Subscriber of the Gods Chapter 372 - The Trial of the Tower (3)

Whoosh-.

Clank-!

The 100 spells began to intertwine.

One spell merged with another, and that spell combined with yet another cluster of spells.

There had been a hero candidate before who used the same method. He also adopted the same approach, solving the spells by bundling them in groups of ten.

It must have been a method chosen to solve them efficiently and quickly. Nevertheless, due to the vast quantity, he barely managed to clear it by using up all the available time.

The difficulty of breaking through increased significantly as the spells were bundled together.

Another candidate broke through the spells one by one, but he was able to do so because his speed was exceptionally fast. That candidate also barely passed the gate.

Quite a few have broken through this 2nd gate.

However, they were all able to clear it because they invested all their time in breaking the spells as soon as the trial began.

In contrast, Ethan asked to hear the circumstances from the Second Guardian and listened to the story to the end.

Now, there’s only a short time left, not even half of the time remaining for breaking through.

During that short time…

Ethan began to intertwine all the spells.

But he far surpassed the range shown by previous candidates.

Those 100 spells.

“He’s making them into one?”

He was making them into one.

Even the Second Guardian was astonished. To begin with, the method of bundling spells in groups of ten isn’t that easy. Moreover, all the spells laid out here are high-circle spells.

It would be difficult enough to weave 100 simple spells together. Bundling complex high-circle spells was only theoretically possible.

Of course, there are many things in the world that are theoretically possible. What Ethan is doing now is one of those things. Theoretically possible, but impossible if you were actually told to do it.

However, Ethan was achieving it.

Weaving, weaving, and weaving again. The process was so natural that it even looked like he was casting a single enormous spell.

-…

At some point, the Second Guardian no longer marveled or was shocked.

She merely appreciated it purely.

The sight of Ethan weaving spell after spell was incredibly beautiful.

If they were forcibly combined, the spells themselves would collapse. If that happened, this entire space could explode.

She, who was already dead and had become a spirit, would be fine, but Ethan would be severely injured or die on the spot.

That’s why all those processes had to be handled delicately.

There was considerable delicacy in Ethan’s gestures.

It must be his first time doing this work.

Without pausing in between, he naturally connected motion to motion, linking spell to spell.

Any mage would be captivated by Ethan’s spell weaving.

That’s how 50 spells became one. Now only half remained, 50 more.

Since he had already woven 50 into one, weaving the remaining 50 was much faster.

By Ethan’s hand, the 100 spells were transformed into two enormous spells.

Ethan didn’t stop there and began to weave the two massive spells into one, as if finding it amusing.

The process of weaving spells was like knitting, so as Ethan moved his hands as if playing the piano, the magic circles unraveled and wove together like threads.

The two enormous spells began to become one.

And only then did the Second Guardian see the big picture Ethan was drawing.

-Ah…

A spell that has become one. But this wasn’t created to be cast, but woven to be broken.

Therefore, the combined spell was extremely loose. So loose that even a 1st circle mage could easily unravel it.

-He reversed the magic circle configuration, making it easy to transform even high-circle magic. Loosely, unstably, but easily.

Because the goal of this trial itself was to break through.

Snap-.

As Ethan snapped his fingers, the enormous spell disappeared as if the numerous spells had never existed.

-Excellent. Truly excellent.

The Second Guardian applauded. She looked at Ethan with a bright smile.

It was a perfect breakthrough. Moreover, he showed composure that no other hero candidate had ever displayed.

As the Second Guardian who was called the Magic King, she could perfectly recognize Ethan’s talent. She never expected him to solve it in this way.

Overwhelming talent.

It even made her think that if Ethan had been there instead of that hero back then, everything might have changed.

-That talent, it’s brilliant and dazzling. Yes, this is exactly the image of a hero I had in mind. You are qualified. No, you are more than qualified.

The Second Guardian smiled.

-Congratulations, you have earned the right to go to the final gate. The magic you showed was truly impressive.

Ding-!

-You have broken through the 2nd gate!

-You have received the reward for breaking through the 2nd gate!

The reward for breaking through the 2nd gate appeared in Ethan’s hand.

While the reward for breaking through the 1st gate was the Pill of Strength, the reward for the 2nd gate was a similar Mana Pill.

-It’s a small reward, but it’s the best I can give you. Take it and go up those stairs.

The Second Guardian pointed to the stairs leading upward.

“It was enjoyable.”

-I’m looking forward to it. Perhaps, perhaps a new hero will be born after a long time.

Ethan ascended to the 3rd floor, leaving the Second Guardian behind.

Before challenging the 3rd gate, Ethan examined the Mana Pill.

It seemed like it would accumulate high-purity mana if eaten, but no matter how he looked at it, it felt like it would be swallowed by Extinction.

“There’s not much point in me eating it directly.”

But Ethan had someone, no, a summon who could eat it instead.

Ethan immediately summoned Lyuka.

“Pyat!”

The summoned Lyuka jumped around, enjoying the rare outing.

Ethan hugged Lyuka, petting it here and there, and then showed it the pill.

“It’s a special food filled with mana. What do you think? Want to eat it?”

“Pyat!”

In an instant, Lyuka’s eyes fixed on the pill in his hand.

It wouldn’t be efficient if he ate it himself, but if Lyuka ate it, it could absorb the mana with optimal efficiency.

‘Are its eyes rolling?’

How delicious it must look.

Ethan immediately put the Mana Pill into Lyuka’s mouth.

Then Lyuka began to chew the pill.

‘That’s a pleasant sound.’

Gulp.

Having devoured the pill in an instant, Lyuka looked at Ethan as if asking for more.

“That’s the only one.”

“Pyat.”

Lyuka licked its mouth with its tongue, as if disappointed.

Shaaaaa-.

And then it began to absorb the mana from the Mana Pill.

The absorbed mana was soon transformed into high-purity mana and converted so that Ethan could receive it.

‘I’m amazed every time I see it.’

If Ethan hadn’t contracted with Lyuka, he absolutely couldn’t have come this far.

Lyuka climbed onto Ethan’s shoulder.

And it transmitted part of the mana converted to high purity to Ethan.

“Thank you always, Lyuka.”

Lyuka rubbed its cheek against Ethan’s face and then disappeared.

“Hmm.”

Ethan felt the mana circulating inside his body.

“Now all that’s left is the 3rd gate.”

The 1st and 2nd gates were definitely high in difficulty.

‘It might look like I cleared them easily.’

In fact, it was no different from having overcome them by directly applying all of Ethan’s experiences.

Especially the 2nd gate, its difficulty was wickedly high.

‘It felt slightly malicious.’

Of course, Ethan had felt MePan’s malice many times.

He had actually died several times, so he was able to clear it by using those experiences.

But the 2nd gate was a trial where one would inevitably die unless they were exceptionally skilled.

‘Unless you’re insanely good at MePan to the point of being called a veteran, it would be impossible to clear.’

This meant that the 3rd gate would also have a vicious level of difficulty.

“Something I haven’t experienced before might come up.”

But there was one thing for certain.

“Great danger awaits great reward.”

Ethan headed to the center of the 3rd floor where the last gate of the Hero’s Tower was located.

Unlike the 1st and 2nd floors, the 3rd floor was quite dark, with a single sparkling light on the ceiling being the only source of light illuminating the corridor.

Everywhere that didn’t receive that light was dark, giving the impression that the area below was like a stage.

As Ethan stood under the sparkling light, the surroundings began to shake.

-Hero candidate who has broken through the 1st gate and now the 2nd gate. Welcome to the 3rd gate.

Suddenly, a voice was heard from beyond the wall. And not long after, a giant appeared.

Like the guardians of the 1st and 2nd gates, it was a gray spirit.

-I am the Third Guardian. I’m in charge of the last gate of this tower. If you pass this gate, you can reach the top of this tower. You can be recognized as a hero and receive the reward prepared by the tower’s master who built this tower.

Ethan looked up at the Third Guardian.

The Third Guardian was so tall that his head almost touched the ceiling of this massive corridor.

-What is your name, hero candidate?

“Ethan Whiskers.”

-Ethan Whiskers, I see, Ethan Whiskers. The 1st and 2nd gates are easy compared to the 3rd gate. So I’ll give you a chance. We can exercise our own authority to a certain extent without violating the covenant.

As he slightly stomped his foot, a parchment appeared in Ethan’s hand.

-You can give up. More precisely, you can choose not to challenge the 3rd gate.

“Give up… you say?”

-Before the last gate, there’s time to go outside and rest. And that rest time is not fixed. You will rest forever. Unless you return to the Hero’s Tower of your own volition, that is.

As he said, it was the maximum consideration that could be given without violating the covenant.

In other words, it meant that even those who passed the difficult 1st and 2nd gates should not challenge the 3rd gate.

-Many have died. They were valuable people.

The Third Guardian said.

-You can very easily stop the challenge. All you have to do is return that parchment to me. Then I’ll give you time to go outside and rest. You just need to go outside and never return to the Hero’s Tower. That’s all. You, who have passed the 1st and 2nd gates, are already no different from a hero.

“…”

At those words, Ethan smiled lightly.

“How many have turned back?”

-I can’t tell you.

Although he didn’t know how many, there must have been some who turned back.

And they probably never returned anywhere near this eastern land. Ashamed of themselves for fleeing despite passing the 1st and 2nd gates, they probably never mentioned a word about this place.

-The only thing I can tell you is that all those who challenged the 3rd gate died without exception. Hero candidates who had strong powers, who might have been able to face even continental threats.

The Third Guardian clicked his tongue.

Watching Ethan ponder for a moment, the Third Guardian hoped he would turn back.

Ethan gripped the parchment and handed it to the Third Guardian.

-Yes, you’ve thought well.

Ethan, who was about to hand it over, stopped his hand.

“If it were me from a while ago, I would have given up here.”

Ethan smiled and tore up the parchment he was holding.

-… You won’t regret it?

“What’s worse than dying?”

Ding-!

-The 3rd gate begins!