HPDBC Side Story Chapter 144: Tower of Creation (2)
Side Story Chapter 144: Tower of Creation (2)
Three days passed since the Tower of Creation surged from Haeundae Beach. Members of Guardians, various guilds, and Players not affiliated with any organization set out to
“Yes, but the apostles guess the peak is located around the seventieth to eightieth floors.”
“Oh? And what’s their reasoning?”
“When the apostles cleared the fortieth floor for the first time five years ago, the God of Adventure told his apostles that they were halfway there on their journey.”
Kang-Woo nodded in understanding. He didn’t know what standing the gods had in the Tower of Creation but he doubted they would lie to their apostles.
“So, how long did it take to clear the fortieth floor?” Kang-Woo asked.
“I am not entirely sure about that either, but… I am aware it has taken centuries.”
“Really? Then how long do you think it’ll take for me?” Kang-Woo asked with a smile.
“Th-That’s…” Horos’ eye darted dumbfoundedly.
Kang-Woo shrugged and turned to Layla. “You get why I said it wouldn’t take long now, right?”
“Hohoho. I’m out of arguments.” Layla giggled as she shook her head. “But please don’t rush. No one is immune to making errors.”
“But of course. I’ll take my time to take everything I can before climbing each floor.”
The tower had suddenly appeared from Haeundae beach but monsters were not crawling out of it to attack people. In other words, there was no need to rush to clear the tower.
“But I’ll be as quick as I can since I don’t want my Darling to wait too long for me,” he said as he squeezed Seol-Ah’s hands tightly.
Seol-Ah, who was staring at Kang-Woo worryingly, sighed softly and smiled.
“Layla is right. I don’t want to be apart from you either, but… It’s more important to me that you don’t get hurt, Kang-Woo.”
“Hehehe. No matter how many of those weaklings in the tower come at me, they’re no match for me.”
It was not baseless confidence; based on the apostles he had met until now and the Demon King of Pandemonium he had fought, Kang-Woo’s chances of coming across someone who could threaten his life were practically nonexistent.
Kang-Woo placed his hand on Horos’ head.
“P-Peep?”
“You mentioned a God of Adventure or something, didn’t you? What are those gods?”
“Th-They are known as Constellations. They observe humans who enter the tower and grant them various powers if they agree to become a god’s apostle.”
“What about demons?”
“There are precedents of demons becoming a Constellation’s apostle, but that is limited to Constellations with strong inclinations toward evil…”
“I see.”
Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes and fell into thought, focusing on the fact that transcendental beings known as Constellations chose apostles and granted them powers.
It did not take long to get his answer.
If that were not the case, they would never choose to do something so inefficient.
Before the Law of Titans was destroyed, Gaia chose Layla as her incarnation to exert indirect influence over the physical realm because she was restricted from direct actions. The Constellations were acting just like Gaia had back then.
There was no cause for concern. He did not need to be wary of a bunch of backseaters who couldn’t even manifest into the physical realm because they were bound by the Law.
Everything Kang-Woo had thought of thus far was but a guess. He might be met with something completely different compared to what he expected.
He would kill anyone who got in his way. He would use them if he had a use for them and would devour them if they were useless. He would answer evil with greater evil, and bloodlust with even more bloodlust. He would use the same method he had stayed true to for the past ten millennia and clear the tower with it.
“One month,” Kang-Woo declared confidently as he looked around. “I’ll be back in a month.”
***
“Kang-Woo, you haven’t forgotten anything, have you?”
“You’re like a mom making sure his son has everything packed for his field trip.”
The next day, Seol-Ah continued to give him various items as she made sure he didn’t forget anything. Kang-Woo chuckled. He had already packed everything of value for the trip since he could create an extradimensional space using one of his Authorities.
“I told you I’d be back in a month or less.”
“B-But you never know.”
Seol-Ah frantically looked around the house, wondering if Kang-Woo would need anything else.
“Sheesh, why are you even worried about this guy? I’m sure he’ll be fine on his own,” Yeon-Joo remarked.
“Yoen-Joo… you grilled your guild members into preparing tons of stuff for Kang-Woo.”
“Th-That’s—!! Well, I mean…!!” Yeon-Joo stuttered with a reddened expression.
She had prepared daily necessities like tissues and various other things, as well as various communication devices in the small chance that any of them might work.
Considering the space between the tower and Earth was distorted, no form of communication should work.
“Hehe, thanks anyway, Yeon-Joo. You too, Darling.”
“A-Ahem. As long as you know. You’d better come back in a month, you hear?”
“Oh, right. Take this, Kang-Woo. I prepared it yesterday.”
Kang-Woo tilted his head in wonder. Seol-Ah brought a giant bag from the kitchen.
“Packs of flash-frozen kimchi stew. Heat them and they’ll be ready to eat.”
“WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!” Kang-Woo raised his arms high and cried. “AS I THOUGHT, YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE FOR ME, DARLING!!!”
He hugged Seol-Ah and showered her cheek with kisses.
“H-Hehe. It was worth staying up all night yesterday to make them all.”
“I-I helped too!! Some of them are ones I made, so make sure you eat those too,” said Yeon-Joo as she pouted.
“Fufu. As for me…”
Lilith came close to Kang-Woo and handed him a book. Kang-Woo tilted his head as he opened it.
“A… mollusk encyclopedia?”
“Ahng, why are you opening that in front of the others, my king? ♥”
Lilith placed her hands on her cheeks and twisted in embarrassment.
“...”
“Ahh!! Why are you burning it?!”
Kang-Woo turned back from the disappointed Lilith and held the white invitation letter.
“Well, then.” He ripped the letter in half. “I’m off.”
Translucent light wrapped around Kang-Woo.