Temporary, but a sword immortal with a name engraved on the residency permit.
Let's try going outside the tower.
Could we go out together?
He's not even a sub-summoned listed in the catalog.
For now, exit.
Spot!
But then—
" … Huh?"
I looked around.
"Where did you go?"
The sub-summoned had come out, but the Sword Immortal was nowhere to be seen.
"Don't tell me he can't come out together—"
At that moment!
Screeech!
A fissure tore open in midair.
Holding a sword, the Sword Immortal stepped out through it.
" … You made it out."
"I followed Great Hero Bong's aura and sliced through space with my sword to get here."
"And the bike?"
"I put it away in infinite space."
Infinite space?
"It's an art like a subspace. I asked a Daoist immortal I know for a favor and acquired one. It's not very large, though."
As he said that, the Sword Immortal looked around.
"What a desolate place. Could this be the world Great Hero Bong lives in?"
"No. It's another world. It's already fallen."
"What a pity."
Now, to the White Tower, 1st floor.
The other sub-summoned could simply be dismissed.
"Do not worry. I'll follow you inside. After touching this residency permit, I understood how to enter."
Then—
First, dismiss the sub-summoned.
Spot! Spot! Spot …
And then Juhyeok as well.
Spot!
White Tower, 1st floor.
A moment later—
Screeech!
A fissure formed, and the Sword Immortal came through it.
"Here? The space you said was separated from reality?"
"That's right, but this is more like a villa. We need to move once more."
"How troublesome. Then you go on ahead."
"No, from here on we can go together. Over there—by elevator."
"Elevator?"
And so we moved together.
Inside the elevator—
"Aha! So this is it. A tool for dimensional travel."
"Yes, that's right."
"Truly ingenious. Instead of opening a gate or a door, you ride an elevator to move."
Everyone boarded and the elevator started.
Swish-sha-sha-sha-sha.
Dududududu.
Slide.
The doors opened.
"Welcome. This is our home—the White Tower's 17th floor, a separate space connected to my world."
" … Ho?"
Even the transcendent Sword Immortal looked slightly surprised.
No wonder!
It was on a completely different level compared to the White Tower's 1st floor.
A 61-story skyscraper visible the moment you arrived.
Residential areas, luxury cars parked in lots, wide roads, and a gigant standing in the plaza.
"Hoo!"
The Sword Immortal kept exclaiming in admiration as he looked around the space Juhyeok had created.
"Please rest. I'll go take care of some business."
"Do not concern yourself with me."
It would be nice if someone guided him.
"This young lady shall attend you."
With Princess Dallae, there was nothing to worry about.
"Could you do that?"
"I shall ensure it does not disgrace Young Master's dignity."
Then the Sword Immortal said,
"Hmm, I wondered how I was able to hear Great Hero Bong's voice. Turns out there was a child with ties to me by your side."
Huh?
What does that mean?
Tied to Gyeon Dallae?
"Your master was a fox, was he not?"
"That is so."
"Good. Your master is doing well. So do not worry."
"… Th-thank you very much."
Ah—
I see.
Gyeon Dallae's master, the thousand-year fox Haeryeong, achieved ascension through enlightenment and escaped the tower-bound soul.
I wondered where she had ascended to—turns out it was the Immortal Realm where the Sword Immortal lived.
Thus, one connection led to another, until it finally brought forth a transcendent being like the Sword Immortal.
"Then please enjoy your conversation. I'll go place an order for a custom bike."
"Oh! About the bike."
"Yes?"
"I'd prefer one that runs on gasoline—oil—not an electric battery."
"Of course! A bike should roar—vroom, vroom, grrr! That's the real charm, isn't it?"
"Indeed, Great Hero Bong. The smell of oil when gasoline combusts is an irreplaceable allure."
I should prepare quickly.
I don't know when he'll leave.
I'll have to raid a department store today.
Everything top-of-the-line.
After Juhyeok went out to run his errands,
the Sword Immortal sat on a plush sofa in the White Tower's 17th-floor plaza, enjoying tea and snacks Dallae had brought, completely absorbed in a tablet.
At first, he thought there wouldn't be much to see.
But content from another world—
similar to the culture of Earth connected to the Immortal Realm, yet also different.
'If I rest for a few days, then return, that should be fine.'
Still, what exactly is this Black Tower?
The place where monsters appear.
It occupies space in reality, yet in some sense feels separated.
Well, are such anomalies rare?
Though the forms differ, they're ultimately invasions of one's dimension by another.
Wars where dimensions collide, devouring one another.
In some cases, mana is transmitted directly;
in others, via gates;
or, like here on Earth, by creating things called towers—
warping the laws of the dimension, assimilating it, and eventually consuming it.
Such things happen all across the universe.
He himself had experienced it.
How vast is the world?
Just how many stars float in that sky?
One couldn't even dare to count them.
The same goes for parallel universes.
Countless worlds must exist in the cosmos.
Even conservatively, tens of millions?
No—wouldn't it be over a hundred million?
While lost in such thoughts,
he noticed an old man in the distance glancing at him repeatedly.
Perfect timing.
"Hey, you there!"
The Mad Demon flinched at the Sword Immortal's call.
"Come here."
The Mad Demon approached hesitantly.
"What is your name?"
"M-Mad Demon … sir."
"Is that so? Hmm. Do you know the Heavenly Demon or the Blood Demon?"
"I don't know much about the Blood Demon, but I once crossed hands with the Heavenly Demon."
"Oh? Then tell me in detail about that Heavenly Demon you fought. And also about the martial world you lived in."
The Mad Demon began explaining calmly.
Though he himself was a grandmaster who had established a name in the martial world, how could he defy the words of an immortal?
If told to speak, he spoke.
So he explained everything.
After hearing it all, the Sword Immortal nodded.
"I see. Your martial world and the one I know are different worlds altogether."
The Mad Demon thought so too.
Not all martial worlds are the same.
Even worlds that share the same magitech civilization—like the world of the magitech engineer El and that of Archmage Be—are different.
"Let us talk more. About how beings neither living nor dead cling to Great Hero Bong, and what their purpose is."
The Mad Demon's explanation resumed.
The Black Tower, tower collapse, awakening, players, tower raids, rewards, and summoners and sub-summoned.
'I think I understand.'
If the Black Tower is a tool of extradimensional invasion, then players and summoners are likely the intradimensional defense mechanisms meant to stop it.
Where there is offense, there must be defense.
That is causality.
"So you and those people are helping Great Hero Bong to save this world called Earth No. 1,001?"
"That's correct."
"Tsk tsk, half-baked weaklings, and they think they can save a world."
"What?"
Half-baked?
"Curious why I call you half-baked?"
"Yes."
"Then show me the martial art you're most confident in."
Is he about to give guidance?
No reason to refuse.
He had already realized his own shortcomings.
The summoner seemed aware of it as well.
Otherwise, why would he suggest halting tower climbing for a while?
If offered guidance, you learn.
That's the path for the summoner's sake.
What does pride matter?
The Sword Immortal.
Not only an immortal, but the one who split the supreme demon dragon Helcrasus with a single gesture.
"Hoo."
As he took a deep breath and was about to raise his Blood Jade Energy—
"Sword Immortal, please wait just a moment."
"… Hm? Who called me?"
"It's me."
"And who are you?"
Kosak hurried over.
"An illustrious sub-summoned who rose from an assassin, learned the sword from his father's soul, and became a Sword Master; Great Hero Bong's right-hand man; second-in-command in this line of work; might not be a Sword Immortal, but at least a Sword King; a genius of swordsmanship—Kosak, sir."
" … "
What a strange fellow.
"So?"
"I'd like to demonstrate my swordsmanship too. I need guidance."
"Hm."
No reason to refuse.
"Go ahead."
Then—
"Me too!"
"Hand! Hand!"
"I want to learn too!"
"Light!!!"
"Archmage Veronica Calibur, training preparations complete."
"This young lady as well …"
A rush of sub-summoned stepped forward.
"Fine. All of you. Do it—every last one."
And so, each of their specialties began to unfold on the White Tower's 17th floor.
The Mad Demon's crescent moon energy cleaved the sky.
Kosak displayed Shadow Steps and the Hartmann Sword Form.
Gobang grew gigantic and smashed the ground with his hammer.
Gyeon Dallae used talisman arts, Veronica fired her magigun, Bardin radiated brilliance with shield techniques, Zeppet transformed into a bat and darted around—pop, pop, pop!
Diamat swayed her tail, spreading charm, and Mackenzie cast Fire Spear and Hellfire again and again.
Even the Blood Wolf went berserk, barking and snapping, El fired a destructive gaze beam, and Aliamari—who had been hiding inside the house—slipped outside at some point and released a homunculus.
Everyone was giving it their all.
They had no choice.
How often does one get the chance to receive guidance from a transcendent being?
"Enough!"
At the Sword Immortal's shout, the sub-summoned froze in place.
"I understand. I will help you. However—"
The Sword Immortal pointed with his finger.
"You and you, step aside. You two don't seem to need instruction."
The ones singled out were Diamat and El.
" … Why? Why are we excluded?"
"There's no need."
"Is there some kind of standard? There's even a dog over there."
"Well, that is—"
That was when—
"Wow! Everyone's gathered here."
It was Juhyeok.
Rajiks was with him.
"Oh! Great Hero Bong, did your errand go well?"
"Yes, I did some shopping first."
"Shopping, you say?"
Juhyeok looked at Rajiks.
"Mr. Rajiks, take everything out."
"Ho-rat!"
Sssst, sssst, sssst—
…
Items poured out of the subspace backpack.
Not only snacks like various sweets and drinks, but laptops, smartphones, tablets, liquor, beer, distilled soju, Japanese sake, Chinese spirits, and side dishes.
All kinds of high-end goods came spilling out in heaps.
"Oh my! Great Hero Bong! You truly are wealthy. Such precious items—"
The Sword Immortal exclaimed in amazement.
"Please put them away for now. I'd like to check how much space your infinite storage has, Sword Immortal. And there needs to be room for the bike too."
The Sword Immortal laughed heartily.
"How grateful I am. But I cannot accept such expensive items for free. I must pay."
"You really don't have to."
"Shouldn't there be give and take?"
"Saving my life was more than enough."
"Oh, that's nothing worth mentioning."
Whoosh!
This time, the Sword Immortal took something out.
"This is—"
Fruit?
It looked like a peach.
As big as a child's head.
"A peach—called a celestial peach."
A celestial peach?
The peach immortals eat?
Good heavens!
That's a treasure.
"In the Immortal Realm, celestial peaches are used as currency."
"Ah!"
Peaches are money?
This time, a gleam of greed shows in Rajiks's eyes.
Looks like he recognized their value.
"I have about a hundred of them. It's nowhere near enough to pay for these, but please accept them as a token of sincerity."
"W-wait! This is too—"
"Indeed. Compared to these goods, a few peaches are pocket change."
"But do not look down on them. Celestial peaches do have their own value."
Ah…
What kind of world is the Immortal Realm, anyway?
That such precious peaches are used just to buy Earth goods like these.
There was no chance to refuse.
Sssst!
Rajiks swiftly swept all hundred or so peaches into subspace.
"Hooaaah!"
The Sword Immortal, meanwhile, stored away the Earth goods Rajiks had taken out.
"Incredible."
Both of them moved with astonishing speed.
Ssssss, swoosh-swoosh-swoosh!
"Hahaha!"
"Hoeeeet!"
A barter completed in an instant.
When the exchange was over, the Sword Immortal looked at Rajiks with satisfaction.
"Excellent. And what is this… hero's name?"
"Rajiks."
"Ah! So you are Hero Ra. Hero Ra! My thanks."
"Hoeee."
"I could tell at a glance—Hero Ra, compared to the others, your very body is different."
Of course it is.
"He's a beastman, after all."
"I am not referring to race."
"… Pardon?"
"It means the harmony of essence, energy, and spirit—jing, qi, and shen is perfect."
What does that mean?
"I was about to explain that anyway."
The Sword Immortal continued, pointing at the sub-summoned.
"Their bodies were likely created. Not the bodies they originally possessed."
That's right.
They normally exist in a soul world, and when Juhyeok summons them, their bodies are materialized.
'As expected of a transcendent being.'
He saw through it at a glance.
"Creating bodies according to the rank of the soul is very familiar to me. In the Immortal Realm—no, even in Hell—bodies are created based on one's level."
Bodies in Hell?
"The reason bodies are created for sinners is to inflict physical pain as punishment."
"I see."
"Conversely, bodies are also created for celestial beings—residents of heaven—in order to grant them joy and happiness."
Different reasons, but the same conclusion: a body.
Only with a body can one feel true pain and true happiness.
Isn't that why souls desperately wish to become sub-summoned?
However—
"It is that created body that causes the problem."
A problem?
"You can think of it as the soul and the body being out of sync in frequency. For example—"
The Sword Immortal asked the Mad Demon,
"Is your current body the same as the one you had in life?"
The Mad Demon shook his head.
How could it be?
It was a body generated upon summoning.
"The true body that formed the foundation of your soul's growth is gone, and you are wearing a newly made body instead. Then tell me—can that body truly harmonize with your soul?"
The Sword Immortal continued,
"Soul and body are inseparable. When the harmony of essence, energy, and spirit is already misaligned, how could one possibly advance to a higher realm?"
So that was it.
That was the issue.
Different frequencies between soul and body.
That's why they could no longer progress.
"Is there a solution?"
"Of course there is. Otherwise, why would I have gathered you all here?"
"Oh!"
"I intend to bring the misaligned soul and body into harmony—through the unification of essence, energy, and spirit."
Oh—
"But! Excluding those two."
The Sword Immortal pointed at El and Diamat.
"That demoness likely possesses her original body. Her abilities have regressed, but she can grow again, so there's no need to interfere. And that golem—calling it a body would be a stretch."
That was why El and Diamat were excluded.
"As for the rest, this old one shall release immortal energy and induce the unification of essence, energy, and spirit."
The Sword Immortal raised his hand.
"… R-right now?"
"Is there any reason to delay?"
Spapapapat!
A tremendous aura erupted from the Sword Immortal's body.
At the same time—
Swoong, swoong, swoong, swoong—
No one knew where they came from, but dozens of smartphones, set to video recording mode, flew above the White Tower's 17th floor.
Some positioned themselves at long range, some at close range—front, back, right, left of the Sword Immortal—taking their places.
"Assistants of Great Hero Bong. I acknowledge your mission. It would not be wrong to call it a noble spirit of self-sacrifice. However!"
The Sword Immortal's eyes gleamed sharply.
"Is it reasonable that those who claim they will save the world cannot even handle a single wretched dragon whelp?"
He stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back.
"I shall resolve it. As a representative of the Immortal Realm, as the patriarch of the sword acknowledged by the Jade Emperor and King Yama—I, the Sword Immortal, shall bestow my guidance upon this Earth!"
Clatter-rattle-rattle!
The smartphones moved noisily.
Seeing it, the Mad Demon's lips parted unconsciously.
"… Mind Sword Control?"
No—
Those weren't swords, they were smartphones.
'Mind-Controlled… Phones?'
The Sword Immortal's majestic and mysterious presence.
Stable eye lines, vivid composition, lifelike expressions, flawless direction.
Ah—
This was truly the filming of an immortal.
Deeply impressed by the sight, Mackenzie resolved—
I must learn that.
Absolutely!
Then—
From the Sword Immortal's hand flowed out a sacred, mystical energy.
It wove together like fine threads and extended toward the sub-summoned.
Sssssrrrk!
"The harmony of essence, energy, and spirit is merely the first step—unfastening the wrongly buttoned buttons and fastening them anew."
Clatter-rattle!
A cut to another shot.
Smartphones focused on Juhyeok and the sub-summoned.
"And then comes the second step—growth. Awaken your realms. Break your limits. Surpass the wall. I shall help you!"
Clatter-rattle-rattle!
The direction reached its climax.
First, Gobang.
Sssrk!
As the energy touched his body—
"Hrk!"
He collapsed instantly.
Thud!
"Do not worry. That is a natural reaction. Pain is necessary to break out of the shell."
Then Kosak, Gyeon Dallae, the Mad Demon, Bardin, Archmage Be… even the Blood Wolf.
Immortal energy adjusted the frequencies of their essence, energy, and spirit.
Lastly, even Juhyeok—who had been standing there blankly listening to the Sword Immortal's dramatic speech—
Sssrk.
"Huh?"
Why me?
His head spun, as if dizzy.
Juhyeok also lost consciousness.
And so, the White Tower's 17th floor began to fill with sacred, auspicious immortal energy.
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