Clack! Clack-clack!!!
It rose—buildings, buildings.
Up, up, up!
Across from the residential complex,
not just any structure, but a 61-story skyscraper appeared.
Even after doing it, he couldn't quite believe it.
Honestly, he'd doubted it would work.
It wasn't a single-story house, or even five or ten floors.
But it worked.
A building identical to the real one stood right before his eyes.
And then—
"Ugh."
The alcohol wore off instantly.
Regret came crashing in.
'…Can I get a refund?'
Why on earth did I do this?
Fifty tons of high-grade magic crystals.
About 25% of the high-grade magic crystals stored in the warehouse must have vanished in an instant.
I've lost my mind.
Bong Juhyeok, you've completely lost it.
Over 100 billion won—gone.
Sigh.
What if the blood summons start complaining?
The cost to install an elevator on White Tower Floor 17 was 1,000 tons of high-grade magic crystals.
To gather that, they'd been buying crystals in North Korea, mining veins, using bonus item-drop tickets—going through absolute hell.
'And I blew 50 tons while drunk.'
They wouldn't look kindly on this.
Why paste a useless building here?
Do you have any sense at all?
You wasted 50 tons of blood-and-sweat-earned crystals—how does that feel?
Juhyeok had seen it himself.
Mackenzie and Kosak being publicly torn apart over a single mistake.
Of course, they wouldn't be that harsh with him, but still—
—Summoner, that was a mistake.
—Young Master, that was reckless.
—Uh… Bong Summoner-nim, you went too far.
—The warrior finds the summoner's lack of restraint regrettable.
—: That's excessive spending. I'm disappointed.
He could already hear it.
'Is it my turn to get roasted now?'
Probably.
Thump thump thump thump.
Footsteps rushed toward him.
Alright.
Let's get it over with.
I deserve it.
"Bong Summoner-nim!!!"
Kosak called out.
After bracing himself,
Juhyeok turned slowly, wearing an innocent, carefree expression.
"…Yes?"
Kosak's face was flushed red.
"I–It's amazing. Truly visionary. Our 17th floor isn't some backwater anymore—it's a city now."
Ah.
Founding hero Kosak.
How does he always manage to pick the nicest possible words?
"I can hear property values skyrocketing. From now on, daily and monthly passes should cost double. As expected of Bong Summoner-nim."
The others followed.
"It's astonishing. I never imagined such a thing was possible."
"Summoner, this surpasses magic. Even calling it divine authority wouldn't be enough."
"The maiden nearly fainted."
"Congratulations on the building's completion, Commander."
"Um… may we go inside and take a look?"
"Cleaning… hoee!"
: It's amazing. You're wonderful ♥
Phew.
At least I'm not getting yelled at.
But then—
Ding!
Something chimed.
No way.
[Achievement: You have pasted a landmark-grade large structure on White Tower Floor 17.]
Oh! An achievement!
[Achievement reward granted.]
What now?
Another White Tower reward?
[A new option has been added to the White Tower Floor 17 placement menu.]
Placement menu meant copy and paste.
What changed?
He checked.
Copies all structures within an area of up to 1 km² at once.
This function can also be used outside.
No cost required.
Pastes copied structures in bulk.
Costs high-grade magic crystals proportional to area, size, and value.
Unwanted structures can be excluded.
You could move an entire district at once.
1 km² was about the size of a small neighborhood—like Daechi-dong or Haengun-dong.
Well… it wasn't a total loss.
He'd done something reckless while drunk, but at least it earned an achievement.
"Let's go inside. See what it looks like."
Everyone rushed toward the building.
"There's even an underground parking lot."
Naturally.
The original had six basement levels and sixty-one above ground.
The surroundings were barren, but the interior was pristine.
Exactly like a newly completed building.
Only the basic infrastructure and essential interiors had been copied.
"There are elevators too."
Not the White Tower elevator—just the building's.
"Check the bathrooms. Everything's spotless. Water flows great, drains perfectly."
Full plumbing.
Where did the water come from? Where did it go?
Nothing felt strange.
The copy-and-paste itself was already beyond comprehension.
Still—how would this place be used?
'Whatever.'
Leave it for now.
It would be useful someday.
The next day.
Korea Awakener Management Agency.
Jeon Gwang-il arrived at his office.
He'd drunk far too much the night before.
Yet he felt fine.
Better than before drinking, even.
Thanks to an incredible hangover cure.
A potion bestowed by the alchemist on White Tower Floor 17.
The moment he drank it, the hangover vanished.
"Whew."
He leaned back in his chair, recalling yesterday.
He'd been completely stunned.
It still felt like a dream.
Watching such a massive building form as if by magic.
'So this is how he's been decorating Floor 17.'
Like a city-building simulation game.
If he told anyone, would they even believe him?
Not that he planned to.
Bong Juhyeok, the Player.
At least within White Tower Floor 17,
he was no different from a god.
'Calling it "pasting" is an understatement.'
This was the realm of creation itself.
No wonder the blood summons were shocked.
'Now I understand why Bong Player needs so many high-grade magic crystals.'
What kind of place was Floor 17?
Another self-sustaining world, able to survive even if the real world collapsed?
Knock knock.
"Director, may I come in?"
"Sure."
Team Leader Lee Min-ah entered.
"What's up?"
"We've supplied twin-leather materials to the Tower warehouse—Rajiks Trading and HG Fashion."
"Any complaints?"
"HG's CEO Ko Yeon-ha was unhappy. Said their supply was less than Rajiks Trading's."
Jeon Gwang-il scoffed.
"Tell him he should be grateful he's getting anything. Honestly, I'd rather cut them off entirely."
"Yes. I'll make that clear."
Serves them right.
They should've behaved from the start.
Going forward, HG Fashion's supply would be reduced even further.
Since Min-ah was here—
Jeon Gwang-il pulled out his phone.
"Come here. I'll show you something."
"What is it?"
"Footage from the Floor 83 clear."
"Oh! It was cleared twice yesterday, right?"
She watched the video.
A tropical jungle environment, spider silk everywhere, spiders appearing.
"Ughhhh."
"Gross, right?"
"It is, but they're kind of small? Weren't they supposed to be giant monsters?"
"Keep watching."
Then the giant spider appeared.
Too big to fully capture on video.
One leg longer than a towering tree.
"…That's insane."
"Right?"
"How do you even kill that?"
"They did."
"…Huh? Oh—right. Bong Player's video."
As the giant spider emerged and the baby spiders swarmed—
The clear began.
Fire rained from the sky.
"Oh my. My goodness."
A firestorm followed, molten flames erupting from the ground.
The spider burned.
It melted.
Before this, Bong Player's footage had only shown monster appearances and sizes.
"This time, the clear itself was recorded. But isn't Bong Player a summoning-type? Or magic-type?"
As far as known, he was a summoner.
"He is a summoner."
"…Then? Oh!"
Min-ah nodded, understanding.
"Elemental summoning—fire spirits, right?"
Completely wrong, but no need to correct her.
"Close enough."
"What rank? High-tier? Top-tier? Fire Spirit King?"
"No idea."
Either way—
"Edit out the latter half and send it to tower-climbing divisions worldwide."
"Yes."
"Add a note that it seems weak to fire."
"Understood."
They'd cut the burning part.
No need to share the full clear—just information on Arachroid was enough.
What's the point of showing it to them?
It's not like they can copy it.
There wouldn't even be anything useful to reference for their own clears.
"Oh! Team Leader Lee?"
"Yes?"
"Are you still dieting these days?"
"Of course! Dieting is a lifelong thing. …Do I look like I've gained weight?"
"No, it's not that…"
She's already that slim, yet she's always talking about dieting.
But is Lee Min-ah the only one?
Player Nam Ga-eun practically lives at the gym.
"Team Leader Lee, what would you do if there were an item that made you lose weight even if you just stayed still?"
"Oh my? Something like that exists?"
"Let's say it does."
"I'd buy it. No question."
"What if it's a tower item and really expensive?"
"I'd take out a loan. If that doesn't work, I'd even use loan sharks."
"Really? Got it."
"I'll get going now. I need to edit the video."
After Lee Min-ah left,
Jeon Gwang-il took out a round bracelet from his pocket.
The Weight-Loss Bracelet.
The item he'd received from Player Bong the day before.
But he wasn't going to use it himself.
There was someone else who would.
He picked up his phone and tapped in a number.
Ring… ring…
"Hello, CEO Jung Dong-hoon?"
—Ah! Director.
"You received the leather well, right?"
—Yes, thanks to you. The Apophis leather as well. Please convey my thanks to Player Bong.
"Of course, I will."
—I'll transfer the payment for the leather immediately.
Then—
"By the way, Player Bong sent you a gift."
—What? A gift? I should be the one giving him something.
"Hahaha, we'll sort that out later. Anyway, the gift is a health bracelet…"
—A health bracelet?
"Yes. A health bracelet. Try wearing it first, and if you notice any changes, give feedback right away. For example, changes in weight."
—Is it a tower reward item?
"Hmm, half right and half wrong. It's made from tower materials, but it's not a tower reward."
—Ah, I see.
"Shall I bring it to you personally?"
—No need. I'll head to the Awakener Management Agency right away.
The test subject was Jung Dong-hoon, CEO of Rajiks Trading, mildly obese.
If the bracelet really worked…
'This will make a fortune.'
The diet market was unimaginably vast.
Medical, food, exercise—
If a weight-loss bracelet hit the market, the impact would be enormous.
Erectile dysfunction drugs or hair-growth products wouldn't even compare.
Just look around.
Are there more obese people, or more bald people?
And even people who aren't obese still want to lose weight.
Like Team Leader Lee Min-ah.
Juhyeok's penthouse.
Another day, another tower clear.
He recruited people at the Floor 17 labor market.
Well, he brought everyone except Marie.
"Let's go climbing."
[Entering the Black Tower (Korea NO.2), Floor 83.]
Since Tower No.1 was cleared, Tower No.2 needed to be cleared as well.
The mission was the same.
[Floor 83 Mission: Defeat 1 Giant Queen Spider, Arachroid.]
Sticky spider silk, swarms of baby spiders, the massive queen spider—
So the clear went the same way too.
Whoooosh… blazing, boom boom boom!
The wide-area fire magic of 9-circle Grand Archmage Mackenzie Dronak.
It was flashy, but—
'He's overdoing it again.'
Thud!
Mackenzie collapsed once more.
He really should pace himself.
Too greedy.
It seemed the attention and praise he'd received last time were still lingering.
So he probably expected the same reaction again.
But this time, there was no applause.
The blood summons were cold.
They didn't react twice to the same performance.
Even applause was absent.
Mackenzie, who had been expecting it, grew sharply disappointed when the reaction didn't come.
"Tch!"
Pop!
The spotlight went out.
[World Announcement: Black Tower NO.2 (Korea) has achieved an S+++ clear on Floor 83.]
[S+++ Clear Reward: 2 Platinum Badges have been awarded.]
"Good work."
The blood summons dispersed.
They had plenty to do themselves.
First priority: setting up facilities to manufacture the Weight-Loss Bracelet bodies.
'By the way…'
Tower No.1 and No.2 Floor 83—both cleared at S+++ rank.
That meant 4 platinum badges total.
So now: 136 cumulative badges, 14 physical ones.
He could claim a cumulative reward.
'Check.'
[Reward granted for accumulating 135 Platinum Badges.]
'Probably nothing special.'
[Reward: New Lucky Random Box has been delivered to your inventory.]
"…Huh?"
Lucky Random Box.
He'd gotten something like this once before.
That must be why it had "New" attached.
"Oh!"
If it's "lucky," that means something good could come out.
He opened his inventory.
A wooden box about the size of a cake box,
with a lid on top that could be opened.
He checked the info.
Effect: When opened, 1 item is randomly selected from 5 predetermined options.
Possible Items:
– Multinational Tower Access Ticket
– Trait Enhancement Rune
– High-grade Magic Crystal (200t) Exchange Voucher
– Top-grade Magic Crystal (20kg) Exchange Voucher
– Platinum Badge ×50 Exchange Voucher (Not added to cumulative count; no additional perks)
"Holy crap!"
What is this?
The previous Random Box had given three tower reward items.
This one only gives one—
but every option was insane.
200 tons of high-grade magic crystals,
20 kg of top-grade magic crystals,
a trait enhancement rune,
a multinational tower ticket, and—
'Platinum Badge ×50 exchange voucher?'
Fifty badges meant clearing 25 uncleared Black Tower floors at S+++ rank.
It didn't count toward cumulative perks, which was a limitation,
but still—so what?
'This is great.'
He could freely distribute badges to his blood summons.
He'd been worried since only 14 physical ones were left.
'If I get this, Sergeant Bea could break through a rank too.'
The "lucky" label was well deserved.
No matter what came out, it was good stuff.
Well—almost.
There was one landmine: the Multinational Tower Access Ticket.
If he pulled that, it was over.
'So there's a 1-in-5 chance of stepping on shit?'
Avoid just that one.
The other four were all winners.
'Luck? Please…'
When it came to luck, who was he if not Bong Juhyeok?
This time too, the best outcome would come.
He grabbed the lid, about to open it boldly—
But strangely, his hand wouldn't move.
A bad feeling.
A feeling of total failure.
'This… feels like I'll get the multinational tower ticket.'
It was ominous.
Different from usual.
Up until now, he'd been extremely lucky.
Everything he tried had paid off.
But there was no guarantee it would always be that way.
Luck was like that.
It went well for a long time, then inevitably slipped once.
And this felt like that moment.
'…Should I make someone else do it?'
Then even if it went bad, the blame wouldn't fall on him.
If his luck wouldn't work, he'd borrow someone else's.
Yes.
'Let's do it.'
Raising his voice dramatically—
"Emergency! Emergency! Everyone gather!"
At Juhyeok's shout, the blood summons came running.
"Kosak reporting! What's going on?"
"Sergeant Veronica Caliber! Fully armed!"
"What is it, Summoner?"
"Young Master, the maiden is present."
"The warrior is here."
Juhyeok pulled out the box, held it with both hands, and thrust it toward Kosak.
"Open this. Hurry!"
Kosak's face lit up.
"Oh! A gift? Ah, you really shouldn't have…"
Kosak grabbed the lid of the wooden box.
Just as he was about to open it—
He froze.
"…Is this some kind of random box? One of those perk things?"
How did he know?
"Uh… I-I don't want to. …Can't you make Gobang do it instead?"
Sharp bastard.
Way too sharp.