After finishing the Floor 68 Death Knight clear at S++ and even the repeated clearing.

Juhyeok heard the third World Notice, too.

It was a curse that included Korea.

“Ugh. That leaves a bad taste.”

When it was other countries, I could shrug it off.

But the moment Korea got selected, it felt really damn unpleasant.

Is it because I start thinking about my family?

‘They’ll all be worried.’

Kabalan’s curse.

The content was extremely simple.

It just makes the clear time limit shrink.

But the result wasn’t simple.

How sick with worry do people get, watching the time limit shrink in real time?

When Juhyeok’s expression darkened, the summoned entities flared up in anger.

“That bastard Kabalan, acting all high and mighty for a Copy. Damn son of a bitch.”

“My lord, grant me the honor of burning that demon bastard to ash.”

“I’ll shove the magic gun up his ass and pull a heavy round.”

“A warrior will rip him in half.”

“This girl’s heart aches to see Master Bong’s saddened visage.”

“EEEK!”

Hm.

I feel a little better.

Is this a mental massage?

“We’re killing Kabalan tomorrow. Think we can?”

“If we clear Floor 69, then enter Floor 70 immediately, it should be possible.”

“...What’s Floor 69 like?”

“A vile undead black mage called a lich appears.”

Gyeon Dallae began explaining.

“A monster. You may think of it as a worm that sold its soul to a demon and willingly made itself a slave.”

Can we kill it?

“This girl will exert herself. With an exorcism ritual, sacred straw rope, and talismans, I can defend against the black magic the lich hurls.”

Then it’ll be easy.

We’ve got Bardin Holy Sword, too.

“However, preparations are needed.”

Preparations...

“This girl has long researched how to maximize the ritual’s effectiveness. And at last, I have found a method.”

Maximize the ritual’s effectiveness—

“This is all possible thanks to the servant Rajix.”

“...HUH?”

Rajix’s eyes went wide when his name was called.

Just looking at him makes me feel satisfied.

These days, almost every solution our team has comes out of Rajix.

“Also, a fair amount of money is needed. Would that be acceptable...?”

“Ah, money. Spend as much as you want.”

“We only need to purchase a few items.”

Money is plentiful.

Money that doesn’t dry up no matter how much you spend.

‘While I’m at it, should I check my account?’

I opened my smartphone and ran the banking app.

“...Holy shit.”

I had no choice but to stare with my eyes wide open.

What is this unrealistic number of digits?

One, two, three, four... ten, eleven—

‘I-It’s over ten billion?’

When did it pile up this much?

It was all money coming in from holy sword rental fees.

‘And they’ll keep coming to rent it.’

Then the number in my account will just keep growing.

“What do we need? I’ll go buy it right now.”

Gyeon Dallae listed the items she wanted.

Things you could get without too much trouble.

But you still had to go run around yourself.

And I’m too lazy to go out.

Isn’t there someone who can buy it for me?

‘Hm.’

There is one person.

They might be busy, so I’ll use my phone.

Tap tap, tap-tap-tap, tap, tap.

I carefully typed out a message and sent it to Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil.

Maybe thirty seconds passed? ZZZZT! A reply came.

I will prepare everything immediately and contact you.

Oh! Fast.

A heavyweight public official in Korea. The real power inside the TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION.

This was weak-man Juhyeok sending an errand runner to Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil.

*****

Jeon Gwangil moved at once after receiving the message.

He called in staff, read out the list of items Juhyeok wanted, and said—

“Prepare it as fast as possible.”

“Yes!”

Korea had been included among the third-wave target countries.

It was already busy managing Player Nam Gaeun’s mentality and preparing the clear for Floor 67.

But Bong Player’s request was the highest priority.

So the items didn’t take long to prepare.

Team Leader Jeon Gwangil loaded the items into his car and departed for Juhyeok’s home in Cheongdam-dong.

From there, he sent another message.

I’m in the apartment underground parking lot. Shall I bring them up to your home?

ZZZZT.

No. They’ll be heavy. I’ll come down to receive them.

After waiting a moment, Bong Juhyeok appeared, riding the penthouse-only elevator down to the underground parking lot.

But he wasn’t alone.

A hamster toddled along, holding Bong Player’s hand tightly.

Ah... how can something be that cute?

But why did he come with Rajix?

There’s a lot of luggage.

He should’ve come with Meatshield.

The reason was revealed soon enough.

“Deputy Commissioner, thank you so much. For delivering the items personally.”

“Hahaha. It’s fine. It’s nothing.”

“Oh! About Korea’s Black Tower clear... should I help? I don’t even need to change nationality.”

“Not at all. Player Nam Gaeun is preparing.”

If it’s Player Nam Gaeun, that’s reassuring.

Anyway.

“The items?”

“They’re here in the trunk.”

“Ah, I’ll take them now.”

When Juhyeok pointed at the luggage in Jeon Gwangil’s trunk—

“WAAH,”

Swoosh, swooosh, swooosh—

The items vanished as if by magic.

Hm. So that’s how he carries them.

Nothing to be surprised about.

Did anyone think Bong Player carried Rajix around just because he was cute?

“Then I’ll be going. I have a lot to do.”

As Juhyeok moved to get into the elevator, Jeon Gwangil—

“J-Just a moment. There’s something else I need to give you.”

“Huh, did we miss an item?”

“No. Yesterday, a delegation from Saudi Arabia came. The Saudi king said they would provide compensation to the holy sword’s owner as an apology for the damage...”

As he spoke, Jeon Gwangil pulled out a small jewelry case.

What is it? A ring? A necklace?

Juhyeok opened the case.

Inside was a small stone.

‘Gasp!’

No way.

“Yes. It’s a Trait Enhancement Rune.”

“N-No, something this precious...”

“You can take it. It’s rightful compensation.”

Oh man, getting a Trait Enhancement Rune here.

I really didn’t expect this.

“I don’t even know how to thank you.”

“I’m glad you’re happy.”

Of course I’m happy. Oil-country royalty really is something.

They broke one holy sword and handed over a Trait Enhancement Rune as compensation—what a level of swagger.

“Register Saudi Arabia as a top-priority holy sword reservation customer forever. Tell them thank you.”

“Yes.”

Trait Enhancement.

Perfect timing, with the day of random summoning approaching.

*****

Day 8 as a French national.

Now, Floor 69.

All preparations were finished.

Now we slice the lich, clear Floor 69, then enter Floor 70 immediately and kill Kabalan.

“Ready?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Let’s go wreck him.”

[Entering Black Tower (France) Floor 69.]

Juhyeok and the summoned entities left the safe zone and headed to the clear site.

“That’s the lich?”

“That is correct.”

“Hmm. It doesn’t look that strong.”

That’s only in comparison to Death Knights.

A small-bodied mage in a black robe, holding a staff.

It floated slightly in the air like a ghost.

Dark energy seeping and curling off its body.

It was slightly different from a dark aura—more like a protective barrier.

[Floor 69 Mission: Kill 1 Dark Lich.]

[Time Limit: Within 17 hours.]

[Completion Condition: Dark Lich 0/1]

A mission where you only have to kill one.

Then.

“Rajix.”

“HUH!”

A cosmic servant who can put Earth items into a Subspace Backpack.

He laid out the items we’d prepared yesterday.

Two high-capacity power banks you can recharge and use, a USB MP3 player that plays music, one large subwoofer speaker, and four stand speakers with insanely good sound quality.

Don’t underestimate it.

Together, it cost tens of millions of won.

All the cables were already connected.

So it could be used immediately the moment we turned on the power.

This wasn’t ordinary audio equipment.

Both the speakers and the MP3 player were plastered with talismans Gyeon Dallae had drawn herself, along with sacred straw rope.

Made in advance to maximize the exorcism ritual’s effect.

Each piece was practically a sacred relic.

Compared to the tiny portable speaker Gyeon Dallae used to carry around, these were a full theater-grade Dolby surround stereo system.

In that instant, the lich raised a hand.

Swoooosh! Swoosh-swoosh, swoooosh!

Undead crawled up from the ground.

Zombies, skeletons, ghouls, Dullahan the Headless Knight, Specters, Phantom Reapers, and even Death Knights.

‘This thing summons, too.’

It was calling up a bunch of trash undead, but it wasn’t just undead.

BWOOOOONG!

The air sank heavily.

It felt like the whole Tower was trapped inside a dark aura.

Then Gyeon Dallae stepped forward slowly.

The top-ranking chief shamaness of the Heavenly Empire.

“I will unfold the exorcism ritual.”

With hands like delicate jade, she pressed the MP3 player button, and music boomed from the Dolby surround speakers.

BANG!

A solemn sound that felt like it would tear your eardrums.

CLANG! CLANGCLANGCLANG!

BANG! BANGBANGBANG!

The ritual’s melody thundering through the speakers.

The melody played by the MP3 player was cranked to maximum volume.

CLANG! CLANGCLANGCLANG! CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

BANG! BANGBANGBANG! BANGBANGBANG!

Already, just the sound waves were hitting the weaker undead, making them stagger.

Gyeon Dallae grabbed a microphone wrapped in talismans.

In a voice so hip it was like a rapper—

“Evil spirits, begone at once! The energy of heaven and earth and all divine beings shall punish what is impure!”

The lich seemed to sense the threat.

Ominous darkness surged from its hand and shot straight at Juhyeok’s group.

In that instant—Fwoooosh!

The bronze mirror hanging at Gyeon Dallae’s neck shone.

The dark energy was pushed back.

POPPOPPOP!

At the same time, hundreds of exorcism talismans scattered outward.

Fwoooosh! Fwoooosh! Fwoooosh!

The lich’s dark magic, weakened by the exorcism ritual, was blocked by the talismans.

“Light!!!”

“Executing attribute absorption, equipping heavy round, activating guidance function, conducting suppressive fire.”

ZZZZT! CRACK!

Bounce!

A heavy round fired at the lich.

SPOT!

The lich vanished in an instant.

Blink?

Not a chance.

Staff Sergeant Veronica’s magic gun has guidance.

The heavy round sharply curved toward the lich that had dodged with blink magic.

BAAANG! The heavy round struck the dark barrier.

ZZZZT! A crack formed in the barrier.

Another shot.

ZZZZT! CRACK!

Bounce!

Meatshield lifted Bardin Holy Sword and charged at the lich.

Talismans swirled around them like an escort.

“Light!!!”

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

Bardin swung along with the flail.

“Swing harder! You heretical barbarian!!!”

BWOOOOONG!

“Light!!!”

Meatshield swinging Bardin, Bardin being swung by Meatshield.

They were sweeping aside the undead blocking the path to the lich, advancing in huge strides.

Their teamwork was incredible.

Bardin twisted his body in the direction he was being swung, adding acceleration.

What was Juhyeok doing?

Arms crossed.

I need something to do.

Cossack wasn’t any different.

“My ass is twitching, sir. Feels like I’m at a club, sir.”

“Go dance, then.”

“If I dance, it’s impurity, sir. Princess will yell at me, sir.”

True. Who wants to see Cossack dancing?

“Can you even dance properly?”

“The sanctity of the wave, the street’s b-boy, the very definition of the chicken dance, vibrating twerking—this dancer Cossack, sir.”

“...”

Anyway, the exorcism ritual’s orchestra booming in magnificent force.

The chief shamaness Gyeon Dallae’s sorcery combined with Earth’s sound technology.

Even Juhyeok’s ears hurt.

What must it feel like for the lich listening?

If I had to guess, it had to be agony.

Talismans fluttered everywhere like cherry blossoms.

They fell, rose, then spiraled.

The lich’s black magic couldn’t pierce the wall of talismans.

If the star of Floor 68 was Veronica.

Then the star of Floor 69 was Gyeon Dallae.

The lich’s specialty is black magic.

It torments Players with all sorts of curses, decay, poison, illness, and dark-attribute black magic—but if all of that gets blocked in advance?

It was weaker than a Specter.

“Light!!!”

CRUNCH! CRUNCHCRUNCH!

The lich was nothing special.

[Notice: You have achieved a Floor 69 Clear Rank of S++ in Black Tower (France).]

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

At last, we could face Kabalan’s Copy.

Let me see your face.

We’re going in today.

Since I’m not planning to clear Black Tower (France) Floor 70 anyway.

No repeated clearing—straight in.

SPOT!

Juhyeok and the group returned to the penthouse.

Hand over the benefits first.

What is this?

[Platinum Badge 75 total accumulated. Benefits will be granted.]

Hurry up. I’m in a rush.

[Benefit: A Summoning Attribute Change Ticket will be issued to your Tower-Only Inventory.]

‘...’

What is this now?

<Summoning Attribute Change Ticket>

Effect: On random summoning, you will summon an ally outside your existing Summoning Trait. You may randomly summon from among golems, spirits, magical beasts, divine beasts, and sacred beasts.

Limit: Affected by your maximum number of simultaneous summons.

Is this good?

No idea.

Right now, random summoning is still on cooldown anyway.

Then let’s end it here.

How much did we suffer because of Kabalan’s shitty curse?

Running around clearing the France Tower with temporary naturalization that doesn’t even match my station.

‘What am I, some Tower-clearing machine?’

Even factory machines get the power turned off and a break once in a while.

*****

[Entering Black Tower (France) Floor 70.]

The final stop.

...No, is it a midpoint station?

“It’s eerie.”

“Trying to set a mood, sir. Like it’s got anything.”

A narrow little path stretching straight ahead.

At the end of the path, a large mansion came into view.

[Floor 70 Mission: Kill High-Ranking Demon Kabalan Duke (Copy).]

[Time Limit: Within 20 hours.]

[Completion Condition: High-Ranking Demon Kabalan Duke (Copy) 0/1]

The mission appeared, and six summoned entities surrounded Juhyeok.

When we reached the mansion, we saw an iron gate leading inside.

‘Hm.’

Do I knock?

I’m not here selling door-to-door, so why would I knock.

“Meatshield?”

Giant Meatshield nodded.

He lifted a foot—WHAM!

One kick, and the door flew wide open.

Where are you, Kabalan? Let me see your face.

A large hall appeared.

The kind with a red carpet laid out.

And at the end of the carpet, on a lavishly decorated chair—

“Welcome.”

Kabalan’s Copy was sitting there. It looked similar to a human.

But to prove it was a demon, it had huge wings on its back and goat horns on its forehead.

“Dimension Summoner. Dimensional summoner.”

“...Huh?”

Is it talking about me?

“In a Tower you can enter alone, who else but you—a Dimension Summoner—could show up dragging a whole pack of dogs like this?”

Dimension Summoner, dimensional summoner—those words fit my ear perfectly.

“Cossack, from now on, call me Dimension Summoner.”

“Hmm, Summoner Bong—Dimension Summoner, sir. Isn’t it a bit long, sir?”

Is it? Anyway.

‘It speaks Korean really well.’

Since this is the France Tower, I thought it would speak French.

We’ll be able to talk fine.

Juhyeok poked Cossack’s side.

Meaning: do something.

Then Cossack poked Bardin’s side.

Bardin stepped forward bravely.

“Cunning demon! Where is your True Body? Speak truthfully!”

“A holy knight of a forgotten god. An empty shell.”

“Hmph! Same goes for you. Wasn’t the demon god you served in the same state?”

“How dare you!”

BWOOOOONG!

The mansion shook as if there were an earthquake.

But Bardin didn’t waver.

“Impudent. You duplicated counterfeit—nothing but a shard of a soul. You think you can withstand my lord’s sword?”

Kabalan smirked.

“So full of confidence. But do you know this?”

“What?”

“You’re all caught. Meaning...”

Kabalan spread its wings and sprang to its feet.

“You’ve fallen into a trap.”

In that instant!

CLACKCLACKCLACKCLACK!

The thick iron gate slammed shut, and a dense gray fog billowed up through the hall.

“Dimension Summoner. You will die here today.”

[The soul of the True Body, Demon Realm Duke Kabalan, descends into the body of Kabalan’s Copy.]

“Ah...”

It’s here. The True Body.

It had something to rely on.

The dark aura grew even denser.

The thick fog surged up even harder.

“Light!!!”

Fwoooosh!

Starting with Bardin Holy Sword’s roar—

Giant Meatshield stood in front of Juhyeok, blocking the way.

Cossack drew dual daggers.

CLINKCLINK. Veronica loaded her magic gun.

Gyeon Dallae gripped a fistful of bronze bells and talismans.

Rajix trembled, clutching a golden pickaxe.

“Heh heh heh. This is my home. A space built of barrier magic. Dimensional summoner, you will die here.”

No, saying something that scary—

Juhyeok asked Cossack.

“If we kill that, is it all over?”

“It’s not, sir. The body is a Copy no matter what, sir. Only the soul is the True Body, sir.”

“Then?”

“I’ll place a Mark of Tracking, sir. When the soul escapes, we’ll be able to see where it goes, sir.”

Ah! Right.

What a shame.

It’d be nice if ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) we could finish it here.

“So arrogant. Do you think you can escape this place? The moment you stepped foot in here...”

That was when it happened.

A violent convulsion in the flow of energy.

POPPOPPOP! Something shattering rang out—

“W-Why is the barrier...”

SPOT! POPPOP! And someone appeared.

Already behind Kabalan.

Grab!

Then the newcomer seized Kabalan’s wing—

“HUH!”

ZZZZT! And tore it apart without hesitation.

“KRAAAAGH!”

In a cold voice—

“Go on. Keep running your mouth. You were going to do what to my summoner?”

He’s here. My brother.

Mad Demon’s descent.

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