It was an announcement that echoed across the entire world.

Anyone could hear it.

<Player Bong Juhyeok has cleared the Black Tower at breakneck speed up to the 98th floor.>

<Only two floors remain until the 100th floor.>

<The remaining question: is the 100th floor truly the end?>

<According to an anonymous Korean Awakening Administration official, there is a very high possibility that the 100th floor is the final floor.>

<How will the world change after the 100th floor? Expectations soar.>

<World leaders send congratulatory messages to Bong Juhyeok.> <Chinese President Liu Zhao and the Standing Committee also praise Player Bong Juhyeok.>

Aaaaaaah! Bong Juhyeok!!!

Bartender, what are you doing? It’s the 98th floor! Bring out 98 bowls of national pride!

I’m waiting until the 100th floor. I have to drink 100 bowls.

I never thought I’d see a day like this. The 100th floor is right in front of us.

Even China sent congratulations. That says everything.

Seven floors in one day?

How many times a day can Bong Juhyeok climb the Tower?

That’s what you’re curious about? You’re not even fazed that he cleared them back-to-back without a break?

...Good point.

I wonder what the video will be like this time.

What do you expect? He probably just blew something up with nukes again.

But what actually happens when the 100th floor is cleared?

No way the Tower just disappears completely, right?

Who says the 100th floor is the end? It might not be.

I heard rumors that it is the end, though.

That can’t happen! Where are we supposed to mine Magic Stones then?

Damn it, if I can’t mine Magic Stones, I can’t even pay off my apartment loan.

It was ambiguous.

If the 100th floor really was the end, then of course it was something to celebrate.

If the Black Tower disappeared without causing a collapse, that would be safe and good.

And yet, there was a contradictory feeling.

What if the Black Tower disappeared completely?

Then—

<Breaking News) Korean Awakening Administration to issue emergency statement.>

<Breaking News) Commissioner Jeon Gwangil likely to appear personally.>

Breaking news just dropped.

Commissioner Jeon Gwangil himself is giving a statement?

What’s it about?

Probably something about clearing the Black Tower.

With only two floors left until the 100th, Commissioner Jeon Gwangil’s announcement began.

The venue was the press briefing hall of the Korean Awakening Administration.

All domestic and foreign media had gathered there.

It was a live broadcast transmitted worldwide.

Commissioner Jeon Gwangil stood at the podium.

FLASH! FLASH-FLASH-FLASH-FLASH!

Camera flashes exploded nonstop.

“First, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Player Bong Juhyeok for achieving the tremendous feat of clearing the Black Tower up to the 98th floor.”

Then he continued.

“Many of you are surely curious about what changes will occur after the Black Tower is cleared up to the 100th floor.”

The audience leaned in.

Even the camera flashes stopped.

“I would like to clarify in advance that what I am about to say is based on the results of Player Bong Juhyeok’s complete conquest of Earth No. 675’s Black Tower.”

Earth No. 675.

Complete conquest?

People already knew that other parallel-world Earths existed.

They also knew that some of them had been destroyed by the Black Tower.

But Player Bong Juhyeok had completely finished one of them?

When had that even happened?

“Yes, it was a success. The 100th floor was the end. And the player who reaches the 100th floor acquires the administrative authority of the Black Tower.”

Administrative authority over the Tower.

What exactly did that mean?

Reporters shot their hands up.

“We will take questions later.”

Jeon Gwangil continued speaking.

“The scope of the Tower’s administrative authority is limited. You cannot alter missions, rewards, or difficulty. You also cannot change the rule that the Tower must be climbed solo, nor can you relocate the Tower.”

Why were there so many restrictions?

That made it sound like nothing would change.

“However, according to Player Bong Juhyeok, there are still many areas where authority can be exercised.”

Such as?

“I will begin with the most important part. You can choose to delete or maintain the Tower’s collapse deadline.”

What did that mean?

Delete or maintain?

“Yes. The authority to delete the collapse deadline. Even if no one clears higher floors for six months, or one year, or even ten years, the Tower will not collapse.”

A brief silence followed.

Then murmurs spread.

Exclamations burst out from all over the room.

Really?

This wasn’t a lie?

Preventing tower collapse.

What did that imply?

It meant escaping extinction.

“Additionally, the Tower itself can be dismantled from beyond the phase world and completely removed. Even in that case, no collapse will occur.”

Another shocking statement.

Dismantle the Tower or let it persist.

“All of this is only possible by climbing to the 100th floor and acquiring the Tower’s administrative authority. The mechanism involves something called a crystal core—”

Before Jeon Gwangil could even finish his statement, the world was already in an uproar.

An era of great upheaval had arrived.

*****

The White House, United States.

Cabinet members and advisors had gathered in President Lloyd’s office.

“Tower administrative authority... does that mean only Korea’s Tower? Or does it include every Tower on Earth?”

The U.S. had already received the key points of Jeon Gwangil’s press conference beforehand.

“Individual control seems possible. After all, a single control room manages all 146 Black Towers.”

Secretary MacMillan answered the president’s question.

“That means some Towers could be voluntarily dismantled, some could have their collapse deadlines removed, and some could simply be left untouched.”

He shrugged.

“It’s not certain, though. Earth No. 675 only had one Black Tower.”

“Hm.”

“We will know for sure once our Earth’s Black Towers are fully cleared to the 100th floor.”

President Lloyd still found it hard to believe.

For nearly twenty years, the Black Tower had terrified Earth.

And now a single player was resolving it.

Not completely finished yet, but soon.

“What about changing missions? Making them easier, or removing them entirely?”

“That is not possible.”

“Party clears? Letting more than ten people enter a floor?”

“That is also not allowed.”

“Rewards? Increasing high-grade Magic Stone drops?”

“No.”

“Removing nationality restrictions so anyone can climb any Tower?”

“You heard the statement. The authority is fixed.”

“Hmmm.”

President Lloyd nodded.

It was a little disappointing, perhaps, but—

“Still, it’s huge.”

“It’s massive. A revolution in Tower conquest.”

The entire paradigm of Black Tower conquest would change.

Towers without collapse anxiety.

Stable Magic Stone mining sites.

“What happens if individual Tower control is obtained?”

“What do you think? The entire world will have to watch Bong Juhyeok’s mood.”

“True.”

By keeping a collapse deadline, one nation could be terrorized.

And the opposite was just as devastating.

If a nation’s Tower disappeared?

It would be safe. There would be no collapse risk at all.

But Magic Stones could no longer be mined.

Not even basic Magic Stones, let alone high-grade ones.

Nationality-based Tower entry would not change.

That country’s players would be stuck twiddling their thumbs unless they changed citizenship.

If you got on Bong Juhyeok’s bad side, there were two outcomes.

Maintained collapse deadline or Tower dismantlement.

“We didn’t mess up with Player Bong, did we?”

“No way. The U.S. treats him very differently. Do you think we’re Japan or China?”

“Fair enough. I even learned Korean.”

“Hey, that is all thanks to me. I worked hard from the start to stay on Player Bong’s good side.”

“You’re saying that like it’s an achievement.”

“It is an achievement.”

MacMillan answered shamelessly, as if there were no problem at all.

“Anyway, once Player Bong clears the 100th floor and gains Tower authority, ask him to remove the western Tower. Leave only the eastern one.”

“I was planning to request that anyway.”

There was no need for two Towers.

Having two did not increase high-grade Magic Stone output.

“We invested well, didn’t we?”

“We did.”

They had moved quickly the moment they learned of Player Bong Juhyeok’s existence.

They consistently supported Korea’s position.

They were the first to leave early-adopter reviews of new products.

They bought Trait Enhancement Runes on the black market and gifted them to him.

They were the first to provide nuclear warheads.

“It feels satisfying.”

“But Japan and China are going to have real headaches.”

“Huh? Not really.”

“What do you mean?”

“Japan, maybe. But China’s reaction has changed completely. Even with the nuclear contribution this time.”

“Well, maybe China finally came to its senses.”

In truth, it was all thanks to the great demon-level succubus Diamat.

The entire world was swept up in excitement over Bong Juhyeok’s conquest up to the 98th floor.

World leaders rushed to send congratulatory messages.

In nearby Japan, it was headline news every day.

On TV, they built cardboard models of the Black Tower and had panelists arguing loudly about what would happen if the 100th floor were fully cleared.

But Japan’s political circles could not laugh.

They were in an extremely urgent situation.

Why?

In the past, as a reward for clearing the 90th floor, the sinkholes that had opened in Mumbai, India, and Mount Fuji, Japan, were restored.

In return, India handed over all of its nuclear warheads to Player Bong Juhyeok.

But Japan?

They stopped at lip service, empty words of gratitude.

They had no choice.

They could not meet what Korea was demanding.

Because of that, Japan could not even make reservations for the magic guns needed to clear the giant-monster zone.

Meanwhile, other countries were steadily climbing toward the 81st Floor.

*****

The Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo.

An emergency meeting was underway.

Prime Minister Maeda and the cabinet ministers were present.

All of their expressions were grim.

“Maintaining the collapse deadline is still tolerable. There are five years left, and we might be able to find a solution somehow...”

“But the real problem is Tower dismantlement. Complete removal.”

“Yes. If the Tokyo Black Tower disappears, we will not be able to mine Magic Stones at all.”

As a result, Japanese players would attempt to change citizenship en masse.

Japan’s Magic Stone industry would inevitably collapse.

“What is the stance of the Korean Awakening Administration? Are we still in contact?”

“Of course we are, but we have not received a definitive answer.”

“Haa...”

“On the surface, they are not making any explicit demands. However...”

Prime Minister Maeda knew very well what Korea truly wanted.

“Ceding Tsushima Island...”

“It seems they benefited quite a bit after receiving Mount Baekdu from China.”

“Damn it!”

In the past, territorial cession demands like this would have been unthinkable.

But after the appearance of the Black Tower, the situation had changed.

In exchange for allowing temporary player naturalization, borders were adjusted, disputed territories were yielded, and territorial transactions had become fairly common.

All to prevent Tower collapse and regeneration.

Especially for countries where Towers had appeared in densely populated urban areas, the anxiety was unavoidable.

From that perspective, the demand to cede territory was not unusual.

Japan could comply.

The problem was that the recipient was Korea.

Hand Tsushima over to Korea?

Would the Japanese people stand for it?

But if they held out to the bitter end?

Player Bong Juhyeok might do this instead.

“From a humanitarian standpoint, and for Japan’s safety, I will delete the Black Tower in downtown Tokyo.”

There was justification, wasn’t there?

It was “for Japan’s sake.”

And so Japan might become the only country without a Black Tower.

A completely new form of retaliation.

Honestly, Prime Minister Maeda leaned toward agreeing to cede Tsushima.

Aside from maritime boundary settings, it was a largely useless island.

Was there a way to hand it over while minimizing public backlash?

And keep the Minhyuk Party in power?

“There is only one way.”

“What is it?”

“Announce the cession of Tsushima to Korea and dissolve the Diet.”

“Dissolve the Diet?”

“Yes. Go to a general election.”

“Hoo...”

Japan had a parliamentary cabinet system.

If the cabinet dissolved the Diet, a snap election would follow immediately.

The purpose of dissolving the Diet?

To seek renewed confidence in the Minhyuk Party cabinet.

‘The Maeda administration will cede Tsushima to Korea. If you agree, vote for the Minhyuk Party. If you oppose it, do not.’

If they won the election and retained power, relations with Korea could be redefined.

But if they lost and the right wing seized control?

The outcome was obvious.

The Black Tower would be dismantled “for Japan’s peace.”

Magic Stone mining would cease.

Japan’s future would become uncertain.

Prime Minister Maeda was a former player.

If he failed to regain power—

‘There is no reason I have to keep living in Japan.’

He could simply change citizenship.

*****

White Tower Floor 17.

Only the 99th and 100th floors remained.

Let’s rest a bit before going.

We need to resupply nuclear warheads too.

Then Cossack said he had something to show us.

He put a video on the large screen.

Out of nowhere, he claimed that some “mental training” was necessary.

It was footage from the 92nd-floor clear.

The moment when the new bound summoned entities, even as a seven-person party, could not properly kill a single monster.

Magic did not work.

Blades did not pierce.

They panicked, got chased around, and finally received help from Juhyeok.

That miserable moment played out vividly on the screen.

“As White Tower company commander, I, Cossack, am disappointed in all of you.”

The rookies bowed their heads deeply.

“What were you even doing? Huh? You couldn’t even kill one monster and flailed around like that? And you call yourselves LSSR wherever you go? Huh?!”

Ahhh.

How humiliating that must be.

They had nothing to say.

No room for excuses.

Even the Saintess was in tears.

She looked tough, but her heart clearly was not.

“Do not cry. Tears are a luxury for you. Is this the time to show weakness?”

The remaining three hundred-plus bound summoned entities pointed fingers and criticized the rookie summoned entities who had been selected for the advance party.

“Tch, are they really LSSR?”

“They’re embarrassing all the rookies.”

“I’m only SR right now, but once I rank up, I’m sure I’ll do better than them.”

“He calls himself an emperor, making that much of a fuss.”

“The Sword Demon should change his title. Sword Worm fits him better.”

Here they went again.

It had been manageable when there were only seventeen, but now there were 355.

If left alone, factions would form, divisions would spread, and infighting would run rampant.

Camaraderie would collapse, the White Tower would fall apart, Korea would be endangered, and eventually the world would end—

Okay, maybe that was going too far.

Anyway.

“Cameraman Mackenzie.”

“Yes, Summoner.”

“You recorded the Archangel fight too, right?”

“Uh, well, I always keep the camera running, so of course...”

So he had filmed it.

“But Cossack told us not to show that one.”

Oh?

So he was hiding his own mistakes?

Classic Cossack hypocrisy.

“Play it now.”

“...Yes.”

The previous footage cut out, and with a POP!, a new video began playing.

“Take a look. That is the Archangel. At that time, Commander Cossack was... um.”

Cossack whipped his head around toward Mackenzie.

“Hey, old man, didn’t I tell you not to play that one?!”

No chance.

The playback continued.

The Archangel charged.

Juhyeok fled at insane speed.

The camera shook wildly, and the focus was completely off.

People screamed.

The veteran bound summoned entities froze in confusion.

In the end, Juhyeok handled it alone.

He used items to hide, summoned golden monkey clones, and finally called forth the Great Sage Equal to Heaven through transcendent summoning.

Cossack stared blankly, like a mute who had swallowed honey.

Mad Demon looked awkward.

Meatshield lowered his head.

Bardin wore a heavy expression.

Gyeon Dallae’s face turned red.

Juhyeok took the microphone.

His tone was calm.

“You saw it, right? The veterans were the same. So do not be disappointed. It was your first Tower clear, but you rookies did extremely well.”

Silence fell over White Tower Floor 17.

“You can get better. Honestly, at the beginning, neither I nor the veterans were anything special. We got here thanks to Godbaek, the White Tower’s support, and the help of transcendent beings like the Sword Immortal, Yama, and the Great Sage.”

A solemn atmosphere settled over the room.

“That does not mean you have to push yourselves too hard. Try what you can, and it is okay to give up. No one will blame you for it.”

That was true.

Juhyeok meant it sincerely.

They were people who had been trapped in the world of souls for countless ages.

Now they deserved to live happily.

“Of course, that does not mean doing nothing. I will not spare any support until you reach LSSR rank.”

Then—

“First, we will distribute Summoned Entity Rank Breakthrough Runes to volunteers. Anyone interested?”

Without hesitation, the rookies raised their hands.

“Good. We will begin the rank-up process with the SR bound summoned entities first. I will hand out the runes.”

Juhyeok raised his hand and pointed toward a building.

“You see that landmark over there? That is our training facility. Once you receive the runes, go in there, rank up to SSR, and come back out.”

The first goal was to promote every bound summoned entity at SSR rank or lower.

“LSSR bound summoned entities, prepare to begin the memory regression ritual.”

No rushing.

Build the fundamentals slowly.

Someday, they would have to advance into the main base.

If that place was not cleared, the threat would remain.

And if the opportunity came, he planned to try it once.

Summoning every single Catalog summoned entity at once.

An all-LSSR summoned-entity bomb drop.

Damn.

Just imagining it made his chest swell.