Chapter 46: The Beginning of Korea’s Control

The day the message appeared that a Chinese Hunter had challenged the Labyrinth 11th Floor, numerous posts flooded the Korean Hunter Community.

• Yeah. The 11th floor of the Labyrinth belongs to us.
• Time to move out now, bastards. Who the hell do these stinking guys think they are, crawling into the Labyrinth?
• Bark all you want. I’ll remember those barking now when you try to climb the Labyrinth later.
• The Korean Association President is useless. Idiot. Pathetic guy.
• Dokkaebi? Crazy bastards. How dare they try to steal the Dokkaebi. Dokkaebi belongs to our country.
• Koreans always claim everything as theirs. Hanbok is theirs, kimchi is theirs, even the satgat is theirs.
• It’s all on our records, but they keep denying it. It’s really annoying.
• It’s just inferiority complex. Korea was originally our country’s slaves. History proves it, but they always deny it. It’s not true.

Watching this, a few Korean Hunters fired back, but most stayed silent.

• Idiots. Can’t even make a peep?
• Thought you wouldn’t invade because you had no justification? We are our own justification. Pathetic bastards.
• Dokkaebi is dumb too. They should have just stayed on the 11th floor, but they climbed to the 13th floor and gave us this opportunity.
• Typical Korean IQ.
• Ready to be controlled again, huh?

Just as the Chinese Hunters predicted, it was only a matter of time before the Dokkaebi lost the 11th floor once they moved upward.

Why they made such a choice was a mystery even to the Korean Hunters.

But that question didn’t last long.

[The owner of the Labyrinth 11th Floor has won the war.]

As soon as the result of the war was announced, the entire community’s atmosphere flipped.

• What? Am I seeing things?
• Where did all those guys who were talking crap just now go?
• Hello? Anyone there?
• Damn it. China invaded without cause and got crushed. People who find this funny, thumbs up.
• Thumbs up.
• Thumbs up.
• Thumbs up.

As always, the Chinese bastards claim everything as theirs. Their self-introduction earlier was hilarious. Hanbok belongs to Korea, you idiots.

Feeling completely relieved, Korean Hunters even pushed into the Chinese community.

Their population was much smaller, but their firepower was overwhelming.

• From now on, this place is occupied by the Korean Hunter Gallery.
• Beg for mercy, bastards. Control? Toooongje? Now it’s you who’ll be controlled.
• You’ll pay the price for waging war without justification, got it?
• I’m going to support Imaemangnyang today. Going to smash those Chinese Hunters’ heads.
• I’m buying a Dokkaebi Club too.

The next morning, the community was buzzing again following the Korean Hunter Association President’s apology request and response regarding control over the Labyrinth 11th Floor.

• From today, I withdraw support for Association President Lee Changgeon. From today, I am one with President Lee Changgeon. Any attacks against him are…
• Lee Changgeon, my love. Lee Changgeon, my light. Lee Changgeon, my darkness…
• Was our association president always this cool?
• Wow, goosebumps all over.
• How many countries could dare say that to China? Even the US probably wouldn’t talk about control so easily.

Chinese Hunters, watching Korea’s reaction with disgust, invaded their community.

• Korea really crossed the line. What’s with this talk about control?
• You think you can control us?
• If you really try that, it’s war. You’re mistaken. All potions imported to Korea are made in China.
• The equipment is also made in China.
• Want to really understand what control means?
• Korea can’t control anything anyway. Even the Korean Association President knows that, right? No way the president doesn’t know.
• The Korean Hunters are just pathetic, so this is just a show. Behind the scenes, they must be bowing to the Chinese Association President.
• No doubt. Korean Hunters acting cocky trusting that president are pitiful, thumbs up.
• Thumbs up.
• Thumbs up.
• Thumbs up.

As the second community war broke out and a day passed, someone started a counter countdown on the community.

• 3.
• 2.
• 1.
• It’s 10 o’clock.

Just as silence settled over the community, Chinese Hunters flooded it with countless mocking memes.

• Yep. Just a bubble.
• Confirmed to be an idiot country!

At that moment, an anonymous Korean Hunter posted.

• Wow. I just saw Imaemangnyang absolutely slaughter those Chinese Hunters on the 11th floor.
• Really? That’s possible?
• They got the Labyrinth buff. And they were even wearing the Cheonghwamun Armor.

After that, eyewitness reports poured in.

• Wow. The Chinese guys couldn’t move an inch.
• The funniest thing about Imaemangnyang is that no matter what the Chinese say, they just ignore them and cut them down.
• So cool. I want to join Imaemangnyang too. How do I get in?
• First, awaken.

At that, Chinese Hunters exploded in anger.

• Crazy. You really think you can control us?
• Is Korea nuts? How dare they mess with China?
• What’s our association president doing? Haven’t said a word since yesterday.
• From now on, you’re all controlled.
• I’m a potion company CEO. I’m not sending products to Korea anymore.
• Me too.
• Me too. I won’t supply anymore.

Just as the momentum of Korean Hunters faltered a bit, an Imaemangnyang Hunter posted a certification shot.

• These are the lowest-grade potions supplied today. Grade S. They raise stats a bit and heal wounds at a rate comparable to mid-grade potions.
• Seriously?
• Imaemangnyang got full support. Soon they’ll sell them in a building next to the Golden Tower.
• Wow. Korea can produce potions now? But can they meet the demand? Daily consumption must be huge.
• They say they can meet it. And Korean Hunters will be able to buy them cheaper.

Chinese Hunters grit their teeth and pushed back.

• Bullshit. How could they make such potions?
• Look at these idiots typing nonsense as if they have fingers.
• What good are potions without dungeons?
• If you control the dungeons, what can you do?

Korean Hunters counterattacked fiercely.

• Just saw the news. Korea’s tackling the 21st floor.
• Isn’t that one of the biggest dungeon production sites?
• Chinese bastards. Their only hope was potions and dungeons. Now both are being produced independently by Korea?
• Keep talking crap. What are you going to try this time?
• Go beg Wonsung hyung on your knees.
• Wonsung hyung loves China so much. He’s going to be pissed this time.

Fueled with venom, Chinese Hunters furiously hammered their keyboards.

• We’ll crush Korea on the Glory Tower that’s opening soon.
• No, you won’t step on us.
• The Swordmaster’s disciple beating up Koreans will be hilarious.
• We have Golden Tower mages too. Yoo Seolha just smashed Kim Muhyeok’s head.
• Still, you only have one. We have at least ten S-rank Hunters.
• Yeah, and we have Dokkaebi.

Meanwhile, fully aware of all this, Chinese Association President Joo Wonseong’s face turned bright red.

“How dare they!”

For the entire time he had been president, he had never imagined Korea trying to control China.

Crack.

He wanted to summon Cheonma, Blood Fiend, and Sword Saint right now and trample Korea into the ground.

“I told you. They can’t win.”

Joo Wonseong’s gaze shifted toward the Blue Hood standing by the window.

“When will we kill that damn bastard?”

“Just a little more patience. We’re almost there.”

The Blue Hood smiled faintly.

“Just think about China becoming the center of this world.”

“Haahhh.”

Stretching as he opened his eyes, he checked the time. It had just passed noon.

They had finished drinking with the Guardians yesterday and returned home around midnight.

‘Passed out for half a day.’

Thanks to Balak’s food, the imbalance between my body and the Dragon Heart had been corrected, allowing me to freely use magic again.

But the fatigue from using magic excessively was inevitable.

“…Should I eat something from morning?”

Before heading to eat the meal Balak prepared, there was something I had to do.

Wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, I went outside.

I headed to a large grocery mart near my home, grabbed a cart, and filled it with what was needed.

Salt, pepper, soy sauce, gochujang, honey, and so on.

Balak wanted to research all the seasonings in this world and asked me to get them.

I’m no expert in cooking either, so I just picked whatever caught my eye, paid, and had it delivered home.

“Next…”

I went to the Seed Shop to buy vegetables, fruits, and related items—another of Balak’s requests.

Returning home with a black bag full of seed packets, I found the groceries I bought already placed at the doorstep.

Gathering everything, I headed to the Dragon Lair.

[Moving to Dragon Lair.]

First, I stepped outside the Dragon Lair to hand over the supplies to Balak. The dark sky was studded with stars.

Time passed differently here.

Half a day had passed in reality.

But a full day had passed in the Dragon Lair.

Since there was no need to wake the sleeping Guardians, I returned inside the Dragon Lair.

‘Time to get my work done.’

Yesterday’s war victory and the feast afterward had left me no time to handle tasks.

First, I checked the Rift.

The Apostle hunts and Guardian subjugations were timed around the Dragon Lair.

‘I’ll have to pre-position the Guardians and rotate them as time comes.’

I organized this in my mind and then went to check the resources in the warehouse.

All kinds of attribute herbs grown in the Elixir Field.

Various ores mined from the Ore Mine.

Magic Stones of C-grade or higher mined from the Magic Stone Mine.

Cash exchanged by Park Chanseong.

Cash donated at the Golden Tower.

Gold mined from the Gold Mine.

Everything was packed so tightly the warehouse was about to burst.

[Upgrading warehouse level.]
[Upgrading warehouse level.]
[Upgrading warehouse level.]
[Upgrading warehouse level.]
[Warehouse Lv5]
[Items are automatically sorted by type.]
[All items are stored in optimal condition.]

As the warehouse space expanded, the previously cluttered piles of wealth were neatly organized.

“Looks good.”

Next, I upgraded the Library level.

[Upgrading library level.]
[Upgrading library level.]
[Library Lv6]
[An additional skillbook creation slot has been unlocked.]
[Skillbook creation speed has increased.]
[Probability of producing A-rank skillbooks has increased.]
[Probability of producing D-rank skillbooks has decreased.]

While spending resources, I realized one thing.

‘Gold is accepted as cash, huh?’

A pile about the size of two palms had disappeared.

[Upgrading Gold Mine level.]
[Upgrading Gold Mine level.]
[Upgrading Gold Mine level.]

Besides that, I upgraded all the level 1 buildings I had built before going to the Dimensional Tavern to level 5.

[Upgrading Fence level.]
[Upgrading Training Ground level.]
[Upgrading Ore Mine level.]
[Upgrading Ranch level.]
[Upgrading Smithy level.]

The money that once filled the warehouse was significantly reduced.

‘Once the Seventh Forest stabilizes, more money will flow in.’

I’ll upgrade them little by little as time allows.

“Golden Tower Window.”

A management window appeared before my eyes.

It showed an overview of the Golden Tower’s status.

The tower’s current level was 4.

One mage had cleared the 50th floor.

One was tackling the 30s.

Thirty were in the 20s.

Forty were in the 10s.

Seventy-eight were in the single digits.

A total of 150 mages were climbing the Golden Tower.

The points they were accumulating were immense.

“Is this even possible?”

Even seeing it with my own eyes, it was hard to believe.

Thinking about how it was possible, the answer was Yoo Seolha’s talent.

Her talent as a Great Mage.

Because of her, the tower was being climbed quickly, and by donating cash, the tower level rose fast.

As new mages flooded in while climbing the tower again, they donated money and cleared dungeons, gaining experience and points.

“…This is great.”

To accelerate growth, I chose the category to invest points in.

[Magic Level 4]

• Research speed increases. 0/10
• Casting speed increases. 0/10
• Efficiency of the Golden Tower’s Blessing buff increases. 0/10

I maxed out all Magic Level 4 upgrades, previously limited by the tower’s level.

Then, I continued leveling up further.

[Magic Level 8]

• Critical hit rate increases. 0/100
• Critical hit damage increases. 0/100
• Health increases. 0/100
• Base magic damage increases. 0/100
• Understanding of magic increases. 0/100

After investing all the remaining points, a message appeared requiring me to level up.

I stopped investing points there and checked the progress of magic research.

[Level 5 research has been temporarily halted.]
[Thunder Heart (S) must be acquired.]

Thunder Heart.

Where could I get that?

[Main Quest 17 completed.]
[Blessing of Magic grade increased.]
[Understanding of magic increased.]
[Dragon Lair grade increased.]
[Number of Guardians that can be delegated increased.]
[Number of portals increased.]

A reward message I hadn’t seen in a while.

Along with it came a new quest.

[Main Quest has arrived.]
[Conditions met.]
[Quest completed.]
[Acquired S-grade Material Selection Box.]
[Conditions met.]
[Quest completed.]
[Acquired S-grade Material Selection Box.]

Two small boxes fell into my hand, glowing white.

I could solve the Thunder Heart problem with these.

[Main Quest has arrived.]
[Main Quest 20]

• Become the owner of the Labyrinth 21st Floor.
• Reward: Unlock Alliance Center, SSS-grade Skill Selection Ticket.

Now I finally understood the Apostle of the Thunder Dragon God.

Why he had settled on the 21st floor.

‘SSS-grade Skill Selection Ticket.’

Had I not known that the Apostle of the Thunder Dragon God was hiding there, I would have charged to the 21st floor without looking back.

That was how dazzling the reward was.

The Apostle could plan this because they knew a lot about each other.

One thing: The Apostle doesn’t know about me.

The Apostle only knows the other Successors of the Lords they had hunted so far—not me.

That’s why I could counter the Apostle’s plan.

“This is exciting.”

I wonder what kind of expression they’ll have when I bring instant-kill magic up there?