Chapter 24
Chapter 24.
'Awakening?'
Awakening?
Lee Ganghan opened his eyes to the voice echoing in his ears.
Then.
"......Where is this place?"
A sight he had never seen before in his life entered his vision.
A vast wasteland spread out before him.
In the dark, gloomy space.
An eerie atmosphere permeated the entire area.
"......"
He had definitely fallen asleep earlier.
Could this be the world inside that red portal?
Lee Ganghan surveyed his surroundings with sunken eyes.
For now, it was a world where nothing notable was visible except for bloodstains.
It seemed like he would need to venture further.
'Up at the ceiling...... What's that? Could those be towers?'
Looking upward.
Where the sky should have been.
Black towers were densely packed together.
Rather than extending upward from the ground.
They were towers pointing downward from the ceiling in reverse direction.
Thousands of them.
No, more than tens of thousands.
They formed the ceiling of this world.
'The Towers of Light are at least illuminating this place.'
Between the densely installed towers.
Towers of Light emitting pure white light.
Were faintly illuminating this dark world.
"Hmm......"
What had he done here to become so bloodied?
'Let me take a look around first.'
Step, Step.
Lee Ganghan cautiously looked around as he moved forward.
About ten minutes into his walk.
'This on the ground...... are these bloodstains?'
Just as he noticed blood-colored stains on the earth-toned wasteland.
Ttiring.
[You have entered the first tower.]
[The Authority of Infinity is applied.]
[You will be revived upon death.]
A message appeared before his eyes.
'The first tower?'
This place is a tower?
Lee Ganghan looked around with renewed eyes.
The only connection to towers seemed to be those densely packed towers in the sky.
'Well, this isn't the only place where the world inside a tower doesn't look like a tower.'
Actually, starting from the tutorial.
They called them towers, but the spaces inside were no different from other worlds.
Rather, this place at least showed towers hanging upside down from the ceiling.
It could be considered the most tower-related world among all the tower worlds he had entered so far.
'And the Authority of Infinity...... this grants revival?'
Revival upon death.
This was a basic function given to players challenging the Tower of Infinity.
Though Lee Ganghan had never actually been revived while climbing towers until now.
'I might end up using it here.'
Looking at the surroundings that seemed anything but ordinary, Lee Ganghan thought this when.
A clearing stained with red light appeared.
[You have entered the Heavenly Demon Valley.]
[1,000 candidates compete for the qualification of Heavenly Demon.]
The system informed him that this place was called Heavenly Demon Valley.
'Heavenly Demon Valley?'
1,000 candidates.
Are 1,000 people competing in this clearing?
Then I should prepare in advance......
[You have already won.]
There's no need for that.
Lee Ganghan surveyed the surroundings with a deflated expression.
They called it Heavenly Demon Valley.
But it was just a clearing with nothing particularly impressive except for red stains.
'So I competed with 1,000 people here and won?'
He had absolutely no memory of it.
As Lee Ganghan tilted his head in confusion.
Flash......!
From the north, south, east, and west directions centered on the clearing.
Large red portals were generated.
'They look similar to what was recorded in the video.'
The red portal that had sucked in Lee Ganghan while he was lying in bed.
The four portals that appeared now had a similar appearance.
When Lee Ganghan approached the nearest northern portal.
[Would you like to train in the Strength Training Hall?]
As soon as he got close to the portal.
A system message appeared.
'Strength Training Hall.'
If he enters this portal, can he train his strength?
Lee Ganghan initially thought only that when he saw the message.
Ttiring.
[Player death count: 999+ times]
Upon seeing the message that followed, his eyes widened.
"999?"
He died 999 times or more here?
Me?
'How do you die that many times in a training hall?'
Lee Ganghan stared at the death count in disbelief.
Then went to check the portals in other directions.
Then.
[Would you like to train in the Agility Training Hall?]
[Player death count: 999+ times]
[Would you like to train in the Stamina Training Hall?]
[Player death count: 999+ times]
At the eastern and western portals.
The death count was identically shown as 999+ times.
However, at the southern portal.
[Would you like to train in the Mana Training Hall?]
[This is a training hall you have never entered.]
[Player death count: 0 times]
It stated that he had never entered.
The death count showed as 0.
'I died in strength, agility, and stamina training, but not mana...... This seems to be related to my stats.'
Lee Ganghan with strength, agility, and stamina all at 10+.
It was strange to have stat 10, which only Olympic national team athletes receive.
Three stats at 10+ was indeed odd.
But if he trained these three stats by dying 999+ times in these training halls.
Having such abilities made some sense.
And.
'If I died over 999 times...... it doesn't seem like I entered after obtaining the Heavenly Demon Constitution.'
Rather, the 'sleeping sickness' he had contracted 10 years ago.
It might be related to that.
Lee Ganghan cautiously speculated.
'It didn't make sense that sleeping 12 hours would improve my body.'
Even without doing any exercise.
Lee Ganghan had a body with sculpted muscles.
Wasn't it to the extent that others asked what kind of supplements he was taking?
But if he had trained here by dying 999+ times.
And that was reflected in his real-world body.
It made some sense.
But then.
'Could the patients who contracted Tower Syndrome also be related to Heavenly Demon Valley?'
He suddenly thought of people who had contracted Tower Syndrome and recovered on their own.
They didn't become muscular like Lee Ganghan.
They either became extremely thin or completely fat, sleeping 12 hours a day.
Then one by one, they gradually returned to normal.
But that number was definitely.
'It seemed to exceed ten thousand......'
Heavenly Demon Valley mentioned 1,000 candidates.
The numbers don't match.
'I need to gather more information first.'
Lee Ganghan thought this while recalling the Mana Training Hall.
"But why didn't I enter the mana training hall?"
It seemed like he constantly entered the other three places enough to die 999 times.
Why specifically was the mana training hall entry count 0?
'My mana being 7 was a bit disappointing, should I try entering once?'
Mana was the only stat at 7 while all others were 10+.
If he trained here, could he bring this one up to match the 10s?
Lee Ganghan was about to enter the 'Mana Training Hall' portal to see what was beyond it.
But as he approached the portal.
Sssss......
White smoke rose from in front of the portal.
[Wait a moment!]
A whitish figure appeared.
And stopped Lee Ganghan from entering.
***
Lee Ganghan stared intently at the figure in front of the portal.
Was it about the size of a palm?
Wearing pure white mourning clothes.
With black hair disheveled and hanging long over the face.
"......A virgin ghost?"
It looked remarkably similar to the image commonly associated with 'virgin ghosts' in society.
[What!? A virgin ghost! I am a Divine Maiden of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect!]
"A Divine Maiden?"
[That's right!]
The woman indignantly revealed her identity at Lee Ganghan's muttering.
This person who looked like a ghost was a Divine Maiden of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.
'But no matter how I look at it, she looks like a virgin ghost.'
Moreover, her body was somewhat indistinct and translucent.
Which made her feel even more like a ghost.
"If you're a Divine Maiden, isn't that quite a high position?"
Lee Ganghan, who had started reading martial arts novels related to Heavenly Demons after obtaining the Heavenly Demon Constitution.
In those stories, the Divine Maiden of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect was either the second-in-command of the demonic sect.
Or a symbolic existence in religious terms.
She didn't seem to be at a level to appear in such a ghost-like state.
[Yes. In some ways, you could say I'm the second-in-command! Of course, in terms of martial prowess, I can't even reach the Four Great Guardians......]
"Then are you like a religious symbol or something?"
[Oh, you know well?]
"I did some information gathering."
Then.
Flash......!
Intense white light flashed strongly between the disheveled black hair.
With that appearance and flashing eyes, she really looked like a scary ghost.
However,
[You always wandered around with your soul absent...... Now that you've come to your senses, you have good judgment.]
Hearing what the Divine Maiden ghost said next.
Lee Ganghan frowned.
"......I wandered around with my soul absent?"
[Yes. That's right.]
"What kind of state was I in?"
At Lee Ganghan's question.
[First, please speak comfortably to me, since you're the Heavenly Demon.]
"Speak casually?"
[Yes. I absolutely cannot stand a Heavenly Demon who speaks formally.]
"Alright."
If she's asking him to speak casually, he should oblige.
As Lee Ganghan immediately dropped the formal speech.
The Divine Maiden's eyes flashed again.
[Seeing is believing. I'll show you directly.]
Swoosh!
The Divine Maiden flew to the center of the clearing.
Then touched the ground with her finger.
Scratch, Scratch......
The ground dug itself, and a visibly complex formation was drawn.
[Formation activation!]
When the Divine Maiden tapped it with her finger.
Whirrrr......
The formation on the ground glowed pure white.
Soon.
Lee Ganghan's figure emerged in a translucent state.
'Those eyes...... they're completely unfocused.'
Two eyes that were hazily unfocused.
The Lee Ganghan figure looked around briefly.
Swoosh.
Then looked at the red portal to the north.
And immediately started running toward it.
Thanks to his physical abilities, his speed was fast.
But Lee Ganghan's posture was somehow clumsy.
Shortly after he entered the portal.
Flash!
Again in the center of the clearing.
Lee Ganghan's figure reappeared.
[......]
His entire body was completely covered in wounds.
Lee Ganghan's figure stood still, dripping blood.
Swoosh!
This time he looked to the left.
And started running toward the western portal.
Regardless of how many wounds were on his body.
Just with his eyes rolled back, Lee Ganghan sequentially entered the north, west, and east portals.
"......So I died 999+ times in the training halls because of this?"
[Probably. When you die here, you revive in the center of that clearing.]
"But why was I doing that? Do you know the reason?"
[I don't know either. At first, I tried to stop you several times.]
The Divine Maiden shook her head while watching Lee Ganghan's figure.
[But you just wouldn't respond and kept running...... Later, I just watched.]
"How long has this been going on?"
[Hmm...... It's been like this for almost 10 years.]
10 years.
Then it indeed coincides with when he contracted Tower Syndrome.
When he slept.
Had he been repeating the act of rushing into training halls like a moth to flame?
"Divine Maiden, can you explain the current situation to me?"
[Yes. I'll answer everything I can.]
"What exactly is this space?"
[It's Heavenly Demon Valley. A testing ground for selecting a new Heavenly Demon.]
The Divine Maiden looked at Lee Ganghan with flashing eyes.
[You were the only one among 1,000 competitors to pass the test.]
"What kind of test was it?"
[I don't know about that either. I was summoned after the test ended.]
"Really?"
[Yes. However...... I heard it was a test to select the person with the best physical abilities.]
The person with the best physical abilities.
'10 years ago, I was in middle school.'
In middle school, he was just tall and skinny.
In that state, he placed first among 1,000 people?
Lee Ganghan couldn't easily accept this.
'Among Tower Syndrome patients, only I became muscular. Could it be related to that?'
For now, he made that assumption.
"Hmm. Last time I woke up, there was a note in my hand. Did I write a note or something here?"
[A note? I haven't seen anything like that. You kept wandering around with your soul absent.]
The note that had informed him about the Heavenly Demon Constitution advancement method.
The handwriting was indeed his.
But the Divine Maiden ghost didn't seem to know how it was written either.
'If it's my handwriting, I must have written it...... Will I remember it later?'
Lee Ganghan kept this question in his heart and asked about something else.
"When I first entered here, it said this was the first tower. Do you know about this?"
[Yes. I know it's called the first tower...... but I don't know the details beyond that.]
It seemed there wasn't much additional information.
Lee Ganghan passed on this topic.
Instead, he asked about something that had been bothering him.
"Earlier, before regaining consciousness, I heard that some blessing could no longer dominate you. Do you know about this?"
[Some blessing? A blessing dominated the Heavenly Demon? Ah. Is that why you were so absent-minded......?]
She said she would answer everything she could.
But she didn't seem to know much.
"Why did I contract Tower Syndrome in the first place?"
[What's Tower Syndrome?]
"It's a type of sleeping sickness where you sleep 12 hours a day in reality. It seems related to this place."
[Well...... But isn't sleeping 12 hours a good thing? Is that considered a sickness?]
The Divine Maiden ghost innocently asked if sleeping a lot wasn't a good thing.
Lee Ganghan let out a quiet sigh.
"......What do you actually know?"
[Uh...... I'm frustrated too! Why do you only ask about things from before the test!]
The Divine Maiden appealed her frustration at Lee Ganghan's gaze.
Well, she did say earlier that she was summoned after the test ended.
"Fine. Then teach me what you do know."
Without much expectation.
Lee Ganghan said this with a listless expression.
[......Understood. Then I'll tell you the true manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.]
"The true manual?"
What the Divine Maiden ghost was offering to teach.
Was far more valuable than expected.
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