What the Hell Is This?

"What, what is it?"

Before I could even react to the sudden notification window that popped up, the one right in front of me expanded massively, engulfing me entirely.

"……!!!!"

Surprisingly, it was like the character selection screen in a game—two figures stood right before my eyes.

"This is……."

One was a massive white dragon, and the other was Saiyen Kartinin, the third son of the Kartinin family and one of Glory's 9 who had followed me.

"Fascinating."

I instinctively reached out and gripped the shoulder of Saiyen, who had his eyes closed. There was a tactile sensation, but it felt like touching a mannequin—no life to it.

"To see you like this again……."

A strange emotion welled up, drawing a bitter smile from me unbidden.

"Absorbing traits—what does that mean?"

There was no time to indulge in sentiment. I quickly turned my head and expanded the notification window in front of me.

"Hmm, so that's how it is."

After reading the explanation, I nodded slowly. Up until now, with lower levels, I could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠learn skills from figures in my memories, but at Lv3, it was traits instead of skills.

"There are 88 locked memory fragments in total, and I've only unlocked two so far. The fact that I can defer using it now is probably for the stats from future fragments I'll acquire later."

As the notification warned, only one trait could be absorbed, so I had to choose carefully.

With the remaining 86 memories, who knows what powerhouses are in there…… Could there be someone better than these two?

I recalled the strongest figures from my memories. Glory's 9, Mountain King Marcus, Veil leader Asera Tanubiel, Slayer Max, Eternal Sorceress Nilbana, Word Spirit Contractor Pluto, Grand Mage Mahnar the leader of the Red Tower, Madman Maal…….

The continent was full of renowned powerhouses. Most of the locked fragments were likely tied to them.

They're all incredible, but none overwhelmed me in my memories.

Was it worth postponing the choice to unlock more fragments and check their traits?

If I had to pick, Pluto's Word Spirit magic would be the most useful right now.

Pluto, the Sage of Prestige, had Word Spirit magic so powerful I'd pondered it in Black Eye's subspace before.

But trait absorption was literal traits, not skills.

If that were possible, Lanselro's magic or Saiyen's Silver Sword Style would have been listed like at Lv1.

Even if I found Pluto's fragment, it was uncertain if his traits included one for learning Word Spirit magic.

The Memory Keeper title unlocks new functions per level, but that doesn't mean I can freely use previous levels' abilities.

In fact, something like skill recall from Lv1 only triggered with precise motions, while memory borrowing from Lv2 unlocked via achievements, making it hard to replicate conditions.

Trait absorption also required meeting conditions.

And the condition—first on the server to reach level 50—was likely a one-time reward for just one person.

No telling if another chance like this will come.

That made the choice even weightier.

"Maybe this is the best option?"

Rather than waiting for an unknown Pluto fragment, the sure thing right here might be better. I pulled up one of Lanselro's many traits.

"……Yeah, it's insanely powerful."

The giant's magic armor I was wearing gave +100 defense and +50 natural resistance, but Dragon Scale doubled that even as a trait. Sure, heroic gear versus legendary trait, but it was like wearing dragon armor.

Pair a legendary trait with legendary protective gear, and I'd have double the defense and resistances of others.

That would shine in one-on-one PvP or chaotic wars.

But…….

Even that dragon lost to him in the end.

Of course, I'd hunted dragons too, so Dragon Scale wasn't invincible.

Its fatal flaw is the Reverse Scale.

Among a dragon's 81 special scales, one grows backward—their sole, deadly weakness.

Is he still the strongest……?

I gave a wry smile. If I had to name the absolute strongest in my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠memories, there was no hesitation—one entity.

The Destroyer.

A chill ran through me, my body still trembling lightly at the mere thought.

But I shook my head soon after.

To see the Destroyer's traits, I'd need a connection to him here in Dimension World.

The future vision triggered when Rerto Karen's Silver Sword Style unlocked the "Steel Silver Sword House" fragment as "Conqueror's Silver Sword Style." That happened when memories of the same person overlapped via shared recollections between past and present.

Rerto reacted because he learned the Kartinin Silver Sword Style, but the Calamity only exists in my memories—it hasn't happened yet. Who on the continent now has ties to the Destroyer?

Practically impossible.

"Hmm……."

I hesitated, lost in unexpected deliberation.

The Destroyer's memories…….

Anyone would say Dragon Scale was the optimal choice here, but I couldn't pick it easily—because an even greater absolute existed.

"Hoo……."

In the end, I couldn't press [Accept].

To beat him, I need power that surpasses him. Beyond the strength I already know…….

What path led there?

Then it hit me like lightning.

"……The tower."

Tur Mah had told me the continent's elites gathered via the Dead Realm Compass were there to conquer the tower's upper levels.

He said the Calamity was sealed in those upper levels.

Even if the Calamity hadn't descended yet, someone tied to the tower might hold a link to the Destroyer.

Someone connected to the tower.

Thump— Thump—

I could hear my heart racing, building to a crescendo.

"There is one."

And close by.

The sole person on the continent who'd experienced the tower.

"Norpa Jeran."

***

"Norpa!!"

The moment I exited the subspace, I bolted toward the anvil outside the workshop, drawn by the resounding hammer strikes.

"You're awake, lad. Heard you got back while I was out hunting materials at the mines…… but no matter how much we called, you wouldn't stir."

Norpa and Bilsang waved lightly upon seeing me. Amid the furnace's blistering heat, they hammered the molten ore on the anvil without a care.

"Lord Zahal said you wrapped things up nicely in Muhar? Good work."

"More importantly, I have a question."

"……Huh?"

"Do you remember anything about the tower? The up……."

Clang—

At my question, Norpa halted his hammering mid-swing.

"Handle the rest for him."

"Got it."

With a hardened expression, he handed off the quenching to Bilsang, grabbed my arm, and led me inside the workshop.

"We must never discuss the tower here carelessly. Even if it's just me and Bilsang, especially anything about the upper levels—keep it from other ears."

"Why?"

"……Because this is human territory."

I furrowed my brow, not grasping his meaning.

"When you first brought the compass, Bilsang was shocked not just because you'd come seeking the tower after so long, but because you're human."

"What do you mean?"

"Back when we got the tower's invitation with the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Dead Realm Compass, humans were the only race excluded."

"Humanity alone was barred from the tower?"

"Aye."

Norpa's unexpected revelation left me stunned.

Why……?

"We don't know the reason. We just got invited. But humans lived around the tower. Thanks to them, we escaped…… at the cost of my brother's life."

He answered my unspoken question.

"You're talking about the Earth Dragonkin."

"Earth Dragonkin? They're just bandits."

Norpa's reply was ice-cold.

Tur Mah said outsiders built the tower. Even if that's lore…… excluding humans from conquering it means something.

I'd uncovered another piece, even if unclear.

"Norpa, you said your brothers were in the tower's lower levels? Do you know anything about the upper ones?"

"The upper levels……?"

"Yes. Even rumors, anything related."

I asked cautiously. Even if he hadn't reached them, time in the tower meant he'd know something about the Calamity.

"I've seen them."

"……What?"

"I mean I've been to the upper levels. Everyone invited to the tower heads there first."

"……!!!"

I swallowed hard, dry-mouthed.

"You mean upon reaching the tower, everyone goes straight to the upper levels?"

"That's right."

Fix the compass…… and I can meet him.

I steadied my quaking heart and pressed Norpa Jeran.

"What did you see there?"

"Hmm……."

"The Calamity."

The same answer Tur Mah had given me.

"Heh, if you repair the Dead Realm Compass and find the tower, you'll be the first human to set foot there. With luck, you might even see the Calamity."

Norpa Jeran's voice trembled faintly.

"No human has ever laid eyes on it."

"No one?"

My eyes gleamed at his words.

"Who knows."

In that instant, the notification appeared. Even as my vision swirled like it was being sucked in, I stared at the message, clenching my fist as my hunch proved right.