Chapter 274

Chapter 274
## Chapter 274

—

The Zealot

Hyun of Adrium. Right after his arrival on the 17th floor.

“…Did he truly say it was the Unity of Heart and Sword? Yet he never even shifted his blade?”

“He did absolutely nothing, and he was granted passage?”

Confusion rippled through the crowd. The bewilderment was inevitable, as neither participant had made a single move. Despite the lack of action, the result was a success.

“…….”

Sansha, however, remained silent. He felt no need to satisfy their meddling curiosity, and in truth, even he hadn’t fully braced for that outcome.

The instant the Unity of Heart and Sword was primed and his edge was leveled, Sansha understood.

‘If I strike, I perish.’

He was struck by the absolute certainty that the moment he swung, his own life would vanish. The Unity of Heart and Sword was a masterstroke that ‘inevitably’ reached the target. Furthermore, it was designed to ‘fatally’ wound without fail. It was a peerless art that could claim a life even if the steel didn’t make physical contact. Essentially, the Unity of Heart and Sword was the physical manifestation of an amplified will. It functioned as a ‘Heart-Sword’ where the mere intent to kill transformed into unstoppable sword-force.

However… the moment he prepared to unleash it, Sansha’s internal monologue ground to a halt. A single, haunting realization filled his consciousness.

I die.
I die.
I die……!

If he directed his blade toward the man to inflict a death blow, that exact strike would rebound with twice the power, killing him on the spot.

‘A power capable of reflecting physical trauma twofold… does such a phenomenon truly exist in this realm?’

He knew of skills or artifacts built on the concept of reflection. Yet, they could never return more than the ‘damage sustained.’ At their core, while termed reflection, they functioned more like ‘sharing.’ They were limited to splitting the agony and dividing the wounds.

But the individual standing before him was an anomaly. Because of this, Sansha was frozen. That was the sole reason he conceded the match and sheathed his weapon instead of lunging.

…And there was perhaps more to it.

‘This is a sensation I didn’t encounter even when standing against Wilhelm or Randolph…….’

Sansha glanced at his palms. Both hands were trembling with a faint, rhythmic shudder, like a silent sob. It was the result of an instinctive, overwhelming terror of the end. He had felt profound respect when facing Wilhelm and Randolph, but he had never known this specific ‘fear of sudden extinction.’

Sansha shifted his gaze upward. And then.

‘Is this what it feels like to be truly alive?’

A grin spread across Sansha’s face as adrenaline surged. He felt vital. It was a stark contrast to his time under the thumb of the Demon of Envy. Back then, he was a walking corpse. Now, things were different. Choosing to return as a ‘Trial of the Tower’ had been the correct path. To encounter such a fascinating individual so early in the journey was a gift.

‘I can ascend further.’

He was now certain. The fact that he could feel the chilling hand of death was the ultimate proof that his strength could still grow. With this, he would seek a rematch with Randolph. He would face him and emerge triumphant! The journey was far from over. The genuine ordeal was only just beginning.

—

King of Ruin.

It was a completely unfamiliar title, forged from the fusion and elevation of his previous Hidden Class inheritances. I was momentarily stunned by this entirely unforeseen turn of events.

‘This feels reminiscent of when I claimed the Supreme Sword Saint class.’

By conquering every challenge within the Abyss Labyrinth, I had managed to seize the ‘Supreme Sword Saint’ Hidden Class, surpassing both the Hexagonal Hero Riley and the trial of the Supreme Dragon. It was a pinnacle I had reached through a relentless chain of class advancements.

‘If there’s a distinction from that experience… it’s the origin.’

In those days, I had painstakingly dragged a common class through upgrades to finally reach a Hidden Class tier. Now, however, I was starting directly with a Hidden Class. Even better, there was room for further growth. Had I settled for the Heavenly Demon or a similar path, I would have been riddled with regret.

‘Since I have to climb regardless.’

I cast my eyes toward the heights. The peak of the tower. Once the ascent began, there was no turning back.

《The resonance of ‘Randolph’ grows more distinct.》
《The presence of ‘Park Hyunmyeong’ begins to fade.》

…Even if my limbs grew heavy and unresponsive the higher I ventured. Even if my entire frame eventually became trapped in paralysis.

‘I will witness the conclusion.’

That had always been my way. If I intended to quit halfway, I wouldn’t have taken the first step. Naturally, I wanted to grasp that power immediately. Denying the temptation would be a lie.

King of Ruin.

Wasn’t the title itself electrifying? A class name is a mark of status. And typically, the more esoteric the name, the higher its standing. Similar to the Successor of the Stars or the Supreme Sword Saint. And so, ‘King of Ruin,’ then.

The inclusion of the word ‘Ruin’ in a class was peculiar. I had never encountered a title with such a connotation. Still, I was sure this wasn’t the final destination.

‘The King of Ruin is merely the first step.’

Knowing that evolution was on the horizon, I couldn’t stop here. If the starting name was already this imposing, my heart raced at the thought of what grander title would emerge once I reached the summit.

Fwoooooo—!

Suddenly, a rift of light tore open beside me, and a man tumbled out. Upon closer inspection, the person emerging from the warp was a familiar face.

“Ah, O Great Goddess!”

……The zealot, Aaron. How in the world had he succeeded? I felt I could guess the answer without a word. He was drenched in crimson. Every major tendon seemed to have been sliced, and his frame was so shattered he could barely twitch. He was, quite literally, teetering on the edge of the grave. It was likely the reason Aaron lost consciousness the moment he cleared the portal.

‘He invoked the Prayer of Self-Sacrifice.’

I mused as I looked down at the unconscious Aaron. One strategy to neutralize or evade Sansha’s prowess was to debilitate oneself, forcing Sansha into a mirrored state. Aaron had chanted the sacrifice ritual while fully embracing the possibility of death. Through that resolve, he had cleared Sansha’s test.

…Though it was an act far easier to describe than to perform.

Fwoo!
Fwooooo—!

Following him, more victors began to materialize through the rifts. The frequency increased until the count hit 100.

“Welcome to the 17th floor of the Tower of the War God.”

The 101st individual to appear was Sansha himself.

Slide!

Moments later, a crimson ring was etched into the floor around Sansha.

“The 17th floor operates on the inverse logic of the 16th. My role now is to obstruct the challenger’s offense. Thus, if you can force me to move even a single pace or drive me from this circle, you shall pass.”

Offense, not defense. It seemed far simpler since there was no need to survive his counterattacks. At that point, a challenger queried:

“Are you claiming you will do nothing but defend?”

“Precisely. I shall only block.”

“…That is a staggering amount of pride.”

With the rules clarified, the strategy was set. A purely defensive posture, then. On the surface, it appeared to be a more manageable trial than the previous floor.

“What are the consequences of failure? Are we removed immediately?”

“It is not an instant disqualification.”

“Then what happens if we fail to move you?”

“One hour.”

“……?”

“If no victor emerges within sixty minutes, I shall step out of this circle of my own volition.”

“Does that mean… you will come out to engage us yourself?”

“Yes. All of you against me. We struggle until one side is extinguished. Is that understood?”

“If even one person manages to succeed……”

“Then everyone passes.”

Total victory or total slaughter. The 17th floor would end in one of those two ways. No middle ground. However, his level of assurance was borderline insane. It bordered on blatant arrogance. If they bombarded him for an hour, even Sansha would surely tire. Moving him a single step should have been trivial.

“…The technique used doesn’t matter, I assume?”

“You ask the obvious. This is a field of battle. Do not pause to employ any tactic or tool for the sake of your triumph.”

Every method was on the table. Just move him one step. Yet, this wasn’t empty bluster.

‘Sansha already analyzed all of our capabilities on the 16th floor.’

A true expert can judge an opponent’s limits through a single exchange. Sansha had already traded blows with everyone present. He had observed their skills, felt their strength, and determined that he had no path to defeat. He was convinced he could remain unyielding even under an hour of relentless assault!

“…Then I will lead the way.”

Hanches, the Knight of the Sun, stepped forward, his tone sharp with annoyance. He was a Transcendent and a frontrunner for the entire tournament. Among the contenders here, he was a powerhouse easily within the top three.

Fwhiriririk!

His blade ignited with intense heat.

“I’ll see how long that smugness lasts.”

Hanches lunged with his sword. Simultaneously—

Gu-ooooooo—!

A miniature sun manifested above Sansha’s head. The radiance bleeding from that small star focused into a needlepoint of heat, projecting enough thermal energy to melt Sansha where he stood.

“Nothing escapes the incineration of my sun. If you remain stationary, you will be reduced to ash.”

“Mmm, it is quite warm.”

“……?”

However, Hanches’s expression soured at Sansha’s reaction. He had his eyes shut, basking in the solar intensity as if he were relaxing at a beach. He wasn’t entirely unscathed, of course.

Sizzle!

His skin was charring bit by bit. The issue was the ‘bit by bit.’ At that pace, it seemed it would take an entire day to actually burn Sansha down.

“…Reside within my steel, Phoenix.”

Caw!

The miniature sun shifted, taking the form of a firebird—a Phoenix. As the avian flame was drawn into Hanches’s blade—

Fwhaaaaaaak!

Accompanied by a violent eruption of fire, a staggering heat flooded the 17th floor.

“I-It’s too hot!”
“Aaargh! I’m catching fire……!”

The others scrambled to create as much distance as possible. Ignoring the chaos, Hanches charged at Sansha.

Chwang!

Sansha swept his blade up and casually parried Hanches’s lunge, which was saturated with the Phoenix’s power.

Chang! Chang! Cha-eng!

He pressed the attack relentlessly, but Sansha didn’t budge an inch. It was as if every strike was being anticipated before it even began.

“…!”

Hanches ground his teeth. He couldn’t wrap his head around it. He was the Knight of the Sun, a legendary figure to countless warriors. To think he couldn’t even nudge this man a single step. To think the chasm in their ability was this vast.

“How much longer are you going to keep this up?”

“More than 30 minutes have already slipped away!”

By the time over half an hour had passed.

‘Damn it……!’

Hanches was drowning in despair. He had swung his sword without pause for thirty minutes, yet Sansha remained anchored inside the circle.

Thud!

Finally, Hanches’s grip failed, and his sword hit the floor.

“Heok! Heok!”

The perspiration pouring off him was enough to soak the ground beneath his feet.

‘I cannot… overcome him.’

He was forced to admit the reality. Sansha. That man was an tireless freak of nature. Despite the massive difference in their exertion, he hadn’t broken a single drop of sweat. It felt like trying to punch through a mountain.

“Blast it! I’m going next!”

Desperate challengers began to rush forward. But the results remained unchanged. They hurled explosive elixirs and deployed lethal toxins, but Sansha stood unaffected. Even though they threw everything they had, nothing stuck.

“Just what kind of creature is he……”

“Is he truly immortal?”

In that manner, 50 minutes had ticked by. Less than 10 minutes remained. Naturally, their eyes began to turn toward me.

‘My legs won’t respond.’

It wasn’t that I was holding back out of choice. The Paradox of Fate. As I climbed higher, my body drifted further from its functional state. Even though it was only the 17th floor, my left arm and both legs were effectively paralyzed.

“Mmm……”

Right then, the unconscious Aaron drifted back to reality. I looked at him immediately and spoke.

“Aaron.”

“Is this—ah! O Herald of the Goddess’s Will. Did you summon me?”

Even in his mangled state, Aaron strained to respond to my voice. …It was a relief. If my theory held, there was exactly one method for me to regain movement.

“‘Adore’ me.”

“I beg your pardon……?”

“Perform the Prayer of Adoration.”

It was the Prayer of Adoration. However, offering that prayer to anyone other than the Goddess was the ultimate sacrilege within the Goddess Cult. That was the hurdle. Regardless of the faith he placed in me, as a devout follower, he should have hesitated……

“With my whole heart!!!”

……Without a moment’s doubt, Aaron began the Prayer of Adoration.

Fwhiriririk!

A shroud of light fell over me. The brilliance was far more powerful than I had foreseen. Aaron was dredging up every last ember of his vitality and divine energy. A sacrifice ritual. A Prayer of Adoration fueled by his very life force!

‘It’s responding.’

Slowly, my body began to regain its function. I rose from the ground with measured movements.

“…Are you ready to challenge me?”

Sansha asked, his gaze burning with intensity. I had been a bystander on the 16th floor, but on the 17th, the roles were flipped. He seemed eager to see if I could rattle him here as well. I could sense his burning desire to settle the account.

“I am.”

I gave a short nod and a faint grin. The path to the summit had finally revealed itself. Along with the absolute method to win this trial.

【The power of the Hidden-grade talisman ‘Natural Catastrophe’ is activated!】

Ku-ru-ru-ru-rung—!