He had been confident.
He wanted to shed the pathetic loser he was in reality and live a different life—at least within the Tower.
He'd believed he had what it took to do so.
That is, until he entered the 29th floor.
“Kweeeeek! Kweek.”
Against the backdrop of a ruined city.
Pestilence trolls lurched aimlessly, wandering among the collapsed buildings. ‘Should I hunt that thing or not?’
A moment where he even considered giving up climbing altogether.
Pestilence trolls?
“Pestilence” was a sanitized term.
To be precise, they should rightly be called pus trolls—lumps of festering pus.
Every time they walked, yellowish discharge dribbled endlessly behind them. ‘The 28th floor was a dream.’
Juhyeok was wearing a mask.
Not an ordinary fine-dust mask, but a respirator mask—the kind used at construction sites, sterile factories, or laboratories.
Even so, the unbearable stench came through in full.
“That looks impressive. Is that a gas mask?”
“...It's just a mask.”
The most important thing to avoid when hunting pestilence trolls was the bacteria and viruses that inflict disease on players.
If exposed, a variety of symptoms appeared: high fever, muscle aches, coughing, runny nose, dizziness, and more.
He could take a healing potion, but what if he fell ill mid-battle?
Since items made outside had to be registered in his inventory, he had used it in advance before entering the Tower.
When he asked Gobang why he wasn't wearing a mask—
“I don't wear one. A warrior doesn't catch diseases.”
“You scoundrel! Your head's too big for one anyway.”
“A warrior must have a big head. You wear one, you assassin.”
Kosaku, too.
“If I wear this, I can't breathe and can't move. And that—”
“It's ssukal, ssukal.”
“Hehehe.”
Gobang harping on being a warrior, Kosaku harping on ssukal.
If they got sick, he could just give them a healing potion each.
No, wait—could people who had already died once even catch a disease?
“I feel like I'm going to throw up.”
“It's so gross. You see those blisters over there? If those burst, yellow pus just goes everywhere and—”
“I don't think I need to hear this.”
“Will you hunt them? Maybe three or so would be doable.”
“...”
Even with the respirator mask on, he didn't want to.
What if he ended up covered in pus?
So he kept his mouth firmly shut. ‘For the repeat mission, I should just hunt jungle trolls on the 28th floor.’
The hunt began.
Gobang charged forward.
Kosaku followed behind him.
Whack! Wham-wham-wham! Wham-wham!
The pestilence trolls fell, bursting open with sticky pus. ‘Ugh, damn it!’
Passing by was the right answer.
How could anyone deal with that?
[You have succeeded in the 29th floor mission.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Reward: 2.9 kg of magic stones]
Kosaku and Gobang, drenched in yellow pus, grinning ear to ear.
“...”
Bizarre and chilling.
They looked more like pestilence trolls than the trolls did.
Wait a moment!
When the mission ended and the grade-clearance message finished, they would be transported straight home.
Then all that pus would be... “Summoner Bong! Shall we have a company dinner today, too?”
No, this wouldn't do.
Nausea rose all the way to his chin.
“Um, I'm really sorry.”
“...What do you mean?”
“You can curse me if you like.”
“Oh my! How could I ever curse you, Summoner Bong? Always so bright and clever, working day and night to improve the rights of the summoned—”
“Both of you—dismissed.”
“...Pardon?”
Pop-pop!
Kosaku and Gobang vanished simultaneously.
Ah, ah!
I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry.
I'm a traitor.
I'm a wicked employer.
Curse me as much as you want.
Spit on me.
But it's a new house, after all—the pestilence pus would stain every corner of it.
And Gobang is so enormous, he'd stain it that much more.
How could I bring him back with me?
There was no other way.
He'd just have to summon them again later.
In three hours? Tomorrow? ‘...I'll set out a grand feast for them tomorrow.’
First, he needed to go outside, start a load of laundry, and take a shower.
[Notice: You have achieved an S++ rating in clearing the 29th floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]
[S++ Clearance Reward: A Platinum Badge is awarded.]
The Platinum Badge was the standard.
He'd almost feel slighted if he didn't receive one.
How many could he collect? ※ ※ ※
Awakening Management Agency, Hannam-dong, Seoul.
Director Park Gyeongsu hummed a tune as he spritzed water generously onto the leaves of his beloved orchid.
Then he carefully wiped each leaf.
Things seemed to be going well for him lately.
Above all else, the successful elite contract with Player Bong Juhyeok.
That was the biggest part of it.
And how good it felt.
Bong Juhyeok had certainly lived up to expectations.
Even after signing, he hadn't stopped.
A record of clearing the 28th floor with an S++ rating.
At this pace, even allowing generous leeway, he'd reach the 40th floor in three months—or, if things went well, even the 50s. ‘Still, it's better not to expect too much past the 30th floor.’
Hoping for S++ clearance records would likely be asking too much.
The 31st through 35th floor sections were Minotaurs, and the 36th through 40th floors were the Ogre section.
Massive monsters, incomparable to trolls, awaited there.
And what about the 40s, where even greater beasts roamed?
As long as Bong Juhyeok kept showing the will to climb, that was satisfaction enough.
He only hoped he'd clear each floor safely.
Just then!
Knock knock knock.
A knock on the director's office.
“Come in.”
The one who entered was Team Leader Jeon Gwangil.
“How did it go?”
“He just completed the 29th floor with an S++ rating. The players under the Management Agency have confirmed it as well.”
“Hehe.”
Nothing could stop him.
When a call came in saying he would clear the current floor, a full notice would appear in less than twenty minutes.
Just how was he clearing these floors?
He'd heard about the summoning trait, but surely he wasn't summoning a dragon or something?
There were no videos, so there was no way to know.
Originally, the Elite Team was required to wear body cams when entering the Tower in order to record clearance footage, but Summoner Bong Juhyeok had been specially exempted.
Because he himself had requested it.
And the Management Agency could easily permit that much and more.
“Did you speak with Player Bong?”
“Yes, I called him before making this report.”
“Anything notable?”
“Well... I received word that the 30th floor clearance won't be possible for another ten days or so.”
“Why? Insufficient preparation?”
“He says he needs that much time to master his skills.”
“I see. Ten days or so is nothing.”
Other players rest for over a month at a time.
It was a huge mistake to think all players were as diligent as Bong Juhyeok.
Players who had already tasted money were too busy playing.
The Elite Team was no different.
“Come to think of it, how's Player Yu Cheolmin doing these days? Any attempts on the 66th floor?”
“I was just about to report on that.”
“What is it?”
“He goes to the club practically every day. He drinks himself into insensibility, only heads home at dawn, or else enjoys one-night stands with women...”
“Tsk tsk tsk. The security personnel must be having a rough time.”
But Park Gyeongsu understood well enough. The 66th floor—the only player capable of climbing the uncleared upper floors of Korea's Black Tower.
All of everyone's expectations rested on his shoulders alone.
His identity was also known, so the weight of that pressure was something no one else could even imagine. “It's probably because the 66th floor isn't going the way he wants.”
“The clearance support team analyzed the footage, and he doesn't seem to be making much progress.”
“It's that difficult?”
“He only needs to kill ten Specters, but at best he kills a mere three before the mission deadline expires, or things go wrong from the start and he abandons the mission.”
Due to their undead nature, they were fundamentally different in temperament from other monsters.
Starting from the Mummies on the 61st floor, they constantly emitted something called a 'Dark Aura,' and simply enduring it was a challenge in itself.
They weren't the kind of undead that often appeared in games or movies—the kind an ordinary person could punch to death.
They were horrific monsters that gnawed away at human souls with their Dark Aura.
Park Gyeongsu felt somewhat uneasy.
But he had to trust Player Yu Cheolmin. ‘In the end, he'll clear it.’
As far as he knew, the countdown to the collapse of Korea's Black Tower stood at roughly 92 days.
Half of the 180-day limit had already passed.
One could think “only half remains” or “we still have half,” but either way—
In Park Gyeongsu's view, it was enough. ‘It'll still be a long while before Player Bong Juhyeok reaches the 60th floor.’
The Awakening Management Agency had a Plan B as well.
“What about Player Nam Gaeun? She's currently clearing the 62nd floor, isn't she?”
“Yes, she's climbing away valiantly.”
When he thought of Player Nam Gaeun, he felt terribly regretful.
In terms of pure talent, she was superior to even Yu Cheolmin.
She had cleared numerous floors with A ratings so far.
She'd even earned A+ and A++ ratings.
[You have achieved an A++ rating in clearing floor △△ of the Black Tower (Korea).]
Like that.
The full notices never rang out, though.
But Nam Gaeun's trait enhancements numbered only one, at stage two.
That was a gap of more than three stages compared to Yu Cheolmin, who had achieved four trait enhancements.
“Can't we acquire more runes for trait enhancement?”
“Well, enhancement runes have all but dried up in the item market. The reward drop rates are simply too low.”
“I'll make some inquiries myself.”
Even if he found them, they'd ultimately be handed to Yu Cheolmin anyway.
“Oh, right! How's the procurement of light-attribute items going?”
“From what I hear, outright purchase isn't possible, but they're negotiating to at least lease them.”
“Understood. I'll receive reports on that directly from the item department.”
“Yes, sir.”
Securing light-attribute items for the undead sections was also running into difficulties.
Unlike clearance information, sharing items was difficult for national security reasons.
Tower reward items especially so.
If only they had an abundance of light-attribute items, it would help with clearing the 66th floor.
Light-attribute items had played a major role in Yu Cheolmin clearing the 65th floor.
They had spent vast sums procuring many so far, but he said it still wasn't enough.
What could he do?
They'd have to procure more again. ※ ※ ※
The next day.
Juhyeok finished preparing the company dinner.
The menu was bossam—boiled pork belly.
Instead of ordering delivery, he'd obtained a large steaming pot and pork, and boiled it himself.
The reason he'd gone to the trouble of preparing the food himself.
He felt too guilty.
“...You're not sulking, are you?”
“Oh my, what do you take me for? Even if you smashed my head in with a mace, hehe, I'd smile. Right, Algobang-i? Care to take a swing at me?”
“At you, Kosaku?”
“No. I mean Gobang-i.”
“...”
Bossam was spread out lavishly on the living room table.
Food, after all, is devotion.
It had been less than a year since he'd started living on his own, but he could at least manage bossam.
“There! piping-hot bossam.”
“Oh! I shall eat gratefully.”
But Gobang's expression was strange.
Suddenly his eyes grew misty, brimming with tears.
“Why are you crying? Can't you eat pork? You ate the sweet and sour pork just fine.”
“Thank you, Summoner.”
Huh?
“No one but you, Summoner, has ever treated me this kindly.”
“Uh...”
Why was he being so sentimental?
“I, Algobang-i, shall give you my utmost loyalty. Even if I die, I will surely save you, Summoner.”
“Uhh... yes, yes, just eat first.”
Juhyeok could guess why Gobang was choked up.
People had only ever tried to deceive and exploit him by taking advantage of the savage warrior's poor intellect.
How bitter it must have been for him.
Well, Juhyeok himself was no different.
The only difference was that after using him, he treated him to a lavish company dinner.
Speaking of which, what was Kosaku doing?
Was he moved by this heartwarming exchange? ‘...’
Not at all.
Kosaku was poking listlessly at the outbound kimchi his mother had made for him, wearing a grave expression.
Haah, this wimp!
“If you're not going to eat it, stop poking at it.”
“I-I'm sorry. It looks so delicious, and I want to eat it, but I just can't muster the courage.”
He seemed to be recalling the time he'd fainted while eating tteokbokki.
Kosaku even complained the ssamjang was too spicy.
“Just dip the radish wrap in the salted shrimp and eat that.”
“...Yes, sir.”
He laid a slice of radish wrap on his plate, placed bossam on it, added the salted shrimp, and ate it all in one bite.
“Mmm, it's, it's delicious. The harmony of bossam and salted shrimp is incredible.”
What a tasteless fellow.
He would never, ever know the harmony of bossam and outbound kimchi.
“Now that you've cleared the 29th floor, shall we head straight to the 30th?”
“Hmm, I fall a bit short, but I shall strive.”
Fall a bit short?
Why?
“The Twin-Head Troll's regeneration ability is no joke. Even its head is tough, and it doesn't cut easily even with sword energy. Even if you cut off one, there's another one.”
Absolutely not. He had to get a badge on the 30th floor too.
“Then let's hold off for now. We'll only do repeat runs of the 28th floor until the random summoning cooldown resets.”
“Understood. Gobang-i just needs to shake the trees well.” If the 30th floor is iffy... “What about starting from the 31st?”
“The 31st floor is... has a bad matchup with Algobang-i, so, so S++ is difficult.”
“Bad matchup?”
“Monsters far bigger than Algobang-i appear there. Minotaurs and Ogres. It'll be hard even for Gobang-i.”
“No, Algobang-i will win.”
“Quiet! If I say it's so, then it's so!”
Meaning they were large monsters.
“Algobang-i might win one-on-one, but if several come at once, even he'll be hard-pressed. The aggro will pull off him. If the aggro pulls, you, Summoner Bong, might be in danger.”
“Ahh.”
“So we'd have to lure them over one or two at a time to kill them, and that would take quite a while.”
That was what Kosaku ultimately meant by saying it would be difficult.
The clearance itself would be no problem.
It was only the S++ rated clearance that was iffy.
The method for conquering the Loser's Tower:
If it's iffy, don't climb.
Prepare so thoroughly it seems excessive.
“We'll need to summon one more person to clear it, then.”
“Right. How wise and clever of you.”
A high rating would be icing on the cake.
“Hmm, is LSSR—Legend Special Super Rare—possible?”
“It's possible. Even if not this time, if you keep pulling, it'll happen someday.”
Either way, it came down to gacha luck.
He hoped a decent person would be summoned.
Someone not out of their mind, not too slow-witted—an ordinary summoned one.
And so the 28th floor repeat mission began.
It was nearly ten days since a full notice had last rung out. ※ ※ ※
The Japanese Embassy in Korea.
First Secretary Tomoda, who had been working, suddenly leapt to his feet.
A call had come on the burner phone.
No one but the scout broker would call this phone.
He quietly went to the bathroom.
“Hello?”
—It's me.
“What's the result?”
—The rabbit says it will leave its old nest and move to a new one.
“...That went well, then. Truly excellent.”
—However, you will need to escort it here. The wolves are watching the rabbit.
“Please tell them not to worry. I will retrieve it safely.”
First Secretary Tomoda clenched his fist.
He had finally done it.
The abrupt naturalization of Player Yu Cheolmin.
Japan was now safe.
He had no idea what would become of Korea, though. ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────