The giant-monster zone—
the 80th floors of the Black Tower.
On the 82nd floor, the Giant Serpent Apophis appears.
In every tower around the world.
Since there was no difficulty adjustment, it should be similar to Behemoth—or perhaps just a bit harder.
For Rajiks's practical training, Juhyeok and the summoned beings climbed Tower No. 2.
[Entering the Republic of Korea Black Tower (NO.2) 82nd Floor.]
Tower No. 2's 82nd floor had no special rewards attached.
There was no hidden mission either.
[82nd Floor Mission: Defeat 1 Giant Serpent Apophis.]
[Time Limit: Within 15 hours.]
[Completion Condition: Giant Serpent Apophis 0/1]
Sssshaaash!
The Giant Serpent Apophis appeared within the underground cavern.
First, Juhyeok recorded Apophis's full body on his smartphone.
The second monster of the giant-monster zone.
People needed to see just how big this thing really was.
Before the assault, Juhyeok and the summoned beings gathered to devise a plan.
"First, we need to make Rajiks understand that Apophis is nothing but small fry."
Less than an earthworm.
A creature that cannot cause him any harm.
That truth needed to be engraved into Rajiks's mind.
"We must go all out from the start."
"Correct. Instant annihilation. Everyone, use your finishing moves."
"Let's open with a heavy round."
"Berserk Demon, that ominous crescent-shaped aura of yours as well—"
"No, I'll charge in with my body. You need to feel the impact."
"The warrior will hold it down."
"Let Blood Wolf join the fight and tear at it."
Rajiks, trembling violently while gripping a long pole, stared at Apophis's massive form.
He had already chugged courage potions and mental fortification elixirs by the handful—
yet he was still like this.
Overcoming past trauma was that difficult.
Even for an all-purpose handyman.
"What are you doing, cosmic farmhand!"
"Hoeeeh…"
"Stay strong. Once we kill that snake bastard, we'll soak it in liquor. We'll give it to Summoner Bong—do you know how good snake liquor is for stamina?"
"That's right, laborer. We need to get our summoner married."
"…??"
"Quartermaster, this senior officer will protect you."
Juhyeok hugged Rajiks tightly and spoke.
"Watch carefully. See how we deal with that thing."
Alright. Time to move.
For overwhelming suppression.
"Let's go!"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
"UOOOOOOOO!!!"
Giant-sized Gobang charged straight at Apophis.
"Kyaaaargh!"
At the same time—
Bzzzzing!
Pajujuk!
Swoosh!
A heavy shell fired by Senior Officer Bae.
KABOOOM!
Gobang wrapped his arms tightly around Apophis's massive body as it writhed from the damage.
But the serpent coiled itself and began to constrict him.
Pabababat!
Gyeondallae's binding talismans flew out one after another and latched on.
Next, the Berserk Demon—armed with Blood Jade Aura—plunged both hands deep into Apophis's relatively soft belly.
"KRAAAAGH!"
Blood-drenched, the Berserk Demon ripped organs out from within.
Apophis thrashed violently in agony.
Bardin smashed his Radiant Flail down onto the monster's massive skull.
KRAK!
"GRRRROOO!"
Crunch!
Blood Wolf latched onto the tip of Apophis's tail and refused to let go.
Jepet sank his fangs into the serpent's body.
Diamant cast the Curse of Dreams.
Juhyeok joined in as well, for the first time in a while.
He released lightning-attribute homunculi to harass Apophis.
Crack! Bzzzt!
It really was strong.
A giant monster, after all.
As it twisted and resisted, people were thrown aside like leaves.
Yet they clung on stubbornly—
ignoring defense entirely, attacking relentlessly.
Everyone fought at full power.
At last, Apophis fell into a near-death state.
"Huff… puff… See? Told you. Total small fry. Perfect chance to show the dignity of the cosmic farmhand."
"…Hoeeeh…"
Still trembling.
"Come over here, Rajiks."
"One step is all it takes. Show us the proud spirit of the cosmic farmhand."
"This old man will help! Come closer—strike its head!"
"A laborer is already a warrior!"
"Quartermaster!!!"
"Woof! Woof! WOOF!"
Rajiks stood there, his face twisted in fear.
It was understandable.
If trauma were that easy to overcome, it wouldn't be trauma—it'd just be a bad memory.
Still, Rajiks gathered what courage he could.
Looking at the other summoned beings, he took one step… then another.
Hesitating, trembling, eyes squeezed shut, he moved forward little by little.
Gripping the long pole with both hands, he toddled toward Apophis.
"Alright, applause!"
Clap clap clap clap!
"Well done! Well done!"
"The cosmic farmhand is advancing! Bow your heads!"
"That's it! One more step!"
"We love you, Quartermaster!"
"Aww, so brave."
"Light!!!"
"Woof!"
Rajiks moved forward bit by bit—very slowly.
Extremely encouraging progress.
Compared to before, when he couldn't even look at the monster, this was a huge leap.
Then—
Ding!
[Giant Serpent Apophis 1/1]
[82nd Floor Mission Cleared.]
[Level Up.]
[Reward: 82 kg of High-Grade Magic Stones.]
The completion message appeared.
Had they beaten it too hard?
[World Announcement: Black Tower NO.2 (Korea) 82nd Floor cleared with Rank S+++.]
[S+++ Clear Reward: 2 Platinum Badges awarded.]
Even so, Juhyeok was very satisfied.
Even though Rajiks hadn't dealt even 1% damage to Apophis.
Could anyone be full on the first bite?
What mattered was that Rajiks had taken a brave first step.
Rajiks's training continued.
At least, he had learned to walk.
Now, to face Apophis directly.
What remained was dealing 10% damage.
That was the hard part.
What weapon should he use?
Preferably something that allowed distance.
A bow? Senior Officer Bae's magic gun?
But Rajiks was non-combat.
No skills, no proficiency.
So they devised an extended-length pickaxe.
To ease his fear by letting him strike from afar.
A pickaxe head firmly fixed to the end of an extremely long pole.
Rajiks only needed to do what he was best at.
His mining ability was exceptional.
He shattered rocks with a pickaxe to extract high-grade stones—
Thus began Rajiks's daily intensive training.
When tower entry limits were reached?
Virtual training inside the White Tower.
Kosak acted as drill instructor.
Gobang played Apophis.
Wearing a snake mask, Gobang lay flat on the ground.
A mask alone wouldn't make him a real snake, but
Gyeondallae's Illusion Talismans made up the difference.
Slapped onto his forehead, he transformed into something close to Apophis.
Gobang writhed on the ground, imitating a snake.
Wiggle, wiggle.
Before him stood Rajiks, holding the long-pole pickaxe.
"It's a snake. Healthy, tasty snake."
Wiggle.
Gobang advanced while twisting his body—
utterly serious.
Kosak, wearing sunglasses, pointed and barked orders.
"Strike! Hard! Like smashing a snake's head!"
"H-hoeeeh…"
Juhyeok too—
…
"Rajiks, just try hitting once. With force!"
"H-hoeeeh…"
The other summoned beings joined in.
"Strike!"
"You may strike."
"Come!"
"STRIKE!!!"
Voices came from all sides.
Startled, Rajiks swung the pole-pickaxe—
Whir!
CRACK!
A perfect hit.
Right where the illusion talisman was.
Then—
Shrrrk.
The illusion faded.
Gobang's real face appeared—
with the pickaxe embedded in his forehead.
"HUAAAAAA!"
Rajiks's hands shook violently.
Understandable—
he had just smashed a comrade's head himself.
Clatter!
The pickaxe dropped to the ground.
With teary, trembling eyes, Rajiks toddled toward Gobang.
"Hoeeeh…"
As if apologizing, he hugged Gobang's head tightly.
"It's fine, laborer. Not even a scratch. You can hit harder."
"H-hoeeeng!"
Overcome with guilt, Rajiks burst into tears.
Gobang patted him reassuringly.
"It doesn't hurt. Don't cry. A warrior understands a laborer's heart."
But Kosak sneered.
"How touching. Are we filming a third-rate melodrama? Bad acting, not fun, no tears."
"Look. There's not even blood. You should've at least put a hole through Gobang's skull."
"Stop blubbering. You need to grow tougher."
He wasn't wrong.
A hole in the head would've been better.
So Juhyeok stepped in.
"Let's change roles."
"Change? Then Bardin—"
"No. Rrssal People's Armed Forces Minister Comrade Kosak will play Apophis."
"…What?"
"I think Rajiks wants that too."
"Hoee!"
"You heard him."
"Uh…"
Kosak's eyes darted around.
Step—
his foot slid back.
He was about to bolt.
"Grab him."
Shhshk!
The Berserk Demon blocked the escape route.
Thump!
Gobang sprang up and grabbed Kosak's legs.
Pop!
Kosak leapt into the air—
Skywalker.
The Berserk Demon flew up as well.
Void leap.
Papapap!
He didn't get far.
Gyeondallae's binding talisman wrapped around him.
Thus, the role swap was complete.
Kosak—tightly bound—began imitating a snake.
An illusion talisman slapped onto his forehead as well.
"Since we're here anyway, I'll show you some method acting."
"Kyaaah!"
He flicked his tongue and crawled forward.
"Kyak kyak! Kyakyakyak!"
"H-hoet?!"
Startled, Rajiks instinctively raised the pole and smashed Kosak.
PAK!
"…Ueek?"
PAK!
"Guhk? Why—Gobang only got hit once—aaagh!"
PAK PAK PAK PAK!
Training proceeded smoothly.
The next day, Rajiks's intensive trauma-recovery training continued.
And once again, they visited Tower No. 2's 82nd floor—the live training ground.
Repeated clearing missions.
Beating the giant serpent Apophis—bigger than a train.
In truth, Rajiks still remembered everything vividly.
Exactly how he had died in the labyrinth.
He was swallowed whole.
After their eyes met, his body froze, unable to move at all.
After that—total darkness.
His entire body melted away in the monster's stomach acid.
At the moment of death,
a contract proposal arrived.
I will give you a chance to live again.
Wait in the space of souls. When the summoner calls you, help him save the world.
He agreed.
For Rajiks, helping someone was instinctive.
He had been a laborer since the moment he was born.
The world of souls.
Others called it a prison.
That seemed accurate.
Aside from communicating, there was nothing he could do.
Then he met the Summoner.
The short time spent with him—
was the happiest period of Rajiks's existence.
And his comrades.
They didn't discriminate against him and treated him as an equal.
It was more than he deserved, but they acknowledged him as the cosmic farmhand.
He was even a resident of the White Tower's 17th floor.
He wouldn't have to return to the Prison of Infinity anymore?
He thought all that remained was a peaceful, happy life together.
But then crisis struck.
A ghost from the past, encountered in the tower.
He thought he had forgotten.
He thought he would never meet it again.
He was afraid.
He wanted to run away.
But the Summoner had encouraged him to overcome his trauma.
If so, then he had to overcome it.
What was there to fear?
So many people were helping him.
The dependable barbarian warrior had already overcome his own trauma by punishing the Hydra and the conman who deceived him on the 71st, 72nd, and 73rd floors.
That gentle fairy princess had also slain her nemesis and rescued her Teacher on the 74th, 75th, and 76th floors.
And the assassin?
He had been killed by his own father.
The pain of that loss was beyond imagining—
yet he overcame it.
So Rajiks stepped forward bravely.
Ahead of him lay Apophis, bound and unable to move.
His comrades had beaten the monster to within an inch of its life.
A few more hits and it would die.
But fear engraved into the soul—
why was taking even a single step so difficult?
Those yellow eyes.
That flicking tongue.
Still, he went forward.
At least until the long pole pickaxe could reach.
And then—
He hesitated.
"Hoeee…"
He raised the pole high overhead.
Gulp!
His comrades tensed.
Rajiks glanced sideways.
He saw the Summoner, eyes filled with worry.
I must not make him worry.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
Whoosh!
Thok!
He finally landed a hit.
At the same time—
Clap clap clap clap clap clap!
Thunderous applause erupted.
"Hooray!!!"
"Well done!"
"A truly astonishing blow!"
"Light!"
"Woof woof!"
"Quartermaster, you're the best!"
Juhyeok met Rajiks's eyes and gave him a thumbs-up.
Hoeee…
Strength surged through Rajiks.
The first time was the hardest.
What about the second?
"Huuek!"
He swung wildly.
Pak! Pak! Pak! Pak!
Krak! Krak! Krak! Krak!
What was this?
The Summoner was right.
Small fry.
He didn't know exactly what the word meant, but it clearly meant something utterly insignificant.
Yes.
This thing was trivial.
Small fry.
"Huueeek!!!"
He began to pummel it—
like mining ore.
Thud thud, thud thud thud, thud thud, thud thud thud.
Rhythmic blows.
He felt exhilarated.
This time, let's hit harder.
He swung the pole behind his head.
Hisssss.
Drawing on the core strength honed through mining, herb gathering, and cleaning—
Zppirit!
A powerful downward strike!
KRAK!
The recoil sent Rajiks's body lifting into the air.
"Nice. Worth getting hit instead of Gobang."
"You might even learn martial arts at this rate."
Krak, krak, krak.
He struck without pause.
Summoner, are you watching?
I overcame it.
Then—
[ Giant Serpent Apophis 1/1 ]
[ 82nd Floor Mission Cleared. ]
[ Reward: 82 kg of High-Grade Magic Stones ]
"…Hoeng?"
Already?
No—now wasn't the time.
Before the exit message appeared—
Rumble rumble rumble!
Rajiks dashed toward the Apophis corpse, which had died in an instant.
The know-how he'd accumulated skinning basilisks and wyverns—
He quickly pulled out the golden flaying knife from his subspace backpack.
Slice, slice.
He separated flesh from hide at the head.
"Hoee?"
Rajiks signaled to Gobang with his eyes.
"Ah! Got it."
Gobang grabbed the hide.
Rajiks pointed toward the tail.
Hold it and run!
"Hoek!!!"
Thud thud thud thud thud!
Gobang sprinted at terrifying speed.
Rrrrrrip!
The hide peeled away in one go.
Tumble tumble tumble—
Rajiks rolled along with it.
But—
Hoeee…
Not enough time.
He hadn't even skinned a quarter of it.
No choice.
At least this much.
Slice!
Rajiks cut the hide midway and stuffed it into his subspace backpack.
[ You may challenge the 83rd floor. ]
[ Exiting the Republic of Korea Black Tower (NO.2). ]
Spot!
Juhyeok and the party emerged back at the penthouse.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
The applause continued even after exiting.
He had completely overcome his trauma.
And on top of that, he'd even skinned part of the monster.
Rajiks puffed out his chest, breathing heavily in his usual way.
His chest swelled proudly.
Preparations were complete.
Rajiks—the brave one who had conquered his fear.
Together, they headed for Tower No. 1, where the special mission awaited.
Missions appeared in succession.
[ 82nd Floor Hidden Mission: Summoned Being Rajiks's Revenge Against Giant Serpent Apophis. ]
[ Completion Condition: Rajiks deals at least 10% of Apophis's total HP 0/10% ]
"Are you confident?"
"Hoek!"
"You can step on Apophis, right?"
"Hoek!"
"Then let's go."
"Hoek!"
The raid began.
Riiip!
The Ticket for Additional Item Acquisition was torn.
[ Additional Item Acquisition effect applied. Excluding runes and tickets, reward items can be increased up to 10×. ]
A sturdy golden safety helmet.
Eyes gleaming.
Resolute steps.
A long pole pickaxe clenched tight.
"Hooouuu, hooou!"
A resounding roar!
Rajiks—reborn as a warrior.
The summoned beings clung to Apophis's massive body.
Then Gyeondallae's binding talismans—one, two, three—latched on, freezing the monster completely.
Rajiks strode forward.
Apophis's head entered the attack range of the long pole pickaxe.
Rajiks swung.
Whoosh!
The blow scorched Apophis's skull.
KRAK!
One hit.
Whoosh!
KRAK!
Two hits.
Whoosh!
KRAK!
Three hits.
[ Rajiks has dealt at least 10% of Apophis's total HP 1%/10% ]
Three swings shaved off 1%.
Twenty-seven hits to go.
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