Chapter 6: New Updates – 3

The scene was buzzing with excitement and murmurs.

Despite being a newly opened content, the first floor of the Tower of the Labyrinth was packed with players.

Even without knowing what kind of place the Tower of the Labyrinth was or being properly prepared, the sheer number of people there hinted at the influence of Rudera, or perhaps the influence of Rudera’s items and classes.

The first floor of the labyrinth was a safe zone.

Shops and rest areas were set up there.

In contrast, the second floor was different.

In the most secluded corner of the first floor, there was a gate leading to the second floor.

The gate was covered with warning signs, indicating that significant danger awaited beyond it.

Because of these warnings, the players who entered the first floor did not dare to proceed further.

In the world of Rudera, even though dying did not mean the end as they could return, the penalty for death existed.

Hence, the players were stopped by the warning signs.

Adventurers entered the world of Rudera to enjoy adventure and romance, escaping from the dangers of reality.

However, over the 10 years they had spent in this world, they had gained so much that they had come to fear and hesitate to move forward.

Most players followed the paths paved by the pioneers in the early days, which contributed to this fear.

As a result, a massive number of players were clustered in front of the gate, just staring beyond it.

Amid the crowd, a group in dazzling armor was pushing forward.

“Look over there! It’s the Royal Knights Guild, the Empire’s elite guild!”

“The Royal Knights?”

“For the Royal Knights, who are supposed to be in full-scale war with the Republic in the central continent, to appear here… Does that mean the Tower of the Labyrinth is that significant?”

The appearance of the top guild members, who were currently the highest ranked in the world of Rudera, drew everyone’s attention.

“That’s the Revolutionary Warrior Guild!”

“Even the Republic’s top force has appeared!”

“Is it because they don’t want to lose to the Empire?”

The people in splendid uniforms also attracted the surrounding gazes as they moved forward.

The two groups met in front of the gate leading to the second floor of the labyrinth.

“Hah. I thought you all ran away from the battlefield like cowards. Did you hide in this labyrinth?”

The man leading the Royal Knights Guild, Count Schmidt, scanned the opposing group as he spoke.

“Ran away? You seem to be mistaken.”

On the other side, the man in a neat uniform adorned with numerous medals, Executor Leighton, adjusted his glasses with a smirk.

“You Empire people, stuck in the past, may not understand, but we are here to spread the spirit of freedom. Beyond this tower lie many worlds. Our spirit will spread far and wide there.”

“Ha. Being rootless, your excuses are just as pitiful.”

“Say whatever you want. The Republic will take the lead in the Tower of the Labyrinth.”

As Leighton moved towards the gate.

“Not on my watch!”

Schmidt blocked him.

“What are you doing?”

“Our Empire arrived here first. That means the space beyond this gate is the territory of the Empire.”

“Have you swung your sword so much that your brain turned to muscle? This is the most ridiculous nonsense I’ve ever heard.”

“Do you want to fight?”

“In this safe zone? I don’t mind.”

The situation was on the verge of a clash between the two factions.

“Look over there, it’s the Crusader Guild!”

“The crazy berserker guild made up of the Holy Kingdom’s Paladins and Holy Knights?”

“Could it be that even the Holy Kingdom has invested their full force? The Tower of the Labyrinth must be significant!”

The appearance of the Holy Kingdom’s secretive Holy Knights caused even more commotion.

“The Holy Kingdom?”

“For the Holy Knights, who are rarely seen in the central continent, to be here?”

Schmidt and Leighton, sensing the presence of a new formidable force, became wary.

“Brothers, greetings. Though I am lacking, I serve the great one as a Paladin, Kenyon.”

“Paladin?”

“I didn’t expect a Paladin to come.”

The appearance of one of the two top-ranked Paladins, the Holy Kingdom’s highest force, surprised everyone.

“I am here to find a hidden item to offer to the Lord. It seems inevitable that we will clash inside the labyrinth.”

“Haha. Now we have to contend with the army of God! This shakes my faith!”

“Facing a Paladin, this is a bit troublesome.”

“Step aside, humans.”

At that moment, a huge figure appeared, pushing through the crowd.

“A Demihuman?”

“A tiger Demihuman!”

“The Tiger Demihuman, known for their formidable combat skills? Wait, that demihuman is…”

The muscular giant with yellow and black fur stepped forward.

“Why are you here?”

“Long time no see, humans.”

Schmidt and Leighton seemed even more shocked than when they faced the Paladin, recognizing the Demihuman.

“I thought I’d had enough surprises for today, but I never expected to see the King of Demihumans challenging the Tower of the Labyrinth alone.”

“You didn’t bring any subordinates. Are you that confident in your skills?”

“Dragging subordinates around only reveals your weakness. The god of Rudera has provided this stage of challenge called the Tower of the Labyrinth! So I will use all my strength to confront it! Hahaha!”

With that, the Demihuman King Brigand disappeared beyond the gate.

“Is it because they are a race not blessed by the gods that they are so filthy?”

Paladin Kenyon grimaced at the sight.

“Well, they are the only race among all the others not blessed by the gods, a race without a deity.”

“To be precise, they had one but it was forgotten. There is evidence that the Demihuman once worshipped a god in ancient times. It seems that god has perished though.”

At Schmidt’s muttering, Leighton adjusted his glasses and corrected him.

“No, this is not the time to be talking about this! The hidden item belongs to our empire!”

Schmidt, as if he had suddenly remembered something, leapt forward and threw himself beyond the gate.

“A surprise attack now!”

Leighton also jumped into the gate after him.
Swoosh

***

Engulfed in a glow as he passed through the gate, the Demihuman king Brigand found himself surrounded by a vast expanse of sand once the blinding white light dissipated.

“A desert, huh.”

Under the intense sunlight, he could see nothing but sand.

“A trial through extreme conditions and hardship! Interesting!”

The Demihuman’s tendency to enjoy hardship and adversity stemmed from the belief that any suffering that didn’t kill them would only make them stronger.

Among the Demihuman, the one who particularly enjoyed such trials was Brigand, the strongest of them all.

He advanced under the scorching sun that seemed to burn his skin for quite a while.

“Come to think of it, our ancestors were said to have come from the desert.”

Due to a long history of turmoil and discrimination by other races, the Demihumans had lost much of their history.

This led to them losing the only deity they worshipped and having little knowledge of their origins.

Although King Brigand had managed to unite the scattered Demihumans and establish a kingdom, discrimination still persisted.

The two major religions that divided the continent openly rejected the Demihumans as a cursed race, leaving them without a deity to rely on.

“If we could just learn about our origins, it might give our people some comfort and hope for salvation…”

Brigand, who had been standing idly, soon shook his head vigorously.

“No, there’s no time to be downcast. I need to grow stronger quickly through hardship!”

Trials and tribulations, and growth.

Accomplishing great feats, surpassing the limits of mortality, and transcending.

And obtaining divinity to become the god of the Demihumans.

That was Brigand’s goal to save his people.

“First, I need to conquer this labyrinthine tower and then… hmm?”

As he was about to increase his speed, Brigand noticed a massive structure in the distance.

It was an enormous pyramid-like structure, as if dozens of human castles had been fused together.

“What is that…?”

A structure unlike anything he had ever seen.

Yet, he felt a strange familiarity with it.

“And as the future leader of this continent, I will carry the right mindset…”

***

I’m bored to death.

Will this ever end?

Can’t I just leave in the middle?

I looked around, but all the academy students were staring at the podium with eager expressions as the headmaster delivered the speech.

Perhaps it was because getting into the academy was a prestigious honour for a noble.

Having lived a reincarnated life, I couldn’t relate at all.

The entrance ceremony of the Lichten Academy.

I didn’t expect any fun events like in the novels, but this was unbearably dull.

The headmaster, who appeared to be a little girl, seemed to enjoy talking despite her appearance.

Contrary to her cute exterior, she was like my grandmother, the principal, in my previous life.

As someone who created Rudera to escape boredom, there was no way I could endure this tedium.

Ugh.

This is unbearable.

Ding

I summoned a small hologram in front of me.

The community function derived from Rudera.

I had created this additional magic because I missed the community from my previous life.

I had wondered if this world, with its lower standard of living, couldn’t develop a proper community, but the people here used it quite well.

I’ll just browse the community until the headmaster finishes her speech.

With that, I started scrolling through the community secretly.

[Title: Praise the GM of Rudera!]

What, is this another usual worship post?

But the number of views and recommendations was unusual.

In case there was any fraudulent activity I was unaware of, I tapped on the post.

Then,

[Praise the only and almighty god GM of Rudera!

Thanks to his mercy and blessing, we Demihumans have regained our god Duamutef!

GM, may you be eternal!

We Demihumans will follow you until the end of this world!]

…What?

Duamutef?

That’s what I placed on the second floor of the tower…

No, wait a minute.

I felt something had gone terribly wrong.