Chapter 25.
“……The true manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?”
[Yes. The true manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art is only passed down to the direct lineage of the Heavenly Demon and the Divine Maidens of the Divine Sect. If you learn this, you’ll take one step closer to the true Heavenly Demon Divine Art.]
I asked without much expectation since she seemed to know nothing at all.
Suddenly hearing the ghost Divine Maiden’s story about teaching me the true manual, Lee Ganghan blinked his eyes.
If it’s a means to develop the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, it does seem good.
“But would I even understand it just by listening? After all, I only obtained the skill through the system.”
Originally, Lee Ganghan knew Chinese characters only at the average Korean level.
Even if she really taught him martial arts manuals, it was questionable whether he could understand them.
Right now, he could use the Heavenly Demon Divine Art only because the skill activated.
[You really don’t know anything? But the energy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art has completely settled in your body.]
“I can only activate the Heavenly Demon Divine Art skill. I don’t know how to use martial arts at all.”
[Hmm…… I’ll tell you the manual first. If you still don’t understand at all, I’ll teach you one-on-one, so don’t worry.]
“Does the Divine Maiden also know how to operate the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?”
[To some extent, yes.]
How does the Divine Maiden, who is supposedly the religious symbol of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect, know how to use the Heavenly Demon Divine Art?
Lee Ganghan looked at the Divine Maiden with suspicious eyes.
“You, aren’t you actually a Heavenly Demon or something? How does a Divine Maiden know all that?”
[Oh my. How could a Divine Maiden be a Heavenly Demon! I was bound to the tower with the role of passing down the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to the next Heavenly Demon, so I came to know it.]
“Is that so?”
[Yes. I wish I could be a Heavenly Demon too, really.]
After the Divine Maiden told him not to say such nonsense:
[Then I’ll tell you the manual……]
She began reciting the manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
[In the beginning, righteousness, evil, and demon were not distinguished……]
The true manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, which grandly started from the beginning, didn’t resonate with Lee Ganghan at all despite the Divine Maiden explaining it in Korean.
‘What the hell is she talking about?’
Since he had lived a life completely unrelated to martial arts from the beginning, he couldn’t possibly understand talk about energy and demons.
Then.
[You are in the process of learning the true manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art…….]
Ding.
A new message appeared before Lee Ganghan’s eyes.
‘Me?’
I’m just listening to words I can’t understand at all right now.
And this is called learning?
Does the system automatically compensate just by listening?
‘Tower system…… is the best?’
After Lee Ganghan listened to the manual for a long time:
[You have heard the true manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.]
[The development potential of the Heavenly Demon Constitution is raised to EX grade.]
[You can train the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to its limits.]
System messages appeared consecutively.
‘EX?’
When Lee Ganghan was surprised by this and opened his status window, the trait grade of the Heavenly Demon Constitution, which was originally D~SSS, had changed to:
Trait: Heavenly Demon Constitution (Grade: D~EX)
D~EX.
‘Looking at how it said I can train the Heavenly Demon Divine Art to its limits, it greatly raised the growth potential.’
Such an effect just from hearing the true manual.
It’s quite good.
But thinking about it, I didn’t become stronger right now, but the development potential for the distant future increased.
‘Well, getting such benefits from listening to a manual I couldn’t understand at all is just thank you.’
The Divine Maiden ghost.
At first, I thought she was some useless ghost who knew nothing.
But she raised future possibilities just by listening to the manual like this, not bad.
When Lee Ganghan was raising his evaluation of the Divine Maiden:
[Even if you die in places other than the ‘First Tower’, the Heavenly Demon Constitution won’t disappear.]
[Instead, when you die, the current grade drops by one level.]
[If you die when the Heavenly Demon Constitution grade is F, the Heavenly Demon Constitution will disappear.]
Ding.
Lee Ganghan frowned at the message that followed.
‘What…… the Heavenly Demon Constitution originally disappeared when you died?’
The reason the world underestimated Lee Ganghan was because the Heavenly Demon Constitution grade appeared as E.
Seeing the low grade, they were convinced that ability was temporary.
However, although it was different from what people speculated, there was indeed a penalty for the low grade.
A trait that disappears when you die.
‘This, I almost got into big trouble if I had fallen in the treasure vault map.’
The Tower of Infinity, which said not to fear death since revival was possible anyway.
Following that principle, if I had jumped around carelessly in the Sky Treasure Vault and died from falling, I might have lost the Heavenly Demon Constitution absurdly.
‘But looking at tower climbing, there are quite a few maps where you die and start over.’
Not just during the tutorial boss, but starting from high floors and dying to overwhelming super-strong enemies, then climbing again from the 1st floor – such cases existed quite often.
From now on, even if I encounter such towers, I have to somehow survive and move forward to prevent the Heavenly Demon Constitution grade from dropping.
“This, it was worth hearing the true manual. I didn’t even know this……”
[Is there some problem?]
“I just found out that the Heavenly Demon Constitution has problems when you die.”
[Ah. That’s right. A defeated Heavenly Demon is no longer a Heavenly Demon.]
The Divine Maiden ghost spoke casually.
From her perspective, this seemed to be common sense.
[But you’re really amazing. To immediately understand and apply the true manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.]
“I didn’t understand it at all. The system just did it automatically.”
[Uh…… is that so? If there’s no understanding at all, system support would be impossible too……]
The Divine Maiden ghost tilted her head:
[Well, good things are good things! What do I know about the system anyway.]
Soon she gave up understanding.
“Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, I learned about the Heavenly Demon Constitution, so I’ll take back what I said about not knowing anything.”
[Really, I was hurt by those words. How did you manage to ask only questions I don’t know so precisely and then call me ignorant.]
“Hey. I didn’t say you were ignorant. So…… are you leaving now?”
[What?]
“Weren’t you here to tell me the true manual?”
At Lee Ganghan’s question, the Divine Maiden ghost shook her head vigorously.
[No! I don’t want to go back! Just let me guide you here!]
“Guide?”
[Yes! That’s originally my role.]
Guide.
Looking earlier, she didn’t seem to know much.
‘Still, let me listen once.’
The First Tower and Heavenly Demon Valley.
I knew nothing about this place at all.
I need to get some information.
“Good. Guide me.”
When Lee Ganghan’s permission was granted:
[Thank you!]
The Divine Maiden ghost bowed politely, then:
[Then first…… I’ll tell you why you were chosen as the Heavenly Demon!]
She began the full story.
***
“Why was I chosen as the Heavenly Demon?”
[Aren’t you curious why you became the Heavenly Demon?]
“Well, I was curious about that.”
Heavenly Demon Valley, where I supposedly competed with 1,000 people.
Lee Ganghan had already passed the test, but he was indeed curious why he was summoned here in the first place.
Also, suffering from ‘sleeping sickness’ for 10 years seemed to be connected to Heavenly Demon Valley.
[The reason is to conquer this ‘First Tower’.]
“First Tower……? What’s the identity of this place? Don’t tell me this tower is the cause of the Tower of Infinity that appeared ten years ago?”
[I don’t know the details either. Much information is restricted even for me. But your guess might be correct, seeing as it’s called the first.]
The Divine Maiden ghost said she didn’t know well but thought such speculation was possible.
“Then if I clear this place, will Earth’s Tower of Infinity situation end?”
[The possibility isn’t small. But……]
Swish.
The Divine Maiden ghost pointed to the ground with her finger.
[Below this First Tower, tremendous, truly tremendous strong ones are waiting……! Even if you’re the Heavenly Demon, you must prepare thoroughly to go down.]
“Go down?”
[Yes. This is the top floor.]
“Ho. Interesting. In the Tower of Infinity, I always went up, but here I go down.”
Since it’s the First Tower, it’s somehow different.
When Lee Ganghan nodded, the Divine Maiden ghost pointed to each of the portals in all directions.
[After passing the test of Heavenly Demon Valley, there are four types of training halls prepared for the Heavenly Demon: Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Mana. There, you can raise stats to 13, beyond human limits.]
Since 10 was said to be national representative level, if I can raise it 3 more here, I’ll far exceed human limits.
But.
“13…… It only showed up to 10, so how do I know if it went up to 13?”
[A guide like me can do precise measurements. May I briefly touch your body?]
“Sure.”
When Lee Ganghan readily agreed, the Divine Maiden ghost placed her hand on Lee Ganghan’s arm.
Then.
Shiver……
After feeling a chilling sensation in his forearm for a moment:
Ding.
Detailed ability values appeared before Lee Ganghan’s eyes.
Strength: 17.5
Agility: 17.1
Stamina: 17.4
Mana: 7
Although she clearly said it could only be raised to 13, the ability window showed strength, agility, and stamina all in the 17s.
[Wha……? All three exceed 17……?]
The Divine Maiden ghost opened her eyes wide seeing this.
[No, how did it become 17? No matter how much you died, how did you raise it 4 more than the limit……?]
“Uh…… am I really at 17? I’m healthier than others, but not to that extent.”
[……13 and above is a limit line that human flesh can never reach. In reality, your body probably couldn’t fully implement the value of 17.]
Then the Divine Maiden ghost’s eyes sparkled.
[However, after becoming a player and obtaining the Heavenly Demon Constitution, you could implement this strength too. Isn’t that right?]
“Certainly…… I thought I just became stronger due to the Heavenly Demon Constitution.”
[Anyway, it’s truly surprising. 17…… What method did you use to train?]
“Hmm. Good question.”
The training halls where 13 was supposedly the limit.
But if all three exceed 17 here, I can’t imagine what I did inside.
“Shall we go in and see?”
[……Will you be alright?]
“Why?”
[999 times or more is just a display, but you actually died much more in there. Would you be okay going to a place where you died so much……]
“No. That’s exactly why I should go when I’m in my right mind.”
The illusion the Divine Maiden ghost showed earlier.
The Lee Ganghan there went to the training hall in a dazed state and repeatedly died.
If I died like that from 10 years ago, it’s 999 times in name only.
It means I died thousands of times or more.
‘I need to find out what I experienced inside to die so much.’
When Lee Ganghan decided to go in:
[Heavenly Demon…… may I go in with you? Until now, I couldn’t enter without your permission.]
The Divine Maiden ghost suggested so.
“Good. Let’s go together. Shall we start with strength?”
Swish.
When Lee Ganghan entered the ‘Strength Training Hall’ in the north, the Divine Maiden ghost smoothly climbed onto his shoulder.
And when they entered the portal:
[You have entered the Strength Training Hall.]
Lee Ganghan stood blankly in a small space about the size of a studio apartment.
‘I train strength here?’
With all sides blocked by earthen walls except the ceiling, and nothing around.
How do I build strength here?
When Lee Ganghan was puzzled:
[‘Strength’ training.]
[Difficulty setting – Impossible]
Suddenly the difficulty setting showed as ‘Impossible’:
Grumble, rumble……!
A huge rock fell from above.
This couldn’t be.
‘Am I supposed to hold up and support that huge falling rock?’
What a brutish training method.
Lee Ganghan frowned and:
“Heavenly Demon……”
He tried to activate the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
The difficulty setting was impossible, and his mentally absent self died here every time.
So he judged that his current strength alone wouldn’t be enough to endure.
However, when he tried to use the skill:
[Don’t use skills……!!!]
Suddenly, from one side of the wall, a woman’s scream was heard.
“Uh……? Divine Maiden……”
[That’s not me! What, what is it. How is there another ghost here?]
The Divine Maiden ghost was more startled herself.
Indeed, the voice tone was different from hers.
But this voice.
‘I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere……’
When Lee Ganghan felt some déjà vu while listening to the high-pitched scream:
[Please! Don’t use skills! You have to just die, Ganghan!]
The woman in the wall urged Lee Ganghan not to use the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and to just die.
While calling his name.
And when Lee Ganghan heard his name called:
“Could it be……”
His pupils trembled for the first time.
When he first heard the scream, he didn’t know, but this voice calling him Ganghan was definitely a voice from his memories.
And.
[Ganghan! This is for your sake!!!]
When his name was called again:
“……Could it be Mother?”
Lee Ganghan clearly recognized whose voice it resembled.
