Chapter 18: Those Who Began to Move
"This is our analysis of D-rank Tower Knights Squad Leader equipment."
The Association employee handed over a report.
"Our analysts believe that a Hunter wearing a complete Squad Leader set could be at least twice as strong as another Hunter of the same rank, possibly even four times stronger."
"You're telling me we're supposed to let citizens turn the Tower into a battle royale over some equipment?"
If Hunters became stronger by climbing normally, the government would actively encourage it.
The number and rank of a nation's Hunters were directly connected to national power.
But PvP was different.
Then...
"Our analysts also concluded that if North Korean A-rank Hunters equipped with Tower Knights gear pushed south across the 38th parallel, our Hunters would be at a disadvantage."
"What...!"
Of course, that was unlikely at the moment.
North Korea had lost its leader and was effectively descending into civil war.
South Korea and the United States were intervening under the justification of protecting civilians and ending the chaos.
Still, hypothetically...
What about China? Japan?
Japan would undoubtedly pretend publicly that nothing was happening while secretly raising stronger Hunters.
And China?
They might openly support their high-rank Hunters so they can farm this equipment at the national level.
Two Hunters of the same rank.
But one country's Hunter was two to four times stronger than another's?
That was a serious problem.
The employee wasn't finished.
"Also... hundreds of lower-rank Hunters on Floor 20 were reportedly vaporized by red lasers."
"Red lasers? Don't tell me..."
"Yes. With that level of firepower, it was almost certainly a Gatling Laser."
"One was leaked?!"
"That's one possibility. But there's another."
"...DivineMan."
The Association had already considered the possibility that DivineMan possessed a Gatling Laser.
He could have captured one in North Korea.
Or received it as a clear reward.
"Has he already started moving?"
"If so, he's already understood where control of the Tower is heading. He's far more calculating than we thought."
"Hmm...!"
Of course, it could also be a third party.
Every possibility had to be considered.
At last, the Hunter Association Chairman picked up the phone.
Ring...
After a short tone...
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What is it?
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"Hunter Yoo Seorin."
Yoo Seorin.
One of South Korea's greatest hopes.
An S-rank Hunter who was often called a beacon for the nation.
She was also known by another name.
Sword.
·
I'm listening.
·
"Order inside the Tower is collapsing. There's something I'd like you to handle."
·
Go ahead.
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"Suppress indiscriminate PvP by high-ranking Hunters and establish at least a minimum level of order. At the same time... prepare for unexpected situations. You're the only person capable of handling this."
Yoo Seorin remained silent for a moment.
Then...
"Understood."
Me again.
It was always like this.
The difficult jobs.
The dangerous ones.
The things nobody else wanted to do.
In the end, they always became hers.
Yoo Seorin soon received briefing materials from the Association.
A record of a rookie party on Floor 20 being killed without even understanding what had happened.
Blood-covered areas discovered around the Floor 50 region.
They couldn't even defend themselves.
Yoo Seorin's gaze turned cold.
If this continued, the Tower would eventually become a place where the strong casually hunted the weak.
Before that became accepted as a culture, someone had to stop it.
Prepare for unexpected situations.
The Association Chairman's last words carried another meaning.
Unexpected situations?
That could mean many things.
Stop Rankers if they lose control?
That was part of it.
But Yoo Seorin, Sword, understood the hidden meaning perfectly.
He wants me to take the lead.
She had to become the true number one inside the Tower.
For public authority to function, it ultimately needed a blade.
The Association was saying it wanted to become the hand holding that blade.
If I have to do it...
If she had to become evil for the sake of justice...
She could play the role.
[Would you like to enter the Tower of Fate?]
She tightened her grip on her sword.
Then entered.
My house.
[Tower of Fate Floor 24 cleared.]
[Low-Rank Soldiers x2,874 defeated.]
[Contribution Points x287,400 acquired.]
"Good."
A smile naturally appeared.
Why are there still Low-Rank Soldiers everywhere?
At first, I had found it strange.
Now I simply accepted it.
Maybe monsters from Floor 20 onward were categorized as Low-Rank Soldiers.
Kobold Low-Rank Soldiers.
Orc Low-Rank Soldiers.
Goblin Low-Rank Soldiers.
Something like that.
Then maybe Mid-Rank Soldiers start appearing from Floor 30.
Probably.
[Promoted to Low-Rank NCO.]
[Promoted to Mid-Rank NCO.]
"Hmm."
Maybe Low-Rank NCO was around 100,000 total points.
Mid-Rank NCO around 250,000?
I hadn't checked exactly, but it seemed right.
How many points did I have?
[Current Contribution Points: 300,300]
[Total Contribution Points: 350,300]
[Current Rank: Mid-Rank NCO]
Three hundred thousand.
"Let's see. Two earrings, maybe one piece of armor too? No. Maybe the badge..."
Accessories increased both damage dealt to fellow humans and reduced damage taken from them.
The badge was different.
[Tower Knights Squad Leader Badge]
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Rank: D
·
·
Damage dealt to fellow humans +10%.
·
·
Equipping this item activates the Tower Knights Squad Leader set bonus.
·
The meaning of "activates the set bonus" was obvious.
You needed the badge for the set effect to activate.
Even if you owned every other piece but didn't have the badge...
No set bonus.
That made it extremely important.
Still, I lowered its priority.
I'm not planning to run around doing PvP anyway.
I didn't need more PvP damage right now.
What about armor?
[Tower Knights Squad Leader Top]
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Rank: D
·
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Damage received from fellow humans -5%.
·
Five percent reduction per armor piece.
There were five armor slots.
Top, bottoms, gloves, boots, helmet.
That's twenty-five percent total.
Just wearing the armor gave an enormous defensive bonus.
