Strategies Exposed, Seventh Floor Beckons
The Darkness Guild had just entered the sixth floor.
A guild formed by Chinese players, hailed as the top on the Forma continent, but it wasn't much different from the atmosphere of other massive guilds climbing the Red Tower.
Still, they had to acknowledge that clearing the fifth floor first was impressive.
"Hoo..."
But what did that matter?
"Next week, we'll get caught again."
"Obviously, since Illusion's World will spill all the strategies."
Chinese players weren't ignorant of Korean programs.
They made a point of grasping the content of famous broadcasts, even translating them if needed.
So naturally, they couldn't ignore Red Tower strategies.
"What kind of program even is that?"
After struggling to climb, the strategies got revealed.
It kept repeating.
It was utterly deflating.
"More importantly, who's that author?"
"Oh, K.Mu?"
"Yeah, that bastard!"
"How would I know?"
"Haa. That guy really pisses me off."
After grumbling for a while, they stood up.
Their break was over.
"Let's go again."
"Yes."
A few minutes after advancing on the guild master's orders.
A group of Sandmen appeared.
"Prepare!"
Everyone steeled themselves and took formation.
"Attack!"
A fierce battle ensued, and they barely claimed victory.
"Does this one have a strategy too?"
"Probably."
"How do we do it?"
As they pondered, someone spoke up.
"Ah, from the back, I saw sand falling off every time it got hit."
"And?"
"Something seemed visible between the sand..."
"Like a golem's core?"
"Yeah, that!"
Everyone's eyes lit up.
Soon, they faced a group of Sandmen twice as large as before.
While attacking, they rolled their eyes searching for the cores.
Having fought golems before, it didn't take long to find them.
"Found it!"
"Where?"
"Here, the abdomen!"
"Ooh!"
"Everyone, focus on the abdomens!"
"Yes, Guild Master!"
They concentrated fire on the abdomens.
"Group them up!"
They herded the Sandmen and unleashed an AoE spell.
AoE spell detonates!
But the cores weren't even scratched.
Instead, due to the AoE's nature, sand poured off the Sandmen's bodies, briefly exposing three cores.
The misfortune was that the spell's aftermath obscured vision, so no one spotted them.
*
Time passed, and the day Illusion's World aired arrived.
It started with the fifth floor.
The Small Ogre was tackled head-on, no tricks.
They occasionally used slowing poison and hallucinogenic poison, with melee users surrounding it to restrict movement— that was the main footage.
Then they'd pour targeted skills and attacks outside the AoE, chipping away at the Small Ogre's HP bit by bit.
It felt like grinding through an unsolvable problem.
Unlike floors 2, 3, and 4, it dragged frustratingly.
But that didn't last.
"Ah, finally the sixth floor."
"Phew, things'll be easier now."
From Yura's suddenly brightened expression, viewers instantly realized.
Ah, there's a strategy for the sixth floor.
Just as they guessed.
The strategy for the sixth floor monster, Sandman, was revealed.
The Illusion homepage exploded again.
As the boards heated up.
Yura finished hunting, looked at the screen, and bowed her head.
"Hunting's so much easier now. Thanks to K.Mu for the strategies."
A promotional ploy.
"Alright, back to hunting."
Then more combat footage.
Conversations.
Back to MC Yura and Woo-hyun bantering.
These three elements, masterfully edited, doubled the fun.
Even battles: edited clips felt more pulse-pounding than raw gameplay.
Entertaining.
Even Mu-hyuk thought so.
Well, that was that...
Mu-hyuk finished posting and hit enter.
Right after Yura mentioned K.Mu.
The post shot to hot issues instantly.
Comments poured in rapidly.
Posts multiplied even faster.
Among them, Mu-hyuk's post views skyrocketed uniquely.
Broadcast shoutout.
User searches.
Views snowballed naturally.
Hot issue, then main page, more views.
A virtuous cycle.
Mu-hyuk watched briefly, then logged out of the homepage.
No need to fret; views would climb regardless.
He shut the laptop, grabbed side dishes from the fridge, and ate dinner.
Watching Illusion's World leisurely, it hit past 8 PM.
Broadcast ended, 10 minutes to the promised time.
He cleared the table hastily, brushed teeth, lay in the capsule, and logged into Illusion.
A few users not online yet, so Mu-hyuk sat waiting.
Yura approached, staring.
"You're on."
"Yeah."
"Hm, good thing you're not late."
"Obviously."
What's with her?
Because of last time? Promises must be kept.
"Just spectating on seventh too?"
"If recording, yeah."
"No recording?"
"Then I'd consider it."
"Why hide your identity so hard?"
"Just 'cause."
She was asking all sorts today.
"You don't think you're all that, do you?"
"..."
No answer.
Amazing? Not?
Mu-hyuk's current state couldn't be judged that way.
His character was a stretch for current players to accept.
Once more info leaked, content opened, users emerged—then fine.
They'd get his stats, necromancer with insane strength, agility, vitality.
Overpowered skeletons too.
But reveal now, with zero info?
Ugh...
Just imagining was annoying.
Yura mistook his grimace?
"Eek."
Exaggerated expression and gesture.
"You really think you're hot stuff?"
"Nah, not really."
"Hm, sure?"
Teasing tone and look.
"For real? Looks like it though?"
"..."
"Why so quiet?"
She shrugged at his silence.
"Tch, no fun."
Then returned to the group.
Moments later.
Sung Min-woo last to log in; all present.
Yura spoke first.
"Compared to other floors, sixth wasn't far off."
"Phew, finally..."
"So!"
Yura scanned around.
"Today, we challenge the seventh."
"Seventh...?"
"Got it? Let's move!"
Mu-hyuk hadn't mentioned seventh.
Yura already suspicious how he knew up to sixth.
If he knew the boss too?
Too annoying.
Very.
So he stayed quiet.
She'll handle it.
Unlike looks, Yura was cautious, decisive.
Trustworthy enough.
Of course, certain they'd fail the Cyclops Giant.
Just wanted some HP shaved off.
"Mu-hyuk."
"Yeah?"
"Shouldn't you say something about that?"
"Hm..."
Probably eye attacks.
Mu-hyuk cared too.
But how?
How explain?
"Tricky?"
"Yeah."
"Hm, what about a guess?"
"Guess?"
"Yeah, like 'Fought a one-eyed monster before. Hit the eye, it got stronger instead.' Something."
Mu-hyuk's eyes gleamed.
That works.
Perfect monster came to mind.
Level 55 Gavelro.
Small stature, crescent claws main weapon.
One eye too. Loses it, goes berserk—fact.
"Good."
"Huh? It works?"
Sung Min-woo, who suggested, surprised.
"Perfect."
Mu-hyuk pondered timing.
Right after entry.
Before—no way.
Knowing seventh's Cyclops Giant upfront? Weird.
So chance: post-entry, as Cyclops approached—that brief moment, first and last.
As thoughts settled.
"Everyone, prepare!"
Yura's voice rang.
One Sandman appeared.
All prepared leisurely.