Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Tower-Climbing Fox Goddess VTuber 84
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"I wonder how the era will change."
The Association President watched the Seoul reclamation operation unfold, lost in deep thought.
Including the Japanese Fist King's conquest of the 90th floor, as climbers breached the 90th floor, the 100-floor tower finally revealed itself to the world for the first time.
And at the same time, many climbers were chosen by the tower in response, their numbers beginning to swell.
The climbers of the "Korean Tower" were primarily those without personal flaws, selected for their utmost moral goodness.
For the "Japanese Tower," it picked those utterly obsessed with their professions, those craving power.
The "Chinese Tower" chose the ambitious, those desiring fame and fortune, the desperately eager.
The "American Tower" was all about greed, selecting those with overwhelming avarice that wouldn't yield to anyone else, showering them with rewards that seemed designed to feed their vanity.
Having climbed high and conquered more towers than most, the Association President knew.
Climbers grew stronger the higher they ascended, but the trials they faced grew accordingly harsher.
There were even incomprehensible [skills] granted that crippled them to the point they couldn't handle their own class.
Many coveted Legendary classes, but they were one-of-a-kind existences worldwide, special only in that sense.
The strengths and weaknesses of those classes were clear-cut, with no guarantee they'd fall into the hands of someone who could maximize them.
Countless others must have met the conditions. Surely, there were those ready to become the next generation at any moment.
It was simply a matter of who got there first.
The key was how to fully exploit that class's uniqueness—and that boiled down to the climber's talent.
The tower always tested a climber's capabilities, regardless of class.
So why was the Six Evils targeting Wakamo Inarizushi?
Was she special? Or was her class?
"If someone conquers the 100th floor, what upheaval will befall the world?"
Right now, countless climbers worldwide were hitting the 80th-floor wall, crumbling in despair.
Climbers from every tower had entered the 100-floor versions, only to stall at the 80th for their own reasons, finding the ascent grueling.
Those starting from the bottom could push to around 85 floors at best, somehow or other.
The tower's existence, its ties to climbers, even their purposes.
The Association President was starting to enjoy the idea that he could finally see things he'd been too busy surviving to notice back in those desperate days.
Even if he wasn't climbing anymore, he was still inescapably a climber.
※※※
"Wow, Manager. What's with that fluffy look? You must be super popular."
"I didn't want to show this form, so please don't point it out... grrr..."
So the second-ranked climber in South Korea was actually a bear beastkin...!!
Transformed into a bear beastkin, she lamented that shifting tore her clothes to shreds and made her too ferocious as a woman. Unlike the shape-shifting wizard Pilot, this was a "true" transformation with immense power—but at the cost of ripping expensive outfits every time.
"Don't you have custom gear? Like a full-body suit that expands with your size?"
"...How many perverts are there in Korea?"
"Sorry."
Whether she was a moon bear or not, her chest, hips, and thighs were all prominent. Even as a bear, her original beauty shone through as stunning.
If she paraded around in a skintight full-body suit that highlighted her figure and it hit the communities... no wonder she hid her class so fiercely.
On the flip side, it meant the Lawless One was strong enough that she had to go all-out, no holding back, just pummeling away.
She'd said there were ways around it, but it seemed she trusted in her own strength. She yanked the knife from her gut, grumbling.
Made of special [Rare Metal], thick enough to pierce her bear hide and laced with poison—but a few strokes of her hand healed the wound in an instant.
Wakamo had heard [Shifters] got stronger upon transforming, but to what degree... As Wakamo herself, she was curious.
"Can I touch your ears?"
"Go ahead."
She paid an unusual amount of attention to Wakamo's ears, turning out to be an animal lover! Fiddling with the round bear ears, she seemed disappointed at their stiff fur, letting them droop.
Not soft at all... And the paw pads on her palms were disgustingly tough.
She'd trained daily, so it was only natural—or so she said. Wakamo silently offered her ears.
The manager's lips curved up to her ears as she relished the soft, squishy ear texture to her heart's content.
"Honestly, I like animals, but I'm more into mecha and tokusatsu... Guess that influenced my desire to transform."
"Neither came true."
"There are tons of sentai shows with animal transformations!! This is like the mutants from X-Men?!"
She'd bottled up quite the sorrow, unleashing it on Wakamo. Leaning in close, even her stiff fur brushed with a chest contact and perfume scent—too much for Wakamo's past life as a man, so she edged back. The manager looked hurt.
"Don't like bears?"
"A grown woman making this much physical contact is just... uncomfortable..."
"We're both women now?!"
"Ever hear of 'boys and girls sit separately at seven'?!"
"What era do you think—... Ah..."
The manager caught herself mid-sentence, remembered Wakamo's age, apologized, and slipped on the vest from the agents. Wakamo thought her own chest was big, but this overwhelming size would make Pilot and Ichigo freak out.
Wandering in a full-body suit like that? She didn't want to imagine the stalker surge.
"Can't hide it forever anyway. We'll edit it tastefully for the stream. Time to show the world how strong Korean climbers are."
"This is VTuber content..."
"Yeah, yeah, got it. Anyway, we've subdued all the pesky climbers!"
Portals opened, support teams swarmed out, recovering the two Six Evils members and even the [Shooter] buried in the rubble. They'd sealed the tower to prevent re-entry after reset. Especially the Lawless One—stronger by far, so kill-on-sight if needed.
"If the Six Evils boss can reclass others into Legendary classes, we'd just get a second Lawless One. And Legendaries perfect themselves across generations, info says. Weaknesses fade, strengths sharpen—or sometimes both."
"That's annoying."
"Don't say such grim things! The tower's a shitheap! Shitheap! Bet if you cracked its skull, it'd be full of sauerkraut instead of brains!! Pervertedly watching us daily, getting off on voyeurism, jerking to our misery!!!!"
"Let's smash their limbs and toss 'em in prison?"
"Why are you three suddenly pissed..."
Normal, well-adjusted Won Da-hye couldn't fathom their mindset.
There were climber prisons, so locking up the two Six Evils was ideal—but extreme criminals like them usually got the death penalty. If killing caused bigger issues, they stayed alive by force.
Won Da-hye suggested sedatives and life support—harsh, but true; no other way to neutralize the Six Evils duo.
"I reclassed on my own. So the boss might know about Legendary classes."
"Ah."
Jackson said he'd reclassed without help, then the Six Evils approached. Even without her streams, they'd have found, persuaded, and recruited the Korean tower-climbing Wakamo.
'Can I make climbers? Is that the opposite of my class?'
No clue what class could do that.
"Uh, displaying them as art? Winner makes right! Elegant trophies for the victor, hehehe..."
Adelheit, listening in, shot her hand up with a suggestion.
When support showed the climbers she'd subdued—as canvases and statues—what was the reaction?
An artist's limitation of never killing, turned worst strength: eternal living art exhibits. They just sighed in relief at being allies; Won Da-hye shuddered at the terrifying artist class power, understanding Wakamo's choice.
Art applicable to all meant ally-wide risk in battle—Legendary class influence.
Somehow, she'd even disassembled ten mass-produced mechs into puppets.
Wakamo had footage... Logs trapped inside begging for mercy—Won Da-hye squeezed her eyes shut, looking away.
"Still, you saved us from danger. Thanks, Adelheit."
"Thanks?! It's only natural!! Wakamo! What do you think of my art...? Now I can do it... No! I get it! Adelheit... no, Adolf Lucia!! Only I can create true art like this!! The old me might've hesitated on human subjects... but most humans are trash!! Germans especially!! They don't deserve to be Wakamo's pleasing artworks? Right, Jackson?!"
"Uh, seems so. Remember I introduced you? Grateful if you remember the favor."
"You're Wakamo's ally!! Keep working hard!! Gallery of pitiful fools who defied Wakamo, realizing her greatness and 'Anschluss'-ing into meek lambs!! To lowly climbers defying the Führer—mmph—"
Alone, it'd been risky, but Wakamo's praise hyped her; dilated pupils, machine-gun rant. Jackson flashed a toothy grin, bowing to her madness.
Their fragile-minded artist was crazier than thought—crazy enough for genius art, so play it safe.
Not stopping, she vowed post-exhibit "annexations" like Austria and France to enlighten them of Wakamo's sublimity—Pilot clamped her mouth, calming her.
"My head hurts, Dad..."
Ichigo groaned, head throbbing. Members grew, but personalities overwhelmed.
"I feel nothing either way. Art whatever—'click,' done. 3D printer's more efficient, no?"
"@!$%)$@!%$@!$!@#!$!$@)%)^(#@%@!!!!"
Asuka, immune to Adelheit's art, openly mocked, scraping her nerves.
Leaving thrashing Adelheit—like a flopping fresh-caught fish—Won Da-hye signaled break's end, briefing anew.
In full-body suit, her movements weapon-grade; Jackson gulped—neck snapped by Unicorn agent.
"Stop ogling my chest thinking 'wanna squeeze that belly fat.'"
"How'd you read my mind, Manager?"
"Nine out of ten think it. 'Bear belly looks squishy!!' Used to be muscle!!"
"If you'd learned karate..."
"Shut it!"
Ichigo couldn't look away, muttering she should VTuber...? Manager's character was lethal. Those paws could demolish buildings? [Shifters] were scary.
"Observation team reports on boss monster: [Gorson], an unknown [Elite Boss]."
Absorbs darkness-contacted things, wields darkness offensively, weak to light—she shared the intel.
"If it matches the historical legend, it's an immortal demon unbeatable without exploiting weaknesses. Physical attacks fail on revealed shadows; it grows massive per hit. Swallows whole in shadows—total wipe."
"But can't beat us, right?"
Over a hundred lighthouses ringed Seodaemun-gu, beaming at Gorson.
Hiding in clumped darkness at collapsed tower center, resisting light—immobile, trapped.
"Stall for reinforcements? Nah, best if we take it down first."
"Finally my time to shine. Right?"
Jackson grinned, hefting his hammer. Long-awaited; cheering, Manager rolled shoulders, raring to go.
Wakamo pondered editing climbers; all emerged. Jackson dashed ahead: "Scout first!"
Asuka scooped accelerating Jackson mid-leap.
"Here we goooo!!!"
Hammer smashed building—Lego-like disassembly, floating skyward.
Volleyed like a volleyball, palm-smacked spinning hard—it collided with Gorson's darkness, sucked in.
Unceasing, Jackson hammered another.
Buildings shoved, domino-chaining horizontally—no topples, surreal sight. One-eyed aim, hammer strike.
Buildings merged, tower-like, tilting upward.
"Raaaaah!!!"
Quadrupedal Won Da-hye, lights blazing, slid to tower-base, yanked it up—Wakamo-style horizontal swing, smacking Gorson.
Even in darkness, shoved wholesale to lighthouse beams—screeching blaze, smoke, writhing shadow tentacles sprawling.
Sky-obscuring colossal shadows sliced buildings cake-like—undeterred, Jackson nailed shadows with hammer-driven pins.
Clang! Clang! Rare Metal pins glowed mana-charged.
Tentacles snapped; falling shadows dissipated powerless.
Legless octopus-like, stumps retracted—Jackson leaped high, ground-slammed.
Kwarrrgh—!!
Clean line bisecting Seodaemun-gu.
Tower ruins zoned square by "construction line"; Jackson wedged crowbar, heaved—ground tore free, skyward.
Even clinging Gorson shook, darkness roiling.
Then building barrage incoming.
Jackson launched via hammer; Won Da-hye caught, hurled shells, pulverizing shadows.
Suction limits hit—18-story apartment crashed into Gorson.
"[Photo Montage]!"
Tower/city debris shattered midair, plummeting.
Adelheit snapped photos, collaged into art.
Glowing orbs emerged from darkness!
Ground-up suns blazed; light tore shadows, revealing Gorson's true form.
Bang—!
Tracer round pierced skull on sight.
Ichigo's sniper nailed head; light burst.
Overcast gloom indistinguishable day/night; receding Han River floods pooled reflective. Unicorn mirrors bounced light; Adelheit's [Photo Montage] sun dazzled blindingly.
Exposed Gorson space-jumped via light-born shadow shards.
"Fast?!"
Jackson startled; shark-like, it dove to ground, shadowed roads targeting weakest, closing in.
"Come at me!!"
Flame-bodied Pilot charged.
Enlarging shadow toward blinding light—Jackson's pin braked it; Pilot's flame fist cratered, exploding.
No solidity to gauge hit.
"GRRAAAAHHH!!!!!"
Won Da-hye's roar [Stun].
Beast bellow froze scattering shadows momentarily—Wakamo hurled lightning.
Dodging bolt, humanoid Gorson charged boldly.
Targeting Ichigo, Wakamo and Mei surged.
Mei's irritable [Mana Restraint] throw phased through; thrusting hand devoured defending arm—severed.
Forearm vanished above elbow; shadow-free fingertips pattered down.
Wakamo's mana-flame fist warped aside haze-like; unpredictable stabs diced both instantly.
Whip-blade shadows devoured on contact.
Weakness matched by overwhelming strengths.
"It swallows mana raw!!"
Quad-limb-losing Mei warned frantically, leaping back.
Wakamo parried incoming tentacles with drawn [Kusanagi's Sword], slashing all.
Untouchable speed left afterimages; floor shadows stretched to swallow legs—sliced ground, countering. Her momentum only surged; Gorson retreated.
Then split.
Nine Gorsons instant-multiplied, charging all.
Jackson erected massive streetlamp for killing light; Won Da-hye mana-condensed orbs, blasting incoming.
Pilot thunder-pierced flame-ineffective rushes; Unicorn retrieved Mei, flashbangs erased Gorson.
Ichigo dodged darkness nimbly, tracers repelled.
But Wakamo? No approach—tentacles bound, sealing movement.
Not attack, but restraint—shadows sword-climbed, binding tight. Wakamo clicked tongue.
"Adelheit!!!"
Shadows targeted her specifically.
Darkness sucked in omnidirectionally—Gorson formed, lunged.
Counter: carving knife gripped, Adelheit posed.
Plop-plop—
Shadows segmented instantly, acrylic-trapped artworks elegantly aligned.
Damien Hirst's [The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living]—no, "Sliced Horse" lined up, mimicked perfectly. Dismembering Gorson into exhibit.
Gorson recoiled horrified—but Adelheit's backlights flared.
"[Shadow Art]"
Hand-molded crocodile shape.
Croc shadow erupted from light, chomping shadow-man's leg savagely.
"No wit, just moving shadow—don't run!! Become one with Adelheit's art!! Living shadow art!!"
Skill release, crossed hands framed [Composition Frame]—eyes flashed; Gorson crumpled paper-like, flapping black.
Elite Boss indeed.
Intelligent, no doubt.
Art-class bait accepted—staggering, Unicorn-hurled Ichigo closed: lightning sword screeched.
Zzzzzing—!!
Ominous peal; Gorson turned, dodged thrown sword, shadow-blade-thrusted Ichigo—but second sword cleaved it.
Twin identical swords? No—Pilot metal-transmuted, alchemized convincingly by Ichigo.
Thrown "sword" shifted Pilot; her lightning bisected Gorson waist.
"—!!"
Mana rippled Gorson-wide.
Greenhorns froze—Ichi/ Adelheit; vets moved.
Thrown Jackson soared, Rare Metal spheres sky-formed; Pilot flew.
Flame-fused structures mana-reacted, beaming.
Lighthouse-devouring intensity—explosive instant peak dazzle.
Yet shadows persisted; Gorson rampaged, shadow-blades whirling madly.
Wakamo portaled Ichi/Adelheit out, Kusanagi-slashed—heavy differing impact; Gorson gasped back.
Body scorched light-weak, but endured—Elite Boss.
"Ugyaaak!!!"
Artificial sun halved overhead—screaming Pilot escaped.
Gigantic tentacles circled—Jackson's lighthouses shattered, collapsed.
Asuka snatched falling Pilot/Jackson, portaled retreat.
Boom—
Debris impaled ground—buildings crumbled.
Center: Gorson insta-regenerated via absorbed shadows.
"Hah... hah... What the hell..."
Regen monsters existed, sure.
But vision-darkness alone granting immortal vitality? Beyond Won Da-hye's predictions.
'Worst case.'
Korean climber surge post-100-tower, Wakamo Floor 1 resources enabled Seoul op. Bombings futile—one reason witnessed; how to fell this? Despair.
Seoul shrouded dark.
Foe shadow-surfed freely, packing lethal strikes and devouring.
[Wizard] or [Priest]—match lighthouse light? Flash spells momentary damage, but regen... manpower unknown.
"Grrraa!!!"
Heaved remaining headlight, hurled—Gorson hid crevice-smart, evaded.
"Retreat for now!!"
Won Da-hye yelled at standing Wakamo.
But Wakamo waved okay.
Instead posed invitingly—Gorson erupted foot, swallowed whole.
Ambush success— but inside shadow, Wakamo stood calm.
Tentacles lashed to slice—untouched.
[Idol's True Form]: ethereal phantom state.
Instant-drag triggered [Idol's Thunder]—omnidirectional light burst.
Hand extended, sky-hurled hard.
Thunder lanced again—pierced light knit darkness survival.
Seoul-wide unlit = immortal; inflating midair.
"Haaap...."
Inhaled deep.
Won Da-hye, portal-viewing allies watched Wakamo.
What...?
Arms tucked underarm pose—only Pilot clocked.
"Eh...!"
"Eh?"
"Yes..!"
"No way?!"
Wakamo-aura mana-formed, blazing spread—Seodaemun brightened.
Solo lighthouse-equaling radiance. Palms converged more light.
"R... Ki...!!"
Obvious now—even Won Da-hye knew. Wakamo channeling world's most iconic technique!!
"Paaaa───!!!"
Why no Gorson reaction? Not [Attack Skill], inevitable. Wakamo's first [VTuber Assets]: [Blinding Flash].
Pure spotlight dazzle for streams—edited out, forgotten.
All mana/reserves fused: cartoon beam blasted Gorson.
Overkill mana on mere flash—miraculous, horrific.
Seoul whitened instant; Incheon-crossing, China-visible glare—Won Da-hye palm-shielded, screamed.
Shadowless light-zone, sky-hovering—elongated shadows.
Shadow-leverage attempt futile—Wakamo's controlled light.
Omni-encircled, shadows erased; core Gorson incinerated, fragmented.
"Huuu.... Tough, really."
Mana-burned Wakamo-style, Gorson ashed away.
Mana-drained collapse, heaving.
Light faded, darkness returned—blinding contrast illusion.
'Use this clip—they'll buy it?'
No damage, massive visual.
Unknown, all block/charge.
'Bluff heavy in edits from now.'
[90-floor tower emerges in Seoul Seodaemun-gu!]
Familiar alarm; new tower at ruins.
Terrain scorched—time-rewind terrain restore, zone reborn, wondrous.
Sky-dark lifted—Wakamo beam illusion pierced it.
Tower rose, light burst—no respawn. Just darkness gone.
Wasteland survey—victory relief, again.
Chill—
"Huh...?"
Jongno-direction malice; Wakamo startled up. Boundary beyond: something stared.
Fur-standing instinct... unprecedented in climbs. Arm-rubbed.
First-collapsed Seoul tower. Respawning top Korean demon realm.
What lurked?
Beyond-border turned away. Monster corpse rolled in.
Unknown monster—Wakamo puzzled.
"Wakamo, Mapo reclaimed. But Eunpyeong... unidentified monsters crossed."
"Crossed? Tower reset?"
"Repelled, but numbers high. Chinese supports called 'em invaders too."
Eye-paining Won Da-hye worriedly relayed. Wakamo pointed corpse pile—matched, confirmed.
Jongno thing tossed to inform? Meaning?
Intelligent... Elite Boss here? No way?
Unease lingered.
"Can't move?"
"Ugh, overdid it..."
"Makes sense, that technique..."
"Nah, just flashbang."
"Jupiter Storm-comparable, sure..."
Allies fooled pre-foes—Wakamo stomach-ached.
"...Ichigo got no highlight."
"Mom-daughter energy wave duo?"
"Stop."
Edit hell ahead.
Exhausting.
※※※
"So no climbing awhile! Focus on streams, everyone!"
"Everyone but boss at 50 floors."
"Dammit──!!"
Wakamo Corp smooth sailing, usual day.
Harsh edits—no VTuber days, just endless fights.
Need cuteness, sweetness, charm... VTuber-ium deficient.
Floor-flopped Wakamo despaired: "This ain't the VTuber life I wanted!" Pilot/Ichigo exchanged glances.
Seoul Reclaim Ep.3 edit: 2+ weeks. Communities ablaze: "When?!"
Fans now naggers.
"Want VTuber stuff!! Real VTuber-y!!! Waaahhh!!!"
Exploded backlog?
Tearful Wakamo; duo shrugged helplessly.
What's VTuber streaming...?
Just stream like streamers?
"VTuber who wants to VTuber!!!"
Flailing childlike sobs.
Modless Build Craft would've been ha-ha-ho-ho—Asuka quietly locked door.
Oblivious Adelheit: "When next gen-mates?" bubbly.
Corporate prez-not-VTuber Wakamo wailed: gone too far.