Chapter 3
Chapter 3
The healing potion was, fortunately, a liquid with some viscosity. When applied to the wound, it seeped in as if melting.
"Hooouuu…."
It hadn't completely healed, but there was no more bleeding.
I carefully took off the leather clothes worn by the dead citizen. While it was certainly unpleasant, it seemed better to put this on than to wear only my own clothes, which were half in tatters.
My mobile phone again. I held the gallery terminal in my hand.
The moment I was about to tap the Transcendent Gallery app.
An app beneath it caught my eye.
"...Camera?"
An icon shaped like a lens, just like the camera app from modern times.
I clicked it.
It was a real camera function.
"There's no lens on the front, though."
It seemed the operating method wasn't the same as a smartphone.
I had a subject to photograph right away.
I had to let them know I almost died.
I took a picture of the giant ant with a human head.
Fortunately, there was no click sound. It seemed to be on silent mode by default.
If something happened, if something appeared, I could take a photo from afar and ask the people in the Transcendent Gallery.
I entered the Transcendent Gallery.
Before I pressed the write button, my eyes were drawn to the posts in the gallery.
Title: Did '*' seriously die?
Author: oo
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He suddenly stopped posting and commenting, and it's already been 10 minutes. Seriously...
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Surely, he just fainted from hunger.
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In the Tower, that means you die.
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You become a monster's meal in an instant.
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Sword of Light) It does seem like something happened since he suddenly stopped posting and commenting.
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Heavenly Demon) …Usually, someone who comes like a fortuitous encounter doesn't die so easily, does he…? That wouldn't be right. Surely, he hasn't really died….
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You're genuinely trembling while calling yourself 'Demon' LOL. Are you worried?
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Ice Queen) Brrr!
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Secret Room Theorist) Perhaps we are all just under a collective hypnosis. Logically, a Climber shouldn't be able to access the Transcendent Gallery - this world is made up of a giant secret room.
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Elf) It's quite plausible for a demon managing a labyrinth to talk about hypnosis. But could something really have happened?
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Scum Sword Saint) Climber, write a post as soon as you confirm.
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Yeah, if you die, you can't write, right?
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Shrine Maiden) Hawa-wa, the Climber didn't seem like he had such a short lifespan, wa-yo.
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Pioneer) Dude, remember that Climber you pointed out in the Climber Gallery as having a long lifespan died on floor 41 right after reaching it from floor 40.
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Shrine Maiden) .,!;
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Pioneer) You're quite flustered.
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Shrine Maiden) Anyway… Climber, the Transcendent Gallery will collapse without you….
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That's the real fact. All the unusually active Fixed Nicknames have retreated again LOL.
I could tell all the attention was focused on me.
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Archmage) Tsk, I thought I had some interesting new entertainment after a long time… is he dead?
…Hmm, entertainment.
Well, most people probably think the same as the Archmage. I'm still alive. You punk.
I closed the post and pressed the write button.
I attached the photo I had just taken.
And posted it.
Title: Almost died
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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I almost died by this bastard.
Attachment: 348593408.jpg
[Photo of a giant ant with three human heads on its head, lying on its side]
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Oh wow, I haven't seen that ant bastard in a while.
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Scum Sword Saint) Wasn't that monster's name Ansranthrop?
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That's right. But how did he manage to survive and defeat it? A 21st-century Earthling. Does that usually appear on floor 1?
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Nah, it absolutely doesn't appear on floor 1 in Easy difficulty. Only rat-like creatures appear.
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This guy definitely isn't Easy mode LOL. I'd bet on Normal. If you're incredibly unlucky, Hard.
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Seriously, in Easy, there are so many people that there are always others from the same batch on floor 1. Even excluding NPCs, you can't be alone.
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Even in Easy, those who aren't careful die.
So the Tower I was summoned to is definitely not Easy difficulty. Sigh.
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I'm from Normal, and it did appear on floor 1, but I don't know. The one I killed seemed a bit smaller.
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Yeah, I'm Normal too and I think the same as you.
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Shrine Maiden) It appeared on floor 1 at exactly that size, and I crushed it to death with a curse, wa-yo. The thumb that eradicates ill fortune!
…Tsk.
Normal brothers, why are you saying such creepy things?
Even if my luck is terrible, I'm thinking it's Normal mode. Such vague words.
And why does the Shrine Maiden always say things that increase the possibility of me being in Hard mode? It's annoying.
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Sword of Light) Seeing three human heads, it must have eaten three people, whether it was an NPC or a Climber. Well done for killing it.
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Archmage) Phew, you're not dead. Don't die.
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Heavenly Demon) So you were alive. Did you achieve any stages or acquire any skills?
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Translation: Did you level up or acquire any skills?
Ah, right.
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Yeah*) My level hasn't gone up yet. I gained three skills: Pain Suppression, Composure, and Concealment.
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Archmage) Ordinary.
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Or-dinary. I've only gained two or more skills in a single battle a handful of times.
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As expected of the commoner's Easy mode, ham~~
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I'm from Normal, you worm.
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Shrine Maiden) Hawa-wa, it's common in Hard difficulty, but it's rare for it to happen on floor 1. It's strange, wa-yo.
It keeps stacking up the possibility of Hard difficulty.
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Scum Sword Saint) Check your status window first. Then, you need to reach the entrance to floor 2.
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Sword of Light) If you go up to floor 2, I'll teach you spear techniques in the floor waiting room.
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Heavenly Demon) ??? You speak of spear techniques with 'Sword' in your Fixed Nickname?
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Sword of Light) Judging by the shape of the wound on Ansranthrop's head, it was a spear. I should teach him what that thing used. It's uncertain whether you'll even be able to obtain a sword.
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Sword of Light) First, clear floor 1 and confirm the difficulty.
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Daedaeaeaeae The Climber's majesty, who keeps making the sword-obsessed person sound normal.
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The gallery was boring, so I just kept talking about swords LOL.
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Sword of Light) Of course, if the Climber obtains a sword, sword techniques are confirmed immediately.
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Heavenly Demon) Hmph… I shall teach you some fist techniques as well. In a way you can understand.
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Archmage) You need to accumulate at least a little mana before I can teach you anything. Hmm.
Two people offered to teach me. I appreciate it, but…
I don't know if I'll be able to understand.
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Okay*) Thanks, thanks.
I replied very passively.
I wrote down what I was curious about before Ansranthrop appeared.
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Hmm*) But why are all the people with Fixed Nicknames from Hard mode?
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The Transcendent Gallery system doesn't allow people like us, who are just Easy or Normal, to get Fixed Nicknames.
Then why isn't Pandemonium there? It's a difficulty higher than Hard.
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Yes*) But there's also Pandemonium difficulty. It's higher than Hard.
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Jjuhdak) There are no finishers for Pandemonium yet.
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They all died climbing. That's why there can't be any Fixed Nicknames from there.
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Archmage) The clear rate there is 0%.
Ah. I see. They all died.
Another fundamental question popped into my head.
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Okay*) But what's the criteria for dividing into Easy, Normal, Hard, and Pandemonium?
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Jjuhdak) The Tower system hasn't revealed it directly. We just speculate.
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Archmage) It's speculated that beings who have even a speck of possibility to clear that difficulty are summoned to the Tower. That's the speculation.
But there's one thing that goes against that speculation.
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Archmage) However, you think Pandemonium doesn't fit that reasoning, right? Well, I can't say for sure… but I believe that even if they all died in the end, the people summoned there had the potential to finish Pandemonium.
A Tower with a 0% survival rate, even for those summoned with potential.
Just thinking about it made me feel repulsed.
For now, as Jjuhdak and Sword of Light said, I need to clear floor 1 and confirm the difficulty.
I need to gather all the information I can before I set off.
My hands moved busily.
Title: Are the Tower floors just all about fighting monsters?
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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It seems like it for floor 1, at least.
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Jjuhdak) Floor 1 is for warming up, a tutorial. From floor 2 onwards, it proceeds alternately. There are floors that are just combat, like floor 1, or quest-type floors with stories... narratives. There are also defense-type floors with time limits. The types are diverse. Although fighting is the basic premise for most.
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Shrine Maiden) Hawa-wa, you shouldn't get too immersed in the stories of quest-type NPCs. I've seen people lose their judgment and die because they got too caught up in their emotions, wa-yo.
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Elf) My friend died like that too….
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Yeah, don't ever believe what those pointy-eared NPCs say, betrayal is their racial trait.
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Elf) In the name of nature, I sincerely curse you.
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Yeah, not scared of pointy-ears~~
"Pointy-ears" seemed to be a derogatory term for elves.
What is this?
Since no one is speaking up for the elves, it seems like something's up with the elves.
Anyway, quest-type.
I guess I'll get a feel for what these words mean when I experience it directly.
If I survive and go up to floor 2, I'll experience it anyway.
Title: Has anyone encountered Ansranthrop on floor 1?
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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I still can't predict which difficulty Tower I'm in, so everyone just list the monsters that appeared on your floor 1.
And their characteristics.
Also, give me other information besides monsters.
All sorts of information poured in.
Summarizing the information:
Floors without narratives that only feature monsters inevitably have a boss monster.
Reaching that monster and killing it likely clears floor 1.
Climbers in difficulties other than Easy mode have all experienced 'traps' at least once.
Beware of the chains that descend vertically when you step on the input panel installed on the floor.
Beware of the iron arrows that shoot out from the walls.
The direction of the iron arrows is where a slight breeze suddenly blows.
…But will I be able to notice that?
There are about two monsters that have a probability of appearing: beware of goblins and Magic Mad Dogs.
Since two Ansranthrop appeared, there's a probability of a boss monster from a related lineage appearing.
The most impressive were the comments from 'Sword of Light'.
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Sword of Light) You need to maintain a state of tension, but there's no need to be too afraid. After all, the fact that you killed two Ansranthrop means you have the sense to survive floor 1.
Honestly, the first one I killed was pure luck.
I definitely need to think positively.
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Sword of Light) How many potions do you have left?
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Yes*) Half?
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Sword of Light) When iron arrows rain down, use cover to hide and avoid what you can, and parry what you can.
Up to this point, the advice sounded very reasonable.
The words that followed were the problem.
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Sword of Light) Endure the hits you can't avoid. Your Pain Suppression skill level might increase. You need to adapt to pain to prepare.
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Those who have been hit can endure better.
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Sword of Light) Even if your level increases, your physical injuries will regenerate, and you'll return to your original state after clearing. So there's no need to hold back.
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Pioneer) You're speaking too positively. If you die without clearing, regardless of recovery, you'll actually die for real LOL.
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Shrine Maiden) Hawa-wa, if you get caught up in positive thinking, you might die, wa-yo.
The thought that it might be manageable for a moment was shattered by Pioneer's brief comment.
Right. That's the reality.
You can die in an instant.
But it was also true that all the comments from Sword of Light were high-quality advice.
I firmly embedded them in my mind.
"Status window."
<Player Status>
Name: Han Yoo-seong
Race: Human
Lv.1
Strength: 12
Agility: 13
Stamina: 11
Skills: Pain Suppression Lv.1, Composure Lv.1, Concealment Lv.1
When I pressed on the skills with my index finger, their descriptions popped up.
Pain Suppression is a skill that suppresses the 'pain' from physical damage.
Composure is, as the name suggests, a skill to maintain composure as much as possible in any situation.
Concealment is a skill that partially hides your presence when hiding behind cover.
I opened the gallery again and placed my hands on the keyboard.
Title: Returned after clearing floor 1.
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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Let's see each other alive.
I'll check the comments on this post after I get back.
I closed the Transcendent Gallery and tucked the terminal into the back pocket of my belt.
Crunch-
I chewed on the food from the citizen's pocket, nuts like walnuts and peanuts, and a small amount of jerky, as I walked.
Let's go.
Me, Han Yoo-seong.
I have absolutely no intention of dying in this bizarre place.