Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Ordinary Guy's Tower Conquest Method - Chapter 18
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Joo-hyuk was in the middle of conquering the 25th floor.
Players who had made it past the final section of the 20th-floor Goblins could clear the 25th floor without much difficulty.
The patterns were similar.
But the problem was the Orc Chieftain.
How to deal with him and the appropriate strategy and tactics were paramount.
Of course, Joo-hyuk had no need to worry about such things.
Gobang and Kosak would handle it anyway.
The weakest among the orcs were the Forest Orcs.
They were small in stature, with attack power around the level of a Hobgoblin.
The strongest orcs were the Volcano Orcs.
They were not to be taken lightly.
With crimson-red skin and a faint flaming aura, they burned everything they touched.
But to the Savage Warrior Gobang, they were nothing more than a hot pack.
He trudged along, and when he met a Volcano Orc, *Wham!* He grabbed it and hugged it affectionately.
"Churuk?"
*Crack!*
He broke its back with a Bear Hug.
"...Wasn't it hot?"
"Look at this brat's skin. Not even a singe mark. He'd probably say 'Ah! Refreshing!' even if you used a gas torch on him."
Well, he did possess a body that had withstood the breath of a Super-Mythical Hydra...
"Uwooooooh!"
As he drew aggro like this, all the orcs rushed at Gobang.
There couldn't be a better situation for the assassin Kosak to operate.
"I'm going too!"
"Fighting!"
*Pafat!*
*Pafafafat!*
Ssussar, the SSR-grade Kosak.
His Shadow Step.
It was so fast you could almost hear the sound of it tearing through the wind.
Was that all?
Blade Explosions, Shock Breaks, underhanded ambushes, Poison Daggers... the dazzling skills Kosak unleashed without pause.
"Kehahaha! That's Ssussar for you."
Less than five minutes after the mission began, the 25th-floor battlefield was already littered with orc corpses.
'Good. Ssussar.'
Joo-hyuk slowly started moving too.
He'd said he'd take down three; he had to meet his quota.
Skill proficiency was just a bonus.
'...Better avoid the Volcano Orcs, right?'
He might get burned if he tried to take one.
The easy Forest Orcs and Desert Orcs were the best targets.
*Swat! Swaat!*
Joo-hyuk activated Shadow Step.
In an instant!
*Pafapat!*
Like a flash of lightning, John Kosak had rushed over at some point and was now guarding his side.
"Hey! Why are you right next to me?"
"Don't worry. I'll just stand here quietly."
Thorough. He was too thorough.
But at least there was no risk of getting hurt.
"Primordial Thunderbolt Staff: Falling Thunder Soul Chaser!"
The crackling energy of lightning gathered around the mace.
*Zzap!*
*Crackle!*
*Wham!*
"Gah!"
A Forest Orc died on the spot.
Its head half-charred by the lightning.
Even though he hadn't used Falling Thunder Soul Chaser many times, it was gradually becoming more familiar in his hands.
"...One more?"
Nod.
Kosak nodded his head.
*Crackle!*
*Wham!*
He one-shot a Desert Orc too.
It wasn't without danger.
An axe thrown by a Cave Orc flew swiftly towards Joo-hyuk, but...
*Clang!*
The axe was knocked away by a dagger before it could even get close.
'I could have taken that hit, though.'
Because the effectiveness of his Energy Shield had increased as his level rose.
"Are you alright?"
This guy's fussing...
Was he raising a kid?
"I didn't even get hit."
"There might be psychological damage. Post-traumatic stress disorder."
"Oh my, it's nothing that small."
"...Hmm, why are you copying my way of speaking?"
"It's fun."
"Is that so? Hehehehe."
"Hahahaha."
Joo-hyuk knew well why Kosak was fussing.
It would be ungrateful not to acknowledge it.
It was a bit burdensome, though.
But what could he do?
He had to grow quickly.
So that Kosak could feel at ease too.
Truthfully, what was the reason Joo-hyuk, a safety-first, self-preservationist, could act so recklessly like this?
It was thanks to his reliable and sturdy comrades.
Alone, it would have been impossible.
He probably wouldn't have even attempted the Tower climb in the first place.
Honestly, he was still scared.
It was practically mutual protection.
For example, a middle school nerd who has older brothers in the high school judo and boxing clubs.
Even if he's at the bottom of the food chain, the bullies can't touch him.
Because if they do, his brothers come running immediately.
It was the same now.
The Cave Orcs that had thrown axes at Joo-hyuk were being sliced up by Kosak.
'...I almost feel sorry for them.'
Let's kill a few more.
It should still be okay.
Since it's almost over, I should at least pick up the scraps.
Joo-hyuk stuck strictly to the outskirts.
Picking off only the isolated orcs,
Safely,
*Crackle!*
One by one.
*Wham!*
With the goal of practicing Falling Thunder Soul Chaser rather than killing orcs,
*Crackle! Wham!*
Then,
*Ding!*
The 2nd stance out of a total of 3 stances was also unlocked.
"...Wow!"
Scattered Lightning Strikes.
Meaning, multiple lightning bolts strike mixed together.
'It's an area-of-effect skill.'
Joo-hyuk raised his hammer high.
A Desert Orc that had strayed off by itself over there caught his eye.
*Swat! Swat!*
"Scattered Lightning Strikes."
*Zzap!*
*Cracklelelele...*
The lightning bolt split into five forks.
"Gwaaak!"
It was fun.
It felt like he had become Thor, the God of Thunder.
'Should I get more?'
Kosak shook his head vigorously.
"It's not good to get too excited just because a new skill was unlocked."
Ah!
Having to watch the mood of a summoned being who was absolutely loyal to him.
Just how long was this going to last?
It was frustrating.
Were the strong, strong from the beginning?
Did they come out of their mother's womb using Shadow Step?
"Mr. Kosak."
"Yes?"
"I may be an ordinary guy outside, but inside the Tower, I'm more of a top dog than anyone."
"Ye-yes, but safety first is the priority..."
"Safety first, my foot! Just let that Orc Chieftain show up! I'll charge right at him and smash his head like a clay pot..."
That's when it happened.
"Grrrrrrr!"
The big one had arrived.
The enormous Orc Chieftain, wielding an axe as big as its own body, barged into the battlefield.
*Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!*
Tattoos covered its entire body, tusks protruded from its mouth, and biceps thicker than Joo-hyuk's torso.
'...Is that really an orc?'
Why is it so big?
An overwhelming physique.
Even bigger than Gobang.
'Uh-oh...'
No matter how much courage he mustered, that was too much.
"What was it you said about smashing the Orc Chieftain's head like a clay pot earlier?"
Kosak asked slyly, glancing at Joo-hyuk.
"Hmm, did I overdo it earlier and pull something? My back suddenly hurts. ...I should just watch."
"Oh my! A man's strength comes from his back. You should rest properly."
"If only my back didn't hurt, I'd have smashed a chieftain like that in one hit."
"Of course! Do you think I don't know that? Just looking at something like that is bad for your mental health."
Kosak was annoyingly smug for some reason.
The Savage Gobang seemed to have spotted the Orc Chieftain, throwing his head back and letting out a great roar.
"Kwooooooh!"
Like a berserker.
The Chieftain and Gobang's eyes met.
Without a moment's hesitation, they both stomped towards each other.
*Crash!*
The contest of strength began.
But they were mismatched from the start.
"...Gruk?"
*Crunch!*
The Orc Chieftain's shoulders were crushed.
And then.
*Pafapat!*
The finishing touch from Kosak, shining with his SSR-grade prowess.
*Swish!*
A head flying up.
Floor 25 Mission Successful
✨ Level Up!
🎁 Reward: Magic Stone 2.5kg
🏆 Achievement: S++ Clear Rank for Black Tower (Korea) Floor 25
🏅 S++ Clear Reward: Platinum Badge Awarded
The 25th floor was also neatly finished.
"Good work."
"Hehe, thank you."
Anyway, time to check the special reward.
What came out this time would influence the contract with the elite team.
Increasing special rewards, Tower climbing becoming safer and safer.
"What would you like to eat today?"
"...Tteokbokki, perhaps?"
"Are you sure you can handle it? You can't eat spicy food."
"Why do you say that? I'm SSR now! Being a spice wimp is a thing of the past."
"Really? I wish you luck."
Joo-hyuk ordered ten servings of tteokbokki.
Along with some cool drinks.
"Enjoy to your heart's content."
"Aren't you going to eat, Summoner Bong?"
"I'll eat a little later."
Gobang slurped down the tteokbokki.
*Slurp, slurp.*
"...Isn't it spicy?"
"Not spicy at all. Just sweet."
"R-really?"
Kosak stared at the tteokbokki, then *Gulp!* swallowed once, stared again, stared with a determined look, picked up one rice cake with chopsticks while trembling and continued to stare...
'When is he planning to eat?'
Just leave him be.
He'll eat eventually.
Now, let's check the special reward.
Opening his Tower-exclusive inventory to check the badge,
Give me something good.
Please!
"What?"
Encore...?
"Oh!"
So this is it.
This wasn't some omakase encore sushi,
Could there be such a windfall?
The choice was too easy.
Only a fool would choose anything else here.
'Trait Enhancement.'
"Hehehe,"
A laugh escaped him.
Tower climbing?
A piece of cake.
Safety was also guaranteed.
Let's see.
First, his level?
[Level]: 26
Skills too.
[Combat Skills]: Shadow Step / Primordial Thunderbolt Staff
And his trait.
[Trait]: Summoning (Simultaneous Summons: 3)
Three simultaneous summons.
If he himself participated in combat, he could climb with a total of four people.
There was no privilege like this privilege.
Of course, this was a method applicable to all players with the Summoning trait.
Team play was possible instead of solo play, and if you enhanced the trait, the number of simultaneous summons increased.
But they had limitations too.
Was controlling summons easy?
They weren't very strong as they were linked to the player's level, they lacked free will so commands had to be specified one by one, and the mental consumption from that was extreme.
Was that all?
If they lost control of their summons, there was also the risk of them going berserk.
If they went berserk, you had to release the summon.
Because you could accidentally get attacked by your own summon.
Not all Summoning trait players had it easy.
They had clear drawbacks of their own.
Joo-hyuk, on the other hand, was different from the start in who he summoned.
Real people with immense, seemingly limitless power and abilities.
All he had to say to Kosak and Gobang was "Let's start the mission," and that was it.
'The cooldown for Random Summon...?'
About 18 days.
Time flies anyway.
'I can sign the elite team contract.'
At the very least, he wouldn't disappoint people.
'Now...'
All that remained was to discuss it with his family.
But right at that moment!
"Gwaaaaak! Hrruuup! Hrup!"
Kosak was writhing, crawling on the floor.
His long tongue, now red, was hanging all the way out of his mouth.
"The assassin is about to die."
"Guk, g-guk!"
"We throw him away now summon, someone else."
"Sh-shut up! W-water...!"
Joo-hyuk twisted open a bottle of drink and handed it to him.
"Tsk tsk, I knew this would happen."
Just because his grade went up, did being a spice wimp turn into spice pride?
'Wait!'
What if I fed him spicy food every time Kosak acted annoying?
It wouldn't violate Principle 3, so he'd have to obey.
But,
'Ugh! How could anyone do that?'
He wasn't a psychopath.
Joo-hyuk's family home.
The family was all gathered for the first time in a while.
He had specially bought some Hanwoo beef and gone home.
Even though they were poor, it was a harmonious family. After finishing the meal, they all sat together chattering noisily.
"You know, after we hired the lawyer, the company started contacting us too, those guys who had been ignoring us all this time."
"What happened to those people? The customers who dared to boss Mom around. I saw on the news that reporters swarmed them."
"Oh, don't even mention it. Turns out that family's husband is a high-ranking public official, it was a huge scandal. They keep calling me endlessly, saying they want to apologize."
"Honey, absolutely do not accept their apology. You have to teach them a lesson with this opportunity so they don't boss others around either."
The first topic was Mom's lawsuit.
The story that followed next was,
"I decided to be admitted to the hospital tomorrow. They said the room is a VIP room."
"Huh! Dad, can I stay there too? I'll take care of you. It's close to my school too."
"No way. I need your mom by my side to feel comfortable."
"Wow! A VIP room must be better than our house."
Min-hyuk's story too,
"Getting a scholarship is good, but it's only for one semester."
"Because of your grades?"
"Yes! I study well. I may not get a full scholarship, but I've been getting a half scholarship."
"Then why?"
"Next semester, I'm taking a leave of absence to go to the military."
"Ah!"
Come to think of it, he was old enough for the military.
"Right! How have you been lately, Hyung? ...Still doing part-time jobs? I hope you find a stable job."
"Yeah, Min-hyuk is right. Once my rehab is over, I'll look for a job too, so you should also start studying for employment."
"Our eldest son, you've had a hard time until now. From now on, we'll live for you. Once the lawsuit is over and we get compensation, our household will be somewhat comfortable."
Joo-hyuk pondered for a moment.
How should he bring it up?
It was practically a bombshell announcement.
In times like this, the direct approach was best.
"I hinted at something before, right?"
He paused briefly,
"I've awakened. I'm active as a Player."
His family stared at him with wide eyes as if he were talking nonsense.
"You're telling a joke without even cracking a smile."
"Are you talking about a game player?"
"Hyung. Have some fruit."
He planned to keep the S++ clears a secret.
He trusted his family, but the fewer people who knew, the better.
Joo-hyuk *thud!* took out a lump of Magic Stone from his inventory.
*Thud!* The Adamantium metal mace too!
*Thud!* The alloy round hand shield too!
And he continued speaking.
"You see? Magic Stones and the weapons I use. I've earned some money while conquering the Tower."
They couldn't help but be surprised.
With things popping out of thin air like that.
"Uh."
"W-what is this?"
"..."
The decisive statement.
"The Awakening Management Bureau asked me to sign an elite contract... Haa, this damn talent of mine, it really makes me tired."
It was a shock.
His father's mouth just hung open.
Min-hyuk covered his mouth with his hand.
His mother looked at Joo-hyuk with a subtle expression.
"I've become a top dog now. Please refrain from calling me timid or an ordinary guy in front of me from now on."
Joo-hyuk's expression was utterly serious.