Chapter 187: 42nd Floor. Loser of the Great War. Paltry Assassin (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 187: 42nd Floor. Loser of the Great War. Paltry Assassin (1)
[Title: The 42nd floor is insanely hard...]
[She has such a pretty smile, but her standards are through the roof. It took me three months just to clear it. What exactly is she testing? She says I'll find out later, but what does that even mean?]
* * *
Two weeks remained until the start of the Universe Quest.
Considering there was a three-day cooldown to re-enter the Tower, Kang Jun-hyeok had eleven days left. Normally, that would be more than enough time to clear a floor.
However, Kang Jun-hyeok wore an uncertain expression.
Will I make it?
The 42nd floor.
The floor itself was incredibly simple. The entire space consisted of a single room the size of a playground, and the clear conditions were straightforward.
Yet, the average clear time for the 42nd floor was one month.
Some players even struggled there for several months. Even for him, he wasn't sure if he could finish it within ten days.
Well, I have to try.
You never know until you clash. Kang Jun-hyeok spent some time further refining his control over the Mana Box. Then, three days later, he entered the Tower.
He found himself in a vast space the size of a soccer field. The walls were made of brown stone, and small lamps floating from the ceiling illuminated the interior.
There was nothing inside the room.
It was so empty it felt cavernous.
And in the center of it all, a woman was sleeping.
She had short brown hair and wore form-fitting clothes—the attire of an assassin. Sensing a presence, the woman yawned and lifted her head.
"Yawn... What's this? A player? It's been a while; I thought you guys stopped coming lately."
The woman spun around and stood up. Her movements were incredibly clean and agile. She gave a bright smile.
"Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm the examiner for the 42nd floor."
[The Loser of the Great War. The Paltry Assassin. Loctia has appeared.]
* * *
A Loser of the Great War.
That meant she was an NPC of the Tower. Loctia spoke casually.
"The quest for the 42nd floor is simple. Pass my standards. That's it."
[42nd Floor Quest]
[Pass the standards of Loctia, the Loser of the Great War.]
"Standards, you say?"
"Yeah. To move forward from here, to change the future, you need to be qualified. I'm playing that role, however inadequately. Well, you probably won't understand even if I tell you. You'll find out everything later."
The structure of the Tower. The story of the Losers. The Great War against the Victors.
This was information an ordinary player on the 42nd floor wouldn't know. Loctia assumed Kang Jun-hyeok was the same.
But contrary to her assumption, Kang Jun-hyeok knew everything.
"Are these qualifications for the battle against the Victors that will happen in the future?"
"...Huh? You know about that?"
"I'm carrying around someone who talks a lot."
Loctia's eyes widened. Kang Jun-hyeok raised his arm to show her his gauntlet.
[Me, talkative? I am one who knows that silence is golden. You spread foul rumors.]
[You aren't exactly the quiet type.]
Eldiria let out a small laugh. Loctia's eyes turned into saucers.
"...Wh-what?"
[It has been a long time, Loctia. The 'Paltry Assassin,' is it? The Master of the Tower gave you a name in poor taste. Call me the Master of All Weapons. That is my name now.]
[It is good to see you.]
"...Master of All Weapons! And Lady Eldiria!"
Loctia bowed deeply. Her attitude was clearly that of a subordinate addressing superiors.
"U-um... Master of All Weapons, why are you here? No, more importantly, why do you look like that? I thought you had given up on everything and gone to find your eternal rest?"
[That was the plan, but this brat dragged me along by force. Thanks to him, I'm on a journey I never asked for.]
"Th-then the Queen is..."
[I am simply observing the journey by this child's side.]
Loctia's eyes were full of confusion. She looked at Kang Jun-hyeok and asked cautiously.
"What is this player's relationship to you two?"
[He is my disciple.]
[He is my successor.]
Loctia gasped. Kang Jun-hyeok spoke calmly.
"You can just treat me like any other player."
"Even if you say that..."
Loctia found herself using formal speech. It was only natural. The Master of All Weapons and Eldiria—she knew them well. It was difficult to treat Kang Jun-hyeok casually when he seemed so closely linked to them.
"Ahem!"
Loctia slapped her cheeks as if to snap herself out of it. She spoke up energetically, trying to change the mood.
"The test I give on the 42nd floor is simple! I test whether you have the mindset to move forward, the determination not to break, and whether you have sufficient strength!"
That was exactly why the 42nd floor took so long to clear.
The majority of players failed to meet Loctia's standards. Because they had to stay until she was satisfied, some players were held back for years.
However, Loctia now looked conflicted.
"But... um... you have the Master of All Weapons and Lady Eldiria with you?"
Both were powerhouses Loctia couldn't even dream of approaching.
If those two called him their disciple and successor, who was she to dare test him? Loctia scratched her head with an awkward smile.
"...Fine! Um, yeah. A perfect clear! Wonderful! Here! Move on to the next floor immediately!"
Loctia tried to pass Kang Jun-hyeok as quickly as possible.
But the Master of All Weapons spoke in a low voice.
[Do not do that, Loctia. If you are an examiner, you must examine.]
"But what could I possibly..."
[Test his strength. Unlike other players, use your full power. Let's say if he can land a wound on your body, he passes.]
Loctia flinched at those words.
"Uh... Master of All Weapons. I understand you have high expectations for him, but I'm still a Loser, you know? He'll never be able to pass."
There was no trace of looking down on him or belittling him in her voice. Loctia was stating a pure fact.
[Then that is simply his limit.]
The Master of All Weapons didn't deny it either.
[What do you think?]
"I'm fine with it. Please, face me with everything you've got. And you can set the standards accordingly."
"Hmm..."
After a moment of thought, Loctia nodded.
"If you insist. Fine. I'm curious to see the level of the child favored by those two as well."
She grabbed the daggers at her waist and held them in both hands.
"The content of the test is very simple. Just fight me. See that water flowing from the wall over there?"
Water was trickling from the bricks in the direction Loctia pointed.
"If you drink that water, any exhaustion of health, mana, or internal energy will be instantly restored after a single rest. The same goes for skill cooldowns. Additionally, you won't die even if your health hits zero. One drink and you're perfectly healed. Consumed items are returned too."
"In other words, I can go all out in every fight."
"Exactly. This is a testing ground, so there's no need for those kinds of restrictions. ...By the way, this formal speech is really awkward."
She grumbled and brandished her daggers.
"Here I come, then?"
"Come."
Kang Jun-hyeok drew his spear. He tensed every muscle in his body and enhanced his senses.
Loctia took a step forward.
And then, her body vanished.
Kang Jun-hyeok's eyes widened. He had completely lost track of Loctia's presence. In that instant, the Boundary of Death warning activated.
He was going to die right now.
His instincts screamed. Kang Jun-hyeok twisted his body reflexively.
Slash!
But he couldn't dodge it completely; the blade grazed his neck.
Loctia muttered with a surprised face.
"Wow. You almost dodged that? Impressive."
That single attack had wiped out 80% of his health. Kang Jun-hyeok quickly gripped his spear and lunged at Loctia. Loctia moved her feet lightly.
Her body vanished once more.
Slash!
Kang Jun-hyeok's throat was cleanly slit.
If he hadn't possessed a player's body, his head would have been separated and fallen to the ground.
[Health: 0]
Just two strikes.
He had been defeated without even being able to respond properly.
Yet, no one was shocked by this fact. Rather, Loctia wore a look of amazement.
"To almost dodge my strike... You certainly are worthy of being chosen by those two. At this rate... are you roughly Second Rank? Considering you're only on the 42nd floor, that's insane. In time, I won't be a match for you."
Kang Jun-hyeok went to the spring and drank the water. Having perfectly restored his lost health, he picked up his spear again.
"Let's go again."
"I'd love to."
Loctia smiled and stepped forward.
Her body vanished again.
He couldn't read her.
He couldn't track her.
It was a stealth that bordered on absolute. Kang Jun-hyeok quickly activated a skill.
[Repulsion]
Vroooom!
A mid-rank active skill. It sent out a wave equivalent to 1.2 times his attack power into the surroundings. It was a powerful skill designed to repel all incoming attacks.
"Oh. You have a skill like this too?"
Loctia responded by putting a bit more strength into her movement.
That alone was enough to shatter the wave, and her blade buried itself in Kang Jun-hyeok's shoulder. Kang Jun-hyeok tightened his grip on his spear.
[Sword Ki and Sword Wind]
Shred!
Sharp sword ki shook the surroundings. Facing the fierce attack, Loctia didn't retreat. She simply swayed her body lightly.
It was a movement like a gentle breeze. With that alone, she perfectly evaded the blades of ki. It was a movement that the current Kang Jun-hyeok could neither understand nor follow.
Stab.
The dagger pierced his heart, and his health hit zero.
His second defeat already.
If this hadn't been a special floor, he would have died twice. Kang Jun-hyeok shook his head and drank from the spring again.
"Again."
"As much as you want."
This time, Kang Jun-hyeok charged fiercely with his spear. Intense power began to gather within it. For the first time, Loctia's expression changed.
"Uh-oh?"
Clang-clang-clang!
The second form of the Master of All Weapons.
World-Shaking Wind Descent.
A massive storm of blades swept through. Even Loctia couldn't seem to dodge this entirely, as she retreated.
And Kang Jun-hyeok did not miss that opening.
[Single Point Penetration]
Boom!
With an explosion, his body exceeded the speed of sound. The sharp tip of the spear aimed for Loctia's heart.
Creating an opening and thrusting with a speed the opponent hadn't seen before. It was a combo that no one had ever dodged, and indeed, Loctia failed to dodge it as well.
No.
To be precise, she didn't dodge.
Bang!
The sound of air shattering rang out. Kang Jun-hyeok's eyes widened.
The spear shaft was caught in Loctia's hand, unable to move forward.
She hadn't blocked or evaded the power of Single Point Penetration—she had caught it. Loctia let out a cry of admiration.
"Whoa! This actually surprised me! Is the power at the level of a high-rank skill? Plus the martial arts of the Master of All Weapons. I see why he calls you his disciple!"
With those words, she kicked Kang Jun-hyeok. With the sensation of being hit by a dump truck at full speed, Kang Jun-hyeok's body slammed into the wall.
Craaaaash!
"Cough."
Kang Jun-hyeok staggered from the impact. He forced strength into his knees to keep from collapsing.
As expected, she's damn strong.
The Paltry Assassin, Loctia.
She was a weakling who couldn't even be compared to the Master of All Weapons or Eldiria.
Even among the numerous Losers of the Great War, her power was in the lower tiers.
But even so, she was a Loser.
She was one who had once fought for her life against the Victors.
Is she roughly Third Rank?
A Sword Emperor, a master of the Profound Realm, a Magic Tower Master, a Transcendent Esper, or a high-rank monster class.
She possessed power on par with an adult Kraken—a level of strength that he, in his current state, could not yet reach.