Under what circumstances would a stranger call you by someone else’s name?
A. You look similar to that person.
B. You act similar to that person.
C. You are that person.
Du Ze tried to figure it out. Ever since Corellon said “father,” some silly, cute person has been in a terrible state of confusion. He wanted to get information about the Creator God but hadn’t expected to get such good intel.
In order to organize his thoughts, Du Ze listed various possibilities in his mind. Based on Corellon’s reaction when she first looked at him, Du Ze ruled out the first possibility. After all, if he really did look like the God of Creation then Corellon would have called him “Father God” at first glance.
The second possibility is the one that Du Ze feels is most likely. He might have the same temperament or aura or something else that is similar to that of the Creator God. Since it was recognized by the leader of the elf gods, then that similarity must be some special attribute that only the Creator God has. This conjecture can be extended. Perhaps he and that God of Creation have some kind of connection and one day the BOSS will jump out and say to him: “Actually, I am your father!”
… NOOOOOOO!!!
This conjecture was so terrifying that some silly, cute person’s brain sprung a leak.
Du Ze shifted his attention to the third possibility. That doesn’t seem likely at all but it is possible that everything is possible, and whatever seems the least possible is the truth, and so on. Du Ze has unscientifically crossed over into the world of a novel – Maybe one day he will be transported into the beginning of this world and become the God of Creation. If it’s the God of Creation, it wouldn’t be hard for him to change someone’s appearance … how come the more he thinks about it, the more it seems like it’s the truth? A silly, cute reader shamelessly created a YY novel. The God of Creation’s title sounded very elegant and Western——
From the corner of his eye, Du Ze glimpsed Xiu. The Protagonist is here; the End BOSS is here; the only thing to do is …
Moe Lord, we are good friends, okay?!
The End BOSS will eventually be pushed down by the protagonist. Who wouldn’t hug the thigh then?1 Du Ze thought that if he really became the last BOSS, the Moe Lord would still push him down, as to what the Moe Lord would do after he has pushed down Du Ze …
Ha-ha.
Du Ze wanted to cover his face. Every time he thought of a possibility, it turned into something really stupid. Now he cannot come to any conclusion using the information from Corellon. The only thing he can do is to pin his hopes on the next trial. If the angel race’s simulation is next, then the tsundere god of light should certainly have a lot of information about the Creator God.
Du Ze, Xiu, and the others were waiting at the hall. Five statues have appeared on the stone platforms. Du Ze looked around him and cast his attention on Xiu who was listening to the Thunder Regiment’s report. Because of their coincidental reunion at the Tree of Life, not only has their team become bigger, they also have a lot more information about the Tower of God now.
Listening to their report, Du Ze felt a chill rising from the bottom of his feet. According to Rachel, the Thunder Regiment has a total of 300 people who were divided into 50 teams. The number of known casualties has reached half. The ones who survived were the ones at the level of Sword Saint and War God. The Tower of God is so cruel.
When he heard about the Thunder Regiment’s experiences in the tower, Du Ze realized that Xiu’s leadership made climbing the tower very easy. For example, if it was the demon race’s trial, other teams would take at least a month to get to the last level and only a few people in the whole continent would even be able to beat Bael.
In addition, regarding the undead race’s trial, the last part is the hardest because of the human’s counterattack. Once the tower climber’s army reaches 800,000, the Temple of Light will send out twelve elite knights who cannot be defeated by the undead. No matter how strong the undead are, they will die under the hands of the knights. With the knights of the Temple of Light joining the war, the undead army will suffer colossal loses and if the number of the undead army drops below 500,000 then the Tower of God will deem the trial a failure.
Du Ze realized that it was great that they met Rachel at that time and skipped the hardest part of the trial to go directly to the BOSS battle. When the Thunder Regiment met Louis, compared to Xiu who inexplicably won that fight, the Thunder Regiment team had a very difficult time and they had to sacrifice their comrade, killing him along with Louis.
About the human race’s trial, the Thunder Regiment members that they met had not experienced it and Du Ze thought it was probably because the Thunder Regiment members who had been teleported to that place were probably still trapped there. Although the human simulation is harmless, it can trap the tower climber – no one escapes from the Temple of Knowledge without finding the answer to the Sphinx’s questions. Du Ze sighed. Luckily, they met Antonio …
Du Ze suddenly froze. A flash of thought in his head chilled him to the bone. Once is a coincidence, twice is luck, the third and fourth time …?
In the undead trial they met Rachel. In the human trial they met Antonio. In the dragon trial Du Ze did not know what happened but Xiu said he met someone and obtained important information. As for the demon and elf trials, Xiu’s identity greatly reduced the difficulty of the checkpoints.
No matter which level of the the Tower of God, they received a lot of advantages: either they met someone to help them or Xiu’s identity was their trump card, so for them climbing the tower was easier. Looking at all that had happened, it seems as though something has been helping them with the goal of helping Xiu become the Supreme God.
From the point of view of the Thunder Regiment teams, the elite soldiers can only pass one or two trials before they were almost annihilated. Even if this is an exaggeration, the current tower climbers would probably be only be able to complete three to four trials while Xiu has already finished five trials. Du Ze has no doubt that the first person to ascend to the top of the tower will definitely be Xiu.
What a contrast! The Tower of God is so cruel to others but so kind to Xiu.
Rachel was finished talking about the trials they had faced in the past. She began to describe the trials they hadn’t gone through yet. The statues they have yet to acquire are the gnome, angel, and beastkin ones. Regarding the gnome race simulation, they already know that it will be in the Gnome Ruins. They still don’t know anything about the angel race’s trial because none of the Thunder Regiment members present have completed it. Du Ze thought that those demons who went there probably made the god of light angry.
So now the most important information is about the beastkin trial. Gabriel, the sole survivor of his team, made the report. All of his teammates were … killed.
“… After choosing five companions, we joined the battlefield. When we went in we saw many other tower climbers, all of whom were inside that battlefield. The whole battlefield was an area where magic was forbidden. Once the Battle Hymn starts, the different teams will attack each other. At first we did not know that the Battle Hymn was dangerous. We only knew that our courage and power were increased and that we had the urge to fight,” said Gabriel. “As time went on, the time between the Battle Hymns became shorter and shorter. The time when we felt the urge to fight became longer and longer. Gradually, we lost our minds.”
“By the time I regained my senses, it was all over.”
Du Ze silently listened to the end of Gabriel’s story. He reported the names of the teammates who found death at his hands. Even though the demon race is cruel, Gabriel’s pale face showed that killing his companions in this trial was very painful for him. In this regard, the beastkin trial is cruelest of all the trials. Du Ze sincerely hopes that they will not face the beastkin trial next but …
What you are most afraid of is what is most likely to happen next.
Du Ze, speechless, looked at the Tower of God’s simulation of a beastkin tribe village that they found after they went through the door of light.
The tribal chiefs explained that Xiu must choose five companions to go with him to the battlefield. The other members of his team can wait outside for the combatants’ return. It seems that the tower climbers can also pick some of the beastkin tribe warriors to go with them to the battlefield. That must be the Tower of God’s concession for solo tower climbers.
Xiu glanced at everyone then his gaze finally settled on Du Ze. Having learned of the sinister nature of the beastkin trial, he cannot keep Du Ze at his side this time. After confirming that the people who stay in the village are absolutely safe, Xiu selected four beastkin fighters from the tribe. In fact, Xiu originally intended to select five beastkin fighters but the demon who survived the trial volunteered to join. Since Gabriel had experience in the battlefield, Xiu agreed to bring him along.
“Lord Xiu, please be careful,” the demon sisters said anxiously.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of the little master.” Old John laughed and comforted the two sisters. As a mechanical puppet, he was not counted among the five companions so he could join the team.
Rachel was in the sidelines urging Gabriel to protect Xiu.
Xiu stretched his hand to hold silly, cute person by the back of the neck. He leaned down and kissed Du Ze’s soft earlobe.
“Wait for me to come back.”
Du Ze felt a cool touch on his ear then a cold burning sensation like mint that seemed to pierce him all the way into his heart. He covered his reddened ears with his hands and looked up but all he could see was the silver-haired elf’s back as he walked away. The village’s giant wooden doors closed as if it was swallowing Xiu’s figure as he and the others went inside the battlefield.
Du Ze looked at the closed door. He felt very uneasy.
********
Translator’s Notes:
Since Du Ze is an avid reader, he’s shocked at what the elf goddess said, oh my.
I love the way Du Ze thinks. He’s not stupid and he has read many novels so he knows how these things work. I love it when a character can think of all the possibilities like we readers can, instead of when a character remains oblivious to all the clues and foreshadowing around him.
What do you think of Du Ze’s A, B, and C guesses? Which one do you think is closest to the truth?