Juhyeok sat in his officetel with his eyes half-lidded, staring at nothing but an empty wall.

He’d played around nicely for a whole week.

So what did Juhyeok do, with only two days left until Random Summon?

A shamanic rite?

No.

A simple offering?

He didn’t do that either.

Wall-facing meditation for spiritual discipline.

Because he had to maintain an even mind.

Just calmly.

Setting aside every desire.

He’d barely managed to obtain Trait enhancement.

He had to welcome a proper new addition.

This was the final stretch of a long journey.

Because when the ending is good, everything is good.

Two days ago, Gyeon Dallae had said,

“I have already performed a prayer rite for Trait enhancement. Perhaps because of that, you achieved great fortune.”

“But! The heavens are wary of the greedy. If you do not know contentment and keep begging to achieve yet another desire, you will not receive great fortune—you will receive punishment instead.”

Extremely logical.

If you ask for one rice cake and they give it to you, then you throw a tantrum for another, you don’t get another rice cake—you get a slap upside the head.

“So this time, it would be best for you to cut off desire through spiritual discipline. Do not hold a shamanic rite, do not make offerings—simply face Random Summon with a peaceful heart.”

As expected of Gyeon Dallae.

Did she become the top shamaness of the Celestial Empire with just a single CLICK of her fingers?

Following her advice, Juhyeok calmly began wall-facing meditation at home.

He contacted everyone in advance, then turned his smartphone off for two days.

He also put a sign outside his officetel door that said, “Do not disturb.”

He’d spoken with Jeon Gwangil from the Administration two days ago as well.

During that call, he heard Gerald Watson would be entering through Incheon International Airport, but... it would probably work out.

They already had a ten-million-dollar contract in place.

His summoned entities also suspended summoning for the time being.

They’d promised to gather again when the day came.

And so, he devoted himself to wall-facing meditation.

To be honest, he didn’t even really know what wall-facing meditation was.

It was just goofing off alone.

The thing Juhyeok did best.

The second day was the same.

He stared at the wall, slept, woke up, watched TV, then slept again.

And so, finally, today.

The day the Random Summon cooldown ended.

A new summoned entity would appear soon.

After calling everyone with Designated Summon,

“Welcome, everyone.”

“Yeees.”

“Yup.”

“...”

A solemn, serious atmosphere.

Desire was forbidden.

Even Rare was enough.

They said the current three-person lineup could easily keep getting S++ up through Floor 50, anyway.

“Still, if it’s SR... the heavens might take pity and give SSR... or if I go crazy, LSSR...”

No, no!

If you get greedy, you’re doomed.

Juhyeok stood up.

Then he walked to the center of the living room.

The moment he opened his mouth, the summoning would begin.

At last—the moment he’d waited and waited for!

He was about to speak with a pounding heart when...

“DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM...”

The sound Cossack made with his mouth.

Juhyeok snapped.

“Oh, come on!”

“Assassin, be quiet!”

“Mr. Cossack, you’re jinxing it!”

“...Sorry.”

He was doing great, then had to go overboard like that. Overboard.

“Mmph.”

He steadied his mind again.

“Random Summon.”

[Starting Random Summon.]

It started.

FWOOSH!

A tiny cluster of light floated up in midair.

It was smaller than he expected.

Would it grow from there?

But then—

FWOOSH!

With no special effect at all, the summoned entity appeared way too fast.

POP!

“...Huh?”

“...”

“...”

“...”

What.

Is that a person?

What kind of person looks like that?

It looked like a fat hamster.

A small height that only came up to Juhyeok’s waist, a round body like a ball. White fur, ridiculously short arms and legs, a tiny backpack on its back, and on its head a cap that looked like a round safety helmet.

“SQUEAK, Summoner. Hello.”

“...Excuse me? Ah—yeah, yes.”

What in the world?

<Catalog: A diligent labyrinth worker from the beastkin who is well-liked and well-reviewed>

Name: Rajix

Rank: R (Rare)

Type: Worker (Beastkin)

Manifestation Limit: 10 hours

Satisfaction Rating: None

Resummon Cooldown: 3 hours (applies after Dismiss Summon)

“...”

A worker?

And not even human—beastkin.

He knew the summonable range included humans and demi-humans, but...

If it was a worker, that meant a non-combat summoned entity.

In other words, it wouldn’t help with Tower climbing at all.

What was this?

He’d done wall-facing meditation for two whole days.

Maybe he hadn’t done it properly and got jinxed.

And it wasn’t just Juhyeok.

Everyone’s expression said the same thing.

Worker Rajix seemed to read the room, too.

In a voice that shrank as it spoke,

“SQUEAK... should I go back again?”

Haa.

That innocent face.

And it was even cute.

It seemed like a hamster-based beastkin.

His chest hurt, but...

“I’m sorry, Mr. Rajix. I’ll call you again later. There’s no room right now.”

“SQUEEEAK... okay...”

“Dismiss Summon.”

SPOT!

First summon: failure.

It couldn’t be helped.

If he didn’t use it now, when would he?

Juhyeok pulled out the Skill Cooldown Reset Ticket from his inventory.

To use the ticket, you tore it.

“One more time.”

“Consider it taking the hit for bad luck. But it was extremely cute.”

“Cute doesn’t matter. Summoner Bong, it has to help with Tower climbing.”

“Summoner, this time it will go well.”

He did wall-facing meditation for about an hour again.

This time, he truly approached it seriously.

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.

...Still, let’s be just a little greedy.

“Mr. Cossack.”

“Yeah?”

“DUM-DUM.”

“Yes!”

RRRIP!

He tore the ticket.

“Random Summon.”

[Starting Random Summon.]

At the same time, Cossack started his entrance chant.

“DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM-DUM...”

FWOOOOOSH!

This time, something was different.

A swirl of multicolored light filled the room.

Brilliant light churned wildly at the center of the living room.

He’d never seen anything like this before.

“Don’t tell me...?”

[Achievement: You have succeeded in summoning an LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare) rank for the first time.]

“GASP!!!”

Did he hear that right?

He pulled an LSSR?

“Is this a dream or real life?”

He was losing his mind.

He hadn’t even imagined it.

Dopamine at maximum.

A tingling rush climbed from his toes to the top of his head.

Now Trait enhancement and everything else—

He didn’t need to care at all.

With an LSSR pulled, the party was complete.

And an achievement.

Right.

If you pulled an LSSR, of course there’d be an achievement.

[Issuing achievement reward.]

Wow, a reward too?

“Two birds with one stone.”

How could he be more grateful?

[From now on, you may Enter Tower twice per day.]

“...”

No, they didn’t need to give a reward like this.

That just meant work twice a day.

Anyway, time to welcome the LSSR.

The light cluster gradually took on the shape of a person.

Welcome. Mister El-Es-Es-Ar summoned entity.

POP-POP-POP-POP-POP!

The figure became distinct.

“Oh!”

An old man in an antique robe, with white hair and a white beard, appeared with his hands clasped behind his back in a relaxed stance.

“A-an immortal is gracing this shabby place...”

Juhyeok quickly checked the Catalog entry.

<Catalog: The greatest of all time, public enemy of the martial world, the most vicious under heaven, the one who caused a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.>

Name: Mad Demon.

Rank: LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare)

Type: Martial Artist (Human)

Manifestation Limit: 3 hours

Satisfaction Rating: None

Resummon Cooldown: 6 hours (applies after Dismiss Summon)

“...”

The Catalog’s descriptions were... eerie.

Public enemy of the martial world, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, the most vicious.

Even the name was Mad Demon.

Kind of scary.

Still, he bent ninety degrees at the waist and greeted him politely.

“Hello. Nice to meet you. I’m Summoner Bong Juhyeok.”

“It is an honor for this old man as well, to meet someone so precious. Call me Mad Demon.”

Yes!

His manners were perfect.

He had no idea why someone like this was called Mad Demon.

In that instant, Mad Demon’s background story flashed through Juhyeok’s mind.

There is a saying: the court and the martial world do not trespass on each other. But the first martial artist to break that taboo was Mad Demon. What began as a small dispute between Mad Demon and the authorities spread like wildfire until it reached even the imperial palace.

Mad Demon stormed the imperial palace, beheaded the emperor, and hung the head in the marketplace. In the end, the Martial Alliance and the Unorthodox Factions—even the Demon Cult—declared Mad Demon a public enemy, and after a battle that lasted seven days and nights, Mad Demon died to a combined attack from the Leader of the Martial Alliance, the Fortress Lord of the Four Sovereigns, and the Cult Leader of the Demon Cult.

At the same time, images flickered through his mind.

Countless warriors dying by that man’s hand, and Mad Demon bursting into a manic laugh with blood and flesh smeared across his face.

GULP.

He felt uneasy.

Still, he’d probably be insanely good at fighting.

He was a summoned entity, so at the very least he’d obey, right?

Besides, there was already one more insane summoned entity.

That deranged assassin.

Mad Demon spoke.

*****

“Those must be your existing companions.”

“Yes, that’s right. I’ll introduce—”

Huh?

Why were they like that?

Gyeon Dallae’s face had turned pale.

Cossack was bristling with wariness.

Meatshield was frozen in place.

“No need. I have no desire to even speak with such paltry things.”

“...Huh?”

In an instant, unease began to creep up his spine.

Mad Demon slowly walked toward the balcony window as he spoke.

“Summoner, may I ask a few things?”

“Uh, of course.”

“In this world, how many Towers have collapsed so far?”

Collapsed?

That would be—

“Exactly one has fallen.”

“Then that is fortunate. What is the highest floor currently reached?”

“Floor 67. It’s a floor where undead come out.”

“Aha! That’s why it’s still only one.”

“...What?”

“Once you reach the seventies, collapses will happen everywhere. Isn’t that so?”

Juhyeok didn’t answer.

He didn’t even want to imagine it.

“As you know, Summoner, Tower Collapse is an omen of ruin. A collapsed Tower will drive itself deep into the earth like a massive spike, and it will change this world. Of course, with only one ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) so far, it isn’t a problem yet.”

Mad Demon stared outside through the window, then slowly turned his body and continued.

“Do you know what the filthiest part of Tower clearing is?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t really—”

“That each Tower is divided by nationality. Each awakened person can only clear their own nation’s Tower. A truly devious scheme.”

Towers determined by nationality.

Plenty of people found that strange.

Even now.

“At least your nation will be safe, Summoner. Even if you go with nothing but those pathetic things, you will have no trouble climbing the Tower.”

His tone was getting more and more ominous.

“But what good is it if only your nation is safe? If every other nation’s Tower collapses, the entire world will be destroyed.”

“I do not wish for this world to be destroyed, either. Now that I have come out into the world, if possible, Summoner, I would like to remain with you for a long time, but...”

That was...

“So I will help you.”

“...With what?”

“World conquest.”

“...What?”

“Placing this world beneath your feet, Summoner.”

Out of nowhere—

World conquest.

It wasn’t like he was some mastermind trying to rule the world.

Juhyeok just blinked.

“The world must be unified into a single nation. Then you and I, together, can clear every Tower in the world as we please. And since you summoned me, you even received a benefit for re-entering the Tower, didn’t you?”

Huh?

That was... novel.

Instead of temporary naturalization, or voluntary naturalization—just unite every nation into one.

For example, if every nation on Earth became the Republic of Korea, then Juhyeok could enter any Tower.

World conquest.

A stale cliché you only saw in movies, novels, and comics.

But what world conquest could possibly have a stronger justification than this?

“First, we will cleanse your nation. We will slaughter the officials who deceive the people and only stuff their own bellies. Even if they number in the hundreds of thousands. And, Summoner, I will hand all authority over to you.”

“And then we go to another nation. Starting with the nations whose Tower progress is the lowest, we will likewise kill their rulers, and one by one, we will subjugate each nation. Then the moment of ruin will be pushed much farther away.”

Now he understood.

The true source of his unease.

This old man was insane.

He was insane even in death.

Compared to him, Cossack was an innocent, normal person.

Nationalist kool-aid?

If you drink this kind, you die on the spot.

It was lethal.

“I will be the one to stain my hands with blood, Summoner. You will become this world’s supreme leader and create a single nation.”

As if that was even possible.

More importantly, he didn’t want it.

Juhyeok clutched his pounding chest and forced the words out.

“...D-don’t do that. That’s an order. I don’t want to be some supreme leader.”

“I must do it. I cannot obey that order. If it is to save you and your world, it is something I must do.”

Then, with a smile full of pride,

“This is this old man’s Summoned Principles, Article Three.”

You bastard...

“Now then, it is time I go. There is no time—if I am to slaughter this nation’s leader and its politicians and raise you to the pinnacle of power here. Then...”

That was when—

“Stop!”

Gyeon Dallae overcame her fear and shouted, raising her bell.

JINGLE!

“That is not a justification for Article Three. What you are trying to do is an act that violates the heavenly order—”

“Heavenly order? You reeking brat—what do you know, when all you can do is shake a bell! It is all a path for the Summoner.”

Then Cossack joined in.

“Shut up! That’s for the Summoner? I can’t agree.”

“HAHAHAHA! Didn’t you stain your hands with blood to protect the Summoner as well? Then what?”

“I only removed direct threats.”

“I am the same as you. The only difference is that my range of threats is wider.”

Meatshield stepped forward too.

“Obey the Summoner’s words. If you do not, I will kill you.”

“...How absurd. A thing that has only reached the Peak Realm dares threaten to kill me?”

Mad Demon’s expression changed in an instant.

WOOOOOO—

A storm of energy raged through the living room.

A crushing pressure slammed down on the three summoned entities.

“GHK!”

“HUURGH!”

“NGH!”

Of course, leaving only Juhyeok untouched.

“Fine. I will kill you. Then for at least a hundred days, things will be quiet. Ah! Someone must remain to protect the Summoner while I am gone, so I will cut down only one as an example. If that is not enough, I will cut one more.”

SHIIING.

No one knew where it came from, but Mad Demon was suddenly holding a sword of dense, dark energy, aiming it at them.

“Who will die? The wench who shakes a bell? The insolent killer? The foolish bear?”

That was when—

“Mad Demon?”

Mad Demon turned, wearing a gentle smile as he looked at Juhyeok.

“I thought you would stop me. But this, too, is this old man’s Summoned Principles, Article Three—the expression of loyal devotion that wishes only to protect the Summoner.”

“Um, I didn’t call you to stop you.”

“...Hm? Then what did you mean to say?”

Juhyeok quietly recited,

“Dismiss Summon: Mad Demon.”

“This...”

SPOT!

Mad Demon vanished.

So what if he was LSSR.

Only then did the three summoned entities break free of the pressure.

“Whew.”

“Haa, haa.”

“Huff, huff... I thought I was gonna die.”

This wasn’t good luck.

He’d pulled something that should never have come out.

“Salt! Where’s the salt?!”

Gyeon Dallae sprinted to the sink cabinet and brought salt.

He spat, “Ptoo, ptoo!”

Then threw it around the spot where Mad Demon had been.

And immediately opened the Status Window, at the Catalog entry.

“Is there no negative star rating? Or even zero points?”

“Unfortunately, one point is the lowest rating.”

To be honest, even one point was too generous.

[Mad Demon’s Satisfaction Rating has been set to 1 point.]

He got revenge with one point.

Still, it was scary.

Was summoned entity rank not a measure of strength, but a measure of insanity...?

Instead of holding a shamanic rite for Trait enhancement, he should hold one for Random Summon.

Juhyeok collapsed onto the sofa with a drained expression.

His heart was still hammering.

The three, who’d come back from the brink of shock, sat on the floor too.

“I’m never calling him again.”

But Cossack said,

“Um, Summoner Bong.”

“What.”

“No matter how batshit the old man is, he’ll have uses inside the Tower.”

“Even if he has uses, I’m not using him.”

“Still... I think it’d be good to think about it over time.”

He had such a big heart.

Did he forget the guy tried to kill him five seconds ago?

“My opinion is the same. Even a rusty nail becomes fine again once you grind it down.”

“I think so too. When we go higher, we’ll have to use him.”

Even Meatshield and Gyeon Dallae.

“Okay. I’ll think about it.”

Time passed.

He just sat there in silence, trying to calm his racing heart.

The summoned entities did the same.

Only after a long time had passed did Juhyeok open the Status Window again.

[Catalog]: John Cossack / Barbarian Meatshield / Gyeon Dallae / Rajix / Mad Demon

“Catalog entries don’t get deleted, right?”

“They do not.”

What a waste.

If they could be deleted, he would’ve deleted it immediately.

“...Three hours have passed, right?”

He tapped Rajix and gave it five stars.

[Rajix’s Satisfaction Rating has been set to 5 points.]

At the same time—

“Designated Summon: Rajix.”

[Rajix has been Designated Summoned.]

“SQUEAK? Why five points?”

“Welcome back, Mr. Rajix.”

“Hoeee... you’re welcoming me?”

“Of course! We’re teammates from now on. Hahaha.”

Seeing Rajix’s cuteness made him feel purified.

“Wow! Looking again, you’re an angel, an angel!”

When Juhyeok made a huge fuss,

“That’s right. Looks like he’ll work well.”

“How can you be this adorable.”

“Let’s do well from now on. I’m Meatshield.”

Rajix, flustered by the flood of attention, didn’t know what to do.

“All right, all right—since we’re teammates now, let’s toss him up to celebrate!”

“SQUEAK?”

HEAVE! HEAVE!

Round little Rajix shot up from the center of the living room like a volleyball.

At this rate, someone was going to spike him.

“Hoeee! It’s high! It’s too hiiiigh!”

Well, even if he was a worker who didn’t help with clearing, he was a hundred, a thousand times better than Mad Demon.

“Still... is his ability really only ‘worker’?”

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