Chapter 180

[The God of Light announces it was him!]

…

… is it over?

I wasn’t sure so I decided to wait a moment .

…

Hmm…

Seems to be over .

The messages announcing that the Aura Mastery skill was gifted by the God of Light himself finally stopped .

The continuous messages ongoing for several minutes indirectly showed the God of Light’s personality .

It wasn’t a loveable personality .

Since the slathering of messages finally stopped, I continued with my thoughts .

The 31st floor stage was cleared .

I’ve gathered 1,000 tokens, and by making it through the preliminaries, I’ve completed the clear conditions .

But I haven’t seen the so-called strongest Demon King anywhere .

It was unsatisfying to just take the portal like this .

“Abubu . ”

[It’s Aubutz . Hero . ]

“Can you go wake the demons dying over there so I can ask them some questions?”

Aubutz screamed happily and flew toward the demons .

Holysword… no, the cursed sword Aubutz likes to dominate and keep the enemies alive .

He hasn’t clarified, but it’s probably because he wants the warm living blood .

Blood goes cold once they’re dead .

So he lets the enemies slowly die spewing blood .

If possible, I intended to fix that bad taste as soon as I got the chance, but for now, it was rather helpful .

None of the demons I’ve dealt with were alive .

I walked over to the holy sword who was applying healing magic to the dying demons and waking the knocked-out demons with various magics .

I could hear the grief-stricken cries with each step I made .

[Hero! It’s all set . Ask whatever you want!]

I pointed out it was an excessively done set up and proceeded to question the demons .

“So, if you collect a thousand tokens, you automatically get summoned to the 2nd preliminary area?”

“Yes, Yes . It is so . ”

The demon answering my questions was fortunately the same demon that brought me here through gate magic .

It was quite a different attitude from his otherwise pompous image he’s been showing, but I couldn’t embarrass him by pointing that out .

Who could keep their calm, when there was a cursed sword piercing their left shoulder and humming along to the beat of their heart .

I carefully took out the crazy cursed sword from the demon’s shoulder .

[Uahuahhhk . Hero! It was perfect! It was a perfect moment! The moments when his heartbeat slowed little by little . ]

I casually tossed the crazy sword spewing insanity into the inventory .

From the demon’s explanation, you have to pass through multiple gates to challenge the Demon King .

And to go onto the next stage, you must follow the summoning circle that appears after you collect the tokens .

Obviously, there wasn’t a summoning circle in front of my eyes that would lead me to the next stage .

It seemed like this stage was over here .

I ignored the demon running away that ran as soon as I took my gaze away, and stepped atop the portal .

I got out of the space covered in black and red colorways and also actually slathered in demon blood, into the bright green field .

The field was green like always, and the bunny was active as always .

“Hi! Been a while! It’s been a while!”

“Yeah, it’s been a while . ”

“Then cake for commemoration!”

The last bit came naturally as though it were a greeting .

But the expression on KiriKiri’s face who said it wasn’t natural .

The pursed lips tremored, and the tip of her nose wrinkled busily .

The eyes twinkled with abnormal desire, and I could hear the vigorous sound of nose breathing .

I was certainly later than normal because I had to pass through the residence area of the 30th floor .

Even so, it hadn’t been more than a few days, but KiriKiri probably intended to use it as a reason to greet with a long time no see .

To respond to her rather simple quick-wits, I bought a cake .

“So, the next floor is the 2nd preliminary?”

“Yup . ”

I left KiriKiri alone, who was completely absorbed in the cake, and thought to myself .

The second area of Demon King candidate gathering was the 32nd floor .

Then it means I’ll eventually be able to challenge the Demon King .

If I made it positive it would be so .

If I think about it negatively .

“It might be too easy . If I make it higher, there won’t be another like Olphon right?”

“Nope . ”

It was so .

First of all, there was no reason to meet Olphon on the 31st floor and take care of him .

It’s much easier to massacre demons on the outskirts and gather 1,000 tokens that way .

In addition, if you get called before Olphon, you could gain his acknowledgement and go onto the next area .

Olphon said there were demons like that himself .

To clear the 31st floor, do not be noticed by Olphon’s underlings as much as possible .

And once discovered, avoid being summoned .

And once summoned, accept his acknowledgement .

This would be enough for the strategy to clear the 31st floor .

I took out a notepad from the space pocket and wrote it down .

I need to show this to Lee Hyungjin later .

Lee Hyungjin has been recently progressing through the latter half of the 9th floor .

The reports he sent me and the speed by which he was progressing through the level was enough to make me yawn, but I placed significance on him reaching the end of the 9th floor without dying .

Once he clears the 11th floor, it’ll be a continuous stream of solo stages .

The stages afterwards would be a breeze to pass through .

“KiriKiri . ”

I called KiriKiri who had finished the cake and was proceeding to like the plate .

“Hmm? Yeah!”

From seeing the expression on KiriKiri’s face who reacted to my voice and was peering from the side of the plate, it seems as though she expected me to buy her another cake .

Sorry, but I just had something I needed to ask .

“Uhh… that . ”

“Yeah, Serezia . ”

KiriKiri can read my mind and watch over my performance on the stages .

So, I don’t need to go on and on with explaining my frustration and questions .

“The Holy sword’s words are correct . ”

“So how does it end?”

‘Probably becomes a sword . A sword with a clear volition . ’

‘Shouldn’t you see Serezia as an ego sword right now too?’

KiriKiri whipped her head side to side and explained .

“No, that’s not what ego swords are . And not all swords with will are ego swords . ”

“Then?”

KiriKiri put down her plate .

From her rolling her eyes and biding her time, it looked as though she was organizing her thoughts .

She probably knows I’m seriously contemplating this issue .

When this happens, KiriKiri makes sure I can understand by choosing her way of speaking and words carefully and organizes her thoughts once before she explains .

I’m greatful for the consideration .

“Houuujaee probably doesn’t know from just using normal swords, but there are notable swords with will every now and then . ”

“Different from ego swords?”

“Yup . Not like talking and using magic through intellect . Just nesting a willpower into the sword . And the will of the sword synchronizes with the owner and shows its effects that way . ”

“What kind of effect?”

“Thaaat… isn’t something that’s set in stone . It’s something swordsman can infer from using the swords themselves .

Now it was apparent that KiriKiri wasn’t being careful, but just didn’t know much about the subject .

You can infer from using swords…

“The soul inside the soul sword matches your propensity, possessed the sword while you used it a lot, and are friendly with it, so the effects will probably be positive . What, how, and how much is something that I don’t know . ”

Upon hearing KiriKiri’s words, a new question came up .

“So, is that why you suggested the soul sword back then?”

KiriKiri had suggest that I buy the soul sword when I’ve harvested Serezia’s sould and came into the field .

Did she suggest it because once Serezia’s soul possessed the soul sword, her soul would be helpful and have a high rate of synchrony .

That’s what I thought .

KiriKiri shook her head .

“Nope . ”

“Really?”

“Yup . I know things that happen and will happen, but I don’t know much about things that uncertain of happening .

“That’s how it is huh . ”

I thought a moment about KiriKiri’s words .

Even though fragmented, being able to predict the future is probably the various information associated with the Tutorial .

For example, what will appear in the next floor .

She said she isn’t able to predict the future of uncertain quality .

The variable of Serezia and the variable of me tied together into a soul sword can’t be predicted .

Would that apply only to KiriKiri, or every…

“It’s the same for every administrating God . ”

“…Yeah?”

“Gods with power related to prescience can only see fragments of the clues to the future . Although I don’t know if the God of Slow can peek into it . ”

Gods too cannot decide the future .

It was precious information .

What is means is, it’s expensive information .

“Is that something you can tell me?”

“Yup . ”

“Explain it . ”

“From the position of someone following someone else’s arrangement . What would it be like if the one that made the arrangement decided the future already . ”

It was the same question that popped into my head a moment ago .

“It would be despairing . It wouldn’t be a positive effect to Houuujaeee, and that’s why I’m giving you advice in advance . That it’s not so . ”

I was greatful for those words .

“Too add to it, you don’t need any tips until the 35th floor, so you have room in the information department . ”

KiriKiri softly closed her eyes and held her chin high upon finishing her words .

She was being proud with a smile on her lips .

When KiriKiri herself felt that she did a good job, she always seems to be self-satisfied and proud .

Well, it was good advice, and it was good consideration on the information price .

It was something to be proud of .

“Thanks, KiriKiri . ”

KiriKiri didn’t show it but was really happy .

And became a step more arrogant .

Both her nose and shoulders went up about 5 centimeters .

KiriKiri’s heavy nose breathing reached my face .

Like the breeze from a fan, it was enough to flip my hair back .

Finding KiriKiri amusing, I laughed by myself for quite a while .

[Welcome to the 32nd stage . ]

[the 31st floor stage beings . ]

Explanation: You have entered the demon realm ?? ??? . The ?? ??? has been known for producing strong Demon King through a special tradition of placing all demons in this area into once space every hundred years, and only the victor may challenge the Demon King .

The current Demon King of ?? ??? region has been ruling for four hundred years and is evaluated as the strongest in this ?? ??? region .

By winning the contest, prove that you are the strongest challenger in the ?? ??? region .

Lastly, prove that you are the strongest demon in the ?? ??? region by defeating the ruler of ?? ??? region .

[Clear Criteria]

Make it through the ??? ?? region’s 2nd preliminaries .

From the information I heard from KiriKiri, the 32nd floor’s theme is no different from the 31st floor .

It will be run the same way .

Just the number of tokens I have to collect has changed .

The number of tokens I have to clear is now in total ten thousand .

The number is absurdly high, but the demons that have made it through the 1st round and have reached the 2nd round all have over a thousand tokens each .

If you think about it, it makes it easier .

While the method was similar, the 32nd stage was constructed different than the 31st floor .

Unlike the 31st floor consisting of small rooms and connected pathways, the 32nd floor was one enormous connected area .

It seems to have been unified into one space because the number of demons in the 2nd round was small .

And the demons driven into the space were making a very desirable atmosphere .

Even though I appeared, none of the demons were paying any attention to me .

It wasn’t indifference .

They were just too busy .

Their bodies weren’t busy .

Having killed a thousand demons and entering the 2nd round with their thousand tokens gathered, the demons were busy checking each other with an air of hostility .

It felt good .

This was exactly what I wanted .

It was easy to notice .

There’s no group here .

The hundreds of demons here are all enemies to each other .

What I couldn’t feel from Olphon who had a massive amount of mana, I could feel it in each of the demons here .

Tenison, spirit, intent to kill, fear, apprehension, excitement, delight .

The violent emotions shook, and they hid their evils schemes behind the emotions .

They monitored each other and were preparing for a brawl that has yet to happen .

The demons’ standoff was maintaining an exquisite equilibrium .

How did this come to be .

How long as this been going on for .

Maybe I was summoned right after a vigorous brawl, and everyone was taking a breather .

Everyone was fired up, but nobody was moving .

Everyone knew .

In the situation of hundreds of demons keeping an eye on each other, whoever makes the first move is prime target .

So, they’re waiting for their chance .

For someone to make a move .

For this standoff to break .

While sharpening their intent .

I was summoned into an amusing situation .

The only one that can move in this situation is me . Only me .

Slowly and carefree I moved my feet .

Into the middle of the space .

Every time I took step, the demons jittered .

The demon in their sights were hidden from view by my movements .

The demons debated whether to move on the blindsight I created, or to wait until the blind spot I created disappeared .

The mana that were competing for control of the space were shaking because of my movements .

It wasn’t just disturbing sight and mana .

The small speculation weakens concentration .

And the gap created like that, appears to be a giant hole to the enemies confronting each other with spirits raised .

Large enough to easily take the opponent’s life .

“Kuaaahk!”

“Kyak!”

“W,Wait! Kuk…”

“Kek . Phuaa… this can’t be . Because of one crazy newbie . Ugk…”

“Kyaaa!”

Every step lead to the shattering of paused confrontation, and battles began .

Several demons died off .

It was a good feeling .

It felt as though I had become an eye of the storm .

I had soon reached the middle of the area .

I stood there for a moment .

The area was quiet again .

The demons showing openings have become consumed, and the demons who showed an opening by consuming those demons were consumed as well .

The only demons that were left were those not shaken by my movements and kept an eye on their surroundings .

And me .

I had no intention of keeping this standoff .

Rather, I wanted to splendidly shatter it .

I took out the space pocket from the inventory .

The tens of millions of tokens gathered from killing Olphon and his underlings .

I tired of collecting them and casually shoved them into the space pocket .

Standing on the middle of the area, I flipped the space pocket in my hands .

The red-black tokens started to fall onto the ground .

The tokens on the ground soon surpassed tens, hundreds, thousands, and reached ten thousands .

And even so, the tokens kept on pouring out .

What is the goal of the demons here .

To gather ten thousand tokens and make it to the next area .

The mounds of tokens falling to my feet like a waterfall gripped their eyes and heats for a moment .

The ambition brought about by the agitation created giant holes uncompilable to before .

The stance of demons was shaken for a moment, and the demons all aimed for each other’s openings .

The simultaneous battle made more openings, and more battles .

The cries and screams of demons could be heard from every which way .

Greed and fear .

The most desperate emotions collided and as a by-product blood and death trickled down .

From the midst of the extremely satisfying situation, I quietly smiled .

[Hero, Hero . Me too! Me too! Let me in!]

Like a child jumping up and down begging for candy, the holy sword whined .

Pulling out the holy sword from my waist, I ran into the raving waves of battle .

[You have cleared the 32nd floor . ]