Chapter 1

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 1

Chapter Title: Beauty Potion

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Ten years ago, towers appeared across the world.

And the world changed dramatically after that.

The towers would lay waste to the surrounding areas if their floors weren't cleared within a set period, giving governments worldwide a massive headache.

But at the same time, the unique resources obtainable only from the towers were so valuable they could advance human civilization by decades.

So the whole world started paying attention.

To those who could fend off the towers' rampages while harvesting those immensely valuable resources.

The chosen ones who awakened special abilities granting them the right to climb the towers.

In other words, Climbers.

"...Another rejection..."

While the world adapted to these changes, I'd been struggling nonstop just to survive.

But here I was, three years into failed job hunts, bouncing between part-time gigs, worrying about my future as a job seeker.

"Sigh... If only I'd awakened as a Climber..."

Rumor had it even low-floor Climbers just smacking goblins pulled in 500k a month easy.

If someone would just hire me, I was confident I could be a goblin slayer. Man, I wish I'd awakened.

"Hoo... Feeling down, maybe I'll vent on the gallery..."

Days like today, after bombing an interview, the gallery was perfect.

It was the only trash bin for dumping all the negative crap piling up with nowhere else to go.

Venting my pent-up feelings on the gallery actually lifted my mood a bit.

Wasn't this the real purpose of the gallery?

Even without me, it overflowed with crap posts, but using it like this made it useful.

"Feeling better, time to sleep."

Tomorrow I needed a new part-time gig... scout companies for applications... rewrite my self-intro letter to fit...

Anyway, tons to do.

"Hope I find a decent part-time job..."

Wishing tomorrow would be better than today,

I burrowed into my blankets.

The next morning.

Ding-! -Ding-! Ding-!

I woke to an unfamiliar alarm.

"Hm...?"

What...? Did I change my alarm sound...?

Couldn't remember, but figuring it wasn't important,

I dragged my half-asleep body to reach for my phone on the nightstand.

Or tried to.

If not for the blue message window floating in mid-air.

"...Huh?"

Climber awakening? Status window? What the hell...

"...Oh, it's a dream, right?"

For a second, it felt way too real to distinguish from reality.

Guess I didn't vent all yesterday's stress, hence the dream.

Next time I post crap on the gallery, I need to cram in even more emotion.

"But... how badly did I want to awaken to dream this...?"

Dreams reflect the unconscious, repressed desires, unresolved conflicts.

Even in a dream, EX-rank skills felt overkill.

Not to mention SS+ and S+ thrown in too.

Apparently, my unconscious was a greedy bastard.

"Well... dreams are better when they're grand."

It's all illusion vanishing on wakeup anyway.

Might as well enjoy being an EX-rank Climber while dreaming.

"But... can I use it...?"

Sounds ridiculous, but

this dream had touch, smell, even pain—super high fidelity.

So maybe a reality-simulating dream like this lets me use status skills?

"Hmm... Let's try."

When else would I get this chance?

So I did.

Used the top skill in the status: [Synthesis (EX)].

"Oh...?"

It worked! Actually worked!

Even if it's a dream. I used an EX-rank skill!

"Damn, my dream's pervy."

Implemented this too? I salute you, unconscious Benefactor!

Hm, anyway. Enter what to synthesize?

"This is tough..."

Not that nothing comes to mind.

Too many ideas, hard to pick one.

Hmmm... Hmmm... Hmmmm...!!!

"...Alright. You it is."

Hundreds of candidates,

but after deep thought, if I had to pick the most important thing in life, it's this.

"Being handsome makes life easy."

No matter how I thought ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠about it, this was the answer.

Money? Comes with looks.

Power? Follows good looks too.

Girlfriend? Do I even need to say? Hot guys get approached just walking.

Even if the world flipped with the towers,

this eternal truth remained unchanged.

"Come on! Unconscious Benefactor! Show me what this beauty potion born of your filthy desires looks like!"

"Ah, so that's how it works?"

I imagined yelling "Make it!" and poof from thin air.

But true to my reality-obsessed unconscious, even this was detailed.

"Dragon's tear in the materials...?"

I recall news of a dragon kill in the US once.

But how would I get that?

The rest looked insanely rare too. Can I even make this?

Wanna try one before waking...

"...Said total 4, right?"

Better check the others.

"Fairy's tear? Pass."

"Elf... Pass..."

"This one... maybe doable?"

Last one's materials are like what?

Compared to the first three, the gap's huge.

Simple stuff I could grab right now.

"Even my unconscious isn't perfect to the end."

Works for me though.

"Now to gather materials outside..."

...What does outside this dream look like?

Guess my unconscious is a pervert.

Why else dream with insane detail like the scenery outside?

Thanks to it, I gathered materials safely, but

shocked at how obsessively detailed my unconscious pervert is.

So.

"Now what?"

Materials gathered, just make it.

Required tools: Emerald Cauldron, Pure Flame?

Probably use the skills I have.

But no clue how exactly.

"Hmm... Using it shows?"

First, [Emerald Cauldron (SS+)], looks like for holding materials.

Thud-!

"???"

Skill activated, turquoise something dropped from air, rolled on floor.

Picked it up to check.

"...Toy cauldron?"

You know those kids' toys? Put stuff in toy pot, wait, doll pops out.

Exactly like that, but material like a gem.

"Unconscious me, disappointing this time."

Daring to copy! Detail good, but zero creativity—deduct points.

Next [Pure Flame (S+)] better show originality.

"Before Pure Flame skill..."

Put ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠materials in cauldron first.

Drinkable water: Tap water, roughly filled.

Dandelion root: Pulled from crack near home.

Smooth stone: Picked nearby rock.

Last... Human tears.

No choice, self-supply.

"Hup...!"

Slap-!!!

"Guhhh...! Fuck...!! Hurts like hell...!!!"

Why's the pain in this dream so vivid...!!!

Cheek numb, faint blood taste—must've busted lip.

Tears like chicken shit from pain, quickly dumped in cauldron.

Moved to bathroom for safety,

Activated long-awaited [Pure Flame (S+)]

Whoosh-!

Tiny purple flame flickered under Emerald Cauldron.

All recipe conditions met, prompt appeared.

"Of course!"

Why slap my face for tears if not! Gotta do it!

Unhesitatingly selected [YES].

Bubble bubble bubble-!

Cauldron boiled,

materials melted, merged.

"Ooh..."

Cool. Unconscious me, artistry pass.

Then just stared at cauldron like fire-gazing.

Materials blending, colors shifting, forming shape—pretty fun.

Moments later.

"Ooooh!!!"

Even if a dream,

successfully made the 'beauty potion' everyone dreams of!

"Alright! Drink it hot!"

Downed the finished potion without doubt.

That 'pain equal to ugliness' penalty nagged a bit,

but I'm average, so not too bad.

Maybe stinging like minor skin flip?

Worth it for handsome.

Thus boldly chugged.

The result...

Crack-! Crunch-!!! Graaack-!!!!

"Gaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!"

In horrific pain like my face minced and reformed, I screamed for ages,

finally blacking out from unbearable agony.