Kabalan—designed as the boss of Black Tower (France) Floor 70.

One True Body, and 144 Copies.

The True Body and the Copies were different.

Starting with basic physical ability, the absolute quantity of dark demonic energy, and the weight of the soul itself.

In short, a Copy was a split-off body of the True Body, created by borrowing the Tower’s power.

If you put it in percentages, about 70% of the True Body’s ability?

A degraded version. A counterfeit.

But now the descent had happened.

The body was a split-off shell, but the soul was real—Kabalan itself.

Adventurers climbing the Tower? Kabalan thought those were more than manageable.

Even if that adventurer was a Dimension Summoner, a so-called Dimensional summoner.

If the Dimensional summoner was dealt with, Earth was finished.

A chain Tower Collapse would be impossible to avoid.

Kabalan hadn’t imagined it would be this fast.

At minimum, Kabalan expected two more years before facing the Dimensional summoner.

But the Tower suddenly opened all the way to Floor 70.

It opened far faster than expected.

A perfect chance.

The Dimensional summoner wouldn’t be complete yet.

A chance to kill the Dimensional summoner before growth.

That was why the curse was scattered.

Kabalan wanted, if possible, to place the curse directly on the Tower belonging to the bastard’s country—but that was impossible.

The Curse of the Average was random by nature.

Either way, the bastard would come to Floor 70.

Because in the current state of things, the only one who could clear Floor 70 was the Dimensional summoner.

And at last, Kabalan faced the bastard.

Truthfully, the first time Kabalan confronted the Dimensional summoner through shared awareness with a split-off body, Kabalan had been a little startled.

The souls that accompanied Bong Juhyeok.

Not an easy lineup.

Every one of them was hero-class.

All six of them.

Despite the fact this was only Floor 70.

Still—Kabalan felt confident.

One of the six was a useless beastkin worker.

And if the shaman support was assumed to be neutralized by a barrier...

That left four real combatants.

An assassin, a barbarian warrior, a magic-empire ranger, and a holy knight of the Forgotten God.

The Dimensional summoner was nothing.

Kabalan descended into the split-off body immediately.

No matter what, Kabalan would only target the Dimensional summoner.

A weak, weak human—after all.

But then, this situation—

When did a legendary existence appear?

Had the summoning already succeeded?

Kabalan couldn’t even think straight.

With a split-off body, a legendary being was impossible to face.

Even with the True Body’s own flesh, it would’ve been difficult.

And the soul had already taken a hit.

I-I have to cancel the descent.

But escape wasn’t possible.

It was the worst possible scenario—one Kabalan hadn’t predicted at all.

*****

A Trait Enhancement Rune isn’t an item you hoard.

When you get one, the right move is to use it immediately.

And so—

That happened before entering Floor 70.

Yeah. It was a god-tier move.

[The soul of the True Body, Demon Realm Duke Kabalan, descends into the body of Kabalan’s Copy.]

The moment that message popped, I summoned the Mad Demon.

The summoning glow got swallowed under Bardin’s “Light!!!,” and by the time the Mad Demon grasped the situation—

That was why I stayed calm even when the Mad Demon was talking about killing me or not.

My big brother was here. What was there to be afraid of?

The Mad Demon’s overwhelming divine presence.

A public enemy of the martial world. The worst terror under heaven. A sea of corpses and blood.

The one who fought for seven days and nights in a one-versus-three battle against the Alliance Leader, one of the Four Emperors, and the Cult Leader.

I’d said it before.

How to deal with demonic energy.

Crush it with stronger demonic energy.

One of Kabalan’s wings had already been torn off by the Mad Demon.

And the remaining wing, too.

ZZZZT!

“KRAAAAAAGH!”

Even at that wretched scream, the Mad Demon didn’t so much as blink.

“Tsk tsk. You can’t even endure pain like this, and you’re the one responsible for Floor 70?”

Ziiiiing!

A hand thickly veiled in red Blood Jade Steel Aura shoved into the torn-wing wound.

“Guhhhhhh...”

Kabalan thrashed, eyes rolling back.

Escape. Get away.

There was nothing else in Kabalan’s head.

But—

“Hey now, where do you think you’re running?”

BWOOOOONG! Thick demonic energy surged off the Mad Demon.

“Do you really think I’d let the soul escape?”

The Mad Demon pressed down on Kabalan’s shoulder and forced it to its knees.

Then a hand clamped onto the horn on Kabalan’s forehead—

CRRRNCH—

and ripped it out.

“Ghhiiiii...”

Even after that, Kabalan didn’t die.

Because the Mad Demon didn’t permit it.

As demonic energy leaked out with the horn torn free, the Mad Demon fed it back in through Kabalan’s head.

Cruelty more terrifying than a demon’s. That was the Mad Demon.

“You should finish what you were saying. How dare you talk about doing what to my summoner?”

“Y-you damned... you... you’ll definitely... d-die....”

“Gwahahaha. You’re just guarding Floor 70—what are you going to do to me? You sure you can?”

A grin.

And then—

“While I’m at it, I’ll play with the soul a bit. Until you learn to behave.”

BWOOOOONG!

A hand wrapped in dark red demonic energy.

A scream burst out of Kabalan’s mouth.

“Guhhhaaaaaaa...!”

No—closer to sobbing than a scream.

“...Summoner Bong.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m scared.”

“...He’s on our side.”

“Still. I’m freaked out. Look at Rajix. Might piss himself soon.”

Rajix was shaking like a leaf.

Tsk. Why look at that?

I half-covered Rajix’s eyes.

Cossack’s right.

Even if the Mad Demon’s on our side, scary is scary.

I should treat the Mad Demon properly from here on out.

Five-star ratings. Every time.

Kabalan crawled along the great hall floor—wing shredded, forehead horn ripped out.

But what Kabalan couldn’t endure more than anything was the pain being inflicted directly on the soul.

No expression changed as the Mad Demon followed behind and—

CRUNCH—

stomped down and shattered an ankle.

“Now that I think about it, there’s no need for interrogation. I can guess where the True Body is.”

Huh? Without interrogating, already?

How?

“Not knowing your place, you set a trap and tried to target my summoner. You figured that if my summoner disappeared, you could ruin this world.”

Fwoooosh! Fire lit in the Mad Demon’s eyes.

“Because only my summoner can completely clear the world’s Towers. Isn’t that right?”

CRUNCH! The other ankle got stomped and broken too.

“Hhk—uhh, uuuughh...”

Without realizing it, I nodded.

Kabalan knew who I was.

Kabalan also said it was a trap.

“Still, we confirm.”

A gaze slid toward Cossack.

“Assassin bastard. Do what you were going to do.”

“...Sir?”

“Didn’t you say you’d interrogate it to find the True Body?”

“I-it ain’t me, sir. He’s the one who’ll do it.”

Cossack nudged Bardin forward.

“Hm. You’re the holy sword?”

“T-that’s right.”

“How will you interrogate it?”

“With the unique ability of an inquisitor—discerning truth and lies.”

“Oh?”

A satisfied smile.

“Good. Ask this: whether the True Body Kabalan is hiding in the Black Tower of our summoner’s nationality. Ah—original nationality. Korea.”

I jolted.

The meaning—

You fucking bastard.

Kabalan’s True Body was the boss of Black Tower (Korea) Floor 70?

All to target me?

Bardin stepped forward, furious.

“Cunning demon. Is your True Body on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 70?”

“Tch—like I’d answer—”

Grab.

Bardin seized Kabalan’s head and let Radiance blaze.

“Light!!!”

“AAAAAAGH!”

“Answer. Is your True Body in the Black Tower (Korea)?”

“...N-no. Not there.”

Bardin shook his head.

“Lie.”

Then—

“Just as I thought. In Korea.”

Kabalan got yanked up by the hair until the eyes were level.

“You planned to set a trap and wait on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 70.”

Silence.

Not a word.

But everyone here knew.

Silence was agreement.

A gentle smile, directed at me.

“Summoner.”

“Yes.”

“Pass judgment. What will you do with this thing?”

I thought.

Then—

“If we kill this Copy, can we deal with the True Body too?”

“Unfortunately, we can’t. The descended soul of the True Body will return to the main body. Only this Black Tower (France) will be cleared.”

“...So the True Body is only in Black Tower (Korea)?”

“That’s right.”

Then killing this thing was pointless.

The Curse of the Average wouldn’t be lifted.

So it means Black Tower (Korea) Floor 70 has to be cleared.

What do I do?

Clearing a nation’s Tower isn’t something an individual decides.

“Summoner. I’m under inhibition, so I can’t speak about Floor 71, but I can tell you something about clearing Floor 70.”

“Ah... what?”

“Floor 71 is a new beginning. Once Floor 70 is cleared, restrictions placed for clearing Floor 71 will be lifted.”

A new beginning.

I’d experienced that.

At 70 total accumulated badges, I got ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) a start-pack benefit for Floor 71.

“If you’re going to clear Floor 70 anyway, going up in advance is also a good method. Of course, the final decision is yours, Summoner.”

“Hm.”

First, get out and think.

We weren’t clearing Black Tower (France) Floor 70, so we’d abandon the mission here.

Go out, have a small get-together, and since we earned merit, a badge award ceremony too.

Do we pin one on the Mad Demon too?

Not sure if the Mad Demon would like it.

*****

<Kabalan’s third curse nightmare. A full 30 countries.>

<There are some re-selected countries too. Many countries stuck at Floor 50.>

<The average is almost hitting Floor 60. Can we really reach 70?>

ㄴ Kabalan, you motherfucking bastard!

ㄴ Honestly, Floor 70 is too much. Even my midterm grades don’t average 70.

ㄴAverage my ass. This is just trying to trigger Tower Collapse.

<China included in the third selection.>

<How will China break through the wall of Floor 60?>

<Three Towers—if they can’t clear them, it’s worst-case.>

<According to an anonymous Chinese government official, a Tower Jumping Ticket approach is also under consideration.>

ㄴ Tower Jumping Ticket strategy—now that’s a change of perspective. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

ㄴ Right. Skip the hard floors.

ㄴ Then what about the next floor? Tickets aren’t infinite.

ㄴ Use it wrong and it’ll poison you. Supply isn’t big either.

ㄴ In the end it’s the same as temporary naturalization. Only buys time.

<At last, Korea is included among the third-wave target countries.>

<TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION: No worries. Preparations are complete.>

ㄴ What is there to worry about for Korea?

ㄴ Yeah. Nam Gaeun is enough.

ㄴ Don’t let your guard down. You know where the top Player is right now.

<Where is Korea’s top Player these days?>

<Seems to be under temporary naturalization to France.> <TOWER PLAYER AWAKENING ADMINISTRATION: We cannot confirm whether that is true.>

<Breaking) Black Tower (France) Floor 69 S++ clear record.>

<The reason he’s clearing France’s Tower—because of Kabalan?>

ㄴ Kya! That’s a real hero. You guys raise the average. I’m killing Kabalan.

ㄴ But even if he goes to France Tower Floor 70, it’ll be a Copy anyway.

ㄴ Well, he must have a way.

<Japan: the nightmare of collapse—the second curse—still hasn’t ended.>

<Surge of emigrants leaving Japan; international airports packed with Japanese citizens trying to depart.>

<What choice will the Japanese cabinet government make? Another Tower Die-In-Place Operation?>

ㄴ I’m here to pay my respects to Japan. My deepest condolences.

ㄴ Can I get a bowl of funeral beef soup?

ㄴ As humans, we should at least bring condolence money.

Japan was, in every sense, a house of mourning.

Tower Collapse. Tower creation. And the Prime Minister’s death.

All in one day.

And as if that weren’t enough, a third-wave curse target country too.

After Prime Minister Kawaguchi died in the Tokyo Tower creation, the acting prime minister leading the cabinet was the Chief Cabinet Secretary.

The Chief Cabinet Secretary had also been at the Prime Minister’s residence that day, but survived by a hair’s breadth.

While personally presiding over a meeting of senior Japanese officials and party leaders—

“We have to activate every diplomatic channel. Two collapses can’t happen.”

“We know that. How?”

“We cling to America.”

“It’s difficult. The naturalization-specialist Players are fully booked.”

“If it’s Russia...”

“There’s Norway too.”

“Back to Saudi...”

Inside, the Chief Cabinet Secretary clicked their tongue.

A country no one named.

Korea.

The name was being consciously avoided.

“What about Tower Jumping Tickets like China?”

Tower Jumping Tickets?

A long sigh.

“...Whew. Tickets. Can we even get them?”

“I heard there are still countries that have them...”

“I checked too. After China’s announcement, there’s a shortage.”

That was right. Prices had skyrocketed.

They weren’t even appearing on the market.

A dirty trick you don’t use in normal clears—but in a crisis, enough to buy time.

“...If we pay enough, won’t it work?”

“Then what? Can we do Floor 60? Floor 61? Floor 62, 63... are we clearing everything with Tower Jumping Tickets?”

Then—

“I will personally visit Korea. We’ll accept every condition and request a mutual national Tower Collapse defense treaty.”

A mutual national Tower Collapse defense treaty.

Better than temporary naturalization or jumping.

But no one spoke.

“...”

“Why is nobody saying anything? Isn’t this what you all wanted? You were waiting for someone else to step up and take the bullet.”

Right on the mark.

Hanging a bell around a cat’s neck.

As a Japanese politician, bowing to Korea?

Political life ends.

Well—if the Chief Cabinet Secretary did it, that’d be perfect.

All responsibility, all alone.

“Then it’s decided. Meeting adjourned.”

But would Korea accept?

*****

France.

President Macheron was in an emergency meeting at the Élysée Palace.

The original plan had been to bind Player Bong Juhyeok under French nationality.

The Embassy of France in Korea was already making contact.

But then France was selected as a third-wave target country.

France had expected not to be selected once the average was achieved.

Climb higher?

Who clears Floor 70?

The situation had changed.

In the end, there was only one person to trust.

The player who had just recorded an S++ clear of Black Tower (France) Floor 69.

“In this situation, binding Player Bong Juhyeok’s nationality is the worst possible choice. It will only backfire.”

Correct.

If Bong Juhyeok were in France, maybe.

But how do you force a player in Korea to climb a Tower?

“The day Player Bong Juhyeok feels even the slightest discomfort, France is finished. Before recommending naturalization, we must show maximum respect and win his heart.”

President Macheron agreed.

Among all players in the world, the only one who could clear Black Tower (France) was Bong Juhyeok.

“Then how?”

“First, dispatch a special envoy. Don’t approach Bong Juhyeok directly—go through the Korean government.”

“Do it.”

And so, a French special envoy delegation departed for Korea.

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