1. Fitness Girl Lee Haerin
1. Fitness Girl Lee Haerin
Lee Haerin was a case of making bad friends during her school days.
She only had one person she could call a friend: Jin Bora.
Her personality had become twisted because of that bitch of a friend.
Jin Bora was a typical iljin.
She clung to powerful guys whose parents were loaded.
In exchange for acting as their girlfriend, she acquired money and power.
Lee Haerin had watched her only friend ruin her life.
Was it her heart for her friend that was the problem?
Every time Jin Bora splurged on luxury brand items, Haerin went over and gave her advice.
But Jin Bora just got angry.
From then on, led by Jin Bora, Haerin's interpersonal relationships were smashed to pieces.
Lee Haerin was lurking on Dungall.
A climber had no need to go on Dungall.
What was there to gain besides sexual harassment and insults?
Even so, climbers checked it frequently.
Because the praise posts that popped up occasionally weren't half bad.
"Tch. These bastards do nothing but curse. I'm telling you, it's not my fault."
With her twisted personality, Haerin was completely unfazed by malicious comments.
Truly believing it wasn't her fault at all, she simply treated the Dungallers like fools.
After browsing casually, she was about to head over to Shin Gaon.
A hit post caught Haerin's eye.
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Hit Gallery) Dungbugs Em-er-gen-cy! A climber subscribed to the Slave account!
=====
Haerin spat out a curse.
She shoved her phone into her pocket.
And headed toward the address Shin Gaon had given her.
It was in Seoul, where the Tower was located.
Haerin stepped into the shadow of a building.
'Where on earth is it?'
Haerin thought.
If it were a truly strange place, she wouldn't have gone.
Even Haerin hadn't known such a place existed right in the middle of Seocho.
Haerin felt a gloomy aura.
A motel district?
An entertainment district?
Sure, there were bars in the vicinity.
There was also a snack bar and a convenience store.
Was the atmosphere just eerie because sunlight barely reached this block?
'Is that it?'
It was located in a place that would piss off any delivery driver.
Just like back in the days of the old address system.
Anyone who didn't live here would definitely get lost.
Haerin stood in front of the shop.
'SLAVE' was written on the sign.
The interior wasn't visible.
Just like an adult goods store.
'This is seriously fucked up.'
A bitter laugh escaped Haerin.
'Because of that bitch Jin Bora.......'
Haerin lamented the situation she found herself in.
Whatever.
She just needed to strip some gear off that pervert real quick.
And surpass Jin Bora in the rankings.
Only then would that bitch finally come to her senses.
Ha...... That aside.
Haerin didn't understand why she was always a stumbling block for her party.
No, she dealt damage, didn't she?
She killed all the monsters herself.
Why did they keep getting in her way at the front?
She said she handled both damage and aggro, didn't she?
She could do it because she was an assassin, so why were they acting like this?
An assassin was supposed to drop short, heavy burst damage and pull back.
Yet Haerin played like a bruiser or a damage-tank.
That might fly if she were a 5-star assassin.
When a mere 4-star was pulling that stunt, it was an eyesore.
Haerin smacked her lips and pushed open the shop door.
Tiring.
"Welcome."
A handsome man said from behind the counter.
Haerin's body froze.
It was her first time seeing a man so flawless in her entire life.
'......Was his name Shin Gaon? I thought he was just a pervert, but his face is actually quite decent?'
She was a girl who had never complimented anyone in her life.
"Are you climber Lee Haerin-nim?"
Shin Gaon called out.
"Ah, yes."
Standing there awkwardly, Haerin approached him.
"Please come this way."
Shin Gaon guided her to the office behind the counter.
As she walked to the office, Haerin looked around the interior of the shop.
Cosplay outfits were hanging on the walls.
Sex toys sat on the display shelves.
'What the hell is that?'
A room next to the office bothered Haerin.
It had 'Procedure Room' written on it.
"Are you perhaps curious?"
Shin Gaon said.
"D-Do you do procedures too?"
Haerin asked.
Shin Gaon replied with a business smile.
"Our Slave also handles tattoos and piercings."
Haerin twisted her face into a full grimace.
Shin Gaon hastily added.
"Hmm. While there is certainly a cosmetic purpose to it, a 6-star blacksmith turns those as well into an opportunity to raise our climbers' combat power."
Haerin had no idea what he was talking about.
More importantly than that.
'Why is he talking like a salesman? Isn't he the guild master? Well, what kind of sane woman would come to a place like this anyway. They'd recruit faster using his face like a host bar.'
Haerin thought.
The inside of the office was clean.
Though it was a prejudice, she found it annoying that an adult goods store had been given a white interior.
Haerin sat down on the guest sofa.
She kept a close eye on Shin Gaon.
She had seen a lot.
He was the first-ever 6-star blacksmith.
Even if he was a blacksmith, he might easily subdue a 4-star assassin.
A woman's instinct told her so.
"If you read the recruitment notice, you probably already know. Our guild exclusively recruits women."
Haerin couldn't even manage a smile anymore.
"The equipment might be a bit obscene due to my ability. Even so, I guarantee you the combat power alone. After all, I am a 6-star."
Haerin hooked onto the single word: combat power.
"Is 6-star something different?"
Haerin asked.
"Of course!"
Shin Gaon held up one finger.
"No matter how high-grade 5-star equipment is, 300 is the absolute limit. And that's the result of pouring high-floor materials into it. On top of that, you can't just buy them with money. They cost tens of billions each. It's like an American fighter jet, you could say."
Shin Gaon continued.
"However, my ability is in a different dimension from such 'cost-ineffective' equipment. Even with low-floor materials, you will experience a combat power boost incomparable to 5-star equipment. And."
Shin Gaon opened his mouth as if he couldn't wait to say this.
"As you heard before coming in, I also handle the accessories department. I am incomparable to blacksmiths who can only craft one weapon, one piece of armor, and one accessory. Is there any procedure you'd like to get?"
Haerin showed her displeasure as she spoke.
"No."
"How unfortunate. That's fine, though. Once you join our guild and equip the gear, your mind will change immediately."
Haerin shook her head.
As if that'll happen.
After that, Haerin heard about the guild from Shin Gaon.
It wasn't much different from other guilds.
In fact, the welfare was even better.
Considering he said he'd give her the equipment for free.
Even top-tier guilds didn't offer such benefits.
However, one thing didn't make sense.
"Since our guild was just recently founded, we need publicity."
"Publicity?"
"Yes. When climbing the Tower, I must ask that you strictly wear the equipment I give you and climb."
Haerin nodded.
She could do this much.
As long as the equipment wasn't too outrageous.
Shin Gaon continued.
"And you will be filming promotional videos for the guild using the equipment I give you."
"Videos?"
Haerin asked, narrowing her eyes.
Shin Gaon answered with a smile.
"Yes. Well, it's nothing major. Just put on the gear and give your evaluation on things like comfort and practicality in actual combat. Rather than just talking about it, let me show you the equipment directly. These are the upper and lower armor pieces."
Shin Gaon pulled a shirt and pants out of his inventory.
Haerin's face turned pale.
"This is my first piece of equipment. Would you like to take a look?"
Neatly placed on the table were a cropped tee and leggings.
Haerin had never worn clothes like this in her life.
Believing comfortable was best, she only wore baggy clothes.
Clothes that revealed her body shape were physiologically out of the question.
"If you'd like to try them on, there's a fitting room over there."
Haerin turned her gaze to where Shin Gaon was pointing.
There was a mirror-doored fitting room just like in a clothing store.
Haerin wanted to run out of here right this instant.
"I know. It makes no sense to climb the Tower wearing equipment like this. You're a woman, after all. I understand."
Haerin couldn't hear his words.
It was just that people in the galleries tended to talk lightly about Tower climbing. You put your life on the line when climbing. Climbers didn't just turn on broadcasts to receive donations. One wrong slip and you genuinely die. You needed high-grade equipment no matter what. Because she knew that— Haerin checked the equipment information, thinking she would at least look at it one last time.
=====
★★★★★★ Working Out Woman's Gray Leggings
Gray leggings are the national rule.
You commonly see them on mountains or at the gym.
Don't get too distracted by them.
You might get arrested for visual rape!
When worn without underwear, combat power increases fully.
Combat Power +500
=====
=====
★★★★★★ Working Out Woman's Gray Cropped Tee
A V-neck cropped tee revealing the navel.
Just leggings wouldn't be enough, right?
You have to show off at least some abs to call yourself a working-out woman.
Surely you aren't lacking confidence, are you?
When worn without underwear, combat power increases fully.
Combat Power +500
=====
"Gasp."
Haerin swallowed her breath.
Equipment grade?
Equipment description?
She didn't even look at such trivial things.
Only the combat power increase caught her eye.
"How is it?"
Shin Gaon said with a smile.
Haerin, as if he didn't even exist in her world, was touching the equipment with both hands.
As if it were already hers.
"You'll see your information window just like your climber status window. You know there are no lies on the screen the Tower shows you, right? Your combat power will increase just as you see."
Haerin's combat power was 2142.
Just by equipping those two items, her combat power would increase by 1.5 times.
The 5-star un-geared combat power average was 3000.
Haerin could only equip 4-star gear.
Which only gave a paltry +100 each.
This 6-star equipment was different.
Haerin was staring intently at the phrase 'Equippable' on the information window.
"What do you think?"
Shin Gaon said, handing her the guild application form.
"Do you have any thoughts on joining our Slave?"
Haerin's hand was already moving.
"Easy."
I was looking at the guild application form signed by Haerin.
I thought of how brightly she had smiled earlier after receiving the clothes.
Her affection stat had gone up quite a bit too.
I had been surprised during our first meeting when her affection stat hadn't filled up even a single notch.
Not anymore.
=====
Name: Lee Haerin
Age: 21
Combat Power: 3142(+1000)
Job Class: Assassin
Ability: 4-star Hwanmu
Sexual History: Virgin
Affection: ♥♥♥♡♡ Favorable
=====
I guess a man really needs to have capability.
Deep in her consciousness, the perception that he was a fine catch must have formed.
She froze the moment she saw my face, after all.
Looks weren't something you could ignore either.
You could fill up the affection meter with just your face alone.
From the moment Haerin turns on her broadcast tonight, the ecosystem of the Tower will undergo a rapid transformation.
The 5-stars won't catch on just yet.
Since there are only 50 of them, they're rotten with elitism.
Not all of them, of course.
Wouldn't they treat anyone besides themselves like ordinary trash?
Still, she'll make an impression on a few of them.
From now on, the rankings are going to be turned completely upside down.
A 6-star climber is a heaven above heavens, but if you put on my equipment, anyone can aim for the 5-star tier.
I went into the Tower Gallery and checked the climber rankings.
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50th 5-star Climber Na Inwoo 3971
51st 4-star Climber Lee Haerin 3142
52nd 4-star Climber Park Taewoo 2701
=====
For the first time in Tower history, a 4-star climber had broken through the wall of 3000.
To them, Haerin must already be a thorn in their side.
And so am I, for that matter.
I also checked Haerin's friend.
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172nd 4-star Climber Jin Bora 2374
=====
Seeing as her power went up by 300, it looked like she had equipped one weapon and one piece of armor.
Climbers climbed the Tower using the practice equipment initially distributed by the Tower.
It didn't increase combat power, but it was cheap to repair.
Though "cheap" meant ten million coins.
Hard to maintain unless you're a large guild.
Crafted equipment and shop equipment have repair prices that pierce through the ceiling.
Like a sports car, the maintenance costs were higher.
Jin Bora's guild funds should be hitting rock bottom soon enough.
There's a reason why there are twenty guilds in Korea.
Slave was currently ranked 20th.
It couldn't be helped since rankings were determined by total combat power.
There are simply too many guilds.
Except for Hwaryeon and the Church, all the rest are useless.
The fastest way to fill guild members isn't by recruiting.
It's by absorbing guilds.
I sent an email to the guild Jin Bora belonged to.
"Ahem. Ahem."
Haerin started her broadcast wearing the gray leggings and cropped tee.
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LIVE
(Haerin stands there bewildered)
2026.07.21 21:00 l Viewers: 30,000
=====
Viewers flocked in droves the moment the broadcast started.
=====
-Worship Shin Gaon-nim.
-Crazy, what are those leggings.
-Noona-noona-noona-noona!
-Is this a climber broadcast?
-Insane abs. Want to lick them (censored)
-Why should we watch a ranker's broadcast? We have All-Blue right here!
-From now on, the strongest climber in the world is Shin Gaon-nim.
-Did you have sex? (censored)
-Isn't he our convenience store part-time job ace.
=====
The reaction was explosive.
Since it was Haerin's first time receiving this kind of attention, she was dumbfounded.
That was how hard the Tower chat management AI was working.
=====
-Did you have sex? (censored)
-What underwear are you wearing?
-How much does the equipment increase combat power? How did it break 3000?
-Now this is a climber. With a body this fucking sexy, why (censored)
-What time is the stream ending today?
-Let's at least go to about floor 10.
-What is this? Did you actually wear underwear? (banned)
=====
Haerin brushed off the sexually harassing chats with a smile.
Naturally, because the viewer count had already surpassed 50,000.
She felt a wave of elation deep within her chest.
She existed right here and now.
=====
[BaoBao donated 100,000 coins.]
Hit zero-one please.
-So did you have sex? (censored)
-Now 5-stars, start getting nervous. God Gaon has descended.
-(Emoticon of waving glow sticks)
-The gear is so fucking hot. This is what equipment should be. What kind of armor even is that.
-Give me your three sizes. (banned)
-What's with the combat power? What happened?
=====
"Ahem. If you guys keep acting like this, I'm switching to the membership chat room, okay?"
Membership subscribers were skyrocketing anyway, so it didn't much matter.
=====
-Yeah yeah, do it.
-I already did.
-Did you have sex? (censored)
[BaoBao donated 500,000 coins.]
Change to adult broadcast ㄱㄱ. I only want to see your ass. What kind of climbing?
[Donated 10,000 coins.]
Adult broadcast!
[Donated 10,000 coins.]
Adult broadcast!
=====
Viewers started copy-pasting the same demand.
An adult broadcast didn't show climbing; it showed the climber.
As if they'd show a first-person view of a woman's chest even when fighting a boss.
Haerin made a hand gesture as if telling them to calm down.
"Viewers, hold on a second. It's moving too fast, I can't see the chat."
=====
-Change to an adult broadcast. Then it'll quiet down immediately.
-Lol probably jerking off (censored)
-I asked a hundred times if you had sex (censored)
-What's your bust size? The cropped tee can't handle it!
[BaoBao donated 500,000 coins.]
Please, an adult broadcast.
=====
Haerin sighed as if she had lost to these pranksters.
"Fine. I'll make it an adult broadcast."
=====
-Noona! Your boobs are huge! (expelled)
-This is it.
-We must praise God Gaon.
[BaoBao donated 1,000,000 coins.]
Lee Haerin-nim, I'll be your president. I'll pay tithes to God Gaon too.
-Starting today, I'm bowing a hundred times facing God Gaon.
-God Gaon!
=====
Miraculously, the moment she switched to an adult broadcast, the chat room went dead silent.
Chats popped up once or twice like the night sea.
Haerin thought 'Is this right?' but water spilled was already spilled.
She had become a member of the Slave Guild.
She had to follow the guild's policy.
"Hoo......."
Haerin said.
"Age 21. 4-star climber Lee Haerin. I will now begin climbing the 1st floor."
The recorded broadcast turned on.
=====
-God Gaon!
-God Gaon!
[BaoBao donated 3,000,000 coins.]
God Gaon!
-You got fucked, you fucking bitch (censored)
-I won't ask anymore now.......
-Sigh sigh.
-Boradori: Spreads her legs so damn easily lol (censored)
=====
Haerin's hips entered the cave.
