Or pay a fair price and draw a clear line?
Every choice comes with an opportunity cost.
That's something you learn in middle school social studies.
If the opportunity cost is greater than the choice itself, it isn't the right decision.
The problem is that this opportunity cost is hard to calculate.
Let's say he takes it for free.
But then what if the Awakening Management Bureau later comes asking for some favor, earnestly?
It might be hard to refuse.
Because he received something.
On the other hand, if he pays full price and settles the debt?
That means spending money he doesn't have to spend.
He could buy land near Gyeonggi Province with the money for a penthouse, or invest in stocks—there are so many places to use it, and thinking about cold hard cash draining away just hurts.
He could waste the whole day just agonizing.
Move toward the option that puts his mind at ease.
Juhyeok slammed his fist on the table and declared.
"I've decided. I'm not taking it for free."
"Then?"
"Let's buy it. Free stuff gives you a stomachache. That little apartment? Just buy it. I paid for it myself! Huh? That's the only way I'll have peace of mind."
Clap clap clap.
Kosak applauding in admiration.
"As expected of you, boss. Decisive as can be. First time I've ever seen someone so quick to decide."
Gyeon Dallae nodded.
"A wise judgment, indeed. Drawing a firm line between parties will surely serve us well in the long run."
Two people bolstering Juhyeok's magnanimous decision.
Alright! Now let's look up the price.
Well, he's got 3 billion won in his account—no, 4 billion soon, once another billion comes in—so a mere apartment is nothing.
He typed the search term into a real estate information site and clicked his mouse. 'What is this?' Did he read the number wrong?
He leaned in a little closer for a better look.
One zero, two, three, four...
"Hmm."
"Is something the matter, boss? You don't look well."
"Ah, no, it's nothing."
Nothing, my foot. The price per 3.3 square meters—in other words, per pyeong—
'...200 million won?'
The unit was 100 pyeong.
Therefore, the current market price was 20 billion won.
The hand holding the mouse trembled violently. 'A-are you kidding me!' Was this false information?
Even for a Han River view apartment, that's insane.
But it was confirmed.
It was actually a cheap price.
A news article below said a famous online lecture instructor had recently bought a similar home for 23 billion won.
4 billion won doesn't even come close?
So apartment prices really vary wildly, huh.
As Juhyeok agonized, Kosak tilted his head and asked.
"How much does it cost, boss? Could we get it for about 2 billion?"
"Kosak, how do you know so little about the ways of the world? 2 billion won is a sum that even salaried workers in this world couldn't save up in a hundred years. 2 billion for a single house!"
"Is, is that so? Uh, 1 billion?"
"Still expensive, but a home like this would probably go for about that."
Juhyeok said nothing.
He simply closed his laptop and—
"Come to think of it, I'm not sure I really need a big apartment."
"I beg your pardon? Master, you said just a moment ago that the officetel was too cramped, and that you'd be moving to a bigger place..."
Gyeon Dallae and Kosak couldn't make sense of Juhyeok's sudden 180-degree turn.
"Whew, that house is just too big. Cleaning it would be a nightmare. How many rooms does it have? Just imagine how much dust would gather in a place that size. Wiping down the living room alone would take half a day. There's heating and cooling costs to worry about too."
At that, the quick-witted Kosak hastened to agree.
"Oh my, how foolish of me not to think of that. Of course, boss. Who's going to clean a house that big?"
"And you said it has a garden too? Grass attracts bugs, the bugs get inside, it's bad for hygiene..."
"Ah! Hearing you say it, we nearly had a disaster on our hands. How brilliant your foresight is—this Kosak is impressed, and impressed again. Hehehe."
"Hahaha, foresight, nothing."
Gyeon Dallae chimed in as well.
"To maintain the temperature of such a house, ordinary heating and cooling would not suffice. The electricity bill would be considerable as well. For the sake of the environment, one must not live in a large house."
"That's right—when you say environment, that's me, Bong Juhyeok."
"Climbing the Tower on one hand, worrying for the environment on the other—the maiden frets only for Master Bong's devoted labors."
How satisfying.
As expected of his summoned companions, who understood his heart so well.
Was that big house the only one out there?
Well, he could just skip the 20-billion-won one and buy a different 4-billion-won place.
I'll call after clearing Floor 66.
To say I won't take it for free.
But he couldn't help the penthouse keep nagging at his eyes.
Couldn't 20 billion won just drop from the sky or something? ※ ※ ※ The next day.
Seoul, Hannam-dong, Awakening Management Bureau training gym.
Nam Ga-eun, her muscles pumped from her morning workout—part of her conquest routine—sat on the floor, meditating calmly.
She mulled over the attack patterns and traits of the undead monster Specter on Floor 66.
Even if the sacred sword was an essential item that neutralized the undead's dark aura, she couldn't rely on that alone.
How would she create a one-on-one situation?
Which skills to use in which situations?
If it comes like this, respond like that; if it comes like that, respond like this.
At last, Nam Ga-eun opened her eyes.
She rose from her seat and left the training gym.
When she entered the room prepared separately for Tower entry, Bureau Director Park Gyeongsu and Team Leader Jeon Gwangil were waiting for her.
"Player Nam Ga-eun. Are you ready?"
"Yes."
"Then, we wish you luck."
Floor 66 entry.
The life-or-death struggle with the undead monster Specter began.
And ten hours later.
The status window of South Korea's Tower conquest progress had changed like this:
[Location]: The Black Tower, Gangwon Province, South Korea
[Completed]: Floor 66
[In Progress]: Floor 67
[Time Limit]: 179 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds
It was the remarkable feat of Player Nam Ga-eun and the sacred sword. ※ ※ ※ It was a festival.
Player Nam Ga-eun and the sacred sword had done it.
Media outlets and broadcasters churned out articles with special coverage.
From the #1 to #10 most-viewed news stories, they were all nearly identical.
The edited footage of the Floor 66 conquest played on TV all day long.
The public's reaction was ecstatic.
When Yu Cheolmin had naturalized, everyone had thought Korea was finished—but what a dramatic reversal this was.
Korean companies, as if they'd all been waiting in unison, rolled out advertisements.
They must have produced them in advance, given how they all appeared simultaneously the moment news of the success broke.
In commemoration of conquering Floor 66, a 66% discount sale on select items.
An additional 6.6% off if your birthday was June 6th.
One-plus-one deals for one minute at 6:06 on internet shopping malls.
Major corporations worked only in the morning and sent all their employees home in the afternoon.
Bars and restaurants filled with people.
That night, motels had no rooms available.
Completely booked.
Wait—we conquered Floor 66, so why are there no motel rooms?
Isn't it going to be hard to book an OB-GYN appointment in a month or two?
Honestly, while climbing an unclimbed upper floor of the Tower was a great achievement, it wasn't something the entire nation needed to make such a fuss over.
But then why?
The reason was the neighboring country.
Because they had turned Tower climbing into a Korea-Japan rivalry.
Of course, not a single line about South Korea's Black Tower Floor 66 conquest appeared in the Japanese media.
Juhyeok, too, enjoyed the situation with a much lighter heart.
A weight had been lifted off his mind.
Honestly, he was a person living on this land too, wasn't he?
If the Tower was at risk of collapsing, he had to do something.
But six months of time had been bought.
Even going slowly, they'd surely reach the 60s by then.
Still, watching TV made him itch to move.
Had he rested too long?
He could enter Floor 35 soon enough, but—
The problem was Gobang.
The party had no tank. How was he supposed to enter?
By the way, was our Gobang still far off?
Surely nothing had gone wrong?
He should check the status window.
And then?
"Oh!"
Next to the entry for the Barbarian Meat Shield in the catalog, the words "Cannot summon" had disappeared.
That meant he could summon it now?
Perfect timing.
He'd try it right away.
Gobang first, the others later.
"Designated summon: Barbarian Meat Shield."
[The Barbarian Meat Shield has been designated summoned.]
His heart raced.
Had the blessing enhancement succeeded?
Fwoosh!
Spot!
Gobang revealed himself.
"Welcome, Gobang—huh!"
Gobang... isn't?
"Wh-who are you?"
"I am Gobang, the Meat Shield, who serves Summoner Bong with all his loyalty."
"..."
Juhyeok simply gaped.
What kind of nonsense was this!
How was this person Gobang in any way?
He was a clean-cut young man.
Granted, his upper body was bare.
But the height, the build, the size of his head—a completely different person.
'His face is... hmm, a little similar?'
It was as if some error had occurred.
"I thought I might never return. I am always grateful that you called for me."
He seemed to have encountered an utterly absurd situation. ※ ※ ※ For a while, Juhyeok, at a loss for words, could only stare blankly at the man who claimed to be Gobang.
The face that had been covered in a beard was now smooth, so he couldn't be certain, but looking closely, it did seem like Gobang.
'At the very least, the look in his eyes is Gobang's.'
Juhyeok quietly stood beside Gobang and gauged his height.
About 190 centimeters. His bulk had shrunk dramatically too.
To know for certain, the catalog information was the way to go.
What could be more reliable than that?
- Name: Unknown
- Grade: SSR (Special Super Rare)
- Type: Barbarian Warrior (Human)
- Manifestation Duration: 7 hours
- Satisfaction Rating: None.
- Resummon Cooldown: 3 hours (applies after dismissal)
"..."
It was him.
It was definitely Gobang.
Grade SSR, no less—the blessing enhancement had succeeded.
In exchange, the modifier "Dim-witted" had been dropped and "Ordinary" added.
"You really are Gobang, right?"
"No matter what anyone says, I am Gobang."
It even felt like his vocabulary had grown.
His manner of speech didn't seem all that different, though.
"Um, are you able to recite the Three Principles of the Summoned?"
"I can. Principle 1: The summoned shall protect the summoner's life above all else. Principle 2: The summoned shall, um, the summoner's... uh, the summoner's..."
"That's enough."
Still couldn't memorize it, but he was far better than before.
'So he traded bulk for intelligence.'
Apparently so.
'But isn't that a loss?'
While his intelligence had increased only a tiny bit, his physique had shrunk enormously.
This was the result of a two-stage grade-up?
He was just going to write it off as getting slightly smarter?
That's too disappointing, honestly.
It certainly felt unfamiliar.
Anyway, he was a new man now, so introductions first.
Call Gyeon Dallae, call Kosak—
Fwoooosh! Spot! Spot!
"We are honored to be summoned... hm?"
"Chu! SSR Kosak, reporting for... eep?"
Startled by the stranger standing in the room, the two froze.
A flustered Kosak scurried over to Juhyeok in quick little steps.
"B-Boss Summoner, have you decided to reveal our existence to others?"
"No."
"Th-then who on earth is that man? He watched the entire time we were summoned."
"That's Gobang."
"...Pardon?"
"This person here is Gobang."
Silence fell.
Gyeon Dallae, Kosak, Juhyeok—even Gobang kept his mouth shut.
At last—
"Come on, boss, even your jokes have limits. How is that Gobang, looking like that?"
"He's right. Gobang, you got promoted to SSR."
"...Uuuuh."
They still didn't seem to believe it.
He understood.
He was the same way.
"R-really Gobang?"
"That is so. Assassin."
"Who were you killed by when you died?"
"The great monster Hydra."
"The most recent monster you killed?"
"A Stage 4 Minotaur."
Smooth. He answered well, too.
Juhyeok, watching Gobang's mood, asked as well.
"Um, Gobang?"
"A warrior always listens to and trusts his summoner's words."
"You do know why your name is Gobang, right?"
"I do."
"Shall we take this chance to change your name? I thought the word Gobang might be a little uncomfortable."
"Gobang is the name the Summoner gave me. I like it."
"I'll give you a new one."
"It is not necessary. I am Gobang. The Meat Shield who guards Summoner Bong's front like a fortress wall—that is me."
"..."
His vocabulary had definitely expanded a lot.
Silence again.
This wouldn't do.
To break the awkward mood, let's climb the Tower.
"Shall we climb the Tower for the first time in a while?"
"Th-that sounds good."
"...The maiden thinks so as well."
But looking at Gobang's current state, he wasn't very reassuring.
Was he never going to show that old, overwhelming power again?
The plan had been to climb Floor 35 once Gobang returned as SSR, but—
That seemed too risky right now.
An S++ grade conquest, after all.
So they safely undertook the Floor 34 repeat mission.
[Entering Floor 34 of the South Korean Black Tower.]
"Shall we?"
Whoosh! Gobang darted to the front.
"I'll take point. The rest of you follow with Summoner Bong."
Why was he being so reckless?
With that small body of his.
All of 190 centimeters.
"...Actually, I think it'd be better if Kosak took point, and Gobang fell back to the rear."
"Do not worry, Summoner. Trust in SSR Gobang."
"Hmm."
Alright, let's trust him once.
What else could he do when Gobang was so confident?
Upon accepting the mission, a Stage 4 Minotaur appeared.
Nearly three times Gobang's size.
'The Minotaur could pick Gobang up in one hand and slam him into the ground.'
His worry was mountains high.
Juhyeok whispered instructions to Kosak.
'If anything happens, be ready to intervene immediately.'
'Understood.'
In that instant!
"KUOOOOOOO!"
The small Gobang roared.
That startled him.
Small body or not, that booming voice remained unchanged.
Then it happened.
Simultaneously, Gobang's body began to transform.
Pop, crackle-crackle-crack!
Along with grotesque sounds, lumpy muscles bulged out all over his body.
Creeeak! Crick!
His size grew as well.
Like the Gobang of old.
"Whoa!"
"Amazing!"
"Oh my?"
He kept growing. 4 meters? 5 meters?
Nearly matching the Minotaur.
Every step he took, he shot upward.
Sideways, and up again.
Grow, grow, Gobang.
Just paint him green and he'd be exactly that.
Only now, at last—
"That's our Gobang."
"That's Gobang."
"That is Gobang."