Chapter 214 : Chapter 214
Chapter 214 - Tower of Causalitas (2)
If the background of the stage I stood on changed to the first floor of the tower, then it would already be too late.
Even for a Sword Master, it is impossible to annihilate the numerous Goblins of that vast world within the 30-second time limit.
However, if that ceiling just a few meters above my head was the ground that contained the entirety of the first-floor world, I thought I could simply destroy the world itself.
Even if my hypothesis was wrong, there was nothing new to feel bad about. I had already experienced countless failures here.
[Starting the quest.]
[Moving to Floor 1.]
Finally, the message was transmitted. Now, after a single blink of an eye, the ground I stood on would be transformed into the world of Goblins.
The only time allowed to me was that split second. I filled the Holy Sword Bastian with mana and threw it toward the ceiling—or rather, toward the first floor of Causalitas.
WHOOSH!
A violent sound of air being torn filled the hollow where I stood. Had I ever poured this much strength into a single strike?
If this attempt failed, I would not try again in the same way. The result would be the same, after all.
BOOM!
I did not even get to hear the sound. The moment the sword left my hand, my vision went dark and a blackout occurred.
Then, my body floated, and the transmission to the first floor followed. When I opened my closed eyes again, what unfolded before me was a world I had never seen before. The fairy guide was flustered and stammered.
"H-how can this be!"
A land of catastrophe that had been swept away by a great disaster. The vast grassy plains were completely split open, and the world had become a collapsed hellscape.
'To think this would actually work.'
A chuckle escaped me as I felt like a Demon King.
"Y-you! What on earth did you do!"
The Goblins had vanished without a trace. They were likely swallowed into the ground as a massive earthquake occurred.
"Wasn't this originally the answer?"
"There's no way that's true! If you use such tricks and mess up the law of causality like this..."
But the fairy could not finish her sentence.
[You have cleared the quest.]
This message was as good as the Abyss declaring that there was no problem with my actions.
[A portion of the karma accumulated by the twisted law of causality is dissipated.]
[The connection between Earth and the Abyss becomes slightly clearer.]
Even a portion of the karma I had built up had collapsed. It seemed that if I cleared up to the final floor of this tower, the Abyss on Earth would return to normal. The fairy, Alicia, covered her mouth with a shocked expression.
"This is unbelievable!"
"The one who judges that is the Abyss, not you."
"But..."
"Judging by your reaction, it seems the guy who came here 4000 years ago didn't clear the first floor this way. Am I right?"
"Of course!"
It was remarkable. To clear the quest without using tricks even after staying on the first floor for hundreds of years. Surely, that person's realm was also no ordinary thing.
'Moreover, if another 4000 years have passed since then.'
It meant he had lived a life comparable to that of a Dragon while in a human body. I wanted to meet him. I wanted to ask what he had gained and realized during that long period of time.
"Did you say he is still on the final floor?"
"Yes. That person is spending an eternity there."
"You seem to hope for that."
"It's fun, isn't it?"
The fairy gave a cruel smile and continued speaking.
"Since he went to the final floor of the tower, it has been a long time since I've seen him. You could say I miss him quite a bit."
"Then, if I reach the final floor of this tower, can I meet him?"
"If you can get that far."
There is no reason I cannot go where someone else has gone. It is only a matter of time.
"By the way, how many floors are there here?"
"It's a secret. Shouldn't you find that out for yourself?"
With that, the fairy gave a spiteful laugh.
[Quest begins.]
[Moving to Floor 2.]
The clear fact was that if I kept climbing floor by floor, I would eventually reach the top.
Meeting that man from 4000 years ago was also a predetermined future.
***
The second floor of the Tower of Causalitas. This place had a dreamlike atmosphere. A thick mist spread endlessly, and before me lay an old suspension bridge. Looking down, the bottom was an abyss whose end could not be gauged.
[Cross the Bridge of Storms.]
[Time Limit: None]
Only a gentle breeze could be felt, a peaceful place shrouded in silence. Of course, this peace was likely to be broken soon. At the very least, it would be a more difficult quest than the first floor.
"How long is this bridge that there isn't even a time limit?"
Since the front was obscured by mist, the end of this bridge was as difficult to gauge as the abyss below.
"The length probably isn't the issue."
Seeing the corners of the fairy's mouth rise, it seemed some wicked device had been prepared.
"I can get a hint from the name Bridge of Storms."
"Correct! The length is long, but once you start crossing the bridge, you'll find out why there's no time limit. For your information, you realize that if you fall into the abyss, you'll have to start over from the beginning, right?"
"You look like you're having fun."
"You can't imagine how happy I was when you came here."
The more I saw her, the more her expression invited a punch. Regardless, the opportunities given to me were infinite.
I thought it wouldn't be bad to try falling into the abyss as soon as I started. Since it was a setting where I would eventually fall anyway, it would be better to start with some information.
SWISH!
The fairy seemed flustered by my sudden action and hurriedly followed me down.
"You really are a crazy person!"
I fell for a long time, but the bottom still seemed far off.
"When does this end?"
"There's still a lot left."
"The setting for the abyss is too excessive. I wonder if there was a reason to make it like this."
"Do you not have a fear of death?"
"You said I won't die here."
"Even so."
As a human, I didn't like dying either.
However, because it was something I had experienced once, I could be much more detached than others.
THUD!
At the last moment, the speed of the fall was beyond imagination, but the landing was not that burdensome. It was a good experience I had never had before.
"I should try jumping off one more time."
There was no training as good as feeling a new experience with one's whole body.
"Are you crazy?"
"This place... I quite like it."
I had a feeling I would gain many things here.
***
From the twenty-third fall onward, there was no special inspiration.
I had become somewhat accustomed to moving my body and handling mana even in a state of extreme acceleration.
I believed there was still more to gain, but since there would be times I fell regardless of my will, I thought it was time to take a step onto the Bridge of Storms.
The fairy looked completely fed up with the twenty-three falls I had done with her.
"Stop it already!"
Her voice was full of irritation.
"I was planning to start crossing the bridge now anyway."
"Really?"
"You like it too much."
She looked as if she had been waiting for me to suffer. Per her wish, I finally took a step onto the Bridge of Storms.
The width of the bridge was about one meter. Seeing how the bridge wobbled and my balance broke with just a single step, crossing this bridge would be impossible without an extreme sense of balance.
Furthermore, the even more fatal condition of this bridge was the abyss that induced extreme fear. Of course, that was something that didn't apply to me.
"Now! Now try taking the next step! Hurry!"
When I took another step and my body completely relied on the Bridge of Storms, something flew through the mist.
WHOOSH!
It had no form, but I could feel a sharp aura of mana.
CLANG!
When I struck it with the Holy Sword Bastian, the incoming aura vanished.
"As expected, it's a wind-attribute magic."
"You're amazing, as expected. What just flew at you was a Wind Spear. It's invisible, but if you're hit squarely, your body will be pierced by the spear!"
"I won't die anyway."
"Still, the momentary pain will be considerable."
This creature was definitely a pervert.
"Now, keep walking. Once you overcome the Wind Spears, you'll find yourself at the end of the bridge!"
As I walked carefully step by step, two spears flew at me in succession this time.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
The issue wasn't the number of spears, but their destructive power. I could feel a tangible increase in the strength of the Wind Spears. Of course, I could still easily deflect them. At that sight, the fairy urged me even more.
"More! More! Keep walking!"
As the distance from the starting point increased, the number of Wind Spears flying at once grew. The two spears became three, then four, five, six. Eventually, it reached a state where I had to block twelve spears at once.
BOOM!
Considerable destructive power. The Bridge of Storms was still in a situation where its end was unknown.
"Surely you're not already reaching your limit?"
"I just find it a bit interesting. By what principle this is being implemented."
"I understand it's using Dragon magic as it is."
The fairy's answer was surprising. Dragon magic. I had experienced the unique magic of the dragon race a few times while sparring with Rosie, but she was only a Hatchling.
"You mean an adult Dragon, not a Hatchling, right?"
"Of course."
"Then can I assume the power of these Wind Spears will reach the level of a Dragon toward the end?"
"That's right! Are you finally starting to feel a bit scared?"
"No. I'm happy."
I slightly raised the corners of my mouth. Experiencing proper Dragon magic was something that couldn't be done even for an immense sum of money. I was getting to do it to my heart's content here.
"You're just bluffing because you're scared right now, aren't you?"
"Let me ask one more thing."
"What?"
"If I go to another floor, can I also experience a Dragon's fire attack?"
The specialty of the Red Dragon Devrias, whom I faced during my days as Johan Raven, was fire-based magic.
The Wind Spears I was experiencing on the second floor were considerable, but they wouldn't compare to Devrias's fire. That was a bit disappointing.
"I hate to scare you in advance, but it's prepared on the third floor!"
"Really?"
Those words couldn't help but ignite my motivation.
'This tower. What on earth is it?'
Of course, I had to cross this Bridge of Storms right now, but my heart had already left for the third floor. I took another step forward.
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH!
A merciless baptism of Wind Spears.
I didn't know how many more times I would fail or how much more time it would take to pass this bridge, but all these processes would be a great fortune and experience for me.
Thus, I decided to advance with a joyful heart.
Even if my body were to be torn to shreds.