Chapter 203
Translator: penny
Chapter: 203
Chapter Title: The Wailing Wall
The tower's 5th floor.
If the 1st floor tests a player's aptitude and gauges their fundamental potential to move forward.
"Damn it!"
The tower's 5th floor could truly be called the Wailing Wall.
Commonly known as.
- The Chamber of Beginnings.
The true Babel that begins in the Chamber of Beginnings.
- The Chamber of Trials.
The Chamber of Trials in the truest sense, existing on every 5th floor of the tower.
- The Chamber of Choice.
And it's called the chamber where one chooses the weapon and talent they will wield from here on.
Unlike up to the 4th floor, where they had hunted almost solely with bare fists, their bodies, and basic skills.
[Basic weapons will be provided.]
The moment they entered the 5th floor, basic weapons were distributed to their inventories.
From popular weapons like swords, spears, bows, and knives.
"Guns too?"
"Whips and chakrams... They've got everything?"
Even the explanation that they could choose their weapons.
And on top of that.
[The provided weapons can undergo primary customization at the 5th floor forge, so feel free to use them.]
A customization system for those wanting special weapons.
"This is insane!"
"What should I make?"
"Don't waste time on nonsense— just grab a sword like you always use."
"Hey, you never know. Maybe I have talent for something else?"
Naturally, the players were excited.
And.
"......"
Amid that, a black-haired man quietly gazed at the system message that had appeared.
"Who's that?"
He had flashy looks that drew attention.
"What?"
But for some reason, his presence felt hazy, drawing eyes away again. The man.
"Weapon distribution, plus training grounds we can use."
Go Yohan was murmuring to himself.
[Instructors are available too. The managers will handle it if you want.]
There was a system message that floated up like a conversation, but the system didn't continue speaking.
Instead.
"Swordsmanship training for just 1 million won—personal lessons! From orc hunting with a sword, 30-day course!"
"Archery lessons from national team alum Kim Moon-ho! 10-to-1 class! Special discount: 560,000 won!"
Players were stepping up themselves to act as instructors.
It wasn't as massive as the 1st floor, but the place maintained its own city and order.
[And this is a special item given only to you.]
Then, another system message appeared to Go Yohan.
Rustle.
Petal-like flowers appeared before Go Yohan's eyes, drifting down as if dancing.
The moment a petal fell onto Go Yohan's outstretched palm, drawn by something.
Whoosh.
It wasn't a light intense enough to draw eyes, but a strange power emanated from the petal.
[Fragment of Chaos]
Before he knew it, a bracelet had formed on Go Yohan's wrist.
A bracelet of silver and black strangely intertwined, adorned with various decorations—it was flashy yet possessed a unique charm that blended naturally.
[This item is a growth-type item that changes and evolves through sync with the user.]
[Current level: 1.]
[All stats are sealed.]
System messages visible only to him, kindly explaining just for Go Yohan.
[P.S. I pulled some strings to deliver it early, so don't misunderstand.]
Go Yohan pursed his lips as he looked at the bracelet on his wrist.
He knew what it was the moment he put it on.
"Looks like it succeeded."
Cheol Jung-bae's—the object he had poured his soul into for so long with utmost care.
' Demon God Armor.'
The purified Demon God Armor.
At that moment.
Pffft!
Thorns sprouted from inside the Fragment of Chaos, formerly known as the Demon God Armor, piercing Go Yohan's flesh.
Even though its power was sealed right now, and his basic divinity was protecting him, the Demon God Armor's thorns pierced his skin like tofu.
Drip.
A drop of blood formed.
Sssip.
And flowed into the Demon God Armor.
[The Fragment of Chaos recognizes its owner.]
Crackle.
A small light flowed from the bracelet.
Just as it seemed about to burst forth.
[The Fragment of Chaos recognizes its owner as master.]
Finally, it recognized Go Yohan as its master.
Sssip.
A system message with detailed explanations floated up, but even without it, Go Yohan could instinctively feel it.
"Even if my arm gets cut off, no one can take it from me."
This item had become one with him, Go Yohan.
This thing that had burrowed in with divinity could never be lost.
Swoosh.
Like the necklace, the Mark of Great Sin.
Like the earring, the Proof of Atonement—items that would be one with him forever.
Climbing the tower again now, the Demon God Armor would help it understand the being known as Go Yohan.
Swoosh.
Just as Go Yohan moved to finish up.
"Swordsman, huh."
He turned his head at the voice from beside him.
A withered old man.
"You're a swordsman. A swordsman."
The old man placed a hand on Go Yohan's shoulder, speaking as if it were obvious.
*
*
*
"You were born to be a swordsman. I guarantee it."
The old man stuck close to Go Yohan's side, muttering.
"If you don't grip a sword with those hands, it'd be an insult to the entire Earth."
Go Yohan walked on, the old man guiding him like a tour.
"Were you a player before too? Bet you wielded a sword back then, right? Yeah, you'd have confidence with a sword."
Go Yohan hadn't uttered a single word.
"But swordsmanship in the tower is on a whole different level."
The old man kept pouring out words endlessly, as if conversing.
"If you think like with old swordsmanship, you'll get burned bad. Nah, back then it wasn't even swordsmanship."
Before long, Go Yohan and the old man were heading to a remote corner of the 5th floor city.
"Thunder Sword! And it shoots lightning, Four Serpents Sword! And the sword bends like a snake, Flying Sword Control! And swords fly up dancing on their own."
Tsk, tch.
A dissatisfied sound leaked from the old man.
"How can junk like that be called swordsmanship?"
With that, the old man snapped off a tree branch and swung it around.
It looked somewhat plausible, but clumsy in a way that was utterly awkward.
"But the tower's skills are different. You can use skills like the old system, but if you do it that way, you won't go higher. You'll be stuck on low floors forever, farming resources like a shuttle."
The old man tossed the branch away roughly and said.
"I'll teach you 'real' swordsmanship."
And they finally arrived at their destination.
It was a small building that looked newly built—the city was just forming, so it was inevitable, but it was shabby, much like the old man.
"This is my swordsmanship dojo."
The old man scurried to the front of the building, put on a stern expression, and said to Go Yohan.
And right away.
Slap.
He held out his open palm.
"Five million won. What, think it's expensive? No. Think about yourself reaching the 50th floor. You know, right?"
The old man kept his palm open.
"Pass the 50th floor, and you become a knight. Go Yohan, you know? That great figure picks you out and makes you a hero of the world. By then, five million? It'll feel like five cents to you."
The old man approached Go Yohan and said.
"So this investment now won't be a waste at all. You're fated to wield a sword. So don't make regrets over pocket change like five million. Of course..."
The old man whispered.
"Five hundred thousand a day, but for you specially, five hundred for three days. How's that? Exactly one week. Stay here, and after seven days, I'll give you the test. You'll pass, of course. You with a sword will surely be amazing."
The old man's voice sounded like a serpent's whisper.
Seeing Go Yohan still unresponsive, the old man whispered even softer.
"Fine. Four hundred."
For a moment, silence seemed to flow.
"Look at those fancy accessories—you're clearly some rich young master, but this stingy. No, should I call it great bargaining skills? If you hadn't picked up a sword, you'd be swinging stacks of bills like blades for sure."
The old man retreated as if conceding.
Slap.
And held up three fingers.
"Three hundred. No less."
*
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*
There were several reasons Go Yohan was climbing the tower again.
The most important was securing the traces of the goddess and the divinity of the Pantheon.
'I wanted to see what form the tower operates in, how people live inside it.'
The tower Go Yohan had climbed before was pure chaos.
A place where clustered gates simply spewed and exploded, truly a living hell.
Of course, the system hadn't fully taken root then either.
The power maintaining the system was the World Tree, Babel, and Go Yohan.
There were many other things besides, but what served as the core power enabling them to function at every moment was.
'Central Core.'
The top-grade gates Go Yohan had crammed into the tower's secret floors.
So this was the first time Go Yohan could properly experience the tower's system.
[With this climb, the system can apply to you too.]
The event of Go Yohan, separated from the tower, being included in its system.
That was another reason for climbing again.
'I planned to stay a few days on the 5th floor.'
But he hadn't expected this.
A voice came from outside.
"Five hundred."
"Are you crazy? Talking about wielding swords and all that like some big shot—aren't you that guy?"
"W-what are you saying? Is it too expensive? Four hundred!"
"Snow Sword! Yu Baek-gyun!"
It sounded like a famous ranker, a plausible name.
"Damn, Snow Sword's a con artist, isn't he?"
"Isn't that name 'cause he wags his tongue like a sword?"
"Ugh, wasted time."
"Heard he's been quiet lately—how'd he even reach the 5th floor?"
He had some flashy past, but it seemed his fame was infamous.
"I-I'll do it for two hundred!"
"Get lost!"
Whether the commotion had died down, soon the old man trudged back in.
"You're here?"
For whatever reason, Go Yohan—his upper body slick with sweat—greeted Yu Baek-gyun.