Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Beyond Asgard
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[Title: Hunter Bro Little Sister (17) Got Pregnant, What Do?]
Author: Anon (777.777)
(A photo of a cat staring with a pitiful expression)
Hunter bro... what were you expecting?
Not much expectation, just a bait post thrown out there.
But the comment notifications went off like crazy, way more than usual.
Wondering what the hell, I checked the comments.
> What the fuck is this guy's IP?
> Where the hell is this IP lol
> This guy's posting from Asgard Gal? Lol
“Huh? My IP?”
Only then did the ridiculous number next to Author: Anon (777.777) catch my eye.
I spat out a curse in real voice.
Damn old geezer. You didn't say it'd be like this.
“Ah, what the fuck is this...”
I refreshed the post I’d just made, clutching my head.
The old man had clearly said I’d become a ghost completely free from tracking.
So what the hell was this?
In the spot where the IP address should show, there was this weird six-digit number floating instead.
Thanks to that, I’d become way more conspicuous than before.
This was miles away from the anonymity I wanted.
If anything, it made it even easier to pinpoint me now.
Would this really dodge tracking?
Doubts crept in, but there was no way to check right now.
“Whatever, might as well farm some pity upvotes while I’m at it.”
I posted another one honestly, calculating that it might turn into another pity ticket.
[Title: Got Cursed in the Tower and Now My IP’s Fucked]
Author: Anon (E88.FD8)
Content: Ran into a crazy wizard NPC in the Tower.
Asked him to grant a wish to avoid IP tracking, and he turns it into this shit.
Gotta live like this forever now?
> Not even numbers anymore lololol
> Does Wi-Fi work inside the Tower?
> Lmaoooo real Hunter Gal average legend
> With this much dedication, send pity upvotes
Comments exploding with laughter.
Exactly the reaction I expected. No one took my words seriously.
[Title: Pity Upvotes, Asgard Transient is a Legend Lol]
Even world-class PhDs still can’t figure out a single thing about how the Tower works.
And this dude gets a ‘wish’ granted straight from the damn ‘Tower’ itself.
Money? Fame? Power? Nah, doesn’t need that shit.
Wishes for the power of invincible trolling instead lol.
True legend life lol
> Blew a life-changing chance, but pity upvotes are a must lol
> Fr real, I’d have asked for invincible cheat right away
> That’s why he’s a Hunter Gal kinda guy lol
“You bastards! I wanted a cheat skill too!”
Fuck, I spilled it. They’re just here to mock me.
Right as I gave up and went to close the tab, a new post caught my eye.
[Title: But Seems Like Tracking Really Doesn’t Work?]
I clicked it like I was possessed.
[Author: ButImTheHacker]
I’m a pro hacker, just tried tracing it and nada anon...
Feels like the logs themselves are in another dimension.
For reference, my hacking resume: Doxxed 18 Hunter Gal highnic gods. Faked 45 pity upvotes.
(A crude drawing of an ugly frog thumbs-upping)
> Dang, check out that resume glow-up.
> Talent the NIS should scoop up is right here lololol
> But yeah, seems like tracking really won’t work.
> Fr, the IP keeps changing to non-number shit, what even is that.
“You... you fuckers...”
Trembling with endless ridicule.
Yeah, getting serious info from this gallery was impossible anyway.
I closed Hunter Gallery without regret and logged into Magic Gallery, where my real understanding folks should be.
***
[Title: Ran into Weird NPC on Floor 5, What Is This?]
Author: Anon (A00.0C0)
I’m gonna lose it.
Went into hidden piece on Floor 5, met some crazy old fart NPC.
Said he’d teach me a spell, so I asked for one to dodge IP tracking, and he slaps this crap spell on me.
What is this? What do I do now?
The first reaction to my post was from pkkatchu.
> pkkatchu: Lmaoooo saw this on Hunter Gal just now. Half-expected it but it’s really our newbie lololol
> Fridge: But fr, why’d you even do that?
>> Anon (111.111): No choice man.
>> Wanted a cheat skill but all had insane restrictions, couldn’t use shit.
>> Only gave 10 seconds to think too.
>> You try thinking straight lol
>> pkkatchu: Newbie’s sulking lol so cute
“Argh! Aaaargh!”
Fuck, this place was inhabited by the same assholes.
A dark gloom piled up inside me.
At this rate, I might turn into a blacked-out transient.
Wanna smash the gallery?
Just got the perfect trolling-optimized spell too...
That’s when normal comments finally started rolling in.
> MagicIsFirepower: What the hell happened? That spot’s supposed to just have one skillbook and that’s it.
Finally, someone to listen to my story.
I felt the darkness welling inside me melt away as I started explaining from the beginning.
These guys might know about that NPC.
Hope in my heart, I hammered the keyboard.
> Know anything about that NPC? Old wizard, pitch-black eyes, muttering to himself, seemed pretty fucking insane.
After my comment went up, the gallery went dead silent for a bit.
The chatty mages shut up like a lie.
An ominous quiet.
Only after a while did Junebug cautiously reply.
> Junebug: ...Did you by any chance meet the Magic Carver?
> Fridge: Yeah, matches the description. It’s the Magic Carver.
> MagicIsFirepower: He’s supposed to show up on Floor 30? On Floor 5? And he doesn’t say shit like that.
> Fridge: He does pop in hidden pieces on Floor 15 too. Condition’s a bitch though.
> pkkatchu: Hidden piece?? Another one I didn’t know about. How many secret hidden pieces you assholes hoarding!!! I’m dying of jealousy!!!
> Junebug: Never seen another crazy NPC like him up to Floor 40. Dude’s so one-of-a-kind, no mix-ups.
> pkkatchu: Stop dodging and spill the hoarded hidden pieces!!!
The board started buzzing.
I jumped into their convo.
[Title: Stop Talking About Shit Only You Guys Know]
Author: Anon (66C.666)
Yo, what’s the Magic Carver? Why you all acting like it’s insider knowledge.
> Fridge: Old man who carves magic. Magic Carver for short.
> One word: Fucking dangerous neutral NPC.
> MagicIsFirepower: Neu?tral?
> Fridge: Kills mobs and hunters equally, neutral af lol.
“What? I was in serious danger...”
My heart dropped.
The horrific pain of my arm getting sliced off flashed back.
Well, yeah, the guy who casually says ‘Shall I try the head instead of the arm?’ next time seemed fitting.
I hammered the keyboard for more details.
> Junebug: Magic Carver? Any decent A-rank hunter runs into him at least once.
> Junebug: From Floor 30, NPCs start showing up with quests you gotta clear. That’s where the real Tower begins.
> pkkatchu: Long explanation. Magic Carver’s a random NPC in the 30s.
> Fill special conditions and he turns boss mob, slaughters mobs and hunters alike.
> Can take him down but gotta prep hardcore from the start.
> Anon: What kinda guy is that?
> MagicIsFirepower: That’s why a lot of A-ranks quit climbing around there... Pathetic.
> MagicIsFirepower: Tower crumbles? Not their problem.
> Or think someone else’ll save ‘em before then.
> Either way, don’t like those types.
> pkkatchu: Whoa... chill UFC... Scary...
Their image of the Magic Carver matched what I knew.
First appears in the 30s, insane wizard giving hunters incomprehensible quests.
Succeeds and unlocks special functions called runes, but the failure risk makes meeting him avoided altogether.
> Anon: What’re runes? Augh more shit I don’t know.
> MagicIsFirepower: Restrictions and oaths. Geas. That kinda thing. You know?
> Fridge: Otaku auntie. Who gets that?
> Means functions that make you stronger but with specific penalties.
> Anon: Oh, restrictions and oaths. Yeah, from those hunter comics.
> MagicIsFirepower: You know this? Young kids don’t... You got taste huh?
> pkkatchu: Newbie was an otaku too... And a boomer otaku at that... Mind blown...
Comics, huh. Not surprising they didn’t know.
Entertainment like comics and movies got rare after the Tower showed up.
“Now the best I get is homemade comics posted on galleries sometimes...”
I gave a bitter smile.
Still, the galleries surviving intact from back then to now was a real blessing.
I sent a quick prayer of worship to the admin in my head.
Running servers without crashing in this world. Admin’s impressive anew.
Finally, I asked one more thing.
[Title: So, Does This Spell Actually Work?]
Author: Anon (55H.555)
Will this really make tracking impossible?
Some boomer grandpa who doesn’t know what a computer is cast it, got me worried.
> Junebug: Can’t guarantee, but probably?
> MagicIsFirepower: Tower’s solid on stuff like this. NPCs are part of the Tower.
> If the Tower promises something, it happens no doubt.
> No clue on the principle but safe to assume it’s legit untraceable.
> Anon: (A mantou emoji shaking thumbs-up)
> Fridge: Can’t you just hold back on gallery posting?
> pkkatchu: Wrong. This guy only thinks about trolling the boards.
> Poor Hunter Gallery folks.
What the hell?
I’m a good transient who’s never trolled once while galling.
Everyone’s slandering me too hard.
“Whew, time to check the skillbook.”
I waited until night.
Planned to check the Golden - Skill I got from the box myself.
Confirmed no one around, hopped the elementary school fence.
My private sandbox lay before me.
I slowly moved the mana in my body.