Chapter 32

Player HQ, the Director’s office.

The elderly Director had been dealing with a massive headache recently.

Baek Jinwoo.

An unprecedented prodigy had emerged from obscurity, shattering every single low-rank Day Dungeon record before proceeding to dominate the mid-rank records as well. Now, he had gone ahead and conquered the initial floor of the Tower of Trials.

And he had accomplished all of this at an astonishing velocity.

“Secretary.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Why haven’t I received an update? Are you still unable to establish contact with Baek Jinwoo?”

“W-Well, the reality is…”

“If it seems impossible, find a way to make it happen. Have you lost your touch? You managed to climb the ranks to become the Director’s personal secretary because of your supposed competence, yet you cannot handle a basic task like this?”

“……”

The secretary’s face contorted with suppressed irritation.

That manipulative old man.

He refuses to lift a single finger himself.

Furthermore—

How was he expected to turn an impossibility into a reality?

He had exhausted every available option since his previous in-person visit to Baek Jinwoo.

He had contacted Yubaek and even requested assistance from Park Changseok.

The responses he received were identical.

• Our apologies. Although he is a player registered under our management, we do not possess absolute authority over his actions.

• And who is to blame for creating such a terrible first impression? You chose to disregard him when we offered our assistance. The window of opportunity has closed. He is far beyond my influence now. There is a well-known proverb for this—one should value what they have before it is gone.

Yu Jia and Park Changseok.

Both individuals had politely turned him down.

Councilman Park Changseok, in particular, did not even attempt to mask his mocking tone.

Left with no alternative, the secretary had attempted to locate Baek Jinwoo on multiple occasions afterward, but—

• My apologies.

• Did I not clarify this during our last conversation? Please coordinate through Yubaek.

• My apologies.

• My apologies.

• ……

Toward the end, the player stopped responding entirely. He would simply elevate a single hand and—whoosh—disappear from sight.

Each time that occurred, the pride associated with working at Player HQ—the country’s most prestigious public organization—was instantly reduced to nothing.

What exactly did I do wrong?!

If he was guilty of anything, it was merely holding the position of the Director’s secretary.

That solitary reality was systematically eroding his previously high self-worth.

Yet, despite everything, the Director had the audacity to demand that he ‘make it happen’?

Good grief.

“I have a question for you, sir.”

“What is it, for me?”

“Yes.”

“Go ahead.”

“Why are you so completely fixated on Player Baek Jinwoo? While he might be highly discussed at the moment, he has not achieved the status of a ranker yet, and he is certainly not a member of the national squad. His performance in the Day Dungeons is remarkable, admittedly, but a player’s true capability cannot be evaluated solely on those metrics.”

His reasoning was sound.

Just as certain players excelled specifically within dungeons, others were tailored for Player vs Player combat.

However, the Director simply shook his head while flashing a cunning smirk.

“Young man, that is completely beside the point.”

“Then what is the reason?”

“He possesses great looks.”

“…Pardon me?”

The secretary could scarcely trust his own ears.

That was the underlying motive?

Player Baek Jinwoo was… well, admittedly a very attractive individual.

Even so.

How could a detail like that warrant calling someone directly to the headquarters?

“A player requires star appeal. That is what captures the public’s fascination, and when the populace pays attention, the councilman aligned with that player experiences a rise in their own reputation.”

“…Unbelievable.”

So that was the true agenda.

Ultimately, it all boiled down to securing political backing.

Completely predictable.

Whether dealing with the National Assembly or Player HQ—

Councilmen were universally identical.

“The issue is, that fellow is incredibly obstinate. Very difficult to sway.”

“So you are finally prepared to drop the matter?”

The secretary’s eyes brightened with hope.

“Director!”

Bang!

A staff member slammed the door open.

It was the Director’s immediate subordinate responsible for supervising the Tower of Trials operations.

Specifically, the individual tasked with overseeing privacy-classified data.

“What is the meaning of this?”

The staff member cast a sideways glance toward the secretary.

“He is permitted to hear it. He operates under the identical non-disclosure agreement.”

Only individuals who had signed the binding agreement regarding privacy disclosure limitations were permitted to view this information.

Anyone who dared to leak it otherwise?

They would be forced to endure the System’s penalty.

“P-Player Baek Jinwoo has successfully completed another run of the Tower of Trials.”

“Oh, is that all? I assumed it was a matter of grave importance.”

The Director nodded as though he had fully anticipated this outcome.

A player capable of overcoming the first floor managing to clear the second was hardly a groundbreaking revelation.

The preliminary levels of the Tower were known to be relatively comparable in difficulty, even if the subsequent tiers were entirely different beasts.

“He cleared the second floor? What was his recorded time on this occasion?”

“I-If it were merely that, I would have submitted a routine written brief instead of rushing directly up here.”

“Hmm? What else occurred then?”

“He advanced all the way through the n-ninth floor…… And the entire process took him under an hour from the moment of entry. That represents a velocity that defies logic, not just within our borders, but across the entire globe……”

“What?”

The secretary stood frozen with his mouth open.

“WHAT?!”

The Director bounded out of his chair.

“Is that information accurate? He was literally on the first floor just yesterday!”

“We found it difficult to accept as well. When he initially emerged after entering the second floor, we naturally presumed he had only completed that specific tier and sent him on his way. However, upon reviewing the log archive…… successive completions were registered all the way through the ninth floor.”

Situated outside the primary floor of the Tower of Trials was the log archive.

Every single time a participant cleared a tier, the achievement was documented there.

“He blitzed through levels two through nine in a continuous run. Without ever returning outside.”

“The individual is absolutely insane.”

The Director’s complexion flushed with pure exhilaration.

The ninth level of the Tower of Trials?

By the standards of Korean rankers, fewer than half of the elite roster had managed to progress that far.

Ranker evaluations were computed on an annual basis following the conclusion of the global league, meaning the official standings had not been revised yet—but based on this achievement alone, Baek Jinwoo had effectively crossed into ranker status.

“So that explains why he remained entirely unbothered, does it? He possessed a legitimate basis for his confidence.”

“……He is an extraordinary human being.”

“Baek Jinwoo, that magnificent bastard. I want to recruit him even more intensely now.”

The secretary shook his head silently.

Regardless of the methods employed, certain outcomes simply could not be coerced.

They needed to face reality.

They had utterly failed to identify a diamond in the rough and had treated him with casual disregard.

If anyone deserved recognition, it was Yu Jia for recognizing his immense capabilities early on.

There remained only a single path forward.

Sever ties with Im Huisu and extend an alliance toward Park Changseok.

Whether the elderly gentleman comprehended that reality or not…

He almost certainly did.

One does not secure a Grand Councilman’s position by engaging in trivial pursuits.

However.

If one pondered whether Councilman Park Changseok would genuinely accept that gesture?

It was highly uncertain.

His intuition suggested it was highly improbable.

“Whew.”

Baek Jinwoo performed a deep stretch as he stepped into his residence.

Simultaneously, he summoned his companions.

Only his supreme EX-rank assets materialized—Ramba, Drill Sarge, and Stormy.

“Excellent work, everyone. Rest up tonight. I am utterly exhausted.”

Flop!

He dropped himself flat across the couch.

He had exerted himself far more intensely than he had in quite some time.

Tiers two through nine.

He had navigated every single pathway he recalled with the velocity of a tempest.

Floor two: a directive to depart from the major metropolis of Chrome and liberate a lead investigator who was in jeopardy.

Floor three: guiding the rescued investigator safely to the periphery of a separate major city, Helio.

Floor four: unlocking a concealed entrance that provided access to the research facility.

Floor five: eliminating the undead ghouls lurking within the research facility.

Floor six: proceeding directly to the energy facility to correct a power outage within the facility.

Floor seven: clearing the energy facility and re-establishing the severed electrical grid.

Floor eight: journeying back to the research facility to provide assistance with the lead investigator’s operations.

Floor nine: discovering the reality of the undead ruler, One-Eye (S-rank), and determining that eliminating this entity was the sole method to halt the massive ghoul emergency—followed by traveling directly to One-Eye’s domain.

Baek Jinwoo had already navigated these exact events in his previous life. His progression was completely unimpeded.

He had utilized every single piece of data stored in his memory, advancing relentlessly without pausing for a single breath.

Now, only the ultimate trial loomed ahead.

The final adversary. The engagement with One-Eye was directly before him.

However.

One-Eye remained entirely out of reach given his current capabilities.

He required runes categorized at a high-rank or superior featuring beneficial attribute enhancements, and Stormy required additional time to develop.

He needed to elevate his INT statistic to augment his offensive output, and ideally achieve complete mastery over Storm Dragon Arts: Shift as well.

Even so.

His overall rate of Growth had been exceptionally rapid.

In comparison to the velocity achieved by JinuGod during his time in Battle of Summoners?

It was, without question, profoundly quicker.

Data and practical experience reigned supreme.

If his past journey had resembled navigating carefully through a patch of briars, his current path felt akin to sprinting down an open highway.

• Yaaawn! So we get to relax today? Awesome.

Ramba stretched her limbs and dropped herself directly onto Baek Jinwoo’s midsection as he rested there.

• What exactly do you think you are doing?

Drill Sarge’s gaze gleamed with an intensely hostile spark.

• Eek?!

Ramba scrambled away from Baek Jinwoo’s midsection in absolute terror, hovering safely back into the air.

• Master, please accept my apologies. Active training is not the main issue here—I ought to have disciplined her conduct prior to anything else.

“No, it is perfectly fine. I am not bothered by it.”

He truly meant it.

Ramba possessed no real weight. The sensation was comparable to a small puppy resting on his midsection.

• Negative, Master. You pushed yourself to the limit today. Please recover fully. However, the rest of us are not yet cleared to relax.

• WHAT?! What kind of sudden nightmare is this?!

Ramba threw an absolute tantrum.

Tremble, tremble.

Stormy, who had been lounging comfortably on the opposite couch, began to quiver.

This could not be happening.

Following that excruciatingly difficult instance…

Conquering all of those levels consecutively, and now he intended to enforce training?

• Did you fail to hear what Jinwoo stated? He specifically commanded us to take a break today!

• Ramba.

• What!

• Back on floor seven, inside the energy facility. During your engagement with the Giant Ghoul. Your attack speed enhancement fluctuated downward momentarily. What was the cause of that?

• Oh, that was just…

Ramba broke out into a cold, anxious sweat.

• Furthermore, on floor eight, when we engaged the Ghoul Lord. On three separate occasions during the battle, you ceased utilizing your weapon and took unauthorized pauses.

• Y-You are genuinely monitoring details like that?!

Ramba turned entirely pale.

What in the world!

In the absolute chaos of that brutal combat, he had been actively monitoring and logging every single minor error?

What kind of absolute psychopath was he?!

• That is completely unreasonable! How is a spirit expected to brandish a weapon continuously without a break?!

• Has it completely escaped your mind that your self-centered behavior could ultimately result in our master’s demise?

• That is a massive exaggeration! We were fully capable of defeating that Ghoul Lord even without my enhancement active!

• Master intends to persistently ascend the Tower. The upcoming challenges will become incomparably more severe than the trials we encountered today. Do you intend to display the identical blunders when that time arrives?

She was left entirely speechless.

When an individual highlights your shortcomings with such precise accuracy, what logical counterargument can you possibly offer?

• And Stormy.

Hic!

Stormy, who had been dreading this exact moment, winced visibly.

• On two occasions within the floor-five research facility. A single occurrence at the floor-seven energy facility. On two separate instances along the floor-nine path. You failed to connect with Dragon Burst across all five opportunities.

• ……Yes. Please forgive me.

Stormy lowered his head in deep shame.

The display was so completely downcast that even Baek Jinwoo found himself looking away out of sheer awkwardness.

• Naturally, any individual is capable of committing errors. However, identifying those flaws and actively choosing to disregard them? That constitutes a profound failure of discipline.

Neither of the summoned entities could devise an argument. They merely kept their heads lowered.

“Very well, that is quite enough.”

Baek Jinwoo finally chose to intervene.

“Drill Sarge. You are also behaving incorrectly in this situation.”

• ……!

“I issued a clear directive for everyone to rest initially. Which factor holds greater weight—your training regimen or my explicit commands?”

• Th-That…… Naturally, your directives hold absolute supremacy, Master. My perspective was overly narrow. I offer my sincere apologies.

Caught completely off guard, Drill Sarge retreated a pace and lowered his gaze.

“With that being said, Drill Sarge’s underlying point was not incorrect either.”

Baek Jinwoo shifted his gaze between Ramba and Stormy.

“Errors must absolutely be corrected. Therefore, utilize today for recovery. Beginning tomorrow morning, we will address those specific weaknesses collectively. Focused preparatory exercises.”

Their current rate of progression was already exceptionally rapid.

Attempting to force an even greater acceleration through reckless strain?

That would only elevate the probability of a complete system breakdown.

They required a temporary period of decompression.

For the moment.

His physical form remained intact, but from a psychological standpoint, the recent schedule had taken a considerable toll.

Securing some rest was the immediate priority.

Following that, he would awaken and organize the accumulated clearance items.

A total of eight separate compensations awaited his review!

He would examine each of them tomorrow while the rest of the squad engaged in their exercises.