Chapter 151
“It’s been a while, Administrator?”
“……What is it this time?”
Nimrod suddenly appeared.
Ha-yeon waved her hand as if pleased to see him, but Seo-jin frowned as if he was sick of the sight.
“What is it, you ask? I couldn’t help but come personally on such a momentous day as today.”
Nimrod greeted them with exaggerated gestures while scanning the members of Reverse Heaven Society and the strategy team with his eyes.
“The first strategy team that opened the era of tower climbing has been disbanded, and now the reformed frontline strategy team. And the rookie force following behind them have together updated a new floor.”
“It seemed like we were in the middle of updating.”
Seo-jin pointed to the black object crushed under Nimrod’s feet.
There had been a final battle with the demon’s fragment remaining, but Nimrod had arbitrarily finished it off.
Strictly speaking, they hadn’t cleared the final quest or updated the floor.
Swish-.
Nimrod rubbed away the melted demon’s fragment at his feet and continued speaking.
“Please don’t mention such trivial matters. You’ve handled the final World Quest and obtained the right to ascend to the 38th floor.”
Ting-.
[World Quest #4]
[Quest has been cleared.]
[You have acquired the right to ascend to the 38th floor.]
[You have opened the 38th floor for the first time.]
[Achievement unlocked. ‘Fast Starter’]
[Achievement unlocked. ‘Moderator of Sun and Moon’]
Along with the quest completion notification, the entirely black sky began to slowly regain its light.
Hwak-.
The sight of bluish light slowly spreading from beyond the ridge, coloring the sky.
It was a familiar moment of dawn to us, but it would be a mystical sight for the beings of this land.
However,
‘If the sun rises immediately and shines bright sunlight, it would be dangerous for the 37th floor’s vegetation and natives who have adapted to darkness for so long.’
But contrary to Seo-jin’s worry, a bright sun didn’t rise immediately.
Instead, a sacred landscape unfolded where gentle rays of light shone down between the thick clouds in the sky.
It was thanks to Solaris and Lunaris’s arrangement.
Nimrod clapped his hands watching this.
“What a wonderful scene. Now the natives of this land can also enjoy the sun’s blessing without problems.”
So said Nimrod, who had completed the World Quest in such a haphazard manner.
“This concludes all business on the 37th floor. Since a new floor has also been updated, let me make an interesting proposal to you all.”
“A proposal. Can we refuse?”
“No.”
Seo-jin frowned at Nimrod’s shameless answer.
“Then it’s forced sales, you bastard.”
“Well, when has it ever been otherwise? Just accept it. And didn’t I just solve that troublesome boss phase for you? Let’s call it even.”
Step-.
Nimrod slowly walked between Reverse Heaven Society and the strategy team.
“Although there was minor friction, you successfully cleared the World Quest through cooperation. However.”
He pointed upward with his finger, his eyes gleaming.
“On the next floor, the 38th floor, a confrontation between the strategy team and Reverse Heaven Society will unfold. Who will open the next floor first…… It will be a competition to determine this.”
“What if we don’t want to?”
“You’ll have no choice but to participate. I’ve prepared substantial benefits that you won’t be able to resist without participating. And as I said earlier, this isn’t a proposal but compulsory.”
Nimrod smiled at Seo-jin.
His mouth was smiling, but those blue eyes gleamed coldly.
“……”
Confirming that gaze, Seo-jin somewhat grasped Nimrod’s intention for appearing at this moment.
‘His intervention in annihilating the demon’s fragment just now was itself a ploy to force this “proposal.”‘
No matter how much of an administrator Nimrod was, he was still a being bound by the tower’s laws.
He couldn’t arbitrarily force his proposal, so it seemed he had balanced the total causality by defeating the demon’s fragment for them.
Also, if Reverse Heaven Society and the strategy team cooperated against the demon, their cooperative relationship might become stronger than necessary.
It might be a measure to induce competition between the two forces.
To Nimrod’s proposal, Gu-ren asked tiredly.
“Don’t tell me we’re starting right away? I’m dead tired.”
They were quite fatigued from staying on this shithole of a floor for so long.
Their bodies were stiff and their condition was very poor.
Moreover, since they had updated a new floor, they needed to report this to related organizations.
But to suddenly appear like this and try to send them to the 38th floor. It was too much.
“……Well, fine.”
Nimrod shrugged his shoulders looking at the beggar-like appearance of the climbers.
“I’ll give you about a day to prepare. Rest for a while, then come back to this Altar of Balance.”
“What can we do with one day!”
Gu-ren bristled and complained.
With 37th floor teleportation stones being extremely rare now, with just one day of rest they couldn’t go to other floors or leave the tower and return.
In the end, they’d be trapped in this shitty cave temple, making the rest time practically meaningless.
At this.
“Then don’t if you don’t like it.”
Snap-.
Nimrod flicked his finger.
Simultaneously, the complaining Gu-ren’s figure instantly disappeared.
Though not certain, he seemed to have been teleported alone to the 38th floor.
“Gu-ren-nim!”
Rei was startled seeing him disappear. Nimrod asked her as well.
“Will you follow him too?”
“Yes, yes, please send me too.”
Seemingly uneasy about leaving that troublemaker alone, Rei stepped forward to follow.
“A loyal person. Good. Then what about the rest of you?”
“Our Reverse Heaven Society will rest for a day.”
Seo-jin decided to stay here for a day.
The 38th floor wasn’t a floor with any great advantage from arriving early, and going up would only mean suffering.
Also, the team members had been working hard lately and had suffered greatly, so let’s rest comfortably enjoying hot springs in the village.
In contrast,
“There’s nothing else to do here. Teleport us ahead.”
Ju Won-jae decided to move to the 38th floor with all the strategy team members.
However, not everyone stepped forward to go.
“I’ll stay here.”
“I’ll also remain for a while.”
Ha-yeon and Lee Seo-mun decided to stay for another day.
Ha-yeon seemed to want to have conversations with Seo-jin and So-yul, and Lee Seo-mun also seemed to want to chat with his disciples.
Ju Won-jae frowned but reluctantly nodded.
“If you come on time, I won’t stop you.”
“Good. Then.”
Clap-.
When Nimrod clapped, some members of the strategy team became clusters of light and moved to the 38th floor.
***
Coming down from the rocky mountain where the Altar of Balance was located, they arrived again at the native village.
This time, not only Reverse Heaven Society members but also Kwon Ha-yeon and Lee Seo-mun were with them.
Lee Seo-mun looked around the village with gleaming eyes.
“This must have been your base.”
The native village where Seo-jin’s group had been staying.
The shabby appearance from when they first set foot here could no longer be found.
Properly expanded walls and wide rice fields spread around them. Well-maintained waterways and a large public bathhouse.
A waterwheel mill and windmill, a well-appointed mansion on one side of the village and hot springs located behind it.
When they first came, it had been a humble village with shack-like huts and wooden palisades, but with Reverse Heaven Society’s touch, infrastructure rivaling a city had been built in just one month.
Moreover, natives gradually flocked from surrounding villages, and the population of around 500 began to increase.
“ekdldlsqkddl!”
“dydnjakqrh!”
As soon as the natives saw Seo-jin’s group return, they began prostrating themselves.
Though they didn’t know the details, the village had prospered differently than before after the foreigners arrived.
Moreover, the always dark sky had regained its original light.
For them, Reverse Heaven Society was no different from benefactors who had brought light back to this land.
“dhtltlqdhtjdj……”
The native shaman also bowed his head welcoming Seo-jin’s group.
However, everyone seemed awkward with the light, appearing to be adapting while wearing layers of straw clothing.
They had only heard about the existence of the sun, so directly receiving light would be their first time.
Like when Seo-jin’s group first came to this floor, they too would have to adapt to the light by applying mud to their skin or similar methods.
Seo-jin’s group entered the village receiving the natives’ welcome.
Ha-yeon, who had been looking around the village, hit Seo-jin’s shoulder and opened her drowsy eyes.
“You’ve made it really nice here, haven’t you? We’ve been stuck living in a cave-like temple for two months.”
“……This place was also a shithole. This development only happened recently.”
It was just a month ago that they were communicating with natives through gestures with mud on their faces.
“You should have invited me as soon as you made the hot springs. After just taking my gift and eating it up.”
“I’ll repay you later.”
“Forget it. I’m just joking. There’s no need for repayment over something like that.”
While Seo-jin and Ha-yeon were talking.
“Master, please look at this too!”
“Of course.”
The Nam-gung siblings ran around various parts of the village enthusiastically showing off the facilities to Lee Seo-mun.
The other members naturally went to the mansion’s lodging to rest or went to the stalls to buy food.
Thanks to this, when only the two of them remained, Ha-yeon carefully parted her lips.
“……I’ve been hearing news continuously. I’m relieved to see everyone looks safe.”
She didn’t state the subject, but Seo-jin intuitively knew what she was referring to.
“Killing him was unavoidable.”
It was a well-known fact to both that Hanseong’s hunting dogs had continued threatening Seo-jin and Reverse Heaven Society.
When Seo-jin spoke as if making an excuse, Ha-yeon shook her head.
“He’s not particularly related to me. You don’t need to worry about that incident.”
He was mainly an assistant secretary who followed her grandfather.
After grandfather passed away, he briefly served as her security chief before taking on handling her father’s affairs.
Actually, regarding that man, there was only fear, not particularly good feelings.
Of course, there was some gratitude and compassion for someone who had served the Kwon family, but in reality, he was just a person who posed a threat to Ha-yeon.
“Now that we’ve reached floors where their reach doesn’t extend, there’s no need to worry anymore.”
Despite all the interference, Reverse Heaven Society had finally reached the top floor where the strategy team was located.
If they continued to accelerate their climbing speed and rapidly open upper floors, the corporate dogs would be busy just keeping up with that pace.
There would be no more threats to Seo-jin and Reverse Heaven Society members.
When their conversation was wrapping up.
“Sister!”
So-yul, who had headed to the stalls, approached and handed grilled skewers to Ha-yeon and Seo-jin while saying.
“Please try this. You too, Seo-jin. And there are hot springs here – would you like to use them tonight? You probably haven’t been able to wash properly all this time.”
“Sounds good~”
Then Nam-gung Cheon, who had been touring the village for a while, also suggested to Lee Seo-mun.
“Master should also soak your body in hot water to relieve fatigue.”
Previously, the hot springs were only about the size of a pond, so when one team used them, it was difficult for another team to use them.
But during the facility expansion process, the baths were also divided into several, and they could accommodate more people than before.
Lee Seo-mun readily nodded.
“Yes, I’ll impose on your hospitality. Will you join me?”
At Lee Seo-mun’s question, Seo-jin smiled slightly.
“That sounds good.”
They would be able to discuss martial arts while soaking their bodies in hot water.
***
The next day.
Reverse Heaven Society, Lee Seo-mun, and Kwon Ha-yeon, who had rested well for a night in the village, entered the 38th floor following Nimrod’s guidance.
Upon teleportation, suffocatingly stuffy air greeted the group.
The 37th floor’s air wasn’t particularly good either, but this place was much more unpleasant than there.
It was like entering a warehouse that had been closed and neglected for a long time – that kind of air and mana concentration.
‘This 38th floor is where I first met Kwon Ha-yeon before my regression.’
An underground space like an anthill, a battlefield where numerous tribes fought for survival over limited resources.
Nimrod gathered Reverse Heaven Society and strategy team members together, spread his arms in welcome, and opened his mouth.
“Welcome to the 38th floor, everyone. Now let me explain the overview of the test.”
