Chapter 133: Thirty-Fifth Floor, Terror of the Brazier (1)

I took a step forward, and a notification window sluggishly materialized in front of me. The delay felt odd, almost as if the tower itself were hesitating.

Shrugging off my sense of unease, I focused on the message.

[Rokshark’s Core]

- Belonged to a monster created by feeding on a strange scientist's experimental waste.

- Though its stench is overwhelming, it appears to contain an inexplicable power.

So, it really is an elixir. Or more accurately, a monster core.

It resembled a lump of sludge, and the stench was almost unbearable.

For a moment, I stood frozen, unsure of how to proceed.

What am I supposed to do with this thing?

As I pondered, a troubling thought crept into my mind.

Wait, is this even consumable?

Unlike the elixirs I had encountered in the past, this one—grotesque and slime-like—seemed unsafe, and its description only heightened my wariness.

Just the description’s first line alone made me recoil, and its revolting stench only further strengthened my reluctance.

No, I can’t hesitate. It’s still an elixir, and I can’t afford to waste it. If it’s edible, I should take advantage of it.

Mustering my resolve, I brought it closer to my mouth when my Sixth Sense suddenly flared to life. An unmistakable feeling of danger rang through me the moment I considered eating it.

The wave of dread continued to wash over me, strengthening my belief that consuming it would be catastrophic.

Didn’t Doppy call it an elixir? Will it really harm me if I eat it?

As I struggled with my thoughts, Doppy’s voice broke the silence. “

Kriee!

Su-Yeok! Can Goblin eat this?”

“What? You want to eat it? Is your intuition telling you this?”

“

Kriee!

Yes! Goblin has to eat it!”

Doppy’s instincts had kicked in, which struck me as unusual. Normally, when Doppy’s instincts and Sixth Sense activated simultaneously, they usually agreed with one another.

Before making a decision, I needed to be certain. “Are you sure it’s safe to eat? You won’t get hurt or anything, right?”

“

Kriee!

Of course!” Doppy nodded firmly, its confidence unwavering.

That made the decision easier. Although Sixth Sense had deemed it dangerous for me, that didn’t mean it would necessarily be the same for Doppy. If it thought it could consume it safely, then why not? After all, without Doppy, I wouldn’t have even obtained the core in the first place.

“All right, it’s yours. Go ahead and eat it.”

“

Kriee!

Thank you!”

No sooner had I given my approval than Doppy eagerly shoved the core into its mouth. Within moments—barely five seconds—it went limp, and it collapsed to the ground.

I quickly lunged forward, managing to catch it just before it hit the floor, and gently laid it down. It had reacted far quicker to the core than I had expected—the elixirs I had consumed usually took a minute before affecting me.

Doppy will be fine... right?

An anxious feeling began to rise in my chest when a soft, radiant glow started to envelop Doppy.

***

「Invisible message: A small amount of ■■■ from Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s climbing assistant is transferred to the prospective fifth-class god ‘Golden Flash’ Fenrike.」

「Invisible message: The prospective fifth-class god ‘Golden Flash’ Fenrike expends ■■■ to accelerate the growth of the climbing assistant.」

***

[12 hours 20 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

An hour had passed, but Doppy remained unconscious. If everything were normal, it would be resting peacefully in bed by now, but that wasn’t the case.

The glow surrounding it persisted, shimmering and rippling faintly.

This light is the same radiance that appears when Doppy uses healing magic. Fenrike’s power has to be at work here.

While it didn’t seem harmful, I couldn’t fully comprehend what was happening. One thing was clear, however—Doppy was undergoing a transformation.

It was visibly growing, its size increasing significantly in a short period of time. By now, it had grown nearly forty centimeters, an incredibly striking change.

As I watched it closely, a message from Ha Hee-Jeong appeared.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fifth Floor): Hey, I think I found something good.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fifth Floor): Really?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fifth Floor): It’s called the Wrath of Yagmur and is similar to your old weapon. Check the shop.

The fact that she had recommended me an axe surprised me. However, I had mentioned to her about its destruction and my desperate need for a replacement.

Following her advice, I searched the shop and found it. It was a faded silver, double-edged axe designed similarly to my previous one. While most axes shared the same basic shape, subtle differences in craftsmanship often made finding the perfect fit challenging.

This was an unexpected but fortunate discovery.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fifth Floor): How did you even find this? The name doesn’t even have “axe” in it.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fifth Floor): I just kept scrolling, duh. Do you like it?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fifth Floor): Yeah, it’s great. I was expecting to go into the next floor with a crap weapon since I couldn’t afford to be picky. Thanks for finding it, the lack of a solid weapon was frustrating me.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fifth Floor): Nah, it’s fine. You’ve been busy with Doppy anyway. How’s it doing?

I glanced over at Doppy and noticed the steady glow still surrounding it.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fifth Floor): Same as before. Doppy’s glowing and growing steadily.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fifth Floor): Hmm... If Fenrike’s power is involved, it shouldn’t be anything bad. Don’t stress too much. Oh, did you register your signal device?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fifth Floor): Yeah, I did. We can use this to meet up later, right?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Thirty-fifth Floor): Yup. Secure your landing zone first, then I’ll ping you when I can. Let me know when Doppy wakes up.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Thirty-fifth Floor): Got it.

With the necessary plans for the upcoming group trial finalized, I returned my attention to the shop. The Wrath of Yagmur cost 60,000 points, and although the price wasn’t exorbitant, it still made me hesitate slightly.

Just like Ha Hee-Jeong had explained to me during the tutorial, items in the shop gradually grew more expensive as the floors progressed. A feeling of regret welled up within me since if I had bought it around the twentieth floor, I could have gotten it for under 50,000 points.

I hadn’t even managed to level up Bear’s Blood as much as I had wanted.

Well, I didn’t need it then so there is no point dwelling on it now.

After paying the points, the axe materialized on my desk. Although I was eager to test it, I wasn’t in a hurry. Once Doppy woke up, I could take it to the training room and put it through the paces.

***

[11 hours 54 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

Doppy regained consciousness after approximately thirty minutes. The radiant glow enveloping it gradually diminished, and shortly after, its eyes fluttered open.

To be honest, it was almost impossible to reconcile the figure before me with the Doppy I had known. Its small stature which once barely reached my waist had grown significantly, with the top of its head now nearly level with my shoulder. Even its skin seemed firmer, exuding a new sense of resilience.

However, the most striking transformation was in its eyes. The golden irises that now gazed up at me were identical to those I had seen when facing Fenrike.

Can consuming an elixir cause such drastic, tangible changes?

It was as if it had undergone a complete metamorphosis, perhaps even evolved into a higher state.

The unfamiliarity of its appearance left me momentarily speechless.

Doppy looked up at me and upon noticing my astonishment, spoke hesitantly, “Su-Yeok?"

I paused, unsure of what to say at first. “Doppy, is that really you?"

“It’s me!"

A strange silence hung in the air before I suddenly realized that Doppy hadn’t uttered his usual squeak even once.

“Wait. You—”

“Thanks to Fenrike, I’ve grown immensely. My physique has improved, my divine power has increased, and it’s all because you let me have the elixir. Thank you!”

Doppy bowed its head in gratitude, its demeanor so composed and mature that it felt entirely foreign.

This wasn’t the Doppy I remembered.

A pang of nostalgia hit me. The endearing, childlike Doppy I had grown fond of was gone.

“No, it was yours to begin with, so you deserved it. But if you can speak this well, why do you still call me Su-Yeok?”

“Because Su-Yeok is easier to say than Su-Hyeok!”

Its response left me momentarily speechless. "Fine, whatever you want. How are you feeling? Everything okay?”

Doppy nodded enthusiastically and radiated confidence. “I feel fantastic! I’m overflowing with energy! Also, now that I am grown, I would like to be addressed as a man instead of as an ‘it’ please!”

Aside from his increased size and the absence of his trademark squeak, his tone and personality felt largely unchanged.

As I grew accustomed to his transformed appearance, my gaze fell on the clothes he had shredded during his evolution. He needed a new climbing suit, along with upgraded weapons and armor.

Come to think of it, even his aura feels different.

He didn’t just feel more mature—his entire presence had grown more imposing, and his physical strength and vitality were almost palpable.

In a way, it was a relief.

I had been worrying about whether Doppy could survive the upcoming challenges and had even considered sending him to a rest area for his safety.

Though I couldn’t be certain yet, I felt more confident he could hold his own. Thankfully, this could be easily confirmed in the training room. I had to see just how much stronger it had become.

“Doppy, come with me to the training room.”

***

[3 minutes 31 seconds until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

Doppy’s growth shocked me. Not only had his appearance changed, but his very essence seemed imbued with newfound strength.

After testing its abilities in the training room, I concluded that its capabilities now rivaled those of a high-ranking, warrior-class climber. Additionally, with his divine power significantly enhanced, his potential had reached an entirely new level.

I almost couldn’t believe that a single elixir could result in such profound changes.

Still, as this was undoubtedly a good thing, I couldn’t complain. With Doppy’s newfound power, many of my previous concerns about its safety melted away.

“Doppy, is there anything you need? Anything you’re missing?”

“Not at all! Thanks for everything!” Doppy grinned widely as it tapped its new sword and shield with evident satisfaction.

I had replaced all of its equipment, spending around 10,000 achievement points in the process. Although it had been a hefty investment, seeing Doppy looking so reliable and prepared filled me with pride.

Returning its smile, I spun my newly acquired axe with a flick of my wrist. The Wrath of Yagmur still felt a bit unfamiliar in my hands, but I was growing accustomed to its weight and balance. With time, wielding it would become second nature.

Everything was ready. It was time to finally begin the thirty-fifth floor.

***

[Welcome to the thirty-fifth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Terror of the Furnace. The thirty-fifth to the thirty-ninth floors are interconnected and climbers will not enter the waiting room upon finishing a floor.]

[Before the trial begins, all climbers are required to choose a faction.]

[There are three factions to choose from: the nature-revering elves, the development-driven humans, and neutrality for those who reject both sides.]

[The trials will differ based on the chosen faction, and additional rewards will be granted to the victorious faction.]

[Warning: Choices are final and irreversible. Climbers in different factions may have to fight one another.]

[Please select your faction. Time remaining: 0 minutes 10 seconds.]

It felt as if I were floating weightlessly in space, suspended in a void. The only thing illuminating the darkness around me was a series of luminous notification windows.

The time to select a faction, as Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned, had arrived. We had already decided to side with humans. Ha Hee-Jeong and I had arranged a strategy for the next five floors, including when to use the Orb of the Sky Whale.

We had even posted in the Community, so I was confident that the majority of the climbers would choose to join the human faction.

[Please select your faction. Time remaining: 0 minutes 08 seconds.]

[Please select your faction. Time rema-]

Just as I prepared to confirm my choice, the notification window abruptly disappeared. In its place, a new message emerged.

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok did not side with humans on the thirty-first floor nor with the elves on the thirty-second floor.]

[Having rejected both factions, Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been assigned to the neutral faction.]

Wait, what? Excuse me, tower. What the hell are you talking about?

I tried to speak, but no sound escaped my lips.

What the hell is going on?

With no time to process my confusion, my vision abruptly shifted.

[Welcome to the thirty-fifth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Terror of the Furnace.]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok is a part of the neutral faction. As a member of that faction, he will not be assigned a trial on each floor. Instead, he will be given a single objective.]

[Use any means necessary to stop the conflict between the elves and humans before the thirty-ninth floor ends. There is no time limit.]

[Warning: Assisting either the elven or human faction will result in severe penalties.]

I found myself standing in the middle of a vast plain. Under a starry sky, the landscape stretched out in shades of dark green, cloaked in the soft glow of night.

The scenery was serene and beautiful, but my mood was far from calm. Too stunned to speak, all that left my lips was a single curse. “What the fuck?”

This has to be a joke. The neutral faction? Out of nowhere?

It felt like someone had hit me in the back of the head with a hammer.

The floors’ trial was even more absurd.

Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to mediate a war?

The elves viewed humans as parasites, while humans saw their development as a sacred duty—an insurmountable emotional and ideological divide.

What could I possibly do in such a situation?

The tower mentioned the thirty-first and thirty-second floors. Was my betrayal of the hunting party and rejection of Roxanne’s proposal interpreted as a refusal to align with either side?

That seemed likely.

In my attempt to complete a hidden mission, I had inadvertently derailed five floors worth of trials for myself.

I sighed heavily,

“Haaaaah...”

“Su-Yeok? What’s wrong?”

Doppy’s concerned voice broke through my thoughts, but I didn’t feel like responding. If I couldn’t mediate the war, I would have to resign myself to sitting idle for nearly five floors.

“Damn it, I don’t know anymore. Lie down with me, Doppy.”

Feeling defeated, I let myself fall onto the soft grass of the plain.

As I stared up at the night sky, another sigh rose from my chest.

Suddenly, a thought struck me like a bolt of lightning.

Wait, why can’t I mediate this conflict?