Chapter 10 - Chapter 10

🔒 [Admin] Moderator-Only PostAuthor: Gold Rush🔹*This post is set to be visible only to board administrators.Title: Please help manage these gross pics... These crazy bastards keep posting gross pics from the floors that gave them PTSD. Let's delete them together, ffs. Why does it feel like I'm the only one doing it? If you keep slacking, I might just upload that gif of the two sea giants kissing straight to the admin tab lol.💬 Moderator Replies— Fur Lover🔹Post it and I'll chop you down.— Gold Rush🔹Ha lol, this prick posts gross pics like crazy himself but gets all serious over a joke.— Fur Lover🔹Ang♡ Furries aren't gross! And I know it's a joke♡ This lord only chops monsters and trolls~— Gold Rush🔹You punk, take a week off and come back all bold lol. One more time and it's a month ban next.— Fur Lover🔹Ugh... Scary ㅠㅠpyuㅠㅠ— Apostle of Justice🔹Gold.Rush armband sir! Among,,, fellow,,, allies,,, we must unite as one,, move in perfect harmony.(^^*) No matter how angry you are, requesting a "현피" (probably means fighting bloody!! on site?? lololol) is going too far, isn't it?(^ㅡ^) Let's forget it with a big laugh and move on boldly! ㅎㅎㅎ!!!— Gold Rush🔹Grandpa... It was all a joke and the situation ended 10 minutes ago.— Apostle of Justice🔹(^0^)>;;;;;◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

"No, that's not it!"

Niva yelled right next to me.

We were chatting in front of the Guiding Light as the evening sun bathed us in its glow. That's when I mentioned the "upper-tier magic three-cast limit," and Niva got mad.

Niva crossed her arms dramatically and said,

"This is why physical DPS trash mobs are like this! They see a little support from the side and start chirping like they know everything... Someone keeps hyping you guys up as 'field vice-commanders' or 'overseers,' so you actually believe it. Meanwhile, you slander us with crap like 'flamethrower,' 'ice blanket,' 'fancy fan' all day."

"... "

'Looks like there's some subtle rivalry between Climber classes.'

Niva spent a good while badmouthing archers and other ranged DPS types before finally circling back to the original topic. She cleared her throat and got to her point.

"Ahem, anyway. That's not the important part. What Bow Ghost saw—that 'upper-tier magic three-cast'—doesn't mean you collapse after three. I'll show you starting now."

With that, the bunny girl thrust out her arm, her amber eyes sparkling.

"!"

'Wait a sec. Niva's main attribute is fire.'

I hurriedly stopped her.

"Lady Niva. We can't use fire magic here."

"Huh? Why? It's an open field."

"What if the fire spreads to the grass on the ground? And..."

I looked around.

From morning till now, we'd built walls encircling the Guiding Light. A wall path stretching all the way to the Walled City. We'd even hardened the road surface with earth magic and added drainage ditches.

"... "

'Since it's all fortress-building magic, the white roads and walls look kinda profound.'

The white road—what I called the "Climber Safe Return Path" in my head—near the Guiding Light was stacked with supplies. Patrol guards and materials for facilities for Climbers.

'If even a speck of soot gets on these, it won't feel brand new anymore.'

With that in mind,

I politely explained to Niva.

She nodded.

"Fine, we'll go somewhere else then. I know a spot. Let's head there."

"Yes, please."

We warped away.

It was a cliff that looked like someone had carved it out. Several kilometers past the Guiding Light, in the opposite direction from the city. The Walled City was faintly visible in the distance.

I said,

"When you were wandering around, did you come all the way out here? It's rugged—even monsters don't live here much."

"Well..."

Niva fiddled with her bunny ears, looking embarrassed, and replied,

"... Back then, I didn't know you were this kind of person."

"... "

Maybe...

Niva seemed pickier than I'd imagined. If we hadn't run into each other by chance in the forest that day, exchanged quests, and talked while naked, we might never have met properly.

'Why does she hide herself so tightly?'

Setting that curiosity aside,

Niva pulled out a staff from somewhere and said,

"Anyway! I'll show you why the 'upper-tier magic three-cast' talk is nonsense!"

She aimed her staff at the cliff.

"Manifest, Flare."

At that instant.

A house-sized fireball erupted in the middle of the opposite cliff. Sizzling and boiling, it scorched the cliffside—then detonated.

💥 BOOM! 💥

Birds scattered in panic from the nearby forest. A scorching gust whipped across from afar, stinging my eyes. It was powerful enough to make my body flinch. "!" 'Feels like mid-tier magic compressed dozens of times over. And it's over a hundred meters away, but the heat reaches here. Like a disaster movie scene...' Niva didn't stop. She cast the same skill twice more from the same spot."Manifest, Flare."💥 BOOM! 💥"Manifest, Flare."💥 BOOM! 💥

Then she glanced at me once and flashed a confident grin before shouting,

"O blazing inferno of hell! Heed the mage's will, manifest raging flames upon this place, Flare—!"

⟨ Flare ⟩

💥 BOOM! 💥

At that moment, a low rumble echoed from the cliff battered by four straight upper-tier spells.

Krrrnch...

Soon after.

The charred section crumbled,

and rocks shredded by the blasts tumbled down the cliff.

💥 CRASH! 💥💥 THUD! 💥

Rocks crashed to the base of the cliff. Thick dust billowed up from the depths, and birds scattered once more. If not for the woman beside me, I'd have thought thunder struck.

'But the sheer firepower feels kinda refreshing.'

Niva seemed to feel the same.

We lingered in the afterglow for a moment.

"... "

"... "

Niva chuckled softly and said,

"See? 'High-speed chant' lets you do three quick casts. After that, you fall back to normal incantations. You think a legendary archmage passes out after three shots? Probably that archmage Bow Ghost saw—the 'Winter Witch'—used high-speed chants, and he got the wrong idea."

"What's high-speed chant?"

She explained,

"Oh, that. When you grind XP on one spell to raise its proficiency and master it, eventually you can skip the chant altogether."

"I see. Does that apply equally to all magic?"

"Up to mid-tier, anyone can kinda do it. Upper-tier needs a ton of mastery. But..."

Niva narrowed her eyes into crescents.

"... You just cast it, no chant. You cheater."

"I've never cheated."

"Ha!"

She scoffed derisively,

crossing her arms and pretending to cover her chest.

"You tricked me into the men's bath for a mixed bath."

"Thanks to that, we shared the most honest conversation ever, right? It was unavoidable for both of us. Let's call it fate guided by the morning star."

"You perv, forget it already."

"Hearing that from middle-aged bunny Niva feels refreshing."

"Shut up!"

Niva punched my shoulder lightly, her face flushing.

"... "

It was overly familiar skinship from someone who could banish me anytime, but it didn't hurt much, so I let it slide.

I was already thinking elsewhere.

'Even legendaries have puny physical strength for mages.'

I wondered if the archmage Bow Ghost saw,

the 'Winter Witch,' was the same.

'How many legendary archmages are there among Climbers, anyway?'

I asked,

"Lady Niva. How many legendary archmages are there among the Climbers? Quite a few?"

"Two, including me. Both in the Blue Tower guild."

"You too?"

This woman.

She had a guild?

'True solo player, then. Climbed to 51 solo.'

Niva nodded.

"Yeah. Roughly top 10% are hero-tier—upper-tier mages. Jack-of-all-trades stop at mid-tier. No-talents learn one low-tier and bail."

"Got it."

Apparently,

by Climber standards, I'm 'hero-tier.'

'But no limit on high-speed casts.'

I understood.

As I nodded,

Niva thought for a moment before speaking.

"Hey. Don't you hate Climbers showing up? Different mindsets, lifestyles... Rude and annoying."

"No, not at all."

"... "

How could I?

'Daily quests handled by the Hundred Swords Three Ghosts are invaluable. Can't put a price on the upper-tier magic I learned thanks to Niva. Plus, with friendly guilds like Hundred Swords Society arriving first, building alliances will be smooth.'

And knowledge?

'I can sneak peeks via the gallery.'

All upsides.

I replied,

"As long as they intend to 'live together' in this land, they're always welcome."

"... "

Niva gazed ahead.

The sun dipped low, painting everything red. Far off in the twilight, our city flickered to life, lights kindling one by one.

She said,

"This city really seems happy. Preparing a massive festival over days without a worry, under such a diligent, uptight lord."

"... "

"You know everyone on the streets smiles watching your back while you work? All saying, 'It's thanks to Lord Lucius.'"

"... "

"No floor in the tower has happiness like this."

I replied,

"It wasn't always happy from the start."

"Huh?"

"Lady Niva, this festival we're holding now—it wasn't originally called the Harvest Festival, but the Celestial Star Festival. One of the things I changed after I was born."

"Celestial Star Festival?"

"Yes. When dark night fell, everyone extinguished their home lights, went outside, and prayed to the stars."

"Praying for what?"

I said,

"To remember those sacrificed to monsters over the year, and those who starved. And to beg the morning star above to take them away."

"... "

"The people here dreamed of becoming stars in the sky because living was so painful."

"... "

"So, rather than that sad festival... I discussed with our late head priest changing it to one where we reminisce the year's events all night, eating good food and having fun."

Niva smiled faintly. She knew who won that debate. Then she said,

"So that's why you welcome Climbers?"

"Of course, it helps the city too."

"Sure it does."

Niva smirked and held out her hand.

"Let's head back. Time for dinner."

"Apple pie time."

"Apple pie again!"

"It's my favorite."

"... Hm?"

She narrowed her eyes into crescents again, then poked my shoulder with her outstretched hand.

"You've been feeding me your favorite food? You sly dog."

"Let's call it camaraderie over shared tastes. The sight of a middle-aged man tearing up was heartbreaking."

"Ugh! What're you saying! Just take my hand!"

We warped back to the city like that.

And the Hundred Swords Society arrived a week later—on the day the Harvest Festival began.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Your current floor is the 51st: 'Walled City Baran'.

Following the Guiding Light,

the Sword Empress wiped blood from her cheek and froze.

"... !"

Because all three advance scout disciples bowed deeply and respectfully before her. Her most cherished disciple, Sword Ghost, spoke politely.

"Greetings, Vice Leader. You must be exhausted from the long journey."

"No need. You've had it the worst."

Then a voice from beside him.

"So you're the Hundred Swords Society Vice Leader."

"!"

The Sword Empress looked over.

With the lit-up night city at his back.

A young lord in elegant attire smiled warmly. Dozens of soldiers stood stern-faced behind him, spears in hand.

The arriving Hundred Swords Society disciples flinched and gripped their weapons upon seeing the forces right after crossing dimensions, but lowered their heads and waited at her gesture.

The Sword Empress clasped her hands in a graceful bow and said,

"Lord Lucius, I presume. I am the Vice Leader of the Hundred Swords Society, where the tower's hundred swords gather. Sword Empress—'Ran.' We are deeply honored by your personal welcome."

Lucius smiled and replied,

"My guests, the Hundred Swords Three Ghosts and your guild—how could I neglect you? We've cleared all monsters around here, so follow this path safely to the city."

"Right away?"

"Yes."

He answered,

"Because today is a joyous day. The Harvest Festival is underway—a time to eat together, reminisce, and rest."

"!"

As he spoke, tiny stars began rising slowly from the ground behind him. The city's residents launching them while enjoying the festival.

-That's...

-Sky lanterns?

Not people who wanted to become stars,

but a city that launched stars welcomed them with open arms.

"Welcome to Walled City Baran. Rest easy, Climbers."

"... "

The disciples, seeing the NPC welcoming them—

Somehow.

Couldn't stop a single tear from falling.

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