The Late Cook Ascends the Tower - Chapter 44



44 – Episode 44. Hardcore route again

『You pick up fragments of memories in the fog. Looking through the fragments makes you think you might be able to recover a forgotten memory, but unknown fears stand in your way. You never know whether the recovered memories will be good or bad for you. Maybe it’s safe not to get your memories back.”

『I decided to look at the fragments of memories.』

– Reward: ???

『I bury fragments of memories in the deepest place in the fog.』

– Giving up compensation.

After the voice ended, a choice appeared in front of my eyes.

I think fragments of memory just refer to the parts of my lost memories…

So if you choose the first option, you’ll get an unknown reward instead of seeing your memory.

If I choose the second option, I think it will just be as it is now.

Tilda saw my expression and asked.

“Chef, why are you like this?”

“I heard the voice of the tower. You have to choose your options.”

“Really!? hehehe… I’m right! God is tempting us to come to the top quickly and make a wish! What options do you have?”

“Will I get my memories back or quit? If you get it back, there is a reward, if not, there is none.”

“Then, of course, you should get it back and be rewarded! It’s very easy.”

Of course, most players will choose the first option.

It wasn’t that simple.

Because I don’t know if the reward marked with a question mark is good or bad, as the voice said.

In most cases, a buff artifact and a debuff artifact appear alternately with a 50% chance…

Well, I can’t help it.

『You decide to examine the fragments of memories. In the fog, the shadows of forgotten memories rise.”

I chose the first option without much hesitation.

Even if a bad artifact comes out, the information on the 99th floor is valuable, so it will be worth enduring the debuff.

And this time, for a different purpose, I wanted to confirm the end of the event.

I want to see what bullsh*t the tower’s voice is talking about.

As you choose your options, memories that you couldn’t recall no matter how hard you tried unfold in your head.

It was a memory from the 99th floor.

Not all.

What the field looks like, what events happen, and what kind of monsters live there.

What is the strategy?

I couldn’t figure out anything, just a scene played over and over again in my head.

Flying hair.

Unfocused eyes and a black cloak wrapped around the body.

A sad expression.

Dark black hair and eyes like pitch black.

That was all.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Tilda’s big eyes.

“Have you chosen your options?”

“Yes. I remembered.”

“What is it? What did you see on the 99th floor?”

“I saw a woman.”

“Are you a woman?”

“Yes. I just remembered that, and I don’t know anything else.”

“That is surprising. Still, since it’s Tower’s voice, I thought it had something to do with it.”

Actually, it seems to have meaning.

All I remember is the appearance of one woman.

She can’t remember what she said or what happened there.

I know who she is, though.

‘Why did I just come up with this now?’

In all two years of TOE, I only saw one character with black hair and black eyes.

Even at the end of the first floor, seeing these memories being displayed…

I think I know roughly what the tower’s voice wants to say.

Seeing the rewards makes me more certain.

“Chef, what was the reward?”

“Contract.”

“Yes?”

“That contract you know. It costs 100 won in the village.”

“Uh… Really? I thought you were giving me something like a relic, but it’s kind of a pity.”

“Sure. The god of the tower must not want to work.”

“I still think it’s good. I got back some of the chef’s memories, got a weapon, and card rewards left. Now all that remains is to climb the tower and become stronger! Right? hehehehe…”

“Yes. There are also eels left.”

“Right! Let’s quickly choose a card and go to the second floor to eat eel.”

You’re motivated because you killed Grow and good things happen one after another.

Tilda urged me, pulling me by the sleeve.

You can see three green cards floating in front of the door to the boss room.

If it’s green, it means it’s a rare card…

The moment when the excited Tilda is about to check her card…

“Huh? Chef? What is that?”

“I don’t know, I’m seeing it for the first time too. No, rather than the first time, there is no such thing. Originally.”

Something happened.

Three green cards rotated wildly, then merged into one.

That wasn’t enough, so even the color of the card changed.

Tilda said, pointing to the changed card.

“Uh… Uh… Uh! That one, if it’s purple, it’s the only grade! Right!? The only grade!”

That’s right.

Purple means an opener card that only has a 5% chance of appearing throughout the tower.

Most of them only come out from events, and you can’t even dream of them with card rewards.

It even came out on the first floor.

There is no such thing as this.

Card rewards with no options and only one grade.

Looking at that, somehow I felt like I knew the ending of the card reward.

The intent of Tower’s voice is so obvious, I feel like I’m going to force myself again this time.

Certainly, it won’t go bad this time as I expected, right?

Or maybe it’s fine.

“Tilda, go check it out.”

“Yes!”

The identity of the first unique grade card confirmed…!

[Minequake/Battle Card: Slams the ground, dealing 3 damage to enemies within a circular range and binding them for 2 seconds. The range increases by 50 cm for each strength level. Once the turn ends, it cannot be used in this battle. ★★]

From noble mtl dot com

It was a minefield.

A card that demonstrates fraudulent power in a cost tank build that secures a large amount of cost.

Although the damage is low at 3, if you raise the strength level, you can inflict wide-area damage to a large number of enemies.

The more you increase the strength, the more the restraint range increases, so the stability is good.

If you need to, you can use the restraint time to pass the 3 second end-of-turn penalty.

But of course there are risks with such a fraudulent card, and in the case of mines, this is it.

[Cannot be used in this battle when the turn is over.]

Because of this condition, if you don’t use it when it’s caught in your hand, it just becomes a trash card that just takes up space.

Tilda from the side read the card carefully, then looked at me with his mouth wide open.

“Chef. Is this really good?”

“That sucks.”

“Ah! How crazy is this! Chef, did you forget you had the [Curse of Nosferatu]?”

“Oh, did you remember?”

“Sure! If you have that curse card, you can keep increasing your strength. Then, with this one, bang! Will you all die? Am I smart?”

“You have to be lucky to keep increasing your strength.”

“Why?”

“As for minemine cards, once they are in your hand, that’s it. If you raised strength before that, you can use it for 6 damage, but if the mines come in before Nosferatu, use it for 3 damage, or throw it away.”

“Uh… Then should I just use it for 3 damage?”

“Two damage. And can you afford the 2 cost?”

Tilda is a rotating deck, so the value of one cost is much higher than that of other builds.

Even with the effect of the longsword, the initial damage is increased by 20%.

It won’t be easy to hold out with the extra 1 cost after drawing all the attention of the enemy with an attack that hits the ground.

And the minefield Tilda uses was 2 damage instead of 3 damage.

Because strength is -1.

“Then the chef has no choice but to use it. You can’t just throw away your unique rank card.”

If I could get more than 5 strength in the future, I would pick it up right away…

As long as you choose a cursed build, investing in strength is a waste.

I’m sorry for seeming to be expecting you, but I gave the bad news to Tilda.

“I won’t use it either.”

“Wow… You’re throwing this away?”

“I won’t even throw it away.”

“What kind of bizarre words are you talking about? Were there other options besides choosing and discarding?”

“I am a cook.”

“Yes.”

“Do you remember eating raw ham?”

“Sure. It was sooooo delicious!”

“How did you say it was made?”

“Uh… Fermented dry?”

“Good memory. This card will ferment and dry.”

“Yes!? A card?”

Tilda had an expression of incomprehension.

I have already made up my mind.

The two bangs we picked.

[Gauntlet of Forgotten Sword Master] And [Minemine].

I plan to ferment and dry these from now on.

I can’t use it right now, but if it matures well, I might be able to use it later.

That will take some time…

I think Tilda will solve that.

“I’m sorry, Tilda. One favor, one promise, and one apology.”

“What is fermentation and drying, and all of a sudden, a request and a promise…”

“First, promise.”

“What is it?”

“Didn’t I tell you that you have to move as efficiently as possible to get to the 100th floor?”

“Yes. You have to choose the ingredients as efficiently as possible, and you have to choose the best possible number in battle.”

“So, this is the last time I move inefficiently. I’ll promise.”

“Inefficient? What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to reverse the tower for a while. And please, keep the artifacts and card rewards until I return. It won’t take long.”

“Yes!? Am I alone?”

“It’s okay because I’m leaving Dealo-kun behind. All you have to do is leave this room.”

“Uhhhhh… He called me Dillo-kun.”

“A real party from now on? For efficient operation, it is better to unify the names. And finally, an apology.”

“You haven’t done anything wrong to me, have you?”

“I haven’t had it so far, but I will eat eel later. Sorry.”

“Yes!? Is that troublesome?”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“No! Stand there!”

I installed Dilogun and ran down the stairs again.

Since this is the end of the first floor, there will be quite a few returning soldiers, but it can’t be helped.

Because I’m a kid with no wishes.

If I don’t do this at least, one day I might collapse while climbing the tower.

Just like how Tilda climbs the tower with a single mind to become stronger regardless of her wish.

I need a reason to climb the tower even if I don’t have a wish.

What an unknown force was trying to say to me must mean the same thing.

I can feel it now.

When I was almost down the stairs, I heard Tilda’s voice from the top of the stairs.

It was a voice filled with resentment even though it was desperate.

“Leave the eel alone!”

“I’ll be back soon! I thought of a better way to eat it!”