After a short rest of about 8 hours, I returned to the tower.
As soon as I got back, I saw Yena busily moving around on the screen I had up.
—”Hey! Not that way, this way! You have big ears, but you can’t understand what I’m saying!”
—”Why are you… Ugh! I’ll just do everything myself. I haven’t been able to make a contract thanks to that crazy Celestial.”
Yena was challenging the “Cooperative Strategy Floor,” where challengers team up to climb.
Of course, there is also a hidden route that can be attempted solo here, but the difficulty skyrockets.
It was quite a tough task for Yena, who hadn’t even made a Celestial Contract.
Yena worked hard, filling in for the lacking challengers, and finally succeeded in the strategy.
The challengers who teamed up with Yena praised her and thanked her, but an angry Yena waved her hands and headed for the next floor.
“51st floor… It’s faster than I expected.”
I thought she’d struggle, and she was struggling a bit, but climbing to the 50th floor in just 8 hours is an incredibly fast pace.
After all, she wasn’t one of those who returned from the hidden world with a ton of powers like Leo.
Without a Celestial Contract, she’s pretty much at the top tier.
Thanks to her dazzling performance, there were many Celestials around Yena, but they were just watching; no one asked for a Celestial Contract.
It seems my warnings have made an impression.
—”But really, is there no one willing to contract? If you do it now, it’ll be an instant okay!”
—”Hey? You were chatting just fine a moment ago, why do you go silent when the topic of contracts comes up?”
—”I was threatened by some light denier or whatever. There’s no way no one would be here otherwise, right? Huh? Huh huh?!”
Yena was done with this part…
Gapwoo had also completely prepared to detach from here, so now all that was left was to climb the tower.
[Lilha~]
[Oh]
[Lily’s going back right away]
[Wow]
[Stop bothering Yena!]
[Yena is working hard without even looking at Deoen chat, lol]
[Yena might give up if she doesn’t hit 121, lol]
[Celestial Sphere clearing, ㄱ?]
[What do we do now?]
“Now we just need to continue climbing. We’ve done everything else.”
Tower, 91st floor.
This is where Leo said he’d take a short break and where the “Port of Stars” with numerous Celestial Spheres is located.
At the port, “Meteor Ships” crossing the universe are docked, and you can head to the authorized Celestial Spheres through these ships.
At this time, challengers are said to be under the protection of the tower, allowing them to withstand the true forms and true words of the Celestial Spheres.
They say I am under the protection of the tower that can withstand (真言).
Leo, now a thirty-something multi-contractor with a celestial body, seems to be spending quite a bit of time on the second floor.
When I arrived at the Port of Stars, countless challengers and their attached celestial bodies began to whisper among themselves.
I’ve already spread a lot of rumors about myself, and now that I’ve become a celestial body, those rumors must have spread even further.
—Isn’t that that woman? That celestial body…
—Yeah. The one who smashed two celestial spheres…
—I saw her on the 70th floor; she was a total monster.
—The celestial body warned us too: absolutely do not provoke her…
—But she is really pretty, isn’t she?
—Better be careful. If you annoy her, she might just take your head off…
“Not just anyone’s head, though.”
Unless someone outright starts a fight, I usually just let things slide, so why have the rumors gotten so twisted?
I truly don’t understand.
[Lily’s Reputation: We Gotta Keep it Clean]
[Lily? No Slander, Please!]
[Let’s Just Kill the Arrogant Ones]
[??: She doesn’t just take anyone’s head (while destroying Eden and Hell)]
[That’s Crossing the Line]
[Hahaha]
[Oh no]
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1YkU5K2Zzb2pjcGdEU3o1ZEJZRy94Ykg0bW1rMTZ3VjhIVlYra2JIQ3lsdQ
[Oh, yeah, demons and angels are an exception, LOL]
“First, to conquer the 91st floor, it says I need to get recognized by any celestial sphere.”
I’ve already been ‘recognized’ by two celestial spheres, but since I didn’t move from the 91st floor, it doesn’t count as a conquest.
I chose one of the many meteor ships, and the challengers who boarded with me quickly shrank back, disappearing into a corner.
Before I knew it, I was the only one left on the deck of the ship glowing with a blue light.
Kuwung…!
[We are departing. Please cease all actions and take your seats.]
[Exiting the ship carelessly may result in becoming a dimensional wanderer.]
The meteor ship changed color to a yellow hue and rose into the sky.
In no time, the ship pierced through the blue sky and headed into space, while the yellow aura in the shape of prayer beads protected us from the cosmic environment.
[Oh]
[Prayer beads?]
[Where are we heading?]
“I thought it’d be better to visit someone I know.”
Since there’s no need to seek out a celestial body that’s strictly following the rules, I should head towards someone I’m friendly with.
Leo also said he was over there when I reached out to him.
[The One Who Opens Their Eyes is waiting for you.]
“I’m going to meet Buddha.”
[The destination is the Universe. Celestial Sphere, Universe.]
■
The Meteor Ship, under the protection of Buddha, arrived at the Celestial Sphere Universe.
The Celestial Sphere Universe resembled a land where mountains towered high, much like the Main Temple of the New Continent.
As the Meteor Ship, which had left the universe, docked in front of a gigantic Hall set atop the Mountain Peak, numerous Challengers hurriedly descended from the ship and made their escape.
“……”
Why the fuss? It’s not like I’m going to eat you.
[LOL]
[Buddha is here]
[That’s incredibly high]
[Are we turning this into the Crab Celestial Sphere too?]
“There’s no need to do any more. I don’t have the will to do so anymore.”
The reason Eden and Hell turned out that way is that both of them are a Fake Angel and a Demon, but in conclusion, it was to make Gapwoo become God.
Since Gapwoo has already become God, there’s no need to expand the territory any further.
‘With Gapwoo’s soul, beyond being God is a bit much.’
With Lasty’s protection and using my Space of Despair, I’ve forcibly stretched it, but if I put any more power into it, it might literally explode!
As the saying goes…
“Too much of anything is not good. If you seek excessive things, misfortune will inevitably follow.”
“Right… Mr. Buddha?”
“It’s the first time seeing you in person. One Who Denies the Light.”
With a kind face and hair that looked like it was dyed black. The yellow dot between his eyebrows and his attire were quite similar to the depiction of Buddha in various media.
Particularly striking was that kind smile.
[Oh wow]
[It’s really Buddha]
[Buddha fanservice]
“You’ve traveled a long way, it must have been tough. Leo has entered the Hall to gain enlightenment, so let’s share a cup of tea.”
“……”
“What are you standing there for? Do you have something to say?”
“You’re not your true self, are you?”
But I can see it.
The ‘Buddha’ in front of me is hiding his ‘true form’ and is not the Buddha who sent me messages either.
“Who are you? You look like a Buddha, but…”
“…As expected.”
Buddha maintained his kind smile and nodded his head.
“As one who has attained enlightenment, you indeed possess the eyes that can perceive the Universe.”
“…Well, it’s more like even if I don’t want to see it, I have to.”
Whether I want it or not, I cannot help but see the truth.
Buddha took out prayer beads, and with a snap! suddenly, Buddha and I found ourselves seated across from each other in a Hall, holding tea.
It doesn’t seem like instant transportation… is this part of ‘enlightenment’ too?
It doesn’t seem like moving… Is this also part of ‘enlightenment’?
“Have you ever heard the saying? ‘The Buddha is not one.'”
“I’ve heard something like that.”
Unlike the clear monotheistic deities or ‘God’, anyone can be a Buddha.
No matter how weak or insignificant someone may be, if they achieve ‘enlightenment’, they can become a Buddha.
“That’s right. Enlightenment. If you shed all sorrows and, after a long time, achieve enlightenment, you can become a Buddha. There are now over twenty Buddhas under this ‘universe’.”
“Twenty Buddhas…”
Should I say that’s a lot or a little?
Since the name ‘Buddha’ isn’t common, I suppose it’s a lot, but considering the history of the Tower and the universe, it’s not that many.
After all, ‘enlightenment’ isn’t something you can simply obtain.
[Buddhas, twenty lol]
[Enlightenment, whoa]
[That’s a lot… maybe]
[Buddha handjob]
[So what about this Buddha?]
[Huh?]
[Did Lily get enlightenment too?]
[Since Lily said she achieved enlightenment, she must be a Buddha too lol]
“Then am I a Buddha too?”
“You, who denies the light, are not a Buddha.”
“Weren’t you just saying that if one achieves enlightenment, they are a Buddha?”
But now you’re saying I’m not?
Thud.
A teacup descends from the Buddha’s hand.
It didn’t seem like he was drinking it, but somehow six-tenths of the tea in the cup had vanished.
“?”
And the same was true for my tea.
“The reason is simple. You gained enlightenment a long time ago, but you shared that understanding with yourself.”
“……”
I wouldn’t exactly call it myself.
“Even having attained the realm of nirvana, you return to the mortal world… I don’t quite understand, but perhaps that’s why that person takes an interest in you.”
“That person?”
“Oh, I’m late to introduce myself. I am Achogbul. Also known as ‘Benevolent Dharma Master’.”
And the one who takes an interest in you is…
“Bonchobul. The first Buddha. The one who created the universe along with the Master of the Tower.”
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