WSGCT Chapter 20

Even on “Black Tower Climbing Gallery,” Korea’s largest tower-climbing community site, consecutive S++ rank clears remained a major topic of discussion. The site attracted both players and civilians alike.

└ “The Orc section is one thing, but the Trolls will be tough.”

└ “I tried it myself. It was no joke.”

└ “Heh, how do you deal with that terrifying regeneration? I gave up on the 30th floor climbs back then.”

└ “Just cut off their heads.”

└ “Like that’s easy?”

└ “The comment above seems right. The 25th floor announcement came three days ago, but nothing since then.”

└ “Must be fake. Honestly, Trolls are impossible.”

└ “What a disappointment. Gave up at the 26th floor, huh?”

└ “Don’t talk about disappointment. Getting to the 25th floor is already amazing. Has anyone else even cleared one floor?”

The reason for no announcements in the past three days was simple – the protagonist of these clears was busy moving. But who would know that?

Suddenly!

The comment section exploded with activity.

└ “Huh?”

└ “Whoa!”

└ “Oh!”

└ “Wow.”

└ “What?”

└ “K-…”

└ “Really?”

└ “They’re insane. Absolutely insane.”

└ “Holy shit! This is legit!”

Comments kept pouring in, mostly from verified player accounts.

└ “What’s going on?”

└ “It just dropped. 26th floor S++ rank clear.”

└ “So Trolls were nothing after all. Who said someone gave up? Better apologize.”

└ “Who are they? I want to see their face.”

└ “If their identity gets revealed, they’ll be more popular than Yoo Cheol-min!”

The emergence of a new hero – consecutive S++ rank clears up to the 26th floor of Korea’s Black Tower.

The impact grew stronger. People were ecstatic with national pride, while media outlets and broadcasters moved quickly. Already-known players appeared on TV talk shows to share their stories and discuss just how remarkable these S++ rank clears were.

Major corporations moved swiftly too. Il-sung Group was first to strike:

<Il-sung Electronics! Two-Week Big Sale on Electronic Appliances!> <Celebrating 26th Floor S++ Clear! Starting at 26% Off!>

They promised 26% off for the 27th floor S++ clear, 28% for the 28th floor – continuing this promotion for two weeks.

It even affected the stock market. Korea’s stock values surged dramatically, with the composite stock price index soaring to unprecedented heights.

※ ※ ※

Ding dong!

The doorbell rang at his new apartment.

Click!

Opening the door…

“Player Bong Juhyeok, your delivery is here. Ten whole fried chickens, correct?”

“Ah, y-yes, sorry for the trouble.”

Mild food for Kozak. After his promotion to SS-rank, he declared he couldn’t remain a spice wimp anymore and boldly tried tteokbokki – only to fail spectacularly and nearly meet his end.

“That’s quite a lot of food.”

“Well, I get really hungry after finishing a clear…”

“Haha, you could be a mukbang YouTuber! Here you go.”

“…Thank you.”

This was part of the residential service at the Player Officetel. Deliveries only went to the first-floor security office, with building staff handling delivery to individual units. They took care of other errands too – dropping off and picking up clothes from the dry cleaners, dispatching cleaners when needed.

Living in a Player Officetel had countless perks. The building had everything – restaurants for three meals a day, coffee shops, a gym, coin karaoke, dry cleaners, even a swimming pool.

I should have moved in earlier.

This level of luxury was a first in his 25 years of life.

Getting caught with the S++ clear during my awakening assessment turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

At first, he thought it was a disaster. He’d only aimed for a regular contract, planning to quietly clear floors and leave, but then that got exposed?

How much he’d regretted it then.

I should have just done repeat missions instead of clearing new floors, then it wouldn’t have been discovered.

And why did Kozak have to make such a fuss?

Shitty Summoned Being Principle #3.

But that incident led to his Elite team contract. Normally, such contracts were impossible without body cam footage, as Elite contracts were decided based on clear videos.

He was probably the only one who got an Elite contract without video recording.

I thought Elite Players would be extremely dangerous and die quickly in the tower.

Now it was amazing. How could someone’s mind change so drastically?

Well, whatever. That’s just how wimp men are.

He’d just finished his 26th floor S++ clear moments ago. The mission was to eliminate 20 Swamp Trolls.

The 26th floor was notorious for its difficulty, but not because of the Swamp Trolls’ regeneration.

No, it was the swamp environment that drove people mad.

Of course, with his Shadow Step skill, he’d managed relatively easily.

Juhyeok had taken down one himself. Under the protection of the barbaric Gobang and SS-rank Kozak, he’d smashed a Swamp Troll’s head. Thanks to the power of Lightning Thunder Strike, the Troll couldn’t even regenerate.

“Since we worked hard, let’s have some chicken…”

In the living room, Kozak and Gobang knelt properly, completely absorbed in the TV.

“…heh.”

“…”

A music chart program showing vivacious girl group members dancing and singing.

“Um, hello?”

They completely ignored him.

Well, it made sense. His old apartment had a worn-out 27-inch TV. The officetel came with an 85-inch one. The quality and size weren’t even comparable.

It was like they were experiencing a whole new world, so he understood.

“…Don’t you want chicken?”

Ah!

They were no different from 3-year-olds captivated by children’s cartoons.

Juhyeok put down the chicken in a corner and joined them watching TV.

They are pretty.

With vibrant teens and twenty-somethings showing off cool outfits, exciting dances, and songs, who would care about mere chicken?

But when the girl group segment ended and a boy group came on, their interest magically vanished.

“Oh! Is that fried chicken?”

“I’m having more.”

Now they notice the chicken?

“Kozak?”

“Yesh?” he answered with a mouthful.

“Do you have a girlfriend? Or did you ever have one?”

“Never dated… I mean, never had one.”

How ridiculous.

“Ah, anyway, dating is forbidden… Maintaining sharp tension is crucial for an assassin. It’s our fate.”

“Right, right.”

Sharp tension?

Who is he talking about?

“But why doesn’t Summoner Bong have a girlfriend?”

Counter-attack, is it?

I’ll throw it right back.

“…It’s an Elite Player’s fate. I’m worried dating might weaken my, um, indomitable willpower…”

“Oh! Just like me! People with great responsibilities never have time for dating.”

“R-right? If I hadn’t awakened as a Player, I might have had a girlfriend.”

“Hehehehehe!”

“Hahahaha!”

Wimp men always achieve victory through self-rationalization.

Mental victory, that is.

“By the way, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“It’s your housewarming, but I couldn’t even buy you tissues.”

“Tissues? What…”

“Ah! Are we going straight to the 27th floor tomorrow?”

“Since we’ve started with the 26th, might as well push through to the 29th.”

“Yes sir!”

The 30th floor was on hold. The cooldown for random summons was approaching – 13 days left.

After finishing the 29th floor, ten days would remain. They’d tackle the 30th floor’s 80 Trolls and Twin-headed Troll with one more summoned ally.

And for those ten days?

Time to practice skills while repeating easier floors.

※ ※ ※

Juhyeok’s mother, Hong Geum-ja, shook hands with Attorney Lee Chang-seok, expressing her gratitude.

“Thank you for your hard work, Attorney. We won thanks to you.”

“Hahaha! I should have gotten you more compensation. Only 1 billion won…”

“No, this is enough. I’m donating it anyway.”

“Are you sure that’s alright?”

“I planned to donate from the start.”

“Then I won’t take my fee either.”

The case didn’t even need to go to trial. Public opinion wasn’t favorable, and decisively, when they threatened to change water purifiers in all government offices nationwide, Jin Spring Water Purifier Company surrendered completely.

“Oh! Shall I look into suitable places for donation?”

“Please do. Focus on orphanages if possible, and list my son as the donor.”

“Your son’s…”

“Juhyeok, Bong Juhyeok.”

“Yes! I’ll handle it right away.”

Though they’d won compensation and received apologies from both the abusive customer and headquarters, Hong Geum-ja’s expression wasn’t particularly bright.

How could she not worry about her son’s activities as a Player?

She could only desperately pray – pray that nothing would happen to him.

His father, Bong Cheol-su, was in Il-sung Hospital’s VIP room.

It was a luxurious hospital room with a reception area, premium sofa, caregiver’s bed, and spacious bathroom.

Perhaps that’s why his second son, Bong Minhyeok, came straight to the hospital after school.

“Son?”

“Yes!”

“Is this your house? Are you punching in for work?”

“Ah! It’s just so comfortable here. Plus, caregivers’ meals are free, and the food is amazing.”

“We’re moving soon anyway.”

“I’ll stay until then.”

This brat.

Coming to the hospital not to care for his father but for his own comfort?

Does this kid have no friends?

Well, understandable.

He’s his own son after all.

He’d just received a call from his eldest son earlier.

Seemed he was doing well, which was reassuring.

It was still a mystery though.

Why had he decided to become a Player?

If it had been Minhyeok, he wouldn’t have even considered it.

“Father, you can stop worrying about brother. I looked it up, and Elite Players have a much lower mortality rate than regular Players.”

“Is that so?”

“They get dedicated support teams and essential items for clearing.”

Still, he couldn’t help but worry.

“Turn on the TV. Let’s see if your mother’s story made the news.”

“The news channel?”

“Yeah.”

Just then, breaking news appeared:

<Korea’s Black Tower 26th Floor S++ Rank Clear Success!>

“Amazing, truly amazing. How did they manage 26 consecutive clears?”

“That’s all the kids at school talk about these days.”

“By the way, what floor did Juhyeok say he was clearing?”

“When he called yesterday, he said he was in the 20s. Don’t know the exact floor.”

“Hmm.”

Bong Cheol-su tilted his head thoughtfully.

“There’s no way the S++ rank clearer could be your brother, right?”

“Oh father, there you go again. Just eat your food. Let’s stick to what’s possible.”

“Then was your brother getting an Elite contract possible?”

“Huh? Well, that’s true. That was unexpected too… But there’s no way it’s brother, right? We’re talking about one of the most famous Players in the world.”

“Right? I was just thinking out loud.”

Though neither of them knew much about the Black Tower,

They understood how remarkable S++ rank was.

The conditions that measured a Player’s talent:

Courage and fighting spirit, never-give-up attitude, unbreakable will…

Unfortunately, their son Juhyeok didn’t possess any of these qualities.

Far from being a chad.

Just a typical wimp.

※ ※ ※

Black Tower 27th Floor.

The mission: Eliminate 20 Ice Trolls within 4 hours.

Like the Swamp Troll mission, the environment was the real challenge.

They had to hunt Ice Trolls on treacherous peaks covered in eternal snow.

He’d completed a mission in a similar environment before.

The cold had been terrifying, piercing even through his padding jacket.

When Players first attempted to clear Ice Trolls, the cold was their biggest struggle.

It became relatively easier after items were developed.

Ding dong!

Opening the door to the doorbell…

“Player Bong, I’ve brought what you requested.”

It was Team Leader Jeon Kwang-il.

He’d come to deliver the items Juhyeok had requested to borrow.

“I’m so grateful for your constant attention.”

“Not at all. Supporting Elite Players in tower clearing is our job.”

“I’ll use them well and return them.”

“Good luck with the 27th floor then.”

What Jeon Kwang-il brought was a full set of leather armor made from Volcano Orc hide, including shoes and hat.

Nothing better existed for protection against cold.

Volcano Orc hide occasionally dropped as a reward while clearing the 24th floor.

But why don’t I ever get item rewards?

Day after day, just magic stones, occasional tower-exclusive healing potions,

Even the energy barrier was a special benefit.

Let’s go.

Calling Gobang and Kozak…

[Entering Floor 27 of Korea’s Black Tower]

Whoosh…

Frigid wind whipped around them the moment they entered.

The cold was noticeable even in the safe zone.

But they weren’t cold.

The subtle warmth from the Volcano Orc hide actually made it almost too hot.

“Gobang, aren’t you cold?”

“Warriors don’t feel cold.”

“Kozak?”

“Um, I’m SS-rank, SS-rank! Ch-ch-chatter, c-cold is nothing before m-magic, ch-ch-chatter… I c-can dispel it!”

Judging by his chattering teeth, he seemed quite cold.

“…Wanna wear this?”

“Eek! N-no. Ch-ch-chatter, if I m-move, ch-ch-chatter, it’ll get b-better.”

Better hurry up.

After receiving the mission…

Thump thump thump thump!

Gobang climbed the snowy mountain without a care.

If he just had the brains, Gobang would’ve been the real SS-rank.

Kozak went berserk.

The assassin Kozak ran around wildly as if trying to overcome the cold.

Wow, it’s so warm.

It felt like being in a heated room, wrapped in a blanket.

He could almost fall asleep.

Good items were definitely worth their price.

Should I start moving?

He should at least take down one.

That’s when it happened.

[Ice Troll Elimination 20/20]

[27th Floor Mission Complete]

[Level Up]

[Reward: Magic Stone 2.7kg]

[Reward: Tower-exclusive Rolandian Paladin Commander’s Holy Sword]

“Huh?”

Already?

He hadn’t even warmed up yet.

[Notice: You have achieved S++ rank for Black Tower (Korea) Floor 27 clear]

[S++ Clear Reward: Platinum Badge awarded]

Kozak stood there with red cheeks, snot running down his nose.

“Hehehe,”

Sniff!

The hanging snot shot back up into his nostril.

“…”

Must have wanted to finish quickly because of the cold.

How cold was it?

Anyway…

Finally got an item reward.

And a weapon at that.

[Reward: Tower-exclusive Rolandian Paladin Commander’s Holy Sword]

It was a black sword…

It’s a two-handed sword.

Even holding it with one hand was burdensome.

It’s just mindlessly thrusting and slashing.

Having to see blood up close.

“Hmm…”

He already had a sturdy mace, so why bother?

He’d have to dispose of it later.