The Heavenly Demon Destroys the Tower - Chapter 41

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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 41
The Sacred Flame was evolving in ways he’d never anticipated.
Lee Kang-han watched it grow from what had felt like a small campfire
into something more like a roaring bonfire, and let out a dry laugh.
‘This probably isn’t how the orthodox method works.’
That elf had tossed a Fire Spirit into the Sacred Flame out of disgust,
and there was no way that qualified as a standard growth path.
As Lee Kang-han stood there thinking,
a notification chimed.
[The Sacred Flame has established itself in Manma Hall.]
[The Sacred Flame’s fire now gently illuminates the darkness of Manma Hall.]
The Sacred Flame, upgraded from ‘Spark of Fire’ to ‘Flame,’ had settled into Manma Hall—
and the darkness that had once consumed every area save the dwellings of the resident races
now held a faint gray hue.
Of course, even with that change, visibility didn’t improve much in any practical sense.
[All races dwelling in Manma Hall experience a wave of relief.]
The inhabitants seemed to sense something different about the space,
and the message confirmed their newfound sense of ease.
And then—
[Functions of Manma Hall are partially restored.]
[Founding cost for the Cheonma Divine Sect has been reduced to 50,000,000 TP.]
With Manma Hall’s functions recovering,
the cost to establish the Cheonma Divine Sect dropped from one hundred million TP to half that.
Fifty million was still a staggering sum to acquire, of course,
‘but if the cost keeps halving like this, eventually I’ll be able to afford it.’
The reductions were substantial each time,
and for the first time, that goal didn’t feel impossibly distant.
‘Is that all the Sacred Flame does, then?’
Though he’d heard that assigning a Priestess would allow the flame’s power to be drawn out efficiently,
and that she could interpret the Divine Messages of fire.
Karana had handled the first part, but regarding the Divine Messages—nothing yet.
[That spirit… won’t show itself anymore.]
Karana, having cast the Fire Spirit aside so disdainfully, now circled the area repeatedly,
searching for it.
[Chiii….]
Now that it was gone, she seemed to miss it.
Her mind rejected it as an orc’s nature, hissing refusals,
but on some instinctive level, she wanted to see the Fire Spirit again.
Lee Kang-han sent her a message, watching her lost in thought.
“Karana, do you sense any kind of message in the flame?”
[A message, you say……?]
“Yeah. I thought a Priestess could interpret the Divine Messages of fire.”
At his words, Karana, who had been studying the Sacred Flame intently,
[Chiii…… wait, I see something different now, something I didn’t before. Give me a moment.]
She drew closer to the flames,
and in one smooth motion,
extended her hand toward the white fire.
The Sacred Flame had consumed even the Fire Spirit,
yet her hand remained unburned as it touched it.
Then—
[The Priestess interprets the Divine Message of fire…….]
[The Sacred Flame’s status is: Faint Flame.]
[Player’s Mana is 10 or higher.]
[The ‘Sacred Flame Absorption’ function becomes available.]
‘Sacred Flame Absorption?’
A new function had opened on the Sacred Flame.
‘So that was what the Divine Message meant—it just unlocked a new ability.’
Might as well see what it does.
Lee Kang-han activated the Sacred Flame,
and just as before, an explanation of the Sacred Flame’s functions appeared.
Below it, a new section labeled [Sacred Flame Absorption] had appeared.
Click.
Lee Kang-han pressed it.
[A portion of the Sacred Flame will be absorbed into your body.]
[No Spark of Fire currently exists within the player. The probability of Sacred Flame absorption is reduced.]
[When in a state of accepting the Sacred Flame, operating the Cheonma Divine Technique increases the probability of Sacred Flame absorption.]
[Your Mana stat is high. The probability of Sacred Flame absorption is increased.]
Several messages bloomed in his mind regarding the Sacred Flame’s absorption.
‘Given that it’s connected to my Mana stat… is the Sacred Flame being incorporated into my inner energy?’
The fact that absorption probability increased when using the Cheonma Divine Technique supported that theory.
As Lee Kang-han contemplated the Sacred Flame messages,
ding.
[When the Sacred Flame establishes itself within your body, your Cheonma Body grade will rise to C.]
[Will you absorb the Sacred Flame?]
‘Huh?’
The next message captured his attention.
So if he could successfully anchor the Sacred Flame, his Cheonma Body would reach C rank?
‘So there’s another way to raise it besides settling those alien creatures in Manma Hall.’
In that case, he had no choice but to absorb the Sacred Flame.
Lee Kang-han pressed yes to the message asking if he would absorb the Sacred Flame.
Then.
[Proceeding with Sacred Flame absorption.]
[One million Tower Points will be consumed.]
The absorption demanded an astronomical amount of Tower Points.
‘Another million?’
Building the Cheonmyung Tower had cost a million too.
Why did absorbing the Sacred Flame once also cost a million?
‘Damn… it looks like I’m about to spend everything I earned.’
The sponsorship he’d received the day after destroying the tower had exceeded a million.
But starting the next day, scouts had been contacting his agent directly, and sponsorships had dried up considerably.
It was a good thing he’d converted all the Tower Points he’d earned in the tower to cash when he met Shin Yu-ri yesterday.
If he hadn’t converted the Tower Points earned from the tower,
he would have had no money to proceed with the Sacred Flame absorption.
‘The required Tower Points are climbing like mad.’
After destroying the tower, he’d felt like a sudden millionaire for these past few days.
But if one building and one flame absorption spent all his money, he was heading for ruin.
Lee Kang-han frowned at the requirement of one million Tower Points,
but then thought to himself: ‘Still, I have to do this.’
Considering that success would raise his Cheonma Body to C grade,
he couldn’t bring himself to back out.
So he proceeded with the Sacred Flame absorption.
Whoooosh…!
The Sacred Flame flared up brilliantly once,
then its momentum began to weaken.
[Eek……? The Sacred Flame suddenly grew weak. D-did I fail again at something?]
Karana, witnessing this, fell into panic.
Perhaps because Orc evolution had kept failing,
she was already blaming herself, wondering if she’d made another mistake.
“No. It’s because I started the absorption.”
[I-is that so?]
“Yeah. You did well. You can rest now.”
[……Would it be all right if I watched the flame for a bit?]
He’d expected her to return to the Shaman’s Altar since he’d told her to rest,
but Karana, apparently charmed by the Sacred Flame, was asking if she could stay here.
“Sure. Stay as long as you like. Just send me a message when you want to go back to the altar.”
[Eek. Got it. Thank you.]
At Lee Kang-han’s permission,
Karana settled down in place and gazed endlessly at the Sacred Flame.
‘Is this what fire-gazing is?’
Since Orc evolution had continued to fail,
She could probably use some rest of her own.
While Karana, now the priestess, stared blankly into the flames,
[The Sacred Flame enters your body.]
Along with the message that the Sacred Flame was entering,
“Uh……?”
The lower belly began to grow scorching hot almost instantly.
And the heat spread outward in all directions, setting his entire body ablaze with a deep red glow.
‘Mm. The intensity is stronger than I expected…….’
Even for Lee Kang-han, the internal heat was not something one adapted to easily.
The pain itself had been more intense when his body ruptured in the Mana Training Hall.
But that had simply burst and ended.
The Sacred Flame sustained a dull, searing sensation—something far harder to endure.
Still, after about an hour passed,
‘Hm. I’m getting used to it a little.’
The Sacred Flame felt less scorching than before.
Could he absorb it if he continued like this?
Lee Kang-han harbored that hope as he watched his body adapt,
[The Spark of Fire from the Sacred Flame will vanish soon!]
[Operate the Cheonma Divine Technique to keep the spark alive.]
[Push your body to its limits to keep the spark alive.]
“Ah. What……? I wasn’t adapting—it was disappearing?”
Seeing the message materialize before his eyes, his heart raced.
If things continued this way, his investment of a million Tower Points would evaporate in an hour.
‘Then I’ll start with the Cheonma Divine Technique…….’
Thud.
Dropping to the ground where he sat, Lee Kang-han recalled the incantations of the Cheonma Divine Technique
and the advice the priestess had given him at the Mana Training Hall, and began to operate it with desperate focus.
Then, as it turned out, his prior experience had not been wasted—
his cooling body began to heat up again.
“Ugh…….”
The pain of the Sacred Flame.
Adaptation was not coming easily.
Yet separate from the pain,
Lee Kang-han was more relieved that he’d averted the loss of a million Tower Points.
After operating the Cheonma Divine Technique for several hours like this,
‘Hm. It’s not getting any hotter in this state.’
He sensed that the Spark of Fire he could revive with the Cheonma Divine Technique had reached its limit.
So next,
‘I’ll have to push my body to its absolute limit.’
It was now early dawn.
To drive his body to its extreme in this hour,
‘Running at full speed would be the best option.’
At this late hour, there was no way to punish his body except by running.
Lee Kang-han hastily threw on some clothes and stepped outside,
Whoosh!
launching into a full-speed sprint.
“Huff…… huff…….”
The dawn passed and the sun rose,
and he continued running until it reached high noon.
[The Spark of Fire from the Sacred Flame remains stable.]
[The Sacred Flame is being absorbed into your body…….]
At last,
the Spark of Fire from the Sacred Flame began to be absorbed.
* * *
In the heart of downtown Seoul, inside the office of National Assembly Member Ju Yong-wan,
“This fellow has grown too prominent to ignore.”
Ju Yong-wan swept back his graying hair and gazed at his phone.
What he was viewing were articles about Cheonma Lee Kang-han.
The pieces discussed Cheonma’s achievements, and most carried the tone that Korea absolutely had to capture him.
“You all said my image was what lately?”
“That is…….”
“Tell me honestly.”
“They’re known as the Anti-Player Faction.”
The Anti-Player Faction.
Literally what the name suggested.
They were a group that argued for reducing the enormous benefits flowing to players and redirecting that wealth to the general public.
For the past few years.
When the score remained stable, public support for them had been high.
“The public image of the faction these days — it’s taken a hit, hasn’t it?”
“……Yes, sir.”
After skilled players began defecting en masse.
And once the Tower started demanding higher scores.
The faction caught flak for penny-wise, pound-foolish politics — blamed for losing talented people to brain drain.
“I need to rebrand myself.”
With that, Ju Yong-wan pointed toward Lee Kang-han.
“What do you all think about the Cheonma Divine Technique?”
At that question.
The young secretaries spoke up.
“The Cheonma Divine Technique is…….”
“The most prominent player in recent times.”
“Perfect for shedding the Anti-Player image that’s been attached to us.”
“I see.”
Ju Yong-wan nodded.
Just weeks ago.
When he’d met with Shin Kyung-chul, he’d vehemently opposed investing public funds in the Cheonma Divine Technique — all that seemed to have vanished.
“Then the association should raise the terms for him. Don’t you think?”
“Yes, sir. It would be wise to present favorable terms to Lee Kang-han, the Cheonma Divine Technique.”
He behaved like a true politician, following the tide of public opinion.
Because when the votes came in.
It was the quickest path to extending his political career.
But.
“Good. I’ll negotiate with the association and raise Lee Kang-han’s terms. Before that, though — don’t we need a photo op?”
“A photo op…… sir?”
Ju Yong-wan was determined to leave a “photo.”
“Yes. We need to shed that Anti-Player image this time, don’t we?”
A newly risen player.
If he staged himself as supporting the Cheonma Divine Technique Lee Kang-han, he could strip away the anti-faction label entirely.
This ability to flip his stance 180 degrees in an instant.
Was the secret to Ju Yong-wan’s long survival in politics.
‘No wonder he’s called the weathervane of public opinion.’
‘He’s angling to look like an ardent supporter through this photo op.’
‘When originally he treated players like parasites bleeding the national budget…….’
Ju Yong-wan, known in the political arena as the big hand that controlled the Tower Management Authority.
But in truth.
He regarded the “players” who entered the Tower as worthless beings.
And with good reason.
They contributed nothing to the nation’s economy.
While streaming only violent imagery.
They received absurdly lavish benefits funded by national taxes.
Still.
‘This one’s worth photographing with.’
Among those parasitic players.
Lee Kang-han was someone Ju Yong-wan deemed worthy of a photo opportunity.
A means to completely reverse the faction’s image.
“I’ll help you. Get in touch and see if we can meet.”
“Yes, sir. Understood.”
Following Ju Yong-wan’s directive, the secretary relayed word through the Management Authority.
Until this very moment.
He still believed it was he — Ju Yong-wan — who would be granting the meeting.
After all, he was a real power broker among the ruling party’s National Assembly members.
No matter how much global attention a player receives.
In the end, they were still just a newcomer.
One.
“Councilor, Lee Kang-han has… declined your dinner invitation.”
To the secretary who had been making the call.
The moment he heard the word ‘declined’.
“What? Declined?”
Ju Yong-wan’s expression twisted for the first time that day.
The Cheonma Shatters the Tower (Serialization)
Author | Yeom Bi
Publisher | Kim Ju-hyung
Published by | J Plus Media Co., Ltd.
Marketing | Han Jae-hyuk
Address | 204, 288 Digital-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Daelung Post Tower 1st)
Email | [email protected]
Website | www.jayplemedia.com
ⓒ Yeom Bi 2025
※ This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder, and the content may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
Violation of this may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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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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