Chapter 120: Heirs of the Magic King

The next day.

Carpe logged into RaSe early in the morning.

"What happened? You look like you've aged ten years overnight. Were you editing videos all night?"

-I did some editing, but... anyway, it's something like that.

Cheonma replied with a weary, exhausted expression.

And it wasn't just Cheonma who seemed off.

"An enemy? Let them come. Sorihan hungers."

Tina in doll mode drew her shrunken sword and muttered something bizarre.

"Kuuul...."

"Kyuuu.... Kyiik."

Mukhyang and Mirage were completely drained, like dogs who'd been walked nonstop for six hours, curled up together in sleep.

Carpe's day started off a bit chaotically.

Carpe headed straight back to the first underground floor and cleared the quest.

"Much faster than I expected. Impressive."

"Going through all those incidents... I've ended up a bit overpowered for my level."

"Is that so? As your predecessor, I'm delighted to hear you're strong."

"Becoming Main Administrator doesn't change much. You have to climb the tower yourself to gain permissions."

The higher the floors cleared, the more permissions expanded.

But even clearing all 100 floors didn't mean full control over the tower.

"If you get recognition from the other sub-rights holders, that's a different story."

"Huh? Sub-administrators? There are other administrators in this tower besides me?"

"Of course. A massive tower like this couldn't be maintained for centuries without at least minimal oversight, right?"

Dretsch's memories had been dormant until Carpe arrived, so the sub-administrators had effectively kept the tower running for hundreds of years.

"Five of them... no, five entities? Let's call them that. Spread across all floors, total of five."

At that moment, a new quest window appeared before Carpe.

"Well, they won't recognize you right away. Even if you're strong for your level, beating the current administrators is impossible. Some of them even gave my prime self trouble..."

Dretsch added something, but it didn't register with Carpe.

His eyes were locked on the quest rewards.

'Whoa. All this...? All of it?'

He could barely speak. Rewards that would make anyone nod in approval, all at once!

Especially the Mythic item and the mysterious '???'. Pure curiosity bait.

-Hmph. Decent rewards, I suppose.

'What's with you, hyung? You always rag on RaSe whenever they drop stuff like this, calling it a joke of a game.'

-That's for freebies. This is different. Clearing 100 floors is brutal—those are fair compensations.

'...Really?'

Dretsch mentioning trouble even in his prime, and now Cheonma agreeing? Carpe felt uneasy.

'It won't be one of those quests that stays undone till I quit, right?'

-Impossible for others, but... you might pull it off. I know everything, and with your luck, it'll work out.

Of course, Cheonma ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had challenged the tower during his 10 years in RaSe.

A man who explored every corner of the game wouldn't ignore mysterious content like this.

The peak of the Red Tower built by an unknown mage.

Maybe a hint to end his regression?

Cheonma had challenged it with that hope—and became the only one in the world to reach the top.

-Around level 400, probably. Brutal. Got stuck at 99, but luck pulled me through. Might've used up all my lifetime luck there.

But the 100th floor was empty. No regression clues, naturally.

-Wait, thinking about it pisses me off. Climbed to 100 and nothing? Permissions? Titles? Mythic gear? One of those, and I'd be praising RaSe 365 days a year!

'You weren't tied to the Magic King, hyung.'

-Still, they could've tossed something! What kind of game is this? RaSe, you crazy bastards!

Cheonma finally spat his RaSe curses.

"You'll figure out permissions as you go. The real prize is the relics, right?"

Dretsch pointed to the ceiling.

"Floor 22. Clues to the fourth relic there. Find them well. I'd love to say more, but even I don't know details."

"Floor 22. Doable."

"Yeah. Reaching 10 at this pace? Shouldn't be too bad. Good lu—ah, time's up."

Dretsch's form began to fade.

He shrugged regretfully.

"Woke up for once, and it's cut short. But my role ends here. The rest is on you."

"So... we won't meet again?"

"Who knows? Maybe another fragment of my memories somewhere. Though that 'me' would differ from this one."

Dretsch chuckled at his own words.

"Oh, one last thing, out of concern. Inheriting my power and relics doesn't mean you have to do anything or feel some grand mission."

No rebuilding ancient empires like Arkram or slaying Patron Spirits.

No 'Hero, you've inherited my power—fulfill my dying wish!' tropes.

"Live as you want. Same for you all."

Dretsch glanced at Tina and Mirage. The young Dretsch looked awkward.

"But it won't be easy. Just inheriting the Magic King name draws enemies who won't leave you be."

"Already tangled up, it seems."

Like fanatic priests—Patron Spirits would try to erase Carpe.

"Exactly. That's why I left relics. Can't let my heir fall to them pointlessly."

Dretsch chuckled again.

"I hate getting played too... If I get the chance, I'll take down those Patron Spirits."

"Appreciate it... Ah, really out of time now."

Dretsch faded almost completely.

"Entrust my children to you. May fortune follow."

With that, Dretsch vanished entirely.

With the quest from Dretsch, Carpe resumed climbing from floor 11 onward.

"Wind Cutter!"

"Kwaaak?!"

Floor 11's main monsters were orc series—the fantasy staples: orc warriors, archers, shamans, etc.

Around level 55, easy pickings for Carpe.

"Didn't know you cleared all 100, hyung. Really nothing at the top?"

-Yeah. Empty room. 100 was like that. Effectively, 99 was the final boss. For me, at least.

He'd scoured for hidden pieces—nothing.

-But for you, it'll differ. You're the tower's owner. Probably events just for Magic King job.

"Makes sense. Those '???' rewards scream something special."

Distant for now, but someday.

Carpe steeled himself, advancing floor by floor.

12th. 13th. 14th.

With Cheonma's guidance, he swept every corner.

His inventory ballooned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rapidly.

"Fireball!"

Boom—!

"Kweeeek!"

A lycanthrope roasted under Carpe's spell, triggering a notification.

Carpe hit level 59.

Monsters up to 62—no issues.

Carpe's party—himself up front, flawless retainers behind—the ultimate lineup, unstoppable.

He bulldozed upward at breakneck speed.

-21st floor gets tough. Monsters over 80.

"Figured. Top parties haven't cleared 30 yet."

Come to think—did Cheongeom's group clear 30?

Carpe popped open a browser and searched.

"Oh, they did."

No need to search—RaSe IpVen's front page blasted a popup celebrating Eden Guild's 30th clear.

They must've done it while he was offline yesterday.

"Rankings... Ah, Cheongeom's at 135."

-Even you're a monster, but that gap's rough. Skip to 22, abandon 30. Still not easy.

"Gotta push as far as we can."

Just then, reaching floor 15.

-Oh, and 15 has a special hidden piece not on other floors...

"Where?! Where do I go?!"

Hidden piece? Carpe's attitude flipped.

He'd brave hell itself. Cheonma tsked but pointed the way.

-Always thrilled for freebies... Not far. Head that way.

Carpe followed Cheonma's navigation faithfully.

Soon, the hidden wall.

-There. Color's slightly off from others, right?

"Where? Looks the same to me."

-Look closer. Closer.

Carpe squinted at the wall.

"Huh, maybe a tiny difference."

Microscopic. Only noticeable if told.

How'd the first finder spot it?

-Hit it with an 8-star+ attack skill. Others won't budge.

"...Ridiculous. Who designed this?"

Grumbling, Carpe extended his hand.

"Permafrost!"

Crack-crack—!

Ice wave shattered the wall, revealing a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠secret space.

And the notification.

Any gamer worth their salt would geek out over the keywords.

The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw