Episode 87
My vision turns black.
It was the same as when I first entered the tower.
‘Are we moving to the third floor of the tower?’
I crossed my arms and waited until I could see the snow.
After a while.
As the darkness cleared, the changed scenery began to become visible.
A sky filled with dark clouds.
The ground was dry brown, and there were few weeds, so it felt almost lifeless.
I looked around.
A large wall made of black stone.
The high wall surrounds a radius of hundreds of meters.
Above them, bone-thin skeletons stood guard, looking left and right.
‘Is this… a fortress?’
Slowly-
A skeleton made eye contact with me.
The dead man’s characteristic hostility was not felt.
On its back is a large bead about 4 meters in diameter, which has accumulated powerful energy like a core of death.
［Tower of Trials 3rd floor］
［Quest: Black Fortress Defense］
Monsters that come periodically
Defeat it and defend the fortress.
* target
Black Fortress’ nuclear defense.
* base
-Black Fortress
Durability: 2,000/2,000
-1st base
Durability: 1,000/1,000
-Second base
Durability: 670/1,000
-3rd base
Durability: 355/1,000
‘It seems like that orb is the core of the fortress.’
A sphere so large that you can’t hug it even if you spread out your arms.
It was so obvious that it seemed difficult to defend against if the enemy was allowed to invade.
Next to the nucleus was a simple building resembling a container.
Sigh!
A large crow about 2 meters tall opened the door and came out.
“Caw. Is this a new challenger?”
“Who are you?”
“Caw. It’s sad to see you like that. My name is Crow, and as you can see, I’m a merchant.”
well.
No matter where I looked, he didn’t look like a merchant.
Crow came towards me.
“I thought you were the manager.”
“Kkakkak. The manager is not someone you can meet that easily.”
“If you are not an administrator, there is nothing to see.”
“Caw! A hasty challenger. You’ll regret it if you don’t listen to me, right?”
Crow spread his wings wide and blocked the way.
It’s annoying.
I didn’t want to mix up the story because it reminded me of the fishman I ran into on the second floor.
“You too are aiming for points. There is nothing to talk about.”
point.
It is a type of currency that can be obtained by completing trials or sub-quests presented in the tower.
[l,657,750pt]
These are the points accumulated through trials so far.
1 million in the tutorial.
I earned 500,000 points by passing all of the 2nd floor trials.
I acquired points exponentially, but I rarely actually used them.
‘I guess all I did was spend some money on the second floor.’
A bottle of water.
And some oxygen packs.
All I had to do was purchase items necessary for survival and activities at intermediate points located throughout the second floor.
‘It’s easy to get scammed if you don’t know the value.’
I still don’t really know what the points are for.
Maybe that’s why I was reluctant to use it.
“Kkakkak. If you don’t use points, you will never be able to pass this trial.”
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“Either it or not.”
Crow’s wings turn and move forward.
went forward
“Cow! You’re a short-tempered guy. If you listen to me just once, your mind will change completely.”
“Do you also ask for points as an information fee?”
“I wouldn’t do such a thing. Crow is an honest merchant.”
“Okay. Let’s see.”
Negotiations(?) were concluded dramatically.
Crow looks displeased with the situation and is full of displeasure.
It hesitated for a moment and opened its beak.
all.
“Open the map.”
I obediently activated the additional function of the quest window.
Translucent holographic window.
The map of the third floor unfolded before my eyes.
“huh?”
“Do you know what’s different? Kak!”
“You can see all the areas you haven’t been to here.”
Even if you use the map function on the first and second floors, everything except the places you have been to is hidden.
Take the map from the other person.
I had to find my way to a specific item.
‘So, the compass of the deep sea is not gone?’
A deep-sea compass that remains in a subspace pocket.
The pearl inside grew in size as it absorbed energy several times as it underwent trials.
I thought there would be changes in Jinju if I passed all the trials on the second floor.
There was no reaction.
“Kak. Have you seen the map? If you have, please tell me.”
After remaining blank for a while, Crow grumbled.
‘It’s not important now.’
I cleared my mind and answered right away.
“I saw it all. There are three roads leading to the fortress.”
“Caw. I see it’s correct. Those paths are the direction of the monsters’ advance.”
/- 1 base 1
［Fortress］ — 2 bases 1 wormhole
\- 3 bases 1
The structure of the third floor looked like this.
“What is a wormhole?”
“This is an area where monsters are summoned. Kak.”
“Is the structure such that the summoned troops attack three roads?”
“Caw. I like this challenger because he understands quickly.”
Fortress defense battle.
It seems that the bases built along the road are for the purpose of repelling incoming monsters.
“The base produces undead at certain intervals, which helps with defense. Kak!”
“Is that all?”
“No. You can only move to a base that has not been destroyed once per wave.”
Crow spread his wings.
Three translucent windows appeared before my eyes.
This is a screen that displays three bases.
I frowned.
“One is fine, but the other two are in bad condition.”
The first base had strong walls and a fairly large number of defenders.
Bases 2 and 3 were in bad condition.
There were holes and cracks throughout the walls, and there were not many skeleton soldiers.
‘That’s why the durability is low.’
In particular, the 3 bases will collapse even if you touch them.
It looks like this.
Crow saw me frowning and laughed happily.
“That’s why we need points.”
“point?”
“Click. For every 10 points, you can change the durability of the base or fortress by 1.”
6,450pts to repair the 3 messed up bases.
This is by no means a small number.
“You can first defeat the monsters that flock to base 3 and then go help the remaining bases.”
“Kkakkak. The distance between the bases is several kilometers. No matter how fast you are, it will be difficult to cover all the bases, right?”
I touched my chin.
Permission to move base once per wave.
You have to run to a base with both feet.
‘I guess the final point will require us to survive for a long time on our own without help.’
Can the monster wave be stopped with just the base’s defense forces?
no.
It is a test of the tower that measures the competency of the challenger.
There was a high possibility that the monsters’ offensive was designed to be stronger than the base’s defense capabilities.
‘But there’s one strange thing.’
I immediately asked a question about the discomfort I felt a moment ago.
“Hey, merchant.”
“Kak?”
“Are there any other challengers?”
“Kak, kak. There is nothing. You are alone now.
am.”
“That story. I’d like to hear it in more detail.”
“Okay, I noticed. Up to 5 people can participate in this ordeal.”
“Am I the only one here?”
“That’s right. The other team started the trial half a day ago, so you’re the only one left. Caw!”
This guy.
They intentionally didn’t tell me that party play was possible in order to take points away from me.
As expected, the people who are called merchants of the tower cannot be trusted.
“There must be a way to meet other team members. Tell me.”
“Challengers who have risen to the third floor will automatically come here.”
It seems that the structure is to form a party with people who have passed the ordeal of the deep sea.
I shook my head.
‘That’s a bit troublesome.’
You can’t waste time waiting for a challenger who you don’t know when will come up.
“It’s okay. I’ll try it first, even if it’s just by myself.”
A look of embarrassment flashed across Crow’s face.
After being taken aback for a moment, he immediately smiled like a businessman and grabbed my shoulder.
“Caw, caw! It will be difficult to attack alone.”
“To help?”
“I don’t know anything about combat. Instead, I know about products that will help, caw!”
Crow held out a binder containing a list of products.
*Harpoon Turret – l,000pt
* Fireball Turret – 2,000pt
*Skeleton Enhancement – 2,500pt
I looked at the products listed in the binder.
‘You can build defenses with turrets, or you can increase the quantity and quality of your defensive troops.’
The types of products were diverse.
I looked through the contents of the binder for about a minute and returned it to Crow.
“Caw. What are you going to buy?”
“I don’t buy anything.”
“Kak. This challenger is arrogant. He can’t stop them all on his own.”
“You won’t know until you try.”
That moment.
[Third floor trial – Black Fortress defense battle begins.]
[Time remaining until wave: 05:00]
5 minutes later.
Monsters will come to take over the fortress.
‘ah. right. There was that.’
The moment you see the time.
I was reminded of an item I personally received from the administrator on the 0th floor of the tutorial.
Sculpture of Oron.
It was the key to open the treasure trove hidden on the third floor of the Tower of Trials.
‘The first thing to do is to get over the first wave.’
I used the power of immortality.
Jooooo!
When I stretched out my hand, a large crack appeared in the air.
The Immortal Warriors 5 units produced last time appeared one after another.
『I worship the Supreme Being.』
“We don’t have time, so forget the courtesy. Two of you should head up the road, and three of you should head to the center.”
Base 1 and Base 2.
A group of Immortal Warriors was placed at a base with high durability.
‘I have to protect the weakest place.’
3 bases.
I head towards the half-collapsed base
I took a step forward.
* * *
The base is an area surrounded by a fortress that is slightly larger than the school auditorium.
Rather than a fortress, its size is reminiscent of a modern bunker.
“Gegel. Challenger. Enemy. No.”
“Gel gel gel. We. Challenger. Helping.”
The defense forces of the third base were skeletons.
Poor armament.
The ghostly spirit shimmering in the empty eyeballs is faint.
There are a total of 50 units guarding the 3 bases.
I quickly gave up my expectations about the defensive forces.
There does not seem to be much difference in the defensive forces deployed at bases 1 and 2.
‘It was a good thing I sent the Immortal Warrior.’
In times like this, it would have been a great help if Fenrir had been there.
I felt regretful.
Fenrir was not my summon, so I couldn’t summon it as I wanted.
He didn’t even receive the tower’s call in the first place, so he can’t come in.
‘Well, on Earth, you have to work hard to make ends meet.’
The Pandemonium and Elysium plots.
There were plenty of places for Fenrir to step forward in the future.
［Time remaining until wave: 00：00］
［Monster Wave – Stage 1 begins
is.]
I climbed onto the only harpoon turret among the three bases.
Broadened field of view.
Far away, at the end of the horizon, dust began to rise.
‘I can’t see very well.’
My vision was obscured by thick dust.
I focused my eyes on the confusion, strengthened my eyesight, and looked inside the dust.
After a while.
As the monster wave got closer, the identity of the monsters hiding among the dust was revealed.
