The dungeon of the necromancer Norma.
Gobang encountered the Super-Demonic Beast Hydra in a place he had never expected.
The moment he saw it, he knew.
There was such a thing as intuition.
All nine heads felt familiar.
It was the same one from back then.
Even if it had grown stronger through necromancy.
The Super-Demonic Beast Hydra also recognized Gobang.
That human had been the one who had driven it to the brink of death.
Gobang recalled—
The memories of that time.
The trauma engraved into his soul.
Was it because of the pain of his entire body melting under acidic breath?
No. That wasn't it.
Physical pain was something he had endured his entire life.
And as a warrior of the Great Plains, what shame was there in dying while fighting monsters?
Wasn't that something to be proud of?
Gobang's trauma came from another reason.
The betrayal of the comrades he had trusted.
While wandering the continent on his own, he had met the party of the hero Arius.
Arius had accepted him, a dull-witted barbarian, as a companion.
He had been deeply grateful for that generosity.
And so he traveled across the continent with Arius.
They hunted magical beasts and monsters, completed commissions, and shared bonds of friendship with the other companions.
But it had all been a misunderstanding.
From the very beginning, he had never been their friend.
In the end, he was discarded.
Barbarian warrior, just draw the Super-Demonic Beast Hydra's attention.We'll finish it off quickly.Don't worry about healing magic. We'll definitely save you.
Gobang faced the Super-Demonic Beast Hydra alone.
Its vicious acidic breath.
Its razor-sharp claw attacks.
But he endured to the very end.
Waiting for his comrades to come help him.
Eventually, struck down by the hydra's claws and unable to escape, Gobang turned back and cried for help—
Only to see the comrades he had always fought alongside sitting far behind him, sneering and mocking him.
What are you looking at? We didn't have a choice.With nine heads, we could've been in danger.I don't want to get splashed with acidic breath.Sorry, but take responsibility until the end.Thanks for everything. I won't forget you.Once it exhausts its acidic breath and weakens, we'll finish it.Arius, you really are a genius.Can you even compare that to a dumb barbarian?That bastard really was perfect as a meat shield.
That was the truth.
The barbarian warrior of the Great Plains.
He had been nothing more than a meat shield.
Of course, even now he was still a meat shield.
But the meaning was completely different.
The fully matured Super-Demonic Beast Hydra.
And himself, enlarged through gigantification.
This was doable.
Hadn't he been promoted to SSR thanks to the summoner's grace?
He wouldn't let even a single drop of acidic poison touch him.
Shrrrrraaaak!
Acidic breath poured out simultaneously from all nine heads.
Did he really think he couldn't avoid it?
But instead of evasion, he advanced.
That was the way he had always fought.
Crossing his arms into an X to block the breath, Gobang leapt straight onto the hydra's back.
Chiiiiiiiz!
The flesh of his arms melted away.
A pungent smoke rose into the air.
Yet his skin regenerated almost instantly.
Gobang thrust his hand forward with all his strength.
Crunch!
One of the hydra's heads was seized.
Grabbing the upper and lower jaws with both hands—
He tore it apart with brute force.
Riiip—one neck torn off.
"Krrraaaaah!"
The remaining eight heads howled.
This thing clearly had a weakness.
The heads were connected, and so they shared pain.
But he had to hurry.
The monster also possessed regenerative abilities.
The severed head would soon regrow.
Another head—grabbed—
Rip!
"Kuuoooh!"
The hydra didn't rely only on breath attacks.
Slash!
A sharp claw strike carved a long wound across his chest.
"Kyaah!"
"Die!"
It was a desperate, brutal struggle.
Breath attacks flying in from the remaining seven heads.
If he could dodge, he dodged.
If he couldn't, he took it head-on.
Was it getting better?
But the remaining two heads were already regenerating.
The battle wouldn't be decided easily.
The monster and he himself—
Both had grown stronger.
Gobang briefly turned his gaze toward his companions.
What were they doing?
His summoner, hopping in place anxiously, watching with a worried expression.
The assassin stepping lightly from side to side, ready to dash in at any moment.
His soul-bonded partner Bardin, gripping the flail with trembling fists.
Sergeant Vero, eyes sharp, aiming her magic gun in a standing firing stance.
Princess Gyeon-dallae, kneeling with her hands clasped, fervently praying.
All of them were genuinely worried about him.
If he spoke even a single word, they would all rush in.
It was reassuring.
They were truly his comrades.
And now—
Gobang's trauma was healed.
The scar that had been carved deep into his soul—
Completely.
He could die here, and it would be fine.
The Mad Demon had not yet killed Necromancer Norma.
No—it was more accurate to say he hadn't killed him.
He was merely taking his time, observing the battle between the nine-headed monster and the barbarian Gobang with leisure.
"So that is the monster you created?"
Necromancer Norma couldn't answer.
He couldn't even open his mouth.
"You trusted something like that and dared to attack my summoner? Tsk tsk, how pathetic."
The Mad Demon sneered.
"Hmph. Still, I understand. With such miserable power, the only way to preserve your wretched life is to cling to monsters."
Norma's lips trembled.
His face flushed a deep red.
Unbearable agony.
Muscles tearing inside his body, bones being crushed—an unspeakable pain.
The punishment imposed upon him by this old man, like a Demon King—
Bone-crushing torment.
He couldn't even twist his body.
He was completely immobilized.
He wanted to die.
He wanted to escape this eternity-like suffering in an instant.
"I am bound by a restriction and cannot speak of this to my summoner—but I can tell you."
What restriction?
"The Tower is dual in nature. One side is malice that seeks to collapse the Tower and drive the world to destruction. The other is benevolence , through which the Tower transforms the world and bestows abundance. These two coexist."
The Tower?
Did he mean the Mage Tower?
"Look at our summoner. Why do you think that noble soul was granted power? Naturally, it's because of the latter. He is a savior."
Was he talking about that greenhorn who looked weakest among them?
"That's why, when the summoner climbs the Tower, it graciously opens events like this. Quite considerate, really."
The Mad Demon smiled with satisfaction, then soon furrowed his brow slightly.
"But as I said before, the Tower is also an omen of destruction. When malice takes hold, it will try to eliminate our summoner by any means."
"Of course, that happens more often outside the Tower than inside. After all, the chances of dying within the Tower aren't that high."
His head felt like it was about to explode.
He couldn't endure this much longer.
"That's right. The true trials are outside the Tower. Isn't that so? Dangerous places are always outside."
Outside?
Then why had he been tormented inside?
"Does it hurt? Endure just a little longer. I'll make it comfortable for you."
When?
"When the monster you created dies."
Was he talking about the Super-Demonic Beast Hydra?
Please, just die already.
Necromancer Norma desperately wished for the Super-Demonic Beast to perish.
But why wasn't it dying?
That thing needed to die for him to die as well.
If he'd known this would happen, he wouldn't have reinforced it with dragon bones and scales.
"It will end soon."
Meanwhile—
"Hup, hup! Huh-hup!"
Kosak stepped lightly from side to side and asked,
"When do we go in? Backstab, side stab—ready to go."
"…Wait a moment."
Ju-hyeok was also timing it carefully.
If Gobang showed even the slightest sign of weakening, he planned to charge in immediately.
But Gobang was still fighting so valiantly.
And after that earnest request—to fight alone—how could he just ignore it?
'If I intervene here…'
Gobang might be disappointed.
Thinking Ju-hyeok didn't trust him.
'But what if he dies?'
Then he'd be unsummonable for a hundred days.
Trapped in a world where only the soul existed, unable to return to reality.
He wouldn't even be able to eat the meat he loved so much.
What good was buying meat if he couldn't chew it?
If he couldn't come out, there would be no meat.
Time dragged on anxiously.
Intervene—or trust him and wait.
Then—
"Oh! Gobang just looked at us."
"…Did he?"
"He's asking for help. We gotta go now."
"Umm… that, well—"
Sigh. Is this really right?
Once again, that despicable real-man instinct began to creep up.
After his heart wavered about twelve times in a minute—
Ju-hyeok finally made a decision.
"Coffee lady—no, Dungeon DJ Princess."
"…Speak, please."
"Switch on."
"I shall play the Soul-Guiding Rite."
At the same time—
"The rest of you, target the Super-Demonic Beast Hydra—"
He didn't need to finish.
They already knew his intent.
Whoosh! Bardin burst forward like light, flail in hand.
"O light!!! My soulbound partner!!!"
Spot! Spapapapap!
Kosak left afterimages with shadow steps and was already atop the hydra's back.
"Gobang, big bro's here."
Sergeant Vero advanced while firing her magic gun.
"Assault advance mode. Block acidic breath."
Shatter! Shatter-shatter!
Her precisely guided shots slammed into the hydra's throat whenever it opened its mouth to breathe acid.
And then—slowly.
Thud, thud! Thump-thud!
Cha-chaeng! Chaeng-chaeng!
Chyrrk! Chyrrr!
Gyeon-dallae walked leisurely, pushing the handcart as the soul-guiding chant played.
The Super-Demonic Beast Hydra was torn apart by weapons of every kind.
How could it possibly endure?
"Kiiiiiing!"
One head vanished after another.
Finally—
"Kiiiiii…"
Only the torso remained.
[You have defeated the Super-Demonic Beast Hydra.]
[Reward (+α): Random Skill Rune.]
'Oh!'
A +α reward too.
Nice.
'Looks like I'll get another skill.'
Then Rajiks—who had been nowhere to be seen—came rolling in.
"Hoeng!"
With practiced hands, he began skinning the Super-Demonic Beast Hydra.
But what about Necromancer Norma?
Was he hard to deal with?
Ju-hyeok turned his head toward the Mad Demon.
At that moment—crack!
Norma's head burst under the Mad Demon's touch.
Strangely, the necromancer's expression looked peaceful.
[You have completed all missions on Floor 72.]
[Reward: Rune Necklace of Liberation / Tower-Exclusive Sacred Holy Water.]
'…Huh?'
Another Rune Necklace of Liberation.
'Did these things drop this often?'
He knew they could be obtained as clear rewards, but wasn't this too generous?
Same with the Tower-exclusive Sacred Holy Water.
This was the second one.
'Do they only drop from Floor 71 and above?'
The Rune Necklace of Liberation was confirmed to drop only from Floor 71 onward.
But the holy water might be different.
With the Floor 70 clear benefits, restrictions on potions like elixirs and potions had been lifted across all floors of the Black Tower.
Anyway, was Rajiks done skinning the hydra?
"Hoeeek!"
"Oh! As expected of the chief laborer. Your skinning technique has reached mastery."
"Shame. Should've left a few heads intact."
"The torso alone is more than enough."
He'd skinned it completely.
They could take the hide out too.
[Calculating clear rank.]
[World Announcement: You have achieved an S+++ clear rating on Floor 72 of the Black Tower (Korea).]
[S+++ Clear Reward: 2 Platinum Badges awarded.]
[You may challenge Floor 73.]
[Exiting the Republic of Korea Black Tower.]
Spot!
The moment Ju-hyeok exited the Tower, he dismissed all summoned beings.
He asked for their understanding, saying he'd call them again later.
So what now?
Time to go outside.
He even turned off his smartphone.
With all the fuss about S+++ clears on Floors 71 and 72, Deputy Director Jeon Gwang-il might call to congratulate him—but was that really important right now?
Both Floors 71 and 72 had been exhausting.
For Ju-hyeok, for Gobang, and for the other summoned beings as well.
They needed healing—immediately.
And for city folk, nothing healed like the sea.
Valley lovers might feel offended by that, but—
Ju-hyeok took the camper van and headed onto the Yeongdong Expressway.
His destination: a coastal road along the East Sea.
Since it was a weekday, there weren't many people or cars around.
Thus, by evening, they arrived at a quiet seaside beach.
There, Ju-hyeok summoned the summoned beings.
The Mad Demon's summoning time was short, so he planned to call him once the meat was grilled and the drinks were ready.
"…The sea?"
"Gazing upon the blue sea brings peace to this maiden."
"The warrior likes it as well."
If Gobang liked it, that was all that mattered.
"My lord, it's been a long time since I've seen the sea."
"Sergeant Veronica Caliber requests permission to sleep on the sandy beach."
"Hoeee…"
Everyone sat down on the sand, staring at the sea.
The night sea grew darker by the minute.
The sound of waves lapping—shwish, shwish.
Taking advantage of the calm mood, Ju-hyeok asked Gobang,
"Gobang."
"Speak, Summoner."
"…Are you okay? It must have been a huge shock. Have you overcome the trauma?"
Gobang smiled faintly.
"I have overcome it."
That was a relief.
He seemed fine.
"You wanted to handle it alone. Were you disappointed that we interfered?"
"Not at all! Rather, I feel only remorse for disobeying the summoner's command."
"Hey, don't worry about that."
"I will not do so again."
The other summoned beings wore contented expressions as well.
Bardin nodded, and Gyeon-dallae's eyes shimmered with tears.
On the other hand, Kosak scoffed with a dismissive look.
"Trauma? That mountain-sized body of yours—there ain't even a 'T' for trauma in this Kosak's dictionary. Got it? That's the difference between you and me!"
At that moment—
Veronica suddenly sprang to her feet.
She walked up to Gobang, who was sitting on the sand, grabbed his head with both hands, and hugged him tightly.
Squish.
Gobang's head was buried deep in Veronica's chest.
"Well done. I saw a lot of comrades suffer from PTSD when I served in the military. You're a fine comrade of mine."
Hm. Ahem. Uh.
Kosak's eyes spun in circles.
Then he crawled over on his knees toward Veronica, wearing a hollow, soulless expression.
"Sergeant Vero."
"…"
"I may look very cheerful on the outside, but deep down, I'm actually an assassin."
"So?"
"I've suffered from PTSD more than anyone—"
"Get lost!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
At this point, one more question.
"Gobang, we defeated the hydra, but there's still something left."
"…What remains?"
"The fake hero Arius. The king of the Norton Kingdom."
"…."
Gobang flinched.
His expression changed.
"Of course, nothing's certain yet. We'll have to see once we go in, but Floor 73 might also be a linked mission. For example—defeating the fake hero Arius."
At those words, Gobang broke into a bright smile.
"If such a mission appears for the warrior—"
Forgiveness?
Given Gobang's usual character, that seemed possible.
He'd overcome his trauma, after all.
"I will show them what true, merciless retribution is. I will bundle Arius and his ilk together like balls and hurl them beyond the sky. And I will savor the sweetness of revenge."
"…."
Gobang had changed in many ways.
Yes—what was more unsettling than forgiveness?
Revenge was best.
Anyway—healing time, healing!
Staring at the sea in a daze, then staring into a bonfire.
A wide table was set up.
Eight chairs as well.
Soon it would be time to summon the Mad Demon.
But before that—
"Rajiks, you skinned the hide earlier, right?"
"Hoeng?"
"Lay it out on the sand. Let Sergeant Vero sleep on it."
"Hoe!"
Fwoosh!
From the subspace bag emerged the enormous hide of the hydra.
It was massive.
Much larger than the living room of Ju-hyeok's penthouse.
But as the hide was pulled out, several stones came with it. Picking them up, Ju-hyeok saw they were high-grade magic stones.
"You found these in the dungeon?"
At Ju-hyeok's words, Rajiks smacked his own head—thunk!—as if remembering something.
"Hoe!"
He fumbled with the subspace bag, then turned it upside down and shook it over the hydra hide.
And then—
Thud-thud! Thududud!
"…Huh?"
Items spilled out.
They just kept coming.
Thududud! Thud-thud! Thudududu…
'What is all this?'
An uncountable amount of high-grade magic stones.
All kinds of metal ingots, potions, and elixirs.
Gleaming jewels.
And that wasn't all.
Swords and shields, bows and crossbows, staves and wands—weapons.
Helmets, armor, boots, gloves, greaves—defensive gear.
They piled up.
Higher and higher.
Like a mountain.
"Th-this is insane!"
Rajiks had emptied out an entire treasure vault from the necromancer's dungeon.