Chapter 379 |
Wooong!
[A 5-star class barrier ‘Mirage Cliff’ has been activated!]
Instead of cutting off his opponent’s breathing with his sword, Jinhyuk deployed a barrier designed to distort vision around them.
“What, what are you doing? What’s this?”
Caught off guard, the entity called Naetae couldn’t hide its panic.
“Just stay still. I want to have a bit of a chat, that’s all.”
“A chat, you say? With you?”
“Our relationship might be like this now, but in the future, it could change dramatically, couldn’t it?”
Jinhyuk shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
“That you’re serving Guntapehr with all your loyalty. I know it’s not really loyalty from the heart. You had no choice, having been forced into a pact of subjugation, right?”
“……”
Naetae clenched its lips tightly.
He had, indeed, struck a nerve.
“What you really want is to be free from those constraints and to rest at ease forever. A life where you do nothing, unbound by anyone. If you strike a deal with me, I can guarantee that.”
It was an offer that couldn’t be refused.
Naetae desired rest more than anything else.
And such bait was irresistible.
“Is that even possible? My opponent is one of the demon lords of the underworld.”
“You know better than anyone, having faced me directly. With me, even a demon lord can be defeated.”
“It’s preposterous. To consider fighting an immortal, with your mortal body…”
A conversation not even worthy of listening to on a normal day.
There’s a line that even boasting should not cross.
However…
“I suppose I don’t have a choice anyway.”
Death or trust.
If those were the only two options, then the answer was clear.
Fwoosh!
Jinhyuk activated ‘Soul Branding.’
A brilliant flame flickered at his fingertip, and a new contract of subjugation was inscribed upon a soul.
“As you know, I can’t defy Guntapehr. That means I cannot side with you if it comes to battle with the demon lord.”
“I’m aware. A contract with a higher divine being would have far more stringent restrictions. What I want is insider information. His movements, his plans. Inform me immediately if there’s new intel.”
“That’s doable.”
“The same goes for the other Seven Sins. Especially ‘Envy’—let me know everything without fail.”
Even though the residing upper echelons of the Seven Sins were not bound by a pact of subjugation with Guntapehr like Naetae,
they had formed a cooperative relationship due to their mutual interests.
They were all obstacles that needed to be eliminated.
Among them, Envy possessed the most troublesome abilities.
A menace not just to legendary heroes, but a challenge even to the divine beings.
“Understood. As you wish.”
With a nod from Naetae, ‘The Phantasmal Sect’ declared their surrender.
With that…
One of the major powers of the 20th floor had crumbled.
And simultaneously…
[A new major power arises on the 20th floor!]
[Achievement condition for conquering the floor has been met!]
A status message heralding a new beginning appeared.
＊＊＊
In the upper echelons of the tower, called the Hills of Storms,
torches ignited in unison within a cavern lined with giant statues of dragons.
Wooosh.
The darkness receded as a tiny goblin began to traverse the pathway.
“Things are turning out more interesting than I thought. I didn’t expect even the outer defenses of the fortress to be breached.”
Hasting muttered to himself, only for a new voice to interrupt him from the shadows.
“Indeed. Honestly, I expected more from the winged ones, but they were neatly repelled.”
A short, bob-haired figure in a dress emerged.
The first dragon, ‘Tamia.’
She was the absolute ruler leading the clan of the Red Dragons.
“As Kizakiel was in a fleeing state, he had to fight with shackles on one ankle.”
Finally, Axension, one of the vampire lords, added his own comment.
“Hehe. Still, we gained much from this. We’ve had a glimpse at the enemy’s force and defensive tactics in advance. They’re useful pawns for testing.”
Step by step.
With those words, the steps of Hasting came to a stop.
“We’ve arrived.”
“This is the place you insisted we see?”
“That’s right. Take a look.”
Hasting pointed toward one end.
At the end of the statues lay an ominously white, large bone.
[The bones of the Ancient Dragon ‘???’]
“This is……”
Axension’s gaze narrowed.
Even for him, a vampire lord with little contact with dragons, the knowledge of an ancient dragon was not unheard of.
One of the most powerful beings in the tower.
A race that could threaten even the dwellers of the 50th floor.
“Hmm. What have we here, Manager sir? You called us to this forsaken spot, only to reveal something like this? Oh, looking at the skeleton and the remnants of its power, he seems to be from the lineage of the destructors, yes?”
Tamia inspected the bones with interest.
“Indeed, you recognized it instantly, Tamia.”
“Of course, I knew it. Let’s see… Destia. Yes, from that bloodline.”
“Destia? Isn’t that the dragon residing on the 48th floor?”
“That’s right. He was a kin of mine until his filthy antics won favor with those above. Earned the overly generous title of ‘Destructor’ because of it.”
Tamia reflected on the past with a bitter taste in her mouth.
A title that only ancient dragons could achieve.
Not as alien as the Dragon of the Void, but even so, a Destructor was still a monster dwelling in the highest levels of the tower.
And now, the remains of such a monster…
… had fallen into their hands.
“This is really interesting. So, Manager sir, what do you plan to do with this corpse?”
“There are many ways it could be utilized.”
The corners of Hasting’s mouth curled upwards.
Using the carefully accumulated data and the byproducts of the strongest beings,
this time for sure, he had to kill that damned player and regain the trust of the 50th floor.
That was the only way the balance of the tower could be maintained, as a higher administrator.
＊＊＊
Conquering the 20th floor,
Jinhyuk had conquered yet another level by toppling its largest entity.
In particular, with the revelation of the Highwater Corporation’s deeds in saving everyone during the ultimate betrayal of the combined raid leader Peydon, the outside of the tower celebrated another mythic victory.
-MintChocoPizza: As expected, Jinhyuk and the Highwater Corporation are as reliable as a hot bowl of soup. Gulp!
-Dutiful Servant No. 1: But really, rushing the tower conquest and abandoning all raid members just to save himself? Is that true about what’s-his-name, Peydon?
-Reply4600thFloor: He was a fairly well-known player, I really don’t get it.
-YouAreAlreadyDead: With the tower’s resources overflowing, he gambled for wealth and glory. The results, though, turned out to be even worse.
-AntDuunDuun: After this incident, even major guilds are said to be pulling out of tower conquests. The losses among rankers must be huge.
-NoMatterHowMuchIGinger, IPreferGarlic: Well, there were many casualties. The newly awakened players are still lacking in experience.
-S2LillpeS2: If not for Jinhyuk, the upper floors are practically impossible to conquer lol. T_T
Guilds have their own hierarchies.
Walls that can never be crossed.
Most viewers were now in agreement. Thus, the stock of the Highwater Corporation could only soar.
‘Everything is going exactly as planned.’
Jinhyuk nodded in satisfaction.
This was one of the plans he had since first entering the Tower of Trials.
That is, to captivate the viewers and secure a dominant position.
‘I love that I can manipulate the edits to cut out crucial scenes and only maneuver favorable ones.’
Now he had monopolized the currency and, by conquering the top floors, he had solidified his position as a powerful entity.
[The ‘Castle of Giants’ currently occupied by the Highwater Corporation is of medium to large stronghold status.]
‘Hmm. Before proceeding to the 35th floor, I should at least upgrade it to large stronghold status…’
The pace was by no means slow.
In recent years, his was the largest faction to be formed.
Still, for a more stable conquest ahead, further effort was necessary.
That was when it happened.
“What are you doing? Smiling to yourself?”
Elise cocked her head as she stood beside him.
Dressed for the imperial banquet, she found Jinhyuk’s silent smile out of place.
“Nothing much. Just feeling good.”
“Hmm. It’s because of my dress, isn’t it? Eh? How is it? Doesn’t it look good?”
Elise spun around in place, showing off.
Her dress retained both lavish splendor and stately beauty, a true ancient imperial treasure gleaming all on its own.
Paired with precious stones she specially prepared for the banquet, they showcased her unrivaled beauty.
Immediately, many surrounding nobles blushed upon seeing her.
‘Although she’s always a troublemaker, she’s quite impressive in her own right.’
Not just her—Theresa, Andrea, and Frey among the members of the Highwater Corporation each boasted their beauty.
Likewise, the men also captured everyone’s attention.
Chaeyuseong conversing with Ebrahim, the exotic-looking Wolyoung still bearing traces of youth, simply standing created a frenzy.
As for Suhyeonsayeong and Amhwang, there was no need to even mention.
“You idiot! I asked if it’s because of my dress!”
Elise raised her voice as Jinhyuk didn’t reply.
But by then, Jinhyuk’s focus had already shifted far away.
“……”
Amidst the crowd,
an out-of-place aura mingled.
Faint enough to almost miss, yet unmistakably familiar.
“Stay here for a bit and eat some cake.”
“Don’t give me that cake talk! Look at me!”
“Here’s the strawberry cake you like. Enjoy.”
“Strawberry is my least… ugh. Mmm!”
A large piece of cake was stuffed into Elise’s mouth.
Seizing the moment, Jinhyuk walked past the people, heading toward the terrace of the main banquet hall.
The tranquil spot bathed in moonlight,
seemingly cut off from the clamorous interior.
There stood two men of contrasting builds.
“Considering the time, you should be busy running around, so how did you make it here? Don’t give me some unbelievable excuse like you’re here to enjoy the banquet.”
Jinhyuk was the first to speak.
“Haha. I thought I hid my presence well, but to be detected so quickly…”
“Your disguise is too shoddy. But you do have quick wits. Indeed, befitting a player everyone wants to recruit.”
A massive body of muscles alongside one that was sleek and slender.
They may have donned different guises, but the essence beneath couldn’t be deceived.
Thor and Loki.
The Norse deities belonging to Ragnarok had come to the empire.
Precisely…
‘To meet me.’
Jinhyuk’s eyes narrowed.
He had a rough idea why they were here, but…
This timing meant there must be more to it.
“It looks like it’s going to be a long night.”