Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: A-Rank Gateway
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Kim A-ram had posted on the Tower Gallery in desperation, grasping at straws, but with no real answers and only mockery, tears prickled at her eyes.
She'd even revealed her ability, but no one else seemed to have any ideas. And for good reason— from what Kim A-ram had heard, the orc great warrior was a floor boss known for its sharp combat senses.
Plus, it was a solo-type boss, so tricks like transforming into other goblins or orcs to backstab it, like before, weren't an option.
That's why she'd given up...
'Damn it, Baek Mun-hyuk!'
Kim A-ram nearly hurled the 500-won coins clutched in her fist, but held back.
It had been a full five hours since she'd entered the arcade.
No matter what she did—whether it was tricks, shows, or baring her teeth in threat—Baek Mun-hyuk had pinned her down, forcing her to mash buttons.
She'd improved a little, sure, but she was still getting her ass handed to her.
Yet Baek Mun-hyuk didn't care and kept forcing her to play.
Crazy bastard, crazy bastard.
Under the pressure of an S-rank hunter, she couldn't even properly excuse herself to the bathroom and just kept pounding the arcade machine until she finally bolted using the toilet as a pretext.
But like a ghost, Baek Mun-hyuk chased after her, sticking to her even as she cycled through illusions to change her appearance and flee.
Running away again?
How the hell does he even know it's me?!
Finally, overwhelmed by the pressure, Kim A-ram did something she shouldn't have: she transferred.
The tower she'd long since abandoned.
Back in the waiting room, Kim A-ram regretted it.
No matter how scary Baek Mun-hyuk was, the tower of all places!
"I'm insane... What the hell was I thinking?! What do I do now? The 10th floor... Can I even clear it...?"
Having transferred without prep, she had no weapons.
All she had were the pile of coins Baek Mun-hyuk had shoved at her.
So she'd asked for help on the Tower Gallery, but...
Somehow, there was a user who seemed to know how to use her ability.
With a long comment attached, Kim A-ram memorized each point, ran simulations in her head, swallowed hard, and challenged the 10th floor.
Just as Angry Picasso said: protrusions rising above the boiling swamp.
The orc great warrior, with its vicious appearance, spun its axe wildly and lightly leaped onto a pillar.
She made four clones first and had them jump in all directions.
The orc great warrior looked flustered and didn't move rashly, keeping a sharp eye on her.
Every time she moved an illusion, she tossed a coin onto a pillar for sound effects, and the orc great warrior lowered its stance.
So far, so good.
She advanced the illusions to claim territory and backed them up with more from behind.
"Grrrrowl!"
An axe hurled threateningly smeared one illusion into haze.
She didn't bother reclaiming the dispersing mana.
Minimize mana spent on maintenance.
A clone charging at the orc great warrior.
It vanished pathetically against the swung axe, but the orc's balance faltered, and just getting it wary achieved the goal.
After a few more clone assaults, the orc gripped its axe short and smashed them with fists, narrowing its eyes.
Clone behind clone.
Fireball behind clone.
Scraping its nerves every way she could, the orc bared its teeth and leaped at a clone.
An axe flying simultaneously spun a full circle, slicing through the clones' waists. As the blade grazed past her crown, Kim A-ram's hair stood on end, and she gritted her teeth controlling the clones.
The orc great warrior realized Kim A-ram's attacks were all flash, no substance.
It roared at the horde of humans charging playfully.
"Kroooaaargh!"
The orc great warrior went full hunt-mode on the clones.
Then, a silver coin shot straight into its chest.
"Kruk?!"
It didn't hurt, but allowing an enemy's attack defenselessly spiked its wariness again.
She grabbed a handful of coins, overlaid clone shapes, and threw.
The lightly swung axe clanged against the coins— the orc tried pulling back instantly, but a prepared clone charged from behind this time.
Deciding to evade entirely, the orc jumped to a nearby pillar and sliced the diving clone's neck.
"Die!"
"Kwek?!"
Kim A-ram, who had been crouched right there, suddenly elbow-smashed its groin. Stunned by the brutal impact, the orc stumbled back in retreat.
"Kroooaaargh!"
Furious at the unwarriorlike foe, the orc great warrior glared bloodshot-eyed at where the real one had just been.
Weak opponent.
Just a rat-like thing crouching and pulling dirty tricks.
Baring its teeth, the orc hurled both axes to sweep every visible clone.
And the clones charging to meet them.
It scoffed and backhanded them away, but one low-diving clone reached again for below.
The lingering ache there made the orc great warrior instinctively retreat again.
Fine. The human was on the opposite side, so this pillar's occupant had to be fake too.
Another backhand like swatting a fly dispersed the clone as expected.
With axes having taken out most other clones, it bent its knees to leap back in—
"Kwek?"
No ground.
Her outstretched foot kicked empty air.
Losing its landing spot, the body flipped backward and plummeted.
It reached for a handhold on a nearby pillar's wall, but the awkward gap kept it short.
"Kroooaaargh!"
Realizing the pillar was fake, it bellowed in outrage and injustice before splashing into the hot swamp.
"Ha, haha... Ahahaha! I lived, I survived!"
Meanwhile, Kim A-ram—who had clung to a real pillar's handhold ahead of time per Angry Picasso's advice—grunted her way up.
She collapsed atop the pillar, laughing and crying like a madwoman.
You did it, Kim A-ram.
I saw the post while resting before heading to the 20th floor.
Anyone could tell—even upside down—it was unmistakably her.
Illusion users aren't exactly common.
Anyway, since I knew her, I racked my brains for the best advice, and it worked perfectly.
The orc great warrior in my memory was the type to slowly pressure-test opponents. I figured it'd be wary of illusions.
And seeing it use the pillars to dodge attacks, I focused on that.
Watching the hyped Kim A-ram spam praise posts on the Tower Gallery, I realized raising a newbie could be pretty fun.
There's a vicarious thrill to it.
And these praise posts? Surprisingly nice. Unlike outside, here it felt like pure recognition.
"Alright, time for me to wrap this up too."
While focused on Kim A-ram, my mana had fully recovered. I checked my mana gauge and rose from the beanbag.
More info on lizardmen would've been nice, but no one spilled easily on the 20th floor.
The gateway to becoming an A-rank hunter, huh.
From here, they treat you like real rivals and hold back info. Gotta suggest to the Association later to change that.
Since gate info gets public anyway, sharing tower details could boost overall strength, right?
20th floor, challenge.
The now-familiar lurch ended, greeting me with a swamp up to my calves and a low cave.
Low, wide terrain.
And far off, a massive green lizard standing against me, spear in hand. It stabbed the swamp, sending ripples that quickly vibrated the water.
For any surprises, Wol-ryeong and Dal-i, Seol-i entered defense stances with me.
Then suddenly, water from all sides surged to the cave ceiling, forming walls that divided everything into compartments.
A translucent water-wall quickly rose around me too.
With the roar of fierce currents, it completed—a water maze with semi-transparent walls.