Rankings Ignite National Frenzy

The tower had a ranking system for each floor.

Whenever there was a change in the top 5 ranks, regardless of floor, a notification went out to all Awakeners.

Like that.

Domestic rankings? Sent to all Awakeners in that country.

World rankings? Broadcast to every Awakener on the planet.

That's why yesterday's record-breaking #1 set by Choi Yuseong had pinged notifications to not just every Korean Awakener, but everyone worldwide.

But that didn't mean ordinary civilians couldn't check the rankings.

Awakeners would enable share mode and snap screenshots to post online.

Checking the rankings and scoreboards? It was a addiction.

Just like stocks.

How much did it climb overnight? Did it drop at all?

You find yourself checking compulsively without realizing it.

And right now, everyone in Korea was riding the rollercoaster of this bottomed-out national stock together.

The desperation and anxiety were off the charts.

Naturally, people checked even more obsessively.

'Our country's score—will it be fully topped up by morning?'

'What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if some insane record popped up from Korea overnight?'

He knew it was wishful thinking.

Still, clinging to that sliver of hope, he'd grab his phone every morning.

Citizen A at the bus stop was no different.

Expecting no changes, he unlocked his phone with a listless face.

But then.

Thud! Crash!

He dropped his briefcase.

"W-Wait, Korea took 1st on the world 1st floor ranking? H-How many points is this even?!"

Sleep vanished in an instant. His eyes bulged wide.

Hearing him, the people around frantically checked their phones—and reacted the same way.

"Oh my god. Is this real? Not photoshopped?"

"My Awakener friend texted me—it's legit!"

"Me too! Got a Kakao from my contact!"

"Insane! Totally insane! How the hell do you get 25,000 points?!"

Pure pandemonium. They even forgot about their buses.

Strangers who'd never met before were chatting animatedly.

On the way to the convenience store, the same scenes played out everywhere.

Awakeners staring into space at their status windows, jaws dropped in shock.

Regular folks glued to their phones, devouring real-time updates.

"Whoa, I got chills. This isn't a dream, right?"

"Korea taking world #1... unbelievable!"

Even when switching buses.

"Killdragon, who was #1—now #2—with 2,350 points. How do you jump to 25,000?!"

"Doesn't make sense. It's over 10 times the previous top score."

"H-Hey, system glitch maybe?"

Passing through busy streets.

"Nickname's Hitchhiker. Who the hell is that?"

"This guy's gotta keep climbing, right? Bet he'll smash 2nd floor too."

"We can only pray!"

Even in back alleys.

All anyone talked about was Hitchhiker.

'This is nerve-wracking as hell.'

His palms were slick with sweat. What if someone suddenly yelled?

"You're Hitchhiker!"

Pointing fingers, crowds gathering, buzzing with excitement.

'Just thinking about it makes me dizzy.'

He knew it was impossible. Tower entries left no traces.

But human imagination bred anxiety that couldn't be shaken.

"Whew."

He'd expected a stir, but not this level.

Thrilling, yet disorienting.

Carmina chimed in.

—Master, everyone's so hyped! Glad to see it! I figured a 1st floor record wouldn't get this big a reaction!

It was just the 1st floor, sure.

[But the score gap over other rankers is overwhelming. Plus, it's Korea's first world #1—huge symbolic win.]

World #1 on each floor? Tower powerhouses like the US, China, Japan, Germany hogged them all.

Korea? Zero #1s. Just scraping the bottom.

Snagging a world #1—even on floor 1—changed everything.

So the public's fervor made sense.

—Nations are such a weird concept. On Nosferatu, we were all just vampires.

Nosferatu was tiny compared to Earth, she said. Seoul-plus-Gyeonggi size, population around 3 million.

No nation-based competition for tower climbs.

Tinkle—

Finally at the convenience store. No customers inside.

A brief respite from Hitchhiker talk to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠regain some peace?

"Welcome—oh, hyung! You see this? Hitchhiker! World #1! Insane!"

Nope.

"Night shift survivor, huh."

"Hyung! Check it out quick! Internet's exploding!"

The previous shift guy was buzzing with excitement.

If Choi Yuseong were just another Korean citizen, he'd have reacted the same.

Handover complete anyway.

"Take care!"

"Yeah, see ya."

Only after the guy left through the door, leaving him truly alone.

"Phewww, thought I was done for."

He finally relaxed. Started sorting morning stock.

—Oh! Sandwiches! Frozen dumplings! Macarons! Ice cream! Oh! Triangle kimbap!

His elongated shadow danced excitedly.

[Pick whatever you want. I'll buy the same stuff from the store near home after work. Stay still—people might freak if they see the shadow moving.]

—Stay still! For real, Master? I can pick everything?

[Go wild.]

Convenience store snacks were pocket change.

Compared to the cash from tower climbs ahead, he could buy the whole store.

Carmina's shadow rippled faintly across the aisles as she shopped.

—Toothbrush and floss too? Vampires need good dental care!

She didn't even drink blood. Those fangs weren't for biting anyway.

[Get 'em.]

—Hot Six energy drink?

No fatigue for her. Just curious about the taste?

[Grab it.]

—Yesss!

Her shadow zipped between shelves.

He returned to the counter, lost in thought.

Tap. Tap.

Fingers drumming the display.

'First issue: how long to keep my identity hidden.'

Towers had reshuffled global power based on national strength.

Korea? Weakest of the weak.

Foreign spies laughing it up in Seoul wasn't even a secret anymore.

Get exposed, and his safety—and family's—would be tested in every way imaginable.

So yesterday, he'd set a line: hide until he had power to protect them for sure.

'But "sure power" is pretty vague.'

Still no grasp on Carmina's exact strength.

Glance.

[Carmina, put your power into words—]

—I could take 3 space octopuses!

Change approach.

Pulled up Nutube, played an S-rank Awakener Yuhoyen's 50th floor clear vid.

[Come look at this.]

—Coming, Master!

[How do you stack up against him?]

Carmina in shadow form—no face visible.

But the shadow frozen still meant she was locked in.

Moment later.

—She's good! Great skill timing, dodge sense. If fighting her now, I could handle like 10 at once!

10 at once. A level 50 S-rank.

And Carmina grew with his level.

[Say I hit level 50—what then?]

—Hmm, 70-ish?

70... insane.

Global S-rank average was level 50.

Rumor had it China, with the most Awakeners, had around 200 S-ranks.

Extreme hypothetical: 3 Carminas vs. all Chinese S-ranks.

Balance? Was that even right...?

Power to protect him and family.

Seemed 3 allies like Carmina was a solid benchmark.

Next ones might be stronger or weaker—who knew.

[Done shopping?]

—Ah! Not yet! Frozen section left!

Shadow shuffling in the back. He watched, then pondered.

'Short-term plan: aim for 3 allies. Item disposal's the issue.'

Tower loot sellable at national exchanges.

But required Awakener registration. At Gwanghwamun Station's management agency.

Right next door, actually. Hmm. He'd applied here hoping proximity might spark awakening.

Anyway.

'Simplified registration lets small trades without job reveal.'

Nah, still no. Registration and selling screamed suspicion.

Day after a 1st floor record, someone registers and dumps 1st floor loot?

Billboard ad: I'm Hitchhiker.

No registering or selling yet. At least a week to gauge things.

'Not hurting for cash anyway.'

Decent living expenses saved.

Items stack by type, so inventory fine for now.

Plan set.

Research tower info on shift. Hit 2nd floor post-work.

Tinkle—

"Welcome."

Customers entered, deep in heated talk.

"Dude, you see this? Totally nuts."

"Chills the second I saw it. 25,000 points—who is this guy?"

No relaxing on the job.

*

Korean Awakener Management Agency.

Team Leader Cha Minhyuk was a man brimming with patriotism and talent.

The one who'd dragged a fracturing Korea—torn by political infighting—back from the brink.

No tower rampages since he took over.

Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangnam-do? Busan, Jeju Island, Gangwon-do, Dokdo?

All lost during the political chaos.

Post-Cha Minhyuk: zero territory lost.

But even this iron-willed man had failed to protect one thing.

His hair. M-shaped baldness spreading.

He'd saved Korea's lifeline but not his own...

Reason? Off-the-charts stress.

Korea barely staved off tower rampages every time.

Aim for top ranks and national system perks? Dream on.

Few S-ranks, sure—but root cause was the tower's scoring.

Each floor had finite points to mine.

First clear nets 1,000? That's the record.

Repeat clears? Score diminishes from that baseline.

Level? Irrelevant. Clear method? Irrelevant.

Grind levels for epic play? Nope. Always first-clear baseline.

900... 800... 700...

Diminishing returns until zero points. Why Awakeners push upper floors nonstop.

And Korea's 3 S-ranks? Despite full support, all stuck on upper floors.

Mining floors drying up visibly.

200,000 points in 3 days? Flip to positive?

razor-thin margins.

National evacuation alert now?

"Arrrghhh!"

"T-Team leader! Calm down! Calm!"

"Hair! Your hair's falling out! Hands off!"

Cha Minhyuk clawing his scalp in stress. Team rushed to restrain him.

"It'll be fine, sir! Our analysis says we end at +5,000!"

"Aaaagh! Trends are trends—could flip anytime!"

"Hair! Hair! Grab his hands!"

Agency's S-A ranks: 57 total.

Nearly every high-rank in Korea.

Projections: 180k points in 3 days.

Remaining 20k? On regular Awakeners. The public.

Too many variables.

B-ranks and below: low scores, upper floors block easy.

Total mineable points limited.

Unlike agency, couldn't control every citizen.

"Trends failed last month too! Nearly died! Argh!"

"Sir, it'll hold! Just two more days, yeah?"

"Let go of the hair! Gotta save what's left!"

Right then.

The tussling agency staff froze.

Frantically checked rankings.

"25,000 points?!"

"Korea's #1...?"

"What the hell?"

Dream? Glitch? Bug?

If real, how many points could 1st floor even yield?

Shock, awe, chaos, hype.

But it didn't end there.

Next day.

The day after.

The day after that.

The curtain rose on Korea's national pride high.