Chapter 115: Nightmare 8th Floor (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 115: Nightmare 8th Floor (3)
The world was abuzz as the Tower once again made a proposal to Saram123.
People everywhere debated whether he would accept it.
[Blank: He'll probably accept it, right? The penalty is just one item ban.]
[Kiryu: It's not like the 6th Floor where he had to give up the challenge. A 10km radius Ark... it really seems worth a shot...]
[Pea: I think it's fucking suspicious; why would the Tower suddenly make such a good offer?]
[WarriorRunningTheEarth: That's true.]
[Rage: But considering what happened on the 4th Floor, I think Saram123 might just take it.]
On the news, panelists appeared to discuss the matter.
– A 10km radius is an area roughly half the size of Seoul. It would allow a significant portion of humanity to survive, even if destruction one day comes.
– Isn't the Tower's intention blatant? There's clearly some ulterior motive.
– What decision will Saram123 make...
Opinions were sharply divided between acceptance and refusal.
Compared to past proposals, the penalty was so light that many couldn't help but think, 'Isn't it worth a try?'
But in the end, the one to make the choice was Saram123.
The people awaited his decision...
[The Tower's proposal has been invalidated.]
Saram123 had rejected the proposal and entered.
[Weed: Ah... he didn't take it in the end.]
[Plastic: It was obviously a trap. Good thing he refused.]
[Yoyoyo: Gotta block all variables~ Not taking it was the right call, yep yep.]
[Kwingkolepri: All you bastards complaining that he didn't take it should shut the fuck up if you don't want to die.]
[Lighter: Alright, everyone, let's just pray now.]
While some people were disappointed, humanity began to pray for his success on the 8th Floor.
All over the world, just as they did every year, countless people poured into the streets and squares.
Gwanghwamun Street in Seoul, South Korea.
Around this time, people from all over the globe would flock here in explosive numbers.
Since Saram123 was Korean, they wanted to come to his country to pray for his success.
“...Yes! This year, Gwanghwamun Street is once again packed with so many people there's no room to stand. Everyone is praying for Saram123's successful clear.”
A few minutes had passed since Saram123 entered the 8th Floor.
A reporter moved through the crowd, interviewing citizens.
“I believe he'll succeed, no matter what. It's Saram123, isn't it?”
“If he clears the 8th Floor, I'm buying my friends drinks tonight. Haha.”
“He has already shed his mortal coil and become a god. To even speak of failure is blasphemy.”
Groups of university students, young couples holding their children's hands, followers of the Church of Saram123, and more...
There were many people with hopeful faces, firmly believing in his success.
After all, Saram123 had always been like that.
He was the one who always cleared the Nightmare as if it were nothing, who always posted a guide as if it were nothing.
And given the various feats Saram123 had shown during the Branch Tower incident and in the 5th Floor Common Area, people now knew his abilities were on a completely different level from other Climbers, so they couldn't help but have strong faith in him.
In any case, the people waited with bated breath for news of his success.
Time passed.
Two hours had passed since Saram123's entry, but there was still no news.
“...Hasn't he cleared it yet?”
“The number in the Nightmare Communication Window is the same, so it's fine. It'll happen soon.”
Slowly, bit by bit, tension and anxiety began to spread.
But people still believed and waited.
There had been previous floors where the clear had taken several hours.
But three hours passed, then four...
Still, no news of success came.
The expressions on people's faces grew increasingly stiff.
The reporters covering the event and the police officers directing traffic couldn't focus on their work.
A clear had never taken this long.
Although the number in the Nightmare Communication Window remained unchanged, people could no longer hide their anxiety.
They began to feel that something was wrong.
“Please...”
More and more people began to pray, their eyes squeezed shut and their hands clasped tightly.
Just like on the 4th Floor, when everyone had been at their most desperate.
It was as if they believed that by doing so, Saram123 would once again triumphantly succeed for all to see.
But even as the long night passed and dawn broke...
the 8th Floor was not cleared.
* * *
I sprinted across the endless desert.
Activating the Warp Device one after another.
[943,855/134,217,728 km]
Then, I stopped running.
I stared blankly at the numbers on the compass.
“Huuuu...”
Shit.
Shit.
A full day had passed since I entered the 8th Floor.
I knew it was hopeless, but I'd moved as if my life depended on it.
It was still hopeless.
One hundred thirty-four million kilometers.
A distance that could take you from the Earth to the Moon and back well over 100 times.
In other words, it was an astronomical distance that made no sense from the start.
I could do it, if I had to.
Continuously charging the Warp Device to its maximum distance every ten minutes was no different from mental torture, but I could do it if I just gritted my teeth.
If I could just reach the oasis that way, I was willing to do it as many times as it took.
Food and water weren't a problem either.
I could replenish my water supply with Ice Magic, and I had food stored in my subspace.
Of course, it wouldn't be enough, but if I ran out, I figured I could just tear into a cactus or a Sandworm.
Besides, my body wouldn't die as long as my head wasn't destroyed.
It would be an arduous journey, but it was doable.
But... the problem was that even if I did all that, I would still be far short on time.
Not even in a million years.
I had no way of traveling over 100 million kilometers within the remaining 20-day Nightmare time limit.
“...Fuck!”
I irritably fired a Destruction Ray at a Sandworm that burst from the sand.
Its body severed, the Sandworm collapsed in two pieces.
Kuuuuung.
If only I had saved a little more time...
If I'd just saved six more minutes, I could have cleared this.
...But it was pointless to have regrets.
“...Your Majesty, is there really no way?”
The Demon King didn't answer.
I'd already asked dozens of times, but I couldn't stop myself from asking again.
No matter how fast I flew using the Demon King's power... it couldn't possibly be as efficient as warping.
The strain would build, and I'd need to recover, so there was a limit.
I sighed and looked into the far distance.
The oasis was still there, in the same spot.
I collapsed onto the sand.
Even though I'd faced so many hardships until now.
This hopeless situation was more than enough to fill me with despair and powerlessness.
What do I do?
How... how am I supposed to...
I just stared blankly up at the blazing sun.
* * *
[Nightmare]
Personnel: 476,803
Time Limit: 19 days, 5 minutes, 15 seconds
Highest Floor Reached: 8th Floor
A full day had passed since Saram123 entered the 8th Floor.
The 8th Floor still hadn't been cleared.
The world was in chaos over the unprecedented situation.
– ...The number in the Nightmare Communication Window reportedly remains unchanged. It appears Saram123 is still in the process of clearing the 8th Floor...
[Pepper: Please... please just let the clear notification pop up, please...]
[Katana: Let's have hope. Saram123 is still trying to clear it.]
[Pipe: Can a clear really take this long? We might have to prepare ourselves...]
The entire world trembled with anxiety and fear.
The fact that it hadn't been cleared for nearly a full day was clearly a situation far outside the norm.
The Kim family home.
Kim Seo-hyun's family was also watching the news in the living room, their faces grim.
– The number you have dialed is not available. After the beep, you will be connected to voicemail...
His mother, Choi Su-jin, put down her phone and sighed, her insides burning with anxiety.
“Haa... Seo-hyun, what on earth...”
At a time that was already chaotic enough.
On top of everything, Kim Seo-hyun, who had gone on a trip by himself, had been out of contact since the previous evening.
They couldn't help but worry that something terrible had happened.
“...He'll be fine. He might have just lost his phone, right?”
his father, Kim Seong-ho, said, trying to reassure her.
But knowing Seo-hyun's personality, if something like that had happened, he would have found a way to contact them first so they wouldn't worry...
Sitting on the sofa, Kim Seo-ah had her face buried in her knees.
The 8th Floor wasn't being cleared, and there was no word from Seo-hyun, who was off doing who-knows-what—the anxiety and stress were becoming hard to bear.
“We can't just sit here, we should call the police...”
Vmm.
Just then, all three of their phones buzzed at once.
– Please look in the bottom drawer of the desk in my room. There's a letter under the books. This is a scheduled text.
It was a text from Kim Seo-hyun.
“What is this...?”
The three of them looked at each other in surprise.
Kim Seong-ho immediately tried calling Seo-hyun, but he didn't pick up.
Having no other choice, they went into Seo-hyun's room.
Just as the text said, they opened the bottom drawer and moved the books to find a letter lying underneath.
With a sense of unknown dread, Kim Seong-ho unfolded the letter with trembling hands.
The family read the letter together.
– To my beloved Mother, Father, and my little sister, Seo-ah.
I'm writing this letter before I enter the Nightmare Difficulty 8th Floor to clear it.
You must be very surprised, right? It's complicated, and I don't know where to begin.
I'm Saram123.
The part about being an Easy Difficulty Climber was a lie. The truth is, I was chosen for the Nightmare Difficulty from the very beginning. From the very day the Tower first appeared in the world.
I'm sorry for hiding it all this time. I didn't want to make you worry.
To tell you what happened, even if it's late...
The first time I entered the Tower, I was just grasping at straws.
Back then, no one could clear the 1st Floor, and the world was on the brink of destruction, right? I figured I was going to die one way or another, so I might as well die trying. That's why I entered the 1st Floor. And I succeeded.
After that, I kept climbing the Nightmare Difficulty.
No one else could clear it, so I had no choice but to do it myself. I never imagined I'd be able to do something like this, but I guess I had a talent I didn't even know about. Haha.
The fact that you're reading this now probably means I failed to clear the 8th Floor.
I'm sorry for leaving you with just this one letter.
But I hope you know this much.
I don't have any regrets.
At first, I entered because I had no choice, but continuing to climb the Tower was something I wanted to do. It wasn't because of a sense of responsibility or duty. It was my own, complete will to protect my family, and the world.
So please, don't be too sad, don't grieve too much, and I hope you'll be proud of me. Proud that your son, Kim Seo-hyun, was a hero who saved the world several times over.
Kim Seo-ah, you get it too, right? Your big brother was this amazing. It's a little late, but how about showing some respect for your oppa now? lol
...Usually, I should end a letter like this by telling you all to stay healthy, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem fitting right now.
I don't know what will happen to the world after I've failed, but I'm sure it will be a very chaotic situation.
I'll be praying from here for another miracle to happen. But if the world does end, then let's see each other again as a family.
I'm sorry I couldn't be with you in the final moments.
I love you all.
– From Kim Seo-hyun
“...”
After reading the entire letter, Kim Seong-ho's eyes trembled with shock.
Choi Su-jin covered her mouth, her eyes red and bloodshot, while Kim Seo-ah just stared blankly at the letter.
For a long time, the three of them were unable to say a word, trapped in a state of shock.