Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Huh? Frankenstein's Appearance...?
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[Title: Breaking the Shortest Record Again?]
Author: Anonymous
(Squirrel Enthusiast's certification post.jpg)
📰 Breaking News
Popped up, so here we go lol I told you, right? This guy's just been messing around. He's been parking on the 5th floor because he's not confident about setting the shortest record. Being fast won't cut it past the 6th floor for a record, he said. 10 floors in a row of shortest records—shut up all you haters lololol
💬 Comments
— Anonymous
But what's with that "did it" retard? Who the hell are you lol
— Anonymous
The climb was done by 3026, so why's this guy happy?
— Anonymous
Damn, he really set the shortest record on the 10th floor too. Thought he was just speed-specialized with some skill, but his attack power's nuts too.
↳ Reply
For real, what skill did he even get? Super curious. Can't he reply to comments? He just posts certs and ignores everything—drives me nuts.
— Anonymous
lmao cosplay stocks tanking! My stocks mooning! Squirrel Enthusiast is a god!
↳ Reply
Suckers who didn't buy the peak crying bloody tears lolol
— Anonymous
But the government's still not found him?
↳ Reply
Yeah. At this rate, he'll get snatched by China like Choi Min-su.
↳ Reply
Don't jinx it, asshole.
— Anonymous
Imagine if he's actually climbing the tower with a real squirrel like his nick—would be hilarious lol
Mysterious Hunter 3026's consecutive climbs from floors 6 to 10.
The community was starting to heat up with this big news after a few weeks.
Why had he stuck to repeating the 5th floor for weeks despite being able to set shortest records all the way to the 10th so easily?
What on earth was making him repeat that behavior periodically?
Speculation poured in not just from the Hunter communities but from general ones too.
Some said 3026's ability was probably rechargeable and needed ample rest to use.
Others thought he was just doing it for the concept, like when he climbed the Tutorial Tower's 1st floor for 1,000 days before.
Someone even absurdly suggested that this 'Squirrel Enthusiast' Hunter might gain EXP rewards from repeated clears, unlike others.
Of course, such nonsense got buried under backlash.
The mainstream opinion was that no ability could break the tower's fundamental rules.
It was more convincing that he was actually climbing with a squirrel, true to his nickname.
Anyway, that's how they saw it—like he was just playing around.
In any case, 3026, who climbed to the 10th floor with shortest records, was now undeniably the brightest supernova in the tower-climbing world. Even globally.
Skeptical eyes that doubted up to the 5th floor as coincidence were gone, and now other countries were starting to eye him covetously.
There were suspicions that the Korean government had already pinned him down but was controlling info so no foreign government could touch him.
Of course, it was baseless misunderstanding—they just hadn't caught his tail, like everyone else.
Anyway, Korea's status, once a backward nation in tower climbing, had skyrocketed.
Following Han Su-ho, the previous world record holder for the Challenge Tower, now this mystery Hunter Squirrel Enthusiast was Korean too.
No wonder the whole nation was in a patriotic festival mood.
But there are always groups trying to exploit even positive news.
As 3026's stock rose, a crowd emerged forcibly worshipping him.
[Title: The True King of Korea's Hunter World lolol]
Author: Anonymous
(Squirrel Enthusiast's floors 2-10 climb certification post.jpg)
📰 Breaking News
It's just this guy lol Han Su-ho? Just a mortal born in an era without Squirrel Enthusiast lol Soon all of Han Su-ho's Challenge Tower shortest records will fall, and the third tower records too. Within a year, Squirrel Enthusiast will hit Korea's Hunter ranking 1 and then world 1 lol Then who's Korea's Hunter G.O.A.T.? King Ramju God Ho Ga, obviously. Guys like Han Su-ho won't be remembered in like 2 years lol
A blatant troll post stirring up a fandom war.
Not written out of genuine support or fandom for Squirrel Enthusiast—just using him as a tool to bash Han Su-ho.
Han Su-ho was Korea's ranking 1 Hunter, the hero who saved a nation turned tower-climbing colony. He even held all previous Challenge Tower shortest records.
His fandom was massive accordingly.
But big fandoms breed big antis.
Posts trying to bash Han Su-ho weren't new.
As expected, Han Su-ho's fans bit the bait immediately.
💬 Comments
— Anonymous
What a maggot still breathing lol. Without Han Su-ho, trash like you couldn't even post this crap in the gallery lol
↳ Reply
OP Anonymous: Mortal dog pissed? lol
— Anonymous
A noob who just hit 10th floor in the Challenge Tower already yapping about GOAT? ; Even if 3026 climbs higher than Han Su-ho, it doesn't change Su-ho being GOAT.
↳ Reply
OP Anonymous: What lol. Higher floors climbed = GOAT lol
↳ Reply
Forgot how when Lee Jin-cheol died and our country became a colony, Han Su-ho revived us? Shouldn't we value influence and contributions more than just higher floors?
↳ Reply
OP Anonymous: Su-ho gal trying hard lol. See? You're laying bait cuz deep down you think Squirrel Enthusiast will beat Su-ho. You know it...
"Aaaargh!! Who the hell is this guy?!"
Hye-ji, fingers flying in a keyboard frenzy, finally hurled her phone away.
Onto the sofa, thankfully. Good that she had that much sense left.
What the hell was this nonsense.
She wasn't seeing malicious fandom war trolls in the gallery for the first or second day.
But knowing didn't stop the rage—because she was a die-hard fan idolizing Han Su-ho.
Clunk.
"Whoa, what's got you so pissed?"
"Ah, sunbae! Listen to this~"
The woman entering the office right on cue was a senior Hunter from the same company.
Song Yu-hwa, nicknamed Flame Emperor.
The company's star Hunter and one of Korea's top Hunters shouldering the economy.
Yu-hwa brushed off Hye-ji's tale of battling gallery keyboard warriors, sweeping back her long red hair with a laugh.
"That's nothing new. Han Su-ho bashing in the Tower Gallery is routine. Low-floor easy-mode scrubs write that crap out of inferiority—happens every day."
"But it's gotten way worse lately! They're crossing lines! ...It's all because of that Squirrel Enthusiast or whatever, 3026!"
New prospects were good, but to trolls, they were just fresh bait.
Before, Su-ho bashing was baseless nonsense... now they had a sliver of ground, however weak.
But...
"Still, that's not Squirrel Enthusiast's fault."
"True, but... I still hate it. Just gives them ammo."
"Hye-ji's really got it bad for Han Su-ho. We have someone like me in the same company."
"Ah! No... You're an amazing Hunter too, sunbae! I respect you. But the reason I became a Hunter was..."
"Because you admire Han Su-ho?"
"Yes..."
Admire all she wants, but even Han Su-ho was just a 3-year Hunter.
To a 1-year rookie like Hye-ji, it made sense.
Yu-hwa crossed her legs, pulled out a long cigarette, snapped her fingers to light it.
Anyway, another all-time prospect emerging in our country is good news. Someday that 3026 might really climb the top floors. Han Su-ho's been struggling to find teammates for the top floors lately.
"True, but... Sunbae, you seem really favorable toward 3026."
"...I've been a fan of his for a while."
"Huh? A while...?"
What did that mean?
3026 hadn't been around long.
Anyway, no way she'd badmouth someone her senior liked, so Hye-ji changed the subject.
"Well, our Su-ho unnie won't get shaken by trash posts like that! That 3026 Hunter thing... She'd probably be happy another good Hunter popped up in our country, right?"
"...Yeah, hopefully."
"Definitely!"
How perfect a superhuman was Han Su-ho to this girl...
Yu-hwa gave a wry smile at her clueless rookie junior.
'Han Su-ho's definitely strong. Stronger than any Hunter I've seen... but there's this gut feeling. Something uneasy about her...'
As a top Hunter, Yu-hwa had worked with Han Su-ho a few times.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"...Hm, someone's talking about me."
A casual mutter while scratching his ear.
Probably half of Korea was, though.
3026, Squirrel Enthusiast—big topic lately.
He'd posted certs daily but second-guessed if he should drop the concept and stop posting...
"Weirdly, quitting now feels like a waste."
Was he always this attention-seeking?
It started as routine, that's all.
Anyway, no one's hurt by it, so fine.
Focus on today's tasks.
Today: 8th floor repeat clear.
Normally he'd repeat the 10th floor boss, but since Stone Golem joined, he couldn't fight the 10th floor ones.
Rewards were lesser, but thinking of it as gathering golem scraps Frankenstein kept demanding, he was repeating 6-9th floors in order.
Upon entering the 8th floor field, he summoned Frankenstein from the sub-space lounge.
But...
Clunk!
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Huh? Frankenstein's appearance...?]
A first-time message window popped up, and the summoned Frankenstein was enveloped in light.
After the dazzling light faded...
✨ EVOLUTION! ✨
Frankenstein → Alloy Golem
"...What?"
There stood Frankenstein, arms changed from his original Stone Golem form.
Left arm: a pitch-black, rock-hard material.
Right arm: pristine, solid ice.
What the hell just happened?
He pulled out the Monster Guidebook to check.
Name: Frankenstein
Species: Alloy Golem
...
...
[Special Ability]
Inventor Lv1
"Inventor...?"
This special ability awakened today?
Yesterday was just a normal climb and sending Frankenstein back.
Out of nowhere.
Well, he'd been giving it all sorts of demanded items for a week since recruiting it.
Didn't know evolution was a thing too...
Maybe Frankenstein evolves by absorbing items?
"Chik? Chik-chik!?" [Ramju Thunder seems deeply shocked that his junior evolved first. As a senior, he feels his authority in crisis...!]
Whatever, not his problem.
Anyway.
"I'll figure out that Inventor ability later... For now, how much stronger are you? Frankenstein, attack the Wood Golem."
Clunk.
Frankenstein moved at his command.
Slightly faster movement—maybe imagination?—approaching the Wood Golem pack.
Swinging its changed arms vigorously.
Frost!
Crash!
"Whoa...!"
Evolved Alloy Golem power?
Ice right arm froze the Wood Golem; black left arm smashed the frozen one to bits.
From simple meat shield tank to special attacker.
Four Wood Golems shattered in seconds.
He considered leaving the rest to Frankenstein, but it paused mid-fight and approached, handing something over.
A big black club.
Wait...
"...Come to think of it, I gave you the Savage Club yesterday."
Clunk.
[Frankenstein wants to give the user a gift.]
His only weapon, the Savage Club.
Thought it'd bankrupt him trying to evolve it... but it upgraded it instead?
He picked up the changed alloy club.
Lighter than before... but this cool, heavy feel.
Dashing to the Wood Golem pack, he swung with full force.
Thwack! Crack!
One per swing.
Wood Golems that were so tough shattered like rotten wood.
Before, it took three or four Savage Club hits.
This alloy club's power was at least triple.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[You have completed the 8th floor mission.]
"Inventor is awesome...!"
Standing atop the wrecked Wood Golem debris, he raised the alloy club with an ecstatic face.
Clap clap!
^0^
[Frankenstein is very satisfied with the high completion of his invention.]
Frankenstein clapping with golem arms, thrilled.
Only one couldn't laugh.
"Chik-chik...!" [Ramju Thunder despairs at Frankenstein's overwhelming performance, crying that his senior authority is...!]
That day, Thunder whined nonstop to evolve him quick too, causing some hassle.
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