Doom Tower Floor 2 (2)
Veteran climbers had stocked up on Enhancement Stones and Skill Books through repeated clears, then sold them to the government. In turn, the government distributed them to new climbers. Survival rates went up as a result. It was visible progress—enough to make people cheer.
Just for reference, clearing a single floor brings in hundreds of thousands of new climbers. And then the next Joint Trial kicks off. This wasn't speculation. The towers had messaged everyone that each floor carried a curse, and clearing the Joint Trial turned it into a blessing.
What if they jumped straight into Floor 2 right after Joint Trial 1? A ton of climbers died, and even more quit from trauma. The media buried those juicy details, but I knew better than anyone. I'd watched every war unfold without missing a beat.
People needed time to prepare. Guilds and governments needed it too if they wanted to lead them. In reality, only Floor 1's curse had flipped to a blessing so far. From Floor 2 on, new curses hit.
Doom Tower Floor 2 Curse: Decreased Cardiopulmonary Endurance
Cardiopulmonary endurance. Everyone knows what that means... the heart and lungs steadily supplying oxygen for prolonged activity.
Entering Doom Tower Floor 2.
Doom Tower Floor 2 was nothing like Floor 1's monster-infested forest. Think modern hotel—but twisted. Hard difficulty climbers' guides said you spawned alone in a massive, ornate lobby. No signs of life in the vast emptiness. If that made you shrink back, you were done for.
Floor 2 was about speed-killing something in one of the hotel rooms. The target had the body of a land animal—snake, dog, bird of prey, anything but sea creatures—with an old man's face grafted onto it. Kill the creepy, nausea-inducing abomination to clear.
Why die if you dawdle? Simple: the hotel's countless rooms unlocked one by one over time. Something might be inside. Luck out and it's empty. But luck doesn't last. As you check doors hunting the old-faced beast, you run into whatever's lurking.
Slam the door shut fast, and you're safe. They can't open doors themselves, and the doors shrug off all damage. But step inside for a closer look? Or fumble the door when something lunges? It's life-or-death combat, just like Floor 1.
Pure luck. Whether a room's occupied? Luck. How quick you find the target? Luck. Higher floors supposedly spawn more, deadlier things. And Survival difficulty? Rumors said it opened up to Floor 4.
Tsk—
The moment he entered, a heavy, drenched sensation hit—like his whole body was soaked and sagging. Not debilitating, but far from peak condition. The Floor 2 curse in effect.
He looked up at the sparkling chandelier, the intricately carved ceiling and pillars. Stepping forward, plush carpet—art in itself—cushioned his feet, sending tingles up to his scalp. And smack in the middle of the floor... a kukri knife, perfect for offing one person.
Search Floor 1 first. About twenty rooms. Holy shit, that's a lot. Four floors? Eighty rooms? This difficulty was bullshit.
A square, sprawling hotel building. He pressed his ear to the door at the far left end. The top-recommended guide popped into his head.
If he'd been a normal climber, he'd have wanted to off himself on sight. Not just the monsters—the dead silence in a place that screamed for human presence crushed the psyche.
He knew Super Special Very Easy Mode was his cheat ticket. Still, believing in no ghosts didn't make entering a haunted rural house alone any less terrifying.
“……?”
Ear flat to the door, but dead quiet inside. Logically, no monster on this difficulty, but he flinched anyway.
'Test with a knock...?'
Chicken out and the door might creak open anyway.
...Tap! Tap!
His knock echoed through the vast hotel like a ghost's whisper.
...Fuck, why's this so scary? I'm weak to this shit.
Inner wimp surging.
Knocked and waited thirty seconds. Nothing.
'...Peek inside?'
He hesitated.
“Status Window.”
Difficulty confirmed. Change it to Survival and we're both fucked.
Worries aside, action was swift.
Screeech—!
The sharp, louder-than-expected sound made him jolt. Inside: a short hallway. Bathroom door on the right wall, two beds at the end. Bathroom blocked the right corner—blind spot.
“Whoa!”
Half in, gripping the door. Ready to bolt if anything lunged.
...Nothing. Empty? Or cheat perk?
Pondered briefly, then committed to a quick scan. Crouched low, checked bathroom first, room thorough.
Glanced normal hotel room...
'Layout's off?'
Wardrobe dead center, double wall with person-sized hidey-hole behind, hole in ceiling-wall corner, suspiciously high bed. Beyond weird—unsettling, goosebump-inducing setup. Perfect for ambushes.
“Outta here.”
Chills hit. Kukri in hand, quick exit.
First room down. Mood sour as hell.
Shut door, ear to next. Still silent. Knocked to be safe—no reaction.
Screeech—
Kukri ready, crouched low. Just in case. Narrow but cluttered layout—blocks entrant vision, favors insiders.
Malicious design. Scanned meticulously. Oddity: fizzy bubbles from bathtub drain.
'...Out.'
Third... fourth... fifth... up to twelfth room. Nothing.
“Did they vanish after spawning?”
Like hobgoblins turning to pretty sunflowers, maybe monsters poofed via cheat.
No way none here? Even Easy climbers hit 7 monsters or signs.
Super Whatever Easy Mode for sure? Scanned this far, nothing? Safe to assume no threats?
Screeech—!
Opening a door—and there, on the bed at hallway's end, a doll staring right at him.
“……!!”
He jumped back, silent scream. Who the fuck left a doll here? Doom Tower made the place. Fucking humanity haters.
“Ah, why'd they put this here...”
No life signs, but caution—he crept low. Then, above the doll's head, a familiar message.
One-Eyed Bool. Cute, babyish doll—name mismatch.
“Haaa...!!”
Tension and what-if horrors melted away. Cheat mode confirmed—muscles unclenched.
“Collect 'em for now.”
Fear gone, leisure returned.
Routine grind after. Pressure from unfamiliar space faded. Enter room, grab doll-monster, done.
Thirty minutes later, Floor 1 cleared. Dolls piled in lobby center, gross monster names hovering over each head.
Crossed lobby, hit elevator button.
'Why an elevator in a tower...'
Doom Tower went Industrial Revolution? Nah, don't think about it.
Buttons matched Hard guides—except extra 4F.
“Haa...”
Eyeing it soured his mood. Two hours felt, all Floor 1-3 dolls piled in lobby.
Used Slow Landing to drop from Floor 3, surveyed his work.
“.......”
Lobby crammed with dolls. Not huge individually, but stacked to chest height.
So... on Survival, these were all real monsters?
“Crazy bastards.”
Just three floors, chaos like this. No wonder mass deaths.
Kicked the pile irritably, headed to elevator. Clear 4F, Floor 2 done?
Hit 4F. Brief float, ding— doors opened.
“………?”
No new hallway—luxurious door instead.
Screeech—!!
Yanked heavy double doors. Right at the threshold—a doll staring, like it waited.
Behind it, scattered like broken limbs—a pile of mangled dolls.