Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Who Are You?
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Akashic ended up giving me multiple tickets that bypassed the Tower's daily entry limit and several magic scrolls instead of the World Tree Leaf.
The Tower entry tickets were right up my alley. Now I could climb without having to wait day by day.
Among them, the scrolls contained various spells—curiously, each one could substitute for something else. In the end, since I had no use for them, I handed them over to the Guild Leader.
From her perspective, they must've been a pretty decent gift. She seemed reasonably satisfied.
"Now we won't get to eat rice balls from the shop owner anymore."
"I'll whip some up for you from time to time."
The shop owner had joined Snowball Guild through special recruitment. Iru Ri had spoken highly of his skills.
He'd have to climb slowly from the lower floors, but according to Iru Ri, his abilities looked more than solid even for the 40th floor.
Choi Jin-ah had been rushed to the hospital with soul damage. I went to visit, but her severed soul had already dissipated—it was beyond even my power to fix.
"I'll drop by sometimes, sis."
I had no idea what had gone down between them, but Iru Ri's eyes swirled with a tangle of emotions: pity, betrayal, anger, longing.
She said those words to the unresponsive Choi Jin-ah, then threw herself back into conquering the Tower.
With that, the incident wrapped up, and things seemed to be flowing smoothly.
A few days passed. Less than three weeks remained until the Tower's collapse.
"We'll be off."
"Alright, let's head out."
The first-string team, plus Iru Ri and even Blizzard, formed the party.
It was the day this powerhouse lineup—centered on Iru Ri, the supporter who'd break through the Frozen Ice Wall on the 62nd floor, with Baek Isu as the heavy-hitting dealer-tank, Song Hyun on ranged DPS, and Blizzard handling transformations—would punch through the ceiling.
I stepped out of the Grimoire to offer a bit of encouragement.
"What are you up to today, Moon Star?"
Blizzard always seemed uneasy around me. The moment I emerged from the Grimoire, she was watching my every move.
"Just a casual climb in the Tower, then grab some food."
My routine was always the same, after all.
She summoned her secretary, chatted about this and that, then handed me a card.
It was the guild corporate card I'd gotten before.
"What's this for?"
"Go do some artifact shopping. We'll come back with good news."
No reason to turn down a gift. I'd gotten a bank account and card last time too, but the balance wasn't hefty.
Items from the Tower got dropped off at the 3rd-floor settlement office every time, but payouts only happened monthly.
So my balance was just the signing bonus from the guild.
The guild covered food, clothing, and shelter anyway, so money wasn't an issue—but it was still tight for buying artifacts.
"My secretary will tag along. She can handle most purchases."
"Assigning a babysitter now, huh?"
"Don't call it that. She's just there to make sure you don't get ripped off."
Blizzard flashed a practiced sales smile as she said it.
What harm could come? I took it in stride.
The party exchanged goodbyes and headed straight for the Tower.
Wonder if they'll clear it. Hope they do.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "This is Ha Yang. I'll be attending to you today, Moon Star."
Black secretary suit, black hair, black glasses—she introduced herself.
"Moon Star... Unlike your name, it's all black."
"...That's a funny one."
"You didn't laugh."
She seemed pretty stoic.
I headed out shopping with her.
Korea's largest artifact mall was right by Meteor Guild.
The whole building was the mall, and surprisingly, crowds were milling about.
"Lots of people."
"Artifact malls sell not just climbing gear, but everyday helpful items too."
Ha Yang elaborated.
"Where to first?"
"Just wanna browse a bit."
Unlike a department store, they checked IDs at the entrance.
High prices and mysterious powers meant tighter security.
Ha Yang handled the procedures, so no issues.
The first floor had a big central plaza setup.
Mostly consumables and try-before-buy items.
Way more wonders than expected. A one-use artifact you drop in water to lure fish. Gloves to manipulate nearby objects from a meter away. Shoes that never slip. Designs and performance were iffy, but handy for daily life.
"See anything you like?"
"Just browsing for the novelty. Nothing I wanna buy."
Next, the basement.
A regular food court—with monster ingredients and meats too.
"Tau beef skewers, slime mochi, golem stone grill..."
Edible?
"Monster stuff tasty?"
"Not one I'd recommend."
I asked out of curiosity, but she didn't seem fond of it.
"Mind if I ask why?"
"...Not my taste."
I suggested eating here. Out of curiosity, I ordered takoyaki from 20th-floor gear octopus.
Looked just like regular takoyaki.
"I'm good."
"Come on, try one."
I smiled brightly and offered her some. She didn't seem against it—blushed a bit, speared one, and ate.
I munched one silently too. Taste was shockingly close to takoyaki. Texture a tad chewier?
"It's... got flavor."
"Right?"
We took turns trying more.
Tau skewers, bone-boro bread, raw hun tuna.
Some hit as expected, others wildly different in taste and texture.
Last was slime mochi—nothing like anticipated.
Like carbonated rice cake. Green-tea color suggested matcha, but we both agreed: flavorless.
"I get why you don't recommend it."
"Yeah..."
Earth food was mostly tastier. These were like gacha—some duds that didn't suit Korean palates.
"Um... Moon Star."
"Yeah?"
Ha Yang called out to me first time.
"I'm stuffed. Can't eat more."
Stuffed, yeah. We'd hit 14 tasting spots.
I hadn't felt full at all, so overlooked it.
"Upstairs?"
We kept shopping.
Past clothing from monster teeth and hides, then culture floors.
Higher up: armor and weapons. Surprisingly sparse crowds.
Makes sense—not that many Awakeners.
Above that: Sorcerer tools.
Browsing, spotted a nice necklace artifact.
[Necklace of the Kingdom's Disgraced Second Son]
[A special necklace used by a talentless second son to store mana. Lacking talent himself, he absorbed and used others' mana.]
'Could someone else use my mana?'
Curiosity piqued.
My power was fundamentally purer mana than typical Sorcerers.
Our little saintess had said it: her mana pool was low, hard to sustain skills.
This'd make a great gift.
"I'll take this one."
"Got it. I'll check out."
Soon, Ha Yang returned with it boxed.
"By the way, how much?"
"Just over 100 million."
"100 million...?"
The "hundred" made me jump. Artifact prices were high, but a cheap-looking necklace without gems for that?
"Precisely 170 million."
"Not a rip-off? Why'd you buy it?"
"Pardon?"
Food prices unchanged—no hyperinflation.
I'd just spent a lifetime's earnings for a normie. On someone else's dime.
'Wasn't she sent to stop dumb buys like this?'
Payback for bad food? Nah, guild money.
"I-is it okay?"
"If price is the issue, no problem. Guild Leader approved up to this."
Blizzard was big-spending. Still felt scammy...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Ha Yang suggested the VIP lounge next.
"Welcome."
Strict mana scans at entry. Unlike cramped lower floors, this felt spacious for the items.
Downstairs crammed for efficiency; here, space served the goods.
"First time in a place like this."
"To explain: only Climbers proven A-rank or higher qualify. Purely climbing gear."
Ha Yang filled in the details. No wonder it was empty.
Us plus two other teams—each with a secretary type like Ha Yang.
"Huh?"
Locked eyes with one team. Familiar girl.
"Professor Moon Star?"
"Ah, White Tiger's little sis."
The sibling from his photo boasts.
She trotted over, beaming.
"Didn't get to say hi last time! Awesome! Perfect chance. Thanks to you, Moon Star, shopping here."
"White Tiger mentioned you. Glad you're good."
I greeted her secretary too. She nodded back.
"What're you shopping for?"
She seemed oddly chipper.
"Just browsing. You're a strong Climber, huh?"
Shopping in an A-rank+ VIP lounge. Superhuman siblings.
Lee Baek-seon brushed her long hair sheepishly. Actually, she eyed me curiously.
"You're the weird one, Moon Star... No mana at all."
"Circumstances."
Intentional on my part. Unlike others, trapped in a mana stone dummy.
Thick Star Power leaked instead, discomforting folks.
Would fix eventually, but for now, this state.
We shopped the VIP room together.
Necklaces pulsing mystic power, bracelets with dormant beasts, gauntlets absorbing shocks—leagues above lower floors.
[Universal Camouflage Pill]
[Eat anything; full digestion for the day. No health issues, naturally.]
Some like 'Why here?', but whatever.
"Whoa."
She zeroed in on gauntlets.
[Impact Gauntlets]
[Absorb received impacts; release them alongside your punch.]
"Gift for White Tiger?"
"Huh?... Why?"
"Doesn't suit you."
She blushed, embarrassed. Slender build.
Too aggressive for her vibe.
"Bet this lady'd use 'em?"
A guy from the other team barged in. Lee Baek-seon startled at the intrusion.
The other VIP team.
Spiky long hair, shades—prime physique, obvious.
He shot out a hand, snagging her wrist.
"Martial type? Seems perfect."
She stiffened, tried yanking free.
"Let go?"
"Haha."
'Huh?'
Post-Awakening, she'd never been overpowered. But couldn't shake his grip—not even tight, like handcuffs.
"Let go."
"Hmm..."
He peered over shades, intrigued. She looked flustered but held his gaze.
Thud.
"...?"
"Let her go."
I grabbed his wrist. His lips curved amused.
"Who're you? S-rank? Nah, don't recognize you."
"And you are?"
"Eh, can't say. Curious?"
He eyed me like I was absurd. Casual speech too?
"Who the hell are you?"
"Pfft... Bwahahaha."
He roared with laughter, ditched shades.
"I'm Kahn."
His face lit like a kid with a new toy.