Climbing the Tower with Multidimensional Avatars - Chapter 193

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

Chapter 193. The Tower – The Spire Tower’s Princess (10)

Gual’s skill was 1st Class.
Judging by the momentum he radiated, he seemed to be about half a stage ahead of me.
If Gual were a mage, my intuition would have been accurate, but judging a warrior’s skill by momentum alone was folly of the highest order.
In combat between warriors, if one reached the extreme pinnacle of martial mastery, they could win even against an opponent with several times more Internal Energy.
Taken to extremes, even if I fought with the highest possible Internal Energy, it would be nearly impossible to defeat Siu, my martial arts master, who wielded only 3rd Class Internal Energy.
Of course, that didn’t mean Gual was vastly stronger than me.
This wasn’t a friendly sparring match, and if he were much stronger, he would’ve unleashed Sword Force instead of Sword Aura.
Considering that the knights of this world relied too heavily on Eternal Cold Iron and thus had mediocre skills relative to their realm, it was even less likely.
The problem was that my opponent wielded a sword made of Eternal Cold Iron, but that would be resolved the moment I wielded the same weapon.
I drew the sword I’d received as a reward from the Infiltration Team out of my Pocket Dimension.
Since it was designed for use while mounted, it was a Two-Handed Sword about forty centimeters longer than the sword I usually wielded and twice as wide, but a 1st Class warrior like me could wield it in one hand.
“Ha! You think you can face a Master Knight like me head-on!”
“Master Knight? What kind of cringeworthy title is that.”
At my words, Gual surged toward me in fury.
“Dimensional Barrier won’t work on me!”
Yet he was rushing at me with such blatant killing intent it barely qualified as “won’t work.”
Besides, I hadn’t been planning to use Dimensional Barrier in the first place.
I lightened my body and stepped back, evading Gual’s blade.
Though it seemed crude and reckless, the trajectory his sword traced flowed as naturally as water.
Based on the demon-kin’s formidable physique, their swordplay had evolved so that the force imparted in each swing flowed seamlessly into the next motion without loss.
But precisely because it was crude, it was linear—and thus not difficult to evade.
Easy to evade meant easy to slip inside his guard.
Drawing his blade toward my body’s center, I twisted to avoid his powerful cutting arc while thrusting my blade, wreathed in Sword Aura, at Gual’s throat.
“Ah, now I see why everyone seeks Eternal Cold Iron.”
In a single instant, I manifested Sword Aura—but at an Internal Energy efficiency on a completely different level, creating a massive blade of light.
Creating Sword Aura of a caliber I could never achieve at my current level made my mind reel with exhilaration.
This was a Demon Sword.
A cursed blade that killed my own potential to save me from my enemy.
Once this fight ended, I’d need to avoid using it unless my allies were in mortal danger.
The performance is insane.
“No!”
Still 1st Class, Gual abandoned his center of gravity mid-slash, letting his body pitch forward as he slipped past my thrust.
Well, I’d meant for him to dodge anyway.
I pressed forward, using my left hand to grab and press down on the bridge of his nose as I drove my full weight behind a vicious slash.
Crash-crack!
The solid Eternal Steel Armor would normally only receive a hairline scratch even from Sword Aura, but when the blade delivering the blow was also forged from Eternal Cold Iron, the outcome was different.
“It’s a shame, really. If you’d honed your skill instead of relying on swords and armor, you’d have been far better for it.”
The match was already decided.
Once Internal Energy and Magical Power flowed through Eternal Cold Iron, it became a mystical artifact that blocked the enemy’s Internal Energy, rendering even my Heavy Strike Technique ineffective.
But if I delivered impact as hard and direct as this, using the same Eternal Cold Iron, even the tiniest of fractures would form.
The fissure was infinitesimal—difficult to exploit for an Internal Energy master wearing the armor, but trivial for a charlatan dependent on Divine Tool Dependence.
“Your defeat stems from insufficient skill and the arrogance of facing me alone.”
“Gaaaaahhhhh-!!”
My Thunder Energy, infused with Divine Lightning, tore through the crack and ravaged the flesh beneath the armor.
This was what made fighting classmates worthwhile.
I was a fool to expect real combat on the 20th Floor.
I claimed General Gual’s blackened, smoking sword as a trophy, flooded the area with lightning, and shrouded my body in magic to vanish.
“General!”
“Protect the General from the lightning!”
The demon-kin knights exerted themselves to shield Gual while I slipped away through the chaos.

* * *

When Gual opened his eyes after being struck by Divine Lightning, he jolted awake in alarm and threw himself upright from the bed.
Finding himself in his familiar bedroom, he briefly wondered if the fight with the intruder had been a dream—until the pain radiating through his entire body reminded him that his defeat was all too real.
He ground his teeth.
Gual ground his teeth in fury. The fact that he’d been insulted by a presumed climber—the one who’d brought him down—for lacking skill had infuriated him.
But what angered him even more was that the words were true.
“General, you’ve awakened?”
The Adjutant had come looking for Gual.
“What’s become of the enemy forces?”
“They’ve withdrawn. After capturing and interrogating one of the humans who infiltrated the Fortress, we learned their objective was to abduct Princess Phelibroulea. Upon investigation, the princess who was in the Spire Tower has also vanished, and the prince who was being held in the Underground Prison has disappeared as well.”
“And the military supplies?”
“…We were unable to locate them. My apologies.”
Gual rose from his seat in response to the Adjutant’s apology.
“I shall seek atonement through service to the King and atone for this failure.”
Beyond the window, moonlight cut through the dark night sky and illuminated General Gual.
Weakened because he’d relied on Divine Tool Dependence like Snow Iron?
Then he would discard the Snow Iron and climb back up from the very bottom.
No—he would ascend higher still as a true warrior.
It was the moment a hero’s seed began to sprout within the Demon-kin.

* * *

After shaking off the Demon-kin pursuing me, I approached the princess and the Demon Man who had been attempting to slip out of the Fortress under cover of the chaos.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
As I dropped my concealment and spoke, both the princess and the Demon Man startled.
“How are you still alive?”
I snorted at the Demon Man’s words.
“What? You were hoping your benefactor who freed you from prison would be dead? How ungrateful.”
“But with all the commotion that erupted in the Fortress, shouldn’t you be dead?”
“That’s only how it works for thoughtless brutes. Someone like me, who thinks strategically, operates under different circumstances.”
At my confident answer, the Demon Man regarded me with obvious displeasure. Looking at him, I posed a question.
“Anyway, do you have a way to escape beyond the Fortress walls?”
At my question, the two fell silent.
“Doesn’t look like it. Follow me. There’s a secret passage through which I entered the Fortress.”
As I took the lead, the Demon Man hesitated before following me.
In a situation like this, sneaking away undetected was impossible, and following me was his only option.
Staying inside the Fortress meant being captured by the Demon-kin; trying to scale the City Wall would mean facing the Human Army.
On top of that, arrows flew blind and magic swept through the air—it was far too dangerous.
I guided the two through the narrow secret passage by which I’d entered the Fortress.
Once inside the passage, leading the way through the cramped single corridor, I spoke.
“Don’t do it.”
“…Do what?”
At the Demon Man’s question, I smiled and answered.
“Strike me from behind. Ungrateful as you are.”
At my words, the Demon Man set down the princess he’d been carrying and drew a sword I hadn’t seen him with back in the prison.
Where had he stolen an Eternal Cold Iron blade, or was it his own that he’d managed to retrieve?
“I do harbor gratitude toward you. But I would prefer it if you would let us go.”
“Unfortunately, that’s not possible.”
I drew my own Eternal Cold Iron blade from my inventory and wrapped it in Sword Aura.
The Demon Man and the princess cried out in surprise upon seeing the Sword Aura.
“Master Knight! You look young—far too young—but how could you…!”
“…Is that a common way to address someone?”
So the title that Gual had spoken of so proudly was actually standard?
Master Knight—it sounded like something even middle schoolers wouldn’t use anymore.
What was wrong with the sensibilities of people in this world? They were like elementary school children.
Just then, the princess pleaded with me desperately.
“I don’t want to return to the palace. Please, let us go.”
The princess told me how she was being treated as breeding stock to produce heroes, and begged earnestly for me to release them.
I laughed softly at the princess’s plea.
“How ridiculous and childish.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
“Treated as breeding stock? What, are other noble daughters and sons in different houses living differently? If you were born into an indulgent aristocratic society, wouldn’t they all be arranged into marriages for political and financial reasons? So what’s so particularly tragic about your situation?”
The princess, caught off guard by my words, stood speechless as if struck.
Unfortunate though it was for the princess, history showed that treating people as social breeding stock was far from uncommon.
The difference is that while other nobles marry for wealth and political calculation, a princess is treated purely as breeding stock.
“Well, she’s in a foolish adolescent phase, so I can’t say I don’t understand, and I respect her personal opinion. But based on what I’ve experienced and learned as a Climber ascending The Tower, if the princess runs away from here, she’ll probably die.”
The Demon Man’s eyes narrowed at my words.
“What are you talking about?”
The Tower demanded that Climbers rescue the princess and specifically deliver her to Megroleta.
If the purpose were simply to help her escape, The Tower would have simply ordered her rescue without attaching conditions.
If the Demon Man before my eyes were necessary to protect the princess, his rescue from the Underground Prison would certainly have been included in the Quest.
But the fact that The Tower specifically named Megroleta suggested that perhaps he alone—her brother—might be capable of protecting the princess.
After explaining my reasoning, I spoke to the Demon Man.
“I respect your right to choose your own path, even if it’s one that leads to death. But if you want to save the princess, the most certain way might be to go to Megroleta, tell him the truth, and ask for his cooperation. Who knows? A brother who loves his sister might protect the princess and grant her freedom for her sake.”
“That’s impossible!”
“How can you be so certain? Have you even tried talking to him? Have you made the minimal attempt before saying such things?”
Was she really being treated as breeding stock?
Could it be that he was simply jumping to conclusions after learning about the Divine Oracle, without any real basis?
Of course, there would be people around her who secretly did treat her that way.
Nobles coveting her bloodline would be everywhere.
But would her own family really treat her as breeding stock?
They might regard her as specially important because of the Divine Oracle, but they wouldn’t deliberately neglect her because of it.
The Demon Man asked, looking at me.
“Isn’t that merely your conjecture?”
“You’re right. But so what? What can you two do anyway?”
As I picked up the Eternal Cold Iron sword and slung it over my shoulder, the Demon Man and the princess swallowed hard.
They had never had a choice to begin with.
“Your options are one of two. Either you follow my advice and the princess pleads for mercy from Megroleta, or this man’s neck gets severed by my hand and the princess gets bound and dragged along. If you want to make your unborn child a posthumous child, go ahead and choose the latter.”
The two of them stared at me in shock.
“A child? What are you talking about?”
“Huh? You didn’t run away knowing that? Look at the flow of Internal Energy in her abdomen—it’s clearly split in two. I’d say a bit over two months?”
At my words, the two scattered-brained lovers looked at each other, understanding dawning on their faces.
Looking at their dazed expressions, I let out a small sigh.
Truth be told, if I simply delivered the princess to Megroleta, a Crystal leading to the next floor would appear, and after that, whatever hardship befell this princess who so deeply underestimated the cruel world was none of my concern.
“It can’t be helped. Do either of you have any money?”
But it couldn’t be helped.
Foolish adults deserve what they get, but the child is blameless.
I sent a Community Message to Rachel and clicked my tongue.
“Tsk, if it weren’t for the child, I wouldn’t have helped this much.”

* * *

I led the princess to the Military Camp where Megroleta was stationed.
The soldiers guarding the camp recognized the princess and erupted in cheers.
“The princess has returned safely!”
“Ahhhhh! Your Highness!”
At the soldiers’ cheers, the princess lowered her head, perhaps feeling some guilt.
I entered the barracks where Megroleta was directly with the princess.
The moment we stepped inside, a Crystal appeared that would allow passage to the next floor.
“The princess is greatly exhausted. For her mental and physical stability, we ask that everyone except her family member, the Prince, please leave the barracks for now.”
At my words, Megroleta nodded and had everyone who had been at his side exit the barracks.
“Lea! I was so worried!”
“I’m sorry, brother.”
“No. I’m just glad you’ve returned safely.”
Megroleta genuinely checked on his sister’s wellbeing, his concern evident.
Fortunately, Phelibroulea had been rescued without serious injury.
I cleared my throat lightly and spoke.
“Your Highness, I would like the ‘Wish Token’ reward you mentioned to be formalized as a Magical Contract.”
Rachel’s ability, the Magical Contract, carries binding force.
“Is that necessary?”
“We must leave this world now, and we cannot wait long to receive our reward. My colleague’s Magical Contract has the effect of ‘forced enforcement’ when either party becomes unable to fulfill the agreement. So when we return, The Tower will immediately fulfill what’s specified in the contract.”
It meant that if a Magical Contract stated “I give Rachel one hundred thousand won,” then even if I didn’t have it now, The Tower would automatically withdraw one hundred thousand won from my account and deposit it into Rachel’s bank.
I wondered what kind of ability this was, but thinking about it, it was incredibly useful.
“I see. Then we’ll save each other time.”
When Megroleta nodded, I pulled out the Magical Contract that Rachel had prepared in advance.
“Both of you just need to sign here.”
Megroleta and I signed on the contract’s signature line.
The moment I finished signing, I immediately signed a new Magical Contract alongside Phelibroulea.
“What? Why with Lea?”
Leaving him bewildered, I turned to the princess.
“Well, with this I’ve transferred my Wish Token to you, Your Highness. Since the ‘Wish Token’ carries rather binding force, do use it wisely.”
“I’m truly grateful.”
“Think nothing of it.”
The contract between the princess and me was an exchange—half of the wealth possessed by the princess and the Demon Man, in return for the ‘Wish Token’.
I’d already secured the Demon Man’s signature beforehand.
Did I really think Megroleta wouldn’t protect his thoughtless younger sibling?
Then I’d simply force him to do it.
“Everyone, let’s move!”
I decided to flee before Megroleta could grow angry upon learning the truth.
While we placed our hands on the Crystal, the princess confessed to exceeding the speed limit and activated the Wish Token, and Megroleta—who had been staring at her with a vacant expression—flushed crimson and bellowed at me.
“This contract is void! You little—!!”
“Good luck!”
I laughed lightly and fled toward the lower Common Floor staircase.
I should’ve thought more carefully about whether the contract contained any poison clauses.

(To be continued in the next part)

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