Reborn as NPC Reina
Suddenly, a tower appeared.
It showed up without any warning, as if it had always been there, and countless people were dragged inside.
I was one of those people pulled into the tower.
I woke up from sleep and suddenly they told me I'd been chosen and to climb the tower.
Finally, the moment has arrived, I thought. Trained by webnovels, I instantly grasped the situation and explained to everyone what the tower was.
Fortunately, they seemed to believe me.
We united, and once people accepted the reality, a quest appeared.
The quest urged us to choose weapons, so I talked with everyone and sorted out who would be frontline and who would be backline.
Frontline with shields. Backline with spears.
I placed one person who could use a bow at the very rear, finished our preparations, boosted morale as much as possible, and stepped forward for our first mission: goblin extermination.
That's when I tripped by mistake and cracked my skull open, dying on the spot.
A life ended before even meeting a goblin.
If there was a speedrun contest for fastest death in the tower, I'd have taken first place.
It would've been less embarrassing if I'd died in combat.
Tripping while confidently leading the way and smashing my head? I couldn't even show my face anywhere.
Still, silver lining, I guess.
I thought my life was over, but it wasn't.
I was reborn as a girl.
Or... should I say respawned?
[NPC Reina]
The tiny text floating above my head.
"NPC, huh. Great."
Not even a game, and here I was an NPC.
An NPC in the tower, no less.
The name made it unmistakable.
A climber dying to become a tower NPC. How ironic.
Though my climber life lasted all of twenty minutes.
"At least it's peaceful here."
Sudden tower abduction and life-or-death fights VS living peacefully as a girl NPC in the tower.
No contest.
Plus, my face was pretty cute. Only gripe was getting younger.
"A woman's body is subtly uncomfortable, though."
Short limbs from being younger? Got used to that quick. But being a girl? Still not there.
The perky chest. The empty crotch.
A year as an NPC, and it still felt off.
"Eh, if I can live peacefully, that's a win."
Better this dogshit than nothing.
Being an NPC and alive? That's something.
I hummed a tune and opened the gallery.
"Tower Gallery, connect."
Connecting to Tower Gallery.
The system heard me and logged me into the Tower Gallery.
"Snuuuff... haaah... this is the smell of life."
I savored the odorless Tower Gallery to my heart's content.
This was how I stayed sane among the insane NPCs.
A miraculous discovery from blindly clicking around in boredom.
My one sanctuary to smell humanity. My reason for being. My oxygen. My soul.
Grateful an NPC like me could access the Tower Gallery, I scrolled through it.
"37th gen coming out of tutorial tower today, huh."
A quick scan of titles told me everything.
Outside was total chaos right now.
Towers popping up, people periodically dragged to tutorial tower.
Climbers shaking the world wasn't enough—now humanity had to conquer towers for survival.
The Tower Gallery played a crucial role.
It was the only real-time link between inside and outside the tower.
"Tsk tsk. It'll get cleaned up soon enough."
I got the newbies' excitement, but this wasn't a diary.
Newbies had to post only in the [Newbie] tab.
Break that? Ban hammer.
"Armband mod showed up."
The newbie-flooded gallery regained its vibe.
"Wish I could praise Joodak too, but NPCs can't post..."
I tested the post button.
NPCs cannot create posts.
Just that dry message.
How great it'd be if I could post. Troll, dip, gal-life bliss.
No dice. Lurking only. NPC rules.
"Still, better than nothing."
Without this, I'd be a mindless girl wandering the city by now.
Hard pass.
"Time for backlog concept posts?"
Saw some before bed, but how'd they pile up so fast?
Hour-long read incoming? Excitement over boredom, I clicked the top one.
"Potions drought, huh."
Tough break.
I lived NPC life, no potions needed, safe gal-ling.
A twinge of pity for climbers, moment of silence.
That said, climber-free tower NPC? Invincible god-mode.
Being a girl? Whatever. Safe gal access.
"Next post?"
Post deleted by author.
"Deleted."
Usually bait stays for laughs, but concept-tab delete? Felt legit.
"Hmm... coming to my tower?"
I muttered, then chuckled.
As if.
No climbers, not even shadows, in my year as NPC.
If one came, full-time gal life over.
Why I prayed for no climbers.
"Won't happen."
Hasn't yet.
I ignored climber talk, dove into gallery.
Scrolled concepts nonstop till sun passed noon, then stretched and stood.
"Nngh..."
Worked out the kinks, opened the window.
People bustled outside.
Don't be fooled by the hustle. NPCs.
Not human.
Every soul in the city: NPC.
All waiting for climbers, doing their routines.
Some practiced lines, others fixed outfits.
Ready for climbers anytime, anywhere.
"Ugh..."
Gave me the creeps.
Kept watching, sanity drained bit by bit.
Averted eyes, shut window.
Slipped into my only outfit—a simple dress—combed hair in mirror, headed out.
Snuck stealthily, avoiding NPC eyes, to my target.
The blatantly labeled shop.
Obvious merchant spot, went in.
[NPC Hans]
Middle-aged guy with stylish mustache.
Shop owner Hans tidied shelves busily.
Casual greet.
"Hi, Mr. Hans."
"Hey. Same as always?"
Hans grinned wide on sight.
Daily visits, he knew without asking.
"Yeah. Usual order, please."
Nodded.
Hans pulled my wants from thin air, no fuss.
"Here."
Pulled 10 gold from air, handed over.
Hans took it, flicked into void.
Gold oxidized to light, vanished.
"Let's do this."
Rubbed hands eagerly.
Always hyped for this.
Why? Watch.
Reached for herbs and bottles.
Materials confirmed. Proceed with synthesis?
[Confirm]
Hit confirm.
Low-Grade HP Potion x100 synthesis complete.
Ta-da!
100 low-grade HP potions in a blink.
Glistening red elixirs.
One heals scratches to fractures.
Uniform perfection? Climbers couldn't dream it.
China mass-produces some, Korea few by few, but crap quality.
Me? Snap, 1 second.
Cost: 10 gold.
Quality: Identical perfection. Tested.
What to do with these beauties?
Duh.
"Selling all."
"Got it. 100 gold each low-grade HP potion. 10,000 gold buyout."
"Thanks."
Took Hans's bundle in both hands.
Into inventory, balance up.
Total gold: 99,999,990. Spent 10, missed 100M.
"Heh heh heh."
Still epic.
Pre-girl me couldn't save 100M won.
Here? Feels full just looking.
"Reina, always ask, but what's with hoarding gold?"
Just to watch it grow.
Say that? Disaster.
Tower inside. I'm NPC.
Early days, clueless girl-me nearly doomed us.
Tower system flagged error, tried deleting me.
Desperate NPC acting saved me.
Else, reborn and re-dead quick.
Answer had to be pure NPC.
"Of course! For the climbers!"
"Haha! Yes! For climbers, we'd give our lives! Helping them climb safely—that's why we exist!"
Hans guffawed.
I quivered inwardly.
Yeah. NPCs.
System creations for climbers.
Me? Tiny irregular glitch.
Secret. Must stay hidden.
"Sigh... wanna meet a climber soon... they'd buy my stuff too? Ahhh... saved by my wares..."
Hans gazed afar, cheeks flushing.
Ugh.
Chills every time.
Forced emotion on inhuman shell. Uncanny valley central.
Forced smile, played along.
"H-ha... yeah, hope we meet climbers soon."
Lie. Never want climbers.
Repeat: Never.
"Ahem! Knew you'd get it."
"Uh, gotta go now."
Hans tearing up.
Backed away.
"Sure. Come anytime, Reina. For climbers, anything!"
"Y-yeah... see ya tomorrow..."
Fled shop.
Street: NPCs hustling for mystery climbers.
"Sigh. At least that's better."
Glanced back.
Hans shelved busily.
My potions, or conjured new ones to smash.
Semi-sane behavior.
For him.
"Ignore it."
NPCs aren't people.
System phantoms. Made for climbers.
Unlike me with past-life memories.
Normal folk'd snap quick among them.
End up climber-obsessed like rest.
But I stayed sane. Why?
"Ten chicken skewers, please."
Bought from nearby stall, to park bench.
Rare NPC-free spot.
Munched peacefully.
"Tower Gallery, connect."
Outdoor gal also wild.
Like rare treat.
Opened, top post.
Fresh concept-tab delete.
Clickbait title.
Couldn't resist.
How tf do you shit and eye an NPC?
Curiosity won, clicked—
A climber has entered the tower. Floor quest starting soon.
"...Huh?"
Clicked shitting NPC post, got this instead.
"Wha?"
Climber entered?
"Whaa?"
This tower? Now?
Role assigned to NPC Reina.
"Whaa?"
Broken record, one word looping.
Situation flipped too fast.
Role allocation complete for NPC Reina. Assigned role: ...
"Wha... huh?"
The Girl Who Gets Adored!
"...Pardon?"