Chapter 102 - Chapter 102

Chapter 102

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Translated by Jinmu

Read more at hivetoons.org

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A YourTube video of a man presumed to be Chinese sprinting across Tiananmen Square.

He was so fast that one wouldn't even know he passed by.

Swooosh! He was a black dot in an instant.

It could only be distinguished if played in slow motion.

In fact, it wasn't surprising.

Was this the first time such a thing happened?

- With this, the Korea-China-Japan tri-nation video completion is done.

- What are you talking about?

- The hotel terror incident in Korea, the old man teaching the anti-Korean protesters a lesson in Japan, the sprinting man in Tiananmen Square in China.

However, there was actually a different aspect.

Unlike the previous videos, the identity of the sprinting man in Tiananmen Square was known.

- We don't know who they are for Korea and Japan, but we know the man in the Chinese video, don't we?

- Who is it?

- Bailong, who was once the top player in China.

- Oh, I've heard of him.

- Searching it up brings up his face right away, the Chinese community also says it's Bailong.

- And I heard Bailong is also the one who conquered the 71st floor this time.

- Meaning he's the player who secured the 4-item set?

- Is running like that also because of the 4-item set?

- No, taking an elixir of rejuvenation, curing a disease, or the form alteration effect doesn't make you run fast.

- Why are you leaving out one item?

- Ah! The Rune Necklace of Liberation?

- Yeah that one, for reference Bailong's trait is [High Speed]. He revealed it in an interview with Chinese media a year ago.

- Don't tell me?

- Yeah, what you're thinking is probably right.

- Does liberation mean freeing player abilities?

- Probably. Since it said it can be used 3 times.

- Wow! Players can really use their abilities in reality?

- That's crazy.

The true identity of the Rune Necklace of Liberation.

Liberating a player's abilities in reality.

It wasn't an unreasonable deduction.

Rather, a rational hypothesis.

Because it was an explanation that fit perfectly.

- Then the suppression of the hotel terror incident in Korea and teaching the Japanese anti-Korean protesters a lesson were also that item?

- But the Rune Necklace of Liberation is a gift given on the 71st floor.

- If it was an S++ rank conquest, couldn't they have received it in advance?

- That's persuasive, the mystery is solved now.

The global communities were in an uproar.

If the reactions of ordinary people are like this, what must the governments of countries around the world be feeling?

The state has no way to stop players from climbing the tower.

Tower climbing is solely the player's choice.

Anyone who reaches the 71st floor of each nationality's tower first gets the 4-item set.

The only fortunate thing is that there is a line of defense.

None other than the mid-to-late 60s floor undead section.

Meaning the undead section cannot be carelessly conquered without a Holy Sword.

If you can't get past the undead section, climbing the 71st floor is also impossible.

The limit line and defense line of ordinary players.

But what if the undead section is neutralized?

The world will uncontrollably plunge into great chaos.

***

When was it?

A conversation he had with Cossack.

When he asked if the monsters on the 71st floor were that strong.

He said they were difficult to deal with,

That he didn't know such guys would appear.

Actually, it had started from the late 60s floors.

Only now was the question resolved.

Through the Death Knights and Liches, to the boss of the 70th floor, High Demon Kavalan.

The first intelligent beings humanity faced.

That was a preview.

That the targets of tower conquests ahead would be intelligent beings, that is, humans.

Are they really humans from another world? Or just monsters wearing the masks of humans?

Also, is it reasonable to place mercenary company members and tower monsters on the same line?

"How are humans and monsters different? The Minotaurs we killed might have been the head of a household and a father too."

What kind of random nonsense is this guy spouting again?

"Working hard on the 35th floor of the tower, but his Minotaur calf daughter calls saying she's hungry."

How does a Minotaur make a phone call?

Anyway, let's say so.

"Paying a lot of money to pack a box of seasoned hay and getting off work to go home, but suddenly Bardin shouts 'Light!!!' and smash! breaks the father Minotaur's head, how would that feel?"

Hmm.

Funnily enough, the scene played out in my head.

It is a heartbreaking matter.

"How sad would the Minotaur calf daughter be? Because of wicked humans, she became a fatherless child."

"Bardin, you are a very bad person."

"You're an orphan maker."

Bardin feeling wronged, saying 'Why me?'.

"Even among humans, there are plenty of guys worse than Minotaurs."

That's true.

"For example, imagine you are walking alone on a dark mountain path and encounter someone."

"Uhm, so what?"

"Would you be scared of a human? Or a monster?"

"A monster."

"...Uh? U-uhm, th-that's correct."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Yep?"

Gyeon Dal-rae let out a deep sigh at Cossack's bewildered appearance.

"Hah, Sir Cossack, please stay quiet from now on. Don't say weird things for no reason."

And then.

"Young Master, humans are beings that should not be discriminated against."

Right.

It's something you learn even in elementary school.

"However, if you easily and readily kill monsters inside the tower but do not kill people, wouldn't that also be discrimination?"

"...."

This one too, she was doing well but sometimes says weird things.

"You must kill fairly. This young girl believes that is the desirable attitude of a player to realize equality."

Well, the logic is weird, but anyway, it means there's no difference between humans or monsters.

"The warrior is equal. Monsters get one hit, humans get one hit too."

"Hoe?"

"Beastmen get one hit too."

"Hoek!"

Let's go out first and judge.

Since missions can be reset anytime anyway.

"The warrior will take the lead."

Gobang grabbed the doorknob instead,

Creak, he opened the door and went out.

His soulmate Bardin followed behind.

Next was Cossack, Veronica, Rajix riding Blood Wolf, followed by Joo-hyuk and Gyeon Dal-rae.

The sight seen as soon as they went out.

It was a small village.

Seeing that it was surrounded by mountains, probably a mountain village.

However, the stench of blood assaulting his nose, the shouts and screams heard in his ears.

It was pandemonium.

"Kill the old ones!"

"Leave only children ten or younger and kill them all!"

"Leave the women alone!"

"Catch them!"

What is this?

Fleeing villagers.

And mercenaries wielding swords.

They were easy to distinguish.

Because nametags were floating above their heads just like game characters.

like this.

'Mercenary company member?'

They aren't mercenaries.

Aren't they robbers holding swords?

Villagers collapsed, shedding blood.

Terrified children scattered in confusion.

Mercenaries with fierce impressions chased them with mad expressions.

"...Uh."

Joo-hyuk saw it clearly too.

A middle-aged woman wrapping her arms around children, protecting them.

A mercenary bastard raising his sword trying to kill the woman.

Such a thing happening right before his eyes.

How can he ignore this?

If he does nothing, he's not an unmanly man (Hanamja), but a son of a bitch who doesn't even qualify as a human being.

Joo-hyuk instinctively shouted.

"Cossack! Quickly..."

Even before he finished speaking, Cossack was already moving,

S-pat! The sound of the wind, and then.

Appearing behind the mercenary trying to kill the woman.

Tss-pit! Slice! Thud!

The mercenary, whose head disappeared from his shoulders, collapsed like a log.

Thump!

The first time is hard.

But the first time has already passed.

Then what about the second time onward?

"Hey, fuck! Conquer them!!!"

The summoner's declaration of conquest.

One word was enough.

There was no need for detailed instructions.

A giant-sized Gobang stomped forward.

He grabbed a mercenary with a nametag on his head,

"Heok! M-monster...?"

Crunch!

"Kkeuaaaak!"

He folded him in half.

"Light!!!"

Bardin of Brilliance crushed a mercenary's head with his flail.

Smash!

Blood Wolf ran wild too.

Rajix, riding on Blood Wolf's back, swung his golden pickaxe and let out a resounding battle cry.

"Hueeeeek!"

Crunch!

The necks of Pommel mercenary members being bitten off by Blood Wolf.

A scene of mass slaughter unfolding in no time.

Pommel mercenary members dying off.

"Uwaaaak!"

"Th-these guys, what are they?"

"S-save me!!!"

"...Damn it!"

He felt a bit complicated.

There is definitely a big difference from when conquering monsters.

Gyeon Dal-rae crept up and tightly held Joo-hyuk's hand.

Because she knew.

His tender heart.

Joo-hyuk also held Gyeon Dal-rae's hand.

Saying don't worry.

Saying he doesn't regret it.

If he had just skipped it and declared mission abandonment, he would have regretted it even more.

What? You're troubled?

Yes, he was troubled.

Having to kill people to complete the mission, who wouldn't be flustered?

But his worries completely disappeared.

Because they are bastards who deserve to die.

It is a justified act.

He shouldn't feel guilty.

Because it's inside the tower where neither the laws nor the ethics of reality apply.

If he feels guilty?

It means the summoned entities are doing something bad.

Joo-hyuk never averted his eyes.

Even though it might still be difficult to jump in directly, he shouldn't turn away.

For his own sake too.

For the sake of the summoned entities too.

Presently,

[Pommel Mercenary Company Members Eliminated 20/20]

[You have successfully completed the 71st-floor basic mission.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Reward: Mana Stone 1.1kg / High-Grade Mana Stone 6kg]

Mission complete.

Is there no grade evaluation?

But then?

[Do you wish to continue with the additional option mission?]

[If refused, you will exit the tower with a mission success evaluation.]

The additional option mission is eliminating Pommel Mercenary Company Vice-Commander James.

Since I'm here, I must go all the way.

'Continue.'

Then a man came out opening the door of what looked like the largest house in the village.

He was carrying a large sack that looked like plunder over his shoulder.

"Heok! Wh-what's this?"

His nametag was,

But right at that moment!

[Do you wish to check James's information?]

I can check information?

Of course I should.

'Check information.'

- Grade: R- (Low-Grade Rare)

- Type: Mercenary (Human)

It was very brief compared to the catalog, but the grade and type could be checked.

It seems to be divided more specifically.

Rare is rare, but R-, R minus Low-Grade Rare.

'Then perhaps?'

Joo-hyuk stared fixedly at James quietly.

Then.

- Mercenary Company Vice-Commander James and Pommel are friends from the same village. Then one day, James and Pommel raped and murdered a young maiden they both had an eye on together, fled the village to an outside area, and founded the Pommel Mercenary Company. Calling it a mercenary company was just words; it was no different from a bandit gang.

A background description also popped up.

'Why explicitly show a background description?'

Does it mean to kill without hesitation because he's originally an evil bastard?

If that was the intention, it succeeded.

"He's a rapist and murderer bastard."

"Shall I kill him?"

Then save him?

"I feel sorry for the monsters. I've beaten countless monsters to death, so why shouldn't I kill that guy?"

Meanwhile.

"Uwaaah!"

James turning his back and running away. He couldn't get far.

Swish! Smash!

Because the back of his head burst from Veronica's magic bullet.

[You have completed the additional option mission.]

[Reward: Multi-National Tower Use Ticket.]

...There was a reward for the additional mission too?

A Multi-National Tower Use Ticket entering his inventory.

The reward probability was said to vastly increase, and it really did.

In that case,

[Do you wish to continue with the high-difficulty option mission?]

'Continue.'

The rewards are great, but the goal is the realization of justice.

There's no doubt Pommel must be a bad bastard too.

In an instant!

Another man came out of the house James had come out from.

Dragging a half-naked woman by her hair,

"Damn bitch! How dare you resist? Just wait and see, I'll strip you naked and throw you to my subordinates.... Uh?"

I knew it would be like this. A bastard worse than a dog.

"Who are you guys?"

Who else!

An unmanly man who came to realize justice.

- Grade: R++ (High-Grade Rare)

- Type: Mercenary (Human)

- The murders Pommel committed personally to become the mercenary company commander number over 100. The reason he came to the slash-and-burn farming village in the Taunt Mountains is because Necromancer Kate commissioned a search for sacrifices to offer for the resurrection of a Super Demonic Beast. The targets for the sacrifices were children ten years old or younger.

'Th-th-that,'

Raping women, murder, kidnapping children.

Joo-hyuk pointed his finger at Pommel and said.

"He's a harmful monster."

Then Cossack,

"I'll go."

"My Lord, the honor of carrying out this mission."

Why send only one?

"Both of you go."

S-pat! Swaaack!

"Th-this!"

Pommel was flustered.

What kind of situation is this?

Were there guys like this in the slash-and-burn village?

Still, he couldn't be subdued meekly.

Srrring, he drew his sword,

Woooong!

He manifested sword aura and swung it at the guy charging first, but,

Tss-pit!

"...Heok!"

He didn't feel anything.

He only slashed empty air.

Slice! The sound of something being cut.

Thud! His right arm falling to the ground.

"Uh..."

Following that, Swaaack!

The knight wearing a terrifying thorn armor,

Smash! A ruthless body slam.

"Kkeuaaaak!"

Pommel's whole body was pierced by the thorn armor.

Crimson blood flowed out from the holes.

"S-save..."

But the pain didn't last long.

Slice!

[You have completed the high-difficulty option mission.]

[Reward: Destructive Thunder Storm Club.]

"..."

The rewards sure are great.

They give it just upon completion.

It doesn't even have a tower-exclusive modifier.

[Do you wish to continue with the super high-difficulty option mission?]

A quick battle for a quick victory.

'Continue.'

It was then.

"Oh my my? What should I do about this, looks like I'll get scolded by master again."

This time it was the sky.

A woman wearing a red robe floating in the sky.

- Grade: SR- (Low-Grade Super Rare)

- Type: Necromancer (Human)

A black magician this time?

"You guys look a bit strong. Don't you? It'd be impossible for me alone, right?"

- Kate is a 5-circle necromancer. Under the order of her master, the 8-circle necromancer Noma, she was tasked with collecting the living spirits of children. It was a grand task to summon the spirit of a Super Demonic Beast. A minimum of 1,000 children's living spirits were needed. Now the number of living spirits needed for final completion is 15, not much left.

Wicked bitch.

Monsters are cute in comparison.

"I'm not a fool, would I fight you?"

When did we ask to fight?

"I remembered all your faces. I'll come back with master Noma and kill you, tear you into pieces and throw you as food for the chimera I raise. See you later then. Bye."

Srrrk!

Necromancer Kate gliding away using Fly magic,

Where are you trying to run?

"Master Sergeant Bae."

"Master Sergeant Veronica Caliber."

"Take care of that."

"Pilseung (Certain Victory)!"

Taking a standing firing stance right there.

"Loading one large-caliber round. The target is the bitch."

Jjiiiiing!

The magic gun heating up white,

Ppa-ju-ju-jjuk!!!

Swaash!

Veronica's large-caliber round followed the fleeing Necromancer Kate like a guided missile.

"Wh-what is this?"

Swoong! A protective shield formed on Kate's body.

At the same time.

"Blink."

S-pat! Kate teleporting in an instant.

However, Veronica's magic gun basically has a homing function installed.

Swaaaack!

The large-caliber round changed direction and persistently tracked Kate.

"B-Blink!"

S-pat! Swaaak!

"...What? Why does it keep following!"

Kate was flustered.

"Blink, Blink, Blink..."

S-pat! S-pat! S-pat!

However.

Jjiiiiing! Ppa-ju-ju-jjuk!!!

Another large-caliber round was fired again.

"Bling..."

Kate's eyes widened.

Because the large-caliber round was right in front of the location she moved to.

Smash! Paaang!

Kate's body hit by the large-caliber round, bursting like a firecracker,

Hu-du-du-duk!

Blood and flesh fell like sleet.

[You have completed all missions on the 71st floor.]

[Reward: Potion of Courage / Tower-Exclusive Holy Water of Divine Power.]

'Hmm.'

Two rewards at that.

One without the tower-exclusive modifier and one with the tower-exclusive modifier...

'Holy Water?'

[Calculating conquest grade.]

'Ah!'

[Global Announcement: You have achieved the S+++ conquest grade for the 71st floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]

A global announcement.

S+++ grade, Triple Plus.

"...Heol."

To think there was an even higher grade.

[S+++ Conquest Reward: 2 Platinum Badges awarded.]

Oh my, two badges as well.

It seems they give 2 because it's an S+++ grade.

The total number so far was 79, so receiving 2 makes 81.

'I'll get the special privilege.'

What will come out?

I'm looking forward to it.

An unmanly man's wounded soul, let's heal it by receiving a special privilege.

[You can challenge the 72nd floor.]

[Exiting the Republic of Korea Black Tower.]