episode_0153

153. Aiming for the End.

Vroom-Vroom! Honk-! Honk-!

Annoying exhaust sound, even louder horn sound than that.

Yohan opened his eyes wide and looked around. Gray skyscrapers soared as if piercing the sky, and neon signs of all colors illuminated the streets as they pleased.

Thanks to that, the color of the steel chariots speeding through the streets changed in every section of the road.

A scenery that would have been unfamiliar to Black King, or Sima Han. However, it was different for Yohan.

“Seoul······ is it not? Hmm, no, it’s not.”

Yohan raised his head and looked at the electronic display board plastered on the building.

On the screen, a beautiful woman with voluminous wavy hair was applying something thickly on her face.

Next to her shiny face, the following phrase appeared.

[Orc Semen Cream for 1 Month After Birth! Meet it now!]

It was not Korean. It was too crooked to be Korean, and too stiff to be English.

And.

‘Orc semen cream······ that’s terrible.’

Could the semen possibly not be *that* semen, but meaning the semen (精液) of an oak tree? Well, there are many companies that make cosmetics from plants.

However, Yohan’s expectations were soon shattered.

“Squeak-! I hear that left molar implants are all the rage these days, should I try a free trial?”

“Tsk. Stop it. Stop. I have a friend who got one, and it wore down like a human molar in less than a month.”

“What? Then how is that friend doing now?”

“How is he doing, he’s being treated like a fool as an ‘Outer Tooth’ Orc.”

“······ Hmm, now that I think about it, what’s the big deal about having short molars, I should just live like this.”

Two muscular freaks with green alien-like skin and faces resembling pigs passed by Yohan.

Yohan let out a hollow laugh.

“Yeah, it’s definitely not Korea.”

Yohan cautiously took a step. First, he had to walk. In order to figure out where this place is.

***

“Um······. One fire snake skewer and a lemon cola, please.”

“Yes~ Payment is upfront.”

Yohan casually handed over gold. Perhaps because it was a trial of the Tower, the currency here was gold.

“Here you are.”

“Thank you. Customer!”

The waitress said that and then wagged her tail as she walked away.

‘Ah, fur.’

Yohan roughly brushed off a few strands of vermilion fur on the table. Literally, the waitress had fox ears and a fox tail.

‘Cosplay is······ definitely not, right.’

Yohan chuckled and rolled his eyes. A blue window was flickering in the corner of his vision.

[Last Floor.]

[Trial Objective: Receive Recognition from the Tower’s Administrator.]

[Reward: Return, ???]

[Caution: Rewards can be obtained even if only one player succeeds.]

‘Return······.’

For some reason, his heart felt a piercing sensation. He could finally escape this damn tower.

Even if he doesn’t get recognized, he can still pass the trial. It’s saying he can just play around and eat and still return to reality.

“Here’s your order.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Yohan smiled as he picked up his utensils. A utensil similar to a fork, but with five prongs. And a utensil almost identical to a modern knife.

Swish-Swish-

Yohan’s elegant hand cut the long meat appetizingly.

Soon, just as Yohan was about to bring the sliced snake meat to his mouth─

“You were here. I was looking for you.”

Sara, who had already approached, sat across from him.

Munch, Yohan answered, chewing.

“I thought we’d meet someday. I’m glad we met so quickly.”

“Well, I guess so. The entity that will pass this trial will probably reside in this city.”

Sara said that and then ordered her own menu. They had enough money. They had always passed the trials with excellent results.

At that time, the voice of a beautiful host flowed from the TV located in the center of the restaurant.

[Hello! Viewers! We’ve kept you waiting! Now, let’s invite a special guest.]

There were countless races sitting in the restaurant. They were eating with an indifferent attitude, regardless of whether the sound was coming from the screen.

It was a common TV show. To the extent that they didn’t need to pay attention.

[Why is it special, you ask? Well, because we have invited a legendary guest!]

The customers still weren’t interested. The voice continued.

[Let’s invite the chairman of TOP Group. The ‘Administrator’!]

The moment that was said, the customers’ heads turned in unison.

“What······ what? Administrator?”

“Why is that guy······?”

Regardless of race, everyone froze with their utensils in hand.

Someone said.

“Is he that hard up these days? No way, the chairman of the top-ranked business group wouldn’t be like that?”

Yohan also looked at the screen. An old man with a wrinkled face but a firm body bowed his head.

[Nice to meet you. Players.]

“Players? What’s that?”

“I don’t know either. Hey you.”

[In one week, a tournament to determine the final winner will be held at the Graham Colosseum. Of course, the first place winner will be given the opportunity to challenge me.]

“Tournament? Ah, is it already that time?”

“To be held at the Graham Colosseum······. TOP Group must have spent a lot of money.”

People around them continued to whisper. Sara and Yohan pricked up their ears and listened to their stories.

Thus, the three main things that Yohan realized were:

First. The tournament hosted by TOP Group is an event held every 5 years.

Second. The person who wins first place in the tournament can challenge the administrator, who is the chairman, and so far, no one has ever beaten the ‘Administrator’.

Lastly, third······

‘We’ve always used the term participant. We’ve never used the term player even once.’

The corners of Yohan’s lips turned up slightly. The chairman in the screen, the administrator, was staring intently straight ahead.

Why, Yohan felt like he made eye contact with him. The administrator said.

[Then, good luck.]

Squeak-

Immediately after, Yohan got up. Sara also roughly wiped her mouth with a tissue and stood up.

“I think I know the goal. First, let’s find a place to stay.”

“Yes.”

Yohan and Sara left the store as it was. The employee’s greeting could be heard from behind.

***

“Yes. A total of one week of accommodation, right? Payment has been made.”

“Thank you.”

Yohan and Sara casually greeted the counter staff and went outside.

Their intention was to simply gather information. Fortunately, there was a shopping district around the hotel they had chosen that caught their attention.

[TOP Department Store]

A white building at least three times larger than the department stores Yohan had seen in modern times appeared before Yohan’s eyes.

Yohan and Sara went inside. The exterior was similar to modern department stores, but the interior was completely different.

“This is a newly released magic amplification bracelet~ Please try it on~”

“This is Orc Ball Energy Booster! It’s amazing! This!”

Strange products that would only be advertised on illegal websites were lined up here and there.

It was quite an interesting sight. Yohan handled the green, round substance.

“Oh! Are you interested? Your lover next to you will love it too!”

Sara covered her mouth and smiled slightly. Of course, Yohan couldn’t tell.

“Does this really work?”

“Of course! It’s the best-selling product in our department store. That’s why it’s right in front of the main gate!”

“Hmm······.”

Of course, Yohan wasn’t very interested in energy boosters. At least not yet.

‘Amazing. It’s as fresh as if it was just cut.’

It could be science, but Yohan thought this phenomenon was a magical result. He could feel a faint afterglow of magic.

“Could I ask about the manufacturing method?”

Then the salesperson’s gaze sharpened.

“I, I don’t think that’s possible. Hahaha.”

“I understand.”

Yohan didn’t expect much. It looked like an important technology, there’s no way they’d easily tell him.

“Let’s go, Sara.”

“······ Yes.”

Sara couldn’t take her eyes off it, as if she felt strangely regretful. With that, Yohan tilted his head and went up the escalator.

Like that, Yohan and Sara enjoyed window shopping for a while. Occasionally, there were products that Sara showed interest in, and the list of them was all suspicious.

[Intermediate Magic Restraint Ball]

[Intermediate Magic Suppression Chain]

‘(Ju) SM?’

It was a company name that was somehow unsettling. Ironically, the products seemed to be selling quite well.

At that moment, Sara asked the salesperson.

“Is there anything better?”

“There is a superior one, but······.”

“Where is the superior one?”

“There are superior and the best, but those two are only available by custom order.”

The salesperson said that and handed Sara a business card. Sara smiled and received it.

Yohan felt a slight chill. It was the first time in a while that he saw her smile at someone else.

Yohan shook his head unnecessarily to shake off his anxiety. Well, it’s probably nothing.

“Thank you.”

She subtly raised the corners of her lips.