I Don't Need To Log Out-Chapter 257: The Sword of a Magic Swordsman

A full year had passed since Arlon received the sword.

He had been walking for exactly that long—moving forward for eight hours a day, then training or resting for the remainder.

He had asked a few more questions to Jiroeki after his excitement from receiving the gift ended, but in the end, he departed.

He needed to climb the Tower from the zeroth floor.

And now, at last, he saw it.

A platform stood ahead with an escalator-like structure in its center. His steps slowed as he approached. The moment he stepped onto it, it moved.

Jiroeki had told him this would bring him to Trion's Tower without a hitch. The Tower had been repaired, and now it was connected to the other Towers.

Arlon exhaled as he felt the movement beneath him. He was going back.

But before that, he reached for his sword. His fingers wrapped around the hilt, and he pulled it free.

Even after a year, he still wasn't used to it. He had adapted to its weight and balance, trained with it enough that wielding it was second nature.

But still, he wasn't used to having such a great sword in his possession.

The blade shimmered as he held it up. Its color shifted subtly depending on the angle, almost as if mana itself flowed through the metal.

The hilt, once part of a staff, still carried traces of its former nature. Delicate runes coiled around it, remnants of the staff's original enchantments.

Unlike other magic swords, which were simply enhanced weapons, this was something different.

It was not just a sword that could conduct mana—it was forged with magic in its very essence.

The work of an ascended being.

Arlon activated his Eyes of KET**, and the sword's information appeared before him.

***

[Arcanium Edge]

Grade: ??? (Impossible to grade in the current world)

Type: Magic Blade (Sword-Staff Hybrid)

Origin: Created by an ascended being in the simplest way possible—by mashing together two priceless weapons with bare hands.

Properties:

Mana Synchronization: The blade is not a mere conduit for mana—it is part of it. Mana flows through it as naturally as blood through veins.

Arcane Resonance: Originally a staff and a sword, the remnants of the staff's magic remain, enhancing spells cast through the blade.

Physical-Magic Balance: Unlike most magic swords, which lean toward either magic or melee, this blade balances both perfectly, making it ideal for a magic swordsman.

Information:

Unrefined but Divine: Though crudely forged, its existence is above mortal craftsmanship. Even in this imperfect state, it surpasses almost all swords in the physical world.

Ascended Trash, Mortal Treasure: What was thrown together as an afterthought by an ascended being is a priceless artifact in the physical world.

***

Arlon's breath slowed as he read.

He didn't know why the explanation and information was this different when he analyzed it with the Eyes of KET**.

But he didn't question it much. If he could, though, he wanted to learn about "Grade" since it wasn't something he had encountered before.

Even though he had already used it for a year, seeing it written out like this made him truly realize what he was holding. A sword beyond anything a mortal could create. And it was his.

The escalator continued its ascent, carrying him forward. Arlon tightened his grip on Arcanium Edge. He was ready.

---

The moment Arlon stepped off the escalator, he found himself on the familiar zeroth floor of the Tower.

Nothing had changed. No challengers, no creatures, nothing but the lingering evidence of those who had come before.

Scars of past battles marred the walls, remnants of weapons lay scattered, and the faintest traces of old magic still clung to the air.

He ignored it all.

With a quick glance at the Tower's time system, he confirmed what he had assumed—the flow of time here matched the outside world.

He had no time to waste.

Without hesitation, he stepped into the portal.

The same notification appeared before his eyes.

[ Welcome to the Tower of /&[#$(%, challenger. ]

[ Floor 1, Level 1 will start as soon as the challenger is ready. ]

[ Do you want to start the challenge? ]

[ Recalculating! The challenger has entered the Tower for a second time. Floors where all three levels were previously completed can now be challenged at full difficulty from the start. ]

Arlon's eyes narrowed. This wasn't the same as before.

His mind flashed back to one of his final conversations with Jiroeki.

"Is there any way to climb the Tower faster?"

"I can't answer that question."

That was all it had said at first. But after a moment, it had added something else.

"But I think you will find a way."

Arlon now understood what it meant. With this, climbing the Tower in a week wasn't just a goal—it was reality.

[ Do you want to start this floor with all three levels? ]

"Yes," Arlon answered.

The response triggered an immediate shift in the air.

Hundreds of magic circles flared across the ground, bathing the dim surroundings in an eerie glow.

600 monsters spawned.

But they were nothing. Just like before, they ranged from level 30 to 35.

And one boss.

As the new environment settled around him, Arlon slid his sword back into its sheath. There was no need for it now. Instead, he reached into his inventory and pulled out a staff.

A simple one.

He didn't know if it was the strongest among the ones he had collected, but it didn't matter.

He had no time to compare or analyze. He didn't need to, anyway.

Without dispelling the haste spell that was still active on him, he moved.

***

Arlon moved before the monsters could even react.

A single motion. A single spell.

Mana surged from the staff, expanding outward in a brilliant wave. The compressed energy struck everything in its path, erasing the monsters instantly.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

There were no survivors, no stragglers clinging to life. The boss barely had time to let out a distorted shriek before it, too, shattered into light.

[ Challenger, you have cleared Level 1 of Floor 1. ]

[ Would you like to advance to the next floor? ]

And so it continued.

Floor after floor, the pattern remained the same.

Arlon stepped into a new battlefield, unleashed a single devastating spell, and watched as the monsters vanished.

No resistance. No struggle. He didn't need to adjust his strategy or slow down. He simply advanced.

Floor 10.

Floor 20.

Floor 30.

Even as the monsters grew in level, their fates remained unchanged. They spawned, and in the next moment, they were gone.

His mana control was sharper than ever, his casting instantaneous.

He didn't need to search for secrets or test his strength—he was already stronger than anything these floors could throw at him.

By Floor 40, the monsters had reached higher levels, but they still weren't worth more than a glance. Arlon didn't break his pace. He didn't need to. One spell, and they ceased to exist.

Finally, he stepped onto the platform of Floor 50.

He had arrived here in 15 minutes of the outside world's time.

But now, the process would slow down once again.