chapter 13
13 – What to do in life
The full moon is near. The time has come for Enlil to challenge the tower again.
A fact that even Leon was unaware of because no hero had ever returned alive.
A rule that those who enter the tower once can try again after one month.
Thanks to this, Rion’s first goal became very clear.
To make Enlil get a sense of mana practice within a month.
To deliberately allow a slight wound to prove its effectiveness.
And just today, one of those goals was achieved.
“Huh-uh-“
Rion looked at Enlil, who was breathing deeply, and sneakily asked a question.
“How is it, Enlil? Tell me about the feeling of the mana you have now.”
“… Weird.”
“How strange is that?”
“Really, this may sound crazy, but… It’s hot, but it’s also cold.”
Two words that cannot coexist at all, and must be coexisted.
To think that they exist at the same time. Anyone who hears it will know it’s a joke.
But not for Leone. Rather, it was the answer I was desperately waiting for.
“Really? It’s hot, it’s cold.”
“I’m sorry. I said something strange….”
“Congratulations.”
Let’s say congratulations right away. Make a face
Then, Leone smiles a little and pats her on the shoulder.
“It seems to have settled down properly. The most difficult thing is to put Mana at the bottom, which is completely different in temperament and chastity. But it is also something that must be done. You did it.”
“Then….”
“The mana training method should have become much easier now. As an analogy, what should I say… Well, it can be considered as the foundation work to build a huge highway.”
Without words, you will know if you try it yourself.
Rion, who sat down Enlil, told him to use the mana technique immediately.
Following her words, she closed her eyes and gathered her mana to the fullest.
“… Ah.”
It was not long before Enlil understood what Rion meant.
Until now, no matter how much I collected and held onto it, the mana kept coming loose.
Now, once I put it together, I was waiting for the next one as it was unraveled and tangled.
If this entangled mana goes through the seniority method one more time, the chastity doubles.
The efficiency will be much higher than now.
“Great. I never thought I could do this in less than a month.”
“Thanks to the instructor.”
“No. This is all you did well, Enlil.”
When I saw that the other cadets who started the same way hadn’t caught on yet.
There are more than enough reasons why Leon was extremely devoted to Enlil.
Three days before the full moon approached, it was Enlil who finally realized what ‘mana practice’ was.
*
“….”
The day before heading to the tower. Enlil was sitting alone looking at the night sky.
Beyond the dark world, a large moon shining brightly among the stars.
It must be a very beautiful and romantic sight to the people of the world.
She meant that the time had come for Enlil to go through hell once more.
If it’s not hard, if you don’t want to run away, that’s all lies.
I want to live. I don’t want to fight any more. I want to avoid getting sick.
As he was, all the other warriors must have been the same.
But because someone has to do it, because they have to save the world.
So I just resolutely accept that fate and fight silently.
‘What will happen this time?’
It has already been eight times since I fought the owner of the tower.
If you go up this time, so if you face it again, nine times.
‘Can I win? If you don’t win….’
Will he kill himself this time, or will he let him live again?
“Enlil.”
At the voice calling him, Enlil turned his head.
In that place stood Leon, who was wearing a uniform unlike usual.
“Instructor? How is this….”
“Your mana flow is a bit different than usual. I came to see what was going on.”
After saying that, Leon sat down beside Enlil.
“I’m going back to the tower tomorrow.”
“Yes. Because it’s a full moon. I have to keep trying. To fulfill my destiny.”
“Then, will we be able to see the tower collapsing soon?”
“Okay. I hope so. Otherwise, this meeting might be our last.”
The last meeting. At those words, Leon slowly turned his head.
An expression of dissatisfaction with something. What he would say, Enlil knew.
“I would have told you. Instead of thinking about dying, think about surviving.”
“I know. I know. But does that make it okay? I wish I could win, but it would be great if I could topple the tower. If you don’t, you may lose your life like the other warriors.”
“You survived until now.”
“Because the owner of the tower saved me. I don’t know why.”
That’s because you are our only hope. Because it’s a spark that has to live somehow.
“The master of the tower. An arrogant person. And… He was really, really strong.”
“If you say that, you must be a really big guy.”
“I guess I’m not the ‘owner’ for nothing. I don’t know what the other warriors would have been like.”
Actually, I don’t know. Not a single one has ever been to where I am.
One thing is for sure, you are much better than them.
“Maybe. Unlike the other heroes, I’m really weak and lousy. That’s why I wonder if he’s letting them live just to laugh at them.”
It was completely different from the truth, but Leon just listened in silence.
Isn’t it impossible to tell the truth anyway?
Instead, she decided to cheer her up a little bit.
“It’s different this time.”
“….”
“You’ve learned a skill you’ve never shown him before. This is a method that even previous warriors did not know. No matter how strong a guy is, if caught off guard, he has no choice but to panic. That’s when I’ll give you a good shot.”
This time is different. Yes, as you said, this time was different.
I learned and trained for something different from what I had prepared before.
It had never been used while fighting the owner of the tower.
Enlil himself saw and experienced the efficiency.
There’s a lot of potential, and it would be great if it could be done.
“You said. He said that the owner of the tower was arrogant. He must be looking down on you now. Give me a shot at that moment. So he hurts his ego.”
“… I don’t know anything else, but one thing is certain. The possibility of killing me increases…”
“No. It seems to me the opposite.”
In Leon’s answer, Enlil eh? And asked what he was talking about.
He hurts his ego, but he doesn’t kill, he saves?
“I know those guys well. Since his pride has been wounded, he will try to crush you thoroughly somehow. I was lucky this time, so I only ate one shot, and in the end, your limits are clear. In order to let you know that thoroughly, I will make the next promise. Even if it’s to prove that today’s shaking was just ‘luck’.”
“Me… Will you save me again?”
“That’s what I expected. And….”
Rion, who was speechless for a moment, slowly comforted Enlil’s shoulder.
“I want you to live. Whether you fulfill your destiny or not. I wish I could live once.”
At those words, Enlil involuntarily stared at the other.
It was the first time I heard it. Those words that told me to live no matter what happened.
To do one’s duty, to avoid one’s fate, to save the world.
I have heard many such words, but it was the first time I had heard such words.
“Live. Even if it’s disgraceful, live until you drive a knife through that arrogant bastard’s heart. And laugh heartily on top of him. Your arrogance has become a dagger and stabs you.”
Live. Let me live come alive
Enlil, who had been listening to Leon’s words, slowly turned his gaze to the night sky.
It felt like the moonlight was shining brighter than usual today.
‘… Thank you. Instructor Leone.’
It seemed that my dizzy mind had calmed down a little bit.
*
As always, the road to the tower was lonely, tiring, and difficult.
Beasts arranged completely differently than before. And various demons.
In addition, there are more traps, and even the space where you can relax is limited.
You have to endure ordeals that push your body and mind to the limit.
A place that must be overcome as a person with the fate of a warrior.
“Whoop, whoop….”
That tower Enlil was already on the ninth ascent.
“Ha ha ha—”
I’m tired. It’s hard. It’s painful. I want to quit right now.
But considering the people who would believe in the warriors, I couldn’t do that.
For the sake of everything you’ve done so far, even for the sake of your past self.
‘And then, I have to check. Will the newly prepared blade work for that arrogant man?’
At last Enlil again reached the top floor where the owner of the tower was located.
The same scenery as the first, and the same fear and fear of death.
Take a deep breath, and as before, she opened the huge black door and stepped inside.
Koo-goo-goo….
Beyond the great hall, a man sits on a black throne.
The owner of the tower. He is the one who has brought shame upon himself many times.
“….”
He tilts his head for a moment and then slowly opens his mouth.
“Is it Eleanor? Surprising. It comes faster than before.”
The upload speed is faster? Didn’t you feel that?
Just as Enlil was about to ask what he was saying, the owner of the tower continued his words.
“You must have trained hard.”
Training. It’s training Yes, even for a short time, but I worked hard.
“Where, let’s see if it’s a little different this time.”
“… That’s right. This time, it will be a little different. The owner of the tower.”
Because I was with someone who just wanted to live, not want to save the world.
“So you have to be prepared for today too. Either kill me or die to me.”
Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ve reached that level yet.
It’s not bad though. Compared to before, now is better.
When Enlil entered the tower and steadily broke through each floor and finally reached the top floor, Leon hurriedly returned to the tower, saying that he had personal circumstances. She looked at her and smiled at her.