At a meeting of China's highest Standing Committee, the decision was made to clear the 70th floor.
At this point, they would climb as quickly as possible—even a single day sooner mattered.
China's top player, Bairung, level 59, was immediately summoned to take on the Black Tower.
Bairung could enter up to the 59th floor.
To clear the 70th floor, one had to reach the 71st, meaning there were 12 floors to skip.
"Bairung."
"Yes."
As the head of China's special public security division for players handed Bairung three Tower Jump Tickets, he spoke:
"Remember this. Tower No. 3. Twelve floors. Each ticket can skip up to five floors, so you only need to jump twelve."
"…Understood."
Placing the tickets into his inventory,
Bairung entered the Chinese Black Tower.
[Entering Chinese Black Tower (No. 3), Floor 59.]
"…Hmph."
Floor 59.
A section he had been unable to clear even after strengthening his traits twice.
The mission was to exterminate Lightning Wyverns that discharged electricity from their bodies.
The matchup was terrible.
Bairung's trait was [Swift].
Because the wyverns protected themselves by emitting lightning, even the slightest contact caused his body to stiffen.
If they breathed lightning instead, he could at least dodge.
But there was no way to touch a Lightning Wyvern whose entire body was wrapped in an electromagnetic field.
How much criticism had he endured for failing to clear the 59th floor?
He had blitzed through floors 1 to 58 at incredible speed—
And not just one tower, but three.
Yet once he stalled at the 59th floor, pressure from the Chinese government began.
They switched from offering carrots to wielding the whip.
All the medals and rewards he had received were stripped away.
His house, his car, his real estate, even his bank accounts were frozen.
He was even threatened that if he failed to clear the 59th floor, he would be put on display in a Human Mystery Exhibition.
"Bastards."
In China, players were no better than slaves.
When things were going well, they were praised as heroes of the people—but one misstep, and unbearable pressure and blame poured down.
It wasn't strange that China kidnapped foreign players and forced them into tower raids.
They treated their own players like this, after all.
He wanted nothing more than to flee China and permanently naturalize elsewhere, but in reality, he was a fragile player with no such freedom.
For now, climbing came first.
He needed to escape this cursed 59th floor.
He tore one ticket.
Riiip!
[You have used a Tower Jump Ticket.]
[Please state the number of floors you wish to jump.]
"Five floors."
A loud system message rang out.
Now, the 64th floor.
Another ticket.
Riiip!
Five more floors skipped.
The 69th floor.
Finally, two floors.
The system message echoed once more—
[Entering Chinese Black Tower (No. 3), Floor 71.]
At last, Bairung reached the 71st floor.
[World Announcement: Restrictions on high-grade magic stones have been lifted in Chinese Black Tower (No. 3).]
At that very moment—
[World Announcement: Duke Kabalon (Replica) has been eliminated on Floor 70 of Chinese Black Tower (No. 3).]
A world announcement signaling the clearing of the 70th floor.
Would the benefits really apply?
[World Announcement: Benefits for clearing the Black Tower's 70th floor have been granted.]
[World Announcement: Restrictions on high-grade magic stones have been lifted in Chinese Black Tower (No. 3).]
[World Announcement: Restrictions on various potions and elixirs have been lifted in Chinese Black Tower (No. 3).]
[World Announcement: Restrictions on weapons and equipment items have been lifted in Chinese Black Tower (No. 3).]
'That'll do.'
[World Announcement: These benefits apply to all floors of Chinese Black Tower (No. 3). In addition, reward drop rates increase very slightly.]
The probability increase was minimal.
Korea's had increased drastically.
Even so, Bairung wasn't particularly happy about China's Black Tower benefits.
What benefit was there for him?
Nothing would really change.
If anything, he'd just be thrown into tower raids nonstop every day for the sake of high-grade magic stones.
But then—
[World Announcement: A player has reached Floor 71 of the Black Tower for the first time.]
'…Huh?'
What was this? Another world announcement?
[World Announcement: A congratulatory gift set of four items has been delivered to the inventory of the first player to reach Floor 71.]
'…A gift?'
And a four-item set, no less.
[World Announcement: Shape-Shifting Ring delivered to inventory. Allows the user to freely change their face and body type.]
[World Announcement: Disease-Curing Potion delivered to inventory. Permanently cures all diseases.]
[World Announcement: Rejuvenation Elixir delivered to inventory. Upon consumption, rejuvenates the body by up to ten years.]
[World Announcement: Rune Necklace of Liberation delivered to inventory. Can be used a total of three times.]
Bairung could only gape in shock.
A completely unexpected world announcement.
[World Announcement: The same four-item gift set will be granted once to the first player of each nationality who reaches Floor 71.]
'…So just stepping onto the 71st floor first gives all of this?'
And on top of that—
[World Announcement: These four items can also be obtained as mission completion rewards for clearing floors 71 and above.]
As raid rewards too?
Though only for floors 71 and above.
[World Announcement: With the arrival on Floor 71, Black Tower Conquest Season 2 has begun.]
[World Announcement: From now on, each successful mission on floors 71 and above will stack an additional six months onto the tower collapse timer.]
[World Announcement: The more uncleared upper floors are climbed, the longer the collapse timer becomes and the lower the risk of collapse.]
[World Announcement: Tower Jump Ticket exploits do not apply to floors 71 and above.]
[World Announcement: We cheer on all players climbing the Black Tower.]
The world was thrown into chaos once again.
Jeon Gwang-il was meeting CEO Goyeon Ha of HG Fashion at a high-end Korean restaurant near Seoul.
Goyeon Ha's expression was grim.
It was because of information she had recently obtained.
Ilsung Apparel had split into a separate entity, changed its name to Rajiks Trading, and was now operating a leather-processing plant.
Why a leather-processing plant, all of a sudden?
She had people investigate.
The leather being processed was wyvern leather.
Where would wyvern leather come from?
Obviously, the Awakening Management Agency.
"Deputy Commissioner, I'm honestly very disappointed. Handing wyvern leather over to Ilsung Appa—no, Rajiks Trading. Didn't we agree that wyvern leather would be supplied to HG Fashion?"
Jeon Gwang-il smiled faintly.
"Did we ever sign a contract for wyvern leather supply?"
"Well, no… but since we had an exclusive supply agreement for basilisk leather, I thought it was already implied."
"Absolutely not."
"Haa…"
Goyeon Ha let out a sigh.
"Fine. Leather supply is under the agency's jurisdiction, so I don't really have the right to complain. But at least supply wyvern leather to HG Fashion as well."
"Hm. Since we're on the subject…"
Jeon Gwang-il looked her straight in the eye.
"From now on, basilisk leather will no longer be supplied to HG Fashion."
"…What?"
Suddenly?
Goyeon Ha was stunned.
Had she misheard?
"Isn't it already under contract? You can't just notify us like this—no, more importantly, what did we do wrong?"
What did they do wrong?
Plenty.
"It doesn't look like HG Fashion has the capacity to handle basilisk leather."
"What?"
"Are you really asking because you don't know? Can you even find basilisk leather products in department stores, online, or in boutiques and pop-up shops? They're not selling at all."
That was true.
Despite Korea being the producing country, it was an item people couldn't even glimpse.
"Well—that's because supply can't keep up with demand."
"Don't lie."
Jeon Gwang-il cut in sharply.
"We know you're deliberately restricting production to drive up scarcity, then manipulating things behind the scenes."
"…"
Basilisk leather products were no longer meant for ordinary consumers.
They were produced in extremely limited quantities, prices inflated, transformed into items reserved for a select class.
Even within Korea, it was impossible to find basilisk leather products.
Even the cheapest light-quality items.
Reservations were technically open on their website, but ordinary people couldn't even get their names into the waiting list.
Instead, the bags were being used as lobbying tools, bait for export–import deals, and secret limited editions for the wealthy.
Why were they doing this?
Because selling leather goods didn't leave much profit.
For every product sold, 95% of the net profit was distributed to Player Bong.
HG Fashion, on the other hand, received a mere 5%.
No matter how hard they tried to sell products, they only got 5%, so naturally they were using bags as bait while focusing on other profit-generating businesses.
"O–Oh, it's a misunderstanding. Our facilities aren't adequate, so production capacity is—"
"Even though we provided you with processing tools made from tower metal?"
"Uh, ah, th-that is…"
Jeon Gwang-il stood up from his seat.
"I'll be taking my leave now. Just watch—see how many basilisk and wyvern leather products Rajiks Trading produces."
Goyeon Ha felt her head spinning.
She had come to request wyvern leather supply, only to end up losing basilisk leather supply as well.
"W–Wait. If you leave like this—"
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"Please, just give us one chance to make things right."
Jeon Gwang-il replied coldly,
"I'll give you exactly one month. Until then, I'll be watching how much basilisk leather product actually gets released into the Korean market."
"Ah…"
Without looking back, Jeon Gwang-il left the restaurant and got into his car.
Let's see how it goes.
If things don't improve as warned, there will be no leather supply.
The more that gets sold, the more profit flows to Player Bong.
He said he wanted to buy a building.
He would need more money.
Korean real estate prices were no joke.
Buildings worth hundreds of billions of won, even over one trillion—some plots were worth ten trillion.
"Since I'm already out, should I stop by Rajiks Trading?"
To see if there were any production issues.
And then—right at that moment!
[World Announcement: Duke Kabalon (Replica) has been eliminated on Floor 70 of Chinese Black Tower (No. 3).]
"…Huh?"
What was this now?
China?
When they were barely clearing floors in the 60s…
'Don't tell me they used Tower Jump Tickets?'
That meant they had jumped twelve floors.
'How are they planning to deal with the aftermath?'
And the announcements kept coming.
"…Ah."
Jeon Gwang-il had no choice but to pull the car over.
'The items are one thing, but…'
The final world announcement he heard.
The beginning of Black Tower Conquest Season 2.
[World Announcement: From now on, each successful mission on floors 71 and above will stack an additional six months onto the tower collapse timer.]
The collapse deadline stacked.
What did that imply?
If there were three months left until collapse, and they cleared another uncleared upper floor above 71, the deadline would extend to nine months.
Clear one more—fifteen months. Another—twenty-one months.
Six months added every time a floor was cleared.
Bizarre gift items, and the start of Conquest Season 2.
Just what in the world was going on?
Chinese Black Tower (No. 3), 71st floor.
Bairung still hadn't exited.
He hadn't even accepted a mission.
Conquest Season 2 or whatever—it meant nothing to him.
The four gifts sitting in his inventory.
The Shape-Shifting Ring, the Disease-Curing Potion, the Rejuvenation Elixir, and the Rune Necklace of Liberation.
They all had one thing in common.
None of them carried the "tower-only" modifier.
They could be used in the real world—even by ordinary people.
Three of the four gifts were self-explanatory just from their names.
But the Rune Necklace of Liberation?
A necklace with a rune engraved with characters, hanging from a chain.
An item whose function couldn't be guessed from the name alone.
So he checked the info.
Effect: For 1 hour, the player's abilities manifest even outside the tower.
Limit: Can be used a total of 3 times. Once all uses are consumed, the rune is destroyed.
"…This is insane!"
Bairung checked the item description again and again.
It didn't change.
Liberation.
Releasing a player's restricted abilities into the outside world.
'H–How am I supposed to handle this?'
These were items he could never be allowed to keep.
If not for the world announcements, no one would've known—but now everyone did.
The moment he exited the tower, they'd seize them.
Anyone would lose their mind over these.
A potion that cured all disease. A rejuvenation elixir.
There was no way people wouldn't covet them.
"Damn it!"
Greed welled up.
He didn't want to lose them.
Not the potions, not the ring, and not the Rune Necklace of Liberation.
His hesitation dragged on.
He asked himself:
Did he feel loyalty toward his country?
'Of course not.'
At last, Bairung made his decision.
'They're all mine.'
The gifts from the other towers too—
The newly inaugurated Chinese president, Wang Yuan, rushed to the location where Bairung had entered the tower the moment he heard the world announcements.
Accompanied by armed public security forces and his personal guards.
A rejuvenation elixir.
Up to ten years younger if consumed?
And the other items as well.
None of their names carried the "tower-only" modifier.
Meaning ordinary people could use them.
'It was the right call to go to the 71st floor.'
A stroke of genius.
Who could have imagined rewards like this?
On top of that, China had three towers.
For each tower, the first to reach the 71st floor would receive the gifts—meaning three of each item.
All of them should belong to him.
The rejuvenation elixirs. The disease-curing potions. The shape-shifting rings.
He didn't know what the Rune Necklace of Liberation did, but once confiscated, they could figure it out.
And Conquest Season 2 as well.
From the 71st floor onward, the collapse deadline stacked.
From now on, they had to climb upward—no matter what.
Especially since the rejuvenation elixir and disease-curing potion could also drop as mission rewards.
All three Chinese towers had to reach the 71st floor.
No matter the cost.
Tower Jump Tickets still worked up to the 71st floor.
'But why isn't Bairung coming out?'
President Wang Yuan grew impatient.
Once Bairung exited the tower, he would reappear at the entry location.
They just needed to grab him before he got any ideas and force him to hand over the items.
At that moment—
Flash!
Bairung appeared in a burst of light.
President Wang Yuan greeted him with a broad smile.
"Oh! Player Bairung, you've worked hard. I heard all the world announcements."
"Yes. I've returned after completing the mission."
"Then show them to me."
"…Show what?"
"The four congratulatory gifts."
As expected.
Bairung smirked.
"And why should I show those to you, Mr. President?"
"…What?"
"They're mine."
"Y–You dare—!"
Whoosh!
Bairung's trait was [Swift].
And that power manifested in the real world.
At some point, Bairung appeared behind Wang Yuan.
Grab—
"Ghk!"
He seized Wang Yuan's neck with both hands,
Crack—twisted it a full turn.
Thud. Wang Yuan, the newly appointed president, died on the spot.
At the same time, the faces of the armed public security officers and bodyguards turned deathly pale.
"G–Gah!"
"B–Bairung?"
"Why?"
China's supreme leader had just been killed right before their eyes.
By a player.
"Seize him!"
"Subdue him!"
But their fates were no different.
Zip! Zip! Zip! Zip—
Moving at a speed the eye couldn't even follow,
Crunch, crack, snap—
Bairung twisted the necks of the armed officers and guards.
Could ordinary people even dare to oppose the power of a player whose tower abilities manifested in reality?
Bairung smiled darkly.
The Rune Necklace of Liberation.
It was far better than he'd expected.
But he had to hurry.
Duration: one hour.
He needed to escape this place quickly and get out of China.
With the Shape-Shifting Ring, escaping wouldn't be difficult.
What about his family?
Not worth worrying about.
They were leeches who had sucked his blood all this time.
Live or die—it didn't matter.
And so, the great revolution of players began here, at the Chinese Black Tower (No. 3).
A new beginning, together with Season 2.
Juhyeok's penthouse.
Kosak was still sulking on the sofa.
Ignoring him, Juhyeok chatted cheerfully with the other summoned beings.
"When I think about it now, it all feels like a dream. Just a few months ago, I was dirt-poor with nothing to my name… it's all thanks to you."
Gyeondallae replied at once.
"Where in the world is anything given for free? This is the reward for the virtue my lord has accumulated."
"Is that so? Hahaha!"
"Of course it is. Hohoho!"
Kosak still showed no reaction.
"The warrior believes the summoner deserves this. I hope he lives even more happily."
"Superior Veronica Caliber—no matter what, I'll always be by your side, Commander."
"My lord, your joy is the joy of the divine."
"Hooeeeh."
The atmosphere was warm and friendly.
Yet Kosak didn't budge at all. So then—
"But the person I'm most grateful to is Kosak."
Twitch!
Kosak's ears moved ever so slightly.
"You were the first one I met, and right away you protected me from loan sharks."
Flinch—
Kosak's hips twitched.
"I learned Shadow Step from you, and honestly, you were the first to suggest the tower-climbing profit model."
"This girl acknowledges that as well."
"If you hadn't been an assassin, it would've been hard to buy a place like this."
Scoot, scoot—
Still seated, Kosak inched closer to Juhyeok by pushing with his hips.
"And wasn't it basically you who rescued the players kidnapped in China?"
"Superior Veronica Caliber, that is correct. I merely assisted."
Scoot, scoot—
"Without you, Kosak, would I really have made it this far? I miss it—your cheerful self."
Scoot, scoot—
"Even though I probably won't get to hear it anymore."
That was when—
Flash! Using Shadow Step, Kosak instantly appeared right beside Juhyeok.
"Ayoo, Summoner Bong!"
"Hm? When did you get here?"
Beaming brightly, Kosak laughed.
"What did I even do? Hehehehehe."
"…"
"It's all thanks to Summoner Bong."
In some ways, he really was an easy summoned being.
"So… you're done sulking?"
"Huh? When was I sulking? I'm Kosak. They say summoners and their summons grow alike, don't they?"
Was that really a saying?
"A real man summoner and a real man summon—an eternal truth."
"Hahaha, I guess that's true. Then for our new beginning, how about another trip—"
Right then—
[World Announcement: Duke Kabalon (Replica) has been eliminated on Floor 70 of Chinese Black Tower (No. 3).]
"What?"
A sudden world announcement?
And from China, of all places.
China, which couldn't even clear the 60s and had been crawling along.
But the announcements weren't over.
[World Announcement: A congratulatory gift set of four items has been delivered to the inventory of the first player to reach Floor 71 of the Black Tower.]
Followed by details about the gifts—
[World Announcement: With the arrival on Floor 71, Black Tower Conquest Season 2 has begun.]
An announcement heralding the new season.
"Hm."
A new beginning, indeed.
He'd heard repeatedly that things would change drastically starting from the 71st floor—and they really had.
"Did you all know about this?"
At Juhyeok's question, Gyeondallae replied,
"This girl—j-just now, the restriction regarding Season 2 was lifted. But those items given as gifts are… unsettling. They shouldn't be appearing yet…"
The other summoned beings wore expressions that clearly said, Those items are coming out now?
Most of them weren't items meant for tower climbing.
They all affected the world outside the tower—reality itself.
And they could even be obtained as mission completion rewards from floors 71 and above.
"…Looks like I need to step onto the 71st floor."
Before that, he should summon Lord Mad Demon and discuss it first.