top climbers are gathered in Zone 1. Other rest areas might not offer these provisions. For example, they could only provide water and bread, or require a climber to buy them with achievement points." Cole nodded, epting her point. ¡°Ah, I hope that¡¯s not the case, but it¡¯s possible." Herments sounded spective, but since Ha Hee-Jeong had regressed it was likely the truth. Based on what she had mentioned, only the climbers in the top thousand of the Climber Leaderboard were in Zone 1. ¡°I thought they just grouped us into zones because there were so many of us..." I guess a climber¡¯s treatment varies depending on their cement. It felt a bit cruel. Climbers ced lower on the leaderboard were already struggling to ascend the tower. The Community would devolve into chaos once climbers discovered they were segregated by their cement on the leaderboard. A voice from behind suddenly broke my train of thought. ¡°Is there room here? Can I join you?" Turning around, I saw Alexei Braham, whom I had met on the eighth floor. She was holding a bottle of vodka, and her face was flushed from the alcohol. Without waiting for a reply, Alexei pulled up a chair and squeezed in next to me. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could sit..." Seo Ha-Rin shifted slightly to make room, muttering aint, but Alexei justughed it off. ¡°Ah,e on. Look, now we have the top six all gathered at one table, huh?" ¡°Kriee! Goblin, here, too!" ¡°Ah you¡¯re Doppy, right? Hello! Nice to meet you." "Kriee! Nice to meet! Human!" Alexei bent down to shake hands with Doppy, showing no aversion to the goblin. Though I had only seen her briefly on the eighth floor, her friendly interaction with Doppy suggested she wasn¡¯t a bad person. Hmm? Feeling a stare on the back of my head, I turned to see Ha Hee-Jeong shooting me a look. What¡¯s wrong? Did she have an issue with Alexei in the past? Or does she think she¡¯s a bad person? Hmm, Alexei didn¡¯t seem like a bad person... And Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s gaze was different than the time we encountered the traitor on the sixth floor. Perhaps they just had a rough past? But why take it out on me? I gestured inquisitively, but Ha Hee-Jeong ignored me, abruptly turning away. Oh, the fussiness. If there was a big issue with Alexei, she should have mentioned it earlier. ¡°Ah, by the way, one of my party members was thinking of collecting climbers''st words. What do you think?" ¡°Last words?" ¡°Yeah. A guy named Jimmy Hendrick brought it up. If someone survives and leaves the tower, they could pass on thest words of the deceased climbers to their families." ¡°Isn¡¯t that too many people to handle?" If only half of the initially summoned million climbers died, that was still five hundred thousandst words to collect. ¡°We were thinking of leaving them on the Community Keep the messages brief. After all, those who leave the tower would be the messengers." ¡°How are they supposed to remember all that?" ¡°Someone could organize the messages before transferring them to their intended recipient. Also, there¡¯s an auto-writing notebook for sale in the shop. Hendrick said he¡¯d handle the collection by updating it floor by floor and posting it in the Community. If Jimmy dies, someone else will take over. That way, it¡¯ll be a collective project." ¡°That sounds like a good idea. Hendrick sounds like a good guy.¡± Alexei nodded affirmatively and smiled, a sense of pride evident in her expression for being involved in such a benevolent act. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a nice person and a skilled mage." I wholeheartedly agreed¡ªanyst message would be a constion to the families back on Earth, though it couldn¡¯t change the fate of the deceased climbers. ¡°So, any thoughts on having a drink with me?" ¡°Drinks? We¡¯re already drinking." ¡°No, just the two of us." 1. It is part of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway system, served by Line 1. This station provides ess to a predominantly residential area in Gunpo. ? Chapter 42: Tenth Floor, Rest Area (3) Chapter 42: Tenth Floor, Rest Area (3) During Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s previous life, on the fifty-first floor. ¡°Are you seriously telling me to trust a human? So the Earthlings'' top climber is a mage, huh? I''ve always felt that pitiful humans are nothing but weaklings. That''s why they resort to backstabbing." ¡°... I¡¯m sorry about what happened on the sixteenth floor. But Chloe Vincent, the instigator, is now dead. Not to mention, conquering this floor should be our primary focus, and for this, we need to consider forming an alliance." ¡°I can''t stand these weak, traitorous bastards. I was a fool to even show up to this meeting. Trust a human? Never again. I''ll have no dealings with such a despicable race." Hendrick, tasked with leading the negotiations, internally sighed. Damn it, things have spiraled out of control all because of the debacle on the sixteenth floor. I need to yield a little and find a way to restart the negotiations¡­ ¡°Hey, you son of a bitch,e out here and fight!" Hendrick felt his heart sink dramatically following Kwon Su-Hyeok''s startling challenge. The deep pride Kwon Su-Hyeok held in his magical prowess was well-known. Now, disaster seemed imminent, and he had no way to reverse the course. The Koshark species revered martial prowess and were physically superior to Earthlings. While it was possible Kwon Su-Hyeok could defeat the Koshark ambassador, victory wasn''t assured since most of his power came from his magical abilities. However, if he did win, the Earthling ambassadors could use the victory as leverage in the negotiations. Could he really win? Earth''s hope could be shattered. ¡­ After decisively defeating the top Koshark warrior with his wand and mace, Kwon Su-Hyeok turned to Hendrick with a bright smile. ¡°So, the Kosharks agree to an alliance?" ¡°Yes. I apologize for my words and actions earlier. I misjudged Earthlings." *** The faint sound of distress disturbed the stillness of the night. What kind of nightmare is Ha Hee-Jeong experiencing? Is she thinking about her parents or is she reliving a traumatic experience from her previous life? ???¦­????? Ha Hee-Jeong, who had not seen her parents for longer than I had, was likely haunted by a mix of both her struggles and her family. It was likely impossible to pinpoint one cause. I was sure the memories of her past life and family were intertwined, blurring into aplex tapestry of emotion. I found myself wondering if out of every climber, Ha Hee-Jeong bore the heaviest burdens. Despite me being Earth''s hope... Ha Hee-Jeong silently shouldered a significant weight. Suddenly, the realization that she too needed sce struck me. I immediately made my way to her room. My n wasn''t to make any grand gestures offort or empowerment. Sometimes, the simplest conversations provide the greatest strength. We could chat about anything left unsaid, for instance, Alexei, the armor, or whaty ahead. It would be better to wake her with small talk than let her wrestle with nightmares alone. I knocked gently on her door. Tap, tap. The sound was soft but enough to halt the muffled groans from within. Soon after, I heard the soft patter of Ha Hee-Jeong''s footsteps. ¡°Who is it?" ¡°It''s me." She opened the door without further questions. Her eyes were red-rimmed. What kind of dream did you have? Her fingers were delicate as they wiped her eyes. ¡°Why?" Her voice was rough, likely from just having woken, tinged with the lingering emotions from her dreams. ¡°I can''t sleep. How about a drink?" I saw a look of surprise sh across her face, quickly reced by a genuine smile. ¡°Ah, you told me you were struggling a bit. Alright. Come in, let''s have a drink." *** After ourte-night conversation, I returned to my room but stayed awake for a long while, captivated by the night sky. During that time, I didn¡¯t hear any more sounds of distresse from the room next door. The night rejuvenated my exhausted mental state, and I watched the stars maintain their vigil, each one seemingly imbuing a sense of peace in me. Iid down and hoped Ha Hee-Jeong would have pleasant dreams. Breakfast was light. Despite lingering fatigue fromst night¡¯s drink, my stomach felt fine. Looking at the others¡¯ expressions, they seemed to share my weariness as well. Even Seo Ha-Rin had puffy eyes, suggesting she too had shed tears alone. Seo Ho-Su''s eyes were also slightly swollen, not quite as much as Seo Ha-Rin''s, but still noticeably so. Whether he remembered the events ofst night or chose to ignore them, he was heartily digging into a bowl of bone broth. Seeing how enthusiastically he slurped down the broth, regret washed over me. @@novelbin@@ Ugh, I should have opted for the bone broth instead of following Cole''s lead with the onion soup. The way Seo Ho-Su savored his hangover cure made me rethink my breakfast choice. I muttered to myself, ¡°Maybe I should get one more?" Seo Ho-Su mixed rice into his fiery soup and wiped his brow. ¡°Ah, this hits the spot. So good." The atmosphere was markedly brighter than the previous night, a shift reflected across the faces of the other climbers. The dining hall buzzed with a lightness perhaps borne from having released their pent-up emotions, whether those were driven by sexual arousal or sorrow. I even caught sight of climbers teasing each other about their emotional outpourings from the night before. During my scan of the dining hall, Ha Hee-Jeong unexpectedly spoke up. ¡°Should we head to the armory after breakfast?" ¡°Hehe, why not?" ¡°You seem especially upbeat today, Hee-Jeong. You''re more talkative and even your voice sounds lighter. Did something good happen?" Cole asked, a note of curiosity in his voice. ¡°What? No? Do I seem different?" ¡°Yes, you seem more alive than usual. More approachable.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong looked bemused. Is she really more energetic today? Upon reflection, she indeed seemed livelier. She was chatting more than usual, her tone was softer, and she appeared more rxed. Despite the tired looks on our other party members'' faces, she alone appeared radiant, likely uplifted by our conversationst night. It was reassuring to think she could have found some emotional sce. With a casual breakfast wrapped up, our party set out for the armory together. The expansive two-story building resembled arge department store. Weapons of all kinds lined the walls, and the tables were crowded with gloves, shoes, and jewelry. As we entered, an alien shopkeeper greeted us in a monotone voice. ¡°Climbers, wee. Feel free to browse our wares and select the items you wish to purchase. Payment for selected goods does not need to be immediate, just as long as they are paid for before you leave. For repairs, crafting, or purchases, please go upstairs." This shopkeeper was a humanoid with four arms and stood about 2.5 meters tall. Its skin appeared durable, almost stone-like, hinting at its alien nature. ¡°Let''s split up and look around. Everyone needs something different." ¡°Hehe, okay. Let''s go, Seo Ha-Rin." ¡°Okay! Doppy, do you want toe look at some wands with me?" Doppy chirped excitedly at the thought. ¡°Kriee! Goblin! Going!" Cole watched everyone disperse and decided to take his leave. ¡°I''ll go have a look around too. See youter." ¡°See you soon.¡± Despite being pleased with the opportunity to have an open conversation with Ha Hee-Jeong, watching Cole walk away alone gave me a twinge of difort. Is it just me, or does he seem a bit lonely? ¡°Let''s start with finding you some armor. I don¡¯t know what we will find since the armory¡¯s gear changes randomly each time the rest area appears. The shop usually has better items, but sometimes you can find something exceptional here." ¡°Really? Let''s take a look." I followed Ha Hee-Jeong to the armor disy area deep inside the spacious armory. As we walked, my gaze naturally drifted to the side. Rings, nes, bracelets... A variety of essories caught my eye. ¡°This one is 2,000 points. That one costs 3,000 points. Seems pricey, doesn¡¯t it?" While I casually nced at the price tags, Ha Hee-Jeong, who had gone ahead, suddenly gasped in surprise. ¡°Huh? Was this here before?" Following her gaze, I spotted a dark, iron gauntlet. That is a gauntlet, right? The gauntlet, dark as ink, wasyered with dragon-like scales from the fingers to the wrist. Even at a nce, it seemed extraordinary. [Mana umting Gauntlet of the Underworld] [Unique] - Price: 70,000 points. 70,000 points? That¡¯s too expensive for a single gauntlet. None of the items I had inspected in the lounge, were this pricey, although I easily could have missed one. ¡°... Wait a second. If it were here, I¡¯d have noticed it." ¡°Why? What¡¯s the issue? Why is it so expensive?" Instead of answering, Ha Hee-Jeong just stared at the gauntlet. I waited silently while she gathered her thoughts. Soon, she began to speak. ¡°Do you remember that right before we entered the Tower of Ordeal a notification mentioned something about four intelligent species?" ¡°Hmm? Oh, yeah, I remember." ¡°This gauntlet was used by another¡¯s top climber. The trouble it caused..." ¡°Another? Are other species going to appearter?" ¡°Yeah, originally this wasn¡¯t supposed to be in the rest area Earth¡¯s climbers got sent to, but it seems the future I knew has changed... Well, the equipment appearing in the armory is random, so that could be another exnation." Ha Hee-Jeong quietly picked up the gauntlet. The shock in her eyes slowly turned into joy. ¡°Su-Hyeok, let¡¯s buy this first. Forget the armor for now." ¡°Buy this? I don¡¯t have enough achievement points. I only have about 56,000 points right now." ¡°I¡¯ll give you some." ¡°Really?" We can share achievement points? Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s exnation cleared up my confusion. ¡°Climbers haven¡¯t discovered this yet, but achievement points can be transferred. The tower handles it all, so the transferred points don¡¯t affect your umted points score or the rankings." ¡°So there isn¡¯t anything stopping a climber from giving their points to another?" ¡°There¡¯s a ten percent fee, but if it means we can get this, it¡¯s worth it." ¡°Do you have enough points?" Ha Hee-Jeong grinned in response to my question, with a look full of anticipation I hadn¡¯t seen before. Is the gauntlet really that extraordinary? ¡°You currently have 56,000 achievement points, right?" ¡°Yes, exactly 56,675 points to be exact.¡± ¡°I can spare 15,200 points. I¡¯ve been saving them up for a while now.¡± ¡°Weren''t you supposed to buy a wand with that?" ¡°This?¡± I eyed the wand she held lightly in her hand. It was a sleek copper-colored piece topped with a crimson gem, appearing more expensive than it probably was. Ha Hee-Jeong chuckled, moving the wand so I could see it more clearly. ¡°It¡¯s just a basic one. Didn¡¯t cost much." Perhaps my fascination with magic had amplified its appearance in my eyes. Prompted by Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s remarks, I inspected it more closely and realized the wand seemed unremarkably in. It was far from the mystical relic I had imagined. ¡°To be honest, none of the currently avable wands really appeal to me. They don¡¯t quite fit my level, and a mage¡¯s spellcasting ability is more important than the wand.¡± Sure enough, Ha Hee-Jeong wasn¡¯t the type to be picky about equipment during the beginning stages of the tower. I nodded in agreement, and she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been setting aside some points for emergencies, and I was initially nning to help you buy a weapon if you were short. But this would be a much better use for them." ¡°Really? That¡¯s surprisingly touching.¡± ¡°Just make sure to use the gauntlet well. Remember the Tower of Ordeal isn¡¯t something a climber can just breeze through. Don''t let your guard down again.¡± ¡°Understood. Thank you, Hee-Jeong. I owe you one.¡± Ha Hee-Jeong seemed to interact with something invisible, likely a notification window only she could see. Soon after, a message appeared before me, breaking my train of thought. [The climber Ha Hee-Jeong wishes to transfer 15,000 achievement points to you. Do you ept this transaction?] ¡°Yes.¡± [A ten percent fee will be deducted. 13,500 achievement points will be added to Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s ount. Total achievement points: 70,175.] Having just epted the generous transfer, I couldn''t help but ponder the true value of this expensive gauntlet. At 70,000 points, it had to possess some exceptional qualities. ¡°But what''s so special about this gauntlet that you''d spend so much on it?" ¡°Haven¡¯t youined about ack of mana during fights?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Every time you fight while wearing this gauntlet, it will umte your mana. At first, it will umte mana slowly, but the more the gauntlet levels up with you, the faster it will umte. It¡¯s designed to grow with the wearer¡¯s level." ¡°Oh, really?" The prospect seemed almost too good to be true. ¡°Also, the mana it can store is virtually limitless.¡± ¡°That sounds incredible.¡± Does this mean I can use Lightning Essence without worrying about my mana expenditure? It seemed that expensive items were indeed worth their weight in gold¡ªno, points. I bought the gauntlet, spending a whopping 70,000 achievement points, which only left me with 175 points. Seeing my points depleted almost to zero was disheartening, but an uing notification quickly changed my thoughts. [Mana umting Gauntlet of the Underworld] [Unique] - Crafted in the Nine Springs with precious materials. - The more beings the owner kills, the more mana it umtes. - Grows in sync with the owner¡¯s level. - Grants +2 to all stats. Chapter 43: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (1) Chapter 43: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (1) The Community. [Is it true that Zone 1 provided everything for free?] [Yeah, for real. Each cafeteria item costs 1 point. I trembled buying even a single beer.] [(Breaking News) Climbers in the lowest rung of the leaderboard had to pay 10 points for lodging lol.] [That''s why some people even ended up sleeping in the hallway ??.] [Do you guys not have achievement points? What''s the big deal about 1, or even 10 points?] The Community was aze as usual, although this time the conversation was centered around the difference between the tenth floor¡¯s zones. Ha Hee-Jeong had been right about the treatment of climbers in other zones. Climbers in the bottom section of the leaderboard had to pay 1 point for food and 10 points for lodging. That doesn¡¯t seem like much at first nce, but it was a different story when you ounted for the sheer number of climbers. A hundred thousand people spending 1 point on food meant 100,000 points that could have been used to strengthen the climbers instead. And to think the only difference was a petty ranking on a leaderboard.Everyone had expected spirits to rise after resting on the tenth floor, but the Community had exposed the unpleasant distinction between the zones. "Sigh." I sighed heavily, closing the notification window. Nothing much had happened since purchasing the gauntlet. Although I had continued to peruse the armory, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to buy anything since I was out of points. However, I still needed to pay for my repairs, so with no other choice, the loot in my inventory was used as payment. Apart from receiving some tips on mana maniption from Ha Hee-Jeong, the rest of the time was spent wandering around the rest area and eventually returning to the waiting room. Now, the only thing left was waiting for the eleventh floor, and preparing to conquer the challenge all by myself. [The eleventh floor is an individual challenge. 20 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] *** [Wee to the eleventh floor of the Tower of Ordeal.] [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 11 hours 59 minutes.] [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 1.09%(-?.??%) / 100.00%) Strength: 98.4 Agility: 92.7 Stamina: 95.1 Mana: 56.8 Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 7, Sixth Sense lvl 10¡­ After the nd voice narrating the message faded, my surroundings brightened. I immediately checked my status upon entering the eleventh floor. All previously restricted stats had been restored, and the Mana umting Gauntlet had additionally boosted my stats by two. £Ò¦¡?????¦¥? After spending so much time with limited stats, being at full strength felt truly energizing. Seeing the jump in my stats naturally boosted my spirits as well. Come to think of it, my sponsor hasn¡¯t reached out since the seventh floor. I recalled many climbers in the rest area had discussed the sponsorships they had received¡ªskills, equipment, and more. My team members had also benefited from their sponsors, but mine hadn¡¯t given me anything I could use on myself. They say good patrons don''t sponsor blindly, but still¡­ It would be nice if my sponsor provided more support. Maybe the pre-sponsorship on the seventh floor had overtaxed my patron deity. Well, I wouldn¡¯t know since it was a godly matter. Eventually, I will hear something. But right now, I need to focus. Finishing this line of thought allowed me to mentally prepare myself for the eleventh floor. Before me stretched a corridor identical to the one on the first floor. One thing I had noticed, however, was that the eleventh floor didn¡¯t have a name. From the sixth floor onward, each level had been named¡ªthe Lost World of the Corrupted, the Eerie Forest, et cetera. Are individual challenge floors nameless? Ah, I am not sure. Almost as if mimicking the first floor, the eleventh floor¡¯s challenge was to eliminate all enemies. It appeared this floor was intended to test my capabilities further. Another difference that struck me was that the corridorscked the ominous darkness from before. Does the tower think I have outgrown such simple challenges? Or perhaps the challenge would be more difficult without the shroud of darkness¡­ Regardless, my path was clear. Standing in the sealed corridor, I was flooded with memories of the first floor. The time when I narrowly dodged arrows or had to fight tooth and nail to ovee goblins felt intensely nostalgic. It felt like I was stepping onto the first floor of the tower again, though I had changed too much for the feeling to be entirely the same. ¡°Kriee! Su-Yeok!" Doppy''s voice snapped me out of my reverie, its expression questioning why we weren''t moving yet. ¡°Right, let''s go." It was time to press forward. There was no need to spend any longer lingering on the memories of the past. I had done enough of that in the rest area and felt prepared to conquer any new ordeals that stood in my way. Stepping cautiously forward, I began to ponder the nature of the eleventh floor. It¡¯s been quite a few floors since I have had to deal with traps. Traps had been conspicuously absent from the sixth floor through the ninth, even in the Maze of Kashatum. Don''t getcent. Even without traps, I could still suffer at the hands of hostile monsters. Ha Hee-Jeong had given me a crucial piece of advice. ¡°Never underestimate a goblin.¡± Even within the same species, the strength of each individual can vary drastically. One good example would be topare an ordinary person to a UFC fighter. Both are human, yet theirbat abilities are worlds apart. I had even previously met Fenrike, a goblin who was also a god. This difference in strength didn¡¯t just appear between sses or roles like pdin or warrior either. Ha Hee-Jeong emphasized that even goblin warriors varied in strength from level to level¡ªdiscounting them all could be fatal. Also, I don¡¯t have a shield anymore. Since I had opted for the weapon that suited mybat style more¡ªthe double-headed axe¡ªI needed both of my hands to unleash its full power. Thus, I had passed my old shield to Seo Ho-Su. Without my shield, I needed to maintain a heightened vignce. Even though I had breezed through thest floor that requiredbat, Ha Hee-Jeong had warned me the eleventh floor could be as challenging as the tutorial. ¡°Roaaar!¡± I navigated the dimly lit corridor until I noticed two figures obstructing the way. They were armored from head to toe in imposing te armor, with helmets obscuring their faces. It was impossible to discern their species. Upon spotting me, they charged, letting out a terrifying war cry. Their swords gleamed menacingly in the flickering torchlight. ¡°Doppy, step back.¡± ¡°Kriee! Understood!" d in iron te armor, these enemies were perfect targets for a lightning attack. However, I resolved not to rely on Lightning Essence this time. I need to develop my fighting skills. It was a thought that had crossed my mind in the rest area. There was no room for error in the Tower of Ordeal as a single misstep could mean failure. Beyond the brief respite offered on every tenth floor, each level demanded absolute focus, and reliance on simple brute force would only end in disaster. I had a lot to learn about the nuances ofbat. So far, I hadn''t put in much effort to truly master the axe, as it hadn¡¯t seemed necessary. The lower floors posed little to no challenge, and outside of a couple of intense battles such as Karaksh and the Seraphim Queen, I hadn¡¯t needed to do more than block or dodge and then attack. When I started the tutorial, I was unskilled inbat... The goblins and orcs I had faced during the tutorial seemed more formidable than any seraphim or weretigers I had encounteredter. It was crucial that I avoided focusing merely on enhancing my stats or rushing through floors for quick achievement points. I especially have to use my time well on floors like this one, where I face the challenges alone. The floors in the tutorial had left little room for anything other than survival. I hadn¡¯t learned how to fight properly in the battle with the goblin pdin since it had been such a close call, and Karaksh¡¯s attacks had been so predictable that I hadn¡¯t needed to develop my skills at all. While I had been told I was naturally suited to wielding an axe, my skills still felt unrefined. There''s so much more to learn. Now, I needed to seize the opportunity in front of me, to truly hone my axemanship against these armored foes, who were likely skilled swordsmen. Although an axe primarily served to cleave and crush rather than slice, encountering these swordsmen would undoubtedly reveal tactics I could adapt and apply. And if not axemanship, then at least I would cultivate a fundamental sense ofbat. Since conquering the sixth floor, I had relied more on raw power than finesse inbat. Though I have always had good snap judgment¡­ Enhancing my understanding ofbat dynamics would invariably refine my decision-making skills. The Seraphim Queen had utilized her tail inbat, and I wouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge the unexpected attacks if it weren¡¯t for my obscenely high stats. The oue would be up for question if our physical capabilities had been equal. I acknowledged the need for further training. ¡°Kraaaaa!" The closest attacker screamed again as it lunged toward me. First and foremost, I knew I had to maintain a seamless flow of mana within my body, letting it move as fluidly as water. I recalled the mana maniption techniques Ha Hee-Jeong had taught me, then focused on minimizing any disruptions to the rhythm of my movements. [Orc Guardian] A notification appeared in front of me, which I immediately dismissed to focus on the fight at hand. My opponents lunged simultaneously at me with their swords from both sides. First, I need to deal with the one from the left¡­ Click¡ª I felt a trap spring underfoot as I pivoted left. What? I strained my ears, but the noise of an arrow firing I had anticipated was absent. Pwish¡ª Instead, I heard a slicing sound whistling to my right. This feeling¡­ It must be an arrow. It appeared to be a silent trap that made no sound when it fired an arrow. Now my opponents thrust at me from the front. I reacted swiftly by raising my axe and deflecting the arrow. @@novelbin@@ I have to step back¡­ The orc guardians¡¯ swordy proved to be unexpectedly fierce. I retreated a step to dodge another synchronized strike that targeted both my left and right. Click¡ª I sensed another trap activating beneath me once more. Ugh, what now? I had just walked this path, so a trap activating now made no sense. Realizing this wasn¡¯t the time to ponder, I focused on preparing to dodge. Again, I didn¡¯t hear anything fire. Swish! The air-splitting noise echoed from my upper right again. ¡°Hmph!" I countered the pair of thrusting swords with my axe. Stepping back to dodge the iing arrow, I triggered the trap again, but this time I heard it activate behind me. I tuned into the sound, quickly turning my head to dodge another arrow. Ah-ha. These are the challenges on this floor. The traps on the eleventh floor were upgraded versions of the first floor¡¯s traps. They were set to trigger only after a climber encountered enemies. Wait. If that is the case, would stepping on the same spot again activate the trap? I could dodge the arrows while fighting, but if I moved back further, they could strike Doppy. Thankfully, the situation wasn¡¯t too bad. After all, I intended to improve my axe skills. Fighting without being able to more more than three steps was like training in hard mode. ¡°Die! Intruder!¡± Two swords came at me, the seconding in slightly after the first, which I swiftly intercepted with two short axe swings. Not letting its rebounding sword falter, the orc guardian twisted its wrist, redirecting the deflected sword. I parried the iing sword again with my axe. ¡°Graaaah!¡± I wanted to seize the opening, but another orc guardian lunged at me with its sword. Twisting my axe, I blocked the thrust. Their coordination was tight and well-executed. These were definitely the strongest opponents I had faced so far. But they were too predictable. Was there a reason they were d in te armor and acting like guardians... Are they trying to be knights? Well, I refused to y by their rules. After all, I had more than just my axe. I delivered a low kick to the one on my left. As one orc staggered, the other swung at me from my right. I deflected the sword before bringing my axe down onto the left orc''s shoulder. The edge cut through its armor, sinking deeply. One down. There was one more to go. Two against one was fine, but traditional one-on-one training was always better. Now was the perfect time to study its swordsmanship. ¡°Human!" Fueled by anger over its fallenrade, the orc screamed and swung its sword wildly. Hmm, if it rages too much it won''t be able to wield it properly... I swung my axe to meet its de. *** [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 5 hours 53 minutes.] It took me about six hours to reach the boss room. I doubted the eleventh floor was supposed to take that long, but I had spent most of that time on personal training. Anyway, it was time to enter the boss room. [Would you like to enter the boss room?] ¡°Yes." Unlike the first floor, I wasn¡¯t teleported to an arena surrounded byva. As the room brightened, I didn¡¯t spot any enemies. Instead... [Choose one of two doors and proceed. Time remaining: 5 hours 52 minutes.] A ck door and a red door stood before me, waiting. *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has developed a unique axe-based fighting style. His stats have been increased by 2.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has not named his skill. He has gained the skill Axemanship lvl 1.¡¹ ¡­ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Axemanship is now lvl 2. Combat Focus is now lvl 12.¡¹ Chapter 44: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (2) Chapter 44: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (2) The eleventh floor had felt a lot like the first and second floors. It featured simple corridors, countless traps, and increasingly stronger enemies. I made it through without too much trouble, but unfortunately, I didn¡¯t find any hidden missions. Despite carefullybing the floor, I didn¡¯t spot any trace of a hidden secret. Sure, there were a few suspicious things, but nothing I could confidently pursue. Maybe this floor doesn¡¯t have a hidden mission. Still, I managed to strengthen mybat expertise, and that was more than enough. Instead of focusing on any leftover time that could be converted into achievement points, I had used every second to train my axe techniques. My focus wasn¡¯t on points; it was on improving mybat skills. Fighting against opponents with proper technique allowed me to sharpen my axemanship. On the ninth floor, my party members said my axe skills were wless, but they were wrong. They don¡¯t know enough about wielding an axe to see the ws¡­ My fighting style had many weak spots. There was no fluidity between each axe swing, and each attack included too many unnecessary motions. In the end, my overall impression of the eleventh floor was¡­ pretty good.Actually, it was really satisfying. Since the floor based its challenges on my abilities, the enemies were a level above what I had faced before. Of course, they weren¡¯t too difficult, probably due to all the hidden missions I had cleared. Regardless, I had learned a lot observing the orc guardians wielding their weapons. And it wasn¡¯t just orcs. I had faced a variety of weapons¡ªsome I had never seen before¡ªwielded by countless different species. Taking my time with each battle allowed me to gather valuable experience. It almost felt like this floor was designed specifically to train the climber. However, there was something strange. Every single enemy I had faced included ¡°guardian¡± as their title. The standard role of a guardian was to protect something, which made me think the title could be a clue to a hidden mission or the boss room. [Choose a door and proceed. Time remaining: 5 hours 45 minutes.] Yet, here I was, standing before two doors. Two doors¡­ Did I misinterpret something? I wasn¡¯t sure. Maybe one door was rted to the guardians. Now that I thought about it, I had experienced something simr on the fourth floor. The floor included a double fake, tricking climbers into thinking that since the sound of the rolling boulder was an illusion they needed to climb the slope. In reality, turning around would trigger a real trap. This choice felt just as important. Hmm¡­ A ck door and a red door. They weren¡¯t just distinguished by color. The ck door seemed to suck in everything, like a void or a rip in space, while the red one was the color of blood and seemed to ripple as if blood was flowing down it. Both were unsettling, but I had to make a decision.@@novelbin@@ The easiest way to choose is¡­ To ask Doppy. Doppy, the goblin saint, had been cking off, mostly due to my overwhelming strength. I had only received some minor scratches¡ªbasically paper cuts¡ªon the eleventh floor, so that was all it had needed to heal. ??¦­??§§?? Now it was time for it to pull its weight. ¡°Doppy, which door should I take?¡± ¡°Kriee¡­¡± Doppy stood deep in thought, looking unusually troubled. Seeing it hesitate like this gave me an uneasy feeling. It had only been this uncertain after we passed the hidden room on the ninth floor... And sure enough, it shook its head. ¡°Kriee! I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Well... if you had to choose, which one would you choose?¡± ¡°Kriee! Neither!¡± Great. Back to square one. The decision was mine again: red door or ck door? I examined both carefully. The bright red of the crimson door exuded an aura that made my skin crawl from disgust, a purely visceral reaction. Yeah, the ck door seems like the safer option. That is the one I will enter. There was no hesitation left in my mind. I figured choosing the ck door wouldn¡¯t lead to immediate death. After all, the tower itself gave me the choice. What¡¯s the worst that could happen? Just a tougher challenge, right? Since I had breezed through the eleventh floor up to this point, a tougher challenge didn¡¯t seem too bad. Without further dy, I stepped forward and opened the ck door. Hmm¡­ The first thing I noticed was that the chamber had be slightly darker. Somehow, opening the door dimmed the torches in the boss room, casting a faintly eerie atmosphere. It wasn¡¯t enough to obstruct my vision, though. Inside the door was arge, circr chamber. Can I even call it a room with howrge it is? It felt more like an arena, a dome-shaped coliseum. The walls were lined with dozens ofrge holes, their purpose unclear. Each hole was about the size of a human torso. Could the holes eject water or something? I had no idea. I motioned for Doppy to hang back, then cautiously walked forward. As soon as I reached the center of the arena, an odd sound echoed from the walls. It sounded like a metal ball rolling quickly through pipes. Erratic gusts of air began to appear around the arena¡¯s walls. A trap room, perhaps? It seemed likely. I was confident something was going to shoot out from those holes. The shifting air currents told me as much. Since the holes were toorge for simple arrows, it was likely they would eject cannonballs or something simr. Thunk¨D Before I could finish my thought, something came from my left, hurtling toward me at high speeds. I tensed my legs, prepared to dodge, and turned my attention to the flying object. What is that? It looked like a cannonball with sharp spikes that jutted out on all sides, much like a il. I hesitated for a second. How could something with spikes roll inside a pipe? Something felt off. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t moving faster than I could react. I took two steps back and easily dodged it. Huh? But then, des shot out from the spiked cannonball. I instinctively raised my axe and deflected an iing de with a loud ng. The de flew into the air, revealing its appearance. It was quite literally a long-handled sword. The sphere wasn¡¯t just any cannonball. [Tutulli Guardian] - Can curl up like a ball and roll along the ground. - Can retract and extend spikes from its back. - Skilled at dual-wielding. The spiked ball rolled to a stop and unfurled, revealing a tutulli guardian who picked up the deflected long sword. Its protruding snout and sharp back spikes made it look like a hedgehog. It doesn¡¯t look that strong, though. I had a feeling the high-speed strike was its most powerful attack. The spikes on its back didn¡¯t seem useful for one-on-onebat. Maybe they would stop a thin de, but I wielded an axe. Those spikes wouldn''t stop a blow from my weapon. Besides, if it could shoot itself out like a bullet from a stationary position, there wouldn¡¯t be any need for the holes in the walls. I finished nning. There was only one opponent, so it was time to fight. This is my first time facing an opponent that dual-wields des, so I will y it cautiously at first... Hmm? Just then, I heard the metallic rolling sound echo from the walls again. This time, there were multiple sounds¡ªat least three. I couldn¡¯t tell where they woulde from, so I braced my legs, ready to dodge at a moment¡¯s notice. But no other tutulli guardians came flying at me. The rolling sounds continued, tracing through the arena¡¯s walls. They must be waiting for an opening to strike during the fight. It seemed like they were biding their time, nning to attack when I was distracted. As expected, the tutulli guardian in front of me charged with its dual des. I already had enough experience to predict the guardians¡¯ approach. The one in front of me would likely fight defensively, trying to create an opening. The others would take advantage of that gap and fire at me through the holes. Dual-wielding, huh? This will be a good chance to test out my newly developed axemanship techniques. Freeing up my left hand, I used it to draw a dagger attached to my thigh. This was thebat style I had developed as I progressed through the eleventh floor. Well, ¡°developed¡± wasn¡¯t exactly the right word since it was more like a realization. While the double-headed axe suited me, it had its disadvantages. It was quite heavy, causing the recovery time after a swing to be slowerpared to other weapons. This became especially problematic in fights against skilled opponents or multiple enemies. Of course, part of that is because I still haven''t fully mastered the axe. Adding a dagger into the mix changed the ying field. It allowed me to defend and attack more fluidly. Plus, I could still wield the axe with one hand and grip the dagger in the other when necessary. For example¡­ like this. A sword strike flew in from my right, which I deflected outward with my axe. Immediately, a second sword stabbed in from my left, which I was forced to knock aside with my dagger. Using the rebound from the parry, I grabbed the axe handle with both hands before swinging it down. "Ugh¡­ Gahh..." The axe buried itself into the tutulli guardian¡¯s neck. Without wasting a second, I swung my dagger in my left hand. It sliced cleanly through its throat. The fight was over. I had ended it in a single breath, so swiftly that the other tutulli guardians rolling along the walls hadn¡¯t even reacted yet. I sent my opponent straight to the afterlife before they could make their move. As expected, these guys were no different. Since developing mybat skills further on the eleventh floor, none of the enemies had been challenging enough to push me beyond my limits, and the tutulli guardians were no exception. After unlocking Axemanship at level two, it wouldn¡¯t level up any further no matter how much I swung my axe. It seemed that leveling up a weapon skill was harder than the average skill. I probably need some kind of deeper understanding of weapon techniques¡­ Clunk¡ª Clunk¡ª Clunk¡ª Clunk¡ª My thoughts were interrupted as the tutulli guardians reappeared. They came hurtling from all directions. I dodged before stepping back threerge strides, cing me just out of their range. Realizing they were out of range, they didn¡¯t posture to attack like before. Instead, they cautiously raised their dual des defensively. They are about as skilled as the previous one... Maybe I should test out Lightning Essence this time? I had spent most of my time on the eleventh floor focusing onbat techniques. Seeing my progress had been fun, so I got carried away. Of course, I hadn¡¯t forgotten about Lightning Essence. It was always in the back of my mind, but I kept postponing using it so that I could further improve my fundamentalbat skills. Still, I had visualized plenty of scenarios involving Lightning Essence in my head. I wonder if the spatial leap I performed on the ninth floor would work. I kept calling it a spatial leap, but in reality, it was more like moving as fast as lightning. On the ninth floor, I used it to simply appear in front of my opponent. But I wondered if I could use it continuously while shing through my enemies. Well¡­ time to find out. I began using Lightning Essence, converting my mana into lightning. Starting from my legs, I focused on spreading the energy evenly throughout my body. It couldn¡¯t be concentrated in just one area. ¡­ And now. Like lightning, Iunched myself forward. Time seemed to slow down as I elerated. I moved and processed information so quickly that, at that moment, only I was moving. The tutulli guardians didn¡¯t even have time to react. I twisted my body and brought my axe down. Their faces were crushed before their eyes could even process that I had moved. Rushing forward again, I stabbed another one in the neck with my dagger, before immediately shing horizontally. It felt like the entire world had frozen except for me. A strange sense of euphoria washed over me. Unfortunately, that potentially spelled my downfall as my concentration wavered. Damn it. It was toote to regain focus. The mana surging through my body was no longer under my control. Unable to adjust my speed or direction, I collided head-on with thest remaining tutulli guardian. BAM! It sounded like an explosion going off in my ears. Pain shot through my entire body. ¡°Kriee! Su-Yeok!¡± A momentter, a warm feeling spread through my body. At the same time, something warm and moist was soaking me. My head was foggy as the world spun around me, so I couldn¡¯t quite process what was happening. ¡°Kriee! Heal Wounds!¡± A glowing light wrapped around me, and I felt my body rapidly recovering. Hmm¡­ As my vision cleared, I saw the mangled remains of the tutulli guardian. Can I even call it a tutulli guardian at this point? It had died on the spot, blown to bits. My rapid charge had imparted too much force for it to withstand. I could use this as an attack if I train my physical capabilities more. What would I even call it, though? Body m? Lightning Charge? No, that was ridiculous. Clearly, my head was still in a daze. ¡°Kriee! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± I wiped the sticky tutulli blood from my face with my sleeve and slowly got to my feet. At the same moment, two doors appeared on the far side of the room. [Choose a door and proceed. Time remaining: 5 hours 31 minutes.] *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has used his skills amazingly! His skills have leveled up. Lightning Essence is now lvl 8. sh Strike lvl 1.¡¹ Chapter 45: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (3) Chapter 45: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (3) [Choose a door and proceed. Time remaining: 5 hours 31 minutes.] Just like before, a set of red and ck doors appeared in front of me. This perplexed me since I had already chosen the ck door. I thought that would be the end of it, but apparently, it wasn¡¯t a one-time decision. So, now the question was¡­ Which door should I choose this time? I stood before the looming doors, yet my instincts remained silent. Wait a second. I shouldn¡¯t just rely on a gut feeling. I had already gone through the ck door and seen what it contained. If I choose the red door now, will a different kind of guardiane out?... Hold on. A memory shed through my mind¡ªthe moment I first opened the ck door. I distinctly remembered the boss room growing darker as soon as I looked in.Of course, it could mean nothing. Maybe the boss room just had fewer torches, making it feel dimmer. But the fact that the door I had chosen was ck kept nagging at me. It has to be connected somehow. Looking at the situation, it didn¡¯t feel like this boss room would end after passing through the next door. The tutulli guardians I had just fought were far too easy. Could it be that the ck door makes the room progressively darker? If the room continued to darken until I was fighting in pitch darkness, dealing with the monsters flying at me would be challenging... But is it really that obvious? The connection between the ck door and the dimming of the lights made me pause for a moment. Then again, nothing was stopping it from being that simple. So far, I knew two things: after choosing the ck door, the room darkened slightly, and the tutulli guardians appeared. So, what would happen if I chose the red door? The first thing that came to mind was fire. Maybe the door didn¡¯t represent blood, and fire seemed the next most logical option. Would I end up fighting in mes or intense heat? That might not be too bad. If choosing the ck door did darken the room, I would end up fighting in total darkness. In that case, the red door seemed like a better option. I had the Fire Resistance skill after all. Fighting in a hot environment would be much easier than fighting inplete darkness, and as a bonus, I could level up my Fire Resistance skill. So maybe this time, I should go with the red door... Wait, hold on. A sudden thought interrupted my decision, and I nced again at the tower¡¯s message. [Choose a door and proceed. Time remaining: 5 hours 30 minutes.] The tower¡¯s message clearly instructed me to choose one door, red or ck. But I had already chosen the ck door once. Maybe I was overthinking it, but the tower¡¯s messages often held a deeper meaning that wasn¡¯t visible at first nce. The Tower of Ordeal loved ying word games, and I couldn¡¯t ignore that. ???O???? What if I am not supposed to switch doors halfway through? I wasn¡¯t sure, but choosing the red door suddenly felt risky. The consequences could be unpredictable, even fatal. I couldn¡¯t gamble on uncertain possibilities. It was safer to follow the tower¡¯s instructions. Once I made that realization, my hesitation faded. Stick with the ck door. I calmly walked over and opened the ck door. It led to a room identical to the one I had just left. It was a dome-shaped arena with holes scattered along the walls. As I expected... The only difference this time was that the room had be even darker. My initial guess had been right, the room got progressively dimmer each time I moved forward. If I chose the red door, would I really have fought surrounded by mes? It seemed highly probable.@@novelbin@@ Looking back, this isn¡¯t a bad situation either. If anything, this was the perfect opportunity to learn how to fight in darkness. The first and second floors'' patches of darkness had caught me off guard, and I had panicked then. This was a chance to ovee that weakness. I didn¡¯t know what trials the tower would throw at me in the future, but mastering the ability to fight in every situation could prove crucial. At least the room is gradually getting darker instead of all at once. For now, my vision wasn¡¯tpletely obscured¡­ I had time to adjust before my eyes couldn¡¯t prate the darkness. This was turning out to be a great opportunity for training. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the floors I had to conquer alone were designed for my growth. The first and second floors, and now the eleventh¡ªeach floor introduced progressively tougher enemies and challenges as I moved forward. It was good news for me, but... ¡°Kriee?" Doppy¡¯s voice broke through my thoughts, snapping me back to the present. Have I been overthinking this? Right, clearing the boss room was my priority. It was time to refocus. ¡°Stay back like before.¡± ¡°Kriee! Okay!¡± With Doppy safely standing behind me, I cautiously stepped forward. The room was slightly darker than before, but still well-lit enough to make out my surroundings, so I didn¡¯t feel very tense. I didn¡¯t expect clearing this room would cause me much trouble. Even if all the tutulli guardians came charging out together, I felt more than ready for them. One thought lingered in the back of my mind. It¡¯s going to get even darker... There was no way this would be the darkest it would get, I was in the boss room, after all. The darkness creeping in was only a prelude to what was sure to be a pitch-ck battlefield. Sure, I could rely on Lightning Essence to light my way, but I had hardened my resolve at the start of this floor. I couldn¡¯t continue wasting movements or energy in battle, especially when the situation wasn¡¯t desperate. I would getfortable with the darkness. Maybe I should try fighting with my eyes closed... It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. After all, it wouldn¡¯t be long before I had no choice but to fight in total darkness. Better to get used to it now, on my own terms. If things got too dangerous, I could always open my eyes. Now was the perfect moment to experience it, in a controlled environment with room for error. Yeah, time to give it a shot. I reached the center of the room, and the familiar sound of rolling metal echoed off the walls. The tutulli guardians were back. This time, though, they took a more aggressive stance, as five were already barreling toward me. This won¡¯t be a problem. Same enemy, just a few more. I got this. With my high-level Combat Focus and sharpened Sixth Sense, I felt confident. Even without relying on those skills, I had something more primal¡ªraw instinct. I thought back to the first floor when I dodged arrows and swords with nothing but my natural reflexes, with no status window or experience to back me up. If I could do it then, I could certainly do it now. The rolling noise grew louder as the guardians approached. Deciding it was time to begin my test, I closed my eyes. Even through my closed eyelids, I could sense the faint glow of the room¡¯s light. Realizing the dim glow offered me some information, I resolved myself to fullymit. I squeezed my eyes even tighter, blocking out even the faintest sliver of light. Thest traces of any visual cues flickered and faded intoplete darkness. Alright... Bring it on. Clunk, clunk ¡ª The first two guardians shot forward¡ªone from 10 o¡¯clock and the other from 7 o¡¯clock¡ªwith a brief gap between them. I could hear the distinct windy sound of their des cutting through the air. I shifted to the left, avoiding the first one. Clunk¡ª Clunk¡ª Clunk¡ª The other three fired from the 12 o¡¯clock, 1 o¡¯clock, and 4 o¡¯clock positions. They waited for me to move first, then fired themselves. I twisted my axe upward, catching the first iing de with a sharp ng. Without missing a beat, I swung it to the right and deflected the de from the Guardian charging at me from 7 o¡¯clock. Three remained. No gaps now. They wereing all at once. It was possible they would try to nk me and get a backstab. This time, I focused on sensing the exact moment their des extended toward me, instead of anticipating their moves. Since my stamina was nearly full, I knew taking a hit wouldn¡¯t be too disastrous. If things became truly dire, my Sixth Sense would warn me. Besides, Doppy had my back if things wentpletely south. I stepped back, forcing all my senses¡ªexcept sight¡ªinto overdrive. In that heightened state of awareness, something new clicked. I began to pick up on more than just sound. I could feel the air shifting as the guardians moved, the currents changing with each step they took. There. I sensed the air split to my left. Raising my axe, I intercepted the iing de. ng! The next strike came from my right, then my front. The metallic ringing of shing weapons filled the air, but I could still clearly sense each iing strike. Wow... this was easier than I thought. Even I was taken aback by how quickly I had adjusted to the darkness. I had expected to get hit a few times, but here I was, handling it effortlessly. The sound of rolling metal snapped me out of my thoughts. A fight was no ce to be distracted. *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has surpassed himself and reached a new level of focus. His skills have leveled up. Combat Focus is now lvl 13.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has awakened a previously unknown sense. He has gained the skill Awareness lvl 3.¡¹ *** Each time I chose the ck door, the room grew dimmer. By the fourth door, I could barely make out the room, and by the fifth, the darkness was imprable. Of course, the tutulli guardians seemed to see me just fine in the dark. Randomly, I remembered that Doppy had been able to see in the darkness of the first floor. However, it said that it couldn¡¯t visualize anything here. Maybe the tower only granted the ability to see through the darkness on the floors monsters originated from. Oh, welp¡­ I had been fighting with my eyes closed for a while, so it didn¡¯t bother me much. But something unexpected happened. After entering the ck door five times, the familiar glow that usually seeped through my eyelids when I used the Lightning Essence didn¡¯t appear. I opened my eyes out of curiosity, but couldn¡¯t see any lightning streaks. So, it¡¯s not just a matter of dimming the lights... Even lightning couldn¡¯t pierce through the darkness the tower produced. Absolute darkness enveloped me. It hadn¡¯t been much of a problem until now, but the thought of facing stronger opponents without my vision began to worry me. My original n had been to supplement my senses with Lightning Essence earlier since my ability to sense movements in the dark wasn¡¯t perfect. Dealing with the increasing number of enemies hadn¡¯t been a problem until thest two rooms, where I had taken a few hits. Although fighting in the darkness was good training, I preferred fighting in the light. Or do I? Maybe it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference in the end. After all, I was already in the boss room. Something about this arena felt... off. Have I simply outgrown the challenges here? I wasn¡¯t sure, but I knew the only way was forward. Eventually, something would show itself. [Choose a door and proceed. Time remaining: 4 hours 47 minutes.] Despite the enveloping darkness, the message from the tower remained visible and clear. I couldn¡¯t identify the colors on the doors anymore, but their arrangement was consistent. The ck door was always to my right. I proceeded forward and pushed the ck door open, stepping into the familiar shroud of darkness. I moved cautiously forward until a sudden rustle from the center of the room caught my attention. A low andmanding voice broke the silence. ¡°Who dares to enter this ce?" I hadn¡¯t encountered a situation like this in the boss room. Although I sensed a solitary presence, no notification window appeared to aid me in identifying the creature, distinct from the usual messages the tower normally provided. Yet, theck of a notification message didn¡¯t mean this was an ordinary monster like the tutulli guardians. My opponent had a distinct aura of power that set it apart. Considering the strength of the aura I sensed, a thought crossed my mind. Could this room be the final challenge? Ensuring Doppy would stay safe, I discreetly pushed it behind me before tightening my grip on my axe. Everything went quiet until the crisp sound of a sword being drawn sliced through the air, shattering the tension. My ears, attuned to the slightest noise, detected the resonance of a single de. Unlike the tutulli guardians who wielded dual swords, this enemy bore only one. ¡°Well, since only thieves make it this far, I suppose keeping silent from shame is understandable..." The voice continued to resonate in the darkness, unapanied by any visual. ¡°However, youck manners.¡± Even though there was no audible indication of movement, I felt the air part, alerting me to an imminent attack. Not a secondter, I heard the air in front of me be violently disrupted. The attack was much faster than I had anticipated. Reacting instinctively, I swung my axe upward, prepared to meet the unseen threat head-on. Chapter 46: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (4) Chapter 46: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (4) I deflected the sword away with a sharp ng, but another de came thrusting toward me before I could react. What the¡­? They were only wielding one sword before. Did they have another one ready this whole time? I suppressed my confusion and focused on defending myself. I hadn¡¯t fully adjusted to theplete darkness so my senses weren¡¯t sharp enough yet. This opponent wasn¡¯t like the tutulli guardians, and it was much more agile than I had expected. In fact, its abilities could even be on par with mine. I predicted the trajectory of the stabbing sword and swung my axe down to block it. ¡­ Huh? The sword should¡¯ve been there, but instead, my axe hit empty air. Suddenly, the sword pierced through a space I had left unguarded. I pulled my upper body back as fast as possible but moved toote to avoid itpletely. ¡°Hmph!¡± The tip of the de sank into my abdomen.I needed to quickly put some distance between myself and my opponent. Acting instinctively, I swung my axe wildly, forcing the opponent back. I immediately checked the wound, and thankfully, it wasn¡¯t too deep. Relief washed over me, but it was instantly followed by confusion. What¡­? How? I had swung my axe along the exact path the sword should¡¯ve taken. Why was I not able to block it? However, my opponent wasn¡¯t about to stand still and give me time to understand what happened, so it charged at me again. Damn it, I need time to think... just a moment. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have time for that and had to act. I quickly adjusted my grip on the axe and drew a dagger with my left hand. ¡°Are you trying to copy me with that pathetic form? How amusing!¡± Left, right, center. The attacks came one after another, an unrelenting barrage. The sharp ng of metal echoed over and over in the darkness. Luckily, gripping my axe higher up on the shaft allowed my arm to move faster, and I barely managed to fend off the onught. Wait¡­ this isn¡¯t a longsword, is it? It suddenly urred to me during our exchange that something was up. My opponent¡¯s strikes were far too quick and fluid to be a longsword. Adding in the thrust I failed to block earlier, and the fact that my wound wasn¡¯t deep, my suspicion only grew. The only possibility I could think of was that the ¡°weapon¡± was actually a pair of weapons, a set of daggers. Fuck. I had gotten too used to fighting the tutulli guardians and their longswords. I had automatically assumed this opponent would use a simr weapon. The flurry of strikes continued, and I could feel my senses dulling. It wasn¡¯t that I was losing focus, but rather I hadn¡¯t fully adjusted to detecting movements in the dark. ??¦­???§§S I need to create some space. I swung my axe and harnessed my Lightning Essence skill to unleash a powerful burst of lightning forward. Although the streaks had flown quickly and powerfully, there was no reaction. It didn¡¯t seem like I had hit the opponent. Wait¡­ what? There was no way it dodged that. No one was faster than lightning. Does it have Lightning Resistance? Or maybe its gear was enchanted¡­ ¡°Ha! Cheap tricks like that won¡¯t work on me!¡± Damn it¡­ I can¡¯t rely on lightning for this. This opponent was way harder than those tutulli guardians. It was the boss of the bosses. I had joked about it earlier, but only half-seriously. Encountering such a powerful enemy on this floor had never crossed my mind. Sigh... Well, no matter what, I have to defeat it. It has a distinct fighting style centered around a fast, dual-dagger technique. Through my Awareness, I could barely make out a vague shape. It was slender and just over two meters tall, clearly built for agility. A snout protruded from its face, and I could see a stubby tail behind it. Beyond that, I couldn¡¯t discern much else. Hmm¡­ Should I use my newest offensive skill, sh Strike? The issue was I couldn¡¯t pinpoint its exact location. Plus, sh Strike drained a lot of mana. Using it once would nearly deplete my reserves. This wasn¡¯t like the earlier fights where I could wipe out the enemies without relying on mana, as this opponent could keep up with my speed. I needed to use everything I had to gain an edge over this enemy. Failure meant death. No¡­ I¡¯m overthinking it. sh Strike moved as fast as lightning. If my opponent could react that fast, I¡¯d already be dead. This skill could be my best option. It was all about timing. If I could pinpoint its exact position during the sh, I could unleash the skill and it wouldn¡¯t be able to counter it. As I continued to n, it charged again. I need to time this perfectly. Even though sh Strike was powerful, I wasn¡¯t immune to its effects at this close range. If I didn¡¯t get a clean shot, I could end up injuring myself. The first dagger flew diagonally at me from my right. I swung my axe hard and knocked it wide. The second dagger came from my left, horizontally this time, and I twisted my wrist to deflect it. Now! The enemy was right in front of me, exposed. Both of its daggers had been knocked aside. If I had reacted to the opening instead of proactively nning for it, my opponent would have been able to defend itself before I couldnd the blow, just like earlier. However, I was prepared this time. Utilizing the mana I had already distributed throughout my body, I conjured up a surge of lightning. This is the end. Time seemed to halt as I activated sh Strike and perceived the world in extreme slow motion. Twisting my wrist to the right, I adjusted my axe¡¯s trajectory, aiming not for my opponent¡¯s unseen head but directly at its torso. As I swung my axe toward their center of mass, my senses became razor-sharp in the slowed time. I could detect my opponent¡¯s startled movements. Unlike the tutulli guardians, this one could react, albeit sluggishly. But I was quicker. My axe was inches from crushing their torso when¡ª ... What? Suddenly, I sensed the creature¡¯s right hand contort unnaturally. Its dagger swiftly cut through the air, intercepting my axe before it could strike. aaang! The prolonged silence was shattered by the harsh ng of metal, reverberating around us. How¡­? Wh-what¡¯s happening? I stammered internally, bewildered. It didn¡¯t make sense. I had been faster. Its response had been dyed, awkwardly caught out by my attack. Both of its daggers had been knocked aside, and it shouldn¡¯t have been able to block in time. Yet, impossibly, its right hand had moved with rming speed. Damn it! The sudden and unexpected shift disrupted my concentration, causing sh Strike to dissipate. My opponent stumbled backward tworge steps, visibly shaken and off-bnce. ¡°Oh, so you do have some skills.¡± ¡°Pretending to be confident after retreating? How quaint.¡± ¡°...¡±@@novelbin@@ It didn¡¯t respond, hinting that it still had a hidden card it could y. Something was amiss. Am I being overly cautious, or did I charge in recklessly? Should I try again...? No, it could employ that bizarre defense again. I couldn''t risk repeating my attack without knowing how many times it could unleash that skill. What should I do? During this brief standoff, I quickly weighed my options. Returning to fighting it in closebat seemed pointless. I had already spent half my mana on sh Strike. Conversely, it seemed like my opponent hadn¡¯t expended much energy to pull off their strange defense. Our speeds were matched, but it could see through the darkness and likely had more mana than me. Continuing the fight without mana would be futile. Using Lightning Essence to attack it directly isn¡¯t viable either¡­ I was trapped between a rock and a hard ce. My opponent had countered every attack I had thrown at it, whether physical or magical. Damn it, I need to make a decision. Maybe I should just use sh Strike one more time¡­ Wait, what if...? A new idea suddenly sparked in my mind. I had used sh Strike in the second room to charge through and obliterate a tutulli guardian. Could it work again here? I can use my sword to deflect its attack and then follow up with a lightning-infused charge. I plotted, aware of the risks. It was dangerous, and I could get seriously hurt, but Doppy was with me¡ªI could be healed as long as I didn¡¯t die. Yes, that was the n. Suddenly, the previously quiet monster opened its mouth. ¡°Heh... I can hear your thoughts from here. How long are you going to keep this up?¡± ¡°I thought that was the sound of your brain rolling around,¡± I retorted. The brief deadlock wasn¡¯t coincidental. It was clear it was also rattled, probably trying to figure out how many times I could use sh Strike. That was why it had posed its question with such false bravado earlier. ¡°Typical thieves, you have no manners. Can¡¯t even understand when I¡¯m trying to be generous...¡± There was no point in dragging out the verbal sparring. I activated sh Strike once more. Before it could finish its taunt, Iunched forward, draining everyst bit of my mana to prepare for one final decisive strike. I aimed for the source of the voice. Provoking it hadn¡¯t been pointless, as it allowed me to time my next move. Its voice stretched and distorted, sounding like a broken cassette tape. I couldn¡¯t pinpoint the location of its weapons until it moved. If that strange defense urred again, I would have to let it deflect my axe and go in for a body m. Hmm? I advanced, but it showed no sign of moving like it had before. Still, I remained on high alert. It had unexpectedly deflected my attackst time, so I had to stay focused. However, even as I got closer and closer, it didn¡¯t begin defending at all¡ªnormally or strangely. Instead, its arm moved slowly, just like its normal movements. It appeared the weird deflection had been a one-time event. Did I overthink this? Indeed, having repeated ess to such a bizarre defense would have been excessively overpowered. If I had known this, I would have immediately opted to use sh Strike again. Shit. Unfortunately, it was toote now. I had closed the distance too much, so any movement would inevitably lead me to collide with my opponent. All I could do was parry the slowly advancing dagger. I swung my axe and dagger in rapid session. ng! ng! Deflecting its two daggers simultaneously, I forced its arms wide apart. Then, my vision darkened even more as a resounding crash echoed. Ugh¡­ A purplish haze swirled before my eyes, disorienting me. I couldn¡¯t discern whether I was lying down or standing. A momentter, a wave of pain surged through my body. ¡°...¡± I heard a murmur as a luminous glow appeared before me. Doppy was here to save the day, healing me and restoring my vitality. Gradually, my senses started to return. I felt soaked. A sticky, warm liquid covered me, stering my clothes to my skin. As my rity returned, the room seemed to brighten noticeably. Defeating the boss had dispelled the darkness. It was just as I had anticipated¡ªthis was thest room. Tasting the metallic tang of blood in my throat, I pondered the result of the floor, confused. It shouldn''t have been this intense... Was its body harder than a tutulli¡¯s?Hmm... That was probably the case.Or perhaps it had exceptional armor. ¡°Kriee! Su-Yeok! Okay?" ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m fine, thanks." Doppy¡¯s voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I quickly stood up. This was no time to dawdle. Though the notification signaling the floor''s conquest hadn¡¯t popped up, the room''s increased brightness suggested that the eleventh floor wasplete. Before heading to the waiting room, I needed to retrieve the opponent''s items. Hmm... Will there be any items left? I questioned whether the equipment had survived the explosive impact that had blown apart my opponent''s torso. I scanned the room hastily. Blood was sttered around the site of the collision, painting a gruesome picture. Chunks of red flesh clung to the floor beneath my feet. Amidst this chaotic scene, I spotted two daggers and a half-shredded cloak. They must have been thrown clear by the force of the explosion. Just then, the first notification popped into existence. I needed to collect these items quickly before returning to the waiting room. But the message that followed halted me in my tracks. [Congrattions. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the eleventh floor of the Tower of Ordeal. Achievement points will be calcted.] [Challenger Kwon Hu-Syeok will not be sent to the waiting room, as the twelfth floor is a continuation of the eleventh. For that reason, achievement point calction will remain pending for at least the duration of the twelfth floor.] [A door leading to the twelfth floor has appeared. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has one hour to enter the door. Time remaining: 59 minutes 59 seconds.] What? Oh... damn it. I can¡¯t even catch my breath, and the tower is already pushing me to continue? I couldn¡¯t help but curse loudly. *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has defeated the lizardman guardian. He has disyed skillfulbat in the dark. His Agility has increased by 2.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s skills have leveled up. Indomitability is now lvl 11. sh Strike is now lvl 2. Awareness is now lvl 4.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok chose only the ck doors. ck Dragon Herkest will appear on the twelfth floor, and ck Dragon Sarkeiz on the fourteenth floor.] Chapter 47: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (5) Chapter 47: Eleventh Floor, Two Doors (5) The Community of the Dead. [Anyone seeing anything?] [Nope, can''t see a thing. I can only hear the sound of weapons shing.] [Wow... The metal nging hasn¡¯t stopped once. Feels like a legit battle.] [I¡¯m an archer who died on the ninth floor. I can barely sense their movements, so they must be moving super fast.] [Stop with the bullshit. How could an archer who died on the ninth floor sense anything in the dark? Even Su-Hyeok only started training for that on this floor.] [Lol, but I can¡¯t peel my eyes away even though I can¡¯t see anything. Watching Su-Hyeok makes you not want to watch anyone else. He¡¯s on a whole different level.] [That¡¯s true. After watching him fight, the others seem like kids ying around.] [I don¡¯t know about that, Ha Hee-Jeong is beautiful today, just like always. She¡¯s like the goddess of fire. Watching the monsters burn up in mes¡­ it¡¯s like a painting. You all should check out Ha Hee-Jeong.][You voyeuristic creep¡­ Su-Hyeok¡¯s way more thrilling.] [What¡¯s so exciting about some brute? Magic¡¯s where it¡¯s at.] [Lol, these guys are hrious. Dead on the lower floors but here they are judging the survivors. Ridiculous.] [So, what floor did you die on?] [Me? First floor.] *** [A door leading to the twelfth floor has appeared. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has one hour to enter the door. Time remaining: 59 minutes 59 seconds.] As soon as the notification popped up, a big ck door popped up across the room. What now¡­? I sighed under my breath. My mana was practically zapped after thosest few fights, and physically, I wasn''t faring much better. Battling against the tutulli guardians and the unknown enemy had knocked the wind out of me. Even though I had wiped off the worst of the blood and gore, I still felt gross. I would do anything for a hot shower and a bed. Ah, well. There¡¯s nothing I can do. The floors are connected, so I probably won¡¯t get much rest at this point. Luckily, I wasn¡¯tpletely out of resources. On the off chance I would get stuck on a floor, I had prepared plenty of food and water inside the mimic. Fortunately, the tower had given me a brief hour of rest. Mana recovered faster when a climber rested, so the short rest was weing news. I needed to eat and hydrate since it would restore my stamina and mana. As for checking the equipment from myst opponent, that could wait until after my break. It felt like too much effort to think about that right now. ¡°Mung-Chi, get me some water and jerky.¡± Mung-Chi is what I had named my mimicpanion. The name came from the way it had run away adorably in a panic the first time I encountered it. I opened the lid and spoke to it, but received no response. Well, I didn¡¯t think mimics could talk, but it wasn¡¯t even spitting out what I needed. Hmm... Funny how it eagerly swallowed up everything I put inside it, but when it came time to return the items, it mmed up. When I had been selling my junk back at the rest area, it had no issue spitting out stuff. ?£Á????? So, what¡¯s your problem now? Oh, maybe it¡¯s because Ha Hee-Jeong isn¡¯t here? She had been the one to knock the mimic out when we first captured it. I was pretty sure Mung-Chi was afraid of Ha Hee-Jeong. Now that she was gone, it seemed to think it could ck off and didn¡¯t need to obey me anymore. Maybe Ha Hee-Jeong had been right about needing to discipline it. A little shaking seemed to keep it in line. But honestly, I was too exhausted to deal with its stubbornness. Mung-Chi¡¯s defiance only added to my frustration. Sure, a good smack might solve the issue, but I didn¡¯t want to resort to that. I was trying to raise it with good intentions and care. Still, I decided to give it onest chance before I resorted to rougher measures. ¡°Come on, spit out the water and jerky. You know what happens if you don¡¯t, right?¡± ¡°Kiiiik!¡± ¡°Ah, so you''re throwing a tantrum now? Do you remember what Hee-Jeong said? She told me to knock you out if you misbehave. I¡¯m trying to be nice here because I want to be friends with you. But if you keep this up, you leave me no choice.¡± ¡°Kiiiik...¡± In the darkness of the box, Mung-Chi¡¯s eyes flickered. It was clearly hesitating, torn between its pride and fear. Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned that mimics were proud creatures, and it seemed like she was right. Still, I couldn¡¯t quite understand its thought process. Mung-Chi would spit everything out eventually, so why bother with the unnecessary resistance? Thinking about it a little more, I realized that humans acted simrly, so maybe it wasn¡¯t too unreasonable for Mung-Chi to be so stubborn. After a brief pause, it finally gave in and obediently spat out the jerky and water. ¡°Screech!¡± ¡°See? If you were going to do it anyway, why not just listen the first time? Doppy, hold this for me.¡± I handed the jerky to Doppy before grabbing the two-liter bottle of water and dumping it over my head. Though I couldn¡¯t fully wash myself, at least I would freshen myself with a quick rinse. Cold water trickled down my scalp, and I ran my hand through my hair to wipe it away. After quickly rinsing my face, I drank from the bottle, greedily slurping the water down. The cool liquid felt refreshing and soothed my dry throat. Once satisfied, I poured the rest of the water over my shoulders, continuing to wash off as much grime as I could. One bottle wasn¡¯t nearly enough for a proper wash, though. After emptying the bottle, I tossed it aside with a sigh. ¡°Mung-Chi, more water.¡± *** [A door leading to the twelfth floor has appeared. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has one hour to enter the door. Time remaining: 9 minutes 41 seconds.] I had a light meal with Doppy, though I didn¡¯t have much of an appetite with all the blood sttered over me. I nibbled on some jerky, just enough to keep me going. Doppy, on the other hand, enjoyed a nicely grilled steak. It was still growing, so I figured it needed a good meal. Watching the pure joy on its face as it ate gave me a small sense of satisfaction. Maybe I should prepare a wider variety of food next time. Afterward, I found a bit of the arena free of bloodstains andid down to rest until it was time to leave. Although I barely had a quarter of my mana, my stamina was fully restored. It was time to finally examine the loot from the boss room. Since the opponent had exploded upon dying, there was no notification window to read through. I couldn¡¯t tell who it was or what it looked like¡ªother than a few ck scales and what seemed to be a tail. Judging by this, it¡¯s likely a reptilian humanoid¡­ but I can¡¯t be certain. I figured the tower would reveal its species after I cleared the twelfth floor. Other than the scraps of flesh, all that remained were two daggers and a torn cloak. The fact that these items were unscathed even after the body had been blown apart made it clear they were no ordinary pieces of equipment. I picked up the daggers and cloak, both streaked with flesh and blood. [Lung Shark¡¯s Dagger (Replica)] - Replica of a unique-grade dagger. - Separates into two daggers onmand. - Automatic defense against one physical attack (Cooldown time: 150 hours). - Grants Agility +2 while carried. - Grants Shadow Veil lvl 1 while carried. [Cloak of Los (Damaged)] - Provides excellent resistance to magical attacks. - Due to its damaged status, excellent resistance bes some resistance. These were practically overpowered items! Oh, no wonder the fight was so tough. It seemed like the enemy wasn¡¯t as strong as I had given it credit for¡ªit simply had overpowered gear. If I had known what the daggers and cloak could do, the fight would have ended much more easily. Sigh. Looking at the torn cloak filled me with regret. ording to the dagger¡¯s description, their bizarre defense was a one-time skill that took a while to recharge. I should have used my sh Strike skill again, finishing it off with my axe¡­ The cloak could have stayed intact if I had. Resistance to magical attacks was a rare and valuable trait, and it was a shame I had somewhat ruined it. ... But what¡¯s done is done. At the time, I had no idea the enemy¡¯s weapons were responsible for the majority of its strength. I had made the best decision I could with the information avable. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued by the dagger. It was technically a single weapon but could be split into two. That would exin why I only heard my opponent draw one de earlier. Even though it was a replica, there was nothing ordinary about this dagger. Agility +2 was nice, but the real prize was the Shadow Veil skill and the ability to block a physical attack once. Now I understood the eerie darkness that had filled the floor and the enemy¡¯s strange movement. The skill was likely responsible for shrouding the area in darkness, so when it died, the darkness dissipated. It also exined the rapid block after I activated sh Strike. If this is just a replica, how powerful must the original be? The original was unique-grade, the same tier as Lightning Essence. I strongly desired to track down the genuine article, but for now, I would settle with what I had. Even as a replica, it¡¯s more than enough. Since gaining Axemanship on the eleventh floor, I started to appreciate the importance of daggers. Since I had already nned to upgrade mine, it was fortunate I had found the perfect recement. I tucked my old weapon into Mung-Chi and fused the two daggers back together. I wasn¡¯t sure how it worked, but they merged seamlessly as soon as I brought them close. I also draped the tattered cloak over my shoulders. Sure, it wasn¡¯t as effective as before, but as the message said, it was still somewhat effective. Everything was ready, and it was time to move again. ¡°Doppy, you all set? Need anything else?¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin! All good!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Kriee! Let¡¯s go!¡±@@novelbin@@ Doppy grinned up at me, infecting me with its enthusiasm. Honestly, bringing it along felt like carrying both a living inventory and a giant healing potion. Watching its innocent smile, I realized it would need to learn how to fight sooner rather thanter. I couldn¡¯t always be the one protecting it. If we ever found ourselves up against arge group of enemies, defending it could prove to be too difficult. Sure, I gave it the shield, but that¡¯s not enough. That was only a temporary measure. While the shield would provide Doppy with a short reprieve if it was in danger, I needed to figure out a long-term solution. It wasn¡¯t like priests were forbidden from defending themselves. If Seo Ha-Rin wielded a mace as a priest, Doppy could handle it too. It did have a crossbow on the first floor, so its got some basics down. But now wasn¡¯t the time to bring it up. Talking about it here wouldn¡¯t change anything, and waiting for afortable discussion in the waiting room would be better. Right now, I needed to focus on the twelfth floor. I turned my gaze to the ck door on the opposite side of the room. Unlike before, it didn¡¯t seem like the tower would teleport me. Am I going to face more guardians? The significance of the guardians had been bothering me for the majority of the eleventh floor, ever since I noticed themonality between the enemies. I had expected to reach whatever they were guarding after this dark chamber, but with the unknown enemy dead, my questions would remain unanswered. Considering it called me a thief, there had to be something, but the final room had been empty of anything important. Since the tower had announced the eleventh and twelfth floors were connected, maybe I would find answers after stepping onto the next floor. I cautiously opened the ck door. Huh? The first thing that caught my eye was a small desert. A massive hollow¡ªabout the size of a ser field and made entirely of sand¡ªspread out before me. The unexpected sight threw me off for a moment, but then the notification window popped up. [Wee to the twelfth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Pearl in the Sand.] [Eliminate all enemies. Time remaining: 1 hour 59 minutes.] I had two hours. It wasn¡¯t a lot of time, but for a space the size of a ser field, it could be just enough. I assumed the enemies would spring up from beneath the sand. The floor was called ¡°Pearl in the Sand.¡± By now, I was somewhat familiar with the tower¡¯s cryptic names. So, the guardians were protecting this pearl? The sand likely referred to the desert before me, though whether the pearl was a metaphor or a physical object remained unclear. Killing every enemy would likely teleport me to a waiting room, so I had to find the pearl without eliminating them all. Alright, I had a n for the twelfth floor. ncing back at Doppy, I warned it to stay alert for any enemies emerging from the sand. ¡°Doppy, stay close by¡ª¡± Before I could finish my sentence, the small desert in front of me suddenly trembled as if it had been struck by a mild earthquake. The source of the tremor came from the center of the desert. Sand exploded upward like a geyser, scattering everywhere. I couldn¡¯t see much through the newly formed sandstorm, but I made out a massive shape rising through the dust. ¡°Krrooooaaarrr¡ª!¡± A chilling roar echoed, sending a shiver down my spine. As the sand settled, the creature¡¯s enormous form became clear. It was a ck dragon, eyes locked onto me in a predatory manner. Chapter 48: Twelfth Floor, Pearl in the Sand (1) Chapter 48: Twelfth Floor, Pearl in the Sand (1) [ck Dragon Herkest] I dismissed the notification window immediately. Now wasn¡¯t a time to be distracted by unnecessary information. My focus needed to be on the massive creature in front of me. The dragon¡¯s deep emerald eyes gleamed through the settling dust and sand, sharp and unwavering, boring into mine. Its gaze made the situation feel even more unsettling. None of the foes I had faced would have prepared me for a dragon. I had only encountered humanoid enemies up until now. But this... this dragon was something else entirely. Sure, the tower is trying to challenge me, but a dragon? I had to stayposed. The dragon¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t immediately hostile¡ªit seemed more inquisitive than aggressive. It didn¡¯t seem like it nned to attack me just yet, which gave me a small window of time to think. Two possibilities crossed my mind. Either the ¡°pearl¡± in the notification window referred to a treasure buried beneath the sand or the dragon. Seeing it rise from the sand made me suspect that the dragon could be the prize. I can¡¯t decide on one possibility, but...Either way, killing the dragon was out of the question. Doing so would probably bring the twelfth floor to an abrupt end, and I wasn¡¯t ready for that. I needed to either locate the pearl or, if the dragon was the pearl, figure out how to befriend it, as I had done with Doppy. But how do you forge a bond with a dragon?@@novelbin@@ I racked my brain, recalling Seo Ho-Su¡¯s stories about mythical creatures. His words echoed in my memory. ¡°Dragons are usually the most powerful beings in any world. They covet treasure, are incredibly intelligent, and can live for millennia. Most of them are masters of magic too..." Right. If his stories were urate, dragons were highly intelligent beings. Maybe I canmunicate with it? ¡°Uh¡­ hey, there?¡± The dragon¡¯s body tensed as soon as I spoke. Its long neck twitched, the muscles rippling along its throat as if something were about to happen. What¡¯s going on? It didn¡¯t seem like it was about to respond. Instead, its abdomen started to swell. No way... is it preparing to unleash a breath attack? A sense of dread surged through me. Without thinking, I bolted to the left. ¡°Krrooooaaarrr¡ª!¡± A torrent of ck mes erupted from the dragon¡¯s maw, scorching the ground where I had stood moments before. Its head swiveled in my direction, the fire following my movements. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t quick enough to catch up to me. R?¦ÁN???¨º?? After a few seconds, the stream of fire stopped. What the hell? I thought dragons were supposed to be smart. Was Seo Ho-Su wrong? The breath had filled the small desert with acrid smoke, and the warmth was unbearable. The sand emanated all the heat it had absorbed, making the environment even more suffocating. Waves of heat shimmered around the area where the mes had scorched the ground. I breathed in the thick smoke and suddenly felt my throat burn, causing me to cough uncontrobly. Something didn¡¯t feel right. A ck dragon¡­ green eyes¡­ venomous smoke¡­ Is the dragon¡¯s breath poisonous? I quickly nced at the notification window. [ck Dragon Herkest] - An adult dragon with limited intelligence due to an unknown illness it contracted as a youngling. - Unable to differentiate between friend and foe. - Incapable of using magic. - Has only learned one racial ability: Venomous Breath (wed). So... it¡¯s a stupid dragon. That exined a lot. The curiosity I had seen in its eyes before the sudden attack now made sense. It couldn¡¯t think clearly. And the breath attack? It was dangerous, but nowhere near as lethal as I expected. The ck mes had looked terrifying, but the "w" mentioned by the window probably referred to the poison that didn¡¯t do much more than make my throat burn slightly. I guess that¡¯s one small mercy. Wait, hold on¡­ If the dragon couldn¡¯t distinguish allies from enemies and had no real intelligence, then how could it tolerate guardians? Something wasn¡¯t adding up. Trying to make sense of the situation, I theorized this dragon had to have some sort of protector... Is there another room after this? And there could potentially be something inside that room... perhaps its mother? That would be seriously dangerous. Animals, in general, were fiercely protective of their offspring. I had heard countless stories about people reaching too close to an animal¡¯s young and being attacked. And this wasn¡¯t just any animal¡ªit was a dragon. If its mother was truly in the next room, killing this dragon was out of the question. ¡°Krrooooaaarrr!¡± Before I could think any further, the dragon unleashed another st of ck fire. I dashed across the sand once again, barely avoiding the deadly mes. It didn¡¯t seem like there were any significant limitations on how frequently it could unleash these attacks, which was... problematic. Hmm? I continued dodging the iing streams of fire, although I noticed something strange. Each time the dragon used its breath, it appeared to be in pain. There was a slight wince, a subtle sign of distress. I remembered the fourth line from the message. - Has only learned one racial ability: Venomous Breath (wed). Is the dragon¡¯s illness preventing it from releasing poison properly? Is the venom building up inside its body, reducing its intelligence? Suddenly, inspiration struck me. What if the "pearl" is some kind of cure for the dragon¡¯s illness? Maybe the goal of the hidden mission was to find the pearl to heal the dragon. I can¡¯t be sure, but I won¡¯t know until I look for the pearl. But to do that, I had to calm the dragon down. How can I do that? At that moment, I remembered the skill I had acquired on the eleventh floor¡ªShadow Veil. It was a skill that cloaked the area in shadows, making it difficult to see. Animals often calmed down when they couldn¡¯t see their surroundings. That could work on this dragon¡­ it¡¯s at least worth a try. I doubted a normal dragon would be affected by something like this, but this one wasn¡¯t exactly typical and likelycked the intelligence to see through the ploy. If I could use the Shadow Veil to soothe it, I might have a chance. Wait¡­ and the Cloak of Los grants resistance to magical attacks¡­ Suddenly, it all made sense. The connection between the eleventh and twelfth floors wasn¡¯t a coincidence. These two floors were designed toplement each other. The dagger and cloak I had obtained on the eleventh floor were the keys to solving the puzzle on the twelfth. I had managed to dodge the breath attacks because I was stronger than the average climber, but for the majority, they were likely intended to block the mes with the cloak. Though the cloak was torn, I easily avoided the attacks, and the dagger was in perfect condition. This must be the right way to use them. With the mana I had recovered during my brief rest, I activated Shadow Veil. The spell consumed much more energy than anticipated, draining my mana rapidly. Shadows surged from the dagger, spreading across the room like a nket of darkness. Just as I thought. Since I had activated the skill, I retained my ability to see through the darkness. However, It wasn¡¯t like my regr vision and it seemed like I was watching the world through an old ck-and-white film. Through the grayscale haze, I spotted Doppy¡¯s wide-eyed and bewildered face. It waspletely lost as to what was happening. I needed to clear its vision as well. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± In the pitch-ck room, the dragon roared furiously and thrashed about in panic. Thud, thud¡ª It smashed its head against the walls and ceiling, firing off random bursts of fire in every direction. Thankfully, Shadow Veil seemed to be working on the dragon. Judging by how fast my mana is draining... I estimated I had about five minutes left before I suffered from mana exhaustion. Shadow Veil had expanded to cover an area about the size of a ser field, which meant the spell was consuming a lot more energy. Five minutes left to find the pearl. A sinking feeling crept over me as I gazed across the vast sandy expanse. How would I find a pearl hidden in a desert? This was like searching for a needle in a haystack. ¡°Doppy, can you sense anything? We are looking for a pearl buried in the sand.¡± ¡°Kriee! Nothing!¡± I had hoped Doppy would have some insights, but its answer provided nothing. Thump! Thump! No sooner had Doppy finished speaking than the dragon began to stir again. It was more sensitive to sound than I had realized. I needed to tread carefully. Sadly, even my instincts weren¡¯t offering anything. I don¡¯t have the strength to dig through all this sand... Still, I had to try something. I sprinted to the center of the desert and started scooping sand away. My efforts proved futile, however, and the soft dunes poured back into the holes as quickly as I could dig them. Damn it. This isn¡¯t going to work. What if I can¡¯t find it in time? It was obvious what would happen¡ªthe dragon would go wild again. Should I just knock it out? Maybe a few solid hits would do the trick. Even if I hit it with my 70,000-point gauntlet, I doubted a dragon would die in one blow, even if it was ill. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to try... but now wasn¡¯t the time. That would be ast resort. For now, I had to focus on finding the pearl. *** Three minutes passed with nothing to show for it. Every time I dug, more sand slipped back into ce. After spending that time shoveling sand around, it finally hit me how absurd it was. Finding anything in this massive desert was next to impossible. Maybe I was wrong... Is the dragon itself the pearl? If that were the case, I would need to figure out how to help it release the venom it was holding back. The unknown illness¡­ Could any of Doppy¡¯s healing spells work on it? ¡°Doppy, you can use healing spells, right?¡± ¡°Kriee! Of course! Heal Wounds!¡± A warm light enveloped my perfectly healthy body. That was not what I had meant¡­ I was too dumbstruck to even respond. Is Doppy really this clueless? ¡°No, not me. The dragon! And I¡¯m not talking about healing wounds. Do you have anything that would help mental issues or fix mysterious illnesses?¡± Doppy had told me its holy spells had grown stronger after we conquered floors. It was evolving, just like I was. I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to its buffs since I rarely needed them, but maybe this time they would prove to be useful. ¡°Kriee! Mysterious illness? Not sure! Goblin try!¡± ¡°Go ahead and give it a shot!¡± ¡°Kriee! Recovery!¡± ¡°Krroooaaarrr!¡± The dragon¡¯s body glowed brightly, but instead of stopping, it narrowed its eyes and began spewing fire randomly. Nope, that didn¡¯t work. Only about two minutes remained, and I had to keep searching. With Doppy¡¯s healing spell failing to help, I couldn¡¯t think of any other way to cure the dragon¡¯s illness. I can¡¯t believe the dragon can shoot out so many breath attacks. The dragon could still perceive the glow of holy energy, even amidst the darkness. I turned my attention back to the sand. Then, a faint glimmer caught my eye¡ªinside the dragon¡¯s head. What¡¯s that? I focused my gaze on the dragon¡¯s skull. Channeling mana into my eyes, my vision sharpened. My vision changed again, going from hazy and old-timey to sharp shades of ck and white. The ck dragon was almost entirely dark, except for its glowing eyes. But deep inside its head, I saw something sparkling faintly. It was barely visible, just a tiny flicker. If not for my heightened senses, I never would have noticed it. Could that be the pearl? Do I have to kill the dragon to retrieve it? No. I looked closer and saw it twitching slightly like a parasite. Wait... a parasite? Could this be the mysterious illness? Has this parasite lodged in the dragon¡¯s brain, causing it to act erratically? Of course! The pearl isn¡¯t located in the sand. The eleventh floor had given me all the tools needed for the solution. Even though the cloak was torn, it still offered some defense, and the dagger that had remained intact provided the key to victory. Shadow Veil had revealed the parasite hidden inside the dragon. Luckily, I had discovered it in time. But how am I supposed to kill it? The parasite was deeply embedded in the dragon¡¯s brain, and I had to destroy it without harming the dragon itself. Do I just smack its head as hard as I can? No, that wouldn¡¯t work. The dragon had already smashed its head against walls and the ceiling earlier, but the parasite was still alive. I couldn¡¯t just slice open its skull either... If the parasite burrowed deeper and killed the dragon, I would lose the hidden mission. Lightning? Right. I had Lightning Essence to work with. I could use it to kill the parasite. It was risky, but if I was careful, it would work. Lightning Essence wasn¡¯t unique-grade for nothing. It wouldn¡¯t cause severe harm to my allies even if I targeted them. Although it might sting a bit, that wasn¡¯t a big issue. I still need to be cautious. I had to focus the lightning directly on the parasite lodged in the dragon¡¯s brain without damaging the surrounding tissue. Time was running out, and only one minute remained before the Shadow Veil wore off. I had to act now. I sprinted across the sand and leaped toward the dragon. Using the power of Kashatum¡¯s Sky Shoes, I propelled myself higher by kicking off the air. This had to be quick. Summoning too much lightning, for too long, could cause brain damage. I activated Lightning Essence, sending a burst of lightning directly toward the parasite. Desperately wishing my n would work, I chanted over and over in my head. Target: parasite. Dragon: ally. Target: parasite. Dragon: ally¡­ ¡°Kyahhh-aaah-aaah!¡± The dragon let out an agonized scream as the lightning struck its skull. Momentster, the sound cut off abruptly. The dragon stood still, its body trembling as it convulsed violently. *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok haspleted the hidden mission ¡®The Parasite Even the Dragon Didn¡¯t Know About.¡¯ He has been awarded 2,000 achievement points.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has cured the ck Dragon Herkest of its illness. The ck Dragon Sarkeiz, who appears on the fourteenth floor, will now be friendly toward Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok.¡¹ Chapter 49: Twelfth Floor, Pearl in the Sand (2) The dragon stood in ce, shuddering violently, while the parasite within it thrashed even more furiously. It convulsed rapidly, almost a frantic vibration, dozens if not hundreds of times in the mere seconds that passed. For a moment, I feared the parasite¡¯s desperate movements would damage the dragon¡¯s brain more than the lightning. Just as the thought crossed my mind, I heard the parasite¡¯s body emanate a sharp and small, yet unmistakable crack before exploding. I stopped the flow of lightning as soon as that happened, and the dragon¡¯s trembling ceased, finally falling still. ¡°Kyaaa...¡± The dragon let out a low, guttural sound before its massive head plummeted to the ground, seemingly losing strength. Thud¡ª The impact sent sand flying in every direction. I had thought the soft sand would cushion the fall, but given the dragon¡¯s sheer size, the force of the crash was much greater than anticipated.I peered into the settling dust, and a cold wave of fear crept up my spine when I saw the dragon¡¯s head half-buried in the sand. ... Is it dead? Panic overtook me. I hurriedly dispelled Shadow Veil before rushing to press my hand against the dragon¡¯s nostrils to check for any signs of life. I couldn¡¯t feel anything. Fuck! I realized I was still wearing my gauntlet. I tore it off in a rush and tried again, but the result was the same. The dragon wasn¡¯t breathing as ity there, utterly still. Oh no... did I kill it? My mind raced chaotically, and for a moment, everything felt surreal. Then, I remembered Doppy was with me. Maybe, just maybe, the goblin saint could do something to save the dragon. ¡°Doppy! Cast a healing spell, quick!¡± ¡°Kriee?¡± ¡°Use your most powerful healing spell on the dragon!¡± I was desperate, clinging to any hope. Doppy didn¡¯t move. It stood there, blinking at me as if nothing was wrong. ¡°What are you waiting for? Do it! Do it!!!¡± My frustration spilled out before I could control myself, but Doppy only looked at me with a puzzled look ¡°Kriee! Dragon alive! No problem!¡± ¡°... What?¡± Alive? No problem? But I can¡¯t feel it breathe! I stared at Doppy in disbelief, and it let out a small sigh, almost as if I was the one being unreasonable. ¡°Kriee! Dragons! No breathe often!¡± ¡°Oh... right.¡± It finally dawned on me. From what Doppy had said, dragons were like whales. They could go long periods without needing to take a breath. So that was all it was. I had panicked over nothing. A wave of relief washed over me. The dragon was fine, and I had likelypleted the hidden mission sessfully. ??N???¡ì Just then, the sound of shifting sand reached my ears. ¡°Ku-ing?¡± The dragon was stirring. It slowly regained consciousness, shaking its head and scattering grains of sand everywhere. Eyes still somewhat unfocused, it scanned the room for a moment before locating me. We locked gazes, but it no longer seemed aggressive¡ªjust curious. After a brief pause, the dragon turned its head skyward. ¡°Kuwaaah!¡± It released a low growl before letting out a weak jet of fire into the air, seemingly testing itself. The mes were much weaker than before, but this time, the ck fire wasced with dark green smoke that matched the color of its eyes. So that is the true venomous me breath... Though the ck mes dissipated quickly, the green smoke lingered in the air, swirling slowly. Wait¡­ venomous breath? Isn¡¯t that poison? Is the dragon about to poison me after I saved its life? ¡°Kuwaang!¡± Thankfully, the dragon released a soft cry before waving the green smoke away, dispersing it almost immediately. Ah, I see. It wasn¡¯t trying to harm me. Now that its intelligence had returned, it had no reason to kill the one who had rescued it. The way it handled the mana confirmed that the dragon could now cast spells, something it had been incapable of doing while parasitized. I quickly nced at the notification window. [ck Dragon Herkest] - A fully grown adult dragon. - The parasite imnted by an unknown force has been removed. - Regaining its intelligence. - Capable of using magic. - Has learned the racial ability: Venomous Breath. The dragon had undergone a massive transformation All of the previously negative traits in the dragon¡¯s status had disappeared. So someone had imnted that parasite on purpose¡­ It couldn¡¯t have been its mother. She wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths to summon guardians to protect her offspring if she nned to restrict her child. So who had done it? ¡°Kuwaaang!¡± The dragon¡¯s cry snapped me out of my thoughts. Herkest let out a small roar and copsed onto the sand with a heavy thud. Then, it rolled onto its back like an oversized pet, before pressing its massive head against me, clearly asking for attention. Despite the sheer size of the dragon, its gesture was strangely endearing. Maybe its mind is still somewhat childlike, even though it¡¯s regaining its intelligence. I carefully extended my bare hand and gently stroked its head. The dragon¡¯s scales were tough and slightly rough, with a faint softness underneath. Does the texture of its scales change depending on its mood? Whatever the case, the sensation was quite pleasant, and the dragon¡¯s demeanor was unexpectedly charming. As I continued to pet it, the dragon¡¯s eyes slowly closed in contentment, its enormous body gradually rxing. ¡°Kiii...¡± Ity there purring softly for thirty seconds until it suddenly lifted its head and made a strange noise. A ripple of mana filled the air. Soundlessly, one of the dragon¡¯s scales detached from its neck and floated upward, hovering in front of me. Herkest roared gently. ¡°Kraang!¡± The scale drifted down and rested against my right earlobe. I chose not to react as my instincts sensed no hostility. I felt a slight prick, and the scale settled into ce. Raising my hand, I touched the new earring. ¡°Is this¡­ a gift?¡± ¡°Kraang!¡± The dragon responded enthusiastically, confirming my guess. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. There was something profoundly gratifying about having saved this creature and receiving such a token in return. Although I was hesitant to inspect it immediately, my curiosity got the better of me. I inspected the earring excitedly. [ck Dragon Herkest¡¯s Scale Token] - An earring bestowed by the child of an ancient dragon upon the Earthling who saved it. - Increases the likelihood of befriending dragons.@@novelbin@@ - Connected to Herkest by a thread of magic. - Grants Poison Resistance lvl +4, Mana +2 while carried. Oh? A grin spread uncontrobly across my face. The Poison Resistance skill and mana boost were great, but the real prize was the increased chance to befriend any dragons I encountered. That would undoubtedly prove invaluable as I continued climbing the tower. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll treasure it.¡± ¡°Krang!" The dragon¡¯s lips stretched into a wide grin, clearly pleased by my reaction. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. Once I had saved Doppy, it ended up climbing the tower with me... Would this dragon apany me as well? No sooner had I finished that thought than the tower¡¯s message refreshed. [Congrattions. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the eleventh and twelfth floors of the Tower of Ordeal: The Pearl in the Sand. Achievement points will be calcted.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok only chose the ck door. By conquering the doors¡¯ rooms and resolving the hidden parasite he haspleted the linked hidden mission ¡®The ck Pearl.¡¯ Achievement points will be calcted.] [Challenger Kwon Su Hyeok has been awarded 9,783 achievement points. Total achievement points: 11,958. He will now enter the waiting room.] The message was different from what I had seen on the first floor. Unlike Doppy, it seemed the dragon wouldn¡¯t be apanying me. I couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointed. Then again, having a dragon by my side would be far too overpowered, so maybe it was for the best. This marked the end of my time with Herkest. I smiled as I waved goodbye. ¡°Take care. I hope to meet you again. Don¡¯t forget what I did for you.¡± "Kwang! Kwang!" The dragon roared in acknowledgment, and my vision blurred as the world shifted. *** [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the eleventh and twelfth floors. He will now enter the waiting room.] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok is currently ranked first. Additionally, he is the first to conquer the twelfth floor. As a reward, his waiting room will be upgraded.] [From now on, he may request any food he desires within the waiting room. A small training room has also been added.] [One additionalpanion detected. An extra bed has been provided.] [11 hours and 59 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.] Upon entering the waiting room, a cascade of notification windows appeared before me. I received a couple of upgrades to my waiting room, likely due to my recent conquests after reaching the tenth-floor rest area. A reward for first-ce reward, huh? I wondered if this bonus was something the tower only offered to the climbers at the top of the leaderboard, just like the separation of zones in the rest area. Regardless, I certainly wasn¡¯t going toin. Quickly surveying the room, I saw things had indeed changed. The space itself was noticeablyrger, and there were now two beds. I had been meaning to get Doppy a bed at some point¡­ Well, this saved me the trouble of making that purchase. Doppy was clearly overjoyed as it dashed toward the new bed. It could barely contain its excitement. ¡°Kriee! Goblin! New bed!" ¡°Doppy! Wait, stop!¡± ¡°Kriee?¡± I managed to stop it just in time, right before it could hurl itself onto the bed. I understood its eagerness to rest, but it was still covered head to toe in sand and dust. There was no way I could let it ruin the fresh bed like that. ¡°Go wash up first.¡± ¡°Kriee?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not getting anywhere near that bed until you¡¯ve cleaned yourself up. Now go, get washed!¡± ¡°Kriee, fine!¡± Despite the sticky blood and grime caking my own body, I decided to let Doppy take the first turn. If I showered first, I didn¡¯t doubt it would track dirt all over the room, ruining any sense of order while I wasn¡¯t paying attention. Grumbling under its breath, Doppy slouched toward the bathroom. The door swung open, and to my surprise, I spotted something new. There was a bathtub. Oh... the tower added a tub. I made a mental note to indulge in a long soakter. It would be the perfect way to melt away the exhaustion weighing me down. Wait, what¡¯s that? As my eyes scanned the area, I noticed a door next to the bathroom that hadn¡¯t been there before. It had to be the training room. I was sorely tempted to explore it, but there were other matters to deal with first. [Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)] Title: Seeker of the Crossroads Affiliation: None Patron Deity: First ss, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 1.09% (-?.??%) / 100.00%) Strength: 100.6 Agility: 99.9 Stamina: 98.1 Mana: 61.9 Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 8, Sixth Sense lvl 10, Indomitability lvl 16 (+5), Combat Focus lvl 18 (+5), Bear¡¯s Blood lvl 8¡­ Poison Resistance lvl 9 (+4), Awareness lvl 4, Axemanship lvl 2, sh Strike lvl 2, Mimicry lvl 1. I nced over my stats, feeling a small surge of satisfaction. My strength had finally surpassed 100, and my agility was just shy of hitting the same milestone. While the boost didn¡¯t trante to any immediate or dramatic transformation, I still enjoyed seeing those numbers cross that threshold. I hadn¡¯t expected much given how high my stats already were, but the steady increase across the board was encouraging. Even though my mana stat trails behind the others, it is still growing at the same pace... It seemed the hidden mission rewards and new skills had done wonders for my overall progression. What caught my attention most, though, was how much my agility had jumped. It had beengging behind my endurance not too long ago. Could the intense battles in the dark on the eleventh and twelfth floors have caused this shift? Yeah, that tracks, especially after learning sh Strike. There was no doubt in my mind that skill had contributed to the spike in my agility. Shifting my focus, I focused on the skills window. Lightning Essence, Indomitability, Combat Focus... Most of my core skills had leveled up, but the one that really stood out was Poison Resistance. Thanks to the earring from Herkest which granted a level boost, it had climbed to level 9. That dragon really came through for me. A smile crept onto my face as I considered the boost. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but notice how cluttered the skills section of the status window was bing. With new skills piling on top of the existing ones, it was starting to feel a little overwhelming. After a quick scan through the newly acquired skills, I closed the window and let the information settle. Just as I did, a message pinged through from Ha Hee-Jeong. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): What¡¯s up? You¡¯re back way faster than I expected considering how long you were on the eleventh floor. Were the eleventh and twelfth floors connected or something? Chapter 50: Thirteenth Floor, Waiting Room I shared my experiences from the eleventh and twelfth floors with Ha Hee-Jeong. She exined that sometimes the Tower of Ordeal would force a climber to move straight to the next floor without sending them to the waiting room. Of course, since the climber wasn¡¯t given any time to rest, it was more exhausting. She consoled me, telling me I must have had a tough time, before giving me a brief rundown of the thirteenth floor. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): So, the thirteenth floor will require climbers to pair up, right? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): Yeah. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): But do we really want to be paired? Wouldn¡¯t it be safer if we helped our other party members? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): No, the thirteenth floor isn¡¯t dangerous enough to warrant that. We¡¯ll earn more points if the two of us handle it. Well, if that was the case, I didn¡¯t see any point in continuing to argue. Ha Hee-Jeong didn¡¯t share many details about the thirteenth floor, but I figured following her advice was the best course of action. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): But why is there an active timer? Shouldn¡¯t there be an indefinite wait since no other climbers have cleared the twelfth floor?- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): That¡¯s because you cleared the eleventh and twelfth floors without a break. The rest time you missed on the eleventh floor is being added now. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): Huh? What do you mean by that? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): This floor requires everyone to participate at once, but since you didn¡¯t get to rest, it¡¯spensating for that. The other climbers are resting longer, thanks to you. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): Ah, so the others get more rest because they¡¯re waiting for my timer to sync up? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): Exactly. It¡¯s not a bad deal. I nodded to myself, finally understanding. I had always thought the Tower of Ordeal was merciless, but it seemed there were some surprisingly considerate mechanics in ce. What about the rest of the party? If I teamed up with Ha Hee-Jeong, that would leave three people trying to pair up. Seo Ho-Su would probably stick with Seo Ha-Rin, which meant Cole would be left on his own... Can I ask Alexei if she would pair up with Cole? It was a bit of a hassle, but ensuring Cole wouldn¡¯t be left alone made it worth the trouble. We can talk about it once the others reach this floor. At the moment, everyone except Ha Hee-Jeong was still on the twelfth floor. Unlike me, the other climbers spent a short time on the eleventh floor and were now taking longer on the twelfth. I wasn¡¯t sure how Ha Hee-Jeong had conquered the floor so quickly. Well, she is a regressor... Maybe shepleted a hidden mission or something. Come to think of it, this also happened back on the fifth floor. I had spent a long time clearing the tutorial, which annoyed the other climbers. Now that it had happened again on the eleventh floor, it seemed inevitable this would keep happening on future floors. If it kept up, other climbers would start getting suspicious. I figured there were probably already discussions about it. Curious, I opened the Community tab. [Why is Kwon Su-Hyeok still stuck on the eleventh floor?] [He¡¯s probably found another hidden mission.] [This happened before, and now it¡¯s happening again. Is he possessed or something?] [At least the wait isn¡¯t endless likest time since this is a solo floor.] [Why does it feel like Kwon Su-Hyeok is always getting hidden missions? I¡¯ve never even encountered one.] [Same here, never found a single one eek.] [I identally caught the Skill Thief Gremlin on the eighth floor haha.] As expected, many posts were about me. I wasn¡¯t surprised since I would also find it odd if the top-ranked climber was stuck on a floor everyone had already cleared. And just like always, people were bound to talk. ????¨°?§§s Especially considering this wasn¡¯t the first time... I began to feel uneasy as I scrolled through thements. What if I continue to clear floors slower than others? Eventually, people would start asking questions. Should I just tell them it¡¯s because of hidden missions? Hmm... Even then, I wondered if other climbers would get upset if I hogged all the hidden missions. They might think, ¡°Why does he get all the hidden pieces while I can¡¯t even find one?¡± Regardless of their ability toplete the missions, they could still resent not having the opportunity. With Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s knowledge and my Sixth Sense, it seemed likely that I would keep repeating this scenario. Whether it was high-difficulty floors or hidden missions, my fellow climbers would probably have to keep waiting. Of course, there was another potential scenario¡­ ¡°Kwon Su-Hyeok knows what¡¯sing on the next floor or where the hidden missions are, but he¡¯s keeping it to himself so he can im all the rewards.¡± People could easily start thinking that. Humans don¡¯t always act rationally, especially when they be jealous or envious. At some point, I would have toe clean and tell them I was different from the other climbers. Yeah, I should talk to Ha Hee-Jeong about this. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): Hey, Hee-Jeong, should we let our party members and other climbers know that my solo floors are just harder than usual? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): You¡¯re worried people are going to start talking, right? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve thought about this. Just wait a bit longer. We¡¯ll do it once you build more influence. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): Influence? - Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): Yeah. You can build it by making a name for yourself on the higher floors or standing out in group challenges. The trick is to wait until everyone is struggling, then reveal the truth. If you tell them now, some might just get resentful. It seemed like a sound n. I had been thinking along simr lines. Regardless of my thoughts, Ha Hee-Jeong knew far more about the Tower than I did. She was well aware of how the trials worked and knew much more than me about navigating theplex socialndscape of the other climbers. Since she already had a strategy in mind, I saw no point in overthinking it. - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): Alright, got it. Get some rest now. - Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirteenth Floor): You too, sleep well. Just as I finished, Doppy emerged from the bathroom with perfect timing. It was uncanny how it always seemed to choose the right moment.@@novelbin@@ Standing by the door, it vigorously rubbed its bald head with a towel and shouted, ¡°Kriee! Su-Yeok! Goblin! All clean!¡± Given itsck of hair, there wasn¡¯t much to dry, but there it was, toweling its head like it was the most important thing. It must have picked it up from watching me dry my hair the other day... It wasn¡¯t like I could stop it. Besides, it was kind of endearing. I just nodded. ¡°Good job. You can rest now.¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin sleeps now!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Looking worn out, Doppy threw itself onto the bed, its eyes fluttering shut the moment it hit the mattress. It was out cold almost instantly. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it had been doing to get so exhausted... I squinted at it in mild annoyance, but seeing it sleep so peacefully, a smile tugged uncontrobly at the corners of my lips. Deciding now wasn¡¯t the time to check out the training room, I got ready to clean up and get some rest myself. *** [Time remaining until the thirteenth floor: 5 hours 11 minutes. Please take a rest.] - Seo Ha-Rin (Thirteenth Floor): Oh! Su-Hyeok oppa, you¡¯re already in the waiting room? I thought we wouldn¡¯t see you untilter since you were on the eleventh floor for so long! - Cole Grouse (Thirteenth Floor): He probably found a hidden mission on the eleventh floor, just like we guessed. - Seo Ho-Su (Thirteenth Floor): See? I told you there was no need to worry. He¡¯s doing just fine. - Seo Ha-Rin (Thirteenth Floor): Haha, Dad, you were the one freaking out the most! Cole and I figured he was off doing a hidden mission. - Seo Ho-Su (Thirteenth Floor): What? Me? I wasn¡¯t worried at all! When I woke up, the party chat was filled with messages. It seemed like everyone had finished the twelfth floor while I was asleep, making it back safely. So, they all thought I was busy with a hidden mission on the eleventh floor¡­ It looked like Seo Ho-Su was the only one who had been worried about me being in actual danger. At least there are a few people who worry about me¡ªHa Hee-Jeong and Seo Ho-Su, mostly. The conversation in the chat tapered off after a while, probably because they all went to bed. Meanwhile, I still had to figure out what to do about Cole. The Tower of Ordeal hadn¡¯t delivered any notifications yet, so I couldn¡¯t share that the next floor required climbers to pair up. It felt awkward to just blurt out, ¡°Hey, the next floor is for two people.¡± Well, I figured the tower would handle that soon enough. Now that I had rested a bit, it was time to check out the training room. First things first, however. The little goblin was still fast asleep on the bed, so I shook it awake. ¡°Doppy! Hey, Doppy!¡± ¡°Kriee?¡± Groggy and confused, Doppy slowly opened its eyes and blinked blearily at me. Its half-lidded, irritated expression seemed to ask, ¡°What now?¡± I felt a little sorry for waking it up as I saw how tired it looked. ¡°Kriee! Goblin! Finished washing!¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Doppy was still a growing goblin, and rest was important. However, there were things we needed to take care of. I had decided back on the eleventh floor that it was time to start training it. This wasn¡¯t just for my benefit but for its survival, its future. ¡°You¡¯ve noticed how hard I¡¯ve worked to keep you safe during battles, right? How long are you just going to follow me around and rely on me?¡± ¡°Kriee? Su-Yeok, what mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying it¡¯s time for you to start training. Like Ha-Rin does. And now that we have a training room, it¡¯s the perfect opportunity.¡± ¡°Kriee!?¡± Doppy¡¯s tired eyes snapped open in shock. Its wide-eyed expression practically screamed, ¡°What did I do to deserve this?¡± I braced myself, resisting the urge to soften my stance. This was for Doppy¡¯s own good. ¡°Listen, Doppy. What are you going to do if I can¡¯t protect you from an enemy? Just die?¡± ¡°Kriee...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t always be there to save you, you know.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°And what if we¡¯re up against a huge number of enemies? This training is to make sure you survive. Got it?¡± Doppy¡¯s eyes, which had been darting around nervously, finally settled. It lowered its head slightly, a sign that it understood me. With newfound resolve, it hopped off the bed. ¡°Kriee! Goblin understands!¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get up and get to training.¡± But before starting, we needed to sort out what weapon it would use. ¡°Let¡¯s see... You used a crossbow back on the first floor, right? So you know how to handle one?¡± ¡°Kriee! Yes! Goblin knows!¡± ¡°Alright. Can you use anything else besides a crossbow?¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin knows sword! A little!¡± ¡°A sword, huh? Wait a second.¡± I rummaged through Mung-Chi, my living inventory, picking from a stash of weapons I had picked up on the eleventh floor. Swords, axes, spears... No matter what Doppy wanted, I had something for it. ¡°Mung-Chi, give me a good sword.¡± With a few taps on Mung-Chi¡¯s side, the lid popped open, and a sturdy sword floated out. I gave it a quick scan and swung it a couple of times, testing its bnce, before handing it to Doppy. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head to the training room.¡± ¡°Kriee! Got it!¡± Doppy clutched the sword tightly and followed me as I led the way. This was the first time I had seen the training room, so I opened the door with a bit of anticipation, but my excitement quickly faded. As expected, the room wasn¡¯t very big. It was about the size of a tennis court, justrge enough to practice basic strikes or cast some spells. There wasn¡¯t enough space to freely move around or run drills properly. Still, we can manage some simple sparring. I took my ce on one side of the room, and Doppy instinctively positioned itself on the opposite end. To my surprise, it didn¡¯t look annoyed or frustrated. In fact, its expression was determined, almost resolute. Seeing it like that filled me with a strange sense of pride. I had expected moreints from it, given that it was still a young goblin... But then again, Doppy had been through a lot before I met it. It was dragged into the tower just like the rest of us. Doppy had lost its god, nearly been brainwashed, and faced countless hardships. I couldn¡¯t treat it like just a naive young goblin. With the trials thaty ahead, I needed to train it seriously. Gripping my axe more firmly, I called out, ¡°You said you¡¯ve learned some sword skills, right?¡± ¡°Kriee! Yes!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how good you are yet, but let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡± Without further warning, I charged straight at Doppy. Chapter 51: Thirteenth Floor, the Forest of Insects (1) Doppy¡¯s abilities weren¡¯t as terrible as I had assumed. I wasn¡¯t saying they were particrly impressive, just not awful. Thanks to the effects of the body-enhancing elixir, its reactions were decently sharp, but that was where the positives ended. For someone who imed to have some experience with a sword, its technique was sorelycking. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was due to its young age or if my expectations were simply too high. One thing was clear, though. It didn¡¯t possess the raw talent that someone like Seo Ha-Rin had. Still, it¡¯s only the thirteenth floor... There was plenty of time for Doppy to shape up. With my guidance, it should eventually grow more capable. ¡°Aaah¡­¡± I let out a long sigh, stretching out on the bed. Doppy and I had only lightly trained, not exerting enough energy to even break a sweat. Thus, I skipped taking another shower and flopped back onto the mattress. [30 minutes 05 seconds until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]When thirty minutes remained until the next floor, a new notification blinked into view. [The thirteenth floor of the Tower of Ordeal requires two participants. Please register your climbing partner.] [The current number of surviving climbers is even. If a climber doesn¡¯t select a partner before the timer ends, the tower will assign them one automatically.] [Please register your climbing partner for the thirteenth floor.] ¡°Ha Hee-Jeong.¡± [Calibrating. Climber Ha Hee-Jeong has also selected Climber Kwon Su-Hyeok. Registrationplete.] It appeared both participants had to select one another to form a duo, which made sense. Otherwise, people could choose non-consenting partners, causing untold chaos. Well, with that sorted... I turned my attention to the chat window, which had been buzzing for a while now. Unsurprisingly, Cole was responsible for most of themotion. - Cole Sprouse (Thirteenth Floor): ¡­ Wait, so the thirteenth floor is a two-person mission, right? You¡¯ll be going with Ha-Rin, Ho-Su? - Seo Ho-Su (Thirteenth Floor): Hmm? Yeah, of course. - Cole Sprouse (Thirteenth Floor): And Su-Hyeok¡¯s going with Hee-Jeong... So, uh¡­ who am I supposed to go with¡­? - Seo Ho-Su (Thirteenth Floor): ¡­ - Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirteenth Floor): Hold on, I¡¯ll check with Alexei to see if she has a partner. *** The tower¡¯s cold, mechanical voice echoed in my head as we transitioned to the thirteenth floor. It didn¡¯t even wait until my vision had fully adjusted to the new surroundings. ?????§¦S? [Wee to the thirteenth floor: The Forest of Insects.] [The floor is inhabited by bugs that alternate between neutral and aggressive every thirty minutes. During the first thirty minutes, all bugs remain neutral.]@@novelbin@@ [Climbers can hide from the bugs¡¯ attacks in shelters scattered throughout the forest. Each shelter can be upied for up to thirty minutes.] [To enter a shelter, climbers must first capture a keybug. Once a keybug¡¯s key is used at its corresponding shelter, it cannot be reused.] [If a climber attacks other bugs while attempting to capture a keybug, nearby bugs will be hostile. Failing to capture a keybug five times will cause all the bugs in the forest to attack.] [Survive the bugs swarming throughout the forest. Time remaining: 3 hours 59 minutes.] Focusing my eyes, I found myself in the midst of a dense forest. No, it was more like an overgrown jungle. The trees were so thickly packed they practically blotted out the sky. And the air? It buzzed with swarms of insects. But simply calling them ¡°bugs¡± didn¡¯t do justice to the sheer size of the things. They look like wasps¡­ How can they be this massive? Each one was asrge as a pigeon, and instead of stingers, their tails had sharp tendrils. They came in various shades as well. Some were bright red, others deep blue, suggesting they were different species. A notification window floated before me, offering more information. [Fire Bug] - Imbued with the power of fire. - Carries paralyzing toxins, causing any sting or bite to induce burns. [Ice Bug] - Imbued with the power of ice. - Carries paralyzing toxins, causing any sting or bite to induce frostbite. Burns and frostbite... Neither sounded too individually threatening, but that was before factoring in the overwhelming number of these creatures. Thousands filled the air, flitting between the trees, making it impossible to see where the swarm ended and the forest began. There were as many bugs as there were branches in this jungle. And that noise is threatening. The noises they generated weren¡¯t the high-pitched whine one would expect from regr insects like flies or mosquitoes. Instead, it came in vibrating pulses, a deeper, heavier droning hum that filled the air. I had heard peoplepare the sound of a giant ho¡¯s wings to that of a drone, which made sense. From my encounters with giant hos, I had noticed the same thing. But the noise here was even louder, almost like the propellers of a small helicopter cutting through the air. The low, rumbling hum echoed from every direction. If a climber gets stung by even a few of these things, they won¡¯t make it out alive. Every bug in this forest would turn aggressive in thirty minutes. The key to surviving this floory in finding keybugs and their matching shelters. With each half-hour triggering a new wave of attacks, getting hold of a keybug was crucial. Still, this shouldn¡¯t be much of an issue for us. Neither Ha Hee-Jeong nor I found these oversized bugs particrly intimidating. With hermand of fire and my control over lightning, we had the perfect tools for exterminating them. It was like we had an electric fly swatter or a torch, a simple equation. As I processed the iing information, Ha Hee-Jeong spoke up in a low, steady voice, ¡°You have probably figured it out already, but this floor isn¡¯t going to be much of a challenge for us. The bugs aren¡¯t really a threat. We just need to head to the right.¡± ¡°To the right? What¡¯s over there?¡± ¡°I know the hidden mission for the thirteenth floor. The bug queen is over on the right. We take her down, and we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± So that was why she wanted to team up. I nodded understandingly. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a walk, but once we take down the queen, we can rack up achievement points by clearing out the other bugs along the way.¡± Finishing her exnation, she gestured toward the right as if to say, ¡°You lead the way.¡± ¡°Got it. Doppy, you ready?¡± ¡°Kriee! Goblin ready!¡± With Doppy¡¯s energetic reply, we turned and set off quickly through the thick jungle, making our way toward the queen. *** [Survive the bugs swarming throughout the forest. Time remaining: 3 hours 37 minutes.] Only seven minutes remained until the bugs would switch from neutral to aggressive mobs and begin their assault on us. Wait, what¡¯s that? I noticed something odd. However, I could tell it wasn¡¯t something I had seen, and I was sure it wasn¡¯t in my field of vision. Given that we could ignore the keybugs, I hadn¡¯t kept particrly alert for anything unusual. And unlike usual, my Sixth Sense didn¡¯t alert me either. This was something else¡ªan unfamiliar and unsettling sensation. I came to a sudden stop, my gaze instinctively darting in the direction of the weird feeling. Seeing me halt without warning, Ha Hee-Jeong turned around, confused. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on? We¡¯ve only got seven minutes left before they start attacking.¡± ¡°Wait a second¡­¡± ¡°Kriee?¡± I didn¡¯t offer much of an exnation, continuing to focus on the strange sensation. Hundreds of insects buzzed through the air around us, and while I felt something, locating the source amidst the swarm proved difficult. ¡°You said we don¡¯t need to catch the keybugs, right¡­¡± Sensing that something had changed, Ha Hee-Jeong fell silent. I zeroed in on the sensation, sweeping my gaze across the dense forest. This fire bug? No, not that one. Tree trunks, ice bugs¡ªnot them either. Leaves, sky, branches¡­ Then I saw it, a lone fire bug. Found you. My Sixth Sense kicked into overdrive. I felt an undeniablepulsion to catch that fire bug. Without hesitation, I activated Lightning Essence,unching myself forward. I was in front of the tree in an instant. Leaping, I pushed off the ground before using the trunk as leverage to propel myself higher. The fire bug, still unaware of my presence, only reacted at thest possible second. It moved instinctively, veering sharply to the left, assuming that a grounded creature wouldn¡¯t be able to change direction in mid-air. It was smart, but not clever enough. With Kashatum¡¯s Sky Shoes, I could adjust my path mid-leap. Stepping in the air, I changed direction, closing in fast. The bug, having thought it had escaped, didn¡¯t make any further moves. It had underestimated me. By the time it realized I was still on its tail, it was toote. Its wings buzzed furiously, clearly panicked. However, its movements were erratic and uncoordinated. In a split second, I extended my arm, snatching the bug out of the air. It writhed in my grasp as its wings iled against the surface of my gauntlet. I tightened my grip, feeling it thrash helplessly. I felt a fleeting sense of disgust at the way it wriggled in my hand, but the gauntlet shielded me from the worst of the sensation. When Inded smoothly, Ha Hee-Jeong looked at me curiously. ¡°What did you catch?¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± My answer did little to rify the situation, and she raised an eyebrow in disbelief. How could I exin it? I was just as uncertain as she was. I gave a nonchnt shrug, and she turned her attention to the bug in my hand. ¡°It looks exactly like a regr fire bug¡­ Did your senses pick up on something?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ something like that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the deal? It doesn¡¯t look any different from the rest of them.¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. The bug had the same ho-like body, red exoskeleton, and stinger-like tendrils. Ordinarily, the keybugs had a key attached to their tails instead of a stinger or tendrils, but this one appeared identical to the others. Still, if my instincts were pointing me toward it, there had to be something. ¡°Should we kill it and see what happens?¡± ¡°Yeah, why not.¡± Her immediate response caught me off guard. I hadn¡¯t expected her to agree so readily. ¡°Wait, really?¡± ¡°Well, we have to kill keybugs to get their key anyway. If there¡¯s something special about this one, we¡¯ll only find out after it¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ You know, now that you mention it, its belly does look a little swollen.¡± Before I could finish speaking, mes erupted from Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s hand, setting the bug¡¯s head aze. I trusted her instincts as she had more experience in this kind of situation. Therefore, when the bug was just about to be consumed by the mes, I let go of it. With its wings already torn off, it couldn¡¯t escape. The fire bug fell, disintegrating into ash before it could even hit the ground. All that remained was a small silver key, whichnded on the ground with a faint metallic clink. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± Our reactions were simr, yet different. While I was merely wondering what this key was for, Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s expression shifted, seemingly piecing something important together. She sighed heavily, and her brow furrowed in frustration. Uh-oh. That was a sure sign she was about to get angry. Sure enough, her temper red. ¡°Damn it! Those bastards left out some critical information in the Community post!¡± ¡°What do you mean? What information did they leave out?¡± *** ¡¸Invisible message: The dormant Bear¡¯s Blood within Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯s body reacts to a bug without sweetness. His skills have leveled up. Bear¡¯s Blood is now lvl 9.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has discovered the Key to the Fire Bug Queen¡¯s Chamber in Zone 1 of the Forest of Insects. All hidden missions in other zones have been nullified.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has initiated the hidden mission ¡®Nature¡¯s Bncer, Nature¡¯s Destroyer.¡¯ He has been awarded 500 achievement points.¡¹ Chapter 52: Thirteenth Floor, the Forest of Insects (2) Chapter 52: Thirteenth Floor, the Forest of Insects (2) ¡°All the information I have on the hidden mission involving the bug queen came from the Community. They said we just had to go right and never mentioned a key." So what she knew wasn¡¯t firsthand knowledge but secondhand hearsay. If we had blindly followed that advice, we might have stumbled upon the entrance to the hidden mission without even being able to enter. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure what had triggered my Sixth Sense earlier, but we likely wouldn¡¯t have found the keybug in time without it. Ha Hee-Jeong murmured to herself, seeminglying to a realization. ¡°Of course... If we need a keybug¡¯s key for the shelters, it stands to reason that we¡¯d need one for the bug queen¡¯s chamber too." ¡°Now that you mention it, that makes sense. It¡¯s a good thing that we found it.¡± ¡°Ugh, damn it. I¡¯m sorry. If it weren¡¯t for you, we¡¯d have been running around like headless chickens.¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯ve got nothing to apologize for. They¡¯re the ones who left out the key information, not you. But, Hee-Jeong¡­ I think we¡¯ve got more pressing concerns right now." There had been seven minutes left earlier. I hadn¡¯t checked the timer since, but it had to be almost up by now. As if on cue, a notification shed before my eyes. [Survive the bugs swarming throughout the forest. Time remaining: 3 hours 30 minutes.] [All bugs in the forest are now hostile toward the climbers.] The buzzing in the forest immediately swelled to a deafening roar, and the sky above darkened from the swarm. Seemingly arriving from every direction, enormous bugs¡ªsome tinted red, others blue¡ªdescended upon us. Each one was about the size of Doppy¡¯s head. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them gathered into dense and writhing clouds. They began surging toward us, like a crimson and cobalt fog that raced through the trees. It reminded me of something. Ah, right. Locust swarms. Of course, these creatures were muchrger, but the sight was eerily reminiscent of the biblical swarms of locusts that devastated crops. ¡°Ugh...¡± I couldn¡¯t help but grimace, revulsed, with shivers crawling up my spine. My shudders weren¡¯t a result of fear, but more of a deeper, visceral disgust. Should we run? ¡°Think we should make a break for it?¡± I asked, eyeing the mass of bugs darkening the sky. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Let¡¯s keep moving at a steady pace. We¡¯ve got the key now, and it¡¯s a straight path. I¡¯ll handle the rear, so you take care of the front.¡± ¡°Just the front? Got it." I turned toward the approaching horde. The bugs in front of us were still a little ways off, but they were closing in fast. How should I handle this? Do I summon a spread of lightning or focus it? The idea of using my Lightning Essence skill to zap them down instantly reminded me of an electric fly swatter. If I used it like that, I would need to spread the arcs wide... Before I could settle on a n, I felt a rush of heat and lighte from behind me. Ha Hee-Jeong was already dealing with the closest wave. Crackle, crackle¡ª The sound of wings beating behind me rapidly died down. Now, the only buzzing came from the swarm ahead. As I began channeling mana with Lightning Essence, Ha Hee-Jeong called out. ¡°Don¡¯t make the lightning too weak!" Too weak? She had a point. These were creatures from the thirteenth floor, so a weak jolt wouldn¡¯t be enough if I wanted to do real damage. I focused and amplified the intensity of the lightning since I needed to cover the entire one-hundred-and-eighty degrees in front of me. Simply spreading it wide wouldn¡¯t be enough, nor would throwing up a basic lightning wall. The trees were too thick and dense, and they would potentially interfere with the flow of lightning. ?????????? It had to be strong and capable of chaining between the enemies. I had to deal with the first wave quickly and decisively. I condensed my mana, converting it into lightning with Lightning Essence, and ensured it would spread the moment it made contact. Lightning naturally chained from one target to another, but I needed to boost that effect. By now, Lightning Essence had reached level 8, its power far beyond what it once was. The first bolt shot toward the oing swarm, slicing through the air, almost instantly connecting with the first cluster of insects. As soon as the bolt struck, it leaped from bug to bug, spreading like wildfire through the horde. With a rapid series of crackling pops, the entire swarm disintegrated. Their bodies burst in a cloud of blue blood that hung in the air like a ghostly mist. Another one. Beyond the blue fog, another wave of bugs closed in. I released another bolt. This time, the lightning shed hundreds of times within the mist, illuminating the swarm before it dissolved into a red haze. To the right now. A third, fourth, and fifth bolt followed, each splitting the air with sharp, sizzling cracks. None of the bugs reached nearby before they were reduced to ash, their bodies popping and disintegrating mid-flight. The smell of burning protein carried on the wind. It was like I was wielding a remote-controlled electric fly swatter. Though somewhat grotesque, I had to admit there was something oddly satisfying about it. Despite the sheer number of bugs I had just taken out from a distance, my mana reserves were rapidly replenishing. Thanks to the Mana umting Gauntlet of the Underworld, I absorbed energy from every dead enemy. During a brief moment of calm, I reyed the fight in my head. Though calling it a "fight" felt generous, since it had been more of a one-sided massacre. Maybe I overdid it a bit. I had followed Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s advice and cranked up the power, but in hindsight, it was probably overkill. Next time I would dial it back. While my gauntlet was restoring my mana reserves, it was still important to manage my energy wisely. There was no point in wasting mana on weaker opponents. Developing the bad habit of using my mana recklessly, as if it were water, was something I wanted to avoid. I was about to move forward and take advantage of the gap left by the dead swarm when Ha Hee-Jeong suddenly warned Doppy. ¡°Doppy, when you see those colored clouds, hold your breath.¡± ¡°Kriee? Human! What?¡± ¡°That mist is toxic. Don¡¯t waste your strength on cleansing spells. Just hold your breath and push through." Toxic? Wait, why didn¡¯t she mention this to me? She was warning Doppy, but what about me? A flicker of annoyance crept in. ¡°Hee-Jeong, what about me?¡± ¡°Hey, you have¡­!¡± She turned to face me, eyebrows raised in disbelief. Suddenly, her expression softened and she smiled, seeming to understand something. She muttered something under her breath, but my heightened abilities caught it easily, ¡°Right... I guess you didn¡¯t realize." ¡°You¡¯ve taken so many elixirs this fog won¡¯t even affect you. In fact, you should breathe it in to boost your Poison Resistance.¡± ¡°Breathe it in? On purpose?¡± ¡°Yeah. Every time you walk through one of those clouds, take a deep breath." ¡°... Alright." I nodded, though my face must have betrayed my bewilderment. Breathing in toxins on purpose sounded absurd. Then again, it wasn¡¯t too different from people deliberately injuring themselves to level up their healing abilities. Wait¡­ that wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. I wondered if the tower would recognize that as a kind of self-training. I will ask Ha Hee-Jeong about thatter. For now, let¡¯s focus on the toxin. I hadn¡¯t actively tried to level up my Poison Resistance before. Except for the first floor where I was poisoned by the goblin¡¯s brew, and the twelfth floor with Herkest, there hadn¡¯t been any opportunities to improve it. Thankfully, some of the elixirs I had drunk improved the skill without me needing to train it. The blue mist loomed ahead. I took a deep breath and stepped into it. ¡°Ugh¡ª Cough! Cough!" The toxin was far stronger than I had anticipated. *** [Survive the bugs swarming throughout the forest. Time remaining: 2 hours 58 minutes.] [All bugs in the forest are now hostile toward the climbers.] By now, I had grown ustomed to the thick, toxic haze that filled the air. It felt like breathing in concentrated smoke, almost like cigarette fumespressed twenty times over. Passing through the blue mist instilled a freezing sensation in my lungs, while the red haze felt as though it warmed them. Oddly enough, the blue fog was far more suffocating than the red one, yet with each breath I became more ustomed to the sensation. My lungs weren¡¯t deteriorating, so I figured my Poison Resistance must have increased, though I didn¡¯t bother confirming it. There was no point in checking my status window while we were still moving toward the hidden mission. Nothing would change. Ha Hee-Jeong unleashed waves of fire, and I wielded lightning. Our actions were repetitive, like clockwork. Every thirty minutes, the swarm¡¯s attacks paused, giving us a chance to press forward steadily. But as we advanced, an unsettling feeling crept over me. ... Wait, what am I missing? It was as if I had overlooked something crucial. My thoughts wandered as we walked, and after a moment, inspiration struck. We were heading toward the fire bug queen¡¯sir. But there were two types of bugs in this forest: fire and ice. Is there really only one queen? The key I obtained after defeating the fire bug nagged at me. For some reason, I felt like there might be an ice bug that held a key as well. Not to mention this floor is designed for two climbers. So far, the thirteenth floor didn¡¯t feel like it truly demanded two people. As long as you caught a keybug within the time limit, the mission was doable. Sure, weaker climbers might struggle, but the tower wasn¡¯t known for being merciful. And then, there was the fact that the fire bug queen was supposedly on the right side. So if there¡¯s another one¡­ Would the ice bug queen be on the left? Once the thought crossed my mind, everything seemed questionable. Sure, it was possible that a single queen controlled both the ice and fire bugs, but something didn¡¯t sit right. Regardless, a feeling nagged at me that we were missing a vital piece of the puzzle. Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned her information came from the Community, not firsthand experience. It bugged me that the key to the queen¡¯s chamber hadn¡¯t been mentioned at all. ¡°Hee-Jeong." ¡°Yeah?" ¡°Do you think there¡¯s only one bug queen?" ¡°What do you mean?" ¡°We¡¯ve seen two types of bugs¡ªice bugs and fire bugs. Don¡¯t forget this floor is designed for two climbers. If there¡¯s a queen on the right, isn¡¯t there a chance another one could be on the left?" ¡°... Wait a second."@@novelbin@@ Her eyes widened, then she frowned, clearly deep in thought. I waited silently and watched her process what I had said. Her reaction seemed to confirm my hunch. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The information I got said there was only one queen, but¡­" ¡°The fact that they didn¡¯t mention anything about the key bothers you, doesn¡¯t it?" ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s part of it. But now that you mention it, it makes sense. There¡¯s a high chance there are two queens. Damn it! Why didn¡¯t I realize this sooner? I¡¯ve been operating on faulty intel from the start." She bit her lip in frustration. Regressors would often fall into a simr pitfall. They had so much information to organize and act upon that the details blurred, and instead of verifying and analyzing what they did know, they would simply assume their knowledge was the truth. Theplexity of reality would be dismissed and they would rely on only surface-level knowledge. ¡°Why would those bastards lie about something like this? Ugh¡­ now¡¯s not the time to dwell on that." Ha Hee-Jeong snapped herself out of it by taking a deep breath. She was right that there wasn¡¯t time to waste. If there was a second queen, we had to act quickly. Too much time had already passed. ¡°I¡¯ll go check the other side." ¡°You will?" ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve burned through a lot of time already, and we¡¯re pretty far from the starting point. You and Doppy take care of the queen on the right." Of course, there was a chance that the left side wouldn¡¯t have a queen, but I couldn¡¯t ignore the likelihood that two queens existed. Killing both would likely grant us greater rewards. It was a gamble between securing the known hidden mission orpleting the floor perfectly. Regardless, we would share whatever achievement points would be earned, so the risk was worth it. ¡°¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s the best n. Let¡¯s do it." Ha Hee-Jeong readily agreed as if she had anticipated my thoughts. ¡°With one queen to the right, the other is probably on the left if it exists at all." ¡°Exactly. If my Sixth Sense kicks in along the way, I¡¯ll follow its lead." ¡°Got it." I nodded in response to her confirmation, before turning and sprinting back along the path we had already taken. I had to move fast. *** After about thirty minutes, a new notification shed before me, seemingly triggered by Ha Hee-Jeong¡¯s actions. I quickly turned my attention to the message. [The fire bug queen has been in. From now on, all bugs in the forest will attack climbers, regardless of time.] *** ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has inhaled ice bug toxins. He has resisted it. He has gained the skill Ice Resistance lvl 1.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has inhaled fire bug toxins. He currently possesses Fire Resistance lvl 5. He has sessfully resisted the toxins.¡¹ ¡­ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has inhaled ice bug toxins. He has resisted it. His skills have leveled up. Ice Resistance is now lvl 3.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has inhaled toxic fumes. He has resisted them. His skills have leveled up. Poison Resistance is now lvl 6.¡¹ ¡­ ¡¸Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok¡¯spanion slew the fire bug queen without his direct participation. He has been awarded 300 achievement points.¡¹ ¡¸Invisible message: Due to the death of the fire bug queen, every fire bug¡¯s power weakens, while every ice bug¡¯s strength increases.¡¹ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!