Chapter 311: Seventy-Sixth Floor, Maze of Choices (6)
[Escape the maze. Time remaining: 2 hours 32 minutes.]
Obviously, I had changed in countless ways since entering the Tower of Ordeal.
The biggest change lay in my martial prowess. Back then, the extent of my skills was limited to boxing, which I had only learned as a hobby, but I had now become a master of the axe.
On top of that, the smaller changes couldn’t be overlooked either.
My personality had changed significantly, along with my sense of morality, my outlook on life, and even my psychological state. If someone who knew me before I stepped into the tower were to meet me now, they would likely mistake me for a completely different person.
Though in the broader sense, my fundamental nature remains unchanged.
It was undeniable that the extraordinary experiences and bizarre events I had encountered here had shaped me into someone new.
My life then, and my life now. If someone were to ask which of the two I found more enjoyable, I would struggle to answer.
This life, with the fierce battles, relentless growth, and the constant thrill that sharpened my senses, held a certain exhilarating appeal. Yet I couldn’t deny how deeply I missed the peace and ordinariness of my former life.
Living every moment under extreme tension, with my life perpetually on the line, takes a tremendous toll on the mind.
The brief respites in the waiting rooms weren’t proper rests. Many climbers eventually succumbed to mental illness under the crushing weight of it all. Some even went so far as to end their own lives.
That was why Ha Hee-Jeong and I deliberately made an effort to stay positive, always striving to see only the brighter side of things. The same was true for our party members and the few other climbers who had survived thus far.