Chapter 18: The Penalty of Trauma (3)

[The champion is Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.]

[Calculating the reward for clearing the tenth floor...]

[The calculation is complete.]

[The reward will be given after you enter the eleventh floor, which will open in twenty-four hours.]

I cleared the boss stage that had stymied everyone else. My name wasn’t even on the ranking, and I didn’t have a title of my own. The world would be flipped upside down if this went public.

“Phew.”

However, I couldn’t enjoy it as freely as I had hoped—I was happy and gloomy at the same time. I walked through the ashes like a lonely poet.

—Hey, why do you look like shit? You even cleared the hidden objective. Even I only managed to clear a handful of hidden stages before I died. You’ll probably get a great reward.

“A psychopath like you wouldn’t understand why I’m feeling down. You don’t have an ounce of empathy.”

—Oh. You look like shit because you’re full of shit.

It was incredible how one comment from the Guardian made my gloominess vanish. Yeah, it was impossible to become sentimental with a wacko like him.

“...I just thought that the world is fucked up.”

—Huh?

“You saw it in there. Whichever world it is, fucked-up stuff like that always happens.”

The Guardian nodded.

—Well, I think humans are the same wherever you are.

We stood in silence, letting time pass as we watched the mansion’s ruins. After a while, the Guardian violently shook his head.

—Forget it. Forget it! Phew. This is really not my vibe! By the way, Kim Gong-Ja, you surprised me earlier!

“What?”

—I mean, you found your own way to clear the boss stage. It was amazing. Good job!

Though I could tell that he was giving me an honest compliment in his own way, it gave me the creeps.

“...Who are you?” I demanded, brow furrowed. “Why are you suddenly giving me compliments?”

—Oh, come on. I compliment people when they’ve earned it. You solved a problem with your own abilities this time, not by relying on your luck. Besides, you’re my partner, so I should celebrate with you when something good happens to you, right?

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re acting suspicious...”

—What do you mean, suspicious? Great job, Kim Gong-Ja! You’re awesome! When the eleventh floor opens up, let’s keep this up and snatch the seat of the Rank 1 Hunter! Who cares if some people say it’s a fraud? If they have a problem with that, they should have gotten overpowered Skills themselves! The Guardian gave me a bright smile.

What? What was suddenly wrong with him? There was no way he would act like this unless the sun was coming up from the west tomorrow or the Tower was going to collapse.

The strange moment was dramatically interrupted.

[Announcement.]

[The tenth floor has been cleared today.]

[Announcement.]

I heard a voice, but it wasn’t coming from my head this time. The voice reverberated from the sky.

[The tenth floor has been cleared today.]

[The eleventh floor will be unlocked in twenty-four hours.]

Fireworks went off in the sky, announcing the beginning of a new era. Purple fireworks went off first, and then it was red, blue, and yellow. The show continued, decorating the sky with blooms in dozens of colors and thousands of streams.

“Ah...” I blankly looked up at the sky.

The fireworks in the air didn’t disappear even after they went off. Each spark moved like a serpent, slowly transforming the fireworks into something new.

[24:00:00]

[23:59:59]

The glittering clock began the countdown to the next floor opening. The Guardian and I stood side by side and watched the sky.

—This is where the real story begins, the Guardian mumbled.

I nodded. “It looks like it.”

—I watched this firework show before I died.

“I’ve seen it too.” I clenched my fists. “But back then, I was at a bar on the first floor. I was just an extra in this story. I floundered for a long time because I didn’t know what happened and lost my chance and stayed a Class F Hunter all my life... Damn, I was a real idiot.”

—Heh. The Guardian giggled. So how does it feel to be promoted from an extra to a main character?

Rather than answer, I pulled out my smartphone to check people’s reactions in Hunter-related online communities.

—wut. wtf is this firework show?

—There’s fireworks going off on the first floor. Is this only happening on the first floor?

—no, it’s also loud and bright as hell here. i’m in the third-floor hunting ground.

As expected, the firework show in the broad daylight set all the online communities on fire.

—Did anyone hear a voice just now?

—It said the tenth floor’s been cleared. Is this fr?

—did the Black Dragon Guild do it?

—they didn’t make any announcements what’s going on?

—Their next expedition is in two weeks. I saw it on the Hunter Management Bureau’s announcement channel.

—It’s definitely not the Black Dragon Guild! Look at this photo! All their executives are in a cafe near Babylon Bank intersection

—Who cleared the floor?

It didn’t stop.

—Breaking News: The tenth floor has been cleared.

—The identity of the guild who cleared the boss remains unknown.

—The Black Dragon Guild remains silent despite the Tower’s announcement.

Dozens of posts were made by the second. It wasn’t just happening in the Hunter-related communities—the fire quickly spread elsewhere. The media in Babylon quickly published one-line news flashes, while tabloids were busily starting other fires.

—who did it if it wasnt black dragon?

—I don’t think it’s the Pantheon. I’m praying in the Pantheon, and I saw the Inquisitor gather up his priests. It’s insane here.

—Right! It must be the Sword Star!

—the Sword Star def cleared it on his own no cap

—oh lol yeah that’s possible

The fires remained contained in the communities they started in at first. Some communities believed that it was the work of the Pantheon. The Sword Star, Countess, Viper, and Paladin were also mentioned—basically, every High Ranker was proposed as the hero who cleared the tenth floor.

—WTH are you talking about? The Sword Star is drinking milk in a bar.

—^He’s really at the bar. See the photo.

—Viper is teaching his student at his dojo.

—What’re you talking about?

—bro the paladin is working in babylon plaza

—I asked the Sword Star. He says it isn’t him.

—No wait that doesn’t make sense here.

—An MA executive here. I can’t tell you guys my real name and title, but it isn’t the MA.

—Why is no one saying they did it?

—wtf

The fires soon came together into one big question:

—Then who is it?

—No one knows who cleared it?

—Who is the Hunter that cleared the tenth floor?

—Who in the world...

I turned off the screen and answered the Guardian’s question from earlier.

“How do I feel?” I was smiling. “I feel awesome.”

It was the first time in my life I’d felt like this. Although no one was saying my name, I could instinctively tell that this was how it felt like to stand at the top.

“I feel like the entire world is mine.”

—Right? The Guardian grinned. But that’s just an illusion right now. You don’t have the world. You’ve only cleared the tenth floor. Still, you aren’t completely delusional since you’re closer to the top than anyone else in your world, Gong-Ja.

“I know. “ I turned my head. “All that’s left to do is really get to the top.”

I could see someone running up the stone pathway that led to the Infernal Mansion. It was the guard I had tricked into believing I was terminally ill.

“Huff, huff...! Huffffff. Mr. Hunter...!” The guard was drenched in sweat. It looked like he had sprinted the entire way here. He stopped in front of me, panting. “W-was that...y-you, Mr. Hunter?”

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“I-I’m talking about the tenth floor clear!” the guard yelled. “I’m in charge of the stage today...and you’re the only one who challenged the stage today. So... I-it’s chaos right now. The bureau keeps calling and demanding an answer...!”

“Hmm.” I looked at the guard.

Even as we spoke, something in his pocket kept vibrating. It was probably his smartphone receiving a call. Just like he said, it must be madness in the Tower.

I smiled. “What are you going to do if I actually cleared it?”

“Eh?”

“If I’m really the Hunter who cleared the tenth floor, what are you going to do about it?”

“U-um, I...” The guard fumbled for words, bewildered. “I didn’t get to check your license...so I need to do it now.”

“Huhhhh? Sir, that doesn’t really sound right. You took a hundred gold from me. I don’t think that counts as an accident.”

“W-well—”

“I appreciate your hard work, though.” I patted the guard’s shoulder a couple of times.

The guard gave me a blank stare as I walked right past him and began to make my way down the stone pathway. After a moment, I heard his desperate cry from behind me.

“P-please wait, Mr. Hunter! You can just give me your title! No, please tell me your title at least! Otherwise, my seniors in the management bureau will beat the hell out of me!”

“I don’t have a title,” I answered without turning around. “Have a great day—oh, don’t follow me, though. If you do, I’m really going to run away.”

Fortunately, the guard didn’t follow me, not that it was a problem even if he did. He was exhausted after climbing his way up to the mansion, so I could easily lose him.

—Hey, look at his face. He looks like he saw a ghost. The Guardian cackled at the guard. Good job, by the way. That’s how you increase your value. Yes, that’s right; you should hide your identity and make the others come looking for you. I didn’t teach you, but you’re doing a goo—

“Mr. Sword Emperor.”

—Hmm? What?

I stood in front of the teleportation stone installed at the entrance of the tenth floor.

“I just realized something.”

—Realize what?

“I realized why you’re suddenly showering me with compliments,” I remarked as I made a reservation to be teleported to the first floor. “It’s because of our bet.”

The Guardian stiffened.

“I remember now. You promised to call me Mister Gong-Ja if I managed to clear the boss monster stage within two Coins. And, uh-oh, I actually did it. Wow, Mr. Sword Emperor is in trouble.”

—Hey, Gong-Ja... That’s wrong. The Guardian pulled a long face. You and I, we’re partners...and partners are supposed to be equal. I’m the one who cleared the ninety-ninth floor, and you will be the future challenger of the one-hundredth floor. My partner! My friend! How cool is that!

I beamed. “From now on, if you want to talk to me, you can start your sentences with Mister Gong-Ja. Forever.”

The Guardian descended into the pits of despair.