Ten days until the UAE tower collapse countdown.
When the tower collapses, there won’t be any casualties.
Having experienced the terror of the Mumbai tower collapse, people will have fled from the collapse zone by then.
But what about the massive sinkhole?
What if a hole over 10km in diameter appears in the UAE?
It must be prevented at all costs.
Assuming conquest failure, the message UAE-affiliated players would hear in ten days would go something like this:
- [Announcement: UAE Black Tower climbing has been insufficient.]
- [Announcement: Tower collapse countdown is activated.]
- [Announcement: Countdown will stop if unexplored upper floor conquest succeeds.]
- [Announcement: Time remaining until tower collapse 23:59:59.]
There’s no intention of letting it reach the countdown.
The conquest will be finished before then.
According to calculations, within 6 days including today.
Two floors could be conquered at once in a single day.
That would mean the general announcement would sound twice a day.
In that case, it would cause another uproar.
Since there’s no rush, one floor per day is sufficient.
[Entering Black Tower of South Korea, Floor 55.]
The final section of the Griffon zone.
[Floor 55 Mission: Defeat 50 Griffons of any type and 1 Peacock-Feathered Storm Griffon.]
[Completion Time Limit: Within 12 hours.]
[Completion Conditions: All types of Griffons 0/50, Peacock-Feathered Storm Griffon 0/1]
The boss, Peacock-Feathered Storm Griffon,
Its tail was large, beautiful, and lush like a peacock’s feathers.
But caution is necessary.
Its finishing move is the tail feather attack.
It rains feather spears from the sky, carpet-bombing the area where players stand.
This isn’t easy to dodge.
The feather spears impale the ground in an extremely dense pattern.
Conquest begins.
Griffons flying across the sky, filling it completely.
Veronica boldly targeted one flying in the middle of a Griffon flock.
Pashook!
The creature recognized Veronica.
Then the one beside it, and the one next to that, and the ones following behind…
Add, add.
Five descended instantly.
But Veronica pulled the trigger again, aiming at other flocks.
Pashook!
Five more, with a time gap.
Pashook! Pashshshshshook! Pashshshshshsh…
Small magic bullets fired in rapid succession.
Not a single shot missed its target.
But the mana stone ammunition depleted quickly,
“Supply Officer Razix!”
Bullet reload.
“Hoeng!”
Razix darted out eagerly.
Roll roll roll,
During previous repeat conquests when collecting tower materials, the main target was ore.
But after Veronica’s summoning, Razix was asked to increase the ratio of mana stone collection.
For ammunition supply to Sergeant Veronica Caliber, the mana stone-eating hippo.
Jingle jangle, jingle-jangle, jingle jangle, jingle-jangle.
Boom boom, boom-boom-boom, boom boom, boom-boom-boom,
Sharp drum sounds and bell ringing.
As they approached the ground, the Griffon flock became confused by Gyeon Dallae’s debuff.
They descended in a heap, like pigeons eating seeds.
Gobang methodically broke the necks of the pigeon-like Griffons, while Kozak danced with his shadow-infused blue daggers.
Simultaneously, Veronica began pulling again.
Gyeon Dallae’s debuff.
Gobang and Kozak’s close-quarters attacks,
It didn’t take long to summon the floor 55 boss, the Peacock-Feathered Storm Griffon.
“Kyaaaaak!”
The massive Griffon appeared in the distant sky, majestically spreading its peacock feathers.
Veronica in a sitting-fire position.
Zziiiing!
Her magic gun glowing white-hot,
PASHOOOOOK!!!
“Kiyek!”
The Peacock-Feathered Storm Griffon descended after taking a direct hit to its body,
Simultaneously, thudthudthudthud! Magnificent feathers transformed into spears, covering the ground.
Gobang, who had enlarged his body, embraced Kozak, Gyeon Dallae, and Veronica.
Juhyeok also hugged Razix and activated his energy barrier.
Of course, no feather spears came anywhere near Juhyeok.
He was outside the attack range from the start.
As a rear commander.
He doesn’t go to dangerous places.
After the feather storm subsided, Veronica fired another large magic bullet.
PASHOOOOOK!!!
Thump!
The Peacock-Feathered Storm Griffon couldn’t withstand two large magic bullets.
How could it possibly endure?
It staggered down and barely managed to land on the ground.
Pat! Pat! Pat!
Kozak used Shadow Steps to leap onto its head.
Stab! Stab!
After blinding both its eyes with his daggers,
Gobang, who had enlarged his body, grabbed the dying creature’s head and twisted it a full rotation.
Crrrrrack!
[Announcement: You have achieved S++ grade conquest of Black Tower (Korea) Floor 55.]
[S++ Conquest Reward: Platinum Badge awarded.]
Now it was Juhyeok’s time.
Even during climbing, he had to check the special reward before continuing.
***
The characteristic enhancement was already accomplished.
A lot of time remained before the next random summon cooldown.
So the special reward wasn’t as desperately needed as before.
Well, getting a summonee grade enhancement rune would be nice.
To promote our Supply Officer Razix, giving him an SR rank insignia.
But it’s not manly to be too fixated on special rewards.
Coolly checking.
No ritual was performed this time.
After using it twice, it had become mundane.
What ritual? What ritual!
So embarrassing.
Please grant us. Please grant us… Who am I begging and for what?
Like a true tower man, opening the inventory.
Checking the Platinum badges, ready to accept any unwanted special reward with a broad mind and without complaint,
“Check!”
[Special reward granted for accumulating 55 Platinum Badges.]
What is it?
Hurry up and show me.
A special reward item would be good, a summonee grade enhancement rune to promote our Razix to SR would be better, and a characteristic enhancement would be the ultimate jackpot.
- [Special Reward: You can copy one skill possessed by a summonee.]
- [Please select a target.]
- [Targets: John Kozak/Savage Meat Shield/Gyeon Dallae/Razix/Gwangma]
‘Hmm.’
Is this good?
‘This is good.’
It’s really good.
One useful skill is worth ten items.
Just look at Kozak’s Shadow Steps that I copied first.
Then among these five, whose skill should I copy?
There are too many…
Juhyeok never wanted such a wide range of choices.
Sigh, it’s giving me a headache.
He preferred having someone else make decisions for him.
That’s why he wore clothes his mother bought for him, and always went to the same hair salon.
When the skill copy special reward appeared previously, it was fortunate that the options were limited.
There was only Kozak anyway.
But now it’s different.
Kozak, Gobang, Gyeon Dallae, Razix, Gwangma, Veronica Caliber.
Let’s check them out slowly.
Starting with Kozak.
[Kozak’s accumulated star rating is above average.]
[Selection range expanded.]
[List: Blade Explosion, Shock Break, Vile Ambush, Poison Dagger, Distraction, Stealth, Invisibility, Polymorph, Lock Picking, Pickpocketing, Mugging, Disemboweling, Irrefusable Threat…]
…What’s with him?
The further down the list, the more criminal skills appear.
What about Gobang?
[Savage Meat Shield’s accumulated star rating is above average.]
[Selection range expanded.]
[List: Diamond Skin, Rapid Regeneration, Gigantification, Mocking Roar, Steadfast Soul, Iron Skull, Silent Provocation, Final Tenacity, Shockwave, Firm Grip…]
Fitting for a physical tank.
Sorry, but excluded.
No matter how much I want to be a real man, I’ll pass on getting beaten up.
Next, Gyeon Dallae.
She also has a high accumulated star rating, offering various options.
[List: Encouraging Bell, Weakening Bell, Confusion Bell, Fighting Spirit Drum, Talisman Art, Fortune Reading, Divination, Shaman’s Leap, Spirit Expulsion, Majesty, Thunderous Shout…]
I don’t want to become a clapping priestess.
What about our reliable worker Razix?
[List: Subspace Backpack, Leather Gathering, Mining, Tanning, Herb Gathering, Blacksmith Repair, Survival Cooking, Cleaning, Campsite Construction…]
As expected, skills specialized for a worker.
What about Veronica’s list?
[Veronica Caliber’s accumulated star rating is above average.]
[Selection range expanded.]
I haven’t given many ratings, but consistently gave her 5 stars.
[List: Magic Gun Shooting Technique, Magic Bullet Focus, Speed Step, Fade Magic Bullet, Magic Bullet Enhancement, Magic Bullet Volley…]
Except for Speed Step, everything relates to the magic gun.
They seem useless without a magic gun.
Finally…
[Gwangma’s accumulated star rating is the lowest.]
[Selection range is extremely narrow.]
‘Hmm.’
Gwangma.
After being summoned twice and receiving 1 star both times, it’s definitely the lowest rating.
Does that mean there are no skills to copy?
Fortunately,
[List: Blood Jade Force[1]]
There was one.
Just one, but it exists.
Anyone would see choosing an LSSR over an SR as reasonable.
But again, decision paralysis begins.
Should I learn it or not?
Caution is necessary.
‘Should I really learn it?’
But to properly use Blood Jade Force, I would need to engage in direct physical combat.
Getting covered in blood and flesh…
Also, even if I learned it, I might not be able to demonstrate power comparable to Gwangma.
‘Then should I not learn it?’
Not learning it is also an unwise choice.
Honestly, if not now, then when?
Even if Gwangma is crazy, the skill isn’t to blame.
There’s no guarantee that another skill copy special reward will appear.
As Juhyeok frowned in contemplation, the summonees each offered their opinion.
“Young master Bong, learn the Talisman Art. Although the effect may be limited initially due to low proficiency, it will improve as you become more skilled.”
That’s a good idea.
“Nah, Stealth or Invisibility is better than Talisman Art. Sneaking around in the tower becomes much safer.”
That makes sense.
“I recommend Diamond Skin or Rapid Regeneration. With a sturdy body, you’re less likely to die.”
What about Razix?
“Hoeng, don’t learn mine. I want to do all the work myself.”
That’s right.
Razix gets angry if you take away his work.
I still vividly remember Razix’s gleeful expression when Locheong, the electronic servant, was executed.
And Veronica?
“Snore, snore.”
Nodding off.
Sleeping soundly.
Then what about their opinions on copying Gwangma’s skill?
When I casually brought it up,
“…Blood Jade Force from Gwangma? Ah, this humble girl is afraid. Please, I implore you to reconsider.”
“N-no way! Blood! Blood! There’s blood in the skill name. It gives me chills.”
“Summoner, it’s fine not to learn it.”
“Hoeeee,”
“Snore, snore, slurp! Smack smack.”
All opposed.
There’s no choice.
After considering everyone’s opinions.
“Alright, I’ll learn Gwangma’s skill.”
Classic wimp behavior.
Timid but rebellious when he wants to be.
To show that he’s not to be taken lightly.
Why am I like this? This is who I am.
I won’t just go along with what you all want!
“…”
“…Eh.”
“Sigh.”
“Hoeng.”
Concerned expressions.
I know what they’re worried about.
Once I learn the skill, I’ll want to try it out, which means I’ll eventually participate in combat, potentially putting myself in danger.
[Acquiring Skill: Blood Jade Force.]
[Blood Jade Force skill has been registered in your status window.]
Skill: Blood Jade Force
- Description: Emits formless energy to weaponize your body. Strength increases according to level’s magical power. Application range expands with proficiency.
‘Status window?’
[Name]: Bong Juhyeok
[Affiliation]: Black Tower (South Korea)
[Catalog]: John Kozak/ Savage Meat Shield/ Gyeon Dallae/ Razix/ Gwangma/ Veronica Caliber.
[Characteristic Skills]: Designated Summon/ Random Summon/ Dismiss Summon
[General Skills]: Tower Entry (2 times/day)/ Tower-exclusive Inventory
[Combat Skills]: Shadow Steps/ Soul-Shocking Technique/ Blood Jade Force
The status window looks so full, it makes my heart swell with pride.
I’ll try out Blood Jade Force later inside the tower.
While I won’t immediately face monsters directly, I can at least increase my proficiency through practice.
Tower Entry 2 times/day.
With two entries, there’s plenty of time to practice.
Now on to the Wyvern zone.
Earth Wyvern on floor 56, Flame Wyvern on floor 57, Frost Wyvern on floor 58, Thunder Wyvern on floor 59, and uniquely, floor 60 has Venomous Wyverns and a Wyvern Lord instead of all types of Wyverns.
Going all the way.
To floor 59.
- <No brakes. S++ grade conquest of floor 55, how far will he go?>
- <Unprecedented record, not a single S++ grade conquest missed on the way to floor 55.>
- <Easily passed through the flying monster Griffon zone, now facing Wyverns?>
- <South Korea’s top player was someone else all along.>
- <Even Player Nam Ga-eun acknowledges, comparing with him is absurd. I’m still far behind.>
The media unleashed a flood of reports after a long time.
Being a journalist in Korea is so easy.
Issues erupt every day.
ㄴI told you, right? Who’s the best player in Korea, no, the world?
ㄴBut can he really conquer the Wyvern zone too? It seems difficult.
ㄴKekeke, many forum users have disappeared after saying such things.
ㄴDon’t underestimate the Earth Wyvern’s defense on floor 56. It takes forever to kill just one.
ㄴI watched someone’s video, wasn’t it Yoo Cheol-min’s conquest video?
ㄴNam Ga-eun was the same.
ㄴWhat do you know? They’re completely different players to begin with.
As the forums heated up,
ㄴOh!
ㄴWow!
ㄴWhat?
ㄴIt’s up.
┗ㄴAgain?
ㄴLet’s go!
The general announcement that reached South Korean affiliated players.
As if there were barely any difference between Wyverns and Griffons.
[Announcement: You have achieved S++ grade conquest of Black Tower (Korea) Floor 56.]
9 days remaining until the UAE tower collapse.
[Announcement: You have achieved S++ grade conquest of Black Tower (Korea) Floor 57.]
8 days remaining.
[Announcement: You have achieved S++ grade conquest of Black Tower (Korea) Floor 58.]
7 days remaining.
[Announcement: You have achieved S++ grade conquest of Black Tower (Korea) Floor 59.]
Until 6 days remaining.
The momentum continued.