The great catastrophe that struck Chongqing, China.

A liberated player rampaged through the city streets wielding a chamado.

Countless sacrifices were needed just to stop that one person.

A single liberated player slaughtered more than fifty people—an unprecedented and shocking disaster.

It happened in broad daylight.

There were many witnesses.

As a result, the media couldn’t suppress it.

Only then did people truly realize

just how terrifying a player with liberated power could be.

And the Chongqing incident was only the beginning.

In Shanghai, the Public Security Bureau headquarters was attacked by two liberated players.

After that came Tianjin, Xi’an, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xinjiang Uyghur...

Large and small incidents involving liberated players broke out one after another all across China.

The entire world was stunned.

What if something like that happened in their own country?

In Korea, news of the Chinese situation broke through the media as urgent coverage.

<The fears we dreaded have finally become reality—China thrown into nationwide chaos>

<The power of liberated players—Chinese public security cut down like Tower monsters>

<Barely neutralized with anti-materiel sniper rifles; if they had been wearing armor or defensive gear, who knows what would have happened>

<Korea is not safe either—countermeasures urgently needed>

There was no need to rely on the media alone.

It was spreading rapidly through SNS as well.

Juhyeok also saw the news on White Tower Floor 17.

After sending Rajix off, he had been idling around aimlessly. Out of boredom, he turned on the TV—

“Holy hell...”

How could something like that happen?

He had expected something like this might occur, but still—

In fact, he had already heard about it from Commissioner Jeon Gwangil.

That Liberation Rune Necklaces appeared unusually often in the Chinese Tower,

and that there were even rumors of them dropping from the lower floors.

He had assumed it was because of China’s massive population, but...

“This is the administrators’ doing, right?”

Anyone could tell at a glance.

“That’s right. Those bastards definitely rigged it.”

“I believe so as well.”

“I know because I once sided with them back when I was the Succubus Queen. Only administrators can structure reward items like that.”

“These sons of bitches—”

“One day, I’ll definitely drop a meteor right onto their heads.”

The summoned entities all raised their voices, condemning the administrators.

Juhyeok was furious inside as well.

Instead of managing the Tower properly, why the hell were they scattering items like that into the real world?

And on the lower floors, no less—abnormally so.

“Wow, what a backstab. What? Normalization? This is normalization?”

“Calm yourself. Your blood pressure is rising.”

“The most abnormal ones are always the ones pretending to be normal.”

“The former administrators and the new ones—they’re all the same.”

“In the end, this old man was right. World conquest! If we had done that, then no matter how much the administrators ran wild—”

“Sir, are you pouring oil on a burning house right now?”

Among the four-item gift set awarded for clearing the 71st floor,

the item with the highest probability was the Liberation Rune Necklace.

The Ring of Appearance Transformation, the Elixir of Rejuvenation, and the Disease-Curing Potion had extremely low drop rates.

It was a blatantly intentional reward design.

The Liberation Rune Necklace was a cursed object.

It stimulated a player’s desires and pushed them to do things they did not need to do.

It was no different from handing out pistols to people already fighting over noise complaints between floors.

In the United States, hundreds of gun-related incidents happen every day.

In Korea, they almost never happen.

Why?

Because there are no guns in Korea.

Instead, there are many stabbing incidents.

Why?

Because there are knives.

If Liberation Rune Necklaces started spreading through Korea right now...

No—

they would spread.

The probability was extremely high.

And that was exactly what the administrators were aiming for.

Korea was close to China.

People traveled back and forth frequently.

That’s right.

If Liberation Rune Necklaces started spreading, Korea would be among the most vulnerable.

How were you supposed to detect a player’s inventory when it didn’t even show up in airport security scans?

Of course, China’s situation was the most severe,

but Juhyeok was more worried about it spreading into Korea.

After all, the thorn under your own fingernail hurt the most.

And more than anything, what infuriated him was this—

Did they really have no choice but to sit here and swallow the administrators’ filthy schemes?

Don’t get agitated.

Calm down and steady your mind.

“Is there any way to neutralize the Liberation Rune Necklace?”

At Juhyeok’s quietly spoken question,

Mackenzie’s ears twitched.

“Hmm... it might work if we bind the mana itself.”

Huh?

Bind mana?

“Do you remember the magic scroll I showed you before?”

“...Ah! You mean that spell-whatever thing?”

“Spell Power Binding Block—a spell that binds the target’s mana for a fixed period of time.”

Spell Power—mana.

Binding—bind.

Block—seal.

Mackenzie pulled several rolled sheets of paper from inside his robes.

At a glance, they just looked like ordinary paper.

And this could bind mana?

“Would that really work? The Liberation Rune Necklace is an item permitted by the system.”

Juhyeok had his doubts.

Could human magic really violate the laws of the system?

“Of course, we can’t directly interfere with the activation of skills or items.”

“Then?”

“I’m talking about the mana generated after activation. In other words, the player’s mana itself.”

Hmm.

“So you can’t stop the item from activating... but you can control the mana that manifests afterward?”

Mackenzie answered confidently.

“With a Spell Power Binding Block scroll, it can be sealed.”

Hearing it that way, it sounded extraordinary.

An item just as powerful as a mana EMP.

“That must be rare, then.”

“Well, not really.”

“What?”

“Doesn’t everyone usually keep a few scrolls at home?”

“They’re not particularly difficult to make either. As long as you have special paper and ink, you can draw them.”

Draw them.

So they were common.

At least, in another world.

“It was the same in the world I lived in.”

The magitech engineer El chimed in as well.

“Everyone carried a few scrolls. For example, Light or Fire Tip scrolls. They were like flashlights or lighters on Earth.”

So they were everyday necessities.

“However, the Spell Power Binding Block scroll does have its limitations.”

What was it?

“There are countermeasures. Magic scrolls have a simple structure, and they don’t contain the will of a mage’s incantation.”

Mackenzie moistened his dry lips slightly and continued.

“And the higher the level—meaning the greater the mana—the shorter the duration becomes and the higher the failure rate. Against SSR rank, or 7-circle mages and top-tier sword experts and above, the spell doesn’t work at all.”

So it might not work?

“However, that won’t matter for Earth’s players. It will work on them without fail.”

But there was another issue.

“Still, would one scroll be enough? Even if you draw them by hand, the time it would take—”

“It’s possible.”

“Huh?”

How?

“A mage, an alchemist, and a magitech engineer are all gathered in one place. Is there such a thing as impossible?”

That was true.

And all of them were LSSR.

Suddenly, his chest swelled with confidence.

Why was he even worrying with people like this around?

Juhyeok, Juhyeok.

You still had a long way to go before becoming a real man.

“Summoner, just give the order. If you decide, we’ll find a way. We’ll make even the impossible possible.”

“Hmm.”

Just then,

the Mad Demon tilted his head and spoke to Mackenzie.

“All well and good... but what if our Summoner gets hit by the magic scroll?”

“Magitech engineer El froze along with the Gigant when he used the mana EMP. What’s the countermeasure if the Summoner gets caught in the scroll’s area of effect?”

“Ah!”

As if he had understood immediately, Mackenzie removed the necklace he was wearing and spoke.

“I’ll give you this necklace.”

“What is it?”

“A Necklace of Magic Resistance. This is actually the countermeasure. It repels all scroll magic—attack spells and debuffs alike.”

Yes.

A free item.

“Please come here. I’ll put it on you.”

Juhyeok stepped toward Mackenzie.

“Ahem! You, with your outstanding character and benevolent heart, have served as a role model to the summoned entities, contributing to world peace through Tower climbing—”

What?

Was this an award ceremony?

He was always the one giving. Now he was the one receiving?

At that moment,

Cossack glared at Mackenzie with icy eyes.

“Old man Mackenzie, what do you think you’re doing? Who do you think you’re imitating? Have you lost your mind?”

“N-no, I was just doing it for fun—”

The summoned entities didn’t miss the chance.

“For fun? Tsk tsk, you were doing fine, and now you’ve crossed the line.”

“A summoned entity holding an award ceremony? And for the Summoner, no less?”

“When a mullet jumps, a goby jumps too—how laughable.”

“That’s insubordination. Immediate execution.”

“We let you off easy, and now you’re trying to climb over our lord’s head.”

“Do you think our master is easy?”

“Grrr! Rrrrgh.”

“WAAH! WAAH!”

Who the hell was going “WAAH” now?

He was already feeling miserable enough without Rajix.

“Who’s imitating Rajix?”

“H-hoeng... I thought you might miss him... sorry.”

It was Cossack.

Of course it was.

At that moment,

Mackenzie’s eyes flashed.

A chance to counterattack.

“Assassin, have you no sense at all? You know full well how heartbroken the Summoner is because of the Cosmic Farmhand’s absence, and yet you still—”

“N-no, I was just joking around—”

The arrow swung right back toward Cossack.

“An idiot who can’t distinguish between humor and reckless behavior.”

“I was wondering why things had been quiet lately.”

“That mouth of yours is the root of all evil.”

“You had to imitate someone—of all people—our Cosmic Farmhand?”

“You’re trying to make a fool of the Summoner.”

“Mackenzie and Cossack—cut off both their heads and hang them from that communication tower. Restore discipline to White Tower Floor 17.”

“I’ll do the beheading.”

Honestly, these people started fighting whenever there was the slightest opening.

Let them sort it out among themselves.

For now, Juhyeok needed to go out and run some tests.

There were plenty of Liberation Rune Necklaces sitting in inventories, and there were players he knew well enough to ask for cooperation.

The Korean government was also watching the situation in China closely.

Jeon Gwangil was on his way into the Blue House for a countermeasures meeting—

when he received a call from Player Bong.

Player Bong said he urgently wanted to meet at the Korean Awakening Administration’s materials warehouse.

Then Player Bong came first.

The Blue House could wait.

Korean Awakening Administration, materials warehouse.

After waiting a short while, Juhyeok arrived.

“Player Bong.”

“Commissioner, am I late?”

“Not at all. I just arrived as well.”

They had chosen an outdoor location for a reason.

Inside the White Tower, player abilities manifested as-is.

What Juhyeok wanted to verify was simple.

Could the mana liberated by the Liberation Rune Necklace be sealed by a scroll?

“Commissioner, what’s your current level?”

“Level 41. I just started hunting basilisks.”

“You’re power-leveling fast.”

“Hahaha, my equipment is just very good.”

“One moment. There are some people I need to call.”

Juhyeok summoned Mackenzie, El, the Mad Demon, and Cossack as well.

SPOT! SPOT! SPOT!

“Oh, Commissioner Jeon.”

“Greetings. I’m businessman Cossack.”

“Good to see you again.”

“Commissioner Jeon, this old man is here too.”

They exchanged greetings.

“Here. Take this.”

Juhyeok handed a necklace to Jeon Gwangil.

Jeon flinched in surprise.

A necklace, out of nowhere?

And this was—

“Ah... don’t tell me?”

“Yes, it’s a Liberation Rune Necklace. Please put it on and activate it.”

“...Right now?”

“Don’t worry. We’re just checking something.”

He didn’t understand the situation, but he decided to follow instructions.

It was his first time using such an item.

Jeon Gwangil put on the necklace and activated it.

SWOONG!

Mana spread through his entire body.

Power overflowed.

With his [Herculean Might] trait, the effect was dramatic even at a glance.

Bulge, bulge.

His muscles swelled as if his suit might tear apart.

CRACK!

His shoulders and chest broadened drastically.

“Oooooh!”

“Impressive. That looks like a 5,000 total on the big three. If you start a fitness channel, you’ll hit 100,000 subscribers in no time.”

Clap clap clap clap!

A round of applause followed.

“All right, then. Let’s try it.”

“...Go ahead.”

Juhyeok pulled a scroll from his pocket and tore it in half.

RIIIP!

At that moment—

Wooooong!

Paaaat!

A sticky pressure filled the vast warehouse.

And when that wave of energy reached Jeon Gwangil—

“...Hrk!”

His strength drained away instantly.

Psssh!

The swollen muscles deflated in an instant.

His chest felt tight.

As if something were lodged inside him.

“W-what on earth...?”

Meanwhile, Juhyeok was perfectly fine.

The Necklace of Magic Resistance had nullified the scroll’s magic.

Still confused, Jeon Gwangil stared blankly.

“Please activate the Liberation Rune Necklace again.”

“Uh, yes, yes.”

But nothing happened.

Even though the usage count on the necklace had clearly gone down.

“This is called Spell Power Binding Block—too long, so let’s just call it a mana-sealing scroll. It’s a magic spell that seals the target’s mana for about an hour...”

Jeon listened in stunned disbelief.

“S-such an item exists?”

“It’s not a Tower reward item.”

“Then?”

“Ask the one who knows.”

Juhyeok turned to Mackenzie.

“Ordinary people can use this too, right?”

“Of course. It’s a scroll—even a child could use it.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“Not at all. It only binds mana. If there is no mana, then there is nothing dangerous about it.”

So it was safe.

“What about the range?”

“All targets within a 30-meter radius. It spreads as a magical wave, so it’s difficult to evade.”

The range was wide too.

“And mass production?”

“We simply print them. First, we engrave the magic formula onto a metal plate. Then we mount it onto a printing press—”

“A printing press?”

El added an explanation.

“Scroll printers are among the most basic facilities in magitech engineering. They’re easy to make. All you need is special scroll paper and mana ink.”

“And the paper and ink?”

“Any alchemist could make them.”

Just in case, Juhyeok sent a message to Aliamari.

Ding!

: Special scroll paper and mana ink are easy to make.

As expected.

: You just treat ordinary paper with reagents. Same for the mana ink.

: What about materials?

: A few herbs and magic crystals. We’ve got plenty of crystals, and our farmhand brings herbs regularly, so we have enough. For scrolls? We could print tens of millions.

Everything was falling neatly into place.

A true dream team.

A mage who knew the Spell Power Binding Block formula,

a magitech engineer who could build scroll printers,

and an alchemist who could manufacture special paper and mana ink.

This was the perfect trinity of LSSR magic, alchemy, and engineering.

Even Cossack, now fully switched into businessman mode, chimed in.

“Hmm, now that I think about it, this is a fine business item. Call it the household emergency scroll—one scroll in every home. North and South Korea together have seventy million people. We need to print at least seventy million.”

The Mad Demon added,

“If we can suppress the power of the necklace, we can flatten the administrators’ noses.”

Jeon Gwangil nodded as well.

“We can expect a preventative effect too. Once the existence of the scroll becomes known, players will hesitate to use the Liberation Rune Necklace recklessly.”

Perfect.

“Put all ongoing projects on hold and prioritize scroll production.”

“Yes, sir!”

“We’ll begin immediately.”

“And at the same time, we need to build the foundation for mass production of the anti-obesity escape bracelet.”

“Enough with that bracelet already.”

“Scroll sales are temporary. Bracelet sales can last a thousand years.”

Jeon Gwangil’s mind was already spinning fast.

If they supplied these to police stations and local precincts first, they would gain real deterrence against liberated players.

“Commissioner Jeon, there’s something we need.”

“Anything you need, just say the word.”

“We need analog mechanical printing presses. The kind that apply ink and print—”

At that moment—

Cossack’s eyes sparkled, as if something had clicked.

“O great Summoner Bong Juhyeok, comrade.”

Why was he suddenly talking like a people’s commissar?

“...What?”

“Leave the printing work to our Republic.”

Printing in North Korea?

“Will that be okay?”

“Our Republic is all about leaflets, is it not? We’ll print scrolls just like propaganda flyers.”

“...”

“Our glorious leaflet-printing technology does [N O V E L I G H T] not lag behind the South.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Decades of experience producing propaganda and agitation leaflets meant tremendous know-how.

“Let’s do that.”

“Yes, sir!”

Those administrator bastards.

What kind of faces would they make

when they realized their plan had failed?