Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Breakwater
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Before coming here, Gregory had told me that the trial on the 40th floor would be overseen by one of the apostles from the 50th.
So I didn't pay it much mind. My purpose in coming to the tower wasn't to climb it, but simply to set up a breakwater.
'But.'
Why was that guy here? The apostle from the even higher 80th floor—the one with the greatest power among all the apostles I've faced.
The Demon King who had led a monster legion to conquer the continent without a single defeat.
'Imperator.'
A humanoid monster clad in a black cloak with two horns, staring right at me while binding Cynthia with demonic power.
'Damn it, why is that guy here?'
Before I could react, he flew straight to my side. Or more precisely, he teleported through space.
Psssh!
He'd been at a distance no human could possibly reach, yet with the sound of wind slicing through the air, he was right in front of me.
"Hey, you're the troublemaker who's been stirring up the tower lately, huh? I've been wanting to see you for myself, and here we are."
I gave a small smile and nodded slightly.
"I'm not the one stirring up trouble in the tower."
"Then who is?"
"Who knows. I heard it was one of the apostles."
"An apostle?"
"Someone who used to be a demon but forgot they were even an apostle and let adventurers pass without a trial."
Imperator raised an eyebrow.
"No, the tower troublemaker I know is a human lunatic who fearlessly charged at a dragon all by himself."
"No, the tower troublemaker I know is an apostle bastard who couldn't even recognize his own master and attacked anyway."
"You crazy—"
"Dog bas—"
"Human scum."
"Demon trash."
We glared at each other.
Then, two black swords cleaved through the air toward the other's throat, neither yielding first.
Clang!
"How the hell did a punk who lost to a dragon come back to life?!"
"You're one to talk—you got sent off for eternal punishment by the tower's master, so what are you doing here?"
"I asked first."
"Do I have to answer just because you asked?"
"You insolent... You're the same as ever, past and present!"
Clang!
We kept exchanging blows. Cynthia watched our fight with a sigh.
This was a clash of the highest level, rare to witness anywhere else—a chance to gauge the true strength of the one called the Demon King.
Clang, clang, claaaang!
My golden aura clashed fiercely against the black aura surging from his sword, each trying to devour the other.
Kreeeeek.
"Berddin, how did you come back to life?"
"...I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Yeah. I closed my eyes thinking I was dead, and when I opened them, I was back as my younger self."
"Closed your eyes and opened them, back to your younger days?"
"Yeah."
"No one I know has that kind of power."
"Maybe a god helped me out."
"Even the gods can't do that. They can manipulate causality, but rewinding time..."
Imperator paused mid-explanation about time.
"Wait—ah, so that's how it is. You said you were fighting the Red Dragon before you died, so they must have used that..."
"Used what?"
"Do you remember anything from before the Red Dragon killed you?"
Memories from before dying to the dragon.
To be honest, it was such a one-sided beatdown that no clear scenes come to mind.
Just slashing, blocking, slashing again until I realized my sword couldn't touch it and despaired.
After that, only the memory of being overwhelmed and burned by its flames.
'That's right.'
Even in that chaos, one thing stuck vividly in my mind: its eyes, like gazing into an endless abyss of a deep lake.
"Yeah, up to fighting it."
"Then, did you hear a voice right at death?"
"A voice... at death?"
"Yeah."
I pushed back Imperator with a surge of power in my sword.
Clang!
Then slowly circled him, thinking.
'A voice, huh.'
My ears itched faintly as the flames engulfed me, but I don't recall actually hearing a voice.
"No idea."
"You don't know?"
"Yeah."
"Did you pray to be saved before dying, then?"
This one I could answer clearly.
"Yeah."
If gods really existed, I'd begged for one more shot at the dragon.
Imperator nodded with a bright smile at my response.
"That's it, had to be. That's how you came back. A guy strong enough to challenge the Lord of Calamity—it wouldn't let that slide."
"It?"
"Yeah, above us apostles, there's something with immense power."
"You mean the tower's master."
"No, well... They could be considered the tower's master, so yeah."
Imperator stopped moving, furrowed his brow deeply, then tapped the ground with his toe before answering.
"No, not the tower's master."
He clearly didn't want to say more, pointing his sword at me again and changing the subject.
"Berddin, you'll find out in time. But the seed of destruction planted in you is about to bloom."
"Seed of destruction? You're just spouting nonsense."
"Just keep that in mind. And I'll let you pass this trial. I'm a bit busy right now."
"What if your master punishes you again for it?"
"That's that, and this is this. The situation's different now. If I face you here, I have to let you through on higher floors."
"...Meaning no one makes you take the same trial twice."
"Exactly."
I shrugged.
"Fine by me, then."
No apostle would fill this spot anyway.
Imperator raised his sword overhead, gathered black aura at the tip, and swung it toward the ground.
Rumble!
Thunder echoed across the entire sea.
At the same moment, the ground shook, the island began to rise bit by bit, and sounds of cascading waterfalls and a massive roar came from all directions.
"Groooaaar!"
Cynthia pointed wide-eyed into the distance. There loomed a monster with a face larger than any creature I'd ever seen.
"What the hell is that?!"
I glanced at the monster's head rising high near the island's entrance.
"A turtle."
"A turtle?"
"Yeah, a turtle."
Imperator looked at the giant turtle's head and asked me,
"You know how to get to the next floor, right?"
"...Yeah. Thanks, though. Wasn't here to climb today, but now I can pass so easily."
"This trial's no issue for you anyway. The tower's master won't mind today's business."
"Not bad."
"Right? It's generous to those it likes."
I sheathed my sword and replied,
"So the tower's master likes me?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Why? Simple. You're trying to kill the dragon."
"...Because I'm trying to kill the dragon?"
"Yeah. That's all I can say for today. I'll keep the path to the next floor open. Go whenever you want."
With that, Imperator sliced through space and vanished. Before leaving, a meaningful smile played on his lips.
The questions he tossed my way today shed some light on the tower master's identity and how I'd revived.
'Interesting.'
Seed of destruction, huh.
An ice fortress in the tower's upper levels.
There, Rothschild's family head—Apostle Orddin—and Demon King Imperator sat across from each other at a round table.
"I specifically told you not to let that guy go up."
Orddin grumbled with a displeased expression, and Imperator replied with a grin.
"Heh heh—Orddin, getting a bit arrogant these days? Ordering me around?"
"It was a request, not an order. We don't know what'll happen if we send him up now."
"You make requests that arrogantly, huh?"
"You're impossible."
"Like you're any better, breaking apostle rules and sneaking out of the tower on your own?"
"You bastard!"
Amon, standing between them, awkwardly interjected with a troubled look.
"Please, both of you, calm down. Let's decide how to handle this first."
Imperator shot Amon a glare and replied,
"So Timeless left the tower to kill Berddin. That's the gist, right?"
"Yes."
"But Timeless wasn't bound by the tower's contract anyway, so no issue there?"
"True, but... with Timeless gone, there's no replacement."
"So you want me to drag him back?"
"Yes."
"What an absurd conclusion. Even if I bring him back, does that solve anything?"
Amon rested his chin on his hand, staring into the distance. He didn't think blindly retrieving Timeless was the answer either.
'However.'
The final say rested with Orddin. He'd received direct orders from the tower's master to handle this incident.
Orddin slammed his fist on the table as he listened.
Bam.
"Just bring him back to the tower, and I'll handle the rest."
Imperator shrugged, amused by the response.
"If it's about going outside the tower, why not handle it yourself from the start? Why drag me into this?"
"I can't do everything alone."
"Everything?"
"Yeah. Besides tracking Timeless, I have to hunt a new apostle."
"Ah—that mage? I heard you assigned Baphomet."
Orddin glared sharply at Imperator.
"Would you trust Baphomet?"
"Depends on the situation."
"Cut the crap. That one's different from us by nature!"
Amon waved his hands between them again.
"Enough! This isn't the time for you two to fight. Look at me—my wound from Timeless still hasn't healed."
He opened his shirt to reveal a deep gash on his abdomen.
Orddin looked displeased, while Imperator smirked at the scene.
"Two apostles have escaped the tower. This isn't just a shift in causality—it's the start of unprecedented events."
Amon clasped his hands and looked upward, offering a brief prayer.
"Please. For this to resolve safely, I ask you both to join forces."
Shhhh—
The sand in a massive hourglass somewhere in the tower finally ran out.
A deep rumble echoed from the joints as it slowly inverted.
Thud!
"Three more times."
A figure hiding in the darkness muttered softly.
At that moment, the sand inside began pouring down again, and the faint face of a dragon trapped within slowly came into view.
Shhhh—
"Hurry, Berddin. Time is running out."