C547
─Floor 12.
The first floor after he finished the 'Tutorial.'
What Lucas immediately felt upon entering the space was that the "scope of the space" had expanded much more than before.
This "world" is clearly broader than the previous places.
But...
Splash─
Gentle waves rolled. The salty air, the clear sky, and the squawking of seagulls. In such a large space, the space that could be entered was extremely limited.
So, the field on floor 12 was a small island.
Lucas was in the middle of an extremely narrow island, so narrow that it was difficult to enter even a single building.
"Hello. I'm 'Taylor,' the administrator of floor 12."
Taylor?
A man with a name he had heard somewhere was enjoying a snack at a table. His melancholic expression and his half-closed-eye smile reminded him of someone.
"Are you Torun's son?"
"... How do you know?"
"I knew it from the person in question."
He didn't mention the unnecessary fact that he deduced it by using a handkerchief.
Taylor, who seemed slightly surprised, smiled again.
"It seems you're quite an excellent tower climber, since you can even discern my identity from my father's test."
He appreciated the compliment, but Lucas didn't want to waste any more time and said:
"So, Taylor, what's the test for this floor?"
"Wow, you're impatient."
"I have little time to reach floor 77 today."
"…"
Taylor blinked for a moment and then smiled again. He seemed to take it as a joke.
"The test here is simple but can be quite complicated. I'd say the difficulty varies greatly depending on the tower climber."
"What is it?"
Taylor looked around the island and said:
"What do you think of this island?"
It wasn't necessary for him to look around. He had already seen everything the moment he stepped into this place.
"It should be called a deserted island. If not for you."
The only thing that exists on the small island are some trees and grass, probably halophyte plants that can grow regardless of seawater.
"Is that so?"
Taylor smiled faintly and said:
"The test for floor 12 is simple. Cross the sea in front of you."
Lucas glanced at the sea.
At first glance, there seemed to be no nearby islands or continents.
"The only thing you can use is your tower climber's mind and simple magic."
"Simple magic?"
"As for the type of magic the tower climber possesses... hmm. You shouldn't use magic stronger than 3 stars."
That was a restriction Lucas was already applying, so it wouldn't change much.
Lucas nodded.
Upon hearing the test content, it seemed this floor was a stage where he had to integrally use the mage skills he had learned in the "tutorial."
Limited island resources,
An extensive sea,
Sealed magic.
"Did you say materials on the island?"
"Yes."
Lucas immediately sprang into action. As he said, there was no time to waste.
"Then I can use that table too."
"…"
Taylor, who was stunned for a moment, burst into laughter.
From floor 12 onwards, the difficulty of the tests increased significantly.
The tests seemed to emphasize overall "balance."
Observation, analysis, creativity, application, and calculation scores shouldn't be biased toward one side. Nor should they be below par in any of them.
Of course.
To become a Great Wizard, there couldn't be a deficiency in any of the five attributes defined by the Beginning Wizard.
In other words, it wasn't difficult for Lucas.
Crossing the sea on floor 12,
Purifying the contaminated land on floor 15,
Capturing the precious creature on floor 17,
Preparing the potion on floor 20.
Even creating magic on floor 21.
The tests were varied, but the total time Lucas took to complete them was about 3 and a half hours.
[It's really child's play.]
Residue, who couldn't be worse, spoke again.
"I've discovered one of the roles the Tower 77 has."
[A role?]
"The Tower is a training ground with an exceptional system. If someone with a certain talent for magic climbs from floor 1, assuming they don't give up, anyone can become a self-sufficient mage."
[Can it produce mages above a certain level?]
Residue murmured, as if he wasn't interested.
[Then why did the Beginning Wizard make you climb this tower?]
"…"
He hadn't figured it out yet.
The Beginning Wizard should also be well aware of Lucas's abilities.
Lucas's foundations were not deficient.
For some, this method, the process of rereading from the first page of the magic tome, could be a new stimulus to overcome stagnation, a guiding thread to obtain enlightenment.
Lucas wasn't like that.
... Will I simply know it by climbing the tower? What should I do in this tower?
He found a clue about that on floor 22.
---------------------
The administrator of floor 22 was a woman named "Viya."
She wore an orange robe and had a unique talent for handling plants. She herself seemed to consider it magic. Matching her ability, the surrounding field was a dark forest of vines.
[Those laughable skills would also fall under the category of magic they define.]
"That seems so."
Lucas nodded.
The test on floor 22 was also similar to that of floor 11.
Demonstrating his achievements so far by competing in strength.
And Lucas, once again, had no great difficulties in achieving victory.
However, he took a little longer than with Redrun. It took him longer than expected to interpret Viya's plant magic, and the process of destroying it was also quite bothersome.
[Still, it was only 20 minutes.]
Residue huffed and added.
"That girl wasn't completely focused on the fight. It seemed like her mind was elsewhere besides your test."
"I felt that too."
Lucas approached Viya. She was sitting on the ground, panting, and forced a smile.
"...It's amazing. I heard something general about Redrun, but... maybe the tower climber's skills are already beyond what we can measure."
"…"
Lucas was thinking about the remaining time.
The time it took from the 11th floor to the 22nd was about 4 hours. Considering he had 55 floors left, every minute was crucial, but...
"Why weren't you focused?"
It was better to ask anyway.
"Huh?"
"Your mind was somewhere else. You seemed restless since we first met."
"Did you notice?"
Viya smiled bitterly.
"There has been a problem inside the tower."
"A problem?"
"Yes. We're still investigating, but..."
Viya, who had been silent for a moment, lowered her head.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can tell you more."
"Because I'm an outsider?"
"Yes."
"…"
Lucas fell silent.
He thought that for wizards of the Magic Planet, the concept of an "outsider" might be more complex than he had thought.
...A problem that has occurred in the tower.
Viya was right. Lucas didn't need to worry about that. He just had to focus on climbing the tower as he had been doing so far.
However...
'Something worries me.'
The timing.
At this moment when Lucas is ascending the tower, a problem has arisen in the tower. Can it be dismissed as a mere coincidence?
"...And if..."
As if sensing Lucas's thought, Viya spoke.
"But if the tower climber manages to pass the test of the 33rd floor, things change."
"What do you mean?"
"In general, you have to reach at least the 33rd floor to be recognized as a Seeker."
Ah.
Lucas understood Viya's words.
"Is it possible to become a Seeker without reaching the top of the tower?"
"Yes."
Viya nodded.
"If you pass the test of the 33rd floor, the tower climber will also have the right to know the situation of the tower."
I see.
There was one more reason to climb the tower quickly.
--------------------------
The field of the 23rd floor was a vast expanse of snow.
However, it wasn't the serene atmosphere of the southern regions of the "Magic Planet" or the grasslands of Manjuri.
Fwoosh!
The snow fell so heavily and the wind blew so strongly that it was hard to even open one's eyes. The accumulated snow reached up to the calves.
Body temperature dropped within seconds.
Lucas created small flames inside his cloak to maintain his body temperature.
"Something's off."
"Yes. It's different from everything else."
Not only was the field strange, but there was also no sight of the wizard who had always explained the tests.
There was hardly a trace of life around.
First, he needed to find a place to take shelter. With his powers restricted, prolonged exposure to this snowstorm would literally freeze him.
Just then, he saw a cave in the distance. The entrance was located opposite to the wind and snow, so it would be a suitable place to take temporary shelter.
Perhaps the wizard was there. Lucas fought against the snow and advanced with difficulty. Upon reaching the inside of the cave, a warm breeze enveloped him. A fire burned inside. Not only that, there were stone furnishings, pots and cooking utensils, and canned food.
There were signs that someone had been there until recently, but now...
"There's no one."
"That's right. Could that person have stepped out for a moment?"
Lucas sat on a cushion in front of the fire and warmed himself. It wasn't a good situation. He couldn't ascend to the next floor without knowing what the test was, and he would also lose time.
Then...
"Someone's coming."
Residue said, focusing his consciousness outside the cave. Lucas rose from his seat without saying a word.
At that moment, a voice was heard.
"Is anyone there?"
Someone was standing amidst the snowstorm.
The owner of this cave? Perhaps that person had stepped out for a moment.
Before Lucas could respond, the voice spoke again.
"The snowstorm is too strong. I would like to stay here until it subsides. May I?"
That question seemed odd.
Permission? Wasn't that person the owner?
"...It's okay."
Lucas replied so and increased his vigilance.
He continued to feel a sense of incongruence.
That voice, somewhere...
"Thank you."
The figure standing in the snowstorm entered, and the fire from the fireplace illuminated that person's face.
She wasn't a mage from the Magic Tower. Lucas could discern that fact immediately. Unlike the Seekers of the Magic Tower, who possessed individual magic, the magical energy emanating from her was familiar enough for him to relax.
Of course...
Lucas knew her.
If he hadn't looked through the "Fountain of Wisdom," Lucas wouldn't have recognized who she was. He would have considered her a stranger.
Hair as white as snow, bandage, and a single arm.
"Then, I'll stay here until the snowstorm passes."
Looking at the woman of slender build and dry expression,
"Min Harin..."
Lucas realized belatedly one fact.
The fact that "Tower 77" was connected to the "Three Thousand Worlds".
Tags:
TGMRA (Novel)