It is a place where countless monsters enter to obtain a 'mystery' suitable for themselves.
For monsters that have entered Kramdel, it is a place that they pass through at least once, just like the hot springs.
“Do you know why there are so many monsters in Kramdel wearing helmets of the same color?”
“······?”
Leaning against the wall of the tower, Isaac spoke to Isabella.
When Isabella looked at him, Isaac tapped the wall of the tower with his right hand.
“The class is determined by the mystery obtained inside.”
“Is that so?”
“······ Is that so? Your words are a bit short, aren’t they?”
“You are the second servant.”
“So... you are the first servant?”
Nod!
Isabella nodded with an expression devoid of any emotion, leaving Isaac speechless.
“Should I call you senior?”
“No.”
“Do you not want to talk to me?”
“Keep talking.”
Keep talking, she said.
She seemed curious.
That crow, the Seer, is strange, but this woman is no less strange.
‘Strange. My charm should work on any humanoid female, regardless of species.’
Isaac is fully self-aware.
Objectively, he is handsome.
His charm overflows.
There is no female who does not succumb to his charm.
Regardless of species, if they are humanoid.
Yet the woman in front of him was cold, radiating a chill.
‘Her unique gaze, as if looking down on an inferior. The eyes of a queen.’
But Isaac sees through everything about women.
Isabella’s eyes are those of a queen who never bends.
She has a unique aura that only those who have ruled and governed can possess.
‘That’s why it’s even stranger. She’s not the type to bow to a mere corpse crow.’
The ruler is being ruled.
By a mere corpse crow.
She has completely submitted. Yet her spirit has not been broken. She would show the same gaze to everyone except the self-proclaimed Seer.
“So, did you also make a one-year service contract?”
“Something like that.”
“What did you receive?”
“Freedom.”
“Freedom?”
Nod.
Isabella had already gained freedom the moment she left the desert.
But it was not complete freedom.
She wanted to know her lineage, her place of origin.
To achieve this, she made a one-year service contract with the Seer.
‘She’s gathering people. People who will serve her for a year. What criteria does she use?’
Isaac crossed his arms.
She had suddenly appeared, speaking as if she knew everything. She must have known he was in Kramdel from the beginning.
But no one knew him in such detail. He had never even mentioned trivial background information.
‘Does she really know everything because she’s a Seer?’
He had no idea.
He couldn’t even grasp the reason.
The reason she came to him, the task she wanted him to do.
What was certain was that she was seeking out those who yearned for freedom.
‘That gaze. She wants me to keep talking.’
Isabella was looking at Isaac without saying a word.
The silent pressure to continue speaking.
She was more curious than he thought.
“······ Anyway, it’s said that the mysteries obtained can vary depending on the species. Lower species like goblins mostly get insignificant mysteries, so they wear white worker helmets.”
“Black helmets?”
“That’s the color for guides. Monsters who have obtained the mystery to see hidden paths usually wear black helmets. Blue is for the upper class who manage workers.”
“What about other colors?”
“Red is for the managerial level in Kramdel. They wield considerable power in Kramdel, equivalent to the noble class among humans. The ruling class above them wears a crown shaped like a molar, which can be considered the royal family of Kramdel.”
“Sounds human.”
Humans and monsters alike have a clear distinction between the ruling and the ruled.
Yet the reason monsters continuously seek to belong to Kramdel is simple.
Fragments of evolution and the goddess’s hot spring water.
What is given to most guests and what is given to Kramdel’s servants are of entirely different qualities.
Isaac shrugged.
“Sounds human.”
Monsters in other places are not like this.
Only in Kramdel, only the monsters who have flocked to Kramdel, are they like this.
Isaac slowly turned and looked up at the tower.
‘What kind of mystery is he trying to obtain by entering?’
Human mysteries and monster mysteries are different.
Their meanings and uses are different.
Human mysteries are merely proof of position or auxiliary abilities.
For example, the generic mysteries obtained by becoming the ruler of a city or the owner of a guild.
Simple flashy effects that can be purchased from a mystic.
‘Human and monster mysteries are definitely different.’
Human mysteries are insignificant.
That’s why humans don’t place much importance on mysteries.
But a monster’s mystery is like its qualification.
The species’ standards and the inherent rank of the monster determine the mysteries they can obtain and use.
Yet the corpse crow entered the Chamber of Mystery.
‘A corpse crow, at best, is a mid-level species. The mystery it can obtain is probably nothing special...’
Even if it reaches the end of the chamber, the mystery it can obtain might be impressive by human standards, but it would be insignificant by monster standards.
If it came to work in Kramdel, it would immediately be given a white worker helmet.
At best, a blue upper-class helmet if it’s lucky.
A red managerial helmet can only be obtained by those with high-level mysteries and formidable power.
The ruling class above that is practically impossible to achieve.
‘Special monsters possess special mysteries.’
In the world of monsters, a mystery is like a lion’s mane.
Whoever has the more luxurious mane. That’s how mysteries are judged.
For high-value species like mythic or fantasy species, the mysteries given by the chamber are said to be legendary, though I’ve never confirmed it.
In any case.
‘At best, it can only obtain an amplification mystery like the eye of a corpse.’
Monsters tend to obtain mysteries related to their species’ characteristics.
A corpse crow is a species with a curse characteristic.
It’s highly likely to obtain a mystery that amplifies curses.
At best, it would be a mid-level mystery.
Like Medusa’s, obtaining a mystery that affects the entire Kramdel is impossible for a corpse crow.
Rumble!
That’s when it happened.
“The tower...?”
The ground began to shake along with the tower.
The changes didn’t stop there.
“G, glowing gold...!”
Isaac was too stunned to finish his sentence.
The tower was suddenly turning gold.
But this was the first time he had seen such a phenomenon in Kramdel.
“What’s happening?”
“The tower is enraged!”
The surrounding monsters were also surprised.
Many monsters were climbing the tower or waiting in line for their turn.
Everyone was shocked by the unexpected phenomenon.
“The tower is giving a direct trial to a challenger!”
A monster in the form of a black goat trembled as it spoke.
This caused even more commotion among the crowd.
“The tower?”
“Has this ever happened before?”
“Is a powerful being entering the tower?”
“Could it be... the Minotaur King who just entered?”
“It must be the young fantasy species that entered earlier.”
“What are you talking about? It must be Leviathan.”
Each one offered their own theory, focusing on the current phenomenon.
The owner of the tower was directly giving a trial to someone who had entered.
But many had entered the tower. If a special trial was given to one of them, who was the target?
Isaac shook his head inwardly.
‘No way... the timing is strange.
It happened as soon as he entered.
Could it be that self-proclaimed Seer?
No. Isaac shook his head.
After all, the tower wouldn’t give a direct trial to just a corpse crow.
*
Swish.
The moment the tower turned gold, Medusa, the Queen of the Gate, who was sitting on her throne, reacted.
The snakes that had been sleeping began to move, flicking their tongues.
“Lady Medusa...!”
“It’s been years since she moved!”
The serpents, similar in form to Medusa but much smaller, cheered at her movement.
After ‘that incident,’ Medusa had stopped moving her main body for years, focusing solely on recovery.
Swoosh. Swoosh.
The serpents’ movements became busier.
They continuously drenched Medusa’s body with the hot spring water containing the tears of a high goddess.
A monster of her exalted rank could not be healed by ordinary means.
But Medusa’s reaction was extremely brief.
‘Someone must have opened the Chamber of Mythic Mysteries.’
The Chamber of Mythic Mysteries had only been opened twice before Kramdel was named.
Once by the White King.
The other time by a brilliant golden dragon.
The White King successfully broke through the Chamber of Mythic Mysteries, but the golden dragon met a tragic end.
‘It hasn’t been opened since then.’
The Chamber of Mystery is a place where monsters are granted mysteries.
But the Chamber of Mystery is extremely selective about species.
Only beings like the ancient dragon or the White King, who transcended all species, could open the mythic chamber.
So, is someone similar to them challenging the chamber?
‘They won’t succeed anyway.’
Even the brilliant golden dragon met its end.
The White King also shook his head.
The Chamber of Mythic Mysteries continuously gives impossible trials based on the species and the challenger’s rank.
The White King, the guardian deity of the north, obtained immense power and a corresponding mystery by challenging the Chamber of Mythic Mysteries, but he never reached the end.
- The mythic trial has no end. It is designed that way.
The White King himself said this, so there should be no doubt.
So he is certain.
They won’t succeed anyway.
But just in case, he kept an eye on the sky above the Tower of Mystery.
He needed to observe the changes in the tower.
*
Caw!
Caw!
Two corpse crows flying in the sky.
I shared their vision and looked down at the cliff below.
‘Incredible.’
The moment I reached the Chamber of Mythic Mysteries, I witnessed an unbelievable sight.
Clank.
Clank, clank!
It was an endless procession of skeleton soldiers.
There must have been at least ten thousand of them.
‘Am I supposed to kill all of them alone?’
The problem is that this is just the beginning.
Fortunately, there is one silver lining.
【Lv.4】
All the skeleton soldiers are level 4.
They are ordinary monsters, but there are ten thousand of them.
If they were the same level, I could only kill a few dozen at most.
‘I’m lucky I’m not a typical level 4.’
My level is 4, but it far exceeds the standard.
Every time my level increases, all my stats max out, and they are 1.2 times higher.
With all stats at 48, it’s equivalent to a 6-7 level standard.
Not only that.
I have a star, which adds 5 to all my stats.
This means I can face a 7-level standard strong opponent.
‘If my level was higher, I would have been in trouble.’
If my level was 10?
A level 10 skeleton soldier is not an ordinary skeleton soldier.
It would use skills and imbue its bones with magic, turning them into sword auras.
Facing ten thousand swordsmen who can use sword auras.
It’s better that my level is lower.
I was cursing the excessive experience needed, but maybe this is a blessing in disguise?
Clank! Clank!
The skeleton soldiers were advancing up the cliff.
If I stayed still, I would be crushed by their numbers.
“Rise, caw!”
With a shout, I chose a target and activated my skill. One of the corpse crows flying overhead dived vertically and entered the body of a skeleton soldier.
Clank!
The corpse crow is a level 4 boss monster.
A regular level 4 skeleton soldier is easy to control.
“Combine, caw!”
And the king of corpse crows can make the corpses even more beautiful.
An artist of corpses, you might say.
The corpse crow controlling the skeleton soldier began to take over the surrounding skeletons one by one.
With my power added, the controlled skeleton soldiers merged into a giant golem-like form.
The two corpse crows connected the skeleton soldiers, and I controlled them.
‘Corpse control, the art of corpses.’
These are skills I can use after becoming the king of corpse crows.
There are no better skills for overcoming this trial.
“Destroy them all, caw!”
Boom!
*
How many hours have I been fighting?
...
...
My proficiency keeps increasing.
In a way, it’s natural.
The hidden trait I possess, ‘Handiness,’ not only adds +1 to the proficiency of all skills and equipment but also increases skill experience at an unbelievable rate.
Especially in such extreme situations.
Just as the endless stream of skeleton soldiers became tiresome.
Caw!
Caw!
Caw!
Before I knew it, there were seven corpse crows flying around me.
Skill level 7. If I reach level 10 and summon ten, the skill will transcend.
But the joy of the skill’s level-up is less than 1% of the happiness I feel now.
“Caw!”
On top of the mountain of broken skeletons, I shouted with all my might.
‘I won!’
Finally, I broke through the wall of ten thousand.
These annoying guys!
If I wasn’t the king of corpse crows, I wouldn’t have been able to eliminate even half of them.
Now even the cries of the corpse crows sound endearing.
《You have cleared the trial of the ‘Species Barrier.’》
《As a reward, you can obtain the mythic mystery ‘Overlord.’》
《Do you wish to obtain it?》
《If you do not obtain it, you will move on to the next trial.》
Is this not the end?
The name of the mystery I’ve never seen before.
This means I can leave if I get it!
‘A mythic mystery, whatever it is, is enough.’
A mythic mystery used by monsters is an insurmountable barrier.
No matter what it is, it must have an incredible effect.
I had no strength left to fight.
I couldn’t move a single step.
I felt like I would vomit at the sight of another skeleton.
But this is not the end of the trial.
Continuing an endless trial is a futile act.
It’s like courting death.
《You have refused to obtain ‘Overlord.’》
If someone saw this, they would think I was crazy.
‘If not now, I’ll never break it.’
If my thoughts are correct, this is the only time I can climb the Chamber of Mythic Mysteries.
The difficulty will increase exponentially as my level rises.
What if my level rises while I’m challenging it?
‘My level is fixed anyway.’
I didn’t level up even after killing ten thousand skeleton soldiers.
Even if I killed hundreds of thousands or millions of the same level monsters, my level wouldn’t rise.
In other words, this place is the only place in the world where I can see the end.
《The challenger is challenging a higher level trial.》
《You have achieved the achievement ‘The Reckless Challenger of a Higher Myth.’》
《The thrones of the People’s Hall are beginning to focus on you.》