Boundless Necromancer

Chapter 82: Dimension Invasion (1)

Chapter 82: Dimension Invasion (1)

Originally, when I heard the words Earnest Wish, I thought it was simply some kind of desire.

Just like how I desperately wanted to acquire an ability to slaughter the monsters.

Since the Iron-Blooded Monarch and other administrators all died once, I assumed they'd have a complicated relationship of favor and spite.

I wondered if the Earnest Wish was a grudge that they couldn't fulfill during their lifetime or that they deeply kept.

But that wasn't it.

"…Are you saying that the Earnest Wishes aren't just an administrator's wish but a trial?"

"To be precise, it doesn't mean that you'll climb the tower just because you grant the Earnest Wish, but to some extent, it's true."

"…"

"When the Earnest Wish is granted, the tower rewards the administrator and the challenger."

"So, in a nutshell, it's a trial where the floor doesn't go up even if you clear it."

I felt disappointed when I realized the truth of the Earnest Wish that the Iron-Blooded Monarch had told me.

Not to mention that it's a trial in the form of an administrator materializing the Tower of Trials.

Why do they call something that is almost no different from the Tower of Trials their own wish?

Curiosity about that fact crept up my throat, and I couldn't help but open my mouth and ask.

"Honestly, I can't see it as the administrator's wish, so why do you call it the Earnest Wish?"

I thought it'd be better to clearly state that it's just a derivation of the trial.

However, the White Crane Sword Saint shook her head and denied what I had said.

"No. Earnest Wish should be called Earnest Wish. It's much deserved.

"…?"

"Do you know why the administrators are subordinated to the tower even though we all died once?"

"It must be because you don't want to die. No one wants to die."

"There must be some administrators like that. But we didn't become subordinated to the Tower because we feared death."

As if sinking into the abyss, the eyes of the White Crane Sword Saint has become endlessly serious.

"We have a wish that needs to be granted no matter what."

"…”

"An Earnest Wish is fulfilled on behalf of us through the disciple."

"But you mentioned that the Earnest Wish is a trial. Then it'd be meaningless."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because the trial is the stage of growth that the Tower prepared for the challengers, obviously."

Trials existed only to grow the challenger.

Literally, it was about giving the challengers trials and making them stronger when they endure them.

I didn't think that overcoming the trial would solve the administrator's emotional baggage.

"Since I don't think I've ever seen anything that could grant the administrator's wish out of the trials I've seen so far."

"…You're correct. Right. A trial is just a reenactment of a situation, and it's just a stage for the challengers to grow."

"Then wouldn't that make it meaningle—"

"But it's worth it in terms of achieving that recreated situation."

"…?"

White Crane Sword Saint looked at me vacantly and slowly continued her words.

"Most of the administrators’ Earnest Wishes come from their past regrets."

"…"

"Some may not, but most are. But with the passage of time, no one can change the history of the past."

"That's right. Unless you become a God or something."

"But if you can grant the Earnest Wish, it's possible to change the past. By intervening in my past in the form of a trial to give it a change."

"…What?"

At what White Crane Sword Saint said, I looked at her blankly while blinking my eyes.

Can you change the past?

"There's no way such nonsense would be possible."

"You should know it since you've gone through the Tower of Trials so far. Whether what I'm saying is true or not."

She was right.

The Tower of Trials had out-of-standard abilities and brought more serious changes than the Great Calamity.

Therefore I, who had a disastrous failure and should've given up my dream to become a hunter, was able to reach this point.

It wasn't surprising that the Tower could change the past.

"I'm not sure about the other administrators, but I want to change my past."

She said in a gloomy tone that didn't suit her.

"But just because you fulfill the Earnest Wish, it doesn't mean that the past will change immediately."

"…?"

"Conditions are added depending on how serious the administrator's Earnest Wish is."

"Then it must be the disciple challenger who fulfills that condition."

If the administrator could resolve the necessary condition independently, there would be no restriction on needing a disciple to resolve their Earnest Wish for them.

'It must be difficult since the challenger has to fulfill that condition.'

And the White Crane Sword Saint immediately agreed as though what I had said was correct.

"You're right. A challenger with discipleship must fulfill the conditions on behalf of the administrator."

As expected, it was a system in which the challenger had to complete additional conditions, not the administrator.

"There are basically two conditions that a challenger must fulfill."

The White Crane Sword Saint slowly extended her index finger and said.

"First of all, there's a certain number of floors you have to climb as a condition."

Then, soon she stretched out her middle finger and continued talking with her two fingers up.

"Secondly, there's a condition that the difficulty of all personal trials will be harder when you get past the 20th floor."

I opened my mouth at those words while feeling my body stiffen up.

"…Can I ask you one thing?"

Changing the past is basically a miracle that defies the flow of time.

It meant that the number of floors that I had to climb and every personal trial after the 20th floor would be ridiculously intensified.

Then, how many times would I have to repeat those insane trials before achieving the Earnest Wish of the White Crane Sword Saint?

I felt uncomfortable holding on to that question, so I decided to ask the question right away.

"How far do I have to climb up to grant your Earnest Wish?"

White Crane Sword Saint smiled bitterly at that question, then scratched her cheek and turned away to avoid my gaze.

"That's… uhm, I believe the waiting room on the final floor of the Tower of Trials should be enough?"

***

Reaper Scans

***

Final floor.

I’d figured out that the goal I had to reach in order to turn the administrator's Earnest Wish into reality was the top of the Tower, but…

Just talking about the results, in the end, I accepted the proposal of White Crane Sword Saint without being able to turn it down.

「 Contract has been made.」

"Splendid choice! You definitely won’t regret this!"

At the same time, the system message informed me that I had become a contractor of White Crane Sword Saint…

She smiled brightly, grabbed my right hand with both hands, and shook it.

"…"

It wasn't really a bad sight because she had the appearance of a short maidenlike girl; it feels like a lie that she once challenged to the Tower as a challenger.

However, even if it was a decision for growth, hearing that I had to reach the final floor made my shoulders heavy.

It didn't change the fact that I was responsible for climbing up to the final floor.

Of course-.

「 You have been recognized as the true disciple of Administrator 'White Crane Sword Saint'. 」

「 As a perk of the discipleship, the power and skill efficiency based on the Murim dimension is increased by 10%'. 」

「As a perk of the discipleship, the power and skill efficiency based on the Murim dimension is increased by 10%'. 」

「 As a perk of the discipleship, mana is increased by +3. 」

「 Currently, challenger Han Sungyeun has been recognized as a disciple by two administrators. 」

「 As a perk of dual discipleship, agility is increased by +3. 」

"I don't think the day will come when I'll regret this choice."

Be that as it may, too many rewards were given to me to regret this contract.

It was unlike the time with Iron-Blooded Monarch, since I wasn't her first contractor so mana had only increased by +3, but—

The effect of increasing the efficiency of Power and skill of the Murim dimension by 10% as a perk for discipleship couldn't be underestimated.

As a matter of fact, my Sword Ki became stronger as I reached the level of the Body and Sword as One.

Adding on to that, the 10% increase in the efficiency of Sword Ki was no less than an increase in combat power.

It wasn't just that.

Perhaps the Tower thought of it in a good light that I was designated as a disciple of two administrators?

When the message popped up that the agility stat increased by 3, I had no regret left.

"I'm glad that you think you won't regret it."

White Crane Sword Saint smiled innocently and then waved her hand to say goodbye.

"I'll look forward to the trial of the 11th floor."

「 Moving to the 11th waiting room. 」

Instead of a peaceful forest, I returned to the desolate waiting room.

"…"

I wanted to take a rest since I ended my additional contracts and all, but…

I suppressed my fatigue and immediately opened an exclusive contract marketplace.

「 Contract Exclusive Marketplace 」

「 SP - 4,000 」

「 Category: Skill 」

「 Category: Power 」

「 Category: Item 」

「 Contractor: Iron-Blooded Monarch as well as White Crane Sword Saint 」

「 Remarks: The first contractor of the administrator 'Iron-Blooded Monarch' and the disciple of the administrator 'White Crane Sword Saint' 」

I could see the changes right away.

In addition to the 4,000 SP obtained by breaking through the 10th floor trial, the White Crane Sword Saint had been added to the description of the contractor and remarks.

To be honest, I wanted to be immersed in the feeling that I had grown this much, but my body moved like a machine.

「 Category: Power 」

It was then that I called out the list of powers by pressing the Power category.

「Please select a list of powers to view.」

「 1. Iron-Blooded Monarch 」

「 2. White Crane Sword Saint 」

「 3. Sponsored Power 」

"…Does this mean that the list of powers has grown enough to have a classification now?"

Previously, the Power list was uncategorized, but now it was clear that the Power list was separate for each administrator. 

I'd been thinking that it'd be cumbersome to check the list of powers if it's mixed up, but it was a good change.

「 Power List 'White Crane Sword Saint' has been selected 」

「 Category: Power (White Crane Sword Saint) 」

「 List (1/3) 」

「 Power: Power Combination (A-) 」

「 Power: Desire for battle (A+) 」

「 Power: Path of Ghostblade (S) 」

I let out a laugh seeing that S rank powers were clearly stated on the list from the start.

I was totally convinced that the choice I made was the way to the final floor of the Tower.

「 (!) You can only view the powers on the list (1/3). 」

「 (!) You can view the list of powers (2/3) starting from the waiting room on the 20th floor. 」

Of course, the second power page hadn't been opened yet, just like the Iron-Blooded Monarch's was.

As always, nothing was unlocked, so I silently looked at the powers that were there.

「 Power: Power Combination (A-) 」

「 Price : 5,000 SP 」

「 Explanation: It's a power that embodies the footsteps of White Crane Sword Saint, combining all of her skills for decision and focus from when she was a challenger. You can develop new powers by combining powers that you currently have, or you can consume a power to raise the rank of the existing Power. 」

Starting with the ability that just looked like a power version of skill combination.

「 Power: Desire for battle (A+) 」

「Price : 7,500 SP」

「 Explanation: The desire for battle is the origin of the species for predators. It's a power that is often obtained by those who only see life as a battle. When fighting an opponent stronger than you, the increasing rate of all skill proficiency increases by up to 300%, and it makes it easier for you to feel the joy of battle. 」

I also looked at an absurd power that aids your growth.

「 Power: Path of Ghostblade (S) 」

「 Price : 10,000 SP 」

「 Explanation: It's a power often obtained by those who wield swords that fall into the contradiction of living in order to become strong instead of becoming strong to live. When it comes to swords, you can develop your own skills, and it becomes easier to embody a self-realization. 」

Finally, the first S rank power is listed in the power list.

All the powers were astonishingly good, but there was nothing I could buy.

'The minimum requirement for the power of the White Crane Sword Saint is high.'

Since there wasn't a power that I could purchase right away, I couldn't help but feel like these were just a pipe dream.

But regardless, these powers were abilities that I'd eventually acquire if I completed the trials a few more times.

Instead of feeling disappointed, I immediately changed the list of powers and browsed the sponsored Power.

「 Power: Wings of Steel (C+) 」

「 Price: 1,500 SP 」

「 Explanation: The Power to create steel wings with mana. High-speed flight will be possible through the wings of steel generated by mana. At this time, it is necessary to continuously inject mana to maintain the wings, and when the mana is insufficient, the wings will automatically be removed.」

It was none other than to buy a Power that made air combat possible.

I thought I could buy the Power of the Iron-Blooded Monarch, but I didn't.

'I need to choose the power that will be useful without using as much SP as possible.'

As expected from an administrator of the Murim dimension, all of the powers of White Crane Sword Saint were excellent.

Therefore it'd be better to save SP as much as I can and purchase at least one of her powers after breaking through the 11th floor.

As I reached a conclusion, there was nothing to hesitate about.

「 You've purchased the 'Power: Wings of Steel (C+)' 」

「 1,500 SP will be deducted. 」

At the same time, I purchased the Wings of steel, and I decided to check the exact abilities of this Power.

"Wings of Steel."

It was then—

「 Activating Power, 'Wings of Steel'. 」

Wooosh!

I felt something sharp coming out of my back, and then a new sensation arose.

"…!?"

It was the sensation of the wings on my back.

I reached out, touched behind my back in bewilderment, and immediately felt the wings.

I could even understand that the skin and the Wings of Steel were naturally connected.

"Huh, to think that it's completely connected to the back."

It was a power sponsored by the Tower's administrator, so I thought it was composed of magical fundamentals.

But it wasn't anything like that, and it looked like I could fly just by putting the mana into the wings that protruded from my back.

My body immediately floated into the air as I injected mana into the steel wings and fluttered them.

"…"

Surprisingly, it was easy to float in the air, and there was no need to flap the wings that much because it flew by magic.

I also wanted to see how much I could fly or move quickly, but the waiting room was too small for that.

"I guess I can't help it."

In the end, I had no choice but to deactivate the Wings of Steel and descend to the ground.

「 Deactivating Power, 'Wings of Steel'. 」

It was difficult to check the Wings of Steel's capability in this place.

"Then I'll have to change the stage."

I immediately opened the shop window and purchased the same lowest-grade return stone as before.

「 You've purchased a Return Stone (F+). 」

I had broken through more trials than the initial plan and completed an additional contract with the administrator.

Therefore…

Now, it was time for me to be active on Earth, not the Tower.

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