Chapter 62: Warrior Climbs the Tower, Saintess Builds the Country

Chapter 62: Warrior Climbs the Tower, Saintess Builds the Country

The Twelfth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Remorse.

“Kill them!”

“Show those barbarians who don’t recognize the might of the Emperor no mercy!”

The imperial soldiers swarmed over like raging beasts. Such a majestic sight it was, like a massive tidal wave rolling over in the distance.

Only one person stood in the face of that incoming wave.

“Aaaarrghh! Muuuuscles!” Il-Ho roared, charging at the huge army head on.

Each swing of his fist roared like a thunderclap, scattering dozens of soldiers in every direction. None of those soldiers stood a chance against his combat prowess.

“Fire!”

“B-but General Stoogi! Our comrades are still fighting him!”

“I said fire!”

His enemy closed the insurmountable gap in strength with their overwhelming numbers and savagery on the battlefield.

Swoooosh!

Hundreds of catapults were fired, raining rocks down on both their comrades and Il-Ho.

Bam bam bam bam!

“Aaaargh!”

“S-save meeee!”

The imperial soldiers cried for help. Bloody rocks piled up on Il-Ho, burying him. Seeing that, General Stoogi sneered and said, “Kehehe, way too extravagant for a lowly barbarian’s tomb.”

Due to that attack, thousands of imperial soldiers perished along with Il-Ho. Nevertheless, this amount of damage left General Stoogi unfazed.

“Now, to finish off the remaining barbarians and capture the Saintess alive...”

Ruuuumble!

“W-what?”

The ground suddenly shook, making General Stoogi flustered.

Bam bam bam!

Rocks flew into the air like those from an erupting volcano, and bloody Il-Ho burst through the rocky mountain.

Raising his arms into the air, Il-Ho roared, “Arghhh! Muuuuscles! The great God Yu Il-Shin is with Il-Ho!”

General Stoogi watched the scene unfold, tightening his grip on his mace. “That lowly barbarian! All soldiers, charge! He’s dying! End him!”

“Waaaah!”

The battle between the Empire's 100,000-strong expeditionary force and a single warrior.

“Huff huff!”

The lone warrior won. Drenched in blood, Il-Ho turned his back on the mountain of imperial troops’ corpses. The hiding Gayamis cheered as they saw Il-Ho return victorious.

“He did it! We believed in you!”

“Hyungnim! When did you become so strong?!”

“You did it, Dear.”

His wise and strong father, tender mother, trusted brothers, and the woman he was engaged with.

However, Il-Ho walked past all of them, since none of this was real.

The reality was the other way around. General Stoogy and his expeditionary force had massacred his family. The mountain of corpses were theirs. Instead of rejoicing, his family and beloved desperately cried for him...

They were his remorse. As much as he wanted to cry, Il-Ho held back his tears. All that flowed out was blood from his wounds.

Ding!

[Congratulations. The Twelfth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Remorse has been cleared.]

[The challenger has been rewarded with Indomitable Will from Eternal Seeker.]

[Indomitable Will: Challenger, nothing in this world will be able to bend your will!]

Il-Ho steeled his resolve—to never go through the same pain again. Instead of remaining in the past, he would protect the present, and look forward to the future.

Glug glug!

Il-Ho burned with passion as he downed the Blessing of the Growth God given by Yu Il-Shin. Then, he headed to the trial on the next floor.

Ding!

[Aspiring Warrior Il-Ho has potential for transcendence.]

[Yu Il-Shin watches Il-Ho with a smile of contentment.]

***

Arachne drank a glass of blood diluted with strong wine. Black aging spots marred her once-beautiful skin. It was the side effect of eating Poison Sword Buttor’s wings. Nevertheless, it was also proof that he was living inside her.

“Buttor, how I miss you.”

Sorrowful tears filled her eyes as she gazed at the small piece of wing he’d left behind.

Squelch!

Black venom seeped through the puncture wound, spreading through her white skin like spider webs.

“...!”

Anty writhed as pain ran through her body. The mucus that glued her mouth together prevented her from screaming.

Please help me! Please save me, Lord Yu Il-Shin!

The Leader chuckled as he watched Anty tear up and said, “You won’t be lonely, Saintess. Soon, the rest of the barbarians will follow the same fate. Our wrathful Goddess will tear that crude god you worship limb to limb.”

Anty instantly stopped convulsing.

Kill him? How dare they! He's my one and only! How dare you touch my Lord Yu Il-Shin!

Her newfound anger triumphed over the torment of death.

Tzzz!

“L-Leader!”

“What is it?”

Flustered, one of the subordinates called to the Leader, “A-a tremendous d-divine power...”

But they did not get to finish their sentence.

Baaam!

...Because the crystal ball exploded in their face.

“W-what?”

“Convicting Middle Finger of God Yu Il-Shin.”

“Arrrrgh!”

“Kyaaaak!”

Flicker! Splaaaat!

Black flames soared all around them, reducing the Leader’s subordinates into ashes.

Something had gone terribly wrong! The Leader tried to make his escape, but soon realized that his legs were no more. He stumbled to the ground.

Clatter! Splat!

Anty stepped on the Leader’s head with a bare foot.

“Ugh...”

“Care to repeat yourself, you wretched spider?”

Anty's bloodshot eyes glared at the Leader as if he was an insect.

“Who will be torn from limb to limb by whom? Do you honestly believe you’ll be able to touch him?”

“Urk... Such arrogance. Saintess... no, you heretic bitch! For the first time in 500 years, the entire force of the Empire and the great gods will unite! Not even the God of Creation can defeat us! A malevolent god like yours...”

“Shut up, you impudent trash. Convicting Middle Finger of God Yu Il-Shin.”

Baaam!

“Arrrrgh!”

Furious, Anty shot out black flames, engulfing the spider’s entire body. His scorched body turned into ashes in an instant, scattering in the wind.

“Saintess! Are you alright!?”

Upon seeing flames in Anty’s quarters, Yi-Ho rushed in with a spear. But soon, his heart froze from shock. He saw a breathtakingly beautiful woman, naked, with jet-black hair and ruby-red eyes.

“Ms. A-Anty?”

He almost couldn’t recognize her, but she was unmistakably Anty, the Saintess of their tribe.

“Yi-Ho.” Her seductive red lips moved. “Please convey this to the Elder. I shall accept their request. However, our nation shall be named Gayami, the symbol bestowed upon us by God Yu Il-Shin. One last thing, have Baek-Ho lead the messengers to convey this to the entire continent. ‘To unite as one at the Holy Nation of Gayami, where we worship the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin and stand against the wicked empire!’”

Tzzz!

Black energy exploded from Anty. “Those wicked imperial bastards. I will no longer stand back! How dare you harm our God Yu Il-Shin!”

Ding!

[Anty, fallen saint and dark priestess, has potential for transcendence.]

[Yu Il-Shin, who arrived late, flinches at the sight of the transformed Anty. However, he soon came to his senses and enthusiastically cheered on her.]

Ding!

[You now have 2 more S-rank or higher intelligent beings with the potential for transcendence.]

[Additional targets: Il-Ho, Anty]

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[Quest: Low-tier God Promotion (In Progress)]

Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 3/10

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