Chapter 6

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 6

Chapter Title: Climbing Preparation

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A short while after posting the proof...

I left the Tower Losers gallery, which was currently ablaze with heated discussion.

And while eating a lunchbox I'd bought from the convenience store near my place, I started reworking my plans for the future.

"I really screwed up."

In the end, I went and caused a scene, you idiot Benefactor.

No matter how much I craved attention or wanted to brag...

Letting impulse win and showing my face on the gallery? That doesn't make any sense.

"If I'd at least hidden my face..."

Then I could've somehow played it off.

But now that it had spread not just across various galleries but even to SNS, deleting the post at this point wouldn't mean much.

"Even at the convenience store earlier, someone recognized me..."

It had happened just 30 minutes ago.

When I went to the counter to pay for the lunchbox, the part-timer's first words upon seeing me were—

—so as soon as I finished paying, I bolted out of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠store and ran home.

It was a precious moment where I personally experienced just how high Korea's internet usage rate really is.

And so, right now...

"...What do I do now...?"

I was feeling the consequences of posting that update without controlling my emotions, very keenly indeed.

I had no idea how to navigate out of this mess.

"No... actually, there is one way..."

They say the best way to bury a scandal is to drown it in an even bigger one.

So if I just proved I was an EX-rank ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Alchemist right now...

Wouldn't this current controversy not even qualify as one anymore?

The problem was the fallout—men in black suits might show up and drag me away.

But there's that saying: if you're going to be a slave, better to be one in a high lord's house. So maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

No, it might even be an opportunity!

So, the proof... post the proof on the gallery...!!!

"Phew...... No way in hell."

Ugh, damn it. Another menhera episode nearly made me explode.

High lord's slave my ass—if you're a slave, you're a slave, end of story.

If they dragged me off like that, I'd never see the sunlight again for the rest of my life.

'What the hell do I do with these damn emotions that have nowhere to go?'

The emotional trash bin I'd been using was currently on fire and out of service.

If I went outside to cool my head, there were too many people who might recognize me.

So here I was, trapped in this tiny one-room apartment, unable to do anything.

Was there really no way to vent these negative feelings?

"...Maybe I should play some games after a long time...?"

Thinking back, during my school days, I'd relieve stress with games that had a good sense of impact.

After becoming an adult, prep for job hunting and part-time gigs naturally pulled me away from them.

But in a situation like now, where I was half-forced to hole up in my room, it might be perfect.

"Nothing else to do, might as well."

The game I used to play was called... Dungeon & Hero, right?

Where the hero enters a dungeon, slays monsters, levels up...

...Hold on.

"Monsters? Level up?"

Do I really need to play a game for this?

Come to think of it, there's something similar to a dungeon in reality.

And I can enter it?

The issue is, unlike games, I don't have multiple lives.

It's a life-risking game of darkness where if you die, no restart.

"Still, at my level now, I could probably clear the first floor, right?"

I'd gotten an S-rank trait just recently, after all.

Potions? With materials, I could whip them up right now.

Weapons or armor? Buy something decent from the exchange.

If I'm really worried, I could get something from Bug Hater for a reasonable fee.

All in all, it seemed doable...

"Tower climb. Time to seriously prepare for it?"

#####

Once I'd concluded that climbing the Tower was feasible,

I began preparing in earnest to ascend it.

First, I used [Synthesis (EX)] to create a suitable potion recipe.

"Recovery Herbs are 1,000 won each, so... buy about 100 and make some?"

Bubble bubble bubble—!

"Oh, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠no penalty this time... What? A thousand of them!?"

No way am I using all these by myself—what am I supposed to do with them?

Carrying them around would be the real hassle.

"Argh, can't even sell them."

But throwing them away felt like too much of a waste.

So I pocketed 30 for now and stashed the rest in a bag in the drawer.

"Alright, potions are good to go."

Next up, gear... Hmm... Honestly, this one's tricky.

It's still the lower floors of the Tower, after all.

And with my S-rank trait Marrow Cleansing, I doubt I'd go down easily there.

"I didn't realize it at first, but this trait is ridiculously powerful."

For starters, as you can see, my body looks way better.

And my physical abilities had strengthened proportionally.

But the level of that strengthening far exceeded my wildest imagination.

For example, if I gripped a spare pebble I'd picked up outside the day before...

Crush...

I could turn it to dust with magic (physics).

And if I dragged the kitchen knife across my palm...

Kagagang—!

Sparks flew like I was scraping a chunk of metal.

"What the hell is this?"

These potions I just made... Do I even need them...?

Frankly, in my current state, I could probably steamroll the lower floors barehanded.

"...No! Get it together, Benefactor!"

Complacency is the enemy.

Forgot Tower Knowledge PhD's teachings? The number one cause of death on the lower floors is floors 1 through 5.

No matter the saying about excess being as bad as deficiency, safety tied to your life doesn't play by those rules.

So, for gear, I could decide after checking Tower info.

"Let's see... something useful..."

I searched the gallery for Tower-related posts.

"Oh...? This one?"

And found one perfectly suited to my situation, so I tapped it.

The familiar nickname of the author greeted me.

So, to sum it up...

Floor 1 is easy to clear with proper prep.

And from floor 2 on, that's where it gets real?

"As expected, the gallery's one true light is Tower Knowledge PhD."

Crystal clear understanding!

"So, even heading in now, no problem at all?"

My current specs: Crushing rocks barehanded, blades don't cut—superhuman... no.

Even by Climber standards, monstrous, beyond-Climber level.

At this point, not just hunting Goblins—I could make them do origami.

Good. Confidence solidified. I can enter the Tower right now.

Of course, fighting barehanded is meh, so buy a temporary weapon.

"Cheapest weapon on the exchange right now... E-rank spear for about 500,000 won?"

Spear. Not a bad choice.

Long reach advantage, specialized for thrusting—the strongest human attack.

Swords of the same rank have shorter reach but cost double.

No extra options, yet pricier—probably because swords are more popular.

"No need to splurge."

No point dumping big money on a short-term weapon.

So I bought the cheapest spear listed.

And finished all prep for the Tower.

"Ooh."

This is a real spear. First time seeing one in person.

Watching the silvery blade at the end of the straight shaft sparkle made my heart itch.

"...I like stuff like this...?"

Just looking does this—what would it feel like swinging it in the Tower?

"[Enter Tower]"

With excited anticipation, I entered the Tower.

With that brief message as the finale,

When I came to, I was no longer in my cramped one-room.

But in the middle of a vast forest that looked like the Tower's interior.