Minister Macmillan and Director Antonio departed the United States aboard a private jet and arrived at the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek.
There, they found Gerald, who had survived by the skin of his teeth.
He had been secretly transferred from Seoul to Pyeongtaek yesterday.
The fact that Gerald had nearly died was top secret.
No one was supposed to know.
Inside the base.
Entering a heavily guarded building,
Antonio and Macmillan finally met Gerald.
"Gerald!"
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
With an awkward expression, Gerald replied,
"I'm sorry. I deeply regret it. This will never happen again."
Director Antonio grabbed Gerald and hugged him tightly as he spoke.
"You're alive—that's what matters. Just don't do it again."
"I've come to my senses now. I'll climb according to my actual ability."
"Good. Tell us in detail. What exactly happened inside the Tower?"
"Well, what happened was…"
Gerald began recounting his story.
Macmillan and Antonio listened, nodding along.
They had already heard the rough outline from Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwang-il.
But they wanted to hear it directly from the person involved and verify the facts.
"Gerald."
"Yes."
"The man who saved Janelle—this is him, right?"
Director Antonio showed him a photo on his tablet.
"Ah! Yes, that's him. Haah, I honestly don't know how to thank him…"
The man in the photo was Bong Juhyeok.
As expected.
Who else could possibly pull off something that incredible?
Excited, Gerald poured out his words in a rush.
"If he hadn't saved me, I'd be dead. My soul was almost ripped out of my body! You have no idea how horrifying that experience was."
"I was so grateful I nearly cried. I really wanted to convey my gratitude sincerely, but we couldn't communicate, and it was so frustrating."
"I should start learning Korean right away and thank him properly. And I should compensate him materially too, right? Even if I have to give up my entire fortune…"
Gerald's voice grew louder and louder.
Macmillan and Antonio understood how he felt.
He was his lifesaver, after all.
"Calm down. The compensation will be handled at the U.S. government level."
"I'll do something personally as well."
"That can be discussed later."
Suddenly, Gerald looked as if something had just occurred to him.
"Oh! Since I'm here, starting from the 68th floor of the Western Tower, I'll conquer it using a rented holy sword."
"Why?"
"Because the rental fee goes to him. It's probably just pocket change, but still."
Antonio looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"…You knew this man is the actual owner of the holy sword?"
Gerald chuckled and said,
"Do you think I'm an idiot? Not only is he the true owner of the holy sword, he's an S+++–rank conqueror. Is there anyone else who could enter the America Tower using items and come rescue me?"
Fair point.
"Alright, do it that way. For now, just get some rest."
As they left the room and closed the door behind them, Macmillan spoke to Antonio.
"A Tower Invasion Ticket, huh… Must've been a reward for an S+++–rank conquest."
"Of course. There's no way an item like that would drop as an ordinary reward."
A truly outlandish item.
Though, to be fair, all Tower items were like that.
"The name sounds suspicious, but to America, it was an item of salvation."
"Items depend on how they're used. The savior wasn't the item—it was Bong Juhyeok himself."
Exactly.
Depending on how they're used, items can become poison or medicine.
A Multinational Tower Access Ticket, a Tower Invasion Ticket—both are the same in that regard.
They could be used to forcibly conquer another country's Tower and trigger its collapse, or to kill players from other nations.
But Bong Juhyeok didn't do that.
With the Multinational Tower Access Ticket, he helped a country whose Tower collapse deadline was imminent.
And with the Tower Invasion Ticket, he saved a player standing at the crossroads of life and death.
"Honestly, at first I thought he was a threat. He's an individual outside our control, after all—one with overwhelming power."
True enough.
Nations don't welcome individuals who possess too much power.
"But now I think we need to change our perspective. America owes him a great debt."
"As I said earlier, to us, he's already a savior."
"And his character is outstanding too."
The moment he confirmed someone was on the 72nd floor of the American Black Tower, he invaded immediately.
Burning through those precious items without hesitation.
Could an ordinary person do that?
Most people would prioritize their own interests first.
"And it's not just us who benefited."
It wasn't only America.
The United Arab Emirates and France as well.
"We can't just sit back. There needs to be sufficient compensation at the government level. Whew… the question is how much to set the amount at."
Macmillan shook his head.
"Money? Come on! Do you think Player Bong Juhyeok is poor?"
"Exactly. That's what makes it even harder."
With a look as if something had just occurred to him, Antonio said,
"Oh, right. Earlier, when I was on the phone with Deputy Commissioner Jeon Gwang-il, I asked what Player Bong Juhyeok needed the most."
Macmillan asked, eyes gleaming.
"Oh? And what did he say?"
"A Rune of Trait Enhancement. Apparently, that's the only thing he needs."
Macmillan looked troubled.
"A Rune of Trait Enhancement… That's a tough one."
"Yes. It's not something you can obtain easily."
"What about the market?"
"Hard to say. There might not be any stock left."
America didn't have any either.
If they did, they would have fed it to Gerald long ago.
What market was Minister Macmillan referring to?
Quite literally, a place where transactions occur.
An intangible venue where various items for players are secretly traded through extremely covert channels.
In other words, the black market.
It had existed ever since players first began climbing the Towers.
There was even an organization that ran the black market.
But it was shrouded in such secrecy that no one knew who operated it or how large the organization was.
Even U.S. intelligence agencies had tried to track it down, only to fail every time.
Eliminating it was impossible.
In fact, governments—not individuals—were its main customers.
The Runes of Trait Enhancement swept up by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the Tower Jumping Tickets secured by China, the Level-Up Runes purchased by Japan's Self-Defense Forces.
Where did all of those come from?
"Make contact with the black market. If necessary, we have to get it."
"Yes. This is a matter of pride. If we accept help and pretend nothing happened, it'll be a disgrace to America."
"He deserves to receive what he wants."
And there was another, even more important objective.
"This could also be a chance to deepen the relationship between Player Bong and the United States."
He was someone they needed to be close to.
A Rune of Trait Enhancement was nothing more than a small investment in building rapport with Bong Juhyeok.
"The problem is the price…"
"The last time we made contact, the purchase price was five billion dollars."
"Hm."
And now it had become even rarer.
"It's probably gone up by at least double."
"Then ten billion dollars?"
"Possibly even more."
"We'll need approval from the White House."
Ordinary countries would hesitate to spend such an enormous sum to secure a Rune of Trait Enhancement.
It was the best way to strengthen a player's abilities, but the price was simply too high.
But America was different.
After all, it was the country that printed the dollar.
"If there's enough stock, buy two. One will go to Gerald."
"And if you can only get one?"
"Then of course it goes to Bong Juhyeok."
From here on out, climbing the Tower would only become more difficult.
It was impossible to predict what might happen.
Just look at the Curse of Kabalon.
Hadn't they seen with their own eyes what happened to Japan?
They needed insurance.
Solid, reliable insurance named Bong Juhyeok.
Cheongdam-dong penthouse.
Juhyeok was in a very good mood.
So good his shoulders felt like they might lift him straight into the heavens.
Saving someone in danger and receiving heartfelt gratitude—
You don't know that feeling unless you've experienced it yourself.
How deeply satisfying it was.
"So that Gerald bastard—don't tell me he wiped his mouth clean? Didn't give you anything at all?"
"Bastard, you say? He's one of our holy sword rental customers. Of course he said thank you."
With a faintly dissatisfied look, Kosak asked,
"What'd he say?"
"Umm… 'Thank you'?"
He'd said much more than that, but Juhyeok's English wasn't good enough to understand it.
"And you, Summoner Bong?"
"…'You're welcome'?"
Kosak slapped the floor with his palm, lamenting loudly.
"Ahhh, he wiped his mouth clean. We got stabbed in the back. This is why you can't just save people for free. You gotta negotiate first—like, 'How much will you pay?'"
Tsk tsk, such mercenary thinking.
"You save a person and then—huh?—expect compensation? Doesn't that cheapen the meaning?"
Kosak still looked wronged.
"It's America, a rich country, ain't it? They should've slapped down at least a billion dollars."
Hey now, that's some nerve.
"A billion dollars is a dog's name? That's 1.3 trillion won—the price of a high-rise building in Gangnam."
"Hmm, true enough. Still, at least 500 million dollars…"
"They'll probably contact us later."
Honestly, he wasn't without expectations.
He'd saved America's top player—
How nice would it be if they said, We'd like to offer compensation, and wired, say, 300 million dollars straight into his account?
Anyway, Juhyeok and the summoned beings spent a leisurely time.
Some watched TV, some surfed the web on tablets, some took naps—
And Mari was summoned as well.
Except for the Mad Demon Lord.
If those two were put together, they might start a fight.
Rajiks toddled along, carrying a tray loaded with drinks and snacks.
He knocked lightly on Mari's door with his short arm, left the tray in front of it, and walked away.
A moment later—
Creak. The door opened just a crack, a white hand slid out and pulled the tray in, thud, the door shut again.
"…Wow! Incredible. A shut-in hikikomori with extreme social anxiety."
"But it looks like she's opened up to Rajiks."
"Rajiks is her servant human. Hamster."
Is that why?
"But, uh, Summoner Bong—don't you have any friends?"
"…"
What?
You picking a fight?
"You should go out sometimes, meet friends, have hobbies and stuff. It's good for mental health."
"…"
Like he didn't know that.
"You should go to reunions and things."
You need to get invited first.
"Reunions are great, ain't they?"
"…What's great about them?"
Kosak spoke excitedly.
"One day you get a message about a reunion, and Summoner Bong shows up looking like a homeless guy among all your classmates. Then they'll think like this."
Like what?
"'Tsk tsk, Bong Juhyeok—life treating you rough these days? You look like a jobless bum. Came to ruin the reunion? How dare you show up to this sacred gathering dressed like that? You here to sell us jade mats?'"
Hmm.
"But then, when the reunion ends and everyone's heading home, Summoner Bong pulls out his car key and clicks it—bam! Over there, a Bentley flashes its headlights and roars to life… Kyaaah!"
A story he'd seen somewhere before.
"They all stare in shock like, 'Whoa! Whose car is that?' mouths hanging open—then Summoner Bong gets into the Bentley, bam!"
…He could actually imagine it.
"The looks of contempt instantly turn into looks of admiration. 'That car was Juhyeok's? He made it!' And then you say one line."
What line?
"That 61-story building you see over there? It's actually mine. Come hang out sometime."
"…"
Was this guy reading web novels lately?
"I read chaebol novels."
"Yeah, yeah. Enjoy."
"Yes, sir!"
Well, he didn't need to go to reunions anyway.
Look how many friends he had right here.
No matter the race, gender, or age.
If anything, he was more worried about Mari, the shut-in alchemist.
She needed to get close to the other summoned beings soon.
Might as well talk to her now.
He invited her to a private chat.
: Knock knock, what are you doing?
: I'm playing on my tablet.
She wasn't getting into comment wars or leaving hateful comments on weird sites, was she?
: Um, when you talk to other people, could you at least avoid swearing?
: I'll try.
She was so normal at times.
: What kind of discipline is alchemy? Making potions, elixirs, brews?
: Yes. As long as I have the materials, anything's possible. The most commonly used are herbs.
Herbs.
Tower materials whose true nature had yet to be fully revealed.
Research was ongoing, but there were still no meaningful results.
But now that Mari had been summoned, the day herbs would be properly used was likely not far off.
: What kinds of medicines can you make?
: Well, healing potions, elixirs for magic power, strength, agility, wisdom, and even permanent elixirs that increase abilities.
: Mass production?
: As much as you want, if there are enough materials.
That sounded promising.
Potions did drop as Tower rewards.
But the quantities were pitifully small, and the prices were high.
Mass production?
If they could be bought freely at low prices, players would be much safer.
: Can you make other things too? Like runes, for example?
: Runes?
: Runes of Trait Enhancement.
: Hmm… that's impossible. Nectar or elixirs, maybe.
Nectar and elixirs?
: Nectar is great. If you drink it, Summoner, you'll live a very long time. You won't age and you'll stay healthy.
: Like a rejuvenation potion?
: That's bottom-tier nectar. Only ten years.
So a rejuvenation potion was low-grade nectar.
: What about elixirs?
: It depends on the type. Elixir of Enhancement, Elixir of Resurrection, Elixir of Healing.
Oh!
That was tempting.
: What do you need to make elixirs?
: For top-grade production, the main materials are a dragon heart, phoenix feathers, the fruit of the World Tree, top-grade magic crystals… and the Philosopher's Stone.
…What?
Where was he supposed to find those?
: I have the Philosopher's Stone. You just need to get the rest of the materials.
And that was the real problem.
: Do you know where to get them? Is it possible in the Tower?
: Of course. They all come from the Tower.
: Which floors?
: At least the 80th floor or higher.
: Ah, right.
Still a pipe dream for now.
Does that mean dragons start appearing beyond the 80th floor?
Hmm.
Nothing comes easy after all.
Even after summoning an LSSR-rank alchemist.
What should he do?
Climb again?
Not yet.
After Gobang comes back.
: I'll work hard to gather the materials and bring them to you. You don't need to enter the Tower, Mari—just work comfortably in your room.
Alchemists were non-combat personnel.
And she liked being alone anyway.
: I can help in combat too.
: Of course. Just making elixirs would already be a huge help.
: Not elixirs—um, there's something I already made… I'll give it to you now.
Give me what?
Suddenly—
The door creaked open.
A round object about the size of a basketball rolled out, thump thump.
"Huh?"
Juhyeok walked over and picked it up to examine it.
A silver metallic sphere.
A perfect sphere without a single seam.
: It's a homunculus. A masterpiece that only high-level alchemists can synthesize. If you have enough of them, they can even fight a dragon.
Homunculus—
Latin for "little human."
: I can make more. As long as there's enough Tower metals like adamant and orichalcum, rare herbs, and magic stones—
But it didn't match his expectations at all.
This is a homunculus?
It didn't even look human.
Just a ball.
Made of metal, and quite heavy.
What was he supposed to do with this?
Play catch with monsters?
: Um, sorry, but could you make a small cut on your finger and smear some blood on the sphere?
: How much?
: Just a little.
…
Damn, he didn't want to hurt himself.
Still, he decided to do as she said.
Juhyeok went to the sink, pricked the tip of his finger with a kitchen knife, and drew some blood.
Then he touched the metal sphere.
Ziiing.
The sphere vibrated.
At the same time, it shone brilliantly.
Like the sun.
And then—
"Ah!"
He felt something.
Juhyeok and the metal sphere—
They were connecting.
He stood there blankly for a long while.
And at the same time, he realized it.
How to use it.
Juhyeok let go of the metal sphere.
Thud! It fell to the floor—
Chwarararak!
And shattered apart.
The fragments bounced across the floor as they kept breaking down.
Small pieces into even smaller pieces.
Smaller pieces into even smaller ones.
At last, the metal sphere became countless tiny silver grains, piling up on the living room floor.
Tiny silver grains.
But he knew—
These weren't mere fragments.
Each and every one of them was, in fact, an individual homunculus.
Juhyeok manifested his will.
Come to me.
Tststst!
The silver grains moved.
Like living snakes, they clumped together, wrapped around his clothes, and crawled up his body.
Tstststst!
What did they look like?
They were so small that you had to look closely to see them.
Each one was about 5 mm in size.
They were shaped like people.
Just a head, torso, arms, and legs.
No eyes, nose, or mouth.
So that's why they're called homunculi—little humans.
If he had to compare them—
They were like pictograms.
The symbols used on restroom signs, traffic signs, emergency exits, or to represent sports—
Those human-shaped icons.
That's what these grain-like homunculi looked like.
Roughly tens of thousands of them.
They're like nanorobots.
Controlled by his will.
This wasn't an ordinary alchemical item.
It was made by Mari, an LSSR-rank alchemist.
And it could even be used in the real world.
I'll need to practice.
Until he mastered it.
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