Mysterious Pink Gas and Tentacle Trap
Just once.
That's a really tough phrase.
If you haven't tried it at all, that's one thing. But once you've dipped your toe in, you naturally get hooked. If you liked it, it sticks in your mind, nagging at you.
And when you finally give in... even if it's something harmful, you end up smiling.
Just like now.
Entering the Tower Waiting Room.
Whoosh!!
A black void of a room.
I blinked my eyes open, and there it was—the rainbow-hued Doom gate that had tormented me so much, right in front of me.
Time for a perilously dangerous Tower climb.
The perfect spot to send my life straight to rock bottom.
Stepping foot in this place after so long.
Heh~
A weird grin slipped out, just like that.
The moment my feet hit this floor, an inexplicable thrill tenses me up.
And that feeling? It feels good.
The forgotten rush surges back.
"Haa~"
But I took a deep breath to calm down.
Excitement usually clouds judgment. Needed to cool off a bit.
"Wonder what bullshit they've cooked up this time."
I stared hard at the Doom gate.
This climb wouldn't be easy, obviously.
Even Doom Floor 2 had been designed to thwart a normal clear.
The gap between Floor 1 and 2? Totally abnormal, no matter how you sliced it.
Probably the same for Floor 3.
No telling how wildly the difficulty had spiked this time.
In other words, a life-on-the-line ascent.
What vicious design awaited?
Heh heh heh.
Another laugh leaked out, damn it.
Couldn't stop getting hyped.
Truth be told... things had been pretty boring since that broker mess.
A thrill-less, ordinary routine.
Felt like the old days.
The fun moments? Right before climbing the Tower or scrapping with the broker. Peak thrill and tension.
Yeah, I'd been enjoying those moments quite a bit.
Scary when it went wrong, humiliating when I lost to the broker.
But in the end, here I was again.
Fierce motivation.
A goal I craved.
And the thrill, the tension.
Maybe this was just my constitution.
Hell, back as a normie, I'd wanted into the Tower. First season, bashing monsters barehanded had been pretty fun.
Everything else? Dull as dishwater.
Yeah, I'm hopeless.
Know it and can't help it.
"Set 3."
Whoosh!~
Changed into the shrine maiden outfit.
As previewed in the gallery, this floor required it.
Slipping it on made it hit home.
Weird getup, but it amped me up more.
Wearing this screamed I was diving into madness.
Somehow, I'd gotten used to it.
That's why.
Leeway.
I had leeway now.
Before, it felt like tightrope-walking desperation. Now? Adapted enough to dance a jig.
If I could enjoy it, no escaping.
So, Administrator.
Hate your guts, but this enjoyment? Gotta credit you, kinda.
But it won't be easy anymore.
Me, enjoying it.
Me, with evasion skills.
Me, definitely stronger.
Me, thrilled by item tributes and copies.
I'm seriously OP this time.
Swish~
Finally crossed the prismatic gate.
Doom Floor 3. Whatever was here, it couldn't block a player having fun.
Come on out.
What've you got this time?
Restraint?
Ambush?
Hah. Dream on.
Whatever it is, I'll smash it.
Fwoosh!~
The brilliant light faded, surroundings gradually coming into view.
"Huh?"
But the unfolding was nothing like expected.
Blinked a few times.
No monsters in sight. Not a single one.
No hordes ready to devour me, no bindings on my body.
Perfectly fine state.
Tilt?
"Why?"
Ordinary plains.
Grass and flowers everywhere.
Vibrant green scenery.
Peaceful enough to nap on the ground.
What the hell, this un-Doom-like start?
Was I seeing this right? After all that hunger to eat me?
"What scheme is this...?"
Obviously couldn't let my guard down.
Probably a ploy to trick me.
Stayed alert, scanning around. About a minute of constant vigilance.
Nothing happened.
Surface level, Floor 3 was pure peace.
Suspicious. Way too suspicious.
Couldn't just switch vibes like this.
This was 'Doom' difficulty. Had to have dangers worthy of the name.
Where was it?
Rustle rustle.
Walked through the flower field a bit. No monster pops.
No dangers anywhere.
Just a normal flower field.
"Hmm...."
Paused to think.
Floor clear condition: remove all threats. Threats don't always pop visibly upfront.
Doom was aggressive, but usually adventures involved hunting them down.
Probably that this time.
Explore, find monsters, wipe 'em out, clear.
Nod nod.
Made sense.
Just caught off guard by the new setup.
Heh heh heh. Yeah, Administrator. You've given up, huh? Can't restrain or ambush this body with basic tricks.
Nothing to fear now.
That was my biggest worry—initial grabs or swarms.
Without that, I could handle threats proactively.
Alright, onward.
Gonna crush this overwhelmingly, no crises.
Rustle rustle~
Kept walking the flower field.
Head somewhere, eventually hit the gimmick.
About three minutes in.
Spotted something odd.
"Giant flower?"
A red flower smack in the middle of the field.
Absurdly plump and huge.
Each petal looked soft and cushy, big as a person.
"Pretty..."
Beautiful, fluffy flower.
Sit or lie on it? Perfect comfy bed for my petite frame.
Edged closer.
Not too close, kept a few meters back. Just in case.
Who knew?
Trap maybe.
But...
Could this be potion material?
Tower had mystical herbs. Alchemists mix 'em into potions or stat-boosting elixirs.
Sold for big bucks.
If this was that kinda rare herb?
Ugh... hard to resist then.
"Store."
Tried Inventory on it, just in case.
No dice. Recognized as living, wouldn't open.
Meant manual harvest... but if dangerous?
Shake head.
Nah, skip harvesting.
Doesn't look ordinary.
Risky without info. No need to tempt fate.
Back on track then—
Fwoooosh!!~
"Hup!?"
Suddenly, the flower spewed gas.
Pinkish mist engulfed me instantly, weird smell invading my nose. Petals ballooned then blasted gas.
Out-of-nowhere situation.
Hot, strange odor.
Area drowned in pink fog.
Mask on, but useless. Tiny spores slipped in with every breath.
Cough cough!...
Didn't see that coming.
Figured the puffiness meant something—spore flower?
Breathing got tough. Spores filled my lungs despite the mask.
Dulling sensation hit simultaneously.
What... component was this?
Gotta run fir—
"Ugh!?"
Splat!!
Something yanked my ankle, toppling me backward.
Fog obscured, but glimpsed long red thing coiled around my ankle.
Slippery, sticky feel.
What the—?
Shwick!!
"Eek!?"
Ankle jerked upward.
My light body floated helplessly, upside down.
Whoosh~ world flipped.
Hair rushing "down."
Eyes darting to assess.
Slither~
"Eep!?..."
Something climbed my arms and legs.
Chilled by the cold creepiness, looked up: long tentacles wrapping around.
Yeah, tentacles...
Tentacles?...
Eh?
Splash!!~
In my daze, tentacles bound me like a snake coiling prey. Whole body fast.
Neck, arms.
Armpits.
Under thighs.
Squish!!
"Eeeeek!!!"
Chilling sight.
Flailing mid-air in shock.
But no escaping. Struggled more, dug in deeper, clung tight.
Just total confusion.
Why tentacles out of nowhere??
From where?
Wait, was the spore flower that close?
Hanging upside down in fog, but closer now—clear view.
Spore flower right in front.
This is insane.
Its roots were tentacles.
Uprooted itself, stood, dozens of thick long tentacles—some grabbed and bound me.
Lies.
No such monster exists!!
Why are plant roots tentacles!?
"Uh... huh?..."
Wait.
Why's my body like this?
Unlike my shock, body numbing. Drowsy haze, sleep crashing in.
This pink mist?
Paralysis component?
Splaaash!~
Meantime, giant spore flower gaped wide.
Like a mouth, blooming fully toward me. Carried like a claw machine prize into it.
Schlurp!~
Shockingly, huge hole in center, slime-filled interior exposed.
Felt like it'd devour me.
More tentacles inside.
Licking like tongues.
Shiver just looking.
Probably a prey storage pouch.
Clearly stuffing me in. Face-first swallow if this continued.
Then what? Trapped, slimed up, pass out?
Ugh, horrifying. Horrifying bu—
Wait, resistance fading.
Spore poisoning dulling my mind, will to move vanishing.
This gas... scary stuff.
Breaking my will.
The Rape Curse strongly activates.
Captured by a hostile entity.
Immune to death.
Surrender your body and submit to the irresistible helplessness!
"Ugh... gonna lose it......"
Yeah, knew it'd happen.
Crazy-ass Administrator.
Never fails to betray expectations consistently. Why this monster?
Haa— seriously.
This won't do.
At least make it visually appealing...
Roots of a pretty flower being tentacles? Total mood-killer.
Me wanting to lie on it? Would've been eaten flat.
Look.
Slippery tentacles binding me. Sticky slime pouch swallowing me.
Weird tentacles inside flicking.
Movements screaming 'gonna taste you now.'
Slurp.
Slurrrp!!
Those real tongues?... Technique's no joke.
Feels insanely ticklish.
Ugh... total goosebumps.
Fall in there? Would be weird.