Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Ordinary Guy's Tower Clear
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It was a flashy conquest.
The entire jungle was ablaze.
Mackenzie, was utterly exhausted.
And rightly so.
He had unleashed three terrifying wide-area fire spells in rapid succession, so hastily that he had drained his mana down to his very soul.
They all returned to the penthouse together, but Mackenzie lay sprawled out like a starfish in the living room.
'He pushed himself too hard.'
He must have thought the opportunity had come.
So he squeezed out every last bit of strength he had— and even what he didn't— to cast those spells.
He batch released them all back to the White Tower to rest comfortably.
Spot! Spot! Spot...
A little time passed.
Once Mackenzie had recovered in the White Tower and stood up,
"Aigoo, doing two conquests like that could kill a man. You did great anyway."
"N-No, not at all."
"It was stronger than a nuclear explosion, though?"
"How could it compare to a nuke? It was just a bit of fireplay. Hahaha."
Though he downplayed it, Mackenzie was puffed up with pride at Joo-hyuk's praise, basking in the natural spotlight on him.
The other summoned beings showered him with compliments too.
"That was hot stuff! Real man's man!"
"Good work. ...Want to have a drink together tonight?"
"Mr. Mackenzie, you've done a great service. I have high expectations for you going forward."
"Let's keep going together. Heave-ho!"
Mackenzie responded in kind.
"Heave-ho!"
Finally, his re-evaluation was complete.
His mind eased at last.
And with it, a creeping sense of confidence welled up.
What was it that Mari bitch said?
Something about not being recognized for conquests?
But he was recognized?
He tried it, and it worked?
This was just the beginning.
Though his fire magic specialization made him disadvantageous for skin-gathering conquests, he was unparalleled for mass slaughter missions like the 83rd floor.
He had secured his spot completely.
No more being sidelined.
"By the way, what were you making when you got summoned earlier?"
Mackenzie grinned.
Oh yeah, he had one more achievement to show off.
"An artifact."
Joo-hyuk tilted his head.
What kind of artifact could it be?
He hadn't even noticed the summoning amid his focus.
"What kind?"
"I made something to help our family's livelihood, even if just a little— a product we can sell on the market."
With that, he pulled two bracelets from his pocket.
"Ta-da! The one and only Bracelet for Escaping Obesity!"
Ta-da!
With music, the bracelets floated up lightly.
One of the two bracelets was silver, the other a dark grayish-black.
Both spun slowly in midair, sparkling brightly.
Mackenzie, now even adding special effects to his homemade artifacts.
"Wear it on your wrist, and it balances your body, boosts your metabolism, and helps you lose weight gradually!"
He sounded just like a home shopping host.
"Worried it's expensive because it's made of Orihalcon metal? No way!"
The dark bracelet popped out.
"This one's made of Adamant. Its performance is almost identical to Orihalcon."
Adamant was the most common tower metal.
The White Tower warehouse was full of it.
"Plus, it works fine with regular magic stones, so production costs are low and savings are high— super cheap!"
Impressive.
As expected of a 9th-circle mage.
"...You're saying we sell these on the market?"
"Yes, as health bracelets. No need for medical approval either."
A solid plan.
It could rake in more money than even the leather trade.
"But there is a downside."
"What?"
"Since it uses regular magic stones, the enchantment lasts about three months."
Even better?
People would have to buy new ones every three months.
How many obese people were there worldwide?
An astronomical number.
And it wasn't just about losing weight.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol... People's health would improve.
It was as good as saving lives.
The issue was,
'Mass production...'
Mackenzie seemed aware of that too.
"We can outsource the bracelet bodies and have them mass-produced externally."
The enchantment magic wasn't hard, he said.
As long as they had slots for the magic stones and engraved sections for the powder.
"What if someone copies the formula?"
"Just drawing the formula won't activate it."
The key was the high-purity magic stone powder refined by an alchemist.
And crucially, the enchantment spell to activate the formula.
Without those two, no effect at all.
Then maybe commission the bodies from a player shop workshop?
Order them and bring them in...
Right then!
"Hoe."
Razix shyly raised his hand.
"What?"
"I make bracelets. Hoe."
"Huh?"
"Can make lots. Hoooe."
Right.
Razix's skills included blacksmithing repairs.
He had experience fixing the holy sword too.
"Really, it's mass-producible?"
"Hoeng!"
"Aww, our handyman can do anything."
"Hoo."
"Let's start with setting up a workshop."
They'd run a factory in the White Tower to produce bracelets.
That meant they could churn out items without the "Tower-exclusive" label as much as they wanted, right?
Watching this, Mackenzie felt a pang of bitterness.
Razix could do blacksmithing too?
There was nothing he couldn't do.
Jack-of-all-trades ultimate worker.
Better give up on beating him for now.
Razix held the unchallenged top spot.
So Mackenzie aimed for number two.
'Number two is plenty.'
With ten under him, that was that.
Meanwhile, Joo-hyuk was more than satisfied.
With good people around him, everything progressed smoothly.
But he had to verify it.
Not that he didn't trust the 9th-circle mage.
'Need to test if it really works...'
It might get dismissed as pseudoscience.
Like germanium bracelets, anion generators, hexagonal water, or electromagnetic wave-blocking stickers.
'Test on regular people, not players.'
Then Kosak spoke up.
"Give me one of those two."
"Pardon?"
"I know a prime obese candidate nearby. The perfect test subject."
"Ah!"
He knew who.
"He needs to stay healthy. At least until the North and South unify."
Perfect.
Give one to Chairman Kim In-jung for testing,
And the other?
Joo-hyuk thought of someone too.
Someone he wanted healthy and running his company for a long time.
'Gotta give it to CEO Jung Dong-hoon.'
Anyway.
Couldn't just sit idle.
"Great Mage Mackenzie Dronak!"
"Hm? What...?"
"Step forward."
"Uh... no way?"
Joo-hyuk pulled a Platinum Badge from his inventory.
"Gasp!"
Mackenzie rushed over and stood ramrod straight.
"You have excellently handled the 83rd floor Giant Queen Spider Arachnoid, and for your efforts in creating the Obesity Escape Artifact to secure operating funds for White Tower Floor 17, we bestow upon you this Platinum Badge in recognition of your merits."
Mackenzie puffed out his chest.
The sparkling Platinum Badge.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap!
The summoned beings applauded sincerely.
"Alright, let's party!"
Time to have some fun.
And,
"Mr. Mackenzie. Do you drink?"
"I'm a heavy drinker."
Yes!
One more drinking buddy.
Well, two old-timers, but.
Whatever.
They'd grill some meat, swim in the pool, sunbathe, watch movies for those who wanted.
Pour.
Joo-hyuk poured the first drink for today's star, Mackenzie.
"Oh my, such an honor."
And for the Mad Demon too.
Pour.
Drinking with three definitely tasted better.
No need for snacks.
Mackenzie was happy.
Praise from the summoner, the badge, and even liquor poured by him personally.
Wasn't this qualification enough?
Number three at least, right?
He needed to solidify his number two position.
So who to push aside?
'The Mad Demon?'
No.
He'd heard the stories.
When the Mad Demon first came to this world, he'd badly upset the summoner, so he was lowest star-rated and rarely summoned.
The Mad Demon wasn't a threat.
He could beat him easily.
'That princess...'
She used mystical talismans, but was inferior to him.
The brute warrior strong only in power, the foul-mouthed elf who never left her room, the gunner mage with killer looks.
That left one.
Assassin Kosak.
Stuck to the summoner every conquest, blowing up a storm of flattery.
That guy was the summoner's confidant and current number two.
He had to surpass Kosak.
Only then could he claim the spot as the ultimate worker's number one right-hand ultimate grand mage.
How to put that guy under his heel?
It was hard to match his flashy silver tongue.
As he pondered,
"Summoner Bong sir."
Kosak came panting from the pool to the drinking spot,
"What?"
Grinning slyly as he whispered,
"Did you meet Jin-sook?"
"..."
Joo-hyuk flinched.
What?
How'd he know?
'No way?'
He whipped around to look at Veronica.
She bowed her head and averted her eyes.
Sergeant Veronica, huh.
"I heard it all from Sergeant Veronica."
"...Th-That was just coincidence."
"Where's coincidence in this world? It's all fate."
What nonsense?
Fate my ass!
"...The world's smaller than you think. We just happened to meet."
But Kosak kept grinning and pressed on.
"So, how was Jin-sook in person?"
"...Not as good as Sergeant Veronica?"
"Obvious! Who can beat Sergeant Veronica? Set your standards to her and you're doomed."
"...True that."
And it wasn't just Sergeant Veronica.
Succubus Diarmat, recently elevated Gyeon Dal-rae maturing fast, Mari the elf by birth (though he hadn't seen her face closely).
"In that vein, how about seriously meeting up with Jin-sook?"
"Wh-What nonsense...!"
"I'm saying get married. I approve of Jin-sook as a wife too. But a real man should at least date before anything, right?"
"..."
Honestly, he'd dated her and even married her in his mind.
Had five kids, sent them to kindergarten, graduated school, got them jobs, even saw grandkids.
All in his imagination, of course.
Anyway.
Who was giving dating advice now?
"Whatever, I don't want advice from a lifelong singleton."
"Aigoo, Summoner Bong doesn't know? How popular I am."
What?
"When I show up in downtown Pyongyang, women weep and swarm, yelling 'Comrade Minister of People's Armed Forces!' Begging for hugs. I can't even walk."
"..."
I was not exactly a lie.
Bragging where?
Should he just release and dismiss him?
"Want me to get Jin-sook's number for you?"
"Come on! You think I have time for dating now? Huh? So much to do— Floor 17 to build, upper floors to climb, obesity bracelets to make and sell, my head's spinning, huh?!"
"...S-Sorry."
It wasn't like he didn't want to date.
His standards were too high now, and his inner ordinary guy made him stammer around women.
He wasn't choosing not to— he couldn't.
'Damn, this is ruining the booze vibe.'
Joo-hyuk glared at Kosak wordlessly.
The quick-witted summoned beings wouldn't miss the chance.
They swarmed, pointing fingers at Kosak.
"Outrageous. Acting like a dating expert."
"What popularity? They flock 'cause you're Minister of People's Armed Forces— riding your background."
"Have you ever even dated? Ending every sentence with 'sumda,' 'imda'— who'd like that?"
"Gonna get the strap. The strap."
"Warrior pitys assassin."
"Should've done random summons instead of expanding the catalog."
"Right. He'd be deleted then."
"Time to sew Kosak's mouth shut. Root of all evil."
"Sew? Shove a grenade in and blow it."
"Hoeoeak!"
"Arf arf! Grrr!"
Kosak at a loss.
"Ah, ah, it's not. Misunderstanding. What I meant was..."
He rolled his eyes, trying excuses, but no chance.
Joo-hyuk stayed quiet.
He deserved it.
Suddenly!
Ding!
It was a message on the tablet.
Opened it to check.
From Mari.
Not to him, though— for him to pass to Kosak.
"Eww."
Vitriol too foul to repeat.
Show the man himself.
"Mr. Kosak?"
"Y-Yes?"
"It's a message from Mari. Read it."
Kosak seemed to guess the contents.
"...Can't I skip?"
"Here."
He squinted at the chat,
"Eww."
Kosak squeezed his eyes shut.
Pure curses from start to finish.
"Punish him."
"Show him the ropes."
"Might be good to behead Kosak and see where he stays during 100-day unsummon ban."
Kosak was helpless.
Gulp.
Watching, Mackenzie swallowed dryly.
The booze wore off fast.
The true number two summoned being tumbling to rock bottom over a slip of the tongue.
Getting torn apart worse than he ever had.
Should he be happy?
No way!
He could end up like Kosak anytime.
He'd experienced it.
This place was a demon den.
Screw up once after a hundred successes, and straight to the dogpile.
'Thin ice.'
Stay on high alert.
Ditch the ambitions.
Number two? Nah!
Just not sliding below was a win.
Right then!
Spot!
One person appeared on White Tower Floor 17.
"Oh! Ex-Chief!"
"The temporary resident has arrived."
"Hoe!"
It was Jeon Gwang-il.
He dropped by once or twice a day lately.
Thanks to Joo-hyuk's temp-pass.
"Oops, did I come at a bad time?"
"Aigoo, perfect timing, Ex-Chief!"
Kosak quickly went to greet him.
Lucky break.
Jeon Gwang-il's arrival halted the barrage.
Joo-hyuk showed his welcome too.
"Come on in. Have a drink."
"...Gotta drive back."
"Call a driver."
Another drinking buddy.
It was a four-man party now.
The mood was lifting.
Booze was going down easy.
The subtle buzz rising.
The Mad Demon taught him to circulate qi to sober up, but he had no desire to do so.
Why waste good booze?
He'd pass out if needed.
Jeon Gwang-il seemed in high spirits too.
"Elders, let me mix some soma beautifully."
"Heh heh, civil servants mix soma best."
"Handling national affairs, backing our summoner. It's tough work."
"Just doing what's needed!"
Jeon Gwang-il was now buddy-buddy with the summoned beings.
It made Joo-hyuk proud.
'The booze tastes great today.'
All thanks to this private White Floor 17.
Joo-hyuk gazed warmly around.
The space he was building, his city.
'Hm.'
Something was a bit lacking.
Wasn't there an iconic something for this place?
Suddenly he recalled the Gangnam Boulevard 61-story building he'd copied after meeting CEO Jung Dong-hoon.
A one-trillion-won building.
He bought it but barely visited.
'I copied it too.'
Should I paste it over there?
'Do I do it?'
'...'
50 tons.
That was a lot.
At market rates, over 100 billion won.
'Paste it or not?'
Truth was, while decorating White Tower Floor 17 was one thing, he was planning an elevator.
Installation cost: 1,000 tons of high-grade magic stones.
Currently he had just over 200 tons.
'He was kinda curious, honestly.'
Where would the elevator go?
A real parallel universe dimension?
Or just simple vertical travel in the White Tower?
'But spending 50 tons here...'
Wouldn't delay the elevator that much.
Was it worth pasting?
'What's there to hesitate? When have I ever weighed value?'
Screw it, 50 tons—he'd earn it back quick.
Who was he?
The White Tower's real man!
Joo-hyuk surged with resolve.
Chest swelling grandly.
"Whoa, Mad Demon's glass is empty."
"Liquor from Ex-Chief tastes extra fine."
"Hahaha, then let me pour another."
"What about me?"
"Right away for you too, Mr. Mackenzie."
Leaving the drinkers be,
Joo-hyuk jumped up and sauntered over.
Raised his hand to gauge the spot,
"Pasting now!"
What?
People looked from their drinks.
"Rise up! Heave-ho!!!"
Then it happened.
Woooong!
The ground of White Tower Floor 17 vibrated.
Scraaape! Scrape!
So massive, the skyscraper started pasting from the base up.
Scraaaape! Scraaaape!
Like sprouting from underground, it shot up into the sky.
A building.
In the empty flat space, a colossal building suddenly rose.
The summoned beings froze mid-action, staring dumbly at the miracle.
What the hell?
They knew about copy-paste, but...
Tremble tremble.
Jeon Gwang-il's hands shook as he poured for the Mad Demon.
Pour pour.
The Mad Demon was oblivious to his overflowing glass.
Ding!
A question mark visual effect popped over Mackenzie's head.
Kosak, Gobang, Gyeon Dal-rae, Bardin, Sergeant Veronica, Jepetto, Diarmat, Razix, Hyeolrang, and even Mari was peeking only her eyes through the window crack.
"...Huh?"
"Whoa!"
"M-My god."
"Wh-What's that?"
"Heh heh."
"Insane."
"..."
"Wow."
.
.
.
It was a spectacle.
Not magic.
Creation.
Comparable to a god's power.
Flash flash flash!
Thus, a 1.2-trillion-won 61-story building duplicate was generated on White Tower Floor 17.