Free Web NovelFloors 66 through 70.
The conquest that had started at 5 AM Korean time ended in just one hour.
It was lightning fast.
Floor 69 seemed to have taken a little time, but Floor 70 was quick as a flash, the fastest of them all.
A Kabalan conquest that would go down in history.
And thus, the Curse of Average was lifted.
The distance between humanity and annihilation had grown slightly wider.
But there was no time to bask in joy.
The Sinkhole Wave was still ongoing.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters briefing room in Daejeon.
As soon as the Floor 70 conquest was complete, a public address by Commissioner Jeon Gwangil was announced.
7 AM.
Despite the early hour, reporters had gathered like clouds, and foreign correspondents were all in attendance as well.
Naturally, the whole world was watching.
What exactly would today’s announcement contain?
During the first press conference, the world had scoffed.
Korea’s declaration to conquer the original Kabalan.
What? Did that even make sense?
Had Commissioner Jeon Gwangil lost his mind?
But the results were astounding.
Immediately after the address, they had completed up to Floor 65.
And the next day?
Another World Announcement and five more floors climbed, leading to the long-awaited conquest of the original Kabalan.
It was not a bluff, nor a lie.
Everything he said had come true.
For that reason, the entire world was hanging on Jeon Gwangil’s every word.
After a brief greeting, Jeon Gwangil spoke.
“Soon, a new beginning for the Black Tower conquest will open. That is, Season 2.”
Season 2.
“You will learn of this through the World Announcement, but starting from Floor 71, the conquest deadline will stack.”
What did that mean?
“If you climb to Floor 71 and successfully clear it, six months will be added to the collapse deadline.”
The bewildered reporters.
Stack?
“Yes, stack. Six months per floor. Floor 72? That is twelve months. If we clear Floor 80, that is a total of 60 months. That’s right. Five years. We will be free from collapse worries for five years.”
It was a shocking announcement.
“However, greed is forbidden. Please do not recklessly climb the Tower just to stack the collapse deadline. Currently, the only one capable of climbing Floor 71 and above is Korea’s top Player.”
That was true.
Even America’s Lumitri had fallen by the wayside.
“This climbing method cannot and should not be imitated. I urge you to continue clearing as you always have.”
It was somewhat bruising to their pride.
Korean Players can do it, but you cannot.
Was that not exactly what he was saying?
One foreign correspondent quickly raised a hand.
“Couldn’t other Players do it too? We also heard the World Announcement. The content about the undead zone being weakened due to the original Kabalan’s conquest. Then other Players could surely...”
Jeon Gwangil shook his head at the reporter’s question and replied.
“Weakened it may be, but dark aura is still a difficult element to overcome.”
“Ah...”
That was a fair point.
Unless the dark aura had completely disappeared.
“Nevertheless, do not be discouraged. We have found the answer.”
“Pardon?”
The answer?
“You will be able to see that answer at today’s Chuncheon Wave defense battle.”
Commissioner Jeon Gwangil’s expression was confident.
A solution for conquering the undead?
Hands shot up here and there, and cameras flashed.
Jeon Gwangil did not elaborate further.
“Please watch Chuncheon. Then you will understand.”
What on earth?
“We will not stop. We will fill the sinkholes and end the Waves, and we will climb the Black Tower to Floor 100. Toward complete conquest.”
Jeon Gwangil’s voice was filled with conviction.
“Of course, it will not be easy. The Black Tower will throw all kinds of obstacles at us. Numerous unexpected situations may arise.”
At that, a reporter tilted their head and raised a hand again.
“The Black Tower will interfere? Are you saying the Tower has intent? I thought it was just a natural disaster.”
“No, it is not a natural disaster. The Black Tower intentionally invaded Earth.”
Murmur, murmur.
The briefing room grew noisy.
“Explaining would take too long, so we will distribute the details separately through a press release.”
Now for the finale.
“I believe without a doubt.”
Jeon Gwangil’s eyes flashed.
“A new era will begin. A world where we do not have to worry about the Black Tower collapsing, an era of the Fifth Industrial Revolution based on high-grade Magic Stones. Korea’s top Player and we will build it together.”
No more hands went up.
“Lastly, please be sure to watch the Chuncheon Sinkhole Wave defense battle that will take place shortly. We plan to broadcast it live via satellite. You can look forward to it.”
Honestly, three days ago they would have just laughed.
The Republic of Korea that had been floundering, unable to even clear Floor 61? fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
But now the situation had changed.
He had proven it himself.
And so Jeon Gwangil’s press conference once again shook the world.
***
At that hour, Juhyeok met with Jeon Gwangil, who had just finished the press conference, at a location within the Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters.
The summoned entities were with him as well.
“Wow! That was amazing. Your charisma was off the charts!”
“A soldier is definitely a soldier.”
“The Commissioner and the General must share the same soul.”
“Brigadier General Bae should learn from that. That is the dignity of a four-star general.”
Jeon Gwangil could not hide his smile, clearly delighted.
How hard had these times been?
The Republic of Korea had nearly collapsed from the Dark Wave.
If Juhyeok had not arrived at that exact moment, the situation would have been beyond salvage.
But the tide had turned.
The Republic of Korea, which had been desperately struggling for survival, was now leading the world in Tower climbing and Wave defense.
“I’m truly grateful.”
“Oh, please! It’s nothing at all.”
Don’t worry.
From now on, you can sleep comfortably with your legs stretched out.
Yet there seemed to be something weighing on his mind.
Commissioner Jeon Gwangil hesitated, watching Juhyeok’s reaction.
“Um, on one hand, I also feel apologetic.”
“Pardon?”
“Putting Summoner Bong-nim in front while I ride on your coattails seems presumptuous of me.”
At that moment—
“HALT!!!”
Cossack burst out in anger.
“What’s wrong with riding on someone’s coattails?”
“Well, that’s...”
“The tiger has granted you the authority to use his prestige. The fox should gratefully accept it and work even harder at using those coattails.”
“I-Is that so?”
“Look at me. This Cossack, am I not the model of riding on coattails? The steward always has more power than the actual landowner. So brazenly ride on those coattails.”
Juhyeok nodded in agreement.
To move freely on Earth NO.843, it was better to put a powerful authority figure out front.
In terms of both position and character, Commissioner Jeon Gwangil was perfect.
Anyway, the Wave defense time was approaching.
“Commissioner-nim, let’s head to Chuncheon immediately.”
“Ah! Yes, yes, the helicopter is on standby. Please board.”
Helicopter?
Hmm, that would be slow.
Should they just take the green plane, Crackus?
No, wait.
If he showed them the dragon, people would faint.
“Yes, I’ll move now.”
THWAP-THWAP-THWAP-THWAP.
The helicopter headed to Chuncheon.
He really wished he had two bodies.
If only he could pluck a hair from his body like the Great Sage and create another Bong Juhyeok.
Then one could clear the Tower while the other defended the Wave.
Were sinkholes only in Korea?
Even now, Wave defense was happening somewhere in the world.
Regular Waves could be held off well enough, but if a Dark Wave struck, there was no option besides nukes.
He needed to pay attention to other countries’ Waves too.
That was why this Chuncheon Sinkhole Wave defense was so important.
So then, what about this Chuncheon Sinkhole Wave?
Would a Dark Wave occur again?
Juhyeok was certain it would.
There was no basis for this.
Just a tingling at the top of his head.
And one more thing.
Wouldn’t the Waves end once Floor 90 was cleared? Why go to such lengths?
It was because he had a bad feeling about this too.
The administrators of Earth NO.843’s Black Tower knew as well.
That if Floor 90 was cleared, they were finished too.
They were not the type to just sit still.
They would definitely try something.
To prevent Floor 90 from being cleared by any means necessary.
He had experienced this multiple times while clearing the Black Towers of two parallel universes.
Causality manipulation, scale trading, and they had even blocked missions entirely.
But he was not worried.
Interference?
Bring it on.
He had the almighty Godbaek-nim after all.
***
From Daejeon to Chuncheon by military helicopter took about one hour.
So Juhyeok and the summoned entities arrived at the Chuncheon Sinkhole Defense Headquarters a little past 9 AM.
Being a bit late did not matter.
In the early stages of a Sinkhole Wave, only very weak monsters like goblins and frog monsters appeared.
Personal firearms were enough to handle them.
They were not threatening at all.
Then, about two hours later, orcs would start appearing.
That was when awakened Player soldiers became necessary.
The Awakened Forces had been waiting in advance.
Before they were assigned to their respective positions, Gyeon Dallae stepped forward and held interview sessions with the Awakened Forces.
“What is your Trait?”
The Awakened Forces Player answered her question.
“I use a spear. My skills are spear-related too.”
Then?
“Dimensional Servant.”
“Hm?”
“One Holy Spear, please.”
SWISH!
A sturdy long spear with excellent weight balance.
“Wh-What is this?”
“It is a gift bestowed upon the Awakened Forces by Top Player-nim.”
“Ahh.”
“Please always use it with a grateful heart.”
“Y-Yes, yes, u-understood.”
Holy-attribute weapons made through overnight work.
Armor would be distributed next time.
Weapons first.
The item information would not reveal the exact performance.
Only the basic Tower reward item information would appear.
The magic enchantment, holy water coating, and Radiance battery installation were subsequent additions.
Though they were mass-produced, their performance was anything but.
Options comparable to the old holy swords that had run the rental business back on their Earth.
Not only was the weapon’s inherent power strong, but its durability was also solid, and the Radiance was quite brilliant.
The Radiance would not manifest from the start.
Since it was a device that needed to be charged to use, if it started emitting light from the beginning, it would drain completely before the undead even appeared.
When undead appeared?
It would automatically manifest Radiance in response to the dark aura.
That was when the weapon’s true performance would emerge.
A revolution in Wave defense was about to begin.
Since it would be broadcast via satellite TV, they could expect advertising effects too.
On Earth NO.1001, he had made good use of the Weight Loss Bracelet.
Here, let’s make good use of the holy weapons.
Next Player.
“Are you two ranged? What are your Trait weapons?”
“Bow.”
“Crossbow for me.”
Holy Bow and Holy Crossbow distributed.
“Next.”
“I use a sword...”
“What size? Greatsword?”
“No, a one-handed sword.”
One-handed Holy Sword distributed.
“I use an axe.”
“Hammer for me.”
Holy Axe and Holy Hammer.
“I’m a magic class, so...”
“Don’t worry. We have staves too.”
A Holy Staff would work.
When casting magic, the essence of Radiance would also mix into the skill.
In this way, they distributed White Tower-crafted holy-attribute weapons to almost all Awakened Forces Players.
But they were not handed out carelessly.
They assigned serial numbers, recorded the receiving soldier’s name, and even engraved tracking magic enchantments.
In case they were illegally leaked to other countries.
They could not let anyone steal them for free.
They had to sell them expensively, for proper compensation.
The Sinkhole Wave Begins
Time passed quickly.
It was about time for orcs to appear.
Juhyeok also prepared.
He entered a quiet tent.
First, he unsummoned all the summoned entities.
Then what?
He called forth the summoned entities who had not been summoned yet.
“Designated Summon Group 14!”
SPOT! SPOT! SPOT! SPOT!
“Summoner-nim, loyalty!”
“Finally...”
“I will meet your expectations.”
People brimming with excitement.
“Take it easy.”
“Yes!!!”
“Focus more on protecting the soldiers than on beating up monsters.”
“We will keep that in mind!!!”
Their eyes were intense too.
How badly they must have wanted to fight.
“Then spread out. The defense line is long, so go as far apart as possible.”
SPOT! SPOT! SPOT! SPOT!
The summoned entities vanished.
The Wave would last about 24 hours.
So he would need to swap them out three or four more times in between.
‘I need to give everyone a fair chance.’
He did not want anyone feeling left out because they were not called.
***
Captain Nam Garam of the Awakened Forces was a Player of promising talent.
Called the next Lee Minseon, he was popular at idol level in Korea with his handsome looks and tall stature.
In fact, he and Lee Minseon were close friends who called each other noona and dongsaeng like siblings.
It had taken Nam Garam less than a year from his first commission as a second lieutenant to his promotion to captain.
Promotions were always fast during wartime.
Opportunities to earn merit were plentiful.
He had particularly distinguished himself in Sinkhole Wave defense.
His Trait was Swordsman.
So Nam Garam had also received a one-handed sword as a gift.
How did holding the sword feel?
Confidence was certainly surging within him.
‘But the item info is...’
There was nothing special.
An ordinary Tower reward item.
It was definitely a decent weapon.
Nice visuals, good balance, and plenty of options attached.
But this weapon was supposedly specialized for undead. What was the connection?
‘There’s no anti-undead option either.’
Was it just a placebo effect?
That was likely.
‘Where in the world would you find an undead-specialized weapon?’
If such a thing existed, the Republic of Korea would not have developed sinkholes in the first place.
Anyway, the Sinkhole Wave defense was proceeding smoothly.
Orcs had appeared, and now trolls, ogres, minotaurs, and other large humanoid monsters were emerging.
Monsters that were formidable both inside and outside the Tower.
But Nam Garam dispatched them without difficulty.
His level was 51, after all.
Nam Garam threw himself into the Sinkhole Wave defense with full concentration.
A 24-hour marathon battle.
When tired, he briefly retreated to the rear for rest.
Night combat commenced.
The battlefield was brightly lit by searchlights erected everywhere and illumination from unmanned drones.
Before long, dawn broke again.
So far, there had been no problems at all.
Even when aerial flying monsters appeared.
‘...Easy.’
Wyverns and griffins were dropping helplessly.
What made it easier?
The Awakened Forces’ morale rising?
Or was the gifted weapon performing well?
Or maybe a lot of skilled Players had joined the battle?
‘Well, it’s probably one of the three.’
It was almost over.
Just about two more hours and the Wave would end.
Right at that moment—
Black formless energy emerged from the hole.
“Undead! It’s the undead!!!”
Nam Garam tensed up.
Damn it all!
They came again.
Dark Wave.
Two in a row.
The chilling dark aura.
Honestly, without that, undead would be manageable.
Even the weakest mummies were scary because of the dark aura.
If you assumed it was not there?
Trash monsters worse than trolls or ogres.
‘...Let’s do this.’
A weapon gifted by Korea’s top Player, whose name and face he did not know.
‘Plus, it’s being broadcast live via satellite to the whole world. If I look weak, I’ll be so embarrassed...’
But right at that moment—
SHWOOONG!
The one-handed sword vibrated.
“Hm?”
And then.
FWAAAAASH!
The moment he faced the undead, brilliant light burst forth from the sword.
“...Gasp!”
What was this?
This light?
It was warm.
Strong will surged up like spring water.
The light did not stop at just the weapon.
Light that manifested from the weapon flowed through his hand into his body.
He felt like his entire body had become a giant luminous object.
The undead were even retreating.
They were afraid of the light.
Nam Garam unconsciously swung his sword.
TSHHT!
SLASH!
The zombie’s head was sliced off.
‘C-Crazy!’
What on earth was happening?
Was this really undead?
They were worse than orcs?
Only then did Nam Garam realize.
It really was specialized for undead.
A Holy Sword.
There was no room for doubt.
‘Thank you. I will never forget this kindness.’
After silently offering thanks to the one who had given him this gift, Nam Garam, the warrior of light with his glowing sword, threw himself fully into battle.
SLASH! SLA-SLA-SLASH!
The undead were being annihilated in an instant.
Nam Garam was not the only one.
SHWOONG, SHWOONG, SHWOONG!
FWASH, FWAAASH, FWAAAAASH!
Brilliant lights rose everywhere. freewebnøvel.com
They were like lightsabers.
People around the world watching the Chuncheon Wave battle via satellite broadcast were absolutely stunned.
What on earth were those weapons?
Weapons of light were driving back the undead.
It was overwhelming.
It was so incredible, words could not describe it.
Were those for sale?
If they could buy them, they had to.
No matter what.
Whatever the price.
