Chapter 22: Welcome, Heroes! (1)

[00:00:00]

“Zero!”

The Hunters broke out into cheers as the countdown hit zero. In the plaza, thousands of them threw their hats in the air. It looked like a cloud of dandelion seeds taking flight in spring.

[Announcement.]

[The tutorial has been completed today.]

[Announcement.]

[The tutorial has been completed today.]

Before the hats landed on the ground, the voice in the sky declared the end of the prologue and the beginning of the main story.

The Hunters clamored excitedly. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen this many Hunters so enthusiastic. Many of those in the plaza were old or middle-aged Hunters who had retired and set up shops; some of them lingered around the second-floor hunting grounds and had given up on climbing the Tower any further. But at this moment, at least, all of them were Hunters.

“Eleventh floor! Eleventh floor! Eleventh floor!”

“Open up the eleventh floor!”

“Hey, the news is up... Ummm...”

In response to their fervor, the light that had formed the countdown burst. It was so bright that the Hunters were forced to shut their eyes. They could barely look up at the sky between their fingers. I was no better off.

[Greetings to the warriors who climb the Tower.]

[Congratulations for crossing the Infernal Mansion’s river of grudges.]

A huge person was floating in the sky. An angel or a goddess seemed to be the apt description for her. Her white dress, radiant with holy light, fluttered. It was a divine sight that deserved to be prominently depicted on the wall of a temple.

“Whoa...”

“She’s pretty.”

Hunters all over the plaza ooh-ed and ahh-ed. Most of them were mesmerized by the beautiful goddess in the sky. The Guardian maintained his rationality, though.

—Get a hold of yourself, Zombie. That isn’t a goddess. That’s just part of the system to explain the quest to you guys.

He was the Sword Emperor who had cleared up to the ninety-ninth floor of the Tower in his world. Hence, he wasn’t deceived by the holy sight in front of him.

“...Is she some sort of an NPC?” I asked.

—Yup. Even if there was a goddess,

that’s

just a pre-recorded video of her that plays after anyone clears the tenth floor. Tsk, tsk. People are pathetic.

It made me wonder.

“How are you so sure?”

—Huh? That’s because—

[Warriors! There is a world under attack by the nefarious Demon King and desperately needs your help. You will be summoned to the world as heroes on a quest to save humanity. Should you wish to accept this mission, say “Send—]

Before the video finished speaking, someone leaped into the air.

An agile Hunter jumped onto the roof of a building and used it as a stepping stone to reach higher buildings. After a three-, five-, and seven-story building, he finally reached the roof of the plaza’s bell tower, and then he used it to go even higher.

He was Marcus Carlenbery, the Sword Star.

The Rank 1 Hunter’s sword split the sky and the goddess in half. It was quick and beautiful, but it all happened so fast that no one could do anything but gape.

“Huh? Huh...?”

The strike only left its mark for a moment. Like a cut in the ocean, the video of the goddess was restored in no time and the goddess in the video went on with her beauty untouched.

[Should you wish to accept this mission, say “Send me,” and you will take the great step to the eleventh floor, warriors.]

The video of the goddess still glowed, yet it wasn’t holy anymore. A god cut in two was no longer a god.

“Hmm.” The Sword Star landed back on the bell tower’s roof. He was wearing a black suit, just like the day I had first seen him in the bar. This time, though, his expression was sour. He watched the sky for a moment before he looked down at the now-silent plaza.

—Well, that’s what I did in the past. See? It’s an NPC,

the Guardian commented.

I was dumbstruck.

...Do you always have to check it yourself?

—Yeah. I can’t understand those who don’t have to do that. When something big shows up in front of you, don’t you want to cut it down? Isn’t that what every human wants?

Phew.

They were wackos indeed. That was probably why they were student and teacher.

I enhanced my vision and hearing with aura to watch the Sword Star, taking caution to avoid meeting his eyes.

“Send me,” he murmured.

The same kind of light that the video of the goddess emitted enveloped the Sword Star. After a moment, he vanished. The only thing left on the Italian-style rooftop was white streaks of bird poop.

“Hahahaha!”

A burst of laughter in the silent plaza caught the Hunters’ attention. They turned and saw that it belonged to the Inquisitor, the Pantheon’s leader.

“He got the drop on us again! Ah, what a marvelous day!” The Inquisitor beamed. He took off his priest hat to bow to those who were looking at him. “Then let’s all meet on the eleventh floor! Please send me!”

The white light shrouded the Inquisitor and he shortly vanished as well. The Hunters vacantly watched him disappear. Belatedly, they realized that the Sword Star and Inquisitor were ahead of them on the eleventh floor. That set off a chain reaction of hasty shouts.

“Uhh...

“S-send me!”

“Send me!”

“Send me!”

Whenever one of them said the words, a pillar of light arose from the ground. Soon there were tens of thousands of them, drowning the plaza in light and brightening the sky.

[Warriors.]

The quiet voice from the video continued its message.

[While climbing up the Tower, your faith will be tested from the eleventh to the twentieth floor.]

The “goddess” clasped her hands against her chest as if she were praying to someone.

[...You will find your answers. The answers you find will tell you who you are. That is how you will learn about yourselves...]

Not many people were paying attention to the message anymore. Most of them were desperate to not fall behind; the few people left in the plaza were busy filming the goddess.

“It’s a shame,” someone mumbled. It was the Paladin, the Watchmen League’s assistant leader.

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it. Although we don’t know who built the Tower, they must have put in a tremendous amount of work for us, including this message. But no one cares.” The Paladin sounded bitter. “It was supposed to be something people admired for a little longer. Actually, the Tower’s existence and the fact that we have our Skills are miracles in their own right...but we’ve already got too used to them on the tenth floor.”

“I didn’t expect you to be sentimental.”

“I majored in music in the outside world.” The Paladin smiled wryly. “Does it make me seem more attractive?”

“Oh... It sounds like you’d have a hard time making a living.”

“Oof. Right where it hurts.”

We quietly laughed. Naturally, the Guardian interrupted the moment.

—Be careful, Zombie. She’s suspicious.

What now?

—There’s no way she would talk to an ugly man like you unless she had something to gain. You don’t have the looks or the personality. They’re both shit. Yes, I know what she is now! She’s a wicked con woman! I’m sure of it!

This dude was seriously... No, I shouldn’t waste my energy.

“Excuse me, ma’am!”

Just then, people with cameras on their backs approached us. They didn’t seem to be reporters—more like online streamers.

“I-is the man next to you Mister Kim Gong-Ja, the Hunter...?”

“Oops.” The Paladin looked slightly annoyed. “I seem to have attracted too much attention. I’m sorry, Mr. Kim. I’ll head to the eleventh floor first.”

“...Wait a minute.” I had a sneaking suspicion that she was up to something. “Is this why you came to talk to me?”

The Paladin looked guilty. “Haha. I have a way to tell if someone is being sincere.”

Sincere? Did she mean that she was confident she could figure out what kind of person I was?

The Paladin scratched the back of her head like a mischievous child caught after pulling a prank. “I wanted to know what kind of a person you were, so I came to talk to you. I would appreciate it if you considered it a way of showing my interest.”

“So what kind of person do you think I am?”

“Hmm. Well, let’s say the answer is in your heart. Send me!”

The Paladin left, throwing me to a horde of reporters and streamers. Wow, she wasn’t even subtle about the fact that she was running away.

—See? I’m right. I’m always right!

Shit. Be quiet,

I snapped at the Guardian.

After the Paladin disappeared, more streamers and reporters swarmed me.

“Hunter Kim Gong-Ja! Please give us a comment!”

“Is it true that you cleared the tenth floor’s boss monster stage on your own? Many rumors say that your simultaneous enrollment to all the major guilds is just part of their plan!”

“The official announcement declared that you’re Hunter Class E. Many people question the accuracy. Can you confirm if the official announcement is co—”

“What is your relationship to the Paladin of the Watchmen League? You two looked very close. Are you two well-acquainted personally?”

“Hunter Kim!”

Whoa. So this is the famous Hunter’s “Let me shake your hand!”, huh? It’s the sign of a celebrity Hunter, but there’s just no end to it...

I now understood why the Fire Emperor had been so annoyed by reporters. For a moment, I wondered how I should answer. I decided to keep it short.

“I’m also going to clear the twentieth floor.”

“What?”

“Have a great day, everyone. Send me.”

White light emerged from below me.

“Ah. W-wait! Mr. Kim Gong-Ja!”

“No! Get him!”

“Please answer a few more questions—!”

I’m sorry. I think staying mysterious is the best choice for me.

Right before the light fully enveloped me, I listened to the apparent goddess’ voice for the last time.

[Those of you who climb the Tower, may luck be with you.]

***

The light around me slowly died out, revealing...a vast battlefield.

Grrrrrr!

Roarrrrr!

Goblins, orcs, ogres... Hideous monsters were swarming from beyond the horizon. I had seen them in the hunting grounds below the tenth floor, but there were too many of them now. They blanketed the battlefield like a swarm of ants.

“Stop them!”

“I-it’s impossible! There’s too many of them!”

“Don’t back down! The empire is doomed if we lose this harbor!”

Only a handful of people were opposing the army of monsters. Judging from their armor, their civilization seemed to be somewhere between the ancient and medieval eras.

These human soldiers were desperately holding positions in the harbor. They had positioned themselves with their backs to a deep river, deliberately leaving them no room to retreat.

“What?”

“What in the world is going on...?”

“Whoa! E-everyone, be careful! Arrows are coming from all directions!”

The Hunters had been dumped onto the battlefield without warning, so it was understandable for them to be looking around blankly. Up until now, they had been hunting monsters in safely prepared hunting grounds. They had never experienced an actual battlefield, but this was going to be their daily life now that they were above the tenth floor.

The tutorial is over,

I thought.

Every floor was a battlefield in which they had to risk their lives every day.

Someone approached the bewildered Hunters. He didn’t seem to be an ordinary soldier given his splendid armor.

“My, my! You’re here to save the empire! Thank you, heroes!” the man—the general—exclaimed.

“Heroes?” the Hunter mumbled. “What is he talking about?”

“Idiot, didn’t you hear what the angel said in the plaza earlier? They’re under attack from the Demon King. That’s why we’re playing heroes here.”

“Please be quiet! The people in the back can’t hear him!”

“Whoa, is this for real? Are those soldiers real humans or NPCs...”

“Would you please be quiet over there!”

More Hunters continued to arrive as they spoke. They pushed each other away to make some space, but more people showed up in the newly created space. It was chaos.

“Heroes! Please help me and the army and save the empire!”

Fortunately, I and some of the skilled Hunters knew how to enhance our vision and hearing using aura. While the less skilled Hunters were blanking out, we few listened to the NPC general.

“This harbor is the empire’s last lifeline. It must be protected so that the capital can continue to receive supplies. Heroes from another world, please protect the Aegim Empire with us!”

Just then, I heard a voice in my head.

[The quest of the eleventh floor has been given.]

The system window opened in front of me.

Defend the Supply Line

Difficulty level: F~A

Goal: A disaster has befallen the Aegim Empire. Its name is the Demon King. This legendary figure has finally raised an army. The wicked and strong Demon King wishes to cut the empire’s first supply lines.

Protect the harbor! This battle will be the first stepping stone in the Aegim Empire’s salvation.

※However, the twelfth floor will not be opened if you lose the battle.

It was said that seeing is believing.

“Quest...?”

“See? The Demon King is here.”

“I’ve never heard of the Aegim Empire.”

The confused mass of Hunters slowly grasped the situation. They stopped talking and pulled out their weapons. Teams were formed from the Hunters who were already working together, and some of the Hunters started swinging their swords at the goblins right away.

“I see,” the Sword Star muttered to himself as he drew his sword. He was standing in the front lines. Everyone around him was covered in blood and monsters after he had cut off the heads of around six monsters like straw puppets.

“...Although I don’t understand what exactly is going on, I guess the point is to take them down.”

The Sword Star rejoined the battle, which was enough to bring the rest of the Hunters back to their senses and kick them into action.

“Whoaaaaa!”

“Yes! Follow the Sword Star!”

“You fucking goblins! I’ve chopped up thousands of you over the last six years!”

Thousands of Hunters raised their weapons and charged into battle, followed by thousands more. The humans’ hopeless defense turned with a surge of new bodies.

While the battle was turning into a messy melee, I remained in the rear with a smile dancing on my lips.

“Alright.”

I heard a voice that other Hunters didn’t get to hear.

[Welcome, Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.]

[Your rewards for clearing the tenth floor will be given now.]

My special reward had arrived.