Through the portal, six Climbers arrived at the second floor.
Soft grass, warm sunshine, and a cool breeze. On the incredibly peaceful field, hundreds of rabbits were leisurely grazing.
Then, one of the Climbers shouted.
"—Wait. What's... that over there?"
In the middle of the field he was pointing at...
Three human corpses were lying there, horribly torn apart.
"...Ugh, damn it...!"
Their bodies were blackened as if caught in an explosion, with blood splattered everywhere.
They were clearly the three Climbers who had entered just moments ago.
"These guys... aren't they the trio who went in first?"
"What on earth happened here...?"
"But these people... they entered just minutes ago...!"
As the bewildered Climbers exchanged opinions,
A golden light bloomed around the corpses.
The blood-soaked bodies slowly disappeared, and a message appeared in their place.
「The effect of Angel's Protection (Small) has been applied. Resurrection will occur outside the tower.」
Then, a new system window appeared before the Climbers.
「You have entered the 2nd Floor -《Rabbit's Garden》.」
「Clear Condition - Survive for 10 minutes.」 (Trial difficulty reduced)
「※What you see is not everything. Good luck.」
"...Survive for 10 minutes?"
"Avoid what? The rabbits?"
Someone who didn't understand the situation might have laughed it off.
But among the Climbers present, not a single person was laughing.
After all, they had just witnessed the corpses of Climbers whose bodies had been torn to shreds right here.
Yet the rabbits continued to graze as if nothing had happened.
The field was excessively peaceful, which made it all the more eerie.
"...But who's that over there?"
Someone pointed to the center of the field.
In the middle of the rabbit herd, there was a figure lying unusually leisurely.
A humanoid with rabbit ears, a woman in a Bunny Girl outfit.
She was reclining on the grass, munching on delicious-looking cookies while watching the Climbers.
One of the Climbers cautiously approached and spoke to her.
"You... what are you?"
At the wary voice, the rabbit humanoid—
Picked up another cookie and put it in her mouth.
And said nothing.
"..."
She completely ignored them.
The Climbers' expressions slightly twisted.
Anger began to rise from somewhere.
"Haaawn..."
The rabbit humanoid even yawned and proceeded to lie down comfortably.
Finally, one of them exploded in anger and shouted.
"Hey! I'm asking who you are!"
"...Hm? Were you calling me?"
"Yes! You!"
The rabbit humanoid finally turned her gaze.
"Who are you to ask?"
"?"
"Did you guys lease this place or something?"
"...What?"
She answered questions with questions.
"No, this is the tower, what lease—"
"Well, I have a lease here."
"...?"
"This is my home, you know? Get out. Shoo, shoo~"
She even made a shooing gesture, waving her arms.
Her tone, her attitude. Every single thing grated on their nerves.
"...Who does she think she is?"
The anger spread quickly.
For some unknown reason, all the Climbers began to feel an inexplicable rage toward her.
Finally, the Climber who had first shown anger drew his sword.
"...Damn it! You're just a tower monster anyway! I'll kill you!"
As he swung his sword and charged toward the rabbit humanoid—
Several nearby rabbits jumped up like lightning and latched onto his body.
-Click!
BOOOOOM—!!
With a tremendous explosion, the field was turned upside down.
The body of the Climber who had been running with his sword was torn to pieces and thrown to the ground.
The same tragic scene they had witnessed earlier unfolded again.
"...W-what...? Just now... what...?"
One terrified Climber collapsed on the spot.
Meanwhile, the rabbit humanoid ate another cookie and cackled.
Then she pointed at the blood-soaked field with her finger.
"These rabbits are super timid~ If they feel even slightly threatened... BOOM★ they explode! Aren't they just adorable?"
"You... bastard...!!!"
"Hmm~ Can't do anything, can you? Weaklings, weaklings~♥"
She brought her hand to her mouth, sneering.
It was clear mockery.
Again, the Climbers' faces contorted.
Anger was pushing away fear.
Forgetting even death, only the impulse to tear apart the annoying being before them remained.
Even then, the Climbers had no idea.
That the rabbit humanoid was "Inabark Levitain Rukki," the administrator of floors 1-10 of the My Home Tower,
And that the reason for their anger was the influence of Rukki's authority power, "Wrath."
But at that moment—
"Hey."
A familiar voice.
Tricia appeared on the 2nd floor through a portal.
As her sacred energy spread, the "Wrath" that had permeated among the Climbers disappeared like a lie.
The Climbers, having regained their senses, looked at each other in confusion...
Tricia squatted in front of Rukki and said with sharp eyes.
"...What are you doing?"
"Um... watching humans?"
"Tell me honestly. You were trying to kill all the Climbers, weren't you?"
"...Um... tehe☆pero?"
"..."
Tricia raised her right hand, forming it into a knife hand.
"Spare me."
"You won't die anyway."
"No, that's one thing, and this is another!"
Tricia sighed and lowered her hand.
"...Fine, I'll let it go this time."
"Phew~ I knew you wouldn't hit me anyway."
"Alright. Let's go make another rabbit stew."
"?"
Soon after, Tricia grabbed Rukki by the scruff of her neck and headed toward the portal.
"Are you going to take responsibility if the trial flow is cut off? Reflect on your actions!"
"Nyaaah!!!"
And so the two disappeared into the portal.
Right after, a system window appeared.
「The trial of the 2nd floor is forcibly cleared.」
「As a reward, 5 'Bomb Rabbit Jerky' will be given to each person.」
「A portal to the 3rd floor is being created.」
"...?"
The Climbers stood in a daze before finally coming to their senses.
"...Was that... really a Tower Administrator...?"
"Yeah... matches exactly what Crow described..."
"I think I saw her in the promotional video too..."
"Did we... really just meet a [Tower Administrator]...?"
With mixed feelings of shock and excitement, the Climbers cautiously headed to the 3rd floor.
However—
「3rd Floor -Minotaur's Ranch-」
「Please select the trial you want.」
「1. Milk 1L from a female minotaur」
「2. Dismantle 3 Bomb Rabbits」
"...?"
The real "trial" was just beginning.
------
At the same time, 12th Floor -《Gwangmyeong Market》
"...This is insane. This place is truly insane!"
A Climber absentmindedly caressed a piece of leather.
That material, boasting unbelievable elasticity, didn't show a single scratch even when cut with a knife.
「Obsidian Dragon's Back Shell Leather」
「Price: 134 Tower Coins」
"This is... 134 Tower Coins...? Really?"
A material unimaginable on Earth.
When the word 'Dragon' is attached, isn't it treated as legendary in games or novels?
Yet here it was being sold at a street stall.
Next to him, another Climber was examining a high-performance magic stone with wide eyes.
「Top-grade Magic Stone」
「Price: 75 Tower Coins」
"...They're selling this many top-grade stones?"
"Is this price... even possible? These cost millions of won each on Earth!"
Rare items that could never be obtained for less than a million won were being sold here for Tower Coins equivalent to about 380,000 won!
"Ah... I exchanged my Tower Coins for cash because I thought I wouldn't need them, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have exchanged them...!"
The Climbers' hands trembled, and regret filled their eyes as they opened their wallet windows to check their Tower Coin balances.
And—when they turned their heads to look there.
Items called legendary,
The [Holy Water of the Majestic Angel] they had so desperately longed for filled the display case.
But no one could lay hands on those golden bottles because:
"...10,000 Tower Coins?"
The Climbers bit their lips as they looked at the golden bottles.
The liquid inside the bottles emitted a sacred light just by looking at it.
「Holy Water of the Majestic Angel (High)」
「Price: 10,000 Tower Coins」
「Effect: 100% HP and MP recovery, recovery from all status ailments, cure for all mental disorders, recovery from all injuries, grants [Angel's Protection (Medium)] upon consumption...(omitted)」
For some reason, even without using the [Appraisal] skill, a system window appeared when they brought their hands near the item, allowing them to quickly check its effects.
"How much is this in our currency?"
"...5,000 won times 10,000. A 50 million won potion. Wow..."
"Still, considering the effects, it's incredibly cheap...?"
The [Holy Water of the Majestic Angel], with truly amazing effects even upon second look.
Its effects were literally close to a 'miracle.'
It seemed like it could save even patients with spreading cancer cells,
And if the military provided this to all soldiers, that war would already be over.
But the problem was—the price.
It was an amount that not only ordinary Climbers but even fairly strong ones couldn't easily afford.
And the truly frightening thing was... this wasn't the end.
"...Hey, don't you also think that?"
Someone whispered quietly from behind.
"This tower... seems designed to 'make you spend Tower Coins.' There are amenities, markets... and every single item is insane."
"Right. Before, there was hardly any reason to use Tower Coins, right? Skills could be enhanced with essences from farming, and it was more efficient to buy weapons made by other Climbers with crafting skills using cash..."
"But now that legendary items that can only be bought with Tower Coins have appeared... demand will inevitably skyrocket. Tower Coins will rise like crazy!"
At those words, the expressions of the surrounding Climbers changed dramatically.
Until now, Tower Coins had been nothing more than 'enhancement currency.'
Those who had become strong enough would farm hunting towers and dungeon towers, collecting coins and byproducts to sell in the market... the so-called 'Tower Coin rice eating.'
Thanks to this, Tower Coins were steadily supplied and flooded the market.
The exchange rate fell, and it seemed like it would continue to do so.
But now—
'Consumption outlets' had suddenly and explosively increased!
"Right now it's about 5,000 won per coin, but with this structure... it could soon go to 10,000 won, 20,000 won...!"
"Does that mean... the only chance to buy these at the cheapest price is now...?"
At those words, the Climbers' gazes returned to the [Holy Water of the Majestic Angel].
The golden liquid was softly glowing as if saying it was an 'opportunity' itself.
If they didn't buy it now... it felt like they might never be able to!
But even if they wanted to buy it now—they had far too few Tower Coins!
"Hey... should we pool all our Tower Coins and buy just one? Then we can divide the money from selling it according to our shares."
"...That's a completely crazy idea...? Let's do it right now."
The Climbers began to open their wallets and scrape together Tower Coins.
That's when it happened.
"Hey hey hey! What is this! What the hell is this!!"
One Climber let out a short scream.
Inside the display case he pointed to with trembling fingers were bottles they had never seen before, lined up neatly.
「Tears of the Majestic Angel」
「Essence of Happy Dreams」
「Sap of the World Tree」
At that moment, the Climbers' breath stopped.
The [Holy Water of the Majestic Angel] before their eyes was—merely the 'entrance.'
The true unknown and miracles were yet to come!
