Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Misguided Ambition #3
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A temporary chat room has been created. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Paper Enthusiast' has invited 'Aged Wine is...'. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 'Paper Enthusiast' has invited 'Short-Eared Goblin'. — Aged Wine is... ??? What's this? — Short-Eared Goblin We've been doing group chats a lot lately~ Is this because of the newbie too~? — Paper Enthusiast Yeah, about half of it. The space of armbands that no one could invade.
Due to an incident called out by the one recently dubbed a newbie, they needed a place to have a serious discussion.
— Paper Enthusiast You all knew roughly, right? That there are hunters among them abusing the tower's system to pull strings. — Short-Eared Goblin How could we not know~ It's so blatant, the stench is thick~ — Aged Wine is... Bad alt accounts should just get smacked down...! — Paper Enthusiast My tower too, and lately their movements have been suspicious, yeah. — Paper Enthusiast But even if that's the usual alt account antics. The problem is the stuff related to the newbie. — Aged Wine is... Even if you tell them, they won't hand it over...! — Short-Eared Goblin The newbie doesn't even have ownership rights in the first place~ "..."
The top floor of the tower.
The tower lord using the nickname Paper Enthusiast gazed at the bickering in the chat room with a cold, jaded look.
Even if it seemed like they were only focused on the newbie's movements for now, they were surely racking their brains in their own ways.
About how to deal with those degenerates who had lately started gnawing away at the towers.
— Paper Enthusiast So here's the thing. — Aged Wine is... ? — Paper Enthusiast That time in the theme stage when they messed with the newbie, how'd they pull that off? — Aged Wine is... .... The Wine Lord went silent in the chat.
— Paper Enthusiast Think about it carefully. One of them recently approached the newbie. — Paper Enthusiast If they screw up and hurt the newbie, it'll be too late by then. — Aged Wine is... What are you trying to say? — Paper Enthusiast We need to get the newbie to a safe position somehow. — Aged Wine is... What do you mean by a safe position? — Paper Enthusiast For starters, we need to pull him into a tower. — Short-Eared Goblin An intriguing perspective~ You're saying we should drag the newbie into the jaws of death? — Paper Enthusiast Not necessarily. The tower was their hell and, at the same time, a new possibility.
And the existence of a newbie who could communicate 'directly' with them.
It was clearly a precious connection that needed to be kept close and watched carefully.
That was why he had tried to obtain information through the Wine Lord.
To create some point of contact with the newbie, in whatever way possible.
'It won't end in the Wine Lord's tower.'
There were still far too many trials awaiting the newbie.
The Paper Enthusiast, the tower lord, waited only for that day to come.
And began scouring the gallery for information once more.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "To think today is the last... Such a shame."
Hanaoka Miyu gazed at Do-yoon with what seemed like genuine regret as she said this.
Lately, the shrine maiden's attention had been unusually fixated on Do-yoon.
Swish.
Soon, she pulled a business card from her bosom and handed it to Do-yoon.
"This is our company's card. If you ever get interested, please..."
"Shrine Maiden. Even so, this is..."
Finally unable to stand it, Han Ji-hyeok stepped in with a stiff expression to block the action entirely.
"Oh dear, have I been rude?"
"You know exactly what that means."
"It was purely innocent."
Hanaoka Miyu feigned innocence, pulling a pure expression while deliberately getting under their skin.
An utterly blatant recruitment offer.
As a powerhouse, it was the utmost authority and leisure she could display before the relatively weak.
"Do-yoon."
Hanaoka Miyu's gaze shifted back to Do-yoon.
Squeeze...
Turning at the faint tug on his clothes, he saw Jeong A-hyeon looking up at him anxiously.
"If there's another chance, I'd love to have you on our side."
"If there's a chance. Right now, I'm focused on leveling up."
"As expected...! Such a diligent person."
Diligent to that extent, huh.
Gazing at Hanaoka Miyu's departing figure, Do-yoon lingered a bit longer due to the gaze he felt.
"...Do-yoon."
"Yes."
"That woman... I mean, hunter. Did something happen between you two?"
"No. We just bumped into each other by chance and chatted a bit."
"....I'm just anxious that she might have sensed something from you."
"Anxious?"
"Yeah. Your feats so far have been so groundbreaking. Even if only we know about it. She's called the Shrine Maiden for a reason."
Hunters, the higher their rank, the more transcendent their senses for detecting mana.
In other words, Han Ji-hyeok and the other hunters knew full well that if the shrine maiden showed even a bit more sincerity, it could warrant national-level scrutiny.
"Oppa...! Still, it'd be way more comfortable living here...!"
"Yeah, Do-yoon. Nothing good comes from going abroad. Those places have even worse cliques."
"Nah, I'm not going."
Do-yoon liked it here.
His senior hunters always treated him with the utmost care, and though he was wary of the higher-ups.
The people right beside him were more than worthy—honest and upright to a fault.
'And the tower.'
There was no need to distance himself from the tower he was already tackling.
"You called me?!"
'...No.'
As thoughts of the tower crossed his mind, Aira reacted immediately, so he brushed it off and recalled the next raid schedule.
With the exchange event over, nothing could hold him back anymore.
Level 9. The floor he needed to tackle was the 6th.
There was still so much to do.
Thus—
"Guess I should head back in soon."
"...You okay with that?"
"Yes. The sooner, the better."
"Well... true."
From the 6th floor on, only he could enter.
In truth, other hunters could only join up to the 4th—that was the end of it.
"If my condition holds, maybe even aim for the double floors."
"Great! Awesome!"
Aira beamed with innocent excitement.
Regardless of their bond, Aira's abilities were essential for tower raids.
'I got help unintentionally.'
The image of the blood-red chains split into two strands came to mind.
Along with that, her presence had grown even closer.
It was growth made possible by the shrine maiden's support, but even if it came from a group with a shady backstory.
Good was good, so he looked forward to Aira's potential.
"So, about that."
He approached Manager Choi Geon-woo, who wore a subtle expression, and conveyed his intent.
"...Are you really sure?"
"I'm sound in body and mind. No reason to rush it."
"Still. You've cleared the 5th floor at breakneck speed... It's too early to decide hastily..."
The tower's madness always demanded vigilance.
It was like a time bomb that could go off anywhere, anytime.
Even with a clean bill from Jeong A-hyeon, the healing authority, and no issues in the association's internal exams.
The tower's mana that eroded the mind required constant caution upon caution.
"I tested it a few times in the training grounds, and it was totally fine."
"If you say so, Do-yoon."
In fact, he already had all the permissions for the next floor.
"...."
Manager Choi Geon-woo looked at Do-yoon with bitter eyes.
Did he even know?
That in this Korea, a talented and potential-filled hunter like him was merely a tool to sate the higher-ups' desires.
He probably didn't yet.
Like covering a child's innocent eyes, Manager Choi Geon-woo and the other hunters had done their utmost to shield Do-yoon from the association's dark side.
"So, when's the next entry..."
"I'm good anytime soon."
For example, tomorrow?
"T-tomorrow...? How about next week! Next week would be good."
Holding back Do-yoon, who seemed ready to prepare and leave any second, Manager Choi Geon-woo suggested in a flustered voice.
"Sure. Let's do that then?"
It wouldn't make much difference between tomorrow or a week later, but they settled on that.
With time on his hands, Do-yoon didn't waste it, spending each day diligently.
Training, intel gathering, gallery browsing.
He was confident his preparations to survive inside the tower were thorough.
Of course, the others' help shone through until then too.
'They're really reliable.'
Wondering how he'd ended up with such solid allies, Do-yoon marveled inwardly at his connections.
Thus, he hoped this peace would last.
Tower plague victims, gate breaks.
He wanted to keep all the filthy, grim futures at bay.
"Do-yoon."
Just before entering the tower.
At the final call, Do-yoon turned around.
Today, the other hunters were all there to see him off.
Han Ji-hyeok, Jeong A-hyeon, Cha Yun-ha, and even Jo Ha-rin.
Despite their busy schedules, they willingly stayed for him.
"Oppa...! Come back right away if it's dangerous!"
"Yeah. Don't die even if you can't clear it."
"Try not to talk to other hunters as much as possible."
"Thanks for worrying."
With those farewells, Do-yoon stepped forward.
Paradoxically, it felt more peaceful and welcoming here than outside the tower.
"Hee hee hee!"
The biggest contributor to that sentiment was surely the two strands of chains coiled around his left hand.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have entered the 'Tower of the Forgotten Banquet'. "Ready?"
"Yeah!"
Finally entering the tower, Do-yoon quickly passed the stairs and reached the 6th floor.
The hunters who had cleared the theme stage with him were surely already climbing higher.
'Me too.'
He had to steadily grow by following in their footsteps.
To stop those plotting absurd things like gate breaks somewhere.
📰 Boss Mob Gallery Post Title: Newbie's on Floor 6 Shing.
With undulating blood-red chains, he drew the Goblin Warlord's curved sword with his right hand.
Do-yoon's floor raid began anew.