For two weeks, Juhyeok only performed repeated missions on the 15th floor.
While waiting for the random summon cooldown to return, he practiced the Shadow Step skill, experimented with the energy shield, and accumulated magic stones to buy combat equipment.
Ah! Killing four birds with one stone.
What an efficient plan!
Perfect in every way.
“Energy shield.”
Zzing!
A transparent glass-like barrier enveloped his entire body.
“Shadow Step.”
Swoosh! Swoowoosh!
Juhyeok’s figure moved in a zigzag pattern.
Each time, it left afterimages.
It looked quite impressive.
Anyone watching would think he was quite high-level.
Juhyeok felt it too.
Am I talented?
No way.
Just as he was messing around on the 15th floor…
[You have succeeded in the 15th floor mission.] [Your level has increased.] [Reward: 1.5kg of magic stone] [Exiting the Korean Black Tower.]
Repeated conquest completed.
The problem was that it took less than 10 minutes.
It ended before he could do much.
Shadow Step was one thing, but what about the energy shield?
He had to experiment with it somehow.
Should he ask Kozak to stab him lightly with a dagger?
“What?”
“I’m asking you to stab me. With a dagger.”
“…Uhhh,”
Kozak, upon hearing the request, covered his mouth with his hand and backed away,
“W-why are you doing this to me? If you’re displeased, just beat me to death instead. I-I won’t do it again.”
“No, I want to see if the energy shield works properly. Just stab me lightly.”
“Aaaaaah! I didn’t hear anything. I can’t hear, I can’t hear…”
“…”
Why is he acting like this?
He’s being so dramatic.
It’s not like I’m asking him to kill me, just to stab me lightly.
There’s no choice.
I’ll have to figure it out myself.
Time passed quickly.
Continuous repetition of the 15th floor mission.
The pattern was different each time, but it wasn’t difficult because they were goblin workers.
Juhyeok practiced his skills.
On one side, Kozak was beheading goblin workers.
He should try to do something too.
Just as he was thinking that,
“Huh?”
Through the long grass, he saw a frightened goblin worker crawling away stealthily.
…One of them?
Moreover, it wasn’t holding anything.
A loner, unarmed, pathetic worker.
“Hmm.”
A perfect opportunity to test the energy shield.
What should he do?
He had to make a decision quickly.
The mission would soon be completed and they’d have to leave,
Ah, whatever.
Swoowoosh!
Juhyeok blocked the path of the crawling goblin worker using Shadow Step.
Thud!
Juhyeok’s ankle collided with the goblin worker’s head.
Thinking it had hit a tree, the goblin turned its head to move in another direction, but Thud! It was blocked again.
It paused,
Only then did the goblin gently raise its head.
Juhyeok looking down, the goblin looking up,
Their eyes met,
A moment of silence passed.
Right then!
“Kyaaaak!”
The goblin bit Juhyeok’s ankle with its yellow, sharp teeth.
Chomp! Crunch!
“Ugh, shit! You startled me?!”
Biting my leg?
Whack!
Juhyeok kicked the goblin’s head with a soccer kick.
“Keak!”
Whoosh!
The kicked goblin flew towards Kozak, who was merrily dancing with his knife.
Kozak swiftly dealt with the flying creature in mid-air, Slash!
“Nice pass! Did you play soccer… Gasp!”
As if suddenly realizing something, Kozak ran quickly towards Juhyeok with a startled expression.
“Summoner Bong!!!”
In a flustered, panicked manner.
“A-ah, n-no, d-did you f-fight with a g-goblin? W-why did you, a-are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine though?”
It was true.
Even he hadn’t expected his strength to be this much.
To send a goblin flying with one soccer kick, even if it was just a worker.
Although he didn’t kill it.
Well, I am level 16.
Also, the power of the energy shield,
Although his ankle was clearly bitten, not only did it not hurt, even his pant leg wasn’t torn,
Only fragments of the goblin worker’s broken teeth remained on the ground,
“I’ve told you many times, haven’t I? You mustn’t be too brave.”
“It was just one measly one.”
“One becomes two, two become three, three become four.”
“It was just a weak worker.”
“Workers become scouts, scouts become warriors, warriors become shamans.”
“…”
“Please take care of yourself, Summoner Bong!”
What’s this guy’s real identity?
I understand his loyalty is high, but he’s too much like a sycophant.
If he had been a eunuch in the Joseon Dynasty, he probably would have been deeply loved by the king.
“Alright, I’ll be careful.”
And so, for two weeks, he only performed repeated missions.
His skill proficiency increased, and magic stones accumulated.
A whopping 22.5kg, which would sell for 11.25 million won at market price.
Should I visit the Player shop at the Management Office soon?
To visit the Management Office, he needed to notify a staff member first.
Either the staff member he met during the contract signing, or the staff in charge of collecting magic stones.
Juhyeok knew two people.
Team Leader Jeon Kwang-il and Manager Lee Min-ah.
The choice was obviously Jeon Kwang-il.
It’s easier to meet a man than a woman.
So he sent a message saying he wanted to go to the Player shop, and
Shortly after, he received a phone call.
“Hello?”
-Ah! Player Bong. You said you wanted to visit the Player shop.
“Yes, that’s right. Can I come now?”
-I’ll send a staff member right away.
“There’s no need for that, I’ll take a taxi.”
-No, this is a benefit all general contract holders receive. You can sell your magic stones at the shop too.
“Hmm, okay, I’ll wait.”
What? They send a car even for general customers?
Surely not?
He could coolly accept this level of special treatment.
***
The number of Players in South Korea is estimated to be about 7,000.
It could be even fewer.
The reason the government can’t give an exact number despite having contracts with almost all Players:
Due to unregistered Players, Players whose qualifications have been revoked, and Players who have already died, it’s difficult to grasp the exact number, so it’s always fluctuating.
Unregistered ones are unknown, so let’s skip that.
Qualification revocation happens when a Player doesn’t conquer the tower for 3 months, and the system itself is deleted.
The government only finds out a few months later.
Because they are Players who aren’t producing magic stones.
The government terminates the Player contract and revokes subsidies or special benefits.
And then there’s the death of Players.
The highest number occurs during unconquered climbing missions.
Naturally, because the higher floors are more dangerous.
Does that mean repeated climbing missions are safe?
Not at all!
Even if it’s the same mission, the pattern isn’t exactly the same.
The location and number of monsters that appear during monster subjugation missions can be different,
Even for trap breakthroughs, the location and type of mechanisms change each time.
He experienced this when repeating the 15th floor conquest.
Thinking it would be easy because you’ve done it once and rushing in carelessly could result in immediate death.
Even to give up on a mission, you have to run to the tower entrance, the safe zone, and declare abandonment.
You die while running away.
In this way, over 20 years, the number of Players who died in Korea alone is in the thousands.
What happens when Players die?
They are treated as missing persons.
Because their bodies can’t be found.
In this situation, the country is also trying to ensure the safety of Players and encourage magic stone production.
One of these efforts is the Player specialty shop.
The store is located in the basement of the Awakening Management Office in Hannam-dong.
They sell equipment and weapons at cost price, which is cheap, but still expensive.
Juhyeok arrived at the Awakening Management Office with a staff member in a car.
Team Leader Jeon Kwang-il was waiting for him at the main entrance.
“Welcome, Player Bong.”
“Sorry for the trouble.”
“Not at all. Please follow me.”
The Player shop was in the basement of the Management Office.
But this wasn’t a place you could just walk into either.
“First, let’s register you. There’s a separate procedure for entering the Player shop.”
It wasn’t a special procedure.
An identification method using palm vein recognition.
Just scan it on a glass panel and it’s done.
Click!
“From now on, you can come and use the shop anytime without calling.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“…Shall I guide you through the shop interior?”
“No, I’ll look around by myself.”
“Hahaha, alright. Feel free to use our delivery service after purchase.”
Come to think of it, it had been a very long time since he’d been to an offline store like this.
He could count the times on one hand.
He had only done online shopping.
Talking with staff.
It’s not easy.
But since he had mustered up the courage.
Juhyeok placed his hand on the vein recognition glass at the shop entrance.
Beep!
“Ooh…”
The shop interior was quite lavishly decorated.
There were staff selling items, but strangely, no customers were visible.
Even if the number of Players was small, this was odd.
Why was no one here?
Is it because it’s expensive after all?
This is where being in the Elite team would be good.
They get equipment items for free.
I’ll go to the magic stone sale booth first.
Magic stone sales.
The money earned from conquering floors 1 to 15 was 7 million won.
Add to that the 22.5kg of magic stones obtained from repeating the 15th floor for two weeks?
“I’ve confirmed 22.5kg. At market price, that’s 11.25 million won. Once we connect with a buyer and sell it, it will be deposited into your account within 3 days.”
“Uh, c-can’t I use it here right away?”
“Of course you can. Just keep in mind that if you make purchases, it will be deducted from the money you’ll receive later.”
“Yes, yes.”
Now it’s shopping time.
However, it wasn’t a particularly enjoyable time.
Let’s buy quickly and go home.
Weapons…
The corner where weapons were displayed.
Sharp blue-hued swords, long broadswords, short daggers, staves, spears, bows, even handguns.
“Is there anything you’re looking for?”
“…Ah, no. I’m not looking for anything in particular, just browsing.”
“Please let me know if you have any questions.”
It’s definitely hard to talk to unfamiliar staff.
It’s fortunate that it’s a male staff member.
Since he has to ask about things he’s curious about.
“Can all of these be taken into the tower?”
“If you’re carrying them on your body. You can also put them in your inventory.”
Only items from the tower can go into the tower-exclusive inventory.
But why can these go into the inventory?
They’re made from magic stones and tower metals.
Metals produced in the tower.
From the 30th floor onwards, the rewards increase.
Metals not found on Earth come out in ingot form.
Basically 3kg, and up to 10kg if the conquest goes well.
Types of metals include adamant, orichalcum, sectonium, etc.
If equipment is made with these metals and magic stones, it can go into the tower-exclusive inventory.
That’s why they’re very expensive.
The cheapest weapon is 20 million won for one.
There are many that are even more expensive.
These are sold at cost price just for the materials, for the Players.
If you bring the materials, they’ll even make it for free, without labor costs.
“Players are exempt from sword possession permits. However, firearms can only be rented. And you have to enter from designated places.”
That’s natural.
You can’t just hand out firearms to anyone, even if they’re Players.
But guns have limitations.
They can be used occasionally in the 20s floors, but on the 30s floors, bullets don’t penetrate.
Other ranged weapons like bows or crossbows are possible.
Because there are skills that use bows.
On the other hand, there are no skills that use guns.
What would be good?
He should have one weapon.
Not with the intention of attacking monsters with it, but for self-defense.
Something to crack a monster’s skull and run away with in case of emergency.
Huh?
Something caught his eye.
A dark metal club.
A weapon called a mace.
That looks useful.
He asked the staff to let him hold it, and the balance was good and it wasn’t too heavy.
I like it.
Actually, bladed weapons were burdensome.
How could he cut and stab something that moves?
He couldn’t even handle live fish.
Good.
The club is perfect.
“How much is this?”
“Ah, this is an adamant metal mace. The price is… um, 2 million won.”
“What?”
2 million won?
Did he hear that wrong?
“I-it’s a customer return refund item.”
“…”
This is suspicious.
The base price is 20 million won.
Could it be?
Team Leader Jeon Kwang-il’s face suddenly came to mind.
From sending a car when he said he was going to the Player shop, to finding no customers when he arrived, to an adamant weapon costing just 2 million won.
If you know one, you know two.
Thanks to his timid personality, he had always prided himself on having excellent intuition.
What should I do?
Call them out and ask them to sell at the proper price?
Or…
Let’s just buy it.
Like an innocent person who knows nothing.
Since he didn’t know, he wouldn’t be responsible.
“Wow! It’s incredibly cheap. I’ll take it. I’ll buy it.”
“Shall I wrap it for you?”
“No. I’ll put it in my inventory.”
Now that he’s got a weapon, what else should he buy?
But now that he’s here, there’s not much to buy.
***
Director Park Kyung-soo of the Management Office asked Jeon Kwang-il.
“How is it? Has Player Bong started shopping smoothly?”
“Yes, he’s doing it now.”
“There are no other customers, right?”
“No. We sent text messages to all other Players saying the shop was closed today.”
One more thing.
“What about the prices?”
“I’ve instructed the staff to apply a 90% discount. I thought he might not accept if it was free.”
“Well done.”
I hope he has a fruitful shopping experience.
That way, he’ll start climbing the 16th floor.