[Title: Guys, I Cleared the 10th Floor. Congratulate Me.]
Author: ㅇㅇ(D22.2E2)
‘The 10th-floor boss was easy~.’
(Image: A frog giving a thumbs-up)
The moment my post appeared on the Mage Gallery, comments flooded in.
As if they had been waiting for me.
‘Seriously, aren’t all these people A-rank or S-rank? Don’t they have anything better to do?’
‘How do they manage to comment instantly every single time I post?’
‘Surely, they haven’t set up notifications for my posts, have they?’
– Refrigerator: You went to the 10th floor alone too? You’re truly fearless….
– Pikachu: You should form a party. It’s scary just watching you.
– Magic is Firepower: If you’re worried about your identity being exposed, I could have my guild secretly assign one or two people to you…. We have many good tanks currently climbing.
– Pikachu: I can totally see you trying to recruit them subtly with that approach. Don’t fall for it.
Their reactions were perfectly normal.
Even on Hard difficulty, the 10th floor was widely considered an insurmountable wall to overcome alone.
– Beetle: Is it even possible to defeat the 10th-floor boss alone, without equipment? How did you manage it?
In response to Beetle’s comment, I eagerly began typing on my keyboard.
– ㅇㅇ(E44.4Y4): Thanks to the new skill I acquired last time, I’ve been pushing through quite easily.
– ㅇㅇ(E44.4Y4): Hold on. I’ll show you the combat footage.
[Title: Hunting Video.gif]
What I uploaded was a combat video I had edited beforehand.
It depicted four sand clones clinging to the Orc Chieftain’s limbs, buying time, while I pierced its heart with a colossal sand stake.
It was a short video, crafted by cutting together only the most dramatic moments.
Upon seeing my video, the gallery members were utterly astonished.
– Magic is Firepower: I’m truly speechless.
– Refrigerator: Didn’t you say you fainted after summoning two of those? Now you’re controlling four simultaneously?
–– ㅇㅇ(33C.33D): I’ve opened my eyes…. to realize the world is brimming with mana….
–– Refrigerator: So, your mana pool increased with an ‘Eye Opening’ skill (TL Note: ‘Gae-an’ refers to the opening of spiritual or inner eyes)? I get it.
– Beetle: I thought it last time too, but your control skills are unbelievable. This is talent. Pure talent.
– Beetle: I tried that body-insertion method last time too, you know?
I definitely felt the control become easier, but I couldn’t manage it as skillfully as that.
What’s the difference? Is it because the awakening method is different?
–– Refrigerator: From the very first step of transforming my body into ice, I had to concentrate so hard that I just gave up….
I’m just going to wait until I get a related skill.
My shoulders naturally rose with pride amidst the torrent of praise.
However, only one person, Pikachu, focused on a peculiar detail.
– Pikachu: But looking at the sand clones, they seem like a girl. Are you perhaps a girl?
‘Hmm, I tried to hide it, but did it show?’
Since the sand totems were exact replicas of my body, I uploaded the video with as much mosaic blurring and editing as possible.
Yet, it seemed I couldn’t conceal my gender entirely.
I began to spin the lie I had prepared.
‘Or rather, was it not entirely a lie?’
– ㅇㅇ(F11.111): No, I just prefer female characters, so I made it a girl. I’m a guy.
–– Pikachu: Don’t guys only play male characters? Something smells fishy.
– Beetle: ? Why would a guy play a male character? And don’t try to dig into the newbie’s personal info.
– Pikachu: Isn’t gender information okay, at least?….
– Beetle: Stop it. If the newbie leaves, will you take responsibility?
– Pikachu: Fine….
The troublemaker was swiftly suppressed by Beetle.
Just watching it unfold brought me a sense of relief.
With the troublemaker quelled, I seized the momentum and declared my intention to conquer the 11th floor as well.
– ㅇㅇ(F1N.A1E): At this rate, I think I can keep soloing from the 11th floor onwards!
– ㅇㅇ(F1N.A1E): Because I’m a ge ni us.
However, my declaration inadvertently backfired.
– Beetle: No, that’s dangerous. From the 11th floor, it’s a completely different league. Complex patterned monsters start appearing.
– Refrigerator: That’s right. Pushing through with brute force might have worked until now, but from the 11th floor, if you don’t know the strategy, you could really be wiped out. I nearly died there several times myself.
– Pikachu: Plus, it’s Extreme difficulty, so we don’t know how things will be modified. You’d have to try it without a strategy….
– Magic is Firepower: Newbie, I know you’re a genius, but this is really not the way. Let’s start forming a party and climbing together.
– Beetle: If you form a party, the difficulty adjusts to intermediate, you know? It’ll be twice as stable.
Comments filled with advice and concern poured in one after another.
However, I couldn’t comprehend their worries.
‘After all, none of you are Extreme players, are you?’
Their common sense wouldn’t apply to me.
– ㅇㅇ(ACE.001): Don’t worry. I’ll clear the 11th floor tomorrow and come back to prove it.
– ㅇㅇ(ACE.001): Oh, and I also got a Rainbow Skill Book. With this, it’s a guaranteed free pass.
At that moment, the gallery’s atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
– Magic is Firepower: Rainbow???? From the 10th floor?? Lol.
– Refrigerator: (Staring intently emoji)
– Beetle: Uhm.
– Pikachu: I’m seriously starting to get jealous….
The public sentiment of the gallery swiftly turned hostile.
A Rainbow Skill Book, said to be rarely seen even after years of climbing the tower.
And now, a greenhorn newbie, who had only just cleared the 10th floor, had acquired it.
They were even boasting about it.
With 10 years of internet experience under my belt, I didn’t miss the subtle shift in atmosphere.
‘This is a danger signal.’
Sensing the chill, I closed my browser window at the speed of light.
It was a kind of emergency escape.
“….Now I should go boast in the Hunter Gallery.”
Of course, if you have something to boast about, you must make the rounds of the galleries.
****
Meanwhile, at that very moment in Santa Monica Beach, California, USA.
The sound of crashing waves created a romantic ambiance.
Yet, in one corner of the beach, a chilling aura permeated the air.
“So, did you enjoy your swim?”
At Demigod’s taunt, the agents trembled uncontrollably.
Their entire bodies were drenched in seawater.
It was something no one else could do.
But Demigod could.
This man was an S-rank Hunter, a living guardian deity and a symbol of America.
“Next time, shall I dunk you in the Atlantic? Hm?”
He was also a tyrant whose mood was exceedingly foul, having been stripped of his world No. 1 ranking.
Tossing all the Pentagon staff into the middle of the Pacific Ocean and then retrieving them was a simple task for him.
“Why haven’t you found them yet? You worthless maggots….”
“W-well… it seems they’re blocking our tracking with some magical means.”
An agent bravely reported.
At the agent’s excuse, Demigod’s brow twitched.
“I even assigned searchers with relevant skills! And you’re telling me you still can’t find them—!”
Demigod roared.
The sound waves shook the beach.
Several agents collapsed, frothing at the mouth and bleeding from their ears.
Demigod didn’t even bat an eye at the sight.
“This won’t do. I’ll have to take drastic measures.”
He murmured quietly.
“That bastard is planning to climb the 11th floor soon, isn’t he? Before they pass the 20th floor, we must find them, no matter the cost.”
“But how….”
“Starting tomorrow, we’ll control access to all towers worldwide, staggered over time.”
“Excuse me? Lord Demigod, controlling all towers worldwide is impossible, no matter what. The backlash from various governments….”
“…Especially in China’s case, they will never cooperate.”
“You fools. Use your heads.”
Demigod clicked his tongue in disdain.
“In my opinion, the culprit isn’t China. If it were them, they would have already plastered advertisements all over the world.”
‘He was just raising hell about it definitely being China….’
However, the Pentagon staff were professionals among professionals.
They knew how to survive.
An agent appropriately played along with Demigod’s words.
“Then…?”
“On the contrary, we’ll cooperate with China. They, too, must be anxious about someone else secretly nurturing an S-rank besides themselves.
Propose that if they cooperate in finding ‘Double-O,’ we’ll share the information once they’re found.”
“Ah!”
Expressions of admiration appeared on the agents’ faces.
Demigod, pleased with their reaction, continued to lay out his plan.
“Europe, Japan, and finally Korea…. We’ll begin control with the most probable locations, in sequence. One region at a time, staggered.”
Demigod’s eyes glinted sharply.
“If a specific region’s tower is controlled, yet ‘Double-O’s’ climbing record is still updated, then that region will be excluded from suspicion, won’t it?
By eliminating possibilities one by one in this manner, we’ll eventually reveal where that rat is hiding.”
“As expected of Lord Demigod! You are truly magnificent!”
“Such an ingenious idea…!”
‘Damn it, this is going to be a nightmare…. How are we supposed to convince the whole world?’
‘What if Double-O notices and just stops climbing the tower?’
The agents showered him with flattery, concealing their true thoughts.
Demigod raised his chin, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.
****
[Title: Newbie Got a Skill Book, Is This Good?]
Author: ㅇㅇ(111.11E)
(Image: Rainbow Skill Book verification photo.jpg)
Of course it’s good, it’s a Rainbow LOLOLOL
(Image: A frog dancing)
(Image: A frog raising a glass)
(Image: A frog throwing popcorn)
– Ah, this bastard can’t even be blocked, just a legend.
– This motherfucker actually got a Rainbow. I haven’t gotten one in three years.
– Oh, they said not all Rainbows are good~ Anyway, it’s a bust~
“Hoo hoo hoo….”
The showering of effusive praise.
Having satisfactorily finished boasting, I closed the gallery and rose from my seat.
Today, I needed to dispose of the spoils I had acquired from the tower.
I picked up the massive double-bladed axe that I had carelessly tossed in the corner of the room.
Its weight was substantial.
Perhaps because it was a Unique-grade item, a subtle energy continuously leaked from it, even when I tried to conceal it.
Preparing for any unforeseen circumstances, I wrapped the axe in a thick cloth and placed it inside a contrabass case I had pre-ordered.
“Haa… do I really have to see that uncle again?”
I sighed, recalling the broker uncle.
That strange and unsettling experience from last time.
And even that terrible ‘ajae’ (TL Note: A Korean term for a middle-aged man, often implying a specific, sometimes cheesy or outdated, sense of humor or style) aesthetic post I had witnessed in the Hunter Gallery.
He was someone I absolutely did not want to deal with again.
But there was no other choice. The only trading route I knew at the moment was through that uncle.
Gathering my belongings, I contacted the broker uncle.
[I have something to sell. It’s quite big this time.]
Not long after sending the message, a reply arrived.
I winced as I checked his reply.
[SSalDaPam: Oh my, our young lady has arrived~^^;; You’ve contacted Uncle again,,, hehe What’s up?]
[SSalDaPam: But you say the item is big? You haven’t done anything dangerous again, have you? T_T Uncle is worried,,, ]
“Ugh….”
I forcibly suppressed the urge to throw my phone away.
The screen was filled with emojis and overt concern.
The alien tenderness, so utterly unlike his rough offline demeanor, made the hairs on my body stand on end.
“Just swear at me instead….
That would be less creepy.”
With trembling hands, I typed out my reply.
[Anyway, is it possible or not?]
[SSalDaPam: Of course it’s possible~ When are you free? Uncle will adjust to our young lady’s convenient time~ Ho ho^^]
[Tomorrow, 2 PM. Same place.]
[SSalDaPam: Alright~ Got it! See you tomorrow then! It’s dangerous on the way, so be sure to take the main road where there are lots of people~!! ^^]
“Ugh, disgusting….”
I didn’t even read his last message, slamming shut the Telegram window.
