Chapter 181
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Ordinary Guy's Tower Strategy
Among items, there are some prohibited from export overseas.
Typically, high-grade magic stones like tower materials, or runes and tickets that have a decisive impact on conquests, as well as tower reward items, and so on.
Right now, that would be the Liberation Rune Necklace.
An item forbidden from both import and export.
Possessing it alone is illegal.
The government has banned it, but they can't actually catch anyone with it.
Once a Player stores it in their inventory, that's it.
How are they supposed to detect something that doesn't show up at airport security?
Transactions are simple, too.
Meet up anywhere, anytime, take it out of your inventory, and done.
Of course, bank records are left behind, so deals are usually made with coins or bearer bonds.
In that way, Chinese-made Liberation Rune Necklaces were spreading across the world.
Japan was no exception.
The current tourist boom in Japan.
The Black Tower rising right in the heart of downtown Tokyo.
It had become a trend to snap a photo with the Tokyo skyline featuring the Black Tower in the background and post it on SNS.
From America, Europe, Taiwan, China, Korea, and more.
Countless tourists flocked to Japan to gawk at the alien Black Tower in the middle of the city.
Of course, among those tourists, there were Players who had secretly stashed Liberation Rune Necklaces in their inventories.
A quiet bar in Tokyo's Ginza.
An old man and a rough-looking young man sat facing each other.
"Here it is. Never used even once."
A necklace placed on the table by the old man's hand.
"You're a Player too, so you can check it yourself, right?"
Nomura Daikinzō silently stared at the Liberation Rune Necklace before reaching out to inspect its information.
Player abilities manifest outside the tower for 1 hour, with a total of 3 uses available.
"Chinese-made?"
"What, did you think it was Japanese? All Liberation Necklaces are from China."
Nomura was a yakuza.
He was also a Player.
An unregistered one, not in the national database.
He had awakened as a yakuza and now managed a district in Tokyo's Shinjuku as a mid-level boss.
"Do I have to return it after using it?"
"Not at all! Once you complete the mission, the necklace is yours. Doesn't matter how many uses are left."
The mission was none other than an assassination contract.
Just kill one person.
But the target was extremely tricky.
Practically impossible.
Even with liberated power.
Because the target was also a Player.
And a very well-known one at that.
Someone whose status made it impossible to even approach under normal circumstances.
"You know killing Players is really hard, right?"
"I know. Because they can just flee into the tower."
Exactly.
No matter how dire the situation, step into the tower and it's over.
You'd be left sucking your thumb like a dog chasing a chicken.
"But don't worry. We can tell if he's used his daily tower entry or not."
Nomura hesitated.
Killing someone wasn't hard.
It was just because this wasn't an ordinary guy.
"He might have a Liberation Rune Necklace too."
"But his level is lower than yours, isn't it?"
True.
The target's known level was 31.
His own level was incomparably higher.
"Just succeed, and we'll handle the cleanup. Then Shinjuku, Roppongi, Kabukicho, Asakusa—they'll all be your turf. Hell, I'll hand over the entire Tokyo district."
"Hoo."
Honestly, Nomura was getting tempted.
It was tough, but success meant solid rewards.
This old man had the power to back it up.
"What about the mana seal scroll? I heard that nullifies mana itself."
"Doesn't exist in Japan yet."
"You sure?"
"Don't you trust me? Do you think we'd launch something without prior intel?"
Nomura nodded.
Right, he wasn't alone.
He just had to succeed.
They'd take care of the rest.
"Alright. I'll do it."
"Heh heh heh, good thinking."
Contract accepted.
"We'll set the table. You just eat. How easy is that?"
"Got it."
Nomura didn't think for a second this would fail.
Not even if the target wore a Liberation Rune Necklace like him.
Their base levels differed by nearly 30.
No way he'd lose.
Tower administrators knew everything that happened inside the tower intimately.
Who reached which floor, conquest success or failure, and if successful, what rewards they got.
What about outside the tower?
How did they monitor the real world?
The fastest way was to scan the consciousness of Players who entered the tower using causality points.
They couldn't get every tiny detail, but they could roughly grasp major events happening outside.
That's how they learned about the first Liberation Rune Necklace incident in China, though very limited info.
The incident started in Chongqing, China.
Over 50 casualties.
Good.
Finally, the seeds had sprouted.
Now the chain reaction would begin.
The Liberation Rune Necklace was like a virus.
Once people witnessed its effects, they couldn't resist using it.
And that's exactly what happened.
Starting from Chongqing, Liberation Rune Necklace use spread across China.
But then?
A hesitant engineer reporting to the designer.
[...Um, apparently a 'mana seal scroll' has appeared.]
[Huh? What's that?]
[It might neutralize the Liberation Rune Necklace.]
What the hell?
[The Liberation Rune Necklace is a tower item. It won't break until its duration ends, and it doesn't malfunction.]
[Well...]
The engineer's explanation continued.
It doesn't interfere with the necklace's activation but binds the mana manifested in the Player's body afterward.
Damn summoner.
Has to be his doing.
[How many? If it's just a few, it's a storm in a teacup, right?]
[They're mass-producing them. Already in full production.]
[...]
Right.
He had overlooked that.
Mayaen-gong.
That damn Trinity.
[America confirmed the scroll's effect. They easily subdued a Liberation Necklace Player. No casualties.]
[...]
Rage boiled up.
Throw one thing, and countermeasures come lightning fast.
It was impossible to keep up.
What now?
Should they Scrap the plan?
That cursed summoner.
Fury burned his mind white.
[Maker, push more Liberation Rune Necklaces out there.]
[But the causality points...]
[Do as I say. ...We're seeing this through to the end.]
Yeah, let's do it.
Let's see who wins?
The world of souls.
The souls living there longed to be chosen by the summoner and escape this endless prison.
Along with complete liberation from the binding contract.
『Isn't the random summon schedule coming up soon?』
『Feels like it already passed.』
『Then who got out?』
『Who knows. No one's come back since the White Tower appeared.』
『They still bragged before leaving, though. The previous ones did, and that attention-whore mage too.』
『Bet if anyone here got summoned, they'd get the summoner's permission and come back to rub it in our faces.』
『Now that you mention it, yeah. How do you hold that in?』
『If I'd been summoned, I planned to brag at least three times before getting residency rights.』
『But it's so quiet... Damn it! Now I'm worried. What if random summons aren't working anymore?』
『No way?』
『What if the admins did something again?』
『Sigh, there is no one to tell us what's happening outside?』
The souls were sick with worry.
Wondering if something had happened to the summoner.
Player-turned Prime Minister Maeda was riding in his bulletproof limo to a special lecture at Tokyo University.
The lecture content was nothing special.
Duties and rights as a Japanese Player, a blueprint for future tower climbs, Japan's fourth industrial revolution based on high-grade magic stones and new resources, etc.
In the process, he planned to express concerns about the Chinese incident and announce the decision to import mana seal scrolls from Korea.
But his head already throbbed.
Thinking about how right-wing groups would swarm like mad dogs over this announcement.
Depending on Korea again.
No need for mana seal scrolls.
Japanese people's civic virtue is the world's best.
No incidents from Liberation Rune Necklaces.
Just thoroughly inspect tourists from China and Korea.
But Maeda decided on a frontal assault.
The right-wingers grabbed at any excuse to tarnish him anyway.
'Tch, still haunted by the ghosts of the past.'
He had to acknowledge what needed acknowledging.
Japan's bubble had burst completely.
The country leading Black Tower conquests worldwide was Korea right now.
Did he like Korea?
It was strategic friendliness.
Anything to prevent Tokyo Tower's collapse.
'Nitpicking without knowing anything...'
Then.
Clunk!
The car suddenly stopped.
'...Huh?'
Maeda sensed something wrong.
'Why?'
No reason for the Prime Minister's vehicle to stop while driving, especially on an elevated highway.
A chill ran down his spine.
The driver, secretary, and bodyguards sat motionless, doing nothing.
"Hey? What the hell is everyone doing?"
No response.
'This is...'
Maeda's judgment was swift.
Why did he wear the Liberation Rune Necklace everywhere?
Fear of sudden situations.
Like right now.
Instinctively, he whispered.
'Liberate.'
In that instant!
Rrrrip!
The car's roof split open.
Stab!
A black spear thrust inside.
Maeda reflexively shoved open the side door with his body and leaped out.
Crunch! Crash!
But,
Ouch!
There was a sudden pain in his shoulder.
Stab! Stabstabstab!
Even outside, black spears relentlessly targeted Prime Minister Maeda.
He rolled and dodged across the elevated highway.
Stab! Stab! Stabstabstab!
Luckily the missed his vitals, but his whole body was soaked red from the spear attacks.
But he didn't just take it.
He pulled a tower reward longsword from his inventory,
Clang! Clangclang!
Slash, slash!
As he counterattacked and retreated,
Finally, one man came into view.
He couldn't tell who.
Had to be a killer.
One who had activated his Liberation Rune Necklace.
The mysterious assailant's upper clothes were shredded by Maeda's attacks.
And on his chest, was a terrifying oni tattoo.
"...Yakuza?"
Not a fashion tattoo.
Real yakuza ink.
The man grinned wickedly and spoke.
"You hid your level, you Prime Minister bastard."
Of course he did.
The Prime Minister's personal info was state secret.
Maeda's public level was 31, but now it was 45.
"You think you'll get away with this?"
"Yeah, I will. Once you're dead."
Whoosh!
The yakuza—charged at Maeda in an instant.
Zip! Zipzipzip!
Clang! Clangclangclang!
Maeda retreated repeatedly under the fierce spear attacks infused with mana.
Not enough.
Both had activated Liberation Rune Necklaces, but this guy's level was higher.
Plus, the escort vehicles behind weren't deploying bodyguards.
Meant it was a premeditated trap.
Nomura felt the same unease.
He'd clearly inflicted a mortal wound, yet the guy hadn't fallen.
The Blood had even stopped, the wounds healing,
'No healing potion... an item?'
One without the "tower exclusive" tag?
Seemed like it.
Maeda's belt flashed red, healing his wounds.
"Damn it!"
Swoosh!
Nomura lunged with his spear.
Maeda focused intensely.
Had to dodge.
Stay here and die.
Swoosh!
Maeda spun and fled swiftly.
Hold on.
Survive and live.
The guy's level was higher, but he had means to endure.
His greatest treasure,
The belt he wore.
Thanks to it, he'd gained 14 levels in a short time.
Where to run anyway?
Somewhere crowded first.
His eyes caught the Black Tower in central Tokyo.
'There, to that place.'
Destination: Tokyo Black Tower.
Tokyo's top tourist spot.
It had the most people there.
Maeda ran frantically.
Nomura chased close behind.
White Tower, 17th floor.
Joo-hyuk was on the phone with his brother Min-hyuk.
- Bro! were you a spy?
Hah, this punk!
"I told you before. Chairman Kim and I are old acquaintances."
- That's why you shouldn't. Unification's still far off.
"Shut up! I'm Hanging up!"
But then Mom called too.
- Son, you haven't been hanging out with weird people, right? I trust you. ...Wait, no?
"Hah!"
Chief Jeon Gwang-il had to step in.
"Yes, yes, ma'am. The government's fully aware. Yes. No need to worry."
Thanks to that.
- Knew it. This guy's shaking over some national security law violation, more dramatic than my son.
Right, Mom.
I'm your blood.
Not like Dad.
A high-ranking official fixed it.
"Thank you."
"Haha, no problem."
Good thing Chief Jeon Gwang-il was nearby.
He dropped by whenever he had time lately.
While here, time to discuss the 80th floor conquest plan.
"If things go well, we might get a strategy for the giant monster sections from 81 up."
"...Pardon? Uh, how?"
"Hard to explain in detail, but remember the holy sword rental in the undead section?"
"Of course."
"Similar to that. We're developing a weapon now. If it works, giant monsters should be doable..."
"Oh."
"Still planning stage, so don't mention it."
"Got it."
He'd floated the idea.
Just waiting for magitech engineer El to finish the upgraded magic guns.
Suddenly!
Ding!
It was an alert from Jeon Gwang-il's smartphone.
He checked the message, tilted his head, tapped the Nutube link.
His eyes widened in shock.
"Gasp!"
"What? Something happen?"
"Hmm."
He showed the phone to Joo-hyuk.
"Two liberated Players are fighting in the city center."
"Really? Where? China?"
"Japan."
Japan?
Joo-hyuk looked at the phone.
Black Tower in Tokyo center as backdrop.
Suit-clad man with longsword vs. spear-wielding man with shredded clothes revealing creepy tattoos.
"Whoa! Check out those tattoos. Yakuza?"
"Probably..."
"But that guy looks familiar."
"It's Japan's Prime Minister, Kenji Maeda."
"Ah, the Japanese PM, pri-me minis—wait, what?"
What the hell?
"Japan's PM vs. a yakuza."
"...It an AI deepfake?"
"No, it's real."
Holy crap!
Prime Minister vs. yakuza?
It felt like:
King Kong vs. Godzilla.
Superman vs. Batman.
Alien vs. Predator.
Exactly that.
Straight out of a Japanese anime or live-action flick.
And it was happening for real.
Right in the middle of Tokyo.
"The X-dogs are fighting."
X-fodder to some.
"That belt the Japanese PM's wearing... a magitech item. The Latest version too. Would love to disassemble and study it."
It was a Research material to others.
"Looks like an auto-potion injector. Probably has a basic inventory magic formula engraved. Not my specialty, but disassembling that belt would let me map the mana circuits at least..."
Figures a PM has the good stuff.
Maybe borrow it later for El to study.
Anyway, all sorts of crazy things happen.
I wonder who wins?