The Tower That Didn't Collapse (1)

Jo Insu was momentarily flustered by the unexpected order. But that surprise quickly turned into a smile. A plan gleamed in his eyes.

"Yes. Your first assignment will be a dispatch to the Lyon Magic Tower in France."

Lee Jiyu spoke in a cool voice. Beside her, Song Hana nodded with a bright expression.

A victorious smile spread across both women's lips.

"We'll give you plenty of time to prepare."

"Ah. No need. I'll depart as soon as possible. It's not like this came out of nowhere."

'Not like this came out of nowhere?'

The two women had to work hard to keep their expressions under control at those words.

"Then I'll take my leave. I'll be waiting for the detailed mission briefing."

Jo Insu answered confidently and rose from his seat. He had already predicted this situation to some degree through the networks of the SG Group and the Phoenix Guild.

At that same moment, inside a secret conference room at the Player Management Agency.

Choi Junseok felt something was off. He had accepted Jo Insu's guild membership and received a hundred billion won in support, yet the man's reaction still bothered him.

Lee Jiyu and Song Hana had reported that his response was suspicious.

"I see… First of all, thank you for your cooperation with this operation."

"Well… I only did it for the hundred billion, but I'm glad I ended up helping the Agency too."

Team Leader Kang spoke with a serious expression.

"Honestly, I thought he seemed suspicious too."

"Really?"

"…No. Just kidding."

Team Leader Kang let out a short laugh. At the same time, he wondered how Choi Junseok could remain so calm even after hearing about Jo Insu.

Jo Insu, the eldest son of the SG Group. While investigating him, they had uncovered some strange circumstances.

"This is classified information even within the Player Management Agency that I only learned while investigating… I suppose I can't keep it secret from you either, Function— I mean, Junseok-nim."

"What is it?"

"The SG Group has been conducting research on Magic Towers as well. In fact, Magic Tower research is an international project that many countries and corporations around the world are investing in, but… there are also quite a few projects being carried out in the shadows."

"Hmm."

Shadow projects related to Magic Towers. This already sounded ominous.

"Using every available resource, intelligence agencies and Player ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Management Agencies from various countries are working closely together to keep the situation under control. In the process, they've also uncovered numerous cases of illegal Magic Tower research and suspicious player activities."

He activated the screen in the secret conference room.

Because the room was perfectly soundproofed, his voice seemed to echo.

"The data I'm about to show you… must never be disclosed the moment you leave this room."

"Why so dramatic? You're scaring me."

"This is something that requires gravity, Junseok-nim."

"Okay. Let's hear it."

"To continue, various nations and organizations are conducting all sorts of research for their own purposes. They possess items and players who have awakened bizarre skills. You can imagine what kind of synergy that might create."

Team Leader Kang believed that Choi Junseok, who had already begun twisting the Magic Tower's system while climbing, would understand.

"……Hmm."

Choi Junseok had never given it much thought before, but now that he heard it, it made sense.

Nearly ten years had passed since Magic Towers first appeared in the world. In modern society, ten years was enough time for the world to change completely.

Who knew what kinds of items and awakened individuals had emerged during that time?

Even he had already obtained multiple items that violated the Magic Tower's laws in less than a month.

"In other words, the risks and variables that could shatter daily life in relation to Magic Towers are far too diverse. These are some of the ongoing investigations and cases being tracked by the Agency as classified projects."

Click.

The screen changed.

A view of the Lyon Magic Tower in France appeared.

The outskirts of Lyon.

Narrow, winding streets and stone buildings created an atmosphere reminiscent of the medieval Renaissance era. Amidst small cafés and shops, the massive Magic Tower rose, creating a strange coexistence of the old and the otherworldly.

"This is public knowledge, but this tower has not collapsed even after 300 days."

"……What?"

"Exactly as I said. Three hundred days have passed, and there is no record of anyone clearing the 100th floor in the Hall of Fame, yet it hasn't collapsed. It's in a famous French city, but because the tower appeared on the outskirts, no one paid it much attention. The public assumes it simply stopped after someone cleared the 100th floor… but the highest recorded clear for the Lyon Magic Tower is only the 68th floor."

"That means…"

"Yes. We believe that either the laws of the Magic Tower are breaking down, or beings capable of twisting them have appeared. And here's the next piece of data."

Click.

The screen displayed a complex thesis filled with Magic Tower diagrams, equations, geometric shapes, images, and text.

Before Choi Junseok could even furrow his brow and lean back, the explanation continued.

"According to recent research, the prevailing hypothesis is that the world's Magic Towers are connected as a single integrated space and are subordinate to one massive system. In other words, they only appear separate on the surface. All Magic Towers are actually linked."

From within Choi Junseok, Yu Junhyeok let out an impressed "Hoo—". Of course, only Choi Junseok could hear it.

"Various intelligence agencies are investigating the reasons, but the most compelling evidence seems to be connected to this very Lyon Magic Tower. Someone accessed another tower through this one, or used a method obtained from one tower to interfere with the laws of another. This suggests that Magic Towers are not separate systems, but part of one unified system."

Choi Junseok roughly understood the situation.

"So you're saying that something ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠related to the Lyon Magic Tower is connected to the SG Group, the Phoenix Guild, or Jo Insu?"

Team Leader Kang nodded as if no further explanation was needed.

"You catch on quickly. As expected from someone who's twisted the Magic Tower's rules. The evidence is thin, but we've received information that a research group funded by Jo Insu—more precisely, the SG Group—is plotting something at the French Magic Tower. We were planning to send him to France to investigate under the pretext of the mission."

"So we just need to keep an eye on him for now?"

"That's right… for now."

"Okay. Then I'm going to go figure out how to spend that hundred billion."

"But you can only climb one floor per day in a Magic Tower, right? What could he possibly do?"

Lee Nayeon asked with a puzzled expression.

"Isn't that the problem? In other regions, you'd have to start from the beginning again, but the fact that this tower hasn't collapsed… he might have some special item or method."

"For now, all we need to do is watch. That, and figure out how to make use of the hundred billion won."

A hundred billion. It had truly arrived as a lump sum.

An absurd amount of money.

"Perfect. Let's use some of it to rent an office worthy of being called guild headquarters."

At the same time, he planned to immediately purchase the items Haetaesik had crafted under the guild's name, funneling the money back into his own account.

What a perfect money-laundering scheme.

A smile spread across Choi Junseok's lips.

A hundred billion.

It was a lot of money, but when it came to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠buying player equipment, it was the kind of sum that could disappear in an instant.

Choi Junseok already had the perfect business idea in mind.

"Alright. Here's my plan. Listen carefully."

Choi Junseok gave a brief explanation. It was a simple plan.

Use part of the lump sum to secure a space where people could gather and officially establish the guild.

Use the remaining funds to purchase equipment made by Haetaesik, then lend those weapons to guild members for free—while collecting rental fees and a share of the Magic Tower clear rewards.

"You're a real demon."

"Ugh… you money-grubber."

"Even if you make a guild, you won't actually recruit anyone, will you?"

"Of course not. After all, if I want to receive the climbing rewards, I have to climb alone."

"Right?"

"I only ever climbed Magic ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Towers for my own selfish reasons. Don't get the wrong idea."

"……"

"What? Why are you all looking at me like I'm trash? Is there anyone in this world who doesn't like money?"

"I think being too faithful to your desires isn't a good thing."

Song Hana answered calmly.

"But does anyone have a better idea than this? I make money, Korea's players get stronger, and everyone's happy. It's a win-win, isn't it?"

That much was true.

In reality, players supplied with Choi Junseok's items would be able to climb Magic Towers as if they had wings on their backs.

"We should climb too."

Lee Nayeon, who had been listening indifferently the whole time, widened her eyes at those words. She looked just like a cat that only perked up at the mention of snacks or food.

Choi Junseok, Lee Nayeon, and Song Hana transformed into streams of light and disappeared.

Only Lee Jiyu, who had actually run a business before, shook her head.

They were jumping in with no concrete business plan, just "Let's do it!"

'What on earth are they planning to… Ah.'

But soon after.

In less than a few dozen seconds, she couldn't help but smile as she watched them return to the table they had just left.

They had cleared the 33rd floor in three to four seconds.

"Why are you smiling?"

At Choi Junseok's question, Lee Jiyu shook her head.

While she was shaking her head, Choi Junseok scattered into light and entered the Magic Tower as usual.

A few seconds later, he returned again.

Hmm…

No matter how many times she saw it, she couldn't get used to this clearing speed.

Lee Jiyu belatedly realized there was no need to worry about anyone.

After all, the Player Management Agency was behind them, and there were plenty of people willing to help.

Choi Junseok, who had now cleared up to the 34th floor, also received the reward for five consecutive Magic Tower clears.

"What do I need most right now?"

Choi Junseok summoned a small special reward box onto his palm and asked Song Hana.

Song Hana tilted her head and replied.

"What you need right now? Hmm, I wonder?"

As always, Song Hana tightly closed her eyes, clasped her hands together in prayer, then spread her hands over the box and released her energy.

It was her usual ritual before drawing.

The moment Choi Junseok pressed the "Use" button, the box opened with a pop, revealing the item inside.

The item that appeared was unexpected.

"So this is what I need most right now?"

"According to the effect of my prayer, yes! That's what I prayed and chanted for."

"……Hah."

A sense of unease washed over him.

And sure enough, Choi Junseok's phone vibrated.

It was a message from Team Leader Kang Jinsu.

- Emergency situation. It looks like… you'll have to go to France after all.

Something seemed to have happened in France in just a single day.