Chapter 113: Nightmare 8th Floor (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 113: Nightmare 8th Floor (1)
On the 6th Floor.
The Tower had tried to block my challenge entirely in exchange for the Ark.
But this time, the penalty was…
[Penalty: During his first clear of the 8th Floor, ‘Saram123’ will be prohibited from using one random item in his possession.]
A ban on using one random item.
That was it.
What was this supposed to be?
The Tower was making a completely unbalanced proposal.
Did this thing lose its mind trying to fix the bug because of the Sage? No, that couldn't be it.
“Hmph…”
I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair.
Shoving aside the pointless thought, I began to consider it seriously.
I knew.
I knew there had to be some ulterior motive.
The Tower would never make a proposal like this for my benefit.
And yet, my mind was racing because…
‘The terms are too good.’
It was just one item.
One out of the many I possessed.
Even if the Tower cheated and didn't choose randomly, instead banning an item of its own choosing…
What was my most important item? Diul’s bracelet?
No matter what was banned, it wouldn't be enough to significantly impact my overall strength.
But what I could gain in return…
An Ark with a radius of a whole ten kilometers.
The final bastion that could ensure humanity’s survival, even if just for a little while, should I fail now or in the future.
It said that once activated, the Ark would last forever, so it would remain even if I died.
I couldn't help but be tempted.
Right, it was obviously a dirty trick. Obvious, but…
Didn’t I succeed back on the 4th Floor, too?
And compared to the 4th Floor, this penalty was far weaker.
—Do not accept it.
The Demon King spoke then.
—The very act of seriously considering this monster’s temptation is playing right into its hands. Don’t you see?
He was strongly insisting that I reject the proposal.
Come to think of it, the Demon King had said something similar before.
He had no memory of when his world was destroyed, but he felt that the Tower had definitely proposed something.
I guess the Demon King really got burned by one of the Tower’s proposals in the past.
“But I accepted the proposal on the 4th Floor and still succeeded. Don’t you think this gamble might be worth a shot, too?”
The Demon King scoffed.
—Then go ahead and accept it. I won’t stop you.
I smiled, too.
The Demon King already knew which way my heart was leaning.
This was another public notice, so both the Communication Window and the news were in an uproar.
People were in a heated debate over whether I should accept the proposal or not, but…
I had already made my decision.
[Nightmare]
Participants: 476,803
Time Limit: 20 days, 1 minute, 2 seconds
Highest Floor Reached: 8th Floor
A day passed.
I calmed my mind and finished my preparations.
Ignoring the proposal window, I stood in the middle of my hotel room.
“Shall we?”
I wasn’t going to accept the proposal.
It was certainly tempting.
But it was also true that it smelled even fishier.
I even considered the possibility that among all my items, there was one that was absolutely essential for clearing the 8th Floor.
It was just like the Mask Auction.
This was, in a way, a matter of faith in the Tower.
A faith that this thing, a being of pure malice, would never do anything to my advantage.
So I would not be swayed.
I completely shook off any lingering attachment.
[Would you like to enter the Nightmare Difficulty 8th Floor?]
I took one last deep breath and…
“Enter.”
My vision shifted.
*
The 8th Floor field was a desert.
The theme was nothing special.
The goal was to defeat or evade the Sandworms that burst up from the ground and reach the destination.
Of course, that was the story for the other difficulties.
As for Nightmare, I’d have to see what kind of spicy sauce it would add to the mix.
[You have entered the Nightmare Difficulty 8th Floor.]
[The Tower’s proposal has been invalidated.]
I stopped time the moment I arrived.
I checked the information that came into view.
The middle of a desert.
Sand stretched endlessly in every direction.
North, south, east, or west, the scenery was the same.
I let time flow again.
‘Ten minutes, it said.’
The Sandworms would attack soon.
If I held out against them, it would appear after ten minutes.
The oasis, my destination.
I waited patiently under the scorching sun.
It really is hot, though.
If it feels this hot to me at my level, an ordinary person would probably burn to a crisp.
Rumble…
A vibration came from beneath my feet.
From the left.
With my heightened sixth sense, I calmly prepared for the ambush.
KWWAAAAA!
The desert sand surged upward, casting a shadow. A storm of sand and dust billowed out.
An absurdly giant caterpillar-like monster.
A Sandworm that had burst from the ground lowered its head as if to look down on me.
Its cylindrical head was studded with rows of disgusting, tiny teeth.
Hmm… it’s damn huge, isn’t it?
I’d heard the Sandworms on Hard Difficulty were about the size of a five-story building.
This thing was practically a skyscraper.
Of course, this much was well within my expectations.
Kuuuuuh…!
The Sandworm soon lowered its massive body and lunged toward me.
I stopped time.
Using Mental Focus, I unleashed a Flame Strike.
KWAAAAANG!
The fireballs flew in a vertical line, striking the Sandworm’s body all over.
KEEEEEEEEH—!
A piercing shriek tore through the air.
Without needing another attack, the Sandworm’s body exploded in a single blow.
The creature writhed, spewing a waterfall of greenish fluid.
I dodged the splattering fluid and moved back.
I could see the sand dissolving where the fluid landed, a sign of its toxicity.
THUD!
The Sandworm soon collapsed.
I stared at the corpse.
‘Nothing special…’
It was just damn big, that’s all.
For other Nightmare Climbers it might be different, but to me, it was just a mob-level monster. Ordinary.
Of course, I didn’t let my guard down for a second.
This was only the beginning.
Rumble…
The vibrations started again.
More Sandworms burst out.
This time, there were two of them.
I used Flame Strike on one, and Fierce Lightning and other spells on the other.
I didn't bother with close combat, just fired magic from a distance. The fluid splattered everywhere.
I saved Destruction Ray and Hellfire Eruption, not knowing what else might suddenly pop out.
Even after I dealt with the two, Sandworms kept appearing.
I ran across the desert, taking them out one by one with magic.
After killing about ten of them…
Had it been ten minutes?
An oasis had appeared in the distance.
‘Is that it?’
I started moving toward the oasis.
Reaching it means success… no way it’s that simple, right?
This wasn’t even a warm-up.
Either something new would start when I arrived, or something would pop out on the way.
I ran, keeping my senses sharp.
The sand churned again, and more Sandworms emerged.
There were more of them than before.
It wasn’t a problem at all.
I could have just ignored them and run, as they couldn’t match my speed.
But worried they might get in my way later, I took the time to kill every single one as I advanced toward the oasis.
The oasis quickly grew closer.
It was far, but with my physical abilities, it was only a few minutes’ run.
Just as I almost arrived…
“...!”
My sixth sense rang a faint alarm.
I immediately kicked off the ground and leaped high into the air.
KWAAAAAAA!
A wide patch of sand suddenly caved in…
And at the last moment, a whole horde of Sandworms burst out.
“Ha.”
While suspended in mid-air, I bombarded the area below with magic.
KWAGAGAGAGANG!
Being clustered together only made them easier to take care of.
The Sandworms exploded spectacularly.
As I landed back on the ground, I cast Blade Gale amidst the remaining Sandworms.
‘Demon King.’
Then I handed my body over to him.
He used flight to escape the collapsed area.
After that, it was just a matter of finishing off the few survivors.
A trap like this…
It was embarrassing to even call it a trap. Especially for Nightmare Difficulty.
I dusted myself off and walked toward the oasis, which was now just a short distance away.
But then…
“...?”
When I was less than a hundred meters away…
The oasis suddenly vanished. Like a mirage.
I wasn’t flustered.
I never expected it to end this easily.
‘…A skeleton?’
Where the oasis had disappeared, a human skeleton was propped up against a cactus.
It wasn’t an undead monster, was it?
I approached cautiously. My sixth sense didn’t react.
The skeleton was dressed like a traveler…
And it was clutching something in its hands.
A notebook and a compass.
I checked the notebook first.
When I opened it, I found it was mostly torn, with only a single page left.
A phrase was written on it in red letters.
[No matter how much I walk, I don’t get any closer. Have I gone mad? Or is this desert cursed? I should never have set foot in this place. Never set foot…]
…What’s this?
Based on the content, it seemed this person died while wandering the desert.
I should never have set foot in this place.
Well, I’m already here to clear it, so what am I supposed to do?
Is this its kind way of telling me I’m screwed?
I pocketed it for now.
I checked the compass next.
[1]
When I touched the compass, a number suddenly appeared.
‘…1?’
What could this mean?
I tilted my head, examining the compass.
The needle was pointing in one direction.
I lifted my head and looked that way, and… huh?
An oasis had appeared again in the distance.
I searched the skeleton’s clothes for anything else.
There was nothing besides the notebook and the compass.
“Hmm…”
I looked at the oasis again.
I had a bad feeling about this… but I guess I have no choice but to go?
KWAAAAA!
As I moved, more Sandworms burst out.
I dealt with them lightly and sprinted across the desert.
As I made my way toward the oasis…
“...?”
I noticed something strange.
The distance… it doesn’t feel like it’s getting any shorter.
After running a bit more, I was certain.
It wasn’t getting closer at all.
…Was this what the note meant by no matter how much I walk, I don’t get any closer?
I checked the compass. But then…
[8]
The number on the compass had increased to 2.
…What is this supposed to imply?
“Ah.”
It increased to 4.
I stared at the number and, a moment later, realized the pattern.
It seemed the compass’s number was doubling every two minutes.
[16]
…What is this? What is it implying?
It was deeply unsettling.
A growing number was unlikely to be a good thing for me. It was the same on the 7th Floor.
I took out my Warp Device.
Let’s try warping the maximum distance to the oasis.
I always kept my Willpower charged, so it was full.
After waiting ten minutes, I warped toward the oasis.
And…
“…Shit.”
I muttered a curse at the oasis.
I hadn't gotten any closer.
Not even after moving a whopping 10,000 km.
So it wasn’t a problem of physical distance?
I tried going in the complete opposite direction of the oasis, and to the side as well.
But no matter which way I went in the desert, the same scenery just repeated itself.
The oasis neither got farther away nor closer.
Meanwhile, the Sandworms kept annoyingly popping up and attacking…
KWAAAAANG!
[512]
After dealing with a Sandworm, I stopped time.
Let’s assess the situation.
The oasis isn’t getting any closer.
And the number on this meaningless compass keeps growing.
…Finding a way to reach that oasis might be the condition for clearing the 8th Floor.
But what the hell is this mechanic?
‘Demon King, does anything come to mind?’
I asked for his opinion.
—Nothing.
‘…Then try thinking with me.’
At this rate, there was no solution.
I had to find some other way out.
I sank into deep thought.
Come to think of it… is this similar to the 2nd Floor?
The Infinite Stairs, where I just went around in circles.
This wasn’t much different.
Back then, I broke the mechanic by escaping through a window into a completely different space…
But here, I was surrounded by an endless desert.
There was no such thing as a different space.
‘…’
No.
Is that really true?
A thought flashed in my mind, and I looked at the dead Sandworm in front of me.
At the sand pit it had burst out of.