Everyone except Veronica Caliber—who was undergoing her rank breakthrough—and Aliamari had been summoned to Juhyeok’s family home.

Behind Juhyeok, as he spoke with his family, the summoned entities sat neatly gathered together.

The living room was completely full.

Still, his family looked uneasy.

Strangers had filled their living room. That was only natural.

Juhyeok did explain things.

From the moment he gained his summoning Trait and first entered the Tower, to how he cleared S++ and S+++ runs with the help of his summoned entities, and how he came to be called the world’s top Player.

He summarized it simply, in a way that was easy to understand.

He left out the nonsense.

There was no need to explain every detail.

“So... these people are helping you, Juhyeok?”

“Yes.”

“Th-they’re... very kind people. Are you treating them properly?”

“I always treat them well.”

Minhyuk glanced nervously at the summoned entities and whispered,

“Wow. Our hyung really has it easy.”

“...You’re not wrong.”

He also gave them Residency Rights.

He had prepared them in advance.

As he handed one to each of them, they gained the ability to enter White Tower Floor 17, just like CEO Jung.

He did not forget to tell them that if anything dangerous ever happened, they were to immediately use the entry function and go to the 17th floor.

“Mm... a-alright. I’ll try it slowly.”

“Me too.”

His family still seemed burdened by the summoned entities.

That was understandable.

To them, these people were still strangers.

Maybe it was the pressure of their souls.

Just making eye contact with them made the family shrink back.

And one of them was even claiming to be North Korea’s Minister of the People’s Armed Forces.

It could not feel comfortable.

For now, they were frightening people.

“Minhyuk, if you’re bored, come hang out often.”

And help out a little, too.

“Well... shouldn’t I get familiar with them first?”

“You get familiar with them by coming often.”

Meanwhile, Rajix was still cleaning, carrying golden cleaning tools from room to room.

RUMBLE, SCURRY, SCURRY!

SWISH, SWISH, SCRUB, SCRUB, ROLL, ROLL, ROLL, ROLL.

The family’s gazes followed Rajix.

Sometimes with curiosity, sometimes with warm smiles.

Rajix had clearly succeeded in breaking down their wariness.

Anyway, introductions had been made.

The family’s safety was secured.

Now, even if the house caught fire, if they fell into the sea and were about to drown, if the Tower collapsed and the world ended—

the family would be safe.

They just had to shout, “White Tower, 17th floor,” and that was it.

It would take time, but someday they would grow familiar with everyone.

They would drop by once in a while, get used to their faces, and slowly grow accustomed to them.

He had finally told his family.

After saying it out loud, his chest felt completely clear.

He should have told them earlier.

Even after coming clean, daily life continued as usual.

While Veronica Caliber trained in seclusion for her rank breakthrough on the 61st floor of the White Tower landmark, bracelet production continued.

Rajix Trading Company outsourced work to nearly every accessory subcontractor in Korea’s precious-metals district.

The massive number of bracelet bodies they produced were transported into the 17th floor.

But they were not sold outright. It was a subscription system.

Sales volume had to be controlled, and inventory always had to be kept ready.

Just like before, this sale was limited to 3,000 units, first come, first served.

Requests to increase sales flooded in, but they refused.

Even when they made more than enough, they simply stockpiled them.

If they sold too many, they would not be able to handle the massive number of bracelet replacements that would come back three months later.

So sales were staggered and rotated out over time.

Once worn, the cursed artifact could never be removed.

Enchanting work continued day after day to maintain supply.

Workshop foreman Cossack drove the workers hard.

“Hey, Mister Mage! What are you doing? Hurry up and cast the enchantment spell and finish up.”

“I’ve got a disciple.”

“But Mage Jung has a high defect rate. Three out of ten are faulty.”

“I’m handling the defective ones myself, so don’t worry.”

“If you did it from the start, there wouldn’t be defects.”

“Come on! If you only look for veterans, how are rookies supposed to gain experience?”

Juhyeok still was not satisfied.

If they kept working like this, when would they ever get to enjoy themselves?

“I think we need to bring in more people. Everyone’s working too much.”

Gyeon Dallae replied,

“I understand Young Master’s benevolent heart, but you must be careful whom you bring in. It could cause trouble...”

“That’s right. Young people these days are hard to manage. Unless they’re like Chief Jeon or CEO Jung.”

True.

Was this an ordinary workplace?

You needed an access pass, a lease pass, or some kind of residence-related authority just to enter.

How could they bring in just anyone?

Minhyuk would be nice, but... no, that wimp.

There was one possible plan.

The random summon date was approaching.

A new summoned entity.

The odds are low, but if I pull a magical engineer...

They could build a factory.

A fully automated one.

Mass-produce bracelets.

Still, Veronica Caliber won’t be back for another ten days.

It had only been four days since she entered seclusion.

Yet her absence already felt enormous.

The moment she returned, they would challenge the 84th floor.

That bald eagle bastard—they would crush it.

Thinking about how Rajix had nearly died made his blood boil.

They would also avenge Blood Wolf.

Right—why had Rajix suddenly run off like that back then?

What scent had he picked up?

When Juhyeok asked,

“Hoe, it was a very strong smell.”

“...What kind?”

“Strong. Hoe.”

Then—

“Could it have been a high-grade Magic Stone vein?”

“Hoe... it was strong.”

I see.

Now Rajix’s behavior made sense.

Juhyeok had been going on and on about needing high-grade Magic Stones to decorate the 17th floor.

From Rajix’s perspective, his behavior had been inevitable.

“Cosmic bald farmer... just you wait.”

If they hit the jackpot on the 84th floor next time, he would give Rajix two Badges immediately.

That would make twenty-five.

Five LSSR skills.

The minimum requirement to become an LSSR-ranked summoned entity.

Each Badge earned step by step.

The first summoned entity to achieve it.

He was beyond excited.

What would an LSSR cosmic bald farmer even look like?

In any case, the White Tower Floor 17 workshop ran nonstop.

Sometimes they skinned leather, sometimes they had group dinners after hard labor, and the heavy drinkers gathered to drink.

“CEO Jung, you’re improving steadily.”

“Thank you, Master.”

“Hahaha, it’s all for our summoner’s sake. How about it? Starting to want to learn other spells?”

“N-no, I’m fine. The enchantment activation spell alone is enough.”

“No ambition, huh? Still, aim for 3-circle. To go around calling yourself Mackenzie Dronak’s disciple, you need at least that much.”

Everyone knew why Mackenzie was teaching Jung Dong-hoon magic.

No one was fooled. It was because he was useful labor.

Still, the results were good.

CEO Jung was satisfied too.

Sometimes Minhyuk also visited the 17th floor.

He was extremely shy around everyone except family.

Even at his university, he was known as the “all-items unit”—a true bottom-tier man who avoided attention.

“Oh! Summoner Bong’s brother is here. A precious Bong bloodline.”

“Welcome, Second Young Master.”

“Come often. This old man will teach you some usable martial arts—”

But—

...

After standing awkwardly for a while—

SPOT!

Minhyuk disappeared.

Tsk.

It would take a long time to get close.

Three more days passed like that.

They kept producing bracelets.

The more they worked, the more natural it felt.

Working in the workshop with the summoned entities, Chief Jeon, and CEO Jung—chatting as they worked—was surprisingly fun.

Anyway, Veronica Caliber should be back in a week.

Juhyeok looked toward the building where she was undergoing her breakthrough.

Should I go up?

But he worried about disturbing her.

Still, maybe I could quietly take a look—

At that moment—

FWAAAAASH!

The top of the landmark building shone like a lighthouse.

“Oh!”

“What’s that?”

Something was happening.

A breakthrough?

There’s still a week left.

What if something had gone wrong?

Rumble, rumble.

Juhyeok and the summoned entities rushed toward the landmark building.

The moment they entered the lobby—

“Huh!”

“Mm?”

“I-it’s moving.”

On the elevator LED panel, the arrow was moving downward.

61, 60, 59.

It was coming down.

40, 39, 38.

Of course, it had to be Veronica Caliber.

20, 19, 18.

How had she changed?

5, F, 3...

It was faster than expected—surely she had not failed?

...1, Ding!

It arrived.

A tense moment.

SHRRRK.

The doors opened.

Veronica Caliber stepped out.

“Sergeant Major Veronica Caliber reporting. By order of my commanding officer, I have been promoted to Sergeant Major as of 00:00 on 00/00. Victory!!!”

Veronica Caliber—

no, now Sergeant Major Veronica Caliber.

“I broke through faster than expected. It may be because I attempted the promotion while in a physical body inside the White Tower.”

The environment must have affected the breakthrough duration.

It was definitely not a failure.

You could tell at a glance.

<Catalog: A Magitech Empire ranger veteran sergeant major who crushes friend and foe alike.>

Name: Veronica Caliber

Rank: LSSR (Legend Special Super Rare)

Type: Magitech Gunner (Human)

Manifestation Duration: 5 hours

Satisfaction Rating: None

Resummon Cooldown: 3 hours (applies after dismissal)

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!

Thunderous applause erupted.

Her equipment had been upgraded across the board.

The magitech gun went without saying—

it now looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie.

Her defense and mobility also seemed to have increased.

The fabric tights she had worn before had changed into glossy black latex.

...Does that even breathe?

It was dizzying.

Truly enough to crush allies and enemies alike.

Sergeant Major Veronica Caliber.

I’m going to die.

Black Tower Control Room

The designer was uneasy.

In a previous conversation, the summoner had babbled something strange about bringing in a magical engineer.

What if they actually pulled a magical engineer?

A magical engineer was not, in itself, an especially extraordinary profession.

At its core, it was just an engineer—

someone who made golems and mechanical devices.

But what if a mage, an alchemist, and a magical engineer gathered in one place? 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

And what if all three worked together with full commitment toward a single goal?

The trinity of magitech, alchemy, and engineering.

That terrifying synergy.

From the tower administrator’s perspective, it would be nothing short of a disaster.

So he ordered the engineer to investigate—

whether there were any magical engineers currently waiting in the world of souls.

[We’ve investigated.]

[Please tell me this is good news.]

[Hahaha, rest assured. It’s exactly as you hoped.]

[I want to hear it quickly.]

[Long ago, there was one LSSR-rank magical engineer.]

[And?]

[After the summoner from Earth No. 442 died, the engineer couldn’t overcome the loss and the soul collapsed. It was immediately recycled.]

Collapsed souls were recycled into the Tower.

That was protocol.

[Then?]

[Yes. There are currently no magical engineers in the soul waiting room.]

Thank goodness.

Honestly, even one would have been worrying.

That summoner with insane luck might really have pulled one.

But there were none in the world of souls.

Which meant it was impossible to summon one.

He could finally relax.

And yet—

[I’m still uneasy.]

That lingering discomfort would not fade.

Why?

What was it?

Wait.

[What floor is the summoner currently challenging?]

[They are attempting the 84th floor.]

84th floor.

Which meant the next was the 85th.

The boss floor of the early-80s giant-monster zone.

[The 85th floor... is this a premonition?]

At last, the designer realized the source of his unease.

[N-no. That’s impossible. From the start, it can’t—]

No.

It could happen.

That bastard had always been like this.

[Damn it.]

But there was nothing to be done.

Even an administrator could not directly interfere with Tower conquests.

All he could do was pray it would not happen.

There was no need to wait.

Juhyeok and his party moved immediately to take revenge.

[Entering Republic of Korea Black Tower (NO.1) 84th Floor.]

You bastard condor.

I brought Sergeant Major Veronica Caliber.

You’re finished today.

[Floor 84 Mission: Defeat 1 Giant Beast, Frozen Colossus Condor.]

[Time Limit: 15 hours.]

[Completion Condition: Frozen Colossus Condor 0/1]

After receiving the mission—

“Sergeant Major Veronica Caliber.”

“Sergeant Major Veronica Caliber.”

“Let’s finish this in one shot.”

“Victory!”

The upgraded magitech gun had a very clear drawback.

A potentially serious one.

It could only use high-grade Magic Stones as ammunition.

As a result, the maintenance cost was beyond imagination.

That said, its power had increased explosively—

befitting LSSR-level attack power.

More importantly, the gun had a hidden secret.

With a 48-hour cooldown, it could use its ultimate skill.

<: Sub-Light-Speed Round>

A bullet fired at near-light speed.

Only one shot.

But the drawbacks were even more severe.

It required 1 kg of top-grade Magic Stones as ammunition.

Top-grade.

Through alchemy, producing 1 kg of top-grade Magic Stones required 1 ton of high-grade Magic Stones.

In other words, a single Sub-Light-Speed Round unleashed the power of 1 ton of high-grade Magic Stones.

Overwhelming firepower.

But it came with a 48-hour cooldown.

And during that time, even heavy rounds were sealed—

the gun could not handle the strain.

Its guidance function was also disabled.

It was simply too fast.

There was a risk of missing.

Even so—

how could anyone not fire it?

That was why Juhyeok had awkwardly asked Mari to procure one piece of top-grade Magic Stone.

CLICK.

The chunk of top-grade Magic Stone was loaded into the magitech gun.

“I will aim. Beware of the backblast upon firing.”

Gulp.

A tense moment.

The Frozen Colossus Condor was gliding leisurely through the distant sky.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

The magitech gun glowed white-hot.

“Countdown... 3, 2, 1—fire! For the commander!!!”

An immense backblast—

KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNG!

He almost got blown backward.

At the same time—

POP.

The Colossus Condor burst apart in the sky.

The sound of the gunshot arrived after the monster exploded.

The bullet had traveled faster than sound.

PSHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!

KWAK KWAK KWAK KWAK KWAK KWAK...

...

It just exploded.

Like a giant balloon popping.

BANG.

That was it.

It was anticlimactic.

So much so that it was hard to believe that was the same space-battleship-like Frozen Colossus Condor that had tormented them before.

Sure, the thing had been huge and slow, which made it easy to aim at—

But ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) the summoned entities had forgotten even to applaud.

“Th-this is insane!”

“No, seriously—”

“It exploded? In one shot?”

“...Turns out it was a pushover.”

“Truly terrifying. Even for an ultimate skill.”

“Hoe—”

“Grrrr, woof woof!”

This level of power.

It was like a supermassive railgun.

I kind of want to see that again.

...

Should we try the 85th floor?

There was no reason not to.

I’m curious.

Would the Sub-Light-Speed Round work on the 85th-floor giant beast too?

We’ll think about the 85th floor later.

For now—

repeat the run.

Let’s see what our Rajix brings back this time.

[Defeated Giant Beast Frozen Colossus Condor 1/1]

[You have successfully completed the 84th floor mission.]

[Level Up!]

[Reward: 84 kg of high-grade Magic Stones / Multinational Tower Access Ticket]

[World Announcement: You have achieved clear grade S+++ on Black Tower NO.1 (Korea), Floor 84.]

[S+++ Clear Reward: 2 Platinum Badges have been granted.]