Chapter 161: 33rd Floor. Loser of the Great War. God of Counts. Numberless (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 161: 33rd Floor. Loser of the Great War. God of Counts. Numberless (1)
[Title: I’m starting to get used to the existence of gods.]
[Man. It’s a strange feeling.]
* * *
“The first reward is straightforward. Until now, I’ve crafted equipment however I pleased once you handed over the materials. But from now on, you can choose the specific type of equipment whenever I forge something for you.”
“Can I also choose the specific shape and decorations?”
“Of course.”
“I see.”
A curious smile played on Kang Jun-hyeok’s lips.
Clearing certain floors often required something beyond a player’s raw combat ability. For instance, there were floors where one had to complete a mission secretly assigned by a specific family. If you crafted a token symbolizing that family beforehand and brought it with you, you could bypass various tedious problems.
On other floors, a kingdom might have lost a sword passed down through generations; in such cases, you could ask a blacksmith to replicate its form to resolve the quest.
It was a reward that could be incredibly useful for climbing the Tower.
But that was a story for later. There was a reward he could use right now.
The blacksmith snapped his fingers. With a heavy rumbling, the wall behind him slid open, revealing countless weapons and pieces of armor hanging within.
“This is my armory. Take any one item you desire.”
“Thank you.”
Jun-hyeok grinned.
* * *
The second reward of the quest: he was allowed to take one piece of equipment crafted by the blacksmith.
The sharpness emanating from the gear on the wall was extraordinary. Jun-hyeok picked up a dagger.
[Sharply Forged Meteoric Iron Dagger]
• Category: Weapon
• Rank: High-Rank
• Speed +10
• Attack Power +66
• A dagger made by honing ancient meteoric iron to an infinite edge. A weapon forged by the hands of a truly exceptional blacksmith can cut through all things.
Jun-hyeok let out a soft exclamation.
A High-Rank weapon. Despite being a dagger, its attack power was 66, and it even boosted his Speed stat by 10.
The dagger wasn't the only impressive thing. Jun-hyeok touched a suit of armor hanging nearby. Though clearly made of metal, it flexed as smoothly as leather.
[Softly Forged Metal Armor]
• Category: Top
• Rank: High-Rank
• Speed +11
• Defense +35
• An exceptional blacksmith refined metal to give it a texture like leather. Even dwarves would fail to comprehend the technique used.
Its defense was a staggering 35.
Just these two pieces of equipment were far superior to what he currently wore. Next, Jun-hyeok looked at a greatsword.
[Killing Monster]
• Category: Weapon
• Rank: High-Rank
• Strength +10
• Attack Power +100
• Kill the monsters.
“Hah.”
There were hundreds of items of this caliber scattered around. It felt like a dream.
“That’s the limit of what I can give you right now. Anything more is impossible. These damn restrictions are surprisingly tight.”
“I wasn't complaining.”
If anything, the blacksmith looked dissatisfied that he could only show equipment of this level.
Jun-hyeok slowly scanned the armory. Each piece was so excellent it was hard to find a single flaw. This, ironically, made the decision difficult. Being told to take only one felt more like torture than a reward.
He needed to be selective and focused. What did he need most right now?
‘I don’t need equipment that just has high stats.’
It would make climbing the Tower easier, but that was it.
‘What I need is equipment that helps with a Perfect Clear.’
He needed gear with unique abilities that exerted immense power in specific situations—gear that allowed him to achieve a Perfect Clear where it would normally be impossible. That was the kind of equipment Kang Jun-hyeok needed.
After scanning his options, one item caught his eye. It was a shield. However, it was no ordinary shield. Its surface was incredibly uneven, as if shards of glass had been embedded into it. It reflected the surrounding light in every direction, shimmering with the colors of a rainbow.
Jun-hyeok picked it up.
[Shield of Colorful Diffuse Reflection]
• Category: Weapon
• Rank: High-Rank
• Defense: 1 – 1,000
• Countless Gems of Reflection are embedded in the shield, distorting and twisting the force applied to it.
“What is this?”
When Jun-hyeok showed him the shield, a strange light flickered in the blacksmith’s eyes.
“A nostalgic piece. If you match the angle of an incoming attack perfectly, it deflects the blow with near-perfection. It’s a failure I made back when I was still inexperienced.”
“A failure?”
“Because it doesn't fit the philosophy of a shield. A shield’s role is to protect its master. But that thing forces the master to move in order to protect the shield instead.”
If the angle was perfect, it could deflect immense force; conversely, if it was even slightly off, the shield would shatter instantly. One had to focus all their nerves on the shield just to make it usable. To the blacksmith, that was the polar opposite of what a shield should be. Thus, to him, it was nothing more than a failure.
However, for Jun-hyeok, it was exactly what he needed.
‘Talk about good timing.’
“I’ll take this one.”
Jun-hyeok packed the Shield of Colorful Diffuse Reflection. The blacksmith grimaced.
“Are you sure? I told you, it’s a failure. It’s difficult to handle and breaks easily.”
“Yes.”
“Well, if you insist. Fine. Take it.”
The blacksmith looked like he couldn't understand the choice, but he didn't try to stop him further.
“Then, until next time.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Jun-hyeok returned to Earth and summoned Pixie. Having read his memories, she stroked her cheek with interest.
[The blacksmith gave you quite a vicious quest. But you didn't seem to mind? Now that the invaders have appeared, conventional notions of good and evil are meaningless. You understand that well.]
[270 Starlight.]
After collecting the Starlight, Jun-hyeok finally checked his reward for the 32nd floor.
[Helberscream]
• Category: Weapon
• Rank: High-Rank
• Strength +4
• Attack Power +50
• Equipment Ability: Calls down lightning proportional to Attack Power to strike the enemy.
• Cooldown: 24 Hours
• An artifact passed down through the line of Blacksmith Kings. Call upon the lightning of the heavens to deliver divine punishment unto their enemies.
The attack power itself wasn't that high. However, the equipment ability was excellent. Having faced it himself, he knew it was akin to a guaranteed-hit weapon that struck at the speed of light. A normal player would find it hard to utilize, but with his Omni-Weapon Control, he could use it like a skill.
His Perfect Player title also granted him +1 Strength.
Having finished his checks, Jun-hyeok exhaled and lay down on his bed. Eldiria spoke up, sounding intrigued.
[You’ve acquired a rather peculiar piece of equipment.]
“Are you talking about the shield?”
[Yes. It doesn't seem like it can fulfill the role of a shield. Do you have a use for it?]
“If you have something, a use for it will eventually come up.”
That was a lie. Jun-hyeok knew exactly where he was going to use this shield.
The 33rd Floor. The very next floor.
* * *
The first thing Jun-hyeok saw upon entering the 33rd floor was a clock-like decoration. Numbers were spinning continuously, as if counting down.
[You have discovered the Altar of Numberless, the God of Counts and Loser of the Great War.]
The 33rd-floor quest was a trial from a god. He could feel a sense of curiosity directed at him from the altar. His name was widely known throughout the universe; both the Victors and the Losers would surely be aware of him.
[33rd Floor Quest]
• Pass the trial of Numberless, the God of Counts.
• Numberless proposes a trial to you.
• Condition: Block the attacks of Numberless.
• Reward: Undetermined
Jun-hyeok nodded. “I accept.”
The trial of Numberless was very simple: all he had to do was block the incoming attacks. However, there was one unique aspect.
[Numberless determines the number of attacks.]
Ding-ring-ring.
The countdown on the altar began to spin with a peculiar sound. After a moment, the countdown stopped.
[4]
[Block a total of four attacks.]
Numberless personally assessed a player’s strength and designated an appropriate number of attacks. Blocking all of them meant success; failing to do so meant failure.
A typical player would face one attack at most. Even top-tier players only faced two. In contrast, Jun-hyeok was assigned four. It meant Numberless recognized his strength. If he cleared this, he would obtain rewards others could only dream of.
But he wasn't satisfied with just this.
Numberless was a god known for being merciful to mortals. The trial itself wasn't overly difficult, and one didn't lose their life even upon failure. This meant Numberless was voluntarily placing restrictions on the floor.
Quite simply, despite many people passing his trial, no one had ever achieved a Perfect Clear.
So, how could one achieve a Perfect Clear? The answer was simple. He had to remove the restrictions Numberless had set himself.
“Only four times? Isn't that a bit boring?”
[Hmm?]
[Jun-hyeok?]
Both Omni-Weapon Control and Eldiria were startled. Jun-hyeok approached the altar with a smile.
“Aren't you underestimating me a bit too much?”
His opponent wasn't a game entity following a set pattern. He was a living, breathing god who existed in this world. Therefore, he could make a proposal.
“I have a question, Numberless. What must I do to receive the greatest reward you can bestow?”
At that question, Numberless momentarily hesitated. The curiosity emanating from the altar intensified. Within that curiosity was a single question: Can you handle it?
Jun-hyeok laughed. “As much as you can give.”
A sense of amusement wafted from the altar. Simultaneously, the countdown began to spin again.
[7]
[Block a total of seven attacks.]
• Condition: Life Protection Deactivated.
• Condition: Numberless will attack you in earnest.
Seven times. And the deactivation of life protection. The meaning was simple: if he failed to block even a single attack, he would die.
Jun-hyeok smirked. “I accept.”
Chuckle.
A laugh echoed. Eldiria let out a dry snort.
[Provoking a god... You certainly have guts.]
“It’s a necessary step.”
[You have drawn out Numberless’s true intent. He will sincerely try to kill you.]
The altar vanished as the space began to expand. A vast, empty white void unfolded. And from the other side, he felt a colossal presence.
It was a god. A great god was personally intending to kill him.
[This will be dangerous. Extremely so. It won't even compare to anything you've faced before. You truly might lose your life.]
“That’s exactly what I was hoping for.”
Jun-hyeok replied cheerfully to the worried warning.