Chapter 36

The Swiftness rune changed everything.

According to Drill Sarge, this single addition could drastically shorten the time needed to conquer the 10th floor of the Tower of Trials.

Frankly, if Drill Sarge continued to develop at this rate, even reaching the 20th floor wasn’t an impossible dream.

Even so, he couldn’t afford to furnish Drill Sarge’s runes with high-tier completion upgrades quite yet.

For the moment, the 10th floor would have to be the goal.

The current situation was already highly favorable.

In fact, the velocity of his advancement was almost frightening.

Demanding more on top of this would simply be ungrateful.

Two weeks slipped by in this manner.

Throughout that period, Yu Jia remained entirely true to her word.

Without fail, she showed up at the empty training lot every single morning.

She would push herself through an intense one-hour workout before departing for her office duties.

“Don’t you find it exhausting keeping this up day after day?”

“Not in the slightest.”

When he questioned her once, Yu Jia expressed genuine contentment, even mentioning she regretted not starting much sooner.

“That particular companion of yours, Drill Sarge?”

“Yes?”

“He’s incredible. I’ve utilized the highest-rated training regimens available nationwide, and I’ve never encountered anyone—or any creature—capable of instructing with such absolute clarity and precision.”

Without uttering a single word, relying solely on physical cues, he managed to make every technique instantly understandable.

“After a mere hour on this lot, my entire body feels completely revitalized, and it feels like muscle mass is building instantly. Do you get what I mean?”

“Haha, is that so?”

It was perfectly logical.

The entity was engineered specifically for instruction, living up to the name Drill Sarge.

Baek Jinwoo himself was already reaping immense advantages from the setup.

In any case, the time had come.

“I intend to challenge the 10th floor today.”

“The 10th floor… of the Tower of Trials? Wait, already…?”

The groundwork was fully laid.

In truth, he could have initiated the ascent the moment Ramba integrated the Swiftness rune, but he chose to wait this long to ensure flawless preparation.

“The battle will be concluded rapidly this time as well. Perhaps ten minutes?”

“T-ten? Are you serious?”

A mere ten minutes?

How could such a thing be feasible?

Roughly two years prior, even Rachel, who held the title of the world’s top-ranked player, reportedly required upwards of half an hour just to eliminate the floor guardian.

Then again, one had to consider the identity of the person standing right before her.

This was none other than JinuGod, an individual held in the highest esteem by Rachel herself.

She occasionally lost sight of that fact.

“Have I ever given you cause to doubt my word?”

“That’s true. You really could pull it off. Oh, in that case!”

Suddenly, Yu Jia’s expression brightened with an idea.

“Would you be open to equipping your recording apparatus before entering this time?”

“The recording gear? I have no intention of marketing data regarding the Tower of Trials, though…”

“I’m aware of that.”

Yu Jia nodded in agreement.

She then directed her gaze toward Ramba, Drill Sarge, and Stormy in succession.

“You prefer to keep the nature of these particular companions hidden for the time being, correct?”

He tensed slightly.

Baek Jinwoo was taken by surprise.

How had she managed to—

Though, thinking about it realistically…

“Don’t look at me with such shock. It wasn’t hard to deduce. Those three are entities that have never been documented before. A search yields absolutely zero results about them. Furthermore, every bit of text-based data you’ve sold regarding the Day Dungeon directly involves their capabilities.”

Yu Jia remained incredibly perceptive.

She had simply connected the dots.

She realized these unique entities were the precise reason Baek Jinwoo had consumed a massive quantity of low-grade summoning scrolls during his early days.

“Ahem.”

Baek Jinwoo cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“I’m not looking to profit off the information. I simply want to accumulate video records for publicity purposes down the line—once you’ve attained a massive presence and can reveal your full capabilities without reservation.”

“Publicity material, I see.”

It made practical sense.

Keeping a record of events was bound to be advantageous down the road.

Even setting aside marketing, video footage was an invaluable asset for reviewing one’s own performance from an external perspective.

“Regarding any anxieties you have about data security, we can secure everything completely through a strict non-disclosure agreement. How does that sound? If it causes you any discomfort, you are under no obligation to do it.”

“Hmm, is that how it is?”

Baek Jinwoo observed her silently.

Yu Jia.

Was she truly worthy of his complete confidence?

Was it wise to permit her greater access to his secrets?

Evaluating everything he had observed up to this point…

The answer was affirmative.

She treated her family with devotion, committed herself fully to his endeavors, and had proven to be an invaluable asset on multiple occasions.

The Swiftness rune was a prime example.

Could he have acquired such an item purely through his own desire?

An artifact with an incredibly restricted global supply?

Even if he managed to locate one for purchase, the financial cost would likely have far exceeded what she paid.

Yet Yu Jia had managed it effortlessly, backed by the immense leverage of the Daesung Group and her own natural talent for high-stakes negotiation.

“……”

Following a brief period of reflection, Baek Jinwoo gave a nod of assent.

“Very well. Step over here for a moment.”

“Huh?”

He signaled for her to approach.

“I am going to disclose one of my hidden realities to you.”

“A hidden reality?”

Yu Jia’s eyes widened in anticipation.

Could it be?

Her pulse began to race wildly.

Was he finally going to confess his identity as JinuGod?

Regrettably, that was not the revelation Baek Jinwoo had in mind.

“Drill Sarge. Come over here a moment.”

— ……!

Drill Sarge halted his training routine instantly and walked over in total silence.

“Moving forward, you are permitted to speak freely in the presence of Ms. Yu Jia.”

Yu Jia’s face warped into utter bewilderment.

It can speak?

A summoned entity?

Yu Jia had dedicated immense time to studying players and their entities.

A summon capable of articulate speech?

Such a phenomenon had never been recorded anywhere on earth.

“Jinwoo, what exactly do you mean by—”

— Understood, my master.

At that moment, Drill Sarge bowed his head slightly and delivered a sharp, concise reply.

— Maintaining absolute silence during our morning training sessions was becoming quite tedious. I am pleased that restriction has lifted.

“…?”

Yu Jia’s pupils dilated in sheer shock at the unexpected voice, and then—

“Wh—WHAAAAAT?!”

Terrified by the sudden development, she let out an incredibly strange shriek and lost her balance, tumbling backward onto the ground.

This wasn’t mere mimicking—the creature possessed total fluency!

— Jinwoo! Jinwoo! Does that mean I am allowed to speak as well?!

Ramba came hovering over in a state of high excitement.

“Yes, go ahead. You too, Ramba. It must have been torturous holding back all this time, right?”

— Wealthy older sister! Please cease arriving empty-handed every morning and bring us some cream pastries instead! Showing up with absolutely nothing each time was honestly incredibly discourteous!

“…!”

Yu Jia felt as though she might lose consciousness from Ramba’s sudden barrage of complaints.

To make matters even more astonishing—

— It is a pleasure to formally converse with you, Ms. Jia. I have maintained a deep sense of appreciation for the assistance you provide to Jinwoo.

Even Stormy joined in.

Yu Jia remained frozen on the ground, her mouth hanging open as she darted her eyes between the three of them.

Was this the bizarre sensation one would experience if a highly disciplined domestic pet suddenly began speaking in full sentences?

“The reality is simple.”

Observing her stunned state, Baek Jinwoo offered a soft smile.

“This represents the core reason I have withheld information from the public. My companions possess the gift of speech.”

Ah.

So that explained the secrecy.

Naturally, that would make complete sense……

Like hell it did!

How could an anomaly of this magnitude even occur?

A short while later, after she finally managed to compose herself, Yu Jia bombarded him with an endless stream of inquiries, but Baek Jinwoo maintained a strict policy of silence regarding the details.

Samseong-dong, Player Zone.

A group of four individuals assembled before the towering structure of Jamsil Tower.

Baek Jinwoo stood alongside the members of the Yubaek team.

“We pray for your safe and victorious return!”

“Statistics indicate that the guardians of the 10th floor possess the highest mortality rate for players. Please prioritize your safety above all else!”

Kim Byeongjin and Hwang Taeseop took turns offering their earnest words of encouragement.

The recording devices were already functional.

The expressions of everyone present—including Yu Jia—were tight with visible apprehension.

Their anxiety was entirely justified.

Three years prior, a significant portion of the country’s elite rankers had perished inside this very zone.

The dreaded King of Ghouls, One-Eye. An S-rank terror.

On a global scale, countless players were still being slaughtered by that monster to this very day.

However.

“I will conclude this before you even realize it, so why don’t the four of you enjoy a meal together? It has been some time.”

Baek Jinwoo looked completely at ease as he stretched his limbs, standing out as the calmest person in the area.

“Should we get some short rib soup for lunch?”

“Forget simple soup—I will personally treat you to a luxurious hanwoo omakase course, provided you walk out of there alive.”

Yu Jia’s voice trembled with deep-seated concern.

It was only natural.

The moment Baek Jinwoo met his demise, the Yubaek organization would instantly collapse. It would be completely finished.

“There is no need for anxiety.”

In that precise second, Baek Jinwoo’s eyes sharpened with an intense, icy focus.

Though his outward behavior appeared casual, he treated challenges within the Tower of Trials with absolute seriousness.

Even with the memories of conquering all 100 floors in his past, every single tier demanded full concentration and unwavering resolve. That was the immutable nature of the Tower of Trials.

Nevertheless.

“There is absolutely no scenario where I fall on the 10th floor.”

It was an impossibility.

[Commencing entry into the Tower of Trials.]

[You are eligible to challenge Floor 10.]

[Do you wish to advance?]

“Confirm.”

He had previously secured the checkpoint directly preceding One-Eye (S-rank) on the 9th floor.

This meant that violent conflict would erupt the precise moment he materialized inside.

A brilliant FLASH erupted.

His surroundings transformed instantly, accompanied by a brief, system-generated directive.

[You have arrived on Floor 10 of the Tower of Trials.]

[Eliminate the Floor 10 Guardian, ‘One-Eye’ (S-Rank).]

— GRWOOOOOOOOOOOH!

The thunderous roar of a massive undead entity reverberated across the entire space, shaking the environment to its core.

“Good grief.”

While the protective entry barrier shielded him from any physical concussive force, the sheer volume of the sound alone was enough to make an ordinary person quail.

The beast stood well over ten meters in height.

Saliva dripped heavily from its jaws.

It possessed drastically elongated upper limbs ending in lethal, jagged talons.

Stay calm.

Maintain absolute concentration. Do not waver.

“Ramba!”

— Consider it done!

Fwshhhhhhing!

Ramba, utilizing the incredible speed granted by the Swiftness rune, immediately began directing her magical staff toward Drill Sarge, bestowing her enhancements.

Simultaneously, Stormy commenced gathering destructive magical energy.

The remaining summoned entities charged forward in unison.

Their objective was clear: act as a physical blockade, absorbing the enemy’s wrath until Drill Sarge could accumulate his combat stacks.

— GRWOOOOOH!

The massive ghoul hoisted both of its immense arms high into the air—

SWSHHHHH!

—and brought them crashing down with terrifying velocity.

CRASH!

The single impact completely shattered the largest Titanium Golem into pieces.

The terrain fractured deeply from the blow, and fragile entities like the Battle Warden and Priest of Radiance were immediately dissipated back into their resting states.

The sheer destructive capability was staggering.

But it was acceptable.

The vanguard units were entirely expendable; their destruction was of no consequence.

Only two specific entities needed to maintain their existence.

Ramba and Drill Sarge.

The frenzied undead titan continued its violent clash against Baek Jinwoo’s remaining units.

— SKREEEEE!

The Wind Falcon swept through the airspace, applying an additional velocity enhancement to Drill Sarge.

— Master, I shall initiate my assault now!

TAP!

Drill Sarge, who had been patiently biding his time and concentrating his power, vaulted off the terrain and propelled himself forward like a projectile.

CRASH!

At that identical moment, a sweeping strike from the ghoul cleaved the Spotted Komodo directly down the center.

Vital fluids erupted, and internal organs spilled outward, yet it did not truly perish.

Summoned companions were incapable of permanent death.

Once their vitality reached zero, they merely returned to their dormant state.

With adequate time, they could easily be manifested once more.

— HAH!

Moving at a blinding speed, Drill Sarge sprinted up the massive arm of the ghoul, scaled its upper torso, and drove his weapon deeply into its flesh.

THUNK!

Yet, when measured against the gargantuan scale of the ghoul, Drill Sarge’s blade resembled little more than a minor annoyance—a mere sliver of wood.

— Tch.

The creature now employed both of its massive limbs in a frenzy.

Disregarding Drill Sarge who remained latched onto its frame, it swept its arms wildly, obliterating the rest of the summons and dispelling them one after another.

It truly lived up to its status as an S-rank entity.

The pure, unadulterated strength was immense.

It made one marvel at how ordinary rankers had ever managed to achieve victory against such a terror.

However, Baek Jinwoo simply observed the entire engagement with absolute tranquility.

Regardless of how ruinous or overwhelming the beast’s power might be, it was utterly useless if it failed to deliver a direct, accurate blow to Drill Sarge.

Whoosh, swish!

Drill Sarge maneuvered with flawless, fluid precision, evading every counterattack from One-Eye while continuously applying pressure to its upper head area.

His specific target was the massive, singular optic organ situated squarely in the middle of its face.

Thk-thk-thk-thk-thk-thk!

His striking velocity accelerated exponentially until his movements dissolved into a continuous, vibrating blur.

An insignificant sliver of wood remained just that—but what happens when that same sliver punctures a target hundreds of times within a single second with demonic intensity? The paradigm changes entirely.

— Gr… GRWOOOH?

As the accumulated agony finally pierced through its massive defenses, One-Eye raised both of its enormous hands to shield its vulnerable sight.

— Hmph. Conceal your vision all you like. You lacked the coordination to strike me with your eye wide open—what leads you to believe concealing it will improve your chances?

— YEAAAAH! Go get him, Drill Sarge! That is incredibly impressive!

The conflict had reached its conclusion.

The accumulated power stacks had bypassed the critical threshold.

At this stage, the movements of the gigantic ghoul likely appeared completely frozen from Drill Sarge’s enhanced perspective.

All that remained was to select a vulnerability and strike repeatedly with relentless focus.

Indeed.

This was the true manifestation of an EX-rank companion’s capability.

The sheer optimization of Ramba, a combination once misidentified as a system anomaly.

— What do you think? Should I cease my assault? Absolutely not, the pressure continues! Hyah-hyah-hyah-hyah-hyah-hyah!

— GRWOH! GRWOH! GRWOOOOOH!

Ultimately, One-Eye could not withstand the onslaught for even ten minutes before its massive legs gave out, causing it to crash heavily to the ground.

And as the monstrous entity lay incapacitated—

Storm Dragon Arts.

Esoteric style.

Chain.

KA-BOOOOOM!

Emanating from Stormy’s staff positioned nearby, a succession of vibrant, crimson serpentine dragons manifested and surged forward.

— GRWOOOOOOOOOOOH!

One-Eye emitted a final, resounding lamentation as its physical form disintegrated into ash and embers.

Baek Jinwoo felt a sudden surge of reminiscence wash through him.

There was a time in the past… during the era of Battle of Summoners, when this particular entity was considered a legendary nightmare, requiring hundreds of player casualties and countless failed operations to overcome.

Now, he had dismantled it with effortless precision.

Such was the monumental advantage provided by future knowledge.

[The Floor 10 Guardian, ‘One-Eye’ (S-Rank), has been successfully eliminated.]

[Congratulations!]

[You have achieved total conquest of Floor 10 of the Tower of Trials!]

This was the true potential of an EX-rank unit paired with maximum completion upgrades.