Chapter 24
ㄴ ㅇㅇ(D44.444): They're trying to catch me by locking down the tower? Why the hell are they pulling this crap?
ㄴ 풍뎅이: You've been clearing it almost every day until now.
And at the latest, a record for clearing the next floor would go up within three days....
So if they control the tower in a specific region and the ranking updates stop, I guess the idea is that they can tell you're in that region.
ㄴ 마법은화력: I've seen this in a comic before. There, too, they aired things in sequence to catch the culprit....
ㄴ 풍뎅이: ...;; Anyway, this is seriously dangerous. If Demigod finds out about you, there's no way he'll leave you alone.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ(D44.444): Would he try to kill me?
ㄴ 냉장고: Would he really kill you? But if other countries found out about you, they'd absolutely try to take you with them. No matter what it took.
Everyone in the gallery agreed with that.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Exactly. From their perspective, you're a potential walking nuclear weapon.
They'll try to sweet-talk you into it and then control and use you in the end. Don't you ever fall for it.
ㄴ 냉장고 : I get naturalization offers every day too. The terms were too vague, so I didn't accept.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : What? So you're saying you'd leave if the terms were right? That's not okay.
ㄴ 냉장고 : My choice, isn't it.... Don't worry, I don't plan to move abroad yet.
ㄴ p깟쮸: Wait! We can't ignore the newbie's wishes, you know! Are you thinking of going overseas?
ㄴ ㅇㅇ(D44.444) : Hmm.... I guess there's no reason I couldn't go?
My joking answer sent the gallery into an uproar.
To be exact, one person was especially worked up.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Hey, don't do that, please. I'm begging you.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Tell me whatever you need. I'll get it for you somehow. Please just stay in Korea.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Where would you even go? America? If you go to the U.S., it's obvious you'll just end up suffering under some lunatic like Demigod. Just stay here.
I smirked at her desperate reaction and tapped out a reply.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ(D44.444) : I'm not going, I'm not. Just kidding. What country has internet as fast as Korea and chicken that tastes this good?
Besides, I can't even speak English. Even if I wanted to go, I'd be stuck.
***
“Haa... this isn't easy.”
I let out a sigh.
In the end, if their plan went through, it meant I'd be forced to take weeks off from climbing the tower.
Even if Korea was last, all the time added together would come to nearly a month.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Once you become S-rank, I won't care what those bastards bark about.... But until then, keeping a low profile is the right move.
ㄴ p깟쮸 : But are you really going to become S-rank?
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Obviously, right? If the newbie doesn't become S-rank, who would? Could you do that?
ㄴ p깟쮸 : I can't....
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Exactly. It's a lock. Guaranteed.
ㄴ p깟쮸 : ...The newbie's the one becoming S-rank, so why are you the one who's more excited, auntie?!
ㄴ 마법은화력 : ? Oh, that makes me angry?
As always, p깟쮸 and 마법은화력 started bickering.
냉장고 settled things with a comment that amounted to, ‘Cut it out already, seriously.’
풍뎅이 steered the conversation back on topic.
ㄴ 풍뎅이 : So, how many days are left until Korea's lockdown?
ㄴ 냉장고 : By my estimate, about one or two weeks left.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : A week, huh.... We'll have to find some solution somehow before then.
Everyone started discussing countermeasures without me.
Then, all of a sudden, 마법은화력 tossed out an idea.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Newbie, how about coming to Busan where I am instead?
ㄴ p깟쮸 : ? What would going to Busan solve? You're obviously just trying to snatch the newbie up.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : It's not like that, okay? I just happen to have a gift I want to give you, that's all.
ㄴ p깟쮸 : A gift??? This auntie is totally making her move now. You absolutely cannot go! If you do, it's guaranteed canned food!!!
I watched their conversation and mentioned the thought that had been circling my head.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ(F66.666) : But... wouldn't it be fine if I just didn't go into the tower and kept resting?
My comment plunged the gallery into silence for a moment.
ㄴ 냉장고 : Seriously.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Now that you mention it, that makes sense. If you just hide from now until the lockdown ends, the other side won't know anything.
Maybe it would have mattered before they knew the plan, but now that the information had already leaked, it seemed like a pointless operation.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ(F77.777) : Why are they doing something this inefficient?
Demigod being a blockhead was famous, but the governments of each country couldn't all be blockheads too.
And they agreed to a plan like this?
ㄴp깟쮸 : I heard Demigod's intelligence is about the same as a dolphin's, so maybe he's just really that stupid.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Honestly, if Demigod threatened people with a knife, it's true nobody could stop him....
ㄴ 풍뎅이 : Still, there may be some other motive. A reason that all the governments of the world would agree to. I'll look into it some more.
풍뎅이 sounded serious, but I was indifferent.
ㄴ ㅇㅇ(F88.888) : I don't know. How would I know anything about some huge conspiracy? I'm just going to tear into some chicken.
ㄴ 마법은화력 : So, you're really not coming to Busan? If you join our guild, we can treat you really well....
I'm the only guild master here. You wouldn't have to watch your back or hide, and you could keep climbing safely.
ㄴ p깟쮸 : Be careful. If that auntie catches you, she'll never let you go and make you climb the tower every day. It's obvious!!!
ㄴ 마법은화력 : Why don't you shut up.ㅡㅡ;
Busan, huh?
I thought it over for a moment, then quickly made up my mind.
You never know.
“Because I still can't protect myself from an A-rank yet.”
Either way, I couldn't enter the tower right now.
There was no reason to leave my familiar room and go all the way to Busan.
***
Meanwhile, at that moment, a secret conference room beneath the White House.
BANG!
Demigod slammed his fist into the solid wood table. The table screamed as it split in half.
“So you're telling me my plan failed?”
At his furious shout, the advisers and analysts in black suits all shrank back.
The air in the room froze.
A senior analyst reported in a trembling voice, making every effort not to meet his eyes.
“It seems the target figured out our intentions. Since the towers in Europe were locked down, Double O's ranking-record streak has come to a complete halt.”
“And the protests from various governments, especially in regions where the tower-collapse deadline is approaching....”
“Shut up!”
Demigod shouted again.
This time, the shock wave from his voice alone shattered every pane of bulletproof glass in the room.
“Why are you blaming me for your incompetence when you can't even catch one lousy rat and are floundering around?
My plan was perfect! It was just that maggots like you failed to carry it out properly!”
Demigod shoved back his chair and stood up, snorting with rage.
In his mind, his plan could not possibly fail.
If it had failed, it was entirely the fault of those beneath him.
“What? Governments are protesting? So what can they even do? If they've got a problem....”
Demigod gave one cracked wall a casual tap with his hand.
The concrete wall collapsed helplessly.
“Tell all the S-ranks in that country to come to me. If I wring every last one of their necks, they'll quiet down.
That's what you want from me, right? For me to shut those bastards up?”
A chilling silence fell over the conference room.
No one could argue with him. He really did have that power.
“I'll do it. Go tell them this: if they don't want to watch a city disappear before their eyes, they'd better behave.”
With that, Demigod rose from his seat and left the conference room.
With the sound of the door closing, the murderous aura pressing down on the room vanished as if it had been a lie.
Only then did the advisers all let out deep sighs, as if on cue.
‘That crazy bastard....’
‘How long are we supposed to keep kissing that guy's ass...’
They all muttered the same curse under their breath.
“Haa... so what do we do now? That guy stormed off like that, and the plan failed.”
One analyst said as he loosened his tie.
The one who broke the silence was the adviser who had reported to Demigod. His eyes gleamed coldly.
“No, this may actually be an opportunity.”
“An opportunity?”
“Demigod's plan was a stretch from the start. But thanks to him laying the groundwork, we now have the pretext to do what we originally wanted.”
He brought up a new operation plan on the holographic screen in the center of the conference room.
“We're setting up a double trap.”
“A double trap... you mean?”
“Exactly. The tower blockade will proceed as planned. But outwardly, we'll subtly leak that it's Demigod's unilateral operation to find an unknown ranker called ‘Double O.’ And while all the hunters and the press are focused on that....”
At the adviser’s gesture, the contents of the screen changed.
Blueprints for intricate magic circles and surveillance equipment filled the screen.
“We'll achieve our real objective. Use this chance to build a new surveillance system for every tower in the world. We'll deploy every physical measure and magical tracking method we have.”
The conference room stirred.
“But... wasn't that a matter the hunter guilds of every country fought tooth and nail against?”
“Exactly. It's something the governments of each country wanted to do but couldn't.
The appearance of an illegal, unregistered hunter is the thing every government fears most, not just us. Especially if that hunter has the potential to reach S-rank even more....”
His voice carried cold certainty.
“But now it is possible. If Demigod is stepping in to crush the hunters' discontent, we can push it through as a surprise move.”
“Is it really possible?”
“The U.S. and China will provide the technology and manpower. Of course, we'll need to collect a suitable ‘contribution’ in return.
The governments of each country get the justification and leash they need to suppress hunter resistance, and we secure influence and real benefits.”
“…….”
“Once the blockade ends, the perfect surveillance system will be complete. From then on, no hunter and no country will be able to secretly build up power.”
The helplessness that had hung over the room disappeared, replaced by cold calculation.
“Good. Let's change course.”
***
A week had passed since tower climbing was blocked.
“So what do I do now...?”
I let out a sigh.
In the end, if their plan went through, it meant I'd have to take nearly a month off from tower climbing.
The days of an unemployed bum, unable to climb the tower, drifted by aimlessly.
“Ah, I'm bored out of my mind....”
I had to find something to do during the month tower climbing was blocked.
Well, what I do is pretty much fixed most of the time.
I just write posts on the gallery.
[Title: Isn't Hunter Gallery kind of bleak these days?]
Author: ㅇㅇ(A11.111)
More than that, though....
It doesn't feel as warm as it used to... or something?
(...)
Ah~ I really said something pointless
So, everyone, get your heads on straight
Idiot.
[Title: Hunter bro chest proof.jpg]
Author: ㅇㅇ(A11.111)
Hunter bro, come here for a second and sit down.
(An illustration of a platypus with its arms crossed, glaring.)
I posted a fifty-fifty mix of bait posts and serious ones.
So people wouldn't completely ignore my posts and would still have a reason to click them, hoping for something.
But.
“Aaah.... Not enough. I need more dopamine....”
I was bored to death.
Since I wasn't climbing the tower, I had nothing worth bragging about in the gallery.
Back then, just posting bait and watching people's reactions was enough to entertain me.
But now, that alone wasn't enough.
Why? Why wasn't messing around on the gallery as fun as it used to be?
It was while I was mindlessly hitting refresh.
[Title: Is this healer's salary pretty average?]
Author: ㅇㅇ(119.204)
(Screenshot of a banking app.)
(Screenshot proving a 3 billion won balance.)
(Screenshot proving a 320 million won deposit.)
These days, with the blockade and the strike, there's no work coming in and it's so hard....
I barely scraped by this month by tightening my belt....
“This bastard?”
The moment I saw that post, the smile vanished from my face.
The comment section was already blazing.
ㄴ Holy shit....
ㄴ What rank do you have to be to make this much?
ㄴㄴ 작성자 : I'm B-rank, but compared to A-rank, I make way less....
ㄴㄴ I seriously want to kill you for downplaying it.
ㄴ Fuck, this is B-rank? Does that even make sense?
ㄴㄴ Healers and mages always make a lot of money anyway. lol
ㄴ Ah, I should've awakened into an easy-mode class too. Fuck, warrior is such a trash class....
ㄴㄴ Fact) Demigod hit rank 1 as a monk, which is a garbage-tier class. The class isn't the problem. You are.
ㄴㄴ Fact) Fact) Except for Demigod, all monks died on the first floor.
ㄴㄴ So the class isn't the problem. Are you an idiot?
ㄴㄴ Fact) The idiot with a two-digit IQ is Demigod.
An outpouring of blatant jealousy and mockery.
But the poster wouldn't be hurt in the slightest.
If anything, he was probably enjoying the reaction.
That's when I realized.
Why gallery browsing had stopped being fun.
It was because I had nothing worth bragging about.
A void that simple bait posts or attention-seeking posts couldn't fill.
I already wanted something beyond that.
The rush of tricking people, once tasted, was the kind of thing you couldn't forget.
“Damn.... What do I brag about?”
That I'm the fifth mage in Korea?
Or that I'm the world's only extreme-difficulty player?
Or the hidden pieces only I know about?
“Hold back, hold back....”
My last shred of reason held me back.
I still had to be careful.
Especially now that I knew the whole world was looking for me.
I did have the VPN old man Maggakno set up for me, but there was still a chance something could happen.
I logged into the mage gallery and casually tested the waters.
[Title: About that tower blockade]
Author: ㅇㅇ(C44.444)
Is it still going on? Any new news?
ㄴ 풍뎅이: Yeah. Still underway. I hear the European blockade is almost over. Korea should be next pretty soon
ㄴ p깟쮸: Newbie, are you getting so antsy you're about to burst?
ㄴ ㅇㅇ(C44.444) : No, I'm not.
ㄴ 마법은화력: Hang in there a few more days. It'll be over soon. Until then, don't you dare go anywhere and give yourself away.
She was right. Now was the time to lay low.
“Ah, seriously, isn't there anything?”
Feeling frustrated, I killed time by mindlessly scrolling YouTube Shorts.
All kinds of flashy, meaningless videos flashed by in a blur.
Cats, dogs, clumsy dances. And memes whose meaning I couldn't even decipher.
Then my finger stopped on one video.
An idea flashed through my head like lightning.
Yeah, this is it.
“If it's this, I can do it too.”
No, I could do it way better than that person.
Bigger, flashier.
And most importantly, I could erase every trace perfectly.
As if nothing had ever been there in the first place.
I shot to my feet.
I went outside to put the plan into motion.