Rankings Shatter and a Leader's Plea

Four days ago.

The brisk advance continued.

Floors 6 through 10 were slime types.

Green Slimes that spat acidic venom?

Red Slimes radiating intense heat?

Yellow Slimes crackling with electricity?

"Burst!"

Just seconds after starting each floor, Carmina's blood magic detonated them all into goo.

Floor 6: about 160,000 points. Floor 7: about 190,000 points.

Floor 8: about 230,000 points. Floor 9: about 280,000 points.

Lucky, in a way? It went exactly as expected—no score losses from hitting the ceiling.

'Floor 5 was just a freak case. The last tip said ceilings get higher the further up you go.'

Anyway, the scores were surging wildly.

Even accounting for per-floor score inflation, the pure trend was skyrocketing.

He couldn't pinpoint the exact calculation method.

Floors 1-4 averaged around 25,000 points per floor as the norm.

Normally, the trend breaks there.

Difficulty spikes with the floors.

Even S-rank Awakeners, backed by national and corporate support, barely maintain the pace.

America's Killdragon: about 2,500 points per floor.

Germany's Faust: about 1,300 points per floor.

Average S-rank: about 1,000 points per floor.

Roughly like that.

But him?

'My ratio's climbing.'

Three main reasons.

First, Carmina growing alongside his level as an ally.

Second, the 'Ceiling Breaker' achievement boosting score acquisition.

Third, snowballing with Tower Coins from extra rewards.

What did that mean?

"New stuff in the shop. Let's buy it."

"The staff! It broke fighting on Nosferatu!"

"This one too."

"Equipment slots show two rings max!"

"Buy. Might get hit sometime. Hits taken affect scoring, right?"

"Dad got me that cloak for my birthday... Design's so not my taste. I'll equip it but use hide gear function."

Carmina.

A fire-attribute filial daughter, huh.

"Why's it never stick for me, but Master's does?"

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

"'Cause Carmina-nim's got butterfingers—"

"Challenge! Stick on!"

Well, whatever. Coins were plentiful anyway.

Floor 6: gear guaranteed enhancement ticket.

Floor 7: top-grade mana stone.

Floors 8-9: 50x coins.

Even after flexing on gear and enhancement parties like that.

This much left. Felt like it wouldn't dwindle no matter how much he spent.

Current gear status like that. Stopped enhancements after +5 as success rates tanked hard.

Guaranteed tickets? Saving those deliberately.

Planning to stockpile for when his gear shows in the coin shop, for high enhancements.

Anyway, to sum up.

The situation was this.

[Tower difficulty: Yeah, it's ramping up.]

[Carmina's combat power: Yeah, ramping up more.]

[Tower difficulty: Playing dirty, huh?]

Watching monsters pop like balloons made his chest feel wide open.

Of course, it wasn't just Carmina getting stronger.

He'd grown too.

Cleared floor 9, now level 9.

And stats?

See that? Cumulative bonuses shining bright.

Result of downing Pegasus's Blood daily without fail over the past four days.

Could've used the daily chance to scout new items from dimensional rifts.

'But that's gambling.'

Pegasus's Blood was B-grade.

Ups could be S-A.

Downs C-F.

Scouting new? Higher chance of worse than better.

No need to risk the god-tier +5% all-stats scam option.

'Decision made.'

Hold off new scouts till after boosting planet restoration rates.

Raises rare drop odds too.

Anyway, these boosted stats worked fine in the real ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠world too.

"Heave-ho."

Casually hoisted a heavy pack of bottled water onto the shelf.

Current spot: convenience store stockroom.

Rest of the goods sorted in seconds.

'Definitely feels good. This is why people went nuts for Awakeners.'

On TV, S-ranks with sky-high STR folded steel plates barehanded.

Might mimic that someday?

Anyway, steady daily stat gains felt like thickening armor—solid and reassuring.

Finished sorting, back to the counter.

Ding-a-ling—

Customers chatting as they entered.

"Deputy, saw Hitchhiker's record yesterday?"

"Duh, obviously. Checking rankings daily's my office life highlight now."

"Man, exactly 285,200 points! Insane, right? I couldn't even scrape 200 on that floor."

Hitchhiker talk again today.

Store right in front of Agency HQ.

Heavy Awakener traffic.

Perk: real-time chatter from fellow industry workers(?).

"He'll block this rampage easy, yeah?"

"No kidding. Day 5 and two-thirds quota cleared already. Thanks to Hitchhiker."

"Yeah, but kinda anxious too."

"Why?"

"What if Hitchhiker vanishes suddenly."

Instant mood drop.

"True. Once identity drops, nations'll swarm to snag him."

No plans to reveal or naturalize elsewhere.

Unless Korea starts screwing him over, that is.

"Kinda hope he stays hidden."

"Smart play. Even without naturalization drama, mental safety at risk."

Whispers.

"Some nicknames shine bright then vanish."

"Kidnapped, probably. No persuasion? If can't have, destroy."

"Circumstantial evidence points to China mostly. Too strong to touch, but facts scream it."

"Old saying: weird international crap? Blame China, you're right."

Customers shuddered through talk, paid, left.

Carmina spoke from the shadows.

—Master! Don't worry! If assassins come, I'll rip their limbs off! Ah! That's it!

—Protecting Master with my life is an ally's duty! Ah! Nice!

Living the good life, huh.

What was she doing now?

Playing Steam Deck handheld.

Where? Her shadow pocket dimension.

"Any shadow I jump into links to my little space."

About one-pyeong studio size, she said.

Didn't know exact mechanics, but comfy apparently.

Exits via shadows to desired spots.

First thought: perfect for assassination and infiltration.

Carmina claimed Earth's S-ranks couldn't touch her toe.

Extreme hypothetical?

Could breach heavy security, wipe enemy leaders.

'No plans for that, though.'

Genuine admiration kept coming.

—Ah! Caught!

Caught 'cause she deserved it.

Dunno the game.

—Ah! Dead?

Dead 'cause deserved.

Dunno the game.

[What're you playing?]

—Assassin's Creed! This guy's moves are so sluggish! I'd sneak better myself! Argh! Dead again!

Prime Korean gamer: never her controller's fault.

But.

Master working... ally slacking...?

'Crosses my mind sometimes.'

Forgive her.

Tower labor hero.

Nothing else for her while he part-timed.

Mulled customer chat, checked phone for net reactions.

Home front nuts.

Global frenzy too.

Seemingly friendly articles at a glance.

But behind scenes, all dying to poach Hitchhiker.

Spies sweating across Korea right now.

Still.

'Whole world watching me.'

Thrilling as hell.

Browsed articles, dopamine charging, played missed broadcast.

"Fellow citizens, hello. I believe you all know why we're holding this rare national address today."

Bowed greeting, shared ranking window.

"A miracle has occurred in Korea. The miracle's name is Hitchhiker—."

—Though now pushed to lower ranks, we all remember the moment Korea topped day one—

—But this is just the beginning."

Stuff everyone knew.

Emotions everyone felt.

But from Korea's rep, it hit fresh.

Final moments.

"I earnestly plead: please don't abandon this country."

Cha Minhyuk bowed.

Who for?

Obvious without saying.

Broadcast end.

Carmina sniffled.

—Master...! That uncle's appeal is too strong...! So moving...!

He got a bit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠choked too.

But for slightly different reasons, a weird feeling.

[Kinda odd.]

—Huh? What part?

[Didn't once say visit the Agency. No offers of support or benefits. Thought that'd be standard.]

—Oh! True!

Cha talked only Hitchhiker's feats whole time.

Then once at end.

'Direct plea. Don't abandon Korea.'

Why no Agency mention?

Guess: '...Trouble inside Agency?'

Like unsnipable moles.

Then.

"Check out, please."

A voice.

Looked up: the face from broadcast. Cha Minhyuk stood there.