Ten years ago, a tower appeared in the world.
After that, the world changed dramatically.
The governments of every nation were tearing their hair out over the tower that would lay waste to the surrounding area if its floors weren't cleared within a set period.
But at the same time, the special resources only obtainable from the tower were so enticing that they could advance human civilization by decades.
That was why the whole world started paying attention.
To those who could fend off the tower's rampages while bringing back those immensely valuable resources.
The chosen ones granted special abilities and the qualification to climb the tower.
In other words, Climbers.
⚙ Web Dispatch ⚙Hello, Benefactor. This is the recruitment team at Pyurons Co., Ltd. Regarding your interview results, we regret to inform you that you have not been selected this time...
"...Another rejection..."
And I had been struggling nonstop to survive in this changing era.
But after three years of failed job hunts, I was just a job seeker bouncing between part-time gigs, fretting over my future.
"Sigh... If only I could awaken as a Climber..."
I'd heard even low-floor Climbers just hunting goblins easily pulled in 500k a month.
If someone would just hire me, I was confident I could be a goblin slayer. Man, I wish I'd awaken.
"Hoo... Feeling down, maybe I'll vent on the gallery..."
Days like today, when I'd bombed an interview, the gallery was perfect.
It was the only trash bin where I could dump all these bottled-up negative emotions.
💬 Tower Climber Gallery— Title: Tower Loser Finally Landed a Job!!!!Job Hunt Villain(Frog with a gun to its head meme) Fuck, rejected again, I'm losing my mind, why won't they hire me, why do I have to suffer like this, why me why me why me why me why me why me why me why me why me why me why me why me— Tower Knowledge PhD ☑Ah, this guy's mental breakdown mode again.↳ ReplyWho's this guy? First time seeing him?↳ ReplyHe's usually quiet, but shows up after rejections to throw a fit and vanish.↳ ReplyLiving up to his nick lol— Soft Red Bean Rice Cake ☑Job villain, rejected again? How many times is this now?↳ ReplySeason 23,256,432,326 by my count.↳ ReplyAt that rate, nowhere left to apply.↳ ReplySurprisingly, that's legit lol
Venting my pent-up feelings on the gallery actually lifted my mood a bit.
Wasn't this the real purpose of the gallery?
This place overflowed with crap posts anyway, so putting it to good use like this.
"Feeling better, time to sleep."
Tomorrow I had to find a new part-time job... scout companies to apply to... rewrite my self-intro letters...
Lots to do, anyway.
"Hope I find a decent gig..."
Wishing for a better tomorrow, I burrowed into my blankets.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next morning.
Ding-! -Ding-! Ding-!
I woke to an unfamiliar alarm.
"Hm...?"
What...? Did I change the alarm sound...?
Couldn't remember, but figuring it was nothing, I dragged my half-asleep body to reach for my phone on the nightstand.
Or rather, I tried to.
If not for the blue message window floating in mid-air.
Ding-!
⚔ STATUS ⚔Name: BenefactorLevel: 1Job: AlchemistSkills: Synthesis (EX), Emerald Cauldron (SS+), Pure Flame (S+)Traits: -
"...Huh?"
Climber awakening? Status window? What the hell...
"...Ah, this is a dream, right?"
It felt so real at first I couldn't tell.
Guess I didn't vent all yesterday's stress, hence the dream.
Next time I post crap on the gallery, gotta cram in even more emotion.
"How badly did I want to awaken to dream this...?"
Dreams are the unconscious at work, manifesting repressed desires and unresolved conflicts.
Even in a dream, an EX-rank skill was overkill.
Not to mention SS+ and S+ too. My unconscious was greedy as hell.
"Well... dreams should go big."
It's all illusion vanishing on wakeup anyway.
Might as well savor being an EX-rank Climber while dreaming.
"Can I... use this...?"
Sounds ridiculous, but...
This dream had touch, smell, even pain—so hyper-realistic.
If it's this detailed, maybe status skills work too?
"Hm... let's try."
When else would I get this chance?
So I tried the top skill: Synthesis (EX).
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Synthesis (EX)
Please enter what you wish to synthesize.
〖 -- 〗
"Oh...?"
It worked! Actually worked!
Dream or not, I used an EX-rank skill!
"My dream's pervy as hell."
Even implemented this? Unconscious Benefactor, I salute you!
Hm, enter what to synthesize?
"Tough..."
Not that nothing came to mind.
Too many ideas, hard to pick one.
Hmmm... Hmmm... Hmmmm!!!
"...Alright, you it is."
Hundreds of candidates, but after deliberation, if there's one most vital to life...
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Please enter what you wish to synthesize.
〖 Beauty Potion 〗
"Being handsome makes life easy."
No doubt, the answer.
Money? Comes with looks.
Power? Follows too.
Girlfriend? Handsome guys get approached just walking.
Even if the world flipped with the tower...
This truth endures.
"Show me, unconscious Benefactor! What trash desire birthed this Beauty Potion!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Searching for 'Beauty Potion' recipe... Found 65,653 related recipes... Optimizing recipe based on current dimension... [...Complete.] Generated 4 'Beauty Potion' recipes. Displaying the most effective recipe automatically.Beauty Potion ver.1 Required Materials - Dragon's Tear - Sun Gem - Mandragora Essence - Top-grade Spirit Water Required Tools - Emerald Cauldron - Pure Flame
"Ah, so that's how it works?"
I imagined 'poof!' from thin air, but my detail-obsessed unconscious implemented this properly.
"Dragon's Tear in the materials...?"
Saw news about a dragon kill in the US once, but how would I get it?
The rest looked rare too. Can I even make this?
Wanna try one before waking...
"...Said total of 4, right?"
Check the others.
Beauty Potion ver.2 Required Materials - Fairy's Tear - Sun Gem Fragment - Mandragora Root - High-grade Spirit Water Required Tools - Emerald Cauldron - Pure Flame
"Fairy's Tear? Pass."
Beauty Potion ver.3 Required Materials - Elf's Tear - Sun Gem Powder - Mandragora Fine Root - Low-grade Spirit Water Required Tools - Emerald Cauldron - Pure Flame
"Elf... Pass..."
Beauty Potion ver.4 Required Materials - Human Tears - Smooth Stone - Dandelion Root - Drinkable Water Required Tools - Emerald Cauldron - Pure Flame
"This one... maybe doable?"
Last one's materials are what?
Compared to the first three, way too basic?
Stuff I could grab right now outside.
"Even my unconscious isn't perfect to the end."
Good for me, though.
"Now, out to gather materials..."
...What's outside this dream door?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Guess my unconscious is a pervert.
Why else dream such insane detail, even outside the door?
Thanks to it, I gathered materials safely, but shocked at my detail-fetish perviness.
So.
"Now what?"
Materials ready, just make it.
Tools: Emerald Cauldron, Pure Flame? Skills, probably.
But how exactly?
"Hm... trying shows?"
First, Emerald Cauldron (SS+), looks like the container.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Emerald Cauldron (SS+)
Thud-!
"???"
Something turquoise dropped from mid-air and rolled on the floor.
Picked it up: "...Toy cauldron?"
You know those kids' toys? Put stuff in the toy pot, wait, doll pops out.
Exactly like that, but jewel-like material.
"Unconscious me, disappointment this time."
Daring to copy! Detail good, creativity lacking—deduct points.
Next, Pure Flame (S+) better innovate.
"Before Pure Flame..."
Put materials in first.
Drinkable water: Tap water, roughly filled.
Dandelion root: Uprooted one from crack near home.
Smooth stone: Picked nearby.
Last... Human tears.
No choice, self-supply.
"Hup...!"
Slap-!!!
"Guhhh...! Fuck...!! Hurts like hell...!!!"
Why's this dream pain so vivid...!!!
Cheek numb, faint blood taste—must've split inside.
Tears like a coward flowed; quickly dumped in cauldron.
Moved to bathroom for safety.
Activated long-awaited Pure Flame (S+).
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Pure Flame (S+)
Whoosh-!
A small purple flame flickered under the Emerald Cauldron.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Shall you synthesize 'Beauty Potion ver.4'? [YES] [NO]
All recipe conditions met, confirmation popped up.
"Of course!"
Why slap my face for tears if not! Gotta go!
Clicked [YES] without hesitation.
Bubble bubble bubble-!
Cauldron boiled, materials melted and merged.
"Ooh..."
Cool. Unconscious me, artistic pass.
Then just stared at the cauldron like fire-gazing.
Materials blending, colors shifting, forming shape—fun.
Soon after.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙You have synthesized 'Beauty Potion ver.4'!Beauty Potion ver.4 [B+] A secret potion made by a master alchemist with amazing tools, despite mundane materials. Effect: Enter [Reconstruction] state on consumption, acquire trait [Handsome (B+)] Penalty: Pain equal to your ugliness immediately after consumption.
"Ooooh!!!"
Dream or not...
Succeeded in making the Beauty Potion everyone dreams of!
"Alright! Drink while hot!"
Downed the finished potion without doubt.
That 'pain equal to ugliness' penalty nagged, but...
I'm average, so not bad.
Like minor skin irritation?
Worth it for handsomeness.
Judged boldly, chugged it.
The result...
Crack-! Crunch-!!! Graaah-!!!!
"Gaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!"
In horrific agony like my face minced and remade, I screamed for ages.
Finally, couldn't endure and blacked out.
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙You have acquired trait 'Handsome (B+)'.