Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Assassin on the 15th Floor
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As always, Wakamo wrapped up her stream while pondering a future where she’d taken one more step forward as a VTuber.
She couldn’t keep streaming like this forever. Her income had grown thanks to the complete conquest floors, and she needed to hand some of that money over to Yu Ing while also investing in the VTuber industry(?).
Putting her VTuber model in as a mod for games like she’d done today could be fun, but only for certain titles.
It wouldn’t hit quite as hard as the tower-climbing content that had viewers teasing her as a “real-life online VTuber.”
To be honest, some might say it wasn’t all that different from red pills, so why not just go all out shamelessly?
“But that’s wrong!! That’s not being a VTuber!!! Don’t mock all the hardworking creators!!”
Who the hell was this hothead yelling at?
Having invested in VTubers herself, she’d become one. That meant she needed to buy all sorts of gear right away, but since she was buying anyway, she wanted to build a full 【Studio】.
The Climbers’ Association would help with staffing, but in the end, top-tier equipment required money.
Money for personnel to handle 3D avatar creation, motion capture, facial tracking, eye tracking—all rigged up perfectly.
She’d need vibe trackers too. Luckily, Wakamo’s arms and legs were slim, so that wouldn’t be an issue. A dedicated mocap space and mocap cameras were essential for the studio.
Huh? What about [My Worlds]? It could expand later, but since Wakamo supplied the power herself, she had to consider mana consumption.
She couldn’t just plop down a generator, after all.
What if she was in the middle of a hyped 3D live concert, her mana ran out, Wakamo died, and Ichigo’s show got ruined?
She wouldn’t be able to close her eyes even in death.
Anyway, just like always? She was griping about the 13th floor rewards when—a message she shouldn’t have heard blared out.
She couldn’t hole up in [My Worlds] forever, so she’d stepped out for a hamburger, figuring it might be worthwhile to check what the 14th floor had in store.
[Incheon Tower 15th Floor achieves Platinum conditions and opens to all humanity!!]
“...Huh?”
Wakamo’s ears perked up as she revealed her bewilderment. Well, she hadn’t really considered that the lead climber might achieve a complete conquest floor first.
What would happen to the shares then? Wakamo tilted her head.
She had no real greed for it anyway, so she hadn’t told Manager Won Da-hye her take, but she had vaguely mentioned that avoiding matches and just defeating enemies could make it happen.
“The tower takes climbers’ jobs into account too. I don’t know Wakamo’s job, but conditions are probably finely tuned for each climber.”
Wakamo’s was a [non-combat job] at the very bottom of legendary classes. No matter how hard she climbed, her stats rose independently of the tower and would inevitably hit a hard limit someday... It was a job with less merit than others in every way.
But conversely, that made the lowest floors as easy as feeding a baby!
“As you can see, the Incheon Tower info lists monsters by average standards... Upper floors are classified like this by type, right? Conditions aren’t absolutely the same across jobs.”
“Oh, really?”
Anyway, that was that. Recalling the moment, Wakamo figured some climber had pulled it off.
Plenty chased complete conquest floors for the extra rewards, but Manager Won Da-hye had warned her to stay healthy because overseas was in an uproar over rumors that consecutive clears unlocked entirely new floors.
Her inbox was flooded with all sorts of stuff, but the manager handled it all, telling her not to even peek.
Still, she was kindly accepting requests from VTubers on Wakamo’s behalf.
As she watched Yu Ing focus on devouring a hamburger with both hands and wiped his mouth with a tissue, her phone rang. Only one person ever called her, so she worried what the manager wanted as she answered.
An utterly absurd story she hadn’t expected came through the line.
“The 15th floor conqueror is Chinese?”
※※※
“As planned, the [Collector] came through.”
“......”
“You’re doubting my sanity right now, aren’t you? It must look like I’m blackmailing you with your own safety to make you obey.”
“N-no, sir.”
“I’m the president.”
In the inner chamber of the Blue House’s presidential office, curtains drawn over the windows and holding his breath, the president turned to the young congressman watching his every move. He was the nation’s top leader. No—he had to be. But what about him now, including the previous president?
The association president, leader of those barbaric climbers, effectively held the real power in the country, didn’t he?
The National Assembly speaker, chief justice, and other ministers all took their cues from the association president, not him.
He’d saved Korea on the brink of destruction and conquered three towers—Korea’s undisputed top climber. But now that climbers were multiplying, to the president, he was nothing but a thorn in his side, lording his power like some king.
The young congressman inwardly thought the old man had finally lost it and silently condemned him for this pointless endeavor... but self-preservation came first, so he obeyed meekly, all while pitying his own position.
“At least aside from the prime minister, no one follows me.”
Sipping the tea on the table, he wanted to rebuild Korea—which lagged behind overseas in climber numbers and influence—with all his might. That ambition to go down in history as a great man was why he’d become president.
“They’ve all been bewitched by that mad fox.”
The president trembled as he watched footage of the fox god Wakamo Inarizushi brutally massacring goblins. He couldn’t even believe her claims of lost power, and if it was true, that was still a problem.
What if she regained her prime strength later? What if she swallowed the country whole and made it hers?
There were even rumors that she was the white-faced golden-furred nine-tailed fox—the devastating beauty villain Dalgi who’d toppled nations.
“I’m only doing my best for the country!!”
The association president defended her, but he’d sought cooperation from the US, Japan, Russia, and even China to eliminate this monster that couldn’t even be called a climber—for Korea’s future.
What’s more, hadn’t she handed even greater power to the association president?!
‘Isn’t it just because he didn’t take his side...?’
The young congressman tuned out the fervent patriotic outburst, the old man pouring out emotion in a speech forgetting his age, responding with his standard trio: ears closed, silence, “Splendid, sir.”
But... wasn’t he really insane?
Giving this intel to a climber branded a terrorist as one of the [Six Evils]?
‘He’s totally lost it...’
Towers occasionally rewarded utterly unexpected things. An overseas 100th-floor tower might reveal info on another 100th-floor tower ahead of time. If you held an item with that info—job irrelevant—the floor would configure accordingly.
攻略 papers appeared too—and China had once produced an “Incheon 15th Floor攻略 Method” item.
It was one of the items the [Collector] had displayed.
So—the 15th-floor conqueror was one of the [Collector]’s followers.
‘A president helping an assassin sneak in...’
Word was, he was an assassin from China targeting Wakamo Inarizushi.
※※※
“The climber’s name is Zhou Weitong. Looks like he gave up on his original tower, reset, and climbed Incheon Tower.”
Names were forcibly revealed the moment you entered and achieved a feat—no way to hide.
In this day and age, nationality from a name alone was tricky, but they had confirmed personal details this time.
“That fast?”
“There are fast ways. He’s one of the [Collector]’s followers. Sigh... seems like he’s hunkered down inside the tower.”
“Any way to track him when he comes out...?”
Frankly, no. They’d have to request guild cooperation, scour Incheon with CCTV and searches, and hope he exited somewhere. No clue where he entered, and if it was the Seoul border, it’d be a massive headache.
“But floors are separate anyway, right? Shouldn’t matter.”
“...I didn’t explain because it’s rare, but... complete conquest holders have crossed paths before—by coincidence, mid-climb. Weird, right? The lower-floor victim said the tower asked if they wanted to fight over ‘Floor Plunder.’”
“No way...?”
“Climbers with complete conquest floors in the same tower can battle for ownership. We don’t know the conditions, but the lower one thought they couldn’t beat the guy two floors up, so they yielded and it ended peacefully. Not the case here.”
The Chinese assassin would try to kill Wakamo Inarizushi.
Unclear if he just wanted the complete conquest floor yielded or had other motives—his goals weren’t clear yet.
The [Collector] side was still silent, doing nothing. The previous terror might’ve been a smokescreen to lure the assassin into Incheon.
“........”
Of all places, China.
Listening to Manager Won Da-hye, Wakamo recalled China’s outrages(?) against VTubers—cyberbullying terror campaigns.
How many VTubers and companies had China harmed? Even their own domestic ones.
The sorrow when red pills forcibly doxxed them. Their lives turned into laughingstocks.
She’d just wanted to be content climbing the tower, streaming as a VTuber... but maybe this power was given by the tower for her. For VTubers?
“I have to protect them....”
The tower would freak out thinking she was a total lunatic if it heard, and Manager Won Da-hye might call her a psycho if she knew her true intent.
But no matter what, Wakamo would always affirm VTubers.
Tower climbing and VTuber streams came next—now using her power for VTubers.
She had no choice... resort to force.
‘As expected, utterly fearless.’
Won Da-hye, misunderstanding Wakamo to that degree, wasn’t all that surprised she could stay so cool(?) and nonchalant even while being told an assassin was coming to kill her.
Different lifetimes lived!! How many had come to exterminate or hunt the being called Wakamo?
Rumors pegged her as Dalgi or the white-faced golden-furred nine-tailed fox, but Manager Won Da-hye didn’t buy it.
Even if true... no proof those past records were accurate, right?
“You going? We’ll provide any support needed.”
“Then the VTuber studio.... It’ll cost a fortune.”
“...Understood.”
What composure!! Assassins were no concern at all!!
Fighting an opponent possibly armed to the teeth with top-tier items from the [Collector], and she needed nothing.
In reality, she’d just thrown out what she thought was an unreasonable request because the manager said she’d do anything—seizing the opportunity.
“But... can I stream this?”
“Hm? Uh.... Let’s record and edit it...?”
They’d announce to believers that live streams weren’t possible.
An assassin on the 15th floor—live-streaming that would be too brutal, right?
Believers were baffled by the notice but left speechless by Wakamo’s mentality in using it this way.
This VTuber... didn’t think for a second she might die!!
※※※
[Incheon Tower 14th Floor achieves Platinum conditions and opens to all humanity!!]
[Tower Platinum conquest increases rewards]
“Ugh, that was brutally tough.”
[Status Window]
[Climber: Wakamo Inarizushi]
[Job: VTuber]
[Age: 1,000 years]
[Stats]
Magic Power: 12,574
[Climbing Incheon Tower 14th Floor World]
-[Difficulty rises due to Wakamo Inarizushi’s achievements as climber!]
-Defeat the [Elite Monster]!
-Defeat the [Ferocious Guillotine Taurus]!
[Platinum Achievement Conditions]
-Take no damage from [Ferocious Guillotine Taurus] (1/1)
-Destroy the [Ferocious Guillotine Taurus]’s guillotine (1/1)
-Defeat the [Ferocious Guillotine Taurus] (1/1)
Honestly, she wondered what kind of bastard designed something that razor-thin.
She’d tried to conserve consumables as much as possible, but the mana she’d burned pummeling it...
Plus fingers and arms severed by the guillotine. The close calls weren’t one or two.
Using taekwondo against a monster bigger than her was something to reconsider in many ways.
Was this the real job limit creeping in? Getting tough?
[[Video Recording] skill gains [Additional Camera Summon] function]
[[Mana Manipulation] skill gains [Mana Efficiency Increase] function]
[[My Worlds] skill upgrades to [Large Full-Option Two-Room Size]]
[[VTuber Assets] maximum registrable assets increased]
“Eh, subtle.”
Seemed like they’d crammed the rewards into bulk skill upgrades, but no [attack skills] among them. She was a bit worried—but the opponent had no intel on her, right? She planned to exploit that blind spot and strike the openings to win.
Assassins would probably keep coming like this from now on.
She always stuck with Yu Ing, so no kidnapping worries. She contacted the manager every time she went out for safety. Their base always shifted around her, and worst case, they could stick to holing up in the tower home and resting.
She’d never seen a time limit on clear conditions.
“Let’s go.”
As she headed up to the 15th floor, the tower asked Wakamo if she wanted to fight over the complete conquest floor for ‘Floor Plunder.’
—The 15th floor where the assassin waited.
Frankly, it was scarier than she’d thought.
But VTubers suffered invisible antis and trolls rampaging under fan masks.
Compared to that, just one assassin trying to kill her!!
No need to weigh them on a scale!
Compared to obsessive stalkers, a puny assassin she could beat down with her own hands was nothing.
“I don’t dodge fights that come to me—!!!”
[Climbing Incheon Tower 15th Floor World]
『Floor Plunder』 duel commences between complete conquest floor holders.
Decide victory without taking lives.
Loser forfeits ownership of their complete conquest floor.
The window popped up the moment she entered the 15th floor. It seemed visible to the opponent too.
A higher climber claims everything below!!
A tower-worthy terrifying penalty, true to its climb-or-die nature.
But that’s what any struggle was. The loser lost everything.
VTubers diligently streamed, nurturing their dreams, only to be harassed for no reason—not even dislike sometimes—personal lives dug up, baseless rumors spread.
But the worst of all was broadcast raids. Was there anything more agonizing for streaming VTubers than cyberbullying?
“Wakamo Inarizushi!! Our master wants the [Imperial Seal] you hold!! Hand it over obediently and retreat!!”
“That your goal? Then—there were smarter ways. Sticking to this method... doesn’t it mean you just want to steal what others earned?”
“Our master has grand ambitions. This weak nation joining our great one is only natural. Doesn’t our vast history prove it? You, a yokai who’s lived that long, should know.”
“What, you wish for a unified China?”
“Heaven’s unification!!”
Words meaningless now, the assassin Zhou Weitong drew his weapon.
“Loyal subject, you!!”
She eyed the sword drawn from his waist—but even Wakamo couldn’t identify the item.
Opponent’s job? Light greaves, armor, shield in hand—looked [Fighter]-line. But could be a disguise.
Helmet to shoes, belt, necklace, rings on fingers.
Impossible to know how geared he was, but he clearly overestimated her.
“[Blade Dance]!!”
The ring flashed. Wakamo hand-chopped the shot blades away, but they’d definitely come from the ring. What item category was that? The deflected blade stabbed the floor, followed by nine more launching at once.
All ten rings the same item?
No time to puzzle over the bizarre choice—the cameras captured blades rising automatically.
An ambush flew at her back; she leaped aside, but the trajectory bent precisely to chase her.
“[Covenant Slash]!”
The instant Wakamo’s foot hit the ground, he’d waited—he swung his sword from 5 meters away, and with a serk sound along the arc, one of her legs was severed.
No leg to land on—balance crumbled naturally.
“Poison-proof or not, you’re a beast in the end! Hit a vital, you die!”
The confident assassin shouted. His necklace glowed, accelerating the floating blades—no chance to react as they stabbed densely into her body. Seeing Wakamo try to rise on one leg despite blades embedded...
“[Shrink Ground]—[Vile Ambush]!”
One step closed the distance in a physics-defying slide, and the “shield” sprouted rotating blades that pierced her throat and burrowed deep into half her face.
Then blood erupted, splattering the assassin’s face.
“Huh.”
Tower reset had cost his stats, but [Collector] items let him swap all tower-acquired skills to PvP ones. Artifacts to push, trick to vital spots for the kill.
“Piggy blood flavor.”
The seasoned assassin who’d slain many climbers this way wiped the blood from his face and admired his handiwork.
Diagonal deep gash across the face, nine blades in the body, severed leg.
Heart and head pierced—no need to check vitals.
“Even if you left the [Imperial Seal] behind, no issue.”
Scroll enchanted for [Plunder] fully prepped, he readied it on the corpse, joyous that no one could stop the [Collector]’s grand plan.
He now owned Korea’s most influential complete conquest floor—smiling wide at the thought of rising to high office.
No more infiltrating, killing climbers, risking death anytime.
Mid-smile, before tearing the scroll, he sensed something off.
His honed assassin instincts screamed to save him.
“Don’t love your methods, but frontal fair fight for an assassin? Admirable. That confident, huh?”
Slender hands gripped both his wrists.
Then—crack!! His hands shattered and hung limp.
He urgently tried to pull away, but a flying kick from the severed leg hit his jaw from behind—the assassin’s body went slack as he stumbled and rolled across the floor.
“Wha... what...”
The risen Wakamo casually yanked the blades from her face.
Soon, the body blades were pushed out, plopping to the ground.
“Guess pig blood does have a distinct smell?”
Dozens of empty blood bags plopped from the hole in her stomach.
“...Fake... blood...?”
Her severed leg reattached perfectly, and the assassin’s face went ashen.
But a pro nonetheless—arms smashed, he slammed his chest pocket to shatter the potion vial inside and began healing them.
The momentum had already swung to Wakamo, though.
And was there anything more pathetic than an assassin scared of his target?
“Coming solo for a frontal fair fight, assassin. I respect that... As a fellow duelist, I’ll duel in kind!!”
Click—the duel disk popped out onto her hand.
Flashy startup whir, then sharak as it unfolded—the assassin froze for a split second.
“You’ve challenged the world’s greatest duelist—!!”
“Wha...???”
“The tower’s duel declaration’s already out! My turn!!”
No time to process the nonsense(?)—fox babble, Wakamo drew her Virtual Live TCG collection cards from her bosom.
Top-grade rarity cards. Wakamo’s treasures, safely in card protectors!
“I summon Alternative Yakuza Dragon!!”
In a tower with no rules, she’d show a duel with truly no rules(?).
“GRRAAAAA!!!”
Character card on the duel disk—behind Wakamo, a massive dragon burst forth in blinding light, looming over the assassin with overwhelming pressure.
“No real grudge, but bad memories with Chinese trying to kill VTubers!! Revenge for the chairman!! 『Dragon Fire』!!”
No turns—direct attack!!
The dragon’s maw belched massive flames; the assassin urgently raised a barrier to shield himself—and belatedly realized no impact came, but Wakamo was already closing in.
“Tower exit—!!”
Pre-escape declaration, a card picturing a cute dragon girl jammed into his mouth.
“A mana-infused card’s gotta sting...”
The thrown card was real. Fully 200,000 mana via [Mana Manipulation].
Then Wakamo’s fist smashed his face.
Monstrous force denting the helmet, shattering and dislodging teeth.
Her strike sent the assassin ballooning upward; Wakamo snatched his leg.
“You scratched my rare card!!!”
Full-power slam into the ground—the shock-launched assassin spewed blood, writhing in agony with pained screams.
Limbs flailing freely, jaw slack and drooling, Wakamo raised the recovered card and struck a pose.
“Gacha.”
She tossed the bloody protector, checked the pristine card reinforced with 200k fresh mana, sleeved it new, and smiled.
“Good duel.”
Gorgeous fireworks burst in the 15th-floor sky, as if celebrating Wakamo’s victory.
Huh, they do this too? Wakamo filmed while rubbing her chin, pondering edits.
Immortal monster concept decent?
With such minor worries, she hauled the assassin and [Tower Exited].