They landed not far from a cave.
Crackle, crackle.
As soon as they lit the campfire, warm heat spread through the air.
"The blizzard's fierce."
"The wind is so strong! I flew away without even the rats or parrots noticing!"
Kancho, who had been blown away with a whoosh on their way here, fluttered his wings indignantly.
Even after that, he had been blown away two more times and had to repeatedly cancel and re-summon himself.
"Let's eat first."
"I feel like I'm going to starve to death!"
"You just ate the in-flight meal."
"It wasn't even a snack for my stomach!"
"He's got a point."
Momo pulled off her backpack and began taking out food.
Jinhyeok's tongue clicked in disbelief.
When had she stolen all this?
Everything they'd eaten on Xiaochen's plane earlier was packed inside.
She had been so thorough that it looked like she had taken the entire stock of the aircraft.
To raid someone else's home to fill their own pantry—she truly was a remarkable homemaker.
"Momo will cook!"
Rolling up her sleeves, she pulled out a frying pan and pot.
After a while of bustling around, a delicious soup and stir-fry appeared.
"Mmm!"
"How's Momo's cooking!!"
Jinhyeok took the first taste and gave her a thumbs-up.
It was moderately sweet, and honestly tasted better than the in-flight meal they'd had earlier.
Their companions, who had been waiting, lunged eagerly toward the food.
"What dish is this? It's a bit bland."
"Dip it in this sauce. And this one—you wrap it up with this."
Only after being told how to eat it did Seira finally hum in satisfaction.
"So this flavor exists."
"It's called Vietnamese spring rolls."
"That's a country too?"
"They have lots of good food."
"I know that place! Batman! I saw it on TV!"
"Momo knows too!"
Kancho and Momo were delighted to recognize something familiar.
Something was definitely wrong, but he decided not to correct them.
If they were happy, that was enough.
"By the way."
As she munched, Ellia glanced at Jinhyeok's shoes.
"These are strangely shaped shoes."
"Call them unique, please. They can hear you."
He defended them, though he agreed wholeheartedly.
He only wore them here because this was a deserted snowy mountain—outside, he would be embarrassed to show them.
"Was this the only thing you bought last time?"
"I couldn't make the armor. The blacksmiths on the Felid side were fully booked—they said it wouldn't be done until next month."
Ellia stroked her chin.
"It'd be nice if the party had a blacksmith."
"Did you have one?"
"We did, but he ran away."
"Why?"
"He didn't do much. Just mixed new potions into the food without telling anyone… or put a cute chimera next to him while he slept."
Jinhyeok paused mid-spoonful and nodded.
Running away was the only sane response.
Good choice, unknown blacksmith.
Having a blacksmith would indeed be convenient—turning materials into gear immediately, or upgrading their weapons on the spot.
Thus their noisy dinner passed, and when they were all partially full, Seira gave him a look.
Jinhyeok nodded solemnly and rose to his feet.
He didn't need her to speak.
It was time to get beaten up.
Carrying four wooden swords—including the one Seira would use—he headed deeper into the cave.
"Let's go outside."
"…Sorry?"
"Because you must grow accustomed to battle even in extreme cold. To never die under any circumstances—that is the goal a master must pursue."
"A very wise lesson, Master."
He agreed immediately and turned toward the exit.
Whooooosh—!!
They had stepped out bravely, but the blizzard was brutal.
Thank goodness I drank Ellia's potion…
If he hadn't boosted his cold resistance beforehand, his body would have frozen instantly.
Seira gripped her wooden sword.
Jinhyeok, who was about to be thrashed thoroughly, also took his stance.
This is going to hurt.
His body flinched in anticipation of the pain, yet he didn't dislike this process.
[Black Knights' Swordsmanship – Beginner LV7]
With each climb and each round of training, his swordsmanship level steadily rose.
At higher levels, the sword felt more natural in his hands.
Once upon a time, it had been nothing but a sharp, frightening weapon—now, it felt almost like an extension of himself.
And since swordsmanship was the foundation of his abilities, its increasing level boosted all related skills as well.
"Master, I have a question."
"What is it? You're not going to ask and then hit me, right?"
"I could hit you anyway. There's no reason to bother with tricks."
"You're right."
"Why did you decide to make the Elixir of Agelessness? Immortality has been a dream of humanity throughout every era—I know that. But I wondered if you had your own reason."
"Hm… I'm not so different from everyone else."
Jinhyeok paused to gather his thoughts.
"Climbing the Tower of Myth made me wonder… could I really reach the top before I die?"
The game version he had played before awakening had 100 floors.
Even after clearing the 100th floor, there had been an option to ascend further.
Which meant the Tower did not end at 100 floors.
Yet Jinhyeok had only just reached the 5th.
"With just five floors, I've already met Seira, Kancho, Darc, Momo, and Ellia. I've seen places and worlds I couldn't have imagined. And that made me restless. What if my life runs out before I can see everything above this? Before I can meet all the people waiting up there?"
Seira nodded silently.
"And lately… every day feels like the happiest day of my life. So I can't imagine dying and leaving all this behind. That's why I got greedy. I want to live a long, long time."
"The thought of my master leaving first… I cannot picture that either."
Their eyes met.
Unlike her, Jinhyeok's lifespan was finite.
Since the first time she'd manifested, Seira often found herself imagining a distant future where Jinhyeok died, and everything ended, where she stood alone again in an empty forest after everyone disappeared.
She desperately did not want that future.
She wanted her master to stay with her—forever.
But she couldn't force that desire onto him.
Immortality was not always a blessing. For some, it was a curse from which they could never escape.
She shouldn't influence his decision.
So she had kept these thoughts buried deep.
But today, he had said it first—that he wanted eternity.
"You are my first master. And I wish you to be my last. I hope this journey continues without end."
Seira finally voiced the words she had been holding back.
It felt like a dark cloud that had lingered finally dispersed.
Jinhyeok smiled just as brightly.
"Then I'll be in your care from now on, Seira."
His voice shook violently as he spoke.
Unlike Seira, whose cold resistance was incredible, Jinhyeok's body temperature was plummeting by the second.
He was moments away from turning into a snowman, but the mood had been too solemn to interrupt.
"S-so… should we start t-training now?"
If he didn't move right away, he would actually freeze solid.
"Let's. But master, why are you trembling like that?"
Seira tilted her head.
Jinhyeok wore an expression of despair.
She assumed her monstrous natural body was normal.
This is my fault for being weak…
He swallowed hard and charged forward with his wooden sword.
If he wanted to survive, he had to move.
Deep somewhere in Okryong Snow Mountain.
Unlike Jinhyeok's humble cave, a modern, well-equipped expedition camp buzzed with noise.
"Hahaha! We're almost there! Just a bit farther and we'll reach the Imoogi's lair!"
"At last! You've all done so much! How long has it been? Lord Ryugai, congratulations! You'll rise as the top-ranked hunter on the continent!"
Ryugai, whose short hair was slicked back neatly, smiled calmly.
"This was only possible thanks to the support of the state and the Chairman. Without that, we never would've gotten this far."
Alongside Xiaochen, Ryugai was among the top ten hunters on the continent.
At the 90th floor, he had met certain conditions and received a hidden quest.
A quest not inside the Tower, but connected to the outside world—one requiring him to find an Imoogi sleeping within a certain mountain.
"This discovery will shake the world! It proves the Tower and reality aren't completely separate!"
"Even America and other major powers will have to bow their heads this time. A discovery of the century. Nations will beg China for this information."
Ryugai nodded and sipped his warm drink.
Truthfully, he cared little for national benefit.
What he wanted was the quest reward.
[Upon completion, you will obtain a Clue of Eternity!]
He had not shared that fact.
The moment others learned about it, everyone would obsess over the clue.
Not a chance.
The state had supported him greatly, but Ryugai had sacrificed much in return.
He could have climbed higher, but instead spent nearly two years repeatedly re-climbing the same floor, seeking hints for this quest.
It had finally paid off.
Through endless exploration and trial and error, he had pinpointed the mountain where the Imoogi slept—Okryong Snow Mountain.
Almost there…
Months spent scouring this vast mountain range had finally led to a likely location.
Now it was only two or three days away.
The sweet reward was within reach.
"Let's drink all night in celebration!"
"Gladly!"
Ryugai clinked glasses, smiling brightly.
He would soon obtain it.
The Imoogi's Clue of Eternity.
While Ryugai and the team slept soundly after drinking—
Several shadows appeared beneath the dim dawn of Okryong Snow Mountain.
"The blizzard got much weaker!"
"Yeah. Easier to walk now. Kancho, if you get tired, you can hop in the bag."
"No need! It's nice and cool!"
Jinhyeok smiled and checked the Yodel Compass again.
Thanks to their steady progress, the number had dropped to a single digit.
A few more minutes passed.
Finally, the number shifted to 0.
Jinhyeok halted and looked up.
A massive wall of snow blocked their path.
"Seira, can you hit this? With moderate force."
"Moderate… that's difficult. I'll try."
Seira lightly swung her fist.
Rumble…
The snowbank collapsed, revealing a massive cavern.
Player Yoo Jinhyeok had arrived at the Imoogi's lair.
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T/N:
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