I Conquered the Tower with the EX-Class Character That I Raised - Chapter 105

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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 105
“Welcome, Apostle.”
I arrived leisurely at the location Kang Hyo-jun had indicated, and the moment he spotted me—having been pacing nervously—he bowed respectfully at the waist.
“This way.”
The place I entered following Kang Hyo-jun was, at first glance, nothing more than a dilapidated warehouse behind an ordinary general store.
But when he pushed a specific section of the wall, a hidden elevator door slid open with a mechanical whir.
A crude, weathered freight elevator—far removed from cutting-edge facilities.
“The entrance is different from last time?”
“This one is… a secret negotiation point where you can get ‘closer’ to the Black Market, so to speak.”
“Closer?”
“My apologies. I don’t know the details myself.”
Kang Hyo-jun scratched his cheek, looking bewildered.
“I only just learned such a place existed.”
“Hmm.”
A remarkably secretive location, then.
[Coordinate tracking failed the moment we entered the building. It seems some magical force is at work here.]
Whitey whispered near my ear.
I felt it too.
After boarding the elevator, it appeared we were descending underground.
But the reality was different.
The elevator was moving horizontally.
‘…Is this magic too?’
It seemed to be a form of dimensional magic.
Whirrrrr—
The elevator descended endlessly downward.
After traveling for quite some time, the elevator came to a halt with a soft ding.
As the doors opened with the arrival chime, I felt air entirely different from outside.
A faint lingering resonance of mana, unidentifiable gazes crossing through the darkness, and an ominous atmosphere where all manner of rare and dangerous-looking items passed hands.
“…Is this a Subspace?”
“I… don’t know either.”
Kang Hyo-jun guided me while glancing around nervously.
“How do you know the way?”
“Because of this.”
Kang Hyo-jun produced a Black Market employee ID.
Apparently, it was the kind only a branch manager could possess.
“I can sense a subtle energy here that only I can perceive. I simply follow that energy.”
From what Kang Hyo-jun said, this seemed to be an area that only those of branch manager rank or higher could freely access.
After that, Kang Hyo-jun proceeded without further words.
Following his guidance, I passed through corridors twisted like a labyrinth.
Occasionally, creatures baring their fangs appeared, so I cut them down with Modus Operandi No. 3.
After that, I killed every creature that showed even a hint of murderous intent or gluttony.
Following Kang Hyo-jun’s footsteps with that dizzying, spinning sensation,
I assessed my surroundings.
‘We’re descending. Or rather, going deeper.’
It felt like sinking into the deep sea.
The mana around me grew heavier, and my vision darkened progressively.
‘It’s similar to that place on the 94th Floor where the Outer God’s shell was dwelling.’
Though not quite as oppressive as that.
Finally, Kang Hyo-jun stopped before a door finished in an enigmatic blue metal, reminiscent of a bank vault.
He pressed his palm and a card against the complex authentication device installed on the door.
Creeeeak…
The door opened with a heavy sound.
Beyond it lay only a single corridor, and at its end, an inexplicable darkness undulated.
Kang Hyo-jun stopped before it, turned back to look at me, and spoke.
His voice carried both tension and reverence.
“This is as far as I go, Apostle. Beyond that… the Market awaits you.”
“You’ve done well.”
Kang Hyo-jun bowed respectfully and stepped aside.
Observing his visibly tense face, I gave his shoulder a reassuring pat.
“Don’t worry.”
“…Yes.”
I turned my gaze toward the corridor’s end, toward the undulating darkness.
The portal—the heart of the Black Market.
A secret space even Kang Hyo-jun didn’t know about.
And the Market that lay beyond it.
‘Let’s see if there’s anything worth trading for.’
Without hesitation, I stepped into the darkness,
Thud.
and the heavy steel door behind me closed with a resounding clang.
The room was unexpectedly… empty.
All four walls were composed of smooth black surfaces, and in the center stood only two black pillars with undulating darkness filling the space between them—the portal itself.
The air around me was heavy and silent, yet I sensed a presence emanating from beyond the darkness.
Golden characters with an odd brownish tint materialized on the portal’s black surface.
[Hi. :D]
How to describe it.
A cheap color attempting to mimic gold?
That’s the feeling.
“Not even offering a chair?”
Whoosh.
A luxurious wooden chair slid out from beyond the portal on its own.
‘So that’s how it works.’
The portal itself is a dimensional gateway, and Market can insert and extract items through this dimensional passage.
I dragged over a chair and sat facing Market.
Crossing my legs at an angle, I fixed my gaze upon the portal.
“What brings you here?”
[I witnessed your creation—the ‘Crimson Elixir’. It emanated a most… intriguing ‘fragrance’.]
‘Fragrance?’
This creature uses peculiar expressions.
[I possess a fondness for collecting valuable things. Across the entire world, the entire cosmos, and every dimension. Your Crimson Elixir is… a commodity I have encountered before.]
‘So we’re transcending the universe itself into dimensional commerce. Operating on quite the grand scale.’
[Thus, from the moment I witnessed it, I desired to see you.]
“….”
How unsettling.
[You are an existence I recognize. Perhaps not identical, but I am aware you stand remarkably close to that entity.]
‘?’
The cursor flickered momentarily.
[This thing you call a ‘Core’—surely you are curious about it?]
“Indeed.”
‘Finally, we reach the main point.’
This is why I cannot abide those of elevated station.
I ask them to speak plainly, yet they circle endlessly around the subject.
[I comprehend what this is, and I possess a considerable quantity of them. They are precious treasures, not easily obtained. However, should I conduct business with you, I would consider listing them as merchandise.]
“How generous.”
[…Can you save the Nameless One?]
What?
This bastard.
‘…So you don’t know I am Nebula?’
Market must be aware of the Crimson Elixir’s existence.
Market would surely know it employs a formula only I utilize.
Naturally, I had assumed Market could deduce that Special One—the one who sold it—is the same person as Nebula…
‘Ah.’
Sudden clarity struck me like lightning.
I understand now.
The Crimson Elixir…
By Nebula’s standards, it is a spirit elixir far too inferior to warrant warehouse storage.
And the Auction House—has it ever listed such inferior spirit elixirs?
Not a single time.
Had I sold mid-tier or higher spirit elixirs instead?
Market might have seen through my disguise.
Yet… Market spoke of it as ‘faint, but possessing fragrance’.
It’s strange.
It feels like a potion that Nebula would make.
Yet the quality is so poor that I can’t believe Nebula actually created it.
Whether I’m Nebula myself, or just one of Nebula’s puppets.
Or perhaps a Pyramid with no connection to Nebula whatsoever.
I threw out a sincere question—whether I could obtain the Nameless—to figure it out in my own way.
The Nameless is one of the Genesis-tier items that Nebula created.
If they know about this, then a connection to Nebula is confirmed.
“···.”
In moments like this, silence is the answer.
[Seems like you’re overthinking? It’s simple. Yes or no. Just pick one.]
‘Look at this bastard.’
Daring to force a yes or no out of me?
Then my answer is only one.
“No.”
[No?]
“No.”
[···Is that a yes?]
“No.”
Forgot my personality… ah, you wouldn’t know anyway.
Then let me tell you.
“Actually, I have it.”
[Really?!]
“That’s a lie.”
[···.]
I never tolerate forced-choice questions.
“Just kidding.”
[Do you have it?]
“No.”
[….]
‘Ah, I’ve pissed them off.’
I can see it, I really can.
That figure of theirs, bidding up the price every time they put it in the Auction House and took it back out.
“Why are you looking for that anyway?”
[It’s my personal reason. Can’t tell you. Do you know what the Nameless is?]
“I do.”
[Oh, then…]
“And I don’t.”
I leaned back leisurely, interlacing my fingers behind my head.
I tilted the chair and fixed Market with a crooked gaze.
I sensed it instinctively.
The initiative at this table had shifted into my hands.
“Make me a tempting offer. Then perhaps I’ll tell you.”
[Tell me what?]
“About that item. Anything at all.”
[You know?!]
“I might know. I might not. What do you think?”
[If you’re toying with me, I won’t let it slide.]
“Do as you wish.”
I let out a soft chuckle.
This creature’s obsession with Nameless was almost grotesque.
As long as I appeared to possess knowledge of that information, it could never harm me.
But if I played with it too much, I wouldn’t be able to extract what I needed.
I should dole out just enough to keep it interested.
“There isn’t a single being across all dimensions who knows what that truly is.”
[…]
“Because it can’t be defined as any ordinary object. That’s simply what it is.”
[…True. You do seem to know.]
Market’s demeanor softened.
[Hand over Nameless to me. Then I’ll provide information about the ‘Core’ and…]
“Why would I?”
[Huh?]
I cut it off before it could finish, and Market seemed taken aback.
[…You need this information though…]
“I do need it.”
[Then Nameless…]
“No.”
[….]
Market fell silent.
Now it would understand. I wouldn’t carelessly divulge information about Nameless.
“Just hand it over.”
[What?]
“I’m asking you to give it to me. Just like that.”
[…Are you insane?]
“No.”
[This is a transaction! A trade between Nameless and information! If you just hand over Nameless…]
“No.”
[….]
In this moment, I confirmed one more thing.
This bastard.
Seems like I’m being played for a fool, aren’t I?
“Answer my question.”
[Why should I.]
“Don’t want to? Then I’m leaving.”
[···]
He actually stood up.
Without hesitation, footsteps echoed across the floor.
He grasped the doorknob while standing before the entrance.
If I open this door and walk out now, it’s over.
I glanced back over my shoulder.
[Wait.]
[Don’t go.]
[Fine. I said fine.]
[Listen. Hey.]
[Hey!!!!]
[Don’t leave!!!!]
Frantic characters came rushing up the screen.
Just as expected.
This creature could never abandon Nameless.
Is Nameless truly worth that much?
I don’t know.
But I do know that to this creature, it is worth that much.
And besides, the buyer always sets the original price.
‘Asking price’ is the ancient history of MMORPG, after all.
“Who are you?”
[I am the Black Market.]
Click.
I turned the doorknob.
[···I am a ‘Collector’.]
“Explain in detail.”
[I am a being whose destiny is to traverse the entire Cosmic Space collecting precious items.]
“What do you mean by traversing the Cosmic Space?”
[Literally. I possess the ability to conduct transactions across dimensions.]
“···.”
How fascinating.
“Tell me in detail how you came to know of Nameless.”
[···One day, I happened to observe a certain dimension.]
A dimension?
[That place was··· a complete mess. It was a dimension that would disappear before long if left alone.]
“Hmm.”
Fascinating.
I’ve known for a while that Lost Honor isn’t an ordinary game.
Why didn’t I find that strange?
Because it’s the game that feeds me—wouldn’t it be foolish to doubt and distance myself from it?
So I simply pretended not to know.
Demonic beasts appear?
Then it was something I’d seen in Lost Honor.
Han Seol-ah displays her prowess?
It was the appearance of the ‘Ice Mage’ I’d witnessed in Lost Honor.
Somehow clumsy. The kind of technique I could execute far more elegantly.
What else could it all mean?
Earth. In other words, reality.
Reality bore an uncanny resemblance to Lost Honor.
Excessively so.
So this isn’t an ordinary game.
It might actually be another world entirely.
I’ve harbored such suspicions before.
But then again.
What difference would it make if it were a real world?
···What could I do about it anyway?
I diligently developed my character and prevented the apocalypse.
If I played carelessly and the world fell to ruin, my heart would ache.
In any case, what Market was saying was that he’d been observing my game world.
[And then, at some point, a being called ‘Nebula’ appeared.]
Nebula.
My character.

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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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