Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Thumbs Up, World Tree!
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"The inside is cleaner than I thought."
Tower Normal Floor 8.
The layer where the Orc Warlord appears.
I scanned the stone walls and drew my sword.
'Wrap up this grinding session and head straight to High End Floor 9.'
If possible, I wanted to push through to Normal Floor 9 today too.
Tomorrow.
At the latest, the day after, I wanted to face the boss.
-Thud, thud, thud!
Familiar footsteps.
The Warlord?
I stayed on high alert, not letting my guard down.
'Not as tough as the High End ones, but still the same Warlord.'
The Orc Warlord was a Cave Bear-level powerhouse.
Even without gear, it could crush my skull.
'That's why I deliberately didn't summon any clones.'
Normal Floor 8 was a one-on-one with the Warlord.
Info I'd known going in.
That was the reason I held back on clones.
'If I keep my stats steady and duel straight-up, I can take one or two hits without dying.'
Its hide was thicker and it was tougher overall,
but my stats were probably higher.
That was the plan.
"Kkweeeek!"
"...Huh?"
When the Orc Warlord finally appeared.
I couldn't help but furrow my brow.
"Who the hell are you?"
Well, obviously a Warlord.
I couldn't tell orc faces apart, but I knew this one.
We'd fought pretty evenly before, right?
But.
'Did it feel like this?'
Plump and fatty, with a chipped weapon.
Its smug face was grinning creepily.
Then it spotted the pot I'd brought.
The [Infinite Soup Pot], and its eyes lit up.
"Kkweek!"
Its greasy eyes gleamed with greed.
It still looked strong.
But different from the High End vibe.
Same orc eyeing the pot,
but none of that rivalry or tension from before.
Not for me, not for the Warlord.
"...Fine. Take it and scram."
I flicked Orc No. 1 without a second thought.
A playful knuckle rap.
The guy flushed beet red at my hand movement.
'[Sword Soul Liberation].'
-Kughack!
The heated blade poured out mana like it was exploding.
A waterfall of mana.
The color drained from the Orc Warlord's face.
"Kkweeeek?!"
And then, the Warlord turned tail and ran.
Indoors, not even a plain.
Nowhere to flee.
"Haa..."
I sighed and gave chase.
Slow. Easy to catch.
Shook out my arm at mana blade range.
That was it.
-Slash!
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Your level has increased.] [Solo clear on Floor 8!] [Calculating clear grade.] [Score earned: S+] [Current ranking: 1st place.]
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Item acquired: Warlord's Hand Trinket.] [Item acquired: 8 Tower Coins.]
The Orc Warlord was bisected and vanished.
Drops: one accessory.
'Normal-grade item.'
Nothing special performance-wise.
A total toy bracelet.
Didn't even feel like wearing it.
Silver accessory, though—sell it for cash.
'Looked about as strong as the High End ones.'
Actually harder to cut through.
Fat clogged up the blade.
But nothing more, nothing less.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Solo clear on Floor 8!] [Item acquired: 4 Tower Coins.]
No need for [Sword Soul Liberation] on run two.
Flick, splat.
Throw a knife with [Swift Arrow] from afar, dead.
"Kkweeeeek?!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Solo clear on Floor 8!] [Item acquired: 2 Tower Coins.]
Grinding session over.
I smacked my lips.
'Easy's nice.'
Better than tough.
Time for High End Floor 9.
Deployed clones and entered the climbing gate.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Entering the Tower.] [Current floor: Floor 9 (High End).]
Vast open plain.
Facing the refreshing breeze, I tried to shake off the melancholy.
'Some folks say this is tougher than Floor 10.'
Floor 10's Orc Chieftain.
They say Floor 9 could be harder than the boss.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Floor 10.
The floor unit where boss monsters appear in the Tower.
In other words, the first boss monster climbers encounter in the Red Tower.
But Floor 9 might be harder?
Sounds absurd at first.
But see it for yourself and you'll get it.
'40 Elite Goblins.'
That was Normal Floor 9's monster lineup.
And this is High End.
Even tougher elites incoming.
"Kyak!"
"Kak kak!"
Or so I thought.
Hm.
'...Around 100, roughly?'
High End numbers were way higher, as expected.
Like they dumped 100 on the plain just because.
If they were all elites, it'd be insane difficulty.
Climber parties max 4 people.
25 per person.
Plus, group fights are brutal beyond words.
Even with formation, melee's hopeless.
4 Orc Warlords and you'd still die.
But.
"They look like total rabble no matter how I slice it."
"Elite... what even does that mean...?"
Why are these guys so scrawny?
I was dumbfounded.
Most had potbellies and sloppy stances.
They could hold weapons, so they knew combat.
But.
Like they lacked guts or had mental issues?
"Keeak! Kick!"
A goblin on a palanquin was spitting mad.
Goblin Lord, was it?
Waving a staff, pointing at me.
"Why a pot again? A pot?!"
"We stole it from them originally."
"They stole it first, now the owner's mad, so they're pissed."
Oh, right.
This was originally theirs?
'I intercepted it while they were transporting past the orcs?'
High End Floor 0 quest, yeah.
Fair enough they're mad.
I got serious.
Opened [Inventory].
Flash-!
Mana light converged in one spot.
Out came three swords and a bow.
Me and the clones snatched up bows and swords each.
■ Equipment: [Goblin Archer's Bow Infused with Ghostly Aura (R)] ■ Effects: One-Hand Damage: D+ (10 + 8) Durability: 12 / 12 Skill Acquired: [Swift Arrow]. Status Effects: Inflicts [Despair], [Confusion].
The goblin predecessor's bow, transcended and upgraded.
I nocked the string and yelled.
"Forgive me, Goblin Bro!"
No.
No need for his forgiveness.
This was vengeance for him.
Goblin Bro was skin and bones.
While slackers in the rear got fat?
Unjust society.
This arrow wasn't slaying kin.
It pierced the oppressors' hypocrisy!
"Die, you potbellied capitalists!"
Activated [Sword Soul Liberation] on the arrow.
Then [Swift Arrow].
Brief wind-up.
Boom-!!
The arrow became the bearded one's judgment, slamming the Goblin Lord's crown.
Exploded, that is.
Atone to Bro in the afterlife, Goblin Lord.
"Take down the Lord! Go kill the knockoff Jeong-uks!"
"Hyat—!"
"Hand over the valuables—!"
Hey. You're making us look like bandits.
True, though.
"Ki, kiyak?!"
"Kak kak!"
The goblins' panicked counterattack.
But blind swings missed all clones.
Knockoff Jeong-uk 1 dodged a spear and shouted.
"[Decapitation] on prepared clones first!"
"[Decapitation]!"
"[Decapitation]!"
Level 2 success added effects to the clones.
Not more numbers.
'Base performance and synergy upgrades.'
Of course, still normal grade.
Just that level of boost.
But add my [Deficiencies] and rares?
"Follow with [Fury Combo]!"
"[Fury Combo]!"
"[Fury Combo]!"
Elite goblin lives harvested like wheat.
100 vs 3.
Overwhelming the absurd odds.
"Kiyaaaak?!"
"Kyak kak!"
Fellows losing heads before they could close in.
Goblins looked ready to piss themselves.
I smiled at the satisfying results.
"Clones lack skills, but my gear has 'em."
Back when Orc No. 1 first got a skill.
The thought hit me.
'Give junk weapons skills, hand to knockoffs—they can use attack skills too, right?'
So I did.
Of my own will.
Stocked up cheap swords pre-climb.
Then?
[Equipment Transcendence (Beta)]
Enhance all, done.
Why clone DPS spiked.
'Spec boost. Gear upgrade. Attack skills added.'
Specs barely up,
but transcended gear over 50% stronger.
Plus 1.5x basic attack damage.
Multiply by [Decapitation]?
'Skill damage easily over 2x.'
Clones can handle 33-to-1 now.
Enemies are trash anyway.
-Pew!
Plus I support from rear with bow.
Snipe the rebels, perfect.
'All thanks to [Inventory].'
Gearing clones.
Not easy as it sounds.
Summon pre-Tower and equip, or lug tons of gear.
Either way exhausting.
Drains stamina pre-fight?
Non-combat loss, classic mistake.
No [Inventory]?
Solo impossible tactic.
But now I got one?
"Dreams do come true."
Arrows near infinite now.
I nocked and loosed non-stop.
"Thumbs up, World Tree! Thanks!"
Pew pew pew-!
I solo'd about 20, they're fleeing.
Lord already green mush.
End result:
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Your level has increased.] [Solo clear on Floor 9 (High End)!] [Calculating clear grade.] [Score earned: S+] [Current ranking: 1st place.]
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Item acquired: Goblin Lord's Crown.] [Item acquired: 27 Tower Coins.]
Too easy.
Recovered arrows, smacked my lips.
"Tch. Specs overkill?"
"Don't say too weak. They looked strong."
"Sorry. I am strong."
Clones cheesing it too, guess so.
Floor 10's [Grieving Statue Knight].
Prepped for that, got too buffed?
'Today's grinding might actually finish.'
Pop the Lord first, rest is rabble.
Normal Floor 9? No need.
'Let's check the drop first.'
I picked up the fallen crown.
High End gear, qualitatively beyond Normal.
Eyes on its performance.
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