Chapter 60 - Chapter 60

Chapter 60

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Translated by Jinmu

Read more at hivetoons.org

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Joo-hyuk and his companions returned to the penthouse.

They put the dining table and chairs back in their original places.

'No matter how I look at it, this is crazy.'

Rajix, who became an SSR.

Two things changed.

First.

Earth items go into Rajix's subspace backpack.

It's not that Earth items can't be brought inside the tower at all.

There are items like clothes, shoes, hats, smartphones, body cams, handguns, etc., that are allowed.

This is called 'possession judgment'.

Small, light items that can be held in the hand.

However, no matter how small an item, storing it in the tower-exclusive inventory was impossible.

It's just the player carrying it in.

The tower-exclusive inventory is only for items received from the tower.

Now, everything has become possible.

As long as the size is appropriate, the limit has essentially vanished.

An all-around worker and an all-around porter.

He can put anything into Rajix's backpack.

Second.

Item detection ability.

When Rajix was an R (Rare), he could only smell ores.

But now that he's an SSR, his item detection ability seems to have advanced by at least two grades.

That's probably how he found the Blink Ring and the fragments as well.

Joo-hyuk took the ring out of his inventory.

Perhaps due to the passage of time, it was full of scratches.

Fortunately, it wasn't rusted.

'The Blink skill, let's try it.'

As he wore the ring, the usage method flashed in his mind.

A type of teleportation.

However, long distances were impossible.

About 3m was the limit.

"Blink!"

Flash.

Joo-hyuk, who was in the living room, appeared in the kitchen.

'Wow!'

Let's keep going.

Blink, blink, blink, blink...

Flash, flash, flash, flash...

Joo-hyuk's figure popping up here and there around the house like a ghost from a horror movie.

"Uwaah, I'm dizzy, sir."

"Ho-e-e-e,"

"Truly an outstanding position-shifting technique."

"The warrior is relieved of his worries. The summoner has become safer."

Did he use it about 5 times?

10 consecutive uses are possible.

It said 1 use recharges every 2 hours, but let's not use it all up.

And the Unidentifiable Rune Fragment (1/7), Unidentifiable Ticket Fragment (1/5).

Judging by the item information, the rune is 1/7 of a fragment, and the ticket is 1/5 of a fragment.

The runes Joo-hyuk knows so far are the Level-up Rune, Summoned Entity Grade Ascension Rune, and Trait Enhancement Rune.

The tickets are the Tower Jumping Ticket, Skill Cooldown Reset Ticket, Multinational Tower Access Ticket, and Assured Grade Summoning Ticket.

Of course, this won't be all.

Because they said items that hadn't appeared before would also appear as the tower floor rises.

What if the Unidentifiable Rune Fragment is actually a Trait Enhancement Rune?

What if the Unidentifiable Ticket Fragment is a Skill Cooldown Reset Ticket?

What if these fragments are combined together?

'That's a jackpot among jackpots, isn't it?'

Actually, he had been worrying about something while clearing the 60th floor.

The fact that his chances to receive privileges were gradually disappearing.

Currently, there are 61 Platinum Badges in his inventory.

According to his calculations, he will receive a privilege on the 64th floor.

And after receiving it?

The 69th floor is next.

If he uses the Multinational Tower Access Ticket, it's the 68th floor.

But he can't just indiscriminately clear from the 67th floor onwards.

He has to climb slowly according to the clear time limit.

When will he reach the 68th floor?

He only has one Multinational Tower Access Ticket left as well.

But what about Rajix's ability?

Runes and tickets that could only be received through privileges or tower clear rewards, and even then, only with an extremely rare probability, he can produce them through 'gathering'.

Now that he knows, can he sit still?

First, he has to find out if fragments of the same type of rune or ticket can be combined.

"I suppose we'll have to enter other floors too. To look for fragments."

The summoned entities nodding at Joo-hyuk's suggestion.

"How about the 61st floor? I mean the uncleared upper floor."

It's a decent idea, but he also has to consider the S++ grade clear.

"We'll take the Holy Sword and go there."

After checking the schedule with Deputy Director Jeon Kwang-il.

"Then shall we go to the 60th floor, sir? There must be a lot of people who died there, sir."

"Well."

That wouldn't be a very good choice.

The 60th floor is where the Wyvern Lord and Venom Wyverns appear.

Naturally, there would probably be a lot of dead people.

But the question is whether they remain intact.

"On the 60th floor, the corpses and items might have completely melted away because of the poison puddles."

"Ah! That's right, sir."

"An observant judgment as always."

"Ho-e!"

Ultimately, what's the best choice?

"Let's go to the 59th floor. We won't clear wyverns this time either, only focus on searching for items."

"Yeah!"

[You are entering the 59th floor of the South Korea (South Korean) Black Tower.]

As soon as they left the safe zone.

"Please, Mr. Rajix."

"Ho-eng!"

Roll, roll, roll, Rajix rolled at a fast speed.

Joo-hyuk also followed behind using Shadow Step.

They didn't pay any mind to the Lightning Wyverns floating in the sky.

Cossack, Gobang, Gyeon Dal-rae, and Veronica as well, covering them with her magic gun without dozing off.

It was quite a wide space.

Yet Rajix rolled around smoothly.

Right then!

Stop!

He stopped rolling.

"Hu-e?"

Seems like he caught a scent.

Swoosh!

Taking out a golden pickaxe from his backpack.

He started digging into the ground.

'Found something.'

What could it be?

An item? A fragment?

A tense moment.

Rajix stopped picking and thrust his body deep into the dug hole.

"Ho-ek!"

He pulled out a bent stick.

What's this?

Checking the information of the stick Rajix handed over.

Effect: Damaged.

Limit: Irreparable.

"Hmm."

It seems to be made of wood.

The world of the elf, what? No further information can be verified.

"What is this object used for?"

Then Gobang reached out his hand,

"The warrior might know. I will show you."

"Oh, really?"

Joo-hyuk handed the stick to Gobang.

"This is a bow used by the vegetarians."

A bow?

"If you bend it like this and attach the string to both ends...."

The moment!

Snap!

The stick breaking ruthlessly in the middle.

"...Uh."

"Gasp!"

"I, it broke, sir."

"Oh my."

"Ah!"

Rajix started tearing up, his body trembling profusely.

After he went to the trouble of digging it up.

"Hu-e-e-e...."

Cossack angrily cornered Gobang.

"I knew this would happen, sir. Going around ignorantly showing off his strength, Gobang must take responsibility, sir. Worker Rajix will not forget this incident, sir."

"Mr. Gobang! How could you be so rash! To so easily break the object that the absolute supreme servant found with difficulty. You couldn't apologize enough even by cutting off your finger!"

"Damaging supplies is a felony. It's subject to a court-martial. Sergeant Veronica, I am arresting you, Gobang, in accordance with military law. Prepare for 100 days in the guardhouse."

Gobang looking extremely flustered.

He took steps back while sweating profusely.

"Th, the warrior is, the warrior is..., s, sorry."

Oh my.

Seeing him sweating and being intimidated like that.

This gentleman who grabbed the basilisk's tail and flung it to the ground.

"Come on, that's enough, let's find something else. It was a mistake, so Mr. Rajix please endure it too."

"Ho-eng."

As Joo-hyuk intervened, the situation was quickly resolved.

Roll, roll, roll.

Rajix set out searching again.

Stop!

He caught a scent again.

Once again, the pickaxe went whack, whack, whack, whack!

This time?

"Ho-e!"

Rajix raised his tiny hand high.

"Oh!"

It was a stone fragment.

If so?

He quickly received it and checked it.

It indeed is a rune fragment.

But the color and material are slightly different from the one collected previously.

The number of pieces for completion too.

The previous one was (1/7), this one just dug up is (1/6).

Just in case, he tried sticking the two pieces together, but.

'They don't connect.'

Different rune fragments.

No need to be disappointed.

A similar one will surely appear someday.

Rajix continued his search.

While doing so, another ticket fragment also came out.

But it didn't combine again.

'Is it possible that we can only collect fragments?'

Do they not combine at all from the very beginning?

And then.

"Ho-e!"

This time again, a piece of paper.

"Good job."

Joo-hyuk took the fragment and aligned it with the ticket fragments he had. Swish,

"Huh?"

Finally, the fragments stuck together.

The item information, which was Unidentifiable Ticket Fragment, changed to.

It changed like this.

"They attached!"

"Attached perfectly like glutinous rice cake, sir. Amazing, sir."

"Th, what a relief."

"My congratulations."

"Quartermaster! Good work."

It became certain.

Combining paper fragments of the same type results in a completed ticket.

The runes must be the same too.

This is all thanks to Rajix.

He's so unbelievably cute.

Joo-hyuk hugged the dirt-covered Rajix tightly and said.

"Mr. Rajix."

"Ho-eng?"

"Please stay by my side for a long, long time and don't go anywhere."

"Ho-e-e-e...�

"Prepare to toss him!"

"Hu-ek!"

The fur ball soared high into the sky.

"Don't toss him too high. We might pull the wyverns' aggro."

"Hu-e-e-e-e?"

He was relieved of his worries now.

The SSR Rajix,

He himself was the very embodiment of privilege.

* * *

Beijing, China.

Special Intelligence Department for Tower Clear.

Even within the Chinese political sphere, very few people know of the existence of this department.

Even Central Party executives don't know.

Naturally so.

Because they conduct the work of kidnapping players from other countries and deploying them in Chinese tower clears.

Only a tiny minority of people know, including the President of China and a few Standing Committee members.

Director Laiyuan, the head of the Special Intelligence Department, was receiving a report from Deputy Director Xiaojun.

"Have you found out?"

Director Laiyuan's indifferent voice.

Xiaojun answered, sweating profusely.

"We have compiled a complete list of South Korean players. We are investigating players related to the keyword 'Gobang' mentioned by Crown Prince Bin-Sala."

"Hmph!"

Director Laiyuan scoffed and continued.

"So you're saying you still don't know."

"I, I apologize."

"Let me ask you one thing."

Gulp.

Xiaojun swallowed dryly.

"They somehow managed to clear the 59th floor by borrowing the power of that Russian bastard, but do you think it's possible for our players to break through the 60th floor with their current capabilities?"

"..."

Xiaojun couldn't answer.

Because he knew it was impossible.

"I can forgive one failure. But not two."

Failure.

The incident where the special forces soldiers, who infiltrated South Korea to kidnap elite players, were killed.

By the Chinese Northeast Special Forces Brigade led by Deng Guanlin, the top elite operations team.

They had never failed any mission they had undertaken so far.

They weren't the type of team to be defeated by the likes of the National Intelligence Service (National Intelligence Service (National Intelligence Service (NIS))), and even if they were, they wouldn't be helplessly annihilated.

Yet they were defeated.

By someone of unknown identity.

"Xiaojun, you go to South Korea yourself. Did you think giving out instructions while sitting comfortably here would be enough? Bring him here no matter what, the S++ grade clear record holder of South Korea, and if you fail, die there."

"...Yes, understood."

In Japan, Prime Minister Kawaguchi took charge personally.

"Mobilize the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office entirely right now. Bring back the core, not just the chaff."

An existence absolutely necessary for the fate of Japan.

"And look into the political circles as well. I don't care how much money it takes, use this opportunity to find out who the owner of the Holy Sword is too.... since it might be the same person."

It wasn't just China and Japan.

All countries heading toward the high floors started moving simultaneously.

Go to South Korea.

Find out who Gobang is, whether he is the S++ grade clear record holder, and also the actual owner of the Holy Sword.

UAE Crown Prince Bin-Sala also arrived through Incheon Airport via his private jet.

Because he announced his arrival in advance, reporters flocked like clouds.

Bin-Sala smiled and answered the reporters' questions one by one.

It was a highly unusual occurrence.

"Crown Prince, what is your reason for visiting South Korea?"

"I plan to discuss the joint development of both South Korea and the UAE governments."

"Is it for the purpose of requesting temporary naturalization for future clears of the 61st floor and beyond? Or perhaps borrowing the Holy Sword?"

"It is not temporary naturalization. However, we are keeping the rental of the Holy Sword in mind."

Questions about Gobang too.

"What is the meaning behind Gobang? Is it a person's name? Or an organization's name?"

"Gobang? That's the first time I've heard it."

"But in your interview..."

"I never said that. You must have misheard."

The reporters were persistent, but Bin-Sala firmly denied it.

"What is your future schedule in South Korea?"

"Nothing is planned. I will decide while staying at the HG Hotel for now."

"What is your scheduled departure date?"

"That hasn't been decided yet."

Bin-Sala's expression appearing through the news was very gentle and relaxed.

* * *

Already the 3rd day of searching the tower,

Today, they meticulously searched 2 tower floors since morning, but there were no notable results.

A few items that were damaged, corroded, and non-functional.

If there was at least a description saying it could be repaired like the Holy Sword, he'd fix and use them, but it clearly said irreparable.

Fragments hardly appeared either.

It seems they will have to go to higher floors.

Wouldn't more appear on the 60s floors?

Anyway, he used up all his tower entry chances for today.

The summoned entities were idling away at the penthouse, and.

Ding!

A message notification sound suddenly ringing on the smartphone.

- This is Jeon Kwang-il. I'd like to meet you if you're not busy. I'm at the apartment underground parking lot and the car number is...

He didn't have anything to do anyway, so this was good.

Joo-hyuk went down to the apartment underground parking lot and found the car.

"Welcome."

"Yes, Deputy Director."

Joo-hyuk getting into the passenger seat.

"I came because I have something to give you."

What is it? Is it something good?

Jeon Kwang-il handed him two large paper bags placed on the back seat of the car.

"These are..."

"Yes, they are high-end luxury bags made by HG Fashion. One is a men's pouch, and the other is a women's handbag."

Oh!

Bags that looked extraordinary at first glance.

Since Rainbow leather is mixed in as well, it's incredibly flashy.

'But it's too conspicuous.'

How can he go outside carrying this?

'Should I give them to my mother and father?'

It wouldn't suit their age.

"And this too...."

Jeon Kwang-il showed him a card that looked like a wedding invitation.

"It's an invitation. In a few days, the Wildflower & Basili Showcase will be held at the HG Hotel, and quite a few were assigned to the Management Agency. Many elite players are also expected to attend."

A showcase,

A celebrity event he had only heard about.

"...M, many celebrities will come too, right?"

"Yes, since it's a showcase. It seems mainly top stars were invited."

Meaning he can see the people he only saw on TV with his own eyes if he goes there.

'Wow..., that would be interesting.'

He is intrigued. His appetite is whetted.

"If perhaps you do not feel inclined...."

"No, I'll take it for now."

Joo-hyuk received the invitation and carefully placed it in his inner pocket.

"Ah, right! Deputy Director, what does the Holy Sword reservation schedule look like?"

"In 3 days, a player affiliated with Norway is scheduled to visit. And after 1 week, Russia, followed by Saudi Arabia."

In 3 days.

"Then after the Norwegian player uses it, could you hand the Holy Sword over to me briefly? I have somewhere to use it."

"Ah! Do you plan to clear the 61st floor?"

"Yes. I'm thinking of trying to climb. Only up to the 66th floor."

"Understood. I will have Team Leader Lee Min-ah deliver it to you in 3 days."

It seems it would be better to search for fragments on higher floors.

Now, business over.

Joo-hyuk finished exchanging goodbyes with Jeon Kwang-il and went up to the penthouse again.

Click,

Opening the door and entering.

Gobang watching TV with a hardened face.

As soon as he saw Joo-hyuk.

"Summoner, this is strange."

"Why?"

"My name keeps appearing on TV."

"What?"

His name appears?

Turns out it was the interview of UAE Crown Prince Bin-Sala, who had visited South Korea.

Joo-hyuk subtly glanced at Cossack.

However, Cossack didn't change his expression at all, as if it had absolutely nothing to do with him.

He's truly shameless. Shameless.

At this point, he feels like he deserves another flick on the forehead.

Joo-hyuk spoke to Gobang with a calm expression.

"Did someone perhaps steal the name?"

"Steal? They took it away?"

"Yes, they used Mr. Gobang's name instead of their own name."

Gobang's face turning red at those words.

"To steal the sacred name the summoner gave me, the warrior is enraged. Extremely angry."

An ominous atmosphere.

"...If you find out who it is, what are you going to do?"

"I will snap their waist in half."

That's too severe.

"Wouldn't just a flick on the forehead be enough?"

"Understood. If the summoner thinks so, I will suppress it with a flick to the forehead."

Joo-hyuk smiled widely and said.

"How that happened is, a while ago, to negotiate for a Trait Enhancement Rune..."

Spot!

Cossack ran over in a single breath using Shadow Step and whispered.

"S, Summoner Bong, sir."

"...Yes?"

"Please let me off just this once, sir. I will live kindly from now on, sir."

Well.

What should he do?

Should he spare him?