Factory Loot and Sniper's Glint
Flash!
5th Floor arrival.
I scanned the area first thing.
Near the train station.
The 5th Floor was a cramped map jammed with two concepts: a train station and a factory.
The Tower wasn't giving me any favors this time either.
I'd hoped for the factory side, packed with high-value loot.
Instead, I got the exact opposite—the train station.
And the most barren zone for food, to boot.
The map was so small we'd get there quick, but it was crawling with monsters.
Before I could even get my head straight, our team's sniper, Sang Ha-jun, moved.
Pewt, pewt!
He cleared out the snipers in the nearby and distant watchtowers in seconds flat.
Right. Look at me, spacing out like that.
Should've started with them. Real life ain't a game.
"Of all places, the damn train station."
Our team leader, Go Ji-ho, grumbled as he rummaged through his backpack.
We were all lugging pretty big packs.
His and Han Ju-won's LMG gunner pack were the largest.
Mine was average, and Kim Yu-na's was the smallest—still 40 liters.
Go Ji-ho's, with all the side pouches, had to be pushing 150 liters.
Had to haul loot, rations, consumables—you name it. Hunters got that Martial Arts Skill boost, so the strength came in handy.
"Eyes on the perimeter. Knock out the homework quick."
Homework?
Was there some kinda quest here too?
Go Ji-ho pulled some weird gadget from his pack, fiddled with it a few times, then chucked it on the ground.
"Defective."
"...Team Leader, what the hell are you doing?"
I whispered. Kim Yu-na filled me in.
"Korean corp-made hunter gear. Testing if it works in the Tower's high-mana density."
"Ah, gotcha."
Even fancy electronics crap out, huh.
"This one's bunk too, that one's junk..."
Nothing seemed to work right.
Made by folks who'd never set foot in a Tower—figures.
"Not a single good one?"
"What do you expect from lowest-bid military surplus crap."
"Oof."
Instantly clicked. Guy could teach a masterclass.
Ditch the broken junk—it was dead weight anyway.
"Hah, tax-thief bastards. String 'em all up."
Go Ji-ho griped but tested diligently.
"Least you're doing the homework."
"If we don't, other hunters get stuck with this garbage. Right?"
Crackle.
One out of a dozen prototypes actually did something.
"Hey, salvaged one."
"Whatcha got?"
"Tower radio prototype."
"Whoa, grand prize."
Why the hype? Tower mana density wrecked wireless gear especially.
"That's why hunters can't use drones."
Refine it right, though, and drones might fly someday.
Even top nations couldn't crack it yet.
Go Ji-ho stashed the radio and waved us forward.
"Head to the factory. Yu-na and Kang Hyun up front. Pull him back if shit gets dicey even a little."
"Whoa, newbie gets the VIP treatment."
Kim Yu-na fake-whined playfully as she took point.
Felt like straight-up favoritism.
Go Ji-ho wasn't the type to baby rookies on sight.
Something else was up.
I recalled his words from training.
"Special forces or whatever—without air support or recon assets, you're just well-trained infantry."
And the new recon asset? Me.
Even I knew Perfect Sense was busted.
Spent most of training extending its uptime.
Heavy recoil skill—not easy.
But hardcore PT alongside it paid off.
Day one: 5 minutes.
Day three: 10 minutes.
Three days before Tower entry: nailed 1 hour.
Detection range ballooned too.
Real combat might shave some time off.
"Kid's got stamina. Skills don't level outside the Tower."
"Filtered the info overload better."
Skill was fine.
My squishy human body was the bottleneck—couldn't tank the feedback forever.
"Moving."
"Go."
Alpha Team roles were crystal: me on recon, Kim Yu-na on mobility.
I locked into mine.
Boss monster turf nearby—stay sharp.
"Hold. Boss's elite guards patrolling the corner ahead."
"They'll pass?"
"Yeah. Three minutes, tops."
"Detour?"
"Hits a hotspot with other hunters..."
"Right, you got the map memorized."
Tower Escape's terrain fidelity meant no map cram needed.
We crossed the monster-and-hunter-infested map without firing a shot.
"Factory's close. Sniff..."
"You good?"
"Senses feel... off."
Not bad—more like power surging.
Kim Yu-na smirked.
"Tower amps your abilities. Mana density's higher than outside."
"News to me. Why didn't I hear?"
"Your predecessor heard that and slacked hard. 'I'll get strong anyway,' he said. Skipped proper training."
"Ah..."
Choi Il-hyeok again.
Kicked out ages ago, but legends kept piling up.
We hit the factory district.
Holed up in a nearby warehouse for chow. Go Ji-ho pointed at me.
"Look at that—art in motion. Already pulling his weight."
"If he couldn't solo, he wouldn't have escaped."
"..."
Sang Ha-jun had basic detection too, but stationary—useless on the move.
Still C-rank strong enough for Alpha Team.
Go Ji-ho rated detection high.
I cracked open cup ramen.
Worried it'd taste bland after all the gourmet lately...
Nope. Nothing beat ramen post-exertion.
Kim Yu-na peeked in my pack.
"Kang Hyun, your rations just cup ramen and chocolate bars?"
"Yeah. Told to pack favorites since inter-floor merchant's got basics. Got some MREs too."
"Makes sense."
Food mattered solo broke-ass days.
Now? Team with emergency funds—just buy.
Even Yuki the Japanese hunter had surplus despite lagging.
"Fine, but spray that ramen stink after."
"Already done."
Hiss!
Meal over, we breached the nearest factory.
Gun factory.
We had custom firearms already, so meh...
But Tower-made guns fetched top dollar as loot.
Downside: heavy metal chunks.
"Breach."
Tight, risky space—Go Ji-ho led with reinforced shield.
Last in, Sang Ha-jun hit the entry with his skill.
Shhk.
Tiny glass orb stuck to the wall.
"Set?"
"Yeah."
Sang Ha-jun, curt as ever.
His skill camera—view it remotely.
Any hunters incoming? Instant alert.
"Ha-jun, guard golem 100 meters ahead at the corner. Patrolling—no clean pass."
"On it."
Pewt!
Large-caliber round one-shot the golem.
Crash lost in factory din.
"Zone secure. Move."
Go Ji-ho commanded smoothly.
"Ju-won and I on watch. Rest, grab valuables fast."
Team moved like clockwork—no chatter.
Piles of pristine guns gleaming silver.
Some high-end stuff.
I started stuffing my pack, then stopped.
Too much.
All metal or reinforced polymer—heavier than wood.
Full pack? No sprinting.
Do I even need to haul whole guns? Not urgent...
Decision quick.
Disassembled on-site.
Tools everywhere in a gun factory.
Sang Ha-jun froze watching.
Kim Yu-na straight-up asked.
"Kang Hyun, whatcha doing?"
"Picking high-value small parts."
"What? You can ID those? I barely sell parts."
Hell yeah.
Thousands of Tower Escape hours.
Loot prices auto-popped in my head.
Quick tips.
"Trigger and bolt carrier group's the weight-to-price king. Trigger, bolt. Charging handle's sneaky pricey too."
"Charging handle? Huh. What's next?"
"Optics mandatory, suppressors too. Rest? Trash."
"Vertical grip?"
"Space left? Sure. Cheap anyway. Might as well grab barrels..."
"Got it!"
Veterans adapted fast. Go Ji-ho nodded approval.
"Stock's worthless anyway."
Took time, but packs filled smart.
Whole factory sweep? Packs weighed a ton.
Ugh, 60 liters near full.
5th Floor farming slaps.
One factory = massive haul.
Go Ji-ho's pack maxed ages ago.
"Team Leader, mine's almost full. Now what?"
"Good enough. Filler loot and bounce."
He wanted off before dark—head to 4F.
No upside lingering in danger zones.
Needed a stealth spot for night at least.
Factories were enclosed, but hunter magnets.
Oddly quiet for a hot spot.
Heading for the exit—Sang Ha-jun yelled from the window.
"Hold!"
"What?"
"Hilltop sniper perch—glint. Might be nothing..."
I sidled up, focused Perfect Sense.
Straight-line probe.
Faint presence way out—map's edge.
Too far, inside building—barely pinged.
Building with one of the descent elevators.
"Ambush?"
"Too far for loot recovery even if they drop us."
"Eliminate rivals."
Sang Ha-jun lobbed a glass orb to the window.
Instantly—
Bang!
They mistook the orb's glow for scope glint—fired.
"Fuck..."
"Bad news. They're good."
Skilled and positioned perfect.
One-way shooting gallery.
Couldn't even hunt a hideout like this.
Range meant no loot grab—their con.
Pick us off slow after thinning a couple.
Shield push? Still eating hits.
Full retreat? Maybe.
I pondered, then spoke.
"Hit 'em back with my skill."
"Kang Hyun, you sure?"
"Yeah. You saw it in training plenty."
Drag this out? Other hunters crash—worst case.
Sandwiched between teams, pinned.
Factory was prime real estate—likely.
"Not solo. Yu-na with. We'll cover—no heroics."
"Got it."
"Wait—take this."
Sang Ha-jun handed a glass orb.
For them to monitor us.
I took it smooth, activated beside Kim Yu-na.
Shadow Walk skill Transcendence, Huncheon's Veil skill activated
Our forms vanished from the world.