Juhyeok sat in his officetel, eyes half-closed, staring blankly at the empty wall.
He'd had a good week of rest.
So, with two days left until the random summon, what had Juhyeok done?
A good-luck ritual?
No.
A simple offering?
He hadn't done that either.
Seclusion training to cultivate his mind.
Because he needed to maintain his composure.
Just calmly.
Letting go of all desires.
He had barely obtained the trait enhancement.
He needed to properly welcome a new member.
This was the final stretch of a long journey.
All's well that ends well, after all.
Two days ago, Gyeondallae had said:
"We have already performed the ritual for trait enhancement. Perhaps thanks to that, great fortune has been achieved."
"However! Heaven warns against the greedy. If one, unsatisfied, asks for yet another wish, one receives not great fortune but punishment instead."
Very logical.
If you ask for a rice cake and get one, then whine for another, you should get a slap, not another rice cake.
"Therefore, it would be best to sever your desires through cultivation of the mind this time. Perform no rituals, make no offerings—simply approach the random summon with a peaceful heart."
As expected of Gyeondallae.
No wonder she kicked and snagged the position of chief shaman of the Celestial Empire with ease.
Following her advice, Juhyeok calmly began his secluded training at home.
He'd contacted his family in advance and kept his smartphone off for two days.
He even stuck a "Do Not Disturb" sign outside the officetel door.
He had also called Gwanlicheong's Jeon Gwangil two days prior.
In the course of that call, he heard that Gerald Watson would be entering the country through Incheon Airport, but well, things would work out.
He already had a ten-million-dollar contract, after all.
The other summons had their summons suspended for the time being.
They agreed to gather on the day.
And so he devoted himself to secluded training.
Honestly, he didn't really know what seclusion was.
Just playing by himself.
The thing Juhyeok was best at.
The second day was the same.
Staring at the wall, sleeping, waking up to watch TV, then sleeping again.
And so, finally, today.
The day the random summon cooldown ended.
A new summon would soon appear.
After calling everyone out with a designated summon, "Come on in, everyone."
"Yes, sir."
"Yes."
"..."
Everyone was grave and solemn.
Desire was forbidden.
Even a Rare would be enough.
They'd said that with the current three-member roster, they could easily reach Floor 50 with S++ anyway.
'Still, if it's at least an SR... then Heaven might take pity and give an SSR... or, pretending to be crazy, an LSSR...'
No, no!
Greed would be his ruin.
Juhyeok rose from his seat.
Then moved to the center of the living room.
The moment his mouth opened, the summon would begin.
At last, the long-awaited moment!
Just as he was about to open his mouth with a tense heart...
"Doom-doom-doom-doom-doom..."
Kosak making mouth noises.
Juhyeok snapped at him.
"Good grief!"
"Assassin, be quiet!"
"Lord Kosak, that's bad luck!"
"...Sorry."
He always has to go overboard when things are going well. Overboard, I say.
'Hmm.'
Steeled his resolve again.
"Random summon."
[Initiating random summon.]
It had begun.
Whoosh!
A tiny cluster of light floated into the air.
Smaller than expected.
It'll grow, right?
But then—Whoosh!
The summon appeared, way too fast, without even a special effect.
Poof!
"...Huh?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
What is that?
Is that a person?
What kind of person looks like that?
It looked like a fat hamster.
A short height reaching only to Juhyeok's waist, a body as round as a ball. White fur, very short limbs, a small backpack on its back, and on its head, a hat shaped like a round safety helmet.
"Hoeh, Summoner. Hewwo."
"...What? Ah, yes, yes."
What on earth is this?
- Name: Rajiks
- Grade: R (Rare)
- Type: Worker (beastfolk)
- Manifestation duration: 10 hours
- Satisfaction evaluation: None.
- Resummon wait time: 3 hours (applies after summon release)
"..."
A worker?
And not even human—a beastfolk.
He knew the pool of summonable beings included humans and demi-humans.
But a worker meant a non-combat summon.
In other words, it meant absolutely no help in climbing the Tower.
What is this.
He'd done secluded training for two whole days.
Had he done it wrong and jinxed himself?
It wasn't just Juhyeok.
Everyone wore the same expression.
Worker Rajiks seemed to have caught on to the mood too.
In a shrinking voice.
"Hoehh... should I go back?"
Sigh.
That innocent face.
And it was even cute.
Apparently a beastfolk based on a hamster.
His heart ached, but.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Rajiks. I'll call for you again later. There's no room right now."
"Hoeng, okay..."
"Release summon."
Zap!
Well, first summon was a failure.
Nothing to be done about it.
If not now, when would he use this?
Juhyeok took out the skill cooldown reset ticket from his inventory.
How to use the ticket: tear it.
"Let's go again."
"Think of it as warding off bad luck. But it was so cute, sir."
"What good is cute if it doesn't help Lord Bong climb the Tower?"
"Summoner, it'll go well this time."
He did another hour or so of secluded training.
This time, he took it seriously.
Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.
...Still, let's be just a little greedy.
"Mr. Kosak."
"Yes?"
"Doom-doom."
"Sir, yes!"
Rip!
Ticket torn.
"Random summon."
[Initiating random summon.]
Immediately followed by Kosak's mouth-drumming.
"Doom-doom-doom-doom-doom..."
Whooooooosh!
This time, something was different.
A swirl of multicolored light filled the room.
Brilliant light whirled madly around the center of the living room.
This had never happened before.
'No way?'
[Achievement: First-ever summon of an LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare) grade.]
"Gasp!!!"
Did I hear that right?
He pulled an LSSR?
'Is this a dream or real life?'
This was driving him crazy.
He truly hadn't even imagined it.
Maximum dopamine levels.
A tingling sensation rising from his toes to the top of his head.
Now, trait enhancement or whatever,
he didn't need to care at all.
By pulling an LSSR, the party was complete.
And an achievement, too.
That's right.
Of course there'd be an achievement for pulling an LSSR.
[Distributing achievement rewards.]
Wow, even a reward?
'A two-for-one deal.'
Couldn't be more grateful.
[From now on, you may enter the Tower twice per day.]
"..."
No, you didn't have to give a reward like this.
It's telling him to work twice a day.
Anyway, time to welcome the LSSR.
The cluster of light was gradually taking on human form.
Welcome, our LSSR summon.
PAPAPAPAPAT!
The figure became clearly visible.
"Oh!"
An elderly man in old-fashioned martial robes, white hair and white beard, appeared standing with his hands behind his back in a relaxed posture.
'A-an immortal has come to such a shabby place.'
Juhyeok quickly checked the catalog entry.
- Name: Gwangma (Mad Demon).
- Grade: LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare)
- Type: Martial artist (human)
- Manifestation duration: 3 hours
- Satisfaction evaluation: None.
- Resummon wait time: 6 hours (applies after summon release)
'...'
The catalog modifiers were chilling.
Merit of the martial world, Bloody River Massacre, most feared calamity.
His name too, Gwang (狂) for madness and Ma (魔) for demon, combined into Gwangma.
A little scary.
So Juhyeok bowed at a ninety-degree angle and greeted him politely.
"Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am the Summoner, Bong Juhyeok."
"This old man is also honored to meet such an esteemed person. Call me Gwangma."
Ooh!
So well-mannered, too.
Why would anyone call such a person Mad Demon?
Just then, the backstory of Gwangma surfaced in Juhyeok's mind.
- They say that the government and the murim do not encroach upon each other. But the first martial artist to break that taboo was Gwangma. A dispute between Gwangma and the government that began as a small conflict grew like wildfire, eventually spreading all the way to the imperial palace.
- Gwangma stormed the imperial palace, beheaded the Emperor, and hung his head in the public square. In the end, the Murim Alliance, the Four Great Sects, and even the Demonic Cult all declared him a public enemy, and in a battle that raged for seven days and nights, Gwangma lost his life to the combined attack of the Murim Alliance Leader, the Holy Master of Sahwang, and the Demonic Cult Leader.
At the same time, scenes flashed through his mind.
Countless martial artists dying at his hands, Gwangma bursting into mad laughter with a face smeared in blood and flesh.
Gulp.
A bit unsettling.
Still, the man would surely fight like a monster.
He was a summon, so he'd obey, at least.
Besides, he already had one insane summon.
That deranged assassin.
Gwangma spoke.
"I take it those people are your existing companions."
"Yes, that's right. Let me introduce—"
Hmm?
Why are they acting like that?
Gyeondallae, face drained white.
Kosak, bristling with wariness.
Gobang, frozen in place.
"No need. I have no desire to speak with such insignificant things."
"...Uh."
An uneasiness crept over him.
Gwangma slowly walked toward the veranda window and said,
"Summoner, may I ask you a few things?"
"Ah, of course, anything."
"How many Towers in this world have collapsed so far?"
Collapsed?
Well.
"Just one has fallen."
"A relief, that. And the highest floor reached so far?"
"Floor 67. It's the floor where the undead appear."
"Ah-ha! So that's why it's still just one."
"What?"
"Once you reach the 70s, they'll start collapsing here and there. Won't they?"
Juhyeok didn't answer.
He didn't even want to imagine it.
"As you know, Summoner, the collapse of a Tower is the harbinger of ruin. A collapsed Tower is driven deep into the earth like a great nail, and it will change this world. Of course, with only one so far, it's not yet a problem."
Gwangma, who had been looking outside through the window, slowly turned around and continued.
"Do you know what the filthiest aspect of conquering the Tower is?"
"Well, I'm not really—"
"It's that each Tower is divided by nationality. Each nation's awakened can only conquer their own country's Tower. A truly cunning scheme."
Towers with assigned nationalities.
Many people had found this strange because of it.
Even now.
"At the very least, your country will be safe, Summoner. Even going with only those flimsy ones, there would be no problem at all climbing the Tower."
His tone was growing increasingly ominous.
"But what good does it do if only your country is safe, Summoner? If the Towers of other nations all collapse and the entire world perishes?"
"This old man does not wish for the world to end either. Now that I've come out into the world, I would, if possible, like to stay by your side for a long time, Summoner."
That's a bit...
"So I shall help you."
"...With what?"
"World conquest, of course. Placing this world at your feet, Summoner."
Out of nowhere... world conquest?
He wasn't some mastermind trying to dominate the world.
Juhyeok just blinked.
"The world must be unified into a single nation. Then you and I, together, can conquer every Tower in the world at will. And as it happens, by summoning me, you've gained the benefit of re-entering the Tower."
Oh?
That's actually clever.
Whether temporary naturalization or voluntary naturalization, no need for any of it—just merge every country into one.
For example, if every nation on Earth were unified into South Korea, Juhyeok could enter any Tower.
World conquest.
A cliché subject that only appears in movies, novels, and comics.
But where else would you find a world conquest with a better justification than this?
"Let us start by settling your own country. We will strike down the corrupt rulers who deceive the people and line only their own pockets—even if they number in the hundreds of thousands. And then all power will be handed over to you, Summoner."
"And after that, we move on to the next country. Starting with the nation with the lowest Tower progress, killing its rulers in the same way and subjugating each country one by one will push the hour of ruin far further away."
Only now did he understand.
The true nature of that uneasiness.
The man was mad.
He had been mad even in death.
Compared to him, Kosak was a gentle, upstanding citizen.
National delusion?
A delusion like this would kill you the moment you drank it.
Soju, please.
"I shall be the one to stain my hands with blood, Summoner. You become the president of this world and forge a single nation."
Even possible?
More than anything, he didn't want it.
Clutching his pounding heart, Juhyeok barely managed to speak.
"...D-don't do that. That's an order. I don't want to be president or anything."
"I must. I cannot follow that order. If it is to save you and your world, it is something that must be done."
And then, with a smile full of pride.
"This is my old Three Principles, Three Articles."
Damn it... "Now, I shall take my leave. There is no time to waste if I am to slaughter this nation's leaders and politicians and make you the pinnacle of this country's power. Then..."
At that very moment.
"Stop!"
Gyeong Dallae overcame her fear and shouted, shaking her bell.
Ting-a-ling!
"Such things cannot justify your Three Articles. What you intend to do goes against the will of Heaven—"
"Heaven's will? You milk-smelling wench, what would you know, waving around a pathetic little bell? It is all a path for the sake of the Summoner."
Then Korsak also spoke up. "Shut up! That's for the Summoner's sake? I can't agree with that."
"Hahahaha! Didn't you also stain your hands with blood to protect the Summoner? What's your point?"
"I only eliminated direct threats."
"Same as me. The scope of my threats was simply broader."
Go Bang stepped forward as well.
"Obey the Summoner's word. Otherwise, I will kill you."
"...How absurd. A mere Huanjing nobody dares speak of killing me?"
The Mad Demon's expression changed in an instant.
Woooooo... A storm of qi energy swept through the living room.
An unbearable, monstrous pressure bore down on the three summoned beings.
"Ugh!"
"Heo-eok!"
"Eeek!"
Of course, Ju Hyeok alone was left out.
"Fine. I'll kill you. That should buy at least a hundred days of quiet. Ah! But someone must protect the Summoner while I am gone, so I shall cut down one of you as an example. If one isn't enough, I'll take another."
Sliiing.
Though no one knew where it came from, the Mad Demon had somehow drawn a sword of dense, dark sword energy and pointed it.
"Who shall die? The wench who waves her bell? The arrogant swordsman? The foolish bear?"
At that very moment.
"Lord Mad Demon?"
The Mad Demon turned his gaze toward Ju Hyeok with a benevolent smile.
"I knew you would try to stop me. But this too is part of my old Three Principles, Three Articles—an act of loyal devotion, born solely of the desire to protect the Summoner."
"Um, I didn't call to stop you."
"Hm? Then what did you wish to say?"
Ju Hyeok quietly murmured.
"Release the Mad Demon's summon."
"Oh dear..."
Spat!
The Mad Demon vanished.
What was he supposed to do if it drew an LSSR?
Only then were the summoned beings freed from the pressure.
"Phew."
"Haa, haa."
"Huk huk, I—I thought we were going to die."
It wasn't luck at all.
He had pulled something that should never have been drawn out.
"Salt! Where's the salt?"
Gyeong Dallae hurriedly brought salt from the kitchen shelf.
"Ptoo! Ptoo!"
She scattered it vigorously over the spot where the Mad Demon had stood.
Then she opened the status window and went to the Catalog section.
"There's no minus star rating? Or even a zero?"
"Unfortunately, one star is the lowest rating."
Honestly, even one star was too generous.
[A satisfaction rating of 1 star has been given to the Mad Demon.]
He'd gotten his revenge with one star.
Still, it was terrifying.
Was the summoned being's grade a measure of strength—or of madness? He'd need to hold a ritual for random summons, not just for trait enhancement.
Ju Hyeok slumped onto the sofa with an exhausted expression.
His startled heart was still pounding.
The three, whose souls had half-left their bodies before returning, also sat down on the floor.
"I—I will never summon that one."
However, Korsak said,
"Um, Lord Summoner."
"What is it?"
"However much of a mad old bastard he is, he'll likely be of use inside the Tower."
"Useful or not, I'm not using him."
"Still, it may be worth taking time to consider it."
He sure is quick to chime in.
Had he forgotten that he was nearly killed just moments ago?
"This girl thinks the same. Even a rusted nail, when sharpened, becomes whole again."
"I share the same thought. We will need him on the higher floors."
Even Go Bang and Gyeong Dallae.
"Fine. I'll think about it."
Time passed.
They simply sat in silence, trying to calm their shaken nerves.
The summoned beings did the same.
It was only after a long while that Ju Hyeok opened the status window again.
[Catalog]: John Korsak / Barbarian Meat Shield / Gyeong Dallae / Lajix / Mad Demon
"Catalog entries can't be deleted, right?"
"That is correct."
What a waste.
If they could be deleted, he would have deleted it on the spot.
'...It's been three hours, right?'
He pressed Lajix and gave five stars.
[A satisfaction rating of 5 stars has been given to Lajix.]
At the same time—
"Designated summon: Lajix."
[Lajix has been designated summoned.]
"Hueh? Why five stars?"
"Welcome, Mr. Lajix."
"Hoeeee, welcome, you say?"
"Of course! We're comrades from now on. Hahaha."
Looking at Lajix's adorable form, he felt his soul being cleansed.
"Oh my! Seeing you again, you're an angel, an angel!"
When Ju Hyeok made a fuss,
"That's right. You look like you'll work hard."
"How can you be so adorable?"
"Let's do well together from now on. I'm Go Bang."
Lajix was at a loss amid the pouring attention.
"Come, come! To celebrate becoming comrades, let's give a welcoming toss!"
"Hueh?"
Heave-ho! Heave-ho!
The round, spherical Lajix shot up and down from the center of the living room like a volleyball.
At this rate, someone was going to spike him.
"Hoee! So high. It's too hiiiigh."
Well, even a useless laborer who contributed nothing to clearing the Tower was a hundred, a thousand times better than the Mad Demon.
'But is his ability really only that of a laborer?'