After finishing the Floor 51 clear,

Juhyeok and the others exited the Tower.

They’d used up both of their daily Tower entry chances... so what now?

Why wouldn’t there be something to do?

They had to hold a welcome party for the new member.

“We’ll make it a welcome party for Ms. Veronica too—let’s have a team dinner. Take the beef out of the fridge. Today, beer and soju as much as you want... huh?”

Grrrrk, grrrrk—

Veronica was already sprawled out flat on her back on the living room floor, dead asleep.

“Damn, she’s sleeping the moment we get out. At this point, isn’t she basically a sloth?”

“...Could be a panda or a koala.”

The three great sleepers of the animal kingdom.

Veronica had enough sleeping power to belong in that lineup.

It was pitiful.

She should at least eat before she sleeps.

Since Juhyeok knew what Veronica had longed for so desperately before she died, he couldn’t bring himself to wake her.

“Looks like she went crazy from not sleeping. Best to let her sleep.”

“Still, it’s better to eat and sleep. Even pandas eat bamboo before they sleep.”

“If you wake her for no reason, she’ll go ballistic. You saw earlier, didn’t you? Tsk, tsk. Pretty face, but the personality...”

“Huh? Pretty?”

“...Yeah?”

“You just said it.”

“I didn’t.”

“You did.”

“N-no, I didn’t.”

Cossack slipped away, saying he was going to grill the meat.

Look at him.

At this rate, the two of them might actually start something.

‘That could get interesting.’

He didn’t know if summoned entities could date each other, but it wasn’t like they couldn’t.

Once they were outside, they ate, drank, slept—did everything.

So, team dinner it was.

They’d leave Veronica’s portion aside in case she woke up later.

At the big dining table, the beef sizzled as it cooked.

They drank and ate, laughed and chatted...

It was a welcome party with the main guest missing, but today wasn’t the only day.

They could do it again later.

Honestly, Juhyeok found this situation amazing every single time.

Up until now, he’d lived without even one decent friend.

A team dinner? Yeah right.

He’d never even expected he’d be able to laugh and joke around with people like this.

For Juhyeok, enjoying moments like this with comrades felt even better than succeeding as a Player.

In fact, that was why he’d bought a big penthouse in the first place—to hang out together like this.

Right then!

‘Gasp!’

In an instant, Veronica—who’d been sleeping in the living room—vanished.

‘...Where did she go?’

She’d been snoring on the floor just a second ago.

She hadn’t been dismissed.

And yet, Meatshield—who was eating meat—pointed under the table.

“Female soldier staff sergeant is here.”

He looked down.

It was Veronica.

This time, she was sleeping under the table.

It looked like she’d rolled over here after sleeping in the living room.

The more you looked, the more unbelievable it was.

“Is that a sleeping habit?”

“SQUEEEENG....”

“She likely followed the smell of grilling meat even while sleeping.”

That seemed right.

Even while asleep—

Sniff, sniff,

Her nostrils flared.

Smack, smack—she even licked her lips.

“We should probably wake her up and feed her.”

Cossack stared at sleeping Veronica for a moment. Then, as if something occurred to him, he grinned and said,

“Summoner Bong.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t wake her. Just wait a bit. There’s something I wanna try.”

“What?”

Cossack gently placed a piece of beef onto sleeping Veronica’s lips.

Sniff, sniff—her nostrils twitched.

Then her tongue flicked out—and swept the meat into her mouth.

Cossack sprang up and clapped.

“Incredible. Incredible! She ate while sleeping. I’m seriously shocked.”

The more I watched, the more absurd it felt.

No—she chews meat while lying there asleep?

Is that a skill?

Maybe it fascinated him, because Cossack put another piece of meat on her lips.

Lick, munch, munch.

“This is insane. Summoner Bong, wanna try too?”

“...”

Meatshield watched quietly too.

Then—

He slid two chunks around her lips.

Lick, lick, munch, munch, smack, smack.

“SQUEEEAK?”

Rajix looked fascinated.

He snapped off a piece of the carrot he was eating and, with a face full of anticipation, carefully placed it on Veronica’s lips.

Lick!

“SQUEAK, she ate the carrot too.”

“Well done, worker Rajix. Meat and vegetables, balanced—”

Ptooey!

A carrot chunk suddenly shot out of Veronica’s mouth.

“SQUEAK!”

Rajix sagged in disappointment.

So she’ll eat while sleeping, but she’s picky.

Anyway, the welcome party ended well.

She ate, even if it was while sleeping.

Time passed and it was time to go back, but Juhyeok didn’t wake Veronica.

And like that, she vanished as her summoning ended—still asleep.

*****

Thirteen days left until the United Arab Emirates Tower Collapse.

You had to meet the requirements to properly use a Multinational Tower Access Ticket.

You couldn’t climb a floor higher than the user’s level.

So after climbing to Floor 59 in the Black Tower (Republic of Korea), they would go to Black Tower (United Arab Emirates) Floor 60.

That meant today was Floor 52.

[Entering Black Tower (Republic of Korea) Floor 52.]

[Your physical abilities have been enhanced to match your level.]

[Trait and combat skill usage is available.]

Floor 52, Level 52.

His strength was reinforced to Level 52, and his mana was full enough to keep Shadow Step going all day.

Time to get moving.

His special items had been taken, but he still had the mace and hand shield he’d bought when he first became a Player.

What kind of “strong man” blames his weapons?

Meatshield fought barehanded just fine.

Time to prepare for the clear.

Veronica Caliber was summoned today too—still asleep.

“Operation prep is finishe—ah!”

Veronica, who had been checking her magic gun, shouted with a startled expression.

“Is there a problem?”

“C-Captain! Ammunition depleted. I failed to resupply internally. I apologize. I will correct this.”

Ammunition?

So she needed ammo?

“What kind of bullets?”

“I need Magic Stones. The magic gun loads Magic Stones as live rounds. Normally I extract them from monster corpses to resupply internally, but yesterday ended too quickly...”

“Really?”

A Magic Stone rich guy is standing right here—what’s there to worry about?

“Where do you load the Magic Stones?”

“Right here. Just pour them all in.”

Veronica removed the top cover.

Now I get why the rifle was so bulky.

The inside of the magic gun was completely hollow.

If you poured Magic Stones in here, it could probably hold a full 11 pounds.

“Mr. Rajix.”

“SQUEAK?”

“You’ve got Magic Stones mined up, right?”

“SQUEAK, yes. Lots.”

“Give them to Staff Sergeant.”

Rajix opened his backpack.

Magic Stones poured out in a stream.

“How is it?”

“I-it’s enough.”

“Reloading during combat?”

“It is possible. The loading time is short.”

“Then Mr. Rajix, if it looks like Veronica needs ammunition, resupply her with Magic Stones immediately.”

“SQUEAK!”

Veronica also added,

“When ammunition is depleted, I will raise my left arm to signal Supply Officer Rajix.”

“Fire as much as you want. Don’t conserve ammo.”

“Victory!”

If you fully loaded it once, how many shots could you fire?

“Based on large mana rounds, 2 shots. Based on small mana rounds, 200 shots. Both single fire and automatic fire are possible.”

Two large rounds.

Two hundred small rounds.

Roughly speaking, a hundredfold power gap.

“If we keep pouring in Magic Stones in the middle, can we just keep spraying large rounds and small rounds nonstop?”

“There is no limit on small rounds even with automatic fire, but large rounds are limited to 2 shots.”

“Even if we replenish Magic Stones?”

“Large rounds strain the magic gun. After firing two, one hour must pass before you can fire again.”

A kind of cooldown. That was fine.

Small rounds were strong enough already.

And she could spray them as much as she wanted.

[Floor 52 Mission: Kill 15 Steel-Beak Pitch-Black Gryphons.]

[Completion Time Limit: Within 14 hours.]

[Failure Condition: Death or mission abandonment.]

Floor 52 went smoothly too.

Veronica’s pulling, shaving damage, handing off to Meatshield, and Cossack finishing.

At this point, it wasn’t “smooth” so much as “monotonous.”

Of course, things didn’t always stay perfect.

“Squad members, is it fine if I hand off two at once?”

“Do it. Even if ten come at once, it doesn’t matter.”

“Roger! I wish you victory. Princess, I ask you to focus as well. Aggro might slip, so be careful.”

“Rest assured.”

Pah-juk! Pah-juk! Pah-juk!

But instead of two, three dropped.

Meatshield stepped in front of her.

“Three. Magic gunner, withdraw.”

“No! I will handle one.”

Bzzzzing!

Veronica’s magic gun heated white-hot.

She took a careful seated firing stance, aimed—

Pah-ju-ju-juk!!!

A massive large mana round slammed directly into a Shrieking-Claw Gryphon’s body.

PUH!

Hit by the large mana round, the gryphon dropped helplessly.

At the same time, the kill count went up.

One shot was enough.

But the aggro from the other two was still live.

Pah-ju-ju-ju-juk!

After suppressing their dive with automatic fire—

Veronica rolled away, tumbling out of the battlefield.

The remaining two that chased her—

“Nowhere!”

Meatshield grabbed both their necks at once.

And Cossack stabbed their vital points with a dagger laced with killing intent, cutting off their breath.

“SQUEAK... that was cool.”

Rajix said, eyes round.

He looked like he’d fallen for the sight of Veronica firing one huge shot, then rolling away to retreat.

“Worker Rajix, if I fight too, I’m cool. Did I tell you about the time I walked down from the sky?”

“SQUEAK? Th-that’s dangerous. Summoner, you’re cool even if you just stay still.”

That’s right.

Rajix really is a worker with good judgment about people.

Anyway—Veronica Caliber.

Maybe because she’d been a soldier in her previous life, every motion was crisp and efficient.

Especially when she went into a standing firing stance and slammed small rounds into gryphons without mercy during automatic fire...

But she had a downside too.

Her efficiency wasn’t as good as you’d think.

She burned through Magic Stones fast.

Meatshield and Cossack just needed food.

When Veronica raised her left hand, Rajix dashed out as if he’d been waiting.

Rumble-rumble-rumble—

“SQUEEEAK!”

He unzipped his backpack and resupplied her with Magic Stones.

“Thank you, Supply Officer Rajix.”

“SQUEEEENG...”

Rajix was serving as supply officer while fighting on the very front line.

‘Then I should probably join in too...’

Juhyeok pulled out his mace and hand shield.

The moment Veronica saw him, she ran over in a hurry.

“You must not advance.”

“Why?”

“You [N O V E L I G H T] could be hit by rounds coming from behind. In war, more people die from friendly fire than from the enemy.”

This one too.

How does she have so many excuses?

“Then what about Cossack and Meatshield?”

“Hm. Cossack is slippery, so he’ll dodge the bullets. And Meatshield seems like he won’t care even if he gets hit.”

“...What if I order you to?”

“I will recite the Summoned Principles, the Three Articles. One! A summoned entity prioritizes the Summoner’s life above all—”

“Okay, okay. Stop.”

Those damn three articles.

“And if Captain advances personally, who will command? A commander must not move rashly.”

“Command my ass.”

“I must have misheard, sir.”

Commander, my ass.

Is rotting in the rear the same thing as commanding?

‘Hmm...’

Thinking about it, she wasn’t wrong.

If anything, it was perfect realism.

If you’re the commander, hanging back in the rear is kind of the point.

Anyway, Floor 52 too—

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 52.]

The next day as well—

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 53.]

And the day after that as well—

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 54.]

*****

The United Arab Emirates was a federation of states.

The main authority lay with the Supreme Federal Council, but among them, it was safe to say the King of Abu Dhabi—by far the strongest—effectively ruled the United Arab Emirates.

Crown Prince Abdul bin Sala of Abu Dhabi was under house arrest.

All outside activity was forbidden.

It was basically prison.

The moment he returned from Korea to Abu Dhabi, it happened.

Because the temporary naturalization contract failed?

Not a chance.

A mere contract failure couldn’t be the reason for exile.

Especially not for a crown prince.

The cause was the Trait enhancement rune.

The item he was supposed to hand over as the condition of the temporary naturalization contract with Saudi Arabia.

His crime was giving it to a mysterious man whose identity he didn’t even know.

All he’d gotten in return were two Tower reward items and a verbal promise to clear Floor 60 and Floor 61.

Since he had to bear that responsibility in full, bin Sala was exiled to his own home.

On top of that, he was in danger of losing his status as crown prince.

And it wasn’t just losing his status.

In the end, he would be expelled from the United Arab Emirates.

And then he’d be eliminated by a killer.

Because a living, exiled crown prince would be a burden to the next power.

There was only one way to revive his fortunes.

The man he met at the hotel.

If that man cleared Black Tower (United Arab Emirates) Floor 60—

Then bin Sala would escape house arrest and wield even stronger power than before.

At that moment!

KNOCK KNOCK.

An attendant knocked on the door of the room where bin Sala was confined, then entered.

“How did it go?”

“Today, Black Tower (Republic of Korea) Floor 54 was cleared at rank S++.”

“I see.”

Four days of consecutive climbing.

To be honest, he’d been uncertain, but now he was sure.

Meatshield.

A mysterious Player who could display power beyond his Tower abilities even in reality.

Meatshield was unquestionably the one recording the S++ clears of the Black Tower (Republic of Korea).

Clearing from Floor 51 through Floor 54 consecutively over four days was to keep his promise to bin Sala.

And how bold—

He’d simply handed over an extremely rare Tower reward weapon and shield as “a gift.”

Omar, who entered the Tower wearing that equipment, had already climbed two more floors and reached Level 29.

If Meatshield cleared Floor 60 as promised...

‘No matter what, I have to go to Korea.’

With a gift bundle that won’t disappoint.

Somehow, he had to meet Meatshield again.

He needed to maintain a continuous relationship with him.

That Meatshield was a chilling, creepy person wasn’t even a problem.

If anything, maybe it was luck—having made contact with someone like that.

────────────────────────────────────

────────────────────────────────────