Chapter 334: War of the Apocalypse (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 334: War of the Apocalypse (3)
The Lower Floors, the Middle Floors, and the Upper Floors.
These are the three main divisions of the Tower of Trials.
If the Lower Floors are where players adapt to the Tower...
The Middle Floors are where they begin to truly understand it, engaging in faction wars against massive, influential forces like the Murim, the Spirit Realm, and the Empire.
However, from the Upper Floors onward, the nature of the Tower changes entirely.
And for good reason.
After all...
Those residing in the Upper Floors are those who once came close to the summit, or had even reached the threshold of the final 50th Floor.
And now,
One of the massive factions representing the Upper Floors had appeared right before their eyes.
And they were the last people anyone would have expected.
Vroooom!
[An Unmeasurable-grade barrier is unfolding!]
[The space within a 50-meter radius is severed from the outside world!]
Within the distorted space,
Step.
The sound of light, brisk footsteps echoed.
"Hmm. Looks like they're too busy tearing each other apart to notice us. I can't tell who's who. A guy... with black hair. Is it one of those two? There's a handsome guy and a... less handsome guy."
"Hold on. We can just ask them."
Armor completely out of place in the modern era.
A blond beard and a relaxed smile caught Jinhyuk's eye.
To think these guys would show up here.
Jinhyuk glanced over toward Alice.
Alice and Hyacinth couldn't see this way because of the barrier.
Well, she's facing her lifelong enemy, so she doesn't have the luxury to worry about anything else. Besides, her opponent isn't someone she can afford to take her eyes off of.
Though he had encountered and experienced various variables while climbing the Tower of Trials...
Never, under any circumstances, had beings from the Upper Floors descended outside the Tower before the 30th Floor was unlocked.
Is this also... one of the variables Sae Yeong Eon Hwan talked about?
The claim that the summit of the Tower had changed from what he once knew.
At the time, he had dismissed it as cryptic nonsense, but as time passed, he knew for sure.
A butterfly that didn't exist before was stirring up a new wind.
Of course,
This is more like it. This is fun.
To Jinhyuk, these unpredictable variables were more exciting than they were alarming.
His heart beat with pleasant anticipation at the fact that he was seeing a brand-new Tower, rather than the boringly familiar one he knew inside out.
Right then,
"Sorry to interrupt your lovely little brawl... but we're looking for someone. Could we get your attention for a moment? Ah! I should introduce us first, shouldn't I? I'm Loki, and this big guy next to me is Thor. We're gods representing the Norse faction."
A voice as clear as rolling glass beads echoed.
Though his tone was playful, no one present could dare ignore his words.
"Which one of you is Kang Jinhyuk?"
A brief question.
In an instant, everyone's eyes turned to Jinhyuk.
The corners of Loki's mouth curled upward.
"Ah, so it is you. Hmm. Well, you'd need to have this kind of presence to be the player we've been looking for. Most residents wouldn't stand a chance against you."
"I appreciate the compliment, but why are the high and mighty of the Upper Floors looking for me?"
"Isn't it obvious why residents look for players? We need a new card to break the balance. One with as much potential as possible."
To break the balance...
There was only one reason Loki would say that.
"Is it because of Olympus?"
Jinhyuk tossed the words out casually.
But they were far from light.
"How do you...?"
Loki's pupils shook with shock.
The smirk vanished completely from his sly face.
"How do you know about our relationship with... those bastards? That's information a player shouldn't even be capable of knowing."
Well, of course.
Even high-ranking players rarely encountered divinities.
Naturally, they would have no way of knowing about the conflicts and political dynamics of the Upper Floors.
I can't exactly bring up my past of climbing the Tower here.
In that case...
"I happened to catch a glimpse of a portion of the 'Book of the Prophet' written by the Goddess Frigg. I have a rough idea of the story regarding Norse's Ragnarok, Olympus's Titans, and the single faction that will survive."
Frigg, the wife of Odin in Norse mythology.
A portion of the prophecy she left behind was hidden in the ruins on the 19th Floor of the Tower.
Of course, Jinhyuk hadn't actually obtained it.
He had merely thrown out a plausible excuse that Loki and Thor would accept.
Besides, I already have the contents of the prophecy memorized anyway.
By making himself look like an even more attractive target for recruitment, he had cast the best possible bait.
And his prediction...
"Pfft... Puhahaha! Wow, this is a masterpiece! He's not just useful, he's an absolute treasure. Coming all this way was definitely worth it. Hey, Thor. Keep this in mind. We are bringing this guy over to our side, no matter what it takes."
"Indeed. That would be wise."
...Hit the bullseye.
"I'm glad you like it. Personally, I have a lot of interest in the Norse faction as well."
"Hmm. This isn't exactly the best place to discuss details. Why don't we move somewhere else? It feels like this conversation might take some time."
"I'd love to, but as you can see, the situation isn't exactly ideal. Thanks to your arrival, things have paused for a moment, but we're actually backed into a corner here."
Jinhyuk shrugged.
Nietzsche and the numerous vampires of the Blood Clan would lunge at them again the moment they saw an opening.
Not to mention Cerberus, who was practically impossible to kill.
"If we clean up this place for you, would you be willing to favorably consider our offer?"
Now it was Jinhyuk's turn to be surprised.
"Are you serious? You're going to use your power outside the Tower?"
"A divinity never goes back on their word. At least, not the ones in our faction."
Just descending to the lower floors of the Tower imposed unimaginable restrictions.
And yet, they were talking about doing this completely outside the Tower?
He couldn't even begin to fathom what they had sacrificed to make this possible.
Were they really going to offer up Mjolnir as a sacrifice or something?
When Jinhyuk showed an expression of disbelief, Loki smiled brightly once more.
"Let me say it again: you don't need to worry about us. Besides, you probably want to see what we're capable of too, right? If we're going to work together in the future, you'll need to verify if we're up to your standards."
A golden dagger materialized at Loki's fingertips.
A faint, subtle energy gathered at the tip of the blade, which was adorned with brilliant jewels.
"The True Ancestors stand behind us. Are you truly prepared to start a war?" Nietzsche growled.
"Ah, of course. If we can secure Kang Jinhyuk, it's well worth the cost. Even if it means making enemies of you all. Besides, the only True Ancestor we'd rather not fight is already on Kang Jinhyuk's side anyway."
Pure hostility.
"Ugh!"
Realizing that talk was useless, Nietzsche instantly leaped back to create distance.
At the same time, purple blades sliced through the air all at once.
It was a petty attempt to seize the initiative now that things had come to this.
However,
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Before the blades could even touch Loki's body, they were all sliced cleanly in half.
Loki stepped forward leisurely through the glowing, red-hot severed fragments.
"We must kill them!" Nietzsche shouted, calling upon the surrounding vampires of the Blood Clan for aid.
"Damn it!"
"Attack, all of you!"
Faced with this massive, unexpected variable, the vampires joined the fray.
"Groooar!"
Searing flames erupted from Cerberus's mouths.
"I'll handle the big one," Thor said, flexing his muscles as if he had been waiting for this.
Rumble...!
Thunder roared, and blue lightning branched out in all directions.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!
An unimaginable storm of lightning surged straight toward Cerberus's face.
Crash!
One of Cerberus's heads was blasted backward.
Yet, it did not die.
Though heavily damaged, it bared its fangs, still radiating pure bloodlust.
"Graaaar!"
"Quite sturdy. I suppose you could pass for a cheap knockoff of Fenrir."
This was the battle of divinities.
A clash between beings who possessed the power to destroy an entire world if they so desired.
"It'll all be over once we take out the leader anyway."
Loki, having cut down ten vampires in the blink of an eye, closed in right in front of Nietzsche.
But then,
Whoosh!
Just before Loki's dagger could pierce Nietzsche's heart,
[The presence of the Norse divinities has been detected.]
[The existence of the Demon World reacts to this.]
Another status window, dyed in crimson, appeared.
Stop.
Loki's hand halted for the first time.
Stopped by the hand of a woman with pitch-black hair.
"My, aren't we a bit rough?"
"You are...?"
"This human is a servant cherished by our master. That means he isn't someone you can just dispose of as you please."
Yet another heavyweight had appeared.
Actually, Jinhyuk had expected to clash with them eventually, if only to fulfill his copying conditions.
The Demon World.
The worst possible faction, comprised of Demon Kings and demons.
Essentially, a gathering of trash who treated the despair and deaths of others as mere entertainment.
Ruuuumble!
Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and a pair of crimson eyes manifested.
[A divinity of the Demon World gazes upon their apostle.]
"I... I greet the Great One."
Nietzsche's complexion changed completely.
The composure he had maintained until now vanished without a trace.
In its place was only a weak human, desperately struggling not to displease the higher being with whom he had contracted.
"A human backed by... demons?"
"It's not just any demon. I can feel demonic energy on par with a Demon King."
Loki and Thor smacked their lips bitterly.
They had come here on a light whim, planning to snatch Jinhyuk away before Shub-Niggurath could manifest.
Instead, they had gotten dragged into a far more massive conflict than they had anticipated.
[Demon King 'Hesimodium' activates Lv??? 'Dark Hole'!]
A suffocatingly ominous demonic energy enveloped the entire area.
Almost simultaneously,
"Kieeeek!"
"Graaa!"
Crack, shatter...
The ground split open, and an immense horde of demon beasts began to crawl out.
* * *
Thor and Loki fought like madmen against the horde of demon beasts.
And so, the tide of battle shifted once more.
"Finally, I can catch my breath. Honestly, I was surprised. I never expected divinities to show this much interest in you..."
Having regained his composure, Nietzsche looked at Jinhyuk and Cheon Yu-seong.
"But it seems you can no longer rely on their help."
As long as their abilities remained sealed, the goddess of victory would smile upon Nietzsche.
Boom!
A purple blade struck Cheon Yu-seong head-on.
"Ugh!"
Though he managed to block it at the last second, his arms trembled under the force of the attack, which was infused with demonic energy.
Once.
Crash!
Twice.
Boom!
As the onslaught intensified, Cheon Yu-seong's stance rapidly crumbled.
Jinhyuk was also busy just dodging, unable to even think of launching a proper counterattack.
Just a little more.
Just a few more strikes.
...And it would be over!
It was right when Nietzsche had driven the two of them into a corner.
"Whew... I've got the hang of it now. We can start."
Cheon Yu-seong gripped his sword with both hands.
"Good to hear. Any later and we would've been completely finished."
Jinhyuk also pulled out the Twin Dragon Swords from his subspace inventory.
"What is this? You think you can fight back now?"
What a joke.
Nietzsche lightly dodged Cheon Yu-seong's sword as it sliced through the air.
"Do you really think an attack that amounts to nothing more than a dance can leave even a scratch on me?!"
Indeed.
To put it another way, this was a mere imitation.
It held neither the profound essence of a skill,
Nor the precision of an ability.
Therefore, the swords the two of them wielded now could not possibly possess their original power.
However,
Crackle...!
A faint blue light flickered along the tips of their blades.
The experience accumulated from imitating it thousands, tens of thousands of times.
Even without relying on skills or innate abilities,
Their bodies remembered.
The form.
And,
The stance.
Above all, the two paths of the sword they had forged through countless battles against each other in the past.
Zzzzt!
"W-What?!"
The swords began to sing in unison.
The very air... was changing.
At that moment,
[Special conditions have been met!]
['False Battlefield Selection' is activated!]
[The 'World of Players' unfolds!]
A new mental landscape descended.