The Thunder Emperor's Oath

Noe-je's oath of loyalty.

When he heard it, Hyun Si-woon felt a strange thrill climb his spine.

From the moment he claimed the Thunder Dragon Spear, he had expected something of the sort. That, like Ha-wol, another difficult yet powerful ally would appear. He had never imagined it would take this form.

A proud ancient Ranker kneeling so readily, without a single condition or bargain!

Well, works for me.

He had died more than a few times hunting the Thunder Dragon, after all. Wasn't this much of a reward only fair?

"M-My lord…"

Ha-wol stared at Noe-je with equal shock. A legendary being who, in ages long past, had made Rankers' knees buckle at the mere sight of him—now prostrate like a vassal before her own disciple.

Just how far does this disciple of mine…

Intend to grow? Had any fourth-floor Climber in the Tower's history ever seized power of this magnitude?

Ha-wol folded her arms and watched from a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠distance.

"I was sealed for long ages. Without my lord's call, I would likely never have awakened."

Noe-je continued in an even tone. This was no ordinary vow. It was a pact sealed with his very existence. And more—

"Only when my lord grows can I regain my original strength… ugh… mmm."

His form lurched hard. He pressed a hand to his forehead and staggered.

"You okay?"

Hyun Si-woon asked on reflex. Moments ago the spirit had looked ready to scorn the entire world. Why did he suddenly seem so frail?

"Forgive me, my lord. It appears to be a side effect of being sealed far too long."

"Side effect?"

"I am… extremely sleepy… ugh… mmm."

As if to prove it, Noe-je's head drooped again. He jerked upright, barely clinging to consciousness.

"Until this spear grows further through my lord's power… this state will likely continue. I beg… your generous forbearance…"

His words trailed into nothing. It was a little absurd. But then again—fair enough. He was ancient enough that even Ha-wol called him a relic of the distant past.

"Understood. Go rest inside."

Ssshhk. The spirit form could hold no longer. It dissolved into blue motes and was drawn into the Thunder Dragon Spear.

"…"

Silence settled. Still half-dazed, Hyun Si-woon stared blankly down at the spear in his hand.

"You brat."

Ha-wol's mouth opened.

"This is huge."

"Huh?"

"I said it's huge, you brat! This isn't merely huge—this is a sky-flipping, earth-sinking super jackpot!"

Her cry was nearly a scream. Unable to contain herself, she whirled endlessly around Hyun Si-woon.

"Noe-je! Noe-je swore loyalty! From what this lady can see, it is no simple oath. It is a soul-contract already bound with everything he possesses. Now even if he loathes you, Noe-je has no choice but to obey! Uheo—uheoheoheo! Good heavens!"

"…First of all," Hyun Si-woon said quietly. His voice was calm, a stark contrast to Ha-wol's frenzy. "Let's go."

"What, you brat?"

Ha-wol was flabbergasted.

"Is that all? Be happier, I tell you! You have just obtained the key that can overturn the entire history of the Tower!"

Hyun Si-woon slid the Thunder Dragon Spear into his inventory. Of course he was glad. His heart hammered as if it might burst. But—

That only means I have to grow even stronger.

Seeing Noe-je's power had driven the point home. Penlark the Ranker had been so overwhelming Si-woon could barely look at him. And the world he aimed for was crawling with monsters who could scatter a Penlark into dust with a casual gesture. That was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Rankers' domain.

Noe-je's power was a formidable weapon. Yet the value of any weapon was decided by the hand that wielded ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it. If Si-woon remained weak, Noe-je would be nothing more than a joker card—spent once and discarded. Having gained a powerful subordinate, nothing mattered more than cultivating the stature of a lord fit to command him.

Slowly. And more surely.

He refused to rush. A divine beast, a divine artifact, even an ancient Ranker—opportunities most people never gained once in a lifetime, he had seized all of them in a matter of months. It was a blessing and a curse at once. The moment he grew drunk on that power and neglected his own growth, everything would collapse like a sandcastle.

Hyun Si-woon returned at once to the safe zone.

"Oppa!"

Kang Si-a, with her keen vision, spotted him first.

"Hyeong-nim, are you alright?"

"What about that monster?"

Hwang Dae-un and Baek Yeon-ho asked, eyes wide.

"I took care of it."

"T-took care of it?"

Pure disbelief washed over the party's faces. A Ranker meant immortality—one who had finished the climb. The gap in power was far too obvious to challenge head-on.

"The spear I got from that earlier opportunity has a skill that can temporarily unleash serious power. I barely managed with that."

Hyun Si-woon offered a rough cover story. There was a brief stir, but the members now had to accept a single fact: their leader was someone who could even deal with a Ranker. And that knowledge flooded them with profound relief and a sense of security.

We began the return journey—to the slopes of Chi-ak Mountain, to Eden Camp. Calling Pungjo was out of the question. With no way of knowing how long they would spend inside the Tower, they could not casually reserve a pickup.

"From now on, we focus solely on footwork training. We run almost without rest all the way to Eden Camp."

Hyun Si-woon kicked off the ground without hesitation. His body cut across the ruined city like a single streak of wind. The members clenched their jaws and followed hard on his heels.

This march was different from the ones before.

Stamina.

The foundation of every martial art, and the final bastion that let a person endure any crisis. It was time to raise it.

My stamina stat is 17.

The others sat around the same mark. As a result, Hyun Si-woon's body had transformed beyond recognition. The scrawny frame was gone. Endless training had forged him solid; his shoulders had broadened, and practical, functional muscle layered every limb. No one looking at him now would call him a weakling. The rest of the party had changed the same way. Hwang Dae-un and Baek Yeon-ho's already sturdy builds had swollen further until they looked hard as boulders. Kang Si-a, Jang Cha-yul, and Baek Do-hee had shed every scrap of unnecessary softness; lean, resilient muscle remained. Yet none of them bulked out like bodybuilders. That was the peculiar trait of a Climber's physique. Their power did not come from sheer muscle volume. The "stats" granted by the Tower's system transcended ordinary physics, dramatically elevating the density and efficiency of the muscle fibers themselves. Even lean-looking muscle packed force and durability dozens of times greater than a normal human's.

"This run's goal is stamina 19. Everyone but me hits nineteen."

Hyun Si-woon set the target for the others.

Once we hit nineteen…

An item window surfaced in his mind.

The Moon Shadow Ginseng they had once obtained from the Moonlight Tribe. Now it was time to decoct and consume that precious elixir. Stamina would leap straight to twenty-two. Maximum efficiency. Of course, raising a stat still meant shattering countless walls. Hyun Si-woon knew better than anyone how agonizing that process was. Yet he trusted his teammates. They had already crossed countless trials together, breaking their own limits to grow. They would willingly reach this goal.

"Haaah—huff!"

"Huk… huk…"

Even with hearts that had already transcended ordinary human limits, sweat poured in sheets. It was inevitable. Maintaining their individual footwork techniques, they vaulted and scaled the wreckage of the ruined city without pause—at tremendous speed. They leapt over collapsed cars, scrambled up the rubble of fallen buildings, then slid down the far side. Whenever a seventh-grade monster appeared, they simply altered course.

"Combat formation! We hunt it on the move!"

Exhausted as they were, they had to dive straight into battle. Breath fractured, muscles screamed, yet not a single motion showed hesitation. This was Hyun Si-woon's method for shattering limits—crushing the body's demand to stop with pure will and forcing a way into the realm beyond.

Aside from the bare minimum of eating and sleeping, they ran and ran like madmen. As a result, after three full days they finally faced the dignified ridges of Chi-ak Mountain.

"Haaah… huk… haaah…!"

The last uphill stretch. Hwang Dae-un's vision spun. His legs no longer felt like his own. Every step tore at his thigh muscles as if they would rip apart.

"Just a little more…!"

Jang Cha-yul gritted her teeth and muttered. Her lips were cracked and dry; sweat and dust caked her face. Everyone was at their limit. The urge to drop the reins of reason and simply collapse washed over them in waves. Yet no one stopped. Ahead of them, the silent back of their leader still led the way.

Is that guy… a monster?

Baek Yeon-ho clicked his tongue as he watched Hyun Si-woon. The leader had to be suffering just as badly. Even so, his footwork never faltered. If anything, his pace seemed to climb as the end drew near.

"Final sprint! Don't fall behind!"

Hyun Si-woon's shout was the starting gun. His body shot forward as if launched. It was not that he felt no strain. Holding perfect form made it harder, if anything. His brain sounded every alarm—stop, stop abusing the body, or you'll regress again. Even so, Hyun Si-woon did not stop.

In that instant—

Got it!

Hyun Si-woon allowed himself a moment of relief. Yet his heart felt ready to explode. Vision blurred; blood seemed to reverse its course through every vein. He barely crested the final rise. Ahead stood the familiar concrete wall—the entrance to Eden Camp.

"We're here…!"

At his shout the members trailing him wrung out their last reserves of strength. The instant they reached the gate they collapsed as one, as if by prior agreement, sprawling onto the ground.

"Khhhuh…"

"Huff… hah…"

No one could form words. They simply dragged in ragged breaths and stared blankly at the ashen sky.

"O-oh my! Isn't that them?"

"They're back! They're back!"

The first to spot them were the residents on watch. Their cries set the whole camp into an instant uproar. People poured out in a rush. Yet their faces held both joy and pure astonishment.

An old man stepped forward.

"Good heavens, look at the state of you!"

It was understandable. Every body was a wreck of sweat and dust; sour, exhausted breath hung in the air. They looked worn enough that it was a wonder they were still alive.

Kkirurururu!

Just then a clear cry rang from the sky. A vast shadow swept over them, and Pungjo landed with elegant grace, approaching Hyun Si-woon. Recognizing its master, the divine bird gently nuzzled his cheek. That warmth loosened a fraction of the tension still knotted inside him.

"Judging by the looks of you, it was a hard road. Come inside at once. What are you all standing around ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for? Heat water for them to wash, and set the finest feast so the tables groan! Our benefactors have returned!"

"Yes, Village Chief!"

"Right away!"

The residents' lively answers and bustling motion followed. It was not because the chief ordered it. Everyone truly wished to do so. Feeling that warm welcome, the party felt as though they had come home.