[Listen to the followers’ grievances and resolve their troubles. Time remaining: 5 hours 12 minutes.] Even after I defeated the lava monster, the trial had yet to conclude. It wasn’t too surprising, however; I had expected that receiving the soulsteel weapon would be part of the trial. Though it did make me wonder if I would have missed out on the soulsteel armament had it taken me too long to defeat the monster. Of course, that was all theoretical. I turned my gaze toward the cheering inhabitants of this world. “The Apostle has slain the beast!” “Praise the Apostle!” “Great be the Mother of Half-Souls!” Their faces shone with unrestrained joy, which was understandable. After all, the creature that had appeared in the Companion's Sanctuary had posed a direct threat to their survival as a species. However, despite their elation, I couldn’t bring myself to share in their celebration. These people had no idea what the lava monster truly was. Watching them rejoice over the disappearance of the spirits that had once fought alongside their ancestors left me with a sense of unease. I hesitated for a moment as I observed their exultation. Should I tell them the truth? Would it even change anything? I dismissed the thought with a shake of my head. Their traditions had existed for centuries, perhaps even millennia. Even if I revealed the truth, I wondered if they would abandon a ritual so deeply intertwined with their survival. These beings needed soulsteel to sustain their fragile souls. Without it, their very existence would be imperiled. A deity watches over them, but what about the souls bound to the soulsteel? Who is there to protect them? I turned to the leader, who smiled serenely beside me. “I have a question about the soulsteel.” “Ah, I assume you’re curious about your soulsteel weapon? Feel free to ask anything.” “What exactly is soulsteel?” His expression faltered for a moment. “What do you mean?” “You mentioned that your people are born with unstable souls and require weapons forged from soulsteel to survive. If that’s the case, then where do the souls within soulsteel originate?” At my question, realization dawned on his face. “Ah, I see what you’re asking. To put it simply, the weapons don’t contain souls.” No souls? Then why is it called soulsteel? Sensing my confusion, the leader elaborated, “Soulsteel is merely a material. It’s an ancient metal that has existed since the beginning of time. However, it possesses the ability to stabilize unstable souls.” “If that is all it does, then why do you need to melt down the old weapons to forge new ones?” “No, no. While raw soulsteel is pure, it fuses with its wielder’s soul over time.” I had suspected as much from the start. At the very least, it didn’t seem like these people were forcibly binding the souls of other species into their weapons. “A soulsteel weapon that has accompanied someone for a lifetime essentially becomes an extension of their very soul.” “Weapons that have absorbed too much of a wielder’s soul become dangerous for others to use. The new individual’s soul could be damaged, and that is especially the case for those like us, whose souls are inherently fragile. That is why the soulsteel has to be purified.” “Once the Apostle receives the weapon, I advise caution. It is not something to be carelessly passed to another.” I sighed inwardly as I nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Throughout his entire explanation, I had been on high alert for any suspicious signs, but I could tell that he hadn’t lied. Once again, I grappled with the dilemma of informing them or not. Of course, it wasn’t like they could stop now. Instead, another question appeared in my mind. “Has something ever happened before?” He let out a dry chuckle, his expression tinged with disbelief. “Yes, though only in old records. It happened so long ago that we assumed it was merely a legend. Even when I saw the monster with my own eyes, I struggled to believe it.” So, this had occurred before. Most likely, a climber like me or an apostle had vanquished the monster in previous cycles. At its core, the process was cruel. Even if soulsteel was a naturally occurring material, the moment before it was melted, it held the remnants of a person’s soul. What will happen the next time the remnant souls rampage again? Will another climber be summoned to deal with it? Or, if they would, would a deity send an actual apostle to intervene? “When you melt down a weapon, is there any kind of ritual involved?” “For example, a funeral or a farewell ceremony?” “Ah, no. Once the wielder’s funeral is complete, the weapon is simply melted in the Companion's Sanctuary.” The leader looked puzzled by my continued line of questioning. “Why do you ask?” I shook my head lightly. “Hmm, it’s nothing. Just curious.” That only reinforced my belief that this would happen again. If I wanted to prevent lingering souls from accumulating and forming another monster, I had to act now. In fact, the idea of a memorial service had been present in my mind for a while. It wouldn’t appease every remnant soul, but it would at least help. Moreover, it would benefit the soulsteel weapons, their wielders, and the descendants of the wielders. I lifted my head and met the leader’s gaze. “There’s something I need to tell you.” After hearing the full truth, the leader stood frozen in silence for a long time. Disbelief soon turned into understanding. Shock gave way to sorrow. When I told him that I would take the remnant souls with me, he raised his right arm over his left shoulder and bowed deeply at the waist in a gesture of respect. “Truly... from the bottom of my heart... I thank you. I cannot bear to lift my head before the Apostle or the spirits of our fallen kin.” “There’s no need to feel guilty. You didn’t know.” He sobbed emotionally, and I could tell he wasn’t merely grieving; he was filled with regret. “How many of our ancestors’ partners melted away in sorrow and rage.” For a moment, I considered comforting him, but ultimately chose to stay silent. Ignorance itself wasn’t a crime, but the pain of realization was something no one else could remedy. Instead, I shifted the conversation. “That’s why I believe you should start holding funerals or, at the very least, some kind of memorial ceremony. Since there are records of this occurring before, another monster will form.” The leader nodded repeatedly, his expression darkening from the realization. “You are right. We neglected something we should never have overlooked.” “The weapons are bound to their wielders for life, giving them life... and yet, we have treated them as mere tools. The Companion's Sanctuary was in name only.” At least he seemed genuinely remorseful. Although I had confidently stated the monster would reappear, I truly wasn’t certain. However, if they held proper funerals and regularly performed memorial rites, perhaps this tragedy wouldn’t repeat itself. I couldn’t guarantee that, of course, but I was hopeful. “From now on, when one of our kin passes, their weapon will be honored in the funeral as well.” “That’s a relief. I feel more at ease now.” “And I sincerely thank you for taking in the remnants of our lifelong companions.” “No need to thank me. I sympathize with them as well.” The leader turned his gaze toward his kin, who were still celebrating, before letting out a quiet sigh. “I want to tell them immediately, but now is not the time. The situation isn’t ideal. I will convene the elders once you have left and discuss everything then.” I gave a small nod. “I understand.” Something would inevitably cause an uproar. Blurting it out without any deliberation would have been reckless. A brief silence settled between us. Someone rushing into the cavern soon shattered the silence. “Apostle! It’s finished! The craftsman will be bringing the weapon shortly!” The soulsteel weapon. Naturally, I had requested a double-headed axe, but something felt off. They have already finished crafting it? It was too fast. Far too fast. I had no idea how long it typically took to forge a weapon, but I had expected at least an hour or two long wait. It hadn’t even been forty minutes since I had defeated the lava monster, but the weapon was supposedly ready? As I pondered this, a burly, bearded guy appeared, carrying a bronze-hued axe. “Apostle! Your axe is here!” I hesitated, at a loss for words. “Oh, uh.” It wasn’t because the axe looked particularly impressive—it looked unfinished, like a weapon a child would design. The axe was a single solid piece of metal, with a thick, dull blade that lacked any proper edge. The craftsmanship was crude, almost primitive, giving the distinct impression that it had been hastily put together. Anyone could tell at a glance that the rough, heavyset bronze axe had been rushed. “Is-is this actually finished?” I stammered, unable to conceal my disbelief. Despite my attempt to mask my doubt and skepticism, it had still seeped into my tone. To my surprise, the craftsman carrying the axe let out a hearty laugh. “Apostle, do not worry. Soulsteel weapons are always at first.” “Yes. They shift and refine themselves depending on their wielder’s use. That’s why they are forged in this rough state initially.” “I see. So the more I use it, the more it adapts?” A weapon that evolved to match its user, truly something fit to be a companion rather than a mere tool. Well, I doubted he was lying. I took the crude, bronze-colored axe in my grasp. The moment my fingers wrapped around the handle, a surge of energy coursed through me—an overwhelming sense of spiritual fullness. A presence settled deep within me, and it definitely didn’t feel unpleasant. The weapon welcomed our union. Although it can’t speak, I can feel its emotions. It wasn’t strictly sentient, but I could sense the intent dwelling within it. A distinct feeling of expectation radiated from the axe. “Ah, Apostle. Now that you’ve received your weapon, you must bestow a name upon it.” So that was why a system window hadn’t appeared yet. I lifted the axe, momentarily lost in thought. I wasn’t particularly skilled at naming things. Although I considered delaying the decision, the eager expressions of the non-humans watching me made it clear that wasn’t an option. Hmm. The spirits of the dead, the abandoned, the restless, reside within it. A word surfaced in my mind. Soulbound. The souls of the departed. After a moment of contemplation, I firmed my resolve. “I will call it Soulbound.” “Soulbound! A fine name indeed!” The instant I named it, a rush of energy surged from me, and my mana flowed into the axe Before my eyes, the bronze-colored weapon began to darken, its hue shifting into a deep black. Unlike the bronze weapons this world’s people carried, Soulbound was taking on a completely different form. By the time the transformation ended, the once-dull blade had sharpened slightly. “The soulsteel changed color!” “Is it because the Apostle is wielding it?” As a group of non-human beings murmured in awe, a system notification appeared before me. - A weapon imbued with countless souls. - The more the souls within the weapon are appeased, the stronger it becomes. - If wielded by anyone other than Kwon Su-Hyeok, the souls within may collapse. - Current Satisfaction: 0.02%. Unlike the recognition I had received from the remnants in the cavern, Satisfaction seemed to be calculated separately. It made sense. I had promised them an unending battle, one that would last forever. Naturally, they wouldn’t be satisfied until I proved myself in combat. The more I fought, the stronger Soulbound would become, gradually adapting to me. With all rewards now distributed, the system window updated itself once more. [Congratulations. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fifty-ninth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Companion’s Sanctuary. Achievement points will be calculated.] [By earning the acknowledgement of the remnant souls within the lava golem, Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has restored peace to the followers of the ‘Mother of Half-Souls.’ Additionally, by receiving the acknowledgement of every soul, he has completed the hidden mission ‘Unanimous Approval.’] [Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 16,703 achievement points. Total Achievement Points: 159,351. He will now enter the waiting room.] 「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has saved the souls bound by regret. His skill has leveled up. Savior is now lvl 8.」 [The sixtieth floor requires all climbers to participate simultaneously. Please adjust your party accordingly.] [Other climbers have not yet conquered the fifty-ninth floor.] [There is no timer until the next floor begins. Please take a rest.] I wasn’t surprised that the other climbers hadn’t finished their trials. I had been the first climber to disembark and had cleared the floor in under two hours. All that was left now was to wait. The moment I entered the waiting room, I pulled up the Leaderboard. The second checkpoint trial was still a mystery to me. I needed to see how Ha Hee-Jeong and the other top climbers were faring. I hope they are safe. As I waited for the rankings to update, something on the screen caught my attention. I was dumbfounded. For a moment, my thoughts ground to a halt, and I was unable to process what I saw. Several familiar names had vanished from the top of the ranking list.