Chapter 100
As promised, I am going to give Ma-Wang two hours of free time a day.
After finishing the Limit Test, Ma-Wang moved to the 5th Floor.
While occupying my body, Ma-Wang could also use Skills or enter and exit the tower, making it possible to use the Tower System.
[Don't reveal yourself to other people.]
Ma-Wang had no interest in the Climbers on the 5th Floor.
He floated up into the sky and flew, heading towards Zone 4. In Stealth, of course.
For reference, communication with Diul was possible even when I had handed over my body.
Diul seemed to strongly dislike Ma-Wang occupying my body, but he still lent his power whenever I asked.
[Come to think of it, Demon Lord, you use magic without Mental Concentration.]
When one saw Ma-Wang use his power, it seemed so.
Is Concentration Time just a restriction attached by the tower?
"Would casting be necessary to use such Low-grade Magic?"
That didn't seem to be the case either.
It seemed Ma-Wang must also need Mental Concentration to use High-grade Magic.
Since he calls them all Low-grade Magic, I don't know what High-grade Magic is, but...
Hwioooo-
I arrived at Zone 4, where a Blizzard raged.
Ma-Wang continued to fly around Zone 4 before landing on top of a large Mountain Peak.
[What are you going to do?]
I asked out of curiosity.
What was he trying to do here?
Ma-Wang looked around and said.
"First, I should build a palace."
[What?]
Ma-Wang raised his hand.
Kugugugu-
The chill gathered, and giant ice made a start rising from the ground.
Watching that sight, I knew what Ma-Wang was trying to do.
No... is he trying to build a Palace out of Ice right now?
Ice was forming the shape of a building from the bottom up.
The scale was extraordinary, making me wonder just how big a palace he was trying to make.
[...Wait a minute. I think you should take it easy.]
I said urgently.
Using power excessively would lead to Body Collapse.
Since this was the 5th Floor, even if Body Strain came, it was impossible to clear it and recover.
Ma-Wang snorted and said.
"Do not make a fuss. I will take care of it."
Like that, Ma-Wang started building a giant Ice Palace on top of the Snow Mountain.
[What are you going to do by building a Palace here?]
I asked because I couldn't understand.
"I am a king. A king must have a palace. Why ask the obvious?"
Ma-Wang replied with some nonsense.
I also cooperated at that time, stopping time in between to replenish Willpower whenever it dropped.
In a state where it looked like not even 5% was completed on the outside, Ma-Wang stopped using his power.
Body Strain was slowly starting to come.
"Tsk, anyway, this damn body."
Ma-Wang muttered in dissatisfaction.
It seemed he intended to complete the castle here every time the body recovered.
I wondered what this useless act was, but...
Anyway, the promise was to give him free time as long as he kept the conditions.
If he wants to play around quietly building a castle here, then whatever.
The Body Strain subsided, and Ma-Wang made a start at building the castle again by adjusting his power little by little.
* * *
Secret Military Facility in Virginia, USA.
Shuuuu...
Taylor stopped her actions and caught her breath.
Various types of Military Equipment were deployed around her, and among them were some that had been damaged during the recent Experiment Process.
"Great work, Taylor."
Staff Members came out of the Observation Room and approached her.
A setting observed by Military Researchers, General Officers, and the Director of the Climbing Bureau.
The purpose of the experiment conducted here under the supervision of the Department of Defense was simple.
To extract Multi-faceted In-depth Data on a Climber, specifically the Highest Level Climber currently in existence.
Of course, it went without saying that 'highest level currently in existence' implicitly excluded Person123.
"It's truly amazing... To think that all items exceeded expectations."
Director Raymond of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Director of Climbing Bureau Liam nodded at his words mixed with admiration, but inwardly swallowed his displeased feelings.
When Taylor cleared the Nightmare 6th Floor and achieved Level 60, the one who was actually the most excited was the Pentagon.
The institution that was most wary of the power of superhumans called Climbers was the military, and what it always lacked was data.
In the midst of that, Taylor had pushed up to Level 60 without giving up or failing the Nightmare strategy.
Although there were a few American climbers in a similar level range, including Alex, they were technically on the Association's side and not in a position to be that cooperative with the Government.
Taylor was originally a former soldier and an agent of the intelligence agency, with deep patriotism for her nation. She actively cooperated with the military's requests.
It was also the reason why Liam, who was watching, didn't feel entirely pleased.
Climbers were originally under the jurisdiction of the Climbing Bureau, so the military taking a Climber and demanding this and that for experiments was quite displeasing from the start.
Of course, the Experiment Intensity was set with Taylor's safety as the top priority. She was America's Treasure, after all.
He also knew that the military had its own stance.
It was the Era of Upheaval. Even now, quite a few countries in Africa are in a state of chaos due to Climbers. It was the result of the State's Deterrent Power failing to handle the Climbers' strength.
That might perhaps be a microcosm of a future global event.
It just wasn't noticeable yet, but even now, the Balance of Power is gradually heading towards a precarious point.
So they were preparing to further analyze the combat power of Climbers and to further develop technologies and defense measures that could counter them.
"How is it? Up to what level can the current military power handle Climbers?"
Director Raymond answered Liam's question.
"Based on the Physical Endurance Increase Ratio of Climbers according to their level, even if they exceed Level 100, it wouldn't be impossible to kill them with Conventional Forces. It doesn't mean much since we'd have to endure Catastrophic Damage, though."
The US Military had experience dealing with a Stage 5 Fallen during the Fallen Incident.
Based on that data, if one were to imagine a Level 100 Climber—a Monster much stronger and more intelligent than a Stage 5 Fallen, with the added variable of Skills—running rampant in an Urban Area...
That would truly be a disaster. It would be no different from a war.
Unless they were prepared to blow away the entire city, suppression would be difficult.
"It might actually result in less damage to just detonate a nuke."
Raymond laughed.
He seemed to be making an unfunny joke, but the Pentagon had probably already run a simulation on using nuclear weapons as well.
"So we must strive to prevent such a disaster from occurring in the first place."
Liam said.
If the role of the Department of Defense was to prepare for a war against Climbers.
The Climbing Bureau's role was to accommodate, appease, and co-opt more Climbers in a direction friendly to the Nation.
Raymond shook his head and said.
"Well. I personally think it's an inevitable future. human desire to unleash the power they possess is bound to explode eventually."
"Perhaps."
Liam finished his rather unwelcome conversation with him and approached Taylor.
"Great work, Taylor."
Taylor seemed to be doing a Hwak-in of her communication window, she said.
"I need to go to the 5th Floor for a moment. Mr. Alex is calling me."
Liam nodded.
Taylor was so busy that even having several bodies wouldn't be enough, what with granting the military's requests and going in and out of the tower.
Furthermore, Liam was not unaware that she was secretly hunting in the 5th Floor Zone 5.
In any case, Taylor's will was firm, so there was no way to stop her, and the Climbing Bureau was just anxiously leaving her alone for fear of unnecessarily offending her.
"Is it a Zone 3 Boss-Related Matter?"
"Yes."
An even more important event was right around the corner, namely the Zone 3 Boss.
With Person123 having previously hunted the Zone 3 Boss alone, currently no other Climbers have obtained the Normal Reward.
For the first time in almost two years, the gauge was almost full and the opportunity returned. It was also delayed because hunting was dispersed when Zone 4 opened.
Of course, Taylor would also participate in the boss battle because she needed to get the reward.
Liam inwardly prayed that this boss battle would end safely.
* * *
[Cheetah99: The Zone 3 Boss is spawning soon]
[Prohid: I wonder how it'll go. Have the Public Order Squad and the Black Star Society released any statements?]
[Arrow: It seems like everyone is in a cooperative mood this time, for now]
There was a feeling that it had passed anticlimactically with Person123 achieving the First Clear of both the Zone 3 and Zone 4 Bosses alone.
Originally, a boss battle was a Super-large Event for Climbers.
This returning Zone 3 Boss Battle was no different from an All-Star Game where all the Maximum Level Climbers would gather and fight.
[Zone 3 (99.0%)]
Leaving 1 Percent on the Boss Gauge for Zone 3, both the Public Order Squad and the Black Star Society held a Final Meeting at the Drake Restaurant on the 5th Floor.
Prior Consultation had already been completed. The objective was to cooperate and defeat the boss without being on edge or interfering with each other.
With many people watching, Public Order Captain Alex and Black Star Society Leader Li Zeyan shook hands with each other.
The Climbers from the Black Star Society left, and the Security Officers talked.
"Can we trust those Black Star Society bastards?"
Even though quite some time had passed, the parties involved still remembered the Wang Kai Incident.
Of course, the Black Star Society's stance had completely changed lately, but it couldn't be helped that it still felt uneasy.
Alex said.
"We should be vigilant, but there's no need to worry too much. The Black Star Society has no reason to act rashly."
Anyway, Person123 took the First Clear Reward, and for the Normal Reward, Person123 just needed to achieve a certain amount of contribution.
So this boss battle was not a competition. There was no reason to fight each other.
More than that, Alex thought about Ye Cheonwi.
The true Hidden Mastermind is holding China and the Black Star Society in his grasp.
Even in this meeting, he put forward Li Zeyan, who was merely a Figurehead President, but anyway, Ye Cheonwi also needed to get the reward, so he had no choice but to participate directly in the boss battle.
Alex also personally had a lot of curiosity about him.
Well, before that, he would have to worry about whether they could safely catch the boss...
Alex let out a sigh.
"...Will Person123 help us?"
"Has the reply not come yet?"
Currently, the Public Order Squad has sent a whisper to Person123 asking for help with this boss battle.
Of course, compared to two years ago, the Climbers' combat power had increased, but still, the Zone 3 Boss had the strength of at least Level 60.
There was no information other than that it was a Flying Monster and that it used a Fire-breathing Attack from its mouth.
Because Person123 had one-shot it.
Even if it was a bit shameful, if they could just get Person123's help—of course, help didn't mean asking him to participate in Direct Combat, but rather Oversight.
Just as the Officers of the Public Order Squad supervised the boss battles when Low-level Climbers hunted the Zone 1 and Zone 2 Bosses.
Even if Person123 just watched this Zone 3 Boss Battle and only stepped in when it was dangerous, their worries would be greatly lessened.
"He will definitely help us."
Shin Sujin said to Hwaksin.
Because the Person123 she knew was not someone who would refuse such a request, perhaps he was already thinking of helping.
"But is Person123 really that strong?"
One Security Officer asked with a curious smile.
Vince, who had recently joined the Public Order Squad, was a member.
A Level 48 Climber on the Hard 13th Floor, he was a Rookie who, despite being young, had his skills recognized and quickly received an Officer position in the Public Order Squad.
Deputy Commander Justin said.
"It's not even a matter of being strong or not. That person is just in a different dimension."
"I've always only heard about it, but I've never seen it myself. Still, he's the same Human. Aren't you all exaggerating too much?"
Justin shook his head. There was no point in explaining.
"More importantly, Vince, you punk, be careful. Don't get excited and run wild as you please again. It's not just a hunt, it's a boss battle. One wrong move and you die."
"Hey, I know that too, Deputy Commander. I'll be careful."
Watching Vince answer half-heartedly, Justin clicked his tongue.
He had outstanding talent and skills, but perhaps because he was still young, he was immature. He also tended to frequently cause Position Deviation during normal hunts.
Anyway, the Day of Decisive Battle will be the day after tomorrow.
When tomorrow came, according to the agreement, both the Public Order Squad and the Black Star Society would go out hunting in Zone 3 and fill the gauge up to 99.9%.
The day after that, they would join forces to fill the remaining 0.1%, and then immediately start the boss battle.
Alex prayed that all the Security Officers participating in the boss battle would be able to return safely.