Chapter 101

Translator: Penny

Chapter 101

December 26th.

Finally, I finished the exchange meeting in just one day and returned to the 27th-floor staircase.

[Lv.96]

The gains from this exchange meeting were a 1-level increase.

And a somewhat peculiar item called a "One-Time Exchange Meeting Absence Pass," along with a mid-grade elixir.

I usually return to the waiting room, but returning directly to the stage was a bit new.

It was the Heavenly Demon Church of the Martial Arts World.

"You're back."

"Yes."

"Doesn't this church feel like home to you now?"

"That's a bit..."

I recalled the intense killing intent I had felt directly and indirectly from the Heavenly Demon Church.

This place was never safe for me.

"Are you going in right away? Into the Time-Delayed Prison?"

"I have to."

There was no reason to delay.

I couldn't miss such a sweet training opportunity.

"I'll have one meal and then go in."

I planned to fill my hunger comfortably before entering.

"Alright, I'll bring you some Dongpo pork and vegetables."

"Thank you."

The Heavenly Demon opened the door and really brought me Dongpo pork.

Hmm, it was tasty.

The Heavenly Demon left the room without another word.

I took out the terminal and entered the Transcendent Gallery.

Title: Finished the exchange meeting and came back.

Author: ㅇㅇ*

Gonna rest a bit and then go back into the Time-Delayed Prison.

Actually, while efficiency is part of it, in the Martial Arts World, I wanted to use only martial arts even more.

But well, if things get urgent, I'll use whatever I can.

I closed the gallery for a moment.

Among the videos I filmed with 'Visographica,' I clicked on the very last video.

I used up all my filming chances just to film this.

The video played.

The staircase in the video was the 24th floor.

The monster that appeared resembled a black centipede.

Kdir.

It was enormous for a centipede.

The problem was that it was annoyingly agile.

The scene of it slaughtering monsters with the most efficient movements was captured in the video.

"You fought well indeed."

Dodging all the extreme poison Kdir spewed out. Climbing up the skin of its body, I pierced its weak point, the exact center of its chest, with my sword.

As I pulled out the sword, a black lump of meat sprawled on the ground.

I turned off the video.

Just before putting the Transcender Gallery Terminal into my Inventory.

Suddenly, a notification window popped up and obscured my view.

[Record what might be your last moment!]

[Visographica's charges have been replenished by 3 times!]

"Bullshit."

What, are they telling me to brightly record what might be my last moment?

Are they trying to leave behind some amazing play of the deceased or something?

Of course, I'll make good use of the given charges.

I put the terminal into my Inventory and walked to the hidden annex where the Time-Delayed Prison was located.

The Heavenly Demon was already there, sitting cross-legged.

"You've come. Did you enjoy your rest comfortably?"

"Yes, it was very comfortable."

In fact, compared to climbing the Pandemonium staircase stages or ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠training by dying in the Time-Delayed Prison, not only the rest just now but even the exchange meeting felt like a break.

"I think fighting the Geom Gak-ju should be done about 3 days before the time you can return."

"That sounds about right."

I wanted to train as long as possible.

But fighting the Geom Gak-ju with only a day or two left would be too much, so 3 days seems appropriate.

"It seems you're gradually adapting to death. Though adapting isn't a good thing."

I agreed with the Heavenly Demon's words.

"Yes, because aside from the Time-Delayed Prison, there's no place where I can train to the absolute limit while my life keeps flying away."

"Right. You can't fight in real battles with your neck on the line like that."

The Heavenly Demon seemed to have felt my piercing gaze.

He threw a question at me.

"It seems you have a question for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me."

"I thought the reason you put me in a place like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Time-Delayed Prison was to beat me to death directly to train me. But you're not doing that."

"Hmm."

The Heavenly Demon stared at me blankly with wide eyes.

"The gap between me and you isn't that simple."

The Heavenly Demon had a face close to certainty.

"No matter how much I suppress my power, you won't gain any Mental Image from my fighting stance."

In short, it meant there was nothing I could gain from it.

"I understand."

The Heavenly Demon grinned.

"No need to be disappointed about that. There's a more efficient training method than me fighting you directly."

I believed the Heavenly Demon's words.

It was a situation where I had no choice.

Creeeak—

As I opened the door and entered the Time-Delayed Prison, the now-familiar air of the chamber greeted me.

Swoosh…

A Warrior of a familiar form appeared.

A being I had fought for a long time.

It was the Severing Evil Sword Emperor Mu Jinyeol.

"Long time no see."

I greeted him. But there was no way I'd hear a reply.

Instead, a fierce Sword Strike rushed at me.

Now, the Sword Path is visible.

At the Domain stage, there was no need to die.

Sschwaak!

A burning pain bloomed from my shoulder blade.

Pushing that pain aside, I advanced forward.

***

Another 26 days passed.

With a one-day gap from the exchange meeting.

By the number of days I felt, it was the morning of the 498th day.

I defeated the Severing Evil Sword Emperor who had deployed his 'Unique Domain.'

And likewise, I defeated the 7th Rank Initial Order, King of Fist Eon Cheolsan.

And after that, I engaged in life-and-death battles with numerous Warriors.

The problem is that I'm not confident I can defeat the opponents I defeated in the Time-Delayed Prison outside in reality as well.

Like an 'infinite loop' game, I found the correct strategy by dying countless times.

I wondered if a strategy found in a way impossible in reality would actually work.

But that doubt can't be resolved immediately.

That the training I'm doing now is useful.

55 days of time in the Time-Delayed Prison.

The remaining 3 days in that period.

There were no more humans in front of me.

Somehow, I defeated them all.

But I still don't have any meaningful confidence in that victory.

After that, whether by the Heavenly Demon's intention or not, no more Warriors appeared.

Instead, the 'environment' changed drastically.

The first day of environmental change in the Time-Delayed Prison.

According to the Heavenly Demon, it was called the Infernal Prison.

Literally, I had to spend a day in a world covered in fire.

I had to rely solely on Bodyguard Qi to protect my body.

While barely keeping my body upright in the Calamity Fire.

Ssschk—

Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon, who walked out tearing through the air, uttered strange words.

"Slowly reduce your Bodyguard Qi."

It was a situation where a question mark had to appear over my head.

"Are you telling me to get roasted once?"

The Heavenly Demon slowly nodded.

"That could be one way to put it."

While cursing inwardly, I obediently listened to the Heavenly Demon's words.

Tsss tsss…

I slowly narrowed the range of the Bodyguard Qi I had fully deployed.

Until it looked like a thin layer.

Since I had already reached a level where I could perform fine control of Magic Power usage, there was no problem at that point.

"Now turn it off completely."

The Heavenly Demon's words echoed in my ears.

Now I understand what the Heavenly Demon is trying to do to me.

He's trying to make me face death.

And not death resulting from combat, but external death.

6th Rank.

I could once again realize the greatness of that flesh.

Grrind—

My teeth grated.

Charred hands and skin.

A crushed body. Yet, I didn't die.

While my body, covered in Calamity Fire, was half in tatters, another change occurred.

The sword of the Severing Evil Sword Emperor Mu Jinyeol pierced through the flames and rushed at me.

I swung my sword and deflected Mu Jinyeol's sword.

Sparks scattered in the empty air.

I could predict my future.

For the remaining days, the environment would keep changing like this.

And after adapting somewhat to the changed environment, the beings I had faced so far would appear repeatedly.

I finished the Infernal Prison.

Next, I killed time in a world filled with ice.

When only one real day remained.

And about 30-some days remained in Time-Delayed Prison time, I lived in complete darkness.

In darkness where my vision was completely restricted, I learned how to read the trajectory of attacks.

The foundation of that method was 'sound.'

And soon, even sound couldn't be heard.

I also learned how to face enemies ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠using only Energy Sense and sensation.

Schk!

Of course, there were few moments during that when my limbs were intact.

Thus, the time in the Time-Delayed Prison ended.

Creeeak—

I opened the door and came outside.

The Heavenly Demon was grinning.

"You've worked hard."

"Yes, thanks to you, I squeezed out every last drop."

"Squeezed out…?"

"It means I got everything that could be gained in a short time. You practically exposed me to every threat in the world, didn't you?"

The Heavenly Demon's laugh grew longer.

"Heheh, that much can't even be called a threat."

The Heavenly Demon kept watching me.

"Are you ready to fight the Geom Gak-ju?"

"Well..."

I still don't have any confidence that I'm prepared.

But I have no choice but to fight.

And 3 days passed.

Geom Gak-ju.

The invitation from Sword Demon Pyo Wi-heon arrived.

Though it's called an invitation.

It felt more like a death sentence, declaring they're going to kill you.

I guess I have to accept the invitation.