Chapter 89
I moved to the Reward Room.
I checked the rewards.
As expected, it was one item and one Skill Stone.
[A Skill Stone didn't drop.]
Given that it was purple, it was an Epic Grade Skill Stone...
The only Epic Grade Skill I currently had was Subspace.
Would the Storage Capacity increase if I enhanced it?
Right now, it is a Subspace capable of storing up to 100kg.
But it felt like a waste to use a Skill Stone on a skill that was no different from an Inventory, and it was already sufficient, so I didn't feel the need to increase the capacity...
I decided to keep it for now.
It would be better to enhance a better Epic Grade Skill when I get one later.
Next was the item.
Usually, Hidden Items were all related to the Hidden Story... What was this?
I picked up an object that looked like an ID card.
[Item: Kalundi Empire's Second-Class Citizenship]
It is the Kalundi Empire's Second-Class Citizenship. As a Subject of the Kalundi Empire, you acquire the right to receive the empire's protection. Upon use, you summon two knights of the Kalundi Tribe for 30 minutes to receive an escort. Once used, it can be reused after 24 hours.
“...It's citizenship?”
The prince did say he would give it as a reward if I won the match.
The effect was a Summoning-type Ability.
Summon two Escort Knights of the Kalundi Tribe for 30 minutes.
I tried using it first.
Pat!
With a faint flash, two Kalundi Tribe Knights appeared on either side of me.
“Excuse me?”
I tried talking to them.
Whether they couldn't or wouldn't, there was no answer.
I tried moving.
The two Knights followed closely behind me.
“Stop.”
I tried giving them various commands, but they didn't listen.
They just followed me around as if fulfilling their escort role exactly as the Item Description stated.
Would they react if I attacked them?
Smack!
When I punched one, the Knight took the hit without defending and fell over.
It got back up and approached my side again.
Hmm... What kind of ability is this?
The Knights were quite strong, but they only escorted me, and there was a 30-minute Time Limit.
It didn't seem very useful.
I Unsummoned the Knights.
Anyway, the 6th Floor Hidden Strategy was safely finished.
[Difficulty: Nightmare]
[Floor: 7th Floor]
[Level: 85]
[Willpower: 4,050]
[Skill: Line of Destruction (Epic+), Subspace (Epic), Sixth Sense (Rare+)(+2), Teleportation (Rare+), Rapid Regeneration (Rare+), Scorching Zone (Rare+), Flame-style Lesser Arrangement (Rare+), Sword of Light (Rare+), Cavalry Charge (Rare+), Flame Strike (Rare)(+5)...]
I went outside.
I returned home and entered the 6th Floor again.
Now it was time to post the 6th Floor Information.
I was going in and out of the 6th Floor, organizing the information, and writing it in the communication window when...
- Why are you writing this kind of trash?
Ma-Wang asked.
“Because I'm the Record Holder.”
- So what?
“I'm sharing the information so others can clear it easily too.”
- I'm asking why you're doing such a thing.
Ma-Wang said as if he couldn't understand.
- From the looks of it, if you can't clear it, this World is doomed too, isn't it?
“Roughly, yes.”
- Then you should rule like an Emperor while receiving the reverence of All People. What on earth are you doing? The Fate of the World rests in your hands, does it not? Use that to threaten and subjugate the people.
Crazy talk again.
“I don't do things like that.”
- Why!
“...Because I'm a Normal Person? Unlike you, Demon Lord.”
Ma-Wang really only said things that showed his terrible personality. Was it obvious since he was Ma-Wang?
- What a frustrating fellow.
Ignoring Ma-Wang's words, I finished writing the information post.
Suddenly feeling curious, I asked.
“What happened to your World, Demon Lord? It was eventually destroyed by the Tower's Curse, right?”
Did the people in Ma-Wang's World also all turn into the Fallen, making it no different from Hell?
Ma-Wang did not answer.
[...Did I ask too lightly? It's still a story about someone else's world being ruined.]
I just went back to finishing the information post.
* * *
Person123 successfully cleared the Zone 4 Boss.
People were now anticipating the upload of the Nightmare 6th Floor Strategy Guide.
Since this 6th Floor Clear took exceptionally long, everyone was waiting with bated breath, wondering what on earth had appeared.
[Person123: This is the 6th Floor Strategy Information.]
And as expected, it wasn't long before the 6th Floor Information post went up.
[Person123: ...The difference from other difficulties is that Nightmare has three Forward Lanes. One Goblin spawns as an Allied Unit, and three Ogres spawn as Enemy Units...]
As expected, the contents were shocking this time as well.
There were three forward lanes; the enemy monsters were Ogres, and on top of that, there was a penalty where the monsters would continuously double in number and their resistance would increase if the cores weren't destroyed in order.
There was even a trap where the very first core that had to be destroyed was the Own Core.
[Chobap: ...The monsters double every time the order is wrong? And there are three lanes?]
[Durururu: Wow, that's truly terrible.]
[Gaiheun: How many times did Person123 get it wrong before succeeding? He should have let us know that too.]
[Trojan Horse: Even so, he probably couldn't have done something as crazy as breaking his Own Core right away. Wouldn't he have gotten it wrong at least three times?]
[Dokni: Even if he only got it wrong three times, that's a total of 72 Ogres every 30 seconds. *Shivers*]
[Pantba: It took him two hours to clear it. Maybe he got it wrong even more than that...]
[Pokpung: No wonder Alejandro failed. How on earth are you supposed to clear this on the first try?]
[Tarantula: Person123 cleared it.]
[Park Jae-Woo: He's a god, so he's an exception.]
As always, people clicked their tongues at the awfulness of the Nightmare Difficulty and praised Person123, who had managed to clear it once again.
“...Therefore, for this 6th Floor, it seems we only need to be careful of the boss, just like on the 3rd Floor.”
Inside the General Meeting Room at the US Climbing Bureau Headquarters.
Those seated nodded at Max's briefing, which analyzed and summarized Person123's 6th Floor Strategy Guide.
The biggest hurdle of this 6th Floor would have been the order of destroying the cores and the resulting penalties, but since Person123 had revealed all the gimmicks, it was no longer a concern.
The Latecomers would be able to destroy the cores without getting the order wrong and without much difficulty.
Even with three Forward Lanes, the turrets would be able to hold out against three Ogres long enough while the cores would be destroyed in order.
However, the problem was the boss.
According to the information posted by Person123, the boss was a much larger Ogre.
It had no special abilities, but its characteristics were monstrous strength and tenacious vitality. The Perceived Level was around Level 60.
From the perspective of the Level 50s Latecomers, it was a formidable enemy, but since it was said to have sluggish movements, they would have to target that aspect well.
Since they had been spoon-fed this much, the rest was entirely up to the Latecomers to endure.
[It feels like he's gradually entering a different realm...]
The US Government's Secretary of Defense, who participated in this meeting, thought with a serious expression.
Person123 always showed nonsensical strength that didn't match his Expected Level.
Even when he had only cleared up to the 4th Floor, he had instantly killed Wang Kai, the Hard Difficulty Record Holder and the Zone 3 Boss. By clearing this 6th Floor, he must have grown significantly stronger once again.
He was the Savior of the World, and it was unimaginable for him to become hostile to Humanity.
Still, from the position of the Secretary of Defense, he couldn't help but run a one-in-a-million Simulation in his head.
How effective modern Conventional Firepower would be against the Strongest Climber, and what strategy one should use to face him.
However, seeing that he had solo-cleared even the Zone 4 Boss, which was estimated to be in the Level 80s... attempting to predict his capabilities might now be a meaningless endeavor.
Technological Advancement through magic stones was continuously taking place, but Person123 also grew stronger the more he cleared the tower.
No matter how fast technology advanced, it would be impossible to keep up with his growth rate, which would increase exponentially every year.
The Secretary of Defense felt a renewed, deep sense of gratitude.
The one holding the Fate of Humanity was a Benevolent Person like Person123.
If he had tried to do something to the World, there would be no telling how chaotic a state the World would be in by now.
The Secretary of Defense hoped that he would continue to clear Nightmare in the future, and that he would please remain the Savior of Humanity until the very end.
* * *
After the posting of the 6th Floor Information.
I entered the 5th Floor.
It was to check the monsters in the newly opened Zone 5.
The environment of Zone 5, which unfolded beyond the border of the Zone 4 Snowfield, was... how should I put it?
It felt a bit like a Mysterious Forest.
“It's dreary.”
It was completely covered in white mist, so I couldn't even see an inch ahead properly.
Diul's Suggestion Ability was for Piercing Darkness, so it couldn't clear up a field of vision blocked by mist like this.
I strode forward along the Forest Path.
The monsters would be in the Level 50s at most anyway, and even if a monster suddenly ambushed me, I had Sixth Sense.
Besides, I had even drunk the Frozen Hydra's Blood, so I had an Indestructible Body that wouldn't die easily.
Also, even if I lost my sense of direction because of the mist, I could just return with Warp, so there was no worry about getting lost...
Just as I thought that, my Sixth Sense faintly sounded an alarm.
Seeing the monster pop out through the mist from the side, I used Time Stop.
[A Skeleton?]
It wasn't a living creature, but bones.
But it wasn't human; it looked like a dinosaur.
I finished my Mental Concentration and used Time Release.
Slash!
I activated the Light Sword and blew off the neck of the Bone Dinosaur that was trying to bite my head.
“This guy has no presence.”
Or did it?
It also seemed like this mist itself was masking the monsters' presence.
Anyway, Zone 5 was quite a dangerous Field in itself.
It was hard to perceive the monsters until they came right up close.
The monsters I discovered while roaming the Zone 5 forest like that were Bone Dinosaurs and giant Inchworms.
Of course, they were all at a level I could easily handle.
It seemed like there would be more monsters if I kept wandering around, but I decided to call it a day and returned via Warp.
It was a frustrating field to just wander around in because of the mist.
[I should leave a warning.]
I immediately posted the information about Zone 5 in the communication window as well.
It was because just entering it seemed very dangerous for other Climbers.
Due to the Field Characteristics, the Hunting Speed would likely be much slower than in Zone 4...
Seeing the Zone 5 Boss would probably only be possible after clearing the 7th Floor.
I just have to be diligent.
My daily life was no different.
I was entering the 5th Floor to do a Monster Hunt and going in and out of the 6th Floor to help other Nightmare Challengers with their Strategy Preparation.
Time flowed by like that.
- ...According to statistics, the number of believers of the Person123 Church in the country is estimated to be over 3 million in total. As the years go by, the church continues to show tremendous growth...
I was rolling around on the sofa watching TV after eating lunch.
My cell phone rang.
When I checked who it was, it was Joo-Won, a senior I was close with when I attended University.
“Hello? What's up, Joo-Won?”
I answered the phone, but for some reason, the voice over the speakerphone sounded gloomy.
- Seohyeon, um... Have you contacted Jiwu recently by any chance?
“...Older Sister Jiwu? No? Why?”
Older Sister Jiwu was Joo-Won's girlfriend.
The last time I saw her was back then.
In the past, when the Association and the US Government were fighting and the Believers of the Person123 Church were protesting in the streets... I saw her joining in and protesting there.
I hadn't really contacted her since then.
- No, it's nothing. Sorry for contacting you after such a long time.
“What's wrong? Did something happen?”
Joo-Won tried to change the subject.
His voice sounded so bad that I got worried and kept asking, and eventually, he answered with a deep sigh.
- Right now, Jiwu has cut off all contact with me and her family...
“What? What do you mean?”
- Haa, the thing is... It seems Jiwu has fallen into a weird cult.