Chapter 121
Chapter 121
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Fox God VTuber Climbing the Tower
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"With His Imperial Majesty's will as our torch, we shall shatter the shadows alongside him!!"
"Charge! Charge! Charge!!!"
"Uoooooh!!!"
In the dark passageway, three climbers boldly hurled themselves toward the labyrinth.
One of them was a shikigami rather than a climber, but it didn't matter.
"[Kuzunoha Onmyo Arts] [Shikigami White Flame Fox]!!"
Cute, blazing fox spirits answered the call, curling into balls and rolling forward.
Iosif snatched one fox spirit and hurled it with all his might, forcing the elves hidden in the passage to reveal themselves.
Ichigo pulled out a potion filled with alchemical liquid and flung it backward, batting away incoming arrows.
With a crash, the liquid surged up to block the entrance they had come through, hardening into a stone-like texture that sealed the path.
From the far side came the sound of cold weapons clanging against it.
There was no retreat. She had sealed it herself.
No chance of being surrounded, then. Ichigo gripped her sword and unleashed plum blossoms.
Red petals bloomed and scattered along the extending blade. And of course, this was all [演出]—pure showmanship.
The petal effects fluttering around her swordplay were something Wakamo added separately in reality.
She could mimic it with mana-infused sword energy, but unfortunately, it was too taxing for an alchemist like Ichigo.
So she changed her approach.
-It's not plum blossoms. It's 'blooming.'
-Blossoming.
-See how the plum blossoms of the volcano bloom!
-Ah... the volcano is here!
-I can't stand the Emperor's Plum Blossom Swordsmanship.
Red energy flowed along the blade.
She swung the rippling, liquid-like edge, unleashing a sharp whoosh as a crimson slash shot toward the elves.
"Moonlit Worm Thrust!!"
- lolololol
-Did the First Form of Plum Blossom Swordsmanship just drop?
-Only one form, huh.
-Trying dirty tricks to beat Pirate...
-No way that shrimp can handle Manhae!
Bang bang—!
"Moonlit Worm Barrage!"
-Roughly assembled.
-Not expecting Ching Chong Bang...
-Say 'bang bang bang pew'!!!
-Help Ichigo with naming, guys~
-Ichigo's fatal flaw: never read manga.
-She just sings well, streams well, and is cute— that's everything!!
-It is!
Ichigo fired her gun while cracking up her viewers, but she realized this wasn't it and flushed beet red with embarrassment.
Would she have time to leisurely read comics or watch anime like Pirate? No, she was too busy poring over Korean books, studying every character, memorizing every word.
For a diligent top student, the otaku wall was far too high to scale. Still, she had at least checked out the acclaimed classic about alchemists.
She couldn't NOT read it as an alchemist!
Click click—!
Not just a simple sword—this was coated with [Mana Reactive Liquid] from graduate student Sebastian's research, squeezed from the hilt onto the blade.
From there, she fired precise slashes with minimal mana.
An elf warrior lightly shattered the water-jet-cutter-like strike with his sword, then wrapped his blade in true aura and charged at Ichigo.
Even bullets fired point-blank were deflected entirely. The elf's sword swung to decapitate her, but Ichigo bent her knees, slid under it, leaped up with flashy swordplay, gruesomely slashed the elf warrior, and clung upside down to the ceiling.
Using her boot item's effect to stick to the wall and an enchanted leap skill, she shot forward in an instant, passing over the barrier blocking half the passage from above, severed an elf archer's neck, and rolled across the floor.
In that meantime, Ichigo reloaded and fired, her bullet exploding the head of the elf spirit user who summoned a fire spirit to block with a wall of flames—like a tomato bursting.
Helical rare metal bullets tuned for maximum penetration.
Even if an elf warrior blocked with a shield, the drug-filled rounds shattered on impact, exploding.
Termite incendiary flames spread unquenchably around the shield, and Ichigo didn't miss that flinch, pulling the trigger.
Tat-tat—!!
She aimed precisely, embedding a bullet in the warrior's body, leaped over a thrown spear, twisted midair like an acrobat to dodge arrows and a wind spirit's charge, stuck to the wall like flat ground, and hurled the sword in her hand.
Behind Iosif, an elf assassin's stealth broke as a sword lodged in his throat, and he collapsed.
Ichigo immediately drew another gun, assumed position, and began her dance of death.
Arrows, sword strikes, throws, spirit attacks—she had terrible eyesight and didn't dodge by sight.
With [Keen Instinct], she spread mana to detect attacks and evade just before they hit.
Tadadang—!!
Bullets fired at insane speeds, plus the click from her waist as bombs auto-launched and flew.
Bombs loaded in belts around her waist and thighs reacted to nearby enemies, ejecting like drones and exploding.
"[GRRRRAAAAAHHH!!!]"
In the inescapable labyrinth passage, an elf druid who mutated his body into a monster tanked the blast, transformed into an [Owl Bear], and charged.
"Transmute—!"
Ichigo holstered her gun; sparks flew from her [Transmutation Synthesis Gloves].
She slammed the ground, erecting walls like dominoes to block the passage. The Owl Bear didn't stop—it charged, smashing through them with roars.
The monster with an owl head on a bear's body raised its forepaw to smash Ichigo's skull after breaking the final wall, but poison gas spread everywhere.
Even thick fur melted, and blinding extreme venom didn't faze it as it attacked, but Ichigo caught the incoming paw with both hands and redirected it with Tai Chi.
The Owl Bear screeched from the impact and rebound as it hit the wall hard.
Undeterred, Ichigo transmuted a metal rod from her palm into a spear and thrust, piercing weakened hide straight to the heart. The Owl Bear frothed purple foam and crashed down.
"[Found the enemy!]"
"[Eliminate! Crush them!]"
"[Don't let them reach the core!]"
With endless reinforcements from the labyrinth's depths, Ichigo used the Owl Bear corpse as a shield, taking cover and checking on her comrades.
Iosif was holding out by collapsing walls and ceilings to block paths. Asuka was communicating with Wakamo, using [Fox Shikigami] for scouting, mapping the labyrinth on paper.
The terrain for battle wasn't unfavorable.
Narrow, confined labyrinth space—hard for enemies to swarm in groups.
Even if elf wizards unleashed wide-area fire magic, she could hastily transmute walls to block it. The situation wasn't bad.
Materials perfect for an alchemist littered everywhere.
And this was a rare chance for Ichigo.
Her class now proudly read [Mid-tier Alchemist] instead of [Low-tier].
The money poured into her had long surpassed any refund point.
Potion crafting and skill mastery materials alone—without Wakamo, it would've been impossible.
In reverse, anything buyable with money, she could acquire.
Raised with investments from Korean, Japanese, and Chinese governments—the ultimate alchemist in a way.
She splurged even on pricey magic stones, finally stepping into alchemy's romance.
Including [Alchemy-Metal Transmutation], [Alchemy-Artistic Shaping], [Human Anatomy Researcher], [Lethal Metamorphosis].
She gained [Alchemy-Mid-tier Synthesis] and hurled the crafted [Mana Core] at the elves.
"Awaken, Stone Golem!!"
The mana core sucked in surrounding debris and terrain at its master's command, forming a humanoid guardian.
The 2m-tall mini-giant silently swung thick stone arms, smashing and crushing elves.
An [Elf Wizard] tried to analyze it with a skill to destroy the core, but Ichigo wouldn't just watch.
Splurt—!!
Blood sprayed from a severed nape, scattering like plum blossom petals.
Surrounded by elves, she deflected incoming attacks with sword-wielded Tai Chi, drawing perfect circles—then the two guns in her hands roared.
A blade spun overhead, embedding upside down in the ceiling.
Guns clashed, transmuting via glove effects; Ichigo flipped, landed on the hilt.
[Transmutation Skill] from gloves to feet activated, lightning spreading along the blade as thunder poured from the labyrinth ceiling.
Clang—!
She kicked the sword free acrobatically with her legs, holstered her guns, snatched the blade, landed stylishly, and struck a pose.
"Yea, hero landing!!"
Asuka clapped, but a charging spirit behind her was crushed by the golem as it approached Ichigo.
"Ughhh....!!"
Flashy! Cool! The presentation is top-notch!
"Don't cry, Glasses..."
"I'm not Glasses!! I'm the White Dragon!!"
'Ugh— so tiring...'
Transmutation skills taxed her brain heavily. Controlling the golem was rough too. Fighting on instinct without sight wore her down mentally and physically.
Panting, Ichigo grinned at the chat's hot reactions from viewers and friends.
See? The alchemist you've watched has grown this much. Be proud. She shrugged and puffed her chest.
[Mana Core] for the golem, rare metal ammo processing [material costs], magic stones for [Elemental Transmutation]—total exceeded even a relic drop from floor 54, a loss. But she didn't show it.
Most viewers weren't alchemists anyway; they wouldn't notice.
Thinking that made her oddly sad...
Rumble—
The entire labyrinth shook, dust falling from the ceiling.
Collapse gimmick? No, Wakamo President would've warned.
"But are Pirate-senpai and Lucia okay?"
"Can't imagine Pirate losing."
-Don't say that, Ichigo.
-That guy's the weakest of us!
-World's Ichigo says so.
-No worries for Glasses!!
-Definitely White Dragon vibes, but zero presence...
-Asuka's doing nothing too.
-She's got insane presence just standing there lololol
The two turned to Asuka, silently dancing behind with mustache sunglasses.
Amid that, she'd mapped perfectly, shaking her hips like "look at my work" as she pointed a boss room route.
"First come, Fake!"
"Yes, Emperor!"
"Why keep calling me Emperor!!"
"Mission popped."
"Can't be helped then.... How much?"
"500 Tower Coins?"
"Wait, who gave that?"
Ichigo's eyes flashed as winged Asuka fled; she chased.
"Ah! Should've interrupted then..... Argh...."
Iosif, blankly listening to seniors, missed his chance to chime in, clenching fists in regret.
-Is Glasses really not tackling?!
-Jump in like Naniwa Schumacher, tackle like Tachibana!
-What age is this chat...
-Iosif not reading manga is the problem.
-Junior/Glasses/White Dragon traits but air-level presence lololol
-He fought well... yeah...
*Sniff*
Against the pursuing elf horde, he'd deflected arrows with whips, breathed fire, showed Russian wrestling flair...
But Ichigo's flashier, nimbler moves—plus growth repaying constant belittling—drove Iosif's presence negative.
Just breathing quietly might make him invisible.
Regretfully blaming the narrow passage, Iosif chased Ichigo.
Her agility over 200 now—hard for him to catch up.
Falling slightly behind... Ichigo hit a wall first with Asuka, tumbling down.
"I got it!!"
Asuka hugged to absorb the impact, averting fatal injury, but Ichigo clutched her chest, groaning.
Asuka urgently poured potion into her mouth; Iosif charged to fight...
A vast colosseum appeared.
"No way... all those arenas since floor 52 were part of the labyrinth...?"
No time to marvel at the size—Iosif eyed the massive monster ahead.
"Forest Treant...?"
Huge— colossal.
The living tree evoked California's sequoias, insanely massive.
It slowly turned, revealing its face: the tree spirit called forest ghost.
The 30m [Forest Treant] roared, moving at absurd speed.
Iosif dodged the incoming fist, spread dragon wings, and flew up. "Phew."
Largest recorded Forest Treant was 120m.
30m was smallish—doable.
Called forest ghost for teleport-like speed in woods.
Labyrinth interior like a forest? The thrusting fist was ridiculously fast.
Mismatched agility for its bulk—wild swings left no breathing room.
Iosif zipped around firing flames from his mouth, but the Treant took it and swatted him away.
"[Conversation Wheel]!!"
A massive flaming wheel spun into the Treant's back, grinding fiercely.
Ignoring the thrashing, pained Treant, Iosif plummeted; Asuka caught and lifted him.
"[Binding Magic Circle]!"
Chains shot out, wrapping the Treant, restricting movement.
But it tore free, spewing wind spirits from its blue-glowing body.
They scattered, bombarding with wind magic like bullets; the colosseum turned shooting gallery.
"Hold for 20 minutes!!"
Asuka accelerated, dodging bullets and pursuing spirits, dropping Iosif.
"GRRAAAAHHH!!!!"
Iosif transformed into a giant dragon, mounted the Treant, and breathed fire at the spirits chasing Asuka.
"[Uoooooh!!!]"
Enraged by spirit screams, the Treant grabbed Iosif's waist, hoisted high, and slammed.
Iosif hit ground but whipped tail to face-smack, pounded legs/arms, breathed fire on the face.
Boom! Boom!! Boom!!!
Bark peeled, but berserk, he repeated lift-and-slam.
Roots sprouted from arms like thorns, scraping dragon scales, burrowing in.
"Kyaaah!!"
Low floor, stats lacking?
Skill cooldown to human form; Iosif writhed, impaled on woody tendrils.
"Ptoo!! You damn— bastard— put down my junior──!!!!"
Ichigo, recovering with potion, yelled to draw aggro on the Forest Treant.
"Ichigo—!!"
Asuka, chanting skill, hurled "the hilt" with full power; Ichigo caught, gripped two-handed.
Camera on Ichigo; light blade surged from her sword.
Mana-compressed lightsaber rivaling famed blades swung with a hum, severing tendrils.
Splurt—
She jammed a syringe into her chest without hesitation.
With [Sturdy Body] and [Tough Vitality] survival skills, she could.
Boosted [Lethal Toxicity] effects with drawbacks, endured via [Poison Resistance].
A custom [Awakener] near-lethal dose for normals; Ichigo's eyes turned berserk red.
Mana rampage shook her hair.
Even her gas mask vented gas.
『Nerve Accelerator』, 『Adrenaline Mix』, 『Combat Activator Dope』, 『Physical Boost Potions』—all used without sparing.
One of the extreme styles dubbed 【Suicide Alchemist】.
Tower climbers shed backlash on ascent, so only for do-or-die.
With resistance and durable body, Ichigo was ready anytime—for saving her junior, she dove in.
Hair whitening, she shot like white lightning.
Agility over 200, surging to 500 momentarily—she dashed, stepping on launched tendrils.
Untackable by eye, but she slashed woody tendrils arm-first without looking.
Treant swung arm wildly; waiting Stone Golem hurled rock, blocking it.
Thanks to that, perfect landing spot: Ichigo flashed across Treant arm.
"[───!!!]"
Treant head shook; leaves poured like daggers.
Dodging pursuing leaves ahead/behind, she leaped, spun, flipped, cartwheeled—acrobatics shaming pros—slipped between leaves/roots, swung to sever thick woody tendrils.
"Glasses are decoys— White Dragon goes!!──!!!!"
-What?! That white thing a Federation superweapon?!
-Monster performance...!
-White Dragon's the shell! Glasses is core!!
-10x faster than the red one!!
-Go, blue-eyed White Dragon!!!
-Jedi vs dragon—real?!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—
[Idol's Protection] buffed Ichigo; blessed like a divine warrior, she shredded spirits, scattering white plum blossoms everywhere.
Severed spots charred like lightning burns; Treant shrieked in agony, flailing wildly.
"For His Imperial Majesty!!"
Asuka signaled time's up with cheers, unleashing Kuzunoha Onmyo supreme technique.
"[Winged Fox Garb]!!"
Building-sized kumiho burst from the spell circle, entangled the Treant, spewing flames.
"[Izuna's White Flame], incinerate the foe!!"
Asuka flew freely, weaving [Izuna Onmyo Arts], hurling white flames for support.
The giant kumiho seemed ready to crush the Treant.
Iosif flew up to aid, flipped over Treant, centrifugal kick to nape.
Grabbed arm to pin, forced kumiho tail to hold Treant's head.
"Now, senpai!!"
Asuka closed in behind lightning-clad dashing Ichigo with backhug flight.
Max speed to head; Ichigo's slash shredded eyes to rags.
"[KUOOOOOH!!!]"
Roaring in pain, Treant grabbed giant kumiho, tore in two with brute force.
Arm reared back, gripped Iosif's head to smash.
"Plum Blossom Swordsmanship(梅花劍法)—!!"
But that was Treant's mistake.
Wind spirits, roots, leaf bullets—overwhelmed by Asuka's fox shikigami and flames everywhere.
"Windmill Slash!!"
Asuka hurled Ichigo sky-high; she spun.
Propeller-like frenzy—not windmill—a human buzzsaw burrowed into Treant head, extending blade carving down through body.
Brief screams and spasms.
Ichigo emerged from lower body, landed, sheathed lightsaber; Iosif tore Treant body in half with both hands.
"GRRAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"
White Dragon victory roar, flinging Treant halves wildly!!
"Long live His Imperial Majesty!!"
Asuka earned Tower Coins from China Tower.
"Our Emperor's the best, so cool~"
Whether real or not, only she knew—but thumbs up for messaging Wakamo for support.
Lightsaber remote control? Wakamo.
"Huff... huff... this the boss?"
Rumble—
"Damn."
Door opened contrary to Iosif's hope.
Mid-boss?! Horrific difficulty; he reverted human, sighing raggedly.
Fixed glasses, hoisted passed-out starfished Ichigo on back, advanced inward.
How far in?
Labyrinth's inner forest welcomed them—majestic trees brimming natural mystery.
As a [Zymu] dragon-class, sensing vast life force, Iosif swallowed.
What next?
Trembling yet advancing—trees moved, another Forest Treant appeared.
Just beat one, another?
Not one—surrounding trees shook like awakening.
"Too many enemies!!"
"Space Marine theory: we're outnumbered, so we win."
"Stop gaming!! Explain properly, senpai!!"
"Gamers aren't VTubers!!"
"True, but... any solution...?"
Asuka pointed behind Iosif instead.
Nine tails swaying: blonde woman.
In VTuber merch tee, proudly holding doll.
Doll concept overlaps mine... Iosif thought.
Wakamo raised hand.
Middle/ring on thumb, index/pinky perked like ears.
Fox shadow puppet.
"Bean."
Crunch—
Transparency faded; giant fox chomped Treant head whole.
"[U... uu... ]"
"[Ooooh....]"
Fox monster filled space, dwarfing 30m Treants.
Excluding Wakamo Inarizushi in [Idol's True Form], fused "Dragon General God, Mei, Kang Yeo-ul" clones via [VTuber Model] into [Three-Tailed Fox].
Couldn't spread skin wide with invisible [Idol's True Form], but choices and sacrifices.
[Model Adjustment] max size: 50m fox dominating space.
Precisely... forced three clones merged.
Hence three tails/head: three-headed fox glaring at Treants.
Anything ingested becomes mana-usable—Wakamo knew from collab food.
Could classify digest/non-digest after trials.
So.
"Decided."
Giant fox drooling at prey, awaiting master's word.
"You're dog food."
Crunch—!!
Three heads tore into Treants, unilaterally hunting.
[Weight of Faith] pinned; [Idol's Minerals] teeth shattered bark, devoured.
"Ahaha— hahahahaha!!"
"""Awoooooooo──!!!!"""
Devoured over 10 Treants instantly, howled atop corpse pile.
"Cute Iosif. Why shaking...? Want doll?"
"Hii... hieeek...."
Iosif's legs buckled; he fainted.
Russian trauma resurfaced.
Seeing affiliate VTuber faint in fear wounded Wakamo deeply.
Critical hit; she crumpled.
Mana precarious; heavy damage floored her coldly.
"Master──!!!"
Wakamo party half-wiped instantly...
Would they be okay?
Meanwhile, oblivious duo:
"So if I'm grandma-ping, Pirate's sperm-ping, right?"
"Girl, so egg-ping?"
Doing this. Seriously...
-Wtf, what convo is this.
-How long you idiots staying put!!!!
-How'd it come to this?
-Love's Xi Jinping led here.
-Captain started with grandma jab...
-Wtf is Love's Xi Jinping.
"No sex ed in school? Eggs and sperm aren't embarrassing."
"Right, you pervs watch illegal Japanese manga. Bottom-half traitors~"
"Speaking of: Germans skip porn. Love over sex... our pure fans guarding chastity are noble."
-Why reconcile and brawl lololol
-Ah Pirate-sichi.
-Adolf... this ain't it....
-Move!! Party wiped!!
"What? Boss lost? Wakamo Boss's presence gone...?"
"Normally wait for pickup, but..."
"Warmed up broadcast with chat—time to move. Shall we?"
"Boss room?"
"Nah, higher."
Grinning behind funny sunglasses, Pirate swaggered ahead.