<Guide 2 has been completed.>
<The final reward for the Stage 1 Seed Quest will be issued.>
<When entering the Tower, you will be moved to an Event Stage. The standby time is 5 minutes.>
<Would you like to enter the Tower?>
Ah, before that.
“May I leave work now?”
It was already past six o’clock.
However, for events like this, what came after the ceremony was the real work. Site cleanup would only begin from that point on.
“Ah! Section Officer Lee! Did using such great power perhaps cause Mana Exhaustion? Of course you may! You did something tremendous! Something truly tremendous!! Hurry home and rest!”
It was a misunderstanding, but I did not bother correcting it.
If anything, this would make it easier to explain later.
After saying goodbye to the Commissioner, I immediately accepted the quest completion reward.
“I-it... it lit...! It lit!”
The master of ceremonies’ urgent cry rang out.
Everyone’s gaze turned forward.
The sight the master of ceremonies was staring at with startled eyes was...
“The incense! The incense has caught fire! Something that has not happened even once in the past ten years has occurred!!!”
The incense was burning.
White smoke rising from the incense stretched straight toward the sky.
“Is that real?!”
“Chang-hyeon!”
“Mother!”
“Did the Hunter Management Agency do something?”
“What on earth is this...?”
“What has the Association been doing all this time?”
“Viewers, did you see that?!”
But this was not the end.
<The condition has been fulfilled. Soul Energy will dwell in the Towers of the Republic of Korea.>
The Hunters seated in the Guild section all turned their gazes forward at the same time.
It was because they had all heard the Status Window alert.
They stared in disbelief.
“Energy? A new energy?”
“There is still a class that has not been registered?”
“What does Soul Energy mean?”
“Standard Necromancer?”
“That was the Energy of the Dead!”
<Soul-Attribute Items will be added to the spoils of the Republic of Korea’s Towers.>
<The Blessing of Growth will descend upon the Republic of Korea’s Towers for 100 days. Experience Points received when clearing Towers will increase by 50%.>
But it was true.
There was a newly registered class.
The Status Window alert that rang out again confirmed that fact.
When the Tower bestowed the Blessing of Growth, it did not reveal the player’s nickname.
It was to protect the new generation.
However, since most Korean Hunters joined Guilds, Guilds sometimes announced that fact publicly.
After all, it served as publicity at the Guild level.
“The Blessing of Growth...”
Kim Yong-ho, the Guild Master of “Raven,” had kept his seat with a stiff expression throughout.
Yet the moment he saw the Status Window, even his eyes widened.
Could this truly be happening?
Nearly every class had already been recognized by the Tower.
That had been almost completely settled in the early days.
Because Hunters had rushed to the Tower the moment it appeared, competing with one another to enter it, there had even been times in the early days when the Blessing of Growth had remained active in the Tower year-round.
But that was a thing of the past.
The Tower no longer bestowed the Blessing of Growth.
Because of that, Hunters who had reached a certain level now stood before a massive wall.
The limit of growth, like an endless tunnel.
Not merely one or two high-level Hunters had despaired before it.
‘And yet, at this point in time.’
What in the world had happened?
For an existing class to be renewed, one needed at least a Unique-Grade Title.
But no such report had come in.
‘Or perhaps a Legendary-Grade...’
Was there a recently Awakened Hunter who possessed the seed of a Legendary-Grade Title?
That could not be.
A Legendary-Grade Title was not something one could obtain simply by awakening with a good class by chance.
One’s abilities before Awakening.
That was what mattered.
Only three people had obtained Legendary-Grade Titles so far.
WWE Champion John Howard.
Fields Medal recipient and Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate Yui Sinclair.
And the gold medalist Andrea Lightning, who had swept every Olympic track event.
Those three were the end of it.
Kim Yong-ho was not the only one shaken.
The Guild Masters of the four major Guilds of the Republic of Korea were all present at this memorial event.
In truth, they had planned to collectively boycott this year’s 821 Memorial Ceremony. It was to hold the Hunter Association accountable for the loss of two S-Rank Hunters.
However, the organization hosting the memorial ceremony had changed midway.
That was why they had attended today.
In truth, it was practically the same as coming here to lend strength to the newly established Hunter Management Agency.
They had hoped that something would change with the founding of the Hunter Management Agency.
After all, they were all sick and tired of the Hunter Association’s coercive demands, which at times went too far.
But...
“I did not expect this much.”
Someone beside Kim Yong-ho was chuckling as though he might run out of breath.
It was Park Jong-su, the Guild Master of “Azure Dragon.”
“Honestly, I am shocked. Hey, you are too, right?”
At Park Jong-su’s hand striking his back without mercy, Kim Yong-ho’s expression hardened coldly.
Noticing the change in his expression, Jeong Eun-seo, the Guild Master of “Zero,” gave Park Jong-su a warning look and said,
“Please stop.”
“Ah! It was just too funny, that is all.”
Moon Tae-oh smiled faintly as he looked at them.
“It is certainly interesting.”
“See! Even the Taebaek Guild Master says so. It is beyond imagination. I would bet my own wrist that the Tower buff was also the Hunter Management Agency’s doing!”
At those words, Kim Yong-ho’s expression grew even colder.
“Doing?”
“Ah! Sorry, sorry! Thanks to them, I mean. It really is different when the nation steps in, is it not? Once they seriously set their minds to it, look at this. A ten-year grievance was resolved in one strike!”
Seeing Park Jong-su’s exaggerated gestures, Kim Yong-ho clicked his tongue.
“We still do not know the reason.”
“Even so, it is certain that change has begun.”
No one there denied Jeong Eun-seo’s words.
Jeong Eun-seo was famous for her usual coldness.
Yet even she was smiling now.
“An opportunity for growth has come to everyone.”
And those who would benefit most from it were the top-ranked Hunters gathered here today.
<The Blessing of Growth will descend upon the Republic of Korea’s Towers for 100 days. Experience Points received when clearing Towers will increase by 50%.>
<Player Jack Rich_07 will enter the nearest Tower.>
<The Tower you are entering is Gwanaksan Tower’s 2nd floor.>
FLASH—!
“Huh? Homeowner?”
[Homeowner!]
It was just as I had expected.
When I entered the Tower, the room-corner ghosts from my house were summoned along with me.
“Homeowner, are we clearing the Tower now? Good!”
Gwanaksan Tower’s 2nd floor was a grassy field, similar to the 1st floor.
However, the atmosphere felt strange for some reason.
It was clearly daytime, yet the surroundings were dark as though night had fallen.
Then the lights suddenly came on, and music began playing from somewhere.
<Now it is time for us to go home~! Let us meet again tomorrow~!>
It felt like an amusement park or a supermarket closing after business hours.
“Huh? This song?”
Cha Jun-hyeok seemed familiar with the situation and hummed along to the song playing in the air.
Soon after, a Status Window alert appeared.
<Entering Event Stage.>
I felt as though my body had lifted into the air.
Then, in an instant, the location changed into a place resembling an Olympic stadium.
“An Event Stage! Wow! How long has it been?”
Cha Jun-hyeok’s face brightened noticeably.
[What is an Event Stage?]
“It is a floor that appears randomly while clearing the 10th floor through the 25th floor. But it does not appear above the 25th floor. Something entirely different called a Trial Stage appears instead. But how did this happen? Homeowner, you are still level 2.”
“I received it as a quest reward.”
“Huh? From where?”
“From the uninhabited island. It was given to me for discovering traces of the first Tower.”
“What? I went there to stop that Tower from collapsing too!”
Cha Jun-hyeok was once again full of resentment today.
“In any case, Event Stages are really good!”
I soon learned what those words meant.
The time limit is 10 minutes.>
A Status Window alert appeared, and then an announcement began flowing from the stadium speakers.
<Introducing today’s match!>
<Catch the Golden Goblin!>
<The participant is Player Jack Rich_07!>
WAAAAAAAH!!!
At the same time, cheers resounded.
Before I knew it, the stadium was filled with spectators.
No matter where I looked, whether the first, second, or third floor, there was not a single empty seat.
“Shall we begin?”
Crack.
Pop.
I heard the sound of Cha Jun-hyeok leisurely loosening his hands.
[I will do my best!]
WHOOSH!
WHOOSH—!
The spheres of spiritual energy Chae Seon-hwa summoned spun around her body.
<The countdown will now begin!>
<5>
“5!”
The stadium was in a festive mood.
Every time the announcement rang out, the spectators shouted along with it.
<4>
“4!”
<3>
“3!”
<2>
“2!”
<1>
“1!!!!!”
<The match begins!>
WAAAAAAAAH—!
FLASH!
At the declaration, the enormous electronic scoreboards on both sides of the stadium lit up.
Goblin Count: 0/1,000
Coins Held: 0/10,000>
At the same time, Golden Goblins carrying sacks over their shoulders appeared in the stadium.
At first, the goblins appeared one or two at a time.
However, when Cha Jun-hyeok and Chae Seon-hwa eliminated them in an instant, goblins began pouring from the sky in clusters, as though they were raining down.
The Golden Goblins were all different in size, shape, and temperament.
But they all had one thing in common.
Every one of them shone gold.
Cha Jun-hyeok and Chae Seon-hwa stood far apart, each establishing their own territory, and began beating the goblins down.
[Die!]
SLASH—!
Perfect posture and movements without a single wasted motion.
With a dazzling sword dance, Cha Jun-hyeok cut off the goblins’ heads one after another.
[Sphere of Spiritual Energy—!]
Chae Seon-hwa did not fall behind either, summoning a host of spheres of spiritual energy.
The spheres shot fiercely toward the goblins as though they possessed wills of their own.
DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!
Coins poured out each time a goblin was caught.
Glittering golden coins burst from the sacks the goblins carried as though exploding.
Goblin Count: 200/1,000
Coins Held: 1,000/10,000>
It had taken the two of them less than thirty seconds to catch two hundred goblins.
At that, the excited spectators screamed.
WAAAAAAH—!
Catch them!!
Kill them!!!
Rich! Rich! Rich!
A wave started in the stands.
From right to left, from top to bottom.
Each time the wave flowed through the crowd, the cheers grew even louder.
In the increasingly heated atmosphere, I did what I had to do as well.
That was to wander around and hunt goblins in my own way.
There was one fact I discovered through observation.
Not all of these creatures were diligent either.
Since a large number of goblins had been released at once, there were some among them that were truly carefree.
“If I block their noses and mouths, that is the end.”
If they could not breathe, they died, and the same was true of goblins, monsters though they were.
To think they could sleep even in a situation like this.
They were truly remarkable creatures.
Still, the goblins caught by me were fortunate in their own way.
They could die comfortably in their sleep without pain.
Goblin Count: 990/1,000
Coins Held: 4,275/10,000>
WAAAAAAAAH!!!!!
KYAAAAAAAK!
The spectators’ cheers had now grown so loud they were almost screams.
The sound filled the stadium and echoed everywhere, to the point that my ears felt numb.
<There are 10 goblins remaining.>
<10>
“10!”
The countdown of death began again.
<9>
“9!”
“Counterrr—Strike—!”
With Cha Jun-hyeok’s fully charged strike, the heads of three goblins flew off at once.
<8>
“8!”
<7>
“7!!”
<6>
“6!!!”
As though she had been waiting, Chae Seon-hwa then blew apart the remaining three goblins.
[Fly!]
RAT-TAT-TAT—!
BOOM—!
<5>
“5!”
<4>
“4!!”
<3>
“3!”
As if passing a baton, another goblin lost its life to Cha Jun-hyeok’s Quick Draw technique.
<2>
“2!!”
The last one was Chae Seon-hwa.
[Go—!]
RAT-TAT-TAT—!
Spheres of spiritual energy flew into the body of a single goblin one after another.
Soon after came the sound of explosions.
BOOM! BANG—!
Like that, even the final goblin remaining in the stadium vanished.
However...
<1>
“1!!!”
There was still one count left.
Goblin Count: 999/1,000
Coins Held: 5,000/10,000>
“What happened?”
“Huh? It is normal. Normal.”
Cha Jun-hyeok looked as though it was nothing important.
[But why is one left?]
“You do not know?”
[No. I do not.]
“No, I mean I do not know either.”
[...What?]
“It is always like this.”
“Always?”
“Yes. Look.”
As he said that, Cha Jun-hyeok swept his gaze around the stadium.
“We caught them all.”
His words were true.
There was not a single living goblin left in the stadium.
[No, then why...?]
The spectators were in an uproar as well.
Boo—! Boo—!
Catch it!
Finish it!!!
Kill them all!!!!!
“But this really is the end, though. Back in my day, we tried everything imaginable, but it did not work.”
After speaking as though lamenting the situation, Cha Jun-hyeok simply sat down where he stood.
“There is nothing to do but wait. Still, the reward for 999 comes out properly.”
However, I somehow felt that I knew the reason.
“You.”
“Me? What about me?”
“No. The thing beside you.”
Cha Jun-hyeok suddenly flinched.
“Good grief—! Why would you say something like that all of a sudden?!”
[Why are you so startled?]
“Do I look like I would not be startled? My heart nearly dropped!”
What kind of reaction was that from a ghost?
In any case, there was something not alive wedged between us.
“It is you, is it not? The last one.”
As though it understood what I had said, the Golden Goblin spirit standing beside Cha Jun-hyeok turned its head toward me.
The golden goblin glanced at me and smiled, and a clear, rainbow-colored halo shone around it.
For some reason, it looked holy.
That goblin opened its mouth.
[SKREEE—!]
“......”
[Um, homeowner? Who are you looking at right now?]
“Yes! Why are you acting so frightening all of a sudden?!”
“Chae Seon-hwa, can you not see it?”
[No. I have no idea what...]
This was unexpected.
Cha Jun-hyeok was human at the moment, so that was understandable, but I had expected Chae Seon-hwa, who was also a spirit, to recognize the goblin spirit.
“Chae Seon-hwa.”
[Yes, homeowner.]
“Move three steps to the right from there.”
[Like this?]
Chae Seon-hwa hopped over and moved positions.
“Stretch out your right hand. No, try firing a sphere of spiritual energy.”
[What? A sphere?]
Though she looked puzzled, Chae Seon-hwa fired a sphere as I instructed.
At the same time, a Status Window appeared.
<Tower Interior Safety Rules: Bound spirits cannot exert influence over other spirits.>
TAP, TAP, ROLL...
The sphere of spiritual energy passed through the goblin and rolled across the floor.
[Ah!]
Chae Seon-hwa quickly flew after the sphere of spiritual energy and swallowed it back.
[...Done!]
“Well done.”
Bound spirits could not exert influence over other spirits?
In that case, did that mean I was the only person here who could deal with that thing directly?
I had used Exorcism earlier, so the remaining skills were...
Summon Spirit, Materialization, and Eye of Truth.
“So this is what it was for.”
I understood.
The reason this skill existed.
The Golden Goblin, wearing a sly, enlightened golden smile within that rainbow light, received a gentle smile from me in return.
Then I cast the skill.
“Summon Spirit.”