Chapter 118:

Chapter 118:

“Congratulations. You have cleared Floor 13 of the Trial Tower.”

“As a breakthrough reward, a ‘Random Skill Tome (A+)’ has been sent to your inventory.”

“As a breakthrough reward, you have gained ‘90,000 points.'”

“As a breakthrough reward, you have gained ‘4,000 SP.'”

“As an additional breakthrough reward, you have gained ‘5,000 SP.'”

“Please proceed to the waiting room.”

Even the system message acknowledged Cell Neir’s death.....

Soon, a portal appeared next to Cell Neir’s lifeless body.

“Finally, it’s over.”

Technically, I had only used up one out of the remaining 14 days, but it still felt like a significant amount of time.

And rightly so.....

“The Vampire Lord was too weak.”

Cell Neir, who had appeared as the final enemy on the 13th floor, was much weaker than I had anticipated.

It would have been better if he had at least fled the city or tried to escape.

I might have even pursued him using the mini-map.

But he didn’t do any of that. Instead, he appeared in a flashy manner and met his demise in a pitiful way, which was expected.

Of course, separate from the somewhat trivial aspects, the 13th floor had a considerable positive impact on my growth.

The proficiency I had built up in necromancy by slaughtering the vampires and the significantly improved attributes were evidence of that.

“If absorbing even Cell Neir’s authority increases my necromancy rank...”

Though I couldn’t absorb his skills, I had engraved a skill onto the Blood Demon Sword using its Blood Feast ability...

And I didn’t just gain that one skill. Updated chapters at novelhall.com

I gained two skills through achievements.

“The Torture Technique (D-) was obtained from the strange achievement ‘Torturer’s Start.’

“Skill – Torture Technique (D-)”

“Proficiency – None”

“Description – Gain experience in torture, enabling more efficient methods of torture.”

“Effect – When targeting an incapacitated opponent, it becomes easier to instill fear, increasing torture efficiency by 10%.”

Pain Increase (D-) was obtained by achieving the achievement ‘The Beginning of Madness.’

“Skill – Pain Increase (D-)”

“Proficiency – None”

“Description – Can amplify the pain experienced by the target.”

“Effect – Inflicting damage on the opponent doubles the pain experienced by them.”

Strangely, I achieved consecutive achievements and ended up acquiring these skills,

though the contents of the skills were not particularly well-suited for combat.

“The Torture Technique makes it easier to torture incapacitated opponents, while Pain Increase is a skill that amplifies the pain felt by the target.”

I sighed.

I had no idea how I had achieved these kinds of achievements.

“I never acquired skills like Torture Technique or Pain Increase in the first place.”

When I considered my options, Pain Increase, as sinister as it was, seemed relatively better.

Doubling someone else’s pain might actually disrupt their focus in combat.

Of course, those accustomed to pain might not be bothered, but it was better than nothing.

However, these two skills were just extras, and the main point lay elsewhere.

It was.....

“Blood Feast’s unique slot(1/3) ”

“<engraved skill:="" blood="" fortify="" (c+)="">”</engraved>

“<engraved skill="" description:="" skill="" absorbed="" from="" 'lord="" of="" blood'="" cell="" neir,="" capable="" of="" enhancing="" blood="" within="" the="" blood="" dominion="" area.="">”</engraved>

“<engraved skill="" effect:="" expending="" mana="" to="" enhance="" blood="" within="" the="" blood="" dominion="" area="" strengthens="" durability="" and="" authority.="">“</engraved>

It was the result of the growth achieved by the Blood Demon Sword.

As far as I was concerned, it was quite satisfying, considering it brought the most useful part of Cell Neir’s blood manipulation.

The ability to enhance blood to boost durability and authority was not that different from resisting abilities of a similar type.

“Of course, even with this kind of ability, considering that my Blood Dominion was taken away, there must be limits to enhancing blood too...”

What mattered was that the concept of cost didn’t exist for the Blood Demon sword.

The Torture Technique makes it easier to torture incapacitated opponents, while Pain Increase is a skill that amplifies the pain felt by the target.

Blood Fortify requires no mana and has no cooldown, allowing it to be activated at any time up to its limit.

“Activating <unique skill:="" blood="" enhancement="" (c+)=""> of the True Blood Demon Sword.” </unique>

I stood there and coldly activated the Blood Fortify using Cell Neir’s cold blood.

I could immediately discern the benefits of the Blood Fortify skill, which didn’t deviate significantly from what I had imagined.

“Deactivating <unique skill:="" blood="" enhancement="" (c+)=""> of the True Blood Demon Sword.”</unique>

After discontinuing the use of Blood Fortify, I shifted my gaze towards Cell Neir’s emblem.

I then deactivated the newly acquired ‘Legend’ to halt the expenditure of divine power.

“Well, it wouldn’t make sense if it had no cost at all.”

However, even with a cost being incurred, I found the concept of this ‘Legend to be rather absurd.

It was reasonable to think that way.

After all, unique abilities seemed to emerge from actual experiences......

as if that’s why they were no different from innate powers.

Preventing the revival of the vampire lord Cell Neir and killing him resulted in the <irreversible> effect,</irreversible>

and along with that, slaughtering the vampires within the city led to the <exorcism> effect.</exorcism>

But that was truly strange.

’11th-floor clerics I saw before didn’t have these abilities.’

The clerics I encountered on the 11th floor didn’t possess such capabilities.

At most, they seemed to have recovery and attack-type abilities,

and those seemed to be special abilities only available to fully-fledged apostles.

Cell Neir was no different.

As the leader of the vampire worshippers of the God of Battle, he indeed had powers.....

but they never crossed the line of such excessive radicalism.

If Cell Neir had abilities nested within abilities like Legends, the course of the fight would have been different.

However, the battle went in my favor from start to finish, and there were no changes in the situation.

‘What in the world is my divine power......?’

Why is it different in direction from other divine powers...?”

Of course, pondering didn’t guarantee finding answers, but the doubt was natural.

However, I was only caught in those thoughts for a moment.

“The God of Battle recognizes your existence.”

Without a moment to ponder, the sudden system message drew my half-lidded eyes.

The message that the God of Battle recognized me held a significant implication.

‘There is a god on the 13th floor.....’

Just like there was the God Of Proof on the 11th floor.

On this 13th-floor stage, there was the God of Battle.

It wasn’t as if there were no premonitions about the God of Battle.

I could deduce from the vampire’s chatter about the God of Battle and upon examining Cell Neir inside the Flame Dragon Sanctuary that he possessed abilities.

So, I wasn’t surprised.

“The God of Battle realizes that his prospective apostle, who had been recreated, has died.”

I knew that the God wouldn’t harbor ill intentions towards me, nor could he harm me.

The Tower had a will to protect me, and the God wouldn’t dare to directly oppose the Tower.

Of course, if the God of Battle consumed divine power favorably like the God of Proof did, the story might have been different.

“The God of Battle recognizes the divine power you possess and harbors animosity towards you.”

Unlike the Proof God, the God of Battle didn’t hold favor towards me, instead, he harbored animosity.

“The God of Battle claims that the Tower has gone too far in raising a mere human subject.

The God of Battle feels displeased that a mere mortal has embraced divinity.”

Through this animosity, I realized that what the Proof God told me on the 11th floor was true.

“Do not trust the gods. They will now see you as an enemy.”

“The God of Battle remembers challenger Han Sungyeun.”

The God of Battle was hostile towards me.

“........”

However, unlike when I faced the Proof God, I wasn’t afraid of the God.

Maybe it was because I had experienced divine power firsthand, or maybe it was due to the indirect warning I had received.

Despite the stern warning from the God of Battle, I felt a similar conviction that I wouldn’t be intimidated.

“I don’t like this.”

Instead of feeling fear from the God’s message, I felt anger... and that anger soon transformed into a new desire, stimulating me.

“Crossing the line by embracing divinity?”

The God of Battle was antagonizing me, claiming that merely embracing divinity crossed a line that the Tower had established.

“Bullshit.”

I refused to tremble and submit to this irrational antagonism.

The Tower had granted me boundless potential through the Trial of the Tower.

So, there was no room for capitulation.

“I need to grow further. To the point where the gods can’t treat me lightly.”

I stared at the system message and felt it in my gut.

Now, I realized I couldn’t stop climbing the Tower.

[To be continued.]