Reincarnated User Manual-Chapter 332: Residents Of The Tower (1)

The hall quickly filled with murmurs. It was as if they had witnessed an unbelievable circus act. The difference was that no one was genuinely laughing with joy.

The reactions fell into two categories: those horrified as if seeing a monster, and those endlessly sending intrigued gazes as if appraising a gemstone.

Naturally, the test supervisor, the fairy Yuriyuri, fell into the latter category.

“See? I pulled it out, didn’t I?”

“…”

Lucia proclaimed confidently, but the red-eyed fairy did not respond. Instead, she pursed her lips or stroked her chin.

‘What should I do about this?’

The guardian of the floor, one of the 99 test supervisors, had observed challengers climbing the tower for an exceptionally long time.

Even though the tower had existed since time immemorial, challengers who reached the 77th floor were rare and often unique, making them memorable.

Those who settled on the floor after failing the test were the fortunate ones.

There were even fools who questioned the fairness of the test or passed the test only to die in disputes with other climbers.

But among all the foolish acts challengers had shown, Lucia’s actions stood out as particularly foolish.

The test wasn’t designed to let someone pull out the sword through innate qualifications or talent.

It required a subtle sensation transmitted through the hilt—a kind of puzzle-solving exercise.

By delicately maneuvering or pressing the handle, one could unlock it as if picking a keyless lock.

This test filtered out those who blindly applied brute force based on the instruction to “pull it out.”

‘To think someone this strong and ignorant exists…’

A faint smile played on Yuriyuri’s lips.

Her amusement didn’t stem from looking down on Lucia Prient due to her role as a test supervisor.

Rather, it was because Lucia’s raw foolishness and brute force made her want to pass her.

The thought of what this girl might do on the next floor made her heart flutter with anticipation.

She couldn’t suppress the laughter bubbling up.

‘What’s so funny?’

Lucia glared at Yuriyuri with narrowed eyes. Holding up not just the sword but the entire rock it was embedded in made her arms feel like they were about to burst.

‘So, am I passing or not?’

Still, she couldn’t lower her arms. She instinctively felt that this moment was critical.

To be honest, even Lucia didn’t think that pulling out the sword with the rock still attached would let her pass.

She just didn’t want to give up without trying something.

She could feel the various gazes fixed on her.

Shock, curiosity, even competitiveness—every emotion was conveyed.

She seemed to have successfully taken hold of the atmosphere in the hall. Now all that was left was to appeal using her “uniqueness” to the supervisor in front of her.

-‘Impressive, huh? Look at me. You’ve never seen anything like this, have you?’

-‘You want to send me up, don’t you? You’re dying to, aren’t you?’

“Wow. This is amazing~! Who would have thought you’d pull the sword out ‘along with the rock’?”

Just as their staring contest hit its peak, the fairy finally spoke.

“Right? So, I pass, right?”

“Of course! Lucia Prient definitely pulled it out!”

“Then, can I go to the next floor—”

“Nope. Who said you passed?”

Yuriyuri politely cut Lucia off mid-sentence. Dropping her mockingly dim tone, she gestured softly, signaling that Lucia could put the heavy rock down.

Though displeased, Lucia followed the fairy’s suggestion.

Boom!

A thunderous sound reverberated, shaking the entire floor and test chamber as if the tremors would tear through their intestines.

The sheer weight of the rock, precariously hanging at the edge of the sword, was beyond anyone’s imagination.

“…Ugh. Making a person’s heart race for no reason.”

Despite having accomplished a miracle, Lucia looked gloomy.

She felt unworthy of facing Shiron and Seira. With drooping shoulders, she turned to leave the platform.

“Hold on. I never said you failed either.”

Yuriyuri stopped Lucia. When Lucia turned back with a skeptical glare, the fairy had a clear smirk on her lips.

“Are you messing with me?”

“I’m giving you another chance.”

“A chance?”

“Yes! Consider it a retest.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the hall stirred again. But this time, the commotion differed from before.

Previously, it had come from the waiting area.

Now, even the area where those who had passed were seated erupted in noise.

“Everyone, quiet!”

The test supervisor clapped her hands to calm the crowd. She knew the gravity of her own words.

“I understand you’re all shocked. A retest? It’s surprising, isn’t it?”

“…”

“But what can you do? I’m the test supervisor, and I decide who gets to ascend the tower! If you don’t like it, climb the tower and become a supervisor yourself!”

Her cheerful declaration left no room for retort.

Lucia, unaware of the implications, remained indifferent. But the others, all too familiar with the consequences of angering a test supervisor, fell silent.

“So? What’s the test?”

However, Lucia remained unfazed by the tense atmosphere.

It was natural for prey to be intimidated by predators; by the same logic, Lucia saw no reason to be cowed by Yuriyuri.

“I get it, I really do. You’re someone impatient enough to yank out a whole rock, aren’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

Despite the infuriatingly mocking tone, Lucia sensed that the fairy was genuinely impressed.

“Hmm, now what kind of test should I set up… This is quite troublesome. If I allow a retest, it sets a precedent, and that’ll be a headache for my future self. But I really do want to send you up… And yet, it would be boring if it’s too easy…”

“…”

“Hmm, what to do~”

Muttering to herself, the fairy’s eyes lit up, and she raised her finger as if struck by inspiration.

“Everyone, attention!”

With a mischievous expression, Yuriyuri scanned the hall.

“As of this moment, I’m making an urgent change to the test!”

A chilling unease spread through the silent seats.

“The human who just lifted the rock is named Lucia Prient!”

Why was she suddenly calling her out? What’s her problem? Lucia glared at the babbling fairy with sharp eyes.

“Defeat Lucia Prient! If you can take her down, you may proceed to the next floor!”

“…What?”

“You can challenge her one-on-one, or team up for a group attack! Oh, and if you form a team, all team members will ascend together, so keep that in mind~”

“Hey! What kind of nonsense is this?!”

Lucia grabbed the fairy with one hand, her exasperation evident.

“Oh my! Where do you think you’re touching?!”

“I’ll kill you!”

“Didn’t you want to go to the next floor? If you don’t like it, you’re free to quit!”

Lucia’s grip tightened in frustration, but Yuriyuri merely chuckled.

Was she immune to pain, or simply unafraid of death? While the odd sense of déjà vu tugged at Lucia, her attention remained on the murmuring crowd.

“Lucia. If it seems too much, you can wait for the next test.”

Shiron, who had been observing the situation, finally spoke.

Realizing they were traveling companions, a playful smirk appeared on Yuriyuri’s face.

“The next test is in a month. What if I change the test rules again at my discretion by then?”

“Then she can quit again. The tower can be climbed solo anyway.”

Even in the face of the fairy’s taunting threats, Shiron maintained his calm demeanor.

‘Huh, this test has some interesting people.’

Yuriyuri eyed Shiron with a glimmer of curiosity. She mentally sifted through the participant list distributed before the test.

‘Three people with Platinum rank from the first floor… I thought the Demon Lord’s daughter was the only standout, but if I had known, I would’ve made the test more fun.’

She briefly regretted not setting up a more chaotic trial.

A death game where half the participants slaughtered each other.

An endless tournament requiring ten consecutive wins could also have been interesting.

But it was too late now. The monotony of her role had dulled her creativity, and part of her hoped the strongest would simply reach the upper floors quickly to make waves.

Shiron summoned a cloud of crimson lightning to deter the climbers.

“Or I could kill you right here and climb alone.”

“Oh, hahahaha!”

Yuriyuri laughed gleefully despite being tightly grasped. In her countless millennia of existence, days as exhilarating as this were rare.

And never before had such a captivating cast of characters appeared all at once.

“First, that wrinkly old wizard, and now this? Life’s been way too entertaining lately!”

“D-die!”

A Cyclops swung its massive fist.

The creature, having failed the test earlier, seemed desperate to ascend, even while its body crackled with residual lightning.

It lunged forward with reckless abandon.

Shiron avoided the attack with a step back and, with a crack, unsheathed his holy sword, cleaving the massive figure in two.

Thud!

Blackened blood, thick with malice, gushed onto the platform.

With his holy sword dripping, Shiron fixed a chilling gaze on the fairy.

“I’ve killed one. What happens now?”

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“…Wow.”

“I assume that doesn’t mean I fail.”

Despite coughing, the fairy nodded eagerly, her face brimming with excitement.

The moment her twisted smile deepened, the other demons on the platform charged.