Right after the Floor 71 clear,
Juhyeok t with Jeon Gwangil and handed over the Liberation Rune Necklace and the Ring of Appearance Transformation.
They were scheduled to be delivered to the French special envoy delegation through Jeon Gwangil’s hands.
The French governnt also faithfully carried out the contract.
Either way, climbing to Floor 71 and handing the necklace and ring over to the French governnt was the entirety of the main contract.
At Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Korea’s cultural heritage items—already packaged in advance and waiting—departed for Incheon Airport by transport plane.
Over 900 pieces of old books and artwork, including Jikji (a famous early printed book), manuscripts from the Oegyujanggak Royal Archives, the travel chronicle Record of the Journey to the Five Indian Kingdoms, and paintings by Kim Hong-do....
All of them would beco Juhyeok’s personal collection. The contract explicitly stated it that way.
The country would borrow them and display them in museums.
Since a private individual owning national treasures could be a problem, the public-facing framing was set as “returned to Korea.”
Even just this would more than cover the building price.
If he could sell it, that is.
The next day, Juhyeok used another Multinational Tower Use Ticket and entered a Tower again.
Temporary naturalization?
He had tried it once, and that was enough.
At first, the novelty made it fun—running around saying “bonjour” and “rci,” ssing around like an idiot.
But it wasn’t very entertaining.
The naturalization process was annoying,
and it ant having to et embassy staff again.
Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil also looked like he would rather Juhyeok not do temporary naturalization.
How much of a burden would it be for the Administration?
The country’s top Player doing temporary naturalization again.
He could just get more tickets as rewards.
Surprisingly, they dropped well.
He had picked up one each from Black Tower (Korea) Floor 71 and Floor 73.
Was it because the reward odds had gone up?
‘If I really get desperate, I can rest and kill ti matching rune shards or sothing.’
Black Tower (France) Floor 72.
The mission rewards included high-grade Magic Stones, weapons, equipnt items, and more.
What, did he co for the rewards?
He ca to rob the treasure vaults.
The superior magical beast Hydra and Necromancer Norma weren’t even threats.
Not in front of the Mad Demon when the Mad Demon got serious about clearing.
The problem was the treasure vaults.
Would it really...?
“HURK!”
Rajix threw both hands into the air, as if surrendering.
“LONG LIVE!!!”
“The cosmic master thief Rajix stands before you.”
“Truly the greatest divine thief under the heavens.”
“Supply Officer, CERTAIN VICTORY!”
Floor 72 Necromancer Dungeon treasure vault location-transfer complete.
And then,
Floor 73 Norton Kingdom treasure vault location-transfer complete.
Fortunately,
there was no mass slaughter from the “stands crescent-boorang doing-the-wave” incident on Floor 73.
Only the king was killed.
That was the Mad Demon’s consideration, keeping Juhyeok’s ntal health in mind.
*****
SPOT!
Juhyeok returned to the penthouse with the group.
Truly a majestic Tower band of thieves.
A asly 1.3 trillion won?
One big score and it was nothing.
“Are we becoming thieves?”
“Sir Cossack has been a thief since forever—no, a bandit, you an.”
“Compared to the cosmic master thief Rajix, I’m nothing.”
“WAAH!”
“Look at that cosmic master thief face, arrogance piercing the sky. You really have to steal big if you’re going to steal at all.”
He felt a little guilty about looting another country’s Tower treasure vaults, but honestly, if it wasn’t Rajix, who else could even bring those treasures out?
Alright—start handing out rit and rewards, fast.
A badge award ceremony.
He decided to give everyone one each.
No need to be stingy.
The summoned entities’ skill upgrades were Juhyeok’s own upgrades.
This ti, there were three upgrade recipients.
Cossack, Veronica, and the Mad Demon—five each.
What skill did Cossack raise to LSSR?
FWAAH!
Five badges seeped into Cossack’s body and vanished.
“It’s an upgrade to my stealth skill. Nobody can find . Even the Mad Demon elder will struggle.”
Sluuurk,
Cossack disappeared.
“Oho! Perfectly hidden. You were right.”
“Ehehehe,”
There wasn’t even a trace of presence.
Sound could still be heard, but it was impossible to tell what direction it ca from.
“If atshield wants to flick my forehead, atshield will have to find first.”
Tsk, tsk.
So it was all to dodge a forehead flick in the end?
He could just stop doing things that deserved one.
Still, it didn’t seem like it lasted very long.
Cossack reappeared with a sluuurk, and the Mad Demon gave a crooked smile.
“Premature. The duration is short.”
“Of course, is it not? An SSR grade using an LSSR skill makes the crotch tear apart.”
“At least you know your place.”
“Yes, sir!”
What about Veronica?
“Sergeant Veronica Caliber. It’s magical gunnery marksmanship. Overall attack power increases, accuracy gets corrected, and even ammunition consumption goes down.”
An efficient choice, fitting for Sergeant Veronica.
If you’re a soldier, you should shoot well.
“I like it. There’s only Sergeant Veronica.”
Veronica snapped heels together—CLACK!—then raised the right hand sharply—SNAP!—and saluted.
“CERTAIN VICTORY!”
Booounce!
Then the Mad Demon?
Sothing was a little strange.
For Cossack and Veronica, as soon as it hit five badges, the badges were absorbed into the body, but for the Mad Demon, nothing happened.
Why didn’t the Mad Demon absorb them?
Was an LSSR grade different?
“You need a skill to upgrade first. I have already reached the ultimate for them all.”
What?
If he didn’t even need them, why take them?
There was no reason to put them on him.
“Still, do not take them away from . Soday, they will all have their use, won’t they?”
Hmm.
Use them for what?
That sounded a little suspicious.
It felt like there was sothing there.
‘Well. Maybe it’s just symbolic—wearing them around.’
If it was the Mad Demon, it was fine.
It wasn’t a waste.
Now the final remaining order.
A cumulative total of 91 Platinum Badges.
It was ti to check the perk.
“Honestly, I don’t even expect anything anymore. It keeps giving weird items and stuff.”
The Mad Demon tilted the head.
“Hmm? What did you receive as the previous perk?”
“...Uh, it wasn’t good. Trash.”
He couldn’t tell the Mad Demon about the Tower Occupation Proclamation Loudspeaker.
If he did, the Mad Demon would obviously insist on using it imdiately and taking another country’s Tower.
“Trash, I see. I understand. Whatever cos out, it will not be the sa as before.”
The Mad Demon’s expression turned heavy.
“Now that the Liberation Rune Necklace is being freed, the Tower’s mischief will reach its extre.”
No—fine, even if it sses around, it still has to give sothing worthwhile.
At this point, shouldn’t Trait Enhancent show up at least once?
If it gave him dice or a loudspeaker again, he was going to flip the table.
A new family mber was coming too.
With a tense heart, Juhyeok opened Inventory and checked the newly obtained badge.
[You will receive a perk for accumulating 85 Platinum Badges.]
“Please, Trait Enhancent!”
“Let Trait Enhancent co out.”
“Trait Enhancent, sir.”
“May you be victorious, Master Bong.”
“My lord! May you seize Trait Enhancent.”
“Hoa!”
[Perk : Trait...]
“Uaaagh, traaaaiiittt....”
[Perk : Trait Addition Rune will be issued to your Tower-Only Inventory.]
“...Huh?”
Not Trait Enhancent—Trait Addition.
He almost shouted the mont he heard the word “Trait” and then stopped.
‘...What is this now??
An item he’d never seen before.
Effect: Adds one more Trait and evolves into a dual Trait.
Limit: The added Trait is random. If the sa Trait appears, it enhances the existing Trait.
‘Dual Trait?’
It ant giving one more Trait.
For example, if he randomly gained a Trait called [Swordsmanship], then Juhyeok’s Status Window would beco—
[Trait] : Summoning (Simultaneous Summons: 7) / Swordsmanship (Enhancent Stage 1)
Like that?
‘That’s... ambiguous.’
The limit almost looked better.
“If the sa Trait appears, it enhances the existing Trait.”
If he got lucky, he might achieve Trait Enhancent one more ti...
“What did you get?”
“A Trait Addition Rune.”
“Ah!”
“That?”
“Hmm.”
The summoned entities’ faces didn’t look great.
“Is this trash too?”
The Mad Demon answered for everyone.
“It is not bad. If a Trait is added, skills will increase as well, and the summoner’s power will grow accordingly.”
Right.
It wasn’t replacing or removing anything.
It was adding.
“However, of all tis, it had to be now. At a ti when the Liberation Rune Necklace is being freed... this may also be mischief.”
The Mad Demon continued.
“There are countless kinds of Player Traits. Among them are many Traits that influence human emotions. [Berserker], [Blood], [Heavenly Slaughter Star], [Monstrous Strength and Uncanny Gods]—if such things are added as Traits?”
Ah.
He understood.
“I reason cannot defeat emotion. Humans are emotional animals, are they not?”
If Juhyeok used the Trait Addition Rune and the random added Trait was [Berserker]?
He would beco a summoner who went crazy and rampaged.
The kind of summoner who charged out first the mont a battle broke out.
And he also wouldn’t be able to invest in Trait Enhancent.
If he had enhancent runes, he should use them on the Summoning Trait—why would he use them elsewhere?
“It doesn’t seem very necessary.”
“Exactly. You can use it for killing ti, but as I said, if this is mischief, a strange Trait could be added.”
No matter who those bastards were, they were laying traps everywhere.
Inside the Tower, and in reality.
Right now, focusing on his core Trait was more urgent.
What would he even do with one extra Trait?
‘Don’t use it right now.’
If the sa Trait ca out and it led to enhancent, nothing could be better.
But the odds were slim, the risk was big, and just like the loudspeaker, this was going to the Inventory pile.
‘Tsk. At this rate, do I have to do so kind of ritual cleansing for the next perk??
Anyway, he’d checked everything.
He would hand over the looted items to Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil for sales agency, and rest hard.
Until the random summoning reuse cooldown reset.
And ti passed quickly.
*****
The landscape of Tower clearing across the world was changing.
The collapse ti limit no longer mattered.
Toward the Floor 71 where milk and honey flowed—
At the U.S. Departnt of Holand Security, Minister MacMillan and Director Antonio were also seriously agonizing over this change.
Originally, the plan was to push only the East Coast Tower up to Floor 71.
They had judged that the West Coast Tower would be disastrous if it collapsed, so it shouldn’t be raised too high.
Truly, the West Coast Tower was a headache.
So what if there were multiple Towers?
What was good about that?
There was no benefit.
It just added one more collapse ti bomb.
Even high-grade Magic Stone production—
It depended purely on the number of Players and their activity level.
So there was so benefit you could get when there were multiple Towers.
The four-item gift set you received upon reaching Floor 71.
Anyone who climbed first received it.
The only Player who could currently reach West Coast Tower Floor 71 was Gerald.
Because the undead section around the 60s blocked the way.
It served as a kind of defensive line.
They said the difficulty had dropped a lot compared to before, but it was still extrely hard for ordinary Players to climb through that section.
And it wasn’t like they loaned out holy swords to just anyone.
But lately, the atmosphere wasn’t normal.
Player activity was exploding.
Especially after the full opening of the Korean Player Shop.
All over the world, it spread like a fad for Players to visit the TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION, Korea Player Shop and buy items.
There was no need to explain what a gear advantage did to a Player.
Players whose abilities improved.
There were even Players appearing who were breaking through the undead section using only Holy Water.
Because of that, the undead section’s defensive line was collapsing.
A major threat to Arica.
What if an uncontrolled Player climbed to Floor 71?
“What about Gerald?”
“Repeating Floor 71 clears.”
The Korean governnt distributed information to the world.
If possible, they said to stop after doing only the basic missions on Floor 72 and Floor 73. And if a conditional clear appeared, never proceed—absolutely.
They explained the detailed reasons as well.
For that reason, they were currently blocking Gerald’s Floor 72 climb.
“Is Gerald complying?”
“Not a chance. Gerald was offended. Gerald said it was treating Gerald like a joke.”
Of course.
A Korean Player had cleared up to Floor 73 with an S rank.
“Hm. Then we’ll clear the West Coast Tower to Floor 71 as well. Approval ca down from the White House. Tell Gerald.”
Director Antonio nodded and asked.
“What about borrowing a holy sword? Should we prepare to go to Korea?”
“No. This ti, with holy water. I want to verify whether it truly works without a holy sword.”
“It will be possible. As long as there’s enough holy water.”
The U.S. governnt was feeling a sense of crisis.
There was still a four-item gift set remaining on West Coast Tower Floor 71.
Before soone else snatched it, the U.S. governnt had to secure it first.
Peaceful daily life continued.
Lazing around at ho, and if he got bored, going outside to laze around.
Sotis he went into Black Tower (Korea) too.
Just in case the treasure vaults had regenerated—
But while all the clearing targets had respawned, the treasure vaults had not.
The location itself had disappeared entirely.
He wasn’t disappointed.
There were 145 Black Towers on Earth.
Soday, another chance would co.
The four treasure vaults Rajix had looted,
the high-quality items that ca out of them,
they were selling at a terrifying speed.
Juhyeok’s account grew rich along ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ with it.
And was it only good for Juhyeok?
Players’ abilities rose explosively.
Repeated clearing beca safer, and climbing uncleared upper floors went smoothly.
The UAE also bought dozens of items at the Player Shop.
While already there, the UAE borrowed a holy sword and cleared Floors 60 and 61 without Juhyeok’s help.
Crown Prince Bin Salah had left a gift for Juhyeok with Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil as a sign of gratitude, but he could receive it later.
With nothing but good things happening like this—
Juhyeok’s penthouse, of all places, was a sea of tears.
“atshield, let’s definitely et again in two weeks.”
·A warrior is the summoner’s shield. Just wait a little. The summoner is the warrior’s reason and aning for living.”
Aaaah!
How could anyone hold back tears?
Juhyeok slowly pinned badges onto atshield’s chest, until it reached 25.
Then he put the Summoned Entity Rank Breakthrough Rune (conditional) into atshield’s hand.
Now it was ti to leave, for the LSSR breakthrough.
Gyeon Dallae lowered the head and dabbed tears with a sleeve, and Lucius Bardin clutched atshield’s hand and wouldn’t let go.
Veronica and Rajix stood at attention and saluted, paying respect to atshield as atshield left.
Even the Mad Demon patted atshield’s shoulder.
Only Cossack wore a sullen expression.
“Soone would think we lost the country. We’ll see atshield again in two weeks, won’t we?”
“You’re really cold. At least pretend to be sad.”
When Juhyeok shoved him, Cossack did it reluctantly.
“G-go safely.”
“Take care of the summoner in my place.”
“...Fine. Trust .”
Even if he acted like that, he had to be worried about atshield.
Then—
“Dismiss atshield.”
SPOT!
With atshield gone,
he wiped away the depressed mood completely.
“Shall we welco a new family mber?”
The random summoning reuse ti had co back.
Let’s call soone quickly.
First, take out the ticket.
“I’m excited.”
“I believe a fine person will co.”
That’s right.
RRRIP!
Juhyeok tore the ticket.
[You have used an LSSR Guaranteed Summon Ticket.]
[On your next random summoning, an LSSR-ranked summoned entity will be summoned with certainty.]
“Random Summoning!”
It started.
Hwaaaaaaat!
Clusters of light blooming here and there.
Vivid, multicolored hues—
In an instant! Papapap!
The lights vanished.
Did it appear?
Where was it?
It wasn’t there.
He rubbed his eyes and searched again, but still couldn’t see anything.
“Um... can summoning fail too?”
“That cannot be. Who would dare refuse Master Bong’s call?”
But what was this?
It wasn’t there.
Right then!
“WAAH...”
Rajix lifted a short arm and pointed in a direction.
And then soone ca into view.
A person crouched with the head shoved into the corner of the living room.
He couldn’t see the face.
Only the back was visible.
From the hairstyle and clothes, she seed female, but—
Na: Aliamari,
Rank: LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare)
Type: Alchemist (Elf)
Manifestation Ti Limit: 3 hours
Satisfaction Evaluation: None.
Resummon Cooldown: 6 hours (applies after dismissal)
‘...What on earth??
An LSSR shut-in loner?
And it’s an elf, too.
“Um....”
When Juhyeok spoke.
Flinch!
She trembled all over—
then slid a piece of paper with writing on it across the living room floor.
Of course, it was in Korean.
The paper said:
Sorry. It’s hard to answer. It’s been too long since I spoke out loud.
Hmm.
What should he do?
So Juhyeok wrote on that paper too.
Nice to et you, Ms. Aliamari. Welco.
He slid it over.
Scritch scritch, she wrote again and slid it back.
-I’ll work hard. Please call Mari.
Well, she could communicate. That was a relief.
It didn’t look like a serious personality disorder.
More importantly—
An alchemist.
‘A production-class type?’
And for so reason, he liked it.
Maybe it was solidarity.
Like recognizing another weak man.
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