Seo Pangyo, Jin Hyuk's house.
"I hope I'm not being a bother. You just got back."
"Oh, don't be silly. I rested plenty on the way here. Come in."
"Excuse me!"
Unlike Jin Yunho, Seyeon passed through the gate with lively energy.
How could he miss it?
The glory of being the first guest at runner Eugene Hyuk's housewarming.
"Wow. Is this a palace? Why is the house so big?"
"Nice, right? Got it for free."
Seyeon and Jin Yunho stopped mid-step and turned around.
Their pupils shook violently.
With the appearance of the Tower of Despair, housing prices had skyrocketed.
What did you have to do to get a house like this for free?
Just as they were about to subtly ask—
"Oh my."
A familiar but unpleasant voice rang out.
Seyeon erased her smile and turned her head back.
A question mark formed.
Why was that person here first? Acting like it was nothing.
"We keep running into each other here."
"Right. I heard you were busy running Generos and doing influencer work, so why are you here?"
"None of your business. Anyone listening would think this was your house."
Jin Yunho and Jin Hyuk, standing side by side, held their breath.
They didn't know why.
It just felt like they should.
"Oh, Jin Hyuk-ssi. You're here earlier than I thought. But what do we do? We're not done yet."
"Huh? Jin Hyuk-ssi is here?"
Yoo Suyeon came out in work clothes.
Seyeon's pupils shook once more.
Not even the second time.
'What does that stupid order even matter.'
She forced herself to rationalize and shrugged.
It wasn't like they lived together. She was just helping with remodeling for a bit.
Don't be childish.
"I said I'd do it as fast as I could, but there's still some finishing work left. It'll take two more days."
"Take your time, no rush. You're busy running the association too. Feel free to use the annex."
"I've been using it well. It's too big for just the representative and me to use alone."
A major earthquake struck Seyeon's pupils.
They were living together in the same house?
Her fingertips trembled.
She had unconsciously skipped over the word "annex."
"I'm Jin Yunho of the Player Hunter Bureau."
"I'm Jin Seohee from Generos. We've met a few times, right?"
"Yes. I owe a lot to Genex."
"I'm Yoo Suyeon from the Yeon Association!"
"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from the hunters under me. They say you sell quality items at reasonable prices."
Jin Yunho smiled brightly.
In fact, the Yeon Association was an organization the Player Hunter Bureau was keeping an eye on.
Mid-to-low tier players who couldn't be supported due to resource issues.
The Yeon Association was serving as a crucial stepping stone until they reached floors under the Hunter Bureau's management.
'So that's it.'
He alternated glances between Jin Hyuk, Yoo Suyeon, and Jin Seohee.
Even if it was a subsidiary of Genex, Generos was no small company.
He'd wondered why such a place suddenly formed an alliance with a new association, and how they'd stabilized the system so quickly and created such steep growth.
There was a reliable center of gravity.
"You all always go through so much trouble because of me."
Jin Hyuk, who had been waiting for the greetings to finish, opened his mouth.
"So I'd like to treat you to a meal. How about it? I brought some really good meat."
"Oh, a barbecue party? That sounds great."
"Me too. I was just getting hungry."
"I'll prepare it. Where can I get what we need?"
"Ah, it's fine. A friend is coming to help prepare."
"A friend to help prepare?"
"They should be arriving about now."
*Ding-dong!*
"Looks like they're here."
Jin Hyuk went down the stairs and opened the front door.
"Momo has arrived! Uncle, long time no see!"
Momo, wearing a cute crossbody bag, raised her hand.
Jin Hyuk quietly gave her a thumbs up.
Excellent acting.
"Mooooomoooooo!!"
Yoo Suyeon came running in her sock feet, not even noticing her slippers had fallen off.
As expected, she was Momo's biggest fan.
Yoo Suyeon naturally lifted Momo up and looked outside the door.
"Huh? Did Momo come here all by herself?"
Oops.
Cold sweat ran down Jin Hyuk's back.
He'd missed a detail.
"Momo can ride a plane all by herself!"
No! A child can't ride alone!
"Really?! Wow, Momo, that's amazing."
Fortunately, it passed naturally.
Phew.
"Momo, you got a haircut!"
"One centimeter, no unevenness—straight from every angle, a perfect blunt cut! What do you think?"
"So cute!"
Seyeon, who had come down the stairs, widened her eyes.
What was this? This impossibly cute creature.
"Who cut our little cutie's hair so perfectly straight? So adorable!"
"An American noona cut it!"
"American noona?"
"Yeah! She was at the hotel with me!"
A moment of silence flowed.
Seyeon, Seohee, and Suyeon's eyes all turned to Jin Hyuk at once.
Jin Yunho stared into the distance.
These things happen.
When innocent secrets spill from a child's mouth.
Jin Hyuk swallowed dryly and raised his hand.
"No crazy imaginations. She was a guest staying on a different floor at the same hotel. She was a hairstylist, so she cut Momo's hair."
"Phew. That startled me."
Seyeon's reflexive reaction made Jin Seohee smile subtly.
"A sigh of relief?"
"What are you talking about? When did I? Stop picking fights, Jin Seohee-ssi."
"So sensitive."
"Alright, alright!"
Jin Hyuk clapped his hands and led everyone to the garden.
"Momo has the barbecue tools in her inventory. Just help her move them. I'll go up to the roof for a bit."
Jin Hyuk spun around and walked to the top of the house.
A space with an open view on all sides, built from marble for easy cleaning.
Perfect for climbing the tower.
He sat down in one corner.
He'd told Momo to come secretly when it was time to collect.
Let's go first.
* * *
[Entering the Enhanced Tower of Despair, Floor 71!]
[You are the first player to enhance Floor 71!]
[The achievement 'First Enhancer of Floor 71' has been added to the Book of Deeds!]
[Due to tower enhancement, the difficulty of Floor 71 has increased significantly!]
[Due to the difficulty increase, the battlefield has changed from a certain black mage's stronghold to the gateway of the Holy Kingdom, Saintra!]
[The appearing monsters have been changed to entities of higher rank and level!]
[In the enhanced tower, elements used for grade calculation are not reflected! SSS+ grade will be awarded upon clearing!]
Nice.
He threw an uppercut into the air.
He'd been nervous since there were no reviews on using the enhancement ticket.
But the function he wanted appeared perfectly.
'I can just clear it with peace of mind.'
His friends, manifesting one by one, trembled.
"It's eerie. Like a ghost's about to pop out, you know?"
Camelia blew out smoke and looked around.
"The air is thick with tainted death energy."
"Oh? Long time no see, everyone!"
A familiar friend appeared.
The badger, Konu, walking and waving.
*Click!*
"Eeek!"
A BB gun pistol was aimed at Konu's head.
"Hey, Otter! Don't even think about spreading out your sleeping bag and lazing around like last time! If you slack off, you're flying out of here!"
"Yes, yes sir!"
"Straighten up. I'm watching."
As expected, the discipline sergeant, Kancho.
He straightened out Konu's loosened discipline in one shot.
But wasn't that our job?
Getting Konu to actually do things properly.
"Now guide us, sir."
"Yes sir!"
Konu walked over, full of fighting spirit.
His eyes were intensely focused as he looked around.
Looks like he's really trying today.
Konu, scanning with wide eyes, looked up at Jin Hyuk.
"Where is this?"
"Are you messing around?!"
Kancho, about to dropkick him, was caught by Jin Hyuk.
"Is this your first time here too, Konu?"
"This isn't Floor 71? No, it is Floor 71? But why is it an empty plain? Originally, you'd break into the stronghold and destroy the black mage's spirit body to clear this floor."
It said "first enhancement," so he had a hunch.
But even the guide was unfamiliar with this.
"Yeah. It's strange. This has never happened. Did you do something?"
"I used an enhancement ticket."
"Huh?"
Konu froze solid.
He was starting to genuinely wonder.
Did this guy enjoy suffering?
Why would he use an enhancement ticket on a random tower?!
He was definitely not getting off work on time today.
*Thud.*
He turned his head at the approaching presence.
A unit of about two hundred people.
They looked in bad shape, like they'd been through a harsh battle.
"...?!"
The eyes of the holy knight leading the unit widened.
The unit members' pupils shook violently.
A land where no living being should be found.
Who the hell were they?
'They look scared.'
Jin Hyuk rubbed his chin.
The unit's morale was already on the floor.
That's probably why their faces were full of fear.
They seemed to be hoping he wasn't an enemy.
"Konu. Looks like they've never seen a player before."
"That seems to be the case."
"Then go mediate, sir! Why are you just standing there calmly saying 'that seems to be the case' as a guide?!"
"I'll leave it to you. I think it'd be better than us going."
"Yes, sir."
The badger Konu walked over.
'You ill-tempered raccoon bastard!'
Maybe because a harmless-looking badger was approaching, the holy knight acting as unit commander lowered his stance.
After nodding a few times, the holy knight approached Jin Hyuk.
Despite being exhausted, he respectfully bowed and spoke.
"I am Roberto, holy knight of the Holy Kingdom Saintra. I've heard the situation. You've come to help us."
"Yes. I'm here to kill undead. I need some directions—were you heading somewhere?"
"We were returning to the kingdom's capital, Wilhelm. More precisely... we were retreating after losing a battle."
No wonder they looked like this.
"Is the enemy undead?"
"Yes. The Lord of Death, the century's necromancer, Mortarion. He has invaded the Holy Kingdom Saintra. We were reinforcements sent to help defend an invaded city."
Roberto lowered his head.
"It was an elite force of ten thousand. But we were so pathetically defeated by the undead legion Mortarion commands."
Roberto swallowed a painful groan and continued.
"Now I was planning to return to the capital, report our defeat, and propose a siege. I don't know how long we can hold against that absurd legion. And that's assuming we can even make it back. The undead army could spring up anywhere, anytime."
*Ding!*
[Information on Enhanced Floor 71 has been updated!]
[Escort Holy Knight Roberto's unit!]
Roberto's unit must safely arrive at the capital, Wilhelm!
Clearing will fail if Roberto dies!
Help Roberto shake off pursuit and reach Wilhelm!
Jin Hyuk nodded.
Finally, the lazy system was starting to work.
And the fact that this message appeared meant—
*Woooooooom——!!!*
Something was coming.
The pursuit force chasing Roberto and his holy knights.
"Sir Roberto! The undead army!"
"R-run! To Wilhelm!!"
Roberto, turning around, furrowed his brow.
Jin Hyuk and his party were walking in the opposite direction instead of running.
"What are you doing!? Run! The undead army is coming!"
"Go ahead. We'll hold them here."
It would take quite a while to reach Wilhelm.
Wiping out the pursuit force would clear things faster.
As Roberto tried to shout something more, Jin Hyuk smiled at him.
"It's fine."
First, he needed to show overwhelming firepower to put Roberto at ease.
"Kancho."
"Yodel Ranger squad leader Kancho!"
Kancho aimed the heavy weapon he'd received from the Player Hunter Bureau.
His arm seemed to be trembling a bit, but it should be fine, right?
"Firing no—*gack!!*
*BANG!*
Kancho fell flat on his back with the sound.
Jin Hyuk's pupils shook violently.
Huh!?
----------
T/N:
Just for being a free member, you'll get 5 advanced chapters every week!
Access 35 chapters in advance on my Patreon:[email protected]//towerup