Chapter 32: Nightmare Floor 3 (4)

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The sensation of falling vanished, and my body was transported to the Reward Room. My injuries began to heal instantly. Twisted ribs snapped back into place on their own, flesh mended, and bloodstains evaporated. I had lost consciousness on the 1st Floor and missed this, but so this is how it works. The pain that felt like my entire body was shattering vanished into thin air.

“Haaah…”

Finally, I could breathe. Once I confirmed I was fully healed, I didn’t bother standing up; I just sprawled out on the floor.

“…Mission complete.”

I muttered to myself and let out a small chuckle. I lived. I somehow survived once again.

Another message appeared. When I cleared the 2nd Floor, a new rule had popped up, so I wondered if the same would happen now. However, other than the notice about new personnel being added, no further messages appeared. It seems not every floor adds a rule… maybe it’s every other floor? I stopped overthinking it and pushed myself up.

“I really thought I was going to die this time…”

The 1st and 2nd Floors were tough, but this 3rd Floor was truly hellish. I mean, seriously, throwing a Boss like that at me? A bundle of Undead the size of a house moving more nimbly than I do.

If my hunch was right and I had gone underground earlier to activate the Sun emblem, a much weaker boss likely would have appeared. Regardless, clearing this on the first try without any prior information was practically impossible.

How did I actually pull it off? It was all thanks to Diul. I looked up at Diul floating above my head.

“You’re the best, Diul.”

He hid me from the Undead and then hid me from Fligas. Diul was responsible for over 70% of this clear. Feeling a surge of affection, I tried to pet him, but he aloofly dodged my hand and bobbed around. What a tsundere—he acted like he didn’t care, but he opened up a new ability for me when things got dangerous.

“But wait… did you get a bit bigger?”

I tilted my head, examining Diul. He used to be about the size of a baseball, but he felt larger now. His shape, which used to be a perfect sphere, now had edges that flickered slightly.

‘Is he evolving or something?’

I wondered if this was a change that accompanied the unlocking of a new ability. Above all, our mental connection felt significantly stronger.

“Alright, go get some rest. You worked hard.”

Feeling Diul’s fatigue, I sent him back into the bracelet. Then, I suddenly checked my necklace.

‘Anyway, about this…’

The message said the contract was voided. Since the necklace wasn’t destroyed, I basically got to use it once for free without any Penalty. Fligas… if I win, I can use a Monster like that as a familiar? Having seen exactly how strong it was, I decided to save that challenge for a later date.

I stood up. My body overflowed with strength as if my near-death state from moments ago was a lie. My physical form had grown even more powerful after jumping another 10 levels.

Pow! Bam!

I threw a few experimental jabs into the air before checking the rest of the rewards. There was a Skill Stone and a Skill Enhancement Stone.

A Rare+ grade appeared. On the 1st and 2nd Floors, rewards were Rare grade unless it was a hidden clear. It seems the grades have gone up now that I’ve reached the 3rd Floor.

“A recovery skill?”

Reading the description, it seemed to be a healing move. Consuming all willpower to boost regeneration—I’d never seen a skill with a mechanism that drains everything like that. I didn’t have any recovery skills, so it was obviously good to have, but… a 24-hour cooldown?

‘I wonder if the effect is worth it.’

Between the long cooldown and the total willpower drain, it felt like a “once-per-day” emergency button to survive a fatal wound. It wasn’t bad. Plus, even if I used all my willpower, I could refill it immediately anyway. I wanted to test the effectiveness, but I couldn’t exactly go around self-harming for a trial run. Well, I’ll use it the next time I’m about to die.

Next was the Skill Enhancement Stone. This one was Rare grade. I considered dumping it into Flame Strike, which was already at +2, but I decided to hold onto it for now. And finally, the Top-Grade Magic Stone… I tossed it into a corner.

—

Checking my status window, my willpower had increased from 600 to 1,000. For reference, willpower increases by 10 more for every 10-level bracket. Levels 1–10 gain 10 per level, 11–20 gain 20, and so on.

After organizing my rewards, I checked the Nightmare time limit.

“I guess I’ve earned another year.”

If there was one single advantage to the Tower’s time limit, it was that it made you live every day with a grateful heart. The disadvantages included literally everything else. I had somehow managed to succeed again. I felt overwhelmed thinking about what the 4th Floor would be like, and how much longer I could hold out.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

‘What happens if I reach the top of the Tower?’

Does the time limit disappear? Or is the scheduled destruction inevitable even if I reach the end? Since the total number of floors hasn’t been revealed yet, there was no way to know.

I brushed aside the gloomy thoughts of the future and exited the Tower. I’ve suffered enough… it’s time to rest.

***

Since the Day of Upheaval in 2025, a massive annual event had essentially established itself on Earth. Will humanity end this year, or won’t it?

In the current year of 2028, there was a difference from the previous two years. The person who was the first to clear both Nightmare Floor 1 and Nightmare 2nd Floor—the climber known as Person123—had officially declared his attempt at the Nightmare Difficulty. He even announced exactly when he would challenge it.

Just as he predicted, the Nightmare Difficulty time limit had exactly 20 days remaining. October 23rd.

Some were anxious, some were desperate, and some were paralyzed with fear. Everyone from ordinary civilians to Climbers across the globe was waiting for the result that would determine the fate of the world.

“I’m curious if your opinion remains unchanged from last year, Mr. Arlo.”

On the podcast The Jude Noise, a guest who had appeared around this time last year was invited back. He was Arlo, an influencer and “doomer” (apocalyptist).

Just before Nightmare 2nd Floor was cleared last year, Arlo had ranted bitterly on air that there would be no more miracles. The moment Nightmare was cleared in real-time during his broadcast became a massive sensation and a source of ridicule on social media.

This time, the broadcast was being held on a specially large stage like a live talk show. The host, Jude, and the guest, Arlo, sat facing each other. On a giant screen behind them, the remaining time for the Nightmare Difficulty was ticking down: [20 days, 15 minutes, 56 seconds].

“Will Person123 be able to clear Nightmare Floor 3? What are your thoughts?”

“Phew, you seem dying to turn me into a laughingstock again, Jude.”

“Haha, not at all. I simply want to hear your honest thoughts, Arlo. So do the viewers.”

In response to Jude’s question, Arlo’s stance seemed unchanged.

“Of course, I pray more fervently than anyone for the 3rd Floor to be cleared. However, I simply believe it is right to separate vague hope from reality.”

“I see. And what is that reality?”

“As I always say, the probability of it not being cleared is much higher.”

Arlo crossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees.

“Suppose you roll a die twice and get a six both times. Jude, how much of your fortune would you be willing to bet that the next number will also be a six?”

“Well, I wouldn’t even want to bet a single dollar.”

“That’s the rational response. The Nightmare Difficulty isn’t even a normal die; it’s no different from a die with sixty sides. Just because the number 60 came up twice by miraculous chance, I do not wish to harbor expectations that it will come up a third time.”

Jude nodded with a smile.

“So your thoughts remain the same. But Arlo, isn’t Person123 an extraordinary individual who cleared both the 1st and 2nd Floors alone? Expecting him to have the ability to continue climbing the Nightmare—could that really be called just ‘vague hope’?”

“Doing it twice can easily be a coincidence. But more importantly, the real problem lies elsewhere. Aside from Person123, the other Nightmare Conquerors are still struggling just to keep up with him. Even though every single piece of clear information is being made public!”

Arlo shook his head.

“Of course, I don’t mean to disparage those heroes who are dedicating themselves to humanity. The Nightmare Difficulty is horrific. It is so absurd that one wonders if it was truly meant to be cleared. You can practically feel the malice behind it.

How on earth is Person123 clearing things like that? In the end, he is just a human like the rest of us. We might be placing too heavy a burden on a single person who is likely already pushed to his limit.

Ultimately, that’s how it is. Earth has long since become a sandcastle that could crumble at any moment. What is the point of trying to hold out while hoping the next wave is a little weaker? If one big wave comes, humanity is finished. I simply hope you all accept that the end could arrive in the near future—perhaps even today—and live your lives without regrets…”

At that moment, a staff member came running onto the set in a panic. Arlo, who was speaking, flinched at the sight and whispered to himself.

“…I’m getting a strange sense of déjà vu here.”

“We just received word that the 3rd Floor has been cleared!”

Waaaaaaaah!

Nightmare Floor 3 was cleared. News media outlets across the world broke the story simultaneously.

Cheers erupted in the streets, and some cities turned into full-blown festivals. People drinking in bars clinked glasses, families quietly embraced one another, and commuters felt a wave of relief as they checked the results on their way home.

And then there were others…

“He has brought us salvation once again.”

A space resembling a cathedral. People gathered in a solemn atmosphere.

“Behold. After firmly declaring he would protect the world against that wicked Tower, he has not broken his promise!”

“Ahhh…”

“Do not dare to doubt any longer. Simply believe. If you do, he will grant us another year of time. It is plain as day that he is the angel and messenger of God who will save humanity.”

“Person123! Person123!”

At the man’s words on the podium, people cheered or bowed their heads in prayer. Some even shed tears. Everyone rejoiced and felt relieved in their own way. The world was granted a one-year reprieve.

***

“I’m back.”

“Oh, Seohyun, you’re home? Did you have a good time?”

I smiled as I changed my shoes at the entrance.

“Yes… I had a very good time.”

If I have a “good time” twice more like that, I’m actually going to die.