Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Beginner - 2
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I couldn't tear my eyes away.
'The 714th floor...?'
The Crimson Flame Guild's highest cleared floor, the one they boasted about, was only the 60th.
The number floating before my eyes completely shattered their reputation.
'Isn't the tower supposed to end at the 100th floor?'
Even setting aside the fact that the man called Earthbound Spirit had surpassed the top-ranked guild, the real shock was that the tower extended beyond the 700th floor.
We had only just conquered the 60th floor.
And it had taken a full six months this time.
Each floor we climbed required progressively more time to clear.
There were cases in the early stages, where experience and analysis were lacking, or on certain floors where strategic gains could be made by delaying, but generally speaking, that was the trend.
Anyone with even a passing interest in the tower could tell that the difficulty of clears ramped up dramatically in the later stages.
'This doesn't make sense. No matter how fast you clear, reaching the 700th floor is impossible!'
A simple calculation of the numbers revealed the impossibility.
Even if you'd entered when the tower first opened and cleared a floor every two days, there still wouldn't have been enough time.
Unlike the flashy gear of the top rankers, his appearance was no different from a beginner's—nothing special at all.
Aside from the single sword at his waist, everything was the kind of quality you could easily find even on the 1st floor.
"Earthbound Spirit Senior! Please take good care of me."
Regardless, the senior called Earthbound Spirit was undoubtedly an incredible powerhouse.
'In other words, a tower-climbing veteran!'
There was no benefit in getting on his bad side, and building rapport couldn't hurt.
A trait that devours comments.
If I overlooked even this, I'd have no other uses for it.
I didn't want to live as an extra in this tower I'd finally entered.
Among all the beginners who entered the tower today, not one didn't dream of becoming a ranker.
Rien instinctively realized that the man before her was the key to her answer.
After parting ways with her senior, Rien wandered through the guild booths set up in the plaza.
The first place she headed, naturally, was the Crimson Flame Guild's booth. Just seeing the crowd gave a sense of their popularity.
Above Amelia's head floated the number 60, just as before, bold and proud.
Above the guild members around her, most showed 56th or 57th floors, with two or three at the 58th.
Probably because pulling the main first-stringers down here for promotion would cost too much manpower, excluding the guild master.
They might be enjoying a rest after conquering the 60th.
"Ranking 1st place! Take a Crimson Flame Guild strategy guide, analyzed by our experts!"
The massive stacks of strategy guides in one corner hinted at the guild's pride.
They were confident that every beginner adventurer would grab one.
The adventurers bombarded the sternly stationed Amelia with questions.
"When do you recruit guild members?"
"Official recruitment will be in two weeks, on the 6th floor."
Where there was official recruitment, there was unofficial scouting too.
Promising talents would be scouted by guild officials before even reaching the 6th floor.
Information every beginner knew well—they'd all twist themselves into knots to catch the guild's eye.
"Does this cover up to the 5th floor only? Over there at Moonlight Guild, they give up to the 10th."
"If you join our guild, you'll get strategies up to our highest cleared floor. Soon, we'll even have the 60th floor guide that no other guild can provide."
Talking so openly about comparing to other guilds—talk about zero tact.
That person would catch some hate even just trying to join Crimson Flame.
"When do you plan to conquer the 61st floor?"
"For now, we're reorganizing resources spent on the 60th, and focusing on scouting and developing new talent."
"I heard Moonlight Guild is tackling the next floor starting tomorrow?"
The adventurer comparing Crimson Flame's guide to Moonlight's scratched at nerves again.
'At that level, isn't he a provocateur sent by Moonlight Guild?'
Even against such obvious prodding, Amelia didn't get riled up.
"Those desperate for immediate results might do that. We're not such a short-sighted group."
She replied with dignified poise.
"Crimson Flame Guild aims to reach the tower's end. Just as we were first to conquer the 60th, we'll claim first clear on the 100th too."
Admiring exclamations erupted around her.
The guild's achievements so far made Amelia's words ring true, not empty boasts.
Rien would have been impressed too.
If not for what happened at the inn.
'Come to think of it, there's no proof anywhere that the tower ends at 100 floors.'
What is the tower?
We don't know why it appeared, how it's connected to Earth, or what's at the end.
Of course, Rien had no interest in such philosophical questions.
She just wanted to grow strong in the tower and live like the protagonist, rather than uncover its causes.
'It's still out there.'
The familiar concept from all those stories she'd binged was now real, sparking wild guesses—but we know next to nothing about the tower.
The assumption it has 100 floors is the same.
Most stories did, so we figured the real one would too.
Years have passed already.
Considering realistic clear difficulties, we think 100 might be the end.
Baseless guesses piled up into accepted truth.
'There's still so much left.'
As Rien's thoughts stretched this far,
'Good.'
She felt relieved.
That it wasn't too late yet.
Even the Crimson Flame Guild, touting themselves as number one, hadn't reached even 10% of 714.
And there's no proof 714 is the end either.
How far does it go?
1,000 floors? Or even more?
Famous major guilds or herself stepping into the tower today—no real difference.
<1>
<60>
A gap of 59 steps meant nothing.
Hundreds more steps remained to the goal.
Rien's hands were stuffed full of strategy guides.
She'd been a bit deflated checking her trait earlier, but now motivation surged.
She'd grabbed every guide from every named guild.
Comparing them all, she memorized every detail for the 1st floor without missing a beat.
Synthesizing all the info...
"Slime Extermination Quest!"
Options on the 1st floor were limited anyway.
No matter which guide you read, the 1st day's tasks were the same—only the order and timing differed slightly.
Wasting time poring over guides had just delayed picking up the quest.
By the time she arrived at the request office as the guides instructed, a huge line of adventurers had already formed for quests.
"No cutting! One at a time, please!"
A receptionist with a white ponytail was struggling against the surging crowd of adventurers.
No matter how sweetly she called out, it didn't seem like it'd calm things down.
With just two receptionists handling this many people, it was no easy task.
'Should've come earlier instead of reading guides...'
Too late for regrets—the line stretched on endlessly.
She stuck to the tail and waited endlessly for her turn.
One by one, people took their quests.
One step forward at a time.
After five steps, she finally glimpsed the two receptionists' faces.
After ten steps, she noticed the female receptionist's beauty... and, well, something impressive anyway.
After fifteen steps, she realized the male receptionist's face looked familiar.
'Earthbound Spirit Senior?'
The innkeeper had definitely introduced her senior as an adventurer.
And now that adventurer was working as a receptionist.
No mistaking it.
That outrageous number still floated above his head.
Unlike adventurers, traits didn't activate for tower residents like the innkeeper.
'There's a quest like this too?'
Besides monster subjugation requests, there were quests for helping residents with minor favors.
According to the guides, they weren't efficient, so only do the listed ones.
'A guy who's reached the 700th floor—there must be a reason.'
Maybe it gave special rewards only available on the 1st floor, or it was actually the path to an amazing hidden class change—wild imaginings flashed through her mind.
"─sir."
"Should I ask how it works?"
"─adventurer?"
"What if asking annoys him?"
"Adventurer!"
"Huh."
Her turn had come before she knew it.
She'd been lost in thought, ignoring the receptionist's words.
【Quest - Slime Extermination《COMMON》】
· Goal - Slimes Defeated (0/5), Slime Cores (0/5)
· Reward - 500 Coins, 200 EXP
"S-Sorry."
"You heard me, right?"
"Yes."
'Didn't hear a word!'
"Really?"
"Y-Yes."
'She seems offended—can't ask her to repeat.'
With the quest window up, Rien escaped the heavy silence.
Goals and rewards were listed, and key info was in the guides anyway.
If not for the pack of adventurers rushing to the forest, she might've even gotten lost.