Chapter 10
The Tower’s balance, precariously maintained through checks and shadowy power struggles, had been shattered by a single NPC.
Anyone who recruited a Legendary NPC or received a hidden quest could pull ahead of the other Rankers and reach the summit.
As an ominous mood of war began to descend, Zion—the one who could be called the source of that storm—was currently……
‘The crops are growing faster than I expected. Is it because of the game system?’
……hard at work in the fields. A bead of sweat trickled between her silver-white hair and came to rest beneath her smooth collarbone.
Three days ago—that is, after resolving the Sword Demon incident—Zion had started tending a small field in the backyard.
Surprisingly, Zion had also done lifestyle content like farming in Dungeon and Soul. The reason was, of course, to improve her stats.
‘Eating corn, potatoes, and tomatoes raised my stats, so I grew them like crazy. I kept at it because it was fun, too…….’
In Arena, levels and equipment were adjusted to be equal, so even the slightest difference in stats could become a huge gap.
The cap on stats that could be raised through food was 100. It was only enough to make a single normal attack’s worth of difference, but it was still an amount she couldn’t give up.
‘If Rin and Ifrit were here, the fieldwork would be over in no time.’
Since floor administrators had all sorts of duties piling up every day, they had to step in and handle them personally.
The problem was that Ifrit had said, ‘No cutting in line, ever,’ and dragged Rin out of the chapel by force.
Thanks to that, Zion, deprived of easy marks to boss around…… no, workers, had no choice but to do the fieldwork alone.
“How dare a savage beast like you set foot in a place like this?”
“Why should I need permission from a weakling like you?”
“……??”
Zion, hard at work, belatedly realized that a great commotion had broken out near the chapel entrance.
Wiping away her sweat, she walked toward the entrance, and sure enough, she saw two people in the middle of a fight.
A black-haired boy with beast ears and a blond elf with strikingly long ears were snarling at each other.
“Be sure to wait your turn. Even a stupid beast should have at least that much sense, shouldn’t it?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I got here first.”
“……It seems words won’t be enough.”
When the blond elf pulled out a bow, the black-haired beastkin clenched his fists and took a stance. The situation was on the verge of exploding.
Before the fight could escalate, Zion immediately stepped between them. It would be a problem if they fought and demolished the chapel.
“Lost lambs are always welcome here. How may I help you?”
“……So that’s the Saintess of Beginnings.”
“Ahem! Pleased to meet you. I’m Elena, the administrator of the 33rd floor.”
“I’m Leon, the administrator of the 34th floor.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Her silver hair, disheveled from the fieldwork, fell in a beautiful curve. Cross-shaped pupils showed through the strands.
The instant Elena and Leon faced Zion, whose beauty was unmistakably extraordinary, they knew for certain.
This woman was the Legendary NPC. Leon, the black-haired boy with beast ears, made the first move.
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“How shameless, cutting in line……!!”
“Hm? Something you can help me with?”
“Yeah. Actually, I’m looking for work. If there’s pay, I’ll help with whatever you need.”
“But there isn’t really anything I can offer you as a reward…….”
“It’s all right. Unlike this beast, I’d gladly help even without a reward.”
“You can give me anything as a reward.”
Crackle.
For a moment, it felt like sparks flew between the two of them. Was it just her imagination? In any case, Zion grinned.
She’d been in a bind because her easy marks…… no, workers had just left. Who would’ve thought new workers would roll right in like this?
“If you insist, I do have a small favor to ask…….”
“Leave it to me!”
“Anything!”
“Then, this way.”
Just as planned.
Suppressing a wicked grin while wearing the most harmless smile she could manage, Zion naturally led them to the field.
That led them to the field in the backyard. Zion rested one hand on her hip and spoke as if troubled.
“The thing is, I need to harvest the crops, but I’m terribly short-handed. Would you mind helping me?”
Elena, the Divine Archer, 46th in the Tower.
Leon, the Iron Fist, 48th in the Tower.
It would have been a shocking sight to anyone who saw High Rankers doing fieldwork, but they readily agreed.
‘As expected, she’s making me do menial work at first. But I’m not going to give up over something this trivial!’
‘Refusing because it’s a menial task is what an amateur would do. I have to steadily close the distance, little by little.’
First, they had to fulfill the NPC’s request and raise her favorability with her. Only then would the hidden quest unlock.
However, Elena and Leon both tilted their heads at the same time. A quest had appeared, but its reward seemed strange.
──────────────────
< Help with the Farmwork >
The Saintess of Beginnings has asked you to help with the farmwork.
It may be a small field, but there are more crops than you’d expect.
If you work hard for half a day, you should be able to finish.
Reward: Corn for the Soul x3
──────────────────
Having never heard of such a bizarre name, Elena and Leon instinctively used the [Appraisal] skill on the corn.
Ding!
Soon, a translucent message appeared before them. After reading its contents, they could hardly believe their eyes.
──────────────────
< Corn for the Soul >
Corn cultivated by someone in a field.
These golden kernels, imbued with sacred prayer,
refine the faint soul of whoever consumes them and draw out their potential.
On use: Permanently increases Strength by 10.
“This is a reward for helping me.” - Saintess of Beginnings
──────────────────
At first, Elena and Leon thought their eyes were playing tricks on them. But no matter how much they rubbed them, the message remained unchanged.
For High Rankers at the pinnacle of the Tower, a boost of 10 Strength was not something they could simply laugh off.
It was the sort of stat that could only be gained through years of grueling training or conquering dungeons—if you were willing to risk your life.
‘T-to think she’d give us an item this high-end just for doing a little fieldwork……!!’
‘So this is what a Legendary NPC is like……!!’
At the same time, they both thought: no matter what, they couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.
◇
Inquisitors.
Strictly speaking, they did not belong to the Church. In fact, the Church emphatically denied the existence of the Inquisitors.
But everyone knew they were hounds who carried out dirty work in the shadows at the Church’s behest.
And at last, the Church’s hounds began to move. Clank. The chill sound of metal striking metal rang out.
At long last, the fanatics had descended upon the Starting Floor. And their leader was the man at the head of the group.
“So this is where the heretic resides.”
Beneath his blue hair, the man’s blue eyes gleamed with the arrogance of fanaticism. His name was Victor, and he surveyed the Starting Floor.
Though he had returned to his homeland after a very long time…… he felt no particular emotion. If anything, he just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
He’d wasted more time than expected moving covertly to avoid Mad Flame, guardian of the Starting Floor.
“Brothers, there is a heretic here. What should we do now?”
“Purify them with a baptism of fire!!”
“Only flames can purify heretics!!”
“Burning at the stake! There is only burning at the stake!!”
Victor smiled contentedly at his brothers insisting on purification by fire, but at the same time he was troubled.
The Church had given him only one order. Convert the Saintess of Beginnings; if that failed, execute her without delay.
The execution itself was no problem. The real problem was converting the Saintess of Beginnings, who was undoubtedly a heretic, to the Church……
‘Why would the Church’s leader give such an order?’
As someone who had burned every heretic he had encountered without a single exception, Victor simply couldn’t understand the command.
But he didn’t dwell on it for long. He was merely a sword. Swords did not think. They were simply wielded according to their master’s will.
If that was the order from above, then he had to carry it out, even at the cost of his life. Even if he himself couldn’t understand it.
‘All things are according to God’s will.’
“Brother, we’ve confirmed the locations of Mad Flame and Sword Dragon.”
“Are they still at the chapel?”
“No, they’re somewhere else.”
“……Good. Split our forces in two.”
A <Shield> to tie down Mad Flame and Sword Dragon.
And a <Sword> to purify or execute the heretic.
The Inquisitors split into two forces and began moving to fulfill their respective missions.
Our purpose today is singular.
To purify the Saintess of Beginnings.