The Subscription Model (1)
I had looked into the first floor of the Tower, and the objective was to defeat ten Goblins. Although the difficulty had been scaled up to EX-rank, the content itself remained unchanged. Armored Goblins, Goblins wielding staves, Goblins carrying halberds—just some slightly unusual Goblins blocking my path. But a Goblin is a Goblin, no matter how you dress it up. They were all knocked backward by a single strike of my Blood River Finger. The last one to appear was engulfed in flames, but it made no difference. It died in one hit, just like the rest.
[You have cleared the 1st floor of the Tower of Trials (EX).]
[Reward: 1.5kg of Magic Crystals granted.]
[Reward: Mana recovery rate for hunters of your affiliated nation increased by 1%.]
[Buff applied to: South Korea]
[Please register your nickname.]
I didn't hesitate for even a second before answering: Heavenly Demon. I couldn't even imagine using any other title. Since the structure didn't kick me out immediately upon clearing, I wandered around the first floor for a while. I didn't find any particularly unique locations; a small settlement that looked like a Goblin habitat was all there was. I thoroughly searched the five huts in the village, but there was nothing. Do these things not even eat to survive? With no gains, I returned to the spot where I had defeated the flaming Goblin. A little further on, the window I had seen when entering the Tower appeared.
[Will you exit the Tower?]
The moment I nodded, the surrounding scenery shifted rapidly. The lobby where I had started appeared before me, and standing next to the staff member assigned to me by the Association were Kim Minseok and Chae Sumin, whom I had met yesterday. Both of them stared at me with bewildered expressions. Chae Sumin approached me.
“H-how on earth did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“A global announcement just went out.”
“Global announcement?”
Chae Sumin explained that the same message had appeared before every hunter. It stated that the mana recovery rate for South Korean hunters had increased by 1% and that the EX-rank Tower had been opened.
“It’s true that it’s because of me.”
“So, I’m asking, how did you do it?”
“Who knows? I’m not the administrator.”
“Still.”
“Are you going to keep me standing here?”
“Ah, no. Let’s head to the Association first.”
They didn't ask me anything in the car on the way to the Association. But as soon as we went up to the Association President’s office, the questions poured out.
“Was there anything strange when you entered?”
“What about when you were inside?”
“Did you discover anything else?”
“Was the only reason really just that you’re too strong?”
Why are they so curious about everything?
“I told you, that’s it.”
“But there must be something.”
“There isn’t.”
They seemed to accept it then, but the questions continued. “You’re going to climb to the next floor, right?”
“Why?”
“You said you wanted to make money.”
“You said I could earn it in the hidden stages.”
“Please. Go up.”
“What’s the reason?”
I stared straight at Chae Sumin. “The buff! The buff!”
“Is the buff that big of a deal?”
“Do you think global buffs are common? Until now, only the US and China have been monopolizing them.”
She said this wasn't the first time a buff had appeared. They could be obtained by clearing new floors in existing Towers that I hadn't been able to enter before.
“But the numbers are different. Even the best ones were only 0.5%.”
“I see.”
“Why are you so indifferent?”
“Well, to me, it makes no difference whether it exists or not.”
To begin with, the status window that hunters supposedly see didn't exist for me.
“Still.”
“Please. Seriously.”
That was when a good idea popped into my head. “Should I go with a subscription model?”
“A subscription model?”
“I’ll collect a certain amount from the hunters every month. Like a subscription service.”
“What is that?”
“Hunters have plenty of money, don’t they?”
“No, even so...”
“How about 5% of their income?”
“Do you think the hunters will just give it to you?”
I stroked the sword hanging at my waist. “Wouldn’t they give it if I threatened them with a blade?”
When I let out a faint trace of Demonic Qi, Chae Sumin’s face turned pale instantly. Her breathing became increasingly labored. I chuckled and withdrew the energy. “How about it? Do you still think they won’t give it?”
Chae Sumin shook her head. “No. No. They will.”
“Then that’s settled. Instead, I won’t charge extra until the 30th floor. Extorting 5% of their income for just one buff would be too much like a thug.”
Seeing her lips twitching, it looked like she had a lot she wanted to say.
“Do you have something to say?”
Chae Sumin shook her head. “No. I don’t.”
“Instead, I’ll share a portion with the Association.”
“Share it with us?”
Chae Sumin’s expression suddenly brightened. Every organization’s leader worries about the budget. I had done it myself while I was the Heavenly Demon. Of course, the conclusion was always the same: just extort it from the righteous or demonic sects.
“But you’re the ones who have to collect it.”
“Pardon? The Association?”
“You should at least do that much.”
Chae Sumin started calculating in her head. I sank into the sofa and watched her. “Alright. That’s fine, but please grant me a few more requests.”
“A few?”
“There are some guilds that refuse the Association’s proposals on principle.”
“So? You want me to kill them all?”
Chae Sumin waved her hands. “No, why are you so extreme? You weren’t like that when you were confronting Team Leader Kim.”
As I nodded, Chae Sumin added, “Just do as much as you did for me earlier.”
“Instead, gather them in one place.”
“That’s easy. We happen to have a regular meeting next week.”
After chatting with Chae Sumin, I returned home. I had declined her offer to book me a hotel. I still wanted to spend time with my family. “I’m home.”
I debated going up to the second floor, but I went into the first floor first. As expected for an awkward time like 3:00 PM, there was only one table of customers. Two middle-aged men with flushed faces from daytime drinking were clinking their glasses. My brother-in-law, who had been resting at a table near the kitchen entrance, waved at me.
“Brother-in-law! You’re back?”
“Yeah, I’m back.”
I sat in the chair opposite him. “Did you eat?”
“I had a few sandwiches.”
My secretary had brought them while I was talking to Chae Sumin. “Will that be enough? Should I make you something?”
“No, it’s a hassle for you, brother-in-law.”
“Still.”
“I can just eat a lot for dinner later. Where’s my sister?”
“She went to pick up Jieun. She’ll be back soon. You’re going to the second floor to rest, right?”
“No, I’m not that tired.”
My brother-in-law nodded. “Do as you please. You know the password.”
Just then, my smartphone vibrated. When I checked it, it was a deposit notification.
They said the Magic Crystals given as rewards from the original Tower's first floor were of higher purity, and indeed, more money had come in than I had heard. I looked at my brother-in-law. “Brother-in-law.”
“Yeah?”
“The kids like beef, right?”
“My daughters are just like me—they can’t get enough of meat.”
“That’s good. Dinner is on me tonight.”
“Where would you have money, brother-in-law?”
I grinned. “I went to the Tower.”
My brother-in-law scanned me from head to toe. “I’m not doubting you, but aren’t you a bit too clean?”
Certainly, there was a big difference between the hunters I had seen in YouTube videos and myself. My clothes didn't have a single drop of blood or bodily fluid on them.
“Brother-in-law, it’s because I’m quite strong. If the level difference is that big, they can’t even touch a hem of my clothes.”
“That sounds exactly like a line from a martial arts novel.”
“Well, that’s because I returned from that world.”
Just then, the table over there shouted, “One more bottle of soju here!”
I stopped my brother-in-law as he tried to get up. I brought the soju over using Void Grab, and the eyes of my brother-in-law and the customers widened in shock.
“You could do things like that too?”
“I told you, I didn’t just hang out in the Murim world.”
I stood up. “I’m going to look around the market.”
I stopped by the butcher shop and bought plenty of Korean beef. I just pointed at the cuts and said, “This, this, and this,” but the owner seemed to like it. I hope he didn't mistake me for a foreigner. I don't really like that kind of misunderstanding. When I returned to the shop, my sister and Jieun had arrived.
“You’re back?”
“Yeah.”
I handed the beef to my brother-in-law. It’s not that my sister can’t cook, but my brother-in-law is still much better at it.
“Did you buy this at the butcher shop around the corner?”
“How did you know?”
“That place has the best-looking meat.”
“I noticed they had the most customers, too.”
I sat down in a nearby chair. Since there was still some time until dinner, there were no customers at all. I was looking at my smartphone when—
“Uncle! Uncle!”
I heard a voice from below. Jieun was tugging at my pant leg.
“Why, Jieun?”
“Show me magic, too! Magic!”
When I turned my head, my brother-in-law was smiling sheepishly. I guess he told her about what happened earlier.
“I couldn’t help but tell her.”
I lifted Jieun into the air using Void Grab. Jieun, floating in the air, clapped her hands wildly.
“Tell me when you want to come down.”
“Okay! But higher! Higher!”
I could have lifted her to the ceiling, but I didn't, as my sister’s gaze was quite sharp. I moved her at a height slightly lower than the dining table. Seeing my sister let out a small sigh, it seemed like a wise choice.
“That’s enough now. Uncle must be tired.”
After about ten minutes, my sister spoke up.
“Can’t we play a little longer?”
“Oh Jieun!”
“Okay.”
“You should say thank you to your uncle.”
Jieun bowed to me from the waist. “Thank you!”
“Yeah, I’ll do it again next time.”
I guess I’ll just get close to her like this from now on.