Chapter 150
Chapter 150
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: Lion's Tower: Illusions, Spikes, and Flames
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I swung my scythe in a wide arc as I charged toward the wooden box. The flowers blocking my path sliced away effortlessly.
The path cleared, and Jeongwoo bellowed behind me.
“Everyone, follow right behind Cheonjae!”
Before I could even think about how accustomed to battle everyone had become, our bodies moved on instinct. Kim Yeonhee stuck close to Jeongwoo’s back and asked.
“What’s going on?!”
“We need to get out of here fast. While Cheonjae buys us time, find the stairs to the next floor.”
“Buys us time?”
“Yeah. Every one of those flowers he’s cutting right now is a hallucinogenic cannabis plant.”
“Hallucinogenic… cannabis!”
Most hallucinogenic cannabis plants release a burst of potent pollen the instant they sense an intruder in their territory.
Inhaling that powder through your respiratory system plunges you into hallucinations, trapping the victim in endless dreams until death.
Whoosh—
Sharak!
Another mighty swing of my scythe snapped dozens of cannabis plants ahead.
“Quick, find the door!”
This special cannabis existed only in this game. The plants judged enemies and allies based solely on how long something lingered in their designated territory.
Any non-plant lifeform that stayed too long in their domain was marked as hostile.
So we either had to chop them down before they clocked us as enemies or get the hell out of their territory.
One or the other.
Whoosh—
Srrrrk!
Everyone scattered in all directions, searching for the door to the next floor.
Even with the torchlight illuminating the room brightly, no stairs to the next level were in sight.
And backtracking the way we came was impossible.
“…Let’s check this first.”
I approached the wooden box in the center of the flower field. Of course, swinging my scythe nonstop to cleave the flowers.
Whoosh—whoosh—
Reaching the box, I flipped open the lid without hesitation. The rusty hinges creaked, revealing its age.
“…What the hell is this?”
Inside lay a single key. An old, corroded brass one.
Judging by its size, it’d fit a chairman’s office doorknob.
‘A key, huh…’
[The ‘Third Eye’ gazes at you with eager anticipation.]
I whipped my head around, scanning every inch of the floor’s walls. No keyholes in sight.
If not the walls…
‘Maybe it’s connected to that mural we saw earlier?’
I shouted.
“…Everyone, keep cutting down the flowers! The door to the next floor is underneath.”
No sooner had I spoken than they tore into the flowers, ripping and slashing.
Kim Yeonhee, who’d seemed useless until now, finally came alive like a fish in water.
She shredded the flower field with the agile movements unique to an assassin.
If this floor tied into the murals from the first like before, there had to be a keyhole in the floor.
The ‘Opener’ figure we’d seen was depicted touching a hole in the ground.
“Whoever finds a hole that fits this key, tell me.”
I yelled, holding up the brass key. Everyone murmured affirmations and nodded.
I swung my scythe too, searching for the spot that led to the next floor.
Whoosh—whoosh—
We hacked down so many flowers it felt like we’d cleared every plant. As time dragged on, my vision blurred and swayed like my consciousness was fading.
If someone with my status ailment resistance felt it this bad, the others must be struggling hard.
We’d cleared about half the flower field.
“…Found it!”
Yoo Sora, of all people, spotted the keyhole.
I bolted over without pause and checked it.
‘This is it.’
I slotted in the key.
Kreeeak!
Perfect fit.
This was definitely the floor’s keyhole.
“Turning it.”
Yoo Sora stepped back a pace. Everyone gathered around me.
I twisted the key clockwise.
Kreek! Kreek! Kreek!
On the final turn, a loud *pssssh!* erupted as black smoke billowed from within.
I worried something might attack us, but it was just dust leaking out on the breeze.
[System Message]
[You have discovered the stairs to the next floor.]
“…We’re good.”
The smoke cleared.
A staircase plunged into pitch-black depths.
This tower really only went down, not up.
[The ‘Third Eye’ claps in admiration at Kim Cheonjae’s sharp eyes.]
The moment the path opened, the flowers on the second floor withered. That black smoke must’ve acted like herbicide.
“Whew—.”
Yoo Sora clapped her hands with a *smack!* and said to me.
“Cheonjae! How’d you know the hole was here?”
“…It was in the mural from the floor below.”
“The mural? You memorized every painting there?”
“Yeah. Well… my memory’s always been better than most since I was a kid.”
Memory, huh…
Come to think of it, the ability that let me clear this game so easily was my memory.
Never forgetting an enemy’s weakness or patterns after one fight meant I never fell for the same tricks twice.
“…Let’s head to the next floor first.”
* * * * *
The stairs ended in a dazzling room that sparkled so brightly it hurt the eyes. Floor, walls, and ceiling—all made of some aluminum-like material.
I tensed up and advanced slowly. Unlike the previous floor, an ominous vibe hung in the air.
The instant my foot crossed the threshold,
Pshuk!
“Wha—!”
I leaped backward.
Pop!
A massive spike shot from the floor. It grazed right past my face.
Lucky it came from ahead—if it’d erupted from under my feet, it would’ve skewered my lower body.
[System Message]
[Welcome to the third floor of the ‘Lion’s Tower.’]
I swatted away the hologram screen in annoyance.
“What… the hell.”
Jeongwoo, watching from behind, burst out laughing.
“Kim Cheonjae, you nearly got the full poop spike treatment?”
“…That thing would’ve drilled straight through your skull.”
Forced back to the stairs, I examined the floor closely. It looked normal, but fine cuts in an X pattern marked spots where spikes could launch.
I pondered while staring at the floor.
This place had to connect to the first floor’s murals too.
The ‘Opener’ figures appeared exactly five times in those paintings.
Matching the tower’s floors.
“…Okay.”
Decision made, I strode back toward the aluminum room. Jeongwoo grabbed my shoulder as I went in unprepared.
“You high on that hallucinogenic crap?”
“…No.”
“Then why just walk in?”
“…Because we just walk.”
“What?”
“Just walk. Everyone, don’t move until I signal.”
I gently removed Jeongwoo’s hand and pressed forward.
Pshuk!
A spike burst ahead of me.
‘…Right.’
I strolled past it with a straight face.
Pshuk! Pshuk!
More spikes erupted from other holes. They didn’t strike me. Just threats, nothing more.
Halfway across, I closed my eyes and kept walking. I already knew the spikes in this room wouldn’t hit me.
I just sharpened my senses to track where they came from.
“…Got it.”
The spikes, invisible until the *pshuk!*, briefly took on an aura’s form in that instant.
They looked solid to the eye, but they were aura aggregates.
Reaching the room’s end, I waved my arms wildly to signal all clear.
“Everyone, cross one by one!”
Jeongwoo flashed an OK sign overhead at my call.
Michael first, then Kim Yeonhee, Yoo Sora, Ma Jeongwoo. They crossed the aluminum room one at a time.
On the first step, spikes popping out spooked them all,
But afterward, they walked through calm as I had.
* * * * *
Everyone reached the far side of the spike field. Not knowing the room’s gimmick, they all turned to me.
“Why didn’t the spikes attack us?”
Simple answer.
“No idea. But the mural showed everyone waiting while one person walks through the room alone.”
“Ah….”
I used Recall to summon three skeleton soldiers.
Then tossed them into the aluminum room.
Pshuk! Pshuuush—
Kwachak!
Spikes rained from everywhere, shredding the skeleton soldiers.
From below, sides, above—simultaneous assault impossible to block or dodge, and way too many.
Plus, these steel skeletons crumpled like paper, so the power was unimaginable.
Ma Jeongwoo gulped.
“Crazy. One hit from those and you’re toast.”
“We didn’t get hit, so whatever…”
[The ‘Third Eye’ can’t hide its shock, wondering if you really memorized every mural.]
[The ‘Ones Watching the Game’ watch Kim Cheonjae with pleased smiles.]
[‘Staff 4’ is pissed off—it designed that terrain, but you cleared it too easily!]
I smirked faintly, lips curling, and gathered the shattered skeleton bones.
“Let’s go to the next floor.”
* * * * *
[System Message]
[Welcome to the fourth floor of the ‘Lion’s Tower.’]
We hit the fourth floor in a flash.
The stairs dumped us into a blackness so deep you’d call it darkness within darkness. Nothing visible ahead. A light tap forward met the *splash-splash!* of liquid on the floor.
Zzzt!
Electricity crackled nearby.
I yanked my foot back and shook it off quick.
‘As expected.’
Kim Yeonhee shone her flashlight, but visibility barely hit two meters through the murk.
Darkness that devoured light?
“…”
Of course, I knew how to cross this. Like a kid who peeked at the answers acing a test—child’s play.
“Jeongwoo, gimme a smoke.”
“A smoke? Now?”
“Yeah. And the lighter.”
“…Here.”
Jeongwoo fished a cigarette from his pack and handed it over. I lit up.
Zzzt—zzzt.
Suck.
Puff—
White smoke billowed thick. I stepped into the black space and chucked the lit butt far ahead.
It spun through the air, hitting the floor—
Shiiiii—
Fwoosh!
Flames erupted across the entire room.
Darkness vanished in an instant.
A sudden blast of heat shoved my body back. Intense enough to burn facial skin without protection.
I spun my scythe fast to whip up wind.
“…”
The floor oil evaporated, flames died down, and the heat faded.
A black pillar loomed before us. One of the room’s defenses.
It sensed intruders and ignited the floor oil—like a flint striker.
I hurled my scythe hard at the pillar. It spun fast, smashing into it with a boom.
Kwang!
The pillar snapped in half and toppled sideways.
Thud!
“…Done. Everyone, next floor.”
[The owner of the ‘Lion’s Tower’ prepares to greet Kim Cheonjae’s party.]
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