Chapter 27
"It's 12 o'clock."
A wake-up time that was completely different from his usual time.
Lee Ganghan checked the time and got up from bed.
"Where..."
Having returned from Heavenly Demon Valley, he examined his condition.
Perhaps because he had escaped from the domination of the 'blessing', his mind was clear.
He remembered everything that had happened in the first tower.
'...Right. I even remember everything related to mother.'
The training hall of Heavenly Demon Valley where he had heard and seen both the voice and face of his missing mother.
Lee Ganghan hardened his expression as he recalled that voice that had urged him to die, saying 'it's for your sake.'
"Huuu..."
Of course, the voice and face had only matched.
There was no evidence that the being was his mother.
Nevertheless, Lee Ganghan got up from bed with complicated feelings.
'Let me get my mind together for now.'
After going to the bathroom and washing his face, his mind became clearer.
And the sense of reality also became stronger.
Swish, Swish.
Lee Ganghan wiped his face while thinking about what lay ahead.
'...Getting weaker is not an option.'
If he was curious about his identity.
The 'voice' that had told him to either get weaker or come down to the lower floors of the first tower.
However, Lee Ganghan had no intention of becoming weaker.
He could have died for the past 10 years.
He didn't want to perform that routine like a hamster on a wheel until his stats reached 20.
However.
'I don't know how to enter the first tower from now on.'
Unlike the past days when he had unknowingly entered the first tower.
Now that he had escaped from the domination of the blessing.
He had to find out how to enter on his own.
When he was thinking this way.
Ttiring.
['First Tower's Seal' returns to its original owner.]
A system message appeared before Lee Ganghan's eyes.
Then information about the seal that followed.
['First Tower's Seal' - Heavenly Demon]
The seal of the first tower given to the Heavenly Demon.
When used, you enter the first tower.
Can only be used by players with the 'Heavenly Demon Constitution' trait.
The higher the level, the longer you can stay in the first tower.
Reuse cooldown - 14 days
'The reuse cooldown is 2 weeks.'
Until now, he had been dragged there every day whenever he slept, but now it's 2 weeks.
Lee Ganghan carefully examined the seal's description.
'I need to level up consistently. It said the higher the level, the longer I can stay.'
Lee Ganghan, who had returned quickly even though he didn't seem to have stayed long in Heavenly Demon Valley.
Of course, he had spent some time listening to the true manual of Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Still, the stay time was too short.
To properly conquer the first tower, leveling up would be essential.
Lee Ganghan thought this way.
'True manual... it's amazing that I remember it.'
He recalled the true manual of Heavenly Demon Divine Art that the Divine Maiden ghost had told him.
The Divine Maiden had only recited it once.
But amazingly, the true manual was firmly embedded in his mind.
Of course, even if he remembered it, he couldn't actually practice it.
'It's amazing that I remember that long manual after hearing it once. Did the Divine Maiden use some kind of trick?'
Lee Ganghan recited the true manual while touching his phone screen.
He was planning to ask his father, who had barely communicated since going to America, about the circumstances when his mother left home once more.
'It's nighttime in America right now... let me just leave a message first.'
Lee Ganghan opened a messenger app.
His father, whom he had last contacted four months ago.
He had to scroll down through the chat rooms to barely find it.
Father: Are you doing well?
-Yes. I'm doing well.
Father: Good. Take care of your health.
The conversation with his father that had ended so briefly.
Not only this, but their usual conversation patterns were almost similar.
Moreover, the topic of mother was something neither of them brought up.
'This matter can't be helped.'
Tick, Tick.
Lee Ganghan sent a long message saying he wanted to know the detailed circumstances when his mother went missing.
'I'll wait for the answer slowly...'
Lee Ganghan checked his recent chat rooms.
Kim Juyeong: Aren't you logging in?
Kim Juyeong: It's already 12 o'clock?
Kim Juyeong: You should row when the tide comes in
Kim Juyeong: Let's quickly go summon the Elf!!!
Kim Juyeong was urging Lee Ganghan to summon the Elf.
Lee Ganghan's routine was originally to wake up early in the morning and play in the morning.
Since he didn't follow that today, it seemed like he was being urged.
-I just woke up.
Kim Juyeong: ??? What's wrong with you who always wakes up in the morning?
For Kim Juyeong, who knew Lee Ganghan's usual patterns well.
It was bound to be puzzling.
'Even if it's that guy, talking about the first tower is a bit...'
There was still too little information known about that place.
And he was also reluctant to bring up the story about his mother.
So Lee Ganghan.
-That's what I'm saying. There have been many changes since becoming a player.
Just brushed it off like this.
-I'll log in soon
Kim Juyeong: ㅇㅇ And I don't know about goblins, but summoning the Elf is mandatory ㅇㅇ
-That damn Elf really ㅋㅋ Got it
He answered that he would enter the tower soon.
'Goodness... is the Elf still causing a fuss?'
Well, many incidents had occurred because of the first tower.
In terms of actual time, only one day had passed.
'Come to think of it, are the Orc experiments going well?'
Lee Ganghan opened Ten Thousand Demon Battle before entering the tower to check.
Then.
[Goblin Horde has earned TP from the black market.]
[500TP has been collected.]
[Would you like to retrieve the TP?]
'Oh... I can already retrieve it.'
When he checked yesterday, the TP retrieval message didn't appear.
Maybe because 500 was collected, this time it was possible to take the TP.
Ttiring.
When he pressed retrieve, 500TP was immediately added.
'This is quite decent?'
The TP invested in the black market was 60,000.
It was still far from recovering the investment.
But if the goblins continued to work while leveling up, it seemed like they would eventually extract more than 60,000.
'In a way, it's really cost-effective.'
Lee Ganghan thought this way and then checked the Orc Foundation.
And soon.
"...Where did all the Orcs go?"
He doubted his eyes.
***
The Orc Shaman's Altar where Mixed-blood Elf Karana was located.
There were definitely a total of four Orcs assigned there.
However.
'Is there only one now?'
Three were nowhere to be seen, and only one Orc was assigned to the Orc Shaman's Altar.
Moreover.
[Orc#4]
[Status: Confusion, Fear, Anxiety, Helplessness]
Level: 2
The condition of the surviving Orc was also not normal.
'Isn't this finished if it dies twice?'
If it dies at level 1, it can't be revived, right?
When Lee Ganghan frowned.
Ttiring.
[Warning: If all Orcs disappear, the Orc Foundation will disappear.]
A warning message appeared before Lee Ganghan's eyes.
'The Orc Foundation will disappear?'
How much was invested here right now.
If that level 2 Orc dies, it's all over?
'I absolutely have to stop this.'
When Lee Ganghan urgently tried to click on Karana.
['Mixed-blood Elf Karana' wants to inquire with you.]
[Would you like to connect communication?]
Coincidentally, communication came from her first.
Jiiiing...
[Chyeek. Heavenly Demon, we're in big trouble.]
"Why?"
[The Orcs die too easily. It seems we need to procure more Orcs.]
Saying this, Karana pointed to the dispirited Orc.
[Chyeek. That Orc also seems like it will die soon. Still, it looks like there are a few more chances... I'll try evolution attempts a little more.]
"Hey, no, no. You have to keep that one alive. If that one dies, the entire foundation there will collapse."
[Is, is that so?]
"Yeah. It's level 2. It's about to die."
[If it's level 2... isn't it okay to do it once? Chyeek.]
Since the Orc would permanently die only if experimented on at the altar when it's level 1.
Logically speaking, Karana's words were correct.
Still.
"Just in case, wait until we bring new ones."
[Chy, chyeek... I understand. Ah. Then shouldn't we go to a tower with Orcs?]
"Can that be done as we please? It's random matching."
[We can increase the probability.]
There's such a thing? When Lee Ganghan tilted his head.
Ttiring.
['Karana' grants you a temporary quest.]
[Temporary Quest - Securing Orcs]
Secure 100 or more Orcs in the Tower of Infinity.
Upon accepting the quest.
The probability of being matched to towers where 'Orcs' exist greatly increases.
Reward: Granting Shaman's Blessing. Priority supply when Orc evolution succeeds.
A temporary quest appeared.
"What's this?"
[Chyeek... Sorry, the reward is so poor. I don't have anything to give as a reward right now...]
At Lee Ganghan's surprised voice.
Karana hung her head low, thinking it was because the reward was terrible.
"No, I'm just purely amazed by the quest. How do you know how to do this?"
[Chyeek?]
"Granting quests, that's amazing."
[You'll be able to do it eventually too.]
"Huh? I can also grant quests? How?"
At Lee Ganghan's question.
Swooosh...
Karana's bright eyes.
Lost their light in an instant.
[Eventually, you too, and your world will all be subordinated to the Tower of Infinity.]
"...Subordinated to the Tower of Infinity?"
What.
Does that mean this side will also become like Tower of Infinity NPCs later?
Lee Ganghan tried to ask more details about this.
[Chyeek...?!]
Karana, who suddenly grabbed her head.
Slumped down on the altar floor.
Somehow, it reminded him of when the Chief last said 'What would I hide!' and made a beeping sound.
Then exploded.
'Is it some kind of tower taboo?'
When Lee Ganghan speculated this way.
[Heu, heueu...]
Karana, with her silver hair wet and sweating profusely.
Barely managed to get up.
[...If I say more, I'll die. Chyeek...]
"Right. Don't do it."
I should be careful about asking subordinated beings for information about the tower.
Lee Ganghan thought this way.
Tick.
He accepted the temporary quest.
[Quest... are you accepting it?]
"Yeah. I have to make the Orcs succeed first."
[Thank you... chyeek. Heavenly Demon, I will devote myself to you. Even while preparing for evolution, I will respond to summons anytime!]
She'll respond to summons anytime.
'Was she originally planning to ignore me when I summoned her during experiments?'
This is quite a troublesome summon.
Lee Ganghan chuckled.
"Then I'll enter the tower right now, so come when I call."
[I understand.]
He immediately entered the tower.
[Tower of Infinity Stage 4.]
[Entering Iron Tower No.4.]
Then, perhaps because of the quest.
Like yesterday, he entered the 'Forest Path' map again.
'They want me to bring Orcs from here.'
When Lee Ganghan, who had logged in, turned on TowerTube.
-Huh, it's the same map again?
-It's unlikely in terms of probability, but it's not impossible
-You're later than usual today?
-ㅋㅋ I thought the Heavenly Demon ability disappeared
-ㄹㅇㅋㅋ
Seeing Lee Ganghan turn on the broadcast during the day.
Viewers started asking if his Heavenly Demon ability was still maintained.
Reactions coming from everyone thinking it was terminal.
'Well, for now, I'll let them misunderstand like that.'
He had learned about the conditions for the Heavenly Demon Constitution ability to disappear this time.
But Lee Ganghan decided not to reveal this.
His thoughts were already complicated enough.
He didn't want to create more problems unnecessarily.
-Ah, whatever, when are you summoning the Elf
-ㄹㅇㅋㅋ I came to see the Elf ㅋㅋ
-Since you made her a summon, can't you make her take off that robe?
-ㄹㅇ At least take off the hood... don't cover the face
-Elf perverts really ㅡㅡ
When viewers obsessed with the Elf spammed the chat like this.
"Wait and see, we're going to catch Orcs together."
Lee Ganghan chuckled and summoned Karana.
"Chyeek! Here we are!"
Thus began the Orc capture with Karana.
"Ten Thousand Demons Prostrate, Ten Thousand Demons Prostrate..."
Making a total of 25 turn red and forcibly making them bow.
When the mission was cleared.
-Are these kidnappers? They're selectively taking only Orcs ㅋㅋ
-Are they planning to form an Orc army later
-Aren't they all actually dead? ㅋㅋㅋ
Viewers made various speculations while watching the two who were obsessed with securing Orcs.
Continuing the conquest this way, when they reached the 10th floor.
[Calculating Iron Tower No.4 performance...]
[You cleared the tower within 1 hour.]
[You subdued 10 or more Orcs.]
[You encountered the hidden named character, 'Mixed-blood Elf Karana'.]
[Clear Evaluation - SSS+]
[Clear rewards will be given proportional to the evaluation.]
[Since the evaluation exceeded SSS grade, additional special rewards will be given.]
Naturally, an SSS+ evaluation came out.
'Will I get the 100,000 TP I couldn't get last time?'
When Lee Ganghan was secretly expecting the reward.
Ttiring.
[This tower has already received special rewards.]
[Special rewards cannot be received.]
'What?'
Lee Ganghan's eyes widened.
What.
How can that be?
'No, then Karana's quest... is it a loss?'
The quest that made him match to towers with Orcs.
But if he gets matched to No.4 next time too.
He won't be able to receive special rewards, so the loss would be enormous.
Of course, there was no guarantee he'd get 100% SSS+ rewards in other maps either.
But still, having a possibility was better than not getting anything at all.
When Lee Ganghan was feeling regretful.
Ttiring.
[You received SSS+ clear evaluation twice in one map.]
[If you receive one more SSS+ evaluation, you can advance to the 11th floor.]
A message mentioning the '11th floor' appeared.