Chapter 119: Qualification Proof (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 119: Qualification Proof (2)
The time the Tower had announced was almost upon us.
I stopped hunting in Zone 5 and went back outside.
I sat in a chair, arms crossed, and stared into the air.
Qualification Proof.
The advance notice had made it seem like it would only target the highest-floor climbers.
But for some reason, I had a bad feeling.
After all, something completely unimaginable had happened during the Mask Auction.
Back then, who could have predicted it would hold an auction with people's lives on the line?
I wondered what would happen this time...
[Time Remaining: 1 second]
[The ‘Qualification Proof’ will now begin.]
A message appeared.
[The highest-floor climbers of each difficulty have been selected.]
[A total of nine ‘Quarantine Zones,’ each with a 50-kilometer radius, have been established.]
.
.
.
[You have been selected as the highest-floor climber for Nightmare Difficulty.]
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Warrior,’ is currently selecting a Quarantine Zone.]
[Remaining Selection Time: 58 minutes 52 seconds]
I read through the messages that appeared one after another. My expression hardened as I did.
What the hell was this...
After reading the full explanation, I opened the Communication Window.
I scanned the conversations of people who were freaking out.
[Taeguk: Fuck, I think Seoul got hit too? We're so fucked;]
I pulled back the window curtain and checked outside.
I could see a bluish barrier in the sky.
And floating like a hologram was the giant number ‘1’.
“Ha.”
I let out a short sigh.
The Tower was pulling another one of its absurd stunts.
* * *
Nine Quarantine Zones had appeared across the globe.
Just as the explanation stated, the Quarantine Zones completely blocked all entry and exit.
In short, the citizens inside were trapped with no way out.
[Sodium: I'm Canadian and I think I'm in a quarantine zone... what do I do?]
[Anaconda: I'm completely trapped. I can't get out.]
[Diamond: Shit, the barrier is right next to my house; I barely escaped.]
[Pond: So... the highest-floor climbers have to take a penalty and kill a boss for the people in the quarantine zones to live? Otherwise they all die? Did I get that right?]
[Jonathan: You got it right. Everyone trapped inside is fucked.]
Just yesterday, the world had been in chaos over the prolonged 8th Floor clear.
Now, the world had been turned upside down once again.
If the highest-floor climbers chose not to accept a penalty, everyone trapped in the Quarantine Zones would die.
That much, people understood quickly.
In the Republic of Korea, a Quarantine Zone had appeared that encompassed Seoul, Incheon, and parts of the Capital Area, even stretching to Kaesong in North Korea.
Other countries had also seen Quarantine Zones appear over their capitals or major cities.
Furthermore, giant numbers from 1 to 9 floated above each zone's barrier.
The Republic of Korea was Quarantine Zone No. 1.
The nations affected by the Quarantine Zones were in a state of emergency.
News outlets broadcasted emergency breaking news. Countless live streams went up.
– This is a street in Incheon's Songdo Central Park. As you can see, a barrier is blocking the way, making it impossible to pass...
Inside the Quarantine Zone.
The broadcast showed people gathered right in front of the barrier, their faces pale with fear.
“Let us out! Let us out...!”
Some people, lost in panic, pounded on the barrier and screamed.
But there was nothing the government could do at that moment...
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Warrior,’ is currently selecting a Quarantine Zone.]
[Remaining Selection Time: 20 minutes 38 seconds]
The highest-floor climber of Easy Difficulty was the first to choose.
[Easy]
Population: 718,957
Remaining Lifespan: 39 years, 6 days, 6 hours, 15 minutes, 2 seconds
Floor Reached: 46th Floor
[Normal]
Population: 655,172
Remaining Lifespan: 25 years, 6 days, 6 hours, 15 minutes, 2 seconds
Floor Reached: 32nd Floor
[Hard]
Population: 681,545
Remaining Lifespan: 11 years, 6 days, 6 hours, 15 minutes, 2 seconds
Floor Reached: 18th Floor
[Nightmare]
Population: 673,621
Remaining Lifespan: 1 year, 6 days, 6 hours, 15 minutes, 2 seconds
Floor Reached: 9th Floor
China's Zhang Tao, the record holder for the 46th Floor of Easy Difficulty, known by his communication handle, Warrior.
He was given only one hour to choose, with hardly enough time to think.
[Uru: He'll choose at least one, right?]
[Cauliflower: Who knows. This penalty is pretty severe.]
[Wei: Zhang Tao! Please choose China's quarantine zone! You have to save your own countrymen!]
The situation was unfolding with extreme urgency.
With one minute left on the timer, a message appeared.
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Warrior,’ has selected Quarantine Zone No. 5.]
Number 5 was the number of the Quarantine Zone that had appeared within China.
Zhang Tao had chosen to save one of his country's zones.
[If 1 zone is selected]
- Physical Ability and Willpower 30% Reduction
And so, shouldering a single penalty, Zhang Tao was moved to the Chamber of Proof.
[Yellow Dragon: He chose China!]
[Chicken5Pieces: He only chose one? So he's just saving his own country.]
[Black Pine: Only one? Look at the penalty, you psycho. Even one is fatal.]
[Windmill: Is this even possible? I'm getting nervous...]
The citizens trapped in China's Quarantine Zone waited with bated breath, desperately hoping for news of his success.
And then...
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Warrior,’ has died.]
Not even a few minutes later.
The announcement of Zhang Tao's death echoed out.
[Drawing a new highest-floor climber for Easy Difficulty.]
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Clock,’ is currently selecting a Quarantine Zone.]
If a climber died without defeating the boss, a new climber would be chosen until one succeeded.
As per the rules, the next in line was Henry, an Australian Easy Difficulty 45th Floor climber.
There were several 45th Floor climbers in the world, and he was the one chosen among them.
Zhang Tao's futile failure sent people into despair, especially the citizens trapped in the Chinese Quarantine Zone.
[Radiation: What? Zhang Tao is dead?]
[Bull: See. I told you the penalty was insane...]
A 30% reduction in physical ability and willpower.
That was no different from saying his level had dropped by 30%.
Facing a boss monster of the same level while your own level was 30% lower?
Forget several penalties; even a single one was an almost impossible task.
The next challenger, Henry, also couldn't make a choice until his hour was almost up.
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Clock,’ has not selected a Quarantine Zone.]
In the end, he chose none of the zones.
After all, unlike Zhang Tao, his own country wasn't even affected.
However...
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Clock,’ has died.]
Even without taking any penalty, Henry failed shortly after.
[Drawing a new highest-floor climber for Easy Difficulty.]
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Ascent,’ is currently selecting a Quarantine Zone.]
The third was Logan, an American Easy Difficulty 45th Floor climber.
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Ascent,’ has not selected a Quarantine Zone.]
Logan also chose not to select a Quarantine Zone.
And.
[The Easy Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Ascent,’ has defeated the boss monster.]
Finally, on the third try, a success message appeared.
As soon as he emerged from the Chamber of Proof, Logan immediately released the information.
[Ascent: The location was a cavern similar to the 1st Floor, and the boss monster was a giant golem. The structure is basically the same as clearing a floor. After defeating the boss, you are moved to a Reward Room where your injuries are healed.]
Logan wrote in detail about how he defeated the boss, but it was uncertain if his information would be helpful.
The boss's level would inevitably be different for each difficulty, so it was unlikely the same boss would appear.
[The Normal Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Freedom,’ is currently selecting a Quarantine Zone.]
[Deactivated Quarantine Zone Count: 0]
The turn passed to the next difficulty.
The record holder for Normal was America's Gabriel.
He was also a public figure, serving as a director of the International Climber Association.
[Flamethrower: ...Don't you think Gabriel will choose at least one?]
[Buffalo Wing: I doubt it. The US doesn't even have a quarantine zone.]
[Honeybee: If you're going to choose, please choose Canada! The US and us are practically brother nations!]
The people trapped in the Quarantine Zones were truly desperate.
They had been handed a death sentence out of the blue.
If the Qualification Proof ended with all four difficulties choosing nothing...
All the citizens in the Quarantine Zones would die.
A rough estimate put the number in the tens of millions at least.
Since communication with the outside world was still possible, they listened to the live updates, praying that the highest-floor climbers would take on the penalties and challenge the bosses.
People hoped that Normal Difficulty would choose at least one, but...
[The Normal Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Freedom,’ has not selected a Quarantine Zone.]
[The Normal Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Freedom,’ has defeated the boss monster.]
[Deactivated Quarantine Zone Count: 0]
Gabriel also defeated the boss without selecting anything.
“I am sorry. I could not make that choice.”
As soon as he came out, he was surrounded by reporters and held an impromptu press conference.
“It is a truly unfortunate situation, but I do not have the ability to save them. No one would. China's Zhang Tao died just three hours ago. Australia's Henry failed even without selecting a penalty.
I, too, almost died. A beast-type boss appeared, completely different from the one on Easy Difficulty. It was incredibly strong. If I had taken even one penalty, I would have certainly died.
A 30% reduction in physical ability and willpower is effectively the same as a 30% reduction in level. Facing a same-level boss monster with such an absurd penalty... do you truly believe that's possible?”
He wasn't wrong.
But in the end, it was just another way of saying he had no intention of sacrificing himself to save others.
There was no time to blame him.
The turn had now passed to Hard Difficulty.
[The Hard Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Power,’ is currently selecting a Quarantine Zone.]
Dmitri, a Russian 18th Floor Hard Difficulty climber.
A few months ago, he had successfully cleared the 17th Floor, becoming a joint record holder with America's Alex.
And now, he was regretting it.
“...If I'd known this would happen, I would have challenged the floor later.”
Dmitri did not want to die.
Facing a same-level boss with his stats weakened by 30%.
If he had information on the boss and time to strategize, it might not be impossible.
But right now, he had no such information.
Still, if people kept challenging it until someone succeeded, maybe a lucky winner would eventually emerge.
But that story could only begin with the sacrifice of the first challenger—him.
And Dmitri, unsurprisingly, did not want to die.
In fact, as a highest-floor climber, he could see the odds all too clearly. Taking the penalty was a pointless death.
There would be heavy public criticism after the event, and his own conscience wouldn't be clear, but what could he do? His life was more important.
The only silver lining was that the Quarantine Zone in Russia wasn't in a major urban area.
Dmitri decided to value his own life.
The Russian government's wishes, which he had just received, were also clear.
They would rather give up a small city than have Russia's top climber, Dmitri, take a gamble he was sure to lose.
[The Hard Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Power,’ has not selected a Quarantine Zone.]
[The Hard Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Power,’ has defeated the boss monster.]
[Deactivated Quarantine Zone Count: 0]
In the end.
Hard Difficulty also chose not to select any Quarantine Zones.
The citizens inside the zones, watching the situation unfold in real time, fell into despair.
“H-How could this happen...”
“You sons of bitches! Are you even human?!”
“Are we all really going to die like this...?”
Just as Saram123 had chosen the penalty on the 4th Floor.
People had held onto a sliver of hope that someone, just one person, would show such heroism.
It was a futile hope.
Except for Zhang Tao, who had chosen his own country's zone at the very beginning, no one had selected even a single Quarantine Zone.
[Pig: And these bastards are the highest-floor climbers... hahaha]
[ShootingStar: How can not a single one of them even think of trying?]
[Mask: But the penalty is seriously harsh... can even one zone be saved?]
[Minstrel: All that's left is Nightmare.]
In the extremely limited time, nations had tried what they could.
They had struck the Quarantine Zone barriers with military weapons and tried to dig tunnels, but of course, nothing worked. The barriers extended deep underground, completely sealing the areas.
“All the citizens inside the Quarantine Zones will become The Fallen...!”
Once the Qualification Proof procedure was complete, the Tower's Curse would descend upon the citizens inside the zones.
To die by the Tower's Curse meant to become one of The Fallen.
All those citizens turning into monsters?
It was a disaster too horrifying to imagine.
[The remaining Quarantine Zones will be maintained forever.]
The only saving grace was the part that said the Quarantine Zones would be maintained forever.
Although the affected nations would suffer a terrible blow, enough to shake their foundations, the zones remaining intact was the lesser of two evils.
At least The Fallen wouldn't be able to escape.
But there was always a "what if."
World leaders hastily convened an emergency video summit.
In preparation for the possibility that the barriers might disappear after the Qualification Proof, they urgently discussed contingency plans, including nuclear strikes.
Meanwhile.
[The Nightmare Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Saram123,’ is currently selecting a Quarantine Zone.]
The turn had finally come to the last difficulty, Nightmare.
[Swan: Will Saram123 choose a penalty...?]
[Poseidon: He'll at least choose the Republic of Korea, right?]
[Dabis: But is it right to hope he makes a choice?]
[Icicle: He shouldn't overdo it... even for Saram123, this is...]
Given Saram123's tendencies, people believed he wouldn't just choose nothing.
But that meant Saram123 would have to fight a boss while bearing a fatal penalty...
And his death meant the end of the world.
Still, the citizens trapped in the Quarantine Zones prayed that Saram123 would choose the penalty.
The end of the world meant nothing to them; they were the ones facing imminent death.
“S-Still, Saram123 will choose the Republic of Korea, right?”
“We can be saved... please...”
The citizens inside the Republic of Korea's Quarantine Zone No. 1 held on to their last hope.
Conversely, the citizens in other countries' Quarantine Zones found it hard to be hopeful.
No matter how great Saram123 was, he wasn't an omnipotent god.
Even if his abilities were on a different dimension from other climbers, the penalty was just too absurd.
There had to be a limit to what he could choose.
In the end, countless people were going to die.
– Now, only the final choice of Saram123 remains. What decision will humanity's savior make...
News broadcasts all over the world showed the faces of those inside the Quarantine Zones.
People in despair, people pounding on the barriers and begging to be saved, people clasping their hands in prayer, people closing their eyes as if preparing their hearts...
Everyone waited for Saram123's choice.
And then...
A message appeared.
[The Nightmare Difficulty highest-floor climber, ‘Saram123,’ has selected Quarantine Zones No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.]