Chapter 37

037. 7th Floor (2)

"…Wasn’t there no such thing as system expansion?"

I narrowed my eyes as I carefully examined the message floating in the air.

Originally, the trials had a one-day waiting period based on the time of passing the previous floor.

However, the sudden disappearance of the waiting period without any prior signs was a serious issue.

'The waiting period disappeared without the system being expanded or changed.'

Though I found it a bit strange, I quickly shook off my confusion.

Well, I can understand the waiting period disappearing.

It’s not a change that would have a negative impact, and it could even be beneficial to me.

'If I can challenge the trials more quickly, that’s an advantage.'

Of course, in the past, challenging quickly would have been a poison, but not anymore.

I’ve completed a certain level of growth, and my current level is quite high in this floor.

I confirmed this during the 6th floor trial.

So, the disappearance of the waiting period, allowing me to challenge the trials freely, is fine.

'This is a more positive variable than the arrival of an interdimensional challenger.'

Considering all this, it could be seen as a positive change.

While common sense applies to some extent in the Tower of Trials, nothing can be definitively concluded, as I’ve learned through my experiences.

'There’s no need to be surprised just because something changes.'

After all, a world with dungeons and hunters was once considered abnormal.

We must understand that changes can come at any time.

Of course, I was also curious if the waiting period had disappeared for others.

'Since I was planning to check the community reactions anyway, I might as well do it now.'

I opened the community through a command.

"You have entered the community."

"Difficulty – Hard"

"7th Floor Community (1671/2321)"

-Spirit of the Tower: Everyone, do you know the waiting period for trials has disappeared?

I easily found a challenger discussing the 'waiting period.'

I wondered how they would react, but they didn’t seem overly surprised.

-AdminGamer: Why are you so slow to realize things? Everyone already knows.

-Spirit of the Tower: ㅋㅋ; I’m just a bit slow to notice...

-AdminGamer: But I don’t think it’s something to worry about.

-Spirit of the Tower: ? Isn’t it quite important? If you can challenge the trials faster, that’s an advantage, right?

-TopConfidence: ㅋㅋ, that’s only for the top-tier guys. It doesn’t really affect us. Unless you’re trying to surpass the top-tier, it won’t have much impact.

-ContinentScale: ㅇㅈ, for those who need days to prepare, the disappearance of the waiting period doesn’t matter.

-Spirit of the Tower: You’re suddenly harsh, but yeah, you’re right. For me, it doesn’t matter much since I’m just going home anyway.

It seemed that most people weren’t particularly concerned about the disappearance of the waiting period.

'...Maybe it’s because they’re lower-tier challengers.'

As before, their thinking wasn’t quite normal.

Well, if they don’t consider it important, it’s fine.

If they’re not interested in the benefits of being a 'pioneer' and only wish to return home, there’s no need to worry about competition.

However...

'The atmosphere is different from the 6th floor.'

This was a bit concerning.

On the 6th floor, everyone was obsessed with killing, but the 7th floor waiting room is different.

-DangDang: By the way, there were a lot of crazy guys on the 6th floor. Seriously, what were they trying to do, place a knife in the portal? These guys are insane.

-AchievementHoney: Ah, that’s probably because of the achievement you get for attacking from an unseen spot.

-DangDang: Seriously, what kind of achievement makes them act like this?

-PublicMilePublicMile: ㅋㅋ, that’s nothing. I saw someone complete a tile occupation achievement and kill their teammates and others on different tiles.

-JusticeHunter: Everyone went crazy after getting the mental resistance skill ㄹㅇㅋㅋ

-VeteranHighSchoolJang: Hawawa, I was too scared to even speak on the 6th floor.

-Doberman: What kind of concept is this; but yeah, it was scary, I couldn’t speak either.

-DangDang: Those who were selling mental resistance skill acquisition methods were really creepy. They turned normal people into killers with points.

-JusticeHunter: Those guys must have survived, but they’re quiet now. Well, the 7th floor is an individual trial, so they can’t gang up and kill.

"…Indeed, things have changed."

Overall, there was more conversation, and the gloomy atmosphere had lifted.

Or, more accurately, those with such tendencies are now quiet.

'Everyone’s tension has eased after passing the 6th floor trial.'

Those who couldn’t even chat properly are now regaining their energy and conversing.

Because once we break through the 7th floor trial, we’ll be in the 8th floor waiting room.

"After all, if we can reach the 8th floor, we can return to Earth..."

Those who realized the 7th floor trial wasn’t a combined trial must have felt relieved.

They could be confident that the next trial wouldn’t require killing others.

Conversely, those who had been complicit in killings on lower floors are now quiet.

Why?

'They’ve realized the 7th floor trial is an individual trial.'

There’s no need to come out and get criticized, and there’s no way to earn points, so they’re staying quiet.

And those who bought the mental resistance skill from them are likely acting secretly and not active in the community.

"…"

But this peace won’t last forever.

If we have to go higher and another combined trial comes, the hellish scenes from the 6th floor will reappear.

So, we shouldn’t be fooled.

Ultimately, everyone is still a competitor, no matter how friendly they act.

"Trial Summary."

"6th Floor Trial Summary Board"

-1st, Kim Seunghoon (SS-)

-2nd, Oh Chunseok (S+)

-3rd, NicknameChangeWhat (S)

-4th, Hunter (S-)

-5th, HyeDiGongDoo (A)

-6th, Prog (A-)

...

...

"I made it into the top 10 again."

4th, a slight drop from before, but not a significant one.

After all, to be designated as a 'pioneer,' you only need to be in the top 50.

I glanced at the trial summary hologram and then turned it off.

There was nothing more to see, and no important information.

'Now, the 8th floor…'

This is the time to find out what benefits the 'pioneer' designation in the trial summary system offers.

From then on, many things will change rapidly.

'There’s only one more floor, no need to rush.'

If I remain calm, I can handle variables like the interdimensional challenger smoothly.

Especially since I’ve awakened a new ability, the 7th floor trial won’t be too difficult.

If I don’t become complacent, reaching the 8th floor shouldn’t be hard.

'As for items…, there’s no need to buy more for now.'

I don’t feel a significant lack of items yet.

The Thunder Sword and the Stealth Hunter’s Shield should be enough to challenge the 7th floor.

Of course, I might change items later, but for now, that’s the case.

"Maybe I should buy some potions just in case."

"You have purchased Life Potion (D-)."

"1,500 points deducted."

"You have purchased Poison Eater (E+)."

"1,200 points deducted."

The two potions are for recovery and in case of poisoning.

Even with rapid regeneration, it’s good to be prepared for emergencies.

'Now that I’ve prepared, there’s no need to stay in the waiting room.'

"Do you wish to challenge the 7th floor trial?"

I agreed to the message and stepped through the portal that appeared.

Woooom…

"You have entered the 7th floor of the Tower of Trials."

"Difficulty – Hard"

"The theme of this trial is 'Proof.'"

"May the chosen one find a satisfactory result at the end of their chosen hardship."

…But something felt off.

"The 7th floor trial begins."

"Remaining time – 40 minutes"

"Trial completion condition – Break through three trials within the remaining time."

"Trial failure condition – Challenger’s death or the end of the remaining time."

"Trial completion reward – Skill 'Blessing of the Wind (A-)'"

"Trial failure penalty – Death"

This is different from the trials I’ve faced so far.

There’s no sound of monsters, and the trial completion conditions aren’t clear.

Breaking through three trials within the remaining time.

'I don’t understand what this means exactly.'

There are three trials, but it’s not clear what they are.

If I don’t know the content of the trials, I can’t prepare if the interdimensional challenger comes.

"…"

The surroundings are a simple stone corridor.

But there’s no sign of anything beyond the corridor.

'This doesn’t feel particularly dangerous.'

Despite the talk of three trials, there’s nothing here, which is absurd.

"I should go to the end of the corridor first."

Staying in one place isn’t a good strategy.

Also, I’m worried that the interdimensional challenger might take away my trial completion conditions.

If that happens, I’ll be in trouble.

'I can’t just sit and speculate.'

Also, the remaining time isn’t much, so I can’t waste it.

That’s when it happened.

"You have entered the first trial area."

"Prove that you have overcome your fear."

While walking down the corridor, the message appeared, and the scenery changed.

Whoosh…

"Where am I…?"

This place was clearly from my memory.

The sand and cacti everywhere are a familiar sight.

"The tutorial trial?"

Yes, this is the place I saw when I first entered the Tower of Trials.

But the question is, why is it here now?

"Is this an illusion?"

Considering the message about proving I’ve overcome my fear, it’s a plausible guess.

They might be using old memories to create a sense of fear.

By showing the environment of the tutorial trial, where I felt a threat to my life in the Tower of Trials.

However, this guess was quickly proven wrong when I touched the sandy ground.

'The sensation of the sand means this isn’t an illusion.'

At least, this environment seems entirely real.

'Have they really recreated the tutorial trial environment?'

The concept of proving fear and the sudden change in the surroundings made me think.

Then, perhaps…

"Is the tutorial trial itself being recreated?"

It’s not an unreasonable guess.

The current environment perfectly recreates the tutorial trial.

At that moment,

Rumble!

The ground suddenly shook, and the sand began to gather in one place.

This is a familiar phenomenon.

"…As expected, the tutorial trial enemies are being recreated."

The Sand Golem began to form from the sand.

Well, the Sand Golem, which was an E-rank monster and scary back then, isn’t a big deal now.

'Frankly, I could beat a Sand Golem with my eyes closed now.'

I’ve grown so much in the Tower of Trials.

I’m puzzled as to why they’re giving me 40 minutes to clear such a trial.

'Maybe they just want me to quickly move on to the 8th floor?'

While thinking this, I gripped the Thunder Sword and watched the Sand Golem form.

Still, I need to observe since there are two more trials left…

Boom!

Suddenly, the sand vortex exploded with a loud noise.

The sand particles quickly solidified and began to form a Golem.

But the forming Sand Golem began to look increasingly strange.

"…Huh?"

The Sand Golem, an E-rank monster weaker than an Orc…

'What is this?'

It easily surpassed the appropriate 6-meter height.

10 meters, no, even larger, making it hard to look up.

An overwhelming pressure enveloped me.

"…"

If the original Sand Golem was barely an E-rank monster…

The monster standing before me now is at least a B-rank monster.

Grrrr…

The moment I met the gaze of the Sand Golem, which was staring down at me with red eyes, I realized.

Clearing two more trials like this within 40 minutes…

"Damn."

This is a trial of unprecedented difficulty.