Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Cradle of the Dead
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have entered the 'Tower of the Forgotten Banquet'. A blinding light in a familiar form flooded his vision.
"..."
After a brief wait, the long-awaited sight finally welcomed Do-yoon.
The tower.
The exchange event schedule had finally wrapped up, allowing him to dive back into serious climbing.
📰 Boss Mob Gallery (My Post) Title: Newbie Question - The maximum firepower and skill I can use right now is 'Eira', but Since it's a skill, does that mean I should just pump up my mana pool first? 💬 Comments — Anonymous If it's a skill judgment, then yeah, that sounds right. — Anonymous Oh, newbie's back in the tower? ⭐ Top Comment — Aged Wine is... You don't need that stuff, newbie-chan is plenty strong on his own...! — Anonymous Ao, separate work from personal lol — Anonymous Now they're openly hating lol — Anonymous Admit it. That's you from the past. — Paper Enthusiast We're seeing your skill for the first time too, newbie, so there's a lot to check out ㅇㅇ; — (My Post) Oh, really? — Short-Eared Goblin That's right~ If we get the chance, there's so much we wanna explore nice and slow~ — Anonymous Gasp — Anonymous Beeeeef! 📰 Strategy Post Title: From What I Can Roughly Guess
> Nickname: Paper Enthusiast*
- If we take another hunter as an example, it looks similar to abilities like the shrine maiden you met who handles shikigami or other summons. Since you're gaining the authority to manifest them through mana, Conclusion: If it's just for 'Eira', then yeah, boosting mana is the way. "Oh."
He'd had a rough idea already, but getting confirmation straight from the tower's owner boosted his confidence even more.
Do-yoon gazed fondly at the rippling blood-red chains.
The overwhelming presence that had swept through the first half of the theme stage alongside its menacing aura.
If he could fully unleash their potential, there'd be no sturdier ally in the entire tower.
"Am I super strong?!"
"Yeah."
"Hee hee hee."
— Paper Enthusiast But the issue is, focusing only on mana growth might cap your potential, and that's worrying. — Paper Enthusiast From what I've seen, newbie, you're too well-rounded to specialize in just one area. — (My Post) ??? — Short-Eared Goblin Your innate mana growth is high, and your physical side isn't weak either. It's something even we're pondering~ ⭐ Top Comment — Aged Wine is... Hmph! Don't worry about newbie-chan—just do your best to come meet me...! — Paper Enthusiast What's your current stats like, btw? "Stats?"
Do-yoon opened his status window with a puzzled glance.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Strength: 26 💨 Agility: 18 ✨ Magic Power: 22 💪 Stamina: 24 He snapped a screenshot and shared it, and soon enough, the wristband experts' analysis popped up.
— Paper Enthusiast Hmm. Definitely ambiguous. — (My Post) Is that bad? — Paper Enthusiast Not bad, just too evenly good—picking one is tough. Hunter classes are mostly determined by their innate stat growth potential.
High stamina with weak elsewhere? Tank.
High agility? Dealer. High mana? Rear-guard mage or healer.
But from their knowledge, Do-yoon's stats were high across the board, no weak points.
— Short-Eared Goblin Hidden Pieces, maybe~ Most hunters can't even snag one, but newbie here's hogged a bunch already~ — Paper Enthusiast Makes sense. — Anonymous Still better our reliable newbie snags 'em than some other punk causing chaos ㅇㅇ — Short-Eared Goblin True that~ Do-yoon pondered their words for a moment.
Basically, his overall potential was too good to pigeonhole into just supporting Eira's abilities.
Efficiency or affection.
The line between them troubled him briefly.
"But do I really need to split it up?"
In the end, it seemed like leveling up would solve everything.
He reached the entrance to the 6th floor in a flash and pushed through the translucent barrier.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Floor 6 - Cradle of the Dead A chilling aura washed over him as the sky darkened.
Unlike the peaceful backdrops he'd crossed so far, this felt like wandering a post-apocalyptic world.
Cradle of the Dead.
He'd already gathered info from veteran hunters and the gallery.
-Clatter.
He turned at the sound of bony impacts to see a pile of white bones rising.
Five in total.
Lifeless, emaciated husks radiating hatred for the living—
Blue ghostly flames leaked from their hollow sockets as they glared at Do-yoon.
-Clatter. Clatter.
They felt vaguely off compared to slimes, amphibians, or goblins, but Do-yoon stayed vigilant.
The terror of the undead lay in their deathly aura.
The longer the fight dragged, the more it layered 'fear' beyond the tower's mana resistance onto a hunter's mind.
In other words, it could drive you mad with terror.
-Shing.
Do-yoon drew the Goblin Warlord's curved sword in his familiar stance and aimed it at the 'skeletons'.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Skeleton Warrior Lv.7 ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Skeleton Archer Lv.8 Their levels were a bit lower than his, but they had numbers on their side.
Do-yoon didn't let his guard down and handled the first priority.
"Eira."
"Yeah!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Skill 'Memories of the Progenitor' activated. The now-familiar drain of mana from his body.
Enduring the fatigue, he waited for the enemies to close in—then two chains erupted from his left arm.
-Clank!
Eira's segments—the powerful blood-red chains he'd tested repeatedly in the training grounds—launched first at the undead.
-Crack!
A Skeleton Warrior's skull exploded.
The remaining chain targeted the stunned Skeleton Archer beside it.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Skeleton Warrior defeated! Skeleton Archer defeated! Confirming that much, Do-yoon launched himself forward without pause.
Three left.
-Clatter.
The undead ignored their fallen comrades, jaws clacking as they charged Do-yoon.
-Slash!
He dodged a sword aimed at his collarbone.
As he moved to counter with his shield-bearing left hand, an arrow in his peripheral vision made him step back.
-Thud!
Three arrows embedded where he'd stood moments ago.
"Eira, handle the archer."
"Yeah!"
Decision made, Do-yoon used the blood-red chains to strike the rear.
The serpentine chains slithered across the ground, targeting the Skeleton Archer from blind spots.
Skull and lower body.
-Crack!
The archer's ankle and neck vertebrae shattered under raw strength, separating simultaneously.
Spinning once in midair, the archer crumpled and didn't rise.
"Good job?!"
"Good job."
He wanted to leave most of the fighting to her, but dulling his own combat instincts was a risk.
With the rear guard gone, the Skeleton Warriors were just targets.
He closed in again, landing a proper blow this time.
-Crack!
The skull shattered against his shield's edge, staggering the headless warrior.
Ignoring the one wildly swinging its rusted sword, he faced the intact warrior closing in.
Moments later, he confirmed three kill messages and caught his breath.
"So fun, so fun!"
Eira, treating the fight like play, wrapped playfully around his left arm with a lively voice.
No trace of the force she'd used against the skeletons—just pure affection.
Do-yoon headed to the next area, eager to develop more of Eira's abilities ASAP.
When hunger hit, he chewed on jerky from his inventory while traversing the stage.
He took down a few more skeletons along the way.
'Boss room not yet?'
Even while hunting the stage-clear key, a thought struck him.
From the info he'd gathered, the tower's overall backdrop drew from the tower lord's memories and experiences.
In other words, it aligned somewhat with the progenitor's past and nature.
The theme stage, and now this 6th floor.
Perhaps areas the unfortunate Eira—or the progenitor—had traversed long ago.
'The fastest way to grow strong is to understand the tower.'
Miyu Hanaoka's advice before leaving after the exchange event.
A hunter's goal wasn't just clearing stages, but upholding the absolute one's will embedded in the tower.
Hard to grasp at his level, but he tried his best.
"Eira, you know this place?"
"Nope!"
Of course not.
Her memories likely started around the theme stage, her birthplace.
"Eira."
"Yeah?"
"I'll work hard and get you out completely real soon."
"Really?!"
"Yeah."
Do-yoon missed that time too.
He preferred her human form, spending time together properly, over this chain shape where they couldn't even meet eyes.
'Level up fast.'
Motivating himself once more, he searched for the boss room.
Then.
-Whoosh!
A massive whoosh drew his eyes instinctively.
'Hunter?'
Following his gut, he approached to check the vibe.
"..."
A familiar woman stood there, having already cleared some skeletons, gazing ahead.
"...Do-yoon."
"You."
Black hair, massive axe, bitchy-looking eyes.
Lakia Bells.
The strong hunter he'd teamed with in the theme stage.