Climbing the Tower with Multidimensional Avatars - Chapter 72

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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 72. Galaxy Martial God Hall – Fateful Encounter (2)

An ordinary day like any other.
After seeing Cheon Ji-woo off to school, I turned to head home to catch up on household chores when I stopped in my tracks.
“Is there something you need, Teacher Riven?”
I asked, observing Riven blocking my path.
“You’re awfully cold, aren’t you? We’re not strangers to each other, are we? ‘Sigma’?”
“My name is Siu, Teacher Riven.”
At my response, Riven smiled faintly and spoke.
“You can call me ‘Lambda’ like before.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, Teacher Riven. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way.”
“Wait, just a moment. Sig, gack!”
I seized Riven’s throat and spoke.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but if you call me Sigma even one more time, you will die, Teacher Riven.”
Beep— beep beep beep— beep—
With her throat constricted, Riven communicated through AI vocal signals.
Androids equipped with singularities were constructed with structures similar to humans, so when the throat was constricted, air couldn’t flow from the artificial lungs, preventing vocalization.
The artificial lungs existed not merely for natural speech, but to absorb qi from the air and charge the internal dantian.
Android dantians came in two types: internal and external. External ones were primarily charged with electricity, while internal ones, like ordinary humans, were charged through respiration.
Hearing the message conveyed through AI signals, I raised my eyebrows and briefly considered killing Riven before releasing my grip.
Despite her throat being strangled, the android Riven spoke without a hint of distress.
“My, that’s terrifying.”
Androids equipped with singularities could feel pain, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t control it.
“Unlike you, I’m not a martial arts-specialized android, so I’m merely at the peak level at best. If you threaten me like that, it’s quite frightening, isn’t it?”
“If that’s all you have to say, I’ll be going now, Teacher Riven.”
“Come on, can’t you take a joke? You’re so rigid. I approached you because I have a favor to ask of you, the guardian of Student Cheon Ji-woo.”
At Riven’s words, I paused. The person before me was disagreeable, but she was the school teacher of the young master I served.
“Speak.”
“Please allow Student Ji-woo to receive lessons from me during the break as well.”
“I refuse. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Wait, just a moment! I apologize for my jokes and teasing! Student Cheon Ji-woo is a remarkable talent! He will surely become an excellent android scientist! For such a talent to waste time simply because of a break is a loss to academia—no, to the entire Galaxy!”
At Riven’s words, I answered calmly.
“Whether it’s a loss to academia or the Galaxy, I have no interest. Even now, the young master is pushing himself too hard. As his guardian, I cannot possibly consent to this.”
“Pushing himself too hard? Student Cheon Ji-woo is absorbing my teachings so well! Honestly, Student Cheon Ji-woo should focus more on his studies than martial arts….”
“Don’t overstep.”
At my killing intent, Riven unconsciously took a step back.
“Whatever path the young master chooses, whatever goals he holds—those are his alone to decide, his will and his will alone. Don’t you dare interfere with the young master’s future. If the young master dreams of becoming a scientist, I would kneel before you and beg for your instruction without hesitation. But if you interfere with him when that is not the case, I will kill you.”
As I pressed Riven with my killing intent, the Principal, sensing it from the school building, rushed out in alarm.
“What is the meaning of this? Please stop threatening our staff.”
At the Principal’s words, Siu withdrew her killing intent and issued a warning.
“Teacher Riven. I warn you once more. Do not overstep your bounds. You know better than anyone what happens when warnings are ignored. That will be all.”
As Siu withdrew, the Principal turned to Riven with a question.
“What was that conversation about? If you were threatened in any way, the school can—”
“No, sir. What Siu, Cheon Ji-woo’s guardian, said is correct. I spoke out of turn due to my own greed, and I would have had no complaints even if I had died by her hand this very moment. So Principal, let’s consider this matter as if nothing happened. …Ja-o, you understand, don’t you?”
Principal Cheon Ja-o flinched slightly at his former teacher Riven’s words and nodded.
Riven was not merely a teacher—she was also the integrated administrator of all elementary, middle, and high schools attended by the direct line, and the director of the Martial God Academy Foundation, answerable directly to the family head.
The reason Riven could serve as a personal tutor to every student in the school, despite being an android, was because she could use the Foundation’s latest quantum computer as her own brain.
From the Principal’s perspective, Riven was his subordinate within the school, but someone he had to be cautious of outside it.
Normally, Riven maintained a low profile as a mere teacher and never wielded her authority, so he often forgot her true position. But now, using her status without reservation, the Principal couldn’t help but feel tension.
After all, Riven’s eyes were also the eyes of a family head watching over the family’s talent.

* * *

Teacher Riven was acting strange.
With break coming soon, I thought she’d try to tempt me into taking summer courses, but she just taught as usual.
Of course, if she had suggested summer courses, I would have refused.
Right now, solidifying my body was more important.
Since my second growth period hadn’t arrived yet, I couldn’t push too hard, but I was gradually increasing my exercise and training volume.
Now that I think about it, Siu asked me yesterday if I had any future aspirations.
Truth be told, I didn’t have any concrete career goals.
With my inheritance, I could live comfortably without working for the rest of my life, so I didn’t need a profession.
Oh wait, The Tower said my body doesn’t age there, so if I periodically recreate my clone, I won’t age past twenty-one.
Then I’m not even sure how much money I’d need to earn.
Back then, my thoughts hadn’t reached that far, so I answered Siu honestly that I wanted to reach the highest level I could possibly attain.
Siu smiled at my answer, said she understood, and we continued training as usual.
“Another day comes to an end like this.”
Today too, I spent the afternoon martial arts class doing nothing but physical conditioning, and the lesson ended.
After showering in the communal bath as usual, Cheon Ga-ryeong, number one in my class, called out to me.
“Hey, do you have a moment?”
Behind Cheon Ga-ryeong stood Cheon Gong-hu, as always, with a timid expression on his face.
Cheon Ga-ryeong was usually sharp and got along well with everyone in the class, but because she was friendly with everyone, she gave the impression of not truly belonging to any particular group.
The more I observed, the more I wondered if Cheon Gong-hu was the reason for this.
If she applied herself, she seemed like the type who could dominate the entire class—a true outstanding girl.
“What’s this about?”
“Let’s talk over there.”
At my question, Cheon Ga-ryeong pointed toward the terrace.
True to being a wealthy school, this place had terraces and parks scattered throughout, all beautifully maintained.
“If it’s going to take a while, tell me during lunch tomorrow. Someone’s waiting for me.”
I need to go home and train as well.
After training continuously since I was seven years old, I’ve become like a gym addict—if I don’t exercise and train, my body starts itching for it.
Here I am, someone who used to despise sweating, transformed like this.
Indeed, one can never predict the future.
At my words, Cheon Ga-ryeong glanced at me cautiously before speaking.
“It won’t take that long. I have something to discuss with you and Cheon So-yeon.”
Everyone knew that Cheon So-yeon and I commuted to school together.
At the beginning of the semester, mischievous kids teased us about dating, but I was too old to react to children’s pranks.
Since both Cheon So-yeon and I simply laughed it off, the kids eventually lost interest in teasing us.
In contrast, Cheon Gong-hu seemed to dislike being involved in such teasing.
The mischievous kids teased him more because of his obvious discomfort, but it ended when Cheon Ga-ryeong subdued the teaser in one swift motion.
“Alright, let’s go then.”
I texted Siu to wait a moment, then headed to the exit where Cheon So-yeon would emerge, accompanied by Cheon Ga-ryeong and Cheon Gong-hu.
After waiting briefly, I picked up Cheon So-yeon as she came out from showering and headed toward the Terrace.
Sitting at an empty table on the Terrace, I asked.
“Why did you call us here so secretively to talk about something?”
At my question, Cheon Ga-ryeong and Cheon Gong-hu hesitated before speaking.
“Would it be possible for us to join your club?”
At Cheon Ga-ryeong’s request, I looked at Cheon So-yeon. She seemed equally surprised and looked back at me.
“Why?”
Was it because they disliked a senior? Was someone forcing them into club activities? Or were they coveting the resources allocated to our club?
No, if it were about a senior or coercion, they would have mentioned it in April.
Since the budget for club recruitment was already finalized in April, they would know that transferring to another club or joining an additional one wouldn’t grant them funding.
Wait! Am I overthinking this with seven-year-olds?
Thinking of boys running around recklessly with runny noses or girls still playing house with dolls in class, I realize I’m definitely overcomplicating this.
Though there could have been parental pressure… No, they would have mentioned it in April for the same reason.
Honestly, club activity funding barely reaches first-year students, and even when it does, it’s rarely necessary. So even if their parents hold high positions in their families, they wouldn’t realistically expect that much from a first-grader.
At least by third grade would the child understand and the funding become meaningful.
Of course, I myself eagerly took advantage of club funding and obtained knowledge of elixir crafting and martial arts.
Hmm, the dark side of club funding.
“Well…”
Cheon Ga-ryeong and Cheon Gong-hu looked at each other, then Cheon Ga-ryeong spoke with determination.
“Cheon Gong-hu and I have been neighbors since childhood and have been close…”
Cheon Ga-ryeong tried to explain as clearly as possible, but being young, her explanation kept wandering off track.
I filled in the gaps and asked appropriate questions to understand why they wanted to join our club.
In summary, a fourth-year senior in their current club strongly disliked Cheon Gong-hu, so they wanted to transfer.
The reason the fourth-year senior disliked Cheon Gong-hu was that his parents and the senior’s parents belonged to different factions within their family, and they frequently clashed in factional disputes.
Since the two households were also close by, they occasionally encountered each other, and during these meetings, the parents unknowingly displayed their mutual dislike and criticism to the children, naturally turning adult conflicts into children’s conflicts.
“This is awkward.”
“Tell me about it, it’s really awkward.”
Cheon So-yeon and I both sighed.
If we were the same age, it might be manageable, but a three-year gap at our current stage was a chasm we couldn’t easily bridge.
And seeing that this senior was in Class 1 meant they were among the school’s elite.
First-year students rarely participate in club activities, but from second year onward, they gradually join clubs after school, and by third year, they become serious members.
The reason this request came so late was probably because they hadn’t participated in club activities during their first year.
“You could just transfer to a different club next year, right? First-year students barely do any club activities anyway, and club transfers are pretty much free, aren’t they?”
If they came during the April transfer season, there’d be no real reason to stop them.
The more members a club had, the more funding it received, so they’d probably welcome new recruits.
At my words, both Cheon Ga-ryeong and Cheon Gong-hu grew despondent.
“That bastard throws money around everywhere.”

(Continued in the next chapter)

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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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