Chapter 14
There are games in a certain genre.
Games where you have to make your character jump and step on platforms to reach the destination. They are so-called jump maps or Platformers.
The infuriating thing about these games is that after spending hours painstakingly climbing up, one slip and fall can send you right back to the starting point.
Still, if it were a game, you could try again.
When it became reality, it was a Climb of Death with no retries.
\[Chicken Curry: If possible, don't challenge the 2nd Floor. Just clearing the 1st Floor is enough for everyone to make a living.\] \[Cheolkeoktang: Fr, it's twice as hard as the 1st Floor.\]
They say Monsters don't appear on the 2nd Floor.
You just have to step on the platforms in mid-air and move to the destination to succeed in the clear.
However, if you slip even once, you'll just be roasted whole by the lava slowly rising from below.
Taking Hard Difficulty as an example.
The Gap between Platforms is about 5 meters, and the Platform Size is said to be a board about 50cm x 50cm wide.
They say the gap between platforms for each difficulty isn't physically impossible to jump, but continuously jumping across narrow platforms over boiling lava isn't something you can do with an ordinary state of mind.
I had also been doing my own custom training for the 2nd Floor.
Ultimately, the core of the 2nd Floor Clear is the ability to jump and land stably in the exact spot.
To develop that, I practiced jumping around a lot by drawing circles on the ground in the 1st Floor Cave.
Of course, under much harsher conditions than Hard Difficulty.
Because it was obvious that it would be unimaginably nasty this time too.
\[You have entered Nightmare Difficulty, 2nd Floor.\]
As soon as the scenery changed, a sudden heat hit my skin.
As soon as I entered, I used Time Stop first.
I slowly examined the sight unfolding before my eyes.
'Hmm...'
It's nasty as expected.
The Nightmare 2nd Floor absolutely did not betray my expectations.
The location wasn't outside, but an enclosed space.
It felt like the interior of an incredibly massive building.
In mid-air, black stone platforms were floating in a line, heading upwards.
As expected, bright red lava was boiling on the floor below. It was just like a sea of lava.
However, the width of the platforms and the distance between them were much worse than expected.
I was also standing on a platform from the Start, but the width was only barely enough to fit both feet.
You know those pine boards. The ones used for breaking in Taekwondo.
It was exactly that size.
I have to step on a platform this size and jump? To the next platform?
Isn't this really going too far?
The Gap between Platforms looked to be a little under 10 meters.
Seeing as it felt a little shorter than the maximum movement distance of Teleportation, maybe it was around 9 meters.
My sense of distance, honed while practicing Teleportation, was quite accurate.
It wasn't an impossible distance to jump.
With my current Physical Ability, it was a distance I could jump with room to spare.
The problem was just that the platforms were absurdly narrow.
If my landing was off by even the length of a 15cm ruler, I would fall down.
Was I confident? Not a chance.
But thank heavens.
I have the Teleportation Skill.
Just by using Teleportation, it was possible to get a free ride safely over to the next platform.
However, I had to take into account that the lava below would gradually rise and my Teleportation Cooldown was 1 minute.
...But fuck, I feel somewhat uneasy.
It's true that I have a good Skill, but could it really be this easy?
It was a simple hunch.
It felt like I shouldn't use the Skill recklessly.
“Or I could just use Teleportation as a lifeline.”
I could basically cross by jumping, and only use Teleportation if I happened to slip.
For reference, using Teleportation also erases the Kinetic Energy acting on me.
So even if I was falling in a weird direction, I could land without any problems if I used Teleportation above a platform.
Alright, then I'll save Teleportation for now.
I finished mentally preparing myself and used Time Release.
Rumble-
Ah, it's hot. The air is hot.
The sound of the lava boiling below was brutal.
I focused my attention on the next platform and took a deep breath.
"Huu."
One, two,... jump.
I pulled my waist back as far as possible and then jumped.
My body flew through mid-air toward the next platform.
I felt it when I had flown about 80% of the way. It was a success.
Thud!
I landed slightly unstably but soon caught my balance.
"Whoa..."
I actually succeeded.
The approach shoes with excellent grip that I specially purchased for the 2nd Floor also did their job perfectly.
Is it more doable than I thought? Maybe it's not impossible?
I looked down below.
The lava was rising quite quickly.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and prepared to jump to the next platform.
They say the brain can't process negative words, so visualizing “I will succeed” rather than “I must not fail” gives a higher probability of success for an action.
I also imagined myself successfully landing and leaped toward the second platform.
Ah, fuck.
I realized it as soon as I jumped. I used too much power.
My body flew up forcefully and completely overshot the second platform.
Before falling down, I looked at the third platform and used Time Stop in mid-air.
Life Chance activated.
I finished my Mental Concentration and used Time Release.
As soon as I released it, I used Teleportation to skip straight to the third platform.
"Phew..."
That was nerve-wracking.
Who was the bastard that claimed that pseudoscience about negative words? I almost died.
After pointlessly blaming science once, I regained my composure.
Still, I skipped two spaces at once.
\[Willpower: 50/200\]
My Willpower was nearly bottomed out from using Teleportation.
Let's wait until my Willpower recovers.
I waited patiently for over an hour in a Time-stopped State, then used Time Release.
After waiting an additional minute to cycle my Teleportation Cooldown, I prepared to jump to the fourth platform.
"One, two..."
Jump toward the platform.
This time... good. I succeeded.
I braced myself to land stably on the platform.
And the moment I landed on the platform.
My feet passed right through the suddenly translucent platform and sank downward.
"...!"
Wh-what.
Freaking out, I immediately used Time Stop.
...What is this. A fake platform?
Even though I was in a Time-stopped State, I urgently performed Mental Concentration.
I immediately used Teleportation to escape from mid-air.
The Teleportation distance barely reached the fifth platform.
I stood on the platform and looked back.
The Illusionary Platform had disappeared, and another platform had appeared to the side.
"Wow, no way..."
I was so dumbfounded that I couldn't even speak.
What kind of trap is this...?
I had never even heard of a trap like an Illusionary Platform.
It was something that only appeared in Nightmare Difficulty.
“This just means die if you don”t know about it.'
Unless you have a Movement Skill that can be used in mid-air, that is.
Not spamming Teleportation to move from the Start was the right answer.
If I had done that, I would have died on the Illusionary Platform.
I was so baffled that only admiration came out. I felt like I knew where the person who challenged this before me had died.
I kept time stopped and refilled my Willpower again.
The lava rose quickly and had now reached the platform where I first stood.
And I was currently at the fifth platform.
There were three platforms left ahead.
And after all the platforms ended, a large platform was floating there as if it were the destination.
Could that really be the end?
'There's no way.'
There's no way it would end with just this.
It was probably a midpoint. I could see something more behind it.
Anyway, it was truly dangerous now. Any more failures, that is.
The lava wasn't the problem.
The problem was that another Illusionary Platform could pop out.
If I failed a landing and used Teleportation to the next platform, but that platform was an illusion?
It would be a straight dive into the lava fire.
I gauged the remaining distance and thought.
“If I just cross one more platform...”
I might be able to skip the remaining two platforms at once?
With the Leap Skill and Teleportation, it looked like I could reach that large platform at once. No, it was more than enough.
Alright, one platform.
I just need to succeed this one time.
If I fail, then I'll really have to leave it to heaven's luck.
...Surely the remaining ones aren't all Illusionary Platforms, right? Conscientiously speaking.
I carefully prepared to jump.
And as soon as my Teleportation Cooldown cycled, I jumped toward the next platform.
Here I go...! Success!
Fortunately, this platform didn't disappear.
My two feet landed stably on the platform.
"Phew."
But aren't I pretty good at this?
Practically speaking, I succeeded in all of them except for one.
I looked down at the lava and then looked up.
I prepared for the final jump. I'm going all at once.
I used the Leap Skill and jumped with all my might.
My body shot up explosively and passed the remaining platforms.
I almost reached the large platform. But I fell a little short.
I used Time Stop in mid-air.
I covered the lacking distance with Teleportation.
I safely landed on the large platform.
A perfect success.
"...Now, is it over?"
I muttered that for no reason.
If it were Hard Difficulty, it would have ended here.
Of course, the Clear Completion Message didn't pop up.
Yeah, I know. I didn't even expect it.
I looked at the platforms continuing upwards again.
Platforms floating in rows of three.
One out of every three platforms was emitting a blue light.
The Gap between Platforms and the size of the platforms had become much more generous than before.
What is this? There's no way it could be this easy... I was thinking.
Suddenly, the blue lights of the platforms began to turn off.
I used Time Stop before the lights completely disappeared.
Ah, I roughly got the gist of it.
It means memorize the locations and cross, right?
But what am I supposed to do if you don't even give me 5 seconds to memorize them? How rude.
Of course, I had plenty of time.
While keeping time stopped, I memorized the locations of the Glowing Platforms and refilled my depleted Willpower.
There were a total of thirty platforms in ten rows of three, and this time too, there was a large platform at the end.
And I saw something like a door.
Could that really be the end? I hope it's the end.
I inwardly hoped so and memorized all the locations of the Glowing Platforms.
Counting from the left as 1, it was 1231321232.
I used Time Release and waited for my Teleportation Cooldown to cycle.
And I jumped to the first light platform.
As soon as I landed, the platform sank right down. Huh?
I immediately used Time Stop.
I quickly figured out what had happened.
“Are they fucking crazy, seriously.”
It seemed the Glowing Platform wasn't the correct answer, but a Trap Platform.
They're giving such a cheap fake-out?
Truly relentless, just relentless.
I used Teleportation and crossed over to the next non-glowing platform.
The platform didn't sink.
Just in case, I refilled my Willpower again and then jumped to the next platform.
I picked only the platforms without light and hopped across them.
I easily reached the Main Platform.
I saw a grand gate in front of me.
Please, can't this be the finish line?
I prayed inwardly and walked closer to the door.
*At that moment.*
The middle of the floor suddenly surged up, blowing my body sideways into mid-air.
"...!"
I used Time Stop while flying through the air.
Right, so there are traps like this too.
I wasn't even surprised anymore.
I calmly used Teleportation and returned to the floor.
"Let's keep it in moderation, please."
Normally, I would have died ten more times already, you piece of shit.
Afraid there might be another trap, I had to refill my Willpower and Teleportation Cooldown before moving.
How many times am I refilling my Willpower? I'm exhausted, just exhausted.
In actual time, not even 10 minutes had passed since I entered, but in my conscious time, I had been in Clear Progression for several hours.
Fortunately, there were no more traps.
I safely reached the front of the gate.
I tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open.
I tried pushing and pulling, but it didn't budge at all.
I couldn't see anything like a keyhole either.
What am I supposed to do with this now...
Even looking around, there wasn't really anything else. The lava was continuing to rise.
Wondering if breaking it was the right answer, I pounded on it with my fist.
Bang!
The thick wooden door cracked and dented.
*At the same time, a dangerous sound could be heard.*
Rumble!
"Huh?"
I looked down below.
Suddenly, the lava began to rise at an insane speed.
This is crazy, hold on a second.
I grew frantic and started pounding on the door with all my might.
It was breaking, but because the door was so huge, it wouldn't easily collapse.
A heat that felt like it was roasting my body surged up from below.
I stepped back from the door and cast Flame Strike.
KABOOM!
The gate was satisfyingly smashed to pieces.
*At the same time, the rising lava overflowed onto the floor where I was standing.*
"Uwaaaah!"
I screamed and entered through the door by a hair's breadth.