There were administrators in the ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Black Tower.

Three in total.

A designer who planned and designed climbing, missions, and rewards.

An engineer who handled technical matters like the System.

And a maker who produced various items.

They were not equal.

The designer held the highest status among the administrators, followed by the engineer, and then the maker.

[So up to now, a total of two Towers on Earth have collapsed? And one of those was before the summoner even awakened.]

[It’s unbelievable. Even though Kabalan’s Trial Event was triggered, only one Tower has collapsed.]

[I truly didn’t expect this. No matter how extraordinary the summoner is, isn’t this a record?]

[I was shocked once that Earth even had a suitable candidate, and I’ve been shocked twice that such enormous results were achieved.]

[What’s the difference? It’s true that the summoner also has a noble soul, but something has to be different, doesn’t it?]

[Luck, I suppose. Of course, luck doesn’t come to just anyone.]

[At this rate, even Floor 70 might feel bland.]

[It can’t be like that. A trial has to feel like a trial.]

[New Player Awakening rates have also dropped to the lowest level.]

[Existing Players have to die for new Awakening rates to rise.]

[It’s the same with Tower Collapse—at least ten should have collapsed.]

[What’s the countermeasure?]

[How about trying to encourage competition?]

[In what way?]

[We need to release more items. Maker, add a few more—runes and tickets, potions and so on. Add this and that...]

[We already released items and you want to release more? And at this point, these items are way too early.]

[It’s fine. This isn’t the first time. We did it before, and this much is within the acceptable range.]

[Then when?]

[Engineer, no Players have entered Floor 71 yet, right?]

[None. Even the summoner only cleared Floor 70—Floor 71 hasn’t been climbed yet.]

[The moment anyone sets foot on Floor 71, display a system notice. Stir up anticipation.]

[Yes. I’ll prepare it.]

*****

Juhyeok returned to his penthouse in Korea.

Mad Demon had gone back because the summoning time limit ran out.

A trip to Japan he’d left for full of excitement.

But he came back without even getting to eat a single bowl of udon, ramen, or even one piece of conveyor-belt sushi.

‘Was that my punishment for sneaking in?’

He hadn’t even been in Japan for half a day, but because of what happened—something he’d never expected—the aftereffects were huge.

The news playing on the TV.

Mad Demon beating down the anti-Korea protesters.

And the temporary stage turned into a blood-soaked mess.

Self-Defense Force soldiers scattered in every direction, tanks and armored vehicles stopped dead on the roads.

Japan was still in chaos.

The problem was that there was no control tower to clean up the situation.

It was a relief that the coup had failed, but since Usuda—the acting prime minister—had died, the cabinet government couldn’t do its job either.

“Ugh.”

Did I go to Japan for nothing?

That damned Summoned Principles, Article Three.

Mad Demon, Cossack—both the same.

Walking bombs.

“Luckily my face didn’t show up, sir. And since I changed my face completely, even if it does show, no one’ll recognize me, sir. Heh heh heh.”

Cossack was right.

The moment he cut down the Self-Defense Force generals didn’t appear directly.

Maybe it was filmed and just not aired, but—

Mad Demon’s barehanded brawl had been a huge impact.

All the smartphone cameras had swarmed over there.

“Not being recognized isn’t the point. What are you going to do about that ribbon?”

The TV screen was blurred out.

But it was still obvious.

A severed head on the podium on the stage, decorated like a gift with a bow-tied ribbon.

“H-hey, I only tied one, sir.”

“Yeah, yeah. You did great.”

“Heh heh, you’re too kind, sir.”

“Do you think that was a compliment?”

“....”

Cossack flinched and glanced at Juhyeok.

Juhyeok snapped.

“No—hey. Why are you tying ribbons like some lunatic, huh? Do you live without thinking, huh? What are you going to do if you get found out later?”

His voice shrinking as he spoke:

“...S-sorry, sir.”

Then Gyeon Dallae exploded.

“Sorry? It was only half a day in Japan and you’ve already turned into a Japanese person, Cossack?”

“....”

“Why don’t you just stay in Japan for good? Why did you come to Korea?”

“Sorry— ah, no, I mean, I’m sorry, sir.”

“You truly embody the height of frivolity.”

Cossack wilted completely under her scolding.

The other summoned entities joined in.

“Cossack was always a pervert. The warrior already knew long ago. I just didn’t say it because it was beneath me.”

Meatshield didn’t take Cossack’s side either.

“As my lord’s holy sword, I get called a pervert now and then as well, but in front of Sir Cossack I can’t even dare to present a calling card—truly, a top-tier pervert.”

Even Bardin—the human holy sword Cossack had called a pervert—was ripping into him.

“Staff Sergeant Veronica Caliber, in truth, I suspected it too. Every time we fired a large shell, Cossack’s eyes were strange. I could feel the lechery plain as day.”

Huh.

So Veronica knew too.

I need to be careful and watch for that from now on.

“HURK?!”

Rajix shouted too.

No idea what he actually understood, but—

Cossack’s head sank lower and lower until he practically buried it in the floor.

Not a single person defending him.

This is why how you carry yourself matters.

In that moment—

ZZZT! A call came in.

Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwangil. I knew he’d call.

“Hello?”

Player Bong?

“Yes, it’s me.”

Uh—sorry, but where are you right now...

“Cheongdam-dong penthouse.”

I-is that so?

“Hold on. I’ll call you back.”

Juhyeok hit the video-call button and called again.

“It’s me. You can see me, right? Penthouse.”

Yes, yes.

“So what is it?”

N-no, nothing. I was just calling to check in.

Jeon Gwangil probably already knew everything there was to know, but I still had to hide the Japan trip.

Was that some normal incident?

Self-Defense Force generals involved in the coup got slaughtered.

I had to deny it outright.

And change the subject.

“Oh! I actually have a favor to ask.”

Go ahead.

“I’m thinking about buying a building—if there’s a good property available, could you look into it for me?”

About how much are we talking...

“Expensive is fine. As long as there’s something on the market.”

Yes, I’ll look into it.

Juhyeok’s bank balance was still growing.

Earning steady interest was nice, but I should buy a building while I’m at it.

My dad lazes around all the time and it feels wrong—might as well make him the building manager.

“Then let’s go for a meal now... huh?”

Cossack was still in the living-room corner, squatting with a gloomy face.

‘Was it that big a shock?’

He got cursed out nonstop.

‘Tsk, tsk.’

That’s why you should’ve been careful.

*****

After finishing the video call with Juhyeok, Jeon Gwangil said,

“You saw it, right? He says it wasn’t him.”

“Then who the hell is that old man? Wasn’t he someone Player Bong summoned?”

“How would I know? Either way, there’s no record of Player Bong leaving the country, so this can’t be something Player Bong did.”

“...Hah. Damn. I just can’t figure it out.”

In truth, Jeon Gwangil had a guess.

That the Japan incident was also connected to Player Bong.

Just like when the chairman of China died—Player Bong had been in Korea then too.

But this was something only Jeon Gwangil could know.

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo must never find out.

If this became known, Bong Juhyeok could be branded a dangerous individual in an instant.

“Anyway, I have an appointment right now, so I’ll get going.”

“Ah! CEO Ko Yeonha of HG Fashion?”

“Yes. Looks like the company realized we’re supplying wyvern leather somewhere else.”

“So what if they know?”

“Seems like they intend to complain.”

“Complain? Ridiculous.”

“I’ll go and settle it.”

Park Kyungsoo nodded.

“Then I’ll look into the building Player Bong asked for.”

“Yes, please.”

Jeon Gwangil turned to leave.

But then—

“Deputy Commissioner.”

Park Kyungsoo spoke quietly to Jeon Gwangil’s back.

“Yes?”

“I know how you feel, but don’t worry.”

“What do you mean...”

“We’ll protect Player Bong no matter what.”

“....”

“Free from any pressure, and without even a hair on his head harmed. He’s humanity’s hope.”

Jeon Gwangil didn’t answer.

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo was misunderstanding something.

‘No, Commissioner. Why are we the ones worrying about Player Bong? Protect who from who?’

‘You have no idea how terrifying those people are. The soldiers who came to China to kidnap ELITE TOWER CLIMBING TEAM Players in the past, the chairman of China, the Self-Defense Force generals...’

‘If it goes wrong, we die too. A ribbon might get tied to your head and mine.’

He screamed it only inside his head.

*****

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Tower Clearing Bureau.

Minister MacMillan and Director Antonio watched the video playing on a large monitor mounted on the wall.

“Who is that old man this time?”

“You’re not asking because you expect an answer, are you?”

An old man beating down Japan’s anti-Korea protesters.

“Whew... He looks way older than me.”

“Could it be a Chinese kung fu master?”

“Kung fu? You don’t know that all those so-called kung fu masters in China got completely destroyed by MMA fighters? Kung fu is all fake.”

“There could be a real one among them.”

Fair.

The land was huge and the population was massive—there were all kinds of people.

But—

“They said the protesters used a slur for Koreans. Then that old man would be Korean.”

“Just because someone speaks Korean doesn’t mean that person is Korean.”

“Is there any chance Player Bong Juhyeok is connected to this incident...”

“We checked. No departure record. It’s confirmed that the Player was in Korea when the coup took place.”

“Hm.”

Well, even if Bong Juhyeok had been in Japan, so what?

There wasn’t a speck of direct linkage to that incident.

“Then who killed Matsumoto and the Self-Defense Force generals?”

“We don’t have enough information. We’d need to secure Japan’s CCTV data to know. However...”

“However?”

“The method of cutting the throats is extremely similar to the method used by that white man in the HG Hotel terror incident.”

“Then you’re saying he was in Tokyo?”

Director Antonio let out a long sigh, frustrated.

“...How would I know? That white man, the giant, that old man—same story. We can’t identify any of them. We ran face-matching software too, but nothing came up in Korea or the U.S., right? At this point I just hope we stop getting videos like this.”

It was impossible to understand.

Where did people like that keep coming from?

“Anyway, that old man is definitely stronger than ordinary people, but compared to the white man and the giant at the HG Hotel, he looks nowhere near as strong.”

“It’s because he’s old.”

Minister MacMillan agreed.

Who can beat time?

“Anyway, are we ready to leave the country tomorrow?”

“Yes. We finished coordination with Korea’s TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION. They said we can start climbing tomorrow.”

The White House had decided to climb Floor 70.

Of the two Towers in the U.S., only the East Coast Tower would be cleared.

There was no need to climb both up to 70.

At the latest, Floor 70 would be cleared within a week.

Then the U.S. could also receive high-grade Magic Stone rewards.

Room-temperature superconductor material.

*****

An emergency meeting was also being held in the chairman’s office inside Zhongnanhai in China.

Chairman Wang Yuan and the Standing Committee members watched the video on monitors as well.

“Somehow, that person looks like one of our Chinese.”

“I think so too. We can’t rule out the possibility of a hidden master.”

“Can we find him?”

“We contacted the embassy in Japan, but with only that footage, we can’t identify him.”

“Hm. Put that discussion aside for now.”

In truth, today’s emergency agenda was something else.

Whether Japan’s Self-Defense Force coup succeeded, or failed and they all died—China didn’t care.

Korea clearing Black Tower (Republic of Korea) Floor 70.

And the benefits granted only to Korea’s Black Tower.

The restriction on high-grade Magic Stones lifted.

Room-temperature superconductors.

And that wasn’t all.

More kinds of potions, and various weapons and equipment items pouring out as well.

Then what about China?

Were they supposed to sit there sucking their fingers?

“We need to change the plan.”

Chairman Wang Yuan spoke in a somewhat excited tone.

“Yes. We also need to clear Floor 70 quickly. If we jump to Floor 71, Floor 70 will be cleared naturally as well.”

Tower Jumping Tickets.

Originally, the plan was to have three of them used by three Chinese Players judged to have at least some talent, turning them into Level 61 Players.

“We have four Tower Jumping Tickets secured. With three of them, we can clear Floor 70 as soon as today.”

“We don’t need to raise all three Towers to Floor 70. Tower No. 3 east of Xi’an is appropriate, rather than the Beijing or Shanghai Tower.”

“Focus on one person. We just need to make the Player Bai Long Level 71. That Player has already undergone Trait Enhancement twice.”

“If Bai Long reaches Level 71, clearing the other two Towers will be feasible as well.”

“And since we’ll still have one ticket left, we’ll keep that in reserve in case of emergencies.”

And so China also decided to clear Floor 70.

Even if it was a loophole.

Thus the United States and China—no, countries all over the world—began accelerating their Floor 70 push.

Now things like the clear deadline didn’t matter at all.

*****

Juhyeok still had no intention of going up to Floor 71.

He hadn’t even set foot on Floor 71 yet.

Now that Kabalan’s curse was over, he needed to follow the clear deadline.

So today too, he lazed around. Together with his summoned entities.

People were called out one by one.

He even summoned Blood Wolf.

Mad Demon would be met quietly later, separately. But—

“Summoner, hello. Please don’t worry. I threw all the ribbons away. This humble one is reflecting deeply on past wrongs.”

What?

The one who said that just now was Cossack. Why?

“Princess Gyeon Dallae, words are not born from the mouth, but from the heart—because of my frivolous speech, you’ve suffered a lot, haven’t you? ...I hope you liked it. You must feel relieved now.”

“....”

“Meatshield, I’m sorry for everything. I treated you carelessly because I wanted to grow closer. That won’t happen anymore. No matter how close we are, it’s better to keep distance. Let’s not invade each other’s territory.”

“....”

“Staff Sergeant Veronica, I won’t pay attention even if they bounce now. If I peek again, you may pluck my eyes out. However, Staff Sergeant Veronica, you should also be careful how you behave. Like a soldier.”

“....”

“Knight Bardin, live your life on your own will. Then who would call you a pervert? The way you get pushed around by Meatshield—there’s nothing pleasant about it.”

“....”

“Mr. Rajix, keep working hard for the summoner as you always have. But that constant WAAH-ing is childish. Do real work instead of trying to act cute. Your presence has been fading a lot lately.”

“...WAAH?”

“Blood Wolf, I trained you too harshly, didn’t I? You’re the only one who understands my heart... Come here. Let me hold you.”

“...WHIIINE?”

Then Cossack sat on the sofa, hugging Blood Wolf, staring out the window with melancholy eyes.

Juhyeok gathered the other summoned entities.

“...What is this? Why is he like that?”

It was beyond absurd.

So much so it was hard to adjust.

“He is clearly pouting.”

“He’s definitely pouting.”

“He’s pouting.”

“He’s pouting.”

“WAAH!”

Were we too harsh yesterday?

“But what’s the right word—pouting, or sulking?”

“Both are correct.”

“Ah!”

Anyway, it definitely looked like Cossack was sulking, so—

“What do we do? Should I apologize for going too far?”

“Then you lose. You can’t let it go.”

“That’s right. If we show that we feel sorry, he might get even worse.”

“Act natural. Like it’s nothing.”

“It won’t last long.”

He glanced over.

Cossack was still on the sofa, stroking Blood Wolf’s mane.

“Hm...”

Thinking about it, he did feel a little guilty.

But, well—he’d get over it.

────────────────────────────────────

────────────────────────────────────