Entering the Tower!
Thinking as rationally as possible, I gave up on going out during the day.
I felt like I'd be a little, no, very embarrassed if I ran into someone looking like this.
So, the time I chose was 10 PM.
It's not too late at night, but it's also not a time with a lot of foot traffic. It's just right.
"...No one's here, right?"
Our apartment has a hallway-style layout, so there's a high chance of running into someone if I'm not careful.
I pulled the hood, which didn't even fit me, down low and looked around.
Whew, no one's here.
Still, afraid of getting caught, I ran to the public entrance while staring only at the floor.
Now, all that's left is getting to the Tower.
There's no way there's any public transport left at this hour.
'Should I take a taxi?'
That would be the safest way, but.
I have no money...!
In the end, there's only one way.
"...Guess I have to walk."
I dragged my ill-fitting slippers and walked diligently toward the Tower.
**
I thought it would take a long time to get to the Tower, but.
"I didn't think it would take a whole hour......."
I made up my mind to at least ride a shared bike next time.
The distance itself isn't the problem.
I can just read the guide the Admin wrote while walking.
But the problem is, my feet are too small.
And I don't have shoes that fit.
Thanks to that, it's a secret that I fell twice...!
Thankfully, I didn't fall too hard.
Anyway.
"The Tower has different difficulty levels, right."
There are three difficulty levels in total.
Easy, Normal, and Hard.
Easy and Normal are about a two-fold difference.
And it was written that Normal and Hard are about an eight-fold difference.
And that gap gets even worse as the floors get higher.
So, it said you have to choose your difficulty carefully.
"Hmm, this is a dilemma...."
Isn't there like a trial version for the Tower's difficulty?
I'm not sure how much of an advantage it is that I can use magic.
Maybe my magic won't work at all in Hard mode.
The Admin even said never to do Hard mode.
There were even five big asterisks next to it, saying it was important.
Just as I was agonizing over what to do.
"Excuse me...."
"Eek!"
I heard a voice calling me from right behind my back.
I let out a scream that sounded way too much like a little girl's, so I hurriedly covered my mouth.
And when I turned around, I saw a giant man.
A face I'd never seen before.
"...Who are you?"
When I asked while being as guarded as possible, I saw the Ajusshi's face turn a bit fierce.
"...You, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you're trying to climb that Tower?"
"Yes."
"No. This isn't a place for a child like you to enter. People die here every single day."
"I still have to go in."
Because the only legal way for me to earn money in this body is the Tower.
I don't even have parents, and it's been a long time since I cut ties with my relatives.
It's questionable whether I'm even recognized as a South Korean citizen in the first place.
That's why I have no other choice.
My determined answer clearly made the Ajusshi's expression twist even further.
'If he kicks me out by force, I won't have any options....'
Please, don't kick me out...!!
Maybe he read my mind, but the Ajusshi didn't say anything for a while, then turned around and disappeared somewhere.
"Whew, that was a close one."
By the way, there are still quite a few people here, aren't there?
I saw quite a few nocturnal hunters, too. Twice as many people as I thought.
I should go in before I run into more people.
Just as I was about to hurry toward the Tower's entrance.
"Wait!"
"Eek!!"
Ah, I screamed again.
Even though it was the voice I heard earlier.
I turned around again and saw the Ajusshi I saw before.
But this time, he was holding something in both hands.
"Take this."
"...What is this?"
When I opened the bundle the Ajusshi handed me, it was full of equipment.
The basic gear that's good for newbie hunters, which I'd seen in the images from the Admin's notice post.
There was a short sword to wear on my waist, and a red potion, too.
There was armor made of monster leather, and a shield was included as well.
And tucked in between them were small sneakers.
"Put them on."
"Oh, thank you...?"
"Forget the thanks, hurry up."
Since I got it for free, I tried them on right there.
They were the perfect size for my feet.
With this, I can run now!
But.
"Why are you giving this to me...?"
I racked my brain for memories from 3 years ago, but I've never met an Ajusshi like this.
Even if I had, there's no way he'd recognize me looking like this.
The Ajusshi answered my question calmly.
"I don't know what's going on with you. But it's dangerous to go to the Tower empty-handed."
"...."
"I know it's useless to stop you. So, definitely choose Easy difficulty. Hide as much as you can while hunting. I'll give you plenty of water and energy bars, too."
After filling my protective pouch with food and drink, the Ajusshi leisurely disappeared.
I stared blankly at his retreating figure.
...I don't know what it is, but he's a good Ajusshi.
I had a feeling that I'd be seeing a lot of that Ajusshi.
**
At first, I thought I was seeing things.
I just thought, 'Oh, it must be a short adult.'
But the moment I saw the child in person, I could feel it instinctively.
'It's a real child....'
A cute girl who looked like she was at most a middle schooler.
The girl's gaze was fixed on the Tower.
That's why I stopped her.
As an adult, I have to stop a child from going down a dangerous path.
However.
"I still have to go in."
It was a determined tone.
Only then did I properly see the child.
A large hoodie that didn't fit her small frame at all, and slippers dragging on the ground.
On top of that, there was dirt and such all over her clothes.
She didn't look like a child raised in a normal environment.
'...Did she have no choice but to choose that path.'
It's too dangerous a job for a child.
She didn't even come with a common sword; she was completely empty-handed.
She must not even have the money to buy gear.
If so, there's only one thing I, the owner of the tool shop, can do.
'To help her as much as I can.'
I packed the smallest equipment into the bundle.
I also packed the sneakers my daughter used to wear.
Because this is the duty of an adult.
**
"...I don't know what that was."
Anyway, it's good that I got free gear.
Hmm, but I don't really need the sword.
'Because I can just hunt with magic.'
Still, since he was kind enough to give it to me, I strapped the sword to my thigh.
And I headed toward the Tower's entrance.
I had already decided on the difficulty in my heart.
'Normal, the middle ground between Easy and Hard.'
I thought this was the best judgment I could make.
"It's really tall."
The closer I got to the Tower, the more I couldn't fathom its height.
Because it was incredibly tall.
Doesn't that thing reach space?
That thought came to me naturally.
Anyway.
"...Let's hurry past before more people come my way."
Since there were more people near the Tower, I carefully approached it without getting caught.
And I quickly opened the door and went inside so I wouldn't be seen.
"I can't see a thing...."
Pitch-black darkness was waiting for me inside the Tower.
I felt along the wall, but there were no switches.
Just then.
[Please select a difficulty.]
- Easy
- Normal
- Hard
A difficulty selection window appeared.
Just like it was written in the Admin's guide, there were three difficulty levels.
Of course, I don't need to worry.
Because I had already made up my mind to enter Normal difficulty.
Just as I pointed my index finger toward Normal.
-Whoosh!
A new window appeared before my eyes.
[High magic power is detected from the climber.]
[Automatically setting difficulty!]
"...What?"
No, wait, what do you mean by automatically selecting—.
Before I could even protest to the Tower's system, I felt my body being sucked somewhere.
Reflexively, I squeezed my eyes shut.
How much time had passed? The air around me turned chilly, so I slowly opened my eyes.
The place I was standing in was a dark underground space.
It was exactly as written in the Admin's guide.
It felt like a room in a cave, but there were torches stuck in the walls, so it wasn't pitch black like before.
It was just a little dark.
'By the way, what was that window earlier?'
It clearly said the difficulty would be set automatically.
Then what is my difficulty right now?
'It's definitely not Normal, probably Hard.'
Just then.
-Thump, thump.
Footsteps could be heard from far away.
If it were Easy, it would be three goblins with daggers.
If it were Normal, five.
If it were Hard, a whopping ten.
And the number of goblins I see in front of me right now is.
"...Eh?"
There were only three.
But they were a far cry from the small goblins I saw in the guide.
Giant goblins, three times bigger than me, carrying morning stars as big as my head on their shoulders.
'It's not Hard mode?'
The monsters that appear on the 1st floor of the Tower are fixed as goblins with daggers.
That's a rule that applies equally to all difficulties.
But then what is that?
"Don't tell me, a new difficulty...?"
This was a huge discovery.
There have only been 3 difficulties for the past 3 years, and I discovered a 4th one?
This was definitely a huge discovery. It's definitely worthy of a top-rated post.
And to let the world outside the Tower know about this information.
"...I have to survive and get out, right?"
-Kwoooo!!
The three Morning Goblins discovered me and roared.
And thump, thump, thump, they started running toward me!
But I didn't tremble in fear.
I just extended my right index finger.
"Let's see, let's test how well magic works on Earth."
I took a deep breath.
At the same time, the colorful mana that had been melting into the air.
Started gathering on my index finger all at once.
It gradually grew in size, and soon became as big as my head.
I made three such mana orbs of that size.
One for each, I should be fair.
"Try to hold on as long as you can."
The most basic attack magic that you learn first.
Fireball.
I aimed my index finger at the Morning Goblins like a gun.
"Bang."
At my signal, the mana orbs turned into fireballs.
And each one flew toward the chest of a Morning Goblin.
-Boom!!
With a tremendous explosion, the area became filled with smoke.
"Let's see, how long they last......huh?"
The scene I saw after the smoke cleared was.
Just three lower bodies with their upper bodies completely gone.
Before I could even grasp the situation, a notification window appeared.
[Tower 1st Floor Cleared!]
[Clear time : 0 days 00 hours 00 minutes 10 seconds]
[All-time clear time 1st place : 0 days 00 hours 15 minutes 42 seconds]
[You have achieved a world record!]
[Your feat is engraved on all Towers!]
[First human in history to succeed in a sub-1-minute clear!]
[The grade of the reward is enhanced!]
It seems.
My magic works on Earth, too.
And incredibly well, at that.