Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: A Familiar Face
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"Looks pretty ordinary."
One remark while inspecting the crown dropped by the Goblin Lord.
Appearance-wise, it was more of a floral crown than a proper one.
You know the thing.
Like in fantasy novels, where the childhood friend weaves flowers into a crown and places it on your head.
Of course, the material wasn't flowers.
Just crudely woven metal.
A crown made of flowers?
Expecting that kind of sentiment from goblins was a luxury.
'That's why it's pure gold.'
Goblin sensibilities at their finest.
"Ooh, a pure gold laurel wreath."
"Can't wear it on the head, but it'd make a fine necklace."
Not quite a laurel wreath, but a necklace would be even better.
It's an accessory slot item.
'The dangling bits would look perfect around the neck.'
Picked it up and immediately [Equip Transcend].
Transcend enchantment done first.
Once stripped of the oppressor's touch, behold.
It gleamed as if reclaiming its true purpose!
What the hell kind of skills are these?
'This is a king's crown for an entire race...?'
What kind of skills could they be?
Despite the doubts, I tried them out.
Surprisingly useful. Caught me off guard.
Well, not [Gaudy Intimidation].
[Crude Exploitation].
"Oh? A skill that drains both HP and MP at once!"
"Is that what messed up my status window?"
"You're the eldest, so suck it up."
"Child abuse ingrained in a peasant."
I barely tapped him, but he's whining.
Anyway.
A drain-type passive skill.
This one stole strength from the enemy.
'Just landing hits recovers health.'
But only from enemies clearly weaker than me.
Seems niche, but perfect for me.
'Not bad. Recovery skills are always basics.'
Recovery amount less than 1%?
Just hit more. Problem solved.
Better than [Gaudy Intimidation].
True to its name.
Basically a non-skill.
Forget it exists until I graduate the gear.
Sometimes I hate my talent.
That shitty [Noble Body, Baseborn Role].
'Used one skill and pick up all this crap.'
Classic ink-black corruption.
Sighing, I hurried the clones along.
Work's gotta get done.
Third round complete.
New gear test over.
And picked up another Lord's crown.
High End drop rates are still busted.
Nothing more to loot.
Dupe reinforced it, boosted the options.
[Agility +10%]
Too bad skills can't be enhanced.
I flexed my hand and muttered.
"...Think I can squeeze in one more round?"
"Fatigue's basically zero."
Sliced 100 goblins per person, yet here we are.
Thanks to [Crude Exploitation]?
'Arms feel a bit heavy, but condition's better than ever.'
Body feels loosened up.
Yeah, let's go.
'Plus, it's just the normal floor anyway.'
Won't be harder than High End.
Breeze through it.
Maybe that mindset was the problem.
Stepping onto the 9th floor, I froze in place.
Sensing the killing intent filling the room.
"Kek, kak."
The fairly spacious room was half green.
Elite goblins.
'Different.'
But the vibe differed from the High End floor.
Strength? Weak.
Numbers? Fewer.
But the atmosphere was worlds apart.
'Not just fewer heads—archers and cavalry too.'
Goblins mounted on wolves.
In High End, they were pulling carts.
'Not necessarily harder.'
Wouldn't be a match for the High End pushers.
But.
Pew—boom!!
A [Swift Arrow] shot.
The Goblin Lord blocked his head in time.
Spotted my bow and tensed up immediately.
"Grraaak!!"
No crown, blocked with an axe, yet blood poured from the cracked forehead.
Still, no sign of giving up.
Probably.
Because it saw the [Infinite Cauldron] I brought.
"...Makes sense now."
I got it.
What the tower's creator wanted to say.
This was almost certainly a reenactment of some racial history.
Orcs and goblins.
Fought over food, no doubt.
Naturally, orcs stole the [Infinite Cauldron].
Being stronger.
'That's why the normal floor orc warriors are weak.'
No more starvation after snatching the pot.
No [Deficiency].
'High End goblins are weak too.'
They never lost the pot in that world.
Lived in prosperous abundance.
In other words.
The tower was saying.
'[Deficiency] makes you strong.'
Feel the lack, strive harder.
That's your path to strength.
"What a joke."
I scoffed.
Deficiency makes people strong?
Then the world's strongest nation would be North Korea.
Such superficial lessons aren't my taste.
Makes me want to smack the creator upside the head.
But.
"Can't agree with that spiritual nonsense, but..."
I lowered my bow.
And drew my sword.
"I'll accept it. This once."
Spouting that crap to these starving warriors
would be the real superficial lesson.
"If you're hungry, come take it! Shorties!"
"Grraaaaaak!!"
Goblin Lord roared,
as arrows rained down.
Me and the clones gripped our swords and charged.
7th Floor Cluster.
Loretta propped her chin, frowning.
"An A-rank irregular? Real trouble."
[Inventory] made by Gallery Master.
And [Auction House].
Both hugely good news, but couldn't focus only on the positives.
"The [Widowstone Knight] issue won't be solved even with [Inventory], right?"
"At least support with proper items."
The [Widowstone Knight] wasn't as strong as thought.
Mana huge, but doesn't cast spells.
'About mid-floor boss monster strength.'
Per C-Team's report.
In other words.
A massive disaster for 0th Floor climbers.
"Lower floors now have insane entry barriers."
Mid floors even Sword Fairy gave up on, around 40th.
An irregular rivaling that.
And it spawned in the ultra-early 10th Floor.
"Climbers already stalled at mid floors, if lower newbies stop coming too..."
"Game over. Stagnant water rots~."
Solutions exist.
Pseudo-Dragon Raid Team.
No, Sweep Raid Team could handle it.
Even by lower floor standards.
"But... who goes down?"
One issue even Idmari noticed.
"Already walled at current levels, lowering more..."
"Can't clear 78th for sure."
Idmari's level was 81 now.
3 levels above reached floor.
'Floor clears aren't the only level up method.'
Like Jeong-uk leveling on Cave Bear,
Safe floors have ways too.
That's why.
Pseudo-Dragon Raid all 80s.
But descend even once?
"Solve [Widowstone Knight] and levels drop to 77~."
"I'd lose 8 levels."
85 to 77.
Massive stat loss.
Much weaker.
'Regain original strength? Months at least...'
No, years.
Why solve irregulars?
To conquer the tower.
Yet weaken top raiders?
Best case, remove bottom brick to prop top.
Worst, ends justify means backwards.
"Upper floors lack level up means too."
"Mid floor barriers problematic~."
Plus mid floor nightmares even top raiders forgo.
S-rank irregulars exist.
'Even infamous 6th Floor Cluster demons hesitate to descend.'
Upper floor raiders.
Hard for them to solve irregulars.
Post-4th Cluster, leveling tough.
Blocks upper climbs.
"If could level twice per floor, that'd be great~."
"Overreach ruins the body."
"Got it~ Focus on reality~."
Maid's sharp gaze minus the tone.
Astromeria hugged her pillow.
'Yeah. Level twice on 1st, by 7th Cluster? Over 100.'
Possible?
Level 100?
Involuntary chuckle.
"Commission golem from 2nd Cluster smith or alchemist?"
"Frost resist? Useless as tank~."
"If needed, I'll go down."
"You just wanna reunite with Iris quick? No way~."
"Tch."
Meeting spun wheels, short break.
Idmari opened the gallery.
'Catch breath, hunt ideas!'
[Inventory] and recovery team's survival.
Even amid good news, worries and counters for [Widowstone Knight] persisted.
Maybe second-string raiders.
Or residents' brilliant ideas could shift things.
Hero appears!
Or genius magic dev like Gallery Master!
Idmari hoped vaguely for that.
"………………."
That's why.
Idmari ignored the top popular post.
Reeked of trolling from the title.
'Nah, no way. Still 3-day ban!'
Her most hated 'that guy' still banned.
Couldn't be the poster.
'Haven't even seen a popular post myself!'
Not getting recs as galju for cliques.
Floaters can't hit popular either!
But lo and behold.
Author: floater nick.
"Please no."
Idmari squeezed eyes shut, clicked.
Panicked.
"...What?"
As expected.
Her hunch was right: him.
Didn't surprise at identity.
But.
The post's content shocked.
'Fight the [Widowstone Knight]? Why?'
Boy Joy.
Newbie showing top-tier talent among climbers.
But Pseudo-Dragon Raid didn't want him tackling [Widowstone Knight].
'Boy Joy can take High End floors.'
High End.
Tower's back side he found.
10th Floor irregular?
Bypass without facing, head to 1st Cluster.
Dodge unbeatable irregular,
Climb safely higher.
That's what they hoped: mid/upper heroics.
'Why? High End too hard?'
Ridiculous.
Even if hard, not harder than estimated 20th boss-grade [Widowstone Knight].
Idmari couldn't hold back, posted.
Many climbers dissuading.
Jeong-uk thought same.
'Right. No gains from fighting.'
High End climber can skip normal floors at will, not required.
[Widowstone Knight] or whatever.
Not mandatory kill.
'No gains, but losses yes.'
Back at cabin, Jeong-uk glanced back.
Without turning, just senses.
Red Tower in snowfield.
Chill emanating from 10th floor visible.
Blizzard fiercer in response.
'Per Lumi and recovery team, that guy unrelated to High End I cleared.'
Astromeria's past.
Jeong-uk heard—as Gallery Master.
First tower climber from 0th: mage Astromeria called teacher.
That [Widowstone Knight] harmed her, theorized.
'Push only High End? Cold worsens.'
Leave as is, 0th freezes uninhabitable.
But defeat [Widowstone Knight]?
"Jeong-uk. Come warm up. Have tea."
"Yes, Master."
Sipping William's tea,
Jeong-uk commented.
Slurp—.
Clink!
Set down tea, hit enter.
The hypothesis brewed yesterday-today.
Recovery team's escape vid.
Face through cracked ice helm:
Dead ringer for William, the hunter.
'Like his son or something.'
If wrong, just beat it.
If losing, no way can't escape.
But if.
Jeong-uk's delusion true?
'Not no gains—way too many.'
In this tower, uniquely one person.
Only Jeong-uk could do it.
If that's your will, won't pry more.
Sending-off words too.
To tower's top climber's question, Jeong-uk smirked, replied.
Jeong-uk wasn't stupid.
No suicidal losing fights.
"...Hm."
Still.
Clear High End 10th first.
'High End bypass? Nah!'
Clear High End for levels and new skills.
Today's popular post too sweet.