96. Tower of Trials, Floor 30
Watching Song Yeonhee run wild with excitement and the guild members roar with their fists clenched tight, Baek Jinwoo was stunned.
He was completely out of it.
Seriously?
For real?
That actually came out?
This easily?
Wow, seriously!
I should've tried this way earlier!
"Uhat!"
In the end, laughter burst out of Baek Jinwoo's mouth as well.
This really was a feast of pure dopamine, something he had not felt in a long time.
Was it really okay to be this happy?
"Wow, the guild master is smiling!"
"Uahahahaha! Well done, Song Yeonhee! You did great!"
"Wow, seriously, how does it come out this dramatically right at the very end?"
"Niiice!"
Yeah, Song Yeonhee.
Her constitution was one thing, but...
Now she truly had more than enough potential to become his disciple.
To bring back Dampir.
That alone counted as an enormous contribution.
It was kind of amazing.
'Has my life ever gone this well before?'
The so-called luck-based trash game was Battle of Summoners, and Baek Jinwoo was not the lucky type.
Of course, his luck was fairly good these days, but….. ah, whatever.
He was just happy.
"Song Yeonhee."
"Yes, Guild Master!"
".....First, let go of me."
Being happy was one thing, but how long was she going to keep clinging to him like this?
"Oh my, I'm sorry!"
Startled, Song Yeonhee quickly jumped far away.
Baek Jinwoo chuckled.
"Let's make the exchange right now. I'll transfer the 100 billion immediately too."
It probably would not happen, but just in case Song Yeonhee got any funny ideas, he hurriedly requested the trade.
And there was one more thing.
Seeing the guild members rejoice that much over something that technically had nothing to do with them made him smile on its own.
'Now we really are becoming a family.'
It felt like a bond was gradually forming.
Under the group called SKY, it was as if they were connected not by individual emotions, but by the emotions of the group as a whole.
A strange sense of pride and fulfillment welled up inside him for no reason.
So he went for it.
"I'll give every national team member another 10 billion each today!"
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Guild Master, you're the best!"
Today was SKY's very first bonus day.
And it was more than enough money to express the joy of obtaining Jaggeo and Dampir.
* * *
The process of drawing Dampir was the same as Jaggeo.
Thump, thump.
Cards flew all around, and he picked one of them.
[Dampir (EX-rank)]
Dampir was a kind of vampire.
A half-human hybrid, basically a half-vampire in English.
Naturally, it was a lower species than the true ancestor and Tower of Trials Floor 20 boss, Dracula (S-rank), but…..
'That doesn't mean its absolute performance is lower.'
To be honest, if you looked at performance alone, it really was trash.
No one had used it in eight years, so of course it was.
But?
'The story changes completely when you use it with Jaggeo.'
First of all, Baek Jinwoo welcomed Dampir.
—Uh, um… you...
In a way, did she kind of look similar to Explosive Dragon?
A white female vampire about that size stared at Baek Jinwoo with emotionless eyes.
There was something about her.
She was slightly expressionless, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.
—You're God Ji-nu?
"Not God Ji-nu. Jinwoo."
Baek Jinwoo corrected her at once.
Still, that was a relief.
Unlike Gale Slayer or Jaggeo, it seemed this one could talk.
Even if she was mixed-blood, the setting said human blood ran through her, so that made sense.
—How did this happen….? More importantly, my throat... my throat is so dry.
Ah, right.
Dampir had one really strange setting, and that was that she sucked the player's blood.
'Damn it.'
Back when he was just a gamer, having her suck a character's blood did not matter at all, but now that it had become reality, this was pretty bizarre.
—Blood, blood….. I need God Ji-nu's blood.
"Hmm."
What was he supposed to do about this?
She would not drink that much, right?
Still, it would probably be more than a mosquito…..
Would it itch, then?
Baek Jinwoo did not bother stopping Dampir as she staggered toward him.
Yeah, surely she would not kill him, right?
'She's a summon, and I'm the player, aren't I?'
And then, just as she was about to bite his wrist with her mouth.
Pow!
HunGyo's sword sheath struck Dampir in the torso and sent her flying through the air.
—What do you think you're doing, acting so insolent?
That was not all.
Fwoooosh!
Flames rose from Explosive Dragon's staff, and even Lamba's eyes had narrowed.
—Jinwoo! She was just trying to eat Jinwoo, rightttt?!
—If she comes any closer without Lord Jinwoo's permission, I may burn her to a crisp.
Even the usually quiet Explosive Dragon said something chilling.
Dampir merely tilted her head with an expressionless face.
—Me, blood….. If I do not have blood, I collapse.
And then,
thud!
She crumpled onto the floor.
"...."
Whew.
Well, this was something.
She might be even harder to handle than he expected.
For now, better turn on the information.
[Summon: Dampir]
[Race: Half-Vampire]
[Rank: EX-rank (Isolated)]
Isolated after a balance-breaking element was discovered under specific conditions.
[Level: 1]
[Stats Held]
Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Stamina: 1, Agility: 1
HP: 1,000, MP: 0
-Critical Hit Rate: 20%
-Critical Hit Damage: 20%
[Skills Held]
-Drain: Uses another's MP as a source to recover both the target and itself.
'Drain.'
Looking at it now, it seemed like an incredibly shabby skill, but when combined with Jaggeo's skill, it was no joke.
-Indomitable: Recovers 20% of damage taken as HP.
-Magic Absorption: Recovers 20% of damage taken as MP.
Those were Jaggeo's skills. Do you get the feeling now?
The Little Giant recovered MP the more it got hit, and Dampir could use that MP to heal both herself and Jaggeo.
In other words, if the conditions were right, infinite recovery was possible!
'Of course.'
Without the endgame rune, they were maggots.
Only by pushing those two skills to the extreme with endgame runes could an invincible tank line be formed.
"First of all, guys. Don't be too hard on Dampir."
She really does get dizzy if she does not have blood.
After calming the summons, Baek Jinwoo approached the collapsed Dampir.
And then,
"Here."
He held out his arm and began the transfusion.
Like a baby looking for its mother's milk, Dampir immediately went nom! and bit into his arm.
'This feels exactly like donating blood.'
It did not feel like much.
It was not itchy, and only a slight stinging sensation remained.
This much should be fine, right?
Once a day would probably be enough.
Had about 30 seconds passed?
Dampir slowly pulled her lips away.
—Thank you, God Ji-nu…. no, Jinwoo. Thanks to you, I think I've come to my senses a little.
"No need to thank me. You have to stand on our royal line now and fight hard too."
'If anything, I'm the grateful one.'
Anyway, Baek Jinwoo felt like he could soar today.
Lamba, HunGyo, Explosive Dragon, Gale Slayer, Rund, Jaggeo, and Dampir—he now possessed a total of seven EX-rank summons!
'To be honest.'
It felt like even if the God Ji-nu of the past showed up, he would not be afraid.
Of course, if that happened right now, he would get beaten up, but after just a little more time, would this not become a truly unprecedented summon lineup?
"Hong Ari."
"Huh? O-oh!"
Hong Ari, who had been blankly watching the birth of Dampir, jolted and answered.
"Starting tomorrow, it's self-training again for a week. Since I'm in a good mood today, get plenty of rest."
"Okay!"
He had thought about it a lot, and Hong Ari seemed the most suitable for vice guild master.
She had ability, and she also had experience running a large guild like Arirang, so she was perfect.
"And Song Yeonhee and Hwang Jiwoo."
"Yes!"
"Yes, Guild Master!"
"You two still have to keep climbing the Tower, right?"
Being happy was one thing, but they still had to finish what they started.
All the national team members had to clear up to Floor 20!
And Baek Jinwoo decided to finish only up to Floor 30 before the World League.
'Let's take Floor 50 slowly after the League.'
His original plan had been thrown off because of Jaggeo, and things had gotten tangled up.
No matter how easy the World League looked, he still had to prepare properly.
He was not worried about the others, but Rachel was a little scary.
"Then that's it for today. Dismissed!"
Hwang Jiwoo watched the guild members scattering with cheers, her face full of envy.
Naturally, Hwang Jiwoo was the exception.
And the one comforting her was—
—Do not be too disappointed. You have me, after all.
Fwoosh!
—none other than Explosive Dragon.
* * *
Song Yeonhee and Hwang Jiwoo's Floor 20 runs were all finished too.
The truly pitiful one was HunGyo.
How many days had he been worked to the bone as the Tower of Trials bus driver?
"Aren't you tired?"
—My lord, please do not worry. I do not really understand the concept of being tired.
"And now…. we still have to go to Floor 27."
Since he had helped everyone else, now it was Baek Jinwoo's turn.
—There is no problem at all, my lord! Shall we go right away?
HunGyo was practically pickled release stock.
A summon that would never break no matter how hard it was pushed!
Baek Jinwoo immediately started running as well.
He had already cleared Floor 26 easily, so what was so special about Floor 30?
As they advanced while smashing apart the City Ghosts, the Imperial Ghost ruling the great empire became enraged.
He had reached Floor 30.
The boss, Phantom (S-rank), was truly the empire itself.
Kugagagagagaga!
As the whole world began to tremble, the buildings of the ghost empire rose into the air.
"Wow."
Baek Jinwoo clicked his tongue as he watched the scene.
He had seen it in the game, but seeing it in reality made the pressure unbelievable.
[All ghosts existing within the empire merge.]
["Phantom" (S-rank) reveals an overwhelming presence.]
Gooooooo…..!
Up in the sky.
Something unimaginably huge was floating there.
"Crazy."
The pressure pouring from that being made it hard for him to breathe.
—My lord, are you all right?
"Yeah, I'm fine."
This time, he had to finish it within one hour.
Why?
—Jinwoo! I'll get ready!
Because he had brought their Explosive Dragon too.
Could Explosive Dragon Arts: Flame possibly be left out of overwhelming firepower?
It would be even better if he had Ruination or Devour, but for now they just had to cram in as much damage as possible in the shortest time.
"Lamba, Gale Slayer!"
—Okay!
—Kruk….!
And then.
"Jaggeo, Dampir!"
He had brought them too.
To be helpful?
Not at all.
He brought them just so they could stand there and leech Phantom's experience.
He had even left behind the doll Song Yeonhee used.
The experience in the Tower of Trials was pretty enormous.
Thanks to that, HunGyo's current level had risen tremendously as well.
Already level 55.
That was because he had taken on the role of Tower of Trials bus driver and soaked up all that experience.
"HunGyo, you can handle it alone, right?"
—More than enough. I have already smashed everything to pieces on the way here, so it barely has any strength left anyway.
Baek Jinwoo was struggling to breathe, but HunGyo remained calm.
If anything, he seemed slightly excited by the tremendous destructive power surging inside him.
—Lamba, put all your stacks on me.
—I know!
—Then I shall go at once.
Taat!
Exhaling, HunGyo shot into the sky.
Kugagagagaga!
An immense pressure tried to suck HunGyo in, but his posture did not waver.
He merely placed his right hand on the hilt.
Swaaak!
The moment he swung his sword in a single breath—
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang!
With a tremendous roar, building debris was shredded apart, and black energy scattered in all directions.
Even in the middle of that chaos, Baek Jinwoo did not close his eyes.
Fwoosh!
Explosive Dragon too.
Kwa-ddeudeudeuk!
Gale Slayer too.
As a result of everyone pouring in damage from their respective positions—
[Floor 30 boss, "Phantom" (S-rank), has been defeated.]
[Congratulations!]
[You have conquered Floor 30 of the Tower of Trials!]
They were able to finish it off in exactly five minutes.
Honestly?
So far, it was still fairly manageable.
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