Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Penguin King
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The air in the VIP room hung heavy.
"Khan?"
"Yeah."
He summoned the crimson spear Edge Horn Spear—a gift from China—and slammed its butt against the floor.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Edge Horn Spear summoned "Khan!"
Khan's flustered secretary stepped forward, but it was already too late.
The others reacted to the name "Khan" and his spear. Something along the lines of, This is that Khan from China? We're in deep trouble!
The secretaries they'd brought along wore panicked expressions. Khan could already see their minds racing.
The cute secretary who'd come with him had asked to keep his identity hidden since this wasn't an official trip out of the country, but Khan's curiosity about this man had been too much to bear.
This was the VIP lounge.
Nothing emanated from this man. Not even a speck of mana.
Khan wasn't even sure if he was an Awakener.
What kind of reaction will he give?
Would this man—who'd grabbed his wrist—pathetically flatten himself on the floor right here? Or would he hold firm to his poise and presence without a care?
Look—the girl whose hand he'd seized already had eyes twice their normal size. She must have realized who she'd just snapped at.
He didn't have high hopes. This show-off would probably panic just like the rest.
But his response was unexpected.
"I'm Moon Byul."
"...What?"
The man introduced himself and flopped back down. Still gripping Khan's wrist.
"And what I meant when I asked wasn't your name. It's more like, We're strangers, so who the hell are you to act so rude?"
This man showed zero reaction even after hearing the name of the Edge Horn Spear—and Khan himself.
"You don't... know me?"
"You're Khan, right? So, Mongolian?"
"...Yeah, but I'm in exile now, so I'm Chinese."
"You speak Korean pretty well, though."
"Oh, that's thanks to our cute little secretary's skill."
......Wait, what?
He kept getting drawn in. Did this guy really not know him?
"Anyway, mind letting go?"
"Oh? ...Sure."
Without thinking, Khan released his grip at the man's words.
As soon as Khan let go of Yi Baek-seon's wrist, Moon Byul subtly released his hand as well. Their secretaries fidgeted anxiously with every exchange.
Sir Moon Byul, please... just stop!
Sir Khan, if you cause a scene...
Miss Sun-ah, let's just go! It's too cramped!
Of course, neither of the two paid them any mind.
"Right, uh... Moon Byul, was it? You really don't know me?"
"Am I supposed to?"
"...Kinda famous, yeah. Hits the pride a bit."
Khan didn't realize it, but this was the first time in ages he'd bantered so casually with someone.
Most people who spoke with him did so while watching his mood, wagging their tails like fawning dogs.
Words carry power. Without realizing it, Khan was treating Moon Byul as an equal.
Aside from that American punk, this was a first for a stranger.
Meanwhile, Moon Byul was thinking something else entirely.
What's with this rude foreigner who doesn't know manners? Is it because he's famous?
He couldn't tell if it was a cultural difference or just plain rudeness.
"You a Climber too? Affiliated with any guild?"
"Moon Byul, Climber of Mangul Guild."
"Mangul, huh..."
He'd heard of it. One of Korea's major guilds. The leader was some red-haired dragon, if memory served.
As he rummaged through his recollections, Moon Byul looked like he was waiting for something.
"...You gonna introduce yourself or what?"
"Huh? Oh, right. I'm a Climber from China's Tianxia Guild."
He'd been waiting for Khan to introduce himself after giving his own name.
Khan found the situation amusing. It felt like chatting with ordinary non-Awakeners—something entirely new.
"I'll apologize to the lady. Couldn't help it; she's just my type."
"Wh-what...?"
Yi Baek-seon flushed red in fluster.
N-no way, is this that? The tense standoff where two guys might fight over me?
Objectively speaking, both men were handsome. Moon Byul had that gentle, long-haired vibe with a unique aura.
Khan was the sharper, rougher bad-boy type, with shorter, spiked hair.
"N-no, you two can't! Not over me."
"Don't worry about it."
"Heh, you two are fun."
Khan grinned. This was the most entertaining thing since arriving in Korea.
"Phew. Mr. Khan, in Korea, it's polite to use formal speech with strangers and avoid touching them. You said you're famous? Then you should be extra careful, for your own sake."
"Oh... even lecturing me."
Formal speech... When was the last time he'd used it? He couldn't even remember. It felt awkward.
But ignoring her after she'd gone that far would be rude in itself.
"Ah, sorry about that. So, Moon Byul, what floor have you climbed?"
"!"
His secretary was the most shocked. In all her time working for Khan, she'd never heard him use polite speech.
Given his personality, she'd braced for a violent clash that would bring shame. Even after so long by his side, she still couldn't predict him.
"Floor 17."
"17...?"
Just?
"Kuhahaha!"
He burst out laughing at the realization that he was using polite speech with a rookie who'd barely reached Floor 17.
Curiosity piqued. Would this man stand so boldly even after grasping who he was?
Or cower and fawn like the rest of the vermin?
But bragging about his own greatness wasn't his style.
Not my thing.
"Well then, excuse me. Moon Byul—and miss. Enjoy your shopping."
With that, Khan left the VIP lounge.
"...Teacher Moon Byul wins. Khan gave up on me."
Yi Baek-seon muttered something incomprehensible.
"You know him?"
"China's top ranker."
She gave a brief rundown: China's undisputed number one ranker, one of the world's top three in raw power.
"But why 'Khan'?"
"He's from Mongolia. They don't climb the Tower there."
Moon Byul got the picture. Exile, probably.
"I see."
Moon Byul didn't dwell on it. Ranker or not, no reason to fight another human—and they'd never cross paths in the Tower.
Instead, Ha Yang was the one on edge.
"Sir Moon Byul. If trouble had broken out with that guy, it would've been a huge mess."
"What trouble happens while shopping?"
"It just did!"
Ah, I got scolded. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Xiao Hao."
"Yes, Sir Khan."
"What do you think of that guy?"
Khan's secretary Xiao Hao gauged his mood.
She couldn't pin down what he thought of the black-haired man from earlier.
To her, he seemed utterly ordinary. No mana, like he wasn't even a Climber—no martial aura either.
Yet he'd shopped in the VIP lounge without flinching at Khan holding the Edge Horn Spear.
Even if he truly didn't recognize Khan, any Climber would sense his power from the spear's intimidation alone.
Was it genuine ignorance, or confidence? Even she couldn't tell.
"Not sure."
"How so?"
"Feels like a powerhouse... but also a total non-Awakener."
"Exactly! That's it!"
Khan raked back his hair, laughing. Prey giggling, or a predator mimicking it? Impossible to say.
"My guess is, if that 'inspection' is tied to someone, it's probably him."
The gap in skill between Khan and Xiao Hao was vast. Yet both felt the same baffling uncertainty.
The only explanation: he'd intentionally projected that aura to everyone.
"Moon Byul, huh."
The unprecedented Tower inspection and this enigmatic stranger. Surely connected.
"Look into that Floor 17 rookie."
"Yes, Sir Khan."
The day after arriving in Korea for fun? Khan felt lucky. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Before the frigid ice wall of Floor 62.
Iru Ri's party finally arrived at the massive ice wall.
Only six countries had reached Floor 62 so far.
Korea was the only one actively conquering it.
The Tower's rules disadvantaged Koreans.
Every three months, they had to breach the ceiling or the apocalypse countdown reset.
The most efficient climb: assault the ceiling every three months and progress as slowly as possible.
Yet powerhouse nations raced ahead early to flaunt their might and solidify their image.
Korea's issue wasn't image—it was that Climbers wouldn't listen.
These days it was fine, but Korean brains wired simple: If we can conquer it, we conquer it fast and move on. Faster than any nation, they shattered ceilings and ascended.
This persisted until the Association Chairman broke the Climbers' stubbornness.
Excluding a few forcing their way up, Korea alone aimed for efficiency and reached Floor 62.
"Shall we go?"
"Whoo-whoo?"
"It's cold. Let's get it over with."
Despite the backstory, conquering was the guild's duty.
No one to complain to. They had to avert doom.
So Seori was fed up with the politics but fulfilled her role quietly.
All because she'd Awakened as S-rank.
"Rage Bedraga Nemo Ha." ⟨ Rage Bedraga Nemo Ha ⟩
A massive magic circle burst from the Grimoire as Iru Ri chanted.
"Whoa."
Even So Seori was seeing it live for the first time. A spell Moon Byul had given her as a small gift.
To So Seori, a magic novice, the intricate runes on the circle screamed high-level magic.
Iru Ri closed her eyes and slowly shrank the circle. No need to tweak the formula.
This was a gifted spell. It auto-adjusted to size without her calculations.
Finally, palm-sized, it fired a laser.
Ziiiiiing.
From the contact point, the ice wall reddened and spread.
"Is it working?"
"Shh. The Saintess is focusing."
The first-string party members whispered. Iru Ri manipulated the circle with her hands.
The laser carved a tunnel wide enough for people.
"It's working! Lu-ri, yes!"
Not melting—severing. The cut soon formed a tunnel shape.
"Done!"
"My turn."
So Seori Dragon Humanized, her sharpened dragon claws pressing against the severed ice.
"Hraaaaaah!"
Ku-gu-gu-gung!
With a mighty shout, she slowly shoved the thick wall aside.
"Got it!"
"Whoo-whoo!"
"As expected of the Guild Leader!"
Only the gimmick boss inside remained.
"Alright, everyone in! Wrap this up and head home!"
"No after-party?"
"This guy's always riding coattails but yapping about drinks."
Baek Isu's nonsense eased the tension a bit.
The boss room backdrop: a vast igloo.
"Peng?"
"C-cute...!"
"Stay sharp..."
The boss: a penguin warrior with a wooden sword and adorable crown. Utterly nonthreatening.
One hit from that sword, though, and you'd bounce back to the Floor 62 start.
Song Hyun aimed at the penguin and slowly squeezed the trigger.
Boss had just 1 HP.
Land one hit, clear.
Bang!
"It vanished?"
Insanely fast.