Reincarnated User Manual

Chapter 336: Orion (3)

What should I do?

Even as I climbed to the next floor and the one after, the dilemma didn’t leave my mind.

Fifteen years ago, when I first possessed Shiron Prient’s body, I made a resolution.

Kill all the Apostles and slay the Demon God.

Even when I couldn’t find any trace of Yura in this world, that was my plan. At that time, if I became useless, I’d die. A predetermined end of the world awaited, and I wasn’t someone who could stand idly by, watching with open eyes, doing nothing, because I was too ridiculously kindhearted for that.

Even so, I never thought of myself as foolish. Thanks to wielding the holy sword and walking the path of a hero, I was able to find traces of Yura.

I learned that I wasn’t the only one who fell into this world—Yura was here too.

I didn’t know exactly what method she used, but Yura had made arrangements across various places in this world.

As if she knew I’d come here someday. As if, 500 years ago, she was fighting alongside Kyrie and was somehow certain of Kyrie’s reincarnation.

The words I blurted out as an excuse when I first obtained the holy sword, trying to hide the fact that I was a possessor.

Shiron didn’t have the power of prophecy. While I could vaguely predict events now, back then, I didn’t possess such power, and even now, with prophecy in my grasp, I couldn’t see 500 years into the future.

“Hoo…”

Having passed the trial of the 96th floor, Shiron let out a sigh of relief. The test involved navigating a raging storm with only a small raft. The storm lashed out like bullets trying to pierce his skin, and sea monsters attempted to swallow the fragile vessel whole.

It was an easy trial. Compared to Shiron’s current concerns and thoughts, it wasn’t worth worrying about.

If you killed the tower’s master, you became bound to the tower.

‘What was it like in the game?’

Shiron compared what he knew to the hints he’d heard from the floor guardians he’d encountered.

-Don’t kill the overseer.

-Do you want to live here forever? Are you crazy?

-I shouldn’t have done it… I shouldn’t have done it…

-Kill me! I can’t take it anymore!

They all warned him. The higher he climbed, the more evident their feelings of anxiety, fear, regret, greed, compassion, gratitude, and denial became.

On the 97th floor, an overseer begged him to kill them. On the 98th floor, a ghostly figure that couldn’t even communicate properly administered the trial.

By the 99th floor, all that remained was a wind-up doll incapable of coherent communication.

-Congratulations!

The wind-up doll exclaimed in an emotionless voice, accompanied by fanfare and a cascade of stardust from the sky.

-Are you going to proceed to the next floor? How about a warm cup of coffee before you go?

The doll then collected dust from the floor, sculpted a cup from stone, and used magic to fill it with water.

It wasn’t coffee—or anything remotely drinkable. At the tower’s uppermost floors, such things were inevitable. Few made it to the 99th floor, and transporting supplies was impossible.

Shiron tossed the trash aside and pulled out four cups and a teapot from his belongings. The teapot filled with magically conjured water and began to bubble as it brewed tea leaves.

“Drink.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll enjoy this.”

“…”

The three who received the tea gave brief replies before drinking silently. The atmosphere was heavy.

Shiron wanted to crack a joke to lighten the mood, but Aisha still couldn’t wield the holy sword, and no one had figured out a way to kill the Apostle under her influence.

In the end, it would fall to Shiron to sever the Apostle’s head.

If Shiron killed the Apostle, he would become bound to the tower.

Meeting and killing the Demon God wasn’t the issue. After defeating the Apostles, Shiron had been collecting fragments of the Corrupted God, which would eventually open the [Gate] to the Demon God once the final piece was gathered.

‘…What comes next is the real issue.’

Knowing he was the only suitable candidate, Shiron thought further contemplation would be a waste of energy.

He had already planned extensively. The design for the [Guillotine] was complete, but it was time to consider what to do if the plan failed.

‘I can kill the Demon God. No matter the iteration, no matter the choice, the Demon God always met the hero in the same place…’

So, what came after was the problem.

Would Shiron be able to escape the tower after killing the Demon God?

Shiron sighed deeply. Latera, now materialized, held his hand. This was the Demonic Realm, filled with sinister energy that made one want to fall asleep. Yet Latera tried to support him.

[…I will always be by your side.]

‘Thanks for saying that.’

Shiron smiled faintly and muttered inwardly.

‘Don’t be. This is my problem.’

[…Hero.]

It was his problem. Whether he would remain in the tower forever was a question for Cha Hyun-jun, not Shiron Prient.

‘Latera.’

[Yes?]

‘If I kill the Demon God, you’ll become an Archangel, right?’

[Yes.]

‘And if you become an Archangel, I’ll be able to meet Yura, right?’

[You’ll meet her. If she doesn’t appear, I’ll fly to heaven myself and drag her down by force!]

Latera clasped Shiron’s hands tightly and flashed a bright smile. Her hands were damp with sweat. Her face was stiff, and she looked visibly haggard.

Even the ever-composed hero, who hadn’t lost his composure while climbing the tower, now seemed mentally overwhelmed as he prepared for the upcoming battle.

But it wasn’t fear of the fight that caused this unease. The source of his anxiety wasn’t something so simple.

“Yeah. That’s enough for me.”

Perhaps because of Latera’s encouragement, Shiron managed to force a slight smile.

What he needed was reinforcement for his resolve, encouragement that bolstered his determination.

Even if it was a lie, he needed that momentum to take one more step forward.

“Ah, no, really!”

“Shh. You’ll wake them.”

[I’m serious! You will meet Yura! I guarantee it!]

Latéra spoke quickly, glancing at the translucent interface.

[Achievement Progress: 98.7...]

.

.

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[Memory of the Guide] [Unlocked upon obtaining the Archangel title!]

[Path of the Hero] [Unlocked when your partner earns the True Hero title!]

[???] [Unlocked upon defeating the Demon God!]

What could that question mark be? Even as he approached the end, the unsolved mystery left him tilting his head, but now wasn’t the time for that. Latéra, with a radiant smile, moved behind Shiron and began massaging his shoulders.

Squeeze, pat. Pat, squeeze.

“I don’t know what kind of relationship you had with Yura, but I’m sure it was special!”

“…It’s not that.”

“Well, whatever it was! You want to meet her, don’t you? Then there must be so much you want to say, right?”

“That’s true.”

“You’ll kill the Demon God…”

“And, of course, the Apostles.”

“Don’t interrupt me! Anyway! You’ll meet Yura and have a heartwarming chat. And then, you know what? I’ll go to the heavenly kingdom with Yura as an Archangel, and we’ll submit a petition to the Lord!”

“…What are you talking about?”

“The Lord is omniscient and omnipotent! If two Archangels submit a petition, He might just pull you out of the tower!”

After saying this, Latera briefly clamped her mouth shut. To be honest, even she didn’t believe her own words. The deity she served was neither omniscient nor omnipotent.

In truth, He was more like an observer, watching events unfold. At best, He occasionally meddled from afar, like shaking the game board.

Even so, couldn’t He at least expel one hero from the tower?

“…Thanks.”

“Come on, I’m serious!”

“Yeah, yeah. I got it. Let’s get some sleep.”

Shiron calmed the bouncing Latéra. Tonight, at least, he wouldn’t feel lonely as he slept.

“…”

“…”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“I’m ready.”

At Shiron’s question, Lucia and Seira responded. Both wore expressions more resolute than ever. Remembering Shiron’s state the night before, their determination now seemed capable of piercing the heavens.

‘After killing the Apostle, let’s destroy the tower! Forget wishes or anything else—I’ll threaten them to let Shiron go if they value their lives!’

‘We’ll make sure all three of us return together.’

“Be careful.”

Aisha approached the resolute trio. She had decided not to ascend to the 100th floor and would remain on the 99th, waiting for the right moment.

Though she couldn’t fight alongside them, she planned to be a pillar of support, ready to strike if the situation demanded.

“Wait here and behave. Don’t even think about running away in fear.”

“Betrayal? That’s absurd…”

“Stay put until we subdue the tower’s master. If you flee, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the earth.”

“I told you, I’m not running…”

Aisha muttered as she thumped her chest.

“The tower promises eternal life. Waiting is nothing. Besides, climbing the tower left me so battered that going back down isn’t even an option.”

The 98th floor was a hellscape of darkness and thunder. With her incomplete form, Aisha couldn’t even step foot there.

“Alright.”

After nodding once, Shiron turned back.

The massive staircase. At its peak, the door to the tower’s summit awaited.

After taking a few deep breaths, Shiron stepped onto the stairs. Step.

Following him, Lucia climbed with firm steps, while Seira trailed behind, chanting spells in preparation.

At the top of the staircase, Shiron fidgeted with his hands before grasping the doorknob.

He opened the door, raising his guard to the maximum as he gripped Hessed’s Shield. Since the enemy was a mage, he prepared for an onslaught of ranged attacks.

But nothing happened. Before him lay a vast, dazzling galaxy.

Beyond the door, inside the chamber.

In the darkness, a cascade of starlight flowed to the ground like a waterfall.

‘…Good.’

The sight reassured him. It was the same as the setting he knew.

The same place where he had faced the Demon God.

Fwoosh!

A blazing spear aimed at a shadow hidden within the waterfall.