Chapter 79

Chapter 4: Reincarnation (2)

Laplace looked at Yanwu with a curious eye, knowing that he had recently monopolized Evke's love and attention.

Not only the tower but also the administrator community was abuzz with excitement due to this person.

The best rookie since Team Artia.

Naturally, from the perspective of those who preserve and manage the tower, they couldn't help but pay attention.

Especially, the news that Evke had made a bet with the administrators below and was on a winning streak had quietly spread.

So the administrators were eagerly waiting for Yanwu to reach the floors they managed as soon as possible.

They could watch firsthand what he would accomplish next.

For those who had lived through countless ages, such small pleasures were matters they couldn't afford to miss.

Laplace had also stepped in for precisely this reason.

In fact, there was originally a separate administrator for the 11th floor. However, Laplace, using the ridiculous pretext of specially managing the rookie, had overruled the 11th floor administrator and appeared.

He was one of the 12 Deities, known as 'Mao (卯)', who claimed to be the supreme leader of the administrators.

And that was Laplace.

Thinking that he should buy some delicious carrots for the 11th floor administrator, who was probably very depressed by now, Laplace opened his mouth.

"Are you aware of how the rules change from the 11th floor?"

As Yanwu listened to Laplace, he vaguely recalled the contents of the diary.

From the 11th floor onwards, the difficulty level was significantly different from the beginner section.

The waiting room that had been provided so far was closed, and instead, one had to stay on each floor and complete long-term trials.

"Only that there are no more waiting rooms and long-term missions are given."

"If that's the case, you must already know most of it, which makes it much easier to explain."

Laplace smiled and continued.

"Until now, the tutorial, consisting of seven sections, has tested the players' qualifications, and the beginner section, made up of ten floors, has evaluated their skills. After passing all these processes, one must truly undergo 'trials.'"

Real trials.

Yanwu focused on this word.

"Players are those who challenge to become gods. They must overcome their own limits and transcend the human realm. To do so, they must naturally experience extremely dangerous trials and achieve feats that surpass these trials."

Yanwu also found it a bit curious that the rabbit-headed Laplace could speak so freely.

"Therefore, from the 11th floor onwards, where the real trials begin, the challenges one must face will be completely different from before."

Laplace's explanation continued.

The content was roughly as follows:

In the beginner section, even if one failed a trial, they could overcome it after several attempts.

This was because the waiting room existed, allowing one to recover from injuries and fatigue and challenge again in top condition.

However, from the 11th floor, where the waiting room was closed, the story was entirely different.

Even if one failed a trial, they had to remain on the floor.

Injuries had to be treated within the floor, and obstacles had to be overcome within the floor.

One became a resident of the floor until the trial was completed.

Moreover, the trials given were mostly long-term tasks that couldn't be accomplished in one go.

They required superhuman patience, perseverance, and enthusiasm to barely complete.

It was a true trial and a form of cultivation.

"Therefore, from here on, there are no separate rounds, so please be aware of that."

Entrants and residents. They were divided into these two categories.

When Yanwu entered the 11th floor, there was no waiting room, and the stage appeared immediately, for this very reason.

"Is there anything else you're curious about?"

Yanwu shook his head calmly.

He already knew most of it from the diary, and now he wanted to quickly confirm various things.

'The 11th floor's trials are not particularly difficult.'

Just a bit troublesome.

As Yanwu muttered to himself, Laplace said,

"If not, then let's begin the trial now."

Laplace's rabbit face smiled slightly as he clapped his hands lightly.

Snap!

[The trial of the 11th floor begins.]

[Trial: The illusory realm, passed down only through oral tradition, is a world where countless people's dreams converge across multiple dimensions.

Therefore, the illusory beasts that reside here feed on people's dreams.

Illusory beasts that feed on nightmares become demons, causing natural disasters, while those that consume good dreams become spirits, bringing warm sunlight.

Trialist, from now on, hatch your own illusory beast.

The illusory beast that grows by feeding on your dreams and sincerity will become your true partner as you walk through the long and arduous journey ahead.]

At that moment, a round egg fell onto Yanwu's palm.

It was the size of an egg, with a strikingly white shell like a snowfield.

"The egg you have been given is the egg of an illusory beast. However, no one knows what will hatch from it. Illusory beasts can change their appearance based on the dreams they feed on from their owners."

Laplace's red eyes glowed mysteriously.

"However, one thing to note is that even though the illusory beast inside the egg is still a hatchling, it will not awaken unless the owner takes great care. Give it good food, good prenatal care, and many good things. The more effort you put in, the stronger your illusory beast will become."

Yanwu nodded in understanding.

"Then I will see you again when the trial is over."

Laplace bowed and disappeared.

He didn't use a portal, so he probably remained somewhere in the floor.

Yanwu was left alone in the starting zone, scratching the back of his head.

"An illusory beast's egg. It's a bit of a headache. I'm not good at taking care of things."

His younger brother had found the 11th floor very interesting.

Unlike the monotonous trials he had faced so far, this trial could be approached with a sense of enjoyment.

The sunlight was warm, and the wind was gentle.

Such a pleasant environment was hard to find in the other floors of the tower.

Moreover, his younger brother's characteristic was omnipotence. He maintained a synchronized state with the illusory beast's egg every day, feeding it good dreams and absorbing other herbs.

"And the one that hatched from there was an illusory dragon, right?"

The illusory dragon was one of the top-tier illusory beasts, like the Balrog, Qilin, and Phoenix.

His younger brother could enhance his overall combat power by controlling the illusory dragon and, through this, formed a bond with the ancient dragon Kalathus, obtaining the powers of the dragon body, including the dragon eye.

In many ways, the 11th floor was a crucial turning point for him.

On the other hand,

"I'm not good at this kind of thing."

Unlike his younger brother, who was meticulous, he found it difficult to take care of things.

He wasn't worried about hatching the egg.

The diary had several methods for hatching, including hidden pieces to birth specific high-tier species.

'Phoenix. If I can borrow the power of the divine beast in the south.'

The 11th floor, while having a peaceful atmosphere, was known for its very challenging boss monsters. Even top players were hesitant to face them.

The divine beasts, which were said to be born when illusory beasts reached the highest level, existed in four directions.

Abyss Turtle in the north, Void Dragon in the east, Saber Tiger in the west.

And, Phoenix in the south.

The Phoenix, as commonly known, was a mythical bird that was born from blue flames, turned to ashes upon death, and was reborn from those ashes.

The infinite power it wielded with fire and wind inspired awe in those who witnessed it.

After much deliberation, Yanwu decided to bestow fire and wind attributes to the illusory beast he was given.

The Flame Skill, which he had already mastered to 50%, had various uses.

From long-range attacks to defensive purposes. Therefore, Yanwu wanted to obtain stronger firepower.

For this, he needed an illusory beast with fire or wind attributes.

And to achieve this, the best option was to seek the help of the Phoenix, which controlled wind and fire.

'The Flame of Life. If I can obtain it.'

Yanwu's eyes glowed mysteriously.

He waited a bit longer in the starting zone for Pant and Edora to arrive.

But it seemed to be taking a long time.

Resigned, Yanwu lifted his greatsword and left a small mark on a nearby rock.

Before starting the 10th floor trial, they had agreed to leave a note indicating their direction if their paths diverged.

It was a mark known only to the three of them, so there was no need to worry about others seeing it.

South. Great Forest.

'If I leave it like this, they'll find me soon.'

Yanwu turned his head south, cradling the illusory beast's egg.

'Let's move to a new location first.'

He activated his quick movement.

Whoosh!

* * *

Yanwu moved directly south, as he had left a mark for Pant and Edora.

The diary not only contained the content and strategies of each floor's trials and the locations of hidden pieces but also included a brief map.

Yanwu compared the map in the diary with the real terrain as he crossed the stage.

Given the time that had passed, many things might have changed, so he needed to make adjustments in advance for tackling the 11th floor.

'The 11th floor, where hatching the egg is the main content of the trial, cannot be passed quickly like the beginner section. At least two weeks, and it could take up to one or two years. Other hidden pieces are also hidden throughout the stage. Therefore, the first priority is to understand the terrain and landmarks.'

The hatching period of the egg is not fixed. The growth rate varies greatly depending on the type of illusory beast and the owner's effort.

According to the diary, some players were stuck on the 11th floor for over three years.

The 11th floor's trial, while not particularly difficult, was highly uncertain.

'If the egg breaks or is eaten by another illusory beast... it's game over.'

Losing the egg results in trial failure, and the player loses the right to advance to the next floor.

There were rumors of ways to obtain a replacement egg, but nothing was confirmed.

In any environment, the egg must be protected. And a superior illusory beast must be hatched.

This was the most important point of this trial.

'Easy, yet not easy. There will certainly be players who try to sabotage others if they fail themselves.'

Therefore, it was even more necessary to seek out the Phoenix. No one would dare enter the domain of a divine beast unless they were foolish.

'It's about time for it to appear.'

As Yanwu finished summarizing the 11th floor trial in his mind,

He had already crossed the stage and entered the dense forest in the south.

['Entering the Phoenix's Domain.']

['Due to the Phoenix's influence, fire and wind attribute defenses are significantly reduced.']

['Due to the Phoenix's influence, magic power is suppressed, and overall stats are adjusted downward.']

['The Phoenix is now watching you from somewhere.']

Yanwu felt his body become heavy, like a water-soaked sponge. This was evidence that the Phoenix's aura was restraining his physical body.

Although uncomfortable, Yanwu smiled in satisfaction.

The message that the Phoenix was now watching him indicated initial success in attracting its attention.

However, there was one thing that bothered him.

'Was it originally this cautious? The diary didn't mention this.'

Yanwu could sense a faint emotion in the air of the great forest.

Malice. A strong urge to kill.

Was something wrong? As he wondered, Yanwu arrived at a massive cliff at the center of the domain.

A cliff standing tall like a screen. At its end was a cave. A cave so large that a person would look like a tiny dot.

'The Phoenix's nest.'

As Yanwu approached the nest, the malice in the air became more pronounced.

Just as he was about to climb the cliff again,

"Stop."

Yanwu halted, lifting his head at the voice that suddenly intruded his mind.

It wasn't exactly a voice. It was a form of communication, a high-level technique for transmitting thoughts.

'Phoenix.'

As Yanwu's eyes deepened, the thought was transmitted again, filled with malice and caution.

"If you come any closer, I will kill you, human."