Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Mangul's Newbie
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"You're here?"
Waving my hand with a bright smile, So Seori's expression looked exactly like a rotten pollack.
"Didn't you say you wouldn't cause any trouble?"
She already didn't look to be in a good mood, but having just returned from the tower, she resembled a zombie. It was the kind of look that stirred a slight pang of guilt.
"I'm innocent."
From my perspective, it was a bit unfair. All I did was enjoy the night air and munch on some hot fish-shaped buns, blowing on them gently.
It was Khan who came looking for me.
Anyway, in the dead of night right in the heart of Seoul, with earthquakes shaking around one building like a nuclear bomb test, the Association showed up.
They arrived while I was regenerating Khan's missing arm—something that would definitely kill him if left alone—but the problem was his secretary, who was losing her mind and making a huge fuss.
"Mr. Khan! Pull yourself together! Please... please spare him!"
I have no idea how this looked to the Association staff who came rushing in, but probably something like...
'Moon Byul from the Grimoire is trying to kill a foreign VIP ranker with magic!'
That seemed to be the case, since the Association employees surrounded me like the FBI and yelled at me to back off.
"It was an accident during sparring."
If Khan hadn't snapped out of it and testified in time, I would've been in serious trouble.
After that, I managed to get apologies from both Khan and the Association Chairman at the Association headquarters.
I really am innocent.
I had to explain things to So Seori, who showed up right on cue, but luckily, the Chairman wrapped it up cleanly.
"So... Mr. Moon Byul, this guy is Khan?"
"That's right! I'm Khan from China!"
"Is it really him?"
"......"
To reiterate, my healing magic is cellular regeneration.
Meaning, severed limbs don't regenerate in their exact original shape like a lizard's tail.
Of course, with my pride and joy—a combination spell fusing no less than three magics—bones and nerves are no issue, so functionally, it's perfect.
So I gave him a standard human arm, but the problem was...
Khan is a super muscular macho man.
"Don't worry, just work out. You'll build it back up, Mr. Khan."
His shirt was gone from the sparring aftermath, showcasing his massive, rugged chest.
A body that would make anyone at the gym suspect he was a pro athlete, with biceps ready to burst and deep cuts between the muscles.
But the right arm I blew off? It turned into the arm of some guy who's only ever gripped a mouse at a PC bang.
Pretty unbalanced. It looked like something out of a zombie game. The size difference even made the arm lengths seem uneven at first glance.
Muscles grow by tearing and recovering, getting tougher and bigger in the process.
I can remove fat with magic, but I can't build muscle.
If I could, my body wouldn't be this slender paper doll figure.
Sure, I could sculpt a dummy to look muscular, but that'd just be a pile of magistones shaped like muscles, not real ones.
"Yes, got it. I'll train diligently."
"Sure... but you're Mongolian, so why 'got it'?"
"It just sounds better than 'no yan'."
After the sparring ended, his character and the way he addressed me had flipped. Whatever, he wasn't listening anyway, so I gave up.
We gathered to discuss cleaning up this mess.
One might say what cleanup was needed when two grown men had a wild brawl like yakshas and agreed on the outcome, but politically, it was an issue.
"Mr. Khan, why are you in Korea?"
"I'll explain that instead."
As the Chairman asked gravely, Khan's secretary stepped forward.
She explained it was just tourism, our clash stemmed from mutual curiosity, and they wouldn't make an issue of the results.
"Seems like you're misunderstanding something."
"Pardon?"
"Whether it's an issue or not is for me to decide."
I was slightly surprised by the Chairman's authority I'd never seen before. This grandpa wasn't just big-boned.
"Khan crossed the border without permission and attacked another climber with force in Korea."
"Hey! It was sparring, not an attack."
"Mr. Khan, be quiet."
"Yes, got it."
For some reason, Khan had started obeying me completely.
"Normally, we'd file a formal protest with the Chinese government."
"We're sorry. We'll leave immediately if you wish. Or perhaps we could resolve this another way?"
Reading the room, Khan's secretary switched attitudes fast. Most people don't want to cross Khan.
Crossing borders without a passport?
Of course it's a problem. International law must be upheld; it's not to be taken lightly.
But if it's China's Khan?
Truth be told, if Khan got uncooperative and said 'so what?', he'd be the one in trouble, while Korea benefits.
For now, at least.
In this world with the tower, it's common to switch nationalities globally and hire mercenaries.
There's no upside to making an enemy of a foreign high-rank climber.
What if later, in a real pinch, Korea requests Khan as a mercenary and he goes, 'Nah, screw that, you treated me like crap last time. No way I'm going'? Worst case, it's game over.
That's why high-rankers trample laws without consequence, and the other side plays nice and forgiving.
But our Chairman didn't take that attitude.
The meaning was clear. Even Khan's secretary caught on—the power dynamic had flipped completely.
Before seeing the sparring results with their own eyes, they were ready to go hard despite the fallout.
But now?
They'd witnessed a climber stronger than Khan. The nation begging for mercy on the brink of ruin wasn't Korea—it was China.
"We'll follow the Korean Association Chairman's decision. We beg for leniency."
The Chairman glanced at me, his lips curving into a smile.
"?"
Of course, I had no clue about any of this.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In the end, the Chairman struck a reasonable deal with Khan.
Korea gets Khan's unconditional aid five times if needed for climbs, plus monetary compensation to me and Mangul for damages.
"F-five times? That's excessive compensation, don't you think?"
"In exchange..."
The Chairman said they wouldn't reclaim his mercenary passport after the five calls.
What's a mercenary passport?
It's issued to foreign mercenaries, granting full autonomy. Basically, treating them no different from citizens.
Often better, since no taxes.
That's why many mercenaries who go abroad end up staying for the good life and never return.
Especially cases where the US sweet-talks African or Asian mercs into becoming Americans.
"Of course, it's your choice, Mr. Khan. Just contact us in the future, and we'll officially allow entries like this. Think of it as having a vacation spot."
"What do you think? Got it?"
"Why ask me?"
It had nothing to do with me, but the Chairman's sticky gaze was burdensome, so I told him to go ahead.
"Great! From now on, I, Khan, am Korean!"
"Mr. Khan!"
"Why not stick around and have some fun? Spar with Got It some more."
"No thanks."
I'll be munching stars in the Grimoire for a while.
"So, how much compensation for Mr. Moon Byul?"
"Would 50 billion do it?"
"......50 billion?"
Now I'm rich.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A few days passed after that.
The 62nd floor clear was the hot topic from morning news, newspapers, and communities.
Mangul tended to update to mid-high floors rather than pushing the top, but they'd cleared the 62nd—beating guilds that just farm artifacts.
On top of that, Iru Ri's attack magic—a supporter mage far from offense—being the key to the clear was quite a shock.
This sparked rumors that Mangul was hiding something.
Of course, they officially nailed it down with 'nothing like that'.
Thanks to that, Khan avoided the media spotlight and spent his time quietly in Korea.
And me?
I'm currently climbing the 35th floor.
Solo.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have met the clear condition for the 35th floor. I'm strong.
Proof? I'm still solo climbing the tower.
So Seori said no climber solos past the 30th.
"There's one, but unlike you, Mr. Moon Byul, their magic is optimized for solo play."
Being American, we'll never cross paths.
"That's it for today."
Deciding to take it easy, I planned to grab a meal with Manager Su Young.
For reference, Manager Su Young is the owner of my nostalgic diner.
She's said to be the hottest rookie lately.
Heading down the stairs slowly from the third floor with a clear lobby view, the first floor was chaotic.
"We came here knowing that climber Moon Byul is at this place!"
"Sorry. Not the guild leader."
A neatly dressed woman, flanked by guard-like men, was yelling in the lobby.
'Feels like a situation I've seen before.'
Whatever it was, they were looking for me. Then, a hulking man caught my eye, slowly heading to the lobby.
"Came from the gym 'cause it was noisy—what's this? Who're you?"
"Who the hell are you?"
A massive guy in pajamas with a face mask pack. Complete with a malnourished arm.
"Who're you to come to my house yelling Got It's name and causing a scene?"
It was Khan.