ushernet Chapter 96
Chapter 96
The Yongbong Guild on the 7th floor is held once a month. Players who achieve a certain ranking are qualified to ascend to higher floors.
“Surprisingly easy difficulty.”
Not all players participate. Only those who want to challenge the Yongbong Guild submit their applications.
If they’re lucky, weaker players might meet each other and secure their qualifications.
This was the same on the lower floors. In the Tower of Struggle, luck plays just as important a role as ability.
“As obvious as it sounds, many don’t move up.” “...For martial artists, this floor must feel familiar. I’m sure there are martial artists who prefer to stay here.”
“That’s right.”
Of course, not all martial artists feel that way. There are players who leave the nostalgic 7th floor, which reminds them of their hometown dimensions, to find more advanced ones.
Having tasted the benefits of civilization on the lower floors, it’s hard not to seek more.@@@@
‘I also took over half a year to reach the 7th floor. How about the weaker martial artists?’
The longer you stay in the Tower of Struggle, the more your feelings for your home dimension fade. There’s no reason to settle on a floor that doesn’t offer any advantages.
In that sense, the 7th floor was one with good turnover. People didn’t stay long, so new players constantly joined the Yongbong Guild.
“So, signing up this time was a bad move. No matter how strong my Poison Arts are... Jeomchang Gwang, no, Seomgwang Geomhui... is a bit much. It’s best to avoid her if possible...”
Namgung Hyuk’s face twisted as he thought of Seomgwang Geomhui.
“That woman’s insane. Anyone who’s faced her knows. My shoulder still aches.”
“Why?”
“She doesn’t accept forfeits.”
I didn’t understand what he meant at first.
“Isn’t that the administrator’s authority?”
“There’s a martial artist from the Jeomchang faction among the administrators. They subtly take Seomgwang Geomhui’s side.”
“......”
He looked scared, clearly having suffered under an administrator from the Jeomchang faction.
“Aren’t the Gu Paibang and the Five Great Families close allies? They’re from the righteous sects, right?”
I remembered hearing that from Kim Min-seong. After parting ways with him, some martial artists I met later also formed alliances, claiming to be from righteous sects.
Namgung Hyuk shook his head.
“The families are a bit distant from the Gu Paibang. They belong to the righteous faction, tied to the Martial Alliance, but...”
Namgung Hyuk trailed off and looked at me with half-open eyes.
“...I’m surprised. I didn’t think the Great Hero would have the same misconceptions as other Earthlings.”
“You suspect I’m an Earthling?”
It’s the thief who’s afraid of being caught. I immediately raised my voice and denied it.
“If I were an Earthling, how could I have such a close relationship with Elder Tang?”
“......”
“Does Confucius have to eat shit to understand its taste? Should I show you the taste of my Poison Arts before you recognize my connection with Elder Tang?”
Poison oozed from the tips of my fingers. The greenish hue was menacing.
Namgung Hyuk recoiled and took a step back. I liked his reaction.
I canceled the Poison Arts and said.
“I’m a bit hungry. By the way, do you happen to have any money?”
“......”
What’s the point of being from a prestigious family if you’re still weak?
‘He’s weaker than me.’
I casually took the money.
“I know a tavern with a great chef’s hand. Follow me.”
Namgung Hyuk had no choice.
The street. We entered a building located in the same area where the delicious smells had come from earlier.
Namgung Hyuk’s steps were very natural. It seemed like he had been here more than once.
“Welcome!”
The staff greeted us with a bright smile. He wasn’t a martial artist. He had pointed ears—an elf.
Just because the floor was based on the martial world doesn’t mean everyone has to be a martial artist.
Namgung Hyuk extended his fingers toward the elf.
“Two servings of somyeon, please.”
“Understood.”
Somyeon. Is it something like ramen?
I waited eagerly for the meal. A few minutes later, the somyeon arrived.
“......”
‘I guess we’ll never settle it.’
It looks like the Swordmaster’s luck is pretty high. For him to avoid meeting me with how strong I’ve become, it’s no simple feat of luck.
Namgung Hyuk frowned and swallowed his somyeon. He kept glancing at the kitchen, clearly not pleased with the duck order.
“Looks like you’re not happy. Got a problem with it?”
“...No, it’s fine.”
He then began checking his pockets. I couldn’t believe how blatant his gesture was.
“Isn’t the Namgung Family rich?”
The Namgung Family is one of the Five Great Families. What does ‘Five Great Families’ mean? It means being one of the top five.
But he can’t even buy one duck dish?
“...Well...”
Namgung Hyuk hesitated to speak. It seemed there was something he didn’t want to mention, but couldn’t bring himself to.
“Here! The pride of our tavern, roasted duck!”
“Wow!”
Just as I was about to dig into the roasted duck, a group of martial artists walked into the tavern.
“I heard there’s a bug from the Namgung Family here.”
“Heh heh, there he is.”
These weren’t Earthlings in martial artist cosplay. They were real martial artists. You could tell just by looking.
‘...I guess that’s what a real martial artist should look like.’
I reflected on how I had mistaken some of them for martial artists just because they caused a bit of a fuss.
‘But this is strange.’
The martial artists are coming over here?
The confusion didn’t last long. The martial artists were men of action.
“Namgung Hyuk! Didn’t I warn you that if you act like the Namgung Family, I’d kill you?”
The man at the front suddenly grabbed Namgung Hyuk’s neck and slammed him down hard. The somyeon bowl shattered with a crash.
Namgung Hyuk tried to dodge their hands but couldn’t.
He struggled hard, but it seemed there was a big difference in strength.
One of them chuckled and said.
“Are you still blabbing about the Namgung Family against a dumb Earthling? You just bought him a bowl of somyeon?”
“There’s never been a dumber idiot than this. This isn’t Anhui Province. This is the Tower of Struggle!”
“Heh heh. This guy looks cute, though.”
A man who looked like a bandit stared at me. His eyes were filled with vile desire.
Honestly, I didn’t mind if they had desire.
People’s preferences are really diverse.
‘He might even be gay.’
But what made me uncomfortable wasn’t that.
‘It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like this.’
Even on the 7th floor, there are still assholes who look down on Earthlings. Shouldn’t they be cautious, thinking an Earthling who made it this far must be someone special?
‘Or maybe climbing the tower is easier than I thought?’
Well, it’s not something I need to worry about.
I wrapped my right hand around the Force Strike and slapped him hard across the face.
Whack!
“This...!”
Surprisingly, the martial artist didn’t die from the single blow!
My strength was 13. I wasn’t armed with a golden dagger, just keeping it in my inventory.
My attack power was 13. The damage formula for Force Strike is about 1,500% physical damage.
It wasn’t strong enough to guarantee a one-hit kill. This is the 7th floor. There might be players who can withstand a single Force Strike.
‘But.’
My agility is 50. That’s close to the peak of martial artists.
Wham!
The powerful slap hit his left cheek, followed by a series of rapid blows. A light slap to his right cheek, almost caressing it with the back of my hand.
‘In other words, a double slap.’
In less than a second, my attacks landed. The damage dealt was a whopping 400!
“You... bastard...!”
One of the martial artists collapsed.