Chapter 11: Latecomers (2)
Interest and rumors surrounding the Nightmare Conqueror were always rampant in the community, including the Climbers’ Communication Window.
People wondered what his level might be, what rewards he received for the 1st floor, and what grade of Magic Stones would drop in Nightmare Difficulty. There were claims that the Nightmare strategy teams being formed by various countries were receiving consulting from him, that he was actually a woman, or that a specific person from a certain place was the true Nightmare Conqueror…
In the midst of this, some even analyzed every single word he wrote, determined to find out his nationality. While the Tower’s communication window translates all languages to suit the user, every country has its own unique nuances and proper nouns. They believed that if they could find those points that translation couldn’t hide, they could discover his nationality; some even claimed they had already figured it out. Every country under the sun was mentioned, but the truth remained a mystery.
Only one thing was now considered an established fact: he was an Unregistered Climber who refused to reveal his identity.
The only way to confirm his survival was the (1) indicator still floating in the Nightmare Communication Window.
Then one day, when that number suddenly changed to 2, people’s attention shifted to the long-awaited second Nightmare Conqueror. It was exactly 92 days after the initial clearance of Nightmare Floor 1.
The identity was the USA. Although the conqueror’s personal information was not disclosed, the US government did not deny the fact that a clearance had occurred. And as if that were the opening shot, subsequent conquerors continued to appear.
With one month left on the Nightmare time limit, there were now six conquerors of Nightmare Floor 1. No—perhaps “as many as” isn’t the right phrase. Out of over ten thousand people who had disappeared into Nightmare Difficulty over the past year, there were only six. They were survivors from hell who had broken through a 0.05% survival rate. Two from the USA, one from China, one from India, and the last was presumed to be Russian.
—
Time continued to flow. Someone had to challenge the 2nd floor.
***
Kieeeeek!
A Knight Goblin lunged at me. After dodging its mace, I struck the Knight Goblin’s torso with my fist.
Thud!
The armor dented slightly as the creature was pushed back. Coughing as if in pain, it grew more agitated and began to swing wildly.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
I deliberately refrained from counterattacking and dodged the mace here and there. After rampaging for a long while, the Knight Goblin, exhausted before I was, gasped for breath.
“Tired already?”
This wouldn’t even work as proper sparring anymore. At Level 15, I had long been able to overwhelm a Knight Goblin even with my bare hands. Deciding it was time to end it, I cast Flame Strike. Two fireballs rose into the air and flew in different directions. One incinerated the Knight Goblin, and the other blew apart a Crossbow Goblin that was just about to pop out.
When I performed repeated clears, a Magic Stone appeared about once every ten tries. Because of this, Top-Grade Magic Stones were scattered all over my Reward Room. They were all stones that had appeared as rewards until now. After realizing they stayed there even if I didn’t take them back to reality, I just kept them piled up here.
“Exit.”
I returned to my room. As soon as I arrived, the door swung open.
“…Dammit, you scared me!”
“Why are you so surprised?”
It was my younger sibling. I calmed my racing heart.
“Why are you home so early? What about school?”
“I had a headache, so I left early.”
“Don’t you know how to knock? You want to die?”
“Whatever. Like you ever did that.”
Should I kill them? My sibling looked me up and down with a suspicious gaze.
“Why are you wearing shoes in your room? Are you crazy?”
“Mind your own business. So, what is it?”
“Mom said we should order lunch. I want fried chicken.”
“…If you’re thinking about eating chicken, you’re not even sick. Why did you really leave early?”
I waved my hand dismissively. “Fine. Order whatever and get out of my sight.”
They scowled and left. Whew, that gave me a heart attack. This was why I could never let my guard down. I always timed my entries and exits to the Tower for dawn when my family was asleep or when the house was empty. Entering the Tower from outside the house was naturally unsettling. Though when I first entered, I wasn’t in a situation where I could afford to be picky.
— The time limit for Nightmare Difficulty has dropped below the 30-day mark. While there are currently six individuals who have cleared Nightmare Floor 1…
I watched TV while eating chicken in the living room. Just in time, news that ruined my appetite came on. My sibling picked at the chicken in silence and soon retreated to their room. I turned off the TV and finished the rest of the chicken.
“…I wonder who will challenge it?”
If they do, I really hope they succeed. As the Nightmare time limit decreased, my own inner turmoil deepened. Over the past year, the number of Nightmare conquerors had grown to six, including myself. That was a good thing, but the real problem was now right in front of us.
The 2nd floor. What if, just like the 1st floor, no one succeeds again? I still hadn’t made up my mind. If I had to do it, I wasn’t sure when that should be. Should I wait until I see everyone else die before entering at the very last moment?
Only one month left on the Nightmare clock. During that time, I believe I’ve made my own preparations. I cleared the floor repeatedly to maintain my senses. I raised my skill proficiency by using Flame Strike and Teleport frequently. I looked up information on the 2nd floor and devised my own tailored training.
Yes, I did all that, but… entering a new floor was still terrifying. You’d have to be insane not to be afraid. Just because you’ve risked your life once doesn’t make risking it a second time any easier. To be honest, I still wanted to place my hopes on others.
Returning to my room, I lay on my bed. I turned on the communication window and lurked as usual. Then I checked the Nightmare Communication Window…
“Huh?”
Originally, there was nothing in the Nightmare Communication Window except for the info posts I had written a long time ago. No one had ever initiated a conversation because there wasn’t much to say to each other. But now, a conversation had been posted.
“What is this?”
The person claiming to be the second conqueror was talking to me. It felt somewhat provocative, but I wasn’t particularly offended. After all, what this person was saying was exactly what I was hoping for. Usually, I ignored everything like this, but since this was someone about to challenge the 2nd floor, I felt it was only polite to offer a word of encouragement. I typed a reply.
Please succeed. I don’t want to challenge the 2nd floor either.
***
The Nightmare Communication Window was famously known as a room of silence. Even though the population had grown from one to six, no one ever talked. Naturally, when a conversation suddenly appeared one day, the public’s attention was focused.
The second conqueror mentioned the first. And in a rather provocative manner. People anticipated the first conqueror’s reaction.
But the conversation ended anticlimactically right there.
Inside a Training Facility of the US Climbing Administration, Max, who was visiting for the first time in a while, greeted the managers and looked around at the numerous structures spread out around him. High-towering pillars and oddly shaped drones floating in the air. This facility, which had been used as a training center for the Hard difficulty 2nd floor, had been specially modified.
There were a man and a woman jumping through the air, using the pillars and drones as footholds. As Max watched them, a manager spoke.
“Compared to Hard difficulty, we’ve more than doubled the distance between footholds and reduced the surface area of the footholds to less than 50%.”
“I see. Are those drones meant to simulate moving platforms?”
“Yes, we added them recently. Nightmare is unpredictable, after all.”
This place was a facility solely for the conquest of Nightmare 2nd floor. Max was still doing his best to foster 1st floor conquerors, and the two who had already passed the 1st floor were here preparing for the next trial.
A long while later, the man came down from the facility, wiping away sweat as he approached Max.
“What brings a busy man like you here?”
“How are you feeling lately, Jack?”
He was the second conqueror of Nightmare Floor 1. A legend of Delta Force and the individual Max had the highest expectations for from the beginning.
“Always at my best. To the point where I wouldn’t mind entering the 2nd floor right this second.”
“That’s good to hear. But I see you wrote something in the communication window.”
Jack tossed the towel he used to wipe his sweat. “Is that why you came?”
“He is someone who has helped us a lot. Was it necessary to provoke him?”
Max knew Jack’s competitive nature well. He was someone who always craved to be the best, and thus he was aiming for the first clearance of the 2nd floor.
“It wasn’t really a provocation. I just said what I wanted to say.”
“That’s exactly what a provocation is, Jack.”
Taylor approached them as well. She was the fifth conqueror of Nightmare Floor 1. Max exchanged a brief nod with her.
The ratio of male to female Climbers is overwhelmingly tilted toward men. While gender becomes meaningless as levels rise, the 1st floor of the Tower is strictly the realm of ordinary humans. Since those who haven’t gained any abilities yet must pass using only their own capabilities, it was natural that differences in innate physical strength played a large role. Thus, even Max never imagined a Nightmare conqueror would emerge among women. Of course, Taylor was no ordinary person either. She was from the military and was originally an operative for CIA SAC.
“That person is a collaborator. Not someone to waste unnecessary competitiveness on,” Taylor said.
Jack retorted, “Competitiveness is the driving force that moves humanity forward. A catalyst that allows one to transcend limits. Ah, is that something you can’t empathize with?”
“It’s a story that doesn’t fit the situation. Don’t you think your petty words could sour our relationship with a key figure?”
Jack smirked. “He’s not the type to get worked up over something so trivial. He even wished me success; didn’t you see?”
The first Nightmare Conqueror, Person123. Although the number of Nightmare conquerors had increased, the achievement of being the first was still peerless. That was why Jack wanted to prove it—that he was superior. Jack believed that if he had been among the 1st Climbers, he would have cleared Nightmare Floor 1 without any information as well. This was a conclusion he reached after experiencing the 1st floor himself, and he possessed the skill to prevent such a claim from being dismissed as mere arrogance.
His provocative words in the communication window were meant as a light greeting. He wanted to draw a reaction from the person who had never replied once unless it was related to the 1st floor strategy. Jack was satisfied enough that he had received a response instead of being ignored.
Max shook his head and spoke. “Anyway, make sure you manage your condition well. Approval will be granted for the date you requested. I came to tell you that.”
“Is that so? Good.”
“Will you really be okay? Even if you wait a bit longer to enter…”
“My preparations were finished long ago. In the end, you won’t know until you go in yourself.”
Someone had to go in first eventually, but no one specifically wanted Jack to volunteer for it. The higher-ups suggested waiting a bit longer, but Jack’s will was firm.
“I will conquer the 2nd floor. As desired, I will establish this country as the front runner of Nightmare Difficulty.”
Time passed, and D-day arrived.
At a private gathering within the Climbing Administration headquarters, Jack performed a final check of his status while others watched.
It was a status window list that didn’t look like someone who had only cleared the 1st floor. The 2nd floor was a different situation compared to the 1st. A Climber who had awakened their status window could receive any amount of skill and item support, and Jack had effectively received every possible investment. Numerous Skill Stones and Skill Enhancement Stones, plus an item that increased Willpower by 50.
In particular, Feather Walk, a rare passive skill that lightened the body, and the Leap skill, which momentarily amplified jumping power, were skills the state had procured at all costs, considering the theme of the 2nd floor. It was a case of investing all resources into the one deemed to have higher potential between the two Nightmare Floor 1 conquerors the US possessed. It could be said to be a better choice than dividing them half-heartedly. Now, it was time to see the results.
“Good luck, Sergeant Jack Davis.”
After receiving a final salute, Jack returned the salute and stared into the air.
Soon, Jack vanished. People maintained a tense silence. About a minute passed. Taylor, who was checking the communication window, turned pale and let out a gasp.
“Ah…”
Seeing her, Max asked in confusion, “Taylor? Are you okay?”
He soon sensed an ill omen and checked the communication window himself. And like her, his face could only turn hollow.
The Nightmare population had decreased by one.