Chapter 146

Floor 41

Towering monoliths carved into the likeness of soldiers lined the path leading toward a massive shrine.

Baek Jinwoo had already established a strict protocol for this specific ascent. He had commanded his familiars to remain entirely silent unless a critical situation demanded otherwise. The reason was practical: they were currently recording the entire run, and furthermore, every tactical maneuver required to conquer this zone was already perfectly mapped out inside his own mind. The creatures simply needed to execute his precise directives, ensuring a seamless and flawless progression through the trial.

Naturally, such a smooth run was only possible because of Baek Jinwoo’s unique capabilities. For any ordinary challenger possessing standard capabilities, the sheer complexity and danger of this level presented an insurmountable wall, no matter how much effort they poured into it.

The entity ruling over Floor 50 is Kronos, the supreme ruler of the mighty Titan civilization. This colossal divine lineage represents the pinnacle of intellect, bravery, and physical might. Within the architecture of the spire, they functioned as the ultimate threshold, evaluating a challenger’s true worth before allowing them to ascend into the highly dangerous upper territories.

“Rolly.”

A low friction sound echoed.

“Your task now is to scour the area surrounding the shrine for ancient stone markers. Ignore everything else and focus exclusively on locating the violet ones.”

The primary goal of Floor 41 involved unsealing the colossal stone entryways to gain access to the interior of the shrine. To break the seal, a challenger needed to collect five distinct stone markers and insert them into the corresponding indentations on the portal. Countless false markers were scattered across the exterior grounds of the shrine. The true difficulty lay in the fact that challengers had to repel waves of animated stone guardians while searching for the correct keys.

“Aso, Drill Sarge, Stormy—annihilate the stone guardians so Rolly can hunt for the markers without disruption.”

An unspoken acknowledgement rippled through the summons.

“Ramba, you are clear on your instructions?”

The familiar gave an assertive nod, immediately rotating her staff with incredible speed. A sharp whirring sound filled the air as she began systematically applying her supportive enchantments without even needing an explicit order. The moment that rhythmic sound filled the area, the outcome of the battle was already decided.

The stone guardians stood no chance. Drill Sarge’s heavy strikes shattered the statues effortlessly, while Stormy’s intense heat dissolved the stone structures into bubbling, molten remnants. With a thunderous crash, the familiars unleashed their full capabilities, obliterating every animated guardian in the vicinity within moments.

“LG.”

A deep rumble shook the ground as the Little Giant lowered his posture, presenting his shoulder as a platform. Baek Jinwoo and the Dhampir stepped onto it with complete composure.

“Let us proceed to the main portal and await the results.”

It was a display of absolute calm that would shock any standard challenger. Normally, conquering Floor 41 required a group to navigate a labyrinth of variables and unpredictable combat scenarios while hunting for the correct markers. However, Baek Jinwoo possessed prior knowledge of the exact markers required to solve the puzzle. He had no reason to stress; he simply needed to wait for his familiar to bring them to the door.

Floor 42 is governed by the Thunder Watcher, if memory serves.

Even while waiting, his thoughts were already arranging the tactical approach for the subsequent level.

PBC Conference Room

Deep within the broadcast network’s headquarters, a gathering of top-level administrators sat with their fingers interlocked, silently pleading for a favorable outcome.

“Sigh…”

“A full week has passed since Baek Jinwoo entered the spire, correct?”

“That is accurate. We desperately need him to successfully conquer up to Floor 50 and return safely. We haven’t received any direct communications from the central registry yet, nor have there been any emergency bulletins. This suggests his climb is progressing without disaster, but still…”

In reality, everyone knew that hoping for a flawless run was asking for a miracle. The network had staked its entire future on this single venture. Putting everything else aside, the combined market value of the Millennium Snow Ginseng and the Clear Sky Petroleum exceeded one trillion won. It was a staggering sum of wealth, and the monetary value didn’t even account for how incredibly rare those items were to find. The vast majority of elite rankers who managed to obtain such legendary artifacts chose to consume them immediately to boost their own strength rather than trade them away.

“Even so, given his track record, don’t you think he will successfully clear the zone and return? He displayed immense self-assurance before he left,” one administrator noted softly.

At the moment, Rachel held the official record, having halted her ascent at Floor 50. While Baek Jinwoo had technically triumphed over Rachel in their past conflict, it hadn’t been a showcase of absolute dominance. He had been forced to utilize every ounce of his agility, relying on complex feints and maneuvers to secure what looked like a narrow, exhausting victory.

“Well, the dice have been cast. It is completely out of our hands now.”

Every major figure in the media landscape understood the stakes. Securing an exclusive deal with Baek Jinwoo was equivalent to hitting an unprecedented financial jackpot. The only reason other networks hadn’t attempted to sign him was the collective assumption that he was entirely unapproachable. In fact, several rival stations had almost certainly sent official partnership proposals, only to have them immediately rejected by Yubaek.

“This is an all-or-nothing gamble.”

If Baek Jinwoo perished within the Tower of Trials, the network’s massive investment would vanish instantly. Conversely, if he emerged victorious and delivered the recorded documentation of his run, it would unlock an absolute goldmine. No person alive could resist the temptation to watch a high-definition documentary featuring that specific footage, especially since it would reveal the mysterious, hidden interior of the Tower of Trials—a structure humanity was still actively fighting to conquer.

With that footage in their possession, they could establish distribution deals across the globe, selling broadcasting licenses and generating massive royalty streams every time the media was aired. And when the massive profits started rolling in, they would gladly distribute a fair percentage to Yubaek to maintain a pristine professional relationship, ensuring future contracts would be signed just as easily.

Forget the profit margins for a second—just make it back in one piece.

The atmosphere within the corporate space remained thick with a volatile mixture of intense anxiety and grand ambition.

The Upper Floors

Unbeknownst to the executives worrying over his safety, Baek Jinwoo had already pushed forward to Floor 49.

The moment he crossed the threshold into the inner sanctuary, an ancient Titan combatant materialized to block his path. The intervening levels had thrown various challenges at him: Floor 42 featured the Thunder Watcher, while Floor 43 presented the Temporal Harmonizer. These entities were formidable, mid-tier boss entities deployed by the supreme ruler to eliminate any reckless intruders.

Yet, with a single, sweeping inferno from the Burst Dragon, they were reduced to drifting embers. It was true that as the floors increased, the defensive attributes and supernatural traits of the enemies grew significantly more complex and punishing. However, when faced with Stormy’s absolute power of Annihilation, every defense proved meaningless. Devour had already advanced far beyond ordinary limits.

With a monstrous roar, the crimson dragon unleashed its searing breath, transforming the ancient guardians into massive fountains of experience points before they dissolved entirely. This relentless offensive allowed the bulk of Baek Jinwoo’s summoned forces to experience a massive surge in their personal progression.

Drill Sarge, who had entered the spire in his late 50s, had already climbed to level 63. Ramba, the Burst Dragon, and Rolly had all successfully breached the level 60 threshold. Following closely behind them, Aso, LG, and the Dhampir had all advanced past level 50. As established by the rules of the world, the absolute peak development was level 100, and once a creature surpassed level 60, the numerical requirements skyrocketed to a point where further advancement became a monumental chore.

Numerical statistics are beneficial, but there is no reason to become fixated on them.

The true defining factor was how masterfully a summoner commanded their forces; numerical growth was merely a supplementary enhancement to their base capabilities.

“We are approaching the finish line, everyone. Keep up the pressure just a bit longer.”

Floor 49 served as the ultimate screening process—a gauntlet designed to filter out anyone unworthy of an audience with the Titan King, Kronos. To pass, a challenger had to navigate three monumental gateways, each corresponding to the foundational virtues of the Titan lineage: wisdom, courage, and strength.

— “So, a mortal has managed to penetrate this deeply into our domain. Intruder.”

A thunderous vibration rippled across the firmament, causing the heavens to tremble. High above the sanctuary, three immense entities materialized from the shifting clouds, their scale so massive that they completely dominated the horizon.

— “I am Ios, the Warden who tests Wisdom.”

A profound, echoing declaration vibrated through the air, sounding as though it would split the sky. Baek Jinwoo, however, looked completely unimpressed by the theatrical display.

— “From this instant, you must decipher the historical chronicles of our people and project the ultimate fate of our line. Step through the portal to rectify the historic errors of the Titans, and… wait, what are you doing?”

The Warden named Ios, who had been delivering his grand, traditional speech, stumbled over his words in absolute bewilderment. Down below, Baek Jinwoo and his entire retinue were already casually marching directly through the Gate of Wisdom.

— “You must at least allow me to explain the rules of the trial…!”

His words fell on empty air as Baek Jinwoo’s figure vanished beyond the portal. The immense guardians anchoring the sky could only stare downward in utter disbelief.

— “What manner of madness is this…?”

— “An incredibly foolhardy challenger.”

— “It matters not to us. His failure is his own doing.”

The massive entities shook their heads in resignation and fell silent.

The Gate of Wisdom functioned as a complex maze of rooms experiencing chronological distortions. Inside, a challenger was required to sort through pivotal moments of Titan history and arrange them in a flawless, logical progression. It wasn’t a simple puzzle of logic; it demanded a deep comprehension of temporal dynamics and causal relationships, which was why the clues provided by Ios were intended to be completely indispensable.

Yet, this human had walked straight into the trial without a single hint.

Roughly ten minutes later, a voice broke the silence.

“That was incredibly simple.”

Baek Jinwoo walked out of the exit portal, having systematically unraveled every single temporal puzzle within the maze. His demeanor remained entirely composed, showing no signs of exertion.

Clues? They were entirely redundant for him. He had navigated the mechanics of this exact trial an uncountable number of times in his previous life. At this stage, his actions were driven entirely by flawless muscle memory.

The celestial wardens who bore witness to this feat stood completely paralyzed by shock.

— “He is no ordinary human.”

— “How can a mortal entity possess such flawless knowledge of our internal history? To accomplish this without a single guidance marker is impossible!”

— “Regardless of our disbelief, the trial is satisfied. We are obligated to present the subsequent challenge.”

— “I am Persi, the Warden who tests Courage—”

“Right, Persia or whatever. Let’s speed this up.”

The subsequent trials followed an identical pattern. Whether it was the Gate of Courage or the Gate of Strength, Baek Jinwoo dismantled each trial in less than ten minutes.

The Gate of Courage, for example, amounted to nothing more than a standard repetition of the brutal training routines his summons regularly endured under Drill Sarge. Specifically, it utilized Honbi Jeomhyeol—a highly advanced pressure-point manipulation style capable of escalating a target’s internal terror to its absolute absolute peak, forcing their most deeply buried psychological horrors into plain view.

Drill Sarge had routinely applied this method to forge an absolute immunity to mental interference within Baek Jinwoo’s forces. As a challenger climbed higher into the upper echelons of the spire, status afflictions rooted in psychological terror became increasingly lethal. He hadn’t initiated this brutal regime specifically to counter Floor 49; it was a fundamental requirement for surviving the brutal environments of the highest floors.

The legendary Five Emperors had undoubtedly utilized a comparable methodology during their own ascents. Lacking a unique asset like Drill Sarge, they would have been forced to purchase expensive familiars capable of projecting psychological terror attributes solely to condition themselves against the effect.

Next came the Gate of Strength. The methodology here was even more direct: simply eliminate the three celestial wardens blocking the path.

Utilizing the Storm Dragon Arts secret technique: Annihilation.

A cataclysmic detonation tore through the arena as the crimson dragon’s breath weapon joined a massive shockwave, sweeping across the entire battlefield. No matter how immense the physical forms of the wardens were, they lacked the defensive capability to absorb the raw destructive output of a Dragon Burst that had already been elevated to ridiculous levels.

— “Aaaargh! What a terrifying display of pure destructive force!”

— “It is undeniable… he possessed the qualifications to stand before the Monarch from the very beginning.”

— “You may pass. However, do not lose your focus. Our Monarch, Kronos, exists on an entirely different plane of existence!”

Some of the fading entities cried out in agonizing pain, while others looked on with an equal mixture of profound respect and deep anxiety.

“What a joke.”

Kronos? Baek Jinwoo felt a smirk play on his lips. He was well aware that the Titan King would end up being instantly vaporized by Stormy’s fire just like the rest of them.

With a confident stride, Baek Jinwoo marched toward the massive gateway that had materialized in the center of the zone. This portal served as the direct path to Floor 50 of the Tower of Trials—the throne room of the S-rank entity, Kronos.

“Let’s move.”

It was time to enter the chamber and conclude this business swiftly. From the moment he stepped onto Floor 41 up to this exact second, his progression had been defined by absolute certainty. Not once had his footsteps faltered. And every single second of this historical run was being meticulously preserved by the elite recording equipment he carried.

Central Command

“Director.”

“What is it?”

“He has already… broken through the defenses of Floor 49 and crossed the threshold into Floor 50.”

The Director remained silent, his lips pressed into a tight, rigid line as he processed the update. He had long since passed the point of mere astonishment; he was now entering a state of existential disbelief.

Did this trajectory even align with reality? In a span of time totaling less than a single month, this man had completely torn through Floors 31 to 50 at a speed that defied comprehension. He had closed the gap with Rachel’s legendary, unmatched record in a flash.

“Do we have any updates regarding Rachel?”

“Nothing administrative. Now that you mention it, the reports surrounding Rachel’s activities have been completely non-existent as of late.”

The authorities in England were deliberately hiding the crisis surrounding Rachel’s sudden disappearance from the global stage. Due to that geopolitical information lockdown, even the domestic command center in South Korea had no means of discovering her true status.

“So you are telling me he has successfully leveled the playing field with the global peak?”

“That is the reality, sir. South Korea can now officially claim the undisputed top position on the global stage.”

This victory extended far beyond mere numerical leaderboard rankings; they now co-held the absolute record for the highest floor ever reached in the Tower of Trials. It was a monumental shift in global power dynamics.

The Director let out a massive, sweeping breath. Of all the historical moments for such an event to occur, it was unfolding precisely during his administrative term! He realized right then that he would gladly spend the rest of his natural life treating Baek Jinwoo with the highest level of deference.

“Exhale—the exact moment Player Baek Jinwoo exits that spire, I want a massive celebration launched! Prepare the media releases to saturate every major network instantly. Take whatever remaining financial assets the command center has left in the reserves, scrape absolutely everything together, and direct all of it to reinforce Yubaek. You hear me? I want us to offer overwhelming institutional backing!”

“Yes, sir! Moving immediately!” the assistant replied, quickly exiting the office.

The administrative offices were bound to enter another incredibly chaotic period.

A single day later, the long-awaited announcement reached Yubaek, the central command center, and the PBC network simultaneously.

“Player Baek Jinwoo has officially exited the spire!”

“He has successfully conquered Floor 50!”

In an unbelievably brief window of just one week and one day, Baek Jinwoo had successfully climbed the ranks to stand alongside Rachel at the absolute apex of the Tower of Trials.