Chapter 153: Steam Explosion

Gnoll.

It usually referred to a beastman-type monster with the head of a hyena.

Gnolls were also considered fairly weak monsters within the Tower.

“Does ‘legionization’ mean they’re armed?”

The gnolls visible now were not the usual, bare-bodied monsters one imagined.

Though somewhat clumsily, they wore iron armor and carried shields and weapons.

Some gnolls in the back held crossbows, and even the largest one, likely the leader—

“Grrrr.”

There it was.

With a massive frame clad in enormous armor befitting its size, it gripped a ridiculously huge iron mace.

It looked extremely menacing, even at a glance.

“Still, this is better than the Fifth Floor.”

They were threatening, sure, but I didn’t feel much about it.

No matter how armed they were, it wasn’t like the Fifth Floor, where hundreds would swarm at once.

Less than a hundred gnolls—what’s the problem with that?

On top of that, my side’s fighting force was now more than double compared to the Fifth Floor.

There was no need for elaborate instructions this time.

“Attack!”

The moment I gave the order, my followers charged forward.

At the front, Combat 5 took point as the Production Team raised their shields and advanced, blocking the gnolls’ attacks.

The Production Team wasn’t exactly a combat unit, so they weren’t strong fighters, but with their excellent shields, they could block enemy attacks just fine.

Right behind them—

The Mining Team and Combat Team rushed forward, attacking the gnolls blocked by the shields.

Honestly, gnolls weren’t much of a threat.

Their supposed strength in this trial seemed to be that ‘equipment.’

But with my followers fully armed with gear I personally made, there was no way those gnolls could compete.

“Grah!”

The Combat Team’s new recruit, Combat 20.

Plus, Combat 1, 2, 4, 6, and 19, who had received upgraded items.

I’d wanted to see how these followers would perform in combat, but the gnolls were so weak there was nothing to check.

[Your level has increased.]

[You have overcome the Sixth Floor’s Trial: ‘Gnoll Legion’.]

[Clear Rating: SSS]

[As a reward, you have received ‘Gnoll Chieftain’s Armor Fragment’.]

[With the clearing of the Sixth Floor’s trial, the Tower is weakened.]

“Why are they so weak? Next!”

I called them weak, but seeing my strong followers in action filled me with pride.

“Ugh, why are they taking so long to show up?”

***

The Tower’s Manager, Riohr.

He couldn’t hide his anxiety since the challenger left.

After all, the challenger’s last entry was after the Fifth Floor trial, ‘Orc Invasion’.

What if, after experiencing the Fifth Floor, the challenger realized how difficult the Tower was and decided it was too dangerous to return?

What if the challenger never returned to the Tower again?

Those thoughts kept coming.

“If it’s him, he might really conquer the Tower!”

Riohr chewed his nails.

The Tower’s new challenger.

His presence had awakened Riohr, who had once accepted the Tower’s doom and drifted into a long slumber.

That was the kind of existence he was.

Could it be, perhaps, that the challenger stopped climbing because of Riohr’s indifference?

If only he’d been a little more attentive, maybe the challenger would have returned?

The thought made him even more anxious.

Just then—

[Challenger ‘Jeong Seo Jun’ has entered the Tower.]

“Uwaaaaaaaah!”

At last, the long-awaited challenger entered the Tower.

And—

“He’s really come prepared this time!”

With a force more than twice as strong as before.

Not only that.

The subordinates known as the ‘Combat Team’ were much stronger than before, too.

After experiencing the Fifth Floor’s trial, it seemed he’d made up his mind and returned fully prepared.

That much was clear.

The challenger was conquering the Sixth Floor’s trial with ridiculous ease.

A legion of gnolls.

Despite being clad in sturdy armor and weapons, they still retained their savage instincts, making them extremely formidable monsters.

Yet, to see them so easily defeated—

“All hail!!” Words of admiration burst forth.

As expected, this challenger was the real thing.

If anyone could conquer the Tower, it was him.

He could prevent the world’s destruction.

“No, this isn’t the time!” Riohr moved urgently.

Now wasn’t the time to merely watch and cheer in awe.

He had to do something more substantial than just cheer.

So the challenger wouldn’t give up the climb.

Within the Tower’s limits, he would offer the utmost support possible.

As Manager, he’d push his authority to its limit.

Pouring in every bit of know-how and points he’d accumulated, he had to support what could be the Tower’s final challenger—no, the challenger who was surely the last.

“Challenger, please wait just a moment! The event will start right away!”

For the first time in ages, Riohr’s hands moved busily.

[The Seventh Floor’s trial will begin.]

[Seventh Floor: Gnome Fortress]

***

The Seventh Floor’s trial was something new.

The moment I arrived, a fortress came into view.

Not a particularly large one, but a fortress nonetheless.

Inside, the place was crawling with nasty little dwarves called Gnomes, and the moment they saw us, they cackled unpleasantly.

“Thud!”

They began to fire arrows.

No, these weren’t ordinary arrows.

The dwarf Gnomes were wildly shooting arrows longer than their own height.

Of course, they weren’t using bows, but operating ballistae installed on the fortress.

“Wow, so there’s a trial like this too.”

I’d heard Gnomes were good with their hands.

Who’d have thought they’d use that skill to build a fortress and set up such a trial?

It was baffling.

Since we had to attack a fortress, I considered summoning the Production Team for a full-scale siege.

“Master. Please leave this to us.”

“You sure?”

“We are more than enough.”

Combat 4 and 20.

The two of them approached me with the proposal.

I knew they were strong in battle, being mages, but attacking that fortress would be tough.

Still, since they must have something in mind, I nodded.

“Everyone, focus on defense!”

“Yes.”

Trusting in 4 and 20, I focused on defense while they prepared their magic.

Combat 5 and the Production Team at the front raised their shields, while the others behind swatted away the arrows with their weapons.

Fortunately, the distance was considerable, so the attacks weren’t too threatening.

As the one-sided assault continued, the Gnomes’ cackling grew louder.

If they kept firing like that, they’d run out of arrows.

What were they so relaxed about?

“Wait, are they making arrows out of dirt?”

Looking closer, I saw Gnomes rolling dirt from the ground and shaping it into arrows.

How that was possible, I had no idea.

It must have been a racial trait unique to Gnomes.

Anyway, as we kept defending—

“We’re ready, Master.”

“Alright, let’s see it.”

I heard 4 and 20’s voices from behind.

Even with magic, at this distance, their power would be limited.

Still, since their casting time was so long, I was curious to see what sort of magic they’d unleash.

I gave the order to cast immediately.

At that moment, the two began casting.

As Combat 4 and 20 drew circles in the air, the same circles appeared around the distant fortress.

The same with the magic circles that followed.

Each time 4 and 20 drew a magic circle inside the air, identical ones appeared around the fortress.

“Kekeke?”

“Kikik?”

The Gnomes were startled, but nothing much seemed to happen yet.

So they ignored the circles and continued attacking.

“Hissss—”

Suddenly, steam started to billow from the magic circles.

Not mist or smoke—steam, hot and thick enough to make the Gnomes jump in surprise.

At first, they tried to ignore it, but the steam kept pouring out.

Worse yet, the heat was growing ever more intense.

Unable to bear it, the Gnomes tried to flee, but by then it was too late.

From behind, I heard 4 and 20 speak.

“Steam.”

“Explosion.”

Steam Explosion.

In other words, a steam blast.

“KABOOOOOM!!!”

The steam filling the fortress suddenly detonated.

Not on a small scale, either.

It was a massive explosion, enough to blow apart the entire fortress.

The Gnomes caught in the blast—

“Kiiii…”

Not a single one survived. 

All were swept away.

Gnomes weren’t physically sturdy creatures, so just one blast had wiped them out.

“…That’s insane.” Honestly, I was amazed.

A combination spell?

Combat 4 specialized in water and ice magic.

Combat 20 specialized in fire and sand, so I’d thought they’d never be compatible.

I never expected they’d prepare such a combination spell.

“If you’re given enough casting time, could you keep using magic like this?”

I asked with anticipation, but 4 and 20 shook their heads.

“The circumstances were just right.”

“It requires plenty of casting time, and only works when enemies are clustered in a sealed space.”

“The fortress wasn’t perfectly sealed, so we had to temporarily erect a mana barrier to make it work.”

“If the fortress were even a little bigger, or less sealed, it would have been impossible.”

“Really? That’s a bit disappointing.”

Still, it was fine.

It’s not like the magic’s only use was this.

Once I leveled up and could create more followers, I figured I should make mages of different elements.

If I made a lightning mage?

There’d be great synergy with Combat 4’s water magic.

If I made a wind mage, they’d pair well with 20’s fire magic.

If I gathered mages of every element, could I unleash some ‘Elemental Burst’ fusion magic, like in games?

As I thought about it—

[Your level has increased.]

[You have overcome the Seventh Floor’s Trial: ‘Gnome Fortress’.]

[Clear Rating: SSS]

[As a reward, you have received ‘Earth Crystal’.]

[With the clearing of the Seventh Floor’s trial, the Tower is weakened.]

System messages announcing the clearing of the Seventh Floor’s trial appeared.

Now accustomed to the system messages, I was about to move on to the next floor when a new message popped up in front of me.

[By the manager’s authority, experience gained by challenger ‘Jeong Seo Jun’ is increased.]

[The increased experience applies to all gained from the First to the Seventh Floor.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

“Huh?”

A sudden increase in gained experience.

And with it, my level started shooting up rapidly.