Kabalan’s Curse of the Average.

The countries selected in the first wave started climbing the uncleared upper floors one by one.

And like a lie, the collapse time limits started running normally again.

Countries that had been putting it off even though they could do it.

Starting with Mexico, then the Republic of South Africa, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan succeeded in their clears and reset their Tower collapse time limit to six months.

America’s Gerald Watson, Director Antonio, and Minister MacMillan also entered through Incheon Airport.

As soon as arrival hit, Minister MacMillan held a press conference personally.

“The holy sword is the savior and lifeline that will stop Tower collapse across the entire world. No matter what country the Player is from, if that holy sword is lost or damaged, you will have to endure America’s wrath.”

If you didn’t know better, you’d think the holy sword belonged to America.

“Also, any Player who will use the holy sword must have achieved Trait Enhancement at least once, and we plan to propose to the TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION in Korea that they submit a psychiatric evaluation certificate as well.”

If you want to borrow it, borrow it properly—

because Saudi Arabia had already provided the precedent.

Either way, Gerald arrived at the ADMINISTRATION.

He borrowed the holy sword immediately and went out to clear.

The result?

Of course, a success.

It wasn’t that flat, bland Radiance from before.

Dazzling, brilliant Radiance of victory.

Once he was wrapped in Radiance, Phantom Reaper’s long-range dark-aura attack was useless.

That was how the first-wave selected list gradually shrank.

People relaxed.

They thought Tower collapse was going to start at any moment, but when they opened it up and looked, it wasn’t even a threat.

ㄴKabalan Duke (Copy) is a total pussy.

ㄴLOL, this bastard dropped a curse like he was about to end the world.

ㄴHey! This is Earth!

ㄴStill, the folks stuck in the 50s should reflect. Stop dragging down the average.

ㄴWhat’s Japan doing? Saudi Arabia had the king step in personally, at least.

ㄴWhat a nuisance country. Weren’t Japanese people supposed to hate inconveniencing others?

Would Japan not have wanted to clear?

It’s not that they weren’t doing it. They couldn’t.

Maybe even the public had given up—responses full of self-mockery.

ㄴIt’s over. Everyone, please leave Japan.

ㄴAs expected, Japan was a backward country. www

ㄴIt already became that ten years ago.

ㄴIf it collapses, will there be an earthquake?

ㄴHow could there not be? They said the sinkhole diameter is 10 km.

ㄴWhy aren’t you requesting temporary naturalization?

ㄴLet’s get Korea’s help. Apologize properly.

ㄴI’d rather choose disembowelment. Get lost, Joseon bastards!

ㄴHaa... if it weren’t for those net-right-wing bastards.

And so, with Japan excluded, every country breathed easier.

It looked like the danger of Tower collapse was decreasing.

But as if it were mocking that relief, another World Notice popped up.

[World Notice: You still have not reached an average floor of 70. Tower-climbing laggard countries must strive harder.]

ㄴHuh?

ㄴW-what?

ㄴGasp!

ㄴAgain?

ㄴWasn’t it supposed to be over?

[World Notice: We will select 20 countries for the second wave. The selection method is random.]

ㄴYou motherfucking—!

ㄴSecond wave, 20 countries?

ㄴKabalan, you bastard!

ㄴSo there’s a third wave too?

ㄴFirst wave 10, second wave 20—then the third is...?

ㄴThis is insane.

[World Notice: The clear time limit for Black Tower (Brazil) is gradually decreasing.]

[World Notice: The clear time limit for Black Tower (Germany) is gradually decreasing.]

[World Notice: The clear time limit for Black Tower (Philippines) is gradually decreasing.]

[World Notice: The clear time limit for Black Tower (India) is gradually decreasing.]

[World Notice: The clear time limit for Black Tower (Croatia) is gradually decreasing.]

.

.

The world fell back into chaos.

Because it was a World Notice everyone could hear—Players and ordinary people alike—the shock hit even harder.

*****

Second-wave selected countries for Tower climbing.

A full twenty.

Once again, Korea wasn’t included.

At the TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION in Korea.

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo said with a chuckle, smiling broadly.

“Heh-heh, Korea got left out again. It wouldn’t hurt if we got included once, you know.”

At that, Jeon Gwangil suddenly raised his voice.

“Commissioner!!! What is wrong with you?”

“Ah-cha-cha-cha, sorry, sorry. My mouth runs ahead of my brain. I just meant Korea has some breathing room...”

“Ah, come on!!!”

“...M-my mistake. I take back everything I just said.”

The person who proved “words become seeds” with his own body was Park Kyungsoo.

“If you’re bored, please take on some other work. These days, even if I had ten bodies, it wouldn’t be enough.”

“That’s because you’re trying to do everything yourself. Hand the ordinary stuff off to staff.”

“All staff haven’t gone home in three days, sir. At this rate, it’ll start smelling rotten inside the ADMINISTRATION.”

“Oh dear!”

They really were busy nonstop.

Calls about holy sword reservations, adjusting the reservation schedule, managing elite Players, guiding foreign Players coming to rent the holy sword.

“Give me one job too. Even the commissioner should contribute.”

“Well, it’s fine. Later, the corporate card—”

That was when it happened. Jeon Gwangil’s smartphone buzzed with a ZZZZT!.

“May I take this call for a moment?”

“Who is it?”

“It’s Player Bong Juhyeok.”

“Gasp! Answer it. Quickly. Don’t worry about me.”

Jeon Gwangil hit the call button and picked up.

“Yes, this is Jeon Gwangil. Hahaha! Busy? Of course not. The world changed overnight—of course we have to run ourselves to death.”

He answered with an intentionally hearty laugh.

“But what’s this about— Ah! Yes, yes. Clearing Kabalan Duke’s True Body, it’s the best method... yes. The average floor 70, we can reach it, but it’ll take a lot of time. Yes, yes—huh, yes?”

His complexion changed in an instant.

“P-pardon? I think I misheard. One more time... gasp! A-are you serious?... Na-naturalizing...?”

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo sprang up too.

“What? Naturalization? What are you talking about? W-wait! Let me hear too.”

Jeon switched the phone to speaker mode.

-Not permanent naturalization. Temporary naturalization. To France.

“Temporary naturalization is still na-naturalization. Temporary can become permanent later.”

-So please handle it safely on the ADMINISTRATION’s side. Fifteen days is enough. So I can meet Kabalan’s Copy briefly and come right back—please.

“...”

Jeon Gwangil couldn’t bring himself to answer.

Neither could Park Kyungsoo.

A bolt from the blue had landed.

Player Bong Juhyeok’s request for temporary naturalization to France.

“C-Commissioner, what do we do?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Then who am I supposed to ask?”

“Well, that’s true, but...”

He thought for a moment.

“Deputy Commissioner, can you persuade Player Bong?”

“...It seems he’s already made up his mind.”

Even Park Kyungsoo could hear it.

“If he naturalizes to France, what’s the chance it becomes permanent?”

“Very slim. It’s certain he’s still in Korea right now, and he isn’t the type to lie.”

“One more thing.”

“If he temporarily naturalizes, what risks might appear?”

“His identity could be exposed.”

“Player Bong Juhyeok wouldn’t have missed that.”

“He knows. Given his personality, he definitely considered everything before calling.”

Park Kyungsoo nodded.

“Then we process it. You go to the French embassy.”

“...Whew. We have no right to stop him. How much do we tell France?”

“Make something up appropriately. Whether they find out later or not. And let’s keep this between the two of us.”

“Yes.”

And with that, Juhyeok’s temporary naturalization to France was decided.

*****

Juhyeok ended the call with Jeon Gwangil.

He’d wanted to think it over with time, but if he delayed, things could go bad.

The second World Notice.

Another twenty countries selected.

Kabalan, that bastard—he was probably enjoying this situation, hiding inside the Tower.

He couldn’t let it be.

Shouldn’t he show them how scary a weak man gets when he’s truly pissed off?

Of course, he wasn’t doing it himself.

A weak man had a weak man’s way.

He keeps bullying me. Please teach him a lesson.

“Designated Summon: Mad Demon.”

SPOT! Mad Demon appeared.

“Summoner.”

“It’s been a while, Mad Demon. It’s just that...”

“A demon, Kabalan Duke, has appeared.”

“...Yes.”

Looks like Mad Demon’s inhibition about Floor 70 had been lifted too.

“True Body, or Copy?”

“For now it’s the Copy. I’m going to use the Copy to find the True Body.”

“Don’t tell me it’s the Korean Tower? Summoner, did you climb to Floor 70...”

“No. Black Tower (France).”

“Ah! Then someone must have climbed with a loophole.”

Mad Demon nodded and continued.

“Summoner, if you have decided to find the True Body... you intend to naturalize to France.”

“Yes. Just for a few days. Temporarily.”

“Good. Very good.”

As expected of Mad Demon.

In just a few lines, he saw through everything.

“May I grasp your wrist for a moment?”

“Go ahead.”

Juhyeok held his wrist out without resistance.

Swoooosh, energy seeped in.

“How much have you trained the Heaven-and-Earth Unity Art?”

“I always do one hour a day.”

“Heh-heh-heh. As expected.”

“...Is it not enough?”

It felt like getting homework checked.

Should he have worked harder?

“No. It is exactly right. If you raise your realm too quickly, the harmony of essence, energy, and spirit breaks—excess becomes poison.”

He did one hour a day, and that was excess?

“You have overflowing talent.”

“Me?”

“It can’t be the first time you’ve heard that.”

“...”

Cossack had said it once.

He’d taken it half as flattery, half as serious.

“Anyway, no need to worry. Still, do not let your guard down. If anything dangerous happens, summon first, no matter what.”

Ah.

What a kind man.

“I set out drinks. Have a glass.”

“I will not refuse.”

A third drinking table with Mad Demon.

Given the state of the world, it wasn’t the time to guzzle, but this too was business.

“I have something I’d like to ask you for in Black Tower (France)... if it isn’t too much...”

Right then, Mad Demon frowned hard and went serious.

“Hmph.”

Oh, did he mess up?

“Summoner.”

“...Yes?”

His expression wasn’t good. Well, fair enough.

If someone didn’t take your advice, then tried to pour you a few drinks and ask for a favor, who wouldn’t be angry?

“Um, if you’re displeased—”

“As I have mentioned before, this old one is the summoner’s sword and blade. At times like this, you do not ask—you command. This old one will gladly obey.”

“Ah...”

That’s what it was?

He suddenly felt bad.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t even realize.”

“If you are sorry, let us take France this time. Is France a presidential system?”

“...”

“Gahaha... a joke.”

It didn’t sound like it.

He really couldn’t afford to relax around him.

“Call whenever you wish. If we leave Kabalan alone, it will become a great disaster. Even if you conquer a world full of holes from Tower collapse, what then? That is not what this old one wants either.”

Either way, he had Mad Demon’s firm answer.

Now all that was left was the naturalization paperwork.

*****

The next day.

Ravio Henri, a counselor working at the Embassy of France in Korea, went out to the meeting place.

A request had come from the TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION in Korea.

One of Korea’s elite Players wanted to acquire French nationality for fifteen days.

The reason?

Just that he wanted to clear Black Tower (France), even if only for fifteen days.

Absurd.

A Black Tower is a Black Tower.

Did he think Black Tower (France) would drop baguettes as rewards?

Under normal circumstances, he would have refused.

Not permanent naturalization, and no special purpose—approving temporary naturalization, even for a Player, was not something you did.

Unless it was for climbing an uncleared upper floor.

But Black Tower (France) was currently cleared up to Floor 69.

Entering Floor 70 was possible.

Progress that made France the world’s #1 Black Tower—something they had never wanted.

All because of a horrific accident he didn’t even want to think about.

Because of that, the French government was cornered.

Europe’s troll country that triggered Kabalan’s curse, the nuisance country that shortened the Tower collapse time limits.

And now the Korean ADMINISTRATION said it would defend France.

That it wasn’t France’s fault.

That it was merely an incident caused by personal deviation.

The standing of Korea’s ADMINISTRATION—the one controlling holy sword rentals—was higher than any national organization.

If they would do that, what couldn’t France do in return?

Temporary naturalization?

Easy.

Because the procedure was manualized, it could be processed simply.

So he prepared the documents in a hurry and ran to the meeting place: a coffee shop in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.

They’d also spoken on the phone beforehand.

He asked about appearance, so finding him wasn’t hard.

“Are you Mr. Bong Juhyeok?”

“Uh, yes, that’s me. You’re Counselor Ravio Henri, right?”

“Please call me Ravio. You °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° want temporary naturalization.”

“Mm. Just about fifteen days. Sorry to trouble you, Ravio.”

Counselor Ravio Henri placed the documents on the table.

“Please fill these out in your own handwriting. Gender, age, name, address—use this.”

Who would have known?

That he’d be signing naturalization paperwork.

“You know how the system works, right? Player temporary naturalization isn’t real naturalization—it’s naturalization within the system.”

“I know.”

He’d researched it beforehand.

“Just filling out the forms doesn’t finish it. The will of the Player who wants to naturalize is important. The will to naturalize. Otherwise, it will not process normally.”

The reason Juhyeok had to come in person.

If it were only paperwork, he would have sent Cossack instead.

“The temporary naturalization period is fifteen days. After that, we meet again and proceed with the cancellation of French nationality.”

Juhyeok carefully filled out the documents and signed at the end.

“All done. It will take about three hours for the documents to be transmitted to the French naturalization office and processed. Check your Status Window later.”

“Thank you.”

It was simpler than expected.

Two conditions, and it was done.

The Player’s will to naturalize, and official document registration.

Cancellation was the same.

The Player’s will to renounce the nationality, and France’s approval to permit renunciation.

Which meant forced naturalization was possible too.

Torture, threats—anything that changed the Player’s mind—then force a signature onto the documents.

*****

Juhyeok parted ways with Counselor Ravio Henri and returned home.

The result would come soon.

How would he check?

He just had to open his Status Window.

[Name] : Bong Juhyeok

[Affiliation] : Black Tower (France)

Like that.

‘That’s strange. My nationality changed.’

Even if it was only within the system.

Then first, the summoned entities. SPOT!

“Sir! Cossack present, sir!”

“Bonjour!”

“...Yes?”

“It’s a greeting.”

“Oh—wait.”

“You are French from today onward. Please call me Monsieur Bong from now on.”

“Y-yes, yes... yep...”

Fine. Like a Frenchman, then.

“Oh, Monsieur Meatshield, after we clear, let’s try some camembert cheese. With wine.”

“...”

“Oh! Mademoiselle Gyeon Dallae.”

“...Yes, yes. Master Bong.”

“Mr. Rajix, merci always.”

“Huhhng?”

“Staff Sergeant Veronica...”

“Kuhhl, kuhhl, kuhhl,”

“She’s asleep.”

All right. Enter the French Tower.

He didn’t need to go to France in person.

From the penthouse, he set the floor to 61.

Why 61 specifically?

Because there was something he wanted to confirm first.

[Entering Black Tower (France) Floor 61.]

Dark mummies—

“Let’s finish quickly, Monsieur Cossack.”

“Yes, yep! Monsieur Bong Summoner, sir!”

He pulled out the holy sword—

“Light!!!” 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Meatshield and Cossack beat them to death.

WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAM!

[You have succeeded in the Floor 61 mission.]

[Reward: Magic Stone 6.1 kg]

‘...Hmm.’

[Exiting Black Tower (France).]

SPOT!

Just as expected.

Juhyeok’s current level was 67.

A six-level gap from Floor 61’s recommended level.

Looks like if the gap is six levels, it doesn’t give a badge.

‘Then what about Floor 62?’

One more entry.

Honestly, going in and out from the penthouse doesn’t make it feel like he naturalized at all.

Tomorrow, when he enters, he should use the Tower Exit Ring and go to France in person.

While he’s at it, he can do a little sightseeing in France too.

[Entering Black Tower (France) Floor 62.]

Dark zombies.

Same as before.

“Light!!!”

WHAMWHAMWHAM!

Meatshield pulverized the zombies in the blink of an eye.

[Notice: You have achieved a Floor 62 Clear Rank of S++ in Black Tower (France).]

[S++ Clear Reward: A Platinum Badge will be bestowed.]

“Oh!”

A five-level gap still counted for an S++ clear.

He even received a Platinum Badge.

So how many total now?

Sixty-six from normal clears, one from a Multinational Tower Use Ticket, and one from Black Tower (France) Floor 62 after naturalization.

Sixty-eight badges total.

Two more, and he’d get the perk.

And in the middle of all that—

French-affiliated Players finally heard the Global Notice for an S++ clear they’d only ever heard about.

[Notice: You have achieved a Floor 62 Clear Rank of S++ in Black Tower (France).]

No, but what is this now?

Why is an S++ clear message coming out of France?

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