Chapter 244: Lord of the Tower (1)
A deathly silence hung in the air.
The Tower Lord’s chamber, unveiled for the first time in over 250 years, stood open.
In its center stood a young man, declaring himself the Lord of the Tower.
At the very moment a new Lord of the Tower was supposed to be born—and with the situation inside the Labyrinth being broadcast live—everyone froze in stunned bewilderment at this unexpected appearance.
The weight of Louis’s claim to the title Lord of the Tower lingered in their minds, further compounding their confusion.
The tense silence, so profound that even breathing could be heard, stretched on.
“That child…” Agus murmured, his voice barely audible.
Laura turned to him. “Do you know him?”
“He’s a student from this year’s Transcendence Academy’s Low-Rank Technical Team.”
“A student from the Transcendence Academy?” Laura repeated, incredulous.
Agus elaborated, “Why, don’t you remember the student who got perfect scores on all the written exams this year? That’s him.”
Agus’s explanation reached everyone present.
“Ah!” Laura and William nodded in understanding, as if they had heard the story before, while Damian erupted in fury.
“What in the world do you think you’re doing?!” he roared, his voice booming through the hall like thunder. “How long are you going to stand there gaping like idiots?! Get that lunatic out of here now!”
“A… yes!”
“R-right away!”
At Damian’s command, the 1st Grade Apprentices sprang into action.
They were about to rush toward Louis when…
“Damian Fils.”
Louis’s quiet voice stopped them in their tracks.
Having called out Damian’s name, Louis pulled a notebook from his robe.
It was the kill list he had compiled himself.
Louis began reciting the information Fin had gathered over the past two days.
“Age 58. Entered the Tower of Wishes 26 years ago, became a Master 7 years ago. Still unmarried…”
As Louis recited Damian’s personal details, his eyes turned icy.
“He’s been habitually sexually harassing young trainees. And… only men? What kind of pervert is this?”
A sneer crept onto Louis’s lips.
“Well, personal preferences should be respected… but forcibly taking those who refuse and abusing his position to silence them is utterly disgusting.”
No sooner had Louis finished speaking than dozens of gazes snapped toward Damian.
His face flushed with embarrassment and fury, Damian roared, “W-what nonsense are you spouting?!”
Undeterred by the booming voice, Louis calmly flipped the page in his notebook.
“Next is Laura.”
Laura flinched as her name was called.
“51 years old this year. You accepted bribes from nobles to secure fraudulent admissions to the Transcendence Academy. Furthermore, you established a private organization disguised as a Research Society within the academy, preying on students’ career prospects to line your pockets. And… what’s this? You’ve been regularly embezzling the Labyrinth’s operational funds to pad your own accounts?”
”…?!”
“I wouldn’t have cared if you’d pulled this crap somewhere else, but how dare you do it in my Labyrinth?”
”…?!”
As Louis laid bare their crimes one by one, Damian and Laura were driven into a frenzy.
“H-how dare you fabricate such lies in this sacred place!”
“What are you waiting for! Shut down the video transmitter immediately!”
“First, drag that damn bastard out of here!”
“Hurry!”
Even though Louis’s voice was already being broadcast live through the video transmitter, they had to stop it before it went any further.
The Grade 1 Apprentices were so stunned by Louis’s revelation that they could only stare blankly at Damian and Laura.
“These two?!” Laura exclaimed in desperation, lunging toward the video transmitter to shut it off herself.
In that instant—
Snap.
Louis flicked his finger, and an overwhelming pressure crushed Laura.
“Agh!”
She collapsed to her knees, unable to even reach the transmitter.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
“Release Laura immediately!” Several horrified Masters shouted, their faces suddenly pale, but Louis ignored them.
Instead, he turned toward the doorway and spoke.
“Harold.”
Hearing his name, Harold stepped forward and bowed his head. “You summoned me, Tower Lord?”
“Huh?!”
Harold’s deferential attitude and casual use of the title “Lord of the Tower” stunned everyone into silence. They stared at him in disbelief.
“Guard the video transmission device well. Anyone who tries to touch it without my permission—blow their heads off without mercy. Don’t hesitate to kill them.”
“Yes, I will,” Harold replied.
“Ha-Harold?”
“Harold, have you lost your mind?!”
The other Masters shouted at Harold as he nodded in response to Louis’s command, but Harold remained unmoved.
He retrieved a Transcendent-level repair hammer from his Aether Pocket and slammed it into the floor.
Thud!
The heavy impact reverberated through the chamber, causing everyone to flinch.
At that moment, Delfina, standing close to Harold, noticed a faint smile playing on his lips.
That old geezer… So this is the “interesting thing” he was talking about!
He clearly knew everything—the current situation and the young man claiming to be the Lord of the Tower.
While Delfina blinked in disbelief, Louis continued calling out names.
“Enes.”
After each name was called, the corresponding Master’s crimes were meticulously revealed.
Following Enes came Valen, Leonel, and Dump.
Their offenses varied widely, from habitual assault and embezzlement to…
“A Master stealing? As a hobby?”
Some charges were so absurd they bordered on the ridiculous.
Louis shook his head in disbelief as he recited the recorded information.
“Tsk. These people are called Masters? Aren’t they even a little ashamed of themselves?”
“Where do you think you are, spouting such nonsense?!”
“Harold, turn off that transmitter immediately!”
“This is slander!”
Laura, Damian, Enes, Valen, Leonel, and Dump—the Masters assigned to William and Aileo—vehemently denied their guilt to the very end. Instead, they glared angrily at Louis and lunged toward Harold, attempting to shut down the video transmitter.
But each time, Harold brandished his hammer, his eyes blazing fiercely, forcing them to retreat.
Valen gritted his teeth and shouted, “Agus, do something!”
Though the Tower of Wishes was indeed a sacred tower, the Sacred Scriptures they studied there specialized in technological research.
They all turned to Agus, the most physically powerful among them, hoping he would subdue Harold and shut off the video transmitter.
But…
“Hmm… well, I’d rather hear more of this story,” Agus said, watching the situation unfold with detached amusement.
At that moment, Aileo, who had been listening quietly until now, spoke up.
“I’ve heard enough of this tale.”
“Oh?”
“What exactly is the point of all this?”
“Point?”
“Why are you trying to tarnish Our Tower of Aspiration with baseless accusations?”
“Evidence…” Louis scoffed. “Do I really need evidence?”
”…What?”
“The very fact that I know of your transgressions is proof enough, and grounds for your punishment.”
It was an utterly arrogant statement.
Yet it suited Louis perfectly.
From the beginning, he had never bothered to present evidence or persuade anyone with arguments like, “My words are true, therefore you must be punished!”
He needed no such proof.
Louis was the sole Lord of the Tower, the ultimate arbiter of justice.
Within the Tower of Wishes, his word was law and truth.
“Now that I’ve confirmed your sins, all that remains is for you to accept your punishment willingly.”
Aileo shook his head at Louis’s words.
“If you were going to go mad, Damian, you should at least have done it with some grace.”
“Yes.”
“Go and bring the escort mystics and warriors.”
“Understood.”
Damian nodded, turned on his heel, and bolted for the exit.
Snap.
But once again, the sound of a finger snap echoed through the air, and Damian collapsed heavily to the floor.
“Ugh! Gah!” Damian thrashed beneath the crushing pressure that pinned him down.
“Where do you think you’re going? This is just getting started.”
A chilling aura radiated from Louis, instantly dropping the temperature in the room.
Turning to Aileo as if signaling that it was now his turn, Louis began, “Aileo Dominic, age 67.”
The voice that had previously exposed the sins of others resonated once more, drawing every eye in the hall to Louis’s lips.
All eyes were riveted on Louis, eager to hear what he would reveal next. What he said far exceeded everyone’s wildest imaginations.
“You incited the Masters of the Tower to sow discord and conspired with the Black Gold Mercenaries to assassinate the Grand Masters.”
”…?!”
Gasps of shock and disbelief erupted the moment Louis finished speaking.
“The Grand Masters? Assassinated?!”
“Good heavens!”
Aileo shouted over the spreading commotion, his voice sharp and commanding.
“Silence!”
His short, sharp command instantly silenced the crowd. He glared at Louis, his eyes blazing with fury.
“Why are you making such a fuss over such utter nonsense?!”
Aileo’s commanding presence captivated the assembly. Louis smiled, impressed by his remarkable composure.
How long will that composure last? he wondered, genuinely curious to find out.
“Nonsense, you say? Hmm… Did you call it ‘evidence’ earlier? I don’t know about the others, but there’s certainly plenty of evidence against you.”
”…”
“Ah, strictly speaking, I should call them witnesses. But let’s not nitpick—details aside, it’s close enough, right?” Louis waved his hand dismissively, his smile turning cold.
“Witnesses 1, 2, and 3, enter.”
His words bewildered the crowd. What was he talking about?
But their confusion quickly morphed into shock.
Swish.
No sooner had Louis finished speaking than one side of the Tower Lord’s chamber swung open.
Thud.
Three figures emerged from beyond the open space.
“Witness 1: Douglas. Witness 2: Floria. Witness 3: Erica. You all know them, right?”
The expressions of the crowd shifted at the reappearance of the Grand Masters, who had been presumed dead. Some froze in shock, while others rejoiced.
Those who froze were Aileo, William, and the six individuals Louis had previously accused of wrongdoing. The rest of the crowd largely celebrated the Grand Masters’ return.
Paula, in particular, reacted with intense emotion.
“M-Master!”
Paula’s eyes instinctively filled with tears at the sight of her supposedly deceased Master, Erica.
Erica smiled at her disciple. “Paula.”
“Yes, Master.”
“I’m sorry for suspecting you,” Erica said.
“Huh?” Paula replied, bewildered.
“I thought you were a bad person.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“Well, it just seemed that way.” Erica chuckled at her disciple’s confusion.
According to the information Louis had gathered, Paula hadn’t betrayed them after all. Like master, like disciple—Paula, as careless as her mentor, had been unknowingly manipulated by Aileo.
Meanwhile, Aileo forced a smile onto his stiff face and bowed hastily to Floria. “What on earth is going on, Master? I heard everyone else is dead…”
“I should be asking you that, Aileo,” Floria replied.
“Huh?”
“Why did you do it?”
”…”
“Why did you try to kill us?”
”…What are you talking about? When did I ever try to kill Master? How could you even suggest such a thing…?”
“You’ll deny it to the very end…”
A look of pity crossed Floria’s face.
At that moment, Louis interjected.
“Enough, Floria. Are you giving him one last chance just because you raised him yourself? Why? Do you think he’ll be forgiven if he confesses now and begs for mercy?”
”…”
“Tch, you’re too soft.”
”…I apologize, Tower Lord. I entrust the disposal of this foolish disciple to your judgment.”
With a bitter expression, Floria lowered her head and retreated.
Those who witnessed the scene were once again astonished.
“Lady Floria is… the Tower Lord?”
“That’s what I heard too.”
The young man spoke casually to Floria, addressing her with informal language, yet she accepted it without protest, even showing deference in return.
Floria’s demeanor as a Grand Master lent credibility to Louis’s claim of being the Lord of the Tower. Furthermore, with the appearance of the other Grand Masters, Louis’s words could no longer be dismissed as mere nonsense.
At that moment, Louis reached out his hand.
“I’ll show you the proof you so desperately crave.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Damian, who had been lying face down on the floor, levitated into the air and flew toward Louis.
“Gah!”
Louis grabbed Damian by the throat, and the struggling man thrashed violently against his grip.
At that moment, a crimson aura surged from Louis’s body, enveloping Damian.
As Damian’s eyes glazed over, Louis released his grip on his neck.
“You bastard! What have you done to Damian?!”
“Silence.”
“L-Lord Douglas!”
“This is the Tower Lord’s doing! Shut your mouth!”
The Master who had been shouting at Louis fell silent under Douglas’s thunderous reprimand.
As the commotion subsided, Louis turned to Damian.
“Name.”
”…Damian Fils.”
“Age.”
“Sixty-one.”
”…This bastard even lied about his age?”
“That’s right.”
“You’re full of surprises. Fine, what’s your deepest secret?”
“I… I’m attracted to younger men.”
“What did you think of Laura?” Louis asked.
“I thought she was a gold-digging airhead,” Damian replied.
The Masters’ eyes widened in astonishment at the exchange. Those who knew Damian had privately trashed Laura as a “gold-digging airhead” were utterly shocked.
Then it dawned on them: whatever method Louis had used, he had forced Damian to speak only the truth.
Sensing the danger, Aileo shouted, “You bastard! Release the spell you’ve cast on Damian!”
Ignoring Aileo’s outburst, Louis continued his questioning. “Did you know what Aileo was planning?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What exactly was he up to?”
“I tried to kill the Grand Masters to seize the position of Tower Lord.”
“How?”
“I hired the Black Gold Mercenaries.”
“How did you find out about them?”
“Master Balen learned how to contact them.”
“Why did you side with Aileo?”
“Aileo knew about my past. He threatened to strip me of my Master status if I didn’t cooperate. He promised to put me in charge of the New Product Research Department if I helped him.”
Damian’s confession continued. As his truthful account unfolded, the faces of Aileo and his accomplices grew increasingly pale.
About ten minutes later…
“Gah!” Damian coughed up blood.
Blood poured from his eyes, ears, and nose.
And then…
Thud.
“Kruk, kruk!”
The man who had been writhing on the floor suddenly went completely still.
Someone nearby murmured with a grim expression, “H-he’s dead?”
This was the end of a man once revered as a Master.
The sheer misery and futility of his death left everyone in stunned silence.
Only Louis reached out his hand again.
“You’re next.”
As he spoke, Valen’s body floated upward, drawn into Louis’s grasp.
Having witnessed Damian’s agonizing demise, Valen thrashed wildly and screamed, desperate to avoid the same fate.
“Ugh, ugh! Spare me! Spare me! I’ll tell you everything! Everything!”
“Tell me what?”
“I-it was all Aileo’s doing! He ordered me to find a way to quietly dispose of the Grand Masters, so I simply recommended the Black Gold Mercenaries!”
“Really? Who took the Magic Resistance Armor? The one the Black Gold Mercenaries were using?”
“T-that was Enes!”
Enes’s face turned deathly pale as his name was called out.
“N-no! I just smuggled it out of the warehouse! Aileo ordered me to do it!”
Horror, chaos, and terror filled the air. One Master lay dead, and the others, paralyzed by fear, began confessing their crimes one after another. Each of them insisted that Aileo was the mastermind behind the entire scheme.
Louis scoffed derisively. “So, everyone’s saying the same thing?”
”…”
“Anything else you want to add?”
Faced with Louis’s question, Aileo could only squeeze his eyes shut.
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