Chapter 57 - Chapter 57

Chapter 57

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Translated by Jinmu

Read more at hivetoons.org

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"This actually works."

"I told you it would work, sir. Hehehehe."

He wasn't just talking about the clear's success.

His level also increased, and he achieved an S++ clear with the Multinational Tower Access Ticket, even receiving a badge.

Until now, players could only clear the tower of the country they were affiliated with.

So he thought it was natural that he could only receive Platinum Badges from the South Korean Black Tower.

He had simply perceived the Multinational Access Ticket as a concept of support or foreign excursion.

But to think it applies like this.

'The ticket..., it's surprisingly decent?'

If so, the last digit of the floor level where he receives privileges changes from 5 and 0 to 4 and 9.

In other words, the next privileges will be on the 64th and 69th floors.

Since he has one more ticket, if he uses it again, the last digit will change to 3 and 8...

But it's not absolutely certain yet.

What if receiving the badge from the UAE Black Tower was just receiving the badge assigned for the South Korean Black Tower's 60th floor in advance?

In other words, they might not give him a badge because it would be a duplicate application.

Ultimately, he could just try clearing the 60th floor of the South Korean Black Tower to find out...

'Oh my.'

Gobang's legs came into Joo-hyuk's view.

Because he had been walking around stepping in poison puddles, they were a complete mess.

The skin had melted, exposing the sinews entirely.

He wondered if he could even walk around like that.

"Are you okay? Mr. Gobang. It must hurt a lot."

"A warrior does not feel pain from a wound of this level. It will heal completely in a little while."

It actually did.

The wound healing at a rapid pace as new flesh attached itself.

His regeneration ability was truly top-tier.

"What should we do, sir? Shall we enter the 60th floor of the South Korean Black Tower right away, sir?"

"..."

"We can use this method there too, sir. This is all thanks to my outstanding strategy and tactics, sir."

This sly punk.

Asking to go back in again because it doesn't hurt him.

Can't he see Gobang's melted calves?

"Hehehe, hehehe... Hehe?"

Cossack, sensing something ominous from Joo-hyuk's gaze staring at him blankly,

At the same time, glanced at Gobang's injured legs.

"O, on second thought, it would be better to enter to, tomorrow rather than today, sir."

Right.

The clear ends here today.

Make him suffer that kind of pain twice in one day?

That would be a terrible thing to do.

Let's check the privilege instead.

To see if the UAE Black Tower Platinum Badge is also acknowledged.

Joo-hyuk opened his inventory.

Upon checking the 60 badges.

[Accumulating 60 Platinum Badges, a privilege is granted.]

"Oh!"

It's granting a privilege. The badge is acknowledged. Then...

[Privilege: One Ghost Leg Game Ticket (Single-Use) is issued into the inventory.]

"...What the?"

F*ck! Playing jokes again?

* * *

Deputy Director Jeon Kwang-il was meeting with Lee Min-ah, who had been promoted to Team Leader this time, in his office.

"Team Leader Lee. Did everything go well yesterday?"

Team Leader Lee Min-ah visits Joo-hyuk's house once every three or four days to collect tower materials.

She also visited the penthouse right after the 59th floor S++ grade clear.

"Yesterday, I met with Player Bong and received tower ores and 4 full wyvern hides. He said he was sending one pelt each as a sample, so I couldn't put them in the tower material storage because I got off work directly."

"I, I see."

Truthfully, he was inwardly anticipating it.

Because Player Bong had started the Wyvern section.

He had no worries whatsoever about the clear.

Naturally, he expected an S++ grade, and it actually turned out that way.

What Jeon Kwang-il had been anticipating was the leather.

Could he also bring back wyvern leather?

But he didn't even need to worry about that.

"Let's take them out quickly. It's wyvern leather that's hard to see even as a tower reward."

"Yes, I'll take them out one by one."

Swoosh!

The deep black leather drawn out from Team Leader Lee Min-ah's inventory, it was a full hide just like the basilisk.

Everything was attached except the wings.

Earth Wyvern.

Its defense is far superior to wyverns of other attributes, making it perfect for creating player armor.

"Hahaha, wonderful. It's incredible."

"Will you be handing this over to HG Fashion too?"

"No, the Management Agency will purchase it. The Earth Wyvern isn't suitable for everyday items. It's proper to produce armor or bulletproof vests."

The second was the Flame Wyvern leather.

"Look at this. The red color. It's so pretty."

"The thermal insulation effect must be outstanding too. It would be incredibly warm if worn in winter."

"I guess you couldn't wear it in summer."

"There's Frost Wyvern leather for that."

"Aha!"

The Frost Wyvern is a pure white color.

It emits a subtle chill.

Then what about the Lightning Wyvern?

"Would you get an electric shock if you wore this?"

"It doesn't feel like it upon touching it. Instead, its radiant blue color will make it very popular."

Four types of wyvern leather.

Each had distinct characteristics.

This is why people make such a fuss over wyverns.

The moment.

"Huh?"

While examining the leather, Deputy Director Jeon Kwang-il discovered a strange part on a wyvern's head leather.

"...This."

Holes that looked like they had been pierced by bullets.

And not just one, but more than 10.

"They look like bullet holes, don't they? Or arrows or magic?"

"Probably one of those."

Since they are flying monsters, it's not strange to use ranged weapons.

Even melee players must possess handguns or crossbows for pulling.

However, Player Bong Joo-hyuk stated himself that he possesses a summon trait.

But he penetrated this sturdy leather so perfectly like this?

It didn't even self-repair.

Meaning he inflicted significant damage.

"It seems like a spirit summoner. One who has enhanced their summoned entity grade at least 3 times or more."

"If they can shoot arrows, it must be the wind or water attribute."

"Yes, wouldn't they be able to pierce it if it's Ellaim or Sylpherion?"

Enhancing the water spirit Undine 3 times makes it Ellaim, and enhancing Sylph 3 times makes it Sylpherion.

"If he enhanced his trait, he must have drawn multiple spirits. Considering it's 2 spirits for one enhancement, and 3 for two."

"Yes, while doing S++ grade clears, trait enhancement runes surely must have appeared once or twice as tower rewards."

Spirit summoning is considered rare among the summon trait series.

Of course, being a spirit summoner doesn't mean S++ clears are easy to do by any means.

How difficult it is to handle spirits.

Summoned entity grade enhancement doesn't happen easily either. Even if you feed them runes, there are many cases where the enhancement fails.

Also, there are various types of runes.

Spirit Grade Ascension Rune, Beast Grade Ascension Rune, Golem Grade Ascension Rune...

If they knew exactly what Player Bong Joo-hyuk's summoned entities were, they could at least provide support.

"Anyway, it's already the 60th floor soon."

"Phew, that's why I'm worried."

It will become extremely troublesome.

When he was on the 50th floor and below, it was somewhat fine.

Because almost all the decent nations were in the late 50s or 60s floors.

And now?

A situation where Player Bong's highest climbed floor has surpassed the overall average of all nations.

It's no exaggeration to say he has become a guaranteed check for tower clearing.

They won't just sit still.

They will exert all their efforts to uncover his identity using whatever means necessary.

As the Awakening Management Agency, they absolutely cannot let that happen.

The moment!

Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

Smartphones rang.

Both Deputy Director Jeon Kwang-il's phone and Team Leader Lee Min-ah's phone.

What is it?

He answered the phone but,

"It's me, what's the matter.... What?"

Jeon Kwang-il sprang up abruptly.

"R-repeat that. Uh..., r-really? No, why is there a global announcement message from that country? Y-you verified it? Are you certain? Ah, uh, I understand."

This is a disaster.

His heart pounded intensely.

He felt dizzy, to the point of collapsing.

"S-surely not, it can't be. It must not be so."

He had to quickly verify the facts.

* * *

It was about 1 hour later when the S++ grade clear of the UAE's 60th floor became known in South Korea.

Of course, with the development of social media, it became known much faster than that, but it took time to fact-check.

Breaking news poured out like a flood.

- Is it really naturalization?

- I'm going crazy. I haven't been able to focus on work all day.

- I took a half-day off today too.

- An acquaintance of mine went to the UAE, and it's a festival over there right now. It's a madhouse.

- Did he succumb to the oil country's money bomb?

- I heard they offered a blank check, how much did they write down for him.

- So suffocating, like eating sweet potatoes without water.

- F*ck, where did my refreshing soda go?

- Bin-Sala stole it.

- Discontinuation of national pride sales. Where do we get our fix now?

- This is driving me crazy, who is it anyway? I can't even curse them out since I don't know their identity.

- South Korea's top player is Nam Ga-eun!

The atmosphere was serious.

Whether the time limit for clearing the South Korean Black Tower was substantial or short, didn't they essentially get their top player stolen right from under their noses?

Furious people flocked to the Management Agency's homepage and paralyzed the message board.

More than 100 posts related to this were also uploaded on the Blue House national petition platform.

In the midst of all that, what about Joo-hyuk?

* * *

Joo-hyuk was taking a phone call from Jeon Kwang-il.

"No. Deputy Director. It's not naturalization. I've never even been to the UAE embassy. Nor did I acquire citizenship."

He asked if Joo-hyuk had perhaps naturalized to the UAE.

It's a situation that could sufficiently cause misunderstanding.

"The UAE tower? W-well. Somebody must have done it. And very well at that."

It would be simple if he just revealed the existence of the Multinational Tower Access Ticket, but he didn't want to.

It's not like they appear frequently, and now he only has one left.

And he has to use it on the UAE 61st floor according to the contract.

"I'm not going anywhere. The South Korean Black Tower 60th floor? I plan to clear it tomorrow, so please wait without worry."

Naturalization, what naturalization.

He's busy to death.

Joo-hyuk hung up the phone and rechecked the message that popped up in his head.

[Privilege: One Ghost Leg Game Ticket (Single-Use) is issued into the inventory.]

"Unbelievable."

What? Ghost Leg?

Ghost Leg of all things?

He was nervous enough spinning the roulette.

'Doing well and then suddenly giving something weird.'

[Firmly press the number written on the ticket with your finger. Pressing it will start the Ghost Leg game. If you don't press it within 1 hour, the opportunity disappears.]

Let's see what the Ghost Leg looks like first.

Then, a holographic image appeared before his eyes.

'I knew it.'

8 vertical lines were drawn at wide intervals.

Each line was numbered.

From 1 to 8.

The last square at the bottom of the line is the prize.

200kg of Mana Stones, Summoned Entity Grade Ascension Rune, 50kg of Sechtonium, Smite Skill Rune, Wyvern Leather Armor, 100 Healing Potions, Multinational Tower Access Ticket (Single-Use), and finally, the Rune of Trait Enhancement.

'Fortunately, there are no duds.'

However, the horizontal lines between the numbers and the prizes were not visible.

It's obscured like a fog.

The horizontal lines will probably reveal themselves if he selects a number.

This way, no one knows where the leg will lead down to.

He squinted, hoping to catch a glimpse of the horizontal lines...

'Tsk! Can't see a thing.'

The best outcome is the Rune of Trait Enhancement.

The second best is the Summoned Entity Grade Ascension Rune.

He doesn't need the rest.

Well, is the Multinational Tower Access Ticket okay too?

Joo-hyuk copied the Ghost Leg's layout and prizes onto a piece of paper the size of a wall calendar.

To show the summoned entities what kind of joke this damn privilege was.

"So, you're saying you can't see anything about how the horizontal lines are drawn in the middle, sir?"

"Yes."

"Wow, if we're not careful, it could be Mana Stones, sir."

"Mr. Cossack, try choosing one. Which number seems good."

"How about number 7, sir? Lucky Seven, sir."

Seems okay.

"A summoner is a man. A man is number 1."

Right.

A true man among men.

What about Gyeon Dal-rae's opinion?

"At the bottom of the far right line, number 8, lies the Rune of Trait Enhancement you have dreamed of."

"Yes."

"What if there are no horizontal lines between the lines, and it's a simple vertical ladder dropping straight down?"

That makes sense.

Those kinds of tricks are actually used a lot.

But to play such a trick here?

What about Rajix?

"...Ho-ek?"

He avoids his gaze, trembling faintly.

Don't ask him. What about Veronica?

"Snore, slurp, smack, snore."

Just as he expected. Let's not wake her up.

Synthesizing the views so far, 1 because he's a man, lucky 7, and 8 where the Trait Enhancement Rune is since it might be a trick.

1, 7, and 8.

However, Joo-hyuk had no intention of choosing from these three.

Let's not listen to the summoned entities.

If the number they choose fails to win, someone will be publicly ridiculed.

For a Korean, it's number 3.

"I will go with number 3. Let's finish this quickly and rest."

A dog-like Ghost Leg.

Let whatever land.

'Do you think I'll be nervous like during the roulette?'

Not a chance!

He will approach it boldly.

He will accept it coolly.

Taking out the Ghost Leg Ticket from the inventory.

When he pressed the number 3 written on it, the ticket vanished with a pop!

[You have selected number 3.]

[The Ghost Leg game will begin.]

At the same time, the hidden part was revealed with a swoosh!

How are the horizontal lines drawn?

'...Huh?'

The horizontal lines are incredibly dense.

Dizzyingly numerous.

"Goddammit!!!"

Then.

"Sergeant Veronica Caliber! Is it my turn for night watch duty?"

At Joo-hyuk's shout, the sleeping Veronica sprang up.

"...You don't have to stand duty, so go back to sleep."

"Th, thank you."

Snore-snore-snore-snore.

She sure has a carefree life.

It finally begins.

A red dot blinked and slowly descended the line.

Joo-hyuk held a ballpoint pen and copied exactly how the red dot descended onto the paper.

"Is it coming down like this, sir?"

"Yes."

"Ah, my heart is trembling."

The others clustered around Joo-hyuk, watching where the ballpoint pen was heading.

The red dot descends line 3.

It meets a horizontal line and changes direction.

It turns again while going down.

Back and forth.

It unconditionally has to go to the far right.

The Rune of Trait Enhancement is over there.

"No, it should go to the right, why does it keep going left, sir?"

"I'm just tracing it."

"Can't you change the direction by force?"

"This girl is weak-hearted and cannot bear to watch."

"Oh-oh, it's going, it's going! It's going to the right, sir."

"Yes, let's go, let's go! Let's goooo!!!"

"S, Sergeant Veronica Caliber! I will get ready for duty."

"...Don't get up, just sleep."

"Ho-eek!"

"Uh-uh, this is good, sir. Continuing to the right..., huh? Why in the opposite direction again?"

"Ah! No, don't go there!"

"Hu-e-eng."

"Oh-oh! It turned again, sir."

"Yes, the atmosphere is good."

"Just keep going that way, sir."

"I will change the direction by force. Ummm!"

"You punk! Why are you using Gigantification in the living room?"

"It's coming straight down...."

"Huh? Why to the left again?"

"Uwaaaaaah!"

"Ah, this girl is going to faint."

"No!!!"

"Sergeant Veronica Caliber! I didn't quite catch that, sir."

"I said just sleep!"

"It's, it's all the way down, sir."

"That is not the place. Aheuk!"

"T-turn it, sir. Change direction, sir."

"I keep telling you, it's not me doing it."

"The left won't do, sir! That's Mana Stones, sir!"

"F*ck!!!"

"Clckkkkk!!!"

"Sergeant Veronica Cali...."

Stop!

It reached all the way to the bottom. Joo-hyuk's ballpoint pen also stopped.

"Huh?"

"What the?"

"Oh!"

"Ah!"

"Ho-e-e..."

And the prize there is....

"It's the Summoned Entity Grade Ascension Rune, isn't it?"

"It's the Ascension Rune."

"I, is it good, sir?"

It is good.

Not the best outcome, but the second best.

Phew.

Anyway, they managed to defend well.

"Worker Rajix!"

"Ho-ek!"

"Are you ready for your promotion?"

"...Ho-eng?"

SR.

Or SSR.

He is very curious.

About the changed Rajix.

* * *

Arriving at the Awakening Management Agency, Director Park Kyung-soo received a barrage of questions from reporters tightly packed in front of the door and went inside.

"Director. The S++ grade clear record holder, is it naturalization?"

"Is it permanent naturalization or temporary naturalization?"

"If it is temporary naturalization, was there a backroom deal with the UAE?"

"Please answer us."

"The citizens are curious."

"Where are you going? Director? Director!"

Director Park Kyung-soo with an extremely hardened complexion.

He walked briskly to Deputy Director Jeon Kwang-il's office and flung the door open.

"H, how did it go?"

"He says it's not naturalization."

"...Really?"

"Yes, I verified it myself. He's currently at the penthouse. He plans to clear the 60th floor tomorrow."

"Haha, that shortened my lifespan by 10 years."

Park Kyung-soo walked over to the sofa and plopped down.

The strength drained completely from his body.

Regardless, it's a relief it's not naturalization.

He was truly terrified.

The moment!

Ziiiiiing! An incoming call.

"Is it the President?"

"Yes, what should I say?"

"I don't really know either..."

If he tells him not to worry, it seems like sending a signal that they know who the S++ grade clear player is, and if he denies knowing, he might seem incompetent.

"Sigh,"

What can they do?

There's no choice but to keep their mouths shut until they hear the 60th floor clear message tomorrow.