Chapter 484 – The Seven Towers of the King (完)

Within the comfortable confines of an aircraft cruising towards the dungeon, Se-Young, arms folded, idled away the time. Between her and the ‘Hunter’, Byul slumbered deeply.

【Aren’t you sleeping? It’s already four in the morning.】

Baekyang’s inquiry was met with a nonchalant response from Se-Young.

‘You know.’

The reason why she couldn’t surrender to sleep was an insomniac affliction that had plagued her for a long time. Se-Young simulated slumber, eyes closed but mind alert. A curse of the nocturnal, of a life spent under the shadowy veil of the night. The nickname ‘Crow’ hadn’t been given without some link to this aspect of her life.

Se-Young, restless, turned her gaze towards Byul’s face. Even after three years, the innocence and natural charm of her features were endearing.

“…Ah. Ah.”

Byul twitched, her body quivering.

【Could she be having a nightmare?】
‘Most likely. We share a similar fate. She must dream as frequently as I do.’
【…It’s pitiful.】

Baekyang’s sincere empathy elicited a soft chuckle from Se-Young. Baekyang, the spirit, was excessively kind-hearted, a trait she had exhibited since their first meeting.

“Why…why is the jungle… consuming the kill… the gank hasn’t even arrived… this damned…”

Byul’s sleep talk trailed on. Se-Young and Baekyang, once deep in their warm exchanges, fell abruptly silent.

【…Perhaps it’s a nightmare?】
‘It must be a nightmare. At least for her.’

This heart-wrenching perpetrator. She was so engrossed in the game that she was even playing it in her dreams. What was it called again, LOT? League of Trees? Se-Young didn’t know much about games.

‘Nonetheless…’

It was a relief that she wasn’t reliving that day in her dreams. Se-Young’s outstretched hand touched Byul’s forehead. Her hair, a mystical shade of yellow. Reflected in the window, Se-Young’s face wore an unspoken smile.

【You both care deeply for each other.】
‘Naturally. If Siheon is my other half… Shiba and the others are the rest of me.’
【Such a relationship…I envy it. Could I attain something similar?】
‘Maybe? Do you remember our first encounter?’
【Of course.】

Indeed, Lee Se-Young had once ventured alone into the Tower of Time. Before the formation of the Crows, she had left without a word to anyone. Lee Se-Young had faced death multiple times during this solo expedition.

‘The fourth floor.’

The place where Se-Young had encountered Baekyang whilst laboriously advancing through the floors. She had fallen into a trap, where she discovered a tiny sprout.

【It was a place where monsters thrived… and where I, a spirit, was born. Perhaps our meeting was destined.】
‘Destiny… perhaps. You were quite peculiar back then.’

Usually, spirits that lurk in dungeons engage in mindless destruction. But Baekyang was an exception. She had simply guarded her spot, still as a sprout, as if waiting for someone.

‘It’s a past life.’

In a past life of the World Tree, Baekyang concealed much about herself. The only certainty for Lee Se-Young was that Baekyang possessed an extraordinarily enigmatic ability.

【I’m still feeble. It needs honing. To reclaim the might of old.】
‘Old times?’
【Power increases with use.】

Se-Young and Baekyang were interwoven with a connection far deeper and surer than typical spirits. Without this bond, Se-Young could not wield Baekyang’s power.

【At present, mere seconds… It’s optimal to distort or seize the flow of time. Much more so than the days of the dead…】

Occasionally, Baekyang spoke in riddles, but Se-Young reaped the benefits. Founding the crow and ascending to victory, and the authority Lee Se-Young currently holds; all were fruits of Baekyang’s efforts. The reckonings of death evaded, thanks to Baekyang, were already well into the double digits.

‘Good for you. Let’s see your virtue this time too.’
【Certainly.】
‘…Thank you.’
【The pleasure is mine.】

What was there to be thankful for? Se-Young, lost in thought, found herself distracted by the adorable visage of the ‘hunter’.

‘He’s quite cute too.’

The ‘hunter’, with his impressively broad chest, was undeniably adorable in Se-Young’s eyes.

* * * * * * * * * *

On the morning before the tower siege, as Se-Young was preparing for an early departure, Gu-seul, ready to begin her day’s work, peeked into her room.

“Will the two of you suffice?”
“Yes.”

While it’s generally preferred to have as many people as possible when raiding dungeons, this logic applies when there’s a deficit in combat power. In Se-Young’s case, it was beneficial to proceed alone or with a small team.

“After all, I am the object of the trial.”
“What about Ebony?”
“She cannot pause her training right now. Even while I’m undergoing trials, I must teach her how to master her stance and control her magic.”

The wealth of experience obtainable from the tower is too substantial to disregard. Given Ebony’s limitless potential, it was necessary for her to join this time, even if it delayed the attack.

“You are strong, so it doesn’t matter… . But I’ve grown attached to Ebony. Can’t I see her?”
“If Ebony dies…”

Hesitation. Se-Young paused her packing and regarded Gu-seul.

There is a common saying in films and comics: If they die, their potential ends there. Can one dare to utter such words while pushing another towards death?

“No, never mind.”
“What’s the matter? You’re making me anxious.”

However, it was undeniable that Se-Young was repeatedly dragging Ebony into perilous situations.

While it had been Ebony’s decision, her obedience was such that pangs of guilt sporadically surfaced within me.

“Whether I am the one to protect Ebony, or Ebony protects me… We must give our best.”
“Is Ebony protecting you?”
“That could be a possibility. It’s a trial, after all.”

Just like how I had shattered purgatory when my master was afflicted by the mistletoe, we must be prepared for any eventuality. Let’s firmly fasten the reins of our minds.

– Zrrrk –

As I zipped up my backpack, I relaxed my shoulders. My waist sheathed a sword crafted from mistletoe.

– Tap, tap –

The endearing sound of footsteps echoed. Like a white puffball treading upon the water’s surface, Ebony softly walked towards me from the corridor, our eyes meeting. I flashed Ebony a grin.

“It seems it has become a habit now.”

Silencing any noise with her gait. Initially, she made numerous mistakes despite my repeated reminders, but now she was adept. If it was barely audible to my ears, it could be deemed silent to the outside world.

“I’m prepared, sir.”
“Will our Ebony be alright?”

During our time together, Ebony had learned to communicate with others.

“Yes.”
“In case of danger, it’s alright to abandon that guy and return.”
“???”

Of course, she still couldn’t comprehend jokes beyond the level of dad jokes. Ebony, her face etched with question marks, responded while beads of sweat trickled down her face.

“Bu- but isn’t it wrong to abandon him?”
“It’s a joke.”
“Oh… “

Only when explained this way could she understand. I gestured to Ebony to come closer. Standing before me timidly, Ebony adopted a formal posture with an apprehensive expression.

“Let’s see.”

I reached out to inspect Ebony’s muscular legs, akin to tree trunks, and her personal effects. I removed anything that could hinder her movement and stashed it in Ebony’s bag.

– Thump –

“Your muscles are well-developed.”

Thanks to a long period of magical massages, even her energy center had strengthened. Unlike me, her foundation was excellent, so mastering magical energy would be swift for her.

“You’ve worked hard.”
“Yes.”

At my words, Ebony’s fists clenched tightly. It was endearing to see her slightly excited by the praise.

“However, the journey is still long.”

Raising and wrapping one’s body in magical energy doesn’t instantly solve everything. The priority lies in the skill to manipulate the raised magical energy. Without it, one could end up like me three years ago, needing the assistance of spirits to combine magical energy with mana.

‘But I can’t let Ebony use a spirit.’

The aptitude for spirits is rare. While I had acquired it through the power of the king, Ebony hadn’t. We would have to verify this later.

“We should set off.”

I decided to hasten our journey.

“What about food?”
“We’ll eat on the way.”
“Why the rush?”

The women from whom I had once parted had started to move. Given the nature of the tower where safety could not be verified, it was challenging to ignore them. Entering early to increase the likelihood of an encounter seemed like the better option.

“Hmm, indeed?”

Upon hearing the situation, Gu-seul shrugged her shoulders and moved closer to me.

“And your libido?”

Still an ambiguous matter. Gu-seul waved her hand slightly, mimicking a playful tease, and I gently brushed it aside.

“It’s all right now.”

Gu-seul, her eyes wide with surprise. She responded by lightly pressing on my chest.

“Remarkable.”

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Ebony found herself growing accustomed to the training.

“This should suffice.”

She was making steady progress. Swordsmanship, in particular, had started to become enjoyable.

Holding a large sword that reached her chest, Ebony gazed at the master standing beside her. The master’s attire was slightly different today.

‘…Black Dragon.’

The master was draped in a black dragon robe, a grand dragon crawling across the fabric, her waist cinched with a red band. The implication of that garment…

“Why?”

Feeling her gaze, the master turned. Ebony quickly averted her eyes.

“…It’s nothing.”

Ebony knew. When the master donned that garment, she was more serious, firm, and intimidating than usual.

Just as a once naughty uncle would present a rare solemnity at a funeral. Ebony could feel this shift in atmosphere.

“Curious?”

“…Yes?”

“This garment. You keep looking.”

“Just a bit, yes.”

The master’s hand gently patted Ebony’s head. It was a mildly ticklish sensation.

“It was bequeathed by my own master. So… I suppose that makes me your grandmaster.”

Though the words were tender, the expression was cold. At this moment, her master’s countenance barely changed. The ensuing aura, the charisma… truthfully, it was terrifying.

“If you also plan to follow in my footsteps, you’ll wear it one day.”
“…”

But why did her eyes carry a hint of emptiness?

“Let’s go. We’ve identified an uncharted entrance, so we should head that way.”

Ebony followed her master, climbing towards the base of the tower.

The area surrounding the tower was encased by a massive mountain range, with monsters constantly emerging from the vicinity, making it impossible to seal the entrance to the dungeon. As such, unlike other dungeons, it was challenging to construct buildings or establish systems around the King’s Tower. The Hunter Association had erected and maintained walls around the tower’s influence, but the larger the area, the more gaps there were. Lee Si-heon and Ebony had infiltrated the tower through one such gap.

As they walked, clearing the area obscured by various structures, they soon spotted a narrow crevice in a cave.

Prepared mentally, Ebony looked up at her master.

A face void of any tension. It was, in all honesty, hard to read.

“My Master often says it’s hard to comprehend my feelings, but from my perspective, it’s the exact opposite. He’s constantly cracking uncle-like jokes but his face remains unmoved. It makes one wonder what he’s up to.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yes.”

Lee Si-heon, stepping through the crevices of the cavern and the rifts in space, vanished before Ebony’s eyes.

‘!’

Although I’ve heard about it, it’s astounding. A dimension divided. Even Ebony, who has witnessed all manner of strange phenomena as a test subject, found it challenging to comprehend this situation.

Ebony extended her foot. The space before her blurred momentarily and she emerged within a vast cavern.

-Thud!

Ebony, having gently stepped forward, stood next to her master. Lee Si-heon’s figure then caught her eye.

“…?”

-Wrrrrrrr!

Suddenly, the surroundings began to resonate. The walls and the floor of the tower shuddered violently once, then the tremors gradually ceased.

The master remained still as stone. I wondered what could be going through his mind. I waited for a moment, yet the master remained motionless.

“Mister…?”

No answer, even when asked out of desperation.

Ebony took a step forward, standing before her master. Soon, she was able to see his face.

-Thump.

A shift in energy. The heavy and reluctant aura that surrounded the master was being stripped away, replaced by an atmosphere all too familiar to Ebony.

‘Magi.’

Ebony assessed that this aura was identical to what she felt when she manipulated the Magi. The thorny crown that momentarily revealed itself atop Lee Si-heon’s head disappeared as if it had seeped into the floor above.

Residing within the remainder of the master’s body was the half of his power he’d been concealing until now.

-Surge.

A torrent of black magical energy erupted, swelling and wavering like a brush painting a scene. The surroundings were transformed. A wave of energy erupted from his back, causing Ebony’s vision to be awash with white.

Then, an ink painting came to mind.
“…….”

The power of the Heavenly Demon. His eyelids, which were momentarily shut, flickered open.

“Ah, mister?”

Ebony asked, startled. Lee Si-heon blinked dryly.

“…Is that you, Ebony?”
“Yes.”

He touched his forearm a few times, seemingly intrigued. Eventually, Ebony’s master spoke.

“It’s nothing of concern. Let’s proceed.”