Life After Leaving the Hero Party - Episode 4
The Tower of Challenge
Gyaaaaaaaaaah!!
I clamped my hand over my mouth.
Had there been no one around, I would have rolled on the floor, screaming.
It took so long, so long!!
As I covered my mouth, overwhelmed with surging emotion.
“Hmm, I don’t have anything to give you… Take this, at least.”
The administrator handed over a Fireball spellbook that had been lying around haphazardly.
It was a spellbook so basic that no one would take it even if it were given away.
Swish.
I accepted the spellbook.
*Ding.*
[Acquired Spellbook - Fireball.]
Along with the spellbook acquisition message:
[Transcendence Box 100/100]
[Would you like to use the Transcendence Box on Spellbook - Fireball?]
A message for the Transcendence Box appeared before my eyes.
Normally, I would have observed and pondered a bit more, but now was not the time.
Escaping this wretched city immediately was my top priority.
Since the points could be refilled.
Having made my decision, I glared at the message with burning eyes.
Spin it right now!
Upon selecting, a box appeared in the air, spewing ornate patterns and golden light.
Holy…!
[Consuming 100 Transcendence Points.]
[Current Transcendence Points: 0/100]
[Spinning the box.]
Whirrrrrr…!
The Transcendence Box spun rapidly, making a sound like wind.
Light so bright I couldn’t open my eyes scattered everywhere, and after a moment.
*Ding.*
A message popped up.
[Acquired Mythic-grade magic, Meteor Strike!]
….
What the fuck…?
“H-Hey, are you okay? Are you already regretting becoming a Magic Swordsman?”
Perhaps because I was standing there with my eyes wide open.
The administrator asked with a worried gaze.
“Ah, no! Magic Swordsman is the best!”
At the administrator’s expression—as if wondering whether he should slap me to bring me to my senses.
I answered hurriedly and bowed.
“I’ll be on my way now!”
“Y-Yeah, good luck!”
I finished the greeting with an awkward smile and moved toward the entrance.
I already knew what function the Transcendence Box had.
Yet the reason I was surprised lay elsewhere.
There was a grade called Mythic…?
The Meteor Strike that came from the box had a Mythic grade attached.
This was a grade never seen even once from the past to the present.
I had thought Legendary was the end.
Normal, Magic, Rare, Unique, Legendary.
Those five were all the grades I knew.
Even the highest-grade magic used by the Heroes chosen by the Constellations ended at Legendary.
They probably hadn’t hidden anything.
Unless there was a special reason to hide one’s identity.
Heroes desperate to make their achievements and names known had no reason to conceal their power.
Because the more their names were verified and the higher their fame, the better the offers they received from kingdoms, institutions, and guilds.
The same went for parties they frequently formed without difficulty.
People were bound to choose a Hero they’d heard of at least once over someone with no credentials.
No way…!
I stopped walking and covered my mouth.
The first Mythic magic in history!?
It wasn’t a baseless assumption.
[Meteor Strike]
# ???
# A magic never once used in this world. Description will be revealed after one use.
Meteor Strike was a first for me.
“Hah! Hah!”
With my breathing growing heavy with anticipation.
“What’s with him? I think he was heading to the Magic Swordsman office earlier; is he already regretting it?”
“He became a Magic Swordsman…? Did they catch some weakness of his? He looks shocked.”
“Look at him hyperventilating. He must’ve been threatened.”
Murmuring from people all around reached my ears.
Calm down, heart!
After composing myself, I stepped forward again.
Though there was no way to know right now if it was the first Mythic magic in history.
Seeing that Meteor Strike had never been used, it was certain that it was at least an incredibly rare grade.
Just how strong is it if it’s Mythic?
Even Legendary magic had been incredible.
Even taking into account that Heroes introduced in the orbs had amplified power thanks to high stats and equipment.
The swagger was off the charts.
I had lost myself watching their magnificent presence and swagger-filled chanting more than once or twice.
I want to try it out quickly!
My heart began pounding, my impatience killing me.
I wanted to use the newly acquired magic and see it with my own two eyes, no matter where.
I had no idea what it would look like.
That was exactly why I wanted to try it all the sooner.
If it were a magic I’d heard or seen somewhere before, I wouldn’t be this impatient.
Thinking that it was a Mythic-grade magic I had never seen in my life made me unnecessarily more impatient.
[Meteor Strike]
# ???
Those question marks somehow felt threatening.
If not for this, I would’ve gone to some vacant lot and tried it out.
I couldn’t end up on the wanted list as a terrorist right after starting my new life.
*Thud.*
I recalled a place in my mind.
“Perfect.”
Not far from this city.
There was a good place to test magic.
* * *
Wow.
“A hell of a crowd.”
So much so that those words spilled out on their own.
An enormous crowd was gathered before my eyes.
“Ironclad Warrior with B-rank Strength here! I can endure most magic beast attacks!”
“I’m an Ironclad Warrior with BB-rank Stamina! I can hold out better!”
I looked at the Heroes wearing thick iron armor, flexing their muscles at each other.
Having the same class didn’t mean they had the same abilities.
Because direction and speed could vary depending on growth process or prioritized stats.
Each was flaunting their characteristics, appealing to be taken along.
It was a total marketplace.
Leaving the muscleheads devouring my field of vision behind.
I raised my head and looked at the building a short distance away.
It was a tower ten stories high.
A place people called the Tower of Challenge.
“I hope I get a Sleep Immunity trait this time.”
“Your limit is the 3rd floor. Even if you get lucky there, it’s only Magic grade. Even at the 7th floor, which is the highest cleared so far, Rare was the max, and that was with pretty fast clearing speed.”
“You talk like it’s someone else’s problem. We’re in the same party.”
“W-Well, that’s true.”
Conversations exchanging jabs at each other could be heard.
Resistance traits to various debuffs.
That was one of the reasons the Tower of Challenge had grown popular.
It was tempting, for sure.
The Tower of Challenge had various magic beasts waiting from the 1st to the 10th floor.
It was also a place where official times were recorded each time a floor was cleared, and rewards were given accordingly.
And among the rewards given, what Heroes coveted most were debuff resistance traits.
Because they became essential as time went on.
As Heroes who traveled to unfamiliar and dangerous places, resistance traits were essential.
Because even Heroes with strong bodies sometimes died pathetically to mind-manipulation debuffs.
…It didn’t work one bit.
I had tried to persuade Seria and Mint to acquire traits from the Tower of Challenge for the sake of our party’s future adventures.
- Lian, you’re a priest. You can just dispel it.
- Right, right. Why would we go up such a dangerous place?
Recalling it now, it was an answer that made my chest feel heavy once again.
At the time, I had thought those two were very timid.
Now that I think about it, they had no intention of adventuring in the first place.
It was my own delusion.
I shook my head.
Thanks to that, despite having a covenant party, I had to come to this marketplace, ask around pathetically, form a new party, and climb the tower.
By the way.
When am I going to get through all this waiting?
My brows furrowed at the endless line.
Since only one party could enter at a time, it seemed like it would take quite a while for the queue to move.
*Tch.*
I wanted to just go somewhere else, but.
In my memory, the Tower of Challenge was the only place that gave debuff resistance traits.
I had to get at least one.
I didn’t care if it was a low grade.
I needed to have at least one to prepare for sudden situations later.
Hmm… This won’t do.
I crossed my arms, thought for a moment, and made a decision.
Waiting in line alone was physically impossible.
Unlike the Heroes who formed parties and took turns resting.
If I so much as had a stomachache, I’d be forced to drop my pants right here.
*Swish swish. Thud.*
I surveyed my surroundings with shifty eyes and inched forward.
It was a place with so many people and so much chaos.
“Ahem!”
I started cutting the line leisurely, pretending to be nonchalant.
* * *
Yep, cutting in line is the best.
After reaching a satisfying position, I stopped.
If I went further, I’d stand out too much.
Maybe I’ll wait now.
There weren’t many teams left ahead.
I’d have plenty of time; I thought I’d sit and enjoy the tower and the scenery.
Hm?
My brows automatically furrowed at the helmet placed in front.
# Helmet belonging to the party of Ryudo and Painan, affiliated with the Rinbel Guild! We cannot guarantee what will happen if you touch it!
It was something done by people who couldn’t even stand waiting in shifts.
They had scribbled threatening letters on it and gone off to play somewhere.
Tsk tsk tsk, the world’s coming to an end.
Usually, those who pulled this kind of stunt either had strong members in their party.
Or had a guild or organization backing them.
“Huh?”
While I was cursing out Ryudo and Painan in my head.
!?
A sickeningly familiar voice reached me.
“Well, if it isn’t Lian.”
“After all that fuss yesterday, the best you could do was come to the Tower of Challenge?”
I turned my head to find Seria and Mint standing there.
“Is this him? The one who overturned the covenant ceremony?”
“Yes, Sir Ryudo. That’s him.”
“Wow, I’ve been wondering who this crazy person was!”
Two more people stood beside Seria and Mint.
From the names being called out, they seemed to be Ryudo and Painan, the owners of the helmet.
Look at those pathetic wannabes!
Nothing but surface-level pretension!
“Oh my, Lian. You said you wanted to go to the Tower of Challenge so badly. You think you can climb it like that?”
At Seria’s words, Mint made an expression of disbelief.
Painan and Ryudo beside them giggled.
Swish.
I lifted my head and looked at Ryudo and Painan.
Poor bastards.
It was a situation that would have upset anyone else.
But not me.
Because I knew Seria and Mint better than anyone.
The future of Painan and Ryudo unfolded in my mind.
“This is quite brave of you. To think you’d come with just a single rusty iron sword.”
Ryudo, who had been giggling, spoke in a mock-polite manner.
“It’s such a rare sight… Hmm.”
Ryudo pretended to ponder for a moment.
He made an expression as if this would be fun and looked at Painan, Seria, and Mint.
“Rather than that, why don’t we…”
“How about we let Sir Lian climb the tower first?”