Chapter 276: Seventy-Third Floor, Waiting Room

[19 minutes 57 seconds until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

What? Her sponsor?

The moment I read Ha Hee-Jeong’s message, my mind came to a standstill, as if my brain had simply shut down. Time rewound for a moment as I tried to clear the cobwebs hanging out in my memory.

Ohhhhh. That is right. I remember now.

Only then did I truly realize who Master of the Five Wheels was.

“My sponsor? It’s Master of the Five Wheels.”

“Oh, that sounds pretty legit.”

At the first rest area, everyone in our party had discussed our respective sponsor deities, and of course, their names had come up.

Later, in a private conversation, Ha Hee-Jeong told me that she had regressed thanks to her sponsor. She didn’t know why her god had sent her back, but still, that was the reason.

Since she had never mentioned her sponsor’s name again after that, it had completely slipped my mind.

Seriously, though, how did I forget something like that?

In that moment, I finally understood what Master of the Five Wheels had meant when she had said it had been a long time. She remembered me because she was the one who had turned back time for Ha Hee-Jeong.

It felt a little surreal.

All the gods I had met so far had acted like they were unaware of Ha Hee-Jeong’s regression, even when she and I had discussed it outright.

I had talked to Hee-Jeong about that once. We figured it was because Master of the Five Carriage Wheels had used the tower’s system of climber shares, and other gods didn’t retain memories because they weren’t connected to it.

It had only been a theory, but seeing that the goddess remembered me, it felt like we were on to something.

While I sat there, lost in thought and not replying, another message came through.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Hello? You good?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Yeah, sorry. I was just recalling some things. Now I remember that we talked about it way back, during the first rest area.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Wow. I know I only mentioned it once, but how could you forget your friend’s sponsor?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Yeah, fair enough.

I could sense a tinge of disappointment in her tone, but thankfully, she didn’t press the issue.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Ugh. No wonder I haven’t been getting any sponsorships this time around. It felt weird compared to my previous life.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Didn’t you say it was probably because you regressed?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): That was my best guess. I mean, she was demoted to a fifth-class god. But still... back then, my sponsor helped out with even the smallest things. I couldn’t help feeling like something was off.

She had mentioned that before as well. To the others, she had said her sponsor was first-class, but later confided in me that after the regression, the goddess had somehow been downgraded to fifth-class.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Since you didn’t say anything, I figured there was nothing wrong.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): I just assumed she was too weak to help. I didn’t think that she would be sealed away like Fenrike or Paraktus.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): So, do you think you’ll start receiving support again?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Who knows. We’ve already climbed fairly high, and she was only just freed. No idea if she’s in any condition to help. Remember how Doppy couldn’t even connect with Fenrike at first?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Yeah, that’s true.

Even now, Doppy only managed to link up with Fenrike on occasion—and very inconsistently.

I had always assumed it was because Fenrike didn’t hold dominion over a planet. Maybe since Master of the Five Carriage Wheels had nearly reclaimed an entire planet, she would regain her power soon.

She had already made Tunyak into an apostle.

Still, as Ha Hee-Jeong had pointed out, the odds of active support returning any time soon were probably slim.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Either way, thanks for saving her.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): I mean, I did it for my own sake, too.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Still. So with both Endless Furnace and my sponsor showing up, what exactly happened on the seventy-first and seventy-second floors?

I explained it as clearly as I could—concise, but leaving nothing out. Any time she had a question, I gave her as full an answer as possible.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Hmm. If he said something like that at the end, then yeah, the seventy-third floor has gotta be connected. Also, it makes sense since the next floor will be an individual challenge.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): That’s what I thought, too.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Plus, like you said, the long travel time could be why you got pulled back to the waiting room. Or maybe she’s preparing for war with the pioneers, to push Endless Furnace out.

Her theory lined up perfectly with mine. Now that we had cleared all that up, there was something I had been meaning to ask.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): So, did anything like this happen in your previous life? A god appearing more than once?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Not that I remember. Unless the floors were practically adjacent, I don’t think I ever saw the same god twice. And I’ve never heard of the world you were in either.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Hmm. Do you think it means something, or is it just a weird one-off?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Honestly? I think it’s good news for you. You found a hidden mission and nearly finished it. Even if there is something going on, it’s not like you can’t handle it.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Can’t argue with that.

She was right. Just because a god had reappeared didn’t necessarily change anything.

Truth be told, I had asked not because I was worried, but just because I wanted to know if something similar had happened in her previous life. Maybe I had missed a hidden thread.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Still. That freaking Endless Furnace...

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): What now?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Back on the twentieth floor, they didn’t seem to care about anything. I figured they were just a chill, neutral god. But they tried to steal my sponsor’s planet while she was sealed away? Scumbag.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Right? I didn’t see that coming, either.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Trash. Crush them when you hit the seventy-third floor.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): 😂 Got it. How did your floor go?

We kept talking after that, chatting about her party’s last couple of floors and some of the lighter things that had happened along the way.

At some point, Doppy came out of the bathroom and collapsed onto the bed.

I hadn’t washed in days and felt absolutely grimy, but I didn’t want to cut the conversation short. Maybe it was because it had been a while since we had last talked.

Eventually, our chat wound down with a final message from Hee-Jeong.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-fourth Floor): Whoa, has it already been an hour? We really got carried away. I bet you feel gross after all that time in the wasteland. Sorry! Go shower!

I had enjoyed the conversation, so I didn’t mind. Truthfully, though, it really was time to clean up.

Rising from my seat, I typed out one last reply.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-third Floor): Yeah, I’ll go wash up. You get some rest in the meantime.

***

[13 minutes 23 seconds until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

After finishing my shower and getting in a brief, but restful, sleep, I lay back on the bed and let myself unwind. It was a short time I had carved out to take a break before eating and heading into training.

Still, I wasn’t just lying there absentmindedly. My thoughts naturally gravitated toward the tower. Specifically, the seventy-third floor lingered in my mind. It wasn’t because of anxiety, however, but unanswered questions.

Right before I had opened the door in the temple, my strength had surged undeniably and overwhelmingly. Even without checking, I could tell the Savior skill had leveled up. Judging by how significant the increase felt, it had probably leveled up at least twice.

Not that I had any intention of checking the status window.

The status window is an illusion.

It was something I had come to understand more clearly after training with Angelina.

Now, my sense of progress felt better when I wasn’t fixated on the numbers. Maybe that was partially because I wasn’t relying on skills, like Angelina had suggested.

Personally, it felt like I had escaped the mental trap of treating everything mathematically, like a 3-point increase to Strength meant I was exactly that much stronger. In reality, my physical capabilities had been improving steadily, even with utilizing skills like Flash Strike.

I was curious what the skill would feel like in this state, but I decided to save it for later. It was a little treat to look forward to.

Hmm.

My thoughts had veered off track again, so I returned to contemplating the upcoming floor.

Strength-wise, I was more than ready. I had absorbed Paraktus’s necklace, too.

If one of Endless Furnace’s apostles were to appear in person, it could maybe get tricky. Thankfully, I had Doppy and Tunyak on my side. With their buffs and a bit of improvisation, we would manage.

I am more curious about where and when I will be summoned, and what kind of trial it will be.

Ha Hee-Jeong had talked about the possibility of a large-scale war, but I had my doubts. The natives wouldn’t be able to cross the wasteland in large numbers.

My reasoning was simple: the pioneers would see them as enemies.

Of course, it wouldn’t be out of any sense of religious devotion. Judging by how Tunyak and the others had reacted, most pioneers didn’t even know who Endless Furnace was.

Honestly, I felt confident that ninety-nine percent of them had never even heard the name. If Endless Furnace had intended to reveal themself openly, they would have done so long ago.

My guess was that Ha Hee-Jeong’s god had originally been first-class, and the version of Endless Furnace that appeared on the thirty-something floors during had been lower-ranked than the current one. That would have made them hesitant to act too boldly.

I can’t be certain, but considering how brazen other gods have been while fighting over worlds, it seems probable.

Most likely, Endless Furnace’s believers were operating in secret, hiding in small groups to avoid drawing attention from both the natives and the pioneers.

They had tried to corrupt the divine beast in order to locate the temple, after all. It wouldn’t be surprising if they planned to either eliminate Master of the Five Carriage Wheels or reinforce the seal before making any major moves.

Still, I couldn’t say for sure. Maybe Endless Furnace had succeeded in manipulating the pioneers, and a full-scale war with the natives really was imminent.

Either way, I will know soon enough.

I rose to my feet—it was time for training.

***

[Welcome to the seventy-third floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Furnace’s Conspiracy.]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has uncovered hidden machinations at work in the shadows of this world and succeeded in awakening the sealed god, Master of the Five Carriage Wheels, partially thwarting the enemy’s plan.]

[Dismantle the conspiracy attempting to consume the world. Time remaining: 47 hours 59 minutes.]

Just before my vision cleared, I focused my senses to the limit.

Back in the waiting room, the worst-case scenario I had envisioned was Endless Furnace going all-in. Then I would potentially be summoned right into the heart of a battlefield, surrounded by natives under siege.

I sensed the presence of several hundred people nearby. Thankfully, the atmosphere wasn’t tense, and there wasn’t any shouting or clamor.

It clearly wasn’t a war zone. Still, with a crowd this large, I expected a conflict to break out soon.

Once my vision fully adjusted, however, I realized my expectation had been way off.

“

Wooooaaah!

”

“It’s the one who saved the goddess!”

“The goddess’s savior!”

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Hundreds of people, all staring intensely, were cheering for me, who had just been summoned. Most of them appeared to be natives like Tunyak, though a few individuals looked more like pioneers.

Standing at the front was Tunyak himself. He was smiling warmly at me.

I was stunned a little—no, a lot—and completely caught off guard.

“Wh-what is this? What exactly is going on?”

Tunyak grinned from ear to ear. “What do you think? It’s a celebration to honor the one who saved the goddess. Remember how I said a mechanical arm and eye weren’t nearly enough appreciation?”

I had been gripping my axe, ready for battle. Therefore, the whole thing had left me completely dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, Doppy had spread both arms wide and was returning the cheers like this was all for him.

Unbelievable.

Sure, it wasn’t like he hadn’t been part of the journey. Anyone watching would have thought he single-handedly rescued the goddess, though.