Chapter 186
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: Ordinary Guy's Tower Conquest Method
Just as Bong Joo-hyuk and his group were about to launch their fire truck crane-wing formation strategy against the 86th floor Phoenix, a news article broke outside.
It was brief.
The headline was the whole story.
But the reaction was huge.
Because of the 100 billion won amount?
Of course, that too,
but mostly because it was an official statement that the donor was the Top Player.
It was the first time.
Up until now, all the various incidents presumed to be the Top Player's doing had been mere speculation.
From lending the holy sword to mass-producing mana-sealing scrolls.
Not once had it been openly stated as the Top Player's enterprise.
Still, everyone knew.
Who else could it be?
But this time, it came through an official statement from the Awakening Management Bureau.
A first for something like this.
Most reactions were positive.
Especially regarding the fact that the donation decision came through official channels,
In the midst of that, a YouTube video popped up.
It was information on the unconquered upper floors released by the Korean Awakening Management Bureau: the 86th floor.
What terrifying monster would the 86th floor hold? People watched with anticipation.
And they could only be shocked.
The 86th floor backdrop.
A volcano with smoke billowing up.
And above it, a bright red flame floating.
Looking closely, it wasn't just any flame.
It had form.
What is that?
Only after the subtitles appeared did they realize its identity.
But,
The conquest ended in an instant.
Probably one of the fastest in history.
The moment Sergeant V pulled the Phoenix into the fire truck crane-wing encirclement, its fate was sealed.
3,000L per second from 30 chemical fire trucks—3 tons per second, 180 tons per minute.
Plus the massive liquid nitrogen drop from Dimensional Firefighter Razix in the air.
Flash!
Bong Joo-hyuk and the group emerged in the penthouse.
The summoned beings rested in the White Tower.
All released from summoning.
And then,
"Designated Summon: Jepetto."
Whoosh!
"Master!"
"Welcome back. Jepetto, must've been tough in the world of souls?"
"Not at all. ...H-how did the conquest go?"
"Hahaha, succeeded, of course."
"Ah! I believed it!"
Bong Joo-hyuk explained in detail to Jepetto how they conquered the 86th floor Phoenix.
Jepetto's face lit up with emotion.
"P-please release the summon quickly. I need to tell the souls the good news."
"Rest at home first."
"No. The elders are very interested in the Phoenix conquest too..."
"Still, play around here until your manifestation time is up."
"Ah, understood."
After that, Bong Joo-hyuk entered the White Tower.
The summoned beings gathered in the plaza, celebrating warmly.
"A perfect conquest."
"Right. We ended it before it could even respond."
"Those fire truck breaths were amazing. Way better than Silver Dragon's ice breath."
"Choosing the crane-wing formation tactic was key."
"Sergeant V's perfect pulling. Aggro was perfectly drawn."
"From start to finish, thanks to the supply commander."
"Hoh."
Exchanging praises.
"Old Man Mac worked hard too. Flying with the dimensional firefighter and dropping liquid nitrogen! Wow! Almost like a bomber. Phoenix bomber."
"Mad Demon's crescent qi didn't miss a single one."
"The magitech engineer and basement alchemist did their part too."
Then Gyeon Dal-rae looked at Bong Joo-hyuk, who had just entered the White Tower.
"However, everyone must remember. All this happened under Young Master's command."
"Do you think this old man doesn't know that? Well done, Summoner."
"Excellent command."
"It's an honor to fight together."
"Victory!"
"Huat!"
Tsk.
Why are they making me shy?
Anyway, the items from this conquest.
Phoenix ashes and feathers.
What are these for?
Aha.
Not interested in nectar.
Feathers?
'Hmm.'
A sudden passing thought.
Mari had said in the past that the 80th floor boss would drop nectar and elixir materials.
Coincidentally, the 86th floor was a phoenix.
Then what about 87th? 88th, 89th, 90th?
"I wonder if World Trees or dragons appear as monsters."
"..."
Silence.
A hush fell.
The summoned beings seemed to have anticipated it too.
"If a dragon appears? ...Can we catch it?"
No hasty answer came.
Finally, Mackenzie stepped forward as representative.
"...Anyone who has ever joined a dragon conquest party and succeeded gets the Dragon Slayer title."
And?
"This mage also holds the Dragon Slayer title from his previous world, thanks to excellent comrades."
Oh! As expected of a 9th circle grand mage.
"Can't say it's easy, but considering our LSSR's comrades, the tech classes like magitech engineer and alchemist, and Razix's abilities... we can catch it."
Kosak too.
"Dragons are smarter than humans. Exploits don't work well. But if we don't aim for S+++, we can catch it."
Well, yeah.
Is S+++ conquest important?
Might not get two badges.
The problem is...,
"It won't be dangerous, right? No one gets hurt."
Silence flowed again.
Then,
"This old man knows well the dangers of dragons. We can't guarantee no casualties. But so what if we die? Even if we die, we'll appear in the White Tower as souls, and we have resurrection runes too."
Meaning we could die.
"That's a bit..."
Truth be told, since the White Tower appeared, the summoned beings' deaths weren't a huge burden.
But how could he watch them die inside the tower with his own eyes?
He didn't have the confidence to stay calm seeing that.
"For now, replenish extinguishing agent, reconquer Tower 2's 86th floor, then decide. Whether to go to 87th or not."
Time was plenty anyway.
No need to rush up desperately.
Also, problems were due soon.
An insurmountable wall, or massive sacrifices.
Now was time to reorganize the party.
First goal: Break through grades for summoned beings stuck at LSSR in Susal. Achieve all LSSR grade.
Second goal: Utilize magitech engineer El.
In such the short time together, she completed the mass item production system and strategies for the giant monster sections from the 81st floor up.
If given enough time?
She might create a heaven-defying strategy even for dragons.
So upper floor conquests on hold for now.
What to do next?
"Repeated conquests?"
"Aren't repeated conquests boring?"
"No, isn't climbing unconquered floors the same? Climb tower, conquer, get reward, climb again... same pattern."
What's different?
"Just rest deeply without thinking."
"Even playing gets boring,"
"Look at Mari. She plays well alone."
"...Y-yes!"
True, Kosak had a point.
Playing is only fun for a day or two.
This way, they'll push for upper conquests again.
Needed content to divert their interest.
Something new.
'Wait!'
Come to think of it, that was there.
"How much high tier mana stone do we have in storage? Over 1,000 tons?"
"Not sure, but we have plenty, at least that much."
High tier mana stone stock was sufficient.
Then?
"Shall we build our elevator?"
"What..."
"The White Tower 17th floor elevator."
"Ah!"
Good idea.
Better than climbing unconquered uppers and facing terrifying dragons.
"But not sure if installing elevator brings benefits."
"Me neither..."
"Have to install to find out."
Won't waste 1,000 tons of high-tier mana stone, right?
So many other things possible with that.
On the other hand, why would elevator install option appear in White Tower menu for no reason?
There must be a reason to build it.
'Might as well try building it.'
Shall we?
If possible, do it.
But if useless?
Or something dangerous happens?
'Decision paralysis again.'
What needed now?
Something to help decide.
For example.
"Fairy Princess."
"Speak, Young Master."
"Shall we do divination after a long time? If elevator install is gain or loss."
Truthfully, relying on divination over rational judgment seems irrational.
Others might call it superstition.
But Gyeon Dal-rae is a real shaman, right?
With an LSSR fairy right in front.
Relying on her divination is very rational.
"Understood. I shall divine."
Gyeon Dal-rae sat at a table on the floor.
Scatter! Rice grains on the table, shake the bell jingle jingle.
"Heaven and earth spirits, light a lantern on our Young Master's path."
Jingle jingle.
Shake bell,
Swoosh swoosh swoosh.
Feel rice grains on table.
Clatter, clatter.
Draw a mountain branch from oracle pouch.
Then.
"The divination is out."
Oh!
Exciting.
"Great fortune!"
Great fortune?
Not just fortune, but great with big character.
"Yess!"
"Oh yeah!"
"Hoh!"
"Awesome. Install right away."
"Seems fine to install."
"Great fortune, why delay?"
Yes!
That 1,000 tons of high-tier mana stone, nothing compared to great fortune.
Install elevator immediately.
Where to place it?
'Plaza center here on 17th floor, perfect.'
He called the admin menu and touched the elevator install button.
'Install.'
Rumble rumble!
The entire 17th floor of the White Tower began to shake.
Click clack! Clack!
Dazzling light forming in the plaza center.
And what appeared was...,
"Huh? A real elevator?"
It was not metaphorical.
Actual elevator, cubic single-story structure, doors that open sideways, even buttons.
Rumble rumble,
The Summoned beings rushed to the elevator.
"This it?"
"Looks just like one."
"This the open button?"
"Hey hey! Why did you press it? The Commander hasn't even touched it yet."
"It's fine. Press away. We will test if it is dangerous first."
In the meantime, Bong Joo-hyuk got,
'Was wondering why it wasn't popping.'
Reward?
Exemption good,
but just once?
'Operation cost too? Isn't it done after building?'
'Insane!'
Thieves!
Build it then nickel-and-dime top mana stones?
Eh!
First one's free, so he'd ride it once and think about it after.
World of Souls.
『Jepetto has arrived! Greetings, elders!』
『Came.』
『Why so late?』
『We waited!』
『86th floor conquest? Success or failure?』
『Success, right? Huh? Yeah? Killed the phoenix?』
『Did fire strategy work?』
『Quiet! Listen first!』
Jepetto paused a moment.
『I'll explain slowly. Listen well. First, Sergeant V pulled the phoenix floating over the volcano with special ammo made by magitech engineer El. Lured the aggro'd one into the fire truck crane-wing formation, then...』
The souls listened breathlessly to Jepetto's explanation.
When he got to the end, killing the phoenix with liquid nitrogen shower and obtaining ashes and feathers.
『Hooray!』
『We did it.』
『Phoenix ashes dropped! Ashes, for nectar material.』
『If that Mari bitch makes nectar, Summoner can live at least 1,000 years.』
『We can breathe now. Time is on Summoner's side.』
『Living long important, but need strengthening elixir too.』
『That's just time issue, once we get Dragon Heart.』
『Dragon some pet name?』
『I should go out... This lord was a dragon slayer in his prime.』
『Don't most have Slayer title by default? Big deal.』
『Right. Not like you soloed it.』
『Anyway, wait about 80 days to go out?』
『Hope random summons restart soon.』
『My turn this time. Gotta go.』
『Definitely join and etch my name in tower history.』
A summoner who conquers any challenge effortlessly.
Hardly any trials or tribulations.
The best team ever?
Just get summoned and you're in it.
It was honor enough.