The United States.
The world's top tower-climbing nation.
But the United States never actually wanted to be the best.
Originally, the rule was to climb the Tower slowly, in accordance with the collapse deadline.
Lumitri Romenkuf.
That damn world's top player.
This whole mess happened because of that bastard.
An emergency White House staff meeting.
President Hayden questioned Minister Maximus of the Awakening Bureau.
"Did you figure out who it is?"
"We're not certain, but there's one very suspicious player."
"Who?"
"His name is Bong Juhyeok. A player who cleared five consecutive floors up to the 65th floor. Two days before that, he passed a naturalization hearing at the Korean National Assembly and was registered as a player."
"Naturalization? He wasn't Korean?"
"Well… according to what we found by activating our intelligence network, he was talking about parallel universes."
"…What?"
Parallel universes?
What kind of nonsense is that?
"Is he trying to hide his information?"
"There's a high possibility that he is."
In any case, in just a few hours, it would be the day of the 70th-floor assault announced by Martial Law Commander Jeon Seong-il.
Could it really be finished?
The phrases the world used to describe the United States.
A nation that triggers the Curse of the Average, a nuisance country, the axis of global evil.
They couldn't even make excuses.
After all, it was something an American player had done.
But now there was talk that a mysterious Korean player would clear the 70th floor.
If only that happened.
It would at least ease some of the burden the U.S. was carrying.
"Do we still have personnel at our embassy in Korea?"
"They've all been evacuated."
Of course they had.
Three sinkholes in a country as small as Korea.
Protecting one's own citizens at all costs was an American principle.
But with the embassy withdrawn, official contact might take time.
"What about the U.S. Forces Korea?"
"A small number remain. They've been continuously providing weapons support for the defense against the Republic of Korea's sinkhole waves."
At least that was some relief.
There was still a line to pull.
"Send someone—anyone—to meet Martial Law Commander Jeon Seong-il. Ask if he needs anything. Tell him we'll provide support if he does."
"Yes, sir."
"And try to make contact with Korea's top player if possible."
"Korea won't like that."
"Hm… can't we do it discreetly?"
"We'll do our best."
The United States has one sinkhole.
The current Eastern U.S. Tower was not the first one to be generated.
Because it was the top climbing nation, it met the average criteria set by Kabalon and avoided the Curse of the Average—but collapse was unavoidable.
Six months later, the Tower eventually collapsed, and a new one was generated in the southeastern region.
Even so, it still hadn't been cleared.
Lumitri—that bastard—was done for.
After triggering the Curse of the Average, his mind collapsed and he went into hiding.
He was using the abilities of a level-70 player just to run away.
"Damn it."
No talent to speak of.
Just a pathetic bastard relying on trait-enhancement runes and items.
The U.S. government tried as well.
They told him the past would be buried—just work together to resolve the Curse of the Average.
Shouldn't he at least clear the Eastern U.S. Tower's 70th floor, even if it's just a copy of Kabalon?
That way they could get clues for clearing the real one.
But the guy ignored the government's request and disappeared.
Top player?
Bottom-tier player.
Ditching Lumitri and siding with Korea would be far better.
Black Tower, 6th floor.
They had stayed up all night crafting holy-attribute equipment.
Bardin poured his life into forging radiance, and Saintess Dorothy unleashed her holy power, extracting holy water like boiling bone broth.
The ceaseless clang of the forge hammer, heated debates among mages, the hum of magical factory machinery, alchemy cauldrons bubbling nonstop.
As a result, they secured a sufficient quantity.
Now all that remained was to distribute it to the Korean Awakening Corps.
Honestly, it was still far from enough.
Were sinkholes only in Korea?
Exports had to be considered too.
Of course, there was no intention of giving it away for free.
They'd sell it and get something in return.
'Let's see. The time is…'
It was nearing 5 a.m.
About time to enter the Tower.
Even taking it easy, it would be done in an hour.
And after that?
Head out to support the Chuncheon wave—bringing a mountain of gifts.
The group assignments were already prepared.
Essential members: Kosak and Bardin.
The veterans didn't necessarily need to step in, but it was better to be prepared in case something happened.
The rest were rookies—lower-tier SSR and SSR summoned beings.
They'd participate evenly on rotation.
'Shall we go?'
Stepping outside.
"Group Six, designated summoning."
Spapapapat!
The rookies, full of anticipation.
While staying in the world of souls, they had always waited for this day.
They would prove their worth.
They would aid the summoner and trample those damn Black Tower bastards.
And finally—
The day had come.
How could Juhyeok not understand how they felt?
That was why he made sure everyone got at least one chance at a Tower raid.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes!!!"
"Don't get hurt, and if it's too much, run without hesitation. Got it?"
"We'll remember that!!!"
Bardin, however, was barred from participating.
If he went out, it wouldn't be fun.
Still, he would be deployed immediately if a dangerous situation arose.
[Entering Black Tower of the Republic of Korea, 66th floor.]
What was the mission on the 66th floor?
[66th Floor Mission: Defeat 10 Dark Specters.]
[Time Limit: Within 15 hours.]
[Completion Condition: Dark Specters defeated 0/10.]
Long time no see.
You've been well, right?
At that time.
People all over the world were in a state of extreme focus.
Today was the day Korea's Martial Law Commander had declared he would clear the 70th floor.
When would it happen?
It would be early.
After all, there was also a sinkhole wave scheduled in Korea during the day.
Right after midnight?
Or starting in the morning?
The world waited for the announcement.
Would the real, original Kabalon finally be cleared?
Would the Curse of the Average finally end?
Meanwhile, some people had pessimistic outlooks.
Up to the 65th floor—sure.
China had reached the 65th floor too.
But the 66th floor?
The intensity of the dark aura was on a completely different level.
It was absolutely no pushover.
The chance of failure was high.
Even if they succeeded, it would take a very long time.
There would probably be a bloodbath.
The world prayed with one heart.
Whoever it was, please hold on.
Even if it took time, just clear the Specters.
Black Tower, 66th floor.
Juhyeok felt slightly troubled.
There was a bit of a problem during the raid.
"What, am I supposed to kill them all by myself? Are the others supposed to just suck their thumbs?"
"They crumble if I even tap them. What do you want me to do? My trait is holy power."
"Then just release the holy power and step back. What kind of saint punches things?"
"Saints aren't allowed to punch? Sword Demon, you're lacking in gender-type sensitivity!"
"I don't know about sensitivity. There are only ten of them. Two people per monster, that's how it should be."
"Then let's do it that way from now on."
A quarrel between the Saintess and the Sword Demon.
That set off the SSR summoned beings.
"From where I'm standing, you two are the same. You're killing everything yourselves, aren't you?"
"Are you looking down on us because we're SSRs?"
"Hah! This is so petty I can't stand it."
"I'm so frustrated I need to rank up fast."
The reason for the fight was simple.
Why do only you get the kills?
I want to earn merit too.
Don't monopolize the monsters.
"Leave it be. Kids grow up fighting like that," Kosak said, brushing it off.
"Tsk, tsk. What's the big deal about killing one or two fewer monsters. Ridiculous."
And him?
Pretending to just stand around guarding someone, then sneaking off to kill one monster on the side.
"I'm teaching the juniors. Showing them how a holy Sword Master cooks undead."
Yes, yes.
Got it.
"My lord, we must consider efficiency. If you command me even now, I can wipe them all out—"
"Hold back."
"Yes!"
A fierce competition to take down Specters.
The summoned beings rushed in, desperate to land even one more hit before completion.
Ten monsters went down quickly.
If they hadn't been bickering, it would've been a three-minute clear.
And then, the world announcement rang out.
[World Announcement: Black Tower of the Republic of Korea, 66th floor cleared! A Korean-nationality player has cleared the 66th-floor mission of the Black Tower with astonishing ability, earning an S+++ rank.]
L—Gasp!
L—It's up.
L—Specter clear success!
L—B-bartender?
L—Why call already? The shutters aren't even up yet.
L—What time is it now?
L—5:10 a.m.
L—Hmm, if they went in right at midnight and finished in five hours, that's impressive.
L—Is it really? What if they started at five?
L—Nah, no way. Don't tell me they cleared the Specters in ten minutes.
And then, shortly after.
Ding!
Another world announcement echoed.
67th floor, Phantom Reaper clear success.
L—?
L—22
L—99?
L—Uh, it's 5:21 right now.
L—Ten minutes passed?
L—Insane!
L—Did they really start at five?
An unbelievable speed.
More baffling than astonishing.
How was it even possible?
L—Will they take down the Death Knight and the Lich too?
L—They will, right?
L—In how many minutes?
L—I don't even know anymore.
The 67th floor was cleared as well.
After switching groups, they entered the Black Tower's 68th floor.
A Death Knight that even Player Gerald of Earth No. 1,001 had struggled to defeat—despite wielding a holy sword.
"Fuck, who stole the last hit?"
"I was just trying to help."
"When did I ever ask for help? Don't do anything. I'll handle everything myself."
"Suit yourself."
They spent more time arguing than fighting.
Well, there was no stopping them. They'd cool down eventually.
"Hey, hey, hey—don't kill them so fast. There aren't that many anyway."
"They die if I hit them once. What do you want me to do?"
"Gently. Like you're caressing them."
"What, is the Death Knight your lover?"
"If you look closely, he's not bad-looking."
"Just hit once and pull back! Uh… hey, you sons of bitches!!! I said don't kill it already!!!"
Ding!
68th floor Death Knight cleared.
Next was the 69th floor: the Dark Lich.
Every undead type encountered so far appeared here.
You could ignore the others, rush the Lich, and kill it to finish.
But if you kill the Lich, it ends too fast, right?
The summoned beings started reading Juhyeok's mood.
They pretended to approach the Lich, but only beat down the undead it summoned.
"Uhehehehe! It's a feast!"
"This is it!"
"Whoa! They're coming out in droves."
"Hey, hey, don't touch the Lich. If you kill that thing, it's over."
"Shh! The summoner will hear."
How nice.
The rookie summoned beings ran around innocently, smashing undead.
But then—
"What do you think you're doing right now? Is this the time to satisfy your own greed? Can't you see Summoner Bong frowning?"
When did I frown?
You're doing fine.
"I can see right through you. Do I really need to step in as your senior? O light!!!"
The juniors rolled their eyes under the senior's scolding.
Then—
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
Without a word, they charged at full speed through the undead horde, rushed the Lich—
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
A brutal group beating.
The 69th floor ended in under ten minutes.
"All right, let's go to the 70th floor."
There was a lot to do today.
The Chuncheon sinkhole wave was coming up soon.
[World Announcement: Black Tower of the Republic of Korea, 69th floor cleared! A Korean-nationality player has cleared the 69th-floor mission of the Black Tower with astonishing ability, earning an S+++ rank.]
L
L
L
L Why do you idiots use ellipses on a keyboard-only forum?
L Because we've got nothing to say.
L I see.
Only one floor remained: the 70th floor.
The place where Kabalon, the source of the Curse of the Average, awaited.
At this point, no one doubted success.
It just didn't feel real.
Honestly, even now, it was hard to believe.
Was the Curse of the Average that had tormented humanity really about to end?
And by a Korean player—from a country that couldn't even clear the 61st floor and ended up with three sinkholes?
[Entering Black Tower of the Republic of Korea, 70th floor.]
Juhyeok switched groups again and entered the 70th floor.
The final stage.
He already knew the original was here thanks to the Judge's Hammer, but confirmation was still needed.
The mission?
[70th Floor Mission: Defeat the High-Ranking Demon Race, Duke Kabalon (Original).]
[Time Limit: Within 20 hours.]
[Completion Condition: High-Ranking Demon Race Duke Kabalon (Original) 0/1]
The original appeared.
Now all that was left was to kill it.
"My lord!"
"Yes?"
"This is the 70th floor. The original Kabalon is no easy foe."
And?
"Please leave it to me. I fear the rookies may be injured if they rush in recklessly."
Kosak snorted.
"What nonsense. You just want to fight."
"Feeling itchy? Want to butt into where the kids are playing that badly?"
"Why don't you go back and run the radiance generator?"
"Fuck."
"Wow! The holy knight swore. Blasphemy!"
It was kind of pitiful.
Bardin hadn't lifted a finger from the 66th to the 70th floor.
"All right. Bardin, just help out a little—"
Before the sentence could finish—
"Thank you! My lord!"
Whoosh!
Bardin leapt into the air.
Screeeeech!
He smashed straight through the window of Kabalon's mansion.
Crash-bang!
Grab!
He seized the original Kabalon by the collar and shot up into the sky.
Let's skip the detailed description.
We can.
There was nothing special about it anyway.
If we had to summarize it simply—
The original Kabalon, dragged skyward without even screaming,
Swoooosh!
Was slammed into the ground at terrifying speed.
Crash-bang-boom!
Then, struck by Bardin's massive shield—
Crunch!
His head was crushed.
And that was the end.
How many minutes was that?
Not even one.
The rookie summoned beings stood there, stunned.
Their souls had clearly left their bodies.
Ah…
How tragic.
They didn't even get to touch it.
Kosak pointed at Bardin with a scornful expression.
"Look at that greedy holy knight. A religious man who knows nothing of non-attachment. Shameless."
The juniors erupted in anger.
"Senior Bardin! What do you think you're doing?"
"If you kill it that fast, what are we supposed to do?"
"Damn it! This is bullshit! How are we supposed to live with this?"
"Sniff… I waited so long just to be summoned."
"Don't cry. Grow strong. Never forget today."
Bardin was silent as a clam.
He just lowered his head, unable to respond.
And then—
Messages began to scroll.
[World Announcement: High-Ranking Demon Race Duke Kabalon (Original) has been annihilated on the 70th floor of the Black Tower of the Republic of Korea.]
[World Announcement: The Curse of the Average imposed upon all Towers worldwide has been lifted as of this moment.]
Additionally, undead-area difficulty was greatly reduced.
And finally—
[World Announcement: Black Tower of the Republic of Korea, 70th floor cleared! A Korean-nationality player has defeated Kabalon with astonishing ability and lifted the Curse of the Average.]
A day to be recorded in history.
The end of the Curse of the Average.
"Wooooooaaaaaaaah!!!"
People all over the world poured outside, shouting.
Because of time differences, it was midday in some places, deep night in others, dawn, or morning.
It was a frenzy of celebration.
Fireworks exploded, flags waved.
Yet it still felt unreal.
What was this?
Was it really okay for it to end so anticlimactically?
After all the suffering—
Towers collapsing, monsters pouring out because of the Curse of the Average.
But this was nothing.
The real event came next.
One limited solely to Korea.
[World Announcement: Rewards for clearing the 70th floor of the Black Tower are now granted.]
[World Announcement: Restrictions on high-grade magic stones are lifted exclusively for the Black Tower of the Republic of Korea.]
[World Announcement: Restrictions on various potions and elixirs are lifted exclusively for the Black Tower of the Republic of Korea.]
[World Announcement: Restrictions on weapons and equipment items are lifted exclusively for the Black Tower of the Republic of Korea.]
[World Announcement: Clear rewards apply to all floors of the Black Tower of the Republic of Korea. Additionally, reward drop rates are greatly increased.]
A massive dose of national pride served up by Juhyeok to the Koreans of Earth No. 843, who had been steeped in defeat.
1
L Come on, have a drink.
L Yeah, let's toast.
L The bartender opened the shutters. Any snacks?
L Fuck! With a sacred bowl of national pride, what snacks do you need?
L I was about to retire as a player, but today I'm enlisting in the Awakening Corps.
L By the way, what's a high-grade magic stone?
L It'll show up soon. Don't you hear players entering the Tower?
L Spot!
L Oh! I really hear it.
L Spot!
L Spot!
L Hahaha, stop it! You crazy bastards!
All Koreans had lost their minds.
It felt like mass hypnosis.
A Korean player had killed the original Kabalon on the 70th floor.
In Korea's own Black Tower.
And on top of that, rewards exclusive to the Korean Tower—
High-grade magic stones and countless items pouring out.
Korea was in a state of dopamine overload.
National pride surged nonstop.
All of this happened within an hour.
No—
Even less than that.
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