Our Warehouse Is Quite Spacious
Floor 80 of My House Tower—the Subspace Warehouse.
This was the warehouse floor, its dimensions expanded dozens of times over by the space manipulation abilities of Rudiel Shephid. At the same time, it served as the prison where Avenir, God of the False Paradise, was sealed away by Shephid's power.
Visiting the 80th floor for the first time in a while, Tricia looked at the distorted space where Avenir was trapped and reminisced. In the past, Avenir had been a wicked goddess who brainwashed and exploited humans. Now, the tables were turned, and she had become a perpetual motion machine (?) whose energy was being ruthlessly drained by Tricia and her companions. To make matters worse, she had been designated as the 80th floor's Boss Monster without even knowing it!
"Shephid, is Avenir still sealed up tight?"
"Yep! We're using her as a power source to maintain the expanded space, and she's working super well!"
"Good job!"
Pat, pat. Tricia vigorously patted Shephid's head.
At any rate, the reason Tricia's group had come here was for Ju Jiye to cast her spells on the Holy Water. A crimson magic circle depicting the silhouette of an angel was already drawn on the floor, and thousands of bottles of Holy Water were arranged on top of it at regular intervals. Standing with an unusually solemn posture, Ju Jiye quietly began to chant her incantation.
"—The God of Majesty bestows a duty upon you; you must follow his will without fail—"
In that moment, the voice flowing from her lips was not the usual Ju Jiye's. A mysterious voice, sounding like a perfect blend of Tricia's and Ju Jiye's, echoed softly through the space. Simultaneously, the magic circle vibrated with red and blue light, and fine golden particles began to shimmer and rise into the air.
"—If anyone should defile this duty, strike them down with Divine Punishment—"
Soon, all the bottles of Holy Water began to glow in unison and float into the air. The liquid inside them churned violently, and a crimson brand was engraved onto each bottle. A moment later, as the magic circle settled, the floating bottles gently descended back to the floor one by one. Ju Jiye let out a sigh and clapped her hands together with a sharp smack.
"Alright! These are for general medical use! Label them all!"
The moment she finished speaking, hundreds of winged Angel Guardians materialized and flew in. They tirelessly carried the Holy Water, slapped on labels, and sorted them by category. The Angel Guardians, who had descended from the heavenly realm to reign on Earth through Tricia's power, were originally fearsome weapons of war treated as summons. Now, however, they had become loyal, all-purpose laborers working for her.
They were busy pasting labels indicating each bottle's specific purpose on the front, aligned with the angel-shaped cap.
• [Climber Personal & Free Treatment Use] (Tariff: 0%)
• [Incurable Disease Patient Treatment Use] (Tariff: 5–10%)
• [Severe & Life-Threatening Condition Treatment Use] (Tariff: 15–30%)
• [Social Welfare & Disaster Response Use] (Tariff: 30–50%)
• [General Treatment & Hospital Supply Use] (Tariff: 50–75%)
• [National Internal Operation & Stockpile Use] (Tariff: 150–250%)
• [Unrestricted Use] (Tariff: 400–500%)
Each bottle shimmered with a different color depending on its purpose, making them clearly distinguishable to prevent any confusion. The [Climber Personal & Free Treatment Use] bottles were scheduled to be sold on the 12th floor as before, and they could only be used for a climber's personal healing or for moral acts of treating others free of charge. Naturally, the moment anyone violated these conditions, a terrifying Divine Punishment would be unleashed upon them.
This would not only prevent climbers from reselling their Holy Water to the government, but it would also strip the government of any justification to buy Holy Water from climbers in the first place. They hadn't produced any batches for overseas export yet, and they had absolutely no plans to sell military-grade quantities. However, if the government purchased them 'without specifying a purpose,' those bottles wouldn't have any spells cast on them, so Tricia could turn a blind eye to them being used as military supplies. Of course, they would have to face a tariff bomb of at least five times the base price!
Having finished her incantation, Ju Jiye took a sip of cold water and asked Tricia.
"We've only been enchanting the Holy Water. Are you planning to trade only Holy Water when you meet with the government?"
"That's right. I want to stick strictly to Holy Water at first. It'll be better to decide on other items later after seeing how things play out."
Since they didn't know how the government would react, the strategy was to sell only Holy Water first to test the waters. Just then, Zergos approached, holding a few sheets of paper.
"Lady Tricia, as requested, I have compiled a simplified summary of the spell effects placed upon the Holy Water."
"Thank you as always, Zergos."
Because the spells Ju Jiye used were incredibly complex, Tricia had asked Zergos to draft a summary that anyone could easily understand.
"Shall we take a look then?"
She quickly began to read the document.
1. Spell Treatment Guide
This Holy Water is enchanted with Lady Ju Jiye's ancient spell. Since it uses the divine power of the Tower Administrator, Lady Tricia, as a medium, it cannot be dispelled by ordinary means. Every bottle of Holy Water is imbued with a unique purpose and usage restriction via this spell.
2. Purpose Classification & Usage Conditions
All Holy Water must be used for its designated purpose. Violating this purpose will result in the Brand of Divine Punishment being applied. Since each bottle is labeled, please refer to the purpose specified on the label.
3. Prohibited Actions & Divine Punishment Conditions
The Brand of Divine Punishment is only applied when there is a clear 'intent to use the product outside its designated purpose.' The following actions are permitted:
Example: Using the bottle for massages, taking photos, or other actions that do not affect the contents.
※ Note: However, as the bottle's design resembles Lady Tricia, certain actions may be interpreted as blasphemy and trigger the brand.
4. How Divine Punishment Works
A crimson ring-shaped brand will manifest around the necks of both the violator and any accomplices sharing the same intent. This brand drastically reduces the target's luck stat, causing minor accidents and recurring misfortune. Even if a major accident occurs, it will not lead to death; rather, because they cannot die, they are forced to reflect on their sins amidst endless suffering. Divine Punishment typically lasts for at least one day, with the duration increasing based on the volume of Holy Water misused. Repeated violations will exponentially extend the duration of the Divine Punishment.
5. Dispelling Conditions
To lift the brand, all Holy Water intended for misuse must be consumed or donated according to its designated purpose. If the Holy Water has already been consumed for an unauthorized purpose, the brand will only be lifted once an equivalent quantity of Holy Water is purchased and used correctly. If you find yourself in a situation where it is difficult to fulfill these conditions, you must request a direct pardon from Lady Tricia.
"This is incredibly well-organized! Great job!"
Tricia smiled with satisfaction and set the document down. Zergos carefully continued.
"Lady Tricia, do you intend to deliver this information to the government exactly as it is?"
"No, absolutely not. You know why, don't you?"
At Tricia's counter-question, Zergos pondered for a moment before replying.
"Humans fear the unknown forces they cannot comprehend. Once they learn the mechanics and dispelling methods of Divine Punishment... it will no longer be an object of terror."
"Exactly. If we tell the government all of this, it defeats the whole purpose of us going through the trouble of enchanting them."
With that, their conversation came to an end, and the labeling process gained momentum. Just then, Shephid trotted over and asked a question.
"Lady Tricia! But when are the government people actually coming?"
"……Now that you mention it, why aren't they here yet?"
Indeed...! Even Tricia's group didn't know exactly when the government was coming to trade...! According to the information Lilysis had gathered, there were only reports that they were currently pooling Tower Coins... but no one knew the exact date of their arrival!
"Well, it's a relief they didn't show up today. At least it gave us time to enchant the Holy Water, right?"
Tricia shrugged. Ju Jiye beamed and replied.
"Ah, then can we do the rest tomorrow?"
"No. And today, we're working overtime."
"Argh! I hate overtime! I wanna go home!"
"What are you talking about? You're already at home."
"I want to go back to my room on the 52nd floor!!!"
"Where do you think you're escaping to?!"
The buff effect of 'Archangel of Majesty Eriel Tricia's Supernova Blessing (Ultimate)' has been doubled.
"G-A-A-A-H!"
Thanks to Tricia generously refilling her buffs, Ju Jiye found herself bursting with energy. Since she was the one who had suggested enchanting the Holy Water in the first place, she couldn't make any excuses and had to stay until the very end to finish the job...
Finally, Park Doyun reached the 10th floor of My House Tower.
You have entered Floor 10 - 'Rabbit Quarantine'.
"Rabbit Quarantine? It doesn't sound threatening, but after what I saw on the 9th floor, it's giving me goosebumps."
An unidentified crying sound echoed from somewhere. The space was filled with countless iron walls erected like a maze. True to the name 'Quarantine,' it felt less like they were 'protecting' something and more like they were 'isolating' it.
Soon after, the trial guide for the 10th floor appeared before him.
You have arrived at the Boss Floor. Please select your desired trial from the list below.
1. Super lol Crybaby lol Coward lol Only lol Difficulty
2. Total Loser~♥ Weakling~♥ Super Weak~♥ Difficulty
3. Pathetically Weak Loser-Loser~♥ Go Die~♥ Difficulty
4. No way, is this all you can do? Pathetic lolol Difficulty
5. Ah, I'm too lazy to tease you anymore~! Psych, I'm gonna tease you more lol Difficulty
6. Oh? Aren't you pushing yourself too hard? Pfft~♥ Difficulty
7. [Overwhelmingly Difficult] Difficulty
Which difficulty level of the trial would you like to select?
"……"
As a Seeker, Park Doyun had lived his life confronting countless rationalities and emotions. He believed he understood the human spectrum to some extent, and prided himself on his ability to make cool-headed, efficient decisions no matter the situation. Thus, even now, the smart move would be to choose an easy difficulty.
"…Fine, you want to play it like this?"
Yet, his finger was already pressing number 7.
You have selected the 'Overwhelmingly Difficult' difficulty.
In that instant—the entire space trembled. From afar, a massive iron gate slowly opened with a long, agonizing creeeeeak. A sudden stench of rot filled the air, and a suffocating pressure born of primal fear seeped into the room. Then, a horrific shriek echoed from the darkness.
"KIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"
The entity finally revealed itself. A monster over a hundred meters long. A twisted rabbit's face fused onto the body of a centipede. Dozens of massive insect wings sprouted from its back. And finally, its hundreds of legs were made of even smaller 'centipedes'... A hybrid that looked like hell itself had been reconstructed. A bizarre creature that no one could have ever imagined.
Park Doyun stared at it and muttered under his breath.
"What the hell... that thing's design is seriously crossing the line..."
Barely regaining his composure, Park Doyun quietly closed his eyes. He checked his dozens of active buffs, his hidden skills, the weapons he had saved up until now, and his ultimate trump card. With this, it was possible. It was time to show the true power of the 35th-ranked climber. More meticulously than anyone else, with skills flashier than anyone else—
He was utterly defeated.