I Won't Give Up!
I looked up at the golden stairs once more.
The critical point is from the 800th floor.
Up until then, it was said to be not too difficult.
Of course, as we climbed the stairs, monsters named 'Harpy' would appear and bother us.
But that was easy to deal with.
I headed to the golden stairs first.
'Impressive.'
From closer up, it was even more massive. The thousand golden stairs exuded an overwhelming pressure.
I stared at the stairs for a moment, then took a step onto them.
'Ugh.'
Suddenly, I felt like my internal energy was decreasing.
No, it wasn't just a feeling.
In fact, my internal energy had slightly decreased.
'So it consumes internal energy too.'
Internal energy could be seen as energy. I had some expectations, but it was in vain.
At that moment, the Heavenly Demon also stepped onto the stairs.
"Um!"
She had a quite surprised expression. It seemed she had consumed a significant amount of internal energy or stamina.
'Of course, the stronger you are, the greater the backlash.'
By the way, I didn't expect her to climb up too. This was supposed to be something one person could do.
"You'll climb too?"
"Yes. It piqued my interest."
"Is that so?"
Of course, from the Heavenly Demon's perspective, such an experience would be very rare.
Anyway, it was better than alone. I started climbing the stairs slowly with the Heavenly Demon.
"Ah, I almost forgot to mention: Don't stay on one stair for more than 10 seconds. If you do, you'll be sent back to the bottom."
"Um, is that right?"
Staying on one stair for more than 10 seconds was the rule. If you break it, you'll return to the start.
'Then, it's immediate failure.'
That's why I climbed alone. If I failed, the others would have to step in.
Tuk.
Tuk.
Fortunately, at the beginning, it wasn't too hard.
Screeech-!
The Harpy that made a crow-like sound harassed us, but we removed it with one sword strike.
Swish-!
After briefly watching the Harpy's feathers scatter in all directions, we moved our feet again.
How much time had passed?
"Wow, this is surprisingly tough."
We finally reached about halfway up.
My internal energy had increased by half. And stamina and strength had been consumed by half.
My thighs felt quite heavy. It was like carrying a large rock on my body.
Still, it was manageable.
In fact, my clone was the same. She was sweating, but apart from that, she was completely the same as at the start.
"Manageable?"
"Yes. What a strange experience. I'm glad I climbed."
The Heavenly Demon even smiled.
I shook my head left and right at her expression. She was definitely perverted.
We continued going up.
600th floor.
700th floor.
And finally, we reached the 800th floor of the trial.
"Hah. Hah."
My heart was pounding madly. I was out of breath. My muscles were trembling. My legs felt weak. My whole body felt heavy. My body swayed on its own.
In short, it was very difficult.
'Wow, this is going to kill me.'
No wonder people give up from the 800th floor. There was a reason.
I glanced at the Heavenly Demon. I wondered how she was doing.
'Huh?'
She was sweating like rain. Her body was already soaked with sweat.
But that was all.
She was advancing one stair at a time with the same expression as before. Her posture was completely steady. She was as stiff as a Confucian scholar from the Joseon Dynasty. It was unbelievable to watch.
She even showed the leisure of taking a photo of the surroundings with a camera.
At that moment, the Heavenly Demon's footstep upward stopped. She stopped for a moment and looked at me.
"......"
She didn't say anything.
But her eyes were speaking.
It was the kind of look that said 'If it were Master, I wouldn't have trouble climbing this much.'
Should I say it was a look full of trust?
Originally, I was going to give up. Honestly, this much was enough for my pride.
But if I gave up here, my clone would be greatly disappointed.
So, I took a step upward again.
'Yeah, let's try up to where I can.'
At that sight, the Heavenly Demon smiled again. Then she started climbing up.
I also continued climbing up while watching her.
And so, it became the 900th floor.
"Hah. Hah. Hah. Hah."
Now it was really the limit.
Honestly, climbing to the 900th floor?
This alone should be praised. In fact, when people reach the 900th floor, they acknowledge that they have strong willpower.
I was about to give up here. It was really the limit now.
But the Heavenly Demon was still the same.
She was still in a stiff posture looking up. She was definitely sweating like rain. She was breathing heavily.
"Hah. Hah."
It was the same as my situation. Yet she didn't give up. She just kept looking up and advancing.
Watching her, I felt like a flame was flickering in my heart.
Clearly, I and my clone were one body. Although we were quite different now, originally we were one.
But now I was about to give up. I felt it was the limit.
But my clone wasn't giving up.
She was just advancing.
It must have been just as difficult for her. That was certain.
Yet, I couldn't find any sign of giving up in her movements.
'Why can't I, but why can my clone?'
It wasn't possible that I couldn't do what my clone could.
It was just that my willpower was weak. That was the only reason.
I gritted my teeth.
It would be easy to give up here.
But it would remain in my heart.
Especially, since my clone had succeeded to the end, if I gave up, it would be even more painful.
I used all my strength to climb one stair.
"Ugh!"
From the 900th floor, climbing one stair after another was the hardest thing. It felt like carrying an entire house on my back.
But I somehow advanced one stair forward.
I reached the 901st stair.
"Hah. Hah. Hah. Hah."
Sweat soaked my whole body. My mind was hazy.
'Damn! I'm going to give up!'
But the flame in my heart didn't go out. It burned even more strangely.
I continued advancing.
"Ugh!"
One stair.
Another stair.
I gritted my teeth and advanced.
The Heavenly Demon was still ahead. I advanced while watching her.
How much further had we climbed?
Sweat soaked my whole body.
My mind was getting hazier.
Later, I forgot why I was climbing up.
Just like a crazy person, upward.
Again, toward up.
'Why am I doing this difficult thing?'
I don't know.
But it seemed I had to climb up.
If I sat down without climbing, it would be a great regret.
"Ugh!"
Somehow I climbed another stair.
My legs were too shaky, so I had to calm them for a moment.
Screeech-!
At that moment, I heard a crow sound from nearby.
I didn't know why such a sound was heard. I was just dazed.
'What? Is there a crow?'
The crow sound was getting closer.
But I was still dazed. I just blankly looked at the next stair.
When the crow sound was right in front of me.
"Screeeech-!"
"Whoosh-!"
"Slash-!"
Suddenly, my vision flashed.
Immediately, I saw a monster with wings being cut in half.
Blood splattered.
My whole body was covered in blood.
'... Harpy?'
With blood all over me, my mind cleared a bit.
'Was the Harpy trying to kill me just now?'
Even though it was right in front of me, I didn't notice.
Originally, I should have died.
But I didn't die.
The reason was there in front of me.
"Hah! Hah! Hah!"
The Heavenly Demon, breathing heavily, appeared right in front of me.
She was clearly much higher than me. But now she was right next to me. Her hand was covered in blood, and it seemed she had personally killed the Harpy.
At that sight, I realized.
'She really saves me when I'm in danger?'
I had some doubt, but this time I realized.
The Heavenly Demon was...
No, my clone was really thinking about my safety.
"Hah. Hah. Hah. Are you okay?"
"Hah. Hah. I'm, I'm fine."
"Hah. Hah. Hah. I'll climb with you."
"Hah. Hah. Okay."
There wasn't much left. The top was in sight. I couldn't give up here.
I used all my remaining strength to go up.
The Heavenly Demon was beside me. She was climbing the stairs with me. Strangely, I felt reassured.
So, we advanced one stair after another.
The top was coming into view more and more.
The more it was, the stronger the pain became. It felt like my body was being torn apart.
But I drew strength from watching the Heavenly Demon walking stiffly beside me. If she could do it, I could too.
"Hah. Hah. Hah."
"Hah. Hah. Hah."
We just breathed heavily. We couldn't say anything.
But even without words, something was felt.
The Heavenly Demon climbed one stair first, then waited for me.
Then I somehow gathered strength to get close to the Heavenly Demon.
We continued climbing like that.
Even in the pain as if my body was being torn, we advanced forward.
Then I realized.
Stagger.
"Ugh."
There were no more stairs to climb. Without knowing, I raised my foot upward and almost fell.
Fortunately, the Heavenly Demon supported me and I survived.
"Hah. Hah. Hah."
I breathed heavily and looked at the stairs I had climbed.
Honestly, the front was blurry, so it wasn't well visible.
But it didn't matter.
Some indescribable sense of achievement filled my brain.
'We did it! We did it!'
This feeling was the first time.
I felt like I could fly.
I felt like I could do anything.
Without realizing, I raised both arms high.