Hati, the Fluffy Accelerator

A refreshing sensation washed over him along with the alert.

His mind felt invigorated, brimming with clarity?

Hop!

The fox leaped from Carmina's arms and butted its head against his leg.

—Smells good!

A thought transmitted directly into his mind.

"Ah! I heard it too! It came through? Not sure if that's the right way to put it!"

"We're soul-bound to Your Holiness too, so maybe that's why? We can chat telepathically no matter the distance."

He scooped up the fox like he was entranced, fiddling with its fluffy tails.

Ahh, melting away.

His mental defenses crumbled.

Grrr rumble.

The fox purred contentedly.

Then it pawed at his chest with both front paws.

—Something's in here. Huge! Super huge! Hiding a massive energy!

A massive energy?

His heart, maybe?

—Not the thump-thump. Bigger than a mountain! Bigger than the sky!

What was it talking about? Energy?

Maybe related to why he'd awakened as a Galaxy Traveler?

For now, though.

"What's your name?"

—Name?

"What I call you."

—No name. Called Fluffy Tails.

Time to name it first.

"What should we go with?"

"Chundol!"

"Maxius III."

Both disasters.

"Hati it is."

No deep meaning.

Pulled from Hati Hati Ho.

Gring. Grr rumble.

"Master tamed Hati! Now if Master comes at 4, Hati will be happy from 3 onward!"

"The scene where the Little Prince charms the fox into his clan with sweet words was truly memorable."

What the hell were they reading?

Ignoring it, he pressed on.

"Tell me about the planet you lived on."

—Foxes live. Other animals too. Sparkly energies float around. Then long pillars appear, turn everything black.

Long pillars.

Towers, obviously.

"Did you enter the Tower? Were there monsters?"

—Don't remember well.

System restrictions, maybe?

Stepping foot on Spiritia might trigger memories.

—Human warm. Feels good!

Hati licked his hand.

A drowsy haze settled over his mind.

Cute really is the best.

In that slow-flowing world, he asked.

"Can you tell me your abilities?"

—Can make. Anything fast!

Anything fast?

Ding!

His mind snapped alert.

A warm sensation enveloped his body.

He felt light as a feather.

Try taking a few steps?

"Your movements are insanely fast!"

"Pontiff's Shrinking Earth Technique!"

He'd barely taken a few steps, but he'd already reached the village edge.

Whoa, no joke.

Like nudging the mouse pointer lightly and it flying to the other end of the screen.

How fast exactly? 4x speed? 5x? More?

That wasn't all.

His thoughts flowed faster too.

'The alliance will make a final decision after reviewing the Management Agency report. For Nosferatu and Lumentia tower climbs, confirm max floors, average climb speed, and—.'

All his plans tightened perfectly.

Status window check: no specific stat had risen.

Separate mechanism at work.

Even this alone made it an insane buff.

Ding!

Something ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even crazier popped up.

Was this for real?

Basically handing out two cooldown reset vouchers a day.

Earth and other planet reclamations would skyrocket.

Any leftover uses could go to tower climbs.

A true VIP had descended.

He gazed at Hati with fervent eyes.

Tilt?

"Gasp!"

Clutching his heart, he petted the silver fur at 5x speed.

Carmina and Yulia joined in.

"Old sayings call foxes yokai, and not a word's wrong."

"Nailed cuteness and power in one shot!"

"Maybe make it the church's divine beast?"

Thought it was just a healing totem for cute addicts, but it was a perfect combat doping agent.

The only downside? His own speed boost didn't help much since he was already fast.

Maybe.

"Can you accelerate just me?"

Instead of answering, Hati leaped from his arms.

And then.

Flash!

A massive burst of blue energy shot into the air.

It shattered into snowflake-like flakes, piling up into orbs.

How many? Hundreds?

"Ah! It's a tower item!"

"Just the size of a candy? Perfect whiskey snack?"

Carmina and Yulia poked at them.

They melted into their hands.

Then.

"Master! Too fast, can't control it! Kyahaha!"

"Different from my buffs. With this, I could've smashed demon heads twice as fast."

Whoosh! Swoosh!

The two allies literally flew around.

Skill cast speed, projectile speed.

All physical actions.

Like watching 2-3x speed footage.

Insane? In some ways, better than holy water.

A thought flashed.

"How many orbs can you make? Per day, say."

Hati, nibbling his finger, replied.

[Can't make many right now. If I get stronger later, maybe.]

Its ears drooped sadly.

"Master made Hati sad! Now Hati won't wait for Master at 3!"

"Even for Your Holiness, this might be a problem."

"Ahem, didn't peg you for it, but saying such harsh words to this little life..."

Blame poured in, public opinion turned.

Me? What did I do?

As he rushed to soothe Hati.

—Human day unit, about 5,000.

Phew, overflowing.

After lavishing Hati with pets, he asked if mass distribution was okay.

—Of course human stuff. Human choice how to use.

Carmina shouted energetically.

"Everyone take one orb! One per person! Caught sneaking extras? Hands fly off!"

Villagers under acceleration.

Eyes widened, they rushed into the tower impatiently.

Effects soon visible.

Still small scores.

But gains doubled.

Tower scores depend on speed and technique.

A question arose in his sharpened mind.

'Do other planets' towers deduct points on repeats too?'

Earth bases first clear as standard.

Gains diminish per repeat.

10th time, no more points from that floor.

"Ah, that's how it was for us too!"

"Dunno. Scoring shifted to favor Hitchhiker now."

Other changes possible?

Greedy hope.

Tomorrow's second entry would reveal.

Checked other details.

Interplanetary item trading first.

"Hm, shame. Earth items won't even go in our inventories. Consumables don't work either."

"Same for Nosferatu tower items. Won't enter mine."

Even carrying through portals: blocked, drops.

Balance issue?

Racial power.

Tower monster difficulty.

Gear performance.

All far superior on Nosferatu side.

Only similar thing: score gains.

"Ah! That guilty face trying tricks!"

"Kinda disappointing."

Planned to spread Nosferatu gear in Korea.

Or vice versa with Earth consumables.

"Not a big issue."

Items tied to him or allies worked cross-planet.

Roas River holy water.

Hati's acceleration orbs.

Or converted via transport for tower item status.

"Lady Yulia?"

"Yes, I'll go."

Yulia caught on, headed to Roas River.

Sensory link active. Vision secured.

Spatial magic on holy water stock.

Pop!

Teleported to Nosferatu.

"My god! Wh-what is all this?"

"All stats +100%...?"

Kasabla and villagers' faces lit with shock again.

Holy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠water was cheat-tier even by Nosferatu standards.

Gulp, gulp, gulp.

"Kaa! So refreshingly powerful!"

"Feels like my insides cleared out!"

Vampires drinking holy water.

Living long enough for rare sights.

"Ah! I've drunk tons of holy water too!"

Wait, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you're not a vampire.

Villagers entered tower stacking orb and holy water.

And.

Gains surged again.

His chest swelled with pride.

Like an idle game.

"Humble beginnings."

"Glorious end!"

"Not glorious, radiant, Lady Carmina."

Both wrong.

Well past midnight.

The entire Management Agency blazed with lights.

"Contact from the Belgian embassy!"

"Again? Damn them! Why keep rushing? We sent word visits start at 9 AM sequential!"

"Article prep done? Hurry!"

All hands dashed corridors and offices in full emergency.

No complaints.

Just ecstatic grins they couldn't hide.

Korea took 1st!

Perennial last-place Korea topped the rankings!

A team member plopped by Cha Minhyuk on the corridor chair, panting.

"Hoo, Team Leader, still dreaming or real? We really 1st?"

Cha Minhyuk answered with action.

Crack!

Massive knuckle rap.

"Urghaha! Real! Team Leader! Back to work! 1st! Korea 1st! Wooaaaa!"

Team member handed file and vanished.

Flip—

So many. 75 countries as of now?

The alliance war notice had flipped the world.

Proposals flooded in nonstop.

Self-intros, tower histories.

How they could help Korea.

Pages crammed full.

All high quality.

All-out effort obvious.

'Bureaucrats must've been shredded writing in short time.'

A chuckle escaped, mixed with sympathy.

But positions totally different.

World: applicants.

Korea: interviewers.

How?

Cha Minhyuk opened contribution window, searched the miracle maker.

No climbs today.

Deserved rest after 1st place epic.

Maybe late evening?

Right then.

Scores crept up steadily.

Too shocked, dropped the file.

"Wh-how?"

Checked notice window reflexively.

No 37th floor rank update.

Impossible anyway. 37th would be 800k+.

Low floor repeats? No.

That guy pulled millions from floor 1.

"T-Team Leader! Y-you seeing this?"

"H-Hitchhiker's score right now!"

Crowding staff equally stunned.

Absolute rule: scores only from tower climbs.

Yet now.

Hitchhiker's score rose like America's had.

Small absolute, but shorter, continuous intervals.

Internet check: global freakout regardless of nation.

More team members rushed in.

"Czech embassy contact!"

"Interview request from BBK!"

"Asking about Hitchhiker's score link to America!"

Ha ha ha.

"Tell 'em we don't know."

We really don't.

Cha Minhyuk headed to the roof to cool shocked sweat.

Eyes glued to score window.

Clack.

Reached railing.

Dawn breaking.

Click.

Paused lighting cigarette.

Used to be stress relief.

But since Hitchhiker, no need.

Yeah, quit for good.

Pocketed lighter and cig.

Flip.

Under lights, flipped file.

Top: America, China.

1st, 2nd arrivals.

"Hmm."

America's pitch: share secrets to score gains outside climbs.

But saw Korea as 2nd still.

China.

"Not even minimal sincerity."

Frown-inducing proposal.

Rushed slapdash vibe.

Boast: highest awakener ratio worldwide.

Test the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠waters?

Checked list: no Japan.

Pride intact.

Purely scores.

America or China alliance efficient.

America?

Massive perks.

Held prior 1st title.

China?

Still tons of high-rankers despite losses.

Best to leverage Korea's holy water.

Theory only.

No intent to accept.

Plus that nuance: ally or big trouble.

Hated it.

'But not my call.'

Closed eyes, messaged.

Reported, asked opinion.

Soon.

「Understood.」

Cha Minhyuk executed orders.

Whoosh!

America and China's proposals burned to ash, scattering.

Score generation? Awakener pop?

"No way."

No big merit for me.

Already secured both.

Bigger issue now.

Skills charged once via accel buff.

Plan to use in tower.

Probably smash score ceiling.

"Master! Before that, this!"

Carmina opened inventory, pulled something.

Forgot about it.

Too much going on.

1st place nation.

Top contributor perk.

"Open and enter."

"Gacha! Big hit plz!"

"Hope it's worthy of Your Holiness's power."

Gacha? Pure skill.

No luck? Boost it.

At 5x speed, unpacked the bundle.