All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 106

◈ Chapter 106

53. A Place I’ve Been – 2

As the soldiers cleared a path, Danju led Ian inside, asking,

“So, why did you come?”

“I only made it to the front of the tower last time.”

I couldn’t do it before, so I’ll do it this time.

Of course, there were other reasons, but there was no need to mention them.

Danju sighed at him.

“Anyway, it’s best not to cause a stir here if you can help it.”

“Why? Are you afraid of them?”

“Do you think they’re just people from the continent?”

“No.”

When Ian denied it, Danju looked at him with surprised eyes.

“I know this place is connected to another dimension.”

Ian didn’t make the common mistake that others did when they first entered this tower.

‘He’s not ordinary,’ Danju thought, and began to explain.

“At first, I thought these guys were a legacy left by the Magic Kingdom. But after investigating, that wasn’t the case. They didn’t even know about the world outside the tower.”

“I see.”

“Each floor of the tower has a different kind of world built into it. The people here don’t know about the upper or lower floors.”

Danju told him the information he had gathered.

And Ian reacted indifferently.

“……Why that reaction?”

“I already know that much.”

“Ah. Is that so? I was just talking nonsense. Anyway, if you’re trying to climb this tower, there’s a mission you have to complete.”

“What is it?”

“You have to prove you’re a warrior. Whether you catch a hundred scorpions or fight and defeat the ruler.”

Scorpions meant the monsters he saw outside earlier.

Catching a hundred of those was nothing.

But there was no need to do that.

He could just fight the ruler.

As Ian stared, Danju shook his head.

“The ruler here, the one who calls himself Pharaoh, is virtually invincible in the desert. Several who challenged him were brutally defeated.”

If this desert included the worldview of the Garia Desert Kingdom, it was inevitable.

The Pharaoh was one who gained power in the desert.

You could say this vast desert gave him all his power.

So, it was natural that he couldn’t be defeated with mediocre strength.

“And he’s quite a gentle person. There’s no need to fight such a person.”

“I didn’t know you cared about things like that, Danju. I thought you’d just draw your sword as soon as you saw someone.”

“Do you think I’m some bloodthirsty killer? That’s just nonsense spread by guys who are jealous of me.”

He said nonchalantly, then pointed to one side.

“Yeah. Guys like that spread it.”

There was a group of knights in armor.

The man at the front was someone Ian knew.

“What is it? You guys.”

The middle-aged man at the front of the knights, who were eating the food they had brought, glared.

“Commander Ise, isn’t it?”

“Why are you here?”

“Is there a place we can’t come?”

As Danju spoke coldly, Ise gripped his weapon.

At that moment, warriors with darker skin than before gathered around.

“Fighting is prohibited here under the protection of the Pharaoh.”

“If you want to fight, please go outside.”

Just as their fierce voices were heard.

A fight broke out on the other side.

“You bastards! You dare use us as bait?!”

“Only idiots would fall for that!”

A group of explorers swung their weapons at each other and fought.

Other skilled explorers who saw it smirked.

“Those morons.”

“They’re desperate to die. That’s why you can’t trust newbies.”

The dark-skinned men moved.

Unaware of this, the dark-skinned men stepped in to stop those who were fighting fiercely.

“To spill blood in a place blessed by the Pharaoh’s grace.”

“I cannot forgive you.”

The dark-skinned men transformed.

Turning into black jackals, they bit and killed the explorers instantly.

Some of the newbie explorers who saw it tensed up.

“This is the territory ruled by the Pharaoh.”

“You must not shed vain blood.”

“Be careful. Strangers.”

The men, who had returned to their original dark-skinned forms, went back.

Danju shrugged his shoulders as he watched.

That was right.

Originally, the servants of Osiris in the Garia Desert Kingdom possessed much greater power.

But what was this?

Other than transforming into jackals, they didn’t seem to have any great abilities.

Ian shook his head as he went back to his spot and watched the men standing guard like machines.

‘Osiris isn’t in this tower, I guess.’

Without the god they served, even the god’s servants would inevitably weaken.

Ian lost interest in them and turned his head.

“By the way, didn’t the other swordsmen of the Sword Flower Unit come?”

“A few new recruits are here, and the rest are on other floors. We’re planning to train them appropriately for a few days and then move on to the next floor. Do you want to wait and go together?”

“No.”

When Ian shook his head, Danju nodded as if he expected it.

And Ise, who saw it, laughed as if he was glad.

“Then travel with us. We have more equipment and food.”

Ian smiled at them.

“It’s enough for me to go alone, so let’s all take care of ourselves.”

After finishing his words, Ian went inside the oasis.

* * *

There was no need to waste time in this desert.

The next day, Ian immediately left the oasis.

After heading north for three days and getting close to the temple.

Kirke reported calmly.

Among the priests he had seen when entering the tower, a nun and a paladin were sprawled out.

“Are they dead?”

If left alone, they would die from exhaustion or become food for the monsters here.

So, Ian walked towards them.

“Kirke.”

He tapped a nearby rock with his sword.

At that moment, groundwater began to spring up.

He filtered the water mixed with sand with a cloth.

Ian mixed an appropriate amount of salt and sugar into the water in the container.

He created an oral rehydration solution that was good for absorbing moisture and fed it to the two, sending them internal energy.

“Ugh…… Ugh…….”

The two drank the slowly trickling water as if it were the elixir of life.

Watching them, he made a second solution and offered it.

“Puhah!! Glug! Glug!”

“Kuhahahaha……!”

They each drank a whole container of water, but it seemed insufficient.

As they shook the containers as if trying to drink even one more drop, Ian said calmly.

“I’ll make more for you.”

“Oh…… Ah. Ahh.”

“T, thank you.”

They must have realized the unsightly behavior they had just shown.

As the two hesitated and bowed their heads, Ian made a new solution and said.

“I’m Ian Brandon.”

“Ian Brandon?! Could you be the Ian Saint?”

“Do you know me?”

“Of course, I know you. I heard about you from Paladin Platt. Ahh. Thank you. Sun, you are indeed salvation…….”

He quickly came to his senses as he was about to pray.

He realized that the person in front of him didn’t even know his name.

“Excuse me. I’m Paladin Katrin of the Sun Cult.”

“I’m Sister Willsia of the Sun Cult.”

The two sighed in relief and bowed their heads.

As they drank the solution again, Ian asked.

“By the way, when I saw you a few days ago, there were others with you. Why are only the two of you here?”

“Ah. Th, that’s…….”

Their expressions turned gloomy.

Something must have happened.

As Ian waited, Willsia sighed softly.

“We were attacked.”

She didn’t know how to explain it.

After hesitating, she carefully told him what had happened.

“Our goal is Valhalla on the 4th floor of this tower. We were going to support our cult members there.”

Food, holy objects, and equipment.

They were taking various supplies.

It wasn’t their first time entering the tower like this, and there wasn’t much of a problem.

But that belief was shattered yesterday.

“You may or may not know this, Saint… There is a ruler named Pharaoh Hotep in this desert. He is strict but merciful.”

“I see.”

“But the one we met claimed to be the true Pharaoh.”

A Pharaoh who exists only one in the desert.

A person claiming to be that had appeared.

“He… ah. He led countless black jackals and said. He cannot forgive those who follow the sun that rejected him. But if they follow death instead, he will accept them into his ranks.”

Was that even a reasonable thing to say to the priests of the Sun Cult?

The moment they refused, the attack began.

The desert was filled with jackals.

Controlling giant scorpions and snakes, he attacked the priests with overwhelming power.

“In the meantime… suddenly, people wearing white cloths appeared with a huge sandstorm.”

‘Oh. Did I send them there?’

He had blown the Mezzels away with a sandstorm yesterday.

It seemed they had fallen there.

“While they were fighting the one who claimed to be the Pharaoh. The two of us were caught in the sandstorm.”

And then they fell here.

That was all that had happened to them.

“Did he say anything else?”

“Even though he was abandoned. As long as there is a desert, he is the Pharaoh…….”

Ian pondered for a moment and then nodded.

“He must have the holy objects and luggage you brought from the Sun Cult.”

“Yes.”

“What is the holy object?”

“It’s called the Staff of the Sun… It’s one of the most precious holy objects in our cult.”

He had seen it on the Sun Cult’s list before.

Ian nodded and said.

“I understand.”

“Saint. If it’s not too much to ask… Could you take us to the Pharaoh here?”

“He is a Pharaoh who respects the sun. If that person defeats the current ruler, the Pharaoh…….”

It was terrible just to imagine.

What would a Pharaoh who rejects the sun do?

Seeing their fear, Ian looked towards the temple.

“I was heading that way anyway. I hope you pray hard along the way.”

“O, of course!”

The group had grown, but nothing had changed in particular.

Anyway, they were able to arrive near the temple they were aiming for.

When they arrived there, the two priests were horrified.

“Why on earth……?”

Numerous people wearing white cloths around the temple.

And just as many jackals.

Finally, a giant bird was perched there.

It looked like they were about to start a war.

As they were surprised by the different scene from before.

A voice was heard from the temple.

“Those who follow the sun. Come here.”

A solemn but fair and good voice was heard.

The two priests were relieved at the words, but then the voice became hostile.

“Because we must judge the false sun.”

All the Pharaoh’s subordinates in this place raised their weapons.

And.