Chapter 181 : Chapter 181

Chapter 181 - Resolution (1)

“...”

“...”

“...”

Silence filled the air.

Of course, a grand scene that made such a reaction understandable was unfolding before their eyes.

A giant pillar of darkness descended from the sky. The natural phenomenon, caused by the entire dimension being torn apart, was not only a tremendous visual spectacle sufficient to make onlookers’ jaws drop, but it also scattered mana that made one's entire skin tingle.

But despite that, it wasn’t the reason for their reaction.

“...Your Majesty. Please say it again. What did you say?”

“I’m saying, that’s a phenomenon that occurs when a great demon is sealed...”

“...”

Once again, a heavy silence fell upon the area.

After all, the answer the Spirit Queen had just given, looking like her head was throbbing, indicated only one fact.

“...You really beat an apocalypse-class great demon by yourself?”

“Not by myself. There were two others here.”

The gazes of everyone present turned fiercely.

Because there was only one person who could let out such a drawling voice in a situation like this.

“...He really did it. Isn’t this guy completely insane?”

Kim Kang-in muttered in a dumbfounded voice as he saw Kim Gyu-sik carrying Seo Ah-in and Raven as if they were sacks of rice.

Trailing behind him was Meirin, with a look of complete resignation on her face.

“Why would you bad-mouth a person like that...”

Kim Gyu-sik, for a rare moment, tried to refute it but then shut his mouth.

A bundle of glares, intense enough that his whole body could have exploded had he uttered another word, flew at him from nearby.

“Well, be that as it may.”

“...Be that as it may?”

Someone let out a groan upon seeing him condense the great deed he had just accomplished, one that wouldn't even appear in history books, in such a way.

But still looking unconcerned, Kim Gyu-sik swiftly threw something towards the Spirit Queen.

As if he were throwing a pebble, Selpas reflexively caught it lightly, and upon realizing what it was, she was startled and her hands began to tremble.

“Th-this is...”

“It’s the King of Flies’ core. There’s still a lot of mana inside, so be careful.”

“...”

Why on earth would you throw something like that so casually?!

Before Selpas could properly voice such a question, one more thing came flying at her face.

Struck squarely in the face by Raven’s body, Selpas let out a groan of “Poohk,” and started rolling on the ground.

“Take him and ‘purify’ everything inside within a week. He’s mentally broken, so he’ll probably listen if you torture and persuade him moderately.”

“...Wait a minute. Hold on. Junior. The pace is too fast. Why are you suddenly ordering so many things?”

“Normally, I would explain it a bit more kindly... but I’m also a little tired and exhausted right now.”

As he said that, Kim Gyu-sik swept his hair back as if to prove his point.

It was a rather dumbfounding reaction for Kim Kang-in as well. Just what on earth had this monstrous guy been doing inside to react like this?

“I died about twice.”

“...”

Right. That makes sense.

As Kim Kang-in nodded with a listless motion, Kim Gyu-sik waved his hand with a still-annoyed gesture.

“So let’s hurry up and take care of that. You’re here to do that too, right, senior?”

Saying that, he took off his equipment and threw it to Kim Kang-in.

“What’s this?”

“They’re pieces of equipment engraved with Spirit Seals. If you wear and use them, they’ll probably learn your mana and optimize themselves. The ability is to absorb shock and fire it back.”

“Right. And why are you giving it to me?”

“To take care of that.”

The tip of Kim Gyu-sik's finger was pointing at the black pillar that was still soaring as if it would pierce the sky.

“...Junior. That thing. It looks dangerous even if every single person here charged at it, doesn't it?”

“No. It’ll be fine if just you and I go.”

“...”

This crazy bastard is at it again.

***

A certain ‘absolute will’ that governs all things resides in the dimensional rift.

Some call it God, some call it the Big Bang, and some call it omniscience, but.

The Guardian of the Tower knew better than anyone what to call it.

“System. Please come online.”

[ Verifying User ID... ]

[ Verifying Administrator credentials for World - 3356... ]

[ Welcome, Guardian. ]

A blue hologram appeared before her eyes.

Perhaps if Kim Gyu-sik saw it, he would realize it looked very similar to his own ‘status window’, but the Guardian could think of nothing but loathing as she looked at it.

Access to the ‘System’, granted to her from the moment she achieved countless accomplishments during her time as a human.

It was a long time ago, but she still remembered it clearly.

[ Congratulations on becoming an Administrator. ]

[ You have a duty to help the players of World - 3356 reach the top. ]

[ Quest cancellation is impossible. Refusal will result in the deletion of your existence. ]

At first, she considered it a power befitting the realm she had reached, but it didn't take long for her to realize it was a curse that bound her to the Tower for all eternity.

Until someone reached the top of the Tower and broke through the ‘Gate’, she was nothing more than a bird trapped in a cage, bound there forever.

Therefore, she had a duty to manage and nurture all the climbers who ascended the Tower, but she had long given up on such things.

Because she knew better than anyone what awaited the climbers at the top of the Tower.

“...”

But.

But, even so.

The hope that this time might be different, a very small ember, made her utter the next sentence.

“...I request ‘Elevation’ authority.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the entire room was bathed in red.

It would be quite clear to anyone that the System was not pleased.

[ Warning. ]

[ Elevation is an authority that is established by staking the Administrator's existence. ]

[ If the Climber selected as the target for Elevation fails to break through the final gate, the Administrator’s existence will be extinguished. ]

“I know.”

That’s why she had doubted her ears when Kim Gyu-sik told her this.

It was a matter she had endlessly pondered and hesitated over until now.

Elevation could instantly place a climber on the highest floor by having them break through all the trials the Tower had prepared at once.

But it was a ‘bomb’ that she had to stake her life on.

Nevertheless.

“...”

She decided to believe in that man.

No, rather.

If she couldn't believe in that man, who else could she believe in?

A man who had proven himself so endlessly until now.

[ Request confirmed. ]

[ Please enter the target for Elevation. ]

[ A qualification review will be conducted to confirm if the target is suitable for receiving the authority- ]

“Ah, you won’t have to worry about that.”

The Guardian said with a bitter smile, conjuring a hologram in her hand.

“Hey, this thing, you called it Cheonryongpo? It smells like sweat and blood inside. Is this right?”

“...Senior, are you some kind of adolescent girl?”

Inside, Kim Gyu-sik was shown bustling about, preparing something with a middle-aged man.

“System, you know what this is, right?”

[ Phenomenon confirmed. ]

[ The target subjugated in the current world is Boss Object No. 002, ‘King of Flies’. ]

[ The black pillar in the video is identified as a ‘Dimensional Great Fissure’. ]

[ A Dimensional Great Fissure is a phenomenon that occurs upon the death of a World Ender-class boss monster, and it can trigger a great catastrophe capable of causing an apocalypse. ]

[ It is a phenomenon that is absolutely impossible to prevent with the personnel currently at the scene, and calculations predict that the deaths of all present are highly probable. ]

“Right. You know well.”

Perhaps, if she were to crunch the numbers herself, she would have no choice but to reach the same conclusion.

Things that are impossible are impossible, no matter if a person dies and comes back to life.

‘Mathematically’, ‘logically’, ‘rationally’, it was impossible no matter how you looked at it.

But.

But, you see.

“Alright, senior. From now on, you’re going to swing and hit them one by one in the order I told you.”

“...I don’t really like this feeling of being lectured by a brat who’s wet behind the ears, you know?”

After saying that, Kim Gyu-sik and the middle-aged man began to walk steadily towards the Dimensional Great Fissure.

“You take a look too, System.”

And seeing that, the Guardian grinned and continued.

In a way, it would have been fine to rephrase it as telling it to suffer for once.

After all, having a calculation she was so confident in shatter into pieces was not a very pleasant experience.

“From now on, these two are going to create a miracle.”

[ The command entered is invalid. ]

[ According to calculations, those two entities can never stop the Dimensional Great Fissure. ]

[ Having been caught within the phenomenon's impact range, their deaths are predicted within 3 seconds. ]

“Alright, then. I’ll count down. One, two, three.”

“Heup!”

And then.

As the middle-aged man swung his arm, the black pillar exploded entirely.

[...]

The surrounding world was dyed completely white.

As if reflecting a consciousness that had turned blank, unable to think of anything for a moment.

[ Error. ]

[ This phenomenon is... ]

[ This phenomenon is impossible. ]

[ ... ]

[ .. ]

[ . ]

[ Recalculation is required. ]

[ Time is needed to closely examine the target. ]

[ The Administrator’s request will be temporarily put on hold. Please revisit and state your request again later. ]

Checking the sentences that followed in a somewhat hurried manner, the Guardian couldn't help but hold back her laughter.

Kim Gyu-sik, that man.

He must be the first ‘human’ to draw out such a human-like reaction from the System.

“Then what is it that you just saw?”

[...]

“Keub... Keuheub...”

The Guardian had no choice but to bite her lip hard.

For so.

For so many long years.

She had never once even imagined the System looking ‘dumbfounded’.

Ah, how could this be so delightful.

What she had never even been able to attempt until now, that man was showing it as if it were breathing.

If she was going to perform ‘Elevation’, it was truly an appropriate expression to say that there was no suitable target other than this man.

“You know now, don’t you... who I’m trying to recommend, and why I’m trying to recommend them?”

Well.

She didn't know exactly what the System was thinking, but.

He must have certainly left a deep enough impression for her to say this without issue.

Tip: Tap/click the left or right side of the screen to go to previous/next chapter.