Not a magic stone or a healing potion.
An item received as a special privilege, excluding the one bought from the Player Shop.
Equipment received as a reward for clearing a floor mission, that is.
Equipment item rewards are extremely rare.
They only show up in the Player Shop once in a blue moon.
And they get sold the moment they appear, of course.
"Lucky me."
A sword used by paladins, holy knights.
But even at a glance, it looked terribly old.
No sheath, the blade chipped in places, the engravings on it almost completely worn away, and the handle tattered.
Instead, it was considerably large and heavy.
What would a holy knight spreading the gospel do with a giant greatsword like this?
Preaching with a sword?
Do you believe?
No.
Then go to hell.
Wait, do you believ—too late, lost lamb!
Swish!
Urgh!
Something like that.
But according to the description:
Limitation: The effects do not apply to enemies other than undead. Due to its lack of durability, it requires repair after use.
Characteristics: A faint radiance emanates from the wielder's sword and body.
'So it did have a use after all.'
Still, the limitations are clear.
Poor durability, and against anything but undead, it's essentially just an ordinary sword.
Wait! Floor 60 was the undead section, wasn't it?
I remember hearing that.
It might sell for a hefty price.
Still, just in case, when I asked Yaman Gobang if he wanted to keep it—
"A warrior's fists are everything."
"..."
This guy with his warrior obsession all the time.
When I offered it to Kosak too—
"Aigoo! Our Lord Summoner, so magnanimous like the sea, I'm moved again today."
"So would you like this sword?"
"Hehe, I don't need such a crude sword. Throw it in the recycling bin."
"..."
"The things I use, see, this is a wyvern leather armor, and a dwarven-made dagger. Top quality, I tell you."
"Yes, yes."
Everyone was naturally so skilled that they apparently had no need for an old sword.
Left with no choice, I'd have to sell it, just as I originally thought.
To sell the sword—
'I need to go to the Player Shop.'
I'd have to call ahead, arrange a car, meet people there, and negotiate the price—
'Tsk, so many procedures. ...I'll sell it slowly.'
Anyway, I planned to run repeat missions before climbing to floor 30 to build skill proficiency and collect magic stones, so I could just sell everything together then.
'It's so old, though, I wonder if it'll even sell.'
Regardless, before disposing of it.
I should give it a swing at least once.
Juhyeok stood in front of a large mirror holding the sword.
"Hmm."
Does it look okay?
It doesn't look like I'm holding the sword. It looks like the sword is wearing me as an accessory.
"Hee, so cool, my Lord Summoner."
It clearly doesn't suit me, let alone look cool.
'This guy was definitely a treacherous court official in his past life. And one who gulped down an entire kingdom, no less.'
Anyway, an unbearably crude-looking greatsword.
How heavy and clumsy does it look?
I wonder if I can even swing it.
"Ugh!"
I tried to swing it, gripping the handle with both hands.
Wobble, wobble.
Outside the tower, I'm just an ordinary civilian, lacking even the strength to properly hold this.
My upper body dragged this way and that by the sword's weight.
Wobble, wobble, wobble.
"Oh! You're doing great! You're a total holy knight!"
"...What are you buying?"
"I said holy knight."
"Not buying."
"Huh?"
The conversation's going somewhere strange—
"And does this look like doing well to you? I can't even overcome the sword's weight, I'm just wobbling around,"
You should learn some moderation with your flattery.
"You're doing great, I tell you. It's just that outside the tower, physical abilities and skills are restricted based on level."
Something Juhyeok knew too.
"Tsk, will the restriction ever be lifted?"
"There are cases where it's lifted."
What?
What's that supposed to mean?
"The restriction can be lifted? You mean, even outside the tower, a player can use their abilities?"
"Nope. Outside the tower, it's impossible."
"You just said it could be lifted."
"Well, that's..."
Kosak paused momentarily before continuing.
"When the outside world becomes the tower, the restriction is lifted. That's the sign of the apocalypse."
"Ah..."
That makes sense.
The real world, meaning Earth itself, becoming the tower?
Meaning the boundary between the world and the tower disappears.
Then level application and skill use would be possible, right?
"So that happens if the tower isn't conquered?"
"Yes-sir!"
Well, it's not some earth-shattering revelation.
Even if Earth never becomes the tower—
if the unconquered upper floors can't be cleared and the tower collapses, creating a massive sinkhole visible even from space?
New towers don't restart from floor 1 either.
They begin from the unconquered upper floors of the collapsed tower.
And if those floors are never conquered to the end, the tower regenerates, collapses, regenerates again, collapses again.
What happens when all of Earth becomes a riddled, ruined wasteland?
Whether the world becomes a tower or not, it's doomed either way.
That's why the tower must be conquered.
'I feel anxious.'
What good is living cautiously, prioritizing safety above all, playing it safe all by myself?
Everyone's about to die anyway.
Even a bottom-feeder like me can't help but feel a sense of crisis.
※ ※ ※
The Japanese Embassy in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.
In the basement of a building across the street, there was a quiet classical bar.
No signboard, a place you might not even realize was a bar.
Only two customers, and the bartender had stepped away.
One of the customers was Counselor Tomoda, working at the embassy.
The other was officially a Korean player but—
in fact, a scout broker.
"If I add a few more conditions, they say they'll review it positively."
Not a definite answer, merely a response saying they'd consider it positively.
But even this meant something?
Until now, even contact itself had been impossible.
The fact that an answer came at all was what mattered.
"What conditions?"
"Here, read this."
Counselor Tomoda read the note the Korean player broker handed over.
"Hmm, tell them these are conditions we can readily meet."
"Yes, I'll relay that."
"Then when might we receive a definite answer?"
"Well. They said either way, they have no intention of dragging it out."
"Ha! Are they saying they'll compare it with the Chinese offer before deciding?"
"Oh come on, as if that person would go to China. It's just that settling their affairs takes time."
Only because he's a broker hired by Japan could he say such things.
But China wasn't pushover either.
Though rushed, that side was in the same boat.
"Anyway, you understand, right? Until the decision is made, both your side and mine must keep this absolutely secret."
"Hmph! Do you take me for a fool?"
If the Korean government found out in advance, all their effort up to now would be for nothing.
"Still, I'd rather never get stabbed in the back. Please do your best not to disappoint me."
"Don't worry. He will ultimately come to Japan."
Counselor Tomoda nodded.
His intuition felt good.
He would surely come.
"Speaking of which... I heard a consecutive record of 27 floors was set?"
"Yes, the media is buzzing about it even now."
"Has their identity been revealed yet?"
"Well, they're keeping quiet, but it's only a matter of time before it's known. ...Why? Are you interested?"
"It'd be a lie to say I wasn't interested."
In truth, very interested.
If it were up to him, he'd want to bring that person to Japan as well.
"But there's no rush yet."
"Why not?"
"Because we need a proven person."
Not because they needed an S++ clear.
What was urgently needed was a player capable of conquering Japan's Black Tower's floor 57.
That would be Player Yu Cheolmin, who had conquered floor 65.
If he came, Japan wouldn't have to worry about its Black Tower up to floor 65.
"If Player Yu Cheolmin naturalizes to our side, a typhoon will sweep through soon enough."
The Korean player broker agreed.
"Yes, both Korea and Japan would faint dead away. I tremble just thinking about it. This is such a huge matter that I'm staking my life on it."
"Rest assured. Your identity will be guaranteed without fail. Or perhaps, while we're at it, you could come over to Japan yourself."
"Hahaha! Should I?"
The naturalization of Player Yu Cheolmin, the face of South Korea, to Japan.
"Typhoon" was an understatement.
The world would be turned upside down.
Carelessly handled, a Japan-Korea war might even break out.
'A war, huh.'
Counselor Tomoda smirked.
A war was something he could more than afford.
Because if Japan's Black Tower collapsed, a second Great Kanto Earthquake might occur.
In truth, Yu Cheolmin was only a stopgap.
Despite all the big talk, they had concluded that conquering the floor 66 specter was likely impossible.
That far was his limit.
To be used exactly up to floor 65 and discarded.
The player they truly wanted was someone else.
They said it wasn't urgent, but—the S++ rated clear record holder.
Had there ever been such a player in the world, even globally?
When they were setting an unprecedented record of 27 consecutive floors.
'Seriously, Korea is so lucky. How did such a player even come out of there?'
And from nothing but a slave-mentality Chosenjin, no less.
※ ※ ※
How can one find out the Black Tower conquest progress of each country?
Simple.
Just ask the system as a player.
"South Korea Black Tower conquest progress status window."
Ding!
[Location]: Black Tower, Gangwon Province, South Korea
[Completed]: Floor 65
[In Progress]: Floor 66
[Time Limit]: 92 days 13 hours 34 minutes 52 seconds
That's how it displays.
At first, he didn't even know what the time limit was.
Or what would happen if it was violated.
He only realized after Mumbai collapsed.
Juhyeok, being part of the Elite Team too, had grown interested in tower conquest progress, but right now, the task before him was more important.
A mere 27 floors.
Still a very long way to go.
He wouldn't rush his climb.
Even a sturdy stone bridge should be tested a hundred times—
stacking up Platinum Badge privileges,
getting to the top without a single hair out of place, scooping up everything he could grab—
safely, and then more safely, he would climb.
'That's the original intention, isn't it?'
Adventuring is forbidden.
Reading the room is essential.
Floor 66 should be left to the Elite Players with higher levels than him.
More than half the collapse time limit still remained, and the nation surely had plans in place.
'They'll clear it soon.'
South Korea had that once-in-a-generation player, Yu Cheolmin, after all.
What Juhyeok needed to do right now was clear floors 28 and 29.
"Welcome."
"S-S-R Kosak greets the Lord Summoner. Salute!"
"Algo-bang is here too."
Now he calls himself S-S-R Algo-bang.
Wasn't that just a nickname Kosak gave him to tease him?
Yet he parades it around like it's his real name.
'So unfair, so unfair.'
A barbarian warrior with a bad brain who, deceived by others, ultimately met his death.
'I have to somehow find a rune for grade enhancement and feed it to him.'
[You are entering the Black Tower of South Korea, Floor 28.]
Jungle terrain.
Not an ordinary forest, but a jungle densely packed with colossal trees.
Not a speck of light came through, making it very dark.
[Floor 28 Mission: Hunt 20 Jungle Trolls.]
[Completion Time Limit: Within 4 hours.]
"Phew, Jungle Trolls. If I were S-R, it would've been a bit difficult. No, even as S-S-R, alone, an S++ clear would surely have been tough."
Understandable.
The reason Jungle Trolls are difficult.
They live in the trees.
Their bodies are smaller than other trolls, making arboreal life possible.
To catch them, you have to climb the trees.
Because they absolutely never come down to the ground.
"So it's easy now?"
"That's right."
"Even an S++ clear?"
"A piece of cake."
"How?"
"Why do you think we keep Gobang around? He's more useful than you'd think."
Kosak said, clapping Yaman Gobang on the shoulder.
"Gobang, let's start."
"Got it. I'll do it all."
They seemed to have some kind of rapport.
Gobang bent at the waist and pressed both hands to the ground.
Like a sprinter on a track—
simultaneously.
"UOOOOOOO!!!"
Gobang charged at the giant tree.
KWAAAAAANG! KUKUNG!
What was with all this noise?
Did a bomb go off?
That massive tree shook violently like a vibrating smartphone.
Crack-crack! Rip-rrip!
The sound of the trunk breaking could be heard—
Shiiiishshshsh!
The leaves fell in a rustling cascade.
"..."
What the heck?
Mom, that guy's scary.
Jungle Trolls live in the trees.
And the trees they live in are just... that size?
Astonishing.
More than twice the size of the biggest tree on Earth.
And that tree shakes from a shoulder tackle?
No, is he a human or a tank?
'He could make a living doing demolition work outside, honestly.'
How on earth is Gobang only Rare grade?
Even allowing for his bad brain, with that strength, shouldn't he at least be S-S-R?
"Algo-bang sub-summon! Weak, so weak. Is that all there is? Shall we do the feast now?"
"I apologize. Algo-bang, going harder this time."
Once more.
Dadadadak!
PAAAAK!
KWAKWAKWAKWOK! KWADEDEUK!
The tree heaved as if its roots would be torn out.
Simultaneously.
Hudududuk! Hududuk!
Like chestnuts falling from a tree, the Jungle Trolls plummeted to the ground.
"Good work, Algo-bang sub-summon. The feast is now possible."
"We eat the tasty stuff."
From now on, it was S-S-R Kosak's time.
He swept through the falling trolls.
A young sword aura on his dagger lit up the dark jungle.
Swish, shgegegegeok! Shgegegeok!
The trolls couldn't even regenerate.
Because he beheaded each one the moment it fell.
"Alright! Next, on to the tree."
"Y-yes, we should,"
Though they looked sloppy at a glance—
these two were the real deal, the genuinely strong.
The conquest method was the same.
When Kosak pointed out a particular tree, Gobang went and slammed into it.
"Go! Algo-bang, feast!"
"UWOOOOOOO! FEAST!"
KWAKWAKWAKWOK! KWADEDEUK!
Hudududuk! Hududuk!
And when the Jungle Trolls fell like chestnuts, Kosak harvested them.
It looked extremely simple, but it was a conquest method that was anything but simple.
"Maybe I should try it on—"
"Aigoo! It's fine, more than fine, our Lord Summoner, do whatever you want to do."
The reason Kosak so readily agreed.
The Jungle Trolls had plummeted from a great height to the ground, already sufficiently damaged by the initial impact.
For the dazed bastards who couldn't come to their senses, you just had to walk over and give them a whack.
"It's done. Hehehe."
"Yes, it's done. Hahaha."
[Notice: You have achieved an S++ rating for clearing Floor 28 of the Black Tower (South Korea).]
[S++ Clear Reward: A Platinum Badge is awarded.]