January 7th, 2005, the day when they had raided the Devil’s Tower!
Lee Gun’s memory of that venture was still vivid. It truly was the start of his nightmare, which lasted several hundred years.
‘Thirteen went in, but the tower sensed and recorded only twelve.’
Lee Gun contemptuously laughed. Of course, two out of the twelve Zodiac Saints weren’t human.
‘They are that damned Libra and Hailey.’
Yet, the record had checked off both of them as humans. This could have only one explanation.
Giselle had entered the body of a human, who was considered her Zodiac Saint. In Hailey’s case, she seemed to have had completely erased the odor of the other side and was thus seen as human.
Lee Gun had found out about their true identities only after he had awakened.
‘If that weren’t the case, the other Zodiac Saints would have found them out.’
Moreover, Lee Gun doubted the unknown civilization’s detection system was better than his “Gaze of a God.”
Of course, the technology of the unknown civilization was sensitive to humanity, so it picked up the information that Lee Gun hadn’t noticed.
[Aries Contractor: The most nutritious one. There are 10 other pieces of information.]
[Cancer Contractor: There are 7 other pieces of information.]
[Sagittarius Contractor: There are 8 other pieces of information.]
[Scorpio Contractor: There are 2 other pieces of information.]
…
[No Contract: The ugliest one]
The information attached to his face made Lee Gun angry. However, it was just information. The records also had information about the Zodiacs that had been elusive to find.
‘It seems I’ll have to take it all.’ He’d just ask Hailey about the words he couldn’t read.
That wasn’t all.
‘Twelve entered the tower, yet the Virgo Saint wasn’t amongst them. It points to a single answer.’
One of the twelve had increased the headcount. This person had posed as the Virgo Saint. The ones with the ability to make a fake were the Aquarius Saint, the Capricorn Saint, and the Gemini Saint.
The Aquarius Saint could make a water clone. The Capricorn Saint could make a doll that looked like someone else. The Gemini Saint could create a specter. However, they weren’t the only suspects.
‘It was the Devil’s Tower that we entered.’
If this were a normal battlefield, the story would have been different. A fake with inferior stats would be incapable of making to the Devil’s Tower’s ninetieth floor.
Moreover, while Lee Gun was close to death, his senses weren’t dull enough to not be able to differentiate between a doll and a person.
This left one possibility.
‘Replication.’
Only one technique could make it so that the replicated bodies weren’t false. All the bodies held the original essence. Of course, there was more to it.
‘The replicated body was transformed.’
It would have been transformed into the Virgo Saint.
Like the teleportation skill of the Gemini temple, the metamorphosis skill was a unique ability of the Pisces temple. Moreover, it was a transformation that Lee Gun hadn’t noticed at all.
This 100% meant a Zodiac had gotten involved. Therefore, he knew who the culprit was.
‘Good!’ Thankfully, he didn’t have to go through the trouble of reviving the ones he had killed.
Lee Gun wanted to put the culprit through the same experience as him. He wondered if he could use the Devil’s Tower for this.
‘If I want to do that, I’ll have to recover the tower to the hundredth floor.’ If possible, he wanted to restore the trap into working order.
‘I’ll have to raise Sungjae to SS rank before I do that.’
As he had that thought, Lee Gun looked at the struggling Chun Sungjae through the map.
[Disciple 1 is loudly weeping as he is dying.]
[Disciple 1 has suffered a large wound to his leg.]
[Disciple 1 is surrounded.]
[Disciple 1 is praising his Zodiac.]
[Disciple 1 has used Super Regeneration.]
[Disciple 1 has used a skill.]
As he heard the notifications, the monsters shown as bright red lights on the map disappeared en masse.
Sure that Sungjae had defeated those monsters, Lee Gun nodded. “As expected, he could do it if he put his mind to it. At this rate, he’ll just need to lose his leg a couple more times before he levels up.”
Of course, he would intervene if it looked as if Sungjae would really lose his leg. Still, he felt good that Sungjae was putting up a decent fight.
‘I thought I would have to intervene starting from the first floor.’
Suddenly…
[Danger! Your allies are dying!]
“!”
The skull of an animal mounted on the wall spoke.
As the tower was being regenerated, the Tower Administrator’s items seemed to have regenerated too.
The split skull fused back together. Even the bone fragments from the ground attached themselves to the skull.
This skull was like a guide that updated the status within the tower. It desperately yelled at Lee Gun.
[A massive attack has been launched on the 1st floor.]
[Your allies are dying!]
[The monarch’s power is weakening!]
[The contribution that should be sent to the monarch is decreasing!]
The goat skull on the wall burst through the wall. It seemed unable to stand the matter any longer. After making its appearance, it angrily yelled at Lee Gun.
[General! Are you listening to me? Hurry up and get the intruder— Kuh-huhk!]
The goat skull that had burst through the wall took a hit from the crystal ball. It was sent flying.
The angry Lee Gun crushed the goat skull. “Who are you calling your general? Do you want to die?”
Lee Gun hated that the skull had dared to treat him like a monster.
The goat skull was surprised at the look in Lee Gun’s eyes.
[You aren’t a general? B-But this feeling…]
This made Lee Gun throw the pocket watch toward the goat skull. The pocket watch was the thing that seemed to have made the skull mistake him for the general.
Lee Gun menacingly glared at the skull. “Look at me closely, idiot. I’m a human…”
[My god?! Monarch-nim?!]
Crunch!
Lee Gun fully destroyed the goat skull.
Kwah-jeek!
Lee Gun hated monsters. He didn’t even want to hear its voice and kept stomping the skull. His fury was apparent. How dare this monster treat him like its boss?
Broken into pieces, the goat skull felt aggrieved.
[This energy is different from those conniving Zodiacs! This great power… I’m sure this is the power of a monarch… Huh-uhk. Monarch-nim has returned…]
Was this bastard saying that nonsense again? Lee Gun lifted his foot and infused it with magical energy.
However, the skull was overjoyed.
[What a relief! I have an item I would like to offer to the great Monarch-nim…]
Lee Gun, who had been about to destroy the skull until there was no trace of it left, flinched at those words. He laughed as he put down his foot. “Yes, I have returned. I am your monarch.”
[Monarch-nim!]
He had no idea why this monster was mistaking him for its monarch, but… “Give it. You said you have something to offer to me.”
When Lee Gun presented his hand, the goat skull wailed as if it were deeply moved.
[N-Noble Monarch-nim extended his hand to a lowly sinner like me!]
“Hurry up and give it to me. Fuck!”
Deeply moved, the goat skull didn’t know what to do with itself.
[I would like to go get it right now, but your servant’s body is like this!]
Lee Gun suddenly used his ability.
[You have used the power of the Serpent Bearer.]
[You have activated Super Regeneration.]
Lee Gun placed his hand on the goat skull, and the skull started to regenerate. The ruined goat skull regrew its bone and flesh. It regained its shape once again.
The skull wailed.
[Ohhh! This is the great power of Monarch-nim! Your servant will come back quickly!]
The skull bounced across the ground as it headed somewhere. This skull had only muscles on it. Seeing it bounce across the floor was a horrific sight, but that didn’t matter in the end.
“Hey. Didn’t you say something about our contribution earlier?”
[Ah! You’re correct! If the invading humans are killed, energy will get piled up. We have a summoning apparatus…!]
“This?”
Lee Gun pressed a button on the wall. At that moment, a sound rang out throughout the tower.
[The stored contribution and energy have been consumed.]
[It has been subtracted from the balance. Soldiers have been summoned.]
As soon as those words rang out, it was as if Lee Gun could hear Chun Sungjae’s scream from the first floor.
Lee Gun tilted his head in puzzlement. “They aren’t showing up. Did I press the wrong one?”
Lee Gun pressed a different button. Chun Sungjae’s scream could be heard once again.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The skull was appalled when Lee Gun pressed several buttons.
[Wait a moment! If you use it indiscriminately like that, the energy of the other monarchs…]
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
Chun Sungjae’s cry rang out again.
[You have used the power of the monarchs.]
[The power of the monarchs has become slightly weaker.]
[Disciple 1 is surrounded by ten thousand monsters.]
[Disciple 1 is about to die.]
Finally, Lee Gun looked at the map. He had been oblivious to this, but the first floor had become crowded with red dots around Chun Sungjae.
“Ah! What the hell? They were all summoned over there?”
At that moment…
[The flustered Disciple 1 is trying to use the bonus skill “Return.”]
“Right! Denied.”
[“Return” has been rejected.]
[Disciple 1 is lamenting loudly.]
Lee Gun didn’t seem to care as he laughed. He had thought a thousand monsters were too few. So things had turned out well.
***
Around that time…
Chun Sungjae had suddenly become surrounded by ten thousand monsters that Lee Gun had called forth. The young man looked like he wanted to cry.
If he remained on the floor, he would get eaten by the monster. That was why he was hanging on the pillar attached to the ceiling. “Ooh-uhhhhhhhng. I’m sorry, Uncle!”
At the same time, Chun Sungjae thought Lee Gun was amazing. ‘Why the hell are these monsters so strong?’
In the past, he had followed Zodiac Saints and their generals to fight the red zone rank monsters. Those monsters hadn’t been as strong as these.
‘No, these are stronger than the black zone rank monsters!!’
There was probably a difference in power, but fighting monsters on a large plain and in the cramped space of a tower were two different things.
This was why Chun Sungjae thought, ‘Uncle really killed them by himself?’
He wasn’t thinking this because he was terrified. As an S-rank, he had tried attacking the monsters. However, he had to retreat after defeating a dozen of them.
‘As expected, he is in a different class!’
Suddenly, one of the monsters attacked Chun Sungjae, who was stuck to the ceiling like a cicada.
Chun Sungjae was instinctively about to use an attack skill. However, he unconsciously used a different skill. “F-Family Shield!”
[The skill was denied.]
[The Serpent Bearer furrows his brows. He says for you to keep your word.]
[If you want to become his Zodiac Saint, you have to overcome a danger of this magnitude by yourself.]
[As punishment, his photo will be erased from your phone.]
Chun Sungjae wailed when his uncle disciplined him. With teary eyes, he unleashed an attack on the ten thousand enemies.
[You have gained EXP.]
[Your contribution has increased.]
[Temple energy is accumulating.]
[Disciple’s EXP has increased by a massive amount.]
[A portion of the disciple’s EXP has gone to the Serpent Bearer.]
Lee Gun seemed to be satisfied with what had happened.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
Cackling, he ruthlessly pressed the buttons. “There is a lot of useful stuff in here. This is how the tower administrator tortured me.”
From this location, Lee Gun had the power to reset locations and traps. He even had the ability to reproduce monsters. The price seemed to be the energy of the monarchs.
[Contribution has been deducted.]
[Soldiers have been summoned.]
Therefore, Lee Gun was amused.
‘For some reason, the unknown civilization has a similar system as the Zodiacs.’
If he had to make a comparison, the generals were like Zodiac Saints, while the monarchs were like the Zodiacs, akin to evil gods.
‘However, they feel completely different from the Zodiacs.’
Lee Gun had momentarily sensed the monarch from the helmeted man. The sensation felt deep and dark. He couldn’t fathom its size, but he had felt a vast existence. Moreover, it was very powerful.
‘The Zodiacs are also strong, but they feel different.’
It didn’t matter in the end.
[The EXP of Disciple 1 has increased by a massive amount.]
[His level has increased. The physical ability of Disciple 1 has increased(Strength, Magical Energy).]
…
[The skill of Disciple 1 has increased.]
[The body level of Disciple 1 has increased.]
[The perception of Disciple 1 has increased.]
[The level of Disciple 1 has increased.]
Lee Gun was very satisfied by his disciple’s explosive upgrade. At this rate, Sungjae would become an SS-rank within four days.
Of course, the skull that witnessed Lee Gun press all those buttons looked awkward.
[A-Anything beyond this is….]
Lee Gun didn’t care as he continued to press the buttons. “Alright. Let’s continue this. It is better to have more candidates for my Zodiac Saint.”
Beep!
As soon as he pressed a certain button, the skull screamed.
[Ahhk! That’s…!]
“Ah!”
Lee Gun felt an ominous sensation for some reason.
A chilling sound rang throughout the tower.
“Kee-ehhhhhhk!!!”
Lee Gun started sweating when he heard a familiar roar. The last button seemed to have summoned Red Eye. However, it wasn’t the real Red Eye, but a copy.
[Disciple 1 is about to faint.]
In the end, Lee Gun started to sweat. “Mmm. Yes. I’ll allow him to use Family Shield against that.”
As soon as Lee Gun approved the skill, his eyes turned round.
[The underground monarch has opened its eyes.]
[The underground monarch is showing interest in you.]
* * *
Around that time, at a press conference in the US…
“This is bad!”
After the declaration of war, the disciples rushed toward Stevens and Hugo. The expressions on their faces indicated something was wrong.
Stevens furrowed his brows. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Something odd is happening to the Virgo Saint’s holy ground.”
“Virgo Saint?”
Worried, Hugo looked at them.
Kevin had gone off on his own right as they were moving to destroy the gates. Although he had yet to contact them, he was someone who didn’t keep in contact with others. Therefore, Hugo and Stevens hadn’t been worried about him.
However, the disciples had serious expressions on their faces.
“The disciples of the Cancer temple are moving against the Virgo Saint’s holy ground!”
“What?!”
“The Crab Saint seems to have called for them. Anyway, the disciples of the Cancer temple are trying to take over the Virgo Saint’s holy ground….”
“!”
Stevens and Hugo were surprised. No one would openly try to take a Zodiac Saint’s holy ground unless something had happened to the Zodiac Saint. This meant…
‘Something happened to Kevin.’
If the Crab Saint moved north, it would cause a considerable headache for them. Moreover, the Virgo Saint’s holy ground was vast. If their opponents took over all of it…
‘Their Zodiacs will become so powerful that even Gun will have a hard time fighting them.’
Lee Gun was currently focused on trying to find a Zodiac Saint and grow his temple.
In the end, Hugo quickly turned around. “Let’s hurry and go to the west!”
“What? It’ll cause an all-out war!”
“We have no choice! If we don’t go…”
[The Archer Saint’s prophecy skill has been activated.]
Hugo’s eyes turned round at the sight unfolding in front of his eyes.
