Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The Underground's Specialty
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The moment I entered the tower, I found myself in a damp underground cavern.
'Still wider than the 0th subfloor, at least.'
From the very start, something felt ominous.
Only if there was something here worth money.
'Please let the drop items be good ones.'
I pulled out the prime example of those "good things."
The pendant hanging around my neck.
The master's memento, fused with a fragment of disaster.
[Frost-Pursuing Hunter (UR)]
■ Exclusive Equipment:[Disaster's Mourning Stone]■ Effects:
Strength, Endurance, Magic Power +30%.
Mana sensitivity rises in crisis situations.
Status ailment resistance rises in crisis situations.
All stats rise in crisis situations.
Wow.
No matter how many times I look at it, it never gets old.
'This item's so damn good, it's bringing tears to my eyes.'
As expected of my master.
I wiped at the corners of my eyes, moved.
How could I not be?
The options felt like they united the mourning stone, my master, and me.
'Especially the status ailment resistance and mana sensitivity boosts. Perfect.'
Mana sensitivity.
That detection ability I call sensing.
The fact that it rises alongside status resistance is incredible.
Why?
'Because if I pass out even once, I'm dead.'
No exaggeration. Pure fact.
Maximum 24 hours.
Anything longer, and I die 100%.
'Can't fulfill the [Popular Post Addiction] condition.'
The patient has been asleep for three days!
Oh my god! Jeong-uk woke up after two months!
That kind of plot doesn't happen to me.
'No consciousness for over a day? Game over for life.'
No doctor's gonna post memes for me.
What idiot dies from sleeping too long? Absurd.
And from that perspective.
'This pendant is basically my life insurance.'
[Frost-Pursuing Hunter] was truly made for me.
Sensing equals focus.
So rising sensing in crisis means?
'Rising focus and sharpened awareness. Can't pass out even if I wanted to.'
Status resistance (fainting) and focus.
That combo eliminates fainting risk.
'Especially since it triggers just from danger, not even injury or fatigue. Perfect.'
Survive the immediate crisis.
Death gets that much farther away.
No better life insurance out there.
I'm the only half-fugu in the world who dies if they faint.
You couldn't buy it for money!
'Like [Outsider], it has self-stat boosts too.'
Three stats combined for a total 90% rise.
Warrior's Gauntlets?
Trash compared to this.
UR-grade accessory, after all.
Worth banking on.
Thud, thud-!
Footsteps approaching while I admired it.
Combat right away?
I recalled the Tower Gallery info.
10th block mobs: mostly reptiles!
'Lizardmen and Drakes.'
Big lizards.
Think of them as dragons that fall way short.
"Doesn't look like any complicated story here."
Unlike the 0th subfloor, body and mind at ease.
Not into wildlife documentaries.
Body?
Why would it be tired?
Just watch and dodge.
"Kraaaaaaaa!!"
"Oh shit, we're screwed."
But this was unexpected.
A massive lizard appeared before me!
Its deafening roar turned my face pale.
And for good reason.
"Hey! Big problem! That thing looks broke as hell!"
"Main body, main body, what the hell are you saying?"
No joke.
Look.
'You think those things carry weapons or coins?'
Reality ain't webnovels.
The tower doesn't let us grind it for cash.
Don't park here, basically.
'Mobs don't even drop magic stones.'
No monster corpses left behind.
Only drop items fall.
And Drakes?
What do they drop? Horns? Teeth?
"Do those even sell?"
No.
Yeah.
Makes sense on reflection.
'If climbing paid, climbers wouldn't be treated like outsiders.'
At best, elephant-sized lizards.
Not even hard to kill.
If profitable, everyone would grind the tower for rent.
Labor is noble.
The tower is bullshit.
Climbing can't pay more than real jobs!
"Nothing pays here."
"Krraaaaaa!!"
Beggar's roar!
The stinking reptile spewed poison gas.
Now bad breath attacks too?
Versatile bastard.
"Clones! Grab antidotes and fall back!"
"Yessir... Huh? What?"
"Not telling you to die, just retreat?"
"Fuck! Main body's already confused!"
Told you to get lost.
I kicked two clones away and tossed them potions.
Then charged straight into the gas.
"Entry's gotta be a jump scare!"
I threw myself into the purple poison cloud.
'Feels gross, so I'll hold my breath, but that's not enough.'
How humans hunt beasts.
Throw spears, drag into attrition war.
This gas blocks that classic tactic.
'Disrupts climber parties' endurance fights.'
Drake poison you can't block without a mask.
Underground, no ventilation.
Map design is vicious.
Tower creator's a total psycho.
"Master! Lend me your strength!"
But I charged right in.
[Frost-Pursuing Hunter].
Shortened to "Frost Hunter," second option.
'Status ailment resistance rises in crisis situations!'
Betting on its performance and my master.
If poisoned?
Back off and chug the potion from a clone.
-Ta-tat!
But the result was shocking.
No hindrance in the gas at all.
Far from poisoned—opposite effect.
'Why are my feet so light?'
My steps felt springy all of a sudden.
What?
No agility buff in Frost Hunter options?
'Ah! Third option was the stat buff!'
All stats rise in crisis situations.
Third option, like it was made for me.
It had activated.
'Now that's a different story.'
Time to test it.
I summoned a clone inside the gas.
"Come on! My lab rat!"
"CBRN alert! Cough cough cough!"
The clone screamed and collapsed the moment it appeared.
Face turning blue fast.
Or purple, technically.
"Yeah, no Frost Hunter means poison wins."
But I was fine.
Gross and humid, but no pain.
Thanks to the status resistance kicking in nicely.
'Truly UR gear.'
One more thing.
I easily dodged the incoming Drake.
'Summoned clone, but stats barely dropped.'
Why?
Because I'm in more danger now.
"Clone art and Frost Hunter combo is insane."
Low-grade clones lower my stats.
Lower stats mean?
Even same enemy feels more dangerous!
'So [Anonymous Clone Art]'s weakness vanishes.'
Spawn clone, weaken—but buff compensates.
Endless stat juggling loop!
Add [Outsider] buff?
'Can spawn all clones and stats barely drop.'
Kwang-!
Standing guard position.
Blocked Drake's tail swipe with my arm.
"?"
Pure stat advantage in a frontal block!
Even the Drake looked baffled.
"Hm... This much?"
Of course, I just tilted my head.
Just 11th floor.
Can't match the mourning stone I dueled.
"Against trash mobs, about 70% of my power."
If this were a boss 1v1?
Already high stats would go berserk.
'Level-wise, in boss fights I'd be 4-5x other climbers.'
Naturally curious now.
Frost Hunter's stat buff limit.
How far does it go?
"Can't hold back curiosity."
I gladly dropped Orc No.1 and spare sword.
Ditched dual swords for bare hands.
Obviously riskier?
Power surged fiercer through my body.
I let out a hollow laugh.
Too excited.
"No confidence, Drake."
Confidence in winning.
I slammed an uppercut into the Drake's maw.
Kwang-!!
Firework crackle as I harvested corn.
Weaved sideways immediately.
Master's everywhere.
Even in my footwork.
Passive buff aided the dash.
"[Rage Combo]."
Gauntlet equipment skill: dual-fist donkatsu punches.
Deep breath, rush in.
I pummeled the wall-slammed Drake.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaa?!"
"Meat quality's uneven! Reptile!"
Finisher: [Swift].
3x speed right straight jammed in.
Kwaang-!
🎯 Clearance Grade:S+
🏆 Current Ranking:1st Place
Tomorrow's popular post.
Secured.
"Frost Hunter's stat buff has a limit after all."
The Drake, vomiting blood in death throes.
I shoved its corpse aside and smacked my lips.
'Even accounting for that, performance is solid.'
Extremely satisfied.
Right?
UR gear on 11th floor is overkill.
"But why are the fake Jeong-uks dead?"
"Not dead yet, fuck."
"Proud army without gas masks... Urk."
Right.
CBRN went off.
"Mood's soured suddenly."
This haze is all poison gas.
No harm to body, but feels nasty.
[Low-Grade Poison Resistance] acquired!
[Skill Enhancement Success!]
[Low-Grade Poison Resistance → Low-Grade Poison Resistance (+1)]
Scratch that.
With this, kinda bearable?
"You lot, dismiss. Earplugs on."
"Call us sons of the nation, hurt and they're your sons."
"This bloodline privilege?"
Recalled clones, claimed rewards.
Please drop items!
Drake, so fake dragon heart or something!
"No... drop item?"
As expected.
Not a penny's worth.
Reptiles gonna reptile.
All this late-night grind for performance check only?
Bitter taste.
'If Rare skill pops, sell with Ice Spear.'
Card packs don't trade.
Hope for Rare here.
Cover lodging for days.
'But smash cards outside the tower.'
Hate doing it in bad-breath central.
Not bad luck jinx.
Hygiene issue.
"Magnolia Butcher Shop prioritizes hygiene~."
Ebony cheers.
Regular floors with no drops?
Compost underground~.
As I passed the Drake corpse.
"Hm?"
Something off.
I froze, spun around.
'...Why's the corpse still here?'
After clearance rewards.
Monsters dissolve to mana.
Yet Drake body remains.
Why?
Focused eyes to investigate.
And lo and behold.
Faint presence of unfamiliar skills.
They whispered.
[Butchery (+3)]
Skirting rules to make money is the underground's specialty.