Chapter 98
[The 7th Floor clear for All Difficulties is complete.]
[The Tower calls for New Personnel.]
I was moved to the Reward Room.
My frozen and crumbled body began to heal.
The frost melted away, and my separated upper and lower body fit itself back together as if time were reversing, regenerating in an instant.
Ma-Wang raised the body.
I spoke in admiration.
‘...Demon Lord, you're quite amazing, aren't you?’
Even so, I didn't think you'd be able to clear it this easily.
Ma-Wang snorted.
“I was making such a fuss over this much. I couldn't even use a speck of my True Power.”
Is that so?
Anyway, I got properly carried by Ma-Wang.
‘Demon Lord.’
“...”
‘But you should give it back now.’
“Tch.”
Ma-Wang seemed quite reluctant to obediently return the body.
Still, he didn't stubbornly refuse to give it back.
Soon, control of my body returned to me.
It wasn't that I couldn't feel my body's sensations while Ma-Wang had control, but there was a somewhat floating feeling.
I checked the rewards.
I saw a purple skill stone.
It was an Epic grade.
Now that I've reached the 7th Floor, it seems Epic grades drop even without a Hidden Strategy.
I read the Skill Description.
[Skill: Hellfire Eruption (Epic)]
It erupts powerful flames of Hell in the form of a pillar within a 20-meter radius. Casting requires 30 to 150 seconds of Mental Concentration. The longer the Concentration Time, the higher the skill's power and range.
Category: Magic-type
Willpower Cost: 700
Cooldown: 2 minutes
“Oh.”
A Magic-type dropped.
Nicely enough, it was Fire-type.
Thanks to the Zone 3 Boss bracelet and the Fire-style Passive, Fire Magic was the most efficient for me anyway, because the power gets amplified.
Based on the description, it's a Charging-type Skill similar to Line of Destruction?
[Acquired 'Skill: Hellfire Eruption (Epic)'.]
Since the name itself was hellfire, I was looking forward to its power.
It would be weaker than Line of Destruction, but it meant I gained another Burst Damage Skill.
Perhaps because an Epic Grade Skill appeared, there were no other rewards, but I was satisfied since the skill turned out well.
[Difficulty: Nightmare]
[Floor: 8th Floor]
[Level: 95]
[Willpower: 5,000/5,000]
[Skills: Line of Destruction (Epic+), Subspace (Epic), Hellfire Eruption (Epic), Sixth Sense (Rare+) (+3), Teleportation (Rare+), Rapid Regeneration (Rare+), Scorching Zone (Rare+), Flame-style Lesser Arrangement (Rare+)...]
[Nightmare]
Personnel: 575,092
Deadline: 1 year, 20 days, 15 hours, 4 minutes, 16 seconds
Reached Floor: 8th Floor
I checked my status window and confirmed that the deadline had increased.
Feeling the relief of having passed another hurdle, I let out a sigh.
This 7th Floor clear was also tough.
If Ma-Wang hadn't helped at the end, I really might have failed.
‘...But is it okay to clear it like this?’
It felt like I cleared it using a cheat.
According to the Tower's previous expression, Ma-Wang was an existence like an error.
That was why it tried to eliminate Ma-Wang, saying it would correct the error.
It seemed to have failed somehow because I stopped time.
Why is it quiet now even though I openly cleared it with Ma-Wang's power...
Or is it unable to interfere anymore?
I couldn't figure it out even if I thought about it, so I stopped thinking.
Well, as long as I cleared it, it's fine.
Good is good.
“Anyway, thank you, Demon Lord.”
- If you're thankful...
“Ugh, I'm exhausted. I should get out and rest.”
I had a lot of things I wanted to ask Ma-Wang about the power he had shown.
But I was tired.
I have suffered enough, so I'm going to rest for now...
* * *
In the 21st century, or perhaps in the remaining history of Humanity.
The date of the 20th could now be said to have become the most symbolic date.
When the 20th of every year arrived, a day even officially designated as the 'Day of Destiny' by the UN, people all earnestly prayed for one person's success.
[Fire Ant: Everyone's praying hard, right?]
[Shane: I'm trembling, trembling. Please, I beg of you again this time! Person123!]
[Kalguksu: He's going to succeed unconditionally anyway, so what's there to tremble about? I don't even flinch when the 20th comes now. I'd rather say it makes me smile lol]
[Emperor: Stop spouting nonsense and just pray quietly, mister.]
[Lexidr: Just believe, you nonbelievers. There is no failure on the Path of Salvation that The One walks.]
[Firepower: But isn't the Tower making an offer this time? The Global Announcement isn't popping up.]
Not only the Media but also various show programs were bustling around this time.
“Then, Mr. Arlo, what do you think will happen with the Nightmare 7th Floor this time?”
The Podcast Show, The Jude Noise.
The Host, Jude, smiled and asked the man sitting opposite him.
The man was Arlo, appearing as a regular guest for the third time already, an Apocalypticist who used to argue that Person123 would fail and the world would eventually be destroyed.
He was someone who had always steadfastly maintained his pessimistic views despite suffering all sorts of mockery and public shaming from people, but...
“He will succeed.”
Arlo answered assertively.
That was a thing of the past. It had been a long time since he began to gradually change his stance, starting from the time of the Nightmare 4th Floor clear.
“Oho, how surprising. Have you changed your mind now too, Mr. Arlo?”
“Don't tease me, Jude. Though I suppose that's why you invited me here for the third time.”
Jude burst into laughter.
“That's right. My thoughts have completely changed now.”
“What made you change your mind, Mr. Arlo?”
“I remember saying this when I came on this show before. Nightmare is a die with 60 faces, and I didn't want to expect the result of the roll to keep being 60.”
Jude nodded.
“You did. I remember.”
“How many times has that 60 come up already?”
“Since Nightmare has currently been cleared up to the 6th Floor... we should consider that it has come up 5 times.”
“Exactly. Can we view this as a coincidence anymore?”
Arlo smiled and shook his head.
“Now, anyone has no choice but to acknowledge Person123's extraordinariness, that it's not a coincidence or luck, but solely the result of him being special.
I said miracles don't happen multiple times, but that was my mistake. It's not that clearing each Nightmare floor is a miracle, but his very existence is a miracle for Humanity.”
“Your stance really has completely changed, hasn't it?”
“Isn't it all being proven by the results? Person123 is clearing Nightmare every year as if to show off. It's something only he can do, because even Spain's Alejandro, who gathered expectations by achieving the Fastest Clear of Nightmare, couldn't overcome the wall of being the first.”
Arlo spoke with increasing enthusiasm.
“Since Person123 set the time of the 20th, the world that used to be a mess has been stabilizing surprisingly every year. The crime rate has plummeted, and so many social problems have been resolved.
We must all be feeling that atmosphere. Even as the Nightmare Deadline approaches, there are far more people harboring hope than those despairing. Isn't it truly amazing?”
Of course, Apocalypticists still exist.
There are people who think Person123 will also fail someday, and there are religions that consider the Tower as God's Judgment and worship it as a god.
But compared to the early days when the Tower appeared, they were merely a minority. Now, far more people harbor the hope that they will be able to continue living.
It was all because Person123 was giving people faith with his Overwhelming Ability and his altruistic actions solely for the peace of the world.
“It truly is amazing. I completely agree with your words.”
Jude pointed to the rosary-like bracelet Arlo was wearing.
“Come to think of it, Mr. Arlo, I've been curious for a while... isn't that bracelet the symbol of the Person123 Church?”
Arlo smiled a bit sheepishly and raised his wrist.
“That's right. I joined too.”
“Haha, you've even become a fervent Believer now.”
“Well, it's not a group with strong religious colors. Honestly, I sometimes think... shouldn't anyone who is part of Humanity join?”
There was a brief period when religious groups related to Person123 faltered after the Cheonin Church Scandal in Korea, but those were merely underground cults.
The Salvation Church, the root of the Person123 Church, was still actively growing its scale, becoming more massive as time went on.
“I believe that the miracle of Humanity will once again gift us a year of life. It will definitely be so this year as well.”
Meanwhile, in Times Square, New York, United States.
With only 15 hours left until the Nightmare 20-day Deadline, a large crowd had already gathered here as well.
People who came out with light steps to pray for success, Followers of the Person123 Church praying formally, reporters wandering around covering such people...
As time passed and the crowd grew denser, a few people shouted.
“...It's a success!”
“The 7th Floor has been cleared! Waaaah!”
The shouts of the Climbers who saw the announcement first served as a signal flare.
The people gathered in the square erupted into a massive roar. Everyone rejoiced, hugging each other and putting their arms around each other's shoulders.
It was a much earlier clear than on the previous floors. So this year, people didn't even have time to be anxious.
[Jeomsu: We live another year! I believed in you, dammit!]
[Hedgehog: Ah... thank you for saving Humanity this year as well.]
[Dayoung: Honestly, it feels like a given result now lol]
[Snowman: See, I told you. You just have to believe and wait.]
[Gugu: One person is really holding up the whole world.]
With this, it's the 7th Floor.
There is no failure for Person123.
As Nightmare was cleared floor by floor, people's faith grew stronger just like that.
However, as for how long this moment of joy would continue every year, it was uncertain.
That was something no one could know.
* * *
- Person123 has saved Humanity again this year. We have news that the Nightmare Difficulty 7th Floor was cleared around 5 AM today...
Kim Seo-A, who woke up late in the morning, was surprised to see the news.
It said the Nightmare 7th Floor was cleared at dawn while she was sleeping.
The 6th Floor last time was also challenged during the day and cleared earlier than the previous floors, and this 7th Floor was cleared early as well.
“Haa...”
The world isn't ending this year either.
Kim Seo-A let out a sigh of relief, feeling her heart pounding.
Click.
The room door opened, and Kim Seohyeon also came out to the living room.
Kim Seo-A spoke excitedly.
“They said the 7th Floor clear was a success!”
“Yeah, I saw.”
"We passed this year too," Kim Seohyeon muttered like that after glancing at the TV screen.
Then he went to the kitchen, drank some water, and went right back into his room.
It was a consistently indifferent reaction every time.
Kim Seo-A had never once seen Kim Seohyeon rejoice upon hearing the news that Nightmare had been cleared.
“...”
Come to think of it, we couldn't do it again in the end.
She had thought that this year, without leaving Kim Seohyeon out, she would definitely pray for the Nightmare clear together with the Family in the Living Room.
Of all times, whenever Nightmare was cleared, Kim Seohyeon was either outside the house or sleeping at dawn.
It must be a coincidence, of course. It must be a coincidence, but...
Kim Seo-A stared intently at Kim Seohyeon's room door.