Chapter 81

Chapter 081: Earnest Wish(4)

Whirr—!

The sword ki emitted a dense energy utterly different from the previous ones.

After that, I was able to get the desired result after a few system messages rang.

「 Proficiency of skill ‘Lightning Sword Ki’ has increased by 30% due to independent realization. 」

Lightning Sword Ki.

Originally, the reason why I wanted to materialize the Sword Ki by myself was to increase the Proficiency of the skill.

Because there was nothing bad about upgrading the ability to shoot out a slash and support the power in any case.

However…

「 Proficiency of  ‘Mana Operation (A-)’ has increased by 8% due to independent realization. 」

“I didn’t expect it to end up like this.”

Currently, I was experiencing growth several times greater than I originally expected.

「 ‘Body and Sword as One’ achievement unlocked. 」

「 The mana cost penalty of ‘Sword Ki Master’ will now disappear. 」 

Body and Sword as One.

The sense that the Body and the Sword becoming as one materialized into an achievement, and the penalty of Sword Ki disappeared as a reward.

It wasn’t just that.

Through independent realization, even the Proficiency of Mana Operation increased.

It meant that it was enlightenment to the extent that the skill proficiency of Mana Operation, which stepped into the realm of natural talent, went up.

「 Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ is extremely excited about your materialization of Sword Ki. 」 

「 Administrator ‘Iron-Blooded Monarch’ is astonished that the contractor has stepped into the stage of Body and Sword as One. 」

「 Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ wants to test your talents a bit more. 」 

「 Administrator ‘Iron-Blooded Monarch’ trembles at her contractor’s talents, revealing her greed. 」

So I could somewhat understand why the administrators were sending messages frantically.

Moreover…

“The first materialization of Sword Ki from the dimension of Earth, huh… That’s not a bad title.”

The Tower of Trials praised me as the first challenger to materialize the Sword Ki in the dimension of earth.

Getting praise from the Tower is rare. I wonder how many times the Tower praised me?

I was only praised after I was called to the Tower, and after winning a fierce battle against the Orcs.

I couldn’t even remember the Tower of Trials praising me after that.

While enjoying the praise I had received after such a long time, I quickly put away the Sword Ki and stopped.

I’d finished everything that needed to be done.

Therefore—

「 Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ invites you to the administrator territory. 」 

「 Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ invites you to the admini… 」 

「 Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ invites you to… 」 

There was no need to hesitate further.

***

As I accepted the White Crane Sword Saint’s invitation, moving to the administrator’s area happened literally within the blink of an eye.

「You’re being teleported to the administrator territory as you’ve accepted the invitation.」

「 You have entered the forest. 」

The moment I blinked my eyes, at the same time, a system message popped up.

“…”

The landscape around me was changed, and a mansion with a small pond in the middle of a bamboo forest caught my attention.

I was intrigued for a while by the atmosphere reminiscent of ancient China, but…

Apart from the intrigue, it didn’t mean that I was surprised.

Just like the Iron-Blooded Monarch, this territory is also nothing but an area allocated to the White Crane Sword Saint, after all.

Now, rather than this territory itself, my interest was focused on the White Crane Sword Saint, who was named as the owner of this realm.

Judging by the title used as an administrator, I thought maybe she was an old person like Baek Sunhak.

It was pretty plausible when I recalled the content that had been delivered to me through system messages.

「 Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ eagerly awaits your visit. 」 

「 Administrator ‘White Crane Sword Saint’ hopes that you had no change of heart. 」

However, guessing the identity of White Crane Sword Saint was cut off by a message that soon came up.

“…”

It looked like an elderly person living alone was anxious that their grandson, who didn’t visit for a long time, would leave, but…

Contrary to the message of White Crane Sword Saint emitting anxiousness, I had no intention of taking a step back now.

“No worries. I have no intention of beating around the bush anymore.”

I just reaffirmed and became certain of the effectiveness of the Sword Ki through the independent realization.

Clearly, administrator White Crane Sword Saint was someone who’d give me benefits rather than cause a loss.

An administrator from Murim could bring me great benefits in terms of combat power.

Therefore—

Having come this far meant that there was no option to turn back.

I immediately moved forward, held the doorknob of the Chinese-style mansion, and went in.

Then—

“…Finally, you’ve come this far.”

I could see a white-haired woman standing on the floor overlooking a small pond beyond it.

She soon turned her head and smiled at me, putting the sword on her lap.

And then…

“I have been waiting for a challenger like you to appear for a really long time.”

Soon I opened my eyes widely as I saw her faint smile while she fluttered her white hair.

Originally, I speculated that the White Crane Sword Saint would be an old man with a gentle impression, but…

Despite that speculation, White Crane Sword Saint wasn’t an old man, nor even a man.

“Nice to meet you. I’m administrator White Crane Sword Saint.”

The White Crane Sword Saint was a beautiful young lady with an elegant impression. 

***

“…”

At first, I thought I wouldn’t be so bewildered when I met the White Crane Sword Saint.

But that was a complete misjudgment.

The identity of the White Crane Sword Saint was completely different from what I had imagined.

A fluttering white martial arts uniform and fine, white hair showed that the White Crane Sword Saint was an old person.

But on the contrary, I was bewildered because wherever I looked at her body, she only looked like an adult who had just turned 20 years old.

Could all administrators keep their bodies young like this?

‘It seems that the welfare of the tower is quite formidable even though they died and became subordinate to the tower.’

To think that they give you a body that never gets old, never gets sick, and as well as an individual territory.

I thought that it seemed they have even better welfare than the level of the Earth.

***

[Translator – Ramen ]

[Proofreader – DVN-L ]

***

It was then—

“…What’s wrong? Is there any problem?”

The White Crane Sword Saint tilted her head as she looked at me, standing still.

Only then I stopped thinking about her and opened my mouth.

It’s because it’s not good to stand around thinking about things while you have an important trade opponent in front of you.

“…I was just amazed to see the administrator that I only knew through messages.”

To be precise, I was surprised by the appearance of the White Crane Sword Saint, which was completely different from what I thought.

“Ahaha… you might feel that way, too.”

White Crane Sword Saint smiled a little and agreed with me.

Then she tapped the seat next to her with her palm while looking at me.

“It’d be difficult if you just stand there and talk. Please come over here.”

“…That’s true. Excuse me then.”

I replied to her call briefly and quietly sat down next to her.

I could only then understand why she was sitting on the floor instead of on a chair.

It was refreshing.

“…”

The wind flowing through the forest reached the floor, delivering fresh air.

And in a small pond seen over the open floor, fish were swimming freely under the lotus flowers.

It felt like I was gradually being inspired just by looking at it.

The White Crane Sword Saint spoke to me as I stared blankly at the scene.

“It feels good, doesn’t it?”

She smiled as she hugged her fluttering martial arts uniform down to her ankles, along with her knees.

“I’ve always been here, watching you.”

“…Since when?”

“Since you started the duel of life and death between Baek Sunhak on the 9th floor.”

“So you’ve been watching me since the time when trial spectating became possible.”

Moreover, that was the time when the White Crane Sword Saint sponsored me a power.

Which meant that after seeing me achieve victory in the duel with Baek Sunhak, she immediately sponsored me.

“Didn’t you think it was a waste to sponsor a power to a challenger that you’d only seen once?”

At those words, White Crane Sword Saint shook her head with a cold face.

“It wasn’t a waste at all. You really need to know your worth.”

“…?”

“Great Elder Baek Sunhak was a swordsman who used to be called quite a strong man in Murim, even though he didn’t reach the level of Sword Ki Supreme.”

“…”

“Even though he lost most of the strength he had after entering the Tower of Trials, defeating such a challenger is enough to call it an achievement.”

She blabbered as though it was something great, but I couldn’t really accept her words.

Baek Sunhak must’ve been much stronger than me at the time when he hadn’t entered the Tower.

And that fact wouldn’t have really changed even before the floor intrusion penalty weakened him.

It was then that I was about to dismiss the topic, saying I won out of luck.

I couldn’t help but be shocked with my eyes wide open at the words of the White Crane Sword Saint that followed soon after.

Because…

“You don’t have to deny it, because it’s from me, who once signed a contract with Baek Sunhak.”

It was because the truth that I couldn’t have imagined was revealed with her words.

***

The atmosphere became heavy in an instant. 

I had already noticed that White Crane Sword Saint was an administrator from Murim.

However, it was my first time knowing that she was the administrator who had signed a contract with Baek Sunhak.

I wondered if she had a big grudge or something against me, but…

She dismissed it as though she realized that I was having such thoughts.

“I didn’t have a good relationship with Baek Sunhak.”

“…What?”

“He was just a good challenger for me to earn points even though he didn’t have any growth potential.”

“I had never met him in person. He knew it too, but he stayed still since he wanted my powers.”

After saying that, the White Crane Sword Saint said with lamentation as though she felt bitter.

“I have signed many contracts with challengers, but I have never called a challenger here so far.”

From those words, I could tell that she had spent many years by herself.

“Until I saw you through Baek Sunhak.”

Before I knew it, the eyes of the White Crane Sword Saint were sending me an intangible pressure with seriousness.

“You’ve probably expected it to some extent, but I’ll tell you clearly.”

At that, I narrowed my eyes and looked at her.

“Please sign the [Additional Contract] that was formed along with the expansion of the Tower system this time.”

I opened my mouth while keeping my expressionless face at her suggestion.

“What exactly are the advantages I can get from doing that?”

“I can make you a disciple of the administrator White Crane Sword Saint.”

“…What would be good if I become White Crane Sword Saint’s disciple exactly?”

“In the tower, a discipleship means a challenger with a special contract that each administrator can appoint only one person in his or her lifetime.”

“…”

“When the discipleship contract is signed, the challenger who became a disciple can purchase all the powers possessed by the administrator.”

“Then you mean that contracts that aren’t discipleship contracts can’t purchase all the powers?”

“The power of an administrator is an ability that can break nature. There are bound to be restrictions.”

In short, it meant that if I became her disciple, I’d be able to buy all the powers of the White Crane Sword Saint.

But if I didn’t, I’d only be able to attain limited powers.

I felt very lucky in this situation.

The Iron-Blooded Monarch was the first contractor I made, and I was also the first challenger brought to the administrator’s territory by the White Crane Sword Saint to make me her disciple.

And it didn’t stop there.

‘White Crane Sword Saint recommended me to be her disciple even though it’s an additional contract.’

The Tower of Trials specified that the [Additional Contract] is a contract that can run out at any time.

However, she gave me the position of a disciple, which can only be given once in a lifetime as an administrator.

I wondered if there could ever be any situation that would be good for me, but ironically, my doubts arose because of that.

“Why are you even offering me the seat of a disciple?”

I wondered what the White Crane Sword Saint expected from me that she was even willing to give me the seat of disciple even though it was just an additional contract?

I couldn’t hold back my curiosity about it, and she easily answered right away.

“I just chose you to make my Earnest Wish come true, just like that woman.”

As though there was nothing to hide, White Crane Sword Saint said quietly while looking at the pond.

“I need the sharpest Sword than anyone else. The best Sword that will never be broken and will never be dulled.”

Sword.

“You have the potential to be sharper than any other sword I’ve ever seen.”

White Crane Sword Saint said that she chose me because she thought that I’d become a sharper sword than anyone else.

Then, where did she want to wield that Sword, which is me?

“You obtain the sword because you have somewhere to wield it.”

“…”

“Then what is that Earnest Wish of yours?”

“…?”

But she tilted her head as if she didn’t understand what I was saying.

Then she approached me, dragging her fluttering martial arts uniform to the floor, and opened her eyes wide like a rabbit.

“Have you not heard from that woman what the Earnest Wish is?”

Hearing her say that woman, she seemed to know the Iron-Blooded Monarch, so I wanted to ask her if she knew her.

But rather than the relationship between the two of them, I focused on her words, asking if I didn’t know what Earnest Wish is.

“I’ve only heard that she can’t tell me about the Earnest Wish yet.”

“What do you…? She hasn’t told her disciple about the Earnest Wish yet?”

“…?”

“…Whatever. It’s something I can tell if she hasn’t told you.”

White Crane Sword Saint clenched the fluttering martial arts uniform with both hands and opened her mouth as though she was sighing.

“Earnest Wish isn’t a personal wish of an administrator without compensation for you.”

And—

Earnest Wish is a right that Tower bestowed on the administrator. Like the trial of the Tower, the administrator can give the challenger a trial. If they accomplish it, the challenger gets a reward.

I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide as she continued speaking.

——