Chapter 146
Chapter 146
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Ordinary Guy's Tower Strategy
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Bong Joo-hyuk returned home once more.
Fortunately, he had secured the nuclear weapon, but could he bring it back right away?
It would take quite some time to prepare it for use.
So Joo-hyuk decided to send Kosak back.
For his LSSR-grade breakthrough.
Just two weeks of waiting.
Currently, twenty-seven physical badges remained.
Nine badges adorned Kosak's chest.
Twenty-five were needed for the breakthrough, so he firmly placed the Summoned Being Grade-Up Rune and sixteen badges in Kosak's grasp.
"Return safely. Even if the breakthrough fails, it's fine."
"...Yes!"
Ah.
Two weeks without seeing the founding hero.
He pulled him into a tight hug.
"Kosak, fighting!"
"H-hey! D-don't do that. My preferences are set in stone."
"Geez! I like women too, you know. You think I enjoy hugging sweaty guys?"
"Hehe."
A man-to-man embrace.
Wasn't it a profound expression of friendship?
Afterward.
"Kosak, Summon Release."
Now only eleven badges remained.
No more badge ceremonies ahead.
'Well, I can collect them slowly.'
Kosak's absence.
The other summoned beings filled the gap.
The Mad Demon and Gobang, Sergeant V, Bardin, Razix and Blood Wolf, Zepet took turns commuting to North Korea.
And Diarmart, reverted to SR grade, handled housework.
Gyeon Dal-lae took charge of Diarmart's mental training whenever she had time, drilling until blood trickled from his ears.
Meanwhile, their Armchair Alchemist Aliamari?
Was chatting with Gyeon Dal-lae.
Time passed like that.
Nearly two weeks later.
"Hoe!"
Razix returned from North Korea, stowing two tactical nuclear warheads in his sub-space backpack.
Complete with wireless detonator.
Ready to detonate at the push of a button.
No issues with operation.
North Korea was the nuclear tech expert, after all.
Though tactical mini-nukes, more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.
Two would suffice.
Whether colossal monster, ultra-colossal, or ultra-ultra-mega-colossal, they'd melt in seconds.
Another day passed.
The catalog now showed summon-ready status for their People's Defense Minister.
"John Kosak Designated Summon!"
"Bong Summoner! This Kosak has returned safely-da."
He was finally back.
Having successfully broken through to LSSR grade.
"O! LSSR People's Defense Minister comrade."
"Nearly died, I did. Mental reinforcement ain't no joke-da."
"Aigoo, LSSR-nim, even your whining's LSSR style. Hahaha!"
"Hehehehe."
Suffix aside,
a full Swordmaster, no less.
Carrying on his father's legacy?
Joo-hyuk approved.
Though the manifest time shortening was regrettable.
Time to prepare.
Not many people were needed for the conquest.
Mad Demon, Kosak, and Mari as fixed members.
Razix for nuke delivery to 81F.
Veronica for Behemoth luring.
Gobang for nuke installation.
That was plenty.
Let's go.
Shatter it to pieces.
Back on the 81st floor.
Swift preparations.
They had coordinated in advance for this day.
Advanced first to receive the mission.
Conquest underway, Razix's first pull from the sub-space backpack was...
"Hoe!"
A massive, sturdy shovel forged from tower metal.
It had taken ages at the Player Shop workshop.
Deputy Chief Jeon Gwang-il's help sped it up.
Who'd wield it?
Giantized Gobang, of course.
Who else?
Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!
Gobang dug vigorously with the giant shovel.
Sergeant V watched in admiration.
"With Gobang here, trench fortifications would be a breeze."
Indeed.
Big shovel, brute strength.
A large, deep square pit formed in moments.
Next.
Shhh.
Razix retrieved a concrete structure roughly three meters on each side.
Right.
A portable anti-air bunker.
Product of two weeks' prep.
Cube-shaped, thick concrete walls.
Gyeon Dal-lae's talismans and gold threads lined interior and exterior.
Lead-infused steel plates reinforced it.
Built outside, stored in the backpack.
A camping car fit; this was fine.
"Hoe eeee."
Gobang's pit awaited the bunker.
Razix extended a hand; it slotted perfectly.
Fill gaps with dirt around the entrance-top, tamp solidly for stability.
Perfect bunker ready in under ten minutes.
The focus of those two weeks.
A nuke was a double-edged sword.
Detonating on 81F endangered Behemoth and themselves alike.
Now safe.
For everyone but Behemoth.
True conquest begins.
Shh, shh.
Finally, Razix placed two tactical warheads with detonators.
"Good work. Mr. Razix."
"Hoe eeee."
"I'll make sure you get your badges, Razix."
"Hoe eng!"
Without Razix, nuke conquest was a pipe dream.
His presence made it possible.
"Come here, one hug before you go."
"Hoe..."
Their cosmic bald bear.
Tight squeeze, face rubbed in fluffy fur.
Then.
"Razix, Summon Release."
Razix fulfilled his role admirably and returned.
Now, nuke placement.
Maximize distance from the bunker.
Lure required.
Veronica's task.
"Don't get hurt. Safety first, got it?"
"Sergeant Officer Veronica Caliber. Orders acknowledged."
She sidled close.
"Wh-why?"
"Hug me like the supply officer. It'll boost morale."
"...Uh."
Suddenly?
"Sergeant V, let me hug instead-da. LSSR embrace. Morale to the heavens-da."
"Yeah, shut it."
"Hoe?"
Why imitate Razix?
"Commander, hug me quick."
"..."
He had no choice.
With a straightened back, he embraced her gently.
Squish!
'...Eek?'
He endured, patting her back while praying internally.
"Thank you! Commander!"
A morale +10 message seemed to ring.
Tatada!
Veronica dashed off in tactical sprint.
Giantized Gobang followed, nukes on shoulders—one each, ~200kg apiece.
It was nothing to Gobang.
Just 400kg combined?
Veronica and Gobang ran far.
Ziiing!
Pajujuk!
Kwang!
Sergeant V's large shell struck the colossal monster Titan Behemoth.
"Krararararak!"
Solid hit.
Pajuk! Pajujujuk! Pajujujuk!
Harass with small rapid-fire.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Behemoth chased Veronica from its territory.
Giant Gobang trailed with nukes.
During installation, Joo-hyuk summoned the Armchair AlchemistAliamari.
Mari appeared bowed and crouched, as always.
Her role: deploy defense homunculi inside the bunker for any threats.
However,
Shh,
The summoned Mari placed several potion vials on the floor.
"What's this?"
"Ah! For radiation?"
Mari finger-wrote on the floor.
-Yes.
"Effective?"
Scribble.
-Yes. Purifies any external energy influx.
"How'd you know about radiation..."
-Experienced a nuke myself. Different world, outside the tower.
Ah!
Right.
Many worlds akin to Earth civilization existed.
"You drank it too, Mari?"
Scribble.
-I did.
To the idly standing Mad Demon and Kosak as well.
"One each. Blocks radioactive material."
"Handy skills. Thanks, alchemist."
"What flavor is it? Strawberry would be nice."
Gulp gulp.
What were the Mad Demon and Kosak's roles?
If Behemoth somehow survived, finish it off.
It was unlikely, honestly.
How could it endure a nuke?
Still, precaution was necessary.
He had the strongest dealers at his side.
Pajuk! Pajujujuk!
Veronica was diligently luring.
Joo-hyuk waited.
Observed via telescope.
Until sufficient distance was reached.
Moments later.
Pew! Bang!
Veronica's signal flare burst in the sky.
With the correct distance achieved; nukes were planted near Behemoth.
Objective complete.
Now?
"Veronica Summon Release, Gobang Summon Release."
Sergeant V and Gobang returned safely.
Clunk!
Joo-hyuk opened the bunker door, entered with Mad Demon, Kosak, and Mari, then sealed it.
Boom!
'Any moment now...'
He retrieved the wireless detonator.
Chrr.
Mari's defense homunculi materialized.
Clack! Clack clack clack!
They neatly filled the bunker.
Simultaneously,
Whoom, whoom, whoom, whoom...
One shield barrier per homunculus.
Like tiny soap bubbles.
Shock mitigation.
Buffer material filled the space.
Truly perfect.
Triple and even quadruple layered shields.
Zing.
Joo-hyuk activated Energy Shield.
Circulated Heaven-Earth One-Origin Gong energy too.
Detonate.
Gazu! Taste the People's nuke!
Press.
Kwa kwakwakwakwakwakwa kwakwakwa kwang!!!
Terrifying roar accompanied the nuclear blast.
Bunker shook violently.
Yet no shock was felt.
Ku-kung! Drdrdrdrdr...
Meanwhile, Mari trembled violently right beside Joo-hyuk.
'Scared?'
Joo-hyuk gently hugged her from behind.
Twitch!
Her trembling intensified.
Quite the hugging spree today.
Razix, Veronica, now Mari.
Thump thump!
His heart pounding loudly.
As if a warhead detonated in her chest.
Anyway, Joo-hyuk, Mari, Mad Demon and Kosak remained unscathed inside.
Despite the detonation of two tactical nukes stronger than Hiroshima.
The managers had spectated the conquest live from the start.
From Razix pulling the shovel.
Astounding.
A shovel?
Next, the concrete structure.
Then.
The two nuclear warheads emerged.
Nukes.
Earth science weaponry's final tech tree.
Fission unleashing vast energy to incinerate, shatter, reshape terrain.
The Managers gaped.
And snapped to realization.
The plan was clear: dig a pit, place the concrete, lure the Behemoth, blow the bombs.
Too late.
Kwa kwakwakwakwakwakwa kwakwakwa kwang!!!
On 81F's vast plains.
Two massive mushroom clouds rose.
Silence reined among the administrators.
Was this possible?
Nukes inside the tower?
Absurd.
Curses flew naturally.
What?
Break summoner's mental?
Their own shattered instead.
Panic ensued.
This was unimaginable on 81F.
All because of that beastman worker.
The managers were dazed.
Kuku kuku...
Shockwave gradually subsided.
What of the bald mountain?
The colossal monster Titan Behemoth.
Still alive?
The Mad Demon opened the bunker's ceiling hatch.
Whoosh!
Heat poured in.
'Bearable.'
Joo-hyuk and his crew exited the bunker.
Telescopic observation resumed.
And in the spot where the behemoth once stood: nothing.
Just the two mushroom clouds lingered.
'When's the clear message?'
System stumped, apparently.
No precedent conquest.
Right then!
O! Mission success judgment at last.
Obviously.
Nuke or blade, the means were irrelevant.
The Behemoth was slain.
'Yes!'
"Ah!"
He appeared.
Hartman, chained and dying on 77F, now hale on 81F.
It was now clear: he was the spitting image of Kosak.
"...Father?"
"Lian."
"You recognize me?"
"Of course."
"And... uh, you know where this is?"
Hartman nodded with warm smile.
"I understand everything. This is the tower, I'm a bound soul, I'll be freed soon, and what you've done."
Hartman turned to Joo-hyuk.
Slowly bowed.
"Thank you."
Sincere gratitude.
Lingered long.
Raised head, to Kosak.
"Lian. Come. "
"..."
Kosak approached wordlessly.
He threw his arms around his father, pulling him in to a tight hug.
Whew,
Must of been something in his eye.
Maybe it was the radiation fallout?
The tears were streaming.