Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Vajra Transcendence
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Beneath the fragments of the Myriad Phenomena scattering in all directions.
Havel looked at the dawn light filling the surroundings.
The dawn that had burst from its body had softened the entirety of the 59th floor's darkness.
It was truly an awe-inspiring dawn.
'The light has grown stronger.'
And as Havel gazed upon that dawn, he felt his own power more tangibly than ever.
The Demonic Palace clearly wanted to make him stronger.
Havel looked up at the sky along with the rising messages.
More incomprehensible messages appeared.
'Nothing new there.'
Ever since leaving the Demonic Palace, nothing but unknowns had cropped up.
He'd find answers as he climbed the Tower.
Havel set aside what he didn't know and focused on what he could grasp.
That was why he'd played along with the Myriad Phenomena.
Dante and the others were still a long way from arriving here.
Havel decided to finally witness the completed transcendence.
It was at that moment.
'This is...'
Havel sensed an entirely different energy from his body.
His skin and every muscle felt completely unlike before.
As if he had shed the limits of humanity.
Havel's eyebrow twitched.
At the same time, he raised his arm and sword.
Dawn light draped over Havel's blade.
That dawn began compressing to its limit atop the sword.
As the dawn's light compressed, the surrounding air trembled.
Space around him warped in a bizarre phenomenon.
As if it were devouring all light.
Havel's dawn was so overwhelming it could be seen even with eyes closed.
If he'd unleashed this on the Myriad Phenomena...
It would have exploded instantly, unable to withstand the dawn.
The moment all that dawn gathered.
Havel swung his sword down toward his own arm.
Kwaaaaaang!
Everything around him flew away and vanished in an instant.
It was the first full-power strike since leaving the Demonic Palace.
He hadn't expected to use it on himself.
Havel stared quietly at the arm he'd struck.
'...Not a single scratch?'
Havel gaped at his own body in shock.
True to the name Vajra.
His body's durability had reached an entirely different level.
Literally transcendent.
'Unless another stat reaches transcendence at the same value...'
He could consider self-inflicted wounds impossible.
Havel's expression grew serious.
'There are definitely others out there absorbing Calamities like me.'
He was almost certain of it.
The God's duality or the Whisperer.
At least those two could absorb Calamities like him.
And that meant...
'They've likely transcended their stats too.'
Havel realized it the moment he gained Vajra.
Only transcendence could counter transcendence.
'Which means, if I don't transcend...'
He couldn't even face them.
Havel let out a dry chuckle.
Another reason to climb the Tower had emerged.
Unless he transcended his stats...
He might just be the weak one.
'If that's the case...'
He'd just transcend them all.
Havel checked his stats.
Strength, Agility, and Talent.
All of them were on the verge of transcendence.
Conquering the 6th Hierarchy would surely fulfill the conditions for all three.
'One transcendence per 1000 stat points, huh.'
He'd just felt how massive the boost from a single transcendence was.
Havel's eyes gleamed.
It felt like the first time he'd picked up a sword before learning it all.
Everything new, full of opportunities to grow.
'This is fun.'
Now even he was curious.
How far could he climb?
Havel looked up at the Tower.
From the next hierarchy onward, uncharted floors awaited.
Floors challenged by countless climbers.
And the floors where he'd truly make the Banpellyon name resound.
"The Five Great Families, was it."
The heads of the Five Great Families who chose other Calamities to avoid raising the Tower's difficulty.
Havel smiled as he thought of them.
'You'll regret not climbing the Tower yourselves.'
He'd shatter their arrogance.
Around the time Havel finished conquering the 5th Hierarchy.
Word spread across the world of the bizarre event in the 5th Hierarchy.
The darkness-only zone of the 5th Hierarchy's dark region.
Rumors said the darkness had suddenly vanished entirely.
People dismissed it as nonsense.
Those who'd endured the dark region's shadows called it utterly impossible.
But witnesses of the dawn began appearing one after another.
And they knew who had ignited that dawn.
Dante of the Banpellyon family.
And Havel.
The names most mentioned lately.
"Dante again?"
"Now he's broken through the 5th Hierarchy? What kind of monster is he?"
"That's not all! Gehenna's gang was wiped out by them!"
With their successful 5th Hierarchy conquest.
News of Gehenna's total annihilation spread far and wide.
People could no longer sit idly by.
The emergence of these massive rookies was shaking the Tower.
Now they'd challenge the 6th Hierarchy.
No one had ever reached the 6th in such a short time.
The world's attention was naturally focused.
And people wondered.
"What happens if they break through the 6th Hierarchy, which even the Five Great Families couldn't?"
"The balance will shatter."
"Does this make it the Six Great Families?"
"Six? It might be the Banpellyons dominating alone."
They'd dismissed it as just rookies appearing.
But it could be the rise of a family to change the era.
Amid that attention.
As various thoughts filled people's minds.
Havel arrived at the 5th Hierarchy safe zone with the belatedly arriving Dante.
"This is the 5th Hierarchy safe zone, Soltron."
Dante's explanation was brief.
Unlike previous safe zones, there was no village.
On an endlessly vast plain.
Only massive tents stood temporarily.
The reason was obvious.
Few could break through the 5th Hierarchy dark region.
The same went for technicians who could build structures.
So the foremost climbers' safe zones were always like this.
Just tents from various families.
A stark, barren place.
Of course, there was one exception.
A massive stone tablet absent from lower floors.
Innumerable names were engraved densely on it.
Names of those who challenged and died in the first attempts on each hierarchy.
Unconquered hierarchies carried immense risks.
Thus, first challengers were hailed as great and heroic.
It was the Heroes' Stele, inscribed in their honor.
"I never thought I'd see this in person."
Dante murmured in quiet admiration at the stele.
Havel gazed at it steadily too.
'Whoever carved it, it's a fine sentiment.'
Even the names of those who'd climbed the Demonic Palace with him had faded.
So Havel quite liked this stele.
Forgetting a name forever was bitter.
"Sir Dante, Sir Havel."
Just then, Dorison approached them.
As the two turned, Dorison placed a fist over his chest.
"Though I couldn't keep up properly to the end, I'm proud to have climbed the Tower with you both."
The other two felt the same.
Climbing the Tower with two who would one day be legends.
It was an honor.
"So whatever the result of this trial, we'll accept it."
Havel recalled belatedly.
The reason he'd brought these three was for the Dawn Knights.
'Forgot for a moment because of Dante's situation.'
Havel turned to Dante.
"You're a Banpellyon knight. You decide."
These three had come hearing rumors of Dante more than him anyway.
Passing the decision to Dante, he looked at them.
Dorison, Ronslot, and Blen.
Competent enough to reach the 5th Hierarchy.
But they fell far short of Havel.
Even Dante outclassed them.
They'd merely struggled to keep up without contributing.
Seeing them, Dante thought of himself.
Hadn't he looked the same in Havel's eyes?
But like him, they hadn't given up till the end.
Witnessing the dawn, they'd embraced the Banpellyon will even more.
And that mindset was what mattered most.
"All three of you, come to the Banpellyons."
Their eyes widened simultaneously.
"Really?"
Even the usually taciturn Blen asked in surprise.
Honestly, they hadn't exactly passed the trial.
"Yes, though the final decision will come from our family head, Arthur Banpellyon."
Of course, Arthur would welcome them heartily.
With only one knight in the family.
But Dante left that unsaid.
No need to tell them everything.
Unaware, the three expressed their joy.
"Thank you so much!"
"Haha, I really thought I was done for. Somehow it worked out."
"Thank you."
Dorison enthusiastically.
Ronslot with relieved laughter.
Blen with a quiet bow.
"I'll take my leave then."
Meanwhile, Pellerban indicated he was leaving.
He was from Astria.
He'd never intended to join Banpellyon from the start, so it was natural.
Instead, he handed Havel a sheet of paper.
"Write on this paper, and I'll be contacted. Let me know once Dante's future is set."
"Got it."
Havel pocketed the paper and saw Pellerban off.
Then he turned to Dante.
One thing left.
Hearing Dante's decision.
And Dante, facing Havel, knew it too.
"Havel."
So Dante spoke first, earnestly.
"Would you spar with me once?"