Bong Minhyuk was a sophomore majoring in electronic engineering at a Korean university.
His nickname was "Datem."
It came from the name of a stealth unit in a computer game—a nickname for someone who hides himself.
A student with no presence who quietly came to school and quietly disappeared.
He never attended department retreats, sports festivals, or any other events, and had never once gone to a department dinner.
He only studied at the library.
Graduate quickly, get a job, and lift up his family.
And pay back the debt he owed his older brother.
Even Minhyuk, however, knew all too well about Players.
Once awakened, he figured even he might give becoming one some thought.
Not that he would actually do it—just that he'd consider it.
He knew full well that in the end, he wouldn't.
But wait—his older brother had awakened?
And he was supposedly active as a Player?
That alone was enough to make him faint from shock, but what? An Elite contract?
You mean the brother of mine who's getting his butt beaten by Mom right now?
Clap clap clap clap!
"Ack! Ack! Ack!"
"You little punk! You made such an important decision without even consulting your family?"
"You'd have opposed it anyway!"
"Did you at least ask? Did you or didn't you!"
"Ow! Stop hitting me. I swear, I'll activate my Barrier."
"What? Barrier? Are you insane?"
That's my brother for you.
He knows perfectly well that screaming dramatically means getting hit less.
"Agh! Aaaaagh! AAAAAAGH!"
His mother, Hong Geumja, apparently tired herself out from hitting him, was now panting heavily.
Seizing the moment, Minhyuk asked Joo Hyuk.
"Hyung, t-tell us calmly. You awakened, and on top of that, you're saying you're active as a Player?"
"Yep."
"And the state even requested an Elite contract with you?"
"Yup."
"Holy crap, that's insane."
"It's true."
Their father, Bong Soocheol, was also stunned.
Wasn't this son even more timid than he was?
"Are you... a-are you really my son?"
Joo Hyuk was sulking from the beating.
Dad hadn't even tried to stop Mom, just stood there watching.
So he decided to get a little snarky.
"Who knows? Maybe I got swapped out at the hospital."
Bong Soocheol scrutinized Joo Hyuk's face from every angle.
He was the spitting image of him.
They looked so alike that he'd always been accused of stealing the soybean paste jar.
"Then your mind must be broken."
"Sigh, I guess so, huh? Maybe it's hereditary?"
"I didn't raise you to be this brave. I'm disappointed in you, son."
"Right? ...Must be Mom's genes."
Zap!
Joo Hyuk's mother glared at him.
Still, feeling guilty for having hit him, she let out a sigh and said,
"Joo Hyuk."
"Yes, Mom."
"My lawsuit, Dad's rehab treatment, Minhyuk's scholarship... Are all of these related to your Elite contract?"
"...Yes. Honestly, I didn't know either. I had no idea those people would go this far."
He hadn't asked the Management Authority for any of it, but it had all started because of him, after all.
"So what you're saying is... the Management Authority needed to get on our good side in order to sign an Elite contract with you?"
"Hmm, probably."
"Is that so?"
Am I going to get scolded?
Get beaten again?
"I'm sorry for surprising you like this."
Hong Geumja didn't answer.
Instead, she thought deeply about something, and then—
"Joo Hyuk, how do you feel about it?"
"About what?"
"Being a Player. Is it worth trying?"
His mother's question.
He pondered it over once more.
"It's been fine so far."
"And... are you confident you won't get hurt?"
Well, let's see.
Korsak, who protected him to the point of excess.
Gobang, the barbarian warrior who threw himself onto the battlefield without a care for his own body.
The moment his cooldown was up, he could summon another summoned creature.
So— "I'm confident. That I won't get hurt, and won't die."
"...Really?"
Was he serious, or not?
Hong Geumja stared into her son's eyes for a long while.
He's serious.
Having raised her son this long, she could tell just by looking at his eyes.
In truth, when she first heard he was going to be a Player, surprise had come before anger.
Him?
Her eldest son, who used to jump out of his skin at the yip of a Chihuahua, was going to climb the Tower?
And people apparently acknowledged him for it.
Complicated feelings.
She was angry, sad, and yet proud all at once.
So she said, "Then do it. Sign the Elite contract too. Better to do it with the nation's support while you're at it."
His father and Minhyuk objected in unison to his mother's declaration.
"Are you out of your mind?"
"Mom! No! Don't you know how dangerous being a Player is?"
"Yeah, Minhyuk's right. Who cares about a little rehab? I'll call the hospital right now and tell them to pretend it never happened."
"I'll give back the scholarship too. I'm taking a leave of absence next semester anyway."
His father and younger brother opposed, but once Mom made up her mind, the game was already over.
"Everyone, quiet. In all my years, this is the first time our Joo Hyuk has ever made a decision on his own this proactively. I may not be able to cheer him on, but—"
Oh! Nice atmosphere.
"Joo Hyuk's mother, think about it one more time. It's dangerous, I'm telling you!"
"Do all Players die? That's ancient history. These days they're all living well and prospering."
"N-no, that's true, but."
"And is the outside world so safe? You were so careful with your body, and then you nearly kicked the bucket slipping on an icy patch."
"Hmm..."
"And Minhyuk, did you forget that when you were ten, you got hit by a bicycle and bled all over while passing out? If it had been a car, would you have survived?"
"That's—that's going too far."
"Joo Hyuk is an adult. He's responsible for his own life."
And then,
"Joo Hyuk."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"I may seem like a terrible mother pushing her child into danger, but I'm proud of you. Your talent must be something extraordinary if the government went to all this trouble."
"Hahaha, I am... rather exceptional, after all."
"But if you get hurt, you're dead! And if you decide it's too much, you terminate that contract immediately!"
"Got it. Safety first, always."
"And watch your mouth."
He had his family's blessing.
Now it was time to make the call.
Joo Hyuk dialed Team Leader Jeon Kwangil's number on his smartphone.
"Team Leader."
—Have you made your decision?
"Yes, let's sign the contract."
—I'll send a car right away.
An Elite contract, at last.
His heart pounded. ※ ※ ※ Joo Hyuk signed the Elite contract at the Management Authority office.
Tremble, tremble—his hands shook.
Had he ever imagined he'd be signing a contract like this?
"The annual salary is 2 billion won."
"I'm sorry. The initial salary for a Player offered an Elite position is 2 billion. You could receive far more, but..."
"...And in exchange, I'd have to reveal that I'm an S++-grade record holder, right?"
"That is the procedure."
It was a state institution funded by taxes.
There needed to be justification for raising a salary.
"Hmm, well, please keep the fact that I'm an S++-grade record holder a secret. Please, I'm serious!"
"That's what we'd prefer as well. Still, I take it you're a bit dissatisfied that the benefits are similar to other Elite Players?"
"Oh please, not at all!"
2 billion was more than enough.
Mana stone income came separately.
And what if his identity were exposed and his face made public?
His face splashed across TV, the press, and social media, his family flustered, even going outside becoming difficult...
Just imagining it was horrifying.
That's why he hadn't even told his family that he was an S++-grade record holder.
He'd hide it as long as he possibly could.
And that wasn't the only reason he'd chosen to take only the base salary.
He had attached numerous conditions to the contract.
Everything Korsak had told him.
Unconquered floor climbs would be decided solely by himself.
Absolutely no outside interference.
No filming of his conquests either.
He had disclosed in advance that his trait was Summoning.
However, he would not reveal the existence of his summoned creatures.
He would accept security, but his private life would be protected to the greatest extent possible.
No one could enter his home without permission.
Security cameras would only be outside the house.
"Oh, right! The loan I took out to buy the alloy gauntlet has been cleared."
"...Again?"
"Again? What do you mean, again?"
"N-never mind."
How strange.
The moment he took out a loan, it would vanish naturally, without him ever having to repay it.
Smile Cash, the Player Shop—same thing.
Was this a divine revelation telling him to just borrow money freely?
"If you need any other equipment, request it anytime. Rentals are available too."
Robust support.
Meticulous care.
And so, Joo Hyuk was reborn as an Elite Player.
The move was decided quickly.
It didn't have to be immediate, but the Management Authority wanted him to move right away.
His personal residence, and a separate one for his family.
Quite a few Elite Players made this same request, so it went through without a hitch.
His personal officetel was a free lease.
The family apartment, as a condition of his becoming Elite, was registered and transferred under Joo Hyuk's name.
All the associated procedures were handled by the Management Authority.
"It's an 18-pyeong, two-room officetel. Appliances and furniture are included as options, so you can move in right away."
"...."
Is this a palace?
Insane. Absolutely insane.
So clean and comfortable.
Had he ever even seen a place like this?
"...There aren't any hidden cameras or anything, right?"
"Heavens, no. Absolutely not. If there were, all hell would break loose. If it got out, the Commissioner himself would have to resign. You're welcome to call in a company to inspect the place, if you like."
Sorry for doubting them.
"Also, since this officetel is housing provided by the Management Authority, a lot of Players live here. Almost all of the residents, in fact."
"Are they all Players in the Elite Division, by any chance?"
"There are standard contractors too. Those people bought their units and moved in. Safety is guaranteed here."
"...I see."
Keeping everyone in one place must make security easier.
"All the residents have verified identities. There are plenty of good people here, so it might be nice to get to know them."
Get to know them?
Ugh, that sounds like pressure.
The move began.
He didn't think he had much to take with him, but in practice, that was far from the truth.
So it took quite a while to move in and get settled. ※ ※ ※ Yu Chulmin was South Korea's Level 1 Player—and ranked 2nd worldwide.
He had conquered the notoriously difficult 65th Floor and was now challenging the 66th.
His trait was All-Weapons Warrior.
Through Trait Enhancement Runes, he could wield a full forty trait skills across fire, ice, lightning, and earth attributes.
It didn't matter what weapon he used.
Multiple wide-area skills, finishers, and ultimates.
Each and every one of them powerful.
Thus, Yu Chulmin had achieved both wealth and honor in South Korea.
Even citizens who didn't know the president's name knew his.
But lately, his mood had soured. Because of someone who was setting 25 consecutive S++-grade floor records. 'Who the hell is it?' Broadcasts and social media were nothing but talk about that person.
Meanwhile, he was breaking his back on the 66th Floor. 'Damn it, and it's just the 25th floor.' Was that even a comparison?
What were they going to do if he stopped conquering the 66th Floor?
The countdown to South Korea's tower collapse would begin.
Right now the towers appeared in rural backwaters of Gangwon Province rather than major cities, so the damage was relatively minor—but what if the next tower sprang up near a major metropolis?
There was not a single Player in South Korea who could replace him. There was one more Player in the early 60th floors, but that guy was only at Trait Enhancement Stage 2.
Lifting a wine glass, Yu Chulmin walked to the window of his apartment.
A sweeping view, and the Han River flowing leisurely below.
A 100-pyeong penthouse was his home.
The government provided it, but thinking about it now, it didn't satisfy him at all.
He received the highest salary, but 'Just this much?' China, for one, was persistently courting him through brokers.
1 billion yuan—180 billion won in Korean currency.
A grand mansion with staff, armored vehicles and a private jet, treatment on the level of a head of state.
And what about Japan?
20 billion won, a luxury villa, ten maids-cum-housekeepers who fulfilled his every wish... a promise of the finest treatment and indulgence.
He could go to either one.
For that, Korea should be grateful he'd stayed.
As always, all attention should remain fixed on him.
The broadcasters and press should be praising his devotion to his country and people day after day. Not some 25-floor S++-grade record. 'What if I just up and naturalize somewhere?' And the 66th Floor was already a struggle.
An extremely difficult stretch.
After a single attempt, the mental toll forced him to rest for three days.
The 60s marked the beginning of the Undead section.
The 66th Floor was haunted by creatures called Specters.
Ghostly forms that made your flesh crawl at the mere sight of them, immune to physical attacks and affected only by attribute attacks— Anyone who thought of them as the common undead of fiction was in for a rude awakening.
Only those who had experienced how terrible the Magi (魔氣) was truly understood. 'How did that American Player deal with these things?'
Even going in with accessories and elixirs that resisted the 'Dark Aura,' plus a light-attribute Tower reward weapon, he failed every time.
It was a mercy he hadn't died.
Only because he could declare an end to the mission in time. 'Honestly, I don't think I can do it...' This was a major part of why he was considering naturalization.
He wanted to give up.
It felt like hitting a wall he could not pass.
At this rate, the 66th Floor was impossible.
He wanted to declare a forfeit and park himself in the 60s, but would people just stay quiet?
When things went well, people were friendly; but the moment you stumbled, they'd tear into you like a pack of dogs. That was human nature.
It might be different if he could get one more Trait Enhancement Rune.
But Trait Enhancement Runes had abysmally low drop rates and were extremely hard to obtain.
He'd only reached Stage 4 enhancement by gobbling up every rune he could from the very start of his Elite contract. 'And if I naturalize?'
China or Japan.
In China's case, the 59th Floor challenge.
In Japan's, the 57th.
He could probably conquer those while taking it easy.
He'd climb just once every six months, on the sole condition of preventing tower collapses.
"Hmhm."
It was getting more tempting by the minute.
Stop just thinking about it—act on it? 'There's no hope for the 66th Floor anyway...' Fail to conquer and get flamed, naturalize and get flamed... No, wait.
At least in whichever country he naturalized to, he'd be welcomed.
If he went to Japan or China, relaxed at his own pace, and received rock-solid support, wouldn't things be better than now? 'I should push for it.' Pit China and Japan against each other, slowly, leisurely driving up his own value.
The naturalization of South Korea's top Player.
The world would be turned upside down.
"Hehehe, that'll be fun."
People would realize too late.
How precious Yu Chulmin was, how special, how irreplaceable.
Let them wallow in regret and obsession, and wither away. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────