Chapter 50

050. Administrator (2)

"The dungeon boss 'Blue Fear Flower's Demon' has been defeated."

"The dungeon boss will not appear again."

"The dungeon will collapse in 3 hours."

I read the message that had just appeared, wiping the blood splattered on my face with the sleeve of my clothes.

Not only my face, but my entire body was drenched in blood, but I couldn't clean it all.

'Why did I leave the Stone of Cleanliness at home...'

The battle was messier than I thought, and my outfit was dirty, which made me feel a bit complicated.

Of course, I decided to focus on the fact that I had safely completed the hunt.

'If I didn't have the Insight skill, I might have been quite injured, not just my outfit.'

Even with the high-speed regeneration skill, I couldn't afford to be complacent.

If the attack just now had come from the tower's monsters instead of the boss monster...

'I would have been seriously injured.'

It was an unexpected attack, but I needed to reflect on the fight and improve my weaknesses.

I finished my thoughts while wiping the blood from my face and approached the dungeon boss to collect the corpse.

"Absorbing the command of Blue Fear Flower's Demon."

"Proficiency increased by 22%."

As a bonus, I put the corpse into my subspace bag and absorbed the command of the dungeon boss.

'Is this the end?'

It seemed that the dungeon challenge was temporarily over.

I had killed quite a few Flame Demons outside and the dungeon boss inside...

Moreover, the dungeon was about to collapse, so there was nothing more to do here.

However...

"..."

Even as I moved, Iha-yeon just stood there, dazed.

As if she didn't understand what had just happened...

"Exactly what is this..."

Seeing Iha-yeon mutter in disbelief, I tilted my head.

Not only just now, but also earlier...

The reactions Iha-yeon was showing were all excessive.

'After coming up to the 8th floor, she should have seen this level of things...'

But the problem was that all her reactions felt genuine, not fake.

Why?

I had a brief moment of doubt, but I didn't need to think about it deeply.

After all...

"Do ordinary difficulty challengers do this much, don't they?"

There was someone in front of me who could answer my question.

"...No. Even in the difficult difficulty, the number of people who can do this is limited."

"Even if everyone's trials are different, most people have experienced this level in their personal trials, right?"

"Are you joking...?"

"I'm serious."

"..."

Iha-yeon flinched at my answer and then spoke.

"If you can repeat such feats, you would stay in the top ranks of the settlement board. Most people can't overwhelm such strong monsters."

Is that so?

'I'm not sure...'

The Tower of Trials is not a normal place.

At first glance, it seems like a friendly system with adjustable difficulty, but its essence is a challenge.

You must always overcome trials that test your limits and take risks.

Those who can't do this won't survive, and those who can will become stronger.

This is the truth I learned while adapting to the Tower of Trials.

'Only those who can do this can earn rewards.'

The Tower of Trials isn't called 'difficult difficulty' for no reason.

It's several times harder than other difficulties, and you always have to put your life on the line.

It was surprising that so few people could do this.

When I looked at Iha-yeon, as if I didn't understand, she soon replied.

"Even in the difficult difficulty, personal trials are not consistent."

"I know."

I also knew this.

Everyone had to break through different trials in their respective challenges.

"Those who don't perform well in trials don't get good rewards even if they pass."

"Right. There won't be any additional rewards either."

"The fact that these people survived in the tower is not by chance."

"..."

"Those who don't perform well in trials have their subsequent trial levels adjusted."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Based on the statistics from the challengers we've recruited, this is certain."

Iha-yeon explained further.

"To put it simply..."

In simple terms, Iha-yeon's explanation was this:

Those who break through trials with good results in the easy difficulty will face increasingly difficult trials...

While those who don't will find their trials gradually becoming easier.

Even the nature of the trials changes based on the person's tendencies and characteristics.

"In my case, the trials changed from combat to exploring mazes and finding exits. The trial levels also changed."

Of course, the trials will still be difficult in the difficult difficulty, but they will be different from before.

"Hmm..."

"Conversely, those who perform better will face even more difficult trials, specialized in combat."

"And the trial rewards will be better too."

"Although we can't gather statistics on difficult difficulty challengers... it will be like that."

"In the end, if the trial results are poor in the difficult difficulty, the difficulty will be adjusted."

This also meant that I had passed all the trials well, so the difficulty had increased.

It was frustrating, but not entirely bad.

After all, the rewards had increased, which meant the trials were better for growth.

"What Han Seung-yun did just now is something only the top 50 rankers can do."

In other words, he was special even among difficult difficulty challengers.

"The more trials Han Seung-yun passes, the stronger he will become. Now, only those who truly want to climb the tower are left."

Most people buy return stones and return to reality.

So, those who climb the tower are interpreted as having the will to do so.

I nodded and spoke.

"...I see."

"Of course, the risk of the trials will also increase. So, please be more careful."

"..."

"I want to see Han Seung-yun grow and become stronger for a longer time."

Iha-yeon smiled and continued.

"Not just as a contractor, but as a hunter, I support you."

"...I understand your concern, but there's no need to worry."

Just as the other challengers have developed a desire to climb the tower, I am the same.

I will return what I have received and won't give up on what I desire.

This is what I have resolved from the beginning.

"As the other challengers become more ruthless, I will become that way too."

"That's a relief. Well, let's go now. The dungeon will collapse soon."

At that, I nodded and followed Iha-yeon out of the boss room.

It was the moment the second return's final schedule was completed.

***

After clearing the dungeon in Cheonbosan...

I spent the remaining day without entering any dungeons, living a normal life.

"The Hunter Association announced that the Tower of Trials is an immeasurable disaster, causing a big stir..."

"The Tower of Trials, a stepping stone for life reversal where even ordinary people can awaken?"

"It is known that challengers for the easy and normal difficulties have been secured..."

There was quite a lot to do, such as gathering information about the Tower of Trials.

Additionally...

"Bank balance - 12,326,300,000 won"

"Really, it came in..."

I confirmed that all the money I had earned during my return had been deposited.

This included the money from selling the gate occupation rights and the monster byproducts like mana stones.

'The amount that came in is more than I expected.'

The gate occupation rights were one thing, but the money from selling mana stones was quite substantial.

If I continue to act as a hunter, I will earn even more money.

However...

'I can't stop here.'

If I can become stronger, stopping here would be foolish.

I will climb the Tower of Trials and become stronger.

This is my goal, so I can't give up.

At that moment...

"?"

Brrr...

The smartphone I had placed on the desk vibrated, indicating a text message.

Since there was no one else who would contact me, the sender was obvious.

'It must be Team Leader Iha-yeon.'

And my guess was soon confirmed.

"The qualification for using the dungeon of the White Guild has been completed. From now on, you can use the dungeon whenever you want."

"Oh."

It was a welcome piece of news.

'Now I don't have to worry about where to use the dungeon every time I return.'

I smiled and sent a reply saying I understood.

I also sent a message saying I would soon return to the tower, so there was no need to worry if I disappeared.

Iha-yeon, who already knew this, replied briefly.

"I'll be waiting. Please contact me whenever you return."

Of course, I didn't plan to keep her waiting for long.

Now, the 'waiting time' for trials has disappeared.

This means that I can challenge trials at any time.

Therefore, I had no intention of stopping my climb midway.

So, I would soon reach my limits and return to reality.

'I won't keep you waiting for long.'

Of course...

"That's a story for later."

"In 5 minutes, you will return to the Tower of Trials."

As the message appeared, indicating it was time to return, I started to prepare.

I put on all the items I had brought from reality and waited for the remaining time to end...

"Time expired."

"Returning to the Tower of Trials."

As the messages appeared, the scenery around me changed.

When I opened my eyes, which I had briefly closed, I found myself in the familiar waiting room from the small studio.

'Now that it's the second time, I'm quite used to this.'

Without any particular feelings, I immediately activated the command.

"Trial."

"Would you like to challenge the 8th floor trial?"

Before responding to the message, I quickly checked my equipment.

Although I was a bit anxious, I felt that this level was sufficient to challenge the 8th floor trial.

'Well, I've grown quite a bit outside, so there's no need to worry.'

Having absorbed the commands of various monsters, I had no reason to worry.

I immediately responded positively to the message asking if I would challenge the trial.

However...

Just as I was preparing to move, thinking about the portal that would soon appear...

"Choose the branching point of the trial."

"Narrative"

"Combat"

"Strategy"

"..."

The options appeared, asking me to choose a branching point.

'What is this?'

I was momentarily confused, but it was only for a moment.

'Now that I think about it, there was a system for branching points.'

The options that appeared were part of a new system added when I reached the 8th floor.

Since I had thought about this before, my choice was quick.

"I have chosen the 'Combat' branching point."

'To improve the efficiency of necromancy, I need to go through combat.'

"All of Han Seung-yun's personal trials will focus on 'Combat'."

"Once a branching point is chosen, it cannot be changed."

I had no desire to change the branching point, so I didn't think much about it.

I just wanted to check the new skills I had obtained.

However...

"Challenger Han Seung-yun has the qualification of a 'Pioneer'."

Something was off.

"..."

Instead of immediately starting the trial, other messages appeared.

"The administrator interview is starting."

"Searching for a suitable interview partner among the administrators of the Combat branching point..."

"Administrator...?"

This was someone who had shown their presence in the tower before.

They were always a topic of discussion among the challengers, answering questions in the chat room.

Having an interview with such an entity was completely unexpected.

An interview with the entity managing the tower...

"Search complete."

"The interview with the administrator of the Combat branching point, 'Iron-Blooded Monarch', is starting."

This was an unexpected turn of events.