Team Leader Jeon Gwangil was just as shocked.

At first, he didn’t even understand why Section Chief Lee Mina was shocked.

He thought Bong Juhyeok reappearing in under ten minutes was because he’d abandoned the mission.

But then the messages immediately lighting up on his smartphone—

Team Leader, another system-wide notice just popped.

It’s an 11th-floor consecutive S++ clear record.

The Commissioner has called an emergency countermeasure meeting.

They’re telling you to finish your field work as fast as possible and come back ASAP.

He’d already called Commissioner Park Kyungsoo and told him Bong Juhyeok wasn’t the S++ record-holder... that he’d just do a regular contract and come back quickly.

And now what the hell was this?

It was this man.

This timid Bong Juhyeok who couldn’t even properly meet his and Section Chief Lee Mina’s eyes was the S++ record-holder.

How could anyone not see it?

He was insisting it was a coincidence, but—

“Coincidence, my ass.”

The cleared floor count and timing matched perfectly.

But Player Bong Juhyeok kept denying it anyway.

“I-it’s n-not me. It’s a coincidence. ...Agh, s-sorry, the way I talk rubbed off on me—anyway, it’s absolutely not me.”

He was stuttering, but he was brazenly denying it to the end.

“Are you sure it isn’t you?”

“Yes— No, yes.”

But Jeon was certain.

Bong Juhyeok was the S++ record-holder.

He was trying to hide it, but his expression, the way he spoke, his gestures—everything gave it away.

“I see.”

“...Hahaha, s-see? That’s what I’m saying.”

“Then since we’ve confirmed your Awakening, we’ll prepare the contract. Section Chief Lee Mina?”

Quick on the uptake, Section Chief Lee Mina pulled a contract out of an envelope.

A contract they’d prepared in advance.

One meant only for the S++ record-holder.

“Th-this isn’t a regular contract. This looks like an ELITE TOWER CLIMBING TEAM contract.”

“It isn’t. It’s on a completely different level. If I had to put it into words, you can think of it as an ultra-elite contract.”

“...”

“At the moment, in the Republic of Korea, only Player Yoo Cheolmin receives these benefits.”

Player Yoo Cheolmin.

A name Juhyeok knew too.

Korea’s best Player—cleared Floor 65 and currently challenging Floor 66.

“Take a look. It includes every benefit the state can possibly provide. An annual salary of 12 billion won, real estate, VVIP protocol and security, even immunity privileges.”

“No. Why are you giving this to me?”

“Because you proved the highest talent. Make your decision. For the Republic of Korea—”

It was all ruined.

Because of that John Cossack.

Because of those insane Summoned Principles.

“Haa... fuck. This got way too big.”

Juhyeok sagged.

Seeing him like that, Section Chief Lee Mina said,

“Juhyeok, you’re someone who deserves treatment worthy of your talent. Join the elite team.”

And she gave him a sweet smile.

THUD.

Juhyeok’s heart dropped into his stomach.

“A woman... smiling with her eyes?”

He hadn’t expected that.

Juhyeok’s resistance to women was basically nonexistent.

He needed to get a grip.

If he slipped for even a second, he’d get dragged in.

So with a stiff face—

“...If it isn’t a regular contract, I’m not going to be a Player.”

“...What?”

“No, why—?”

Juhyeok forced out courage.

“I don’t like getting attention. If I get attention, I get stressed out, and if I get stressed out, I don’t want to do anything at all.”

“...Hmmm.”

“...”

As ridiculous as it sounded, it was the truth.

That’s how he’d always been.

“Up to now, climbing the tower is actually kind of fun. I’m doing it seriously, too. But it’s only Floor 11. I don’t know what the future will look like, and I’m not confident yet.”

Only then did Jeon understand.

Bong Juhyeok’s personality.

Like how a male customer who came to buy clothes never returns if the staff is overly friendly.

Or how a restaurant regular suddenly stops coming starting the next day if you act like you know them and chat them up too much.

There were people where excessive interest backfired.

In MBTI terms—

A pure, extreme I.

Right now, backing off was the right move.

“...All right. Then we’ll proceed with the regular contract.”

“Oh! Thank you.”

Juhyeok received the new contract, checked it, and signed as fast as he could.

For him, this was a win.

Someone could ask why he insisted on a regular contract.

Why not just slam the stamp down on the elite contract and enjoy the benefits while climbing?

Because an elite contract comes with obligations equal to what you receive.

Even if you want to stop while climbing the upper floors, you can’t.

It’s a team made for climbing uncleared upper floors.

And if you join the elite team, you have to record your clears and show them to people.

John Cossack’s existence would inevitably be exposed.

But Juhyeok didn’t want that.

He wasn’t like a normal summon.

He was clearly a person.

You had to ask him first.

※ ※ ※

Seoul, Hannam-dong.

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo could only blink at Team Leader Jeon’s abrupt report.

The Player named Bong Juhyeok—the one Jeon met today after the call—was suspected to be the S++ record-holder?

No, it was practically certain?

He asked again and again.

But the answer stayed the same.

“T-Team Leader Jeon, that’s completely different from your interim report. On the phone, you said he was a timid Player with no will to climb.”

“That’s correct.”

“Then... how is he S++?”

“That’s also correct. He has no will to climb and he’s timid, but he possesses talent for S++ clears.”

He couldn’t make sense of it.

“Explain in detail.”

“Well...”

Jeon explained what had just happened.

Then Commissioner Park Kyungsoo asked with a stunned expression,

“...Is there any chance it was a coincidence?”

Section Chief Lee Mina answered.

“The timing matched too perfectly. It’s absolutely not a coincidence.”

She was a Player.

She’d seen and heard it directly.

Meaning the clear-success notice and the time he exited the tower matched.

If so, then he was definitely the S++ record-holder, but—

Why was he insisting on staying on the regular team?

Was he going to let that ridiculous talent rot?

“Did you explain the elite team benefits in detail?”

“Yes. I told him repeatedly. I pitched it aggressively.”

“...And he still wouldn’t budge?”

What was he trying to do?

“Could he be doing it on purpose to raise his price—”

“I don’t think so. It might just be his personality.”

“So he really is that timid?”

“Yes. Probably.”

“Haa. This is driving me insane.”

What now?

If he has no will to climb, then even with talent, you should let him go.

But if his talent is S++?

“So what about the contract?”

“For now, a regular contract is best. If we approach too rashly, it’ll backfire.”

“Are you planning to just leave him like this and watch?”

“Not a chance. You think I’d just sit and watch that kind of talent? We have to bring him into the elite team no matter what.”

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo nodded.

“Good... but don’t approach too obsessively. If he’s truly timid, he might give up his Player qualification altogether.”

“Yes. First, I plan to figure out what kind of person Bong Juhyeok is. If he has a weakness, we need to dig into that.”

“Fine, but this must be absolutely secret. Only me, Team Leader Jeon, and Section Chief Lee Mina know.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Me too.”

The elite contract was a failure, but they couldn’t just watch.

They already knew who he was.

And they’d succeeded with the regular contract, at least.

What mattered was security.

Flies might swarm in.

A talented Player was a prize any country would covet.

“By the way... do you think he’ll set an S++ record on Floor 12 too?”

“Hard to say. He might, but we also have to consider the possibility he’ll slack on purpose. Dragging time out on purpose, making the clear harder—”

“To avoid joining the elite team?”

“Or he might keep clearing S++ anyway. He said climbing is fun, at least.”

It was ambiguous.

Part of them wanted to confirm whether it was truly S++ talent.

Another part of them wanted him to stop here so his existence wouldn’t spread.

But the next day—

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ on Floor 12 of Black Tower (Korea).]

Again?

To confirm, Team Leader Jeon called Juhyeok.

“P-Player Bong Juhyeok, is it true you just cleared Floor 12?”

...Yes. It was me. But Floor 13 might be hard.

The next day—

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ on Floor 13 of Black Tower (Korea).]

What? Hard?

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ on Floor 14 of Black Tower (Korea).]

Three days in a row.

“So it was real.”

At this point, who cared if he was timid?

He was producing undeniable results.

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo had no choice but to make a decision.

No matter what, they would bring him into the elite team.

Team Leader Jeon thought the same.

“Should we attach someone to him?”

“No. Special treatment is more dangerous. Too many eyes. For now, treat him like a regular contractor.”

“I agree.”

They had to approach carefully.

First, build trust.

Even someone extremely timid changes once you get close.

“Come up with a way to strengthen your relationship with him.”

“The best way is to meet a lot. Often.”

“Then Team Leader Jeon, handle it.”

“Understood.”

※ ※ ※

Three days ago.

The day after clearing Floor 11.

Juhyeok had summoned Cossack.

Acting like he was mad.

“I told you to go slowly.”

“...Yes. You did.”

“Then what is this? Everything got exposed.”

“S-sorry.”

“If you do that one more time, you get nothing. I’m Dismissing Summon you immediately.”

“Yes.”

Of course, he felt bad too.

Cossack had done it for him.

“Cossack.”

“Yes?”

“If I reveal your existence to people, what will ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) you do?”

“That is Summoner Bong’s decision. If you tell me to, I will do it.”

“Be honest. Do you like it? Or do you hate it?”

“...Hmm. I hate it. It gets annoying.”

“Okay.”

Sure.

Wasn’t Cossack from another world?

If his existence became known, all kinds of people would swarm him.

Where did you come from?

What’s your name?

Why do you do this?

He shouldn’t reveal it.

He just had to keep going like this.

Then—Floor 12.

[Floor 12 Mission: Defeat 20 Ice-Snow Icicle-Spear Weasels.]

[Time Limit: Within 3 hours.]

[Completion Condition: Ice-Snow Icicle-Spear Weasel 0/20]

[Failure Condition: Death or mission abandonment]

“Really gently! Let’s do it normally.”

If he cleared normally from Floor 12 onward, wouldn’t the Administration give up?

“Yes!”

Cossack answered crisply.

This time, Juhyeok felt like he could trust him.

Unlike Floor 11—where they’d been surrounded by an insane number of Burrow Centipedes—the Icicle-Spear Weasels were sparse and hard to spot.

They had to search and push deeper inside to find them.

But the environment on Floor 12 was the problem.

A vicious, polar-level cold.

He’d known in advance, so he’d layered up with a padded jacket and a scarf, but a cutting wind like knives whipped through the gaps in his clothes.

If he just stayed crouched at the tower entrance, holding his breath, he’d be fine, but...

He had no choice but to move together.

If he got left alone outside Cossack’s field of view, who knew what could happen.

And the deeper they went, the more horrible the cold became.

He’d even brought hot packs in advance, but they were useless.

B-B-B-BRRR.

His lips turned blue.

Just as he thought he should move his body at least a little—

“At this rate, you could freeze to death. I will finish as quickly as possible and escort you to a warm room.”

Cossack charged at the groups of Ice-Snow Icicle-Spear Weasels clustered here and there.

“Stay here. It will end quickly.”

“No, I’m fine, so go slowly—”

Of course, John Cossack didn’t listen.

“I-I told you—absolute obedience—”

And in the end—

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ on Floor 12 of Black Tower (Korea).]

[Reward: As an S++ record reward, you are awarded a Platinum Badge.]

“Fuck.”

Fine.

Let’s see who wins.

“Whew. Now it’s warm. Then I will go out and watch TV—”

“...Dismiss Summon.”

POP!

Where the hell were you going to watch TV?

If you don’t obey, you get nothing.

After that, Team Leader Jeon called.

Asking if it was true he’d just cleared Floor 12.

It was all exposed anyway—what was the point of hiding it?

So he said yes.

The Floor 13 mission in a corridor environment—breaking through traps, too.

“This cannot be helped. The mission is to pass through the corridor. It is full of traps. Blades can burst from the walls and floor and injure you. I will destroy the trap mechanisms quickly.”

“...”

And on Floor 14, inside a cave—

“It is a Giant Eyeball Bat. Its primary technique is an ultrasonic attack. It is wide-area, so if it is cast, Summoner Bong will also be hit. I will deal with it before that.”

“...”

Not even threats of Dismiss Summon could bend John Cossack.

Summoned Principles, Article Three.

Persistent. So damn persistent.

Juhyeok finally gave up.

Absolute obedience, my ass.

He wouldn’t listen for anything.

Fine.

Do whatever you want.

He was curious how far it would go, too.

He didn’t want to quit, either.

His body was already trained.

His bank account already had the 2.75 million won from selling the Floor 10 and below Magic Stones, plus the 2 million won regular Player support stipend.

And he even had 5 kg of Magic Stones in his Tower-Only Inventory from Floors 11 through 14 rewards.

“Even that alone is 2.5 million won.”

Ah...

He’d already basically earned more than 7 million won.

He couldn’t even imagine how much money he’d bring in going forward.

He quit the convenience store job.

He quit the barbecue restaurant job.

It was better to focus on one thing.

In this situation, stop climbing the tower?

Come on.

He might be timid, but he wasn’t that timid.

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