Find the Value of the Function (1)
The upper conference room of the Player Management Agency in Sejong.
“The Americans sent a broker?”
Everyone’s expressions turned grave.
“They’re trying to recruit him as a mercenary.”
“…That appears to be the case.”
America. A nation that never failed to lead in cutting-edge technology and innovation. They had taken notice of Function.
From research related to players and Magic Towers to combat doctrines and player-related legislation, America’s advancements naturally extended to the Magic Tower affairs of other major nations as well. Their intelligence network, powered by the full mobilization of the CIA, was so thorough that they could even determine how many forks were in the homes of top-ranked players from every country. That was the level of their confidence.
“Is the reason the American brokers were dispatched so urgently because of the Chicago Magic Tower?”
“Yes. They cleared the second floor in two seconds. A record no S-rank or raid team could possibly achieve. Just like the first floor.”
“What? Two seconds?”
The high-ranking officials who had been summoned to the emergency meeting were shocked to hear that the second floor had been cleared in two seconds.
“Yes.”
“What kind of skill clears it in two seconds?”
Anyone important enough to be called to the Management Agency’s emergency meeting already knew the layout of the second floor. In fact, even ordinary people could find videos uploaded by various players on YouTube, though they were quickly auto-censored and deleted. Even with the mosaics, the scenery was widely known.
The second floor was simple. A barren wasteland. Thirty zombies positioned at a distance. The clear condition was to eliminate all of them within a thirty-minute time limit. The distance from the starting point to the zombie horde was exactly 783 meters. Even if the zombies ran at full speed, it would take at least two minutes for them to reach the player. Even if both sides sprinted toward each other at maximum speed, the encounter would still take a full minute. Moreover, even ranged attacks required time to reach their targets. A spell traveling nearly 800 meters would take at least two seconds, no matter how fast it was. Hitting thirty scattered targets with magic within two seconds was no easy feat either.
One official, looking as though he understood, nodded and spoke with weight.
“This gives us a clear hint.”
“…?”
“Function’s ability must be an ultra-high-tier ranged attack skill. Instant activation. It triggers the moment he sees the target.”
“Vice Minister, are you saying no one has cleared it in two seconds until now because there are no instant-cast S-rank skills?”
“…”
At the remark from the high-ranking official who was himself a former player, everyone quietly turned their eyes to the printed documents in front of them. Ignoring the silence, the briefing continued calmly, though it remained off the mark.
“Another hypothesis that has been raised is that he awakened a skill that manipulates the system itself, and—”
None of the theories were correct.
“Enough. Let’s get back to the American broker matter. It’s obvious, isn’t it? They want to take Function away. That’s their goal.”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that a violation of the international agreement on players?”
At the question from one of the high-ranking officials, the Director of the Player Management Agency let out a dry laugh.
“When have the great powers ever cared about such things?”
“In 120 days, a city next to Chicago Airport is going to disappear… They’re already desperate to find him.”
In eastern Illinois, USA. A Magic Tower had appeared in a city called Northridge near Chicago. Coincidentally, Chicago Airport fell within the predicted damage range. In about 120 days, both the city and the airport were scheduled to vanish from the map.
Naturally, America wanted to clear the tower as well, but they were struggling at the 54th floor against the wall of the 55th. Even so, they had been clearing roughly one floor every two to three days, though it was clear that progress would slow further as they approached the upper floors. Now that they had properly positioned players in the mid floors, they would begin grinding through the mid-tier players to break into the upper levels.
“According to our sources, the elevator in the Chicago Magic Tower has been built up to the 42nd floor.”
“Up to the 42nd floor…”
That was the might of the superpower. The elevator was, in simple terms, a bus. A specialized team dedicated to preserving the combat strength of players who could be active on the upper floors. Every Magic Tower in the world allowed only one entry per day. An elevator built up to the 42nd floor meant that anyone, even an F-rank player, could reach the 43rd floor in just 42 days if they wanted to. Losing a player who could break through the upper floors to injury while climbing the mid floors would be a massive loss. This wasn’t unique to America; every nation formed such dedicated teams the moment a Magic Tower appeared in one of their major cities.
“What about Korea?”
“…The Suseo Magic Tower has an elevator prepared up to the 24th floor.”
“Haha, you’ve been slacking, haven’t you?”
“Hey! Watch your words! It’s only because it’s America that they managed it! 24 floors is already impressive!”
“Impressive, my foot. You outsourced up to the 14th floor and only managed to push through ten floors yourselves. That’s what you’re saying.”
“…”
“Alright, alright. Save the arguments for later. Right now we’re discussing the Function matter.”
“Correct. I know everyone is tired, but given the situation…”
“Ahem.”
In truth, America’s full-scale Magic Tower conquest had been built on exploiting players from other countries. They had lured A-rank and S-rank players from around the world with overwhelming conditions and treatment. While international law prohibited nations from openly poaching players, that restriction only applied to “official” activities. Covert approaches through brokers like this were commonplace. Especially when the target, like Function, had not yet registered as a player, making them an even more attractive mark. It was easy to claim, “He immigrated to America and awakened there. There’s no registration record, after all.”
“Temporarily ban all F-ranks from leaving the country.”
“Understood.”
“At the same time, ban all newly awakened individuals who haven’t registered yet from leaving as well.”
“Yes!”
“S-ranks and A-ranks will continue to follow the existing special permit procedures.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“At the same time, there has been discussion about conducting player screenings on the streets with the cooperation of the five major guilds and—”
“Proceed with it.”
The Minister of National Defense immediately took up the suggestion.
“Won’t there be strong public backlash?”
“Security is more important. A screening is just stopping for a moment and making eye contact, isn’t it?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“They should cooperate at least that much. We can catch the brokers while we’re at it.”
“Understood.”
“Mobilize troops from the Capital Defense Command as well. They wouldn’t have sent foreign brokers without thinking.”
That came from the Minister of National Defense.
“Yes. They likely used local agents who had already entered Korea as players.”
“If you find them, eliminate them all. It’s a violation of the National Security Law.”
“Yes!”
The Minister of National Defense calmed his anger and continued.
“Report on Function. Continue. There must be an analysis on why he deviated from yesterday’s predictions.”
“To put it simply, this person has started a battle of wits. And… it’s no ordinary battle of wits.”
“Why do you say that?”
“He knows that if his identity is exposed, he’ll be in danger. At the same time, he won’t easily reveal himself.”
“Explain in more detail.”
“If it were one of the five major guilds, what would they do with this rising star?”
“…”
They would try to kill him. But the words never left anyone’s mouth.
“Is there any possibility that a top-ranked player from one of the five guilds did this as a joke?”
“None.”
“Why?”
It was the same question that had been repeated in yesterday’s meeting, but the one asking now was the Chief Presidential Secretary. He had not been present yesterday and was attending the evening meeting for the first time, so everyone listened in silence.
“There are two reasons. First, to make it display as F-rank, one would need a skill that manipulates the system, and no such player exists. Second, there is no reason to do so.”
While the Chief Secretary nodded, the explanation continued.
“From the perspective of a top-ranked player, there is no reason to waste a precious entry ticket just to set a record on the second floor. That’s why the new record on the second floor has remained at an ambiguous number.”
That was true. In reality, many rankers could have cleared the second floor in two seconds. But there was no reason to. The reward was nothing special; it was merely having one’s name added to the tower’s hall of fame. What honor would a top-ranked player gain by setting a new record on the second floor? People would just say, “Oh… he’s fast.”
“In other words, Function has given us the information that he is indeed a newly awakened player, and that he is stronger than a ranker, perhaps even beyond that.”
“What does he gain from that?”
“Two things. One is that he is protesting that he does not trust the government or the guilds.”
“A protest. Why? When overwhelming support and treatment are obvious?”
“For half a day, advertisements looking for Function were running. But every single one of them was fake.”
That was true. The unprecedented announcement looking for an F-rank player. Hundreds of F-rank players across the country had claimed to be the controversial F-rank in question. Of course, not a single one of them was the real deal.
“Does it mean he wants to create competition between America, China, Japan, and other countries with Korea?”
“That intention is likely present as well. He probably doesn’t want to look like a fish already caught.”
“Good grief… So he’s playing hard to get with the nation?”
“What is certain is that he is trying to appeal that he is a figure who cannot be captured by the government or guilds.”
“…He wants to avoid affiliation while his market value is still low?”
“Yes. At the same time, he also knows that if his identity is discovered, he will be in danger.”
“Interesting.”
“Function… He’s no ordinary guy.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“That means he won’t show himself until he has demonstrated a certain level of performance.”
“Even though we’re already paying attention to him?”
“Would you assign a special forces unit of 500 people to guard him?”
“That’s… No. That would be the same level of protection given to the Sword God, Yu Junhyeok, in the past. Even the President doesn’t get that kind of security!”
“That’s exactly why.”
“What?”
“There’s a possibility he won’t reveal himself until he is recognized as more important than the President. Though it’s just a hypothesis.”
Sighs could be heard from various places.
“Does the government have complete control over the five major guilds? Can you guarantee that if they harm Choi Junseok in any way, you’ll destroy them completely—not just issue a simple warning, but actually carry it out?”
“…Isn’t that excessive self-importance?”
“He seems to have proven that he deserves that level of excess.”
“Just for clearing the first and second floors! Ha! Even my dog at home could clear the second floor! He’s a big dog, and quite vicious…”
“Would America think the same way?”
“…Ahem!”
The Minister of National Defense, who could be considered the final decision-maker at the Player Management Agency, nodded as though he had made up his mind.
“You’re right. We can’t let America snatch him away first. By any means necessary, block their approach. Even if it means mobilizing the entire National Intelligence Service counterintelligence division!”
The atmosphere suddenly turned as though the head of the NIS Security Division 3, who was present, was being reprimanded. However, he too understood the gravity of the situation and simply nodded.
“That much is certain.”
“…?”
“This person is the key to preventing the end of the southeastern metropolitan area.”
─┼
Choi Junseok had spent the past two days clearing the third and fourth floors. Of course, he hadn’t set any new records. He had proceeded quietly, as if in hiding. Naturally, he hadn’t updated any records either.
‘Thankfully, Lee Nayeon comes out when there are enemies in front of her.’
She hadn’t said a single word. Since she had no sword, she had torn monsters apart with her bare hands, splitting them in half before vanishing without a trace. It was as if she had only done what was expected of her. She hadn’t even heard a word of thanks. By the time Choi Junseok managed to say, “Good work…,” she had already scattered into light and disappeared.
Choi Junseok himself had no reason to take the risk of summoning the Holy Sword, which could endanger his own life. More importantly, his level hadn’t increased. When Lee Nayeon swung her fists and burst an orc’s head or tore a lizardman in half by grabbing its shoulders, Choi Junseok’s level steadily rose. When he threw the Holy Sword, his level didn’t increase, likely because throwing an item outside the inventory counted as a different action.
[Level: LV. 5]
[Basic stats have increased due to leveling up.]
Just like yesterday, today he had diligently filled his inventory with various items. Lizardman thighs and tails. They were parts in demand among gourmets. Apparently, they had a soft texture despite their gamey smell. While ordinary porters would carry such items in large bags or sacks, Choi Junseok, with his Inventory Master skill, had brought out twice the amount that could fit in the bag he had entered with, plus the Sword God’s small pouch packed to the brim.
However, as expected, when he told his mother that he had been to the Magic Tower, he received a smack on the back.
“So, what did you bring back?”
“…Just some random stuff.”
The moment his mother’s palm rose into the air again,
“Aagh! It’s expensive! Really expensive! I’ll buy dinner on the way home.”
“Anyone listening would think I’m your stepmother! When have I ever told you to make dangerous money? I told you to earn it honestly. Honestly!”
Lee Jun-hui slowly lowered the hand she had raised. She let out a sigh. She had thought it was the lottery. What lottery? It was just a player awakening. Lee Jun-hui knew what a player’s life was like. After all, her husband, Choi Junseok’s father, had been a C-rank player. That was why she knew better than anyone what a player’s life entailed. She had watched the person she loved gradually go mad. She knew all too well the nightmares and the way he would jolt awake every night from PTSD.
“If you’re going to do it, at least join a team or a company and do it properly. I looked into it, and there are government-run teams too.”
A government-affiliated player guild. It was all the same in the end.
“You know the guild Dad worked for was also involved in national projects, right?”
“…”
At the sudden sight of his mother looking deeply depressed, Choi Junseok quickly grabbed his hat, mask, and hoodie before putting on his shoes in a hurry.
“Anyway! I’m being safe, so don’t worry! I’m going to Garak Market to sell some stuff.”
Coincidentally, even before the Magic Tower had risen near Garak Market, the market had already been functioning as a player marketplace. It handled everything from Magic Tower monster parts and items to mercenary and team recruitment. It was the gathering place for all industries related to players. In other words, it also served as a black market. Having once been a porter who used his Inventory Master skill to smuggle out monster parts and magic stones for under-the-table deals, Choi Junseok knew the black market at Garak Market inside and out.
‘Ha… I can’t even tell them that I’m the F-rank player the whole world is looking for.’
It was frustrating. To deceive the enemy, one must first deceive their allies.
“At least I have taxi fare.”
Their home in Incheon had been forcibly relocated when the ground became unstable after the Magic Tower rose. Of course, there had been no compensation. When they were driven out of the small house his parents had spent their entire lives saving for, all that remained were the unpaid mortgage, the government’s unfulfilled promise of relocation to a new city, and a temporary shelter made from a converted container. That disaster relief shelter wasn’t far from Garak Market.
As Choi Junseok stepped out onto the street to hail a taxi, a black van slowly approached and stopped in front of him. It was clearly not a taxi. The passenger-side window of the darkly tinted van rolled down smoothly.
“Mr. Choi Junseok?”
At the question from the woman wearing sunglasses, Choi Junseok tilted his head as if he didn’t recognize her and stared at the van. The woman removed her sunglasses and smiled gently.
“I know it’s you, so get in. You’re going to Garak Market, right?”
When she recited his destination, Choi Junseok realized he had no other choice.