Black Tower (Republic of Korea) Floor 72.

It was a chained mission that continued from Floor 71.

A place that progressed along a specific story.

Were other countries’ Black Towers the same as this?

Humans appearing as mission targets, chained missions unfolding.

There was no way to know yet.

Among the Players climbing in the 70s, Juhyeok was the only one.

America was climbing too, so it would be revealed in time.

Floor 72’s mission site was the Necromancer’s Dungeon.

As always, Meatshield took point.

The chimeras appeared the moment they passed through the corridor.

<Dungeon Chimera>

They looked grotesque, too.

Just in case, Juhyeok tried checking for information, but nothing came up.

Same reason as <Pommelle Mercenary Company member>—if there was no “name,” there was no info.

So there was no background description either.

In other words, trash mobs.

Not named bosses, so it wouldn’t be difficult.

Of course, if another Player went in alone, the difficulty would be different.

This was “easy” purely from Juhyeok’s point of view.

But then Meatshield pointed at a chimera and said,

“Chimera is not a lifeform born naturally. Human made it. Mixed two or more monsters.”

Oh! Meatshield was even giving lore?

Usually Gyeon Dallae or Cossack played the role of explaining strategy.

“They attached a Venom Serpent’s head to a Blood Lion’s body.”

“Then we should watch for poison.”

“It is fine. Warrior tears the head off.”

The clearing began.

Juhyeok took the Thunderstorm Club of Destruction out of his Inventory and gripped it.

“Forward!”

In that instant.

“Top farmhand, I ask you.”

“Ho-e, yesss.”

At Gyeon Dallae’s request, Rajix briskly pulled things out of the Subspace Backpack.

First, a handcart like delivery drivers used.

He stacked a power bank, a large speaker and amp, and an MP3 player neatly on top, then flipped the switch to ON—

THUMP-THUD! THUMP THUMP! THUD-THUMP.

CLANGCLANG! CLANG-CLANGCLANG-CLANGCLANG!

CHARRRK! CHARRRRRR!

Drumbeats, gong clatters, and bell chimes rang out in a three-layer harmony.

“It is a blessing ritual I prerecorded.”

“...Ah. Yes, yes.”

“It also contains a cleansing ritual. If you change tracks, it will play.”

Gyeon Dallae grabbed the handle of the handcart.

She was going to push it and follow along.

She looked like the coffee-selling auntie who showed up at a rural market.

“It is a strange implement with talismans affixed to every corner inside, so do not worry about effectiveness.”

“...”

“The sacred straw rope is first, as well.”

“...”

Fine. As long as it worked.

Live life easy.

Like Gyeon Dallae.

Alright, let’s go. Let’s get it!

Bardin, the human holy sword who satisfied both lighting and damage at once.

And giant Meatshield holding him.

Dungeon Chimeras burst out of the dungeon corridor in pairs—sometimes three or four at a time.

“Radiance!!!”

WHUMP! SHHHHHK!

They got shredded the moment they appeared.

SPLATTER!

Veronica’s covering fire.

“Pulling in sniper mode. Transferring aggro.”

“Transferred.”

“Radiance!!!”

SPOT!

Cossack stabbed in and out with his twin daggers, dealing damage.

Dungeon-club DJ Gyeon Dallae followed too, pushing the handcart while the ritual beat flowed—buffing allies and debuffing chimeras.

Meanwhile, Rajix—

“Ho-e....”

—was dozing off on Blood Wolf.

‘Hmm.’

Did Veronica rub off on him?

He said he’d boosted exploration.

‘Lately he really isn’t bringing anything at all.’

No.

Don’t be disappointed.

His achievements up to now were more than enough.

He was the cosmic bald farmhand, Rajix.

Besides, this was the Necromancer’s Dungeon.

And when you think “dungeon,” what do you think?

Massive treasure.

No idea whether there was treasure here or not—but if there was, Rajix would probably find something big and bring it back.

Juhyeok and the others reached the end of the corridor.

Then, DING.

[Dungeon Chimera defeated 30/30]

[You have succeeded in Floor 72 Basic Mission.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Reward : Magic Stones 1.2kg / high-grade Magic Stones 6kg]

Basic mission complete.

Even if they left now, it would count as a mission success.

But—

[Would you like to continue the Additional Choice Mission?]

[If you refuse, you will exit the Tower with a mission success judgment.]

“Continue.”

Juhyeok was still hungry.

What was he going to fill his belly with, high-grade Magic Stones?

Let’s scrape the bowl clean all the way through Extreme-Difficulty, then leave.

If you got rewards every time you cleared, how could you stop?

Before long, Dungeon Reinforced Chimeras appeared.

Bipedal, huh?

“It is a chimera combining a Steel-Horn Mountain Goat’s head, an ogre’s torso, and a Swamp Scorpion’s tail.”

Professor Meatshield.

“I am bigger than ogre. Assassin cuts tail stinger.”

“Pre-load... okay. Got it.”

Our Meatshield got smart!

“At this point you can switch to being the brains of the team.”

“Huh? W-what you mean Meatshield is brains? I can explain that too.”

“Sure. Of course you can.”

“Anyway, I am smarter than Meatshield. No— I have to be smarter.”

He seemed threatened by Meatshield’s sudden IQ spike.

It felt like yesterday when he’d thrown a tantrum at the first meeting because a dumb summon had shown up.

Anyway—Dungeon Reinforced Chimeras.

They were stronger than regular Dungeon Chimeras.

But just like the Basic-mission chimeras, you couldn’t even check their info, let alone see any background description.

Meaning: weak.

‘If you’re good, even regular Players could kill these.’

Floor 72’s core was probably the last Extreme-Difficulty mission—killing the dungeon’s owner, the necromancer.

“Warrior continues to take point. Summoner follow safely.”

Obviously!

A tank who was skilled in both combat and tactics.

The Dungeon Reinforced Chimeras were wiped out in an instant too.

[You have completed the Additional Choice Mission.]

[Reward : Healing Potion (3)]

“Oh!”

See? More.

This was why you kept going.

Healing Potion without the Tower-Only modifier—three of them.

[Would you like to continue the High-Difficulty Choice Mission?]

Why even ask?

“Keep it going!”

Defeat five Dungeon Ruin Chimeras.

He turned the right corner.

A body so huge it filled the entire corridor.

A horrifying shape.

“It combined a Hell Rhinoceros’s torso, a manticore’s limbs, and a Flame Wyvern’s head. Just watch for breath.”

“I see.”

A chimera that could {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} breathe.

“Staff Sergeant V—when it opens its mouth, pour in the mini rounds.”

“RAHZER THAT!”

Now he was giving orders.

At least in here, the Necromancer’s Dungeon—Meatshield was the commander.

The Dungeon Ruin Chimeras got sliced apart in the blink of an eye.

How were they supposed to hold out when multiple SSR attack-class summoned entities dogpiled them?

It wasn’t far now.

Soon, the necromancer would appear.

And the “plus alpha,” too.

Finally!

DING!

[You have completed the High-Difficulty Choice Mission.]

[Reward : Dwarven Orichalcum Leather Gauntlets of Technique.]

“Yes!”

It was an equipment item.

Gloves where leather and metal blended together.

‘Perfect timing. I didn’t have gloves.’

Since he needed it, he should equip it immediately.

Leather lining inside, metal plates and studs outside.

He could move his fingers freely.

[Would you like to continue the Extreme-Difficulty Choice Mission?]

“Keep it going!”

The passage bent right again.

Up ahead, he could see part of a huge open space.

Probably the dungeon’s end.

Before they went in—

“Dismiss Summon, Blood Wolf.”

SPOT!

“WAAH?”

With Blood Wolf gone, Rajix’s squishy butt hit the floor with a THUD.

“Sorry, Rajix. From now on, you walk. You need exercise.”

“Hurk...”

They had to keep a seat open.

The big brother’s seat.

Juhyeok and the summoned entities entered the final room of the dungeon.

The sight that appeared—

‘It’s wider than I expected?’

He’d assumed dungeons were small, but—

An enormous space unfolded—big enough to swallow a school athletic field whole.

And the height?

It looked like at least 50 meters up to the ceiling.

And far off in the distance, the mission target.

A bald head. A face full of wrinkles. A hunched back. A strange staff studded with dangling skulls—an elderly man.

“The chimera guardians were annihilated, so I thought a dragon had invaded... but it was adventurers.”

It was 8-circle Necromancer Norma.

<Necromancer Norma>

Rank : SSR+++ (Top-Tier Special Super Rare)

Type : Necromancer (Human)

‘...Top-tier SSR?’

That meant stronger than his summoned entities.

If it had been 9-circle, it might’ve been a legend.

For Floor 72, the difficulty was pretty high.

It had to be.

This was a choice mission.

If you cleared only the Basic mission, you didn’t have to meet Norma at all.

There was no reason to do the Extreme-Difficulty choice mission.

If it weren’t for the Clear Rank evaluation and item rewards, Juhyeok wouldn’t have come this far.

“You fools have no fear. Do you think the kingdom will grant you a reward if you kill me? Do you even know who stands behind me?”

Juhyeok answered Norma’s sneer.

“Uh... isn’t the King of the Norton Kingdom behind you?”

“...Hm? How do you know that—did the king betray me? That can’t be.”

He knew because he could see it.

Necromancer Norma accepted a commission from the King of the Norton Kingdom to restore, reinforce, and grow the superior magical beast Hydra. For that purpose, Norma received the fresh corpse of a superior magical beast Hydra that had been subjugated 50 years ago, handed over by the Norton Kingdom. Thanks to outstanding preservation magic, it did not rot even after 50 years.

Norma’s superior magical beast restoration was on the brink of completion. A monumental endeavor requiring an immense budget and the consumption of at least 1,000 living souls of young children.

If Norma successfully revived the dead soul to animate the superior magical beast hatchling corpse, then completed reinforcement and growth, it would become a strategic weapon even dragons could not ignore.

“Heh-heh-heh... fine! What does it matter? I was just short a few souls—and you fools will be perfect to birth a flawless superior magical beast Hydra.”

Juhyeok frowned deeply.

Norma smiled wetly.

“Are you frightened? Then you should not have come here. A fool who doesn’t know his place—calling himself an adventurer and daring to enter my dungeon?”

Scary...

There was a word that kept stepping on his ear.

Superior magical beast Hydra.

‘Where have I heard that?’

His memory was hazy.

“Perfect timing. With your souls—”

“Um, hold on a second.”

“Hm?”

Juhyeok, looking apologetic—

“Could you stay quiet for just a moment? Something’s on the tip of my tongue, but you keep talking and it won’t come to me.”

“Hah!”

Necromancer Norma’s face twisted in disbelief.

So absurd that Norma couldn’t even find words to answer.

“Let’s see if you remain insolent after you witness this.”

“Damn it—I was almost there.”

“...Then I shall introduce it myself. The masterpiece of I, Necromancer Norma— the superior magical beast Hydra, resurrected after 50 years.”

Norma raised the staff.

“Reinforced with a dragon’s bones and scales, and I placed a soul orb holding the living souls of 985 children into its heart.”

Then, from one corner of the vast chamber—

THUD... THUD... THUD...

A gigantic lifeform walked out.

A monster with nine heads.

“Become my Hydra’s sacrifice here.”

<superior magical beast Hydra>

Rank : SSR+ (Upper-Mid Special Super Rare)

Type : superior magical beast

That was when—

Meatshield’s body twitched, trembling like an aspen.

‘What’s with him?’

The moment Meatshield saw the superior magical beast Hydra, his complexion changed.

Was that Hydra really that strong?

Since info popped up, there would be description too.

A superior magical beast Hydra subjugated 50 years ago when King Arius of Norton was still a hero. Back then it was still only a hatchling—just a baby. Even so, subjugating a superior magical beast made the hero’s popularity soar into the sky, and that became the stepping stone that led to the throne.

Now it was resurrected in an adult body with its soul restored through necromancy. But there was a truth no one knew: 50 years ago, the one who drove the superior magical beast to the brink of death wasn’t the hero. In truth, it was an unnamed barbarian warrior of the Great Plains.

“...Ah!”

A scene flashed through his head.

A barbarian warrior fighting a nine-headed Hydra.

And a group of humans behind him, watching with vile eyes.

Now he remembered.

Meatshield’s background description.

Fooled by a fake hero’s deception, chosen as a meat shield for the fight against the nine-headed superior magical beast Hydra.

Meatshield fought bravely, ripping off the Hydra’s heads—only to meet death in the end from accumulated acid-breath damage.

This was Meatshield’s world.

A world where 50 years had passed after he died.

“Meatshield— is that the Hydra from back then?”

“It is. It changed, but it is the one that killed me.”

In that instant!

SHHHHHK!

Meatshield enlarged, swelling his body through Enlarge.

“I face that one alone.”

What? Alone?

That massive thing?

“W-Wait. That superior magical beast Hydra isn’t the same as back then. It’s stronger now because of necromancy.”

“Warrior is stronger too. Because of Summoner.”

Sure, but—

“If Summoner orders warrior not to, warrior will not. But warrior asks Summoner. Warrior wants to face it alone.”

“...Uh...”

This was a dilemma.

The superior magical beast Hydra was SSR+, upper-mid SSR.

If those two fought, who would win?

It would be a brutal fight either way.

Meatshield might even get pushed back.

Worry gnawed at him.

Back then Meatshield had died with his body melted by acid poison.

Now the poison would be even stronger.

And given Meatshield’s nature, he wouldn’t dodge poison while fighting.

Juhyeok signaled the other summoned entities with his eyes.

Try to stop him.

“Uh, Meatshield, Master Bong—”

“Be quiet. Assassin. You protect Summoner in my place. I ask you.”

“Yessir! ...FIGHTING!”

No—why are you getting persuaded?

“Meatshield, trust your comrades. Even a sheet of paper is easier to lift with two people.”

“Meatshield, I’ll at least provide covering fire.”

“Meatshield! Lift me, Bardin! Are we not one body?”

“HURK?!”

Meatshield stayed silent.

He only looked at Juhyeok.

As if asking for permission.

Juhyeok could feel it.

Meatshield’s unshakable will.

Was he trying to overcome the past—when he’d been tricked by a fake hero and reduced to a meat shield?

‘Wait.’

Fake hero.

And now he was the king?

‘Don’t tell me the next mission is—’

Meanwhile—

8-circle Necromancer Norma, watching the scene, was dumbfounded.

Truly insolent adventurers.

They were fooling around with each other without even considering Norma.

“Heh-heh-heh-heh—insolent fools. Are you deliberately mocking me?”

Juhyeok snapped back angrily.

“Oh, come on! You keep yapping at the side—noisy! I’m worried sick here.”

“...What?”

“Aaaah! Yes, yes, fine. I’ll bring you a conversation partner so you won’t be bored—so have a nice talk with that person.”

“You damned—!”

Norma raised the staff.

And Juhyeok whispered quietly.

“Designated Summon, Mad Demon.”

FWOOSH!

SPOT!

“Summoner.”

“Mad Demon.”

Mad Demon understood the situation the moment he was summoned.

His gaze turned toward Necromancer Norma.

“An old man who has learned vulgar arts.”

BWOOOOONG!

Mad Demon’s pressure filled the vast chamber.

“You dare point a staff at my summoner?”

A chill—hisssss.

Goosebumps rose across Norma’s bald head.

It felt like facing the lord of hell.

A 9-circle archmage?

No.

It looked far stronger than that.

“W-Who... who are you?”

Mad Demon ignored the question and strode forward.

Crushed by the pressure, Necromancer Norma had no choice but to stumble backward.

Juhyeok also gave Meatshield permission to act alone.

He even promised: fight alone, and they wouldn’t interfere.

What choice did he have?

Meatshield’s will was that firm.

THUD THUD THUD THUD!

Meatshield advanced toward the resurrected superior magical beast Hydra.

Cossack scratched his head and said,

“What we do?”

“What do you think? We watch the situation, then jump in from behind.”

“...From behind? Meatshield gonna say something. You promised too.”

Promises were made to be broken.

Have you ever seen a weak man keep a promise?

“Then you want to just leave him to fight alone? We go in first and apologize later.”

“Got it. This Cossack—expert at attacking from behind. Also good at side attacks.”

Letting Meatshield fight alone while he withdrew like a coward?

Not happening.

He wasn’t going to create that tragedy again.

But where had Rajix gone?

He’d been here a second ago.

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