Jeon Gwang-il fell into deep thought.
Putting aside how Player Bong had managed to bring the full hides out in the first place, the real problem was pricing.
He had no idea where to even begin.
The quantity was enormous.
Just this one full hide alone—
It was more than the total amount of leather the Administration's Player Shop bought in an entire month.
And there were seven full hides like that.
They didn't quite measure up to wyvern leather, which was officially certified as the highest quality, but the leather known to be the next best after wyvern was basilisk leather.
It even had a self-repairing function for scratches.
No—would everyday wear even leave scratches in the first place?
Top-tier durability. Not even bullets could pierce it.
It was so difficult to process that you needed a blade made from Tower metal just to cut it.
What's more, its luster was completely different from the leather received as standard rewards.
Just touching it made that obvious.
What price should he set per hide?
And what about the herbs?
There were huge quantities, and a wide variety.
Several of them he'd never seen before.
We'll hand the herbs over to the research lab for analysis.
Jeon Gwang-il asked Juhyeok,
"Did you receive all of this at once?"
"Mm, yes. More or less."
"Then the chances of getting another batch of this size must be very slim."
"No, not really."
…What?
Jeon Gwang-il doubted his ears.
"What do you mean…?"
"I might be able to bring back even more than this."
"Gasp!"
Was that really true?
Of course it was.
There was no way Player Bong Juhyeok would lie.
"Steady, long-term supply is also possible."
"…"
How on earth?
He desperately wanted to ask for details, but—
No. Don't be curious.
Just accept it.
The fact that this man held the record for forty-one consecutive S++-rank clears was already incomprehensible enough.
This, too, might simply be part of the rewards for an S++-rank clear.
In any case, the Administration couldn't possibly absorb this much material on its own.
After a moment of consideration, Jeon Gwang-il spoke.
"Let's do this. We'll purchase all of the herbs at double the existing market price, since they'll likely be needed for research."
"Alright."
"As for these basilisk full hides, how about releasing them to the civilian market instead? If a steady supply is possible, that is."
That was exactly what he'd been planning anyway.
Seven hides alone might be manageable, but if large quantities of basilisk leather were going to keep coming in—
Frankly, what would the Administration even do with it?
They'd probably use it to make player armor.
Or bulletproof vests.
There weren't many other uses.
Civilian companies, on the other hand, had countless applications.
Especially fashion brands.
"Um, would the Administration handle civilian sales as well—"
"Yes! We'll act as your agent."
"Oh! Thank you. I'll pay a commission. Take one full hide as the Administration's share."
"Th-that won't be necessary."
"No, we should keep accounts clean and clear."
That settled the last piece of business.
"And also… that penthouse, you know?"
"Yes, it's still vacant. Are you planning to move in?"
"I'll take it. But! I'll buy it. With money."
Jeon Gwang-il sighed inwardly.
"We could transfer the deed to you free of charge."
"Come on, is it right to take it for free? I'll pay the proper price for the apartment. Just deduct it from the Holy Sword rental fee and deposit the remainder."
He was at his wits' end.
Why did Player Bong Juhyeok keep trying to distance himself from the Administration?
They had secured an elite contract, but in reality it was only half an elite one.
Minimum salary, loose security, no body cam, exemption from mandatory attendance at the Administration—barely different from a standard contract.
That was why they wanted to strengthen their relationship, even if it meant showering him with benefits.
The free penthouse deed transfer had been proposed with exactly that in mind.
And yet he insisted on paying for it.
There was no helping it.
All they could do was sell it as cheaply as possible, based on the officially assessed land value.
They'd at least furnish it with brand-new furniture and appliances.
"…Very well. We'll proceed that way and contact you after the paperwork."
The business was concluded.
But it seemed Jeon Gwang-il still had something to say.
"Um, Player Bong, may I ask you one more thing?"
"You can just ask freely."
"If we proceed with supplying basilisk full hides this time, it may draw public attention again. We'll do our best to contain it, but in the worst case…"
Juhyeok understood immediately what he was getting at.
It had been the same with the Holy Sword rental.
Several high-ranking officials already knew that he was the true owner.
And if it became known that he was also the one selling the leather…
In the end, it meant that even his status as an S++ record holder could be revealed someday.
"Well, I know there's no such thing as an eternal secret, but if possible, I'd like it to come out as late as possible."
"We'll do our best. Even if such a situation arises, please don't worry. We will do everything we can to ensure your safety, Player Bong."
Safety, my ass.
I was born a coward, but these days I'm not even scared anymore.
If anything, I'm worried about the other side.
Threats against a player whose identity gets exposed usually amount to blackmail or kidnapping—but who's going to do that to me?
I'll just unleash the Mad Demon.
Is that too much?
"…And you don't have any plans to change nationality to another country besides South Korea, do you?"
Huh?
All of a sudden?
"Absolutely not."
"Hahaha, th-that's a relief."
Naturalization, my foot.
What would I even do in a country where I don't know a single person?
I'd rather conquer the world.
After returning from the Administration, Juhyeok summoned Kosak, Gobang, Gyeon Dallae, and Rajiks one by one.
Then he had them all sit together facing the TV mounted on the living room wall.
Rajiks's round, dizzying backside—seen from behind, he looked exactly like a gym stability ball.
At Juhyeok's glance, Kosak puffed out his chest and stepped forward to stand beside the TV screen.
He'd said he was preparing a briefing, and it looked like he'd worked hard on it.
"Greetingshamkka. I am John Kosak, first blood-summoned of Summoner Bong, his right-hand man, trusted confidant, and artist of the red ribbon."
When Juhyeok clapped, the blood-summoned followed suit.
Clap clap clap.
Though their expressions were less than pleased.
Who does he think he is, calling himself the right-hand man?
And a confidant, at that?
"Then I shall begin the briefing on our future Tower ascent."
He smoothly connected the laptop to the TV.
"First, I will explain the missions we must carry out from the 42nd to the 45th floors."
Click.
The screen enlarged.
A photo of a long-tailed basilisk appeared.
"The monster we hunted on the 41st floor was an Ironclad Basilisk. This one here is a Long-Tailed Basilisk of the 42nd floor. The one we will clear tomorrow. Nothing special. Just be careful of the tail blade."
Flash.
"Hoe?"
Rajiks raised his short arm, as if he had a question.
"Worker Rajiks, go ahead."
"Skin the long tail too?"
"Of course we skin it. But not on the first run—on the second. On the first clear, we won't have time to skin it. It's a guaranteed S++ clear."
Click.
Next.
"Floors 43 and 44. The Iron-Jaw Basilisk and the Spiked-Scale Basilisk. We skin the Iron-Jaw, and pass on the Spiked-Scale. The leather has sharp spikes. Removing them one by one is too much trouble. Any questions?"
Seems there were none.
"Moving on."
Click.
A basilisk with dazzling, multicolored hues filled the screen.
"This is the core. The Rainbow Basilisk. The boss of the 45th floor, where we'll be parking ourselves for a while and running repeat missions."
Then Gyeon Dallae spoke up.
"I have a question. Why do we need to park at the 45th floor specifically—"
"Wait! Princess, please obtain speaking rights before talking."
At Kosak's words, her face filled with disbelief.
"…Speaking rights? I need permission just to speak? You're going too far."
"Yes'm! Summoner Bong delegated full briefing authority to me."
"Hmm."
After a brief, spark-filled staring contest, Gyeon Dallae raised her hand.
"Speaking rights granted. Princess."
"Why must we park on the 45th floor? There's also the 50th floor. Wouldn't gathering become more efficient as the floor number increases?"
"Answering."
Click.
"These monsters appear from the 46th floor onward."
A gigantic scorpion appeared on screen—a scorpion-type monster.
"There is no leather. They have exoskeleton shells, but they're segmented joint by joint, so dismantling them takes time. Correct, Worker Rajiks?"
"Hoe~ yeah, that's right."
"The exoskeleton is light and tough, used for armor or shields. But most importantly… leather is more expensive. And more versatile. In other words, it sells better."
Kosak really knew how to talk.
He must have practiced a lot.
"The 45th floor spawns all types of basilisks. Especially look at the boss, the Rainbow Basilisk. Isn't it beautiful?"
It really was flashy.
Its hide shimmered with seven colors strangely interwoven.
"We need to skin this one and sell it. Our Summoner Bong went and overextended himself buying a house, so he's basically house-poor now. Money needs to start pouring into his account."
Juhyeok nodded with a satisfied smile.
Gyeon Dallae lowered her head deeply.
She looked like she regretted raising her hand.
"The problem is, once we kill this thing, the clear ends and we get kicked out of the Tower. We'll have to skin it and get out in a very short time. Worker Rajiks, can you do it?"
"Hoeeng!"
A look of firm resolve on Rajiks's face.
He said he'd do it.
Then, applause again.
Clap clap clap clap!
"For the time being, we dismantle only leather. No need to gather anything else. Don't pick herbs. Throw away mana stones and the like."
Gobang raised his hand.
"What should the warrior do?"
"Gobang does what he always does. Be the meat shield."
"Understood."
Clap clap clap!
Juhyeok applauded again.
As expected, everyone followed.
"There is still one thing left. The most important agenda."
Click.
The screen changed.
There were no photos.
Just large letters reading 'Privilege'.
"We cannot miss the 45th-floor privilege. This right-hand man, Kosak, still remembers it. The click on the 40th floor!"
Juhyeok closed his eyes gently, recalling that moment.
Click—man, that had been exhilarating.
"Trait enhancement! Now is the time for a ritual. We've received enough spiritual energy from Gyeryongsan, and the next ritual candidate site is the sacred Manisan on Ganghwa Island—"
At that moment!
Gyeon Dallae raised her hand again.
"…Go ahead."
"My opinion differs. Performing the 45th-floor prayer ritual is too early."
"But we already skipped once. Summoner Bong suffered so much, staring at a wall for two whole days."
"And that's why Rajiks-nim came to us."
"Then how do you explain the Mad Demon?"
"…"
Gyeon Dallae fell silent for a moment, then opened her lips.
"No matter how I think about it, the 45th-floor privilege is not the right time for a prayer ritual. It would be safer to postpone it until the 50th-floor privilege—"
At those words, Kosak let out a greasy smile.
"Not confident, are you?"
"…What did you say?"
"A person who calls herself the greatest shaman of the Celestial Empire, afraid of holding a ritual…."
"You bastard!!!"
In that instant—
Juhyeok raised his hand to stop them.
"I also agree with postponing the ritual."
"…Huh?"
"Mr. Kosak, you don't know much about rituals. The one who understands rituals best is Princess, the greatest shaman. So let's listen to her."
Kosak immediately deflated.
"Uh… a-alright. We'll p-postpone the ritual."
When Juhyeok backed Gyeon Dallae, she, in turn, looked at Kosak and let out a quiet snort, a mocking smile tugging at her lips.
You don't even know what you're talking about—who do you think you are, running your mouth?
"Hoeeeeng?"
Rajiks looked at Juhyeok.
At the man who had resolved the situation with just a few words.
"You're cool."
Damn right I am—cool as hell.
This is what being a real man looks like.
Anyway, let's proceed according to the briefing.
Charge up to the 45th floor, park there, sell leather, and make money.
Commissioner Park Gyeong-su received Jeon Gwang-il's call and hurried straight to the Administration's materials warehouse.
The moment he arrived and saw the objects laid out on the floor, he flinched in shock.
"Crazy! So it was real—these are full hides."
Seven full hides of an Ironclad Basilisk, with the shapes of the head, tail, and legs perfectly preserved.
Anyone would be shocked.
He'd never even heard of mission rewards producing hides in this condition.
"How did they get something like this…? What did Player Bong say?"
"I didn't ask. It didn't seem necessary."
Park Gyeong-su nodded.
A player whose very existence was an enigma, after all.
"One of these is our share, right?"
"Yes. We're planning to use it to produce equipment for our team players."
"Good."
Commissioner Park Gyeong-su stroked the Ironclad Basilisk hide with his hand and said,
"If we sell six of them to the private sector… how do you plan to release them? Auction? Open bidding?"
"We plan to proceed as discreetly and privately as possible."
"Mm, yes. That's better than doing it publicly. And the buyers?"
"Wouldn't it be best to approach Korean companies first?"
Commissioner Park agreed.
"Then you handle this as well, Vice Commissioner."
"…Vice Commissioner? I haven't even received my letter of appointment yet."
"It's practically done already. The announcement will be out within a week."
The next day.
Jeon Gwang-il sent an official document, under the name of the Administration's Vice Commissioner, to several well-known Korean fashion companies.
Only large corporations capable of handling the volume.
It stated that a public–private cooperation project regarding the utilization of Tower materials was being planned, and that he wished to hold a joint meeting with company representatives.
He deliberately emphasized company representatives.
For a project of this scale, they needed decision-makers who could make calls on the spot.
Ko Yeon-ha, CEO of HG Fashion.
She was a third-generation heiress of the HG Group conglomerate.
HG Fashion was a subsidiary under the group, but compared to other affiliates, its scale was relatively small.
Rather than expanding recklessly by acquiring brand after brand like an octopus spreading its arms, she wanted to create one truly proper luxury brand.
She streamlined miscellaneous divisions and consolidated the remainder into one.
In the process, she ambitiously launched a domestic homegrown brand called Wildflower, but it hadn't gone smoothly.
Was it easy to gain recognition as a luxury brand?
It was still in its early stages, and even getting the name out was difficult.
In any case, Ko Yeon-ha read the official letter from the Awakened Administration.
A public–private cooperation project on the use of Tower materials.
What Tower materials could possibly be relevant to fashion companies?
The most obvious answer was monster leather.
Tower leather—extremely scarce, with irregular supply.
Ko Yeon-ha had seen it before.
Though she'd never actually worked with it.
That was how rare it was.
It was used almost exclusively for player armor or combat boots.
Was there really anything for public and private sectors to cooperate on?
Were they asking them to make fashion leather armor or something?
Well—
Leather armor would be better if it looked good.
There'd certainly be promotional value for the brand.
For example, imagine Player Nam Ga-eun wearing leather armor branded with Wildflower.
The brand value would skyrocket.
"But do they really need the CEO to attend?"
Could this be about kickbacks or bribes?
She didn't particularly feel like going, but if Player Nam Ga-eun would wear Wildflower's fashion armor…
"Well, my schedule's open anyway. I'll just go in person."
What could it be, really?
Honestly, she didn't even have any expectations.