NOVEL WEB A world where fantasy has become reality.
A world where the fantasy only seen in books has become reality!
Some people were disappointed it wasn’t like something from a gate story, but they were relieved the participation in the Tower wasn’t mandatory, and most of the climbers had a good moral character and were ready to fight to the death if necessary.
Most of them considered climbing the Tower as a given.
Above, there was honor and glory, the thrill of conquering the Tower? Of course, that’s part of it—but what really matters is the dopamine rush from surpassing human strength!
Simple brute force that can shake the world! There’s that, but also the simple fact you can earn a lot of money. Earning and spending a lot increases the flow of money, which helps society function better—making the world slightly more livable than before.
After a sort of half-decent downfall and recovery, tales of Tower climbing were added throughout society, classified as a natural disaster, with only necessary training for a potential collapse. Overflowing weapons and trained soldiers were used to repel monsters that appeared from the collapse, so from a national perspective, there wasn’t much long-term loss.
Meanwhile, internet community spirits weren’t any different.
Some would post bait like “The Tower has awakened!” or upload proof of their actual climb.
Because they were truly risking their lives, the teasing was light, but due to the severe punishment for climbers committing crimes, their rights were as good as a modern noble class. Of course, with the responsibilities attached to being a noble for the people came the benefits.
Ultimately, climbers tackle the Tower for various comprehensive reasons.
[Author: Anonymous]
[Title: VTuber is the Strongest Fighter in the World]
(Gif of the Fox Deity instantly killing a charging feral deer with a knife-hand strike)
In an age flooded with VTubers,
VTubers have now extended their influence to Tower climbing.
The endpoint of the ever-advancing metaverse technology.
It’s truly primal violence!!
ㄴThe heavy sound really made me flinch.
ㄴCompared to the Leader, high school bullies from the past are nothing.
ㄴDear underlings… climbers are UFC-level at minimum…
[Author: HeatedTangerineBatsWorshiper]
[Title: Enlarged Shot of the Fox Deity’s Chest Spots]
Sorry, lads, it’s actually bait. There’s nothing like that here.
More importantly, I’m in urgent need, having drawn our Leader’s mean pic.
Does our Leader have rights? What if I get sued?
ㄴIf you’re a climber, you gain rights you didn’t have.
ㄴPlease offer the mean pic, our little soldier is starving…
ㄴAt times like that, draw a more tantalizing pic for forgiveness?
ㄴFor real, this is the solution LOL
ㄴ(Gif of the Fox Deity saying “Don’t hold back, just go”)
[Author: NotARealHumanIfIntoStocks]
[Title: Does this Make Sense? The Leader Who Always Uploads Animal Genitalia Pics for Fun?]
Thinking back, it’s true since the Leader is a beast.
Human in stock trading is no human but a beast, succeeding.
Damn Newton, I should disqualify as human and qualify as a beast like the Leader haha.
(Stock red graph-filled pic)
I worshiped our Wakamou-sama from the start.
No fool morons not believing, right? Bought Youtuber stocks on day one of the broadcast.
But that’s just for beginners.
(Pic of making Wakamou Coin)
Go big or go home.
ㄴThis is, well, absolutely insane and reckless. I’m investing immediately.
ㄴIn the end, it’s the coin maker who’s screwed, not me LOL
ㄴThis whole community’s madness because of one crazy Leader.
ㄴWho would’ve thought they’re truly not human?
[Author: RulerOfInchesHailToTheQueen]
[Title: Woe… Wakamou Mama… Maternity Bag’s Huge, Mofu…]
Anyway, is this really VTuber…?
No matter how you look, isn’t it in-broadcast? Not a streamer?
Why call it VTuber?
If they tackled the Tower, they’re real, right?
A 2M tall goddess looking like a royal maiden with fox ears and shark teeth exists in reality!
ㄴRight? We’re only ever going to see them beyond the screen anyway?
ㄴDoes it matter when our Leader committed to VTuber?
ㄴIs there evidence that’s their true form? What if it’s a 1000-year-old Naga Loli Fox Deity?
ㄴWaCaHyakNongJuKek
Wakamou’s fame spreads across the internet community as if gasoline was poured over it. Most are cheering for his 2-meter height, modelesque build, and an overwhelmingly large chest—particularly mesmerized by its water-balloon-like jiggle caused by the knife-hand strikes….
Fear of lawsuits kept most in check! But did little to suppress the majority’s bewilderment about why it’s called a VTuber.
Those who entered the channel saw over 2,000 videos and more than 200 VTubers, comprehending the situation but still feeling something was off.
Why not just become an in-broadcast streamer?
Couldn’t they?
But everyone pointing this out was permanently banned without exception. Given the Leader had been a VTuber hiding their identity until now, it wasn’t certain if they were truly a Fox Deity—seeing everything through the screen, not knowing if the displayed appearance was real or not, led most to settle with the thought of VTuber.
In the meantime, some questioned if the giant penguin living in a penguin costume is a VTuber, or if Zegall Nuri, who wears a suit but isn’t a VTuber, could be.
Comfortably arriving at a semantic meaning where someone presenting an avatar and streaming can be an internet broadcaster.
Honestly, to many, such concerns were trivial. What mattered to them was the massive dopamine.
In a rapidly developing metaverse era, with humanity’s technologic summit showing violence, people were enthralled.
There were numerous strategy or monster hunting videos uploaded by climbers, all flashy, quick—truly feeling like watching a movie aglow. In an age where everyone wielded weapons to fight, those like the Fox Deity who fiercely battled with sheer physical prowess were extremely rare.
The charm of primal violence reverted to its origins.
An overwhelming sense of realism no imagination alone could produce!
Representing themselves with characters climbing the Tower, the power exuded by VTubers captivated people.
While you can enjoy a VTuber broadcast through edits,
Isn’t an imposing live broadcast undeniably more electrifying!
*
”Stand, at ease! Hello, I’m Wakamou Inarizushi.”
-Is that your chosen greeting?
-Stand, comrade! You too!
-Going up the 5th floor today?
-Are you really the Fox Deity or is it just a persona?
”Still figuring out the greeting. Also considering the broadcast rules. Am I not the real Fox Deity? Worship me now that you’ve seen the flesh.”
-Getting butterflies just hearing the sudden gentleness. Why is that?
-It’s just a feeling, but while typing comments, my eyes are likely fixed on the chest, right?
-If the Leader quits broadcasting, who’d climb the Tower….
-With Tower climbing involved, if the broadcast stops suddenly, even the state’s secret agency might come LOL
-Gasp!! I didn’t type that; it’s our feisty cat’s antics!
-Wait, no greeting decided and just doing it casually?
”How many VTuber greetings do you think I know?”
-(TMI) Can fill nearly a year through rotation.
-Really?
-The Leader watches VTubers from America, Japan, and Indonesia.
-When Chinese VTubers were mass deplatformed, remember when you canceled subscriptions in tears….
-I’m a knife-hand entry; is our Leader a crazy war demon?
-Our newbie learns fast! Such a smart lad!! Why are you here with that intelligence?
-Chest.
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1Y2VIUWZiVkQ1UHFPVnhKWjVSVlBpeCtuUG51eGVnZTE3K1AvN3RUa2t0Nw
-Such an honest bastard.
-Though unspoken, most of us here for similar reasons.
-The rigging is so hardcore, seems lifelike!
-Ah LOL chat carefully LOL
To viewers seemingly mocking the situation, seeing it as a reality-tower climb stealthily under the guise of VTuber, Wakamou opened an internet window in the air.
Much like VTubers reveal their schedule on the desktop background, displaying the upcoming Tower climb schedule… declaring, wildly enough, to climb one floor per day if the schedule doesn’t change. Alongside packed VTuber broadcast schedules and three VTubers streaming live at the bottom of the calendar, viewers began to feel a creeping fear.
-You’ll be back for the broadcast tomorrow! Trusting you, Fox Deity!
-What’s this zeal for broadcasting while watching streams, you crazy?
-Did they just nonchalantly clip on the side? How, damn it!
-And donating amidst this LOL
-Alas, you had no intention to communicate with us, huh?
-Clearly, you can see it’s not about donations.
“Knowing exactly what would happen if I open video donations and donations, what are you nitpicking about!! Just feast your eyes on my milk jugs, jerks.”
-We were already watching, but thank you for permitting us.
-Heated a rice bowl, can I take a bite after glancing thrice?
-Asking for panty color since you’re already revealing, please.
“Anyway, it’s only broadcast day two. Climbing the Tower makes content feel lacking. Opened a session for feedback—whoa, our fledgling chick opened na-kai already”
-Hey, wasn’t planning on communicating at all, was it!!
-Is it real, going to listen to music after someone opens na-kai???
-How’s internet connection inside the Tower????
“Because VTuber?”
-Oh! That was really informative, thank you, you beastly bastard.
-Incredibly irritating, yet the way you say it leaves one speechless.
-? Is this not VTuber but an in-broadcast? [Permanently banned user.]
-You saw that? Can’t refute.
-Look at that untouchable status.
“Anyway, I’m shamelessly free-loading on content. An utterly brazen girl, help me out if you got tips, VTube simps.”
-It’s truly infuriating, but seeing your navel made me contemplate gracefully.
-Why so alluring while lying sideways, it’s maddening.
-I’ll hold back as it’s rude to express my wish to lick your collarbone.
-Love to see modeling rendered, could you show your soles?
-Get lost, you damn weirdo with bizarre fetishes!
-Modokeenee? What are you doing here without streaming!”
What are you doing here, Kigo!
– Can’t I just show you climbing the tower?
Unfortunately, all the indoor fans who watch the broadcast and enjoy the community daily were all the same. It was only natural that someone like me, who regularly watches VTuber videos, clips, and edits, would be better at it than those people.
Wiggling my toes in response to a request to show my soles, I got up brushing off my seat.
Then, turning the camera towards this side, I showed an enormous bull, as large as a big vehicle, breathing heavily with excitement. It was the simplest of beings among the [Monsters] one could see in the tower─a fellow called [Killer Ankles Watusi], also known as the newbie killer.
– Wow, damn…
– It’s freaking huge.
– Totally dwarfs the zoo.
– Is that really a 5th-floor monster???
– Leader, don’t you need a weapon?
The [Killer Ankles Watusi], with horns as big as its body, making even the 2-meter-tall Wakamou look small in comparison, scraped the ground with its front paws, ready to charge with a snort and tossed its head wildly.
The size filled up the screen. Viewers watching the climber’s perspective, seeing the newbie killer of the 5th floor from the back of Wakamou’s head, instantly understood what it meant that [Climbers] operated under entirely different standard conditions from ordinary humans.
Even if they aren’t all the same monsters, it’s quite something that such colossal monsters appear as early as the 5th floor.
So, what about higher up? Realizing they are truly fighting for their lives, simultaneously worry rose that the Leader might overexert himself for the broadcast and die.
“Oooooooh──!!!!”
People were terrified as the giant ox, which some might mock for being a large black bull, charged directly at Wakamou in a straight line. The momentum of the rampaging monster even through the screen had some trembling in fear. Yet, a few noticed the camera was utterly still.
Realizing Wakamou hadn’t moved an inch, panic set in. But surely, there must be some [Skill] at play, right? Trying somehow to quell their worry.
“Hup!!”
With arms open wide akin to an embrace, he grasped the horns and halted its charge. Could such a massive creature with that much momentum be stopped by that alone?
“Whoa!!!”
The moan of the [Killer Ankles Watusi] filled with pain. It seemed as if a car had rammed into a wall, crumpling and neck retracting turtle-like into its body, its hind legs soared upwards while the giant creature’s waist bent like a bow.
He stopped it. Without being pushed even a bit from where he stood at first!
“Ughhhhh!!!!”
With pinpoint precision, his fist slammed into its forehead, causing a depression.
As its eyes bulged halfway out and it foamed at the mouth, when the [Killer Ankles Watusi]’s lower half hit the ground with a thud, the newbie slayer was already deceased, falling over slowly without even having the chance to close its eyes. The upper body collapsed and was followed belatedly by the lower.
The might to stop it was astonishing, but to then one-hit-KO it was sheer brutal strength.
And the expression showing he wasn’t even that surprised.
– Wow! What was that?!
“Mm? I’m clipping it.”
– Damn it, that’s not what I asked.
“This is the spell of the Fox Deity. Magical physical power.”
– Excessive physics is indistinguishable from magic meme.
– I want to see the spell, is this the spell?
– So, wait, is that the end of the broadcast?
– Can you even eat that?
Wakamou stared intently at the chat flashing by, his eyes sparkling at a believer’s comment. Depending on the type, [Monster] could serve as culinary ingredients. Thus─it wasn’t merely a tower climbing venture; he could grab hold of a new content, [Monster Cooking]!!
However, lacking cooking utensils. So what to do?
– ??? Leader what are you doing? Going to loot?
– Why are you headed to the hind leg for looting?
– Do climbers sniff things before looting?
Wary viewers dreaded whatever the insane madman might do. They shook with foreboding, unable even to predict what might come next.
Crunch.
Grabbing hold of the hind leg attached to the body, he lifted it up and took a big bite, beginning to chew away with his mouth fully.
– Aaaaaah!! Aaaargh!!!
– Wow, this is the wild.
– A thousand years ago, this was everyday life!!
– Humankind has been hunting and eating like this for generations.
– I believe you. You must be the Fox Deity.
– No, damn, why eat it raw.
– Because he’s a fox?
– Makes sense?
– Why are you convinced?
“It’s really chewy and has quite a good texture! A touch more glutinous than beef tartare… If only had some sesame oil dip and rice, it’d be perfect!”
– We can’t even endorse this in our strange food group…
– Leader, you’re dripping blood down your chin. Clean up a bit.
– Why does he eat so deliciously?
– [Information] The skin and muscles of the Killer Ankles Watusi are thick, used as material for defensive gear up to the 10th floor. The Leader’s eating a defensive material.
-?
-?
-?
– I heard foxes are part of the dog family, and now I believe it!
Wakamou had a gnawing feeling something was wrong.
Even Virtual YouTubers do eating shows… They often have cooking broadcasts, so where did it go wrong…?
“Is my eating… weird…?”
Rubbing his mouth roughly with his sleeve, Wakamou acted all dejected.
– Seeing him again, he’s really adorable.
– Why is the Leader’s disappointment so cute?
– Eating what you catch is the right of a strong one, so it’s fine.
– Just seeing you eat fills us up, Leader, eat plenty….
“Wait, let me make fire.”
He said that and proceeded to start a fire through friction heat with a hastily made hand drill, saying “Just grill it and you can eat it!” Watching this, most of the viewers’ reactions were quite similar.
– Seriously, they say you sealed away and came back, and it totally feels ancient.
– Did you really pop out of storage somewhere?
– Guess it’s true you came from Japan. Loves eating things raw.
– Having hunted the prey with primitive might, the primitive man makes fire.
– Feels like watching Discovery Channel.
Clipping footage while zoning out listening to UNARCHIVED, having taken the hit trying to figure everything out.
Anyway, the good viewer response was satisfactory to Wakamou, so he started a fire.
Contrary to concerns that grilling would make it tougher than a rubber tire, seeing him tear into it quite well made everyone a little more gentle towards the Leader.
*
“Phew… President Yoo Kyung-yeon. ──After the surveillance team’s investigation…though they failed to identify him, they found his residence. The situation got complicated due to real estate double sales. It seems the climber Wakamou Inarizushi’s mansion burned down to ashes on the day of his tower climbing.”
“Was someone targeting him from the start? Or did he destroy the evidence himself? Either way, it’ll be a headache. A young woman like her, having lived a thousand years, would have dug scores of burrows. So, you have no means to make contact, Manager? If there was, you wouldn’t have come to me, right?”
If they’d failed, only a report would have come up, not the Manager in person.
Watching the Manager looking at him with an expression filled with certainty of success, the Association President felt proud of nurturing a fine successor, smiling as he stroked his chin.
The being had burnt her dwelling and vanished somewhere for whatever reason. As a climber, she’d already be an overwhelming superhuman. If the ID in her possession genuinely belonged to the Fox Deity, one couldn’t be certain it was authentic either. Ploys like false IDs had to be considered as well.
After all, she might be a fox that had lived a thousand years!
However, watching the broadcast, seeing her struggling to converse with viewers somewhat reminded the Association President of himself attempting MZ interactions with young employees, feeling poignant as it did. If that’s any indication, she should not be a menacing entity. More like… maybe just a little… wild?
Thinking her as a foreigner trying earnestly to adapt to modern civilization without causing a problem made him feel even more sympathetic.
“In any case… assistance is needed. A considerable amount enough to persuade the dealer for transactions and… stacks of means to discreetly whisk away the item if required, as well as personnel to handle matters quietly without leaving traces to avoid any damages caused.”
“Support in full. What are the chances?”
“100% with just one of those items. But with both, 200%.”
“Oh… the item that’ll attract the Fox Deity… it must be quite valuable. Could you share what it is?”
“[『Figma NO.777! Virtual Live 5th Festival Commemoration! Paradise’s Guerrilla☆Explosive☆Bunny☆Pecoyamaragu!』Anime Minus Shop Korea Region Limited Edition [Limited Edition & Autographed]] figure. Adding to that, [Collaboration Commemorative Ultimate! Domain Expansion Back Room Kidnap Pro Charisma White Fox Limited 1/7 Statue] is included.”
“…Um, if caught pilfering it?”
“Wouldn’t you get stabbed by a fervent fan for seizing an opportunity?”
“Needs meticulous handling. Well done, Manager Wanda Haye. I’ll authorize all support under my approval, go at it with full force.”
“On the day of the Anime Minus Shop collaboration. Wakamou Inarizushi will certainly come. No, he must come. This is the first in Korea and something he has waited eagerly for…!”
Preparing for the day of the predestined showdown means they’ll meet.
To meet his Oshi, the fan café manager who had penetrated his Oshi’s weak spot glinted with determination.
Everything must proceed subtly. Because Wakamou would say purchase goods through the rightful means!!
Operation Otaku Hunt… No, [Fox Hunt]!!