Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: The Final Step
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It's decided.
We're starting the conquest today.
But first, a confirmation.
Finally, a Korean.
Thanks to his own will and France's nationality cancellation procedures, he regained his Korean nationality faster than expected.
Well, France was also cursed and has to conquer the 70th floor, but they can take their time.
He had two multinational tower usage tickets, so he had room to spare.
If France wanted it handled, he'd do it.
For a price, of course.
All summoned beings, Designated Summon.
He didn't call the Mad Demon, however.
Should he deploy top-tier personnel just anywhere?
"Kosak is here. Bong Joo-hyuk-sir."
"Hello, Mr. Kosak."
"…Huh? Not monsieur?"
"I'm Korean now."
"Ah-ha!"
Gobang, Gyeon Dal-rae, Razix, Veronica, and Bardin all arrived.
They all had their badges, so they seemed to be in good spirits.
"Shall we climb?"
And so, the first day's climb began.
The goal: consecutive conquests of the 67th and 68th floors.
It had been a long time since he'd entered the Korean tower.
The incident where Gerald went to the 68th floor and had a close call.
Team Leader Jeon Gwang-il and Director Antonio had agreed to keep the incident secret.
But there were many people in the Holy Sword Lending Room.
Administration Bureau employees, medical personnel dispatched for emergencies, and players from other countries waiting for their turn.
Even with confidentiality agreements, word of mouth inevitably leaked out.
The story first surfaced on America's largest player community site.
The rumor spread rapidly.
It tarnished the reputation of Gerald, once the world's top player, but that was nothing.
The fact that he couldn't handle a 68th-floor Death Knight even with the Holy Sword.
Nations around the world grew tense.
In fact, until now, floors 61 and above had been rated as easier conquests than the late 50s.
Why? Because of the Holy Sword.
With the power of Radiance, undead monsters were just weak, brittle skeletons.
But now they were stuck on the 68th floor.
If true, the 68th floor might become a wall of lamentation.
It was a crisis.
Damn Cabalan's curse.
First wave: 10 countries, second wave: 20, third wave: 30... if this continued, the fourth wave would be 40, the fifth 50...
Almost every nation's tower would be affected.
And they would stop at the wall of the 68th floor.
Of course, there was an alternative.
The proven player who conquered the French Black Tower's 69th floor without a Holy Sword.
Korea's S++ rank record holder.
His value was only increasing.
Korea was also on high alert.
This was no time to relax.
Players could change nationality at any time.
Every Korean had experienced it.
The experience of their top player becoming a citizen of another country in an instant.
So this was no situation to be complacent about.
Then, out of nowhere.
They knew it wasn't Player Nam Ga-eun.
She was an excellent player, but she couldn't achieve an S++ rank conquest.
It was definitely the top player.
The one externally known as Gobang.
And then, about 30 minutes later.
The community and SNS boards exploded again.
The Korean Black Tower 68th floor S++ rank conquest record.
What?
Less than an hour after the 67th-floor S++ rank conquest was announced.
The 68th floor was also an S++ rank conquest?
The conquest success wasn't the issue.
Amidst this, breaking news flashed across media and TV.
A special presidential address?
It seemed something important was about to be announced.
A short while later.
The Korean President appeared in person at the Blue House briefing room.
Domestic and foreign journalists had mobilized en masse.
It was being broadcast live via satellite around the world.
What was this?
Conquer the 70th floor?
The briefing room instantly erupted in noise.
The Korean Black Tower's 70th floor was the true Cabalan's hiding place.
How did they even know that...
That was true.
Even if cursed, one should fill the conquest deadline to the brim.
Click-click-click! Flash!
Camera flashes erupted incessantly.
Viewership ratings were skyrocketing.
In Korea and around the world.
The briefing ended.
Reporters frantically raised their hands with questions, but the address to the nation was over.
And so, people waited with bated breath for tomorrow to arrive.
Would Cabalan's curse truly end?
The French special envoy team also watched the Korean President's address from within Korea.
The declaration of the end of Cabalan's curse.
If only that would happen.
France could buy time.
Of course, that wasn't the end.
Either way, the French Black Tower's 70th floor still needed to be conquered.
French Prime Minister Benjamin instructed his diplomatic staff.
"Let's anticipate what Korea will demand during negotiations. We need to know in advance to prepare."
Due to the unexpected accident that befell Gerald, US Secretary MacMillan and Director Antonio, their mouths parched with anxiety, also watched.
"If the curse is lifted, we'll have put out the immediate fire."
"It's just getting over a hump. We may still need to make a decision regarding the 68th floor."
"Sigh, let's decide after watching tomorrow."
Japan's Acting Prime Minister, Chief Cabinet Secretary Usuda, mused,
"If the true Cabalan conquest becomes reality, we won't even be able to lift our heads before the Korean government."
How much would Korea's influence grow in the international community?
Japan might have to grovel to survive.
"If we want to secure a provisional naturalization or tower collapse defense treaty, what do you think Korea will demand?"
Usuda's secretary answered.
"Immediately, I think of the Dokdo issue, apologies for comfort women and forced labor, withdrawal of demands for stakes in Korean SNS companies, and easing of import/export tariffs."
Usuda nodded.
They could agree to all that.
What wouldn't they do to survive?
But the secretary's expression wasn't good.
Something seemed to be troubling him.
"Is there a problem?"
"I'm sorry to bring this up now, but... the Self-Defense Forces' atmosphere is unusual."
"The SDF?"
"Public opinion within the SDF condemning our very visit to Korea is boiling over."
"Hmph! Are they planning a coup?"
"...The possibility is very high."
Acting Prime Minister Usuda furrowed his brow deeply.
He had known for a while.
The SDF's rightward shift.
But with a tower rising in the heart of Tokyo, would they do something so stupid?
Absolutely not.
Usuda was sure of it.
The next day.
As soon as Joo-hyuk woke up, he washed up and ate first.
He ate heartily, planning to finish all conquests by the morning.
The sooner Cabalan's curse was lifted, the better.
And so, he entered the Korean Black Tower's 69th floor.
Just like the French tower, using large dolby stereo speakers for the exorcism ritual,
He conquered it easily.
Wait, how many Platinum Badges does that make now?
Cumulative count: 78.
If he conquers up to the 70th floor, that's 79.
'Tsk, one short.'
Was there anywhere he could fill that one?
For now, he had two multinational tower usage tickets.
The French Tower 70th floor S++ rank conquest was already out of reach.
He gave up on that conquest.
The same went for the UAE Black Tower conquest.
That's the 60th floor, so he couldn't get one there anyway.
'Well, I just need to fill one.'
Anyway, the long-awaited 70th-floor conquest.
The place strongly suspected to hold the true Cabalan.
"Ugh."
As soon as he entered, thick black fog filled his surroundings.
He couldn't see anything.
Not even the path leading to the mansion.
Kosak spoke to Bardin.
"Holy Sword."
"You called, assassin."
"Radiance."
"You insane heathen bastard! How dare you speak to me like that!"
"It's dark."
They did need light.
If he'd known, he would have brought a flashlight.
"Mr. Bardin."
"Yes, my lord!"
"A little Radiance, please..."
"LIGHT!!!"
Whoosh! That was better.
Currently, Joo-hyuk's trait enhancement was,
And the summoned beings who entered the 70th floor were 6. One spot still open.
"Mad Demon, Designated Summon."
Whoosh!
"Summoner."
"Welcome, Mad Demon."
"I shall lead the way. You all protect the Summoner. If a single living creature appears, I will tear off its limbs."
The Mad Demon walked forward, trudging through the fog.
"Follow slowly."
The other six summoned beings tightly surrounded Joo-hyuk from front, back, left, and right as they walked.
'Hmm...'
He understood their intent, but they were so close it was uncomfortable to walk.
Nothing he could do. He had to endure.
Before he knew it, they were before the mansion's door.
Oooom! The Mad Demon's energy surged,
Ts-pirit! Kwaaang!
The door panel exploded from the fierce energy he unleashed.
Simultaneously, he stomped the ground powerfully with his foot, Koong! The vibration shook Cabalan's residence.
Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeok!
The ground cracked as if an earthquake had hit, walls crumbled, the roof collapsed.
The Mad Demon, expert building demolisher.
He smashed the building relentlessly from the outside, then,
"Hey, you try it too."
Veronica nodded at the Mad Demon's words.
Bardin was quick on the uptake and went first.
"LIGHT!!!"
Zzzzuuuk! Attribute Absorption began.
Zzziiiiing! Pa-ju-ju-ju-juk!
Swoosh!
A large divine attribute shell passed through the broken door and seared into the building's inner wall.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang! Ku-gu-gu-gu-goong!
She fired all three large shells.
They'd destroy the building first.
There might be some barrier trap.
For the Mad Demon, such barriers were nothing.
It was all for the Summoner.
"Good."
Thick dust.
Cabalan's residence was half-destroyed.
Whoosh!
Pushing aside the dust, the Mad Demon strode forward.
Joo-hyuk also crept along behind him.
At the end of the corridor, now a ruined mess, sat a chair.
On it, a shabby demon was trembling uncontrollably.
He looked like a shut-in NEET by human standards.
It was Cabalan.
He already seemed to have lost the will to fight.
Was that really the true original?
"His soul took a hit, that's why."
"Ah, that time?"
"Correct. When he descended into the copy, I gave it a little touch."
Good grief, and he's still the 70th-floor boss.
"He didn't reset, I see? Time has passed."
"If he were a copy, he would have been reset and reappeared intact."
"Ah!"
"However, a unique soul cannot be reset. Because he's the real thing, not a copy."
That's right. This thing was a sentient being.
A player's physical injuries heal if they drink a healing potion.
But if their mentality collapses, they become afraid to even enter the tower.
"Let's finish it."
Wasn't it already over?
Honestly, he felt pity.
A slightly uncomfortable feeling too.
The true Cabalan was completely different in type from any tower monster he'd seen so far.
He was no different from a human.
Conquering the 70th floor was akin to killing a human.
Even if he wasn't doing it directly, it was like a contract killing carried out under his orders.
"I think I know what you're thinking. I understand fully. However, steel your heart. This thing is merely a monster that can think."
Joo-hyuk couldn't easily speak.
After a while,
"...Please send me off without pain."
"Understood."
The Mad Demon walked forward.
Cabalan greeted him with a hollow smile, as if he had given up on everything.
"Will you resist?”
"...What would that do? The outcome is already decided."
"Then it'll be easier."
"Do it quickly. I'm sick of this too."
"Thank the Summoner. For dying comfortably."
Grab. The Mad Demon seized Cabalan's head.
Crunch. He twisted it around once.
Simultaneously, Snap-crack! Thud!
Cabalan's neck was ripped out by the Mad Demon's hand.
As the server-wide announcement sounded,
The Curse of the Average cast upon towers worldwide has been lifted as of this moment.
The 70th-floor boss of the Korean Black Tower has been replaced with a copy of Cabalan.
World notices popped up frantically.
Stats drastically reduced.
So that's how it worked.
Then it'd become easier.
Benefits for conquering the Black Tower 70th floor have been granted.
📍 High-Grade Magic Stone restrictions have been lifted for the Korean Black Tower only.
⏰ Various potion and elixir restrictions have been lifted for the Korean Black Tower only.
🎁 Weapon and equipment item restrictions have been lifted for the Korean Black Tower only.
'Oh!'
'Wait, Magic Stones had grades? High-Grade Magic Stone.'
He couldn't yet grasp the exact meaning of 'restrictions lifted',
But since it applied to all floors and reward probability was greatly increased, he'd find out soon enough.
Anyway, it was a very sweet reward for Joo-hyuk and all Korean-affiliated players.