Chapter 66: The Tower of Trials

Once I started paying attention to it, my 10% movement speed penalty began to grate on my nerves. I constantly compared my pace to the NPCs walking nearby. It was a relief that there weren’t many other players around; the few who did appear would catch sight of my IGN and vanish in a heartbeat. It seemed my reputation had been bundled together with Sephiroth’s in record time.

“There has to be a way to lift this…”

Since it was a curse received during a quest, it should logically clear once the quest is completed, right? Having no other leads, I had to naively cling to that assumption. While the guild members were busy practicing their hearts out, I would grind my levels, lift this debuff, and then dominate the battlefield.

With renewed resolve, I pushed forward.

After clearing a few more tedious sub-quests, I finally managed to find Lang-ru-sa. He was an Orc with large nostrils, shaggy hair, and tiny eyes. Dressed in a brown shirt and black trousers, he was twitching and flinching near a small tree as if he were being watched.

“Are you Lang-ru-sa?”

I already knew his name since it was floating above his head, but I asked anyway. In a hyper-realistic VR game like Zelpia, diving straight into business often triggered a defensive reaction from NPCs—not unlike how people react when a stranger grabs them on the street to ask if they “believe in the Truth.” I had to play the part.

Lang-ru-sa, who had been staring at the ground, jumped so high I thought he was on a trampoline. After his rocket-like ascent, he landed and began backing away, looking ready to bolt.

“W-Who? Who’s there?”

“Ah, wait! Bibi sent me.”

I quickly dropped Bibi’s name before he could run. To seal the deal, I pulled out the compass. I wasn’t entirely sure how they were connected, but the fact that this item led me straight to him proved there was a link.

Whether it was my effort or the sight of the item, Lang-ru-sa gazed at me with trembling eyes. They were so small it was hard to tell if they were actually shaking, but that was the vibe. After opening and closing the pendant lid about five times, he finally spoke.

“Bibi… sent you?”

“Yes. Oh, and don’t misunderstand—Bibi told me to tell you she’s sorry she couldn’t keep the secret.”

Even though she was just a character, I added that quickly to protect Bibi’s honor. In Zelpia’s system, where quests have multiple branches and outcomes based on stats or affinity, it felt right to deliver the message exactly as requested.

“Actually, your village headman asked me to find the missing young Orcs. If it weren’t for that, Bibi probably wouldn’t have given me this pendant.”

“Ah, the headman…”

Lang-ru-sa’s voice trailed off. He shifted awkwardly, drawing abstract patterns in the dirt with his toe. After a long silence that made me wonder if I should just leave, he finally whispered:

“…I am a traitor.”

…Wait, what?

It was a sudden and confusing confession. Thick tears actually started dripping from his tiny eyes. I held out my palm, gesturing for him to stay calm.

“Hey, what happened? Is there something I can help with?”

“Sniff… It’s just… hic…”

“Yeah, okay. Take a breath and tell me.”

Getting the quest details required a fair amount of patience. After sobbing for a while, Lang-ru-sa wiped his eyes with his forearm and confessed in a small voice.

“They must all be dead…”

“Dead? The other missing Orcs?”

This was escalating. Was this some more karmic debt from Sephiroth’s past? No, quests are usually instanced or individual, so they shouldn’t be linked… right?

“Yes. Everyone wanted to challenge… the Tower. But I was too scared, so I said I’d stay behind.”

“The Tower?”

“Yes. A Tower for Heroes appeared nearby. The elders told us not to go, but the village Orcs were so determined…”

To summarize Lang-ru-sa’s blubbering: a “Hero’s Tower” had appeared behind the Orc village. A group of spirited but brainless young male Orcs decided to challenge it. Despite the elders’ warnings, they ran away from home to enter. Lang-ru-sa had mindlessly followed them at first.

“Sniff… but they said only one person could enter the Tower at a time. I was scared, so I stayed at the very back of the line.”

“I see. You waited until the end because you were afraid, but now you’re out here because you couldn’t bring yourself to go in?”

“Yes. But… the other Orcs never came back out. Waaaaah!”

Lang-ru-sa burst into loud sobs again.

…I suddenly felt like a babysitter.

“Okay, okay. Stop crying. Let’s talk this through calmly.”

I needed to settle him down to actually accept the quest. I reached out and gripped his shoulder. Under my hand, I felt the rock-solid, muscular frame typical of an Orc.

This guy is more ripped than I am…

No matter how I looked at it, Lang-ru-sa seemed stronger than me. If the Orcs who entered the Tower were all this muscular, shouldn’t I be the one staying behind? Is this “Hero” business just a scam?

“Sniff… I can’t go back… hic… until I save my friends…”

While I was lost in thought, Lang-ru-sa muttered through his tears. It was clear pressure for me to step in. Wanting to finish the quest and get back quickly, I decided to cooperate.

“Fine, I get it. I’ll help you.”

“R-Really?”

“What do I need to do? Just climb the Tower?”

“Y-Yes. The elders said that if a Hero clears the Tower, everyone who challenged it and didn’t return will be set free.”

“Alright. I’ll save them.”

“Okay. You have to be careful!”

With tear-rimmed eyes, Lang-ru-sa pumped his fists in encouragement. I forced myself to look away from the hulking, sobbing Orc. Well, if that’s how the game’s power scaling works, then so be it.

“I’ll guide you to the Tower.”

Sniffling, Lang-ru-sa faithfully performed his duty. I trudged along behind his heels.

It was a beautiful day. The chirping of birds rang clearly through the air. Brilliant sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting green hues onto the forest floor. My shadow merged with and separated from the shadows of the trees as I walked. The forest seemed infinitely peaceful.

“Is it really here?”

I was just about to ask Lang-ru-sa why there wasn’t even a hint of a tower in sight when—

Rumble. As Lang-ru-sa took a heavy step forward, the ground began to shake. The inner forest, which had seemed like an endless stretch of trees and paths, began to shift and rearrange itself. Massive, ancient trees were molded like clay, rising and twisting, while flowers and grass clung to them like ornate decorations. With every gust of dusty wind, a tower rose from the empty clearing.

The Tower was a dark gray structure covered in ivy. Arched black windows were scattered here and there, but most of it was built from gray bricks that looked weathered by time. Unlike other towers I’d seen that were divided into clear floors, this one looked like a single, long cylinder. The top flared out slightly like a fan, with sharp, gear-like indentations that made it look like a chess Rook.

I stared up at the massive “gears” before turning blankly to Lang-ru-sa. He didn’t look surprised; he must have seen this before. Instead, his face was a mix of terror and awe. It made sense, considering this place had swallowed his friends. I found myself admiring Zelpia’s immersive environmental storytelling.

“…Yes,” the crybaby Orc whispered, trembling.

I decided I should go in before the sight made him cry again. I took a step forward, waving my hand dismissively. The weeds under my feet felt tougher than they had moments ago.

“I’ll go in and save them, so stop crying.”

“Sniff… okay…”

I just said it, but that felt like a pretty cool line, didn’t it? Like something a shonen protagonist says to the heroine…

Though Lang-ru-sa was definitely not my type for a heroine. If it had been Na Eun-hyuk standing here instead of Lang-ru-sa, I might have felt a bit more motivated. Of course, Na Eun-hyuk would never play a game like Zelpia. If he ever met a lunatic like Sephiroth, he’d probably quit the game that very same day.

I shook off the ridiculous comparison between Lang-ru-sa and Na Eun-hyuk. It was time to focus on the Tower. With every step I took, a tailwind blew, gently pushing my shoulders. It felt as if an invisible force were guiding me inward.

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