Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Mana - Rank.F
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Climber Gallery was abuzz with talk of the sudden Hell difficulty climber.
"There's a bit of a misunderstanding here."
It was all thanks to the Constellations' sponsorship that it was so easy. Why would I struggle snatching a goblin's sword and fighting tooth and nail?
But if I don't say it, they won't know.
No mention of Constellations at all, so they're probably not your common type.
That said, I can't exactly go around saying I breezed through thanks to Constellation support, right?
I had no choice but to let the misunderstanding stand.
Besides that, various analysis posts started popping up, drawing more attention.
Hell difficulty climbers? It's the most brutal, gruesome survival game out there. Grabs eyes easily.
But after dropping that bombshell on the gallery, I ditched it immediately.
"15 days left until climb time."
Where's the time for gallery scrolling?
The waiting room was a plain small room.
Apparently, as you climb higher, you can add furniture and expand it to house size.
Right now, no furniture at all. Squatting in the bare corner felt kinda pathetic.
No hunger in the waiting room, but you can't live off nothing. Climbers buy food in village floors.
After clearing 10F, maybe?
Thanks to ignoring Tower stuff till now, tons of new info.
"So 2F is survival... What should I prep for?"
Got the gist from the gallery.
Survive against an unclimbable boss.
Theme: survival.
Muscle endurance, then?
But my body's already F-rank maxed.
Training here won't boost it more.
Pondering my skills and items...
Then a message popped up.
Mana? Oh yeah, that.
Just low priority—takes time to learn and master.
"Won't it take forever to use well?"
Fast...
Yeah, heard proficiency rises faster by difficulty.
Not a huge gap. If it were, Hard climbers would grind waiting rooms forever.
But Constellation Gallery said otherwise.
Lifted the hefty Mana Cultivation Manual.
Constellations seem to agree: learn mana first.
Hell's hidden perk: insane proficiency gain?
"Still got time, might as well."
Glanced over: 14 days till next climb. Plenty.
Steeled myself and opened the manual.
Page by page, slowly reading.
Flip—flip—
Hard to grasp, but engraving it in my mind anyway.
Brain awakens mana, mouth breathes it, veins carry it.
Soon, all focus on mana.
Keep flipping.
Breath gone, soul poured in.
Eyes open: finished the last page.
"Hoo."
Breathe in: felt the mana.
Faintly circulating through my veins.
Weak now, but growing familiar, assimilating moment by moment.
Opened status: changes visible.
Changes: Basic Swordsmanship at Lv.13, new Mana, overall rank Top-grade F.
Proficiency rises fast for real.
Swing sword a few times in combat, up 3 levels.
Makes D-rank tempting.
Just one step, but needs huge effort.
Even Easy clearers top at F mid/top. Different league.
D-rank means strong. Hell or not, could coast to 10F.
Gallery has little on this.
Most say items spike skills/profs/body to break ranks, but feels wrong.
Something key missing.
Time to scour Constellation Gallery.
Not popular in Constellation Gallery, more musing. But crucial to me.
...Doesn't give the exact method.
Just Constellations rambling. No F-to-D guide.
No big worry though.
"If I just show a bit, they won't hold back?"
Show D-rank attempt, Constellations post frustrated guides.
Follow to hit D.
Future stuff. Now grind mana prof, plan 2F clear.
"Huuuu..."
Focus, breathe as ingrained.
Peek eyes open, grin at alert.
Prof up: mana waves stronger.
Feels like a genius.
Time limits balanced by broken prof gain.
Eyes shut, breathe mana.
Thin strand coils, thickens, knots.
...
▶ Remaining time: 5 days 12h 40m...