Rare+ Skill Selection

I was surprised after reading the item description.

*A Rare+ Grade Skill?*

Moreover, it wasn't just a Skill Stone.

It was giving me the choice to pick one out of five.

As expected from a grimoire, all of them were Magic-type Skills.

I read through each Skill description.

[Skill: Lesser Mind Control (Rare+)]

It controls low-grade creatures by dominating their minds. Up to ten individuals can be controlled. It requires 3 minutes of Concentration to cast.

Category: Magic-type

Willpower Consumption: 200

Cooldown Time: 1 hour

Lesser Mind Control.

It said I could control low-grade creatures.

Could this be the magic that old mage used to control the Goblins?

This was Teleportation.

As the name suggested, it was simply a Teleportation ability.

Flame of Corruption, huh.

This seemed like an Attack Skill similar to Flame Strike.

Huh, could this also be it?

The description seemed similar to the ability the old mage used.

*Is it like an Area of Effect Skill?*

[Skill: Life Drain (Rare+)]Absorbs the life force of nearby living beings. Requires 1 minute of Concentration to cast.Category: Magic-typeWillpower Consumption: 10 per secondCooldown Time: 1 minute

Lastly, Life Drain.

It was an ability to absorb life force.

The effects weren't detailed.

What's good about absorbing life force? Does it heal my injuries?

“Hmm…”

So I had to choose one of these.

I didn't even need to consider the Concentration Time or Willpower Consumption Amount.

What mattered to me were only the Skill Effect and Cooldown Time.

Lesser Mind Control and Life Drain.

I immediately ruled out those two.

Lesser Mind Control's Cooldown Time was too long. An hour was too long, really.

Moreover, the description "low-grade creatures" was ambiguous.

If it could only control Monsters like Goblins, then it wasn't an ability worth coveting.

Life Drain was excluded for a similar reason.

I couldn't precisely tell what the advantage of absorbing life force was.

It's probably health recovery or injury healing, I guess.

Because the Willpower Consumption was 10 per second, it seemed like a Skill that activated continuously once cast.

Could I use this during combat? Could I move while using it?

Plus, there was the condition of having to be close to the target.

Overall, it was uncertain and ambiguous.

Three Skills remained.

This was where the real deliberation began.

All three Skills seemed to have their own advantages.

[Skill: Flame of Corruption (Rare+)]Sprays the Flame of Corruption that decays living beings. Requires 20 seconds of Concentration to cast.Category: Magic-typeWillpower Consumption: 20 per secondCooldown Time: 30 seconds

This also consumed Willpower per second, like Life Drain.

But then, didn't that mean I could keep using the Skill as long as my Willpower didn't run out?

Moreover, the description said it "sprays" flames, so I could roughly guess the form of the attack.

*It's probably like a Flamethrower.*

Infinite Flamethrower is quite appealing.

It looked quite good for me, who practically didn't have to worry about Willpower running out.

The only catch was that I already had an Attack Skill.

[Skill: Shadow Swamp (Rare+)]

Deploys a Shadow Swamp over an area to Bind and attack enemies. Requires 3 minutes of Concentration to cast.

Category: Magic-type

Willpower Consumption: 200

Cooldown Time: 10 minutes

Huh, this one too?

This must be the magic the old mage used, right?

Is one able to use such an Area of Effect Skill with Instant Cast?

Ah, this also looks really good.

However, the Skill Cooldown was a bit long.

[Skill: Teleportation (Rare+)]

Teleports within a 10-meter range. Requires 30 seconds of Concentration to cast.

Category: Magic-type

Willpower Consumption: 150

Cooldown Time: 1 minute

Finally, Teleportation.

This was... just good.

Of course, at first glance, it's completely useless.

Teleporting a mere 10 meters with a 30-second Casting Time? I don't even know what kind of magic this is.

It wouldn't even take 30 seconds to crawl 10 meters.

But for me, Concentration Time was meaningless.

This meant I could use Teleportation freely and instantly even during combat.

Especially in situations like when I was hit by an arrow last time, I was facing an unavoidable attack even with time stopped.

Teleportation would make it possible to evade.

It would be like having a very useful Evasion Skill.

After some thought, I made my decision.

Acquired 'Skill: Teleportation (Rare+)'

As I selected the Skill, the grimoire crumbled and disappeared.

They all looked good, but Teleportation was definitely better.

There was one more crucial reason.

The Tower, regardless of difficulty, shared a certain theme for the same floor.

Even though Nightmare 1st Floor was ridiculously difficult compared to other difficulties, I still had to face Goblins.

And the theme of the 2nd Floor was a jump map.

Didn't they say lava rises from below and you have to step on platforms to go up?

So, choosing Teleportation was the right move in consideration of the 2nd Floor.

After all, I had to choose what would be most helpful for clearing the next floor immediately.

I tried using Teleportation right away.

*Pop.*

My body teleported after 30 seconds of concentration.

“Oh.”

I looked back to check the distance I had moved. It was quite fascinating.

After experiencing Teleportation for the first time in my life, I checked the other rewards.

[Rare Skill Enhancement Stone]

It can enhance one Rare Grade Skill.

A Skill Enhancement Stone appeared.

They said this was even rarer than Skill Stones.

The only Rare Grade Skill I currently had was Flame Strike.

Should I use it on Flame Strike right away?

I used it without much hesitation.

*Use it or lose it.*

Anyway, I wouldn't get any more Skills as rewards unless I entered the 2nd Floor.

And if I were to enter the 2nd Floor, there was no reason to be arrogant and not use this before entering.

[Would you like to use ‘Rare Skill Enhancement Stone’? (Available Skill: Flame Strike)]

[‘Rare Skill Enhancement Stone’ used on ‘Skill: Flame Strike (Rare)’.]

‘Skill: Flame Strike (Rare)’ has been enhanced, and the number of condensed flames has increased.

[Skill: Flame Strike (Rare) (+1)]

Launches two Condensed Flames to cause an explosion. Requires 20 seconds of Concentration to cast.

Category: Magic-type

Willpower Consumption: 100

Cooldown Time: 30 seconds

A +1 Mark appeared next to the Skill Name.

The number of condensed flames increased, so does that mean I can now shoot two?

I thought about trying Flame Strike in an empty space but decided against it.

My Willpower was depleted after using Teleportation once.

It was annoying to wait, so I'd check it later.

The last reward to check was... a Magic Stone.

A Magic Stone of the Highest Grade.

It seemed a bit larger than the previous reward.

But it's still a useless item.

To sell Magic Stones, I had to register as a Climber and obtain Sales Qualification. Since I was an Illegal Unregistered Climber who hadn't reported myself, there was nowhere I could sell this.

Well, I never expected to earn money anyway.

My constant trips to the Tower, which I never intended to set foot in my entire life, were solely for the peace of this world.

Hah... Is there any other self-sacrificing spirit as touching as this?

If I die doing this, I wonder if anyone will erect a statue for me.

But I'm getting a bad feeling.

Aren't the rewards a bit too generous?

No matter if it's a First Clear Reward or a Hidden Route clear.

The rewards I'd already obtained from the 1st Floor were one Rare Skill, one Rare+ Skill, and a Rare +1 Enhancement.

Plus, my level was already 15.

...What kind of hellish trial awaits me on the 2nd Floor that they're giving out so much?

That felt truly ominous.

“Can't someone else clear the 2nd Floor...?”

I really wish someone else would clear the 2nd Floor within the time limit.

But before that, at least one 1st Floor Conqueror needs to emerge.

I wonder how the Nightmare Clear Project in America is going.

The self-sacrificing spirit I'd just muttered about was long gone. In fact, it was never there to begin with.

I really don't want to do this.

I already did the 1st Floor, didn't I? Huh?

Please, someone else take over from the 2nd Floor.

Then I'd be confident in cheering them on more enthusiastically than anyone else.

[Would you like to exit the Tower?]

I left the Tower.

I'm hungry.

I should eat the leftover galbi-jjim and rice from breakfast.

* * *

After clearing the 1st Floor's Hidden Route.

Time passed quickly.

Whenever I had time, I would enter the 1st Floor and perform a Repeat Clear.

Perhaps because I had cleared the Hidden Route, the old mage was no longer there when I went down the Underground Passage.

Magic Stones weren't necessary, but the reason for Repeat Clear was just to Maintain Practice, I guess.

After all, I couldn't just sit around without preparing for the 2nd Floor.

Rhinoceros: Always grateful. Have a good day.

Occasionally, I exchanged whispers with Mr. Rhinoceros.

He still consistently sought my advice.

I was just telling him what I had experienced in as much detail as possible, so it wasn't really "advice," but it was fortunate if it helped him.

While talking with Rhinoceros, I added more detailed information to my posts.

For example, whether there was a set interval for three Goblins to appear, or if all of them had to be defeated for the next three to appear, how long exactly it took for the Stone Gate to close, and at what precise timing the Crossbow Goblin appeared... and so on.

Even these minor details could be important.

Mr. Rhinoceros was just the first; many others sought my advice about the Nightmare 1st Floor via whispers afterward.

Among them were people from Our Nation's Special Climbing Department.

I wasn't sure, but I guess our country was also working hard in its own way.

I helped anyone who asked for advice on the 1st Floor, regardless of nationality, as much as I could. I completely ignored other requests, though.

I desperately hoped someone, anyone, would succeed in clearing it and give me hope.

Had my wish finally been granted?

[Nightmare (2)]

“...Huh!”

One day, I entered the communication window and was startled by the changed number.

About three months had passed since I cleared the 1st Floor.

Finally, a new Nightmare 1st Floor Conqueror had appeared.