Chapter 58

The guardian of the twentieth floor was Dracul, an S-rank entity who held the status of a progenitor. He was not some mere thrall turned by another’s fangs, but a true noble born directly into the vampire lineage from his very inception. Consequently, his power and pedigree far eclipsed those of ordinary underlings.

— Such arrogance.

With a swift motion, Dracul rose from his seat, already fully aware of the situation. Some insolent intruder was currently making an attempt on his life.

— Who dares to defy my dominion!

To handle the threat, he had already deployed his ambush unit along with his personal assistant, the A-rank Renpil. However, the intruders were advancing at a pace that rendered those defensive measures completely laughable.

An immense, suffocating wave of murderous intent erupted from Dracul’s form, shaking the surroundings. It had been quite some time—perhaps a millennium—since he had last felt compelled to step away from his seat of power. It wasn’t that challengers had been completely absent over the centuries, but nearly all of them had been eliminated by his vanguard or Renpil long before reaching him.

— Hehehe.

A sinister gleam flashed from the sharp fangs hidden behind Dracul’s lips.

— This promises to be quite amusing.

The fact that they had penetrated this deeply meant Renpil had fallen, but that changed nothing. Even if a multitude of Renpils assaulted him simultaneously, they could never hope to harm him. He was Dracul, after all.

— I shall tear into your flesh, draining every drop of your lifeblood to satiate my hunger, and then I shall resurrect you to take Renpil’s place. Reaching this chamber proves you possess at least that much worth!

Yet, just as his face twisted into a malicious grin and his aura began to swell—

— Save your breath.

A figure ripped through the air at incredible velocity.

A heavy clash resounded as Dracul frantically brought up his talons to block, meeting the heavy blade of Drill Sarge.

— Well, you certainly have skill.

Dracul felt a genuine flash of respect. The sheer force behind the strike was far beyond that of a commonplace warrior.

— Quite potent, for a mor—!

Before Dracul could raise his opposite claw, Drill Sarge’s weapon had already slashed violently across his neck. A rapid succession of heavy impacts echoed through the chamber. The blade moved with such frantic speed that it tore across every inch of Dracul’s form before he could even register the movements. Enriched by the Omni Rune, enhanced by a ki awakening, and heavily augmented by Lightspeed Ramba’s speed enhancements, Drill Sarge possessed a martial fury that no one could easily withstand.

— You insolent—!

— Hold on, wait a moment.

Realizing the situation was spiraling out of control, Dracul attempted to speak.

Suddenly, Rolly’s massive scythe drove straight past his lips, spinning violently within his maw.

Confound it all! Could they not afford him a single moment to speak?

Because of his ninety-nine percent physical damage reduction, the strikes weren’t inflicting lethal harm. Yet, their sheer velocity made it impossible for him to formulate a proper countermeasure. It felt akin to attempting to swat a fly that zipped around with impossibly precise and rapid trajectories; no matter how hard he swung his hands, he couldn’t connect.

With another desperate slash of his talons, he missed, and the sword immediately carved into a different part of his flesh. Whenever he opened his mouth to utter a word, the scythe bashed against his teeth and tongue, pushing Dracul to the absolute brink of frustration.

This was sheer madness. Being swift was one thing, but this crossed into the realm of the absurd. The metallic clanging grew louder and faster, accelerating even further in the midst of the chaotic onslaught.

Driven to his limit by these disrespectful wretches, Dracul resolved to unleash his full might. He prepared to expend his entire reservoir of energy to seize control of the environment by deploying Blood Space.

— SCREEEEEECH!

[Dracul (S-rank) unleashes a crushing aura.]

[Dracul (S-rank) invokes Blood Space.]

A tremendous tremor shook the area. Every ounce of vitality and blood he had claimed throughout his long life converted into a heavy, oppressive force that weighed down on the surroundings.

— Ugh…!

— Urgh…?!

Drill Sarge and Rolly, who had been maintaining their relentless offensive, were suddenly halted. Even Ramba, who had been swinging her weapon to maintain the enhancements, dropped her staff as they were all forced down to their knees by the overwhelming gravity of the skill.

Dracul looked down upon his immobilized foes with an air of absolute malice and pride, presenting an incredibly chilling image of terror.

“Whew.”

Observing the clash from a secure vantage point, Baek Jinwoo exhaled softly.

Indeed, this specific mechanic was the direct counter to Ramba. No matter how many velocity enhancements she managed to accumulate, an environmental restriction of this magnitude would completely shut her down if the caster’s power was high enough. Attack speed mattered little when a warrior was rendered incapable of movement.

This exact scenario was the reason he required a long-range asset—more precisely, Stormy’s Blaze. The primary flaw of the Blood Space domain lay in its restricted radius.

The exact parameters of the technique were already perfectly clear in Baek Jinwoo’s thoughts, from the precise duration of the immobilization to the exact boundaries of its reach. For this very reason, he had instructed Stormy to take up a position right outside the entrance beforehand.

“Stormy.”

— I am prepared, Jinwoo-nim.

“Unleash it.”

— Understood!

Gathering every bit of her stored Dragon Burst into a concentrated projectile, Stormy let the attack fly. It was the Storm Dragon Arts secret technique: Blaze.

A massive inferno erupted from well beyond the boundaries of the domain, twisting into the silhouette of a roaring dragon as it surged directly toward Dracul.

— What… what sort of power is this?!

Panic gripped Dracul. He possessed an inherent vulnerability to fire, and this specific manifestation carried an incredibly specialized, devastating force. Furthermore, because he had just expended his energy to manifest his domain, his reactions were delayed, leaving him unable to evade.

The concentrated magic of the Storm Dragon Arts’ Blaze slammed directly into Dracul with an earth-shattering blast.

— AAAARGH!

Flames enveloped Dracul’s entire form. He let out agonizing shrieks that were vastly different from his reactions to Drill Sarge’s physical blade. His spine contorted violently as his body shook from the searing heat.

It defied belief. This was no commonplace flame; the magical fire felt immensely compressed over and over again to achieve maximum destruction.

— H-how… WHAT MANNER OF CREATURES ARE YOU?!

Throughout his centuries of existence, Dracul had never faced adversaries of this caliber. His health pool began to drain at a catastrophic pace. Though he roared in absolute desperation, he was completely helpless. Drill Sarge and Rolly had already recovered their mobility, actively hindering any attempts he made to douse the supernatural fire.

Recognizing that the engagement had reached its conclusion, Baek Jinwoo stepped forward at a leisurely pace.

“You’re curious about our identities?”

A mocking grin appeared on his face.

“There’s really no point in explaining. Your demise is seconds away.”

He would perish here, only to return eventually. He would materialize anew on someone else’s twentieth floor with his memories completely wiped, existing merely as a programmed boss within the structure of Battle of Summoners.

Another Dragon Burst discharged from Stormy’s weapon transformed into a piercing stream, driving directly past Dracul’s lips. The devastating heat tore through his internal organs, burning him from the inside out.

Stripped of his ability to vocalize or articulate, Dracul’s form began to turn completely dark, crumbling into cinders just like the S-rank One-Eye had before him. A boss that had once struck terror into the hearts of many was now reduced to a minor obstacle before the current strength of Baek Jinwoo.

[The guardian of the 20th floor, Dracul (S-rank), has been defeated.]

[Congratulations!]

[You have successfully cleared the 20th floor of the Tower of Trials!]

The twentieth floor was complete. Everything was proceeding flawlessly.

The notification regarding the breakthrough on the twentieth floor reached only two specific individuals: Yubaek and the Director.

“…Ha ha ha.”

The Director could only shake his head, completely stunned by the data.

“Can this be accurate? He managed to conquer floors eleven through twenty in a mere four hours?”

“That is correct, sir.”

The representative from the tower oversight department looked equally bewildered. It was unheard of for someone to clear the competitive stages of the Tower of Trials at a pace that put standard dungeons to shame.

The employee felt a desperate urge to share this incredible feat with anyone willing to listen, wanting to praise Baek Jinwoo’s unbelievable talent. However, disclosing such details without the summoner’s explicit consent would trigger a severe systematic penalty. The terms of their agreement were absolute and unyielding.

“Do you think he intends to push forward to the 30th floor immediately?”

The Director felt a surge of genuine anticipation. The notorious Rachel had not even made an attempt on the thirtieth-floor guardian yet, for reasons unknown to the public. Yet, the Director possessed an intuitive belief that Baek Jinwoo could dismantle that challenge without breaking a sweat.

“I cannot say for certain. Upon entering the eleventh floor, he stated his objective was to reach the twentieth, and he departed immediately after fulfilling that goal.”

“I see, is that how it went?”

Ultimately, the exact timing mattered little. The Director was simply filled with a profound sense of awe and satisfaction. It transcended any desire for personal advantage; it was the pure wonder of witnessing an individual perform at an extraordinary level. Furthermore, a deep sense of national prestige washed over him, knowing that such an exceptional figure was a citizen of South Korea.

The landscape was shifting with incredible velocity. By stepping back to look at the grander scheme of things, it was obvious that the entire country was experiencing a massive evolution centered around this single individual.

Baek Jinwoo decided to clear the remainder of his daily itinerary. Turning away from the designated practice fields, he made his way directly up to his private residence. The best part of a highly efficient tower run was the immediate appraisal of the earned treasures.

With a soft cry, the wyvern touched down with great care on the elevated platform, and Baek Jinwoo dismissed the creature back to its realm. This convenience was the primary benefit of the upper penthouse; he could bypass the main lobby entirely and return directly to his living space.

Drill Sarge walked over to a designated section of the area to begin maintaining his blade, while Rolly took up a stationary post on the edge to keep watch.

Meanwhile, Ramba rushed inside, chanting about her desired cream pastries, and Stormy began operating the coffee apparatus to grind down fresh beans. She wasn’t preparing the beverage for her own enjoyment, but rather as a gesture of care for Jinwoo-nim after his strenuous efforts.

Exhaling a long breath, Baek Jinwoo settled deep into the soft cushions of his couch and began organizing the spoils of his climb in a meticulous arrangement.

[Floor 11 — Universal Abrasive x15]

[Floor 12 — High-grade Summoning Scroll x20]

[Floor 13 — Supreme-grade Summoning Scroll x5]

[Floor 14 — Mindreader Eagle (A-rank) x1]

[Floor 15 — Essence of Darkness x15]

[Floor 16 — Universal Abrasive x15]

[Floor 17 — Supreme-grade Summoning Scroll x5]

[Floor 18 — Supreme-grade Rune Selection Ticket (Bound)]

[Floor 19 — Universal Abrasive x15]

[Floor 20 — King’s Crest (Bound) x1, Supreme-grade Rune Selection Ticket (Bound) x2]

An excellent haul.

He had been running low on polishing materials, so acquiring forty-five units of abrasive was a major boon, and the accompanying items were equally valuable.

In particular, the Mindreader Eagle caught his attention. It was an entity that even Baek Jinwoo had never encountered previously. Upon reviewing the attached information, its capabilities proved to be highly intriguing.

[Summon: Mindreader Eagle]

[Classification: Avian]

[Grade: A-rank (Rare)]

— Global population capped at 50 units.

[Level: 1]

[Attributes]

Strength: 1, Intelligence: 1, Vitality: 1, Agility: 1

Health Points: 1,000 / Mana Points: 100

Critical Strike Chance: 20%

Critical Strike Damage: 20%

[Unique Abilities]

— Mindread: Grants the ability to peer into a target’s consciousness once per day to differentiate between truth and deception.

It functioned primarily as a utility asset with a specialized trait, comparable to the unique mollusk his mother kept or the translation creature provided by Jasim.

A living deception detector would be an extraordinary asset for law enforcement agencies or state intelligence operations. An entity of this nature held far greater practical worth than standard high-tier or supreme-tier recruitment documents due to its extreme scarcity.

However, it held little practical application for his personal needs. While he might find a niche scenario for it down the line, such occasions would be incredibly rare.

On second thought, someone like Yu Jia, who constantly navigated complex corporate negotiations, would benefit immensely from such a companion. Operating at such a high level at her age meant dealing with all manner of deceptive individuals. Having an avian lie detector by her side would alleviate an immense amount of pressure, significantly mitigating the hazard of corporate espionage or betrayal. She could certainly extract the maximum utility from its unique skillset.

Reflecting on their interactions, Yu Jia had consistently provided him with immense assistance, yet he had never offered her a truly significant token of appreciation in return. Setting aside her corporate shares, he remained deeply appreciative of the auxiliary entities she had provided early on, back when his true capabilities were still unrecognized. Furthermore, the various presents she had directed to his family members had been financed entirely through her personal funds rather than the corporate accounts.

This settled it; the creature would serve as an excellent present for Yu Jia.

Deciding against summoning the Mindreader Eagle for the time being, he turned his focus toward his primary objective: the Rune Dwarf.

He rose from the couch instantly.

— Jinwoo-nim, what about your warm beverage…? Stormy inquired, holding out the freshly prepared cup.

“I appreciate it, but go ahead and enjoy it yourself. I have an urgent matter to attend to outside.”

The moment had arrived to take the necessary steps toward securing another EX-rank asset. Specifically, it was time to initiate the process for acquiring a B-rank Guaranteed Summoning Scroll.

The Rune Dwarf would soon be within his grasp, and he fully intended to maximize the creature’s unique crafting potential.