A mountain peak shrouded in fog.
A chilling wind blew, rippling the thick mist that blanketed everything. The fog clung to the steep mountain paths, so dense it limited visibility to just a few dozen paces ahead.
There.
A woman in black martial robes stood. Her hair and sleeves fluttered like ink in the mist. With pale fingers, she manipulated the light before her eyes.
⚙ TOWER CLIMBING GALLERY ⚙Your current floor: 45th Floor 'Mountains of Mist'
The Tower Climbing Gallery.
It was a place for idle chit-chat and jokes, so serious climbers rarely bothered with it. Yet it had one incredibly useful feature.
The ability to exchange text messages with someone on a distant floor.
Of course, for nearby floors, using an 'artifact' or 'communication magic' was more straightforward and efficient. The gallery was indirect, slow, and limited in data.
But in a situation like this, the gallery was especially handy.
📰 [Guild] Hundred Swords Society 11th 'Steel Tiger' Mobilization OrderAuthor: Sword Empress *This post is visible only to guild members. As of this moment, the Hundred Swords Society guild is mobilized. Disciples scattered across the floors, regardless of rank, make your way to the '51st Floor' by any means necessary. Minimize contact with intermediate guardians and floor bosses.
...
'The Hundred Swords Society disciples are spread across dimensions, so they'll see this and come. With no main quests on the lower floors, they'll arrive quickly.'
The black-haired woman, the Sword Empress, posted the announcement. Then she carefully reread the report from Sword Ghost.
📰 [Guild] Advance Team Day 3 ReportAuthor: Sword Ghost *This post is visible only to vice leaders. Glory to you, Vice Leader. Here's the third day's report. ① The state of the 51st Floor, 'Walled City Baran', is extremely stable. ② No hostile forces or obstacles threatening the 'Lord' detected. ③ Lord Lucius's demeanor over the past few days has been highly rational and utilitarian. His reputation among general NPCs is one of absolute support. ④ Monster difficulty matches floors 1 through 10. Minor variations, but mostly small demi-humans like goblins. From what we've seen so far, it seems like a peaceful state similar to a 'starting village'—no 'inter-tribe wars' or 'labyrinth gates'. And for some reason, no signs of a main quest.💬 Replies— Sword Empress: Confirmed. Permission for guild relocation?Sword Ghost: Permission granted. However... for groups of 20 or more, they refused to let us stay in the manor guest rooms as before. They urged us to build our own guild building and live there.— Sword Empress: Confirmed. Continue the mission.Sword Ghost: Glory to you.
...
'Phew.'
Honestly...
It still felt like a lie.
'How many years has it been since an advance team achieved results right upon arrival?'
At least not in the 34 years she'd spent in the tower since birth. In her common sense, an 'advance team' was like a moth diving into fire to test the heat.
And without skill, they couldn't even gauge the temperature.
'That's why it pained me to send only the most trusted disciples.'
...
With a bitter pang inside.
She closed the gallery window and gazed hollowly into the mist. Beyond the thick fog and mountains, a faint lighthouse-like glow shimmered.
Head there,
and she could ascend to the next floor.
'No main quest means just handling the monsters well.'
The Sword Empress turned back.
Dozens of Hundred Swords Society disciples.
Regardless of rank, their sunken cheeks showed they were conserving energy. Over two weeks of road lay ahead.
The Sword Empress addressed them.
"Rest is over. Move out."
"Glory."
"Glory."
"Glory."
The Hundred Swords Society group began to stir.
But hunger had long drained the fire and vigor from their eyes. They shuffled listlessly, hoping only for edible monsters to appear.
'Is a warrior merely a hungry beast...'
At their lead,
the Sword Empress glanced back into the mist one last time.
The faint lighthouse glow persisted.
She muttered,
a touch of resentment in her voice—
"...How long will you keep wandering, Leader."
—You who do not love humanity,
Sword Saint.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I spotted Niva sitting on a rock and felt relieved.
'No more middle-aged man guise, huh.'
Fortunately, she wasn't wearing sunglasses. So before me was the sulky bunny girl. But the issue was elsewhere.
I had no idea why she was sulking.
'She's been gone from the manor since the Three Sword Ghosts arrived, so we haven't crossed paths much.'
This was practically our first face-to-face in three days.
'Including the uncle phase, it's like meeting anew. And most times I've seen her female form, it was naked in the bath.'
Her face still felt unfamiliar.
I asked first.
"Pardon me, but what brings you here?"
...
Niva's pouty eyes darted around. She wagged a finger on her crossed arms as she replied.
"Nah, nothing... specific? Hmm... No real business. B-but, just 'cause there's no business doesn't mean I can't visit, right?"
"I see."
...
Niva turned away. Her pumpkin-orange eyes caught the sunset glow, illuminating Blade Ghost as she hummed along.
She said,
"How're the new climbers treating you?"
"Very likable folks."
"Hmph, that much? Can't say I see it."
...
'What're you on about. A rabble-rouser rabbit terrorizing the hungry with food flexes.'
I chuckled and replied.
"They diligently handle the daily quests, help with training or hunting in spare time... And above all, they were comrades in battle. Hard not to like them."
"I did daily quests too."
"But not lately."
Niva pursed her lips. She tapped her crossed-arm fingers again. The rhythm was practically Eurobeat.
"Yeah, sure. I can 'snap' warp it done, but nah, skip dailies, roll around like a tumbleweed, never fought together. Right, yeah. I'm just a idle bum anyway."
True, so no rebuttal.
I nodded.
'Remarkable meta-awareness.'
And from the grumbling, one meaning stood out.
"Are you bored, by any chance?"
"B-bored? Well..."
At my question,
her finger beat accelerated.
Dodododododo—
'Like a real rabbit kicking.'
Soon.
Snap—!
...
...
Niva turned back abruptly. Facing the sunset, her golden hair and bunny girl outfit sparkled especially.
"...Got nothing to do? Throw me anything."
"!"
I pondered.
'A legendary archmage volunteering for quests.'
Plenty I wanted done. Civil works for the gate checkpoint right away, warp ideas galore.
And...
Above all.
'Advanced magic tomes are top priority.'
In my youth,
my magic teacher had warned me before dying.
-Young master, magic tomes must not be taken out carelessly.
-Why?
-Knowledge's value equals the soul's. A tome's worth rivals its weight in gold.
-What about transcribing or memorizing orally?
-The 'runic script' in tomes records the world's laws via special magic. Ordinary pens won't work. And memory...
Teacher smiled wryly.
-...Normally absurd, but possible for you, young master.
-Then raid outer-wall archmages' homes. Pick valuable tomes and memorize.
-You could die.
'Because tomes are a mage's treasure. Even asking where one is raises suspicions.'
So I couldn't ask in the gallery. Like demanding a resident ID number online.
But.
'This mood... she might share info. If it crosses a line, she'll smash my head with her staff.'
...
Still, I had my ace—'exile'. I swallowed. Then addressed Niva, silently sunset-gazing.
"Then..."
"!"
From the rock.
Niva turned. Backlit, hard to see, but eyes probably wide. Sunset-backed, golden hair flying bunny girl—unfamiliar sight.
I said,
"...How about info on advanced magic tomes?"
"What?"
As expected.
Voice of utter disbelief.
'Hand on the banish button, ready.'
Silence fell.
...
...
Niva finally sighed. Her voice mixed relief and disappointment half-half.
"Haa, you really have zero interest."
"?"
"Nah, fine. Way better than suddenly demanding I be your spy. Yeah, actually relieved."
"...?"
She asked me, lost in confusion.
"Which one?"
"Pardon?"
"I'll give you one. You've fed and housed me till now."
"?!"
'Holy shit, what a world—?!'
Oh, goddess of the morning star.
'Gotta offer apology pies to bunny miss from now on.'
To my shock,
Niva raised one finger.
"Don't know your element yet. Know you're mid-tier mage, but advanced spells need mid mastery backing."
"Element doesn't matter. I can use all."
"That's like saying you can juggle on a bike while tap-dancing upside down."
"Ah, normally yes. But I can."
...
Niva glared sulkily, hopped off the rock. Pointed slender finger.
"Cast fire magic. Your highest known spell."
"Hm."
'Church front, so dial it back. Fire would upset Sister Lucia.'
I snapped my fingers.
"Explosion."
Sparks flew, hit the rock.
Flames ignited on impact, briefly expanding with heat. Like gasoline trail meeting powder and booming.
Tick
Whoosh!
Boom—!
...
...
Niva stared blankly.
Then asked me.
"Why... do you cast magic like that?"
"Pardon?"
"No, what. Insane? Wait. Hold on. Timeout, timeout."
"?"
Clack clack
The bunny girl paced before me, chin in hand. Like pondering dinner. Finally turned to me.
"Listen. Magic is a 'skill', right?"
"Yes."
"So it has fixed forms. Fire magic isn't wielding the 'fire' concept—it's invoking a set 'outcome'."
"Yes."
Niva pulled a staff from somewhere, pointed at rock. Cast basic, low, mid fire magic in sequence.
"Fireball flies at target."
Tick!
"Fire Wall sets surroundings ablaze."
Whoosh—!
"Explosion bursts with shockwave."
Boom!
Poor rock took the archmage's fire combo, glowing red-hot. Niva ignored it, looked at me.
"That's magic—borrowing fixed results. Skills leveled by XP..."
...
"But you...?"
Niva tilted her head.
"Why wield the 'fire' concept itself? Why does throwing fire make it burn, spread, explode...?"
Explaining process would take time. So just the result.
"Memorized well via ability, disassembled and rebuilt in my head, and it worked."
...
Niva bowed, muttered.
"...Fuck, luck-based trash game."
Well, trash games gonna trash.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Outside Walled City Baran's main gate.
We came to the clearing where we'd cleared forest and logged trees.
"Here goes."
Like with earth magic, I clenched my fist—a mental shortcut. And shouted.
"Earth Fortress—!"
My self-defined advanced earth spell—'Earth Fortress' image. The 'skill' decomposed into 'concepts', reconstructing per my mental image.
Ground quaked, earth elements guided by mana. Scattered grains fused into rock.
The rock morphed into my desired 'fortress' shape.
'Lifetime big builds? Just the city's walls.'
Familiar reference.
The Walled City-wall-like fortress rose imposingly, piercing the dim sky.
Rumble rumble—!
Born in darkness,
a 30-meter wall.
Length-limited, more spire than wall. Still, proof enough.
"!"
Success.
That instant—
"Warp."
Poof!
Niva and I teleported atop the new spire.
Patrolling wall soldiers spotted it. Panicking at the mystery tower in the dark.
-L-Lord?!
-What the...?
-You okay—!
I waved, shouted.
"I'm fine! I made it!"
-Ah, then all good.
-Lord made it, huh.
-As expected of the Lord.
Soldiers calmly resumed patrol.
Niva ignored the exchange,
poking and prodding my new wall.
Returned to my side.
Niva muttered.
"No way... Read and cast an advanced tome in 30 minutes? Even Dragon King couldn't. What monster genius..."
"It just worked."
"I saw it, dummy!"
...
Contradictory nicknames.
But ignored.
'Me learning advanced magic. Dream come true.'
Shocked for various reasons, we sat dazed atop the wall. Before us, Walled City glowed. Streetlights in darkness, people laughing, prepping festival.
...
...
In silence,
Niva spoke.
"Still weird no matter how I look."
"What?"
"Too many nagging points."
"Is that so?"
"So daily evening magic practice from now. Your schedule ends with church prayer anyway."
"Eh? How'd you know? We've never met then."
...
Niva seriously.
"Th-that's not the point."
"Mm... true."
'More meetings mean more advanced tomes maybe.'
I replied.
"Let's do it."
"Yeah."
We watched Baran's night view awhile.
Added to my busy schedule:
magic practice with the archmage.
...
'Peaceful.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Next day.
Before me stood a dog-eared 'beastkin' noble girl. Ears dog-like, but face and body human-ish. Middling furry density, she said,
"L-Lord! I earnestly request a marriage alliance!"
...
"As the bride..."
Face beet-red, she declared.
"It's me! Dinara, princess of the Dogkin Tribe!"
...
Uh...
'Evangelion.'