Chapter 12

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 12

Chapter Title: 6th Floor

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"Ha, my skills haven't gone anywhere. That was a blast after so long."

He tossed the headset aside and slumped back ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠into the chair.

The massive 'Victory' text on the screen shimmered more brilliantly than ever today.

This is why I play games.

He glanced toward the bed.

Little One was out cold, clutching her phone tight. The beat from the endlessly looping short-form video played like a lullaby from her fingertip.

A peek at the clock: already 5 a.m.

"Yawn... Guess it's time to crash. I went way too hard."

His neck ached from the all-nighter. He stretched big and stood. Bathroom first, then bed.

But then.

A red streak pierced the edge of his vision.

"...Huh?"

His hand froze on the bathroom door.

"W-what the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hell is this?"

His mind snapped awake like he'd been doused in ice water.

Yesterday at lunch, it had only been [5/101].

His brain raced. From noon yesterday to now, about 16 hours. Starting from 100 hours? Yeah, that tracked.

"Wh-when did this pop up...?"

A chill crawled up his spine.

While everyone else was joyfully smashing Nexus, a damn time bomb had been ticking over his head.

He plopped back at the computer, frantically scouring Hunter Gallery and videos.

'Tower time limit', 'red status timer', 'hunter time bomb'.

Nothing. Zilch.

Just basic boss room timers. But his kept running outside the tower.

No answers solo. He shook the soundly sleeping Little One.

"Hey, wake up. Take a look at this!"

She jolted awake, mana gathering at her fingertips, then saw his face and tried to shut her eyes again.

He gently coaxed her head toward the glowing red status window beside them.

"You know what this is? Ever seen it before?"

She peered at the timer with sleepy eyes for a long moment, then just tilted her head. First time for her too.

Then, a thought flashed through his mind.

'...This from Nightmare Difficulty?'

It clicked. Made sense.

Several times harder than normal, floods of rewards from Floor 1.

No such thing as free lunch.

This ominous timer was likely the price of 'Nightmare'.

He itched to bolt to the tower, but seeing Little One snoring again deflated him.

Just like her owner, so carefree.

"Fine, still over 80 hours left..."

World wasn't ending yet.

He tamped down his racing heart and hit the bed. Sleep was a pipe dream, but for tomorrow's condition, he forced his eyes shut.

The red numbers burned into his eyelids like a tattoo on the ceiling.

The timer hit 10 seconds. His body wouldn't move.

The countdown hammered his eardrums, and at [00:00:00], his body burst like a balloon.

He'd had a nightmare.

"Gasp!"

He bolted awake screaming.

The sheets were soaked with cold sweat. His heart thrashed like it would punch through his ribs.

Clock: 8 a.m. Barely three hours, no chance of more.

First, status check.

Still 80 hours. Checking it now proved he was one hardcore wuss.

"...Hoo."

Tried to sleep again, but anxiety clung like a leech.

Staying home like this, he'd wither away.

In the end, he gently shook Little One, spreadeagled dead-center on the bed.

"L-Little One... Time to get up. It's morning outside already..."

Max gentle voice, but all he got was her furrowed brow.

She flipped away annoyed, curling sideways.

"Little One, please... I'm scared, okay? Think we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gotta hit the tower now..."

Quiet begging and more shaking. She sat up grumpy and bleary-eyed, pointed at the clock, mumbled something, and tried to flop back.

Rough translation: 'Prime sleep time, why wake me?' Protest.

He realized: his dawn tower runs had flipped her schedule too.

But no mercy time now.

"Just this once, please. We check that thing and bounce.

Yeah? I'll get you something tasty. Chicken—you love chicken!"

Food mention perked her ears.

After some hesitation, she reluctantly rose. Eyes half-shut, but mana rippled at her feet—ready.

Broad daylight in the residential hood.

Standing here in this getup was mortifying.

Black clothes, hat, mask from yesterday's deal.

Screaming 'I'm sus!' to anyone glancing. Lucky spot was outskirts—no ants, no birds.

Little One hung stealth-cloaked on his shoulder.

Yawning so huge his ears rang.

'...I get you're sleepy, but help a guy out.'

Scanned surroundings thrice, confirmed clear, then leaped into the tower entrance.

Fwoosh!

Light flashed; view shifted.

6th Floor.

First, the status.

"As I thought."

Stepping into the tower halted the rapidly draining red digits dead.

'Nightmare Difficulty penalty for sure...'

Normal folks' timers flow inside; his reversed.

Leash tightens outside; pauses inside. Forces tower runs.

Wait... something off—

Kieeeek!

Ominous shrieks, and they swarmed.

5 Giant Goblins, 10 regular.

"What the—no way the difficulty's this jacked already..."

He nudged Little One, mid-yawn on his shoulder.

"Little One, you good for this? Call the Knight Commander?"

She rubbed her eyes lazily, then thumbs-up confident.

Dropped to the floor, unleashed magic barrage.

Leveled up—her firepower dominated. Flames and lightning blanketed; goblins burned without screams.

'Huh?'

Each skill sucked something from his body.

Like a straw draining him dry.

'Oh, mana resonance thing?'

Awakened mana let him feel the flow.

Pulled up Little One's status while she went ham.

She was dipping into his mana tank.

Gushing out heavy, but... he felt fine. No, energized.

'No strain... really using mana?'

Drained, refilled like a spring. Infinite power?

Oh, right. His passives.

Snapped open his status.

Hero-grade regen passives.

Mana Spring and Circuit Reinforcement.

This setup? Spam away worry-free.

Then Little One finished the last goblin.

"Already cleared? What?"

Too easy; he chuckled dryly. Little One V-sign proud.

"Ooh, more monsters bumped the stone haul nice."

Level up at last!

Double jump like before? Hero grade?

Please, just one solid active this time...!

The skillbook bathed in purple glow.

Hero, as expected. What is it? Reaching out—

"...???"

Did he read that right? ??? Bonus?

Hero plus... no way?

Kwaaaang—!

All cave colors vanished.

Blinding, overwhelming golden radiance exploded.

Breath caught.

Legend.

A Legend-grade skillbook floated before his eyes.