Everything was gold.

A mere handful of fur had painted this vast grassland in golden light.

Did I scatter too much?

Half of it probably would’ve been enough.

Still, it’s fine.

This is an Ancient—High Dragon—conquest.

Better excessive than insufficient.

Infinitely multiplying golden monkeys.

POP-POP-POP-POP! POP-POP-POP-POP!

They split—and split again.

The first-generation golden monkeys that had formed from the fur shook their bodies, and from their fur emerged second-generation golden monkeys.

Those shook themselves again, producing third-generation golden monkeys—

then again, and again...

“Cossack estimate: tens of thousands at least.”

“...Yeah.”

“Could even hit a million.”

“Probably.”

Even Juhyeok, who had scattered them, could hardly believe it.

Golden Great Sage clones filled the entire 90th-Floor grassland.

Sparkling eyes stared ahead.

A million gazes—all focused on Juhyeok.

“Kiiik!”

“Kui?”

“Ukik?”

“Kiiik!”

Ugh. That’s pressure.

“What are they saying?”

He understood.

Because he had breathed his breath into them, their intentions came through.

“They’re asking us to give them any order. Quickly.”

“Ah.”

What is there to order here?

Basically—

Beat that guy up.

The ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) moment that thought crossed his mind—

SSSK, SSSK, SSSK, SSSK.

The golden clones’ eyes all turned toward Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon Kaluminus.

And then—

WAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!

They charged like lunatics.

A massive wave surged forward.

A sea of gold.

“Even one of those isn’t ordinary—now a million?”

“If the clones are that strong, the original body must be...”

“They’re Great Sage clones. He’d be a transcendent being.”

“Can’t we get more fur?”

“No idea. Maybe if we meet the Sword Immortal again.”

Cossack glanced at Gyeon Dallae.

“Princess Dallae, ask your master. He’s in the Immortal Realm, right?”

“I don’t even know where the Immortal Realm is. How would I?”

“Then take this chance to ascend yourself. They say the student surpasses the master.”

“I’m still far from that.”

...

So, what do we do now?

The golden monkeys were all charging at Kaluminus.

“Let’s handle the Dragon-Tooth Soldiers.”

“Yes!”

The Gold Dragon lineage is wise.

They are called the progenitors of magic, capable of freely wielding countless elemental spells.

Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon Kaluminus was the head of the Gold lineage.

In other words—he was a Dragon Lord.

The Gold lineage’s mission was to prevent humans from plunging the world into chaos with forbidden knowledge.

To humans, knowledge should be nothing more than a means of survival.

Thus, only controlled acquisition of knowledge was permitted.

But how easy could that be?

Humans, short-lived creatures barely living a century, possessed boundless greed for knowledge.

They created ideas even dragons had never imagined.

Their civilization advanced at a terrifying pace.

So Kaluminus decided to regulate that speed.

He dropped a meteor on the capital of the most advanced kingdom.

Then another—just in case—on the second-strongest.

Yet humans were persistent.

The destroyed civilizations revived before long.

So he destroyed them again.

They rebuilt again.

Detestable humans.

Cockroaches that lived no matter how many times they were killed.

At last, he decided.

To erase all human civilization from the continent.

That was the moment Kaluminus became a Mad Dragon.

His title as Dragon Lord was stripped immediately.

But he didn’t care.

He simply continued fulfilling his mission.

Then he met the Black Tower administrators.

And the contract they offered.

He accepted without hesitation. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The Black Tower’s purpose aligned perfectly with his beliefs.

Kaluminus’s role was to serve as the guardian of the Black Tower’s 90th Floor.

To block ascension, induce collapse, and annihilate countless civilizations across dimensions.

He didn’t even need to act directly.

Humans who self-destructed before even setting foot on the 90th Floor.

Just watching that was immensely satisfying.

And Kaluminus realized—

He was right.

Parallel worlds named Earth.

Though destroyed by the Black Tower, the potential of Earth’s humans was terrifying.

Their scientific civilization.

Cutting-edge technology so advanced it threatened even divine authority.

They could not be allowed to continue.

Earth’s humans must go extinct.

This Earth would be no exception.

Absolutely.

To ensure that, he had to be eliminated.

The obstacle to that goal—

The Summoner-type Player.

Kaluminus knew everything the man had done.

Detonating Titan Behemoth with a nuclear strike.

Extinguishing phoenix flames with a fire truck.

But this was the end.

He would never break through this floor.

Top priority: the Summoner.

Second: that beastkin laborer.

At least one of them would die.

Kaluminus was certain—

Until countless golden monkeys appeared across the grassland.

[...Where did those come from?]

What?

They weren’t ordinary monkeys.

They weren’t even alive.

[Clone magic?]

Then they should be illusions.

[But they’re real.]

They had mass.

They occupied space.

Condensed energy entities.

At that moment—

KRRRRRRRRRR.

The monkeys began to move.

Their gazes locked onto him.

Clear hostility.

Killing intent.

Over a million of them.

Kaluminus stiffened.

A sensation he had never felt before.

Fear.

Instinctively, he released Polymorph.

Kaluminus transformed into his massive Gold Dragon true form.

FLAP! FLAP!

He spread his wings and took flight.

At the same time, he inhaled deeply.

[Huuuuuu—]

His throat swelled.

Target: the golden monkey swarm.

PAPAPAPAPAPAP!

A fan-shaped barrage of light-beam breath erupted from the Gold Dragon.

Even so, the golden monkeys did not hesitate.

They charged straight through it.

The handling of Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon Kaluminus was left to the Great Sage clones.

Even though the summoned entities had grown immensely stronger, directly engaging a dragon was judged too dangerous.

We act within our limits.

First—Dragon-Tooth Soldiers.

El issued commands to Gigant Unit No. 3.

—Combat directive input. Combat type confirmed. Exterminate all Dragon-Tooth Soldiers.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

The Gigant charged forward.

Unit No. 3—its engine core modified with the Supreme Demon Dragon’s heart.

The speed alone was on another level.

CRACK! CRACK!

Dragon-Tooth Soldiers shattered beneath its feet.

But they weren’t pushovers.

They formed ranks and swarmed the Gigant’s lower body.

However—

Was the Gigant alone?

ZIIING! TSHHT!

Compressed crescent-shaped sword energy shot forward from the Mad Demon.

“Let’s go, Holy Knight.”

“Light!!!”

Enlarged Meatshield charged in tandem with Bardin.

FWOOOOOOSH!

KWA-KWAAAANG!

A wide-area spell from Mackenzie, the nine-circle flame archmage infused with true qi.

The Dragon-Tooth Soldiers simply melted away.

“Not much to them.”

Well—

They are fodder.

The summoned entities had grown astonishingly strong.

As on the 89th Floor, even adult dragons would be crushed.

Would a High Dragon really be that different?

It was worth trying.

“Should I have joined in directly?”

But this is Juhyeok’s Tower-conquest style.

Maximum safety.

If even a hint of danger appears, then—even if possible—don’t do it.

The summoned entities knew this well.

“That breath attack is annoying.”

Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon’s breath—

It was a beam-type breath.

Not single shots, but barrages.

And he was flying high, flapping his wings, making it hard for the golden monkeys to reach him.

Should I help a bit?

So—

“Veronica Caliber.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“That mutt—how about—”

“Understood.”

Sniper Veronica Caliber, receiving the commander’s intent, turned to Baek Dana.

“Cadet Baek Dana.”

“It’s time for atonement. Land a hit on the dragon. Dragon extermination!”

“Cadet Baek Dana will burn out her body. Dragon extermination!”

“Load attribute round.”

“Loaded!”

Ice-force operation.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Crystal, combined with the ice-attribute mana of the Silver Dragon Heart she had unintentionally absorbed—

TZZZZZZZZZZ.

Baek Dana’s entire body rapidly froze.

“Gghhh!”

“Just endure a little!”

“D-Dragon extermination!!!”

She keeps shouting dragon extermination.

We do have a friendly dragon.

Baek Dana manifested cold.

Veronica Caliber absorbed the attribute.

TZZZZZZZZZT!

After absorption—

Sub-light-speed round ready.

Targeting the Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon flying high and breathing beams.

Could this one shot kill it?

Only if it stands still—which it won’t.

But it should at least rattle him.

ZIIIIIIING!

The magic rifle glowed pure white.

CRRRRZZZZT!

SHWAAAAK!

Veronica Caliber’s sub-light-speed round tore through space toward Kaluminus.

Kaluminus had never expected this.

At first glance, it startled him slightly.

But he judged it wouldn’t change the outcome.

A million golden monkeys?

What does sheer numbers matter?

Just melt them with breath.

That was his confidence.

But reality disagreed.

These were no ordinary monkeys.

First—dragon fear didn’t work.

Any living creature should flee just by meeting a dragon’s gaze.

No time to think.

He had to deal with them—now.

PAPAPAPAPAPAP!

Kaluminus unleashed his breath repeatedly.

But the golden monkeys rolled aside, flattened themselves, or leapt upward to evade the beams.

Their movements were unbelievably fast.

Only a tiny handful were actually struck.

[You wretches!]

His pride was wounded.

To be cornered by such insects—

[Die.]

He would melt them all with light.

Kaluminus adjusted his wings and descended slowly.

Lowering himself closer to the ground, narrowing the angle of his breath.

At this height, the power of the beam breath would increase.

The coverage too.

[Huuuuuu—]

He inhaled deeply.

Just as he was about to fire at the wildly rampaging golden monkeys—

[Hrk!]

A chill ran through him.

A powerful presence bore down on his mind.

CRRRRZZZZT!

A projectile tore through the air.

Dangerous.

That was something he absolutely could not take head-on.

Even a dragon’s tough scales would be ripped apart.

His head might be blown clean off.

He halted the breath he was about to release.

Kaluminus began chanting a draconic spell.

[Move.]

In the blink of an eye, the massive dragon body shifted slightly to the side.

KWA-KWAAAAANG!

SCRAAAPE!

The projectile grazed his right wing.

Barely avoided.

Even though it clipped him slightly, this much—

But at that very moment—

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

His right wing began to freeze.

[...What? H-How?]

Why?

A Gold Dragon’s body possessed innate resistance to magic from birth.

And he was a High Dragon.

How could a tiny cold projectile freeze a dragon’s wing?

STAGGER!

Kaluminus lost balance and began to fall.

[Recovery!]

He barely shook off the frozen state before hitting the ground and spread his wings again.

But that brief pause.

The reduced distance to the ground.

It gave the golden monkeys their chance.

PATPATPATPAT!

One monkey sprinted at full speed and leapt, grabbing the Gold Dragon’s tail.

GRAB!

“Kkiiit!”

Then another grabbed that monkey’s ankle.

Then another grabbed that one.

Then another.

And another.

Before long, a long ladder made entirely of monkeys.

That was the beginning.

“Kkuu!”

“Kkarok!”

“Kkririt!”

“Ukikik!”

Golden monkeys climbed the ladder formed of their comrades, scaling the airborne Gold Dragon.

WRRRRRRR!

They swarmed onto Kaluminus’s back.

Like ants.

[Y-You wretches!]

Kaluminus twisted and thrashed, but he couldn’t shake off the monkey ladder stretching from ground to sky.

PATPATPATPAT! PATPATPATPAT!

An overwhelming number of monkeys climbed onto him midair.

CRUNCH! GRRRK! THUD! THUD!

Biting.

Clawing.

Beating.

He couldn’t endure it anymore.

SWOOOOOOSH!

BOOOOM!

Kaluminus crashed to the ground.

At the same time—

“Ukikikik!”

“Kikikak!”

“Kkieek!”

“Kikak!”

“Uwit!”

Nearly a million golden monkeys piled onto the fallen Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon Kaluminus.

It looked like a wave crashing in.

A gigantic golden wave.

[N-No!!!]

A futile scream.

[KRAAAAAAAAH!]

The desperate shriek of the once-proud former Gold Dragon Kaluminus.

“No one survives a dogpile.”

A million golden monkeys against a single dragon.

From afar, it looked like a mountain of gold.

“At that point, it’s death by crushing.”

He’d be flattened to death.

A moment later—

Ding!

[World Announcement: Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon Kaluminus has been annihilated.]

And—

[Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon Kaluminus defeated 1/1.]

[90th Floor Mission completed.]

The reward?

[Reward: High Dragon Heart / 900 kg of top-grade Magic Stones.]

Wow.

What a haul.

Delicious.

“...Wait!”

If a Dragon Heart came as a system reward—

And we also take the corpse?

Two hearts!

Both Ancient-tier.

“See? I told you a Silver Dragon Heart was nothing. High Dragons are the real deal.”

“Ahh, Cossack trusted you all along, Lord Summoner.”

“The best possible outcome.”

“Our stay-at-home alchemist will be thrilled.”

“Congratulations, Crackerus. You survived.”

But the happiest person of all—

Sniff, sob.

Baek Dana bowed her head and swallowed her tears.

How much guilt must she have been carrying?

As a summoned entity, she was supposed to help the Summoner—yet she had effectively stolen the heart meant for him.

“This is all thanks to our Ice Palace young mistress. I’ll pin a badge on you later.”

After gently patting the still-crying Baek Dana,

Juhyeok ordered the golden monkeys to get off the Gold Dragon’s corpse.

Left behind was the massive body of the Gold Dragon.

Now it was Rajix’s turn.

“WAAH!”

FLASH! VRRRR! FLASH!

He zipped over to the corpse.

SSSSSSSSS!

In an instant, it was stored inside the subspace bag.

“Well done, dimensional errand boy.”

CLAP CLAP CLAP!

Juhyeok applauded.

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP!

A million golden monkeys also clapped toward Rajix.

“Phew...”

The applause was so thunderous it shook the entire 90th Floor.

While Juhyeok was inside the 90th Floor of the Republic of Korea Black Tower—

Someone appeared on White Tower Floor 17.

“Is he in the penthouse? Then—”

Suddenly—

He froze.

Jeon Gwangil stopped walking.

He stared blankly at the White Tower plaza.

There had originally been one massive dragon corpse there.

“...There’s another one.”

Two corpses now.

One was a dragon with silver scales.

Smaller than the original one.

“So that’s it.”

The monster from the 89th Floor.

Honestly, he wasn’t even surprised.

What’s strange about it?

It’s Player Bong, after all.

Just then—

Ding!

[World Announcement: Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon Kaluminus has appeared.]

“Huh?”

Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon?

Where did it appear?

Outside?

“Either way, I should head out and—”

Freeze.

Jeon Gwangil’s body stiffened.

Someone was approaching him.

“A... person?”

No.

Calling it a person felt wrong.

Six arms.

Three legs.

A bizarre lifeform.

......

CHK CHK CHK! CHK CHK CHK!

It approached quickly.

Jeon Gwangil backed away step by step.

It even had four eyes.

“Welcome. I Farmer Dou. Summoner Tower conquest in progress.”

A summoned entity of Player Bong.

“...I’m Jeon Gwangil.”

“Heard about you. Let’s get along.”

As he spoke, Farmer Dou held something out.

“What’s this?”

“Gift. Farming. Lettuce. Pork belly. Good.”

“Ah!”

Homegrown lettuce.

For eating with pork belly.

“So he’s a farmer?”

Seems so.

In the distance, fields planted with vegetables and medicinal herbs stretched out.

A farmer.

What a diverse class lineup.

Martial artist, mage, shaman, laborer, engineering PhD, magic gunner, alchemist, holy knight, warrior—

Now even a farmer.

“Including me. New family. Total three.”

“...What?”

Three new members?

“Ice lump. Green dragon.”

“Ice and green?”

What does that mean?

Ice lump, sure, but—

A dragon?

Like the corpses over there?

At that moment—

Ding!

[World Announcement: Ultra-Extreme Mad Dragon Kaluminus has been annihilated.]

“...It’s dead?”

What?

It just appeared a moment ago.

And then—

Ding!

[World Announcement: You have achieved clear grade S+++ on Black Tower NO.1 (Korea), Floor 90.]

The 90th-Floor clear message rang out.