Chapter 51

051. Administrator (3)

After the message that the administrator interview was about to begin ended...

"I have entered the world of Iron Blood."

Without giving me a moment to think, the space changed in an instant.

As always, the waiting room had transformed into an unknown space.

"..."

I was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained my composure and looked around.

Caves, grasslands, plains, deserts, seas, and more...

I had seen and experienced countless stages, but this space was particularly alien.

Snow was piled up in the courtyard, and white swords were stuck in without any pattern.

Even though there were no signs of a fight, it felt like a battlefield.

Of course, there was more than just that; at the end, I could see a cottage.

'Should I go in?'

There was no guarantee that it wouldn't be dangerous, so I hesitated.

'But I can't just stand here doing nothing...'

After a brief moment of contemplation, something clicked in my mind.

Come to think of it, I had a useful skill that I could use in situations like this.

'The Eye of Truth.'

"The skill 'The Eye of Truth' has been activated."

The Eye of Truth activates centered on what I am focusing on.

This was something I had learned from using it a few times before.

So, if what I am currently focusing on is not a single object but the space itself...

"The World of Iron Blood"

"Rank: ■"

"A special space where the administrator 'Iron Blood's Ruler' resides."

"A place that those not invited cannot enter."

I could also learn this.

'Iron Blood's Ruler'...

From the mention of 'administrator' and 'her,' it seemed the administrator had a gender.

Of course, the explanation wasn't very helpful, so I couldn't learn much.

However, I now had a better idea of where I was.

'To be brought directly to where the administrator resides...'

Just as I vaguely realized that the real interview with the administrator was about to begin.

"The administrator 'Iron Blood's Ruler' is displeased by someone's probing."

"The administrator 'Iron Blood's Ruler' tells you to stop your pointless actions and come in quickly."

A type of message I had never seen before appeared, urging me to make a decision.

'Administrators can also convey their intentions through messages...'

From the content of the message, it seemed she knew I had used a skill.

To detect the activation of a skill without any visible or audible signs...

I was once again reminded of how terrifying the administrator was.

A being that manages something as incomprehensible as the Tower of Trials.

'If she wanted to, she could have killed me long ago.'

In the end, I steeled myself and started walking towards the cottage.

Crunch, crunch...

I soon arrived at the cottage, where swords were stuck in the snow.

I grabbed the doorknob and exhaled.

"Hmm..."

There was no need to be nervous.

In the Tower of Trials, they had said this was just a personal interview with a 'pioneer.'

There was no way I would encounter a situation where I could die here.

Regaining my composure, I opened the door to the cottage.

And...

"The administrator 'Iron Blood's Ruler' is looking at you."

"Finally, you've come."

At that moment, a cold but beautiful voice echoed in my ear...

"Pioneer, welcome."

Looking at the source of the voice, I saw a silver-haired woman sitting at a table.

"I am the administrator 'Iron Blood's Ruler,' who will be conducting your interview."

***

"..."

I looked at the woman in front of me, extremely tense.

The Iron Blood's Ruler, wearing a white long coat, was smiling as if finding something interesting.

'Just by her appearance, she seems like an exotic beauty...'

But in reality, she is a being that manages this Tower of Trials.

So, I couldn't help but be tense.

At that moment,

"Hmm..."

The Iron Blood's Ruler, who had been slowly scanning me with her red eyes, smiled.

"Interesting. I didn't expect you to be the 'Hunter' pioneer."

"..."

"How did you think a monster would look? You seem to be in pretty good shape."

"..."

Her unexpected evaluation made me narrow my eyes and glare at her.

"Do you know me?"

In response, the Iron Blood's Ruler crossed her legs on the table and answered.

"Of course. Didn't you prove your worth on the 4th floor? It was such a spectacular debut that I couldn't have missed it."

It seemed my high performance on the 4th floor had drawn attention.

'Could it be...?'

Her tone suggested she had been watching me all along, so I asked again.

"Could it be that you've been watching my trials all this time?"

"I only knew through the summary board. It's impossible to observe the trials of challengers below the 8th floor."

"..."

"What, you seem to be misunderstanding. The administrator is not an all-knowing, all-powerful being like a god. I don't rule the tower."

"What do you mean...?"

"Rather, the administrator is a being subordinate to the tower. So, there's no need to be so tense. As long as I am subordinate to the tower, I cannot harm you."

"..."

The Iron Blood's Ruler spoke as if she knew I was tense.

"Well, putting aside the minor details... Pioneer, this personal interview is a benefit granted to you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

While I couldn't fully understand everything she said, I grasped the core of it.

The administrator is not a god-like being and is subordinate to the tower.

And...

'In the end, she has no intention of harming me and will answer my questions?'

I could tell she was not hostile and was even somewhat friendly.

The moment I realized this, I didn't hesitate to ask my question.

If, as the Iron Blood's Ruler said, this was a 'benefit,' there was no reason to hesitate.

"Then, can you tell me what this personal interview is about?"

The Iron Blood's Ruler, who had been twirling her long silver hair with her fingers, smiled.

"Adapting quite quickly, I see. Well, that's why you've survived in this tower."

"..."

"Personal interviews, as I mentioned earlier, are a 'benefit' granted to pioneers. You can resolve your curiosities through the administrator without using a 'question right.'"

"Is that all?"

"Well, there are a few other benefits. For example, being able to see the administrator directly and receiving 'benefits' from the administrator."

In other words, pioneers can receive various benefits from the administrator.

Since this was a rare opportunity for a Q&A, I asked a question I had been pondering.

"Then, can you tell me what an interdimensional challenger is?"

"Already met one...? You must have had a bad experience."

The Iron Blood's Ruler frowned and said.

In other words, she knew something.

My eyes lit up as I continued my question.

"I almost died to an interdimensional challenger on the 5th floor."

"To have survived... You must be a type that's strong against misfortune. However, I don't think it will be as big a secret as you expect."

The Iron Blood's Ruler looked amazed and then spoke.

"From the interdimensional challengers, you can understand... The Tower of Trials is not unique to this world. There are Towers of Trials in some dimensions, and the one you met must have come from one of those places."

Although she said it casually, it was not something to be taken lightly.

'Is there really another world...?'

Moreover, there are Towers of Trials in those worlds, and the challengers come from there.

It was hard to accept, but since the tower itself was already unbelievable, I had to accept it.

However...

Accepting the fact raised another question.

"Why did that guy come to me? Layer intrusion should be possible from other worlds too, right?"

"Of course, it is. However, the reason for layer intrusion to other worlds is different."

The Iron Blood's Ruler smiled faintly and continued.

"When you intrude into another world's layer, you can steal the rewards of that layer."

"..."

"Not only that, but you can also receive better rewards."

"..."

In other words, interdimensional challengers come to steal the 'rewards of trials.'

"Interdimensional challengers come from worlds where the tower has existed for decades. They know what the tower is and understand that the rewards for harming interdimensional challengers are significant."

In short, for interdimensional challengers, the competition in the tower is a given.

"And that's not all."

"..."

"The tower in this world will eventually merge with towers in other worlds."

"..."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. After the 20th floor, the focus shifts from individual trials to integrated trials, where you will meet interdimensional challengers."

"..."

So far, the Tower of Trials has mostly involved competition with other challengers during integrated trials.

In other words, it also means eliminating potential competitors in advance.

"So, the challenger from a minor dimension like Earth thought it would be better to steal the layer rewards and kill you in advance."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but sigh deeply.

'After the 20th floor, you compete with interdimensional challengers...'

It was unexpected, but since I had already met an interdimensional challenger on the 5th floor, I had to accept it.

As I tried to accept the facts as calmly as possible, the Iron Blood's Ruler tilted her head.

"You're not very surprised. Isn't it shocking?"

In response, I shook my head and spoke.

"...No, I am surprised. The existence of other worlds is shocking, and the idea of competing with interdimensional challengers after the 20th floor is terrifying."

"Still, you seem quite calm about it?"

"What can I do? I have to adapt and prepare for it in advance."

"Hmm... I see. I understand."

The Iron Blood's Ruler looked at me curiously, but that was how I felt.

After all, the Tower of Trials itself is an unbelievable phenomenon.

'So, it's understandable that there are other worlds.'

As I understood this, the Iron Blood's Ruler asked.

"Have all your questions been answered?"

"Except for the last one, yes."

I brought up one of the questions I had been pondering.

"What exactly is the tower?"

Despite climbing the tower and receiving various rewards, I had never been able to shake this question.

"Hmm..."

"And what is at the end of the tower?"

"I cannot tell you that."

"..."

Hearing this, I looked at her in disbelief.

"You said you are subordinate to the tower, yet you don't know that?"

"I can't know. I haven't been in the tower for that long."

"Really?"

"Administrators were once challengers themselves."

"..."

The Iron Blood's Ruler continued her explanation.

"I once climbed quite high, even beyond the 20th floor where the integration with other worlds occurs, but I never reached the end of the tower. In fact, no administrator has ever reached the end of the tower and died. That's why I became an administrator."

Summarizing her explanation:

After the 40th floor, a challenger who dies can be reborn as an administrator.

The current administrators are those who died beyond the 40th floor.

"By the way, I reached the 47th floor. I just had bad luck. I met an unfavorable opponent during an integrated trial and died."

The Iron Blood's Ruler looked at me as if to see if I understood, and...

Under her gaze, I had no choice but to nod.

"So, you couldn't know the end of the tower or what it is."

The Iron Blood's Ruler smiled wistfully.

"So, I can only answer up to this point. As an administrator, I can only share what I experienced as a challenger. I can't answer many more questions."

There were almost no more questions I could ask.

I never expected the administrators to be challengers who died beyond the 40th floor.

Since they are not transcendent beings, they wouldn't know much more.

At that moment,

"So, it's time to end the personal interview."

It seemed it was time to return to the waiting room, as the Iron Blood's Ruler said.

"But."

"..."

"I have a proposal for you."

"A proposal...?"

"Yes, administrators are subordinate to the tower, but we can still do certain things."

The Iron Blood's Ruler said this and then, with her red eyes glowing, continued.

"Challenger Han Seong-yun, I propose the contract of the Apostle."