Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Tower Lord's Ordeal #2
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The gallery was still brimming with enthusiasm for the newbie.
💬 Recent Posts — So what floor is the newbie on? But isn't another tower more efficient for noobs? — Newbie Tower-by-Tower Newbie Growth Potential Calculator The Wine Lord's tower has always been infamous for its crap performance from the start. If aiming for upper floors, shouldn't you prioritize magic or rear-line stats right now? The gallery members were always curious.
About how far the newbie could go, and just how strong he could become.
About whether he could grow strong enough to save them, just like they'd saved the lower-floor bosses up until now.
📰 Title: What happened to that troll from last time? - That asshole who kept picking fights with the armbands every damn day, yeah? — Reply That guy got ejected. — For real? — No way...; Trolls popping up was commonplace, but news of someone getting ejected and vanishing...
That wasn't exactly good news for them either.
Because it could be their turn at any moment.
📰 Title: Lately, asking the newbie about his tower floor Nickname: Paper Enthusiast* - I've seen a few users comparing towers or pressuring for strategies. The newbie's doing great right now, so let's not go overboard~ Interfering too much with other users is grounds for a ban, got it? — Whoa... — Bowing to the Tower Lord. — When did these guys ever show respect? BS. — But the newbie started it by talking about graduation first. — Yeah, graduation talk is hard to ignore. 📰 Title: Gotta consider the regular bosses' side too - I'm a mid-to-upper floor boss right now, Can't specify which tower to avoid targeting. I know the armbands are amazing and Iron Pillar's working hard, But from our side, raid points just keep piling up every day, we're bleeding dry. Still, within reason, can't we push to help the newbie clear the tower more smoothly? — Paper Enthusiast* That line is pretty vague. — Aged Wine is...* The newbie-chan is in his own tower right now, so he's only getting help from us...! — If this isn't monopolizing, what is? — Where'd all the initial rules go lol? Didn't it say anyone could post info regardless of tower origin if they wanna help? The ever-accumulating raid points became a massive mental burden for each of them.
The reason they were so invested in the newbie's progress hadn't changed since the first time he stepped into the gallery.
Graduation. Pure, simple graduation.
Reclaiming forgotten precious memories and leaving the tower to live a new life.
Hatred, pity, joy, pleasure, or even beyond.
Regaining the identity that formed the foundation of boss mobs.
For beings who continued their lives with reason intact, it was a utterly natural desire.
📰 (My Post) Title: ??? Why are you talking about me? (Photo of just feet visible on the bed) - Just resting after clearing floor 8 lol This is fine, right~ — Whoa, those feet tho... — (My Post) ??? — Ban this guy. — Resting well, huh. — Better to stand your ground like this and stay active than get shaken by random bosses lol. — Active my ass, I'm resting, sir. — Cleared it anyway, cheers~ 📰 (Info) Title: Info post for the newbie about to enter floor 10 soon Nickname: Paper Enthusiast* - Congrats to the newbie on the nonstop clears lol If it was our tower, I'd pull some strings, But since it's the Wine Lord's tower, nothing I can do. Anyway, the tower's backgrounds change every 10 floors. Only seen mob swarms so far? Once you hit floor 10, a whole new backdrop unfolds. Also, from floor 9, it's kinda like a safe rest area—you can buy gear or trade with other hunters. — (My Post) No boss mobs? — Paper Enthusiast* Yeah, it's like a spot to chill after your efforts. — Official newbie hunter meetup room lol "What the."
Then there's no reason to stick around here.
Do-yoon bolted upright from the bed he'd buried himself in.
He stormed off to find Han Ji-hyeok with a wronged look on his face, only to be met with an awkward expression.
"D-Did I not tell you?"
"Yes."
"Sorry. Figured you'd wanna rest since you just cleared the floor."
"No worries, bro. I like adjusting my condition too."
The bear-like man shuffled sheepishly, stirring some inexplicable guilt.
"Guess the other hunters are all busy, huh."
"Ha-rin's doing personal training, the other two are swamped."
Ads, shoots, personal gigs.
Hunters in Korea drew national-level attention proportional to their scant numbers.
"Kinda get why progress is slow now."
"You're grasping the ways of the world too quick."
Han Ji-hyeok replied with a dark look.
"Plus, you're handling it solo so well. If we clear our schedules early, it's easier to move later."
"Ah."
"Gives us leverage."
Don't interfere after we do what you asked.
An unspoken warning.
"Shall we head out then?"
"Hold up, Do-yoon."
As Do-yoon pondered jumping straight into floor 9, Han Ji-hyeok blocked him briefly.
"Yeah?"
"Any trouble with other hunters there or anything?"
"Oh, yeah. A Rakia Bells."
Do-yoon briefly described the quirky hunter's traits.
"Rakia... No way."
Han Ji-hyeok's face turned grave as he listened.
"Didn't she say she serves some Black Dragon or whatever?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Huh."
A somewhat deflated reaction.
"Why? She's quirky, but pretty solid, so we teamed up briefly."
"That's what's surprising. I know a bit about those hunters—they're infamous for treating foreign hunters like beasts."
"Ah, yeah, first impression hit hard like that."
A rather intense first encounter.
Compared to now, she seemed like a completely reformed person.
"Weird, man. Aren't you too friendly?"
"Me?"
Thinking back, he was confident in holding his own among people.
Before becoming a hunter, that's the one skill that had kept him afloat.
'Uncle Kim.'
Recalling the grateful figure from his past who helped him endure, Do-yoon grinned sheepishly.
"Just lucky, I guess."
"Is that it?"
"Yeah."
With that, Han Ji-hyeok dropped further prying into Do-yoon's odd charm.
"Anyway, if you're ready, we can go anytime... How much did the Advisor skill tell you?"
Floor 9.
The rest floor.
He roughly summarized the info from the gallery verbally.
Han Ji-hyeok nodded profoundly as he heard it.
"Spot on, as expected. Feels like our leeway's shrinking."
"Still, having folks explain it firsthand is so reassuring."
"Glad you see it that way."
After a quick farewell, Do-yoon returned to his quarters and fired up the gallery again.
He'd already summed up floor 9 info earlier; now it was about his condition and rewards.
📰 (My Post) Title: So when's a good time to use this ticket? - Floor 9 seems best? Safer and better in a non-combat zone. — Paper Enthusiast* That's how most do it, yeah. — How do you know so much? — Not for nothing he's Tower Lord. — Hey now... talking back? 📰 Title: Hooaaaah...! Nickname: Aged Wine is...* - For the Ordeal Entry Ticket, challenge anytime...! His mindset is always open! Thrilled at the thought of meeting newbie-chan...! "This just makes me more uneasy."
When the Wine Lord got this excited, things usually got tougher.
His instinct—not quite instinct—from experiencing it more than once or twice.
The ordeal's difficulty was probably harsher than he imagined.
📰 (My Post) Title: So what's the ordeal about anyway - Spoil a bit; — Aged Wine is...* Keeping it secret for the memories with newbie-chan..! — Se?cret — Secret written as total beatdown read as? — (My Post) ;;; — Paper Enthusiast* It's not set up to kill you, so no worries. — Short-Eared Goblin* It'll mostly work in the newbie's favor~ The armbands stepping in to reassure helped, but...
"Hm."
In the end, getting stronger faster was ultimately good for everyone.
No need to overthink or worry needlessly.
📰 (My Post) Title: Using that will be good for Eira too, right? - My power is basically tied to the Tower Lord anyway. Perks and all. — Aged Wine is...* Way better than that monkey-like kid...! — Aged Wine is...* Don't get fooled by my knockoff, newbie-chan...! — (My Post) Nooo;; It's my most important ability...? — Look at her jealous lol — Pathetic, Wine Lord lol "This is jealousy?"
Whatever.
Eira was part of Do-yoon's power to begin with, while the Wine Lord was a floor boss.
For them, with graduation as top priority, there was no reason to envy Eira's position.
"Deep."
With those thoughts, Do-yoon prepared to enter the tower.
And on the day.
"Didn't get to see them after all."
Unable to bid farewell to the other hunters besides Han Ji-hyeok, Do-yoon walked toward the tower.
"Be careful."
"Will do."
Exchanging final words with the concerned Han Ji-hyeok, he turned to Manager Choi Geon-woo beside him.
"I'll be off."
"I pray for your safe return."
"Thanks."
"You're the future of Korea's hunters, Do-yoon."
Quite the grandiose praise.
And so.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Entering Floor 9. He entered floor 9 amid the familiar sensation.
But.
"Is that the hunter named Do-yoon?"
"Somehow part of our party's..."
The hunters staring at him didn't look quite right.