Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Bow God Returns
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"Tower Gal's dead. Allow me to express my regrets."
Hastily inspecting the server.
I ignored the World Tree reeking of stale vibes.
'Didn't know Tower Gal had server traffic limits too.'
The enchantment on the World Tree.
The Curse of Illusion had hit its processing capacity.
Looks like it exceeded the max.
Fortunately, the fix was simple.
Just draw my sword.
Ha... Should I drop the sattva?
Reenacting the sword dance and area wipe.
The dead server came back to life.
Behold, Hua Tuo.
Threaten 'em with an eight-foot spear to the neck, and even the dead revive.
I posted more.
Allowing all question posts will crash the server. I'll unblock one random commenter, so ask away. Once things calm down, I'll lift restrictions. Basic info only for now.
Hmm.
This should do it.
I picked a random Tower Noob and unblocked them.
Alright, ask away.
Your responsibility's huge! Tower Noob!
Aw, hell.
Forgot I can't expect shit from these guys.
I spun the random chat again.
'Hook a normal one this time.'
Fortunately or unfortunately.
Tower Gal's structure and purpose attract more normal folks.
Unlike real-life communities, diligent real-world users drop by often.
Half of it's a real-name friend circle anyway.
Maybe that's why.
The next one was an unfamiliar high-nick to me too.
Even the question.
Convert matter to mana, then back!
That's the principle behind those skills, right?
Test with Giftcon,
Store in Inventory,
Ship via Auction House.
That was my Red Tower circulation activation plan.
'But this guy's onto it?'
What was it called?
Reverse engineering?
Something like that.
This dude seems like a proper veteran.
"Hm?"
What?
Can others make something like [Inventory] and store items in it?
'Doesn't seem like it.'
No reason to recreate a free feature.
So then.
'...No way, is it about making humans with [Giftcon] and storing them in [Inventory]?'
Unimaginable true nature!
Gallery Master's food-making skills were actually buildup for human synthesis?!
'As if.'
My intuition from awakened talent protested.
No way in hell.
Of course, just the body,
Hmm.
Maybe something similar's possible.
'Give substance to a clone and boom, that's a body.'
But no soul or ego.
No clone anywhere has ego.
That's why it's safe.
With certainty, my reply came quick.
Strip away the unique perspective,
Doryeo's questions were pretty rational.
Q. Usage requirements?
A. None. All Tower Climbing Gallery nicks are free to use.
Q. Free?
A. Auction house takes 1% fee. Min 1 coin.
Q. Security?
A. Can't open without owner. Like how others can't force-activate your skills.
Q. Storage limits?
A. Low-floor items only for now. Capacity depends on personal mana.
Expected, unexpected.
After solid questions kept coming.
'This should suffice.'
That's when I stopped the Q&A.
Everything but the first was fine.
Lift the blocks now.
Good, done.
With gallery restrictions lifted.
I monitored the traffic surge as expected.
"?"
And got a bit flustered.
The posts were totally out of left field.
What the?
Why the freakout?
'That nick from earlier that famous?'
Busy few days with trolls and management.
Barely saw him, no presence.
Chills down my spine.
Famous folks always get friend-circle drama.
But barely any replies?
'Means bad kind of fame, the type that gets deleted.'
Sure enough.
Opened a post, and bingo.
(Frog punching screen meme) "LOL as if, you fuck." "Interrupting kids eating, get wrecked."
Soon that post vanished stealthily too.
OP chickened out and deleted.
Damn.
I know this vibe.
Like those corp or gov agro posts that nuke comments viciously.
Trolling for attention, then yank when real trouble looms.
Spot on.
'Difference is the deleter's the bad guy.'
Makes sense.
Not everyone's saints in the Tower.
That far, I nodded.
'Yeah! Play dumb!'
Doryeo or whatever,
Why bother?
'Might meet climbing the Tower someday.'
Not now, right?
Can't block specific floors anyway.
Forget it.
Mind eased, peace restored.
"Tch. [Equipment Transcendence] barely any buzz."
As expected from seasoned climbers.
Vets don't care much.
Low-floor option booster at best.
'Thought they'd love it, guess I'm still green.'
Every time ego swells, reminder hits.
Tower's tall, I'm just floor 8.
"Whatever, bed time."
Sleep and recharge.
Body needs rest to climb tomorrow.
'Wanna go higher, ASAP.'
Not just to escape [Popular Post Addiction],
Keep up with other climbers.
And see more joy and thanks.
"Zzz."
I scarfed dinner and crashed hard.
Even if the boss sleeps, the gallery spins.
Tower Gal no exception.
"...Heh."
Gelrn gazed fondly at Tower Gal.
While stinking of booze.
'Yeah, can't stay like this forever.'
Gelrn once claimed Bow God title.
Genius disciple and 0-floor hermit.
Lifelong wall not his style.
'But what more can I do?'
-Pew!
Arrow hit target dead center.
Zigzagging three trees.
Skill honed, not lost.
Bow never slipped, even drunk.
But.
"...Can't master [Swift Arrow]."
Even homing arrows perfected, but [Swift Arrow] eluded.
Inevitable, [Swift Arrow] hybrid archery-magic skill.
Not pure archery.
Needs genius in both.
Gelrn lacked magic talent.
Like one-arm learning dual-wield.
No yield.
Jeong-uk'd apologize and praise.
Gelrn's effort to this point.
"Ha."
Problem: no one knows truth.
Gelrn set bow, grabbed bottle.
'More gal time?'
King's ears donkey ears.
Like fable, vent via shitpost?
Then.
[Equipment Transcendence (Beta)]
Sudden external link.
Curious Gelrn pulled practice bow.
'Yeah, not much on transcendence.'
Makes sense.
Inventory and auction fresh.
Everyone testing, chatting.
'Post control till recently.'
Dig nick, open posting.
That's transcendence procedure?
No related posts yet.
'Gotta try.'
Gelrn's training bow.
Super rare farmed low floors.
Trust in Gallery Master,
Gelrn transcended without hesitation.
'Whatever outcome, post-worthy.'
Gear exploding'd be funny?
Worn-out Gelrn thought so.
That sparked it.
"?"
Returned casually after thunk.
Minute-plus to comprehend specs.
"SSR...?"
Special Super Rare.
Mid-floors 50+ drops only.
Low-floor or not.
Viable main weapon now.
No, wait!
"[Swift Arrow]?! [Swift Arrow] as option?!"
Why?!
Seriously why?!
"How the hell?! No, why this on practice bow?!"
"Gelrn shut up! Nighttime! Sleep!"
Shaman comrade's yell?
Gelrn ignored.
"Sw, [Swift Arrow]!"
Had to test ASAP.
...Pew!!
Screaming shot.
Arrow flew bizarre angle.
3x speed.
Pierced target, auto-returned to hand.
"...It works."
Reached for other arrows in targets.
Mana responded.
Like magic!
Boom-!!
Hand extended, target exploded.
Secondary trigger on embedded arrows.
Launched arrows?
-Ching!
Back to quiver, as willed.
"It works! I can use [Swift Arrow]!"
"Ge── lrn──!"
Kaboom-!!
Finally snapped, armed woman.
Sweep Raid shaman eyes blazing.
"Gelrn's dead. I'll kill you. Eternal sleep curse... Hm?"
Charged spell forgotten in rage.
Makes sense.
Moonlit, maniacally grinning comrade.
Who wouldn't pity that mess.
"...Gelrn fighting. No quit."
"Heh. Quit? That's herb-count unit."
-Flutter!
Cape over daily clothes.
Blond archer grinned cocky.
Pulled main weapon.
"This Gelrn returns as Bow God from this hour!"
Practice bow this good?
No reason not to transcend main.
Of course.
Jeong-uk'd say:
- Reason not to on main?
Exists?
[Equipment Transcendence Failure!]
[Trigard Bow (SSR) → Sawdust]
[Equipment vanished in intense light!]
Ha... ssonni plz.
Read the notice. Real thick skull?
- Mid-floor gear risky for transcendence?
Something like that.
"?"
"?"
SSR weapon to dust,
Comprehending, Gelrn spoke.
"...Kuaaaaaaaaah!!!!"
Had mouth, had to scream.
"My bow! My bow! Gallery Master!!!! Bastard!!!! Gal lord!!!!"
"Aaaah! Gelrn, shut it!"
Bizarru dropkicking from 2nd floor,
Gelrn foaming, scraping sawdust.
Anyway.
Sweep Raid #1 archer Gelrn.
Bow God return.
Spec up success, regardless.
Meanwhile.
Next day.
"Prep done. Let's go, fake Jeong-uks!"
"Aye sir."
"Tower coins stocked, room for Clone Art +3?"
New gear and skills in hand.
Jeong-uk climbed.
General 10F.
To close in on the [Fidelity Statue Knight] there.