Japan was on fire.
The reality of tower collapse was staring them in the face.
The conquest deadline was dripping away like sand through an hourglass.
How were they supposed to clear the 58th floor?
There was only one way.
Prime Minister Kawaguchi bellowed at the foreign minister.
"Contact Saudi Arabia immediately. Tell them to honor the tower-collapse defense pact we signed!"
"We've already contacted them."
"And their response?"
"T-They say Saudi Arabia is in dire straits as well. And since the defense pact was only verbal, it has no legal force…"
"What?"
It was true.
They had talked about signing a pact, but there were no signatures, no seals.
"Damn it all!!!"
Then who was supposed to clear Japan's 58th floor?
The tower collapse was right in front of them now.
Saudi Arabia wasn't doing well either.
The 67th floor of the Black Tower.
The only known information was that an undead reaper monster called the Phantom Reaper appeared there.
Korea, the United States, Norway… quite a few countries were preparing to challenge it, but not a single bodycam video had surfaced yet.
However, players who had faced Phantom Reapers already knew.
They knew just how terrifying that undead monster was.
Zombies, ghouls, specters—all of them were shrouded in dark aura around their bodies.
That was why undead monsters always clung to players.
The dark aura functioned both as a barrier and as a close-range offensive tool.
But the Phantom Reaper was different.
It swung its massive scythe and hurled condensed masses of dark aura at players.
A long-range–type undead Phantom Reaper.
If you got hit even once, you suffered physical debuffs like lethargy, along with mental damage such as panic.
One hit was game over.
The only way to block it was with radiance.
That was why even the American player Gerald had said the 67th floor was impossible without the holy sword.
And Saudi Arabia's top player, Nasser Al-Aboud, only realized the truth after entering the 67th floor himself.
He hadn't managed to kill even a single one.
After taking just one hit from a dark aura mass, all he could do was retreat to the safe zone and abandon the attempt.
And now the holy sword had been perfectly repaired.
Nasser hurriedly checked the footage.
"M-My god!"
It was breathtaking. Almost a rebirth.
If you protected your entire body with that brilliant radiance, dark aura masses were no more dangerous than water balloons.
Nasser rushed straight to Minister Majed.
They had to rent the holy sword, no matter what.
"Minister, we need to reserve it immediately. If I undergo one more trait enhancement and wield the holy sword, I'm confident I can clear even the 70th floor."
"I'm already negotiating with the Korean Management Agency to secure a reservation."
"Then when—"
"Korea has set conditions. We're still deciding whether to accept them."
Conditions?
"Money?"
"If it were money, it'd be easy."
"Then what kind of demand are they making?"
"An official apology from the Saudi government. And a trait-enhancement rune."
"…What?"
Nasser stared in disbelief.
"What did we even do wrong?"
"Regardless, it's true that you handled the holy sword roughly—despite knowing its durability was limited."
"…"
Honestly, it was true.
Drunk on power, he hadn't spared a thought for durability.
He'd slammed it into the ground, into rocks—
"Hmph. A trait-enhancement rune is out of the question. Well, if they want an apology, I'm willing to give one. Bowing my head once isn't that hard."
Minister Majed gazed at Nasser quietly before opening his mouth.
"The Korean government isn't asking for your apology," Minister Majed said.
"That much I figured. They probably couldn't pin responsibility on me legally anyway…"
"Instead, they demanded legal punishment."
Legal punishment?
"W-What kind of nonsense is that?"
Nasser was genuinely startled. Was that even possible to begin with?
"That's why I'm thinking it over."
"…Thinking it over?"
Nasser's eyes changed.
"Is that even something to think over? Without me, how do you plan to clear the 67th floor?"
Minister Majed replied calmly.
"There is an alternative. The next player, Akram."
"Ha! Akram is only level 62—w-wait, don't tell me?"
It hit him all at once.
Akram. Nasser's backup player.
Even at level 62, there was no real problem.
With the holy sword, reaching the 67th floor would be quick.
"…So? Are you going to accept Korea's demands?"
"I told you. I'm still considering it."
"Considering it? Minister Majed, have you lost your mind? You dare consider trading me, Nasser?"
Majed's expression hardened into a deep scowl.
"You're the one who's lost his mind."
"Me?"
"Do you not see what's in front of you? Inside the tower, you're a player. Outside of it—what exactly can you do?"
"Uh…"
"What, you going to rebel? Go ahead. Try it."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
A chill ran down Nasser's spine.
Right.
How had he forgotten?
Outside the tower, a player was nothing.
"M-My intention wasn't—"
"Go home for now. You don't need to climb the tower today. Get some rest."
"…Y-Yes, sir."
Minister Majed watched Nasser's retreating back for a moment, then picked up the phone and issued an order.
"Put Nasser under surveillance starting today. If he tries anything suspicious, arrest him immediately."
There was one country more ecstatic than any other about the rebirth of the holy sword.
The United States.
Especially the American people.
That brilliant, radiant holy sword was a lightsaber straight out of their favorite sci-fi movies.
A player wielding a lightsaber saving America?
How could they not go crazy over that?
Minister Macmillan, Director Antonio, and the player Gerald all shared in the joy.
The moment the press conference ended, the three of them hugged each other, shouting "Yes! Yes!" at the top of their lungs.
"So, when's our turn?"
"We already made the first reservation. Both the East Coast and West Coast towers. The priority is getting out of the ten selected countries first."
"Well done. We have to clear those towers anyway—doing it a bit earlier won't cause any problems."
Countries stuck in the 50s had already begun rushing their preparations.
By tomorrow, some countries would likely escape the list of the ten selected nations.
"Oh, right! Did you notify Japan?"
"Yes. I told them directly that they'd need to mind the Korean government's stance. They should have understood. The cabinet will probably take action soon."
Minister Macmillan hoped Japan would apologize to Korea and improve relations.
And for that to happen, Japan's apology had to come first.
If relations between the two countries normalized, the U.S. would even be willing to support Japan through temporary naturalization.
"Do you think Kawaguchi will keep stubbornly resisting until the end?"
"He'll apologize. Otherwise, their national tower will collapse."
"I'm not so sure. I think Japan absolutely won't give in."
"Haha. Unless they're insane…"
"Think about the Pacific War. They only surrendered reluctantly after being hit with two nuclear bombs."
"…Hmm."
Could that really be the case?
What was pride worth in a situation like this?
"If Japan takes the stance that they don't care about tower collapse, there's no telling what they might do."
Minister Macmillan pondered for a moment.
"Well, if that's Japan's choice, there's nothing we can do… but they can't be that stupid."
"Right. It'd basically be suicide."
They didn't know.
That Japan was, in fact, fully capable of doing exactly that.
Juhyeok continued staying at his parents' house.
The sudden world announcements had left his family extremely anxious.
His mother was one thing—but his father and Minhyuk, true-blooded losers, were beside themselves.
They kept worrying that something terrible was about to happen.
What could he do?
As the only real man in the family, he had to look after them.
So he stayed with them for two days.
They went out to eat together, went shopping, signed a contract for his father's car, and even took Minhyuk to the Apple Store to get applause from the staff.
Everywhere they went, bodyguards followed.
He told them it was fine, that they didn't need protection.
Turns out, the guards weren't for him—they were for his family.
The Agency really did its job well.
No need to worry.
Juhyeok finally returned to the penthouse.
Because he'd been with his family, he hadn't seen the summoned beings for two days.
If he summoned them at his parents' place, his family would freak out—and then he'd have to explain everything.
A real hassle.
Anyway, the identity of the 70th-floor boss had been revealed.
A sentient demon-race monster—the Duke Kabalon.
He remembered something the Madman had said before.
A prophecy that towers would collapse all over the world.
The situation had reached the point where that prophecy might come true.
Kosak had mentioned something too.
That something begins to change in the late 60s.
But he'd said he couldn't remember the details.
The Madman had said he was under a restriction as well.
Time to summon them and tell them.
That the identity of the 70th-floor boss had been revealed.
So Juhyeok summoned them one by one.
"The Duke Kabalon of the demon race has appeared?"
"Huh?"
"Did he cast the Curse of the Average again?"
"And among the first ten selected countries, was the commander's nation also—"
"No, Korea was excluded."
"Do not worry. I will protect the summoner."
"Hoeng!"
What the hell—how do they all know already?
Was he being messed with?
They'd said they didn't know before.
And now, all of a sudden?
"What?"
"The restriction has been lifted. As a result, memories related to Kabalon have naturally resurfaced."
"When one of Earth's players reaches the 70th floor, the sealed information is released."
"The military-level classified information has just been declassified."
"The warrior has learned it now as well."
"Hoee."
Ah! I see.
So that's how the restriction gets lifted.
It seems that when humanity learns about an unknown floor, only then do the summoned beings' memories revive as well.
"Then what about the 68th floor?"
"Death Knights. Strong, but stupid."
"And the 69th?"
"A lich—an evil spellcaster. However, it has lost its reason and acts purely on instinct, so defeating it is not difficult."
They know everything. All of it.
"What about Duke Kabalon? He's a sentient monster, and even as a replica, he cast a curse over the entire Earth."
"The curse was not cast by the replica."
"Then who did it?"
"Obviously, the true body. The replica is nothing more than a scarecrow."
I figured as much.
"If the ten selected countries succeed in their conquests…?"
"That is merely the first phase. Whether the first phase ends or not, a second phase of twenty countries, a third phase of thirty countries, a fourth, a fifth… There are even cases where countries already selected are included again."
"…Wow."
It was a vicious curse.
You could just assume that every country was a target.
No wonder towers were collapsing all over the place.
"Korea will be safe. Guardian Deity Kosak will protect the summoner's homeland."
What good is that if only Korea is safe?
The rest of the world is on the brink of ruin.
I was finally about to live large after making a fortune—what's the point if the world ends?
So—
"Anyone know where the true body of Kabalon is?"
No one did.
Then—
"Anyone know a way to find it? Hands up!"
Kosak slowly raised his hand.
"Oh! How do we find it?"
"Kill the replicas. The true body and the replicas share consciousness. It'll take time, but I—Kosak, master of negotiation—can do it."
As expected of our Lord Kosak.
But he hesitated, looking like he had something to say, before finally speaking.
"Uh, um, Summoner Bong."
"What is it?"
"Is it really necessary for you to step in personally? You've already given so much just by repairing the holy sword."
"Hm."
Looks like Kosak is against it.
Which means—
"Is it dangerous?"
"Not particularly."
"Then why?"
"To deal with Kabalon, you'd have to climb to the 70th floor of the French Black Tower. But your level doesn't match."
Juhyeok's current level was 67.
To reach the 70th floor, he needed to be level 70.
"And you can't just climb Korea's Black Tower to the 70th floor either, and you only have two multinational tower access tickets, don't you?"
"True."
"Even if we find the true body, there's still a problem. We'd have to clear the 70th floor of the Black Tower in whatever country it's hiding in…"
That was the core issue.
A player can only challenge the tower of their own nationality.
The Tower Access Ticket, which bypasses that rule, was in short supply.
Of course, there was a method—temporary naturalization.
"What if I choose temporary naturalization?"
"Your identity could be exposed. I fear that your carefree daily life might be disrupted."
What Gyeondallae worried about was Juhyeok's identity being revealed through temporary naturalization.
'That is something to think about.'
But on the other hand…
'How long do I really think I can keep hiding?'
The fact that I'm the owner of the holy sword is already suspected by several countries.
'Temporary naturalization, huh.'
Part of me wanted to try it at least once.
'There are upsides too.'
If I clear the French Black Tower, I'll obtain a platinum badge.
Get the privilege, give badges to the summoned beings—
'I can't pass this up.'
Identity exposure?
So what if that happens?
The time to worry about safety passed long ago.
Cheonji Iwon Gong, Blood Jade Energy usable in the real world, an energy barrier, a blink ring…
And the summoned beings?
I can call them anytime.
Even if the others are on cooldown, I can just summon the Madman and be done with it.
Thus, the loser's chest swelled with grandeur.
"Let's do it right away."
"…Yes?"
"Temporary naturalization—it's no big deal. Might as well experience it once while I can."
Once Juhyeok made his decision—
"Ahhh, as expected of Summoner Bong! Truly a real man. Hehehehe."
"This maiden can only marvel at young master's bold decision."
"The decision belongs to the summoner. I, Gobang, will follow unconditionally."
"Certain victory! Sergeant Veronica Caliber will support the commander with a burning heart!"
"Hoeeek!"
The summoned beings obeyed without question.