Win-Win (3)
Helpful, you say? He wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or just throwing out bait, but she'd certainly piqued his interest. Deciding to hear her out, Yun-seok silently watched Raguna.
Gulp.
Raguna swallowed hard before opening her mouth, visibly tense. If she failed to keep his attention now, he looked ready to knock her out again for wasting his training time.
"Let me start with an introduction. Raguna Hamblton. My father is Count Hamblton of the Leban Neutral Country. He personally runs one of the top trading companies on the continent."
She glanced at Yun-seok as she spoke. His eyes already screamed boredom, as if saying, 'And?'
Even knowing the situation, it stung her pride. Not only did her family's prestige mean nothing here, but a young, pretty woman was earnestly introducing herself, and he gave her that look?
Training that important to you...?
For Raguna, who drew attention wherever she went, it was disheartening. Still, it was exactly that kind of man who had kept her alive this long...
"Leban Neutral Country?"
Normally, one would reciprocate with their own name after sharing theirs, but Yun-seok just tossed out that question.
Yet every alpha had its beta. Grateful for even a sliver of interest, Raguna explained politely.
"It's one of the seven nations of Sehelanbard. The Leban Neutral Country is a maritime nation in the Hefran Ocean, consisting of a total of 4,819 islands..."
Raguna suddenly trailed off. Yun-seok's expression had soured. It was a face demanding she cut the crap and get to the point.
Right, it's not like I haven't dealt with this personality before!
The Hamblton family were merchants. Short on executive talent, Raguna—as direct lineage—had helped with the company since childhood. She'd negotiated with far haughtier nobles than Yun-seok multiple times. No need for a fight; just give them what they want.
Raguna summed it up concisely.
"I can give you information about the Tower of Heaven."
"...?"
Yun-seok tilted his head at her confident expression.
As far as he knew, all challengers had been abruptly kidnapped into the Tower of Heaven. They were all in the same boat. And she had info to share?
Maybe some exclusive knowledge not shared in the chat rooms? Harboring faint hope, Yun-seok waited for her to continue.
What followed was shocking.
"The Tower of Heaven opening isn't the first time. It happened in three dimensions 500 years ago too."
"How do you know that?"
"One of my ancestors was a challenger. He repeatedly warned his descendants that the tower would open again someday. 'This story must never be recorded—only passed down orally to direct heirs.' It was even his dying wish."
Whether the tale was true didn't matter. Hamblton direct descendants grew up hearing elders recount the ancestor's legend. They'd founded the family from nothing and passed down noble blood—worthy of respect.
Of course, they didn't fully believe it. It was like any noble house's mythologized founder story—mysterious and ancient.
Raguna herself had thought the same until entering the tower.
"That dying wish is odd. Why not just record it? No risk of distortion, and easier to pass on."
"Truth is... it wasn't that they shouldn't record it—they couldn't. Whenever they tried writing down his story, something bizarre happened. The records would get ruined—sudden fires, leaks from the roof soaking them completely..."
Yun-seok's gaze deepened. Too detailed for an on-the-spot fabrication. Was she really telling the truth?
Unable to shake his doubts, he pressed.
"You said three dimensions earlier. Slip of the tongue?"
"No. Killian, Sehelanbard, Murim. That's three. No Earth challengers 500 years ago."
"..."
Yun-seok fell silent. What could he say to something from 500 years ago?
True or not, he'd hear her out. He leaned in, ears open.
Noticing his interest, Raguna relaxed.
"You're from Earth, right?"
"...Yes."
"Planning to keep climbing the tower?"
"...Haven't thought that far."
Raguna looked surprised at his honest reply. She'd seen him train relentlessly, even sparing duel opponents—clearly a born warrior. And above all...
"Just two more wins—no, one now—and you can go back, right? But you haven't even considered it?"
A permanent return ticket at C-rank. It cost a whopping 200,000 AP.
But Yun-seok was nearly there. This duel would net 128,000 AP, the next 256,000. One more win, and full return to Earth was possible.
But...
"I planned to at first. Now... not sure."
Surviving and returning—that had been Yun-seok's top priority since being dragged into the Tower of Heaven.
Yet that drive was fading.
The tower had forged him. He'd severed his toxic ties, finally tasting freedom. His negativity toward the place had softened.
Meeting Cheonma and glimpsing true martial prowess accelerated it.
Honing himself to grow stronger. Risking his neck against new foes. Denying it now felt pointless.
He even enjoyed the tense anticipation of battle.
Committing to a full Earth return meant losing this thrill forever. Earth wasn't built for it.
Here, he shone with prodigious talent. On Earth, he'd be the broken screw-up for life.
"I see..."
Raguna eyed him pityingly. She'd seen soldiers like that—addicted to battlefield thrills, unable to leave. Even after war's end, they chased blood, dying on cold ground, not beds.
She pegged Yun-seok as one. Not that she'd judge.
"Then hear me out fully before deciding. You know less about this place than you think."
"..."
Yun-seok nodded quietly. No quips like 'If you're telling the truth.' He'd judge after hearing everything.
"You know the tower has four trials, right?"
"Guessed as much. Don't remember clearly, but there was more than one statue."
"Adventure, Exploration, Mission, Duel. Challengers pick one. My ancestor chose Adventure, so Duel info is scarcer."
"Why pick this one then?"
Raguna gave a wry smile at his fair question.
"He said Duel challengers are few but monstrous—all essential to reaching the top. Though... mostly he touched a random statue thinking it a dream."
She continued. Duel trial had the worst survival rate among trials—brutal difficulty.
Easiest: Adventure, then Exploration, Mission, Duel.
"So what's the tower's ultimate goal?"
"No idea. He said higher floors have spots to meet other trial challengers. Right before the final floor, war broke out there. He escaped to his home world in the chaos—doesn't know after."
"..."
She didn't know either. Yun-seok said nothing. Her admitting ignorance oddly boosted credibility. A lie would've been vague filler.
"But he agonized over one thing: maybe the tower wasn't giving challengers power to save worlds."
"Power to save worlds...?"
"Yes. One year after becoming a challenger, bizarre monsters appeared in his home world. Magic and swordsmanship useless. Only challengers could kill them."
But the monsters vanished soon after he returned. Recorded as the 'Great Cataclysm,' but wartime losses and outlandish tales made residents treat it half-myth.
"He feared it'd repeat. Founded a merchant house, ordered aid to future Earth challengers. 'Don't shed blood among ourselves.'"
Had familiarity grown? Or merchant ploy? Raguna joked, "Ended up a challenger myself."
"Those monsters—only in your dimension?"
"No. Appeared in Murim and Killian too. Unsure if they vanished simultaneously..."
"Worth hearing."
With that, Yun-seok drew his sword from his waist. Raguna's face paled instantly.
"W-Why? I only told the truth! Don't knock me out! Kill me instead!"
Seeing her panic, Yun-seok chuckled awkwardly. Fair misunderstanding.
"Not knocking you out. Just... this'll take a while."
"And?"
"Can't I listen while training?"
"..."
Raguna gaped, thinking, Utterly incomprehensible lunatic.
* * *
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As Yun-seok danced through sword forms, Raguna—back against the wall—shared all she knew.
Yun-seok dropped his doubts. It rang true—coherent, consistent, vivid.
"No plans to attack you. Let me stay like this. I'm no threat anyway."
Preemptively knocking her out for safety? Her logic swayed him.
So post-story, she watched his training unscathed from afar.
Bored, though, she kept chatting.
"What's Earth like?"
"Everyone there like you?"
"Haven't caught your name yet. What is it?"
"Thirst and hunger are one thing, but all day like this? I'll go mad. Right?"
"Who was your first duel opponent?"
Having gleaned useful info, Yun-seok answered most questions mid-training. Nothing secret.
He skipped his abilities, but still spilled—from Earth life to now.
"Orc in first duel? You always that good?"
"Demon666! Know that name—total chaos. Wonder what he's up to."
"Even someone like you bullied as a kid? Earth's terrifying."
"That's it for revenge? Come on! With your power, should've wrecked him!"
When he mentioned Kang Hyung-woo, Raguna clenched her fists like it was personal. Yun-seok smiled bitterly. Her dramatic reactions evoked his mom watching dramas.
Questions poured on. They passed Cheonma duel, reaching Lee Chang-hoon.
Raguna's eager face shifted.
"What're you doing here? Go back to Earth—protect your family!"
Genuinely furious at his complacency.