Chapter 267

Chapter 267
Chapter 267

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999 VS 1

Quiver, quiver!

Isabella’s palms were vibrating like leaves in a gale. Her face had drained of all color, and a sharp twitch jerked near her eyelid. He had been resting within the coach only a few heartbeats ago, yet now the space was empty. She scanned the immediate area with frantic intensity, but Randolph’s form was nowhere to be found.

Had he perhaps regained consciousness? Had he stepped away for a moment to handle some sudden necessity? A whirlwind of theories spun through her brain, but her intuition always returned to the same point: ‘That is impossible.’ There was no logical reason for a newly recovered Randolph to depart without leaving her so much as a single word.

“Are you certain you didn’t spot him?”

“Indeed, I’ve told you, I didn’t see a thing. Good heavens, it’s as if a spirit snatched him into thin air.”

The driver seemed equally shaken. He was likely being honest. The duration Isabella had spent away was five minutes at the very most. If the driver had attempted to move or conceal Randolph in that window, it would have been impossible to do so undetected. Furthermore, the man’s respiration and outward demeanor were identical to how they were before she had stepped away. His facial cues and steady pulse also confirmed he was telling the truth.

Gnash!

Isabella gnawed on her thumbnail.

‘I should never have walked away to get that bread……’

She stared at the lukewarm loaf resting in the carriage and felt a wave of genuine remorse. She should have stayed at her post. Who could have predicted that the ‘Bakery’ she had first encountered in Arcana—the Golden City where her journey with Randolph began—would have an outpost here in the capital of the Balan Kingdom?

It was bread that commanded an outrageous price of 50 gold. The shop’s title was simply ‘Bakery.’ Back then, she possessed only 300 gold, and because the cost was so steep, she hadn’t dared to purchase a taste. That was exactly why the moment she caught sight of that ‘Bakery’ sign, a surge of sentimentality had drawn her out of the carriage—a split-second decision that had yielded a catastrophic result.

“Could it be…… an abduction?”

There were no footprints indicating he had walked off. The driver hadn’t witnessed Randolph exiting either. This implied he had either sunk into the earth, taken to the clouds, or been stealthily kidnapped by an outside party.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

As those grim possibilities took root, Isabella’s pulse began to race violently. If someone had dared to kidnap Randolph-nim… she would slaughter them. She would erase them from existence without hesitation.

However, dark suspicions began to pile up one after another. If someone had taken him, who would have the capability?

‘……The list of suspects is far too long.’

It could be a Player, perhaps even members of the Council of Eight Heroes; it could be the Empire, having finally pierced Randolph’s true identity; or there was the chance it was the White King. Or maybe the Black King, an Administrator, or failing them, even the Demon Race or high-ranking devils. Viewed through that lens, there were more potential culprits than she had first guessed. Randolph always appeared to be balancing on a razor’s edge. Was he not carrying an unbearable burden all by himself?

Fwish!

Isabella launched herself from the spot. He couldn’t have been taken far. Yet, even after a grueling search, Randolph remained missing. The royal capital was more expansive than she had estimated.

‘……I cannot locate him on my own.’

Shifting her strategy, Isabella turned her steps toward the royal palace.

“Wh-What is happening!”

“Intercept her!”

“Aaaaargh!”

Fwish! Boom!
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-boom!
Kwa-aaaaaaaah!

It was as though a cataclysm had struck. A thunderous roar that threatened to shatter eardrums jolted the royal palace awake.

‘……What is the meaning of all this racket.’

The King of Balan knit his brows at the sudden cacophony that interrupted his afternoon tea. It felt like only yesterday that he had scored a victory against King Friedrich of the Iron Kingdom. While he was savoring these triumphant days, what kind of sudden disaster was this?

“Haha. Think nothing of it, everyone. More importantly, this is a fresh herb sourced from the frontier; does the flavor not strike you as quite pleasant?”

The King brushed aside his anxiety. At this moment, the Saintess and Serengeti, who sat across from him, were of far greater consequence.

“Blegh. What sort of foul, dog-crap flavor is this?”

“Mmm, it’s wonderful!”

Furthermore…… those two youths. The boy and girl who had introduced themselves as Isera and Lucaria. The presence of those two children, who displayed such diametrically opposed personalities, carried a heavy sense of mystery that even the King could not ignore. Observing that even the Saintess and Serengeti seemed uncharacteristically tense around them, they were clearly guests of high standing.

Boom! Bang! Kureureung!
Kwa-bang! Kwa-kwa-bang!

“Haha……”

“I-It’s an intruder!”

A sentry who had arrived in a state of total panic cried out at that moment. At last, the King of Balan released a heavy sigh.

“……Just what sort of arrogant fool would dare to force their way through the palace gates?”

“Some madwoman is……!”

“A madwoman?”

“She is inciting a massacre, screaming to see Serengeti-nim and Saintess Seya-nim!”

There wasn’t a soul who didn’t know that Serengeti and Saintess Seya were currently in residence. Since they had defended the Balan Kingdom with their legendary feats, it wasn’t uncommon for citizens to create a stir just to catch a glimpse of them for a second. However, because this was the first time an incident had escalated to this level of violence, the King of Balan gave a slow nod.

“She must be insane. But why haven’t your forces managed to restrain her?”

“Th-that is……!”

A force that could not be subdued even by the combined soldiers and knights of the palace. In an instant, Serengeti cocked his head to the side.

“It’s a sensation I recognize.”

“Ho-ho. I believe I have an idea of who it is.”

When Saintess Seya offered a small smile, Serengeti’s brow darkened.

“Who?”

“Her presence has grown significantly more potent. Do you truly not recognize it?”

“Mmm…… This suffocating pressure. Blistering like the wasteland and keen like a predator. Among those I’m acquainted with, the only one who projects such an aura is…… Isabella?”

“That is precisely right.”

“But why would Isabella be laying siege to the palace?”

Isabella. The woman Serengeti knew was more calculated than anyone. She was reflective and soft-spoken—which made her a bit dull—but she possessed the tenacity of a viper that would never release its prey once it struck. She was not the sort of individual who would storm a castle without a desperate motive. There was a critical reason she was hunting for them. And that reason, in all likelihood, was tied to Randolph.

Step!

“I have to go.”

Serengeti rose from his chair. He immediately made his way toward the palace gates. There, in the center of a bloody theater where hundreds of men lay broken, stood Isabella. Furthermore, her features were set in a mask of fury like that of an ancient demon. Serengeti felt a chill of tension, as he had never once witnessed Isabella wear such a look. He might be forced to restrain her if things took a turn for the worst.

“Isabella. What in the world do you think you’re doing?”

At those words, Isabella shifted her gaze and locked eyes with Serengeti. However, the steel in her expression did not yield. Serengeti was quickly made aware of the cause.

“……Randolph-nim has vanished.”

That single phrase told the whole story.

The Balan Kingdom was thrown into total chaos. The term “thrown into chaos” was an understatement. The King of Balan, perhaps feeling a sense of culpability, treated Isabella—the very woman who had just assaulted his palace—as a high-ranking dignitary instead, and threw every resource into the hunt for Randolph. They sealed every gate leading out of the capital and distributed a bounty notice, but despite everything, Randolph remained lost.

“You’re telling me Randolph-nim is gone?”

“……I will join the search.”

Isabella, Serengeti, Saintess Seya, Isera, Lucaria, Hudson, and even the elven Auriel. Every one of them mobilized, shifting into ‘Randolph Search’ mode. And so, the winds began to pick up. The minor gale that had ignited in the Balan Kingdom was showing every sign of evolving into a world-shaking hurricane.

‘Karas…… you miserable bastard.’

The Leader of the Eight Excellence Knights, Lyca, glared upward from the base of the tower. This was because the War God Karas, utilizing his sovereignty as the tower’s master, had forcibly removed Lyca.

—Shall I record it for you?

That one query continued to echo in his mind. The proposal to write down the shattered portions of the Mirror of Life and Death. That man who claimed he would fulfill the ancestral ambition of the Eight Excellence was currently occupying the 11th floor of the tower. Lyca was consumed by agitation.

‘……I am barred from entry. He has sealed the passage itself. This implies no soul can exit or enter until this ordeal concludes.’

Dammit! Hyun of Adrium. Regardless of how remarkable that boy was, the modified Tower of the War God was a total enigma. He had no means of predicting how events would unfold from the 11th floor onward. Would the boy be able to make it back with his life?

‘Please, just survive and return……!’

Had there ever been another instance where he had desired someone’s safety so fervently? If any of the competitors were to lay a hand on Hyun of Adrium, he would butcher them, but Lyca was powerless to interfere at this moment. And despite his prayers, it would be a miracle for the boy to come back alive. Measured against the thousand prodigies locked inside the tower, Hyun of Adrium was still far too fragile.

《Welcome to the 11th floor of the Tower of the War God.》
《From the 11th floor through the 15th floor, the ‘Equal Struggle’ commences.》
《All competitors are granted 300 Stat Points.》
《Points may be allocated into chosen stats (Strength, Agility, Stamina, Intelligence, Mana), and once committed, these points cannot be reclaimed.》
《All ‘Abilities’ aside from base stats are preserved.》
《All 1,000 competitors will battle; once 100 individuals are removed or concede, you may move to the following floor.》
《Beginning in 30 minutes.》

On the 11th floor of the tower. All one thousand warriors who had been pulled into this space stared at the notification materializing before them.

“This is getting interesting.”

“What are these bizarre rules?”

“If I slaughter everyone else, do I win by default?”

The environment had shifted entirely. However, very few appeared genuinely panicked. Those assembled here were all people who had been hailed as once-in-a-generation geniuses. It was only natural that their ability to pivot was equally exceptional.

‘A reconstructed tower, reconstructed laws.’

It was fundamentally different from when I had ascended the tower in the guise of Randolph. During that time, no such regulations existed.

An Equal Struggle. The terminology suggested fairness, but it was an incredibly lopsided set of conditions. In the end, the only thing that was truly balanced was the starting 300 stat points.

‘It is a system where one must capitalize on every advantage—profession, talents, gear, artifacts, or even political ties.’

Point allocation was required to maximize whatever one already owned. One had to possess deep self-knowledge, and they had to project how their physical form would react and pivot when they suddenly became significantly weaker or stronger. Was that the extent of it? Even if one readied themselves for every variable, there was one factor that reigned supreme: not being isolated.

‘……A thousand warriors will engage in a massive brawl all at once.’

There were no supplementary rules. The carnage would persist without end until a hundred people were wiped out. It was a contest of forging ‘alliances’ before the chaos erupted. The person who could recruit the largest and most powerful faction would be the winner. This meat-grinder would continue all the way to the 15th floor.

“Cartel Mercenaries, form up!”

“Scions of the Sun! Let us stand as one!”

“Dercian never retreats!”

Those with sharp instincts began to scramble. By city, by nation, or by faction. They fought to amplify their voices as much as possible to snare even one more recruit. This was a war—a condensed version of the countless conflicts fought by these thousand souls. It was a chaotic scramble where every history mattered: whether cities or nations were allies or enemies, whether they were dominant or failing, and so on.

‘Group up to survive.’

Everyone shared that exact thought. After all, had they not already been sorted and brought together based on their ‘cities’? There was no real obstacle to forming ranks. It was merely a sprint to see who could consolidate faster. As long as they held comparable stats, the most vital objective was to bring in even one extra blade within those 30 minutes. The units with the smallest rosters would be the first to be hunted. If one was left alone, they would simply become the target.

And the person most vulnerable to isolation was ‘me.’

“…….”

“…….”

The looks from the crowd were focused on me. I had already drawn far too much scrutiny. Was I not the lone entrant of the Warrior tournament, and the one who had unlocked the Mirror of Life and Death first, coming dangerously close to winning Lyca’s endorsement?

‘A brat who is only Level 4 managed to eclipse me?’

‘Hyun of Adrium? A nobody whose social rank and level are a joke dared to jump the line and catch Lyca-nim’s eye.’

‘If that guy just happens to vanish, I can have a fresh start.’

‘A creature like that is supposedly a genius who outclasses me?’

……Just by observing those predatory stares, I could sense the vitriol focused on my position. There were plenty who didn’t even bother to hide their desire to kill me. There was no faction that would welcome someone in my shoes. If they did, they would be instantly besieged by every other group. Even before the clock started, I was drifting, unable to find a place to belong.

I was completely alone.