Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Chapter 7: Test

— Someone is invading Ludwig's Tower?

Fremont in the tower suddenly felt dazed. For so many years, except for that one person, no one in the whole of Leithania dared to do such a thing.

You should know that Ludwig's Tower is the source of magic in the entire Letania and the lord of the royal court of the Lich King. It has existed for thousands of years and is the most famous magical holy place in Letania except for the Horn of Origin.

In the past thousand years, only two people have done this. The first one was Herkunzollon, and the second one was the person who walked into the tower step by step.

The only people who could enter this tower, aside from those invited, were uninvited guests. And for uninvited guests, if they lacked the world's most advanced spell analysis and deciphering abilities, even the simplest repulsion spell on the outer wall would be enough to render most of the world's entrants in vain. Breaking through the first level was a testament to the intruder's extraordinary accomplishments. The tower's protective structures were more like a series of tests, requiring swift thinking, a deep understanding of the spells, and a calm demeanor to decipher each spell and gain the right to ascend.

Stepping onto this tower means that you can solve the one hundred and eight extremely difficult puzzles, and the door to the palace of knowledge will naturally open to you.

But throughout the thousands of years, only one wizard king has climbed this tower on his own.

Not only did the old lich not intend to stop him, but he even smiled.

"Level 20—not bad. The future is promising."

"Level 30, that's pretty fast."

"Level 40... It's been a long time since I've seen such a genius."

"...Level 60?" The old lich finally couldn't sit still anymore and stood up from his seat. Even if she failed, he was still planning to meet this talented person. After all, there were only a handful of people in the entire world who could break through the 60th level in such a short time, and her cracking speed was getting faster and faster.

"Seventieth level!" Fremont saw that the defenses of Ludwig's Tower were being cracked layer by layer, and the speed was getting faster and faster. You know, the difficulty of the puzzles at each level would only get higher and higher, but the opponent was unstoppable and had no intention of being exhausted. As if assisted by God, he couldn't help but think again of the man who broke through all obstacles alone and walked into this tower to seek knowledge. He originally thought that Herhunzollon was the only miracle in a thousand years, but... it seemed that someone was telling him that miracles were not impossible to replicate.

"Eighty, ninety..." The other party finally slowed down. This was reasonable. Starting from the ninetieth level, the puzzles would enter a very abstract, even a bit too profound realm. If the previous ones were just addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, then here, it was almost calculus. And when it really reached the hundredth level, the last eight puzzles would be the real test. However, even if the other party failed in the challenge, Fremont would personally meet the only person who could reach this point except Herhunzolen.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes... until ten minutes, there was still no breakthrough to the ninetieth level. Perhaps, the other party's knowledge had reached its limit. It was not her fault. There was no second Herhunzolan in the world. Moreover, after Herhunzolan successfully broke through the 108th level of the secret ladder, Fremont upgraded the difficulty again. Even if the original Herhunzolan challenged it again, he might not be able to pass it.

For some reason, the old lich breathed a sigh of relief. So far, this was the second challenger to reach level 80 or above. In fact, he found it hard to believe that if the other party could reach level 108, what kind of genius would he be.

If the other party can complete this journey, it will prove that she has surpassed the original Herhunzollon - or in other words, the younger Herhunzollon.

At this time, the old lich showed extraordinary patience. He was even considering whether to give some hints. These spells were so complicated and difficult to understand, which was somewhat because he felt that the ones Helhunzollon had overcome were too simple and he had tried too hard. He didn't think there would be any problem even if he gave some hints.

But before that, before the old lich wanted to give a hint - Noah, standing on the 89th step, had a golden glow in his eyes.

——In fact, on the steps ahead, Noah had already understood that this tower was not trying to stop her in this way, but was testing her, like a test of her basic skills. She was Herhunzollon's disciple, and Herhunzollon had used similar cases as examples in many previous levels. However, when she reached the ninetieth step, all her previous logic of magic was overturned, and she didn't think her teacher would remind her at this time.

In the teacher's mind, if you can't break through these tests, it just means that you are not skilled enough, and he will never give you a back door because of this.

However, Noah also has his own trump card, which is the Eye of God.

The structure of the spell seen by these eyes gave Noah a whole new perspective. This sophisticated and complex structure was like a lock. If the lock core was not pried in the correct order, the entire lock would be locked. There was no margin for error, and no chance to start over. That's why Noah stopped moving forward, observed repeatedly, and simulated countless times in his mind. He only had one chance... If he failed, he would be teleported directly out of the tower.

...It's really scary. If you want to get through here, you have to directly deconstruct the entire structure of the technique... The complexity has completely exceeded the level that half of the people can understand. To use a metaphor, it is like a drop of water placed in the ocean. There are too many interference factors and too much complexity. Although the technique is full of the structural beauty of maximalism, it has also deviated from the basics of half of the technique. It is a difficult thing.

However, the more Noah studied, the more excited she became - after the last simulation in her mind, she finally stepped onto the 90th step - no room for error, success in one go.

She had already used the Eye of God, which was considered cheating. If she had to analyze it step by step from the outside, it would be almost impossible to succeed in one go. But what she didn't know was that the 90th to the 100th level were actually a magic structure. The condition for stepping onto the 90th level was not to unlock all the magic nodes at once, but only to break through the outer layer. Of course, it was impossible for ordinary people to observe the structure of the magic, so naturally they had no way of seeing the entire problem.

But Noah's divine eye completely penetrated the root of this puzzle. In other words... she had broken through all the puzzles from level ninety to ninety-nine.

He even completely analyzed the structure of the spell that referenced the Golden Rule. This was no longer the original difficulty of the puzzle, and the only one who knew all this was Fremont. While Noah was still marveling at the structure of this puzzle, a string in Fremont's brain had already broken.

He stopped abruptly. He had heard rumors of Herhunzoren's reincarnation while walking around campus. At the time, he had simply scoffed. Reincarnation shouldn't exist in this world. A person can only have one life and soul. Even a lich merely hides their life knot in the Warp. Even Herhunzoren couldn't break through this. This should be the fundamental understanding of a warlock.

But now, he really doubted...

Herhunzolen, is he really back?

——The sound of footsteps has been heard inside the tower. He advanced nine levels in one breath. Although he was stuck at the ninetieth level for a long time, he completed the leap in just an instant. What the intruder has to face now are probably the eight most difficult problems in Terra that test the understanding of magic. These eight problems are the result of Fremont's lifelong learning. They are no longer at the level of a test, but simply difficult.

It is a great test of vision, means, comprehension, logical thinking ability, and understanding of the structure of techniques - even of one's character.

Eight difficult questions, asked eight times.

Every question is questioning the core of the sorcerer, that is, the magic itself.

If those who cracked the ninetieth to ninetieth levels had the ability to initially analyze and change the Golden Rule, then at this point, they had completely transcended the level of [Spells] and had become something abstract.

——First question.

Noah stood on the ninety-nine steps, her eyes glowing with golden light. It was only one step, but it seemed like an insurmountable chasm. As a sorcerer, she couldn't even understand the current situation. But after thinking it over again and again, she still couldn't give up. You know, this might be the last test of the Witch King for her. If she didn't pass, she would never be able to learn the whereabouts of her parents from the Witch King. She closed her eyes. This time... the Eye of God couldn't help her.

What she needs to do is to delve directly into the technique itself and question herself.

To use the words of Dayan, it means that from here on, we start to discuss the Dao.

She took a deep breath and stepped onto the 100th step.

The feeling of weightlessness was like stepping into a world where gravity was reversed, up and down, left and right... Noah barely managed to control herself. In an instant, a large amount of information poured into her brain. She was familiar with this trick. She had often used this method to make other people's brains suddenly feel weightless. This knowledge was complicated and terrifying, as if this knowledge had turned into a ferocious beast, sweeping through her mind. This question was one of the fundamentals of a warlock.

Curiosity

A warlock should have a terrifying thirst for knowledge about everything in the world: why do apples fall? Why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Why are there day and night? Is Terra a plane or a sphere?

Questions, asking them, and getting answers—these are the steps of a sorcerer's progress. But the further they advance, the more they realize the insignificance of their own bodies. Even if a person devotes their entire lives, they cannot truly achieve omniscience and omnipotence. The quests of countless sages have sometimes been a matter of repeatedly piling up numbers, trial and error, the possibility of approaching the truth being infinitesimal. The first question, however, questions the sorcerer's very essence.

Can you spend your entire life searching for answers to your questions?

Or in other words—can you truly persist in seeking the truth, no matter the cost?

This is a test of Noah's willpower.

When faced with a vast amount of information, most people will be confused and don't know where to start. However, this...

Noah smiled bitterly, she was already too familiar with it.

Emotions, knowledge, and information are essentially tests of willpower. After so much tempering, her will has become like steel. No matter how much information she receives, it is just like wind and waves. However, she remains unmoved. Not only has her mind not been taken away, but she has not even been shaken.

With one step, she stepped steadily onto the 100th step.

One success, one hundred steps... Flemont had no idea how she had managed to keep her composure in such a short time. How could someone be so resolute? Faced with countless temptations of knowledge, she wasn't tempted, she didn't even hesitate, as if this test were just a breeze brushing her hair.

There is also the eighth level——

As long as she has eight more steps, she can enter the tower, and Frémont will share everything he has with her.

Anyone who can pass these tests is qualified to seek the truth.

The first is a test of curiosity.

Now...she has to face the second one.

One hundred and first level—Noah stepped onto this level.

Unlike before, this time, she felt nothing - no knowledge, no structure, and even everything was dull, as if she had just walked up a step.

But when Noah was confused and wanted to move forward, she found that she could not move forward - that's right, she could not control her body, as if she had walked into a strange and alien space. When she was in a trance, a person appeared in front of her.

That is……

Noah didn't know when he found a sword in his hand - the Sword of the Martyr, which was his family heirloom sword.

And the person opposite him is someone he is more familiar with.

"Margaret?"

That's right, in front of him was Margaret Linguang, who was fully armed, full of vigor, and holding a sword and a spear. At this time, he was also wearing a set of light silver armor, holding a sword, and seemed to be confronting her.

"...Noa..." [Margaret] stared at Noa in front of her and pointed her sword and spear at her, "I have been looking forward to this battle for a long time - Noa Kyrielight!"

"...Battle..." Noya's mind suddenly flashed with a new memory—a memory of herself, without the oripathy, growing up with Margaret, becoming Casimir's most dazzling twin. She and Margaret had sparred countless times, each time ending in a draw. In this memory, she and Margaret had been both enemies and friends, collaborating to defeat the Chamber of Commerce's conspiracy and restore the glory of the Knights.

Everyone admired them, and in a knight duel, she and Margaret came to the final stage as if it were destined.

It was a knight competition, but not the one organized by the Chamber of Commerce. She turned her head and looked towards the stands—she was suddenly stunned.

…Those were two faces that were unfamiliar to him, but the moment he saw them, Noah knew who they were—

"Mom and dad?"

Noah's voice was trembling. Margaret didn't know why the opponent in front of her suddenly burst into tears, but the knight's code prevented her from taking advantage of others. She lowered her sword slightly, as if waiting for her to calm down.

It took a long time for Noah to turn his attention back to the duel.

"...Surprisingly, it would be such a test."

Noah knew that all this was fake. The test had read his heart and materialized the future he wanted.

Her parents did not leave her, illness did not torture her, she was not exiled by Casimir, she was qualified to fight alongside Margaret, she did not need to become the businessman Noah, she only needed to live her own life according to her own ideas.

No pain, no sorrow, no separation—no...

Noah almost lost her will to fight, but the next moment, she gripped her sword again.

"Yes... this world is really beautiful." Noah's eyes shone with gold. "But it's fake. Because she's not here."

"My parents are not here."

She advanced, blade in hand.

"My future is not here."

The sword blade flashed with cold light, and in just a moment, the long sword and the sword collided with each other -

"And... you shouldn't be here either! Margaret Linguang!"

Chapter 8: Play Your Heart

The swords clashed, and in an instant, the swords, spears and long swords clashed several times, and the sound of metal clashing was endless. Even if the opponent was not the real Margaret Linguang, his skills were still flawless, worthy of being the knight he most recognized.

"Even here, you are so powerful that people are jealous."

"I didn't know you were jealous—and besides, the winner hasn't been decided between us yet, right?"

"That matter has been decided long ago, Margaret. If you are really the illusion in my mind, then I should be honest with you -"

Noah held the sword across her body, the breeze rustling through her long hair which had been dyed pure white by time. The sword edge gleamed with brilliance, and the illusory horn appeared on her forehead again. It was the bloodline of the unicorn, and it was the symbol of the Kirilet family.

"Margaret!"

"Ok?"

"You're my first love." Noah smiled, his blade darting. But this statement caused Margaret Linguang in front of him to hesitate. She couldn't imagine—no, it was she who couldn't imagine—the scene after he confessed his feelings, so she couldn't visualize it here. Alas... this guy. Besides bitterness, Noah felt a hint of relief. The next moment, Noah's blade touched the spear again. Even in her unconscious state, her instinctive reaction blocked the blow.

But it doesn't matter anymore——

Margaret's eyes suddenly became relieved.

"I see—" Margaret Linguang seemed to understand something, "This battle didn't really happen, right?"

"Ah."

"Then..." Margaret Linguang sighed regretfully, "Go ahead, Noah."

"..." The sword blade swept across, and the fragments of the sword and spear of the brilliant knight Margaret Linguang flew high. This proud knight had been staring at her from beginning to end - before she fell, she stretched out her hand, as if to hug the girl in front of her, but unfortunately, before Noya caught her, she had turned into flying light and dissipated.

Level 101: The illusion is broken.

In front of Noah's eyes, all the beautiful things shattered and disappeared, and the sword of the martyr in her hand also disappeared. She was still standing on the 101st step. This level... If Noah had not cultivated an iron will, she might have been deceived by the illusion shown by the other party. It was obviously just an illusion, but Noah's palm seemed to still retain the warmth of Margaret.

Question 2: Can you distinguish between reality and illusion?

This witchcraft tower seems to be questioning Noah: although illusory things are beautiful, they can never replace reality, and lies can never replace the truth.

A wise person must have the wisdom to see through illusions and confusion. Only by seeing through everything and breaking through oneself can one move forward.

One hundred and first level, breakthrough——

There are still seven levels to go before a complete breakthrough.

As the saying goes, mastering one technique leads to mastering all. Although Noya had only been in this tower for less than ten hours, she felt that what she had learned in those ten hours would be something she would never forget. She had no idea who built this tower, nor how much effort had gone into constructing these puzzles, but she undoubtedly had a deep respect for its builder. The exquisite techniques and meticulously constructed questions tested her heart at every level.

Only by exhausting this path can we finally reach the future.

If it were Noya in the past, she would have stumbled on the next step. Even if she had managed to reach the 101st step, she would have been lost in that illusory dimension, because she knew that this dimension read her thoughts and constructed a perfect world, everything she most desired. Unfortunately, Noya now had experienced more terrible choices, and now... few things could shake her heart.

Noah continued forward and stepped onto the 102nd step.

-

"... Surrender?" At this time, Viviana looked at the strange Sakota in front of her. For a moment, she instinctively felt that something was wrong, but the other party's attitude was very sincere. Seeing that Viviana had no intention of arresting her, he took the initiative to speak.

"I'm a member of the Echoes of Herhunzoron, and I witnessed the death of Ms. Frieda Seaman. I used my Originium skills to catalyze her emotions, allowing her to paint with her own blood, completing her final work, 'The Death of the Witch King', with her own life." Arturo said with a smile, "According to the law, if you use Originium skills without authorization to affect others and cause casualties, even if it's unintentional, you must go to trial. Before that, you must be detained according to the law. Am I remember correctly?"

"...You're familiar with the law, but why would you do such a thing?" Viviana's hand was already on her sword. Although the other party claimed to be turning himself in, the cello in his hand was clearly a staff, indicating that he had the ability to strike back. Viviana had to be vigilant. He was the remnant of Herhunzoren, the remnant of the Witch King. Her presence in this place meant a lot. This was beneath the Twin Towers. Her presence here, and carrying a staff, was enough to warrant a prison sentence.

"You may not believe this, but I had no intention of letting Ms. Seaman die," Arturo explained. "I was simply playing to their inner voices. She chose to follow the Witch King and to complete her final work with her own life. I mourn Ms. Seaman's death, but I respect her desire to complete her work. As a creator and a musician, I understand and must respect that."

"...That's a life!" Viviana didn't understand, or rather, she felt that Arturo's attitude of being happy that Ms. Ximan had fulfilled her dream was ridiculous. That was a living life. In any case, if it weren't for the appearance of this Sakota in front of her, Ms. Ximan would not have died. "Don't you even feel guilty?"

"Guilt? Why?" Arturo tilted his head. "It was just her own choice."