Chapter 121
[1. All Climbers Immune to Tower’s Curse]
[2. All Climbers above the 2nd Floor Gain 2 Levels]
Two options were presented.
I couldn’t help but be surprised after checking the first reward.
[1. All Climbers are Immune to Tower’s Curse]
All Climbers become permanently immune to the Tower’s Curse.
“All Climbers…?”
I cleared the last Branch Tower in the past.
Back then, the Curse Immunity Privilege also appeared as one of the options for the special reward.
But back then, it was a single-use item that could only be used on one person…
This time, it was for all Climbers?
In other words, all Climbers would be able to avoid death even if the Tower’s Deadline ran out.
That is, if I chose this.
…Are they serious?
They’re really giving a reward like this?
Of course, if all humanity except for the Climbers died and became the Fallen, the world would become hell anyway.
When I thought about it that way, it didn’t seem to have much meaning…
No, Climbers can also enter the Tower, right?
Even if the world became a mess, it wouldn’t be impossible for Climbers above the 5th Floor to live on the 5th Floor.
Even if the world perished someday, the Climbers at least would survive.
It was that kind of reward.
Besides, climbers are strong. They can continue to grow.
If the surviving Climbers gradually dealt with the Fallen, returning the world to normal someday might also…
While imagining such things, I turned my eyes to number 2.
[2. All Climbers above the 2nd Floor Gain 2 Levels]
The levels of Climbers in all difficulties above the 2nd Floor will increase by 2.
The second reward.
All Climbers above the 2nd Floor are gaining 2 levels.
It meant the overall combat power of the Climbers would be strengthened.
It wasn’t just a mere 2. Even 2 levels made a significant difference.
In terms of easy difficulty, it was like getting the level reward for two floors for free.
However, the first reward of Climber curse immunity was…
“Hmm…”
I crossed my arms, glaring at the options.
I stopped time and thought.
Then, Ma-wang spoke.
- Choose number 2.
'…Why?'
- Because number 1 is a ridiculous temptation.
I knew it too.
Ma-wang was probably telling me to never trust the Tower.
Even assuming Climbers became immune to the Tower’s Curse, if the deadline ran out and the curse descended, the problem would persist.
Would the Tower system still operate like it does now?
What if we could no longer enter the Tower?
Even if we could enter, living on the 5th Floor meant living inside the Tower.
It was no different from living inside a tiger’s maw.
Above all…
I was thinking about insurance in case I failed again.
A reward to prepare for the destruction of the world and a reward that would be even slightly helpful in clearing the Tower in the future.
Which one should I choose?
'…'
Suddenly, such a thought also occurred to me.
If I chose the first reward, the Climbers became free from the Tower’s Curse.
…Would the Climbers of other difficulties still desperately try to climb the Tower then?
Right now, only nightmare difficulty is the problem.
If I continued to succeed in clearing, the other difficulties would also become a problem.
The other difficulties could also end up being chased by the deadline in the not-too-distant future, starting with Hard Difficulty.
Even the current highest floor climbers hadn’t chosen a single Quarantine Zone.
If a way to survive opened up, the expectation that Climbers would still risk their lives climbing the Tower to extend the deadline…
It was hard to have.
Of course, there would be many such climbers, but I was speaking relatively.
In addition, the balance between the general public and Climbers would completely collapse.
The Climbers would relatively end up in a position of too much power.
Climbers had minimum insurance even if the world perished, but the general public did not.
I couldn’t guarantee that Climbers wouldn’t try to maliciously exploit that difference in position.
I wasn’t on the side of the Climbers, nor was I on the side of the general public.
But if I had to choose, it was the latter, which had a much larger number.
It was natural to make a choice for the sake of as many people as possible.
Compared to that, number 2.
It was clean.
The overall combat power of the Climbers would increase. That was it.
Choosing number 2 would help all Climbers clear the Tower in the future.
Of course, it would be a little more helpful to me too.
…Even so, number 1 was a sweet option.
It was probably because my lifespan was nearing its end, so I kept thinking about what would happen after the destruction.
- Do not think about what comes after failure. Whatever preparations you make, the failure will already be over by then.
Ma-wang said.
After a long agony…
I decided on the reward.
[You have selected “All Climbers above 2nd Floor Gain 2 Levels” as the reward.]
I couldn’t be sure if this was the right choice.
Taking the time to regret and look back on everything was a luxury. Now is not the time.
[The levels of all Climbers above the 2nd Floor will increase by 2.]
[Difficulty: Nightmare]
[Floor: 9th Floor]
[Level: 107]
[Willpower: 6,270/6,270]
[Skills: Line of Destruction (Epic+), Hellfire Eruption (Epic)(+1), Subspace (Epic), Sky-Treading Steps (Epic)…]
[Will you exit the Tower?]
I exited immediately.
I returned to the living room of my house.
- …It is reported that all Quarantine Zones, including the Republic of Korea, have disappeared! A true miracle has occurred! Person123 alone selected 9 Quarantine Zones and succeeded in killing the boss…!
As soon as I returned, the excited voice of the news anchor could be heard from the TV.
My family was looking at me with faces as if on the verge of fainting from surprise.
“Seohyeon, you… you…”
My father couldn’t even speak properly.
I scratched the back of my head, smiled, and said.
“I defeated it easily. It was nothing.”
I felt sorry for startling them.
But since I instantly killed the boss as soon as I entered, the boss probably didn’t even have time to be terrified.
Anyway, I had returned safely.
* * *
Shin Sujin and Kang Juhyeok of the Climber Bureau were standing at the border of the Quarantine Zone.
The entire Seoul City was caught within the range of the Quarantine Zone.
In front of the barrier, there was a crowd of citizens trembling with anxiety and fear.
“It’s truly wicked…”
Kang Juhyeok muttered miserably while looking at the semi-transparent blue barrier.
Shin Sujin also looked calm, but inside, she was swallowing despair and helplessness.
Even up to Hard Difficulty, no one had chosen a Quarantine Zone.
[Currently, the highest floor Climber of nightmare difficulty, 'Person123', is selecting Quarantine Zones.]
[Remaining selection Time: 59 seconds]
All that remained was nightmare difficulty, Person123's choice.
In the end, he was burdened with all the weight again.
But right now, this is a situation where even he will be helpless.
The ridiculous penalties followed even if one chose just a few Quarantine Zones.
There was a physical limit, no matter if it was Person123.
Shin Sujin bit her lip tightly as she looked around at the despairing people.
'Korea…'
Still, wouldn’t he probably choose Korea?
Even in the midst of it all, her heart harbored such hope.
Since she was also Human, it couldn’t be helped that she prioritized her own country.
But if Person123 chose the penalties and ended up dying…
She was confused about what choice she should hope for him to make.
Was he also agonizing over it right now?
Just like when he chose the penalty on the 4th Floor, he had always made choices to save everyone.
But right now, no matter how you looked at it, saving everyone was impossible.
Shin Sujin found it hard to guess how painful his feelings must be.
She only hoped that he wouldn’t make an unreasonable decision.
If a 30% reduction in physical abilities and willpower was a penalty that even Person123 would find hard to handle, then it would be right to give up on the Republic of Korea too…
[The highest floor Climber of nightmare difficulty, 'Person123', has selected Quarantine Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.]
“…?!”
The message popped up before her eyes.
Shin Sujin was dumbfounded, then quickly turned pale.
“N-No…!”
Why make such a choice…!
[The highest floor Climber of nightmare difficulty, 'Person123', has killed the boss monster.]
[Quarantine Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 have been deactivated.]
“…Eh?”
Shin Sujin let out a dumbfounded voice.
“Uh… Uh? Uh?”
Kang Juhyeok also blinked blankly next to her as if he couldn’t understand.
The communication window was the same.
After Person123 selected all Quarantine Zones from 1 to 9.
They didn’t even have time to be terrified at the boss kill message that popped up right after.
[Banta: ???]
[Steak Seasoning: ?????]
[Soshimin: Huh?]
Did it take about 5 seconds?
For a moment, it was hard for everyone to accept what had happened.
Even the communication window’s chat froze for a moment, then exploded.
[Coconut: Waaaaaaaaaahdjfkdlsajfkdlsajfkdls]
[Loki: Crazy. Is this real?]
[Da Vinci: The Quarantine Zones are disappearing!]
[Justice: Wow…]
[Sohaengseong Collision: Person123 is a god! Person123 is a god! Person123 is a god! Person123 is a god! Person123 is a god!]
The Quarantine Zones disappeared worldwide all at once.
- The Quarantine Zones have disappeared! Person123! The hero of humanity…!
The citizens who had been despairing and resigned cheered as if they had witnessed a miracle.
Waaaaaaaaah-!
“Sob… We lived! We lived!”
“Did Person123 choose our Quarantine Zone?!”
“Look at the news! It says Person123 chose all 9 zones!”
Person123 selected all Quarantine Zones and deactivated them.
How on earth?
[Armor: …He defeated the boss while bearing 9 penalties? The Level 90% Reduction, skill prohibition, and Item Prohibition penalties?]
[Cyclops: It didn’t even take a few seconds. What happened?]
[Phoenix: Fuck, how did he do it lololol? It doesn’t make sense lolololol!]
[Celly: Is he even human? How is this possible?]
[Theseus: He’s not human, he’s a god!]
[TXT: No, seriously… He’s really no different from a god at this point…]
There was no way anyone could understand.
The highest floor climbers of other difficulties couldn’t even handle a single penalty.
Person123 had practically defeated a boss of the same level despite being powerless, and in just a few seconds at that.
All humanity literally thrilled and went wild.
Beijing, China.
Ye Cheonwi, who was looking at the message, let out a low exclamation.
“Ah…”
Person123's ability is absolute.
It was a fact that Ye Cheonwi blindly believed more than anyone else.
But even he hadn’t dared to imagine this.
Not just to select a few, but to actually select all 9 Quarantine Zones and defeat the boss…
Ye Cheonwi didn’t think deeply about how this was even possible.
Soon, he rose from his chair and knelt on the floor.
Holding the rosary of the Person123 Church, he bowed reverently.
It was a worship directed at the god of humanity, who might have truly become a transcendent being by now.
Meanwhile, at a branch of the Person123 Church.
“…The One has now transcended even the Tower’s Law.”
As the followers prayed on their knees, a man looking like a pastor continued with a trembling voice in front of them.
“Even after losing almost all abilities, he thwarted the Wicked Tower’s Manipulation. Once again, he saved everyone without leaving a single person behind.”
“Ah…!”
“It is proof that The One no longer even needs the abilities given by the Tower as a Climber. He has shed his human form and is finally advancing on the true path to godhood!”
The followers wept with deep emotion.
Following the 8th Floor clear, he thwarted the Tower’s terrible malice once again.
The followers couldn’t help but deeply worship their god.
[A special reward is given to the Highest Floor Climber who Deactivated the Most Isolation Zones.]
[A special reward is given to 'Person123'.]
[Currently, 'Person123' is selecting a reward.]
[The levels of all Climbers above the 2nd Floor will increase by 2.]
In addition, such a message even popped up.
An overall 2-level increase for Climbers above the 2nd Floor.
[Shark: Wow, what? My level went up!]
[Stairway to Heaven: Did Person123 choose this as a reward?]
[Azure Dragon: Did he perhaps not choose a good reward for himself and choose an overall reward instead?]
[Geppetto: Great Person123… Just how altruistic are you!]
[Random Number: This person is the god of humanity. I’m not joking; I truly believe he’s a god now.]
Person123 alone ended it in a single breath, even the rule of the 8th Floor that was so despairing.
All humanity praised him and praised him again.