Mythical Tower, Floor 2
Chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp!
While a mukbang of boneless chicken played out right next to him.
Jinhyeok logged into the tower site.
Cleared Floor 20 of the Hall of Fame in 20 minutes total playtime, earning SSS+ rank.
'Damn, that's hot.'
It had only been a few minutes since the post went up, but the comments were already over a thousand.
One comment in particular caught his eye.
@ By now, the Hunter Association's probably got their eyes peeled looking for the runner. Upvote if you feel bad for them.
Jinhyeok figured Yoonho must have heard the news by now.
He'd definitely visited the basement room, realized the midnight escape, and pieced together that the Hall of Fame runner was none other than Eugene Hyeok.
@ Floor 20? It's not just the Hunter Association looking anymore.
@ Yeah, other guilds and organizations have probably started too. And if it spreads further, other countries.
@ What, you think it's the National Intelligence Service or something? Overkill much.
This was a bit dicey.
Since he hadn't filed a change of address, they couldn't track him down like before, but this was tiny South Korea.
Whether by fate or chance, the odds of bumping into someone weren't low.
'If we cross paths despite being careful, well, nothing to be done.'
There'd be options then, too.
Just pick the smart one.
"Boss. You not eating chicken?"
Kancho approached, his mouth smeared with sauce.
Seira and Kancho were handling the spicy version surprisingly well, even though he'd ordered it that way.
"I already ate. And slow down a bit. We've got time."
It was just past 10 a.m.
Two whole hours until midnight, no need to rush.
"You said eat fast, that's why boneless?"
Jinhyeok swallowed dryly.
Kancho had a knack for picking up on weird things.
"I was just worried delivery might be late, but it's fine."
"Got it. But boss."
"Yeah?"
"No more pickled radish? Seira's been staring at the empty dish since earlier."
He glanced up.
Just as Kancho said, after finishing a piece, Seira habitually reached for the pickled radish bowl with her chopsticks.
Only realizing it was empty did she flinch and pull them back.
"Seira. I'll order two more pickled radish later."
"Good idea. It was a bit short."
Kancho headed back, joining Seira in devouring the rest of the chicken.
These two adapted to Korea at an absurdly fast rate.
Rustle.
"All cleaned up!"
With the chicken gone and even the trash sorted, Kancho and Seira returned to his side.
"You topped off the minigun gas?"
"Full tank!"
"I'll grab a pistol and rifle tomorrow when we go out. Carry a variety."
"Thanks!"
He'd confirmed the minigun's power on Floor 20.
Stocking up on different types should come in handy.
"Alright, let's go."
[Entering Mythical Tower, Floor 2.]
The scattered particles began to reassemble.
This time, no 2-1 subfloor appeared.
Nor did it seem like he'd snag a new card right away.
No memories related to cards had surfaced yet.
[A space with a strange chill flows through it!]
A space tinged with blue light materialized.
A building of azure and white stone.
Its walls were covered in bizarre patterns.
"It's cold!"
Kancho started shivering.
Naturally, Jinhyeok, in his short sleeves, was clenching his teeth and hugging himself.
It wasn't just the color that was blue.
Up close, patches of pale blue ice covered everything.
"Kancho. Wrap this around you."
He pulled orc leather from his inventory and handed it over.
Jinhyeok wrapped himself in leather too.
Better than bare skin, at least.
'Seira, though... she's fine as always.'
Seira tilted her head at the sight of Kancho and Jinhyeok trembling.
Times like this, he genuinely wondered.
Was her body made of steel?
'Anyway, here we go again with this unfriendly system bastard.'
Jinhyeok clicked his tongue in annoyance as he scanned the area.
A space that hadn't appeared during the game playthrough.
Even on the first floor, it'd at least popped up a mission, but this time, it seemed intent on skipping even that.
"Halt."
As they reached the end of the stairs, a deep voice boomed through the entire space.
No need to hunt for the source.
The surrounding bricks shifted in all directions, revealing a new bridge beyond, and an old man with flowing white beard stepped forth.
"Not your average grandpa, huh."
"His aura's unique."
"He's huge!"
Easily over five meters tall, with a massive build spread wide.
He'd hold his own against a cyclops or troll.
"State your purpose here."
"We came to climb the tower."
He pointed to the stairs behind the old man.
Whatever this place was, it was still the tower.
Once here, the goal of heading up didn't change.
"This is an isolation facility. Not a place for the unqualified to wander in and out."
The old man fixed his gaze on Jinhyeok and his companions after speaking.
"Doesn't look like you're planning to turn back."
The old man rose from his seat.
Then he hefted a massive shield from beside him.
Shing.
Seira drew her sword, and Kancho loaded rounds into the minigun.
The old man stepped forward with heavy thuds and spoke.
"Prove your worth."
Rumble rumble rumble...!
The ground began to shift.
By the time he came to, Jinhyeok was the only one shooting upward.
Seira moved to follow immediately, but the old man shook his head.
"I won't harm him."
Didn't seem like a lie.
Jinhyeok signaled to Seira that it was okay.
The movement stopped, but Seira kept her sword ready.
She alternated glances between the old man and Jinhyeok, fully prepared to spring into action at any moment.
Ding!
[The Ancient Prison's Gatekeeper, Dordal's Proposal! Dordal is a being who has guarded the prison for ages! To pass, you must accept his proposal! Refusal will result in ejection from Mythical Tower Floor 2!]
The unfriendly system's grand entrance.
No real choice here.
A prison, though.
Another unordinary space had cropped up.
"I'll accept."
With the system involved, no tricks seemed likely.
No sooner had he answered than the rocks swiftly carried Jinhyeok before Dordal.
As Dordal stared him down, Jinhyeok raised a hand.
"If I fail, can my other friends try?"
"The proof is yours alone to give. You're the sole tower climber."
"I see."
He answered nonchalantly, but he'd already prepped his escape.
If he couldn't clear it now, he'd grow stronger in the Tower of Despair and come back later.
No need to risk his life.
"Begin."
Boom!
Without warning, Dordal slammed his shield into the ground.
He nearly hit the eject button right then.
A massive shockwave blasted ice shards his way.
He shielded his face for a moment.
Then the shield, deeply embedded in the ice floor, came into view.
"Use any means necessary to pierce this shield. Do that, and your proof is complete."
'Huh?'
Jinhyeok wrinkled his nose.
A five-meter giant's ice shield—its size was ridiculous.
And he'd driven it into the ground with full force, so no normal human could budge it.
As if reading his thoughts.
Dordal spoke.
"It's impossible for you as you are now."
"Then why this test?"
"To tell you to go back."
The reply came swift.
This wasn't a probe.
Dordal was serious.
This was a high-danger containment facility among prisons: the Glacier Prison.
Naturally, what was locked inside would spell massive trouble the moment it got out.
He couldn't allow someone coming to release that.
"Hmm."
Jinhyeok rubbed his chin, eyeing the shield, then reached into his inventory.
What emerged was the Cursed Engraved Sword, Kamachi.
When he'd sold the sword, Kim Jin-guk had said that once enough stacks built up, Kamachi could even slice through tough golems.
Worth a shot.
'Ha.'
At the sight of the shabby-looking sword, Dordal let out a hollow laugh.
His shield wasn't made of ordinary ice.
It was forged from the extreme cold of ages: the Glacier Shield.
No way something like that sword could pierce it.
"Huuu."
Jinhyeok took stance and swung Kamachi at the shield's center.
[The engraving of Kamachi is etched!]
[The Curse of Aging activates!]
'Huh?'
Ding!
[All Status Ailment Resistance SSS+ trait activates! Immune to the Curse of Aging!]
He'd nearly tossed the sword away, thinking immunity wouldn't hold.
Clang!
Pain shot through his hand on impact with the hard ice.
No need for full swings, so he built stacks with minimal force, quick and steady.
"What ridiculous nonsense is this? Can't you see your sword's the only thing getting damaged?"
He didn't bother replying.
Swinging the sword while enduring the cold was hard enough.
'Moving helps, though.'
The chill eased a bit compared to before.
He kept the rhythm, swinging without pause.
[Kamachi's engraving stacks! Current stacks: 37!]
No telling how tough this ice was, so no clue how many stacks it'd take.
He'd keep going until his arms gave out.
Clang!
How many swings in?
Once stacks surpassed hundreds, his swing speed slowed.
His body was drenched in sweat.
Harsh breaths sent constant puffs of vapor from his mouth.
Even gentle swings met fierce resistance from the hard ice—far more exhausting than air swings.
'Let's try.'
If it failed, just stack more.
Jinhyeok brought Kamachi to the stacked spot.
"Done already? If you've realized it's futile, head back now."
Hundreds of swings, and not a scratch on the shield.
Felt like watching a bad play.
"You've got to know when to—"
No intention of listening to the end.
With the blade precisely aligned, Jinhyeok murmured low.
"Burst."
Before the word fully dissipated into the air.
Swoooosh!!!
A slash erupted from Kamachi's blade, carving horizontally across the shield.
No change on the shield yet.
But Dordal, its owner, had eyes wide as saucers.
'The shield...'
Rumble rumble rumble...!
The horizontally slashed shield slid along the crack.
'It's collapsing.'
It toppled sideways.
While Dordal froze in disbelief at the impossible scene.
Step.
Jinhyeok stepped forward, mounting the freshly severed cross-section of the shield.
"The shield."
Staring at Dordal, Jinhyeok smiled faintly.
"I've pierced it."
Ding!
[Glacier Prison Gatekeeper Dordal's Proof Trial! The player has passed the trial and proven their qualification!]
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