173
Slide—
Hanbit, having cleared Floor 50, was transferred to the top of the tower.
“Wow!”
“Something like this was up here?”
“This is… beautiful.”
The party who arrived together looked around in wonder.
The sight was like an entire village laid out in miniature.
Fountains rising upward and low buildings dotting the space were nothing like the atmosphere inside the tower below.
Whoosh—!
The black vortex that had been raging around the tower had at some point faded to a dim grey.
The unsettling feeling had visibly thinned, and the air felt settled.
“Black Dragon, is that the exit?”
Haneul pointed to the far edge of the garden and asked.
A shimmering oval door.
The exit leading out of the tower.
“That’s right. Don’t go near it — there might be some kind of interaction trigger. Everyone else, please be careful too.”
After the brief warning, Hanbit turned his gaze to the opposite side.
At the end of a path lined with flowers and trees was a circular open space.
Standing there was a single figure painted in grey.
A constructed appearance — slightly different from the souls he had seen at the outpost.
“Let’s head over there.”
Hanbit moved along the path with the rest of the group.
And when he came to stand before the figure, a message appeared.
[Welcome to the Tower of Vortex shop.]
[Would you like to use the shop? (Yes / No)]
“Huh?”
“Is this the shop?”
Everyone who had received the same message examined the figure with curiosity.
Hanbit, checking his inventory, asked the group:
“You can purchase items here with Vortex Coins. Check how many you all have.”
“Oh…”
At his words, the others also opened their inventories.
Haneul and Noeul, who had cleared the underground together, had 640 and 600 respectively.
Avant-garde and Kim Jaeha, who had arrived at the tower a little later, were each under 500.
‘Everyone’s fine.’
Fortunately, the rewards from the upper floors they had cleared alongside Hanbit had made a significant contribution to everyone’s count.
The number of coins Hanbit held was 900.
He had accumulated the maximum he could obtain.
“Huh?”
Just then, Haneul, who had already opened the shop, spoke in a puzzled voice.
She turned her head with a slightly stiff expression.
“Everything here… is sold out?”
“What?”
“Sold out?”
At those words, the others rushed to check the shop as well.
“Really?”
“I didn’t expect there to be nothing at all…”
“What do we do?”
Everyone who had seen the same thing turned to look at Hanbit simultaneously.
He, completely unhurried, pressed the ‘Yes’ button on the system window that had appeared.
Slide—
The screen changed with a small sound effect.
A list of items unfurled immediately after.
[Items for Sale]
1. Staff of the Storm — Vortex Coins x360 (Sold Out)
2. Cloak of the Grey Veil — Vortex Coins x330 (Sold Out)
3. Vortex Shield — Vortex Coins x290 (Sold Out)
..
The prices marked alongside each item.
The “Sold Out” tags running from top to bottom without exception were not a mistake.
“Isn’t something wrong with this?”
Kim Jaeha, scanning the list again, asked with a baffled face.
But Hanbit had anticipated this situation long in advance.
Slide—
He opened his inventory and withdrew a grey envelope.
[Invitation from the Merchant Who Reached the Summit]
The special privilege awarded for being the first to clear the tower.
Since none of the other party members had received it, it appeared to be issued only to the representative.
“Ah, so this is what it’s for.”
“Is there another merchant somewhere?”
The others expressed interest after seeing the invitation.
Hanbit shook his head and answered.
“There’s only one merchant. This figure is just something like a staff member.”
He handed the invitation to the figure standing silently.
“I’ll go inside.”
The words, spoken without any further explanation.
Creak—
With a creaking sound, the figure dropped its head.
Then it raised its hand and lightly caught the invitation.
In that instant—
Boom—!
With a flash of intense light, a staircase appeared behind the circular space.
“Huh?”
“Stairs appeared.”
“But this is the outside of the tower.”
Everyone’s gaze landed there at the same time.
From the position alone, it appeared to connect with the exterior of the tower.
It hadn’t seemed like there was any space there.
Step—
Hanbit went forward without hesitation.
“Oh, wait for me!”
Haneul followed quickly behind him, and the rest of the group also moved.
Slide—
Below the staircase was open air, with the raging vortex visible.
Falling would likely mean more than just death.
Step—
Hanbit continued down the stairs and arrived at the door at the very bottom.
He gripped the handle and pushed with light force.
Creak—
Beyond the door that opened with a sound, the interior was revealed — cozy, with the feel of a private home.
It had the structure of a warm, rustic mountain cabin.
“You must be guests.”
A young woman with grey hair, seated in a rocking chair, who raised her head slightly.
A clear name tag floated above her head.
[Tower Conqueror — Ashid]
No lengthy explanation was necessary.
A conqueror of the tower and a merchant who had wandered the world.
An assembled spirit formed from a part of herself.
A fully separate existence — somewhat different from the souls at the outpost.
“The first person to obtain the invitation. My figure must have been surprised.”
Ashid slowly rose to her feet.
She looked the group over one by one, then walked toward Hanbit.
Then, without a word of warning, she snapped her fingers together — thumb against index.
Ding—
[Vortex Coins x900 have been lost.]
“Huh?”
“My coins!”
“They were — they were taken!”
Voices came from around him alongside the message that had appeared.
Like Hanbit, they had each lost all the coins they had been carrying.
“An amusing reaction — but didn’t you come here to spend the coins anyway? Then they’re mine now.”
“…?”
Everyone was left speechless by the sheer absurdity of it.
“Is she actually okay? She seems a bit strange.”
Kim Jaeha asked cautiously from beside him.
It was such a bewildering situation that it was hard to even get angry.
Of course, this too was something he had expected.
“It’s fine. All the coins have to be paid over.”
Hanbit reassured him and turned his gaze to Ashid.
She was pulling out one of the taken coins and turning it over in her fingers.
“So then — what do we get in exchange for those coins?”
“Hmm.”
At the question, Ashid narrowed her eyes slightly.
Then she looked around and said:
“You seem to have led these people. What was it like, coming face to face with the Madness Legion underground?”
“Well. More difficult than ordinary monsters — they felt closer to human in some way.”
“…I see.”
Ashid nodded quietly.
The Madness Legion of the underground, formed from the grudging spirits of denial.
She, too, had carved her way through them when she conquered the tower.
Whoosh—
She walked to a corner and returned carrying a box she had retrieved.
A mysterious appearance with red and blue blended together.
Ashid set it down on the floor and straightened up.
“Come forward one at a time and reach into the box. Based on the value of the coins you brought, your strength, potential, and nature — you’ll receive something suited to you.”
She stepped back and stood with her arms crossed.
Hanbit turned to the others.
“Let’s go one at a time.”
“Then I’ll go first!”
Haneul was the first to step up.
Brimming with anticipation, she walked up to the box and reached her hand in.
Whooom—
With a clear light, the box began to spin.
When it stopped a few minutes later, a clear chime rang out.
Ding—
As the light faded, a silver dagger came to rest in Haneul’s hand.
Hanbit recognized that weapon.
[Dagger of the Silver Moon]
A dagger that held the silver moonlight its name implied.
Crafted two hundred years ago by an unnamed dwarf blacksmith.
‘She got something better than I expected.’
What each person would receive from the box was unknown.
There was only one thing Hanbit knew.
That the best possible item for him would come to him.
The countless experiences from the other world, the results in the tower, and the most coins — all of it said as much.
“The rest of you, go ahead.”
“Oh, yes!”
“I’m looking forward to this.”
“Please let it be something good…”
The remaining three each received their items from the box in turn.
Noeul received the magical weapon Staff of Radiance.
Avant-garde received the stealth equipment Twilight Boots.
Kim Jaeha received a journal weaving together the secrets and records of master blacksmiths of old.
“Now, the last one.”
After everyone else had gone.
Hanbit, who had been watching, stepped forward to the box.
He looked at it for a moment, then slowly reached in his hand.
Whooom—
The box spinning with a clear light.
Unlike the others, the time it took was considerably long.
Ding—
About fifteen minutes later, the box came to a stop with a clear chime.
In Hanbit’s hand was a single golden egg.
‘As expected.’
The prediction had come out as a definitive result.
The goal he had most wanted to achieve in this tower.
He had obtained it.
[Relic — Egg of the Hwansoo]
Rank: 7
Grade: Legendary
Restriction: Total stats of 1,000 or above
Description: The egg of an ancient Hwansoo. If experience points are obtained while carrying it, the Hwansoo’s growth level will increase. When growth level reaches 100%, the egg will hatch.
‘So it’s Legendary.’
The first legendary grade item to appear.
With a relic designation and the name Hwansoo attached, it could only be expected.
“…You obtained that.”
Ashid, who had been watching quietly, let her eyes go slightly wider.
The contents of the box were actual items her real self had left behind in this tower.
It was only natural that she would be surprised to see the rarest of them emerge.
“Well — that, too, is fate.”
Ashid accepted it and settled back into the rocking chair.
“In any case, I believe each of you received what you needed. Come back in about an hour, and I’ll tell you how to grow alongside what you’ve obtained.”
With those words, she slowly closed her eyes.
“Let’s step outside for a bit.”
Hanbit moved outside with the group.
Back in the garden, he turned his gaze to everyone.
“The items you received are far superior to what the figure out front was selling. You can use them as described — Avant-garde, Jaeha, you two probably have a rough sense of things?”
“Yes! I never expected to receive boots capable of stealth here! I’m already excited thinking about all the places I can go.”
The Twilight Boots that Avant-garde had received.
An excellent item capable of stealth up to a certain level.
“So I just need to study this?”
Kim Jaeha, who had received the blacksmith’s journal, looked down at the thick bundle of pages.
A considerable volume — but he felt no sense of helplessness about it.
If anything, something he could see with his own eyes was easier to deal with.
“You’ll want to read through it at some point. After that, you’ll just need to make good use of your hammer.”
The hidden quest Kim Jaeha had received on Floor 28.
Having safely produced his results while climbing to Floor 50, he had claimed a black hammer as his clear reward.
A growth-type tool that could also be used as a weapon — with a key trait called Devour.
It possessed a remarkable power to eat various things that existed in the world, strengthening and expanding the hammer’s capabilities.
“Feed it here?”
“Take your time reading, then try it out. You’ll be busy enough after all this anyway.”
“…?”
Kim Jaeha with a puzzled expression.
Hanbit only smiled and turned to the twins.
“Now you two are the question…”
A thought that had been going back and forth since before entering the tower.
That deliberation had led to a decision: to bring the two siblings to DD Studio.
‘They seem like a good fit, don’t they? How many players out there could follow Hyung this closely?’
Yeonwoo had agreed readily when he watched the footage.
Of course, being minors, a consultation with the twins’ grandmother as their guardian would be necessary.
In any case, with the decision made, the two siblings’ growth was now a meaningful part of the team’s strength.
“I’m going to give you the training you need. You’ll be joining our studio.”
“Huh? Really!”
“Wait, for real?”
The twins raised their voices in delight.
Hanbit glanced briefly at the elites’ combat and continued.
“I’ll tell you what roles I want from you.”
Thoughts he had organized before the two of them even received their items.
He looked at the reddish-orange-haired boy and spoke.
“Noeul will focus on developing as a support-type spirit user. That doesn’t mean your attack skills will be lacking, so don’t be too disappointed.”
The light spirit Noeul had contracted held strengths in healing and buffs.
Of course there were also offensive techniques like bursts of light, and Hanbit intended to help him learn hidden magic-class skills as well.
“I also just got a good staff to go with it, and I actually prefer support — so I’m happy with that!”
Fortunately, the role seemed to suit his nature — Noeul welcomed it.
The Staff of Radiance was an excellent weapon that paired beautifully with light.
Haneul, who had been watching the exchange, asked with sparkling eyes:
“What about me?”
“You’ll be learning assassination-class skills. They pair well with wind attribute, and they’ll suit your movements better.”
“Oh, like a ninja kind of thing? I’m in! The weapon I got earlier is really great too!”
Haneul accepted her new direction with an already-excited face.
The Dagger of the Silver Moon she had received.
A weapon that could utilize the power of silver moonlight to move like an illusion.
‘Good thing she likes it.’
He was relieved the outcome of his deliberation wasn’t bad.
The roles were different from the twins in the other world, but they weren’t the same people to begin with.
The things that suited these two existed on their own terms.
“I’ll quickly teach you what you need to know. For now——”
The teaching that began then continued for some time.
There would be much more to pass on going forward, but foundations were the most important thing.
And when an hour had passed, Avant-garde asked:
“Should we head to the underground now?”
The conversation they had had on Floor 28.
The information that Kim Jaeha and Avant-garde could clear the underground’s remnants and level up there.
“Ashid will explain. Let’s go back inside.”
With that answer, Hanbit led everyone back down the staircase into the interior.
Ashid was there, seated and waiting.
“Ah. You’ve returned.”
Spotting Hanbit’s party, she rose from her seat.
Then she pointed outside the window.
Through it, the view below of the raging vortex was clearly visible.
Ashid beckoned with a finger and said:
“Now — jump.”
