Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn't-Chapter 414: Ninetieth Floor, Feast (1)

[10 hours 31 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s sponsor, Omniscient Thunder Axe, wishes to sponsor a feast.]

The message caught me completely off guard. Although, to be fair, I couldn’t be faulted for that. It wasn’t solely because I had been mulling over the upcoming party. It was because I hadn’t received a sponsorship in what felt like ages.

Suddenly? Here, on the ninetieth floor?

By this stage, sponsors had become almost irrelevant to most climbers.

Early on, their help had been commonplace, but past the middle stages of the tower, such offers had all but vanished.

After all, sponsorship exists to increase a god’s ownership of a climber and their world.

With someone like me—an overwhelmingly dominant presence—in play, sponsorships would inevitably diminish. Only the highest-ranking climbers, or those backed by particularly influential gods, received them at this point. Even then, it only occurred on rare occasions.

I had only received help three times through my sponsor thus far.

This would be the fourth.

The first was on the seventh floor, when I received the antidote for Seo Ho-Su in the Eerie Forest. The next time—on the sixteenth floor—they didn’t sponsor me an item, but instead information. Last I had heard from my sponsor, they had sent Angelina to replace an enemy behind a door, which had helped me grow.

That was the full extent of it. With so few instances, it would be difficult to forget each one. The matter of the ninetieth-floor rest area party could wait; this was more pressing.

Even so, I decided to send Ha Hee-Jeong a quick message so she wouldn’t grow concerned if I suddenly didn’t respond.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninetieth Floor): Hee-Jeong, give me a moment.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Ninetieth Floor): Hmm? Are you going off to train? This is a bit earlier than I expected. Got it.

She was assuming I had returned to the training room. To be fair, that was generally the only time I ignored her messages. There was no way she would expect my sponsor to have actually given me something.

I wanted to discuss it with her, but it was still too soon to have a complete grasp of the situation.

Also, something felt off.

Why isn’t there a follow-up message?

Normally, every sponsorship came with a note detailing the percentage of shares it required. This time, there was nothing.

Is it a trap?

That was the first thought to cross my mind. Until now, I had always considered my sponsor to be trustworthy, especially given their behavior so far. What if that was all leading up to this moment, however?

Surely the cost of a feast can’t be unreasonably high?

My sponsor owned 2.83 percent of my shares. Even if I refused the sponsorship, the Dice of Fate could render my resistance pointless.

On the sixteenth floor, my sponsor had forced me to kill someone with only a 1.09 percent chance. Although I wondered how accurate those odds were, and if they were calculated in a god’s favor.

While the tower tended to favor me, the system itself was an entirely different matter.

Unlikely, but not impossible.

I couldn’t afford to assume the best. I had to be ready for the worst.

Until now, I had thought highly of my sponsor, thanks in part to Angelina. Regardless, I hadn’t met them face-to-face yet. As doubt began to take hold, the notification window refreshed. My gaze sharpened as I read the words.

[For this sponsorship only, sponsor Omniscient Thunder Axe will cover the cost. Their stake in Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok will increase by 0% of Kwon Su-Hyeok’s total shares.]

[Would you like to accept the offer?]

“Phew,” I sighed in relief after reading the follow-up message, though I felt a flicker of embarrassment.

Still, my caution hadn’t been misplaced. In the military, it was said that near the end of one’s service, one had to watch out for even falling leaves.[1]

Standing at the threshold of the ninetieth floor, I couldn’t help but treat anything outside of the floors with heightened vigilance.

That said, there is no way they are simply trying to share a meal.

A first-class god wouldn’t waste time. There had to be a reason behind the feast. Although I had a guess, I still sent a message to Ha Hee-Jeong.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninetieth Floor): Hee-Jeong.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Ninetieth Floor): Yeah? Did something happen?

She knew me well and immediately picked up on my unease.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Ninetieth Floor): I think the party talk will have to wait. My sponsor sponsored me something

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Ninetieth Floor): Huh? What did they sponsor? It’s not something strange, is it?

Before I could even finish reading her reply, my necklace reacted. Ha Hee-Jeong had arrived.

There was an urgent look on her face. Clearly, she had worried about the same things I had at first. It brought me a small measure of relief and a sense of kinship.

She rapid-fired questions at me, “What happened? Why a sponsorship all of a sudden? How much share percentage are they taking? Is it worth considering?”

I rested my hands lightly on her shoulders. “Hee-Jeong, wait. Calm down first.”

“Huh? Oh, all right.” She nodded slowly, the urgency in her eyes softening into composure.

After seeing my demeanor, she had decided the matter wasn’t especially dire.

“It won’t cost me any shares. My sponsor is covering the cost.”

“What? Seriously? Omniscient Thunder Axe? That’s the first time I’m hearing of something like that,” she muttered, still looking stunned.

I shrugged slightly. “It’s news to me, too. That’s what they said. The sponsorship is a feast. It sounds like they want to talk over a meal.”

Her eyes brightened. We both understood the underlying meaning.

The real question was what they wanted to discuss. Given the current circumstances, there was one very plausible idea.

“Probably something to do with the balance of power among the gods.”

“Right. You’ve got a strong chance of becoming a god yourself, and with the sponsorship link, they may try to bring you into their camp.”

“Could be. Or maybe not.”

I couldn’t agree outright because an old memory surfaced.

“Don’t assume Lord Omniscient Thunder Axe wants something from you. They have never once placed another god beneath them. Gods gathered of their own accord.”

That had been Angelina’s answer when I had asked about my sponsor back on the sixty-third floor.

I didn’t doubt her, either; she wasn’t the sort to lie.

Moreover, I doubted Omniscient Thunder Axe would employ such underhanded means. Gods weren’t so easily brainwashed. More likely, Omniscient Thunder Axe’s deeds were just that awe-inspiring.

Perhaps I would be convinced, too. That could even be their ultimate purpose. Either way, I needed to remain alert.

“Still, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to go and see.”

“Yeah. Given what they’ve done so far, and the fact they’re taking the hit, it’s probably goodwill.”

Even so, Ha Hee-Jeong didn’t let go of her caution. “Just make sure you keep your head clear. Don’t go feeling indebted just because it’s free, all right?”

I couldn’t help but quietly chuckle. She hadn’t nagged me like this in quite a while. When she had, I had heard it nearly every floor.

My smile seemed to make her self-conscious, because she stumbled over her words as she quickly commented, “Of course, you already know this.”

“Please, do you think I’m a child?”

“I’m only mentioning it because I’m concerned.”

“All right. Thank you,” I answered with a quiet smile.

“As long as you know that I care about you,” Ha Hee-Jeong grumbled, and I gave her back a light pat.

“See ya. We’ll talk about the party later. I’ll contact you after I return.”

“Okay.” She gave me a small nod, her eyes lingering on me with reluctant curiosity before she turned and made her way back to her waiting room.

The invitation still hovered in the air.

[Would you like to accept the offer?]

It was time to give my answer.

My sponsor was surely waiting. There was no reason to refuse a costless feast, certainly not when the host wasn’t insane enough to try to kill me.

I nodded. “Yes.”

***

Once the sensation of weightlessness faded, I opened my eyes.

Rolling green hills stretched beneath a clear blue sky, reminiscent of the landscape that once appeared on a computer’s default background. Atop a deep green rise, there stood a modest, plain cabin. It was neither large nor small.

Hmm.

To be honest, it wasn’t quite the sight I had imagined. After all, a first-class god was supposed to be hosting a feast. It wasn’t that I had expected anything grim or oppressive, but something resembling a grand castle.

Probably an influence from Earth.

In my mind, a feast was a time of indulgence, like the kind enjoyed by European nobility. The trials themselves often featured medieval settings, so I had grown used to that aesthetic.

In any case, the world itself carried a certain pressure, but not one that felt unpleasant—it was Omniscient Thunder Axe’s divinity. It definitely favored me, but I didn’t have much time to dwell on it.

A familiar woman standing at the foot of the hill began to approach.

Angelina smiled warmly. “It’s been a while.”

“It has,” I replied, smiling in kind.

Her teachings had stuck with me, and I was genuinely glad to see her. Part of me even wanted to spar with her again.

Having grown since our last meeting, I could now sense—to some extent—how powerful she was, and that she wouldn’t be an easy opponent.

“The next time we meet, I expect to see you standing far above where I am now. It would be nice to share a smile then, as well.”

That had been her parting remark. Though I wasn’t standing far above her as she had suggested, I was at least on somewhat equal ground.

Perhaps she detected my intent, because Angelina’s expression turned playfully wry. “To think you are leaking battle intent mid-greeting. Truly, you’re just like before.”

“My apologies. It’s been a while,” I apologized, but she just laughed aloud.

“That’s okay. I’m just as curious to see how much you’ve grown, and I’m sure we’ll have an opportunity to find out. That’ll have to wait, though. Lord Omniscient Thunder Axe has summoned you.”

“Yes.”

“Come. It’s only a short distance away, but I’ll guide you.”

As she turned back, I glimpsed a lingering desire for combat. Perhaps it was a trace of fondness for a former student.

“Did you take the initiative to guide me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“To walk me to the feast, I mean.”

Truthfully, the tower—or whoever was responsible for teleporting me—could have sent me directly inside the building or at least to the front door. Perhaps it was to maintain appearances or the god’s dignity. Seeing her here made me wonder otherwise, however.

Angelina shook her head slowly. “I didn’t do anything.”

She smiled soon after, though. “I did think it would be nice to see you again. But no matter how little the lord cares for formality, I wouldn’t make such a personal request.”

Angelina appeared to uphold a certain strictness when it came to the relationship between god and apostle. On second thought, it only made sense. After all, the more divinity an apostle received, the more bound they became to their god.

“Lord Omniscient Thunder Axe asked if I wanted to see you. I simply agreed.”

“I see.”

It was a small thing, but it improved my opinion of Thunder Axe slightly. If they took such matters concerning their apostles into account, then they likely weren’t a bad person.

Of course, villains could treat their subordinates well, too, but overall, it left a favorable impression.

“Then go on in.”

“You’re not coming with me, Angelina?”

“I am only here to guide you. For now, focus on the lord, not me. If the opportunity arises, we’ll meet again.”

I smiled. “Okay.”

Angelina opened the cabin door. Beyond it, a space far larger than I had expected lay in front of me, though that was hardly surprising for a god’s domain. It had no doubt been expanded through some form of spatial magic.

Right in front of me, I spotted a massive table laden with an array of dishes, and beyond it, my sponsor themself.

Omniscient Thunder Axe

They were a towering figure, over three meters tall. They sported a thick white beard and hair that, rather than diminishing their appearance, only made them more formidable.

They regarded me with deep, fathomless eyes, as if studying me. “Well? How is it? Are you satisfied with your second life?”

1. As a soldier’s discharge date approaches, they become so cautious about avoiding injury or trouble that they will even be wary of something as harmless as a falling leaf, so that they can avoid delaying their discharge. ☜