Chapter 27
Time passed after the Seo Dong-woo Incident.
The news reported that Seo Dong-woo was ultimately shot and killed by an Agent of the Climber Bureau's Climber Surveillance Department.
Since nothing in particular happened even as time passed, thankfully, it seemed my identity hadn't been discovered.
\[Lotus: Thank you.\]
I also received a random message of gratitude via a whisper in the communication window. It was from Section Chief Shin Sujin.
We exchanged a few words asking if she was okay, but we didn't contact each other further.
I wasn't a criminal, but for some reason, public officials from the Climber Bureau made me feel completely uncomfortable.
...Or was I? Being an Unregistered Climber and filing a False Difficulty Report was technically illegal.
Let's just say I was a lawbreaker rather than a criminal.
Anyway, it seemed she would keep my secret safe in the future, so I didn't need to worry.
"Wouldn't it be better to stay hospitalized a little longer, Dad?"
"Ugh, enough. They said my bones are all healed, so what for? I can't stand being cooped up."
Fortunately, my father recovered well without any lingering aftereffects and was discharged.
When I thought about it again, it was a stroke of luck from the heavens.
Because of that crazy bastard, I almost never got to see my father's face again.
- Doesn't this Seo Dong-woo Incident tell us something? Climbers are dangerous! They are no different from walking killing machines!
- We need to refrain from such generalizations. Seo Dong-woo was a vicious murderer imprisoned for massacring an entire family. This incident occurred because an inherently problematic villain gained power; it is not right to lump the majority of good-natured Climbers together and slander them.
- Still, isn't it an undeniable fact that Climbers are dangerous? The country was turned upside down by the rampage of just one person. Climbers are no different from ticking time bombs that could go off at any moment...
- Didn't this tragedy happen because of the government's lax preparation and response? We need stronger restrictions on climbers!
- We especially need proper countermeasures against high-level Climbers. In just a few years, the average level of Climbers will jump significantly. If a second Seo Dong-woo appears, they will be much stronger than Seo Dong-woo...
- How do you propose we prepare these countermeasures? Don't just talk; give us a detailed alternative.
- If not Climbers, who will climb the tower? You all are mistaken about something: Climbers are the future of the world! We should be thinking about preventing crime with more friendly policies. What will you do if we use such coercive methods and Climbers leak out to foreign countries? Realistically...
Whenever I watched news debates, the participants were just spouting those same arguments for a while.
I didn't really care, but there had always been a lot of talk about the treatment of Climbers.
I completely understood people's anxiety, of course.
And the idea that Climbers were walking killing machines... well, the expression was harsh, but it wasn't exactly wrong.
If I hadn't been a Climber myself and my father had suffered such a mishap, I might have ended up hating Climbers quite a bit.
But then again, psychos like that were only a minority.
Since I was a climber now too, it felt a bit unfair that public perception was getting so bad.
Well, maybe it wouldn't feel unfair if I were at least reaping some sweet benefits.
How great would it be if I could just live comfortably by doing Repeat Clears of the 1st Floor?
\[Fruit Fly: Is the Korean Joker dead?\]
\[Gold and Silver: He's dead. I heard an Agent from the Korean Climber Bureau went toe-to-toe with him and killed him.\]
\[1ruryuru1: It was pretty funny how that guy monopolized the communication window and spouted all that blah-blah bullshit.\]
\[Horororo: But he really was a crazy bastard. Didn't he break through all the prison guards shooting and escape?\]
\[Majimakipsae: I heard he was over Level 20? high-level Climbers are really no joke.\]
Anyway, the Seo Dong-woo Incident, which had been quite a hot topic not only in Korea but globally, gradually lost people's interest as time passed.
As the Clock Hand of Ruin ticked on, people's concerns inevitably converged back to a single point.
Would the world really not end this year?
I was curious too.
Whether I would be able to clear the 3rd Floor or not.
\[Nightmare\]
Participants: 258,326
Time Limit: 185 Days 1 Hour 34 Minutes 59 Seconds
Reached Floor: 3rd Floor
About half a year had passed since my 2nd Floor Clear.
During that time, my daily life hadn't changed, except for the fact that I quit college.
I had technically put it on a leave of absence for now, but since it couldn't be extended indefinitely, it was no different from quitting.
"Wow, how did even Seohyeon become a Climber? It's fascinating."
"Does our school have some kind of special energy or something?"
"Come visit sometimes. Come and buy us food."
I told my friends that I was quitting because I became an Easy Climber.
They were all good guys, so it was a shame I wouldn't be able to see them often in the future.
Oh, and my younger sibling also graduated from high school and entered college.
She said she ruined her CSAT, but she went to a decent place. I bought her a laptop as a gift.
"Let's go, Diul."
I had now received full permission from my parents regarding my Climber activities.
Since I had nothing but free time all day, I entered the tower whenever I had the chance.
Part of it was to maintain my physical senses, but the main purpose was, of course, to get closer to Diul.
However, I still hadn't unlocked any New Ability.
The connection definitely seemed to be getting clearer, but...
I really had no idea when this guy would show me a New Ability.
"Diul, haven't we gotten pretty close by now? I'm starting to feel a bit hurt."
Even when I talked to him like that, all I got back was a haughty emotion, like he was snorting at me.
I wasn't asking for much; I just wanted some kind of change before I challenged the 3rd Floor.
\[Nightmare (8)\]
There was also a change in the number of Nightmare participants.
Three more had been added to the original five, bringing the total up to eight.
In addition to the US, China, Russia, and India, I heard Australia had also produced one.
However, there was no way to know if anyone had succeeded in a 2nd Floor Clear.
A Global Announcement would pop up if someone broke the record for the Highest Floor, but it didn't announce every little thing.
\[Person123: Has anyone succeeded in clearing the 2nd Floor by any chance?\]
I was curious, so I asked Mr. Rhinoceros once.
\[Rhinoceros: Shamefully, there is no one yet.\]
That was the answer I got back.
Still, it seemed they were just preparing, not that they had died while challenging it.
But no matter how I thought about it, the 2nd Floor seemed as if it would be easier than the 1st Floor as long as you had the information...
Was I wrong? Honestly, I couldn't really get a feel for it.
I had challenged it at Level 15 thanks to the Hidden Reward, but the others were in a position where they were Level 10.
I figured the Minotaur might be a very tough boss by Level 10 standards.
Honestly, I didn't have any particular expectations for the other Nightmare Challengers anymore.
I had already decided to take on the role of Vanguard myself anyway.
If, by some one-in-a-million chance, someone followed closely and succeeded in clearing a new floor before me, then good for them.
If it happens, great; if not, whatever.
That was exactly how I felt.
\[Chicken Sandwich: Mr. Kim, I would like to deliver the skill stones to you.\]
I also received a message from Billon after quite a long time saying he would give me the skill stones.
Maybe it took time because he was gathering them to deliver all at once, but this time there were three.
\[Chicken Sandwich: ...A Rare Grade Magic-type Skill called “Blade Storm” and a Normal+ Grade Magic-type Skill called “Fairy Light Bullet”, and one Normal+ Grade Skill Enhancement Stone.\]
Two skill stones and one Skill Enhancement Stone.
The important thing was that both skill stones were Magic-type Skills. One was even Rare Grade!
It couldn't have been easy to obtain them, but Billon, as always, just gave me the Skill Description without showing off.
\[Chicken Sandwich: I will continue to deliver the skill stones through the Magic Stone Courier from now on. I would love to meet Mr. Kim in person, but it seems we should refrain from direct contact as much as possible.\]
According to Billon, he tried his best to obtain the skill stones secretly, but he couldn't completely avoid the eyes of the Climbing Bureau.
Since he might be under some surveillance, the person acting as the Magic Stone Courier would deliver the skill stones from then on. I replied that I understood.
He was a busy man with many public and private affairs, so there was really no need for Billon to come and go personally in the first place.
\[Person123: Then I'll deliver the Highest Grade Magic Stones through The One as well. Is that okay?\]
On the appointed day, I received the skill stones along with the magic stones.
I also handed over a bundle of Highest Grade Magic Stones to the other party.
The foreign man, as always, just gave a silent bow and coolly walked away.
I briefly heard from Billon that they were conducting various research utilizing the magic stones...
Well, however they use them, I hope they put them to good use.
I returned home and opened the skill stones.
\[Skill: Blade Storm (Rare)\]
It creates a sharp gust of wind within a 3-meter radius, dealing damage to and knocking back all targets within range. It requires 50 seconds of Mental Concentration to cast.
Category: Magic-type
Willpower Cost: 150
Cooldown: 1 Minute
\[Skill: Fairy Light Bullet (Normal+)\]
Fires small light bullets imbued with the power of light. Can generate up to three orbs, and the Willpower Cost stacks by 5 for each additional orb. Requires 10 seconds of Mental Concentration to cast.
Category: Magic-type
Willpower Cost: 20, 45, 75
Cooldown: 5 Seconds
Blade Storm definitely felt like an AoE Skill.
And Fairy Light Bullet,
The description for this one was a bit subtle... but the Skill Cooldown is incredibly short, isn't it?
I learned all the skill stones.
\[Would you like to enter Nightmare Difficulty: 2nd Floor?\]
I entered the tower to test them out right away.
If the Knight Goblin was my skill test subject on the 1st Floor, on the 2nd Floor, it was the Minotaur.
I crossed the Lava Stepping Stones one by one and climbed the tower until I reached the place where the Minotaur was.
Mooooo-!
"Yeah, nice to see you too."
As if it were glad to see me too, the Minotaur charged vigorously toward me.
I used Time Stop.
First, I tried using Fairy Light Bullet.
Vwooom-
As I used the skill, small lights like fireflies floated up around me.
I fired all three orbs toward the Minotaur.
The lights exploded with a pop pop pop and hit the Minotaur.
Hmm, is this the extent of its power?
Visually, the explosive power wasn't that great.
If Flame Strike was a cannonball, this was about the size of a bullet.
The Minotaur only flinched for a moment before charging at me again, bleeding.
I dodged lightly and used Fairy Light Bullet again.
Pop pop pop!
Its power fell far short of Flame Strike.
But after using it, I found it had a different characteristic from Flame Strike.
With Flame Strike, once fired, it could only fly in a straight line.
But with this Fairy Light Bullet, I could control its flight path to some extent.
If I wanted to, I could fly it in a curved trajectory, or even make it fly in a zigzag pattern.
"Not bad?"
A short 5-second cooldown.
And with a maximum of three orbs, relatively free guided attacks were possible.
*Above all, I liked the overwhelmingly short cooldown.*
However, the Willpower Cost did stack and increase with each additional orb.
But since the Mental Concentration time and Willpower Cost were not a demerit for me, it wasn't something I needed to worry about.
Rooaar-!
And it was only weak compared to Flame Strike; Fairy Light Bullet's power wasn't exactly low either.
Having already been hit by several light bullets, the Minotaur was bleeding quite a bit.
Thoroughly enraged, the Minotaur roared and charged again.
Now it was time to taste the main dish.
I waited until the Minotaur got close, then I used Time Stop.
After finishing my Mental Concentration, I cast Blade Storm.
Kwoooosh!
With a harsh roar, a tornado raged around me.
The Minotaur, which was within the hit range, was sent flying as if it had bounced off.
"Oh."
It has this much knockback power even against a charging target?
I approached the fallen Minotaur.
Moreover, the destructive power was considerable.
With just one hit from Blade Storm, the Minotaur's entire body was torn to shreds, reduced to rags.
The accumulated damage from Fairy Light Bullet probably played a part, but it perished just like that.
An AoE Skill that strikes within a 3-meter radius.
A 1-minute cooldown, and this level of power.
A 3-meter radius couldn't be considered a very wide range.
However, striking all enemies in an omnidirectional radius centered around me was definitely a skill with a distinct advantage.
I smirked.
"Thank you, Billon."
As I considered the theme of the 3rd Floor, it seemed I had obtained some pretty excellent skills.