Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Tiamat's Trial
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The path to the fifth floor was far too uneventful.
As I walked up the stairs, I couldn't help but wonder if we really needed to go through all this.
‘……Or do we?’
On second thought, I'd heard that the Lion's Tower was a place even angels and demons weren't permitted to enter.
So these traps must have been designed for them.
The stairs leading underground on the first floor were rigged with mechanisms none of us—players, demons, or angels—had anticipated.
The second floor's room, blanketed in hallucinogenic grass, would have been fatal to angels without status ailment resistance.
The third floor's path of thorns would have been tough for demons forced to walk the ground.
Angels could just fly over, so they wouldn't have had to deal with it....
The fourth floor's flame chamber was a nightmare for both angels and demons alike.
Of course, as players, every room had been a challenge for us too, but the records left by the previous 'Opener' had guided us through....
Step by step!
We'd finally reached the last floor.
[System Message]
[Welcome to the final floor of the 'Lion's Tower.']
[The tower's master greets you.]
The pinnacle of the tower.
In the vast, empty white room stood a single wooden chair.
Despite no lamps or torches, the space was brightly lit.
“……Michael hasn't arrived yet, has he.”
Even for an archangel, the journey here wouldn't have been easy.
No, it made more sense that he hadn't made it at all.
I had no idea why our paths hadn't crossed on the way up, but one thing was clear.
I'd reached the top of the Lion's Tower first.
‘Is it really the top, though....’
It felt more like the bottom of an underground abyss.
“Sora.”
“Yes?”
“Has any new text appeared in the Book of the Lion?”
By now, there should be some hint about what comes next.
While she checked the book, I examined the wooden chair.
Recalling the mural of the 'Opener' group on the first floor's wall, this place was anything but ordinary.
One of the gods who created the primordial heaven and hell—Tiamat—was here.
Whether meeting him was even possible, I wasn't sure....
“Whoa! Cheonjae, something new has been added to the last page.”
“What does it say?”
“Um.... 'In the formless space, the one who forged darkness from chaos awaits the Opener.'”
“That's it?”
“Yeah. It's written in gold, so it seems important....”
The formless space.
The dream world.
Remembering the mural on the first floor's wall, the words suddenly made sense.
The one who created darkness there was waiting for the Opener.
I stepped up to the wooden chair and said to Yoo Sora,
“I'm not sure if I'll be going alone or if we'll all move together, but if I don't say anything, don't wake me.”
“……Got it.”
“Jeongwoo, you and Michael guard the entrance. Make sure no one gets in until this is over.”
Jeongwoo shrugged.
“Easy enough. It's not like anyone's here except Michael and us, right?”
“……Just in case.”
I took a slow, deep breath and sat down on the wooden chair.
[System Message]
[Inviting Player Kim Cheonjae to the 'Formless Space,' the dream world.]
[In 3 seconds, you will enter the illusory realm created by Tiamat.]
[If you fail to find the answer, you will remain trapped in the dream forever. Please do your best to escape before death claims you.]
‘Fail to find the answer, and you can't leave the dream.'
“……Fine.”
I closed my eyes and counted to three.
One.... Two.... Three....
[You have encountered the master of the 'Lion's Tower.']
[Activating a fragment of 'Tiamat's' memory to bridge the past and present.]
When I opened my eyes again, everything was pitch black. Nothing was visible.
No, faint specks of dust twinkled ever so slightly.
‘……Chaos.’
This must be the sea of chaos that existed before heaven and hell were formed.
I slowly looked around.
It was no different from other story progression screens. Gravity was absent, so my body floated weightlessly.
It felt like observing planets from the void of space.
I focused my mind and breathed steadily.
“Is anyone there?”
My voice echoed loudly, but no one answered.
No lifeforms were detectable nearby. I had no idea what Tiamat looked like or if it was even a being like us.
Swimming forward, I heard a low hum—uuuung—and felt a powerful presence behind me. I whipped around to check.
‘……Nothing?’
Just empty black space.
I turned my head side to side, checking again. The only change was that the faint twinkling stars had dimmed further.
I slowly tilted my head up.
And there it was.
I finally faced him.
Tiamat, creator of hell and one of the primordial gods.
“Uh.... Hello?”
I found myself speaking politely without thinking.
It was an entity so massive I couldn't tell where its body began or ended. But its neck and head were distinct, so I knew where to direct my words.
This being was a serpent.
No, a dragon.
Not some ordinary dragon from legend, but a creature radiating overwhelming power.
Tiamat's head descended slowly, exhaling hot breath toward me.
Just its breathing warped the space, squeezing my body like a vice.
The pain twisted my arms, and I cried out, “Agh!”
Tiamat pulled back slightly and spoke upon seeing my reaction.
“‘The Opener,’ are you?”
“……Yes.”
“You've worked hard to reach this place.”
I had no idea what to say next. Had Tiamat known I was coming?
‘Well....’
He might not have known who, but he must have anticipated that an 'Opener' would eventually arrive when he created this place.
I bowed my head and replied,
“Are you Tiamat?”
“……Indeed.”
Resonance rippled through the air with every word he uttered.
Bracing against the force pushing me back, I responded,
“Did you know I would come here?”
“Yes.”
“Then.... You must know why I'm here.”
“……Of course.”
That simplified things. All I needed was the answer to why I'd come.
I asked cautiously,
“Then will you tell me that answer?”
“……It's simple enough. But I see no reason to give it to you.”
Another uptight NPC obsessed with reasons and justifications.
“There is no reason. I just want to know.”
“Then you shall not hear it from me.”
“……Pardon?”
“You must know the clear reason you sought me out. Only then does my summons hold meaning.”
“You summoned me?”
“Yes. I called you.”
“I came here of my own accord.”
“I altered the flow of causality to make you come of your own accord.”
Another one spouting convoluted nonsense. He'd manipulated the story flow to draw me here, hadn't he?
Hoo....
* * * * *
I failed to find the 'reason' Tiamat demanded for my visit.
I had no clue how much time had passed. One thing was certain: it wasn't days—it was months or even years.
My beard had grown wild, like some mountain hermit's.
“......Go!”
At my shout, the summoned beasts charged Tiamat all at once.
He flicked his tail dismissively, smashing them apart in a single sweep.
Only three with exceptional stats survived.
Park Gyuhwan, Gawain, Ares.
‘......And how did that one survive?’
Four, actually.
Vulcanus too.
-Gyaaah!
It rolled across the ground, dodging his tail.
I raised the fallen skeleton soldiers and charged Tiamat again.
“Charge!”
[System Message]
[Conditions for 'Ten Thousand Summons' proficiency met. Awakening Skeleton Summon skill.]
“Huh?”
*Skeleton Summon (Awakened)
-Using a summoned skeleton soldier as a medium allows for reinforced summons.
‘......Okay.’
I grabbed the head of a nearby skeleton soldier and chanted the Skeleton Summon spell again.
Long bone spikes protruded from its shoulders and elbows, and its skull elongated like an alien's.
*Awakened Skeleton Soldier (Steel)
-All stats doubled.
-Occupies population '3.'
‘......Awakened Skeleton Soldier, huh.’
I resumed the attack alongside the newly formed soldier.
We'd done this countless times already.
Each round, he toyed with me like a cat with a mouse.
No level-ups occurred during fights with Tiamat. But I'd definitely grown stronger than before.
My mind brimmed with tactics and strategies.
Tiamat opened his maw, and a twinkling star transformed into human form.
No—demonic form.
“Raaargh!”
I lunged at the demon.
“Lucifer!”
His illusory Lucifer and Metatron—I'd fought them dozens, hundreds, thousands of times, memorizing every pattern.
Whoosh—
Crack!
Subduing Lucifer took less than five minutes. Metatron appeared next, charging in.
The first time here had surprised me; I hadn't realized it was this strong.
It boasted battle prowess on Lucifer's level.
But now, it was just prey.
“......Die.”
['Death's Scythe' activated]
[Steals the life of enemies with 15% or less HP in one stroke.]
Slash—
Metatron's head fell.
Having dispatched both in seconds, I rushed toward Tiamat.
“Now just you left!”
Tiamat yawned widely in my direction.
A gale pinned me to the ground.
Boom!
His attacks were unavoidable.
But I'd found a way to counter.
“......Iron Maiden, activate.”
[Iron Maiden activation canceled.]
Huh?
The silver thorns clinging to his body vanished.
Another failed victory. I laughed maniacally, venting my frustration.
“Aaaargh! You crazy bastard! Send me back already!”
Tiamat looked down at my battered form and said,
“Find the answer to my question.”
“There isn't one! I just followed the story. I came to chase Lucifer's trail, you shitty lumbering fool!”
“......Return when you have it.”
He vanished.
I pulled a cigarette hidden in my armor and lit it—no, put it in my mouth.
My last one.
I rummaged through my armor for a lighter, but it was gone. Must have dropped it during battle.
As I gave up and went to toss it, Gawain lit his sword and held the flame to the tip.
“Here.”
“......Thanks.”
Suck.
Puff—.
Fucking hell.
Caught in this bullshit out of nowhere.
What about the people waiting outside? Were they still there?
Too much time had passed.
Even if they'd left, I couldn't blame them.
It was my fault for charging in unprepared, full of overconfidence.
I'd breezed through the other floors, so why this one....
“......Wait a second.”
Why hadn't I thought of this until now? After all this time?
On the other floors, I'd used the wall murals to find the way forward.
Here, I'd been so fixated on Tiamat's question, like I was entranced.
Think.
The memories were faint from the long lapse, but the murals rose in sequence.
‘......’
The primordial 'Openers'' final action.
“Tiamat!”
At my call, he reappeared, materializing from transparency.
“Speak.”
“I get it now. The reason.”
“......Then speak it.”
“The reason I came here is—”
“—Is...?”
I raised my middle finger.
“......This.”
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