Chapter 5: Nightmare 1st Floor (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 5: Nightmare 1st Floor (4)
The White House Situation Room.
Key government and military figures, including the President of the United States, were gathered in one place. The atmosphere was solemn, every eye fixed on the massive screen at the front of the room.
[02:46:33]
As the countdown on the screen ticked away, deep shadows cast over their faces. This was the time limit for the Tower’s Nightmare difficulty—the countdown to the extinction of the human race.
“What’s the status, Director Van?” the President asked quietly.
Van, the Director of the newly established Climbing Management Bureau, replied while staring into the holographic interface in the air.
“The survival rate is plummeting. We’re currently at 76,000... but as the deadline approaches, we expect a massive drop-off all at once.”
He couldn't bring himself to blame them. This was a difficulty level that no one had cleared, even after tens of thousands had died trying. Even with the end of the world staring them in the face, what human would want to throw themselves into a death trap with a 0% survival rate?
If anything, the courage of the 20,000 people who had challenged it so far was admirable.
Who could have imagined this just a year ago? Not climate change, nuclear winter, or an asteroid impact—humanity was facing its end like this.
The Tower had appeared, Climbers had begun to ascend, and they had brought back a new substance called Mana Stones, changing the world overnight. It didn't take long for nations to realize that the future of the world would be reshaped around the Tower and its Climbers.
The United States had moved quickly to prepare for this shifting paradigm, but in the end, it all seemed futile. Even the dreaded Hard difficulty had been conquered up to the 6th floor. Just what kind of place was Nightmare difficulty that not even the 1st floor could be cleared?
Soon, the curse prophesied by the Tower would fall. Once the timer hit zero, 99% of the population would perish. It sounded absurd, but how could they ignore it? This was a warning from a transcendent being capable of raising a massive tower in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and granting supernatural powers to random people across the globe. It wouldn't be strange if such a being could wipe out humanity in an instant.
The only resistance they could offer was to unleash the full might of human technology against the inscrutable Tower. Preparations were already complete. If the floor wasn't cleared by the thirty-minute mark, a coordinated nuclear strike on the Tower in the Pacific would commence. It was the final line in the sand, a last-ditch operation coordinated with China, Russia, and other world powers.
However, everyone in the room sensed it was a meaningless gesture. It had long been concluded that the Tower, which was suspected to be rooted as deep as the Earth's core, was indestructible. The mysterious energy field covering its surface seemed to exist outside the laws of physics, blocking all external physical force.
This was truly nothing more than a final act of desperation.
“God help us...”
Everyone could only pray. They prayed that someone among those remaining would succeed. They prayed for a miracle.
“Once the timer hits one hour, I’m going in myself,” Director Van said. “I’ve already summoned a replacement to handle the status reports.”
All eyes turned toward him. He was also a Climber assigned to the Nightmare difficulty.
“Tens of thousands have sacrificed their lives. As the Director of the Climbing Management Bureau, I have a responsibility to see this through to the end.”
“...I understand. Thank you for your service, Director Van.”
The others could only nod solemnly. The probability of his entry changing this disastrous situation was near zero. Van checked the remaining personnel count with a heavy gaze.
[The 1st floor of all difficulties has been cleared.]
[The Tower calls for new Climbers.]
Messages flashed before his eyes. Van blinked, his eyes widening until they threatened to tear as he checked the Nightmare difficulty status.
[Nightmare]
Personnel: 175,836
Time Limit: 1 year, 2 hours, 39 minutes, 3 seconds
Floor Reached: 2nd Floor
“It... It’s done!” Van shouted, forgetting his dignity.
The room startled, eyes snapping to him.
“Holy shit! It’s done! We did it! The 1st floor of Nightmare has been cleared!”
“...Is that true?!”
“A message just popped up saying the 1st floor of all difficulties has been cleared! I’ve confirmed the Nightmare time limit has increased by a year! Hahaha!”
“Whooo-hoo!”
The room erupted. People embraced each other in a frenzy of joy; some broke down into tears of pure relief. Director Van shared a jubilant hug with his deputy, Samuel, laughing loudly.
“This is wonderful news, Director!”
With this, humanity had survived. Though they had only bought themselves a year, no one cared about the brevity of it right now.
“The personnel limit for each difficulty has increased by 100,000 again. It happened the moment the message appeared.”
“Is that so? It seems the numbers increase every time a full floor is cleared.”
Their joy was short-lived as the weight of the tasks ahead settled in. The clearing of the Nightmare 1st floor and the influx of new Climbers meant they were entering a new phase.
“By the way, who was it? The hero who cleared Nightmare.”
“We’ll have to find out.”
The achievement of being the first to clear Nightmare difficulty—a place where not a single person had returned alive until now—was monumental. No matter their nationality, an announcement would likely break soon, unless they were an Unregistered Climber who hadn't reported to their government.
Whatever the case, one thing was certain. That person had saved humanity from the brink of extinction.
* * *
My eyes snapped open. I bolted upright and scanned my surroundings.
“...?”
I’m... alive?
I checked my body. The arrow that had gutted me was gone; my body was perfectly intact. Even my neck was fine. There were no bloodstains, and my torn clothes had been restored. It was as if I had been completely reset.
I remembered seeing a message saying I’d cleared the floor right before I lost consciousness... Did I really do it? Since my body was healed, I must have succeeded.
The reality of it sank in once I checked the Nightmare difficulty status.
[Nightmare]
Personnel: 175,831
Time Limit: 1 year, 2 hours, 38 minutes, 30 seconds
Floor Reached: 2nd Floor
The floor had changed to the 2nd, and the time limit had increased by a year. A hollow, breathless laugh escaped my lips.
“Haha...”
I actually did it. The world isn't ending.
Joy, relief, and a tangle of complex emotions washed over me. It felt like I’d won a bet where I’d put everything on the line. And in a way, I had.
...But why did the number of people increase?
Not just for Nightmare, but the personnel for all difficulties had increased by 100,000. I tilted my head in confusion and looked around. I was in a wide, circular space, similar to the cavern from before.
Is this the Reward Room?
I’d heard that Climbers aren't sent outside immediately after a clear; they receive rewards in a place called the Reward Room. The messages that appeared right before I passed out were starting to come back to me.
I whispered quietly, “Status Window.”
[Difficulty: Nightmare]
[Floor: 2nd Floor]
[Level: 10]
[Willpower: 100]
[Skills: - ]
A minimalist window flickered into existence. So this was the Status Window—the common reward given to Climbers who cleared the 1st floor for the first time. Through this, Climbers grew stronger, eventually becoming superhumans as they ascended the Tower.
I stood up. My body felt like it was overflowing with energy, so I tried jumping in place. I soared several meters into the air with effortless ease.
“Whoa.”
These were physical abilities enhanced by leveling up. I ran a few laps and threw a few experimental punches, testing the sensation of my transformed body. This was actually incredible.
But why was my level so high? Level 10? I knew that higher difficulties granted more levels, but I hadn't expected this much.
I stopped testing my body and turned my attention to the rewards. Two stones, emitting different lights, lay on the floor nearby. I approached the golden one first.
[Highest-Grade Magic Stone]
A Magic Stone of the highest quality.
Information popped up the moment I picked it up.
“So this is a Mana Stone.”
One of the primary rewards of the Tower. I’d heard Climbers made fortunes selling these. They were treated as a miraculous resource that could advance human civilization, though the specifics didn't interest me much.
I set it down and examined the other stone—a drop-shaped gem emitting a soft green light.
[Skill Stone: Flame Strike (Rare)]
Upon use, you can learn ‘Skill: Flame Strike (Rare).’
[Would you like to use ‘Skill Stone: Flame Strike (Rare)’?]
A Skill Stone. A rare item that granted a specific ability. But I thought Skill Stones weren't supposed to drop on the 1st floor? And a Rare grade at that?
“Flame Strike... I assume it shoots fire.”
I used it immediately.
[You have learned ‘Skill: Flame Strike (Rare)’.]
The stone in my hand dissolved into light and was absorbed into my chest.
[Skill: Flame Strike (Rare)]
Fires a sphere of condensed flames, triggering an explosion on impact. Requires 20 seconds of Mental Focus to cast.
Category: Magic-Type
Willpower Cost: 100
Cooldown: 30 seconds
I read the description. I was tempted to try it out right then and there, but then I remembered the world outside. I couldn't afford to linger; I needed to get home.
Looking at the time limit, more than thirty minutes had passed since I entered.
[Would you like to exit the Tower?]
The message appeared the moment I thought about leaving.
“Exit.”
The scenery shifted instantly. I was back in the same alleyway where I had first entered the Tower. I stuffed the Magic Stone into my pocket, left the alley, and headed for home.
I wondered if my family was feeling the same relief as the rest of the world. The alarm I set probably hadn't gone off yet. With luck, they hadn't seen the suicide note I left.
For now... I just wanted to rest. I wanted to go home and throw myself onto my bed.