<Tower Climbing Tactics of a Real Man 18>
Juhyeok is currently tackling the 25th floor.
Players who cleared the final section of the 20th-floor goblins should find the 25th floor manageable—their attack patterns are nearly identical.
The real challenge lies with the Orc Chieftain.
Devising strategies to counter this foe is critical.
Not that Juhyeok needs to worry. Gobang and Kosak will handle it.
Among orcs, the weakest are Forest Orcs—small and no stronger than Hob Goblins. The strongest, Volcano Orcs, demand caution with their flaming aura that incinerates anything they touch. Yet to barbarian warrior Gobang, they were mere hand warmers. He’d casually grab one, hug it tenderly, and—
“Churuk?”
Crack!
—snap its spine with a bear hug.
“...Aren’t you burning?”
“Look at his skin—not a singe! Hit him with a flamethrower and he’d go ‘Ah! Refreshing!’”
Given his Hydra-breath-resistant physique, it tracked.
“Uoooooooh!” Gobang’s roar drew every orc’s aggression, creating the perfect opening for Kosak, the SSR-grade assassin.
Papat! Papapapat!
Kosak’s shadow steps tore through the air as he unleashed blade explosions, shock breaks, and poison daggers.
“Kehahaha! This is why I’m SSR-grade!”
Within five minutes, the floor was carpeted with orc corpses.
‘SSR-tier indeed,’ Juhyeok mused, finally stirring. He’d pledged to kill three—quota first, skill practice second.
‘Skip Volcano Orcs. Getting roasted isn’t worth it.’
Forest and Desert Orcs were safer targets.
Swat! Activating shadow steps, Juhyeok lunged—
Papapat!
—only for Kosak to blur into position beside him.
“Why’re you hovering?”
“No need to fret. I’ll stay put.”
Relentless as ever, but at least Juhyeok was safe.
“Chaotic Thunder Staff: Falling Thunder Soul!”
Electricity crackled around his mace.
Zap! Crack! Thud!
A Forest Orc collapsed, skull half-charred.
“...Another?”
Kosak nodded.
Crack! A Desert Orc fell.
A Cave Orc’s axe hurtled toward Juhyeok—
Clang!
—deflected by Kosak’s dagger.
‘My energy shield could’ve tanked that...’
“You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Mental trauma’s real! PTSD!”
“Cut it out. And stop copying my speech.”
“It’s fun.”
“Heh. Priorities, huh?”
Juhyeok understood Kosak’s overprotectiveness—he had to grow stronger to ease his comrade’s nerves. Without reliable allies like Gobang and Kosak, he’d never attempt tower climbing. It was like being a middle schooler with judo-star brothers: bullies stayed clear.
Sticking to the outskirts, Juhyeok picked off stragglers.
Crack! Thud!
Less about kills, more about mastering Falling Thunder Soul—
Ding!
[Chaotic Thunder Staff’s 2nd form, Falling Thunder Scatter, unlocked!]
“...Whoa!”
Five lightning forks struck a Desert Orc.
‘AoE skill!’
“Don’t get cocky,” Kosak warned, shaking his head.
“Outside, I’m a regular guy. Here? I’m the man.”
“Sure, but safety first—”
“Safety? If the Chieftain shows up, I’ll smash his—”
“Grrrrrr!”
The Orc Chieftain stormed in, axe as massive as his tattooed frame, biceps thicker than Juhyeok’s torso.
‘Since when are orcs this big?!’
“Earlier bravado about skull-smashing?” Kosak prodded.
“Uh...my back suddenly hurts. I’ll spectate.”
“A man’s power lies in his back! Rest up.”
Gobang roared, locking eyes with the Chieftain. They charged—
Crunch!
—the orc’s shoulders crumpled instantly. Kosak finished it with a flashy strike, severing its head.
[25th floor cleared!]
[Level up!]
[Reward: 2.5kg Magic Stone.]
[Notice: You have achieved an S++ clearance on the 25th floor of the Black Tower (Korea).]
[S++ Clearance Reward: Platinum Badge awarded.]
Another clean finish on the 25th floor.
"Good work."
"Hehe, thank you!"
Anyway, time to check the rewards soon.
This round's rewards will affect the elite team contract negotiations.
More rewards, safer tower climbs.
"What would you like to eat today?"
"...Tteokbokki, perhaps?"
"Are you sure? You can't handle spicy food."
"Why do you say that? I'm reformed! My spice-wimp days are over!"
"Really? Best of luck, then."
Juhyeok ordered ten portions of tteokbokki.
With chilled drinks on the side.
"Dig in."
"Aren't you eating, Summoner Bong?"
"I'll join later."
Gobang devoured the tteokbokki.
Slurp. Slurp.
"...Not spicy?"
"Not at all. Just sweet."
"R-really?"
Cossack glared at the tteokbokki—gulp!—swallowed hard, kept glaring, then with trembling chopsticks, lifted a piece while staring intently...
When's he actually going to eat it?
Leave him be.
He'll cave eventually.
Now, the rewards.
Opening the tower-exclusive inventory:
[Special reward granted for accumulating 25 Platinum Badges.]
Make it good. Please.
[Special Reward: Encore selection available.]
"What?"
Encore...?
[Selectable Encore rewards: Trait Enhancement, Skill Replication, Random Item, Summoned Entity Upgrade.]
"Oh!"
So that's it.
Not some premium sushi platter, but this?
Am I dreaming?
Easiest choice ever.
Only an idiot would pick anything else here.
Trait Enhancement.
[Awakened trait enhanced.]
"Heh heh heh."
The chuckle escaped unbidden.
Tower climbing?
Child's play.
Safety guaranteed too.
Let's review:
Level?
[Level]: 26
Skills?
[Combat Skills]: Shadow Step / Primordial Thunderstaff
Traits:
[Trait]: Summoning (Simultaneous Summons: 3)
Three summons at once.
Including himself, a four-person climbing party.
Unbeatable advantage.
Standard for summoners, of course—team play instead of solo, with summons increasing via trait upgrades.
But the drawbacks:
Control issues.
Summons scale poorly with player level, lack autonomy requiring micromanagement, and drain mental stamina.
Worse—lose control, and they might rampage.
Forced dismissal then, unless you fancy being mauled by your own summons.
Summoners don't have it easy.
Clear weaknesses.
Juhyeok's different.
His summons? Actual people with monstrous power.
Just say "Mission start" to Cossack and Gobang—done.
Random summon cooldown...?
~18 days.
Time flies anyway.
Elite team contract should work.
At least I won't embarrass myself.
Now...
Just need to talk to the family.
But then—
"Gack! Hrk! Hrrk!"
Cossack writhed on the floor, crimson tongue lolling.
"Assassin... perishing..."
"Ghk! Guk!"
"Toss him. Summon anew."
"Sh-shut up! W-water...!"
Juhyeok cracked open a drink and shoved it into his hand.
"Tsk. Called it."
Since when do spice-weaklings develop spice egos after ranking up?
Wait—
Every time Cossack acts up, force-feed him chili?
Doesn't violate Clause 3—he'd have to obey.
But...
Ugh. Who does that?
Not like I'm a psycho.
※ ※ ※
Juhyeok's family home.
First full gathering in ages.
They'd even splurged on Hanwoo beef.
Poor but close-knit, they chattered post-meal:
"After hiring the lawyer, the company started crawling back—those snakes who'd ghosted me!"
"What happened to Mom's bullies? Saw reporters swarm them on news."
"Ugh. Turns out their 'patron' was a high-ranking official. Apology calls nonstop now."
"Don't forgive them, dear. Teach them a lesson."
Next topic:
"Checking into VIP hospital room tomorrow."
"Whoa! Dad, let me stay! I'll nurse you—it's near campus!"
"No. I need your mother."
"VIP rooms beat our house, huh?"
Minhyuk's turn:
"Got a scholarship—just one semester though."
"Grades?"
"Bro! I get half-tuition!"
"Then why?"
"Enlisting next semester."
"Ah!"
Right—he's enlistment age.
"Speaking of—Bro, still doing part-time? Get a real job."
"Minhyuk's right. I'll job-hunt post-rehab—you study too."
"Our eldest sacrificed enough. Live for yourself now. Compensation from the lawsuit will stabilize us."
Juhyeok hesitated.
How to drop this bomb?
Straightforward wins.
"Remember when I hinted at... luck?"
Pause.
"I've Awakened. I'm a Player now."
Family stares: utter disbelief.
"Joking without cracking a smile?"
"Video game Player?"
"Bro. Eat fruit."
Hiding the S++ clearance.
Trust them, but fewer know, better.
Thud! A magic stone on the table.
Thud! An adamantite mace.
Thud! An alloy shield.
"See? Tower climbing pays."
Astonishment—items materializing from air.
"Uh."
"Wh-what's this?"
"...".
The clincher:
"Awakened Management Bureau wants me for their elite program. This 'talent' exhausts me."
Shocked silence.
Dad gaped.
Minhyuk muffled a gasp.
Mom studied him keenly.
"I'm a proper man now. No more 'timid' or 'soft' comments, okay?"
Dead serious.
