Pushing Too Hard to Climb Is Dangerous
Anyway, after grinding down the orc bastards in that back-and-forth mess.
"Hey, Firepower! That's the target, the Elf Fortress!"
"Oh, looks pretty desolate but seriously fortified."
We finally made it inside the Elf Fortress built between the plains and the forest—barely.
Not that our Straight APC was covered head to toe in all sorts of bodily fluids and chunks from the trip.
For some reason, it seemed like the Orc Empire handled mechanical stuff way better than the Anti-Orc Coalition...
-"Kiyaaak! It's a steel monster!"
-"Those crazy orcs, shoving that hideous beast at us!"
"Uh, fuck."
"The elves in the fortress are attacking us? This cool with you?"
"...Should've cleared the outside before coming in."
The elves freaking out and unleashing a barrage of magic, arrows, and god-knows-what-else on the APC was a minor issue.
Here's something I didn't realize at the time: back when the Management Bureau did "durability tests," they didn't merge it with my body. But here, since I was still "mounted" for driving efficiency, my basic hunter Mana Shield seemed to extend to the APC too.
Meaning the already tough armor plating got even tankier, shrugging off their attacks like nothing.
So we just tanked it until they wore themselves out.
...To be precise, we kept tanking, hoping they'd tire out first.
"Wait... that's a siege ballista?"
"Firepower, just to check—is this 'APC' thing gonna block a siege ballista?"
"Depends on how strong it is. How strong we talking?"
"Special-made from world tree branches reinforced with magic. One shot wrecked a 10m golem way bigger than ours."
"Yeah, then this thing's toast the second it hits."
"Got it."
"That's what I figured."
"Not the time for chit-chat! Get out there and show 'em who we are!"
The elves, deciding they couldn't let it slide, hauled out a massive, gorgeous siege ballista and started cranking it our way with insane grit.
We bailed out of the APC in a panic, waving a white flag and yelling we were the supply convoy.
But however it went down, the important part was we'd cleared the quest from our first time on floor 13.
Supply Escort Operation Complete!
˪ Mana Stone Delivery Complete
˪ Mana Stone Loss Rate 50% or Less: Clear
˪ Mana Stone Loss Rate 25% or Less: Clear
˪ Mana Stone Loss Rate 10% or Less: Clear
˪ Mana Stone Loss Rate 0%: Clear
Final Combat Time Record: You've shattered the #1 ranking for Tower 'Hardcore' Difficulty Floor 13!
˪ Rewards sent via mail! Please claim them!
Proceed to the next floor?
Y/N
"Woo-yas."
Plus, no matter how shitty the APC's suspension was, compared to some medieval wagon, it was luxury limo tier.
Way better time than expected, snagging us #1 on floor 13 too.
Once the APC rolled into the fortress and we elves hauled the mana stone crates from the cargo bay, the light show faded, the status window popped up, and I felt immense satisfaction.
Part of me wanted to hit Y and dive right into the next floor like the message said.
But while my head was overflowing with motivation, my body was screaming, 'Take a break, asshole.'
After 2-3 hours of chase, driving, spraying the autocannon, doing every damn thing—that realization hit, and fatigue crashed in.
Oh, and we'd burned through all the ammo stockpiled for the orcs...
"Ugh... yeah, can't push it. Calling it here for today!"
Y/(N)
Returning to the original world shortly.
Hand floor 14 to tomorrow's me. For now, home and crash hard.
And the next morning.
-Shwaaaaa!
-"Today was forecast as clear skies, but due to an S-rank Monster Smog Flare dungeon break, Busan and the entire Gyeongnam region are getting 100mm of rain per hour..."
-"Fortunately, the Smog Flare was captured by responding hunters and military forces. Management Bureau spokesperson says it'll be used for artificial rain in drought-stricken Gangwon Province..."
"Guess later on, I'll be doing more dungeon runs than tower climbs."
Crashed right away yesterday, so while recharging ammo I should've done then, news hit about a nearby dungeon breakout. Monster caught, but the fallout everywhere soured the mood a bit—world's rough, and if tower climbing slows, dungeons await.
Just a minor gripe, nothing major.
-Click.
˪ 650/1,000
˪ 250/1,500
"Ha, just one more hour of this grind."
Not just my two main guns, but the APC turret ammo from yesterday—tons to manually load by hand.
Plenty of time, so killing it with news and internet crap posts.
Got bored, remembered the #1 reward from floor 13 clear. Kept grinding ammo with one hand via Infinite Magazine, tapped the claim with the other.
Random Item Box Result: Infinite Magazine (A-Grade) Acquired!
◈ Regardless of type, acquire up to 100 rounds at once for any firearm.
◈ All ammo is special rounds effective against monsters.
◈ 30-second cooldown per use.
"...Fuck yeah, status window! I love you!"
Suddenly solving my chronic "ammo supply" issue. A-Grade to boot, performance double—no, quadruple—the old one.
Admired the shiny A-Grade Infinite Magazine a sec, then dual-wielded it with the B-Grade beater for max grind.
Grinded ammo hard, scarfed a late brunch, dove back into the tower...
But floor 14? Tower and status window dude said:
Objective: Defend the fortress through all waves
˪ Additional: Enemy breakthroughs into fortress 5 or fewer
˪ Additional: Fortify fortress defenses
"No way—they're making us do real grind here."
Not blasting bullets for fun, but actual construction site work? Felt weird as hell. Totally off.