The World After the Fall
chapter-9

Beastlain became dumbfounded and looked at Jaehwan.

"My… I was worried that you would do that. It's the first time I've met someone like you."

"I've heard similar things in the past."

Jaehwan spoke as he felt rough energy focusing into both of his swords. His immense spirit power was gathering at their tips.

"But this is my answer."

Beastlain then held up his both hands.

"Oh well, I give up. Do what you want."

Jaehwan's sword thrust at Beastlain. At that moment, a weird magical rune began to shine and sprouted black wood that bound Jaehwan in his place. It was the Black Iron Wood that existed on the 91st floor.

"I should've done this from the beginning."

"…what are you going to do? You would need my agreement or you can't end the game."

"Well, we'll find a way. Won't we?"

"You're going to torture me," Jaehwan continued. "I have gone through all kinds of hell. Do you think I will lose to torture?"

"Of course, of course. Haha." Beastlain grinned.

"I actually gave up on receiving any agreement from you a long time ago."

"What?"

"Let me ask you this time. Why do you think this tutorial will continue forever?"

"Wait…"

"Haha, you should've guessed. It has never reached this point before, but the Tower of Nightmares terminates the tutorial 100 days after it has been cleared."

'But you postponed my due date, you bastard.'

Beastlain did not speak that out loud.

"I wanted 10 more days just because I wished to end this game in a more natural and safer way. And also to stop you from doing anything stupid. You can now wait there until the tutorial ends and enjoy the new game."

It didn't seem he was lying. The tower had been slightly trembling since a while ago. It seemed that what Beastlain said was true. Beastlain felt some kind of victorious satisfaction as he looked at the face down Jaehwan. His plan had been disturbed but now, this human would accept his fate. However, it was then...

"Demon Beastlain."

"Yes?"

"You are called the Gentleman of Deception in the [Great Lands]?"

"…Right. How did you know that?"

"You have lived 784 years and worked on 128 worlds to [Cultivate] various races. Spewing your filthy lies, such as promising the [Products] that you will make sure they go to Great Lords."

"H-HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"

Beastlain seemed in shock.

"What's so surprising? Is it shocking to hear this from your [Product]?"

"How…!"

"You're thinking of selling me to the [Harvester] called the Lord of Darkness. For that, you will receive a great reward that you need to go on your 4th Mort."

Jaehwan looked up to the ceiling as he spoke. His [Suspicion] skill that he had trained for the past 100 days was working well. The particles within the tower were chattering and Jaehwan listened. [Suspicion] showed him a new world. A new world that told him a new story.

[…Lord of Darkness. The first stage of [Cultivate] will be ending soon. The deposits will be…]

[…This Product is an extra-special grade. I have never seen such a Product in my 784 years of life…]

[…After this deal is done, I will be a high-ranking Demon after my 4th mort. If you trust me through the cultivation…]

"…Who are you?"

"A [Product]. The [Product] that you raised here for over the past 30 years."

Jaehwan felt the tree binding him becoming loose. This was another power of his [Suspicion]. It allowed him to deny the presence of material and dismantle it.

"But not anymore."

Two swords were thrust into the space. Beastlain barely managed to dodge the attack, but his left arm was left with a long gash. It should be impossible. The enemy was a puny Walker who just cleared the tutorial, while Beastlain was a Demon that finished the 3rd Mort. Only a being who passed at least the 1st Adaptation would be able to hurt him.

'Wait… Over-adapter?'

Over-adapter.

A [Product] that had grown beyond the imagination.

'How did an Over-adapter appear within my tower!'

There had been no records of an Over-adapter appearing during the tutorial. This was a top ranking talent even in the [Great Lands]. Beastlain could imagine the Lord of Darkness being overjoyed to hear this.

'But he's still at 1st Adaptation level. If I hold out for a while, the game will end.'

Beastlain bit his lip.

"This is pointless! You will be joining the game no matter what! Doing this to me is a loss!"

"We will see about that."

Jaehwan's specialty was unleashed at the tip of the Frost Dragon Sword.

Stab.

Or it was hard to even call it at that anymore. From the movement to its power, Jaehwan realized through his [Suspicion]. After countless times of using [Suspicion], he realized.

'I have [Understood] the stabbing.'

It was no more a mere thrust.

It was like a flash of lighting. Beastlain's body began spraying in blood. His eyes opened in shock.

"2nd Adaptation?!"

The speed, and the power. This wasn't possible for anyone before the 2nd Adaptation.

And throughout all history, there were no 2nd Adaptations born from the tutorial.

Beastlain was given no choice. If Jaehwan really did manage to gain the power of the 2nd Adaptation, Beastlain had to bring out his power from the material world to fight. He quickly brought his synchronization to 80% to borrow his original body's power.

Strong spiritual power covered Beastlain's body as a dark aura began swirling around him.

It was the power of a Demon of the 3rd Mort.

A Demon's 3rd Mort did have similarities to the 3rd Adaptation, but there were differences. Most adapters could not defeat Demons at the same stage. Even if the stage were the same, there was a huge difference in hands-on experience from age. A huge claw raised from Beastlain's hand swung at Jaehwan, damaging him instantly.

Jaehwan's body began bleeding like a fountain and his health dropped by half.

"SURRENDER NOW!"

Jaehwan felt his legs trembling from the terrible energy coming from Beastlain. It was definitely a Demon. There was no chance that he could win. The particles forming the tower seemed to be at their limit also.

'Is this the end?'

Jaehwan made his last attack. His perseverance was what brought him there. He kept stabbing and stabbing. How many times did he stab? 100 million times? 200 million?

The only one who knew the answer was Jaehwan's body.

9,999,999,991

9,999,999,992

9,999,999,998

9,999,999,999

10,000,000,000!

At that moment, Jaehwan saw some kind of weird line in front of him.

He had a similar experience before when he fought against the Frost Dragon on the 99th floor. Also when he had to fight to the brink of death, he found the line. And when he did, he followed the line without thinking. It showed up when he forgot about everything else.

'Is that it?'

Jaehwan shook in excitement. He released himself upon the line. All of his knowledge, his power, his experience. It was all thrown away at the line.

His body then began to crumble.

All the data that made up his body had been destroyed. The various status that formed his body, the power, strength, dexterity, skills, all other information.

Everything that formed his status was taken away from him.

State of complete void.

When all those particles disappeared, his body was left with his true spirit. It seemed like if he was reborn. He was not data. He wasn't here because of a percentage. He was a living human.

'This is it.'

Jaehwan thought.

'I wasn't a human until now.'

A light shone from Jaehwan's body and Beastlain could not do anything. It was the first time he had seen such a thing in his 784 years of life.

"What is… that?"

Beastlain realized he had been mistaken.

This wasn't [Adaptation].

The world had something more terrifying than [Adaptation].

The power that everyone avoided and hated to mention.

A power so terrible that it could do more than shake up the [Great Lands], it could actually destroy it.

The beings of the [Great Lands] called the power -

[Awakening]