Chapter 79
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: The Trial of the First Tower Lord
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Time flew by quickly, and the day Kairos had mentioned for the second training finally arrived.
Even after several days had passed, the corners of Jeong Hoon's mouth refused to come down at the fact that his mother had obtained a hidden class.
If things continued like this, she wouldn't have to repeat the same tragic past.
He had been forcing things to change from the start anyway.
"You seem to be in a good mood."
Kairos glanced at Jeong Hoon's expression and spoke up.
"Yes."
How could he not be happy when his mother had changed classes to a hidden one?
"Hmm, then shall we start the second training right away?"
"We have to."
There was no time to dawdle.
Jeong Hoon planned to finish the training as soon as possible and obtain the Mark of the Perfect Martial Artist.
"Heh heh..."
Kairos marveled at Jeong Hoon's recovery ability.
He had pushed him mercilessly for a week, yet he looked as if he hadn't trained at all.
At this rate, he should handle the second training without issue.
If the goal of the first training had been to push his mental strength to the limit, now he had to complete the second using that very mental fortitude.
He led Jeong Hoon to the top of the Martial Tower.
At the top floor, a single portal shimmered.
"What is this place?"
"The second training is simple. Enter through there, gain the approval of one of the previous tower lords, and come back out. That's it."
"Is which one appears random?"
"Exactly."
Back when Kairos was the tower lord's disciple, he had used this portal.
The one he encountered was the tower lord before last.
That lord had given him a quick once-over and imposed a trial fitting for him. Kairos had barely passed it after nearly two weeks.
'Who would have thought the day would come when I'd be guiding someone to this portal.'
After Kairos took the position of tower lord, no one had used the portal again.
Everyone had dropped out during his first training.
'The second one won't be easy.'
Even Kairos hadn't received approval right away and had lived in agony for about two weeks.
Fortunately, the tower lord who appeared to him had a relatively kind personality, allowing him to earn approval.
If a strict one had shown up, he might not have gotten it even after a month or two.
Honestly, it was a training that required a bit of luck.
The moment the founding tower lord appears, consider the training over.
That was the saying passed down from previous tower lords.
The founding tower lord had established not just the Martial Tower, but the Sword Tower, Archery Tower, Magic Tower, and all the othersa legendary figure.
But he was said to be a tremendous madman.
If the founding tower lord appeared, passing the training would be impossible.
"Then I'll head in."
"Good luck."
Kairos stepped aside, and Jeong Hoon moved forward to stand before the portal.
Would you like to enter the Ancestors' Tomb?
Ancestors' Tomb.
Jeong Hoon accepted, and his body was sucked into the portal.
You have entered the Ancestors' Tomb.
"Where is this?"
It was called the Ancestors' Tomb, but it didn't look much different from a regular training ground.
Evaluating the intruder's level.
Lv. 800 Founding Tower Lord Siegfried appears.
Appearing before Jeong Hoon was none other than the founding tower lord, Siegfried.
'The founding tower lord here?'
Founding Tower Lord Siegfried.
Siegfried was a massive man who appeared to be in his early twenties.
And his level was 800.
'Level 800? Incredible.'
He had once succeeded in taking down a monster over level 1,000 right before nearly completing the game.
Level 800 was a figure you might barely encounter only after reaching a village still undisclosed in New World.
Who would have thought he'd run into such a heavyweight in the Autobahn.
Gaining his approval might prove quite difficult.
"Oh ho, I didn't expect someone to reach here so soon."
Siegfried gave Jeong Hoon a quick scan from head to toe and let out a short exclamation.
"I've come to receive your approval."
"Hmm, can't just give it away for free."
Siegfried replied with a mischievous grin and lightly gestured in the air.
The surrounding air shifted, whipping up a storm of blade-like winds that engulfed Jeong Hoon.
'Impressive.'
The mana-formed blades sliced and tore at his skin with every touch.
Jeong Hoon's detailed stats were high for level 104, and he even had Indomitable Body, which had grown to epic grade and reached level 10.
Yet he was helplessly pierced by mere wind blades.
He hurriedly used Intermediate Healing to recover his body.
"Oh, you've definitely gotten much stronger."
Just like that, the surroundings calmed as if nothing had happened.
"Is enduring that the test?"
"This is just the basic check. You think I'd approve you over something like this?"
Siegfried snapped his fingers.
Jeong Hoon's shoulder twitched involuntarily.
Holy power is sealed.
His holy power, which had coexisted with mana, was sealed.
It hardened rigidly, becoming unusable.
'What the hell is this guy?'
He had never seen anyone who could manipulate another's holy power at will, even before his regression.
And the fact that he touched the holy power meant Siegfried possessed it too.
Otherwise, he couldn't interfere with it.
"What are you doing right now?"
"From now on, no healing allowed. Operating mana and holy power together is just too overpowered."
Putting chains on him, huh.
Jeong Hoon nodded.
"Fine by me."
"Alright, shall we begin?"
Siegfried gestured, and several targets appeared in the distance.
Circular targets marked with scores: 10 points dead center, then 9, 8, and so on.
"What are those?"
At Jeong Hoon's bewildered reaction, Siegfried shrugged.
"You have to use a bow."
"I'm a Martial Artist, though?"
"So?"
"Pardon?"
"If you don't like it, leave. Should've summoned a different tower lord if you're picky?"
Siegfried's lip curled smugly.
This bastard?
You think he chose who to summon?
Suppressing his boiling anger, Jeong Hoon stared at the targets.
"...I just need to hit those targets?"
There were 10 in total.
"Yeah. Score... hmm, 80 points should do."
80 points.
Meaning every target at 8 points or higher.
The distance was considerable, and the conditions were tougher than expected.
But before his regression, Jeong Hoon had mastered every weapon to the point of earning the title All Master.
This was a piece of cake.
"Yes. I'll give it a try."
As Jeong Hoon reached for Anima, Siegfried thrust a bow at him.
"Use this. Weapon bonuses are a luxury."
As he said, the bow was pathetic.
Worn Bow 3
-Type: Bow
-Grade: Normal
-Attack Power: 14
-Remaining Durability: 20 (Destroys automatically at 0 durability.)
-Weapon has reached maximum enhancement level.
A rundown bow with only 14 attack power.
With 20 durability left, it was trash among trash, destined to break after minimal use.
"You'll need arrows too, right?"
Siegfried handed over 20 wooden arrows.
The arrows had no stats beyond 1 attack power.
Not for huntingjust for hitting targets.
'Trash even for that.'
Jeong Hoon slung the quiver over his shoulder.
"Fire all 20 and you're done, so plan accordingly."
Handing him trash and limiting arrows...
This meant no approval, period.
I'll smash that smug face.
"Yes."
Jeong Hoon slowly drew the string.
Creak.
The Worn Bow's durability has decreased by 1.
Just drawing it once cost 1 durability.
'The total durability is less than 1 of a normal normal-grade weapon.'
Even drawing required careful control.
Sure, it was a junk normal-grade weapon, but not this bad.
Damn it. Better end this quick.
Aiming at the rightmost target, Jeong Hoon released.
Pew!
The wooden arrow arced perfectly into the dead center.
"10 points?"
Siegfried's smirk vanished instantly.
Jeong Hoon kept up the momentum.
Pew!
The final arrow hit dead center.
10 wooden arrows remained in the quiver.
"100 points."
Every single target pierced at 10 points.
"No way... How from this distance?"
Siegfried couldn't help but be flustered.
This worn bow was designed unusable from the start.
He had no intention of approving and set this test to send him packing.
Coexisting mana and holy power was noteworthy, but that was it.
His overall presence was too weak.
Probably around level 100.
Stats might be good for his level, but far short of earning his approval.
At least level 400.
That's what he thought.
'This guy... he's better than me?'
Even Siegfried, called All Master, hadn't mastered the bow at that age.
Yet this punk perfectly controlled a junk bow to hit every target.
That wasn't just good shooting.
"Is this enough?"
"N-not yet! Next is spears!"
He handled the bow well, but not enough for approval.
"Yes. Hand it over."
Jeong Hoon beckoned for the spear.
"Insolent brat... Take it."
Siegfried thought to himself.
I'll break that damned arrogance.
'Lightning Bolt.'
Lightning Bolt shot toward the scarecrow in front of him, exploding on impact.
Then Magic Missile.
Four epic-grade Magic Missiles were summoned, curving like boomerangs to strike the scarecrow.
The remaining scarecrows couldn't withstand the devastating Magic Missiles and burst apart.
"Is this sufficient?"
Specially made scarecrows.
They reflected all physical attacks, requiring pure magic damage.
All of them destroyed and gone.
"......"
Siegfried stared at Jeong Hoon in a daze.
"Excuse me?"
"...What the hell are you?"
"As you can see, just a person."
"Bullshit. What Martial Artist masters every weapon at your age?"
After the bow came spears.
Then axes, daggers.
Next throwing stars, even guns.
An endless array of weapons.
He passed every one of Siegfried's tests.
"I worked hard."
"...You call that 'working hard'? You're really level 104?"
"As you see."
"Haha... madman."
Siegfried was speechless at Jeong Hoon's feats.
When he himself became All Master, his level was 704.
Mastering white magic and holy magic had taken ages.
Sure, Jeong Hoon seemed deficient in magic, but excluding that, he wielded every weapon flawlessly.
Perfect technique, power aside.
Where did this monster come from?
"If we're done, let's wrap this up?"
Siegfried burst into hearty laughter.
How could he not approve such a dazzling performance?
"I acknowledge you. You're a real monster."
You have received the Founding Tower Lord's approval.
You have acquired 30,000 achievement points.
A hologram message appeared before Jeong Hoon.
With the second training complete, he could now obtain the Mark of the Perfect Martial Artist.
"Thank you."
Approval secured, time to return via the portal.
Jeong Hoon turned without hesitation.
"Hey? Wait!"
Siegfried swiftly grabbed his shoulder.
Caught by a level 800, Jeong Hoon couldn't resist as his body was forced around.
"What now?"
"I'm not that heartless. I can give a gift to someone I've acknowledged."
"A gift?"
"Yeah."
Siegfried held out a black martial uniform.
Sealed Black Tiger
-Type: Armor
-Grade: Epic
-(Sealed)
-(Requires conditions to unseal.)
It was sealed, its abilities locked away.
Jeong Hoon took the uniform with a dumbfounded look.
"This is the gift?"
"Yeah. It's a wild one, so I sealed it. Unseal it yourself and tame it. Oh, and Black Tiger has a will, so it regenerates on its ownrip or burn it as you like."
"What the"
Jeong Hoon's words cut off.
Siegfried vanished in an instant, business done.