Chapter 16: Fifth Floor, A Lesson Beyond One
[Would you like to purchase the Lightning Essence for 45,000 achievement points?]
“... Yes."
I forced the word out, my voice trembling. While I trusted Ha Hee-Jeong’s advice, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of anxiety and anticipation. This would be the first item I purchased, costing a whopping 45,000 points. I could hardly believe I was spending it all in one go.
Pop—
With a blinding flash, a small wooden box appeared on the table. Inside the lidless box lay a small, transparent, and golden orb.
[Lightning Essence] [Unique]
- Imbued with the power of lightning.
- The power within this essence is independent of the gods.
- Absorption rate varies depending on the user's capabilities.
Tiny lightning bolts crackled within it, each one feeling almost alive.
- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Hee-Jeong, I’ve got the Lightning Essence. What now?
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): You’ve got 4,000 points left, right?
- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Yeah, 4,316 points.
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Use 3,000 points to buy the Physical Enhancement Potion. The shop only has one hundred in stock, and I bought one. There are ninety-eight left, so I guess the third-ranked climber purchased the other one.
- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Got it.
I quickly typed "Physical Enhancement Potion" into the search bar. The list refreshed instantly, displaying the item.
[Physical Enhancement Potion] x98
- Price: 3,000 points
Conveniently, the shop displayed the remaining quantity alongside the item name. It seemed that the Lightning Essence was unique, which explained its steep price.
[Would you like to purchase the Physical Enhancement Potion for 3,000 achievement points?]
“Yes."
After spending 45,000 points, this 3,000-point purchase felt almost insignificant. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was getting too comfortable with spending points so freely.
Again, a light flashed on the table, delivering a small bottle.
[Physical Enhancement Potion]
- A limited amount exists in the Tower of Ordeal.
- Enhances the consumer's physical abilities.
- Effectiveness varies based on the user's potential.
The liquid inside the bottle was transparent with a faint iridescent glow, signaling it was no ordinary potion.
- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): I got the potion.
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Good. Now drink it.
- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Just drink it straight?
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Yup. It’ll probably taste awful, so just think of it as medicine. Make sure to drink it in one go, and don’t even think about spitting it out!
Her warning about the taste made me hesitate. Hee-Jeong wasn’t picky with her food, so if she said it tasted bad, it must be truly awful. But I had bought it already, so there was no backing out now.
Just treat it like I’m taking some bitter medicine. The faster I drink it, the faster it will be over with.
I came close to vomiting, almost spitting it out the moment it touched my tongue.
“Gah!"
“Kriee! Human, are you okay?"
Ignoring Doppy’s panicked reaction, I forced the potion down. The taste was revolting, like the stench of rotten durian was flooding my taste buds. The awful flavor lingered in my mouth, so I grabbed the water bottle and rinsed my mouth.
Suddenly, a warm sensation spread through my body, and I felt overwhelmingly drowsy. My limbs felt heavy, and I could barely keep my eyes open.
Did the potion do this?
Just then, Ha Hee-Jeong sent an urgent message.
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Su-Hyeok! Did you drink it?
- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Yeah… I’m so sleepy.
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): No time to sleep! You need to take the Lightning Essence right now. Hurry!
- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): Right now?
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Yes, right now! Don’t even reply, just do it!
Her urgency snapped me out of my daze. I reached for the Lightning Essence, hesitating momentarily.
Would it be safe to touch? What if I get shocked? If that were the case, surely she would have warned me.
I took a deep breath and grabbed the essence. To my relief, nothing happened. There was no electric shock, just a gentle warmth.
I placed it in my mouth, unsure of how to proceed.
Should I chew it or swallow it whole? Wait, there was lightning flickering inside the orb…
I decided it was best to just swallow it. If Ha Hee-Jeong recommended it, it probably wouldn't harm me. Even with that thought, I balked at the idea of unleashing lightning inside my mouth.
The moment the Lightning Essence slid down my throat, I felt a deep, resonating thud within me.
Thud—
The thuds continued echoing, followed by an intense surge of heat that spread through me. The heat was nothing like the potion, feeling much more intense and overpowering. And then, an unbearable wave of drowsiness washed over me, quickly overpowering my ability to stay awake.
- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixth Floor): Su-Hyeok! Contact me in the next waiting room!
- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifth Floor): What…?
I tried to respond to Ha Hee-Jeong’s message, but my eyelids were too heavy to keep open. My vision blurred, and I felt like I was burning up. I struggled to stay conscious, but it was futile. My consciousness was giving in to the overwhelming fatigue.
“Kriee! Human!"
Doppy’s frantic cry was the last thing I heard before everything went dark.
***
「Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has consumed the Physical Enhancement Potion. All physical abilities have been enhanced.」
「Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s identity as a ‘Challenger’ has been confirmed. The restrictions on the Physical Enhancement Potion have been lifted, significantly increasing all his physical abilities.」
「Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has consumed the Lightning Essence. His body has been infused with the power of lightning.」
「Invisible Message: The Lightning Essence is being absorbed into Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s enhanced body. His enhanced body has greatly increased the absorption rate.」
「Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s identity as a ‘Challenger’ has been confirmed. The restrictions on the Lightning Essence have been lifted, greatly increasing the absorption rate.」
「Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained the skills Lightning Essence lvl 3, Fire Resistance lvl 2. 」
「Invisible Message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s skills have leveled up. Poison Resistance is now lvl 2. Pain Resistance is now lvl 5. Lightning Resistance is now lvl 5. Natural Healing is now lvl 5. 」
***
When I finally came to my senses, I was already on the fifth floor.
Though I could feel my eyes were open, it was pitch-black, reminiscent of the shadows on the first floor. It felt as though I was floating, weightless, and without anything solid beneath me. I imagined this is what it would be like to drift in space.
The only thing visible in the darkness was a glowing message, stark against the void.
[Gain enlightenment in more than one area. Time remaining: 5 hours 52 minutes.]
Damn, how much time has passed? How long was the time limit originally? How long have I been out for?
“Doppy?” I called out, but there was no response.
I wondered if Doppy hadn’t been summoned again. The tower said it would accompany me throughout my climb, yet here I was, alone.
What a scam. Anyway, what does it mean to "gain enlightenment in more than one area?” Is combat an area? Is it enlightenment about the tower? Or does it have to be something about myself?
Taking a small step back, I thought about what I had experienced just before entering this floor. The Physical Enhancement Potion and the Lightning Essence had knocked me out cold. I felt different, charged with a completely unknown power.
Could this be the power of lightning? No, now's not the time to dwell on that.
I had five hours to enlighten myself on whatever thing this trial demanded. I doubted whether I could do that in the given time frame.
Why did Ha Hee-Jeong have me take those things before entering the fifth floor? Did she know I would be facing this trial? What a mess!
No, I couldn't blame her. She didn’t know I had only four hours left when she urged me to drink them, and she might not have known how long I was going to sleep. If there had been stronger enemies on this floor, the power boost would have been invaluable.
Also, the original time limit could have been six hours, which meant I could have only wasted less than ten minutes. Ha Hee-Jeong put her trust in me and supported me. I shouldn’t have turned my frustration toward my strongest ally.
I needed to focus on figuring out what “enlightenment” was supposed to mean. From what I knew, enlightenment could strike in an instant, or it could take days, even weeks. I had to concentrate.
But what exactly am I supposed to be enlightened about?
I decided to narrow it down. Since this was a trial from the Tower of Ordeal, it likely related to something that had happened since I was brought here.
The first thing that came to mind was combat. Before entering the tower, I had never fought a day in my life, yet I seemed to have taken to it like a duck to water. Ha Hee-Jeong even said that without me, no one would have made it through the Challenger’s tutorial.
Even Ha Hee-Jeong, who climbed past the ninetieth floor, had to give up in the first-floor boss room. Of course, that was partly because she was a mage, so it couldn’t be helped.
But I hadn’t been enlightened about anything related to combat.
I hadn’t learned how to fight properly. I just instinctively dodged, struck, blocked, and attacked the enemies. Whether it was taking on multiple opponents or facing Karaksh, I often relied on quick thinking rather than some profound realization.
Well… there was one thing I learned.
I did learn a valuable lesson from my encounter with Karaksh: no matter how strong I was, I should never let my guard down. In battle, split-second decisions could determine everything.
But does this really qualify as enlightenment?
[Gain enlightenment in more than one area. Time remaining: 5 hours 23 minutes.]
The notification remained unchanged.
Does that mean the lesson I learned from fighting Karaksh doesn’t count as enlightenment?
Maybe it’s because I’ve already internalized it.
Or perhaps it was not enough to have just one enlightenment, as the message clearly said "more than one." Ugh, that was the most significant lesson I had learned, which I realized during the toughest battle I had faced so far, the fight with Karaksh.
What else could there be? Something about the tower, perhaps?
Suddenly, I remembered the ongoing inner conflicts I faced while climbing the tower. Every step and every decision had been a struggle.
It all started with Doppy—should I save it, or should I kill it?
That initial dilemma, born out of compassion, led me to Karaksh and later to Paraktus. I was torn at each crossroads. I always questioned myself, whether it be following Doppy’s advice, or helping Paraktus when I encountered him. These were the battles within my mind.
Even from the beginning, I was conflicted, unsure of whether I should follow Hee-Jeong’s advice or the tower’s messages. Was opening the status window right or not? Was a melee weapon really a better option than the staff?
Of course, it made sense to follow the guidance of Hee-Jeong, my friend and a regressor, but the decisions were ultimately mine. Whether I chose to heed Doppy’s advice at the crossroads or decided to assist Paraktus, despite receiving counsel from others, the final choice rested with me.
I could listen to advice, but the burden of responsibility was mine to bear.
Is this what the tower means by enlightenment?
The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Every choice and decision was ultimately made by oneself.
This principle applied not just in the tower but also in life—whether it was about choosing a university, a job, starting a business, or investing in stocks, people made their own decisions.
Ah, acknowledging this brings me some peace of mind.
Perhaps what mattered most was that I considered this to be an enlightenment, no matter how trivial it might appear.
Can the tower really reject something I believe to be enlightenment?
Just in case, I would keep thinking about anything else that I might consider enlightenment. After all, there was still plenty of time left.
***
[Time remaining: 0 minutes 00 seconds. You have gained enlightenment in more than one area.]
Despite spending the remaining time in deep thought, I didn’t stumble upon any other ‘aha!’ moments like before. I couldn’t just convince myself that I had become ‘enlightened’ about something either.
[Congratulations. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fifth floor of the Tower of Ordeal. Achievement points will be calculated.]
Fortunately, the tower seemed to have acknowledged the enlightenments I had gained before. It felt like I cleared the fifth floor easily, just as I did the fourth. No, it didn’t just feel easy, it just truly was. There weren’t even any battles.
Would I have faced instant death if I hadn’t gained any enlightenment?
The thought sent a chill down my spine. I was fortunate to have even been enlightened on such a small thing.
As the message updated, that familiar floating sensation enveloped me.
[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 4,000 achievement points. Total achievement points: 5,316. He will now enter the waiting room.]
***
「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has completed the Challenger’s Tutorial. He has been awarded an additional 10,000 achievement points. Total achievement points: 15,316.」
「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has gained enlightenment, and now possesses the minimum qualifications to become a ‘Candidate for Divinity.’」
「Invisible message: The title ‘Seeker of the Crossroads’ has been granted.」
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