With the collapse deadline now overlapping,
Climbing the unexplored upper floors wasn’t a problem.
But everyone was being careful about the 80th floor.
What if soone went up first and caused an accident?
You could call it a kind of staring contest.
There wasn’t much worry.
No matter how easy the 70s were said to be, reaching the 80th floor was still extrely difficult.
And yet, it actually happened.
Two Arican cultist players took turns clearing the 80th floor.
Players who weren’t particularly skilled or talented.
What’s more, it was as if they’d co down with amnesia—they didn’t even know how they’d cleared it.
In the end, a world announcent appeared.
[World Announcent: The Lord of Monsters, Diamat, manifests outside the Tower.]
This was bad.
The Curse of Kabalon might be reenacted.
Back then, the Japanese Tower had collapsed.
People had even said it was fortunate.
Now?
It was obvious that an incident would occur one way or another.
The U.S. governnt launched an investigation.
First, they looked into the two players who had caused the situation.
After investigating from every angle, they obtained information from people around them: the two had been bragging about specific items they’d received as rewards from the Tower.
Diamat’s Left Hand.
Diamat’s Right Hand.
The item modifiers.
The na of the 80th-floor boss that had manifested outside the Tower.
That bastard must have been plotting sothing.
The United States went on high alert.
Regardless of the cause, Arican players had cleared the Arican Tower’s 80th floor.
Just like France before, the country could be branded a global troll nation.
Of course, aside from China or Russia, there weren’t many countries that would openly curse at the U.S.
But what mattered was face.
What if the world fell into crisis because of Arica?
Arican citizens were anxious as well.
How could they stay calm when the 80th-floor boss, Diamat, had erged from the Arican Tower?
As a result, Holand Security Secretary Macmillan spent every day on edge.
If only they could get even a single clue about where Diamat was outside the Tower, it wouldn’t feel this stifling.
But they just had to find him.
And then make him pay for recklessly coming outside the Tower.
Modern cutting-edge weapons couldn’t be brought into the Tower.
At most, you could carry a handgun that fit in one hand.
But outside?
Missiles, fighter jets, tanks—just roll them over everything.
They’d turn Diamat into a beehive.
If they could find him.
But they couldn’t.
"Hoo... just where is he, and what the hell is he doing?"
If a mass-casualty incident happened, it would be the worst-case scenario.
That was when—
Bang!
Soone burst into the secretary’s office.
It was Director Antonio.
"...Tsk! My friend, you should knock before coming in. I’m already on edge as it is."
"I ca in because it was urgent."
"No matter how urgent—!"
"Then should I step back out?"
"...What?"
Secretary Macmillan studied Antonio’s face closely.
’What’s this?’
He was grinning from ear to ear.
Sothing was up.
"Speak. Don’t keep in suspense."
Antonio grinned wider.
"I just got off the phone with Jeon Gwang-il of the Korean Awakened Managent Agency—no, their commissioner."
"And?"
"He said not to worry about Diamat."
"...W-what do you an?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. He said to treat it as a happening and move on."
No need to worry?
"D-don’t tell —?"
"Yes. Mr. Bong took care of it."
"Really? You’re not joking, are you?"
"Would I joke about sothing like this? I confird everything."
Could he believe it?
Yes, he could.
If the world’s top player handled it personally, what was there not to believe?
Macmillan threw both hands into the air and cheered.
The pressure crushing his chest vanished.
"Jesus! God, thank you!"
"You should be thanking Mr. Bong. He cleaned up the ss Arica made."
"I was planning to. I got his number last ti."
Macmillan pulled out his smartphone.
"You probably won’t get through. He rarely answers."
"Then I’ll send a ssage. I installed a Korean SNS ssenger app recently."
Using a translator, Macmillan carefully composed a ssage in Korean.
Thank you. For handling Diamat. I will repay this for sure. A great debt. I sincerely hope you will visit. To Arica.
A mont later—
Ding!
You’re welco.
"Oh! Look at this! He replied!"
"...Good for you."
"Hahaha! Oh, right—was there any other information?"
"There was. Diamat’s true identity is..."
The U.S. governnt moved swiftly.
They couldn’t just let this slide.
They had to ease public anxiety.
When the White House inford reporters during a press briefing that Diamat had been dealt with—
The news broke first in the United States.
└ Can we really trust this?
└ Of course. It’s the Korean Awakened Managent Agency.
└ But how did they deal with it? They killed it, right?
└ Is there any other way to "deal with" sothing?
└ Hmm... a Succubus Queen, though. What a waste.
Korean community sites exploded as well.
└ Landlord!!! Bring us a big bowl!!!
└ Today, it’s specially served by the Succubus Queen herself.
└ Gojō, didn’t I tell you? I said just trust the top player alliance, didn’t I?
└ But how’d he do it? How’d he even know where Diamat was?
└ Tsk tsk, you punk, can’t you tell at a glance? He found it with clairvoyance, used Shrinking Earth, and sliced it clean!
└ Honestly... that might actually be true.
Long live the world’s top player comrade!
Long live Juhyeok!
└ Hey, North Korean player folks. Stop shouting "Long live Juhyeok," will you?
└ My na is Park Juhyeok, and I nearly jump out of my skin every ti I see that.
└ I’m Juhyeok too. Lee Juhyeok.
└ I’m Jang Juhyeok.
└ Yeah. Anyone would think the world’s top player’s na is Juhyeok.
└ But honestly, I am curious. Who is the top player, really? The governnt must know, right?
└ The U.S. probably knows too. They’re just not revealing it to protect his identity.
└ At this point, I seriously want to know who it is.
└ There’s nothing good that cos from revealing their identity.
The identity of the world’s top player.
Until now, it had never been disclosed to the public.
The Korean Awakened Managent Agency had even sent official notices to dia outlets, asking them to refrain from covering anything related to the top player.
But now, things were starting to change.
Public interest had crossed a critical threshold.
Who could it be?
If soone found out, it would be a massive scoop.
It wasn’t just reporters.
YouTubers, cyber wreckers, and even paparazzi jumped in.
Through their personal broadcasts, they promised one hundred million won, two hundred million won—offering cash rewards to anyone who tipped them off about soone suspected of being the top player.
All kinds of bogus tips flooded in.
Though among them, there were a few reports with extrely high credibility.
Juhyeok’s penthouse.
As always, rookie training was Kosak’s responsibility.
"In any first job, you gotta start with the dirty work. That’s how you earn Boss Bong’s recognition and the seniors’ affection. You get what I’m sayin’?"
"Y-yes, I understand."
"Good. Then let’s start simple—clean the living room. Then do the dishes. There’s plenty to do."
Lying flat on the living room floor, the forr Succubus Queen, Diamat, began scrubbing diligently with a rag.
"Hueeek!"
At that mont, Rajiks snatched the rag from Diamat’s hands and shouted at Kosak.
It seed to be protesting—Cleaning is my job, why are you taking it away?
"Haah, Rajiks the laborer!"
"Hueek!"
"You’re a cosmic head farmhand. Leave stuff like cleaning to the juniors and focus on bigger tasks."
"...Hoeng?"
The Azalea Fairy chid in as well.
"Master Kosak is right. Even servants have ranks. That incubus is an untouchable slave, while we are servants of a great household. How could we possibly do the sa work?"
"Hoeee~"
Hearing the phrase servants of a great household, Rajiks felt pleased.
Besides, how much cleaning could soone do with a flimsy rag like that?
Its own cleaning equipnt was far superior.
So Rajiks left Diamat to the cleaning.
On the other hand, soone frowned deeply.
Ding!
A ssage arrived on Azalea’s tablet—from Mari.
: Damn it! Put so proper clothes on her! You’re ruining the Summoner’s eyes. At least cut off the tail! @&$%#$!!!
She seed extrely angry.
: Got it. I’ll dress her. Honestly, I didn’t like looking at it either.
: Do it right. Even if she defected through the system, never trust her. That %&@&#@ incubus—keep her as far away from the Summoner as possible.
Azalea tilted her head.
That felt like an overreaction.
She was getting worked up.
Even now, she was watching Diamat through a crack in the door, only her eyes visible.
Anyway, Azalea took clothes from her wardrobe and dressed Diamat.
She hid the tail inside the clothes as well.
The rookie orientation was more or less finished.
Now it was ti to enter the Tower.
Juhyeok handed Diamat a rune for rank promotion for defected converts and said,
"Take this with you and go raise your rank."
"...H-huh? Th-this is?"
"At the very least, you need to be SR-grade to pull your weight."
"Ahhh..."
Diamat was deeply moved.
Her soul rank had plumted by three stages due to the contract termination.
This was a chance to recover at least one level.
"Thank you, Summoner... sniff."
She twisted her body as tears stread down.
’Ugh.’
Every single action of hers made his heart flutter.
The cleaning, too.
The way she spoke, the way she cried.
It couldn’t be helped.
Tempting people was a racial trait of the succubus species.
"...Ahem! S-see you next ti."
"Yes~"
"Diamat, unsummon."
Spot!
And then—
"Summon Blood Wolf!"
Spot!
"Hoe!"
Rajiks raised its hand in greeting as the Blood Wolf appeared.
"Grrr, woof!"
The Blood Wolf responded.
The two had truly beco soulmates.
Today’s plan was another climb to the 77th floor.
Before heading off to break through his rank, Kosak needed to see his father, Hartmann, one last ti.
After that, he planned to go on vacation.
He wouldn’t see them for two weeks.
A farewell party was in order.
At a blue, sunlit beach.
"Kosak."
"Yes, sir!"
"What are you planning to talk about with your father today?"
"Nothing special. Sa as always."
"Like what?"
"About my mother."
"..."
Suddenly, Juhyeok’s eyes stung.
Did he even rember his mother’s face?
"Any progress in the conversation?"
"It’s hard. I keep telling him this is the Tower, that he’s a bound soul, but nothing changes at all."
That was how it was.
He seed to understand, but every ti they re-entered, he reset to the sa state.
It was pitiful.
How heartbreaking was it?
A son went to kill his father and was instead killed by him, and the father, after killing his son, later learned the truth and went insane.
On top of that, Kosak didn’t even rember his mother’s face.
Yet he always wore a bright smile.
Wiping away tears in secret.
The Tower climb began.
[Entering Republic of Korea Black Tower (No. 2), Floor 77.]
Spot!
But then—right at that mont!
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"...What?"
"Hmm."
"That is..."
The 77th floor.
The prisoners were nowhere to be seen.
Instead, on the sandy beach stood a single man, upright like a totem pole.
Neither tall nor short.
A smooth, bald head with no hair or eyebrows.
And he wasn’t even physical.
More like a hologram.
"You are..."
The berserk demon’s expression twisted with rage.
"Now I rember. You are an administrator."
An administrator?
[That’s right. I am the designer who plans and designs the missions and rewards of each floor.]
In an instant—
An overwhelming killing intent burst forth violently.
All the bound summons were glaring at the administrator.
"How dare you co here."
"How shaless. One day, I will make sure you face heavenly punishnt."
"Fuck, you bastard. Where do you think you’re glaring? Lower your eyes!"
"O light! I curse you!"
"Hoeeek!"
"Grrrrr!"
It was intense hostility.
Naturally so.
The one who designed the Curse of Kabalon, the mastermind who sent Diamat outside.
The shadowy hand that had threatened the Summoner all along.
How could they stay still?
But why had an administrator appeared before a player?
Was this even allowed?
Swoong—
A crescent-shaped aura rose from the Berserk Demon’s hand.
Suuuk! Gobang expanded into a giant form.
Ziiing—Kosak infused his dagger with energy.
All the bound summons entered combat readiness.
[Whoa, whoa. Don’t do anything pointless. I’m just an illusion anyway.]
"I know. If you had a real body, you’d already be torn to pieces."
[I didn’t co here to fight.]
As he spoke, the administrator designer t Juhyeok’s eyes.
[I ca to make a proposal. Are you willing to hear it?]
A proposal?
’What kind of snake oil is this bastard trying to sell now?’
[Your progress has been truly astonishing. No matter that you’re a summoner, the record you’ve set climbing the Tower is sothing that will go down in history.]
’Hmm.’
That part was true.
Though, of course, the bound summons had done most of the work.
[So I’d like to make you an offer. A special reward, for a special player.]
Oh?
A reward?
What is it?
Let’s hear it.
[But to receive a reward you desire, there must be a special mission to match, right?]
’...Don’t tell this bastard—’
[So I’m planning to design the 81st floor as sothing special. If you succeed, you’ll receive the reward for sure. If you fail, you get nothing.]
See?
I knew it.
’Scheming bastard.’
Who did he think would fall for this?
[It’s a simple law of equivalent exchange. Place the reward you want on the scales. The difficulty of the 81st floor will be determined accordingly.]
Equivalent exchange, my ass.
’What? Put the reward on the scales? Who does he think I am?’
If he thought greed would cloud my judgnt, he’d seriously misjudged .
Safety cos first over greed—
Wait.
’The reward I want... could it be?’
Juhyeok looked at the administrator and asked,
"Hey. Does that an I can ask for any reward I want?"
[Yes. A rune for trait enhancent, a catalog expansion ticket, a Dragon Heart, the heart of a Demon King... choose whatever you like.]
’Oh?’
Anything?
Then that changes things.
Juhyeok gathered all the bound summons.
"Let’s try it. It’s a good opportunity."
"But the mission’s difficulty will be determined by the reward. We could fall into the administrator’s trap."
"If it’s a catalog expansion ticket or a trait enhancent rune, it’s worth challenging."
"My lord! High risk, high return!"
"What if that risk is beyond what we can handle?"
"Let’s think carefully. There’s no rush."
Argunts flew back and forth.
Opinions were split, but above all, there was sothing more urgent.
"I’m going to demand the release of a Tower soul. Sir Hartmann—I’ll free you from your binding."
"Ah! Th-that..."
"Oh! That never even crossed this old man’s mind."
"Young master... as expected, such a selfless decision."
"Truly admirable, my lord."
"Senior Veronica Caliber, certain victory! Glory to the commander!"
But—
"I oppose it. Please demand a trait enhancent rune instead. Just because of and my father—"
"Co on! If it’s Kosak’s father, then he’s basically my great-uncle. Huh? Let show so filial piety too. To my great-uncle."
"..."
Kosak lowered his head deeply.
Juhyeok turned to the administrator and said,
"It’s possible, right? Releasing Sir Hartmann’s soul."
The administrator flinched.
That was no small request—freeing a soul from the Tower was no ordinary matter.
Mutual consent and causality had been fulfilled.
According to the law of equivalent exchange, the difficulty would skyrocket insanely.
But that alone wasn’t enough.
To ensure failure—more!
[Yes, place it on the scales. But will that be enough? You may add one more.]
Oh?
Then why not.
The bound summons gathered, whispering among themselves.
"What about adding a trait enhancent rune too?"
The administrator couldn’t hide his sinister grin.
[As many as you like.]
They gathered again, whispering and murmuring.
"Did you see that smile?"
"It’s written all over his face."
"If we add a trait enhancent rune, clearing it will be impossible."
"Let’s exclude that."
"No, maybe we should exclude freeing his father instead—"
"Shh!"
A decision was reached.
"We’ll put only one thing on the scales. Soul release."
[...It’s a guaranteed reward. You’ll get it no matter what, as long as you clear it.]
"It’s fine. I’m not greedy."
[What about 5,000 tons of high-grade magic stones? I’ll even give you a massive amount of top-grade ones.]
Huh?
They gathered again.
Whisper, whisper. Murmur, murmur.
"It’s fine. We can just mine those."
[Fortune favors the bold—]
"Yeah, well, I’m not bold. I’m a cowardly, low-value man."
[...]
Not falling for it, you obvious bastard!
User Comments
0 comments from readers