Golden Carriage (3): Arithmetic Sequence

The promotion battle rewards in the Demon King Tower follow an arithmetic sequence, increasing by 100 gold with each higher floor. So there's no need to save money. For now, pushing up even one floor is the most efficient move.

And the earrings are a stacking item. Best to equip them right away.

Even if they weren't growth-type, there was no reason to save every coin just to buy the Jet-Black Knot Belt first. Its added stats are a whopping 90 magic power.

That's an insane number—you'd have to dump every single level-up point from level 30 into magic power. But right now, it's useless.

I'm pumping almost all my points into intelligence and magic power, yet I haven't learned a single spell.

So buying it wouldn't suddenly make my climbs that much safer.

And above all...

"Just breaking through to floor 36 nets me 33,000 gold."

Clear just 11 more floors from here, and I've already recouped 100% of my current gear investment—the break-even point.

Climb 20 more after that, and it's 124,000 gold.

I scooped up every item the fixed nick had recommended.

"Purchase."

I hit the kiosk button without a second thought.

A glow shimmered, and my ordered items teleported onto the counter. I grabbed them one by one and started equipping.

"Whoa, these things are sparkly."

First, I slipped on the two rings.

The pitch-black-glowing [Obsidian Ring of Insight] and the crimson [Adventurer's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ring].

"Oh."

It was subtle, but I could feel something change. My vision sharpened just a bit, and a warmth spread through me.

Then the third one, the silver [Ring of Mage's Might], slid onto my finger.

Vmmm—!

Something different happened this time.

"Huh?... Whoa!"

From the finger with the ring, blood flow surged through my veins, seeping into every muscle. My slender limbs filled with raw power. A 10% boost to strength relative to magic power meant +3 strength.

Just +3, and I could feel it immediately.

"Strength stats really are..."

No wonder it's at the top of the list.

"Gotta test it out."

I swung my scythe.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The heavy weight felt a little lighter now.

I could even wield it one-handed.

"Wow..."

And I'd only get stronger from here.

"This is what a 6,000-gold item feels like."

It seemed worth every penny from those 600-floor gallery dwellers who had to save 10 months' salary without spending a dime.

Which meant...

This epic item, four times pricier than that ring. Something a 400-floor gallery user couldn't buy even after hoarding for 50 months without spending a single gold.

What would the power of 20,500 gold feel like?

[Magic-Engineered Wall-Blue Earrings]

I placed them in my palm. The embedded blue gem sparkled brilliantly. According to SSS Item Puller, they permanently boost magic power with every kill.

Touching the earrings didn't bring up an item hologram description. I had to trust his word completely. So no clue on what counted as a valid kill or the exact magic power gain per stack.

"Guess I'll find out once I equip them."

That's why everyone begs for SSS Item Puller's breakdowns and real-user reviews. No item info until you buy.

I picked up the earrings and brought them to my earlobe.

Right as I was about to pierce...

I felt my earlobe first with my fingertip.

"Ah... my ears aren't pierced."

Smooth as silk. This female Reaper body had never worn earrings before.

Guess I'd have to stab right through.

No alcohol swabs or anything...

The thought made me chuckle.

"Ha."

Here I was, swinging this scythe at monsters in life-or-death fights, hesitating over a pierced ear.

And I had to slit my own throat to learn Instant Death Skill, not just pierce an ear.

"Can't even practice suicide..."

Poke.

Tender flesh gave way. A drop of blood beaded up. Grimacing, I pierced the other ear and equipped them.

"..."

"What the..."

I'd built it up so much, but... nothing.

Most expensive price and hassle to equip, but total letdown.

Probably because it's growth-type. Still, I expected something.

"Anyway, setup complete."

Wonder how the stats look now.

I checked my status.

"Oh... now I really feel like a character."

Stuff dangling everywhere.

All prepped.

Target: floor 56. Clear exactly to 56, and that's 120,000 gold.

*

I climbed the stairs and opened the door.

The senior from Demon Army ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠floor 26 appeared.

Kikikik—

Considering it's a 1,000-floor tower, this was still bottom-tier. But way more dangerous than the orc I'd faced before. For the first time, it had proper gear—a hobgoblin in full iron armor.

"You geared up too, huh?"

Rich goblin?

Nah, probably couldn't even use the Golden Carriage.

"Gotta ask the gallery later."

It let out a guttural screech and raised its spear.

I kicked off toward it.

Before the hobgoblin could swing down—

Slaaash—!

I slashed its unprotected face with my scythe.

"Grraaaghh!!!"

It clutched its face, spilling blood on the floor before shattering into light.

The moment I felled it, the hobgoblin's dissipating energy traced a blue trail straight to my earring.

Zzt—

My body jolted stiff for a split second.

"Hng...!"

One percent charge seemed to mean +1 magic power.

"So it stacks like this... What happens at 100%?"

Right after, the silver ring glimmered.

A faint tightening sensation throughout my body.

"Oh."

Just standing there, and my strength went up.

Probably from the earring's magic power stack triggering the ring's 5% strength from magic power effect.

The two items were synergizing on their own.

"Sick... Item effects even apply to this."

Did SSS Item Puller know about this combo? Incredible.

"Time to copy gold and copy stats."

*

Floors 29, 30, 35. Breakthroughs kept coming.

Each time, the earrings glowed blue, followed by the silver ring reacting. I didn't forget to allocate stats.

Slash—!

"Even faster now..."

Hunt times were actually shortening.

Floor 36, 40, 48.

Monsters got tougher per floor, but I was growing faster.

And I'd gotten the hang of it.

Developed a strategy.

First, assess attack type on encounter. Two main types.

Melee or ranged?

Ranged like this? Don't charge blindly—bait an attack first.

Run parallel to dodge one shot.

Swish—!

Arrow whizzed past my head. After dodging one, shift closer trajectory. Dodge sideways again for the second.

Swish—!

"That's the speed."

Gauging attack rate to see if my agility lets me close in—or if I'll get kited forever. This one was closable.

Thud! Crash!

Skeleton's bones shattered.

If unapproachable speed? Grab Instant Death Skill. That's my ranged counter.

Right after clearing 49, I chugged a fatigue recovery potion.

Now floor 50.

Suicide standby here. Gut feeling—50's a huge milestone number.

But nope.

Whoosh!

Dodged its wild swings, slashed four times—orc's arms turned to rags. No guard up.

Slash—!

I carved its exposed neck. Melee strategy? Swing scythe till it drops.

"Phew..."

If I'd maxed strength and agility? No idea how OP I'd be.

Probably one-second kill.

"Seriously, gotta start paying my way with magic power soon!!!"

Cheat for real.

Senses carrying the team solo right now.

"Mmm, gold stacking up nicely..."

Escalating promotion rewards.

Entered floor 51...

Ambush.

Weird-looking thing from the start. Sloth-like beast, pitch black all over. Hanging upside-down from the ceiling relief, snoring away.

I used to crash out oblivious to the world too...

Lucky timing—caught it sleeping. But as I approached scythe ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠raised...

"Huh?"

My eyelids drooped heavily.

Body felt leaden.

Its magic, probably. Name "Shaman Sleep" for a reason. First time eating an attack due to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠status effect.

Thud.

Collapsed on the marble floor before taking a few steps.

Sleepiness turning to full sleep soon.

Am I this vulnerable...?

Found my weakness.

Not it—me. This Reaper girl's body hates sleep like poison.

"Now...?"

Was about to use Death Absolute Realm, but one last try.

I yanked a fatigue recovery potion from inventory, popped the cork, took a swig. No need to finish it.

Just test if it clears drowsiness too.

"Hoo..."

It worked, thankfully.

A few more gulps, eyes snapped open.

Status warning vanished, head cleared instantly. Gripped scythe, stood. Time to bisect that sloth.

But as I faced it and advanced...

"Huh...?"

Thud!

Three steps, and down again.

Just approaching triggered drowsiness.

"No way, no cooldown or anything????"

Insane.

OP magic out of nowhere.

Compared to prior floors, sleep should've been its only trick. Wake it up, maybe fine... but

I'm on a timer.

Need 120,000 gold for Jet-Black Knot Belt—that's floor 56.

Over an hour left, but no naptime luxury.

Brainstormed.

Now...?

Scythe suicide time? Slit throat, Death Realm, grab Instant Death Skill. Or...

Sip potion every step?

Too wasteful...

Three potions to reach it, probably.

Can't throw scythe from here—strength and senses too low.

"...!"

Idea hit. Half-lidded on the floor, glaring at the sloth.

I'm a monster too... and so's it.

That meant something.

Countermeasure clicked.