Climber Gallery

Title: So this “Anonymous” bastard is definitely gonna crash and burn soon, right?

Author: Dokbo

ㄴ His Floor 10 score was 4,578, but it dropped to 1,615 on Floor 11?

ㄴ Have you ever seen a "washed-up failure" scoring 1,615?

ㄴ Even that drop is still twice as much as the previous first-place record, Union Leader.

ㄴ Dokbo This guy was never “peerless” in anything. Live up to your name, buddy.

ㄴ Fist King: There was probably a reason for that crazy Floor 10 score. His Floor 11 was just back to normal.

ㄴ Dual Blades Are Romantic: I’m telling you, every score that Anonymous puts up is bugged. 4,578?! That’s not a score, it’s a tax return. How are people so gullible?

ㄴ Life Analyst: If it were really a bug, you think nothing would’ve been done about it, you idiot?

ㄴ Alderaamin: Washed-up implies he peaked. When exactly did you ever place in the top, Dokbo? Meanwhile, Anonymous is literally at the top. Do you see that number? One! 1!!

ㄴ Dokbo: Why are you suddenly worshipping this Anonymous bastard? I can’t accept glorifying him as a martial artist.

ㄴ Alderaamin: Open your eyes. This guy is the future. Look—Union Leader’s still stuck, can’t move past Floor 11.

ㄴ Agreed.

ㄴ “Anonymous: Is He a God? A Savior Who Descended One Day” – Now recruiting guild members!

ㄴANONYMOUS! ANONYYYMOUSSS!!!

ㄴBoiledPainIsDefault: Only a Normal-mode scrub would come up with such a garbage guild name.

ㄴ Why are you worshipping a guy you know nothing about? Use your brain for once.

ㄴ Life Analyst: I’m not even criticizing anymore. I just don’t want this guy seeing me as an enemy when he reaches Floor 30 and gets access to the Climber Gallery.

ㄴ Alderaamin: BTW, where’s Narchang?

ㄴ Black Hand: Still training.

ㄴ Alderaamin: TrAaAaAiNiNg lmao. Guess he really can’t stand losing.

***

I spent four days in the Floor 12 stairwell waiting room.

On May 1st, I opened the gate to the Floor 12 stage and entered.

Even Floor 12 didn’t take as long as expected.

Just two days.

The dungeon monsters were Lizardmen.

Lizardmen who charged with spears glowing with aura—pretty damn threatening.

They moved in packs, which made it worse.

Overall, they were more of a pain than the Minotaurs on Floor 11. Still, I cleared the stage by killing the Lizardman King.

Another dungeon stage. I lifted the Constellation block again.

Got two items from the Constellations: a new spear, and a suit of armor.

Arrived at the Floor 13 stairwell waiting room.

Spent five days training.

On May 8th, I waited for the cooldown to reset on the dimensional trade I used back on Floor 10.

That was the final prep for entering Floor 13.

I opened my status window.

Player Status

Name: Han Yuseong

Race: Human

Level: 48

Strength: 322

Agility: 324

Stamina: 326

Mana: 287

Skills:

Pain Suppression Lv.13

Composure Lv.12

Concealment Lv.10

Crisis Detection Lv.10

Vision Expansion Lv.13

Concentration Boost Lv.13

Fighter’s Movement Lv.12

Body Reinforcement (Mana) Lv.14

Doombringer Lv.10

Mental Barrier Lv.12

Trajectory Reading Lv.10

Dark Element Resistance Lv.7

Thanks to the elixirs I extorted from the Constellations, my stats were slightly higher than what a normal level-up would yield.

According to the seniors in the Transcendent Gallery, skill levels cap at 20.

After that, effects continue to improve, but levels aren’t displayed anymore.

I took out the Transcendent Gallery terminal.

Title: I’m going in. No reason to stall any longer just because it’s Floor 13.

Author: ㅇㅇ*

ㄴ I’ll finish it before the next Exchange Meeting at the latest.

ㄴ Whoa, climber, don’t use ominous crap like “finish” that can have, you know, layered meanings.

ㄴ LMAO that word is violently ambiguous lol

ㄴ 😢😢😢😢

ㄴ Hoeeeek, I’m getting chills! I'm scared~

ㄴ Come back alive.

ㄴ Sword of Light: Scope the situation fast and report any red flags.

ㄴ Archmage: Yep. Just like with the golem on Floor 4—ask questions fast if anything looks weird.

ㄴ Elf Guy: Good luck.

ㄴ Gutter Swordsman: Do what you always do.

ㄴ Saying “don’t die” in the most roundabout way possible, huh? Shy much?

ㄴ Not even kidding—might be worth writing a will before you go in.

ㄴ Heavenly Demon: GO!!!!!!!

ㄴ Shrine Maiden: Hawawa~ Don’t goooo! Now I’m even more worried~!

ㄴ Admin: Good luck.

ㄴ Spear King: I wish you fortune in battle.

ㄴ Ice Queen: Frozen! Fight...ing!

ㄴ YouMustBeFamous: Doesn’t seem like someone who’ll die here.

ㄴ Saint: I shall pray for the Climber...

Even the rarely-seen folks were chiming in now.

ㄴ Room Conspiracy Theorist: Hmph. Might be nothing special?

ㄴ Absolute Monarch: Win.

ㄴ Dragon King: Beltui~ Return safe!

ㄴ Suwang: My friend!! You're the pride of the Myo Tribe!!

ㄴ Wait, since when?

ㄴ Pioneer: Maybe it got a little too intense just because I mentioned Ban died on Floor 13.

ㄴ Pioneer: Just... don’t die.

I put the terminal away.

Step.

I stood in front of the Floor 13 gate.

Creeeak—

I slowly pushed the door open.

And the moment I stepped through—

FWOOSH!

The scenery changed completely.

Shhhhhhhh...

Sand and dust blew over the ridge.

Dunes.

I knew instantly where I was.

A desert.

In front of me, a war was raging.

A literal war.

Pale-skinned humanoids were locked in combat with another type of monster—creatures spewing black haze and flame.

“Raise the torches!”

Looking closer, the pale skin aside, their appearances weren’t much different from humans.

“For the planet Halo! Lay down your lives!”

“Repel the Dranas invasion! For Halo!”

[NPC – Silane Warrior Rienhar]

[NPC – Silane Warrior Kairel]

[NPC – Silane Warrior Eirilla]

I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the Silane race.

Because they were literally dying for this.

Right in front, Kairel and Eirilla were engulfed in black flames.

A crystal-clear death.

And yet, their comrades drew swords and spears like nothing had happened.

“Eliminate all Dranas—the enemies of Halo!”

Their weapons gleamed gold.

They charged toward the black creatures blanketing the desert.

Calling them fearless didn’t even cut it.

It was like fear didn’t exist for them at all.

Footsteps behind me.

Someone came up alongside me.

“You’re a Rippleborn! If you’ve come to assist, get to the front line at once!”

[NPC – Silane Warrior Turiana]

“Rippleborn?”

“That’s what we call foreigners like you who appear by causing ripples on the ground—Rippleborn!”

It seemed to be what they called “players.”

Turiana stood in front of me after saying that.

“Ah! The enemy’s finally retreating!”

RUMBLE...

The Silane warriors watched as the black monsters—called Dranas—pulled back into the haze and vanished.

“Follow me, Rippleborn. Tonight, we’ll hold a welcome at the council hall, Sor Nair. You must be prepared for war.”

“Alright.”

“My name is Turiana. Warrior of the Silane race.”

Her golden eyes shone all the brighter against her pale skin.

“What’s your name, Rippleborn?”

“Yuseong.”

“A pleasure, Yuseong.”

She extended a snow-white hand.

I took it.

She gave my hand an enthusiastic shake.

Then I spoke again.

“Can I ask something?”

“Of course.”

“Those black monsters that retreated... when your warriors charged them, they didn’t hesitate at all. Why?”

Turiana blinked.

Genuinely curious, like she’d never considered the question.

“Silane have no emotions like fear or sorrow.”

“...What?”

Seeing my expression, she added clarification.

“Our ancestral texts say that long ago, we Silane did have fear. But after countless years of war with the Dranas, it gradually faded. Now, no living Silane possesses fear.”

No fear, huh.

Well, if fear is gone, then sorrow would have to go with it too.

“Mount up.”

She pointed to an animal that resembled a camel.

[NPC – Rehar]

“Rehar. Our traveling companion.”

Snort.

I mounted its grey-scaled back.

“Oh, nice balance.”

Turiana smiled as she watched me.

Compared to last time I rode a mount, controlling this one was much easier.

Though it felt like Rehar was accommodating me more than the horse ever did.

Its horns, curled upward like a musk ox’s, caught my attention.

I tugged gently on the reins.

Rehar started moving.

I rode alongside Turiana.

“We’re here. That’s Sor Nair, the council hall. Used to /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ be a lake, but it evaporated long ago.”

Turiana approached a fellow Silane writing something down.

[NPC – Silane Tactician Maden]

“Maden.”

“Yes?”

“How many casualties today?”

“Five so far. Still confirming.”

Neither of them showed any emotional reaction.

It really seemed like they had no concept of sorrow.

What a bleak, hopeless world this was.

“Is this the Rippleborn?”

Maden looked at me.

“Yep!”

Answered Turiana, not me.

“There are two Rippleborn.”

...Two?

The tent flaps of the nearby barracks lifted.

A silver-haired woman stepped out.

She saw me—and her eyes went wide.

“What the hell?”

She kept speaking.

I was too stunned to answer.

“There’s another climber in Pandemonium besides me?”

[??? – Player: Ban Iner]

Ban. Pandemonium. Floor 13.

The Pioneer’s words about Floor 13 came flooding back.

— Pioneer: Ban. That was their name.

— Pioneer: Ban Iner.

— Pioneer: The first and last Pandemonium climber I ever saw.

Said she’d helped him during the Exchange Meeting.

That she died on Floor 13—her name turning gray.

A Pandemonium climber who should not be standing in front of me.

“You’re... not happy to see me?”

She smiled.

Brightly, innocently.