I rolled my shoulders and tilted my head from side to side, easing the stiffness that still taut my muscles. I reached into my Tools & Items inventory and pulled out a healing potion. A quick gulp sent the mid-tier elixir spreading through me, restoring my HP to full. I exhaled, feeling the calm settle as I gazed up at the sky overhead.

From the first floor to the ninth, my journey had been an unending series of trials. Conquests were fleeting, overshadowed by the approaching shadow of the next challenge. Days coalesced in the tower’s cruel pace, and each defeat resurrected me back to the beginning, the first day of the tutorial. I lost count of the days, but kept a tally of my deaths. It was a way for the tower to point out its merciless nature to me.

My biggest irritation was the tower’s online store. Seriously, don’t get me started on its weaponry selection for my gunner class. It felt like the system had a personal dislike for me, offering weapons that only complicated my life. The latest weapon for my class was a handgun that fired rubber bullets.

“Is this a joke?” I laughed bitterly upon seeing the item first become available for purchase. The tower seemed to delight in my foiling, but it made me more determined to get to the bottom of it.

Still, that toy gun gave me an idea. An inspiration, you could say. My current weapon, a basic slingshot, just wasn’t cutting it against the tower’s escalating threats. It was on the second floor, when I came upon a vast grove of bamboo, that the inkling first struck me. Those swaying stalks reminded me of a school trip to the Kyushu Olle Miyama-Kiyomizuyama course, a place rich with history and natural beauty.

Memories and encouragement collided. I recalled a documentary on crafting powerful slingshots using PVC. I could adapt those techniques right here. My fingers searched the online store’s interface, selecting a hammer, nails, a chisel, sandpaper, a sturdy rubber band, and a handsaw. I then selected two bamboo stalks from the grove, their slightly different diameters perfecting my plan.

After a marathon of sawing, sanding, and hammering, I crafted a weapon. The larger bamboo became the front handle, complete with a pulley for automatic reloading. Grooves carved into the sides of the smaller piece allowed for smooth pouch sliding. I even repurposed the toy gun’s trigger mechanism to create a seamless reloading system. In just two seconds, I could reload and release my projectile. And just like that, the SlingBam was born.

Gazing at my creation in my hands gave me a sense of accomplishment. The system acknowledged my ingenuity, awarding me fifteen INT points. My stats soared, and I couldn’t help but wonder how many points a handmade handgun might earn me. But for now, the SlingBam was my faithful companion.

With the SlingBam as my chief weapon, I navigated the tower’s floors. Each monster fell swiftly, and accuracy and speed were now my allies. Still, the journey remained fraught with peril. Death came for me often, especially in the dungeon-riddled floors requiring multiple quest flags.

But let’s be real. The dungeons, with their promise of epic loot, were just too tempting to resist. Each risk was a gamble I couldn’t pass up, and more often than not, it paid off. Plus, I had my SlingBam by my side, and it took down a troublesome dungeon boss, rewarding me with my first legendary item.

I looked down at my boots, marveling at their quality. If the shopping mall back in my world had this kind of footwear for sale, crime rates would definitely increase, and the police force would have a very hard time catching criminals that got their hands on these boots.

***

Puss in Boots

Type: Legendary

Description: The fairy tale magical boots worn by the sly and lewd cat.

DEX: +60

INT: +35

WIS: +20

LCK: +15

Advantages:

1.     Enhanced agility and cunning: Exceptional dexterity and intelligence empower the wearer to outsmart opponents and achieve their goals through wit and stealth.

2.     Stealth: Steps become silent, aiding in stealth and evasion.

3.     Balance: Improved balance and agility facilitate the traversal of difficult terrain.

4.     Increased Speed: Running speed is significantly enhanced.

5.     Dexterity: Overall dexterity is improved, aiding in nimble movements. Reaction time is reduced, proving useful in combat situations.

Disadvantages:

1.     Player may become lecherous over time.

***

Even though the description of the boots was a bit strange and embarrassing, I didn’t care. The Puss in Boots quickly became my favorite piece of gear. Their sleek design and magical properties combined style and protection, and I couldn’t help but strut around in them.

But the boots weren’t my only prize. Thanks to the glitch that affected my time in the Tutorial phase, I amassed a hefty amount of gold. Every reset sent me back to the same monsters, allowing me to collect and sell their weapons and equipment repeatedly. Each encounter sharpened my skills and provided valuable insights into the weaknesses of the Akai and Kiiroi monsters.

Alongside the wealth, I accrued a significant number of free stats, untouched since my first day in the tower. Regular exercise increased my base STR and DEX, while my ingenuity in setting traps during battles bolstered my WIS. A brilliantly crafted double trap I set to kill the ogre on the first floor earned me three WIS points. As for LCK, I suspected the system rewarded me for overcoming great odds against high-level monsters.

Spending so much time in the tower also had an unexpected perk. One of them was that I didn’t age. Despite estimating that I had spent six years in this game reality, I still looked like an eighteen-year-old teenager. This quirk of the tower’s time distortion was a minor comfort amidst the constant challenges.

Taking a well-deserved break, I slumped into a worn chair within the confines of a large stronghold, the aftermath of my battle with the ninth-floor boss still fresh in my mind. Facing off against the goblin boss wouldn’t have been possible without the latest type of projectile available to me after conquering the fifth floor. The hiishi, or fire stones, caused small explosions upon impact, sending targets flying or engulfing them in flames. The cost, though, was steep. While ishi cost a mere gold and kōkyū three gold per piece, hiishi set me back a fifty gold each. Thankfully, my amassed wealth made the expense worthwhile.

The combination of the SlingBam and hiishi significantly boosted my combat capabilities, allowing me to face even the toughest opponents with ease. So, as I lounged there, boots propped up, it felt like I was finally gaining the upper hand in this tower of endless challenges.

I surveyed the scene, the outcome of the fierce battle still smoldering around me. Bodies of my fallen opponents lay scattered across the ground. Around a hundred goblin soldiers had guarded the ninth-floor boss, primarily made up of Common Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Goblin Riders. If the Shadow Goblins had joined the fray, things would’ve taken a serious turn for the worse. Those buggers were stealth masters, their poisoned daggers striking swiftly from the shadows. But hey, on the bright side, my repeated run-ins with their toxic weapons in the dungeons had gifted me with a default skill called Poison Resistance. I guess there’s a silver lining in every dark cloud, huh?

I brought up my status window, reflecting on my progress. The Portal feature, which allowed players to teleport from floor to floor, had become available after I took down the first-floor boss. But, of course, it came with its own set of limitations that made me raise an eyebrow.

***

1.     Players could only teleport one floor up or down.

2.     You could use it only once a day.

3.     The portal would be disabled during battle or any dangerous situations.

***

So, not exactly a free pass to zap wherever I pleased, but it added a layer of strategy to my exploration of the tower. There was another teleportation method too, called teleportation scrolls, albeit at a substantial price. Take the mass teleportation scroll, for example; it could whisk a group of people to any opened floor or specific locations. Additionally, you could exclude individuals from the group by writing their names on the scroll. Talk about a game of favorites.

Inhaling deeply, I let my gaze settle on the lifeless form of Thrognak the Earthbinder, the ninth-floor boss. There he lay, a tough Goblin Shaman whose innate magical abilities had pushed me to my limits. His crumpled form lay among the wreckage.

But as I stared down at the dead Thrognak, a thought clawed at the back of my mind. It had cost me two lives to take him down, and I wondered how many lives I would need to defeat the final boss of the tenth floor. And what awaited me beyond the goblins’ realm in the territory of the Lizardmen?

I shook my head, brushing off the doubts. No matter how tough or long it took to beat that final goblin boss, I was confident that, with the glitch on my side, I could clear all the floors in the goblins’ realm. The system bug was my trump card, my edge in my climb to the final floor of the tower.

I flexed my fingers, still feeling the residual tingling from using those hiishi projectiles. Their fiery impact had been crucial in the fight against Thrognak, and I made a mental note to stock up on more before my next major encounter, despite their steep cost. I wasn’t about to head into battle unprepared.

Rising from my chair, I approached the portal, its iridescent surface beckoning me toward the challenges of the tenth floor. The rules of its use were clear. Defeat the floor’s boss and endure the cooldown period. Fair enough, it ensured each step forward was earned, which I could respect.

Now, with Thrognak defeated and the ninth floor behind me, the final goblin boss waited ahead. No doubt, it was going to be a formidable obstacle, but not insurmountable.

With one last glance at the remnants of the battle, I stepped toward the portal. Whatever awaited me on the tenth floor, I was ready to face it head-on.