chapter 10

The First Conquest (2)

‘…Good. Getting in wasn’t a problem.’

Since Lohengrin and Jehar were keeping watch around them, Camellia was able to unfold the map with relative ease.

When entering a Gate, adventurers were dropped into a random location. Fortunately, they had landed fairly close to the boss room.

‘If we run, we can get there in twenty or thirty minutes.’

Marking the map, she spoke.

“We’re quite close to the seal. We’ll move quickly.”

Netanel immediately scattered a blessing that increased movement speed.

Lohengrin loosened the shield strapped to his back.

Unlike the others, Jehar checked on Camellia before himself.

“My Lady, are you really alright? Wouldn’t it be better to rest a little before moving?”

To say she was fine would have been a lie. Her stamina was already completely depleted.

Even with healing and blessings, her HP recovered painfully slowly.

But there was no rule saying she had to walk on her own.

“No problem. One of you can just carry me while running.”

Unlike outside, there were almost no monsters on the Tower’s first floor. Having one person act as support wouldn’t be an issue.

So if someone carried her, problem solved.

Delighted by the simple solution, Jehar immediately answered.

“Then I’ll—”

“A mage can’t afford to lose the use of his hands.”

The damage dealer needed to be ready to fight monsters if necessary.

Naturally, the tank wasn’t an option either.

Camellia spread her arms toward Netanel.

“Netanel, carry me.”

“With pleasure.”

Smiling brightly, Netanel wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up with one arm.

Jehar’s gaze instantly turned as cold as ice.

Netanel definitely noticed it, but pretended not to, saying nonsense like:

“Employer, you’re far too light.”

Camellia also pretended not to notice.

“Let’s move immediately. Jehar, light source.”

“…Yes, My Lady.”

As if he hadn’t just been glaring at Netanel, Jehar obediently conjured magical flames in the air.

“Lohengrin, stay alert while moving. There may be traps, so don’t increase the pace too much.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Their journey began under light caution and proceeded smoothly.

Occasionally a goblin or two appeared, but Lohengrin and Jehar dealt with them effortlessly.

‘Good. Everything’s going smoothly…’

At this rate, they’d arrive in no time.

Just as Camellia relaxed—

Clink…

The sound of chains echoed from somewhere.

Heavy chains dragging across the ground.

A sound she had heard so many times in the game that it was engraved into her mind.

Camellia reacted instantly.

“Run! As fast as you can!”

Not one party member questioned her.

They immediately sprinted with all their might.

Twisting around, Camellia looked behind them.

Far in the distance, black darkness writhed.

‘Damn it! No wonder that loading screen tip felt so ominous!’

The rattling chains grew closer.

The owner of that dreadful sound was the Reaper.

A level 20 roaming boss that appeared with a low probability once over 90% of the Tower’s monsters had been eliminated.

Normally its appearance rate increased over time, reaching 100% after twenty-four hours. Right after entering, the odds of meeting it were less than 0.1%.

Yet somehow they had hit that absurd probability.

‘Couldn’t it have gone after another infiltration team instead?’

Other teams could simply flee outside the Tower.

Camellia couldn’t.

If sealing was delayed while avoiding the Reaper, monsters would respawn.

And if those monsters poured out of the Tower, her territory would be destroyed.

But fighting a level 20 monster was completely impossible.

The Reaper had been designed specifically to harass players farming and leveling in the lower floors.

As befitting such a monster, it was monstrously unfair.

A dual-class Rogue and Mage, it excelled in both melee and ranged combat and possessed absurd resistances.

If it caught them now, the game was over.

‘Not happening. Who said I’d let that happen?’

Camellia smacked Netanel’s shoulder.

“Netanel, declare a Sanctuary!”

His eyes widened as if saying ‘Here?’

But his mouth was already reciting a prayer.

Moments later, dazzling golden light spread into a semicircular sanctuary.

Netanel staggered, breathing heavily.

Sanctuary was a supreme miracle that expelled and suppressed all evil within its area.

Even a High Priest would find casting it suddenly exhausting.

Knowing that, Camellia still ordered:

“One more!”

Netanel screamed as he cast another.

“I don’t know why we’re doing this, but I can’t keep this up! Dragging the Sanctuary of the Scales into the mortal world requires not only divine power but an enormous donation—”

“I’ll pay. Keep casting!”

Though dumbfounded, Netanel recited the prayer again.

Golden circles appeared one after another.

When the third and fourth Sanctuaries manifested—

The chains rattled.

Darkness began creeping toward them.

Blocked by the first Sanctuary, it could advance no further, but the chains continued rattling.

Soon, a humanoid monster appeared.

It wore a pitch-black robe and wielded chained scythes in both hands.

“Damn it… Netanel!”

“What exactly is that thing that’s making you burn a hundred platinum coins!?”

Half-screaming, Netanel cast another Sanctuary.

Normally the miracle would drive away nearly any evil-aligned monster.

The Reaper merely slowed down.

One by one, it passed through every Sanctuary.

The closer it got, the faster it moved.

The rattling chains eventually became a sharp metallic shriek.

Fortunately, before it completely caught up—

A massive door decorated with gold appeared before them.

The boss room.

“Inside!”

The moment Camellia shouted, Lohengrin slammed his shield into the door.

BOOM!

The huge doors creaked open halfway.

Beyond lay a vast hall.

Torches lining the walls ignited by themselves as if welcoming visitors.

At the center of the hall, a lump of flesh stirred and rose.

The first-floor boss.

The Abandoned Homunculus.

[Heh heh… A pitiful sister has arrived… Let me tell you the truth…]

The boss greeted them with mysterious words.

Camellia didn’t even look at it.

“Lohengrin! Pick that thing up and throw it outside!”

[Huh?]

“Yes!”

Before the boss could react to the unexpected situation, Lohengrin moved.

Abandoning even his shield, he lifted the boss and hurled it outside with all his strength.

[What?! What are you doing—?!]

The Homunculus splattered onto the ground.

At that exact moment, the Reaper finally caught up.

Ignoring the boss entirely, it lunged straight for the party.

The Homunculus’ eyes sharpened.

[You… do not interrupt my conversation with my sister!]

Its flesh spread outward and wrapped around the Reaper.

The Abandoned Homunculus’ first pattern:

Flesh Wall.

A skill used when another character stood beside the Lord.

It granted invincibility and immobilized the target for three turns.

Normally the level difference would have prevented it from working.

But—

‘The Sanctuaries hurt quite a bit, didn’t they?’

After forcing its way through multiple supreme miracles, the Reaper’s resistances had been shredded.

CRACKLE!

A disgusting sound echoed.

The Reaper froze.

Jumping down from Netanel’s arms, Camellia gave another order.

“Jehar! Bind that flesh mass!”

Magic spikes immediately pierced the Homunculus.

[AAAAAH! Jehar! How dare you do this to me—!]

The Homunculus thrashed wildly.

Jehar didn’t even blink.

He launched two more binding spikes.

Each one inflicted a one-turn stun.

‘Three turns.’

Three minutes in reality.

Ridiculously long in the game.

Far too short in real life.

There was no time to hesitate.

Camellia strode directly toward the trapped Reaper.

“My lord—!”

“Don’t come closer!”

Her sharp command stopped them.

The Reaper possessed a Fear Aura.

Simply approaching it reduced mental resistance.

Camellia was completely immune thanks to Clear Mind.

The others weren’t.

Resistance wasn’t invincibility.

Once it was reduced enough, it became useless.

Drop below zero and it actually increased incoming damage.

‘And you’re not exempt either, Reaper.’

Camellia raised her hand toward the struggling monster.

Neither Lohengrin’s swordsmanship nor Jehar’s magic could overcome its regeneration.

The same was true of Netanel’s miracles.

But mental magic was different.

It controlled opponents directly.

She had already exhausted all uses of Domination.

But she still had Charm.

Placing her hand atop the Reaper’s mist-shrouded head, she activated the skill.

[Camellia Lord uses Charm on “The Cursed One: Drakan.”]

Success Value: 20

Because the Reaper’s mental resistance had fallen below zero and because Mind Sorcerers ignored mental resistance rolls, the odds looked decent.

Only on the surface.

Demigod: -20

Immortal Curse: -15

Its insane traits overwhelmed the roll.

Result: 5 / 20

[Failure!]

Camellia immediately cast Charm again.

Result: 6 / 18

[Failure!]

The repeated casting lowered the target’s resistance further.

Still not enough.

The Reaper seemed aware of that fact.

Red flames burned beneath its hood.

Its eyes curved into a mocking smile.

‘You’re laughing?’

Camellia bared her teeth.

‘Don’t get cocky, you game-illiterate bastard.’

Dark Tower wasn’t a game you could clear by relying on luck.

Only paranoid players who prepared for every non-zero possibility ever reached the True Ending.

And among them—

Camellia had achieved the most True Endings.

Of course she had prepared for the Reaper.

‘System window.’

Opening her traits menu, she activated her final trait.

Goddess’s Luck

(Active)

Adds one additional die.

The added die automatically grants +12 points.

Usable once every three days.

‘My class may be garbage, but this trait isn’t!’

The most broken trait in Dark Tower.

Practically a cheat skill.

She activated it while casting Charm.

‘Roll!’

Rattle!

A shining die spun before her eyes.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Bonuses and penalties flashed across the screen.

The Reaper sensed danger and struggled violently.

The Flesh Wall was nearing its limit.

But Camellia didn’t retreat.

“Stop squirming…”

She pressed her hand down harder.

“Kneel.”

A pleasant notification rang out.

Result: 16 / 16

[Success!]

[O… Oooooh…!]

Freed from the Flesh Wall, the Reaper trembled violently.

It instinctively tried to stand.

Then it realized Camellia’s hand was on its head.

And willingly dropped to one knee.

There was no time to celebrate.

The boss monster had recovered from stun as well.

[Get away from my sister!]

Roaring, the Homunculus charged the Reaper.

Camellia pushed away the Reaper, which was trying to kiss her foot, and made it face the Homunculus.

Then she whispered:

“If you want affection, don’t beg for it. Go hunting.”

She also smiled sweetly at the Homunculus.

“I trust someone claiming to be my sister isn’t so incompetent she can’t even defeat one dog under my command.”

Understood?

Kill each other.

The two monsters locked eyes.

Then they collided.

The battle exploded instantly.

Camellia was knocked backward and Jehar caught her.

The moment he rushed into the boss room, Lohengrin slammed the doors shut.

Terrible screams and crashes echoed from beyond.

“My Lady, are you alright?!”

“I’ll cast a blessing, just stay still—!”

Golden blessings poured over her.

Cold sweat still streamed down her face.

Her vision alternated between white and black.

Even with Clear Mind suppressing her tension, she was in terrible condition.

But there was still work left.

Gripping Jehar’s wrist, she forced out the words.

“The seal… quickly…”

Jehar’s face twisted as though he were about to cry.

Unable to disobey, he hurried her to the center of the hall.

There stood a strange stone platform covered in chaotic red lines.

One of the ninety-nine sealing circles that made up the Tower.

Camellia placed her hand on it.

The seal immediately trembled and burst into light.

Reflexively, she shut her eyes.

A vision appeared.

The Lord was speaking with a hooded helper.

[I will create the Tower. Then, at least for a while, destruction can be postponed.]

[If that is your wish, I will follow you. I have always been on your side…]

‘Ugh, I don’t need the cinematic! I’ve already seen this event! Skip it and activate the seal already!’

She was already dizzy enough.

Watching a cutscene on top of it was torture.

As she cursed internally and pressed harder—

BOOM! BOOM!

Something pounded on the doors.

“A monster is trying to break through!”

“Hold it back! We only need to last until My Lady finishes the seal!”

The party’s panicked voices echoed.

Had Charm already worn off?

Even at minimum duration, it should last fifteen turns.

Then—

CRASH!

The doors exploded open.

Camellia hurriedly opened her eyes.

The light was too bright to see clearly.

But she knew the Reaper was charging toward her.

‘Sorry, but you’re too late.’

[The Seal of Floor 1 has been restored.]

Blinding light erupted from the seal and swept across the hall.

[……!]

The Reaper vanished instantly.

So easily it felt anticlimactic.

The same had likely happened to every monster on the floor.

Once a seal was restored, that floor became temporarily safe.

Which meant—

The first floor had finally been cleared.

‘What kind of ridiculous game is this…?’

A hollow laugh escaped her.

She tried to stand.

Her legs tangled beneath her and she collapsed sideways.

‘Huh?’

“My Lady!”

“My lord!”

The two men rushed toward her in alarm.

Netanel shouted prayers for healing.

Wait.

She passed out after clearing just the first floor?

Was it you again, Stamina stat?

As consciousness slowly faded, Camellia thought:

This trash character really is hopeless…