Chapter 156

Chapter 156. The Tower

Appointing ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍an Apostle brought enormous benefits to both sides.

First ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of all, Yul could spread tremendous influence through this Apostle. And all of the Apostles’ Karma would belong entirely to Yul.

In ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍addition, the Apostle would become the most important figure of the Wave Church and lead others.

‘Divine ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍magic that I registered myself, huh. I should look into divine magic.’

Sonam ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Rinpoche, standing before Yul, seemed utterly unable to contain the ecstasy of the electrifying power bestowed upon him, his body trembling as he savored the lingering sensation.

“My ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍lord…… I offer my gratitude.”

“Now spread your influence across the entire Archipelago Ocean. There’s no need to rush. Slowly, at your leisure, propagate the Wave Church.”

“Yes, understood! However, there is one concern. What should we do about the sea elves?”

Up to now, Sonam and Arurion had maintained a distant relationship. Both were entangled with Yul, but their exact relationship had never been clearly defined.

“You don’t need to worry about the sea elves. They will naturally come to worship me.”

“Understood.”

"You may leave."

Once they made contact with the World Tree, they would all become worshippers of Yul anyway. There would be no disagreement on that point.

After resolving the matter of faith, Yul summoned Kaiman to deal with the biggest remaining problem.

“What’s this biggest problem? Things were almost finished. It was the final stretch.”

Kaiman seemed irritated at being called out during the final wrap-up work.

“I’ll apologize. This is an extremely important issue.”

“You, apologizing? What is it?”

“My Karma value has reached ten million again.”

“……I’m pretty sure I spent about one million.”

“Ah. That’s all been restored.”

“What?! No matter how Karma is like a contribution to writing history, isn’t that growth rate way too fast?”

Kaiman looked at Yul as if he were staring at a monster.

“After returning the sea elf prince and holding the coronation, and now that I’m trying to have all the humans of the Archipelago Ocean join the Wave Church, it’ll just keep increasing.”

“This is insane…… that’s Deep King Tribe-level fraud.”

Kaiman showed both shock and envy. Karma piled up just by breathing. Was that why he was moving together with humans to accumulate it even faster?

“I want to spend all ten million Karma at once.”

"Should I extract the Karma into crystals for you? With that, I can remove all ten million at once and resolve it in a short time. Well, there are several side effects. You have to hold on tight because you might soar into the Sky and end up going to the Arctic involuntarily."

“Oh? Ten million Karma makes you fly to the Arctic?”

“It’s been like that for a long time. I don’t know why. The other researchers have been too busy to look into it.”

That was probably flying off to become a ‘star’ of the Eures Keynes Realm. Interesting information. So crystallizing Karma in units of ten million caused one to automatically fly off to become a star?

“I have a good idea.”

“What is it?”

“Let’s invest ten million Karma to build a tower.”

“……?”

“There are a few things I’ve been thinking about.”

There were several concerns Yul had been mulling over.

First, Karma kept overflowing, and the current level of consumption was nowhere near enough.

Second, now that the sea elves could escape their curse, they might no longer remain on the island. That would reduce taxes. Yul could not tolerate his money draining away.

Third, if Yul were forced to leave for some reason, the Island of Boundaries might come under threat. To prepare for that, he wanted to cultivate subordinates with overwhelming power.

“For that purpose, I’ll build a tower. The rules are roughly like this.”

The Karma invested into this tower would be all of Yul’s Karma. With that, tremendous treasures could be created and stored inside.

The tower would be open to everyone. Not just humans, elves, and dwarves, but also orcs, sirens, merfolk, and others—entities humans called monsters—all would be allowed.

‘Good thing I read hunter stories.’

All the references were already there, so he could just take all the elements wholesale.

The tower would be designed like a labyrinth, with all kinds of treasures placed inside. The labyrinth would, of course, regenerate periodically with changing layouts.

A boss would be placed on each floor, granting designated treasures upon defeat.

Upon obtaining treasures, various growth elements would be arranged so that one’s abilities could improve.

For example, bestowing power through Yul’s divine power.

“And those strong ones who conquer the tower will enjoy wealth and glory, settle on my island, and become its powerful military force.”

“That’s…… quite an innovative method.”

Kaiman murmured in amazement. There had been many systems for training warriors, but this was the first time he had seen one like this.

“I’ll call it the Tower of Trials.”

“It’s fairly systematic, but even so, there will be considerable losses among the warriors. Is that fine?”

“It doesn’t matter. What I want is a small number of strong individuals with overwhelming power. I’ll set up multiple safety measures so that even those below that level won’t die easily. And the dead will be absorbed by the tower and converted into Karma.”

“Even that kind of function is necessary, huh. Hmm.”

Kaiman began calculating in response to Yul’s demands.

"It seems possible with just about ten million Karma, by a narrow margin."

"Create it now."

“Now?!”

Yul’s demand boasted an absurdly brutal level of difficulty. But Karma was an omnipotent force. It could do anything.

“I need even more Karma. The warriors who grow inside this will all be converted into Karma as well, right?”

“……That’s right. Both the dead and those who grow will all contribute to increasing your Karma value.”

The more one intervened in the history of each individual, the faster Karma increased. If Yul wanted Karma, this tower would be an extremely attractive option.

“Alright. I’ll initiate creation.”

“I’ll invest all ten million Karma.”

“This gives me chills. It’s the first time in my life I’ve used this much Karma at once.”

Kaiman looked unusually excited.

“Even during the era of the Final War, I’ve never used this much Karma.”

If ten million Karma had been used in the Final War, it was a staggering amount that might have helped change the direction of the war.

“In this ‘creation,’ your involvement is absolute. I’ll only assist. Visualize the tower.”

“Got it.”

Yul closed his eyes and envisioned the tower.

What he visualized was a black outer wall. What he imagined was a super-colossal structure.

It had to be a heteromorphic shape that looked as if it could not possibly exist in reality. The structure had to be overwhelming, as if created by a god, and visible from very far away.

He generated the exterior walls while imagining the rough texture of bismuth.

However, the internal structure strictly took the form of a building. Massive pillars formed the supports…… and within them, he infused mysteries and miracles forged from Karma.

In the meantime, Yul poured his Authority, 「Divine Power」, into it, leaving his mark deeply embedded.

So that one could feel that Yul had created this. So that they would hold awe toward him.

As terrifying power surged, countless people came out. And they were witnessing the enormous tower that soared into the sky.

“Divine power…….”

“The god has built a tower.”

“Ahh. Such a beautiful outer wall.”

In the shade where no light touched it, the exterior was black, but in the areas struck by sunlight, it resembled bismuth, shimmering in five colors.

A super-colossal structure with a diameter of 6 km. A tower of geometry and mystery, several times taller than any building Earth’s humans had ever constructed with their combined efforts, was completed.

‘I wanted it to reach the very edge of the sky, but I suppose that was too much.’

According to the original plan, it was supposed to extend all the way to the Sky Island, like the Chain of Truth on the Island of the Brown Sage, but for now, this was the limit.

Even so, it possessed an overwhelming presence.

‘Was the Burj Khalifa around 800 meters tall?’

He had completed a structure overwhelmingly taller than the pinnacle of Earth’s architecture—through the power of ‘magic,’ ‘authority,’ and ‘Karma.’

Inside it, monsters swarmed, and those who defeated them would be granted power.

“A truly astonishing structure. So this is the Tower of Trials, made by pouring in ten million Karma wholesale.”

Even Kaiman, who had participated in its construction, could not hide his astonishment upon seeing the result.

“This will become a colossal achievement. Perhaps even the celestials Aeons may gain inspiration upon seeing this Tower of Trials.”

“That might be a bit much.”

Hearing such praise from Kaiman of all people made Yul’s shoulders unconsciously rise.

“Now then, it’s time to proclaim it to the humans below. And to the humans of the Continental Ocean as well.”

With this, several of Yul’s problems were resolved all at once.

The Karma value that had seemed about to exceed its maximum dropped sharply to around 20, and at the same time, he could prevent a decrease in income while strengthening the military power of the Island of Boundaries.

“Alright, shall we begin the promotion?”

Yul first summoned his subordinates, including Aranmas. Sonam Rinpoche, Shillenwe, and even the more foreign beings.

“Um, Lord Yul, I understand Puyo, but...”

–Puyo!

He glanced sideways.

“Th-that one… who is that?”

“A siren?”

It was a siren pirate. A blue-skinned siren stood there, her face marked by a scar that looked as though a blade had slashed straight across it.

“Ah, a subordinate I picked up recently. She was the leader of a siren pirate crew. Somehow managed to survive.”

“Kyahahararararak!”

To Yul, it clearly sounded like ‘Nice to meet you!’ but to the others, it probably sounded like nothing more than that.

“I figured I should explain the Tower of Trials manual.”

“The Tower of Trials…….”

An unidentified giant tower that had sprung up overnight. Yul gave a proper explanation of it.

Those who entered the tower were called ‘climbers.’

These climbers gained power by ascending the tower, defeating monsters, or clearing trials.

‘It was hard making this on my own since the system wouldn’t support it.’

Since they didn’t have a system window, he made them wear a ‘shell necklace whistle’ that projected holograms in place of a system.

“This is a shell necklace whistle. It’s the symbol of a climber. It is automatically generated when you defeat monsters while climbing, and each shell necklace whistle represents the climber’s rank.”

White was the weakest. The colors were differentiated so that black represented the strongest. Ah, this was inspired by the belt system from when he attended a taekwondo dojo as a child.

“Ohho. Classified by color…….”

“The whistle function is mostly decorative, but you’ll figure out how to use it. If you become the strongest climber and reach the very top floor, you’ll gain power that transcends your species. That much I guarantee.”

It was a system that had cost a full ten million Karma.

“You go in first and get a head start. I’ll draw in new people from the continent.”

“Pardon?”

“Are we not the only ones entering?”

“The talent pool is too small.”

In any game, you need many users to make a lot of money. It could be called a high-volume, low-margin strategy.

“So don’t fall behind, do your best. Ah, except for you, Sonam.”

“I understand, Lord Yul.”

He needed to stay behind and make the Wave Church flourish.

“Given this structure, it seems that proselytizing the Wave Church to the ‘climbers’ would be quite effective.”

A very sharp one. He immediately gave the answer Yul wanted.

“Hehehe.”

A plan that earned money, gained subordinates, built fame, increased faith, and at the same time generated Karma—killing five birds with one stone.