By Zephyria #Side Story 3: Record Tower
After the two-month-long seasonal event ended, there was about a week-long gap before the next event was announced. In truth, Kyung-soo had finished exchanging all his items from the previous event in less than a week, so lately, he hadn’t been feeling much excitement for anything.
[Party] Catmeowmeow: There’s nothing to do….
[Party] Sunset: O_o…!
[Party] Ji9star: Why does this feel so ominous; that’s the face of someone about to cause trouble;
[Party] neutaaaa: Hahaha Just because Cat-nim is bored doesn’t mean you should start something.
[Party] ParkRoaches: Hahaha No way~~
‘Yeah, no way.’
[Party] Catmeowmeow: Don’t.
[Party] Sunset: Huk, okay.
[Party] Seol-yeong: Wow, was the Guild Master planning something?
[Party] Sunset: Haha
[Party] Rexue: Wow wow wow
[Party] Spade Queen: So consistent~^-^!
He’d had a feeling, and it seemed Sunset really was thinking of stirring up some trouble. Kyung-soo thought it was a good thing he’d spoken up quickly. While running Milky Way with his usual 8-person party, it wasn’t long before Kyung-soo started chanting again about how bored he was. There was nowhere to spend his money, and if he went to the beginner’s village to help some newbies run dungeons, No-eul would inevitably follow, so he couldn’t help anyone either.
[Party] Rexue: Ah… then what about challenging the Record Tower? Let’s get our names on the leaderboard!
The Record Tower was a party-based monster tower with 1000 floors. The names of those who cleared a certain number of floors in the shortest amount of time were recorded on a leaderboard. There was a leaderboard for every 100 floors. Although it was a meaningless record, to the incredibly bored Kyung-soo, it sounded like a very welcome suggestion.
[Party] Sunset: ㅋㅋWho would do that
[Party] Catmeowmeow: I’m in, my semester’s over so I can even go for 24 hours!!!!!!
[Party] Sunset: That’s a great idea haha Good monster!
[Party] Spade Queen: Good monsterㅋlolololㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Party] Rexue: What’s with the sudden change in attitude;
[Party] Seol-yeong: Good monster bb
[Party] Ji9star: Good monster~
[Party] ParkRoaches: Good monster
[Party] neutaaaa: lolololㅋGood mob!
[Party] Catmeowmeow: ㅋㅋㅋㅋGood good bb
[Party] Rexue: ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
*
Poseidon had recently recruited new guild members, and Rexue was one of them. No-eul couldn’t stand still even if Kyung-soo just hung out with the new guild members. He would bombard the newcomers with questions as if he were interviewing them. After amusing himself with this question game for a while, he had recently found a new hobby.
[Guild] Rexue: Cat-nimㅠㅠ That Sunset bastard is at it againㅠㅠ Waaahㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I’m in Isisㅠㅠ
It was picking on one of the new guild members.
[Guild] Catmeowmeow: Again?lololol
[Guild] Rexue: ㅠㅠ
At the new guild member Rexue’s words, Kyung-soo moved to Isis and saw Rexue standing right in front of the warp point, with Sunset flying above his head. Even though it was a town where attacks against users didn’t work, No-eul was spamming the Time Bomb skill while chasing Rexue.
[Global] Sunset: Thought you were a mobㅋㅋ
[Global] Rexue: I’m notㅠㅠㅠ
Honestly, Kyung-soo had to admit that teasing him was fun. With green skin and the Giant race trait that made him slightly larger and more robust than others, Rexue was, contrary to his appearance, very gentle. The red blush on his cheeks was a unique charm point. He said the reason he customized his character this way was to intimidate others. It was certainly a look that would startle you if you suddenly saw it in the dead of night.
As soon as Kyung-soo came into view, No-eul gently descended to the ground and used a cute emote, as if to ask, “When did I ever bully Rexue?”
[Global] Catmeowmeow: Your method of summoning people has gotten really creative;
[Global] Sunset: This is the only way you’ll comeㅠㅠ
[Global] Catmeowmeow: Hey, you, stop bullying Rexue.
[Global] Rexue: That’s right!
[Global] Sunset: Whose side are you on right now?
[Global] Rexue: My side haha
[Global] Catmeowmeow: Monsters are living creatures too!
He said, standing protectively in front of Rexue. Sorry, Rexue, but Kyung-soo was also one of the people who enjoyed teasing him. He was also pleased that the target of the teasing had shifted to him.
[Global] Rexue: ……?
[Global] Ji9star: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋSo fucking funnyㅋlololollololol
[Global] neutaaaa: LMAOㅋlololollolololㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Global] Sunset: Your living creatureㅋㅋ I’ll keep that in mind.
[Global] Rexue: T_T
When even Kyung-soo, whom he had called for help, teamed up with No-eul to tease him, Rexue cried even longer. He was the kind of person who fell for it every time, yet was always the same.
[Guild] Ji9star: [Breaking News] Today’s words from Teacher Meow, “Monsters… are living creatures too…!” ㅠㅠ Netizens are abuzz, cheering, “So moving”….
[Guild] al0ha: LMAOㅋlololollololollolololㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: That Meow-thug is at it againㅋlolololㅋㅋㅋ
[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Oh dear… Rexueㅠㅠ
[Guild] ParkRoaches: But no one said it was Rexue?
[Guild] Rexue: —
[Guild] Ji9star: The Guild Master is hurting his feelings again.
[Guild] neutaaaa: Wow;;; This time the Guild Master is in the wrong;;
[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Ah… Huk…… I’m sorry.
[Guild] Rexue: Shitㅠ
[Guild] ParkRoaches: lololollololol
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: Hey, he’s starting to learn how to curseㅋlololol Whose fault is thatㅋlololollolololㅋ
[Guild] Ji9star: It’s a result we achieved by combining everyone’s strength.
Among the new guild members, Rexue’s login times often overlapped with his, and since he was already a max-level user, they frequently hung out together.
Today, they planned to conquer the Record Tower as he had suggested. Since they were doing it anyway, it would be even better to get first place. The Milky Way party moved to the Record Tower as they were, and an excited Kyung-soo was the first to enter the tower through the portal.
*
In truth, this was Kyung-soo’s first time conquering the tower. Other than getting one’s name on the leaderboard, there wasn’t much merit to climbing the tower. But after seeing the names engraved on the leaderboard outside the building, his mind changed.
He thought it would look cool if all ten of the vertically aligned leaderboards had the same names. It would feel like they had taken over the entire map.
There was one leaderboard for every 100 floors. Since the tower had 1000 floors, there were a total of 10 leaderboards. As they gradually replaced the names starting from the lower levels, they were able to figure out how to clear the tower in a short amount of time.
After changing all nine leaderboards to their names in six hours, they decided to take a one-hour break. Kyung-soo went outside the tower and smiled with satisfaction as he checked the uniform leaderboards.
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: Why is it so quiet today? What’s everyone doing?
[Guild] Rexue: We’re at the Record Tower!
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: ? Need help?
[Guild] Rexue: Ah, thanks for the offer, but… the party is already fullㅠㅠ
[Guild] Ji9star: The Vice-GM isn’t needed, he saysㅋ Don’t bother usㄴㄴ
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: ?
‘Ji9star has been demoted to a regular guild member.’
There it was again. He thought Halloween Eggplant had been laying off the rank-tinkering pranks lately, but sure enough, a leopard can’t change its spots.
[Guild] Ji9star: Huk, I’m sorry!!! Vice-GM, you’re the best! If you were here, we would’ve cleared it long agoㅠㅠ Why can’t we have a 9-person partyㅠㅠㅠ Ugh… this shitty game!— ♡I love Halloween Eggplant♡
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: You should’ve just said so hehe
‘Ji9star has been promoted to an elite guild member.’
Ji9star was only able to get his rank back after a tearful appeal.
[Guild] Catmeowmeow: Hahaha
[Guild] Ji9star: -_-
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: Ji9star… where’s your thank you?
[Guild] Ji9star: thanks;
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: haha I’m just too soft-hearted for my own good. Right, Ji9star?
[Guild] Ji9star: Ah, yes;
[Party] Rexue: ㅋㅋㅋIs the Vice-GM here a bit of a thug…?
[Party] neutaaaa: yup
It was a huge relief that Halloween Eggplant couldn’t see the party chat. If he had seen this, Rexue’s rank would have surely been demoted by one level.
[Party] Seol-yeong: What is it? What’s thuggish?
[Party] Spade Queen: Why? Did the Poseidon Vice-GM pull a Sunset again?
[Party] Seol-yeong: Pull a Sunsetㅋlololollololol
[Party] Ji9star: Yes…ㅠ I’ll get my revenge someday.
Ji9star, answering the question from Melody who couldn’t see the guild chat because they were in a different guild, resolved to get revenge. It was a resolution that was as good as nonexistent.
[Party] Spade Queen: Ooh, revenge
[Party] neutaaaa: He’s been failing for 3 years, so just ignore him hahahaha
[Party] Seol-yeong: Ah… haha That’s the same as us….
Ji9star roamed the lobby, swinging his weapon wildly. It was a movement speed he could never get used to seeing. But Ji9star still wasn’t satisfied. He wondered just how much faster he needed to be before he would be satisfied and stop grinding for speed.
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: Haha I think I’m a pretty perfect person. Right, Ji9star?
[Guild] Ji9star: k
[Party] Rexue: Poor Ji9starㅠㅠ
[Party] Catmeowmeow: frㅋlolololㅋ
[Guild] Captain Poseidon: What’s this? Why are you talking nonsense while I was in the bathroom?
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: It’s just… I feel like there’s nothing I lack.
[Guild] Captain Poseidon: ??
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: What am I really missing?ㅋㅋ
At those words, Kyung-soo thought of all the things he lacked (a personality, skills, friends, money, luck, etc….) and picked one of them to say.
[Guild] Catmeowmeow: Hair?
Because Halloween Eggplant was still bald.
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: …….
[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Hahahahahaha
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: You’re laughing too hard…ㅠ
[Guild] Catmeowmeow: Hahahahahaha
[Guild] neutaaaa: Hair Hahahahahaha
[Guild] Ji9star: O… O…
[Guild] neutaaaa: Hey, what’s that?
[Guild] Ji9star: A sullen bald head hahahahahahaha
[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Ack hahahahahahahahahahaha ㅇ… ㅇ….
[Guild] Rexue: lololollolololㅋㅋ(Is it okay to laugh…?[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: Hey, I like being bald…ㅠ
[Guild] ParkRoaches: O….
[Guild] Honeymoon: lololollololol
Fortunately, since the Guild Master, Captain Poseidon, was the first to laugh, the punishment of rank adjustment was not handed down. The promised hour was up. Seven of them were all there, but one person was still sitting on the ground.
[Party] neutaaaa: Sunset is late.
[Party] Seol-yeong: What the;; Everyone who’s late dies!
[Party] Spade Queen: Agreedㅡㅡ
[Party] Rexue: Hahahahahaha Even if you say ‘everyone,’ it’s only Sunset.
[Party] Seol-yeong: ? I know. Everyone who’s late dies! O_O!
[Party] Rexue: lololollolololㅋㅋㅋAh, on purpose?lololollololol
[Party] neutaaaa: lololollololol
Seol-yeong and Spade Queen swung their weapons over him, waiting for Sunset to arrive. It seemed like there might have been a bit of emotion behind it.
[Party] Sunset: I’m here! What are you guys doing to me?ㅋㅋ
As soon as he stood up, the two from Melody jumped far away like fleas and ran.
[Party] Catmeowmeow: What took you so long?
[Party] Sunset: (Whisper) I… was taking a shower!!
“……”
[Party] Rexue: What’s this?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Party] Seol-yeong: A shower?; Why are you blushing? Ewwwweeeegggghhh
[Party] neutaaaa: TMI, no 19+ jokes pleaseㅠ Illusion is a 12+ game! Even though we’re not 12….
[Party] Spade Queen: ㅡㅡWhisper it.
[Party] Sunset: O_O??
[Party] Ji9star: Pretending you don’t know?Hahaha
[Party] Sunset: Haha Everyone’s so sensitive… Don’t you guys shower… Wow
Not just a shower, but adding “whisper” in front of it made it sound a bit strange. Soon, another message arrived in the couple chat.
[Couple] Sunset: Can I come over to your place later?o(╯□╰)o
“……”
Kyung-soo hesitated for a moment and looked around his room. He hadn’t cleaned it once since his semester ended, just sprawling on his bed, so it was a bit messy, but he figured he could quickly clean up after the game. There was plenty of time to wash up too.
[Couple] Catmeowmeow: ok
[Couple] Sunset: Can I sleep over?
[Couple] Catmeowmeow: ok
[Couple] Sunset: We’ll be sleeping together in your bed??
[Couple] Catmeowmeow: k
[Couple] Sunset: And we won’t just be sleeping, right?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
“……”
[Couple] Catmeowmeow: ok; you’re noisy, stop asking and just play the game.
[Couple] Sunset: Hehehehe Okay♡!
*
‘Congratulations! You have conquered the 1000th floor of the Record Tower!’
On their third attempt, they were able to beat the previous record on the tower’s top leaderboard. Kyung-soo smashed the reward box that appeared before him. Then, besides the portal leading down to the 1st-floor lobby, another portal appeared.
[Party] Rexue: Wasn’t the 1000th floor the end? What’s this…?
[Party] Catmeowmeow: An event?
He entered the new portal before anyone else. He then discovered a sign that read ‘1001st Floor’ attached to the top of the map. The party members who followed him in also seemed very flustered.
[Guild] Ji9star: Whoa, we entered the 1001st floor of the tower. When did they update this?
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: lol pathological liar
[Guild] Rexue: It’s true!!
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: You even roped in Rexue? Ji9star, you’ve gotten pretty vicious.
[Guild] Catmeowmeow: It’s true.
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: ……? Was there an update? brb, going to check.
[Guild] Ji9star: What, why don’t you believe me?—
It was the 1001st floor, but no monsters appeared, nor were there any NPCs standing around. Kyung-soo wandered the map in confusion before using a Warp Capsule.
‘This is an event area. You cannot use a Warp Capsule.’
[Party] Catmeowmeow: Huh? I can’t warp.
[Party] Spade Queen: Huh, for real….
‘ParkRoaches has logged out.’
‘ParkRoaches has logged in.’
[Guild] ParkRoaches: ? Why did I spawn here? Can someone invite me to the party….
‘ParkRoaches has joined the party.’
The Record Tower was a kind of instance dungeon, so if you logged out, you were supposed to log back in at the lobby. The fact that he was still on the 1001st floor after logging out and back in meant they were trapped in a glitched map.
[Party] Seol-yeong: Even if it’s an event map, I guess there’s no infinite cash glitch like in that other game… a shameㅠㅠ
No matter what they tried, they couldn’t get out of the map. Kyung-soo, who was bored and trying out his attack skills, realized that PvP between users was also enabled on this map. Seol-yeong stuck close to Rexue and, whenever his HP was full, would smack him with a basic attack. He then rejoiced, saying it felt like catching a monster. Rexue, as always, cried.
Crying for help in the guild chat didn’t change a thing. In the end, Ji9star decided to go and write a post on the free board.
Title: ★URGENT★Help me, I’m trapped in a glitched map…….
Author: Ji9star/Knight Spear
Content: Save me~
(Photo)
I’m really trapped!
GMs, is this 1001st floor an unfinished map? If so, you should’ve put up a sign saying it’s under construction!! I accidentally went in and got trapped!
Please, someone, just save me T_T
(8 comments have been posted.)
-Thought you were a mob.
└Rexue: T_T
└Sorry haha But you really look like a mob haha
-They did a good job implementing a prison hahahahahahaha The GM locked up that Sunset bastard wow Nice?
└Thinking outside the box?lolololㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└Ji9star: What did I do to deserve thisㅠㅠ Just give me solitary confinement.
-ParkRoaches: ? Just save me…?
└Ji9star: Ah, you saw that…. Look away~
[Party] Catmeowmeow: Ji9star, come outㅋㅋ
[Party] neutaaaa: He wrote a post trying to save only himself… What a piece of trash….
[Party] Ji9star: lololollololol Ah, why~ I have to survive first so I can come back and save you guys later!
[Party] Seol-yeong: You sound like Sunsetㅋ
[Party] Spade Queen: What a Sunset-like thing to say lololololololololol
[Party] Sunset: O_O?
Of course, he knew that “Sunset” was used as an insult in the game, and Kyung-soo agreed to some extent, but he couldn’t help but feel bothered.
[Party] Catmeowmeow: He might not look it, but he’s actually pretty nice
[Party] Seol-yeong: ……?
[Party] Sunset: ?
[Party] Spade Queen: Why are you the one with the question mark lolololololol
[Party] Catmeowmeow: Not that he’s nice… more like less-bad trash than you’d think?
[Party] Ji9star: So he’s still trash lol
[Party] Rexue: lolololololol
It was the expected outcome, but as he thought, no one believed him.
[Couple] Catmeowmeow: They’re not falling for it…. Try to live a better life, Cheon No-eul.
[Couple] Sunset: ㅠI’m so touched…….
No matter how long he waited, no one came to do anything about it. It had already been over 30 minutes since they got trapped. He wondered if he should just leave it like this, and if it would be back to normal when he logged in tomorrow. But this was the first time Kyung-soo had ever been trapped in an error map like this, so he couldn’t be sure.
[Server] Ji9star: Help I’m trapped in the Record Towerㅇ0ㅇ~~~
[Server] Ji9star: Somebody help………(not a joke, actually trapped)
[Server] ParkRoaches: Anyone friends with a GM…? DM them and tell them to check the Free Board pls asap
[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: Friends with a GM lolololololololol You think anyone is? lolololol
[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Would a GM even be on at this hour on a weekend? I’ve never seen an error like this in my life….
[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Maybe someone working overtime will log in?
[Guild] WanduWandya: I told you the word “overtime” is forbidden
[Guild] Ji9star: lolololololol Manager Park at it again…?
[Party] Sunset: I need to get outㅡㅡ
Kyung-soo kept refreshing the Free Board. He decided to wait just 10 more minutes, and if no one came, he would just leave it and go take a shower.
-GM Pudding: We apologize. We are currently identifying the cause of the problem. Please wait a moment!
It’s Pudding
Yum yum
Oh he’s working
Fast response lolololololol
Thankfully, a GM had left a comment on Ji9star’s post. Expecting that he would fix the error soon, Kyung-soo watched the noisy chat window.
It was then. Something appeared, as if sprouting from the floor. Thinking it was a monster, everyone hastily used their skills, so not only was the thing that had just risen from the floor damaged, but their own HP had also been depleted.
[Global] Catmeowmeow: Ah, shoot, sorry
[Global] Seol-yeong: You scared me.
Seeing the GM title effect above the head of the person who had appeared, everyone put away their weapons, but No-eul ended up activating his Time Bomb skill.
‘Time Bomb, activated!’
“……”
Boom, boom boom!
After being hit by eight people’s attacks simultaneously and finished off with a Time Bomb skill, GM Pudding collapsed without being able to lift a finger.
[Global] Sunset: Ah, Pudding-nim, long time no see~^^;
[Global] GM Pudding: …….
The eyes of the character collapsed on the floor had turned into X’s. This was, technically, the second time he had been killed by Cheon No-eul, and by the Time Bomb skill at that. Of course, they had all attacked together, but Cheon No-eul was the one who had finished him off. GM Pudding used an item to resurrect, then stood silently in front of Sunset.
[Party] Catmeowmeow: U crazy bastard, get on your knees and beg;;;;;;
[Global] Sunset: srysry~! You popped out so suddenly, I was surprised. Please knock before entering next time.
[Global] GM Pudding: I… gave a warning…? I left a commentㅠ
[Global] Sunset: Didn’t see it!
“……”
I give up. Kyung-soo decided not to offer any more advice.
[Party] Rexue: lolololololol He’s like that even to a GM lololololololololol
[Party] Spade Queen: He’s a guy who’s gotten a 6-month ban for stuff like that before…. Same old bastard….
[Party] Seol-yeong: Is that an apology? lolololol
[Party] Catmeowmeow: But it’s true he popped out way too suddenly lol
[Party] Sunset: He’s already dead, what can I do T_T? Who told him to butt in!
[Party] Ji9star: lolol He revived on his own, so it’s fine lolololololol
[Party] Seol-yeong: Ah, we’re screwed;;; Our Guild Master might disappear again if we’re not careful lololololololol
[Party] Spade Queen: Fk, hurry up and post a guild recruitment ad, let’s at least get more members before that happensㅠ
[Party] ParkRoaches: I can’t believe I’m seeing a GM get killed again lolololololol If I knew this would happen, I would’ve recorded it….
[Party] Ji9star: I recorded it lolololololol I started when the error map appeared, just in case a good bug showed up lolololololol
GM Pudding looked around the map, then stood in a corner without saying a word. A short while later, the loading screen that appears when moving maps popped up, and all 8 party members were moved to the 1st floor of the Record Tower.
[Global] Ji9star: We escaped….
[Global] Seol-yeong: He’s not gonna hold a grudge just because we killed him once, right? [Global] Spade Queen: He might give us compensation for the error, but not a grudge lol. Who told him to make an error in the first place~
Even in his opinion, it wasn’t grounds for a ban. Thinking about what No-eul had done years ago before meeting him, this incident was truly nothing. Back then, he had caused harm to other users, so there was sufficient reason for a ban, but this time, the GM had appeared so suddenly that everyone had attacked in surprise. So, the blame couldn’t be placed solely on No-eul.
[Global] neutaaaa: Wow, but I really thought he was a mob lol
[Global] Rexue: ㅠㅠ
[Global] neutaaaa: No, not you lol. Pudding lololololololololol
[Global] Sunset: ㅇㅅㅇlol
‘Sunset has logged out.’
“……What the, Cheon No-eul! What’s the rush, why’d you log out so fast!”
For No-eul, who would soon be storming his house, Kyung-soo quickly got up from his chair and tidied his room. After shoving everything into one corner, he scurried into the bathroom to wash up and closed the door. It was a peaceful weekend afternoon.
*
Title: PuddingExplodingVideo.avi
Author: ParkRoaches/Healer
Content: (Video)
This isn’t my video, so I’ll just post it for a bit then take it down lolol
I got permission (permission from the video owner! Not from GM Pudding.)
(18 comments have been posted.-Then what’s the point of getting permission lololololololololololololololololololololololol
-You crazy bastards lolololololololol All 8 of you ganging up on him lololololololololol
-Poor Pudding He’s a GM for crying out loud, but he got wiped out in a few seconds….
-Was it the year before last? Pudding died to a Time Bomb back then too…. Can’t believe he fell for it again lolololololololol
└Nerf Time Bomb
└What do you mean nerf— It’s already a trash skill
└You’re a Moon Fairy, aren’t you
-There’s a real monster in the middle….
└Surprisingly, that’s a user
└lolololololololol Kill the real mob!
└He’s cute, unlike how he looks lol
-(Image) Made a gif of the explosion lol Let’s spread it
└lol fcknlololololololololololololololololololololololol
└lolololololololololololol