In the meantime, the Central Bureau was in an uproar.
Ding, ding, ding!
“Everyone, move faster!”
“Find Laplace first!”
They had just received news that the Chase Team sent to take care of Yeon-woo’s party and Laplace had been annihilated. The Central Bureau was under code blue. They quickly gathered a Search Team to investigate the situation with a Chase Team. Considering that Yeon-woo’s party had managed to kill both two High Guardians, Tarneck and Lupi, the new Chase Team was composed of extremely powerful beings.
“Just what in the world…” The Bureau director Klus looked at the documents required to form the Search Team and Chase Team with a faint frown. This was an unimaginable situation. Tarneck had once been a Demon King who conquered countless dimensions and universes, and Lupi was a monster who ate gods and demons. Even though they were constrained by the system, it was impossible for them to be defeated so easily. However, they had died without even leaving corpses behind. Klus already confirmed that the sheep and pig were gone from the Guardian directory and the rabbit had grown abnormally large. He was at a loss what to do next.
‘Is the heavenly world declaring that they’ll do whatever it takes to descend to the lower world? Even at the cost of creating a shortcut?’ Klus believed that Laplace and the army of the Demonic Sea were an advance party with the heavenly world standing behind them. He’d discovered that the Yellow Emperor’s representative and incarnation, the Snapping Turtle, had put Laplace into the system.
The heavenly world’s gods and demons on the ninety-eighth floor frequently made many attempts to spread their influence in the lower world, only to be blocked by Allforone each time. The Bureau supported Allforone and piggybacked on his strength, while also actively preventing Allforone from ascending to the higher floors.
This balance between the three forces had lasted for thousands of years. There were times when it had been nearly ruined, like the Dragon Massacre and Lucifer’s rebellion, but it managed to hold together somehow.
Still, it was evident there would be limits. Occasionally, there were complaints within the Bureau, who always had to be on the other side of history. It was also a wonder that the heavenly world hadn’t tried anything too extreme yet, considering how furious they were. The more they expanded, the greater the pressure was. It had finally reached its limits and was on the verge of explosion.
No one had known what that catalyst would be—except perhaps the heavenly world. While the ancients gods and conceptual gods, who were seen as the most superior in their societies, stepped up to war against Allforone, the heavenly world had found an ally in the Demonic Sea to help them directly attack the Bureau.
‘They set forward two advance parties to strain Allforone and the Bureau and push us into a corner with overwhelming strength and numbers.’ Klus rubbed his face. “I believed things would be calm for a while, thanks to the division within the heavenly world.”
Despite their great strength, the heavenly world had been bound to the ninety-eighth floor for a reason: they were not united. From the disorder in Olympus, the war between Olympus and L’Infernal, and the endless standoff between the Chan Sect and Jie Sect, the different factions of the heavenly world could never ally with each other.
The conflict between each group, the strife within each society, and even the personal businesses of each transcendent meant that these individualistic characters would never submit to another’s orders. But this time, even though Klus didn’t know how they found common ground, it seemed that they had banded together. Their spirit was overwhelming.
‘It’s been a conspiracy ever since Laplace’s desertion of the Bureau up to this point. Setting the stage with unrelated incidents, pushing forward with their careful steps—this is a mysterious ability. Who is responsible? Who is plotting this?’ Klus believed that a single entity was moving the heavenly world as one. Without a leader, things wouldn’t have worked out so neatly. It was as though all their plans had been measured out with a ruler.
‘The problem is that we have no idea who it might be. Who is it? Someone clever who knows the Bureau well and is in a position to know the heavenly world and Allforone’s temperament and each part’s movements…?’
Just then, a portal appeared in front of him and someone popped out. “Director.” He had cunning eyes and pale skin that made him seem like he would faint any moment: it was the High Guardian Hayang, the snake, who usually acted as his advisor.
“Where is Laplace? Have you found him?”
Hayang had been chasing after Laplace at Klus’ command. He was so crafty that it was hard to feel any attachment to him, but it was all the more reason why Klus could trust him to separate work and personal matters. Fortunately, it seemed Hayang had finished the task he’d given him this time as well.
“Yes. But…” Hayang nodded and trailed off.
Klus narrowed his eyes. He’d never seen Hayang hesitate like this before, and he thought he could see a subtle fear in Hayang’s eyes. “What’s he doing?”
“Laplace is headed for…the brain.”
“What?” Crash! Klus slammed his fist on the table and shot up. The brain Hayang spoke of was in the head of the dead otherworld god. If the stomach were a collection of what the dead otherworld god had eaten during his life, the head was an Other World where the god’s vestiges were greatest.
Since this was the vestige of a god who had observed the beginning of time when the first universe split through chaos, it would no doubt be dangerous for Laplace to dominate such a place. He was trying to become the otherworld god he killed!
“Laplace is now a player. If he tries to become the Military King of Totalitarianism, the balance of the Tower will be destroyed! This bastard can’t distinguish between what should and shouldn’t be done…!”
If an otherworld god—and one who had been one of the past greats—became a player, the function of the Tower would be meaningless. The first disruption would be the hardest, and it meant that the Tower would be invaded a second, third, and more times after. Soon, the Tower would be filled with otherworld gods.
After becoming the Bureau director, Klus learned the reason why the Tower had been built, so he knew there was no way they could allow this to happen. The First Promise the Trinity Wonders had made couldn't be broken now. ‘It’s not time for that yet…!’
Boom! Klus hadn’t even finished his thoughts when the door to his office suddenly exploded, along with the entire wall.
“Sir…take cover…!” Bloodied, High Guardian Landon, the ox, muttered before he collapsed on the ground. He had taken his last breath.
“Landon!”
Klus and Hayang stiffened at the sight.
“Ohyohyo! I was going to give you a peaceful rest considering our past, but this only makes that harder.”
“Yvlke?”
“Hello, Director. Isn’t it the perfect morning for a walk?”
Klus’ face was full of disbelief as he watched Yvlke step on Landon’s body to get into the room. Yvlke fixed his monocle and smiled widely. The canines poking out between his lips looked sharper than usual. Behind him were the dragon Diablo and the rooster Lapis Lazuli, as well as a few other High Guardians and members of the Special Police Unit.
There was a huge commotion outside as an intense battle raged, with both sides activating the system. It was an insurrection. Klus finally felt like all of his doubts were being answered. “Are you the culprit behind all this?” It made sense if Yvlke had been responsible for involving the heavenly world, moving Laplace, setting up the Demonic Sea, and tying Allforone’s hands—and now he was trying to destroy the Bureau. Who else but the first Guardian, the one who had the position of rat, would be able to pull this off?
“Ohyohyo? Culprit? I just helped make things better for everyone.”
Klus ignored Yvlke’s words. “What are you planning?”
“It’s for the Tower.”
“Tower? How funny. You messed up the balance that was barely in place and shook the system for the sake of the Tower?”
“It is indeed for the sake of the Tower. For the Tower to not only remain as the Tower, but also return to its original function, this is a necessary step. It’s an additional operation so the First Promise can be properly carried out.” Yvlke added that he was being faithful to his duty as a Guardian.
Klus gritted his teeth. He had an idea what Yvlke meant and what his goals were. He wanted to refute Yvlke since he had a totally different idea of what the purpose of the promise was, but he didn’t think it was useful to try to convince him. Yvlke and his organization had already progressed with their big plans, and he was merely a naysayer, an obstacle who needed to be eliminated.
‘Then I should become a proper naysayer.’ Klus’ eyes flashed. With a crack, something tore from inside his chest. He was attempting to release his true body.
“Oh, dear. It seems you don’t agree with our mission. What a shame.” Despite what his said, Yvlke maintained an easy smile as he stepped back. Diablo appeared from behind him. He and Klus were said to be the strongest among the High Guardians, and no one knew that he was the first Demonic Dragon to exist.
“Director, I’ve always wanted to fight a proper battle of life and death with you.”
Rumble.
The waves of strength the two released blew away the entire Central Bureau as the bloody battle between the tiger and the dragon began.
* * *
[You have now arrived at Floor 0, the Tutorial Hall.]
[You do not qualify to participate in the Tutorial.]
[You have been given the status of observer.]
[Warning! Your records show that you have already cleared the Tutorial. The Tutorial is a gate that tests those who wish to challenge the Tower. However, if you interfere, you may skew the test unfairly. Please do not interfere in the test. If you do, you will receive a penalty.]
[Warning! The Tutorial is not suitable for you. If you remain here for a long duration, it may be detrimental to your accomplishments. It is recommended you return to your original floor.]
[Warning! This…]
…
Yeon-woo clucked his tongue at the messages that filled his vision as soon as he entered the Tutorial stage. ‘The Cheonghwado guys put up with this to manage Arangdan? They must have given a lot of rewards to the people who came here.’ Yeon-woo rethought his plans to spread Arthia’s influence in the Tutorial once it grew more stable in the Tower. If something went wrong, it wouldn’t be worth any advantages. ‘But the Tutorial will be completely shut down after this round.’
Once again, he was thinking something the Central Bureau would be angered by if they only knew. ‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen this place.’ The ticket Laplace gave him allowed him to re-attempt the Tutorial. It was a ticket that was sold in limited numbers for those who hadn’t properly cleared the lower floors and wanted to start over.
All the things that Yeon-woo had accomplished and accumulated would disappear if he made a single mistake. Since he was already experienced and possessed many abilities, it was unlikely that would happen, but it was still dangerous.
It was probably a small joke on Laplace’s end, but Yeon-woo appeared in the waiting room, where he had first arrived after walking through the gate from Earth. The dark and cramped interior bore down on him.
[372:88:65_04]
[372:88:65_03]
…
‘Has it been about two weeks?’
Yeon-woo nodded to himself as he saw the counter. He had a little over a fortnight left. It was more than enough time to capture Akasha’s Snake alive and examine it. ‘But…’ Yeon-woo turned the counter off and expanded his territory of recognition. ‘I don’t see Yvlke.’
The Tutorial was under his jurisdiction, and Yeon-woo thought that Yvlke would come straight here after all the trouble Yeon-woo had caused. However, Yeon-woo saw neither hair nor hide of Yvlke. Had something happened?
He decided not to think too much about it. Since Laplace was causing such a mess, even Yvlke wouldn’t be able to focus on the Tutorial. It was all for the best since he didn’t want to be interrupted anyway.
Whoosh. He unfurled his Fire Wings. First, he needed to get by this section of traps.
