Tower Faith (3)
Tower Faith (3)
The distant rumble of thunder gradually subsided.
Lee Ha-yul shook the remaining Heavenly Thunder from his arm and gave a nod.
Just as he had calculated, there were no misfires. He had hit everything he aimed at and eliminated them.
'Heavenly Thunder will manifest soon too.'
The Innate Talent coalescing in his mindscape felt weighty. He could feel Heavenly Thunder gradually reaching the threshold of manifestation.
It was far faster than expected.
The reason was that he had experienced other Heavenly Thunders.
He had learned from the Innate Talent of the 8th Iteration, who commanded the ultimate secrets of Heavenly Thunder, and had also learned the many Expansion Abilities derived from it.
Additionally, Senior Daera's Heavenly Thunder was also rapidly developing.
Since he also carried information on other Heavenly Thunders, his own manifestation could only accelerate.
'Gale is accelerating too.'
Lee Ha-sol, who was blinking up at the sky, had already cultivated Gale's Expansion Ability.
The presence or absence of an Expansion Ability created a huge divide in the understanding of one's Innate Talent.
The Gale that had developed an Expansion Ability was growing rapidly, and Lee Ha-yul, who had been observing and experiencing it, was growing as well.
Though he couldn't be certain, Gale's manifestation likely wouldn't take much longer.
Once that time came, he would be able to use the Five Ends more stably. As a bonus, he would be able to cultivate the Reverse Side more deeply.
"?"
Imagining the near future, Lee Ha-yul smiled softly, then blinked.
Gazes had gathered on him.
It was only natural, given that he had suddenly shot lightning into the sky in the middle of the city.
Drawing attention didn't bother him anymore. He didn't even mind that those looks weren't filled with awe or fear.
[Displeased]
[...Let's go]
"Yes, yes..."
But some gazes bothered him immensely.
He had sensed a few of them before, but this city had an especially large number of such looks.
Keeping his expression in check, Lee Ha-yul hurried the Association staff along.
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The group boarded a vehicle the Association had prepared in advance.
The Tower Faith headquarters was situated on the outskirts of the city. It wasn't far from the city-center Association.
"It really is fascinating. Letting a Gate be installed in the heart of a power... You'd think they'd be uneasy about having a transmission device right on their doorstep."
Liana muttered as she scanned the city outside the window.
Once a Gate Terminal is installed, it instantly connects to Gates all over the world, bringing overwhelming benefits in logistics and distribution.
Yet despite those advantages, each power is reluctant to bring a Gate into its central area for security reasons.
'Since it was built with the Authorities of Space and Harmonization, it has never been breached through security so far.'
Few powers want to entertain the possibility of an army corps storming into their inner sanctum in an instant.
The Three Great Families also designated the old Seoul area as a neutral zone and allowed the Gate Terminal there.
But the Tower Faith was different.
They had installed a large-scale Gate Terminal right next to their headquarters.
If the Association harbored ill intent, a massive army could rush into their inner sanctum in a heartbeat.
"The Association is an institution established by the Tower Masters of Space and Harmonization. From the Tower Faith's perspective, they couldn't distrust the objects of their worship."
Lee Ha-sol gave an awkward smile as she said that. Liana returned the remark with a small laugh.
"Well, they are a religious group that venerates the Towers as gods. It would be strange not to trust the Association headed by the Tower Masters of Space and Harmonization."
Would it merely look strange?
Suspecting that the gods they chose to serve might be brandishing a blade at them?
To exaggerate slightly, that would be tantamount to denying the very foundation of their faith, so for the Tower Faith to exist, the option of rejecting the Association never existed.
In practice, the Tower Faith was extremely friendly and cooperative toward the Association.
"Do you know? It's a famous story, but the special treatment applies to Siyoram and the Observation Corps too."
"Yeah, I've heard it a lot from people around me. Ha-sol has it especially rough, doesn't she?"
"Right, after they announced I was Siyoram's top admission, people around me really gave me a hard time."
Ellia chimed in. Lee Ha-sol shuddered as she recalled the past.
When she was informed she had achieved Siyoram's top admission.
Lee Ha-sol had been immensely happy, but the people around her went wild as if she had saved the world, and her joy quickly turned to chagrin.
"...Ah-ha, so that's why so many people have gathered here."
Liana, who had been scanning the window for a while, chuckled. Lee Ha-yul, who had been trying to stay still, felt his eye twitch.
Even though it had been less than an hour since he had announced his visit, the VIP vehicle sped down a cleared road without stopping once.
The further they went, the more crowded the sidewalks on both sides became.
"......."
"......."
"......."
Subtle gazes gathered on one person. Since it was a self-driving car, the entire passenger group was staring. Lee Ha-yul averted his eyes.
"The Special Admission Cadet of Siyoram, founded by the Tower Master of Growth..."
"The Association President's proxy, personally appointed by the Tower Master of Space and the Tower Master of Harmonization..."
"The successor who was personally taught magic by the Tower Master of Knowledge, and had Authorities passed down from the Tower Masters of Space and Observation..."
At the string of remarks, the women shrugged their shoulders.
From any angle, they could predict what kind of treatment Lee Ha-yul would receive from the Tower Faith. The scene unfolding outside the window must be the result.
Lee Ha-yul himself knew that well too.
Hadn't he already experienced it in the original work?
Besides, now was worse than then, and he was cruelly and vividly observing what it was like outside...
- You have arrived at your destination
Ironically, the vehicle came to a stop.
The headquarters of the Tower Faith.
At its center stood a solemn castle.
As if waiting, a rolled-up carpet unfurled from the castle entrance with a smooth rustle, reaching all the way to the vehicle.
On either side, honor guards were already standing, fully equipped and in position.
A woman in a loose priestly robe, rather than armor, cautiously approached the vehicle.
"......"
[Brief deliberation]
If he had his way, he'd go straight in with a Spatial Leap.
With a Grade 1 Dungeon showing signs of rampage and a 2nd-Rank monster possibly appearing, part of him felt this was a waste of time.
But he recognized the necessity.
For whatever reason, the Tower Faith had to earnestly welcome the honored guest, and Lee Ha-yul did not want to rudely reject their sincerity.
Above all else.
Simply by showing himself confidently, Lee Ha-yul could bring relief to people who were suffering from anxiety.
"If you'd prefer to avoid the eyes and go in..."
"I'm fine."
"Me too."
"We're fine."
He asked just in case, but that's how it was.
[...Okay, I'll get out now]
Swallowing a sigh, Lee Ha-yul exited the vehicle.
- Whoaaaaah—!
A resounding cheer erupted as if to shake the city. His ears rang. Lee Ha-yul checked on Lee Seo-yul, who had gotten out after him.
- Seo-yul, are you okay?
- Of course I'm fine
Seo-yul smiled inside her helmet and stood beside him.
Liana, Ellia, and Lee Ha-sol also stood behind them. Lee Ha-yul turned his head toward the priest who seemed to be the guide.
[Please lead the way]
"Ah, aah...! Yes...!"
The priest, trembling with emotion, stiffly turned her body.
Her demeanor was as if she were meeting a god descended to the earth.
Swallowing his chagrin, Lee Ha-yul kept his expression in check and crossed the carpet.
The fluttering Sky Wing Feather settled like a cloak, and his closed eyes—which he had no need to open—radiated an aura of serene dignity.
- Step... Step...
With each step, the ear-splitting cheers gradually quieted. The vigorously waving flags slowed, and the wildly waving hands lowered.
Regardless of his inner feelings, Lee Ha-yul, from head to toe exuding the Innate Talent of the All-Rounder, appeared utterly dignified and noble before the world.
The savior ordained by the Tower Masters whom they thought of as gods.
Many of those who had come here had expected Lee Ha-yul to live up to that perception, but they were overwhelmed by an appearance and aura that far surpassed it.
'...Yes, this is better.'
He didn't know much about religion.
Still, he knew that when used well, it was a convenient means to obtain peace of mind.
He didn't know what they desired. He had no intention of granting all of it, but if they could find reassurance just by his showing his face, there was no reason to refuse.
- Ding
[Unique Ability 「All-Rounder」 grows]
'You didn't need to tell me... No, just show it.'
Since it said it had visually grown, it didn't feel bad.
- ...Vwwoom
It was around the time Lee Ha-yul let out a deep sigh.
A tingling pulse resonated in a corner of his mind. The observed data had matched certain conditions and sent a signal.
A notable incident. A life-form in threat, a back alley in the city center, a man clutching a weapon, malice, a man collapsed in terror.
Judgment was instantaneous. Normally, he would have manifested magic remotely, but now a more efficient and spectacular means had come to mind.
- Crack!
Somewhere far away in the city center.
The lightning energy that had pooled heavily in the sky silently streaked down as a single bolt.
A momentary flash.
Immediately after, the low rumble of thunder that followed a moment later made those who perceived it flinch in surprise.
Among them, some sent their gazes to Lee Ha-yul, who had just earlier shot up Heavenly Thunder.
"Ha-yul?"
"There was a problem, so I hit it."
Liana looked at him, questioning.
Shrugging his shoulders slightly, Lee Ha-yul sent a message not through his smartwatch, but directly using the Authority of Harmonization.
▶Me: Erteria City, 53534— Back Alley 294— Restrain the unconscious man and then query the crime prevention magic
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[(Info) Hero Lee Ha-yul Arrives in Erteria City][4451]
[Today's Collection of Hero Lee Ha-yul's Dignity][3638]
[Was Feeling a Bit Uneasy Lately, Then the "Otherworld Tower Master Subjugator" Shows Up at "Tower Faith"—Yikes][457]
It had not been many hours since Lee Ha-yul entered the Tower Faith.
Yet, as the saying goes, word travels faster than feet, and the rumors spread quickly.
Lee Ha-yul had just crossed over through a Gate and immediately fired lightning, and thousands of monsters outside the city were struck by lightning and died.
The figure Lee Ha-yul cut as he entered the Tower Faith headquarters was so holy and sacred that it defied description... and so on.
With an abundance of evidence and testimony, it was only natural for the rumors to swirl.
But the rumors didn't stop there.
There was a rumor that had spread through the city in hushed tones, though direct evidence and testimony were scarce.
[Erteria Resident: Interview about almost getting assassinated on the street and being saved by lightning (Event video attached)][8751]
They say that divine punishment falls upon those who commit evil deeds.