I was confident.

I wanted to shed how pathetic I was in real life and live a different life—at least inside the Tower.

I thought I had the ability to do that.

That was... until I entered Floor 29.

“Kweeeek! Kwek.”

Against the backdrop of a ruined city—

A plague troll wandering around, loitering through collapsed buildings.

‘Do I have to kill that... or not?’

For a moment, I even considered giving up climbing altogether.

Plague troll?

That’s a sanitized term.

More accurately, it should be called a lump-of-pus troll— a pus troll.

Every time it walked, it dripped yellow ooze everywhere.

‘Floor 28 was heaven.’

I was wearing a mask.

Not the usual fine-dust kind, but a gas mask used at construction sites, sterile factories, laboratories.

And even then, the stench came through in full.

“Cool. Is that a gas mask?”

“...It’s just a mask.”

The thing you absolutely have to avoid in a plague troll clear is the germs and viruses that cause disease in Players.

If you’re exposed to them, you get high fever and muscle aches, coughing, runny nose, dizziness—various symptoms.

You can drink a Tower-Only Healing Potion, but if it hits in the middle of combat?

Since it’s an item made outside, it has to be treated as a carried possession, so I used it before entering the Tower.

I asked Meatshield if he was going to wear a mask.

“I will not. A warrior does not catch disease.”

“Bastard! You can’t wear one anyway, your head’s too big.”

“A warrior must have a big head. Assassin, you wear it.”

And Cossack too.

“If I wear something like this, I can’t breathe and I can’t move. And I, uh...”

“You’re SSR. SSR.”

“Hehehe.”

Meatshield goes on about warriors, Cossack goes on about SSR.

If they get sick, I’ll just give them a Tower-Only Healing Potion each.

No—can someone who’s already died even catch a disease in the first place?

“I think I’m going to throw up.”

“It’s insanely disgusting. Do you see those blisters? If that pops, that yellow pus just...”

“I don’t think I need to hear any more.”

“Are you going to kill it? I think three or so would be enough.”

“...”

Even with a gas mask on, I don’t want to.

If I get splashed with pus?

So I kept my mouth shut.

‘For repeat missions, I should just kill jungle trolls on Floor 28.’

We started the clear.

Meatshield charged out.

Cossack followed.

Thud! Thud-thud! Thud thud!

As the plague trolls went down, sticky pus burst out.

‘Ugh, fuck!’

Skipping it is the correct answer.

How am I supposed to deal with that?

[You have succeeded in the Floor 29 mission.]

[You have leveled up.]

[Reward: 2.9 kg of Magic Stones]

Cossack and Meatshield were covered in yellow pus, grinning like idiots.

“...”

It was grotesque and unsettling.

They looked more like plague trolls than the actual plague trolls did.

Wait.

Once the mission ends and the clear-rank messages finish, we’ll get transported straight home.

Then all that pus will...

“Summoner Bong! Company dinner today too?”

No.

My gag reflex surged up to my throat.

“Hey... I’m really sorry.”

“...What are you saying?”

“You can curse at me if you want.”

“Aww! How could I curse at Summoner Bong? Always bright and wise, working day and night for the rights and interests of summoned entities—”

“Dismiss Summon. Both of you.”

“...Huh?”

Pop-pop!

Cossack and Meatshield vanished at the same time.

Ah...

I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.

I’m a betrayer.

I’m a ruthless employer.

Curse all you want.

Spit, ptooey, ptooey.

But it’s a new place—

That plague pus would get everywhere in the house.

And Mr. Meatshield is huge, so he’d get it everywhere.

How could I bring them back with me?

I had no choice.

I’d just have to summon them again later.

In three hours? Tomorrow?

‘...Tomorrow, I’ll set a huge feast.’

First, I need to go out, run the laundry, and shower.

[Notice: You have achieved a Floor 29 clear rank of S++ in Black Tower (Korea).]

[S++ Clear Reward: You are awarded a Platinum Badge.]

Platinum Badges, at this point, are just the default.

I’d be disappointed if I didn’t get one.

How many can you even get?

*****

Tower Player Awakening Administration, Hannam-dong, Seoul.

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo hummed as he spritzed water onto the leaves of his treasured orchid with a spray bottle.

Then he carefully wiped the leaves down.

Lately, everything seemed to be going his way.

Above all else, successfully signing Bong Juhyeok as an Elite contract.

That was the biggest part.

He was in such a good mood.

And as expected, Bong didn’t disappoint.

Even after signing, he hadn’t stopped.

A Floor 28 S++ clear record.

At this speed, even if you were generous, in three months he’d reach Floor 40—no, if things went well, he could even climb into the 50s.

‘Still, from Floor 30 onward, it’s better not to expect too much.’

Hoping for S++ clear records would be unreasonable.

Starting with Floors 31 to 35, it was the minotaur section, and Floors 36 to 40 were the ogre section.

Large monsters that couldn’t even be compared to trolls were waiting.

And what about the 40s, where even larger beasts started appearing?

If he just kept showing the will to climb, that was enough.

Just clear safely.

At that moment—

Knock, knock, knock.

A knock on the Commissioner’s office door.

“Come in.”

Team Leader Jeon Gwangil entered.

“How did it go?”

“He just cleared Floor 29 with an S++ rank. Players affiliated with the Administration confirmed it too.”

“Heh heh.”

There was no hesitation.

If a call came in saying he was going to clear Floor 29, in under twenty minutes a Global Notice would pop up.

How on earth was he clearing?

They’d heard his Trait was Summoning, but... does he summon a dragon or something?

With no footage, there was no way to know.

Originally, ELITE TOWER CLIMBING TEAM members were required to wear a body cam when entering the Tower for clear-recording purposes, but Summoner Bong Juhyeok had been specially exempted.

Because he demanded it.

For the Administration, that much could be allowed without hesitation.

“Have you spoken with Player Bong?”

“Yes. I did before coming to report.”

“Anything unusual?”

“Well... he said it’ll probably only be possible to clear Floor 30 in ten days.”

“Why? Is he lacking preparation?”

“He said he needs about that long to build skill proficiency.”

“I see. Ten days is nothing.”

Some Players rest for over a month.

It’s a huge mistake to assume Players are all as diligent as Bong Juhyeok.

Once Players get a taste of money, they’re busy playing around.

The Elite teams aren’t much different.

“Come to think of it, how’s Player Yoo Cheolmin lately? Any attempts at Floor 66?”

“I was going to report that as well.”

“What is it?”

“He’s basically clocking in at clubs every day. Drinking himself senseless, only going home at dawn... or having one-night stands with women...”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. The security detail must be having a hard time.”

Still, Park Kyungsoo understood.

Floor 66—the only Player who could climb the uncleared upper floor of Korea’s Black Tower.

He carried everyone’s expectations.

And since his identity was public, the pressure was something others couldn’t even imagine.

“I guess Floor 66 isn’t going the way he wants.”

“The clear-support team analyzed the footage, and they say he isn’t improving.”

“Is it that hard?”

“He only has to kill ten specters, but even when the time limit runs out, the best he can do is three... or he starts off on the wrong foot and gives up the mission.”

Because of the nature of undead, they’re fundamentally different from other monsters.

Starting with the mummies on Floor 61, they all emit something called a “dark aura,” and just enduring that is difficult.

They’re not the kind of undead you see all the time in games and movies, where even normal people can punch them to death.

Horrific demonic creatures that gnaw away at human souls with dark aura—

Park Kyungsoo felt uneasy.

But he had to believe in Player Yoo Cheolmin.

‘He’ll clear it in the end.’

As far as he knew, the Collapse Countdown for Korea’s Black Tower had about 92 days left.

Half of the 180-day time limit had passed.

Whether you thought, only half left, or still half left, was a matter of perspective—

But to Park Kyungsoo, it was enough.

‘Player Bong Juhyeok is still far from reaching Floor 60.’

And the Tower Player Awakening Administration had a Plan B, at least.

“What about Player Nam Gaeun? She’s currently clearing Floor 62, right?”

“Yes. She’s climbing bravely.”

Whenever he thought about Player Nam Gaeun, it was deeply regrettable.

By talent alone, she was even better than Yoo Cheolmin.

Up to now, she had cleared many floors at A rank.

There were even A+, A++ clears.

[Notice: You have achieved a Floor △△ clear rank of A++ in Black Tower (Korea).]

Like that.

The Global Notice didn’t ring, though.

But Player Nam Gaeun’s Trait Enhancement was only once, at Stage Two.

Compared to Yoo Cheolmin, who had achieved Trait Enhancement four times, the gap was three stages or more.

“Can’t we get more Trait Enhancement Runes?”

“I’m not sure. The item market’s dried up—Enhancement Runes are basically extinct. The reward probability is so low.”

“I’ll find a way to search for them myself.”

Even if he got them, in the end, they’d be funneled to Player Yoo Cheolmin anyway.

“Oh, right! How’s securing light-attribute items going?”

“From what we’ve heard, outright purchase isn’t possible, but they’re even sounding out intent for a rental format.”

“Understood. I’ll get a direct report from the item division on that.”

“Yes.”

Securing light-attribute items to clear the undead section was also running into trouble.

Contrary to clear information, item sharing was difficult due to each nation’s circumstances.

Especially Tower reward items.

If they had enough light-attribute items, it would help with the Floor 66 clear.

Light-attribute items played a big role in Yoo Cheolmin’s Floor 65 clear too.

They’d spent a fortune to acquire many so far, but it still wasn’t enough.

What now?

They had to get more.

*****

The next day.

I finished preparing the company dinner.

The menu was bossam.

Instead of delivery, I got a big steaming pot and pork and boiled it myself.

The reason I went out of my way to cook—

I felt too guilty.

“...They’re not mad at me, are they?”

“Come on, what do you take me for? Even if you smash my skull with a mace, I’d go hehe, smiling. Meatshield too. Want to hit him once?”

“Mr. Cossack?”

“No. Meatshield.”

“...”

Bossam was piled generously on the living room dining table.

Food is all about sincerity.

I’d been independent for less than a year, but I could at least make bossam.

“Alright! Hot, steaming bossam.”

“Oh! I’ll eat well.”

But Meatshield’s expression was strange.

All of a sudden, his eyes were brimming, trembling like he was about to cry.

“Why are you crying? Can’t you eat pork? You ate sweet-and-sour pork just fine.”

“Thank you, Summoner.”

Huh?

“No one ever treated me well like ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ this. Only Summoner.”

“Uh...”

Why is this so heartbreaking?

“I, Meatshield, will give you my loyalty. Even if I die, I will make sure Summoner lives.”

“Uh... yes, yes, for now, eat.”

I could guess why he got choked up.

People only tried to trick him by using the fact that he was a dumb barbarian warrior.

If he hadn’t been miserable, he wouldn’t be like this.

Well, I wasn’t much different.

The only difference was that after using him, I’d at least feed him a big company dinner.

That aside—what was Cossack doing?

Was he moved by this heartwarming exchange?

‘...’

Not at all.

Cossack had a serious expression as he only poked through the fresh kimchi my mom made.

Ha, this spice wimp!

“If you’re not going to eat it, don’t poke at it...”

“S-sorry. It looks so delicious, I want to eat it, but... I just can’t find the courage.”

He was probably remembering how he fainted while eating spicy rice cakes.

Cossack, the guy who says even ssamjang is spicy.

“Just eat pickled radish wraps with salted shrimp,”

“...Yes.”

He laid a sheet of pickled radish on a side plate, put bossam on it, added salted shrimp, and shoved it into his mouth in one bite.

“Mmm, t-tasty. The harmony of bossam and salted shrimp is incredible.” 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

This uncultured palate.

He’ll never understand the harmony of bossam and fresh kimchi for the rest of his life.

“Now that we cleared Floor 29, should we go straight to Floor 30?”

“Hmm. I’m a little short, but I’ll try.”

A little short?

Why?

“The twin-head troll’s regeneration ability is no joke. Their heads are tough too, so they don’t slice well even with blade aura. Even if you cut one, there’s another.”

No way.

I need an S++ badge on Floor 30 too.

“Then let’s hold off for now. Until the Random Summon cooldown comes back, we’ll just repeat-clear Floor 28.”

“Understood. Meatshield just has to shake the trees well.”

If Floor 30 was borderline...

“Then how about starting from Floor 31?”

“Floor 31 also... it’s a bad matchup with Meatshield, so S++ is hard.”

“Matchup?”

“Monsters much bigger than Meatshield show up. Minotaurs and ogres. Even Meatshield will struggle.”

“No. Meatshield wins.”

“Shut up! If I say so, then that’s how it is!”

Large monsters, in other words.

“In a one-on-one, Meatshield would win, but if several swarm at once, even he’ll have trouble. Aggro will split. If aggro splits, Summoner Bong might be in danger.”

“Ah.”

“So we have to pull them one or two at a time and kill them, but that’ll take quite a while.”

This was what Cossack meant when he said it was difficult.

Clearing wasn’t the problem.

But an S++ clear rank was questionable.

The Weak Man’s Tower Strategy.

If it’s questionable, you don’t climb.

You prepare to the point it feels excessive.

“We need to summon one more person to clear.”

“That’s right. You’re sharp and wise.”

If the rank is high, even better.

“Hmm. LSSR... do you think Legendary Special Super Rare is possible?”

“It’s possible. Even if it doesn’t happen this time, if you keep pulling, it’ll happen someday.”

In the end, it all comes down to gacha luck.

Please, let it be someone decent.

Someone not mentally broken, and not catastrophically dumb—just a normal summoned entity.

And the Floor 28 repeat mission began.

It was almost ten days since the Global Notice last rang.

*****

Japanese Embassy in the Republic of Korea.

Councilor Tomoda, working at his desk, suddenly shot to his feet.

A call came in on a burner phone.

The only person who would ever call this phone was the scout broker.

He quietly went to the restroom.

“Hello?”

It’s me.

“Result?”

The rabbit says he’ll leave his old nest and move to a new one.

“...That’s good. That’s very good.”

But you’ll have to bring him. The wolves are watching the rabbit.

“Tell him not to worry. We’ll come escort him safely.”

Councilor Tomoda clenched his fist.

Finally, they did it.

Player Yoo Cheolmin’s sudden naturalization.

Now Japan was safe.

As for Korea...

Who knew what would happen?

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