[(Breaking News) Former Church of Hamsu leader kidnapped by unknown party…]
[Military & police: “Confirmed that the Hamsu impersonator has been abducted, currently tracking…”]
After the massive reports that the impersonator, the former Church leader, had vanished, the player community cooled off again.
The man had nothing to do with the real Hamsu, and Hamsu himself was perfectly fine, continuing to defy the tower’s laws by consecutively clearing the 23rd and 24th floors.
Yet players interpreted the kidnapping of the impersonator like this:
“Someone is still targeting Korean players.”
The reason the former leader was taken was probably because he claimed at the rally that he had met Hamsu.
They must have abducted him to extract information.
Whatever the reason, the Korean player society took it to mean that even outside the tower, any one of them could be silently kidnapped by external forces.
Players are just ordinary civilians outside the tower.
If they could kidnap the Church leader, then depending on the circumstances, anyone could be next.
The Player Management Office was also struggling to track the situation.
“Any leads on his whereabouts?”
“We’re still searching, but it’s difficult.”
Using Song Hana was practically impossible.
No tracking skill had been pre-applied, and while she had many versatile abilities, she couldn’t locate someone from mere fragments of information like the American Oracle.
“Suddenly the narrative is twisting: people are saying we gathered high-rank players in the settlement because we’re unsure we can protect them.”
“In what way?”
“They’re saying the Office has no confidence in player protection, so we herded them together.”
“Hah.”
Director Moon Kwonsu let out a hollow laugh but remained calm.
“Well, it’s not entirely wrong, is it?”
It wasn’t completely false, so it could be seen that way…
“Did the Church leader say he saw Hamsu’s face?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“It was my mistake for not anticipating a force that would kidnap him. I’m sorry.”
“No one could have predicted it. With the country on quasi-wartime footing against North Korea, who would’ve thought someone would kidnap a Hamsu impersonator in broad daylight in Seoul?”
“We’re still investigating, but some believe Korean players themselves orchestrated it.”
“You mean jealousy toward Hamsu.”
“Exactly.”
The director nodded as if he already knew.
“In many ways, we’re not ready for Hamsu to take off the mask and reveal himself to the world.”
“It would be best to stay anonymous as long as possible.”
“Either way, nothing has changed. We must protect the players until the situation is resolved and safety is secured.”
“Correct.”
Hadn’t he already been dragged to parliamentary hearings over the recent terror incident and cursed out every way possible?
“In times like these, it’s more important than ever that Hamsu keeps breaking through the tower without a care. How’s the support for the 25th floor climb going?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Provide anything he requests at the Office level.”
“Of course, Director. However, Hamsu doesn’t seem likely to ask for support like before.”
The director nodded with a strange smile.
With all the recent stress, every piece of news about Hamsu melted it away, as if he himself were becoming a Hamsu believer.
He belatedly felt ashamed of his past self who had wondered if Hamsu, still in the teens, had hit his limit.
***
Sending you the materials needed for the 25th floor.
Breaking through the 1/4 mark of the tower is never easy……
Choi Junseok skimmed Kang’s message and nodded.
If you clear the 25th floor in record time, the chaotic player community will settle down a bit.
‘Isn’t that a bit of an overstatement?’
He asked about the truly important thing: security.
That Church leader saw my face. Is my identity still safe?
No reply came immediately.
It’s hard to give a definitive answer right now.
Classic vague bureaucrat-speak.
But good news followed soon after.
The Tower Selection Entry Ticket will soon be purchased by the Office. The unit is as you wanted, but after taxes it’ll be less than half.
Are you guys thugs?
That’s just how life is for high earners. I wouldn’t know.
You said it would be tax-free.
Taxes are like death. Inevitable.
I feel like I’ll need some tax savings for the 25th floor~
There is a way: receive it through the Hamsu Foundation.
…The name is officially the Hamsu Foundation now?
The Hamsu Social Welfare Foundation. Less tax. It’s a foundation, so personal use is difficult.
How much tax are we talking?
If paid in installments, it can drop below 40%. Lump sum would be over 50%.
Choi Junseok’s hands trembled.
How much is the sale price?
Planned purchase at 120 billion won.
Half gone means 60 billion?
The actual amount deposited would likely be…
…Probably under the table.
60 billion.
Of course, an insane amount. Not many people get to touch 60 billion in a lifetime.
Yet dropping from three digits to two felt strangely depressing.
It was money earned from dismantling the first floor of the Japan tower anyway.
That amount was more than enough for his family to live in luxury forever.
“Why the hell do they take over half in taxes?”
Even Lee Nayeon, usually indifferent to his behavior, showed a flicker of concern.
“Are you alright?”
“No, I can’t stand it! Entering the 25th floor!”
The best way to vent: climbing.
[You have entered the 25th floor.]
[Time limit: 4 hours 00 minutes.]
[25th floor clear condition: Eliminate the dark sorcerer hiding in the underground laboratory.]
Another underground labyrinth-like space for the dark sorcerer.
You have to find the sorcerer somewhere on this floor.
Normally, without a detection-type player, just finding the path can take over two hours.
As expected, light gathered beside Choi Junseok and Song Hana appeared.
“That way!”
She pointed straight down into the ground.
“Got it. We’re going hard this time. Max protection spell and barriers!”
Lee Nayeon was summoned in front of Choi Junseok.
Song Hana’s eyes widened in shock.
“N-no way! Right here…? It’s pretty far!”
“Yep. I’ll lightly drill with Caliburn, then drive the holy sword through the hole.”
“…Caliburn will break!”
Lee Nayeon narrowed her eyes as if she had seen the future, but Choi Junseok had a plan.
Caliburn slowly materialized above his head, spinning like a drill in the rippling air.
The difference from before: it was pulled back mid-summon, like drawing a spear or arrow.
VWEEEEEEEE!
The rotation was faster, and the compressed power before release made even Lee Nayeon flinch.
Probably because her massacre on the 24th floor had raised Choi Junseok’s level significantly.
The trio’s levels were already at 92, nearing 100.
At 155, Caliburn’s wear-level would be reached, opening a new realm.
As levels rose, Choi Junseok’s stats as an Inventory Master naturally grew too.
“Summon.”
BOOOOM!!
Caliburn was no holy sword, but still a legendary bladea mythic item.
Dust and debris flew everywhere, but Song Hana’s blue barrier blocked it, letting the particles fall or dissipate.
“Go, Nayeon! Retrieve it!”
“…?”
Lee Nayeon tilted her head, as if being told to fetch like a dog.
But realizing her physical abilities and that the hole was too narrow for Choi Junseok anyway, she nodded and slipped inside.
‘That’s one hell of a drill.’
The fall took a long time.
It had pierced through the thick ceiling all the way from B1 to B4.
Tap
She had dropped dozens of meters, yet landed as softly as a cat.
When Lee Nayeon, now on sub-level 4, picked up the sword embedded in the floor,
“GRRRRAAAAAHH……”
The dark sorcerer’s creations from floors 21–24 welcomed her.
The moment she gripped the sword and her eyes changed, her body vanished in a flash.
The instant she tried to cut them down,
Choi Junseok sensed the item link and instantly unsummoned and re-summoned her right in front of him.
The reason became clear immediately.
“Because we need the fastest clear! Summon!”
Down the vertical shaft, Yoo Junhyuk’s holy sword plunged straight in.
He hadn’t dared to spin and pull back the holy sword for safety.
KUGUGUGUGU
Just the sonic boom of the descending sword shook the entire tower.
The moment the sword disappeared into the hole,
KABOOOOOOOM!!
The vibration felt like the whole body was being stretched and compressed.
A moment later, a gale erupted upward through the shaft, shattering Song Hana’s shield in one blow.
Crash!
Followed immediately by the protection spell activating.
KABOOOOOM!!
The mere afterwind broke the barrier and even threatened the protection spell.
Through his shaking vision, system windows appeared.
[Congratulations!]
[You have cleared the 25th floor.]
[Clear time: 27 seconds.]
[Would you like to register anonymously in the Hall of Fame? (Y/N)]
[The additional effect of ‘Fairy Dragon of Recovery’ has activated.]
[Mid-tier clear rewards issued.]
[Hidden clear condition achieved! – Cleared without letting the dark sorcerer speak]
[Rewards for the hidden condition issued.]
Normally the 25th-floor boss applies status effects the moment players appear and babbles endlessly, as if trying to waste time until retirement.
But he had cleared it without any of that nonsense.
“Man… climbing really is what players are for.”
[Return? (Y/N) – Auto-return in 30 minutes.]
Rewards poured in at once.
The bonus from the previous five consecutive record clears starting at 23, the hidden condition just achieved, and whatever items were now stored in Kamdori’s belly.
Above all, in a situation where he had to pay billions in taxes, this felt refreshingly cleansing.
“Return.”
Yesplayers are meant to climb towers.
And now the real climb was just beginning.
Only the 25th floor.
Only a quarter of the tower.