Climbing the Tower with Multidimensional Avatars - Chapter 122

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 122. The Tower – Jungle (2)

I found his journal in the Explorer’s possession.
“Trampel, the land of gold and mystery. Tansa, the capital of that legendary nation.”
Examining the journal’s contents, this Explorer appeared to be an archaeologist and treasure hunter seeking legends about an ancient nation called Trampel and a place called Tansa, a city brimming with gold and mystery.
Under normal circumstances, I would have dismissed him as a dreamer bewitched by ancient legends upon reading the journal—but the problem lay with my Public Ability, Translation.
“…It looks like there really is an ancient ruin filled with genuine gold and mystery here, doesn’t it?”
This archaeologist Explorer had managed, through considerable effort deciphering ancient script, to discover the fact that Trampel actually existed in this jungle—a vast jungle by the name of Gokuremshibo.
The problem was that he’d only uncovered that much; he made numerous errors in translating other texts, and despite visiting this jungle thirteen times, he failed to discover the legendary city of Tansa, squandering his entire fortune in the process.
At first, he came with extensive equipment, escorts, and exploration personnel, but it ended in failure.
The scale diminished with each subsequent expedition, and now, without enough money to hire anyone, he came alone—only to meet his end.
He died careless, made familiar by thirteen visits to the jungle.
Judging by the bite marks on his ankle, it appeared he’d been struck by a venomous snake.
“Look at this. This is the original ancient script he tried to decipher, and if you decode it and compare it with the map he’s carrying, doesn’t the part that points to the Tower as the destination look similar?”
“Um… how would we know? The destination showing on the Mini Map is only a black screen.”
At Lee Su-young’s question, I pointed to the center of the map.
“This is the location indicated when you decode these characters.”
“I suppose so…?”
Deciphering ancient script was difficult, but once decoded, it was written plainly on the map without metaphor, indicating which region it was in.
Thanks to our Translation ability, we didn’t need to bother deciphering; we could read the script directly, so there was no need to strain ourselves trying to decode it.
“If we assume this location is the destination on the Mini Map, and then scan backward from here to find a section similar to where we are, wouldn’t it be around here?”
What we could tell from the Mini Map was roughly the cardinal directions, our current location, the destination’s location, distance, and direction.
By overlaying the map with the Mini Map and scanning it only in our direction, examining the terrain, we could easily estimate the location.
“Um… is that so?”
“Look carefully. No matter how much time has passed, unlike the forest’s form or rivers, the positions of mountains don’t change much.”
Even this seemingly old map was crude in places, but there were clear traces of effort to represent the mountain positions accurately.
It was quite likely this map had been paired with ancient texts.
“Once we pinpoint a terrain similar to our location, and then shrink the Mini Map to the map’s size and overlap it centered here, the destination falls into a position slightly off but roughly similar to what the texts specified.”
Unlike Lee Su-young, who furrowed her brow because her head was spinning, Diana seemed to understand what I was trying to say, and she asked:
“So what Ji-woo is trying to say is that ‘we can trust this text,’ right?”
“Exactly.”
This text has credibility.
The Tower’s Quest and the Mini Map’s location back that up.
I explained so earnestly precisely to convey that the Tower vouches for the authenticity of this document.
“Then what’s important is the content of this text.”
The text was full of figurative expressions—difficult to understand even when decoded—but the passage worthy of attention was this part.
“The High Priest gathered the gold of all subjects and offered it upon the most sacred altar of Tansa, saying: Divine One, grant us your mystery. By the mystery you have bestowed, may we repel evil and fortify righteousness.”
What followed was merely laudatory phrases celebrating the mystery.
To summarize the overall content of the text: roughly this.
The nation of Trampel had faced calamities since ancient times, but each time, by gathering all manner of gold and performing rituals, they borrowed divine power, received miracles and mystery, and preserved the nation.
But eventually, a day came when the ritual ceremony failed, and the High Priest, gathering all the nation’s gold, fled Outside the Tower with the heir and the king.
The heir of the High Priest who fled wished someday to return to their homeland and reclaim the nation, gold, and mystery.
Either personally or through their heirs or descendants, hoping to restore the nation and achieve prosperity, they left behind the location of the capital, Tansa.
But in the end, whatever happened, all was buried by innumerable ages.
“So the destination is really a city full of gold?”
At my summary, Lee Su-young’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“Gold is nice, but aren’t you curious what this mystery written here is?”
“No. I prefer gold.”
At Lee Su-young’s immediate answer, I felt slightly deflated.
“I’m more curious about the mystery myself.”
“See? I knew it.”
At Diana’s words, I brightened again with a smile.
Lee Su-young paid no mind to whether I was deflated or not and continued thinking.
“Gold. The more money you have, the better, right? We can sell it to acquire new equipment. Even if not, unlike Credit, we can take gold Outside the Tower and sell it there too.”
Lee Su-young glanced at my left arm and Diana’s clothing.
Though she tried to hide it, she seemed to have genuinely envied Gung-gi’s leather-made garments and the shackles.
Lee Su-young settled on the opinion that we should do the Quest, and I felt slightly tempted myself.
Diana looked at me and Lee Su-young, smiled slightly, and spoke.
“Then let’s all finish the Quest together, and without anyone dropping out, we can all play together. I think there are entertainment facilities in the 20th Floor District.”
At Diana’s words, we were of one mind and shouted our encouragement.
But before challenging the 21st Floor, I wasn’t bothered that I didn’t go with them to the Market, was I?

* * *

“So this must be the Signal Device mentioned in the Quest.”
In the Explorer’s pack was a Magical Tool—an antenna inscribed with magic.
I buried the Explorer near where he’d fallen, raised a mound over him, and even carved a stone marker from nearby rock.
After examining the Explorer’s belongings, I used his Journal and records to locate his Base Camp and made my way there.
For a solo operation, the Base Camp was built with surprising thoroughness.
The dwelling itself wasn’t a simple A-frame tent, but rather a large yurt-like structure with hefty wooden pillars and rafters.
The moment Lee Su-young stepped inside the tent, her expression brightened.
“Wow, once we’re inside, it actually feels livable.”
Diana looked around the interior of the tent, puzzled.
“Wooden pillars and rafters, though—in this humid environment, they shouldn’t last long.”
At Diana’s observation, I read the magic woven into the pillars.
“It seems that Explorer knew how to use magic.”
The level of magic wasn’t particularly high.
The spells in place were 1st Class at most, 2nd Class at the highest.
Mostly magic to repel moisture and lower temperature.
“Could we take this tent with us?”
Lee Su-young looked at me with hopeful eyes.
“If you take it down and set it back up, you’re welcome to it.”
At my answer, Lee Su-young gave up on taking the tent.
I chuckled softly and pulled several Cloaks from a simple wardrobe in the corner of the tent.
It seemed the Explorer had expected to stay for quite some time—there were multiple cloaks.
“Instead, I’ll inscribe magic on them to repel moisture and lower temperature.”
“Really?! You can do that?”
“I’ll need Magic Stones, and the effect will fade in a week or so, but for magic at this level, it’s no problem.”
Truth be told, I wasn’t casting magic directly so much as transferring the magic already woven into this tent to the Cloaks.
Casting magic from scratch would be a hassle.
“Wow! Maybe I should try learning magic too?”
“You said it was like math formulas and you hated it.”
“That’s true, I guess. Still, I’m glad I teamed up with you. You’re the best!”
“Stop the flattery.”
I inscribed Magic Stones on three Cloaks, transferred the magic over, and distributed them.
“Wow, a walking air conditioner!”
“It really is cooler.”
Diana, who apparently disliked the heat, brightened noticeably once she wrapped herself in the Cloak.
Lee Su-young and I, accustomed to the oppressive summer humidity back home, found the Jungle’s damp heat nearly unbearable; but Diana, raised in Britain where seasonal variation was minimal year-round, must have been suffering far worse.
“It’s cooler inside the Cloak than in the tent, isn’t it?”
Cooling just the area inside the Cloak was far more efficient than cooling the entire spacious tent.
Once we’d conquered the heat, we moved about energetically, collecting the Explorer’s effects.
He’d apparently planned to stay in the Jungle for several months—there were considerable provisions: Canned Provisions, biscuits, and the like.
Judging from the Explorer’s Journal and the various records left at the Base Camp, this world appeared to be at roughly the mid-to-late 1600s of our own history, or perhaps the early 1700s at most.
In other words, the tail end of the Renaissance.
Though considering the presence of Canned Provisions, it might have been the 1800s after all.
The first canned provisions were developed in France in 1809 as military supplies.
For reference, the following year in 1810, Britain developed tinned cans made of tin to address the shortcomings of canned provisions.
Of course, the principle behind Canned Provisions isn’t that difficult, so it wouldn’t be strange if they were developed earlier in a world where magic exists.
Tinned cans are far lighter and sturdier, but difficult for an individual to produce; so the tent’s owner, who’d apparently spent his entire fortune on exploration, seemed to have made homemade Canned Provisions.
Tinned cans have environmental hormone concerns, which actually worked in our favor.
“There’s every sort of thing imaginable here. Desks, chairs, jewelry boxes, all kinds of novels, wine, tobacco, carpets, even a portrait of himself… Are you sure he came to explore and not to become a hermit?”
Lee Su-young found the interior of the tent absolutely absurd.
Indeed, despite the Journal noting he was on the brink of bankruptcy, there were quite a few luxurious items in sight.
A Water Container with purification magic or Jungle supplies might be necessary, but why bring paint, brushes, and an easel?
Was it possible he didn’t come to explore at all, but fled his debtors in the dead of night?
Squeezed out his last desperate funds and ran away?
After surveying the interior of the tent, I used my magical projection to retrieve a pair of thick Leather Boots and handed them to Lee Su-young.
“Su-young, put these on instead.”
A simple Hardening enchantment was layered into them; once subjected to impact or pressure beyond a certain threshold, they became as rigid as industrial safety boots, protecting the feet effectively.
If a snake tried to bite, its fangs would likely shatter.
“These leather boots don’t seem like they’d breathe well.”
Lee Su-young wrinkled her nose at the sight of them.
“That Explorer we buried — he had fang marks around his ankle. I suspect he was bitten by a venomous snake and died from it. For safety’s sake, wear them.”
With these boots on, even if a snake bit, its fangs wouldn’t reach skin.
“What about you and Diana?”
“Diana’s pants are made from Gung-gi hide, which is far more durable — a mere snake couldn’t pierce her skin anyway. As for me….”
I drew my sword and slashed at my own leg.
Clang!
“I can harden my pants using Martial Arts. And I’m already wearing combat boots, so a snake bite wouldn’t get through them either.”
At my reassurance that it was all for safety, Lee Su-young reluctantly pulled on the leather boots that hugged her ankles.
On a brutal trek through terrain like this, footwear that offered ankle support—like these leather boots—proved far more practical.
Having gathered everything we needed from the Explorer’s belongings to traverse the Jungle, we left the tent.

(To be continued)

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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