Before Japan’s Black Tower Collapse Countdown began.

A small, old house in a small rural city in Gunma Prefecture.

The place where Yoo Cheolmin—the Player who had naturalized to Japan—had been hiding.

Japan Self-Defense Force soldiers were surrounding the house.

The homeowner was gone.

Yoo Cheolmin had entered the Tower.

Japan’s Black Tower Floor 58.

A Self-Defense Force officer stared at a clock.

Tick, tick, tick...

Time that slipped away without mercy.

The fixed clear time limit—14 hours—had passed.

But Yoo Cheolmin couldn’t come out.

Which meant it wasn’t a simple failure.

Death inside the Tower.

“He’s dead.”

They hadn’t expected success in the first place.

Tower clearing is, more than anything else, about a Player’s mental state.

What were you supposed to expect from an alcoholic Player whose mind was a wobbling mess, soaked in booze and pills?

The officer picked up the phone and reported somewhere.

“Failed. Yoo Cheolmin died inside the Tower. Yes. We’re pulling out.”

They were already ordering their own trained Players into the Tower Die-In-Place Operation—there was no way they were going to just leave a naturalized Player alone.

The Japanese government had thrown every method they had at it.

They’d even pushed hard on the diplomatic front.

They contacted every single country without exception that had Players capable of clearing Floor 58.

It looked like it might work.

The amount of money Japan offered was so huge it defied imagination.

But then, at the worst possible moment, the second wave of Kabalan’s curse selection was announced.

Twenty countries.

Brazil—one of the countries Japan had contacted—was included.

In a situation like this, what country would agree to temporary naturalization?

People were saying a third wave could hit, and a fourth, and a fifth.

America had already sent its “naturalization specialist” Players elsewhere.

They said they didn’t have anyone to send to Japan.

There was one country that did have room.

Korea.

The Chief Cabinet Secretary said to Prime Minister Kawaguchi,

“We have to request help from Korea. There’s no other way.”

“I know.”

“I’ll make the request directly through the Foreign Ministry—”

“No. Don’t.”

“Th-then what—?”

Prime Minister Kawaguchi clenched his lips once and continued.

“If we borrow the strength of Korean Players, we can avoid the Tower Collapse. But our political lives end that day.”

“Ah...!”

“Can you shoulder that?”

Would a request for temporary naturalization really happen for free?

If it were only money, that would almost be lucky.

Territorial disputes between the two countries, defense issues, economy and trade, the past, historical distortion, return of cultural artifacts...

On every single pending issue, Japan would have to step back.

And the Kawaguchi cabinet would have to bear responsibility for it.

What would it matter if they avoided Tower Collapse?

They’d be finished.

And then it wouldn’t just be the office of Prime Minister.

They would actually die.

“It’s better to meet the Tower Collapse head-on. That way, we can find a breakthrough from that side.”

That was what Kawaguchi thought.

“When a national crisis hits, it gets easier to unify the people.”

“...”

The Chief Cabinet Secretary couldn’t refute it.

*****

America had successfully cleared two Towers.

They were supposed to leave for America today, but they delayed their departure.

An S++ clear that exploded out of nowhere in France—of course they didn’t sit still.

The moment America became aware, they immediately activated their intelligence network.

And then they learned the truth.

Bong Juhyeok’s temporary naturalization to France.

And right after that, the Global Notice from Black Tower (France).

“So it really was Bong Juhyeok.”

Minister MacMillan wore an expression like it was unbelievable.

“This feels like we took a clean hit to the back of the head. I thought he was just a decoy Player they put forward.”

Director Antonio felt the same.

“He didn’t go to France in person, did he?”

“We’ve confirmed he’s staying at home.”

“And he didn’t even use the holy sword.”

“Yes. It was an S++ clear without the holy sword.”

“He’s insane. How the hell?”

They still couldn’t understand it.

“He probably repaired the holy sword too,”

“And the one supplying Tower materials is probably Bong Juhyeok as well.”

“Then what were those two who appeared at the hotel?”

“I don’t know either.”

“Why did Bong Juhyeok temporarily naturalize to France?”

“That, too... Well, to see Kabalan’s face? It’s basically the same as having the path opened all the way to Floor 70.”

The deeper they dug, the more questions they found instead of answers.

“I want to meet him,”

“Do you think the TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION will just let that happen?”

“What’s the problem? In a democracy, who suppresses an individual’s freedom?”

“...Then handle it yourself, Minister. I don’t know anything about it. I don’t want to sour my relationship with the Deputy Commissioner.”

Minister MacMillan knew it too.

A foreign politician approaching a state-managed elite—especially the best Player—was extremely rude.

But could he stand not knowing?

“Right. Japan seems like it plans to hold out.”

“It looks like they’ve already given up.”

“So it turned out the way you were worried about. You think it’ll collapse?”

“Probably...”

There was a simple solution.

Improve relations with Korea.

Give Korea what it wanted, beg them to stop the Tower Collapse, and it would be over.

But Japan wasn’t doing it.

“What about the White House? They’ve got a lot of pro-Japan advisors—they might order you to help.”

MacMillan gave a bitter smile.

“They said to watch.”

“Watch what?”

“We’ve got a Tower located in a seismic zone too. If a Tower collapses, they want to verify what kind of impact it has on a fault line.”

“...”

Japan wouldn’t be the first Tower Collapse.

The Mumbai Tower had collapsed too.

But when the Mumbai Tower collapsed, there was almost no surviving data on how it happened.

All anyone could see afterward was a giant sinkhole.

America wanted to observe it from start to finish.

The scene of Japan’s Black Tower collapsing.

And so Japan would become a massive testing ground.

A place where they could vividly observe the process and outcome of a Tower Collapse.

*****

Day 3 as a French national.

Juhyeok cleared Floor 64 smoothly as well.

[Notice: You have achieved a Floor 64 Clear Rank of S++ in Black Tower (France).]

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

Total Platinum Badges: 70.

At the same time, he finished a repeated clearing run of Floor 64 too.

“Alright. Let’s match the pieces Rajix collected.”

You always push the main event back.

“Man...! So many pieces, merci?”

“Huh?”

“Let’s match them together.”

“Huhhh!”

A pile of runes and ticket fragments.

But only a tiny portion of them actually matched.

The combination conditions were insanely strict.

BANGBANGBANGBANG. Failure after failure.

But every once in a while—Sliiiide! SNAP!

One piece would attach.

Of course, it was still a long way from completion.

“Huh...”

Rajix drooped in disappointment.

“Hey, why are you like that? You matched way more than before.”

That was true.

The pieces Rajix had collected were not only plentiful, they were good quality.

“Now, now—applause for our best worker, Monsieur Rajix!!!”

CLAPCLAPCLAPCLAP!

Anyway, the pre-meal ceremony was over.

Next was the main event.

‘Will a Trait Enhancement Rune drop?’

Once his France naturalization period ended, the random Summoning cooldown would probably come back.

If it dropped right now, it would be perfect.

Juhyeok checked his Inventory.

70 badges.

A number you couldn’t gather through normal climbing.

Because you’d have to clear Floor 70 to get 70.

[Platinum Badge 70 total accumulated. Benefits will be granted.]

‘What is it?’

[Benefit: A start pack for high-floor climbing above Floor 71 and a Floor 70 clear-commemoration bonus will be granted.]

‘...Huh?’

A start pack, out of nowhere.

‘And it’s for climbing above Floor 71?’

It seemed the system judged that he had cleared Floor 70 because he had 70 badges.

So it was also giving him a Floor 70 clear commemoration bonus.

‘If you’re giving it early, I’ll take it.’

But a start pack—was it really a new beginning?

He’d heard about it before.

Floor 71, where things start to change.

‘What the hell changes...?’

[Benefit: Open the start pack?]

‘Open.’

[Benefit: Tower Floor Intrusion Ticket will be granted.]

[Benefit: Summoned Entity Revival Rune will be granted.]

[Benefit: Tower Clear Mission Reset Ticket will be granted.]

[Bonus: Multinational Tower Use Ticket will be granted.]

[Bonus: Summoned Entity Rank-Up Rune will be granted.]

“Uh...”

There were items he’d never seen before.

Three of them.

First, the intrusion ticket.

Intrusion.

By definition, barging in without permission.

<Tower Floor Intrusion Ticket>

Effect: Intrude into a Tower floor another Player is currently clearing. Your entry level must match. Can be used starting from Floor 71.

“...”

What?

Why would you intrude?

That means you’d be in the same space as another Player.

Next—

<Summoned Entity Revival Rune>

Effect: Revive one summoned entity that has died. Consumed on use. Can be used starting from Floor 71.

‘Mm.’

Did that mean it was dangerous enough for summoned entities to die?

<Tower Clear Mission Reset Ticket>

Effect: If you anticipate mission failure, reset the Tower clear mission. Consumed on use. Can be used starting from Floor 71.

That, too, was an item implying the clears would become brutally difficult.

He’d find out once he entered.

What kind of missions would appear.

But at this moment, it wasn’t something Juhyeok needed.

The bonus items would be more useful.

The Multinational Tower Use Ticket and the Summoned Entity Rank-Up Rune.

‘The rune goes to Bardin...’

In that instant—

“Huh...!”

Cossack, who’d been watching TV, let out a short exclamation.

“What is it?”

“Breaking news, sir.”

“Breaking news?”

“Japan tower gonna collapse, sir.”

What?

Juhyeok walked to the TV.

The summoned entities followed.

At the top of the screen: Japan’s Black Tower collapse time limit.

There wasn’t much left.

“...For real?”

No—how did they end up that bad?

Other countries were clearing, one by one, escaping the selected-countries list.

“Princess, you do something to Japan?”

“Absolutely not. I, your humble servant, did no such thing.”

“Then why are they like that?”

“Staff Sergeant Veronica Caliber! I didn’t do it!”

“Even this warrior does not know.”

“Huhhh!”

A statement from Japan’s Prime Minister appeared too.

It was long, but the content was basically: they were prepared for Tower Collapse.

That insane bastard.

“Kawaguchi don’t even qualify to be head of an apartment building residents’ committee, sir. Peak incompetence, sir. Feel bad for Japan, sir.”

Even Cossack looked worried about Japan’s Tower Collapse.

“They say Japan travel best value, sir. If our Summoner Bong went Japan trip then it collapse after, how great would that be, sir. Shame, sir.”

Unbelievable.

Right now, Japan travel is the issue?

Juhyeok couldn’t help anyway.

He’d already used both Tower entries for the day.

All he could do was watch.

‘Wow. I kinda want to conquer Japan.’

He wasn’t supposed to think that, but...

*****

The destined time drew closer.

[Notice: Time remaining until Tower Collapse: 6:38:12.]

Near the western side of Mount Fuji.

It was mountainous there too, far from any city where people lived.

There were a few small villages, but everyone had already evacuated.

The Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant about 15 km from the Tower had stopped operations as well.

Japan’s Self-Defense Force, under a public order deployment, was positioned around the Tower.

The Collapse creeping closer.

If it became reality, it would be the second in the world.

[Notice: Time remaining until Tower Collapse: 4:51:25.]

The cabinet government seemed to have already hardened its resolve.

The Prime Minister came out personally and delivered a statement.

First, the traditional apology custom: a full dogeza.

Even as Prime Minister, Kawaguchi prostrated and slammed their head completely to the floor.

“It’s infuriating. Japan’s strength was insufficient. In the end, we could not escape the curse.”

“And yet, not a single country helped us. They mocked Japan by demanding unreasonable conditions, purely to humiliate us.”

“The spirit of Great Japan does not submit. We will use this crisis as a foothold and arm ourselves into an even stronger Japan.”

“After consulting experts, scholars, and scientists, the probability of a massive earthquake occurring due to Tower Collapse is remarkably low. Also, the Hamaoka nuclear plant lies outside the damage zone.”

“However, because the safety of our citizens is paramount, please complete evacuation to nearby shelters before the Tower collapses.”

Usually, when a Japanese Prime Minister performed a dogeza in public, the people’s hearts moved.

It happened every time.

The Japanese people accepted it in silence.

There were also those who pushed back.

Mostly the younger generation.

Those who hadn’t experienced the glittering days of Japan’s bubble economy—the marginalized, poor youth whose desires had been castrated.

They came out to the streets, protesting to request help from Korea, demanding countermeasures...

Their voices were thoroughly ignored.

Time kept flowing.

[Notice: Time remaining until Tower Collapse: 2:51:25.]

Countries around the world watched Japan.

What result would Japan’s choice bring?

[Notice: Time remaining until Tower Collapse: 1:07:34.]

Even the U.S. Forces Japan were on extreme alert.

A reconnaissance plane flew above the Tower.

And the broadcast helicopters?

To capture the moment of collapse, they circled the Tower from far away on schedule.

Expected damage: a sinkhole with a diameter of 10 km.

Would the Ring of Fire respond?

Now—

[Notice: Time remaining until Tower Collapse: 0:00:59.]

One minute left.

[Notice: Time remaining until Tower Collapse: 0:00:30.]

Soon after—10, 9, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.

Right then!

The Tower began sinking into the ground.

In truth, the Tower’s own diameter wasn’t that large.

Only about 500 meters.

If it collapsed into the ground, the hole created should have been about 500 meters wide—

But it wasn’t.

Everything around it sank together.

Ridges, valleys, grass and trees, rocks, empty houses people had fled.

Like someone softly jabbing a finger into a cake and pushing down, a massive hole with unknowable depth opened up.

A tremor that shook the Mount Fuji region.

An earthquake?

Or a volcanic eruption?

The Japanese people trembled in fear.

A repeat of the Great Kanto Earthquake?

But then—

DRRRRRRK! DRRK!

The tremor stopped abruptly.

The Mount Fuji region went silent.

No sound could be heard anymore.

Only a giant sinkhole remained.

It held that state.

There was no change.

No earthquake, no volcanic eruption.

The Hamaoka nuclear plant 15 km away was safe as well.

Watching the collapse footage, Prime Minister Kawaguchi clenched a fist.

“It... it worked!”

The gamble paid off.

They avoided the massive earthquake.

A needle’s-eye probability had hit.

The only damage was a giant hole with a diameter of 10 km.

“W-we survived.”

“Congratulations, Prime Minister.”

“Then the national address—”

That was when it happened.

The Tokyo Prime Minister’s residence vibrated like a smartphone.

RUMMMBLE!

CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

Glass shattering.

CRRRRACK! CRACKCRACKCRACK!

The concrete floor split apart—

And then,

TILT!

The building leaned to the side.

At the same time, outside darkened as if it had become night—

“W-what is...?”

Prime Minister Kawaguchi saw it through the broken window.

Right next to the Prime Minister’s residence—like bamboo shoots bursting up—

CRUNCHCRUNCHCRUNCH!

A gigantic Tower surged upward, smashing through concrete and asphalt.

Roads flipping, cars shoved aside, buildings collapsing, people screaming.

No one had predicted this.

A brand-new Tower forming in the center of Tokyo?

Even the Prime Minister’s residence couldn’t avoid it.

It caved in completely under the aftershock of the Tower’s creation.

A truly glorious die-in-place.

The real damage inflicted on Japan that day wasn’t from Tower Collapse—

It was from the creation of a new Tower.

And the misfortune wasn’t over yet.

Author’s Note

Correcting a setting error.

The part about <Almost completed... Summoned Entity Rank-Up Rune (6/7)> has been deleted. It’s an item that was already used.

Clarifying confusion about nationality cancellation.

For temporary naturalization cancellation, the conditions are:

The Player’s will to renounce nationality.

The government’s approval granting that renunciation.

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