Chapter 13
Chapter 13.
Player Lee Ganghan.
The man who broke world records starting from the tutorial.
The man who carved a path through maze maps using extraordinary methods.
He was still a player remaining at the Iron stage.
But the strength he displayed was so outstanding.
That being called the 'Heavenly Demon' didn't seem awkward at all.
However,
"E-grade, you say……."
How could an E-grade show such power?
Even though materials measured by precision testing equipment were attached.
Shin Gyeongcheol couldn't easily believe the report.
To begin with, E-grades had difficulty even surpassing Iron.
And even if they somehow surpassed Iron grade through effort and persistence.
Most would become frustrated at the next stage, Bronze grade.
Yet.
Lee Ganghan, who had already achieved humanity's new records twice, was E-grade.
"……I simply cannot believe it. Don't you think so?"
"That's right. It's a Goblin Chief that even SSS-grades have never defeated. But how could a player who defeated that monster be E-grade?"
"Right. Embarrassingly, I was also defeated by the Goblin Chief."
"Ah. I wasn't referring to you, Director……."
"I know. I know. You're not the type to speak so cunningly in roundabout ways."
While the employee was sweating profusely, Shin Gyeongcheol smiled mischievously.
"But he also refused the dinner meeting?"
"Yes. He said he has something to do every night……."
"Hmm. Is that so……."
To be refused when they were asking to meet from this side.
Shin Gyeongcheol felt refreshed but soon nodded his head.
It would be awkward to insist on meeting when they said they didn't want to.
"If he's really E-grade, it might be burdensome."
"Yes. When we reviewed other trait cases, traits that displayed powerful strength despite being low-grade often had usage limitations."
"Limitations, you say?"
"Yes. Limitations like only displaying great power for up to 10 Tower entries. Conditional and time-limited traits fell into this category."
Since the conditions attached to players' traits were so varied.
There were quite a few traits that displayed powerful strength only in the early stages after obtaining the trait.
And afterwards, their effects became ordinary.
If Heavenly Demon Constitution was really E-grade.
This trait would also lose its power after entering the Tower several times.
"I understand. It's unfortunate but can't be helped. Thank you for your hard work even on Sunday. Go home."
"Yes!"
The employees leaving work at the association president's instruction.
Shin Gyeongcheol also got in his car with a stern face.
'I thought the Heavenly Demon would naturally be talent with an SSS-grade trait.'
Starting from a year ago, the Tower of Infinity drastically raised score standards.
Even the 1st place United States couldn't meet the monthly score requirement, so towers multiplied.
Subtle undercurrents began to emerge even among nations that had been peacefully cooperating through FIPA.
Until now, they could handle scores internally.
So recruiting players from other countries proceeded within bounds that didn't cross the line.
But the situation changed from a year ago.
Major powers began contacting players underwater more frequently.
'……Several people from our country have already changed nationalities.'
Korea originally had stable scores.
But when support for players was reduced, they left en masse.
Red lights began flashing for score management.
Korea, which had economically joined the ranks of developed nations.
Suffered severe brain drain similar to economically struggling countries.
'The political circles still don't realize the severity…… If incidents like the Phoenix Guild happen a few more times, we'll be the first developed nation to collapse.'
Last month, 32 Towers of Infinity appeared in Korea.
Of these, 16 appeared in Seoul alone, concentrating damage in the metropolitan area.
The Tower of Infinity seemed to target places where the most people lived.
The Seoul real estate invincibility myth was ironically being ended by the Tower of Infinity.
Especially the Tower of Light flashing in Gangnam apartment complexes.
Hinted that if 1,000 towers were created, Gangnam would explode first.
"Director, we've arrived."
"Good. Thank you for your hard work."
An upscale residential area in Hannam-dong.
Shin Gyeongcheol, who got off in front of his home, entered the house.
Holding documents related to Lee Ganghan in his hand.
'Lee Ganghan…… Even if E-grade came out, I still need to keep watching.'
Even if an E-grade trait came out, the power Lee Ganghan showed was real.
Shin Gyeongcheol carefully examined Lee Ganghan's personal information.
'Mother is missing, father is on a business trip to America…… There might be recruitment offers from America.'
While he was checking Lee Ganghan's home address.
"Father, are you home?"
From inside the mansion.
A woman with gorgeous looks showed her face.
Then Shin Gyeongcheol's complexion immediately brightened with joy.
"Yuri, didn't you say you went on a business trip?"
"It finished earlier than expected. The contract went smoothly."
Shin Gyeongcheol's only daughter, Shin Yuri.
She operated the player agent business 'GLASS'.
Among female CEOs in their 20s, she was the most prominent figure.
Rather than as a young president, with her gorgeous beauty like a celebrity.
Plus being Shin Gyeongcheol's daughter.
In South Korea, she boasted celebrity-level recognition.
Of course, Shin Gyeongcheol—
'At such a young age, she should enjoy life more, but she's busy with business…….'
—Felt sorry seeing his daughter who went on a business trip even on Sunday.
Receiving enormous support from the nation and corporations.
And earning massive TP by climbing towers himself.
He wished his daughter would spend some of the money her father earned and have fun instead of just working frantically.
"Aren't you working too much? You should date when you're young."
"Father is the one who commuted on Sunday."
"Friday was the awakening period. I usually rest on Sundays."
"Ah. Was there anyone noteworthy?"
"Why? Planning to make a contract offer?"
"No matter what, I don't make contract offers to beginners yet."
Shin Gyeongcheol chuckled at this.
And placed a pile of documents on the table.
"There was someone noteworthy, called the Heavenly Demon."
"Heavenly Demon…… ?"
When he mentioned the Heavenly Demon.
Shin Yuri made a strange expression.
"Yes. A player nicknamed Heavenly Demon broke a new record this time. So I thought he'd be at least SS-grade…… but E-grade came out. It was quite noteworthy news this time, didn't you see it?"
"No, I was sleeping on the plane…… Uncle said an amazing player appeared."
Shin Gyeongcheol sighed as if disappointed.
"He was amazing, he even defeated the Goblin Chief."
"He defeated the Chief?"
"Yes. But the measurement showed grade E…… The staff are speculating it might be a time-limited ability."
"Ah. That's unfortunate……."
Yet, Shin Yuri's eyes sparkled.
Her face, which had shown fatigue from the long flight was now filled with curiosity.
"But why Heavenly Demon?"
"You don't know what Heavenly Demon means. What Heavenly Demon means is……."
"Ah. I know that. I read some martial arts novels when I was young."
Shin Gyeongcheol recalled old times at those words.
His daughter, who never read books except study-related ones, suddenly at some point.
Had bought a ton of novels, specifically martial arts novels.
'I think it was around the time she suffered from Tower Syndrome after towers appeared…….'
When Shin Gyeongcheol was recalling when his daughter was ill.
"No. I'll watch the video myself."
Shin Yuri, who went back into her room.
Kwadang!
Soon burst back outside.
"Father!"
"Yes?"
"Please give me this person's information. Where he lives, what his phone number is!"
Red-flushed face, sparkling eyes.
The tired complexion from the long flight had completely disappeared.
'She didn't even watch for a few minutes, was player Lee Ganghan's video that impressive?'
A mature daughter who never asked her father for anything.
When such a daughter asked for something for the first time in a long while, Shin Gyeongcheol wanted to grant everything, but.
"Yuri, that won't do. Dad is the director. How can I leak personal information."
He was a man with clear distinctions between public and private matters.
However,
"Ah, Daddeee! Please! Please! Just once!"
His daughter linked arms while acting cute for the first time in her life.
"Yongin city…… the number is 010-3……."
Soon began memorizing Lee Ganghan's personal details written in the documents, staring intently.
No, the arm linking.
Was this to prevent him from removing the papers?
"You, you……! What are you doing right now!"
"It's really important! Really just once!!!"
While Shin Yuri firmly held onto Shin Gyeongcheol's arm.
"Good. I've memorized it all! Thank you, Father!"
"Hey……!"
"Father didn't leak this! Your bad daughter secretly peeked! So Father is innocent. Got it?"
Swoosh!
She released her arm and quickly disappeared into her room.
"Sigh…… You should call me Dad normally too."
Now that her business was done, she ghosted back to calling him Father.
Shin Gyeongcheol chuckled.
'But what did she see in Lee Ganghan to act like that?'
Tilting his head, he looked at Lee Ganghan's personal profile again.
Specifically the photo.
'……Was this Yuri's taste?'
He did look manly.
However,
-I'm a high school graduate unemployed person.
Recalling what Lee Ganghan said during streaming, Shin Gyeongcheol frowned.
'Such a decent-looking person. Not even working.'
No wait.
When he refused the dinner earlier, didn't he clearly say he had something to do every night?
He's not doing something strange, is he?
While having such worries that weren't quite worries, Shin Gyeongcheol.
'Ah…… Is Yuri trying to meet Lee Ganghan because of her trait?'
Soon recalled his daughter's unusual player trait and frowned.
The reason Shin Yuri did something she normally wouldn't do.
He seemed to understand.
'I should tell her not to bother player Lee Ganghan too much.'
Shin Gyeongcheol thought that way.
And stared at Shin Yuri's closed room door.
***
The next day.
'The portal didn't open yesterday.'
Lee Ganghan played back his sleeping footage with the cam he bought yesterday.
Lee Ganghan was just screaming and tossing like before.
Unlike what Kim Juyeong filmed, no portal appeared.
'Is it because I didn't enter a tower yesterday?'
Lee Ganghan, who just slept after buying the cam because the timing became awkward when he returned.
If he entered towers from morning now, there wouldn't be such timing issues.
Thinking so, he prepared to enter a tower.
As he was about to enter.
[Will you use the Iron Tower No-777 entrance ticket?]
A message asking if he'd use the entrance ticket appeared.
'I should use this quickly.'
If he hesitated and rose to Bronze, he might not be able to use it.
Better to receive rewards quickly while he had them.
When Lee Ganghan pressed yes.
[Tower of Infinity 2nd stage.]
[Entering Iron Tower No-777.]
[First human to enter Iron Tower No-777.]
[Reward acquisition amount within the tower increases by 100%.]
'Double rewards. Nice.'
Would this make it somewhat similar to rewards from Gold towers?
Lee Ganghan entered the tower with a big smile.
According to the video he saw before, it was definitely a map for opening treasure chests.
Since he was confident in his strength, he'd open them right away.
Thinking so as he entered the tower, before his eyes.
"……Huh?"
Blue sky and pure white clouds spread out.
And the place Lee Ganghan was standing was the top of a steep cliff.
Swoosh.
When he glanced down the cliff.
A bottomless precipice came into view.
This, if you fell, would be 100% instant death.
'No, wasn't 777 a treasure vault?'
The number was exactly the lucky 777 too.
Maybe treasure chests were hidden on the cliff, while Lee Ganghan examined closely.
Floating, floating…….
Above the pure white clouds.
Treasure chests began appearing one by one.
['Sky Treasure Vault' entry.]
[Avoid the guardian's attacks and acquire treasures!]
'Guardian's attacks?'
As soon as that message ended.
Whiiiiing……!
With the sound of cutting through wind.
Thud!
A giant arrow fell from the sky.
'This must be it.'
When Lee Ganghan dodged the arrow.
What was embedded in the cliff top was a giant arrow rippling with pure white light.
The arrow, larger than Lee Ganghan's body.
Flash, flash……!
Even after being embedded in the ground, flickered ominously.