LIGHTNOVELONLINE
Chapter 58: Choi Ji-Won is Too Strong (9)
“Special reward.”
“…”
“Give it to me.”
The face of the Archangel Raphael did not contort at all.
His expression remained the same as usual. Only, the smile at the corner of his mouth seemed to deepen.
“What kind of compensation would satisfy you?”
Typical. Just as one would expect from someone who has shown nothing but benevolence so far.
Instead of showing anger or seriousness, Archangel Raphael passed the baton to me, as if to say, ‘Make your proposal.’
It’s a mistake to misunderstand this situation. Traditionally, the one explaining is in a subordinate position, while the listener holds the power. The proposer is subordinate, and the decision-maker is dominant.
If I make an unreasonable request, he could just dismiss it with a ‘That won’t be possible.’
Therefore, the key is for me to counter-propose an appropriate level of compensation. It must be neither excessive nor insufficient.
“I’ll accept whatever you offer.”
Hence, I laid it bare: I would accept whatever was offered.
Pondering ‘what would be a fair compensation?’ means being led by the other party’s intentions.
Negotiations always have to follow my pace and lead the flow of the conversation.
“You’ll accept whatever I offer?”
Archangel Raphael, at least superficially, maintains a stance that is favorable to humanity.
Offering a ludicrously inadequate compensation is not an option for him. He has his dignity as an archangel to maintain.
Thus, the burden of deciding ‘what would be an appropriate compensation’ has shifted back to Archangel Raphael.
This counter-proposal also contains my annoyance at not wanting to lose in this power struggle against the archangel.
“That’s interesting.”
I couldn’t tell how much Raphael had discerned about my true feelings, but he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders.
Snap!
With a flick of his finger, Raphael conjured a bright light, and a silver ring materialized out of thin air.
“Truthfully, I can’t fully understand your situation, Jun-ho. The Father has restricted the information. But from what I can see, this should be the most suitable compensation for you. I stake my honor on it.”
I carefully grasped the floating ring.
“...There’s no option popping up for this.”
“Isn’t there a joy in discovering things for yourself?”
“...Since I don’t know its function, the compensation seems lacking. But I guess it’s barely sufficient after adding those three diamond rewards you talked about earlier.”
“I see.”
Though I verbally expressed dissatisfaction... instinctively, I knew that wasn’t the case.
A divine and refreshing energy steadily emanated from the ring in my hand. It certainly wasn’t an ordinary item, just as Raphael had said.
Silently, I gripped the ring tightly.
“Well then... It was a pleasure meeting you, Jun-ho.”
As the conversation drew to a close, and Raphael was about to bid farewell, something caught my eye.
In Raphael’s grip, trembling violently, was a small angel holding a sign.
“...The angel in your hand.”
“Hm?”
“What’s going to happen to them?”
“Just a light punishment for neglect of duty. Nothing severe.”
“…”
But the trembling of the sign-holding angel and their pale expression spoke volumes.
This wouldn’t end with just a ‘light punishment.’
“Just leave them here. After all, we still need someone to guide us. And now that the city’s ruler is gone, someone needs to ensure the rules are followed, right?”
“...”
Archangel Raphael gently released the sign-holding angel.
“Th-thank you!! Thank you, climber!”
Leaving behind the sign-holding angel, who now wore a grateful smile,
“Then... once again, congratulations.”
With a mysterious smile,
In the blink of an eye, Archangel Raphael disappeared.
The sky, previously filled with cherubs, was now clear.
The square, once filled with hymns and trumpets, quickly returned to its empty silence.
“Ugh...”
“Damn... my head...”
I noticed other players around me starting to come to their senses.
The divine atmosphere from moments ago was gone, replaced by the crude reality of the square.
“...”
“Excuse me...”
The sign-holding angel, cautiously observing the situation, timidly approached me.
“Thank you so much, but... why did you save me? Not that I’m complaining...”
“Just because.”
The angel was annoying, but the reason I saved them was...
I suspected Raphael had unfairly pinned the blame on the sign-holding angel.
Even if it was an angel, the sight of it being used as a mere tool by someone was distasteful to me.
It reminded me of humanity... being toyed with by God.
***
-“Hey, I just cleared the second floor, but the stuff written here seems different. There are weird instructors and missions… Are you guys climbing a different tower than me?”
-“That changed after Choi Ji-won fought an angel.”
-“Who’s Choi Ji-won?”
-“She’s the unofficial strongest in the world. Beat the second floor’s hidden boss in a one-on-one fight.”
-“Bullshit. America’s Michael Jeter is stronger.”
-“I’ve been lurking in the U.S. forums, and they say Jeter got beaten by the city’s ruler. Isn’t Choi Ji-won stronger?”
Three weeks after the U.S. President acknowledged the existence of the tower.
The hottest topic in player communities worldwide was Choi Ji-won, a Korean.
-“It’s unbelievable. I thought I got stronger with my new abilities, but that woman is a monster.”
-“Couldn’t even see her sword swings… Felt like a mountain.”
Choi Ji-won’s showdown with the city’s ruler had a lot of viewers.
Incredibly skilled with a sword. Ponytail. A beautiful Asian woman. Korean.
Her appearance became well-known among players due to the uproar she caused while wandering the city for a ‘revolution.’
-“Is this her? Looks just like her.”
And with the discovery of a photo from her father’s funeral, Choi Ji-won’s identity spread rapidly.
Choi Ji-won. Her name was firmly etched in the minds of the players.
-“I never thought changing the rules of a floor was possible… That’s some thinking.”
-“Agree. While we were just thinking of better rewards, she was planning to change the entire system.”
Moreover, online it was attributed to Choi Ji-won that the rules of the second floor had been changed. Since most players had fainted when the city’s ruler started rampaging, they missed the whole event. And those who remained conscious were put to sleep by the archangel’s power, burying the truth.
The prevailing belief was that after being struck by the city’s ruler, Choi Ji-won miraculously regained consciousness and subdued the city’s ruler with her last ounce of strength.
Of course, given Choi Ji-won’s personality, she would have actively clarified such false rumors, but since Kim Jun-ho didn’t want to draw attention, Choi Ji-won just accepted the situation as it was.
The aftermath of the second floor didn’t end there.
“Who is Ms. Choi? The mystery woman.”
“[Korea TV] A Korean who amazes the U.S., shocks Japan, and terrifies China?!”
Players and civilians who didn’t ascend to the second floor couldn’t access specific details due to information restrictions, but they could get a sense of her impact from other players’ indirect descriptions like, “Anyway, she was just freaking awesome.”
“Wow... This young woman is incredible... gaining worldwide recognition...”
“Our country really does have a wealth of talent, doesn’t it?”
So, even without knowing what Choi Ji-won had actually done, the general public was brimming with national pride.
“...Should I try going to the second floor? If I play my cards right, I could rake in a fortune.”
“...What happened on the second floor?”
Meanwhile, players on the first floor, seeing Choi Ji-won in the national spotlight, were contemplating whether to ascend to the second floor.
“...The real deal was that man.”
“Just watching that brief battle, he could mimic the hidden boss’s technique? Is that even humanly possible?”
“Choi Ji-won is important, sure. But even more so, it’s that man. Pay attention to his talent.”
The strong individuals who had withstood the city’s ruler’s lightning were all talking about Kim Jun-ho.
They had seen with their own eyes Kim Jun-ho using the city’s ruler’s technique to overpower her. While Choi Ji-won was significant, the impact of what Kim Jun-ho showed was on a completely different level.
Those who knew him hurried to share stories about Kim Jun-ho, and these tales were further relayed to other top-ranked players.
Though his exact details were unknown, rumors of ‘Choi Ji-won’s incredibly talented associate’ quietly spread among the top players.
“Jeter. Have you heard about the second floor?”
It was significant enough to catch the attention of the big players.
-“Should’ve gone for the gold reward. I chickened out and settled for silver because it seemed too tough.”
-“The angel holding the sign was so cute, LOL. Super friendly too.”
-“True. That jerk in the ‘Judgment’ tutorial was utterly useless.”
-“Baron Licht << Hidden NPC, I think. Hides in a corner of the city, and gives you a buff if you ask. The effect is amazing.”
-“Did you see the woman who was originally the city’s ruler? She was stunning.”
-“Isn’t he that bearded assistant blacksmith? Saw him in the alley.”
-“Can normal people use these low-grade potions? Thinking of selling them.”
***
“...Hmm.”
After scouring internet communities, it was clear that the second floor had significantly improved.
The ‘no violence’ condition and the newly introduced ‘instructor’ system were receiving high praise.
Some even said that the zeroth floor was just a basic qualification test, and the second floor felt like a real tutorial.
For those planning to ascend the tower later, the second floor would serve as a lucrative floor where they could learn combat skills and reap rewards. With nearly unlimited material resources, many planned to stay there long-term to become adept at combat.
Eventually, I had succeeded in changing the system of the second floor as I initially intended. Now, people don’t have to commit unnecessary sins for good rewards.
“...Let’s not regress.”
Regressing here seemed like a bad choice.
First, there’s no guarantee I could repeat the same situation.
Looking at the results alone…
Thanks to the archangel’s considerable concessions, I successfully revamped the second floor.
And I managed to obtain all possible rewards, including the elixir from the diamond reward. So, there’s nothing left unclaimed.
In essence... looking at the results of the second floor, I managed to achieve the outcome I wanted. There’s no need to regress.
Another concern of mine is Archangel Raphael.
At my level, it’s impossible to fully gauge, but Archangel Raphael is an overwhelming force, far beyond my capacity to even consider confronting.
But what if, after regressing, I encounter Raphael again?
Could I perfectly recreate my initial reaction upon first meeting him, to the extent of deceiving even a transcendent being like him?
If Raphael, observing my reaction, somehow deduces my regression...
Currently, he seems unaware of ‘regression’ and has been uniformly friendly towards me...
But there’s no guarantee he’ll act the same if he realizes I’ve regressed.
So... the idea of regressing and redoing the second floor was discarded.
‘Then, my course of action is clear.’
[Choi Ji-won]: How about tomorrow at 6 PM? Is that okay?
[Kim Jun-ho]: Sounds good.
Without delay, the next step is to ascend to the third floor.
Before the world becomes even more chaotic.
– – – End of Chapter – – -
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