episode_0020

They said.

That something precious had been taken away.

The number one Grand Witch, the second-ranked Sword Master, and even the third-ranked Sungyeon—all of them without exception experienced this loss, and the reason behind everyone’s rise in rankings was here.

“They were caught as they climbed the tower.”

-By [Former Top Ranker]?

“To whom?”

“Since it’s hard to answer ‘to whom,’ I’ll explain it in an easier way for you to understand. The mechanics of this tower are peculiar to a specific class. It’s at a level that can’t be broken through effort alone, so eventually, everyone gave up on conventional methods and used alternative ways to climb up to the 50th floor, where problems arose.”

Representing everyone, the Grand Witch answered.

By altering her voice with a skill, she accurately portrayed someone’s tone from back then.

“These days, many dare to mock my tower without fear.”

“Listen, those who climbed the tower through shallow means.”

“I shall bestow upon you eternal punishment. Reflect on your foolishness and live a lifetime of regret.”

It was the voice of a woman with a commanding tone.

The owner of the tower.

A deity who blesses humanity and oversees the throne.

“Listen. Foolish beings of the surface world.”

“Under the management of my seat, [Knight of Pure Love], the tower will be controlled, and such disgraceful events will never occur again.”

“Oh humans, if you wish to receive grace, entertain me boldly and honestly.”

The previous rankers received the deity’s curse.

So, did they vanish?

“Could it be that they died?”

“No. Thanks to their skills, we know they’re alive. But now, we can’t climb up there anymore.”

“Why is that?”

“The Tower Lord closed off all the floors that were bypassed. The tower, originally open up to the 50th floor, is now shut down to the 10th. It’s truly a dire situation.”

The first group is all trapped in the tower.

Are those 1.5 groups of girls left on the surface?

“Five years from now.”

“Those who mocked my tower but failed to conquer it, brace yourselves.”

“Turn the surface world into chaos.”

A deadline was set in that state.

A warning of the Earth’s destruction.

Is this limited to just our country, or will the repercussions extend to foreign lands?

“We haven’t even finished introducing ourselves properly. We should apologize for that. But you understand, right? Listening to our circumstances was more important than exchanging pleasantries.”

“Yes.”

That made sense.

Unlike me, who knew nothing, everyone present seemed anxious.

“Any other questions?”

“You need to tell us why we’re here.”

“Sungyeon really didn’t explain anything, huh? Ugh, I knew it. Is she really that wicked? Thanks to her, people around her suffer every time.”

【Agreeable Grand Witch】showed a friendly yet senior-like demeanor towards Sungyeon.

In interviews, she exuded mystery, in occasional variety shows, she showed a cheerful side, but now, she was a hunter.

“It’s simple. You know each tower has a different concept, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know the details?”

“Sungyeon conquered the Bronze Tower, themed [Forest], Mana Guild tackled the Silver Tower, themed [Magic], some country focused on [Machinery], and there were rumors of a tower like [Fairytale Land], and recently in England, a tower emerged themed [Appetite]…”

“Right. And our Golden Tower is among the worst of them all.”

She gestured as if slitting her own throat with her palm.

She really despised it.

“Our tower’s concept is Love. There are various meanings within it, but this place embodies the most despicable aspect of it.”

How bad must it be for the current top-ranked player in South Korea to say such things?

“It encompasses everything related to [relationships] and [desire].”

It was truly abominable.

*

They heard introductions.

They learned about each other’s circumstances.

The story might be too long to delve into right now, but each of their tales was equally heavy.

‘This heavy story, why am I stuck with it? Ahhhhhhh~~~!!!’

Sigh!

Apparently, this meeting was prepared just for me.

Gathered today under the guise of seeing my face, they briefly discussed our proposal and ended it by suggesting we think about it.

In reality, it was just a superficial discussion.

Thinking in a situation like this…?

– I heard about your skills from Seongyeon.

– It might be an embarrassing skill to others, but it’s perfect for conquering the Tower.

– We’re not laughing at you.

– Please lend your strength to conquer the Tower.

They bowed their heads.

The beings above bowed their heads.

How did it come to this?

Why.

“Sigh….”

From the slightly shaded alley near the entrance of the Tower of Hwangdong, cigarette smoke billowed out.

Although the herbal remedy made from herbs from the Tower of Hwangdong had a good effect, no matter how calming it was, it wouldn’t resolve the current situation.

‘How did a simple story of getting caught up in someone’s scheme, joining a guild, sleeping with the girl introduced by that person, leveling up skills, become so exaggerated?’

No matter how much I think about it, I’m still entangled in Seongyeon’s schemes.

He didn’t say a word about that topic. Saying he’s a friend.

‘Seongyeon doesn’t seem to understand my thoughts at all. Seeing everyone happy, maybe I am helping…’

After swallowing the herbs several times and exhaling smoke through my nose to calm down, irritation still lingers.

I have no ambition for advancement. It’s not about the desire for success; it’s about wanting to become a more useful person by leveling up skills, not about the desire for promotion.

If it were someone else in my place, they might have shown enthusiasm.

– Rankers want to be with me?

– Are they relying on me?

– Can I join that line too?

– Am I really humanity’s protector!?

Oh, damn! …and then.

But I wasn’t just an ordinary moth fluttering around at midnight.

To put it bluntly, I’m more like a dung beetle that picks up a moth that crashed into a light bulb and eats it.

Isn’t that a fitting expression for someone like me, a Scavenger?

‘The Tower of Hwangdong was already frustrating enough for solo players, and now they’re telling us to do a pre-emptive strike in the Tower of Golden Annihilation where the rankers are dominating?’

Damn it, I’m not someone hoping for suicide.

I’ve seen countless immature fools who recklessly entrusted their bodies to dreams, passion, luck, and skills only to meet their demise.

I send those fools back home myself.

As cold corpses, embraced by the wailing parents.

“Fuck.”

Instead of throwing the cigarette on the ground, I clenched my teeth, putting it back in the case I kept in my pocket. It didn’t calm me down at all, so I puffed on it several times. As I sat there, a woman approached me.

“Hey, bright young man of the future. If it’s okay, could this old lady have a smoke too?”

She was Ginger with red hair, and her asymmetrical hair covering one eye fluttered in the wind.

Though we both had blue eyes, she was like a warm summer stream compared to Cerese.

“You just saw me from above…?”

“If I may introduce myself belatedly? Bridgette, Master Tool. Guild Master of the Mechanics Guild. Born in Ireland. Well, feel free to call me Auntie Gita.”

I was taken aback.

Ranked 4th.

“Auntie, aren’t you a big shot around here?”

A large guild that trades equipment with hunters overseas, including in Korea.

Most of the buildings erected in the Korean Tower have passed through the hands of the Mechanics Guild.

Considering her influence, most outsiders would probably bow down to her.

“Haha, just an ordinary person with skilled guild connections. Don’t mind the ‘auntie’ part. Keep it low-key, will you?”

She chuckled.

Like a big sister I’ve been with for years.

By the way, I’m a bastard.

“This person is quite impressive, dressed like a top-ranked individual.”

In that moment, my anger dissipated, and desire crept in.

“Sigh… Phew~!”

She took a drag from the cigarette I offered and exhaled coolly.

Approaching me, she glanced at my body.

‘Tall, slender, pretty, and even with the typical plump and large belly of a married woman…!’

The cute freckles on the bridge of her nose were sprinkled like sesame seeds on her collarbone, drawing attention. She confidently exposed herself by unzipping her jumpsuit down to her navel.

Even without a bra, her bare chest was soft and tantalizing… One might even catch a glimpse of her nipples if she went a bit further, which made my mouth water at the thought.

“Why bother flaunting a body like this? With freckles all over, it’s not exactly appealing for a man to enjoy, is it?”

“Despite that, you seem cool and relaxed.”

“It’s hot. Working in front of the fire is already tough, and the Tower of Gold is naturally warmer. It’s said to be a world of difference compared to the rainy Ireland, making it hard to adapt.”

With that, she raised her right arm and draped it over my shoulder.

What an intimate distance. Freckled breasts right in front of my face.

Would they disappear if I licked them?

“Hehe, don’t be too tense. As you can see, I have a straightforward personality. You seemed quite nervous, so I thought I’d help lighten the mood.”

“Bridgeta…?”

“Don’t call me that way. Follow along. Call me ‘Ji Ta Ah Jum Ma.’”

“Then, compromising, how about ‘Bridgeta Nuna’?”

“Prioritizing unnecessary courtesy, typical of this country. But calling me ‘Nuna,’ hmm… feels nice. I like girls like you. It’s refreshing to see someone like you trying to make progress.”

Tap tap!

She playfully scratched my head several times before smiling warmly again.

My tension eased. Even top-tier hunters like myself and Nana Sungyeon are just ordinary people outside the limelight.

“You were taken aback earlier, right? Heard that little devil didn’t tell you anything?”

“Little devil?”

“Sungyeon. He said he skipped explanations and went straight to action, right?”

“Yes. He said going there for explanations would be faster…”

“Even if you’re friends, that’s not acceptable. It felt like a pressure interview, but did you feel intimidated by ordinary people? Hahaha!”

It’s true. The moment I entered, they were firing questions like crazy.

“In that aspect, being second has its tricky side. My name is ‘Hogum,’ and I’m known for causing trouble here and there like a wild animal.”

“So the person who suggested firing questions is second place?”

“Yeah. Sungyeon recommended it, saying we should assess skills first. Even the old lady got a bit riled up, huh~?”

-Ding♪

Closing one eye, she cutely apologized.

Thanks to her, my anger dissipated.

I never expected to experience a boyish manga-style skill test in real life…

“Hehe. Still, they’re not bad people. Since the old lady apologized, use that to vent your frustration if you get angry.”

A peck on my forehead.

She was quite charming.

“If you say that, I can’t get mad either. Thanks to you, I’ve relaxed and caught my breath.”

“You have a strong heart. Indeed, being brought by Sungyeon gives you some backbone. …How about our tower? Do you still know nothing?”

I shook my head.

“I need to start learning now. By observing the atmosphere and finding out what I don’t know, I think I’ll feel the seriousness.”

“Good attitude~! Hehe, it worked out well. Let’s go together. We’ll walk around, I’ll explain things you don’t know, and answer your questions.”

“Are you sure?”

“Why not~?”

“You’re the guild leader. Especially if it’s a mechanic guild, you must have a lot on your plate….”

“You’re the one we dragged along forcibly! If others don’t take care of you, even an old lady like me has to do it! Work can wait, later~!!”

With a firm grip on my arm, she chuckled and led me along.

She had a peculiar way of speaking, this old lady.

Despite her comfortable guidance, earlier in the meeting room, she declared:

『The future of the 【Mechanic】 Guild and my precious child who supported my difficult life.』

Underneath that smile lay a shadowy truth…

Despite her easygoing nature, my steps felt light, but my heart weighed a bit heavier than before.