Chapter 458: Ninety-Sixth Floor, Waiting Room

The Community on Earth, after the events on the ninety-fifth floor.

[Did you see Su-Hyeok’s ninety-fifth-floor fight broken down frame by frame?]

[Yeah, that was insane.]

[Fr, I always thought he was crazy good, but this time? Dude looked so badass.]

[Was that lightning thing a new skill? It felt kinda different from before.]

[Yeah. New skill. I already analyzed it.]

[Brooo, that thing was straight-up style overload... when the lightning slid back and left that afterimage? I lost my damn mind.]

[“Style overload”? Bro, how old are you?]

[Old?? I’m not old, tf.]

[Then how old are you?]

[LMAOO you don’t even gotta ask, he sounds ancient.]

[Boom—]

[Boom what??]

[LMAOOOO even the boomers out here hyping Su-Hyeok, this is wild.]

[Hey, don’t clown on the olds, y’all. You think you won’t age?]

[You’re totally an old dude too, huh?]

[...]

[Anyway, what was that move where Su-Hyeok didn’t even swing?]

[It’s the formless sword, idiot.]

[Formless sword? Wtf is that, nerd?]

[It’s from martial arts novels, bro.]

[Martial arts novels? Old guys, explain pls.]

[That’s... I shall... explain... attain... enlightenment...]

[What kinda roleplay freak is this now. 💀]

[Didn’t that get posted earlier this morning? Frfr.]

[Oh, wait, found it. It’s when you gain enlightenment and form a sword within your mind, then reach the level to wield it. www.snowaxewiki.zeroshapesword. Check it out.]

[LMAOOO!]

[Gain... enlightenment... within... the... heart... ah... I’m too late...]

[Ugh, die, cringe lord.]

[Can we talk about Su-Hyeok’s movement skill already, you psychos?]

[That movement tho 💀💀💀💀💀]

[LMAOOOO what is this, a video game?]

[Nah, but fr! Su-Hyeok was cracked.]

[Hell, yeah.]

[Yeah fr.]

[So why’s it so quiet tho? Not much hype this time.]

[You think this place is full of people like you, working 9-5? Nah, it’s all jobless folks who watched the live at 3 AM and rewatched it five times already.]

[Hmm, latecomers, huh?]

[Yeah, they already analyzed, memed, and worshipped every frame. Still, Su-Hyeok-zua at least gets a reaction ‘cause he’s him.]

[LMAO Su-men.]

[Su-men.]

***

[65 hours 42 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

A faint warmth spread beneath my neck, mingled with the soft sensation of water. For several seconds, I drifted in that hazy comfort until my mind cleared in an instant.

Huh?

When I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a familiar sight of the training room. I was submerged in the training hot spring. For a brief moment, I sat there, dazed, trying to piece together what had happened.

What happened after the ninety-fifth floor ended?

Fragmented memories flickered past. I recalled seeing the final message before returning to the waiting room. In the aftermath of using the forced awakening skill, I had been both physically and mentally debilitated, but the tower had healed me slightly upon my return. Unlike my own healing spells, it had helped me recover slightly, though not completely.

Even then, my muscles and mind hadn’t operated at full capacity, and I had been moments away from fainting. Amid that lingering exhaustion, I had tossed Soulbound aside and staggered straight toward the hot spring.

That was quite the battle against Kalain.

Considering how fierce it had been, I had figured that soaking in the spring would have substantially increased my stats. Of course, habit had played a part as well. If not for my usual routine of visiting the training spring, I probably would have collapsed where I stood. Despite my half-conscious state, it had been the first thing that came to mind.

Either way, I had stepped inside without even removing my climbing jacket and thrown myself into the water.

Hmm.

I wasn’t exactly clean after rolling across the battlefield, but there had been no helping it. I hadn’t had the time or energy to wash up first. In a way, it was fortunate that I had managed to fall asleep sitting upright on one of the submerged seats. If I had dozed off facedown, I could have drowned in my sleep.

Given my condition, I wouldn’t have moved even if I couldn’t breathe.

The training spring always cleaned itself, anyway. The water wouldn’t grow dirty simply because I hadn’t washed beforehand. I scratched my cheek. Something hard crumbled beneath my fingers and flaked away. It was a dried scab formed from Kalain’s blood.

Although I had thrown myself into the water, I hadn’t submerged my head, so my hair was still matted with dust and grit.

Hmm. I should really wash properly.

I lifted my gaze to the notification window. I had sixty-three hours left. Considering how long I had been unconscious, it had likely granted seventy-two.

Three days.

That was quite generous, especially for a fight that had lasted only three hours. Although if I accounted for the trial’s difficulty, it made sense.

Not a bad thing, all things considered.

Still, I really did sleep for a while.

I had been out for nearly nine hours, which meant I had pushed myself harder than I originally thought. Thankfully, despite that, I had recovered remarkably well. My internal circuits were still damaged, but thanks to the tower and the hot spring, many of the scars and fractures had healed.

What I had gained far outweighed what I had lost. Naturally so.

After all, I had chosen the challenger’s path to finish off the tower. The number of remaining climbers influenced my power, so the fewer there were, the harsher the trials became. On the flip side, the rewards grew all the greater.

As a result, my physical improvement had become noticeable with each floor conquered beyond the ninetieth floor. The ninety-fifth floor was no exception. Even accounting for the decline in my stats caused by the forced awakening skill, I felt lighter and stronger than when I had removed my equipment pre-battle.

My mana and divinity have fully recovered as well.

The causality I possessed, too, had replenished while I slept, drawn from Seorden's Forest. My mind was still a little foggy, but that would fade with time.

I rose to my feet.

First things first, wash up.

I had already slept enough while unconscious, so cleaning up would help me gather my thoughts.

***

As I rinsed myself off, I found myself reflecting on the ninety-fifth floor. The battle itself was one thing, but the ending lingered in my mind.

Why didn’t the tower ask me to leave a phantom?

The question refused to fade. Just before returning to the waiting room, I had wondered if I was the last challenger, and if that had been the reason.

After all, the trial was far too straightforward for a hidden mission to be necessary. Even after considering several possibilities, it didn’t seem likely that I had failed to complete a hidden mission.

To be honest, the idea that I was the last challenger didn’t make much sense either. The Tower of Ordeal would continue to exist, so it was strange to think that challengers would suddenly vanish.

Still, there were clues I could draw from the circumstances.

Thunder Axe mentioned I was “unique.”

Despite being a challenger as well, Kalain hadn’t returned to the tower. Although, unlike me, he had reached the summit of the tower, but I wasn’t sure if that explained it or not. If the tower created challengers to find one capable of fulfilling what it desired, then it would mean there was no longer a need for one after me.

Even so, that didn’t answer my question—I had left a phantom back on the fifty-second floor. If I was right in assuming that I was the last challenger, then something had to have changed between then and now.

Hmm. Hard to say.

A lot had happened since the fifty-second floor. I had made a contract with Natalie and gained Gehenna as an apostle. I also had learned to wield both divinity and causality. For the moment, it was a mystery I couldn’t unravel. Natalie could know the answer, but I hadn’t gone to ask. This matter belonged solely to the domain of the tower and its Challengers. Even Natalie wouldn’t be able to explain it.

That was something I knew from experience. I was certain of it.

After all, Dimensional Witches exist to help gods, not climbers.

Although it was a separate matter altogether, because of that, my expectations for Natalie lay more in the future than the present. Sometimes it frustrated me not to hear more about the tower from her, but I had gained far more than I had lost. She had offered vital information about the trials, and countless times, her presence alone had brought me a sense of calm.

My thoughts are drifting again.

Anyway, the questions I carried would only be answered when I eventually faced the tower itself.

I finished showering and stepped into the waiting room. Mung-chi and a medium-sized wooden chest sat on my desk, my reward from the ninety-fifth floor. I had seen it earlier but had gone to wash first.

I changed into a fresh set of climbing gear and approached the desk.

So the tower really meant it when it said I wouldn’t see my equipment again. Even the belt that held my storage pouches is gone.

The mimic sat idly on the desk. The missing belt wasn’t much of an issue as I could always buy another. When I opened the chest, I found a neatly folded black cloak inside. It was made from rich and supple fabric, finely textured with small tufts of fur along the trim.

Honestly, I was a little surprised. The cloak Kalain had worn on the ninety-fifth floor had been worn out, frayed, and torn like a rag. It seemed that the “upgrade” the tower had mentioned didn’t apply only to its performance.

[Cloak of Dominion] [Unique]

- A legacy of the Challenger’s predecessor imbued with the Tower of Ordeal’s breath.

- Keeps the user in optimal condition, even under extreme climates such as blizzards or scorching heat.

- Bound to Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok. Influences surrounding beings into aligning with the user.

- Possesses overwhelming physical and magical resistance, capable of both attack and defense at the wearer’s will.

- Repairs itself using divinity.

- Allows the user to complete a short-range teleport to any point within a fixed distance.

- All stats +25.

“Holy shit,” I cursed in disbelief as I reached the final line, where it said it would increase all my stats by 25.

I was completely in awe. It was an astonishing piece of equipment. I had never seen an item that boosted every attribute by twenty-five points.

Now, the previous trial made sense.

At this level, taking all my other equipment feels justified.

It was practically an endgame-tier item. The fact that the cloak alone could handle both offense and defense made armor and weapons almost unnecessary.

Of course, wielding a primary weapon was still better. Even so, it was remarkable.

The part about self-repair was particularly convenient. There would be no need to waste time or achievement points having it restored at the shop, especially since repairing things during a trial was a nuisance.

I had expected it to possess some of these features. Kalain had used his cloak for spatial leaps and to block and counter attacks, after all. Regardless, knowing that and still being impressed proved the tower’s enhancements were on an entirely different level.

However, the third line of the description caught my attention.

Influences surrounding beings into aligning with the user.

It resembled Kalain’s ability. Perhaps the emotional resonance I had felt had originated from this cloak. Still, I wasn’t sure whether the effect was something I could control or if it activated on its own. I had no particular desire to impose my will on others.

It doesn’t seem to trigger automatically, at least.

There was no one around to test it on anyway. Moreover, I wasn’t overly concerned since I would only need to use it during combat.

Overall, I was more than satisfied. I lifted the cloak and let it unfurl. The black fabric rippled softly, fluidly, and elegantly. It looked good—very good. The small tufts of fur around the collar would probably look striking when worn.

It would have paired perfectly with my set of armor.

All my equipment shared Soulbound’s dark aesthetic, but that had its own kind of appeal. The armor was long gone anyway, so there was no point dwelling on it.

I opened the shop interface. Having discarded all my previous gear, I needed to replace everything. The cloak was absurdly powerful, but I still couldn’t exactly walk around barefoot.

Since I am going to buy shoes, I may as well pick up some basic gear too.

Normally, equipment hadn’t been much of a concern, but having to replace everything from scratch was unexpectedly troublesome. The sheer number of options in the shop didn’t make it any easier.

I had plenty of achievement points to spend, but figuring out how best to use them was another matter entirely.