Chapter 63: Floor 5 (1)

Wang Kai had just finished discussing matters concerning Floor 5 with Secretary Zhao Degang, the chairman’s closest aide.

The moment he stepped out of the room, he clicked his tongue in irritation.

“What the hell does he know, rambling on like that... The old bastard’s one hard shove away from dropping dead.”

In truth, it had been the same conversation they always had.

But Wang Kai was still on edge after the Sub-Tower incident, and everything grated on his nerves.

It wasn’t as though anyone within the Party was openly blaming him.

The real anomaly was Person123—the freak who had cleared every Sub-Tower within a matter of minutes, regardless of where in the world it appeared.

How was anyone supposed to beat someone like that to the clear?

If one wanted to be particularly critical, there had been a chance with the Sub-Tower in Mongolia.

But from the third Sub-Tower onward, there had been nothing anyone could have done.

Had they entered at the same time, Wang Kai was certain he would have cleared it faster than that bastard.

The thought refused to leave his mind.

He had no idea whether Person123 could truly teleport across vast distances or possessed some other impossible ability, but the suspicion that every clear had been stolen through some cheap trick made bile rise in his throat.

‘Floor 5...’

So far, there had been no news or even rumors of Person123 appearing on Floor 5.

Of course there hadn’t.

Why would a man who had spent all this time hiding his identity like a rat behave any differently there?

But if they happened to cross paths, Wang Kai swore he would grind the bastard into the dirt.

Killing him was out of the question.

Instead, he would beat him to within an inch of his life and make him understand the difference between their levels.

Lost in such thoughts as he walked down the corridor, Wang Kai noticed two people approaching from the opposite direction.

His expression immediately soured.

One was a clean-cut man with slicked-back hair.

Walking beside him was Xiao Lin, a member of the Party’s Central Committee.

The man offered Wang Kai a faint smile and a slight bow.

Wang Kai pointedly ignored the greeting and brushed past them.

The man watched his retreating back before speaking.

“He doesn’t appear to be in a very good mood.”

The speaker was none other than Ye Tianwei, China’s foremost Nightmare-difficulty Climber and the man currently challenging Floor 4 of Nightmare.

Xiao Lin replied,

“His pride must have suffered after the Sub-Tower affair. Person123 gave him a proper lesson in humility.”

Ye Tianwei chuckled.

“How amusing.”

“Hmm? What is?”

“The fact that Mr. Wang Kai is so conscious of him. It is quite amusing to watch.”

He truly had no understanding of his own position.

The notion that Wang Kai genuinely believed himself worthy of comparison with that person was laughable.

Then again, perhaps it couldn’t be helped.

No matter how carefully Person123 wrote his strategy guides, no one could truly understand what they described.

What Nightmare difficulty really was.

What kind of hell awaited inside it.

How utterly impossible the feat Person123 continued to accomplish truly was.

Unless someone had personally experienced Nightmare while trying to follow in his footsteps, mere words on a page could never convey it.

At most, only Ye Tianwei himself and the American Climber challenging Nightmare Floor 4 could understand even a fraction of it.

Had Person123 not cleared the fifth Sub-Tower first, Wang Kai would undoubtedly have died inside.

The man had been extraordinarily fortunate.

But with arrogance great enough to pierce the heavens, who knew how long that fortune would last?

“A pity. It would have been an excellent opportunity to remove an eyesore from the board.”

Ye Tianwei spoke casually, and Xiao Lin answered in the same untroubled tone.

“It will not interfere with the greater plan. The dragon has already been painted. All that remains is to dot its eyes.”

Their brief but meaningful exchange ended there.

The two men continued down the corridor.

***

Floor 5 Common Zone.

As its name suggested, it was a shared space where Climbers from every difficulty level gathered.

According to those who had already reached Floor 5, it was essentially a world of its own, entirely separate from Earth.

I had already learned the basics.

Floor 5 was discussed every day on the Communication Channel, various community boards, and even the news.

Stories about Climbers from one country clashing with those from another appeared constantly.

I had been somewhat reluctant to enter.

But I was probably worrying for nothing.

According to the statistics, roughly seven thousand Climbers had reached Floor 5 or higher.

That was less than one percent of all Climbers, but it was still a substantial number.

Thousands of people came and went through the place.

Who would pay attention to a single person like me?

And even if my identity were somehow exposed, couldn’t I simply activate Concealment and run?

No one could photograph or record my face anyway.

Electronic devices and moderately complex machinery could not be brought into the Tower.

Floor 5 was no exception.

There was little reason to worry.

In any case, I had to enter Floor 5 at least once.

Technically, it wasn’t a floor that required clearing.

I could have proceeded directly to Floor 6.

But Floor 5 offered rewards of its own.

There was no reason to challenge Floor 6 without collecting them first.

[Will you enter Floor 5?]

“Enter.”

I went directly from my room into Floor 5.

[You have entered Floor 5.]

The scenery around me {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} changed.

I found myself standing on a platform that emitted a gentle, pulsating glow.

I looked around.

A vast grassland stretched in every direction, dotted here and there with people and buildings.

I was standing on the Portal.

Apparently, all entry into and exit from the Floor 5 Common Zone took place through it.

Unlike on other floors, even leaving the Tower entirely was only possible while standing within the Portal’s range.

In other words, it functioned exactly like a portal in a video game.

From what people said, the Floor 5 Common Zone truly did resemble the open world of an MMORPG.

I watched Climbers appear and disappear on the Portal for a moment, then stepped outside its range.

‘All right...’

Now that I was here, all that remained was to quietly take care of my business.

Still, there was no harm in looking around first.

I had researched the area before coming, so I headed toward the cluster of people and buildings.

[Drake’s Restaurant]

A large, two-story wooden building stood before me.

After checking the sign, I went inside.

The interior resembled a medieval inn.

The place was crowded, noisy, and full of life.

“The Zone 1 Boss expedition should be starting soon.”

“Ha! Hopefully the rewards are good this time.”

“Wait, when did Zone 3’s boss gauge get so high? It’s already over ninety percent.”

I moved farther into the hall, glancing at the food on people’s tables.

There was one thing everyone said a newcomer had to do upon first reaching Floor 5.

Visit Drake’s Restaurant.

Only Climbers who had cleared at least Floor 4 could enter Floor 5.

There were no native inhabitants in this world.

Naturally, every person here was a Climber who had reached Floor 5 or beyond.

So who operated the restaurant?

A Climber, of course.

Mr. Drake, a British Climber, had apparently been serving free meals on Floor 5 since its earliest days.

What could a Climber of Floor 5 or higher possibly lack that would compel him to take up work like this?

Apparently, nothing.

He simply loved cooking.

That was why Drake’s Restaurant had become Floor 5’s most famous landmark and its primary gathering place.

As I approached the kitchen, I saw a broad Western man with a thick, bushy beard vigorously working a frying pan over a stove.

That had to be Drake.

I stepped closer and called out.

“Um...”

Drake glanced at me and immediately bellowed,

“We’re out of Horned Deer steak!”

“Pardon?”

“You were about to order the Horned Deer steak, weren’t you?”

I had been.

When I remained there looking slightly bewildered, Drake let out a booming laugh.

“Easy enough to tell. First time on Floor 5, is it?”

“...Yes.”

“Everyone orders it on their first visit. Word’s gotten around that it tastes like heaven and all that.”

Drake’s Restaurant imported some ingredients from Earth, but it also used monsters native to Floor 5 in its dishes.

The most famous of them was the Horned Deer steak.

According to the rumors, its rich, savory flavor made even the finest beef on Earth seem ordinary by comparison.

I had come specifically to try it.

Apparently, that wouldn’t be happening today.

What a shame.

“Save the Horned Deer steak for next time. How about grilled goblin thigh instead? Don’t let the word ‘goblin’ put you off. The flavor is the real deal.”

“Ah, no. I think I’ll...”

“Tch. It really is delicious...”

I had heard the rumors, but apparently they truly did serve goblin meat.

Drake set down his frying pan and poured me a glass of something.

It was a dark red liquid with a sweet, fruity aroma.

“Wine made from raspberries that grow here on Floor 5. A gift for your first visit. Drink up.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“The menu’s over there. Take a seat and choose something. And I’m serious—the goblin meat is excellent. One bite and you’ll be amazed.”

“Muttering about what a waste it was to ignore such fine meat, Drake returned to his frying pan.”

I sat down at the bar-style counter directly in front of the kitchen.

When I opened the menu, I found that it was written in English.

It wasn’t especially difficult to read.

‘The spoken translation really does happen automatically.’

Like the translation feature in the Communication Channel, Floor 5 apparently provided real-time interpretation of spoken language.

Drake’s words had reached my ears as perfectly natural Korean.

Written language, however, received no such treatment.

For reference, the Communication Channel itself didn’t function on Floor 5.

Just as on every other floor, its use was completely blocked inside the Tower.

“Drake, give me some wine and a Horned Deer steak.”

As I was going through the menu and deliberately avoiding the goblin dishes, someone sat down beside me.

He was an enormous Western man.

Drake shouted at him immediately.

“We’re out!”

“What? Then give me whatever you’ve got.”

“How about goblin meat?”

“Serve me that, and I’ll take it as a formal challenge to a duel.”

The man clearly knew Drake well.

After their easy exchange, he glanced at me.

I gave him a small nod in greeting.

He grinned.

“First time on Floor 5? I don’t recognize you.”

“Yes. It’s my first time.”

“Welcome! I’m Alex, chief of the Security Corps here on Floor 5.”

Wait...

This man was Alex?

I was inwardly surprised.

Alex was America’s highest-ranked Hard-difficulty Climber.

He was also known as the chief of the Floor 5 Common Zone’s Security Corps.

Floor 5 had an organization called the Security Corps.

As its name suggested, it was responsible for maintaining order.

Or at least the bare minimum of order, according to what I had heard.

After all, this was a place where Climbers from every corner of the world gathered.

The Chinese-aligned Climbers, in particular, were said to operate almost entirely according to their own rules.

“You’re not surprised?”

Alex gave me a slightly puzzled look.

“Most Climbers look shocked when they hear my name for the first time. Not to boast, but I’m rather famous.”

“...No, I was surprised.”

“You don’t look surprised.”

“My expression doesn’t change much.”

Alex burst into hearty laughter.

“So, are you going to tell me your name?”

Just to be safe, I altered it slightly.

“I’m Hyeon.”

After we shook hands, Alex continued.

“Hyeon, are you Korean by any chance? Your name sounds Korean.”

“Yes.”

“Hahaha! I knew it. My daughter loves Korea. She’s been insisting that we have to visit this year... Ah, you’re not from North Korea, are you?”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t misunderstand. There really are North Korean Climbers walking around here, so I thought I’d ask. Judging by your reaction, I suppose you’re not. My apologies.”

I supposed that made sense.

In any case, Alex continued talking with an almost oppressive level of enthusiasm.

Please ease up on the friendliness, mister.

This is a bit much.

“...You wouldn’t happen to be Person123, would you?”

I nearly spat out the wine I was drinking.

I turned an incredulous stare toward Alex.

At that moment, Drake approached with a plate and clicked his tongue.

“You do this to every newcomer who walks through the door.”

“Well... it’s fun!”

Whether or not he had been serious, Alex erupted into laughter.

I let out an awkward laugh of my own.

“Ahaha...”

“I’m joking, I’m joking. There’s no way Person123 could be such a young man. That reminds me—what difficulty are you climbing?”

“...Easy.”

Despite his massive frame, Alex was remarkably talkative.

“...In that case, would you be interested in joining the Security Corps? There are plenty of benefits, and the work barely qualifies as work...”

“Chief!”

At that moment, someone hurried over, calling for him.

Something urgent must have happened.

Alex frowned and drained his wine in a single gulp.

“Damn it, and I haven’t even eaten yet... Anyway, it was good meeting you, Hyeon! I’ll see you around!”

Alex swept out of the restaurant like a passing storm.

Even though I hadn’t done anything, I somehow felt exhausted.

“Here. The Kangaroo Rabbit sandwich you ordered. Enjoy.”

My food arrived soon afterward.

Planning to finish quickly and leave, I took a large bite of the thick sandwich.

...Not really to my taste.

I forced myself to finish the whole thing, then washed the flavor from my mouth with the wine.

***

To describe the Floor 5 Common Zone in video-game terms, it was essentially an MMORPG.

There were monsters roaming the field.

Once killed, they eventually respawned.

There were even boss monsters.

Defeating ordinary monsters didn’t yield Magic Stones, but Climbers still had several reasons to remain active on Floor 5.

The first was monster byproducts.

On other floors, only items obtained from Reward Rooms could be taken outside the Tower.

Floor 5 was different.

Climbers could hunt monsters and carry their remains and byproducts back to Earth.

Such materials were said to sell for prices comparable to, and sometimes even higher than, Magic Stones.

After all, they were substances that did not exist anywhere on Earth.

The shoes I had recently purchased, for example, were made from the hide of a lizard monster native to Zone 2 of Floor 5.

They were a newly developed model produced by an overseas company for high-level Climbers.

They had cost tens of millions of won, but their durability was extraordinary.

Now that normal shoes could no longer withstand my strength, even I was quite satisfied with them.

The second reason was national interest.

In a sense, Floor 5 was like a distant, unclaimed planet.

No country wanted to allow another nation to seize territory there uncontested.

As a result, Climbers remained continuously active, watching and restraining one another.

From what I had heard, the current balance of power had effectively divided Floor 5 into an American-aligned camp and a Chinese-aligned camp.

The final reason was the reward for defeating boss monsters.

That was exactly why I had come.

The divisions of Floor 5 could be imagined as a target made of concentric circles expanding outward from the center.

The innermost circle, where I currently stood, was Zone 0.

Zone 0 was a safe area where no monsters appeared.

The Portal stood at the exact center, and the entire zone extended roughly one kilometer in every direction.

Monsters began appearing in the next ring, Zone 1.

Then came Zone 2, Zone 3, and so on.

The farther one travelled from the center, the stronger the monsters became.

Each zone also had its own boss monster.

A boss appeared once Climbers had hunted a certain quota of ordinary monsters within that zone.

[Zone 1: 99.9%]

[Zone 2: 10.3%]

[Zone 3: 90.8%]

These Boss Spawn Gauges had been visible in my field of vision from the moment I entered Floor 5.

The Zone 1 boss was about to appear.

In fact, I had deliberately come today because I had seen people discussing the nearly full gauge on the Communication Channel.

If I missed this opportunity, I would apparently have to wait at least another month for the next spawn.

The reward for defeating the boss worked much like a floor-clear reward.

It could only be obtained once.

Even with the best possible result, the Zone 1 boss reward was said to be no better than a Common+ Skill Stone.

Still, that was better than nothing.

The more skills I possessed, the better.

Naturally, I intended to obtain one.

I visited the Weapon Rental Station in Zone 0 and borrowed a sword and shield.

Weapons apparently spawned randomly throughout Floor 5.

The rental station was where those weapons were gathered and stored.

It was operated by the Security Corps, and borrowing equipment was free.

[Zone 1: 100%]

I had only just finished collecting my weapons when the Zone 1 boss gauge filled completely.

[The Zone 1 Boss has appeared.]

A message appeared.

“All right, everyone, gather over here! We’re heading out to take down the Zone 1 Boss!”

People began assembling on one side of Zone 0.

Apparently, whenever a boss gauge reached one hundred percent, an Expedition Party was formed on the spot.

I wandered over and joined the gathering crowd.

The Zone 1 boss was supposedly around level twenty.

There was a reason I wasn’t simply going off alone to kill it.

To receive the reward, a Climber had to contribute a minimum amount to the battle.

If I defeated the boss by myself, no one else would qualify.

They would then have to wait until the gauge filled again.

Doing that would be needlessly obnoxious.

I would simply blend in with the others and fight just hard enough to secure my reward.

“Nervous?”

I had been staring blankly ahead when someone beside me spoke.

A brown-haired Western woman was smiling at me.

“I’m nervous too. It’s my first time fighting alongside other people, so my heart is actually pounding a little.”

“Ah... I see.”

“Let’s both do our best! Fighting!”

“Fighting.”

What an energetic person.

I matched her enthusiasm as best I could.