Ju Hyeok's daily life was the same as always.
He lounged around the house doing nothing.
His routine was to fritter away each and every day with the Summoned until Rajix became available for summoning.
Veronica slept in the living room, snoring away.
She'd started dozing off from the moment she was summoned, and she was still sleeping now. Gyeon Dallae sat on the sofa, reading.
True royal elegance, that. Gobang lay sprawled out in the outdoor garden, sunbathing.
Though it wasn't as if her skin could actually tan.
Ju Hyeok and Kosak were playing a game.
A soccer game on the console.
"
Number 8, Kosak, sharply intercepts the Bong team's pass, y'all! Breaks free of the press and quickly sends a through ball forward—ah! Number 10 Kosak has the ball, y'all! Dazzling dribbling, I tell ya! The Bong team players are runnin' around in circles! The cross goes up! Number 7 Kosak, heaaader! Goal! It's a goal, y'all! Goal goal goal goal!
"
Whew.
"...
"
This is infuriating.
It's barely the first half, and the score is 5:0.
Of course, the 0 is Ju Hyeok.
How is anyone supposed to beat Kosak's SSR-tier physical stats?
Cunning brain, quick hands, sharp eyes.
"
Kosak.
"
"
Yes sir!
"
"
Having fun?
"
"
Yes sir!
"
"
That's a relief. At least one of us is. I'm not having a great time.
"
"...
Excuse me?
"
"
Well, I suppose you wouldn't be, after scoring five goals.
"
People, seriously. Never mind scoring goals—what's with the live play-by-play commentary? It's like he's actively trying to break someone's spirit.
"
Ah—no, I only meant for us to have, er, fun playing the game....
"
"
Yes, yes, and thanks to you it's been very... 'fun.'
"
Fun, my foot! It's only fun if you score at least one goal.
Kosak wore a flustered expression.
"
Sh-shall we stop, then?
"
"
Keep going. We started this game, so we should see it through. Good grief, how many are you planning to put past me in the second half? Around twenty to nothing would feel just fantastic.
"
"...
"
At that, Gyeon Dallae paused her reading.
"
Kosak, you have remarkable gall. Without even knowing your place, you dare try to defeat the Young Master? At this rate, you'll be climbing over his head next.
"
"
F-forgive me!
"
Veronica murmured in her sleep as well.
"
Mmh, if the commander's got the ball, you ought to fall over on your own. Defend against him and it's the stockade for you. At the very least, you'll march around the parade ground a hundred laps in full kit.
"
"
Uuh, aaah.
"
The game resumed.
Kosak's mental state had already collapsed.
There was no way his controller inputs were working properly.
Ju Hyeok's players roamed the pitch at will.
They ravaged Kosak's goal.
"
Yes! Five to one!
"
"...
"
"
Oh yeah, one more.
"
"...
"
"
Aaah! We're tied. Come on, comeback!!!
"
Games really are only fun when you win.
Like a storm, he hammered in six goals and flattened Kosak's nose.
This is the Earthling Gamer class!
He felt a twinge of guilt, but the world of competition is a cruel one.
Anyway, you can only laze around for so long.
Just playing and eating all day made him restless.
The life of a rich bum.
Something he'd always dreamed of, but having tried it, it was nothing special.
The money worries were gone, sure.
Speaking of which, when was Rajix coming?
It had been four days since he'd been sent off.
If it was similar to Gobang's case, he'd be summonable around today.
"
When's our hard worker coming back? Ah! I want to get into the Tower.
"
"
Can't we just climb it ourselves?
"
"
Hmm.
"
If they were going to climb, it was one of two options.
Repeated clears, or an uncleared upper floor.
Without Rajix, repeated clears were meaningless.
So, an uncleared upper floor? From floor 61 onward, it was the Undead zone.
Walking corpses and mummies appeared from floor 61.
Bubbling with dark aura, no less.
Clearing it, he could manage.
The problem was an S++ clear.
"
Fear not, Young Master. A girl can suppress the aura of wicked things well enough.
"
Right, of course.
Her class was a shaman, after all.
If she just shook her bells properly, she could easily offset a bit of dark aura.
What if she brought along and wielded the holy sword?
An S++ rank clear would be guaranteed.
Even so, what fun was a run without Rajix?
There was also the matter of resupplying Veronica's ammo. 'Let's decide once Rajix gets here.'
In truth, he'd been checking his status window nonstop since yesterday.
He'd checked just a moment ago, too.
And now, once more....
"
Huh?
"
It had changed. [Catalog]: Rajix.
The 'unavailable for summoning' marker was gone.
Ju Hyeok thrust his hand into the air and let out a cheer.
"
Rajix is back!!!
"
"
Really now?
"
"
Oh my?
"
"
Sergeant Veronica Caliber! Has the quartermaster returned?
"
Kosak and Gyeon Dallae rejoiced alongside him, Veronica woke up automatically, and Gobang, who'd been sunbathing, came into the living room too.
"
Alright, everyone, let's start preparing the welcome.
"
"
Yes sir!
"
How hard he must have worked for that promotion.
The Jeju-grown, pesticide-free organic carrots he'd ordered in advance for this day were spread all across the living room.
A small banner reading 'Congratulations on Rajix's Promotion,' along with colorful balloons, inflated and stuck to the wall.
"
I'll summon him now.
"
"
We're on pins and needles, y'all.
"
"
I missed the quartermaster.
"
"
As does this warrior.
"
"
Ahh, I wonder how our foremost servant has changed.
"
Ju Hyeok recited quietly.
"
Designated Summon: Rajix.
"
Fwoosh!
A gathering of light, and—pop!
Rajix appeared, revealing himself.
"
Hooeh!
"
He had arrived.
One short arm raised high, summoned in the same round, fluffy little body as ever.
"
Waaah!
"
"
How can one be so dependable?
"
"
Certain victory! Congratulations on your promotion, quartermaster!
"
"
SSR-tier worker, simply amazin', y'all.
"
"
This warrior is proud of our worker.
"
"
Hooeh...
"
Ju Hyeok hugged Rajix.
So did Gyeon Dallae, Kosak, and Gobang.
Veronica saluted in respect.
- Grade: SSR (Special Super Rare)
- Type: Worker (Beastkin)
- Materialization Duration: 7 hours
- Satisfaction Rating: Average of 5.
- Resummon Cooldown: 3 hours (applies after dismissal)
Just as he'd hoped—SSR.
His catalog name had changed, too.
The Loyal, Dependable, Versatile Genius Worker.
His appearance?
Unchanged.
Which made it all the better.
Though something had changed.
From an ordinary safety helmet to a glittering golden hat.
And a backpack easily more than twice its previous size.
It was so large you couldn't tell whether the backpack carried Rajix or Rajix carried the backpack.
Right at that moment! Fwip!
Before anyone knew it, Rajix had produced a cleaning broom and dustpan from the backpack.
Swoosh-swish, rumble-rumble.
Swoosh-swish, rumble-rumble.
'The moment he arrives...'
He began cleaning while on the move.
Even lugging that enormous backpack, he rolled around with ease.
He wanted to tell him to stop cleaning, but Rajix looked so purely delighted about it.
Honestly, the house had gotten incredibly messy during Rajix's absence.
And now?
In the blink of an eye, the penthouse was gleaming.
"
Truly the greatest under heaven, invincible, absolutely supreme servant of all.
"
He'd be cleaning over here, then appear over there.
He moved like lightning.
The piled-up laundry into the washing machine, the dishes into the dishwasher.
He wiped the floors, wiped the windows.
Before long, he came to the living room where Ju Hyeok stood and pointed a hand at the Jeju-grown, pesticide-free organic carrots.
"
Hooeh, shall I put away the carrots?
"
"
No, these are for you, Rajix. You've been craving them, haven't you?
"
"
Huek? It's too much!
"
"
Hahaha, take your time. If you run out, I can order as much as you want.
"
"
Hooeh, wonderful.
"
Rajix picked up a single carrot with one hand.
Then, gnawing it with his front teeth—crunch, crunch—he used his other hand to scoop up the remaining carrots and toss them behind his back.
Whoosh, whoosh—the carrots slipped neatly into his subspace backpack.
Was he saving them for later?
'Just toss them and they go right in on their own... Huh?'
Wait a moment.
Carrots, inside a subspace bag?
'Why would those go in.'
Rajix's subspace backpack.
An ability that allowed him to bring items from the Tower outside without any restrictions.
But Earth objects could go in there too?
He'd assumed it was like a player inventory and only Tower-related items could go in.
"...
Could you always put carrots in there?
"
"
Hooeh, not before.
"
"
And now?
"
"
Rajix is SSR now. So I can.
"
So it was something he could do after ranking up.
"
Can you take them into the Tower too?
"
"
Yeees.
"
"
They don't disappear even if you're dismissed?
"
"
Yeees.
"
In that case?
Ju Hyeok pointed at a chair in the kitchen.
"
What about that?
"
"
Hooeee, I can take it.
"
"
The marble dining table too?
"
"
I can take it.
"
"
It's huge and heavy, though?
"
"
I can take it.
"
In an instant!
Sliiiide.
The large marble table vanished.
The chairs beside it went in as well.
"...
"
We can take Earth objects into the Tower.
This is not something to take lightly.
"
"
This TV?
"
"
I can take it.
"
"
The sofa too?
"
"
I can take it.
"
"
That refrigerator?
"
"
I can take it.
"
"
...Even something enormously big? For example—
"
He searched on his smartphone and showed him a tank, the K2 Black Panther.
"
Huek? No can do. Too big.
"
Hmm. So there was a size limit.
Ju Hyeok opened the refrigerator and the sink cabinets and pointed at one item after another.
Each time, fwoosh—gone into the backpack.
Everything went in.
There was nothing that couldn't.
'This is completely revolutionary.'
Modern scientific weapons would go in too.
A portable missile launcher, for instance.
Well, still not as good as Veronica's machine gun, but...
'When the chance for Skill Copy comes later...'
Priority number one, without question: Rajix's subspace backpack.
And now—
"
Let's head into the Tower, shall we? It's been a while.
"
"
Hooeh!
"
First, let's check whether things can be taken out inside the Tower too.***[You have entered Floor 56 of the Black Tower of South Korea.]
He'd deliberately chosen the 50s floors.
The flying monster zone. A place where you didn't need to fight unless you pulled aggro.
"
Rajix, take out the chairs and the table.
"
"
Hooeh!
"
Fwip, fwish-fwish.
The chairs and table slid smoothly out of the backpack.
Gobang caught them and set them on the ground.
Insane. Absolutely insane. I never dreamed this was possible.
They took out the food they'd brought from home too.
Fruit, drinks and snacks, packaged goods and the like. It felt just like a picnic.
"
We could light a campfire and grill meat, y'all.
"
"
Thanks to this, we get a nice breeze as well. It is wonderful.
"
They really could do that, couldn't they.
Worth trying sometime?
Rajix suddenly pointed a hand at a wyvern flying in the distance.
"
Hooeh, shall I catch it and skin it?
"
"
No.
"
"
Hooeh? Mine ore, then?
"
"
You don't have to do anything today.
"
"
Hooeeh, but I must work...
"
"
Aw, come on. Let's just relax this time.
"
The scenery wasn't exactly pretty.
A desolate wasteland, wyverns circling overhead.
A subjugation mission had popped up, but he didn't spare it a thought.
He had zero intention of hunting them.
He could just fool around for a bit, abandon the mission, and head out.
Days like this were necessary too.
Did entering the Tower mean you absolutely had to kill monsters?
He took photos with the smartphone he'd brought along.
And so, amid all the cheerful noise and laughter, time passed.
'Hm?'
One seat was empty.
Rajix.
When had he disappeared?
"
Anyone seen Rajix?
"
"
Our worker was right her—gasp! Where'd he go? Gone in the blink of an eye, y'all.
"
The Summoned seemed to notice late as well.
"
Wow! Didn't even notice. Truly befits an SSR, y'all.
"
"
This girl shall go search at once.
"
"
This warrior goes as well.
"
"
Sergeant Veronica Caliber, reporting. Search operations are my specialty. Initiating tracking.
"
But there was no need.
Ju Hyeok pointed a finger in a direction and said,
"
It's fine. He's coming over there.
"
"
Rumble-rumble-rumble.
"
Rajix came rolling in at a terrific speed.
"
Where did you go?
"
"
Hooeeeh....
"
He panted for a moment.
"
Hooeh, I smelled something.
"
"
A smell?...
Who farted here?
"
"
That'd be me, y'all. Was it you, Princess?
"
"
Y-you scoundrel!!!
"
No it's not. Then Gobangi must have been the one who farted.
"
"
A warrior does not fart. He would sooner soil himself.
"
"
Huek! It's not a fart!
"
Then, clatter-clatter.
Rajix dumped a pile of strange odds and ends onto the table.
"
I dug these up from underground.
"
"
It's not leather, and it's not ore, so..."
"
What is all this...
"
That was when one object caught his eye.
"
Gasp!
"
Juhyeok was startled.
Staring at the long, slender object on the table,
"
Isn't this a bone?
"
"
Yessir. But it ain't a monster bone. It's a human finger bone, sir.
"
"
A human finger bone?
"
Rajix said he'd dug it up from underground—but why would something like this be buried beneath the Tower?
Could it be part of a player's body, someone who died here?
But it was extremely decayed.
Blackened, and so brittle it looked like it would crumble at a touch.
Gyeondallae studied the bone carefully.
"
It appears to be at least a hundred years old, if not more.
"
"
I be thinkin' the same thing, sir.
"
A hundred years? Was that even possible?
The Tower appeared on Earth in 2004.
It was now 2024.
Only twenty years had passed, and yet this bone was over a hundred years old?
The dates didn't add up.
And yet, if it was truly human bone, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
'...A human from another world, not Earth?'
He remembered a conversation he'd had with Kosak, back when he had first awakened as a player.
Kosak had known a great deal about Earth's civilization.
When asked why, he'd said there were quite a few worlds similar to this one.
That those worlds had black Towers as well.
Gwangma and Gyeondallae had said similar things too.
Where there were Towers, there had naturally been players.
Perhaps this was part of a player's remains, a hundred years old.
From a Tower that had only existed for twenty years.
Which meant one thing could be deduced...
It meant that a floor a player had once conquered—or died on—could be entered again.
"
And it would appear something is fastened onto the finger bone, milord.
"
"
Where?......
Ah!
"
Looking closely, it was true.
A thin thread ring.
'A ring, huh.'
Could it be...?
"
I'll pull it out for ya.
"
When Kosak removed the ring and handed it over, Juhyeok checked its information.
"
Ah!
"
His guess had been right.
It was an item.
Effect: Allows the use of the 5th-circle spell, Blink, without mana injection.
Limit: Restricted to 10 consecutive uses or fewer.
Special trait: Recharges 1 use every 2 hours.
"...
You're telling me I can use Blink?"
Kosak brightened.
"
Oh! Blink, that's a good'un. Top-notch, sir.
"
"
The warrior agrees. It's a good thing.
"
"
Congratulations, milord. Certain victory!
"
"
Our finest servant of the Gogeum estate has accomplished yet another great deed.
"
"
Hoooeeeee...
"
Blink was a skill only players of high magic level could use.
A magic-trait skill that could only be obtained after strengthening one's attribute.
And it didn't even have the "Tower-exclusive" label attached.
Which meant it could be used in the real world as well.
'Of course. It did say no mana injection was needed.'
No, wait—causing trouble the moment she was born? How can she possibly be this adorable.
"
Hoeeng!!!
"
A pose he hadn't seen in a while—two stubby hands planted on her hips, puffed-out round chest, snorting breath blowing without mercy—Rajix.
But the ring wasn't the only thing Rajix had brought.
There were other things on the table as well.
A single stone shard and a scrap of yellowed paper.
'Hmm.'
They looked trivial, but these couldn't possibly be ordinary either.
Juhyeok picked up the stone shard first.
'Check information.'
And there it was.
"...
What?"
Then the paper?
Rune? Ticket?
"
Oh, oh my god!
"
For real?────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────