7.
After his master died, he wandered the world for a while.
He was unrivaled.
He walked alone. However, people lined up to block his path and queued up to follow him.
[Stop, you evil Rotten Demon! How dare you claim to be a disciple of the Sun sage and impersonate the Righteous Faction!]
[My son, the Primordial Sword! When will you return to us?]
[ You are a strong one. I pay my respects.]
[ My lord. I am one called Myo Hu-seong, and I wish to hold a lantern for you on your path…. ]
There were those who wielded weapons, those who clutched at his sleeves, those who requested a handshake, and those who bowed, but they all shared the common trait of surrounding him. The people he met added depth to the footprints he left, heavy enough to make a difference.
Thus, wherever he passed, a grand road formed.
It was the Great Path.
[Sword Demon.]
[Sword Dragon.]
[Sword King.]
[Sword Heaven.]
[Sword Lord.]
All the numerous titles used to address him merged into one on the grand road.
[Sword Emperor.]
That was his new name.
Everyone tried to block him, yet no one could; no one could follow him, yet everyone did; he was with no one, yet he was with everyone.
The Sword Emperor streaked across the World of Myriad Swords like a comet.
However, this period was named the Fifth Sword Strike in the World of Myriad Swords not just because the Sword Emperor's progress was etched like sword marks. It was also because [it] had appeared during this period.
People whispered amongst themselves.
[What is that?]
It was a massive tower.
But the tower was too large to simply dismiss. It was high. It was also thick.
Those who had lived in cities wouldn't dare to consider it a mere tower, for it was larger than the largest city they knew. Those who had climbed mountains would see it as taller than any mountain ridge they had climbed. Those who had been to the sea would see it sprouting from beyond the entire horizon, and they too wouldn't dare to call it a mere tower.
[It's like a handle of a sword thrust by a giant to split this world.]
People whispered amongst themselves like that.
The whispering spread with words like these:
[Who built it?]
[What lives in there?]
[What being resides at the top?]
And it continued with words like these:
[Why is it visible no matter where you go?]
Indeed, the tower was visible everywhere.
It was a curious phenomenon. It was impossible for something to be in two places at once.
Yet the tower was always there, no matter where one turned their head.
Beyond the city, beyond the mountains, beyond the sea, beyond the road, casting its base like an unerasable backdrop at the edge of one's vision.
[Is it too big?]
Some theorized, arguing that because the world is round, one eventually returns to where they started if they keep walking.
[Is it a mirage?]
Some, who found it strange that no matter how much they approached, they couldn't get closer, and no matter how much they fled, they couldn't get further away, hypothesized this.
[No.]
The Sword Emperor provided a clear answer amid the bustling debate.
[It's following us.]
People couldn't immediately understand what the Sword Emperor meant. The tower was following them? Did that mean the tower was alive?
The Sword Emperor firmly said so.
[It's waiting.]
[It's waiting?]
[Yes. Can't you feel this 'waiting'?]
People looked at each other.
Anger is easy to feel. Love, contempt too can be easily sensed. But to feel 'waiting' was a somewhat unfamiliar notion.
However, the Sword Emperor naturally uttered that unfamiliar phrase. Even the words he spoke afterward surprised the gathered people even more.
[I guess I should go have a drink or something.]
Chuckle, the Sword Emperor stood up from his spot and stretched comfortably.
He said.
[I'll be back in a moment.]
[Excuse me? Where to?]
[Up there.]
His tone suggested he was just stopping by a nearby tavern before returning. His too calm demeanor made it impossible for people to comprehend the meaning of his words.
[Those who want to follow, follow.]
And the Sword Emperor gave them no chance to understand.
[I'll be waiting.]
That day, a sword forged by the people entered the blade stuck in the World of Myriad Swords.
It had happened more than 150 years ago.
8.
After paying respects at my master's memorial, I entered the 98th floor.
[Entering the 98th floor.]
As soon as I set foot there, I was seized by a strange sensation.
– ....
A familiar feeling.
The sensation of looking at something familiar.
– This is...
The Aegim Empire.
The very world where I met Shiny and fought with Estelle.
I was standing in the silent imperial audience chamber.
– It's been a while since I've been here.
I murmured to myself.
Bae Hu-ryeong, floating buoyantly beside me, crossed his arms and chuckled.
– You'll meet someone you haven't seen in a while.
– Someone I haven't seen in a while…
– Do you remember what your house's advisor used to say?
– Huh? Estelle?
– Yes. Before she became your house's advisor.
– Uh, wait a minute. It's been a while… Oh. Perhaps the one where said she would send me to the 99th floor… Ah.
Indeed.
As I made a face of understanding, a familiar sound came, coinciding with it.
– ....
It was raindrops.
Plunk, plunk… plunk-plunk-plunk. Plunk…
Rain. Abandoned droplets from the sky hit the audience chamber windows. A blurry trail slowly spread and was soon washed away by a new stream of falling water.
– ....
In a world that had stopped, only the rainwater flowed.
Then, a voice came.
"Family Head?"
I looked up.
Estelle was walking towards me from a distance. The face I hadn't seen in so long made an expression as if she had seen a ghost.
"Family Head? …Is it really you, Family Head?"
Hmm.
I raised a hand with a pleased expression.
– Yes, advisor. It's been a very long time—
The next moment, a terrible impact struck me.
– Ugh…!!
Like a fly swatted by a flyswatter, I was slammed to the floor. Once more, a waterfall-like strike of aura hit me. I almost perished!
– Wait, why suddenly—ugh!
"Why do you think that is!?"
Hmm.
Probably because it's been a very long time… No. Wait a minute.
– How can you see me—Kugh!
"Because I! Here! Am the examiner of the 98th floor!"
– Being the examiner of the 98th floor means—ack!
"The pillar or whatever came and explained! That soon, Family Head, you will come, so prepare!"
– Being able to make contact with me is also—eeek!
"Yes! Seriously, what on earth… what is this, really!"
I shut my mouth. It was a rapid-fire explanation that made perfect sense. Even the beating was a bonus to the situation. Every question I threw seemed to add a shock that felt like my body would shatter, indeed making me cautious about speaking.
Estelle struggled to suppress her emotions for a while, then once again lifted her large sword wrapped in red aura.
"Anyway, take some more hits!"
No.
Does getting hit continue regardless if I keep my mouth shut?
– Wait a moment, advisor. To replace that joyful feeling of meeting again after a long time with violence is—gyaak!
For a long time, the beating continued. It was only when the sound of the pouring rain and the ringing in my ears from the impacts became indistinguishable that Estelle's sword finally stopped.
It wasn't by Estelle's will.
"That's enough, Advisor."
It was Shiny's voice.
I lifted my head. In my blurry vision, I caught sight of Shiny descending step by step.
Esdel clicked her tongue.
"Shiny."
"Yes. I understand your feelings, but still…"
So she understands, huh.
I wish you wouldn't understand—just as I was thinking that when Shiny added a comment.
"Estelle ssi, your current appearance is just like a girl from the novel genre that Venomous Snake ssi enjoys reading…"
"Aaaaaaah!"
Estelle screamed. Shiny extended a wing and gently patted her head, then turned to look at me.
Hmm.
I said.
"Hello, Shiny. You are—"
"I'm also an examiner of this 98th floor."
"Ah. Indeed. Together with Estelle—"
"I was also in charge of managing the 11th to 20th floors."
"Hmm. The reason you are interrupting me now is—"
"Do you want to ask?"
"No…"
I dropped my shoulders.
Both Shiny and Estelle, who had just barely managed to rebuild their shattered selves, glared at me with icy eyes.
The first to speak was Shiny.
"Please come back soon."
"...Hmm."
I couldn't make excuses in the face of those words mixed with a sigh. After all, I had been walking among people without revealing myself for a long time.
"I'm sorry."
I genuinely had no choice but to bow my head deeply.
"I'll return soon."
"Yes. …Hmm."
Shiny spread all five pairs of wings. The Goddess of the protection's stretch scattered a fluffy scent around, like a blanket dried in the morning sun.
"The advisor and I will help you to be able to do that."
Shortly after, a message window opened.
[The Goddess of Protection offers you a reward.]
[The Devil King of Fall Rain offers you a reward.]
[Please choose between the two rewards.]
-Uh.
I blinked unknowingly.
It couldn't be helped.
It had been a very long time since I'd seen such messages.
– You guys…
As if anticipating my reaction, a selection window smoothly popped up.
+
[The Goddess of Protection]
Description: The goddess protecting the Aegim Empire was moved by your devotion! The goddess has proposed the honor of being able to serve her a meal....
+
– Uh… wait a minute. This means I have to serve the meal, right? Not that she will serve it to me? And she's expressing that as an honor now?
+
You could serve fried egg soy sauce rice, a full Sormwyn style banquet, or even fry some chicken. Whatever you choose, your cooking will undergo a strict evaluation, and scores will be assigned…
+
– What!?
+
Hero of the Goddess! Please return soon.
And please give Silvia a good beating!
※However, if you choose the reward of the Devil King, why can't you choose the Goddess's reward?
+
– No! That last part is just weird! With the quest message, Shiny you…
Baffled, I looked at Shiny, but was even more perplexed by the new message that suddenly appeared.
+
[The Devil King of Autumn Rain]
Description: The Devil King admires your achievements. The Devil King proposes to secretly collaborate with you. She promises the exact same rewards as the Goddess, but with an additional gift.
Quickly finish 99 recommended novels by Estelle and come back to leave a review of at least 1200 characters!
If you promise to do so, the Devil King will use his power to transport you directly to the 99th floor.
※ However, only one person can receive the Devil King's reward. (Though it's just you anyway.)
※ If multiple people choose this reward, only one will be randomly selected. (Though that won't happen.)
※ If no one chooses, the Devil King's reward will be automatically selected.
+
-Estelle, you too… Hey, you guys…
I muttered with a baffled face and then laughed looking at their faces.
I couldn't help but laugh.
– Really, you guys…
Long ago.
There was a Devil King who became the incarnation of vengeance after everything it had was burnt to ashes. There was a Goddess who could only watch as everything she had achieved was submerged in a flood due to that Devil King.
– Estelle…
The Devil King wanted those who plunged it and its precious ones into misery, and all those who watched it happen by being alive, to fall into hell.
e simply wished for those who had plunged him and his beloved beings into misery, and all who had witnessed it by merely living, to fall into hell.
– Shiny… Hwiya.
The Goddess tried to prevent it by any means.
Like scooping out water from an overflowing dam with hands. Desperately asking for our help, hoping to give their already destroyed world just one more chance, to ensure we don't fall for the Devil King's schemes.
– You guys…
Thus, they confronted each other, aiming for each other's throats with each letter that appeared in the quest window. They tempted, begged, mocked, and lamented, hoping that we, that I, would choose themselves and not the other.
There was such a time.
– ....
And those two were now speaking to me through that very quest window.
"Please come back soon," they say.
"We'll be waiting," they say.
It was.
I felt that it was a very beautiful thing.
– …Yes.
I felt again what I had felt from the 91st floor to the 97th floor.
The experiences I had while climbing the tower were not meaningless.
– I'll be back.
[Key Formation complete.]
I said, wiping the corner of my eye. I barely managed to speak.
Estelle and Shiny looked at each other and smiled slightly.
[The administrators of the 98th floor—the managers of the other world you first encountered allow your passage. ]
"Yes."
"Please come back."
[The 98th floor is cleared.]
That's how they let me go.
[Entering the 99th floor.]
■.
As soon as the sandstorm settled, what overwhelmed me was a scent that was almost violent in its intensity.
The scent of the flowers in my sanctuary, the Garden of Withered Flowers, is like the curtains on a rainy day—drooping. The fragrance of those weary of life is subtly spread and seeps through without overwhelming.
But what filled this place was a completely different scent, one full of vitality.
The scent of those who live unreservedly. The fragrance of those who enjoy life without reservation.
"…Phew."
I steadied my swaying forehead with my hand. And just then, I noticed another anomaly.
There was a distinct texture in my palm.
I could feel breathing.
I could feel temperature.
"…Indeed."
I clenched and then unclenched my fist. I closed my eyes once and then opened them. A feast of natural colors as dazzling as the fragrance unfolded before my eyes.
Among the living things, I too was alive.
"...."
And there, I saw him.
Sitting cross-legged atop an overflowing flower garden, he must have been there for a very long time. Weathered alive through the ever-changing seasons, he was like a moss-covered statue beyond the grass, flowers, and trees that had taken his place.
The wind blew.
He was so still that initially, it seemed only the hem of his robe fluttered. Captivated by the fluttering, it took me a moment to realize that he had extended his arm to the side.
His large hand grasped the hilt of a colossal sword buried beneath the flowerbed.
From his shoulder down his arm to his hand, it writhed like a separate living creature.
The sword was drawn.
It was a vigorous movement, like a dragon rising. No flowers were crushed. No blades of grass were broken. It was just the flowerbed undulating fiercely, like the surface of a lake.
He rose, his feet wet from the flowerbed.
He turned around.
The sunlight that stretched out broke into light and shadow across his angular muscles. The shattered pieces of sunlight sparkled around the edges of the flower petals like marbles. The shadow that had heavily fallen was absorbed and disappeared by the shadows of the grass that lay on the ground.
In the clear sky, clouds as large as mountains drifted. In this vertically narrow world, he appeared as a mountain range standing alone.
The wind blew.
Dandelion seeds scattered with a whoosh.
"Come quickly."
Under the azure sky, the Sword Emperor smiled.
"You're late, you zombie bastard."