Chapter 28: International Reaction
Japan.
Prime Minister's Residence.
"A Third-Class Officer? Is that really true?!"
The Japanese Prime Minister raised his voice.
His advisor answered.
"Dozens of witness reports have appeared on Korea's HunVen, and the rumor that Floor 50 monsters now provide Contribution Points has also been confirmed."
"Didn't you say our top Ranker was still at the peak of High-Rank NCO?!"
"Yes."
"Increase the Hunter Agency budget immediately. Double it!"
"W-What? But we'd need Diet approval..."
"Then get approval! I don't care about any other country, but we cannot lose to Korea! Highest-Grade Magic Stones, equipment, whatever it takes. Make a Japanese Ranker Third-Class Officer immediately!"
"H-Hai!"
Beijing, China.
Central Committee Meeting Room.
"Double the speed of the Low-Rank NCO Development Project."
A Party official placed documents on the table.
"But we'd need more subjects. Our current personnel aren't enough..."
"Select awakened Hunters from regional prisons. Prefer those with relatively minor records and aggressive personalities."
"You want to use prisoners?"
"We are giving them an opportunity to serve the motherland. And raise the project's target from Low-Rank NCO to High-Rank NCO."
The Chinese Communist Party official looked out the window.
"The People's Republic of China cannot fall behind a country like Korea."
London, United Kingdom.
"Third-Class Officer? In Korea? I'm a little jealous."
The Minister for Hunters sipped tea.
He said he was jealous.
But his eyes clearly said:
So what?
America will handle it somehow.
That was basically his entire opinion.
"Shouldn't we increase our budget too?"
His aide spoke carefully.
"I don't know. Do we really need to enter that competition?"
"The public is becoming noisy. People keep asking whether 'the nation of gentlemen is going to fall behind even here.' The Prime Minister also seems to see this as an opportunity to cultivate a heroic Hunter and improve approval ratings."
The Minister lowered his teacup.
"...Review the budget again."
United States.
HunVen American Server.
[Title: SOUTH KOREA HAS A THIRD-CLASS OFFICER?????]
[Author: xX_SlayeR_Xx]
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Bros what the hell is happening in Korea? I thought Phoenix from New York was still only High-Rank NCO, but some tiny East Asian country already has a Third-Class Officer?????
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[Comments: 160,204]
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Maybe Korea has a smaller player pool, so their Rankers don't die as much? [54,878 upvotes - BEST]
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Bro, Koreans are gods of gaming. Them getting the first Third-Class Officer isn't surprising. [50,808 upvotes - BEST]
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What are American Rankers even doing?
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┗Bro, instead of complaining about everyone else, why don't you do it?
┗Why should I?
┗Then shut up.
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Heard the White House is going crazy right now.
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Don't worry bro. Phoenix will become Third-Class Officer soon.
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┗Still means we're behind.
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Heard a story from a Hunter friend who saw that Korean Third-Class Officer in person.
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┗Bro, tell us.
┗Apparently he's an Assassin. Nobody can see him move. Every time something brushes past, one person disappears.
┗That sounds like a slasher horror movie.
Korean Hunter Association.
Special Situation Room.
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Next story. Reports indicate that a Third-Class Officer rank has appeared in Korea's Tower, likely the first in the world. We invited an expert to discuss what this means.
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Korea producing the first Officer means our country may now be leading the global Tower competition...
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"The entire world is talking about the Third-Class Officer issue."
The Hunter Association Chairman spoke.
The Presidential Chief of Staff smiled faintly while reading a report.
"Japan is increasing its budget. Intelligence says China is even mobilizing convicted criminals."
The chairman laughed dryly.
"...Why is everyone going this far?"
"Chairman Han."
The Chief of Staff lowered the document.
"This is national power. Influence."
"Yes."
"The entire country is celebrating the oil discovery right now. There's no need to pour cold water on that mood."
The chairman had worried about PvP for one main reason.
If Hunters turned the Tower into a battle royale...
The public might panic.
"So what are you suggesting?"
"'PvP inside the Tower is safe and functions as a competitive sport. Plans for Tower progression remain uninterrupted.' That is all you need to tell the public."
"Understood."
Tower of Fate, Floor 55.
The world had gone insane over a single Third-Class Officer.
I knew none of that.
I only stared at the numbers in front of me.
[Current Contribution Points: 925,298]
[Total Contribution Points: 2,401,850]
[Current Rank: Third-Class Officer]
Almost there.
Second-Class Officer.
Estimated requirement: 2.5 million total points.
When I first reached Third-Class Officer, that number had looked impossibly far.
Now it was right in front of me.
I've learned a few tricks.
At first, I killed anyone I saw.
Low-Rank Soldier.
Mid-Rank Soldier.
Didn't matter.
I threw Shadow Dagger at everything.
But eventually I changed my mind.
In some ways, this is more efficient than Laser No. 1.
Once I had more Highest-Grade Magic Stones, I had imagined taking Laser No. 1 into the middle of a battlefield and wiping everyone out.
But that attracted too much attention.
It also revealed my location.
S-rank Hunters could target me.
Shadow Dagger?
Quiet kill.
Quiet exit.
Let's reach Second-Class Officer today.
But first...
There was something to do.
[Tower Knights Knight Team Leader Equipment]
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Top
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Bottoms
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Gloves
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Boots
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Helmet
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Bracelet
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Necklace
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Earring [1 owned]
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Ring [1 owned]
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Badge
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