Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Solo Party Play (1)
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[Late evening, in a street-side bar.]
"When's Cosplay Maid gonna show up again?"
"Dude, Cosplay Maid went to America. She's never coming back."
"How do you know she went to America? You don't even know if her master left Korea or not."
Young guys gathered in groups of three or five clink their glasses roughly as they chat away.
"So, who do you think's stronger? Blue Lightning, right?"
"Ah, forget it. That guy's a has-been."
"Weren't you a Ramju Thunder fanboy?"
"Seeing him ditch the press conference like that? Total buzzkill. Just dropped off the face of the earth."
"Press conference?"
"The reporter asking if an S-Rank Hunter like Cosplay Maid could clear an S-Rank Tower solo. He bolted. Fucking coward."
"Hey, you're drunk."
Just like any bar talk, but the hot topic was unmistakably S-Rank Hunters.
"Still, Ramju Thunder's got skills. You think he'd be too scared of Cosplay Maid clearing an S-Rank Tower solo to say anything?"
"Dunno. That guy actually seemed to buy it and get spooked."
"Buy what?"
"That she soloed an S-Rank Tower. He's always spouting that crap anyway. Says only S-Rank Hunters who solo S-Rank Towers count."
"Lame."
Even a topic like "Who'll win Ballon d'Or this year?" could keep soccer fans arguing all night till fists fly.
"Is there even anyone among this country's S-Ranks—or hell, worldwide—who could solo an S-Rank Tower?"
"Who knows? Maybe some monster's hiding out there unknown. But that coward Ramju Thunder? Nah."
"Watch your mouth. You wanna get dogpiled by his fanboys?"
In a world where survival hung on this field—hunters, no less—even non-awakened civilians couldn't help but share their two cents.
"And don't badmouth hunters unless you want trouble later. What if the tower near your house doesn't get cleared?"
"They just farm coins for their own damn looks..."
"Hey, hey. Nice words only. Don't say they're wasting tower coins on new costumes or skins instead of helping others."
Glasses refill.
"But hey, at least we get eye candy from their pics. Heh."
The woman in the bottle—reflected in a glass—is no innocent actress, but a stunning A-Rank Hunter in a dress-like 'suit'.
"It's not about personal style. They're buying weapons and gear you can't get in real life. Right?"
"Then instead of flexing their cash and gear, go clear that S-Rank Tower on the island already."
"Whoa, someone's hammered. So, expert, which tower should they hit first? Ganghwado, Dokdo, or Jeju?"
"Jeju, obviously, you idiots."
Clink clink.
Glasses refill again.
"Jeju's got the most people."
"You know how folks on Jeju evacuated by boat when the tower popped up, right?"
"Duh. But they can't live at sea forever. Easier than Ganghwado or Dokdo towers, anyway."
"Yeah, other hunters already cleared up to the boss."
Whoooosh.
A stiff wind rattles the glass door of the bar roughly.
"Damn, wind's brutal. Oh yeah, the boss in Jeju's tower uses wind too."
"That razor gale? Man, looks nasty. There was footage of hunters reaching the boss room entrance once, but it's stalled ever since for a reason."
"Hey, so then..."
Not just this little drinking circle—the question on everyone's mind in Korea and worldwide.
"If Cosplay Maid stepped up, could she clear the other islands easy?"
Could Cosplay Maid succeed where established S-Rank Hunters failed?
"Who knows. But it'd be nice if she did quick. Never been to Jeju."
"...Dude."
Silence falls over the table briefly.
"Heard a rumor S-Rank Towers might outnumber the official count."
"...Don't spook me. More here? We'd have to bail the peninsula."
Drip.
The last drop hits the glass.
"One's enough to wreck a city—or a country. Seven or ten? Terrifying. Right?"
"Yeah. So... we gotta trust her once."
Clink.
"May Cosplay Maid and her master clear every S-Rank Tower here before they 'bounce', and go spread their legend."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Elaine and Kiharu.
Whatever their inner thoughts, they were summoned beasts first—bound to obey their summoner's commands and goals.
"Pleased to meet you, Kiharu."
"The pleasure's mine."
Elaine: Dealer.
Kiharu: Healer.
Just the positions we'd hoped for from the start.
"Oh, right. Partner, decided on a target?"
"Yeah. Ganghwado."
"Hm?"
Kiharu, perched on Elaine's shoulder tablet and fluttering, tilts her head at my words.
"Not Jeju?"
"Gotta take a boat there."
"Shouldn't the master stay far away? We can escape, but you..."
"I'll keep my distance as much as possible. I'm staying right here."
I point to my computer setup.
"No frame drops to Ganghwado."
"Frame drops...?"
"Closer the tower to me, smoother the connection. Lower ping."
"...So physical distance between summoner and summon affects app command speed."
"Pretty much."
Depends on distance, but from home PC linking the summon management app, nearby spots run at a buttery 120 FPS, no lag.
"Elaine tested it herself. Sneaked there without drawing eyes."
"From central Seoul to the outskirts."
Elaine's POV through the app: a seamless open-world Seoul—reality itself.
"Felt connected even far from Master, but commands lagged by 0.1 seconds."
But past Seoul or into Gyeonggi outskirts, it dipped to around 60 FPS, noticeable stutter.
Jeju? My screen hits 30 FPS, blurry mess. Overseas? Ping spikes to 80-90.
"So we handle it ourselves?"
"For average A-Rank Towers, yeah."
As Elaine said, mid-tier towers fall to auto-hunt summons easy.
"But for S-Rank, Master's brilliant 'control' would make it smoother."
Elaine puffs up, glancing smugly at Kiharu.
Indeed, during Mungyeong Saejae Tower, my proximity let Elaine react flawlessly—no delay—dodging attacks, felling boss Ouroboros perfectly.
"Kiharu, you've no idea that thrill of Master's direct control. Heh."
"I'll feel it someday too. Right, partner?"
"Hm..."
"Partner?"
"Genre difference, but... we'll manage."
Turn-based RPGs are built for party play.
Solo? Rare outside challenges.
Even then, without self-heal-tank-DPS all-in-one skills, impossible solo.
Current Kiharu: healing specialist freebie.
No patches evolving her to 5-star or goddess form yet.
'Variants count as separate entities.'
Asked Alice.
Summons like Elaine[Swimsuit] or Kiharu[Goddess Permata]—do abilities stack with current ones?
[Nope.]
Alice: No stacking.
[Summons wholly new, separate beings.]
Variants: distinct entities.
Like gacha heroes in Japanese mobiles:
-Ricebowl, Blackrice, Spearbowl, Campbowl... all same char?
-What the—?!
Strictly, not variants, but released as separate chars? Treat as such.
No stat stacking, but one perk:
"My partner. If my variant drops someday—or goddess form—summon her. Whatever her vibe, I'll convince her to serve as Master's pet."
"Pet?"
"Flower in both hands. How's that?"
"Getting ahead of yourself."
For example:
"If someone's gotta test a variant's vibe, mine first, naturally. Master, you'll have Elaine left and Elaine right. Sound good?"
One in maid outfit, other in swimsuit, clinging to my sides!
"...Summon two Elaines—or more later—and the world'd freak."
Two identicals clearing towers simultaneously?
World flips; doubts on Elaine's nature grow.
Cosplay? Or real game entity summoned?
"Won't pull variants unless it boosts your base specs."
Delay suspicions turning fact; no point pulling non-upgrades.
"If specs or power lack, I'll grind. Master control, pressure devs. Yeah."
Ways aplenty to empower current Elaine and Kiharu.
"Pressure the game company."
"How...?"
"Press conference."
Simple.
"Post S-Rank clear, chat 'em up."
Elaine buff time.
"US President threatens devs subtly—no suspicion—naturally upgrades Elaine. So—"
Beep beep.
Critical alert; I check SNS.
"...Perfect timing."
"What? President Luigi...?"
"CIA intel: Korea's S-Ranks summoned to Blue House, planning Ganghwado S-Rank Tower raid."
'Summoned' to Blue House.
Diplomatic euphemism; locals know: S-Rank forced conscription.
"Then..."
"Let's go."
Won't let them steal the clear.
"While they bicker plans, we sneak in and solo it."
"Master."
"Our turn?"
"Yeah."
I sit at my desk, don headset.
"Let's raid Ganghwado's S-Rank Tower."