Chapter: 138
The emergence of Baku-Sake (Explosion Propulsion) accelerated the assault on the 5th floor.
Sometimes, unintended rocket punches would fly out, but this risk was acceptable within the Tower of Trials. What mattered was that they could now keep pace with Jay’s speed.
The radical acceleration enabled a tactical backhand. While it wasn’t some mysterious martial arts principle, it utilized rocket propulsion… and it almost certainly allowed them to block Jay’s initial draw.
From here on, it was all about tactics.
They had to dissect and analyze the patterns, counter movements, and accumulate damage while maintaining the block against the draw.
And a master of such tactics was right here: the queen of the Tower of Trials, Luna Steery, equipped with overwhelming analytical skills, tenacity, and a top-tier mindset.
“One more time.”
“Understood!”
“I’m going to die…”
But oh dear!
Luna could enjoy repeating tasks for ten hours, but the weak pseudo-martial artist and the mage from the enemy tower were not so fortunate.
Time passed, and after fifteen hours of trials in real-time…
“One more time.”
“A-all right! We are doing it one more time!”
“… I’m going to die…”
One of the comrades was broken.
Luna placed her hands on her hips with a frown full of dissatisfaction, but that wouldn’t repair her injured companion. They needed rest.
Or rather, they needed something to substitute for rest.
Luna’s brain began to logically piece things together. Given the progress of the assault, if they could supplement their specs even a little more, they might have a fighting chance. If only they could scavenge some free artifacts lying around.
As a broke student, they needed an easily obtainable combat power supplement, and Luna knew just where to buy it.
“Doping.”
“… What do you mean by that?”
“Let’s take some drugs.”
Right to the Academy’s Underground Black Market.
===============================================================
The three of them walked side by side through the Academy’s underground passage.
Luna took the lead in the center, Envers’ heart raced with bubbling adventure, and Selvier worried that if they used explosion magic in such a cramped space, they would all end up dead.
The damp underground tunnel seemed so saturated that moisture would seep out if one brushed their palm against the walls. The only source of light came from the sporadic lamps installed along the way.
“… I didn’t know such a place existed.”
“Who on earth made these tunnels?”
“An upperclassman. Probably.”
A very senior one at that.
The Academy had many secrets.
With its unique characteristics and the collection of eccentric individuals, many incidents occurred here. Most of the tales were accompanied by a touch of madness.
When crazy people gather, something is bound to happen.
Among the many secrets born from this, there was a hidden tavern made within those shadowy underground tunnels. Originally, it had been a location for moonshining during the time when alcohol was prohibited at the Academy.
Now, it had transformed into a place selling various low-quality drugs at low prices, though the level of trust was not very high.
“You said they sell drugs here. What kind of drugs do they sell?”
“Almost everything.”
Luna pointed to various spots with her index finger to provide examples. Night vision potions, mana-boosting elixirs, speed enhancement potions, strength enhancers, and stamina boosters.
Envers jumped back.
“… Don’t point at my lower region!”
“Like this?”
“Don’t use your palm, and don’t point in my direction!”
“So stingy.”
While Luna pointedly noted that it wouldn’t wear her finger out, and Envers lamented that his dignity was wearing down, Selvier tilted her head slightly and said.
“There’s an alchemy shop above too. Is it really necessary to buy drugs in such a shady place?”
“Quality; this place is better.”
“Uhm…”
If that’s the case, it sounded even more suspicious. To be hiding well-quality drugs for sale meant that they likely had some wicked and uneasy motives.
And furthermore…
“… I smell something familiar.”
The scent of her hometown wafted through.
Selvier’s hometown, Mt. Sangjebi, was certainly not a nice place. There was no friendship or bond between neighbors, and many occurrences happened under the guise of customs. It could be summarized with just one word: wickedness.
In the dark lake, humans faced one of two destinies: they would drown or become water spirits.
Had it not been for her childhood friend, who was currently missing, Selvier too would have become one of “the townspeople.” Thus, she felt an uncanny sense of discomfort accompanying them.
Did Luna pick up on her unease? Luna spoke soothingly.
“It’s okay to worry less. The one running this place is a high-ranking person.”
“… What?”
“The owner of the underground tunnel, the Third Prince.”
“… … …!!”
The Third Prince, Sledo Crown, who was studying at the Academy—did that mean he was the owner of this place?
Luna seemed to want to imply, “Since such a revered individual runs this facility, even suspiciously priced drugs must just be a rich person’s whim.”
Envers also felt oddly reassured, loosening the tension in his shoulders. However, Selvier wore a knowing smile, convinced she had to inform someone.
The one operating the secret tavern was a hooded woman. Even concealed, her figure was apparent, and she spoke with a charming, enticing voice.
“Oh, welcome. It’s been a while since your last visit…?”
“Doping agents. Something for physical enhancement.”
“I believe the Academy’s evaluation is next month… Are you planning to take on a commission? Or perhaps, are you thinking of handling someone in the dead of night?”
The woman subtly tried to fish for details, but Luna waved her hands to indicate she wanted the products instead. She nodded in understanding.
“Fortunately, we just received some good items…”
She pulled out various potions from a shelf and displayed them on the table. Selvier gasped. Indeed, the quality was better than that at the Academy’s alchemy shop.
It was comparable to the expensive potions she had only dreamed of getting from the capital’s workshop.
Catching that reaction, the woman smiled from beneath her hood and offered a small storage box. It was the size to fit just a thumb.
“If you are looking for something with even more remarkable effects, how about this potion? It’s truly extraordinary. A renowned alchemist produces it in small batches after retirement…”
“Not buying. Just give me this one.”
“… Thank you for your purchase.”
Luna cut sharply through the woman’s sales pitch, buying the doping agent she originally intended to get. Then, as if finishing her business, she coolly exited the passage.
The power-obsessed Envers couldn’t take his eyes off the storage box, intrigued by the notion of a special potion.
Selvier, however, left upon sensing the ominous odor of her hometown from that “special potion,” shuddering as she distanced herself.
The three fish managed to slip from the hook.
Yet, the bait was still shaking.
===============================================================
What they bought from the drug dealer, which had the aesthetic of something they shouldn’t consume, turned out to be a proper doping agent. It was a blend of various beneficial elixirs designed to enhance overall physical abilities.
There might be minor hallucinations, but a single session with a priest would cleanse such debuffs entirely. A potion with minimal risk that was quite good.
Still, Envers was hooked on doping.
“This… this is the power of potions? I feel like I lost half my life for not using something this good!”
“Moderate yourself.”
“If I keep taking these potions, then I could return home faster than expected…!!”
“I told you to moderate.”
Envers’ excitement waned slowly. Luna and Selvier exchanged glances. If left unchecked, it seemed he might dash back down to buy more of those “special potions” at any moment.
Luna felt a tinge of regret.
She wanted to buy affordable health goods to feed her party members and rush through the Tower of Trials for twenty-five uninterrupted hours, not to turn anyone into a substance abuser.
Surely, no sane person would abuse drugs and would consume sustainably, right? Hence, she thought introducing the underground market was a good idea. But reflecting, Envers had somewhat naïve qualities.
“What should we do?”
“… For now, let’s clear the 5th floor while the potion lasts. We’ll take turns keeping an eye on him.”
“… Sure.”
Luna looked at Envers with worried eyes.
He was someone who could indulge her desire for conquest to some degree, and if he were to get ruined, she would be at a loss. Normally, people disliked twelve-hour nonstop challenges.
If possible, she’d prefer to stay close to him moving forward.
“Jay, come out! I am not afraid of anything—!!”
“Ugh.”
First and foremost, it was about the assault. With a hopeful wish for him to find some composure while they fought, Luna plunged into the Tower of Trials with her comrades.
… … …
“Baku-Sake (Explosion Propulsion)!”
Bang—!!
Envers’ right arm fired off and blocked Jay’s draw. All tactics extend from this point.
The clear conditions are as follows:
1) Block the draw.
2) Capture him.
Thus, the primary objective is always to block his draw.
Initially, during their trials, they had attempted to separate the roles of ‘blocking the draw’ and ‘inflicting damage’. Envers and Selvier took on the attacking roles while Luna focused on disrupting Jay’s draw.
Though friendly fire occasionally occurred, like Selvier’s fireball turning Envers into a Halloween costume, practice brought stability. Eventually, they synchronized well.
Still, they always fell just short. The issue was direction.
To successfully block Jay’s draw, they needed to be in front of him. It was tricky and challenging to block from behind.
Baku-Sake was a linear martial art.
If they tried to divert its explosive acceleration into a tricky curve, they would witness their limbs become ragged dishrags in an instant. For this reason, directly striking from the front ensured higher stability.
However, problems arose when Jay spun halfway around. To face him head-on, Envers and Luna would have to leap at least four or five steps.
Adding to the already existing gap in speed between Jay and the students, the unfavorable positioning left them with no way to catch up.
Hence, the tactic that emerged was:
Blocking the draw and dealing damage: Envers and Luna
Ranged firepower projection: Selvier
The combined strike.
The person in the front manages to block the draw and persevere on their own. The one in the back restricts Jay’s movement, applying pressure while simultaneously delivering hits.
Only the interlocking wheels of their combined efforts could provide a means of success.
“… … …!!”
Once the elbow lifted, it forecasted the prelude to the Iron Mountain Slash. The bony frame emitted an oddly tremendous strength that could push back anyone in its path.
If pushed back, they could no longer block the draw. Thus, Luna, positioned in the rear, needed to lend a hand.
“Baku-Sake.”
Thwooosh—!!
Luna’s more stable Baku-Sake accelerated her low kick. She managed to seize Jay’s legs, throwing off his lower body balance. If his lower body fails, the Iron Mountain Slash will lack its power.
Smack!
Envers was lightly pushed back. Though Jay attempted to shake him off and draw his sword, at this range, it was within the coverage of Baku-Sake.
The real advantage of Baku-Sake was that it could be fired even if the stance was unstable.
As Envers was pushed back, he reached out and aimed at the hilt of Jay’s sword. And then, he unleashed mana with everything he had.
“Baku-Sake──!”
Boom—!!
Envers’ arm shot off, flinging his body along. The skin on his shoulder and elbow tore from the internal force and blood began to seep out.
Throb.
However, the draw was certainly blocked.
Compared to Luna, who smoothly unleashed Baku-Sake with minimal damage, this technique appeared quite meager for Envers, whose mana engine had malfunctioned. Still, this was the best he could do. And it was enough.
Thanks to the doping agent, he could fire off seven more times──!
Jay turned around, believing he could no longer draw his sword while standing in front of Envers.
But that was a fatal oversight. Luna had a technique prepared.
“Baku-Sake: Ren (Chain).”
It was similar to drawing power from every muscle in her body while striking. She simply added Baku-Sake’s propulsion to each of her joints.
Bang. Bang. Bang…!!
It accelerated from her toes to each joint, explosively amplifying her punch with an unimaginable rate of speed.
It was an uppercut so fast it appeared as a blur.
Fwoosh──!!
Jay’s chin snapped upward with a forceful clench, forcing it shut.
Groggy.
A momentary daze produced from a powerful strike. Here, Selvier bellowed out the last syllable of a familiar incantation she had memorized in advance.
“Explode and perish, Fireball!!”
Boom──!!
Envers and Luna both lowered their stances. Selvier’s fireball struck Jay’s head squarely, and it exploded in a burst of scorching heat.
With this, one cycle had concluded.
Amidst the smoke from the explosion, Jay’s eyes still gleamed with life. His stamina was still sufficiently high, meaning the battle had to continue.
“──Flee from me!”
The Kenjutsu master Jay bared his fangs, channeling strength into his hand gripping the katana. Whether he intended to draw it or shove it back, it was ambiguous.
Vrooom.
But after the katana let out a deep howl…
Creeeak.
It suddenly revealed the chilling flash of its blade, slightly emerging from its scabbard.
Vooom-! Clank!
Luna utilized Baku-Sake to stomp down and hit the katana, forcibly pushing it back into the sheath. Jay reached out, trying to grab Luna’s ankle.
Envers, meanwhile, wrapped his arms around Jay’s forearm. Yet, despite Jay’s prominent strength, he could not halt his forward motion.
Therefore, they struck back.
“Graaah── Baku-Sake!!”
Bang, Kaboom──!!
While gripping Jay’s forearm, they detonated Baku-Sake in the opposite direction. The generated thrust compensated for their combined force.
What formed was one second of counterbalance.
Leveraging the katana’s hilt as a footrest, Luna leaped and kicked Jay squarely in the jaw. Due to her reduced attack strength, she relentlessly targeted only the vital spots, striking repeatedly.
They were interlocking perfectly. Continuously, tirelessly…
The conclusion faced by Jay, caught in the endlessly challenging gears, was one of two fates: endure the rotation or ultimately crumble to death.
They fought relentlessly for twenty minutes straight.
When Envers and Luna could no longer use their arms, Jay kneeled, blood streaming down.
“… … … Go, thank you….”
Due to incessantly destroying his chin, Jay couldn’t express his gratitude, “Thanks for freeing me from this cursed sword…”
However, thanks to the desperate expression of the mad magician, the feeling was conveyed. Just barely…!
They cleared the 5th floor of the Tower of Trials.
===============================================================
Selvier looked toward the 6th floor and stated firmly.
“We absolutely cannot do this. Call someone.”
“W-wouldn’t consuming the special potion help?”
“A dope addict.”
“Do you think doping will help you beat Bennett? No way. Besides, even Bennett couldn’t clear the top floor! Get a grip!”
Envers was thoroughly deflated by the mercilessly factual rain. Luna felt compelled to offer him a comforting pat, but instead, as a form of punishment for his obsession with drugs, she raised a warning finger.
While a sulking Envers grumbled, Selvier made contact with Niolle.
Upon hearing that something hidden was concealed within the Tower of Trials, and that the theme of it was to release the grievances of those trapped in the tower, Niolle immediately reported it to Bennett and Tara.
The Saintess Party assembled fully armed in front of the Tower of Trials.
Their equipment had significantly upgraded.
As they were steadily expanding their influence within the Goddess Church, each time they did so, they would loot the church’s vaults to bolster the assets of their party.
Niolle, wrapped with confiscated items from the church, somewhat resembled an ominous dark magician. She even wielded a massive skull staff.
The visuals of the magic she employed had been designed to “lower the morale of enemies,” creating a rumor that a reborn dark magician was part of the Saintess Party, and that it was supposedly the buxom lady’s role.
Additionally, through a little skeleton summon, she could effectively communicate. However, due to the poor sound quality, they still conversed using telepathy tools amidst their chatter.
Bennett had donned full paladin gear, appearing valiantly like a hero from any angle. His pure white armor complemented the shining sword he held well.
Tara’s attire hadn’t changed, but various accessories had been added, making her look a bit more… garish. She was aware of it herself and felt a bit embarrassed.
Yet, to win the appeal contest against the deceptively alluring Niolle, some sacrifices were necessary.
“Are you the hidden piece discoverers?”
“Y-es, yes we are…”
Envers shrank back like a firefly beneath the sunlight. Bennett maintained a spirited expression and spoke to Envers’ party.
“Please elaborate. Tell me in detail what happened.”
“We aren’t your subordinates, Bennett.”
“… Sorry. It’s just my habit to use such language. I’ve never thought of you that way. But this time, it’s quite important to me. I politely ask you… share with me the details?”
– Now, now Bennett, seems you know how to soften your words! Looking great again today.
“The duty of the Saintess’s escort knight is only natural. You look stunning too.”
Cringe.
Selvier grimaced, wanting to scream at Bennett for his ridiculous flirtations, but refrained since they happened to be stronger than herself. Being weak truly was miserable.
Please, may all of you pay four times your taxes. Selvier mentally prayed, then recounted the events within the Tower of Trials.
Bennett pondered seriously, then nonchalantly stated.
“This can’t be a ruse.”
“… Are you also mistaking illusion magic for reality?”
“Quite the opposite. You’re mistaking reality for illusion magic. That’s the work of the mad magician. I initially thought it was just a training facility…”
Bennett theorized that the mad magician, a dimensional sorcerer, reassembled facets of other dimensions he encountered. The repetitive lines of tower inhabitants felt akin to automata.
However, now with the beggar from the 8th floor influencing Academy students and sharing knowledge of this world…
Could there not be a clear intent behind this?
The mad magician may have sent Bennett’s party to save this world / to thwart the demonology rituals that were about to commence within the Academy.
Could it be that this time too, something had inadvertently connected to a new world? Was this not foreboding of a danger to ward off? Such ideas circulated in his thoughts.
Bennett glanced at the limp Envers.
“… … …”
“… … …”
… Is everything okay?
No, indeed, there must be something at work. He possessed an understanding that transcended mere humanity. Just as he had chosen Bennett, the dark magician might also harbor some hidden motives.
Then, he would offer aid.
“Until we leave the Academy, I will help you.”
At that statement from Bennett, Selvier tilted her head.
“… Huh, Niolle, where are you guys going?”
– Oh, we’ve been invited to the Eastern Front. By His Highness the First Princess…
A temporary party member joined the assault team for the Tower of Trials.
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