WSGCT Chapter 12

Juhyeok, Kozak, and the barbarian meat shield Gobang—the three of them ascended together.

Yesterday was the 16th floor, and today they tackled the 17th.

[Entering the 17th floor of the Black Tower, Republic of Korea.]

[Your physical abilities have been enhanced to match your level.]

[Characteristic and combat skills are now available for use.]

“Whoa!”

Juhyeok felt power surging through him.

Muscles flexing, mana flowing, senses sharpening.

If this was what level 17 felt like, he wondered what it would be like past level 30.

In the safe zone, he stretched, took out his adamant mace from the tower-exclusive inventory, activated his energy shield with a zing!, and placed healing potions in his pocket for quick access.

“Mr. Kozak, Mr. Gobang, let’s move,” Juhyeok commanded.

“Yes, sir!” Kozak replied crisply.

“Gobang go,” the barbarian grunted.

The 17th floor’s mission was to exterminate goblin warriors.

These were intelligent monsters equipped with shields, swords, and armor, capable of strategic and tactical movements.

As they ventured deeper inside, the mission appeared:

[17th Floor Mission: Defeat 30 Goblin Warriors.]

The number to defeat was also 30.

At that very moment.

Thump thump, clank clank clank clank!

Goblin warrior units appeared from three directions—front, right, and left—marching in perfect formation.

Thirty in each direction, totaling 90.

Almost a company-sized force.

They were orderly and disciplined.

Armed with swords and shields, wearing rattan armor and helmets, they exuded the aura of elite troops.

Juhyeok wondered how other players had tackled this floor.

Typically, when the goblin warrior units appeared, players would retreat to the safe zone.

Then, after waiting a while and returning, the company-sized force would have dispersed. The goblin warriors would patrol in groups of three, allowing players to lure and defeat them in manageable numbers.

This process was extremely difficult.

If six goblins were lured instead of three, players would have to immediately declare mission abandonment.

It was somewhat easier for ranged players.

They could use skills from afar to take out one or two at a time, then dart back to the safe zone.

But for summoner Juhyeok…

“Mr. Gobang!”

“Summoner called me.”

“Can you handle these guys?”

“Kill all.”

“Sweep them away.”

With just this command,

“Kuwaaaaah!!!”

Thump thump thump thump!

The barbarian warrior Gobang charged towards the goblin warrior units.

Goblin warriors stood at less than 1.5m tall.

In contrast, barbarian Gobang towered over 3m.

His body was pure muscle, thick and powerful.

Moreover, he possessed the monstrous strength to rip off the heads of super-beasts like the Hydra.

Bam bam bam bam!

Goblin warriors were sent flying into the air, reduced to bloody pulps.

Their weapons?

Couldn’t even penetrate his skin.

Their armor?

Torn to shreds.

“Wow, that stupid bastard Gobang, I’m speechless,” Kozak marveled.

“…”

It was like watching a K2 Black Panther tank crushing 90 bicycles.

Strategy and tactics?

Those only work when the sides are somewhat evenly matched.

The assassin Kozak joined the fray as well.

[Notice: You have achieved an S++ grade conquest on the 17th floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]

[S++ Conquest Reward: A Platinum Badge is awarded.]

They pressed on.

Next was the 18th floor conquest.

The 18th floor featured goblin assassins.

Surprisingly, these monsters could use stealth.

Their stealth skill was of a very low level, so if one concentrated, they could faintly see their movements.

In some ways, this made things easier.

Once you saw through their stealth, they were nothing.

But it was by no means an easy task.

Assassins are cunning.

They often employed tactics where one goblin assassin would pretend to have its stealth broken to lure players, while others lay in ambush to launch surprise attacks.

On the 18th floor, Kozak shone.

As an accomplished assassin himself:

“You must be tired of watching that stupid Gobang’s crude conquests. Let me show you what a refined conquest looks like,” Kozak boasted. He could take out these novice goblin assassins with his eyes closed. Kozak demonstrated what true stealth was.

Swoosh!

“Assassin disappeared. Coward. Bad guy,” Gobang commented.

“…He’s not that bad of a person,” Juhyeok defended.

“Understand. Assassin good. Go help.”

Thump thump thump thump.

Gobang moved forward but just scratched his head. He couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t see them. Still, he swung his arms wildly in all directions, and…

Thwack!

By sheer luck, a goblin assassin was caught in his hand and turned into a bloody pulp.

“Keeek!”

Meanwhile.

Slash, slash slash!

The sound of Kozak’s blade work filled the air.

His kill count rapidly increased.

[Completion Condition: Goblin Assassins 7/30]

He was swift and silent.

The 17th floor had been Gobang’s showcase.

The 18th floor was Kozak’s time to shine.

‘What should I do?’ Juhyeok wondered. He had lugged this adamant mace here, bought for 2 million won, but hadn’t even swung it once. Not on the 16th floor, not on the 17th, and not even now on the 18th. There was no real need to fight, but…

‘Should I give it a try?’

Trusting in his energy shield. And his Shadow Step skill. The more he used it, the more fun it became.

Juhyeok moved in the opposite direction from Kozak.

As he was walking casually…

Swoosh!

‘Huh?’

Tssk!

A goblin revealed itself behind him, thrusting a dagger towards his back.

“Shit! Fuck!”

It was a crisis.

He had to dodge.

Swoosh! Swoooosh!

His body moved instinctively the moment he became aware.

Shadow Step.

But he didn’t just run away.

He came here to swing his mace at least once, after all.

What was the most effective way to counter?

A path formed in his mind.

Swoosh! Swooooosh!

In an instant, he was behind the goblin assassin.

With his sturdy adamant mace,

Swish!

Crunch!

Right on the noggin.

“Keek?”

The goblin, struck in a vital point, crumpled flat.

Simultaneously, his kill count increased.

‘…I-it died?’

Did he just kill it?

With the mace?

‘…Hmm.’

It was his first experience, so he felt a bit dazed.

He had finally achieved his first monster kill directly on the 18th floor.

A truly monumental event.

But this was no time to dwell on it.

Another goblin assassin had appeared out of nowhere.

“Kekek!”

Leap!

The 1.5m tall goblin assassin jumped high, aiming for Juhyeok’s neck.

‘…This little shit.’

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Juhyeok’s form disappeared and reappeared as if teleporting,

Whirling around the goblin, disorienting it, then…

Swish!

Crunch!

Smash!

“Kek!”

Another kill.

‘Ah.’

His hands were trembling.

His heart was pounding.

Adrenaline surged through him.

It was strange.

Unexpectedly, it wasn’t bad at all.

‘One more?’

Sure enough, another goblin assassin appeared.

Swoosh! Swoooosh!

His body reacted before his mind.

Ah!

The world seemed to slow down.

The goblin’s blade movements appeared to be in slow motion.

Swoosh!

He got behind it,

Smash!

Crunch!

“Keee…”

It didn’t die in one hit?

Probably because he lacked any proper attack skills.

Well then,

Swish!

Crunch!

Another blow.

Next?

No more?

But then.

[Notice: You have achieved an S++ grade conquest on the 18th floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]

[S++ Conquest Reward: A Platinum Badge is awarded.]

He must have landed the finishing blow.

He had completed the mission himself.

‘…This is actually…’

Pretty damn good?

‘How did I…’

Even though he had done it himself, he could hardly believe it.

When he wanted to get behind the goblin assassin using Shadow Step, he had followed the exact path he had visualized in his mind. Lowering his posture, he slipped into blind spots, rotating his body to naturally end up behind the enemy. With each change of direction, he left behind deep shadows.

Smooth and fluid movements.

How long had he been practicing Shadow Step?

‘Did I really do that?’

He noticed Gobang and Kozak standing dumbfounded in the distance.

One was staring blankly at him, while the other was shaking his head and sighing deeply.

[You can now challenge the 19th floor.]

[Exiting the Black Tower of the Republic of Korea.]

***

In the office of Commissioner Park Kyung-soo in Hannam-dong, Seoul.

Lee Min-ah, a player and department head at the Management Office, clenched her fist and exclaimed:

“The general notice just came in. 18th floor, S++ conquest successful!”

“Excellent!”

“There’s no stopping them. They must have prepared thoroughly.” 

Commissioner Park’s face flushed red with excitement.

“To be honest, I want to just reveal everything. Announce that this person is the one who achieved 18 consecutive S++ conquests in the Republic of Korea’s tower!”

“You shouldn’t say such things, even as a joke. We need to provide unwavering support quietly and discreetly so they can climb up to the 60s,” Min-ah cautioned.

“I’m just saying how proud I am.”

Bong Juhyeok was no longer a simple contract player.

He was now an ultra-special player who needed even more delicate care than the elite team.

“Is tomorrow the 19th floor?”

“That’s highly likely, but I hope they take it a bit slower. The pace is too fast.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

It wasn’t just the Management Office.

The entire Republic of Korea was abuzz.

The general notice sent to players affiliated with Korea’s Black Tower quickly spread to the general public.

Even the 9 o’clock news on public broadcasting reported:

-A new wind is blowing in the ascent of the Republic of Korea’s Black Tower. Despite a 20-day gap, an unprecedented record of 18 consecutive S++ grade conquests has been achieved, rewriting the history of tower climbing.

-Not only players but also ordinary citizens are amazed, and all eyes are on how far this record will continue. The mysterious player is estimated to be currently at level 19…

-There’s also controversy surrounding the identity of the S++ player. The prevailing opinion is that they’re a newly recruited elite player by the Awakened Management Office, but the office remains silent on this matter…

Regular and elite players were also greatly encouraged.

Suddenly, the Republic of Korea’s magic stone production had increased dramatically.

Regular players who were considering giving up on climbing started conquering again, and those who had settled on lower floors attempted to climb to new floors.

Elite team players were no different.

Jealousy, competitiveness, and pride.

With full national support for the elite team, why couldn’t they do it?

Internet message boards were heating up.

It was all about S++.

└ It’s 18. 18.

└ Honestly, when there was no notice for two weeks, I thought it was over. Either dead or given up.

└ How far will they go? Maybe 20 floors, but 30 seems difficult.

└ I’ll bet my balls they won’t stop at the 20th floor.

└ I’m a woman? And I think they’ll probably continue into the 30s.

└ But about that person’s identity. They must be an elite, right?

└ Who else could it be if not an elite? That’s why they’re keeping it so secret. Afraid other countries might poach them.

Player BJs broadcasting on YouCube also joined in…

Typically level 30-something regular contract players who revealed their faces while broadcasting.

-So, this is the 18th floor. The most recent floor where an S++ record was set. Do you see that faint figure passing by that tree? Yes, that’s an assassin. I’ll try to catch one.

└ Bro, what’s a level 35 doing on the 18th floor?

└ Don’t we know what the 18th floor is like?

└ Why don’t you try challenging the 35th floor again? I’ll donate 100,000 won if you do.

└ Would he do it? He barely managed to declare abandonment in the safe zone after attempting the 35th floor.

The response was explosive.

Now, people’s interest focused on one thing:

What about the 19th floor, known to be mentally challenging?

The 20th floor, nicknamed the “1st Talent Detector”?

Could they achieve S++ records on these floors that were difficult for most to even pass?

***

Meanwhile,

The atmosphere in Juhyeok’s studio apartment wasn’t very good. The assassin John Kozak had a distant look in his eyes.

“Whew…”

He sighed as if the ground might cave in.

“Haaa…”

What’s wrong with him?

‘Did I do something wrong?’ Juhyeok wondered.

Regardless of Kozak’s sighing, the barbarian Gobang was devouring 10 large-size pizzas as if they were candy, peeling off the box packaging and tossing them into his mouth one by one.

“Tell me, what exactly did I do wrong?” Juhyeok asked.

“Um, ah, well, you see,” Kozak stammered, hesitating before finally speaking. “…It’s too fast.”

“What is?”

“The speed at which you’re realizing your talent.”

“Huh?”

Did he hear that right?

What nonsense.

“Realizing talent? Who? Surely not me?”

“Who else but you, Summoner Bong?”

This was ridiculous.

“Me… having talent?” Juhyeok asked incredulously.

“Yes.”

A timid wimp?

“Come on, that’s gotta be a joke!”

“If you don’t have talent, Summoner Bong, then who does?”

“It-it must be a misunderstanding,” Juhyeok protested.

“You felt it too when you used your skill earlier, didn’t you? It was a beautiful Shadow Walker—I mean, Shadow Step—even I would struggle to perform,” Kozak insisted.

Was it really that good?

It was hard to accept.

But even the barbarian Gobang chimed in:

“Our summoner, shiny shiny and hit good.”

Even with others praising him, it still didn’t feel real.

Kozak continued in a plaintive voice:

“It’s troublesome for you to realize your talent so early in these lower floors. You’ll gradually find combat more enjoyable. You’ll gain confidence. And the risk will increase proportionally. Bravery is dangerous.”

“I-I know that…” Juhyeok stammered.

“If you had started with about 10 special benefits, it might be different, but haaa, this is too fast,” Kozak lamented.

“…”

“Didn’t we agree from the start? Safety first, self-preservation!”

That’s right.

They had.

But why had he acted differently?

It was a completely different direction from his initial intentions.

He must have lost his mind.

However,

‘Talent, huh.’

The memory was still vivid.

The exhilaration of successfully using a skill.

The thrill of his first hunt.

‘How strange.’

Kozak had always insisted:

A brave summoner is poison.

He had fully understood and agreed.

So he had been as cautious as possible.

‘But…’

Now his thoughts were a bit different.