Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 7
Seo-jin, who had arrived at the 2nd floor climbing test site, glanced around his surroundings.
'There are a lot of people.'
The test site area was crowded with many people, forming a sea of humanity.
It was already a bustling place on normal days, but climbers who had been stimulated by the news of the tutorial's new record achievement had come without exception to challenge the test.
This phenomenon was the best possible news for Seo-jin, who was currently hiding his identity.
'The news of achieving a new record in the tutorial room has been announced, but no one knows about me, the person behind that record.'
Ju Won-jae's tutorial clear record became widely known to the public because he revealed his identity.
On the contrary, Seo-jin had posted his tutorial record on the leaderboard anonymously.
Therefore, currently the only person who knew that Seo-jin was the owner of the new record was Min-young, the receptionist who had directly guided him.
But there was no need to worry about Min-young either.
'As long as the tower administrator is involved with this test, she won't be able to testify about me carelessly either.'
Therefore, there was only one method Seo-jin needed to take currently.
'Maintain this anonymity while building up publicity.'
The news that an anonymous climber was breaking all previous records while climbing would spread throughout the entire tower.
This would give some people the passion to climb the tower again, while giving others an anxious feeling as if their throats were being strangled.
Seo-jin would enjoy freedom under the shadow of anonymity, gradually building up his current fame.
That would be enough.
TING-
When Seo-jin, who had pulled his hood deep over his head, finished his registration, the characteristically bland voice of an AI flowed out.
[Climber Lee Seo-jin. Your identity has been confirmed. Current level is 1. Recommended test level is level 20. Will you challenge it?]
"Yes."
Excluding the 1st floor, the artificial intelligence [BABEL] presided over climbing tests instead of receptionists.
For Seo-jin, who had to avoid people's gazes and maintain anonymity, these were the optimal conditions.
When Seo-jin paid the test fee, an AI hologram guided him to the test site.
[Test fee has been paid. Waiting number is 7. Moving to test site K.]
At the test site he was guided to, five or six waiting people were waiting for their turn.
Seo-jin sat in a chair and looked at the tests of other waiting people visible beyond the transparent wall.
A giant warrior standing in front of a scarecrow.
HAAP-!
He struck down the scarecrow's head with all his strength, putting his full power into the mace in his hand.
KWAANG-! KWAANG-! KWAANG-!
PPIRIRIRIK-
Along with the refreshing sounds, scores floated up above the scarecrow.
The test event for the 2nd floor was none other than hitting scarecrows.
As you can see, it was a very simple test, and the difficulty of the test itself was much easier than the tutorial test where you had to face living enemies.
However, quite a few people became frustrated and couldn't pass this place, because there was a minimum cutoff line for this test.
'1,000 points.'
This score required to pass the test was a figure that was quite difficult to achieve unless you were a climber who had reached level 20 and changed to a specific profession.
Of course, just because you satisfied the minimum conditions didn't mean you could unconditionally pass the test.
[877 points. You have failed.]
"Damn it!"
There was a reason for using a scarecrow in human form rather than just a simple punching machine that only measured striking power.
The warrior who failed the test spat out curses and walked out of the test site with big strides.
He would have to prepare registration fees again if he wanted to re-challenge the test in the future.
It was when Seo-jin was sitting in his chair waiting for his turn.
A man sitting next to him looked over Seo-jin's robe and casually struck up a conversation.
"You, are you by any chance a mage?"
A man with somewhat exotic features that resembled a mouse.
His words in a foreign language were automatically translated and heard by Seo-jin under the tower's blessing, and Seo-jin silently nodded his head.
The man spoke as if comforting Seo-jin.
"You must have it tough. It's hard for mages to make a living, isn't it."
"......Well, that's true."
As the man said, mage wasn't a very preferred profession.
First, the initial cost was a problem.
Since the number of awakened individuals with mage aptitude was small, the prices of exclusive equipment and necessary consumables were very expensive.
The equipment that Seo-jin was currently wearing alone cost tens of millions of won.
Second was that leveling, or growth, was difficult.
Unlike physical awakened individuals who could continue mining magic stones and hunting as long as they had stamina, mages couldn't do anything once their mana ran out.
In short, they were at a disadvantage in both leveling and making money.
For the livelihood-type climbers who made up the majority of climbers, it was the worst profession.
'Moreover, magic itself is sealed outside the tower where mana concentration is thin.'
They were inevitably compared even more to physical awakened individuals who became stronger in body and could exert some power outside as well.
Equipment was expensive, they couldn't make money, and they were useless outside. Where else could you find such a trash profession?
Of course, if you could get past this hurdle, it could be seen as a good profession with tremendous potential, but at this point when tower strategy hadn't even reached the 30th floor, mages were one of the avoided professions with only romance left.
"Still, it's quite fun. The thing called magic."
Seo-jin created a black flame above his palm and showed it to the man.
HWARYEOK-
The faint fire above his palm danced in various shapes according to Seo-jin's will.
From the form of a burning rose to a small bird flapping its wings and fireworks exploding.
Such delicate mana manipulation was tremendous ability that a 2nd floor mage wouldn't even dare attempt, but.
"Whoa whoa, that's an interesting trick, but don't waste precious mana before the test."
Unfortunately, the man didn't have the discernment to recognize this.
"......"
Seo-jin silently extinguished the flame above his hand.
Meanwhile, the man took out an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Seo-jin.
"If you ever want to change to a different profession, go here. If you show this, they'll treat you well."
Seo-jin examined the symbol drawn on the letter of introduction the man handed him and frowned slightly.
'Was he from the Thief Guild?'
The Thief Guild.
At first, it was a good guild that found jobs for climbers who had no money and no power.
But by now it had degenerated into a vicious guild close to a pyramid scheme.
Because they were handling all kinds of dark work like loan sharking, contract work, distribution of prohibited goods, and prostitution.
Even when the Thief Guild was first established, it hadn't fallen this far.
'Doing business even at the test site.'
His brow furrowed naturally as he recalled old memories, but Seo-jin didn't show it much.
"Thank you. However."
[Waiting number 7. Please enter.]
"There's no need to worry about me."
Seo-jin, who returned the letter of introduction to the man, stood in front of the scarecrow in the test room following the guidance voice.
And.
FLASH-
The black lightning that extended from his hand filled the test site.
TTIRIRIRIRI-
Along with the discharge of black lightning, the score that had been rising endlessly stopped after a long while.
[37,240]
It was the moment when the new record for the 2nd floor test site was updated.
***
Tower 1st floor. Climber Association Climbing Management Office.
"Ah, I'm telling you there's nothing confirmed yet."
"We're investigating the facts, so please wait until the association's official position comes out."
"Personal interviews aren't allowed right now! Hey!"
Currently, the association was crowded with reporters who had flocked due to the news of the tutorial's new record achievement.
The fact that a new record was achieved in the tutorial test was disclosed on the leaderboard, but its identity was posted anonymously.
What country they were from, who they were, when it was achieved - nothing was known.
An anonymous supernova appearing and breaking the Sword Star's record.
It was natural for the media to be turned upside down by this unprecedented situation.
While reporters aiming for scoops crowded into the management office lobby.
In the waiting room of the Climbing Management Office.
Here, they had lined up the receptionists who had been in charge of climbing tests for the past few days and were investigating the facts.
"Really no one knows? Huh? You don't need to maintain confidentiality about this kind of thing. It's all for the country, no, for humanity!"
Team Leader Park Tae-hyeon was shouting almost desperately at the receptionists, spraying saliva.
The team leader, who had repeatedly emphasized the duties and oaths that receptionists must observe when first hired, was currently making a fuss asking them to reveal the climber's records.
Min-young kept her lips tightly shut and avoided eye contact with the team leader who was yelling and shouting in front of her.
'What on earth do they want me to do!'
The reason Min-young was keeping her mouth shut now wasn't because of the confidentiality oath, nor to maintain loyalty to Seo-jin.
It was simply because of the advice the administrator had given.
Min-young swallowed her saliva and recalled his chilling voice.
'I recommend not mentioning today's events anywhere. It's simple advice, so you may ignore it, but the consequences...... I cannot take responsibility for.'
She couldn't forget the look in his eyes as he looked down at her with his blue eyes shining brightly.
The administrator was a transcendent being who governed the tower, which couldn't be measured by human wisdom.
Min-young didn't have the courage to defy such a being's 'advice.'
'How is this advice in any way? It's a threat.'
Min-young sighed and just waited blankly for this time to pass.
'Anyway, if I just keep my mouth shut, there's no way to find out.'
There was only one tower in South Korea, but there were a total of 12 gates leading to the tower worldwide.
Those challenging the tower entry test alone easily exceeded thousands per day.
Moreover, all personal information and climbing records of climbers were managed through the artificial intelligence [BABEL], which reflected the tower's will.
Even if there were climbing records, it was impossible for the association to access them arbitrarily.
In short, it was impossible to arbitrarily find a specific climber without BABEL's cooperation.
Then someone might question the association's reason for existence.
'What are you doing with the taxes we paid?'
To this, the association answers like this.
They prevent criminals from entering through thorough identity checks, and seek BABEL's cooperation to identify the identities of those who died inside the tower.
In addition, for the purpose of maintaining public order, they deploy state-certified climbers to track down criminals active inside the tower.
They inspect the safety of magic stones and artifacts exported outside the tower and contribute to adjusting export quantities and market prices in cooperation with various countries and companies.
"Phew."
When the receptionists remained silent, Team Leader Park Tae-hyeon sighed and opened his mouth as if he had nothing left to consider.
"Ah, shit. Fine. You kids who guided tutorial tests for the past few days, write down by hand all the lists of climbers you were in charge of. You remember all their faces and names, right? Match that with the tower's external CCTV entry records and bring it as close as possible."
"What?"
At the team leader's bombshell statement, all the receptionists made dumbfounded expressions.
All climbing records were in a database linked with BABEL and couldn't be accessed at all, yet he was telling them to remember and write by hand the list of climbers they were in charge of.
Aside from being labor-intensive, it was virtually impossible to carry out.
But the situation didn't end there.
It was when the team leader continued to peck at the receptionists including Min-young relentlessly.
BEOLKEOK-
A receptionist entered the waiting room interior with an urgent expression.
The team leader looked at him and raised his eyebrows.
"What now? Can't you see I'm working?"
Despite the team leader's sharp retort, the receptionist delivered shocking information.
"B-breaking news. They say a record was just updated at the 2nd floor climbing test site as well......"