Part 68 Space of Ordeal
After that day, Jihoo studied magic whenever he had time. it will be fun I was holding on to the [Intermediate Unique Force Field], but I only progressed 4% even though I [understood] enough to lie down for a few days.
“It’s not enough, it’s not enough.”
You need to study the basics of magic.
It seemed that it would take quite a long time to get to know this station field properly.
‘Low-level AI seems to have progressed to about 50% now.’
It also takes more time.
Of course, it was the SP that could cut all that time off, and tomorrow we’ll be on our third climb.
“I must be prepared.”
I forgot to study for a few days.
Umbra and Umbra coats need to be upgraded. If you use [Ancient Spiny Slime Body (1kg)], you will be able to add [Low-Low Camouflage] to your coat and increase your defense.
‘It’s a bit disappointing at the bottom.’
If only I had more magic skills.
No, even if I had a lot of SP, I felt like I could increase and decrease [Coat of Darkness] like when [Ancient Spiny Slime] was alive.
If you’re good at it, you might even be able to mimic a ‘thorn’ attack.
“… … Shall we try?”
The remaining SP is 6,850.
It’s difficult to raise your magic skills right away, but if you use [Setting Intervention] using [Fluid Polymer Structure] and [Composite Bioweaving Magic], a plausible upgrade is possible.
‘If that is possible, the destructive power of the shadows can also be raised. If the slime’s body can be coated on the pulley and string instead of just the body, and stretched and shortened, the tension will rise to an extreme.’
Nothing is impossible.
It’s a pity, but if you use SP, most of what you can imagine will be possible. Besides, Jihoo’s [understanding] should significantly reduce the amount of SP consumed.
Jihoo started working right away.
Because tomorrow I have to stand up.
* * *
Choi Hye-yeon stood at the entrance of the tower.
fully armed.
From level 9 leather armor made of high-grade drake leather, to swords and wands obtained from going around S-level dungeons and cracks. Even [Treasure] grade accessories made in collaboration between Samhyeon and Mage Tower.
All of them were plastered with high-level artifacts that were difficult to convert into money.
“You should do well today.”
she caught herself
It was 6:30 in the morning when the sun hadn’t even risen properly. Today, she decided to help Jihoo break through the 3rd floor and climb to the 4th and 5th floors.
No matter how mysterious Shin Ji-hoo is, he is still a normal person. It uses magical power and has characteristics, but even so, it would be only about D-class.
she is responsible for him
It took his strength to climb the 11th floor or higher. No, it would be even more so. Depending on how far Shin Ji-hoo can climb, the risk level of her and the members can be greatly modified.
‘Can I break through the 4th floor well?’
he said himself
It means you have yourself.
[Trial of the Spirit] Mental strength required to break through is at least mid-30s. It varies from person to person and depending on their characteristics.
But that also requires luck.
If you have a specific trauma, you need higher mental strength, and you cannot pass the ordeal regardless of your mental strength, even if you have no persistence or will to live.
And the pain of suffering is death.
‘The fifth floor is also a problem.’
Well, first of all, the 4th floor is important.
I saw Lee Hee-yeon and Shin Ji-hoo coming from afar. Three go up today.
* * *
The three went up to the third floor in an instant. I checked the hideouts on the 2nd and 3rd floors, and there was no problem at all.
The reason why this [Indomitable Tower] belongs to the [City of Artisans] and Shin Ji-hoo is the owner is a big reason. No one wants to hate him here.
The same goes for newly introduced hunters. Even if you want something like this, a nearby hunter will come and warn you quietly.
“Wait, I’ll just check.”
Jihoo made about 120 [Precipice of Scream] under the cliff on the third floor. Half of them were sold, and there were plenty of intermediate magic stones.
I’ll take this with me when I go down later.
If you look at it roughly, it will be worth 20 billion.
“All right. Nothing is broken.”
Jihoo shrugged as if he was ready.
The three talked about how to overcome the cliff of screaming over 500m. The method was very easy.
“It will fly up on my back.”
When I first heard of it, I wondered if that was possible.
And I wondered if it was dangerous or not.
But there was nothing to worry about.
“The witch’s power is a characteristic. Unlike magic, you can fly up in an instant while spitting aura blades.”
He said it as if the grotesque birds that inhabited the cliffs were not a problem at all, and Jihoo agreed.
Because he was an S-class hunter.
Besides, I’ve seen her in action on TV from time to time. As if watching a mega catastrophe movie, her power exceeded common sense.
“… … do i have to lift it I might be able to carry it.”
The problem was Lee Hee-yeon.
Ever since I heard about the method, I had a lot of complaints. But there was no logical way to argue.
“There is no better way. It only takes a few seconds to get up there.”
“… … No, because I said that, it seems like I’m clumsy. no. We do it quickly.”
Choi Hye-yeon turned around and Ji-hoo approached her back.
It’s a very strange feeling.
Not only did she have no memory of being carried on the back of a woman, but Choi Hye-yeon was infinitely smaller than her power. He seemed to be in his early 160s, and the fact that he didn’t have any flab was because his bones were thin.
Besides, isn’t it the famous S-class?
a star hero
It felt strange to be carried on the back of such a person. I didn’t have to do that at all, but I was also sorry.
“Then, excuse me.”
But Jihoo’s worries were unfounded.
snap.
It was when Jihoo stretched out his hand and placed it on his shoulder. She grabbed Jihoo’s hand, and at the same time-
Huwook-
“… … ?”
It was a blink of an eye.
When he saw the cliff in front of him as a line rather than a picture, he was already on top of the cliff.
“Oh, that’s amazing.”
Jihoo grabbed his spinning head and sat down on one side. Below, Lee Hee-yeon was coming up, and Choi Hye-yeon took care of the approaching rogue from a distance.
The sight was also tremendous, but it emitted red power and broke the head of the grotesque bird. very lightly
Then the monsters that flew in from behind hesitated and began to turn back.
“… … Are you like that?”
“Well, if there is an overwhelming difference, that is. It’s because there is a big difference in level.”
Jihoo nodded.
This, too, was quite new.
Soon after, Lee Hee-yeon arrived and was able to climb to the fourth floor.
* * *
[Space of trials].
it is a small temple It’s old and collapsed everywhere, and an ordinary medieval building with traces of time intact.
Jihoo had only heard of it, but it was the first time he had seen it in person.
“Are you here?”
“huh. If you go through it once, you can just come and go the next time. When I was young, I remembered trauma, and I remember having headaches and disgust. I don’t remember clearly when I was younger.”
Heeyeon Lee answered first.
Choi Hye-yeon was relatively recent.
“I was in [The Trial of Force], and I felt like I was there for over a year. Members say it was only an hour, but I felt it was infinitely long.”
“Oh, right! I think I was too. It was almost 10 years ago, so I don’t remember well, but I had the illusion that it was about that long. It’s that kind of feeling where the sense of time is paralyzed as time passes and then stops?”
Lee Hee-yeon remembers breaking through the 4th floor when she was over 20 years old. She’s already in her mid-thirties, so it’s true that 10 years have passed.
From what I still remember, it must have been terrifying. It’s not just mentally painful, it’s because a year is far in itself.
“Just thinking about it is terrifying. You mean you have to endure mental pain while experiencing that long time?”
“that’s right. It wasn’t easy.”
Choi Hye-yeon and Lee Hee-yeon nodded at the same time. It means that you can empathize.
“after-“
It’s scary when it actually happens like this.
No, it’s like joining the military. I am at a loss as to how I will survive 2 years. But once you get started, it’s sooner than you think… … .
‘I’d like to say, but I’m reluctant.’
What was at least comforting was the speed at which SP increased.
– You have broken through the 3rd floor of the [Indomitable Tower].
– 2,000 SP paid!
– [Indomitable Tower] You have reached the 4th floor.
– Survival SP increases by 50%.
– Retained SP: 4,300
I consumed over 4,000 SP yesterday while remodeling the coat and shadow. It reached 4,300 with the SP received while going up to the 4th floor and breaking through the 3rd floor.
In addition, even though Jihoo’s abilities increased and his talents changed, more SPs were coming in than when he resided on the 3rd floor.
And this phrase caught my attention the most.
– The main quest of [Permission to Intervene in Settings] has been activated.
– A special connection between your [Setting Intervention Authority] and [Indomitable Tower] has been confirmed. You can find fragments of that characteristic.
– You can obtain the first fragment in the 4th floor [Space of Trials].
“Then I will go.”
Jihoo moved on.
* * *
Lee Hee-yeon and Choi Hye-yeon looked at Ji-hoo with concern. if two No, even with Choi Hye-yeon, she could safely take Ji-hoo to the 8th floor.
Because she has that kind of power.
But this is different.
‘I have to endure with my own spirit.’
Besides, the most important thing is ‘will’.
Choi Hye-yeon or Lee Hee-yeon pierced through the [Trial of Force], so if you die or collapse in a virtual space, you can try again and fight with anger or a sense of victory against the enemy.
If it continues infinitely, one day you will lose your ‘will’, and then you will give up.
However, in the case of [Hunter], the growth of ‘battle’ itself is one of the motives. That becomes a ‘will’ and it’s worth holding on for a year or two.
“Can I do well?”
Hyeyeon Choi asked.
I want to think good, but it doesn’t work out the way I want. The biggest failure of the challenge was ‘death’.
Hunter doesn’t think much of his own death. While living as a hunter, I made a promise that I could die at any time, and I do it over and over again.
Of course death is scary.
But when you live like this, you feel it.
‘I’d rather die.’
death of a colleague.
friend’s death.
The death of a loved one is even more painful.
“You will do well.”
“… … .”
“Jihoo is strong. Because he is strong and never breaks. Even if you don’t look like that, you are a person who stands upright on his own.”
Lee Hee-yeon seemed to believe in Ji-hoo.
Even before he came up, he forced Jihoo to give up like a wife getting ripped off. Then he really died, and I was really worried.
But not now.
“IM jealous.”
“yes?”
“That you can trust.”
“Because we’ve been together for 20 years. He is the strongest person I know.”
“Heh.”
Hyeyeon Choi laughed.
Is it envy? Or is it because of old ideas?
Or is it because of Jihoo’s image?
“From my point of view, Jihoo-nim was a bit like ‘Hogu’.”
“that’s right. Hogu. hehehe. He’s stupid. That’s why even the people on the street become patrons to Jihoo. I want to do anything, and I feel like I should receive less. Ha- He is a person who makes people very uncomfortable.”
“that’s right. A really strong person is like that. People are more important than the small profit and loss. Trust takes precedence over money. Believe me first, even if you get stabbed in the back. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t hurt.”
that was a little curious
Hyeyeon Choi cannot become a Hogu.
This is because in order to take care of the members, you have to become a person who knows how to get angry at every small profit or loss. So I was curious.
Is such a person really not sick?
“no. He’s sick too. I was betrayed and beaten. stupid guy.”
“… … is that so?”
“Yes, but in the end, the people who betrayed the trust he gave disappear and only those who return the trust remain on the streets. curiously.”
Hyeyeon Choi nodded.
Somehow I understand.
Surprisingly, [Artisan’s Street] is favorable to Shin Ji-hoo. That goes beyond common sense.
No matter how much his father was a pioneer craftsman, Jihoo’s trust on the street was abnormal.
Could it be the trust he gained instead of the pain?
“uh?”
“Has it already been an hour?”
Jihoo walked out in front of me.
He didn’t look hard at all. A different atmosphere flowed from his body than before, and his eyes were brighter than ever.