BXBX NOVEL Chapter 89 - Lords of the Tower (3)
Chapter 89 - Lords of the Tower (3)
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Sungchul’s hammer swung towards the Judges’ stand.
‘Boom!’
The stand was smashed to pieces following a powerful sonic boom. The judges sitting on the stand fell onto the floor along with a shower of splinters.
“Get that bastard!”
The executioners swung their snare as they rushed towards Sungchul, but they just weren’t able to keep up with him.
‘Bam! Bam! Bam!’
With every refreshing sound of impact, an executioner slumped towards the ground like a frog struck by lightning as their heads were smashed to pieces. The slaughter didn’t last much longer, and the entire courtroom was completely suppressed after a single minute.
A dense Book of Laws that had fallen beside Sungchul’s feet was opened up to the middle. The pages were filled to the brim with articles on law written in tiny letters, and Sungchul chose a few of them to read.
[Section 234 Those that aren’t sincere in their contemplation will be put to death.]
[Section 235 Those that aren’t performing compulsory labor for the Tower will be put to death.]
[Section 236 Those that graffiti the walls will be put to death.]
There were countless references to questionable crimes listed within the Book of Laws, and every punishment was death without exception. There were no classification, no standard, nor any fundamental basis.
Sungchul gazed towards a judge that was groaning on the floor.
“Krrrrr…”
There was no trace of that matchless magnanimous expression on his face which now resembled that of a man who had fallen from grace. The scale was lying on the floor before the judge. Sungchul stood in front of the scale before turning around for a question.
“What was the requirement for the optional reward?”
Elijah frantically scoured through the book upon Sungchul’s question and made his reply.
“It’s to kill a judge.”
“I see.”
Sungchul’s hammer rose towards the sky. It was then when the judge began to shout with a pitiful voice.
“Mercy!”
“…”
Sungchul granted as much mercy as they did towards their accused. Spurts of blood spilled on his military boots, and Sungchul checked the messages that appeared before him.
[Amazing! You have taken care of the repulsive pigs while smashing the idiots’ annoying symbol of justice.]
[You have been deemed worthy of S-grade rewards.]
Basic Reward:
Magic Resistance 10
Intuition 10
Basic Flesh Ticket x1
Selective Reward:
Ticket for Heaven Service from the Peerless Beauty, Su
Ticket for Fantastic Service from Peerless Host, Pu
Coin for Crimson Dragon Gambling Den x100 Gil
“…”
The optional rewards for this quest were garbage as well. Sungchul questioned if there was any value in picking any of the optional rewards at all. But he chose to pick one this time instead of letting it default. He picked the third reward, the coins for the gambling den; It seemed more useful than the worthless service tickets.
The Basic Flesh Ticket appeared to be redeemable certificates which allowed the residents to hide their original maggot forms behind a beautiful facade. As he wasn’t a human maggot that lived within these towers, Sungchul had no use for the it.
“What’s the next quest?”
Sungchul asked as he grabbed the bluish coins that had fallen to the floor.
Elijah appeared to have gotten used to the pace of things and had an answer prepared before Sungchul asked his question. He revealed a new page to Sungchul.
[Path to Euphoria #3]
Proof - Tear or burn down the collection of 20 books located on the third floor of the tower of idiots. / Reward - Intuition 10, Magic Power - 10, High Achiever’s Citizenship (Tower of Euphoria), Additional Rewards available ]
Sungchul nodded his head in acknowledgement.
‘As expected. This quest as well. It’s a struggle between factions.’
If Sungchul was accurate in his guess, this blue tower would also have another High Devil at the top floor similar to the tower with the High Devil Miriadora as a fight could only happen when both parties were on equal footing. Sungchul’s group continued on to the third floor.
Like the Tower of Euphoria which was filled with different sorts of mental patients on each floor, this tower of idiots, or rather the Tower of Order, had different monsters displaying different sorts of eccentricities. The Tower of Euphoria was filled with people indulging in their desires, but the Tower of Order encouraged sophistication through restraint, intellectualism, and cultivation of skills.
Sungchul took a different approach and began to complete the quest in quick succession. He burned away the books as soon as he saw the library where they were kept and even killed the librarian with a single blow from Fal Garaz for the optional rewards. When he finished the sixth quest, only the final mission was left for Sungchul’s party.
[Path to Euphoria #Final]
Kill Karak Sharique, the King of Idiots.
Rewards - Strength 30, Vitality 30, Dexterity 30, Skull of Modification (Epic)
Sungchul looked at the tome that Elijah held for him with indifference.
“…”
The rewards weren’t all that enticing, especially the stat gains that were completely useless. Sungchul wasn’t sure what the Skull of Modification was, but it didn’t look like something he should care about.
“What do you plan on doing now?”
Elijah carefully asked Sungchul. Sungchul began to climb the stairs to the final floor in response.
“We go to meet the owner of this tower.”
The final floor was a massive parliament. There were countless judges and executioners sitting in their designated seats, and there was a gigantic devil with the face of a fly in a similarly large seat of power in the center.
“I welcome you to this place, intruder.”
The High Devil opened both his arms in greeting as he spoke. There were countless maggots squirming below his throne, and they were squirming to eat the skin flakes that fell off his body.
Sungchul took off his sunglasses, slung Fal Garaz onto his shoulder, and moved forward. Elijah felt his heart beating with excitement.
‘My God… so something like this could also happen. I thought we’d just die without resistance when we met with the Enemy of the World… Instead, I managed to get amazing boosts to my stats and an opportunity to become a High Devil thanks to him…”
The might and boldness of the Enemy of the World were unmatched. His own father, Martin Breggas, could not compare. The Enemy of the World was more powerful and oppressive than the rumors suggested, and he was truly an existence that couldn’t be opposed. It now made sense to him why every nation feared him so, and now that very person was standing before the leader of the Tower of Order. Elijah expected for Sungchul to fight the High Devil with the legendary Fal Garaz. It wasn’t clear to him who would win, but Elijah would jump in and help Sungchul for the sake of victory.
However, Sungchul stood before the massive fly king and didn’t show any further movement, instead, he looked up and spoke to the High Devil.
“Do you know who I am?”
The master of the Tower of Order, Karak Sharique, shook his head.
“I do not know of you, intruder.”
Sungchul held up his hammer. But this object of fear of all devils within the Demon Realm did not seem to interest this High Devil at all. Instead, the devil clucked with laughter and simply spoke his mind.
“Regardless of who you are, you must have some skill for a human to get this far. Are you a Warchief of a country? Or perhaps the holder of the Hero title?”
It looked as though this devil had no clue who Sungchul was. Sungchul finally asked another question.
“You. Not very close to the other Devils, are you?”
“Of course I couldn’t get close. I might have become a High Devil, but I was formerly a human. Devils are quite the bigoted race despite their appearance.”
“I see.”
This explained why this High Devil did not fear Sungchul. The Devil Worshippers that lived beyond the Fog Sea had formed their own area, secluded from the rest of the world.
‘Why are they talking so much? Can’t he just kill him already?’
As Sungchul and the High Devil’s conversation prattled on, Elijah began to feel restless. He wanted Sungchul to immediately exterminate the High Devil and complete the mission, but not everything always went as planned. Sungchul put the hammer into his Soul Storage. It meant that he had no intention to fight.
A shallow sigh leaked out from Elijah’s lips. Sophia simply continued to protect this restless boy’s rear.
“Do you perhaps know why I’ve come here?”
Sungchul asked the High Devil. Karak haughtily nodded his head.
“Were you sent by the owner of that animal pen? It appears that the book held by that human behind you is his.”
“Then, do you have a book as well?”
Sungchul’s eyes lit up.
“A book?”
“That’s right. I’m asking if there is a Tome of High Devils that you’ve created.”
The tome held by Elijah had the designation of being the seventh volume. Sungchul hadn’t been able to figure out what that meant when he first noticed it, but he pieced together the obvious conclusion about the significance of this number as he continued the petty quests and met the people working for the High Devils. He speculated that it meant that there were several volumes of the Tome of High Devils, with each written by the High Devils that lived at the top of the eight towers.
The devil with a fly’s head began to cluck with laughter and pointed his razor sharp fingernail towards Sungchul. A magic formation formed at the tip of this fingernail which caused the book wrapped with blue leather to appear. It then floated towards Sungchul and landed in his hands. Sungchul stared piercingly at this new book.
[Tome of the High Devils: Volume 3]
Grade: Epic
Type: Equipment - Book
Effect: Dexterity 20, Intuition 20 upon equip
Note: Those who wish to obtain the power of the High Devil must open the tome before The Altar of Ten Thousand Demons.
Restriction: Magician Related Class
His suspicions were confirmed. The stats raised were different, but the capabilities matched with the red book held by Elijah Breggas.
“What an unpredictable one. To offer to complete my quests while in the midst of performing the quests of another High Devil.”
It wasn’t clear what was so funny, but the High Devil could not stop laughing. As he laughed, the countless executioners and judges mechanically laughed along. The chilling sounds of their laughter swept through the entire room.
Elijah felt extreme fear seeping in his mind. The realization that the goal he desired had been lost had left him in a desperate state already, but this unnerving laughter had driven him past his limits. He was now on the floor clutching the sides of his head. Sophia whose will was comparatively intact approached Elijah with concern on her face.
“Brother.”
It was then that a blue book flew towards her. Sungchul had thrown it at her. She managed to catch the book out of reflex and then glared at Sungchul with a hint of resentment. Sungchul simply looked at her with his usual disinterest and commanded her with a single sentence.
“Open the book.”
“…”
It didn’t sit well with her, but she couldn’t refuse him. She let out a sigh before opening the book in front of the Altar of Ten Thousand Demons. A faint smile rose on Sungchul’s face as another quest message appeared before his eyes.
‘This coven of devil worshippers. It might be another gold mine after the Summoning Palace.’
Sungchul had come to this place with low expectations. But despite the slim chance for gains, the result was better than he could have ever imagined. The key to rapid growth that he had been searching for was hidden here all along.
‘I’m not sure how many High Devils reside in this region, but I hope that all of them hate each other.’
Sungchul smiled to himself as the group descended the stairs of the blue tower. He decided to drain this place of every opportunity before leaving.
An emboldened Sungchul acted without restraint. He performed each quest faithfully as Sophia revealed to him as he entered the Tower of Euphoria once again. He killed the pimp of the first floor, massacred the chefs of the second floor, and smashed every bed on the third floor. Similar scenes of destruction unfolded on every other floor, and Sungchul’s party tucked away bits and pieces of stats offered by the tome of the blue High Devil. Sungchul finally checked his stats as he approached the final set of stairs for the top floor of the Tower of Euphoria.
[Stats]
Strength 999+ Dexterity 853
Vitality 801 Magic Power 388
Intuition 375 Magic Resist 622
His eyes lit up.
‘Looks like I managed to raise Magic Power by a bit more than 30 here.’
However, Sungchul was still very thirsty for more.