The giant monster zone—

the 80th floors of the Black Tower.

On the 82nd floor, giant monster Apophis appears.

In every tower around the world.

Since there had been no difficulty adjustment, it should be similar to Behemoth—or perhaps just a little harder.

For Rajix’s practical training, Juhyeok and the summoned entities climbed Tower No. 2.

[Entering Republic of Korea Black Tower (NO.2) 82nd Floor.]

Tower No. 2’s 82nd floor had no special rewards attached.

There was no hidden mission either.

[82nd Floor Mission: Defeat 1 giant monster Apophis.]

[Time Limit: Within 15 hours.]

[Completion Condition: giant monster Apophis 0/1]

SHASHASHASHASH.

giant monster Apophis appeared inside the underground cavern.

First, Juhyeok recorded Apophis’s full body on his smartphone.

The second monster of the giant monster zone.

People needed to see just how enormous this thing really was.

Before the assault, Juhyeok and the summoned entities gathered to devise a plan.

“First, we need to make Rajix understand that Apophis is nothing but small fry.”

Less than an earthworm.

A creature that could not harm him in the slightest.

That truth needed to be engraved into Rajix’s mind.

“We must go all out from the start.”

“Correct. Instant annihilation. Everyone, use your finishing moves.”

“Let’s open with a heavy round.”

“Mad Demon, use that ominous crescent-shaped aura of yours too—”

“No, I’ll charge in with my body. He needs to feel the impact.”

“This warrior will hold it down.”

“Let Blood Wolf join the fight and tear into it.”

Rajix, trembling violently while gripping a long pole, stared at Apophis’s massive form.

He had already chugged courage potions and mental fortification elixirs by the handful—

yet he was still like this.

Overcoming past trauma was that difficult.

Even for an all-purpose handyman.

“What are you doing, cosmic farmhand!”

“WAAH...”

“Stay strong. Once we kill that snake bastard, we’ll soak it in liquor. We’ll give it to Summoner Bong—do you know how good snake liquor is for stamina?”

“That’s right, laborer. We need to get our summoner married.”

“...??”

“Quartermaster, Veronica Caliber will protect you.”

Juhyeok hugged Rajix tightly and spoke.

“Watch carefully. See how we deal with that thing.”

All right. Time to move.

For overwhelming suppression.

“Let’s go!”

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!

“UOOOOOOOO!!!”

Giant-sized Meatshield charged straight at Apophis.

“KYAAAARGH!”

At the same time—

ZIIING!

CRRRRZZZZT!

FWOOSH!

A heavy shell fired by Veronica Caliber.

KWA-BOOOOM!

Meatshield wrapped his arms tightly around Apophis’s massive body as it writhed from the damage.

But the serpent coiled itself and began to constrict him.

PATPATPATPAT!

Gyeon Dallae’s Binding Talismans flew out one after another and latched on.

Next, Mad Demon—armed with that blood-red aura—plunged both hands deep into Apophis’s relatively soft belly.

“KRAAAAGH!”

Covered in blood, Mad Demon ripped organs out from within.

Apophis thrashed violently in agony.

Bardin smashed his Radiance Flail down onto the monster’s massive skull.

CRACK!

“GRRRROOO!”

CRRRRUNCH!

Blood Wolf bit down on the tip of Apophis’s tail and refused to let go.

Jepetto sank his fangs into the serpent’s body.

Diamat cast a dream-based curse.

Juhyeok joined in as well, for the first time in a while.

He released lightning-attribute homunculi to harass Apophis.

CRACK! BZZZ!

It really was strong.

A giant monster, after all.

As it twisted and resisted, people were thrown aside like leaves.

Yet they clung on stubbornly—

ignoring defense entirely and attacking relentlessly.

Everyone fought at full power.

At last, Apophis fell into a near-death state.

“Huff... puff... See? I told you. Total small fry. Perfect chance to show the dignity of the cosmic farmhand.”

“...WAAH...”

Still trembling.

“Come over here, Rajix.”

“One step is all it takes. Show us the proud spirit of the cosmic farmhand.”

“This old man will help! Come closer—strike its head!”

“A laborer is already a warrior!”

“Quartermaster!!!”

“Woof! Woof! WOOF!”

Rajix stood there, his face twisted in fear.

It was understandable.

If trauma were that easy to overcome, it would not be trauma—it would just be a bad memory.

Still, Rajix gathered what courage he could.

Looking at the other summoned entities, he took one step... then another.

Hesitating, trembling, eyes squeezed shut, he moved forward little by little.

Gripping the long-pole pickaxe with both hands, he toddled toward Apophis.

“All right, applause!”

PATPATPATPAT!

“Well done! Well done!”

“The cosmic farmhand is advancing! Bow your heads!”

“That’s it! One more step!”

“We love you, Quartermaster!”

“Aww, so brave.”

“Light!!!”

“Woof!”

Rajix moved forward bit by bit—very slowly.

Extremely encouraging progress.

Compared to before, when he could not even look at the monster, this was a huge leap.

Then—

Ding!

[giant monster Apophis 1/1]

[82nd Floor Mission Cleared.]

[Level Up.]

[Reward: 82 kg of high-grade Magic Stones.]

The completion message appeared.

Had they beaten it too hard?

[World Announcement: Black Tower NO.2 (Korea) 82nd Floor cleared with Rank S+++.]

[S+++ Clear Reward: 2 Platinum Badges have been granted.]

Even so, Juhyeok was very satisfied.

Even though Rajix had not dealt even 1% damage to Apophis.

Could anyone be full on the first bite?

What mattered was that Rajix had taken a brave first step.

Rajix’s training continued.

At the very least, he had learned to walk.

Now he needed to face Apophis directly.

What remained was dealing 10% damage.

That was the hard part.

What weapon should he use?

Preferably something that allowed distance.

A bow? Veronica Caliber’s magic gun?

But Rajix was non-combat.

No skills, no proficiency.

So they devised an extended-length pickaxe.

To ease his fear by letting him strike from afar.

A pickaxe head firmly fixed to the end of an extremely long pole.

Rajix only needed to do what he was best at.

His mining ability was exceptional.

He shattered rocks with a pickaxe to extract high-grade Magic Stones—

Thus began Rajix’s daily intensive training.

When tower entry limits were reached?

Virtual training inside White Tower Floor 17.

Cossack acted as drill instructor.

Meatshield played Apophis.

Wearing a snake mask, Meatshield lay flat on the ground.

A mask alone would not make him a real snake, but

Gyeon Dallae’s Illusion Talismans made up the difference.

Slapped onto his forehead, he transformed into something close to Apophis.

Meatshield writhed on the ground, imitating a snake.

Wiggle, wiggle.

Before him stood Rajix, holding the long-pole pickaxe.

“It’s a snake. Healthy, tasty snake.”

Wiggle.

Meatshield advanced while twisting his body—

utterly serious.

Cossack, wearing sunglasses, pointed and barked orders.

“Strike! Hard! Like you’re smashing a snake’s head!”

“H-hoeeeh...”

Juhyeok too—

...

“Rajix, just try hitting it once. Hard!”

“H-hoeeeh...”

The other summoned entities joined in.

“Strike!”

“You may strike.”

“Come!”

“STRIKE!!!”

Voices came from all sides.

Startled, Rajix swung the long-pole pickaxe—

Whoosh!

CRACK!

A perfect hit.

Right where the illusion talisman was.

Then—

TSHHT.

The illusion faded.

Meatshield’s real face appeared—

with the pickaxe embedded in his forehead.

“HUAAAAAA!”

Rajix’s hands shook violently.

Understandable—

he had just smashed a comrade in the head himself.

CLATTER!

The pickaxe dropped to the ground.

With teary, trembling eyes, Rajix toddled toward Meatshield.

“WAAH...”

As if apologizing, he hugged Meatshield’s head tightly.

“It’s fine, laborer. Not even a scratch. You can hit harder.”

“H-hoeeeng!”

Overcome with guilt, Rajix burst into tears.

Meatshield patted him reassuringly.

“It doesn’t hurt. Don’t cry. A warrior understands a laborer’s heart.”

But Cossack sneered.

“How touching. Are we filming a third-rate melodrama? Bad acting, not fun, no tears.”

“Look. There’s not even any blood. You should’ve at least punched a hole through Meatshield’s skull.”

“Stop blubbering. You need to grow tougher.”

He was not wrong.

A hole in the head would have been better.

So Juhyeok stepped in.

“Let’s change roles.”

“Change? Then Bardin—”

“No. Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Cossack will play Apophis.”

“...What?”

“I think Rajix wants that too.”

“Hoee!”

“You heard him.”

“Uh...”

Cossack’s eyes darted around.

Step—

his foot slid back.

He was about to bolt.

“Grab him.”

SHWAAAAK!

Mad Demon blocked the escape route.

THUMP!

Meatshield sprang up and grabbed Cossack’s legs.

POP!

Cossack leapt into the air—

Skywalker.

Mad Demon flew up as well.

Void leap.

PATPATPATPAT!

He did not get far.

Gyeon Dallae’s Binding Talisman wrapped around him.

Thus, the role swap was complete.

Cossack—tightly bound—began imitating a snake.

An illusion talisman slapped onto his forehead as well.

“Since we’re here anyway, I’ll show you some method acting.”

“KYAAAH!”

He flicked his tongue and crawled forward.

“KYAK KYAK! KYAKYAKYAK!”

“H-hoet?!”

Startled, Rajix instinctively raised the pole and smashed Cossack.

PAK!

“...Ueek?”

PAK!

“Guhk? Why—Meatshield only got hit once—aaagh!”

PAK PAK PAK PAK!

Training proceeded smoothly.

The next day, Rajix’s intensive trauma-recovery training continued.

And once again, they visited Tower No. 2’s 82nd floor—the live training ground.

Repeated clearing missions.

Beating giant monster Apophis—bigger than a train.

In truth, Rajix still remembered everything vividly.

Exactly how he had died in the labyrinth.

He had been swallowed whole.

After their eyes met, his body froze, unable to move at all.

After that—total darkness.

His entire body melted away in the monster’s stomach acid.

At the moment of death,

a contract proposal arrived.

I will give you a chance to live again.

Wait in the world of souls. When the summoner calls you, help him save the world.

He agreed.

For Rajix, helping someone was instinctive.

He had been a laborer since the moment he was born.

The world of souls.

Others called it the Infinite Prison.

That seemed accurate.

Aside from communicating, there was nothing he could do.

Then he met the Summoner.

The short time spent with him—

was the happiest period of Rajix’s existence.

And his comrades.

They did not discriminate against him and treated him as an equal.

It was more than he deserved, but they acknowledged him as the cosmic farmhand.

He was even a resident of White Tower Floor 17.

He would not have to return to the Infinite Prison anymore?

He thought all that remained was a ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) peaceful, happy life together.

But then crisis struck.

A ghost from the past, encountered in the Tower.

He thought he had forgotten.

He thought he would never meet it again.

He was afraid.

He wanted to run away.

But the Summoner had encouraged him to overcome his trauma.

If so, then he had to overcome it.

What was there to fear?

So many people were helping him.

The dependable barbarian warrior had already overcome his own trauma by punishing the Hydra and the con man who had deceived him on the 71st, 72nd, and 73rd floors.

That gentle fairy princess had also slain her nemesis and rescued her Teacher on the 74th, 75th, and 76th floors.

And the assassin?

He had been killed by his own father.

The pain of that loss was beyond imagining—

yet he overcame it.

So Rajix stepped forward bravely.

Ahead of him lay Apophis, bound and unable to move.

His comrades had beaten the monster to within an inch of its life.

A few more hits and it would die.

But fear engraved into the soul—

why was taking even a single step so difficult?

Those yellow eyes.

That flicking tongue.

Still, he went forward.

At least until the long-pole pickaxe could reach.

And then—

He hesitated.

“Hoeee...”

He raised the pole high overhead.

Gulp!

His comrades tensed.

Rajix glanced sideways.

He saw the Summoner, eyes filled with worry.

I must not make him worry.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

Whoosh!

THOK!

He finally landed a hit.

At the same time—

PATPATPATPAT PATPATPATPAT!

Thunderous applause erupted.

“Hooray!!!”

“Well done!”

“A truly astonishing blow!”

“Light!”

“Woof woof!”

“Quartermaster, you’re the best!”

Juhyeok met Rajix’s eyes and gave him a thumbs-up.

Hoeee...

Strength surged through Rajix.

The first time was the hardest.

What about the second?

“Huuek!”

He swung wildly.

PAK! PAK! PAK! PAK!

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

What was this?

The Summoner was right.

Small fry.

He did not know exactly what the word meant, but it clearly meant something utterly insignificant.

Yes.

This thing was trivial.

Small fry.

“Huueeek!!!”

He began to pummel it—

like mining ore.

THUD THUD, THUD THUD THUD, THUD THUD, THUD THUD THUD.

Rhythmic blows.

He felt exhilarated.

This time, let’s hit harder.

He swung the pole behind his head.

HISSSSS.

Drawing on the core strength honed through mining, herb gathering, and cleaning—

ZPPIRIT!

A powerful downward strike!

CRACK!

The recoil sent Rajix’s body lifting into the air.

“Nice. Worth getting hit instead of Meatshield.”

“You might even learn martial arts at this rate.”

CRACK, CRACK, CRACK.

He struck without pause.

Summoner, are you watching?

I overcame it.

Then—

[giant monster Apophis 1/1]

[82nd Floor Mission Cleared.]

[Reward: 82 kg of high-grade Magic Stones.]

“...Hoeng?”

Already?

No—now was not the time.

Before the exit message appeared—

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!

Rajix dashed toward Apophis’s corpse, which had died in an instant.

The know-how he had accumulated skinning basilisks and wyverns—

He quickly pulled out the golden flaying knife from his subspace backpack.

Slice, slice.

He separated flesh from hide at the head.

“Hoee?”

Rajix signaled to Meatshield with his eyes.

“Ah! Got it.”

Meatshield grabbed the hide.

Rajix pointed toward the tail.

Hold it and run!

“Hoek!!!”

THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD!

Meatshield sprinted at terrifying speed.

RRRRRRIP!

The hide peeled away in one go.

TUMBLE TUMBLE TUMBLE—

Rajix rolled along with it.

But—

Hoeee...

Not enough time.

He had not even skinned a quarter of it.

No choice.

At least this much.

SLICE!

Rajix cut the hide midway and stuffed it into his subspace backpack.

[You may challenge the 83rd floor.]

[Exiting the Republic of Korea Black Tower (NO.2).]

SPOT!

Juhyeok and the party emerged back at the penthouse.

PATPATPATPAT PATPATPATPAT!

The applause continued even after exiting.

He had completely overcome his trauma.

And on top of that, he had even skinned part of the monster.

Rajix puffed out his chest, breathing heavily in his usual way.

His chest swelled proudly.

Preparations were complete.

Rajix—the brave one who had conquered his fear.

Together, they headed for Tower No. 1, where the special mission awaited.

Missions appeared in succession.

[82nd Floor Hidden Mission: Summoned Entity Rajix’s Revenge Against Apophis.]

[Completion Condition: Rajix deals at least 10% of Apophis’s total HP in damage 0/10%]

“Are you confident?”

“Hoek!”

“You can step on Apophis, right?”

“Hoek!”

“Then let’s go.”

“Hoek!”

The raid began.

RIIIP!

The Item Additional Acquisition Ticket was torn.

[Additional Item Acquisition effect applied.]

[Rewards increase from a minimum of 2x to a maximum of 10x.]

[Does not apply to tickets or rune items.]

A sturdy golden safety helmet.

Eyes gleaming.

Resolute steps.

A long-pole pickaxe clenched tight.

“Hooouuu, hooou!”

A resounding roar!

Rajix—reborn as a warrior.

The summoned entities clung to Apophis’s massive body.

Then Gyeon Dallae’s Binding Talismans—one, two, three—latched on, freezing the monster completely.

Rajix strode forward.

Apophis’s head entered the attack range of the long-pole pickaxe.

Rajix swung.

Whoosh!

The blow struck Apophis’s skull.

CRACK!

One hit.

Whoosh!

CRACK!

Two hits.

Whoosh!

CRACK!

Three hits.

[Rajix has dealt at least 10% of Apophis’s total HP in damage 1%/10%]

Three swings shaved off 1%.

Twenty-seven hits to go.