Chapter 145: Thunderous Rebuke (2)

After safely finishing the Contract with the Tower and coming back out,

I was lying on my bed, looking through the Communication Channel.

The Climbers were rejoicing over the Curse Immunity reward.

From now on, even if the Tower’s Time Limit ran out, Climbers would not die.

In a sense, it meant that even if the world was destroyed, at least some portion of humanity would survive...

But it definitely wasn’t entirely a good thing.

Not by a long shot.

At this point, I wasn’t expecting much anyway.

This didn’t even qualify as insurance.

As could be guessed from what existed on Floor 10, as long as the Tower—the fundamental cause behind all of this—continued to exist, there was still a high chance the world would end one way or another even if humanity itself survived.

And just as I had agonized over it before and ultimately chosen not to take this reward, it had tremendous potential to throw society into chaos.

It might cause an even greater conflict and divide between Climbers and ordinary people.

The climbing speed of the top-floor Climbers on the other difficulties might drop significantly as well.

“Phew.”

I had watched how Seri’s world was destroyed.

The higher people climbed the Tower, the more its malice surpassed anything imaginable.

And watching all of that had driven one thing home even more clearly.

If the Climbers became uncontrollable, my world would meet the same end.

Unless I became some kind of god, controlling millions of Climbers was impossible...

But at the very least, they needed a powerful warning.

A warning strong enough that no one would even dare try anything stupid from now on.

I began writing a post on the Communication Channel.

***

After the Joint Battle ended, and Person123 had spectacularly beaten back even the Tower’s offer,

the news media were busy flooding the world with reports.

The defeat of the Zone 6 through Zone 10 bosses was one thing, but Person123’s actions during the Joint Battle had also become the center of a major controversy.

– German Hard Difficulty Floor 16 Climber Robert Müller killed by Person123...

– Person123 lashes out at Climbers who chose Round 6? Inhumane conduct that gambled with the lives of 100 million people...

– German government has yet to issue an official statement regarding Robert Müller’s death...

[Challenge: I stayed until the very end of the Joint Battle, so I’m just gonna tell you the facts exactly as I saw them.

Person123 barged in halfway through Round 3. He started spamming what looked like Magic-type skills and wiped out all the monsters by himself, then summoned some tiger-looking monster and let it go wild too, and that thing was fucking strong. The monsters just got shredded. Things were already beyond what we could handle by Round 3, and if Person123 hadn’t stepped in, people wouldn’t have been dying by the hundreds like in Round 2. The deaths would’ve been completely insane.

So Person123 basically put on a one-man show all the way through Round 5, but Round 6 was the real highlight. Thousands of monsters came rushing in, and Person123 shot up into the sky and froze every single one of them with one skill; anyone who saw it knows I’m not exaggerating at all.

After he dealt with the monsters, Person123 was genuinely fucking furious. He started chewing the Climbers out for being selfish, then just killed Robert. Robert was the one who first started stirring people up to choose Round 6. He didn’t kill him with that black beam either. Flames erupted from the ground and Robert disappeared without leaving a trace. A Level 60 Climber just died like that... It gave me chills.

After seeing that, all the other Climbers bailed out. I left then too, so I don’t know what happened afterward, but judging by the posts going up, apparently nobody else died and Person123 told all the Climbers who stayed behind to get out too?

And for the record, I picked Round 1, so don’t give me shit. I didn’t leave because I felt guilty. You try being there yourself; Person123 looked like he’d completely lost it and was about to kill everyone.]

Person123’s rage.

And one of Germany’s top-floor Climbers dead because of it.

Naturally, most people sided with Person123 and said Robert had deserved it.

Because of the Climbers who chose Round 6, countless people had nearly died, and Person123 had even been forced to accept the Tower’s outrageous offer, nearly losing his ability to continue clearing Nightmare.

Among ordinary people in particular, Robert and the other Climbers who chose Round 6 had become traitors and were being cursed to hell and back...

But the mood on the Communication Channel, where the Climbers gathered, was not quite so unanimous.

Plenty of people were insulting them there too, of course, but there were also a few voices saying that perhaps Person123 had gone a little too far.

[Starlight: But honestly, did Robert really need to die...? During the Mask Auction and the Wang Kai incident, sure, you could say he had no choice but to kill people, but this time he just killed him because he was angry]

[Reinhardt: He has kind of become an existence above the law]

[Duke: Hmm... Still, didn’t they need an example?]

[Paprika: Person123 went too far? Are you fucking insane? Because of those bastards, he almost got locked out of Nightmare and the whole world almost got fucked]

[Mali: If Lord Person123 killed him, just assume there was a reason. If you’ve got a problem with it, spit out your Curse Immunity reward~]

[Seagull: frㅋㅋ just praise him and shut up. What, are you a German Climber?]

The headquarters of the International Climbers Association.

The Association President’s office on the top floor.

President Nicholas stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking down through the window with a smile on his face.

“Fantastic. Truly.”

He had no interest whatsoever in all the commotion currently sweeping the world.

There was only one thing on his mind.

The Curse Immunity granted to Climbers as the reward for the Joint Battle.

It was an utterly unexpected gift.

Since he was a Climber himself, naturally he was happy that he now had a way to survive even if the world ended...

But more than that, the thought of just how much greater the influence of the Association and the Climbers could become from now on made him smile.

It was already an age in which the tide was shifting toward the Climbers.

Curse Immunity would serve as a catalyst that accelerated that shift even further.

Climbers would no longer die even if the Time Limit expired.

Non-Climbers, however, would.

Climbers no longer had any particular reason to push for the top floor, while Non-Climbers would have no choice but to desperately hope that Climbers continued clearing the Tower.

That difference in position would completely redraw the board.

“I wonder what kind of faces those government bastards are making right about now.”

The government had constantly kept the Association in check and made itself a nuisance.

From now on, the Association would hold an overwhelming advantage at the negotiating table.

He almost felt like bowing in gratitude to Person123 for giving them such a gift.

As expected, he truly was humanity’s hero.

President Nicholas spoke to his secretary.

“Call the directors. Tell them we’re having a meeting about the Curse Immunity issue.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nicholas called the meeting to discuss the Association’s strategy going forward.

How they would pressure governments.

How they would further expand the influence of Climbers.

Then—

the moment he sat down and opened the Communication Channel, his expression froze solid.

He called back the secretary who had been about to leave the office.

“W-wait.”

“Yes?”

“Cancel the meeting.”

Nicholas swallowed as he stared at the Communication Channel again.

[Person123: This is my first and last warning to all Climbers.]

Person123 had made a post.

[Person123: I believe I have said several times by now that we must not allow ourselves to be manipulated by the Tower, and that nothing but ruin awaits at the end of that road.

Even so, despite the lives of 100 million people being at stake, the fact that more than half of those present chose Round 6 during this Joint Battle came as a great shock to me.

I will no longer bother trying to make you understand with words. Nor do I expect your understanding.

If something like what happened during this Joint Battle or the Mask Auction ever happens again—if there are Climbers who allow themselves to be swayed by the Tower’s rewards and attempt to sacrifice other people’s lives—I will find every last one of you and kill you. Whoever you are, wherever you are on Earth, I will find you and I will kill you.

Climbers have become immune to the Tower’s Curse. That is a good thing, but it also gives me serious cause for concern.

If any Climber or organization attempts to use that immunity to throw society into chaos or gain an advantage over ordinary people, I will personally come for them as well. Nothing will be able to protect you.

Humanity is standing far closer to the edge of the cliff than you realize. I do not have the luxury of worrying about things other than clearing Nightmare.

Climbers, do not forget that I am a Climber as well. Unless the world is destroyed because I fail to clear Nightmare, I too will remain perfectly alive in that ruined world.

Do not test my patience any further.]

Person123’s lengthy post appeared on the Communication Channel.

For a moment, it felt as though the entire world held its breath.

The small number of Climbers who had been quietly voicing dissatisfaction on the Communication Channel.

The tabloid media outlets that had been writing sensational articles about Robert’s death, subtly trying to stir up controversy and noise...

Every one of them fell silent.

Because Person123’s declaration was that shocking.

Humanity’s savior had announced that from now on, he would show no mercy in dealing with Climbers.

It was an unfiltered, explicit, naked threat utterly unlike anything he had said or done before.

The first to react were the news media.

Media outlets across the world immediately began pouring out positive articles about Person123’s declaration.

– Humanity’s Savior Person123 Displays Unprecedented Fury... Vows to Bring the Hammer Down on Climbers Who Cross the Line...

Of course, behind them were the governments of each country.

Naturally, governments had already fully understood what kind of consequences the Climbers’ Curse Immunity could bring to society.

With the fire already at their feet, Person123 had unexpectedly stepped forward.

“As expected... he truly is humanity’s savior.”

The White House.

A meeting between the President and his advisers.

Punishing Climbers who endangered civilians through floor-clear rules had originally been under discussion ever since the Mask Auction incident...

But so far, there had been no progress whatsoever.

The standards were vague.

Everything about it was vague.

Climbers were already extraordinarily difficult people to punish.

High-level Climbers in particular were practically beyond the law.

And yet the Joint Battle incident had now prompted Person123 to issue an unprecedented warning.

His very existence had already exerted a certain suppressive effect on Climbers...

But this time, he seemed determined to keep them completely under control.

To make sure they couldn’t even dream of trying anything foolish.

All the governments had to do was ride that momentum and move in step with him.

Humanity’s savior.

Person123.

It was incredibly fortunate—and something to be deeply grateful for—that he was willing to consider the position of Non-Climbers.

Meanwhile, in a luxury villa in Shanghai, China.

“Kugh... Khehk...!”

A man was kneeling in the lavish living room, blood pouring from his mouth.

The owner of the house, teetering on the brink of death, desperately begged the intruder standing before him.

Though he was over Level 30, he had been subdued without even being able to resist.

A man with slicked-back hair and gloves.

Ye Cheon-wi looked down at him and smiled pleasantly.

“Tell me your crime.”

“W-what... What crime...?”

“The crime you committed just two days ago.”

The man coughed up another mouthful of blood, then seemed to realize what he meant.

“The J-Joint Battle...?”

“You chose Round 6, didn’t you?”

“...N-no. I chose Round 1...”

One of the man’s fingers was severed.

“Aaaaaagh...!”

“This will continue until you give me the correct answer. You chose Round 6, didn’t you?”

The screaming man lost several more fingers before finally confessing honestly.

“I did! I chose Round 6! Please spare me...!”

Ye Cheon-wi lifted the man’s chin and asked,

“What do you believe you did wrong?”

“S-sob... I didn’t think about the lives of a hundred... a hundred million people...”

“Mm. No. That isn’t it.”

Ye Cheon-wi slowly shook his head.

“I don’t particularly care about the lives of 100 million people either. Had He considered the Climbers’ Curse Immunity more valuable than the lives of 100 million people, then naturally choosing that option would have been the correct thing to do.”

“Y-yes...?”

“But He did not, did He? You dared to defy His will. And because of that, He became greatly enraged. That is your one and only sin.”

Ye Cheon-wi smiled.

“If you understand now, then be on your way. There are plenty of other vermin besides you that I need to deal with.”

Thud.

The man’s head dropped to the floor.

Ye Cheon-wi removed his bloodstained gloves and handed them to the subordinate beside him.

“Clean this up and come out.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Joint Battle incident.

The fifty-one Climbers who had chosen Round 6.

Ye Cheon-wi was currently dealing with them one by one personally.

What made that possible was the fact that one of Ye Cheon-wi’s close associates had also participated in the Joint Battle.

Among the Climbers advocating for Round 6, they had recognized and memorized the faces of several Climbers affiliated with the Black Star Society.

Within a few days, they had identified all of their personal information and locations.

China was a country where such a thing was possible.

And Ye Cheon-wi stood at the very peak of power in China.

Even if it was impossible to execute all fifty-one, he intended to kill every person they could identify with certainty.

After leaving the villa and getting into the car, Ye Cheon-wi was handed a tablet by his executive secretary.

“We just received this. It’s the list of Security Corps Climbers identified so far.”

Ye Cheon-wi looked over the list and asked,

“And what exactly is going to happen to these people?”

“The Security Corps is currently considering expelling them internally. Separately, we understand that the governments of the respective countries are also considering legal punishment.”

Ye Cheon-wi laughed, a hint of mockery mixed into it.

“Of course they are. If they insist on being that frustratingly slow about it, I suppose I have no choice but to take care of them all myself.”

As a believer who followed Him and watched the path He walked,

he was merely doing what ought to be done.

Ye Cheon-wi opened the Communication Channel and read Person123’s post once again.

Then he murmured,

“May everything be done according to Your will.”

As he idly rolled the prayer beads of the Church of Person123 between his fingers.