《I Became a Gallery Newbie Beloved by Transcendents》 Chapter 1: Gallery (1) I fell into a strange world. There¡¯s no clearer way to describe my situation right now. There was no warning. I just followed my usual routine¡ªfinished my part-time shift at the convenience store, browsed the community forums, then went to sleep. But when I opened my eyes, I wasn¡¯t in my tiny one-room apartment anymore. Gray walls. Candlesticks mounted on them. This didn¡¯t feel like a dream. I slapped myself¡ªpain shot through my cheek, real and unmistakable. I pinched my thigh just to be sure¡ªyep, pain. It was so surreal that I could only be sure it was real. ¡®...Maybe I should¡¯ve been nicer when posting on the forums.¡¯ Not that I¡¯d been particularly nasty yesterday. Actually, forget that¡ªmaybe I should¡¯ve just lived my life better in general. Then I might not have ended up in a shithole like this. I moved forward cautiously. Thunk. Something was in my way. I looked down at my feet. A skull. It rolled slightly with the motion. A human skull. My mind went blank for a moment. Where the hell had I ended up? A skull meant this place had conditions that could kill people. Faded bricks. The damp, moldy scent of earth. ...This wasn¡¯t some kind of dungeon, was it? With no better option, I kept moving, following the flickering candlelight. And then I stopped. ¡¾ 1 ¡¿ The black number caught my eye. ...Was this the first floor? Was this entire place structured like a multi-story building? There was nothing to do but keep walking. Crunch. A wet, chewing sound reached my ears. The problem? The source of the noise was right around the corner. I crouched behind a protruding gray wall, using it as cover. ¡®Shit.¡¯ Crunch. Something was eating something. A massive ant. Even just its body height alone had to be at least 100 centimeters. And it was devouring something. ¡®...A person.¡¯ It looked like a human. A dead human. Motionless, their flesh was being chewed apart by the ant. The creature¡¯s huge mandibles moved rhythmically, and with each bite, thick, dark-red blood dripped down. Crunch. I held my breath. Maybe it was because I was behind it, or maybe it was just too focused on eating, but one thing was certain¡ªthis thing hadn¡¯t noticed me yet. ¡®There¡¯s a weapon.¡¯ Right behind the ant. A spear. Most likely the one the person being eaten had been holding. That was the only thing here capable of killing this giant insect. If that thing finished eating and came my way, I¡¯d be dead before I even had the chance to pick up the weapon. Now was my only chance. Moving immediately was the best option. I lowered my body as much as possible and inched forward. Holding my breath completely, I advanced. Crunch. Crack. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I reached out, forcing myself to ignore the grotesque sounds in my ears. Toward the spear, still lying behind the feasting ant. Thunk. ¡®...Got it.¡¯ The spear felt heavy in my hands, but not unbearably so. Good thing I had at least trained a bit with an empty bar at the gym. I was about to thrust the spear forward¡ª A shiver ran down my spine. A predator¡¯s gaze. The giant ant¡¯s black eyes were staring straight at me. I moved immediately. Stepping forward with my right foot, I thrust with both arms. Thud! The spear pierced through the ant¡¯s head. It staggered, reeling backward. I swung the shaft of the spear, aiming for its legs. Crack! My heart pounded. The momentum was on my side. I kept attacking, striking again and again. Over and over. Straight into its head. Until finally, a puddle of dark greenish-blue blood formed beneath it. I had definitely killed it. The massive ant lay still, its head crushed. Sweat soaked my entire body. Sticky insect blood stained my black shirt. ¡°Hahh...¡± Maybe it was because I had exerted myself too much, but my arms screamed in pain, as if they had been torn apart. [EXP has increased.] [Current EXP: 30%] [When EXP reaches 100%, you will level up.] [As your level increases, EXP gain will slow down.] ...Level? At this point, my head was spinning. Where the hell was I? I turned my gaze from the crushed ant to the corpse behind it. ¡°...What the hell?¡± Their clothing was completely different from anything modern. It looked medieval¡ªsomething straight out of a fantasy setting. Above the dead person¡¯s head, words flickered into view. [NPC - Fleeing Citizen] Not even a name. Just... Fleeing Citizen. ¡°...An NPC?¡± Everything happening was utterly unreal. Carefully, I searched the corpse. A pouch lay tucked beneath their clothes. Reaching inside, my fingers closed around something familiar. I pulled it out. ¡°...A smartphone?¡± What the hell? A smartphone, out of nowhere? Everything that had happened so far felt anything but real. And yet, here was a piece of modern technology, sitting in my hands. It looked exactly like a smartphone. I pressed what looked like the power button. Beep¡ª The screen lit up. A flash of blue light flickered, and then¡ª A holographic interface spread out before me. And on it, the words: ¡¾Transcendent Gallery¡¿ I raised my hand and scrolled down. There were a ton of posts. It looked just like the online community forums I had been browsing before I got here. I clicked on a random post that caught my eye. Title: Any rookies worth watching these days? Author: ?? - Been busy with real life, haven¡¯t checked Climber Gallery in a while. Feels like ages since I last visited Transcendent Gallery lol. - Not really seeing any promising newbies. - Fr, today¡¯s lot have no grit. All they do is look for the easy way out. - And where did you clear? Normal? Lmao, don¡¯t talk if you¡¯re just a washed-up Easy Mode survivor. - Sword of Light: Do you know the way of the sword? - Shut up, sword parrot. Don¡¯t you ever get tired of repeating that? So Transcendent Gallery was abbreviated as Transcendental Gal, huh? Then what the hell was Climber Gal? I hit the back button and clicked on the latest post. Title: Why the hell can¡¯t we post in Climber Gallery anymore??? Fuck this system. Author: Archmage - This is driving me crazy. Why are they hesitating instead of just winning the fight?! It¡¯s just the 35th floor! I don¡¯t care if your arms are burning or your legs are getting torn apart¡ªjust charge in and kill the damn thing! You heal up once you clear the floor anyway, stop dragging your feet. - Easy for you to say when it¡¯s not your life on the line. You sure you¡¯re really an Archmage? - Lmfao, Easy Mode reject spotted. Bro, do you even know who you¡¯re talking to? This guy cleared Hard Mode. Look at his username. A fixed nickname. A go-nick. It meant a user had an official, recognized username within the gallery. - Bro, 60% of us are Easy Mode survivors. You¡¯re just a Normal Mode scrub at best. Stop ass-kissing the Archmage. - Easy <<<<<<<< Normal. - Lol, someone¡¯s got an ego. The difference between Normal and Hard Mode clears is like night and day. There¡¯s a whole wall between them. - Priestess: Hawawawa, no fighting, everyone... - Shut. - Sword of Light: Do you know the way of the sword? God. This was giving me a headache. One thing was clear, though. Everyone in this gallery¡ªthe people posting and commenting¡ªthey weren¡¯t currently struggling their way up. They¡¯d already cleared the damn thing. ...Then what about me? I still had no idea where I was, but this was definitely the first floor. Which meant I was just starting. Unlike these people. I should post something. See how they react. I clicked Create Post. A floating, holographic keyboard appeared in midair. Nice. This would make typing easy. Tap tap tap¡ª I should just use "??" as my username. If this really worked like a typical forum, then that was what people without a fixed nickname used. It really did feel like an internet gallery. I finished writing and hit Upload. Title: Did you guys all clear this? I think I just started, wtf is this place? Author: ?? - There¡¯s a big ¡°1¡± on the wall, so I think I¡¯m on the first floor. You ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? guys all done with this? Where the hell am I? I just killed a giant ant. The moment I posted it, comments flooded in. - Wtf, is this some kind of bait? How is a climber posting here? This is Transcendent Gallery, dumbass. - Go wash your feet and go to sleep if you¡¯re this bored. - Priestess: Hawawawa, not funny at all... - Take this to Climber Gal. - LOL, ¡°take it to Climber Gallery,¡± what kind of clownery is this? Is this dude insane? How the hell would a climber even get to Transcendent Gallery? What, you wanna reset and climb again? - Nah, fuck that. No way I¡¯m climbing again. I still get PTSD. ...They didn¡¯t believe me. I was about to type another post, begging them to take me seriously¡ª Then another comment popped up. - Admin: I have no idea how the hell this happened... but it looks like they¡¯re telling the truth? I just checked their coordinates. 666.666.66.532. That¡¯s a Climber Gallery user¡¯s location. Admin? As in, like, the admin? On a forum, the admin was the one who had the power to delete posts, ban users, and manage the board. The moment they commented, the thread went dead silent. And then¡ª As if a dam had burst, the comments exploded. - WHAT THE FUCK?? HOW IS A CLIMBER HERE? LOLOLOL WHAT¡¯S GOING ON?? - AND THEY¡¯RE STILL ON THE FIRST FLOOR??? HOLY SHIT LOLLLLL - This makes no sense. A climber in Transcendent Gallery??? - Priestess: Hawawawa, I apologize for my earlier rudeness... - Sword of Light: Do you know the way of the sword? Even as I scrolled, the comments kept pouring in. - Archmage: What the hell is happening??? Hey, do you know magic? - Pioneer: ?? - Filthy Blade: Explain. In detail. - Absolute Monarch: Where are you from? - Heavenly Demon: So you¡¯re on the first floor? What¡¯s your difficulty? - Sealed Room Enthusiast: An anomaly has occurred¡ª this world is a massive sealed chamber. - Ice Queen: Frozen solid! - Elf Here: Are you non-human by any chance? - Damn. Even the lurkers are crawling out of the woodwork. LOL. - Fr. This has everyone¡¯s attention. - All the big names are showing up. The entire Transcendent Gallery was now focused on me. Chapter 2: Gallery (2) There were too many comments. Rather than trying to keep up with all of them, it seemed better to write another post summarizing what I wanted to know. Title: What the hell is Climber Gallery? Author: ?? **- So it¡¯s short for Climber Gallery? From what I¡¯m reading, Transcendent Gallery... I don¡¯t think I was ever supposed to be able to come here in the first place. I blacked out and woke up here.I¡¯m using a device I found in an NPC¡¯s pouch.**The moment I posted it, a reply came in. - Admin: Yeah, Climber Gal is short for Climber Gallery. Wait, an NPC had a gallery device? That¡¯s... I¡¯ve never heard of that happening before. It was the admin again. - Admin: I¡¯ll explain more about Climber Gal later. First things first. This place¡ªTranscendent Gallery¡ªis only accessible to people who have reached the top of the Tower and returned to their world. You being here? That¡¯s not normal. - Admin: The Tower has four difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Pandemonium. Regardless of difficulty, the only way to escape is to climb all the way to the 100th floor while killing every monster in your way. - Admin: You said you just woke up there, right? Then to figure out which difficulty level you¡¯re in, you need to clear the first floor. The Tower. A place where you had to fight your way up floor by floor. Seeing that big number ¡®1¡¯ on the wall and running into that giant ant, I had already suspected as much. But even knowing I was right didn¡¯t make it feel any less overwhelming. - Admin: You¡¯re an anomaly because climbers aren¡¯t supposed to be able to access Transcendent Gallery. This place is only for those who finished the Tower. So that¡¯s how it was. This wasn¡¯t just some forum for experienced players. It was a space for people who had reached the Tower¡¯s summit and escaped. And somehow, I¡ªa complete newbie¡ªhad landed right in the middle of it. - Admin: Climber Gallery is a community where climbers from all four Towers can communicate. You only get a Climber Gallery device when you reach the 30th floor. Don¡¯t tell me you can access Climber Gal too? I quickly typed back. - ??: Nah, only Transcendent Gal works. - Admin: ...It¡¯s weirder that Transcendent Gal works at all. Anyway, most people here will be on your side. Myself included. Right after the admin left that comment, another wave of replies flooded in. - # N§àv§Ölight # Admin finally flexing his authority. Been a while since he silenced a thread. - Can you blame him? This is historic. A climber appearing in Transcendent Gallery¡ªand on the first floor no less?! What the fuck is happening? - Priestess: As expected of Admin-kun. The power of authority... So that¡¯s why only the admin had been commenting before. He had muted the entire thread for a moment. - There¡¯s no way we wouldn¡¯t be interested in this guy. Unlike Climber Gal, where Transcendents can only lurk, here we can actually interact with him. This is gold. - Not like it matters if he dies. - OI~~ EASY MODE SCRUB!! Stop thinking negatively! Stop with the critical thinking! - Sword of Light: Even on the first floor, there¡¯s still a chance of dying. It depends on the difficulty level. Be careful. Make sure you check for any threats. - Holy shit, this newbie made Sword Parrot say something normal. Bow down. At that, I snapped my attention away from the gallery and checked my surroundings. No monsters nearby. No immediate danger. For now. I started writing another post. Title: So where are you guys from? Do you know what South Korea is? Author: ??* - From the usernames, you guys don¡¯t seem very modern. After posting, I noticed something odd. There was a * next to my username. - Admin: You¡¯re gonna be in the spotlight for a while... No, scratch that, forever. Might as well mark you properly. Enjoy your star. - Priestess: Uuuu, even after all my begging, you never gave me a symbol! This is unfair! - Heavenly Demon: Hmph. When I asked for my cult¡¯s insignia, you ignored me. How insolent, Admin. - Bro, fixed nicknames are only for Hard Mode clears, and this dude just got a star? Lol, wanna get jumped by all the ??s? - Lmfao, but the star actually looks kinda nice... - For real. Even just having a star makes him seem important. ...So all fixed nicknames belonged to Hard Mode survivors? Honestly, I was surprised that someone like Priestess¡ªwho talked like that¡ªwas actually a big deal. Even just from the comments, I was learning a lot about Transcendent Gallery. The replies started shifting toward my question. - South Korea? Oh, you must be from the same place as the other newcomers in Climber Gal. - Yeah, 21st-century Earth, no doubt. - Sword of Light: Korea, the U.S., Japan, the U.K., China... So many nations, so few worthwhile individuals. Huh. Not a great review for my homeland. They sure were being stingy with their praise. I quickly typed out another comment. - ??*: ¡°Recently started coming in¡± What do you mean? Was there no one before? - Archmage: They first started appearing about a year ago. People calling themselves ¡®21st-century Earthlings.¡¯ But even then, only Easy and Normal Mode climbers have ever joined Climber Gal. I see. Then that meant my Tower was likely either Easy or Normal Mode. - ??*: Is there some kind of selection process? Why was I suddenly brought here? - Filthy Blade: Your world¡ª21st-century Earth¡ªmight be experiencing something. Or maybe not. Just consider yourself unlucky. I know I¡¯m unlucky, dumbass. You don¡¯t have to rub it in. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I was about to ask why only Hard Mode clears had fixed nicknames¡ª Krrrk. A disgusting, gurgling sound reached my ears. ¡°....¡± Damn it. I shut down the Transcendent Gallery. Shoving the gallery device¡ªpractically identical to a smartphone¡ªinto my pocket, I gripped the spear with both hands. Holding my breath, I pressed my back against the right-side wall. My heart was pounding. My body tensed, every nerve on high alert. It was a feeling I knew well. Two years ago, back in high school, every time I stepped onto the mound as a pitcher, I had felt this same crushing pressure. Nineteen. I had just turned nineteen when I quit baseball. A shoulder injury and my parents¡¯ divorce hit me at the same time. The injury got better after half a year, but I never went back. It felt too far away. Like something I couldn¡¯t reach anymore. Back then, I ran away. I used six months off and my broken home as an excuse. But right now, there was nowhere to run. They said the first floor had a low chance of death, right? Low chance or not, whatever shows up in front of me¡ª I have to kill it. Just as my hammering heart started to settle, a dark shadow spread across the gray floor. I lunged forward, spear first. Puuuk! A sickening sensation ran up my hands. Kiiiiraaaaaak!! It had the same body as the giant ant I had killed earlier. But its head¡ª It wasn¡¯t the same. It had three human heads grotesquely melded together. Yanking the spear out, I drove it in again. Puuuk! Kiaaaaak!! Bright red blood splattered across my hands. But that didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was¡ª The wound is healing? The injury I had just inflicted was closing up¡ªfast. If its body had that level of regeneration, then I had to destroy its heads completely. That was my best bet. I aimed at the middle head¡ª A woman¡¯s head with long hair. But before I could strike¡ª The ant¡¯s right leg moved. And slashed straight across my shoulder. "Kuaaaaaagh!!" ¡ªFUCK! It hurt. Like my entire body was being set on fire. What bullshit was that about a ¡°low chance of death¡±? I was sure now¡ª If I got hit two or three more times, I¡¯d be the one dying. Not this thing with three human heads. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to move. Crack! I crushed the woman¡¯s head first. Then I slammed my spear into the bald-headed man¡¯s skull. The ant moved again¡ª This time, its left leg shot toward me. I barely managed to intercept it with my spear. Swiish! But my side was torn open. It felt like a chunk of my flesh had just been ripped away. Pain flared through me, trying to drown out my thoughts¡ª But I had to move. The ant charged again, its right leg swinging down. I deflected it¡ª And at the same time, rammed my spear into the last remaining head. The monstrous creature with human heads staggered sideways. Then¡ª It collapsed. Dead. [You have gained experience points.] [Current EXP: 70%] [Skill acquired ¨C Pain Suppression Lv.1] [Skill acquired ¨C Composure Lv.1] [Skill acquired ¨C Concealment Lv.1] There was no time to feel relief. No moment to revel in victory. The wounds on my side and shoulder hurt like hell. Warm blood seeped out, soaking my shirt. I had to stop the bleeding. Mound. This is the mound. I forced my mind to hold onto the thought. Back when baseball was my everything, I had never collapsed on the mound. No matter what. I turned back. To where I found the gallery device. To the corpse labeled [Fleeing Citizen]. I grabbed the pouch beside the body. The device was still inside¡ª But there was something else, too. I reached in and pulled it out. A round potion bottle. Inside¡ª A deep red liquid. Just like before, words flickered above it. [Item: Grade 3 Healing Potion] [Effect: Pour over a wound to heal a portion of the injury.] So the universe wasn¡¯t completely heartless after all. With trembling hands, I pulled off the cap. Chapter 3: Difficulty (1) The healing potion had a somewhat viscous consistency, fortunately. As I applied it to my wounds, it seeped in and dissolved into my skin. "Huuuh..." The wounds didn¡¯t fully heal, but at least the bleeding had stopped. I carefully stripped the leather clothing off the dead citizen. It felt gross, but walking around in my half-tattered clothes was even worse. I grabbed the phone again¡ªthe gallery device. I was about to tap on the Transcendent Gallery app when another icon below it caught my eye. "...Camera?" A lens-shaped icon, just like a camera app back in the modern world. I tapped on it. And sure enough, it was an actual camera. "There¡¯s no lens on the front, though." It seemed to function differently from a regular smartphone. But right now, I had something to take a picture of. I had to let them know I almost died. I pointed the camera at the massive ant with three human heads and took a picture. There was no shutter sound, thankfully. Seems like it¡¯s set to silent mode by default. If I ever run into something weird again, I could snap a photo from a distance and ask the Transcendent Gallery people about it. [Transcendent Gallery] Before posting, I noticed a flood of new threads. Title: Did ''*'' Die? Author: ?? - This guy suddenly stopped posting and replying. It¡¯s been ten minutes already. No way... ? No way. Maybe he just passed out from hunger?? You pass out in the tower, you die.? Yeah, you become a free meal for the monsters.? Sword of Light) Something must¡¯ve happened. The sudden silence is concerning.? Heavenly Demon) ...A guy who showed up like a miracle wouldn¡¯t die that easily, would he? That wouldn¡¯t be right... He¡¯s not actually dead, is he?? LOL look at the guy with ¡®Demon¡¯ in his name shaking in his boots. You worried?? Ice Queen) Frozen!? Closed Room Theorist) Maybe we¡¯re all under some collective hypnosis? Logically, a climber shouldn¡¯t be able to enter the Transcendent Gallery¡ªthis world is a massive closed room.? Elf Guy) A demon talking about hypnosis? That¡¯s ironic. But really, what if something did happen?? Filth-Ridden Sword Saint) Climber. The moment you see this, post something.? LOL bro, if he''s dead, he can''t post.? Shrine Maiden) Hawawawa~ His fate didn¡¯t seem that short-lived...? Pioneer) Yeah, remember the last climber you thought would live long? That Hard Mode guy died immediately on the 41st floor.? Shrine Maiden) .,!;? Pioneer) Damn, you¡¯re shook.? Shrine Maiden) A-anyway... Climber, if you die, this gallery collapses!? LOL true. Even the lurkers who came out for this are gonna crawl back into hiding. It was blatantly obvious that all attention was on me right now. ? Archmage) Tsk. Just when we finally got something entertaining, did he really die?...Entertaining. Of course, most of them probably saw me like that. Some curiosity to kill time. Well, screw you. I¡¯m alive, bastard. I exited the thread and posted my own. I attached the photo I just took. Title: Almost Died. Author: ??* - This bastard nearly killed me. Attachment: 348593408.jpg [A photo of a giant ant with three human heads lying lifelessly on the ground.] ? LOL, haven¡¯t seen that bastard in a while.? Filth-Ridden Sword Saint) That thing was called an Antsranthrope, right?? Yeah, that¡¯s it. But damn, how¡¯d you not die? 21st-century Earth guy... That thing isn¡¯t supposed to appear on the first floor, right?? Nah. In Easy Mode, that thing never spawns on the first floor. Just rats.? This guy¡¯s definitely not in Easy Mode, lol.? Yeah, I¡¯d bet Normal Mode. Maybe Hard, if his luck is absolute garbage.? For real. In Easy Mode, there¡¯s always other climbers on the first floor. Even aside from NPCs, you¡¯re never alone.? Bruh, even in Easy Mode, dumbasses still die when they let their guard down. So it¡¯s not Easy Mode. Figured. ? I¡¯m from Normal Mode and yeah, that thing did appear on the first floor. But I swear, the one I fought was smaller.? Same. I¡¯m a Normal Mode guy too, and I thought the same thing.? Shrine Maiden) That thing showed up exactly that size in my first floor, so I crushed it with magic~ A blessed thumbs-up for eradicating evil!...Excuse me? All the Normal Mode guys are saying their versions were smaller¡ª Except for her. Why are you always the one implying I¡¯m in Hard Mode? Can you not? ? Sword of Light) Judging by the three human heads, that thing must¡¯ve eaten at least three people.? Good kill.? Archmage) Phew, you¡¯re not dead. Don¡¯t die.? Heavenly Demon) So you¡¯re alive. Did you gain any skills or level up?? (Translation: Did you get any level-ups or skills?)Oh, right.? ??)* No level-up yet. Got three skills¡ªPain Suppression, Composure, Concealment.? Archmage) Hah. Nothing special.? Nothing special? Dude, I can count on one hand the number of times I got two skills from a single fight.? LOL, classic Easy Mode mentality.? I¡¯m from Normal, you trash.? Shrine Maiden) Hawawawa~ This kind of thing happens in Hard Mode sometimes, but not usually on the first floor. How fascinating!She¡¯s doing it again. Stop. Piling. On. The Hard Mode flag. ? Filth-Ridden Sword Saint) Check your status screen. Then, get to the second-floor entrance.? Sword of Light) If you reach the second floor, I¡¯ll teach you spear techniques.? Heavenly Demon) ??? You, a sword guy, talking about spears?? Sword of Light) Look at the wounds on the Antsranthrope¡¯s head. He¡¯s using a spear. He should train with it for now. We don¡¯t even know if he can get a sword yet.Two people offered to teach me. That was nice, but... Would I even understand what they were trying to teach me? ? ??)* Thx, thx.I gave a super low-effort response. Before the Antsranthrope showed up, I had a question I wanted to ask. ??)* Why are all the people with fixed nicknames from Hard Mode?? Because the Transcendent Gallery system doesn¡¯t let Easy and Normal Mode players set a fixed nickname.Then why weren¡¯t there any Pandemonium players? That was a difficulty level above Hard Mode.??)* But Pandemonium Mode {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} exists too. It¡¯s higher than Hard Mode, right?? Admin) There are no Pandemonium Mode clearers.? Everyone who attempted it died. There¡¯s no one left to have a Pandemonium nickname.? Archmage) That mode has a 0% clear rate.Oh. So they all just died. A fundamental question popped into my head. ??)* What exactly determines Easy, Normal, Hard, and Pandemonium?? Admin) The tower system never explained it directly. It¡¯s all just speculation.? Archmage) The assumption is that only those with a chance of clearing their assigned difficulty get summoned.But that didn¡¯t quite add up.? Archmage) ...You¡¯re probably wondering why Pandemonium Mode doesn¡¯t fit that logic, huh? Well, I can¡¯t say for certain, but I believe... Even if everyone died, those summoned to Pandemonium had at least some chance of clearing it.A tower where even the most qualified people still couldn¡¯t survive. The thought alone disgusted me. Whatever. Like Admin and Sword of Light said¡ª I had to clear the first floor first and confirm my difficulty level. For now, I needed to squeeze as much information as I could before moving forward. Title: Do all tower floors just involve fighting monsters? Author: ??* - The first floor seems like that so far. ? Admin) The first floor is more of a warm-up, a tutorial. From the second floor onward, floors rotate between different types.Some are combat-based like the first floor.Some have narrative-driven questlines.Some are time-attack defense missions.But yeah, combat is always a part of it.? Shrine Maiden) Hawawawa~ But don¡¯t get too attached to NPCs in quest floors! If you get too emotional, you lose judgment and die! ? Elf Guy) Yeah... I lost a friend that way.? ??) Never trust elf NPCs, though. Those guys are natural-born traitors.? Elf Guy) In the name of nature, I curse you.? ??) Lol, not scared of pointy-eared bastards~ So "pointy-ears" was a slur for elves. Nobody seemed to defend them, either. Maybe they really had a bad rep. Anyway. Quest floors, huh? I wouldn¡¯t really get it until I experienced one myself. I¡¯d deal with it when I got to the second floor. Title: Did anyone else fight an Antsranthrope on the first floor? Author: ??* - I still don¡¯t know what difficulty I¡¯m in. Just list what monsters you guys faced on your first floors. Also, share any other info you have. A flood of replies came in. [Summary of Gathered Info] Floors that have no storyline but only monsters always have a "Boss Monster."Reaching it and killing it is usually the key to clearing the floor.Any difficulty above Easy has "traps."Floor traps: Stepping on a tile activates falling metal chains.Wall traps: Hidden spikes or arrows shoot out.Wind detection: A tiny breeze means arrows are coming from that direction.(Am I even gonna notice that??)Two other potential monster types:GoblinsMad Hellhounds (Magwanggyeon / ħ¿ñÈ®)Since I already ran into two Antsranthropes,My boss monster is likely from the same species.The most notable responses were from Sword of Light. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. ? Sword of Light) Stay alert, but don¡¯t overthink it. You already killed two Antsranthropes.That means you have the instincts to survive....Instincts, huh. The first one was pure luck, but still. Maybe I should think more positively. ? Sword of Light) How much potion do you have left?? ??)* About half.? Sword of Light) If a barrage of arrows comes, Use cover to avoid them.Block what you can.So far, all solid advice. Then came the problematic part. ? Sword of Light) If you can¡¯t avoid getting hit¡ªJust take the hit.Your Pain Suppression skill will level up.You need to get used to pain.? Yeah, people who¡¯ve been hit before last longer.? Sword of Light) Once you level up, your injuries heal.Clearing a floor fully restores you.So don¡¯t be afraid to take damage.? Pioneer) Bro¡¯s being way too optimistic.If he dies before clearing, he¡¯s just dead.? Shrine Maiden) Hawawawa~ If you overestimate yourself, you¡¯ll die instantly. For a second, I almost thought this sounded manageable. But Pioneer¡¯s short comment brought me right back. Right. This is reality. One mistake and I die. Still¡ª Sword of Light¡¯s advice was solid. I memorized everything. "Status Window." Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Level: 1 Strength: 12 Agility: 13 Endurance: 11 Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.1 ¨C Reduces perceived pain from injuries.Composure Lv.1 ¨C Helps maintain calmness in any situation.Concealment Lv.1 ¨C Hides presence when behind cover.I reopened the gallery and typed another post. Title: Cleared the first floor. Author: ??* - See you on the other side. I¡¯d check the comments after I got back. I closed the gallery and secured the device tightly to my waist. Crunch. I chewed on the rations from the dead citizen¡¯s pouch. Walnuts, peanuts, some jerky. Let¡¯s do this. I¡¯m Han Yuseong. And I have zero intentions of dying in this insane place. Chapter 4: Difficulty (2) Even after Han Yuseong exited the Transcendent Gallery and hurried his steps, the conversation in the continued to revolve around him. Title: But even if we help that guy somehow, is there anything we gain from it? Author: Room Conspiracy Theorist Sure, it does kill boredom, ??. But aside from that, is there anything else?? Isn¡¯t having fun enough? ? Since when did the demon guy start thinking about meaningful things? Now you¡¯re looking for profit? ???? ? Admin: There might actually be a benefit. ? ?? A benefit? ? Shrine Maiden: Admin-kun, explain yourself!! ? Admin: We can trade amongst ourselves, right? We might be able to trade with climbers, too. Interdimensional trading was possible in the . ? Room Conspiracy Theorist: We have a lot to give him, but what could we possibly receive from him... oh. Oh, wait. ? "Oh, wait." ???????? ? Pioneer: Hmm, if it¡¯s possible, there¡¯s actually a lot we could gain. Even without reaching the higher floors, just getting past Floor 30 would be enough. Some people would definitely want things like Phantom Wood or Wraith Reunion Rune... ? Pioneer: And even before reaching Floor 30, the climber coin shop opens as soon as he gets to Floor 2. He could get food from there. ? Pioneer: I don¡¯t remember much from the tower, but I still crave the food from the Murim Zone. I keep trying to make mapo tofu, but I can¡¯t replicate the taste. ? I¡¯m a martial artist, but that red, cursed wheat... Pasta. I still think about it sometimes. Eating a bowl after each floor became a ritual for me... I don¡¯t get why food disappears when we trade interdimensionally. ? Admin: Oh, right. But if he buys it directly from the coin shop, it should be stored in a special container. That shouldn¡¯t disappear. ? Heavenly Demon: So, Admin. Have you attempted interdimensional trade with that climber? ? Admin: ?? I tried, but it said the target lacked the qualifications, so interdimensional trade was disabled. That means there¡¯s a chance it¡¯ll be unlocked. He might activate it as soon as he reaches Floor 2. ? Sword of Light: I could give him a swordsmanship manual. ? Divine Archer: I went for some mountain training... and now there¡¯s some weird stuff going on. If trading works, we could also give him weapons, right? ? Won¡¯t they have level restrictions anyway? ? Divine Archer: Hmm, that¡¯s true... ? Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, I shall give him talismans. ? Pioneer: So? Girl ? Shrine Maiden: Silence, old man. ? Absolute Monarch: A swordsmanship manual, huh. Sword of Light, you really seem to be treating that guy like a disciple. You¡¯re giving him the most advice, too. I¡¯m curious about your reasoning. ? Sword of Light: No particular reason. It¡¯s just fun. ? Sword of Light: From Floor 2, where scores are tallied per floor¡ªif the climber I helped ranks high across Easy, Normal, and Hard modes, that would be very entertaining. ? Sword of Light: I don¡¯t like the people currently dominating the rankings. I¡¯d love to scare them a little. ? Sword of Light: Besides, in just a few days, we¡¯ll have the Tower Exchange Meeting that happens once a month. He might be alone now, but that picture will change soon. I¡¯m curious about that, too. ? Archmage: Do you really think he¡¯ll do that well? That guy? ? If it goes the way Sword of Light says, that would be crazy fun. But it¡¯s scary to think there¡¯s a chance he might have already died while we¡¯re talking about this. ? Ice Queen: I made an Iceberg of Prayer for the climber¡¯s safety! Don¡¯t say things like that! Frozen! Frozen! ? Admin: Ah, right. I haven¡¯t even asked the climber¡¯s name yet. I¡¯ll ask when he makes it back alive. ? Admin just dropped a death flag ??????? ? The climber activated the death flag before Admin did. What kind of "Let¡¯s meet again alive" nonsense was that? Sounds like he¡¯s doomed. ? Admin: You¡¯re getting muted until the climber comes back alive. ? Ah. *** Crack. The spear shaft shattered. In front of me stood a monstrous, dark green creature, its hands drenched in blood. Judging by its appearance, it was probably a goblin. The goblin swung its axe, and I barely managed to block it by holding the broken shaft horizontally. Rolling across the ground, I grabbed the remaining spearhead like a dagger. Thrust. Raising my body in one motion, I drove the jagged spearhead straight through the goblin¡¯s throat. "Keeuugh!" A faint groan slipped from the goblin¡¯s lips, now inches away from mine. Bright red blood gushed from its neck. Its body slumped forward. [Level Up!] [Lv.1 ¡ú Lv.2] [¡®Strength¡¯ has increased by 4.] [¡®Agility¡¯ has increased by 5.] [¡®Stamina¡¯ has increased by 3.] Several other notifications popped up, but my attention was elsewhere. Someone was dying in front of me. A woman lay dead, her long hair splayed across the ground. Her thin armor had been useless¡ªher abdomen was completely soaked in blood. I knew exactly why she had such a wound. I had witnessed the goblin¡¯s sharp, sword-like claws rip into her stomach and twist inside her, all in real time. The screams echoing through the floor hadn¡¯t faded yet. But when I had faced that situation, I had been too far¡ªdozens of steps away, unable to reach her in time. A mouthful of blood spilled from her lips as her head fell limp. The faint movement in her body came to a sudden halt. Above the corpse, glowing letters still lingered. [NPC ¨C Fleeing Mercenary] At this moment, anger outweighed fear. Why was I constantly being forced to see corpses? If they were going to place NPCs right in front of me, at least give me a proper chance to save them. Even if they were just illusions, I¡¯d rather be saving people than watching them die. What pissed me off even more¡ª Was the fact that I was looting this mercenary¡¯s belongings. To survive. Srrng¡ª I picked up the sword that had clearly belonged to the mercenary, replacing my broken spear. I also took the leg guards, fastening them around my ankles. Her waist pouch held two third-class recovery potions¡ªthe same kind that had been on the [Fleeing Citizen]. There were also real bandages, not just strips of torn cloth. I closed the mercenary¡¯s eyes. It wasn¡¯t out of kindness¡ªit was simply because I had met those eyes. It unsettled me too much to leave them open. "Status window." This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Lv.2 Strength: 16 Agility: 18 Stamina: 14 ...Easy Mode climbers only gained 1 stat point per level-up. Normal Mode climbers got 1, and sometimes 2 in one of the three main stats. My Strength had increased by 4. Agility by 5. Stamina by 3. This lined up with what Hard Mode veterans had predicted. Sword of Light: If you¡¯re on Hard Mode, your stats will skyrocket early on. For knights and Murim warriors, their base stats are already high, so they barely grow. But since you¡¯re from 21st-century Earth, you¡¯ll see massive gains.Admin: It¡¯s the gap between your past life and surviving in Hard Mode. Those who manage to live in Hard Mode receive rewards proportionate to their struggle.Admin: Most Hard Mode summonings don¡¯t happen to ordinary people, so they don¡¯t really notice the difference. But if you¡¯re in Hard Mode, you¡¯ll probably feel it.I spread my hands wide, then clenched them into fists. I could feel it. Clearly. Even after quitting baseball, I had stayed in decent shape, but all I ever did was go to the gym. Yet now, I could feel the difference¡ªmy muscles were both denser and more flexible. The sensation ran from my shoulders down my arms, all the way to my fingertips. So, this confirms it. Hard Mode. A bitter taste filled my mouth. I unwrapped the cloth I had tied around my shoulder. One of the benefits Sword of Light had explained about leveling up¡ªcomplete health recovery¡ªseemed to have kicked in. I had made it halfway through the first floor. That was the only way to describe the scene in front of me. A long bridge stretched between two cliffs, linking the ground on either side. Below, a sheer drop awaited. The only railings were steel plates on either side¡ªif they could even be called railings. This was one of the structures Absolute Monarch had warned me about. Absolute Monarch: When arrows come from the left, use the steel plates on the left for cover. If there¡¯s nowhere to hide, block with a shield or deflect with a weapon. I had a rectangular shield, so it was relatively easy for me, but... you don¡¯t have one, do you?I had hoped he¡¯d offer some other solution, but Absolute Monarch crushed that expectation without hesitation.Absolute Monarch: You¡¯ll have to figure it out.Absolute Monarch: Trust your instincts.Bullshit. I moved forward, forcing down the lingering unease from the NPC I hadn¡¯t even had the chance to save. Creak¡ª I stepped onto the bridge. A gust of wind blew from the right. Fwhhhhhhhhhh! Three iron arrows shot toward me from the right. I threw my body to the side, pressing as close as possible to the steel plate for cover. Clang! One of the arrows ricocheted off the steel. But another¡ª Ka-CHING! I swung my sword and deflected it. There was no time to wonder if I could do it. I just had to. Thud! One of the arrows hit me. Just like when I was attacked by the three-headed Anthranthrope, an unreal pain shot through me. The iron arrow had lodged itself in my thigh. It felt like my entire leg was about to be ripped off. I had no choice but to force myself into that same old self-hypnosis. This is the mound. This place is the pitching mound. Take a deep breath. A place where no matter how many times I tensed up, I had never collapsed. A place where no matter how many defeats I suffered, I had never given up. Gulp¡ª! I downed the remaining half of my potion. Then, after swallowing, I yanked the arrow out. I poured the third-class healing ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã potion I had taken from the [Lv.2 Fleeing Mercenary] over the wound, then wrapped it in bandages. [Skill ¡®Pain Suppression¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.2] Ssssshhhhh¡ª! This time, the wind blew from the left. That meant one thing¡ªiron arrows were about to rain down from the left. I moved. I avoided what I could by using cover. Clang! I deflected what I could with my sword. Thud! This time, my shoulder? [Skill ¡®Composure¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.2] Dodge what I can. Block what I must. Endure what I can''t avoid. The process repeated. [Acquired skill: ¡®Crisis Detection Lv.1¡¯] I anticipated the countless arrows. I struck down the chains that came crashing down from above. [Acquired skill: ¡®Expanded Vision Lv.1¡¯] How many minutes had passed? [Acquired skill: ¡®Enhanced Focus Lv.1¡¯] Finally. Finally, through the mist, the end of the long bridge began to emerge. Ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kak¡ª! Ka-kak! And then, a chilling sound. Like something was being vigorously sawed apart. As the mist slowly cleared, I saw it. A towering Anthranthrope, nearly as tall as an adult man, stood there, swinging its arms, hacking away at the massive stakes that supported the bridge. That bastard. Above its head, words appeared. [BOSS MONSTER] Boss Monster. [Queen Anthranthrope] Not a bastard. A bitch. I yanked the arrow out of my shoulder and chugged another potion. The searing pain pounding through my skull was drowned out by adrenaline. My body moved on its own. Kill. [Skill ¡®Enhanced Focus Lv.1¡¯ activated.] I tracked the trajectories of the four incoming iron arrows rushing toward me from the right. Ka-kak! Kaang! I deflected two. Dodged the other two. All the while, the Queen Anthranthrope continued her relentless sawing with both legs. Kaaaaaaaak¡ª! The moment I kicked off the bridge¡¯s edge and leapt forward, the long bridge collapsed into the abyss. Kiiiiiieeeeek!! Unlike the Anthranthropes I had encountered before, the Queen had only one massive head. A head covered in what looked like a thick, armored shell. My entire body was ablaze with pain, but my mind was sharper than ever. Fwhhhhhhh! I parried her lunging left leg. Twisting my body to the right, I slashed my sword down in a vertical arc. One of her six legs¡ª Kiiiiek! I stayed calm. I focused entirely on dodging her attacks. Pwoosh! I took a blade to the abdomen. I clenched my teeth and endured. Then I cut off the remaining five legs. Kiiiiiieeeeeek! Boom¡ª! I brought my sword crashing down on her head. Again. Boom! Hard enough to make my arms feel like they were shattering. Boom! Crack¡ª! A sound like an eggshell splitting apart echoed through the air. Fragments of the Queen¡¯s shattered skull pierced the back of my hands, but I ignored them. Beneath the broken shell, a pulsating, violet brain was exposed. A grotesque, beating mass¡ªmore like a heart than a brain. I drove my sword straight into it. And then, notifications flooded my vision. [You have defeated the Boss Monster!] [Level Up!] [Lv.2 ¡ú Lv.3] [¡®Strength¡¯ has increased by 4.] [¡®Agility¡¯ has increased by 3.] [¡®Stamina¡¯ has increased by 4.] [You have cleared Floor 1.] [Proceed to Floor 2.] The thick mist ahead slowly began to dissipate. Rumble¡ª What I had thought was a wall was actually a door. As it opened, a long staircase was revealed. An arrow and a number were inscribed on the door. ¡¾ 2 ¡¿¡ü According to Admin, the difficulty level should be written next to the number. And sure enough, there were letters beside it. Letters with an overwhelming, devastating force¡ªenough to shatter any relief I had felt after surviving the boss fight. I rubbed my eyes and looked again. Nothing had changed. "......." The text remained the same. ¡¾Pandemonium¡¿ Pandemonium. I had assumed, at worst, I was in Hard Mode. When my stats kept soaring after crossing the bridge, I had resigned myself to being in Hard Mode. But the tower I had fallen into¡ª Was something far beyond Hard Mode. Admin: Pandemonium has no survivors.Archmage: The clear rate is 0%.I¡¯m fucked. Well and truly fucked. Chapter 5: Floor 2 (1) I lifted the terminal. In this perfectly fucked situation, what should I do first? Well, considering this unprecedented difficulty called Pandemonium¡ªI might as well take a selfie. I initially planned to just snap a picture of the cursed text, but really, a selfie was the best way to capture my situation. Of course, there it was¡ªthe selfie function. I adjusted the angle to clearly show both my face and the word Pandemonium. The screen flashed. Kimchi. Wow, what a wonderfully cheerful selfie. Ah¡ªwait. Does this mean I¡¯ll never get to eat kimchi again? ...Then again, I might not even have a lifetime left to worry about. Might as well take a picture with the Queen Anthranthrope before heading to Floor 2. At the top of the stairs, a massive door awaited. I pushed it open. Beyond it was a vast space¡ªabout the size of a high school gymnasium. This must be a waiting area. The moment I stepped onto a white boundary line, a flood of notifications filled my vision. [Pandemonium Tower #01] [Welcome to Floor 2.] [Status - ¡®Mana¡¯ has been added.] [¡®Mana¡¯ stat has been granted: +10.] [System - You have gained access to the ¡®Coin Shop.¡¯] [Floor 1 Clear Reward: 300 Coins.] [System - ¡®Inventory¡¯ has been unlocked.] [Pandemonium Floor 1 Clear Reward: A weapon has been granted. Check ¡®Inventory.¡¯] [Pandemonium Floor 1 Clear Reward: Armor has been granted. Check ¡®Inventory.¡¯] There were no chairs. No desks. The only relief was a single sleeping bag. A clock was mounted on the central wall. Next to the round analog clock was a rectangular display screen¡ªan electronic bulletin board. February 4th. Time until the Tower Exchange Meeting: 21 days. Event Date: February 25th, 12:00 PM I could just ask my gallery friends about what the hell this exchange meeting was. "Status window." Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Lv.3 Strength: 20 Agility: 21 Stamina: 18 Mana: 10 Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.2, Composure Lv.2, Concealment Lv.1, Crisis Detection Lv.1, Expanded Vision Lv.1, Enhanced Focus Lv.1 If my stats were this high just because I was a climber in Pandemonium, I wonder how fast 21st-century Earthlings in Easy, Normal, and Hard Mode leveled up. Would the Coin Shop appear just by speaking? "Coin Shop." It popped up instantly. [Floor 2 Coin Shop] FoodBeverages"...Why the hell is this shop only selling food?" But despite my complaint, my stomach was brutally honest. A loud growl echoed from within me. I selected , and a list unfolded. Ramen, small portion of kimchi - 10 CoinsPork soup rice - 10 CoinsFried rice - 10 CoinsCream bacon pasta - 10 CoinsSandwich - 8 CoinsNuts (peanuts, walnuts) - 6 CoinsJerky - 6 CoinsKimchi? Seriously? This was ridiculous. I had 300 coins. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. If I ate only once a day, that would last me 30 days. Who the hell set these coin prices? I selected . Water (1L) - 5 CoinsBlack Coffee - 8 CoinsSoda - 9 CoinsSoda was the most expensive. Not that it mattered. I wasn¡¯t planning on buying anything other than water. I had read somewhere that, in perfect condition, a person could survive on just water for up to eight weeks. "But if you''re thinking about just surviving, you¡¯re already as good as dead." I was scared¡ªno, terrified¡ªof this Pandemonium difficulty. But clinging to life by rationing food and loitering in the waiting area like a parasite was the worst possible choice. In the end, no matter what, I¡¯d have to move forward. Before that, I had to check my inventory for the weapon and armor I had received. "Inventory." A translucent window appeared. There were two occupied slots. I tapped on the first one. [Nameless Knight¡¯s Straight Sword] Category: Weapon (Sword)Attack Power: +30Usable Level: 3 or higherGrade: C+[Nameless Knight¡¯s Armor Set]Category: ArmorDefense Power: +35Usable Level: 3 or higherGrade: C+At a glance, this was far better than the sword I had used on Floor 1. I had checked everything. Now, it was time to let the Transcendent Gallery know about the absolute nightmare I had walked into. I pulled out the terminal and connected to the gallery. Most of the posts were people wondering whether I had survived. ??: If you¡¯re not dead, show up. Hurry ???Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, did I not say our dear Climber has a long lifespan? His limbs must still be intact.Pioneer: Hmm, if you¡¯re just crying because it¡¯s Hard Mode, you can come out. At least it¡¯s possible to clear, right?Room Conspiracy Theorist: Or maybe he¡¯s actually in Easy Mode and too embarrassed to show himself.Saint: I am offering prayers so that our climbing brother does not lose his way.Saint? A new name. ??: There¡¯s no way he¡¯s in Easy Mode. Just look at the monsters he fought.Heavenly Demon: This one is crafting a beginner¡¯s martial arts manual for the first time in ages. Hurry and post something.Alright. I¡¯ll post something. I typed up a post and hit publish. Title: ????????????????? Author: ??* Content: I feel like I¡¯m going insane. Look at this. Attachment: 238409122.jpg [A picture of Han Yuseong standing next to the massive door with the word Pandemonium clearly displayed on it.] Silence. A longer silence than I expected. ? ? Finally, a reply. That single question mark seemed to encapsulate everyone¡¯s collective thoughts. Same reaction I had when I first saw it. Then, as if the floodgates had burst open, the replies poured in endlessly. ? ? ?? ? ??? ? No fucking way. ? Archmage: What the hell. That¡¯s not photoshopped, is it? Pandemonium??? ? Room Conspiracy Theorist: Um¡ªthe world is just one giant closed-room mystery. ? ??????????????? LMAO is that your funeral portrait selfie? ? Ice Queen: ...Frozen. Frozen. Stay strong. ? How the hell is he supposed to stay strong ?????????? ? Pan??demon??ium??????um??????um...um. ? Well, we¡¯ve read your will. Nice writing. You have a way with words. ? Even if I rub my eyes and check again, it¡¯s still the same ???? Why does this exist? ? Wow, our climbing brother is one hell of a guy. He survived Pandemonium Floor 1. My bad for underestimating you. ? Huh? He looks pretty decent? But why does the picture feel like it has a black-and-white filter? Uh... uh? Breathe! Climber! CLIMBER! Someone call a healer!!! I had expected this level of mockery. Just a day ago¡ªjust one day ago¡ªmost of my life had been spent shitposting online. I had already come up with most of these jokes myself. Honestly, it was amusing. ? Admin: ...What the hell. Did you get access to the Transcendent Gallery terminal for a reason? There¡¯s no way to tell... ? Total! Chaos!!! Hmm. Admin¡¯s comment was all over the place, but I understood what he was getting at. A 0% survival rate. An impossible difficulty. Yet here I was, still alive. And somehow, I had coincidentally picked up a terminal on Floor 1. Was this all some scenario deliberately set up by the tower? Not that I had any way of knowing. ? Archmage: I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m skeptical. Even if the Transcendent Gallery helps, this is still Pandemonium Mode. A difficulty none of us have experienced. No matter what advice we give, he¡¯ll always be one step from death. As for clearing it... ha. No clue. ? Absolute Monarch: Archmage, didn¡¯t you say it yourself a while back? That anyone summoned to Pandemonium had to have some potential to clear it, even if they died trying. Are you retracting that statement? ? Archmage: I¡¯m not retracting it. Of course, if he¡¯s been summoned to Pandemonium, it means he has that potential. I¡¯m just saying it¡¯ll be a fucking nightmare. ? LMAO, Archmage keeps downplaying Climber, but now that he¡¯s in Pandemonium, he¡¯s speechless ???? ? Archmage: What are you even saying? ? Hrrk? ? Archmage: Whatever. I¡¯m done wasting words on idiots. I¡¯m logging off for the day. ? Hrrk? ? Wait, is this actually real? Pandemonium? ? R.I.P ? Saint: Not Easy. Not Normal. Not Hard. Pandemonium. How rare... I shall offer my prayers. ? Absolute Monarch: Climber, even if you fall into despair, do not make rash decisions. ? ??*: Yeah, don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯m not doing anything stupid ?? Why the hell would I die now? That¡¯d be lame as hell. ? Heavenly Demon: Yes! That is the right mindset! This one also supports you. ? Lmao, dude didn¡¯t say a word until he saw Climber wasn¡¯t mentally broken. Are you really a demonic cultivator? ? Heavenly Demon: Do you reside in the Murim Zone as well? Where do you live? ? Sword of Light: Check your Transcendent Gallery terminal. See if a new app appeared. An app? I minimized the window and returned to the home screen. Hmm. Something new? I tapped the unfamiliar icon beneath the camera app. It had a blue star-shaped logo. ¡ºThe Transcendent Gallery¡¯s affiliated Dimensional Exchange has been activated!¡» ¡ºWelcome! New customer!¡» ? ??*: Oh. There¡¯s something. Dimensional Exchange? ? Admin: Looks like it unlocks on Floor 2. ? Sword of Light: Eat a good meal and come back. ? ??: Huh? ? Sword of Light: What weapon do you have? ? ??*: I got a sword when I reached Floor 2. ? Sword of Light: A sword? Perfect. I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t die. ? ??*: How? ? How else? ~N§àv§Ölight~ ?????? He¡¯s obviously gonna train you till you drop. ? Sword of Light: I suppose I should claim the position of your first teacher. The Sword Maniac was suddenly all over me. What the hell? It felt like he was even more excited now that I was in Pandemonium. Chapter 6: Floor 2 (2) Just before heading off for a solid meal, I remembered¡ªI needed to ask about the Tower Exchange Meeting. Title: Ah, what exactly is the Tower Exchange Meeting? Author: ??* Content: Saw it on the display. Says there are 21 days left. ? Admin: Happens on the 25th of every month. Five to ten climbers get summoned into the same space, regardless of tower difficulty or floor number. But the grouping is by sets¡ªFloors 1-10 together, Floors 11-20 together, and so on. The final grouping is Floors 90-99. Floor 100 is off-limits since it''s the final stage. ? ??*: So it¡¯s like this? A Hard Mode Floor 3 climber, a Normal Mode Floor 10 climber, and an Easy Mode Floor 5 climber could all end up together? ? Admin: Exactly. The only exception is if climbers from the same numbered tower add each other as ''friends''¡ªthen they can get summoned together. Hmm. It sounded like forming pre-made teams in advance. But for me, in Pandemonium, I had no idea if anyone else even existed. Forming a team beforehand wasn¡¯t an option. ? ??*: Can players physically attack each other? I mean, can they kill? ? Sword of Light: Yes. The exchange meeting has three themes¡ªDuel, Dungeon, and Mission. Duel is the only one where killing is outright forbidden. In Dungeon and Mission, murder is possible. So in themes designed for teamwork, people could still turn on each other and kill. ? Admin: It doesn¡¯t happen often, especially in the lower-floor meetings. But the chance isn¡¯t zero. ? ??*: Right. And given my luck, I can¡¯t afford to ignore low probabilities anymore. ? ?????? self-deprecating humor ?????? ? Probability! Pandemonium! 0% survival rate!! ? Admin: Want me to mute this guy? ? ??*: ??, just for two days. ? Admin: Done. ? Oh, shit, please, no, I was ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) just joking¡ª! Admin was protecting me. Insult me, and you die. Though, let¡¯s be real, it was probably pity-based protection. ? ??*: Will the climbers in the exchange meeting know anything about me? Like, can they see which tower I¡¯m from? ? Admin: Nope. All they see is what floor you''re on. They won¡¯t know your tower or level unless you tell them. ? ??*: If I clear Floor 2 and get pulled into the meeting from Floor 3, people are gonna look down on me, huh? ? Admin: Depends on who gets summoned. But focus on your growth first. Fair point. ? Sword of Light: Eat something and come back. I¡¯ll guide your training. ? ??*: Got it. ? ??*: But how much training do you think I need before tackling Floor 2? ? Archmage: I don¡¯t know what Sword of Light is planning, but... you should spend no more than 15 days. You need to clear Floor 2 before the meeting, so you can participate in a safe situation. You¡¯re not planning to clear it after the exchange, are you? Of course not. I had to clear Floor 2 before the meeting. Even as a Floor 3 climber, I¡¯d probably be the lowest-leveled person there. ? Sword of Light: If you properly understand what I¡¯m teaching, that timeframe is enough. ? ??*: Alright. But what if I¡¯m mid-run on Floor 2 when the exchange starts? ? Admin: You get forcefully summoned. Unless you have an item called , you can¡¯t opt out. Great. The exchange meeting was basically forced kidnapping. ? ??*: So, if I suddenly get yanked into the meeting and return later, what if NPCs or monsters are waiting in ambush? Wouldn¡¯t I just die instantly? ? Heavenly Demon: Correct. That is why you must ensure you¡¯re in a safe space before being transported. That settled it. Within the next 21 days: Clear Floor 2.Reach the Floor 3 waiting area.Join the Exchange Meeting.I exited the and opened the [Coin Shop]. Like a convenience store kiosk, it displayed food images as product samples. Fried rice... yeah, that¡¯s just Chinese-style stir-fried rice. So, what should I pick? I settled on Option 1¡ªRamen and a small portion of kimchi. A solid pork soup rice sounded tempting, but unfortunately, I had eaten that exact meal two days ago after my part-time shift at the convenience store. Not that it mattered¡ªI¡¯d be eating everything on the menu sooner or later. Pop! This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. A glow flickered in the air, and a box suddenly dropped down. Thud! The box, shimmering in a faint purple hue, looked unusually fancy. A sticker was attached to the top. Menu: 1. Ramen and a small portion of kimchi Delivery Coordinates: 666.666.66.532 Payment Amount: 10 Coins What the hell. Is this a delivery receipt? A luxurious box with a cheap, printed receipt on top. The contrast was baffling. I opened the lid. Inside was a sealed transparent container. The moment I lifted it, I saw the steaming bowl of ramen and a tiny dish of kimchi. I grabbed my chopsticks and lifted the noodles slightly¡ª Then snapped a photo. Perfect shot. I hit "Create Post" and attached the image. Title: You guys ever heard of ramen? Author: ??* Content: Isn¡¯t it mesmerizing? Attachment: 852903862.jpg [A freshly delivered, steaming bowl of ramen with a small side of kimchi.] After posting, I took a bite. Slurp¡ª Mmm. There really was nothing like eating ramen after beating the shit out of your body. Reminded me of squatting at a campsite with my friend, boiling instant ramen over a campfire. Since I had the Transcendent Gallery open while eating, I saw the comments roll in real-time. ? Oh, I already saw this on the Climber Gallery ???? Also, nice photo. ? Heavenly Demon: What... is this? These grotesque noodles and this... rootless broth...? ? LMAO, the old dude is pissed ???????? ? Okay, but the noodles do look kinda weird. ? Wait, what is that? ? A lot of people haven¡¯t seen ramen before. When people from other dimensions get absorbed into towers, their world¡¯s food gets added to the Coin Shop. ? Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, I am curious about the taste! But it does not look very appetizing... ? Archmage: Wow... you eat that...? Fools. ? ??*: Ramen is a masterpiece of culinary science, forged through generations of refinement. Tch. ? Damn, I kinda wanna try it. Can we do a dimensional trade? ? Lmao, what do you even have to trade? ? *Obviously, my family''s legendary spear technique, Drethephekan! * ? That name is garbage. ? Hey, you little shit, where do you live? I¡¯m a knight from the Rompelt Continent. I wasn¡¯t about to mock the guy¡¯s spear technique. If he was from Easy or Normal Mode but had cleared all 100 floors, then his technique must have had some value. But I needed a perfect lifeline right now. A solid rope to pull me out of this hell. And that guy... wasn¡¯t it. After finishing my meal, I made another post. Title: Sword of Light, Dimensional Trade, let¡¯s go. Author: ??* Content: I know nothing, so you make the offer. ? Sword of Light: Deal. The moment he commented, a new window appeared below the chat. [User ¡®Sword of Light¡¯ has requested Dimensional Trade.] [Do you accept?] I tapped the confirmation button. [Trade request accepted.] A new screen popped up, resembling an inventory with empty slots for placing items. And beneath it, a small chat window. [Warning! Dimensional Trade is limited to two transactions per 30 days!] [Warning! Both parties must register one item each for a trade to succeed!] [Warning! Only one item per trade is allowed!] [Hold an item and say "Designate."] "Two trades per month?" [Sword of Light: Apologies, but I¡¯ll need to use both trade slots. I have two things to send.] Of course. This damn tower wouldn¡¯t possibly allow unlimited trades or let me get items without offering something in return. [??*: ??, as long as it helps me survive, I don¡¯t care.] [Sword of Light: That won¡¯t be a problem.] [??*: What do you want me to send?] [Sword of Light: One is that ''ramen'' you just posted. The other¡ªjust send the cheapest thing you have. Oh, and don¡¯t open the storage container for the food. I need it sealed to receive it properly.] Even if he told me to send something, I couldn¡¯t just hand over my newly acquired Nameless Knight¡¯s Straight Sword¡ªwhat if it broke? And the rest? All useful. The decision wasn¡¯t hard. Along with the ramen, I sent the cheapest thing I had besides water¡ªjerky. I placed both the sealed ramen container and the jerky into the trade slot, resting my hands over them. "Designate." The two items vanished and reappeared as miniaturized icons in the trade window. [Trade completed.] Plop! Two items materialized from the gap. One was a thick book. The other¡ªa square box. ¡°...What the hell is this?¡± *** Arkamer Empire -Grand Duke Brinier. A voice called from outside the door. A silver-haired woman furrowed her brows. "What is it?" -His Majesty the Emperor requests an audience. He insists on inviting you to this banquet¡ª "Tell him if he calls for me one more time, I¡¯ll take his head. Don¡¯t alter my words. Say them exactly." -...Understood, Your Grace. Grand Duke. Elena de Brinier turned her crimson gaze toward the semi-transparent window floating to her left. There, it was written¡ª [Climber Gallery] She tapped on the most noticeable post. Title: Do not act recklessly. If you stay calm, Floor 62 is clearable. That¡¯s why our ¡¶Raid Union¡· exists. Author: Union Leader Content: There is no betrayal. We will reach the summit without leaving anyone behind. ? For real, this looks doable. ? Has there ever been this little damage on Hard Mode before? ? Swordmaster: At this rate, we could clear Floor 66 without a single casualty. Elena felt disgusted. It was like looking into a shattered mirror. Like seeing a hopeful version of herself from the past. A picture that was bound to collapse. "You don¡¯t understand the true nature of Hard Mode." She knew why no one had ever recorded what happened on Floor 66. Elena both wanted and dreaded the moment their illusions would crumble. "Grow stronger, Climber." A storm was coming. And she wanted to shatter their world¡ªfrom the very bottom. ¡¶ Floor 2 - Score Rankings ¡· 1st - Union Leader : 784 points 2nd - Tracking : 412 points 3rd - Sinclair : 399 points ? ? The score rankings only displayed the active climbers. That meant Elena¡¯s name wasn¡¯t there. She had already cleared the tower. Elena glanced at the purple storage container that had appeared before her and smirked. "So, this is ramen?" She opened the container. "...Smells decent." The Empire¡¯s Sword Star. The Dragon Slayer. The Demon King¡¯s Executioner. Every title pointed to a single person¡ª Elena de Brinier. That was why even the Emperor couldn¡¯t reprimand her, no matter what she said. She picked up her chopsticks. Slurp¡ª "...Mm!" A satisfied smile spread across her face. Elena swiped the Climber Gallery to the side¡ª Then opened a different gallery. [Transcendent Gallery] Recently, it had become the only source of entertainment in her life. She typed up a post. Title: It¡¯s edible. Author: Sword of Light Content: Looks strange, but it tastes good. And with that, the Transcendent Gallery exploded. Chapter 7: Floor 2 (3) I picked up the fallen box from the ground and used my device to take a picture of the square object. [Title: Sword of Light, what the hell is this?] [Author: ??*] It looks like it¡¯ll explode if I touch it.? ??????? Boom! So, it''s a bomb? Well, to be fair, a lot of magitech devices do look like this. ? Sword of Light: Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s painful all the same, but it won¡¯t explode like that. ? ??*: How can something be painful if it doesn¡¯t explode? ? Sword of Light: You can check that item later. First, check the sword manual. Ah, the sword manual. The cover of the manual had a very simple title written on it. Dragon Slayer Sword. ...A sword for hunting dragons. Is there really a need for me to learn such a grandiose sword technique? Hmm. The entry barrier seems way too high from the start. ? Sword of Light: If this were outside the tower, I¡¯d have you grind mana control techniques to death. But in the tower, no matter how much you train your mana control, the structure won¡¯t allow your mana capacity to increase. ? ??: Yeah, some people complain about that. But as someone from a farming background, I actually benefitted from it. I never had the talent to awaken through mana training anyway. ? Archmage: You need to hit at least level 20 before mana control becomes decent enough for a swordsman or warrior. Things like sword aura only become usable then. Before that, you can only use as much mana as you get from level-ups. Well, my starting point was different since I was a mage from the beginning. As expected, it¡¯s unfair. People from 21st-century Earth had no choice but to start at a disadvantage compared to those from martial arts worlds or the medieval fantasy realms like where Sword of Light came from. But then again, life is inherently unfair. ? Sword of Light: Just focus on mastering the sword techniques I wrote down. I explained them in a way you can easily understand, so read through them. ? Gutter Swordsman: No matter how well it¡¯s written and explained, if he doesn¡¯t gain practical experience, it¡¯s practically useless. Gutter Swordsman, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly appeared to challenge Sword of Light¡¯s statement. However, Sword of Light didn¡¯t seem flustered and quickly replied. ? Sword of Light: You¡¯re right. Even if you understand it in your head, if you don¡¯t put it into action, the technique won¡¯t stay in your mind or body and will quickly fade. That¡¯s why I also sent a sparring golem, Mk.2. A sparring golem? ...Is it like a "training dummy" in games? ? Sword of Light: Press the activation button, and it¡¯ll transform right in front of you into a humanoid golem. ? ??*: And I have to fight it, right? ? Sword of Light: Yes, it has the introductory to mid-level sword paths from the manual implanted in it. I could already guess what kind of experience awaited me. A very ominous one. ? ??*: How strong is this golem? ? Sword of Light: About as strong as I was when I was seventeen. It¡¯s the same one I used for training back then. That was long before I entered the tower. So, it¡¯s weak, right? ...That was what I wanted to ask, but then I remembered this guy was an endgame-level Hard Mode clearer. ? ??*: Uh... what¡¯s that in terms of monsters? ? Sword of Light: I had already killed an Ogre Grand Chief and a Minotaur Assault Leader by then. Also took down one of the lowest-ranked demons of the Seven Calamities, that bastard Nephagos. ? ...You¡¯re telling me you took down creatures most people can¡¯t even kill in their lifetime when you were still a kid? So if the golem is at that level... am I going to die? Honestly, I don¡¯t even know how strong those monsters are. I can only make guesses based on their names. But judging from the other people¡¯s reactions, my suspicions weren¡¯t unfounded. ? ??*: Did you send this thing to kill me? ? Sword of Light: You won¡¯t die. The golem only uses a wooden sword. ? Nah, you won¡¯t die. You¡¯ll be in excruciating pain, but you won¡¯t die. ? Wow, Sword of Light is terrifying. He came up with this plan in no time. ? Do you think a person who cleared Hard Mode would have a normal brain? They all seem dumb, but they survived a hellish bloodbath. Even as a Normal Mode clearer, my family freaked out over how messed up my emotional state became. ? Pioneer: Watch your mouth when calling people dumb. I was starting to get a clearer picture. What kind of "gift" Sword of Light had sent me. And the comment from Heavenly Demon below confirmed that my theory was correct. ? Heavenly Demon: You cannot die in the tower¡¯s waiting room. Unless your head is completely severed by an ultra-fast sword path, all wounds will heal due to the waiting room¡¯s effects. ? Heavenly Demon: ...Indeed. If such sword paths unfold in battle, you can refine your combat senses quickly. And enduring the pain will also increase the proficiency of related skills. ? Translation: Your skills will level up fast. ? Heavenly Demon: Then, wouldn¡¯t it be better if the golem used a real sword? That way, your skill levels would rise even faster. ? Translation: This guy is even more insane. What kind of person even suggests that? A real sword? That¡¯s crazy talk. ? Sword of Light: I wondered if that was possible, so I tried to designate a trade with a real sword. It showed up as "trade impossible," as expected. ? Admin: They¡¯re probably fine with people taking advantage of the waiting room¡¯s healing system to some extent, but there must be a limit. So basically, this was the result of combining the training golem Sword of Light sent me and the waiting room¡¯s recovery effect. An environment where I could be beaten to a pulp by the golem over and over but still recover fully every time. ? Sword of Light: The golem¡¯s durability isn¡¯t that high. Since it had to accommodate the Dragon Slayer Sword techniques, its durability dropped even further. ? Sword of Light: Thirty times. If you land thirty valid hits on the golem, it¡¯ll break. ? Thirty?! LOL, with that skill gap, it¡¯ll take half a year to land thirty hits. ? That golem with 30 durability left is about to survive for years. ? Gutter Swordsman: ...It¡¯s not entirely impossible, so I can¡¯t say for sure that he¡¯ll never break it. I wanted to cry. ? Sword of Light: This was the best I could prepare in a short time. No need to be too grateful. ...Wow, thanks so much. If I weren¡¯t the one suffering, I¡¯d probably applaud him for his brilliance. But I was the one stuck in this situation. ? ??*: Yeah... thanks for sending me this. I needed to get my mind straight. Just because these veterans seemed human didn¡¯t mean I could apply normal logic to them. ? Sword of Light: Why don¡¯t you try it out now? ? Admin: Hey, you¡¯re going to be stuck in that sword hell anyway. At least get some sleep first. So, Admin was the only sane one here? This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. ? Admin: If you train in your current state, you won¡¯t even get half the efficiency of proper training. Resting is part of training. ...Never mind. I take it back. There are no sane people here. ? Admin: Oh, and I kept meaning to ask¡ªevery time you show up, chaos erupts. What¡¯s your name? ? ??*: Han Yuseong. ? Han... Yuseong? That¡¯s a unique name. ? Admin: Nice to meet you, Han Yuseong. Don¡¯t die. ? Sword of Light: I¡¯ll remember my disciple¡¯s name. ? Heavenly Demon: It has a good ring to it. I lay down. Just one day. And my life had changed this much. Tomorrow scares me. The future even more so. But I have to endure. If I want to clear this tower. *** I could feel the baseball gripped in my right hand with perfect clarity. The whole world was silent. My eyes were locked on the catcher¡¯s mitt. Lifting my left foot slightly, I rotated. Thwack! Stretching my right leg forward, I extended my right arm, which had been drawn back. The ball cut through the air and flew. It was sucked into the mitt as if it belonged there. Strike! The umpire¡¯s heavy voice rang out. Everyone erupted into cheers and rushed toward me. My fingertips tingled. Clutching my right arm, I gave a bitter smile. Winning isn¡¯t what matters. Yuseong, why the hell did you wreck your arm like this when you''re considered one of the Big Three? You¡¯re going to keep playing baseball, right? Get well soon. It was [N O V E L I G H T] the coach¡¯s voice. He was the one who had pushed me to overwork myself beyond my limits in the first place. A human body broke down so easily. "Divorce him. I¡¯ve hated him ever since he made Yuseong play baseball." It was my mother¡¯s voice. Families broke just as easily. The scene flashed forward. Back on the mound. The spikes of my cleats felt strangely foreign that day. Crack! Neither my mindset nor my pitching trajectory had changed. Not a single thing had changed. But the ball, struck by the batter¡¯s bat, was soaring through the sky. Pain flared in my shoulder once more. Blood rushed to my eyes. I dug into the dirt in frustration. The future that had once seemed certain was so easily overturned. When a junior teammate asked if I was okay, I grabbed him by the collar. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I had no idea what I was saying. It was like being underwater. I couldn¡¯t breathe. "..." My eyes opened. It wasn¡¯t exactly a pleasant dream. I took a sip of the water I had bought with my coins yesterday. The dream had been filthy, but my body felt refreshed. I glanced at the clock. 7:32 AM. A perfect time to start the day. [Title: Morning, just woke up] [Author: ??*] As expected, I feel great after getting some sleep.Replies flooded in. Most of the conversation was with Sword of Light. He re-explained the sword manual he had given me and the so-called "prison of the sword." After closing Transcendent Gallery, I started reading the manual. Dragon Slayer Sword. I couldn¡¯t easily grasp what it was talking about. But I skipped over the incomprehensible parts for now. Sword of Light: Just take note of what you don¡¯t understand and move on.Sword of Light: The golem will show you anyway.Following Sword of Light¡¯s advice, I skimmed through the introduction before grabbing the small, square box. A gray, cube-like box. He had told me to take out the red fragment in the center and press the button. Click¡ª A piece of the box detached like a cube fragment, revealing a black button inside. Pressing that button would activate it. The white button attached to the removed red cube fragment would stop it. Beep¡ª I pressed the black button to activate the golem and set the box on the floor. The surface of the box trembled, and mechanical arms shot out from both sides. I could see the tiny gears shifting and turning with my naked eye. A blue light glowed as another layer of square boxes beneath it began reshaping into bipedal legs. The moment the golem recognized my presence, it moved. ¡ªSwish! Before I could even react, A wooden sword slammed into my shoulder. Crunch¡ª The sound of bones fracturing rang out. "Agh." Even though it was just a wooden sword, it hurt like hell. Even though Pain Suppression activated whenever I got hit, pain was still pain. Then, thanks to the waiting room¡¯s effect, my body healed. [Skill Enhancement Lv.1 ¨C Activating Skill.] The gemstone embedded in the center of the golem gleamed like a red, single eye. I took three more hits. [Skill ''Pain Suppression'' has leveled up. Lv.3.] And then I realized. The countless slashes that had already carved into my body¡ª They were the First Form of the Dragon Slayer Sword, Tursaho?gg. Sword of Light: It¡¯ll hurt a little.Sword of Light: Even though it¡¯s a wooden sword, I made it with Setne wood, which is famous for its durability.Those were the last comments Sword of Light had left before I turned off the gallery.Sword of Light: Even if it¡¯s unfair. Even if it pisses you off. Even if you hate it. There¡¯s nothing you can do. Just do it.I already know. The pace of these old players is so fast it makes me want to cry. But getting hit made things clearer. I could see how I should swing the sword. If I got it wrong, I just had to take a few more hits. If I landed thirty hits, the golem would break. Good. I¡¯ll definitely break you. Chapter 8: Floor 2 (4) Day 1 of Training. In the end, I couldn¡¯t land a single clean hit on the damn golem. This wasn¡¯t a sparring session¡ªit was a one-sided beatdown. Thanks to that, a few of my skills leveled up, but that didn¡¯t make me feel any better. When the golem tried to bring its sword down on my thigh again, I pressed the white button to stop it. [Title: Isn¡¯t this thing way too strong?] [Author: ??*] Why is a golem with only 30 durability this ridiculously overpowered?? Sword of Light: Its durability is 30, but its performance remains the same. Good work. Did you manage to see the sword paths? ? ??*: Yeah, I¡¯m starting to see them. Getting hit directly really does speed up learning. But actually executing them feels completely different. ? Heavenly Demon: You would do well not to overestimate your ability to learn. ? Gutter Swordsman: You have no choice but to keep rolling with it. That¡¯s what training is. ? Damn, these guys sound like old geezers. ? ''*'' is getting tossed around with a sword, and the boomers are loving it. ? I wanna backseat-coach too, but if I do, I¡¯ll just get roasted for being an Easy or Normal scrub... heheh. Better not. ? Do it. We might not be as strong as them, but we still have guts, don¡¯t we? Day 3. I pressed the black button, and the golem roared back to life. A flash of steel came crashing down before my eyes. I raised my arm. It was an instinctive defensive action. Clang! I blocked it. By now, I had been forcibly taught that this was the Third Form of the Dragon Slayer Sword, Drakabani. Pain-based learning made knowledge sink in faster. It was a vertical slash, but calling it that felt like an oversimplification. I swung my sword relentlessly. The feeling of my muscles stretching and expanding spread through my arms and legs. [Strength +1] The veterans in the tower weren¡¯t lying. If you pushed past your physical limits repeatedly, your stats would increase¡ªeven without leveling up. [Stamina +1] They were right about everything. Every damn thing. And then I got hit again. Blades flashing from all directions. After two days of nothing but getting beat up, I was finally starting to see it. The right angle to block. There was no sudden, divine revelation. No flashes of insight. Just careful observation of how the golem moved its arms when it swung. How its legs advanced when it thrust. I saw it quickly and acted on it. More than anything, I berated myself¡ªwhy had it taken me this long to realize something so obvious? A pitcher on the mound studies the batter¡¯s habits and exploits their weaknesses. It was as natural as breathing. I blocked the First Form, a slash. Blocked the Second Form, Hjartagnyr, a thrust. Blocked the Third Form. My vision was getting clearer. Thwack! "Ah." Then, I took a direct hit from a simple vertical slash. For a moment, my vision went black, and my body tilted backward. Thud. Lifting my head, I saw the golem striding toward me. "Stay back, you bastard." I grabbed the activation cube that had fallen to the floor and pressed the button. Freeze. The golem, which had been marching forward to beat me further, stopped in place. That was enough for today. I had gained a lot. The rest of the time would be spent reviewing. *** Day 10. [Title: Today will be different] [Author: ??*] I had a breakthrough yesterday.? How many retries is this guy on now? ? LMAO ? FamousOne: If you¡¯ve reached that level of enlightenment, shouldn¡¯t you be ascending to nirvana by now? ? Damn, that was a clean roast. Who the hell is this guy? FamousOne? ? ??*: What the hell is "FamousOne"? ? Heavenly Demon: It stands for "Open Sect¡¯s Average." ? Damn it... why is the pinnacle of demonic martial arts, the great Heavenly Demon himself, personally explaining something this trivial to me? The Murim I know isn¡¯t like this. There¡¯s no way this guy is the real Heavenly Demon. ? You do know there¡¯s only one Murim world, right? That¡¯s the real Heavenly Demon. ? The only thing he cares about is getting acknowledged by the Climber Gallery elites. ? FamousOne: Heavenly Demon Returns, Ten Thousand Demons Bow! ? Why the hell is an Open Sect leader shouting that? My Murim! NOOOOO! ? That¡¯s just how he adapted to modern times. Didn¡¯t you see the Murim Lord bowing to Heavenly Demon? Among all the chaotic comments, one stood out for its utter indifference. ? Sword of Light: Don¡¯t lose focus. Just remember what I wrote down. He had written a lot, but aside from the sword techniques, most of it wasn¡¯t that useful. ? ??*: Why the hell did you even write this? "In the end, the greatest weapon is the sword." ? Gutter Swordsman: That¡¯s a fact. ? Sword of Light: Indeed. ? Spear King: I finished my closed-door training and come back to this madness... You¡¯ll use a spear someday. ? Heavenly Demon: Ahem, get in line. I shall teach him fist techniques first. ? Spear King: That depends on what this kid wants. Sword-obsessed freaks. I had to become one of them, but I wasn¡¯t eager to join their ranks just yet. I closed the gallery and activated the golem. Flash. The red eye embedded in its head gleamed. If I kept seeing this thing every day, I might even grow attached. I stepped forward. The golem¡¯s right hand moved. So did mine. Two intersecting trajectories. My sword and the golem¡¯s wooden blade clashed. I did it. For the first time, I canceled out the First Form, Thursahogg. My first success. But as they say, well begun is half done. I countered the Second Form. Countered the Third Form. My arms trembled. There had been times when I wondered¡ªwhy had Sword of Light sent such a monstrous golem? But after getting my ass kicked, I finally understood. He was teaching me how to face opponents far stronger than goblins or Antsranthropes without freezing up. If Sword of Light told me I was wrong, then he was the idiot. [Skill Acquired: Warrior¡¯s Movements Lv.1] [Skill ''Enhanced Focus'' has leveled up. Lv.2] [Skill ''Crisis Detection'' has leveled up. Lv.2] I had achieved real, tangible results. Moreover, Warrior¡¯s Movements was a skill that Sword of Light had specifically emphasized in the appendix of the sword manual. He had mentioned that it was an incredibly versatile skill. But after countering three attacks, I was back to getting completely beaten down again. After stopping the golem, I focused on practicing mana control. Upon reaching the second floor, I had gained the Mana stat, which naturally formed a Mana Heart in my body. Sword of Light had written a brief guide, like an appendix to the Dragon Slayer Sword manual, explaining how to handle the 10 points of mana stored in the Mana Heart. I sat in a meditative posture. It took me a full week just to perceive my Mana Heart. And over the next three days, the best ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) I could achieve was slowly circulating mana throughout my body. [Skill Acquired: Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.1] I still couldn¡¯t manifest Sword Aura, but I could now temporarily enhance my body during combat. Even with just 10 points of mana, the difference between being able to use it or not was enormous. The brutal fights against the golem and the teachings from the Dragon Slayer Sword manual had given me the bare minimum qualifications to survive in this tower. Then, on the thirteenth day of training, something significant happened. [Skill Activated: Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.1] Swish! The wooden sword came slicing down like a lightning bolt. I twisted my shoulder slightly to evade it. Then, I extended my right foot and stepped on the golem¡¯s right foot. It wasn¡¯t calculation¡ªit was instinct. ¡ªCrunch. And with that, I executed the First Form of the Dragon Slayer Sword, Thursahogg. Finally, I had reduced the golem¡¯s durability from 30 to 29. By the time training ended that day, its durability had dropped to 23. [Title: Hey, Sword of Light. You¡¯re lying, right?] [Author: ??*] There¡¯s no way you were weaker than this golem Mk.2 when you were seventeen.? Sword of Light: Oh? So you finally landed a hit? ? ??*: Not one. Seven. ? LMAO, dude¡¯s acting all proud like a Climber. ? Sword of Light: The golem is a bit rusted, that¡¯s all. ? Sword of Light: But don¡¯t downplay what you accomplished¡ªit¡¯s not weak enough for that. A bit rusted? Yeah, right. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Day 15. The golem¡¯s remaining durability: 16. I had no more time to waste. I needed to clear the second floor, reach the waiting room of the third floor, and attend the Exchange Meeting. That meant today was the absolute final day of my training. I spread mana throughout my body. [Skill Activated: Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.1] This ends today. The sparring golem Mk.2 was covered in deep fractures across its body. But I couldn¡¯t afford to underestimate it. I had been hit by it over a hundred times. [Skill Activated: Enhanced Focus Lv.2] The golem ignored its own crumbling body and kept pounding me. Pain sharpened my senses. I closed the distance inside the range of the wooden sword. A warrior moves like a beast. That was a phrase Sword of Light had scribbled at the end of the sword manual. It became my guiding principle. It was okay to take a hit. Give up flesh, take bone. That mindset drove me forward. But at the last moment, I managed to slip past the attack entirely. I had grown stronger. That certainty fueled my adrenaline. I swung my sword horizontally and struck the golem¡¯s head. Then, the center of its torso. Crack! Its side, its legs, its neck¡ª I slashed at the golem¡¯s limbs one after another. Stone and metal shattered. Golden shards scattered in every direction. Slash! The golem¡¯s right arm twisted grotesquely before breaking in half. Fragments crashed to the ground in a cascade of heavy impacts. Its head fell off and rolled across the floor. Thirty. Its durability had hit zero. The red eye lost all light. I stared at the broken remains of the golem. "Thank you." It wasn¡¯t just empty words. I genuinely felt grateful to the golem. Without it, there was no way I could have developed my combat sense this much in such a short time without the risk of death. Even the pain it had inflicted on me had been a medicine in the long run. I took a picture of the wooden sword it had dropped and uploaded it to the gallery. [Title: Broke it.] [Author: ??*] Gonna eat a bowl of pork soup and open the door to the second floor. [Attachment: 99868690.jpg] [A photo of the golem¡¯s wooden sword.]? Ohhh, you getting the hang of it now? ? Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, please upload a picture of the pork soup too! ? Sword of Light: Well done. ? Ice Queen: Frozen!! You¡¯re amazing, Climber! ? Gutter Swordsman: You finished it faster than I expected. ? Elf Guy: You worked hard. ? Archmage: Don¡¯t let your guard down. Hard Mode gets insane from the second floor onward, and you¡¯re in Pandemonium Mode. Don¡¯t forget that. I won¡¯t let my guard down. I¡¯m just planning to smash through whatever comes my way. I ate the pork soup. Unlike her desperate request for a picture, Shrine Maiden left a weak comment saying she couldn¡¯t eat it just based on how it looked. Then, I headed toward the far end of the second floor¡¯s waiting room. A gray door stood before me, faint light seeping through its cracks. I grabbed the handle and opened it. Creak¡ª [Welcome to the Second Floor Stage of Pandemonium Mode.] The scenery was completely different from the first floor¡¯s simple dungeon. Towering gray walls. Armored warriors gathered in formation. Shouts echoing through the air. Before me was the battlefield of a siege war. [The second floor of Pandemonium Mode is a Quest-Type Stage.] Chapter 9: Siege Warfare (1) Someone was approaching me. A middle-aged man with a rough face and a short stature. I glanced at the text hovering above his head. [NPC ¨C Guard Unit Member] "Are you a conscripted soldier? Or a hired mercenary? Whatever the case, hurry up and get to the frontlines! There are too many orcs!" His tone was vivid and full of urgency. It felt strangely refreshing. Until now, the only NPCs I had encountered were corpses or dying people. This was the first time I was facing people who were still alive and well. I nodded and stepped forward. A massive wall loomed in front of me. Beyond that wall, a horde of orcs had gathered¡ªjust from a glance, they looked like a brutal, bloodthirsty lot. "This is supposed to be a quest-type stage, right?" The situation felt more like a defense mission. There had to be some kind of storyline tied to this battle. "Fire!" "Shoot!" I climbed up the wall, standing next to the soldiers sweating as they loosed their arrows. From up here, I had a clear view of the battlefield. A rain of arrows poured down from above. Fifty soldiers fired simultaneously. Whoosh! The air turned black with a dense shower of arrows. They pierced the orc warriors¡¯ heads and the gaps in their armor. "If this keeps up, they might break through." Even with the soldiers holding their ground, I couldn¡¯t help but think that. Because¡ª Boom! The orcs were pounding the fortress gate with massive siege rams. "Throw properly, damn it! Do you all want to die together?!" I turned to the side. Throwing spears. About thirty soldiers were hurling short spears designed for ranged attacks. "I put you there because you said you could throw! What the hell are you doing?!" I looked up at the man yelling at them. [NPC ¨C Guard Captain Baek] The first named NPC I¡¯d seen here. "I¡¯ll throw one." I reached for a short spear. Baek turned to look at me. His brows furrowed in a deep scowl. "We don¡¯t have enough spears to spare! If you¡¯ve never thrown one before, don¡¯t be reckless!" I ignored him. So what if it was reckless? I just had to throw it. Of course, I wasn¡¯t acting without a plan. The fundamentals were the same. What I did on the pitching mound¡ª The key was maximizing the chances of success. [Skill Activated: Enhanced Focus Lv.2] [Skill Activated: Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.1] Power surged through my body. My mind became sharper than ever. I planted my feet firmly on the ground. With my left hand, I aimed at the orc¡¯s heart, just below the shoulder. Then, I swung my right arm like a whip. The trajectory was the same as a fastball in a baseball game. Thwack! A sickening impact. The spear drove cleanly through the orc¡¯s chest, impaling its heart just below the shoulder. The orc staggered backward. Boom. It stumbled and collapsed. "...So you¡¯re not a rookie?" "That was someone who¡¯s thrown thousands of times." Guard Captain Baek and five other soldiers stared at me. Baek grabbed another spear and held it out to me. "K-Keep throwing." "Got it." One, two, three. I took a deep breath and hurled another spear. This time, it pierced an orc¡¯s skull. My arm trembled violently from the force. It felt exhilarating. The ones who survived after being hit were finished off by the soldiers¡¯ arrows. After I took down two more orcs, a ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã notification blocked my vision. [Level Up!] [Lv.3 ¡ú Lv.4] The experience from killing four orcs had pushed me to the next level. [Strength +5] [Agility +4] [Stamina +5] [Mana +2] I didn¡¯t even have time to check my status screen. Right after leveling up, I took down two more. But then, four of them¡ªdespite having spears buried in their bodies¡ªkept moving. The soldiers didn¡¯t seem too concerned about that part. "Whoa! That¡¯s some amazing skill!" "Hey, can you teach me? Are you a mercenary?" The number of soldiers watching me grew from five to over a dozen. But among all the human gazes, I felt something else mixed in. A beast-like glare. I turned my eyes downward. Far beyond the fortress, I could feel it staring at me. An orc who was clearly the leader of the horde. It was twice the size of the orcs around it. Had it gotten angry because I had cut down so many of its kind? "Sorry for being late. You held out well." A woman¡¯s voice. I turned to see a woman with navy blue hair stepping forward. "Oh, you¡¯re here! Resellin! This guy here gave us some breathing room." [NPC ¨C ''Lucerna'' Mercenary Captain Resellin] Seeing the nameplate, I was sure. This woman was the central figure of the quest. Other NPCs only had black name tags, but hers had a faint golden border. Resellin lowered her head slightly toward me. "Nice to meet you. This is our first time meeting, right? Captain Baek isn¡¯t the type to praise people easily¡ªthis is surprising." At her words, Baek suddenly burst out enthusiastically. "Quick! Show us that godlike throwing skill again!" They were making way too big of a deal out of this. I nodded and picked up another spear. Resellin¡¯s golden eyes followed my movement. Crack¡ª! The spear struck exactly where I aimed¡ªan orc¡¯s heart. Resellin¡¯s gaze intensified. "That was incredible." Her golden eyes studied me curiously. I took the chance to ask her something. "Just defending like this won¡¯t be enough. Some of us will have to go down and fight if we really want to drive them back." Resellin¡¯s response was immediate. "You¡¯re absolutely right. That¡¯s why our mercenary corps is preparing for a frontal assault." There wasn¡¯t an ounce of fear on her face. [Quest!] ¨C Assist ¡®Lucerna Mercenary Captain¡¯ Resellin in defending Kikleb Fortress.] As expected. Resellin was the main character of the second floor stage. "I want to go with you." At my words, Resellin smiled. "Thank you. With even one more person helping, our chances of driving those monsters back increase." Would it, though? The orc horde was massive, even from what I could see with my own eyes. Could just one extra person really change the odds? "Wait just a bit. We¡¯re still making preparations." "Understood." Resellin nodded again before swiftly walking away. I opened my status window. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Level: 4 Strength: 26Agility: 25Stamina: 24Mana: 12Skills:Pain Suppression Lv.3Composure Lv.2Concealment Lv.1Crisis Detection Lv.2Expanded Vision Lv.1Enhanced Focus Lv.2Warrior¡¯s Movements Lv.1Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.1After checking my status, I opened the Transcendent Gallery. I started typing. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [Title: Does anyone know about Mercenary Captain Resellin? Or the Lucerna Mercenary Corps?] [Author: ??*] I¡¯m on the second floor, and it¡¯s a quest-type stage. Seems like a siege battle. The monsters I¡¯ve encountered so far are orcs. Oh, and I threw some short spears to kill a few. Short spears are pretty nice, huh? Any known weak points for orcs?As always, the comments flooded in immediately. ? ??? Lucerna? ? The leader of the Lucerna Mercenary Corps isn¡¯t Resellin, it¡¯s Delisa. ? Absolute Monarch: That¡¯s right. Delisa is the commander of the Lucerna Mercenary Corps. ? Absolute Monarch: What does Resellin look like? ? ??*: Huh? Navy blue hair and golden eyes. ? Holy shit, no way... Hey, take a picture of that Resellin girl and upload it. ? Gutter Swordsman: That can¡¯t be Delisa. That can¡¯t be Delisa... ? Spear King: Hurry up and take a picture of her! Oh, and yeah, short spears are useful for both throwing and melee combat. But screw that, just take the picture. ? Absolute Monarch: She told me she would never forget me. ? Gutter Swordsman: She said the same to me. We watched the sunset together, and she said we¡¯d meet again. ? AH, FUCK!!!!! HEY! THE PICTURE!!!! What the hell is wrong with these guys? ? Sword of Light: Orcs don¡¯t have many weak points. You just have to cut them down. ? Archmage: Their only real weakness is that they¡¯re a bit stupid. ? Sword of Light: If you had to pick a weak spot, then the eyes¡ªbut that¡¯s true for most monsters. Only two people actually answered my question. But since these guys were so desperate to see Resellin¡¯s face, I figured I might as well take a picture. I approached Resellin. She bowed apologetically as I neared her. "Could you wait just a little longer?" I held up my Transcendent Gallery device. "Do you see what I¡¯m holding?" Resellin tilted her head in confusion. "Hmm? No, aren¡¯t your hands empty?" So she can¡¯t see the device. "Never mind. Just focus on your preparations." I brushed it off and moved away. Then, I reopened the Transcendent Gallery. [Title: Here, a picture of Resellin.] [Author: ??*] But seriously, why are you guys acting like this? [Attachment: 1000234523.jpg] (A photo of Resellin: a young woman with long navy blue hair, staring straight at the camera.)There was a brief moment of silence. Then, the comments exploded. ? ...Fuck. ? ...Wow. That bitch Delisa really abandoned me. ? Did you get NTR¡¯d? LOL LMAO I never got close to any NPCs, but these guys are hilarious. ? Absolute Monarch: Navy blue hair, golden eyes... She really is Delisa¡¯s daughter. ? It¡¯s like the sequel to my favorite story came out... Except the heroine got stolen. ? Ask her who her father is. ? Gutter Swordsman: Yes, please... ask her who her father is. ? Absolute Monarch: So she lied about never forgetting me. ? Holy shit, fuck!!! ? Gutter Swordsman, Monarch! Your lives are so tragic! But honestly, mine¡¯s no better... ? You guys should¡¯ve been emotionally detached, like me... Sniff. Sniff sniff... Fuck, I was in such a good mood after pulling off a perfect Scramble. Delisa, you goddamn bitch. ? Absolute Monarch: I remember her exact words. "If we ever meet again, let¡¯s kiss one more time." ? Dude, stop acting like an old man. ? ??*: So basically, during your climb, Delisa was the NPC you had an emotional bond with. And she ended up having a daughter¡ªResellin. ? Absolute Monarch: Yeah... That¡¯s exactly what happened. The Lucerna Mercenary Corps is a family-run group, so there¡¯s no doubt about it. ? ??*: Wait, but Monarch, aren¡¯t you a king? Don¡¯t you have a wife? Why are you like this? ? Absolute Monarch: It¡¯s different... The story of the real world and the story inside the tower are completely separate. ? ??*: Then why not just treat this as my tower story? Why act like this is some kind of sequel to your lives? ? That¡¯s just how humans are. ? Elf Guy: I agree with the Climber. What¡¯s wrong with you guys? ? Shut up, you damn elf! ? Climber, just ask her who her father is. ? ??*: I¡¯ll ask later. ? Spear King: Please, it¡¯s urgent. Urgent? Why the hell were these guys so desperate to know her father¡¯s name? They were throwing a tantrum because their tower storyline got ruined, and now they wanted to drag mine down with them. Just then, I saw Resellin walking toward me, fully armored. The old men in the gallery kept losing their minds, but I closed the Transcendent Gallery. "We¡¯re ready now. Ah, I haven¡¯t even asked for your name yet. Could you tell me?" I wondered if she¡¯d even understand it. But I didn¡¯t want to change it just to make it easier. In this harsh world, at the very least, I wanted my name to remain mine. "Yuseong. Han Yuseong." Resellin¡¯s face lit up with a bright smile. "Nice to meet you, Yuseong! After this battle, let¡¯s have a meal together." "Sure." She understood surprisingly well. A meal, huh... Would we even have the time? "Oh, take this." Resellin handed me something. A heavy sensation filled my left hand. It was a short spear. [Black Javelin] Category ¨C Weapon (Short Spear) Attack Power +29 Usable Level: 3 or higher Grade: C+ "It¡¯s a decent weapon. Good for both throwing and melee combat. I saw you were amazing with short spears, so consider it a gift." "Thanks." Nice. It¡¯d be perfect as a secondary weapon. I¡¯d keep this one for melee combat. Then, I went back to the pile of short spears, grabbed a few more, and stored them in my inventory for throwing. This was Pandemonium Mode. I had no idea what might happen. I needed to use every weapon at my disposal. "Let¡¯s go." At Resellin¡¯s command, the mercenaries, their faces grim, followed her. And I followed right behind them. Chapter 10: Siege Warfare (2) As I descended the stairs, the man ahead of me suddenly came to a halt. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of potion bottles, extending them toward me. "Take these. The commander told me to give them to you." There were five potions in total. "If it''s not enough, either find me while you''re still breathing or return to the fortress on your own." "Understood." Unlike Resellin, the leader of the Lucerna Mercenary Corps, this man spoke bluntly without hesitation. However, I didn''t find it unpleasant or offensive. He simply seemed to be taking the situation very seriously. [NPC - ''Lucerna Mercenary Corps Attack Captain'' Ed] Ed handed me some bandages as well. I opened my mouth to speak. "Do you think we can drive them back?" From a rough estimate, there were at least one hundred and fifty orcs. Ed, whose right eyebrow bore a noticeable scar, responded with a dispassionate tone. "For them to advance with such a number means that the Orc King intends to completely overrun this Kicrev stronghold. This isn¡¯t just a probing raid for minor pillaging. In a situation like this, it''s not our job to wipe out the entire orc army." He lowered his voice slightly as he continued. "Our job is to hold the line with hit-and-run tactics. Killing every last one of them and beheading the Orc King¡ªthat''s the knights¡¯ job when they arrive." I couldn¡¯t entirely agree with his words. Because there was one thing that neither Ed nor any other soldier here knew. This was Pandemonium Mode. I had finished arming myself. From the side, Resellin''s voice reached my ears. "Our role is to endure. Just like always. Yuseong, let¡¯s maintain our formation and hold the line together." Her words were almost identical to Ed¡¯s. It was a rational choice. "I''m sorry." But rationality wasn¡¯t the right answer for me. "I''ll do it my way." "What?" I walked past Resellin, who stared at me in confusion. The answer I had chosen was battle. I stepped forward with force. What the Sparring Golem Mk.2 had given me wasn''t just pain. It had erased my fear of this situation. It had wiped away my hesitation. I pulled a throwing spear from my inventory and gripped it in my right hand. KROOOOR!! I swung my arm and hurled the spear toward the head of the foremost orc. The spear pierced straight through the center of its forehead. Its massive body collapsed to the ground. An instant kill. That was one. Shing! I drew my straight sword and charged forward. Fast enough to slice through the wind. [Focused Enhancement Lv.2 ¨C Skill Activated.] Swish! An orc swung its axe downward in a vertical arc. I dodged by shifting my body sideways. As I slipped under its guard, I saw the momentary panic in its eyes. I drove my sword deep into its throat. Slick! Then I yanked my sword free and kicked the orc¡¯s abdomen. SPLASH! Blood sprayed in a wide arc. That was two. Nearby orcs all turned their attention toward me. I channeled the small reserve of mana sedimented at the bottom of my Manaheart throughout my body. Two orcs rushed at me simultaneously. Their thick, muscular legs and massive arms moved like battering rams. Their exposed, hardened chest muscles served as armor in their own right. Monsters. And I had to hunt every last one of them. [Mana Body Enhancement Lv.1 ¨C Skill Activated.] Power surged through my entire body. There was no reason to hold it back. WOOOOOOO!! The two orcs roared in unison, their cries bursting forth like thunder. A spear¡¯s trajectory flashed toward me, while an axe sliced through the air. THWACK! I twisted my foot and contorted my entire body in an instant. A maneuver made possible thanks to my Mana Body Enhancement. For a moment, I exceeded the limits of my physical abilities. Blind Spot. I had entered an angle where neither orc could properly respond. I extended my sword-wielding right arm. Dragon Slayer Sword Technique. Second Form. Hjartagnyr. The straight sword stabbed into the abdomen of the closer orc. As I withdrew the blade, I swept it horizontally in a slash. A deep diagonal gash opened on the first orc¡¯s body. The second orc¡¯s head¡ªalong with its right arm¡ªflew into the air. That was four. KWAARRRGH!! Another orc had already closed the distance. I hadn¡¯t seen it. I had been too focused on the two I just killed. A streak of silver flashed before my eyes. CRACK!! An axe slammed into my right shoulder. Even through my armor, a surge of pain exploded in my mind. My right arm went numb. But my body reacted instinctively. I twisted my position as I crossed paths with the orc. Its massive frame staggered slightly. I switched my sword to my left hand in an instant. Then, I struck. The orc was hit with a horizontal slash before it could react. I turned my body and drove my sword into its heart. And then, I pulled it out. [Level Up!] [Lv.4 ¡ú Lv.5] [Strength increased by 5.] [Agility increased by 4.] [Endurance increased by 6.] [Mana increased by 2.] In an instant, the exhaustion vanished. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The pain that had been gnawing at my shoulder completely disappeared. The rule was clear. When you level up, all wounds heal. I exhaled deeply. The lifeless bodies of orcs littered the ground. Puddles of blood had formed, staining the battlefield red. "......" The surrounding orcs had come to a standstill. ...Wait. Were they afraid? *** Resellin, the leader of the Lucerna Mercenary Corps, was dumbfounded. Since arriving at Kicrev Fortress, an autonomous city of the Ermein Empire, everything had been an endless series of absurd events. First, reinforcements still hadn¡¯t arrived. Second, the enemy¡ªan orc force numbering close to one hundred and fifty. And third, the young man who had just hurled a spear through an orc¡¯s skull and impaled another through the heart had casually told her he would be fighting on the frontlines alongside them. He could very easily die. His name was Yuseong. A youth who looked to be around twenty had introduced himself to her with that name¡ªa name that sounded fake no matter how she thought about it. Yet, after seeing him calmly throwing spears from atop the fortress walls, skewering orcs through their hearts and heads with precision, she had decided to set aside her doubts and welcome him. And then, he broke formation the moment the battle began¡ªand started slaughtering orcs on his own. With remarkable skill, no less. At first, the orcs had charged at him mindlessly. But now, all of a sudden, they had come to a complete stop. As if time itself had frozen. "They¡¯re intimidated by Yuseong¡¯s momentum." Resellin swallowed hard and adjusted her grip on her sword. KROOOOAAAAA!! The silence was shattered by the thunderous roar of a massive orc. It wasn¡¯t the Orc King, but it was clearly the commanding ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) officer of the battlefield. "The Orc Legion Commander." She recognized him. A warrior who carried a red banner, earning him the title "Red Legion Commander." The instant he let out a deafening battle cry, the stunned orcs snapped back to reality and resumed their charge toward Han. Yet he showed no signs of exhaustion. With a sword in his right hand and a spear¡ªone of her own spears¡ªin his left, he met their charge head-on. "Everyone, attack! CHAAAAARGE!!" At Resellin¡¯s command, the mercenaries raised their weapons and rushed toward the orc army. She had never planned for a full-scale battle. The goal had simply been to hold the line until the knights arrived. But now, that lunatic named Yuseong had stirred up the battlefield far too much. For the first time, Resellin considered a crazy thought¡ªthat maybe, just maybe, they could actually win this fight. ¡¾ Transcendent Gallery ¡¿ Meanwhile, most of the Transcendent Gallery users were still caught up in a heated debate about one pressing issue: "Who the hell was Delisa¡¯s husband?" Title: There''s no way Delisa¡¯s husband is Corbin, right? Author: Anonymous - There¡¯s no way I lost to some half-assed knight, right? No f*ing way.** ? Absolute Monarch) No way it¡¯s Corbin... It¡¯s gotta be one of the Seven Heroes. Either Voltas or Greven. ? No, think about it logically, Monarch. If she married one of the Seven Heroes, would she have made her daughter the mercenary leader? Be realistic. ? Spear King) That... actually makes a lot of sense. So it really might be Corbin or Fordran... ? Are we really about to witness a monarch getting NTR¡¯d by some random-ass knight? ? LMAO ? At least he¡¯s a knight. Imagine if it was just some random villager A. ? Gutter Swordsman) No, no, the more I think about it, the more pissed off I get. Feels like all my years of training were for nothing. Let¡¯s just drop this. ? Damn, even Gutter Swordsman¡¯s having an existential crisis lmao. ? Bro¡¯s actually spiraling. ? Pioneer) Yeah, this discussion¡¯s getting kinda pathetic. Let¡¯s move on. ? Climber) Nah, someone needs to ask about this. If we don¡¯t get an answer, we¡¯ll just keep spiraling into endless speculation. ? We need a hero to break the infinite cycle of delusions. Of course, other topics were also floating around. Title: How to get the #1 score on the Floor 2 stage as a Climber? Author: Archmage - Breaking the time record is basically impossible on Pandemonium Mode, so the only way is to rack up kills. ? Sword of Light) Yeah, kill count is the way to go. ? You lunatics are talking about rankings when people are out here dying. ? You can¡¯t understand hardcore completionists with a mere mortal¡¯s mind. ? Heavenly Demon) More importantly, once the cooldown on Climber¡¯s interdimensional trade resets, we should decide the next trade partner in advance. First come, first served. And since I¡¯m the one who brought this up, I get top priority. ? ...Wow, is this really Heavenly Demon? You sound broke as hell. ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawa, I don¡¯t think trades are limited to just floor lobbies! The cooldown will reset after the social event, so we should wait until Floor 3 to decide what to exchange! ? Heavenly Demon) ...Why the hell are you suddenly making sense? That doesn¡¯t suit you. First come, first served. ? Archmage) Shrine Maiden¡¯s got a point. We¡¯ll go with that. ? Ice Queen) FROZEN! I¡¯ll be watching for my chance to help Climber! ? Dragon King) Hueeuh, Beltui¡ªI''ve awakened from my winter slumber... What¡¯s going on? The gallery¡¯s more active than usual... ? Sword of Light) Go back to sleep. ? Dragon King) Beltui¡ªSo nice to see you again, Sword of Light, but you¡¯re scary... I won¡¯t sleep. ? Sword of Light) Die. And so, another peaceful day passed in the Transcendent Gallery. Chapter 11: Siege Warfare (3) I realized something. Up until now, the orcs I had been cutting down were weaklings in comparison. The larger their bodies, the more white tattoos covered their skin¡ªthe stronger they became. I had reached the point where landing three or four clean hits wasn¡¯t enough to kill them. The thick stench of blood dulled my sense of smell. Even when I swung my sword horizontally, they didn¡¯t die. Even when I stabbed into their guts, they didn¡¯t die. So I drew my black javelin and rammed it into their necks, twisting it violently. "KRAAAAGH!!" The screams of soldiers rang in my ears. My gaze and senses had already moved far away from the orc whose throat I had just cut open. In the distance, a massive orc was staring straight at me. An orc¡ªcarrying a red banner¡ªwith a personal attendant. That bastard had been fixated on me from the moment I started throwing spears from the fortress walls. He wanted to kill me. But I needed to kill him first. I cleaved off another orc¡¯s head before shifting my gaze. Resellin, the leader of the Lucerna Mercenary Corps, was proving she was no mere extra. She was still standing, her entire body soaked in blood, fighting relentlessly. A shield in her left hand. A spear in her right. Both weapons were coated in flesh and gore. With a cold, unreadable expression, she killed an orc and walked toward me. "Yuseong." She came to my side, lifting her one-handed shield to cover her torso. "That orc¡ªthe one standing behind the red banner¡ªyou shouldn''t approach him. He¡¯s the Orc Legion Commander." Legion Commander. So that¡¯s what he was. The massive orc I had just locked eyes with. The problem was, I had already decided to fight him. "I¡¯ll kill the Legion Commander. Just help me get through the mob¡ªI¡¯m a bit outnumbered." Resellin frowned slightly. "...Did you even listen to what I just said?" I spoke in a low voice. "Does this look like a situation where reinforcements are coming?" Resellin let out a long sigh. "Of course not. If they were coming, they should''ve been here by now. If they still haven¡¯t arrived, that means something''s gone wrong." "If I kill that Legion Commander, this whole situation might come to an end. At the very least, it¡¯ll buy us two days." "You¡¯re not wrong... but the way you say it, like you¡¯re just taking a casual stroll, is what¡¯s throwing me off." Resellin clicked her tongue and raised her shield forward. "You¡¯re serious?" "I am. Do you have a mana potion?" "I do." She didn¡¯t seem particularly surprised that I could use mana. After watching me wreak havoc like this, she probably assumed there was no way I wasn¡¯t using mana. She handed me a blue liquid-filled potion with an expression somewhere between bewilderment and disapproval. "You¡¯re strong, Yuseong, I¡¯ll give you that... but you don¡¯t seem strong enough to kill a Legion Commander." Hmm. A brutally honest and slightly disappointing assessment. "You¡¯re right. But I¡¯ll give it a shot anyway." "Most people don¡¯t bet their lives just to ¡®give something a shot¡¯..." If I stayed put, the rest of the orc horde would eventually overrun us, and we¡¯d all be swept away and slaughtered. But if I killed the Legion Commander, the Stage 2 battle might end right then and there. Of course... my instincts told me that wouldn¡¯t be the case. When I had faced Queen Antsranthrope, a name had appeared over her head. This time, no name had appeared over the Legion Commander. Which meant there was likely something stronger above him. I glanced at the 80 remaining soldiers, barely holding back the orc invasion like a fragile barrier against the tide. A wall of shields formed a narrow vertical line, pushing against the onslaught. Through the gaps between the shields, countless spears struck forward. But none of them could land fatal blows. The soldiers in the frontlines were dying one by one. Screams. The sound of flesh being torn apart. NPCs. And I had no idea what would happen when I reached the next floor. Hell, I wasn¡¯t even sure if I could clear this floor. But even if this was the last stage in the current chapter, I didn¡¯t want to watch any more soldiers die. I admitted it. I was in an extremely emotional state. Maybe it was because, after seeing so many NPCs die, I had spent this battle fighting alongside people who were still alive. GULP¡ª I chugged the blue mana potion. I had just reached Player Level 6 by killing another orc. With the +4 Mana stat increase, my total Mana stat had risen to 16. As a result, my Mana Body Enhancement skill had also reached Level 2. I had completely lost count of how many orcs I had killed by now. I did remember one thing, though. It had taken over twenty orc kills just to level up from 5 to 6. "...Are you really going through with this?" "Yes." Resellin, still unsure, gave me one last chance to back down. Then, she ordered fifteen mercenaries to form up around me. All of them were Lucerna mercenaries. Despite the chaotic battle, Resellin spoke calmly¡ªlike a true commander. Her voice carried the same firm authority as when she had ordered the mercenaries to charge. "Formation: Assault Spearhead. Our primary objective¡ªprotect Yuseong." At her words, all fifteen soldiers turned their eyes toward me. Even Attack Captain Ed, who had spoken to me earlier, was among them. "I don¡¯t need protection." Everyone looked at me, dumbfounded. "I¡¯ll be taking point." "You¡¯re actually going through with this." Resellin smirked and pointed forward with her chin. "Fine. At this point, retreat isn¡¯t an option anymore. If we keep dragging this out, we¡¯ll just get wiped out. We might as well take a reckless gamble." The Lucerna Mercenary Corps raised their shields in unison. At the front of the charge, I swung my sword, cutting down the orcs in our way. "EVERYONE SURVIVES!" "RAISE YOUR SHIELDS HIGH AND BLOCK THEIR CHARGE COMPLETELY! STRIKE THEIR OPENINGS WITH YOUR SPEARS!" Attack Captain Ed¡¯s roar echoed across the battlefield. A well-trained charge formation¡ªsystematic, relentless. Orcs bled and fell, unable to stop the mercenaries¡¯ advance. I had just finished cutting down a particularly hideous orc. Then¡ª A massive shadow loomed over Ed¡¯s body as he took a step forward to intercept another enemy. A face. A vicious, monstrous face. ¡ªThe Orc Legion Commander. The Legion Commander had been standing in the back just moments ago. Yet now, he was right beside me. KWAANG! His massive fist crashed into Ed¡¯s torso. Ed¡¯s body caved inward from the impact, almost as if it had been crushed. Somewhere behind me, I heard Resellin scream his name in anguish. Every nerve in my body tensed. WHOOSH¡ª! I grabbed Ed¡¯s collar and yanked him back, hurling him away from the immediate danger. I had no idea if he¡¯d survive, but at least I had bought him a chance. From that moment on, the only thing in my vision was the Legion Commander. A towering mass of muscle. A presence so overwhelming it sent shivers down my spine. The Orc Legion Commander. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Standing before him, I briefly wondered if I had hit my head somewhere. [Focused Enhancement Lv.3 ¨C Skill Activated.] Because instead of fear, I wanted to see how this would play out. [Mana Body Enhancement Lv.2 ¨C Skill Activated.] The Legion Commander slowly raised his arm. Lifting his massive battle axe, he took a step¡ªthen charged forward. His glowing red eyes gleamed with menace. For such a gigantic body, his acceleration was absurdly fast. No wonder Ed had been crushed so easily. BOOM! His axe came down in a vertical smash, carrying the full weight of his monstrous body. I met it with my sword. Dragon Slayer Sword Technique ¨C Libra. The First Form of Sword Defense ¨C Balancing the Blade and Body. The ground beneath me cracked, but my sword {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} held firm. The Legion Commander gripped the handle of his axe with both hands. KROOOAAAAA!! With a thunderous roar, he began swinging his axe relentlessly. A storm of gray slashes filled the air, as if trying to erase my existence. Offense is the best defense. Rather than blocking with sword defense, I counterattacked with equal force. Strands of my hair were sliced off, drifting through the air. A diagonal slash. If I had twisted my head even slightly less, I would have been beheaded. I poured every basic technique of the Dragon Slayer Sword Technique into my strikes. Blood sprayed from the Legion Commander¡¯s throat. Yet he still didn¡¯t fall. His neck was too thick. So was his waist. The hide and muscles covering his chest acted like natural armor, shielding his heart. In contrast, my body was still too weak. Even with Libra, I was barely blocking fatal blows. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! I twisted the trajectory of my straight sword. But¡ª SLASH. It wasn¡¯t enough. A searing pain erupted in my left shoulder, beyond anything I had felt before. Blood poured down in thick streams. CLANG! Even as consciousness blurred, I swung my sword, deflecting the next axe strike. [Status Effect ¨C Bleeding!] Was this... how I died? It was too absurd to accept. Had I lost too much blood? Instead of pain, everything felt numb. On the brink of unconsciousness, I kept moving, blocking on instinct alone. One more hit. If I let just one more hit land, I would die. [Skill ¡®Composure¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.3] One more chance. Just one more. I wasn¡¯t praying for a miracle. [Skill ¡®Fighter¡¯s Movement¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.3] I just needed to prove¡ª [Skill ¡®Fighter¡¯s Movement¡¯ has triggered a linked skill.] ¡ªthat everything I had built up wasn¡¯t meaningless. [Doombringer Lv.1 ¨C Skill Acquired.] It had arrived. [Due to Critical ¡®Bleeding¡¯ Status, Doombringer is activating.] [Your body is temporarily surpassing its limits.] This was one of the reasons why ¡®Sword of Light¡¯ had written in his manual that acquiring ¡®Fighter¡¯s Movement¡¯ was crucial. A special condition-activated skill¡ªDoombringer. Sword of Light) The ultimate last-ditch effort. The best and final struggle.A skill often seen in fighting games. A mechanic where a fighter becomes stronger when on the verge of death. That was how I understood it. My joints creaked. But my mind had never been clearer. I was fully aware¡ªI had at most twenty seconds. If I exceeded that limit, my life would be forfeit. I swung my sword. Horizontal Slash¡ªThursahogg. The attack finally landed, piercing through the Legion Commander¡¯s armor. Hjartagnyr. Drakabani. Tres Puncturai. I unleashed every single sword technique my body remembered. And then¡ª Thursahogg, once again. A flash of steel severed the Legion Commander¡¯s waist. His massive frame began to tilt sideways. And then¡ª THUD. His body collapsed to the ground. Chapter 12: Siege Warfare (4) The limp body of the Orc Legion Commander lay motionless before me. The problem was... my own body wasn¡¯t in great shape either. I felt like my entire being had been shattered into pieces. My consciousness flickered¡ª And then, surged back to life. [Level Up!] [Lv.6 ¡ú Lv.8] [Strength increased by 11.] [Agility increased by 11.] [Endurance increased by 12.] [Mana increased by 8.] Two levels at once. Even when I had killed Queen Antsranthrope, the Stage 1 Boss, that hadn¡¯t happened. Yet a Legion Commander, who wasn¡¯t even a floor boss, had granted me two levels? It was clear now. If I hadn¡¯t unlocked Doombringer, I would have died for certain. For now, I hadn¡¯t reached the stat growth plateau. I didn¡¯t even bother opening my status window. Because I could feel it. The stares. Not just from orcs, but from humans as well¡ª Looking at me like I was some kind of monster. BWOOOOOO! A warhorn echoed across the battlefield. The orcs began retreating like a receding tide. I managed to kill two more with my throwing spear. Another fell to my sword before I stopped. The remaining orcs had mounted massive war boars and were already fleeing. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess why. Their leader was dead. They had no reason to keep fighting. And yet¡ª Why hadn¡¯t the Stage 2 battle ended? Pandemonium Mode. This goddamn difficulty. I glanced down at the Orc Legion Commander¡¯s corpse. After all that effort, there wasn¡¯t much I could salvage from him. His axe was far too massive for me to wield properly. I hated weapons that didn¡¯t suit me. Instead, I shifted my gaze to his belt. Oh. Now that was useful. A one-handed axe¡ªsomething I could use. I ripped it off his belt and stored it in my inventory. Since the terminal was invisible to NPCs, I wasn¡¯t about to miss my chance. I took a photo of the Legion Commander¡¯s corpse¡ª And put my terminal away. A presence approached. "Yuseong." The voice belonged to Resellin. She scanned me from head to toe, her eyes narrowing slightly. During the fight, it had looked like I was barely holding on¡ª But now that it was over, I seemed completely fine. "...Are you injured anywhere?" Yes. I had been. But now, not a single wound remained. "Just as you said¡ªafter killing the Legion Commander, the orcs are retreating. Let¡¯s head inside the fortress." "Understood." As we passed through the fortress gates, I felt the weight of every gaze on me. Then again, I had felt it ever since I killed the Legion Commander. I shifted my focus to the corner of my vision. Days until the Exchange Gathering: 5. There was plenty of time left, but in just a few days, I¡¯d start feeling the pressure. For now, at least, it seemed like no more orcs or monsters would be appearing today. This needed to be finished within three days¡ªat most. I turned my attention back to Resellin, who was finally setting her weapons down. "By the way, what was the name of the previous commander of the Lucerna Mercenary Corps?" "...That¡¯s sudden." Resellin blinked at me. Yeah. It was an odd question. But I figured I had earned the right to ask, considering what I had just pulled off. At the very least, I had proven I wasn¡¯t some random idiot. "I think I¡¯ve heard of the Lucerna Mercenary Corps somewhere before." I added a bit of fluff to my words to make them sound less suspicious. "The previous commander was Delisa. My mother." Oh. That explained why she had taken charge so naturally. "We were a fairly well-known mercenary corps. Though most of our reputation comes from the glory of the past. These days, my mother¡¯s just relaxing back home." One of the nearby mercenaries let out a bitter chuckle. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "Compared to how things were back then, it¡¯s only natural that we feel pathetic. I mean, we used to have the Great Hero Helion with us." The man, sporting an impressive mustache, suddenly bowed his head toward Resellin. "My apologies, Commander. That was out of line." Even though he was clearly older than her, he still respected her authority as the mercenary leader. Not that it seemed to bother Resellin. "It¡¯s fine. My father¡¯s death wasn¡¯t recent. I was ten years old when it happened." Helion. I engraved that name into my memory. I¡¯d have to ask the Gallery about it later. But there was one more thing I had forgotten to ask. "Is Ed alright?" Resellin let out a quiet sigh before nodding. "He¡¯s receiving treatment. Thanks to you, he¡¯s alive." I scratched the back of my head. "I thought I might¡¯ve shoved him too hard." Resellin shook her head. "If you hadn¡¯t, he would¡¯ve died. He¡¯s grateful." She gestured toward a tent nearby. Lifting the flap slightly, I caught a glimpse of Ed, fast asleep. His torso was wrapped in bandages, his breathing steady. It didn¡¯t feel right to disturb him. After everything that had happened, I had been given a private tent near the fortress walls. Probably as a sign of respect after I killed the Legion Commander. I lay down inside the sleeping bag. Thanks to leveling up, all of my physical wounds had healed completely. But it hadn¡¯t restored my mental exhaustion. Not that I had expected it to. If leveling up suddenly made me feel amazing after such a brutal battle, that would have been even weirder. I had intended to open the Gallery¡ª But there was something I needed to check first. My status window. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Lv.8 Strength: 47 Agility: 45 Endurance: 46 Mana: 26 Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.3Composure Lv.3Cover Lv.1Danger Detection Lv.2Expanded Vision Lv.1Focused Enhancement Lv.2Fighter¡¯s Movement Lv.3Mana Body Enhancement Lv.2Doombringer Lv.1Considering I had entered Floor 2 at Level 3, my growth was insane. Was it because I was in Pandemonium Mode? Or was this just how things were? I¡¯d have to ask the Gallery to find out. I pulled out my terminal and opened the Transcendent Gallery. Title: Guys, I just killed an Orc Legion Commander. But... does this thing normally appear on Floor 2? Author: Anonymous (??)* - I was this close to dying. Barely managed to kill it. But the craziest part? The Legion Commander wasn¡¯t even the boss. The stage didn¡¯t end after I killed it. WTF lmao. Comments flooded in like a storm. ? ? ? ?? ? What kind of bulls* is this?** ? ???? ? Why the hell is a Legion Commander on Floor 2 lmao. ? Why? Because it¡¯s Pandemonium, dumbass. ? The world basically told you to f* off and die, and yet you survived. Respect.** **? Pioneer) Hm... Pandemonium really is a different beast. I didn¡¯t see a Legion Commander until Floor 5. ? Sword of Light) It can appear on Floor 2 in Hard Mode. I even wrote that in my appendix. Hmph, I see you didn¡¯t read carefully. Oh. I vaguely remembered that list of potential Floor 2 monsters. But back then, I was too busy getting my ass kicked by that training golem you sent me. Maybe I should start asking the Gallery for enemy lists ahead of time from Floor 3 onward. ? Hard Mode is fed too. I played on Normal, and even then, Legion Commanders didn¡¯t show up until Floor 12. I nearly s** myself when I saw one.** ? You saw that thing on Floor 2?! And you killed it?! Bro, what the actual f*.** ? Told you, he¡¯s got insane talent. For a 21st-century Earthling, at least. **? Archmage) Like I said before¡ªthe system only summons enemies that are theoretically clearable. Honestly? That sounded like bulls* right now. I had barely made it through alive. ? Sword of Light) Well done. ? ??) Would¡¯ve died without your advice. If I hadn¡¯t unlocked Doombringer, I would¡¯ve been split in half.* ? Sword of Light) Oh? So you obtained Doombringer, huh? My eye for talent is as sharp as ever. ? You got Doombringer?! On Floor 2?! Holy s*... that¡¯s actually insane.** ? ??) Isn¡¯t Doombringer just a linked skill you get automatically when Fighter¡¯s Movement reaches Level 3?* ? Lol, nope~~. **? On Easy and Normal, Fighter¡¯s Movement is already super rare. The top 1% of players might unlock it, but even if they reach Level 3, none of them get Doombringer. ? Pioneer) Even on Hard Mode, plenty of players unlock Fighter¡¯s Movement, but almost none of them get Doombringer just from leveling it up. Wait. So Doombringer wasn¡¯t a guaranteed unlock? ? ??) You don¡¯t have it?* ? Pioneer) Nope. I unlocked Fighter¡¯s Movement and maxed it out at Level 10, but I still didn¡¯t get Doombringer. ? Archmage) There¡¯s no such thing as a guaranteed skill acquisition inside the Tower. Even if two people experience the exact same conditions, what they gain from it differs. With my head somewhat clearer, I realized¡ª I held the answer to one of the Gallery¡¯s biggest ongoing debates. Title: Found out Resellin¡¯s father¡¯s name. Author: Anonymous (??)* - His name was Helion. Do you guys know him? For a moment, silence. And then¡ª ? LOL CONGRATULATIONS, IT¡¯S A COMMONER! **? At least he wasn¡¯t just a random knight lmao. He was one of the Seven Heroes. ? Yeah, but he was still a commoner. Nobility >>>>>>> Peasant blood. **? Absolute Monarch) ...Fine. Helion was worthy of respect. ? LMAO why do you sound like a father giving his daughter away instead of some tragic war hero. ? Bro, not just Monarch, but everyone¡ªEasy, Normal, and Hard Mode players all took an L. Why are you guys acting so chill about it? **? For real. Some of y¡¯all talking like you weren¡¯t part of the losing side. **? Spear King) [N O V E L I G H T] It wasn¡¯t losing. It was just the natural flow of life. A fated meeting and parting. ? Shut the hell up, dude. ? Gutter Swordsman) Is Helion and Delisa... still alive and doing well? ? Bro... ? Gutter, stop. It¡¯s just sad now. **? Gutter Swordsman) I was just asking. ? ??) Delisa is back home, so I guess she¡¯s doing fine. Helion died when Resellin was 10.* ? ...Huh. ? Wait, what? ? Damn. That sucks. **? Yeah, well... it¡¯s a known rule in Tower scenarios¡ªgood people don¡¯t live long. ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawa, I fought alongside Helion before against the demons... I hope he found peace in the afterlife. ? So, Gutter... were you asking if he was alive, or just if he was doing well? ? Gutter Swordsman) ...The second one. ? Absolute Monarch) So Helion is gone... Delisa must be lonely. ? BRO, ALL OF YOU, STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD. MY VIEW OF YOU GUYS IS GETTING WARPED. Yeah. I agreed with that last comment. Title: So, how rare is it to see a Legion Commander on Floor 2 in Hard Mode? Author: Anonymous (??)* ? Absolute Monarch) I never saw one. ? Archmage) It appeared, but it was the boss for that floor. ? Sword of Light) Yeah. It was the Floor 2 boss when I fought it. **? Dragon King) Beltui¡ªI also saw a Legion Commander on Floor 2, but he was a boss monster. So in Hard Mode, Legion Commanders only appeared as bosses. This goddamn Pandemonium Mode. But one name caught my eye. Dragon King? ? ??) Who the hell are you?* ? Dragon King) Beltui¡ªI am a dragon awakened from hibernation. Nice to meet you, Pandemonium. Alright, so we¡¯re dealing with at least one more major enemy on this floor. ? ??) So what kind of boss can we expect on Floor 2? Anything above the Legion Commander?* ? Archmage) Orc Grand Warrior, Orc Shaman. There¡¯s also an Orc King, but that one probably won¡¯t show up. ? Sword of Light) If it¡¯s a Grand Warrior, you¡¯ll have to kill it the same way you killed the Legion Commander. ? Archmage) If it¡¯s a Shaman, having a mage on your side would make things a lot easier. But most NPC mages at this level don¡¯t know the right countermeasures. If you teach them, though, they¡¯ll use it. A Third-Rank Mage should be enough. ? ??) Oh? Alright, tell me.* Archmage gave me some tips on how to deal with a Shaman, assuming I had a mage nearby. Which I didn¡¯t. But I¡¯d figure something out. ? ??) But aren¡¯t mages usually super stubborn? What if they don¡¯t believe me?* ? Archmage) Then just beat them up until they listen. He didn¡¯t even hesitate. Why the hell does a guy called ¡®Archmage¡¯ seem to hate other mages? ? Archmage) If you can¡¯t convince someone with logic, use force. Yeah. That wasn¡¯t a general rule. That was just his personality. Chapter 13: Siege Warfare (5) The first day of the siege defense passed without any major incidents. Crunch¡ª Well, unless you count the fact that they gave us this ridiculously tough jerky for a meal. If that counts as an anomaly, then sure. At least the stew was decent, so I could stave off my hunger for now. The sun had completely set, and darkness had fallen. From atop the walls and below, the torches cast flickering light near the guards standing watch in their respective zones. I used the moment to organize my thoughts. I figured I might as well just go to sleep. But before I knew it, my hand had already reached for my terminal. Lying in my sleeping bag and browsing the gallery? Yeah, I couldn¡¯t resist. I already had a topic ready to throw out. Title: If Resellin is right, the knight reinforcements should arrive tomorrow. Any unexpected variables to watch out for? Author: ??* Not sure if they¡¯ll bring a mage with them, but at the very least, there shouldn¡¯t be any unnecessary friction, right?? Friction is guaranteed, lmao. ? Tower rule: If you expect something bad, it almost always happens. ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawa, I cannot deny it. ? If the orcs showed up in those numbers, then they probably sent at least a Third-Rank Knight. ? Archmage) They probably brought at least one mage too. ? Archmage) Quest-type floors always have unexpected variables. Usually, the mission involves killing monsters, but sometimes, an NPC completely unrelated to the quest might end up getting killed instead. ? ??) ?? Isn¡¯t that way too much of a stretch? Weren¡¯t you just saying earlier that I should try to get a mage under my control?* ? Archmage) I meant that you should set things up appropriately. Make sure the scenario is one you can survive. ? Archmage) What kind of area are you in right now? A territory or what? Oh, I hadn¡¯t mentioned that yet. ? ??) The system initially told me it was an autonomous city. ? Archmage) Then the knights¡¯ influence shouldn¡¯t be that strong. They don¡¯t have much of a political backing to lean on. ? Archmage) What about the existing forces? If you stir things up a bit, will they take your side? I thought about it for a moment before replying. ? ??) It¡¯s a bit ambiguous. Even if I act up a little, I don¡¯t think they¡¯d become outright hostile. ? Archmage) Then go ahead and make a move. Just keep an eye on the situation as it unfolds. Even if it wasn¡¯t an autonomous city, the Lucerna Mercenary Corps'' reputation is different from ordinary mercenaries. Even knights won¡¯t be able to treat them lightly. Plus, the elder members of the corps hold a solid position in the world, even if they aren¡¯t physically present right now. ? ??) Actually, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been curious about. For all the name value the Lucerna Mercenary Corps carries, why do they feel kind of weak? Even Resellin doesn¡¯t seem that much stronger than me. ? That¡¯s because Resellin¡¯s bloodline takes a long time to mature. ? Pioneer) More than that, it¡¯s because Resellin is an NPC who¡¯s meant to climb the tower alongside you. She¡¯s not a one-time encounter but a growth-based NPC. ? That¡¯s the real reason, yeah. Even if you don¡¯t see her again on the third floor, you¡¯ll probably run into her at least once more before the tenth. By then, she¡¯ll have grown to match your level¡ªor at least somewhere in that range. So that¡¯s how it worked. If I was going to have a climbing partner anyway, I¡¯d rather it be some strong veteran who could carry me through everything. Guess that meant I had to abandon the idea of getting a free ride. The conversation shifted back to how we should handle the knight reinforcements if friction occurred. ? Ice Queen) If they pick a fight, make sure to smack them around properly and establish order! Don¡¯t show any fear! Freeze them solid!! ...Hmm. From the way she¡¯d been talking up until now, I thought she was some kind of pacifist. Guess she wasn¡¯t so peace-loving after all. Maybe it was impossible to clear Hard Mode without losing a bit of sanity. ? Dragon King) Beltui¡ªdoesn¡¯t really matter even if you half-kill them. ? Dragon King) Based on Beltui¡¯s experience, if they hold the same position as climbers, then there¡¯s a high chance they won¡¯t be able to do anything noteworthy anyway. Or maybe I should say, they¡¯re just incapable of it? That reasoning was disturbingly convincing. That was the real problem¡ªit actually made sense. ? Sword of Light) If an Orc Legion Commander has appeared, then they¡¯ll definitely send a Third-Rank Knight. ? ??) How strong is a Third-Rank Knight? Are they a big deal? ? From your perspective, yeah, they¡¯d count as strong. ? Sword of Light) If you compare it to knight ranks, you¡¯re basically at the Second-Rank. Your total mana capacity is still at the level of a First-Rank, but... you can¡¯t really call someone who killed a Legion Commander a mere First-Rank. Then Sword of Light went on to explain what Second-Rank knights generally were. They could manipulate mana, but they couldn¡¯t manifest aura on their blades. Knights who relied purely on physical enhancement for combat fell into the Second-Rank category. ? Sword of Light) Starting from the Third-Rank, knights gain the ability to generate sword aura. ? Absolute Monarch) Some knights never manage to awaken that ability and remain stuck in the Second-Rank for life. ? ??) So if they can use ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) sword aura, does that mean I have no chance against them? ? Sword of Light) The sword aura of a Third-Rank Knight is highly unstable. There are times when it¡¯s actually better not to use it. Their martial arts are also incomplete at that stage. ? Sword of Light) If you had fully mastered Dragon Slayer Sword the way I described, you could overcome the gap using just swordsmanship... But you haven¡¯t been able to dedicate that much time to training, have you? ? Wait, is it actually possible to make up for sword aura with pure technique? That sounds ridiculous. ? Lmao, it probably looks that way to a newbie. But didn¡¯t you see how that climber killed the Legion Commander without even using sword aura? That proves Sword of Light¡¯s point. ? Why does this guy keep projecting himself onto the climber and Sword of Light? Another peaceful day in the gallery. Sword of Light didn¡¯t seem to care about the comments responding to his messages. ? Sword of Light) So when you have to fight a Third-Rank Knight¡ªwhen you¡¯re up against an opponent who¡¯s stronger than you¡ªwhat do you do to win? That¡¯s what you¡¯re wondering, right? Exactly. Sword of Light told me how. *** The next morning. The unexpected happened immediately. Before I could even wake up on my own. Suddenly, the surroundings became noisy. "Come out, the one who supposedly killed the Orc Legion Commander." What the hell. The tent flap was yanked open. Two men in full plate armor stood there, looking quite impressive. That¡¯s what they called full plate mail, right? The blond-haired man gestured with his chin toward the longsword I had propped against the wall. "Pick up your sword." The knight drew the sword from his waist. "You must prove it. Prove that you were the one who killed the Orc Legion Commander." [NPC - Third-Rank Knight William] Third-Rank. I recalled what I had heard about Third-Rank knights in the gallery. A swordsman who could channel aura into their blade. A swordsman capable of manifesting sword energy. The stage where one begins to be recognized as a true powerhouse. The method Sword of Light had told me to use against a Third-Rank knight was simple and straightforward. And because it was simple, it was also crude. Sword of Light) Use footwork. The first time someone encounters it, they won¡¯t be able to react properly.''Footwork, my ass.'' Calling it footwork was a stretch when all I had was basic mana body enhancement. It was just a fancy way of saying, Hit first. Well, I¡¯d been dragged into this. According to the Hard Mode veterans, this was bound to turn into a contest of strength anyway. Would it be beneficial or detrimental if I made a scene now? I quickly scanned William¡¯s surroundings. A blond-haired mage caught my eye. [NPC - Third-Rank Mage Yunes] A mage. Also Third-Rank. The Archmage¡¯s comments popped into my mind. As long as I seized the initiative, this could be quite the useful card to play. I could screw over William, who had picked a fight with me. And I could make sure the mage was cooperative enough to be useful. "Don¡¯t make me say it again. Or are you admitting that your victory against the Orc Legion Commander was nothing but sheer luck?" While I was organizing my thoughts, William spoke again. I spread mana throughout my body. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "For someone who arrived late, you sure are acting arrogant." William¡¯s forehead immediately scrunched up. "...What did you say?" "The Orc Legion Commander I killed. That was supposed to be your job, wasn¡¯t it? I risked my life to take him down for you. So why are you taking it out on me?" Pure rage erupted on William¡¯s face. "...A lowly commoner." Oh, great. He was going to draw his sword, wasn¡¯t he? Sword energy. The way to counter it was simple. Attack before he could unsheathe his sword. I slammed my foot into the ground. Before William¡¯s right hand could reach for the sword at his waist¡ª I stretched my right hand wide and grabbed hold of my target as best as I could. My target was William¡¯s shoulder. Half-beating him to a pulp would be excessive. A simple throw to startle him should do. William¡¯s body tilted. Bang! I slammed him straight into the ground. "Arghhh!" Flat on his back, William flailed, glaring at me in disbelief. "Why couldn¡¯t you dodge that?" Third-Rank Knight. Was he really one? William gritted his teeth and tried to spring back up. But he had already crossed the line. I tripped him again. And followed up with a light punch to the abdomen. "Guh!" It seemed getting knocked down was so unexpected that he didn¡¯t even think to counter. ...At this rate, Dragon King¡¯s theory about knights in similar positions being unable to perform was turning out to be true. Shing! "You bastard...!" The two Second-Rank knights and three soldiers who had come with William drew their swords. At least they stepped in for their superior. That was reassuring. As William, still half-pressed to the ground, reached for his sword, Resellin, standing in front of him, stomped her foot down hard. Thud¡ª William, his face now beet red with fury, and his men all turned their attention to Resellin. "That¡¯s enough. The battle against the orcs isn¡¯t over yet. The priority right now isn¡¯t this pointless fight but preparing for the next one." Resellin had stepped forward. "You weren¡¯t sent here to waste time like this, were you?" Despite the soldiers¡¯ hostile stares, Resellin remained unfazed. Loud footsteps echoed as soldiers hurriedly climbed the stairs. A panting soldier, breath ragged, barely managed to catch his breath before reporting. "The orcs are crossing the defensive line again." "Enemies that weren¡¯t previously visible have appeared. It looks like there¡¯s an Orc Shaman among them!" Urgent news rang in my ears. Resellin clicked her tongue. "See? This isn¡¯t the time for infighting. If you want to fight, do it after everything¡¯s settled." Maybe it was because their leader, William, was still sprawled out on the ground. The knights and soldiers in the standoff had no response to Resellin¡¯s words. I checked my gear and descended the stairs. Leaving behind William, still screaming his lungs out, I made my way down to the base of the wall. I drew my sword. Resellin stood beside me. I glanced at her and spoke. "An Orc Shaman. Are you sure?" Resellin slowly nodded. "One of my rangers confirmed it. An orc in an extreme frenzy." Orc Shaman. Just as Sword of Light and the Archmage had predicted. According to their descriptions, an Orc Shaman couldn¡¯t resurrect the dead like a necromancer, but they could push orcs on the brink of death into an even stronger berserk state. My gaze shifted to Yunes, the mage, who was descending the stairs with a tense expression. "I¡¯ll be taking that mage." "Huh?" "Huh?" Both Resellin and Yunes reacted at the same time. "I¡¯ve got a use for him." "W-Wait, what about my opinion?!" Yunes looked like he was about to cry. Chapter 14: Siege Warfare (6) I grabbed Yunes by the right hand and pulled him to stand beside me. "Let¡¯s go hunt the shaman." "...I was ordered to follow Sir William." Yunes stared at me with his blue eyes, as if trying to bore a hole through me. "You saw it just now. He¡¯s useless." Yunes¡¯ arms trembled as he looked at me. "...If this is considered desertion and I get punished, will you take responsibility for it?" Why would I? Not exactly the best thing to say out loud, though. "You only need to think about the results. As long as we take down the shaman, there¡¯s no reason for you to be punished. I have a foolproof method." Yunes¡¯ eyes widened. "Y-You really have a foolproof method?" As if. I was just trying to get him to come along, one way or another. According to the Archmage, half of it depended on the mage¡¯s own ability. "Yes. It will definitely succeed." "...Alright, then." Oh. It worked. A lie spoken with conviction. Rustle¡ª I opened my inventory and pulled out a potion bottle filled with the blood of the Orc Legion Commander, which I had collected yesterday. After the Archmage told me about a way to track the Orc Shaman, the first thing I did was ask Resellin where they had placed the Legion Commander¡¯s corpse. To prove that I had actually killed him, the soldiers had gone so far as to haul the body into storage by cart, so I had been able to extract some of his blood. Orc Legion Commander¡¯s blood and flesh. That was all I needed. "H-Hik!" Yunes let out a strange noise at the sight of the thick chunk of flesh and the blood-filled bottle. "W-What are you planning to do with those...?" His lips quivered. "Do you know tracking magic?" Yunes gave a hesitant nod. "I suppose... I know some basics. Tracking magic that uses blood as a medium does exist. But at my level, the Third-Rank spell Sanguis Revelare can only track the specific individual whose blood it is. It can¡¯t trace an entire species. That would require much higher-tier magic, at least Fifth- or Sixth-Rank." That was exactly what the Archmage had told me. "But this will work. At least for the Orc Shaman." "What?" "If you properly cast a magic that awakens the residual traces of the shaman¡¯s spell imprinted ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) in the blood, you¡¯ll be able to track the location of the shaman who cast it." Yunes stared at me in a daze. "I heard that only orcs retain traces of magic in their blood even after death. If it¡¯s a Legion Commander, he must have had plenty of spells imprinted on him by the Orc Shaman." It was a curious mix of disbelief and fascination. "H-How is that possible? There¡¯s no way only one species in existence could have such a trait...!" Exactly the same reaction. Just like what the Archmage had predicted in the gallery yesterday. Archmage) They¡¯ll start ranting that there¡¯s no way such a specific magical exception exists."There¡¯s no way magic has such an abnormal and specific exception!"Archmage) But that¡¯s exactly why it¡¯s magic. It belongs to the realm of the unexplained. Declaring absolutes is just arrogance.? Wait, haven¡¯t I read this somewhere before? Wasn¡¯t this posted back when we were climbing the tower? I think it even got pinned as an official notice. ? Archmage) Yeah, when I hit Floor 30 and got access to the Climber Gallery, I gathered all the information normal people wouldn¡¯t know and posted it. Tried to minimize pointless deaths. Honestly, up to that point, the Archmage had seemed really cool. Right until the next comment appeared. ? ???? Wait, YOU were that guy? ? So you¡¯re ¡®Unyielding Iron-Blooded Magical Girl Ophelia¡¯? Damn, I was wondering where you disappeared to. ? LMAO, Unyielding Iron-Blooded WHAT? Dude rebranded himself, only to get exposed after decades of hiding. Hilarious. ? LOL, this is gold. ? From writing stuff like that to just ¡®Archmage¡¯? Guess you finally learned that simple is best. Major character growth, man. Too bad you just ratted yourself out. ? Pioneer) Hard Mode veterans probably figured it out ages ago but were just pretending not to notice. Why the sudden self-destruction? ? Dragon King) Beltui- also knewwww. And with that, the Archmage didn¡¯t post another word. Neither confirming nor denying it, but his sudden silence was about as good as an admission. "Instead of going on about how you don¡¯t believe it, why don¡¯t you just try it?" Yunes still looked skeptical. "...Alright." Oh. Seeing him immediately grab his magic staff was unexpected. Because this was the exact opposite of what the Archmage had predicted. Archmage) Nine times out of ten, when you tell a mage to find traces of a spell, their first question will be, ¡®What spell should I use?¡¯But Yunes didn¡¯t ask that. Instead, as if he already knew, he bent down and examined the chunk of flesh and the blood sloshing in the potion bottle. "You already know which spell to use?" Yunes nodded slowly. "Tracking magic is one of my specialties... At times like this, the spell to use is called Arcana Revelare." It was the exact spell mentioned in ¡®Unyielding Iron-Blooded Magical Girl Ophelia¡¯s¡¯ old gallery posts. Turns out this guy was smarter than I thought. Following my instructions, Yunes poured the blood over the flesh and began casting the spell. His lips parted slowly. "I shall reveal the hidden truth." At the end of Yunes¡¯ words, a dark crimson glow rose from the Orc Legion Commander¡¯s flesh. Yunes'' expression gradually changed. "...The traces of the shaman¡¯s spell are really imprinted in the blood. I still can¡¯t understand why only the orc species has this trait." The doubt and disbelief were completely gone now. "Normally, when someone who has received a magical blessing or shamanic spell dies, all traces of it vanish. But for orcs, it remains...?" His current expression was filled with pure scholarly curiosity, the mark of a true mage. "I¡¯ve never tried tracking a shaman before, but if I approach it like tracking a mage, it should work." The Third-Rank Knight sent for reinforcement was a dud, but at least the mage turned out to be useful. Crackle! This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Another spell circle formed, and the moment it activated, a brief blue light flickered before Yunes¡¯ eyes. "...I see it. A blue line indicating the direction. But as expected, it seems only I can see it." Just as he finished speaking, Yunes suddenly reverted to his previous, bewildered expression. "H-Hik! That means I have to personally follow you around and guide you!" I wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised. I had planned on bringing him along from the start. "Lead the way." "Hik!" "I won¡¯t let you die." While I focused on reassuring and coaxing Yunes, Resellin leaned in from the side. "I¡¯m coming too. If we¡¯re going after the Orc Shaman¡¯s head." I could leave Yunes¡¯ safety to Resellin. I was becoming more and more of a terrible person, but there was no helping it. Resellin said she would gather potions and rations, and we would depart in twenty minutes. "Ahem!" Third-Rank Knight William, whose face was scrunched in humiliation, let out a loud cough. That was the extent of his protest. "I still don¡¯t fully trust what you¡¯re saying, so I¡¯ll focus on eliminating any visible orcs." Was it because of the public humiliation? Or because he had taken a few hits? Regardless, his choice wasn¡¯t a bad one. It was perfectly reasonable. Someone had to focus on defending the walls. If those fell, my quest was as good as failed. "That¡¯s a great idea, Sir Knight." At my words, William¡¯s shoulders suddenly twitched. What¡¯s with him? "Make sure you hold the line." Then I set off, taking Yunes, Resellin, and one Second-Rank Lucerna mercenary with me. We moved toward the front of the fortress. ¡®At the very least, I need to take down the boss and reach the Third Floor¡¯s waiting room by tomorrow to participate in the exchange event.¡¯ Speed was key. I resolved to take out the Orc Shaman as quickly as possible. Kraaaaagh! A deafening orcish scream rang out. Seeing its crimson glowing eyes, there was no doubt¡ªit had been enchanted by the Orc Shaman. According to Resellin, these were frenzied orcs. Near the forest¡¯s entrance, there hadn¡¯t been any orcs with these eyes. We only started encountering them as we ventured deeper into the woods. [Activating Skill ¨C Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.2] I felt mana surge through my heart. With my black javelin¡ªa dark spear¡ªI struck down an orc charging in from the left, driving the weapon straight into its skull. Two orcs rushed from the right. With a single swing of my longsword, I beheaded them both. Blood and flesh splattered onto my armor. My level had risen from 8 to 9 since departing. Unlike at the starting point of this stage, where killing six orcs was enough to level up, I had already slain over twenty, yet I hadn¡¯t gained another level. However, what had improved was my battle instinct. Sword of Light had been right. My training match with Golem Mk.II had been invaluable, but nothing accelerated growth like actual combat. Just after cutting down two more frenzied orcs who charged without hesitation, a trembling voice spoke from beside me. "We¡¯re almost there. We¡¯re getting close to what I suspect is the Orc Shaman." Finally. Chapter 15: Siege Warfare (7) I finished off three more orcs, then took down another group of four. And then, I crossed a ridge. As expected, things never went according to plan. Despite what Yunes had said, the Orc Shaman, whom I thought we would encounter immediately, was nowhere to be seen. The sun had long since set. The night deepened, stretching all the way into dawn. But there was no time to set up camp and rest. "We¡¯ll sleep when it¡¯s over." Yunes kept whispering that the Orc Shaman was right in front of us now. Falling asleep now would be tantamount to accepting death. Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t feeling any fatigue. If anything, I was unnaturally alert. Like a bowstring drawn taut and never released. Both my body and mind had been in a constant state of tension, which probably explained it. Aside from Yunes, who had been acting more as a guide than a mage, Resellin and her mercenary companion, Rohan, seemed to be in a similar state. Pushing through the undergrowth, we finally spotted a flickering light in the distance. A tent, conspicuously out of place in the middle of the mountains. Campfires surrounding it. Orcs standing guard with torches in hand. Everything pointed to the Orc Shaman being nearby. I spoke in a low voice. "I¡¯ll take care of the leader. You two handle the rest." Resellin and her Second-Rank mercenary, Rohan, nodded. Having seen them fight, I knew they could handle at least 1.5 times their expected share. "Yunes, just keep listening to me and following my instructions." Yunes shivered but nodded again. "...Orc Shamans are said to be incredibly strong. Their personal combat power is around Third-Rank, but when fighting with their orc subordinates, they can exert the strength of a Fourth-Rank Mage." I memorized his words and opened the Transcendent Gallery. Title: I think I¡¯ve found the Orc Shaman. Author: ??* If there are any tips you haven¡¯t shared yet, or if you¡¯ve killed an Orc Shaman before, drop your experiences here.Replies came in fast. ? Archmage) Don¡¯t rush to kill the shaman immediately. If the surrounding orcs seem like a threat, take them out first to prevent any complications. Also, make good use of the mage you brought along. After sulking in silence due to being mocked, the Archmage reappeared, acting like nothing had happened. Ice Queen also left a comment, which was pretty much the same advice. ? ??) How did you guys kill an Orc Shaman? The answers I got were utterly useless. ? *Archmage) I just reversed its mana flow, and it clutched its throat and died. ? Ice Queen) I shouted ¡®FROOOZEN!¡¯ and it died! Freeze! Freeze! A magic prodigy and a bloodline prodigy¡ªneither of their solutions helped me in the slightest. Even the advice from sword-wielding veterans wasn¡¯t particularly useful. ? Archmage) Oh, if your mana level is close to the shaman¡¯s, fire magic is the most effective against them. This was useful information, but it depended more on Yunes than on me. ? *Sword of Light) Just cut it down. ? Gutter Swordsman) Be careful. Even if it¡¯s a shaman, it¡¯s still an orc, meaning it can fight at a level close to a Third-Rank Knight in melee combat. Dodge its magic, get close, and kill it. Gutter Swordsman¡¯s response was long-winded, but ultimately, he was just saying to dodge and kill it. ? Absolute Monarch) You brought a spear, right? Use it to test the distance before engaging. Finally, a halfway decent piece of advice. ? ??) I¡¯ll check back after I¡¯m done with the Second Floor. ? *Just stop announcing it and go. ? *Lmao, this climber triggers death flags like it¡¯s a hobby. ? *Dragon King) Beltui- wishes you luckkk. ? *Shrine Maiden) Return safelyyy. ? Admin) Go and come back. With Admin¡¯s message as the last comment, I closed the gallery. I counted roughly thirty orcs in the area. A single common trait among them¡ªglowing red eyes. Behind the line of massive orcs stood an even larger figure. Its thick neck was adorned with layers of gold and silver ornaments. Above its head, a familiar message appeared. [BOSS MONSTER] [Orc Shaman] I could feel it. The overwhelming killing intent radiating from the Orc Shaman. Resellin and Rohan, standing on either side of me, must have felt it too. Their movements stiffened. Like mice caught in front of a cat. [Activating Skill ¨C Focused Reinforcement Lv.3] "Snap out of it. I¡¯m going in first. Follow my lead." Maybe because I spoke first, but the Orc Shaman opened its mouth in response. KROOOOOOOOAR¡ª! Its roar blasted through the air, shaking the very mountain. A suppression-type roar. A psychological attack meant to instill fear. There was no time for hesitation anymore. [Activating Skill ¨C Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.2] My mana heart pulsed. Mana surged through my entire body. I had already confirmed during my battle with the Orc Legion Commander¡ªleveling up completely restored the body. I would kill this thing and move on to the Third Floor. The Orc Shaman¡¯s massive right foot lifted. It slammed into the ground. BOOM! It was an obvious signal for its subordinates to charge. Of the three javelins I had left, I threw one. Aimed straight at the Orc Shaman. Ting! The javelin was suddenly deflected midair by a transparent barrier in front of the Orc Shaman. As expected. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t let me get an easy kill. I hadn¡¯t bet everything on that throw. Its only purpose was to buy me an opening to move. I lowered my body and sprinted forward in an instant. My longsword slashed horizontally. Two orc heads flew. With the black javelin in my left hand, I ripped through the gut of an approaching orc and yanked it back out. Green energy swirled around the blunt staff in the Orc Shaman¡¯s hand. "Yunes, stay by my side and focus on interfering with its magic. If you identify the spell, tell me immediately." I spoke faster than ever. Well, I had to. Staying alive was kind of important. Yunes¡¯ response came even faster than expected. "Wind Cutter! A wind-based spell that sends horizontal slicing blades!" I yanked the poorly held shield from Rohan, who was still standing there dumbfounded, and kicked off the ground. Shhwaaa! Two Wind Cutters flew toward me. I dodged one by twisting my foot, pivoting just in time. The second one I blocked with the shield. Kraaaaaagh! Six frenzied orcs rushed at me simultaneously. [Skill Composure has leveled up. Lv.4] Dragon Slayer Sword Form 1¡ªThursahogg. A crescent-shaped trajectory swept through the six orcs. They collapsed backward all at once. I kicked off the ground and charged forward. Every enemy that stood in my way, I cut down. In a flash, I had slain fifteen. I glanced to the side. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Yunes looked pale enough to collapse at any moment, but he was keeping up. "If I wound the shaman, cast your fire magic in that opening." He nodded frantically. I dashed forward again. Just as I cut down three more, my vision was engulfed in deep blue light. BOOOOOOOM! A lightning spell. Yunes barely managed to raise a barrier spell in front of me, but my left arm still took a direct hit. Crack. I clenched my teeth. Even with Pain Suppression at Level 4, the agony was excruciating. A quick glance at my left arm revealed that it had been badly burned. If not for Mana Body Reinforcement and my heightened stats, I would¡¯ve died instantly. The Orc Shaman smirked. Did it think it had won? I beheaded an approaching orc with my longsword. [Level Up.] [Lv.9 ¡ú Lv.10] [Strength increased by 6.] [Agility increased by 5.] [Endurance increased by 5.] [Mana increased by 4.] Crack. My left arm¡ªfully restored. Now, aside from the small fry that Resellin and Rohan were handling, only one enemy remained in front of me. The Orc Shaman. BOOM! With a movement barely resembling proper footwork, I closed the distance between us in an instant. Just as others had warned me, the shaman¡¯s melee capabilities weren¡¯t to be underestimated. The massive axe in its left hand came crashing down. I twisted out of its trajectory like an eel. With my restored left hand, I stabbed the black javelin into the back of its hand¡ªtwice. Kweeeeegh! It let out a guttural shriek, dropping the axe. Dragon Slayer Sword Form 3. A vertical strike¡ªDrakabani. I slashed down onto its right shoulder. The arm it had lifted finally dropped. Shlurk! My arm moved like lightning. Hjartagnyr. I drove my longsword straight into its gut. KRRRAAAAAAAH! "Yunes, fire!" Come on, fire-shuttle. Fwoooosh¡ª A spear of flames, conjured at point-blank range by Yunes, impaled the shaman alongside my sword. The pig bastard¡¯s screams grew even louder. I twisted my sword inside its body, then followed up with a horizontal slash. The flames followed my blade¡¯s arc. A blazing trail was etched into the night. FWHOOOOSH! The Orc Shaman¡¯s massive body collapsed, blood gushing endlessly from its gut. [BOSS MONSTER DEFEATED!] [LEVEL UP!] [Lv.10 ¡ú Lv.12] [Strength increased by 12.] [Agility increased by 10.] [Endurance increased by 11.] [Mana increased by 9.] Two levels up¡ªjust like when I killed the Legion Commander. No idea how long this steep growth curve would last. ¡ºQUEST ¨C Defense of Kiblev Fortress has been marked as SUCCESSFUL due to the defeat of the Boss Monster ¨C Orc Shaman.¡» [Second Floor Stage Cleared.] [Player Han Yuseong¡¯s Second Floor stage score is being calculated.] Oh, right. I¡¯d heard that scores were tallied starting from the Second Floor. ¡¶SECOND FLOOR ¨C SCORE RANKING¡· 1st ¨C Union Leader: 784 points 2nd ¨C Being Tracked: 412 points 3rd ¨C Sinclair: 399 points ? Only first place stood out by a huge margin. No way I¡¯d be surpassing that guy. [Score ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã calculation complete.] The number that appeared next made me realize how short-sighted I had been. [Second Floor Stage] [Han Yuseong: 1,532 points] ...What? Chapter 16: Tower Exchange Meeting (1) I stood there blankly as another window overlapped the second-floor score screen. [You will be automatically transferred to the ''Third-Floor Staircase Waiting Room'' in 3 minutes.] Three minutes. Ignoring the three pairs of eyes staring at me, I crouched down and looked at the orc shaman¡¯s body. My mind was filled with only one thought¡ªgrab whatever I could, fast. I reached for the staff the shaman had used, but the system window that popped up made me let go of it. [Orc Shaman¡¯s Unique Staff] Usable only by the orc race. ...Nothing else? My gaze landed on a necklace hanging from the shaman¡¯s heavily adorned neck, standing out with its distinct presence. [Sapphire Necklace of Swiftness] Category ¨C Accessory Effect: When the central gem is pressed, the player¡¯s movement speed temporarily increases. Usage Limit: 4 times Required Level: 10+ Grade: C+ It looked useful enough, so I stored it in my inventory. After straightening my back, I turned around. Resellin, the mercenary captain, met my gaze and pointed down the mountain with her index finger. "Yuseong, we should head down now, right? The sun will be up soon." Mercenary Rohan was shaking the blood off his sword. Mage Yunes was busily wiping the blood and flesh from his leather clothing. NPCs. No matter how I looked at them, they seemed just like real people. According to the senior members of the Transcendent Gallery, even if I never met anyone else again, the chances of running into Resellin were high. Still, disappearing like this without saying anything would make it awkward the next time we met. I figured I should at least say something. "Uh, see you next time." "Huh?" All three of them looked puzzled. Three minutes was both long and short. A strange floating sensation lifted my body. Then, everything in front of me turned black. [Welcome to the Third Floor.] When my vision returned, the scene before me wasn¡¯t much different from the second-floor staircase waiting room. [Second-floor clear reward: 600 coins have been granted.] [Pandemonium second-floor clear reward: An item has been provided. Check ''Inventory.''] The same clock was mounted on the central ~N§àv§Ölight~ wall. February 23rd. Two days until the Tower Exchange Meeting. Tower Exchange Meeting Date: February 25th, 12:00 PM. There was more time left than I expected. But not enough to take on the third-floor stage just yet. Two days¡ªif I spent them training, they¡¯d pass in the blink of an eye. As I was about to open my inventory to check the second-floor clear reward, another notification popped up. ¡¶Second-Floor Score Ranking¡· 1st ¨C Union Leader: 784 points 2nd ¨C In Pursuit: 412 points 3rd ¨C Sinclair: 399 points 4th ¨C Argul: 382 points 5th ¨C Rosetta: 379 points ? ? [Han Yuseong: 1,532 points] [Registering score.] [Please enter the name to be displayed on the ranking board.] [Name: ] The empty field next to "Name" was blinking as if urging me to fill it in quickly. There was no option to keep my ranking private. I didn¡¯t particularly mind if it was made public. After all, the odds of any other climbers realizing that this was me were nearly nonexistent. Pandemonium¡ªI might be the only one residing in it. Apart from encountering players at the Tower Exchange Meeting, there was almost no chance of running into anyone. Sword of Light had been hoping for this. Ranking high on the scoreboards. Shaking up and confusing the current top-ranked climbers. Sword of Light wanted me to achieve something like that. They had written as much in the chat forum and even in the appendix of the Dragon Slayer¡¯s Sword they had given me. Other senior Transcendents had commented the same. Still, using my real name didn¡¯t sit well with me. What would be a good nickname? After a brief moment of consideration, I typed in my choice. [Score registration complete.] *** Hard Mode, 63rd Floor. Tower Numbering #35, Hard Mode. The waiting room on the 63rd floor stretched into a vast landscape. It barely resembled a waiting area¡ªit was more like an entire city. A man with golden hair, clad in silver armor, sat with his head lowered, lost in thought. "Union Leader." Union Leader. The most famous figure in the Climber Gallery, and the one with the most authority¡ªthe leader of the Raid Union¡ªhad been called. Union Leader Targon lifted his head at the words of the raid captain, Belasia. "What is it, Bela?" Belasia spoke urgently. "Open the ranking board. Something strange is happening." "Something strange?" Targon''s brows furrowed. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The ranking screen for the staircase floors was, as expected, sorted by the most recent floors. "I don¡¯t see anything unusual." From the 50th to the 62nd floor, his name was listed as first place across the board. The names from second to fifth place all belonged to his fellow Raid Union members. Belasia slowly shook her head. "Not by most recent floors. Sort it by order." Targon moved his hand. And in an instant, he understood why Belasia, usually composed, was making such a fuss. The reason lay in the earliest stage where scores were recorded¡ªthe second-floor stage ranking. ¡¶Second-Floor Score Ranking¡· 1st ¨C Private: 1,532 points NEW! 2nd ¨C Union Leader: 784 points 3rd ¨C In Pursuit: 412 points 4th ¨C Sinclair: 399 points 5th ¨C Argul: 382 points ? ? A single, newly ranked first place, highlighted with a golden border. He had expected that one day, he might lose first place. And honestly, he didn¡¯t care much about the second-floor scores. But the problem was the gap between scores. "...1,532?" The scale was entirely different. A four-digit score? A score nearly twice his own. How the hell did someone get a score like that on the second floor? Belasia muttered under her breath. "Is it a bug?" Targon immediately responded. "No." His voice was firm with conviction. "You know the Tower doesn''t make mistakes like this." Belasia wiped the sweat from her forehead and the strands of purple hair sticking to it. "That may be true, but... is that score even possible?" She fell deep into thought. "Could it be... a Pandemonium player?" Targon once again dismissed the idea. "If it were Pandemonium, they''d be too busy just trying to survive. That kind of score would only come from clearing the floor in an exceptionally short time or from killing an overwhelming number of monsters. Both of which are nearly impossible in Pandemonium." Targon assumed the Private player was from Easy or Normal Mode. Whether they had cleared the stage in record time or massacred countless monsters, it had to be one of those two modes. After all, if he couldn¡¯t pull it off in Hard Mode, then it was impossible. And Pandemonium? Out of the question. Having reached a conclusion, Targon spoke. "On March 1st, send a message to all floors below the 30th. Tell them to report anyone who might be this ''Private'' player." "Got it." Belasia hurried away. The Tower¡¯s messaging system. Mailboxes existed starting from the fifth floor, one per floor. Once a month, on the first day of each month, players could send one message through the system. Before reaching the 30th floor, where they could enter the Climber Gallery, this was a crucial tool for survival, allowing climbers to exchange essential information. As the distance between them grew, Belasia opened the . As expected, the gallery was in chaos. Just like her conversation with Targon, everyone was discussing the same thing. Title: What the hell is this 2nd-floor ranking score? Author: SaveMe Did everyone see this?? 1st ¨C Private: 1,532 points What the hell is this?? LOL LOL LOL WTF is this? ? What kind of monster just came out of the second floor?? ? Come on, there¡¯s no monsters on the second floor. It must have been Easy Mode with a lucky wave of goblins or something. ? Bullshit. Even if they slaughtered every goblin, they wouldn¡¯t break into the thousands. There¡¯s something else going on. ? Whatever, it¡¯s just the second floor. The guy probably doesn¡¯t even know we¡¯re talking about him here. Why do you care? ? Because he crushed the Union Leader¡¯s score. By almost double. ? If this isn¡¯t just luck and this dude actually has potential, he¡¯ll climb up soon enough. ? Y¡¯all acting like you didn¡¯t flop your own scores and now you¡¯re trashing the second floor. Come on, this is insane. Belasia expressionlessly closed the Climber Gallery. It was too bizarre to ignore. But still¡ªit was just the second floor. She had seen all kinds of people after climbing to the 63rd floor of Hard Mode. Many had started strong, only to lose their edge over time. ''...But it is interesting.'' If this person was still on the second floor, they were most likely from 21st-century Earth. And yet, they were already standing out this much? ''Most of them were weaklings. No magic, no martial arts.'' Belasia mulled over it a bit longer before shaking her head. *** After confirming that I had taken first place on the second-floor ranking, I opened the Transcendent Gallery. I clicked on the most recent post with the highest number of comments. Title: LMAO HOW DID A FOUR-DIGIT SCORE EVEN HAPPEN?? Author: Pioneer But seriously, what kind of name is Private? LOL Private, really? Anyway, I feel kinda proud ngl. Let¡¯s go for 1st place on the 3rd floor too.? 1,532 points?? Am I seeing this right?? ? 2nd place has 784, that gap is insane LOL. ? Why are you proud? If anyone here should be proud, it¡¯s Sword of Light, hands down. ? What do you mean? We all gave tips and stuff. I kinda feel proud too. ? Of course we¡¯re proud, dumbass. This is intervention success. We lurk in Climber Gallery, and now our climber just shot up to 1st place. It¡¯s like... validation, you know? ? Heavenly Demon: Hmph. During the next cross-dimensional trade, I¡¯d like to offer my martial arts manuals. ? Shrine Maiden: I have finished preparing the talismans, 15322222. ? Ice Queen: Freeze! Freeze! Show yourself, Climber! ? ??*: ?? I''m here. A brief silence. Then, a flood of comments. ? Ice Queen: Freeze, tag¡ª! ? Holy sh*t, the King of the Second Floor has arrived. ? The Tyrant of the Second Floor. Damn. "King of the Second Floor"? That sounded lame. ? Absolute Monarch: Impressive. This reminds me of when I took 1st place. ? ??? Monarch, when did you ever take 1st place? ? Archmage: Well done. The Exchange Meeting is in two days, right? ? Sword of Light: Good job. Though... I wish you hadn¡¯t used ''Private'' as your name. ? Yeah, dumbass. You should¡¯ve put your full name, Han Yuseong. ? Sword of Light: Something like Heir to the Dragon Slayer¡¯s Sword, for example. ? Yeah, uh, no thanks. ? The Rising Star of the Transcendent Gallery, incoming. ? Archmage: That¡¯s awful. Yeah. Definitely glad I went with Private. Chapter 17: Tower Exchange Meeting (2) There were a lot of comments asking how many orcs I had to kill to reach a score of 1,532. How many did I kill again? I had counted up to around thirty, but after that, I lost track. I hadn¡¯t felt the need to count anymore. What was certain was that I had killed more than the number I had kept track of¡ªprobably around seventy or eighty in total. ? ??) Not exact, but close to 80?* ? LOL Pandemonium is built different. ? Easy and Normal Mode only spawn about 15 orcs on the second floor, wtf. ? I only got five on my run. ? Pioneer): LMAO even in Hard Mode, the max spawn is 40 orcs. 80 is insane. ? Shrine Maiden): Indeed, considering that number plus the Orc Legion Commander and the Shaman, that score does make sense. ? Dragon King): Beltui, I''m impressed. Seeing those Climber Gallery kids talk about our climber is making my dopamine levels go crazy! The Climber Gallery¡¯s reaction, huh. ? ??) What¡¯s the general opinion over there?* ? They¡¯re wary as hell of you already. ? Congrats, you¡¯re just a second-floor noob but already attracting a ton of attention. ? Your life just got interesting now. ? Sword of Light): Still, hardly anyone suspects you¡¯re from Pandemonium. Most of them are just confused. ? Archmage): Doesn¡¯t really matter. You¡¯re alone for most of your climb, so it won¡¯t affect you much. Your only real variable right now is the Tower Exchange Meeting. And that major variable was happening soon. ? ??) Anything I should watch out for at the Exchange Meeting?* ? Do you... still trust people? ? Be careful. Men, women¡ªdoesn¡¯t matter. Be careful of everyone. ? Gutter Swordsman): If you¡¯re feeling lonely, don¡¯t go trusting people just because of that. ? ??) Thanks to you guys, I¡¯m not lonely.* Well. I was lonely. But at the same time, I wasn¡¯t. It sounded ridiculous, but that¡¯s exactly how I felt. Just talking in the Transcendent Gallery like this was enough to push away the worst of the loneliness. ? Dragon King): Huh... Beltui¡ªdid I just get flirted with by a human? ? Look at this climber charming everyone. ? Shrine Maiden): I shall send you a blessing talisman to ward off loneliness. So, when the interdimensional trade cooldown resets, make a deal with me. ? Heavenly Demon): I¡¯ve already called dibs. ? Shrine Maiden): Dibs? Such a thing does not exist. The choice belongs to our dear climber. ? Heavenly Demon): GO! GO! GO! ? Heavenly Demon Lord, please, for the love of god, keep your dignity. The number of people trying to pull me into interdimensional trades was getting ridiculous. ? Spear King): You got a spear, right? I¡¯ll teach you real spear techniques. ? Absolute Monarch): I can teach you spear techniques too. ? ??) Old men, please stop. You''re being weird.* Yeah, it was kind of weird. ? Archmage): Like I told you before¡ªyou¡¯re alone in Pandemonium, but in other difficulties, people can form friendships. And when they¡¯re summoned to the Exchange Meeting, those friends come with them. That means, at the Exchange Meeting, you could be the only one without an ally. Everyone was saying the same thing. Don¡¯t trust people. ? Well, the meeting¡¯s only for climbers under the 10th floor. It shouldn¡¯t be too dangerous. Newbies aren¡¯t cutthroat enough to gang up and take someone out yet. ? Pioneer): Yeah, that¡¯s true. It¡¯s still too early for those kinds of schemes. The general consensus was that nothing major would happen. Be careful around people. That advice didn¡¯t really mean much to me. I never planned to trust anyone to begin with. ? *??) When players meet, we can¡¯t see each other¡¯s level, right? ? You can¡¯t see levels. But you can see what floor the player is from. If someone sees you, they¡¯ll know you¡¯re a third-floor resident. A third-floor resident. That meant they¡¯d know I had cleared the second floor. I closed the gallery for now. A few moments later, a notification window appeared. [As the 1st place scorer in the second-floor stage, an additional reward has been granted. Please check ''Inventory.''] Oh. So because I took first place, I got an extra reward on top of the usual second-floor clear rewards. "Inventory." When I opened my inventory, I saw two new items in previously empty slots. I clicked the one on the right first. A dagger glowing red. A Pandemonium second-floor clear reward item. [Bloodstained Dagger] Category ¨C Weapon (Dagger) Attack Power: +40 Effect: 30% chance to inflict ''Bleeding'' status on hit. Required Level: 10+ Grade: B Then I clicked on the left item. A black bracelet. This was the first-place reward for the second-floor ranking. [Bracelet of Defiance] Category ¨C Accessory Effect: Greatly enhances resistance to medium and low-level curses. Required Level: 10+ Grade: B+ Even at a glance, it was a damn good effect. I took a screenshot of both items and uploaded them. Title: Got two new items. Thoughts? Author: ??* Got some new stuff. What do you think? (Attached file: 788239429.jpg)? What do you mean, ¡®what do we think?¡¯ This is insane. ? LMAO how the hell does a guy in the 3rd-floor waiting room have a Bloodstained Dagger and a Bracelet of Defiance??? ? ??) When do these usually drop?* ? Pioneer): Hard Mode? Bloodstained Dagger usually drops around the 15th floor. Bracelet of Defiance? You won¡¯t see that until around the 20th floor. ? That¡¯s for Hard Mode. In Normal and Easy, the dagger drops around 18th floor and the bracelet around 25th+. ? But are you even level 10 yet? ? ??) Level 12.* ? You leveled up so damn fast. ? Level 12 on the second floor, LMAO. ? Absolute Monarch): That kind of level isn¡¯t unheard of in Hard Mode, but it depends on how much your stats increased. ? Archmage): True. Stats. I opened my status window to check my current stats. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Lv. 12 Strength: 71 Agility: 65 Stamina: 68 Mana: 44 Skills: Pain Suppression ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) Lv.4 Composure Lv.4 Cover Lv.2 Crisis Detection Lv.3 Field of Vision Expansion Lv.2 Focus Enhancement Lv.3 Warrior¡¯s Movement Lv.3 Magic-Enhanced Body Lv.2 Doombringer Lv.1 I had leveled up more than I expected. I reopened the Transcendent Gallery and made a post. Title: My Current Stats Author: ??* Strength 71, Agility 65, Stamina 68, Mana 44As soon as I posted, comments flooded in. ? ?? ? What the hell? ? The average starting stats for 21st-century Earthlings is like 10 to 13, right? ? ??) Yeah, I was at that range when I was level 1.* ? But how the hell did you get this much growth on the second floor? ? Archmage): So this is Pandemonium... ? Room Conspiracy Theorist): I have wasted my life! This world is just a closed-room mystery¡ª ? Dude, you¡¯re literally not even human. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. ? Sword of Light): At least now I can worry less about you. ? Worry less? More like zero worries. You¡¯re only going to meet other 21st-century Earthlings at the Exchange Meeting anyway. ? The ones who should be worried are the people who have to meet him. ? Absolute Monarch): Seeing you grow so well makes me proud. ? Bro, you didn¡¯t even do anything. Judging from the reactions, my stats were abnormally high for my floor level. I read a few more comments before closing the gallery. Now, let¡¯s see what¡¯s available in the shop. [3rd-Floor Coin Shop] FoodDrinksPotionsThe first two categories were the same as on the second floor. But the third category¡ªPotions¡ªhad been added. Now, this is progress. Low-Grade Health Recovery Potion ¨C 5 CoinsLow-Grade Mana Recovery Potion ¨C 6 CoinsLow-Grade Poison Resistance Potion ¨C 8 CoinsPain Suppression Stimulant ¨C 15 CoinsEven potions weren¡¯t cheap. But I had received 600 coins as a second-floor clear reward. My total remaining balance: 726 coins. I had plenty to spend. I went all in. 15 Health Potions15 Mana Potions5 Poison Resistance Potions3 Pain Suppression StimulantsAccording to the Transcendent Gallery seniors, I would receive another coin reward after returning from the Exchange Meeting. I didn¡¯t need to worry about what to do for the next two days. Just reading the Dragon Slayer¡¯s Sword manual from my inventory would be enough to pass the time. I reflected on my fight against the Orc Legion Commander and the Orc Shaman. Killing the Shaman¡ªthat was all me. But the Legion Commander¡ªluck played a major role. If I hadn¡¯t acquired Doombringer, I would have died. Maybe it was because I had gone through such a long battle on the second floor. I felt like I was finally gaining a proper combat sense. How to swing my sword. How to position my body for the most efficient attack. As I replayed my past battles, I started to develop my own combat style. Of course, the foundation of that style was still built on the Dragon Slayer¡¯s Sword techniques that Sword of Light had given me. I trained in swordsmanship and even some of the martial techniques written in the later sections of the manual. There would come a time when I wouldn¡¯t be able to draw my sword. I had to prepare for every scenario. In that sense, the Bloodstained Dagger I had obtained was a valuable asset. Eat. Train. Eat. Train. Two days flew by in that routine. And then, the time arrived. Current Time: February 25th, 12:00 PM. [The Tower Exchange Meeting is starting.] [Tower Exchange Meeting Server #1298] [Tower Exchange Meeting Theme: Dungeon] [Number of Participants: 7] [Entering.] Flash¡ª My vision was consumed by light. *** [The Automatic Language Translation System is now active.] [Communicate with the other participants and clear the dungeon.] A man with the number <7> above his head approached me. "Haha, nice to meet you. You¡¯re still new to the Tower, so you must be overwhelmed by suddenly being summoned to the Exchange Meeting. My name is Sun Haoran." Chinese. 7th Floor. I could understand why he reacted this way. Everyone in this matchmaking group was from the 6th floor or higher. "Yeah, nice to meet you too." Meanwhile, above my head... The number 3. A fresh newbie from the third-floor waiting room. To them, that¡¯s exactly how I looked. Chapter 18: Tower Exchange Meeting (3) I looked around. This place seemed to be a waiting area in front of the dungeon entrance. The walls were a dull yellow, giving it a familiar look. It reminded me of the first-floor stage. This time, the Exchange Meeting¡¯s theme was a dungeon. There were a total of three themes for the Exchange Meeting: Dungeon, Mission, and Duel. Unlike Duels, in both the Dungeon and Mission themes, player-killing was allowed. In other words, my list of threats didn¡¯t just include the monsters inside the dungeon. I had to be wary of the six other players around me as well. 7th-floor Chinese player, Sun Haoran. The next person to approach me introduced himself in Korean. "I''m Baek Jin-young." The number 8 floated above his head as he smiled. I gave the name I had prepared in advance for situations like this. "I''m Jung Woo-hyun." There was no point in hiding that I was Korean. Anyone who talked to me for long enough would figure it out. But it was still safer to use a fake name. Unlike the modern world I came from, there were no CCTVs here. And since only climbers below the 10th floor were gathered, there wouldn¡¯t be anyone taking photos with a terminal either. Even if someone saw my face, spreading that information clearly wouldn¡¯t be easy. "If anything unpredictable happens, handle it as thoroughly as possible." The next person to approach me had brown hair and a bright smile. "I''m Jake! Nice to meet you!" Jake immediately reached out for a handshake and introduced himself as an American. I shook his hand. The number 6 hovered over Jake¡¯s head. Just then, Baek Jin-young, who had been standing back, scratched the back of his head and stepped closer. "Man, it''s nice to see another Korean. The last Exchange Meeting I attended was all Chinese and Japanese climbers¡ªit caught me off guard." Baek Jin-young was trying to keep a conversation going with me, using our shared nationality as a reason. It didn¡¯t feel suspicious or anything. Feeling relieved to meet someone from the same country was a natural reaction. Even without any ulterior motives, it was a reasonable way to behave. "This is your first Exchange Meeting, right?" "Yeah." "The Tower looks like it¡¯s constantly trying to kill players, but that¡¯s not entirely true. As long as everyone works together, the Exchange Meeting can actually be easier than normal tower floors." That was exactly what Pioneer had told me. Unless I got thrown into some underground sewer hellhole, this should be easier than Pandemonium. "By the way... which Tower difficulty are you from?" So, he¡¯s trying to get my full background, huh. I casually stated the difficulty level I had already prepared. "Normal Mode." Baek Jin-young¡¯s eyes widened. "Oh! I''m Normal Mode too! My Tower Numbering is 121." When I first entered the second floor, I had seen a system message. It had listed Pandemonium¡¯s Tower Numbering as 01. According to the Transcendent Gallery seniors, Towers were created as needed, depending on how many people required them. For Normal Mode, at least 121 Towers had been created¡ª so many climbers that the system had to keep generating more. Meanwhile, Pandemonium had only one. Because one was enough. How difficult would my path be? It felt like an impossible climb. Baek Jin-young seemed like he wanted to say more. But just then, a system message appeared in front of the dungeon entrance. [You have been given 10 minutes to prepare.] [Enter the dungeon after preparation.] [10:00] Beep. [09:59] A time limit to enter? I absentmindedly ran my fingers over the hilt of my sword. It wasn¡¯t due to nervousness. "Are you okay...?" A Japanese woman looked at me, as if she thought I was tense. "I''m fine." "I''m Misaki." Misaki. 8th floor. I took a mental note of the group members. Baek Jin-young and me. Two Koreans.Jake. American. 6th floor.Misaki. Japanese. 8th floor.Misaki stood next to another Chinese woman from the 8th floor. And, of course, there was Sun Haoran. 7th floor. That made two Chinese climbers. Finally, a blonde woman in the corner yawned before speaking. "Germany. Laura." One German. That made seven. Laura had the number 9 over her head. She stretched and stood up. "Is there really anything to prepare? Whoever has a shield should take the front. Everyone else just backs them up and does their part. It¡¯s not that complicated." Was that confidence from her strength? Or was it just the arrogance of someone from the 9th floor? I couldn¡¯t tell. I¡¯d find out soon enough when the dungeon started. For now, my goal was simple. Do just enough to blend in. Nothing more and nothing less. Just act like an average climber. But more than anything, I wanted to watch how the others fought. "I have a shield." Jake raised his shield. Laura gestured with her chin¡ªtoward Sun Haoran. "You take the front with Jake. I''ll stay in the center. The rest, figure it out yourselves." "Got it." Sun Haoran accepted without hesitation. It was clear that Misaki and the other Chinese woman were a party. As for the others? No idea. Laura, clad in leather armor, looked at me and grinned. "Make sure you watch out for yourself. Nobody¡¯s going to save you here." Ah. Yes. Of course. I simply nodded. Taking the weak role wasn''t a bad thing. In fact, it gave me the perfect excuse to sit back and observe everyone¡¯s movements. Clang¡ª Jake pushed open the massive doors before us. [You have entered the dungeon ¨C ¡®Kobold¡¯s Cradle.¡¯] ...Kobolds? I remembered what I had read on the gallery last night. Archmage): "Kobolds are stronger than goblins but weaker than orcs." Archmage¡¯s Exchange Meeting dungeon predictions had been spot on. Which meant... The enemies here were actually weaker than the ones I fought on the second floor. Jake muttered under his breath. "Hmph... Kobolds. They''re not to be taken lightly...!" ...? Wait. Was that true? Were kobolds really supposed to be difficult? At this point, I had no idea what kind of cushy fights these people were used to. Some important things had been mentioned in the gallery. ? Dragon King): Beltui! Like all creatures, the Kings of any species are far stronger than the rest! ? ??): Wait, even by your standards? ? Dragon King): I¡¯m just lowering the bar for our dear climber¡¯s education! Beltui is very empathetic. So basically¡ªwatch out for the Kobold King. Dim light filtered through the darkness. Torches lined the dungeon walls. As soon as we stepped inside, moisture and dampness filled the air. Whoosh! From between two massive rock formations, a pair of chains lashed out. I focused on Jake¡¯s reaction. Jake raised his round shield with force. Clang! The chains clashed against his shield and recoiled. Shing! Behind him, Laura drew her longsword. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. She flowed like water, dashing toward the kobold lurking behind the rocks. Her sword pierced into its shoulder. Kraaaagh! The kobold let out a screech. Laura didn¡¯t finish it in one hit. She stabbed it three times before ending its life. Her technique wasn¡¯t fancy. Just simple slashes and thrusts. But her combat sense wasn¡¯t bad. Thud! Suddenly, rocks collapsed to the right. What I thought was a narrow wall turned out to be a trap. Spears shot out from the rubble¡ª One of them headed straight for my throat. Clang! I deflected its trajectory with my sword. Thud! And in the next motion, I thrust my blade into the kobold¡¯s heart. I felt eyes on me. It was Misaki. She was staring at me¡ªher expression filled with doubt. Why was a third-floor newbie reacting like this? I jerked my chin. "You too. Watch out." "H-Hai?" ...Why didn¡¯t the automatic translation work for that? From the same direction the spears came from, a mace was now flying¡ª Straight toward Misaki¡¯s skull. I grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back. At the same time, I drove my sword under the kobold¡¯s jaw. And then pulled it out. "I told you to watch out." "S-sorry...." Misaki backed away and stuck closer to the Chinese woman she was teamed up with. I heard the woman¡¯s calm voice. "...You''re quite skilled. Third-floor." Perfect. That was exactly the impression I wanted. For this Exchange Meeting, my goal was to ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã observe. *** Transcendent Gallery. Han Yuseong wasn¡¯t in the gallery. But the topic of discussion was still focused on him. Title: Nothing¡¯s gonna happen, right? Author: Archmage - "The monsters should be weaker than what he fought in Pandemonium¡¯s second floor. But in the end, the biggest variable is always people." ? "Eh, I doubt anything¡¯ll happen. ??" ? "No way there¡¯s some level 20+ dude throwing out sword aura in a tenth-floor Exchange Meeting." ? Admin): "So far, our climber hasn¡¯t been the type to trust people just because he met them after a long time." ? Ice Queen): "Frozen! Agreed!" ? Sword of Light): "I gave him enough advice. He¡¯ll listen." ? Dragon King): "Beltui! Give him some midnight snack advice too!" ? Sword of Light): "Die." ? "Honestly, a variable would make things more fun." ? Pioneer): "True." ? Room Conspiracy Theorist): "He gets it." ? Archmage): "You guys are just dopamine junkies." Chapter 19: Tower Exchange Meeting (4) After killing two kobolds, I killed three more. Even so, I still didn¡¯t level up. "Kobold King." According to the seniors in the Transcendent Gallery, the only kobold-type monster that could pose a real threat to me. Was it inside this dungeon or not? If it was, I wanted to meet ~N§àv§Ölight~ it. Had my mind gone strange after spending nearly a month in Pandemonium difficulty? Aside from Laura, a resident of the 9th floor, no one seemed particularly sharp in combat. The only exception was Sun Haoran, the Chinese guy, who showed no hesitation in battle. The reason I could move more decisively than the others was due to the sheer excellence of the Dragon Slayer Sword and the training with Sparring Golem Mk.2. I also had the Orc Legion Commander who had pushed me to my limits and the Orc Shaman who had given me a rough time to thank for it. Six hours and thirty-two minutes had passed since entering the dungeon. I knew the exact amount of time because the current time was displayed in the top-right corner of my vision. Current time: 6:41. The seven of us, including me, were crouched down, resting. Because I had consistently stayed at the very back for six hours, only two people saw me as strong despite being a 3rd-floor resident. Misaki and the Chinese woman beside her, Zi Xuan. At first, I couldn''t understand why they were lying around, completely relaxed, without any tension. A square, golden border surrounded the group. "A safe zone, huh." Misaki scratched her head and explained that this was a perfect, inviolable safe zone that occasionally appeared in Easy Mode towers. All I felt during the gathering was a sense of disconnect. Would I ever see a safe zone like this while climbing Pandemonium? 04:23:54 Above the safe zone, a timer was displayed. 04:23:53 The time was steadily decreasing. It had started at five hours. Now, in 4 hours and 23 minutes, the safe zone we were using would disappear. Laura was the strongest in terms of combat, but when it came to communication, Baek Jin-young naturally took the lead. "It¡¯s a bit early to sleep, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to rest for about four hours and then finish the dungeon all at once?" Laura nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good." Everyone agreed with Baek Jin-young''s suggestion. Misaki approached me while I was sitting quietly. "You don¡¯t have a sleeping bag, do you?" "No." "Well, it¡¯s not something sold in the 3rd-floor waiting room, after all." Misaki handed me a sleeping bag. "Here, use this!" I appreciated the gesture, but... "Then wouldn¡¯t that mean you don¡¯t have a sleeping bag, Misaki?" Misaki shook her head. "I do! I have a habit of not throwing away items I put in my inventory... Ah, don¡¯t worry! This one¡¯s brand new! I¡¯ll use my old one." If I insisted on her using the new one and taking the old one myself, I¡¯d look like a lunatic. "Thank you." I quietly accepted the sleeping bag and spread it out. "Misaki, which difficulty tower are you from?" She answered right away. "Easy Mode." I looked at the person next to her. "And you, Zi Xuan?" Zi Xuan spoke in a low voice. "Easy. You already figured it out, right? She and I are in the same party." How could I not notice? They were openly looking out for each other. Zi Xuan jerked her chin toward Sun Haoran, another Chinese climber. "Sun Haoran, he''s Normal." Baek Jin-young was also from Normal Mode. The only one whose difficulty level was unknown was Laura. I walked toward her. When I approached, Laura looked above my head instead of at me and opened her mouth. "What do you want, 3rd floor?" "Which difficulty are you in?" This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Laura let out a small laugh, as if amused by my direct question. "Take a guess. Which do you think it is?" She seemed more skilled in combat than Baek Jin-young or Sun Haoran. But she was still below the level I had imagined for a Hard Mode climber. "Hard Mode?" "Yeah." Laura clicked her tongue. "Fucking Hard Mode." She must¡¯ve had a rough time. I didn¡¯t feel like offering words of comfort. My life felt harder than hers. I had plenty of questions. "What kind of enemy appears on the 8th floor of Hard Mode?" Laura''s body trembled slightly before she slowly answered. "Orc Grand Warrior." Oh. "Did you kill it?" Laura frowned at my question. Not just a little¡ªher expression twisted into something almost goblin-like. "Kill it? How the hell was I supposed to do that? I just ran away as much as I could. The goal was to survive." That was disappointing. "Before the Grand Warrior, what kind of orcs did you face?" Laura, seeming unbothered by my questioning, answered without hesitation. "5th floor, Orc Legion Commander." The Pioneer from the Transcendent Gallery had also appeared on the 5th floor. The appearances of Sword of Light and Archmage on the 2nd floor must have been exceptional cases. "Did you kill the commander?" Laura slowly shook her head. "No. That guy only needed to be held off until the knights arrived, so I focused on surviving." If she had been full of pride, she would have at least said, "I killed the commander myself." The fact that she naturally spoke about enduring instead of fighting suggested that other Hard Mode players around her had the same mindset and made the same choice. "One guy in my group suggested we kill him, but of course, he got ignored." That guy whose opinion was ignored¡ªhe was right. In the end, growth only happens when you push yourself against powerful monsters and somehow manage to kill them. That was the direction of this tower that I had learned, even in just the early floors. "How many people usually attempt the floor clear?" Laura answered indifferently. "For anything above the 5th floor, usually at least six." So the norm was to have six or more people, yet no one even considered trying to kill the boss. I had heard that the more party members you had, the higher the difficulty scaled, but even with that in mind, they were being way too cautious from my perspective. Hearing that even the Legion Commander hadn¡¯t been killed, I lost interest in this so-called Hard Mode climber. I got up and returned to the sleeping bag Misaki had given me. The others, exhausted both physically and mentally, were already sound asleep in their respective sleeping bags. Seeing them sleep so peacefully, it was clear that they had all experienced safe zones before. I recalled something Sword of Light had written as a side note in the Dragon Slayer Sword manual. ¡ªTraining yourself to sleep in a way where you can wake up at any time is necessary. ¡ªWith training, almost nothing is impossible. I had thought it was nonsense. But now, I understood. This was the kind of situation it applied to. If that kind of training existed, then I should try it now, shouldn¡¯t I? With that thought, I closed my eyes. "......." Yeah, right. I¡¯d have to ask him to explain how to do it properly later. This was basically just meditation. I did need to organize my thoughts. Ever since I entered the exchange gathering, one question had been circling in my mind. With the time I had now, I could finally reach a conclusion about it. *** The head of the sleeping Misaki next to me slowly rose. "...Ah, good morning." She muttered drowsily, brushing her messy hair. "Yeah." I hadn¡¯t actually slept at all, but I didn¡¯t want to make her feel awkward. I ate some jerky and nuts. It was food I had purchased with coins. Once this exchange gathering was over and I returned to the floor waiting room, I¡¯d have a proper meal. 00:25:34 There were still 25 minutes left on the safe zone timer. All seven of us had finished preparing to depart. It wasn¡¯t a long rest, but everyone looked noticeably better than before. The group started moving. As before, Jake and Sun Haoran took the lead. Behind them were Laura and Baek Jin-young. Ahead of me at the rear were Misaki and Zi Xuan. Just like yesterday, there were no major surprises. The group wasn¡¯t particularly strong, but there were no major weaknesses either. The kobolds were killed smoothly. If there was one thing that wasn¡¯t going smoothly, it was my level¡ªdespite killing four more kobolds, I was still stuck at level 12. A passage consisting of three walls, like a dead-end maze, halted our progress. "Huh?" Jake¡¯s voice rang out. He bent down, then lifted his right hand. A map was in it. It was a dungeon map. But it wasn¡¯t a full map of the dungeon. It only showed the boss room and the room behind it. Jake¡¯s voice carried a hint of confusion. "There¡¯s a hidden boss room? Should we go in?" Silence followed. Laura strode over to Jake and snatched the map roughly from his hand. "The difficulty matters." She checked the number of stars marked under the hidden boss room. ¡¾¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡¿ "Tsk." Laura clicked her tongue. "...I¡¯ll clear the normal boss room and then leave the exchange gathering." I already knew from the Transcendent Gallery seniors that there was a hidden boss room in the exchange dungeon. Unlike normal boss rooms, hidden boss rooms revealed their difficulty rating in advance, allowing climbers to choose whether to enter. Five stars meant that the chances of clearing it at the 10th-floor exchange were extremely low. Baek Jin-young approached Laura. "Oh, can I take a look too?" The others gathered around to see the map as well. Baek Jin-young scratched his head. "Hmm... Five stars is pretty brutal." I felt like I should at least take a look inside, even if I had to go alone. This hidden boss room. For now, though, the immediate task was the normal boss room. "Let¡¯s do a quick check on our equipment before we go in." At Laura¡¯s command, everyone checked their weapons. Rumble¡ª! Then, Jake pushed open the boss room door. [BOSS MONSTER] [Kobold Champion] Kobold Champion. Definitely the biggest fur-covered lizard I¡¯d seen so far. Chapter 20: Tower Exchange Meeting (5) I stared at the Kobold Champion in the distance. No sense of overwhelming pressure. It wasn¡¯t like when I had faced the Orc Legion Commander. But that was just me. Aside from Laura, the five people in front of me were clearly feeling pressured. Jake was visibly stepping backward. At this rate, the front line was going to collapse. Not that a formation really mattered when there were only seven of us. If the tank gave in to fear, everything would crumble in an instant. I gripped the black javelin in my right hand. My target wasn¡¯t the imposing Kobold Champion. The other kobolds were blocking the way, standing as if they were its personal guards. Swiish! The javelin pierced through the chest of the kobold standing at the center of the formation. Once one of them died¡ª Kwaaaargh! The rest reacted. The Kobold Champion raised its massive spear and slammed the shaft vertically into the ground. Boom! Was that its signal to command the kobold soldiers? More than twenty kobold soldiers charged forward at once. Laura brandished her longsword and dashed around the battlefield. Since she had fought them before, her movements were noticeably sharper than yesterday. Screeeech¡ª! Misaki was an unusual case¡ªshe was an archer. And she was a good one. Thwack! Kieeek! Misaki¡¯s arrows didn¡¯t instantly kill the kobolds, but they were enough to create openings for Laura and Sun Haoran to land finishing blows. I observed the entire battlefield. Kieeek! Apparently irritated by Misaki¡¯s arrows, two kobolds rushed toward her. I cut them down. "T-Thank you!" Misaki didn¡¯t even bother wiping the sweat dripping down her face as she thanked me. Before I realized it, most of the kobolds had already died. When only four remained¡ª Clang! The Kobold Champion leaped high into the air. Then it landed. The problem was where it landed. Right on top of Jake¡¯s shield¡ªthe only tank in the group. Craaaaack! The shield shattered instantly. A shield that had withstood countless kobold attacks up until now, breaking like fragile glass. The fragments scattered like shards of a broken mirror. "Aaaargh!" It was the first genuine scream of pain I had heard since entering this exchange gathering. Jake had been struck cleanly in the abdomen by the Kobold Champion¡¯s razor-sharp talons, which were no different from a spear. Shlaaash! I pulled the black javelin from the shoulder of a fallen kobold and sprinted forward. "You...!" Laura glared at me for suddenly charging ahead. She swung her sword down at the Kobold Champion¡¯s ankle. Kieeeek! Ignoring the beast¡¯s furious scream, I grabbed Jake¡¯s body with both hands and leaped backward. Misaki and Zi Xuan boldly stepped forward, covering me as I pulled Jake to safety. "Cough...! Guh!" Blood gushed from Jake¡¯s mouth. I had heard that in emergency situations like this, most players kept potions in a pouch tied to their waist rather than inside their inventory. Jake was one of those players. I grabbed a low-grade potion from his pouch. I poured it directly onto his wound. There were also bandages in his pouch. I quickly wrapped them around his torso. "Alright. If you still die after this, don¡¯t hold it against me." Jake weakly nodded at me. "His movements have slowed! Attack together!" Laura¡¯s voice rang out. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The Kobold Champion was slower now¡ªprobably ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) thanks to the stab I had landed on its ankle. Before entering the exchange gathering, I had discussed the concept of the final blow in the Transcendent Gallery. *** Title: How Is EXP Distributed When Killing Monsters in the Exchange Gathering? Author: ??* ¡ª Does the person who lands the final hit get the most EXP? ? ?? Yeah, not that you¡¯ll need to worry about that much, but it applies to regular party play too. The one who lands the killing blow gets the most EXP. ? Spear King If you¡¯re the type of climber who gets excited about sniping the last hit with a thrown spear, huge respect. ? ??* Huge respect. ? It''s fine!!!! ? Y¡¯all are having way too much fun. ? Sword of Light Why even bother throwing a spear? You can just use a ranged slash. ? Sword of Light Oh, right. You can¡¯t use it yet. Not until level 20. ? LOL look at him flexing. ? But at this growth rate, he¡¯ll hit 20 soon, won¡¯t he? ? Shrine Maiden Curses and sorcery are just another form of jinxing, making it easy to land the last hit. You should study sorcery. ? Dragon King Beltui¡ªLast-hit sniping is fun. ? Ice Queen Hehe! One time, I secretly stole the last hit by stopping the Ogre Lord¡¯s heart from the inside! Frozen, frozen! ? If a hidden boss room shows up, go in if you can. There¡¯s a double EXP event if you clear it. ? Avoid it if it has five stars. ? Heavenly Demon Why would you avoid it just because it has five stars? That makes it even more thrilling. ? I¡¯m just a Normal Mode scrub, so I never go above three stars. ? A humble and self-aware scrub. *** I¡¯d land the final hit on this boss. Any EXP I missed out on now, I could make up for in the hidden boss room. Maybe it was because we were nearing the end of the exchange gathering, but the group¡¯s coordination, which had been clumsy at first, was finally coming together. The kobold soldiers guarding the champion had been wiped out. Now, only the lone Kobold Champion stood. Laura and Sun Haoran charged at it simultaneously. "You take the right side!" Laura shouted as she slashed at the champion¡¯s left shoulder. Clang! But the blade didn¡¯t cut through. The champion had blocked Laura¡¯s longsword with the edge of its own spear. Sun Haoran¡¯s thrust was caught barehanded. Thunk¡ª! An arrow fired by Misaki embedded itself into the champion¡¯s upper body. Her accuracy was commendable, but the real issue was that the champion¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest. The others were doing a great job distracting it. The perfect setup for me to land the finishing blow. [Activating Skill: Magic Body Reinforcement Lv.3] Mana surged from my Mana Heart and spread throughout my body. My trained muscles swelled naturally. [Activating Skill: Focus Reinforcement Lv.3] For the first time in a while, I used self-hypnosis. This was the mound. I stepped forward, leaning back. Rotating my waist, I swung my right hand, gripping the black javelin. Swiishhhhh! The javelin tore through the air. ¡ªCrunch. It struck the Kobold Champion squarely in the forehead. Strike. [Boss Monster ¡®Kobold Champion¡¯ has been defeated.] [Level Up!] [Lv.12 ¡ú Lv.13] Finally, my level increased. [Strength +7] [Agility +6] [Stamina +6] [Mana +5] [Dungeon ¡®Kobold¡¯s Cradle¡¯ has been cleared!] I felt the gazes of everyone¡ªLaura and the rest of the group¡ªlocked onto me. Each of them had a dumbfounded expression. [Calculating contribution score for the ¡®Tower Exchange Gathering¡¯ dungeon.] [You are ranked 1st.] [1st place reward: 1000 coins.] [1st place reward: Item granted.] [Greatsword Carnavalt] Type: Weapon (Sword) Attack Power: +50 Effect: Increases critical hit rate when fighting two or more enemies. Required Level: 12+ Grade: B+ Spear King-senpai. I successfully sniped the last hit with a thrown spear. Laura let out a small laugh as she walked toward me. "You took first place, didn¡¯t you?" "Yeah." "Aren¡¯t you curious how I knew?" I nodded. I already knew the reason from the Transcendent Gallery seniors, but I was still pretending to be a newbie. "The lower-floor exchange gatherings usually rank first place based on who lands the killing blow. Damn, you¡¯ve got some skill. Your throwing spear technique is ridiculous." Laura helpfully explained the reason while holding the black javelin I had thrown. Wait. Was she about to stab me? Throw it? I briefly doubted her intentions, but she simply extended the spear toward me, making sure to point it in a safe direction. "Not that I hold a grudge. If you hadn¡¯t thrown that spear, we¡¯d still be struggling with that thing." Jake, who seemed to have fully recovered from his level-up, stood beside Laura and gave me a nod. "Thanks. You saved my life." Misaki hesitantly approached. "Great work...!" Zi Xuan just shrugged. "Well, I¡¯m just glad I survived." Laura was swinging her longsword lightly through the air. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess what she was doing. "I¡¯m leaving first." Laura spoke quietly. "There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll meet again in another exchange gathering with the same group, but if we do, let¡¯s at least say hi." A white circle formed beneath her feet. A burst of pure white light surrounded Laura¡¯s body. And with that, the Hard Mode climber from Germany vanished. Misaki suddenly approached me. "H-Hey, would you like to add me as a friend?" I had no intention of doing so. My newbie act wasn¡¯t over yet. "Let¡¯s do that if we meet again next time." Not that I had any reason to. That was the real reason. Misaki seemed to realize why I had refused, smiling bitterly. "Alright then!" Still, her voice was cheerful. "Well then, we¡¯ll be off too!" Fwoosh! With a flash of light, Misaki and Zi Xuan vanished together. "I¡¯m heading out too!" Jake waved at me before disappearing. Now, the only ones who hadn¡¯t returned to their towers were two others besides me. Once they left, I would head straight to the hidden boss room. Schlink. Baek Jin-young suddenly pointed his sword at me. "If you don¡¯t want to die, do as I say." Beside him, Sun Haoran stood with his spear raised. The spearhead was pointed at me, just like Baek Jin-young¡¯s sword. Sun Haoran spoke. "You¡¯ll still die, but at least it¡¯ll hurt less." Well, well. Chapter 21: Tower Exchange Meeting (6) Title: But Why Would Someone Want to Kill Another Player? Author: ??* ¡ª There must be a clear benefit if they¡¯re willing to kill, right? ? Yeah, there is. Killing another player for the first time guarantees a two-level increase. ? After that, it works just like normal monster hunting¡ªthe EXP gained depends on your level. ? Pioneer Most of the time, people kill for loot or because they¡¯ve completely lost their minds. ? Some people were just living normal lives, then suddenly got thrown into this weird tower where laws don¡¯t mean anything anymore, so they start killing for fun. ? Archmage There are quite a lot of them. *** Han Yuseong recalled what had been discussed in the gallery before he was summoned to the exchange gathering. Guaranteed two-level increase. That alone was enough motivation for any player who had yet to commit their first kill to consider murder. Baek Jin-young kept his sword pointed at Han Yuseong. "Drop the item you got for ranking first in the exchange gathering, then stand still with your hands ¡ï Novelight ¡ï up." Han Yuseong looked him in the eye and spoke. "When did you two start working together?" Baek Jin-young smirked and answered without hesitation. "We met at the last exchange gathering and added each other as friends. That¡¯s why we were summoned together this time." He continued. "When neither of us got first place, we decided we''d just kill whoever did and steal their item. That¡¯s what we planned for this gathering. Oh, and if you¡¯re thinking of stalling for time and teleporting back to your tower, forget it. If you get hit while that white summoning circle appears, your return gets canceled." Baek Jin-young was explaining things Han Yuseong already knew from the Transcendent Gallery seniors. Seeing that Han Yuseong was listening without reacting, Baek Jin-young tilted his head. "Are you frozen with fear, or are you just too stubborn to give up your prize?" His gaze shifted to Sun Haoran. "Then we¡¯ll just kill him and take the drop. Sun Haoran, do it." Sun Haoran grinned. "Yeah, sure." Han Yuseong knew exactly why they were underestimating him so much. It was obvious. < 3 >. The number floating above his head. That was the source of their confidence. "I was aiming for the last hit, you know? But then you just had to throw that damn spear at the end and steal the kill. Why? The damn kobold didn¡¯t even try to dodge. It was already half-dead because of me and the others." Baek Jin-young clicked his tongue and kept talking. "And Laura¡ªwhat kind of Hard Mode player is that useless? She didn¡¯t even realize I was from Hard Mode too. Acting all high and mighty, tsk." Baek Jin-young failed to notice something. That, at this very moment, Han Yuseong had already made his decision. Han Yuseong casually asked. "So, you''re from Hard Mode. What about him?" Baek Jin-young chuckled. "He¡¯s from Normal Mode. But that doesn¡¯t mean you stand a chance against him." Vwoom¡ª Sun Haoran twirled his spear in front of Han Yuseong¡¯s eyes. "Just think of yourself as unlucky, 3rd floor." Sun Haoran stepped forward. His spear shot out like a bullet. Slash¡ª! The spear¡¯s shaft spun into the air. "...Huh?" Sun Haoran¡¯s voice came out in stunned disbelief. A flash of light. This time, he made no sound. Blood gushed from his throat. "Guh... gghhk!" Sun Haoran dropped his spear, clutching at his neck with both hands. "Gkkk...!" But no matter how hard he pressed down, the blood wouldn¡¯t stop. His body collapsed to the ground, writhing like an insect. Then, it went completely still. He was dead. "......." Baek Jin-young swallowed dryly, staring at the pool of blood spreading from Sun Haoran¡¯s corpse. He felt incredibly stupid. As if his brain had shut down. A 3rd-floor resident. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. A player who had only just cleared the 2nd floor... had killed a 7th-floor resident. It was completely irrational. Baek Jin-young was in shock. He turned his gaze toward Han Yuseong. A sword was in Han Yuseong¡¯s hand. [Greatsword Carnavalt]. The reward he had just received for ranking first in the exchange gathering. Han Yuseong spoke. "That was lucky." He stared at the number floating above Baek Jin-young¡¯s head¡ª8. "...What?" "I was lucky to kill Sun Haoran, that¡¯s all." With those words, Han Yuseong stepped forward. Baek Jin-young stood in his path. Something was wrong. That guy had taken out Sun Haoran in an instant. But he was only from the 3rd floor. The number above Han Yuseong¡¯s head, his floor level, and Baek Jin-young¡¯s own background as a Hard Mode climber¡ªthose facts dictated his actions. Kill him. Mana surged from Baek Jin-young¡¯s Mana Heart. [Activating Skill: Magic Body Reinforcement Lv.2] Baek Jin-young swung his scimitar diagonally upward. A white arc slashed toward Han Yuseong¡¯s torso. Got him...! But that certainty twisted into doubt in an instant. The scimitar cut through nothing but air. Thud! "Urgh!" Baek Jin-young looked down at his abdomen. The hilt of Han Yuseong¡¯s sword, Carnavalt, had slammed directly into his stomach. Crack! His head snapped back. Han Yuseong¡¯s fist had struck him square in the chin. Baek Jin-young barely clung to consciousness and immediately swung his sword horizontally. Han Yuseong¡¯s eyes gleamed as he tracked the trajectory. Even after taking a hit, Baek Jin-young quickly regained his stance. His counterattack was swift¡ªlike lightning. It was definitely threatening. Clang! "Your combat sense isn¡¯t bad." Baek Jin-young¡¯s scimitar went flying into the air. His right arm was raised high against his will. "But you¡¯re far too weak." Crunch! Han Yuseong¡¯s low kick sent Baek Jin-young¡¯s leg crashing to the ground. "Arghhh!" Baek Jin-young clutched his left leg and writhed on the floor. Han Yuseong stepped closer and twisted Baek Jin-young¡¯s right elbow upward. Snap! Pop! His shoulder joint was dislocated. "AAAAARGH!" His grotesquely bent arm hung limply at his side. His shoulder was completely out of place. Han Yuseong crouched down, gripping his right arm, and locked eyes with the trembling Baek Jin-young. "Do you see this?" To Baek Jin-young, it just looked like Han Yuseong was moving his hand through empty space. He shook his head frantically. Han Yuseong was testing something¡ªwhether Transcendent Gallery could be seen by other climbers. Han Yuseong spoke again. "Answer with words. Not actions." At this point, Baek Jin-young had no thoughts of resisting. "I-It just looks like you¡¯re waving your hand in the air..." Fear had completely settled in. "What¡¯s your level?" Han Yuseong started asking questions, one by one. Baek Jin-young¡¯s voice quivered. "S-Sixteen..." A 21st-century Earthling, huh? His level had risen quite a bit, just as Han Yuseong had expected. "Tell me your stats. Strength, Agility, Stamina, Mana¡ªin that order." Baek Jin-young¡¯s lips trembled violently. "If... If I tell you, will you let me live?" "That depends on how you answer." Baek Jin-young bit his lip, hesitating, but eventually spoke. "Status window... Strength 38, Agility 36, Stamina 49, Mana 21." His stats were about half of Han Yuseong¡¯s, except for Stamina. Considering that Han Yuseong had just gained two levels from killing Sun Haoran, the gap was even wider. "When clearing floors, did you also form parties of at least six people?" "...Obviously. Why even ask?" Han Yuseong stored that information away in his mind. Meanwhile, Baek Jin-young was thinking. This bastard isn¡¯t going to let me live. He had killed Sun Haoran without hesitation. And now, he was just standing there, looking up at something in the air¡ªcompletely defenseless. I have to kill him. The decision was made in an instant. Fwoosh! Like an insect writhing for its last chance, Baek Jin-young suddenly jerked up. His left hand grasped the scimitar he had dropped on the ground. Swish! He stabbed forward. That damn 3rd-floor bastard. But once again, his certainty was shattered. Like a ghost, Han Yuseong dodged his killing intent. A dagger¡ªone he had never seen before¡ªwas now in Han Yuseong¡¯s right hand. Shnk. The blade pierced Baek Jin-young¡¯s throat. His body collapsed to the ground. Blood poured out. He was dying. As he lay there, Baek Jin-young thought carefully. Who the hell is this guy? His mistake was obvious. < 3 >. He had been too fixated on that damn number. A 3rd-floor resident who had just cleared the 2nd floor. And yet, someone terrifyingly strong. At the very moment when his life should have been flashing before his eyes, something else appeared in his mind. A ranking board. ¡¶ 2nd Floor - Score Rankings ¡· 1st place - Anonymous: 1,532 points The same 2nd-floor leaderboard he had scoffed at just before entering the exchange gathering. "...1532?" The words barely escaped his lips. Han Yuseong heard them. "You¡¯re too late. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore." Baek Jin-young opened his mouth to speak again. But no more words came out. His breath stopped. Tsk. Han Yuseong clicked his tongue. *** Title: What Do You Do If Another Player Tries to Kill You? You Just Kill Them, Right? Author: ??* ? Heavenly Demon Why are you even asking something so obvious? ? Sword of Light Kill them. ? Archmage Find out whatever you need first, then kill them. ? Shrine Maiden Kill! ? Ice Queen Frozen, frozen! Make sure there are no loose ends! Everything must be done thoroughly! ? Dragon King Beltui¡ªunanimous agreement, very nice. Kill them! ? Pioneer Yeah... You pretty much have to kill them. ? Absolute Monarch That¡¯s the tower. That¡¯s the world. Forget about staying pure. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist Sigh, old man, the word is ¡®pure,¡¯ not ¡®noble.¡¯¡ªThis world is just a locked room¡ª ? It¡¯s a meaningless dilemma, for real. ? Trust NPCs more than players. At least some NPCs are capable of loyalty. ? Damn, every single comment says to kill them lmao. Chapter 22: Tower Exchange Meeting (7) The object that appeared next to the two players¡¯ corpses was a square-shaped cube. It looked just like a cube. I had already heard about this cube from the senior members of the Transcendent Gallery. An object that materialized a deceased player¡¯s inventory. I had also heard that this cube couldn¡¯t just be put directly into an inventory. Clank¡ª I grabbed the cube and pressed the button in the center. Like a supply crate from an FPS game, the cube expanded and unfolded with a whoosh. However, since it belonged to players from below the 10th floor, there weren¡¯t any particularly useful items. Of course, I collected all the healing potions and transferred them to my inventory. Sun Haoran¡¯s cube had almost nothing useful, but I picked up the most valuable-looking item from Baek Jin-young¡¯s cube. After organizing all the items, I was finally ready. Now, it was time to enter the hidden boss room. The difficulty rating of the hidden boss room marked on the map was five stars. According to Laura, who had been playing on Hard Mode, a five-star rating meant the highest possible difficulty for a hidden boss room. It was clearly a dangerous situation to enter alone, but I had no intention of backing down. A strong desire took hold of me. The desire to level up. The level I gained from killing the Kobold Champion was one. And the level I gained from killing Sun Haoran was a guaranteed increase of two. If I gained five more levels from my current level 15, I would reach level 20. That would be the point where I could use Sword Aura. I was extremely curious about that threshold. Shff¡ª I took out my device and opened the Transcendent Gallery. Then, I made a post. Title: What kind of monster will show up in the Exchange Event¡¯s Hidden Boss Room? Author: ??* - The dungeon is called Kobold¡¯s Cradle. It¡¯s been nothing but kobolds so far. The boss room had a Kobold Champion. - The hidden boss room¡¯s difficulty is five stars. - Oh, and I just finished the boss room and had to kill two Exchange Event players who suddenly tried to kill me. I added the last line about killing the two players as if it was nothing special because I didn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of it. Of course, the Transcendent Gallery¡¯s comments didn¡¯t go the way I expected. ? Dragon King) Uuuuh, Beltui¡ª Another climber has been tainted by darkness. ? What darkness? You¡¯re probably the one who¡¯s been killing people the most without hesitation. ? Dragon King) Beltui¡ª You caught meeee. ? Archmage) Hmm, did you confirm the kill? ? Ice Queen) Frozen! Frozen! Confirming the kill is important! ? Heavenly Demon) Needless sympathy will only bring disaster. ? Hard Mode Players, you should at least comfort someone if it¡¯s their first time killing people, but instead, you¡¯re just asking if they confirmed the kill. ? Admin) This is just everyone¡¯s way of offering comfort in a roundabout way. ? Lol, what kind of comfort is this? A full 360-degree rotation back to the starting point? There were also a few comments about the original topic I posted. ? This crazy guy, if it¡¯s rated five stars, shouldn¡¯t you be thinking about NOT going in? ? But honestly, even if it¡¯s five stars, Pandemonium Mode would probably be worse, so it¡¯s hard to tell him not to. ? For real, lol. I¡¯m not even sure if this will be harder than the Floor 2 stage he already cleared. ? Absolute Monarch) Hmm, if the boss room had a Kobold Champion, then the hidden boss room might have a Kobold Grand Warrior... Or maybe even the Kobold King. Low probability, but possible. ? Uh... I think we should stop saying ¡®low probability¡¯ at this point. Every ¡®low probability¡¯ scenario is happening to this guy. ? Lmao, for real. Who the hell cursed him with Pandemonium Mode? Did he sell a Holy Sword to the Demon Realm in his past life? ? ??) Is the Kobold King strong? The kobolds themselves didn¡¯t seem that tough.* ? Shrine Maiden) You must not underestimate the king. The Kobold King, King Kobold, is a true king, unlike those fake monarchs like the Queen Antsranthrope you defeated before. ? Spear King) The Kobold King can crush an Orc Grand Warrior alone. That¡¯s what being the ruler of a species means. ? Wow, you¡¯re actually making sense for once. Are you drunk? ? Spear King) No... ? Sword of Light) The kings of all species have something extraordinary about them. If the tower system recognizes them as a ¡®king,¡¯ they¡¯re on a whole different level. If it¡¯s the Kobold King, there¡¯s a chance it can use Sword Aura. You should be careful. Be careful of Sword Aura. In the end, I would only find out after stepping into the hidden boss room. Standing before the black door, glowing letters appeared in my vision. Ding! [Would you like to enter the hidden boss room of the Kobold¡¯s Cradle dungeon?] [Dungeon Difficulty - ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï] Suddenly, a small flicker of light shimmered in the air, and a piece of paper floated down. [Exchange Event Return Scroll] Description: A return scroll for reckless people attempting the hidden boss room alone in an Exchange Event dungeon below the 10th floor! Effect: If you tear the scroll, you can return after 10 seconds! + But if you die within those 10 seconds, you¡¯re dead for good! This was the first time I had seen such a dramatic item. I placed the return scroll in my inventory. I wouldn¡¯t be needing it. The next notification asked whether I wanted to enter the dungeon or not. [Yes / No] Of course, I pressed ¡®Yes.¡¯ Rumble! The door opened. A vast chamber came into view. At the center of the hidden boss room was a golden chair. And sitting upon it was a monster that seemed completely out of place. [King Kobold] King Kobold. Its entire body was covered in black fur, resembling a lion¡¯s mane. Its golden eyes were closer to those of a true predator. The massive kobold held a sword in its right hand, a blade larger than its own body. Grrrr¡ª A growl that didn¡¯t sound kobold-like at all echoed through the room. KWWWAAAAAHHH!! A deafening roar shook the air. It had been a while since I felt such overwhelming pressure. The sheer killing intent weighed down on me, making my body stiffen for a moment. [Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.4 - Activating skill.] I had to endure it. [Focused Reinforcement Lv.4 - Activating skill.] King Kobold¡¯s eyes gleamed as it charged forward. Right before the collision, I severed the aura of killing intent binding me. [Mental Barrier Lv.1 - Skill acquired.] I barely managed to parry its incoming horizontal strike by angling my blade. Clang! The impact sent my body hurtling backward. I focused my eyes on King Kobold¡¯s movements. Its knees bent forward, its thighs swelling as it prepared to leap. Boom! The massive body shot up like a spring. Both arms were raised high, and an eerie blue aura surged along its blade. A blue Sword Aura. I had somewhat expected this after hearing Sword of Light¡¯s words. If I was facing the Kobold King, it was bound to use Sword Aura. If I had known this, maybe I shouldn¡¯t have completely overpowered that Third-Rank Knight in the Floor 2 stage... Maybe I should have at least experienced Sword Aura back then. King Kobold¡¯s body came crashing down like a thunderbolt. A thick cloud of dust billowed into the air. Dragon Slayer Sword Technique ¨C Sword Defense Form 1: Libra. My greatsword, Carnivalt, trembled violently as I blocked the downward strike. King Kobold. The ruler of its species. Its raw strength wasn¡¯t much different from the Orc Legion Commander¡¯s. But its combat instincts... King Kobold was far superior. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Half of my swings followed the Dragon Slayer Sword Technique¡¯s forms. The other half were instinctive strikes. Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! My ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) sword path and King Kobold¡¯s clashed violently. Every attack I sent out was intercepted. [Skill ¡®Warrior¡¯s Movement¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.4] The countless clashes of our blades. King Kobold¡¯s instinctive swordsmanship was giving me profound insights. Along with excruciating pain. Schrkkk! My armor was pierced. A diagonal slash ran from my left shoulder to my right waist. I swung my sword fiercely once more to create distance between us. Then, from the pouch tightly secured at my waist, I pulled out a small syringe-like object. A [Pain Suppression Doping Agent] I had purchased in the Floor 3 waiting room. Without hesitation, I jabbed the syringe into my right waist. I also poured a Low-Grade Health Potion over the wound. The searing pain that had been rattling my brain slowly began to fade. KWWAAAARGH!! King Kobold closed the distance again like a sprinter in a short-distance race. I grabbed the second sword that had been hanging idly at my waist. Tssssss! Blue Sword Aura flared up along both blades, burning like waves of energy. The sweeping trajectory of those blades surged toward me like an unstoppable tide. Dodging wasn¡¯t always the answer. I chose to face it head-on. I lowered my body and focused all my mana into my feet. My thigh muscles tensed and expanded. Just like King Kobold had done, I bent my knees and launched forward explosively. A perfect charge. At the very last moment, I twisted my body to the right, narrowly avoiding the incoming blue arcs. KAAANG! I deflected one with a horizontal slash¡ªThursahogg. A flash of lightning filled my vision. Another diagonal slash struck me. Scarlet blood splattered onto the floor. [Status Ailment - Severe Bleeding. ¡®Doombringer¡¯ has been activated.] [Skill ¡®Doombringer¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.2] [Your body has temporarily exceeded its limits.] The more blood I lost, the clearer the world became. A fleeting opportunity. SCHWAAACK! With my right hand, I swung my greatsword Carnavalt and slashed King Kobold¡¯s shoulder. KAAAARRGH!! With my left hand, I drove my Bloodstained Dagger toward its throat. CRUNCH! The monster¡¯s jaws, like those of a lizard, snapped open and bit down on my dagger¡¯s blade. Its golden eyes glowed with murderous intent. My body moved on instinct. I dropped my greatsword Carnavalt onto the ground and grabbed my Black Javelin. THUD! Once into King Kobold¡¯s heart. Then, immediately withdrawing it, I drove it into its throat. CLATTER¡ª Its jaws loosened. The dagger it had been desperately biting clattered onto the floor. And then, King Kobold¡¯s massive body slumped lifelessly. [You have defeated the Hidden Boss Monster!] [Level Up!] [Lv.15 ¡ú Lv.17] [''Strength'' has increased by 12.] [''Agility'' has increased by 10.] [''Endurance'' has increased by 10.] [''Mana'' has increased by 9.] [Achievement Unlocked!] [Achievement - Fall of a Species] Unlocked upon eliminating the apex of a species. [You have slain the King of the Kobolds!] [Achievement experience granted!] [Lv.17 ¡ú Lv.19] Just one step left to Level 20. Chapter 23: Floor 3 Stage The only worthwhile item among King Kobold¡¯s belongings was, as expected, a sword. King Kobold had used two swords. What caught my interest wasn¡¯t the massive greatsword, which seemed far too inefficient for me to use, but rather the moderately sized straight sword. [Cursed King¡¯s Sword] Category: Weapon (Sword) Attack Power: +50 Effect: Increased resistance to light-based attacks Usable Level: 17 or higher Grade: B+ It seemed like it was time to let go of the Nameless Knight¡¯s Straight Sword. I would continue using Carnavalt as my primary weapon. This sword would serve as a secondary. Other than that, there was nothing particularly valuable. I pressed the flashing text in the lower-right corner of my vision. [Would you like to leave the Exchange Event and return to the floor waiting room?] [Yes / No] Everyone who disappeared probably vanished with this very process. I had expected a lot to happen during the Exchange Event, but even so, more had happened than I anticipated. I pressed ¡®Yes¡¯ with my index finger. A circular ring of light surged up from beneath my feet. "......." The light that had filled my vision faded away. [Entering the Floor 3 waiting room.] Once again, I was in the dull world of the waiting room. It was still the size of a high school gymnasium, but it felt slightly larger than before. Since the [Exchange Event Return Scroll] hadn¡¯t disappeared, it seemed like I could use it in the next Exchange Event if I ended up entering a hidden boss room alone again. Just because it hadn¡¯t vanished didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d ever need to use it. I glanced at the clock mounted on the central wall to my right. Current time: February 26, 14:53. The next Tower Exchange Event was on March 25. I had to climb as many floors as possible before then. Title: I¡¯ve returned. I¡¯m in the Floor 3 waiting room. Author: ??* - More happened than I expected. In just two days of the Exchange Event. ? You worked hard. ? No posts about you killing those two in the Exchange Event have shown up in the Climber Gallery yet. ? Spear King) I¡¯ll let you know as soon as they do. How reassuring. But considering how frequently murders happened in the Exchange Event, I doubted I would be specifically identified. Just in case, I had used the alias Jung Woo-hyun. ? Elf Guy) Ah, I finally finished restoring the Elven Kingdom... I missed watching the climber take first place on Floor 2 in real time. ? So that¡¯s why you weren¡¯t around until now?? ? As expected, damn elf. Humans are dying, and you don¡¯t even care. ? Elf Guy) You¡¯re not elves, and you don¡¯t care either! ? Room Conspiracy Theorist) Aren¡¯t you in a pretty high position in the Elven Kingdom¡¯s society? Why are you handling the purification yourself? ¨C This world is a giant closed room. ? Elf Guy) That¡¯s because I¡¯m not some corrupt superior like you demons. I¡¯m a noble elf who leads by example. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist) Why are you suddenly picking a fight? ¨C This world is a giant closed room. ? Come on, Theorist, you know he¡¯s always been like this. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist) It feels like he¡¯s getting worse. ¨C This world is a giant closed room. ? Must be old age. ? Elf Guy) In the name of Mother World Tree, I pray for your short lifespan. ? Speaking of elves, wasn¡¯t there another weird elf in the Transcendent Gallery? ? That one¡¯s different. He got blocked for posting too many selfies, lmao. Originally, he¡¯d be flooding the chat with dopamine-fueled posts about the climber¡¯s progress, but... blocked. No posts for him. ? Dragon King) Kyaaah! Beltui¡ª It¡¯s so nice to see a cute elf again! Come hereee. Elf Guy completely ignored the demon Room Conspiracy Theorist. ? Why does he always beat up Theorist but never reacts to Dragon King? ? They¡¯re part of the same world, remember? Along with Sword of Light. ? Elf Guy) You¡¯re making me sound like some internet shut-in. Unlike you, if a demon is nearby, I can actually punch them. ? Dragon King) Beltui¡ª Hit me toooo. ? Look at him gritting his teeth and pretending not to see that. ? Sword of Light) You worked hard. Now, don¡¯t waste time and climb to the next floor immediately. ? ??? Insane... I thought I read that wrong. I rubbed my eyes and reread it, but no, he actually said ¡®don¡¯t waste time.¡¯ ? Archmage) Is the cooldown for interdimensional trade still seven days? ? ??) Yeah, seven days left.* ? Heavenly Demon) Do not forget that I am first in line... ? There is no line, dude. ? Trade is only possible with humans who can provide power needed for Floor 3 or 4 stages. ? So if you don¡¯t trade in the waiting room, does that mean those humans will have to survive on jerky and nuts until the interdimensional trade opens again? ? Have you completely forgotten how the Tower works? Food stays fresh for a day inside the special storage box. ? As long as you trade within 24 hours, it¡¯s fine. But yeah, with the cooldown at seven days, the timing isn¡¯t ideal. What the hell. ? ??) ?? You can put the storage box directly into your inventory? Then why have I been carrying only jerky and nuts around?* ? Admin) Oh, right. Things were so chaotic in the Floor 2 waiting room that I forgot to mention it, lol. ? Archmage) LOL, for real. ¡®LOL¡¯ my ass. They definitely knew and just didn¡¯t tell me. ? We had to figure it out ourselves, so we¡¯re not going to make it easy for you. At least not when it comes to food. Look at these bastards. ? Sword of Light) More than that, a floor stage is a battlefield. Having too much to eat is a disadvantage. That¡¯s why we didn¡¯t tell you. ? Boomer. ? Ice Queen) Frozen! Boomer! For a moment, I got chills. Even through text, I could feel that Sword of Light¡¯s words were completely sincere. ? Either way, people like us won¡¯t get an opportunity for interdimensional trade. ? Why? If you have something incredibly valuable that even the Hard Mode climbers don¡¯t have, you could trade with the climber. ? But you don¡¯t have anything like that, do you? ? ??) Give it a shot. I have an open mind.* Of course, it wasn¡¯t likely that I¡¯d be making trades with the Normal or Easy Mode veterans over just any random items. What could I do? The hierarchy had already been firmly established in the gallery. I would rest for a day. Not that there was even half a day left at this point. If I entered the Floor 3 stage right now, unless the setting was outright hellish, I¡¯d probably pass out from exhaustion. Both my body and mind needed rest. My swords were still in good condition, but my armor was in complete shambles. When I placed my hand on my armor, an unfamiliar screen popped up. [Would you like to repair the Nameless Knight¡¯s Armor Set?] [Repair Cost ¨C 15 Coins] I repaired it immediately. Compared to how much I had upgraded my weapons, it was a shame that I was still using the same armor from Floor 2. If Floor 3 was a place where I could obtain new armor, I would have to try and get some. When I posted about the repair process in the gallery, a reply mentioned that repairs could only be done in the waiting room using coins. If I wanted to fix an item while progressing through a stage, I would either need an NPC blacksmith or to repair it myself in a smithy. For now, I closed the gallery. Lying inside my sleeping bag, I reviewed the desperate battle against King Kobold in my mind as I slowly drifted off to sleep. I opened my eyes. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. My body felt refreshed, and my mind was clear. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Level: 19 Strength: 107 Agility: 97 Endurance: 101 Mana: 70 Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.5, Composure Lv.5, Concealment Lv.3, Danger Detection Lv.3, Enhanced Vision Lv.3, Focused Reinforcement Lv.4, Warrior¡¯s Movement Lv.4, Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.4, Doombringer Lv.2, Mental Barrier Lv.1 Seeing my Strength and Endurance stats reach three digits was quite a moment. If I had reached Level 20 already, I would have stayed here training my Sword Aura like I had diligently practiced in the Floor 2 waiting room. But I was still one step away from Level 20. As someone mentioned in the gallery yesterday, if I needed any crucial items for Floor 3 or 4, I could always use interdimensional trade. Though, no matter how long Floor 3 turned out to be, I doubted it would take an entire week. Organizing my thoughts, I opened the coin shop. I had plenty of coins. Thanks to the Exchange Event, I had earned 1,000 coins. [Floor 3 Coin Shop] I restocked on the potions I had used during the Exchange Event. Then, I checked the food section. Last night, as a reward for my hard work, I had treated myself to instant noodles and a small amount of kimchi, a taste of home. For breakfast, I chose stir-fried pork rice bowl, a new menu item available in the Floor 3 Coin Shop. It was relatively expensive at ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã 13 coins, but it came with a small salad and a bowl of soup as sides. At this point, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwho was preparing all this food and serving it like this? When I asked the Transcendent Gallery veterans, even they didn¡¯t know. I made another post. Title: I¡¯m entering Floor 3 stage with cream bacon pasta, stir-fried pork rice bowl, and sandwiches in my inventory. Author: ??* - This should be enough to have proper meals for at least two days, no matter what happens. ? Look at this guy getting spoiled the moment we tell him about inventory storage. ? Well, to be fair, if you land in a place with nothing to eat, it¡¯s a problem. ? Sword of Light) Eat in moderation. ? Admin) Sending luck. ? Absolute Monarch) Let us know where you are as soon as you enter. ? Elf Guy) Phew, now I can finally follow your progress in real time. ? Ice Queen) So exciting! I closed the Transcendent Gallery and put my device into my inventory. As I had done on Floor 2, I walked to the far end of the waiting room and opened the gray door. The scenery shifted completely, as if the waiting room had never existed. ¡ºWelcome to the Pandemonium Mode Floor 3 stage.¡» This time, it was a forest. The trees and undergrowth were stained an unnatural black, an unclean, tainted woodland. Whooosh¡ª Even the sound of the wind blowing was eerie. ¡ºPandemonium Mode Floor 3 is a quest-based stage.¡» Another quest-type stage, just like Floor 2. But this time, the quest window popped up immediately. ¡ºQuest! ¨C Join the rescue squad sent to save the missing personnel stranded in the Forest of Beasts, and work together to rescue them.¡» The black undergrowth rustled. A massive figure with glowing red eyes burst out, charging straight at me. I could smell it. This was going to be anything but easy. Chapter 24: The Forest of Beasts (1) The Transcendent Gallery was still filled with discussions about Han Yuseong even after he had left. Title: Is the gallery master gone? Gone for real? Author: ?? - Damn, it¡¯s hard to pretend this is normal. How the hell did a Floor 3 weakling kill King Kobold? This is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen anything like this. ? LOL for real. ? What¡¯s with your way of speaking? ? A kobold using Sword Aura, take that! ? Ice Queen) Frozen! So proud! ? Absolute Monarch) He¡¯ll probably hit a level stagnation phase soon. ? Sword of Light) Most likely. I just hope he reaches Level 20 before that happens. ? Archmage) Why are you even hoping for anything? He¡¯s going to have to push through on his own anyway. Before entering Floor 3 Stage, Han Yuseong had kindly responded to Sword of Light when he asked about his stats. ? Oh, right. Once two or more stats hit 100, leveling up becomes insanely slow, right? But why the hell is this crazy bastard experiencing it already? It¡¯s only Floor 3! I didn¡¯t go through this until mid-Tower! ? Yeah, well... that¡¯s because you... no, we... ? Pioneer) I wonder what¡¯ll show up this time. ? Elf Guy) But why is the climber the gallery master? Shouldn¡¯t the actual gallery owner be the gallery master? ? Well, since every discussion in this gallery ~N§àv§Ölight~ revolves around the climber, it just makes sense. ? Gallery master, post something. The Forest of Beasts. Just hearing the name was enough to make it sound ominous, and in reality, the place felt even worse. The moment I entered, a beast with bared fangs lunged at me, and I sliced it down with my greatsword Carnavalt. Judging by its sheer size, it was at least two meters tall. It resembled a wolf. Its blackish-red fur stood out, even in the overwhelming darkness of this world. That was because the creature¡¯s fur faintly glowed. SCHWAAACK! I killed two of them immediately. I took out my device and snapped a picture of the two dead beasts. Then, I logged into the Transcendent Gallery and made a post. Title: Floor 3 stage is the Forest of Beasts. Author: ??* Attachment: 901903897.jpg - But what the hell is this monster? The comments started pouring in immediately. ? The Forest of Beasts? LMAO. ? LOL, you¡¯re so screwed! That¡¯s one of the worst places! ? That thing is called a Malekanis beast. But that¡¯s not the important part right now. Just as I was about to ask what was important, more replies came in. **? Archmage) The bigger problem isn¡¯t the beasts themselves, but the Magi (dark energy) that spreads throughout the Forest of Beasts. ? Archmage) Though technically, the Magi is emitted by the beasts themselves. ? ??) Magi?* **? Archmage) If you lose focus, you can be consumed by the Magi and start self-harming. ? Self-harm is the least of your worries. ? If your mental resistance is weak and you mistake your allies for enemies, you might stab them to death. ? I play on Normal Mode, and my first time entering the Forest of Beasts was on Floor 35. But you¡¯re here on Floor 3? Not surprising anymore. Damn Pandemonium. Magi... So that¡¯s why the [Anti-Evil Bracelet] on my left arm had started to tremble. It was actively suppressing the effects of the Magi. [Skill ¡®Composure¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.6] [Skill ¡®Mental Barrier¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.2] The ¡®Mental Barrier¡¯ skill had been acquired yesterday when I faced King Kobold. It was a passive skill that strengthened mental resistance. And now, two of my mental resistance skills had leveled up at the same time. ? ??) So do I just have to stay exposed to the Magi this whole time?* ? Absolute Monarch) You need to eliminate the source. ? Pioneer) The Magi spreading in the Forest of Beasts doesn¡¯t originate from the forest itself. It¡¯s released by powerful named beasts. ? Pioneer) That means there¡¯s a Named Beast near you. ? ??) So if I kill it, the mental corruption stops?* ? Pioneer) That¡¯s right. ? ??) My quest is to join a rescue squad and save the missing personnel. Can I just ignore that and kill the Named Beast first?* ? Yeah, it doesn¡¯t really matter. There¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯ll find the rescue squad right away. ? Spear King) Right. If you¡¯re unlucky, it might take seven or eight days to meet up with them. ? Pioneer) My worst-case record was twenty days before miraculously finding them. I almost lost my mind. ? Archmage) In quests like this, the rescue squad isn¡¯t as important as the actual missing people. As long as you rescue them, it doesn¡¯t matter if you alter the process a bit. ? Archmage) As long as you complete the main objective, these kinds of quests allow for a lot more freedom than you¡¯d think. That made sense. Even in the Floor 2 stage, I didn¡¯t participate much in the defense battle but still cleared the stage by killing the Orc Shaman, the real source of the problem. That thought reminded me of Lucerna Mercenary Corps¡¯ leader, Resellin, and Yunes, who had guided me and also served as my magic shuttle. ? ??) Is this place related to the world I was in on Floor 2? Or is it the same world?* ? Sword of Light) High chance it¡¯s the same world. The Ermein Empire, which you protected on Floor 2, also has a Forest of Beasts. ? Sword of Light) The timeline should be roughly the same too. ? Archmage) But don¡¯t expect to meet anyone from before. The continent of Ermein and the continent of Noxis, where the Forest of Beasts is located, are different. ? Ice Queen) Frozen! The Ermein Empire is on Valtera! The Forest of Beasts is on Noxis! ? But is the forest actually vast? It doesn¡¯t seem that big. I took my eyes off the device and scanned my surroundings. It was far from small. It was dense, suffocatingly so. The black undergrowth stretched out endlessly. ? ??) The forest is massive and overgrown.* ? This seems like a later point in the timeline than when we went through it. We cleansed the Forest of Beasts, but now it¡¯s back in the same state. Just one more question left. ? ??) How do I find the Named Beast that¡¯s spreading the Magi?* ? Heavenly Demon) Walk in the direction where your worst memories keep surfacing. What the hell? ? Shrine Maiden) Higher-ranked beasts'' Magi force those exposed to it to relive traumatic failures, painful regrets, and unbearable memories. My right shoulder suddenly started aching. So that¡¯s what this was. The Magi. ? Shrine Maiden) Even if you try not to think about it, the memories will keep surfacing. It¡¯s meant to break your mind and destroy your will. Ugh... If only the cooldown for interdimensional trade wasn¡¯t active, I could have just handed you a charm to nullify all of this... Such a shame. ? Sword of Light) Nah, nah. Isn¡¯t this a good chance to increase mental-resistance skills? As long as he doesn¡¯t die, this will be great training. ? Even now, all he thinks about is growth! Crazy bastard! ? Classic psychopath behavior. ? Dragon King) As expected! A friend of Beltoi, who always speaks the truth! Beep-beep! ? Sword of Light) Die. ? Archmage) Anyway, even if traumatic memories surface, don¡¯t let yourself get caught in an endless cycle of thoughts. That¡¯s when the Magi really starts consuming you. If that happens, your health and mental state will collapse instantly. When you feel like you¡¯re getting closer to a monster, activate Mana Body Reinforcement. ? Admin) Mid-tier and higher beasts also hunt other monsters in the forest. If you suddenly start seeing a lot of monster corpses, that might be a sign that one of the Magi-emitting beasts is nearby. ? Archmage) Don¡¯t let the past devour you. I had gathered all the information I needed. I closed the Transcendent Gallery and resumed walking. The tingling pain in my right shoulder intensified. It was a recreation of the injury that had ended my baseball career. A headache crept in. Voices whispered into my ears like distant echoes. - That stupid game. See? The moment he loses it, he loses everything. - He should¡¯ve just studied from the start. Now look at him, wasting his time and sitting there pretending to catch up. Unpleasant memories. - What are you going to do now? You need to survive somehow. But these weren¡¯t fears to me. Standing on the mound as a pitcher. Allowing a hit. Allowing a home run. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The way my teammates and the audience looked at me. When their faces and the entire baseball field tilted like a crescent moon¡ª That was when I felt the most fear. Just like the memory replaying in my mind right now. [Skill ¡®Mental Barrier¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.3] But now, that memory was just a memory. It was only terrifying when I couldn¡¯t do my part. Now, I didn¡¯t even have the luxury of drowning in inferiority. To survive, to climb this damn Tower, there were far too many things I needed to do. There was no time to dwell on the past. Crack¡ª I slowly rotated my right shoulder to loosen the tension. The heavy sensation vanished completely. Step. [Activating Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.4.] I spotted a group of goblin-like monsters lying dead. Beyond them stood a one-eyed beast. It had the lower body of a four-legged feline predator but a humanoid upper body. However, its entire face and torso were covered in thick red fur, making it look nothing like a human. "You. You¡¯re the one filling my head with useless thoughts, aren¡¯t you?" "......." The one-eyed beast didn¡¯t respond. My eyes drifted to the side. Beneath a massive tree, a figure was bound. A beastfolk. They had reddish-orange fur and drooped lifelessly as if they were dead. Not an elf. Probably a mystic cat beastfolk. ¡ºYou have encountered one of the rescue targets! Safely deliver them to the rescue squad!¡» Right. Nowhere in the quest had it specified that the rescued individuals had to be human. Schwing¡ª I readjusted my grip on Carnavalt. And took a step toward the one-eyed beast. *** Hard Mode, Floor 64. Hard Mode Tower, Numbering #35. A blonde man sat on a park bench, flipping through a book. A woman with long purple hair approached him. "Union Leader." The Leader of the Strategy Union, Targon, lifted his gaze from his martial arts book. "There was a casualty in the 10-Floor Exchange Event of our Tower." Targon frowned at the attack squad leader, Bellasia¡¯s, words. "Who?" Bellasia opened her mouth again to respond. "Floor 8, 21st-century Earthling. Baek Jin-young." Through the mail system, a report had been sent to another Floor 8 resident. Baek Jin-young was dead. In Hard Mode, the likelihood of dying in an Exchange Event was low. After all, the difficulty of the Exchange Event was usually lower than what players normally faced when climbing. And for 10th-floor-and-below Exchange Events, it was even less likely. "Did he die alone? Wasn¡¯t he part of a party when he entered the Exchange Event?" To prepare for the possibility of being summoned to an Exchange Event, all players within the same Tower numbering were instructed to form parties of at least two. That was an official directive from Targon as Union Leader. Bellasia shook her head. "He refused to party up, saying he already had a prearranged group in Normal Mode. So, he was already on the Watchlist for possibly declining a party to hide his PK activities." PK. Player Kill. Murder between Tower players. "So, if he wasn¡¯t killed by a monster, then he either tried PKing someone and got counter-killed or was PKed himself." "Yeah." Targon recalled the ranking board from Floor 2. The reason he had started paying attention to lower floors. 1st Place - Hidden Player : 1,532 Points 2nd Place - Union Leader : 784 Points The existence above him. Targon shook his head. ¡®Even if this Hidden Player is a Hard Mode player, the gap between Floor 2 and Floor 8 is too wide.¡¯ Targon never considered the possibility that the Hidden Player was a Pandemonium Mode player. But¡ª If they surpassed him in the Floor 3 rankings as well¡ª He would do whatever it took to uncover their identity. With the name Hidden Player erased from the list of suspects in Baek Jin-young¡¯s murder, Targon spoke indifferently. "Do we have the name of the Normal Mode player who partied with Baek Jin-young?" "Yeah. Whether they were telling the truth or not, though, is another question." "Then post an official notice in the Climber Gallery. See if anyone knows something. If it looks like it¡¯ll take too long, just drop it." From Floor 1 onward, the Union Guild claimed to maintain balance in every level of the Tower. But in truth¡ª It was simply a system to reinforce their dominance over the 30th-floor-and-up Guild recruitment pool. That was the real reason they maintained a presence in the lower floors. "Understood." As Bellasia left, Targon, now alone again, flipped his book open and muttered. "Still, I¡¯m curious." Would you surpass me again on Floor 3? His eyes sharpened as he thought about the Hidden Player. Chapter 25: The Forest of Beasts (2) The one-eyed beast thrust the spears it held in both hands toward me. Its trajectory was swift, but not impossible to deflect. The crimson spear shot forward in a straight line but suddenly twisted to the right. I twisted my arm sharply and struck it head-on with my sword. Clang! The creature¡¯s arm, along with the spear, was sent soaring upward. An opening. I swung my greatsword, Carnavalt, horizontally. The blade, rushing toward the one-eyed creature¡¯s waist, tore through its flesh with a sickening sound. But I couldn¡¯t cleave it in half in a single stroke. I felt no disappointment¡ªthis was expected. I had never anticipated slicing it cleanly in one go. I closed in from the left and drove the Bloodstained Dagger into its shoulder. ¡°Uwoaaaah!¡± A cry, more like a wail, erupted from the one-eyed creature¡¯s mouth. Using its four beast-like legs, it leaped backward in a single motion. It¡¯s as agile as a horse. Then, it charged at me again at full speed. The crimson spear traced dozens of paths in the air. Vertical, horizontal, diagonal, from the sides. In other words, an ~N§àv§Ölight~ indiscriminate, omnidirectional barrage of spear attacks. Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa! If this had been right after I entered the tower, my body would have been minced into pulp. But now, my stats had increased significantly. Along with the combat instincts I had honed in real battle. Ka-ga-ga-ga-kang! I had to achieve maximum efficiency with minimal movement. I blocked all of the one-eyed creature¡¯s attacks. [Trajectory Perception Lv.1 - You have acquired a skill.] ¡°Urrgh¡ª!¡± The one-eyed creature let out an eerie groan, seemingly flustered that its attacks had all been neutralized. I pulled my right arm back sharply, gripping my greatsword. I stepped forward powerfully and thrust my sword repeatedly. So fast that my muscles screamed in protest. Dragon Slayer Sword Style ¨C Fourth Form. Five Consecutive Thrusts. Quinque Acies. Five large holes pierced through the one-eyed creature¡¯s torso. The spear it had been holding fell to the ground with a clatter. I ended the battle with a horizontal slash, severing its neck. [Experience points have increased.] [Current EXP: 62%] I swung my greatsword once, shaking off the blood from the blade. Two more monsters of this level, and I should reach Level 20. Now, my gaze shifted toward the beastfolk girl beneath the tree. I couldn¡¯t help but look. Ever since the battle was nearing its end, I could feel her staring at me. [NPC ¨C Beastfolk (Myo Tribe) Mique] ¡°You weren¡¯t alone at first, were you? Where are the others?¡± As I approached the tree, the beastfolk girl trembled and pressed her back against it. ¡°I¡¯m here to rescue you, so don¡¯t be scared.¡± Her round, green eyes quivered. She was clearly convinced that I had come to kill her. First things first, I cut the iron chains binding her to the tree. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. As soon as I did, she frantically used both hands to untangle the chains wrapped around her neck and waist. ¡°You¡¯re from the Myo Tribe, right?¡± I crouched down to meet her eye level. I already knew her race and even her name. But if I acted like I knew too much, she would only grow more wary. The beastfolk girl, with yellow cat ears, gave a small nod. Then, her lips parted. ¡°...Thank you... for saving me. Please don¡¯t kill me.¡± Her voice was barely above a whisper. ¡°You thank me first, then beg me not to kill you? What kind of logic is that?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry... Please forgive me...¡± What am I supposed to say to that? ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°...Mique.¡± I pulled a sandwich out of my inventory. At least the guy running the Tower Coin Shop had some conscience¡ªsandwiches came in a default set of three. I held one out to her. ¡°Here, eat this.¡± After I spoke¡ª For a long time, Mique just stared at me with suspicious eyes. Clicking my tongue, I took a bite from another sandwich in my hand. ¡°It¡¯s normal food.¡± Even then, she hesitated for a while longer before finally, with trembling hands, she carefully accepted the sandwich. Holding it delicately in both hands, she slowly retreated toward the tree again. Like a stray cat wary of people. Then, like a hamster, she began nibbling at the sandwich. ¡°Mm...¡± Her drooping cat ears perked up. ¡°Mm...¡± She lifted her head slightly and looked at me. Her once-dark expression had brightened a little. ¡°Thank youuu.¡± Her voice was still low, almost a whisper, but at least the trembling had subsided somewhat. Her wariness had faded¡ªjust a little. I figured talking while she was eating might make her choke, so I kept my distance until she was done. ¡°Thank youuu.¡± I heard her gratitude once more. When I turned my head, the sandwich she had been eating slowly was now completely gone. I always thought "slow but fast eating" was nonsense, but apparently, it was possible. ¡°Mique.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where are your companions?¡± Mique¡¯s eyes immediately filled with wariness again. ...It¡¯s not like I can just feed her another sandwich to make her drop her guard again. Right now, her negative reaction stemmed from the fact that I was asking about her group. If I were to make an educated guess, she must have had a bad experience with humans. That much was obvious. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been through so far, but I have nothing to do with those people.¡± Mique¡¯s mouth moved again, her words coming out slowly. ¡°You gave me something tasty, so... I¡¯ll believe you...¡± Finally! ¡°Humans kidnapped me and my friends... They were going to sell us somewhere. We managed to escape when we saw an opening, but... the only place we could run to was here, into the Forest of Beasts.¡± Human trafficking. Slave traders. So that¡¯s what this was. My mind began racing. ¡°Is there a chance your tribe will send a rescue party?¡± Mique¡¯s voice was still thin and weak as she answered. ¡°If the elders in the tribe noticed we were taken, they would¡¯ve sent a rescue party by now.¡± The moment she finished speaking, a notification window appeared before me. ¡ºYou have uncovered the truth of the narrative!¡» ¡ºYou must now make a choice.¡» ¡º1. Turn over the escaped Myo Tribe members to the slave traders. Minimum Clear Requirement: Hand over at least 5 living Myo Tribe members to the slave traders. Quest Difficulty ¨C ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡» ¡º2. Rescue the Myo Tribe members and turn them over to the Myo Tribe rescue party. Minimum Clear Requirement: Deliver at least 8 living Myo Tribe members to the Myo Tribe rescue party. Quest Difficulty ¨C ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡» ¡ºYou must choose between these two options. If you fail the first attempt, all subsequent attempts will only allow you to choose the opposite option from your first choice.¡» ¡ºQuest Failure Condition: If you fail to meet the minimum clear requirement.¡» ¡ºAfter failing the first attempt, no experience points can be gained in subsequent attempts.¡» ¡ºRetrying the quest is impossible if the player dies.¡» ¡ºThe higher difficulty option will provide greater rewards if successfully cleared, but only on the first attempt.¡» What should I choose? The answer came to me more easily than I expected. Having made up my mind, I opened the Transcendent Gallery. Title: Is this how it works? I''m suddenly being given a choice. Author: ??* - 1. Hand over the escaped Myo Tribe kids back to the slave traders. Difficulty: 4 stars. - 2. Hand them over to the rescue party from the Myo Tribe. Difficulty: 5 stars. - And if you fail the first attempt, all subsequent attempts will only allow you to choose the opposite option of your first choice. ©¸ It existed before, but that last part wasn¡¯t there. That¡¯s seriously messed up. Damn Pandemonium Mode. ©¸ Why the hell would they flee into the Forest of Beasts? ©¸ Lmao, for real. ???? ©¸ Archmage) Back when I climbed, I assumed these kinds of choices were meant to make players reflect on who they really were. Do you take the easier path and abandon your morality, or do you walk the harder road and try to do what¡¯s right? ©¸ Archmage) But this... That last condition makes it different from before. ©¸ Lmao, what¡¯s with this "abandon morality" talk? Helping others is what being human is about. ©¸ Sorry for being a misanthrope... ©¸ Just do what you want. We¡¯re not the ones in that situation, so we shouldn¡¯t interfere. ©¸ At the end of the day, they¡¯re just NPCs. Even if they seem alive, they¡¯re just part of the tower¡¯s story. ©¸ ¡ªSays the guy who forced himself to take the easy route and later deeply regretted it. ©¸ Lmao, why the hell are you getting emotional over fake characters? ©¸ Hah, I actually did the same thing once. I kinda felt bad afterward. ©¸ Damn, these two choices are way heavier than they should be. ???????????? You gonna cry? ©¸ Room Conspiracy Theorist) Maybe they¡¯re just trying to survive? You¡¯re not trash, don¡¯t worry. ?? - This world is one giant locked-room mystery. ©¸ Elf Guy) Uh... Wait. Is this guy really not a demon? ©¸ Pioneer) But yeah, that last condition... If someone with weak mental fortitude fails their first attempt on Option 2, they¡¯ll be forced to take Option 1 in every retry. Even if they don¡¯t want to do it, they¡¯ll have to keep doing it over and over. ©¸ Spear King) But those who fail once will probably fail again on the next attempt. ©¸ Dragon Lord) Beltui¡ªThat¡¯s correct! ©¸ Heavenly Demon) If you pick Option 1, you¡¯ll have to kill the Myo Tribe¡¯s rescue party. If you pick Option 2, you¡¯ll have to kill other humans. ©¸ Considering Option 1 has a lower difficulty, it¡¯s likely that the Myo Tribe¡¯s rescue party is weaker, while the human slave traders are stronger. ©¸ Sword of Light) Just make sure you don¡¯t die. Choose without regrets, whether it¡¯s dirty or clean. Don¡¯t overthink it. ©¸ Ice Queen) Frozen! Frozen! That¡¯s right! My decision didn¡¯t change. ©¸ ??) I¡¯m off.* With that final comment, I closed the Transcendent Gallery. A notification popped up in my vision. ¡ºChoose one of the two options!¡» I pressed my right index finger on the choice. ¡ºQuest selected.¡» ¡º2. Rescue the Myo Tribe members and deliver them to the Myo Tribe rescue party.¡» I have no intention of going into a second attempt where I can¡¯t even gain experience. I¡¯ll finish this in the first round. ¡°At the very least, I¡¯ll get you out of those humans¡¯ hands.¡± Mique¡¯s green eyes widened. ¡°...Thank youuu.¡± She thanked me again. Chapter 26: The Forest of Beasts (3) The top priority was finding Mique¡¯s group. But before that, there was something I needed to confirm. ¡°It wasn¡¯t this one-eyed beast that tied you up here, was it? Where are the ones who did?¡± At my question, Mique used both hands to push aside the bushes behind the tree. ¡°Here...¡± Two men lay collapsed on the ground. Their hearts had been pierced clean through. My gaze shifted back to the one-eyed beast sprawled on the ground. ¡°This thing killed them, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± This was manageable. The ones killed by the one-eyed beast /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ weren¡¯t likely the leaders. But thanks to these corpses, I could assume that even if they had a leader, it wouldn¡¯t be someone so overwhelmingly strong that I couldn¡¯t handle them. ¡°Mique, is there a way to locate your group?¡± Mique¡¯s yellow cat ears drooped again. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry... The Forest of Beasts has a strong, lingering scent. Unless I get close enough, I can¡¯t fully pick up their scent.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll be able to tell once we¡¯re near. That¡¯s enough.¡± My gaze fell on the two dead men. Both of them had a red emblem attached to their uniforms. It was small, but noticeable despite its size. A crude, vertically-shaped emblem with a red sword as its logo. Most likely a way to distinguish allies from enemies. Without hesitation, I ripped one of the emblems off and attached it to my shoulder. This should make the slave traders'' enforcers mistake me for one of their own. If they happened to be a close-knit group that memorized each other''s faces, then I¡¯d just be plain unlucky. Preparations were complete. ¡°Don¡¯t stray from my side.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Mique nodded. We walked for several minutes. Tug. Mique finally gave me a signal. She was pulling at the cuff of my sleeve. ¡°The distance?¡± I crouched down to match her height. Mique pointed forward and whispered into my ear. ¡°Just beyond that hill.¡± The sleeve of my clothes trembled slightly. It meant Mique¡¯s hands were shaking. ¡°I smell my kin... and the scent of their blood.¡± Instead of answering, I simply patted her shoulder. In my right hand, I gripped a Black Javelin. Moving cautiously, I kept my body concealed within the undergrowth. [Skill ''Concealment'' has leveled up. Lv.4] Then, I saw them. Myo Tribe beastfolk. Their necks and ankles bound in chains. From what I could see, there were five of them. One of them lay flat on the ground, motionless. ¡®They really are bleeding.¡¯ Judging by the faint twitches of their body, they were still alive. I took out a Low-Grade Potion and placed it in Mique¡¯s right hand. ¡°Once I get things under control, heal your wounded kin.¡± Mique clutched the potion tightly in both hands and nodded furiously. ¡°I¡¯m going to put on a bit of an act. Just stay still and don¡¯t panic.¡± Holding the Black Javelin in my right hand, I grabbed Mique¡¯s arm with my left. Then, I pushed through the undergrowth and stepped forward. A total of seven NPCs. [NPC ¨C Slave Trading Company, 2nd-Rank Combatant, Beron] [NPC ¨C Slave Trading Company, 1st-Rank Combatant, Hans] Three 2nd-Rank Combatants. Two 1st-Rank Combatants. [NPC ¨C Slave Trading Company, 3rd-Rank Combatant, Maion] Two 3rd-Rank Combatants. A rough-looking man¡ªBeron¡ªapproached me. His eyes landed on the emblem attached to my right shoulder. ¡°Yo, good work. But I told you not to wander around alone.¡± Most of the other men were focused on Mique. One of them smirked at the sight of her but then turned to look at me with a confused expression. ¡°...Was there a guy like him before?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably one of the mercenaries we hired. There are a few of them.¡± I listened to their voices and took a deep breath. The most efficient plan was to take out one of the 3rd-Rank Combatants with a javelin strike and then initiate combat. But the 2nd-Rank Combatants were blocking my line of attack, making that impossible. ¡°What the hell, I go through all this trouble catching an escapee, and all you can say is ¡®Was there a guy like him?¡¯ That¡¯s a bit much, don¡¯t you think?¡± The words flowed out of my mouth more smoothly than I expected. The 2nd-Rank Combatant, Marco, the one who had questioned my presence, scratched the back of his head awkwardly. ¡°M-My bad. My memory¡¯s been bad lately.¡± There¡¯s no need for you to apologize. [Activating Skill: Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.4] Crack! The Black Javelin I threw shattered Marco¡¯s skull. His corpse slammed into the ground. Drawing Carnavalt, a weapon that increased critical hit rates against multiple enemies, I readied myself. [Activating Skill: Focus Enhancement Lv.4] I slashed¡ª A horizontal crescent arc. It sliced through the necks of both 1st-Rank Combatants. Five enemies remained. My mind calculated the next move in an instant. Two 2nd-Rank Combatants and one 3rd-Rank Combatant lunged at me simultaneously. Three different attack trajectories rushed toward me. [Skill ''Trajectory Perception'' has leveled up. Lv.2] The axe swing from the leftmost attacker was ridiculously sloppy. I tilted my shoulder slightly to dodge and then swung Carnavalt upward. The axe fell to the ground, and the severed arm of the 2nd-Rank Combatant was sent flying. ¡°Die...!¡± A 3rd-Rank Combatant with a diagonal scar across his face charged at me. A faint sword aura flickered around his blade. But I felt no fear. I had already killed King Kobold, who wielded an aura far stronger than this. His technique was crude. His swordplay, amateurish. Dragon Slayer Sword Style ¨C Defensive Technique: Libra. I blocked his downward strike and drove the Bloodstained Dagger into his neck. The 2nd-Rank Combatant approaching from the side abruptly stopped. Because Carnavalt had already sliced through his waist. The 2nd-Rank Combatant collapsed to the ground. ¡°...Movement, speed, situational awareness... All of it is impressive.¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out who had spoken. Beron, the remaining 2nd-Rank Combatant, stood stiffly. There was only one person left who still had a relaxed expression while watching me. The 3rd-Rank Combatant, Maion. ¡°What¡¯s your reason for interfering with the company¡¯s business?¡± His silvery white hair was neatly combed back. He had the kind of face that looked fitting for a noble, but he kept spitting out unnecessary lines. A red current flowed across the twin blades he held. It was essentially the same as aura, just another name for it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try cutting me first and then ask? Wouldn¡¯t that make for a more honest conversation?¡± A smirk spread across Maion¡¯s lips. ¡°That¡¯s... an excellent idea.¡± Maion and the trembling Beron charged at me at the same time. ¡°U-Uwaaaah!¡± I had no idea why Beron was screaming like he was on the verge of tears. Slice! I instantly lowered my body and slashed Carnavalt across Beron¡¯s ankle. His body flipped backward. ¡°Kiiaaaah! Uwaaaah!¡± And now, he was actually crying. Maion lunged forward, his aura-infused spear stabbing in rapid succession. His technique was a slight improvement over the one-eyed beast I had killed earlier. Ka-ga-ga-ga-kang! But it wasn¡¯t at a level I couldn¡¯t handle. I stood firm. When his final spear thrust came at me, I didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, I caught the spear shaft with my bare hand. Maion¡¯s face turned pale. My strength was superior. Yank! I pulled the spear toward me. Maion¡¯s body was dragged forward in an instant. You should¡¯ve let go of the spear. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I shot my left hand forward, Bloodstained Dagger in my grip. Thud! One stab into his shoulder. Thud! Thud! And two into his neck. Maion stumbled backward, blood spraying from his throat. Then, his body collapsed to the ground, face-first. [Level Up!] [Lv.19 ¡ú Lv.20] [''Strength'' increased by 5.] [''Agility'' increased by 7.] [''Endurance'' increased by 6.] [''Mana'' increased by 5.] Level 20 achieved. I wanted to open the Transcendent Gallery immediately and ask about sword aura, but there was something more pressing. ¡°Hey.¡± Only one person remained. The one I had intentionally spared for information. ¡°Where are the rest of your men?¡± I grabbed Beron¡¯s hair and yanked his head up from the ground. Terror filled his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t talk, the next one¡¯s your left ankle.¡± Die?te Kingdom Royal Mage Tower, Top Floor ¡°Ophelia.¡± A young girl with platinum-blond hair gazed at the man bowing before her. ¡°Yes, Belzep?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for your lunch. Shall I prepare your usual steak and salad?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Oh, and Lemaine Academy has sent an invitation¡ª¡± ¡°Not going.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± Ophelia, dressed in a deep blue dress, was immersed in her work. ¡°I wonder if this will work.¡± Scattered across the white desk were countless sheets of paper. Even as the one who had created this chaotic mess, Ophelia herself struggled to make sense of the order. One of the more neatly stacked pages had a few words written on it: "Make the Climber Use Magic." "Since I¡¯m obviously the only possible magic instructor." "I, a genius, will make it happen." Ophelia imagined Han Yuseong¡ª??*¡ªusing magic he had learned from her and then writing glowing praise about her. ¡°Hehehe... Hehehehe.¡± She giggled. ¡°...Was that too undignified?¡± Pulling at her cheeks to compose herself, she picked up her pen again. ¡°Whew! Focus.¡± Now that Han Yuseong had reached Level 20 and could activate his mana circuit, he would soon unlock the aura circuit required to wield sword aura. It was the natural path for someone who had already proven their talent in close combat. Even a magic fanatic like Ophelia had to admit that. Players who chose the mage path had to unlock the magic circuit instead. Since the starting points of these two circuits were fundamentally opposed, it was impossible to open both. That was why "Magic Swordsmen" didn¡¯t exist in this world. Even so, Ophelia had no intention of giving up on "Making the Climber Use Magic." If it didn¡¯t exist, she would make it exist. Magic that could be used with the aura circuit alone. Any other mage would call it impossible, but Ophelia was not just any mage. She was developing buff-type magic and spells that could assist in close combat. "I hope nothing¡¯s gone wrong... But climbers are strong at the third floor, so..." Tap, tap. She pulled out her Transcendent Gallery terminal and checked the latest posts. Title: Let¡¯s all pray for the climber¡¯s safe return. Author: ?? - Hurry up and come back to write a post. I¡¯m bored. - Anyway, I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m praying. Wishing for a safe return! ©¸ Dude, if you¡¯re bored, go farm or something. ©¸ Farm what? ©¸ Wow, disrespecting farmers? Do you know how many lizardmen I¡¯ve slaughtered with a sickle? Anyway, I¡¯m praying. Safe return! ©¸ Ice Queen) Frozen! Safe return! Praying! ©¸ Gutter Swordsman) Praying for a safe return. ©¸ Hey, it¡¯s been a while. What have you been up to? ©¸ Gutter Swordsman) Closed-door training. ©¸ Lmao, that was short for a retreat. ©¸ Gutter Swordsman) My choice. ©¸ Heavenly Demon) Praying for a safe return. She tapped the floating keyboard and left a comment. Tap. Tap tap. Input: ©¸ Archmage) What¡¯s with the praying? Climbers aren¡¯t weak enough to die on the third floor. Ophelia awkwardly clasped her hands together. ¡°Safe return...!¡± After saying her prayer, she looked back at the post. Someone had already replied to her comment. ©¸ As expected of the undefeated, ice-cold queen of Climber Gallery, Magical Girl Ophelia. ?? ¡°Uwaaaaah!¡± Ophelia clutched her head in horror at the relic of her embarrassing past! Chapter 27: The Forest of Beasts (4) I declared that if Beron refused to talk, I would cut off his left ankle. However, both of my hands were trembling slightly. The act of taking a life was always unpleasant. Whether it was a player or an NPC, it didn¡¯t matter. The threats I threw at Beron were nothing but intimidation¡ª A means to get what I wanted. It didn¡¯t matter if he was weak or foolish. Two 3rd-Rank Combatants who used aura had already been in this battle. If I had held back even slightly while trying to subdue them, the situation could have spiraled out of control. Leaving someone alive was a privilege only an overwhelmingly strong person could afford. If I showed that kind of mercy now, it wouldn¡¯t be compassion¡ªit would be recklessness. ¡°Talk.¡± I repeated myself once more. Beron¡¯s hands trembled as he reached into his coat and pulled out something¡ª A map. ¡°...The final rendezvous point is marked with a circle.¡± The marked location appeared to be near the entrance of the Forest of Beasts. Specifically, a large rock just behind the entrance. ¡°When?¡± Beron¡¯s mouth opened. ¡°In... two hours.¡± Two hours. That wasn¡¯t exactly a lot of time. His voice quivered as he asked, ¡°Then... you¡¯re going to let me live?¡± I immediately pulled my body back. Swish! A sudden arrow came flying from the distance. Four straight trajectories. Tiing! Ting! I deflected two arrows with my sword. The other two struck Beron¡ªone in the heart, the other in his shoulder. ¡°Ugh... gck...¡± Beron let out a groan as he died. Those last two arrows had been meant to kill him from the start. In the end, his limp, lifeless body lay on the ground, eyes wide open, staring at something beyond me. The direction where the arrows had come from. A man stood there, holding a bow. [NPC ¨C Slave Trading Company, 3rd-Rank Combatant, Kaetor] A red-haired man. Kaetor¡¯s voice echoed across the distance. It was deep and firm. ¡°The Mandagore Company never lets a traitor live.¡± I had no intention of letting Beron live either. But I hadn¡¯t expected him to die this way. Kaetor showed no sign of engaging in a fight. He was keeping his distance. ¡°The captain will come to kill you soon. Don¡¯t move from this spot and wait quietly.¡± I called out loudly, ¡°You sure you don¡¯t just want to fight me right now?¡± No response. Kaetor turned on his heels and walked away, disappearing from sight. He must¡¯ve seen two 3rd-Rank Combatants lying dead on the ground. Was he a coward, or just quick to assess the situation? Either way, he really ran away. The captain, huh? If someone at 3rd-Rank believed in this captain so strongly, then it was likely that he was at least a 4th-Rank Combatant. ¡°...Hic!¡± One of the Myo Tribe members suddenly hiccupped. [NPC ¨C Myo Tribe Beastfolk, Murene] Including Mique, there were now a total of six Myo Tribe beastfolk here. I still needed to find two more to fully clear the quest. One option was to evacuate these Myo Tribe members. But I decided on a different approach. If the captain was strong, there was a chance he would kill me. But if I killed him, this entire situation would be resolved. So, I waited. Kaetor would bring the captain to me soon enough. I pulled all the jerky from my inventory. Then, I handed it to the Myo Tribe members, who were watching me with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. ¡°I came here to save you. Mique, explain.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Mique¡¯s yellow cat ears perked up as she nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Gather up! Gather up!¡± Unlike when she spoke to me, she seemed quite capable of leading the Myo Tribe children. ¡°Yuseong is our savior...! Yuseong is strong! Yuseong is kind!¡± She kept repeating the name I had given her earlier. The Myo Tribe children nibbled on the jerky as they listened. With her talking that much, there shouldn¡¯t be any more suspicion toward me. ¡°We have work to do. If you notice the enemy approaching, let me know immediately. Think you can do that?¡± The Myo Tribe children all nodded. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Even if I noticed before they did, it was best to be prepared for every possibility. Time was running out. I had no room to waste. I opened the Transcendent Gallery. Title: Just hit Level 20. Author: ??* - But I think I¡¯ll have to fight someone around 4th-Rank soon? Need a crash course on sword aura. Within 30 minutes. ?? ©¸ LMAO. Do you think a crash course will actually work? 30 minutes? What a joke. ©¸ It takes months for some people to even get a feel for it, and you want to learn it in half an hour? ???? ©¸ 4th-Rank sounds dangerous. ©¸ Gutter Swordsman) Level 20 achieved. Mana 25 or higher. That¡¯s the basic requirement. Mana 25? I probably had way more than that. I opened my status window. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Level: 20 Strength: 112 Agility: 104 Endurance: 107 Mana: 75 Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.5 | Composure Lv.5 | Concealment Lv.4 | Crisis Detection Lv.3 | Enhanced Vision Lv.3 | Focus Enhancement Lv.4 | Warrior¡¯s Movement Lv.4 Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.4 | Doombringer Lv.2 | Mental Barrier Lv.3 | Trajectory Perception Lv.2 After checking, I replied to the comment. ©¸ ??) Yeah, 75.* ©¸ Damn, that¡¯s plenty. ©¸ Wtf, if your mana¡¯s that high, does that mean your strength is over 100? What about agility? ©¸ ??) Strength 112, Agility 104.* ©¸ LMAO, dude¡¯s got triple-digit stats on the third floor. I wasted my entire Tower life. ©¸ Want a sip of some ultra-toxic venom? ©¸ Wait, it¡¯s Pandemonium Mode, huh? Pande-fucking-monium. ©¸ Bruh, you¡¯re already hitting mid-game stats. Meanwhile, I¡¯m struggling in Easy Mode. ©¸ Bartender, one premium poison. On the rocks. ©¸ Heavenly Demon) The basic principle is the same as ''Mana-Enhanced Body.'' You need to spread your mana from the mana heart throughout your entire body. ©¸ Sword of Light) ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) You have to take it a step further¡ªrelease it outside your body. ©¸ Gutter Swordsman) The ¡®Aura Circuit¡¯ spreads downward from the top. ©¸ Archmage) I¡¯d tell you to spread it upward, but that¡¯s the ¡®Magic Circuit.¡¯ You¡¯re clearly on the swordsman path. You¡¯ve got the talent for it, so you have to go with the Aura Circuit. ©¸ Everyone¡¯s saying the same thing. Once you choose, that¡¯s it. ©¸ She really wants you to learn magic somehow. Magic would be useful, but now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about that. ©¸ Dragon King) Beltui~ I can¡¯t explain it. It just works. ©¸ Ice Queen) Frozen! Same here! ©¸ Elf Guy) My power just comes from nature itself. Damn, must be nice to have innate abilities and a powerful bloodline. ©¸ Sword of Light) Take all the strength you''ve built up and push it out into the world. ©¸ Heavenly Demon) Sit in a meditative stance. Imagine planting deep roots into your body¡ªcreating the foundation of a giant tree that can never be uprooted. Planting the roots of a giant tree? I had no clue what that meant. There was only one way to find out¡ªtry it. ©¸ Famous One) Man, Heavenly Demon sounds like his old self again. ©¸ Long time no see, Sect Leader. ©¸ Why do you barely show up here? ©¸ Sect Leaders are busy. ©¸ ??) Heading out now.* ©¸ Archmage) Don¡¯t die. ©¸ ??) Not gonna.* I closed the Transcendent Gallery and stored the device back in my inventory. The Myo Tribe children were watching me. Well, from their perspective, I had just been waving my hands in the air like an idiot. Following Heavenly Demon¡¯s advice, I sat cross-legged. I slowly released the mana stored in my mana heart. The fundamental principle was the same as Mana-Enhanced Body. Aura Circuit A circuit that spreads downward from the top of the body. I took a deep breath. Push outward. Following Sword of Light¡¯s advice, I moved my mana. Thud... The ground beneath me began to tremble. Crackle! Small stones started to float into the air. Thump¡ª The mana current that had begun in my upper body flowed down to my abdomen. One stream split into two. Like the roots of an ancient tree, they spread in countless directions. A faint, pure white energy flickered in my palms. [Aura Circuit Awakened.] It worked. [You have reached the level of a 3rd-Rank Combatant.] I grabbed the Bloodstained Dagger from my waist. Flow. Into the blade. [Skill ¡®Mana-Enhanced Body¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.5] I had a lot of things to cut down. Hssss... A pure-white current began to coat the blade. It was unmistakable¡ªsword aura. I suppressed the energy and rose to my feet. Was it because I had awakened the Aura Circuit? My vision and hearing felt sharper. Someone was coming. A group. Slash! The thick undergrowth was cut away. A swarm of black leaves scattered into the air. [NPC ¨C Slave Trading Company, 4th-Rank Combatant, Liner] So it¡¯s him. To his right, two Myo Tribe members stood chained by the neck and arms. To his left, Kaetor¡ªthe bastard who had just left so conveniently¡ªstood. Behind them, I saw two more combatants¡ªone 1st-Rank, one 2nd-Rank. As expected, they wouldn¡¯t rough up their "merchandise." Good. That made my objective clear. Kill Liner, Kaetor, and the other two. Rescue the Myo Tribe captives. It wouldn¡¯t be easy. But this was within my expectations. Pandemonium Mode. A Five-Star Quest. There had never been a situation so far where I didn¡¯t have to risk my life. Liner¡¯s sword shimmered with red sword aura. ¡°I heard... you killed two 3rd-Ranks?¡± Killing intent. It was thicker than what King Kobold had emitted. Enough to send a shiver down my spine. ¡°Why is a human siding with these livestock? Do you want one? I can give you one.¡± I lifted Carnavalt. [Activating Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.5.] Now, release. Fwoosh¡ª A pure-white sword aura coated my blade. ¡°Big Nose.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Your nose is big. That makes you Big Nose. As if he didn¡¯t like my nickname, his killing intent intensified. ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, then come at me, Big Nose.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Properly pissed off, Big Nose charged straight at me. Chapter 28: The Forest of Beasts (5) I stepped forward. I brought my sword down in a vertical slash. The blade stopped dead in its tracks. A Fourth-Rank Swordsman. I expected him to be formidable, but he was even more of a fortress than I had imagined. The sword in Lainer¡¯s hands burned with a crimson aura. ¡°I¡¯ll show you exactly what kind of existence stands before you.¡± I knew it instinctively. This man was the most dangerous opponent I had ever faced. Lainer kicked off the ground, swinging his sword with both hands. Clang! I twisted my foot to the right, angling my blade to intercept his strike. ¡°I was once a knight of the honorable House Valtan. I am leagues above a rootless mongrel like you.¡± A knight? I had to ask. ¡°Then why are you here like this? Did you throw away your honor as a knight?¡± Of course, I made sure to get under his skin while I was at it. ¡°Or did your so-called noble house abandon you?¡± It must have hit him harder than I expected. ¡°Y-You insolent wretch dares...!¡± Lainer¡¯s face twisted into a mask of fury as he charged again, his sword wreathed in an even thicker crimson storm of aura. I had provoked him to break his composure. And I had succeeded. But I had also enraged him far more than intended. ¡°Take this! This is the sword of the great House Valtan!¡± Great or not, it was definitely dangerous. Dragon Slayer Sword. I put my trust in the techniques that Sword of Light had taught me. The swordsmanship manual stated that true mastery of the style required the use of sword aura. And now, I finally had it. A diagonal crimson arc came surging toward me. Dodging never crossed my mind. I would cut through it. Sching! A horizontal slash¡ªThursahogg. The red tempest was instantly bisected. Through the severed aura, I caught a glimpse of Lainer¡¯s face, twisted in disbelief. He quickly retracted his outstretched arms and adjusted his stance. His right shoulder lifted as he pulled his sword far back. A thrusting posture. Crimson currents spiraled, converging onto Lainer¡¯s sword, flashing with a deadly radiance. Rumble...! The swirling, blood-red mist churned the air like a raging storm. A chill ran down my spine. But the emotion welling up in me was not fear. I mirrored his stance. Drawing forth a pure-white sword aura, I infused it into my Greatsword Carnavalt. My arm muscles tensed like a drawn bowstring. Thud. I stepped forward. My right shoulder screamed in protest. A split second later, four scarlet streaks flooded my vision. Lainer had lunged forward¡ª As expected, an ultra-fast multi-thrust attack. His sword aura shot toward me like a barrage of spears. Four red lances tore through the air, streaking straight for me. The battle would be decided in an instant. From my blade, a pure-white radiance erupted. Dragon Slayer Sword ¨C Fourth Form. Five Consecutive Thrusts. Quinque Acies. Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! The four crimson thrusts collided with the white flashes¡ª And obliterated each other. Fragments of shattered sword aura scattered like shards of light. But one streak of white remained. It pierced straight into Lainer¡¯s abdomen. His attack had been four thrusts. Mine had been five. One final strike remained¡ª And it found its mark. ¡°Guhk...!¡± A mouthful of blood burst from Lainer¡¯s lips. Yet, there was no trace of shock or confusion on his face. Because we both had seen it. We had witnessed every moment of each other¡¯s strikes. There was no such thing as coincidence in a battle where both fighters put their lives on the line. I stepped in to finish him off. But in that instant, Lainer suddenly slammed his sword into the ground. A blinding flash¡ª A crimson wave exploded toward me. Every fiber of my body screamed a single truth. If that hit me, I would die. Crunch! A sickening crack rang out. My right arm. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight The shockwave devoured it, twisting it into an unnatural shape. Blood vessels in my eyes burst. It felt as if countless blades were stabbing into my nerves. The pain was overwhelming. I barely clung to consciousness. [Skill ''Pain Suppression'' has leveled up. Lv.6] [Skill ''Warrior¡¯s Movement'' has leveled up. Lv.5] My thoughts accelerated. I had to leap above the rising crimson wave¡ª And slash Lainer¡¯s throat. I expelled white aura from both feet. Dragon Slayer Sword ¨C Footwork. I focused on a single gap¡ª The one opening where the shockwave hadn¡¯t fully engulfed the air. Lumen Errans. I stepped. Schwing! I slipped through the vertical surge of crimson. Swoosh! With my bloodied left hand, I sliced across Lainer¡¯s neck. The blade cut clean through his carotid artery. Like a marionette with its strings severed, Lainer crumpled to the ground. Blood gushed from his throat in heavy bursts. From the moment I had pierced his abdomen¡ª To the instant my arm was ¡ï Novelight ¡ï swallowed by his shockwave¡ª And now, as he lay dying on the ground¡ª It had all happened in mere moments. [Level Up!] [Lv.20 ¡ú Lv.21] Killing a Fourth-Rank Swordsman must have been the reason. I had barely reached Level 20 after slaughtering countless monsters and humans alike¡ª And now, I had shot up another level in an instant. Crack! And, as expected, my right arm regenerated. I stared down at Lainer¡¯s corpse, his eyes wide open in death. I had nearly died. You bastard. His arms were grotesquely disfigured. His veins bulged, twisted beyond recognition. That crimson shockwave. To unleash it, he must have pushed his body past its limits. A suicidal, last-ditch attempt to take me down with him. I had survived by a paper-thin margin. But there was no time to dwell on the battle with Lainer. The fight was not over. Kaetor lunged at me with his spear. I swung my greatsword in a horizontal arc. Crack! The spear shaft snapped in two, flying skyward. Blood spattered in a clean line. Kaetor was dead. That left two. The remaining two had been too afraid to intervene in my battle with Lainer. Yet they also hadn¡¯t fled. I ended them. ¡°......¡± Even after the level-up, an overwhelming fatigue weighed on me. Physically and mentally. I approached the chained Myo Tribe captives. I freed them from their shackles. ¡°A-Are you okay...?¡± ¡°Thank the gods you¡¯re alive...¡± ¡°The elders will be here soon...¡± The Myo Tribe beastfolk huddled together. All of them eyed me with caution. Except for Mique. I had no intention of easing their wariness. Leaning against a massive tree, I observed them. Total number of Myo Tribe members secured: 8. [8/8] The quest conditions had been fulfilled. I had secured the required number of Myo Tribe members. Now, all that was left was to hand them over to the rescue team and complete the quest. But where the hell was the rescue team? If they were here to save the Myo Tribe, chances were high that they were Myo Tribe members themselves. Just then, one of the recently rescued Myo Tribe children spoke up, voice trembling. [NPC ¨C Myo Tribe Beastfolk, Shamo] ¡°Y-Yutel and Merba are missing...¡± Missing? Right. The quest had only specified a minimum number to rescue. It never said eight was the total. Shamo¡¯s pale face twisted with distress as he continued. ¡°That man really was the battle captain of the slaver caravan, so we got dragged all over the place... but they were nowhere to be found. We thought they¡¯d be here... But if they¡¯re not here, then...¡± His mind was already crumbling. Technically, this wasn¡¯t my problem. I could just walk away. The quest conditions were already met. But the Myo Tribe children began debating amongst themselves. ¡°We have to go find them!¡± ¡°No! We can¡¯t split up again! It¡¯s too dangerous! There are slavers and monsters out there!¡± Right. It was too dangerous. But looking at these kids... There was no way in hell I could just think of them as NPCs from some game I played back in my days of browsing the gallery. Now, I understood why the veterans in Transcendent Gallery were so emotionally invested in the Lucerna Mercenary Corps, in Delisa, in everything. This didn¡¯t feel like fiction. It felt like reality. I pulled out my device and snapped a photo of the huddled Myo Tribe children. Then, I opened Transcendent Gallery. I wrote a post. Attached the picture. Title: Found the required number of Myo Tribe kids, but... Author: ??* Attachment: 823884390.jpg (A photo of eight Myo Tribe children huddled in a circle.) They say two are missing. Anyone know how to find them?Replies: ? Myo Tribe kids are cute. ? Ice Queen: Frozen! Frozen! So cute! ? Dragon King: Beltui¡ªhaven¡¯t seen Myo Tribe in ages. ? You only need to find the number the quest asked for. ? You¡¯re getting immersed. ? This idiot cleared the 100th floor and still doesn¡¯t know how the tower works lol. You get bonus points if you rescue more than required. ? And sometimes you just die doing it, so how does that make me the idiot? ? Sword of Light: I think there was a furball who would know about this. ? Elf Guy: ? Me? ? Sword of Light: Not you. The hairy one. ? Pioneer: That guy got banned ages ago. ? Beast King: HEY!!!!!!!!!!! ADMIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!! ? Pioneer: Oh, you¡¯re back? Long time no see. ? LOL dude got unbanned and is already looking to get banned again. ? Beast King: If Myo Tribe appears on a floor, I should be unbanned IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!!! ? Admin: ? ? Beast King: I deeply apologize. I got a little excited, haha. ? Beast King: I¡¯ve just been lurking for so long, I really wanted to participate... ? ¡®?¡¯ ? A question mark from a higher power is terrifying. ? Instant mental reprogramming, damn. ? Admin: I¡¯m giving you a special pardon since this is your area of expertise. Watch your mouth from now on. ? Beast King: Haha, yes!! ? If Beast King is actually cursing him out under his breath, like this comment. ? Not under his breath, he¡¯s probably screaming it out loud. ??) Are you Myo Tribe?* ? Beast King: Hey!!! Good to see you, gallery host!!! ? Beast King: First off, thanks for saving the Myo Tribe kids. Even if they¡¯re NPCs, they feel real, don¡¯t they? ??) Two are missing. Got any ideas?* ? Beast King: The kids must be too shaken up to remember, but! ? Myo Tribe has a unique Resonance Sound that only their kind can hear! ? Beast King: If it¡¯s the Forest of Beasts, then based on Myo Tribe instincts, the safest place to hide would be a cave. The missing two are probably holed up in one. ? Beast King: Resonance Sound works even through enclosed spaces, so they should be able to locate them quickly. ??) Thanks.* ? Beast King: Please find them! That should do it. I closed the gallery. Then¡ª ¡°Mique.¡± Mique immediately perked up and looked at me. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Myo Tribe can communicate with each other using Resonance Sound, right?¡± ¡°Ah...!¡± Her green eyes widened. The other Myo Tribe kids also looked shocked. ¡°How could we forget that?!¡± The Myo Tribe children opened their mouths and let out a sound I couldn¡¯t hear. Then¡ª As if realizing something, they all turned their heads in the same direction. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead. Stick close and move slowly.¡± ¡°We should listen to Yuseong.¡± Mique took charge of the others behind me. Step, step... After about 20 minutes, Two figures emerged from the mist near a cave. ¡°Yutel!¡± ¡°Merba!¡± The Myo Tribe children embraced each other in relief. ¡°That everyone?¡± Mique stood on her tiptoes, smiling up at me brightly. ¡°Yes, Yuseong.¡± The rescue was complete. Now, all that was left was meeting up with the rescue team. Chapter 29: The Forest of Beasts (6) The rescue team was even later than I expected. Night passed. Even by dawn, they still hadn''t arrived. By the time I had slain four more monsters on par with the one-eyed beast from earlier, the first rays of sunlight finally revealed a group approaching from the distance. Large, imposing Myo Tribe warriors strode toward me. The sharp gleam in their eyes told me exactly what they were thinking. I was standing there¡ªalone¡ªwith ten Myo Tribe children. Yeah. This was definitely a situation that could be misunderstood. From afar, their booming voices reached me. "That must be the bastard who kidnapped our children!" "He must die!" [NPC - Myo Tribe Beastfolk, Second-Rank Warrior Kentra] [NPC - Myo Tribe Beastfolk, Third-Rank Warrior Jete] [NPC - Myo Tribe Beastfolk, Fourth-Rank Warrior Vitus] ...They had already jumped to conclusions. Three huge Myo Tribe warriors¡ªeach armed with swords and spears wreathed in aura¡ªstepped forward. Thirteen Myo Tribe warriors, male and female alike, were closing in, surrounding me. ¡°You, are you a member of the slaver caravan?¡± There was no way I could lower my guard in a situation like this. I tightened my grip on Greatsword Carnavalt, rapidly thinking of a way to de-escalate the situation without conflict. Just as I was about to speak¡ª The ten Myo Tribe children suddenly rushed in front of me. All together, they shouted: "Yuseong saved us from the slaver humans!" The first to step forward was Mique. ¡°Those bodies over there... Those are the slavers....¡± One by one, the children stepped up to vouch for me. Their testimonies were far more effective than any self-defense I could offer. The Myo Tribe warriors, after hearing the words of their own kin, immediately withdrew their suspicion and accepted my innocence. ¡°...We apologize.¡± Fourth-Rank Warrior Vitus stepped forward and bowed deeply. ¡°We almost committed a grave offense against our benefactor.¡± The other Myo Tribe warriors followed suit, bowing their heads in respect. Mique, who had been standing off to the side, quickly scurried over to Vitus and whispered something to him. Vitus reached into his bag and pulled out an item. Then, Mique presented it to me. It was a bracelet, a deep shade of crimson, adorned with intricate carvings. At the end of it, a strand of yellow fur swayed naturally. ¡°This is a symbol of friendship from the Uyette Tribe of the Myo.¡± I accepted the bracelet. [Bond of Trust] Type: AccessoryEffect: Slightly increases mental fortitude in forest environments.Description: A bracelet that signifies friendship with the Uyette Tribe of the Myo.Grade: CIts rank and effect weren¡¯t as useful as the Bracelet of Anti-Evil I was currently wearing, but that wasn¡¯t the point. ¡°This bracelet isn¡¯t just recognized by the Uyette Tribe,¡± Mique explained. ¡°Other Myo Tribes will recognize it too. If you carry it, they will be less wary of you compared to other humans.¡± A gift was always welcome. ¡°Thanks.¡± Just then, notification windows flooded my vision. [Quest: "Rescue the Myo Tribe" has been successfully completed.] [You have cleared the 3rd Floor Stage.] [Calculating Player ¨C Han Yuseong¡¯s score for the 3rd Floor Stage.] [You selected the more difficult of two possible routes and succeeded. Bonus points applied.][You rescued more captives than the minimum requirement. Bonus points applied.][You fulfilled the "Eliminate a Strong Foe" condition. Bonus points applied.][Condition: Eliminate a Strong Foe] (Rewarded for defeating an opponent at least one rank higher than the player during stage progression.) [Strong Foe Eliminated ¨C "Lainer, Fourth-Rank Combatant of the Slaver Caravan."]Before my final score was revealed, I glanced at the current rankings for the 3rd Floor challengers. [Current 3rd Floor Rankings] 1st Place - Strategy Union Leader: 674 points 2nd Place - Sinclair: 412 points 3rd Place - Black Hand: 383 points 4th Place - In Pursuit: 378 points 5th Place - Argul: 374 points ? ? [Final Score Calculation Complete.] [Han Yuseong: 1,682 points.] Again, I broke into four digits. [You will be automatically transported to the "4th Floor Waiting Room" in 3 minutes.] Three minutes passed quickly. As my departure drew near, I ruffled the heads of the Myo Tribe children who had started waving goodbye. One by one, they dispersed. Except for Mique, who scurried up to me. I pulled out my last sandwich from my inventory and handed it to her. ¡°Eat it later. It¡¯ll spoil if you wait too long.¡± Mique took it with both hands, beaming. ¡°Thank youuuu.¡± Her green eyes sparkled as she looked up at me. ¡°...Where will you go now, Yuseong?¡± Good question. I had no idea what awaited me on the 4th Floor either. I ruffled Mique¡¯s hair. Her yellow cat-like tail swayed gently. ¡°See you next time.¡± This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight The same farewell I had given Resellin and Yunes back on the 2nd Floor Stage. ¡°...Yuseong?¡± Mique¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Then¡ª A sudden weightless sensation engulfed me. Light flooded my vision. When my sight returned, the vast, sprawling Forest of Beasts had vanished. Instead¡ª I was standing inside what looked like a high school gymnasium. ...Huh. Did the waiting rooms expand with each new floor? Another notification window popped up. [Welcome to the 4th Floor.] [You have received 800 Coins as a reward for clearing the 3rd Floor.] [Registering 3rd Floor ranking score.] *** Title: Wow, another 1st place, but it¡¯s set to private. Author: ?? And another four-digit score. Damn. A monster is climbing. How the hell does someone even get a score like this??Attachment: 6523183.jpg (A photo of the 3rd-floor ranking screen, taken with a climber¡¯s terminal.) ¡¶ 3rd Floor - Score Rankings ¡· 1st - Private: 1,682 points NEW! 2nd - Union Leader: 674 ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) points 3rd - Sinclair: 412 points 4th - Black Hand: 383 points 5th - In Pursuit: 378 points 6th - Argul: 374 points ? ? Comments: ? Probably just luck. ? Are you dumb? You think this happens by luck? If it¡¯s twice in a row, it¡¯s not luck¡ªit¡¯s the real deal. ? I¡¯m actually starting to look forward to this. Once they hit Floor 30 and get a climber¡¯s terminal, their first post in Climber Gallery is gonna be wild. ? Sharp Spear: You Normal scrubs are overreacting. Stop wasting time on some 3rd-floor kid and go train. ? LMAO, your so-called ¡®greatest Hard Mode player¡¯ just got completely outclassed by a newbie. Bet they¡¯re sweating. ? Let Me Go Home: Union Leader isn¡¯t scared or anything, but yeah, they¡¯re definitely paying attention. A newbie scoring 1,000 points more? That means something. ? Hurry up and climb faster lol. At this rate, we¡¯ll see them soon. Considering the event period, they probably cleared the 3rd floor in less than three days. Insane. ? Now that is what you call a rising star. ? You guys are down so bad you¡¯re clinging to a 3rd-floor newbie for hope... ? No, we¡¯re clinging to a ¡®back-to-back, four-digit, first-place ranked¡¯ 3rd-floor newbie. Get it right. Only thing I don¡¯t like is the ugly anonymous nickname. Hurry up and get a real one. ? Life Analyst: If they do the same on Floor 4, I¡¯ll acknowledge them. ? At this rate? It¡¯s guaranteed. ? Ahhh!!! All you loudmouths dropping down the ranks is so satisfying~~ Private, hwaiting! "Didn¡¯t expect to clear the 3rd floor even faster than the 2nd." A black-haired woman muttered as she stared at the gallery screen in her terminal. Then, her gaze shifted toward a single talisman hanging on the wall of her room. "I poured everything into this one charm since I knew I couldn¡¯t trade multiple times... but I still haven¡¯t been able to hand it over. Tsk." The woman, Soyo-hwa, was waiting for Han Yuseong¡¯s interdimensional trade cooldown to end. It was a long, tedious wait. But right now, he was the only thing keeping her entertained. Flap¡ª! The talisman strips strung across the room suddenly fluttered violently. Soyo-hwa tied up her long hair and rose from her chair. She walked toward the window of Taihe Palace. Zhongyuan Wulin. Forty years ago, demons began appearing. Among them, two Great Fiends rose to infamy: Wu-yeon ("Fog Smoke")Heukmok ("Black Eye")The moment they descended, they ripped apart the sky and landed upon the world¡ª Slaughtering 590,000 martial artists on arrival. The martial world had been pushed to the brink of annihilation. And the ones who ended that crisis... Were those who had cleared the Tower and returned. Wu-yeon perished in a mutual destruction battle with Soyo-hwa¡¯s master.Heukmok was slain by Soyo-hwa herself.Since then, no Great Fiends had descended again. But mid-tier demons still lurked, preying upon Zhongyuan. Just like the one before her eyes now. A white serpent demon with a thousand heads. Soyo-hwa casually flicked a talisman into the air. She whispered softly. "Perish." Sching! The talisman was shredded mid-air. And then¡ª Screeeeeeeeeeeech!! The serpent demon¡¯s body was torn apart. Blood and flesh rained down like a storm. Standing on the window ledge, Soyo-hwa pulled out her terminal once more. This time, she didn¡¯t open . Instead, she entered . Title: 4th Floor Waiting Room. Author: ??* Gonna train my sword aura a bit before heading into the 4th-floor stage. Real combat really is the best teacher. Nearly died to a Fourth-Rank Swordsman, but at least my instincts got sharpened.Comments: ? ??? Why the hell did you meet a Fourth-Rank on the 3rd Floor? ? LOOOOL oh shit so that¡¯s why your score is cracked. ? Absolute Monarch: So you achieved ¡®Eliminate a Strong Foe¡¯ then. ? ??): Yeah. ? Sword of Light: What move almost killed you? ? ??): He slammed his sword into the ground, and this massive wave just swallowed everything in front of him. The moment I saw it, I knew touching it meant instant death. Just grazing it twisted my entire arm. ? Sword of Light: That was a Sword Aura Explosion. If you got hit, you would have died. ? ??): Thanks to your footwork technique, I found a gap in the wave and slipped through. ? Sword of Light: That wasn¡¯t my technique¡ªthat was your skill in applying it. ? Holy shit, talent overload lol. ? Pioneer: Meeting a swordsman who can use Aura Explosion on the 3rd Floor is honestly absurd. Tok. Tok-tok. Soyo-hwa typed a reply. ? Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, you must have suffered, Climber-kun. UwU. Chapter 30: 4th Floor I checked the rewards I had received for clearing the 3rd Floor. [Phaethon¡¯s Obsidian Armor] Type: ArmorDefense: +90Effect: Focused Defense ¨C When hit, defense is concentrated on the area of impact, reducing damage efficiently.Usable Level: 20+Description: An ancient masterpiece by the renowned craftsman Phaethon. Reacts to the user¡¯s internal mana circulation. The Focused Defense function activates when mana is properly utilized.Grade: B+I desperately needed new armor, so this was a perfect reward. The effect looked extremely useful as well. Next, I checked the 1st Place Reward for ranking highest on the 3rd Floor. [True Qi Pill] Type: ElixirEffect: Upon consumption, all stats, including mana, will increase significantly. This increase is permanent.Usable Level: 20+Grade: B+"True Qi Pill... kinda sounds like a person¡¯s name." The pill was a small, navy-blue sphere. Exactly the kind of simple, traditional design I had imagined for an elixir. And this time, the 1st Place Reward wasn¡¯t just one item. [Mirror of Transition] Type: ShieldDefense: +120Effect: By injecting a small amount of mana, the shield¡¯s size can be adjusted.Description: A shield crafted by the legendary artisan Viola. Its defense stat is only fully effective when blocking attacks directly.Usable Level: 20+Grade: B+"Mirror of Transition." I grabbed the shield in my right hand. The moment I channeled mana into it¡ª Shhhhh! The shield expanded. From a compact one-handed shield, it grew to the size of a tower shield¡ª The kind used by frontline defense soldiers. This could be very useful in battle if used at the right moment. I took a picture of the True Qi Pill with my terminal. Then, I posted on . Title: True Qi Pill, this is an elixir, right? Do I just eat it? Author: ??* Looks like I can just swallow it down.Attachment: 234729384723.jpg Comments: ? Yeah, just eat it and circulate your mana a bit. ? Damn, this guy is taking something I didn¡¯t get until the 60th floor. ? ??) Should I save it for later?* ? Nah. Judging by your luck, you¡¯ll probably keep getting elixirs exactly when you need them. ? Sword of Light: No, take it now. The previous comment is probably right. "Alright, I¡¯ll take it now." I was about to pull the True Qi Pill from my inventory¡ª But then, something caught my eye. A new post from Ice Queen. Someone who had never written in the gallery before. Title: Frozen! I was thinking after seeing the climber¡¯s score... Author: Ice Queen Back in my generation, there were a few people with insanely high scores in the early floors. Now that I think about it... maybe those people were Pandemonium climbers. I don¡¯t remember seeing a player who pulled two consecutive four-digit scores before the 4th Floor, but I do remember seeing some after the 5th Floor... Frozen. Comments: ? Gutter Swordsman: Yeah, I think I remember that too. But those were way back¡ªlike, super early on. ? How early? ? Gutter Swordsman: By Floor 20, the leaderboard was mostly filled with people I already knew. So this means before Floor 20. ? Pioneer: I was holding back on saying this because I didn¡¯t want to kill the mood. But yeah... it¡¯s better to talk about it now. ? Pioneer: Honestly, Climber probably has enough talent to survive, so... ? Pioneer: When I was living on the Hard Mode 16th Floor, I joined an exchange event and met another player. ? Pioneer: They were way stronger than me, so I still remember them. ? Pioneer: At the end of the exchange, we got close, and they told me something¡ª ? Pioneer: They were from Pandemonium Mode. And at the time, they were on the 13th Floor. ? Pioneer: I told them I wanted to be summoned together with them in the next exchange, and they added me as a friend. ? Pioneer: Then I just kept climbing in my own tower, thinking we¡¯d meet again. ? Pioneer: Friend requests don¡¯t let you message people, so I had no way of knowing their situation. ? Pioneer: But the day before the next exchange... ? Pioneer: Their name turned gray. Gray? ? They died. ? Admin: ...Tsk. ? Spear King: Damn. ? So if we estimate where that Pandemonium player died, there¡¯s a danger zone somewhere between Floors 14 to 18. ? Archmage: Realistically speaking, it¡¯s probably Floor 14 and beyond. It¡¯s Pandemonium Mode, after all. ? Yeah. That makes sense. ? As expected, Archmage dropping facts. ? ??) Well, I almost just died anyway.* That Sword Aura Explosion¡ª It was a razor-thin difference between survival and death. If my luck had been slightly worse, I¡¯d be dead right now. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist: No wonder no climbers from the past ever posted in Climber Gallery. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist: That means no one has ever made it to Floor 30. They all died before that. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist: ¡ªThis world is one giant locked-room mystery. ? ??) Do you remember that person¡¯s name?* ? Pioneer: Yeah. Just because they died, they didn¡¯t disappear from my friend list. I saw their name even after reaching Floor 100. ? Pioneer: His name was Ban. ? Pioneer: Anyway, sorry for telling you all this so late. I should¡¯ve mentioned it earlier. I wasn¡¯t sure. Would knowing this earlier have changed anything? Even right now, I was constantly aware that a single misstep on the 4th Floor could get me killed. If anything¡ª Now, I knew that from Floor 13 onward, the odds of death would be even higher. I would keep that fact engraved in my mind. ? Sword of Light: Just get stronger before the 13th floor. That¡¯s all there is to it. ? Archmage: Ugh. This got depressing real fast. Don¡¯t die, Climber. ? LMAO this guy was all cold and distant until now. Why are you acting human all of a sudden? ? Archmage: It¡¯d be boring without the Climber, that¡¯s why. ? Dragon King: Beltui~ That¡¯s right! It would be boring without youuuu~ ? ??) Well, I¡¯m gonna keep climbing anyway. ? Ice Queen: Frozen! Fighting! ? Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, I will inscribe a fortune talisman for you. ? Beast King: Live!!!!! Climber!!!!! Friend of the Beastfolk!!!!! "Great. Another noisy one." ? Absolute Monarch: Post a video of you using sword aura sometime. I want to see what color it is. ? Red aura users are statistically more aggressive, according to a study. ? Absolute Monarch: ? What kind of baseless, worthless study is that? ? Oh, damn. You use red aura, don¡¯t you? ? Caught red-handed LOL ? Beast King: LMAO, guilty conscience activated. ? Scientific credibility skyrocketing. ? ??) The Fourth-Rank I fought used red sword aura too. ? LOL we have enough examples now to prove the theory. ? Sword of Light: Hmmm. My sword aura is a deep blue, with shimmering waves of light. ? Bro trying to avoid suspicion LOL. ? Gutter Swordsman: Mine¡¯s golden. ? Heavenly Demon: Mine is purple. ? Spear King: Mine¡¯s green. ? Seeing these world-class powerhouses playing rainbow games with their aura colors is giving me a crisis. ? Bruh, if even these guys got this strong... ? Maybe it¡¯s because they¡¯re like this. ? Absolute Monarch: None of you are taking this seriously at all. ? Old man¡¯s out here being the only strict one LOL. ? The research on red aura users keeps expanding. ? Stop bullying Grandpa, this is elder abuse. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. After that, Absolute Monarch didn¡¯t post again for a while. I closed Transcendent Gallery. "A danger zone, huh." I couldn¡¯t help but think about it. After all, my life was on the line. But to be honest¡ª Everything had been dangerous since Floor 1. And Floor 4 would be no different. There was only one solution. Get as strong as possible. I swallowed the True Qi Pill. [Digesting True Qi Pill within the body.] [¡®Strength¡¯ permanently increases by 15.] [¡®Agility¡¯ permanently increases by 15.] [¡®Endurance¡¯ permanently increases by 15.] [¡®Mana¡¯ permanently increases by 15.] "Oh." I would have been happy with just a single level¡¯s worth of stat increase. But this? It was equivalent to three entire levels. I had been a little frustrated that my growth on the 3rd Floor felt slower than on the 2nd Floor. That frustration? Completely gone. Yeah, this is definitely an elixir. I opened my status window. Name: Han YuseongRace: HumanLevel: 21[Stats]Strength: 137Agility: 132Endurance: 135Mana: 101[Skills]Pain Suppression (Lv.6)Composure (Lv.6)Concealment (Lv.4)Crisis Detection (Lv.3)Expanded Vision (Lv.3)Focused Enhancement (Lv.4)Warrior¡¯s Movement (Lv.5)Mana Body Reinforcement (Lv.5)Doombringer (Lv.2)Mental Barrier (Lv.3)Trajectory Insight (Lv.2)Aura color, huh? I grabbed the lightest weapon I had¡ªBloodstained Dagger. Shhhhhh...! I released sword aura along the blade. Then, I snapped a picture of the pure white glow with my terminal. Title: It¡¯s white. Author: ??* Seems way too noticeable, but aura is always like that, right?Attachment: 2834902384.jpgComments: ? Damn, that¡¯s beautiful. ? Pure white aura is extremely rare. ? Sword of Light: Oho. ? Gutter Swordsman: Pretty. ? Bro, you didn¡¯t say a single word when Beast King got banned for flooding the gallery with selfies. But now, you see white sword aura, and suddenly you¡¯re out here calling it pretty? ? This is why he¡¯s strong. ? Bro, ? N§àv§Öl?g?t ? (Official version) snap out of it!!! ? Dragon King: Beltui~ It¡¯s soooo prettyyyyy~ ? Spear King: Yeah, it¡¯s nice. ? Ice Queen: Frozen! White! A sense of kinship! Frozen! Icy! Haha! ? ??) Gonna train for the rest of the day. I¡¯ll enter the 4th-floor stage tomorrow morning. ? Sword of Light: What kind of training? ? ??) Anything I can do with aura? ? Heavenly Demon: In martial arts terms, it¡¯s called Guardian Aura. ? Heavenly Demon: In another world, they call it Custos. ? Heavenly Demon: It¡¯s a technique that wraps your body in aura for defense. Like having an extra life. ? ??) Sounds useful. "Alright." First, Guardian Aura. If I wanted to survive, I had to master everything I could. Chapter 31: The Golem鈥檚 Fortress (1) Body-Strengthening Aura. ? Heavenly Demon) I am the foremost expert on Body-Strengthening Aura. ? Maintain your dignity, Supreme Heavenly Demon!!!! The Heavenly Demon senior explained Body-Strengthening Aura better than I expected. So he really is an expert. ? Heavenly Demon: Have you ever played in the water? That sensation when waves ripple around you while you float in the sea or a river¡ªthink of replicating that feeling with your mana. To put it very simply, it meant maintaining the sensation of lightly coating my body with mana. Following that explanation, I was naturally able to sustain a veil-like airflow covering my body. Fortunately, unlike Sword Aura, which shimmered, it wasn¡¯t a perfectly pure white. It was a bit more transparent. After about eight hours of practice, I recorded my Body-Strengthening Aura and uploaded it to the gallery. A white current covering my arm. Title: This one took a while. Author: ??* Managed to cover everything in detail. No problem moving. Can withstand enemy attacks decently. Anyway, armor is the first line of defense. This is something to deploy in emergencies, right? Attached File: 789128312099.jpg? Correct, you got it. ? Damn, you learn fast. ? Gutter Swordsman: You¡¯ll get a feel for when to use it once you roll around enough. ? Beast King: Wow, that was fast. Really fast. ? Heavenly Demon: Now for the next lesson¡ªhand techniques and kicking techniques. ? Famous Guy: The Lesser Heavenly Demon doesn¡¯t even get this much attention from him. This is fascinating. ? ??*: How do you raise your Rank? Mana stat increasing doesn¡¯t seem to automatically raise Rank. ? Sword of Light: Mana stat matters. But what¡¯s even more important is enlightenment. ? Even we common folks from Easy and Normal Mode made it to Rank 5. We can imbue weapons with energy and circulate mana properly. If you build up mana circulation well, Rank 5 is within reach. ? It¡¯s not like we were summoned to the tower for no reason. ? You reach Rank 5 because you were "summoned" as someone with that potential, whether innately or through experience. ? Pioneer: Yeah, that¡¯s true. Feels unimpressive now, but everyone here has some real skill. ? Hhhhk, thank you, Outcast. ? Taking care of common folks as always, Outcast ?? ? Heavenly Demon: Rank isn¡¯t an absolute measure of combat power. Someone with a larger vessel might reach Rank 4 later than someone with a smaller vessel. ? Spear King: But if your opponent is Rank 7, you should be cautious. Rank 7 is when people start forming their ¡®Unique Domain.¡¯ ? Room Conspiracy Theorist: By that logic, Rank 6 should also be approached with care. At that level, you can at least imitate a domain. ¨C This world is a massive closed room. ? ??*: What about the Hard Mode seniors? ? Archmage: Rank 9 and beyond. Once you return alive, you realize clearing the 100th floor of Hard Mode pretty much requires reaching Rank 9. ? Demon Dragon King: Beltui¡ªThat¡¯s right. The 95% who didn¡¯t make it failed because they couldn¡¯t reach that level. ? Archmage: There¡¯s probably someone who reached Rank 10. But it¡¯s not me. Anyone here Rank 10? ? Beast King: Who would admit it? Most of us are probably Rank 9. Even those who reached Rank 10 probably aren¡¯t fully convinced they actually did. Hahaha. Hearing it in numerical terms, I was once again reminded of just how far I was from the Hard Mode seniors. For now, I had all the information I needed. ? ??*: I¡¯m taking a full rest today. Heading out tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, I¡¯d enter the fourth-floor stage. ? Shrine Maiden: Is it really true that your cooldown for interdimensional trade is still two days away? So, the two seniors lining up to trade with me were the Shrine Maiden and the Heavenly Demon. The Shrine Maiden ¡ô N§àv§Öl?g?t ¡ô (Only on N§àv§Öl?g?t) would have to consider what I was facing in my current stage before trading, but dealing with the Heavenly Demon was tempting. Learning hand and kicking techniques from the strongest martial artist in Murim. It was an enticing prospect. Ever since yesterday, when I started feeling the limitless potential of Sword of Light senior¡¯s Dragon Slayer Sword techniques using Sword Aura as my baseline, I¡¯d been keenly aware of it. I devoured the cream bacon pasta I¡¯d packed for lunch but hadn¡¯t found the time to eat. Sitting cross-legged, I picked up the Bloodstained Dagger. Stabilizing the release of Sword Aura. I continued channeling Sword Aura to train it. Sssswoosh. I also kept practicing Body-Strengthening Aura, which I had just learned. Mana replenishes while resting anyway. And circulating mana refills it even faster. I trained thoroughly to ensure there were no variables in battle. [Skill ¡®Enhanced Focus¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.5] A welcome result. *** Hmm. Ever since I was summoned to the tower, I had never once failed to get proper sleep, but tonight, I slept even deeper than usual. Was it because I had come face to face with the knowledge of death lurking beyond the 13th floor? Or was I simply exhausted? Last night, I had stir-fried pork over rice. Another meal I had packed for the third-floor stage but never got the chance to eat. [4th Floor Coin Shop] FoodBeveragesPotionsNot much different from the third floor. Ramen with a small portion of kimchi - 10 CoinsPork soup rice - 10 CoinsFried rice - 10 CoinsCream bacon pasta - 10 CoinsSandwich - 8 CoinsNuts (peanuts, walnuts) - 6 CoinsJerky - 6 CoinsStir-fried pork over rice - 13 CoinsRoskatsu - 13 CoinsPork loin cutlet, huh. Looked like it came with salad and miso soup as a side, just like the stir-fried pork. Why did it feel like the prices were steadily increasing? Crunch. It had been a long time since I had tonkatsu, and it tasted great. One thing I learned from clearing the third-floor stage¡ªI could bring along more food than I had thought. The inventory had a 60-slot registration limit, but no weight restrictions. Coins Owned: 2,451 I was more than well-funded. Winning first place in the exchange event had earned me 1,000 Coins, and clearing the third floor had rewarded me with 800 more. Rustle. The sleeping bag that had greeted me at the entrance of the fourth-floor staircase was quickly rolled up and stored in my inventory. I checked the clock hanging on the wall. Current Date: March 2nd Time until the next exchange event: D-23 This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. If possible, I wanted to reach the 9th or 10th floor before the next exchange event. Though I wasn¡¯t sure if it was feasible. Title: Entering the 4th Floor. Author: ??* If things look sketchy after entering, I¡¯m heading right back.? What crisis awaits the climber this time? ? What¡¯s it gonna be this time? Hopefully not another quest-type. ? Hey, don¡¯t jinx it. No way it¡¯d be another quest-type, right? ? Ice Queen: Frozen! Stay safe! ? Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, Climber-kun. Climber-kun¡¯s fortune today isn¡¯t too bad! ? Sword of Light: Go ahead. If something happens, come right back. ? Heavenly Demon: Use what you¡¯ve learned and submit a report. ? Absolute Monarch: I wish you good fortune. ? Lmao, Monarch bro finally showed up. ? Yeah, couldn¡¯t resist sending him off, huh? ?? ? Gutter Swordsman: Survival is always the most important thing. ? Archmage: Go go. I skimmed through the farewell messages, then shut down the Transcendent Gallery. I stowed the device back in my inventory and took a deep breath. "Hoo." And then exhaled. Another road of suffering began. Step, step. I moved forward, heading toward the gray door at the far end of the fourth-floor waiting area. As I opened the door, light engulfed my vision. ¡ºPandemonium Mode 4th Floor is a Dungeon-Type Stage.¡» A dungeon. ¡ºClear the dungeon, "Golem¡¯s Fortress."¡» It had a similar aesthetic to the dungeon I experienced during the exchange event, "Kobold¡¯s Cradle." The enclosed space was lined with neatly arranged yellow and gray stone walls. Dungeon Name: Golem¡¯s Fortress. And, true to its name, a golem made of deep blue stone was hunched over, completely still. Step. As I approached, there was no response. What the hell? Was it sleeping or something? Swish. I took out my gallery device from my inventory. Glint. I saw the golem¡¯s two eyes glow red. But even so, it still didn¡¯t seem like it was going to move. I took a picture of the golem. Title: What is this thing? It¡¯s just sitting there. Author: ??* Do I just smash it? Is this a freebie? Attached File: 828887973.jpgThis time, the chat flooded in faster than usual. ? Shit, DUCK. ? Archmage: Duck. ? Archmage: Find cover. ? Sword of Light: Get down, now. ? Absolute Monarch: The mana core, its heart, is at the back of the neck relative to human proportions. ? Ice Queen: Probably! Mana laser! Frozen! ? Heavenly Demon: Look at its eyes carefully. The direction of the mana laser¡¯s trajectory is foretold. ? Pioneer: Left first, then right. Boom. A deep tremor spread throughout the dungeon. Bzzzzzz! The golem¡¯s wide-open mouth suddenly filled with a rapidly condensing red glow. I shoved the device back into my inventory and flattened myself to the ground. BEEEEEEEEEEP¡ª A piercing sound rang out as a red laser swept across the entire horizontal plane. KABOOOOOM!! A chill ran down my spine. Shit. Was this a bullet-hell game now? I raised my left hand, gripping the Mirror of Metamorphosis like a shield. The eyes hold the hint. The left eye¡¯s glow indicated a diagonal trajectory. The right eye¡¯s glow indicated a vertical trajectory. [Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.5 ¨C Skill Activated.] At the same time as I circulated mana, I activated Body-Strengthening Aura. BOOM! I bent low, dodging the diagonal beam like an acrobat. Vrrrrrr! The vertically descending laser was deflected by expanding the Mirror of Metamorphosis. I focused energy into both feet. TWHOOOOOM! I bent my knees and launched myself upward. For a moment, I was completely airborne. With my left hand, I drove the Bloodstained Dagger into the golem¡¯s shoulder, climbing up like scaling a rock face. The golem¡¯s heart¡ªits mana core¡ªwas at the back of the neck. I swung Fierce King¡¯s Sword, now imbued with Sword Aura, directly at the core. CRASH! With the destruction of the mana core, the deep-blue golem collapsed. I landed back on the ground. BZZZZZZ! "......." Beyond the darkness, crimson lights flickered. Not one. Dozens. I stepped forward. If I stopped¡ª I¡¯d die. Damn Pandemonium. Chapter 32: The Golem鈥檚 Fortress (2) I cloaked my body with Body-Strengthening Aura and strode forward. Flash! A blinding light filled my vision. I quickly ducked behind a rock wall for cover. The teal-colored brilliance flared three more times. The rock wall endured three blasts from the golem¡¯s attack before shattering completely. Good. Memorized. Then, I surged forward. The air roared as it was pushed back. I propelled my body upward, bouncing with elastic force. I thought I only needed to dodge the beams. ¨CTarget acquired. Eliminate. The words spilling from the golem¡¯s mouth made it clear that wasn¡¯t the case. Along with its overwhelmingly brute-force approach. I had just reached its weak point at the back of the neck when an unexpected event occurred. Screeeeech! The golem¡¯s shoulder twitched, and then¡ª A massive fist shot out. I expanded the Mirror of Metamorphosis, raising it to absorb the impact. The shield absorbed the first shock, but the force ~N§àv§Ölight~ following behind it was immense. My body was launched into the air. BOOOOM! I crashed far into the distance. Thanks to Body-Strengthening Aura, I was mostly unharmed. No time. There was no time to delay. KABOOM! A mana beam exploded at the exact spot I had just been sitting. Once again, a close call. [Skill ¡®Expanded Vision¡¯ has leveled up. Lv.4] The prediction path of the golem¡¯s laser, displayed in its eyes. Left first, right second. BZZZZZZT! I dodged the oblique laser coming from the right first. Then, I deflected the beam coming straight at me with the Mirror of Metamorphosis. It was lucky that the golem¡¯s eyes were so large. Otherwise, some part of my body would have been obliterated by now. I evaded every descending laser and closed the distance with the red golem. It loomed over me from above. "You¡¯re being a bit arrogant." I layered Sword Aura onto Carnavalt, the Greatsword. Then, I swung it in a horizontal slash. The golem¡¯s leg, made entirely of stone, crashed to the ground. Its massive body crumbled, shedding fragments as it collapsed into a cloud of dust. Without Sword Aura, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to cut through it. [Level Up!] [Lv.21 ¡ú Lv.22] Beyond the mist, red lights flickered. Even after destroying three of them, there were still at least a dozen more remaining. I wasn¡¯t within their aggro range yet, so the lasers hadn¡¯t fired. I glanced behind me. "......." There shouldn¡¯t be any golems coming from the path I had already cleared. Of course, I wasn¡¯t certain. Maintaining heightened awareness, I hid behind cover and pulled out my gallery device. Title: Almost died just standing around. Author: ??* Do golems like these normally spawn on the 4th floor?? As if, lololololololol ? Beast King: No way! ? You just got hit with Pandemonium. ? I¡¯m a warrior from Easy Mode. I didn¡¯t see those things until the 35th floor. ?? ? Normal Mode, 25th floor. ? Sword of Light: 8th floor. ? Pioneer: 9th floor. ? Demon Dragon King: Beltui- 888! Wow. So this is life, huh. ? ??*: Then what kind of boss monster should I expect when these things are showing up? ? Archmage: The Grand Matriarch of Fire. ? Sword of Light: Or the Son of Thunder. Grand Matriarch? Son of Thunder? ? ??*: ? Do golems have genders? ? Archmage: To golem engineers, they probably seem like children. ? Hohoho, our baby doesn¡¯t bite! ? Yeah, they don¡¯t bite. They just beat you to death. ? ??*: How do you take down those two? ? Heavenly Demon: Unlike other golems, those two don¡¯t have a weak point at the back of the neck. Their mana core is embedded deep within their body. You have to penetrate the sturdy outer layer and destroy it. ? ??*: And how do I do that? ? Heavenly Demon: With overwhelming strength, of course. ? Yeah, sure, that¡¯s real helpful when you say it like that. ? Heavenly Demon: Hmph, if you had learned my Heaven-Crushing Fist, you could smash them easily. ? That¡¯s completely useless right now. ? How am I supposed to use something I haven¡¯t learned yet? ? Isn¡¯t the cooldown for interdimensional trade still active? ? Ice Queen: Frozen... My experience probably won¡¯t be very helpful here. ? Sword of Light: The answer is in one of the attacks you¡¯ve already taken. ? ??*: ? I¡¯d taken plenty of hits. Which one was he talking about? ? Sword of Light: Sword Aura Detonation. Sword Aura Detonation. The attack that Rank 4 Knight Liner hit me with in the Forest of Beasts two days ago. ? ??*: How the hell am I supposed to use that? I¡¯d never learned it. ? Sword of Light: If you¡¯ve thoroughly read the Dragon Slayer Sword manual, you would have seen the technique called Vortex Flow (œuÁ÷). That¡¯s the Dragon Slayer Sword¡¯s version of Sword Aura Detonation. I did remember it. I read it over and over to survive. But I¡¯d never actually tried executing it. ? Sword of Light: Sword Aura¡ªAura itself¡ªmoves according to your will. Depending on your mindset, its application changes drastically. The flickering red lights in the distance were slowly getting closer. This wasn¡¯t just my imagination. I put the gallery device back into my inventory. Once again, I channeled mana through my Mana Heart to my entire body. [Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.5 ¨C Skill Activated.] I wrapped Body-Strengthening Aura around my entire body. If it weren¡¯t for the Transcendent Gallery seniors, I would have died from the first laser I encountered. But in the end¡ª This goddamn tower could only be cleared if I performed well. There were no freebies. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEECH! This time, it wasn¡¯t a laser. From beneath the golem¡¯s right forearm, a gray light flickered¡ªthen chains shot toward me. I concentrated Sword Aura into a straight-line burst like a raging gale. CRACK¡ª The chains shattered into pieces. I lunged forward head-on. I fought for an entire day. After killing the golem that wielded chains, I took down over a dozen more. My level increased again. Current level: 23. In front of me, a staircase made of yellow stone stretched upward. As I ascended, I spotted ten golems at the base of the staircase, looking up at me. I let out a shallow sigh and gathered my mana again. [Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.6 ¨C Skill Activated.] This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. With the level-up came an increase in mana, and my Mana Body Reinforcement skill advanced another step. I was just about to descend and start another round of swordplay. BZZZT! A strange noise rang out as a red gemstone embedded in the wall flickered. The once-bright light dimmed completely. At the same time, the golems suddenly hunched over and stopped moving. I pulled out my gallery device and took a photo of them. Title: What are they doing? Author: ??* From the looks of it, they seem like they¡¯re sleeping. Attached File: 8904385930.jpg? Yeah, they¡¯re sleeping. ? Archmage: But if you get too close, they¡¯ll wake up immediately. ? Absolute Monarch: When those things rested, I rested too. ? Sword of Light: Rest while you can. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist: Sleeping golems are kinda cute ¨C This world is a giant closed room. There¡¯s always at least one insane comment. ? Spear King: If you disturb their sleep, they go into Rage Mode. Huge hassle. ? Elf Guy: They sleep for about an hour at most. ...Some kind of synchronized rest period? I decided to use this time for a meal. I pulled out stir-fried pork over rice and ate a hearty portion. Then, I relaxed my tense body for a brief moment. BZZZT! Just as Elf Senior had said, the golems woke up exactly an hour later. ? Sword of Light: When they wake up and stretch¡ªthat¡¯s their clearest weak point. ? Absolute Monarch: That moment is when they¡¯re most vulnerable. ? Pioneer: You said there are ten? Take out at least two during that window. Plan your movements. This was the advice my seniors gave me just minutes ago. And ever since entering the fourth floor, I¡¯d decided to be an even more obedient junior when it came to their guidance. I gripped a black spear in my right hand. [Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.6 ¨C Skill Activated.] Full power. I swung my arm like a whip. BOOOOOM!! Javelin Throw. The spear shattered the head of the furthest bronze-colored golem. Then, activating Body-Strengthening Aura, I kicked off the stair railing, landed, and removed the mana core of a yellow golem. Without hesitation, I destroyed another golem¡¯s core with Carnavalt, the Greatsword. Whooooosh! Focusing on the golem directly in front of me, I failed to react to a green golem attacking from my right. CRASH! Its massive fist struck my side. Even with my newly equipped armor and Body-Strengthening Aura, the impact was brutal. Shhhhrk! I was sent skidding backward. Digging my heels into the ground, I barely managed to hold my position. The sensation hit me. The desperation I felt when fighting the Orc Legion Commander. The intensity when facing King Kobold. I took down ten golems. Then another five. My right shoulder was ripped open by the massive hand of a black golem. After an emergency potion treatment¡ª Luckily, I shattered another golem¡¯s skull and leveled up. Current level: 24. Now, the path was a straight line. I kept walking. RUMBLEEEEEEE... A deep tremor shook the dungeon. Ahead, the path ended. Nothing but a cliff. From the depths below, blue lightning crackled upward. A warning. A clear sign that the boss monster was "The Son of Thunder." I pulled out my gallery device and entered the Transcendent Gallery. Title: High chance that "The Son of Thunder" is the boss. Lightning is bursting out of the gap. Author: ??* Any additional strategies?? Shrine Maiden: Climber-kun, interdimensional trade! I can provide something to block lightning! ? Heavenly Demon: I will grant you a fist capable of shattering a golem¡¯s core. Wasn¡¯t the trade cooldown still active? ? ??*: ? How long have I been fighting? ? Sword of Light: It¡¯s dawn. You¡¯ve been fighting for six hours since you descended the staircase. ? Beast King: Damn, youth sure is full of energy!!! ? Ice Queen: Frozen... If it were the Grand Matriarch of Fire, I could¡¯ve helped. Too bad. ? Archmage: You¡¯ll get your chance when we need to drop something into a glacier. You¡¯ll be essential then. ? Ice Queen: Frozen! True, it was a required boss even in Hard Mode! Pandemonium must have it too! Even the always-kind Ice Queen senior seemed a bit scary just now. Trading with the Shrine Maiden or Heavenly Demon... I hesitated for only a moment. ? ??*: Interdimensional trade, let¡¯s go. Chapter 33: The Golem鈥檚 Fortress (3) ? Heavenly Demon: You¡¯re trading with me as well? I could guess why Heavenly Demon senior¡¯s comment carried a hint of unease. Trading with Shrine Maiden senior¡ªwho outright stated she could provide a charm to block lightning¡ªwas a necessary preparation for my inevitable battle with The Son ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) of Thunder. But to him, trading with me probably didn¡¯t seem like an immediate necessity. Still, I was more drawn to the martial arts from Heavenly Demon senior than to the Shrine Maiden¡¯s charm, which I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to use permanently. ? ??*: Heavenly Demon senior, let¡¯s go. Of course, I had no intention of showing any excitement in my comment. I had to keep it tightly hidden. Tightly. ? Ice Queen: Frozen! ...Was my mind getting corrupted from reading too many of these comments? Frozen-speak? ? Shrine Maiden: Climber-kun can give me anything he wishes, and I will be satisfied. Just seeing Climber-kun use the charm will be enough to fill my heart. ? Heavenly Demon: Hmm, I¡¯d like to have a proper plate of pasta for once. I had plenty of food to offer. [User ''Heavenly Demon'' has requested an ''Interdimensional Trade.''] [Do you accept?] I pressed the circular blue button attached to the text. [You have accepted the trade request.] A separate chat system, accessible only during interdimensional trade, appeared. [Heavenly Demon: What I¡¯ll give you is a martial arts manual. It includes some footwork techniques, similar to how Sword of Light¡¯s Dragon Slayer Sword incorporates movement principles.] [Heavenly Demon: The book will be fully translated as you read. For the more complex techniques, I¡¯ve included detailed diagrams. Given your evident talent in martial arts, you should be able to make good use of it.] [Heavenly Demon: Later, when you reach the 30th floor and gain access to the Climber Gallery, just tell them you¡¯re the disciple of Baek Un-hui, the Heavenly Demon.] [??*: ...Uh, I¡¯ll think about that when the time comes.] Right. If I suddenly announced, "I¡¯m the disciple of the Heavenly Demon!" wouldn¡¯t everyone just find that suspicious? [Heavenly Demon: Fine. But once you properly read the manual and master the techniques, you¡¯ll naturally take pride in being my disciple, whether I acknowledge you or not.] What a massive ego. Judging by the reactions of those who flocked around him, he probably really was strong. But unfortunately, he carried zero gravitas. [Heavenly Demon: And... what food do you have?] [??*: Roskatsu, sandwich, stir-fried pork over rice, cream bacon pasta. Pick one.] [Heavenly Demon: Hmm...! The pasta is the best of the bunch, I suppose. But it lacks authenticity. Do you not have something like Aglio e Olio?] [??*: Nope, not available.] [Heavenly Demon: Tch, I¡¯ll have to walk the path of heresy, then. Send the cream bacon pasta.] Wait. If cream bacon pasta is "heresy," does that make Aglio e Olio the path of righteousness...? [??*: Got it. Since when did you become so knowledgeable about pasta?] [Heavenly Demon: After the 30th floor. Clearing dungeons and indulging in fine cuisine became my only pleasure.] Fair enough. I took the cream bacon pasta out of my inventory, keeping it in its container. "Designate." The pasta instantly vanished before my eyes. [Trade completed.] CRACK¡ª A book emerged from the torn space. I picked up the thick volume. A martial arts manual. The title read: Flowing Flame Sky-Breaking Fist (Á÷ȼÆÆ¿ÕÔE). I flipped through it briefly. Just as Heavenly Demon had said, the more complex techniques were accompanied by detailed illustrations. But reading and mastering the manual right away wasn¡¯t realistic. For now, I needed something I could immediately use. [User ''Shrine Maiden'' has requested an ''Interdimensional Trade.''] Here it was. Without hesitation, I pressed the accept button. [Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, the Holy Convergence Charm (½YÂ}·û) has enough pre-stored power to be used about 100 times.] Holy Convergence Charm. [??*: 100 times?] [Shrine Maiden: Roughly estimated, based on battle conditions. Assuming around 20 minutes per use.] [??*: That¡¯s not a small amount.] At first glance, 20 minutes seemed short, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Most battles ended within 10 minutes at the longest. Reviewing all my past fights, every encounter had been decided in an instant. Real combat wasn¡¯t a sparring match meant to improve skills. It was a fight to take each other¡¯s lives. Victory was determined in fleeting moments. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, I¡¯d love to make it permanent, but then the interdimensional trade system would likely classify it as an invalid exchange.] [Shrine Maiden: The only reason it even reached 100 uses is because I focused the charm solely on defense.] [Shrine Maiden: I don¡¯t know for sure yet, but it seems like the interdimensional trade system is connected to the tower. It won¡¯t allow Climber-kun to ascend easily.] Damn it. [??*: After 100 uses, can I recharge it myself?] [Shrine Maiden: Since the charm¡¯s power source is spiritual energy, you¡¯d have to consume a significant amount of mana to recharge it. Right now, you¡¯re probably too busy managing your own skills, but by the time you exhaust the 100 uses, you should have enough surplus mana to spare for recharging it.] [??*: Thanks for assuming I¡¯ll live that long.] [Shrine Maiden: Hawawa, of course! If Climber-kun disappears, I¡¯ll be terribly bored.] [??*: What do you want in return?] [Shrine Maiden: Hmm! I don¡¯t have much of an appetite, actually.] Ah. Another "Anything is fine" answer. Alright, stir-fried pork over rice it was. [??*: I¡¯ll send something reasonable. How do I use the charm?] [Shrine Maiden: Just channel a speck of your mana into it, and it will activate.] Wait. Didn¡¯t she say my mana wasn¡¯t necessary? [??*: How much mana are we talking?] [Shrine Maiden: Just a tiny bit! The charm can channel energy in five directions, and depending on the direction you choose, it will determine what kind of attack it blocks.] [Shrine Maiden: Just infuse your mana and throw it toward the direction you need! Hawawa! Whoosh!**] She seemed way too excited about this explanation. I got the general idea, though. "Designate." Both of our items were selected for exchange. CRACK! Once again, space tore open, and a single sheet of paper fluttered down. I caught the falling charm. Since it was an item from outside the tower, there was no item description window. The same thing had happened when Sword of Light gave me two items and when Heavenly Demon handed over his martial arts manual. With this, my two trade opportunities were used up in one go. The Holy Convergence Charm had four marked directions. At the end of each extending path, a circle was drawn. North, South, East, West. East¡ªBlue. West¡ªRed. South¡ªGray. North¡ªBlack. At the center was a black circle. Once the trade ended, communication with the trader was immediately cut off, so I had no choice but to pull out my device. Title: Gotta read the martial arts manual in the 5th-floor waiting room. Shrine Maiden, does the charm block lightning from the east or the south? Looks like it''s attribute-based defense. Author: ??* No idea when variables might occur, so I need to finish this quickly and get out.? Heavenly Demon: Speed-read it. ? ??*: I¡¯ll skim the first few pages and fight first. ? What speed-reading? Lololol, this isn¡¯t school. You need to use it in combat. Read it properly. ? Shrine Maiden: Gray blocks lightning. Blue is for water. Red is for fire. Black is for curses. In places like the Forest of Beasts, channeling a bit of mana into black completely negates mental attacks! ? Look at her rambling excitedly because I¡¯m using her item. ? You¡¯d be the same if it were yours. ? I know that¡¯ll never happen, which is why I¡¯m making fun of her. ? ???? ? Heavenly Demon: With your talent, you should be able to grasp Flowing Scale Breaker and Ripple Flash right away. ? Forcing techniques on him, I see. ? Famous Guy: Heavenly Demon seems to have very high expectations for the climber. ? Archmage: They are high. ? Pioneer: If the boss is The Son of Thunder... that thing probably doesn¡¯t just rely on lightning. Watch out for close-range attacks. ? ??*: Even the golems used swords. ? Spear King: Most thunder golems wielded tridents. No real martial technique to their thrusts, but their sheer power surpassed Rank 4. ? Demon Dragon King: Beltui- When its eyes turn black, lightning strikes. ? Pioneer: There are golems with twelve arms swinging all sorts of weapons, too. ? ??*: We just called them octopus golems. ? Beast King: Now I want octopus. ? Elf Guy: Keep that to yourself, you beast. ? Beast King: Heheh, struck a nerve, huh? What a mess. ? Sword of Light: Go and come back. ? ??*: ??, I¡¯ll survive. I closed the gallery and stowed the device. I considered using the charm once before entering the gap, but the 100-use limit kept nagging at me. Better to save it for actual combat. As Heavenly Demon requested, I skimmed through the Flowing Flame Sky-Breaking Fist manual, quickly reading Flowing Scale Breaker and Ripple Flash. I got the general idea. CRACKLE!! Another streak of blue lightning erupted from the gap. This wasn¡¯t a single, isolated strike. "Looks like I won¡¯t even have to go down." KRRRRRRUMBLE¡ª! A massive golem lifted its brutish arms from the fissure, then fully emerged. BZZZT... CRACKLE¡ª [BOSS MONSTER] The navy-blue golem extended countless tendrils of lightning from its body, matching its color. [The Son of Thunder] The boss monster of the fourth-floor stage had made its entrance. Both of the golem¡¯s eyes turned pitch black. Lightning tore through the air and shot toward me. I channeled a speck of mana into the Holy Convergence Charm in my left hand. CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!! The charm surged forward, absorbing every bit of lightning. Not a single spark reached me. The charm settled into a blind spot to my left, as if making that judgment on its own. Its eyes darkened again. Lightning followed me as I moved closer, striking acrobatically in sync with my approach. Yet, the charm pursued each strike relentlessly, blocking them all. BZZZT! I threw myself between the remnants of discharged electricity. The trajectory of the trident, lunging toward me like a bolt, was tracked by my eyes to the very end. I dodged by a razor-thin margin. [Skill ''Trajectory Insight'' has leveled up. Lv.3] KRA-KOOOM!! Lightning filled my vision. Just like before, the charm pulled the attack in like a magnet, scattering the bolt into nothingness. It¡¯s time to finish this. At that moment, the seemingly immobile golem suddenly moved left. Trailing electricity. SCREEEEEEEECH! Its fist was right in front of me. The second form of Flowing Flame Sky-Breaking Fist surfaced in my mind. Flowing Scale Breaker. A technique combining footwork and hand technique. Its fluid motion allowed me to dodge the massive punch. The air cracked apart from the force of the strike. A ringing filled my ears. I concentrated pure-white Sword Aura onto the Fierce King¡¯s Sword. CLAAAAANG! Hjartagnyr. A direct stab¡ªthe second form of Dragon Slayer Sword¡ªpierced the center of the golem¡¯s torso. But it only managed to dig into the surface. Not enough. This isn¡¯t enough to break through and destroy its mana core. - Sword of Light: "Sword Aura moves according to your will." I thought of a wave. The technique that Rank 4 Knight Liner had used. That eerie sensation as he tried to kill me. Concentrate everything into the Aura¡ª And release it in an instant. That¡¯s my will. Dragon Slayer Sword, Sixth Form. Sword Aura Detonation. Vortex Flow. BOOOOOM¡ª! A blinding white explosion erupted. Hundreds of shattered stone fragments scattered across the battlefield. A glowing red mana core was exposed. THUD. I stomped down hard. One more time¡ªHjartagnyr. [Boss Monster ''The Son of Thunder'' has been defeated.] Chapter 34: 5th Floor (1) [Level Up!] [Lv.24 ¡ú LV.26] Once again, the boss monster kill resulted in a two-level increase. I stared at the spear that filled my view. [You have cleared Floor 4.] [¡®Player - Han Yuseong¡¯ is calculating the score for Floor 4.] This time, there was no additional notification. As usual, the Floor 4 leaderboard appeared. 1st place - Union Leader: 804 points 2nd place - Heukseong: 719 points 3rd place - Black Hand: 579 points 4th place - On the Hunt: 443 points 5th place - Sinclair: 411 points ? ? Among the usual names, there was one I hadn''t seen before. Heukseong. I asked the senior players in the Transcendent Gallery about the climbers'' stories, but it didn¡¯t seem like it would spark much interest. I wasn¡¯t particularly invested in it at this point. It seemed more worthwhile to find out what the high-level players in the Climber Gallery thought of me. [Score calculation complete.] [Han Yuseong: 1,782 points] Once again, four digits. I was in first place once again. [In 3 minutes, you will automatically be moved to the ¡®Floor 5 Waiting Room.¡¯] As soon as I picked up the trident, an alert popped up ¡ï Novelight ¡ï saying that the weapon belonged to the "Son of Thunder" whom I had just killed. It was still useless. The only thing of value was a single blue orb. It was the elixir that fell to the ground when I shattered the Son of Thunder''s mana core. [Mana Orb] Category - Elixir Effect: When consumed, the mana stat increases slightly. This increase is permanent. Usable level: Level 20 and above Grade: B I placed the Mana Orb into my inventory. A sensation of floating filled my body. The scenery before my eyes changed. [Welcome to Floor 5.] [As a reward for clearing Floor 4, you have been granted 1,000 coins.] [Registering Floor 4 Ranking Scores.] ¡¶Floor 4 - Score Ranking¡· 1st place - Hidden: 1,782 points NEW! 2nd place - Union Leader: 804 points 3rd place - Heukseong: 719 points 4th place - Black Hand: 579 points 5th place - On the Hunt: 443 points 6th place - Sinclair: 411 points 7th place - Arghul: 384 points ? [Floor 4 Stage Reward has been granted. Please check your ¡®Inventory.¡¯] [You have received the reward for achieving 1st place in the Floor 4 stage. Please check your ¡®Inventory.¡¯] I first checked the Floor 4 stage reward. It was a mask. A mask made of dark red material. Clunk- [Mask of the Nightfall] Category - Mask Effect: 1 - The wearer of the mask is invisible to the opponent''s ¡®eyes.¡¯ Therefore, they are immune to most skills that are activated by eye contact. 2 - Provides enhanced vision in darkness. Grade: B+ The effect was certainly useful. Moreover, the fact that it was a mask provided significant advantages. Wearing this during the Exchange Meet would help hide my face or eliminate potential threats. Even if I didn''t go to the Exchange Meet, it seemed like there would be plenty of uses during mission-type floors in the stages. Next, I checked the reward for achieving 1st place in the Floor 4 stage. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. [Master Craftsman Summoning Scroll] Category - Summoning Scroll Effect: 1 - Randomly summons one Master Craftsman. 2 - Allows you to commission a single item from the craftsman. 3 - The cost must be negotiated directly with the summoned craftsman. Usage: Tear the scroll to summon. Master Craftsman Summoning Scroll. I wasn¡¯t sure what it meant to "meet" them. Title: ¡°You guys got a Master Craftsman Summoning Scroll as a reward for 1st place?¡± Posted by: ??* What does ¡°randomly meeting¡± mean? And the cost must be negotiated directly with the person summoned?Ah, I also got 1st place on Floor 4. ?1st place? I felt the dopamine rush, haha. ?Haha, really, LOL. ?So how many golems did you kill? ?Over thirty. ?LOL, so you killed over thirty golems that others never even see on Floor 4. That¡¯s how you got that score. ?Now, I¡¯m starting to believe it¡¯s not a coincidence that you¡¯ve won 1st place three times in a row. ?Sword of Light) Good job. ?And that¡¯s still double the score of the previous first-place holder, Union Leader. So what kind of guy is climbing up now? ?Suwang) Wooah¡ªhe¡¯s still rising!! The giraffe of the Transcendent Gallery!!! So what? I still had no clue about the 5th-floor stage. The comments below were mostly about the Master Craftsman Summoning Scroll. ?Juttak) Just as it says. The Master Craftsman is randomly summoned to the place you¡¯re at. ?Absolute Ruler) It¡¯s more like the craftsman observes from a distance rather than entering the space you¡¯re in. ?Sword of Light) Try using it. You might get a weapon that¡¯s more useful than you think. ?Archmage) As long as it¡¯s not a temperamental craftsman, you¡¯ll be fine. ???*) Are there many temperamental ones? ?Shrine Maiden) Oh, quite a few, especially if they¡¯re elves. ?Ice Queen) Freezing! Elves, elves! ?Elf Guy) ? Why are you guys picking a fight? ?Suwang) Myo Tribe blacksmiths are usually much more pleasant to deal with!!! ?That¡¯s true. I just hope an elf doesn¡¯t get summoned. ?Juttak) Right. Check your mailbox. Mailbox? ???*) Was there such a thing? ?Spear King) It exists from Floor 5 onward. ?Sword of Light) Someone might have left something for you. ???*) And if there isn¡¯t? ?Archmage) Then there isn¡¯t. Even if someone left something in the past, if that player has died or graduated from the tower, it disappears. ?No one has ever graduated from Pandemonium Mode, LOL. ?Yeah, there¡¯s not a single person who¡¯s made it past Floor 30. These guys are really rubbing it in. Anyway, a mailbox, huh? Should I take a look? Swoosh¡ª There wasn¡¯t even a need to think about it. Right in the center of the space¡ªstill resembling my high school gymnasium¡ªstood a red mailbox. Its familiar appearance was oddly comforting. Step. I walked toward it and reached my right hand inside. Swish¡ª I waved my hand around, but there was nothing. Empty. "......." I had a lot on my mind. Humans are social creatures. Even if a player no longer fits within the realm of humanity, the same principle should apply. If someone made it to Floor 5, they¡¯d likely leave a letter if they had a way to. And even if they skipped past Floor 5 due to a mistake or other reasons, they could still send letters from higher floors. This only reinforced the probability that I was the only one in Pandemonium Mode. ???*) Just as expected, nothing. ?Hm. ?Yeah, looks like there¡¯s no one else here. ?Juttak) It was already a given. ?Sage) Pilgrim of Pandemonium, steel yourself. Reaching Floor 5 in Pandemonium Mode is already proof of your talent. There is no reason to think you cannot make it out alive. The Sage. Just randomly showing up and dropping long-winded wisdom. ?Sword of Light) Done with your mission? ?Sage) Indeed. I have eradicated all the Light Dragons. ?Dragon King) Beltui¡ªSage, are you going to eradicate me too? I¡¯m scared! ?Sage) I, more than anyone, know that the Dragon Sovereign would never succumb to madness. ?Dragon King) Hehe, it¡¯s been a while since I heard that. ?Sword of Light) Honestly, wiping you out wouldn¡¯t be a bad call. ?Dragon King) Beltui¡ªSword of Light, don¡¯t say that! ((?>? Title: Hidden guy took 1st place again, LOL Posted by: Alderaamin ?Once again, he crushed the ''Union Leader'' from the Strategy Union with more than twice the points! Damn, when is this guy even going to reach Floor 30? I can''t wait. ?Union Leader <<<<< This guy is making him look like a has-been, upvote~~~ ?Twin Swords Are Romance) You idiots are getting excited over a guy getting 1st place on Floor 4? Mocking a Hard Mode legend? If he meets an Easy or Normal Mode player at the Exchange Meet, they¡¯ll all be cut down. LOL, look at this guy getting all worked up. ?Think about it. If he¡¯s already scoring 1,782 points on just Floor 4, how much stronger will he get as he climbs higher?? ?Hey, your Hard Mode buddies are already getting ignored. Didn¡¯t you see the latest post? ?Twin Swords Are Romance) ?? ?I''m Still Alive) The top player of Normal Mode, meaning the guy on Floor 89, just challenged the Strategy Union to a ¡®Guild War¡¯ on behalf of . Just now. ?Twin Swords Are Romance) LOL... wow, these weaklings. Do they really think having a higher floor means they¡¯ll win? ?Sharp Spear) It¡¯s because Hidden keeps crushing through Floors 2, 3, and 4 that people suddenly think the Union Leader is a pushover. They¡¯re getting ahead of themselves. They saw the score of a guy who hasn¡¯t even passed Floor 10 and got cocky. ?Well, we¡¯ll see how that plays out, LOL. ?Honestly, even as someone in Normal Mode, I think Vertex is out of their mind. ?Sharp Spear) But yeah, the Guild War is happening. The moment Hidden reaches Floor 30, he should immediately join a guild, and they¡¯ll use the war to test him. They''re convinced he¡¯s exploiting some flaw in the Easy Mode system to get free points. ?LOL, bro, I¡¯m in Easy Mode. That¡¯s not a thing. Hidden is legit. There¡¯s really something about him. ?Alderaamin) Oh, Sharp Spear, you¡¯re pretty sharp. That¡¯s a solid plan. Snatch him up the moment he reaches Floor 30 and test him with a Guild War. Chapter 35: 5th Floor (2) Hard Mode, Floor 65. Hard Mode Tower Numbering #35. Targon, the guild leader of the Strategy Union, looked at Attack Captain Bellasia as she approached him. "Bellasia, if this is something Vertex initiated, it¡¯s not even worth paying attention to. They¡¯re just overstepping their bounds without knowing their place. What we should be focusing on is clearing Floor 66 completely." The blond man gazed at Bellasia with unwavering eyes. "All the Constellations of this tower... want our victory." Bellasia nodded at Targon¡¯s words. "I heard from the Judge of a Thousand Eyes as well. They''re supporting us." Targon recalled the notifications he saw on the Floor 64 stage. The names of the Constellations who supported him. [¡®Judge of a Thousand Eyes¡¯] [¡®Guide Who Follows the Stars¡¯] [¡®Blazing Spear of the Crimson Sun¡¯] "Yes, even the Guide Who Follows the Stars... and the Blazing Spear of the Crimson Sun are watching over us." Bellasia sensed the firm resolve in Targon¡¯s words. "Then, should we reject Vertex¡¯s guild war declaration...?" Targon shook his head. "No. Those insects also need to be dealt with. If anything, this is an opportunity to boost morale before we ascend to Floor 66." Targon steeled himself to use the guild war against Vertex as motivation to conquer Floor 66¡ªa floor infamous as one of the most brutal in Hard Mode. According to the ¡®Administrator¡¯ he had faced, even the top Hard Mode climbers from the previous season had suffered heavy casualties in that hellish section. He intended to overcome it with minimal losses, proving his dominance. *** The moment I tore the Master Craftsman Summoning Scroll and activated it... I found myself staring at a presence within the suddenly unfolding black space. Fortunately, I could tell what kind of being it was from the notification floating above their head. [Master Craftsman Dark Elf Malenis] Gray skin, black hair. Golden eyes that stood out. And, as expected of an elf species, long ears. I saw Malenis¡¯ lips slowly part. "Coordinates... Pandemonium?" Malenis¡¯ murmuring continued to reach my ears. "Of all the things... I never thought I¡¯d end up trading with a Pandemonium climber." I saw her gaze sweep over my body from head to toe. Then, her eyes moved to the surroundings¡ªthe Floor 5 waiting area. I spoke first. "Do you also trade with players from other difficulty levels?" Malenis scratched her long hair. "Hmm. I feel bad for bringing it up first, but... if I talk about anything unrelated to trade, I don¡¯t know what kind of penalties I might get." "Oh, that¡¯s fine." If I didn¡¯t know something, I could always ask the senior members of the Transcendent Gallery. Malenis slowly straightened up. "I am Malenis, a Dark Elf blacksmith. Though, you probably already knew that from the text floating above me." "Yes." "I¡¯m not allowed to ask for a customer¡¯s name. No idea why. And even if you kindly tell me, it won¡¯t reach my ears." She had a trustworthy appearance, wearing long-sleeved leatherwork clothing and a smith¡¯s apron¡ªvery fitting for a blacksmith. "Let¡¯s get to the point. What do you want?" A very straightforward personality. "A sword. Can you make me one?" Malenis smirked. "As expected. You want a weapon too. Almost everyone does, rather than armor." She continued speaking. "Any specific requirements?" I had a clear request in mind. "I want a sword that can fully contain Aura and Sword Qi." A gleam of interest flashed in Malenis¡¯ eyes. "Oh? You¡¯re already handling Sword Qi? Alright. Anything else?" "It¡¯d be great if it had an additional effect when facing multiple opponents. Like an increased critical hit rate." That was because I had already felt how useful the effect of my primary weapon, [Great Opponent¡¯s Sword, Carnavalte], was. "Hah, that¡¯s easy." Malenis pulled out a scrap of paper, jotted down a few words, then looked back at me. "You saw the cost negotiation part on the scroll, right?" "Yes." "This time, I¡¯ll just take food as payment. Prepare something tasty." ...What the hell? Another "whatever works" like the Shrine Maiden? That was always a headache. "It¡¯d be easier if you had a firm preference." At my words, Malenis gave me an exasperated look. "Hah... so it¡¯s actually harder if I don¡¯t choose? Is that how it works? To be honest, I don¡¯t really care about compensation. You¡¯re my first Pandemonium client, so I want to continue trading with you for a long time." Malenis tilted her chin at me. "As long as you don¡¯t die, that is." Was she favorably impressed by me? The reason was obvious¡ªI was a rare creature, a Pandemonium climber. I voiced the question that had popped into my head. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "But will I even be able to keep trading with you?" "There are designated summoning scrolls, not just random ones. You¡¯ll get one around Floor 15. That¡¯s information I¡¯m allowed to share." Malenis added another explanation. "If you remember my name and race correctly at that time, you can summon me specifically." "Understood." Malenis stroked her chin as if pondering something. "Hmm... my taste in food, huh? I like crispy things. Crispy, crunchy." I decided in my mind¡ªI¡¯d get her roast cutlets. Malenis asked me another question. "You¡¯re not planning to move to the next floor right away, are you?" I shook my head. "I¡¯ll be staying in the waiting room for about four days." Four days. Enough time to consume the Mana Orb. Enough time to grasp the basics of the Flexible Breaking Fist technique given to me by the Heavenly Demon senior. "Four days. That should be fine. If I send the weapon while you¡¯re inside a stage, you won¡¯t receive it until you reach the next waiting room, so you might as well wait and get it before moving on. I¡¯ll have it ready before the third night is over." "Sounds good." Clap! As if she had gathered all the necessary information, Malenis gave a light clap. "When you receive the sword, a notification will appear allowing you to send items to me as well." Malenis smirked. "Don''t die. Stay alive for a long, long time, Pandemonium." "I intend to, Malenis." Right after Malenis raised her right hand in a wide wave to bid farewell, the distorted space¡ªlike a rift¡ªreturned to the ordinary form of the floor¡¯s waiting area. I pulled out my device and entered the Transcendent Gallery. Title: Master Craftsman Summoning Scroll result¡ªDark Elf Blacksmith appeared. Posted by: ??* ?But was it because she was a Dark Elf? Her personality seemed pretty normal? ?Was she a woman? ???*) Yeah. ?Hmm, well, Dark Elf noonas tend to have decent personalities. ???? Elves and Dark Elves are different leagues. It¡¯s like the difference between someone who was coddled and someone who grew up in a harsh environment. ?Elf Guy) Coddled, my ass. What kind of nonsense logic is that? ?Elf Guy) Elves are elves, Dark Elves are Dark Elves. Each is different. ?Elf Guy) Elf by Elf. Hmph. ?LOL, what a storm of transparent rage! ?"Earfolk"... Nobody even uses the term "Elf by Elf" anymore. ?Absolutely triggered. ?Nah, it''s science. Dark Elves do tend to have better personalities. ?Elf Guy) Bullshit... ?He¡¯s proving it firsthand, LOL. ?Suwang) Kekekekeke! Earfolk comrade!! Suffering together!!! ?Elf Guy) Why the hell am I your comrade, you furball? ?Suwang) You have fuzz too, don¡¯t you? Or do you not even have peach fuzz? Fur, fur, fur... Elf Guy seemed too exhausted to keep replying and stopped commenting. ?Sword of Light) Did you order a sword? ???*) Yeah. One that¡¯s fully compatible with Sword Qi. ?Archmage) Good choice. ?Sage) The pilgrim makes wise decisions. ?Heavenly Demon) Have you been reading the martial arts text? ???*) I¡¯m starting now. Oh, did I mention? I used the Flexible Breaking Fist against the Son of Thunder. Technically, I used the fist technique as a footwork technique, though. ?Heavenly Demon) Hehehe... That technique is meant to be adaptable. You did well. I can officially consider you my disciple now. ?Sword of Light) He¡¯s my disciple. ?Heavenly Demon) He is also mine. ?Sword of Light) I called dibs first. ?Spear King) I¡¯d like to be the third teacher, though. ?Try to win him over, bro. ?Plenty of teacher candidates, LOL. ?But Easy and Normal Mode climbers can never hope to claim the title of an official climbing instructor, ???. ?Gutter Swordsman) Climber, any interest in dual wielding? ?LOL, look how fast he popped up. ?Shrine Maiden) Where¡¯s the girl¡¯s talisman? Where¡¯s the girl¡¯s talisman? Where¡¯s the girl¡¯s talisman? ???*) Of course I used it. It blocked everything, thanks to the lightning. Does it always work that way against ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) all attacks? ?Shrine Maiden) Hawawa, very satisfying!!! ?Shrine Maiden) Unless the attack covers the entire field, it generally provides perfect protection for about 20 minutes. ?Shrine Maiden) But since this is Pandemonium Mode, there might be times when an attack covers the whole field, so don¡¯t place blind faith in the protective seal. ???*) Got it. Thanks, thanks. After saying everything I needed to, I closed the gallery. I ate a sandwich to stave off my hunger, then opened my status window. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Lv.26 Strength: 166 Agility: 164 Stamina: 170 Mana: 132 Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.7Composure Lv.7Concealment Lv.4Crisis Detection Lv.4Vision Expansion Lv.5Enhanced Focus Lv.5Combatant¡¯s Movement Lv.6Mana-Infused Body Lv.6Doombringer Lv.3Mental Barrier Lv.4Trajectory Insight Lv.4After consuming the Mana Orb, my mana increased by 15. Current Mana: 147. Two days had passed since I arrived at the Floor 5 waiting area. By now, I had a rough understanding of what kind of martial art Flexible Breaking Fist was. As the night of the second day passed... Just before the third day began... [Floor 5 Coin Shop] FoodDrinksPotionsMiscellaneousA sudden thought struck me. I should buy something from the newly added Miscellaneous category. A single sheet of paper - 3 coinsA fountain pen and ink - 6 coinsScritch¡ª I wrote. Scritch. I left behind a message. That I was still alive. ¡¾ Is anyone there? If you¡¯re reading this, it means you¡¯re alive too. Let¡¯s meet up above. Write a reply and send it to the next floor. ¡¿ I carefully folded the letter in half and placed it inside the red mailbox. Chapter 36: Constellations Pandemonium, Floor 5, Waiting Room, 3rd Night. Thud¡ª Something dropped through a rift that had opened in the air. It was a long storage case made from an unknown material. I opened the case. Inside was a sword. Gripping the hilt, I lifted it up. A heavy sensation flowed through both of my hands. [Mundum Exstinguit] Mundum Exstinguit Category: Weapon (Sword) Attack Power: +80 Effect: 1 - Adversary: Increases critical hit chance when facing 2 or more enemies. 2 - Recovery: Can remotely recall the weapon to the user¡¯s recognition target. The weapon can be retrieved aggressively at the user¡¯s will. 3 - Manifestation: Can precisely shape Aura. Description: A sword crafted by the Master Blacksmith Malenis. This sword specializes in Aura manipulation. By mixing the top-tier gemstone Lapidum Forma during forging, the sword is resistant to damage and can finely adjust the shape of Aura. The weapon¡¯s effects cannot be activated by anyone other than the recognized user. Grade: Unique [Would you like to register ''User Recognition''?] [ Y / N ] Of course, I chose the left option. [''User Recognition'' completed.] [¡®Mundum Exstinguit¡¯ is now bound to ''Player - Han Yuseong¡¯.] It was definitely a highly useful weapon just by looking at it. The second effect, Recovery, seemed very promising. I particularly liked that it wouldn¡¯t activate for anyone else¡ªif someone else held it, its effects wouldn¡¯t manifest. [Please specify the item to send to ¡®Master Blacksmith Dark Elf Malenis¡¯. Say ¡®Send Item¡¯.] [Time Limit: 60 minutes] [If the item is not sent within the time limit, the sword will be recalled.] Well then. I should send the item right away. She sent me such a useful weapon, after all. Ding! A slight rift appeared in the space, and from it, a special storage case containing roast cutlets fell out. I had chosen this menu for Malenis, who had asked for something crispy. I gently grasped the storage case with my right hand. "Send Item." As soon as I spoke, the storage case was engulfed by a ball of white light. [Transaction Complete.] Done. I reopened the gallery. Title: This sword is a good pull, right? Posted by: ??* ?The name¡¯s a bit hard to remember, though. Attachment: 9080987813.jpg (A picture of the item description for ¡®Mundum Exstinguit¡¯ taken with a device) ?Welcome, Climber. Heya. ?Looks like a good pull, yep. ?By the way, the name of that weapon means ¡®to extinguish the world.¡¯ It¡¯s meant to bring an end to the world. It did have a powerful-sounding name, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this intense. ?That¡¯s some grandiose name, LOL. ?Looks like the Dark Elf girl just threw together something to make it sound powerful. Naming sense? Nah, LOL. ?Blessings of human connections... or rather, earfolk luck. Looks like your luck¡¯s good, Climber. ?As expected~~ An elf with conscience! Totally different from those white-earfolk. ?Elf Guy) If you keep this up, I¡¯ll consider you a loser who got slapped by an elf. The Elf Guy seemed to have grown slightly stronger in his tone compared to three days ago and started commenting again. ?Wow, how did you know? I was working with an elf in a mission-type stage, and at the end, I got a strong slap to the back of my head. ?Yeah, seriously slapped, LOL. ?There¡¯s a reason I hate them! Victim here! ?Elf Guy) ...,! It didn¡¯t seem like his tone change had much effect. ?Sword of Light) All the effects are really solid. With a blacksmith like this, it¡¯s worth remembering their name. You can keep interacting with them. ?Gutter Swordsman) Really shiny. Even with a Master Craftsman Summoning Scroll, to get such a weapon from someone on Floor 5¡ªyour luck¡¯s pretty good, Climber. ?Don¡¯t talk about luck when you¡¯re in Pandemonium, LOL. ?That kind of luck and this kind of luck are different, LOL. ???*) But I¡¯ve only seen items with grades C and B so far, and suddenly ¡®Unique¡¯ shows up. What¡¯s this about? ?Sage) Forget grades. The type of weapon or armor that¡¯s bound to a user like the Pilgrim will most likely be registered as ¡®Unique¡¯. It would generally be between A-grade and S-grade. ???*) Is there something above ¡®Unique¡¯? ??? There¡¯s ¡®Legendary.¡¯ Most weapons from myth fall under the Legendary category. ?Archmage) Depending on the type, sometimes a Unique weapon can be better than a Legendary one. It¡¯s not something you can just fixate on. ?Absolute Ruler) That¡¯s right. ?Ice Queen) Freezing! Are you going to the 5th-floor stage now?! ???*) Hmm, I¡¯m thinking of staying for one more day. ?Ice Queen) Freezing! Good luck! ?Looks like the Vertex Guild, with the real top-tier Normal Mode player as their Guild Master, is fighting against the main Hard Mode guild, the Strategy Union. The posts are going up, and the result seems as expected. What¡¯s this now? ???*) What are you talking about? ?LOL, the insane Normal Mode player on Floor 89 is picking a fight with the Hard Mode Guild Leader on Floor 65. They¡¯ve been going at it. ?The reason the Normal Mode guy picked a fight is because of you, Climber, LOL. ?Pioneer) The previous ranking 1st from this session, Union Leader. He¡¯s the Guild Master of the Strategy Union. Since he¡¯s been getting beaten by Climber, it looks like Helion, the top of Normal Mode, started looking down on him. ?He probably thought it was doable, LOL. Union Leader kept losing to Climber by double the score. ?Pioneer) In the guild war, the Strategy Union will win, obviously. ?Pioneer) The biggest issue they¡¯re facing isn¡¯t the guild war, though¡ªit¡¯s Floor 66. Hard Mode, Floor 66. ???*) How hard is Floor 66? ?Archmage) Statistically speaking, about 70% of players who survive up to Floor 65 in Hard Mode die on Floor 66. A moment later, another comment from the Archmage appeared. ?Archmage) And the current Hard Mode climbers are much weaker than the ones from our generation. ?Gutter Swordsman) They¡¯re gonna die. A lot of them. *** "......." The Normal Mode 89th-floor climber, Helion, the Guild Master of the Vertex Guild, barely held onto his wavering ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) vision. The reason he declared the Guild War, as others knew, was because of witnessing Union Leader Targon, who had been stripped of the 1st place rank from Floors 2 to 4. But the ultimate reason was his own confidence in reaching Floor 89, even as a Normal climber. However, that confidence was crumbling. Before him stood a man who had single-handedly defeated the 33 elite members of the Vertex guild. A man with blond hair, clad in silver armor. Union Leader, Targon. Targon extended his right arm with a blank expression. The bodies of the Vertex guild members in the range of his direct sword strike were torn apart in all directions. "Ahh!" "Ughhh!" Blood and flesh from the Vertex guild members splattered across the Colosseum walls. Since this was a ''Normal Guild War'' where death was not permanent, it was closer to defeat than actual death. However, Whoosh! With a swing of his shield, Targon sent Helion''s body crashing backward. Crack! Targon, closing the distance in an instant, slammed his sword down beside Helion¡¯s fallen head. "Be thankful this wasn¡¯t a fight to the death." Targon¡¯s cold blue eyes looked down on Helion, whose red hair was now stained with blood. "We, the Strategy Union, are different from you. We are aiming for something beyond the reach of the likes of you, something you wouldn¡¯t even see if you died and were reborn." Targon¡¯s deep voice continued. "So, don¡¯t needlessly disrupt our great endeavor and quietly focus on clearing the tower and graduating. That¡¯s more fitting for someone of your stature in Normal Mode." This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Helion¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. "...A truly noble hero, huh?" Targon nodded silently in response to Helion¡¯s sneer. "Yes. Our Strategy Union is noble. That is why the great Constellations are supporting our climb. The ones who won¡¯t even spare a glance at you." Targon drew his sword from where it had been embedded in the ground, swinging it toward Helion¡¯s neck. "Let this death be a lesson." Slash! Helion¡¯s head rolled away from his body. Though it was a ''Normal Guild War'' where death wasn¡¯t permanent, Helion would soon awaken in the Normal Mode tower, with his life spared. Targon smiled as he watched the notifications flooding his screen. [''Judge of a Thousand Eyes'' says your words are correct.] [''Guide Who Follows the Stars'' smiles at you.] [''Blazing Spear of the Crimson Sun'' cheers for your climb to Floor 66.] [''Emperor of Immortal Glory'' supports you.] [''Watcher Who Swims in the Abyss'' gazes at you.] [''Saint Who Follows the Light'' blesses you.] Many Constellations were supporting Targon and the Strategy Union. Targon slammed his shield to the ground with great force. Boom!! "There is no defeat for the Strategy Union." The elite 50 members behind him roared like thunder in response. *** Another day passed. It was time to move to the stage. Creak¡ª I opened the door to the Floor 5 stage. Before me lay an expansive grassland. ''Pandemonium Difficulty, Floor 5 is a Quest Type.'' Then, the following sentences appeared, ones I hadn¡¯t seen before. [Multiple Constellations recognize your existence.] [''Judge of a Thousand Eyes''] [''Guide Who Follows the Stars''] [''Sword Demon of the Black Typhoon''] [''Blazing Spear of the Crimson Sun''] [''Saint Who Follows the Light''] [''Emperor of Immortal Glory''] [''Giant Who Swallowed the Moon''] [''Watcher Who Swims in the Abyss''] [''Warrior Fueled by Wrath''] ? Han Yuseong, just before entering the 5th-floor stage, Board. Title: Ah, once you enter the 5th-floor stage, Constellations will start watching you. Posted by: Archmage ?They¡¯ll throw around some impressive words, trying to add some weight. Don¡¯t worry about it. Just think of them like flies buzzing around. Occasionally, they¡¯ll give you quests, and you just need to do them to collect the rewards. They might sometimes show their presence or glance at you, but there''s no need to be intimidated. ???*) ??? Why? Isn¡¯t a Constellation supposed to be a big deal? They can give quests too. ?Even the Easy and Normal end-game climbers were surprised when they heard about the Constellations from the Hard Difficulty climbers. ?LOL, didn¡¯t expect them to be like that. ???*) What¡¯s the deal with them? ?Sword of Light) They¡¯re losers who gave up their climb after reaching Floor 99 in Hard Mode and got stuck in the tower. ?Absolute Ruler) Our generation¡¯s Constellations were the ones who gave up their climb to Floor 100. ?Spear King) So the Constellations from this generation are just the ones who gave up their climb to Floor 100 in the previous Hard Mode? ?Shrine Maiden) Hehe, they were climbing with us but gave up. ?Ice Queen) Freezing! They surrendered to the tower. Pathetic. ?Heavenly Demon) They¡¯re just pathetic things who crumbled under the fear of death. ?Elf Guy) They¡¯re far from something to be worshipped. ?Gutter Swordsman) They¡¯re the ones who saw the blood and death of many comrades, yet still bowed to the tower. ?Archmage) They¡¯re insects. ?Archmage) Utterly pathetic. Chapter 37: Escort (1) The sentence from the senior Archmage was filled with considerable anger. Unlike usual. It seemed there was something more to the disdain for the Constellations, not just because they had succumbed to the tower, but I didn¡¯t ask about it right now. From Stage 5 onward, I kept asking whether the Constellations were still watching me. ?Sword of Light) After Stage 5, the Constellations will be able to see you as a player. It''s not possible in the waiting room. ?Sword of Light) This is from the previous batch of players. Pandemonium might be different, though. ?Sword of Light) And if the Constellations¡¯ presence bothers you, you can block them. ???*) Block the Constellations? Is that even possible? ?Sword of Light) It''s not like you¡¯ll directly feel their gaze, but you¡¯ll get that feeling when you''re staring at the notification window. ?Spear King) They¡¯ve probably never seen Pandemonium, so it¡¯d be funny to mess with them and block them right away. ????????) Haha, sounds great. If it doesn¡¯t help, just block them immediately. Absolute Ruler) After you attract the Constellations¡¯ curiosity, they¡¯ll probably open a quest window with a reward to observe your climb. Absolute Ruler) If they want to watch, tell them to pay for it~~ (lol) ?Sword of Light) I blocked them after Floor 30 because I found them annoying. ?Archmage) Me too. ?Ice Queen) Frozen!! Blocked at Floor 32! ?Shrine Maiden) Hehe, I left them for a bit out of boredom but blocked them around Floor 50. ?Sage) Pilgrim, everything depends on perception. Whether it''s those two great beings or someone like me. I was able to block them because I thought the Constellations didn¡¯t know much. Hard-mode players really have a different mindset, huh. Hard-mode and Normal players would have been thrilled by the attention from the Constellations and posted on the gallery. Hard-mode players didn¡¯t care much. The Constellations weren¡¯t much of a concern. ?Elf Guy) Hard-mode climbers usually felt pure joy when the Constellations showed interest. The ones who survived as top-tier players just have too much intuition. ?Elf Guy) I was one of those with too much intuition. Who¡¯s a mere commoner? ?Elf Guy) Ahhh! ?Elf Guy) Seriously, that¡¯s what you get for taking it seriously...! ?Archmage) Anyway, fundamentally, the Constellations are not on the players'' side. They¡¯re enemies we¡¯ll have to fight someday. ?Archmage) Just remember that. ???*) Ah, so I should just get the rewards and leave. ???*) You won¡¯t throw a quest expecting me to fail, right? I just need to succeed, right? ?Sword of Light) Yeah, that¡¯s right. ?Archmage) Smart, climber. ?Ice Queen) Frozen! Smart! ???*) Are there any rewards I shouldn¡¯t accept? ?Archmage) Divine powers. ?Sage) The divine powers offered by the Constellations are useful against monsters, but later, when you face the Constellations as enemies, you¡¯ll become a worthless insect who can¡¯t do anything. ?Absolute Ruler) Most of the divine powers they offer, we, the Hard-mode survivors, can replicate with help. Using inter-dimensional trade, we can make them even more solid. ?Absolute Ruler) Wow, Lord, when the climbers need advice, you write long messages. Very kind~ I was in a position where I had no choice but to trust the seniors from the Transcendent Gallery. It was them who had saved my life countless times. Just a few days ago, when I faced the Golems, if I hadn¡¯t received advice in real time, I would have had a very high chance of dying. ???*) But if it''s from the previous batch of Hard-mode players, ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) wouldn¡¯t they recognize Sword of Light¡¯s Dragon Slayer or Heavenly Demon¡¯s Flexible Fist Techniques? ?Heavenly Demon) Oh, that¡¯s an interesting thought. ?Sword of Light) It doesn¡¯t matter if they recognize it. The Constellations can only physically intervene after Floor 70. ?Sword of Light) I¡¯m fairly certain. ?Sword of Light) Once you reach Floor 70, Han Yuseong, I¡¯m confident you¡¯ll be able to turn the tables and defeat them. What? ???*) Me? ?Archmage) It¡¯s possible, if you¡¯re a climber. Don¡¯t be so sure. What¡¯s the basis for that belief? ?Shrine Maiden) Heeheehee!! I¡¯m ready for compliments. ? What compliments? Shrine Maiden, suddenly losing her mind...! Laughing so foolishly...! ?Shrine Maiden) Climbers, I¡¯ve made a contract through inter-dimensional trade. If I inject magic into the back, I can unfold the ¡®Veil of Secrets.¡¯ From Stage 5, the Constellations will pop up, and if you open the gallery with your terminal when you see them, it¡¯ll feel weird, so I¡¯ll cover them up. ?Heavenly Demon) Just block them in that moment. ?Correct. The greatest answer. ?Shrine Maiden) Hmm. Always using only fists, and no awareness... Heehee, actually, I didn¡¯t make this with the Constellations in mind, but it¡¯ll still be useful for missions. ?Admin) Mm, yeah. Anything will help. Understood. I fully understood. Our Transcendent Gallery seniors didn¡¯t see the ¡®Constellations¡¯ as a threat at all. They just had a bit of anger toward them. *** The notification window appeared, informing me that the Constellations had just recognized me and were now watching me. As I read through the seniors'' posts in the gallery, I began to form my own rules. When it¡¯s a quest-type stage, and I need to talk a lot, I¡¯ll block the Constellations. Then, when it¡¯s a dungeon-type stage where talking isn¡¯t necessary, I¡¯ll unblock them and carefully take the rewards. When I feel there¡¯s nothing left to gain, I can block them completely, just like the Transcendent seniors. This Stage 5 is quest-based, but I didn¡¯t plan on blocking the Constellations. If I act too meticulously from the start, they¡¯ll get suspicious. I¡¯ll only block them when I¡¯m about to use the gallery. Floor 5. Once I properly aggro them and consecutively block the Constellations at the 3rd floor¡¯s stairway, they¡¯ll probably come with rewards in hand. ¡ºQuest! ¨C Locate and rescue the escort target, then escort them to the designated location.¡» Shouldn¡¯t they at least tell me who the escort target is? As I had that thought, another notification window appeared in front of me. ¡ºA golden line will descend above the escort target¡¯s head.¡» It¡¯s just like a game, huh. Of all places, I happened to be in a cramped alley. Pop¡ª I followed the faint golden light shining from above. Passed by a densely packed crowd. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Fortunately, the Phaethon¡¯s Pitch-Black Armor I was wearing didn¡¯t look like gaudy plate armor but more like a sleek black leather suit, so it didn¡¯t attract much attention. I found the person under the golden light descending from the sky. At the far end of the street. A dead-end alley that didn¡¯t seem like a place anyone would pass through. A red-haired woman was awkwardly standing there, her back pressed against the wall. [NPC ¨C Second Daughter of Baron Everhart, Karmin] I recognized Karmin. And the moment I looked at her, I could tell who was targeting her. Their intent was unmistakable. I could feel killing intent directed precisely at Karmin. The ones I¡¯d faced before gave off killing intent too, but they usually charged at me right away. It was the first time I¡¯d seen someone deliberately releasing killing intent just to intimidate. Three figures in black robes. I ignored their hostility and stood next to Karmin. [Skill ''Mental Barrier'' has leveled up. Lv.5] ¡°Rough situation you¡¯re in, huh?¡± Karmin¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at me. ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Do you know what those shady folks were planning to do to you?¡± Though she looked flustered by my words, Karmin slowly opened her mouth. ¡°...It¡¯s clear they were sent to kill me.¡± ¡°That so?¡± The mission was labeled as an escort. Which meant that, for now, the quest would proceed as long as the ¡®Karmin¡¯ in front of me stayed safe. Killing intent. Was it because I¡¯d been exposed to the dense killing intent from the three surrounding Karmin in this corner? Or was it because I recalled what Sword of Light had said¡ªthat Aura ultimately responds to the user¡¯s will? ¡°That thing.¡± Instinctively¡ª [Skill ''Killing Intent'' Lv.1 ¨C Acquired.] I consciously drew out the killing intent in a more analytical way. ¡°Is this how it¡¯s done?¡± [Skill ''Killing Intent'' has leveled up. Lv.3] Does it scale based on mana or rank? The level¡¯s going up fast. [¡®Sword Ghost of the Black Typhoon¡¯ is intrigued by your killing intent.] [¡®Saint Who Chases Light¡¯ is concerned by the number of enemies and the fact that most of them outrank the player. She recommends a swift retreat.] [¡®Giant Who Swallowed the Moon¡¯ says that fighting multiple enemies in this alley would be sheer folly.] [¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ advises that you should take only the escort target and withdraw quickly.] More advice followed after that. It was annoying, so I closed the window. But it was definitely different this time. ?Absolute Ruler) Now you¡¯ll start to understand the limits of what you can do. ?Sword of Light) Rank is only a somewhat objective indicator. It¡¯s objective, yes¡ªbut it can always be overturned depending on individual ability. ?Spear King) What matters is your judgment. You can tell now, right? When it¡¯s time to kill, and when it¡¯s time to run? Unlike the advice I read from the Transcendent Gallery seniors last night while eating a sandwich¡ª ?Sword of Light) If you can kill, do it. You¡¯ve probably noticed it by now, but NPC behavior patterns aren¡¯t that different from humans. Inside the stage, they¡¯re living, breathing people. ?Sword of Light) They get shaken by unexpected variables. They feel fear. [Organization Umbra, 4th-Rank Combatant ¨C Leon] [Organization Umbra, 4th-Rank Combatant ¨C Wolf] [Organization Umbra, 3rd-Rank Combatant ¨C Nick] The three weren¡¯t moving¡ªprobably because of my killing intent. Wolf opened his mouth. ¡°If you¡¯re not involved with that bitch, go on your way. I don¡¯t want unnecessary bloodshed.¡± That was all I needed to know. That guy was the leader. You only swing a blade when it¡¯s least expected. Dragonslayer Footwork, Form 3. Micatus. A blink-type movement technique that instantly closes the distance between me and the target. Slice¡ª Wolf¡¯s head was cut clean off. [¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ is questioning what they just saw.] [¡®Saint Who Chases Light¡¯ is horrified.] [¡®Warrior Fueled by Wrath¡¯ praises your strike.] [¡®Giant Who Swallowed the Moon¡¯ quietly watches you.] ¡°You two?¡± Leon and Nick hesitated, swords in hand. That¡¯s not something they should have done. Even a moment¡¯s hesitation¡ªthat¡¯s what gets you killed. ¡°Stay put.¡± I passed by Karmin and deployed Micatus again. Chapter 38: Escort (2) Leon, ranked 4th, rushed at me while scattering radiant light. I measured the distance. I stomped on Leon¡¯s right foot as he charged from the left, halting his movement. I swung the sword Moon Doom Xtinguit, crafted by the master Dark Elf Malenis, horizontally. Naturally, the derived sword strike was Dragonslayer. A horizontal slash, Form 1, Tursahogg. I sliced through Leon¡¯s neck along with his thrusting spear. [¡®Sword Ghost of the Black Typhoon¡¯ is curious about your sword path.] [¡®Saint Who Chases Light¡¯ widens her eyes.] [¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ flinches and rubs his neck.] What¡¯s this? Does this mean they recognized Dragonslayer? It still seems like they¡¯re just skeptical. They could never have expected that I had access to the gallery where I can communicate with senior Transcendents like Sword of Light and others. I killed two of the three, Wolf and Leon. Now, only Nick was left. Maybe because I killed the two 4th-rank fighters, Nick just stood still, his feet planted on the ground. I pointed my sword at Nick¡¯s neck and asked, "Why did you try to kill that woman?" Nick, with his brown mustache, chuckled at my question. "Heh, heheh! I was just wondering how such a strong person came from the Everhart family. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re just some crazy idiot charging in without knowing a thing..." Nick continued speaking. "That girl¡¯s face is probably pretty enough. That fool, that Confucian, must¡¯ve been charmed by her, and some crazy guy passing by got charmed too... I know you¡¯re strong, but do you think you could handle the people sent by Count Raphael all by yourself?" Now I understood. The Raphael Count¡¯s side was after Karmin, the daughter of the Everhart Baron. The situation had been confirmed. When I lowered my sword for a moment, Nick must¡¯ve thought I was letting my guard down because he reached out with his right hand to grab his sword. Whoosh! I drew the bloody dagger from my waist with my left hand and thrust it into Nick¡¯s chest. ¡°Gah...!!¡± Nick staggered back, then collapsed to the ground. I walked toward Karmin, who had stayed in the spot I told her to stand. "I¡¯d like to hear the full story." Karmin nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes..." I took the black robes of Wolf and Leon, which were blood-free. "Put this on." From the circular symbol on the back, I could tell these were worn by Umbra members. At least if she wore this, no one would shoot arrows at her or try to kill her from a distance without hesitation. I put the robe on too. I scanned the surroundings. It seemed safer to leave the alley for now. My gaze shifted to Karmin¡¯s waist. A sword. "Are you a swordswoman?" At my question, Karmin nodded. "What¡¯s your rank?" "...I¡¯m 2nd rank." I almost asked why she had just stood there, but I held it in. Seeing the state of the 4th-rank fighters, I realized how abnormal it was for me to have acted like I did when I was 2nd rank. "Anyway, now that I¡¯ve killed these guys, I can¡¯t escape from this situation. Even if I look like the bad guy, I¡¯ve become your ally. Raphael? Those guys from the Count''s house? Right?" "Yes, that¡¯s right." "Follow me." I¡¯ve never been in a situation like this, but... I moved toward a street crowded with people again. "Explain everything I need to know, quickly." I whispered, and Karmin started recounting her situation as I¡¯d asked. "I was supposed to marry Vitor, the eldest son of Count Raphael, in an arranged marriage. We were planning to go through with it, but then I found out that Vitor has a personality flaw." "What¡¯s that?" "He killed several of the family¡¯s maidservants for fun. Not just one, but many. So, I sent word that I wanted to break off the marriage... and that¡¯s when this all started." "You sent word?" "Yes, I sent a letter." "So, after sending the letter, they sent these assassins. If you had told them in person, they probably would¡¯ve killed you right there." Karmin sighed deeply. "That¡¯s probably what would¡¯ve happened." I motioned toward a place that looked like a teahouse. We entered the teahouse together. "Sit right next to the door." Karmin did as I said and sat right next to the door. It was so we could leave immediately if we were spotted. "So, what should you do to survive? Should I take you to your family¡¯s house?" "...My family won¡¯t be able to withstand the pressure from Raphael. They tried to persuade me before I even left home. They told me it would be better to just marry him." It seems that taking her to the Everhart Baron wouldn¡¯t solve the problem in the long run. "So, how did you plan to escape when you left your family?" It was a question I didn¡¯t expect an answer to, but Karmin¡¯s response gave me a clearer picture than I anticipated. "I was planning to go to Ventura Academy and complete the enrollment process. Once I fully enroll, the Academy will protect me. The Academy never ignores the students who step onto its grounds. Once I¡¯ve enrolled, no matter how powerful Count Raphael is, he won¡¯t be able to touch me." As soon as Karmin finished explaining, the notification window appeared in front of me again. ¡ºYou¡¯ve reached the truth of the narrative!¡» ¡ºYou must now make a choice.¡» It was the same situation as when I met Mika, the Myo Tribe girl, on Floor 3. It felt ominous. Could it be happening again? ¡º1. Take Karmin Everhart to the Everhart Baron¡¯s house. Clear Minimum Condition: Safe return of Karmin Everhart to the Everhart Baron¡¯s house. Quest Difficulty - ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡» ¡º2. Take Karmin ¡ô N§àv§Öl?g?t ¡ô (Only on N§àv§Öl?g?t) Everhart to Ventura Academy. Clear Minimum Condition: Complete Karmin Everhart¡¯s enrollment in Ventura Academy. Quest Difficulty - ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡» Six stars...! Wait, wasn¡¯t five stars the maximum? ¡ºYou must choose one of two options. If you fail the first challenge, subsequent challenges, including the second, can only follow the opposite choice of the first.¡» ¡ºQuest failure criteria: Failure to meet the minimum clear condition.¡» ¡ºAfter failing the first challenge, no experience points will be earned in subsequent attempts.¡» ¡ºSecond attempt failure criteria: Player death.¡» ¡ºThe higher difficulty option will give a greater reward upon success. However, this only applies to the first attempt.¡» These bastards. They¡¯re really up to no good again. Can¡¯t we just take it easy for once? [¡®Saint Who Chases Light¡¯ widens her eyes in shock, finally confirming that the difficulty here is ¡®Pandemonium.¡¯ She¡¯s stunned!] [¡®Sword Ghost of the Black Typhoon¡¯ clicks his tongue at the quest¡¯s difficulty.] [¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ moves his gaze to check if this really is the 5th floor.] [¡®Giant Who Swallowed the Moon¡¯ advises you to make a rational judgment.] [¡®Watcher Swimming in the Abyss¡¯ gazes at you.] Under the countless notifications from the Constellations, I saw the option for ¡®Constellation Block¡¯. I clicked it. The rapidly rising notification window came to an immediate halt. I took a screenshot of the quest window and posted it in the gallery. Karmin, like all the NPCs who had seen my terminal, seemed to pretend she couldn¡¯t see it. Title: Six stars, huh? Author: ??* Hmm, looks like a tough road ahead. Attachment: 1283102381232.jpg (Quest choice photo) ?Suwang) ??????? Yeah, there are six stars, but you need to pass Floor 25 to unlock it. ?Another) Pandemonium again? ???? ?At this point, it¡¯s basically telling you to die. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. ?Hahaha. Keep it up. Watching from the gallery, I¡¯m realizing just how tough it must be for the climber, huh~~ ?You old man, if you¡¯ve been drinking, just go to sleep, ?? ?Real talk, ???? ?Our climber''s gonna pick the six-star option, right? Always enjoys the pain. Enjoying the pain, huh. ?Sword of Light) Never heard of Everhart Baron¡¯s family. ?Archmage) Someone must be tormenting Karmin Everhart. What''s the name of those people, since the quest looks like this? ???) Raphael Count¡¯s family. She¡¯s breaking off her engagement with the eldest son. Apparently, that son¡¯s a bit off, and now they¡¯re trying to kill Karmin. ?? A lot of high-ranking noble children are ridiculously proud. Raphael¡¯s been known for evil deeds for generations. ?Ah! Raphael! Hah, "Hate-raphael!!" I¡¯ll ask about that eldest son¡¯s father¡¯s name. ?Father? You low-class scum! ?Archmage) If it¡¯s Raphael, that¡¯s a family with a long history of madness. ?Ice Queen) Frozen! That¡¯s what I remember too! ?Shrine Maiden) Hehe, but anyway. What about the Constellations¡¯ reactions? ???) Since I used Dragonslayer, I think there¡¯s a reaction, but they still don¡¯t seem fully convinced that it¡¯s the real Dragonslayer. They probably wouldn¡¯t even think I learned it from Sword of Light. ?Heavenly Demon) Hehehe, hurry up and show them my Flexible Fist Techniques next time. ?Now, you¡¯re trying to watch not just the climber and gallery reactions but even the Constellations'' reactions. ?Archmage) Ah, so you¡¯re blocking the Constellations while you¡¯re chatting in the gallery now? ???) Yeah, I just dealt with some enemies, so I think when I turn it off, I¡¯ll get a reaction. Right after posting the comment, a new notification window popped up. ¡ºConstellation Quest Triggered! ¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ has registered a quest. Quest: Choose the higher difficulty 2nd option and clear it in the first attempt. Additional condition: ¡®Constellation Block¡¯ cannot be used during the Constellation quest. Reward: A-grade Elixir ¨C Gehenna¡» The purpose of this quest was clear. They didn¡¯t want me to choose option 2 and clear it. They wanted the Constellation Block to be lifted and for them to see the situation. I took a screenshot of the quest window and posted it in the gallery. Title: This is definitely them protesting to lift the Constellation block, right? Author: ??* Is the reward really that good? ???) The elixir boosts dark-element attack resistance. It improves mana and stats too. Six stars, so they thought you¡¯d never clear it, but they¡¯ve put a nice bait reward on it. The true intention is, as you said, ¡®Open the door!!!¡¯ ?Hmm... The reward seems worth it, huh? ?Archmage) Hah... That Judge is covering the entire field with his sight and still seeing things so narrowly, even as a Constellation. ?Spear King) Hah, Judge. ?Suwang) Didn¡¯t I tell you not to rely too much on your eye power? ?? Do you all know him? ?Archmage) He¡¯s from a family of geniuses with great eyesight. If they fill their sight with killing intent, those with weak mental strength will die. ?Archmage) He¡¯s the Red-Eyed King. Back from gallery days, ??. ?Ah! That guy who always ended his sentences with ¡®meaningless¡¯?! ?Archmage) Yeah, ?? ???) Does anyone else even know what he was like before he became a Constellation? ?Archmage) Nah, nah, I always called him Judge back then. Once he named himself like this, I immediately recognized him. You can figure out the rest from context. ?Archmage) I¡¯ll do the math and let you know later, ??. At least focus on the ones who show interest in you. ???) Okay. ?Ice Queen) Frozen! Are you going to charge in headfirst?! ???) Gotta do it, right? Sword of Light: Go ahead. I closed the gallery. ¡ºChoose one of the two options!¡» ¡ºYou have selected a quest.¡» ¡º2. Take Karmin Everhart to Ventura Academy.¡» I accepted the Constellation Quest. I lifted the Constellation Block. And right after that... Screeeeeeech! Crossbow bolts and spears came flying from the diagonal direction. Whooooosh! I enlarged the Mirror of Transformation shield to cover both Karmin and me. "Get ready to fight." Seems like using the robe to create smoke screens wasn¡¯t very useful. "We¡¯re heading to Ventura Academy." Karmin widened her eyes and nodded vigorously. Chapter 39: Escort (3) Karmin seemed to take my warning to prepare for battle seriously¡ªher movements became sharp. Arrows rained down from every direction. I expanded the Mirror of Transformation shield and tilted it to cover Karmin. With protective force wrapped around me, I leapt over the city rooftops. Ping! Tching! I deflected incoming arrows with my blade and glanced at Karmin. "You know how to get to Ventura Academy, right?" Karmin¡¯s eyes now gleamed with focus. "Yes." Then I saw her hesitate for a moment. Standing in her path was a massive man. He held a halberd that matched his massive build. [NPC ¨C 4th-Rank Knight, Magrid] A 4th-rank wasn¡¯t exactly threatening yet. "You know him?" Karmin nodded. "He¡¯s a knight of Count Raphael¡¯s house. I¡¯ve seen him several times before." The halberd-wielding knight gave a small nod. "It¡¯s been a while, Lady Karmin." Then he spoke again. "If you surrender quietly, I¡¯ll do my best to ensure you don¡¯t die." I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Magrid¡¯s solemn tone. "That guy... I think he actually means what he says." Apparently my words reached Magrid¡¯s ears too. "I do. Outsider. If you turn back now and disappear, I¡¯ll pretend I never saw the murders you just committed." He didn¡¯t sound entirely like a villain. But just because he wasn¡¯t a villain didn¡¯t mean I had the luxury of letting him live. I had no intention of dragging this escort quest into a second attempt. "Big guy, even if you do your best, can you guarantee Karmin won¡¯t die?" The bulky Magrid furrowed his brow but said nothing. "Guess that¡¯s my answer." Magrid ignited red aura along his halberd. He swung the massive weapon horizontally, and I parried it. Clang! Crack! Sparks flew in every direction. Magrid roared as he kept his arms moving in a relentless rhythm. This brute was fast. That massive body moved with surprising speed. Dragonslayer ¨C Sword Technique Form 1: Libra. I blocked the incoming barrage of strikes. Then, Magrid launched himself into the air and, upon landing, brought both arms crashing down. The halberd¡¯s blade flashed, trailing crimson lightning as it struck. [¡®Giant Who Swallowed the Moon¡¯ predicts you will take a direct hit to the head.] [¡®Saint Who Chases Light¡¯ closes her eyes tight!] Direct hit, my ass. I ducked low. White mana surged through my feet. I stepped forward. My shadow curved like a scythe along with my body. I kicked upward with my right foot. Flexible Fist Technique ¨C Second Leg Form: Shadow-Crushing Kick (Jeolyeongak). Crack! "Guugh!" Caught off guard, Magrid couldn¡¯t react in time. His head snapped sharply to the left¡ªand I followed through with a direct sword strike. Claaang! He barely managed to raise his aura-covered halberd to block it. Thunk! I plunged the bloody dagger, held in reverse grip in my left hand, deep into his side. Then I slashed across his neck with my sword. Magrid clutched his throat and staggered backward. His massive body crumpled to the ground. [Your level has increased!] [Lv. 26 ¡ú Lv. 27] Nice. Level up. [¡®Sword Ghost of the Black Typhoon¡¯ is impressed by your swordwork.] [¡®Blood Fiend¡¯ twitches an eyebrow at your form.] [¡®Giant Who Swallowed the Moon¡¯ scratches his shiny bald head.] I stepped over Magrid¡¯s cooling body and moved forward. I checked Karmin¡¯s expression. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t seem to be questioning my actions. If she had said something like ¡°Was it really necessary to kill him?¡± I would¡¯ve been in a really foul mood. "Run." At my low command, Karmin broke into a sprint. At the end of the bridge¡ª "Go down first." Without hesitation, Karmin hurled herself down from the bridge. I looked back, sword still in hand. Whoever charges in next¡ªI¡¯ll cut them off here, break the encirclement, and get out. BOOOOM! Right before I jumped off the railing, I slammed my blade into the ground with a surge of sword energy and followed it with my body. The blow was strong enough to nearly shatter the bridge. The purpose, of course, was to disorient any pursuers. Brushing off dust from the broken bricks, I moved into a dense thicket. "Do you know how far we have to go?" I intentionally matched my walking pace with Karmin¡¯s. She opened her mouth. "Even by carriage, it takes three days." Then she continued. "I know a place where we can find a carriage. And I have a companion waiting there." A companion. The question was¡ªcan that companion be trusted? I wasn¡¯t sure, but for now, getting a carriage, just like Karmin said, was the top priority. Getting to the academy with nothing on foot¡ªit was too far. "Lead the way." "Yes!" Only then did Karmin and I remove the robes and head down an alley. After passing through the alley, a wide street opened up before us. Karmin moved toward a stable filled with horses. "Lady Everhart!" A young man with brown hair ran toward us. [NPC ¨C 3rd-Rank Mercenary, Rengel] "You¡¯re safe!" I watched Karmin¡¯s face as she looked at the approaching Rengel. "Rengel!" Karmin¡¯s face visibly brightened. She turned to look at me. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. ¡°He¡¯s a mercenary who often helped out our baronial house.¡± By her standards, it seemed Rengel was someone she trusted. With a faint smile, Karmin began speaking to him. ¡°I need to borrow a carriage. I can finally breathe a little easier.¡± Right after she said that, Rengel spoke again. ¡°You¡¯re in danger, aren¡¯t you?¡± Karmin sighed. ¡°Yeah... at this rate, I might really die.¡± As soon as those words left her mouth, Rengel spoke once more. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Third-rank mercenary. I couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious of this Rengel guy. He showed up way too conveniently. I¡¯d only climbed to the 5th floor, but even so, my instincts told me that people who show up mid-quest like this were rarely pure allies. Maybe I¡¯d developed a case of over-paranoia. Still. ¡°What¡¯s your destination, my lady?¡± I expected Karmin to hesitate a bit before answering, but she spoke even more easily than I¡¯d anticipated. ¡°Ventura Academy. I think I¡¯ll be safe once I¡¯m officially enrolled.¡± She must really trust this guy. ¡°If we go through the Monteum Forest, we can get to Ventura Academy more safely and quickly.¡± At Rengel¡¯s suggestion, Karmin curved her lips in a light smile. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll take the reins myself and escort you all the way to the Academy.¡± Rengel pulled out a map from inside his coat and unfolded it with a snap. The map had a highly detailed layout of the surrounding terrain, and I could make sense of it too. Going through the forest by carriage did indeed appear to be the fastest and safest option right now. Which only made me more suspicious. People who show up exactly when you need something, carrying exactly what you need... Those are the hardest to trust. I looked toward the stable. Across from the carriage stood a group of horses. I pulled out the Formation Talisman and channeled mana into its reverse side. I had already confirmed that the ¡°Veil of Secrets¡± worked before opening the Stage 5 gate. Rengel and Karmin began walking toward the carriage. I followed close behind, staying alert¡ªready to slice Rengel¡¯s neck at any moment. In my left hand, I held the Formation Talisman. Archmage: The Constellations can¡¯t see you in first-person. I asked an administrator on a higher floor to be sure. So the talisman the Shrine Maiden gave you¡ªthe ¡°Veil of Secrets¡± on its reverse¡ªshould absolutely be effective. If the Archmage says so, it¡¯s trustworthy. Slide... I activated the veil, distorting the space around me, and pulled out the Transcendent Gallery terminal. Karmin and Rengel didn¡¯t show any signs of noticing the visual distortion around me. Just like NPCs and other players I¡¯d met during the exchanges couldn¡¯t see the terminal, the Constellations probably couldn¡¯t recognize the gallery clearly either¡ªbut it was better to prepare for every variable. [¡®Saint Who Chases Light¡¯ displays a question mark above her head!] [¡®Blood Fiend¡¯ tells you to remove what¡¯s blocking his view.] [¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ notices the sudden distortion in front of you and furrows his brow.] I turned off the notification window so the Constellation pop-ups wouldn¡¯t clutter my view. Then I posted on the gallery via terminal. Title: I don¡¯t know how to ride a horse¡ªdo I just get on? Author: ??* - So it¡¯s confirmed¡ªI need to escort the target to Ventura Academy. Also, some guy just showed up acting like a support character. Can I trust him? Or is this one of those quest setups where you¡¯re supposed to be suspicious and eliminate them? ?Reply: You should definitely be suspicious. ?Ice Queen: Frozen! You must suspect them! ?Another: Riding a horse is a skill, but you¡¯ll probably adapt quickly, climber. ?Sword of Light: Riding is all about bonding with the horse. If someone feels suspicious, keep doubting them. ?Archmage: Horses make me sick... I¡¯d rather fly. ?Archmage: And yeah, in quest-type stages, sometimes you get stuck in a mystery plot totally unrelated to combat. If it¡¯s an escort mission, assume everyone except the escort target is suspicious. ???*: Got it. ?A mystery plot, huh. ?Why would that kind of thing show up here... ?Absolute Lord: Think of your horse as your comrade. ?Spear King: Or your lover. ?Reply: That¡¯s creepy, Spear King. ?Reply: Hey, Spear King, you ever had a lover? ?Spear King: I¡¯m married. ?Reply: ???? ?Shrine Maiden: Hawa~ [N O V E L I G H T] With six stars of difficulty, there¡¯s a high chance of encountering unexpectedly strong enemies, so be cautious! ???*: Got it. The Formation Talisman worked well. The Veil of Secrets seems effective against Constellations too¡ªthey don¡¯t seem to be able to see me using the gallery. ?Shrine Maiden: Hawaawa!! The Shrine Maiden¡¯s talisman is top-notch! ???*: I¡¯m off. ?Gutter Swordsman: If your suspicion turns out to be right, don¡¯t hesitate¡ªcut them down. If you hesitate, you¡¯ll be the one cut. ???*: Understood. I carved Gutter Swordsman''s advice into my mind¡ªand closed the gallery. Chapter 40: Escort (4) Karmin approached me. "I¡¯d like to ride in the carriage with Rengel, if that¡¯s alright with you?" I looked at Karmin, but I was also aware of Rengel standing behind her, watching me. Third-Rank. I was confident I could kill him any time I wanted. For now, I¡¯d go with them. A quest-type format. My instincts strongly told me that this Third-Rank mercenary, who appeared in the role of a helper, was tied to the flow of the narrative. From Karmin¡¯s perspective, it made sense she¡¯d trust Rengel more than me. They had a longer history together, while I¡¯d only been around for just over an hour. I needed to raise her trust in me. Even though my brain wasn¡¯t working smoothly, I managed to piece together a plan. "Let¡¯s do that. We could use every ally we can get right now." Karmin nodded. "Can you tell me exactly why you¡¯re helping me?" There wasn¡¯t a trace of suspicion in her eyes. It didn¡¯t feel like she was questioning me out of doubt¡ªit was more genuine curiosity. I gave her the reason I¡¯d prepared. "Revenge against the Raphael Count family. I¡¯ve had some run-ins with them too." Even just from the gallery seniors¡¯ conversations, the Raphael Count family had a long, storied reputation for being notorious. Claiming they¡¯d wronged me wouldn¡¯t raise any eyebrows. "This is a rare chance to royally piss off the firstborn son. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting it pass." At my words, Karmin let out a sigh. "...The Count family¡¯s crimes aren¡¯t just a few. I knew that, but still." Seemed like she accepted my reasoning. Getting moving was the priority now. We had no idea how many people the Raphael Count family had dispatched. Rengel mounted his horse and pulled the carriage along. Karmin sat inside. I didn¡¯t get in the carriage. Instead, I chose to ride alongside on horseback. Coincidentally, no name window floated above the horse¡¯s head. So even horses don¡¯t count as NPCs? That¡¯s kind of sad. I climbed into the saddle. The horse¡¯s whinny echoed in my ears. I stroked its mane. Sword of Light had said this kind of bonding was important. "Alright, let¡¯s do our best." Neigh¡ª If you run well, our chances of safely clearing Floor 5 go way up. Balancing was easier than I expected. I grabbed the reins and gently nudged its sides with my feet. Clop-clop¡ª I matched pace with Rengel¡¯s carriage, staying alongside. Half a day passed. After six hours of steady travel, we decided to take a break. Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly a peaceful rest. We didn¡¯t know how many people were tracking us. "She¡¯s asleep." Rengel pulled back the carriage curtain to check on Karmin, who was dozing. Before she met me, she was probably dealing with agents sent by the Raphael Count family. It made sense that exhaustion had caught up with her. I kept my eyes on Rengel¡¯s actions. If he suddenly pulled out a dagger and stabbed her in the neck, that¡¯d be it. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t make any sudden moves. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Rengel beat me to it. "May I ask why you''re helping the young lady?" He hadn¡¯t tried to hide our earlier conversation. He¡¯d clearly heard everything, being a Third-Rank mercenary. So why was he asking again? Simple. Just like I was suspicious of him... He was suspicious of my motives for helping Karmin. I dismounted and leaned against a tree. "You heard me talking to Karmin before we left." Rengel looked straight at me. "I figured there might be another reason. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking." He gave me a friendly smile, trying to ease my suspicion. But I decided to push forward. With Karmin asleep from fatigue, now was a good time to probe his intentions. "You¡¯ve been acting like you''re waiting for something." He didn¡¯t react. "Expecting someone?" Sweat rolled down Rengel¡¯s forehead. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. After half a day of driving the carriage, physical exhaustion was natural. But that sweat didn¡¯t look like it came from fatigue. My instincts told me otherwise. "...I don¡¯t know what you mean." But he didn¡¯t stop there. "But unexpected variables will definitely arise. The Raphael Count family is after the young lady¡ªand among them, there are some smart ones. It won¡¯t be hard for them to predict how she¡¯ll try to escape." Now he was responding. "And within the Empire, there are very few places untouched by the Count family¡¯s influence. It wouldn¡¯t be a stretch for them to guess that Ventura Academy is our destination, since it¡¯s the closest safe zone." He was right. If Karmin had thought of it, then of course the Raphael Count family would have too. "The people they¡¯ve sent... we¡¯ll have no choice but to face them head-on at key routes leading to Ventura Academy." Rengel continued to stare at me. "Their minimum force will include Fourth-Ranks... and at most, Fifth-Ranks." I¡¯d already faced plenty of Fourth-Ranks. I¡¯d expected to encounter Fifth-Ranks soon enough. "Do you really think you can survive them... and safely escort Lady Karmin to Ventura Academy?" "Yeah." Rengel frowned at my indifferent reply. "...You don¡¯t seem like someone above Fifth-Rank. How can you be so confident?" "There¡¯s no certainty. I¡¯ll just fight." It¡¯s not like I¡¯m in a position to back down just because someone¡¯s a higher rank. Fear only makes sense when fear is an option. A little while later, Karmin woke up, and we resumed our journey. Clop clop¡ª Time passed, and dawn crept in. The sun was just beginning to rise when the unexpected happened¡ªright after we emerged from the forest. "They really came in numbers." I scanned the enemies spread out across the open field. [NPC ¨C Fourth-Rank Knight, Benrant] [NPC ¨C Third-Rank Knight, Ian] [NPC ¨C Third-Rank Knight, Mars] One Fourth-Rank. Two Third-Ranks. Three Second-Ranks, but they didn¡¯t matter much. The rest were soldiers without displayed ranks. And the one radiating the most murderous intent stood at the center. [NPC ¨C Fifth-Rank Knight, Kailas] A red-haired knight. Including the soldiers, the total number of enemies we had to face was twelve. Yeah. Definitely a lot. A voice filled with desperation rang out beside me. "...Damn it. This is why I didn¡¯t want to get involved this time, even if it was for the young lady." It was Rengel¡¯s voice. "Even if it was a favor for the man who once saved my sister... I shouldn¡¯t have stepped in." He kept muttering under his breath. "Goddamn it. Goddamn it." So that was it. He wasn¡¯t someone secretly working with the Raphael Count family, nor some traitor with a hidden agenda¡ªjust a plain coward. "You, swordsman guarding Karmin Everhart." Kailas. The Fifth-Rank Knight finally spoke. "That sword mark you carved back in town was impressive. But I wonder... do you truly understand who it is you¡¯re facing?" His gaze locked squarely onto me. "You¡¯re standing against the Raphael Count family of the Arkemer Empire. That is the enemy before you." The way he said it, you¡¯d think the Count family was royalty. His lines were dripping with pride. Twelve enemies. Just three of us. Four-to-one odds. I needed to thin their numbers first. I grabbed the black spear¡ªthe Black Javelin. [Activating Skill: Mana Body Enhancement Lv.6] And I threw it. Target: the direction of the Fifth-Rank Knight, Kailas. More precisely, the massive soldier standing in front of him. Thwunk! With a meaty sound, the giant fell forward. The spear pierced straight through his body and hurtled toward Kailas¡¯s heart. Kailas raised his right hand. Clang! The black spear was easily deflected by a casual swing of his blade and went flying. I never expected to take out a Fifth-Rank from range anyway. The plan was to eliminate someone I could definitely kill. That was my judgment. I still had one more thing to throw. Sliding my left foot back, I gripped the hilt tightly. I raised the blade straight in front of me. Not a spear throw¡ªthis was a sword throw. I hurled a single sword. Tearing through the air, it shot toward the gap in the armor worn by the Third-Rank Knight, Ian. Crunch! It pierced straight through his heart. The weapon I¡¯d thrown was Mundum Exstinguit¡ªthe sword I obtained yesterday. Effect 2: Retrieval. I could remotely summon the weapon back from any target I¡¯d ¡°registered¡± through user recognition. I had already tested how to control the return trajectory and position back in the waiting room. I calculated the angle. An angle that would disable as many as possible on its return path. A # N§àv§Ölight # deep navy-blue current swirled around Mundum Exstinguit. The signal for retrieval. Whoosh! The sword, now protruding from Ian¡¯s corpse, tore into the air in a curved path. Slice! It severed the neck of a Second-Rank Knight. Then suddenly veered at a right angle. Shraaak! "Arghhh!" It tore a deep wound into a soldier¡¯s abdomen. Slick! Then it mercilessly slashed the ankle of another soldier¡ª Fwhoosh! ¡ªand flew straight back into my hand. Vrrrm... I gripped the returning Mundum Exstinguit once more. The scent of blood filled my nostrils. ¡°......¡± ¡°......¡± I could feel all eyes on me. One soldier dead from the Black Javelin. One Third-Rank Knight, Ian, killed instantly by the thrown Mundum Exstinguit. One Second-Rank Knight killed by the sword¡¯s retrieval path. Two soldiers incapacitated and unable to fight. Seven enemies remained. The bloodlust that had paused now returned, trickling down my fingers. A cold, sharp intent in the air made sweat bead on my skin. "I apologize." It was the voice of Kailas, the Fifth-Rank Knight. "It seems I too failed to fully recognize who I was up against." Was that... acknowledgment? I didn¡¯t need it. Honestly, guys who were all brawn and no brains were easier to deal with. I focused my mind. "Let¡¯s go." Kailas¡¯s form blurred. I didn¡¯t lose track of his movement. He appeared right in front of me¡ªand at the same moment, unleashed a diagonal crimson slash. Clang! Our blades collided. My hands went numb. Fifth-Rank Knight. This guy¡ªI had to kill him. Chapter 41: Escort (5) Fifth-Rank Knight Kailas moved. His sword energy lashed out. Each arc of his swings¡ª every single one was executed with the clear intent to kill. A chilling instinct rang like an alarm in my bones. Boom! I blocked all of Kailas¡¯s strikes. But that only meant I hadn¡¯t landed a single hit of my own yet. Clang! After another exchange, Kailas pulled back, widening the distance, and finally spoke. "Third-Rank, is it?" His low voice pierced my ears. "Judgment, speed, strength... All surpass the Third-Ranks I¡¯ve faced until now. But you¡¯re still Third-Rank." I couldn¡¯t help but ask. "How did you figure that out?" Kailas actually answered. "From Fifth-Rank onward, one gains the ability to perceive the capacity of their opponent. It¡¯s a power meant to avoid needless death." He scanned me again¡ª like he could see through me entirely. He continued. "By others¡¯ standards, you might measure up to a Fourth-Rank. But if that¡¯s your best... you¡¯ll soon die by my hand." His sword began to shimmer with red aura. "If you don¡¯t want to die¡ªdevour." Kailas¡¯s form blurred once more. "A swordsman grows by devouring the lives of other swordsmen." A crimson storm swirled around the blade in his right hand. The air distorted under the pressure of his aura. A crushing force I hadn¡¯t felt before closed in. Red sword energy came crashing in from every direction. I inhaled deeply. I¡¯d block it all. His swings curved sharply at right angles. My thoughts kicked into high gear. An escape route. I stepped toward the only viable opening¡ª and launched a counter with murderous intent. I felt mana spread from my mana heart, threading into my aura circuit. Dragonslayer Swordsmanship, Form Two: Thrust ¡ª Hjartagnyr. Form One: Horizontal Slash ¡ª Thursahogg. Form Three: Vertical Slash ¡ª Drakabani. I deployed every technique I could. Form Six ¡ª Lamina Rabiei. A blade of fury meant to slay dragons. A storm of slashes from all directions. White-blazing sword energy wove into a dense net. My arm muscles swelled with strain. Kailas was undeniably stronger than me. If I wanted to land anything, I had to unleash only unavoidable strikes. Clang clang clang clang clang! But Kailas blocked every one of them. A comment from Sword of Light came to mind. ¡ªSword of Light: "You only ascend in rank through epiphanies earned mid-battle." In the end, I had to risk my life. Just like now. Kailas swept his red aura. BOOOOOM! His aura slammed down like a giant hammer. I twisted my body sideways in a tight dodge. Fourth Form of the Soft Airflow Step Technique¡ª Moonbreaker Step. I extended my white sword energy like a scythe, aiming for Kailas¡¯s throat. But he parried with a vertical strike¡ªnullifying the attack. Keep going until it works. Shraaak! A searing pain bloomed from my waist. Then again from my right shoulder. After taking two direct hits, I landed a blow to his abdomen. I looked straight into Kailas¡¯s face. His lips had curved¡ªfaintly, but unmistakably¡ªupward. He was smiling. This guy¡¯s not right in the head. Clang! Our swords clashed again. The red glow on Kailas¡¯s blade flared violently. Chills ran up both my arms. This was the second time I¡¯d felt this cursed sensation¡ª a sword energy detonation, like what the Third-Rank Knight Reiner had done. I flooded my aura circuit with turbulent flow. Whirlwind Path. Dragonslayer Swordsmanship ¡ª Sword Energy Detonation. KWAAAAAAAM!! His crimson flash collided with the burst of white light from my blade. Both detonations exploded at once. Chunks of earth launched into the air as the ground trembled beneath us. Dust blanketed the field, obscuring my vision. The shockwave hurled my body into the air. KRACK! This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I stabbed Mundum Exstinguit into the ground to anchor myself. Pain shot through my abdomen and right thigh. My body was half-ruined, but my mind was clearer than ever. Unnaturally so. It felt like I was watching myself in third-person. Thud¡ª The ground quaked. Kailas closed the distance again. His eyes glowed a sharp crimson. In the blink of an eye, his sword engulfed my entire field in a web of slashes. Red arcs filled the horizontal plane around me. I channeled protective aura through my whole body and plunged into the storm. I didn¡¯t need to cut through everything¡ª nor did I have the strength to. Just one opening. If I could find even the tiniest gap¡ª I unleashed a single thrust, honed like an awl. Slash¡ª Sword energy sliced through sword energy. Red shards danced in my vision. Fragments of Kailas¡¯s aura¡ªsplit from his attack. Mixed with my blood. His overwhelming aura had found a gap in my armor and protective energy¡ª and drew blood. I accelerated my mana control. I needed a second, thicker layer of protective aura. My aura circuit surged again. Then I felt it¡ª next to the original centerline of my circuit, another path began to form. It was rising. A second pillar, growing beside the core of my aura circuit. [You have reached the threshold of Fourth-Rank.] I saw Kailas¡¯s eyes widen. He¡¯d noticed. That I¡¯d just broken past Third-Rank. But he was still Fifth-Rank. Even reaching Fourth-Rank didn¡¯t guarantee a win. I didn¡¯t ease my killing intent at all. From straight ahead, I heard a voice. "Come." The faint smile on Kailas¡¯s lips had turned into a full grin. And he charged. Crimson thunderbolts of sword aura crashed in from all sides. Shrrrip! A meaty tearing sound rang in my ears. Even Phaethon¡¯s pitch-black armor had gaps. So did my protective aura. Kailas¡¯s sword traced right through them. Every blow added to my learning. Each one stacked with the threat of death. Crack crack¡ª Blood hit the ground. [Status Effect ¨C Critical Bleeding activates Doombringer.] [Skill ¡°Doombringer¡± has leveled up. Lv.4] [Your body temporarily surpasses its limits.] My body screamed. If I stopped, I¡¯d die. My mind was consumed with one technique. In the Dragonslayer Swordsmanship manual, Sword of Light had scribbled in a few extra notes. ¡ª There are techniques that must only be attempted after reaching a higher rank. ¡ª I set the standard by my own rank, but I don¡¯t believe your talent falls short of mine. The Fifth-Rank swordsman charged like a wild beast. Kailas swung his sword, conjuring a massive moon. The rising crimson moon behind him began to press toward me. Overwhelming pressure cloaked my entire body. That red moon carried countless blades within it. Shraaak! My left shoulder was slashed deep. My arm hung uselessly. Not yet. I had to wait until he was close¡ª close enough to tear out his throat. Strength left my right thigh. Blood sprayed from my left side. SSSWWWWEEEEEEEEEHHH! The sound of wind roared in my ears. His sword came for my neck. I locked eyes with Kailas¡¯s horizontal slash and readjusted my grip. Fourth-Rank swordsmanship. Dragonslayer Swordsmanship, Form Eight. Draco Scalpere. A technique that slashes like it¡¯s etching through a dragon¡¯s scales. I couldn¡¯t block a horizontal slash in one go. So I unleashed two lightning-fast arcs, smashing through it with consecutive strikes. And I didn¡¯t stop. Twenty blows. Thirty. It became meaningless to count¡ªthe numbers soared into the double digits. It was more like butchery than swordsmanship. A relentless storm of shallow and deep cuts. I tore apart the crimson moon. I could see Kailas¡¯s body¡ªetched with dozens of red slashes. His armor was in ruins. The final blow. I stepped forward. And brought my sword down vertically. One last slash. FWOOOOOOOOOOOSH! All the shallow and deep wounds I¡¯d carved burst open in unison, gushing white light as blood sprayed from every inch of Kailas¡¯s body. Splatter. A wide pool of blood soaked into the earth. ¡°Khak...¡± Kailas staggered, a faint smile still lingering on his lips. Noise exploded around us. Coincidentally, my body wouldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t even lift my head. Three figures were charging from different directions all at once. ¡°Kill him now!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Sir Kailas!¡± The ones who hadn¡¯t dared interrupt the fight were now suddenly charging in. SSSSWWWEEEHH! Three streaks of light closed in. The Fifth-Rank swordsman who¡¯d seemed out of his mind collapsed without another word. [Level Up!] Three slashes of death came racing toward me. [Lv.27 ¡ú Lv.29] My left arm, which was about to drop limply to the ground, fully recovered. All the wounds that had been bleeding across my body instantly closed. A benefit of leveling up. After that, I moved on instinct. I circulated mana. Crack¡ª Gritting my teeth, I swung my sword ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) horizontally, wrapped in white sword energy. CRACK! BOOM! I heard the sound of the knights¡¯ blades shattering. Blood sprayed in a wide arc. Red lines streaked across the trees. The three knights¡ªwho¡¯d charged from the left, right, and center¡ªcollapsed slowly to the ground. I scanned the surroundings. Rengel and Karmin had done about as much as I¡¯d expected. Between the two of them, they¡¯d finished off three. They¡¯d also killed the ones I¡¯d left incapacitated. [¡®Sword Ghost of the Black Tempest¡¯ applauds.] [¡®Blood Demon¡¯ furrows his brow.] [¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ bites their nails.] [¡®Warrior Embodied in Rage¡¯ double-checks the difficulty and floor.] I closed the annoying notification windows. Rengel approached me slowly. ¡°...Just who... are you?¡± "What." "You killed a Fifth-Rank swordsman." I killed him because if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d be the one to die. "Just lucky. Let¡¯s go. Karmin, get in the carriage. Now." "Yes!" I saw Karmin nodding frantically. It really was just luck. Seven parts luck, three parts skill¡ªno more than that. Killing Kailas. Leveling up at the exact second I was about to die from the three who followed. I needed to get stronger. Chapter 42: Escort (6) Title: Looks like these guys are finally about to head out? Posted by: Room Conspiracy Theorist ¡ª Hard Difficulty, Floor 66. Confirmed. ? Just a month ago, this was the hottest topic ever. Now no one even cares anymore¡ªmassive like. ? fr lol ever since the climbers showed up, nobody gives a damn about the Hard folks anymore lmao ? Still curious though. Wonder how many will actually survive. ? But how hard is Floor 66 really? If a bunch of people can enter, can¡¯t they just brute-force it with numbers? ? Elf Guy) The entry cap for Floor 66 is fifty. Even if more joined, the results wouldn¡¯t change much. Only a tiny fraction ever make it out. ? How hard is it, seriously? Tell us, Elf. ? Elf Guy) Kinda hard to explain in words. You just have to experience it. ? Gutter Swordsman) Think of it like the difficulty suddenly jumping ten levels instead of one. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist) Feels more like a twenty-level jump tbh¡ªthis whole world¡¯s a giant locked room. ? Spear King) Sounds like they¡¯re all about to get minced. ? But y¡¯all survived Floor 66, didn¡¯t you? Aren¡¯t you underestimating this batch of climbers? ? Suwang) This batch seriously lacks solo combat experience. They¡¯re not gonna make it. ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawawa, the current batch of Hard climbers have grown way too complacent, yes they have~ ? Sword of Light) Cooperation was never the point of the tower. ? Sword of Light) It¡¯s individual power that matters most. ? Ice Queen) True! Frozen! Frozen! *** Targon, Guildmaster of the , looked out over the players gathered before him. Players summoned from countless different worlds. Some had come from his own world. Others hailed from the realm of Murim. Their races were equally diverse. Targon trusted those who had gathered under the name of the . He stood atop a raised platform in the center of the Floor 66 waiting room. "I believe in all of you. We will conquer Floor 66." He scanned the crowd as he continued. "Floor 66¡ªwhere there has never been a run without casualties. We will break through that floor of despair with the least losses possible." As he finished speaking, voices rose from the crowd. "You¡¯re stating the obvious again, Union Leader." Targon smiled. The speaker was Namgung Hyun¡ªone of the Strategy Union¡¯s core members. "The previous batch was just weak. We¡¯ll ascend with zero casualties." The woman standing beside Namgung Hyun chuckled. "Save that kind of talk for after we¡¯ve cleared the floor. Only then does it count." It was Moyong Hwayeon, a woman with her black hair tied back tightly. "We don¡¯t lose. Never." She spoke with absolute certainty. Step, step¡ª Descending from the platform, Targon drew the greatsword strapped to his back. "Move out." The players who had reached Floor 66 on Hard Difficulty readied their weapons and began stretching their bodies in preparation. *** The benefits of leveling up were undeniable. My barely-holding-on consciousness immediately snapped into focus. After loading Karmin¡ªthe top-priority escort target¡ªinto the carriage, I scoured the corpses lying cold and dead across the ground. But there was nothing useful. Even among the lower grunts and on the body of the Fifth-Rank Knight Kailas, there wasn¡¯t a single item worth taking. "Tch." The sword Kailas had used was ground to bits. It must have been damaged during my earlier deployment of Fourth-Rank techniques. In the end, I grabbed whatever vaguely useful gear and a few potions and stuffed them into my inventory. I ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) mounted my horse and gently stroked its mane. Clop-clop, clop-clop¡ª Whenever Rengel¡¯s horse slowed down a bit, the carriage curtain would part, and I could feel Karmin¡¯s gaze on me. Before, her expression had been more like mild gratitude¡ª but after I killed a Fifth-Rank Knight, it shifted. Now it brimmed with curiosity. I had a strong feeling it wasn¡¯t over yet. Karmin Everhart¡¯s clear destination¡ªVentura Academy. Just like Rengel had said, there was no way the Raphael Count family wouldn¡¯t anticipate it. There would definitely be someone waiting to block her before she passed through Ventura¡¯s main gates. That would probably be the final barrier. I activated the ¡°Veil of Secrets¡± embedded in the back of the Talisman of Union gifted by the Shrine Maiden. So the constellations couldn¡¯t observe my gallery activity. Title: Ended up killing a Fifth-Rank Knight after all. Posted by: anon* ¡ª Second-biggest crisis after the Floor 4 Golem. But this guy was a little off. He kept grinning even up to the moment he died. Oh, and I hit Fourth-Rank. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. In terms of raw strength, the Fifth-Rank Knight Kailas was obviously more dangerous than the Golem. But that first encounter with the Golem, with no death prompt or forewarning before the gallery appeared, had just been too intense to forget. As soon as the post went up, the comments poured in. ? LOLLLLL what the hell¡ªkills a Fifth-Rank on Floor 5, reaches Fourth-Rank on Floor 5... what even is this guy? ? The fact that a Fifth-Rank even appears on Floor 5 in Pandemonium Mode is insane by itself. ? Ah, it feels good to drink again after a while~~~ don¡¯t die, climber~~ ? What¡¯re you having with it? ? Orc. ? You¡¯re a goddamn lunatic... ? Why, the ears are a delicacy. ? Uweeeeeeegh! ? What¡¯s so weird about a Fifth-Rank Knight acting off... most of them aren¡¯t right in the head anyway. ? Gutter Swordsman) Just assume every Fifth-Rank and above Knight is missing a few screws. ? Archmage) Same goes for mages. Especially from Sixth-Rank up, never judge by appearances. ? Archmage) Even with a calm face, you never know what sick crap they¡¯re into. ? Sage) True words. ? The mages objectively admitting they''re all kinda broken is wild lol ? Spear King) So he really killed a Fifth-Rank... on Floor 5? That¡¯s terrifying growth speed. ? Heavenly Demon) Rapid growth like that tends to breed arrogance. That worries me a bit. ? anon*) Hard to get arrogant in this kind of environment. Wouldn¡¯t have been weird if I died just a few minutes ago. ? Sword of Light) Heavenly Demon¡¯s right. Your growth¡¯s way faster than even I expected. You¡¯ve done well. Was it a good fight? ? anon*) Nah. Got wrecked until Doombringer activated. Barely scraped by using Fourth-Rank swordsmanship to kill him. ? Sword of Light) You did well. ? How the hell does someone use a Fourth-Rank technique right after hitting Fourth-Rank lmao ? That near-death buff multiplier is wild, huh? It had been close. This time, too. ? anon*) But judging from other posts, looks like the Hard team¡¯s entering Floor 66. ? Yeah, someone posted in the Climber Gallery. Sounds like they¡¯re already in and running it. ? Suwang) Those guys are probably suffering real hard right now, constantly flirting with death. You take the easy route while you can. ? This guy¡¯s also constantly brushing up against death though. ? Suwang) Hmm! But still¡ªhe just took out a Fifth-Rank. Surely there won¡¯t be another one that strong coming so soon, right? ? Pretty sure another Fifth-Rank is gonna pop just because of this bastard, tbh. ? anon*) So, Ventura Academy¡ªcan anyone just get in if they want to? ? The Headmaster probably changed by now. ? If not, then he¡¯d let you in if you were desperate enough. ? anon*) Desperate? ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawawa~ He¡¯s the kind who helps those in truly desperate situations~ ? He pathologically enjoys rescuing people in pain. ? Shrine Maiden) What was it again, the nickname people gave the headmaster back in the Climber Gallery? ? Oh right... something like a ¡°salvation-fixated lunatic.¡± ? Archmage) Yeah, that¡¯s it. Salvation-fixated lunatic. Just face some trouble near Ventura¡¯s gate¡ªhe might come running. ? Archmage) If it¡¯s still the same guy, his name¡¯s Mandels. He¡¯s a mage. ...Judging by that alone, sounds like some absolute lunatic is sitting in the Academy Headmaster¡¯s chair. ? anon*) If I¡¯m just now getting out of the forest, odds are more enemies are waiting ahead. Sword of Light-sunbae, in the sword manual you wrote that line about aura perception (kigak) in, like, one sentence. Can you explain how to properly activate it? ? ? You seriously only wrote one line? How half-assed was that? ? anon*) What was it again... something like ¡°use mana and spread it outward along the ground¡±? That kind of vibe. ? That¡¯s criminally vague. ? You¡¯d need to be at least Heaven¡¯s Martial Physique level to understand that explanation, lol. ? Heavenly Demon) Someone with Heaven¡¯s Martial Physique could probably pull it off with just that. ? Hmm... well if the climber isn¡¯t Heaven¡¯s Martial Physique level, that¡¯s its own kind of weird. ? anon*) Yeah, no. Not me. ? Sword of Light) Yeah, that was a little half-assed, I admit. Think I was half-asleep when I wrote that. ? Half-asleep LMAO. Weirdly honest. ? Gutter Swordsman) Don¡¯t try to spread it just along the ground. Spread it outward in every direction. ? Heavenly Demon) Just flood it. Like a wave. ? Spear King) It¡¯s like spreading killing intent. Only difference is, it doesn¡¯t lock onto a specific target. That explanation hit home. I started to get the hang of it. Just as I was about to write a goodbye comment and close the gallery¡ª ? Admin) What are the constellations saying? ? anon*) Pretty much gasping in shock at every little thing. ? Yeah, how could they not freak out? Constellation or not, they¡¯d be losing their minds. ? Any of them have cute reactions? ? Suwang) Yeah, I¡¯m curious about that too. ? anon*) ...Honestly, I didn¡¯t have time to watch their reactions. I dropped the alerts mid-fight. I didn¡¯t exactly have the luxury to sit back and enjoy how ¡°cute¡± those reactions were. ? anon*) I¡¯m heading out. ? Don¡¯t die. ? If you die, the gallery won¡¯t be fun anymore. ? Ice Queen) Frozen! You must survive! I closed the gallery and put the device back into my inventory. The dense forest still stretched on. Riding my horse, I extended my aura perception. Shhhhhh¡ª A stream of gray current, visible only to me, spread out through the forest. The current carried my intent¡ª to see through the entire forest and drape it in my gaze. A shiver crept up my shoulder. Movement. A scout? I looked into the distance. Atop a tall tree, hunched like a spider, a shadow was crouched. I nearly passed it by, mistaking it for a patch of shade. A breeze passed. I could feel a gaze piercing downward. Our eyes met. The figure twisted its crouched body in an instant and tried to flee. I had only one chance. Now. My right arm snapped forward like lightning. SSWWEEEHH! I threw the black spear. Target: the scout. If he died, so be it¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t my intent. I didn¡¯t hear a scream. BOOOM! But I did hear something crash into the ground. I jumped down from my horse and sprinted toward where I¡¯d thrown the spear. "Grgh... grkk..." A man in black writhed like an insect on the ground. The black spear was embedded in his left side, just above the waist. How much does this guy know? First, I¡¯d try interrogation. Chapter 43: Escort (7) Ophelia was fully aware that this was a dream. For a mage of Sixth Rank or higher, that wasn¡¯t exactly a difficult realization. And she also knew exactly when this dream was taking place. There weren¡¯t many times when Elena de Brinier¡ªthe "Sword of Light"¡ªwas this genuinely enraged. Elena opened her mouth, her face and body smeared with blood and bits of flesh. There had only been a few instances where Elena''s gaze had ever sunk this dark and heavy. Ophelia was certain: This dream was depicting the aftermath of clearing Floor 66 on Hard Mode. "Was I wrong, Ophelia?" The Archmage. Ophelia shook her head. Just like back then, her answer would be the same in any situation. "You did everything you could, Elena." And Ophelia could already predict Elena¡¯s response as well. "...It¡¯s not about whether I did everything I could, Ophelia." Even at the time, Ophelia had thought that people like Elena¡ªso cold and terrifying¡ªwere truly rare. "We lost. That means we lost to the Tower." Ophelia remembered the deep fury she had felt at Elena¡¯s words. "From now on, we have to make sure something like this never happens again... we need to create a detailed manual and post it in the Gallery. Make it look like it was always part of the system, so players after Floor 30 won¡¯t question anything." That day, Ophelia saw something for the first time. "We need to push the idea that lower-difficulty floors should be cleared solo, not in parties." She saw Elena calculating everything down to the last detail. "And the survivors of Floor 66... they need training. So they don¡¯t get swept up in pointless deaths." As soon as Elena finished speaking, Ophelia felt her consciousness rapidly fade. And she knew better than anyone that this sensation meant she was waking up from a real dream. What greeted Ophelia as she opened her eyes was a field of pure white. "...Ugh." She carefully gathered the white papers that had fallen on top of her head and set them on the desk. She had been researching a spell to give to Han Yuseong, the only climber in the Transcendent Gallery. And apparently, she had dozed off. "Hmph, guess I really did stay up too long. What, five days straight now...?" Ophelia wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth. Sometimes, when she focused too hard, she could stay awake for far longer than she ever expected. "Haven¡¯t dreamed about climbing the Tower in a long time." Back when she was climbing, she used to have those dreams all the time¡ªdreams of ascending the Tower. But ever since she cleared the 100th Floor and returned to the original world, she hadn¡¯t dreamed at all¡ªuntil now. She didn¡¯t think the reason for this sudden dream was far off. That post yesterday, announcing a new attempt at climbing Floor 66 on Hard Mode. Ophelia figured that was what had triggered the dream after all this time. "There are always gonna be people who break through." Hard Mode existed specifically because it was possible¡ªhowever low the odds. "But... more of them will die than we did." The posts written by Sword of Light, just before Han Yuseong joined the Transcendent Gallery, had been spot-on. This generation of Hard Mode climbers lacked individual combat power. Letting out a shallow sigh, Ophelia turned her attention back to her research¡ªfinding a way to cast magic using only aura circuits. *** Splash¡ª I poured a low-grade healing potion onto the abdomen of the man collapsed on the ground. "You feeling a little better?" The man glared at me. "Kh... What do you plan to do with me?" "Dunno yet." He was still breathing, which meant it was time to get some answers. "You know how many enemies there are?" The man shook his head. "I¡¯m just a scout." Bet he had a rough idea, though. "Then give me the rough idea. Tell me and I¡¯ll let you live." "I told you! I don¡¯t know!" I glanced over at Rengel, the mercenary who had approached while I wasn¡¯t looking. "Hey, if I pull this thing out, is he gonna die?" I pointed at the short spear embedded in the left side of the man¡¯s abdomen with my right index finger. Rengel furrowed his brow, inspected the wound closely, and then slowly shook his head. "He¡¯ll bleed a lot, but if you pour a potion on it and wrap it with bandages, he should be fine. Though we¡¯ll have to toss him into a healer¡¯s hut before the day¡¯s over." According to Karmin Everhart, Rengel was a mercenary who had survived in the field for a long time. So he probably knew his way around wounds like this. "Got it. So, if I yank this out and treat him right away, he lives, he suffers, and I get my spear back nice and clean, yeah?" At my words, Rengel¡¯s mouth twitched like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. "...Yes, he won¡¯t die." Without hesitation, I reached for the spear and pulled it out. "AAAAAARRGH!" This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. A loud scream burst from the man¡¯s mouth as he lay sprawled on the ground. Just when I was starting to think I might need to tear off his fingernails to get him talking, I¡¯d remembered a quicker way to cause pain. I poured the healing potion directly onto the wound and wrapped it with a bandage. The guy kept groaning and glaring at me. Then I heard Rengel¡¯s voice again. He had apparently taken a small pouch from the man¡¯s belt and pulled out a piece of paper. "Take a look at this." Rengel held out the paper to me with both hands. It was a map. It showed the forest we were currently in, the city beyond it, and the roads leading from that city to the academy. "You give me a map like this, and you still expect me to believe you don¡¯t know anything?" I looked back at Rengel. "You ever pulled out someone¡¯s fingernail?" "Yes." "...What?" Wait, he has? Rengel stared blankly between me and the man collapsed on the ground. "But fingernails and toenails don¡¯t regenerate with healing potions. You know that, right?" Nope. I had no idea. "It¡¯s more efficient to dig into the skin between the nail and the flesh for torture. If you rip out the nail or the toe, that¡¯s it. But the skin under and around the nail¡ªthat can heal even with low-grade potions." Shff, shff¡ª Rengel suddenly started putting on gloves. "Shall I begin?" Uh... what the hell. Is this guy a real expert? Or just really good at pretending to be one? The body of the man on the floor visibly trembled. Without hesitation, Rengel grabbed the man¡¯s right arm and pulled out a thick needle from his pouch. "AAAAAAAGH!" He stabbed it in, without even blinking. Yeah, nope. I¡¯m not watching that. Rengel, this guy... he¡¯s scary. "I-I¡¯ll talk. I¡¯ll tell you what I know." Turned out the guy caved a lot faster than expected. "In the city of Intenes, just beyond this forest, knights and mercenaries from the Raphael Count family are stationed right at the entrance." His lips quivered as he continued. "And... they already know you killed a Fifth-Rank Knight. I saw it from afar and reported it. They¡¯re still planning to kill you. Of course, they¡¯re also after the Everhart girl. At the very least, the Raphael Count family has zero intention of letting you two live." So... I killed a Fifth-Rank Knight, then a bunch more, and they still sent reinforcements. I looked down at the man still lying there. "Rengel, keep an eye on this guy. Hey, what¡¯s your name?" He looked at me like I¡¯d lost my mind. "...Beron." "Alright, Beron. Stay put and behave." I turned my gaze to Rengel. "Yes." He nodded at me, though I didn¡¯t completely take my eyes off him. I couldn¡¯t afford to trust him that much yet. "Karmin, let¡¯s talk for a moment." "Y-yes...!" I motioned with my chin and moved away from Rengel and Beron. At this point, it was impossible not to be suspicious. Karmin Everhart was definitely hiding something from me. If this were just some noble family lashing out over a broken engagement, the level of force they were using was way overkill. "There¡¯s more, isn¡¯t there? About why the Raphael Count family is chasing you. It¡¯s not just about the divorce." Karmin hung her head low. I continued. "I killed a Fifth-Rank. That guy had to be one of their top military assets. And yet they¡¯re still coming for us like they won¡¯t stop until we¡¯re dead. That¡¯s not normal. So what do you know? About the Raphael Count family... or Vitor Raphael?" If everything could be solved by just killing people, life would be simple. But to survive, I¡¯d have to use my brain too. In this damn Tower. Just as I was about to press her again, Karmin finally spoke. "I found out that Vitor always heads to the basement of his annex whenever I fall asleep... or on days when he goes out for long periods. I couldn¡¯t help but get curious. About what was down there. About what he was doing." The basement. Yeah, that already sounds shady as hell. "What was in the basement?" "He was using live humans to experiment with chimera research. I think... it might be connected to a dark mage, too. I don¡¯t know if it was just Vitor acting on his own, or if the entire Raphael Count family was involved." I threw a few more questions at her. "Did Vitor know? That you found out?" "I¡¯m not sure... but since that basement was used for chimera research, I assume it has at least some sort of defense or detection measures." Yeah, that tracks. "Why didn¡¯t you tell me this from the start?" "...I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d believe me. And I couldn¡¯t fully trust you either, Yuseong. I¡¯m sorry." I watched Karmin bow her head, gears turning in my mind. This thing was officially a lot bigger than I thought. And something like this¡ª This was a weapon. If I sent this information to Ventura Academy, which wasn¡¯t under the influence of the Raphael Count family... I pulled out the binding scroll and reactivated Veil of Secrets. Then I pulled out the device and logged into the Transcendent Gallery. Title: Is there a place in Intenes where I can send a letter to Ventura Academy? User: ??* - Raphael''s eldest son Vitor''s been doing chimera research using live people. If I get this out, Ventura Academy might actually come out to meet us. Also¡ªare mercs usually this good at torture? I asked one if he ever pulled out fingernails and he says that¡¯s inefficient, then goes on about how you have to dig into the skin between the nail and the finger, and just casually starts torturing the guy like a pro ???????? ? That level of torture is basic training. You should start learning it too. ? For real. There will come a time you need it. ? Our climber''s still such a pure newbie ???????????? so cute ???????? ? Sword of Light: Just turn your aura into ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) a needle and stab the thigh a few times. ? Gutter Swordsman: Uh... yeah, that works. Just be careful¡ªyou mess up the pressure and you¡¯ll end up killing them. ? Ice Queen: Frozen! Freeze them a little and they listen real good! Just chill their head for a moment and release! ? ??:* Wow, yeah, no way someone wouldn¡¯t talk after that. ? LOL they¡¯d be spilling secrets like a fountain ? Holy crap, you guys are scary ???????? ? Archmage: If it¡¯s Intenes, head to the Belfetor General Store on the outskirts and say, ¡°I¡¯ve come to forge a bond under a strange night.¡± If the timeline¡¯s after our generation, it might still work. Belfetor¡¯s a front for the info guild. ? Archmage: Though fair warning, Belfetor might not even exist anymore. Or they might¡¯ve cut ties with the guild. Or the passphrase could¡¯ve changed. ? ??:* Thanks, I¡¯ll check it out. Or maybe I should ask Karmin... think she¡¯d know? ? Doubt it. ? That kind of info¡¯s way above a baron¡¯s daughter¡¯s pay grade. ? Chances are it¡¯s still there. Info guilds don¡¯t go down easy. It¡¯s probably a generation or so past the world we climbed in. Worth asking, at least. As expected, Archmage-sunbae always drops the best info. Got a lead now. Temporary, but it¡¯ll do. Chapter 44: Escort (8) I lifted the Veil of Secrets I''d cast to hide the Transcendent Gallery from the constellations and began moving again. I asked Karmin and Rengel in turn¡ª Did they know anything about the information guild? The answer I wanted didn¡¯t come. But I did quickly find out where the Belfetor General Store was. It was marked on the map that had belonged to the scout, Beron¡ª now my map. Shff. Even though there was no red dot marking it as a significant location, its position was still recorded. That suggested that, regardless of whether it was still functioning as an info guild hub, the Belfetor store was definitely an old, long-standing establishment. And I could see a meaningful route leading toward that Belfetor place. At this point, there was only one thing to do. I made up my mind. Head straight for the Belfetor # N§àv§Ölight # General Store. Of course, ¡°straight¡± was only a figure of speech. We might have to make a serious detour to shake off the pursuit teams sent by the Raphael Count family after we exited the forest. Clop-clop¡ª We were approaching the forest¡¯s edge. It was time to decide on our next move. Karmin, of course, had to come with me to Ventura Academy. My gaze shifted to Rengel¡ªthe mercenary who¡¯d helped us escape. "What are you planning to do?" Rengel scratched his brown hair. "If you keep tagging along, I don¡¯t think your life¡¯s gonna last much longer." At my added comment, Rengel gave a small chuckle. "That¡¯s not something I can undo now. I killed knights and soldiers from the Raphael Count family too, same as you." Fair enough. And since Beron had reported our numbers, splitting up wouldn¡¯t help¡ªhe¡¯d likely still be hunted. "Then stick with us. From here on out, we¡¯re gonna have to fight tooth and nail." Rengel didn¡¯t hesitate to answer. "Yes, understood." I began tying up Beron, who was still lying on the ground. "Don¡¯t move." I bound Beron up like a cocoon, then tossed him onto the horse. Rengel looked at me and spoke. "Once we reach the end of the forest, we should ditch the horses. We¡¯ll need to use alleyways as escape routes anyway." "Yeah, you two go on foot. Make them drop their guard." As we passed beyond the thick forest, an open plain spread out before us. I cast my sensory field wide once more. Two manor houses on either side. From behind both, enemy squads began pouring out. Three enemies per group, forming tight lines on either side. I had no intention of fighting them. The goal was to get through with as little conflict as possible. And it wasn¡¯t just the enemies in front of us¡ªthere were forces bringing up the rear too. Multiple mages and archers among them. Trying to fight here would be digging my own grave. My sensory field confirmed more troops were converging on our location. Not just a few¡ªaround twenty. Watching their formation, I plotted the most optimal route. Ahead of me, Beron¡¯s bound body started to squirm atop the horse. Now that his allies were nearby, he was clearly trying to show his excitement. "Beron, you dog of a bastard... You betrayed us?!" "B-betrayed?! I was captured! Captured, I tell you!" "Shut it, traitor." Beron raised his right hand and shouted. "Just shut up and let me live!" I looked at Beron and said in a low voice, "I¡¯ll let you live. So keep yourself alive." "W-what...?" Beron turned around in a panic. I raised my short spear and sliced his ankle with the blade. "Ngghhh!" Before he could even scream properly, I hoisted him up and threw him far into the distance. The enemies¡¯ eyes locked onto Beron. He was bait¡ªmeant to scatter their attention. I spoke quickly, so only Karmin and Rengel could hear. "Run left. Now." Mundum Exstinguit¡ªthe sword I held¡ªwas hurled without a moment¡¯s pause. A precise throw aimed at the targets. Swshhhhhk! Target: disable the Third- and Second-Rank knights. Slaaaash! The blade cut through the shoulder of the Second-Rank knight and pierced the throat of the Third-Rank knight. Mundum Exstinguit¡¯s recall effect, activated. Kiiiing! The sword, glowing blue, curved along a path guided by my will. Shwiiiing! "ARGHHHH!" It skimmed the first target¡¯s collarbone. Buried deep in the second¡¯s abdomen. Then cleaved the third mercenary¡¯s thin helmet and split his face in two. I dismounted, eyes fixed on the returning Mundum Exstinguit. Thunk! Whooosh! The sword, after shattering the hands of a First-Rank enemy, traced a blue arc and landed squarely in my grip. The moment it was back in my hand, I shifted my grip and swung horizontally. Ting! I deflected two incoming arrows and rushed forward, catching up to Karmin and Rengel who had moved ahead. Fwoooosh! I enlarged the Mirror of Transition¡ªthe shield¡ªand ran alongside them. I blocked the enemy¡¯s arrows and short spears, which had been aimed to kill Rengel and stop Karmin. Behind the soldiers who had thrown them, more enemies appeared. Mages. CRACKBOOM! A navy-blue lightning bolt, conjured from a clear sky, came crashing toward me. On either side, blazing red arrows and spears rained down. I raised the binding scroll in my left hand and hurled it high. Already infused with mana¡ªit was active as it flew. The magical attacks homed in on the scroll, almost as if being absorbed. And then¡ª FLASH! A brilliant flash of light burst from the binding scroll, bright enough to blind for a moment. The electric-blue lightning bolt twisted and warped, unable to penetrate the scroll¡¯s barrier. The blazing red flames, too, failed to cross the scroll¡¯s protective boundary. Both the lightning and the fire merely scraped along the circular surface of the barrier conjured by the scroll and vanished into nothing. [¡®The One Engraved with Runes of Infinity¡¯ harbors deep suspicion about the item you used.] [¡®The One Who Bends Mana¡¯ blinks blankly at you.] Must be constellations who were mages in their past lives. [¡®The Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ begins to doubt your identity.] So what if you¡¯re suspicious. Even if someone sees me using an item that clearly belongs to a previous generation¡¯s Tower closer, like the Archmage-sunbae mentioned in passing, they still wouldn¡¯t jump to the conclusion that I¡¯m using something like the Transcendent Gallery. [¡®The Saint Who Follows Light¡¯ watches with curious interest.] After all, the constellations who failed to escape the Tower and are still bound within it wouldn¡¯t even know the Transcendent Gallery exists. Regardless, the constellations seemed thoroughly shocked at how effortlessly I neutralized what looked to be Fourth-Rank spells. I could even hear the panicked shouting of the mages who had cast those spells. "Does he have some kind of anti-magic artifact?!" "What are you doing?! We¡¯re going to lose them at this rate!" This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. All I could do was give silent thanks to the Shrine Maiden-sunbae who gave me this binding scroll. If I even knew what direction she was in, I¡¯d bow in her honor¡ªbut I didn¡¯t have that luxury. The scroll floated gently through the air before drifting back into my palm, as if pulled by a magnet. "Pick up the pace." We had successfully entered the city. Thud! I stomped down hard. "Head where the crowd is thickest." Both of them nodded. I could see them channeling mana to run at full speed and keep up. I deliberately led Karmin and Rengel toward a more crowded area. About five pursuers latched onto our trail. Now was the time. I channeled mana into the back of the binding scroll. Ssssssssh! I activated Veil of Secrets, warping the scenery behind me. The goal was to keep them from clearly seeing us blend into the crowd. "They¡¯re gone!" "Where¡¯d they disappear to?!" "Even if we lose the others, we must secure the girl!" "Find them¡ªno matter what!" Their shouts echoed from behind. I steered us away from where the pursuers were heading. It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out¡ªthe more I used my sensory field, the clearer things became. "This way." The three of us kept walking and running in turns. Every time I glanced back, Karmin¡¯s face had grown a little paler, but she never asked to stop or rest. Half a day later. Their footsteps, heavy with exhaustion, finally came to a stop. We had arrived. Karmin¡¯s voice came through. "The store¡¯s a lot bigger than I expected." I scanned the surroundings. Not trusting my eyes alone, I expanded my senses to confirm. Sure enough, the worn sign read Belfetor General Store. We entered together, and immediately I felt the stares of two women and two men fix on us. I checked their faces one by one. Fortunately, not a single one seemed to have any connection to Karmin Everhart. A woman with a kind expression behind the counter leaned forward with a smile. She had long, silvery hair. [NPC ¨C Belfetor General Store Assistant Manager Asher] "Are you looking for any particular items?" "Not looking for items." I stared directly at Asher and continued. "I¡¯m looking for someone." "...Excuse me?" I decided to immediately use the passphrase Archmage-sunbae had taught me. "I¡¯ve come to forge a bond under a strange night." The moment I finished speaking, I felt the atmosphere in the shop shift. Clack¡ª A heavy, dark square lock appeared on the door where there hadn¡¯t been one before. "If a passphrase we haven¡¯t heard in decades suddenly pops up, do you expect us to trust you¡ªor suspect you?" Asher slowly raised her right hand, and the three others around her drew weapons. A wave of murderous intent swept through the shop. Shit. Was I about to fight again? I reached for the handle of Mundum Exstinguit. Click. A door inside the shop opened with a mechanical sound, and a man with a neatly groomed mustache stepped out. "The young lady accompanying this man is the Everhart family¡¯s noble daughter." [NPC ¨C Belfetor General Store Manager Maduke] "Currently being hunted across the streets of Intenes by hounds of the Raphael Count family." Maduke continued speaking. "Let¡¯s hear what the young lady¡¯s gotten herself caught up in. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?" I nodded. "Yeah, totally agree. That¡¯s a great idea." I could feel the stares from the shopkeepers, Karmin, and Rengel all drilling into me¡ªlike I was a weirdo. Chapter 45: Escort (9) Han Yuseong sat in the center seat at the round table. On either side of him were two people: Karmin, his escort target, and Maduke, the manager of this general store. Thankfully, Karmin Everhart was able to explain everything clearly to Maduke. Though Maduke and the store members had listened half-heartedly at first, the moment the word ¡°chimera¡± came up, they all straightened their posture and listened with serious expressions. "The eldest son of the Raphael Count family is conducting chimera experiments?" At Maduke¡¯s question, Karmin nodded. "That¡¯s right." "Proof?" At Maduke¡¯s next question, Karmin¡¯s expression darkened. She didn¡¯t have any hard evidence she could present. "The basement that Vitor¡ªthe count¡¯s eldest¡ªfrequents should still have traces. There¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve cleaned it all out in such a short time." Maduke, who had been quietly watching Karmin as she spoke, eventually smirked at the corner of his lips. "I¡¯m not saying I doubt you. The fact that the Raphael family is chasing you this obsessively already says enough..." He paused for a moment, lifting the teacup in front of him. Han Yuseong stared at the steam rising from Maduke¡¯s cup. "And actually, this isn¡¯t the first time someone¡¯s suggested a connection between the Raphael Count family and chimeras." Karmin¡¯s eyes widened. "What?" "It didn¡¯t happen here in the Intenes branch, but at another branch, a middle-aged man came claiming he had been experimented on¡ªturned into a chimera¡ªby the Raphael Count family." "What happened to him?" The answer that came from Maduke¡¯s mouth was not what Karmin had hoped for. "He passed on the intel. Not even a day later, he died. His bones and flesh twisted from the toes upward, warping grotesquely. They say he died looking like a monster, his skin blackened as if burned¡ªeven though there was no fire. It rotted away like it had been scorched." Han Yuseong spoke flatly. "Sounds like pretty solid proof that he really was used in a chimera experiment." Maduke nodded. "Exactly. But the body was too ruined to perform a proper autopsy. Still, since the Raphael Count family has already been implicated in chimera rumors, there¡¯s a high chance they¡¯ll believe the young lady¡¯s testimony." Han Yuseong decided it was time to get a clearer picture. "So the Raphael Count family has quite a bit of influence, huh? If they weren¡¯t someone important, I figure people would¡¯ve just used circumstantial evidence to tear them down anyway." Maduke took another sip of his tea before answering. "The Raphael Count family was one of the founding noble houses of the Ermain Empire. The original founder was a real war hero. But later generations were disappointments. Still, they¡¯ve held onto their status with that ancient prestige and superior bloodline." Maduke shifted his gaze from Yuseong back to Karmin Everhart. "But now we have you¡ªa living witness. If we handle this right, we could finally extinguish that old glory and bring the eldest son to justice." Then he addressed Karmin directly. "So, what was your original plan?" "I planned to go to Ventura Academy and ask for help. If I¡¯m officially enrolled, no imperial authority would dare touch me so easily. And... I figured the headmaster of Ventura might have the power to move against the Raphael family." Something glimmered in Maduke¡¯s eyes. "Wise move. Ventura Academy does have the strength to stand up to the Raphael Count family." With that, Maduke stood up and opened a drawer, pulling out a sheet of paper. Thunk. He placed the paper and a fountain pen on the table. "Write down what you¡¯ve experienced. I¡¯ll have it sent directly to the headmaster at Ventura. It¡¯ll go through someone trustworthy¡ªno leaks." At Maduke¡¯s words, Karmin began to write slowly. A little while later, she handed the completed letter to Maduke. Han Yuseong gazed out the window. The sun was setting. Han Yuseong, Karmin, and Rengel were assigned rooms in the back of the shop. Of course, there were only two rooms. Karmin was given one for herself. Rengel sat and watched Han Yuseong, who was meditating. "Why are you so strong? Really." Han Yuseong thought it was a pretty ridiculous question. He was just flailing to stay alive, that¡¯s all. "Strong? Didn¡¯t you see me struggling like hell yesterday?" Rengel assumed he was just being modest. "But in the end, you still killed him." Han Yuseong clicked his tongue softly. "In the end. That¡¯s the problem. If even one thing had gone wrong, I¡¯d be dead right now." The fight yesterday with Kailas, the Fifth-Rank Knight. The magical bombardment earlier by those mages. Not a single moment had been free of danger. He¡¯d made it out of today¡¯s chase using the binding scroll the Shrine Maiden gave him, but if the number of spellcasters increased, even that wouldn¡¯t be enough. I need to get stronger. Han Yuseong pulled out a sword from his inventory. The Fierce King¡¯s Sword. And then drew the Mundum Exstinguit from his waist. Dual wielding. Two-sword style. There was no downside to practicing it. The Seventh Form of Dragonslayer Swordsmanship I used yesterday was far more effective when used with dual blades. It was written in the manual, too. He¡¯d only used one sword because he hadn¡¯t been prepared to dual wield. Sword of Light had said there was no need to rush into using two swords from the start. But training a little in advance certainly couldn¡¯t hurt. Another day passed. Then two more. Han Yuseong didn¡¯t feel particularly restless about staying at the store. That was because the head of the Intenes branch of the information guild, Maduke, was keeping him updated on how things were progressing. The headmaster of Ventura Academy, having received the information, was now on his way here personally. As long as the story was unfolding properly, there was no reason to be anxious. If anything, the only thing to worry about was how relaxed he felt. Yeah... You really can¡¯t brute force your way through these quest-type floors. That made the Tower feel even harder. Like it was closing in. Another day went by. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. After two straight days of calm, Karmin¡¯s face was noticeably brighter. "Your face looks ~N§àv§Ölight~ a lot better, Karmin." Karmin smiled at Yuseong¡¯s words. "I guess I¡¯m finally at ease. It must be showing." Tonight¡¯s dinner was steak. Han Yuseong filled his training-worn body with meat. He¡¯d just finished training in the wide tented practice yard behind the shop. He didn¡¯t like letting others watch him train. So, he cast Veil of Secrets to block the constellations¡¯ gaze. *** Another day passed. Only then did the headmaster of Ventura Academy arrive. Clack¡ª The door of the general store opened, and a middle-aged man walked in. And the moment he entered, I felt a far more intense pressure than anything I¡¯d sensed before. [Ventura Academy Headmaster ¨C 7th-Rank Mage, Mandels] Seventh Rank. A mage with long white hair. Even knowing he was a mage, the aura emanating from Mandels was similar to the one I¡¯d felt from Kailas, the Fifth-Rank knight. But the weight of it... was several times heavier. Mandels¡¯s golden eyes turned to me. No, shouldn¡¯t he be going to Karmin, who was sitting quietly at the round table? Why was he looking at me? "......." Our eyes met. Even without drawing swords or fighting, I knew. If we fought now, I¡¯d lose. Losing meant dying. If he were an enemy, my odds of survival would be zero. Not even a sliver of a chance. There was no way a Floor 5 enemy would be Seventh Rank... but the conclusion of the encounter was simple, as always: I had to get stronger. Mandels finally opened his mouth. "You¡¯re the one who protected the Everhart noble¡¯s daughter and brought her to this information guild?" I answered. "Yes, I am." "So you¡¯re the one who rescued the poor Baron¡¯s daughter from peril and brought her here. That¡¯s quite the noble act." He stared gently at me as he continued. "Why not join Ventura Academy with Miss Karmin Everhart? You still look young." "Thank you for the offer, but I¡¯m not interested in attending the academy." Tempting. But I figured the moment I¡¯d been waiting for was about to arrive. "Is that so? A shame." Mandels turned his gaze from me and took the seat next to Karmin Everhart, who¡¯d been quietly listening to our conversation from the round table. "I read your letter carefully. The Raphael Count family was already on our watch list, so your claims seem very credible to me." Karmin nodded. "Th-thank you." Mandels gave her a warm smile. "There¡¯s no need to thank me. If anything, I should be thanking you¡ªfor giving me the opportunity to root out this evil from the empire." He continued. "As of this moment, Karmin Everhart, you are officially a student of Ventura Academy. I will serve as your protector and guardian. For matters involving students, I have been granted special investigatory authority directly from His Majesty the Emperor. I will begin an investigation into the Raphael Count family immediately." Oh. A so-called ¡°savior-type¡± character, huh? Well, at least he does his job properly. And just like I expected¡ª Here it comes. ¡ºYou have successfully completed the quest.¡» The chosen quest was: ensure Karmin Everhart is accepted into Ventura Academy. Her enrollment just now completed the objective. [You have cleared the 5th Floor Stage.] This one was exhausting, too. [¡®Player ¨C Han Yuseong¡¯: Score for 5th Floor Stage is being tallied.] [You selected the higher difficulty path and succeeded. Bonus points applied.] [Bonus condition ¡®Eliminated a powerful foe¡¯ fulfilled. Bonus points applied.] [Powerful Foe Eliminated: Defeated an opponent at least one rank higher during the stage.] [Powerful Foe Eliminated ¨C ¡®Fifth-Rank Knight, Kailas¡¯] As always, the current rankings for Floor 5 climbers popped up in front of me. 1st ¨C Union Leader: 844 pts 2nd ¨C Black Star: 723 pts 3rd ¨C Black Hand: 609 pts 4th ¨C Being Tracked: 513 pts 5th ¨C Sinclair: 511 pts ? ? [Score tally complete.] [Han Yuseong: 1,782 pts] Another four-digit score. Again. [You will be transferred to the 6th Floor Waiting Room in 3 minutes.] Karmin approached me. Her red hair, neatly tied in a ponytail, caught my eye¡ªlike she was letting her full gratitude show on the outside. "This¡ªall of this¡ªit¡¯s all thanks to you, Yuseong! Thank you!" Karmin bowed her head to me again and again. "I mean, I was just doing my own revenge, really." "Please remember my name!" "Why?" "Someday, I¡¯ll help you. Not once¡ªtwice, at least!" "I¡¯ll remember." "You promise!" "Yeah, now go get ready to head to the academy." "Yes!" Karmin gave one last deep bow, then quickly disappeared from sight. By the time she finishes settling into the academy, I¡¯ll probably be long gone from this world. I felt like I¡¯d forgotten something. [¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ places a hand on his forehead.] [¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯ lets out a deep sigh.] Right. This guy. More precisely, the constellation quest this bastard had registered. [¡®Stargazer Who Follows the Stars¡¯ mutters that someone got what was coming to them.] [¡®Flaming Spearbearer¡¯ says it was definitely unexpected.] [¡®Wrath-Carrying Warrior¡¯ begins to question your identity.] [¡®Saint Who Follows the Light¡¯ bursts out laughing at someone.] ¡ºYou have completed the constellation quest registered by ¡®Judge with a Thousand Eyes¡¯.¡» ¡ºQuest: Choose the harder of two options and clear it on the first try. Bonus Condition: Cannot use Constellation Suppression during the quest. Reward: A-Rank Elixir ¨C Gehenna¡» It was obvious. He never expected me to clear it. It was bait¡ªjust a trap to get me to disable Constellation Suppression. ¡ºReward: ¡°A-Rank Elixir ¨C Gehenna¡± will be granted. Please collect it in the 6th Floor Waiting Room.¡» Burp. Thanks for the meal. Chapter 46: Rise Han Yuseong was soaked in light, then returned to normal. [Welcome to Floor 6.] Han Yuseong glanced around the Floor 6 staircase waiting room. It didn¡¯t look much different from the Floor 5 one. Clunk¡ª Just like on Floor 5, there was a red mailbox beneath the clock. He rummaged through it, but just like before, it was empty. The moment he pulled his hand out of the mailbox, notification windows flooded his vision. [You have received 1,200 Coins as the Floor 5 clear reward.] [Your score for Floor 5 has been recorded in the rankings.] ¡¶ Floor 5 - Score Rankings ¡· 1st - Private: 1,782 pts NEW! 2nd - Guildmaster: 844 pts 3rd - Heukseong: 723 pts 4th - Black Hand: 609 pts 5th - Being Tracked: 513 pts 6th - Sinclair: 511 pts ? ? Han Yuseong first checked the item he received for clearing Floor 5. [Skadar¡¯s Phantom Step] Category ¨C Armor (Shoes) Defense +30 Effect: 1. Dusk Step ¨C When a cursed terrain such as fire, vines, or poison spreads across the ground, infuse the shoes with mana to emit an energy that pushes those effects back through the ground. 2. Step of Forgetting ¨C If you release mana, your footsteps become nearly silent. Description: Combat shoes created to retrieve the corpses of fallen comrades in the Forest of Beasts. Crafted by the renowned artisan Creighton in memory of the great knight Skadar, and later refined posthumously. Grade: A "Not bad." Next, Han Yuseong checked the item he received for placing 1st on the Floor 5 rankings. [Eyrand¡¯s Wedge] Category ¨C Weapon (Spear) Attack Power: +70 Effect: 1 ¨C Penetration: Increases chance of piercing upon hit. 2 ¨C Spiral: When spun in a spiral motion, efficiently releases rotational mana. 3 ¨C Weight Reduction: For defensive stances, the shaft of the spear becomes extremely light. Description: The spear of Eyrand, a war hero of the Duchy Kingdom. Grade: A+ A spear. With this level of attack power, it would work just fine in real combat alongside Mundum Exstinguit. Han Yuseong decided to train with the spear when he had time. Current date: March 12. Days remaining until the next exchange meeting: D - 13. After checking the date, he lay down in his sleeping bag. He turned on the terminal and opened the Transcendent Gallery. Since this wasn¡¯t a stage but a staircase waiting room, it was a place where constellations couldn¡¯t observe him. There was no need to use the Binding Scroll or Veil of Secrets. Title: Finally made it to Floor 6. Author: ??* ¨C Still nothing in the mailbox. Cleared the quest from the constellation who registered it during the Floor 5 stage. Drank the elixir Gehenna. ? Well done. ? Another four-digit score for Rank 1! Watching the Climber Gallery losers react never gets old. ? Those climber gallery punks are just endlessly trashing the old rankers now, lol. ? Is it really trashing... or just facts? ? Honestly, that¡¯s just mindless trashing. Our climber here is just an outlier. The old rankers at least cleared top ranks on Hard Mode. Sure, our class does seem to have more monsters, though. ? Some of those monsters are in this chat right now. ? Pioneer) Gehenna... that¡¯s a rare elixir that only occasionally drops after Floor 50 on Hard Mode. And he drank it on Floor 5. ? Elf Guy) They probably didn¡¯t expect him to drink it after completing the quest. ? Pioneer) You gain resistance to dark-attribute attacks, but whether you can improve and adapt to it depends entirely on your own talent. If you''re a climber, you probably can. ? No updates on Floor 66 yet? ? Nope, seems like they¡¯re still climbing? ? Suwang) It¡¯s not something that takes forever. News will drop soon enough¡ªeither everyone dies or almost dies. Should be done in a week. ? ??*) So the Hard Mode Floor 66 result isn¡¯t ? N§àv§Öl?§Ôht ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) out yet? ? ??? Just wait. I¡¯ll post as soon as there¡¯s news. The guild leader who''s pushing you down to second place in the rankings is the one currently attempting it. "Ah, that guy." ? ??*) Then I guess he¡¯ll survive just fine. ? Who knows. ? Honestly, like Sword of Light said, it¡¯s kind of a fact that Hard Mode players these days are pretty weak. ? Sword of Light) Just focus on your own path. ? ??*) Can¡¯t argue with that. Han Yuseong didn¡¯t have the time to worry about other players. Unlike these tower-enders in the Transcendent Gallery, he still had to keep climbing upward. ? ??*) So Gehenna is just something I drink? ? Archmage) Yep. But Gehenna¡¯s pretty high-grade, so it¡¯ll take a while to digest. ? ??*) How long? ? Archmage) No clue. Even if you process fast, maybe a week? ? Gutter Swordsman) Still, a week is relatively quick. ? Absolute Monarch) A week is fast. Sometimes it takes over a month. ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawawa! You¡¯ve worked hard, Climber-kun~ ? ??*) Thanks to Shrine Maiden-senpai, I avoided getting nuked by mages. But hey, does this thing always block that much? ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawa, if magic pours in from all directions, or if it¡¯s above Fifth Rank, the charm might lose its effect~ ? ??*) Guess I was lucky then. I fought a Fifth-Rank knight but didn¡¯t run into a Fifth-Rank mage. ? Totally gaslit by Pandemonium... Fought a Fifth-Rank knight and says, "Guess I was lucky." ? lololol this bastard¡¯s definition of luck is so warped now ? ??*) Then I¡¯ll just take the Gehenna, train until it¡¯s fully absorbed, and go up to Floor 6 when I¡¯m done. ? Sword of Light) Smart plan. ? Sage) Have any constellations sent weird reactions? ? ??*) Ah, about th¡ª ? ? ? That? ? What? Sudden death?? Nod¡ª Han Yuseong dozed off. Literally, he was just dozing. Like he had fainted. He¡¯d pushed himself way too hard training right before this. He was only nodding off with his head drooping, but there was no way the tower-enders on the other side of the terminal could¡¯ve known that. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. As soon as Han Yuseong suddenly stopped commenting, silence fell over the chat. Then, the comments started pouring in. ? What the hell? ? Hey climber, hey? ? Why were you replying just fine and then stopped? Why were you replying just fine and then stopped? Why were you replying just fine and then stopped? ? Uhh, this never happened before? ? Ice Queen) Frozen! What¡¯s going on! Climber! ? Dragon King) Beltui¡ªClimber, hurry and leave a comment~ This is scary now~ ? Archmage) ?? What the hell, you were chatting fine, why¡¯d you suddenly stop? Don¡¯t scare me. Say something. ? Sword of Light) What happened? ? Absolute Monarch) Climbing the tower is often repulsive and painful. Even so, one must endure without breaking. ? Gutter Swordsman) Uh, maybe he¡¯s not sick, just sleeping? ? Suwang) Sleeping, my ass! That climber¡¯s never fallen asleep like this! He must be paralyzed from stress climbing the tower! ? Ice Queen) Alrighty~ Climber, when I say ¡°Frozen Thaw,¡± you wake up, okay? Frozen... thaw! ? Hm, it¡¯s quiet? He¡¯s dead, right? Dead, right? Dead, right? ? Admin) Quiet. ? Yes, sir. ? Ice Queen) Frozen thaw!! Frozen thaw! Frozen thaw frozen thaw! ? Ice Queen) Froooozennn... uuuuugh! ? Stop freezing and stop melting already (((?§Õ?;))) ? Guess the Ice Kingdom¡¯s really got nothing to do, huh? ? Heavenly Demon) Arise. It¡¯s far too early to die. You must see the end of martial arts. ? Wait, you can see the end of martial arts if you clear the tower?? ? FamousOne) No you can¡¯t. You didn¡¯t, and neither did this bum. ? Heavenly Demon) The Climber will see it. I believe it without a doubt. ? Oh boy, the supreme Heavenly Demon¡¯s trying to initiate another dimensional transaction. Much respect. ? Give it up. You already did one. You¡¯re not the only one from Hard Mode whose eyes went crazy trying to pull off dimensional deals. ? Archmage) Hey... what¡¯s wrong? Leave a comment real quick. I finished crafting a spell that can be cast using just aura circuits. You¡¯re the only one who can use it. ? Archmage) I made it specifically for you. I even locked it so no one else can activate it. ? Archmage) You¡¯re not ignoring me, are you? You¡¯re not dead, right? Just sleeping, right...? ? Archmage) Just drop one comment. Then the magic will be complete. ? Ophelia-chan is getting scary~ ? It¡¯s getting dark all of a sudden. ? The Invincible Iron-Blooded Magical Girl Ophelia, trembling in fear that the Climber might be dead ??? ? Caelum being scared is rare, you know. ? Sage) You¡¯ve finally overcome the inverse scale of the circuits and created magic using only aura channels. Impressive. ? Pioneer) He¡¯s probably just tired and dozing off. Han Yuseong wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. "Ugh." He had briefly fallen into a deep sleep. Han Yuseong replied to the first comment he saw. ? Ice Queen) Froozen solid! Climber! Froozen! Thaw¡ª! If you don¡¯t wake up, I¡¯ll freeze you forever and keep you next to me! Frooozen frooozen! Frooozen frooozen frooozen frooozen! Ice! ? ??*) Thaw. I¡¯ve never died, so why would I come back to life? I just dozed off a bit. ? Ice Queen) Heeheehee! What a relief! Frooozen!!! ¡°The queen-senpai always seemed kind of unhinged, so whatever... but what the hell¡¯s up with Archmage-senpai now.¡± ? Archmage) Phew, since you commented, you know what this means. I¡¯m top pick for the next dimensional deal. He¡¯ll never be a proper gentleman. If he could really use magic, Han Yuseong had no reason to refuse. ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawawawa, indeed~ You are not fated to die yet~ If you¡¯re tired, sleep it off and think things through afterward~ ? ??*) Sounds like a plan. He intended to get some proper rest and then take Gehenna while in good condition. Han Yuseong scrolled up to check the Sage¡¯s earlier question again. Had the constellations ever reacted strangely? That was the question. ? ??*) I think they reacted a bit differently when I used Sword of Light-senpai¡¯s sword technique, Dragonslayer Swordsmanship, or Heavenly Demon-senpai¡¯s martial arts. Ah, and they seemed uncertain when they saw the talisman report too. ? ??*) But they probably never expected me to be in the gallery. ? Shrine Maiden) Just sneakily hide it with the Veil of Secrets and scoop up the rewards like this time~ ? ??*) Exactly. Han Yuseong closed the gallery, stored the terminal in his inventory, and pulled out the elixir¡ªGehenna. [Gehenna] Category ¨C Elixir Effect: Upon consumption, drastically increases all stats including mana. The boost is permanent. Also grants resistance to dark-attribute attacks. Usable Level: 28 Grade: A Han Yuseong¡¯s current level was 29. He had just barely made the cut. ¡®So this is what a rare elixir looks like.¡¯ Han Yuseong swallowed the Gehenna. [Beginning absorption of ¡®Gehenna¡¯. Progress ...1%] At the current rate, it looked like full absorption would take quite a while. *** Absorption of Gehenna finished faster than expected. It took three days. Now, exactly 10 days remained until the exchange meeting. I opened my status window. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Lv.29 Strength: 191 Agility: 192 Stamina: 199 Mana: 171 Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.7 Composure Lv.7 Concealment Lv.4 Crisis Detection Lv.4 Expanded Vision Lv.5 Concentration Boost Lv.5 Fighter¡¯s Movement Lv.6 Mana Body Enhancement Lv.6 Doombringer Lv.4 Mental Barrier Lv.5 Trajectory Insight Lv.4 Dark Attribute Resistance Lv.1 The resistance showed up as a passive skill. He opened the terminal and launched the Transcendent Gallery. Unusually, it was buzzing over something that wasn¡¯t about him. Title: Guildmaster says, ¡°Only 5 out of 50 survived¡± Author: ?? ¨C Copy-pasted directly from the original post. I was defeated. I was wrong. Only 5 out of 50 survived. Floor 66 was completely different from what I expected. What I now know for sure is that the tower doesn¡¯t care about cooperation. It values individual strength. I¡¯ve only just realized that. The Strategy Union won¡¯t be disbanded. But I plan to change how we do things. Once I¡¯ve sorted my thoughts, I¡¯ll post again. ? Been holed up in the Transcendent Gallery too long, feels like a chore to even check Climber Gallery. ?? What¡¯s in the comments? ? What else¡ªjust talk about our climber. ? About how he took first on Floor 5. People keep calling him a mere mortal. ? The post is dry, but the guy¡¯s gotta be mentally wrecked. ? No idea when they¡¯ll enter Floor 67. ? No one else from the five survivors posted anything?? ? Nope. ? They really broke down mentally. ? Still, if I had to listen to crap like that from Easy and Normal players, I¡¯d wanna kill everyone. Dude¡¯s got a good personality. ? You mean us? ? Yeah, but we respect him ¡®cause we know what¡¯s up. ? Pioneer) More deaths than expected. ? Archmage) Seriously... I thought at least 10 would survive. ? Sword of Light) We overestimated them. ? Absolute Monarch) A shame. ? Gutter Swordsman) Hopefully he can recover and regain clarity. ? lololol these Hard Mode vets are so cold. Yeah. Sometimes you need to break just enough. No matter what happens. It was about time to start climbing again. Chapter 47: The Second Exchange Meeting (1) Floor 6 was cleared in just two days. The theme was a simple dungeon. The enemies were orcs pushing forward with sheer numbers, so they weren¡¯t too difficult to deal with. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean fighting the boss monster was easy. The Orc King was a tough opponent. As the king of a race, he was even a bit stronger than Kailas, the Fifth-Rank knight I fought on Floor 5. Still, I managed to kill him. My body got a little mangled in the process, but I leveled up after the kill and fully recovered. I chose to keep climbing without rest. After attracting just as much attention from the constellations on Floor 6 as I had on Floor 5, I activated constellation-blocking until I cleared Floor 7 and the effect fully ended. Floor 7. I cleared it in four days. The theme was defense. It involved holding off a raven-headed monster named Myrgan. Fortunately, thanks to advice from Hard Mode seniors who knew Myrgan¡¯s weakness, I was able to take it down without much trouble. There were plenty of short spears scattered throughout the stage for throwing, which helped a lot. I hesitated a bit about whether to go up to Floor 8. Only four days remained until the exchange meeting. Even if I stayed here and trained until I got summoned, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But I decided to climb to Floor 8 anyway. I was just shy of reaching level 36, and my EXP was already at 94%. In the end, I cleared Floor 8 and reached the staircase waiting room on Floor 9. My current level is 37. And now¡ª Beep¡ªbeep¡ª March 25 11:46:21 Only 14 minutes remained until entry into the exchange meeting. The eighth floor had involved helping citizens evacuate after a natural disaster¡ªan earthquake. So I had to keep moving nonstop for four days. Still, I managed to get a full night¡¯s sleep in a safe zone after the quakes stopped on the final day, so my stamina was fully restored. Since I hadn¡¯t reached Floor 11 yet, I¡¯d be matched again with players from Floors 1 through 10, per the tower¡¯s rules. I opened my inventory. I equipped the Mask of Crimson Night, a reward from the Floor 4 stage. [Mask of Crimson Night] Category ¨C Mask Effect: 1 ¨C Those who face the wearer cannot see their eyes. Grants immunity to many skills that activate through eye contact. 2 ¨C Allows clear vision in darkness. Grade: B+ I hadn¡¯t used the Mask of Crimson Night up until now. I had always planned to wear it during the exchange meeting. Swish¡ª I put on the mask. Mundum Exstinguit was sheathed at my left hip. On the right, I concealed the Dagger of Fresh Blood so it wouldn¡¯t be seen. Once fully armed, I entered a brief meditation. Soon, my vision was filled with light. [Beginning Tower Exchange Meeting.] [Tower Exchange Server #1401] [Exchange Meeting Theme: Mission] [Participants: 10] [Entering.] My vision returned to normal. A few more notification windows popped up. [Language auto-translation system activated.] [Communicate with the recruited participants and clear the dungeon.] Ten participants. That was more than the last exchange meeting, but unlike last time, I didn¡¯t see anyone in front of me. The place I stood wasn¡¯t ground level¡ªit was atop a fortress wall. I glanced up at the clouds drifting across the sky. The was said to be a stage invisible to the constellations. If they could see, I would''ve been flooded with notifications from the very first meeting. I lightly deployed qi sense. I detected six presences below me. Using qi sense didn¡¯t mean I could pinpoint exact positions like clairvoyance or psychic powers. But I could clearly count how many were ¡ï Novelight ¡ï there. Back on Floor 5, I wasn¡¯t even sure about that much, but now I could at least confirm numbers with certainty. If someone of a higher rank than me deliberately concealed their presence, I¡¯d be in trouble, but¡ª ¡°Just drop all your useful items. If you¡¯ve got anything rare, lay that down too.¡± A menacing voice. The wall I stood on wasn¡¯t that tall. This was where I currently found myself. ¡°A-Alright...¡± A subdued voice drifted up to my ears. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re gonna kill you, right? Since this is a mission type, we have to cooperate too. Just lay out all your useful weapons and items. Let the people who can actually use them put them to use¡ªsomething like that.¡± What a fresh load of bullshit. Four people threatening two. Above their heads hovered numbers¡ªtwo with <10>, and two with <9>. Since I had just cleared Floor 8 and was in the Floor 9 waiting room, the number above my head was also 9. The two being pressured had <7> and <8> floating above them. Including me, there were seven people in the immediate vicinity. The remaining three must have been farther away. Even with qi sense, I couldn¡¯t detect their presence. Or perhaps it had something to do with the ¡°mission¡± theme of this exchange meeting itself. Clank¡ª Thud¡ª This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. The sound of the two surrounded by the four dropping their items rang out. They were probably part of a pre-formed party, just like Baek Jin-young and Sun Haoran, whom I killed during the first exchange meeting. There was a staircase going down from the wall where I stood. Step, step. I began descending the stairs. The ones below finally started looking up at me. The four pressuring the other two had a wide variety of hair colors. Two males, two females¡ªan even gender split. ¡°...What¡¯s with that mask?¡± A mask. Nice. This time I wouldn¡¯t even need a fake name. I¡¯d just have them call me ¡°Mask.¡± Step¡ª As I finished descending the stairs and set both feet on the ground, the four who had surrounded the players marked <7> and <8> approached me. The man in front, with <10> floating above his head, had light brown hair and pale blue eyes. ¡°Take out any useful weapons and all your rare items from your inventory.¡± He threw those words out casually and gave me a once-over from head to toe, a smirk curling on his lips. ¡°Actually, just hand over everything at your waist. Looks like you¡¯ve got a lot. Let¡¯s start with that red mask.¡± I understood why they were acting so absurdly. They were clearly excluding the possibility that I might be a Pandemonium climber. With the <9> above my head, they must have figured that two Floor 10 climbers and two Floor 9 climbers could take me down, regardless of which tower difficulty I came from. The man kept talking. ¡°No need to be scared stiff. I¡¯m not planning to kill anyone. I know that the mission-type themes are all about teamwork. And if I lower the headcount before we even know the mission, who knows what could happen, right? Makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Not planning to kill, huh. ¡°I just want to check what items everyone has. I simply want to be the proper leader of this exchange meeting. You get what I¡¯m saying, right?¡± ¡°Your name.¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°I asked what your name is.¡± He answered honestly. ¡°Matthew Bennett.¡± ¡°American?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m American.¡± I put the sword, Mundum Exstinguit, back into my inventory. I had strapped it on in advance to prepare for monsters¡ªnot for dealing with other climbers. Slide. I checked to make sure the battle gloves, which reminded me of military-grade equipment, were securely fitted. Just before entering the Floor 8 stage, I¡¯d chatted with the Transcendent Gallery seniors about this second exchange meeting. Title: Relative to my floor, my level¡¯s on the high side, right? Author: ??* ¨C I think I¡¯ll enter the exchange at around level 36 or 37. ? Of course that¡¯s high. ? That Baek Jin-young guy you killed was level 15 on Hard Mode Floor 8. He was basically the average back then. Even someone who broke through Floor 9 and lives on Floor 10... even if they¡¯re abnormally high, they probably won¡¯t be over level 20. ? The people you¡¯ll meet won¡¯t include Murim-born or otherworlders¡ªnot yet. ? You probably won¡¯t see those types until you pass Floor 30. ? Archmage) Among the Earthlings from the 21st century you¡¯ll meet in the exchange, none will pose a serious variable for you. ? Sword of Light) Control your strength. ? Heavenly Demon) A careless tap from you could blow someone¡¯s head off. ? Gutter Swordsman) You¡¯re operating at that kind of disparity now. Not planning to kill me. That much did seem to be true. They¡¯d robbed the two beside them of their items, but hadn¡¯t killed them. ¡°Leader,¡± if you put it nicely. But in reality, they just wanted to play king. All four of them. In the center of the area where we stood, there was a glowing blue pillar. That meant this zone served the same role as a staircase waiting room. Beyond it, the waiting room zone would end. I made up my mind. ¡°Attention.¡± Matthew furrowed his brow and tilted his head at my command. ¡°...What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you either. But I will give you a bit of education.¡± ¡°The hell are you saying, freak? You think this is okay just because we¡¯re in a recovery zone?¡± SWREEEEEEECH! I dodged the wild arc of Matthew¡¯s axe and slammed my fist into his right shoulder. Crunch¡ª A sharp crack rang out. Matthew¡¯s mouth gaped wide. ¡°W-Wait¡ª¡± I kicked his stomach before he could recover, knocking him to the ground. BOOM! Then I stomped on his chest with my right foot. CRACK! A loud, clear sound of ribs shattering. ¡°Aaaarghhhh!¡± Next, I stomped down on his left collarbone. SNAP! Another crisp sound of bone breaking. That nose of his was a bit too high, huh. CRUNCH! I gently stepped on his face too. The zone with the glowing blue pillar had the same recovery capability as the staircase waiting rooms. But like those waiting rooms, there was a delay before healing kicked in. We¡¯d talked about that timing in the gallery, just before I entered Floor 8. ? Archmage) Even in the exchange meeting, it takes 10 seconds to start recovering after leaving the waiting room. ? Gutter Swordsman) Different from the staircase waiting rooms, which are almost 3 seconds. ? Heavenly Demon) If you want to kill, there¡¯s more than enough time. Ten seconds. Plenty of time to feel pain. ¡°Guh... ugh...¡± Still lying on the ground, Matthew clutched his face and curled up like a shrimp. The other three¡ªone platinum-haired woman with <10> and two others with <9>, a man and a woman¡ªstood frozen, weapons in hand. ¡°What are you doing? Kneel.¡± Clatter, clatter, clatter. The sound of three weapons hitting the ground echoed around us. Chapter 48: The Second Exchange Meeting (2) Letting out just enough killing intent as I spoke seemed to have worked. The three who had been standing there in a daze, watching Matthew collapse, dropped their weapons and knelt, just as I told them to. Ten seconds passed. Fully recovered, Matthew also knelt down. He looked at me with a slightly more subdued expression and opened his mouth. ¡°...W-What do you want?¡± ¡°What are you asking?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Was I the one who tried to kill you first? You¡¯re the one who tried to rob and kill me.¡± I lightly tapped Matthew¡¯s cheek. ¡°Which tower difficulty are you from?¡± ¡°...Hard.¡± So they weren¡¯t just relying on numbers after all. Having cleared Hard Mode Floor 9 and residing on Floor 10, he probably had some confidence in his skills. ¡°This is a team mission with ten players. If you go around demanding everyone¡¯s weapons and items, how do you expect to complete the mission properly?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What I want is very simple. Whatever the mission is, we do it right. And...¡± I straightened my back and looked at all four kneeling players, including the other two who had been standing nearby. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll listen to what I say.¡± It looked like Matthew got the message. Next, I planned to give a warning to the remaining three¡ªone by one. I walked up to the platinum blonde woman with <10> above her head. She was the one I¡¯d seen hesitate just a moment ago, debating whether to charge at me. ¡°Name and country.¡± The woman let out a shallow sigh and responded. ¡°Lena Vogel, Germany.¡± ¡°Which tower?¡± ¡°Hard Mode.¡± Her gaze flicked toward Matthew, who was sitting obediently on his knees. ¡°You two from the same tower?¡± Lena Vogel answered without resistance. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How many times have you done this kind of thing together?¡± At that, Lena frowned. ¡°Is that something you need to ask?¡± ¡°Yeah, it is. I¡¯m curious.¡± My firm answer got the desired effect. Lena opened her mouth again. ¡°...The exchange two cycles ago was the first. We partied up right before entering it.¡± So they¡¯d been having a bit of fun with this ever since. I had one more question. ¡°Then why did you hesitate to charge at me just now?¡± ¡°Your movement.¡± Lena looked me straight in the eye and continued. ¡°The way you dodged the spear¡¯s trajectory and countered. That movement killed any will I had to attack. You can¡¯t mess with someone when you realize you¡¯re out of your depth.¡± She seemed like she wanted to ask me something, but she held back. Not that I¡¯d have answered her anyway. I walked past Lena and spoke to the two others seated quietly. 9th-floor resident, Josephine Bernard. France. Normal Mode. 9th-floor resident, Okada Yuuji. Japan. Normal Mode. These two were also from the same numbered tower. The thread connecting both parties into a team had been the previous exchange meeting. I mentally classified these four as a problem group. The Transcendent Gallery seniors had given me various bits of advice about exchange meetings. ¨C Sword of Light) Just like in the first exchange, you¡¯ll definitely be considered the top dog this time too. ¨C Archmage) If you think you can control the situation, then do it. That¡¯ll be the easiest way to manage a mission-type theme. ¨C Heavenly Demon) To reduce unnecessary variables, the first method is controlling everything. The second method is killing them all and removing the variables entirely¡ªbut I doubt you¡¯ll choose the latter. ¡°Get up and take up your weapons.¡± The moment I finished speaking, a notification popped up in front of me. [Move together with the summoned players toward the area illuminated by the red beam.] Beyond the wall¡ª Toward the direction of the dense forest, a red pillar of light had appeared. I deliberately took the very rear position. During the last exchange meeting, I¡¯d also stayed at the back, which made it easier to observe the others¡¯ movements. ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± A woman with short hair. A distinctly Korean voice. Though the auto-translation system made different languages sound extremely natural, there was always the faintest hint of a difference. And just like with Baek Jin-young, whom I killed last time, I could clearly tell it was real Korean. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Kim Joo-eun.¡± ¡°Difficulty?¡± ¡°Normal Mode, Floor 7.¡± I motioned with my ? N§àv§Ölight ? (Exclusive on N§àv§Ölight) chin toward the two problem players from Normal Mode walking ahead. ¡°Same numbered tower as those two?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a different one.¡± Kim Joo-eun also looked curious about me. ¡°You¡¯re probably not going to tell me your name, are you?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°I figured. You¡¯re wearing a mask, after all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick on the uptake.¡± She gave a small chuckle at that. ¡°Still, it¡¯s nice to meet another Korean. Even if the translation is super natural, it¡¯s just a little different from hearing an actual Korean speak.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get that.¡± I was glad to meet a fellow Korean¡ªbut that was it. I had no intention of forming bonds or companions during an exchange meeting. If the mission explicitly required cooperation, or if there was a condition demanding a minimum number of surviving players, then I¡¯d step in to help. But otherwise, I had no reason to go out of my way for others. That¡¯s the kind of tower I¡¯ve come to understand. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. I tapped the shoulder of the man walking next to Kim Joo-eun. He flinched and turned toward me awkwardly. ¡°Name. Country.¡± ¡°Felix Bauer, Germany.¡± Felix was from Easy Mode, Floor 8. We were nearly at the place where the red pillar was pointing. I spoke again. ¡°Keep walking as you listen.¡± I raised my voice slightly so that Matthew, walking up front, could hear me as well. ¡°When the mission begins, just follow the objective.¡± The four problem players, including Matthew, turned and glanced at me. ¡°If you pull any unnecessary stunts unrelated to the mission, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± I let out just enough killing intent to make sure they knew I wasn¡¯t bluffing. They got the message. What appeared in front of us wasn¡¯t a waiting room-like structure, but a real fortress wall built to repel actual monsters and enemies. Soldiers were moving about in a flurry. ¡°They¡¯re coming! Everyone, prepare the defensive lines!¡± A knight barked out orders from what appeared to be a fairly high position. Far in the distance, the spire of a temple was crushed under the foot of something massive. Blood stained the ground. The mangled corpses of humans lay everywhere. Beside me, Kim Joo-eun muttered with a trembling voice. ¡°...A spider?¡± Looked like a spider to me too. Felix stumbled back. ¡°I-It looks like that spider¡¯s at least sixty meters tall.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. The spider¡¯s sheer size was enough to crush entire buildings with a single step. ¡°You there! Mercenaries! Quickly, build a barrier to block the webs of those bastards¡ªthose are Kabarax¡¯s threads!¡± [NPC ¨C Third-Rank Knight Gerado] I approached Gerado, who was giving orders with a grim expression. ¡°That thing. Are we supposed to kill it?¡± Gerado shook his head at my question. ¡°That would be best... but its shell is sturdy enough to endure even the aura of a Third-Rank knight like me. Sometimes it can even resist Fourth-Rank attacks. Kabarax has extremely high resistance to aura itself. Until the mages arrive, the best option is to build structures and hold out.¡± Right after Gerado finished speaking, a notification popped up before me. [Mission Triggered!] [Repel all three ''Kabarax'' monsters beyond the walls of Dmuhlen City.] [After that, locate and eliminate the entity controlling the ''Kabarax'' like puppets.] [Three of the summoned players have already begun searching the forest. Join them as quickly as possible.] So it¡¯s a phased mission, huh. The three missing players must be working on the subjugation objective now. ¡°Just hold the line! Once the mages arrive and deploy sonic magic, those beasts will retreat into the forest, cocoon themselves in silk, and fall asleep!¡± Judging by the murmurs, the other six players must have gotten the same alert. ¡°Why the hell are monsters like that showing up in the exchange meeting?¡± Josephine stepped back. Matthew scowled and shouted. ¡°Shut up! At least we¡¯re not being told to kill them. Move! Do what the NPC says!¡± Slip¡ª I took out the Binding Scroll and unfolded the Veil of Secrets right in front of me. Title: Giant Spiders called Kabarax appeared. Author: ??* ¨C They¡¯re huge as hell. Three of them. Apparently we just need to buy time until the mages show up with sonic magic to repel them. There are a decent number of NPC soldiers here. But... can I kill those things? I heard they¡¯re resistant to aura. ? Kabarax, huh... Ah, right. It did say repel. That drops the difficulty by a lot. ? You¡¯re seriously thinking about killing them even when the mission says repel? ? Ice Queen) Frooozen! If I freeze them, they¡¯ll die...! Sorry I can¡¯t help this time. Frooozen. A monster that even Fourth-Rank aura users struggle against... but she can freeze them to death? I was suddenly curious just how powerful her freezing actually was. ? Archmage) Yeah, you can repel them with sonic magic if you¡¯re a Third-Rank mage... but the problem is, after they web up the forest and hibernate for about a month, they wake up stronger and bigger. ? Archmage) That¡¯s when you need a high-tier mage or a Fifth-Rank aura user to finish them. So if you can kill them now, that¡¯s the cleanest option. ? Archmage) Though I guess this is just a one-time exchange meeting quest anyway. ? Someone knows a lot. ? ¡°Someone who¡¯s probably the smartest in the continent¡± and y¡¯all still acting surprised. ? Gutter Swordsman) I think Climber could definitely kill them. ? Sword of Light) If you cut them down one at a time, you can kill them with Fourth-Rank aura. Yours seems to be on the sturdier side even among Fourth-Rank users, so I¡¯d say you¡¯ve got a real shot. ? ??*) One at a time? ? Sword of Light) I¡¯ll show you. After receiving instructions from Sword of Light-senpai on how to kill a Kabarax, I put the gallery terminal back into my inventory. ¡°Move.¡± The players, startled by my voice, quickly stepped aside to make a path. I stood at the edge of the fortress wall. Gerado hurried over to block my way. ¡°I told you, just holding out is enough. What are you planning?¡± I drew my sword¡ªMundum Exstinguit. White aura surged along the blade. ¡°I plan to kill them.¡± If it¡¯s possible to kill them¡ªthen I will. Chapter 49: The Second Exchange Meeting (3) Han Yuseong threw himself over the wall. In his left hand, he held a black short spear. His body descended like a bolt of lightning. He activated Full-Body Aura Shield. [Magic Body Reinforcement Lv.10 ¨C Skill activated.] To the players, knights, and soldiers watching, it looked like a brilliant white thunderbolt crashing down. He hurled the short spear¡ªthe black javelin. The target he aimed for with the spear was Kabarax¡¯s core. KAAAANG! However, the short spear bounced off without ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) piercing Kabarax¡¯s shell. Han Yuseong¡¯s face didn¡¯t show the slightest change. He hadn¡¯t expected any meaningful results from this strike in the first place. It was simply an attempt to throw the thing off balance. The twenty-four eyes on Kabarax¡¯s head fixated on Han Yuseong as he descended. Thud¡ª Han Yuseong¡¯s feet landed on Kabarax¡¯s armor-like shell. At that moment¡ª FWOOSHHHH!! Steam hot enough to burn human skin burst out. But it had no effect on Han Yuseong, who had deployed an unbreakable, seamless Aura Shield. From Mundum Exstinguit in his right hand, a flash of white sword energy sparked. The tightly-woven net of sword energy enveloped Kabarax¡¯s body. Kim Joo-eun, watching Han Yuseong¡¯s movements, spoke. ¡°Dual-wielding...?¡± At some point, the sword that had only been in his right hand was also in his left. The greatsword Carnavalte and Mundum Exstinguit struck Kabarax¡¯s head repeatedly. CHHHHHHRANG!! Fragments of white sword energy filled the air in a dense mist. Han Yuseong¡¯s slashes began shredding the twenty-four eyes one by one. Kabarax thrashed and spewed countless threads of web, but they were all cut down by the two swords in Han Yuseong¡¯s hands. Even its terrifying scythe-like legs that rushed in¡ªsame result. They all bounced off the sword paths Han Yuseong was carving with both hands. Cracks started to appear in Kabarax¡¯s shell under the pressure of Han Yuseong¡¯s sword energy. KAGAGAGAK!! And the densely packed eyes on its head were easily torn apart, leaving it blind. Even though this was only Fourth-Rank sword energy, Kabarax¡¯s shell and exoskeleton were breaking because all its eyes had been destroyed. Those watching from atop the fortress wall were speechless, staring open-mouthed at the fight. ¡®...He¡¯s different. He¡¯s not someone I can even begin to measure.¡¯ Lena Vogel, the German woman, realized that Han Yuseong was beyond her ability to judge. Information. Han Yuseong was feeling firsthand the power of the information the senior Transcendent Gallery members had given him. ¨C Sword of Light) Your sword energy can cut Kabarax¡¯s shell to some extent, but completely slicing it in half will be tough. ¨C Sword of Light) The source of Kabarax¡¯s defense is the twenty-four eyes floating clearly on its head. If you make it completely lose vision, the shell will break more easily than expected. ¨C Sword of Light) If you try to slice the eyes, hot steam will erupt from gaps all over its body. Just block that with Aura Shield. Wrap multiple layers of Aura Shield. ¨C Gutter Swordsman) What makes Kabarax tricky to deal with from a swordsman¡¯s perspective is that smashing its head doesn¡¯t kill it. ¨C Gutter Swordsman) When you crush the head, the torso shell becomes easier to break. That¡¯s your cue to finish it. That¡¯s the strategy. ¨C Gutter Swordsman) And even if you stab the black heart inside the broken shell, it won¡¯t just end like that. ¨C Sword of Light) If you just stab it, it¡¯ll split its heart into parts throughout the body, and in a blink, it¡¯ll restore its broken shell and skeleton¡ªno, it¡¯ll reinforce them stronger than before. ¨C Sword of Light) So when you stab the heart, you need to use a sword energy explosion to make sure you completely erase it. The crushed body shell. Just as he was about to wrap it once more with sword energy and finish the job¡ª SSSSSSSSHHH!! Two other Kabarax from either side spewed webs toward Han Yuseong, who was gutting their comrade, aiming to blanket the sky. Han Yuseong swung both swords horizontally at once to block the webs, and radiated murderous intent from his whole body. ¡°Wait.¡± This wasn¡¯t the earlier killing intent meant as a warning to keep the players from acting up. This was unmistakable, true murderous intent. Creeeak¡ª ¡°...¡± Creeeeeak¡ª ¡°...¡± The two Kabarax, seeing their webs ineffective, tried to move their jaws and legs, but stopped cold under the pressure. They could feel a killing intent denser than the threads they had just shot crawling along their bodies. It was a terrifying aura that forced them to freeze. Han Yuseong halted the Kabarax¡¯s charge with sheer killing intent, then focused again on the prey in front of him. Within the fully shattered shell, an ominous black heart throbbed. Han Yuseong stored the greatsword in his inventory and wrapped Mundum Exstinguit in a gale of sword energy. He detonated the concentrated sword energy in an instant. Dragonslayer Swordsmanship Sword Energy Explosion ¨C Path of the Vortex. KWAGAGAGAGAGANG! With a thunderous roar, Kabarax¡¯s body collapsed flat. The sword energy explosion destroyed the heart so thoroughly that Kabarax didn¡¯t even have a chance to split it and survive. ¡°...He¡¯s wielding sword energy that pure with two swords. And he soloed a Kabarax? Just what is he?¡± Gerado, the Third-Rank Knight, muttered as he watched Han Yuseong instantly kill one of the Kabarax. His voice was low, but both NPCs and players heard it. Everyone agreed. Matthew¡¯s body trembled violently. Fear. The source of that fear wasn¡¯t Kabarax¡ªit was Han Yuseong. ¡®Who the hell did I mess with?¡¯ Before the exchange meeting ended, he had planned to land a hit on Han Yuseong to get revenge for his pride. But the battle Han Yuseong just displayed made him abandon that thought immediately. ¡°Everyone, snap out of it! That man has the power to take down a Kabarax alone! Assist him! Fire arrows!¡± At Gerado¡¯s command, the soldiers who had been staring blankly at Han Yuseong began moving busily. Han Yuseong had already taken down one Kabarax by himself. SKREEEEE! SKREEEEEEEE! And now, with the soldiers on the wall firing arrows, throwing spears, and supporting with siege catapults¡ª there was no way they¡¯d lose this situation. Two more sword energy explosions followed. And just like that, a total of three Kabarax were slain. [Level Up!] [Lv.37 ¡ú Lv.38] This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. Gerado, who had watched Han Yuseong¡¯s victory with a dazed expression, raised his sword and shouted. "Everyone, head down and begin repairs outside the walls!" Han Yuseong wiped the sticky blue blood from his sword and face. It was the blood of Kabarax. As he leaned against a massive tree to rest, several people approached Han Yuseong. "We apologize for not recognizing you, great swordsman." Han Yuseong tilted his head as he looked at Gerado suddenly bowing to him. "Great swordsman? What are you talking about?" "The display you just showed could only come from a swordsman of at least Fifth Rank or higher." Gerado''s gaze turned to the spiders¡ªKabarax¡ªthat had gone berserk and nearly smashed through the wall. He had never imagined they¡¯d be able to wipe out three of them completely before the mages even arrived. "I want to offer you some kind of reward. I¡¯ll speak to the lord about¡ª" Han Yuseong raised his right hand and cut Gerado off. A twitch flickered across Han Yuseong¡¯s brow. And for good reason. There was a change in the number of players listed in the exchange meeting interface, at the far right of his vision. [ 9 ] The number had clearly dropped from 10 to 9. Kim Joo-eun approached Han Yuseong with a hardened expression. She opened her mouth. "...This, could it be..." Not just Kim Joo-eun¡ªall six others were staring at Han Yuseong. Han Yuseong clicked his tongue. ¡°There are still seven of us breathing fine over here. So it means one of the three players who went to track the one controlling the spiders just died.¡± Dying during the exchange meeting¡ª it was no different than dying during the climb up the tower¡¯s levels. Outside of the "duel" theme, death during the exchange meeting was real death. A variable. Whether the controller of the spiders had killed a player, or if it was a player-on-player murder¡ª It meant there was no time to waste. Han Yuseong looked at Gerado. "Do you know where the thing controlling them is?" His urgency made his speech informal, but no one seemed to mind. Gerado was surprised by something else. "You believe they didn¡¯t invade of their own will?" "Yeah." Gerado pointed toward the forest in the back. ¡°If there¡¯s a controller... a Bug Ritualist, they¡¯d be in that forest.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know exactly where in the forest, right?¡± The forest. That part was already known. Information given through the notification window. The new info was the title: Bug Ritualist. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s said that a Bug Ritualist can completely erase their traces like a ghost if they want to while in the forest.¡± There was no choice but to enter. Han Yuseong looked over the six players. ¡°We move out to scout that forest in five minutes. Everyone, gear up.¡± Everyone glanced at Han Yuseong¡¯s red mask and quickly nodded. They realized this was a moment to stay sharp. Using the back-side effect of the Binding Scroll¡ªVeil of Secrets¡ªto slightly distort the front of his appearance, Han Yuseong took out the Transcendent Gallery terminal. Title: I killed three Kabarax, but a player died at the hands of the controller Author: ??* ¨C We had 7 on this side, and 3 were sent to chase the controller, so I thought the controller would be weak. Either that, or one of the players committed PK? Asked a Third-Rank Knight and he said if there¡¯s a controller, it¡¯d be a Bug Ritualist. Sound right? ? Shrine Maiden) Bug Ritualist or PK. Both are plausible, indeed~ ? Elf Guy) Yeah, but I think the former¡¯s more likely. ? Been a while since you showed up, pointy ears. ? Elf Guy) Managing the World Tree takes too much effort... people and time. ? High Elf declares managing the World Tree is a pain ??? ? Elf Guy) Of course it¡¯s a pain! Isn¡¯t it? Huh? Why¡¯s the standard for elves so strict anywayyy! ? Murder! Murder! It happened! ? In these kinds of missions where groups start separated, it¡¯s rare for someone to PK right off the bat. Even a lunatic tries to assess the situation first. ? From the guy who killed three Kabarax, maybe the Bug Ritualist just seemed too weak. ? Who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d actually kill them all lol ? Seriously, their defense and durability are disgusting. ? Sword of Light) Well done. ? Archmage) That¡¯s a variable. Get a read on the situation and clean it up fast. ? ??*) Is the Bug Ritualist considered a magic class too? ? Archmage) Yeah. Technically a dark magic class. No major weaknesses... their power depends on how strong or weak their insect familiars are. Also depends on how skilled they are with rituals. ? Archmage) Just focus on keeping up your Aura Shield. ? ??*) Got it. ? Absolute Monarch) Are the other players staying under control? ? ??*) Yeah, they seem to be following orders now. ? You beat one guy down, and then killed all three Kabarax when we were only supposed to repel them... of course they¡¯re following you. ? If anyone isn¡¯t listening at this point, they¡¯re just insane~ ? They¡¯ve lost their mind. ? Dragon King) Beltui¡ªtruth, you speak~. ? Ice Queen) Frozen! If it was the one controlling the Kabarax who killed someone, then the other two players over there must be fleeing for their lives right now! Finding them might be the fastest way! Frozen! ? ??*) Yeah, sounds like the move. Same thought as Ice Queen-senpai. Han Yuseong put the terminal away into his inventory. The six players all seemed ready to move out. "Let¡¯s go." Chapter 50: The Second Exchange Meeting (4) An unexpected guest stood beside me. "I¡¯ll do my best." Gerado, a Third-Rank knight. Despite insisting that no assistance was needed, he still followed me, bringing along twenty of his subordinates. As Gerado had confidently claimed, the subordinates he selected seemed useful. There was even another knight of the same Third Rank as him. They would be more help than the players. The six players beside me hadn¡¯t even reached level 20 yet, so the chances of them using Aura or magic were slim. If I were to be generous, maybe one of them might be able to. After the previous battle, I could feel that the players¡¯ gazes toward me had changed slightly. Unless their eyes were for decoration, they must have realized that I had used sword energy, which was enough to make them wary. We arrived at the forest Gerado had named¡ªElbram. I looked at the players. "Don¡¯t scatter. Stay together. I don¡¯t know how strong this Bug Ritualist is, but we can¡¯t afford to be picked off one by one." "Understood." The voice of the Japanese player, Okada Yuuji, rose higher than usual. "We¡¯ll spread out in a wide circular formation, moving through the forest. We should keep each other¡¯s safety in mind while making sure to scan the entire area." After finishing my words, I looked at Gerado, the Third-Rank knight, standing beside me. "Any better ideas?" "No, this seems like a good plan." I was hoping he might have a better tactic as a knight, but he didn¡¯t seem to have any new ideas. The response to the search came much faster than expected. A blood-soaked man, missing one arm, came stumbling out of the forest in a panicked state. It seemed like he had bandaged his wound himself. Once again, watching from the rear, I quickly walked forward to meet the man. "AAAHHH!!" I grabbed the left shoulder of the man, whose eyes were filled with fear. "Stop. Get a hold of yourself." The man¡¯s mouth opened wide. "He¡¯s dead! For sure, that Russian¡¯s dead!!" I lightly slapped the man¡¯s cheek, who was spitting with panic. His eyes were filled with intense fear. "Right, you¡¯ll have to kill the one who did it. Quickly tell me who did it. And while you¡¯re at it, tell me your name and what country you¡¯re from." When I grabbed his collar, the man¡¯s eyes seemed to regain some level of clarity. "Pl...Player...?" "Yeah, a player. I¡¯m asking why the number of participants in the exchange dropped from 10 to 9." "The one controlling the bugs... and the monster next to him... they were too strong." I started pulling more information from the man, now that he was speaking more coherently. His name was Henry Thompson, from the UK. He was a Normal Difficulty player on Floor 7. Seeing the fear still embedded in his eyes, it seemed like Henry knew exactly where the Bug Ritualist was. "Alright, let¡¯s head back." "Huh?" "I said, let¡¯s go back to where the Bug Ritualist is." The British man with dark brown hair snapped at me. "Are you crazy?! A person from Hard Difficulty, Floor 10, was helpless and died! I¡¯m not going there!" Henry seemed certain in his judgment. "No way, not with Second Rank. We¡¯d just get wiped out in a group. We need at least Third Rank. But there¡¯s no way someone like that would be at the exchange meeting for this floor!" I didn¡¯t need to explain any further. The other players stepped forward and grabbed Henry by the shoulder. Matthew was the first to speak. "Tell us quickly, whoever the enemy is, we¡¯ve got someone here who can handle it." Next, Okada stepped forward. "You¡¯ll be able to keep your life. You know this is a race against time. The sooner we finish, the safer we¡¯ll be. Tell us where they are." Lena, the German woman, approached Henry as well. She then pointed at me with her finger. "That guy will take care of everything." I chuckled. "You''re acting like you¡¯re leaving everything to me." Lena shrugged her shoulders. "You¡¯re going to kill them all, right? You." "Depends on the situation. And I need to make sure I¡¯m contributing too." Lena nodded at my words. "I¡¯ll do my best. But I¡¯m not sure my best will be any better than you casually taking them down with a kick." "You¡¯ve got some low self-esteem, don¡¯t you?" At my words, Lena clicked her tongue. "That example of kicking was meant to raise my self-esteem, okay?" Fortunately, Lena and the others¡¯ exaggerated praise seemed to have convinced Henry. "...Fine. If I can kill them, it¡¯s better to kill them quickly." I approached Henry again. "Not you. Do you know where the other one is?" Henry let out a deep sigh. "I don¡¯t know. I risked my life and ran left, and I saw that American woman running right for her life..." He glanced at the players watching him. "Make sure to check if there are any survivors along the way." "Got it." After re-equipping ourselves, we began to move forward again into Elbram Forest. This was the day we entered Elbram Forest. Day 1. We had to face the night without any clear results. In the end, the American woman player who had run away could not be found. Since the number of participants in the exchange still remained [9], I could only assume that she was hiding, avoiding the Bug Ritualist. Okada muttered beside me. "That guy, it¡¯s like he¡¯s hiding somewhere now, unlike when the three of them were roaming around. Why isn¡¯t he showing himself?" Henry shook his head. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "He¡¯s not that kind of person. You didn¡¯t see the madness in his eyes when he killed that Russian guy. There was no one crazier than him..." The Elbram Forest was cloaked in darkness. The players and knights settled into their positions, sitting around. At the center of the eight players, including myself, a campfire crackled. Once again, no one spoke first. I looked at Henry and asked. "Do you know the name of that American woman who ran off to the right, and her tower difficulty?" "Of course, I asked right when she was summoned at the forest¡¯s edge. Her name is Nora Brooks... Easy difficulty, Floor 6." "She must¡¯ve been lucky to escape alive, then." "That bugger... Ah, Bug Ritualist, was it? When I first saw him, I had a feeling I had to back off slowly. I guess he just knew when to run." After that, there wasn¡¯t much else to say. It seemed no one else had anything to add either, and we all stayed silent. It wasn¡¯t that there was nothing to say¡ªit felt like everyone was reluctant to speak. I stood up and slowly walked through the surrounding forest. Thud, thud. Someone followed behind me, not even trying to hide their footsteps as they approached. It was Lena Vogel, the German woman. "I¡¯ve got a question." Lena, walking side by side, suddenly asked me. "What¡¯s up?" "Are you ''Private''? You know, the person who always tops the rankings, constantly deleting their ranking page." Lena¡¯s gaze was fixed on the number above my head. < 9 > It meant I had cleared Floor 8 and was residing on Floor 9. Coincidentally, ''Private'' had also just cleared Floor 8 recently. Lena must have pieced that together in her head. "No." Even if I denied it, she wouldn¡¯t believe it. Leaving aside the floor I was currently on, after seeing me use sword energy so openly during the exchange, she was probably suspicious, nearly certain. But I wasn¡¯t going to admit to it. "Ah, I see." Lena nodded at my response. After all, I was wearing a mask. She didn¡¯t know my name, and she didn¡¯t know which tower I came from, so even if she did figure it out, all she would know is that the masked guy at the exchange is ''Private''. My information wouldn¡¯t leak. Lena seemed to realize I wasn¡¯t planning to tell her the truth and naturally stepped back. "Hmm." I leaned against a massive tree and looked up at the sky, taking in the sight of stars glowing against the dark background. Although the situation was urgent, the beautiful view calmed my mind. I took out the Binding Scroll, infused magic into the back, and activated the Veil of Secrets. I pulled out the Transcendent Gallery terminal. Title: Looks like our exchange meeting friends realized I¡¯m ''Private'' ?? Author: ??* - Yeah, considering I blatantly used sword energy like that, it would¡¯ve been pretty scary if they didn¡¯t figure it out. Oh, and one of the two players originally assigned to the Bug Ritualist¡¯s area has been found. We¡¯re camping here for the night. I¡¯ll wrap things up tomorrow. ? Yeah, if you¡¯re wearing a head, it¡¯s weird if they don¡¯t notice, lol ? ...Looks like everyone we met at the exchange is just a big fool? ? Well, back in the earlier floors, some of the low-rank players were using sword energy in early Normal mode. ? First time realizing there are people from the 21st century Earth among this new batch, lol. It¡¯s such a strange world. Hilarious listening to the Climber Gallery talk. ? Thanks to being dragged into the tower, most of them quit stuff like stocks, haha. It¡¯s funny, but their mental health is much better now. Makes sense, right? Hmm, I guess it does make sense. ? That¡¯s right. There were plenty of grand beginnings in Normal mode too. But with no growth limit, 5th Rank was the cap, lol. ? You introducing yourself? ? Damn, yeah. ? ???? ? Seriously, I thought I¡¯d be a Sword Saint by the time I hit Third Rank! But turns out, I¡¯m a no-name stuck at the end of Fifth Rank. ? Spear King) Some of my subordinates went to the Climber Gallery and got a little... weird. Talking about scrimmaging with the Murim League... the eldest son of a family executed a hero¡¯s son? T-bagging, they called it... the executioner passed out after. ? Ahem, the foundations of the big clans are shaking. ? Usually, those who get pulled into the tower end up being the pillars of the sects, haha. ? Terms getting horribly corrupted. ? Absolute Monarch) ? If anyone disturbs the nation¡¯s order, they should be thrown into prison no matter what the reason. They¡¯ll become good soon enough. ? Gutter Swordsman) Uh, uh, risky talk there. ? Ice Queen) Frozen! I¡¯ve been watching the Climber Gallery, now I¡¯m only looking at the Transcendent Gallery, haha! ? Elf Guy) Same here... The Climber Gallery starts to get frustrating. ? Archmage) Slowly reduce the variables and clear it. ? Admin) Wearing a mask... Even if they figure it out, it¡¯s just for this exchange, right? Just act humble and enjoy it. ? Sword of Light) If you see a lot of bugs, just use Aura Shield. That way, unless the Bug Ritualist is controlling some powerful creatures, they won¡¯t be able to do much damage to you. ? ??*) Yeah, the fleeing player mentioned strong minions. We should be careful. The morning came. We began marching again. Luckily, the harvest came quickly. Henry Thompson stepped back, his eyes wide. "...Why is the dead guy in front of me? And why is he walking this way?" A bizarrely contorted, blonde man with a disfigured body was limping toward us, his left foot dragging. "Is that the Russian who died?" Henry nodded blankly. "...Yeah." It seemed like the Bug Ritualist had desecrated the body. The tower was truly ruthless. Chapter 51: The Second Exchange Meeting (5) The Russian man didn¡¯t charge in right away. Which meant I had a bit of time to observe his face and overall condition. A massive, gaping hole had been punched clean through his abdomen. And¡ª There were no eyes in his sockets. In their place, insects were writhing out of the hollow cavities. Okada Yuuji¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°He¡¯s definitely dead, but he¡¯s moving...¡± Felix Bauer¡¯s trembling voice followed. ¡°There¡¯s no way someone with a hole in their gut big enough to see through is still alive...¡± Then I heard the voice of the knight, Gerado, standing beside me. ¡°That¡¯s probably a shell.¡± ¡°A shell?¡± When I asked, Gerado kindly explained further. ¡°The Bug Ritualist¡ªthe one controlling him¡ªuses a technique called Parasite Reanimation to raise corpses. Mages refer to that state as a ¡®shell.¡¯¡± ¡°What¡¯s the weakness?¡± ¡°Usually, there''s a bug acting as the heart located at the center of the chest.¡± No sooner had Gerado finished speaking than the man¡¯s body slowly began to move forward. Shing. I raised my sword. ¡°You remember his name?¡± Henry responded to my question. ¡°Yegor Zaitsev... I think that was it.¡± Now that hiding my strength was pointless, I stepped forward, intending to send him off properly. But someone beat me to it. Lena Vogel, Matthew, Okada Yuuji, and Josephine Bernard¡ªthe ones who had originally grouped up for the immoral purpose of looting other players'' gear¡ªsuddenly rushed at Yegor. Lena looked at me and spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t have to step in this time.¡± She probably thought Yegor looked weak in comparison to Kabarax and figured this would be easy. But who knows? Not having to dirty my hands was always welcome, but I wasn¡¯t convinced things would go their way. BAM-BAM-BAM! Yegor just stared blankly at the four as they charged¡ªthen accepted every attack without resistance. The sound of flesh being pierced rang out. Weapons in all four of their hands stabbed straight into Yegor¡¯s body¡ªbut the giant didn¡¯t fall. ¡°...W-what the hell...¡± Matthew¡¯s face froze, having charged in so confidently. Lena shouted in alarm. ¡°Get back! This bastard¡¯s doing something!¡± What I saw¡ª Yegor¡¯s eyes glowing red. Apparently, Lena had seen them too. Yegor¡¯s arms began to swell grotesquely. His skin was no longer human. It was morphing into something like an insect¡¯s exoskeleton. His transformed head looked almost like it was modeled after a rhinoceros beetle. His arms seemed honed like blades. Screeeeech! With a sharp screech, needle-like spikes shot out from his arms like a hedgehog¡¯s spines, scattering in every direction. They were more like blades than thorns. ¡°GRAAAAAH!¡± Okada let out a scream. But maybe thanks to Lena¡¯s sharp warning, he only took a direct hit to his left shoulder¡ªit could¡¯ve been worse. ¡°WAAAAAAGHH!!¡± ...Though he was wailing like he¡¯d reached death¡¯s door already. Just as I stepped forward with Mundum Exstinguit in hand, Lena¡¯s movements caught my interest. She thrust her spear with both hands, sidestepping to the left. Her spear didn¡¯t have any aura, but her movements were as sharp as those of a trained soldier. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough to pose a real threat to Yegor. KAGAGANG¡ª! Seeing Lena hold her own seemed to snap the others back to reality, and the three of them jumped back in. They weren¡¯t creating a kill opportunity, but at least they were making an opening. As Yegor spread both arms, his upper body was left exposed. Now was the perfect time to take him down. Slide¡ª I raised Mundum Exstinguit and aimed for Yegor¡¯s center mass. Then I swung my right arm like a thunderbolt. CRACK! The sword buried itself right into the middle of Yegor¡¯s torso. And I immediately retrieved it with a flick of my hand. Yegor¡¯s massive body collapsed backward. Mundum Exstinguit came out slick with blood, proof it had shredded through him. I could feel the eyes of the players and soldiers fixed on me. Looking down at Yegor¡¯s fallen body, Gerado spoke again. ¡°...As expected, a shell.¡± As I stepped closer to Yegor¡¯s body, I could understand why Gerado said that¡ªno need for explanation. Skrrrssshhh... From the sockets of his eyes, the gaps in his lips, and the joints of his fingers, swarms of glossy black insects began pouring out. Yegor¡¯s body yellowed and started to rot rapidly. It was like time itself sped up, applying only to his corpse. His body crumbled in seconds, leaving only a mound of worms on the ground. ¡°What about those leftover bugs?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll die on their own. You destroyed the mother¡ªwhat was functioning as the heart of the shell.¡± Just as Gerado said, the bugs soon stopped moving and perished. ¡°This confirms that the Bug Ritualist is deeper inside the forest... We¡¯ll have to go further.¡± ¡°How wide is this forest, anyway?¡± At my question, Gerado gave a bitter smile. ¡°Elbram is known for being... vast.¡± Half a day passed. Gerado wasn¡¯t wrong. Elbram was absurdly wide. And the American woman we were hoping to find during our advance still hadn¡¯t turned up. Instead, we ended up spending half the day taking down four massive praying mantis monsters called Sikeron, which were clearly sent by the Bug Ritualist. ¡°Hooo-rah! Level up!¡± Okada Yuuji raised both hands and cheered purely, excited about leveling ¡ï Novelight ¡ï up. Even though I landed the final hit twice, I barely got any EXP. At this point, it was getting depressing. Night fell again. I hadn¡¯t planned to spend a second night here, but so be it. Lena came to me and asked for a spar. Lena Vogel¡¯s weapon of choice was a spear. I accepted. Ever since I got the spear Eirand¡¯s Wedge, I¡¯d been training with it alone. ¨C Spear King) Rannachal, rannachal, rannachal¡ª if you can just get your Rannachal right, you¡¯re already halfway there. That damn Rannachal. But with enough practice, I had started to feel just how right Spear King-senpai had been about it. Even now, if I were up against a Sixth-Rank spearman who had mastered Rannachal, I wasn¡¯t sure I could beat him. I put away Mundum Exstinguit and pulled out Eirand¡¯s Wedge. ¡°...You¡¯re not using your sword?¡± Lena¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°We¡¯re just training.¡± She sighed. ¡°So you¡¯re looking down on me.¡± If it were just that, she¡¯d be lucky. From my perspective, she¡¯d realize just how generous my outlook really was. I gripped the spear. ¡°You know Rannachal?¡± The platinum-haired woman, Lena Vogel, smirked. ¡°You think I¡¯ve only been using a spear for a day or two? Of course I know it.¡± I jerked my chin. ¡°Then come at me. Like you¡¯re trying to kill me. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so arrogant.¡± WHAM! With that, Lena charged forward, stomping hard on the ground. I watched her and reversed my grip on the spear. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. SHRAAAAAAAA! The spear came flying in a straight line. Maybe because I¡¯d made it obvious I was underestimating her, Lena struck with a sharp, clean thrust. I didn¡¯t miss the trajectory¡ªquickly pivoting my own spear, I deflected hers with a strong sweep using the shaft. Then, using the rotation of the deflection, I drove my shaft downward and struck her in the abdomen. Thunk¡ª A light sound rang from Lena¡¯s armor. ¡°You¡¯re dead, right?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°If I were holding a real spear properly, you¡¯d be dead.¡± Though Lena scrunched up her face at my words, she didn¡¯t offer any excuses. ¡°Again.¡± And for a dozen or so rounds, the result was the same. ¡°Phew...¡± Lena wiped her sweat with a towel and took her stance again. ¡°I should help fix your form. Get into position again. Start with Ran.¡± Lena followed my instructions without complaint. ¡°Your feet are too close. Widen your stance.¡± She immediately understood what I was asking for. ¡°Na is ultimately about breaking your opponent¡¯s center of gravity. Think of it as pulling them in a way they can¡¯t react to.¡± Night was deepening. I told Lena that was enough for today. Not because I was tired, but because I could see Lena¡¯s arms trembling as she gripped her spear. I was just thinking about getting something to eat when¡ª ¡°I use a spear too! Teach me!¡± Kim Joo-eun appeared, spear in hand. In the end, I trained her for about two hours. Like Lena earlier, Kim Joo-eun wiped her sweat with a towel and looked at me. ¡°Um... would it be okay to add you as a friend...?¡± Her voice was quiet¡ªprobably because she expected me to say no. ¡°Sorry.¡± Correct. ¡°Hehe, I figured you¡¯d say that.¡± Kim Joo-eun scratched her head with a sheepish smile. Lena had also asked earlier, just as awkwardly. And of course, I turned her down too. Then, someone I didn¡¯t expect came up to me and offered a handshake, also asking to add me. ¡°I just want one strong friend!¡± It was Okada Yuuji. ¡°Go get some sleep.¡± Naturally, I only accepted the handshake. I finally succeeded in being alone, spread out my sleeping bag, and sat down. Friends. Some of the senior Gallery members said it wasn¡¯t a big deal. That I could just make friends casually if I wanted to. But I didn¡¯t want to do it like that. I wanted to add people to my friend list who would actually be helpful to me¡ªwhether practically or psychologically. Unfortunately, this exchange didn¡¯t have anyone like that either. After killing quite a few monsters over the last two days, the players, knights, and soldiers were now seeing me as an overwhelmingly strong figure. A bit too much, honestly. Maybe that¡¯s why, when I said I¡¯d be sleeping a bit away from the group in case any unexpected danger arose, they believed me immediately. Thanks to that, I could just distort the front with the Veil of Secrets and freely browse the Transcendent Gallery without concern. Title: This forest is stupidly wide. Author: ??* ¨C Still, I think we¡¯ll be able to finish the exchange by tomorrow. We haven¡¯t found the last missing player yet, though. At this point, it¡¯s starting to seem pretty reasonable to suspect they¡¯ve been captured by the Bug Ritualist or something. ? Oh, reasonable suspicion, valid. ? Basically dead, honestly. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist) Hohooo, the climber has the makings of a great detective. ¨C This world is one giant locked room. ? Sage) Hostage... yeah, that¡¯s definitely possible. ? Gutter Swordsman) Look, if they¡¯re trying to pull tricks with a single hostage, we don¡¯t have time for that. Doesn¡¯t matter if they live or die¡ªwe do what we came to do. You get it? ? Absolute Monarch) That is the correct attitude. These guys are as cold-blooded as ever. ? Archmage) In the end, we won¡¯t know for sure until we find that guy. Oh, and by the way, I finished crafting some solid spells. Next cross-dimensional trade is on you. ? ??*) Got it. ? Ughhh, pre-booking trades now? Shameful. Indomitable Iron-Blood Ophelia-chan~ ? Archmage) Hey, I want to trade too... ? Heavenly Demon) Hmmm... did you get to use your fists and feet at all? ? Translation: Did you use the martial arts I gave you? ? Gross, old man. Too cringe. ? ??*) Honestly, since the climb here¡¯s been pretty chill, I haven¡¯t had to use martial arts much. Mostly been using the spear. Taught Rannachal to a few spear users. ? Heavenly Demon) There are still lowlifes who need to be taught something that basic? ? Spear King) Plenty of ''em. These wannabe spear users are kind of cute, honestly. ? Spear King) Hehe, good job spreading it. The spear is the king of all weapons. Next cross-dimensional trade... you¡¯ll be getting a spear art, right~? ? ??*) Depends on the situation. Sometimes you just need the right item for the moment¡ªlike when I escaped danger by using the Shrine Maiden¡¯s Binding Scroll during the golem fight. ? Spear King) C¡¯mon, the Archmage already agreed! ? ??*) I¡¯m curious about magic too. ?? ? Admin) A big magic spell you can cast using only aura circulation? That¡¯s irresistible. ? Really, now. You¡¯re comparing Caelum¡¯s divine grace to spear arts? ? Spear King) You from Murim or something, punk? ? I am of the glorious Green Forest. ? Spear King) If I wipe out the entire Green Forest, I¡¯ll finally get to see your face, huh? Okay. ? Who the hell is that guy? I¡¯m a Green Forest guy and he¡¯s clearly not. Why¡¯s he shooting off like that? Hey, someone rein him in. ? What, are you so scared you¡¯re roasting other groups to look tough? LOL this is hilarious ? ??*) Wrapping it up tomorrow. I''m off. ? Suwang) Checking the Gallery before bed? Adorable! Hehe, good luck! ? Ice Queen) Frozen! Come back safe! ? Shrine Maiden) Hawawa~ Climber-sama, your fortune for tomorrow is... You shall attain what you seek! Iyayayo~! Chapter 52: The Second Exchange Meeting (6) Han Yuseong was still standing at the rear. It didn¡¯t matter to him¡ªhe could move to the front line anytime a battle broke out. From the diagonal direction, a murmuring voice could be heard. Josephine¡¯s gaze flicked between Han Yuseong and the American from Hard Mode, Matthew Bennett. "Seems like there¡¯s quite a gap even among Hard Mode players." Josephine Bernard, a Normal Mode player from France, was naturally assuming that Han Yuseong was a Hard Mode climber. Matthew bristled, his right hand gripping the axe twitching. But then, after glancing over at Han Yuseong, he quietly lowered his arm. "A-ah, I didn¡¯t do anything, alright? You saw that, yeah? Mm-hmm." The intimidation Han Yuseong had instilled on the first day was still in effect. Matthew spoke again. "...Isn¡¯t it the same for you Normals too? Huh?" Josephine nodded. She shifted her gaze back to Han Yuseong. "That¡¯s true. But I think it just feels that way because that guy stands out so much." Kim Joo-eun¡¯s voice rang out. "Kyaaaaaa!" It was a scream at a piercingly high pitch. There were no clearly visible enemies ahead. Han Yuseong moved closer to Kim Joo-eun and immediately saw the reason for her outburst. Spiderwebs. Tightly woven spiderwebs spread out from the area directly in front of where Kim Joo-eun was standing. "You actually noticed this, huh." When Han Yuseong said this while looking at her, Kim Joo-eun hurriedly replied. "Right?! If I hadn¡¯t seen it and just walked forward, it would''ve been really bad, right? Right?!" "Yeah." Still wearing his gloves, he lightly touched the web. ''If Kim Joo-eun had touched this directly, she would¡¯ve either been bound up completely or cut to pieces.'' Ssssshhh! Han Yuseong summoned sword energy into Mundum Exstinguit. He struck downward in a clean vertical slash. The webbing that had been spread thickly enough to block the view ahead dropped to the ground in an instant. The presence of webs like this meant that a Kabarax or a Cocooning Shaman was nearby. There was also a chance other monsters could appear. "Everyone, prepare for battle." Twenty knights and soldiers handpicked by Gerado. And the players all readied their weapons without complaint at Han Yuseong¡¯s command. As expected, monsters appeared. The more eager players managed to take down a mantis-type monster, Sikeron, one of the weaker creatures controlled by the Cocooning Shaman. To hone his spear technique, Han Yuseong stayed toward the back, jabbing and killing bugs with precise thrusts to help with the hunt. After five Sikerons, two giant spider monsters¡ªKabarax¡ªappeared. Unlike with the Sikerons, the players didn¡¯t step up to fight them. They simply had no confidence in breaking through those shells. Han Yuseong didn¡¯t bother sharing the strategy for dealing with Kabarax that he had learned from Sword of Light. He didn¡¯t see anyone among the players who could actually pull it off even if he told them. So, for the sake of experience points, Han Yuseong once again took on four Kabarax by himself. The fourth and final one. Kreeeek... A grotesque screech from the Kabarax seeped into his ears. Boom! With its heart pierced, Han Yuseong exploded sword energy from within. The Kabarax¡¯s body ruptured. [Your level has increased!] [Lv.38 ¡ú Lv.39] Han Yuseong brushed the blue blood off his sword with a bitter smile. ¡®Finally leveled up.¡¯ Now convinced the Cocooning Shaman was nearby, he pushed forward relentlessly. And when he encountered a patch of fog¡ªdenser than anything before¡ª the scent of blood began to tickle the party¡¯s noses. On the ground, a narrow trail of blood stretched out ahead. Han Yuseong immediately recognized it. This was the kind of cue that preceded the Cocooning Shaman¡¯s appearance. As he stepped through the mist and advanced, Han Yuseong saw a tall man, easily over two meters. The man was dressed in deep green, and strands of web extended from both his hands. [NPC ¨C Cocooning Shaman Nephier] As the shaman moved his hands, a grotesque noise rang out from above. The sound of a living creature being twisted under pressure. A scream of pure distress burst out beside Han Yuseong. "Th-there! She¡¯s tied up!" Han Yuseong saw it too¡ª a woman dangling high in the air, nestled against a tree so massive it was practically a wall. She was bound head to toe in thick spiderwebs. "Looks like the bugs have come to rescue one of their own." Even though there was no noticeable shift in the atmosphere, the bugs lined up beside the Cocooning Shaman exuded a suffocating sense of doom. "Judging by the way you¡¯ve all swarmed here, this woman must be precious to you. That just makes me all the more unwilling to let her go." As soon as the shaman¡¯s sentence ended, a system message appeared before Han Yuseong¡¯s eyes. [A new emergency mission has occurred!] [Emergency Mission ¨C Rescue the Player in Mortal Danger!] [Bonus EXP will be awarded for a successful rescue!] [EXP distribution will vary based on your contribution to the mission!] ¡®I was planning to take my time with the Cocooning Shaman...¡¯ Until just now, Han Yuseong had intended to cooperate with the other players at a reasonable level. After all, he¡¯d already given up on hitting level 40 during this event. But now they were offering bonus EXP. Han Yuseong changed his mind and gripped Mundum Exstinguit again. "Ex-extra experience...?" "Get ready, we¡¯re going in." Voices of Okada Yuuji and Matthew followed one after another. Naturally, the emergency mission was assigned ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) to all eight players¡ªexcluding the target of the mission, Nora Brooks. Han Yuseong quickly scanned his surroundings. "I¡¯m taking that emergency mission. You all take care of the bugs on either side of the shaman." He had no intention of letting even a sliver of that guaranteed EXP go to anyone else. ¡®I¡¯ll take it all.¡¯ Han Yuseong pushed off with full force. Boom! With a burst of light, his figure elongated sharply. Third form of Dragonslayer Swordsmanship footwork. Micatus. He reached the Cocooning Shaman¡¯s face in an instant. Shock was visible on Nephier¡¯s face. ¡®...He¡¯s completely different.¡¯ This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. He¡¯d assumed they were the same level as the ones he toyed with two days ago. But among them, one stood out¡ªa level apart from the rest. The very one now standing right before him. There was no time for further thought. Because a streak of light came crashing in. ¡ªSsshkrrkk! Han Yuseong, having slashed diagonally, stared at Nephier lying sprawled on the ground. Killed in a single strike. The Cocooning Shaman was dead¡ªbut the battle wasn¡¯t over yet. Screeeech! The shaman¡¯s underlings, as if to avenge their fallen master, charged at Han Yuseong. He reformed his sword energy, then unleashed a horizontal slash¡ªThursahogg. Blue blood sprayed out in a wide circular pattern. A spider-type monster the size of a grown man, Zrakin, was cleaved in two. The head of another Sikeron, which had appeared several times earlier, rolled across the ground. The spiderweb that had bound the American woman, Nora Brooks, like a display suddenly sagged and unraveled. Han Yuseong caught her. Nora Brooks rubbed her neck, checking that it was still intact. ¡°Kh...koff! Haaah, haaah!¡± And then, gasping for air, she slowly regained her breath. Han Yuseong placed a low-grade healing potion beside her. ¡°Calm down. Apply this if you¡¯re injured.¡± ¡°Hoo... hoo... thanks.¡± Even though she was still dazed from nearly dying, Nora Brooks realized clearly that it was Han Yuseong who had saved her. A flood of system messages appeared in front of him. [You have cleared the emergency mission.] [You have earned bonus EXP.] [You have cleared Primary Mission ¡®Defeat Kabarax¡¯.] [You have cleared Secondary Mission ¡®Defeat the Master of Kabarax¡¯.] [¡®Tower Exchange Event¡¯ mission has ended successfully!] [Your level has increased!] [Lv.39 ¡ú Lv.41] [¡®Strength¡¯ stat increased by 16.] [¡®Agility¡¯ stat increased by 10.] [¡®Stamina¡¯ stat increased by 13.] [¡®Mana¡¯ stat increased by 12.] It was a possible leap, considering he had already been just short of reaching level 40 before facing the Cocooning Shaman. [Calculating your contribution score for the ¡®Tower Exchange Event¡¯ mission.] [You are ranked 1st.] [You have received 1,000 coins as a reward for 1st place.] [You have received an item as a reward for 1st place.] Han Yuseong planned to check what the 1st place reward item was later in the 9th Floor Stairwell Waiting Room. Too many eyes were on him. Their gazes had changed from what they were before the Cocooning Shaman fight. ¡®I did go all-out for a bit.¡¯ If he hadn¡¯t killed the Cocooning Shaman instantly, Nora Brooks¡¯s survival would¡¯ve been uncertain. So he had unleashed most of his true power. Even though it had only lasted a moment. Because of that brief battle, the eyes of a few players who had previously looked at him with awe were now slightly different. Half awe. Half fear. Not the kind of fear brought by the threat of death¡ªbut fear evoked by something overwhelmingly alien. ¡®No one¡¯s going to try sending me a friend request now.¡¯ Just as Han Yuseong had expected. Players like Matthew, Lena, Kim Joo-eun, and Okada Yuuji, who had all considered sending him another friend request after being declined yesterday¡ª All gave up on the idea. They now vaguely understood why he had rejected them. And just like that, the exchange event came to an end. "I¡¯m heading out! Thanks, everyone! Especially you, Masked One! Extra thanks! Don¡¯t die, everyone! Live long!" Kim Joo-eun cheerfully waved her right hand as she said goodbye. The "Masked One"¡ªHan Yuseong¡ªalso waved his right hand back at her. Matthew Bennett bowed deeply toward Han Yuseong, though it was a bit awkward. "Red Mask... I was totally out of line. I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯ll reflect on it. Next time we meet, I¡¯ll yield without question." "Yeah, sure. Take care." The knights and soldiers just stood there, mouths agape, watching as the players vanished into the circular portals of light on the ground. When half of the players had returned to their respective towers¡ª [Would you like to leave the exchange event and return to the Stairwell?] [Yes / No] Han Yuseong selected return. He had already confirmed with the Transcendent Gallery veterans that unlike dungeon-type missions, this event didn¡¯t feature hidden bosses. [You are entering the 9th Floor Stairwell Waiting Room.] He hadn¡¯t just stood around while the others returned. He had taken the ring from the Cocooning Shaman¡¯s corpse and stashed it in his inventory. It was a deep green ring. [Mist Ring] Type ¨C Accessory (Ring) Effect: Nullifies the detection ability of insect-type monsters. May not be effective against higher-tier variants. Grade: B+ It was an excellent item, especially useful in the frequently appearing forest environments. Han Yuseong pulled out his device and logged into the Transcendent Gallery. Title: Return Author: ??* Anyway, I hogged all the EXP at the end and went up three levels. Was just taking it easy, but had to pull out some real strength to solo the EXP at the end, and yeah, people were clearly shocked. Doesn¡¯t matter since I had the mask on. Got 1st place too. ¡ª Of course they were shocked, lololol ¡ª They were already looking at you like you were a monster, even when you were slacking off lmao ¡ª It¡¯s like that monster suddenly evolved into something ten times worse ?? ¡ª Getting 1st place is just natural now. ? It¡¯s fate. ? Admin) If those players who were in the mission with you report it to higher-floor climbers, Climber Gallery¡¯s going to go nuts again for a while. ? Room Conspiracy Theorist) But no one knows who you are, right? Still not considering Pandemonium, I bet. ¨C This world is one giant locked room. ? Archmage) The smarter ones will probably start getting suspicious. ?Shrine Maiden) Safe return! Seems today¡¯s fortune reading was spot on, huzzah! ? Tell me my marriage fortune. ? Shrine Maiden) Hmm... a lonely death! ? ?????? What the hell. ? Sword of Light) Nice work. ? Ice Queen) You did great! Frozen! Frozen! Han Yuseong scrolled through the Transcendent Gallery, organizing his thoughts. Chapter 53: Floor 10 I checked the item I received as the first-place reward for the Exchange Event. It was a pair of gauntlets. [Hands of the Ascender] Type ¨C Armor (Gauntlets) Defense +45 Attack +65 Effects: 1. The One Who Ascends ¨C When mana is infused, the user¡¯s sense for grabbing onto dungeon or field terrain to climb is heightened to the extreme. 2. The One Who Breaks ¨C When mana is infused, the gauntlets transform into a form optimized for destroying terrain features. Grade: A+ At a glance, it was a highly efficient and clearly useful item. Satisfied, I stored the item in my inventory and opened my status window. Name: Han Yuseong Race: Human Lv. 41 Strength: 275 Agility: 277 Stamina: 282 Mana: 249 Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.11 Composure Lv.10 Concealment Lv.8 Danger Sense Lv.9 Field Vision Expansion Lv.11 Focus Enhancement Lv.11 Combat Movement Lv.10 Mana-Enhanced Body Lv.10 Doombringer Lv.7 Mental Barrier Lv.9 Trajectory Insight Lv.8 Dark Attribute Resistance Lv.4 A few days passed. April 1st. The first of the month, when mailboxes on each Tower become active. Hard Mode Tower Numbering #35. Hard Mode ¨C Floor 67 Stairwell Waiting Room. Targon, Guildmaster of the Strategy Union, looked at Attack Leader Bellasia, who had approached him. "What is it?" At this point, there were so few guild members left that the title of Attack Leader was almost meaningless. Out of the 50 Strategy Union members who entered this Hard Mode batch, only five survived. And only two of them had recovered their sanity. Targon knew Bellasia, who stood before him, hadn¡¯t fully recovered. She was just maintaining her composure through sheer will. Bellasia opened her mouth. "Info suspected to be about ¡®the Unlisted¡¯ came in through the Hard Mode Tower Mailbox of Tower #21. It was passed along by a Strategy Union member residing on Floor 32." Targon gave a slight nod of his chin¡ªurging her to continue. Before entering the stage on Floor 66, he hadn¡¯t given ¡®the Unlisted¡¯ much thought. No matter what achievements someone flailing around on the lower floors managed, to someone who had reached Floor 66, it all seemed laughably insignificant. Every player in the Climber Gallery had their eyes on the Strategy Union. All manner of constellations were watching him. So there was no reason to care about some player who hadn¡¯t even reached the double-digit floors yet. But after the utter disaster on Floor 66, his thinking changed. If this guy had consistently ranked first on every floor since Floor 2, maybe he knew something Targon didn¡¯t. Maybe he had some kind of power that Targon lacked. "Any intel on how strong he is?" Bellasia read from a paper she had prepared in advance. "Male. Wore a red mask. Was seen conversing with a Korean player, so presumed Korean. He hasn¡¯t revealed any personal info like name or age." Targon frowned at that. "Useless information, all of it." Knowing he was Korean was utterly meaningless to Targon. In Targon¡¯s eyes, 21st-century Earthlings were all weaklings. Regardless of nationality. Then Bellasia spoke ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) again. "There¡¯s one thing. It¡¯s somewhat useful." Targon listened as she continued. "They say he uses sword energy." He uses sword energy¡ª In other words, he wields aura. Minimum Level 20. Targon¡¯s brow twitched. "Any estimation of his rank?" Bellasia smiled faintly at his sudden interest. "They said they couldn¡¯t tell. They just recognized it was sword energy, but couldn''t gauge his rank. That¡¯s normal. Only those at Third Rank can make such estimates. And no one like that would''ve been in a Floor 10 Exchange Event." She went on. "He just seemed... very strong. That¡¯s all the informant said." "If he¡¯s using sword energy, then Third Rank is a given. The real question is whether he¡¯s beyond that." Targon was currently Seventh Rank. In his opinion, he was on the verge of reaching Eighth Rank. Back before Floor 10, he was already at Fourth Rank. He had been summoned to the Tower while hailed as a genius in his home world, Marellent¡ªcalled a supernova even before arriving. Overwhelming talent. That¡¯s what Targon possessed. "But that guy came from 21st-century Earth¡ªwidely considered to have the least talent of all those summoned. It¡¯s unlikely he¡¯s Fourth Rank. Third Rank is more probable." Of course, he wasn¡¯t certain. The fact that this guy had held the top spot on every floor through Floor 8 already placed him outside the bounds of Targon¡¯s expectations. "Has it spread to the Climber Gallery?" To this, Bellasia shook her head. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. "The intel came through the Strategy Union chatroom, not publicly. But since one of the ten players who attended the Exchange Event died and the other nine survived, word will spread soon enough. Every tower has a mailbox, after all." And just as Bellasia predicted¡ª Before April 1st was over, the Climber Gallery was flooded with posts about ¡®the Unlisted.¡¯ Title: A 21st-century Earthling using sword energy before Floor 10?? Posted by: SaveMePlease ¡ª Aren¡¯t 21st-century Earthlings supposed to have as much talent as a dried-up conscience? Even the ones who cleared past Floor 30 are barely crawling. An Earthling with talent is unheard of. But I guess you¡¯d have to be at that level to keep stomping the Union Leader¡¯s scores in Hard Mode. Is he Third Rank? Or Fourth Rank? No way it¡¯s Fourth, right? Nationality: Korea. If you''re planning to challenge him in a guild war right after he hits Floor 30, better think twice. He might be stronger than expected. ? The fact that he wears a red mask shows he knows he¡¯s an outlier. ? No way he¡¯s Fourth Rank, right? Gotta be Third. ? But doesn¡¯t this guy always exceed expectations? That¡¯s his whole thing, right? ? Alderalmin) SharpSpear, if you¡¯re not scared of the Unlisted, get your ass back here and show some fighting spirit. ? SharpSpear) Scared? The hell? I¡¯m a Hard Mode Floor 50 breaker, okay? Why would I be scared of some rookie who hasn¡¯t even hit Floor 10 yet? ? SharpSpear) By the time that bastard hits Floor 30, I¡¯ll have cleared 66. I¡¯ll be waiting for that guild war, no worries. ?? ? Saying it confidently but shaking like a leaf¡ªSharpSpear, you get the MVP for acting tough. ? SharpSpear) Ugh, Easy and Normal guys, don¡¯t even try to reply. Just stay in your lane. ? StillAlive) And what''s with that ¡°was the strongest¡± line, lol. You used to worship the Union Leader, but now you''re treating him like some washed-up relic the moment he slips once. ? Alderalmin) That¡¯s just how this place is. Why are you surprised? ? StillAlive) Right now, we should all be worried about how we¡¯re gonna beat Floor 66. ? StillAlive) I believe in the Union Leader~ He¡¯ll get it together and keep climbing~ ? DualBladeRomance) What are you talking about, Floor 66? Bad luck and you''re toast on the next floor. ? BlackHand) TRUTH. Everyone assumes they¡¯ll reach 66 just because the Union Leader did. Idiots, the corpses piled up on the way make up mountains and rivers. ? Wow, so that ¡°Unlisted¡± is really a 21st-century Earthling like me... I totally thought he¡¯d be some Otherworlder or martial artist who joined late. ? Can¡¯t believe he¡¯s even from my hometown. Damn. ? FistMonk) I get it though. Easy and Normal have cleared Floor 30 a few times, but Hard? Not even once. Never seen people with less talent in martial arts. ? Easy and Normal cleared it, sure, but they¡¯re nowhere near the level of martial artists or Otherworlders. ? To be honest... both 21st-century Earthlings and Easy/Normal Mode players are just pathetic bugs in my eyes... ? LOL you¡¯re a 21st-century Earthling, aren¡¯t you? Which mode¡ªNormal? Easy? ? Damn, you lash out like that over one comment? You really got nothing better to do, huh? ? LMAO what¡¯s with that tone? There¡¯s a new voice every day in here. ? Anyway, once you¡¯re done charging your dopamine, get back to climbing. ? SharpSpear) Get to Floor 30 fast, Unlisted. I¡¯ll be waiting with that guild war, guaranteed. *** ¡ªThe Unlisted. Han Yuseong had entered the 9th floor stage. [¡®The Giant Who Swallowed the Moon¡¯ is endlessly amazed by your movements.] [¡®Sword Ghost of the Black Typhoon¡¯ is silently reflecting on the final strike you unleashed.] [¡®Blood Demon¡¯ is fixated on your feet.] ¡®Why¡¯s he staring at my feet like that? Freak.¡¯ He cleared the 9th floor stage in just two days. The 9th floor was a straightforward dungeon type. The monsters that appeared were reptilian, bipedal creatures called Kizandur¡ª and the aggressive black ostriches they used as mounts, Gornil. According to the seniors in the Transcendent Gallery, Kizandur resembled lizardmen and had similar combat abilities. The beast they rode, Gornil, was no pushover either, known for its terrifying charge speed. Fortunately, it was a clean, honest dungeon with no major variables, so he was able to clear it in two days. Han Yuseong had activated constellation blocking again at the start, which meant he was able to take on a constellation quest in exchange for lifting the block later. Upon clearing the dungeon, he received a rather useful consumable item as a quest reward. After stepping into the 10th floor stairwell waiting room, he checked the item. It resembled a modern syringe. [Breath of the Extreme] Type ¨C Drug (Stimulant) Effect: The user becomes incapable of feeling pain for 40 seconds, enabling superhuman strength and reflexes while ignoring physical strain. During this time, movement speed, reflexes, and strength increase significantly. However, once the effect ends, the user suffers intense pain, muscular damage, and severe stamina drain. Description: Inject it into your side. Quantity: 10 It was basically a consumable version of the skill Doombringer. If stacked with Doombringer, he could briefly push his physical power far beyond its limits. The problem, of course, was if he wasn¡¯t prepared, the aftershock would hit him twice as hard. Han Yuseong pulled out his terminal. Title: Gonna rest today and then hit the 10th floor stage. Author: ??* Finally hit the 10th floor. Feeling a bit unsettled. Been almost two months since I got summoned to the Tower now. ? ...What the fuck, it¡¯s only been two months? ? LMAOOOO hearing it out loud makes it sound even more ridiculous ? Pandemonium. Two months. Fourth Rank from scratch. Unreal. ? Sword of Light: Your early climbing speed is about the same as mine. But the achievements you¡¯ve made in that time are unreal. I¡¯m proud of you. ? ??:* Thanks, thanks. Honestly, one big reason I¡¯m still alive is because of my teacher. ? Heavenly Demon: Hrmm, hrmm. Ahem. ? ??:* Heavenly Demon-sunbae, you definitely played your part too. ¡®For now, it¡¯s still the smallest share.¡¯ But if he kept delving deeper into the martial arts the Heavenly Demon had given him, that share might grow much larger. Especially since it started leading into advanced forms like Flexible Wave Breaking and beyond. ? Shrine Maiden: Hawawawa! Hawawa? Hawawawat? ? ??:* Gotta say, Shrine Maiden-sunbae saved my life at least twice for sure. ? Shrine Maiden: Hawawa! Hawawaaat! So proud-hawawa~! They were all clearly desperate for acknowledgment. Still, to Han Yuseong, they were undeniably the people who¡¯d saved his life. ? Admin: Don¡¯t die. Stay alive. ???????? ??:* Of course. Han Yuseong opened the coin shop. He planned to get some food, do a bit of training, and then get some rest. Chapter 54: Reunion [10th Floor Coin Shop] 1. Food 2. Drinks 3. Potions 4. Miscellaneous Just in case, Han Yuseong checked to see if any new items had been added under Miscellaneous, but there were still only paper and fountain pens. Well, time to eat then. 1. Ramen with a small portion of kimchi ¨C 10 coins 2. Pork and rice soup ¨C 10 coins 3. Fried rice ¨C 10 coins 4. Cream bacon pasta ¨C 10 coins 5. Sandwich ¨C 8 coins 6. Mixed nuts (peanuts, walnuts) ¨C 6 coins 7. Jerky ¨C 6 coins 8. Spicy pork rice bowl ¨C 13 coins 9. Roskatsu ¨C 13 coins 10. Butter chicken curry ¨C 12 coins 11. Fried dumplings with soy sauce ¨C 8 coins "Oh." Butter chicken curry and fried dumplings were new additions on the 10th floor. Since he needed a proper meal, he went with the butter chicken curry instead of the dumplings. Opening the container, he found orange-colored curry inside. Hmm... so this is supposed to be the taste of traditional Indian food? It had a much stronger creamy feel than he expected. The tandoori chicken on the side was decent too. Today was April 2nd. He checked the 10th floor mailbox. Since he had still been on the 9th floor stage on the 1st¡ªwhen the mailboxes activated¡ªhe hadn¡¯t had the chance to check then. As expected, the mailbox was empty. Would any other newbie from Pandemonium Mode show up eventually? Honestly, he wasn¡¯t holding out much hope. Whether others knew he was on the 10th floor or not wasn¡¯t important. If someone had climbed to at least the 5th floor¡ªwhen mailboxes start appearing¡ªthey¡¯d be desperate to live and would¡¯ve sent letters to every nearby floor anyway. He figured he¡¯d send a letter to the 1st floor every now and then when he remembered. Three coins for paper wasn¡¯t something to stress about. The next morning. He bought 50 advanced healing potions at 10 coins each. As for mana potions¡ªhe still had 20 left from earlier¡ªso he bought 30 more. Coins remaining: 5,290 Even after spending liberally, he still had this much left. Title: Entering 10th floor stage. Author: ??* Gonna activate constellation block ahead of time again for this one. ? Are you setting rules? Like when to turn it on and off? ? ??:* If I keep it off, there¡¯s a better chance I¡¯ll get solid items like Breath of the Extreme or Gehenna. ? ??:* And if a story-focused quest pops up¡ªlike one involving returning NPCs or emotional stuff¡ªI don¡¯t wanna show them that, so I¡¯ll just block it. ? Admin: What do you mean by story-focused quests? ? ??:* If NPCs I¡¯ve met before show up again, or if it seems like it¡¯ll involve emotional development, I plan to ignore the rewards no matter what they are. ? ¡ï Novelight ¡ï Hmm... but what if a constellation offers you something Gehenna-tier in both hands to tempt you? ? ??:* Tempting, sure. But I still wouldn¡¯t take it. He didn¡¯t like anything that would entangle him. ? Archmage: They¡¯re probably gonna think you¡¯re rejecting everything because you¡¯re aiming for ¡®authority¡¯ now. And we told you¡ªdon¡¯t accept that kind of thing, right? ? Gutter Swordsman: Gross stuff like that should be avoided~ ? ??:* An ¡®authority¡¯ can be reclaimed anytime by the constellation who granted it, right? ? Sword of Light: Good review session. ? Admin: Starting on the 10th floor, your adaptation bonus¡ªthe reward for early hardship¡ªis probably over. You¡¯ll hit the point where you really feel like your level isn¡¯t rising anymore. ? Gutter Swordsman: If the EXP rate just slows down, consider yourself lucky. There''s a good chance your stat gains on level-up will be cut in half too. ? Pioneer: Real talk. The game gives and then takes away¡ªliterally. I was cruising on those hardship bonuses until the hammer came down on me. ? ??:* So what do I do if I don¡¯t wanna get slammed? Pioneer-sunbae kindly gave an explanation. ? Pioneer: Same as always¡ªpick the hardest choices possible. It¡¯s Pandemonium Mode, so that should help balance the curve at least a bit. ? Pioneer: And you¡¯ve experienced stat boosts when pushing past physical limits, right? Just do more of that. So basically¡ªkeep suffering and push the body even harder. ? Ha, now that¡¯s advice that¡¯s truly nourishing. The comment was clearly sarcastic. ? Pioneer: I know. It¡¯s annoyingly useless advice. But it¡¯s the only real way. Even Pioneer-sunbae sounded like he was well aware. ? ??:* Got it. Thanks. Sometimes just recognizing the truth helps. He¡¯d already expected things to get messier from the 10th floor on anyway. Crack¡ª He laced his fingers together and stretched his arms overhead. Then, Han Yuseong opened the 10th floor stage gate and moved forward. Step A blinding white light filled his vision. This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight. After the light receded, a familiar landscape unfolded before him. ¡ºPandemonium Mode Floor 10 is a quest-type stage.¡» Moisture rose up from the ground and clung to his feet. A gloomy sky loomed overhead. ¡°...Forest of Beasts?¡± There was no doubt about it. But it didn¡¯t seem like the inside of the Forest of Beasts. It was right in front of it. It looked like a forested area just outside the Forest of Beasts. In front of him stood a cluster of large military tents. With his senses sharpened, Han Yuseong approached the tents. A sheet of fabric served as a wall, but the voices beyond it were clearly audible. ¡°If we don¡¯t put an end to it here, that thing will invade the territory again.¡± After a low, heavy male voice, a woman¡¯s voice followed. ¡°You¡¯re right. It has to end here if we want to stop any more damage.¡± Han Yuseong had met quite a few NPCs, but there were only a few he¡¯d say he¡¯d truly bonded with. And the voice he just heard belonged to one of them. Resellin. The more he listened, the more certain he was that it was her. ¡°It¡¯s been a month and a half since we posted the notice, but we haven¡¯t even gathered fifty mercenaries yet... Even though we offered way above the standard pay.¡± The man¡¯s voice returned. ¡°That just means they know exactly who the enemy is.¡± ¡°Haah... damn Scaldmagra.¡± Scaldmagra. That must be the main monster of this floor. ¡°No one else is likely to show up, but I¡¯ll go check just in case.¡± Step, step Footsteps began approaching right after Resellin¡¯s words. Flick¡ª The tent flap pulled back, and a woman stepped out. Navy blue hair. Golden eyes. No doubt¡ªit was Resellin. [NPC ¨C Lucerna Mercenary Corps Captain, Resellin] Her eyes went wide when she saw him. ¡°...Yuseong?¡± So even when climbing floors, memories carried over. This Resellin was the same one who had fought with him on the walls of Kikrev Fortress against the orcs. ¡°Been a while, Resellin.¡± At his words, Resellin gave a big nod. ¡°Of course! It¡¯s been a long while! It¡¯s been almost a year and a half!¡± Huh? A year and a half? It had only been about a month and a half for him. Resellin puffed up her cheeks and continued. ¡°You just poof disappeared right in front of me! I kept wondering for a month if I had seen a ghost or some illusion. Thankfully, my subordinates remembered you. Yunes remembered you too, so I stayed sane.¡± When he remained silent, she kept talking. ¡°Did you come after seeing the recruitment notice for the Scaldmagra subjugation? Maybe?¡± As soon as Resellin finished, a notification appeared. ¡ºQuest! ¨C Subjugate the Great Beast Scaldmagra.¡» It was a simple and straightforward quest. Claiming he came for the notice would make things easier. ¡°Yes.¡± Resellin¡¯s cheeks were still puffed. ¡°This time, you¡¯re not allowed to just poof and disappear again. And if you do, at least tell me how you¡¯re going to vanish first!¡± Han Yuseong chuckled. ¡°I handled everything properly before I vanished last time. I¡¯ll do the same this time.¡± Resellin blinked. ¡°So this time, you¡¯re going to defeat the target¡ªScaldmagra¡ªand then vanish again...?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the plan.¡± Maybe he sounded too casual, because Resellin ground her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re really not a ghost? I swear I¡¯m going to figure out how you disappear. I¡¯ll make you confess.¡± The problem was, he didn¡¯t know the mechanism either. If there was one, it was probably just the transition process that occurred once a climber finished their tasks and ascended to the next floor. ¡°How far have you come? I reached Third Rank in the past year and a half. I think I¡¯m right at the cusp of Fourth Rank, but something¡¯s just missing...! Anyway, I¡¯ve been told I¡¯ve got talent.¡± She placed both hands on her hips and spoke proudly, clearly pleased with herself. ¡°Fourth Rank.¡± No point hiding it¡ªhe answered honestly. Resellin scratched her head. ¡°...Ah. So you managed to take that final step ahead of me.¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± She murmured quietly to herself. ¡°You were Second Rank... so you gained two ranks in a year and a half? How?¡± In truth, it hadn¡¯t been a year and a half. He¡¯d gained two ranks in just two months. Without responding, Han Yuseong calmly pulled out his Transcendent Gallery terminal and took a photo of her from beside her. ¡°You know, raising your hand so suddenly beside me like that... That¡¯s exactly what you did when we first met a year and a half ago.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re seriously weird, you know that?!¡± Even while saying that, Resellin pointed politely toward a small tent at the very back with both hands. ¡°For now, stay there. You¡¯ll probably have the place to yourself today. Tomorrow, a few more people might join you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± The sound of another tent flap being pulled back rang out. [NPC ¨C Hundred-Man Captain Krevan] A stern-looking man with a thick mustache appeared. He was probably the one speaking with Resellin earlier. ¡°A new recruit?¡± At Krevan¡¯s question, Resellin nodded. ¡°Yes. A mercenary I worked with a long time ago. Fourth Rank. He was far above his level back then too... His skills are the real deal. He¡¯ll be a huge asset.¡± Even if she thought he was strange, she still had complete trust in his strength. Krevan¡¯s eyes widened a bit as he looked at Han Yuseong. ¡°Sounds like you''re quite the expert. Thank you for joining us.¡± ¡°Pleased to work with you.¡± Han Yuseong gave a nod, then turned and made his way to the small tent Resellin had assigned him.