Chapter 21

Chapter 21

21. I Became a Tower Knights Squad Leader

Washington, D.C., United States.

The White House.

The U.S. President’s secretary pointed at the screen.

“This footage was secretly obtained by one of our intelligence sources.”

The President turned his gaze toward the screen as it lit up.

Before long.

Pewpewpewpew!

Red beams swept through the interior of the Tower.

Dozens of hunters in the area, along with every monster in their path, were reduced to white ash in an instant.

A brief silence followed.

The U.S. National Security Advisor spoke first.

“After analysis, we believe the weapon belongs to the same class as the Gatling Lasers we recovered.”

“The same class?”

When the President looked at him for further explanation, the National Security Advisor continued.

“I mean its firepower pattern is an exact match for the weapons transferred to us in full by the South Korean government.”

The President’s eyes narrowed.

“So that weapon is not currently in our possession.”

“That is correct. At present, the Korean government appears to be officially denying the weapon’s existence.”

“Then who is that?”

“We haven’t identified them, but Korean hunters apparently call the individual ‘Crimson Rain.’”

A heavy silence descended over the Oval Office.

“Should we lodge an immediate protest?”

The National Security Advisor asked.

But the President said nothing and watched the footage to the end.

The lasers continued firing for several seconds.

Buildings and even the terrain itself were torn apart.

After a long moment of thought, the President finally shook his head.

“No. Keep quiet for now.”

The National Security Advisor frowned.

“But Mr. President, that weapon is far too dangerous.”

“Korea is currently our key ally in responding to the North Korean crisis. There’s no reason to create a diplomatic dispute over a single weapon. More importantly.”

A brief silence followed.

The President looked back at the screen.

“This footage is extremely valuable from a military standpoint. Chief of Staff, replay it from the beginning.”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

The footage started again.

Duration of laser fire.

Spread angle.

Penetration power.

Range of terrain destruction.

The way people vanished instantly after being struck.

The analysis program automatically extracted the figures.

“This is data we could never obtain in a laboratory.”

The National Security Advisor’s expression changed.

He finally understood what the President meant.

“Yes. We have secured hundreds of Gatling Lasers, but we obviously cannot test them on human subjects.”

The President gave a short laugh.

“And yet someone is conducting those tests for us.”

The atmosphere in the room turned strange.

“Do we simply continue observing?”

“That’s right.”

The President gave a brief order.

“I don’t know who this ‘Crimson Rain’ is, but for now, let them run wild. However, send every piece of footage to the analysis team the moment we obtain it. Firing intervals, energy consumption, effective range, lethal radius. Compile everything.”

The National Security Advisor nodded, then asked one final question.

“Do we inform Korea?”

The President shook his head.

“Is there any reason for us to be the first to tell them?”

A meaningful smile crossed the President’s face.

The South Korean government had previously decided that America must never learn about this.

And yet America already knew everything.

The President’s gaze suddenly turned serious.

‘If the Gatling Laser truly performs as shown in this footage, then even if hundreds or thousands of hunters riot, our military and police should be able to suppress them without much difficulty.’

Still watching the screen, the President asked.

“What is Crimson Rain’s estimated rank?”

“Judging only by the number of Low-Rank Soldiers recorded as killed in the footage, they should at least be a High-Rank Soldier.”

“So they may already have reached Low-Rank NCO.”

“That’s correct.”

“And the United States?”

“Our highest-ranking hunter was confirmed to have been promoted to Mid-Rank NCO ten minutes ago. They possess two Squad Leader Rings, one Necklace, and one Bracelet. At present, the United States is leading the world in acquiring Tower Knights Equipment.”

“Mid-Rank NCO... And China?”

“China officially prohibits PvP inside the Tower. However.”

That much made sense.

China was a country notorious for brutally suppressing hunters.

More than a hundred hunters had received death sentences there in the previous year alone.

The important part came after ‘however.’

“We have intelligence that a top-secret project is being planned to mass-produce Low-Rank NCOs.”

The President’s expression darkened.

“Next agenda item. If you look at these military satellite photographs of the mysterious structure that suddenly appeared in Pyongyang, North Korea...”

* * *

[You have cleared the Tower of Fate 29th Floor.]

Fssss.

‘Another top-grade mana stone has run dry.’

While climbing—or rather, clearing—the Tower, I’d tested it.

‘Exactly one minute per top-grade mana stone.’

If I hold down Laser No. 1’s trigger for one minute, one top-grade mana stone disappears.

That’s 200 million won in cash erased every minute.

‘Then for an hour?’

A staggering twelve billion won!

‘That’s three times my hourly wage!’

Only now did I realize just how precious top-grade mana stones were.

‘...I acknowledge you, Top-Grade Mana Stone. You deserve to be treasured.’

Even with an S-Rank weapon, you couldn’t use it without money.

So I decided to stop climbing the Tower for today.

‘It’s late anyway, and I’m getting sleepy.’

Before going to bed, I tallied what I’d gained while clearing through the 29th floor.

A backlog of messages filled my view.

[You have obtained Contribution Points (x524,800).]

Five hundred twenty-four thousand Contribution Points!

Looking through the message log, I saw dozens of Mid-Rank Soldiers and even several High-Rank Soldiers.

Probably named monsters and bosses.

I’d earned more than twice as many Contribution Points as I had from floors 20 through 24.

Then what was my rank now?

[You have been promoted to ‘High-Rank NCO.’]

“Good. Show me the Contribution Point Shop.”

[Contribution Point Shop]

[Current Contribution Points: 596,000]

[Accumulated Contribution Points: 901,100]

[Current Rank: High-Rank NCO]

[Next Rank: Third-Class Officer]

Question: What can I buy with 596,000 Contribution Points?

Answer.

‘Everything!’

With this, I could buy the top, bottoms, boots, helmet, and even the badge.

My full Squad Leader set was complete.

‘So a complete Squad Leader set costs exactly 900,000 points.’

At this rate, even S-Rank hunters could probably complete the entire set overnight if they really tried.

‘How many Contribution Points have the S-Rank hunters gathered?’

If I ran into one, someone like me would probably die in one hit, right?

That was when.

Ding!

[You have obtained the title ‘First Tower Knights Squad Leader’!]

[Damage dealt to your own kind increases by 5%.]

[Damage received from your own kind decreases by 5%.]

“Gasp.”

A first-acquisition title with 5% increased damage dealt and 5% reduced damage taken against my own kind!

That was the exact same amount as the set bonus activated by the badge.

‘With the full Squad Leader set plus the title, that makes forty percent increased damage dealt... and fifty percent reduced damage taken!’

Which meant.

‘I’m ninety percent stronger than a hunter with equivalent equipment.’

Even I was frightened by my own strength.

B-b-b-b-brrr!

* * *

A few days later.

My house.

[You have cleared the Tower of Fate 40th Floor.]

For the past several days, I had stormed up the Tower.

But.

[You have obtained Contribution Points (x565,000).]

[You have been promoted to ‘Third-Class Officer.’]

‘The Contribution Points aren’t piling up as fast as I expected.’

I’d earned around 520,000 just going from the 26th to the 29th floor.

But even after climbing more than ten floors straight from the 30th to the 40th, I’d barely earned 560,000.

‘Why?’

Are there fewer monsters after the 30th floor?

Maybe it was a monster-density issue.

Like the 25th floor.

But there was a bigger problem.

‘I’ve used up my stockpile of top-grade mana stones.’

I only had one left!

‘If I use this one too, there’s nothing after it.’

After putting seventy-five billion won into the F&C Refining corporate account, I had spent the rest of my money buying top-grade mana stones.

In other words, I was broke.

Now there really was only one option left.

Enter the Tower myself.

‘Everyone else makes money in the Tower, but I’ve only spent it.’

Of course.

Why?

‘Because this is an investment.’

Same logic as dumping seventy-five billion into the F&C Refining corporate account.

“...Guess I have no choice.”

I stared at the ‘Shadow Dagger’ I had pulled from my inventory.

The legacy left to me by an S-Rank hunter who entrusted the future to me!

I recalled what happened back then.

‘Hunter Choi Hyunwoo. You have the makings of a dragon.’

‘Me?’

‘Yes. Aren’t you an EX-Rank hunter?’

‘A dragon...!’

‘Yes, a dragon. I shall give you this Shadow Dagger—no, offer it to you. Grant me the honor of accompanying the footsteps of the world’s greatest assassin.’

‘Sure. But what was your name again?’

‘My name is...’

Well, his name wasn’t important.

What mattered.

Was that, at this moment, I wanted to climb the Tower.

Why?

[First Tower Knights Squad Leader]

The meaning carried by the title ‘First.’

‘I don’t want to lose it.’

And.

I could finally buy this.

[Tower Knights Team Leader Epaulet]

-Rank: C

-Damage dealt to your own kind increases by 15%.

-Damage received from your own kind decreases by 5%.

-Equip Restriction: Third-Class Officer or higher [Rank Achieved] (Equippable)

The ‘Epaulet’ was an accessory only available on Tower Knights gear of Team Leader tier and above.

Squad Leader gear didn’t have one.

[You have consumed Contribution Points (x285,000).]

[You have obtained ‘Tower Knights Team Leader Epaulet.’]

‘Two hundred eighty-five thousand Contribution Points...!’

That much for a single accessory.

[You have equipped ‘Tower Knights Team Leader Epaulet.’]

‘That puts me at fifty-five percent increased damage dealt and fifty-five percent reduced damage taken.’

I could easily imagine that hunters were currently slaughtering one another all across the Tower.

‘With this gear, at least some random grunt shouldn’t kill me in one hit.’

There was something else giving me courage.

[You have been promoted to Third-Class Officer. Tower Contribution Point rankings are now displayed.]

[Current Contribution Points: 281,100]

[Accumulated Contribution Points: 1,466,100]

[Current Rank: Third-Class Officer]

[Current Ranking: 1st]

‘First place...!’

I steeled myself.

‘At least until that turns into a 2... I’ll give it a shot.’

Just one final confirmation.

“Tower Knights armor still works against monsters too, right?”

[Tower Knights Equipment provides the standard defensive power of its respective rank against monsters inside the Tower.]

“Good. Send me to the 41st floor.”

[Entering Tower of Fate 41st Floor, ‘Graveyard of the Dead.’]

Even the floor’s name sent a chill down my spine.

* * *

Tower of Fate, 41st Floor.

Graveyard of the Dead.

Gravestones reminiscent of a cemetery stood everywhere.

The surroundings were dark and gloomy.

“Where are you, Crimson Rain? I know you’re here.”

-Grrrrrr.

Shing.

‘Sword’ casually cut down an approaching skeleton undead, then glanced at the holographic screen in the corner of her vision.

[Current Contribution Points: 60,800]

[Accumulated Contribution Points: 501,500]

[Current Rank: High-Rank NCO]

‘Another four hundred thousand until the full Squad Leader set...’

While she checked the gear she had bought with Contribution Points.

“Excuse me, if you’re here to clear the 41st floor, would you like to party with—”

Someone approached Sword.

“Eeeek! H-High-Rank NCO! S-Sorry for bothering youuu!”

The moment he saw the [High-Rank NCO] text floating above Sword’s head, he bolted away in panic.