Chapter 53: Jessica of the Twelve Constellations

[Failed to clear the 55th floor.]

Yoo Seolha returned to the waiting room, staring at the message that floated before her eyes.

“I guess I have to give up climbing for now.”

Until now, she had been ascending the tower at an incredible speed, but she had finally hit her limit.

She had grown too fast in such a short time.

There were many things she lacked.

First, she lacked real combat experience; second, her insights were insufficient; and third, her mana circles were too thin.

She needed time to fill these gaps.

Even if she climbed quickly, without raising the Golden Tower’s level, she couldn’t go any higher.

Gradually improving and climbing step by step wasn’t a bad approach.

“Well, since it’s come to this, maybe I should finish my assignments before the appointment.”

Yoo Seolha moved to the research lab and checked the research tasks assigned for the day.

[ Apostle Tracking Spell Stage 2 ]

[ Elixir Cultivation Time Reduction Stage 3 ]

[ Smithy Proficiency Speed Up Stage 2 ]

She settled down and started with the first task that appeared.

“…Apostle.”

As she ascended the Golden Tower, she had gained various pieces of information.

The being who built this tower.

The purpose for which this tower was constructed.

And so on.

So, she was aware of the existence of the Apostles.

Those who sought to kill the Successor of the Lord.

The Golden Tower was a place to find such Apostles and to nurture mages who would stop them alongside the Successor.

All these researches were essentially to fend off the Apostles.

“I wonder what they look like.”

Since the tower appeared in Korea, the Successor of the Lord had never once revealed themselves.

There were no separate instructions given.

No special demands.

Only research tasks were handed down, and Yoo Seolha simply carried them out.

Then, for the first time yesterday, she received a gift.

Herbs that increased attribute understanding.

Top-grade Fatigue Recovery Elixirs.

‘The effect was incredible.’

After consuming the Attribute Grass, she suddenly attained insight into blocked attributes and swiftly cleared the 53rd and 54th floors.

After taking the Fatigue Recovery Elixir, all her fatigue and sleepiness vanished.

Why had such gifts been given?

After pondering on her own, Yoo Seolha came to one conclusion.

To make the Golden Tower even stronger.

Since she was probably the one running at the forefront, perhaps the Successor had sent these gifts.

“I’ll have to work even harder.”

She enjoyed magic more than before but also understood the danger Apostles posed.

If the Successor of the Lord were to die—

She had already seen the outcome awaiting this world.

To prevent that, many talented mages had to be nurtured in the Golden Tower.

For that, more money was needed.

Raising the tower’s level to increase buffs, accepting more people to cultivate skilled mages.

There was already something underway related to this.

The Enchanting Business.

While practicing by charging regular Hunters 100 million Gold per part, she had received a call from Association President Lee Changgeon.

—“We got a request from the United States. They need enchantments on equipment for the vanguard. What will you do?”

—“How much can I provide?”

—“If you meet the conditions, you’ll make an enormous amount of money.”

—“Then please arrange a meeting.”

That appointment was today.

In about three hours, she would meet them.

“Should I just charge 100 billion per part?”

That would quickly raise the Golden Tower’s level.

Yoo Seolha finished each research one by one as she indulged in such daydreams.

[ Apostle Tracking Spell Stage 2 completed. ]

[ Elixir Cultivation Time Reduction Stage 3 completed. ]

[ Smithy Proficiency Speed Up Stage 2 completed. ]

Having completed all the assigned research for the day, the appointment time was just around the corner.

“Clean.”

She used magic to cleanse her body and put on the golden robe she had taken off earlier.

Since she was representing the Golden Tower, it was best to present herself properly.

“Let’s go.”

Yoo Seolha stepped outside the Golden Tower.

Wooosh!

A flash of pure white light appeared and vanished, revealing the outside scenery.

The reception desk in front of the Golden Tower.

Mages seated there were surrounded by numerous Hunters.

“Can you just do it up to here?”

“I was waiting here until dawn today. Just this much.”

“Do you know who I am? My dad is a director at Oh Sung Electronics. I’ll pay you whatever you want. Just do it up to here.”

The queue to receive enchantments.

Because the number of enchantments possible per day was limited, a reception desk had to be established.

Until yesterday, it wasn’t this crowded.

She hadn’t imagined that so many people would flock here.

Yoo Seolha approached one of the mages at the desk, pretending not to know.

“What’s going on?”

“Ah… um, we closed recruitment today, but they keep asking us to do just this much…”

“You remember all their faces, right?”

“Yes.”

“Next time they come, just kick them out. Don’t do enchantments for those people.”

Yoo Seolha said firmly, and some in the back shouted out.

“What kind of rule is that!”

“Where would that kind of thing exist?”

“My dad is a director at Oh Sung Electronics. Huh? Do you want to get screwed over in Korea? Don’t you know that everything keeping Korea alive is thanks to us?”

“My dad’s Yoo Baekjoon.”

At Yoo Seolha’s words, the son of the Oh Sung director smirked.

“Oh, the hero who’s only praised in Korea?”

“Only in Korea?”

“In the United States, no one even knows who that guy is.”

The United States.

Yoo Seolha narrowed her eyes.

‘So that’s why they’re acting like that.’

Hunters who were originally Korean but had crossed over to the United States.

Thus, they secured American residency.

Even if a US-affiliated Hunter caused trouble in Korea, Korea couldn’t punish them harshly.

Only Americans could punish Americans.

Dealing with such people was best avoided.

Yoo Seolha went to the reception desk, sat down, and called out the first reservation.

“The first person who made a reservation… Choi Jiwoo. Please come forward.”

“Yes!”

A Hunter approached Yoo Seolha.

Seeing this, the son of the Oh Sung director approached with a look of disbelief.

He pushed Choi Jiwoo aside and slammed his palm on the reception desk.

Bang!

“Hey, who do you think you are, disrespecting me?”

“Choi Jiwoo, what equipment and enchantments would you like?”

“Yaaaaaah!”

Just as the son of the Oh Sung director shouted and reached out to Yoo Seolha,

Someone appeared and grabbed his wrist.

Crack!

Then, he broke the wrist.

“Aaah!”

The son of the Oh Sung director screamed in pain and stared at the man who had broken his wrist.

A man wearing a mask.

He was looking straight at him.

“Do…kkaebi?”

“Get lost.”

Who troubled Korea the most?

China?

The United States?

Japan?

Sure, they all troubled Korea, but the worst were Korean Hunters who had gone overseas.

Not Koreans, but those pretending to be Americans, Chinese, or Japanese.

They became their lackeys, belittling and harassing Hunters affiliated with Korea.

—“Why are you still there?”

—“Only the outdated losers remain.”

—“Pathetic guys.”

There were many posts like this on the Community, and it was a common sight even while she worked as a dungeon miner.

Among them, this guy was quite famous.

‘Oh Jungu.’

A scion of the Oh Sung Group, one of Korea’s top conglomerates.

Not the chairman’s bloodline, but flowing with the family’s blood.

Even the Association couldn’t easily touch him.

A scion of the Oh Sung family that handled one pillar of Korea’s economy and held American residency.

He had enjoyed authority from such a position.

He probably thought that such bullying towards Yoo Seolha was justified.

But that was only until today.

“Yaaaaaah!”

Enraged at Yoo Seolha’s disregard, Oh Jungu clenched his fist and reached out.

Yoo Seolha teleported.

She came up behind him and grabbed his wrist.

‘Strength.’

She used a magic that temporarily enhanced her muscle strength and broke his wrist as it was.

Crack!

“Aaah!”

The look in his eyes was furious as he screamed.

His eyes widened and his twisted mouth opened.

“Do…kkaebi?”

“Get lost.”

“I’m an American! No matter what you call me, do you think you can get away with touching me?”

Now she understood why she had been ignored.

Not because she was afraid of a dog with filth on it, but because she didn’t want to get dirty herself.

But sometimes you have to get dirty.

Only then will you not be underestimated.

“Ice Spear.”

With a chant, an ice spear appeared and flew toward Oh Jungu.

Pew!

It pierced straight through his abdomen.

“Kuugh! You… bastard.”

From the pierced spot, his body began freezing slowly.

Then the nearby bodyguards drew their weapons.

All of them.

“Gravity Hand.”

Boom!

Thud!

The invisible palm slammed all the bodyguards to the ground.

Then it strode toward Oh Jungu.

“This is Korea.”

“…Gurgle.”

“So don’t act cocky and get lost back to your country. I have no intention of enchanting scum like you.”

“Who… are you?”

“Me? The owner of this Magic Tower.”

“Just you wait… I won’t… let this go…”

Heh.

“Let’s see about that. Whether you’re worth that much.”

She looked up to see Lee Changgeon approaching, not alone but with a guest.

A woman with fiery red hair.

The aura she gave off was extraordinary.

At least S-rank.

Probably the guest from the United States.

[Using Golden Dragon’s Eye.]

[Jessica of the Twelve Constellations (SS)]

—An American Twelve Constellations Hunter known as the Witch of Fire.

—Slightly annoyed.

—Overall stats: SS

—Potential: SS

—Possessed Items: Ifrit’s Ring (S), Agni’s Robe (SS), Artifact Set of Intelligence (S), Pocket of Subspace (S)

—Skills: Meteor Strike (SS), Infernal Judgment (S), Burning Impact (S), Mana Shield (SS)…

Fire Attribute Magic Enhancement (S).

Jessica frowned and approached, waving her hand once, melting the ice spear embedded in Oh Jungu.

“I heard this guy’s an American.”

“Y-yes, Jessica-nim. That bastard touched an American.”

“Why don’t you explain, the party involved?”

Jessica’s gaze turned to Yoo Seolha.

“Is an explanation needed? If she’s heard he’s an American, she probably understands the situation.”

“Look at this guy.”

Flames erupted at Jessica’s feet.

As if reflecting her feelings.

“People keep singing ‘Dokkaebi, dokkaebi’ like it means something. Do you really think you’re something now?”

“Then?”

I also summoned a gust of chilling wind.

The fierce cold storm swirled around me as if to swallow the flames Jessica had conjured.

Jessica’s eyes sparkled at the sight.

A grin.

Then she smiled.

“They say you’ll become Twelve Constellations in a few years, but you’re already at that level? I guess news can’t always be trusted. No wonder China got crushed.”

Jessica extinguished the flames and punched toward Oh Jungu’s face.

Thud!

“Je-Jessica-nim?”

“People like him make us look bad. If you don’t have the ability, you should just give up. Why do you keep handing over America—”

Thud!

Thud!

Oh Jungu collapsed, unconscious.

Jessica opened her mouth.

“How can I calm down? I’ll revoke his American nationality. Should I just get rid of him quietly?”

“You touched my precious mage; that’s not enough.”

“Tell me.”

“After the contract talk, how about a spar?”

“I’m good with that. Will that be enough?”

She wanted a powerful offensive spell anyway.

Also, to learn mage combat skills.

Since she could learn Jessica’s fire magic through the blessing of magic,

It was a perfect opportunity for her.

“Enough.”

“Then, shall we start with our business discussion?”