Chapter 99: 16th Floor. World of Insensibility (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: 16th Floor. World of Insensibility (2)
A world of profound, pitch-black insensibility. Kang Jun-hyeok was left there, utterly alone.
From her own realm, Eldiria watched him. A mirror forged of blood reflected his every move.
“Hey, Master of All Weapons.”
[What is it?] the Master of All Weapons replied.
Eldiria asked, her voice tinged with curiosity, “Can he not hear our voices right now?”
[Most likely. Not just our voices—he probably can’t feel anything at all.]
“I wondered what kind of place this Tower was, but it turns out to be this?” Eldiria murmured in fascination. The Tower evaluated various facets of a challenger's ability, not just raw power. “So he has to endure this for a week? A strange trial, indeed. But… it doesn’t seem like much.”
For an ordinary person, their mind would have shattered long ago. However, Kang Jun-hyeok had calmly endured Eldiria’s own overwhelming status and the crushing presence of the Deep-Rooted Tree. He wouldn’t crumble under this level of pressure.
“This is going to be a boring wait. The Tower isn’t as impressive as I thought.”
[I wonder about that,] the Master of All Weapons murmured at her dismissive attitude.
Eldiria looked puzzled. “Are you saying there is something else?”
[You’ll see if you keep watching.]
“Hmm.” Eldiria stared intently at Kang Jun-hyeok.
* * *
Jun-hyeok moved his body slowly.
He felt nothing. His skills, including Observation, were sealed. The only thing he could rely on was his physical sense of touch.
Despite this, he moved forward. His steps were devoid of even a shred of hesitation.
After advancing for a few seconds, Jun-hyeok realized he could go no further. He reached out. His hand moved through the empty air until it was blocked by an obstacle. As he felt around to identify it, he realized it was a wall.
Jun-hyeok continued to trace his hands along the surface. Watching this, Eldiria realized what he was doing.
“He’s mapping the layout of the 16th floor. But why?”
Eldiria couldn’t understand. The 16th floor was cleared as long as one survived for a week. Since the trial would be completed even if he just stood still, there was no need to figure out the layout.
While she remained puzzled, Jun-hyeok continued to move. After tracing what he presumed to be the perimeter, he reached a conclusion.
‘A room of about ten pyeong.’
That was the layout of the 16th floor—information that even the Kang Jun-hyeok of his past life hadn’t known.
Having confirmed the overall structure, Jun-hyeok began to move with precision. He walked slowly into the interior of the room, identifying objects as his feet brushed against them and mapping the structures his hands encountered.
His foot pushed something aside. He grabbed it to check its shape and identified it as a chair.
If there was a chair, there had to be more. When Jun-hyeok moved in front of where the chair had been, something else blocked his path. Checking it with his hands, he found a table.
He placed his hand on the table. He felt what seemed to be a bowl, and inside it was something soft. Jun-hyeok sat on the chair. He picked up the soft object and put it in his mouth. His teeth moved, chewing and swallowing.
‘It was bread, after all.’
Jun-hyeok tore off a piece of bread and munched on it. He was starting to get a handle on the 16th floor’s layout.
This place was an ordinary home.
Knowing that made moving even easier. Jun-hyeok’s actions became even more decisive. He found a bed and located a jar for storing water. He drank his fill and lay down on the bed.
Only then did Eldiria realize Jun-hyeok’s goal.
“He intends to… live there.”
In a world where nothing could be felt, where all six senses were paralyzed, Kang Jun-hyeok was trying to live like an ordinary human being. She couldn’t wrap her head around it.
“But why?”
Couldn’t he just stay still for a week to clear it? Why go through such a tedious process?
The Master of All Weapons spoke calmly.
[Read the objective of the quest again.]
“What is there to re-read? Live here for a week—” Eldiria stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes widened as if she had realized something. “…Live.”
[Exactly. It’s not ‘endure’ or ‘survive.’ The objective of the quest is to live in this insensible space. To grasp that concept immediately… He truly is remarkable.]
The Master of All Weapons spoke with clear admiration. Eldiria let out a low groan.
“So that was it.”
The quest on the 16th floor wasn’t simply about holding out. It was about living in this world of insensibility like a normal human. She understood the concept now, but that only made her more shocked.
“He figured that out the moment he arrived?”
A space close to death where all senses were stripped away. He immediately understood that he had to go beyond mere endurance and actually live here, and he acted on it without fear.
If she were thrown into this place, would she have been able to do the same?
No. It would be impossible. She might not have felt much fear, but she wouldn't have bothered to move so proactively. She would have simply waited for time to pass. Kang Jun-hyeok was doing something even she couldn't achieve.
Of course, it wasn't solely his own ability. It was possible because of his experiences and memories from his past life. But Eldiria, who had no way of knowing that, was genuinely struck with wonder.
The Master of All Weapons said softly, [As you’ve likely noticed, his talent isn’t particularly great. His talent for swordsmanship, spearmanship, archery, and martial arts is mediocre at best.]
He had reached the level of a prodigy, but in their eyes, it was a trivial level. In terms of raw talent alone, one could find thousands of people superior to Kang Jun-hyeok.
[However, he possesses the ability of a Player. When it comes to conquering the Tower—when it comes to finding the answer—he is superior to anyone else.]
Eldiria didn't argue. In truth, she hadn't found the answer either.
[You and Pixie believe he cannot defeat the Deep-Rooted Tree alone. Since it wasn't easy even for us, that assumption is correct. But… he is more special than that.] The Master of All Weapons murmured with amusement. [Just watch. Watch how he climbs the Tower. And see what he achieves.]
Eldiria fell silent. Her eyes grew calm and deep.
* * *
Kang Jun-hyeok continued his life on the 16th floor.
He gathered ingredients from the kitchen and chopped them with a knife. He placed them on the table, sat in the chair to eat, and lay in bed to sleep. In his spare time, he practiced his martial arts through breathing exercises.
He lived like an ordinary human in the world of insensibility. At some point, his actions began to feel incredibly natural.
‘Is it almost time?’
As time passed, a week had nearly gone by. He had fulfilled the objective of the quest. There would be no problem even if he cleared it just like this.
However, while living here, Jun-hyeok felt something strange.
‘The structure of the room is odd.’
Overall, it was an ordinary room, but one specific corner protruded strangely. It was as if something was hidden there.
Normally, it would be impossible to notice. Just living in the world of insensibility was difficult enough. But because he had perfectly mapped the room’s layout, he was able to notice that subtle discrepancy.
Jun-hyeok moved his hands. He confirmed the anomalous section and searched for a nearby mechanism. After investing some time, he found a button that was strangely sticking out.
Jun-hyeok pressed the button. He heard no sound, but he could instinctively tell that the room had changed. He moved his body. The space that had been protruding had receded.
He reached inside, and his hand caught onto something. The moment he gripped it, the space surged violently.
Vrrrring!
The blackness covering the world vanished. His paralyzed senses began to return one by one. A medieval-style room came into view. He felt an ice-cold chill through his hand, and a deep, dark gemstone entered his sight.
And then, the quest ended.
[16th Floor Quest Cleared.]
[Rewards will be determined based on your performance.]
[Checking achievement rate…]
[Check complete.]
[Achievement Rate: 100%]
[Perfect Clear. Congratulations! Additional rewards will be granted.]
[The effect of the Title: Perfect Player has been added.]
[You have obtained 2,123 Gold.]
[Perfect Clear Reward: You have obtained a ‘Void Gem.’]
[Perfect Clear Reward: You have obtained the ‘Active Skill: Sixth Sense Exclusion.’]
[Proficiency in Observation has increased significantly.]
[Players who have Perfect Cleared the 16th Floor: 1]
[You are the only one!]
[Universe Announcement.]
[Please offer your congratulations, Players of the universe! A Perfect Player of the 16th floor has appeared. This is a feat that no one has ever achieved before!]
[Feat +4]
Returning to Earth, Kang Jun-hyeok let out a long breath. It was a refreshing feeling, as if he had just woken up from a long sleep now that all his senses had returned. As he stretched, the Master of All Weapons murmured.
[You actually noticed it. It would have been difficult if you hadn't mastered the entire layout of the room.]
“It wasn't that hard.” Jun-hyeok shrugged. He asked with a playful expression, “So, how was it, Lady Eldiria?”
[…Hmph. It was decent enough to watch,] Eldiria spoke in a blunt tone.
But Jun-hyeok knew better than anyone that when Eldiria spoke like that, she was merely trying to save face. Suppressing a laugh, Jun-hyeok checked his rewards.
[Void Gem]
• Grade: Mid-Rank
• Description: A gem of the void that devours all things. It consumes both tangible and intangible value.
A crafting material. He could take it to a blacksmith. Based on the description, it seemed quite useful. And the next thing he obtained was an Active Skill.
[Active Skill: Sixth Sense Exclusion]
• Grade: Mid-Rank
• Cooldown: 3 days
• Description: Excludes the six senses of a contacted target for 1 second.
“Oh.” Jun-hyeok let out an exclamation.
A powerful skill that forcibly excluded the six senses. It had the drawback of requiring physical contact, but the effect more than made up for it. He hadn't even obtained a skill with this kind of effect in his past life. It was likely a skill that could only be obtained by Perfect Clearing the 16th floor. It was a satisfying reward.
The reward added to his Perfect Player title was a further enhancement of his senses. After checking the rewards, Jun-hyeok lay down on his bed.
‘So the 16th floor is cleared.’
It was faster than he had expected. He hadn't known how long a Perfect Clear would take, and because of that, he had one concern.
‘At this rate, the preparations might not be ready before I arrive.’
The 18th floor. The preparations he had requested needed to be finished before he reached that floor. Just as he fell into thought, his phone rang. Jun-hyeok picked it up.
“Hello, Ms. Kim Tae-yeon.”
—Ah, Mr. Kang Jun-hyeok. I saw that you just cleared the floor. Congratulations!
“It was nothing. What’s going on? Did someone from the outside try to contact me?”
—No, I’m handling that part on my end. It’s just that the items you requested are finally ready. I’m sorry it took so long.
Jun-hyeok sat up. Kim Tae-yeon continued.
—The gems you asked for—the rubies, sapphires, and diamonds. They’re all prepared. I’ll come by to deliver them to you.