274. Iron Blood Lord (2)
「I have entered the waiting room on the 22nd floor.」
In the blink of an eye, everything changes.
Before I knew it, I had returned from the guest room on the side of the American Hunter Association to the desolate stone chamber.
I wasn’t surprised in the slightest now.
It just calms down like coming home.
So, as soon as I realized that I had returned to the tower, I activated my exclusive authority.
「Exclusive authority E-0001 [Secret Shop] is activated.」
「The admin-only secret shop is opened.」
It’s nothing else…
“[300000] points were paid to the admin-only secret shop.
” increases by 6.”
All the points obtained by clearing the 21st floor trials were invested in the ability.
It was worth it.
There is no particular item to buy in the shop….
The current level of all abilities has exceeded 1000 and is now growing to 2000.
So, I didn’t think it was a waste to invest all my points in stats.
Not even a little bit.
‘Even though the power of godhood comes from divine power, I still need to raise my abilities.’
It was because he remembered a certain fact while fighting to the limit against the god of battle.
Even if it’s a battle between gods, you can’t solve everything with divinity.
It was all the more so when I thought that I had been strangled by the god of battle before and was driven to the brink of death.
‘Even then, if the durability value was low, I was the one who died…’
It was possible to endure with the durability value to some extent, so the depersonalization skill was activated.
If the skill activation time had not been delayed, he would have died instantly.
Revisiting the importance of stats, I immediately sat down on the floor of the stone chamber.
Originally, she responded to the ordeal as soon as she returned from Earth, but today is slightly different from the past.
‘Let’s use the rewards received from the American Hunter Association now.’
It was worth it.
Because there are rewards from Joseph at the American Hunter Association.
Even the contents are all potion items that can only be obtained in the tower.
There are things I gained even before the decisive battle with the god of battle, so if I use it in combination with that, my growth will be certain.
“You have consumed the specified stat-up potion (A+).” “
Select the stat
to increase your stat. ”
…”
“Ingested the designated stat-boosting potion (A+)…”
“Choose a stat that will increase the value…”
Actually…
“Selected.”
“Challenger Han Sung-yoon’s strength +10 increase.」
「Challenger Han Seong-yoon’s agility increases by +10…」 「Challenger Han Seong-yoon’s physical
strength increases by +10…」
increased by 40.
Due to the random stat increase potion being mixed in, the increase in stats was slightly uneven…
but it didn’t matter much anyway.
“Are there only skill proficiency potions left?”
There are a total of 12 skill proficiency potions currently in hand.
However, if you calculate the total amount of actual skill proficiency increase, it is about 120%.
The skill proficiency increase potions given by the American Hunter Association are all grade C+.
‘The pay is tighter than I thought, but it must be unavoidable.’
However, he could not be dissatisfied with the American Hunter Association.
This is because I robbed all the skill proficiency increase potions from the American Hunter Association.
No matter how American the Hunter Association was, there were not many special potions that could be obtained from the tower.
Even the best challengers can only get skill proficiency potions once in a while.
It is difficult to take possession of it from an individual challenger to that of the Hunter Association.
‘I can’t ask them to come up with something they don’t really have, so I have to be content with this.’
After thinking about it, I immediately drank all the skill proficiency increase potions.
「You took a skill proficiency up potion (C+).」
「Select a skill to increase your proficiency.」
「You took a skill proficiency up potion (C+)…
」 …”
“I took a skill proficiency increase potion (C+)…”
“Select a skill to increase my proficiency…”
A system message poured in before my eyes like a waterfall, and skill options appeared.
Originally, there wouldn’t have been many skills to really grow the grade among these, but
this time, many skills reached the brink of grade growth by defeating the god of battle.
‘It’s rewarding to have greatly raised the proficiency of almost all skills with the divine < Transcendence >.’
So, I was able to get a lot of benefit from investing in the skill proficiency increase potion.
「The mastery of the skill ‘Intangible Sword (SS-)’ has reached 100%.」
「The grade of the skill ‘Intangible Sword (SS-)’ has increased by one level.」
「The skill ‘Battle Acceleration (S-)’ Mastery has reached 100%.」
「The level of the skill ‘Battle Acceleration (S-)’ has risen by one level.」 「
The mastery of the skill ‘Shock Block (A)’ has reached 100%.」
「Skill ‘ The grade of ‘Shock Block (A)’ is raised by one level.」
Skills that have been used in battle so far have grown once.
Even the intangible sword skill achieved a grade increase for the first time since learning it.
Not only that, but combat acceleration and shock resistance are now higher grades, respectively.
‘It’s wonderful.’
With this, you will now be able to easily receive the power of your skills during battle.
That’s how I smiled satisfied and then finished confirming the reward.
Now, this is the end of the reward I received from the American Hunter Association.
‘Now I can take on the challenge…’
So now it’s my turn to climb the tower…
「The manager, ‘Iron-blooded Lord’, is looking at the challenger, Han Seong-yoon.」
Soon after, a system message popped up.
「The manager, ‘Iron-blooded Lord’, asks challenger Han Seong-yoon to talk about a secret wish.」
In an instant, the thought of challenging the ordeal disappeared.
“….”
He must be the same…
「The administrator, ‘Sangblood Lord’, invites you to the administrator’s area.』
He noticed through the system message.
“…”
It means that the time to take on the responsibility that has been put off so far has arrived.
‘In the end, I’m going to do what I have to do.’
It is also a responsibility to bear as a contractor, not as a challenger.
***
The moment you accept the invitation to the admin area.
「I have entered the world of Iron Blood.」
Before I knew it, I was standing in the snow-covered graveyard of swords.
The air that touches the skin is cold.
It feels as if this field of snow is holding onto your body like a bog.
However, I soon cut off the hesitation that held me back and continued my steps.
And as I walked like that, I was able to enter the cabin before I knew it.
「The manager, the Iron-blooded Lord, looks at the challenger Han Seong- yoon.
」
As it has been so far, as I entered the cabin, the iron-blooded lord sent me a look.
However, unlike before, there was a strange desire in her red eyes.
It is the same desire as boiling lava.
And…
“I didn’t expect to see you this soon.”
I then said that and sat down.
Still, to what extent did I get used to this place?
Now, the sense of distance has disappeared to the point where I feel closeness to the iron-blooded lord.
In fact, she seemed to feel some familiarity with me too.
Before he knew it, the iron-blooded lord smiled and spoke in a relaxed voice.
“I agree. I thought you’d decline the invitation again, as you’ve always done. For some reason, I accepted it without hesitation.”
“I know I haven’t turned down many invitations that far.”
“Hoo. Isn’t that pretty bold? Then can I be honest and tell you how many times you have turned down invitations?”
“…”
I immediately closed my mouth, and the iron-blooded lord covered his mouth and laughed.
“It’s good that you have a taste for teasing.”
Like it’s really fun too.
“Is that so…”
I quietly replied as I saw the iron-blooded lord smiling like he was having fun.
It was worth it.
Anyway, it’s because I’m used to this level of nonsense now.
I’ve heard this a lot from other women as well.
I don’t know what the hell is so funny about it.
“okay. If we had met during our Challenger days, I think we would have become friends. That’s pretty much it.”
The iron-blooded lord said that with regret.
Perhaps if we had met during our challenger days, we would have become friends
.
Except for climbing the tower, I don’t pay much attention to others anyway.
In fact, among the challengers on the Earth level, only a handful of people have met many of them.
Wouldn’t it be more intimate with her now?
Thinking so, I shook my head and opened my mouth.
“I don’t think so.”
“…?”
“I still think I am close enough with the iron-blooded lord.”
“Thank you for thinking that way… Chi is intimate. okay. If you look closely at this, they must be close to each other…”
But doesn’t the iron-blooded monarch think so?
She was startled, then lowered her eyes and said as if muttering.
It even dyed his face red before he knew it.
Even his fingers were fidgeting as if he didn’t know what to do.
‘Was it useless…?’
It was only after I saw that that I realized that I had made a mistake too late.
However, as the saying goes, you can’t contain water that overflows from a cup….
Since there is no way to take back what has already been said, I quickly changed the subject.
“It looks like you both enjoyed the chat, so why don’t we get to the point?”
And…
“a longing. I want to know more about the iron-blooded lord’s unfulfilled wish…”
Soon after, the moment I talked to the iron blooded lord about my secret wish.
Immediately, she opened her eyes wide once and clasped her hands tightly.
The iron-blooded lord then nodded as if he had made up his mind.
“…it is. After all, the reason I called you was about my secret wish. But before that, you should ask this.”
The iron-blooded lord asked with a worried look.
“You… you could die because of your longing. Will you go anyway?”
“That’s it, there’s nothing to ask—”
“Tell me carefully. Sungyoon Han. I heard about you from the top. That he killed the god of battle.”
“…”
“That’s why I invited you here. Because now I feel like I deserve to make my wish come true. But you have the right to refuse.”
“Rejection…”
“So if you refuse, it’s okay to refuse—.”
But…
“No.”
Despite her favor, I shook my head and replied that it was okay.
“I will not refuse.”
It was worth it.
“Anyway, the secret wish was something I wanted to achieve someday.”
I hated putting off time to achieve my secret wish later.
On the 27th floor, I might end up killing the administrators.
Anyway, even if it was a battle between the gods, we could predict victory enough now.
“There will be no point in postponing it now.”
So…
“Nothing to worry about.”
The forced growth by dragging out time is now over.
Immediately after that, she asked the iron-blooded lord to make her wish come true, and her eyes shook.
I don’t think I knew that the will to achieve my secret wish would be this big.
But that was only for a moment.
“…i get it. Challenger Han Seong-yoon. I’ll do whatever you want. I will not stop you now.”
The iron-blooded lord continued his speech with a stiff face.
“But at least I should explain the secret wish.”
As if to listen carefully, she calmed her eyes and began to explain.
“I have said it before. My world was invaded and destroyed by evil spirits. Do you remember?”
I definitely remembered.
“I remember.”
“Then it seems easy to explain. A secret wish is a quest modeled after the trials of the tower. So this is no different from the world reproduced by the tower.”
“Then…”
“Perhaps you are right. Sungyoon Han. You must protect the world from the evil spirits that invade my world. That is my earnest wish.”
“Is that so.”
After hearing the Iron Blood Lord’s words, I could clearly understand.
‘Is it to prevent evil spirits from invading the world of the iron-blooded lord recreated by the tower?’
At least, it could be said that it was not an easy difficulty.
Even the godhead intervening in the secret wish is real, not the fake one reproduced by Top.
Therefore, I must stop the evil spirits from invading the world in my secret wish.
It’s easy to understand if you think of it as a defense-type game you’ve played as a child.
It’s just that we have to stop the invasion of the gods with a level of difficulty that cannot even be compared to other games.
“You just need to stop the invasion of evil spirits by following the correct steps in my world.”
The iron-blooded monarch’s eyes lit up after he had said that.
“I think I can finish the explanation at this point, so I will make your wish come true as you wish.”
And…
「Exclusive authority #G-0711[Hope of the Depths] of administrator ‘Sangblood Lord’ has been activated.」
System messages appeared as if obscuring my view. 「Based on the wishes of the manager
,
‘Iron-blooded Lord’, a special ordeal that is out of class will be created.」
「Determine whether to challenge the special contract ordeal < Wish of the Depths: Iron-Blooded Lord >.」 「
Accept: You can enter the world of the manager ‘Iron-Blooded Lord’ reproduced with the power of the tower.」
「Rejected: Special Contract The ordeal < Deepest Desire: Iron-Blooded Lord > is cancelled.」
Before I knew it, the tower asked me to decide whether or not to make my wish come true.
An option not worth thinking about.
I immediately accepted and the system message blinked and disappeared.
Soon after, a certain amount of time has passed.
A system message appeared in front of my eyes as an unfathomable force began to devour my body.
「Enter the Tower of Trials < Wish of the Depth: Iron-Blooded Lord >.」
「Difficulty – Difficulty」
「The subject of the ordeal is ‘Iron-Blooded Lord’.
」 」
It’s nothing else…
「The special contract ordeal < Hope of the Depths: Iron-Blooded Lord > begins.」
「Remaining time – 1 year」
「Order breakthrough condition – within the remaining time, you must prevent the destruction of the world by the godhead. Things」
「Trial Failure Conditions – Challenger’s death or the end of the remaining time」
「Trial Breakthrough Reward – ※ The level of reward will be determined by the Iron Blood Lord’s Appraisal」
「Trial Failure Penalty – death」
Finally, the long-awaited ordeal it started
