Chapter 252: Sixty-Fifth Floor, Waiting Room

[Support the agent in their espionage mission. Time remaining: 82 hours 26 minutes.]

“So? Sounds fair, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm...”

I trailed off, lost in thought.

Parein remained patient, quietly waiting for my answer.

Two distinct paths lay before me. One benefited Black Butterfly, while the other supported the Beastfolk Alliance.

Who should I choose?

The rewards they offered didn’t matter. Once this trial concluded, I would return to the waiting room, meaning there was a high chance I wouldn’t even receive them.

What truly matters is how this trial unfolds.

I already knew what Black Butterfly wanted, but I hadn’t heard the details of the Beastfolk Alliance’s request. I had already refused to hand the demon over to Langley, and she had assured me the Alliance didn’t want my help for anything inhumane.

So what exactly did a loosely connected, cell-structured organization like the Beastfolk Alliance want from me?

I didn’t get the chance to complete that thought, however, as a notification window appeared, interrupting my brainstorming.

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has reached a branching point. His choice will determine the sixty-fifth floor’s structure.]

The tower wasn’t usually this generous with its explanations. Receiving such a detailed message, especially when it related to what I was considering, was quite the blessing.

Parein was still waiting patiently.

Well, what should I do?

Even as I asked myself the question, I had already settled on an answer.

I had promised Langley not to reveal anything about the Beastfolk Alliance to anyone. Moreover, it was only thanks to Ryun that I had received her help. I had no intention of betraying the beastfolk’s trust or tarnishing Ryun’s reputation because of my actions.

If Black Butterfly discovers the existence of the Beastfolk Alliance...

They could start suspecting ordinary beastfolk of conspiracy. It could lead to unwarranted persecution or worse, bloodshed.

To be honest, even ignoring those reasons, I likely would have chosen Langley anyway—I preferred her over Parein. Also, she had been part of a hidden mission.

Even if Parein had requested me to do something else, my decision would have remained the same.

Having sorted out my thoughts, I finally responded, “I won’t be taking that job.”

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has chosen the Beastfolk Alliance. The structure of the sixty-fifth floor has been determined.]

Glancing briefly at the notification, I continued, “Don’t take it too personally. After facing Redirun, I figured I could use some time to reflect. And I still need to deal with the demon’s corpse.”

Something flickered in his gaze. It was an emotion I couldn’t quite place.

Dissatisfaction? Regret? Disappointment? Perhaps all of them mixed together.

Regardless, he nodded calmly in the end. “Well, I suppose there’s nothing to be done about it. You did defeat a Sheath, so resting for a bit makes sense. I bet you’ve even gained some insight along the way.”

He chuckled before shifting to a more playful tone. “Or maybe Langley really grew on you? Well, I can’t blame you. Cat beastfolk are known for their looks.”

Although I briefly considered that he was trying to glean some information from me, it was more likely that he was just trying to lighten the mood. However, I didn’t find it particularly amusing.

I simply stared at him.

Sensing the atmosphere shift, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Ahem.”

“Let’s go.”

I turned and started walking. Parein followed suit.

After some time, I found myself voicing a thought. “If you’re so determined to track Langley, why not go after her yourself?”

Parein shrugged. “I still have to report back. Chasing a beastfolk isn’t exactly a smart choice. I’d rather not die over it.”

He wasn’t wrong. Langley’s sensory abilities were formidable. It would be difficult for Parein to track her.

Nodding slightly, I let the conversation drop and continued moving forward.

We walked for quite some time, filling the journey with idle chatter. He kept bringing up the demon’s corpse, for instance, asking how I would dispose of the demon’s corpse, which I found annoying. Thankfully, we also chatted about more mundane topics, like how we spent our downtime between missions.

I answered half-heartedly most of the time, my mind occupied by other matters.

Why didn’t the trial end when I took the corpse and determined the next floor? Did I overlook something? Is the Empire still pursuing us?

Expanding my sensory field, I searched for any signs of pursuit. However, aside from the rustling of animals and insects, I detected nothing.

With no clear answer, I simply maintained my vigilance as we pressed on.

Parein led the way as always. Since we were escaping rather than infiltrating, our pace naturally increased.

Then, just as dawn was breaking, Parein finally turned serious. “We’re about to cross the border into Berest.”

Only a couple of steps later, my question was answered.

[Congratulations. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the sixty-fourth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Intelligence. Achievement points will be calculated.]

So that was it. The trial had required me to ensure Parein’s safe passage into Berest territory.

Additional messages continued to appear, but at this point, they no longer mattered to me.

Instead, I turned to Parein. “This is where we part ways.”

He came to a sudden stop, his eyes widening. “What? Already? Why?”

“I’ve safely escorted you back to Berest. That’s enough. Besides, carrying the demon’s corpse right to Black Butterfly’s doorstep doesn’t sit well with me.”

“

Tsk

, I guess there’s no arguing that,” he reluctantly conceded, though his expression suggested he was thrown off by the abrupt farewell.

Time was running out, though. I wasn’t sure how my disappearance looked to others, and I had no intention of showing him something as absurd as vanishing into thin air.

“Take care.

“You too, I—!”

Before he could finish, I spun on my heel and took off. The system was calculating my achievement points, so I would only have a few seconds to run. Picking up speed, I vaulted over several bushes while swiftly leaving Parein’s line of sight.

At that precise moment, the final message appeared.

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok will now enter the waiting room.]

***

[The sixty-fifth floor of the Tower of Ordeal requires all climbers to enter in a party.]

[23 hours 59 seconds until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

This waiting room had a fairly generous rest period, likely because I had spent an extended period on the sixty-fourth floor.

Not that it mattered; I had no intention of using it all.

Even though I had been awake for nearly three days straight, and did feel a bit tired from my fight against Redirun, a soak in the hot springs followed by a short nap would be enough. Then, I would train for a bit before moving straight to the sixty-fifth floor.

Since the sixty-sixth to sixty-ninth floors had already collapsed, I didn’t feel especially stressed about the next one.

The floor after next will be a rest area anyway. I will have to wait for the other climbers to catch up.

Rather than forcing myself into rushed training sessions, it would be far more effective to clear the sixty-fifth floor quickly. That way, I could construct a proper routine and focus on my training while waiting for the other climbers to catch up.

Doppy, who had been seated with a book in hand, turned to look at me. “Su-Yeok, you’re back!”

Thinking he would get bored when he was left in the waiting room from time to time, I had bought him a few books from the shop. Seeing him actually reading them was a relief.

At the same time, Yoonie, who had been coiled up and napping nearby, shot into the air. “Su-Hyeok! Did you return safely?”

I waved lightly. “Yeah, are you both doing well?”

Doppy nodded enthusiastically. “I trained hard and read a lot too!”

His eager expression brought a small smile to my face. “Good job. I’m going to go wash up right now.”

I had gone nearly three days without sleep or a proper wash. Though I wasn’t unbearably exhausted, the grimy feeling was especially uncomfortable.

It is the worst in my mouth. Bleh.

Although I had used mouthwash—purchased from the shop—to rinse my mouth a few times during the previous floor, it couldn’t compare to a proper teeth brushing.

“Go ahead!” Doppy half-closed his book and looked at me expectantly. “Should I start getting ready for training?

Hmm. What should I do?

I had originally planned to sleep immediately after washing up, but switching the order wouldn’t be a bad idea, especially since I had just fought Redirun. I had fresh insights to apply to my techniques, and this could be a good lesson for Doppy as well.

I shook my head slightly. “Not now. I still need to soak in the springs, so read a bit more and get ready when I’m about to head in.”

“Got it.”

“Alright!”

Stretching my arms, I shook off the mild fatigue and headed toward the bathroom.

Ever since taking Angelina’s advice, one thing had become noticeably easier: changing clothes. Without as much equipment, I could simply shrug off my robe, belt, and climbing gear without much effort.

Just as I was about to enter the bathroom, a message from Ha Hee-Jeong arrived.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): Took you a while. Was it rough?

The number next to her name caught my eye.

Seventieth floor.

So she had already cleared the sixty-fifth floor while I was on the sixty-fourth.

I had somewhat expected that. The previous floor had taken me about three days, which meant her waiting room cooldown had likely ended long ago. With how efficient she was at clearing floors, it would have been more surprising if she hadn’t reached the seventieth floor.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixty-fifth Floor): Nah, it wasn’t too bad. But hey, want to hear something interesting?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): Something interesting? What is it?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixty-fifth Floor): I ended up there again. The place from the forty-second floor, the Ant Nest.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): The one where the demon’s egg appeared? Then that means you were on the world that contained the hellish sixtieth-floor levels.

As expected, she immediately pieced together what I had been hinting toward, despite how much had occurred since it had happened. She had a sharp memory, but I hadn’t expected such a quick response.

Although, on second thought, the simultaneous collapse of four floors was a fairly significant event.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixty-fifth Floor): Huh, you actually remembered?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): Of course. I remember all the trials you’ve cleared on your way up.

That was strangely embarrassing. I found myself at a loss for how to respond. Before I could think of something, she sent another message.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): So your individual floor was connected to the all-climber floor again. That’s kind of a shame. If you hadn’t destroyed the egg back on the forty-second floor, maybe there would’ve been a different hidden mission this time.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixty-fifth Floor): You think so? Eh, but I got a massive reward for that, didn’t we?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): True, no point worrying about what’s already done. Besides, we saved a lot of climbers.

I had been about to start washing up, but I didn’t want to cut the conversation short just yet. As I responded affirmatively to her last comment, I turned on the hot water. A glorious feeling of warmth cascaded over my head before streaming down my face and shoulders.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): But seriously, what kind of trial was it this time?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixty-fifth Floor): Intelligence.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): Intelligence? Like a test of how smart you are, or CIA and FBI secret agent stuff?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixty-fifth Floor): Yep, the second. It was somewhat medieval, but still, pretty cool, right? My code name was “Nameless.”

To be honest, calling it a spy mission was a bit of a stretch. Sure, we had used tunnels to sneak around, but in the end, I had just fought my way through everything.

Still, I wanted to brag a little. We had watched spy movies together before, so I figured she would appreciate it.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventieth Floor): So what? You probably just smashed your way through everything again? That’s not espionage. That’s thuggery.

What the hell? Did she read my mind? How did she know?!