Earth No. 1,001.
Juhyeok's world.
After Juhyeok secretly left the Gigant in Yeouido Park,
the display Gigant finally revealed itself before the public.
Restaurant owner Mr. Kim, after finishing an all-night shift, spotted it on his way home on the early-morning bus.
Job seeker Mr. Park, stepping out onto his balcony at dawn to clear his head after studying, discovered it beyond the glass window.
Mr. Jung, who worked at a securities firm, witnessed it after exiting Exit 3 of Yeouido Subway Station on his way to work.
Little Lee from the chick class at Yeouido Kindergarten saw it on the way to school and threw a tantrum demanding to go to the park instead, putting his dad in a bind.
Mr. Jung, a huge mecha fanatic, rushed to Yeouido after getting a call from a club friend and finally met it in person.
Retired civil servant Mr. Yoon saw it while taking his morning walk along the Han River, panicked so badly that he slightly wet himself, and went home to change his underwear.
People living outside Seoul—or overseas—encountered it through the news or SNS.
It hadn't been there yesterday.
It appeared overnight.
The Gigant they had only seen in videos was now real.
Painted convincingly with matte paint.
It even moved occasionally.
YouTube streamers swarmed Yeouido Park.
Wasn't this insane content?
Even silent livestreams with no commentary drew massive viewership.
L It was real. It actually exists.
L I was at the park yesterday—when did that show up?
L The top player probably set it up secretly at night.
L It's huge.
L Damn, they should put that in front of Mansudae in Pyongyang.
L Fuck, we pay the same taxes but Seoul folks can see that from their balconies.
L The color's nice. Not overdone.
L Whoever painted it has good aesthetic sense.
L Whoa! It's moving! It's turning its head!
L It won't step on people, right?
L It doesn't move around. Just arms and head a little.
But what's with the ad on its back? They should erase that.
L Exactly! Get rid of the ad!
The reaction was explosive.
Not just in Korea, but worldwide.
People flooded into Korea just to see the Gigant in person.
Flights to Korea sold out across international airports.
Until recently, the Black Tower in downtown Tokyo had been the hottest attraction—but that had changed.
The Gigant's popularity skyrocketed.
As a result, Rajiks Trading became so famous that almost no one didn't know the name.
Which meant Rajiks Trading's Gangnam headquarters was in chaos.
"Sir."
"Yeah, Secretary Oh—did the website come back up?"
"The tech team just reported the servers are live again."
"Ha… this is insane."
Was it just the website?
The phones were ringing nonstop.
The cause?
The ads.
They were getting torn apart over them.
"How bad is the backlash?"
"Almost at the level of threats."
"…Ugh."
"They're saying they'll start a boycott unless the ads on the Gigant's back are removed immediately."
...
"They're saying we turned our dear Gigant friend into a joke."
That was it.
The problem wasn't the effect of the ads—it was the ads themselves.
"Hoo…"
CEO Jung Dong-hoon sighed deeply as Secretary Oh Jin-sook carefully spoke.
"What should we do? Maybe post a temporary notice saying we plan to remove the ads—"
"No. Don't do anything yet. I'll go get permission first."
"… Understood."
Oh Jin-sook left the office.
Permission to remove the ads?
Does the top player have to approve it?
The true owner of Rajiks Trading.
No one knew who it was—his identity completely shrouded.
Honestly, one person came to mind.
Though it didn't seem to match at all.
Back then—before Oh Jin-sook became CEO Jung's secretary—when she worked in general affairs,
a former classmate named Bong Juhyeok had visited Rajiks Trading HQ.
The way CEO Jung treated him.
And then the sudden transfer to the secretary's office afterward.
Could Juhyeok be the top player…?
No way!
Absolutely not!
He was so gentle he couldn't even kill a bug.
He'd even been bullied by a school delinquent once.
Juhyeok probably didn't know, but she remembered going to that delinquent and threatening him to stop picking on a good kid.
She had the clout back then.
Her boyfriend was captain of a sports team.
Anyway, it can't be Juhyeok.
Even if he were a player, he'd probably just farm safe floors.
—
The Floor 90 boss, the Apex Demonic Dragon Helcrasus, had descended to Floor 89.
Just hearing the name was chilling.
Not just a demonic dragon—Apex. Utterly hellish.
And it really was.
Terrifying. Spine-chilling. The kind of thing that made you want to hide under a concealment veil.
But it died.
One gesture from the biker grandpa—and it was gone.
The administrators had abused their authority to send down a Floor 90 boss… and it got sliced apart like "Who are you?"—slash!.
Bisected.
Cleanly split in half.
Ding!
[Apex Demonic Dragon Helcrasus defe… ated. 1/1]
[… 90 … 89th-floor mission succe… ssfully comple… ted.]
[Level up… achiev… ed.]
Even the system messages were a mess.
Was it an error? Shock? Or disbelief over the old biker tearing through space?
[Rewa… ar… d… ]
Eventually—
Ding!
[An error has occurred.]
[Black Tower administrators of Earth No. 675 are absent. Reward and achievement evaluation has been postponed.]
[Normal raid rewards and achievement rewards will be granted after error correction.]
Messages kept popping up, but Juhyeok didn't care.
All he could see was the old man riding a bike in the sky.
The summoned beings were tense.
Kosak was speechless.
Gobang was drenched in cold sweat.
Veronica stayed on guard.
Bardin trembled.
Rajiks stared with his mouth wide open.
El observed calmly.
Mari peeked at the old man from the corner of her eye.
No one spoke.
Not the Mad Mage.
Not Mackenzie.
Not Diamat.
Not Jephet.
Especially Gyeondallae.
Unlike the others, her face was filled with reverence.
Hands clasped, she looked at the old man as if praying.
Seeing her expression, he didn't seem evil.
Then—
Swish!
Something appeared behind the old man.
"… Huh?"
A smartphone.
It was flying.
Moving like a living bird.
Was he filming?
So even that guy liked recording.
With the phone floating behind him—
Vrrrm!
Vrrrm!
The bike descended from the sky.
It's coming down.
It's landing.
What do I do?
Say hello? Thank him? Prostrate myself? Clap sincerely?
He was a transcendent being.
Not defined as a summoned being.
Which meant the Three Rules of Summoned Beings might not apply.
If he felt like it, he could split everyone here in half like Helcrasus.
Vrrrm.
Clack.
The bike landed.
The old man dismounted in a stylish pose.
Then he carefully looked over Juhyeok and the summoned beings surrounding him.
He frowned slightly.
"Tsk tsk tsk."
He even shook his head while clicking his tongue.
Is he displeased?
That's bad…
Gulp.
Juhyeok swallowed dryly.
The old man's gaze wandered—
then finally settled on Juhyeok.
"Oh!"
He exclaimed.
"You are…?"
"Ah! Hello. I'm Bong Juhyeok."
"So you informing yourself as Young Hero Bong. This old man bears the empty title of Sword Immortal."
Sword Immortal?
Immortal as in…?
A Daoist Immortal…
A mythical being who attained enlightenment and immortality.
Right.
If he's an Immortal, calling him a transcendent makes perfect sense.
But why is an Immortal dressed like this?
And riding a bike?
As if reading Juhyeok's mind, the Sword Immortal smiled.
"The Immortal Realm I reside in is rather unusual.
We've exchanged culture and technology with Earth for a long time, so it's quite advanced.
We've got theaters, shopping malls, amusement parks—pretty much everything."
Huh.
Aren't Immortals supposed to live in the Immortal Realm?
But Earth's secular civilization was introduced there?
How does that even happen?
"Why so surprised? You yourself possess interdimensional travel, Bong Hero."
How does he know that?
"Do you think our world lacks people with such abilities?"
…He has a point.
Dimensional travel.
With that, it's possible.
'So the Immortal Realm and some other Earth exchanged cultures introducing technology.'
A parallel Earth's civilization must have crossed over.
That's why an Immortal can ride a motorcycle.
If Earth No. 675 hadn't been destroyed, it might have exchanged with Juhyeok's Earth No. 1,001 as well.
"How did such a venerable Immortal come to a humble place like this?"
"You called, so I came. I've never been one to refuse a summons."
"Thank you so much. You saved us. We owe you our lives."
At the belated thanks, the Sword Immortal waved his hand.
"Hardly something worth calling a debt. Everything happens due to karma, does it not? Besides, dealing with a mere demon like that isn't even a post-meal snack."
Such humility.
"May I ask which Earth you're from?"
"Hm? Earth is Earth. What's with numbers? Even if there are parallel universes."
Right.
Numbering worlds is something only administrators do.
"Does your world also have a Black Tower?"
"You mean this strange space?"
"Yes."
"No. If it ever existed, I would've destroyed it long ago."
"Ah!"
From talking to him, he really does seem like a good person.
Still, the summoned beings couldn't approach him.
Maybe because he's a transcendent?
If they spent more time together, they might grow closer.
But the remaining time was short.
Just ten minutes—no, barely five left.
"Sword Immortal."
"Speak, Bong Hero."
"If it's alright, would you consider staying here for a few days—"
"I would like to, but that won't be possible. Even if I leave, this world would push me away."
It was worth trying.
Juhyeok pulled out a residence permit from his inventory and handed it over.
"This is…?"
After examining it briefly, the Sword Immortal shook his head.
"This card contains power that binds a soul to a specific space."
Ah.
An Immortal really is an Immortal.
"However, my soul cannot be bound. It was never possible to begin with!"
As expected.
You can't forcibly bind a transcendent's soul.
If you could, they wouldn't be transcendent.
"Well, if I truly wished to stay, you could accept me."
So it is possible?
"If I extend a formal invitation—"
"As I said, once outside, the world's laws would warp. As you know, I'm not an ordinary human."
Right.
He's an Immortal.
"And I'm rather busy. Many seek me out, one way or another. Hahaha."
Unfortunate.
With such a clear refusal, he couldn't press further.
"By the way, Bong Hero, I do have a request."
Huh?!
"An-anything. Please ask—anything!"
Of course I'd agree.
I was just wondering how to repay this favor.
"Well, do you happen to have any snacks from Earth?"
Snacks?
"You mean… snacks?"
"Indeed. Snacks."
Didn't he say the Immortal Realm exchanges with Earth?
Don't they have snacks there?
"The Immortal Realm's malls do sell Earth food, but it's terribly expensive. The transport costs are astronomical."
"Ah."
Makes sense.
Drinks at a mountain summit cost more than at the base.
Crossing dimensions would be even pricier.
"So."
"Rajiks?"
"Ho-e?"
"You have snacks in subspace, right?"
"Ho-eeng!"
"Good. Take everything out."
At that moment—
Juhyeok saw it.
Flash!
A glimmer of desire in the Sword Immortal's eyes.
Swish!
Rajiks began taking things out: one bag each of candy and jelly, three chocolate bars, five canned drinks, several packs of bread.
…That's it?
"Is that all?"
"Ho-e."
Normally Rajiks keeps subspace stuffed with snacks.
"Who ate all the snacks?"
Juhyeok looked at the summoned beings.
Gobang and Kosak quietly avoided his gaze.
Tsk.
Can't really scold them over food.
But—
"Ooooooh! This much?"
The Sword Immortal trembled with excitement.
This still counts as a lot?
"This is that new chocolate. With pistachios inside."
"You know it well."
"An Immortal I know in the Immortal Realm spent his entire fortune on this chocolate. He's a beggar now."
"…What?"
How expensive is that chocolate?
"May I take it?"
"Please, go ahead."
"Hohoho! Coming here was worth it."
Such a modest Immortal.
Suddenly felt a bit sorry for him.
"Ah, if only we had more time, I'd buy you more."
"Hahaha, this is enough—"
"I could even open a whole shopping mall for you."
Twitch!
The Sword Immortal's ears moved.
"Ho—Bong Hero, are you wealthy?"
"Yes! Extremely!"
"Gasp! A most distinguished person."
"Oh, it's nothing. But someone told me I'm the richest person in the world."
Twitch!
His ears moved again—immediate reaction.
'…Hmm.'
He seems rather fond of worldly things.
Even as an Immortal, his material desires are strong.
Then—
"I'd also like to buy you a new motorcycle."
Twitch! Twitch!
"Custom-made. One of a kind, just for you. Just one phone call."
Twitch! Twitch! Twitch!
His ears wouldn't stop moving.
Still—
"Hoo… My heart wavers, but I am an anomalous being. I worry the world would be endangered if I stayed…"
...
"The place I live in is separated from reality."
Twitch!
"Separated?"
"A completely new space. Similar to this, you could say."
"Oh? Such a place exists?"
"And it has internet. Electricity too."
Twitch! Twitch!
"Internet as well?"
"You can watch TV. Movies, whenever you like."
Twitch! Twitch! Twitch…
He's almost convinced.
"Would you like to come see it for yourself?"
"Hm. I would regret leaving just like this."
"I feel the same."
"Perhaps I'll stay a bit longer… a week, maybe?"
Got him.
"I won't let you regret it."
"…It's not just because I want a new bike."
Drawing on every flattering skill he'd learned from Kosak:
"Oh, of course. I know. An Immortal who transcended the secular world—how could mere material desires sway you? Your bearing alone is extraordinary. The more I look, the more I feel it—you truly embody the very image of an Immortal."
"Hrm hrm."
"And here—"
Swish.
Juhyeok handed over the residence permit.
The Sword Immortal quietly reached out and accepted it.
Sssk, sssssk.
Letters engraved themselves onto the back of the card.
But—
.White Tower Temporary Resident: Sword Immortal—
Temporary.
So he can't stay permanently.
Let's get him home quickly.
Before that—moment of silence for Unit No. 2.
We recorded some incredible footage anyway.
We can release it later.
"Ho-eeng!"
Clang! Ta-ang! Whirr!
Rajiks moved.
Where?
Toward the bisected corpse of Apex Demonic Dragon Helcrasus.
Swish, ssssssh.
He stored it whole.
Then he also collected the melted, barely recognizable Gigant, demonic sword, and shield.
The Sword Immortal watched with fascination.
'Wow. As expected of our frugal dimensional housekeeper.'
Right.
Rewards are postponed anyway—we should at least take this.