Chapter 213 : Chapter 213
Chapter 213 - Tower of Causalitas (1)
According to Rosie, the law of causality of the Abyss was twisted because of me.
It also meant that the reason numerous warriors from Earth were trapped in the Abyss was also because of me.
"Rosie, then do you also know about this map?"
The map led to the Tower of Causalitas. Information about this place could not be found anywhere.
"It is a place I have never heard of. Being a Dragon doesn't mean I know everything."
"I suppose that is true."
A Dragon was not an omniscient god.
"But I think I can guess what kind of feeling it has."
"Tell me."
"Causalitas. In the Abyss, this word also carries the meaning of the law of causality. So it wouldn't be a coincidence that you received this map, would it?"
As expected of Rosie. I stroked her head.
"It means I am being given a chance to resolve what I started."
"If you use difficult words, I can't understand them."
If that was the case, what were 'law of causality' and 'Causalitas'? But I decided not to argue.
"By the way, Unit Leader Ji-han. Are you planning to go there?"
"It was given to me like a task, so shouldn't I naturally go?"
"Well, I don't really want to recommend it."
"Why?"
"When the law of causality is twisted, karma accumulates in the Abyss. That tower might be a place where an enormous amount of karma has been piled up."
She told me not to use difficult words, yet she was quite the funny one.
"So, according to your guess, Rosie, that tower is dangerous?"
"Yes. You might experience things you have never encountered before."
"That is not bad."
"I won't stop you. You're not someone who wouldn't go just because I told you not to anyway."
In fact, it was a situation where I could not avoid going. Since it was something that happened because of me, I had to be the one to untie the knot.
***
When I passed through the portal via the map, I arrived in a giant hollow that was completely enclosed on all sides. I knew immediately through a message that this was the interior of a tower.
[You are in the Tower of Causalitas.]
[You cannot leave until you clear the final floor.]
Then, a small lifeform the size of a doll appeared before me. This winged creature flying in the air seemed to be a fairy.
"I am Alicia. I am the guide of this tower."
"A guide..."
"Why? Does it not seem to suit me?"
"It is not that, but rather, does it mean there are others besides me who seek this place?"
"Ah! That is what you meant. You are not the first! There was someone who sought this place about four thousand years ago as well."
"An Earthling?"
"Oh, come on. There's no way. You know full well that the connection between Earth and the Abyss hasn't been that long. Ah! Since you weren't originally an Earthling, did you not know?"
The fairy smiled at me. The story she just told meant she also knew about my reincarnation.
"Does it mean there was another person besides me who was reincarnated four thousand years ago?"
"No. The reasons for the law of causality twisting are much more diverse than you think. Although it is not a pleasant thing from the Abyss's perspective."
"Then what happened to that person who came before me? Did he safely finish the final floor and return?"
"No. He is still on the final floor, though?"
My mind went blank for a moment.
"He has been here for four thousand years?"
"There is no need to speak as if it is someone else's business. That might be your future as well, you know."
"There's no way a human who isn't a Dragon could live that long."
"This is a space where time is distorted. You could call it a harmony created by karma. I'm also telling you in advance that when viewed from the perspective of the tower's interior, time on the outside of the tower is in a stopped state."
"An interesting story."
"Interesting? You might be trapped here for an eternity unless you clear the final floor of this tower, you know."
The Tower of Causalitas was a space where death did not exist. Of course, for some, it might be an unbearable, maddening pain, but at least it was not for me. There would be no better place than this to see the pinnacle of the sword.
"The Abyss is indeed a mysterious place."
"Then let's begin immediately."
SNAP.
As the fairy snapped her fingers, a message was sent.
[Floor 1 quest begins.]
[Exterminate all Goblins before your eyes.]
[Time Limit: 30 seconds]
[The quest repeats infinitely upon failure.]
Goblins... it was a bit ridiculous. Despite knowing I had twisted the Abyss's law of causality, to send Goblins.
[Moving to Floor 1.]
However, I was forced to accept this quest immediately. When the world brightened after the darkness, what unfolded before my eyes was an immense quantity of Goblins that could not be counted. The 30-second time limit was already ticking away.
My friend! Does this make sense!
I thought that if I piled up the Goblins I had killed throughout my life, they would surely form a great mountain, but it was definitely not as many as these creatures swarming before my eyes. Holding clubs and letting out bizarre roars, these creatures were literally swarming like a tide.
BANG!!
It was now a realm beyond my days as Johan Raven.
As the Holy Sword Bastian exploded with a massive sword qi, the tragedy of the Goblins began.
Before the shower of mana being fired like rain, there was no resistance the Goblins could offer.
Goblins, whose bodies were pierced and cut by the sword qi, fell while letting out only single screams.
Amidst all sorts of groans, with blood and flesh flying, the first floor of the tower instantly became a gruesome scene of carnage.
Of course, my mana was still full, so the baptism of sword qi never stopped.
BOOM!
[The time limit of 30 seconds has elapsed.]
However, even this overwhelming feast of sword qi was insufficient to exterminate all the Goblins here. The Goblins were still swarming toward me with bizarre voices and gestures.
[Restarting the quest.]
Everything was reset.
***
The quest on the first floor continued to repeat after that. I had no choice but to try various things. I changed the form of the sword qi I poured out, and I also tried using the cold air I gained from the Yeti's core. With each iteration, the number of Goblins I killed fluctuated.
There were changes depending on which method I used, but it was not enough to affect the quest completion.
'In short, it is insufficient.'
It did not seem like the situation would change even if I continued the iterations.
"You seem like you need to put in a bit more effort. Surely you didn't enter this tower just for this?"
The fairy began to slowly taunt me. I thought about teaching her a lesson, but I decided not to. This creature, the guide of this tower, seemed like she would be quite useful for now.
[Moving to Floor 1.]
And the quest began once again. The numerous swarms of Goblins began to swarm in without fail. Now, I was already tired of just hearing their screams.
'This time...'
I decided to try the Sword Control Technique using the daggers. The greatest obstacle of this quest was the 30-second time limit. I thought that in order to kill all the Goblins in this short time, quantity might be more important than quality of attack. Since the quest was in a state of infinite repetition, I planned to try every possible method.
WHOOSH!
The sixteen daggers that left my hand soared into the air. Then, they began to pour down a baptism of sword qi while performing a brilliant glide along their respective fixed trajectories.
SWISH!
In the first floor of the tower, a hellish scene unfolded once again due to the shower of sword qi fluttering in all directions. Amidst the wails of the Goblins, the flowing river of blood, and the piling corpses, the fairy was laughing out loud.
SWISH!
The shower that fell incessantly for 30 seconds succeeded in putting more Goblins to sleep than in any other iteration.
"But it's a shame."
[The time limit of 30 seconds has elapsed.]
I had accumulated another failure. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
"Still, it was a good attempt! Why don't you try one more time with the same method? Time is all you have, isn't it?"
I shook my head at the fairy's spiteful voice. I reviewed the situation from a moment ago. The daggers I fired slaughtered the Goblins by dividing the areas in the most efficient manner. Furthermore, adding more daggers would only decrease efficiency.
It meant that the previous attempt was the best I could do. Unless I achieved another leap in my realm, it was highly unlikely that anything would significantly change even if I repeatedly tried with the same method.
"That person who came here four thousand years ago. How long did it take him to clear the first floor?"
"Well, I don't remember exactly, but didn't it take hundreds of years?"
The fairy showed a sickening smile. Hundreds of years. I could not even fathom how many iterations he must have spent during that time.
"In that long time, he must have been a completely different person from when he first arrived."
"Of course. Unless one is a fool, wouldn't it be natural to realize something after those countless attempts?"
[Moving to Floor 1.]
The quest repeated once more. I wondered which method I should try this time, or if it would not be bad to repeat the methods I had already used. Since I was given an infinite amount of time. I simply laughed.
"Is it funny? You seem to still have some leeway?"
The fairy was flying over my head, looking amused. I thought about firing the Holy Sword at that obnoxious creature, but the ceiling visible above me suddenly caught my eye. In an instant, a brilliant idea flashed through my mind.
'Perhaps!'
I thought it was well worth a try. In fact, it did not matter even if I failed. I had as many opportunities as I wanted. After a while, darkness arrived, and the tiresome world of the first floor unfolded before my eyes again. I listened to the Goblins' shouts and slowly closed my eyes.
"What is it? Have you already given up?"
"I gave up."
"What? What kind of nonsense..."
"I mean I gave up on this iteration."
I visualized the appearance of the next iteration and calmed my breathing. I performed a simulation in my mind and practiced mind control, wondering if it would work as I thought.
And another 30 seconds elapsed. Even if the number of failures increased once more, it carried no significant meaning. As the world of the first floor vanished, I was moved back to the hollow with the fairy.
"Tell me. What did you mean by saying you gave up on the previous iteration?"
"Exactly what I said. It means I will do the upcoming iteration properly."
I looked up at the ceiling. If that ceiling was the floor of the first floor of the tower, I thought I could just destroy it. Clearly, the world of the first floor I had experienced for several iterations was much broader than the ceiling I was looking at, but the tower itself was a space where space was distorted anyway.
Of course, there was a high possibility my hypothesis was wrong, but it did not matter. A much more important issue was whether I could destroy that ceiling before moving to the first floor.
[Restarting the quest.]
[Moving to Floor 1.]
Another new iteration. It would take only a split second for my body to be transmitted to the first floor. I planned to pour all my remaining strength into destroying that place before then.
HUMMM!
The Holy Sword resonated violently, and I threw Bastian with all my might toward the ceiling—no, toward the first floor of Causalitas.