Chapter 460: Ninety-Sixth Floor, Divine Armament (1)

Vironus had declared what I was supposed to do as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, but I couldn’t share her nonchalance. To me, it didn’t sound simple in the slightest.

The only nearby structure was the massive crimson structure that the god had disappeared into. I could head off in another direction and see what awaited there, but if that were the case, why would I need to gather the materials myself?

Is mining this trial’s pain point?

“So, do I have to collect minerals or ores from around here?”

“Not from here, and the materials aren’t limited to minerals either.”

Not from here?

I frowned. The fact that the materials weren’t restricted to minerals didn’t make much sense either. Aside from accessories, I had only ever equipped armor, gauntlets, and boots. Boots could be crafted from leather, sure, but what else would one use besides metal to forge armor or gauntlets?

Don’t tell me everything’s going to be made out of leather.

Perhaps noticing the confusion written all over my face, Vironus added, “Put simply, the materials can be whatever. Flowers, grass, or just anything you can find. In the end, everything will be fused once it’s thrown into the hottest flame.”

“Like a furnace?” I hadn’t known the proper term, so I had said the first thing that came to mind.

“

Ah

, yes. Something similar.” Vironus nodded in confirmation.

Based on what I understood, the materials I brought would be infused into the molten metal. That wasn’t too strange. I couldn’t recall exactly, but I vaguely remembered hearing something about alloying back on Earth.

I turned my gaze toward the notification window.

[The first-class god ‘Hammer of Vulcanalia’ will forge equipment for you. Assist him with his work.]

Unlike other trials, this one didn’t have a timer. I wasn’t sure what that meant. Since the floor would benefit me, perhaps that explained why. I couldn’t be sure, though. Unlikely as it seemed, the floor could contain a hidden mission.

If I truly had unlimited time, though, I should use it well. This floor was set on a vast and open plain, the perfect place to train if I wanted to.

I decided to confirm my suspicion first. “Do I have to collect the materials within a certain amount of time?”

“You have four hours per location.”

“What?”

“I thought I’d be gathering materials here?”

“

Oh

, no. You’ll need to move to other areas, Su-Hyeok.”

So that was why no timer had appeared.

“When you say per location, that means there are several?”

“Yes. Let’s go, and I’ll explain the rest on the way.” She turned sharply and started walking ahead.

I followed wordlessly. She didn’t seem particularly warm, but I wasn’t concerned. From what I had observed, apostles tended to resemble the gods they served. Vulcanus seemed kind enough, but appeared to disdain unnecessary conversation. His apostle had described him as having a fiery temperament, after all. She was likely no different. If anything, this was probably her being as courteous as possible.

Still, one thought lingered in my mind.

Just how powerful will a weapon crafted by a first-class god be?

The Hammer of Vulcanalia. Just hearing the name made it clear he was a blacksmith. One look at my surroundings only confirmed it.

I had received items from master craftsmen through the Dimensional Forge Voucher, but those smiths hadn’t been divine beings. They were the best of the best when it came to mortals, and the weapons they had forged weren’t made for powerful gods.

This was on an entirely different level.

There is no way any mortal blacksmith could compare.

That didn’t mean the weapon would be indestructible, though. Even Eternal Feast’s gear hadn’t been flawless in the face of my Heart Sword.

Gods could wound and even kill one another. Absolute perfection didn’t exist. The weapon would most likely hold some unique quality, something akin to Eternal Feast’s whip, which had resonated with his divine power.

That said, I am not entirely sure what kind of equipment he will make.

I had assumed he would replace one of the items I had been forced to throw away, but the replacement could also be for Soulbound or the Cloak of Dominion. I was already more than satisfied with both, so I didn’t see much of a reason for that.

I called out to Vironus, who was walking ahead, “The tower doesn’t really explain what kind of equipment is being forged. Does that include my axe or cloak as well?”

“If you wish, yes. The commission covers all of your armaments. If you’d rather not have them remade, they can instead be enhanced. However,” she hesitated and glanced cautiously at me before adding, “Your cloak contains the tower’s power, so that won’t be possible. Even if we crafted a new one...”

From the way she had trailed off, I could tell that it wouldn’t surpass what I already possessed.

I shook my head. “

Ah

, I was just checking. The cloak’s fine as it is.”

She nodded slightly.

As she had stated, the cloak was already an absurdly strong piece of equipment. Even lightning infused with divinity and my Aura had left only faint marks on it—there wasn’t a realistic way to improve it. If anything, enhancing Souldbound was more worthwhile. I didn’t know what kind of change I would want, but it was worth considering.

“Simply put, you should prioritize everything other than the cloak and axe. Those are already quite impressive. They would only be minimally enhanced,” she commented, implying that Souldbound could be refined, although not very noticeably.

“That makes sense.”

Any enhancement, even a small one, would be welcome, but to be honest, I hadn’t expected much anyway. Soulbound could already change its form at will.

Still, Vironus’s expression wasn’t entirely bright, perhaps due to her pride as a blacksmith. It likely bothered her that even her god couldn’t meaningfully alter Soulbound or the cloak.

After a pause, she changed the subject, “I will be honest. Originally, climbers were only allowed one free upgrade.”

I tilted my head, unsure of what point she was trying to make. “Is that so?”

“Yes. That’s how it used to be.”

“Used to be?”

“Well, the laws have changed.”

I frowned slightly, and she quickly added, “Apologies. It’s been so long since I last encountered a climber. Normally, we wouldn’t explain this in such detail. Anyway, the tower used to have stricter regulations. The last challenger like you appeared during that time.”

“

Oh.

”

“After he conquered the ninety-fifth floor, the system was revised. Challengers were permitted to have all of their armaments reforged.”

Her explanation helped fill in the gaps for me. It also explained why Vulcanus had looked so delighted earlier. Now that I thought about it, Eternal Feast’s whip had stood out from the rest of his equipment.

Though gods can surely commission more pieces as long as they can afford it.

I didn’t know what gods exchanged, but considering Vulcanus’s status, the cost would be steep. Hearing that, I couldn’t help but imagine receiving a set of armor or gauntlets of unimaginable quality.

Of course, that also meant that Kalain, the previous challenger, had likely received equipment of the same caliber. As I pondered that, a crimson blaze came into view in the distance. The flame was clearly extraordinary; it burned too vividly, too fiercely.

Vironus came to a stop. “That’s the Flame of Aspiration. You’ll need to step inside, Su-Hyeok.”

“Inside it?”

“Yes. The flame will guide you to the materials most compatible with you.”

I turned toward the Flame of Aspiration and stared into it. It blazed before me, burning like molten crimson. Alongside Vulcanus’s divinity, I could sense another power. It was unmistakably causality, the power of the Primordial God.

Is Hammer of Vulcanalia somehow connected to the Primordial God? Maybe he gets it from the tower as repayment for this kind of trial.

At first glance, the fire appeared like it was simply imbued with causality, but apparently, it also served as a kind of portal. I didn’t know how it worked, though it wasn’t surprising. Causality was an incomprehensible force by nature.

“

Hmm

. I suppose this won’t be easy?”

“It may be easy, or it may be difficult. I don’t know what will happen. The Flame of Aspiration decides that.”

I had hoped to gather information—and possibly a hint—but her answer was far from satisfying. Despite my disappointment, the flame would transport me to a location suited to me, so there was no helping it. Even so, I figured I should assume the worst and expect a difficult challenge.

Not that it mattered much. I was ready for either. If I had to hedge my bets, however, I assumed it would be on the harder side. After all, the materials would be used to craft equipment at the divine level. Whether ore or petals, it made no difference. I would only know what awaited once I arrived.

If it came down to it, I could always rely on Mung-chi to help carry whatever I gathered.

Then again, maybe not.

Vironus had mentioned that there would be multiple locations. If I carelessly picked up the wrong materials and the trial ended, that could be a serious problem.

“You mentioned earlier that I’ll be moving between multiple places. Is there a limit to how many materials I can collect in each area?”

“There isn’t. The Flame of Aspiration will send you to a place that holds materials meant for you. If you find the right one within the time limit, you’ll automatically return here.”

So as long as it wasn’t a key material, I could gather as much as I wanted.

She hastily added, “This system was also changed for challengers. Prospective gods are only allowed one attempt, but now, challengers are given four.”

“

Oh

, okay.” I nodded awkwardly.

Her inability to improve Soulbound or the cloak had apparently bruised her pride a little. Regardless, I was sincerely grateful. She didn’t need to reassure me. Just the fact that a first-class god would create my equipment was more than enough. It was a deserved reward for everything I had endured up to this point.

“If you fail to find it in time, you’ll simply return, so please be careful.”

Four attempts in total. That meant I could secure at least four materials and possibly more, depending on what else I found.

“Yes, but...” I hesitated as a thought lingered in my mind. It wasn’t about me, but about the other prospective gods who faced this trial. “What happens if someone fails to retrieve even a single material?”

Vironus frowned slightly, and I could feel a flicker of disappointment in her expression. It was as if she were silently asking me why a challenger was asking that.

That wasn’t what I meant, so I quickly clarified, “

Ah

, I wasn’t talking about myself. I was just curious what happens to normal climbers, since you said they only get one attempt.”

“

Ooooh

, well, usually they succeed. But in cases where they don’t, I use materials we’ve already collected to forge the weapon in Lord Vulcanus’s stead.” She smiled faintly. “I am quite skilled, but of course, I can’t compare to Lord Vulcanus. The armament would still function, but it wouldn’t hold the same extraordinary power.”

“I understand.”

That was the difference between a god and an apostle. No matter how capable she was, her craft couldn’t possibly rival that of a first-class god’s.

No matter what, I had four chances. There was no reason to worry about failure.

“And you’ll also participate in the forging process yourself.”

“The forging process? You mean I’ll actually take part in creating the weapon?”

“Yes. You’ll understand once you return.”

The conversation was nearing its end, but I decided to ask one last question that had been on my mind, “

Ahem

, one more thing. There isn’t a time limit here, right?”

“Pardon?”

“You mentioned there’s a time limit once I step into the Flame of Aspiration, but what about here? Is there one?”

“Well, I don’t believe there’s a specific limit...” she trailed off, and she shot me a sidelong look.

She had clearly caught on to my intention. I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.

“How you use your time is up to you, but personally, I’d appreciate it if you completed the task as soon as possible. Even if this is a mission from the tower, Lord Vulcanus set aside his own time for this.”

“

Ah

, okay.” I abandoned any thought of training here.

The trial was offering me equipment crafted by a first-class god. Even if he was friendly now, wasting his time would hardly leave a good impression. It could even affect the quality of the finished armament. It seemed like an obvious realization in hindsight, but lately, I had been so absorbed in training that I hadn’t thought it through. I needed to handle this properly.

“Thank you for answering,” I responded politely.

Vironus offered a small, satisfied smile. “Then, I wish you good luck.”

She bowed her head toward me and turned away.

I shifted my gaze toward the Flame of Aspiration. I didn’t know what kind of place it would send me to. Still, I saw no reason to hesitate. If it turned out to be easy, I would just mine some ore. If it proved difficult, I could potentially have to take down a cosmic beast like Saboden.

Drawing in a deep breath, I took a single step forward. The flame enveloped me, warm and welcoming, and not the slightest bit harmful. My vision flushed red, and a notification window appeared once more.

[Find materials. Time remaining: 3 hours 59 minutes.]

The world flipped around me, and everything turned brown. A moment later, I realized I was staring at the cracked bark of a tree.