Climbing the tower from the 80th floor wasn’t difficult.
As expected from a name like “Growth’s Altar,” the difficulty level was fairly challenging, but it was no match for me and Leo.
Before reaching the 89th floor, Leo and I were able to fill our growth percentage to 100%, allowing us to easily reach the 99th floor.
It would have been great to have Yena with us, but judging by her current growth rate of 65%, it was out of the question.
“Finally, the 99th floor.”
“Ooh.”
The 99th floor was a completely black space, but in the middle of this space was the Golden Table, which was illuminated by light, along with a raccoon.
A raccoon dressed in a splendid golden suit.
This time, the raccoon’s fur color was gold.
The raccoon looked at us and praised us for being the only challengers to have achieved the conditions so quickly, then immediately guided us on how to proceed to the next floor.
“So we just have to spin this coin?”
“That’s right, great challenger. By spinning the coin we’ve provided, you can undertake the final trial of this tower. It will allow you to reach a great state with your body as a challenger.”
[Isn’t this also shady?]
[Feeling uneasy here]
[Let’s give it a shot]
[Took a long time, lol]
[Lets go right away ㄱㄱㄱ]
The coin was gold and, unlike the Growth Coin, it didn’t have a box design but featured a tower instead.
Leo curiously observed the coin and asked.
“Should we spin it right away?”
“Wait a moment.”
While lightly stroking the coin, I recalled my conversation with Immensus.
“As you might have guessed, I mean ‘we,’ are not the real masters of the altar.”
“The current masters of the altar are beings imprisoned here for some reason. The real masters are somewhere else, and we are merely filling in their place.”
“You’ll naturally find this out.”
“Checking the altar is basically information about the raccoon…”
The current masters of the altar, including Immensus, were all beings ‘imprisoned’ within the altar.
Given the level of the sealing master we first met and the master of Growth’s Altar, it’s highly likely that most of the masters are either celestial or demon races.
Even though the celestial and demon races disappeared from the world after their absurd reconciliation, it doesn’t mean they ceased to exist.
There are still beings such as Duke Huangyeol, the Forgotten Emperor, and the disaster-like demons existing in the Deoen Continent.
Loreliess and the Demon King of the One, who must be somewhere in some dimension, are prime examples.
“Then what about the raccoon?”
The raccoon, the raccoon tribe of Hwangcheong.
At first glance, they might seem like just a strong tribe, but they actually manage even ‘celestial and demon races’ and are putting pressure on even the once lofty Immensus.
It seems unlikely that such a tribe just popped up; someone with extremely high rank must have granted them power…
“But I have no idea who that could be.”
At the very least, we’re looking at high-ranking celestial or demon figures, possibly the Eight Seats or the Six Demon Kings.
Based on the circumstances, it seems one of them is using their hands.
If the heavenly beings and the demon race that remain in this world have reconciled, then some of them must have survived too.
But it’s a mystery.
“Why is that?”
Why exactly?
Why do they send minions to adjust the world and offer opportunities for amusement and strength to humans, whom they consider bugs?
And to top it off, they even show considerable ‘consideration’ in doing so.
“…My head hurts.”
“Huh?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
I shook my head.
I’ve pondered over these concerns multiple times after returning, but no answers come.
Somewhere on Earth, there seems to be a high tower where the raccoons’ master resides, but in reality, I’m just an ordinary person.
No matter how much I rampage in an ordinary body, I can’t reach it.
Above all…
“I already returned, so what?”
I returned after ending the war as the system demanded.
Whether or not they have reconciled, I’m in a state of having returned after the war ended, and I’m living a relatively enjoyable life. Is there really a need to dive into danger?
Moreover, even if the reality of me isn’t strong, the ‘Deoen’ me is gradually getting stronger.
If the day comes when I regain all my past strength, I guess I’ll know everything without wanting to.
“Let’s go.”
“Yep!”
As Leo and I spun the coin simultaneously, our vision flipped.
[Let’s go~]
[ggggggg]
[Breaking News: Yena is already on the 47th floor lol]
[Entering the 99th floor…]
[Dimension travel in progress. You may experience slight dizziness…]
■
[You have entered the Growth’s Altar, 99th Floor.]
[You must complete a specific ‘mission’ to progress to the next floor.]
[Mission – Climb the ancient Tower of Growth.]
“…?”
My eyes gradually opened.
Crackling sensations.
What I grasped with my hand was green grass, and what I saw was a bright blue sky.
The land and the sky. And countless exotic races.
“Whoa.”
“What’s going on!”
“Where are we!”
“I was definitely going home…”
“Eek! A talking lion!”
“A panda can talk?”
“Monsters!”
“You look more like a monster! You squid!”
Lions, pandas, raccoons, beastmen, humans, nymphs, squids, and so on… Countless exotic races were pointing fingers at each other.
And among them, of course, I, the ‘human’, scanned my surroundings to assess the situation and spotted a small kid tilting their head.
With elf-like ears and an adorable appearance. A girl carrying a spirit on her shoulder.
“What are you, small fry… pah!”
“Ah! Lady Lily!”
As I waved my hand towards Leo, he gleamed his eyes and pushed aside the pig human who was trying to shove him, coming closer to me instead.
I pushed it away and moved closer.
By the way, the Pig Human had the head of a pig and the body of a human. After seeing it disappear into the crowd while trying to get revenge on Leo, I turned away, suppressing my anger.
“Oh! I’ve totally come to a weird place!”
“Right? This place is completely different from the Mission Room…”
The mana that flows in the world was different, and it wasn’t a world blocked by someone, like the missions I had seen so far.
It felt like a ‘real’ world.
I alternated my gaze between the confused individuals and Leo, then suddenly turned my gaze.
[?]
[???]
[What the heck is this? lol]
[Hey, I’ve seen this scene somewhere.]
[Huh?]
[Squid ㄷㄷ]
[Isn’t that a raccoon?]
[Let’s kill them all.]
[This is so noisy.]
Seeing that the chat window was still active, it was clear that this wasn’t a mental space.
“I feel like my power is also restricted…”
Crackle!!
“?”
“Eh.”
As an alien sound erupted, a black crack formed in the air, and the eyes of the crowd, which had felt like a market, all focused on one spot.
Everyone’s eyes concentrated as a black-furred rabbit in a black suit popped out from between the cracks.
It looked somewhat like Immensus, but it was not.
It was different in appearance, but more importantly, it wasn’t using magic, which was what set it apart the most.
“Greetings, our lowly challengers.”
“?”
“What the?!”
“You have been chosen! Because you were born with that lowly blood, you have gained the right to ascend the tower by receiving the blessing of our ‘Levine’. Hehe. Isn’t that exciting?”
A rabbit suddenly appearing in the air, giving insults and strange opportunities.
The diverse beings all screamed at the rabbit’s appearance, and the rabbit merely smiled.
This spectacle was akin to…
“A Tutorial?”
“Yeah?”
“I saw it in a comic before! It was super fun!”
Leo said that with a completely relaxed demeanor.
A tutorial, huh?
Immensus said the altar ‘originally’ existed, so it wouldn’t be surprising if such a place existed.
This world has various realms beyond the celestial and demon races.
[Ooooh]
[It’s a tutorial fairy!]
[Huh!]
[Isn’t that going to explode my head?]
[Lily, be careful!]
[Now that I look at it, it really does look like a tutorial fairy, lol]
[Head explosion in 5 seconds]
[I can just see Lily blowing that rabbit up, lol]
The chat window was also reactive, accustomed to such tutorial scenarios.
“Uhh, is my head going to explode?”
“Your head?”
“Yeah. If you don’t listen, that fairy will blow it up.”
Leo said that while giggling.
Still, isn’t it too much to blow up someone for not listening?
“Ah, no way…”
“Ah, wonderful. I understand. Now, let me explain the rules of this tower.”
“Got it. I’ll explain the rules of this tower.”
“Hey! I don’t care if you’re a rabbit or a mouse, get me out of here right now! Otherwise, I’ll roast you!”
“Pardon? What was that?”
“Let me out already! Are you even listening?!”
Quack! Quack! The pig human has been screeching at the rabbit since earlier.
The rabbit, resembling Immensus, tilted its head and looked down at him.
“Say that again.”
“I asked if you’re deaf! If you don’t let me out right now, it’ll be a big problem—”
Boom!
His head exploded.
With his head gone, the pig human collapsed and rolled on the floor.
It really blew up.
[Oh no]
[X]
[x]
[I knew that would happen]
[Tutorial fairy, oh my gosh]
[Whoa]
Kyaaaah—!
“Kyaaaah?”
“……”
The mouths of these interspecies troublemakers all shut at once.
Only then did they begin to tremble, realizing the seriousness of the situation.
“Ha~ This is why beasts are useless. Until you receive that person’s power, you’re nothing but trash.”
“……”
“Now, is anyone else itching to talk? I’ll show you a couple of examples even if I have to write a report today. Ah, come on out, will you?”
“……”
“Tsk. Trash.”
“Should we go out?”
Leo, whispering only to me, paced back and forth as if he might dash out at any moment.
He had a smile full of mischief curving his lips.
“Hmm…”
Even though he seemed weakened, I didn’t think Leo would die.
Even if he did, I could resurrect him on the spot, and truth be told, I didn’t think he could lose right away.
But glancing at someone stepping out from afar, I pulled down Leo’s cheek.
“It seems it’s not our turn yet.”
“?”
[?]
[Huh?]
[What’s that…?]
“So… who are you?”
“I have a question.”
At the appearance of someone, the rabbit raised its hand to ‘handle’ them, but then recoiled in surprise, lowering it instead.
An immense power radiating from a mere ‘creature.’
“You… how do you already possess the Celestial sign (星座)?”
“Do you have the right to kill challengers at will?”
The golden raccoon wearing a blue ring.
“Raccoon?”
A clan of the Huangqing.
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