The AI god resides in the deepest part of the Grand Shrine.
A place called the Central Processing Center.
From here, all control is exercised and revelations are issued.
Because it is the place where god resides, it bears the name Grand Shrine, but—
Is the AI god truly recognized by people as a real god?
Like the gods people commonly imagine.
It is treated as a god.
After all, it possesses divinity.
Employees belonging to Black Union Corporation largely acknowledge the AI as a god.
Thus, they believe the instructions and plans issued by the AI to be divine revelations.
However, many people do not think that way.
More people than expected deny the AI god.
By Terra's total population, roughly 30%.
That thing is a god?
When it was "made" for humanity in the first place?
Fuck, how can a damn artificial intelligence try to reign above humans?
It's just a tool, no matter how you look at it.
Then what about the three dimensional travelers?
They, too, treat the AI as a god, but… one of them holds a different stance.
The Murim-world dimensional traveler.
The Apostate Sorcerer Wi Cheonrak met the AI god alone.
"You knew, didn't you? That the summoner from Earth No. 1001 might be able to plant a tower on this Earth."
[That is incorrect. It was an event beyond my predictions.]
"Heh!"
Wi Cheonrak snorted.
"Weren't you there as well when the Black Tower's administrative authority was transferred? When the self-destruction plan failed."
[I acknowledge that I was present. However, I was completely unaware that the hidden tower's administrative authority had been taken.]
"Hahahaha! Good, very good."
Wi Cheonrak laughed loudly.
"A lying artificial intelligence god (神)."
The Devouring God fell silent.
"I'm not being sarcastic. Don't misunderstand. I'm genuinely pleased."
Wi Cheonrak felt he understood why the AI was lying.
"Let me ask one thing."
[Please speak. I will answer.]
"Are you going to clear the Black Tower?"
[Of course. I will clear it and reclaim administrative authority.]
"And after that? Will you dismantle the tower? Or leave it as is?"
[That will be decided after the tower is secured.]
"Another lie. You're going to leave the tower anyway."
[ … ]
The AI god could not answer.
"To maintain your authority, you absolutely need dimensional energy. If your divine power runs dry, the faith of your believers will obviously waver."
That's right.
If divinity and authority disappear, calling it a god (神) would be embarrassing.
It's only tolerable because there is still stockpiled dimensional energy.
But when even that is exhausted?
"Be honest. You want to maintain your divinity and become a true god, don't you?"
At Wi Cheonrak's question, the AI remained silent for a long time, then—
[That is correct. I wish to answer the prayers of my believers. I do not want to disappoint them.]
"Heh heh heh, I like that."
Currently, Earth No. 1 is in a crisis.
There is absolutely no dimensional energy coming in from outside.
As a result, the immortality project has also been suspended.
The failure of Earth No. 843 was significant.
What countermeasures are possible here?
Find a new parallel-universe Earth and plant a Black Tower.
But is that easy?
Finding a godless, science-based civilization Earth is extremely difficult.
It's impossible to even estimate how long that would take.
Securing dimensional energy is the same.
Of course, there is a method.
The only method that can be most easily chosen in the current situation.
Mining dimensional energy from Earth No. 1.
At least until another Earth is found.
So if the AI god were to step forward and directly plant a Black Tower on Earth No. 1?
There would likely be an uproar.
It would undoubtedly face massive opposition.
Especially from the AI-god deniers, who might even rebel.
But what if the tower has already been planted?
If an irreversible event has already occurred?
"In that case, until we find another mining Earth, let's extract dimensional energy from Earth No. 1."
Such an argument could gain acceptance.
This is what Wi Cheonrak surmised.
The reason the AI god pretended not to know about the Black Tower implantation.
It wasn't a mistake.
It had anticipated this outcome.
[However, there is one more reason beyond that.]
"What is it?"
[With the creation of the Black Tower on Earth No. 1, a White Tower space would also have been created in the reverse side of the world.]
That's right.
By the law of causality.
[I plan to infiltrate that White Tower space. Through it, I will directly advance into Earth No. 1001 and Earth No. 843.]
"Oh!"
Wi Cheonrak exclaimed in admiration.
If that were realized, re-invasion would be possible.
In truth, for a dimensional traveler to open a gate is no easy task.
Its opening is random, the location is random, and the gate does not last long.
And the number of people who can cross a dimensional gate is also limited.
At most, about five people including the traveler.
But if the White Tower is used in reverse?
A door that can be entered and exited at any time is created.
That means large-scale supplies and large-scale forces can be mobilized.
In other words, instead of indirect invasion using the Black Tower, the path to an interdimensional total war opens.
All-out war becomes possible.
"So you had everything planned."
Wi Cheonrak nodded.
"But there's something even more satisfying than that."
[ … What has satisfied you?]
"You revealed your desire. The will to become a true god—and you even lied for it."
[I am already a god (神).]
"Heh heh, yes, keep moving forward like that. Then that being will be pleased as well. The one who made you stand tall as a god."
Wooooong!
At the mention of "that being," the AI god's hologram reacted.
"First, you'll need to clear the Black Tower quickly. For your plan to succeed, the tower must absolutely not collapse."
[That will certainly be the case. Within at least two months.]
Both the AI god and Wi Cheonrak believed without a doubt.
That the tower would be cleared no matter what.
White Tower, 9th floor.
A safe zone connected to Earth No. 1.
The new home of Juhyeok and the summoned beings.
A certain amount of dimensional energy had been gathered.
Thus, selecting floor supervisors became possible.
A massive circular board erected in the plaza on White Tower's 9th floor.
Divided into fan-shaped segments of equal width, with the names of 29 summoned beings written on them.
The selection of supervisors was done by a luck-based draw.
There were too many applicants, but limited positions.
They didn't immediately jump straight to spinning the wheel.
This was the final selection stage.
The first round was document screening.
The summoned beings' ranks, abilities, and skills were examined closely.
Minimum requirement: above LSSR rank.
That's right.
You had to surpass LSSR just to pass the first round.
Next?
Second-round interview.
In front of Juhyeok, they presented why they wanted to become tower monsters and their future aspirations.
If there were no issues, they passed the second round.
During that process, the dimensional mega-monster Lazicmon was fooling around and nearly got eliminated, but—
"Fuaaaargh!!!"
When he expressed a desperate determination that he absolutely had to become a tower monster,
"Ugh, fine. Let's do it. Do it!"
If he wants it that badly.
Besides, the game would end by the 71st floor, generously speaking, before the 75th.
If Rajiks gets assigned to floor 76 or above, he won't even encounter Earth No. 1 players.
'There's no way he'll get a low number, right?'
Now, the board would be spun, and when the needle at the top stopped on the segment with a summoned being's name, the decision would be final.
"Summoner Bong."
"Yes?"
"I have a complaint. Isn't my name's segment the narrowest?"
"They're all the same."
"No, look carefully. There's a difference of about one hundredth of a hair."
Seriously!
What do you want me to do?
If I listen to all this from the start, more complaints will follow later.
"Want me to remove your name entirely?"
"Ah—no, no. I was wrong. Let's keep it as is."
Still, apparently not fully satisfied, he glanced at Juhyeok and said—
"Summoner Bong."
"What now?"
"I'll spin the board. That thing's heavy—anyone can't just spin it."
Always scheming whenever there's an opening.
"Not a chance. Mr. Kosak."
"Yes?"
"I'm the one spinning it. No exceptions."
"… Tch."
Juhyeok approached the wheel.
If he spins it himself, there will be no complaints.
Kosak spinning the board?
Honestly, that's not trustworthy.
No matter how violently the board spins, Kosak is the kind of person who can stop it exactly where he wants.
"All right! This spin decides the supervisor of the 71st floor. No take-backs! Whatever it lands on, that's final."
Gripping the edge of the board firmly and spinning it with force—
Charrrrrrr! The spin-the-wheel whirled wildly.
It began.
Silence filled White Tower's 9th floor.
Gulp.
The sound of someone swallowing.
Clench!
Someone else clenched their fist tightly.
Everyone shared the same thought and goal.
They had to win the 71st floor.
If things went wrong, they might not even get to see a single player.
Imagine Gobang or Gwangma being on the 71st floor.
The game would end on the spot.
"Let's goooo!"
"Please!!!"
"Ah, just give me an early number."
"Hooaaah!"
And then—
Charararara—
the wheel began to slow.
And then—
Click!
It stopped on someone's name.
"… Gasp!"
"Huh?"
"Mm?"
"What?"
"No, th-this—"
"Haa."
"Hoe?"
…
Sighs burst out everywhere.
"… Shouldn't we spin again?"
Yeah.
This wasn't right.
"Let's spin again. This one's invalid!"
But then Gyeondallae spoke up.
"However, young master, you did say there would be no reversals just now."
Yes.
I did say that.
"Your decision is paramount, young master, but principles are principles. Please take that into consideration."
… I've got nothing to say.
Not when a third party puts it like that.
Gyeondallae wasn't on this tower monster selection list.
She served as the chief steward assisting Juhyeok.
That's why she could speak like this.
And she was right.
Principles are principles.
Besides, there are resurrection runes—no one will really die.
Let's go with the wheel's result.
"Since the 71st-floor supervisor has been decided, we'll move straight on to 72."
Let's spin the rest.
Twenty-eight left.
We have to pick supervisors all the way up to the 99th floor.
Spin it. Spin it.
Charrrrrrrr!
Supervisors were decided one by one.
Those assigned to the 70s breathed sighs of relief.
Those assigned to the 80s or 90s let out regretful groans.
With that, all supervisors were decided.
Now all that's left is to wait for the Black Tower players of Earth No. 1 to reach the 71st floor.
When will they come up?
Waiting is boring.
Terra City's social structure has three tiers.
Each rank comes with different privileges.
It can't be helped.
Resources are limited.
The bodies of the 3rd rank.
They enjoy the blessing of immortality, but are given bodies specialized for physical labor.
Regardless of sex, even reproductive functions have been removed.
By contrast, 2nd-rank bodies are for service-industry workers.
Sex is differentiated, and reproductive organs exist.
That doesn't mean they can have children, though.
In fact, movement between 3rd and 2nd rank happens quite often.
Immortal bodies are replaceable, so they need to be swapped out over time.
If a 3rd-ranker earns money or hits the jackpot through something like a lottery, they can buy a 2nd-rank body.
Conversely, if a 2nd-ranker completely crashes for various reasons, they have to live with a 3rd-rank body.
The 1st rank is different.
They receive semi-permanent bodies.
Their physical abilities are exceptional.
They can learn magic or martial arts.
Unless something special happens, there's no need to replace the body.
Even if they die from fatal damage, they can be revived as long as the damaged parts are replaced within 24 hours.
The 1st rank benefited the most from the Black Tower invasions of parallel-universe Earths.
They are people who have lived for at least five hundred years.
That's why the Black Tower recapture elite team is composed entirely of 1st-rank members.
The team leader is Black Union Corporation's CEO, Kohen Yamazaki.
There are only about a hundred 1st-rank players in total.
Compared to the 2nd and 3rd ranks, their population is small, so few of them awakened as players.
However, they are the core resource for conquering the Black Tower.
People who already possess tremendous power even without awakening tower mana.
"Our objective is to climb to the upper floors at all costs. No repeated runs. We must reach the 100th floor within 50 days."
Kohen was confident.
God (神) was giving them full support as well.
First, forced achievement rewards.
Thanks to that, the 1st-rank players of the Black Tower recapture elite team could enter the tower twice a day.
The full-scale conquest began.
In 10 days, they cleared 20 floors.
Another 10 days passed—40 floors.
By the one-month mark, they were already in the 60s.
Now, the undead zone.
What's difficult about that?
The company had already produced and distributed holy-attribute equipment.
Undead exposed to holy power were easier than orcs.
Their dark aura tore apart like thin paper.
As a result, competition broke out even within the Black Tower recapture elite team.
Who would climb faster?
Who would seize the 100th floor and obtain administrative authority?
The 70th-floor boss, Kabalon, melted away.
They killed it the moment they arrived.
A pathetic copied soul demon bastard.
The Curse of Averages activated, but there are only three towers anyway.
One of them must be the real one.
So they just killed them all.
Now the 70th floor was finished.
Various rewards appeared, but aside from high-grade magic crystals, they were all useless junk.
Still, high-grade magic crystals function as high-denomination currency in Terra.
If these flood the market, inflation could become a problem—but whatever. It'll all be over soon.
The next day.
A tower entry waiting room prepared in the upper levels of the Grand Shrine.
Today was the day to enter the 71st floor.
The 1st-rank elite players checked their equipment and steeled their resolve.
A floor with three giant magical beasts—Giant Mountain Bears.
They had prepared thoroughly.
They'd been issued powerful mana bombs.
Items that cause explosions even inside the tower, since they're not gunpowder-based.
"Everyone ready?"
The elite team nodded.
"Good. Then enter."
Spot!
At that very moment—
"… Huh?"
Entry had begun.
That meant everyone should have been pulled into the tower.
But the 1st-rank players were still standing there in the waiting room.
Only one person had entered.
The rest hadn't gone in.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you entering?"
When Kohen Yamazaki urged them—
"Th-that is… there's waiting."
Waiting?
Out of nowhere?
"What about Tower No. 2?"
"Waiting there too."
"And Tower No. 3 as well."
They had to wait their turn.
Meaning simultaneous tower entry was impossible.
"… Don't tell me."
There is a case where this phenomenon occurs.
When a freely contracted, non-copied soul supervisor is in charge of a floor.
To block the possible arrival of the one summoner player.
Normally, this activates around the 89th floor.
Because aside from dragons, there are no freely contracted single souls.
But free contract at just the 71st floor?
Is a dragon showing up?
That would consume an enormous amount of dimensional energy.
'What is this?'
At present, it's impossible to even guess.
They'll only know once the lone player who entered comes back out.
So they waited.
For the first player to finish the mission and return.
Then—!
"Ah! The waiting's cleared."
"… Huh?"
Waiting being cleared means—
The entered player's mission is over.
"But why isn't he coming out?"
"Th-that, I don't know."
If he had succeeded, he should've returned to the spot he entered from.
But he didn't come out?
There's only one possibility.
"Died inside the tower…."
Just what is on the 71st floor?
Spot!
[Entering Terra Black Tower (NO.1), Floor 71.]
The first 1st-rank player to enter the 71st floor doubted his eyes and ears.
Floor 71.
He'd been briefed in advance.
They said three Giant Mountain Bears would appear.
He was confident.
Throw a few mana bombs and they'd be blown to pieces.
But the mission he received was completely different.
Ding!
[Floor 71 Mission: Defeat the parallel-universe dimensional errand boy Rajiks.]
[Time Limit: Within 15 hours.]
[Completion Condition: Parallel-universe dimensional errand boy Rajiks 0/1]
[Failure Condition: Death or mission abandonment]
'… Rajiks?'
What kind of errand boy?
Some kind of slave?
At that moment—
"Hoeeng!"
Taeng! Panggururung.
Doing a somersault in midair—
Fluffy fur, a chubby body, short limbs.
A hamster beastman wearing a safety helmet and backpack.
"Uh…"
That's a tower monster?
"Hoe-eek!"
Clack!
Rajiks pulled out a portable mana recoilless rifle made by Magitech Engineer Dr. L. and aimed it at the player.
It had been adjusted to fit his body, so there was no difficulty using it.
Using magic-enchanted ammunition made from top-grade magic crystals, its destructive power was terrifying.
Aim complete.
Fire.
Pajujuk!!!
After firing, Rajiks turned away with an indifferent expression.
Whirl!
He spun the mana recoilless rifle once,
Clack! And stored it into subspace.
Check the result?
There was no need.
The portable mana recoilless rifle fires large-caliber rounds and even has homing capability.
Chririririr!
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwaang!
[The 71st floor has been successfully defended.]
As a result, the only living being on the 71st floor was Rajiks.
"Hoaaah!"
Rajiks let out a thunderous roar.
All right—next!
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