Chapter 46

“…….”
“…….”
“…….”

Everyone had the same reaction.

The fifty members of the Seoul Union led by Lim Chang-yeol, Kim Byung-han, and even Kankun froze at Park Chan-woo’s response.

‘Is he insane?’

‘He’s lost his mind, hasn’t he?’

‘What kind of lunatic is that?’

Anyone could see that Kankun had taken a liking to Park Chan-woo.

He alone sensed a ‘strong warrior’s presence’ from Park Chan-woo and, ignoring everyone else, had specifically asked him.

If one hated magic and opposed Adora, then a monster nearing level 83 would offer direct support.

But then—

“……You won’t agree?”

[Affinity with ‘Kankun’ has dropped by 100.]

[Warning: If affinity drops further, ‘Kankun’ is likely to attack you.]

[‘Kankun’ is a figure revered and feared by all orcs. He is a butcher who doesn’t spare those who displease him.]

With a series of warning messages,

Kankun’s expression twisted into a fiendish grimace.

Choosing his side meant expressing a will to follow him.

Once a position was taken, it was an unchangeable statement of intent.

But what?

Won’t agree?

Didn’t that mean he didn’t find magic disgusting and wouldn’t oppose Adora?

A warrior without the same convictions had no reason to join.

“Urgh…!”

“M-My body…!”

Kankun unleashed his killing intent.

Everyone nearby broke out in cold sweat and shrank back.

Some even fainted.

That was how thick Kankun’s murderous aura was.

But—

‘…He’s fine?’

Kankun was inwardly puzzled.

Even after facing his aura head-on, Park Chan-woo wasn’t shaken in the slightest.

There should have been something wrong with his body, or his mind should have been broken.

Just being near it was enough to affect everyone else.

Yet Park Chan-woo didn’t even try to avert his eyes.

‘This is the first time I’ve met someone like this.’

He was clearly different from all the humans who had been summoned so far.

It seemed there was a reason the orcs’ spirits followed this human.

Soon, Park Chan-woo spoke.

“Are you afraid?”

“…Afraid? Of what?”

“Of the death magic consuming your heart. Are you afraid of Adora, who wields that magic?”

“…Just because you have a mouth doesn’t mean you can say anything. There is nothing in this world that can make me, Kankun, afraid.”

“Then why do you rely on the help of humans who don’t even satisfy you? Why not try to overcome it yourself?”

The Death Witch Adora had healed the wound she gave Kankun herself.

She helped people search for relics and actively crushed floor guardians as she climbed the tower.

But not Kankun.

He just stood by the altar, accepting the relics that were brought to him.

Park Chan-woo disliked Kankun’s attitude.

Above all—

‘His treating magic as something disgusting is the worst.’

He couldn’t deny magic just to gain Kankun’s favor.

For a mage, words are truth, and denial means the collapse of magic.

If you deny it yourself, the power of magic is bound to weaken.

Still, it puzzled him that he could withstand Kankun’s killing intent head-on.

‘Is it because of the effect of the “Nemesis of Creators” title?’

[Nemesis of Creators].

A title that activates the ‘Unyielding Heart’ effect against creators.

The problem was, Kankun was neither a creator nor a demon.

Yet, his killing intent could not pierce Park Chan-woo.

‘Creators are Lords of the Abyss. Orc Master Kankun is also the lord of the orcs.’

That was the only possible connection.

If not—

‘Maybe Kankun himself designed this trial.’

…The creator who made this domain might be Orc Master Kankun.

Kankun and Adora.

Weren’t they said to possess the most special things in this ‘Tower of Arrogance’?

It was possible.

So—

“You can’t beat Adora, Kankun.”

“Do you really want to die?”

Kankun’s patience was at its limit.

He glared at Park Chan-woo as if ready to kill him at any moment.

Afraid of someone like Adora?

Saying he couldn’t beat that hated being!

One more word, and he would be smashed.

“We’ll make you win.”

“……?”

He thought he’d misheard.

Because the idea of beating Adora was completely unrealistic.

Even with millions of humans summoned here, it wouldn’t be possible to defeat Adora.

Park Chan-woo knew this, but still kept provoking Kankun.

“If you overcome the death magic on your own, I’ll make you win.”

“……Hah.”

“And anyone who bows to magic isn’t a warrior.”

Therefore, Kankun was not a warrior.

That was what Park Chan-woo was saying.

But it was also true that Kankun could not overcome ‘death magic’ on his own.

Not even a day remained.

It was too short to do anything.

However… if Kankun didn’t try to overcome it himself, defeat against Adora was certain anyway.

‘He wouldn’t even make it to the 10th floor.’

Kankun was strong.

But to climb the Tower of Arrogance, Kankun had to change.

He must not fear magic to win.

If he started relying on relics, the result would only be ruin.

“…You must be confident.”

For a moment, Kankun’s expression chilled.

He continued.

“Within the given time, bring me a relic of intermediate or higher grade. If you fail, all of you will pay with your lives. You dared to speak of victory before me, so you can at least do that much, right?”

You dared to spout nonsense before him.

You’ll make him win?

Let’s see you try.

If you don’t bring a relic of intermediate or higher grade, there will be only destruction.

Park Chan-woo smiled.

“Fine. But you must also overcome ‘death magic’ yourself. If you can’t do even that, you are not a warrior, and I won’t present you with a relic of intermediate or higher grade.”

It was at that moment…

[‘A bet with “Kankun” has been established.’]

[Within 23 hours, bring a “relic of intermediate or higher grade.”]

[If you win, you will gain Kankun’s recognition.]

[If you lose, Kankun will massacre everyone who accompanied you.]

—

“Hey, Park Chan-woo!”

Kim Byung-han shouted with a pale face.

Just moments ago, Kim Byung-han had felt ‘death.’

Kankun had truly intended to kill them all.

“Why did you make a bet on your own…!”

“…Not bad.”

Lim Chang-yeol cut off Kim Byung-han’s words.

Though he had just faced the threat of death, the fact that Park Chan-woo had made a bet with Kankun was actually quite appealing.

If they could succeed, they would have an advantage over any other group in this domain.

“So, do you have a plan?”

A cold, sharp voice.

No matter what, he had acted alone.

It greatly impacted team play.

If he had done it without any plan, it would be right to hold him accountable.

Of course, there was no way he actually had a plan—

“I do.”

…Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Park Chan-woo answered confidently.

“What’s the plan?”

“Do you remember how every relic displayed on the altar was the lowest grade?”

Currently, there were three relics displayed on the altar.

A lowest-grade relic of strength, a lowest-grade relic of stamina, a lowest-grade relic of agility.

Those three were placed there.

Lim Chang-yeol nodded.

“So what? Doesn’t that just mean it’s difficult to obtain anything of higher grade?”

“But Kankun mentioned ‘intermediate.’ That means that although it’s hardest to find here on the first floor, it does exist.”

“…What are you trying to say?”

“If you think about the most difficult place on the first floor of the Tower of Arrogance, isn’t the answer obvious?”

“The place with the floor guardian…”

Lim Chang-yeol muttered quietly.

Park Chan-woo agreed.

“Right. There will be an intermediate relic there.”

“So you’re saying we should go to the place where the ‘floor guardian’ is? Without Kankun?”

They had been told to help Kankun defeat the ‘floor guardian.’

That is, it meant that the floor guardian couldn’t be killed without Kankun’s help.

But suggesting that fifty people, all in the level 10 range and having completed only their first limit breakthrough, could defeat the floor guardian on their own was preposterous.

Yet Park Chan-woo did not waver.

“Our task is to secure the relic. Even if it seems impossible, it’s got to be designed to be possible.”

“What if it goes wrong? Are you taking responsibility?”

Kim Byung-han cut in.

No matter how he thought about it, the mission seemed impossible.

Park Chan-woo shrugged.

“The bet has already begun. Now all that’s left is whether we succeed or fail.”

Of course, if they failed, it would end with everyone here being slaughtered.

That was a certainty.

Could they even run away from Kankun?

Lim Chang-yeol let out a wry laugh.

“…You really are something.”

It was clear he’d aimed for this from the start.

Those deliberately charged words—”We’ll make you win”—had drawn everyone in.

‘Truly a dangerous guy.’

A blade that can’t be hidden even if you try.

That’s what made Park Chan-woo a dangerous person.

No one knew if that blade would stab himself or someone else.

But they were already caught up in it.

From the moment he withstood Kankun’s killing intent and made the bet.

As Park Chan-woo said, the only path left was to succeed or fail.

However…

Lim Chang-yeol was the leader here.

The right to choose and decide belonged to him alone.

Anyone who acted out of line had to be made an example of.

That was how Lim Chang-yeol had survived in the underworld for so many years.

“…Fine. Here, we’ll do as you say. Everyone, let’s head for the place where the ‘floor guardian’ is.”

Even so, Lim Chang-yeol stepped back a bit.

He was also curious what results Park Chan-woo’s choice would bring.

—

‘You think I’m afraid of magic?’

Kankun thought.

Was he really afraid of magic, of the Death Witch Adora?

Was he turning away because he was afraid of death magic!

‘If I can’t even overcome this, I’m not a warrior?’

…Who would dare utter such nonsense to him?

He was the Orc Master.

The lord who had once led ten million Red Claw orcs.

No orc, or even an adversary, had ever dared ask if he was afraid.

Anyone who met his eyes would freeze in terror and run. There was no way they could afford to speak such words.

Especially among the humans summoned here—not a single one dared to face him.

But now, what?

‘I’ll make you overcome it.’

Magic wasn’t something to be feared.

Neither death, nor the Death Witch, were things he couldn’t overcome.

But—

“…….”

The death magic embedded in his heart didn’t budge even when he raised his energy.

Instead, it squeezed Kankun even tighter.

Death Witch Adora was the first real match he’d ever met.

Her magic had wiped out ten million orcs.

‘The one thing I can’t overcome…’

There is none.

There must not be.

Yet, instinctively.

Kankun was afraid of that witch.

Just as that man said, even if he fought again, he wasn’t confident he could win.

Damn it.

Kankun clenched his teeth.

Ten hours passed like that. Then twenty.

The promised time was approaching.

‘Anyway, bringing a relic of intermediate or higher grade is impossible.’

Just as he couldn’t overcome the death magic, it was equally impossible for the humans to bring a relic of intermediate or higher grade.

It couldn’t be done.

But then.

The moment he was certain of failure—

“Kankun.”

From afar, that man appeared.

With his companions.

“As promised, we brought an intermediate relic.”

…He spoke, relic of intermediate grade in hand.