Commissioner Park Kyungsoo prepared to step onto a press conference stage for the first time in a while.

He’d suffered a lot.

To the point that even the President—his friend and political partner—had suggested he step down.

But now the situation was different.

Not only had he overcome the crisis—he’d landed a huge hit.

All of it was thanks to Player Bong Juhyeok.

An S++ Clear Rank record-holder, and the owner of an absolute item that neutralized the undead’s dark aura.

The Republic of Korea had become a holy-sword-holding nation.

Player Bong Juhyeok would be the one making the money, but the fact that the Administration would manage the rental procedures was enormous power.

For any country, from Floor 61 onward, the holy sword was mandatory.

Unless another holy-attribute item appeared.

No—even if one did appear, they would still have to borrow it.

The difference between having one item and having two was safety itself.

So they would have no choice but to watch Korea’s mood.

As Commissioner Park Kyungsoo walked toward the press hall, his steps were as dignified as the Tower Player Awakening Administration’s newly elevated status.

Step step, shoulders pulled back, chin lifted, he stood at the podium.

“I’ll take questions.”

Reporters shot their hands up.

He pointed to one of them.

“First, please explain the holy sword’s effect.”

Park Kyungsoo answered while glancing down at a prepared sheet of paper.

“You can think of the holy sword’s core as one thing. Radiance. Its radiance neutralizes dark aura. The increased effectiveness against undead, the steadying of the mind, holy flame, and increased critical hits are nice, but they’re side benefits.”

“In the footage, the radiance on the blade looked faint. Is there any way to strengthen it?”

“It’s unfortunate, but at present, there’s nothing we can do.”

Next question.

“It looked extremely old. The durability doesn’t seem good.”

“It can be repaired. We have master craftsmen the Administration can commission, and we have ample orichalcon stock, so there is absolutely no problem with the sword’s performance.”

Next.

“Did the Administration purchase it? How much of the budget was used?”

“We do have it, but it is not an item we purchased.”

“Then?”

“There is a separate owner. It cannot be sold—only rented.”

“Then the rental fee is?”

“I won’t disclose that.”

Why would he tell them?

There was no need to decide it in advance, either.

The thirsty ones would decide on their own.

The one doing the lending only needed a single word.

PRESENT!

“Can we know who the holy sword’s owner is?”

“The owner also cannot be disclosed. The Administration will serve as an agent on the owner’s behalf.”

“Are there any restrictions on renting the item?”

“There are. Countries that wish to rent it must send their Player to Korea and borrow and use it in a controlled location. There is also concern over theft and loss, so they must sign a contract accepting responsibility.”

“Can a regular Player rent it privately?”

“No. We accept requests at the national level. The nation must guarantee it.”

“Any other restrictions?”

At last, the moment he’d been waiting for.

“Any country can rent it—except Japan. You all know why.”

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo smiled brightly.

“And we further declare that going forward, there will be no exchanges with Japan of any kind related to the Tower.”

No reporter asked if he really had to go that far.

Instead—

“Is this a matter approved by the President...?”

“Do you think I’d do this unilaterally?”

“....”

“Stealing another country’s Player is practically a declaration of war. Export-import restrictions? Diplomatic pressure? If you want to, go ahead and try.”

And on top of that—

“Also, depending on the situation, there may be one more country added to the list of those who cannot rent it.”

That was aimed at China.

They were also obsessed with stealing Players with Korean nationality.

Anyway, the press conference ended.

Park Kyungsoo felt as if a long-bottled blockage slid right down out of him.

└ Ha! Another shot down the hatch.

└ Anyone gonna translate Japan’s reaction and post it?

└ I wanna know too.

└ Post China’s reaction too.

└ What’s Yoo Cheolmin’s StarGram address? I gotta go laugh at him.

└ That got shut down a minute ago.

└ Hahaha, he’s so fucking easy to read.

*****

A National Security Council meeting held at Japan’s Prime Minister’s Official Residence.

Cabinet ministers and high-level officials gathered in the conference room and watched footage on a large monitor together.

The Black Tower (Korea) Floor 63 clear footage.

Because it was bodycam footage, a first-person view, they couldn’t observe the overall clear in full, but it was more than enough to confirm the holy sword item’s power.

A Player carefully, carefully lured out one dark skeleton at a time using thrown weapons.

Creating one-on-one situations, she hacked them apart with the holy sword.

Skeletons wrapped in dark aura were helplessly carved down.

The weapons and shields the skeletons carried were cut apart as well.

Calling it the undead’s natural enemy wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

It wasn’t the first time they’d seen Floor 63 clear footage.

They had Yoo Cheolmin’s clear data, and they also had video the United States provided.

But they’d never seen performance as outstanding as the footage in front of them now.

And the time limit?

Yoo Cheolmin took 12 hours. The United States took 9 hours.

Meanwhile, Player Nam Gaeun’s completion time was only 2 hours.

Yes.

Two hours.

And that was only because she handled it carefully and cautiously—if she’d ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) been greedy, she could’ve done a 1 hour 30 minute clear.

An item could change things that much?

Shouldn’t they have carried the item over, not Yoo Cheolmin?

Silence flowed through the conference room.

The officials’ expressions were grim.

Prime Minister Kawaguchi of Japan was the same.

He’d held a press conference and thrown a bomb at Korea, and it didn’t even explode.

Instead, Japan ended up catching the bomb.

“A holy-attribute... then besides that holy sword, is it possible other holy-attributes exist?”

“Based on what’s known so far, it’s the only one. However...”

“Go on.”

“It’s also possible another country possesses one but has not made it public.”

That’s right.

There was no way it was the only one.

If they searched, there would be more.

For now, it wasn’t an urgently needed item.

Japan was only on Floor 57.

But their pride had been crushed.

They’d been humiliated beyond belief.

The more Prime Minister Kawaguchi thought about it, the more his rage boiled.

What? They wouldn’t rent the holy sword to Japan?

‘Those damn Joseon bastards.’

What humiliation could be worse?

The approval rating that had surged when they naturalized Yoo Cheolmin was now dropping in chunks.

‘Damn it!’

He was getting anxious.

It was time they needed something to flip the situation.

“When did Yoo Cheolmin say he would clear Floor 57?”

“He said he would do it as soon as possible. It seems he was provoked by the situation in Korea.”

“Hm.”

There were still 41 days left on the Floor 57 time limit.

Originally, there had been a highest-level Japanese Player already challenging Floor 57.

But he died absurdly during the clear, forcing them to bring Yoo Cheolmin in.

Originally, they planned to clear it with about ten days left, but...

‘Should we do it right now?’

It might be a good idea.

It would help the approval rating.

“Good. Clear Floor 57 quickly. Dress it up well and promote it.”

“Yes. We’ll proceed.”

“Provide thorough support so the climb isn’t hindered.”

“Understood.”

*****

In Japan, apartments are a type of shared housing for the common people.

The wealthy live in ultra-luxury mansions.

And those even richer than that?

They live in old, elegant estates.

The kind of estate with a pond in the garden, raising huge koi.

The house Yoo Cheolmin received from the Japanese government was like that.

“Fuck!”

Yoo Cheolmin cursed as he searched on his smartphone.

Because the situation unfolding was the exact opposite of what he’d expected.

After naturalizing as Japanese, one of his daily routines was going to Korean portal sites and searching for articles every single day.

At first, it was fun.

Broadcast news and internet articles pouring out.

The Tower Player Awakening Administration getting attacked, the National Intelligence Service and the police getting called idiots, everyone fighting and tearing each other apart...

But what was this?

The situation had completely changed.

He’d even held a press conference to needle them...

Yet Korean news was nothing but praise for Player Nam Gaeun and the holy sword.

Of course, his name was in there too.

The difference was that it was all condemnation.

└ I’m going to kill Yoo Cheolmin.

└ Is there any way to find that bastard’s address in Tokyo?

└ I hope he goes bald and gets erectile dysfunction.

‘Pathetic little shits.’

Leave as many comments as you want.

Do you think I’ll take damage?

Yoo Cheolmin also watched Nam Gaeun’s clear footage.

Floor 62 and Floor 63.

No—were those floors that easy?

He’d been shitting blood because of the dark aura.

This was all because of a holy-attribute item called the holy sword.

If an item like that existed, they should’ve handed it to him ages ago.

Then he might’ve considered naturalizing to Japan—

‘If I’d just dragged things out a little longer...’

No.

If he regretted it here, that meant he lost.

He just had to live large in Japan.

Now that he’d naturalized, he would rapidly clear Black Tower (JAPAN) from Floor 57 onward.

Once he cleared it, he’d rise as Japan’s hero.

Floor 58, and 59, and 60 too.

The haters could thrash around all they wanted—he’d be the winner.

That’s what Yoo Cheolmin thought.

He believed it without a shred of doubt.

*****

After finishing the clear,

I ordered ten tubs of the most expensive ice cream from the convenience store near my officetel.

Back in the day, even if it caught my eye, I’d force myself to ignore it and walk past.

I’ve really grown up, Bong Juhyeok.

And it’s fine.

There’s more than 1 billion won in my bank account—

This time too, only after I took a spoonful of ice cream did Meatshield and Cossack open theirs and start eating, and Gyeon Dallae also smacked her small lips and ate happily.

We’d matched our rhythm once in the Tower, so the three of them had gotten noticeably closer than before.

Eating ice cream while chatting cheerfully.

It looked nice.

I hope they keep getting along like that.

“My mouth is truly living in luxury. Even in the palace, I have never tasted something so sweet.”

“Hehe, you’ll be able to eat it to your heart’s content from now on. Princess, Summoner Bong is so generous—he doesn’t spare anything he gives to us.”

“That’s right. You two must never forget Master’s grace.”

“That’s obvious. You know that too, right? Meatshield?”

“The princess is right. I’m always loyal.”

Look at them.

Now they’re flattering another summoned entity?

But then—

“Is there anything these days that disturbs Master’s mood? Not you two.”

Cossack mulled over Gyeon Dallae’s words.

Then—

“Ah! There’s one.”

“There is? Such a thing that enrages heaven and man—speak at once.”

“There’s this bastard named Yoo Cheolmin, this goddamn wretch. And that son of a bitch...”

Cossack got excited and tattled about Yoo Cheolmin.

Gyeon Dallae’s expression gradually changed.

“What! What a kill-worthy villain. If one has great power, even exhausting oneself for national peace and loyal service is still not enough—how dare he entrust his body to pirates? Truly absurd.”

Gyeon Dallae’s pale face flushed bright red.

“My teeth tremble just thinking of pirates. I will not leave this man be. He will pay, without fail.”

“You’re right. As expected of the princess.”

Then she looked at me.

“Master.”

“What?”

“Yoo Cheolmin—can we obtain something he used? It is troublesome, I know, but please secure it. This girl asks because she truly needs it.”

“No. And even if I could, I wouldn’t get it for you.”

“...What?”

What were you trying to do with it?

I could guess.

On this point, I absolutely refused.

If I’d intended anything like that, I would’ve sent Cossack to Japan in the first place.

He could’ve hidden on a Tokyo flight with Invisibility, sliced Yoo Cheolmin’s head off at his house, and hung a ribbon on it—done.

Cossack wanted to, but I told him not to.

There was no need to kill Yoo Cheolmin.

“He is one who abandoned human decency. If we leave such a man be, injustice will run rampant.”

“Yeah, then we’d be going to Japan to do something unjust.”

“...What.”

“He’s Japanese. Let’s not meddle. We just need to eat well and live well.”

Then Cossack chimed in too.

“Summoner Bong is right. You’re smart as always.”

“Right?”

“Of course. The shit got taken out to Japan, so Korea got clean, didn’t it?”

“Exactly. Hahaha!”

“Hehehe.”

Even if I see injustice, I endure it most of the time.

That’s always been my life motto.

The complicated human world.

Even when it looks crystal clear who’s wrong, the offender and the victim can switch in an instant.

So the car stays in neutral.

And the most important reason—

I have no intention of doing something about Yoo Cheolmin at the cost of sacrificing Gyeon Dallae.

She’s a precious summoned entity.

“Sending a killing curse has backlash, right? Princess getting hurt just to deal with some piece of shit? I’m against it.”

Cossack sidled right up next to me and rubbed his palms together.

“I’ve known from the start why you were against it. That it’s because Summoner Bong worries about the princess—kind, wise, and the best!”

My shoulders rose.

Seriously, the right kind of flattery is sweeter than ice cream.

But Gyeon Dallae— 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

“I have nowhere to put myself before Master’s consideration. However! What this girl will send is not a killing curse.”

Huh?

If not a killing curse, then...

“I will send karma.”

What’s karma now?

“Any human action will, one day, be rewarded or punished for what they have done. What goes around comes around. In the end, right returns to right.”

So?

“When karma is sent, the retribution is received sooner.”

“Ah.”

“If Yoo Cheolmin has good karma, fortune will come. If he has bad karma, misfortune will come.”

Fortune and misfortune—

If it’s only that much?

“...There’s no backlash from karma?”

“Only fortune and misfortune are decided by the principles of heaven and earth’s divine spirits. Not even the slightest harm reaches this girl, so rest easy.”

Then—

“Now that I think about it, we can’t just leave Yoo Cheolmin alone. If he abandoned human decency, he should at least suffer some misfortune.”

Then Cossack clapped his hands—SMACK!—and said,

“Summoner Bong is right. A guy who breaks decency should be punished. That’s why I was gonna get on a flight to Japan.”

“Let’s do it right now!”

“Hehehe, your thinking is flexible. Your stance changes so fast—one moment this, one moment that...”

That sounds less like praise and more like an insult.

I glared at him.

Cossack flinched.

“O-of course. I’m sorry.”

At least he knows.

This is why, since ancient times, the end of bootlickers is never good.

Getting something Yoo Cheolmin used wouldn’t be difficult.

He probably left it behind in the house he lived in and ran.

That aside, I still hadn’t checked what the perk was.

When I checked the 30 Platinum Badges in my inventory—

[You will receive a perk for accumulating 30 Platinum Badges.]

‘What is it?’

[Perk: A Skill Cooldown Reset Ticket is delivered to Tower-Only Inventory.]

“Oh!”

A Skill Cooldown Reset Ticket!

Awesome.

Beautiful.

“What’d you get?”

“Ta-da!”

“Waaah! That’s really good. Congrats.”

“It’s all thanks to you guys.”

“Aw, you’re making me embarrassed. What did we even do?”

“Hahahahaha!”

“Hehehehe.”

The atmosphere got warm again.

Just like Cossack said, it was a really good item.

My power comes from summoned entities.

In that sense, a cooldown reset was the best reward.

Because it meant I could use Random Summon one more time.

‘Should I just use it right now?’

Yeah, no. That’d be stupid.

A cooldown reset is the ultimate reversal card.

You use it when a situation is so hard there’s no answer.

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