Ch.320320 – The Trap of Superiority

<320 – The Trap of Superiority>

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Chairman’s Mansion

41F – Floor of Wailing Ghosts

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Following the cutting wind of the 39th floor, this floor was filled with wailing ghosts accompanied by physical destructive power.

Sing used the enlightenment of tranquility he had gained earlier to counter the telekinetic waves that struck unexpectedly from different directions with balanced force.

‘This is definitely helpful for training. It would be extremely difficult to find such facilities outside the Training Tower.’

Even the Academy’s training rooms couldn’t show this level of efficiency.

It was advantageous to immediately engage in battles that would normally require risking one’s life or actively searching for monsters in reality after creating a virtual environment.

However, the Academy’s training rooms weren’t designed for growth in such special environments.

‘The Academy’s training rooms are excessively kind.’

Even if it’s just a mental virtual battle with illusions, training ends when mental strength falls below a certain percentage.

Even if settings are changed to experience something infinitely close to death, it’s never directly connected to actual death.

Treatment facilities are nearby, and instructors or other students are always available to help in emergencies.

‘This place is different. If I die, even Oknodie several floors above might not be able to detect my crisis.’

Everything must be meticulously calculated.

Whether I can run to the exit without dying if I take one more step forward.

Whether I should retreat from the current floor now to return before it’s too late.

Whether the increased difficulty from enduring one more minute won’t cost me my life.

One naturally develops an objective eye for assessing one’s own abilities.

‘That’s why I need to calculate up to more precarious timing.’

After gaining enlightenment of tranquility, Sing’s combat ability improved noticeably.

The murderous sword strikes that had simply been fast and strong, filled with uncontrolled anger toward the world, now had power distribution.

A sword wielded with cold reason, even when filled with killing intent, never loses the thread of rationality deep within.

By firmly grasping and following that thread, one can always regain reason and respond rationally.

Distance control.

Speed control.

Breath control.

Numerous controls made him stronger, but paradoxically, Sing realized his deficiencies within these controls.

‘The wall of the 49th floor is too high.’

49th floor, the Floor of the Dead.

There, all elements from floors 41 through 48 manifest simultaneously.

To break through this floor where all undead-related themes converge requires the ability to thoroughly understand and overcome the elements of each floor.

-The world gradually gives credit to those who don’t lie and keep their promises. Internal energy, mana, divine power. Though different in kind, the size of credit grows.

-Keeping promises with the world isn’t just about keeping your word.

Oknodie’s father.

And the Chairman of the Foundation.

Zeal Wiheomhae had said.

The way to become stronger.

Sing thought coldly and concluded.

Reaching the 50th floor of the tower would be more beneficial for growth than returning early to the Academy.

There was plenty of time.

Returning before the end of vacation would certainly be possible.

He realized how arrogant that was when he faced the wall of the 49th floor.

‘Unless I develop the ability to endure at least 60 minutes on every floor, I can’t break through the 49th floor.’

Even while increasing his challenge time daily as if fighting himself, Sing had a routine he couldn’t miss.

The magic watch he obtained from the Academy rang its alarm at the same time today.

[Lunch time]

When he went down to the restaurant on the 20th floor, Oknodie was already there, sitting with a fork in one hand and a knife in the other.

“You diligently come for lunch every time, even though you have plenty of food already.”

“Free meals are too good to miss!”

“That’s true.”

The pressure of spending points on food at every meal was considerable.

Due to his high activity level, the 5p buffet set wasn’t enough for Sing, so he spent 10p daily for unlimited access, resulting in a fixed monthly food expense of at least 300p.

Although there were expenses for boarding points on the cruise ship, he didn’t participate in auctions.

‘This is practically free food.’

Meals were also connected to what the Chairman occasionally mentioned—promises with the world, acts of gaining credit.

Even Sing, who wasn’t picky about food, gradually realized the difference as he experienced various meals.

<Popcorn Potato>, a rare dish where demonic potatoes that explode in your mouth are weakened through a special mixing process to enjoy their popping taste.

<Vegetable Mimic Meat>, a rare dish that utilizes the mimic’s property of imitating objects, looking like vegetables but actually being meat.

After meals that were both delicious and fun, there were noticeable changes in abilities, such as feeling lighter or recovering depleted strength.

“If you use up all your strength before coming, such changes are even more noticeable. Only those who are diligent with themselves can notice their own changes.”

Time at the Foundation wasn’t as terrible or painful as expected.

Each day was a continuous growth.

Sing honestly began to enjoy this time.

He felt himself getting stronger every moment.

Every day he took one step closer to revenge.

After a month of training, he could now face the Chairman without trembling, who had once seemed only frightening.

“There’s a special secret to skills. Even the same skill can develop different higher skills depending on how you gain experience. Take swordsmanship, for example. Sing, how did your higher swordsmanship skill manifest?”

“Eastern Swordsmanship manifested.”

“Oknodie?”

“I haven’t unlocked it yet! I chose <Sword Dancing> as a trait enhancement.”

“Hehe. That’s also a kind of difference. Those who try to incorporate higher enlightenment into swordsmanship acquire higher swordsmanship, while those who try to implement special abilities have their traits enhanced. So if you want to know someone, investigate the skills they’ve learned.”

Because you can glimpse the life they’ve lived and the goals they pursue.

At the Chairman’s words, Sing asked a question at the dining table for the first time.

“Chairman. What is your higher swordsmanship skill?”

The Chairman answered playfully.

“That’s a secret.”

“…”

Sometimes he acts like a sage who has awakened to the world’s secrets, but at times like this, he seems no different from a child like Oknodie.

Sometimes adult-like, sometimes child-like; sometimes saint-like, sometimes villain-like.

The Chairman that Sing had observed directly was difficult to define.

“Oknodie. Don’t you already have the skills to conquer the 49th floor?”

“Shh. That’s a secret!”

“Why don’t you want to return to the Academy?”

“Because my food encyclopedia is filling up at an incredible speed! Even if I go back to the Academy, the events I’ll experience are all the same, so there’s no need to hurry. I already completed the affection encyclopedia on the cruise ship!”

“Didn’t you promise to join Zigoku’s pirate games during vacation?”

“We agreed to call it even after he saved me on the cruise ship!”

…Well, it should be fine.

The desire to become stronger is the same.

The only difference is that Sing’s means is the Training Tower, while Oknodie’s is high-grade cuisine.

Even so, with a month and a half gone out of the two-month vacation, it was time to see the end.

They would have to return before the second semester began.

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Chairman’s Mansion

49F – Floor of the Dead

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A floor that even the hero Ishtar ultimately couldn’t overcome.

In the trial of this floor, which was like an undead theme park where themes from floors 41 to 48 all appeared, Sing realized what was most troublesome.

Any kind of attack allowed curses to accumulate.

Even if not allowed, it was the same.

With each passing minute, curses like those from the 45th Floor of Curses randomly accumulated at a rate of 1 per minute.

Of course, extreme curses don’t apply from the start.

Before being afflicted with <Blind>, one’s vision becomes dim with <Lesser Vision Curse>.

Even if one suddenly goes blind, the phenomenon is limited to one eye.

Other curses are similar.

Before <Right Hand Seal> arrives, it starts with <Hand Trembling>, and curses steadily pile up and overlap.

However, the 1000m, just 1km of space that must be traversed to break through the 49th floor, is not easy.

As one breaks through the densely packed gimmicks one by one, time is gradually consumed, and eventually self-diagnosis becomes necessary.

This is as far as I go.

If I don’t turn back now, the curses will worsen uncontrollably.

Pushing too hard means death.

Bad luck also means death.

The risk to be taken is too great.

The warning from one’s body cannot be ignored, and eventually reason pulls the reins and turns one back.

‘Not today.’

If there are days with bad luck, there are also days with good luck.

Days when curses don’t overlap in the same area and are limited to all-around lesser curses.

Today, going far wasn’t unreasonable.

Both zombie rush patterns and wailing ghost patterns overlapped in direction, making them easy to overcome.

I can break through.

He instinctively felt such certainty.

‘If everyone has an optimal day, there’s a possibility to break through the 49th floor. One chance granted only to those with high average stats who have thoroughly eliminated weaknesses rather than developing just one strength. Such a day has come.’

Ishtar far surpasses Sing in overall combat ability.

However, she had something, one thing critically lacking to overcome the 49th floor.

Just as Sing had been blocked by his own power due to a lack of <tranquility> on the 39th floor.

‘In this moment, I stand above the hero. It’s only in this highly limited moment, with considerable luck, but that fact doesn’t change.’

If he proceeds, he can continue to hold this sense of superiority.

If he boasts about this fact when he returns to the Academy, Ishtar will feel inferior.

The fact that someone weaker than her accomplished what she couldn’t.

She would regret returning to the Academy a month early as foolish.

Conversely, Sing could cherish his month of special training as worthwhile.

But his feet wouldn’t move.

He didn’t feel like moving forward.

“Why didn’t you go?”

Sing finally returned to the starting point of the 49th floor.

Oknodie, who had been watching from behind, handed him a towel to wipe his sweat and asked.

Looking at that innocent face, he finally understood.

Sing instinctively felt it.

Seeing Oknodie’s nonchalant attitude.

“You. You don’t plan to return to the Academy right away even when the second semester starts, do you?”

If he achieves his goal and leaves now, Oknodie will be left alone.

Just as he feels superior for surpassing the hero’s month with his own month of special training, Oknodie might spend a much longer time here.

He felt such a vague anxiety.

“Ah. You caught me.”

Oknodie’s heart had begun to drift away from the Academy.