Chapter 127

Chapter 127

The world of the 70th floor.

It was a medieval world where magic and aura existed.

At first glance, it seemed no different from the 20th floor.

But there was one clear distinction between the two.

Even though the Tower had designated this place as a Peace Zone, monster waves never ceased.

Countless kingdoms across the continent had already fallen to those waves.

Even most of the Empire's territory had been reduced to ruins.

Across the enormous continent of the 70th floor, barely twenty percent of the land remained habitable for humans.

And even that consisted mostly of barren land.

Outside, people had to fend off monster attacks.

Inside, food shortages made them suspicious of one another.

Because of this, even before Suhyeok's regression, guilds and independent Players were hired as mercenaries to repel monster waves and maintain public order.

And the place where the greatest number of those mercenaries volunteered was...

Waven Castle.

A fortress in the northern reaches of the Empire that had stood directly against monster waves for hundreds of years.

Everything around it was buried beneath snow.

The cold was so severe that it could rot even the thick hides of monsters.

The day Waven Castle's walls fell to a monster wave...

Would likely be the day the Empire itself perished.

It was no exaggeration to call it...

The Empire's Final Line of Defense.

Back in the present.

Suhyeok sat inside what appeared to be an office, studying the windows floating before him.

[You have become ‘Hail Waven,’ Grand Duke of the North and Lord of Waven Castle.]

[As supreme commander of the northern forces, defend against a total of five upcoming Waves.]

[Time remaining until the first Wave: 18 hours.]

When Suhyeok regained consciousness, this was the situation he found himself in.

Like when he'd become Heuk Mujin in Murim, his body remained the same.

Only his identity had changed.

There was no time to be confused.

He had only four hours remaining.

Everything had to be prepared within that time.

"You actually chose me."

Shaka appeared in the air and offered him a courteous bow.

"I should thank you for making such an unexpected choice."

"Thank you, Mr. Lee Suhyeok."

"..."

Suhyeok answered coldly.

"Don't misunderstand."

"I haven't completely chosen you yet."

"No need to worry."

Shaka smiled.

"I don't think that either."

Back at the Banquet, when Suhyeok had been given the choice of which Administrator to accompany...

...Oh?

That's unexpected.

I was certain you'd choose Mid-Level Administrator Leon.

Shaka instead?

What caused the change of heart?

Ruzian had slightly opened his narrow eyes in genuine surprise.

Leon, on the other hand, had looked utterly betrayed by Suhyeok's decision.

The Constellations had been equally shocked.

None of them had imagined Suhyeok would choose Shaka over Leon.

Well, if that is your decision, then so be it.

But another opportunity to choose will remain.

I'll see you again then.

There was still another opportunity.

For now, stopping the waves came first.

So did understanding Lee Seha and Shaka's intentions.

"So?"

Suhyeok looked at Shaka.

"Your answer?"

Despite the sharp tone, Shaka remained relaxed with his hands behind his back.

He briefly shut off the broadcast screen and microphone.

"You want to know Mr. Lee Seha's objective."

"And there's one more thing."

He looked meaningfully down at Suhyeok.

"How he could appear in front of you..."

"While still retaining memories of the previous timeline."

Shaka grinned.

"I'll tell you one thing that may help you make your choice."

"Mr. Lee Seha and I..."

He paused.

"We intend to become the rulers of this Tower."

"...Rulers?"

"As you already know, the powers currently controlling the Tower are divided between two sides."

"The System."

"And the Highest-Level Administrator."

Shaka smiled faintly.

"And as you can see..."

"I stand with the System."

Suhyeok had already suspected as much.

There was no other existence capable of pulling off something like this so casually.

"We intend to create a Tower where no one dies."

"Where no one suffers."

"A utopia beyond even the interference of the Constellations."

Shaka's voice was calm.

"He promised us it would be possible."

"Once the Highest-Level Administrator is eliminated."

Only then did everything begin to fit together.

Why Ruzian had asked Suhyeok to join forces with him.

But one question still remained.

"...Why Lee Seha?"

"Why Mr. Lee Seha?"

Shaka tilted his head.

"Only the System knows that."

"There's just one thing I know."

"Mr. Lee Seha desires our plan just as strongly as we do."

"Do you really believe that's possible?"

"I don't think it's impossible."

"Of course..."

Shaka's eyes narrowed.

"We need your help to make it happen."

"If you promise to join us..."

"We'll return the life you lost."

Suhyeok's eyes sharpened.

Shaka continued.

"Her as well."

Suhyeok flinched.

"Not only her."

"Your old companions."

"Your family and friends back on Earth."

"All of them."

He spread his arms.

"You can return to the life you had before entering this place."

"Right here inside the Tower."

A sweet temptation.

If that truly became possible...

Maybe revenge would no longer even be necessary.

But Suhyeok knew.

That couldn't be everything they wanted.

There was something more.

Something they weren't telling him.

That's probably why they need me.

Knock, knock.

"Your Grace."

"May I enter?"

A voice came from outside.

Shaka handed the camera back to Uji.

Then disappeared without a trace.

Suhyeok looked toward the door.

"Come in."

Creeeak.

A white-haired knight in armor entered.

He was Wayne Pendragon.

Commander of the Waven Knights.

"Your Grace."

"I have urgent news to report."

As expected...

His report concerned the upcoming monster wave.

"The monsters are already gathering in one place?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"In front of the Beast Forest."

"Their numbers are on an entirely different scale from anything we've seen before."

Wayne's expression was grave.

"We must prepare for the wave immediately."

Suhyeok looked through the window at the castle below.

Then another window appeared.

[Current Military Strength]

• Regular Soldiers: 207

• Magic Soldiers: 4

• Knights: 5

• Knight Commander: 1

[Castle Durability and Armament Condition]

• Castle Walls (Damage: 43%)

• Castle Gate (Damage: 31%)

• Mana Cannons ×10 (Average Damage: 69%)

• Weapons ×305 (Average Damage: 54%)

For a fortress known as the Empire's final stronghold...

Its internal condition was terrible.

The eastern, western, and southern regions of the Empire were all being invaded by monsters at once.

As a result, nearly all troops and supplies had been redirected there.

The reason was simple.

The north hadn't suffered a major invasion in a long time thanks to its extreme cold.

But because that safety had lasted too long...

The soldiers had grown complacent.

And the facilities had deteriorated.

Worse...

The man whose identity Suhyeok now possessed, Grand Duke Hail Waven, had only been installed as a puppet after the death of the previous Grand Duke.

No.

More accurately...

He was a coward who knew nothing.

The real power belonged to retainers who had been slowly devouring the Waven family from within.

"The retainers are attempting to flee the north."

Wayne clenched his jaw.

"If they leave, the soldiers' morale will collapse."

"It will undoubtedly throw the castle into chaos."

"Your Grace must make a decision quickly...!"

Soon...

A monster wave larger than anything any of them had ever experienced would begin.

As explained at the Banquet, Suhyeok was the commander and lord.

But he couldn't use his personal combat power.

He had to win using only the troops currently inside Waven Castle.

And losing the retainers along with the forces under their control would be devastating.

They accounted for nearly one-third of the castle's total manpower.

"...Your Grace."

Wayne lowered his head desperately.

"You must hurry."

"If you give me the order, I will stop them."

"So please..."

His voice trembled.

"Please find your courage."

Wayne had been raised as a knight by the previous Grand Duke during the north's strongest era.

He was the only one who didn't side with the retainers.

The only one who remained loyal to Hail despite knowing he was little more than a puppet.

The reason Wayne had never acted before was simple.

Hail had been terrified that the retainers would kill him if he resisted them.

In truth...

The north's forces had weakened this badly largely because of Hail's fear.

But now things were different.

No.

They had to be.

If Suhyeok wanted any chance of stopping the first wave with their own strength...

They couldn't continue like this.

Without saying a word, Suhyeok stood.

He took the treasured sword hanging on the wall.

Then held it out toward Wayne.

"T-This is...."

"Take it."

Suhyeok's voice was firm.

"Go inform the soldiers and knights immediately."

"Tell them to prepare for the battle ahead."

"And then..."

"You and I are going straight to the retainers."

"...!"

Wayne's eyes widened.

For a moment, he wondered whether he'd seen incorrectly.

This was nothing like the timid Hail he'd known.

It reminded him instead...

Of the previous Grand Duke.

The man who had once made cold, decisive judgments on the battlefield.

"Wayne Pendragon."

"Are you not going to accept it?"

Wayne quickly regained himself.

He dropped to one knee and received the sword with both hands.

"I obey your command, Your Grace."

The rear gate of Waven Castle.

Carriages loaded with wealth and valuables formed a long line.

And standing before them...

Were the retainers.

"Get out of the way!"

"Every second matters!"

"How dare you block our path?!"

"T-The Knight Commander ordered that no one be allowed to leave the castle...."

"So please, calm down and-"

"Shut your mouth, bastard!"

"You expect us to die to those monsters gathered out there?!"

"You can defend this place yourselves!"

"We're going to the capital!"

One of the retainers roared.

"Men!"

"Drag these fools away and open the gate!"

"Yes!"

"Keugh...!"

They acted with complete disregard for everyone else.

Naturally...

The soldiers under those selfish retainers didn't seem to care about Waven Castle's survival either.

Then...

"T-The Grand Duke!"

"His Grace is coming!"

The retainers turned.

Hail and Wayne stepped down from a carriage.

Baron Hamit, one of the central figures among the family retainers, gave an incredulous smile.

"Hah."

"So he's finally here."

"I doubt he came to stop us."

"Maybe he's finally gotten scared and wants to run away with us."

The moment Hamit saw Suhyeok...

Or rather, Grand Duke Hail...

He didn't even bother offering a greeting.

He immediately began making demands.

"Your Grace."

"We retainers have no intention of dying here."

"We will take shelter in the capital."

"Order the guards to stand down immediately!"

It was outrageously disrespectful.

Yet no one objected.

If anything, the retainers and their troops looked proud.

What could a puppet Grand Duke possibly do to them?

Several even openly sneered.

"Why don't you abandon this place and run away as well, Your Grace?"

"How could this castle possibly survive without us?"

"Well..."

"If you'd rather die here, I won't stop you."

Hamit mocked him.

Suhyeok didn't even look at him.

"There's no need to worry about that."

He spoke indifferently.

"None of you are leaving this place anyway."

"What do you mea-"

Slash.

Hamit's head flew from his shoulders under Wayne's blade.

The surrounding retainers flinched violently and stumbled backward.

Then they hurriedly drew their swords with trembling hands.

"W-What is the meaning of this?!"

"How dare you do this to us?!"

"You think you'll get away with-?!"

At Baron Rahen's shout, every soldier under the retainers raised their weapons and surrounded Suhyeok and Wayne.

Suhyeok remained completely indifferent.

"I'll count to three."

"Drop your weapons immediately."

He looked across them.

"Do that, and I'll spare your lives."

As the count approached three...

The soldiers began looking at one another.

One by one, they lowered their weapons.

The retainers had no choice but to do the same.

Keugh...!

What the hell got into that pathetic coward for him to act like this...?

Wayne was a knight capable of using Aura.

In other words...

He was the strongest knight in the north, standing just before the threshold of Sword Master.

Until now, they'd had nothing to fear because they could control the obedient Hail.

But if they seriously fought Wayne here...

Everyone present would die.

None of them wanted that.

So for now...

They would bow their heads.

Then wait for another opportunity.

...Right.

We can simply escape once we get the chance.

When the wave arrives, they'll be too busy trying to survive.

We'll slip away then.

Baron Rahen exchanged glances with the other retainers.

But then...

"Wayne."

Suhyeok spoke.

"Kill everyone here."

"Don't leave a single one alive."

Wayne immediately raised his sword.

"Yes, Your Grace."

"...!!!"