Chapter 57
Chapter 57.
'The award ceremony, I completely forgot about it.'
After recently destroying the tower.
FIPA said they would hold a special award ceremony at the LA headquarters and even send a private jet.
With so many things happening lately, Lee Ganghan had completely forgotten that he was supposed to leave the country today.
"There have been so many things happening lately. It's natural that you wouldn't remember."
"It's all because of this guy's achievements."
"There you go again with 'this guy, this guy,' Uncle. Please speak more nicely."
"Ha. Hey, the Heavenly Demon said it was fine. Right?"
"Yes, it's fine."
Inside the car heading to the airport.
Lee Ganghan was having a conversation with Shin Yuri and Shin Dongseok, who had come to see him off.
"But it's a shame we have to play today to commemorate getting promoted to Bronze."
"Can't you do it at the airport? The Heavenly Demon finishes games quickly."
"Since we're leaving the country before 24 hours have passed since the Heavenly Demon's tower climb yesterday, the timing won't work at the airport."
Since yesterday's tower climb was done during the day.
It doesn't match with the 11 o'clock departure time.
"You can't play on the airplane, right?"
"No. Previously, some player got drunk and entered a tower on an airplane, then logged out and fell to his death."
"...Fell to his death?"
"Yes. Since the airplane doesn't stay in the same place..."
Then you can't play in cars or subways either.
"I guess I'll just have to sleep quietly."
While having such conversations and passing time.
They arrived at the airport before long.
There, as if news of his departure had already spread.
Reporters had set up camp.
"Wow. Look at those reporters. When did they all get here?"
"Good thing we prepared security."
Walking through the airport with security escort.
"Mr. Lee Ganghan!"
"There are rumors spreading that you're leaving the country because of issues with Assemblyman Joo Yongwan!"
"President Alfred posted a message on his official SNS account welcoming the Heavenly Demon's entry into the country. What do you think about this?"
"Do you have an appointment to meet with President Alfred?"
Reporters began bombarding him with questions, breaking through between the security guards.
"I'm just going to receive an award. You don't need to read too much into it."
"President Alfred..."
"This is the first time I'm hearing about what he wrote on SNS today. I'll be going now."
What exactly did President Alfred write on SNS that half the questions are about that?
After finishing his answers to the reporters, Lee Ganghan picked up his phone and searched for information about this.
Then.
[Strong Lee, welcome to America!]
[It's unfortunate that I'm in Europe right now. We should have held the NATO meeting in LA! But if he stays in the US a little longer, we can definitely meet!]
[The best player should be in the best country. Strong Lee knows this fact too. Now is the time to make a great decision!]
'No, this guy... Why is he making such a fuss?'
He was originally famous as a president who used SNS a lot.
But I never expected him to talk about me non-stop.
-Alfred's shoutout ㄷㄷㄷ
-Why is the US president so obsessed with one player;
-He doesn't care about NATO meetings or anything lol
-Well, are NATO meetings important? A player who can block towers is more important lol
-At this rate, isn't the Heavenly Demon not coming back from the US ㄷㄷ
-Korea playing tricks with contracts VS America where the president directly entices him to come...
After seeing President Alfred's SNS.
People thinking that at this rate, the Heavenly Demon might leave forever.
No active US president had ever mentioned a player to this extent.
Such a reaction was understandable.
"Your procedures are complete."
Meanwhile,
Lee Ganghan, who had finished the departure procedures.
Seeing that Shin Dongseok was also going through procedures, he tilted his head.
"Are you going together too, Uncle?"
"...Ha. Yes."
He said he's ranked 11th among Diamond players.
Does he not have that much to do?
As Lee Ganghan looked at Shin Dongseok curiously.
"I can't send you and Yuri alone together!"
He crossed his arms with a strict, stern expression.
"No, I'm not some kid... And it's not just the two of us, right? Employees dispatched to the US will be coming too."
"Anyway, it's not allowed!"
"Ah really, how long are you going to be overprotective? I'm 24 years old."
"I have to be overprotective. Do you know how much my heart sank back then?"
"No, it's been so long since the Tower Syndrome was cured..."
Lee Ganghan, who was listening to the uncle and niece's argument from the side.
His eyes widened when Shin Yuri mentioned 'Tower Syndrome.'
"Tower Syndrome?"
"Ah, yes... I suffered from a rare disease called Tower Syndrome in the past."
"The name is funny, right? But the actual condition was serious. I didn't know Yuri would get up to 150kg..."
"Why are you talking about weight, really! And what do you mean 150kg!!! It wasn't that much!"
Shin Yuri shouted unlike her usual self at those words.
Weight talk was indeed taboo.
But.
'This is the first time I'm actually seeing another Tower Syndrome patient.'
Other patients besides Lee Ganghan.
In addition to 12 hours of sleep.
Were either completely skinny or fat, one of the two.
I didn't expect to hear about someone who actually suffered from that disease here.
"With that body, she suddenly said she wanted to read martial arts novels for some reason, so I kept bringing books to her hospital room."
"That's right. I don't know why I had such thoughts back then. I didn't know anything about martial arts before..."
"Those books are still on the bookshelf at our house."
And in a situation where she was hospitalized because it was hard to take care of her own body.
She happened to want to read martial arts novels?
'Hmm... could there be a connection with Heavenly Demon Valley?'
Heavenly Demon Valley where 1,000 candidates compete for the Heavenly Demon qualification.
When Lee Ganghan entered with 'awareness.'
A message appeared saying he had already won, and no traces of other candidates could be found.
But somehow, hearing the story of Shin Yuri who actually suffered from Tower Syndrome.
I thought there might be a connection between Tower Syndrome patients and Heavenly Demon Valley candidates.
"I also suffered from Tower Syndrome... It's interesting."
"Oh my. Did you also have Tower Syndrome, Heavenly Demon?"
"Yes."
"Were you fat or skinny back then?"
"Well..."
It's still the same body now though.
Since he was just receiving airplane seat guidance.
Rather than explaining in detail, Lee Ganghan.
"I was on the skinny side."
"Opposite of Yuri."
Just passed it off like that.
"They say it takes about 10 hours, so please get some sleep."
"Yes. I plan to."
Sitting in the spacious and soft private jet seat.
Drowsiness gradually came over him.
After Tower Syndrome was cured, his stamina became so vigorous that he had to consciously make an effort to sleep.
'Strangely, sitting here makes me sleepy...'
So Lee Ganghan closed his eyes shortly after the airplane took off.
And after sleeping soundly and waking up during landing.
Ding.
[You have clearly recognized the 3rd place candidate of Heavenly Demon Valley as a candidate.]
[You have absorbed residual energy from 'Heavenly Demon Valley' in the same space.]
['First Tower's Seal' is enhanced.]
[Entry opportunity is increased by 1.]
[Entry opportunities will be charged up to 2 times from now on.]
Such a message was floating before his eyes.
***
'3rd place candidate?'
Lee Ganghan blinked his eyes.
3rd place.
'Could it be referring to Miss Yuri?'
The same Tower Syndrome patient.
Talking about martial arts stories, so I just lightly thought maybe there's a connection with Heavenly Demon Valley candidates?
...That's all I thought, but.
Waking up to see such a message was bewildering.
'Really a candidate, and 3rd place means she was quite skilled.'
And since this side became the Heavenly Demon in the end...
'Did Miss Yuri lose to me?'
Come to think of it, her trait was also 'Failed ***.'
Was this actually a failed candidate?
As Lee Ganghan was lost in thought while looking at the message that appeared.
"Heavenly Demon? Are you still not fully awake? Should I say we'll go out in a bit?"
Shin Yuri from the back seat approached and asked.
"No. I'm fully awake now."
Heavenly Demon Valley, candidates.
Hard to believe stories, no need to mention them.
Swish.
Thinking so, Lee Ganghan got up from his seat.
He was guided to an LA hotel near the International Player Federation headquarters.
It was 11 PM local LA time when they arrived.
After unpacking at the hotel and lying on the bed, it was dawn.
'I should check the seal.'
Now that he was alone.
Lee Ganghan decided to check the overcharged First Tower's Seal.
"Inventory."
When he selected the seal from inventory.
['First Tower's Seal' - Heavenly Demon +1]
The first tower's seal given to the Heavenly Demon.
When used, you enter the first tower.
Can only be used by players with the 'Heavenly Demon Constitution' trait.
The higher the level, the longer you can stay in the first tower.
Entry opportunities [1/2]
Reuse cooldown – 14 days
The item description was different from last time.
Because it was enhanced, +1 was attached after Heavenly Demon.
The entry opportunities also showed [1/2], seeming like 1 out of 2 times could be used for entry now.
'Hmm... but why wasn't it enhanced before but became so today?'
In addition to speculating that Shin Yuri might be connected to Heavenly Demon Valley.
Is it because we took a long flight together?
The message window clearly said residual energy was absorbed in the same space.
'Well anyway... then now I have the opportunity to enter both the first tower and Bronze Tower.'
Both the Bronze Tower that I couldn't play today because of taking the airplane.
And the seal with +1 entry opportunity.
Now I had both options available.
Lee Ganghan thought about where to go first.
'It said the higher the level, the longer you can stay in the first tower... Then I should go to Bronze Tower first and level up.'
To increase the stay time in the first tower.
He decided to enter Bronze Tower first.
[Tower of Infinity Stage 11.]
[Entering Bronze Tower No.56.]
As Lee Ganghan entered the Tower of Infinity.
Chat messages immediately started flowing.
-Oh, I heard you went to LA and now you're entering ㄷㄷ
-With a 17-hour time difference, it's probably 1 AM in LA
-Wouldn't it be better to sleep at 1 AM? ㅠㅠ
-He'll probably clear it quickly and sleep anyway...
-lol!!
Viewers who already knew he went to LA from the news.
"I slept well on the airplane. I think I need to exercise here to sleep well."
When Lee Ganghan answered like that.
-Well, Bronze Tower is just a warm-up level for the Heavenly Demon lol
-But if you enter a tower in LA, doesn't the US score go up?
-Probably?
-Ah, you need to be within the top 50 in score ranking ㅠㅠ It's a shame to lose points here
-If you unluckily become 51st place, today's single entry could really make the difference ㄷㄷ
Chat messages went up worrying that Lee Ganghan entering a tower in LA.
Might not make it into the top 50 ranking in Korea.
'Well, I don't think the top 50 would be decided by a day or two difference.'
But it's nice that everyone's worried like this.
"I'll pay attention next time. Well, I'll return home right after receiving the award tomorrow anyway, so this won't happen again."
-Oh, coming tomorrow seems confirmed!!!
-Phew, at least he's not going to the US forever, that's a relief...
-ㅋㅋㅋ But no one's even asking where the tower is
-Maybe because it'll be instantly cleared anyway lol
Maybe because they know that when Lee Ganghan enters a tower, he finishes it instantly.
Even though he entered the tower, they were more interested in other things than the tower number.
"The tower number is 56. Does the difficulty increase a lot when you become Bronze?"
-The difficulty is hard but still...
-But 56 is the arena
-Isn't this a competitive match map?
Competitive match.
Lee Ganghan had knowledge about this too.
Until Iron, he climbed towers alone.
'From Bronze onwards, there are separate towers for competitive matches and cooperative matches.'
Competitive matches involve climbing towers while competing with other players.
Cooperative matches were maps where you climb towers while cooperating with players.
That's what Shin Dongseok also said before.
The higher the tier, it's not about clearing it just because you're good alone.
And No.56 Arena was.
[Entering the battlefield where blood and flesh fly, 'Arena'.]
[Break your opponent and advance to the next stage!]
Widely known as the symbol of competitive matches.