<The Southern Man's Tower Strategy 39>
Juhyeok's ambitious journey to unconditionally succeed in trait enhancement by claiming a special reward.
The desperate resolve of three summoned beings to create an extra vacancy and avoid unemployment.
It all began on the 36th floor.
A massive humanoid monster—the Ogre.
Though smaller than a Minotaur, its advantage lay in speed.
The first stage of Floor 36 moved at a manageable pace,
but by the second stage, its hulking body accelerated like an Orc.
The third stage?
Nearly rabbit-like swiftness.
Clever and cunning, it fled instantly when outmatched.
In the fourth stage, it employed a leaping skill, bounding over players' heads to harass them.
Foot-binding techniques became critical.
While players possessed trait-specific crowd control skills, deploying them effectively required precise timing—this separated the skilled from the rest.
Juhyeok lacked such abilities.
His only assets were the summoned beings.
Ssual Gobang—larger, stronger, and faster than any Ogre.
Thud! Crunch! Slash!
"Kuuoooooh!"
Ssual Priestess Gyundalrae, binding Ogres with area-of-effect debuffs:
"Corrupted ones, cease your movements!"
And John Cosack, the blood-eyed assassin in frenzy:
"Raaaaagh!"
But urgency wasn't unique to Cosack.
With their next summoning uncertain,
a single misstep meant termination.
No more post-work company dinners hosted by the boss.
Desperation was inevitable.
Juhyeok kept his promise,
lingering silently at the rear.
Yet his mind churned.
After boldly shouting "Charge!",
he wondered: 'What if the special reward doesn't appear by Floor 50?'
Failure meant ruin.
'No. It must appear.'
An alternative existed—the Trait Enhancement Rune.
But its drop rate was abysmal,
only obtainable as a reward past Floor 40 or 50,
and virtually absent from markets lately.
'Should I beg the Management Bureau for one?'
The price?
A debt greater than acquiring a penthouse.
'Problematic.'
First, confirm the special reward at Floor 40.
Thus, Floor 36:
[Notice: S++ clearance achieved on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 36.]
Floor 37:
[Notice: S++ clearance achieved on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 37.]
Even Floors 38 and 39:
[Notice: S++ clearance achieved on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 38.]
[Notice: S++ clearance achieved on Black Tower (Korea) Floor 39.]
A frenetic pace.
Daily morning system alerts blared without fail.
Citizens watching dramas endured the subtitle:
<South Korea's Black Tower 3Xth Floor S++ Clearance Record!>
By now, the routine bred indifference.
└ Nam Ga-eun VS 39 Consecutive S++ Record Holder
└ "I'm Nam Ga-eun."
└ "Me too."
└ "Pfft—no player would pick Nam Ga-eun."
└ "Exactly. Always choose the S++ record holder."
└ "39 consecutive S++s—unmatched!"
└ "But isn't he overexerting? Four straight days of clears."
39 consecutive S++ records.
Four days nonstop.
National pride swelled endlessly.
Amid this,
Korea's foremost pride supplier quietly departed his sanctuary.
※ ※ ※
The Perception Disruptor never failed to impress.
Beyond masking his face, it eroded others' wariness.
Even at close proximity, he registered as harmless—a familiar non-entity.
Security around Juhyeok's officetel had intensified recently:
more guards, external surveillance.
Useless against the Disruptor.
At 4 a.m., he exited unnoticed—just another passing shadow.
Distant taxis idled in the dawn.
Timidly raising his hand, he hailed one.
"Driver... To Gongju Traditional Market in Chungnam."
"Huh? Where?"
"Gongju City's market. Possible?"
"Too far..."
"500,000 won. Cash."
"Seatbelt."
The taxi rocketed away.
90 minutes later, they arrived.
Pre-6 a.m., yet the market buzzed.
Juhyeok summoned Cosack in a public restroom:
"Chung! Cosack present!"
"Ready?"
"Locked and loaded!"
"Move out."
Their purpose? Groceries.
"Start with fruit?"
"More than that. This'll be heavy."
"I'll carry everything. You handle payments."
They purchased mountains of goods.
Another taxi:
"Gyeryongsan National Park."
"Hiking? Hop in."
"Trunk space, please."
Juhyeok and Cosack rode in silence.
At the park's secluded area, Gobang and Gyundalrae materialized.
"We await your command, Master."
"I'll manage the luggage."
Gyundalrae led them off-trail into a rugged valley.
"Here."
"Where to place these?"
"Ah! Move this boulder."
Gobang hefted the colossal rock effortlessly,
revealing a flat altar.
"Scrub it clean with valley water."
"Yes, ma'am!"
As Gobang and Cosack scrubbed moss-covered stone,
Gyundalrae sharpened her blade with ritual solemnity.
A woman in white honing a sword—eerie, yet compelling.
The cleansed altar bore offerings:
a pig's head, fruits, ceremonial dishes.
"We begin."
All knelt before the altar.
Gyundalrae activated a speaker,
releasing traditional gut rhythms.
Clang! Thrum!
Swirling bells and blades, she chanted:
"Hear us, spirits! Guide Master Bong to prosperity!"
None dared smile.
Gravity saturated the air.
"Grant our plea! Trait enhancement!" Juhyeok initiated.
The chorus echoed:
"Grant our plea! Trait enhancement!"
A ritual for Platinum Badge rewards.
Would it work?
You might scoff at superstition—
but trying something mattered.
And performing a ritual isn’t anything unusual.
People often do it when starting a company, filming a movie for the first time, or when politicians run for elections.
It’s all for the sake of finding peace of mind.
Let’s pull it off this time.
I don’t want to disappoint the summoned.
If this continues, I might have to beg the Management Bureau.
Better to hold a gut instead.
The ritual reached its climax.
Gyundalrae’s dance grew even more frenzied.
Swish!
A blue blade arced into the sky.
Kossak swiftly caught it and passed it to Gobang.
Gobang knelt, gripping the sword’s spine with both hands before raising it blade-up.
Soon Gyundalrae, having removed her socks, stepped barefoot onto the edge.
Step. Step.
Gyundalrae walking the blade.
This feels right.
It should work.
※ ※ ※
As expected, Juhyuk arrived alone at a Seoul officetel by taxi.
He tapped his card key and entered.
Having completed his day trip, Juhyuk began meditating solemnly upon returning home.
He’d released the summoned immediately after the ritual, so he could call them again soon.
Honestly, clearing Floor 40 at S++ rank isn’t the issue.
Success is guaranteed.
But what if I fail the trait enhancement again?
Truthfully, I don’t want to dismiss any of them.
Even if it means Legend-tier summons.
I’d rather abandon the S++ clear.
I’m only doing this for Kossak and the summoned who fear losing their jobs.
Now! Time’s up.
Full designated summon.
“Ready?”
All nodded gravely.
“Let’s enter.”
[Entering Korea’s Black Tower Floor 40.]
We’d reached Floor 40 before I knew it.
Mission received.
[Floor 40 Mission: Eliminate 80 ogres of any type + 1 Twin-Headed Ogre.]
[Time Limit: Within 13 hours.]
[Completion: All ogres 0/80, Twin-Headed 0/1]
Killing monsters isn’t the problem.
The real issue is checking the rewards afterward.
Ogres? Beneath my notice.
Just want to finish quickly and check the rewards.
Ooooo—
The aura erupting from Gobang and Kossak.
The ogres retreated hesitantly, sensing danger.
But could they escape?
Ogres were torn apart, and the Twin-Headed appeared only to—
“Squelch!”
Thus:
[Notice: S++ rank achieved on Korea’s Black Tower Floor 40.]
[S++ Reward: Platinum Badge awarded.]
Pop!
The party returned to the officetel.
“Excited.”
“Shh! Don’t jinx it. Watch your words.”
“Roger.”
Juhyuk took a deep breath and checked his inventory.
[40 Platinum Badges accumulated. Granting special reward.]
Go! I’ve waited long enough.
If this fails too, I’ll pause tower climbing indefinitely.
Will the trait enhancement finally…
[Reward: Roulette Spin Ticket (1x) added to inventory.]
“…Huh? What’s this?”
Juhyuk looked stunned.
“Wh-what? Did something happen?”
“Is this the trait enhancement?”
“Summoner, explain. We’re curious.”
Juhyuk didn’t answer.
He just stared blankly at the floating image.
[Tearing ticket activates roulette. Unused tickets expire in 1 hour.]
A circular wheel appeared.
Single needle on top.
Colorful sectors of varying sizes.
Similar to previous random boxes, but different mechanics.
Sector labels:
Spirit Stones, Herbs, Items, Potions, Skills, Tickets…
‘Trait Enhancement?’
It existed.
In the narrowest sector.
‘Now it’s a damn roulette?’
Could the needle even land there?
“…Total failure?”
At Kossak’s question:
“We need to spin.”
“Eh? Rou-roulette? The spinny thing?”
“Yes. There’s a trait enhancement sector… but it’s narrow.”
“How narrow?”
“This much.”
“Aigo!”
Stay calm.
The summoned stared at him like owlets.
“Wait. I’ll shower first.”
Juhyuk entered the bathroom with clean clothes.
First, brushing teeth to repent for earlier swearing.
Scrubbed ears clean.
Dried thoroughly, changed underwear and clothes, then emerged.
“…”
All eyes converged.
The pressure of spinning before expectant faces.
Wow! So stressful.
“…Who’ll tear the ticket for me?”
Gazes scattered instantly.
The summoned suddenly found distant walls fascinating.
“…Tch.”
Cowards.
Avoiding responsibility?
‘Should’ve accepted whatever came.’
No choice now.
After preparing the ritual and all.
Juhyuk took out the ticket with trembling hands.
After several deep breaths:
“If it fails, can I swear?”
“No!”
“No swearing!”
“Would our summoner do that?”
Rrrip!
He tore the ticket ruthlessly.
Whirrrrr!
The roulette spun.
Round and round.
The trait enhancement sector—small as mouse droppings.
Whirrrrr!
It spun endlessly.
Not just the wheel—his eyeballs spun.
His head spun.
When would it stop?
Spinning madly.
Eventually.
Whirr… whir… click.
Deceleration began.
The wheel crept leftward.
“Go! We did the ritual!”
Creeeak…
Slowing…
Almost stopping.
Juhyuk’s body twisted left.
The summoned mirrored him.
‘Closer! Almost there!’
Was the ritual effective?
The needle approached the trait sector.
“Stop!”
But the wheel inched past.
“This damn roulette…”
Juhyuk leaned right.
The summoned followed.
“No further!!!”
Next sector: Unknown Herb.
Herbs as special reward? No!
Reverse!
Right!
Juhyuk curled his right toes violently.
Snick!
The wheel stopped.
Needle placement—
“Oh!”
Trait Enhancement.
Click!
[Trait enhancement activated.]
“Click!!”
Juhyuk raised both hands.
“CLICK!!!”
The summoned cheered.
Hopping excitedly.
“Click achieved!”
“Click accomplished!”
“Click!!”
Status window:
[Trait] : Summon (Simultaneous Summons: 4)
