Chapter 24: The Current Universe
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 24: The Current Universe
[...What are you?]
After a moment of silence, the Master of All Weapons finally spoke.
[What exactly are you? You didn't climb a Fake Tower. You deceived me.]
The Master of All Weapons had assumed Kang Jun-hyeok had climbed a Fake Tower created by the Losers of the Great War. It believed Jun-hyeok had reached the top of such a place first, gaining a high level of understanding regarding the Tower’s System.
But it was wrong.
The level of insight Jun-hyeok displayed while fighting Alessandro was something that could never be attained in a Fake Tower.
Although the Master of All Weapons had never seen a Fake Tower personally, it was certain that such depth could not be accumulated in a space cobbled together by mere Losers. Kang Jun-hyeok simply shrugged.
“There are no Fake Towers on this planet to begin with. Even if I wanted to climb one, I couldn't.”
[Then what are you?]
“A Player climbing the Tower,” Jun-hyeok answered simply. “I can’t tell you more than that. I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to speak of it.”
[You cannot speak of it...? Are you bound by a restriction?]
“Something like that. Don’t feel too bad about being deceived. It’s not like you aren’t hiding things yourself, right?”
[...]
At those words, the Master of All Weapons fell silent. Jun-hyeok narrowed his eyes.
The Master of All Weapons.
Its ability was to store equipment and allow the user to retrieve it freely during combat. It was undoubtedly an excellent ability. Even in his past life, Jun-hyeok had never seen equipment with such a function. It was unique and special.
But that was all.
‘For a Unique Item, it’s a bit underwhelming.’
Unique Items—the only ones of their kind in the Tower.
The Holy Sword.
The Book of Lemegeton.
The Ten-Thousand-Year Fleeceflower and the Great Restoration Pill.
These were things he had earned through his own strength in his past life, yet had stepped back to let others take. Their powers were truly destructive.
To put it simply, the Esper who survived until the very end of the universe had been nothing more than a mediocre, mid-tier Player until Jun-hyeok gave up a Unique Item for them. That person had obtained a single Unique Item and survived until the end solely because of it.
Considering that value, the abilities the Master of All Weapons had shown so far weren't particularly impressive. At most, it had offered a few pieces of advice that bordered on mockery.
‘Though there are vast differences in rank even among Uniques...’
No matter how he looked at it, the Master of All Weapons didn't seem like a low-tier entity. Jun-hyeok knew the reason why.
“You don’t place much value on me. More accurately, you don’t find meaning in anything anymore.”
The Master of All Weapons had given up on everything. It had stayed inside the cave on the 1st Floor, intending to do nothing until the universe met its end. Even now, having been brought outside by Jun-hyeok, that stance hadn't changed. It was essentially a bystander.
“Still, since you’re in my hands now, I’d like you to do your job.”
[...]
“You seem lost in thought. I’ll give you a moment to brood. I have things to check anyway.”
Jun-hyeok spoke curtly and began reviewing his rewards from the 3rd Floor.
First, his overall proficiency had increased. Most of his weapon skills had likely reached the edge of F-rank, and four skills had officially reached E-rank.
* * *
[Passive Skill: Greatsword Technique]
• Rank: Lowest-Grade
• Proficiency: E
• The technique of wielding a greatsword. A talented individual must strive for several years to reach this level.
* * *
Dagger Technique, Spearmanship, Greatsword Technique, and Hand-to-Hand Combat.
A total of four skills had reached E-rank. It was a change that made him chuckle.
‘To think I’d improve this much from just one battle.’
This had never happened in his past life. Back then, he didn't have the Master of All Weapons, so he could only use one weapon per battle. In that sense, this rapid growth was only natural.
Reaching E-rank proficiency meant possessing first-class skill. Considering its value, this alone was enough to be a worthy 3rd Floor clear reward.
But the real rewards were just beginning.
* * *
[Ring of the Wandering Knight]
• Category: Ring
• Rank: Mid-Rank
• Strength +2
• Speed +2
• Defense +2
• The ring of Alessandro, the Wandering Knight. He loved freedom. He had no intention of serving anyone and possessed the strength to carry out his own will. Many gods tempted him, but he remained true to his own values.
* * *
“Oho.”
A Mid-Rank ring. It provided 2 points each to Strength and Speed. It was a highly valuable piece of equipment that boosted stats by a total of 4 points. It made the struggle of the fight worthwhile.
Jun-hyeok equipped the ring and checked his status.
* * *
[Kang Jun-hyeok]
• Level: 13
• Health: 380
• Strength: 30
• Speed: 27
• Feat: 24
• Attack Power + ?
• Defense +16
* * *
“...Well, now,” Jun-hyeok muttered.
His Strength had already reached 30.
‘Stats aren’t usually this easy to raise.’
It was almost absurd when he thought about how he had used every means possible to raise a single stat point by 1 or 2 in his past life.
Of course, stats were relatively easier to raise in the early stages. It was also a natural reward for the achievements he had made. Even so, the speed was phenomenal. In his previous life, he had only reached these stats around the time he entered the mid-10th floors.
Jun-hyeok happily continued his inspection.
* * *
[Shield of the Red Skeleton Knight]
• Category: Shield
• Rank: Low-Rank
• Defense +10
• A shield used by a Red Skeleton Knight. Even before he became a skeleton, this shield was meant to protect mages.
* * *
Defense +10.
It was an exceptional amount of defense. For Jun-hyeok, who possessed the Master of All Weapons, its value was even higher. If necessary, he could simply pull out the shield and hunker down, allowing him to endure for a significant amount of time.
And then, the most important reward he had obtained this time.
An Active Skill.
There were two ways to obtain Active Skills: purchasing them from the Shop or receiving them as a clear reward from the Tower. Naturally, the latter was overwhelmingly more valuable. Jun-hyeok opened his skill window with anticipation.
* * *
[Active Skill: Grace of Benevolence]
• Rank: Unique
• Cooldown: 7 days
• Recovers 50% of total Health.
• A grace bestowed by a god who favored the Wandering Knight. Even the knight who served no one did not refuse the grace of a god who showed him favor. Since the god has died and the knight has followed, you are the only one who possesses this.
* * *
“....”
Jun-hyeok was momentarily speechless.
Unique.
This was the second Unique-rank thing he had obtained, after the Master of All Weapons.
‘...I didn't expect to get one this early.’
But thinking calmly, it made sense. Alessandro was a Loser—a unique existence within the Tower. It was only natural that defeating such a being would yield a one-of-a-kind reward.
And the effect was health recovery.
There were two main ways to recover health lost in the Tower. One was to win a battle and recover a set amount, and the other was to level up and fully restore all health. One had to fight to recover; there was no such thing as natural health regeneration.
Because of this, many found themselves in a bind when their health was low. While health potions existed, they were prohibitively expensive and their effects were mediocre, making them a difficult choice.
But this skill recovered a staggering 50 percent of total health. He had never seen such a value even in his past life.
Performance that existed on a different plane from the ordinary—that was the hallmark of the Unique rank. And yet, even this was far lower in status compared to the Holy Sword or the Book of Lemegeton.
‘A god, huh?’
It was a title he hadn't heard in a long time. It wouldn't be long before he encountered those beings again.
* * *
[Title: Perfect Player]
• A title given to one who perfectly cleared the 1st Floor, the beginning of the Tower.
[Current Effects]
• All Stats + 1
• Passive Skill proficiency gain slightly increased.
• Active Skill proficiency gain slightly increased.
• The title's effects increase as the number of perfectly cleared floors increases.
* * *
The new effect added to the Perfect Player title was an increase in Active Skill proficiency gain. It was a solid addition.
This concluded the rewards he had earned. It was an excessive amount for clearing just one floor.
‘This is the power of a Perfect Clear.’
Satisfied, Jun-hyeok spoke.
“So, have you sorted out your thoughts?”
[To me...]
The Master of All Weapons spoke in a low, heavy tone.
[What is it you are curious about regarding me? Someone like you should already know everything.]
“I only know the broad strokes.”
That wasn't a lie. In his past life, he had seen the end of the Tower. In that process, he had gained countless rewards and much information.
However, he didn't know the fine details. This was because he had yielded the things he rightfully should have taken—the Holy Sword, the Book of Lemegeton—to others. That included not just power, but information as well.
Above all, he hadn't had the luxury of time in his past life. He was so focused on moving forward that he hadn't placed much meaning on the events of the past.
“All I know is that in the distant past, there was a Great War for the ownership of the universe. That the war ended ten years ago. That the Tower is an aftermath of that war. And that you are one of the Losers of that Great War. That’s about it.”
[It seems you know enough.]
“But I don’t know about you.”
Jun-hyeok narrowed his eyes.
The Losers of the Great War. They were beings known as gods, demons, spirits, archmages, and masters of the Realm of Life and Death.
Jun-hyeok had met quite a few Losers in his past life. Each of them was a being of immense status. Alessandro, too, must have possessed such status before he lost his power.
If so, what kind of status did the Master of All Weapons once hold?
“I can tell you’re special based on Alessandro’s reaction... but you aren't showing me that level of ability. Isn't it about time you finished evaluating me?”
Show me your true power.
To those words, the Master of All Weapons replied softly.
[I am weary.]
There was no strength in its voice. It was the voice of one who had faced endless despair and finally lost even the strength to stand—a broken soul.
[Even I was defeated. I do not believe you children can achieve anything.]
The Master of All Weapons had no expectations for the world.
[You are certainly special. You might even reach near the end. But that is all. You cannot change the conclusion.]
“Is that so?”
Jun-hyeok laughed at the lethargic words.
“That is your judgment?”
[It is.]
“Then let me ask you this: Did you judge that I would lose to Alessandro? Or did you judge that I would win?”
[...]
The Master of All Weapons had judged that Jun-hyeok would lose. Seeing its silence, Jun-hyeok spoke calmly.
“Well... I don’t intend to convince you right this second. It’s not a problem that will be solved overnight. But keep watching.”
Jun-hyeok would prove it.
How he was different.
And exactly what he would achieve.