Chapter 50
After taking a morning flight back home, I ate lunch at my house.
- Last night, with the 4th Floor of Nightmare Difficulty being cleared, the Tower's 3-Year Rule was also nullified. Now, Climbers will not die even if they do not enter the Tower, nor will they turn into Fallers.
- In particular, Nightmare Climbers and their families are sending much praise and gratitude to Person123, who chose the penalty. Here, the story of Mr. Choi Won-young, who has a high school daughter that is a Nightmare Climber, is becoming a hot topic.
- My daughter had suffered from osteosarcoma since elementary school, and 3 years ago, she was even selected as a Nightmare Climber.
...I thought it was all over. Even when the Tower's Message appeared, I desperately hoped for it in my heart, but deep down I didn't think they would choose the penalty. But a miracle like this happened. Honestly, I still can't quite believe that my daughter won't die now.
I am leaving these words in the hope that Person123, The One, might watch this interview. Thank you so much. Sir, you saved my daughter's life. I will never forget the grace you have shown us until the day I die, and I will cherish every single day living with my daughter from now on...
An interview with a person who had a Nightmare Climber daughter was playing.
Watching it made me feel a bit embarrassed, so I changed the channel to something else.
"Ah, why did you change it! I was watching that."
"Let's watch something else. It's all just talk about Person123."
At my words, my younger sibling lying on the sofa spoke as if she were dumbfounded.
"The Nightmare 4th Floor was cleared yesterday, you know? Do you not even care?"
"It's something that happens every year."
"Hey, every year the world is safe thanks to that person. If you're a human being, you should have a thankful heart."
Oh boy, 'that person,' she says.
My younger sibling sent me a look of slight, genuine disillusionment.
"Since we're on the topic, Oppa, don't be like that, seriously. Last year too, why on earth did you go on a trip around this time? Mom and Dad just don't say anything, but honestly, it doesn't look good. You should just stay home and pray together with us."
"..."
For a younger sibling... nagging me?
After living all this time, getting seriously lectured by her made me feel a little bad, .
from the family's perspective, my actions could indeed look a bit like that.
But what can I do? This is my routine now.
Personally, before things were clear, spending time alone looking at natural scenery made me feel more at ease. I was naturally going to go next year too.
Suddenly, a funny thought came to mind, so I spoke.
"Hey."
"What."
"Then do you have anything you want to say to Person123? Pass on a word of thanks."
"...? What are you saying? How?"
"I'm a Climber, remember? I can just send a whisper through the communication window."
My younger sibling's eyes went wide.
"You said we should be thankful, right? I'll pass it on, so hurry up and tell me."
"...Even if you send a message, Oppa, why would that person look at it? Do you know them?"
"No. But the communication window doesn't have a Whisper Blocking Function or anything like that. It's structured so that you can't help but see the notification when you open it."
This is why it's a bit annoying.
There isn't even an Inquiry Function anywhere; improve it a bit, Tower.
"So they might just see it, right? Sending a whisper isn't a big deal anyway. All the other Climbers will probably be sending whispers thanking that person too."
At my words, my younger sibling was flustered but looked tempted.
"Are you really going to send it?"
"I said I am. I'll pass it on exactly as you say, so if you have something you want to say, go ahead. I just turned on the communication window."
"Uh... wait a second. Ahem."
My younger sibling raised her body from the sofa, cleared her throat, and spoke haltingly.
"Um, I am a person living in the Republic of Korea... I am always cheering for you from afar. Ah, no, I don't know if it's from afar or not, but anyway, I am cheering for you."
"..."
"Uh, it was also truly touching that you chose the penalty this time. I think your choice was really, really cool. Thank you for keeping the world safe again this year."
"Pfft."
"...Send it like that. Ah jeez, why are you laughing!"
It was hard to hold back my laughter, so it leaked out.
"No, no, it was good. I'll definitely pass it on."
Ah, this is fun, so fun.
Having playfully teased my younger sibling, I handed over the TV remote and cleared the dining table we had finished eating at.
---
\[Time remaining until the First Branch Tower Appearance: 6 days 7 hours 9 minutes 16 seconds\]
The timer that had been added to my vision since clearing the 4th Floor was present.
Since I didn't know what a Branch Tower was, there was nothing I could do to prepare or act until the time ran out anyway.
I just needed to do what I had to do.
\[You have entered the Nightmare Difficulty 4th Floor.\]
After digesting my lunch, I entered to attempt the Hidden Strategy right away, just as I always did.
- The Golems inside the Workshop are currently malfunctioning and running wild, so Staff Members are requested to carry out immediate Disposal upon discovery...
The Announcement Broadcast was heard.
I moved to the Entrance Path.
Anyway, for the 4th Floor, how should I write the information post for this?
It was a bit complicated.
If they just diligently gathered points and utilized the Shop strategically well, it seemed like other Nightmare Challengers would probably be able to clear it too.
I also practically cleared it leisurely by enhancing magic damage just five times.
Of course, other people would have much lower Base Stats than I, but they could just use that many more points on enhancements. They wouldn't suffer Point Loss from not knowing the gimmick either.
...Or would they? As Damage Enhancement increases, Point Consumption becomes severe, so it might be tough.
Assuming they enhance it up to 200%, it does cost over 15,000 points.
Anyway, they would have to carefully plan a strategy to use points as efficiently as possible.
More than that, there was one more problem.
The most shit thing about this 4th Floor was that, in the end, there was a part that had no choice but to rely on luck—the damn gacha.
No matter how well they saved their points and reached the boss, if they couldn't draw Ability Nullification, it was over.
And it wasn't like other people could just copy the method I used either. No, even I couldn't do it a second time.
Ding-
The Entrance opened.
I summoned Flee and had him Auto-hunt.
Well, I'll think about writing the information post later.
For now, it was time to focus on the Hidden Strategy.
Flee chewed, tore, and smashed the Basic Golems popping out, destroying them.
\[50P was acquired.\]
\[50P Acquired.\]
\[50P Acquired.\]
. . .
I recovered all the cores and lightly cleared up to Stage 3.
Next, Stages 4 to 6 feature the Blue Golems with 99% immunity to physical damage.
BOOOM!
\[100P has been acquired.\]
\[100P was acquired.\]
\[100P Acquired.\]
. . .
I cleared them by smashing them all with magic.
In Stages 7 to 9, the Red Golems have 99% immunity to magic damage.
I didn't step forward and had Flee destroy them.
\[You have purchased 'Physical Damage +10% (100P)'.\]
\[You have purchased 'Physical Damage +10% (200P)'.\]
This was an experiment I couldn't try during the First Clear because I wanted to save points.
I enhanced physical damage a few times and observed whether Flee's damage increased.
The result was that it definitely increased.
As expected, Damage Enhancement didn't just apply to me, but seemed to be a mechanism where any damage dealt to the Golems themselves was enhanced.
\[150P Acquired.\]
\[150P was acquired.\]
\[150P Acquired.\]
. . .
Stages 9 to 12 feature the Black Golems with Damage Ignore below a certain value.
I also slowly went down to the Path and smashed the Golems myself.
On top of reaching Level 55, I even had physical damage enhancement.
Every time I threw a punch, the Golems' bodies cracked wide open. A light was clear.
After that, I easily defeated the remaining stages while keeping Point Consumption to a minimum.
- The Ultimate Masterpiece of our Workshop is malfunctioning... Staff Members, please be very, very careful in your response...
The Final Boss appeared.
I opened the Shop.
\[Shop\]
- Physical Damage +10% (500P)
- Magic Damage +10% (200P)
- Willpower +10% (100P)
- Attribute Conversion (500P)
- Force Field (50P)
- Slow (50P)
- Stop (100P)
- Special Gacha! (5,000P)
Points Held: 35,500P
\[Special Gacha! (5,000P)\]
Proceed with the Special Gacha. The Draw List is as follows. (All probabilities are equal.)
- 300% Skill Effect Scroll
- Ability Nullification Part
- Great Purge Switch
Having come this far saving up without a single loss, I now had enough points to draw a whopping seven times.
If I calculate the probability of it not appearing even once... is it roughly 5%?
Well, since it's a Repeat Clear, even if Ability Nullification doesn't appear, I wouldn't need to do that terrible self-immolation show again.
But if I left, one Hidden Opportunity would be blown away, so it would be troublesome that it wouldn't appear.
But damn, not getting it after seven tries really makes no sense.
"Let's see you try to screw me over again\~."
I have seven bullets.
I immediately rolled the gacha.
\[You have purchased 'Special Gacha! (5,000P)'.\]
Tiririri-
\['Ability Nullification Part' won!\]
Something like a fist-sized nut dropped right in front of my eyes.
"..."
It didn't fucking appear even once before.
And now it pops up on the first try.
"Pisses me off..."
What kind of bastard is doing this, seriously?
I let out a hollow laugh and picked up the part.
\[Ability Nullification Part\]
Nullifies all abilities of a single Golem entity. Can be used by bringing the part into contact with the Golem.
I climbed onto the shoulder of the boss moving along the Path.
Clang!
When I brought the part into contact as described, it stuck to the boss's body like a magnet.
Then, a weak spark occurred.
The boss paused, then started walking again.
I tried striking the boss's head with my fist as hard as I could.
CRASH!
A faint crack formed on the boss's head.
Its abilities had definitely been nullified.
I lightly jumped down from the boss's shoulder.
In mid-air, I reached my hand out toward the boss.
"Farewell."
We had a relationship where we were amicably incinerated together, but I had to do what I had to do.
After using Stop Time and Mental Concentration, I fired a fully charged Line of Destruction.
The Jet-black Ray pierced right through the dead center of the boss's body.
The massive boss tilted, then collapsed.
With its 99% damage immunity gone, it was a one-shot as expected.
Clunk.
As even the boss died, the Entrance closed.
The Announcement Broadcast didn't play anymore either.
Well... didn't you say to carry out Disposal on the Golems? I did them all?
Shouldn't they give me some kind of special bonus for this?
I put aside the trivial thoughts and slowly started searching for the Hidden Route in earnest.
"The Entrance is blocked."
Then the only thing left is the Exit.
Since I've taken care of all the Golems, Great Incineration won't trigger just because I go out the Exit now, right?
I cautiously went out the Exit.
As expected, no broadcast played.
Outside the Exit, a pitch-black Corridor without any lighting stretched out.
With Diul's ability, I moved forward without any difficulty securing my vision.
As I went along, the path kept splitting intricately, and staircases going up or down also appeared.
Not knowing which way to go, I chose the one going up for now.
I pricked up my ears.
People's voices could be heard faintly from afar.
'Did I wander down a strange path?'
'A Workshop...'
This place is a Workshop.
They manufacture Golems, and they have a bit of a cyberpunk feel to them.
I wonder what exactly I have to do in this hidden clearing.
As I went up the staircase while imagining this and that, an Iron Gate appeared at the end.
Creaaak...
It didn't seem to be locked.
I quietly opened the Iron Gate.
A bright Corridor appeared.
"...Is it all resolved? The broadcast has gone quiet."
"The Security Force must have handled it. More importantly, listen. About the DF-5 Experiment, if we lower the Mana Tension a bit more and test it again..."
People were just about to come out around the corner of the Corridor opposite me, so I used Stealth for now.
People wearing White Coats like researchers revealed themselves.