Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: The Warm Dawn-Gold Aegis
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So far, I've received a total of six special rewards.
Listing them one by one:
Starting with the first Trait Enhancement,
The second skill copy, Shadow Step.
The third item, Energy Shield Kit.
The fourth random box containing the Primordial Thunderbolt Staff technique and a Summoned Being Grade-Up Rune.
The fifth encore reward, the reselected Trait Enhancement.
The sixth item, Skill Cooldown Reset Ticket.
On top of that, one more Summoned Being Grade-Up Rune came as a tower conquest reward.
So, what about this time?
What kind of reward would it be?
The moment I open my inventory and confirm the accumulation of 35 Platinum Badges, I can check the reward.
“Shall I go to the water purifier and fetch some purified water? We must make an offering.”
“I’ll go get it.”
At that, Gyeon Dal-rae shook her head vigorously.
“Water received from a water purifier is not purified water. It is merely tap water. Making an offering with such water might even invite impurity, you know.”
It was indeed tap water, but…
“An entirely unexpected and misguided result may come, so simply purify your heart and proceed to confirm the reward.”
Joo-hyuk looked at Gyeon Dal-rae's face with a subtle expression.
“Why do you look at me so? Is there something on this maiden's face?”
“Ah, no. Of course not.”
Invites impurity, huh…
Who was it that got summoned when I performed a Random Summon with tap water from the water purifier?
Was it because it was impure?
I must never say that.
She’d be hurt.
“Alright! Then, let’s begin the confirmation.”
“Summoner Bong, fighting!”
“May you achieve the result you desire.”
“I, Gobang, believe in the summoner's luck.”
The 35 shimmering Platinum Badges inside the inventory.
Instantly!
“Will it be Trait Enhancement?”
“Uwaaa! We're screwed! It absolutely must be!”
“Let's go!”
“…Huh?”
“Huh?”
A whopping two items had appeared.
“Items!”
“…Yes? Ah, items?”
“They are items?”
“Are they items?”
“Ooooh! Great effects!”
Although the desired Trait Enhancement didn't appear… but this was nothing to scoff at!
Joo-hyuk smiled contentedly.
‘I like them.’
Both were gold in color.
A perfect mace-and-shield set.
He could imagine himself bravely facing monsters with these in hand.
‘Should I give them a swing?’
Wow, they fit perfectly in my hands.
They’re light too.
Meanwhile, the others watched this scene with concern.
Kosak spoke to Gyeon Dal-rae.
“Look at Summoner Bong. He’s grinning from ear to ear.”
“Sigh, such flashy items… They’ll stand out like a sore thumb to the enemies.”
“Do you think he’ll stay still? He’ll come out to negotiate again. Saying he’ll only kill three, then killing five, saying he’ll kill five, then soaring into the sky.”
Gyeon Dal-rae nodded.
“This maiden thinks the same. With his brilliant talent now given wings by these items, if this becomes the trigger for him to actively engage in battle…”
Kosak’s face paled.
“Oh my, please don't say such things. It’s a disaster. What should we do? Does the princess have a solution?”
Of course, there was one.
“Though disloyal, we must cling to the Young Master’s trouser leg and beg. Shed a bucket of tears too.”
“Will that work? Haven’t we used that once before?”
“The Young Master is deeply merciful. He will never turn a blind eye to this maiden’s earnest heart a second or third time.”
Would that really work?
Kosak felt frustrated.
The Trait Enhancement we wanted didn’t come out, and of all things, these?
Isn’t our Summoner the type who, if he gets an item or skill, must use it to feel satisfied?
“We really should have made an offering. I regret it.”
“With that water purifier water? It might have been even worse. Something more sinister might have come out.”
At that, Gobang suddenly interjected.
“The warrior remembers. We made an offering with water purifier water and did a Random Summon, and Princess Gyeon Dal-rae came out.”
“…Pardon?”
Gyeon Dal-rae tilted her head as if asking what he was talking about.
“Gobang-nim, you, your joke is too much. Indeed! Your head has become clever enough to joke.”
“The warrior does not lie. The warrior does not know how to joke.”
“It’s true.”
“….”
Her pupils shook mercilessly.
Then,
“Aha! Now I see, it, it was no ordinary water purifier. T, turning tap water into purified water… seeing that this maiden was summoned, it must be an amazing water purifier.”
“It’s an amazing water purifier. It’s a regular water purifier.”
“…If this maiden says it is so, then please believe it is so.”
“Yes.”
Suddenly, Gobang opened his mouth.
“Anyway, since Trait Enhancement wasn’t achieved, it’s a three-person team.”
“Right.”
“That’s correct.”
He then looked at Gyeon Dal-rae and Kosak simultaneously.
“Random Summon isn’t far off. The summoner will soon bring in a new person. If so, who should step aside?”
“….”
“….”
Kosak’s face turned pale.
The moment had come.
Gobang, who can perform both tanking and close-range DPS.
Gyeon Dal-rae, who already solidified her position as a buffer while also providing daily assistance with talismans.
But himself, an ordinary close-range DPS with nothing special.
The answer was obvious.
Over there, in the place where souls bound to the Tower swarm,
What type of profession is most favored?
Buffers or holy healers like saints?
They are royalty, regardless of grade.
Their numbers are also the smallest.
Meat shield tanks?
They are the nobility.
Again, not many in number.
Then DPS?
They are the most numerous.
You have to look at the subdivisions.
Magic-based DPS are the middle-class commoners.
They are relatively popular DPS.
Jobs are fairly plentiful.
Ranged DPS are the poor commoners.
But they still get slotted in.
Finally, the close-range DPS.
They were the untouchables.
Their numbers were overwhelming.
As you went higher, they didn't get slotted in easily.
Kosak had experienced this himself.
So, if the new summoned being from the Random Summon was a ranged DPS or a magic-based DPS with AoE capabilities?
*Gulp.*
Kosak swallowed dryly.
In contrast, Gobang and Gyeon Dal-rae looked perfectly relaxed.
“A useless servant should step aside on his own. A useful servant must fill that spot.”
“That’s right. That is the way to serve the summoner.”
“….”
Bastards.
They’re at ease, so they can say that, right?
Yet, what they said was right a hundred times over.
“…I will make a decision when that moment comes.”
Even if Summoner Bong took pity on him and kept him in the party to the end, it would be a problem.
For smooth tower conquest, he should step aside on his own.
That is the proper attitude for a summoned being.
But how could he do that?
“P, perhaps if we reach the 40th floor, Trait Enhancement might appear? If we work hard and rush to conquer the 40th floor before the Random Summon…”
Instantly,
“Kosak-nim!!!”
“…Yes?”
Gyeon Dal-rae’s voice was like an arrow.
“Conquering un-cleared upper floors is solely the Young Master’s decision to make. How dare a lowly servant interfere with the Young Master’s inherent authority!!!”
“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant…”
He tried to explain, but.
“Do you feel at ease only if Young Master Bong overexerts himself for your sake? Even now, my heart feels torn asunder that he obtained weapons as a reward…”
“….”
Unable to retort, Kosak could only hang his head low.
“Hweeyoo, fine then. I’ll step down gracefully. It was fun while it la…”
It was then.
“Who said Kosak-nim should step aside?”
Suddenly, Joo-hyuk approached with sharp eyes.
“Was it Gobang-ssi?”
“N, not me. I, I was just sitting still.”
“Was it Princess Gyeon Dal-rae?”
“…It is not. Y, you misunderstand. We were merely hypothesizing a possible situation.”
He was angry.
Why were they suddenly and abruptly talking about someone stepping aside?
When a timid person gets angry, it’s the scariest thing.
Joo-hyuk nailed it down with a firm voice.
“Listen well. I might not climb the tower, but I will absolutely not remove anyone. We go as is, with this team. Until the end of the climb, especially…”
Joo-hyuk and Kosak’s eyes met.
Kosak flinched, then tears welled up in his eyes.
Seeing him, Joo-hyuk nodded to tell him not to worry.
Ahhh,
Can you feel it?
This was the hot bond of comrades-in-arms.
…No, let’s drop the ‘bond’ part.
It might lead to a strange atmosphere.
Anyway, the hot friendship of comrades!
He had unintentionally eavesdropped on their conversation.
So, the remaining Random Summon cooldown is about 15 days.
If he fails to achieve Trait Enhancement by then, three slots will remain.
And if a skilled DPS is summoned from the Random Summon?
It seemed they had already concluded that someone would have to step aside.
I understand why they thought that.
Compared to Kosak, who is replaceable anytime,
Gobang and Gyeon Dal-rae hold solid, irreplaceable positions.
But no way.
The possibility of Kosak leaving? Not even a speck.
Who was it that got him this far?
It was because Kosak paved the way.
He climbed by stepping on his back.
Thanks to him, he could at least act like a human being within the tower.
“What if a fully equipped shield knight comes from the Random Summon? Will you step aside, Gobang-ssi?”
“….”
“If a saintess or priest comes, is Princess Gyeon Dal-rae out?”
“….”
Everyone became as silent as if they had honey in their mouths.
The dignity of a summoner who subdues with words, be it a royal princess or a savage warrior.
‘Was I cool?’
He probably was.
You could tell just by looking at Kosak’s eyes, filled with gratitude and trust.
Ahh,
Why am I so good with words?
Anyway, Joo-hyuk also desperately wanted the Trait Enhancement now.
I must achieve it.
I will definitely get it.
“Kosak-ssi.”
“Yes!”
“Do you want Trait Enhancement? Shall we sprint all the way to the 50th floor?”
At that, Kosak answered while shedding chicken poop-like tears again.
“I fully understand Summoner Bong’s heart for my sake, but I am fine. If you overexert yourself for me, I could never forgive myself.”
“Let's just go for it!”
“Ah, no. Please, absolutely do not do that.”
“Then how about this?”
Joo-hyuk extended his pinky finger in a gesture of making a promise.
“Until we get Trait Enhancement, I won’t hunt monsters and will stay in the back. I won’t kill a single one. I won’t even take the weapons out of my inventory.”
Kosak’s eyes widened.
Gyeon Dal-rae also brightened up.
Gobang nodded as well.
“How about it? Anyone opposed to running until Trait Enhancement appears?”
Gyeon Dal-rae answered swiftly.
“Since the Young Master will not participate in battle, how could we possibly refuse? I will shake my bell so hard it might break.”
“Do not worry, all. I, Gobang, will protect the summoner. I will achieve an S++ rank conquest too.”
And,
“Kosak-ssi, call?” (Proofreader note: This is referencing "call" in poker meaning to match a bet)
Overcome with emotion, Kosak raised his hand high and shouted desperately,
“C, call! It's a call! Call! Call! Caaall!!!”
“Great! Let's proceed! Starting from the 36th floor!”
Thus began the un-cleared upper-floor climb for Kosak, by Kosak, of Kosak.
Awakening Management Bureau Chief Park Kyung-su and NIS Director Park Il-joon held an emergency meeting.
The two had grown closer lately through recent national audits.
This was to share the investigation process of the recently erupted 'Imperial Traditional Massage Murder Case'.
It wasn't a simple murder case.
It was an attempted kidnapping of an elite team.
Although all the perpetrators were dead.
“All the dead are likely soldiers. And very well-trained ones at that.”
“These bastards… Any clear evidence on who plotted it?”
“Sigh, there is no evidence. If even one of them had survived, we could have uncovered it through interrogation. But they're all dead.”
However, the circumstantial evidence pointed to China.
It could only be China.
In fact, it was widely rumored, known and unknown.
The rumor that China was enticing or kidnapping talented players from minor countries.
And now that target included Korea.
It felt like Korea had suddenly become a minor country.
“The Holy Sword’s true owner was also among their targets.”
“Grr.”
At the NIS Director’s words, Park Kyung-su’s face flushed red with anger.
They could have faced a national catastrophe.
“It’s unlikely they knew. Probably a coincidence.”
Currently, Player Bong Joo-hyuk was only known as the Holy Sword owner.
Only three people knew he was the S++ rank conquest record holder.
Even the NIS Director didn't know.
“I shouldn’t say this, but I’m almost grateful to the murderers.”
“Anyway, we must investigate thoroughly. How these guys entered Korea, if there are any remnants left, and also the identity of the murder suspect.”
“One more thing! The NIS needs to pay more attention to protection.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind. I’ve issued a full mobilization order for both domestic and foreign organizations. We should have good results soon.”
If they found definitive evidence that it was China’s doing, they wouldn’t just sit still.
“That aside, didn’t you say Gerald Watson is entering Korea from the US in a week?”
“Yes. We received the official diplomatic document.”
“What do we need to do?”
“Nothing. They say they’ll handle everything themselves, from movement to protection.”
“I’m sure they will.”
They’re bringing the top player from the US, after all.