Chapter 284: Seventy-Fourth Floor, Prison Break (2)

[Overcome the conditions presented and escape. Time remaining: 167 hours 58 minutes.]

Am I reading it wrong?

Standing still, I blinked and reread the item’s description. Unfortunately, the outcome I was hoping for didn’t come to pass. The notification remained exactly the same.

[Shackles of Al Ferhadeen]

- Reduces the user’s physical abilities to the level of an average person.

- Severely limits internal mana flow, allowing only a minuscule amount to be used.

- Disables all of the user’s skills.

- Cannot be unlocked without a key.

No wonder I felt heavier than usual.

As I had suspected, the weight dragging at my limbs and the inability to expand my senses stemmed from these restraints. Even my mana barely responded.

Still, since my total mana hadn’t been depleted, it meant my physical attributes hadn’t been completely wiped out. It was clear to me now that the first “condition” described in the trial would be these shackles.

However, the real problem lay in the fact that my divinity had been similarly impacted.

While not completely unusable, any attempt to utilize Divine Power caused the restraints to immediately backlash. I would immediately feel a heavy strain placed on me, causing a surge of pain.

Under normal circumstances, I could have managed. Considering my current, weakened state, though, it was simply too much.

The source of the restrictions was quite obvious—another god’s divine energy radiated from the shackles themselves.

Are you kidding me?

They had bound me before the trial—no, they had thrown me into the trial, not even giving me a chance to fight back.

How am I supposed to clear it like this?

I let out a rough sigh. I could tell I was more agitated than usual, and my thoughts weren’t functioning as sharply as they should.

It is probably because I can’t use my skills.

Without realizing it, I had come to rely on certain abilities to keep my mental state stable. Scientist Do’s Composure and Clarity of Mind kept me calm even in irrational situations—more composed than anyone else around me.

Now that those skills were disabled, their passive effects were gone too.

Suddenly, I recalled something Angelina had said.

“Status windows and skills. The moment the tower restricts them, they vanish like illusions.”

In the end, the only thing that remained was my raw strength, although it had been heavily suppressed.

Still, I couldn’t let myself become overly frustrated. In any trial, properly assessing the situation was of the utmost importance. For that, I had to remain composed.

What is done is done.

It wasn’t like this was the first time I had been dropped into a hopeless situation. Compared to what I had faced on the first floor, this was nothing.

Also, this wasn’t even the first time I had been tossed into a trial without my equipment or skills. I had already experienced similar setups on the forty-fourth floor—Abandoned City—and the fifty-second.

Although the circumstances varied slightly, the fact that it wasn’t a new situation mattered. In hindsight, those trials could have been meant to prepare me for this one.

First things first.

I had to assess my current limitations.

How far can I push this so-called “minuscule amount” of mana that the system mentioned? Also, to what degree have I retained my physical strength?

I stepped up to the iron bars in front of me, checking to see if any guards were nearby. The gap between the bars was too narrow to fit my head through. At best, I could glance diagonally left and right.

Strangely, the opposite wall was solid. I could faintly hear snoring in the distance, which suggested that only one side of the corridor was lined with cells.

Why would they design it like this? It feels like I am in solitary confinement.

Maybe it was to prevent unnecessary conflict among dangerous prisoners.

Regardless, there weren’t any guards in sight, and aside from the distant snoring, I didn’t sense any signs of movement.

I stepped away from the bars and took three paces back, standing beside the small bed. In a place like this, staying unnoticed would be the smartest move.

Even though I had just checked for guards, I needed to be ready to dive onto the bed at a moment’s notice.

Now that I had completed a basic appraisal of the situation, it was time to test my current limits.

I tried drawing on my divinity a bit. Immediately, the shackles crackled in protest. Unlike before, I held onto it slightly longer, but the strain intensified to the point that I had to stop. Something told me that it would be dangerous if I pushed further.

I can’t even handle this in my current state.

Just summoning a sliver of Divine Power had already sapped some of my energy. If I had kept going, I probably would have collapsed on the spot.

If only I had the Necklace of Accord, I could have called Ha Hee-Jeong. The regret gnawed at me.

Next, I turned my attention to the Lightning Essence skill that I had absorbed during my first transformation. As I summoned lightning, golden sparks crackled sharply across my hand. The flash was brighter than expected, and I quickly dispersed the energy.

Still, it was a relief.

I wasn’t expecting much, given how limited my mana control is right now.

Since absorbing Lightning Essence, I had been able to summon lightning without actively manipulating mana. Even then, I hadn’t expected that feature to prove useful in a situation like this.

Moreover, its destructive potential exceeded my expectations. At the very least, I could easily take out one or two people with it.

Of course, channeling mana into it would drastically enhance its power.

Thinking of my training with Angelina, I resolved to train lightning manipulation without relying on mana in the future.

I stirred my mana. It barely amounted to the size of a clenched fist, just enough to momentarily assist a move or bolster a burst of lightning once or twice.

Slightly disappointed, I went back to testing my physical capabilities. I adjusted my footing, bounced lightly in place, and swung my shackled arms to test their mobility.

I am surprised. This is better than I expected.

My physical condition was actually decent. Much better than when I had arrived on the first floor and probably comparable to my stats on the fifth floor. Perhaps the “average person” mentioned by the system’s description was based on a higher standard than that of a normal Earthling.

Of course, the enemies I would face now wouldn’t be anything like those from the first few floors.

Still, I had managed to get a clear grasp of my current physical capabilities. Only then did I truly take in the solitary cell around me.

It seems to be around a hundred to a hundred-forty square feet?

I didn’t know the exact measurement, but the room was definitely smaller than a studio apartment. The cramped space contained nothing but a single bed.

Near the iron bars, a chamber pot chained to the wall indicated where prisoners were meant to relieve themselves. Above the head of the bed, a small window—barely larger than a human face—opened to the outside.

I brought my face up to it.

In stark contrast to the gloomy interior of the cell, the world beyond was as bright as a clear afternoon, though “daylight” didn’t feel like the right word to describe the brilliance. There wasn’t a sun, but simply light, beginning precisely where the prison’s boundary ended.

Beneath that calm, unnatural brightness, I saw waves gently lapping in the distance.

I paused, momentarily frozen.

Wait, is this prison built on an island?

The objective of the trial was to escape.

Does that mean I have to break out of the facility itself, or does it mean that I have to cross the sea beyond it as well?

If it was the latter, things were going to get far more complicated.

No way, right?

Then again, the tower was full of danger. I shouldn’t even consider something as an impossibility just because it was difficult. Just in case, I needed to prepare myself for the worst. The Tower of Ordeal always struck when I least expected it.

Alright. Time to get my head straight.

Without Clarity of Mind or Scientist Do’s Composure, my thoughts felt slightly scattered, as if my mind were floating just above my body.

I inhaled deeply and wiped my face with both hands. The gesture was simple, but it helped calm my nerves a little.

The more I moved, the more the shackles around my wrists irritated me. I had never worn restraints before, and they were beginning to chafe.

As I stared down at them, a faint glimmer of hope stirred in my chest.

Maybe I should try it.

If, by some miracle, they broke, I would be free. That would be the end of the trial right then and there.

I estimated the odds were only about one percent in my favor, but even so, I couldn’t just ignore the possibility. Humans were creatures driven by curiosity and sustained by hope, after all.

All right then.

I swung the shackles hard against the wall.

Clang!

A sharp metallic echo rang out down the prison corridor, much louder than I had expected. The snoring cut off abruptly, replaced by an eerie silence.

Is it the silence that makes it worse?

Even I was startled and glanced around reflexively.

What if a guard shows up? Surely they wouldn’t beat me for this, right?

As the uneasy thought crossed my mind, a dull ache flared in my wrist. The impact had left my skin reddened slightly.

After a brief pause of two seconds, I heard murmurs from a nearby cell. I strained my ears to listen.

“Branco, that wasn’t the guard, right?”

“No, he’s not back yet.”

After a moment of confirmation, the complaints began.

“Shit, which asshole was that?”

“

Ugh

, I was having a good dream too.”

“Bet it was Rejin again.”

“Rejin! You son of a bitch! If you’re gonna fall off your bed every night, just sleep on the floor!”

“Fuck off! It wasn’t me!”

“Then who was it?”

Judging by their reactions, they had assumed someone had fallen off a bed.

I sighed quietly as I let out a relieved breath. If a noise like this generally drew the guards’ attention, I would say the same thing.

The noise eventually subsided. I waited a while longer, but it didn’t seem like any guards appeared.

Maybe they stepped away for a bit?

That was a stroke of luck.

As I stood in thought, a gruff whisper came not from a guard, but from the next cell over, “Hey, newbie. Scared the crap out of me. Don’t bother because no matter how hard you hit it, that thing won’t break.”

It was another prisoner. Given that this was one of the galaxy’s most infamous prisons, he was probably a real criminal—certainly not a fellow climber.

Someone that dangerous wasn’t exactly the type of individual I wanted to talk to. However, if I wanted to get any useful information, I would likely need to build some rapport.

While I debated how to respond, he muttered to himself, “That aside, ever since Reltrel died, that cell’s been empty. When did you get there?”

He seemed to be speaking more to himself than to me. “Bastards. I can’t believe my instincts have dulled this much. Damn it. Hey, you, what’re you in for?”

“No idea.”

“

Aw

, come on. Don’t lie.”

“I’m serious. I just woke up and found myself here.”

“For real? You ended up here just like that? Without committing a crime?”

“Yeah.”

Even after hearing my answer, the prisoner pressed further. “You sure? You really didn’t do anything?”

“Of course not.”

“Wow, aren’t you pissed? If it were me, I’d be losing my mind over how unfair that is. Well, I’m in here for murder, so...”

Although I hadn’t asked for his story, he kept the conversation going. He was probably bored out of his mind from being locked up for so long.

Murder, though?

It wasn’t like I hadn’t killed others, but the way he said it so casually, almost proudly, rubbed me the wrong way.

Why the hell am I locked up with people like this? I would rather fight Endless Furnace’s mechanical fortress again than deal with this.

Still, I couldn't show my irritation. The criminals could be hiding a clue that would be imperative for my escape.

The guy continued without even waiting for my reply, “Don’t give me that look just because it’s murder. I’m in here on bullshit charges too, just like you.”

“Like me? How so?”

“Well, I killed an apostle who was committing atrocities day in and day out. That’s why I ended up here.”

“You killed an apostle?”

“Yeah. The jackass was raping his own followers and embezzling their money.”

Hmm.

Considering that I had seen the terrifying Great Warlord of Terror perform human sacrifices on the twenty-sixth floor, I fully believed apostles like that existed.

I had no way to confirm if what he said was true, but he was right; I had definitely jumped to conclusions. Just because someone was a prisoner in a notorious interstellar prison didn’t automatically mean they were evil.

Maybe he could even become an ally.

Of course, I couldn’t be too hasty. The tower always had a way of blindsiding climbers.

What if this guy is a trap? A double agent placed by the tower?

I imagined myself chatting with him, mentioning a specific escape plan, only to be immediately caught after he reported everything straight to the guards.

“Hey, you still there? Where’d you go mid-convo?”

The silence had stretched on for a bit. I quickly responded, “Sorry. I was just caught off guard that you had killed an apostle.”

My comment hadn’t been empathetic, but rather to satisfy my curiosity.

“What, that?”

“It’s just not easy to do.”

I had faced an apostle myself. Although Endless Furnace hadn’t fully descended, I had still nearly died. Even a weak apostle was challenging to deal with.

At that, the prisoner let out a short laugh. “Man, you really are a newbie. Everyone who ends up here has got that kind of resume. You think this prison’s infamous for no reason?”

Hmm. Fair point. I have been underestimating it.

This was one of the most notorious prisons in the galaxy. It only made sense that it held some serious powerhouses.

I was ahead of most other climbers, but in the grand scheme of the universe, that didn’t mean much.

The prisoner kept blabbing. “Anyway, what I mean is that we’re not your average inmates.”

Just then, the sharp click of heeled steps echoed down the corridor in silence.

High heels.

The prisoner quickly lowered his voice. “Guard. Let’s talk later.”

I heard the rustling of blankets as he hastily pulled them over himself.

Given the snores from earlier, and despite the brightness outside, it seemed now was still part of the inmates’ designated sleep time.

Click, clack—

The footsteps drew closer. I lay down on the narrow one-person bed and pulled the blanket up, mimicking my next-door neighbor.

Click, clack—

The noises grew louder and sharper. For some reason, the footsteps felt angry—sharp, quick, almost aggressive.

Is the guard in a bad mood?

I cracked one eye open, peeking through my eyelashes and the iron bars. I wanted a look at whoever was guarding us. From the left side of the bars, a figure began to come into view.

Then, she stopped right in front of my solitary cell.