Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Old Comrades
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The white-haired goblin elder flashed a sinister smile.
"Will you enter the village?"
His question carried multiple layers of meaning.
But adventurers visiting this place for the first time couldn't grasp its implications.
They had to experience the events in the village firsthand to understand.
"We'll go in."
The goblin licked his lips with a meaningful expression.
"From here on, high-level monsters start appearing. If they catch you, there are cases where you can't even leave after death. Is that alright?"
"Yes."
"Heh heh. You look like just a child, but you're a remarkable adventurer who doesn't fear death despite my warning."
"I've already experienced death."
"You've experienced death?"
I simply lifted the corner of my mouth without answering.
The white-haired goblin frowned, thinking my response was a joke.
"From this point, you could lose not just your life, but your soul as well."
"Doesn't matter. If I die, what's the point of my soul lingering?"
"You might not even become a Guardian Spirit."
"I have no intention of doing so. Now, will you open the way?"
"...You're an interesting one."
The goblin struck the ground three times with his staff.
Thud, thud, thud.
At that moment, the two goblin statues blocking the village entrance dragged across the ground to either side, opening the path.
Rumble rumble rumble.
"Good luck."
I waved lightly and headed into the village.
Upon entering the village, I immediately began assessing the situation inside.
Beast corpses scattered everywhere and smoldering firewood indicated a battle had taken place.
'Looks like they started the trial before we arrived.'
There were no traces revealing the victor or loser. But it was clear the previous adventurers had failed to climb.
If they'd succeeded, there would have been at least a dozen goblin corpses, but there were none.
Rox gripped his mace handle, sensing some presence.
"Din, I feel killing intent nearby."
"Goblin Champion."
"Goblin Champion?"
"Yeah, I told you before I came here. Every 10 floors, there are apostles waiting for adventurers in this tower."
We would face a total of 10 apostles on the climb to the top.
And the one guarding this place was among the top five in strength.
In terms of skill alone, an absolutely formidable monster we couldn't afford to underestimate.
Siegfried flew through the sky, quickly scanning the village interior, then pointed and shouted upon spotting something.
"There! My disciple, that guy's over there!"
I moved toward where Siegfried pointed. And there, I met the one called the Goblin Champion.
'Of course.'
Though right now, it was just a statue, not a living being.
Rumble rumble rumble.
A goblin larger than an adult human, with devilish horns on its forehead.
"This is the Goblin Champion?"
Rox tilted his head.
I'd heard the Goblin Champion was the apostle guarding this place, yet here it stood as a motionless statue.
"Yeah."
"Should I smash it?"
A very Rox-like idea.
"No, impossible."
"Why."
"Try it."
"Try it?"
"Yeah."
I stepped back, urging him to give it a go. Rox glanced at me suspiciously, then swung his mace with full force.
Whoosh—
If it were just stone, it would've shattered to pieces.
Rox's strength was that immense. His raw power surpassed human limits, rivaling an ogre's.
Bam!
But the result wasn't what he wanted. The statue was unscathed, and his arm trembled violently as if electrocuted.
"Argh!"
Only Rox took the shock.
He rolled on the ground in agony, unable to even grip his weapon. His own monstrous strength reflected back at full force—swung with all his might, no less.
"Wh-what is this stone?!"
"Magic."
"Magic?"
"Yeah, remember the white-haired goblin before entering the village?"
Rox slowly rolled his eyes, then nodded.
"Yeah."
"That guy's the monster handling this floor's trial."
"Huh? That old goblin? But the lord here is the Goblin Champion, right?"
"Correct. And that old man is the Goblin Champion's Guardian Spirit."
"...Guardian Spirit?!"
I ran my palm over the Goblin Champion's statue as I explained.
"His Guardian Spirit stays in the village and starts the trial once enough adventurers gather here."
"Monsters have Guardian Spirits too, huh."
"You have one."
Rox shrugged.
"True."
"I'll handle this one, so don't worry."
"Yeah, but I heard he's insanely strong. Why handle him alone?"
In my previous life, it took me a full month to pass this floor's trial.
Back then, I foolishly fought only the enemies in front of me, blind to the tower's trial mechanics.
'Yeah, that's how it was.'
Trapped on the floor for so long.
'But.'
I'm different now.
I won't repeat those mistakes. I know all the hidden climbing routes on this floor.
As time passed, adventurers began trickling into the village one by one.
They all looked extraordinary, with over seventy percent able to wield Aura or Mana.
"Cynthia, isn't that kid the little one we saw in the arena recently?"
A man with a ponytail and large glasses whispered as he closed his book. A sky-blue long-haired woman, who seemed his companion, replied.
"Yeah."
"Oh ho, lucky us. With some decent ones here this time, we might succeed in climbing."
"If they're cooperative."
"They won't be?"
The ponytail man stroked a nearby human statue as he continued.
"Those who don't join us all die. They could end up cursed like this guy."
"...Whatever. Where's Alfredo?"
"Said he was going to take a piss."
No sooner had the ponytail man finished than a bald martial artist with a tomato-like protruding belly came running, waving his hand.
"Hey! Got lost on the way, so I was late!"
Cynthia shook her head.
"Idiot."
The bald martial artist panted as he replied.
"Huff, huff, huff! Cynthia, why're you so fired up today? Is it that time?"
"The day you die?"
"...Did I do something wrong?"
"Ask your goblin face and orc gut."
The ponytail man waved his hand and stepped between them to cut off the banter.
"Enough, enough. No more pointless talk. Let's plan our climb strategy."
Cynthia replied indifferently.
"What's to plan? Like last time, head to the church and just handle the incoming monsters well."
"That's solid, but isn't there a better way?"
The bald martial artist cautiously raised his hand.
"How about this? On the way here, I saw one of the adventurers who reached the 10th floor—the guy from the arena."
"Oh! You saw him too?"
"Yeah. Teaming up with them could make it easy, right?"
"Maybe, but..."
The ponytail man glanced at Cynthia before continuing.
"The question is if they'll team with us. They weren't average in the arena."
"I'll handle that."
"You?"
"Yeah. I can tell at a glance. Why they're here. What they want."
"And if you know?"
"What else? Cooperate so they get what they want."
Cynthia whispered.
"Idiot, you think it's that easy?"
The bald martial artist pretended not to hear and pressed on.
"Alright—I'll handle negotiations, so follow me."
He strode forward confidently for their benefit.
The ponytail glasses man and Cynthia followed reluctantly. They arrived at the village edge near the graveyard and encountered Berddin.
"Hello."
Berddin, sitting on a fallen tombstone, glanced at the martial artist but didn't return the greeting.
Silence hung between them. Or rather, with Rox watching a few steps away, it was three.
Unable to endure the awkwardness, the martial artist spoke again.
"Um."
"Speak."
"Ah, yes. Since it's our first meeting, I don't know what to call you. Knight alright?"
"Whatever."
"Then, Knight. I have a good proposal. Can we talk briefly?"
Berddin shrugged.
"Keep it short and state your purpose."
"Of course! Well... nothing major. We're gathering comrades for this trial. Thought you might join."
"No?"
"W-well, if not, no choice. But together, we'd help each other hugely. Not just succeeding the climb, but better rewards too. I hear the tower gives more based on successful participants."
The martial artist eyed Berddin and Rox alternately.
As time passed with no response, he continued.
"What do you think?"
"Nine to one."
"Nine to one?"
"Us nine. You one. Consider it if rewards split that way."
The absurd proposal hardened the martial artist's face.
"N-no, that's too much—"
"Then no."
"Seven-three? Our party's bigger."
"I said nine-one."
"But..."
Cynthia strode up, standing behind the martial artist.
Hands on hips, she glared down at Berddin irritably.
"Hey, no matter how strong you are, does it make sense to take nine out of ten rewards in a group trial?"
Berddin looked up at her face.
He met her eyes thoughtfully, then scanned her up and down.
"Name."
"What?"
"Your name."
They glared like in a staring contest.
After seconds, Cynthia looked away, defeated.
"Cynthia."
"Cynthia?"
"Yeah, Cynthia. Why ask my name suddenly? You wanna exchange names in this situation?"
Berddin burst into laughter at her answer.
-Kuhahaha!
'Is God really on my side?'
To encounter a divine spell user named Cynthia here.
He couldn't hide the smile forming.
'To unlock a hidden piece this quickly.'
Plan change.
He glanced at the adventurers with her, then nodded slightly and spoke.