Chapter 36
The Tower is a place with a peculiar environment.
As long as you can carry it, you can bring in anything—whether it’s a gun or a tank. However, modern weapons made outside the Tower cannot be used within it.
Only items created through [Skills] or crafted within the Tower from local resources can be used.
In the first case, there are job restrictions, and in the latter, the types of items you can make are limited. Unless you’re in a production job, you’ll be lucky to craft something as basic as a stone axe.
Bombs won’t explode, and even if you bring gunpowder, it won’t ignite.
If you’re an [Alchemist] or a [Shooter], you may have fewer restrictions, allowing you to use certain items.
The Tower is a place that tests humanity.
At some point, any easy way up will inevitably be blocked.
※※※
… I’ve always thought about it.
Always, constantly…
With a body that does not need sleep, I’ve pursued what I love… what makes me happy… and only what brings me joy.
Now that I have resolved to become the embodiment of that happiness—struggling with my sudden transformation into a VTuber, only to decide to walk forward with confidence.
Facing both the physical fear of death creeping through the Tower and the psychological fear of a single mistake in a VTuber broadcast that could lead to ruin.
While I never let it show.
Perhaps I had the aptitude to be a Climber after all.
Casting aside all my countless fears and worries.
As many pioneering VTubers have done, I jumped in first to try something no one had attempted before.
One professional VTuber once said:
The most important thing in life is to live brightly, that living uncertainly without letting life shine is pointless.
Broadcasting is once-in-a-lifetime. Once you do it, you can never go back.
I want to ask my Believers,
Am I doing my best as a VTuber?
But I won’t ask, because that would be admitting my own fears and insecurities.
The moment I reveal my own weakness, the immovable heart wavers.
I burned down my own house.
I erased the false existence of the past, leaving only the VTuber known as Wakamo Inarizushi.
And the “me” that only I remember—the Red Pill that is “me”—will never be revealed to the world.
To become an ideal VTuber, I even abandoned love.
Are you watching, Tower…? This is the resolve I have.
From the very beginning, I have never wavered, not for a single moment.
Since the moment I chose to make Tower climbing the content for my VTuber broadcast.
Behind me lies a cliff. If I retreat, only death awaits.
With a resolution of no retreat, regardless of what comes out in the Tower’s layers—even if I cannot achieve Complete Conquest.
I will never die while broadcasting a VTuber stream in the Tower.
“I can do this!!!”
Boom—!!
Slamming down with great force, the contents inside spill out.
Wakamo understood that her attacks, made entirely of her own [Mana], were completely ineffective against the [Mana-Immune Hardsteel Golem].
She landed a kick imbued with 10,000 mana. If that didn’t work, then perhaps increasing the sheer weight and crushing down would be another method.
- Do not use any [Skills] against the [Mana-Immune Hardsteel Golem] as an “Opponent” (0/1).
Is the Tower really trying to kill Wakamo?!
I can’t use it!! None of the skills!!
Since the Golem is immune to all mana-based attacks, Wakamo’s attacks have no effect.
Even if they did, a non-mana-enhanced blow would never be able to destroy that pure metallic body.
A counter-layer designed to target Climbers of the highest tier.
And this is happening when she hasn’t even reached the 20th layer; it’s as if the Tower is bent on killing Wakamo.
As if declaring [Tower Exit] and running away meant never climbing the Tower again. In this overwhelming and unreasonable battle, she—an immortal body who watches VTuber broadcasts—considered every possible outcome over 20,000 years of idol worship and otaku history.
My Worlds cannot be used.
No, she wasn’t going to use it just yet.
– What’s that? A baseball bat?
– No, damn it. Isn’t that a shell?!
– A shell? What kind?
– A tank shell!!!!
– It’s an armor-piercing shell!!
– No way? What’s she planning? Surely not…
Ducking under the Golem’s incoming fist, she snatched up the armor-piercing shell, tossing it high.
The Golem doesn’t look. She concentrates, focusing all her mana into a single point on her fist.
When the spinning armor-piercing shell looked as if it had slowed down, almost stopping.
Boom—!!!
With a powerful swing to the flat end, the armor-piercing shell shot forth with an explosive sound, as if fired from a tank.
She attacked the shell with pure physical strength, and it barreled forward, embedding itself directly into the Hardsteel Golem’s body, drilling in deeply.
With a splitting sound, the body cracked.
– So that’s her plan—to destroy it with this!
– The victory of modern civilization, I guess.
– If there’s no tank, I’ll be a human tank!!
A body that doesn’t feel pain, the Golem hammered its giant arm into the ground and scraped it along with all its might, swinging it at Wakamo.
Then, with a flip, she tossed the armor-piercing shell high with her toes and caught it with her hands mid-somersault.
With a reverse rotation that defied gravity, Wakamo spun upwards, landing on the Golem’s arm.
The camera tilted, gliding toward the Golem from above, capturing Wakamo as she stood poised on the arm.
Boom—!!
The armor-piercing shell shattered the camera.
The target wasn’t the Golem.
The shattered camera broke, and behind it, the unfortunate Golem was struck by yet another shell.
Wakamo summoned a camera again, using mana, capturing her sprint across the Golem’s surface, as the Golem’s opposite arm thrust sideways toward her in a downward angle.
Wakamo, coming close enough to reach her viewers, balanced herself on the armor-piercing shell she had thrown.
A breathtaking sight, defying the laws of physics.
Flipped upside down, she rotated with the spinning shell, pressing her weight on it before launching herself again.
The moment when the arms crossed, the piercing shell struck, embedding in the ground, hidden by the Golem’s arm but causing visible cracks to spread.
Click, click──
Three cameras revolved around Wakamo in a brilliant display.
One camera positioned itself perfectly, while another flew toward Wakamo.
Believers were shocked by the sudden appearance of Wakamo’s 『Four-Clawed Anchor』 emerging from her trembling tail.
Vroom vroom──!!
The carbon-fiber cables rotated at a fierce speed, bending as they touched the camera.
To the viewers, it seemed as if the cables were bending mid-air by themselves.
Drawing a half-circle, the anchor snagged on something, sharply changing course, catching onto the Golem’s arm, looping behind its back and over its shoulder.
─Only then did Believers realize why she had thrown the armor-piercing shell.
Clank─
The anchor latched precisely into the crack that had formed.
Will she pull with strength? Regrettably─that wouldn’t be elegant.
Wakamo’s arm, hidden under her black sleeve, spun rapidly, coiling the cable tightly around it.
Kicking off from the camera used as a foothold, she leaped once more with force.
Following Wakamo’s soaring movement like a rocket, the Golem was lifted from the ground─
[Stats]
Mana: 512,332 -> 371,246.
In an instant, the Golem was hurled above Wakamo.
The Golem, lacking any long-range attack capability, completely lost its advantage of crushing smaller opponents with its size and weight.
[Stats]
Mana: 371,246 -> 200,056.
Vroom──!!!
Faster than any hammer throw athlete.
[Stats]
Mana: 200,056 -> 127,541.
Suspended mid-air, the Golem, securely anchored, spun so fast it appeared as a blur, forming a circular shadow.
The centrifugal force was so intense that, instead of plummeting, the Golem seemed to momentarily float upward from the rebound!!
[Stats]
Mana: 127,541 -> 36,552.
“Baekdu Mountain─!!”
And then finally.
“Drop it!!”
With a shout that echoed like a roar, the Hardsteel Golem smashed into the ground.
The impact caused cracks throughout its body, the metal splintering with a violent sound as it shattered into pieces that scattered in all directions.
Throwing down the giant without using a single [Skill] on the “Hardsteel Golem”!
“An artistic harmony born from artistic muscles and artistic technique! This, indeed, is what you call excellence and elegance.”
– Do you see the artistry within this brutality?
– She became the muscles that nullify any magic!!
– Does the Channel Master even use spells?
– The ultimate spell that uses muscle instead of mana…
– Isn’t that just brute strength, not magic?
– Something even an Alchemist might attempt…
[The 18th floor of Incheon Tower has achieved Platinum requirements and is now open to all of humanity!!]
[Calculating rewards due to Platinum Conquest of the Tower]
[The [Video Recording] skill gains the [Additional Camera Summon] function]
[The [Worshipped God] skill gains the [Mana Recovery Rate Increase] function]
[The [My Worlds] skill is upgraded to [Detached House with a Yard]]
[The number of models registrable under [VTuber Model] increases]
[You gained 【Broadcast Points】 10 points. Current total: 14]
‘What about the skills?’
Broadcast points seem to have finally lifted her out of the negatives.
Were the only rewards the skill upgrades? But it was much more than usual.
As the difficulty increases, so does the reward?
Even if Wakamo faces an impossible challenge with unfair odds, they still offer rewards if she wins?
“Hmm─”
Wakamo took a step toward the next layer.
It was an impulsive action, driven by her emotions.
As if telling Wakamo to abandon her role as a VTuber climber content creator.
As if urging her to quit aiming for Complete Conquest, the Tower’s reprimand did not sit well with her, so Wakamo pressed forward.
[Climbing the 19th floor World of Incheon Tower]
- [The difficulty increases based on Wakamo Inarizushi’s achievements as a Climber!]
- [Overcome the [Elite Monster]!]
- [Defeat the [Mana-Immune Orc Shaman].]
[Platinum Achievement Requirement]
- [Defeat the [Mana-Immune Orc Shaman] (0/1)]
- [Sustain damage from [Mana Burn] of the [Mana-Immune Orc Shaman] (0/1)]
Old and ugly─yet built like a massive bodybuilder.
Holding a staff made of animal and human skulls in one hand and an axe in the other, the Orc Shaman’s eyes glinted before Wakamo blazed with a flash to blind its vision.
[Mana Burn] is a [Skill].
Manager Won Da-hye had explained to Wakamo how that skill manifests.
Spells reveal their traits before they are cast. So, she had to be cautious, uncertain of which spell the Orc would use.
It could manifest through a hand or a weapon. Therefore─she must never enter the range of that swinging arm.
The Four-Clawed Anchor had already been destroyed in the battle against the Golem. She only had a single armor-piercing shell left after exhausting her supply.
Although in a dire situation, was it a burst of dopamine? Or was it the lingering fury at the Tower that hadn’t subsided?
Wakamo, feeling as though her reverse scale had been touched, did not stop.
Fwoosh──!!
Flames spewed from her mouth, engulfing the Shaman, but the Orc Shaman blocked it with [Mana Shield]. The incantation sent a lightning bolt slicing past Wakamo’s shoulder.
Wakamo’s reflexes dodged the lightning with her eyes, causing Believers’ excited chat to accelerate, yet Wakamo’s heightened perception allowed her to clearly read each message.
Just how far could the limits of her body go, what was truly possible?
Bending her knees and leaning back, she managed not to topple over, firmly planting her feet on the ground without a single tremor. She struck away an incoming mana spear with a knife hand and launched the armor-piercing shell.
BOOM─!!! The deafening sound of the fired shell resounded, and even though the Shaman had its eyes closed, it seemed to sense the trajectory, blocking it with his axe.
The clash between the axe and the shell shattered them both, leaving them in pieces.
The fact that the axe withstood the shell meant it was no ordinary weapon.
The air wavered as the space around them shifted.
The Orc Shaman, closing the distance in an instant with a short-distance leap skill, launched a kick, but Wakamo blocked it by pressing her hand down on his foot.
Adjusting her long hair with Mana Manipulation so it wouldn’t touch her hand, she shot out a hidden spear from inside her sleeve.
She twisted her arm like a coiled spring and, at the moment of release, drilled her piercing strike with the flexibility and precision that only Wakamo, with her mastery of bodily control, could achieve.
The Shaman’s side was ripped open, blood splattering from the brutal impact, yet instead of a cry of pain, he let out a fierce roar and cast a buff on himself.
His green skin flushed red, and his muscles seemed even more swollen than before. Just as Wakamo noticed this, the Shaman’s elbow struck her shoulder.
Avoiding his grasping hand, she shrank herself, transforming into a childlike Wakamo to create distance, but the Shaman’s eyes gleamed as though he had anticipated it.
[Stats]
Mana: 593,002 -> 592,002.
Using [Idol’s Form], she created an illusionary shield.
Expanding the shield to its fullest with 1,000 mana, the illusion took the brunt of the [Mana Burn] blast─a white-hot explosion with deafening sound erupted, fiery waves consuming Wakamo and hurling her across the battlefield.
Though airborne, Wakamo experienced firsthand the terrifying power of a [Skill] seemingly designed to kill her.
[Stats]
Mana: 592,002 -> 174,562.
‘Is this real….’
The [Mana Burn] tore through the [Idol’s Form] shield and even struck Wakamo despite her attempt at substitution.
Once her mana, the explosion now blazed through the air, the earth, incinerating everything around her as she lay there watching.
Had she taken it head-on, it would have been fatal.
Even shielded, this was the result.
Moreover, the Shaman, the caster of [Mana Burn], stood with closed eyes, unscathed by the explosion’s damage but unable to ignore the blinding light. A small comfort, perhaps?
Her body felt drained to the core.
Her vision split in two, ringing filled her ears, and nausea set in, her entire body feeling submerged in water.
She understood now just how vulnerable a being made of pure mana was to [Mana Burn]…!!
In a life-or-death battle, things could not always be one-sided.
A mere brush cost her 420,000…!! A direct hit would mean instant death!!
However.
Without a hint of hesitation, she thought, This is a skill worth using on me!!
She rose and crouched down, preparing herself.
The Orc Shaman, seeming to realize what she was about to do, attempted to move, but she swiftly closed in, giving him no time to react.
Though he glared with fiery intensity, ready to incinerate her, Wakamo had already vanished from that spot.
Using ghostly footwork, she slipped behind him, grabbing his wrist as he extended his hand to strike.
The Shaman, startled, tried to turn, but it was too late.
“…I’m lucky.”
Hearing Wakamo’s smug voice from behind him confirmed it.
“Throwing a punch recklessly at a master… Do you even know how reckless that is… You’re lucky you’re a monster and don’t understand that.”
She could feel the solid sensation, certain that their backs were aligned.
“This isn’t something I could’ve done to a Golem.”
A technique that doesn’t exist in Taekwondo.
Giving him no chance to break his fall, she seized his arm and slammed his head into the ground.
The Throwing Technique she had learned from the Fist King!!
BOOM─!!!
His head crashed to the ground with all her strength, yet what Wakamo saw was a translucent barrier.
The Shaman protected himself with [Mana Shield].
Of course, being a Shaman.
But the barrier, likely weakened from the impact of [Mana Burn], began to crack and eventually shattered.
The head was now buried in the ground, Wakamo’s form obstructing his vision, his arms dislocated and hanging limp.
For a master, exposing even a momentary gap like this to an enemy meant a death without second chances.
Crack─!!
[The 19th floor of Incheon Tower has met the Platinum Condition and is now open to all of humanity!!]
[Calculating rewards for the Platinum Conquest of the Tower]
Wakamo dusted off her shoulder.–
A clean, flawless finish.
She still felt a bit dizzy, as though intoxicated, but Wakamo stood firm.
As if to say to the Tower, “You can’t kill me,” she stood proudly.
It was a silent protest and a defiant stance.
[Select one reward]
[Idol’s Protection]
- Grants a buff to Believers based on the floor level.
[Companion Buff]
- Believer recovery speed +50%.
[Blessing Acquisition]
- Small disease resistance for Believers.
“Hmm…..”
[You have gained the blessing [Small Disease Resistance] for Believers!]
Occupation-specific skill 【Broadcast Points】
- Points accumulate from broadcasts and can be used to grant blessings to Believers.
Current points: 37
[Small Disease Resistance – 1 point per person]
“So stingy, Tower.”
Well, idols aren’t gods, so maybe that’s only natural.
There were no [Attack Skills].
Even right before reaching the 20th floor, what was the Tower trying to tell her?
Because you didn’t choose it, you’ll bear the consequences of your own foolishness?
The one who wants to win more─is the one who controls the fight.
This battle would determine who truly wanted victory more.
It must be the climb.
“Let’s go.”
With her hair flowing, Wakamo took a step forward without hesitation.
– Damn, am I really seeing this right…?
– Why is the 50th-floor boss from the UK Tower here??
– Channel Master, you better exit the Tower quick. You’re seriously going to die.
– Why is this so scary today… Channel Master… please, take it slow…
– Something feels off. I’m scared, Channel Master…
[Entering Incheon Tower 20th Floor World]
- Difficulty increases based on the achievements of [Wakamo Inarizushi] the Climber!
- Defeat the [Elite Boss Monster]!
- Defeat the [Mana-Burned Soul Devourer].
[Platinum Achievement Condition]
- Defeat the [Mana-Burned Soul Devourer] (0/1).
What appeared before her was a massive ghost.
An undead monster resembling a screaming sheet-clad figure, impervious to any attacks unless with a [Divine] skill.
It was a reminder that, as an idol, Wakamo was merely an idol ─ not a god. This was an opponent she couldn’t hope to defeat.
Being a ghost, it was immune to physical attacks.
The flaming [Soul Devourer] was consumed by its own mana through [Mana Burn], meaning Wakamo would die instantly upon contact.
The only viable strategy was to exit the Tower and request supplies from Britain.
While the [Kusanagi Blade] was of mythical grade, it did not possess any [Divine] attribute, making it ineffective here.
Yet Wakamo simply laughed.
This time, there was no penalty preventing her from using [Tower Exit].
She realized the purpose of the 19th floor the moment she reached the 20th.
─Even when things seem unfair, the Tower always leaves a way to win.
Every choice is ultimately up to the Climber.
Summoning [My Worlds] off-camera, she addressed her viewers with a smile.
“Thank you all for watching my broadcast ─ 600,000 subscribers! Love you all~”
Thanks to climbing three floors in a row, her subscriber count surged in both Korea and Japan, finally reaching 600,000.
Even if the Tower didn’t acknowledge her, Wakamo knew she had already won if her Believers did, and that made her happy.
So, no matter how unfair things might be.
She had no intention of quitting either the VTuber broadcast or the Tower climb.
[Stats]
Mana: 605,321.
Squeezing out all her mana to its limit, she channeled it into her fingertips and launched it.
The actual force was minimal.
It was simply a massive amount of mana.
They say the mana capacity of a [Wizard] who has reached the 20th floor is around 2,000.
Then, what about… my 600,000 mana?
[Stats]
Mana: 605,321 -> 112.
As her fingers ignited with [Mana Burn] and the light began to spread, she closed the portal.
Seated, she sipped tea prepared by Yu Ying.
“Ah, nothing beats a cup of tea after a broadcast.”
Sipping the mana-restoring potion prepared by her manager ─ despite being a poison crafted by Yu Ying, it restored mana ─ Wakamo calmly waited.
And finally.
[The 20th floor of Incheon Tower has met the Platinum Condition and is now open to all of humanity!!]
[The first-ever continuous Platinum Conquest of 20 floors has been achieved by humanity]
[A ‘Wakamo Inarizushi 1st Floor’ zone is added to South Korea’s Incheon 100-floor Tower!]
[This floor combines all zones from the 1st to the 20th floor into a new environment, spanning an area of 630 square kilometers]
She opened the portal once again, crossing over to witness the hellish landscape of the 20th floor, now completely devastated beyond recognition.
Standing before what looked like ground zero of a nuclear blast, Wakamo activated her camera and began recording.
“Oh dear, did the so-called boss of the 50th floor in Britain just self-destruct with [Mana Burn]? What a pathetic ending♠”
With a smile for her Believers and a smirk intended for the Tower.
“Well then, this victory… goes to the one who survived, me♣”
—
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