China.

The newly appointed Chairman Wang Yuan died at the hands of Bai Long, a Player from the same country, before even completing two months of the term.

A power vacuum had to be filled quickly.

At an emergency session of the Chinese Communist Party’s National Congress of Representatives, a new leader was elected.

Chairman Liu Zhao of China.

Seventy-eight years old this year.

Very frail, but with that came a great deal of experience.

So the governing stance also focused on stability.

Chairman Liu Zhao received a report from the Minister of China’s Special Public Security Department.

“...Something happened in North Korea?”

“Yes. We heard Chairman Kim collapsed and fell into a vegetative state.”

“How credible is it? Where did that information leak from?”

“From Chairman Kim’s closest circle. Naturally, it’s our side.”

“Hm.”

North Korea too?

Did East Asia get cursed?

China, too, had lost two leaders in less than a year.

Chairman Lin Chaoming and Chairman Wang Yuan.

Even so, there hadn’t been major turmoil.

China wasn’t some fragile political system that would collapse because one leader died.

But North Korea was different.

In Chairman Kim Injung’s case, a succession structure still wasn’t established.

If things went wrong, North Korea’s political landscape could plunge into total chaos.

“How should we respond?”

“Well....”

From China’s standpoint, North Korea was a chicken bone stuck in the throat.

Maybe not in the past, but now its usefulness had dropped sharply.

A new Black Tower with North Korean nationality had been established.

If North Korea had tower-climbing know-how like South Korea, that would be one thing—but the situation was worse than China’s.

If China installed a pro-China regime in North Korea?

That meant one more tower China had to carry.

The Black Tower in Pyongyang, cleared up to Floor 62.

It would be a puppet regime in all but name, so China would have to take responsibility.

“Leave North Korea alone. They’ll handle it.”

“There is also the possibility that Korea intervenes.”

“...”

That was actually the most troublesome issue.

Korea was different from China.

A country that could handle it no matter how many towers existed.

If, by some chance,

Korea began unification talks with North Korea in exchange for clearing the Black Tower?

“Would they really intervene? Unification isn’t something you do in a day or two.”

That was true.

North and South were alien to each other in politics, society, and the economy.

The only thing they shared was that the language was mutually intelligible.

If anything, Japan—where the Korean Wave was raging these days—might feel closer.

Even if they tried, it would take a very long time.

So China could respond when that time came.

Right now, it was China’s stability.

And, on top of that, preventing three towers from collapsing.

That was the most urgent matter.

Chairman Liu Zhao didn’t have the luxury to spare attention for the Korean Peninsula.

*****

Juhyeok was still in Namyangju.

Clear Floor 74 from here, then go home.

“Floor 74, huh...”

Floors 71, 72, and 73 were floors connected to Meatshield.

Then would Floor 74 have a similar theme to the previous three?

A linked mission tied to the backstory of one of the summoned entities, leading into a rank breakthrough process.

If so, the target would be an SSR summoned entity.

Mr. Cossack, Gyeon Dallae, Veronica, Rajix, or Bardin—one of them.

“If we get another breakthrough rune this time too, it’ll probably cost a lot of Platinum Badges...”

Total accumulated Platinum Badges so far: 91.

After attaching them to summoned entities, there were 31 physical badges left.

It might drop under 10.

But there was no worry.

The summoned entities’ S+++ clears would remain unchanged.

And there was also the North Korea tower.

What, like there wouldn’t be anywhere to earn badges?

The summoned entities steeled themselves, too.

To be honest, when the shut-in alchemist Aliamari was summoned two weeks ago, they felt relieved inside.

An LSSR summoned entity was scheduled by random summoning.

If a combat class like a mage came out?

It would threaten their positions.

But it was a non-combat class.

Someone who stayed shut in a room and only brewed medicine.

Someone who didn’t even need to enter the tower.

How fortunate was that?

On top of that, America had gifted a Trait Enhancement Rune, increasing simultaneous summons to 8.

Could they finally relax?

Not a chance.

Complacency was forbidden.

In two weeks, there would be another random summoning.

Then the catalog list would grow to 10.

A month after that, it would be 11.

Unless something special happened, the number of summoned entities would inevitably increase.

But Trait Enhancement had limits.

Because the number of simultaneous summons was limited, if he wasn’t careful, someone would get ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) cut.

Just like Mad Demon had been—called alone in the middle of the night to drink.

They had to work hard and imprint their necessity into the summoner.

With that resolve, Juhyeok and the summoned entities entered the tower.

[Entering Republic of Korea Black Tower Floor 74.]

SPOT!

The environment was a forest.

And a narrow little trail.

“Pretty normal.”

Do they just follow the path?

This time, too, Meatshield naturally took the lead.

Up ahead, a very small clearing came into view.

And the path ended there.

“A dead end? When does the mission—”

In an instant, the mission list rose up.

“...Huh?”

“A mission popped?”

“Yes.”

It did pop, but—

“What’s the mission content—”

“Fox hunting.”

“A fox, then... you mean the Princess?”

“...Yeah, you bastard!!!”

Not a metaphor. A real fox.

First, the basic mission:

[Floor 74 Basic Mission: Defeat 30 Cute Three-Tailed Foxes.]

Three-tailed foxes.

Foxes with three tails.

And it wasn’t just the basic mission.

The additional optional mission, the high-difficulty option, and the ultra-high-difficulty option were all fox hunting too.

Three, five, seven, nine.

Three-tailed foxes, five-tailed foxes, seven-tailed foxes, and finally nine-tailed foxes.

“So we’re really going to catch a nine-tailed fox.”

For now, let’s keep walking.

When the group reached the small clearing—

SSSST!

The environment suddenly changed.

“Huh?”

Before they knew it, the area around Juhyeok and the summoned entities had turned into a flower field.

Mad Demon made a face like it understood.

“A formation.”

Gyeon Dallae nodded as well.

“That is so.”

A formation.

He didn’t really know what it was, but was it related to illusions?

Anyway—

“Where are the foxes supposed to be?”

In that moment!

Pop!

All at once, countless foxes... foxes? peeked out from the flower field.

“They’re people.”

And children, at that.

“This is a problem.”

But if you looked closer, they felt fox-like.

They had human forms, but the appearance was slightly different.

White triangular ears on both sides of the head.

Three tails attached to the hips.

“It is a shapeshifting art. When a fox cultivates to gain the Way—or consumes human livers—its tails increase one by one. From three tails onward, it can deploy the shapeshifting art.”

As expected of Princess Gyeon Dallae.

There’s nothing she doesn’t know.

Either way—

“Haa.”

Still, this isn’t right.

He’s supposed to kill them?

How?

Little fox children were playing in the flower field.

They ran around laughing, the very image of innocent kids.

“Hm.”

“Should we kill them?”

“Just give the order.”

“Senior Officer Veronica Caliber. Target acquisition complete.”

“WAAH!”

Of course, the summoned entities didn’t hesitate at all, but—

“Are they really fine with it? Even if they’re foxes, they look so pure...”

Right then!

Step-step, Gyeon Dallae walked forward.

“Their true forms will be nothing like this. They are bewitching you. The energy a fox uses for shapeshifting is on a different track from magic power, aura, or internal energy. Even Mad Demon likely cannot see through their true forms.”

Mad Demon agreed.

“The shaman is right. Even these old eyes see only children.”

“This girl will deploy a technique and see through their true forms.”

“Do we really need that? We can just kill them all.”

Gyeon Dallae gave a small smile and answered.

“Do you think this girl is worried about Mad Demon? I have no such heart.”

“...What?”

“I only wish not to disturb the young master’s mood.”

“...”

The meaning was clear.

It wasn’t for Mad Demon. So shut up and stay still.

“If we see through them, we will know. Whether they gained their tails through cultivation, or by human livers.”

With an elegant motion, Gyeon Dallae raised the bronze mirror hanging at her neck.

Then—

“I command you impure things—withdraw your bewitchment and reveal your true faces! Hurry, hurry, by the law!”

In that instant!

FWAAAH!

A brilliant light burst from the bronze mirror.

At the same time, the reality of the fox children was revealed.

“KYAAAAAK!”

“KRAK!”

“KIEK!”

“KKEUK!”

Whoa.

That startled him.

“As you can see, they are fiends. They became three-tailed foxes by consuming human livers. Each is a monster that has easily lived a hundred years.”

Stiff bristling fur, grotesque red eyes, sticky drool dripping from their mouths—razor teeth, flashing claws.

They were ugly to look at.

They didn’t resemble any fox Juhyeok had imagined.

Compared to them, Blood Wolf was basically a cute pet dog.

“WOOF-WOOF!”

Blood Wolf tensed up and lowered its stance.

“WAAH...”

Rajix, riding on its back, drew a golden pickaxe.

“They’re monsters.”

“They look like they’d rip out human livers real easy.”

“Pathetic vermin.”

“How dare they shapeshift into children and toy with people?”

“I’m going to put ten magic-bullets into each of their heads.”

Everyone was furious.

Juhyeok felt the burden lift.

“Deal with them. Fast.”

And the moment the words left his mouth—

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

Veronica’s magic gun spat fire.

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!

The three-tailed foxes’ heads burst like fireworks.

Bardin was already in Meatshield’s hand.

Swung with grand force, at the same time—

“Light!!!”

WHIIISH!

THUD!

A flail attack.

Mad Demon simply stood with hands behind the back.

No need to step in.

Why use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken?

Move when it’s time to catch the nine-tailed fox.

Meanwhile, Rajix rode Blood Wolf around in circles.

“WAAH!”

CHOP-CHOP-CHOP-CHOP!

He harvested herbs from the flower field.

Our reliable Rajix.

So that was why he’d pulled out the golden pickaxe.

He’d been ready to gather herbs.

With shut-in alchemist Mari around, herbs were needed—so he must have been harvesting like that.

Now that their true forms were known, there was nothing to hesitate over.

They were fox fiends that had eaten human livers, grown tails, and lived at least a hundred years.

[Cute Three-Tailed Foxes defeated 30/30]

[You have succeeded in the Floor 74 Basic Mission.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Reward: Magic Stones 1.4kg / high-grade Magic Stones 6kg]

But for other Players, it might be difficult.

They could be bewitched by illusion techniques.

[Would you like to continue the additional optional mission?]

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

Continue.

[Floor 74 Additional Optional Mission: Defeat 10 Lively Five-Tailed Foxes.]

SSSST!

The environment changed again.

This time, the courtyard of an old-fashioned grand manor.

And there, ten five-tailed fox girls appeared.

All ten.

Wearing clothes with shamelessly revealing cuts, like humans.

“Welcome.”

“Handsome big brother!”

“We’ve been waiting.”

“Let’s play already.”

Cossack shrugged.

“They’re foxes, but they’ve got good eyes. They called me handsome, didn’t they?”

“...”

Don’t engage.

One question, though.

If the Player was a woman?

“Then the gender would obviously change.”

Right.

Anyway, seeing ten of them together...

“They look like a girl group.”

“They do.”

“A ten-member sexy girl group, Sexy Fox Girls—what do you think? Worth debuting?”

Debuting, my ass.

Are you trying to start an agency?

Their true forms would be nothing like this, too.

This time, Gyeon Dallae raised the bronze mirror again.

“Oh? Unni, don’t do that.”

“I’m gonna get mad?”

“Put it away right now.”

“You crazy bitch—your tits are small too!”

Twitch.

Gyeon Dallae’s expression shifted slightly, but—

FWAAAH!

Light sprayed out, and their true forms were revealed.

“KYAOOOHHH!”

“GRRRK!”

“KKEKEK...”

Again, they were filthy fox monsters.

Twice the size of the three-tailed ones.

“Do not hesitate. They are foxes who ate human livers and grew tails.”

Juhyeok didn’t waver.

His will was hard as stone.

“Mr. Meatshield.”

At Juhyeok’s instruction—

“KUUOOOHHHH!”

Meatshield’s roar thundered out.

The five-tailed foxes charged, screeching like beasts.

GAK-GAK-GAK! GAK-GAK!

They clung to Meatshield, clawing and biting—did they leave even a single wound?

Ten of them went down fast.

The fight ended blandly.

[You have completed the additional optional mission.]

[Reward: Multinational Tower Use Ticket.]

“Yes!”

A Multinational Tower Use Ticket, for the first time in a while.

One of these was basically worth two badges.

[Would you like to continue the high-difficulty optional mission?]

“Of course!”

SSSST!

The environment changed again.

This time, inside the manor.

It looked like a banquet hall.

Music was playing.

A lavish banquet table was set in the center.

And five women were dancing.

[Floor 74 High-Difficulty Optional Mission: Defeat 5 Mature Seven-Tailed Foxes.]

And yet—

“Hm.”

“Mm.”

“Hmph.”

A heart swaying like reeds.

The seven-tailed foxes walked toward them, light and soft.

He didn’t know where to put his eyes.

Were they wearing clothes, or not?

“At that point, that counts as not wearing any.”

Overwhelming visuals.

Then swallowed it.

Juhyeok stared at empty distant mountains.

Even though there were no mountains inside the banquet hall.

Sometimes he stole glances from the corner of his eye.

But Cossack stared openly.

“Clearing Floor 74 was the right call.”

“...”

“They’re even more impressive than Senior Officer Veronica.”

“...”

At Cossack’s words, Veronica looked indignant and pushed her chest out, but it was hopeless.

Then—

“Enough!!! Everyone, get a grip.”

Gyeon Dallae’s thunderous scolding.

“Have you lost all discernment? Those are nothing but fiends. Are you not ashamed before the young master?”

Right.

Princess Gyeon Dallae was right a hundred times over.

“This girl must reveal the true forms of those fox bitches for you to come to your senses.”

She stepped forward with the bronze mirror again—

“Hey, Princess.”

“Speak.”

“Can’t you use the bronze mirror a little later?”

...Good idea?

Juhyeok almost nodded without thinking, but—

“...Why?”

“Uh. If you keep using it, it might break.”

“How would a mirror break?”

“Well, like... it could crack.”

Right.

Overuse could overload it and crack it.

“Mr. Cossack.”

“Yes.”

“If you don’t want to die, be quiet.”

“Yes!”

Gyeon Dallae’s gaze turned sharp enough to sting.

Just because she was a support shaman didn’t mean anyone could look down on her.

If she wanted, she had the ability to kill anyone with certainty.

Flying death.

Of course, she wouldn’t get out unscathed either.

But if you allowed her flying death, you died. Guaranteed.

Even Mad Demon likely wouldn’t survive.

“How vulgar you are. It is shameful before the young master.”

Juhyeok pretended not to hear.

If he took a side here, he’d get dragged in too.

“...Uh, why are you only picking on me?”

Wait, are you dragging me in?

“Mad Demon is staring just as hard.”

Huff—

Mad Demon had been blankly watching the foxes, then flinched when his name was mentioned.

“Hm? What did I do? This one was only sharpening the eyes to see through the foxes’ technique.”

“As if.”

“...Heh heh heh. Fine. Then it works out. My hands were itching anyway—this time, instead of foxes, I’ll hunt an assassin.”

Then—

FWAAAAAAH!

Light burst from the bronze mirror.

The mature seven-tailed foxes vanished.

In their place were five bipedal fox fiends.

Hunched backs, knife-like claws, long tongues, yellow eyes—each looked easily over two meters tall.

And that mouth, especially.

Torn all the way back to the ears—big enough to chew up an entire human head with ease.

“...Let’s do this.”

The mood was ruined.

The battle began immediately.

“Meatshield, taunt!”

“KUUOOOHHHH!”

The seven-tailed foxes latched onto Meatshield at once.

ZZZING!

A blade of energy formed on the seven-tailed foxes’ claws.

SHHK! SHHKKK!

Meatshield’s body was shredded.

The pitch-black armor split open.

Of course, it regenerated quickly.

But it wasn’t trivial.

With seven tails, they weren’t something to scoff at.

Still, steady and methodical.

One at a time.

Cut down by Cossack’s dagger, blown apart by Veronica’s magic gun.

Mad Demon still didn’t move.

He just stayed close at Juhyeok’s side.

[You have completed the high-difficulty optional mission.]

[Reward: Tower Floor Intrusion Ticket.]

So today’s one of those days.

Two tickets already.

Now the last remaining ultra-high-difficulty mission.

[Floor 74 Ultra-High-Difficulty Optional Mission: Defeat the thousand-year nine-tailed fox, bound in knots and restrained.]

A restrained nine-tailed fox.

No idea why it was tied up, but—

“It’s about time this old man moved.”

Absolutely.

It’s a nine-tailed fox.

“Continue!”

SSSST!

The environment changed again.

This time, a dark basement.

And in the center— a nine-tailed fox bound by sacred straw rope wrapped with talismans.

“...Huh.”

A completely different appearance from before.

Not a child.

Not a girl.

Not a mature woman.

A white-haired old crone, face full of wrinkles.

And—

“...Master?”

The voice came from Gyeon Dallae.

Eyes shaking uncontrollably.

What?

The nine-tailed fox was Gyeon Dallae’s master?

Now he finally understood.

The theme of Floor 74 was Gyeon Dallae.

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