I Became a Leader in a Wretched Prison - Chapter 135

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 135

 

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One hour ago.

 

The routine that followed breakfast was training in the rest area, as always.

 

Since rumors about Helios had spread far and wide, gazes now poured down on him whenever he passed by.

 

‘The atmosphere is quite unsettling.’

 

Helios read the strange tension flowing through the rest area.

 

These were gazes of wariness directed at him.

 

On the other hand, there were many who trembled in fear.

 

When had it started? Looking back, it had been going on for quite a while.

 

At first, he had been too busy climbing the Tower.

 

Moreover, he hadn’t noticed because Master had been working him so harshly, but gradually he began to see the atmosphere around him.

 

The number of prisoners who carried wounds or injuries from fights outside the Tower had increased.

 

“That’s probably because of the ‘Tower Committee.'”

 

Among Ged’s Group, who had gathered in a corner of the garden for training as usual, Ged spoke up.

 

Most information usually came from Master, but today was different.

 

“Tower Committee?”

 

“B-Boss doesn’t know either?”

 

“Right. There’s no way you wouldn’t know. Didn’t you receive a recruitment offer?”

 

Helios recalled something.

 

A man who had approached them during the height of the scouting period.

 

He was a man who wore strange ornaments dangling all over his face.

 

And that guy…

 

He had retreated cleanly when Master stepped forward.

 

Afterward, Master had made it so that no one could approach him at his request.

 

It had been a time when he felt happy, as if Master was showing possessiveness.

 

“Certainly, it’s a name I’ve heard before.”

 

While Mint had driven away all those who approached Helios and offered recruitment,

 

there were prisoners who succeeded in speaking to him, few and far between.

 

And they belonged to the ‘Tower Committee.’

 

“They’re like leeches.”

 

Befitting a Fam with the greatest influence within the prison, when Helios didn’t go according to their wishes,

 

they had persistently harassed him outside the Tower.

 

He had thought they’d been quiet since returning from the special examination…

 

“I heard that place has split in two recently? It’s not just them. The Fam I belong to is the same. Everyone’s similar, right?”

 

At Ged’s question, all of Ged’s Group nodded their heads.

 

“We were divided into those who seemed somewhat normal and those who were completely insane from the start.”

 

“Uh… Me too! Sister.”

 

“Haha, unfortunately it’s a place where there are more madmen. Weren’t there fewer normal ones?”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

While Helios had leaped floors through two special examinations, Ged’s Group had steadily climbed floor by floor and was now looking toward the 70th Floor.

 

Helios’s achievements were so dazzling that it overshadowed them, but their accomplishments were also noteworthy.

 

Moreover, they had shown their true potential even with Helios and Mint absent.

 

“Hmm, the place I belonged to was split about half and half by numbers? No, were there slightly more on the normal side? Maybe because it’s a Fam of manly tankers.”

 

“What does that have to do with being manly…?”

 

“Uhaha. Well, it’s definitely not ordinary. Recently, someone claiming to be Upper Level/1st Grade came to encourage us.”

 

Upper Level/1st Grade. In terms of floors, prisoners from the 91st Floor and above.

 

These ultra-high level prisoners rarely showed themselves in the Rest Area.

 

Everyone in the party showed interest in Ged’s words. Even Helios, who was about to resume training.

 

“The name was… Deril, yes. That was the name. Wow, she creates shields with fire, and this Ged had to acknowledge it like a true man.”

 

Deril. Helios flinched at the familiar name.

 

It was definitely a name he had heard in the Mental Kia Space.

 

Helios was newly reminded of the fact that his Master had been a prisoner before becoming a guard.

 

“The current Boss is a prisoner named ‘Ramona’.”

 

Those were the words his Master had calmly spoken when leaving the 90th Floor.

 

Deril and Ramona. Both had once been his Master’s colleagues, but now they were prisoners who might as well be enemies.

 

At least that would be the case if he recalled the hostility his Master had shown toward both of them in the Mental Kia Space.

 

‘What does Master truly desire?’

 

Helios was gradually realizing it.

 

His Master wanted him to reach the 100th Floor.

 

She spoke of it as if it were Helios’s desire, but the closer he got to her, the more he could see the faint greed in her eyes.

 

What benefit does Master gain if I climb to the 100th Floor?

 

He didn’t feel betrayed by the thought that she might gain something.

 

He could have died as a weak prisoner unable to use Kia in this place, but thanks to her, he had come this far.

 

He was simply curious.

 

His Master, who had failed to protect someone even after paying the price of forgetting another precious person in order to protect ‘Mama’—

 

What exactly did she hope to achieve by guiding him to the 100th Floor?

 

‘It would have been easy to predict if she planned to cause a ruckus herself.’

 

Like wanting revenge or something.

 

Though he had heard part of Mama’s last words together with her, he couldn’t easily guess.

 

Helios turned his head to look at the place where his Master usually stood.

 

His Master’s figure was not visible since she was temporarily away.

 

Nevertheless, Helios stared at his Master’s spot for a long time.

 

“Aren’t you nervous?”

 

About 40 minutes later, Mint returned, and they began walking with familiar steps.

 

It was time to ascend to the 91st Floor.

 

“Nervous? What for.”

 

Though he said this, Helios’s face was filled with undisguised wariness and tension.

 

It couldn’t be helped.

 

Since the 90th Floor’s condition hadn’t been normal, he had no idea what might appear on the next floor.

 

Moreover, Master, who usually gave hints around this time, had for some reason clamped her mouth shut like a clam.

 

‘She must think it’s fine not to know the information.’

 

At least she was someone who showed persistence when it came to his lifeline.

 

He obediently complied.

 

Anything was fine.

 

As long as Master was by his side.

 

Meanwhile, instead of making idle chatter to ease Helios’s tension as usual, Mint was lost in thought.

 

From the 91st Floor onward, it was similar to the section starting from the 41st Floor.

 

A structure where there were Floor Masters.

 

However, if there was a difference, while the section from the 41st Floor had a structure where multiple prisoners formed teams and one team became the Floor Master.

 

Here, only one person was the Floor Master.

 

Therefore, the number of top-tier prisoners was always maintained at a constant level.

 

Nine people from the 91st Floor to the 99th Floor.

 

When prisoners who had passed the 90th Floor ascended to these floors, they became ‘Challengers’ and had to defeat the Floor Master.

 

If they won by any means necessary, they became the new master of that floor.

 

‘However, they had to win while the Floor Master was in an extremely advantageous state.’

 

The Floor Master could freely change the floor’s environment and create traps as they wished.

 

The Challenger had to achieve victory from a disadvantageous situation.

 

So telling Helios about this structure in advance wouldn’t be of much use.

 

‘It’s something you have to experience to understand.’

 

Mint recalled Deril’s face.

 

Usually, the Floor Master of the 91st Floor was called the ‘Gatekeeper.’

 

This was because they were the first to greet new Challengers ascending from the 90th Floor.

 

According to the list provided by the former Boss ‘Clark.’

 

Among the Floor Masters below the 95th Floor, many followed Deril and Clark.

 

“Clear the path. That’s my condition.”

 

― You’re saying you want to go easy?

 

“Yeah. We’re going to take it easy.”

 

Mint shamelessly demanded.

 

For them to cooperate in their ascent.

 

Going up fair and square? What a joke. What righteousness was there to find here.

 

After all, the goal is the 100th Floor, and you have to become the strongest to become the master of that place.

 

For this purpose, reducing a few cumbersome floors—what problem could that be?

 

That’s what they thought, but….

 

Mint and Helios stopped walking.

 

“People?”

 

Helios muttered.

 

They were standing at the entrance to the 91st Floor. A massive circular space greeted them.

 

Not far from the two of them, several people were standing.

 

“Hello?”

 

Ten people in total. Among them was a face both Mint and Helios recognized.

 

It was the current Boss, Ramona.

 

And the remaining nine were the current Floor Masters of each floor from the 91st to the 99th Floor.

 

What was peculiar was that the nine Prisoners were standing bound by Kia like displayed merchandise.

 

“Welcome to the 91st Floor.”

 

Once again, the Guard’s voice could not be heard.

 

“Challengers.”

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