CH 288

. senior manager

A bet? Are you talking about a fee?

It's no fun if you only pay a fee, so why not add a little more? If I lose, I'll pay double the fee. Also, let me answer one of Rick's questions.

Hey, that's pretty interesting.

The corners of Rick's lips went up.

For a worn-out middle manager, anomalies are always fun.

What's more, if it's about the player you're watching with the most interest, it's an excellent entertainment.

Even if the fee is second.

I'm curious, there's like a mountain.

For example, why did you change the set item obtained by defeating Yacha, one of the strongest boss monsters in the middle class, into an unfamiliar weapon?

How is it that the player who climbs the tower for the first time knows more information than the residents?

And the most curious questions lingered in my mind about how to get through the crisis to come this time.

The worries didn't last long.

What kind of bet?

Rick accepted the offer.

I'm going to open a gate from now on, all you have to do is guess where it leads. If Rick loses, he'll be free from transaction fees for the rest of his life.

Hahaha. This is too much of a joke. Do you think there must be a gate that I don't know about?

So, let's make a bet.

Jinhyuk smiled brightly.

It is an added bonus to arouse curiosity with a moderate provocation.

" Okay. He deliberately donated his assets to Rick Hennessy and said he was a Primary God, so I'll pay double the commission."

Rick nodded.

Then at that very moment.

Pants!

A green gate, close to blue, opened in front of the two.

Hey, is this...?

An earthquake struck Rick's pupil.

Of course you must not know.

I didn't know that such a thing existed even when I looked at the top of the tower in the past.

No matter how resourceful and intelligent he is, Rick, a mid-level manager, cannot be recognized.

Purple runes appeared along the black border.

The gate to the senior managers' rooms.

It is the 'shadow gate'.

huuuuuuoooooooooooooooooooo

It wasn't until the gate's surface was completely open that Rick noticed where the gate was leading.

Thank you so much for waving the transaction fee.

"Jinhyuk-sama you are "

Rick stuttered.

Then, he let out a self-contained laugh.

It seems that it was me who was still overlooking. It was a bet against Jinhyuk, not anyone else.

Anyway, he's a fun player.

Probably, if it was this man, he wouldn't be shy with them either.

No, I didn't know that the one who was driven would be the senior managers.

Please, I hope you can come and talk. You who climb the tower.

Rick took off his fedora and bowed deeply.

I'll go.

Jinhyuk took a step forward.

jerk... .

When passing through a shimmering surface.

All the sights he could see had completely changed.

Bare branches and piles of snow and a small hut in the middle of the forest.

As if, a place reminiscent of Northern Europe appeared.

[You have entered the realm of Senior Manager 'Bendivia'.]

'I thought it was a place where even a Dragon could fly, but surprisingly, it looks normal.'

Jinhyuk looked around slowly.

It's my first time coming here.

To be honest, I never dreamed that the day would come when I would be in the residence of one of the senior managers.

pounding! pounding! pounding!

My heart was beating fast.

As I got closer to the door, the sensations in my whole body became extremely high, and my body contracted to jump out at any time.

'As a senior manager, you don't even feel mana at all.'

Of course, it is not without mana.

Just like humans can't hear ultrasonic waves, so much mana can't even be felt.

right then

Come in. The door is open.

A thin voice echoed from inside the hut.

First off, it's not a bad start.

At least, it wasn't because they attacked others just because they broke into the inside of the house.

Rumble!

Jinhyuk opened the door and went inside.

it's thick

I felt the hot heat.

Inside the hut where a bonfire was lit, a dark-skinned female elf was sitting.

dark elf. To be precise, it can be said to be the origin of the Dark Elves.

Hey. I got lost and wandered around for a long time, but thanks to this, I was able to turn on a warm fire. At the very least, I almost died of freezing.

Ha... Nucksal is good too. Why don't you ask for a blanket for a very hot soup?

Um? I didn't expect that, but if that's the case. I think it would be fine if I cut the sausage into thumb-thickness and put peas in cream soup and a blanket made of deer fur. .

" "

At Jinhyuk's words, the manager's face was terribly distorted.

But it was only for a while.

The middle managers said that there was one player who hit the goal. I think it was you. Damn it. A very amazing guy came in.

Bendivia clicked her tongue.

Then, the wine on the table was poured into the glass.

Stop the bullshit at this point and tell me why you chose me among the senior managers. I hate to waste time and waste.

The shadow gate is a line designation ceremony.

In other words, you choose the senior manager you want, and then you go there.

The moment the gate was activated, seven managers appeared in front of Jinhyuk.

And among them, the dark elf 'Bendivia' was chosen.

The first question should be well passed here.

Because the senior managers were very fickle bastards.

There is no particular reason. Anyway, the only information given about the senior managers is their names and races. In that case, I decided that it would be best to have a conversation with the most reasonable race, the Dark Elf. Because it will.

You're not on the same side. What does that mean?

You don't know? One of them crossed the line, too, very hard.

" "

The hand movements that were sipping the wine stopped.

It's a face I didn't expect that I would even know such a thing.

The administrators I know are the ones who protect the rules of the tower. However, if they collide with a certain faction, wouldn't it be impossible to call them administrators anymore?

What do you want? Talk to me, don't turn around.

I'm going to make sure that admins can fulfill their roles as admins. So please help.

Make the manager act as a manager... .

pinching hurts

This is because if you don't help, Bendivia is not qualified as a manager either.

You're arrogant. You're arguing about our role in the player topic.

Pointed fangs appeared from Bendivia's mouth.

In an instant, an illusion occurred as if the warmth of the entire hut had disappeared.

Since the senior manager has revealed that he lives in a stronghold off the floor, of course, it's only going to hurt to the bone.

However, the pressure did not last long.

But, I like the boldness.

Bendivia stood up.

Originally, we don't intervene in whatever happens in the tower. But that's a story when it's a natural flow.

"Are you saying you want to help?"

Help... you're overestimating me. Being out of the rift right now isn't the kind of thing that even senior managers can do. We're all tied up on the same floor as a mess. That's why he jumps out. If it comes out, I have no choice but to leave it alone until the set time has passed."

That's right.

So the system just gave the Quest to 'survive'.

But.

It's not without a way. If a few conditions are met, you may be able to earn the 'time' that Bendivia-sama said.

I've already experienced something like this.

Even at that time, I suffered so much that it was said that it was terrible, but .

survived

I survived and was able to move on.

I've never experienced it, so I can be so confident. No, how else can I be so calm? Isn't it human nature to be resentful or desperate when something outrageous usually happens?

It's true that the Tower of Trial is arbitrary and unkind. But it doesn't make it impossible.

You're a very unusual human being. None of the residents who climbed the tower have ever thought that way... Then, can you tell me why you think that way?

the last question.

Jinhyuk slowly opened his mouth.

The tower wants someone to reach the top. More than anyone else, it hopes to reach the end of this world.

I don't know if this is the right answer.

I don't even know if he liked Bendivia or not.

So, he spoke the truth in his heart.

really Because I thought so.

Clear the 16th floor in one day.

...!

What makes you look surprised? If you're confident as you said, take out the boss on the 16th floor in one day. If you do that, I'll give you whatever you want.

A jewel emitting a mysterious light came out of Bendivia's arms.

'Soul Stone of Longing'.

A special item that can damage the soul.

In terms of size, it is about mid-size.

That means it's enough to fight like crazy for at least a few hours.

Is this what you need? Aren't you doing this to use the weapon you have in your arms?

[Certificate exam for senior manager 'Bendivia']

Contents: Defeat the boss monster on the 16th floor alone and free the way to the 17th floor.

Conditions: Solo play (limited to defeating the boss) / 23h:59m:59s

Reward: Soulstone of Longing (4h)

The status window appeared in front of you.

The first gateway to surviving the Left of Destruction has begun.

Haru. I see.

Jinhyuk accepted the quest.

before leaving the hut. Bendivia added a word.

I've seen a lot of climbers so far. The Empire, the Murim, and the divinities of each myth. The Spirit Realms, Demon Clans, and Elyos were all confident they'd see the top of the tower. So I was really looking forward to it. Someone, some faction. I believe that I will be able to climb to the top of the Silver Tower.

A mournful voice continued.

As you can see from the current situation, all the factions and rankers failed to see the top. Now they are focused on defending and expanding their respective territories and plundering the land.

so that.

Managers, too, have compromised between the ideal and the reality.

Now, I have given up my expectations and just repeat the same life every day according to the contract with the system.

"But, maybe I think you might be different."

The conversation ended with that.

The 16th floor of the Tower of Trials is made up of a huge tropical rain forest.

The size of the floor itself was one of the smallest among the 50 floors, but there were various man-eating plants and insect-type beasts, as well as a hot and humid environment.

Everything threatened the survival of the players.

Because of that, the reality was that it was difficult to reach the boss monster on the 16th floor even after wandering for several days.

However.

'There must be a challenger.'

Jinhyuk looked at the entrance to the ruins.

There were signs that a large number of people had entered the ruins where the boss was.

'About twenty people.'

Outside the ruins, there was a flag engraved with a giant rock giant symbolizing the Titan Guild.

Since they entered this place first, it is a sign that other guilds are prohibited from entering until the raid fails.

After clearing the 15th floor, I didn't know because I was concentrating on the Empire and Moorim in the middle class.

'It looks like he wasn't completely playing though.'

If you've come this far, it means you have a pretty solid raid.

Of course, it is not possible to reach the end of the ruins just by being 'solid'.

I don't know about the middle named monsters, but it would be too much for the boss.

'The boss said I had to defeat it by myself, so I'll have to hurry up a bit.'

But right then.

Kirik!

Shh! Shh!

A huge snake and a spider appeared with the sound of iron.

'Are they those who roamed around the ruins?'

It looked like he didn't want to let go of the drooling approach.

Sometimes it was good

Even if it wasn't, I needed something to loosen up my hands, so I should think of it as a practice game.

Jinhyuk activated 'Subspace Inventory'.

It's been a long time since I've used it, so I don't think it's going to be a neat finish. I think it's going to be out of control.

Beyond the shimmering space, a rather heterogeneous weapon has emerged instead of the existing weapon.

shudder!

shudder!

Two uniquely shaped pistols were loaded.