The next morning, as Juhyeok was leaving for his convenience store day shift, he called his father.
“Dad, are you working hard on your rehabilitation? Has your hip bone healed well?”
“You think it heals that easily? I’m lying down half the day. Why are you calling? It’s not like you live far away, you should visit in person.”
“You know I’m busy. Let’s have a meal together outside next time.”
Their family home was also in Seoul. Two rooms with a kitchen and one bathroom. Juhyeok started living on his own because the house was too small. They were two grown sons.
The brothers shared a room when they were young, but as they grew up, it became increasingly uncomfortable.
“Nothing’s wrong, right?”
“What could be wrong? The problem is I don’t have money. Haah, if only I could awaken at a time like this.”
Probing a bit, his father responded,
“What would you do if you awakened? There’s no way that 0.01% chance would come to you, but even if it did… you wouldn’t do it!”
“What?”
“How could you enter the tower? You’re just like me,”
“…”
His father was certain that Juhyeok wouldn’t become an active Player. It wasn’t a wrong judgment. They knew each other better than anyone.
“Well, you’re not wrong.”
“Instead of useless daydreams, come home soon. Let me see your face.”
The reason Bong Juhyeok had a common man, low-tier, safety-first mindset was due to a kind of family trait(?).
What about the other guy who inherited the same genes?
Calling his younger brother, Bong Minhyeok,
“…Anyway, Minhyeok, if you awakened, would you enter the tower?”
“Are you crazy? Absolutely not. I’d just quietly spend three months and give up, you know?”
“I thought so. You low-tier bastard.”
“What about you? You’re a low-tier too.”
“You little…”
Well, where would the paternal genes go?
“Anyway, just hang in there a bit longer. I’ll graduate quickly and lift up our family, and pay back what I owe you too.”
“…You sure talk big.”
“I’m sorry. And thank you.”
“Alright, just study hard.”
He also called his mom.
“Mom.”
“Yes, son, what is it?”
“Everything alright?”
“Yes. I’m doing well. Except for getting fired from work yesterday.”
Huh?
“That doesn’t sound like doing well… but why?”
“Because of a troublesome customer. He said he’d give me a good satisfaction rating if I cleaned up all the trash in his house, including food waste. How could I just stand there? I snapped at him. So I got fired.”
“Ah…”
“Don’t worry. I’ll find another job soon. Don’t worry about us, just take care of yourself. And don’t think about sending money again.”
Mom was impulsive and brave. She couldn’t stand injustice. That’s why dad fell head over heels for mom. No wonder dad’s greatest life achievement was asking mom out on a date?
‘Hmm.’
It hurt his pride. The shabbiness of the paternal genes.
‘…I must have mom’s genes mixed in. Yes! Definitely.’
It was certain. That’s why he entered the tower too.
‘Anyway, I should keep climbing.’
Since mom got fired from her job too, the family’s source of income was cut off.
From what he’d heard, floors 1 to 5 were very easy.
‘They say the mortality rate is 0%.’
A kind of tutorial, practice game.
‘I’ll go up to the 5th floor and then…’
If it’s okay, I’ll keep going. If not, I’ll stop.
***
During the day, convenience store part-time job. At night, work at the charcoal-grilled meat restaurant. After returning home, conquer the tower with John Kozak.
This was Juhyeok’s daily plan. The success of the plan depended on Kozak. So he always had to be grateful. Always giving a perfect 5-star rating.
“I-I don’t know where to put myself. To give 5 stars to someone as lacking as me.”
“If I could give 10 stars, I would.”
“Hehe, I’m glad you’re satisfied.”
“On the 2nd floor, what should I…”
“Do? There won’t be time for that. It’ll be a 3-minute clear.”
“Hahaha, that’s great.”
“Hehehe, it is.”
Well then, before we start.
“Can I ask you a few things?”
“Oh my! Of course, ask away.”
“When we first met, you said you came from a place with many people, right?”
“That’s right. There’s a huge space, and we wait there.”
“How many people?”
“Whew, a lot. Roughly over 300, I’d say.”
So there were over 300 summonable gacha(?) characters. That’s a lot. Though their grades would all be different.
“To get out of there…”
“We have to receive a call. Then we manifest with a physical body like this.”
The ‘call’ must mean summoning.
“But why the satisfaction rating?”
“The better the rating, the more benefits we get. For example, manifestation time, grade increase, more chances to receive calls, needless to say.”
“Aha!”
He’d learn the details gradually. For now, let’s enter the tower. The most important thing was safety first. The more greedy you are, the shorter your life.
[Entering the 2nd floor of the Korean Black Tower.]
The mission?
[2nd Floor Mission: Defeat 10 Cunning Fatty Maggots.]
[Time Limit: Within 2 hours.]
[Completion Condition: Cunning Fatty Maggots 0/10]
[Failure Condition: Death or mission abandonment]
This time, it was quick maggots.
“I’ll finish quickly and escort you home.”
“Shall we eat chicken today? With beer…”
“Thank you.”
Swish! Thud! Bang! Swish! Thud! Bang! Swish! Thud! Bang…
[You have succeeded in the 2nd floor mission.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Reward: 200g of magic stone]
[Notice: You have achieved S++ grade in conquering the 2nd floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]
[S++ conquest reward: You are awarded a Platinum Badge.]
‘This is insane, absolutely insane.’
S++ just for entering. Is it supposed to be this easy? It’s too fast, even for being fast.
‘I could enter and come out before going to my part-time job in the morning.’
Tower re-entry wasn’t based on a 24-hour cycle, but on a daily basis like game daily quests.
So the next morning.
[3rd Floor Mission: Defeat 10 Ice Chill Fatty Maggots.]
[Your level has increased.]
[Reward: 300g of magic stone]
[Notice: You have achieved S++ grade in conquering the 3rd floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]
[S++ conquest reward: You are awarded a Platinum Badge.]
The 4th and 5th floors were the same. The magic stone rewards were 400g and 500g. And he still received Platinum Badges. A total of 5 badges were neatly arranged in a corner of his inventory.
‘What are these used for…’
Suddenly!
[You have collected 5 S++ grade Platinum Badges.]
A message popped up.
‘What’s this?’
[Special benefit awarded for accumulating 5 Platinum Badges.]
[Special Benefit: Awakening Characteristic Enhancement.]
“Oh!”
Characteristic enhancement?
“Status window.”
[Name]: Bong Juhyeok
[Affiliation]: Black Tower (South Korea)
[Level]: 6LV
[Characteristic]: Summoning (Simultaneous Summons: 2)
[Catalog]: John Kozak
[Characteristic Skills]: Designated Summon / Random Summon / Summon Release
[General Skills]: Tower Entry (1 per day) / Tower-exclusive Inventory
[Combat Skills]: None
Something caught his eye. Simultaneous summons: 2.
‘So I can bring one more person?’
Who knew breaking records could feel this good? It would be even safer now. John Kozak was already unstoppable on his own.
‘If I do a random summon, one more… Ah, right.’
The cooldown, reuse wait time. It would take over 20 days before he could do another random summon.
‘I’ll wait until then and summon one more, then the three of us together…’
No, wait.
‘I won’t be participating in combat, so it’ll be just the two of them.’
This is sweet.
From now on, let’s take it slow. Until the random summon cooldown is over. Tomorrow is another climb. Let’s go up without hesitation. To the 6th floor.
***
Seoul, Hannam-dong, South Korea.
Tower Player Awakening Management Office.
Director Park Kyung-soo was waiting for the tower-wide notice message with sweaty palms and a tense heart.
When would it ring today? Morning, noon? Evening? Or late at night?
The timing might vary, but it was clearly the same person. They were climbing in order, after all.
The general message, or notice. Something only Players affiliated with each tower could hear. That’s why numerous Players were gathered in the office.
After a short while,
“Gasp!”
“…My goodness!”
“Again?”
Director Park Kyung-soo asked urgently.
“D-did the notice come?”
“Yes, it’s an S++ grade conquest of the 6th floor of the Black Tower (Korea).”
“Haha…”
An S++ grade conquest notice for the sixth consecutive day. Who on earth could it be?
‘It’s definitely someone who just awakened recently.’
The grade is normally calculated based on a Player of the appropriate level for the floor. Meaning only a level 6 Player could set a record on the 6th floor.
‘The highest known record so far was A grade, but…’
He just learned that there was something even higher. And that an S++ grade would trigger a general notice.
Who could it be? Someone with incredible talent.
If the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and all future floors were conquered at S++ grade…
They must be found. Found and carefully managed. They might be poached by another country if they weren’t careful.
What happens if they’re poached? If they change nationality, their tower affiliation changes.
For example, if a Player affiliated with [Black Tower (Korea)] moves to Japan and changes nationality, it would become [Black Tower (Japan)], just like that.
‘…That absolutely can’t happen!’
It was something he didn’t even want to imagine.
‘I need to make sure the Korean-affiliated Players keep quiet about this first.’
Though he wasn’t sure how well that would work.
‘I hope they call soon.’
To properly act as a Player, one needs to register with the management office. They would probably call soon.
***
The tower climbing was progressing smoothly.
“Today is the 8th floor, right?”
“Yes, sir!”
Floors 1-5 were the tutorial, 6-10 were for shedding the beginner label.
“Let’s do well. I should slowly start joining in…”
“No, no! I should do it alone, not together!”
“Hmm, but if Mr. Kozak encounters a dangerous situation…”
“Oh my, that won’t happen, but if it does, just curse at me from behind. It would be because I’m stupid.”
I’m not sure if this is okay.
Yesterday was the 7th floor. The mission was to break through a horde of monsters and retrieve a flag placed on a high hill. It was too simple. The monsters couldn’t handle Kozak’s lightning-fast speed.
Another S++ grade and Platinum Badge.
What about the 8th floor?
Upon entering the tower.
[Mission: Defeat 10 Red Thorn Frog Warriors.]
A swampy terrain where feet sank deep. And frog warriors. Though small in size, they were scary. Unlike the maggots and larvae so far, they had mouths and long tongues. Fortunately, no teeth, but…
In fact, there wasn’t even a chance to observe them closely.
Papapapat!
John Kozak ran at a terrifying speed, taking zigzag steps.
Whoop!
Whoosh!
A Red Thorn Frog Warrior’s tongue flew towards Kozak.
Slash!
The long tongue was cut in half midair.
Ziiing!
Kozak’s dagger extended with a blade of energy.
Slash! Slash slash! Slashslashslash!
Pieces of frog flesh scattered in all directions. They couldn’t withstand Kozak’s energy blade.
Thud! Thud thud thud!
“Gyagul, gyaagul…”
Stab!
Flop!
[You have succeeded in the 8th floor mission.]
[Your level has increased.]
Having conquered the 8th floor, now level 9.
[Notice: You have achieved S++ grade in conquering the 8th floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]
[Reward: You are awarded a Platinum Badge for achieving an S++ grade record.]
[Reward: 800g of magic stone]
[Reward: Tower-exclusive Healing Potion (5)]
Swoosh!
Back in Juhyeok’s studio apartment.
“Good work today as well!”
“I didn’t do anything, what work?”
“Entering the tower itself is the hardest task. Once you’re inside, I’ll handle everything.”
So the ‘work’ was just entering the tower.
“Anyway, it’s easy. Finishing so quickly.”
Of course, it was Kozak who did it, not himself.
“Still, we mustn’t let our guard down. It will get progressively harder as we go up. Especially from the latter half of the 10th floor, we can’t take it lightly.”
Right. They must never let their guard down. Juhyeok knew this well. Was it because he was strong? No, it was thanks to Kozak’s abilities.
People should know their limits. That’s how you live a long life.
Anyway, another sub-3-minute clear today. Should he give Kozak a gift for his hard work?
Taking out 50,000 won from his wallet,
“There’s still a lot of time left, so go out and have some fun before you return. Eat something delicious, just don’t cause any trouble.”
“I can’t!”
“Why not?”
“I can’t leave Summoner Bong’s side. I’ll just watch TV at home.”
“Hmm.”
This too doesn’t apply to the principle of absolute obedience. It must be because of the 1st principle. To prioritize the summoner’s life above all else.
“Shall we order some chicken?”
“Ohoho! Sounds good!”
He opened a delivery app and ordered a chicken.
‘Let’s check the rewards.’
First, the new reward, the tower-exclusive healing potion. As the name suggests, it’s for tower use only. Can’t be used in reality, and he won’t need to use it himself.
‘I’ll give it to Mr. Kozak.’
By the way, what about these magic stones? The total accumulated amount so far was 3.6kg. Still just a handful. Though they were stones, they had high density, so the volume was small compared to the weight.
‘I’ve earned 1.8 million won.’
If he were to sell them, that is. What’s the point of just keeping them in the inventory? He should cash them out.
But selling magic stones. This was a problem that required a lot of consideration. In fact, a task much more difficult than climbing the tower was waiting for Juhyeok.