Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Swallowing the Tower's Wrath
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Pure black darkness.
A place where merely existing would drive most people insane.
The Dark Zone.
On its 54th floor, a being had reigned as king.
Its name was the Calamity Sorcerer.
The true backer of Gehenna and an old monster chosen by the Tower itself.
But now, there was no trace of such a king anywhere in this place.
"Hey."
"Yes!"
A vigorous response echoed from beneath Havel at his call.
The Calamity Sorcerer, who had been standing on two legs just moments ago,
now had its hands transformed into legs as well.
"You've lived in this Tower for fifty years, and that's all you know?"
"W-well, I've only ever been in the Dark Zone."
The Calamity Sorcerer began to hem and haw.
What Havel had learned from the Calamity Sorcerer was this:
Originally handling only corpses, on the tenth year in the Tower,
it discovered how to wield Calamities.
And as a result, it began implanting Calamities into corpses to control them.
"Then the Gehenna guys we ran into..."
"Ah, yes, yes—they're all dead ones, sir. They don't know it themselves, though."
That rabid one trying to bite even after its head was severed must have been for that reason.
Havel slowly tapped his arm with his index finger.
"Do you even realize you're a Trial?"
At Havel's question, it blinked.
He knew instantly from that reaction.
This thing had no idea what a Trial was.
'Completely oblivious, huh.'
The Calamity Sorcerer had essentially become a resident of the Tower.
It had been dancing to the Tower's tune without even realizing it.
Havel clicked his tongue.
He had hoped to get some useful info, but there was nothing worthwhile.
"Fine, let's ask something else."
This was the last question he decided to throw out.
"The Whisperer. The Duality of the Gods."
The two titles that had stirred the Calamity dwelling within Havel's body.
The first ones to make him tense since leaving the Demonic Palace.
"Ever heard of either?"
From beyond the pitch-black mound, a glint flashed in the Calamity Sorcerer's eyes.
Havel, recognizing that light, plopped his hand atop its head.
Crackle—
A brief spark of Thunder Qi jumped from his hand.
"Eek! H-heek!"
The Calamity Sorcerer knew exactly what that meant.
Keep stalling, and it'd burn its head to a crisp.
"I-it's not the Tower! Not the Tower! I heard that name from outside the Tower!"
Its booming voice filled the space.
"Outside?"
"Yes! Not the backer—the Whisperer you mentioned first!"
Havel furrowed his brow.
He hadn't considered outside the Tower.
"Keep talking."
"W-well, back when I was making a name for myself as a corpse sorcerer..."
"Skip the backstory."
"Someone came to me and dropped that name. Said they were acting on the Whisperer's orders."
Orders received.
Havel narrowed his eyes.
He'd thought it was someone inside the Tower.
But it was from outside?
"And?"
"Said I'd enjoy everything if I joined the Whisperer's ranks. I told them to get lost with their nonsense."
"Nothing after that?"
"Ah, yes—they just said I'd regret missing the chance someday."
Havel fell into thought.
If it was when the Calamity Sorcerer was active outside, that was at least fifty years ago.
The Sorcerer lived on without lifespan thanks to the Tower,
but folks outside wouldn't.
The one connected to the Whisperer might be long gone.
'Not necessarily, though.'
There were Immortals like himself who never died.
And if it was recruiting underlings, they must be an organization.
'Meaning some of those bastards could still be out there somewhere in the world.'
Could he find them?
No guarantees.
But there was a chance.
"Remember what that guy looked like?"
"They used some weird magic—face was all blurry."
"Clothes? Patterns?"
"I remember, but... hard to describe."
"Draw it."
Havel smashed its staff roughly and tossed the tip over.
The Calamity Sorcerer obediently sketched.
What emerged was a pattern of a snake's triangular tail strangling a neck.
Of course, Havel had never seen it before.
'A group that formed after I entered the Demonic Palace, then.'
Who knew so much had happened while he was in there.
'Well, a century passed.'
An entire era had shifted.
No point being surprised now.
"That'll do."
Havel rose from the Calamity Sorcerer.
No more business with this thing.
"S-so, then..."
Anticipation lit up the Calamity Sorcerer's face.
Expectations of being spared after spilling everything as ordered.
But Havel just stared silently.
As if wondering when it'd catch on.
The Calamity Sorcerer's expression slowly hardened.
At the same time, it gingerly touched its throat.
A withered, twisted neck.
Still a neck, though.
But the moment its hand made contact, the neck cracked open.
"Th-this isn't what we agreed..."
With that, the Calamity Sorcerer's neck split and collapsed.
"Never promised anything."
He'd just beaten it until it answered what he wanted to know.
Havel had never made a deal with the Calamity Sorcerer.
'Gonna have to gather info on the Whisperer from outside too.'
That info shop last time was pretty decent.
Time to spend some coin and check it out.
As Havel thought that, text abruptly appeared before his eyes.
― Strength has risen by 63.
― Agility has risen by 61.
― Endurance has risen by 55.
― Talent has risen by 67.
― Technique has risen by 62.
― Calamity has risen by 57.
The Calamity Sorcerer's Calamity had flowed into him.
Growing stronger like this once more.
Now he was starting to wonder just how much he'd grown overall.
It was then.
Endurance transcendence had suddenly begun.
Endurance, which had been unusually high, had finally crossed into four digits.
And transcendence, no less.
'What the hell does that even mean?'
It would take 100 hours.
Not a long time.
Felt like it'd finish before he cleared this hierarchy.
"Not even giving me time to sort out my questions."
Havel clicked his tongue.
And that made him curious about his other stats too.
"Last time, they just listed out like this."
How did it work?
Havel paused, puzzled.
At that moment, text popped up as if answering his thoughts.
【 Havel Banpellyon 】
[Held Achievements]
Master of Demonic Palace 10th Hierarchy
Penril Subjugator, Lord of the Demonic Forest
...
Status: Time Regression, Immortal, Tower Challenger
Held Attributes: Thunder Qi, Darkness
As mentioned, Endurance was in transcendence.
And Strength was about to hit four digits soon too.
Numbers far higher than at the start.
He'd felt himself getting stronger vaguely,
but seeing the digits made it hit differently.
No proper opponent to test it on yet, though.
'Well, not exactly.'
The Whisperer and the Duality of the Gods.
With nothing known about them.
'Maybe those guys...'
Could be ones who cleared Calamities like him and became masters.
Just like Havel becoming master of the Demonic Palace's 10th floor.
'Who knows.'
Havel, desperately clawing through the Demonic Palace, had gained immense power.
But now?
During the time absorbing Tower Calamities,
Havel had grown far more easily.
Soon enough, he'd be incomparable to his Demonic Palace days.
'If it's not just me.'
While he rolled in the Demonic Palace for a century,
Someone else might have absorbed even more Calamities and grown further.
"Ha."
A laugh slipped out for some reason.
His long-maddened mind showed anticipation.
Anticipation of perhaps meeting a worthy rival.
"If you're gonna show, do it quick."
Havel muttered, gazing up at the Dark Zone sky.
"Before I get too strong for even a rival."
Hoping they'd live up to expectations, Havel turned away.
To climb the Tower once more.
Breaking through the darkness, people came into view in the distance.
The three still unconscious and Dante.
Along with Pelleban standing guard alone.
Pelleban let out a long sigh of relief upon spotting Havel.
He'd believed Havel would handle it fine,
but he'd taken longer than expected.
Havel felt a twinge of guilt and approached.
"Rest. Nothing around anyway."
"Haa, got it."
Pelleban replied and plopped down.
Looked like he was at his limit too.
With time to rest until the others woke,
Havel recalled the 'Darkness' he'd just acquired.
Testing it, his hand was dyed in shadow.
Darkness was the polar opposite of the Dawn he wielded.
Yet he could use it this easily.
Anyone could see it was an unnatural acquisition.
"Ugh... uugh."
Meanwhile, the three started stirring.
Havel shook off his hand casually.
"...Havel, mind if I say one thing?"
Pelleban spoke up then.
He gazed complicatedly at the unconscious Dante.
"Shoot."
"You said the Tower gets stronger based on who enters, right?"
Havel nodded.
"I've seen your strength today. And the recent Tower changes are probably because you came, yeah."
It had affected other floors too, huh.
"Want me to leave the Tower?"
Pelleban shook his head.
Just looked back at Dante again.
"I know you'd clear it regardless. But..."
Pelleban hesitated.
"Dante can't."
Dante's prowess today had surprised even Pelleban.
His persistence and effort had made him an Aura Guardian.
But humans had limits.
Dante was climbing the Tower now, shaving down his very bones.
Solely to keep up with Havel.
"I think Dante will keep getting stronger."
Pushing to his absolute limits for growth.
"But chasing you is impossible."
Pelleban had seen many powerhouses.
But Havel was beyond specs.
A monster transcending humanity.
That was Havel.
"Chasing the unattainable leads to ruin."
Pelleban said Dante was exactly that.
"Dante will die."
Chasing Havel would eventually claim his life.
Pelleban was certain.
Havel's eyes turned to Dante.
Havel vaguely knew too.
That Dante was nearing his limit.
'My starting point was different from the get-go.'
Havel had surpassed human limits via regression and immortality.
Dante was burning his one life for growth.
The gap was inevitable.
This time proved it.
Helping Dante grow when death loomed.
"So, one proposal?"
Havel nodded.
Permission granted.
"Take Dante to Astraia."
Pelleban looked awkward.
"I know how shameless this is."
Now Pelleban acknowledged and respected Dante.
"Like I said, Dante will keep growing."
Bone-shaving growth was dramatic.
But slow recovery from torn muscle fibers was growth too.
Instead of dramatic self-destruction,
Steady, body-suited growth.
"Around peers a bit above him, he'll grow safely."
So Pelleban wanted Dante in Astraia.
At least there, he wouldn't burn out prematurely.
"Take Dante to Astraia?"
"Yes, it'd help. No intention of pulling him from Banpellyon, of course."
Pelleban had witnessed Dante's loyalty firsthand.
With Havel around, he wouldn't waver anyway.
So at least consider it, he urged.
Havel fell silent.
'If someone on my level shows up ahead.'
Dante would get swept up and die.
Humans are tiny in a storm.
Just torn apart by the winds.
Havel looked up at the Tower.
Many floors left.
And unknown entities appearing one by one above.
Havel knew well.
Only he could face them.
Just as he fought alone in the Demonic Palace.
Even after leaving, he was alone.
'Got a bit deluded.'
Climbing with Dante,
he'd momentarily forgotten his solitude.
'Still got a long way to go, huh.'
After all that time alone, forgetting solitude.
'By now, everyone knows I'm with Banpellyon.'
Plus Dawn Knights gathering around Dante.
Dante's role was plenty fulfilled.
"I'll consider it."
So Havel replied to Pelleban.
Even if alone again, it differed from Demonic Palace days.
He had a family to bear now.
The world was still vast for haste.
And as an Immortal, time was infinite.
'In that case.'
Matching pace for those with finite time wasn't bad.
Havel thought so, staring into the Darkness alone.