Chapter 468: Ninety-Sixth Floor, Divine Armament (9)

[Soulbound] [Unique]

- A weapon imbued with countless souls.

- The more the souls within the weapon are appeased, the stronger it becomes.

- Imbued with the last breath of the Primordial World Tree, which continually enhances the user’s vitality, reduces physical strain, and promotes the smooth circulation of mana and divinity within them.

- Through the storm’s power, the user is unaffected by drag and can summon storms at will.

- Forged from the Star Devourer, possessing its power to annihilate anything it touches. This applies to every form of power drawn from the relic.

- The user is almost completely immune to fire and can wield it at will.

- The relic contains the will of the Flame of Aspiration, allowing the user to occasionally reach locations they long for.

- A divine artifact crafted for Kwon Su-Hyeok. Should any other being attempt to wield it, their soul may collapse.

- Current Satisfaction: 100.00%

- All stats +30

Wow, this is incredible.

For a moment, I stood frozen, staring blankly at Soulbound. When I finally regained my senses, I realized my mouth was still hanging open.

Even before checking the notification window, its aura alone showed how extraordinary it was. However, seeing the description confirmed what I already suspected—it far exceeded anything I could have imagined.

Though the souls appeared more condensed—and I couldn’t tell if that was from the seventy-fifth floor when I had accepted more—nothing else about them had changed. That wasn’t what stuck out to me, however.

It completely absorbed all the strange powers I gathered.

Not only had Vulcanus utilized top-tier materials, but he had also flawlessly transferred their abilities into the weapon itself. Primordial World Tree, primal storm spirit, Flame of Aspiration, and Star Devourer—all harmonized as one.

In truth, Soulbound’s newfound ability to control storms and flames didn’t seem particularly important to me. The Spirit of Storms I had bonded with already controlled that domain, and I was far more confident wielding lightning than fire.

Regardless of whether or not I saw value in those abilities, they were untapped potential that left options open to me. Of course, that wasn’t the only remarkable power that caught my attention.

So my relic will guide me?

It didn’t seem like it was only talking about locations with materials, either. Additionally, I wondered how it would direct me to the place I longed for the most. Perhaps it would create a portal or path for me. I was also uncertain about how often it would lead me, since it depended on the Flame of Aspiration’s will. There was no telling when it would occur.

Still, I had a feeling that one day, it would happen.

Finally, among all of Soulbound’s newfound abilities, the one that fascinated me the most was the Star Devourer’s, which could erase everything it touched. It wouldn’t counter causality, of course, but given that it would divinity, I had gained a powerful tool in my future battles against gods.

This grants me a definitive advantage against anyone other than Kalain.

It didn’t matter whether their defenses were skillfully constructed or relied on a sheer volume of divine energy; I could now nullify them with ease. That didn’t mean I could slice through everything in a single blow, though. Even if the weapon could dismantle divinity, it wouldn’t sever it like paper.

Anyone facing me would immediately recognize that a strange, ominous power radiated from it.

The Star Devourer didn’t erase things very quickly.

Perhaps I could control the rate of erasure, thereby reducing how long it took me to overpower a god. What pleased me even more, however, was that all of my energies—mana, divinity, causality, Aura, and more—could tap into this ability. Even the lightning I unleashed would carry traces of the Star Devourer’s powers. If this extended to any form of energy I manipulated, including storms and flames, it would be very overpowered.

I would have to test that theory once I returned to the waiting room. Regardless, forcing an opponent to retreat or evade rather than defend during a power struggle was already an invaluable advantage.

The souls’ satisfaction level remains at one hundred percent, as always.

All my stats had increased by thirty as well, which was a gratifying bonus. I had already sensed a surge in my physical strength the moment I gripped Soulbound, and the axe’s power coursed through me. It was a significant increase, far more than I had anticipated. I just hadn’t realized it amounted to a full thirty points until I saw the notification. My status window went unchecked for long periods of time now, after all.

At my current level, a thirty-point rise was an extraordinary leap, one incomparable to that of any other climber.

It was so impressive that I almost swore aloud in sheer amazement.

Huh?

As I was about to look away from the window, a detail I had skimmed over caught my attention. It mentioned that the weapon reduced the physical strain I took. I wondered if that applied to my forced awakening technique, Thunderbird. I didn’t know how effective it would be, but since the technique put immense strain on my body, it could serve as the perfect complement.

Of course, I couldn’t be certain yet. Even the tower hadn’t fully restored the damage Thunderbird had caused to my inner organs. If this could lessen that burden even slightly, it would be invaluable. I would have to test it for myself, although it wouldn’t happen during training, only an actual fight.

Time to head out.

I had admired Soulbound for long enough. The more I looked at it, the stronger my urge grew to swing it immediately. I repressed the urge in consideration for Vulcanus, who was likely waiting outside.

Once I picked up the remaining equipment, this trial would probably come to an end.

As soon as I stepped out of the room with Soulbound in hand, I saw Vulcanus and Vironus waiting ahead. Vulcanus had a faint smile on his face, his expression carrying a quiet sense of pride.

“You’ve done well.”

“Thank you. But the hammer you gave me...” I trailed off as I glanced at him uncertainly.

I assumed it had returned to him, though I couldn’t be completely sure. I could have accidentally destroyed it in the process.

“It’s fine. It simply returned to me,” Vulcanus responded, calm and assured, and he turned to look at Soulbound. “May I take a look?”

“Of course.”

He grasped its handle. Although the description stated that anyone who used it other than me might have their soul destroyed, that didn’t apply to him. He was its creator, after all. On second thought, “use” and “holding” weren’t necessarily the same thing. Also, since Soulbound housed souls that could somewhat think for themselves, it could distinguish between ally and foe.

After examining it briefly, Vulcanus gave a satisfied nod and lightly patted my shoulder. “Of all the divine relics I’ve seen, this one is the most beautiful masterpiece I have seen.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Perfect both as a divine relic and as a weapon.”

I could only smile faintly in response. Among all the gods whose relics he referred to, Kalain was no doubt included. Considering Vulcanus himself was a first-class god, his words carried genuine weight.

He returned Soulbound to me. “I imagine you’d like to test it immediately, but let’s check the other equipment first.”

“Okay,” I responded as I nodded lightly.

I had no intention of wasting Vulcanus’s time by testing it here. I could always experiment later in the waiting room.

Following him, I stepped into the room containing the rest of the equipment, which remained neatly arranged. Vulcanus motioned for me to examine and put them on, and I did as instructed.

Not bad.

Each piece was extraordinary in its own right, but after witnessing Soulbound’s transformation, my sense of awe had dulled slightly. If I had seen these first, I would have been impressed, and then astonished again when I laid eyes on Soulbound.

Still, they matched Soulbound’s style, which made sense considering that Vulcanus had forged them all from the same four materials I had provided.

Despite that, the rest of the equipment carried slightly different properties from Soulbound.

While my new axe leaned heavily toward offense, the other pieces were more defensive in nature. For instance, they rendered me immune to wind and fire, reinforced my durability, and enhanced my vitality. The most remarkable among them, of course, were the items that had inherited some of the Star Devourer’s capabilities, so any attacks made on the gauntlets, armor, and boots could be instantly erased.

In other words, if someone were to strike my armor with a sword, the blade would begin disintegrating just before making contact. Honestly, it bordered on absurdity. It was an ability too good, it almost didn’t seem fair.

That said, I wasn’t intent on deliberately tanking hits. The impact itself would still transfer through, so deflecting or dodging remained my best option, although I planned to reconsider my combat strategies.

I will be able to afford to let a few attacks slip through if necessary.

Factoring in Soulbound, my entire style and approach to battle would have to change, even if only slightly. My goal had to be finding a balanced way to use the Star Devourer’s power, while also keeping in mind that I would one day face Kalain and his causality.

Well, it shouldn’t be too hard to make both approaches work together.

Besides Soulbound, I took a liking to the earring the most. It had caught my eye from the very beginning, as it was subtly darker than the rest of my gear.

It inherited a lot from La-Soon’s Last Breath.

Vulcanus had mentioned that he hadn’t managed to melt all of the Primordial World Tree’s essence, so he had sealed it within the earring instead. Unfortunately, I didn’t know how to harness that power yet. I would have to study it at length to use it properly.

I finally finished organizing my insights, and now I have something new to train.

Perhaps reading my expression, Vulcanus smiled faintly. “Try everything on. Vironus will assist you.”

I shook my head. “That won’t be necessary. My spirit can help.”

Putting on full armor alone was always a hassle, so I understood his offer. Back when I was still inexperienced, Doppy and I used to help each other, but now, with the Spirit of Storms’s assistance, that wasn’t necessary. With its help, donning the armor went smoothly. The warmth that enveloped me gave a sense of comfort and protection.

Now that I was wielding Soulbound with the armor equipped, the urge to move and to test it all immediately rose within me. I had to remind myself that it wasn’t possible, so I restrained myself and turned toward Vulcanus.

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need for thanks. It was rewarding for me as well. I was compensated for the work and had the chance to handle materials of extraordinary rarity,” Vulcanus smiled and continued, “Plus, I also met you and witnessed the birth of a divine relic beyond imagination.”

I let out a short laugh. “Even so, I’m grateful.”

Whether it was his usual way of working or not, he had clearly devoted himself completely to crafting these. For two entire weeks, his hammer had not stopped ringing—not once. The result spoke for itself.

Just then, the notification window updated before my eyes.

[Congratulations. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the ninety-sixth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Divine Armament. Achievement points will be calculated.]

I looked away from the message and met Vulcanus’s gaze once more.

I had much to thank him for, but it was time to part ways. “It looks like it’s time for me to go. Thank you for everything. I hope we’ll meet again someday.”

A faint smile crossed his face. “I’m sure we will. Take care, and continue to grow stronger.”

“Yes. And... thank you too, Vironus.”

At my words, she lowered her head slightly. “I wish you good fortune.”

After exchanging farewells, I waited for the tower’s next message to appear. It was time to return to the waiting room. There was much to do, such as trying out Soulbound, limit-testing the equipment, and adjusting to my newfound abilities. As I mentally arranged my to-do list, the floor’s final notification window appeared.

[Due to the nature of the ninety-sixth floor of the Tower of Ordeal, additional rest time has been deemed unnecessary.]

[The provisional fifth-class god, ‘The Coming Dawn,’ will not enter the waiting room. Proceeding directly to the ninety-seventh floor.]

It caught me entirely off guard.

What? Already?

The abrupt notice left me stunned. I had only just finished making plans, such as practicing with Soulbounding first, then testing my armor’s defenses. The notification instantly shattered that plan.

Still, thinking back, I had spent more than two weeks training freely here. Perhaps this was only natural. It wasn’t such a bad thing. Adapting to the equipment in live combat was far more effective than any controlled practice.

As that thought crossed my mind, my vision darkened, and a familiar sense of weightlessness surrounded me. Moments later, the darkness faded, and a new message appeared before me.

[Welcome to the ninety-seventh floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Wraiths.]