Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: The Big Brother's Gift
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Joo-hyuk decided to stop worrying further.
The North Korean tower wasn't about to collapse immediately, and there was no need to fret over things that hadn't even happened yet.
The summoned beings' concerns?
They always tended to be a bit dramatic.
They were even blocking tower conquests, for goodness' sake.
North Korea's threats were hardly a rare occurrence.
They were the kind to launch ballistic missiles at the drop of a hat and talk about turning Seoul into a sea of fire.
Even the public had grown used to it by now.
Joo-hyuk drove his Bentley toward the Korean Awakening Management Bureau.
He took the wheel himself.
Cars on the road automatically gave way.
Not that they needed to, but still.
It felt somewhat... puffed up.
From now on, he wouldn't have to borrow someone else's car for outings.
Why would he, when he had his own?
And the time for hiding his identity had long passed.
He was even on his way to meet the US Secretary of Homeland Security.
He was told the Secretary had brought a handwritten letter of thanks from the US President for rescuing Gerald.
His life as a 25-year-old high school graduate hopping between part-time jobs had now become one where he drove a Bentley and met with US cabinet members.
Anyway, driving safely, he arrived at the main gate of the Awakening Management Bureau, where he met Deputy Director Jeon Gwang-il.
"Welcome."
"Am I a bit late?"
"Not at all! You're right on time."
Joo-hyuk finished parking the Bentley and entered the bureau.
Secretary MacMillan's visit to Korea was unofficial,
solely to meet him, he was told.
There were no official events.
Perhaps that's why no reporters were in sight either.
Joo-hyuk entered the Director's office with Deputy Director Jeon Gwang-il.
And finally met Secretary MacMillan.
The same person he'd seen on TV.
MacMillan smiled brightly and offered a handshake.
"Finally get to see you. Player Bong!"
"..."
There was an interpreter beside him, but for the first greeting,
"...How do you do, nice to meet you."
"Pleased to meet you."
MacMillan, firmly holding Joo-hyuk's hand, spoke.
"I wanted to say it myself. Thank you so much. For saving Gerald."
"...You're welcome. It was a chance opportunity, probably with divine help."
"Hahaha! Just as I heard, you're humble."
It was true.
It really was a coincidence.
He just wanted to see what a Tower Intrusion Ticket was.
MacMillan held Joo-hyuk's hand for a long time, not letting go.
He kept saying something while doing so...
Sigh.
He wanted to finish this and go home quickly.
"This is a handwritten letter from President Lloyd at the White House. Here..."
Right.
He came to receive this.
Joo-hyuk carefully accepted the letter and unfolded it.
'...'
It's in English.
He didn't like it.
Why write a thank-you letter in English to a Korean?
Did they think all Koreans could read English?
"There's a translated version on the back."
"Ah! Yes, yes."
There was nothing special.
Just thanking him for this and that, basically thanking him for everything.
Could he go now?
He needed to go grocery shopping at the mart today.
There were many mouths to feed.
The monthly food expenses are no joke.
And Gobang, would return soon.
He needed to stock the refrigerator full for him, with his hearty appetite.
Gobang would become LSSR grade, so he wondered how much he'd eat.
"Oh! And also..."
Secretary MacMillan took something out of his bag.
"This is a modest gift from the United States to Player Bong."
"...Thank you."
It really didn't look modest.
A small metal box.
"You can open it now."
Joo-hyuk opened the metal box door without any expectations.
Click!
"Hmm."
It's something he'd seen a lot.
What was it? It looked exactly like a Trait Enhancement Rune...
"Huh?"
What's this?
He rubbed his eyes and looked again.
No mistake.
With trembling hands, he picked it up and checked the item information.
Trait Enhancement Rune
📍 Effect: Enhances the player's trait by one stage upon consumption.
A simple, clear description.
No chance of mistaking it for an Additional Trait Rune.
A real Trait Enhancement Rune.
Oh my, this precious thing?
"I hope you like it. Hahaha."
Ahhh.
Mr. Secretary, our Mr. Secretary.
He likeed it.
Why wouldn't he?
"Not that I'm asking for anything in return, but this was hard to get."
Of course.
It's hard to get.
If it were easy, He'd have enhanced his trait 100 times by now.
"It's an item purchased through secret contact with the black market. I truly hope it helps."
The Ordinary Guy's chest swelled with grandeur.
Joo-hyuk approached Secretary MacMillan and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you very much! Big Brother!"
"...What?"
"If there are any floors you find hard to conquer later, let me know right away."
"Uhm, ah, okay."
As expected of Big Brother America.
To be so generous.
He should reflect on himself for doubting his magnanimity, even if just for a moment.
Well, the gift from Crown Prince Bin Salalah of the UAE was also appreciated.
A supercar is nice too.
But it's dangerous to drive.
How many traffic accidents happen in a day?
A wristwatch?
He had a metal allergy, so he didn't wear one often anyway.
Then, carefully placing the Trait Enhancement Rune into his inventory...
Suddenly!
A ticklish sensation on the back of his head.
Simultaneously, a gloomy aura washed over him.
'What's this?'
Turning his head,
'...Oh.'
Two people were standing there like stuffed sacks of barley.
Director Park Kyung-su and Deputy Director Jeon Gwang-il.
Their expressions were complicated.
Well!
How could they feel good seeing their nation's top player hugging a foreign minister so intimately like that?
'Did I show too much that I liked it?'
I should have managed my expression.
They seemed uneasy.
Perhaps they were worried he might naturalize to the US.
Eh.
He wasn't going to America.
He was just making a fuss out of gratitude.
Joo-hyuk left the Awakening Management Bureau again and headed home.
There was no time for grocery shopping at the mart.
He wanted to treat Secretary MacMillan to a meal at a chicken restaurant in Dongdaemun, but seeing Park Kyung-su and Jeon Gwang-il's looks, he just left.
'If I consume this rune, it'll be the 7th trait enhancement, right?'
The first special benefit, the encore benefit, the roulette benefit, the reward for conquering the UAE's Black Tower, the Restore Scroll for assembling the Razix fragment, Saudi Arabia's compensation for the broken holy sword, and finally, America's gift.
It's deeply moving.
Joy is best shared.
Joo-hyuk summoned the summoned beings.
Except for Gobang and Hyeolrang, a total of 7.
"Summoner Bong, Kosak is here. When are we going for naengmyeon?"
"Master, this maiden greets you."
"Victory!"
"My Lord!"
"Hoe,"
"Summoner, this old man is here too."
And Marie, who was burying her head in the corner of the living room.
Ding!
A chat message arrived.
Wow, with seven people each saying something, the living room became noisy.
It's a good thing Gobang isn't here.
"Now, everyone, I have something to show you."
"A good sword?"
"It must be something good, of course."
Taking the rune out of his inventory,
"Ta-da!"
Raising his hand high,
"Hmm?"
"...Gasp!"
"Oh!"
"That, that is?"
"Hehehe! Good, very good."
"Hoe-eeee!"
Ding!
Clap clap clap clap!
The sound of applause echoed.
"We congratulate you. However, it is something you rightfully deserve."
"The momentum is building now, I'm less worried."
Kosak turned his head and wiped away a trickling tear with his finger.
How important is trait enhancement for a player?
Especially for a Summoner, even more so.
And yet, Summoner Bong, who was only level 74, can now summon eight summoned beings.
"Princess!"
"Yes?"
"Let the festive music play!"
"..."
Joo-hyuk brought the raised rune to his mouth.
Was there any need to save it?
He'd eat it right away.
Gulp!
'Status window?'
Now eight.
Check the catalog too,
[Catalog]: John Kosak / Savage Meat Shield / Gyeondalrae / Razix / Gwang-ma / Veronica Caliber / Lucius Bardin / Hyeolrang / Aliamari.
Since there's one vacant spot, the person, or rather animal, he can summon is,
"Hyeolrang, Designated Summon!"
Spot!
"Woof woof!"
"Hoe!"
Seven summoned beings, one dog.
All eight.
But Joo-hyuk wasn't satisfied.
He would keep advancing.
Until he can summon ten, twenty, thirty, without limit.
'Is there nowhere else to get another Trait Enhancement Rune?'
Secretary MacMillan said he got it from the black market.
Then there might still be stock.
'I should look into it when I have time later.'
Korean Awakening Management Bureau.
Secretary MacMillan finished his business and left.
He planned to return directly without visiting anywhere else.
In the end, meeting Player Bong Joo-hyuk and delivering the gift was MacMillan's sole purpose for coming to Korea.
The US Secretary of Homeland Security acting as a gift delivery service.
But Park Kyung-su and Jeon Gwang-il both knew why MacMillan went this far.
"It's bitter."
"I'm angry."
"If this continues, later Player Bong might..."
"Ah! Please! Director! Words become seeds. Please."
"Sorry, I'm just anxious."
The meeting between Secretary MacMillan and Player Bong.
That warm, friendly atmosphere.
It didn't feel good.
An ambiguous emotion also arose.
If this feeling had to be expressed...
Self-reproach?
Yes.
Bitter self-reflection.
The inadequacy of the Awakening Management Bureau, unable to procure even one Trait Enhancement Rune for Korea's top player.
What if Player Bong announced he was naturalizing to the US?
They would have no grounds to stop him.
"Should we try to get one too? How about the black market?"
"Actually, I accessed the dark web a little while ago using my identification number."
"Huh? Already? Did you talk to them?"
"No. I couldn't."
"Why?"
"The connection was blocked. It seems they cut their tail and went into hiding."
"Darn! Again?"
It happens often.
The black market guild is a thoroughly decentralized organization.
If even one of its executives is captured by Interpol or intelligence agencies, they immediately block all transactions and go into hiding.
That's how the black market guild has been able to survive.
Once the dark web is blocked, item trading becomes impossible.
That's why countries usually turned a blind eye.
"No telling when trading will resume."
"Yes."
"Hoo, I see. Oh right! How's the effect of that potion? Is it usable?"
"There's a Mental Strength Enhancement Potion among the tower rewards, but this one is incomparably better."
"Oh! Really?"
The item name is also peculiar.
[Sage-Crafted Mental Strength Enhancement Potion]
Crafted by a Sage.
Who that person is, no one knows.
"Its efficacy far surpasses that of Holy Water. When used together with the Holy Sword, it creates a synergistic effect, making it even better."
So, starting today, Korean elite players also plan to begin climbing the upper floors.
Reservations for borrowing the Holy Sword have thinned out.
While it was mainly rented to foreign players before, there are now gaps in the reservation schedule, giving Korean elite players a chance too.
"Don't forget to deposit the rental fee each time it's used."
"Player Bong said he wouldn't charge Korean players a rental fee, though."
"No. We couldn't even get him a Trait Enhancement Rune, so we should at least do that for him."
And so, Joo-hyuk's bank account never ran dry.
Engineer, Maker, and Designer.
The Tower Administrators were conversing among themselves.
[Hasn't he used the Tower Seizure Declaration Megaphone yet?]
[This Savior seems very cautious in nature. I thought he'd use it at least out of curiosity.]
[Tsk, with this, can it even be a proper ordeal?]
[Forget an ordeal, he'll just keep getting stronger. Actually, even up to the 79th floor was designed for the Savior, wasn't it?]
[Hoo, that's right. Three summoned beings will overcome hardships and enhance their grades.]
[One has already broken through, so two remain.]
[Not only that. He can also strengthen the soul's tier through the Mark of Salvation.]
[In the end, it'll have to be settled in the 80s.]
[Actually, I'm uneasy even about the 80s.]
[Shall we shake things up a bit?]
[No. We've already intervened a lot. Any more interference will disturb causality.]
[It feels like the entire universe is helping this Earth's Savior.]
Both the Designer, the Engineer, and the Maker agreed.
The situation so far proved it.
Time passed quickly.
Black towers around the world were being conquered one after another.
Countries possessing Tower Jumping Tickets climbed only to the 66th floor with the help of Holy Water, then took the elevator to the 71st floor.
Countries without tickets also came to Korea and, with full doping of Holy Swords, Holy Water, and various potions, climbed to the 71st floor.
Thus, the world's average black tower floor approached nearly 70.
All thanks to the authentic Cabalan strategy weakening the Dark Aura of the undead section.
Of course, excluding North Korea's black tower.
It was smooth.
Earth formally entered the era of high-grade magic stones.
Joo-hyuk was at the Namyangju villa.
He planned to welcome Gobang here.
That's right.
Gobang is coming.
He will return in glory as an LSSR-grade summoned being.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the villa, two summoned beings were secretly whispering.
"Lord Gwang-ma, is it okay to leave North Korea as it is?"
"Are you mad? That place is currently the most dangerous. It must be dealt with as soon as possible."
"But how? Summoner Bong doesn't really like killing people."
Gwang-ma also nodded.
But he didn't consider that a flaw of the Summoner.
It's because of his character.
That's why he's an even more likable Summoner.
"What can we do? There's no way to eliminate the threat without killing people."
"Huh? How?"
"Assassin, what's your manifestation time limit?"
"9 hours."
"...I'm envious. I still have 3 hours."
"The one-star rating you got at the start had a big impact. You should have been careful. You erupted with killing intent as soon as you appeared."
"Ahem!"
Kosak flinched at Gwang-ma's fake cough.
"Anyway, you should be dispatched to North Korea."
"Dispatched, you say?"
"Subdue North Korea's Chairman and turn him into a puppet."
"Hmm, I don't have a mind control skill..."
"Threaten him. You're good at that, aren't you?"
"It's not threatening. It's negotiation. I, Kosak, am a master of negotiation, a creative strategist."
North Korea is a dictatorship.
National policy is decided by a single word from the Chairman.
If you control that Chairman?
The threat disappears in an instant.
You could even hope for unification.
Moreover, it's an exceedingly easy task.
Who can handle Kosak?
Stealth, infiltration, threats, assassination, lock picking, hitting from behind...
There is no person or force that can stop him.
Even a level 70 liberated player charging at him would end with a single strike.
It's as easy as pie, a walk in the park.
But there's one most difficult problem.
Will the Summoner permit it or not?
"Lord Gwang-ma, please propose it to Summoner Bong. That we'll handle North Korea."
"...I can't do it."
"Why?"
"My relationship with the Summoner has just improved. If I displease him, it'll be a big problem."
"Tsk."
"That barbarian will soon return as a Legend grade, and also, in a little over half a month, there will be a Random Summon opportunity. My position is precarious."
That is the most frightening situation for Gwang-ma.
Before, he was the only LSSR-grade summoned being, but soon there will be three.
His value will clearly diminish.
If he accidentally offends the Summoner's mood?
"You propose it."
"...Uhm, I don't want to either. You do it, Lord Gwang-ma."
"Sigh! Do you have a death wish?"
"I'd rather die."
"You rascal..."
At that moment.
"What are you two doing over there? The meat is burning."
At Joo-hyuk's call, Gwang-ma and Kosak,
"Ah, understood, I'll be right there."
"Yes sir! I'm coming too."
Moved with faltering steps.