Chapter 21

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Transcendent Reward

Discovery (發現).

It means to have found something that was unknown to the world, something that had never existed before.

And now, I have 'discovered' a celestial spirit.

Even I, a player who has been playing for five years, have never heard of a spirit with this name.

Coincidentally, it shares the same name as one of my hidden traits, 'Celestial (天上).'

Was it a coincidence, or did I discover it because of my hidden trait?

'Such things are not important.'

What matters is that I have discovered it.

I extended my hand toward the light, which was the embodiment of the unknown at the top of the Tower of Chaos.

Then, I pulled something out from within that light.

'A spirit egg.'

It was a spirit egg.

But it was far from an ordinary spirit egg.

The surface of a spirit egg usually bears marks related to the spirit it contains.

For example, a wind spirit egg might have scratch marks, and a fire spirit egg might have burn marks.

The light spirit egg was made entirely of light.

However, the egg containing the celestial spirit did not fit into any of these categories.

'It is wrapped in feathers.'

It was an egg made of white and black feathers.

The ratio was exactly half and half.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of layers of feathers formed the egg.

This was the first time I had seen an egg of this shape. Not only was the name unfamiliar, but the form of the egg was also completely unknown to me.

I gazed silently at the egg.

Then, a parchment containing the egg's information appeared before my eyes.

【Egg Containing a Celestial Spirit (???)】

★ An unknown egg that fell from the 'Celestial Realm,' the end of chaos, where light and darkness coexist.

★ Only a 'Celestial Being' can see and hatch the egg.

The explanation was shorter than I expected.

However, I was able to discern a few facts from it.

'Generally, the Celestial Realm refers to the Divine Realm.'

The Divine Realm. The abode of the goddess.

A 'Celestial Being' refers to a celestial being.

And the fact that I discovered this egg was proof that I was a 'Celestial Being.'

Of course, I couldn't really be a Celestial Being. It must have happened because of my 'Celestial' hidden trait.

'So, is Celestial a trait related to celestial beings?'

I stroked my chin.

Thinking about it normally, that would be the case.

But this was a generalization error.

'... Demons also call their realm the Celestial Realm.'

We commonly refer to the Celestial Realm as the Divine Realm, but the Demon Realm is also called the Celestial Realm, mainly by demons.

Therefore, this description alone does not indicate whether the egg came from the Divine Realm or the Demon Realm.

The mixture of white and black feathers only added to the confusion.

'I need to hatch it to be sure.'

I couldn't come to a conclusion right away.

However, one thing was certain: this was no ordinary egg.

The seats of the city and the masters of the tower, as well as the spirit kings, were watching it closely.

The seats of the city are always interested when something unusual or remarkable is discovered, but the most important thing was the attention of the spirit kings.

'Spirits are powerful enough to create and maintain forests.'

Spirits are the most crucial mediators in maintaining the world.

If a human contracts with a spirit, they can harness the power of nature, and depending on the spirit's rank, they can even eliminate an entire mountain.

The kings of such powerful spirits must be even more formidable.

The seats of the city, the rulers of the Abyss, the giants who guard the goddess, the Black Emperor and the White Emperor at the northern and southern ends of the world... the spirit kings are beings that can be compared to them without hesitation.

'No one has ever contracted with a spirit king.'

Therefore, in this world of Pangea, no one has ever contracted with a spirit king.

Spirit kings are absolutely neutral and never interfere in the affairs of the world.

Thus, the weight of the fact that all spirit kings are interested in this 'Celestial Egg' is not light.

It means that this egg has a value equal to or greater than that.

【The settlement is complete.】

A new message appeared at that moment.

The content of Main Quest 3 has finally been settled.

Compared to the previous Main Quests 1 and 2, the settlement time was quite long.

'It wasn't a tower that required a high level to climb, unlike other towers.'

If it were a tower that required a specific level to climb, the settlement would have been easier. Similarly, there would be a set score for each tower.

However, the Tower of Chaos was different.

Climbing the Tower of Chaos was a pure battle with myself.

'The score might be lower than expected.'

Therefore, I might receive a lower score than expected.

Scoring a battle with 'myself' is subjective. There is no objective standard.

I don't know how the score is determined, but it is clearly different from the previous main quests.

Expecting too much can lead to greater disappointment.

So, I slightly lowered my expectations in this regard.

'Getting the Celestial Egg is enough.'

I took a deep breath and looked at the settlement sheet in front of me.

<Main Quest 3: Tower Climbing has been completed.>

<You have successfully climbed the Tower of Chaos for the first time.>

<Uncomparable. No one has ever achieved this first-time accomplishment.>

<Total score: 240 points. Updated to the Main Quest - 'Hall of Fame.'>

It has been updated to the Hall of Fame.

This means I have at least made it into the rankings.

An achievement no one has ever accomplished. Higher than any score I have received so far.

Main Quest 1, Survival Score: 220 points.

Main Quest 2, Class Acquisition Score: 230 points.

And this Main Quest 3, Tower Climbing Score: 240 points.

With this, I can expect to be in the rankings.

However, the rewards are not yet over.

<Beginner's Luck? The 'Seat of Fortune' is amazed by the result. The reward content is upgraded.>

<The 'Seat of Adventure' is excited by your adventurous nature. The reward content is upgraded.>

<The 'Seat of Battle' praises you for overcoming the battle with yourself. The reward content is upgraded.>

<The 'Cursed Seat' expresses interest in you, the owner of the Celestial Egg. The reward content is upgraded.>

<The 'Seat of Black Light' remembers your name. The reward content is upgraded.>

<You possess the 'Lucky Dice.' You obtain a reward from one level higher.>

<In total, the dice is rolled six levels higher.>

<The reward grade exceeds 20 levels, transcending the reward.>

Three familiar seats and two new seats.

In total, five seats responded.

With the addition of the Lucky Dice, which raised the reward level by six, the message indicating that the reward grade had changed appeared.

Exceeding 20 levels means obtaining a transcendent reward.

In other words, the reward grade for climbing the Tower of Chaos is at least 14 levels or higher.

I had expected that there would be levels to the rewards, but it seemed to be more systematically divided than I thought.

'Transcendent reward?'

However, I didn't understand the exact meaning of a transcendent reward.

Does it mean obtaining a transcendent reward?

Or does it mean that the reward grade itself has changed?

But I soon understood the meaning.

<You can choose two rewards from the following twenty rewards.>

<True Attitude>, <True Demon Blade>, <Ultimate Iron Helmet>, <Destruction Gauntlets>, <True Health Potion>, <Ultimate Wand>...

True, True Demon, Ultimate, Destruction.

The four titles attached to these items mean they have reached the pinnacle.

Even ordinary items become incomparable treasures when these four titles are attached.

Their performance and options change to match the treasure, and they cannot be obtained with money. Transcendent items cannot be traded or transferred.

Only one person.

Equipment that shows its true power to a single user.

Just like how humans transcend by eating stars, these four titles can only be attached to transcendent items.

'... So this is what a transcendent reward means.'

I was so surprised that I lost my words.

If it weren't for the Iron-Blooded Overlord's Heart, my heart would have burst.

The effort required to attach these four titles is not a joke; it's on the level of walking around the Earth.

However, because it is a 'reward' given to me, not something I have to make.

Even choosing one would be a windfall, but I can choose two.

I was more excited than when I completed the previous two main quests.

The Iron-Blooded Overlord's Heart, which forced me to suppress this excitement, was annoying at this moment.

'Amazing.'

I whistled as I checked each item.

I couldn't regain my composure from the flood of rewards.

*

As I left the tower and crossed the portal.

-Not bad, Knight King.

The golden spirit who had allowed me to enter the portal for the first time spoke.

A guardian-like existence that leads to the Spirit Tower.

However, an ordinary guardian wouldn't know the details of those who climb the tower.

Most importantly, it called me 'Knight King.' Knight King was the title I had when I was Wilhelm.

I turned my head in surprise, but the portal closed instantly.

... Was the golden spirit not just a simple guardian?

"Wow. You really climbed the Spirit Tower!"

A high dryad was already in front of me.

With many dryads guarding the surroundings, its eyes were wide open.

I took a deep breath and asked.

"How much time has passed?"

"Less than a day."

Just a day.

Not just a feeling, but I spent at least a hundred days in the Tower of Chaos.

But only a day has passed here.

Zzzz!

Another portal opened, and Hudson and Isabella appeared.

"Huff! Huff! Ugh!"

Hudson immediately vomited his guts out.

His body was covered in injuries, and his clothes were tattered, his hair singed and curled.

Nod!

Isabella briefly bowed to me.

Unlike Hudson, Isabella showed no external changes.

She looked like she had just taken a walk in front of her house.

"Druid! I apologize for doubting you."

The high dryad maintained its formality.

Now, it was treating me as a 'guest' in earnest.

"As promised, if you give the 'spirit egg' to the forest, we will treat you as our eternal friend. Naturally, we will also give you a reward befitting that."

Ah.

... That's right.

I had clearly agreed to give the spirit egg to the dryad forest.

The problem was that I only had one egg.

When I climbed the Spirit Tower as Wilhelm before, I obtained five spirit eggs.

I thought I would get multiple eggs this time as well, but I only got the 'Celestial Egg.'

'Should I run away?'

The high dryad's eyes suddenly widened.

"Druid! You don't intend to break your promise, do you?"

... His perceptiveness was astonishing.