[Do you desire wealth? Co to the Tower of Infinity!]
[Do you desire honor and pride? Co to the Tower of Infinity!]
[Are you afraid of death? Co to the Tower of Infinity!]
[Do you desire power and strength? Co to the Tower of Infinity!]
[Everything you desire! It’s all at the top of the Tower of Infinity!]
La la lalalalala lala la lala…
“Hmph, hmm~”
An incomprehensible promotional phrase echoed inside the elevator. Humming along with the chorus, Lucia stared outside.
Despite moving through a tal tube, the elevator’s interior was designed so one could fully enjoy the view outside, which was surprising.
Lucia could take in the full panorama of each floor as they ascended.
One floor was a dense jungle, while another stretched into an endless erald sea.
As expected of the na “Infinity.” From the outside, it seed no bigger than a mansion, but as they ascended, its grandeur widened her eyes.
Endless horizons, environnts ranging from heat, cold, forests, and deserts, and, naturally, the varied appearances of the demons residing there.
There were horned beings like the succubus she had seen in the lobby earlier, creatures with wings and bird beaks, those with animal heads, and even beast-like figures walking upright.
‘So this is where all the demons disappeared to.’
Her long-standing question was finally answered. It was natural for demons to inhabit the Demonic Realm, and it was likely so would cross the mountains, yet aside from the deep sea, they were virtually unseen.
‘Is this tower so alluring that they would abandon their hos?’
Indeed, compared to the Demonic Realm, where storms and lightning struck endlessly, this place was far more livable. However, demons were beings born to endure such harsh environnts.
Unlike humans, who might die from a single blow, demons were resilient from birth, capable of chewing through rocks.
Yet, even they were climbing the tower.
Perhaps more than half of the continent’s Demonic Realm… this place was the truest Demonic Realm of all.
Ding!
With a clear sound, the elevator opened after a brief lurch.
Floor 77. A sign reading “Residential Area” was the first to greet them.
The ga Reincarnation of the Sword Saint wasn’t an MMORPG but a classic single-player package.
This ant players couldn’t directly engage in PvP or compete with others.
At best, they could compete by recording who defeated bosses faster or who cleared stages in the most unconventional ways.
That was until the discovery of the [Tower of Despair], a sector within the Demonic Realm.
[The Tower of Despair]
It was essentially an endga feature tailored for “hardcore players”—those obsessed with the ga.
As always, once players completed a ga’s ending, they tended to lose interest quickly.
For those who went to school or worked full-ti, replaying a ga multiple tis, let alone finishing it once, was unlikely.
This directly impacted the company’s revenue and operating profits.
To sell future DLCs (expansions), the developers needed players to stay engaged in Reincarnation of the Sword Saint for as long as possible.
Thus, the tower-climbing feature was introduced.
Players had to pass trials on each level, defeat the floor’s ruler, and move to the next level.
Clearing the tower would record their achievent on the server, naturally giving rise to a ti-attack competition.
Unlike the usual ti-attack runs, influenced by the luck of boss patterns, the tower, designed with controlled variables, beca a haven for hardcore players.
Shiron couldn’t help but wonder what the [Tower of Despair] looked like now that the ga had beco reality—how it functioned, what interactions were possible, and how the demons and apostles used it.
“They say you can get anything at the top of the tower. Could that really be true?”
In a lodging on the 77th floor, Lucia muttered as she looked at a guidebook placed beside the vanity table. Although they could proceed to the next level imdiately, the group decided to rest after marching through the Demonic Realm all day.
“No way that’s true.”
Shiron replied bluntly. Though he didn’t know the exact workings of the tower, his vision before he fainted showed the Third Apostle standing at the summit.
If the tower truly granted wishes, any wish would’ve been fulfilled by now:
To increase the number of demon followers.
To gain divine status and claim the na of a god.
Or to ensure the death of a hero coming to slay them.
“Though I nearly died…”
Still, Shiron was alive, wasn’t he? Though it was now called the “Tower of Infinity,” its original na was the [Tower of Despair]. It wouldn’t be surprising if the arduous climb revealed nothing in the end.
“Well, that’s disappointing.”
Lucia turned to the window at Shiron’s curt response. As the na “Residential Area” suggested, there were many other hos outside their lodging.
However, the occupants of these hos would soon change.
Not everyone felt this way, but once inside the tower, it was hard to suppress the urge to ascend to the next level.
During their climb to the 77th floor, they had glimpsed the trials required to advance to the next floor.
They saw those who passed and those who failed. The forr ascended imdiately, without even packing, while the latter returned with the look of soone who had lost everything.
So would train for another chance, while others might settle on their current floor.
“So, what about all the claims written in the elevator and guidebook? If what you’re saying is true, doesn’t that make everything here a lie?”
“It’s the work of the demon lords.”
It wasn’t Shiron who answered, but Seira, who furrowed her brow, recalling a long-past mory.
“Demon lords? Who are they?”
“When groups form, it’s natural for leaders to erge. Those who saw no point in climbing the tower instead found ways to exploit it.”
Centuries ago, when Seira climbed the tower in her original tiline, they had already crowned themselves with the title “Demon Lords.”
“The tower’s trials are harsh, and many die. But who would risk their lives for nothing? Enticing rewards maintain order and sustain the power these lords wield.”
“So, you’re saying this whole place is a scam?”
“Yes.”
“But… how are you alive, Lady Seira?”
Lucia belatedly addressed Seira with honorifics. Shiron, his eyes faintly clouded, pretended not to notice Lucia’s slip.
“Alive, you say?”
Seira also glanced at Shiron, beads of cold sweat forming. She assud Shiron was simply ignoring Lucia’s innocent mistake. anwhile, Lucia, nervously sweating, continued speaking.
“L-Lady Seira, you know the tower’s secrets, don’t you?”
“I don’t know them; I only t the tower’s master…”
“Regardless, you explained it to so confidently, as if you were certain it was the truth.”
“…That’s true.”
“Then… wouldn’t those so-called demon lords have tried to eliminate you? Or did they just forget because of the curse of oblivion?”
Lucia posed her question and answered it herself, prompting Seira to scoff lightly.
“I’m an amazing magician, aren’t I? Escaping the demon lords’ pursuit is child’s play.”
Lucia nodded absentmindedly. She had no interest in listening to Seira’s needless bragging.
‘Demon lords, huh…’
Instead, Lucia decided to gather information on potential enemies to be cautious of. While apostles could only be slain by heroes, which was Shiron’s task, self-proclaid kings were fair ga for her.
The next day.
77th Floor – Examination Hall.
Lucia sat in a chair, observing the auditorium. The seating was random, so she ended up separated from her group.
“Just pass the test! See you on the next floor!”
Though she regretted being apart from Shiron, with his prophetic abilities, and Seira, who had prior experience climbing the tower, neither had much to say to her.
As she looked around for them, a clear voice echoed from the stage.
“Ladies and gentlen! Nice to et you all!”
A tiny fairy, no larger than a human palm, with blonde hair and red eyes, appeared.
“I’m Yuriyuri, the supervisor of the 77th floor! I’ll now explain the test, so please pay attention!”
Yuriyuri? For soone so cute, the na was odd.
“Everyone, look over here!”
Even the way it spoke was ridiculous.
Clap!
As Yuriyuri clapped, a curtain behind the podium fell, revealing a massive boulder with a sharp sword embedded in its center.
“…What is this?”
“What’s going on? This isn’t the test I knew.”
“Wasn’t it supposed to be about passing a magic barrier?”
“Yeah, that’s what it was just a month ago!”
Lucia wasn’t the only one puzzled; murmurs arose around her.
Thud, thud, thud!
“Quiet, everyone!”
Yuriyuri stomped on the podium to command attention.
“I understand you’re surprised by the change in the test. But there’s no rule saying tests that haven’t changed for centuries can’t change now, right?”
“…”
“That doesn’t an we won’t explain the test, of course! Let explain it right away!”
After saying this, Yuriyuri approached the boulder and smoothly drew the sword from it with a sharp tallic sound.
“The test is simple! Pull the sword from this boulder, and you pass! If you can’t, you fail! Simple, right?”
Yuriyuri then returned the sword to the boulder.
‘What happens if I can’t pull it out?’
Lucia had a bad feeling. Pulling a sword from a stone seed like a test of strength, but the small fairy didn’t exude any physical power.
Even without touching it, she could tell it wasn’t about raw strength.
When the test began, people from the front rows attempted to pull the sword, but there was no pattern to who succeeded and who didn’t.
A buxom succubus managed to pull it out, but a cyclops known for its great strength failed despite its effort.
At that mont, the murmurs began to rise again in the hall.
“A princess?”
“…She’s the daughter of a demon lord.”
“She’s already here? They said she was on the 50th floor six months ago. Is she about to break the record?”
“Didn’t you hear? I heard a magician climbed the tower in just one month.”
“Still, at this rate, she might break the youngest record…”
‘The daughter of a demon lord?’
Ignoring the whispers, Lucia focused on the stage.
A beautiful girl entered. Her hair, dark blue like the starry night, was neatly braided, and her eyes sparkled like a galaxy, an enchanting shade of blue.
Judging by the bat-like wings on her back, she seed to be a succubus, but her single horn gave her a sowhat familiar and friendly aura.
Despite the murmurs, the girl maintained a composed deanor.
With a swift motion, she drew the sword with ease. It was as if it were the most natural thing to her, her expression betraying no emotion.
‘So even the demon lord’s child climbs the tower, huh?’
Lucia marveled at this revelation. The girl’s white coat and the ominous aura she carried were unsettling enough, but the fact that she was the daughter of a demon lord surprised Lucia.
As Lucia watched in awe, her turn arrived.
“Challenger Lucia Prient, right?”
“…Hello.”
“Forget the pleasantries! Just pull the sword!”
Hmph. Insolent brat. If not for the test, she’d have slamd him to the ground.
Muttering internally, Lucia grasped the sword’s hilt.
“…What?”
Sweat ford on her cheek as she tightened her grip.
Grind!
Thunk!
‘…This is bad.’
The sword didn’t budge. Panicking, her palms began to sweat.
“Hnnngh!”
But Lucia wasn’t one to give up. She channeled her energy into her fists, igniting her core and infusing her upper body with mana. Telekinesis, strength enhancent, durability boost, friction reduction—all the magic she could muster.
Sparks crackled as intense mana surged, drawing spiraling winds in the air. From the sidelines, Shiron and Seira, who had already passed the test, watched with tense expressions.
Then, it happened.
“Huuup!”
Lift—
Her face turned red, veins bulging on her hands, mana swirling fiercely. Participants murmured, and the fairy glared suspiciously.
Finally, the enormous boulder lifted entirely from the ground.
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