Chapter 86: Bug (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 86: Bug (4)
I returned to Zone 0 and stepped through the portal to the Reward Room. It was time to collect the spoils for taking down the Zone 4 Boss.
[Item: Frozen Hydra's Blood]
Type: Consumable
Effect: Upon consumption, your cold resistance will increase. Your body's natural regenerative power and all external healing effects will be significantly enhanced. You will not die unless your head is destroyed or your neck is severed.
“...Hmm?”
The first-clear reward was a small glass vial filled with a swirling blue liquid. I read the description again, my eyes widening.
It was the first consumable reward I’d ever seen, but more importantly, the effects were staggering. Cold resistance, boosted regeneration, and—most importantly—pseudo-immortality.
‘I won’t die unless my head is destroyed or my neck is severed?’
This was the exact ability the Zone 4 Boss had used. The item contained the boss’s power in its purest form.
“This is damn good...”
As long as I protected my head, I was essentially immortal. Combined with my existing regeneration, I’d be nearly impossible to put down. While the head was an obvious weak point, the sheer utility of the effect was extraordinary.
I immediately uncorked the vial and downed it. It tasted like plain water, but it was so cold my tongue felt like it was flash-freezing. The liquid slid down my throat, and a refreshing chill spread through my veins with a soft hiss.
[You have consumed ‘Item: Frozen Hydra's Blood’.]
Next was the standard reward.
[Skill: Cavalry Charge (Rare+)]
Effect: Charge forward while mounted on a unit. For 5 seconds, the caster’s and the mount’s speed, defense, and resistance are greatly increased. Targets hit by the charge are knocked back significantly.
Requirement: Must be mounted on a unit.
Classification: Physical
Willpower Cost: 130
Cooldown: 1 minute
The normal reward wasn’t Epic grade, only Rare+, but it was a specialized skill. A five-second burst of speed and durability while charging? Since I had Phli, this was a skill I could definitely put to use.
[You have learned ‘Skill: Cavalry Charge (Rare+)’.]
With the rewards claimed, I checked my updated status.
[Difficulty: Nightmare]
[Floor: 7th]
[Level: 80]
[Willpower: 3,600]
[Skills: Destruction Ray (Epic+), Subspace (Epic), Sixth Sense (Rare+)(+2), Teleportation (Rare+), Rapid Regeneration (Rare+), Scorching Zone (Rare+), Sword of Light (Rare+), Cavalry Charge (Rare+), Flame Strike (Rare)(+5)...]
As I scanned the window, the Demon King’s voice echoed in my mind.
—You... you were a Nightmare Climber?
His words caught me off guard.
“...You know what that is?”
Did the Demon King understand the Tower’s system? He had told me to stop time when the Tower tried to intervene earlier, which had already made me suspicious.
“How do you know that? What exactly are you, Demon King?”
Of all the intelligent beings I had encountered inside the Tower, none had understood the concept of the Tower or the act of "climbing." Whenever I cleared a Hidden Route, the inhabitants acted like NPCs, completely oblivious to the greater reality.
The Demon King ignored my questions, firing back with his own.
—How many floors have you cleared? How much time does your world have left?
“...I’ve cleared up to the 6th floor.”
—Hah. For a lowly creature, you’ve climbed surprisingly high. Are you the record holder?
“I am.”
The Demon King sounded genuinely stunned.
—Then again, for a mere mortal to wield the divine art of stopping time...
“I’m the one asking the questions. What are you?”
The Demon King finally answered, his voice heavy with a strange resonance.
—I, too, was a Nightmare Climber.
“...?!”
—I have a proposal. Hand your body over to me, and I will clear the Nightmare difficulty for you. I will prevent the destruction of your world.
The revelation hit me like a physical blow. He was a climber? This guy? How? Why?
“I don’t understand any of this. I need an explanation.”
—About what?
“Are there other worlds besides Earth? You’re not from my world, are you?”
—Don’t be foolish. Countless worlds exist beyond your own.
So, there really were other worlds. It wasn’t entirely surprising—common sense had been shattered the moment the Tower appeared. The existence of other realms was a small leap compared to everything else I’d seen. I’d sensed it vaguely while clearing Hidden Routes, but the confirmation was different.
The shocking part was that they all had their own Towers and their own climbers.
“And you say you’ll prevent the destruction of my world?”
The Demon King spoke with arrogant conviction.
—That is correct. As you are now, you are bound to fail. Accept my proposal. I will extend the time limit of the Nightmare difficulty.
I pressed him further. “How many floors did you clear, Demon King? Did you make it to the end?”
The Demon King fell silent for a moment.
—I have climbed far higher than you.
“How many floors?”
—I surpassed the 20th floor.
“So you didn’t finish it?”
—...
“And here I was getting my hopes up. You couldn’t even finish your own climb, yet you’re claiming you can save my world?”
Whatever had happened, he had clearly failed. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have been buried on the 5th floor like a discarded relic.
The Demon King flew into a rage.
—How dare you, you insignificant creature! Do you think you can even reach the 10th floor?
Despite his temper, he seemed to be telling the truth about the 20th floor. Because our souls were linked, I could vaguely sense the sincerity behind his words.
I ignored his insults and organized my thoughts. There were other worlds, they had Towers, and the Demon King of the Bitter Cold was a former Nightmare Climber who had been labeled a ‘bug’ and slated for deletion by the system.
“Forget the posturing. Tell me the rest. Why were you buried on the 5th floor, and what does it mean to be a bug?”
I had a mountain of questions. Why was a former climber in that state? Did he survive the failure of his climb? What was the Tower’s true purpose? The Demon King had to know more than I did.
The entity scoffed.
—You think I would tell you for free? Hand over your body, and I will reveal everything.
I narrowed my eyes. Did he actually know?
“You’ll tell me the Tower’s true nature?”
—Yes. I will tell you everything you wish to know. And I will conquer the Nightmare for you!
That was a lie. I felt it through the soul connection; the Demon King didn’t actually know the Tower’s ultimate secrets.
—Damn it... so you refuse?
“Of course. There’s no way I’m giving you my body.”
—I’m telling you, you will fail! With me in control, I could extend your world’s lifespan by at least a decade. Just give me half of each day!
Not a chance. If the Demon King could genuinely clear the Nightmare to the very end, I might have considered a deal. But I wasn't going to hand over my autonomy just to buy a little more time. Besides, he was untrustworthy. If I gave him control once, who was to say he’d ever give it back? I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in a time-stopped stalemate.
And there was one more thing... was his Nightmare the same as mine?
“Demon King, what was on the 6th floor of your Nightmare?”
—The 6th floor? It’s hazy... a volcanic eruption, I believe.
“It wasn't ogres destroying a core?”
—What are you talking about? No. I remember now—I froze the entire volcano to stop the eruption.
Freezing a volcano? The scale was different, but more importantly, the content was different. The Nightmare difficulty wasn't a fixed path; it changed for every world or every climber. If that was the case, his experience was even less valuable.
‘Wait.’
When he had taken over my body, he had used powers I didn't possess—manipulating cold and flying.
‘Can he use his original abilities even in my body?’
The Demon King sensed my thought.
—In this pathetic vessel, I cannot use even a fraction of my true power. Even so, you would be ten times stronger than you are now.
“Impressive.”
—Yes! You finally understand. Will you accept?
“No.”
I shut him down and ignored the subsequent stream of curses echoing in my skull. Maybe I should have let the Tower delete him. The Tower’s reaction to him was concerning, and I wasn't sure if stopping time to save him had been the right move. But it was too late for regrets.
I left the Reward Room and exited the 5th floor.
When I opened my eyes, I was back in my room. The familiar scenery felt strange, likely because I had spent so much time in the stopped-clock world of the Tower.
I walked out into the living room. My family was gathered around the TV. It was the weekend.
My father glanced up at me. “Why are you standing there like a statue?”
“...It’s nothing.”
“You’re acting weird again.”
On the news, a bulletin was reporting my victory over the Zone 4 Boss. I retreated to my room and collapsed onto the bed.
“Ugh...”
The exhaustion hit me all at once. I needed to sleep.
*
[Spiderweb: He actually soloed the Zone 4 Boss.]
[Pain: Minimum level was 80. That’s insane.]
[Dohyeong: See? I told you he’d handle it.]
[Devans: Did anyone get footage? There’s nothing online.]
[Kikikikiki: Saram123 warned everyone to stay away because it was too dangerous, so...]
I woke up the next day feeling refreshed. I scrolled through the communication window for a moment before closing it. Unexpected variables aside, the boss was dead. It was time to get back to work.
“Demon King.”
He had been pestering me until I fell asleep, but now he was silent.
—Don’t speak to me unless you’re surrendering your body.
“Fine by me.”
The Demon King grumbled.
—Damn it... how did I end up bound to such a strange, lowly creature?
“You should feel lucky,” I countered. “If I hadn’t stopped time, the Tower would have erased you. Technically, I’m your savior. You could try being a little more cooperative.”
I had no intention of giving up my body, but having a knowledgeable—if cranky—partner would be useful.
—Don’t even dream of it. If you want my help...
“I know, I have to give you half my day.”
—Correct. Have you changed your mind?
“I’ll give it my most negative consideration.”
—...You arrogant brat!
Ignoring him, I focused on the system.
[Do you wish to enter the 6th floor of the Nightmare difficulty?]
It was time to clear the 6th Floor Hidden Route. I wanted to finish it before exploring the newly opened Zone 5 so I could post the information for the other climbers.
[The match will begin!]
[Destroy all of the opponent’s Cores!]
Goblins began spawning from the portal. I moved with practiced efficiency.
CRASH!
I hammered the base’s Core with my mace. I had already figured out the trick to this floor.
[You have destroyed the opponent’s Core!]
[Cores Destroyed: 1/4]
I immediately sprinted to Lane 1, slaughtered the ogres, shattered the 1st and 2nd Turrets, and bulldozed into the enemy base to take out the next Core.
[You have destroyed the opponent’s Core!]
[Cores Destroyed: 2/4]
The pattern held. I just had to destroy them in sequence: 1, 2, and 3.
[You have destroyed the 1st Turret of Lane 2!]
[You have destroyed the 2nd Turret of Lane 2!]
...
[You have destroyed the opponent’s Core!]
[Cores Destroyed: 4/4]
As the final Core shattered, the victory message flashed.
[You have won the match!]
I looked around, expecting the Hidden Route prompt, when a portal suddenly manifested right beside me.
“...?”
My Sixth Sense remained quiet, so I cautiously stepped through. The scenery shifted instantly.
“...?”
I found myself surrounded by a circle of armored knights.
Clap, clap, clap.
A figure stepped through the ranks, applauding. He wasn't human. His skin was a dull gray, he possessed three eyes, and his limbs were unnaturally long and thin. He looked like an alien nobleman, dressed in flamboyant, high-status attire.
He spoke with a thin, pleased smile.
“An excellent match, Slave No. 199.”
“...Slave?”
“Only the final match remains. Go back and rest well.”
One of the knights jabbed the flat of his blade into my back, gesturing for me to move.
—What is this rabble? Kill them all.
The Demon King’s voice hissed in my mind. I ignored him and briefly stopped time to assess the situation.
‘Slave?’
This Hidden Route was different. Usually, I was an observer or an interloper, but here, a role had been forced upon me from the start.
Information was the priority. For now, I’d play along.
I resumed time and allowed the knights to escort me without resistance.
—What are you doing? I told you to slaughter them!
‘Shut up.’
The guy was a total psychopath. Why did he want to kill everything that breathed?