Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Just before going to eat a hearty meal. I remembered I had to ask about the <Tower Exchange Meeting>.
Title: Ah, what is this Tower Exchange Meeting?
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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It popped up on something like a scoreboard, saying 21 days left.
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Jjuhdak) It's something that happens every month on the 25th. Regardless of Tower difficulty or Tower floor number, 5 to 10 people are summoned into one space. However, they gather from floors 1 to 10. Then from floors 11 to 20. It's like that. The last group is from floors 90 to 99. Floor 100 is the conclusion.
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Oh, is it like this? You can be mixed with someone from Floor 3 of Hard difficulty, Floor 10 of Normal difficulty, and, say, Floor 5 of Easy difficulty. All sorts of combinations are possible, right?
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Jjuhdak) That's right. As an exception, if you are in the same Tower floor range, you can 'add a friend' and be summoned together.
Hmm.
It sounds like you can form a team beforehand.
I can't form a team beforehand for <Pandemonium>, where I don't know who else might be there.
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Yes*) Is a physical attack between players... meaning, is killing possible?
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Sword of Light) It is possible. There are three themes for the Exchange Meeting: Sparring, Dungeon, and Mission. Coincidentally, only in 'Sparring,' which is clearly set up for fighting each other, is killing fundamentally blocked. In Dungeon and Mission themes, killing is possible.
So, in the Dungeon and Mission themes, which are designed for cooperation with other Tower inhabitants, killing can occur.
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Jjuhdak) Killing rarely happens, though. Especially in low-floor Exchange Meetings. But the probability is not absolutely zero.
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Yes*) Right. In a game of probability, I, who am already screwed, can't afford to be careless just because the probability is low.
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Hahahaha, self-deprecation right there hahahaha
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Probability! Pandemonium! Survival probability 0%!!
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Jjuhdak) Should I ban this user?
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Yes, for about two days.
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Jjuhdak) Okay.
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Ah, damn it, save me.
Jjuhdak is showing me affection.
If you curse carelessly, you die. It's likely affection born from pity, though.
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Is there any information that Exchange Meeting participants can know if they meet me? Can they see my originating Tower?
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Jjuhdak) No. What's visible is the floor you're currently on. They won't know your Tower or level unless you tell them yourself.
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Yeah*) Even if I clear Floor 2 and get summoned to the Exchange Meeting in Floor 3, they'll probably look down on me.
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Jjuhdak) Well... you'll find out who you get matched with when you get there. What's important now is your growth.
That was true.
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Sword of Light) Come back after eating a meal. I'll help you set a training direction.
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Okay*) Got it.
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Hmm*) By the way, how much time do you think is appropriate to dedicate to training in order to enter Pandemonium Floor 2?
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Archmage) I don't know what Sword of Light is planning, but... even taking a generous estimate, you should probably set it to around 15 days. You need to clear Floor 2 completely before participating in the Exchange Meeting in a safe situation. You're not planning to clear Floor 2 after the Exchange Meeting ends, are you?
Of course, I had no such intention.
Exchange Meeting.
I had to clear Floor 2 before going.
Even if I cleared Floor 2 and went to the Exchange Meeting as a 'Floor 3 Climber,' I would likely be the lowest in floor count among the participants.
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Sword of Light) If you properly understand what I've organized, that amount of time should be sufficient.
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Okay*) Understood. But what happens if the Exchange Meeting starts while I'm in the middle of Floor 2?
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Jjuhdak) You'll be forcibly summoned to the Exchange Meeting during your Floor 2 progression. Unless you have the item <Exchange Event Rejection Ticket>, you'll be summoned unconditionally.
It's practically like dealing with thugs. This Exchange Meeting.
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Yes*) Then, if I suddenly disappear and reappear, and enemies, NPCs, or Monsters are surrounding my original location, wouldn't I be instantly dead?
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Heavenly Demon) That is correct. That is why the Exchange Meeting must be initiated from a safe space.
The conclusion was set.
Clear Floor 2 within the remaining 21 days and reach the Floor 3 waiting room.
Then participate in the Exchange Meeting.
I closed the Transcendent Gallery and opened the [Coin Shop].
It's not like a kiosk. Images of food were displayed as product examples.
Chaofan seemed to be Chinese fried rice, as I remembered... In the end, I chose option 1.
Ramen and a small portion of kimchi.
I was considering having a hearty bowl of pork soup, but unfortunately, pork soup was the menu item I had after my convenience store part-time job two days ago.
Either way, I'll have to eat them all at some point.
Pop!
Suddenly, light flickered in the air, and a box dropped.
Thump!
The box, emitting a purple light, looked extraordinary even at first glance.
A sticker was attached to the top of the box.
Menu - 1. Ramen and a small portion of kimchi
Delivery Coordinates: 666.666.66.532
Payment Amount: 10 Coins
What is this?
A delivery receipt?
A trivial piece of paper on top of a luxurious box.
Feeling the gap between them, I opened the lid of the box.
I carefully took out the item inside the box.
The feel of the transparent storage container transmitted through my palm.
I took out the object.
When I opened it, I saw a bowl of ramen and kimchi in a very small bowl.
I gently lifted the noodles with chopsticks...
I held up my terminal and took a photo.
Hmm, it's plated beautifully.
I immediately pressed 'Write' and attached the photo.
Title: Do you guys know ramen?
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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Isn't it divine?
Attachment: 852903862.jpg
[Ramen, steaming hot, taken right after receiving it. Accompanied by kimchi.]
After posting, I took a bite of ramen with my chopsticks.
Slurp-
Ah. As expected, ramen eaten after exerting myself is the best.
It tastes like the ramen we used to cook and eat squatting down at a campsite with my friend.
Since I had the Transcendent Gallery open while eating ramen, I could see comments being posted in real-time on the post I made.
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Ah, that. I already saw it on the Climber Gallery lol. The photo is taken well, though.
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Heavenly Demon) What is this...? Those bizarre noodles and that soupy broth that seems to have no foundation...!
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Old-school ramen haters are furious lololol
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But seriously, what is that?
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There are quite a few people who haven't seen ramen. Originally, when people from other dimensions are incorporated into the Tower, their food items are stocked in the Coin Shop. It's food eaten by people from 21st-century Earth.
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Shrine Maiden: Oh my, I am curious about the taste. It looks rather strange though.
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Archmage) Wow... you eat something that looks like that...?
Ignorant fools.
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Yes, Ramen, indeed, is a great food created through countless studies. Tsk tsk.
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I'm really curious about the taste. Wanna do a dimensional trade?
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Hahaha, what can you give to a Climber?
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What else? The great family's spear technique, Drehtpekan.
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The name itself sounds bad.
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You punk, where do you live? Is it medieval Earth? I'm a Knight from the Romfelt Continent.
I had no intention of mocking that senior's spear technique.
Whether it's Easy difficulty or Normal difficulty, his spear technique, having concluded Floor 100, must have some profound aspect.
However, the problem now is that I need a perfectly sturdy rope.
A strong rope to save me.
In that sense, I had to pass on that senior.
After finishing my meal, I posted a new entry.
Title: Sword of Light, dimensional trade GO GO
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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I don't know anything, so you make the offer.
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Sword of Light) I'll offer.
It was right after Sword of Light commented.
Below the Transcendent Gallery window, another window popped up.
[User 'Sword of Light' has requested a 'Dimensional Trade'.]
[Do you accept?]
I pressed the circular button next to the text.
[You have accepted the trade request.]
The screen showed slots that seemed like empty spaces in the Inventory, where items could be placed.
And there was a small chat window.
[Caution! The 'Dimensional Gallery' trade opportunity is provided twice per 30-day period! If both uses are consumed, it will be available again after 30 days!]
[Caution! For a trade to be successful, both parties must register one item each!]
[Caution! Only one item can be traded per transaction.]
[Hold the item you wish to send and say 'Designate'!]
"Twice a month?"
[Sword of Light: I apologize, but I will need to use both of your two opportunities. I have two items.]
As expected, this damn Tower.
It wouldn't offer any convenience like unlimited uses, or allow me to trade without offering anything.
[Yeah, as long as I can survive properly, I don't care, right?]
[Sword of Light: Don't worry about that.What should I send you?]
[Sword of Light: One is that ramen you just posted. And the other one, send the cheapest thing you have. Among what you possess. Ah, for food, don't open the storage container; give it to me in its container state so I can receive it safely.]
Even if I'm told to send what I have.
It was also awkward to send the sword I was currently holding, as the Nameless Knight's Straight Sword could break.
The rest were all useful items.
My worry was not long.
Along with the ramen, the item I decided to send was dried meat jerky, the cheapest thing besides water.
I placed both hands on the ramen in its container and the dried meat jerky.
"Designate."
The two items vanished from my sight and appeared as reduced icons in the trade slot.
[Trade completed.]
Crack
Two items popped out from the opened space.
One was a thick book, and the other was a rectangular box.
"…What is this?"
Archmer Empire.
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Your Excellency, Grand Duke de Brinier.
The woman with silver hair narrowed her brows at the sound coming from outside the door.
"What is it."
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His Majesty the Emperor wishes to see you. He wants to invite you to this banquet without fail...
"Tell him that if he seeks me out one more time, I will remove his head. Convey my words without change."
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...I will keep that in mind, Grand Duke.
Grand Duke.
Elena de Brinier's crimson eyes were fixed on the semi-transparent window on her left.
It read:
【Climber Gallery】
She clicked on the most prominent post.
Title: Do not act rashly. If you remain calm, you can clear Floor 62. That's why our 《Strategy Alliance》 exists.
Author: Union Leader
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No betrayal. We will reach the summit without leaving anyone behind.
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Really, is this possible?
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Has there ever been this little damage in Hard difficulty before?
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Sword Emperor) If we continue like this, won't we clear Floor 66 without any damage?
Elena felt displeased.
It was like looking into a broken mirror.
Like seeing herself in her hopeful days.
It's a picture that will soon crumble.
"You don't know the essence of Hard difficulty."
She didn't know why none of them had left any records for Floor 66.
Elena wished for their illusions to shatter, yet also wished they wouldn't.
"Get stronger quickly, Climber."
An anomaly.
She wanted to cause a ripple among them.
From the very bottom.
《 Floor 2 - Score Ranking 》
1st Place - Union Leader: 784 points
2nd Place - Being Tracked: 412 points
3rd Place - Sinclair: 399 points
⋮
⋮
The score ranking only publicizes the scores of active climbers.
That's why Elena's name was not present.
She was someone who had already concluded the Tower and emerged.
Elena gave a faint smile as she looked at the purple storage container that appeared before her.
"This is ramen, is it?"
She opened the storage container.
"...The smell isn't bad."
Imperial Sword Saint.
Dragon Slayer.
Demon King Executioner.
All were titles referring to one person, Elena de Brinier.
That's why no issues arose even when she spoke such insolent words to the Emperor.
Slurp-
"Mmm...!"
A satisfied smile spread across her face.
Elena pushed the Climber Gallery to the side and opened another gallery.
【Transcendent Gallery】
This was the only joy in her life that had been providing her with amusement lately.
She posted an entry.
Title: It's edible.
Author: Sword of Light
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It looks strange, but it tastes good.