I got into school for nothing-223
I got into school for nothing (223)
Lesson 44. A Strike Piercing the Gap - 3
Rucell, who had her chance to spend the night with Ban Yuwon snatched away by As Light's unexpected cut-in, was not in a good mood that morning.
"I can't believe it was all an act to make me drop my guard."
"Such foolishness couldn't possibly all be an act. It's probably her original will subconsciously seeping through."
Naturally, As Light hadn't done anything untoward to Ban Yuwon.
He had simply held onto him with the attitude that it was natural for two men to share the same tent.
This seemed consistent with As Light's words and actions since the academy started, but it also contained a strange stubbornness and childishness that couldn't be explained by that alone.
Indeed, As Light's will must still be resisting the damn spirit that had taken over her body!
Ban Yuwon sighed at Rucell, who made unusually blind and impulsive judgments when it came to him.
"If As Light had that kind of acting skill, we wouldn't have discovered her identity so quickly. Stop pouting and eat your soup."
"Uuuugh..."
Rucell took the bowl, still looking tearful, but quietly sipped her soup.
Ban Yuwon ate his share of soup, his gaze fixed on the book in his hand.
It was a kind of ability research journal that Grandfather Ban had given him when he left home.
He had awakened the Codeword, the power to actualize language, and it was closely related to Ban Yuwon's own ability, so the journal held considerable value for him.
'No, it's more than that.'
Grandfather Ban was the one who had fully inherited the power and secrets of the Ban family.
When Ban Yuwon entered the academy, his grandfather had helped him absorb concepts from various relics, but he also privately possessed an incredibly vast number of relics.
This journal, too, was created using one of those artifacts and possessed the effect of enhancing the reader's comprehension and concentration.
Perhaps it also had the effect of making him empathize with the author, as Ban Yuwon could feel Grandfather Ban's thoughts and the sensation of handling his abilities as he read the journal.
'Codeword... While vulnerable in terms of speed because one must vocalize it directly, its effect is absolute. Moreover, a deep understanding of language could help my Authorities overall.'
He recalled how, when he first awakened his ability, he had desperately combined various language concepts and created mystical outcomes to overcome stronger foes.
The simple blunt weapon becoming imbued with spiritual energy and evolving into the prototype of Eve now felt miraculous, even in retrospect.
However, after a certain level of growth, the concepts available in his surroundings became limited, and the results obtained by combining them were not as dramatic.
The most recent successful case was perhaps Rucell's Wildness Furnace.
'By thoroughly studying this journal, I might be able to create more such opportunities.'
Thanks to diligently collecting language concepts whenever significant events occurred, rare concepts still lay dormant in his Code Core.
From the concept of 'giant' obtained during his first solo exploration, to 'corruption' and 'death' acquired by summoning demonic creatures with Shatie's help, to 'Concept Conversion' from Ketra, 'Deification' from his last solo exploration, and 'Synthesis' after clearing the Orc Wave—
Each concept was too valuable to be used individually and, though impossible for now, surely had a dramatic application.
'In that regard, the concepts I acquired this time were a bit unexpected.'
Having finished perusing the journal, Ban Yuwon instead created a small, 'blue-tinged' vortex in one hand, his eyes sparkling.
There was 'Collapse', obtained by destroying the Avatar of the Benevolent North Wind, and 'Divine Wind', which appeared to be his unique Authority.
Surprisingly, these were concepts that even Ban Yuwon could directly wield now.
Among them, Divine Wind was a wind-attributed concept similar to the Prominence family's unique Authority, the Unquenchable Flame. Thanks to acquiring this, the depth of his Elemental Magic deepened once again to 520.
"You, that wind."
Dokgo Yeon's eyes narrowed as she watched Ban Yuwon test Divine Wind.
Having experienced Room 149 with him, she couldn't possibly mistake the origin of that wind.
"You noticed."
"It's no wonder the Constellations are desperate to get rid of you when you can just snatch away Authorities so easily."
"It's nothing grand. Compared to what that Avatar wielded, it's just a faint breeze."
"The strength of the power isn't what's important. It's that the *quality* of the power is the same. Moreover, you have Yugi. You could strengthen it even further."
"Perhaps, in due time."
What if he were to mix it with Unquenchable Flame, which was also the power of a Constellation?
It would probably become a composite attribute that no one else could handle.
And if he succeeded in incorporating Starlight, however imperfectly?
By then, he would reach a realm beyond the boundaries of elemental magic or photon magic.
Since things had turned out this way, he thought it might not be a bad idea to aim for the powers of other Constellations that wielded elemental forces.
'It was certainly a good choice to create Yugi, which isn't limited solely to martial arts.'
Martial arts, huh.
Perhaps they were thinking the same thing, as Ban Yuwon and Dokgo Yeon's gazes simultaneously turned to the opposite side.
There stood As Light, who had finished his meal earlier than the others and was swinging his sword.
His sword strikes now held a depth different from before.
The spear arts As Light had learned from Dokgo Yeon were gradually seeping into his swordplay.
He swung his sword with unwavering concentration, almost as if he were trying to erase the traces of martial arts from his movements.
The reason for this needed no deep thought.
Just like his impulsive actions yesterday, the Rebellion members had succeeded in stimulating As Light's inner self.
'At any rate, I've got a rough idea from this expedition. All I need to do is create a situation where the real As Light will emerge.'
Perhaps it was the friendship he held for the Rebellion members.
Perhaps it was his competitive spirit towards the Tower.
Or perhaps, it was the rather deep feelings he harbored for Ban Yuwon.
Frankly, stimulating the last one seemed the easiest.
If he asked Rucell and Mira for their cooperation, they would gladly oblige, and it would surely elicit a reaction from As Light...
'No, this makes me sound like a genuine playboy.'
It was unfair; he was by no means a scoundrel who went around flirting with women!
For a moment, a dark memory flashed through his mind, and the nightmare of Ban-sanova resurfaced, but he shook his head to dispel it.
Just then, As Light sheathed his Holy Sword and walked towards him.
"Still planning to rest?"
"No, let's go. It seems like the Chain Room will continue, so everyone brace yourselves."
The Chain Room grew harder with each successive room.
The Chain Room had already extended beyond 20 rooms; uploading this video would surely cause an uproar on the Rebellion channel once again.
The problem was that no one knew how long the irregular phenomenon that occurred in Room 149 would last.
It was a very dangerous expedition, but the concepts and information gained during this exploration were invaluable, unattainable through normal expeditions.
'When As Light first made that blunder, I thought this expedition was doomed anyway, and we should just retire and try again. But maybe forcibly breaking through the Trick Room was the right choice after all...'
Always fulfilling the Tower's demands would only mean playing on a meticulously crafted board.
To make deeper contact with the Constellations and to uncover the Tower's secrets, he might have to make unexpected choices in the future.
"Let's go."
"Since it's come to this, let's finish the expedition quickly..."
The party packed up their belongings, each chewing on the last remaining Eden's Life Fruit, and opened the door to the next room.
It was an astonishingly lightless, dark world.
A fierce battlefield unfolded there.
A small number of humans were holding out against monsters assaulting them from all sides, behind flimsy barricades that looked ready to collapse at any moment.
"Ah! Our Savior has arrived!"
Some very familiar faces greeted the party.
Ban Yuwon, who had never imagined his connection with the NPCs would stretch this far, felt a sense of burden as he faced them, their faces brightening instantly upon seeing him.
"..."
Meanwhile, As Light, observing that the NPCs' hearts had completely turned to Ban Yuwon, wore a slightly uncomfortable expression.
If this also served to stimulate him, then playing 'leader' with the NPCs for a while wouldn't be so bad, he thought, licking his lips. Just then, A question suddenly occurred to Ban Yuwon.
'Wait, if the Tower creates rooms by cutting out and attaching parts of other worlds that originally existed... then these NPCs?'
Of course, he had already concluded in the past, through his keen perception, that they weren't real people, but overestimating his judgment within the Tower, where anything could happen, was...
Ban Yuwon decided to stop thinking about it for now.
There was no basis for judgment, nor was it helpful to him.
"What's the situation?"
"Ever since the Tower collapsed and our Savior disappeared, monsters suddenly began to pour in. Perhaps... it's because this place is the only safe haven from destruction."
"It's a monster wave!"
"We can no longer feel the power of the gods that remained on the land. We must overcome this situation with human strength alone...!"
Why did the Chain Room continue even in a situation like this?
If the opportunity to contact the Constellations who seemed to know the Tower's secrets had disappeared, then there was even less to gain from the Chain Room.
Poor NPCs are suffering, Ban Yuwon grumbled inwardly, but quickly created a barrier to reinforce the barricade.
As As Light raised his Holy Sword and headed towards the NPCs, trying to regain the initiative, Dokgo Yeon, for some reason, made no move, merely looking around.
"...It seems to be trying to teach us in a way I don't particularly like."
"Teach? What?"
"A sample of punishment. Ban Yuwon, you saw it in Room 149, didn't you? How presumptuous the Constellations were, from the Tower's perspective, trying to create something beyond their place."
"Indeed... Then this is a historical replay."
The result the Constellations tried to create by imitating the Tower of Babel, was, by the exercise of the Tower's power that noticed it, completely severed and exiled within the Tower.
Then what happened to the world where that Tower originally existed?
Presumably, that outcome was the situation the party was currently witnessing.
Even if not entirely identical, this room depicted the state of the world after the Tower's collapse.
Thinking of it that way, the series of events, starting from violating the Trick Room's conditions, might align with the Tower's will.
"Of course, the monsters and people are products created by the Tower. That crude, fake Tower must have been a textbook. The Tower's warning not to go astray."
"In that case... this room is also the Tower's reward for us."
Ban Yuwon clapped his hands, stating a clear conclusion thanks to Dokgo Yeon.
Dokgo Yeon, though wearing a displeased expression, did not refute his words and quietly nodded.
"Although the real world might have been destroyed like this, we'll ultimately hunt all these monsters and receive the Chain Room's rewards."
"It extended the Chain Room as a reward for crushing the Constellations' will and toppling their Tower, giving us both a warning and a reward."
Thinking that, this gloomy world suddenly began to look like a treasure trove.
The Constellations, the main cause of irregular phenomena, could no longer intervene in this Chain Room, and the rewards from the Tower only increased with each continuation.
There was no better opportunity than this to gain a deeper understanding of his 'Life' concept, which had recently slowed in growth.
However, the situation itself, taken in isolation, was a little funny.
After all, punishing the Constellations who created a false Tower and toppling their Tower — it was too similar to the conclusion of the Tower of Babel described in the Bible.
'So, which side is truly in the wrong, in the end?'
Would he find out if he reached the top of this Tower?
Ban Yuwon shrugged, stopping his unanswered thoughts, and joined the battlefield with his own sword.
The Chain Room, which continued through several shifts and multi-shifts, finally ending at Room 159, concluded that afternoon, along with the Tower's reward of raising Ban Yuwon's 'Life' by 30.
All the NPCs survived.
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