Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: The Gallery Ate It Up
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The gallery bought it.
I thought the kids were joking about him being a 250cm 150kg muscle giant... but this is real...
The fake rumors were starting to spread as truth.
Before the spark could catch fire, I decided to urgently put it out.
Bro, I get what you're saying, but why start bullshitting from the jump?
No, no matter how you look at it, that's TOPKING bro in full plate armor, having sliced up all the monsters, sitting down to rest, right?
I countered with ironclad facts, but the gallery users couldn't care less.
To them, TOPKING being a monstrous brute was far more important.
To stop this, I'd have to straight-up post a clear photo of my face, but no way.
There was a good reason for that.
Holy shit, gave me chills. Real story?
And even without that, exposing myself felt burdensome, so no thanks on the face reveal.
The outside world was already blasting TOPKING news daily. My mug would be plastered everywhere.
Age, schools, all personal info, plus my gallery history as TOPKING.
How embarrassing would that be.
So I decided on drastic measures.
What burned even hotter than my real body's firepower was the D-rank promotion method.
I decided to boldly reveal it.
Better to bury the ridiculous misunderstanding under a bigger issue than let it become fact.
Circle promotion wasn't some huge secret anyway.
Why spout bullshit after pulling off such a badass feat, bro.
With that build, you wanna claim you're smart? Bet you could bench 5000 easy.
For real though.
Before entering the tower, I wondered if I could even lift a single barbell.
And now they're slandering me saying I physically demolished the adult form I wrecked with magic.
So unfair.
I kept countering the endless incitement and fabrications.
Though no one was buying it.
TOPKING bro is impressive, but one misconception: magic doesn't require genius IQ. You can use it plenty without being that smart.
"What?"
What shocked me most wasn't the vicious gallery users slanderously twisting even clear facts, but the claim that learning magic was just a click away.
Really possible like that?
Then what was all my suffering to acquire D-rank magic???
The gallery users quickly provided proof.
Magic acquisition scrolls, enchantment scrolls, enchantment items, etc. Consume to instantly boost magic proficiency.
"Grrrrr..."
I gritted my teeth hard.
So hard they might grind away.
Can't say a constellation gave me the manual. Claiming the manual means doubling down on the lie.
And if that existed, I'd have used it ages ago, right?
Fuming with injustice, I immediately asked Magic Fiasco.
So there was a reason for all my suffering reading that book.
If it meant nothing, circle in my heart or not, I'd ditch magic and grab a sword again.
A bit of anger eased, I catch my breath.
The gallery bought it.
No one buying my words.
At least the climber gallery flared up in a different direction.
"...Self-promotion is some big bait, huh."
Whispers poured in.
Wanting to promote via circles or aura too.
Unfortunately, easy or normal makes it near impossible.
Talent's lacking.
Best is elixirs.
But your talent would fail even with elixirs.
Only hard with that talent hits D-rank by floor 10, low pop, most die anyway, rare encounters.
Higher rankers don't post much.
Anyway, thanks to this, talk of the clone in the photo died down.
Issue buried, somewhat.
But the cleanup... successful?
Somehow, the gallery treating me as 250cm 150kg monster got even more solid.
"...Whatever, time for rewards."
I've reached enlightenment now.
No one in the world believes me.
Always thought so, but gallery haters worse than the tower.
Waiting time over.
World crumbles emptily into white space.
As expected, turning the assassination quest into a massacre gave extra rewards.
After intense light faded, I nodded satisfied at the reward in my hand.
"This is what I needed."
Compared to previous F-rank max elixir, need at least three to max body levels.
From D-rank, levels worth more, probably.
Now a mage, need body rank?
When did I say drop the sword? Best to use both if possible.
Stride with sword, blast magic as needed. Climber's duty.
Or give to clone.
Especially via synthesis, can recover later.
"But clone's just a tool."
I gaze at the silent, statue-still clone.
Clone that can die vs me that ends if I die. Obvious which matters more.
Plus, even with talent, body side lacking.
Training barely moves 1 level.
So elixir it is.
- Gulp gulp.
Vitality surging through my body is on another level.
Could bend steel if I wanted.
...Thinking back, I did that pre-D-rank too.
Anyway, thrilled by surging power, return to lounge.
A plain-looking boy sat quietly before a go board.
Recalling his disciple's chat logs and gallery posts, he smiled bitterly.
"Yeah, there's that promotion method."
42nd floor conqueror, Seoncheon.
To him, it was a massive regret.
Elixir promotion lacks foundation.
Uses magic without mana-gathering circle, great sword arts without controlling aura.
Yet lofty heights achieved, but sandcastle.
Not shaky foundation—none at all.
But that guy built his foundation.
Seoncheon, thinking no need to envy others here, felt gut-punched.
But regret in his eyes vanished.
Even orthodox promotion back then guarantees no reaching here.
He devoured tower resources voraciously to arrive.
Blink, forgets musings.
Clears mind, assesses that guy's future.
"He'll be the first in hell to cross a major threshold."
Couldn't help inner surprise at TOPKING's moves.
Exceeded expectations, destructively cleared 5th floor.
That much okay.
But D-rank promotion changes everything.
Unexpected circles, but strength doesn't vanish.
"Can he really cross that wall?"
Curious for real.
Hell 10th floor, never conquered since tower start.
No survivors, no clues, unknown realm.
Will TOPKING conquer it?
"Story's changed now."
Tok-
Seoncheon places stone.
Path opens for surrounded black stones.
Opposite, empty air moves a stone.
Tok-
White's move to crush new path insufficient.
Black surges through walls.
Seoncheon gauges white's play, looks away.
As one of Korea's three 40th floor conquerors, he gets external news, info, situations, secrets on demand.
Confirmed: TOPKING's 5th clear big news, D-rank self-promo shocking outside F-rank climbers.
TOPKING's fame spreading.
Fan clubs forming, oddly full of hell freaks.
Can't feel it inside tower. Outside, everyone's heard of TOPKING.
Seoncheon pleased by news.
"Thanks to that, opportunity arose."
Top 3 tower ranking allows 'summoning' internals—hell climbers' value solidified.
Tower Management Bureau treatment lavish.
Especially post-D-rank.
10th floor odds rising, gov sees it near-certain.
Thus tension builds.
Massive friction inevitable.
How significant.
Rankings prioritize hell > hard > normal > easy.
Hard clearers rank bottom if hell can't even 1st floor.
Till now, most nations balanced at hell 9th.
Competing on hard.
If TOPKING hits 10th...
Korea #1 not the end.
"Unless similar appears later."
Korea semi-permanently #1.
Even if TOPKING dies later.
Know the weight?
Was competition before.
This breaks the board.
Other nations can't sit idle.
Even Korea gov agonizes: swallow huge fish and choke under foreign pressure, or spit out?
Tok-!
Seoncheon snorts, slams stone.
Surge shakes entire board.
"But can they block it?"
Trapped climbers can't affect outside, nor vice versa.
Can't stop even if say don't climb.
Gov will realize eventually.
Not their choice—forced to swallow and choke.
"Right, Yoo Chaerin?"
Opponent woman giggles, reply from empty air.
"Cut the immortal games, Seoncheon."
"Play go properly, Chaerin. Years since last game, still this skill?"
"Bullshit. How catch up to shut-in go addict? Geezer hobbies quit. Boring, let's do board games. Go passes time but hurts head."
"Chinese love it."
"Only them."
Woman opposite rises.
Her form dreamlike illusion, beautiful and radiant.
43rd floor climber Yoo Chaerin.
Hand to lips, she says.
"Still, as you say, expectations for how great he is."
"Not your type tho, Chaerin."
"All rumors. Gotta see myself."
She smiles brightly, stretches arms.
"Could be hotter than expected, no?"
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