Korea Stands Alone
Endless streaming news articles.
A community ablaze with excitement.
Cheers echoing through the streets.
It was as if the entire planet Earth had been swept up in collective madness.
But no one could have predicted it.
That the topic of "Korea No. 1" would be buried under a series of events.
The system's alliance war notification.
Hitchhiker's score production.
And the achievement of the second score ceiling.
All in just one day.
People plunged into feverish excitement, predicting the new competitive landscape.
Experts flooded TV programs, engaging in heated debates.
"As you can see on this data screen, Hitchhiker's score is still climbing steadily."
"What's astonishing is that it's not from tower climbs."
"My guess? Some special privilege from the No. 1 country reward. Didn't the US show something similar?"
All sorts of speculation, hypotheses, analyses.
But none hit the mark.
Aliens from distant planets climbing towers to send scores?
Unimaginable.
And the most shocking event of all.
Tower Floor 37 World Ranking Updated.
1st: Hitchhiker. 4:57.
1,850,000 points (MAX). Korea
The existence of a "maximum score."
Not surprising in itself.
Hitchhiker had hit max on Floor 5 once before.
But only that one time.
With no repeats since, it had been chalked up to beginner's luck.
Now max score returned.
On the infamous Floor 37.
With a record time of 4 minutes 57 seconds.
No score over a million had ever existed, amplifying the shock.
How? By what means?
Why did Hitchhiker only grow stronger with each floor?
Did they drop a meteor inside the tower? A skill? Is that even possible?
Hitchhiker.
The world's questions and astonishment about the mysterious figure only amplified.
The International Tower Climbing Summit had two unchanging traditions.
First: Held on the 10th of every month.
Second: Venue at Washington Unity Hall.
This time was different.
Date advanced sharply to the 5th.
Venue: Korea.
Location: Gwanghwamun Station.
The historic National Hall building, ringed by police and control lines.
Click! Click! Click!
Cameras flashed nonstop from reporters with badges.
"Sunbae, over there! Norway's Foreign Minister! Man, can't believe this. This is really happening in our country, right?"
"I don't know if this is a dream or reality. To witness this before I die."
"More coming from that side! Denmark? Hungary? South Africa?"
A swelling pride filled their chests.
That hectic emotion mirrored in the foreign officials they photographed.
Especially those visiting Korea for the first time.
'This is Hitchhiker's homeland? Regretted missing the auction, but finally visiting today.''Streets look cleaner than expected. Way different from the image I had.''What's the secret behind producing an awakener like Hitchhiker?'
Determined to glean any info, they scanned surroundings with fiery eyes.
At the same time, inside the hall's waiting room.
"Whew."
Cha Minhyuk straightened his appearance before the mirror, steadying his breath.
Director Yoo Suho approached.
"What's this? You, nervous before a presentation?"
"Foreign reps? Hundreds or thousands, no issue. But that one will be watching the broadcast."
That one. Who else? Hitchhiker, obviously.
"I get it. Especially with our official stance on alliances at the end."
Alliance or not.
Solo run.
Final decision made yesterday by Hitchhiker.
The master of countless prophecies fulfilled.
Conveying his will to the world—no room for error.
"I'll head in first."
"Yes, sir."
Creeeak—
Yoo Suho exited through the door.
Moments later, Cha Minhyuk, resolve hardened, headed to the other door linked to the waiting room.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
Quick steps down the passage.
The light at the end drew nearer.
······.
······.
A vast summit hall.
Current position: On the podium.
Hundreds of eyes fixed silently on him alone.
Front row: Yoo Suho and Korean officials seated.
Wrong passage?
No. Absolutely not.
He stepped to the mic and spoke.
"Greetings. I'm Cha Minhyuk, team leader of the Korean Awakener Management Agency, overseeing this August summit."
This was his place.
Tradition: No. 1 country runs the summit.
Clap clap clap clap clap—!
Thunderous applause erupted.
Reporters went mad with shutters, capturing the historic moment.
Amid the din, Elliot's face twisted in humiliated rage.
US deputy director.
Arrogant elite.
Who'd boasted US No. 1.
All plans shattered.
Cha Minhyuk kept a poker face.
But inside, schadenfreude surged uncontrollably.
Applause faded.
"First, deep thanks to all distinguished guests for attending—."
After a brief keynote, he moved to reports on recent global events.
Beep.
The screen split into three: Jeju Island, Beijing, Tokyo.
"As you all know, the three East Asian nations recently faced sudden tower ordeals. Giant monster Tartaros appeared in each country's random tower-infested zones. Korea succeeded through sheer luck, but China and Japan remain unconquered—."
Same ordeal.
Starkly different outcomes.
Jeju? Not just Tartaros—nightmare monsters extinct.
Japan? Artillery squads in cutting-edge gear suffering in assault.
China? Assault halted; only Tartaros and lava visible.
The reason? Clear.
Tartaros in China and Japan fully recovers HP.
Cha Minhyuk spoke somberly.
"Korea deeply regrets the damage inflicted on China and Japan by our lead subjugation. But this unforeseen situation was beyond any of our nations' expectations. Here, we formally express our sorrow. Truly regrettable."
He bowed deeply.
Eyes met Ma Chingdong's for a split second.
Smirk.
A fleeting lip curl.
"······!"
This fucking bastard. Mocking us? Right now? China?
Ma trembled with rage.
The statement itself was mockery.
No intent to hide it.
Crack!
Pen snapped in his grip.
But worse?
Damage from Korea's lead wasn't just that.
Confiscates 2,000,000 national points each from China and Japan.
The result.
32nd: Japan. +3,046,675 points
191st: China. -652,515 points
China hit dead last last round.
Literally.
And rampage in resource-rich Henan Province, golden lands.
All residents evacuated during 3-day grace period.
'That goddamn scum! I'll rip him apart!'
Fury choked him.
But powerless.
Military pressure?
"Meteor fallout sinks three ships near Jeju!"
"Emergency order! All fleets return home!"
Impossible.
Not even show of force—all Yellow Sea fleets withdrawn.
Why?
They'd witnessed the meteor pulverizing Tartaros and monsters.
Now the world knew.
Militarily weak Korea held a nuke-level weapon.
Retaliatory meteor on a metropolis?
[BOOOOM—!]
Terrifying to imagine.
Low odds of extremes, but mere possession deterred—like nukes.
And that was why.
"······."
"······."
Japanese officials clenched jaws.
Korea's Tartaros subjugation.
2 million points stolen.
Booted from top 20—no basic mana stone buff.
National plans derailed.
Plus their Phase 2 Tartaros fully recovered.
Blood boiled backward.
But powerless.
Korea now a nation Japan had to watch warily.
'Never forget this humiliation.''Endure. Japan's resurgence will come.'
Japanese officials swallowed rage.
Scheme to squeeze mana stone multipliers while checking Korea.
That was the plan.
Then Cha Minhyuk wrapped up.
"—Thus, we must unite to overcome crises. As fellow international society members, I hope for aid to China and Japan."
Applause poured again.
But none planned to help China or Japan.
Help? Not even alliance thoughts.
Teaming with reputation-in-hell duo? Suicide.
Next: Elliot ascended.
Feigned confidence.
"You've all wondered about the powerful gear Japan uses against Tartaros."
Click.
Purple metal gauntlet revealed majestically from bag.
"Allow formal introduction. Power Glove Z3, from America's R50 Project."
Flawless presentation with slick rhetoric.
R50 meaning.
Z3 development and demos.
Japan's combat cases.
"America plans not just Z3 sales, but awakener special forces dispatch."
Small zones: 3 years.
Cooperation: 1-2 years reclaim possible.
"No one here misunderstands. In conclusion, from this round—."
Elliot paused for tension.
Under America's lead.
Swallowed those words.
"—the world enters a massive turning point: the era of territory reclamation. Thank you."
America's ambitious plan officially unveiled worldwide.
Clap clap clap clap—!
Applause rained.
But soulless.
Officials' faces too.
Grind.
Elliot gnashed teeth.
Why so lukewarm?
Obviously: Hitchhiker's skill.
After seeing meteor erase hundreds of thousands, hard to impress.
But this tepid?
'No way.'
They think they'll get meteor benefits too?
Tsk tsk. Fools.
Powerful skills have long cooldowns.
US team analyzed Hitchhiker's meteor as "once a month"—minimum estimate.
Even with cooldown resets, they'd run out eventually.
Limited meteors vs. endless infested zones.
Smart nations buy Z3.
Plus.
"One more thing: America has secured territory regeneration methods post-reclaim. Expect great things."
Reclamation isn't just monster expulsion.
Regenerating barren land? Another issue.
Glance.
Elliot eyed Cha Minhyuk smugly.
Even if Korea leverages Hitchhiker for global reclamation.
America profits from regen contracts.
Tower race?
Lucky No. 1, but everything else? No contest.
Korea flails in America's palm.
How to counter this checkmate?
Cha Minhyuk showed no reaction.
Just followed schedule to the podium.
"Questions after presentation."
Korea's alliance stance.
Summit's climax.
Cha Minhyuk scanned the room, speaking lowly.
Alliance Confirmation: 1 day, 9 hours, 9 minutes, 2 seconds remaining
"We've reviewed all proposals. First, deepest thanks for global interest and support toward Korea."
The hall held its breath.
"Korea weighed, probed, analyzed countless possibilities."
Tension mounted with each word.
"Final decision."
Whew.
"Korea will form no alliances with any nation."
Chaos erupted instantly.
Silence shattered; voices exploded; cameras flashed wildly.
Elliot bolted up, unable to contain fury.
"Arrogance, no? Even with Hitchhiker in Korea, you can't face great power alliances alone—."
Then.
Tower Floor 38 World Ranking Updated.
Tower Floor 39 World Ranking Updated.
Tower Floor 40 World Ranking Updated.
"N-No, even for extermination floors, this fast...······."
"Meteor? That skill? Max scores on every floor?!"
The hall plunged into total confusion.
Cha Minhyuk replied impassively.
To frozen Elliot.
"Arrogance? Korea has never harbored such feelings toward the world like certain nations."
Smirk.
"Even if we did, we'd have ample qualification. What say you?"
"Th-This...!"
Elliot snapped to.
Face flushed crimson with humiliation.
As he reared to retort, rage forgotten—jaw dropped.
Not just him.
Everyone in the hall.
"Wh-What is...?"
"Am I seeing this wrong...?"
The sub-screen with East Asia trio.
Jeju's tower bathed in pure white light.
End