Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: The Energy That Will Shake the World
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The energy known as 'Mana'.
A player's unique ability and the foundation of all item effects.
A power that ordinary people cannot perceive unless they are players.
However, there was a way for ordinary people to confirm the existence of mana.
Through Magic Stones.
Since they don't have the modifier 'Tower-Exclusive,' Magic Stones retained mana even in reality.
It has been 20 years since the Towers first appeared on Earth.
Therefore, research on Magic Stones has also been ongoing for 20 years.
A fact discovered after countless research efforts.
That Magic Stones could be applied to Earth's science and technology.
The most active field in Magic Stone research was the study of room-temperature superconductors.
Experiments to see if superconductivity occurred by blending Magic Stones with various metal compounds at a certain ratio.
It was rudimentary, but there were results.
Thanks to Magic Stones, electrical resistance decreased.
It was applied across various fields.
In electrical appliances, semiconductor materials, CPUs, GPUs, batteries.
And follow-up research was underway.
But now, there were Advanced Magic Stones.
Did Magic Stones have grades?
It was impossible not to be curious.
How much would these Advanced Magic Stones differ from existing ones?
Korea's Daejeon Science & Technology Tower Materials Research Institute obtained Advanced Magic Stones from the Awakening Management Bureau's player shop and began research.
The result was...
"It's definitely the Meissner effect. Superconductivity is clear."
"...No, is this really happening?"
The completion of a room-temperature superconductor.
Zero electrical resistance.
What does this mean?
Revolutionary computer performance gains.
Because no heat is generated.
What about maglev trains?
A means of transportation faster than airplanes would be commercialized at a very low cost.
In nuclear fusion power generation, transmission wires with 100% efficiency, dramatic improvements in battery performance.
The thing that makes this possible is the Advanced Magic Stone.
Only obtainable from South Korea's Black Tower.
"The world is going to go crazy again."
"Since it's a room-temperature superconductor. A new industrial revolution is right before our eyes."
"...But you know," the senior researcher cautiously said.
"If there are Advanced Magic Stones, wouldn't there be an even higher grade?"
"Huh? Higher than that..."
"For example, something like Supreme Magic Stones."
"Eh, no way... Hmm."
It wasn't a baseless story.
For 20 years, they thought ordinary Magic Stones were all there was.
Then, unexpectedly, Advanced Magic Stones appeared.
"Anyway, other countries won't stay still either."
"Right, they'll try to clear the 70th floor somehow to lift the restrictions."
Now, conquering the Tower was no longer just about avoiding collapse.
Deadlines like the conquest time limit might even be ignored.
To clear the 70th floor and secure Advanced Magic Stones.
Research on Advanced Magic Stones wasn't conducted only in Korea.
It was carried out in countries around the world.
Naturally, it was proven that the room-temperature superconductor phenomenon occurred.
But how could other countries obtain Advanced Magic Stones?
An item that could only be acquired from South Korea's Black Tower.
There was a separate place to get them.
Although the price was high.
Chief Park Kyung-su spoke with a deeply furrowed brow, sounding displeased.
"North Korea must be overjoyed, grinning from ear to ear."
"They've suddenly become the world's second-largest producer of Advanced Magic Stones."
That's right.
North Korea, which shared the Tower with South Korea.
Advanced Magic Stones were also produced there.
An unexpected boon for economic development, you could say.
Countries around the world secured Advanced Magic Stones by paying huge sums of money through North Korea.
It was practically like a parasite.
A situation where they didn't even suffer the stress of conquering un-cleared upper floors, just sucking the sweet juice from the sidelines.
Deputy Chief Jeon Gwang-il wasn't in a good mood either.
Sharing tips was fine.
It couldn't be helped.
It started that way from the beginning.
However,
"It's only North Korean players who are dying. They climb the Tower until their bones ache, receive Advanced Magic Stones as rewards, only to have them all seized and exploited by the North Korean regime."
How infuriating it was,
to see only the dictator's belly grow fat.
"I wish a coup would happen in North Korea, not Japan."
"As it happens, the National Intelligence Service is closely monitoring the situation. They say the mood among North Korean players is unusual right now."
Then, Chief Park Kyung-su seemed to remember something.
"What about Acting Prime Minister Usuda?"
"He returned to his country today. The situation with the Self-Defense Forces is getting increasingly unstable, I hear."
"Tsk tsk, he still hasn't come to his senses. Will the US just stand by?"
"It seems they aren't even paying attention to America's watchful eye."
"Well, after being betrayed once by the rejection of the temporary naturalization request, they probably can't see straight."
Originally, they were about to sign a temporary naturalization agreement between Korea and Japan.
They had reached the stage where all that was left was to sign and announce it.
Because Acting Prime Minister Usuda had stated he would accept all conditions demanded by the Korean government.
But in the midst of that, the Self-Defense Forces unilaterally conducted a joint land, sea, and air military exercise without even consulting the Japanese cabinet government.
It was said the soldiers even loaded live ammunition for the exercise.
What was their aim?
If they turned the troops toward Tokyo during the exercise, it would be an outright coup.
Acting Prime Minister Usuda hurriedly returned to his country to deal with it.
"Sigh, it's maddening. This damn East Asia never has a calm day."
Jeon Gwang-il also nodded.
"How is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responding? With the coup risk, shouldn't we designate Japan as a travel advisory country...?"
"Nothing is certain yet. The Acting Prime Minister went back to handle it. Do you think something will really happen?"
Right.
Could a coup really happen?
Honestly, Hyeolrang was summoned just for fun.
Why would he need another summon?
He have reliable Summoned Beings.
But wouldn't it be nice to take a break once in a while?
He happened to receive a Summon Attribute Change Ticket as a special reward,
and the Random Summon cooldown would reset in a month anyway.
So he just summoned him.
But it was disappointing.
Abilities that fell short of expectations.
You could tell just by seeing him getting beaten miserably without even being able to resist Kosak.
To the point where Joo-hyuk could subdue him easily enough.
Where could he even use this guy?
The conclusion he reached after pondering was,
It had been a while since he entered the Basilisk boss area.
Might as well skin a ton of them while I'm here.
And before that, item farming with Razix.
"Hoeng!"
Razix was riding on Hyeolrang's back.
Holding a golden pickaxe, he pointed into the distance, and zoom! Hyeolrang ran at a dazzling speed.
"Hueeeek!"
Ah! Razix is running.
He doesn't tumble and roll.
Zippity-zap!
Riding comfortably on the dazzlingly fast Hyeolrang's back, he traversed the 45th-floor site.
The slow, sluggish Basilisks didn't dare to follow.
With one tiny hand gripping Hyeolrang's mane firmly and the other holding the golden pickaxe, he skillfully controlled Hyeolrang while huffing and puffing.
As expected of the all-purpose worker Razix.
He even rides monsters well.
When he smelled an item, he would immediately get down and start pickaxing,
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Hyeolrang waited quietly beside Razix.
If a Basilisk even approached, he would immediately puff up his body and growl.
When Razix finished farming to a certain extent, he tapped Hyeolrang's head with the pickaxe handle.
Hyeolrang then lay flat on his stomach.
Razix toddled over on his short legs and climbed onto Hyeolrang's back.
"Hoek!"
Zippity-zap! Moving again.
"Our worker's escort and mobility issues have been solved at once, yes."
"Feels good."
Good pull.
A role perfectly suited for Hyeolrang.
After finishing farming Advanced Magic Stones, tickets, and rune fragments, it was time to skin Basilisks.
Skin, skin, and skin some more.
I shoved them all into Razix's extradimensional backpack.
But then, a sudden thought occurred to me.
'...Is this right?'
He came here to rest originally.
Even after coming all the way to a villa to play, I'm still skinning?
No, did I have an ancestor who died because they couldn't work?
If he came to rest, he should rest.
Why was he doing this?
Honestly, camping was getting boring too.
If you do fire-gazing too often, your body starts to smell like smoke.
Even after showering, it lingers.
He needed to find some other refreshing fun...
The person to trust was, as always, the crafty Kosak.
"Isn't there some suitable entertainment?"
"Why wouldn't there be?"
Kosak said with a sly grin.
"Didn't you say before, after we deal with Cabalan, we should go on an overseas trip?"
"Ah!"
Right. he remembered.
It was even on his bucket list.
He thought about at least smelling France since I became French, but given the situation, I postponed it.
"Then sightseeing in France?"
"The Tower and tourist spots are too far apart. It's inconvenient to move around."
"Hmm, where do you recommend, Mr. Kosak?"
"Japan, yes."
Japan.
His ears perked up.
Before awakening, that was, when he was living diligently working two part-time jobs a day,
He had lamented that he couldn't even go on a trip to Japan that everyone else seemed to go on.
"Set up overseas roaming on your smartphone in advance, exchange yen, eat delicious food, play around, relieve stress, and kyaa! Irasshaimase, yes."
Should he try it?
But as always, there was opposing opinion.
"Don't you have any guts, Kosak-nim? How can you go spend money that's like the blood of our ancestors on those Japs?"
"Huh? Precisely because it's hard-earned money. Japan is the ultimate value-for-money destination for overseas travel, yes. It's cheaper than Jeju Island."
Anti-Japan Gyeon Dal-rae, practical Kosak.
The two clashed again.
The other Summoned Beings gathered around them, watching to see who would win.
"Hoe-ee,"
Razix, who had somehow taken popcorn out of his extradimensional backpack and handed it to Joo-hyuk.
When did he even put that in there?
Grabbing a piece of popcorn, crunch, crunch.
"A people who forget history have no future."
"What's all this history talk for a simple overseas trip? Are we going there to sell our country?"
Crunch, munch,
"It's not an issue to be taken lightly."
"I think it should be taken lightly, yes. Don't blow it out of proportion. Just go have fun and come back, yes."
Crunch-crunch, crunch.
"Aren't you concerned about what others might think?"
"Yes! How can you live worrying about every little thing others think, yes?"
Crunch.
"Are you perhaps a pro-Japanese collaborator, Kosak-nim?"
"Should I decapitate the Japanese Acting Prime Minister, yes?"
Crunch.
"If we go there and spend money, those Japs will be delighted."
"Didn't you know? The younger generation in Japan really likes Korea, yes."
Ah!
It felt like watching a 100-minute debate.
Are they Korean? Or Japanese?
"Now, now, let's decide by vote. I'll abstain to remain neutral."
"Good, yes! I'm confident, yes."
"The maiden is also in favor."
"Raise your right hand if in favor of the trip, left hand if against."
Hands went up.
"Hmm."
It was split exactly in half. 3 to 3.
Kosak, Gobang, and Bardin raised their right hands, in favor of the trip.
Gyeon Dal-rae, Razix, and Veronica raised their left hands, against the trip.
'What do I do now?'
Actually, if Joo-hyuk decided, that would be the end of it.
No one would complain.
But since he declared neutrality...
Plus, the survival method of an Ordinary Guy.
Step back from sensitive issues.
That's when it happened.
Hyeolrang, who had been lying quietly,
"Kiiiiing...."
slyly raised his right front paw.
What's this? Should I include this guy too?
"Oh yeah! Hyeolrang is also in favor, yes. We win, yes."
Gyeon Dal-rae flared up.
"That is foul play, it is."
"What is?"
"The cunning Kosak clearly threatened Hyeolrang."
Then Kosak chuckled with a sly smile,
"Do you have evidence?"
"Y-you!"
"Keep your head down. If you're scared, go die somewhere."
"...Yes, yes, you bastard!!!"
Actually, Joo-hyuk had seen it too.
The sight of Bardin stepping on Hyeolrang's tail after receiving a look from Kosak.
Hyeolrang was smart too, so he probably read the situation and sided with Kosak.
Anyway, it was decided.
Well, might as well get some fresh air and take this chance to visit Japan once.
The biggest reason Cabalan's Curse descended upon Black Towers worldwide.
While the depression of the French player Guillaume played a part, the fact that Tower Jumping Tickets also contributed couldn't be denied.
The item information for the Tower Jumping Ticket was as follows.
〈Tower Jumping Ticket (Up to 5LV 5 Floors)〉
📍 Effect: Skips up to 5 floors of the Tower. Level also rises accordingly. Skipped floors are counted as successfully cleared.
You enter the player's Tower and choose the floors to skip.
If it's 1 floor, up to 1LV 1 floor; if 3 floors, up to 3LV 3 floors; if 5 floors, up to 5LV 5 floors.
It's not a particularly great item.
It's only useful for skipping difficult and tricky floors.
However, there is one item that is similar but has a completely different effect.
Namely, the Rune of Level-Up.
That's right.
It's not a ticket, but a rune.
Item information?
〈Rune of Level-Up (Up to 5LV)〉
📍 Effect: Raises only your level, regardless of Tower floor. Upon consumption, level rises randomly by a minimum of 1LV to a maximum of 5LV.
Although the increase is random, even if you only rise by 1 level, you gain power corresponding to that increase.
For example, suppose a player challenging the 30th floor consumes a Rune of Level-Up and their level rises by 3LV.
Then that player would be challenging the 30th floor with the abilities of level 33.
It's incomparably better than a Jumping Ticket.
An item that could become the decisive card enabling the conquest of un-cleared upper floors.
The item consumed by Japanese player and Self-Defense Forces First Lieutenant Hon'go Tetsuo was precisely this Rune of Level-Up.
It was an item purchased at great cost from a broker on the dark web by Self-Defense Forces Joint Staff Chief Matsumoto Jun'ichi.
"Tetsuo, the result?"
"God has helped Japan."
"Oh!"
The status window of Self-Defense Forces First Lieutenant Hon'go Tetsuo, who consumed the Rune of Level-Up, changed as follows.
"A test is needed. I will clear the 57th floor and return immediately."
"Go ahead."
Time passed.
"Success."
The status window of Hon'go Tetsuo, whose level rose and changed again.
Level 58 meant he could challenge the 58th floor.
With the total ability of level 63.
The 58th floor.
The un-cleared floor that had caused the collapse of Japan's Black Tower.
With this, Self-Defense Forces Joint Staff Chief Matsumoto Jun'ichi made his decision.
"Execute the coup."
The justification was sufficient.
The Japanese cabinet, which failed to clear the 58th floor and caused the Tower's collapse.
Moreover, they triggered the Tower's appearance in downtown Tokyo.
An incompetent government must be replaced.
And with the power of the Self-Defense Forces, protect Japan's capital, Tokyo.
It would be the signal flare announcing the revival of the Japanese military.