I Became a 6★ Gacha Character

Chapter 224: A Place Full of Stars 4

TL/Editor: Raei

Schedule: 5/Week Mon-Fri

Illustrations: Posted in discord.

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The high mountainous regions, filled with stars, immediately make one understand why mountains are likened to the edges of a knife.

There were stars that flew across the vast heavens and smaller ones that diligently trekked along the narrow paths.

While the stars on the ground were numerically dominant, those in the sky were unparalleled in their freedom.

"So these guys just don't come within range."

"These creatures, do they share information between each other?"

"They don't seem to want to attack right from the start. Is it because of our bows and staffs, or do they instinctively know we are strong?"

Seeing is believing.

No matter how much Rebecca complained, nothing could substitute for our own experience on the 41st floor.

With that thought, we unhesitatingly entered the gate on the 40th floor and headed straight to the 41st.

We passed the polluted marsh and headed towards the barren, chilly highlands.

Instead of the air filled with malice and stench, it was cool and refreshing, yet if felt insufficient no matter how deeply we breathed in, leaving us with a feeling of tightness in our chests.

This discomfort was further amplified by the harpies circling overhead, watching us closely.

It looks like they had evolved to be more intelligent than expected, understanding the position of the gate and anticipating adventurers emerging from it.

As soon as we arrived on the 41st floor, a group of harpies was already circling above.

"Wow, did they set up patrols? This isn't some strategy game, yet they've deployed scouts right from the start. And considering it's only the dark ones around, it seems the prettier harpies with stars are hiding somewhere else, using the older harpies as disposable scouts."

-Damn, they've gotten smarter and even strategizing now.

-What's next in the game when monsters start using tactics?

-Didn't know climbing the tower had sub-genres like AOS or RTS.

-Just cleared the 20th floor, and the future looks damn scary.

-Essentially, they're crushing the spirits of latecomers. Cunning BB Games...

...They're running reconnaissance groups.

The starless old harpies were clearly being used as expendables, a testament to the ruthless mindset of BB Games.

If we attack these old harpies from a distance, the beautiful harpies will roughly gauge our party's range and destructive power.

It was evident even from Rebecca's testimony.

When Rebecca used her sword, they gave up throwing stones, and when the mercenary mages countered with magic, they wouldn't even approach anyone with a staff.

Heroes Chronicle, adopting the system of Heroines Chronicle, had its own dynamics.

Archers had long-range single-target attacks.

Their damage might be lower compared to magic, but they had a faster rate of fire and longer range.

Mages wielded area-of-effect long-range attacks.

While their damage was higher than arrows, their rate of fire and range were limited.

Of course, this varied with different skills, but this was the general baseline.

Archers could unleash arrow rains for area attacks, and mages had spells for single-target high damage or long-range sniping depending on the type.

And these harpies understood that perfectly.

"Wow, did they just increase their altitude the moment I reached for my arrows?"

"Their reaction is different when I hold my staff compared to when Grace draws her arrows."

Our party was observing this scene in real time.

When Han Se-ah held her staff, the harpies circled at a height where they appeared the size of a fist.

But when Grace reached for her alchemical arrowheads at her waist, they shot up, becoming mere dots in the sky.

It seemed they knew that magic could be cast instantly from a long staff, and arrows had to be notched before firing.

Apparently, the beautiful harpies were not just taming livestock but had roughly trained the old harpies too.

We were bogged down with information that only served to dishearten and frustrate us.

"For now, let's head to a safe zone on the 41st floor. It doesn't look like those creatures are planning to attack us right away. Grace, can you scout ahead?"

"I can. It's my first time in a rocky mountain like this, but... let's head towards that peak over there."

The trails in the highland area weren't just a single path.

There were various forks, climbing up or down, winding around the mountain range.

Grace led us down one of these trails.

Despite being her first time in this space, the peculiar instinct of a scout archer naturally found the way.

Like mages handling mana, scouts and rogues had a pigeon-like ability to eventually find their way.

"The safe area is closer than I thought."

"I heard that safe zones in the highlands are smaller but more numerous than in the lower levels. This one is indeed quite cramped."

"It might be difficult for the brothers to secure a spot here...."

We arrived at the safe zone after crossing two peaks.

Entering a cave secretly nestled among the mid-mountain rocks, we were greeted by a cool, refreshing breeze.

The party members exhaled deeply upon entering the safe zone, relieved from the constant vigilance against the circling old harpies overhead.

The cave was so narrow compared to the lower levels where cabins could be built with ample space left for research compounds and wooden fences.

It was so cramped that even setting up a couple of tents would be a tight fit, leaving us only with the option of using sleeping bags.

Yet, it was a safe haven, free from the harpies hovering above and the bizarre bleating of mountain goats.

"Phew, marshes and now mountain climbing. I'm tired even though we haven't fought."

"Yeah. It feels like a pilgrimage route from the Bible."

-They're just trying to exhaust us mentally, haha.

-Harpies aside, why aren't other monsters appearing?

-In a highland area with flying monsters, should we just dig tunnels since the safe zones are also caves?

-I thought we didn't do that before in case of a cave-in?

"Just looking at them, aren't they avoiding the goats because they seem too strong?"

Irene nodded in agreement with Han Se-ah's murmured words, audible to both the viewers and the party members.

Despite not being combat-oriented, her 5 stats seemed to help her keep up with the mountainous trek effortlessly.

But, how would they transport supplies on such narrow paths?

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Raei Translations

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With the narrow paths and the harpies getting smarter, how would they resupply if the creatures strategically and tactically interfered?

They couldn't.

"Damn it."

"Rebecca, please try to calm down a bit"

"Hey, do I look like I'm in the mood to calm down? We had to flee because our supply carriage was cut off."

That's why everyone came down.

It was unbelievable.

After reaching the first safe zone on the 41st floor and seeing no signs of battle, we exited the tower only to find the guild in turmoil.

Adventurers who had reached up to the 45th floor were pushed back to the 41st due to the smarter harpies.

Supply troops moving through narrow paths reinforced by Earth Control, their magic carriages filled with more supplies than they seemed to hold.

The strategy chosen by the beautiful harpies, upon seeing this, was simple.

While shadow leopards and old harpies drew attention, single-horned mountain goats leaped off cliff tops, dragging the carriages down with them.

Perhaps it was a strategy devised understanding that, unlike named monsters, these goats were infinitely spawned within the tower?

"From above, harpies targeted adventurers, and from below, shadow leopards went after the carriage wheels. I thought they were trying to plunder the supplies, but then mountain goats just leaped onto the carriages from the cliffs."

"So, what happened?"

"Obviously, the carriages were destroyed. Those creatures weigh at least 50kg each. Dropping them on the carriages like rocks, what else could happen?

Either the supplies were damaged, or the carriages got tangled and fell off the cliff. It was chaos."

Despite being called goats, they are genuine monsters.

Even the horned rabbits and foxes from the single-digit floors could impale a person to death.

So, monsters from the 41st floor wouldn't be light or frail.

It would be challenging to fend off a monster charging down a cliff on a trail without damage, even for an adventurer with a shield.

And it's even harder if they're stubbornly targeting the carriages instead of people.

As a result, top-tier adventurers, whom we hadn't seen for a long time, were crowded in the guild.

Most were wryly pondering over strategies, but a few were even more agitated than Rebecca.

As we silently listened to the conversations at other tables, it was evident that the situation was beyond chaotic.

Naturally, those who were on the verge of a breakdown from excitement were all mages.

"My, my research papers...!"

"Why is Antenor behaving like that?"

"He set up a lab on the 45th floor and moved all his research there, but he had to come down with just a few papers when the supply carriage was cut off. Probably all his samples that needed to be preserved with magic have been ruined."

And the loudest voice belonged to Antenor, the old man who had fried orcs with lightning.

It seemed he had set up a lab on the 45th floor, a floor he previously showed no interest in.

The safe zone, a cave, might be cramped for people to live in, but it seemed spacious enough to set up a makeshift lab.

It looks like Antenor is having some difficulties.

The situation before and after the appearance of the beautiful harpies is drastically different

He might have to re-write all the papers he's been writing until now.

As I watched Antenor indirectly experiencing the frustration of his assistants while listening to the murmuring of the mages at the next table, someone walked in with heavy steps and tapped on the table.

"A statement from the Guild, a decree from the Temple, and a royal edict from the Palace have arrived."

It was Ellis, with dark circles under her eyes.

It seems that with the Temple and the Royal Palace getting involved, the lower-ranked workers couldn't dare to slack off.