A Wimp’s Strategy Guide to Conquer the Tower (Novel) - Chapter 139
Chapter 139
===================
Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
===================
Hartmann was dreaming.
Is it because it’s time to die?
His past passing by like a kaleidoscope.
Being born into a fallen Viscount family, entering the Empire’s Imperial Capital Knight Academy, having his talent recognized, enlisting in the military after graduation, and after establishing distinguished service in war, catching the eye of the Imperial Army Commander Marquis Lexington and becoming the son-in-law to his family.
He had been happy in his own way.
Although it was a hell after that.
Rian Hartmann, his precious son was lost.
He didn’t even know whether he was dead or alive.
If he had rather died, it wouldn’t have been this painful.
Circumstantially, it was an abduction or kidnapping.
When his son disappeared, there was a nanny and a stable boy servant who disappeared together.
He searched for those two in all directions.
However, they were eventually found as cold corpses in a slum of the Empire’s capital.
And the investigation ended there.
It was certain this was a conspiracy.
Someone must have intentionally caused the incident.
Where is the most suspicious place?
As expected, it is the head of the aristocratic faction, the Roland Duke family.
The rival of the Marquis Lexington family, which was the emperor’s faction.
However, circumstantial evidence alone was not enough.
Due to that, his wife also left for a faraway place.
The words she left behind as she was dying.
That he must surely find their son Rian.
He naturally pledged that he would.
But the tragedy did not end.
Even his father-in-law, Marquis Lexington, died from the shock of losing his daughter and grandson.
Nevertheless, Hartmann did not give up.
He nurtures his strength.
He builds up his forces.
Based on that, he will find his son.
Then one day.
A tragedy occurred.
He killed his son with his own hands.
The son he missed so dearly in his dreams.
Hartmann went crazy.
Engulfed by inner demons (心é”), he became a demon of the sword.
He doesn’t know why he made such a decision at the time, but he invaded the Roland Duke family single-handedly.
You Roland family bastards, you guys did it, right?
You raised my son as an assassin and sent him to me, right?
He killed everyone he came across.
He killed the retainers, killed the knights, and even the collateral blood relatives of the Roland family completely,
And he was subdued.
Because his mind and body were in a weakened state as he fell deeper into his inner demons.
Hartmann was bound in restraints and exiled to Alto Island.
To a prison where one can absolutely never come out of.
It was exactly the moment the kaleidoscope was ending like that.
A voice was heard like an illusion.
“Dad?”
Hartmann lifted his head and looked straight ahead.
The 10 people standing in front of him.
Who are they?
But one person among them caught his eye and stuck there.
“Son?”
My beloved Rian Hartmann?
It is unmistakable.
How could he forget that face?
He is the son he killed himself, but,
Anyway, why is my son here?
Ah! It’s an illusion.
If not…
“I, is this heaven? No, it must be hell.”
“It’s neither heaven nor hell, sir.”
Then?
“It’s the tower, sir. Eohm, you, you are in the tower, sir.”
What in the world is he talking about… still, since it seems certain it’s the afterlife.
“Rian, do you recognize me?”
“…Honestly, I am not really sure, sir.”
“Is that so. I, I have no shame, but I, I would just like to hug you once…”
Right then!
Seu-ung!
A pitch-black crescent moon-shaped sword aura rose from the palm of some old man, and then.
Cheu-pit!
It flew spinning frighteningly and cut apart all the chains and restraints that were binding Hartmann.
As the shackles restricting him disappeared,
Bi-teul! Hartmann about to fall to the floor.
Deop-seok!
Cossack quickly hugged him and supported him.
“Please be careful, sir.”
Ah-ah-ah!
The warmth of his son is felt.
It was warm.
It felt as though all the wounds of his heart were being healed.
Although it is not the living world, he has achieved his wish in the afterlife.
Hartmann had no remaining regrets now.
Joo-hyuk’s tears flowed down.
They flowed down like a waterfall.
Well, is he the only one crying?
Everyone is crying.
“Keo-heom, is the wind blowing? Why is dust in my eyes…,”
The most vicious in Jianghu, the mountain of corpses and sea of blood, Gwangma too.
“Kkeu-euk,”
“Kkeo-i, kkeu-euk,”
“Heuk-heuk-heuk-heuk.”
Gobang, Bardin, and Veronica too.
“Hoo-e-e,”
“Kki-ing…”
Rajix and the Blood Wolf too.
Even the vampire Geppetto, who hasn’t been summoned for long and hasn’t developed affection for the others, is secretly dabbing a tear away.
“Haa!”
Gyeon Dal-rae also.
“This girl’s past was nothing. No matter how relative the magnitude of sorrow is said to be, compared to Sir Cossack’s pain, it is merely blood of a bird’s foot (a drop in the bucket).”
How would Cossack’s feelings be right now?
I wouldn’t dare even imagine.
Cossack and Hartmann.
The two had absolutely no conversation.
It’s understandable.
Are there any words that can be said in this situation?
“Hartmann-ssi, his condition doesn’t look good, but isn’t there a way? Something like healing, or a healing potion.”
Gwangma vigorously shook his head in denial.
“His life force and nascent energy are damaged, so he will not last long. And it has been too long since he fell to his inner demons. Maybe if there was a miracle elixir, but it’s rather strange that he is even alive like that right now.”
“Then?”
“You must prepare your hearts.”
“…”
Time flowed by.
What about mission completion?
However, there was no one who brought up the clear.
An S+++ grade clear record?
Why does something like that matter.
“Excuse me, it seems Hartmann-ssi does not know that this place is the tower.”
“Wouldn’t that probably be so? It would differ from person to person.”
On the other hand, Gyeon Dal-rae’s master Hae-ryeong had awareness of the tower.
Perhaps it’s natural.
Because she was a person who had grasped the edge of ascension.
“Isn’t there a way to liberate that person’s soul from the tower?”
“Heo-eo, I am embarrassed but this old man does not know either.”
There will definitely be a way.
Because there is a precedent.
Gyeon Dal-rae’s master, the Thousand-Year Fox Hae-ryeong.
Although it was achieved by her ascending on her own, she was liberated anyway.
There absolutely is.
I will definitely find it.
It’s a truly sad matter that 146 of Hartmann’s copied souls exist in the 146 towers on Earth.
It might be fine now, but what if he’s cleared by a player later?
An absolutely unacceptable matter.
After a while.
Hartmann’s eyes slowly closed.
The hand that was stroking Cossack’s face eventually fell with a thud,
And,
Tti-ring!
[You have completed all missions on the 77th floor.]
[Reward : Mana Stone 77kg / Multi-National Tower Usage Ticket.]
However,
[You can challenge the 78th floor.]
[You will exit the South Korea Black Tower.]
The S+++ grade clear did not ring out.
Because there was no duel itself.
It doesn’t matter.
Then do father and son have to put on a fight or something?
Sons of bitches.
Giving a mission like this too.
Spot!
Joo-hyuk and the summoned entities returned to the penthouse.
The clear ended, but there was no one who opened their mouth.
They don’t even know what to say.
There was one person who didn’t shed tears on the 77th floor.
The very person involved, Cossack.
He probably wouldn’t even be able to sort it out yet.
His own feelings, that is.
“Excuse me, Summoner Bong-nim.”
“Yes?”
“I have a request, sir.”
“Uh-uh, say anything, I will grant it all.”
“Would it be not okay for us to enter the 77th floor once more later, sir? I was unable to share a proper conversation with that man…,”
That’s right.
If we enter the 77th floor, we’ll be able to see him again.
But in a reset state.
With the memory of meeting Cossack completely forgotten.
Still, isn’t it great that he can be seen?
If they continue to meet, he might be able to resolve his deep-seated resentment too.
“Naturally. Let’s go right away tomorrow. Let’s go 3 times.”
“Couldn’t we go after catching Tiamat first, sir?”
“Something like Tiamat isn’t important at all. Cossack-ssi’s feelings are much more important.”
“No, sir. I also need time to think, so,”
“Ah!”
Then it can’t be helped.
Whether there is more left to be said, Cossack with a determined expression,
“And I also want to go to the public beach, sir.”
“Of course! We must go.”
Is there any reason we can’t go?
Because a change of pace is also needed.
“Also, we must absolutely buy a bikini for our Sergeant Bae’s swimsuit, sir.”
“…Yep?”
“It is a crucial matter, sir.”
“Umm, will there be a swimsuit that fits?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if it’s small, sir?”
“That is true, but,”
That’s tempting?
It’s good if it’s small.
At that, Gyeon Dal-rae feigning an angry voice,
“Sir Cossack!”
Oops!
We’re in trouble.
“I am truly disappointed. Why are you excluding this girl?”
“Yep?”
“I am also an adult now. Are you saying Sergeant Bae can wear a bikini but this girl cannot?”
Wait, Princess?
“Do you not know how incredible a heavenly maiden’s figure is? There is also the story of the Heavenly Maiden and the Woodcutter. When the heavenly maiden strips off her clothes completely on a moonlit night and bathes in the pond, the woodcutter hides and…,”
Uhm.
It’s not that I don’t know why Gyeon Dal-rae is doing this.
“W, wait!”
I first cut off her words and changed the topic.
“Let’s talk about something else.”
“Talk about what?”
“F, for example, about tomorrow’s 78th and 79th floor missions.”
At that moment!
Cossack’s eyes flashing.
In a dreary voice.
“I think I know, sir. What kind of mission it will be.”
“Is that so?”
“My old workplace will appear, sir.”
“Ah!”
Cossack’s guess was accurate.
The next day.
Joo-hyuk climbed to the 78th floor early in the morning.
[Entering the 78th floor of the South Korea Black Tower (NO.2).]
The environment of the 78th floor.
It was a place like a large farm.
There’s a meadow, and over there in front, large and small houses are gathered.
“I knew it, sir. Just follow me from here, sir.”
Cossack taking steps toward the side where the houses are gathered.
Joo-hyuk and the summoned entities following.
And.
Tti-ring
[78th floor Basic Mission : Eliminate 26 Cruel Guild Low-Grade Assassins.]
[78th floor Additional Optional Mission : Eliminate 7 Cruel Guild High-Grade Assassins.]
[78th floor High-Difficulty Optional Mission : Eliminate Cruel Guild Top-Grade Assassin Crook]
[78th floor Ultra-High Difficulty Optional Mission : Eliminate Cruel Guild Guild Master Jericho]
The missions popped up.
Cossack’s old workplace.
Thought it was a farm, but it’s actually the Cruel Assassination Guild headquarters.
It was as expected.
If you think about it, it’s simple.
There’s no way Cossack decided on an assassination target and went out for an execution of murder on his own.
Who is the entity that gives missions to the assassins?
It’s the Guild Master.
At that time, Cossack was SR grade.
If calculated by mage class, about 5 circles.
But he gave an order to assassinate a Sword Master?
“When I went there, it was a Sword Master, sir. …Could I have even imagined it was my father, sir?”
He probably couldn’t have.
However, those bastards must have known and sent him.
They probably even figured out the relationship between Cossack and Hartmann in advance too.
An elaborately woven script.
A tragedy of flesh and blood fighting each other, intended to make a father kill his son.
“I will take care of it all, sir. Unethical Jong-gan-na bastards. I shall show them the fiery flavor of the Juche revolution.”
Suddenly getting possessed by Go Sa-geuk?
“Great Comrade Leader should just sit completely still.”
Why am I the leader.
“It is the same for the comrades as well. It will suffice to just watch the shaman ritual and eat the rice cake (just sit back and watch),”
“…”
Spot! Seu-pa-pa-pat!
Cossack running with Shadow Steps.
Gwangma smirked and said.
“Are you all just going to stay still?”
At that,
“Not at all. We can’t let him have all the fun to himself.”
Cheol-keok!
Sergeant Bae disengaged the safety of her magic gun.
“A colleague’s enemy is soon my enemy, you know.”
“I will rip the limbs off those assassin bastards. …except for the assassin,”
“Light!”
“The power of darkness!”
“Ho-e!”
“Make sure to leave the bastard named Guild Master Jericho alone.”
Jji-i-i-ing!
Pa-ju-ju-ju-juk!
Sergeant Bae launched a preemptive strike.
Kwa-kwa-kwang!
A large-caliber bullet simply blew away one of the houses on the farm as is.
The kill count went up instantly.
Looking from the outside, Jericho, who looks like a good person, is an ordinary farm owner.
He was also called Old Man Jericho from his surroundings.
There are almost no people who know the fact that he is the head of the Cruel Assassination Guild.
As it’s been already 60 years since Jericho engaged in the assassination business.
In order to maintain this business for a long time, the most important thing is the supply and demand of talented personnel.
He must secure many decent assassins.
That is the most difficult task.
Because due to the characteristics of the business, new recruit employment forms the main part rather than experienced hires.
Usually, they buy them from outside.
Children under 10 years old, that is.
Buying children is not difficult.
Since they just have to go to a slash-and-burn farming village or a slum, and parents selling their children are everywhere.
Buying them is not the end.
Until they raise the young children into useful assassins, immense time and money are spent.
Even so, do they all succeed?
Most are guys who fail and die on their first execution of murder.
Even if they luckily pass, they get caught at the threshold of talent.
All of them cannot escape from the low-grade level.
Those who grow into High-Grade are an extreme minority, and one can consider there are almost no top-grades.
The assassination business is this difficult.
‘Now that I think about it, I keep thinking of that guy.’
That guy who entered the guild at 3 years old, grew into a High-Grade assassin in his late teens, and was certain to become a top-grade.
High-Grade assassin Cossack.
‘Blood cannot be fooled.’
If his use hadn’t been predetermined, he might have become his successor.
Actually, Cossack was a client’s request target, not an assassin.
A tool to be used to bring down the Empire’s strongest swordsman.
Thus, he fully accomplished the role of a tool and died.
It is so regrettable.
He was a guy worth raising.
Where could he find a guy like that again?
Right at the moment he was appeasing his regret like that!
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
“Heok!”
A terrifying explosion shaking the farm.
“Wh, what is this matter?”
He hurriedly went to the window and looked outside, but,
“Kkeu-a-a-ak!”
“Kkeu-euk,”
“Keo-eok!”
Unidentified people.
Guild members, assassins are being done in by them.
“How dare who…,”
It wasn’t ordinary.
A giant picking up people and tearing them to death, a knight holding a flail, a guy like a vampire biting off necks, a ghost woman floating in the empty air, a woman firing a ranged weapon similar to a crossbow, a beast-man riding a dog and swinging a pickaxe.
The guild members were too busy running away.
High-Grade assassins, let alone low-grade assassins, died in droves.
Even Crook, the only top-grade assassin in the guild, had his concealment seen through, got a yellow piece of paper stuck to his forehead, and was subdued powerlessly.
Where in the world did those guys come from?
What do I do?
Do I evade, or do I fight back.
He must judge quickly, but this is the first time the main base itself has been attacked like this.
Jericho had no choice but to panic.
“First outside…,”
At that moment!
Meom-chit!
Jericho could not move.
Someone is sitting inside the room.
Over there on the bed, that is.
Turning his head to look.
“Who are you…?”
White hair and a white beard.
An old man wearing unfamiliar attire.
“Stay here quietly. Without thinking of running away.”
“…What?”
He was surprised inwardly but kept his expression calm.
Jericho grabbed the handle of the dagger hidden inside his sleeve.
The poison needle installed at the tip of his shoe also activated, and preparing a smoke bomb too.
However,
Seu-seu-seut!
A murderous intent filling the room to the brim.
Like a mosquito caught in a spider web, he couldn’t even budge.
“If you act up, you’ll shit blood, you know? Try it if you can’t believe me.”
Ggul-kkeok,
Jericho swallowed dry saliva.
The most important virtue as an assassin.
Grasping the opponent in front of your eyes.
Whether he is someone he can truly handle, or someone he must avoid.
However, against the old man in front of his eyes, he couldn’t even make such a judgment.
Nothing came to his mind.
Right then!
Seu-reu-reu-reuk!
Another person who appeared in the room.
“Eng? Old Man, when did you come here, sir?”
“Whatever this seat does, wouldn’t it be faster than you.”
“No, I asked you repeatedly, sir. This bastard is my share, sir.”
Jericho was frightened out of his wits.
Because a completely unexpected person appeared before his eyes.
“Y, you?”
“Nice to see you! You motherfucking bastard!”
Cossack?
You’re saying this is the real Cossack?
How?
‘He definitively died.’
Is it perhaps a fake?
No.
Let alone his face, even that unique way of speaking.
There’s no way he doesn’t know.
He’s a guy he raised himself.
“Co, Cossack? Y, you were alive?”
“Shut up! You Jong-gan-na bastard!”
“Wh, what?”
Licking a deep blue dagger with his tongue, Cossack said.
“I will pick off your neck right now. Because of me, our Summoner Bong-nim suffered a loss of badges on the 77th floor, you see. I must replenish the badges for him.”
At that, Gwangma vigorously shook his head in denial and said.
“There is sufficient time. Let us do it slowly. We should find out who the true culprit that created such a situation is, shouldn’t we.”
Cossack laughing with a pik!
“There is no need to, sir. When we climb to the 79th floor, the mission will pop up on its own, sir.”
It’s true,
The procedure is for the conclusion to happen on the final floor.
“Even so, it is a connected mission. A proper mission will continue only if this guy confesses.”
“…Is that so, sir?”
“Leave it to this seat. Because I will present him with a terrible pain he has never experienced in his entire life. To the point he will beg and plead for us to kill him.”
Cossack agreed.
Since Gwangma’s ability is trustworthy.
“I leave it up to you, sir.”
“Yes. You may look forward to it.”
A while later.
“Kkeu-a-a-a-a-a-a-ak!!!”
Cruel Guild’s Guild Master Jericho howled like a beast.
For a long time.
Cossack was also boundlessly satisfied.