As soon as the rewards for the three of us were set, my body began to transform into blue particles alongside Leo.
The process of returning from the Ancient Growth Tower to the Growth’s Altar.
Although I haven’t had a proper conversation with Bonchobul and there are still things left to do, we can’t stay here forever.
It’s unfortunate, but it’s time to say goodbye.
“Oh, vanished one.”
“See you later.”
“Yep! Professor, see you later too~”
Leo, floating with Zeus’s spiritual form on his shoulder, completely transformed and vanished into blue particles.
Before I knew it, more than half of my body had turned into blue particles, and the raccoon, with its still unchanging expression, was staring at me.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yeah.”
“I was curious about your identity, but you’re off this way. I guess we’ll meet again someday?”
“Maybe?”
‘Of course, it won’t be the raccoon in front of me.’
The raccoon was an entity created based on past stories.
As Wukong said, what I’m seeing is only “one of the possibilities of the future.”
If I seek out the current raccoon, he wouldn’t remember me.
“By the way, you’re slower to transport than Leo. Did you intentionally slow it down?”
“I have something to discuss.”
Normally, I should have moved with Leo, but I briefly slowed that speed using my ability.
I increased the ‘cognitive’ time, which is one of the features of this place, so the broadcast has also momentarily cut off.
Of course, it’s such a brief moment that the viewers probably won’t suspect anything.
“What are you trying to ask? By the way, I don’t know more about the tower.”
“When I asked before, you said you didn’t want to reveal your name.”
“That’s right.”
When I first met the raccoon, I asked for its name while ascending the lower levels, and it told me to just call it a raccoon without revealing any name.
The reason was that there were many eyes watching.
Given the circumstances, the ‘Chosen One’ is determined by race, so recklessly exposing oneself could lead to threats against their safety.
The ruler of this place was the Many-Moons Tribe, and the raccoon forged a contract with the Thunder Dragon to hide its abilities.
“But I guess it’s fine now.”
“I’ve blocked the surrounding ‘cognition,’ and I’ve also blocked the gazes of the Master of the Tower and Bonchobul, so there’s no one watching now.”
“…It does seem that way.”
“Can you tell me your name? I feel like it would help me find you later.”
Ultimately, this raccoon is of a considerably high status within the clan of Huangcheng.
As an administrator of Deoen, it must also hold a high post, so it’d be useful to mention it in advance.
And considering that I have to avoid the gaze of ‘Cheongsu’ mentioned by Immensus…
“Is your name by any chance Cheongsu?”
“Is that really true?”
“What?”
Anger.
In that moment, the raccoon furrowed his brow, an intense fury blazing in his eyes like flames.
His reaction was as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have.
As his aura spread, the very fabric of perception seemed to collapse, and my body—half gone—was suddenly at 90% of its disappearance.
Only about ten seconds remained.
Yet the raccoon didn’t care at all and expressed his fury outright.
“Why are you mentioning that name?”
“What name?”
“My name is ‘Hwanggwak’. I don’t know why you’re bringing up the traitor of my clan, but it’s best not to mention that name in front of my clan. Also—”
■
[?]
[Lilya?]
[Arrived!]
[Did it pause for like 2 seconds?]
[Didn’t it lag for a moment?]
[Finally, it’s about to end, haha]
[Another 100th floor, huh?]
[You didn’t bring Yena after all]
[Am I the only one buffering?]
[It paused for a sec.]
“Professor?”
“…Ah, it paused for a moment. The transmission was delayed.”
“?”
“Let’s go. We only have to reach the true 100th floor of the Altar.”
99th Floor of the Growth’s Altar.
Having completed my journey and moving up to the 100th floor with Leo, I recalled what ‘Hwanggwak’ had told me.
The raccoon, who had climbed the tower with me and Leo, really hates ‘Cheongsu’, who appears to be of a fairly high rank.
The reason is that he is the traitor of the clan.
“But Cheongsu is one of Deoen’s administrators.”
I don’t know why a traitor from the Hwangcheong clan became an administrator, but seeing that Hwanggwak appeared in the ‘story’ of the Growth’s Altar, it’s highly likely that he also became an administrator.
Or maybe in the future, ‘Hwanggwak’ failed and the traitor Cheongsu took his place.
“…Whatever it is.”
“Whatever it is?”
“We’ll find out when we check.”
In the end, all of this will be revealed as we search the Golden Sky, where the raccoon men reside.
Once we go there, we’ll know what happened.
“Of course, I need to become much stronger than now.”
Being at an upper level alone won’t cut it.
[But what are we checking?]
[Huh?]
“We need to check the 100th floor.”
I opened the door to the 100th floor of the Growth’s Altar.
[The Master of the Altar asks if you enjoyed your time.]
[The Master of the Altar sends his congratulations.]
[Universal message – Someone has reached the peak of Growth’s Altar for the first time in the world.]
[Universal message – A great achievement! A random legendary trait will be granted to the first person to climb the Altar.]
[Universal message – The granted legendary trait is ‘Growth Orb’.]
“It’s a ‘gem’.”
▶Yena
“I’m ready. Really going for it.”
“Good, good.”
At the ‘101st Floor’ of the tower, Immensus tilted his wine glass while watching Lily and Leo fiddling with the golden ‘Growth Orb’.
The ‘Growth Orb’, shared between Lily and Leo, is a very special holy artifact created using Deoen’s ‘System’ that produces ‘Experience Points’ when certain resources are injected.
Originally, it’s not a capability allowed for a user, but Immensus manipulated the ‘randomness’ of the reward so that the Growth Orb could be acquired.
Of course, that too has its limits, but Immensus increased those limits significantly by utilizing his Master of the Altar’s authority.
Normally, acquiring experience past level 131 is nearly impossible, but the enhanced Growth Orb can go up to level 151.
“I’ve spent quite a bit of power. But there’s no problem.”
Though it’s true that he used his power, the ‘value’ equal to how much he ‘amplified’ that holy artifact would keep coming in.
In other words, the more Lily and Leo use that item, the closer they get to escaping.
“Hehehe… Finally, the end is in sight…!”
“Is that so?”
“Of course it is! Hahaha! Once I get out, I’ll never have to see that Cheongsu guy again─”
He turns his head.
No one can enter this 101st floor without the Master of the Altar’s permission.
The end of the tower is the 100th floor, and all the Outsiders climbing stop at the 100th floor.
Even the great Lily and Leo, currently gathering experience by inserting the key given to them previously into the box while observing the orb.
So, only two types of beings can come here.
One is the Many-Moons Tribe, his pawns and past ‘losers’.
And the other is…
“It’s been a long time. Your face looks bright, very fortunate!”
“……”
Damn raccoons.
Immensus swallowed hard within the body of a Many-Moons Tribe member.
The low-ranking raccoons are nothing.
They are merely pawns moving as commanded, and at least must be a ‘leader’ of an area to be a proper opponent.
“…What brings you here?”
But the raccoon in front of him is different.
‘That guy has inherited the power of the ‘upper’ being.’
“What brings the ‘left hand’ of Cheongsu here?”
“Hey, ‘left hand’! When did I become that? It’s been ages since I took the right-hand position! And since I’m holed up in the altar, I’m slow to get news!”
“……”
“Haha. You look great. Just relax. Come on, relax. With our Hwanggwak senior in such a bad mood lately, it’s good to lighten things up.”
Cheongsu’s left hand, or rather his right hand, chuckled as it draped over Immensus’s shoulder.
Seeing such a friendly gesture, Immensus shrugged off the arm and glared at him.
“What’s going on? Did Cheongsu send you?”
“Oh come on~ Do I look like someone who would bother Cheongsu with ‘menial’ tasks? Of course, I came on my own will.”
“……”
“You sure seemed to enjoy that little bit of fun. What did you do?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Hiding it just makes it less fun. I see Cheongsu’s ‘eye’ is on you, huh?”
Cheongsu’s right hand again wrapped around Immensus’s shoulder.
In an instant, his magic surged up out of anger, but that power fizzled out like a candle before the wind.
“…?!”
Woong!
The blue ring floating above his head suppressed all of his magic.
Not only did it restrain him, but it also completely pinned him down, making Immensus one with the floor.
“Gu, guck…!”
“Let’s see~ Illegal use and manipulation of the system. How dare you deceive the ‘users’? Unilaterally lifting the ‘reward’ restrictions… and so on?”
“……”
“If we just count the charges, I should throw you in prison. Oh dear! You’re already in one?!”
What a pitiful situation!
“…You crazy bastard. If you came to mess with me, just get lost.”
“Oh come on. You think I’d come for that?”
“……”
“Well, that’s partly true. Haha. But there’s more to it than that.”
Cheongsu’s right hand turned, manipulating the air.
Countless golden system windows filled the space around him, busily flickering in and out. Soon, a small coin appeared.
That coin bounced, cutting through the space, and plopped into someone’s inventory.
That someone was of course…
“…What did you do to Lily?”
“We were just a bit uneasy about the connection with Hwanggwak senior. So, we decided to take advantage of your ‘negative’ a bit.”
“…What?”
“You should prepare because a ‘real’ punishment is coming from Hwanggwak senior soon. I didn’t mention it, but he manages that place.”
You’ve already committed so many sins, what’s one more gonna change?
“By the way, be prepared, alright?”
“You son of a bitch…”
“Then, goodbye~”
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