World's Number One

'Uh... 25,000 points...?'

He rubbed his eyes.

It didn't change.

Rubbed them again.

Still no change.

'Is this really my score?'

Goosebumps prickled across his entire body.

This was the real deal. A massive jackpot.

25,000 points wasn't an insanely high number on its own.

Why? Because of inflation based on floor level.

Even for S-rank awakeners, hitting the 10th floor easily pushed scores into the tens of thousands.

But what mattered was the comparison.

Compared to other rankers?

He'd scored nearly 25 times more.

Pulling 25,000 on the first floor, where even top performers barely hit 1,000!

'No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wonder I'm in first.'

Back in school, he'd always ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hovered around average rankings, never even sniffing first place.

Nothing particularly outstanding—hobbies, skills, whatever, always middling.

A perfect sample of Korea's median citizen.

And now that guy had taken first in the nation.

'Ah, not just the nation. Maybe even...'

Ding!

'World number one!'

He was number one in the world.

A torrent of powerful dopamine flooded his body.

He shuddered!

Ahh, was this heaven?

He could die without regrets.

And even more importantly...

Scores weren't just for making rankers feel good or settling rankings.

What did that mean?

Ding!

This was the endless death marathon repeating every 30 days.

Each new cycle reset scores to a fixed negative value.

Points earned by that country's awakeners were tallied in real-time on the board.

Within the 30-day deadline, they had to flip the negative into positive.

Fail to do so?

'That country's land gets obliterated.'

Towers embedded across nations in varying numbers.

One rampaged at random, turning the area into monster territory.

Usually, evacuation orders minimized human casualties based on precursors.

But the national damage was catastrophic.

They had to abandon everything there.

Transportation networks like rails and ports!

Production infrastructure like factories and farmland!

Untapped energy resources!

And countless other incalculable losses!

Korea had already failed to meet quotas several times.

Losing chunks of territory in the process.

Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangnam-do.

Busan, Jeju Island, Gangwon-do.

Dokdo, bundled with Gangwon-do.

'Hmm.'

Thinking about it, it wasn't just a few spots.

Anyway, Korea was getting wrecked.

That was the situation, roughly.

Why? Simple answer.

'Too few S-rank awakeners, the core point earners.'

For some glitchy reason, like the landmass was bugged, Korea had an freakishly low number of S-ranks.

And those few got snatched away.

Early on, while the fractured politicians dithered, by neighboring countries.

Only three left.

S-rank awakeners: a measly three!

'Ahh, my heart aches.'

The early snowball effect had rolled Korea into this mess.

Reclaiming land was practically impossible.

The monster hordes overwhelmed in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sheer numbers.

Modern weapons didn't work.

Only awakener powers did.

But with just three S-ranks? Even pouring in hundreds might not cut it!

Even China, overflowing with awakeners, had bled out trying to retake a tiny plot and retreated.

Korea reclaiming land?

'No way. Not in this situation.'

The woes of an awakener-poor nation.

Anyway.

That was why tower climbing had become a do-or-die national endeavor.

Mana stones and other wondrous materials?

Secondary concerns.

'Sad that I know this situation inside out.'

He wasn't the only one.

All of Korea knew.

Hair-raising every month.

In such a situation, for the nation's people to show zero interest?

'That'd be the real weird part.'

He was especially well-informed.

A jobless wizard of time-wasting.

Plus, he'd obsessively browsed info fantasizing, "What if I awaken?"

Job guides, agency registration, shopping lists for earnings.

Like memorizing lotto winner protocols despite knowing he'd never win.

That's when Carmina came bounding over.

"Master! Master! Quick, stuff all this in your inventory! We gotta sell it!"

Her arms overflowed with loot.

Mana stones and blade bat byproducts.

The disconnect hit hard. The monster-record-breaker grinning so innocently.

Recalling the scene...

Carmina slashed her finger with a nail, swung it through the air, sharp blood droplets flew—and he hadn't even seen the rest properly.

Next instant, all the bats lay dead, hearts pierced.

It hit viscerally.

How overwhelmingly strong she was.

'Good thing she's an ally.'

Absolute obedience to orders.

And she didn't even drink blood.

Mmm, truly a relief.

Earlier she'd gone berserk chasing him, but blood-sucking still freaked him out.

A guy who'd failed blood donation from sheer disgust.

That was him.

"Master! Loot!"

"Ah, yeah. Gotta collect it."

As he touched the loot—

Whoosh!

Virtual storage space.

All vanished into his inventory.

'Wild. Heard about it, but first time using.'

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Tower drops had to go into inventory to take out.

Conversely, only tower items could go in inventory.

"But Carmina, you're seriously strong. I figured you might rank, but first place? Never saw that coming."

"Pfft, what? Total cold meal for me."

Ooh.

The dignity of an EX-rank ally?

But didn't you say no blood-drinking?

Anyway, with Carmina puffing up proudly, he matched her energy.

"No no, you're amazing. Not just first—world first! Are all vampires from your planet that strong?"

"Hehe, I'm on the exceptionally strong side among them. Drank lotsa good blood as a kid. But hearing that from Master makes me shy! You'll outgrow a scrub like me soon enough!"

Huh? Who? Me?

But no blood-drinking, right?

He took a subtle step back.

Tugged his collar closed and asked.

"You mean I'll get strong enough to leave you in the dust?"

Even an idiot could tell Carmina outclassed S-ranks.

Sure, he had other skills to acquire, so he'd grow stronger.

But

'Surpass Carmina?'

Couldn't picture it.

Black Hole, Gravity Wave Emission, Supernova Burst.

Grand names, sure.

But system-adjusted, she'd said.

And he'd just witnessed Carmina's insane score firsthand.

'Ally recruitment being my main job skill seems almost certain.'

Other skills? Supportive.

Offensive? Weak power.

High likelihood.

Balance-wise.

Hmm... maybe not?

EX-rank job might break rules.

Balance destroyer? Nice.

"Is that what you mean? Your combat power's fixed, but I'll keep growing, so eventually I'll catch up?"

"Nope! I get stronger with your level!"

Oh, great news.

Carmina powering up too.

And steadily, just by climbing the tower.

"So we both get stronger together, but you'll say I'll catch up quick?"

"Yup yup! You'll handle 1,000 space octopuses no problem!"

So what does that mean?

Anyway, she elaborated.

System limits meant not all memories returned, but her planet's EX-rank awakener had been ridiculously strong.

"But it still fell. Endgame tower event impossible to clear. Fuzzy memory, but that's definite."

Carmina's face darkened instantly.

He felt sympathy and pity.

As a resident of a junior planet suffering tower trials.

And especially as a citizen of perpetually screwed-over Korea.

He comforted her.

"Wanna grab another pizza outside?"

"...! Love it! Per person, right?"

Per person?

All that fits in your stomach?

"Hehe, whatcha gonna do about the past? I'm just thrilled to be alive again, doing stuff! Moving limbs, eating yummy things!"

She shadowboxed the air excitedly.

Incredible emotional recovery speed.

Sticking with her, at least no risk of energy drain from negativity.

"Did the people on your planet—er, the vampires—also climb towers?"

"Yup! Details differ, but core setup's similar!"

They chatted various things.

Carmina's strength.

Tower monsters, etc.

Conclusion: Tower climbing would be a breeze for the foreseeable future.

'All that's left is my choice.'

He'd lived averagely till now.

Never the protagonist of his life.

Now power had found him.

Totally unaverage, tremendous power.

'Obviously climb the tower.'

Honestly, not scared at all?

Lie.

People died mid-climb, or got mysteriously offed in nation-vs-nation dogfights.

But.

Carmina's ruthless strength.

EX-rank job growth potential.

Those two factors bred confidence.

'Let's climb.'

Family all in Korea anyway.

Parents, sister, him. Standard four-member household.

No means for safe-country emigration like the US.

...Or maybe?

EX-rank job, after all.

Could whisk the whole family abroad later, easy.

But that was

'Last resort.'

Some gripes, sure, but Korea was home, where he'd always lived.

His job would massively help fill rampage scores.

To do it right: Register as awakener at the agency, climb with support.

Best practice.

And judging by actions and metrics so far, the agency was trustworthy.

But revealing identity meant info could leak somehow.

'Even with agency protection, risky annoying stuff could happen?'

What was there to say?

Overseas news alone: assassinations, kidnappings, defections galore.

Brief deliberation.

Solid conclusion.

'Hide identity till I have power to protect me and family.'

Then hit the agency for full support and climb.

"Master! Check this! This!"

Hm?

Glancing over, Carmina scrolled message lists frantically, super hyped.

Hey, my status window.

Give it back.

Shared mode lets you show status to other awakeners, he'd heard.

'Allies can even manipulate?'

Possible, huh.

Carmina: absolute loyalty.

No need to worry.

She might catch what he misses.

"Rewards popped earlier."

"Right! Come see quick!"

Tower coins were standard rewards.

"Additional reward!"

"Ooh, heard this is super rare."

Clearing floors had a tiny chance for extra rewards.

His sky-high score must've boosted the odds.

"Whoa, extra on the first floor. All thanks to you, Carmina."

"Nah! Hehe, Master's achievement!"

Additional rewards.

Insanely varied.

Skill enhancement stones, guaranteed gear upgrades.

Entry reset tickets, socket gems.

Teleport scrolls, S-rank gear.

Top-grade mana stones, etc.

Double gacha, basically. Whatever popped was a jackpot lotto ticket.

What would it be?

"Confirm additional reward."

"Big one, please!"

A swirl of light gathered before his eyes.