So far, I’ve received six special rewards.
To list them one by one:
The first was Trait Enhancement.
The second was the Skill Copy: Shadow Step.
The third was the Item: Energy Shield Kit.
The fourth was the Random Box: Soul-Shattering Thunder Rod technique and Summoned Being Rank Upgrade rune.
The fifth was Trait Enhancement again, chosen as an encore reward.
The sixth was the Item: Skill Cooldown Reset Ticket.
Additionally, I received one more Summoned Being Rank Upgrade rune as a tower conquest reward.
So what’s next?
What will this special reward be?
I can check the reward as soon as I verify the accumulation of 35 Platinum Badges in my inventory.
“Should I fetch purified water from the water purifier? We should offer prayers.”
“I’ll go get it.”
Gyeon Dallae shook her head.
“Water from a purifier is not purified water. It’s merely tap water. Offering prayers with such water might actually bring bad luck.”
It is tap water, but…
“You could get completely unexpected results, so just clear your mind as you check the special reward.”
Juhyeok looked at Gyeon Dallae with a subtle expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”
“Ah, no. Of course not.”
Bad luck…
Who was it that appeared when I did a random summon using water from the purifier?
Was it bad luck?
I should never mention this.
She might be hurt.
“Alright! I’m checking now.”
“Master Summoner Bong, fighting!”
“May you achieve the results you desire.”
“I, Gobang, believe in the summoner’s luck.”
The 35 luminous Platinum Badges in my inventory.
Suddenly!
[Special reward issued for accumulating 35 Platinum Badges.]
“Could it be Trait Enhancement?”
“Aaaah! It must be! We absolutely need it!”
“Let’s go!”
[Reward: Item Warm Dawn’s Golden Aegis has been deposited in your tower-exclusive inventory.]
“…Huh?”
[Reward: Item Cold Twilight’s Golden Flail has been deposited in your tower-exclusive inventory.]
“What?”
Two items appeared.
“They’re items!”
“…Pardon? I-items?”
“They are items?”
“Items?”
<Tower-exclusive Warm Dawn’s Golden Aegis.>
- Effect: When equipped, enhances user’s concentration, produces dazzling flashes, strengthens physical and magical defense, and has a chance to reflect attacks back at enemies upon successful defense.
- Feature: Maintains composure regardless of status ailments. Will never be destroyed.
<Tower-exclusive Cold Twilight’s Golden Flail.>
- Effect: Increases attack speed in combat, freezes targets, increases attack range, and has a chance to activate an ice field when successfully striking.
- Feature: Guides enemies to twilight’s rest. Will never be destroyed.
“Ooooh! Great effects!”
Although the desired Trait Enhancement didn’t appear… but hey, what can you do?
Juhyeok smiled contentedly.
‘I love these.’
Both are gold-colored.
A perfect sword and shield set.
I can imagine myself bravely facing monsters with these.
‘Should I give it a swing?’
Wow, it fits perfectly in my hand.
And it’s lightweight too.
Meanwhile, the others watched with concern.
Kozak spoke to Gyeon Dallae.
“Look at Master Summoner Bong. He’s grinning from ear to ear.”
“Sigh, such flashy items… they’ll catch the enemies’ eyes immediately.”
“Do you think he’ll just stand still? He’ll come trying to negotiate again. He’ll say ‘I’ll just hunt three,’ then hunt five, and if he says ‘I’ll hunt five,’ he’ll be soaring through the air.”
Gyeon Dallae nodded.
“I share the same concern. With his brilliant talent now equipped with these items, if this becomes the trigger for him to actively engage in battle…”
Kozak’s face turned pale.
“Oh my, don’t say such things. This is terrible. What should we do? Princess, don’t you have a solution?”
Of course there is.
“As disloyal as it may seem, I must cling to Young Master’s pant leg and shed a bucket of tears.”
“Will that work? Haven’t you used that trick before?”
“Young Master is deeply compassionate. Two times, three times, he will never turn away from my desperate pleas.”
Is that really so?
Kozak felt anxious.
The Trait Enhancement we wanted didn’t appear, and instead we get these?
Whenever items or skills appear, our summoner won’t rest until he’s tried them out.
“We should have offered prayers after all. I regret it.”
“With that water from the purifier? It would have been even worse. Something more terrible might have appeared.”
Gobang suddenly interjected.
“The warrior remembers. When we used purifier water to offer prayers and did a random summon, Princess Gyeon Dallae appeared.”
“…What?”
Gyeon Dallae tilted her head, clearly confused by this statement.
“Sir Gobang, your joke goes too far. Indeed! Your mind has become sharp enough to make jokes.”
“The warrior does not lie. I cannot joke.”
“It’s true.”
“…”
Her eyes trembled uncontrollably.
Then,
“Aha! I see now, it wasn’t an ordinary purifier. To think it could turn tap water into purified water! Looking at how I was summoned, it must be an extraordinary purifier.”
“It’s an extraordinary purifier. It’s an ordinary purifier.”
“…If I say so, then believe it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Summoned being Gobang suddenly spoke.
“Anyway, since Trait Enhancement wasn’t achieved, we’ll continue with our three-person system for now.”
“Right.”
“Indeed.”
Looking at both Gyeon Dallae and Kozak simultaneously.
“Not much time left for random summon. The summoner will soon call a new person. Then, who must leave?”
“…”
“…”
Kozak’s face turned deathly pale.
The inevitable moment had arrived.
Gobang, who could serve as both tank and close-range DPS.
Gyeon Dallae, who helps with daily charms and has secured her position as a buffer.
But himself? Just a close-range DPS with nothing special.
It was obvious.
Beyond, in the place where tower-bound souls swarm,
Which type of profession is most valued?
Buffers or holy healers like priestesses?
They’re royalty, regardless of grade.
And their numbers are the fewest.
What about tanks?
They’re nobility.
Also not numerous.
And the DPS?
They’re the most numerous.
You have to break it down further.
Magic-types are middle-class commoners.
The more popular DPS.
Jobs are quite plentiful.
Ranged DPS types are poor commoners.
But they still get included.
Lastly, close-range DPS.
They’re the lowest class.
And their numbers are overwhelming.
On higher floors, they’re often excluded.
Kozak had experienced this himself.
For this reason, if the newly summoned being is a ranged DPS or a magic-type capable of area attacks?
Gulp
Kozak swallowed dryly.
Meanwhile, Gobang and Gyeon Dallae remained unconcerned.
“Servants deemed unnecessary should know to step aside. Useful servants must fill that space.”
“That’s right. That’s what’s best for the summoner.”
“…”
These unfair bastards.
They feel secure, don’t they?
Yet what they say is absolutely right.
“…When that moment comes, I will make my decision.”
Even if Master Summoner Bong takes pity and keeps him until the end, it’s still a problem.
For a smooth tower conquest, he should know when to step aside.
That’s the proper attitude for a summoned being.
But how could he do that?
“P-perhaps if we reach the 40th floor, Trait Enhancement might appear? If we work hard and hurry to conquer the 40th floor before the random summon…”
Suddenly,
“SIR KOZAK!!!”
“…Yes?”
Gyeon Dallae’s thunderous voice.
“Climbing unconquered upper floors depends entirely on Young Master’s decision. How dare a lowly servant interfere with Young Master’s exclusive authority!!!”
“N-no, that’s not what I meant…”
He tried to explain, but:
“Should Master Bong push himself for the sake of a mere servant like you? As if it weren’t distressing enough that he’s acquired weapons through the special reward…”
“…”
Kozak could only hang his head, unable to respond.
“Well then, I’ll depart gracefully. It’s been a pleasure…”
That’s when:
“Who said sir Kozak had to leave?”
Juhyeok had approached with intense eyes.
“Was it Gobang?”
“N-no, it wasn’t me. I was just quiet.”
“Princess Gyeon Dallae?”
“…No. You misunderstand. We were merely considering a hypothetical situation.”
He was angry.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, telling someone to leave?
Timid people are the scariest when angered.
Juhyeok declared with a resolute voice:
“Listen carefully. I might not climb the tower, but I will never exclude anyone. We’ll go with this team exactly as it is. Until the end of our climb, especially…”
Juhyeok’s eyes met Kozak’s.
Kozak flinched, then tears welled up in his eyes.
Seeing him like this, Juhyeok nodded reassuringly, as if to say “don’t worry.”
Ahh,
Can you feel it?
This is the burning camaraderie of comrades-in-arms.
…No, let’s remove the “love” part.
It might create a strange atmosphere.
Anyway, the burning friendship of comrades!
I accidentally overheard their conversation.
So there are about 15 days left on the random summon cooldown.
If Trait Enhancement isn’t achieved by then, only three positions will remain.
And if a skilled DPS is summoned in the random summon?
They seemed to have predetermined that someone would have to leave.
I understand why they thought that way.
Compared to Kozak, who could be replaced anytime,
Gobang and Gyeon Dallae hold irreplaceable, solid positions.
But that’s not happening.
The possibility of Kozak leaving? Not even a speck.
Who do they think is responsible for getting me this far?
It’s because Kozak paved the way.
I climbed by stepping on his back.
Thanks to him, I could function like a proper person in the tower.
“What if a perfectly equipped shield knight appears in the random summon? Will Gobang leave?”
“…”
“If a holy sister or priest appears, will Princess Gyeon Dallae be out?”
“…”
Everyone was speechless.
Whether imperial princess or barbarian warrior, all were subdued by the summoner’s verbal authority.
‘Was I cool?’
I must have been.
I can tell from Kozak’s eyes, filled with gratitude and trust.
Ah,
Why am I so good with words?
Anyway, Juhyeok also became desperate for Trait Enhancement.
He’ll definitely achieve it.
He’ll absolutely get it.
“Sir Kozak.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Do you want Trait Enhancement? Shall we rush straight to the 50th floor?”
In response, Kozak shed tiny tears again.
“I understand Master Summoner Bong’s concern for me, but I’m fine. If you push yourself, I would never forgive myself.”
“Let’s just try rushing!”
“N-no. Please don’t do that.”
“Then how about this?”
Juhyeok extended his pinky finger in a gesture of promise.
“Until we get Trait Enhancement, I won’t fight monsters and will stay back. I won’t hunt a single one. I won’t even take weapons out of my inventory.”
Kozak’s eyes widened.
Gyeon Dallae brightened.
Gobang nodded his head.
“What do you say? Is anyone opposed to rushing until we get Trait Enhancement?”
Gyeon Dallae quickly answered.
“If Young Master will not participate in combat, how could we refuse? I will ring my bell so hard it might break.”
“Fear not, I, Gobang, will protect the summoner. I will achieve S++ grade conquests.”
And,
“Sir Kozak, are you in?”
Overcome with emotion, Kozak raised his hand high and shouted desperately,
“C-call! Call indeed, call! Call! Caaall!!!”
“Great! Let’s proceed! Starting from the 36th floor!”
And so began the unconquered upper floor climb by Kozak, for Kozak, of Kozak.
※ ※ ※
Director Park Kyung-soo of the Awakened Management Office and Director Park Il-jun of the National Intelligence Service held an emergency meeting.
The two had grown closer through recent governmental audits.
They met to share information about the investigation of the recently occurred “Royal Traditional Massage Multiple Murder Case.”
It wasn’t a simple murder case.
It was an attempted kidnapping of Elite Team members.
Of course, all the perpetrators were dead.
“It’s highly likely that all the dead men were military personnel. And very well-trained ones at that.”
“These bastards… Do we have clear evidence of who planned this?”
“Sigh, we have no evidence. If just one of them had survived, we could have uncovered it through interrogation. But they’re all dead.”
However, all suspicions point to China.
It can only be China.
The rumors had been spreading widely, known and unknown.
Rumors that China was persuading or kidnapping talented players from weaker countries.
And now their target included Korea?
It suddenly felt like Korea had become a weak nation.
“Among their targets was also the actual owner of the Holy Sword.”
“Ugh.”
Park Kyung-soo’s face reddened with anger at the NIS Director’s words.
They might have faced a national catastrophe.
“It’s unlikely they knew. Probably just a coincidence.”
Currently, Player Bong Juhyeok is only known as the Holy Sword’s owner.
Only three people know that he’s an S++ grade conquest recorder.
Even the NIS Director doesn’t know.
“I shouldn’t say this, but I’m almost grateful to the killer.”
“Anyway, we need to investigate thoroughly. How these guys entered Korea, whether there are any remaining accomplices, and the identity of the murder suspect.”
“One more thing! The NIS needs to pay more attention to security.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. We’ve mobilized all our organizations, both domestic and international. We should have good results soon.”
If they found definitive evidence that China was behind this, they wouldn’t stay quiet.
“By the way, didn’t you say Gerald Watson from the U.S. is entering the country in a week?”
“Yes. We received an official diplomatic document.”
“What do we need to do?”
“Nothing. They said they’ll handle everything themselves, from transportation to security.”
“I’m sure they will.”
Considering they’re bringing America’s top player.