Chapter 188 : Chapter 188

Chapter 188 - Elevation (3)

A sinisterly pulsing mana wriggles within the Gate of Judgment.

Soon, once the gate is complete, the means to ‘purify’ this entire world will be released from within.

In terms of time, in just under three days, this world, and she, will finally be freed from this terrible curse.

Well, there is a faint reaction trying to interfere with this, but it’s not worth worrying about for now.

He may know some amusing tricks, but he is still just one human. Compared to the Platinum Knight himself, his combat power is nothing short of insignificant.

What is more concerning right now is.

-What is it?

A voice like frost flowed out from under the armor.

It was a natural reaction for him, as he could feel the pulsation of the ‘System’ nearby.

After all, the entire reason he was doing this was because of it.

[ Verifying target’s abnormality. ]

[ Lastboss001’s entity confirmed. ]

[ The entity’s current action routine has been confirmed to pose a grave threat to the established world. ]

Hearing those words, the Platinum Knight immediately snorted.

An accurate assessment. His goal was to break the laws of the world that this damned thing had created.

Then, in what way will it try to interfere-

[ Abnormality check complete. Proceeding with existing protocol. ]

[ Lastboss001 is requested to strictly adhere to the said routine. ]

“...”

The knight’s face under the visor went blank for a moment.

What is this thing saying now?

-...I don’t know if you’re aware, but if I complete this gate now, you and your world will all be destroyed. Are you spouting this nonsense knowing that?

[ Lastboss001 is requested to strictly adhere to the said routine. ]

[ The said routine is an essential process for Player001’s progress. ]

What on earth is it talking about?

Progress? An essential process?

He couldn't understand what it was saying at all, but it was possible to derive an appropriate conclusion by applying the words to the situation.

-Are you... now telling me that I will be defeated by a mere human?

The Platinum Knight continued, his voice laced with an almost hollow feeling.

-By that weak being who is probably unable to even enter at the entrance of the Tower by now?

[ Player001 has already entered the Tower. Would you like to check the progress? ]

-...What did you say?

The Platinum Knight blinked blankly.

He broke through that?

All the devices that he himself had designed, installed, and was confident that no mortal could ever break through?

[ The time taken for Player001 to enter from the front of the Tower to the inside is a total of 11.03 seconds. ]

-...

[ Of this, 9.03 seconds were delayed due to conversing with those around him. Would you like to check the progress? ]

-...

[ Setting up a new obstacle to replace Lastboss001’s breached traps… ]

The Platinum Knight had no choice but to remain silent.

***

“Something’s a bit strange.”

As I muttered that, Seo Ah-in, who was sticking next to me, sighed and replied.

“Have you finally realized your own strangeness?”

“...No, not me. This whole place.”

I replied, looking around the interior of the Tower.

The Elevation process is not actually that big of a deal.

Normally, it's just a climber who has been acknowledged as ‘qualified’ receiving a send-off from the Round Table and the Guardian—with phrases like ‘You can do it!’ ‘Do your best! You’re the hero of the Tower!’ which sound somewhat sarcastic—and reaching the Gate of Judgment on the highest floor.

But there is nothing inside here right now.

No portal to take me to the highest floor in one go, no Round Table guys and Guardians to throw all sorts of cringey lines at me.

Just an empty, dark space, where only the sound of my and Seo Ah-in’s footsteps echoes like thunder, a silence that has settled all around.

“...It's ominous.”

And it seems I wasn't the only one feeling that way, as Seo Ah-in muttered so and rubbed her arms.

She must have goosebumps under her clothes.

“This is the first time I've seen the Tower so quiet. It was always a place overflowing with energy, even though it was dangerous...”

“Then shall we find out why it’s become like this.”

“Excuse me?”

I left the girl who was tilting her head for a moment and slightly checked the text on the PC I was holding.

“...But what meaning does that have that you keep looking at it?”

“Because it contains a lot.”

“Hmm...”

Seo Ah-in tilted her head as if I was spouting incomprehensible nonsense again, but for me, it was 100 percent sincere.

For one, with the ‘knowledge’ I just obtained from this, I can do something like this.

“Heut-cha.”

With a grunt, I made a gesture of ‘pulling’ something down from the air.

-!

-!!

With a crash, the Guardian fell from the air.

Seeing her in a full set of restraints, including handcuffs and shackles, gave the impression that she must have been going through a hard time.

“...Now he’s even summoning a woman out of thin air...?”

“...”

If you put it like that, won’t it make me look like some kind of woman-crazy guy?

As I was chewing over that thought internally, the Guardian, who had been slammed to the floor, lifted her head in a daze.

“Uh, huh...?”

Before the Guardian, who was looking around as if she couldn't understand why she was here, could come to her senses, I strode towards her.

“Wa-wait a minute! I don't really understand the situation, but don't come near me!”

“Oh my, for the first time ever, Mr. Kim Gyu-sik was rejected by a woman...!”

“...”

You're amazing to be able to interpret this situation like that.

As I was glaring at Seo Ah-in with narrowed eyes, the Guardian stammered and continued.

“What I'm wearing right now is a dimensional-severing restraint. If a mortal even touches it, their existence could be erased...”

Before she could finish her sentence, I looked at the PC again and broke all the restraints she was wearing with a tap, tap.

Seeing her freak out, I could tell it was an item with a great effect, but in front of me now, it was no different from being made of thread.

“...Huh.”

She stared blankly at the completely broken restraints.

Seeing her look back and forth between me and the restraints with unfocused eyes, I guess she was quite shocked.

“Right. You’re okay now, right? Let's talk.”

“...Uh, uh...”

“...”

What's with her now.

The Guardian looked at the broken restraints, half-sobbing.

“I, I also... tried so hard for so long to get this off... and you did it so easily...”

“...If that’s the case, shouldn't you just be grateful...?”

“You need to learn to respect other people's efforts more!”

“...”

Strange.

I had a partner I used to exchange this kind of banter with a long time ago.

I don't know why I feel such a sense of déjà vu.

“Of course, of course. That's right.”

What are you agreeing with now.

***

“So.”

I scratched my head and briefly summarized the explanation the Guardian had given.

“The System backstabbed us?”

“...It's not wrong to put it that way.”

The Guardian replied reluctantly.

To explain in a little more detail, it seems the ‘Elevation’, which was supposed to provide various support and move me to the highest floor in one go, was suddenly changed to me having to run up there on my own.

As for the reason.

“...Because you, well, are too good.”

“Hm?”

“...If it goes on like this, it’s obvious you’ll clear it as easily as flipping your hand, so they said it’s meaningless and they’re adjusting the difficulty…”

As if finding it a bit absurd herself while speaking, the Guardian's voice gradually faded as she glanced at me.

Right.

Because I'm such a crazy top-tier veteran, the original 4-day time limit seemed too generous, so they're going to make the Elevation itself a non-existent event.

How shabby...

“...S-sorry. I even made a promise…”

It’s a bit much to say it’s her fault, but it’s true that she couldn’t keep her promise to me.

“There's no need for that.”

“What?”

“If that thing won’t send me up, I can just go up myself, right?”

Saying that, I tapped the computer a little.

“...It’s impossible. Even for you, breaking through all the numerous trials that lie from here to the highest floor of the Tower is…”

“Who said I’m going to clear the stages one by one?”

I replied with a smirk.

Of course, I have the ridiculously broken bug skill called Observation, but still, there are quite a few things made of the ‘Source’, that is... the program’s ‘source code’, that can’t be grasped even with Observation.

If that were possible, honestly, I could have smashed the Tower with my bare fists long ago.

But the PC I’m holding now is the main source of all the ‘knowledge’ that makes up this world.

Even for this Tower and the ‘System’ made of source code.

It means I can clearly find points to pierce through.

And if that’s possible.

It means I can pull off something like this without hesitation.

“It keeps trying to screw me over by talking about difficulty adjustments and whatnot.”

I pulled back my fist.

“Then it should know that I can cheat without any guilt either.”

And I punched.

***

[ Setting up a stage suitable for the target… ]

In the dimensional rift, the System, which understands the principles of the world better than anyone else, is not a being that feels emotions.

Such things are merely base existences that obstruct rational judgment, and they are not elements that befit a higher being like itself.

But, if the System could feel emotions. Perhaps the strongest one coming to it right now would be ‘pride’.

To the crazy irregular named Kim Gyu-sik, this Tower is too small a stage.

To properly prove the value of such an existence, a well-decorated stage and difficult obstacles to overcome are necessary.

A total of 12 trials prepared in this way will now strike Kim Gyu-sik.

The traps at the entrance prepared by the Platinum Knight were all broken through in an instant, but in the end, even that knight who transcended the boundaries of mortals was no match for the System in terms of the influence of planning and execution.

Now, let’s calmly watch how that irregular overcomes this ordeal.

The System thought so and checked the video feed of Kim Gyu-sik’s situation to confirm.

-It keeps trying to screw me over by talking about difficulty adjustments and whatnot.

Kim Gyu-sik was in the posture of pulling his fist back towards the ceiling.

-Then it should know that I can cheat without any guilt either.

And with those words.

A flash of light shot out from the fist Kim Gyu-sik thrust upwards.

-!

-!!

-!!!!

-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And at the same time.

The ‘upper part’ of the Tower was cleanly blown away.

As if a nuke had gone off.

Even the 12 trials the System had prepared with a sense of pride, all at once.

[…]

The System, as I said before.

Is not a being that feels emotions.

It is a being that approaches everything rationally and logically.

But.

-Hey.

[…]

-That was broken through in less than 11 seconds. Weren't you supposed to prepare a slightly better obstacle than me?

[…]

-What’s the countermeasure? You said you’d come up with anything rationally and logically?

For the first time in history, a situation where even the System was at a loss for words was unfolding in real time.

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