Chapter 33 - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

===================

Translated by Jinmu

Read more at hivetoons.org

===================

He successfully cleared the 33rd floor with an S++ grade as well and exited the tower.

Time for a brief rest.

Cossack turned on the TV, saying it was time for his drama, but almost all terrestrial broadcasting stations were swamped with special broadcasts.

Player Nam Ga-eun's successful 65th-floor clear.

A preview of the impending 66th-floor clear.

Cossack flared up in anger.

"What on earth is that, sir? What's so great about a mere 65th floor! Huh? She wouldn't have stood a chance if Summoner Bong hadn't brought the holy sword, sir! Anger is surging, anger! Is the monumental record of 33 consecutive S++ grade clears a joke, sir?"

At that, Gyeon Dal-rae spoke.

"Lord Cossack. Do not be overly enraged. It is merely a fleeting season anyway. Once the 66th-floor clear concludes, it will gradually vanish from the news as well."

"Oh! Is that so, sir?"

"Yes, ultimately, only Young Master's great achievements will remain. Forever!"

"Hehehe, correct words, sir."

What great achievements!

It's entirely their great achievements.

What little portion of that belongs to me?

However, Player Nam Ga-eun entirely soloed it.

Of course, the importance of items in clearing the tower is immense.

As the saying 'item power' implies, a single high-quality item completely transforms the dynamics of the clear.

But a player's individual competence is no less important than their items.

One must use an item well for its effects to shine.

'It is incredible.'

Honestly, I'm envious.

Even if I don't reach Nam Ga-eun's level, I want to acquire the ability to protect my own body at least inside the tower.

'But right now, I'm in the position of being a burden.'

There's absolutely no way the summoned entities would consider him a burden, but.

It was the same during the 33rd-floor clear.

Overwhelmed by the size of the Phase 3 Minotaur, he couldn't execute a single proper mace swing.

'Let's try as much as I can for now.'

Joo-hyuk decided to tackle the tower clear again the following day.

Yesterday was the 33rd floor.

Today is the 34th floor.

Two consecutive days.

The 34th floor of the Korean Black Tower.

The mission to clear Phase 4 Minotaurs.

Now, cow heads nearly 6 meters tall were appearing.

"...It's big."

"It's incredibly big, sir. You have to tilt your head all the way back to look at the cow's head, sir."

Ah!

Leaping and smashing a skull would be eternally impossible.

Can't the Forms of the Hunwon Thunderclap Staff be used at all anymore?

As the floors rise, they will inevitably become even more massive.

Must I solely hunt the Orcs and Trolls on the lower floors?

He suddenly became depressed.

This timidity, this cowardly personality of mine, is there no way to fix it?

While he was agonizing, the clear had already begun.

Boom, ba-boom, boom-boom!

Jingle, jingle!

Clat-clat-clat-clatter!

Gyeon Dal-rae's buffs dispersed across the 34th floor.

Empowered by this, Gobang and Cossack swept through the Minotaurs.

Conversely, Joo-hyuk couldn't readily step forward.

He had firmly resolved himself,

Outside, a timid but gentle unmanly man.

Inside the tower, a macho man overflowing with vigor.

However, upon facing the massive monsters, this resolve was swaying once again like a reed.

'Let's try attacking the lower body. If I strike it a few times using minor techniques, it will probably fall, right? Then I just need to finish it off.'

Well, it's not a macho man's method, but.

Seeing Joo-hyuk merely staring at the battlefield with a gloomy expression, Cossack stopped hunting the Phase 4 Minotaur halfway and ran over.

"Summoner Bong, is the cow's head too big, sir?"

"Yes. I've hit a limit."

"Please do not worry, sir. Who am I, sir? The SSR, Cossack, will resolve this for you, sir."

"Excuse me?"

"Instead, please promise to kill just 1, sir. There aren't many left anyway, sir."

He has a method?

It's tempting.

"Understood. I'll catch just 1."

"A swift decision, excellent, sir."

Cossack looked at Gobang.

"Gobang-ah. You have to earn your beef, don't you? You ate the most. When others ate one piece, you crammed in four, five pieces at a time!"

"I'll, I'll do anything."

"It's nothing difficult. Clasp your hands together. No, don't do it like that, like this."

Aha!

He seemed to understand.

He was telling him to construct a foothold using his hands.

"Oh! Step on it and leap up?"

"Hehehe. Gobang will forcefully! launch you upwards, sir."

The scene painted in his mind.

Stepping on the foothold and flying up with a whoosh!, he would descend magnificently and smash the cow's head.

How spectacular would it be.

'He's a genius?'

No matter how many times I look, Cossack is pretty.

How does he perfectly scratch where it itches like this?

Good.

Let's try it.

"Gobang-ssi, please launch me."

"Understood. Warrior launches Summoner."

Gobang assumes his posture.

"Here I go."

Da-da-da-dak!

Joo-hyuk dashed forward.

Stomping powerfully on the foothold Gobang crafted with his hands using one foot, while simultaneously fully extending his knee,

Ta-at!

He leaped toward the sky.

Gobang exerted force simultaneously.

Shooo-ooot!

His body ascended higher and higher.

A refreshing breeze against his face.

A leap that cast off all fetters and restraints.

It's fantastic.

It was a good idea to try this.

'Yes, this is exactly what being a macho man is.'

He kept ascending.

Continuously, continuously.

Continuously...,

'Uh.'

Why isn't it stopping?

Exactly how high am I going?

'...I'm entirely fucked.'

Gobang is extremely strong.

Conversely, his brain is defective.

Instead, he follows orders when given.

Since I asked him to ascend me, he must have propelled me up.

However, since he didn't know exactly how high to ascend me, he probably did his absolute best.

The cause lies with him as well.

Upon entering the tower, your physical abilities are enhanced according to your level.

Strength, agility, mana, they all become tremendously powerful.

Ignorant of that, he exerted an excessive amount of force when stomping on the foothold.

The synergy of action and reaction.

Because of that,

Shoooo-ooot!

He was still ascending.

"Hahahaha...,"

Joo-hyuk laughed despondently.

Because the situation was so utterly absurd, he didn't even know if he was terrified.

'Will I die if I fall?'

Nah, that couldn't possibly happen.

My level abilities are also applied.

It'll probably just hurt a little.

I have Healing Potions too.

Joo-hyuk lowered his eyes and looked beneath his feet.

Cossack was purportedly delivering a dropkick to Gobang.

It seemed he was shirking responsibility, claiming he had ascended him too high.

'What's wrong with him.'

When he was the one who ordered it.

'Suddenly I'm reminded of the Jungle Trolls.'

They must have felt this exact same way when Gobang was shaking the tree.

His velocity gradually decreased.

Finally, his ascent ceased.

However, dropping was all that remained.

I should have just stayed still when I thought I shouldn't do it.

Deciding to pointlessly step forward to supposedly smash a monster's skull...

Soon,

Shooo-ooot!

Joo-hyuk's body began to plummet vertically.

"Oh my."

His lower half clenched.

He felt like he might soil himself at this rate.

However, contrary to his body's reaction, he wasn't terribly frightened.

Gyeon Dal-rae, holding her bells and preparing to launch a talisman, and Gobang, who had somehow extended both arms and assumed a posture to catch him.

It seemed Gyeon Dal-rae would decelerate him and Gobang would catch him in his embrace.

With that immense size, he would likely catch him entirely safely and securely in a princess carry.

However, goosebumps erupted.

Being gently carried like a newlywed bride against that hideous chest teeming with bushy hair?

'...,'

It's even more horrifying to imagine.

Isn't there a method to land magnificently on my own instead of being carried?

Then, a scene from a movie arose in his memory.

That thing where a hero wearing an iron suit with rockets equipped on the soles of his feet flies around.

Like the robots that frequently appear in animations as well.

He wished he could fly exactly like that too.

Igniting a rocket with a whoosh! from his feet...

At that moment!

'Huh?'

What is this?

As he imagined the rocket ignition scene from the movie and animation, an energy converged towards the soles of his feet.

'Uh...,'

He felt like he knew what this was.

It's mana.

Mana responded to Joo-hyuk's will.

A feeling of resistance simultaneously felt.

He felt like he was falling slightly slower as well,

'Could this seriously be?'

Joo-hyuk instinctively cast Shadow Step in midair.

Swat! Swat! Swat!

"Eh?"

He was walking.

Shadow Step was executed flawlessly even in midair.

'So this works.'

Swat! Swat! Swat!

The force of mana was pushing away the air.

Therefore, he was able to tread, albeit with slight difficulty.

In a zigzag direction,

Swat! Swat! Swat!

It's certain.

His falling velocity had decreased even further.

Joo-hyuk concentrated all the mana in his body into the soles of his feet.

Meanwhile.

Cossack, Gobang, and Gyeon Dal-rae blankly observing the sight from beneath.

"Summoner is walking. In the sky."

"Uh, I-I'm seeing it too."

In midair..., a Shadow Walker?

That's possible?

Cossack recalled the words he had heard from the guild master of the Assassin Guild.

That when a Shadow Walker reaches the ultimate pinnacle, they can walk through the sky.

Back then, he snickered with a 'pfft!', asking where he was spouting lies.

To think he would actually witness it with his own two eyes.

Cossack realized with absolute certainty.

"...Truly, our Summoner Bong's talent is tremendous, sir."

"Lord Cossack's words are precise. Who would have known we would delightfully view the Void Steps (Void Steps) here?"

Joo-hyuk was still anxious.

His descending velocity had decreased significantly, but it was still on the fast side.

Would his landing be proper?

Can he step onto the ground magnificently?

Now, the ground had drawn exceedingly close.

Right at that moment!

A Phase 4 Minotaur beneath his feet entered his vision.

Simultaneously, a single idea flashed through his mind.

'...Hmm.'

I just need to try it.

In the brief moment of falling, reaching the hand holding the mace back over his shoulder,

'Falling Thunder Flash.'

He slammed it precisely into the head of the Phase 4 Minotaur.

Swaaa-aack!

Kwajik!

A Falling Thunder Flash with a perfect posture.

Therefore, its power was entirely beyond imagination as well.

The Minotaur's upper body was completely deleted.

And he landed lightly using that recoil.

Ta-dat!

"Huff, huff!"

His breath leaped all the way to his chin.

This is a good defense.

'Unless perhaps without me knowing...'

Joo-hyuk discreetly lowered his gaze downwards.

My pants are clean.

Fortunately, it seems I didn't soil myself.

Clap clap clap clap!

The summoned entities applauded and ran over breathlessly.

"So c-cool, sir. Dazzling talent, sir! Even I cannot execute this, sir."

"Summoner must receive the title of warrior."

"Ah, how could you be so outstanding, this humble girl is merely terrified by Young Master's Spirit. I implore you to act with prudence."

Goodness! I'm embarrassed.

"I'm a little..., am I right?"

"It's fantastic, sir! Not only ascending so high, but a Shadow Walker in midair, it's beautiful, sir. Look at my pants, sir. Aren't they damp, sir? I soiled myself profusely, sir."

"You bastard!!! N-no, why is Lord Cossack so vile? It is extraordinarily vulgar."

Thank you.

He soiled himself in my stead.

Honestly, I was terrified.

I thought I would just desperately flail my hands and feet before helplessly falling and being caught snugly by Gobang.

But what on earth is this?

To think Shadow Step would work in midair.

Honestly, it feels like I do possess some talent.

Even thinking about it myself, the Shadow Step in midair was fantastic.

Because I practically flew through the sky.

And what about the Falling Thunder Flash?

I felt it the moment I cast it.

That it landed purely and flawlessly perfectly.

Anyway, mission accomplished.

[You have succeeded in the 34th-floor mission.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Reward: 3.4kg of Magic Stones]

[Reward: Rune of Summoned Entity Grade Ascension]

Once again without fail, magic st..., hold on!

"Eh?"

What is that?

"Gasp!"

It is a reward, a reward.

It's not even a privilege.

A Rune of Summoned Entity Grade Ascension emerges as a reward item?

Is the tower also bestowing a commendation prize for showing an awesome performance?

[Announcement: You have successfully achieved an S++ clear grade on the 34th floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]

[S++ Clear Reward: A Platinum Badge is bestowed.]

[You can challenge the 35th floor.]

[You are exiting the South Korea (South Korean) Black Tower.]

Pop!

Joo-hyuk and the group returned to the officetel.

Joo-hyuk flopped down on the sofa as soon as he exited.

"Wow!"

He still couldn't believe it.

Upon opening his inventory and checking.

'It's true.'

First, calling Cossack quietly,

"By any chance, if I use the Grade Ascension Rune, can I ascend from SSR to LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare) (Legend Special Super Rare)?"

"Absolutely unprecedented, sir. Grade enhancement using a rune is only up to SSR, sir. LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare) (Legend Special Super Rare) is an exception, sir."

I see.

I have decided.

This Grade Ascension Rune is Gobang's share.

"Let's rest a bit now."

"Yep!"

"You've worked hard. However, please truly preserve your body next time. This humble girl feels as though her heart will tear."

"I understand, so let's have a team dinner. What would you like to eat?"

As he turned on his smartphone to launch a delivery app, Cossack spoke.

"Please don't order, sir. We absolutely have to eat only ramen for the time being, sir."

"Why?"

"We ate Hanwoo, didn't we, sir. Especially that Gobang bastard, he can starve for a few days, sir. Exactly how many servings did he shove down alone, sir?"

Cossack's heated criticism, and Gyeon Dal-rae added to it.

"No matter how well they work, it is a rule not to employ a servant with a beggar in their stomach. Ah! Of course, I am not specifically referring to Lord Gobang."

And you?

Exactly how many meat wraps went into that small mouth of yours?

Poor Barbarian Gobang.

Perhaps discouraged, he just kept his head deeply bowed.

This won't do.

I have to give it to him right away.

"Gobang-ssi?"

"...I'll eat less next time."

"Don't do that and take this."

"A warrior can starve. I won't eat. Summoner, eat a lot..., huh?"

Gobang's eyes widened remarkably.

He seemed to know what this was.

"Go and raise your grade."

"..."

Gobang, bowing his head and remaining silent.

His shoulders heaved up and down.

'Is he crying?'

He must have been sorrowful until now.

Being persecuted for eating a lot, being ignored for being dull.

Drip, pit-a-pat, drip-drop.

Teardrops as massive as his size fell onto the floor.

"Are you crying again? Don't cry..., Gasp!"

Gobang completely hugged Joo-hyuk abruptly.

Due to the height difference, Joo-hyuk's face ended up near Gobang's belly.

Gobang has a lot of hair on his belly too.

A prickly sensation was felt on his face.

'...Umm.'

What is this?

I desperately did a tap dance in midair so as not to be hugged.

To think I'd be embraced here.

However, since he lacks intelligence, will he even be able to use the rune properly?

I am worried, nonetheless.

* * *

Director Park Kyung-soo of the Korean Awakening Management Agency received an official request regarding the holy sword rental from the United States.

He accepted immediately and also scheduled a visit.

After South Korea cleared the 66th floor,

"As soon as the 66th-floor clear concluded, I received contact that Player Gerald Watson and Director Antonio of the Tower Clear Department from the Department of Homeland Security will enter via Incheon Airport."

"That quickly? What are they in such a rush for?"

Team Leader Jeon Kwang-il had also conversed on the phone with Antonio just four days ago.

Back then, he offered one million dollars as the holy sword rental fee, and Jeon Kwang-il flatly rejected him, telling him to ponder carefully and contact them again.

He knows why he did it.

He probably just tested the waters once.

Still, this was crossing the line.

"Did they say they came to clear the Phantom Reaper on the 67th floor this time?"

"No, there is still an ample amount of time left. No need to rush the clear."

"Then?"

"Repeat clearing the 66th floor Specter; he said he wants to experience the holy sword's effects."

Gerald Watson.

The highest-level player in the United States.

It took him nearly over 13 hours when he cleared the 66th floor as well.

"What is the rental fee for 1 usage?"

"He proposed ten million dollars."

"Is there nothing else?"

"Withdrawal of the anti-dumping regulations on Korean magic stone steel products."

"Hmm,"

Well, discussing it now is useless.

Because Player Bong Joo-hyuk will be the one deciding the rental price anyway.

"Oh right! And moreover...,"

"Yes? What is it?"

"About the penthouse that Yoo Chul-min used to live in."

"Why? Did you still not clean it up? Burn everything Yoo Chul-min used to the ground."

"I plan to do so. But Player Bong Joo-hyuk seems to be showing interest in that house."

"Ah..."

Director Park Kyung-soo pondered for a moment.

The ownership of the penthouse was confiscated and incorporated into government property.

A house, huh.

Player Bong Joo-hyuk certainly deserves it.

If they don't give it to him, who would they give it to?

"I was planning to give him one more thing anyway..., a house seems fine."

The justification of being the owner of the holy sword is sufficient as well.

Not even the President knows that Bong Joo-hyuk is the S++ grade record holder.

Because the fewer people who know, the better.

However, the report that he is the owner of the holy sword has gone up.

Since they have to deposit the rental fee into his account, his identity is bound to be revealed anyway.

"Good! Completely clear out all the items inside the house and hand it over to him. I will handle getting approval from the higher-ups."

"Yes, I will push forward with it."

This turned out well.

He had been bothered that they only gave him an annual salary of 2 billion won and an officetel.