NOVEL NEXT chapter 23
23 – 1st Floor, 3 vs 3 Team Battle.
While the Earthlings were enduring the hellish survival, players from other dimensions were not idle either.
They met the ascendants of their home dimensions and received training.
The martial artists met Dokgo Un.
No one knew Dokgo Un.
He was a martial artist from a much earlier generation.
When he entered the Tower of Struggle, Dokgo Un was at the peak of martial arts.
Now, he had reached a level that was difficult to categorize from the perspective of martial artists.
His method of imparting enlightenment was simple.
「No matter how much you train your body, practice mental techniques, or memorize formulas, it will feel different from the Central Plains. From the moment you are bound by the Soul System, enlightenment will not come as easily as it did in the Central Plains.」
“…….”
What nonsense.
Even before the Tower of Struggle, moments of enlightenment were extremely rare in the Central Plains.
Most of the unorthodox martial artists had never experienced enlightenment.
「There must be restrictions. It would be unfair to other dimensional players if your abilities increased dramatically the moment you gained enlightenment.」
“…….”
「The best way to break through the restrictions of the Soul System is to fight with your life on the line. Just like the Tower of Struggle demands.」
“…….”
「I also broke through the wall through life-and-death battles in the Tower of Struggle.」
Dokgo Un drew his sword.
「Even if it is impossible to gain enlightenment right now, you can still accumulate experience points in the Soul System.」
Believing it would be helpful someday, he swung his sword recklessly.
Clang-. Clang-!
The martial artists had to somehow receive Dokgo Un’s sword.
If they didn’t want to die, that is.
But he didn’t really intend to kill them.
Dokgo Un adjusted his strength for the sake of his juniors.
“We, we haven’t mastered martial arts. What should we do?”
Not everyone in the Central Plains was a martial artist.
Among them, there were ordinary people.
Doko Un taught them martial arts.
He gave them a way to survive as players.
[Three Talents Sword Technique][Lv.1][E]
[The physical damage of the Three Talents Sword Technique’s basic moves increases by ‘20%.’]
[Six Harmonies Fist Technique][Lv.1][E]
[The physical damage of the Six Harmonies Fist Technique’s basic moves increases by ‘20%.’]
Even after reading the skill tooltips, they had no idea what it meant.
If it weren’t for the Soul System, they would have never understood it.
Thanks to the Soul System, the common folk were forced to understand the effects, and they looked at Doko Un with moved expressions.
“D-Daehyup…!”
Having seen something like it before, they tried to immediately bow.
Doko Un stopped them.
“It’s just third-rate martial arts. It’s better than nothing, so I passed it on.”
“Still…”
“Don’t make me repeat myself. This is not a master-disciple relationship. Find your own way to survive.”
Doko Un had no intention of taking responsibility for them.
In the Tower of Struggle, it would be foolish to guarantee someone’s life.
Ma Do-gwang watched the martial artists from a step behind.
‘Such a lascivious body.’
His gaze skimmed over the women.
He fondled their ample chests and hips without restraint.
The women, feeling his disgusting lustful gaze, shuddered.
But they couldn’t say anything.
Ma Do-gwang was one of the strongest martial artists among this group.
Even if they wanted to argue, they couldn’t.
Ma Do-gwang had taken note of a few women.
“P-please…! No! I-I’m married.”
Then, avoiding Doko Un’s eyes, he secretly violated them.
She didn’t care about the circumstances of the woman.
“Hehe. I can just ask my husband to scratch it for me! I don’t know if it’ll reach all the way, though!”
Mado-gwang adapted to the Tower of Struggle faster than anyone else.
‘This place is no different from the Central Plains.’
Survival of the fittest.
The strong are respected.
The strong take everything, and the weak give up what they have.
From the tutorial until now, that principle had not changed.
‘It’s even worse than the Central Plains.’
He truly liked that.
“Mado-gwang. Where did you go yesterday?”
He had gained companions.
Though he couldn’t fully trust them, they were useful enough for a coordinated attack.
“Hehe. I had some fun.”
“…You didn’t kill anyone, did you?”
“Come on. I wasn’t that crazy. Would I do something like that with that monster watching me?”
“Then?”
Mado-gwang smirked slyly and gave a slight twist of his waist.
The meaning was conveyed.
“Who?”
“That woman.”
“Her butt is quite big.”
“The squeezing was nice too.”
“Does that mean she gave you permission?”
“More than permission, I just didn’t feel the need to step in. There’s no hypocritical righteous sect in this tower.”
They exchanged lewd jokes while waiting for their turn.
Dokgo-un had been continuously engaging in martial arts from yesterday to today without rest.
Eun-seo-ryeong stepped forward.
“Flash Sword Demon….”
One of the companions beside him muttered.
“The Flashing Sword Mistress?”
“The female swordsman from the Poisonous Fang faction. I don’t understand why she’s given the title of ‘Flashing Sword Mistress.’ Rather than that, ‘Mad Dog’… ‘Poisonous Fang Mad Dog’ would suit her better…”
His companion shuddered.
“Madogwang. That woman’s insane. Whether here in the Central Plains or anywhere else, she’s still crazy. Just because she looks somewhat pretty, it’s better not to even think about touching her.”
“……”
His companion’s warning only piqued Madogwang’s curiosity.
She had a beauty that was on an entirely different level compared to the discarded, married woman from earlier.
‘Crushing a woman who thinks she’s strong… sounds quite thrilling.’
As he watched the duel between Eun Seoryeong and Dokgo Un, Madogwang licked his lips.
“She’s called Flashing Sword Mistress, right?”
Madogwang approached Eun Seoryeong, pretending to be friendly.
Teasing a woman who was highly on guard had a certain irresistible thrill to it.
“Yes. Ridiculously, I’m often called by that title. It’s embarrassing.”
Up close, she was even more astonishing.
To have such a chest and still show such incredible swordsmanship.
“Though it feels a bit awkward to say it myself, I have a similar title. ‘Flashing Blade,’ it’s called.”
“Flashing Blade? What a cool title.”
Eun Seoryeong smiled sweetly and responded to Madogwang.
Had she lost the ability to distinguish between good and evil after losing an arm?
Was that why she couldn’t sense the crude desire radiating from Madogwang?
‘My hands are itching.’
No, that wasn’t it.
She was simply enduring it.
Suppressing with all her might the desire to draw her sword at the group of Black Daoists gathered in the training hall.
‘…My undergarments are soaked.’
By mistake, she had imagined a scene where she pierced Madogwang’s heart.
The moment the thrilling sensation brushed her fingertips, her lower body became damp.
Eun Seoryeong’s cheeks flushed a deep red.
Her expression, strangely buoyant and filled with excitement, and the look in her eyes, only fueled Madogwang’s lust further.
In some ways, their desires seemed to align.
Only the parts are different.
Both wanted to stab their opponent.
‘I will definitely commit.’
Mado-gwang waited for the right moment.
An opportunity to pounce on Eun-seo-ryeong.
He hoped it would come someday.
Unfortunately, he could not create that opportunity.
‘With that blank expression… not showing any openings at all.’
It seemed as if the sharp aura surrounded her.
So he gave up.
Then an unexpected situation unfolded.
「3 vs 3 team battle. It’s not difficult. Think of it as a series of matches where the winning player continues to fight.」
Doggo-un announced a new trial.
‘This is it.’
Mado-gwang licked his lips and ran his tongue over them.
Since the day he heard about the trial.
He only pondered how he could bring down Eun-seo-ryeong.
The match with Doggo-un wasn’t particularly helpful.
Mado-gwang’s talent wasn’t anything special.
But he had confidence.
‘No matter how peak martial artist they are, they won’t be able to block my way.’
Flash Blade Demon.
It wasn’t a false name won through gambling.
He had killed countless martial artists and gained notoriety.
None of them were peak martial artists, though.
Mado-gwang believed in the artifact he had obtained.
“In the end, she didn’t come.”
He had intended to show mercy without pointing her out, swaying his hips and acting coy.
Mado-gwang clicked his tongue and chose Eun-seo-ryeong’s team.
「It’s better to choose a team from another dimension if possible. Choosing Earthlings increases the survival rate.」
“I have already decided.”
The news spread rapidly among the martial artists.
Who will win, they wondered.
Many predicted Eun Seoryeong’s victory.
After all, she had shown exceptional skill in her duel with Dokgo Un.
But there was a variable.
“The important thing is that this test is a team battle.”
“…There is an Earthling in Seomgwanggeomhee’s team.”
“No matter how many Earthlings there are, it doesn’t seem like Seomgwanggeomhee will lose.”
For a week, the martial artists studied, not studied, how weak and vile the Earthlings were.
They were nothing more than burdens.
Therefore, there was no one who didn’t know about the Earthlings.
The existence of the Earthlings could only be a burden.
So, wouldn’t Madogwang have a chance to win? they thought.
“Is the duel between the two important?”
The whispering martial artists fell silent.
They realized there was no time for idle chatter.
They hurriedly sought out weaker opponents.
The Earthlings.
They were popular.
Everyone wanted to compete with them.
The choice was passed to the Earthlings.
The martial artists desperately hoped the Earthlings would choose them.
Thus, the day of the decisive battle approached.
Each team was transported to the waiting room.
“A week has already passed. Did everyone rest well?”
The administrator, whom they never wanted to see again, greeted everyone.
No one responded.
“I’m hurt. I even brought mini-games to entertain you while you waited, but this reaction… Blinky is hurt.”
“……”
“I’ll assume you’re too nervous to speak.”
Blinkie continued.
“The mini-game I created is all about guessing the winner.”
Swish-!
Gold coins fell in front of each player.
Blinkie’s face was deformed and engraved on the coins.
“You can inflate the gold coins to get rewards. I’ve prepared a lot of rewards that will help on the second floor. Now, waiting won’t be boring, right?”
Blinkie smiled as if in anticipation.
Only the players were serious.