Chapter 55

I lied down on a gigantic ice throne and rolled around .

Compared to the motel room I had been using at the 60th Floor’s residential area, this throne was at least twice as big .

It would have taken someone with a butt five meters wide to sit here as intended to . I once questioned if this thing could be called a throne .

However, the last owner of this throne clearly called it a throne .

‘So, it must be a throne .

It’s good not to question something that already has an answer . ’

It was a habit I developed while I was stuck at the 60th Floor, not being able to clear the 61st Floor to be precise .

It was best not to look back on something that was already decided .

‘I cannot find the answer .

I don’t even know if there is an answer .

I already wrote my answer and submitted it as such a long ago . However, I don’t know when I’ll get the result back . I don’t know if there is an end either . ’

So, I decided not to look back .

Things like a question that does not have an answer or regretting a decision I was not sure about only rotted my mind away .

‘Maybe it is the cool air from the throne . I feel refreshed .

No, this is actually a special attribute of this place . ’

It seemed like just sitting around idly on my butt had cleared my head and mind .

It could be said that it felt like taking a nap at Kiri Kiri’s green plain .

That reminded me that it had been a while since I met Kiri Kiri . Also, it had been ages since I took a nap in her world .

Um…

I quickly erased the thoughts that were coming up in my mind .

I came to the 61st Floor to cleanse the leftovers in my head and chest . If I accumulated negative thoughts instead, that was no good . I could not let that be .

A message came while I was rolling around on top of the throne of ice .

[Park Jung-ah, 90th Floor: I just talked to Lee Yeun-hye . ]

‘Well done .

Good work . ’

[Park Jung-ah, 90th Floor: By the way, are you really busy right now? If you have time to spare, won’t it be better for you to see her off?]

‘Why is this lass on the edge again?

Is it just the mood?’

[Lee Ho-jae, 60th Floor: I’m busy, I’m ultra-busy . ]

[Park Jung-ah, 90th Floor: You don’t look busy at all . Next time, don’t ask me to do things like this . ]

‘Why is she acting like this again?

Was there a problem?’

[Park Jung-ah, 90th Floor: No, it’s not like that . I think Lee Yeun-hye hates me a little . ]

‘… That’s so out of the blue .

What are you saying? Do you think there is another person in this entire Tutorial that would welcome you and like you?’

[Park Jung-ah, 90th Floor: Enough with bullshit . Seriously, am I being too sensitive?]

‘How should I respond to this?

There is a long journey ahead to get to the right answer for this, and there are too many traps laying all over the path .

It feels like this will come back as a poison no matter how I answer it . ’

[Lee Ho-jae, 60th Floor: You have that independent image . Maybe she is just nervous?]

‘People call you iron-blooded witch or a sociopath wearing the mask of justice just to send people to graves . I’m saying maybe Lee Yeun-hye shriveled because someone like that sent her a personal message .

However, Park Jung-ah doesn’t hate that independent image .

She is thinking it is helpful in maintaining the Order of Vigilance .

I made the right choice of using this as the reason for Lee Yeun-hye’s reaction .

It won’t spoil Park Jung-ah’s mood . Moreover, it is a very plausible explanation . ’

[Park Jung-ah, 90th Floor: Is that so? Anyway, don’t ask me to do this kind of things from now on . I can’t speak politely to people . It feels like I’m getting rashes . ]

‘Are you saying you were polite to her?

Maybe Lee Yeun-hye’s response was on the edge because you were like that .

When someone suddenly changes attitude, others can see that as a sign of aggression .

I read it at a psychology book . ’

Around the Round 60, a player who used to be a doctor of psychology left the Tutorial after clearing it . Since then, the greatest authority in psychology and mental neurology had been none other than myself .

It was because I had been diagnosing the patient with the most serious mental illness daily .

Of course, I didn’t send my thoughts to her through the message .

[Park Jung-ah, 90th Floor: Also, you remember what I told you before, right? I told you it looks like something might be held again . Information about that is going to come in soon, so keep checking messages instead of ignoring it . ]

‘Yay…

I do need to continue clearing the 61st Floor, but well, I do have a reason .

Something is going to be held, huh…

Um… While at it, I think I should test that thing .

I should test if I can send my clone to other difficulties . ’

My clone was considered as a summoned monster instead of an actual player in Tutorial . I wondered if that meant I could send it to another difficulty by sending it to another person .

‘In that case, send it to the Order of Vigilance…

No . Perhaps I can send the clone to the outside world .

Damn it . Why did I think of this now?

I can send my clone to the outside world and switch my soul with the clone .

That’s perfect?’

[Perfect? Do dogs have horns? I’m not an ordinary summon monster, you original bastard . ]

‘You were listening?’

[Isn’t that obvious you retard? Also, another difficulty is a completely different world from here . Once my link with you is gone, I can no longer maintain my life, you dumbass . ]

[You already know all this, don’t you? Enough of your useless thoughts . I don’t want to die for the sake of your stupid experiment-oriented mindset . ]

‘Tsk .

He truly is useless . ’

[What did you say?]

When I first made that bastard, I was full of hope for clearing the 61st Floor .

However, now that I made that brat, I really had no use for him .

I just ended up with symptoms of shattered mind after trying to split my soul .

Tsk .

[That’s my fault? You original bastard… I feel like the youngest son who was born from failed birth control . ]

My clone’s analogy was pretty good . I laughed by myself .

My mind was at a bit of ease now, so I could afford to laugh at a joke like that .

I should have come to the 61st Floor sooner .

I came to the floor to earn some points and also clear my mind before hatchling came out of the egg .

I felt so refreshed . I wondered why I didn’t come here sooner .

I knew this feeling won’t last long . Still, it felt great for the moment .

I got up from the seat .

I had been rolling around doing nothing long enough . It was time for me to move .

I came down from the gigantic ice throne and headed to the portal .

[Will you enter?]

‘No . You know I can’t . ’

“Return . ”

I mumbled the activation word . I left the space covered in ice . Instead, I was teleported to a dark and narrow space .

There was a familiar looking bonfire .

It was the entrance of the 61st Floor .

There were three portals in front of me .

One of them lead to the 60th Floor .

The other two each led to different Stages .

I needed two parties and clear both Stages simultaneously .

Once the Stages were cleared, I could enter the boss room after activating the portals on both sides .

It was simple .

However, summon monsters or clones were not acknowledged as a different challenger when entering the boss room .

‘What about Yong Yong?

Yong Yong can be considered a resident of Tutorial who was born here .

Could Yong Yong be acknowledged as a challenger?

Yong Yong is not my summon monster or clone .

If the dragon gets acknowledged as a separate entity… Um…

Actually, that is unlikely to happen .

Still, well… I got to try, as always .

I can’t just do nothing . ’

“Enter . ”

A moment later, I was standing in a scorching desert .

I had seen this place before, and it was still horrible to look at .

I was not receiving damage from the heat, but I was not feeling comfortable in this horrible weather condition either .

It was extremely hot and dry .

Moreover, the wind was mixed with sand . It was annoying .

I cast mana shield to block the sand wind and walked forward .

“Land-folding . ”

I had no intention of standing in this unpleasant environment for long . I had no intention of fighting sticky monsters one by one here either .

‘Let’s just get to the last room . ’

I walked as I folded the space . I was able to get to the end of the desert before long .

At the end of the desert, there was an oasis with a portal in the center . I walked toward the top of the portal .

‘This suddenly reminds me of the time when I got to the 61st Floor for the first time . ’

At that time, I already heard information about the 61st Floor from Kiri Kiri when I cleared the 59th Floor .

Still, thinking it might be different somehow, with expectations, I stepped on to the portal .

“Teleport . ”

* * *

[Welcome . It’s been a while . ]

A giant’s voice could be heard from a distance . It sound like it was echoing from the far .

Next to the huge, empty throne, there was a red giant who was sitting next it . I lifted my head and looked at the giant .

There were red hot magna overflowing around him .

“It sure has, old man . ”

[I see you visited another place before coming here . How’s the former queen doing? Same as always?]

“Well, same as always of course . She is still mighty concerned about skin aging . ”

An explosive noise could be heard . It was painful in my ears .

Instead of the pain, the fact that I could not identify the noise hurt me more .

My body was still that of a human being .

I focused my mind to cover my ears with mana field, and I was able to identify the noise .

It was that old giant’s laughter .

[She has frozen skin, yet she is concerned about aging? Looks like her stupidity has not changed with passage of time!]

“I can’t be sure about that? The former queen said the same about you . ”

Once again, a deafeningly loud laughter spread through the area .

‘Will you stop laughing?’

[About your arrangement, is it not yet?]

‘Arrangement? Can that be called an arrangement?’

“It’s far . I still have a long way to go . ”

[That’s a vexing fate . You possess incredible strength, yet you still cannot be used . You had already become the most powerful sword of all, yet you are still not complete . ]

“Maybe this is also a step in the direction toward the completion . ”

[You are saying something similar to a certain god . Are you saying you are still an incomplete sword?]

[There is no sword that’s being created without a purpose . When you become a complete sword, what will you do with your strength?]

‘What is this question for?

It’s a difficult question to answer . ’

“I’m not sure . For now… I won’t be able to decide what the sword is for until the tempering is complete . Don’t you think?”

[Because you are still an incomplete sword? That’s a funny way to put it . In that case, what about the intent of the sword makers?]

“I have my own free will, old man . I am not like a sword . ”

‘… My voice is getting lower from being so annoyed .

Is he interested in hearing the answer again?’

[In that case, what does your free will tell you?]

“I don’t know . ”

[Hahaha . That’s right . You don’t know . However, we do, don’t we? King . ]

“That’s right . ”

‘This old man really doesn’t know to think about others . ’

“Let’s stop talking about dangerous things . ”

[I am sorry . Because I am getting old, I want to hear a definite answer . That’s why . ]

[When the time comes, decide carefully . We already entrusted our will to you . ]

[Your indecisiveness should not lead to ruining the decision . ]

[In that case, shall we begin?]

The red giant finished what he had to say . He picked up the giant sword that was stuck on the floor and lifted it up .

With that as the signal, the giant knights who were sleeping inside the magna walked out of it one after the other .

Two hundred units .

Considering the strength of each unit, the fact that they were all gathered in this space alone was irrational . Their combined strength was that significant .

[King . Please keep up the good work as always . ]

The old giant and the two hundred giant knights raised their humungous swords and assumed poses that appeared to be signs of respects .

I knew nothing of their courtesy, but I could at least tell that they were ready for the duel .

I didn’t bother to bring out any weapon to wield .

My body was the weapon, so I just took a step forward and raised my hand .

* * *

[Lee Ho-jae, 61st Floor: It is not the day of the great harmony?]

[Park Jung-ah, 90th Floor: That’s right . We didn’t find out anything yet . We don’t know the date or the reason for it being held . However, it is definitely not the day of the great harmony that will be held . ]

‘This is going to give me headache . ’