Yoon-seok was only dazed for a moment when faced by the Heavenly Buddha before he realized they must be in the same situation.
âWhy are you looking at me like that, Devil?â
ââŠItâs because I was happy to see you.â
âHuahaha! You said we shouldnât see each other again when we parted in Moorim.â
It was definitely like that then. To be honest, he never dreamed that the day would come when he would be happy to see this crazy Lowly Monkâs face.
âI understand. So, how long have you been trapped?â
The Heavenly Buddhaâs voice sounded sweet. Yoon-seok responded carefully.
âItâs been about ten days. What about you, sir?â
âHahaha! Sir? Has your way of speaking become polite?â
Hey, in a situation where you need help, you canât say that heâs crazy, right? Come on, canât he just pretend he doesnât know?
âSo, wonât you answer my question?â
âItâs also around that time for me!â
Anyway, Heavenly Buddha quietly answered, seeming to like the âsirâ thing. Wasnât it common for enemies to hold hands in the face of a greater threat? It was time to let go of his personal feelings.
âSeeing youâre still here, it seems like you havenât found a way out⊠is that correct?â
âYou arenât wrong!â
Couldnât he just answer yes or no? Yoon-seok wanted to argue, but today was the time to endure a little to maintain a friendly relationship.
âThen why did you break the wall?â
âIt was to leave this place!â
âBut earlier, you said you couldnât find a way?â
âNeither is wrong!â
It wasnât like they were doing something like twenty questions again. Was it even possible to have a conversation? As expected, Cheon-ma was better as a conversation partner. At least she didnât talk round and round. Well, being too straightforward could also sometimes be a problem.
âCan you stop pretending to be a popular monk and answer my questions? Youâre not even good at it anyway.â
âWhat do you mean, a popular monk? I have no such vanity!â
Once the dam was broken, it was hard for Yoon-seok to go back normal.
âThen letâs just say it out loud, shall we?â
The Heavenly Buddha began to look unhappy. But at least he didnât get angry and leave.
âK-Koff! I was looking for a way out.â
To put it simply, he thought there might be a way out if he broke down the walls, and in the meantime, he happened to find Yoon-seok.
âIsnât this also the virtue of Buddha to meet like this? Well, did you find something?â
Was this his purpose? Somehow, it seemed like he was kinder than usual too. Just as Yoon-seok felt like he found salvation when he saw the Heavenly Buddha, the same was true for him.
ââŠStill, it would be better to move together.â
âNot yet. Iâm still at the test phase.â
âA test, huhâŠ? But, it looks like you have a plan?â
There was no such thing as a plan. Yoon-seok was just thinking of taking the initiative.
âWe need as much information as possible. Can you help me?â
âOf course.â
Yoon-seok relaxed a bit.
âWhy do you want to kill that kid?â
ââŠIs that the question you needed to ask to get out of here?â
The Heavenly Buddha looked reluctant to answer. However, Yoon-seok nodded firmly.
âYes. Didnât you end up trapped here because of his tricks?â
ââŠâ
âIt could be a very important key to get out of here, so please answer me truthfully.â
âHmm.â
The Heavenly Buddha held his chin and thought for a moment, then opened his mouth.
âBecause that little guy is the Towerâs pawn.â
ââŠPawn?â
âYeah, youâve been through there too, so do you know how bizarre this place is?â
He didnât know what the monk was trying to say, but for now, Yoon-seok nodded. It was a weird place. Snowfield, desert, sea, and so on. Different environments were laid out like tiles, but he didnât know why.
âDo you know who made this place and why?â
âTo some extent.â
Shaking his head, the Heavenly Buddha continued.
âIt is said that everything that exists in the Tower begins here. And that kid is the Towerâs pawn that manages this place.â
âWhat do you mean it starts here?â
ââŠIâm not sure, but some kind of laboratory? Thatâs what I heard.â
A laboratory⊠if it was a game, was it a test server for the game managers?
âAnyway, it seems that if this place disappeared, it would be quite difficult even for the Tower.â
The Heavenly Buddha didnât find it out himself but heard this story from someone else, from someone hostile to the Tower like Yoon-seok.
âWho told you about that? Is he the one who suggested the same offer as me?â
âThatâs right.â
Surprisingly, the Heavenly Buddha gently affirmed when asked. However, that was all. Even if Yoon-seok tried to ask more details about who they were, he drew a line and wouldnât answer further.
So, Yoon-seok neatly gave up digging into their identity here. Right now, getting out was more important.
âDo you get it now?â
âNo. I donât understand anything.â
ââŠThen why did you ask?â
âIâm curious.â
He put on a puzzled look at Yoon-seokâs honest answer, but then the Heavenly Buddha smirked and laughed.
âCan I ask one more question?â
ââŠGo ahead.â
âDuring the fight, you suddenly said something about a fake, and then you teleported. How did you do that?â
For a warrior, this kind of question was like asking for a great secretâŠ
The Heavenly Buddha laughed eagerly, and he shouted.
âWhy am I stingy in teaching to those who want to study even though they are the incarnation of the Devil? It must be proof that I lack discipline!â
The introduction was long, but he thought the monk would tell him. Yoon-seok patiently waited with open ears.
âThe proof that things and phenomena are futile, that is, that all the restrictions surrounding me are also futile. Naturally, knowledge and deeds are one, so there was no problem in doing it the moment I learned the truth.â
Fitting the Lowly Monk, there was a lot of rhetoric. However, there was no big problem since Yoon-seok now practiced conversing with the Heavenly Buddha.
âAs expected, my prediction was right.â
Knowledge and deeds. Since the Heavenly Buddha truly believed it, he could ignore physical constraints. HoweverâŠ
âThen why are you still here?â
If that were possible because he believed it was fake, it would make sense if he could escape from here as well.
ââŠI donât know about that either.â
It worked in that world, but not in this world. Why? The more Yoon-seok thought about it, the more confused he felt, but one thing was clear.
âAnyway, thereâs no way to escapeâŠâ
The Heavenly Buddha couldnât help him escape. In the end, he had no choice but to get through it alone.
âWhatâs with that insolent look? Could it be that you will try to find out again, Devil?â
Yoon-seok changed his perspective. It didnât matter if it was fake or real; the Heavenly Buddha proved faith alone couldnât escape this place. In other words, the only thing left to do now was to follow the standard method. What were the goals that needed to be met to escape?
âIt would be best to meet that kid in person.â
This place was like another perfectly embodied world. So, Henigus must also exist here, and if so, he might be able to give some clues. HoweverâŠ
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âThe problem is that there is no way to get to Taklan right nowâŠâ
Earth, Seheranbad, Moorim, and Kilian. To go to a dimension other than these four, the Tower ranking system must be activated. Only then could the Dimensional Store be integrated, and Taklan could be registered as a visitable dimension.
âThen I have no choice but to wait until thenâŠâ
Oh, there was that thing. Yoon-seok suddenly came up with a way and opened the drawer at the bottom of the statue. Maybe he didnât have to wait.
* * *
A string of Contract (Rank EX). This item allowed one to meet an administrator without reaching a specific floor. The way to acquire it was to finish the duel on the 12th Floor brawl in fifteen minutes, and he was able to obtain it this time while climbing the Tower.
âWould you mind waiting a moment?â
Yoon-seok, who asked the Heavenly Buddha for his understanding, used the item.
[The bond with the Lady of Liberation becomes stronger.]
[The Lady of Liberation is calling you.]
[Will you accept?]
Yoon-seok was moved to the hut. The hutâs interior was the same as before, but there were some differences from the one he knew. For example, the bookshelf in the corner was later removed, and a small pink refrigerator would be put in its place.
âHeyâŠâ
Unlike usual, Elle talked to him as if she were on guard.
âW-what were you talking about with that bald man? Youâre being trappedâŠ?â
Oh, was it because of that? Of course, even Elle would have been reluctant. He knew her name initially, but he skipped all the administratorâs areas that he went through every five floors.
âAre you an old manâŠ? Do you remember? So thatâs why you quicklyâŠâ
âI donât know what youâre talking about. Iâm here to buy power. Can you show me?â
Yoon-seok immediately went straight to the point without answering Elleâs questions. This time, he had no choice but to visit her first, but it wasnât good to have a long conversation. She would disappear anyway.
ââŠâ
Did she want to have a cup of tea and chat? The table was beautifully set with refreshments, but Elle couldnât talk back when faced with Yoon-seokâs cold attitude, and she obediently opened the power window. Yoon-seok felt guilty, butâŠ
âNo, this is right.â
Yoon-seok settled his heart down and quickly looked at the list of powers.
*Unregistered â The dimension you belong to disappears. Tickets related to dimensional movement can be created.
Price: 750,000 WP
After the Auction of Desire, he had enough WP left because he only purchased Ladyâs Commandment and Skill Synthesis. However, the only question was whether this power could make what he was thinking about possible.
âCan you explain this power? Itâs enough if I can go to Taklan right now with this.â
âI-itâs possible. But whyâŠâ
âI will buy it.â
Yoon-seok, who cut down Elleâs question with a flat refusal, purchased the power just like that. Then he asked her to send him to the waiting room immediately.
âWe havenât been able to have a proper talk yet. Maybe you can stay forâŠâ
âNo. I have urgent business.â
âOkayâŠâ
ââŠI will stop by next time.â
âYes!â
Yoon-seok, who made a promise he couldnât keep putting his mind at ease, returned to the waiting room.
âYouâre back already?â
âYes.â
Yoon-seok nodded and manifested his power. Then, his mana gathered together and turned into a Return Ticket.
âWhat is it?â
âTicket to Taklan.â
âOho! Iâm sure if we ask the kid, we might get some clues!â
âYes. You are smart.â
Yoon-seok ripped the Ticket as he answered.
âHahaha! Isnât this what you call experiâŠ?â
Embarrassed by the compliment, the Heavenly Buddha laughed. However, did he finally understand?
âW-wait, D-Devil! Then what about me?â
The Heavenly Buddha reached out to Yoon-seok with a bewildered look.
But it was already too late.
[You will return to Taklan.]
The moment Yoon-seok clicked on the translucent window-
âIâll teach you a lessonâŠ!â
The Heavenly Buddhaâs angry voice was cut off, and his eyes flashed.
Yoon-seok laughed, though it didnât make any sound because he started in space again this time.
âThis is killing two birds with one stone.â
Form is emptiness. Emptiness is form. Wasnât that monk the one who believed that everything was fake anyway? It wouldnât be bad if he could rest there for the rest of his life.
âHuh?â
Yoon-seok, pleased thinking about the Heavenly Buddha being stuck in the waiting room, paused.
ââŠâ
Real and fake. He felt like he knew the answer to the topic he had been wondering about for a long time.