297. Special Hierarchy (1)
「Complete calculation of compensation.」
「Reward is given according to the emotional state of the iron-blooded monarch.」
「As a reward for breaking through the special contract ordeal, ‘Tome of Divine Replica (EX)’ is sent to the inventory. It will be done.”
“As an additional breakthrough reward for the special contract ordeal, ‘Skill Proficiency Up Potion (SSS+)’ will be sent to your inventory.]
I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide as I saw the system messages popping up in front of me.
‘This is…’
It was just like that.
This is because the rewards obtained after completing the ordeal exceed expectations.
Even at a rough estimate, it is enough to compete for the top level among the rewards obtained while climbing the tower.
Even the item called ‘Divine Replica Book (EX)’ was showing a grade beyond the SSS+ level that I had never seen before and didn’t even know existed.
It was easy to figure out what that meant.
‘It’s like getting one of the best rewards you can get from the Tower of Trials.’
With this, I got an item of the grade that I will get at the end of the tower.
There is still a long way to go, but…
Still, acquiring the highest-grade item as a reward for the first time meant a lot.
At least you can guess what you can get at the end of the tower through the ‘Book of Divine Replica (EX)’.
Not even that.
‘Is the skill proficiency up potion also SSS+ level…’
A skill proficiency up potion.
An item that can increase proficiency by designating a skill.
Even this item, which was only received as an additional reward, has been given a phenomenal grade of SSS+.
Because it was a skill proficiency raising potion of a level that had not been allowed to be seen, my heart was filled with anticipation in an instant.
But that was only for a moment.
“…”
I tried to suppress my emotions while keeping my mouth shut.
It was still too early to be excited about the reward obtained after crossing the wall.
That would be the case…
‘I have work to do.’
Even if the ordeal is over, there is still work to be done.
The relationship with the iron-blooded lord that has been built up until now is not over.
And what to do has already been decided.
‘At the very least, I’ll have to check whether or not the iron-blooded lord’s wish came true with this.’
It was worth it.
Currently, I have fulfilled the long-cherished wish of the iron-blooded lord.
But even so, I don’t know if this is really the ending the iron-blooded lord wanted.
So, to some extent, I wanted to check her reaction.
At best, it was only a fake, and it was a daydream that might come true if she reached the final floor of the tower, but she wanted to know if her wish had come true.
‘At least until then, I won’t be able to be genuinely happy.’
As if the heart is squeezed tightly, the soaring emotions subside calmly and the mind regains tranquility.
“…”
and then.
“You have entered the world of Iron Blood.”
Soon after, the pitch-black world changed to the inside of a cabin.
“Are you finally here…”
A weak, thin, trembling voice came to my ears.
“I’ve been waiting for you all this time.”
It’s nothing else…
“Han Seong-yoon.”
The iron-blooded lord was sitting in his seat with a calm expression in his eyes.
***
The passage of time passed slowly, enveloped in silence.
How many minutes had passed since I returned from the ordeal of my secret wish?
Before I knew it, I sat down facing the iron-blooded lord.
After sitting there for a while, the iron-blooded lord revealed his blackened eyes and said,
“…I’ve seen your performance so far.”
She spoke in the quietest possible tone.
“Not only did it prevent the end of the world, but it also killed the evil spirit and wiped out all its remnants. … a feat that no one else could have achieved. Sungyoon Han. You have accomplished your wish splendidly.”
A situation where words like praise follow.
However, he couldn’t help but know that there was a feeling of emptiness beyond that.
Then, I looked at her with my mouth closed, and then the iron-blooded lord smiled bitterly and said.
“…To be honest, I think it was an undeserved ending for me.”
“Is that so.”
“Don’t even do that. … I protected the world, and it wasn’t enough, so I inherited the throne, and I didn’t even get a great entourage called you.”
“It was.”
“But that’s why I couldn’t erase the feeling of loss.”
“…”
The Iron Blood Lord slowly closed his eyes and continued.
“If I hadn’t met you this way… and what if that was real, not fake.”
The disappointment in her voice was not that light.
“Know. It’s just a dream that won’t come true anyway. Still, I couldn’t help but dream.”
Perhaps the iron-blooded lord wanted the events in the secret garden to be real.
However, the world reproduced by the tower is fake and only an illusion, even if one earnestly desires it.
So, no matter how many times she repeated the ‘what if’ assumption, she couldn’t get what she wanted.
‘Even though it’s cruel, this is the reality.’
And the iron-blooded lord knew this for sure.
“But now the time for dreaming is over…”
she said with a small smile.
Now, as an administrator, you must have noticed that you can’t do anything because you’ve achieved your secret wish by activating your authority only once.
But that doesn’t mean there’s no way out at all.
Even if the reality was cruel, it could not be overturned.
Before I knew it, I opened my mouth with my eyes submerged below the surface of the water.
“It may not be over yet.”
Baekhak Geomseon had told me before.
If you reach the end of the tower, the administrator’s secret wish may work as a modification of the past.
If so, you can see that the iron blooded lord’s wish has not come to an end.
If at least I, the challenger who signed a contract with her, arrives at the top of the tower, the story will be different.
And in a completely different form than before.
“Maybe there is a way that will not end at this level…”
“Are you talking about reaching the end of the tower and replacing what happened in the Secret Garden with the truth?”
“That’s right.”
“No one knows if that will be possible. It’s funny that I, a quasi-god at best, say it… My dear. No one has seen the end of the tower.”
“…”
The iron-blooded lord continued with black dead eyes.
“Why the tower appeared, why its purpose led to the death of the godhead, and what lay at its end… no one could know.”
“I guess so.”
“There were some who were former challengers who became deities, and there must be some deities who were challengers who are still alive and assisting the tower.”
“I know that too.”
I had seen the deity from a challenger once before.
Lightsaber Emperor.
The challenger who once climbed the tower, as seen in the trials on the 17th floor, and the divinity now subordinate to the tower.
I still haven’t forgotten all of his words and actions.
‘I still haven’t forgotten what the lightsaber handed over.’
That would be the case too…
‘As time passes, I’ll have to go find the legacy left by the lightsaber.’
Because I have a plan to go to Moorim’s world to pick up the treasures of the lightsaber festival in the future.
…And that’s why I knew what the Iron Blood Lord meant to me.
Even the deities from challengers like the light sword emperor couldn’t see the end of the tower in the end.
For those who wish to see the end of the tower, it may sound like a thunderclap.
‘Even if even people like the Lightsaber didn’t see the end of the tower, the possibility of seeing the end itself would not fade.’
But even so, it was too early to despair.
“But it’s not at all impossible to reach the final floor of the tower, is it?”
It was worth it.
If I had ruled out the possibility and fought with limits set up until now, I wouldn’t have been able to come this far.
It is not an unfounded conviction that only I will be different.
Even if it is close to impossible, if there is even the slightest possibility, seeing the end of the tower cannot be dismissed as an absurd story at all.
“I admit it.”
And the iron-blooded lord did not deny that.
“You certainly have the potential to see the end.”
However, her expression only shook slightly, and nothing changed that much.
“But in other words, that’s all. You are not qualified to see the end of the tower yet.”
“…”
“Your power has now reached an area I cannot fathom. But you are still only a challenger climbing the early 20th floor. It’s too early to discuss the end of the tower here.”
“I will not deny it.”
As the iron-blooded lord said, I couldn’t mention the final floor of the tower yet.
“But it’s hard to deny the possibility that you can see the end of the tower.”
So, what I could do here was not certain.
“So, it’s not something to dismiss as a daydream and end it.”
It should be enough to let the Iron Blood Lord know that there is still hope.
In fact, the iron blooded lord smiled bitterly with his eyes wide open when he heard those words.
As if he had received an unexpected comfort.
Indeed…
“…you always give me hope without end.”
As it was, the iron-blooded lord smiled softly and continued.
“When I see you like that, I can’t help but dream even if I know that it’s just a fleeting hope…
And.
“…Then don’t wait here.”
Her red jewel-like eyes slowly shone brightly, and joy filled the corners of her mouth.
“Until the day comes when you reach the top of the tower, I will remain here and observe your journey.”
Even a smile full of joy that I have never seen before.
“Because that is the last hope given to me.”
***
Time passed neither fast nor slow.
“I have entered the waiting room on the 22nd floor.”
Before I knew it, I was able to get out of the manager’s realm and return to the waiting room.
‘This is the end of the iron-blooded lord’s longing.’
The iron-blooded lord’s long-cherished wish has now been fulfilled.
I couldn’t help but feel that my feelings were renewed.
It was worth it.
I never imagined that I would now fulfill what I had promised in the past when I was climbing the tower and did not know anything about divinity.
“…”
A challenger who didn’t know anything at the time was looking at the realm beyond
.
Even more so when you consider that he has now stepped into the realm of a higher godhead.
Well, despite that, it’s absurd that there’s still a long way to go.
‘As expected, climbing the tower is fun.’
Even if you have stepped into the world of higher gods, the realm of ancient gods is still far away.
So, I was inevitably curious.
At most, how far could I, who was chosen by the Tower as a challenger of the minor dimension, go in the world that the gods look at?
After thinking for a while, I shook my head.
‘But at least I’m not going to think about the ancient deities for now.’
I didn’t have enough time to see the world of the ancient gods yet.
At best, it was as if he had just entered the world of a higher deity…
Considering the future to come, he had to refrain from looking far away.
‘At least until I reach the 27th floor, I guess.’
27th floor.
The future seen in < The Field of Proof > was not so far away.
Not enough to kill the managers who have built up trust so far with this hand, but the case of becoming a broken machine that only pursues an infinitely high place.
It didn’t feel that far away to me, who would now be on the 22nd floor.
“I really don’t have much time left…”
While obtaining the < Spirit Tuning > of the transcendence myth, he gained room to interfere with the top.
But this was just not enough.
At the very least, like the < Spirit Tuning > of the transcendence myth, he should acquire the ability to interfere with the power of the tower again.
Only then will we be able to twist the future that will take place on the 27th floor.
Not even that.
‘And before the 27th floor, I have to clear the white crane inspection, so there’s a lot of work to do.’
The time to fulfill the white crane inspection’s longing was approaching.
“I think we should meet Baekhak Geomseon after clearing the next floor.”
Perhaps after achieving the secret wish of the White Crane Swordsman, wouldn’t it be equipped with the power to interfere with the tower?
This time, I had a strong thought because I had grown greatly while fulfilling the iron-blooded lord’s secret wish.
It is assumed that the secret wish of the white crane inspection, which will be experienced in the future, will be similar.
But it was only for a moment that I thought so.
‘Anyway, this is something I can think about after breaking through the next ordeal.’
It was not so good to spend so much time on the secret wish of the White Crane Swordsman, which was to be held later.
Wouldn’t it change something just by thinking about her secret wish?
If so, the priority is to take time to check the rewards and check the equipment in preparation for the next ordeal.
‘Come to think of it, I haven’t seen the item I received as a reward from the tower yet.’
And…
“Inventory.”
The moment when I checked one of the rewards obtained after finishing the iron-blooded lord’s secret wish.
「Ancient Book of Divinity Replica」
「Grade: EX」
「An ancient book containing a very small amount of ‘Reappearance’, one of the powers of the Tower of Trials.
」 It is possible.”
「※However, after copying and acquiring one of the divinities, the item itself disappears and disappears.」
“….”
I had no choice but to hold my breath while holding the old old book.
“What the hell is this…”
He would be like that too…
‘What is this again…’
To make the assumption that this is really an old book that can replicate divinity.
“…is this really the reward given by the tower?”
…isn’t this an item that can even replicate the divinity of an ancient deity?
