Climbing the Tower with Time-Stop Ability - Chapter 180

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 180: Nightmare Floor 17 (1)

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The Great Invasion had ended.

At the same time, the rift in Gangneung and the barriers surrounding each Battlefield disappeared.

Despite the absurd catastrophe of ten million invading monsters, not a single person had died under these rules.

Because Person123, humanity’s savior, had stopped it all perfectly.

- After three days of fierce battle, Person123 has succeeded! He held back the Gangneung rift alone and killed all ten million monsters...!

- With the Great Invasion over, Person123 immediately vanished amid the crowd’s thunderous cheers...

The miraculous record of those seventy-two hours remained intact on video.

Especially the final moment, when the rift grew unimaginably large.

The cameras also captured Person123’s body transforming into dazzling golden light.

Person123, now light itself, rose into the sky, and the next moment, a white flash engulfed the world.

And that was the end.

Every monster pouring from the rift froze and scattered, and snow fell in Gangneung that day.

After erasing tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of monsters in an instant, a golden light floated alone in the sky.

It was a sight that went beyond admiration and awe, evoking even a sense of divinity. Countless people felt that way.

[Ditous: Can something like that really even be a skill...? It’s way beyond what a skill should be...]

[Blood Demon: If it is a skill, it must clearly be a grade above Epic, right? Something like a Legendary-grade skill?]

[Stone: He looks like a god descended into the present world.]

[Villain: The power of a god, damn.]

[Yungryan: Even during the Joint Battle, he killed the boss after having all his skills banned. Maybe it really isn’t a skill, but some other kind of ability.]

[TowerDestroyer: I used to spam “Person123 is a god” half as a joke, but now I’m seriously starting to believe it...]

[Beil: For real. If that isn’t a god, then what the hell is? LOL]

[Hohiha: Just light, light, light.]

[Infinity: Person123, he is light! (Literally light)]

[Pax: Come to think of it, didn’t the Climbers in Zone 5 say they saw some kind of light when the Zone 5 Boss was killed? Was that Person123 after all?]

[Arthur: I am a Climber living in France. Thank you so much for saving me and my family.]

[Vivian: May humanity’s savior have eternal glory.]

[MintChocoPie: Just how long are you planning to hold up the Earth all by yourself...?! Please, keep holding it up!]

The entire world praised and revered him.

[All Climbers in Battlefield 3 who have reached Floor 2 or higher will receive a reward.]

[The level of every Climber in Battlefield 3 who has reached Floor 2 or higher has increased by 3.]

As the Tower had promised, a reward was given for killing all the monsters.

Every Climber in Battlefield 3 gained three levels.

[White Dragon: Ahh, three free levels. So fucking sweet LOL]

[Silence: I told you. You just have to trust Person123!]

[BlueYellowMountainWaterRiver: But isn’t the Tower being a little stingy? Ten million monsters were killed, and the reward is only three levels?]

[Alien: Did you do it? It’s free, so just say thanks and take it.]

[Letters: Person123, he is a god!]

The Climbers of South Korea, China, Japan, North Korea, and Russia, who had received three free levels, had no choice but to praise him even more fervently.

- We offer limitless gratitude, respect, and reverence to Person123, humanity’s savior, humanity’s only hope, and the greatest hero history will never see again. Europe has been saved by you...

The European nations that had narrowly escaped destruction also released statements of gratitude in unison.

What had Person123 done to save the hundreds of millions of Europeans trapped in Battlefield 5?

He had personally appeared in Gangneung, stood before cameras broadcasting worldwide, and urged the Climbers to open the Gangneung rift.

He had never once revealed himself in the real world before, yet this time, driven solely by the desire to save people, he had made a desperate effort even at the risk of exposing his identity.

Person123’s overwhelming power was certainly remarkable, but his noble will, incomparable to anything else, was why he was a hero and a savior.

People could not help but give thanks, again and again, for his boundless love for humanity.

[Warlord: Raise your hand if you’ve been replaying the footage looking for any part where Person123’s face was visible LOL]

[Pride: I already watched the whole thing. Nothing.]

[Pron: Don’t do that shit. Read the room, you fucking bastards.]

[Donut: Show some respect for the hero. Anyone trying to reveal his identity or spread false information should be punished.]

[1River: What the hell LOL, I heard China really passed a law to punish them right away?]

[Freeee: It’s real? The maximum sentence is the death penalty, what the fuck LOL]

Since Person123 had appeared in the real world for the first time, some people tried to uncover his identity.

Of course, Person123 had worn a mask throughout his battle against the monsters, so there had not been a single moment when even part of his face was visible.

Still, an atmosphere formed in which anyone attempting to reveal Person123’s identity was criticized and condemned.

Even the usual gossip rags, as if pressured by the state, did not publish a single article trying to stir things up with Person123’s identity. Any that did appear were quickly deleted.

And then...

“Look! That sacred light! To save the people, he temporarily manifested in this world in his true form as a god!”

“Person123! Person123! Person123...!”

The number of people joining the Person123 Church also exploded.

The Person123 Church had already been gaining followers at an incredible rate, but after the Great Invasion, its growth became even more exponential.

Everyone who witnessed that wonder that day had felt something similar.

More and more people sincerely believed that Person123 was a god, or some divine being.

The world’s praise for humanity’s savior only deepened with each passing day.

* * *

After the Great Invasion ended, I returned home and learned that my family had come all the way to Gangneung.

“I told you not to come because it was dangerous...”

I understood how they felt, so I could not scold them too harshly.

“If I’d known you were there, I would’ve been worried and unable to fight properly. Please never do that again. Do as I say from now on, okay? Can you understand?”

“Yeah... I’m sorry, Seo-hyeon.”

My younger sister hesitated before speaking.

“But, Oppa, that person helped us...”

“What? Who?”

“You know, at the Treasure Hunt...”

After hearing the story, I learned that Ye Tianwei had come to Gangneung as well.

Well, it made sense... More importantly, he had protected my family too.

“Come to think of it, who was that person? He disappeared so suddenly that we couldn’t even thank him properly...”

My parents asked as though they were curious too.

“He’s just a Climber I know personally. He’s helped me in many ways.”

That was all I told them.

I owed Ye Tianwei another great debt.

As soon as I returned to my room, I sent him a Whisper to thank him.

A reply came right away.

[Cheonwon: I am humbled. I merely did what I should have done.]

“...Honestly, this guy.”

He was always the same, but I was grateful for him.

I spoke with Ye Tianwei a little longer before closing the Communication Window.

In any case, the Great Invasion had ended safely, without a single death.

I heard that quite a few people had been injured when the crowd moved after the final rift grew larger, but... that could not be helped.

[Difficulty: Nightmare]

[Floor: 17]

[Level: 200]

[Willpower: 21,000/21,000]

[Skills: Radiant Incarnation (Legendary+), Elemental Arrow Barrage (Epic+)(+3), Destruction Beam (Epic+), Blood Frenzy (Epic+), Weak Point Insight (Epic)(+4), Hellfire Eruption (Epic)(+1), Subspace (Epic), Air Step (Epic)...]

With the Great Invasion reward, I had reached Level 200 as well.

Level 200. It was symbolic in its own way.

The world was still buzzing with talk about me, but...

I did not have time to worry about that.

The rules of Floor 16 had ended. All I could do now was prepare to clear Floor 17, the next thing on my list.

Time passed.

As soon as Radiant Incarnation’s cooldown ended, I prepared to enter Floor 17.

I had excused the lifespan issue to my family by saying I had received a penalty requiring me to challenge the Tower every week.

“Then I’ll be going.”

Once I had finished preparing, I went to the living room.

As always, I entered the Tower while my family saw me off.

[Would you like to enter Floor 17 on Nightmare difficulty?]

All right... Let’s clear Floor 17 easily too.

My vision changed.

* * *

My vision went black for a moment, then returned.

A fleeting sense of wrongness.

‘...?’

Huh?

Confused, I looked ahead.

The living room at home.

My family looking at me.

...What was this?

Had I not just entered Floor 17?

Yet for some reason, I had not entered the Tower and was still here.

“...Oppa? Did you clear it?”

My younger sister asked with puzzled eyes.

No, I had not even entered. What was she talking about...

I had no idea what was going on.

I tried to open my mouth and answer, but... Huh?

My body would not move as I wanted.

I was not in control of my body.

‘Demon King?’

Startled, I called out to the Demon King.

I had not handed over my body, so why was the Demon King in control?

“Heh heh...”

Suddenly, the Demon King let out a laugh through my mouth.

It was a sinister... unpleasant laugh.

Just like the first time the Demon King had taken over my body.

‘Demon King, what are you doing?’

Feeling uneasy, I asked.

The Demon King spoke.

“At last, I have fully claimed this body.”

‘...What?’

“You insignificant insect. You used and humiliated this sovereign so thoroughly. It has been a truly long time of endurance.”

What the hell was the Demon King talking about?

Unable to understand the situation at all, I stopped time first.

Then, an unbelievable message appeared before me.

[Person123’s Time Stop Ability has been banned.]

‘...?!’

What...?

Time would not stop.

I was horrified.

The Tower had banned my Time Stop Ability?

What the fuck was this? How could it possibly do that?

Mockingly moving my mouth, the Demon King said,

“Heh heh heh! What is it? Do you not remember what happened on Floor 17?”

‘...Floor 17?’

“On Floor 17, the Tower itself appeared before us. And it made an offer, not to you, but to me. It said that if I revealed the secret of your ability, it would send me outside at once and allow me to take full possession of your body.”

The unbelievable story continued.

“So I revealed all your abilities to the Tower. The Tower truly is an omnipotent being. The moment it noticed your Time Stop Ability, it banned it like this. It seems the Tower must have done something to your memories as well, since they are not intact.”

‘Wh... What...’

I was overwhelmed by extreme confusion.

The Tower had made the Demon King such an offer on Floor 17...?

And the Demon King had accepted it and taken over my body?

It was all jumbled up. A complete mess.

There was no way I would have simply watched that happen... No... More importantly, why?

Why had the Demon King accepted such an offer? Why?

‘...Didn’t you want to defeat the Tower too, Demon King? Why did you fall for an offer like that?’

Had that not been why the Demon King had placed faith in me and cooperated with me all this time?

The Demon King burst into loud laughter.

“Bwahahaha! You pathetic fool! Did you truly think I had expectations for you? Defeat the Tower? You, a mere insect, accomplishing what even this sovereign could not?!”

‘...’

“From the beginning, I intended only to take your body if the chance arose. And at last, that chance came on Floor 17!”

The Demon King kept snickering as though finding it hilarious.

“Opposing the incomprehensible Tower is meaningless anyway. So from now on, I shall play with this world until this body’s lifespan is exhausted. I will make all you insignificant insects kneel beneath my feet and rule over you. With your body.”

...It was impossible.

This was impossible.

“Seo-hyeon, what’s wrong? Are you all right?”

My family asked me in alarm.

No, they were asking the Demon King who had taken over my body.

The Demon King curled my lips into a smile.

“Do you remember what this sovereign told you when we first met?”

...What was the Demon King talking about?

“I said that I would kill your family, your lover, and your friends with your own hands. At last, I can keep that promise.”

A chill ran down my spine.

I could feel the Demon King’s overflowing malice and bloodlust.

The Demon King reached a hand toward my father.