Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: The Place Where Death Lingered
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📰 Boss Mob Gallery Title: Newbie Progress Estimate After Storming the 10th Floor 💬 Comments — Anonymous Just for fun, so take it with a grain of salt. — Anonymous Anyway, this info is stuff I've collected out of personal curiosity while lurking the gallery. Point out any mistakes, yeah? Assuming the newbie's leveling up once per floor so far, they'd have easily passed level 10 by now—that's what I'm basing this on. I figure they won't get stuck in the early 10th floor zone. They've been crushing it so far, after all. The real issue is the mental side of things. Until recently, the newbie was just your average guy from Earth, living a life far removed from slaughter or combat. So, can someone like that really adapt to the zones after the 10th floor? — Anonymous ↳ Reply This guy's just stirring shit up? Didn't even factor in how he's been slicing up the pros so far. — OP I'm a newbie fanboy hoping they do well, okay? ;; — Anonymous ↳ Reply Take off the mask and reveal your origins lololol Who's gonna stop someone from acting all smug behind their back? — Anonymous But that's not really our call, is it? It's all up to the newbie. — OP That's fair... 📰 Boss Mob Gallery Title: So What's the Deal? — Anonymous What's with all the fuss starting from the 10th floor? It's gotta be the 15th floor launch pad theme stage at best, right? That's why all the foreshadowing has been about the 15th floor black history. — Anonymous Well, see... — OP Here we go again;; — Anonymous lmao ⭐ Top Comment — Paper Enthusiast Everything up to the 10th floor is just newbie ant-hairing territory. — OP Then what comes after? ⭐ Top Comment — Paper Enthusiast From there on, it's the real deal—the sections that actually define tower progress. — Anonymous Oh, so does that mean we can call the newbie an 'entry-level hunter' now? — Anonymous Nahhh, the newbie's our eternal newbie. — Anonymous Agreed lmao The 10th floor.
A true stepping stone, in every sense of the word, leading to the 15th floor.
The Boss Mob Gallery's residents were still active as always, but even so, a major environmental shift was upon them.
📰 Boss Mob Gallery Title: I'm on the 10th floor section and yeah, this checks out — Anonymous For starters, it's way too drab, ffs. Lower floors have some fresh green vibes at least, right? Sticking around here makes you seriously depressed, no cap. And the NPCs going insane in real-time? That's the real treat. — Anonymous What're you gonna do if you're depressed lolol — Anonymous NPCs going insane? — Anonymous From the 10th floor onward, time loops endlessly. ⭐ Top Comment — Paper Enthusiast Nothing left for hunters who've already cleared it, but for fresh arrivals, a whole new hell opens up. — Aged Wine is... Hmph. — Hmph (Blocked Account) Hmph, agreed... (Blocked account) NPCs.
The residents populating the tower's stages.
More precisely, they were artificial lifeforms designed by the tower's intent.
-Boom!
"Whoa."
Another massive tremor echoed loudly.
It was unmistakable.
The presence of Lakia Bells swinging her enormous axe.
Do-yoon hurried his steps with strong conviction.
— Paper Enthusiast: Floor clear methods are all the same.
> ㄴ Me: Yeah.
> — Paper Enthusiast: The monsters' appearances might be confusing, but don't let your guard down.
> ㄴ Me: ?? Confusing?
Similar to what Lakia Bells had worried about.
What could possibly be causing all this concern across the board?
'Rendezvous first.'
Securing the most crucial guide(?) was priority one.
Do-yoon pressed on through the ruined streets.
-Screee...
An unidentified wail snagged on Do-yoon's senses.
A grating noise, like nails on a chalkboard.
Utterly out of place in a scene where everything was already over, it was clearly the cry of something with intent.
'Movement feels way smoother than before.'
The effects of the reward from subjugating the twisted treant, Niederroot.
His physical enhancements were palpably real.
His steps grew lighter, his field of vision expanding farther and clearer.
'Nice.'
With even greater speed, he raced toward the spot radiating intense presence.
"...!"
-Boom! Crunch!
There, amid half-collapsed ruins in the distance.
A woman shouldering a massive axe was in the thick of it, shards flying everywhere.
Do-yoon immediately called out the familiar silhouette's name.
"Lakia!"
"...Do-yoon!"
The hunters, recognizing each other, swiftly linked up.
No need for words.
Do-yoon gripped his curved sword tight and swung at the foe with all his might.
"Huh?"
Lakia Bells, mid-greeting with delight, froze at Do-yoon's sudden strike.
'What are you even looking at.'
Even in that split second, her hurt expression under his cold gaze was priceless.
Of course, his target was elsewhere.
A grotesque figure with a half-torn mouth, slashing with elongated claws.
Since she hadn't noticed it coming for her, Do-yoon stepped in to block.
-Clang!
He shoved Lakia Bells aside in an instant.
Sweeping his curved sword through empty space, he confronted the ghoul.
Sparks flew as he tested his grip.
"Tch."
The power made his blocking arm tremble.
'Not yet.'
His raw strength still couldn't match theirs, that much was clear.
-Eira.
Calling her name inwardly, a massive presence coiled around his left arm.
"Got it!"
The blood-red chains, infused with will, shot straight at the ghoul.
"Kieek!"
The ghoul, wary of the chains, screeched and instantly widened the distance from Do-yoon.
'Close.'
A bit more and he could've ensnared it.
"Th-thanks."
Lakia Bells, finally grasping the situation, expressed her gratitude.
"What's the situation?"
"Ran into monsters. I handled the first two solo just fine, but their numbers kept growing..."
At her words, Do-yoon glanced around.
From the shadowed streets everywhere, multiple red-glowing eyes fixed on them.
"What are these things?"
"Ghouls. They hunt in packs, so once you spot one, you have to wipe them all out."
"Ah."
He vaguely remembered seeing them in the gallery.
Some user had been spamming ghoul pics like a terrorist back then.
"Do-yoon, be careful. They're not like the ones from the 8th floor batch."
"Got it."
He knew firsthand from blocking that attack.
Time to stay sharp.
In the brief standoff.
"Kieee!"
Without warning, ghouls lunged from all directions.
"Incoming!"
Lakia Bells readied her massive axe, signaling the fight's start.
Do-yoon responded in kind, eyes on the first charger.
Before he could issue orders, the red chains lashed out first.
-Whip!
"Kiak?!"
A ghoul with its ankle pierced flew into the air.
Flailing like a fresh-caught fish, it got swept into its kin.
-Thud!
The swarm assault crumbled into chaos in seconds.
The ghouls' attention snapped to the two thrashing chains.
And in that gap.
-Whip!
Do-yoon plunged into their midst, swinging the Goblin Warlord's curved sword.
-Slice.
It bit into tough hide, severing body from head with chilling precision.
Eyes on the clean cut, Do-yoon sought his next mark.
"..."
His movements flowed naturally, despite it being their first encounter.
To Lakia Bells, who'd lived a battle-hardened life, it felt eerily disjointed.
Outside combat, he had that soft, rounded demeanor.
But now...
Her thoughts halted there as she snapped back, swinging her axe.
"Kuak!"
A ghoul smashed by the brutal strike crumpled.
"Haat!"
With a powered shout, she claimed several more in one go.
Over ten ghouls against just two hunters, including Do-yoon.
Yet the tide had fully turned.
"Kuak! Kieak!"
"Kiii...!"
Terror of the unknown crept into the ghouls' eyes as they mauled their own.
Hesitating at mangled corpses, their ferocity waned into fear.
"..."
A ghoul meeting Do-yoon's gaze turned tail to flee.
-Pierce!
"...?!"
But the blood chain through its ankle was the last sight it beheld.
No need to think.
Mechanical efficiency, focused solely on reaping lives.
"Hoo."
Regulating breath, flowing seamlessly into the next motion.
Dodging claw swipes with minimal evasion, avoiding needless clashes.
"Hahaha!"
Ignoring Eira's glee at her long-awaited playthings, Do-yoon continued the hunt.
And so.
"How's over there?"
"Th-this side's mostly wrapped up too."
Facing Lakia Bells' awkward expression, he finally felt the battle end.
"Some welcome wagon."
He remarked, surveying the gruesome sprawl.
"...Bad luck with the spawn point."
She'd landed right in a ghoul nest, of all places.
"You could've handled it better."
"..."
She felt unjust at his light scolding, but in the tower, luck was skill too.
The deflated Lakia Bells caught her breath and stowed her axe.
"This unusual? No non-combat zone markers either."
"There should be normally. But..."
"Guess it happens."
Instead of griping over the past, focus on what lay ahead.
With that, Do-yoon set the next waypoint.
"Straight to the boss room?"
"Follow me."
Confident reply in hand, they finally headed for real toward the boss room.
"People living in a place falling apart like this?"
"Memories regenerated, so a few NPC sacrificial lambs, probably."
"Sounds good."
Not anticipating their grim fates or anything.
— Sometimes run into NPCs and clear quests or whatever. Good rewards.
> ㄴ Me: For real?
> ㄴ Yeah. Deep intrigue from that gallery tip.
'And those guys.'
The somewhat shady hunters from the 9th floor weighed on his mind too.
'Hope nothing happens.'
If they were gonna jump him, better do it quick.
Any weird schemes would just be a hassle.
With those thoughts.
Do-yoon and Lakia Bells ventured deeper into the stage.
"P-please... spare me..!"
Then they spotted one.
A citizen fleeing from ghouls.
📜 EVENT QUEST 📜 An event quest has arrived.