Chapter 40: Doctor of Despair (7)
...
Chunghuh opened his eyes again.
‘Brat, not respecting the elders.’
His bruised eyes still hurt. Chunghuh spoke.
“I haven’t lost yet. The fight always goes on if you live.”
“…”
Jaehwan looked at Chunghuh. He was the old man who had lived for 1000 years with a slash. It looked like he was shocked to see that his slash had been overpowered.
“I’ve realized one thing after living a thousand years.”
“…?”
“Survivors always win.”
“Didn’t you die already?”
“If you still live after 1000 years, I will accept my loss.”
Jaehwan then took out a piece of paper and Chunghuh frowned. The paper was the ‘Agreement’ that they made before they started fighting.
-It’s boring to just do it so let’s make a bet with this.
This agreement was made by the Nightmare with the [Spiritual Agreement]. So when one signed it, they would be required to follow what was written on it. If the agreement was not followed, the paper would then make the spirit disappear. It did not go through the Interface System. Instead, it directly accessed the spirit that even Jaehwan couldn’t avoid.
The agreement they signed was as follows: The loser grants three wishes for a week.
Chunghuh was determined to win and deal with Jaehwan later on. He then asked in a dignified voice, “…So, what is it that you wish? Young one.”
“Answer my questions to the best of your knowledge.”
“Hmph. So be it.”
The light shined from the paper and was absorbed into Jaehwan and Chunghuh. It was the first wish.
Jaehwan asked, “What is a <Master>’s tower?”
“Master’s tower?”
Chunghuh closed his eyes.
“You know what the Tower of Nightmares is, right?”
“Yeah.”
People who came into the Great Lands all knew about the tower. It was the beginning of the tragedy. The world had ‘Nightmare’ races and they created ‘Tower of Nightmares’. The name did fit as for all beings, and the tower was nothing less than a nightmare.
“Each tower has a grade. From S to F. Most towers created from <Apprentices> to <High Artisans> are graded as such.”
Titles of the artisans. Jaehwan had heard it from Meikal already. Nightmares only considered making the tower as their grand purpose of life. Their towers were evaluated by their union, <Criche>, and were given grades.
“Most Nightmares strive to create an A-grade tower. If they can make an A-grade, then they will be accepted as <High Artisan> and will not need to worry about their salary just by renting out what they have made.”
It looked like even Nightmares, the nobles of Great Lands, worry about money. Jaehwan thought it was ironic.
“But there are some Nightmares who are not interested in sales.”
“Why?”
“It’s those who have created an S-grade tower as an <Apprentice>.”
Meikal also said that talent limited Nightmares. Even among them, some were born with great talents which that brought them to the top of all Nightmares in the early stages.
“They are called <Master Artisans>.”
The top of all [Nightmares]. The 13 Master Artisans.
“So Master Tower just means the tower was made by them?”
“No, not all are considered that way. Only towers that were not created for [Cultivation] are called Master towers.”
“Why do they make those towers?”
“I do not know. No one knows what those Masters are thinking. They are all busy unraveling the ‘Truth of the World’.”
Chunghuh continued, “Only two things are for certain. There are a few Master Towers spread within the Great Lands and the clearer of those towers sometimes become ‘Awakener’, or the one who had overcome certain things.”
“So, you are from a Master Tower too.”
“Yes.” Chunghuh smiled. It seemed he was proud to say that he had cleared a Master’s tower.
“I cleared the 4th Master Tower of Master ‘Melville.’ The tower is also known as [Moby Dick].”
Chunghuh’s eyes became dark. It seemed he still had memories of the days when he cleared the tower.
“There was a big white whale that appeared on the 1st floor that hunted people down. It was a disaster back then. Many strong warriors of Moorim died. It was a miracle that I even cleared it.”
Not all towers had similar shapes.
“And you sound like you’ve come here from a Master’s Tower. Who made it? Melville? Jorje? Scarge?”
Chunghuh named some of the Master Artisans he knew. Jaehwan answered.
“Mulack. I think that was the name.”
Jaehwan remembered the status window he saw when he first realized the tower was an [Item]. There was a description on the status window.
Description: 2nd Creation of Nightmare [Mulack], the creator of ‘Fortress of Remorse.’ Traps the one who accepts the summon into its dream world.
“Mulack, you say?”
Chunghuh’s expression changed.
“I never imagined that an Awakener would clear Mulack’s tower…”
Jaehwan flinched at the word ‘clear.’ He wasn’t sure if he actually cleared it.
“Do you know Mulack?”
“Of course I do.”
Chunghuh thought for a second and answered grimly.
“…I met Mulack in the <Depth>.”