Chapter 9
Chapter 9.
[Tower of Infinity 2nd Stage.]
[Entering Iron Tower No.31.]
Lee Ganghan looked at the message that appeared before his eyes.
'So it's Iron grade.'
Iron Tower.
A tower that players who have made it through the Tower of Infinity 1st Stage, the Beginner's Tower.
Enter next.
The tower grades start from Iron.
Bronze → Silver → Gold → Platinum → Diamond in ascending order.
Among these, up to the Tower of Infinity 10th Stage were Iron Towers.
From the 11th Stage to the 20th Stage, they rise to Bronze, and so on.
Every 10 stages, the tower's designation changed.
Generally, up to Silver, one could climb if they put in effort.
But from Gold onwards, it was known to be difficult to climb without an A-grade or higher trait.
'That's why they said most players just stick around Bronze~Silver earning TP.'
Anyway, from the nation's perspective, Bronze and Silver were also precious TP income sources.
Though the treatment was harsher compared to core players of Gold rank and above.
Still, if one could endure the pain of death.
And preserve their mental state well while being active, they could earn an income that wouldn't be envious of most professional jobs.
'Ah, right. First, let me start streaming...'
After opening a TowerTube channel.
The newly created TowerTube window in the system interface.
Lee Ganghan turned on live streaming there.
Then.
-Oh oh, Heavenly Demon is here.
-Coming in 24 hours right after clearing yesterday, so diligent ㄷㄷ.
-You even opened a channel, gotta pull viewers at this time ㅋㅋ.
-Channel creation rights cost 50,000 TP... you're rich?
Chat messages immediately started appearing.
"They gave me creation rights as a reward yesterday, for hitting the full 50,000 viewers."
-Wow, there was such a thing? ㄷㄷ
-Ah, I think I heard about it. Some foreign players who hit MAX got channel creation rights for free
-Then in countries with large populations like China, they'd just get channel creation rights for free ㄷㄷ Since they have so many viewers.
-But there, getting into TOP 10 is brutal.
-ㄹㅇ They compete with 200,000 people during beginner stage ㅋㅋㅋ
While briefly discussing channel creation rights.
Viewers began flowing in steadily.
'About 1,000 people or so. Not that many.'
Having seen 50,000 viewers last time.
Lee Ganghan was completely unsatisfied with just over 1,000.
But for an Iron player's stream.
And having just turned it on, hitting over a thousand was quite remarkable.
He just didn't know about this sort of thing since he had no interest in it.
Anyway, as he was responding to the rising chat messages.
Bba-ba-bam!
A new sound effect played from the chat window.
['Ilseong Guild Scout J' has donated 1,000TP.]
[This is Ilseong Guild. We tried to send you a guild contract proposal, but got a message saying contract proposals are impossible. Have you perhaps already joined another guild?]
Along with a huge donation of 1,000TP.
A sponsorship message arrived together.
-First donation is 1,000 TP ㄷㄷㄷ
-1.3 million won, damn... look at Ilseong's class
-Heavenly Demon is a honey prospect that hasn't appeared in a while
-ㄹㅇㅋㅋ Foreign donations will probably explode too
-But did you already join?
Kim Juyeong said he would make a contract proposal.
It seems Ilseong Guild, made by the major domestic conglomerate Ilseong, had made an offer.
This is over 1 million won, so I should answer out of courtesy.
"I actually looked at the guild system, but it said Heavenly Demon doesn't work under others, so guild joining is impossible."
-???
-ㄹㅇ??? Don't lie
-No way that exists ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Even players with soloing traits join guilds just fine
-You're lying to raise your value, right? We all know ㅎㅎ
Despite telling only the truth, people didn't believe him.
Somehow it was a similar reaction to when he was branded a liar before.
"Ah, I can't show the system window."
-ㄴㄴ You can show it
-Sir, there's a camera icon above your system window. If you click that, we can see it too.
-We really need to see this ㅋㅋㅋ
-Suddenly remembering the lie about muscles growing just from sleeping?
-S h o w i t
-S h o w i t
The chat window began getting spammed with 'show it'.
Lee Ganghan chuckled and reopened the guild system window.
Then, following the viewers' advice, he pressed the camera button.
[Heavenly Demon does not bow to others.]
[Only 'Heavenly Demon Divine Sect' creation is possible.]
This message was shared with everyone.
-Holy ㅅㅂㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-This is real...?
-He really was Lord Heavenly Demon...
-Can't help it, since it's come to this, let's go create the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect?
"It costs 100 million TP."
-100 million ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-We'll build a Gangnam building before establishing the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-The Heavenly Demon trait seems overpowered but just think of it as a handicap.
-ㄹㅇ Rather than getting money experience buffs, it's better to just climb one more tower floor.
The public opinion to establish the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect for 100 million TP completely disappeared.
Lee Ganghan chuckled and looked ahead.
Excluding the Beginner's Tower.
The 0th floor, which is the starting point of all towers.
After finishing climbing preparations on the empty dirt floor.
If he opens the wooden door beyond.
He would climb the assigned tower.
"Then let's enter the tower."
Thud, Thud.
As Lee Ganghan walked toward the wooden door.
-Ah, what's the tower number?
-We'll give you tips ㅎㅎ
-Iron towers only go up to 99, so strategies are available for them.
Viewers asked for the tower number, saying they'd help.
"It's number 31."
-What? Number 31?
-That's a maze tower ㅡㅡ;
-Are you smart?
"I'm a high school graduate."
-That's completely incompatible with Heavenly Demon...
-How will you keep setting new records ㅎㅎ
-Still, if you keep walking you'll eventually climb up.
-I'll try drawing a map from now.
No.31, composed of maze terrain.
As Lee Ganghan climbed to the 1st floor.
He could quickly understand why they said it was incompatible with him.
Instead of enemies, all he could see were solid stone walls.
[Iron Tower No.31 tests your wisdom!]
[Break through the maze and climb to the next floor!]
And.
With a message telling him to use his 'head'.
Lee Ganghan stood blankly in front of the maze.
***
'I really hate this kind of maze stuff.'
Puzzles, riddles, pathfinding.
These types of things were not Lee Ganghan's preferred type.
Even when he played games before, if pathfinding was difficult, he'd get annoyed and delete the game.
But now that he has the power of Heavenly Demon Constitution.
Instead of a tower where he could demonstrate his strength, this kind appears.
-Actually, if another player got tower 31, it would be a complete jackpot ㅋㅋ
-ㄹㅇ It's a bonus mission ㅋㅋㅋ
-Anyway, if you keep walking you'll clear it, no mobs will pop out.
-I also healed my body and mind that were wounded in the Beginner's Tower here.
A maze map with no monsters appearing.
In fact, for ordinary players who died once to the tutorial boss in the Beginner's Tower.
And experienced life-threatening crises several times while climbing towers afterwards.
Maze towers like No.31 were no different from bonuses.
Anyway, if you walk and walk and keep walking.
Eventually you'd climb up to the 10th floor and conquer the tower.
However, for Lee Ganghan, who was trying to seriously grow his channel, getting No.31 wasn't particularly good news.
He couldn't show the power of Heavenly Demon here.
Instead, he'd only show himself fumbling around with pathfinding.
'Hmm... Should I summon the chief for now?'
Pathfinding.
It would be better with two people than doing it alone.
With that decision, Lee Ganghan opened Ten Thousand Demon Battle and summoned the Goblin Chief.
"Heavenly Demon Eternal! Ten Thousand Demons Prostrate!"
He immediately prostrated himself.
"I have received such great grace from Lord Heavenly Demon! To provide living space for us goblins...!"
"You mean Ten Thousand Demon Battle?"
"Yes!"
"Right. I invested quite a lot of money, so live well there."
"Understood! Thank you, and thank you again!"
The Goblin Chief praised him with a moved tone as soon as he appeared.
If loyalty were quantified, this would probably be over 90.
Lee Ganghan thought so.
'Ah. The horn.'
He suddenly remembered the 'Castrated Goblin Chief's Horn' he received last time.
An S-grade shining item.
But it had the disadvantage of having to be equipped on the crotch.
It was an item he was debating whether to just sell or give to this guy.
'But if I give the horn to him, it said a goblin territory would be established in the Ten Thousand Demon Battle... Isn't it already built now?'
The goblin settlement was created by investing 40,000 TP.
Isn't there not much difference between that and territory?
Since he had summoned the chief, Lee Ganghan told him.
"I got your horn as a reward."
"Horn... you mean?"
"Yeah. But you recovered your horn?"
Lee Ganghan looked at the Goblin Chief's lower area.
Unlike when he subjugated him.
The Goblin Chief had all three horns recovered.
"Ah. My horns regenerate over time."
They regenerate over time.
So he can continue to enjoy that revival effect.
"Then you don't need the horn?"
"No... This is just a copy, so if I get the 'real one', I'd be much stronger."
"Really? They said if I give you the horn, you can create a goblin territory. What's the difference between territory and settlement?"
"Ah... That is..."
Having been restless since hearing Lee Ganghan had the horn.
The Goblin Chief immediately answered the question.
"If territory is created, we can grow."
"Grow?"
"Yes. In the current settlement, we just survive without dying... But if our own territory is created, the goblins in Ten Thousand Demon Battle will also have opportunities to grow."
"Really? So you level up?"
In the settlement, they just survive.
And stay at low levels continuously.
But if he gives the horn to the Goblin Chief and establishes 'Goblin Territory'.
These guys would also grow.
"Yes. And as a side effect... I will no longer appear in the Beginner's Tower that humanity faces. Because I, having obtained the horn, become the 'real one'."
"Really? That's a bit problematic, since the goblin tower would disappear."
The goblin horde that was placed together with the chief.
Lee Ganghan, who had broken through them too easily.
Was doubtful whether it was right to take away such a lowest-difficulty tower from humanity.
"I was thinking of giving the horn to the chief... But it would be better to leave the goblin tower, right? For the beginners' sake too."
-No, what are you saying ㅅㅂ Really!!!
-Please remove that castrated goblin ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
-Sir, just doing this alone could get your name in one line of the Tower of Infinity textbook ㅋㅋㅋ
-ㄹㅇ How many newbies dropped because of the castrated goblin ㅡㅡ
-But what's the horn's ability that makes it so effective???
While complaints flooded in begging to please remove the Castrated Goblin Chief.
A few people also asked about the horn's abilities.
'Should I check the market price?'
Collective intelligence would make price estimation easier.
Lee Ganghan thought so and explained the item options.
"When equipped, +1 to mana, and revival effect when dying while equipped. Though it breaks after revival."
-Oh, that's amazing
-At that level, it would sell for quite a lot
-ㄹㅇ +1 stat and revival effect, even diamonds would buy that equipment
"But you have to equip it on the crotch, like him."
-Ah...
-Then it's a bit...
-Top players are like idols, so going out like that would be awkward ㅋㅋㅋ
-And if you wear that horn, you can't equip lower body armor either
-Ah right, then the value drops a bit;
Whether 'Equipment Slot: Crotch' was indeed a major demerit.
After hearing Lee Ganghan's words, public opinion that had highly evaluated the horn quickly reversed.
'Let's just give it a go.'
He was curious about Goblin Territory too.
And it didn't seem like the horn would sell for much anyway.
Lee Ganghan took out the horn from his inventory.
And handed it over to the Castrated Goblin Chief.
"L-Lord Heavenly Demon, are you truly thinking of bestowing this upon me?"
"Yeah."
"No, how could you give me such a precious thing... This horn is directly refined from a unicorn's horn by a dragon. How could you give me such a treasure that can even reverse death!"
"Hey, if you talk like that, it becomes precious. Just take it quietly when I'm giving it."
"Heavenly Demon Ete-Eternal! Ten Thousand Demons Prostrate!!!"
Without even being told.
The Goblin Chief shed tears while prostrating several times.
It seemed that bestowing the 'horn'.
Had tremendous value for him.
And.
[Bestowing horn to the Castrated Goblin Chief.]
After that message appeared.
Soon after.
Flash...!
An intense light flashed from the Castrated Goblin Chief's body.
['Castrated Goblin Chief' transforms into a 'Unique Existence'.]
[Beginner's Tower, 'Goblin Tower' disappears.]
[Tutorial boss, 'Castrated Goblin Chief' will no longer appear to humanity.]
As the Goblin Chief said.
The Goblin Tower disappeared after bestowing the horn.
And this message didn't appear only to Lee Ganghan.
-Oh ㅅㅂ? I got a message ㄷㄷㄷ
-Me too, message saying goblin tower disappeared ㄷㄷ
-Wow, so goblins really disappear???
-Amazing...
-Ah ㅅㅂ Should I try again... I quit because I got PTSD from that bastard tearing off flesh
-This will probably raise the newbie survival rate by 1%?
The chat window was completely turned upside down.