Chapter 982 – 982. Ascension To The Light
Thwack!
The sword of the Iron Crow Unit’s final member cleaved through the scarecrow’s body. It was a feat accomplished in just one hour.
I, who had been sitting on the floor, rose to my feet.
“Finally, it’s over. Now, I’ll get my reward and head up to the third floor.”
“Yes, Seong Yujin-nim!”
The rewards on the second floor were better than those on the first. Once again, I chose the elixir without hesitation. And I immediately chewed and swallowed it right there.
I thought the other members would also choose elixirs, but surprisingly, some of them chose martial arts techniques.
“Look at this Flash Step! If used well, it could be a lifesaver.”
“I chose the Sand Shark Sword Art. I saw a ronin using it before, and it seemed pretty good.”
“Hey, I’ll pay you. Let me see it too.”
I tilted my head, puzzled. It didn’t make sense. While the martial arts techniques offered on the second floor were better than those on the first, they were still trash.
“Jingu-eon, why did the members choose martial arts techniques?”
“Seong Yujin-nim, we are ronin. We rarely get the chance to learn even third-rate martial arts. Not many of us have learned proper techniques. Getting our hands on martial arts is not easy. So, it seems they chose them for that reason. Plus, unlike herbs, martial arts techniques aren’t one-time use; we can share them among ourselves.”
The martial arts techniques were given in the form of manuals. This meant they could be shared among the members or sold outside.
“Would anyone even buy such techniques?”
“They would. You could sell them for at least 30 silver coins. The books themselves are rare.”
“I see.”
We ascended to the third floor of the Manmu Tower. As soon as we entered, the smell of blood assaulted our nostrils.
‘This is….’
The third floor was reminiscent of the old variety show, ‘Let’s Go! Dream Team.’ It was a space that seemed to utilize a mechanism of traps, with moving floors, arrows and sharp spears flying through the air, and ceilings that crashed down.
It was far more brutal than any variety show. Though the corpses had been removed, the bloodstains on the walls looked as fresh as if they had just been spilled.
The soldier guarding the entrance to the third floor glanced at us and said calmly,
“Do you see the end over there? The trial of the third floor ends when you reach that point. It’s quite simple, isn’t it?”
“……”
The members swallowed nervously, their mouths dry. Simple? It was simple only in words. For those who had to run through a path full of traps, it was far from a laughing matter.
“Those who feel fear now, give up. More people die here than you think. The fourth floor is similar to the third, but with even more dangerous traps.”
Some members looked hesitant, as if contemplating giving up.
Jingu-eon stepped forward.
“Are you going to give up on just the third floor? Have you forgotten why we entered the Manmu Tower?”
“Captain… but….”
“But nothing. Don’t be scared by something like this. Look ahead carefully. There are rules. The way to avoid them is already shown. Just jump and run to dodge. I… no, we came here prepared to die. Our destination is the tenth floor, and we must pass at least the fifth floor. That’s where we can get real martial arts and real elixirs. If you’re still afraid, then run away. But, if you do, don’t you dare say you were part of the Iron Crow Unit. The moment you tarnish the Iron Crow Unit’s honor, I’ll find you and kill you.”
“……”
No one ran away.
Jingu-eon approached me.
“Seong Yujin-nim, may I try this floor first?”
“Go ahead.”
Jingu-eon stood before the traps. After checking the positions of the moving floor and the flying arrows and spears, he gathered his inner energy and began to run.
Light Footwork? There were too many traps to use Light Footwork. It could actually cause him to trip. Jingu-eon ran without using Light Footwork. He deflected the incoming arrows and spears with his large sword.
Jingu-eon focused on maintaining his rhythm, and he reached the end while keeping that fast pace.
“Ooooh!”
The members shouted. Their morale was boosted. Seeing Jingu-eon complete it easily without any crisis gave them confidence that they could do it too.
“Next, it’s my turn.”
I ran without looking back. Unlike Jingu-eon, I didn’t swing my sword. I dodged all the traps and finished the trial by running.
‘It’s only 300 meters. It’s a piece of cake.’
After me, Seong Jigone ran. He also passed through without much difficulty. One by one, the members began to run. They didn’t all make it. Two died. One tripped and fell into a pit, impaled by spears. The other failed to dodge an incoming arrow.
The atmosphere of the Iron Crow Unit turned cold.
The soldier said what he had to say indifferently.
“Congratulations on passing. Choose your reward and go up to the fourth floor. Those who wish to give up without going to the fourth floor, wait over there.”
And on the fourth floor, three more members of the Iron Crow Unit died.
•••
We entered the fifth floor.
The fifth floor was strangely filled with nature. A bright sky, quietly flowing clouds, dense trees, and a refreshing meadow. It was clear that a sorcerer of immense skill had created this space.
The meadow was filled with tents. The number of people already settled on the fifth floor was at least 100,000.
The soldier said,
“The trial of the fifth floor will begin in four days. Until then, you are free to do as you please. You may train in martial arts or rest. And let me tell you in advance, we are not your caretakers. We will not intervene in any disputes. If problems arise, resolve them yourselves.”
With those words, the soldier disappeared somewhere.
I and the Iron Crow Unit looked around. All the good spots had already been taken.
“Seong Yujin-nim, what should we do? Should we try to settle near the trees, just in case?”
“There’s already a spot.”
“We can take it.”
What a grand plan.
But Jingu-eon wasn’t the only one who had thought of that. The spots on the fifth floor had already been claimed. The tents of those who had taken spots near the trees looked luxurious. Naturally, their owners were not ordinary people either.
“It’s not good to start trouble just to take a spot. Just set up our tents in an empty space. We’re not going to stay here long anyway, so there’s no need to waste energy.”
“Hmm. I guess you’re right. You guys, go over there and set up the tents. Start with the tents for Seong Yujin-nim and Seong Jigone-nim!”
Of course, they were individual tents. Unless there was a special reason, there was no need for two men to share a tent.
I sat on a simple wooden chair and watched the members toil away.
‘Watching others work hard while sitting comfortably in a chair… that’s power, that’s flexing.’
Before the tents were finished, fifty ronin swarmed us and surrounded us.
“Greetings. You also look like a ronin group. What is your name?”
I stopped Jingu-eon from stepping forward and rose to my feet.
“We are the Iron Crow Unit. Who are you?”
The man with claw marks instead of hair grinned.
“Iron Crow Unit? Never heard of such a ronin group. We are the Howling Fiends.”
Jingu-eon and the Iron Crow Unit members froze as soon as they heard the name Howling Fiends. It seemed they were quite famous in the world of ronin.
“So? What business does the great Howling Fiends have with us?”
The leader of the Howling Fiends looked at me as if he was trying hard. His gaze, which looked down on me, started to make me feel bad. Should I show my power?
‘…No. Let’s hear what he has to say.’
The leader of the Howling Fiends patted my shoulder with his large hand.
“We have quite a few members, right? Not only that, but we eat a lot too. But the Manmu Tower tells us to spend four days here? Oh dear, we accidentally didn’t bring enough food? We’re going to starve to death? But I’m the leader of the Howling Fiends? As a leader, I can’t just sit still, can I?”
“I understand what you’re saying. I have a solution. You came to the right place.”
“Haha. I’m glad we understand each other. The Howling Fiends and the Iron Crow Unit can be friends.”
“It’s a simple solution. What’s the reason you need food? It’s because of you! Because you’re alive! If you die, you won’t need food anymore! How about that? Isn’t that a perfect solution?”
“……What?”
Crackling.
Lightning sparked in my right fist.
‘A split second.’
Before he could dodge, I swung my fist with all my might. The fist landed squarely on his face. Thwack! His head exploded.
“You bastard!”
“The leader is dead!”
“Kill them!”
In an instant, the surroundings heated up and filled with murderous intent. In this brutal place, Seong Jigone moved the fastest after me. He drew his sword and instantly cut down two Howling Fiend members nearby.
Instead of rushing recklessly at the enemy, Jingu-eon took care of the remaining members.
“Stay together! And hold on as much as you can! Seong Yujin-nim and Seong Jigone-nim will take care of them! We just need to hold on!”
I drew my Fire Lotus Daggers and slashed at the enemies in sight. There was no reason to hesitate. Other ronin watched quietly from a distance, and the soldiers did nothing but watch with their arms crossed, let alone intervene.
Murder was legal in the Manmu Tower, as long as the target was not a soldier of the Manmu Tower.
“They’re running away!”
“That’s enough! What are you doing, you bastards! Chase them and kill them! Let the name of the Iron Crow Unit be known!”
Jingu-eon roared.
Most of the people in this area were ronin. And once a ronin is looked down upon, it’s over. It’s better to have a reputation. That way, people won’t pick fights. Even if it’s a bad reputation.
I chased the fleeing enemies to the end and slaughtered them all. As a bonus, the Howling Fiends’ belongings became ours. There was quite a lot of loot. Although we were a little short on food, we obtained 12 gold coins, martial arts techniques, and herbs.
I shared the herbs with Seong Jigone, and gave the martial arts techniques to the Iron Crow Unit.
“Thank you, Seong Yujin-nim!”
“We will not forget this favor!”
“As expected of Seong Yujin-nim. Your generosity is amazing!”
For the next four days, the Iron Crow Unit would be busy learning new martial arts techniques.
“Yujin, something’s strange here.”
“What is it?”
“I went for a walk around the area, and there’s no water on this fifth floor.”
My eyes widened.
No water.
That was a pretty serious problem. The temperature here was strangely high, and it was very dry. It was okay now, but by tomorrow, a glass of cold water would be desperately desired. And someone had food and water.
‘There’s a reason why they’re keeping us here for four days. It’s not just a pure rest. This is a kind of trial of the Manmu Tower.’
Officially, the fifth floor trial of the Manmu Tower hadn’t even started.
‘The Manmu Tower’s goal is to eliminate more than half of the entrants starting from the fifth floor.’
I looked around. I could feel countless gazes on us. Because of the battle we had earlier, the Iron Crow Unit had become a target of their vigilance.
“Jigone, have Jingu-eon set up a night watch. There will be those who will try to do something stupid. And make sure to secure food… especially drinking water.”
“Okay. I understand. But do we really need to focus on guarding the food? If it’s you….”
I raised my hand. Seong Jigone shut his mouth. It was a secret that I could take out an almost infinite amount of food from my inventory.
‘If the fifth floor trial is what I think it is… it will be a good opportunity for me.’
•••
Time passed.
The commotion never ceased. Those who tried to steal food, those who tried to protect it. Bloodshed was instantaneous. Corpses that weren’t there an hour ago appeared, and in another hour, the number of corpses doubled. Those who gave up on the Manmu Tower and went outside were rather wise. They were the ones who knew their place.
There were also a few who tried to pick a fight with the Iron Crow Unit. I killed them and displayed their heads. The effect was remarkable. Rumors spread that the Iron Crow Unit was strong and ruthless.
And so, four days passed. Baeun, the general who was in charge of the first floor trial, appeared with the soldiers. Everyone held their breath and looked at Baeun.
“Just as I expected.”
Baeun said mockingly.
“……”
The surroundings were silent. But the eyes of those who remained shone brightly.
“The fifth floor trial will begin in one hour. The trial is survival. Surviving for ten days. It is impossible to give up halfway through the fifth floor trial. Those who wish to give up, do so within the next hour.”
