Chapter 335: The Constellations' Auction. (2)

Chapter 335: The Constellations' Auction. (2)

2.

[The 68th floor stage is now up for auction.]

[The 69th floor stage is now up for auction.]

I blankly listened to the messages ringing one after another in my head, becoming so bewildered that my face almost turned into a fish face, like a carp bread

(ED: face like this)

No. This pun isnt quite right.

Lets just keep staring blankly.

[The 70th floor stage is now up for auction.]

Stop.

Finally, the last floor among the stages that could participate in the auction was put up for sale.

The pillar of the tower, [The Wand Of Ages], announced the end of the listings.

Beyond this point is not the territory I oversee. If you want to escape from the Death King, you should look for another pillar. There might be Constellations who dont know who I am, or even Constellations hearing about the existence of a pillar for the first time, but consider this a special case.

The message cut off, and silence ensued all around.

Now, since the items have been listed, shall we look for a buyer?

It wasnt long.

I will explain the gist of the auction.

Click, [The Wand Of Ages] tapped the air with the end of the staff.

As you know, the Death King is a [Hunter], in other words, a challenger climbing the tower towards the hundredth floor, [Skys Extreme Point]. He is also a Constellation who has received the name [The Sky That Gathers Screams], though not fully blossomed yet.

Indeed.

Hunter is also a term used in the tower for those who climb it.

So, from now on, its not a fight between a teacher giving a test and a student taking it, but a fair duel between warriors.

The magicians voice was low in tone and temperature.

Like the sound of a piano softly playing outdoors on a winter day.

Constellations dwelling above in the tower momentarily became spectators, listening to the magicians song.

I believe every warrior has the right to flee from a duel.

The magicians eyes were silver.

A sword should only be wielded by those who wish to use it in a duel.

Eyes resembling the color of a blade looked at me.

So, who willingly wants to duel with the Death King?

.

Among the countless constellations, which beast hasnt forgotten the joy of victory? Who is the snake that, even after ascending to the sky, cannot shed the pleasure of its scales scraping against the ground? Which star, even after being embraced by the Tower Master, refuses to serve as its master, what light is it scattering now?

Click, with that.

The magician rolled his tongue inside his mouth.

64th floor. Auction starts.

[The Bird That Burns Fire bids.]

As soon as the magician finished speaking, someone sent out a message.

[The Bird That Burns Fire warns not to bid higher than itself unless one wishes to die.]

The magician tilted his head.

Well. Using that tone might just invite more people eager to jump in, you know?

[The Bird That Burns Fire advises to participate in the auction from the next stage onwards if one does not wish to die.]

Good. Much better.

I found it hard to spot the difference between the two sentences, but it seemed the magician heard a significant distinction.

An unknown Constellation continuously sent out messages.

[The Bird That Burns Fire suggests a method for the auction.]

[The Bird That Burns Fire states that it is logical to auction off the next floor every time the Death King defeats a stage, rather than deciding the administrator for up to the 70th floor all at once.]

[The Bird That Burns Fire argues very logically that this is because if the Death King is defeated at the 64th floor, only the Constellation that bid for the 65th floor would end up becoming the fool.]

Hmm.

The magician closed his left eye.

That makes sense.

[The Bird That Burns Fire reminds everyone that it always speaks the truth.]

Lets assume thats the case. But the most important thing remains.

The magician looked up at the sky.

The bid? How much do you want to pay for the rights to manage?

[The Bird That Burns Fire answers.]

[Everything it has.]

The magician nodded.

Theres no reason not to accept. The administrator for the 64th floor will be changed from The Righteous Nine-Tailed Fox to The Bird That Burns Fire.

And with that, it was over.

The magician turned his head and looked at me.

Death King. Step onto the next stage.

The magician lifted his long staff and tapped the ground lightly.

Taking that subtle signal as my cue, I charged across the ash heap.

Hishmith Kritz. Fulfill your promise.

The loser from the previous stage responded to my command.

[The Eye Living in the Labyrinth manifests its power.]

Wriggle.

The thread like snake crawled out of my pocket and coiled around my wrist like a bracelet. The snake had sworn to assist me in conquering the tower, thus fulfilling its promise.

[The Eye Living in the Labyrinth exposes the enemys information.]

Within the flow of aura, time slowed, and in the sluggish current, characters were etched before my eyes.

I could see the enemys true name.

The Bird That Burns Fire.

Docheol

Following that, the origin of the Phoenix were embroidered in the void.

In one stroke.

The writing of Hishmith Kritz was as twisted as his own body, yet as clear as the gleam in a hermits eye, making it easy to read.

+

Docheol is fire.

If water represents the righteous path as it flows downward, fire is the rebellious heart going against it. Docheols fire symbolizes emotion.

Fire consumes others to grow itself. It has no eyes to see the world. Therefore, Docheol governs the realm of emotion, specifically the blinded ones: [Hatred], [Loathing], and most of all, the [Pleasure] that melts away in self-display.

It screams as if about to die immediately but never dies, in fact, it only kills others.

If I was lost in the pleasure of observing others, Docheol is addicted to displaying himself.

Demanding to be the sole focus, its reality is such that without anything around to burn, it cannot burn itself.

Its names are [The Fire That Burns Fire], [The Self That Consumes Itself], [Blindness].

Merely a fire that has gone blind.

+

Indeed.

I instantly pierced through the identity of the Phoenix.

It wasnt just a grudge for not being able to fight the Sword Emperor.

The Constellations wings fluttered.

In other words, the Phoenix squinted its eyes.

Despite having an appearance far removed from humans, I was confident in my ability to read [the expression of fire] more than anyone.

I saw its psychology through the angle at which the flames wrapped around the Constellation bent, the way the flames split, and the signs of embers burning.

You were merely vexed for not participating in the event known as the Sword Emperor. A duel between warriors wasnt your interest.

.

Ive fought with the Sword Emperor once. I have exchanged swords with him. Youre just longing for that title. Envious of the Constellations who had it in the past, jealous of those who lost to me, and envious of the genuine constellations who could truly compete against me, you too wanted to join in.

I swung my sword while transmitting my voice.

Right now, in your head, youre not contemplating how to defeat me, but rather how to stage the most plausible scene to engrave yourself in the memories of other Constellations.

!

The Phoenix couldnt refute my words. Not that it chose not to, but it couldnt.

It wasnt for lack of a rebuttal, but for lack of time to do so.

The Phoenix couldnt keep up with the accelerated pace of time I had invoked with my aura. When it attempted to utter a single word, I had already spilled a dozen, leaving it no turn to counter.

If that was the case with its voice, imagine the speed of the sword.

Perhaps it was you who bestowed the flame skill upon Yoo Soo-ha.

Sword Emperor had once appraised, saying that Estelle, the Devil King of Fall Rain, was a D-class Constellation.

Even if we purely consider the power they possessed, this Firebird would also be about that level. Between D+ and C- grade.

I have no time to entertain someone who has no intention of fighting me.

A flash.

I declared with dual meanings.

Be extinguished.

And I cut down the Constellation that could have become Yoo Soo-has deity.

Screams followed.

If it took years to cut down the Devil King of Fall Rain, this time, not even seconds were needed.

The sixty-fourth floor. Duel concluded. The victor is the Death King.

[The Wand Of Ages], having observed the entire fight, declared.

The voice quietly settled in the midst of the ash swirling in the air.

Then, lets immediately start the auction for the 65th floor.

*****

1) Taotie is based off Taotie (, Toti, lit. Ravenous Gluttony), one of the Four Perils in Chinese mythology, and is known as (Docheol) in Korean, and (, Ttetsu) in Japanese.

*****

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