“Oops.”
The Crusader grimaced in annoyance.
“I guess the attention’s on us cause of me. Sorry, Kim Gong-ja. I’ll be off for the 11th floor.”
“…Wait. Did you approach me to do this?”
I became reasonably suspicious.
And the Crusader looked a bit guilty.
“Haha. It’s because I have the ability to read people.”
The ability to read people?
Did she mean she was confident in guessing what someone was thinking?
She mischievously scratched the back of her head.
“I spoke with you because I wanted to know what kind of person you were. Think of it as a show of my interest.”
“So what kind of person do you think I am?”
“Mm. Well, I’ll say the answers in your heart. Transmit!”
Goodness.
She’s obviously running away.
Eventually Crusader left, leaving me to the crowd.
-Whew. See, I’m right, huh? My greatness is never wrong!
‘Shit. It’s noisy.’
People crowded more around me when the Crusader left. I was surrounded by individual broadcasters and reporters.
“Kim Gong-ja hunter-nim! Please say something!”
“Is it true that you cleared the 10th floor boss yourself! People are saying this is a scenario you planned to apply at the same time to all the large guilds!”
“There was an official announcement that you were E Class! Many people are very curious if this is true. Can you just confirm…”
“What kind of relationship are you in with the Crusader of the Civil Militia! You looked really close, are you deeply involved personally?”
“Kim Gong-ja hunter-nim!”
Wow.
‘Is this the [Unending Request for Shaking Hands] that only the successful hunters get…’
Being on the receiving end, I realized why Flame Emperor had been so annoyed with the reporters.
I wondered how I should react and decided to say just one word.
“I’ll clear the 20th floor as well.”
“Excuse me?”
“Then, work hard everyone. Transmit.”
Whoosh!
White light came from under me.
“Ah, w, wait! King Gong-ja hunter-nim.”
“No! Get him!”
“Just a few more-”
Sorry.
I think the mysterious concept is the best.
[Climbers of the tower.]
And before the light completely covered me.
The goddess’s voice spoke for the last time to the square.
[May luck be with you.]
The light around me faded away. I could start seeing in front of me.
What came into my sight first was…a large battlefield.
-Krrrrk!
-Chiik! chik!
Monster. Fearsome monsters were running towards me from the horizon. Goblin. Orcs. Ogres. The different species that I saw from the 10th floor in the tutorial were running at me as one.
They looked like a horde of ants.
“Stop them!”
“I, It’s impossible! There’s too many!”
“Don’t step back! If we’re pushed back, our empire is over!”
There was only…1 line to block the horde.
Was this from the Middle Ages? The soldiers wearing armor were trying to somehow close the port. The human soldiers tried to put the deep lake behind them.
“What is this?”
“What in the world is happening…?”
“Whoa! E, Everyone, be careful of the arrows! They’re flying around everywhere!”
Hunters summoned to the battlefield were looking around in confusion.
It wasn’t weird for them to be so dumbfounded. Since they had only experienced safely prepared hunting grounds so far.
But this was common from the 10th floor.
‘Like they said, the tutorial’s over.’
A battlefield where you didn’t know when you would die.
A fighting ring where you had to risk your life with every floor.
“Ohoh!”
Someone approached the flustered hunters. He was wearing quite fancy armor, like he wasn’t just a soldier. The general shouted out to us.
“Thank you! You’ve come to help our empire, warriors!”
The hunters murmured.
“Warriors? What does he mean.”
“Stupid. Didn’t you hear what the angel said in the square? They’re receiving the attack of the Devil King. We’re the warriors.”
“We can’t hear in the back!”
“Whoa, is this real?”
“Are those soldiers real humans or NPC…”
“Can you be quiet over there!”
People kept on arriving even while the hunters were speaking to each other. People came on top of each other and pushed others. It was pandemonium.
“Warriors! Please help our empire!”
Fortunately, a few skilled people including me knew how to use their Aura to strengthen their sight and hearing. While a few non-skilled people were just staring blankly ahead, a few hunters listened to what the general NPC was saying.
“This port is the last defense of our empire. For the empire’s capital to continue being supported, we need to defend this place. Warriors from another world! Please protect Aegim Empire with us!”
Then, a voice rang in my head.
[The quest of the 11th floor is being given.]
Messages popped up in front of my eyes.
+
[Supply Route Defense]
Difficulty: F~A
Mission task: Calamity has struck the Aegim Empire. The Devil King. A being only seen in legends has forced an army. The Devil King is cunning, evil, and strong. He wishes to block the Aegim Empire’s supply route.
Defend the port!
This fight will become the first step in saving the empire.
※However, loss in the battle will result in the 12th floor being closed.
+
“Quest…?”
“See. The Devil King did appear.”
“Where even is the Aegim Empire.”
The confused hunters began to realize the situation. Some hunters wordlessly pulled out their weapons, and others formed teams.
And some hunters aimed at the goblins.
“I wonder.”
Sword Saint at the front muttered to himself.
Blood was creating a lake where he was. About 6 monsters fell to the ground headless.
“-I don’t know the exact situation. But you’re saying we should knock them down first.”
And he jumped into battle.
Hunters behind him who were frozen all shouted after seeing him.
“Wooooo!”
“Nice! Let’s follow the Sword Saint!”
“Fucking goblin bastards! For the past 6 years, I cut off thousands of your necks!”
Thousands of hunters jumped into battle with their weapons, and thousands of hunters followed them. The defending forces suddenly grew in number.
And when the battle was turning into a mess.
“Okay.”
I was smiling in the back.
Because I heard a voice that others couldn’t.
[Welcome, hunter Kim Gong-ja.]
[The reward for clearing the 10th floor is being given.]
A voice that announced my bonus.
[Normal stage reward.]
[Blessing of the War God is being awarded!]
[You can view the map of the tower from the 11th floor to the 20th floor.]
A translucent map popped up in front of me. It was a mini map.
Red and blue spots dizzily twisted around each other and dominated the map. Looking closely, the red spots seemed like monsters, and the blue monsters seemed like the human forces.
-Tsk tsk…yup. I knew a cheat bonus would come out!
Bae Hu-ryeong complained with a frown.
-While others crawl around on the floor you’ll be looking down from the sky, is that it? Sigh. Yeah. Don’t think about building up your skills and use your head. This tower is really unfair when you think about it. The fed people continue eating and the ones well off keep…
But Bae Hu-ryeong’s boomer speech couldn’t go on.
[Hidden Stage Reward.]
[Blessing of the Human God is being awarded!]
[You can view all NPC’s names and locations from the 11th to the 20th floor.]
-…Huh?
Because that wasn’t the end of the bonus notifications.
[Hidden stage reward.]
[Blessing of the Merchant is being awarded!]
[You will receive a chosen item from the 11th floor to the 20th floor.]
Next to the mini map, lists popped up. One was a directory of all the NPC’s names and locations. The other was a directory with items and their effects.
“······.”
-······.
We were speechless.
“Kill them! Push them away!”
“Accck! The g, goblins are throwing spears!”
The hunters on the front line diligently fought. Orcs cried out and human soldiers spilled blood. In the middle of the noisy battlefield, Bae Hu-ryeong and I were silent.
The silence was soon broken.
“Ah. It’s a game to get skills…”
-What kinda crazy game of luck is this!
With opposing exclamations.
Theme.
The tower had different themes on floors.
Maybe ‘genre’ will help you understand better.
The 1st floor to the 10th floor was [Tutorial].
There was a hunting ground, and a city where you could rest however long you wanted. It was a step for beginners to get used to the tower.
And from the 11th floor to the 12th floor was a…
‘Devil King attack genre.’
Or a Devil King soldier genre.
Since it was protecting the human empire, even a defense genre could be applied as well.
‘It’s defeating the Devil King’s forces coming in hordes.’
Anyhow, from now, the level of fighting was different.
Monsters didn’t roam around by themselves like in the beginning hunting grounds. They formed groups. Legions. They made an army.
There were only 2 ways to attack a monster army.
‘Be a powerful one army strong enough to defeat the army by yourself or-’
I looked at the front lines.
Sword Saint was massacring the monsters with a blue Aura.
‘-fight with your own army.’
I smirked.
‘The path I pick this time will be the latter.’
SInce I got the bonus.
Wouldn’t it be a waste if I left this alone?
Of course, I didn’t have any talent leading an army. Since I never did it before. But all you had to do was build those talents up.
I was confident in making a new talent.
“Status window.”
It was to check my current status before I actually jumped into battle.
+
Name: Kim Gong-ja
Rank: E Class
Skill (5/5)
1. I Want to be Like You (S+)
2. Returner’s Clockwork Watch (EX)
3. Sword Constellation(A+)
4. Goblin High Society(F)
5. Night and Day Fire Caution(A)
+
Good.
A smile spread across my face.
“Excuse me, Sword Emperor. Did you just curse and say it was a game of luck?”
-Yeah, I cursed! You poop-like Zombie!
“I’ll show why it’s a game of skill.”
I opened the NPC directory first.
With the Blessing of the Human God, countless NPCs popped up.
+
[Enju] Position: Scouter / Location: 11th floor port city Kunkur
[Karia] Position: Ordinary Soldier / Location: 11th floor port city Kunkur
[Sorrt] Position: Farmer / Location: 13th floor baron’s field
[Lapa Casabella] Position: Government Official / Location: 14th floor building
ㆍ
ㆍ
ㆍ
+
It was a list of ten thousands, no, of hundred thousands.
It was a bundle of confusion.
But.
“Marking only NPCs on the 11th floor.”
Like it had understood me, the list moved by itself.
Other names disappeared and only names that were related to what I requested popped up.
+
[Enju] Position: Conscripted Soldier / Location: 11th floor port city Kunkur
[Karia] Position: Ordinary Soldier / Location: 11th floor port city Kunkur
[Cort] Position: Petty Officer / Location: 11th floor port city Kunkur
ㆍ
ㆍ
ㆍ
+
I spoke without rest.
“Order in the ones with the highest skills. Only the top 100.”
-Gasp.
Sound escaped from Bae Hu-ryeong’s mouth. He must’ve realized what I was trying to do already. If he had only been complaining earlier, he was really frantic now.
He quickly tried to convince me.
-Wait! Zombie! I don’t think this is it. Let’s slowly get stronger. Hm? Slowly train, build up skills, and learn sword techniques. How nice is that?
“It doesn’t matter if I do that later.”
-Eek! Even if you’re a weak ass guy, this is really not right! Aren’t you even embarrassed, doing that with the name of Gong-ja (Confucius)!
“Mm. Yes. I’m not embarrassed.”
Regardless of what he said, the list moved according to my words. Letters scattered midair and gathered again.
A new list appeared.
+
[Rohan Pansaba] Position: Pansaba Knightage Leader
[Sarbast Aegim] Position: Kunkur Offense Leader
[Jeshua Kamancha] Position: High Knight of Imperial Knightage
[Tomunde] Position: Highest Soldier of Defense
ㆍ
ㆍ
ㆍ
+
Alright. It was almost done.
I ignored Bae Hu-ryeong and shouted.
“Mark where the NPCs with the legion leading skills are! Only the top 3!”
-Aack! Aaaaack!”
Yes.
I didn’t have the talent to lead a legion.
But what was the problem with that?
I could take it from an NPC with the skill!
+
[Sarbast Aegim] Position: Kunkur Offense Leader
[Rohan Pansaba] Position: Pansaba Knightage Leader
[Sane Carmen] Position: Defense Legion Colonel
+
The directory of ten thousands decreased to 3.
I gave my final orders.
“Locate them on the map.”
-You scammer bastard!
With the [Blessing of the Human God] the names spread out. They changed into a green light, and entered the map with the [Blessing of the War God]. It was perfect. The NPCs with the skills to lead were on the map.
“Okay. Marking my current location!”
And finally, my location.
“Definitely a game of skill. Look. If people have the basics to apply things, you can make a good bonus into an extraordinary bonus. This is all because I use my head.”
-Funny. Use your head? You’re just using tricks!
“Hehe. Using tricks is also a talent.”
It was done. I didn’t have any reason to hesitate.
I quickly ran to find the NPC closest to me. Thankfully, they were nearby. The general who had greeted the hunters with ‘Warriors!’ It was that NPC who had the best leading skill.
“General Sarbast Aegim.”
“Mm? Ohoh. Warrior from another world. What’s the matter?”
The general looked at me from giving orders to his deputies. His mustache was cool. His skill would be cool too.
-Run away!
Bae Hu-ryeong cried out.
-Run away, you stupid NPC guy! This isn’t a warrior but a piece of scum! You’re gonna be leached off of everything!
Scum, he said.
He was completely proficient in speaking the language of our world now.
“Since you trust me as a warrior, I have something to request of you.”
“Go ahead! Thanks to you all, there seems to be hope. If it’s something I can do, I’ll gladly do it.”
“Please kill me.”