There is a saying that the history of Earth’s Black Tower conquest can be divided into before and after the appearance of the Supreme Player.

Before the Supreme Player appeared, there was hardly any need for explanation.

To humanity, the Black Tower was fear, despair, and pitch-black darkness itself.

But after the Supreme Player appeared—

The fear of the Black Tower vanished without a trace.

By conquering the true 70th-floor boss, Kabalan, the curse of averages was overcome.

Then the escaped true 80th-floor boss, Diamat, was eliminated as well, preventing any potential future disasters.

At present, he was the player who had climbed to the highest floor.

And not just that—he had done it with an S+++ rank.

That was why he was the Supreme Player.

In truth, the reason he was called the Supreme Player was not merely because he had reached the highest floor.

The Supreme Player was altruistic.

He did not stop after clearing only his own nation’s tower.

Not alone, but together.

“I’ll find a way. Let’s climb together.”

That philosophy began with the lending of holy swords.

Thanks to that, countries around the world were able to break through undead sections that were practically walls of lamentation.

And that was not all.

He sold large quantities of tower reward items with special options—

At prices far below market value.

Players’ equipment improved dramatically.

On top of that, he developed Dream Resistance Kits that allowed safe ascents through the 80th-floor range, as well as Mana Suppression Scrolls that prevented the activation of the Liberation Rune Necklace.

Now, he even lent out magic rifles designed for giant monster zones.

Up to the 85th floor could now be climbed without much difficulty.

He had also provided a safe clear strategy for the 85th floor.

If nations progressed smoothly to the 85th floor, each country could stack more than seven years of Black Tower collapse delay.

How could anyone not be grateful?

It was only natural that the Supreme Player’s popularity soared.

Of course, some people raised objections.

Most of them were jealousy disguised as criticism.

└ “Those holy swords and magic rifles aren’t free. You pay huge rental fees.”

└ “Exactly! He’s just making money.”

└ “And he’s already filthy rich, right?”

└ “Why act like it’s charity when it’s a normal transaction?”

But such complainers were very few.

The majority praised the Supreme Player’s achievements.

└ “Doesn’t it cost around 30 billion won to clear one floor past the 81st?”

└ “A single bullet costs 1.3 to 1.4 billion, so yeah, around that much.”

└ “Back in the day, how much did it take just to sign a temporary naturalization contract?”

└ “At least 100 million dollars—1.3 trillion won, right?”

└ “Only 100 million? No way. You had to give land and economic rights too.”

└ “Compared to that, renting holy swords or magic rifles is practically free.”

Typically, players from each country purchased between 15 and 20 special rounds to challenge floors in the 80s.

That was about 15 to 20 million dollars.

If it were a private transaction, one might call it expensive.

But this was a transaction between nations.

For stacking six months of Black Tower collapse delay, the price was extremely cheap.

No one thought it was expensive.

After all, special rounds cost money to manufacture.

└ “If I were the Supreme Player, I’d start at a billion dollars minimum.”

└ “Even at a billion, clearing floors 81 through 85 would only cost five billion total.”

└ “And what about China? I think even getting half of Mount Baekdu was cheap for lifting the Mana Suppression Scroll.”

└ “Exactly. Even half of Manchuria still wouldn’t be enough.”

China had extinguished an urgent fire.

As soon as the contract with Korea became public, the crime rate of Liberation Villain players dropped by nearly 90%.

└ “He even took care of humanity’s health with Obesity Escape Bracelets.”

└ “Speaking of which, I succeeded in subscribing to the bracelet.”

└ “Oh! Congrats!”

└ “No more worries about diabetes, hypertension, or obesity.”

└ “Still, don’t get careless. It just makes health management easier.”

└ “By the way! Did you guys buy the Gigant No. 2 figure?”

└ “Sold out. Both the standard and special editions.”

└ “Anyway, the Supreme Player is basically a god.”

└ “Who is he, really? I’m honestly curious.”

└ “If his identity gets revealed, it’ll be chaos. Nobel Peace Prize for sure.”

└ “Actually, I heard the Korean Awakening Administration got nominated this time.”

└ “Since we don’t know who he is, the Administration might as well accept it.”

└ “Isn’t it about time to reveal him?”

└ “Well, we’ll find out someday.”

The Supreme Player’s popularity continued to skyrocket.

Along with it, curiosity about his identity reached a fever pitch.

White Tower Floor 17.

Juhyeok stared at the unexpected scene in disbelief.

You really experienced all kinds of strange things in life.

He had only lived twenty-five years, but still.

He had just returned from repeatedly clearing the 88th floor to farm hardened Sand Dragon Hearts for their converted defector, Crackers—

“...Dad?”

No doubt about it.

It was his father.

The head of the Bong family, who had passed down weak-man genes to both Juhyeok and his younger brother, Minhyuk.

“Is this real?”

It was not that his father could not come here.

He had been granted Residency Rights long ago.

But he had rarely visited because the summoned entities scared him.

Same with Minhyuk.

That was why Juhyeok had sent a message this time.

Using his father’s hobby as an excuse, he told him a good fishing spot had opened up in the White Tower and invited him to visit.

The idea was that coming and going like this might gradually ease his aversion.

Honestly, Juhyeok had not expected much.

He thought his father would not come—

Probably choosing a safe, comfortable indoor fishing spot as usual.

But his father had come.

And he was fishing.

Not alone, either.

His father was chatting amiably with Farmer Dou while lowering his fishing rod into the reservoir.

Dou.

A man whose appearance was not exactly easy to approach.

No matter how excellent a farmer he was.

“Y-you became friends?”

“Yeah. This is my friend Dou. A real solid guy.”

“That’s true, but his looks—”

“Hey! You shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.”

It was a mystery.

“You got close right away?”

“...Not exactly. I fainted a few times from shock.”

“A few times?”

“I don’t even remember how many.”

Figures.

There had been hardship.

Juhyeok could easily imagine his father’s reaction upon first meeting Dou.

Yet somehow, he had overcome it all and become Dou’s friend.

It made sense, in a way.

The summoned entities his father feared the most were the Berserker, Cossack, and Meatshield.

Even if they restrained their killing intent, the aura they carried was impossible to hide.

They were shaped by lives of battle—

Martial artists, assassins, barbarian warriors.

Bardin?

A former inquisitor.

Veronica Caliber?

A former ranger soldier.

Even Gyeon Dallae carried a strict, solemn air that made her hard to approach.

Rajix was the exception.

When Juhyeok had introduced the summoned entities before, Rajix had made the best impression.

Dou had spent his entire life farming.

His appearance was grotesque, but once you got used to it, he felt reliable and steady.

“Juhyeok.”

“Yes?”

“Can I get a small plot of land here too?”

“Of course. A weekend farm?”

“Just as a pastime. Fishing too. Dou said he’d help.”

That was great.

Now that he had made a friend, even if he did not come every day, visiting the White Tower from time to time would be good.

“Oh! I have something to give you.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Some delicious peaches just came in. Take them home later and eat them. One per person—however many people there are.”

“Are they precious?”

“Very! And don’t eat them all by yourself.”

So he gave him three Immortal Peaches.

After his father enjoyed fishing, exited the White Tower, and went home—

“Mr. Dou, thank you. Farming must be tiring...”

“Not at all. Summoner’s father. Kind. Good person.”

Dou had a good eye.

Even if his father was timid and easily frightened, he really was a kind man.

That was the biggest reason Juhyeok’s mother had married him.

“Please take good care of him from now on. You know I trust you, right?”

“Trust appreciated. Will repay summoner’s faith.”

Watching from the side, Cossack felt uneasy.

Farmer Dou was frighteningly fast in climbing the ranks.

He now threatened Cossack’s position as second-in-command.

Not only was he responsible for cultivating Immortal Peaches, but he had also taken on the crucial role of entertaining the summoner’s father.

Had keeping an eye on Mackenzie been pointless all along?

The real tiger had been elsewhere.

Well—if the summoner was doing well, that was all that mattered.

Time passed quickly.

At last, the Immortal Peach had grown into a sapling.

Under Dou’s careful care, it was growing vigorously day by day.

Soon it would become a tree large enough to bear fruit.

Juhyeok’s party spec-up plan was also proceeding smoothly.

First, the Gigant’s engine core modification using the fallen Demon Dragon’s heart—

Over 90% complete.

Weapons and shields were the problem.

Gigant’s equipment had been completely melted into scrap by the Demon Dragon’s breath.

But those were already being remade at the steelworks.

Since they had prior experience, production was progressing quickly.

Enchanting materials?

Those could be secured as well.

All that remained was to repeatedly clear the 87th floor’s Undead Bone Dragon and obtain two hearts that had been corrupted by dark energy.

This time too, they killed it themselves and extracted them.

Two did not seem like enough, so they pulled out four and handed them to El.

Next was Baek Danya.

Using multiple Summoned Entity °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Rank Breakthrough Runes, she was raised to SSR rank.

So—

Was she finally able to control the eternal ice crystal?

No.

Even after ranking up, nothing changed.

The moment she operated ice-based techniques, the ice crystal went berserk.

When that happened, Major Ver had to absorb the rampaging cold energy from Baek Danya.

“The problem is that the eternal ice crystal has spirituality. When her rank rises, it seems to grow stronger as well.”

The eternal ice crystal.

It grew together with Baek Danya.

A truly loathsome parasitic bastard.

“And it looks like it even shares the effects of Immortal Peaches. We’ll need to find another solution.”

Was there no way to completely separate that thing from Baek Danya’s body?

In the end, the only thing they could do was calm it through attribute absorption.

But even that had limitations.

Major Ver had to stay by her side at all times to absorb the cold.

“I’ve created an alternative. A cold-attribute absorption device made through magitech.”

“Oh!”

“Now cold absorption should be possible even without Major Ver staying beside her.”

“Hm. And the absorbed cold energy?”

“It’s stored here. So it can be reused later.”

Apparently, it would be used to manufacture cold-attribute ammunition.

“Sounds good.”

Recycling the cold energy would be nice if possible, but for now, the priority was ensuring Baek Danya did not suffer.

Lastly—

Crackers.

He had consumed a total of five hardened Sand Dragon Heart candies.

On top of that, he had been fed one more Immortal Peach.

If Crackers evolved into a full-grown Green Dragon, they might be able to clear the 89th floor with an S+++ rank.

However, it would take time for the heart candies to be fully absorbed.

In any case, Crackers seemed to love living in the White Tower.

These days, he was completely absorbed in YouTube.

He said he was studying how civilization on this Earth had developed.

Even now, in his green-haired human polymorph form, he was staring endlessly at a tablet.

Cossack observed him quietly, tilting his head.

“Summoner Bong.”

“What is it?”

“That one seems suspicious.”

Suspicious?

“You mean Mr. Crackers?”

“Yes, sir! Something’s different.”

What did he mean?

“I think he’s already become an adult.”

“No way—just from eating a few hardened Sand Dragon Heart candies?”

“Please check.”

Surely not.

<Converted Defector: A Green Dragon who has recovered its lost power through sacred energy.>

Name: CrackersRank: LSSR+++ (Legend Special Super Rare+++)...What the hell?!

“It’s LSSR. Plus three.”

Cossack sprang to his feet.

“I knew it! That bastard’s been keeping his mouth shut even after becoming LSSR.”

That was when—

FLASH!

SSSHK!

SWISH!

The summoned entities’ gazes locked onto Crackers.

At the same time—

SHRRRRK!

Mari’s homunculi flowed out of the residential area like a torrent, converging on Crackers.

A chill ran down Crackers’ spine.

That was right.

He had regained the power of an adult dragon yesterday.

The decisive factor was the extra Immortal Peach he had eaten.

The five hardened Sand Dragon Heart candies that had not fully melted in his stomach—

The Immortal Peach’s energy dissolved them all at once, acting like a divine elixir and evolving him from a hatchling into an adult.

But he had told no one.

Because this was exactly what would happen.

Ding!

<Mari>: A dragon heart. A clean, uncontaminated adult dragon heart!

Ding!

<Mari>: The last purple ingredient for elixir production is complete. You all know what that means, right?

“Extract it?”

“Right now?”

“Hm... there are eyes watching.”

“Tonight, then?”

“Let’s see how things go.”

The summoned entities huddled together, whispering conspiratorially.

Crackers panicked.

Cold sweat poured down his forehead.

At this rate, his dragon heart would be extracted.

Possibly even tonight.

They had already decided.

They would apply Summoned Entity Rule No. 3, Clause 3.

Even if told not to, they would do it.

For the summoner’s safety.

There was no choice.

First—

Survive.

“Su-summoner!”

Crackers ran to Juhyeok in a panic and grabbed his pant leg, begging.

“Yes? What is it?”

“I have a wish.”

“What is it?”

“Please let us conquer the Black Tower’s 89th floor immediately.”

“...Right now?”

“Yes. I-immediately!”

It was possible.

“I’ll personally extract the contract-free dragon heart from the 89th floor. Please give me the chance. If not, my dragon heart will be extracted.”

Hmm.

Juhyeok glanced sideways at the summoned entities.

Their eyes were gleaming.

If he left the area, Crackers’ dragon heart would end up as an ingredient in Mari’s alchemy cauldron.

“I have to save him.”

Whether they could actually extract a heart on the 89th floor was another matter.

“Alright. Let’s enter the 89th floor right away.”

The summoned entities looked disappointed.

Their expressions clearly said they did not understand why he would abandon the easy path for a harder one.

But he had to save him.

Crackers was a converted defector.

“What if the resurrection rune doesn’t apply to him?”

So they decided to ascend.

After heading outside and summoning everyone except Blood Wolf and Dou—

[Entering Republic of Korea Black Tower (NO.1) 89th Floor.]

What kind of enemy awaited on Earth’s 89th floor?

A dragon again?

Another corrupted dragon?

The environment was a vast lake.

Large and small islands were scattered throughout.

Ding!

The mission appeared.

[89th Floor Mission: Defeat the Mad Dragon, Hasphus.]

[Time Limit: Within 15 hours.]

[Completion Condition: Mad Dragon Hasphus 0/1]

What?

“...Mad Dragon? Are you kidding?”

“A crazy dragon?”

“A lunatic.”

“He’s insane.”

“A madman.”

“A mad bastard.”

“If it’s a mad dragon... the dragon heart should be intact. The brain, not so much.”

That was when—

“KRRRRAAAAAROK!”

Their ally, the Green Dragon Crackers, transformed into his true form, spread his massive wings, and took flight.

A struggle for survival.

And thus began the conquest of the 89th floor—

By a dragon, of a dragon, for a dragon.

Black Tower Control Room, Earth No. 1,001.

The administrators noticed as well.

[The summoner has entered the 89th floor.]

[Really?]

Until now, he had been obsessively repeating clears on the 87th and 88th floors.

It looked like he was farming dark-corrupted dragon hearts and hardened Sand Dragon Hearts.

Honestly, they were curious.

What was he even planning to use such useless items for?

[Did you warn Hasphus properly?]

[Yes. If he can win, kill them. If not, run away.]

That was the best course of action.

After all, delaying the clear by exceeding the time limit was also a valid defensive response.

But then—

[Huh?]

[Huh?]

[Huh?]

What in the world—

[...What is that dragon?]

[I—I don’t know.]

[That’s not Hasphus.]

[N-no. The color is different. Hasphus is from the Silver lineage.]

[Then why is a Green Dragon coming out there?]

[I have no idea either...]

It was the result of a complete breakdown in communication between the administrators.