There were too many comments. It seemed better to rewrite the post, incorporating the inquiries directly into the text rather than continuing the conversation in the comments section of this post.
Title: What’s “Climber’s Gallery”? Are you serious? From what I’ve seen in the posts, this is Elysian Gallery… It seems normal that I shouldn’t be here in the first place.
Author: ㅇㅇ
-I regained consciousness after fainting only to find myself here.
It has to do with the device inside the NPC’s pocket.
As soon as I posted, a comment appeared almost instantaneously.
ㄴ Judduk) Climber’s Gallery is indeed the correct term. A gallery device in the NPC’s pocket? That’s something I’ve never heard of before.
It was Judduk.
ㄴ Judduk) I’ll explain more about Climber’s Gallery later. First, this place — the Elysian Gallery — is a gallery only accessible to those who have reached the top of the tower and returned to their home points. Your presence here can be considered a highly irregular situation.
ㄴ Judduk) There are four difficulty levels of the Tower: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Pandemonium. Regardless of the difficulty, to escape the Tower, you must clear all the way to the 100th floor, defeating various monsters along the way.
ㄴ Judduk) You woke up here, right? To figure out which difficulty Tower you’re in, you’ll need to clear the first floor at least.
The Tower.
A place where you ascend floors by killing monsters.
I was somewhat prepared after seeing the number ‘1’ and the giant ant monster. Still, even though my guess was confirmed, I wasn’t calm about it.
ㄴ Judduk) The reason you being here seems odd is because Elysian Gallery is a place where climbers, especially those who haven’t reached the top, absolutely cannot enter. Only Tower completers are allowed.
Ah, I see. Then, this isn’t a gallery for old-timers but one for people who’ve escaped the Tower after reaching its summit — and I, a raw beginner, somehow made it in.
ㄴ Judduk) Climber’s Gallery is a community where individuals from the four Towers can discuss. The Gallery terminal for climbers only becomes available after reaching the 30th floor of the Tower. Surely, you can’t already be able to access Climber’s Gallery, can you?
I quickly replied.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ) No, just Elysian Gallery seems accessible.
ㄴ Judduk) … It’s more surprising that you can access the Elysian Gallery, but anyway, most people here will likely be friendly towards you. Me included.
After Judduk’s final comment, more replies from other users appeared.
– Judduk has unfurled his influence, blocking replies again for the first time in ages.
– It makes sense though, haha. This is kind of historic. A first-floor climber entering the Elysian Gallery? What’s going on?
– 무녀) Indeed, the power of Judduk is showing. How remarkable.
So, that’s why Judduk could continuously comment—he was exercising his authority as the gallery’s moderator.
– How could we not be friendly to him? Unlike the Elysian Gallery, where Elysians are only allowed indirect influence, here they now have direct intervention…haha, makes me salivate!
– What good would that do? If he dies, it’s all over anyway.
– Ahhh~ Easy Mode, stop it! Stop the negativity! Stop the critical thinking!
– 빛의검) While the chances of dying on the first floor are low, depending on the difficulty level, we can’t rule it out entirely. Be cautious. Look out for potential hazards.
– Haha, looks like the legendary newbie got Light Sword to give sound advice. We should honor him.
Having already instinctively associated Light Sword with “검무새” (Sword Fool), I glanced around the area after reading the comment, but thankfully, no monsters approached and nothing immediately threatening happened.
I rewrote another post.
Title: Where do you people live? Is anyone from Korea?
Author: ㅇㅇ
-I noticed nicknames that seem distant from the modern era.
Oddly, after posting, an asterisk () appeared next to my username, ㅇㅇ.
– Judduk) Anyway, since you’ll be garnering attention for a while—might as well embrace it properly—so I’ve added a star.
– 무녀) Ugh, when I asked for one, you didn’t give it to me! That’s unfair!
– 天魔) When I requested a special emblem attached to my alias, you ignored me completely. Now this feels unfair, Judduk.
– A fixed nickname user, who clearly completed Hard Mode, is acting too casual. You’re asking for trouble with so many ㅇㅇs around, and yet you want this star too… Hmph. Though, I must admit the star does improve your presence.
– Haha, ㅇ ngOnInit seems to have a little more authority with the star attached!
So, users with fixed nicknames must have completed Hard Mode.
I found it somewhat surprising that the Sorceress, who had such an unusual tone, was of that calibre.
Just by reading the replies, I quickly gathered information about the Elysian Gallery.
There were comments related to the topic of my new post.
Responses to my query about knowing Korea.
– Korea? Oh, you’re also from the same world as those recently starting to appear in Climber’s Gallery.
– 21st-century Earth ㅇㅇ, seems accurate.
– 빛의검) So you are one of the strangely talent-poor individuals from the planet Earth, which despite many nations like Korea, America, Japan, and the UK, has fewer talents.
Hmm, my homeland.
They don’t seem to have a favorable opinion of it.
Their evaluation stings pretty badly.
I quickly wrote a comment with my doubts.
– ㅇㅇ) What do you mean, recently? Was it non-existent before?
– 대마법사) They started appearing about a year ago. These self-proclaimed 21st-century Earthlings. Still, only Easy or Normal Mode climbers began being active in Climber’s Gallery.
Makes sense. So this Tower where I’ve been summoned is probably either Easy or Normal Mode.
– ㅇㅇ) Is there a standard for being summoned? Why did I suddenly end up here?
– 시궁창검성) Anything could be going on in the world where you came from, 21st-century Earth, or it might be nothing. Just consider it bad luck.
I already know my bad luck well enough without needing it emphasized.
Before I could even ask why only Hard Mode Tower veterans get fixed nicknames—
Keek!
An extremely unclean sound of wailing reached my ears.
“—”
Damn it.
I switched off the Elysian Gallery immediately.
Holding the terminal that resembled a mobile phone in my pocket, I gripped the spear with both hands.
I flattened my back against the right wall and held my breath.
My heartbeat quickened.
My body entered a state of extreme tension.
It was familiar.
This was the crushing pressure I felt every time I was on the mound pitching during high school baseball up until two years ago.
At barely 19, I quit baseball because of a shoulder injury and my parents’ divorce.
The shoulder improved somewhat after six months, but I never returned to the game. It had grown too distant.
Back then, I ran away, using that half-year gap and family issues as an excuse.
But now, there’s nowhere to run.
They said the likelihood of dying on the first floor was low.
Whatever appears in front of me, I have to kill it with the spear.
Just as my wildly racing heart began to calm down, a shadow darkened the gray floor.
I thrust the spear forward and advanced.
Swish!
An unpleasant sensation traveled through my hands.
Keearrraaaahh!!
The torso was definitely the same as the giant ant I had slain earlier, but the head was different.
An unsettling form with three human heads tied together.
I pulled out the spear that had pierced the upper body and struck again.
Swish!
Keearrraahh!!
Bright red blood covered my hands, but I only felt more anxious.
‘Are the wounds closing?’
The wounds I inflicted earlier were recovering rapidly.
If the body can recover this quickly, I have to destroy the heads to kill this thing, right?
That decision was clear.
I aimed the spear at the central head, the one with long hair.
Just then, the giant ant’s right leg moved and slashed past my shoulder.
“GRAAAAAAAAHH!”
–Damn it!
Hurts like hell!
It was a pain as though my entire body was burning. The odds of dying here are low? Not bloody likely.
I’m certain that if it hits me two or three more times, I’m the one who’s going down—not the ant with the three heads.
Krrrrk!
I clenched my teeth and moved my body to dodge.
Crack!
I smashed the female head first, then immediately crushed the bald man’s head on the left.
The ant’s left leg started to move.
I jabbed it desperately with the spear.
Sssssshh!
But it grazed past my side like tearing flesh from my body.
The pain seeped into my mind, but I had to move.
I blocked its right leg with the spear and thrust the blade into the remaining head.
The giant ant with a human head attached to its torso slowly toppled to the side.
I’ve finally killed it.
[Your experience has increased.]
[Current Experience: 70%]
[Acquired Skill: Pain Suppression Lv.1]
[Acquired Skill: Composure Lv.1]
[Acquired Skill: Concealment Lv.1]
Before I could feel any relief or sense of accomplishment, the injuries on my side and shoulder screamed their presence.
Hot blood.
I had to stop the bleeding first.
This is the mound.
This is the baseball mound.
I kept repeating this in my mind, holding on to my consciousness. Back when baseball was my whole life, I would stand firm no matter what happened here.
My legs turned toward the rear.
Back to where I had found the terminal for the Elysian Gallery.
Towards the corpse of [The Fleeing Citizen].
I picked up the pouch next to the corpse.
I didn’t use the terminal, but there was definitely something inside.
The object I grabbed was a round potion bottle.
It contained a red liquid.
The same hologram-like text floated over the potion bottle, just like the one above the corpse.
[Item: 3rd-Rank Restorative Potion]
[Effect: Pour this over the wound, and it will partially heal.]
I seem destined not to die here.
Shaking, I twisted the cap off the potion with my bloody hands.
[!– Slider main container –]
