Chapter – 60
Wundidseel realized that she couldn’t affect me and tried to put distance between us again.
No chance.
I poured my aura into my civilian-use sword, Serpens, to its maximum capacity.
The elegant blade split and extended at every joint, whipping and coiling around Wundidseel’s body like a whip and wire.
This was one of the civilian sword techniques: “Hunt of the Serpent.”
“I like that I don’t have to shout the skill name aloud,” I murmured.
Wundidseel resisted, but the results of my relentless training allowed my aura to overwhelm her. After just two months of progress, I was almost in tears.
“This is it.”
Kiiieeek!
In the end, Wundidseel’s body was completely immobilized by the sword.
She froze in a dynamic, ascending-dragon-like pose, her face a mixture of fear and despair as she looked down at me.
I picked up another sword in my left hand: Europe. The mermaid was about to become nothing but bubbles.
“Goodbye.”
Thud!
[<System> Congratulations! You have defeated the 298th floor boss of the Trial Tower, “Cursed Wundidseel.”]
I sheathed Europe and summoned Serpens again.
The wires embedded in her body retracted, and the blade returned to its complete form with metallic click-clicks.
There’s something about civilian swords—like robots combining and transforming—it’s really satisfying.
“Ha… it looks so cool.”
<Yes, that’s the joy of using a civilian sword.>
I sifted through the pastel-colored bubbles for loot. Two items appeared: “Mermaid’s Tear” and “Spirit King’s Harp String.”
The Mermaid’s Tear was a material for a top-tier potion, and the Spirit King’s Harp String was part of an instrument that could also be used as a wire weapon. Both seemed useful.
[‘Language of the World that Builds’ applauds.]
[‘Scales that Judge the Soul’ is happy that only two floors remain until the tedious seclusion training ends.]
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ is shocked that you’ve already cleared floor 298.]
[‘Critic who Balances the Scales’ starts drafting an update proposal for the Trial Tower.]
Whenever I defeated a boss, the management bureau automatically received a notification. The gods all sent messages at once.
Meanwhile, it was time for an evaluation by Agnes, the top instructor of the Holy Spirit Agency.
<Truly excellent, Cadet Ailet. You can now handle S-rank bosses on your own.>
“Feeling honored. S-rank, huh…”
Through the tutorial quest, I quietly checked my continental ranking.
Seventh place. The same rank I got when I first used Divine Descent to defeat Ardymang.
My Divine Power skill level was lower now, but combined with my aura, the calculation still gave me that rank.
<You can feel proud. An S-rank monster would normally require an elite 12-person hunting squad.>
“Hehe.”
I really was a versatile talent.
Being possessed, I could just buy and learn skillbooks from the cash shop, so I wasn’t restricted by roles. I could tank, deal damage, heal, and buff—all alone.
But I couldn’t get arrogant. Defeating an S-rank boss alone was nothing compared to the “Sweet Potato Pass” around the 20th life in my reincarnation.
By absolute standards, considering the original story with 99 reincarnations, I was still far from being truly powerful.
However, I did have a trump card, a transcendent skill.
“What if I use Divine Descent in my current state?”
I hadn’t used Divine Descent since freeing my mother’s petrification curse in the Black Salt Desert.
I’d spent almost seven years in the Tower, and Divine Descent was banned there.
As Language once explained, the more I grew stronger, the more powerful Divine Descent became.
If I could defeat an S-rank boss without using it, I could only imagine how much my stats and skill levels would soar if I did.
[‘Language of the World that Builds’ comments that even a 99th reincarnation protagonist could be easily crushed.]
[‘Critic who Balances the Scales’ argues that this overpowered skill should be confiscated outside the Tower.]
I felt slightly offended by the critic, who always wanted to nerf me.
Today, I was going to argue back.
“Critic, don’t you remember that my timeline is the 17th reincarnation? You can’t just ban Divine Descent at the moment the final mastermind appears.”
I challenged them bluntly, showing my expression.
[‘Critic who Balances the Scales’ flinches.]
See? Even the critic couldn’t refute me.
Thinking of the final mastermind, I wanted to grow even stronger.
<Hmm? Going to the next floor already?>
“Yes, we have to.”
I climbed the stone stairs to floor 299. The next tedious trial would begin, so I encouraged the gods in the Bureau to work hard and went to my task.
However…
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ watches you nervously.]
Huh? Why is the architect still here, looking anxious?
‘Architect.’
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ flinches.]
‘Are you hiding something?’
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ remained silent for a while.]
Was I being ignored? I waited, and finally, a message arrived.
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ begs desperately if you could clear floor 299 a month later.]
‘Why?’
I rested my hand on the entrance door, waiting.
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ invokes the right to remain silent.]
Then we have to open it. I felt that once the door opened, I’d know the reason. Curiosity alone made me open it. Agnes urged me on.
<Only two floors left. Let’s go in.>
“Yes!”
I pushed open the massive arched iron door.
Creeeak.
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ lets out a silent scream.]
Light poured in through the gap. As I covered my eyes, a faint feeling of floating surrounded me. This sensation was definitely…
“Spatial teleport?”
I realized it immediately.
[<System> You have entered the S-rank dungeon, “Slime Farming Cave.”]
Strange. I opened the 299th-floor door, but the system says I’ve entered a dungeon?
Squinting, I looked around.
A classic dungeon cave, lit by natural luminous stones everywhere.
Glow-in-the-dark slimes bounced cheerfully in all colors, like a pool full of balls.
Thunk! Thunk! Thump!
The attacking slimes were easily sent flying by my aura-charged hands. They bounced off the walls and burst like balloons.
“Agnes, this really feels like a dungeon.”
<Indeed. What could have happened?>
I had some guesses but wanted the exact explanation.
‘Architect, what’s going on?’
Finally, the architect confessed.
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ admits that floor 299 is still under design, so they temporarily connected it to an existing S-rank dungeon.]
Breaking news! Seven years ago, the Trial Tower was actually unfinished!
I nodded knowingly.
‘You’ll need to write a report.’
It seemed my teasing remark had worked.
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ complains that you’re overpowered and that it’s all their fault for running out of time.]
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ laments that using 300 floors of content in just seven years is unacceptable.]
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ confesses to secretly upgrading bosses multiple times but protests that it was too cruel.]
I understood—they’d done a stealth patch.
My eyes narrowed, and the architect suddenly spilled everything. It seemed the other gods, including Language, didn’t know yet.
Then there was only one way to prevent the architect’s report.
“Got it. I just need to find the exit gate and leave quietly.”
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ asks in disbelief if you’ll really do that.]
It was disappointing to give up exploring the dungeon, but I decided to prioritize my relationship with the architect.
Since there were no bosses to fight, I put both swords back into my satchel.
My actions spoke louder than words; the architect visibly relaxed.
“Agnes, something must have happened to the Trial Tower. We should find the exit gate and leave.”
<It’s just slimes, anyway. Probably C-rank. Let’s finish lightly and leave.>
“Don’t underestimate it.”
I remembered the dungeon’s rating and name from the system.
“Even so, it’s an S-rank dungeon. These slimes are food for whoever owns the cave.”
<We need to be cautious.>
An S-rank boss would be manageable, but towers and dungeons are entirely different.
In the Tower, I could retry bosses repeatedly.
In a dungeon, one failure could easily mean death.
Agnes seemed to understand why I was retreating.
I asked out of curiosity:
‘Architect, just to be sure, can we use Divine Descent here?’
[‘Architect of the Trial Skyscraper’ says the prohibition applies as soon as the dungeon connects to the Tower.]
As expected, unfavorable rules always apply.
