Chapter 134 - Tower of Trials
Before reaching the swamp where the Lizardman was located, Ryu Min separated early from the formation. Given the large number of people, it wasn't difficult to avoid the glances of others.
"I don't think anyone will notice that one is missing."
Just in case, he stopped his steps to check for any traces, but found no tail following him. With relief, Ryu Min passed by a pair of huge twin saplings and slipped between the rocks.
It was then that he saw a cave that seemed suspicious at first glance. Without hesitation, he entered the dark cavern, and suddenly, a message that appeared without warning illuminated the darkness.
[There is a hidden secondary mission!]
<Secondary Mission>
└ Find the hidden portal
└ Success: ▶ Unyielding Resistance Potion is granted
[You have completed the secondary mission!]
Along with the declaration that the mission was completed, a flickering portal appeared in front of him. The corner of Ryu Min's lips curved in satisfaction.
"I found it. The hidden portal."
The secondary mission of Round 9 was none other than finding the hidden portal. It was a mission that could only be found in the Lizardman detachment, the one with the lowest difficulty.
"I guess I chose the Lizardmen for this. There are no secondary missions in the other detachments."
At first, Ryu Min knew nothing about the true nature of the secondary mission. It wasn't until after the Round 9 recount, before the angel revealed it.
"Since then, I've searched meticulously in each round, choosing all possible options."
He found it by choosing from 5 to 1 in reverse order. That's how he discovered this place, a cave near the swamp where the Lizardmen were.
Here, he found the hidden portal and completed the secondary mission. The reward, the Unyielding Resistance Potion, was not bad at all.
[Unyielding Resistance Potion]
Category: Consumable
Rank: Legendary
Effect: Fixed resistance to fire, ice, and wind at 95% for 4 hours
Usage Restriction: Regular rank or higher
Description: An incredible item that maximizes resistance to the three main properties. By consuming it, even in the middle of summer, you won't sweat, and you can walk without feeling cold even if you take off your cloak in the middle of winter.
It was a legendary potion. Although it was a potion with excellent effects, why on earth was it given to him?
The reason was clear.
"It's a reward to be used here in the Tower of Trials."
Ryu Min looked at the flickering portal in front of him. He already knew what was inside. Therefore, without hesitation, he took a firm step forward.
Ryu Min's body was absorbed into another dimension.
[Welcome to the Tower of Trials.]
[The Tower of Trials tests the player's limits from the first floor to the ninety-ninth floor.]
[In the tower, we do not share the flow of dimensions and time, so don't worry about the outside world and advance freely through the tower.]
[Anyone can challenge, but only one person can obtain the reward on each floor.]
[If someone else has already obtained the reward on that floor, you won't be able to get it even if you conquer it.]
[If you die in the tower, you will be expelled back to your original dimension and won't be able to try again.]
[Well, then, good luck! Please challenge your limits!]
As the information slid before his eyes explained, this place was a tower that tested the player's limits.
"Each floor has all kinds of traps and challenges, and it also has its rewards."
The rewards arranged on each floor could only be obtained by one person. Ryu Min, knowing the nature of this place, entered without hesitation.
"On each floor, there are all kinds of traps and challenges. And there are also rewards."
The reason why Ryu Min hid the existence of the search secondary mission is here.
"Because all the rewards are mine."
To obtain rewards up to the 99th floor, Ryu Min ascended the Tower. As he ascended, he experienced a renewed sensation.
"I had failed 58 times in conquering the 99th floor."
Failure usually means death, but here, even if you die, you simply return to the cave where the portal was originally. It's unfortunate not to be able to try again.
"But I had many chances to challenge. And finally, on my fifty-ninth attempt, I succeeded in conquering the 99th floor."
Since then, he perfectly ascended to the 99th floor each time and claimed the rewards.
The reward was not the Rune of Silent he planned to obtain in the ninth assault.
"The Rune of Silent is a secondary reward that can be obtained on the top floor of the Tower of Trials."
The reward from the 99th floor was a reward that could stand up to the angels, and only one could be obtained.
The reason why the angels would go crazy if they knew was here.
Ryu Min also didn't know why an unfavorable reward was given to the angels.
"But, what does it matter? Good things are good."
Ryu Min would claim that reward this time as well. As he always has.
Clic- Clank-
Opening the tall tower door, a message appears.
[You have entered floor 1 of the Tower of Trials.]
[If you pass the prepared trial, you will be given a reward.]
[Success in conquering floor 1 ▶ Strength +1]
As the message says, there are rewards on each floor of the Tower of Trials. In other words, there are 99 rewards in total. For Ryu Min, it's like a treasure chest.
"But I shouldn't let my guard down."
The trials on each floor are full of challenging traps.
"If you're a player entering for the first time, you'll probably have a pretty hard time."
Before Ryu Min, there is a hallway that only shows darkness. Since it's not known what will come out, it's inevitable to feel nervous.
"But it doesn't apply to me."
Ryu Min runs in one go.
Whoosh-
A trap springs from the left wall, but he dodges it as if he predicted it. Immediately after, another trap attacks him from the right wall, but he also easily avoids it. Then, traps emerge from the floor. He jumps over them easily, as if he had foreseen them.
Life-and-death situations occurred in a matter of seconds. Although it seems like a trap designed to make you die, it's easier than you think.
"If you advance slowly, you might have detected in advance that something was wrong by listening to the sound of the machines in operation."
But for Ryu Min, who knows the location of the traps, there is no reason to advance slowly. He only advances quickly.
[You have cleared floor 1 of the Tower of Trials.]
[As a reward, Strength permanently increases by 1.]
[You will move to the next floor in 10 seconds.]
Ryu Min smiles at the message. For those who have surpassed floor 99, this is nothing.
"The next is floor 2 with arrow traps."
Ryu Min's figure disappeared in an instant.
----------------------
Whoosh-!
Clank-!
Chains and arrows attacked Ryu Min simultaneously. Avoiding them with smooth movements, he performed an acrobatic spin in the air. The ground opened less noisily, revealing a deadly trap hole.
Clunk-
Ryu Min grabbed the chains swinging in the air, then grabbed the next chain and crossed the hole. Passing through a hole and landing on the ground, Ryu Min ran without rest. Having overcome the trap dozens of times and memorized its location, the positions of the traps were evident to him.
["You have cleared the Tower of Trials up to floor 19!"]
["As a reward, your agility permanently increases by 2."]
["You will move to the next floor in 10 seconds."]
During the ascent to floor 19, Ryu Min gained permanently 7 strength, 7 intelligence, 7 agility, and 5 luck. Reaching here was already an extraordinary achievement.
"But if it's the first time, the 9th floor would be the limit."
As the position of the tenth floor changed by dozens, the difficulty increased significantly. That is, from the 10th floor, traps were placed that were difficult to overcome for common players.
"Maybe I'll need to surpass level 50 with an agility of at least 150 to reach floor 20."
Therefore, for common players, reaching here would already be a great achievement. Of course, Ryu Min was not a common player.
"From floor 20 to 39, monsters will appear."
Defeating the monsters that appear upon reaching floor 20 is not easy, considering that it already takes more than 50 levels to get there.
"Minotaurs will appear as a norm, that's for sure."
For Ryu Min, it was just a good source of experience, but he mentioned it anyway.
"It's also an opportunity to accumulate Runes of Slaughter."
He hasn't accumulated any stacks of Runes of Slaughter yet because he hasn't killed monsters.
Since it doubles all stats when stacked up to 100, he wanted to get the buff quickly.
"Krururur."
Although the cries of monsters echoed in the dark hallway.
Ryu Min laughed instead of fearing.
He raised his scythe and ran while smiling.
It was an opportunity to accumulate more stacks.
"Kwaak!"
Thud-
The lifeless body of a decapitated ogre fell to the ground.
["You have defeated the ogre!"]
["With the title effect, experience increases by 1.5."]
["Experience +5.7%"]
["Gold +12,000"]
["Currently, you have 200/100 kills."]
["With the effect of the Rune of Slaughter, all stats increase by 100%."]
["With the effect of the demonic ring, damage increases by 15%."]
After clearing floor 39, Ryu Min opened his status window.
His level had already reached 85.
He had accumulated the Rune of Slaughter buff and gained 2 stats with the eternity pearl.
"I also got the conquest rewards for each floor."
From rare expert-level equipment to unique equipment, the variety was extensive.
["You have cleared the Tower of Trials up to floor 39!"]
["As a reward, the 'Trial Necklace' is granted."]
["You will move to the next floor in 10 seconds."]
Ryu Min checked the rewards he received.
["Trial Necklace"]
Type: Necklace
Grade: Unique
Effect: Strength, Intelligence +39
Durability: 5,000/5,000
Usage Restriction: Master rank or higher
Description: A necklace that can only be obtained by conquering the Tower of Trials somewhere in the world. Obtaining it means clearing floor 39.
This time, he received a unique Master-rank equipment.
Ryu Min smiled in satisfaction.
It seemed useful to use it in situations where he wasn't using the eternity pearl.
"Now, it's floor 40."
Ryu Min's eyes filled with tension.
Until now, it was just a warm-up; now things were getting serious.
Upon reaching floor 40, Ryu Min took out an Unyielding Resistance Potion he had received as a secondary mission reward.
From this point on, this potion is essential.
"Use."
[The 'Unyielding Resistance Potion' is used.]
[Fire resistance fixed at 95%.]
[Cold resistance fixed at 95%.]
[Wind resistance fixed at 95%.]
From now on, there will be traps that cannot be overcome without the help of potions.
"There are traps like corridors that heat up like ovens, passages with gusts so strong you can't walk, or levels that test mental limits with extreme cold."
With this, even with high stats, one cannot resist elemental attacks.
Additionally, the environment has been designed in a way that one can only rely on potions.
"Ah, should I try again?"
Determined, Ryu Min took another step forward.
He must reach at least floor 80.
-------------------
Since the concept of traps is different, rewards vary on each floor.
[As a reward, fire resistance permanently increases by 5%.]
[As a reward, cold resistance permanently increases by 5%.]
[As a reward, wind resistance permanently increases by 5%.]
From floor 40 to 59, traps were related to elements.
Therefore, the rewards provided a permanent increase in elemental resistance.
When Ryu Min cleared floor 59, he checked the resistances he had obtained so far.
"Fire resistance increased to 35%, cold resistance to 35%, and wind resistance to 30%."
There are two types of resistances.
General resistance that protects against status ailments and elemental resistance that protects against elemental attacks, as mentioned earlier.
The rainbow effect that increases resistance by 50% belongs to general resistance.
It is clearly different from the elemental resistance he just obtained.
Therefore, Ryu Min was content.
"It's not easy to increase elemental resistance."
Items that increase elemental resistance are extremely rare.
In general, it is better to rely on potions and give up on searching for those items.
Since it has now increased permanently, it could not be more than a great privilege.
"Now should I start tackling floors from 60 onwards?"
From here to floor 79, monsters reappear.
They are not stronger monsters, but caution must be exercised as they are linked with traps.
"I can't run like at the beginning."
Cautiously, Ryu Min advanced with the scythe in hand.
----------------
Ryu Min's minimum goal is to reach floor 80 for a reason.
[You have surpassed floor 79 of the Tower of Trials.]
[The 'Rune of Stealth' is granted as a reward.]
[You will move to the next floor in 10 seconds.]
The Rune of Stealth.
Finally, the item he wanted appeared.
Ryu Min received it and used it immediately, marking it on his body.
[Rune of Stealth]
Effect: When using invisibility, completely hides the sound of breathing, footsteps, and clothing rustling.
Undetectable by any scanning, sound perception, or external factors.
After a successful attack during invisibility, the cooldown of invisibility is reset.
A smile appeared on Ryu Min's face.
Now that he has the Rune of Stealth, perfect invisibility is possible.
"I can't be satisfied here. It's not the real thing yet."
On floor 80, Ryu Min took a moment to catch his breath and advanced forward.
Now, hard and difficult challenges await, which can be considered a complete set of obstacles faced so far.
"There are still 2 hours until the attribute potions, so it's enough to reach floor 99."
It wasn't as easy as it sounded.
Facing various monsters, violent winds, storms, freezing temperatures, fire pits, and overcoming all sorts of traps, he climbed the floors.
[You have surpassed floor 83 of the Tower of Trials.]
[You have surpassed floor 87 of the Tower of Trials.]
[You have surpassed floor 92 of the Tower of Trials.]
...
...
...
"Phew. Climbing so many times, but the path to floor 99 was really bumpy."
Ryu Min wiped the sweat off his forehead after reaching floor 98.
There were countless obstacles to get here.
Even the previous floor, floor 97, tested his mental endurance with hallucinations.
Of course, thanks to the mental shield of the runes, he passed through the illusion as if it were nothing.
"So far, the easiest floors were 97 and 98."
Floor 98 was also a similar trap, so he simply walked to overcome it.
But the last floor, 99, wasn't as easy to overcome.
[You have surpassed floor 98 of the Tower of Trials.]
[As a reward, your resistance permanently increases by 10%.]
"In 10 seconds, you will be transported to the last floor. Good luck."
Finally, Ryu Min reached floor 99.
The final challenge awaited him.