Chapter 140: Thirty-Seventh Floor, Unfair Negotiations

[Use any means necessary to stop the conflict between the elves and humans before the thirty-ninth floor ends. There is no time limit.]

Activating Two-Way Portal, a shimmer of golden light manifested into existence in front of me. As the portal continued to grow to its full size, I charged through the gap, not wasting a moment since time was of the essence.

The world around me spun briefly as my perspective flipped. I rolled as I hit the floor, then immediately pushed myself upright.

With Flash Strike still active, I noticed the collected lords’ eyes widen in shock, their disbelief palpable. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Ha Hee-Jeong seated calmly at the table, her lips curving into a faint smile. Glancing to the side, I spotted masters entering through the half-open door.

Good. I have enough time to act.

Accelerating, I bolted forward and leaped onto the table. Deactivating Flash Strike, I wreathed myself in lightning before sending it outward. The blazing bolts of electricity danced in the air, flickering dangerously in front of the assorted lords.

“Stop! If anyone comes closer, I will kill them all!"

The masters, who had just rushed in through the doorway, halted in their tracks. Climbers simultaneously poured through the portal, their sudden arrival throwing the room into further chaos. The defensive guards’ weapons pointed aimlessly, their gazes darting about in confusion.

Fearing that the masters would attack the climbers, I issued another warning, “Don’t move!"

Their brief hesitation gave the climbers just enough time to position themselves.

Just like we had planned, trios of climbers stood behind the lords, securing them with practiced efficiency—proof that our earlier training had paid off.

Yes! The plan is working.

Amid the tense silence, Ha Hee-Jeong spoke in a deadpan tone, “Oh my, what a surprise.”

Her statement almost broke my facade of seriousness, and I had to work hard not to laugh. Behind Ha Hee-Jeong, three climbers stared at me, waiting for instructions. Keeping my gaze fixed on the masters, I subtly shifted my head.

“Leave Hee-Jeong alone.”

The climbers nodded and repositioned themselves, aiming their weapons at the masters instead. Even so, the masters continued staring unwaveringly at me.

“Close the door and get out.”

They hesitated, opening their mouths warily as if to respond, but closed them wordlessly instead. Unsure, their eyes darted toward their respective lords, silently seeking permission.

I wasn’t about to give them more time to think. There was no telling what they would attempt the longer I waited.

“If you want to watch your lords die, go ahead and stay or attack me. It’s your choice."

To emphasize my point, I let the lightning crackle even louder, its intensity visibly increasing.

“Unless you think you’re faster than lightning.”

The masters hesitated further, their hands gripping their weapons tightly. Finally, one of them spoke. He had a scar that ran horizontally across his face and was undoubtedly the master I had encountered during my previous infiltration.

“You... you’re that rat from last time."

“Does it matter? If you want your lord to live, you’d better leave now.”

“And what assurance do we have that you won’t kill them once we’re gone?"

Of course, I planned to let them live.

“I have no intention of harming them.” I gestured toward Delina. “Do you see that elf over there? That’s the leader of the elves. My purpose here is to establish peace."

“We’re supposed to take you at your word?"

Why do they insist on pestering me with these pointless questions?

I felt my patience wearing thin. My gaze swept the room, quickly landing on the king, the lord of Delrayle. Seated on an ostentatiously lavish throne, his position as ruler was blatantly obvious.

“If you doubt me, then your king dies.”

To emphasize my point, I swung my axe and brought it down just above the king’s head, halting inches from his scalp. The blade hovered menacingly, barely leaving just enough space for a clenched fist.

The king let out a panicked cry, “

Eek!

Borun! Leave! All of you, get out immediately!"

“You heard him. Close the door on your way out.”

Borun ground his teeth audibly, his frustration palpable. After a brief pause, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, jaw clenched. The other masters followed suit.

Slam!

The sound of the door shutting was deafening.

Such arrogance, even in the presence of their own king.

As I silently fumed, one of the lords mustered enough courage to ask, “Wh-what... what do you want from us?"

“I’ve already told you.”

I answered as I dissipated the crackling lightning. With the distractions gone, I turned my attention back to the lords, scanning their faces deliberately before pointing toward Delina.

“Today, we’re signing a peace treaty."

***

“Sign it.”

“I... I can’t! The will of all elves—"

“Do you want to die?"

It seemed that even a single day of leniency had caused Delina to relax too much. When I slammed my dagger against the table, she turned to me, looking completely betrayed.

I couldn’t comprehend her reaction—I had abducted her and held her against her will.

Why is she looking at me like this? It is just because I showed a sliver of kindness?

Despite my resolve, something in Delina’s luminous, tearful gaze struck a nerve. Her reaction stirred a pang of guilt.

No. These are the same beings who feast on human flesh and seek to drive an entire species to extinction. They don’t deserve pity.

Steeling myself, I tapped the tip of the dagger against the table. Its rhythmic clicks underscored my authority and determination.

After we locked stares, Delina’s defiance crumbled. Her expression twisted defeatedly as she finally signed the treaty.

“Now, read it aloud for the lords.”

“Th-that’s..."

“Read it.”

Tears welled up in Delina’s eyes, but I remained unmoved. A subtle nod of my head directed her to proceed.

Resigned, Delina turned to the treaty, beginning to read it shakingly. “H-humans are not to harm nature... Nature is just nature. It does not exist above intelligent beings."

“The rest," I prompted, my gaze steady.

“W-we elves will no longer consume human flesh or engage in acts of terrorism, nor will we leave the boundaries of the Reveron Mountains."

“And?"

“Any elf who violates this agreement will be punished by the elven council. We will establish regular trade with humans, and if the leader of the elven council dies, their successor will take their stead as guarantor of this treaty. This treaty is es-established in the name of the D-Drifting Sky Sea."

“The final clause. Say it again, properly."

“This treaty is established in the name of the Drifting Sky Sea.”

“Good. You can rest now.”

At my words, Delina collapsed limply into her chair, drained of energy. Her vacant gaze was fixed on an undefined point, although her thoughts were a mystery I had no desire to unravel.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

For now, I turned my attention to the lords.

“Have all of you signed it?"

“Not yet..."

“Then get on with it. Who hasn’t signed it?"

The lords exchanged uneasy glances before settling their gazes on an elderly individual.

The old man briefly met my eyes, glaring, but quickly lowered his gaze when I raised my dagger again. His hands trembled as he scrawled his name on the treaty, the quill shaking with every stroke.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Ha Hee-Jeong sitting with her legs crossed, lazily drumming her fingers on the table. It was clear that she was bored.

I hope she doesn’t get penalized for doing nothing.

That seemed unlikely. With the lords’ lives on the line, her inaction was understandable. Plus, there was nothing she could do.

Once the signing was complete, I addressed the king again, “All right, lord of Delrayle, read it aloud."

Clearing his throat, the king began to recite, “

Ahem!

Humans shall not hunt sky whales. The Reveron Mountains are recognized as elven territory and will not be developed or encroached upon. If the king dies, their successor will renegotiate this treaty."

“The final clause.”

“Violators of these terms will be punished to the fullest extent in the name of the Endless Furnace, who oversees this agreement.

Unlike Delina, the king read the treaty with confidence.

The terms of the treaty undeniably favored humanity, especially when compared to the steep concessions imposed on the elves.

In truth, calling it "favorable" felt like an understatement as the agreement granted humans the right to develop the majority of the planet. All they had to do was refrain from hunting sky whales or developing the Reveron Mountains.

Meanwhile, the elves’ guerrilla forces—once a persistent thorn in humanity’s side—would be dismantled, and the land available for development expanded significantly.

Sure, the western cities will probably grumble, but...

There was no way to account for every parcel of land ruined by the elves’ attacks. In the end, everything was resolved.

This trial, which had begun and ended with targeted attacks, concluded with an improbable victory for the neutral faction.

A sense of accomplishment rushed over me, though much of the credit for my success belonged to Ha Hee-Jeong. The strategy I had devised largely relied on information she had shared in the waiting room. I would have to thank her properly later.

Just then, I remembered there was still one final matter to handle before the floor officially concluded.

Turning to the king, I nonchalantly asked, “Oh, one more thing. I have a request."

“A-a request, you say?"

“Let me take a few combat airships."

***

[Attention. The neutral faction has successfully halted the war between the elves and humans.]

[Congratulations. As of this moment, the thirty-fifth to thirty-ninth floors have been officially concluded.]

[All climbers in the neutral faction have been awarded additional achievement points. Furthermore, extra rewards will be distributed in the waiting room based on individual contributions. Achievement points will be calculated.]

***

...

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has completed the hidden mission ‘Mediation.’ Through abduction and coercion, he has achieved a near-impossible feat. All stats increased by 3.」

「Invisible message: As compensation for providing a suitable world to the Tower of Ordeal, the fourth-class gods ‘Drifting Sky Sea' and 'Endless Furnace' have been granted a fixed reward of ■■■.」

***

[12 hours 43 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

As I stepped out of the shower, I let out a hum of satisfaction; the tower had awarded me over 45,000 achievement points. Plus, that wasn’t even factoring in the additional rewards neutral climbers had been promised.

Curious about when the additional rewards would arrive—and if anyone had already received theirs—I opened the Community.

[Did Kwon Su-Hyeok do this?]

[Su-Hyeok, it’s you again! Give me back my bonus!]

[According to the neutral climbers, he threatened the leaders from both sides. How the fuck did he pull that off?]

[I really thought Su-Hyeok would choose the human faction...]

[The neutral faction lucked out lol. I did nothing and still got 27,000 points. ]

[Are you kidding me? 27,000? I only got 600 points! ]

[Ryoken, you bastard. Why did you kill Ellen? If we meet on the next floor, I’ll kill you.]

[Looks like they pooled all the rewards from the losing factions.]

[I only got 730 points during the last set of trials... Am I doomed on the next personal challenge floor?]

[Why would anyone choose the elven faction? Are they insane? They are human eaters for fucks sake!]

[Killing humans is another level of disturbing. This is exhausting...]

As always, the Community was a chaotic mess. The details of the negotiation incident had already spread, likely thanks to the climbers who had been with me.

I did feel a twinge of guilt toward those who had chosen the human faction. I could have unintentionally influenced them to harbor hostility toward the elves, causing more people to side with humanity.

Of course, it hadn’t been my intention, but what was done was done.

Just then, a message from Ha Hee-Jeong arrived.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fortieth Floor): The extra rewards haven’t arrived yet, right?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fortieth Floor): Nope, looks like it’s taking a bit of time.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fortieth Floor): Okay. Let me know when you get them. Oh, and since the floor’s over, tell me exactly what happened.

At her request, I recounted everything, from the small details to the big moments. Although we had crossed paths a few times, she didn’t have the full picture.

I excitedly shared how I had hidden inside the mouth of a sky whale to kidnap the council leader, how the neutral climbers had joined forces, and more.

Midway through my explanation, Ha Hee-Jeong interrupted.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fortieth Floor): Cecilia? You’ve mentioned her a lot. What do you think of her? Is she a decent person?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fortieth Floor): Yeah, she’s pretty solid. She’s got good judgment. Her ranking’s mid-tier, but still...

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fortieth Floor): Just so you know, don’t get any ideas about her. She ends up marrying another climber later on.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fortieth Floor): What? I wasn’t interested in the first place. Wait, you know her?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fortieth Floor): Yeah. Listening to your story, I remembered. She was the first person to get married in the tower. They held their wedding at the fiftieth-floor rest area, but I think she died before reaching the seventieth floor.

It wasn’t exactly uplifting news. Still, the future could be changed. I would do my best to ensure what had happened before wouldn’t repeat itself.

Ding!

A notification window appeared before me.

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has earned first place among the neutral faction. As an additional reward, he has been granted a Lie Detector.]

As the message ended, a purple cube resembling a dice materialized on the table in front of me.

Honestly, I was a bit dumbfounded. I had single-handedly secured victory for the neutral faction, and my reward was... a lie detector? It seemed useful, but also left me questioning whether this "reward" really matched my contributions.

As I approached it, another message popped up.

[Lie Detector]

- Allows the wielder to distinguish between truth and lies, regardless of the speaker.

- Charges: 10.

What the fuck? It doesn’t have unlimited uses, just ten? This is my reward? What am I even supposed to do with it?

The more I thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.

I quickly sent a message to Ha Hee-Jeong.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fortieth Floor): Hey, Hee-Jeong. I just got a lie detector as my reward. It’s only got a ten-use limit. What the hell is this?