Chapter 13
I returned home, looking around for no reason.
"Phew..."
I actually went and met him.
Billon Must had said he would just leave the skill stone if I set a location, but I figured if he was going to try something funny, the method wouldn't matter anyway, so I just met him face-to-face.
It was fascinating to see someone in person that I had only seen on the internet.
He wouldn't do a background check on me, would he? Was I tailed on the way back?
Since the other party was a big shot like Billon Must, all sorts of thoughts crossed my mind.
Phew, forget it.
It was already irreversible anyway, so I decided to just let things be.
“You are the hope of Humanity. Please clear the 2nd Floor.”
I could feel the sincerity in his words, but...
I also wondered why he was going this far for me.
I wasn't the only Nightmare Challenger anymore.
If Billon Must had wanted to, it would have been much easier to invest in the Clearer from the United States.
Did he judge that the First Conqueror had the highest chance to clear the 2nd Floor as well?
Come to think of it, maybe he had already invested everything over there and was just taking care of me too. The basics of investment are diversification, after all.
I stopped paying attention to those trivial things.
\[Skill: Leap (Normal)\] Instantly amplifies leaping ability. Category: Physical-type Willpower Cost: 10 Cooldown: 15 seconds
I examined the newly acquired skill.
The Willpower Cost was only 10, and the cooldown was on the shorter side.
“Look at how cheap the cost is.”
And there was no weird stuff like Mental Concentration either.
Compared to a Magic-type Skill, it was an absolute steal.
Well, that might also be because its grade was Normal Grade.
I decided to test the Skill right away.
\[You have entered Nightmare Difficulty, 1st Floor.\]
I entered the tower and tried using the Leap Skill.
I was jumping as high as I could from a standstill.
My body shot up explosively, as if the stone floor had become a trampoline.
"Oh...!"
I almost hit my head on the Cavern Ceiling.
As I landed on the floor, a tingling shock ran through both my legs.
I think I just jumped almost 20 meters.
Since it was a Normal Grade, I hadn't expected much, but it was a Skill that enhanced jumping power far more than I thought. Didn't it at least double it?
Kereu... Kek-
I took care of the Goblins coming out of the Passage and continued testing the Skill.
I tried jumping forward from a standstill, and running from one end of the Common Area to the other before jumping.
It wasn't a difficult skill to use.
However, just like teleportation, I needed time to get used to the sense of distance.
‘I think I'll get used to it after a few days of practice.’
I decided to enter the 2nd Floor after that.
Since I got a new skill, I should build up my proficiency before going in.
---
Jackal, the second Nightmare Challenger who appeared in the Climber Communication Channel.
His provocation toward the First Nightmare Conqueror, Person123, had been a topic people excitedly gossiped about for a while.
\[Satan: Looks like he's actually confident about clearing the 2nd Floor? Just how good of a 1st Floor Reward did he get?\] \[Yukaru: More than that, he probably got all the support funneled to him from his country. It's the United States, after all.\] \[Banana Peel: Rumor has it that the Nightmare Challenger is Level 10.\] \[Unicorn: If it's Level 10, isn't that 2.5 times that of Hard? Is the difference really that big?\] \[Elevator: Easy 10th Floor = Nightmare 1st Floor lolololol\] \[Meteor: What a mannerless guy. Talking like that when he also benefited from Person123's information.\] \[Kandrick: What are you talking about, Friend? He's saying he'll challenge it first and share the information about the 2nd Floor.\] \[Cheeseburger: It's true that we should be cheering him on instead of cursing him out. If it's not for those six people, the world is going to end.\]
And a few days later, when one number disappeared from the Nightmare Communication Channel, the communication channel flared up once again.
\[Missile: I knew this would happen when he was acting all cocky lololol\] \[Haksho: Are you laughing? The chances of the world ending just increased.\] \[Machine Brain: Is there anyone else challenging it?\] \[Tuna Sushi: Is everyone still just reading the room?\] \[Magic Bombardment: Hahaha, damn it. The Day of Ruin is approaching again.\]
Just like a year ago, an atmosphere of anxiety was rampant as the time limit drew near.
US Climb Management Bureau.
After Jack failed, the Climbing Bureau's atmosphere was no different from a house in mourning.
For them, all their efforts over the past year had turned into bubbles in an instant.
They still had one person left, though.
Although it could by no means be called hopeful.
"Taylor, let's push the date back."
Taylor, who had been unwaveringly devoting herself to training for the 2nd Floor, sighed at the news Max brought.
"Does that have any meaning?" "Probably not. The higher-ups want to monitor the situation a bit longer." "...The situation, you say. Everyone must be thinking the exact same thing, waiting to see who will go in first."
It was a waiting game.
None of the remaining Nightmare Challengers would want to challenge the 2nd Floor first, even more so now that one has already failed.
A Nation that announced it would challenge the 2nd Floor? There were none.
China, India, and Russia were all quiet.
Even with only 20 days left until destruction, everyone was still just weighing his or her profits and losses.
At this rate, they would all just be amicably praying together until the very day the time limit ended.
"Even if Jack was reckless, I also think the direction he aimed for was right. He was someone whose challenging spirit deserved respect."
A project was started for humanity to establish this great nation as the frontrunner of Nightmare Difficulty.
Both of them knew. If they were this desperate to play it safe, it was a project that had failed from the start.
"So please proceed as originally planned. Even if approval isn't granted, I will enter."
Max wore a complicated expression.
How could he not know that someone had to take the lead?
It was just that the place she had to jump into was clearly Hell.
Jack, who had prepared thoroughly and received all the support, died in just one minute.
He couldn't even imagine what kind of nightmare-like trial was waiting on the 2nd Floor.
"I'm sorry, Taylor."
She would even be entering without receiving proper support from the authorities.
Since the decision to funnel all support to Jack was partly a result of Max, the 1st Floor training instructor, reflecting his own opinion, he couldn't help but feel even more ashamed.
Taylor also understood the meaning behind his apology and smiled bitterly.
"It was a natural decision. You don't need to apologize."
Concentrating resources on the side with a higher chance to clear was an extremely rational choice. The rest was just hindsight.
Taylor suddenly recalled why she had chosen to climb Nightmare Difficulty.
As an Agent of the Central Intelligence Agency Special Operations Division, Taylor had done many things for the country where she was born and raised.
The department she belonged to was a place whose very existence was officially unacknowledged. She participated in many Black Operations, killed and tortured enemies, and watched the deaths of close Comrades.
While she was increasingly feeling a sense of disillusionment, she was chosen as a Climber for Nightmare Difficulty.
She thought she had been pushed by a sense of duty and come too far to turn back, but a side path opened up.
If it was this, she could serve the Nation without having to watch anyone's death anymore, whether friend or foe. It was a matter that staked the fate of not just this country, but Humanity. It was the most important task of all.
So she quit everything and applied.
Since she had done so, she had to willingly go to the end.
Taylor looked down at her trembling hands before clenching them into fists.
I was hoping that there would be even a thread of hope.
---
After a few days of practice, I became completely accustomed to the Leap Skill.
I slowly prepared to enter the 2nd Floor.
Beloved Father, Mother, and Younger Sibling... I wrote a will and placed it in my desk drawer.
I hoped that this wouldn't need to be used this time either.
"Thanks for the meal. It was delicious."
As I was clearing my bowl after eating dinner, Mother spoke.
"Seohyeon, is something going on lately?" "Huh? No."
What's this? Was it obvious?
Father, who was sitting at the dining table, also glanced at me.
I thought I was acting as usual, but my parents were too quick to catch on.
"I guess I'm just feeling a bit restless. That's why." "...Don't worry. The world won't end that easily."
Father said, as if to reassure me.
"It was like that last time, and there will be someone who succeeds this time too. What was it I heard that First Conqueror is also preparing thoroughly with the help of the Russian Government?"
They must think it's because of the Nightmare Time Limit.
But since when did I get help from Russia? That's fake news, Father.
"Really? That makes me feel a bit relieved then." "Yeah, I'm telling you."
I showed them a smile and returned to my room.
I sat quietly at my desk and calmed my mind.
Even though I had strengthened my resolve like that, risking my life was still not an easy thing to do.
Honestly, I was hesitating even more than last time.
If last time I had a do-or-die mindset, now there is still quite a bit of the time limit left.
Do I really have to be the one to do it? If I wait longer, won't someone else succeed for me...
I soon shook off all those distracting thoughts.
Time passed, and it was the early hours past midnight.
After confirming that my family was all asleep, I quietly closed my room door.
I changed my clothes, put on my shoes, and stood in the middle of the room.
\[Would you like to enter Nightmare Difficulty 2nd Floor?\]
"Enter."
Alright, let's go.