Chapter 222
CHAPTER 222
Bong Juhyeok.
A name that became the center of every topic after the world announcement.
Juhyeok himself experienced it firsthand.
In reality, in cyberspace like SNS, and even to the point of hearing it at places where people were having company dinners.
For a timid man, it was hard to endure.
That was the very reason he’d tried to hide his identity in the first place.
The people he worried about most were his family.
When he called to check on them—
— We’re still fine. What about you? Nothing going on, right?
“I’m… fine.”
— Be careful. When you go out, make sure you’re with people.
“Yes, ma’am! If anything happens, just shout White Tower entry right away.”
— Okay.
Thankfully, nothing he feared seemed to have happened.
Director Jeon Gwang-il was personally handling his family’s security.
He really was someone to be grateful to.
‘I should build him a house of medicinal tonics someday.’
Anyway, today’s schedule was White Tower exploration.
Up to the 5th floor had been unlocked.
Let’s start from the 2nd floor and go in order.
‘How many floors does the White Tower even have?’
And it’s not just the White Tower.
The Black Tower is the same.
He’d broken through the 90th floor, but there was no way to know how many floors the Black Tower actually had.
But the mission on the 91st floor.
[The Great Journey Toward Completion – First.]
“Completion.”
Judging from that word, wouldn’t the end be the 100th floor?
One hundred is a number associated with completion in many ways.
If so, there were only ten floors left to climb.
But he had to be cautious.
It wouldn’t be easy.
Removal of completion deadlines, time separation, save functions.
At a glance, it wasn’t a mission that could be finished overnight.
It might even take longer than the time it took to climb from the 1st to the 90th floor.
Still, the tower collapse deadline was generous.
There was no need to rush.
First, he’d explore White Tower floors 2, 3, 4, and 5 with the blood summons using the dimensional transfer elevator.
Then he’d drink the elixir Mari would soon synthesize.
Ideally, he’d like to give it to any of the blood summons, but who would even drink it?
He’d have no choice but to take it himself.
On top of that, he’d do one more random summon.
An event to welcome a new family member.
And after living like that for a while, once it started to feel a bit boring?
That’s when he’d finally accept the first mission of the Great Journey on the 91st floor.
Ah!
A perfect plan.
With that in mind—
“We’re recruiting members for the White Tower exploration. Too many people will make things crowded, so those who want to work can work, and those who want to rest can rest.”
As if they’d been waiting for it, blood summons shot their hands up one after another.
In the end, he had no choice but to take almost everyone.
Those staying behind in the White Tower were the production-type classes: Mari, El, Farmer Duwoo, and the Blood Wolf.
He piled into the elevator with the selected blood summons.
When he pressed the button marked with the number 2—
[You have selected the 2nd floor.]
Let’s go!
[The current owner of White Tower Floor 2 has lost ownership rights.]
[Therefore, entry is permitted without the owner’s consent.]
‘… Another floor without an owner.’
That meant they were dead.
Just like Max Kruger, the former owner of the 1st floor.
[Activating the elevator.]
[Operating cost: 10 kg of top-grade mana stones will be automatically deducted from inventory.]
The first floor had been free.
But the second one charged him mercilessly.
‘Top-grade mana stones are plentiful anyway.’
He’d received 1,500 kg in one go from a balance deal with the Black Tower administrator of Earth No. 675.
After that, he’d gotten more as mission rewards in the dragon sections.
‘About 2,000 kg in total.’
[The elevator has arrived at White Tower Floor 2.]
Finally, the 2nd floor.
[The stay duration is 24 hours.]
[The owner of White Tower Floor 17 is temporarily granted ownership of White Tower Floor 2 for 24 hours.]
[All companions of the owner have been automatically registered as residents of Floor 2. Valid for 24 hours.]
[Temporary entry and exit skills for White Tower Floor 2 have been registered for 24 hours.]
Swoosh.
The doors opened.
And the scenery was revealed.
“Hmm.”
“Huh…”
“This…”
“Haah.”
……
It was a bleak space.
There was nothing.
No natural environment like rivers or plains, no roads or buildings.
It seemed the person who’d acquired the 2nd floor hadn’t decorated it at all.
What about the outside world?
Should they check?
“I’ll try exiting.”
“Please go out under a concealment barrier.”
That went without saying.
“Exit White Tower Floor 2.”
Spot!
The world connected to the 2nd floor.
It was the same.
It felt like being dropped into the middle of a desert.
And scattered everywhere were enormous sinkholes.
There seemed to be more holes than intact ground.
Juhyeok summoned all the blood summons.
Spot! Spot! Spot! Spot! Spot!
They said nothing.
They only frowned.
“Is there really no one?”
“I’ll launch a drone.”
Then Craccus spoke.
“No need. I’ll take a look around myself.”
Right—dragons could fly.
And quite fast, at that.
“Would you do that?”
Craccus released his polymorph and transformed back into his green dragon form.
Flap, flap!
He spread his massive wings and soared into the sky, quickly shrinking into a dot.
“We’ll… rest for now.”
“Yes!”
Rajiks brought out chairs and tables.
He even laid out snacks.
After some time passed—
Flap, flap.
Craccus flew back toward them.
“Greenie’s back.”
He landed.
Boom!
Then polymorphed back into human form.
“How was it?”
“… It was chilling.”
What had he seen?
“I flew around for a long time, observing with a dragon’s eyes, but not a single living thing existed.”
“No moving lifeforms, not even plants.”
“Monsters or towers?”
“None. Just countless holes, dirt, and stone everywhere. Even the seas and rivers were like that. It truly showed what annihilation looks like.”
No monsters. No towers.
That meant the world was finished.
It seemed to have collapsed even faster than the 1st floor.
“… Let’s go back.”
Before leaving, they held a moment of silence.
For all the life that had once lived in that world.
Juhyeok dismissed all the blood summons, returned to White Tower Floor 2, and boarded the elevator again.
Back to White Tower Floor 17.
“Phew.”
“Haah.”
“Hmmm.”
Only now did it feel like he could breathe again.
Could the 3rd floor really be the same?
“… Shall we check the 3rd floor too?”
“Yes. Since we’ve started.”
After resting for about three hours,
they boarded the elevator again, spending another 10 kg of top-grade mana stones.
The 3rd floor—
[The current owner of White Tower Floor 3 has lost ownership…]
Just like the 2nd floor, no owner.
[The elevator has arrived at White Tower Floor 3.]
The environment was identical to the 2nd floor.
So much so it felt copy-pasted.
A ruined world.
A world where life had vanished.
“… Fuck!”
It was devastating.
Thinking that this could have been their Earth.
If they hadn’t overcome Kabalon’s curse on the 70th floor, they’d have ended up like this.
What now?
Stop here?
No—go all the way.
But the 4th floor also had no owner.
[The elevator has arrived at White Tower Floor 4.]
Swoosh.
The doors opened.
And the sight before them—
“Ah.”
A field stretched out.
And at the same time, hundreds of mounds of earth came into view.
“… Graves?”
“I—I think so.”
“Are there people buried in them?”
But—
“Hooeee.”
Rajiks shook his head.
“Nope. There’s nothing.”
Empty graves, then?
All of them?
Juhyeok and the blood summons approached the graves.
In front of each one lay a metal ingot.
And on each ingot was carved a person’s name.
“Tombstones.”
The handwriting was identical on all of them, as if carved by a single person.
It must have been the owner of the 4th floor.
Likely the names of family members, relatives, or acquaintances.
All of them dead.
So they’d made empty graves and erected tombstones using the metal ingots rewarded from the tower.
Floors 1 through 4.
All the same.
All connected to ruined worlds.
To the owners, the White Tower wasn’t a refuge—it was a space of guilt.
They alone had survived, unable to obtain even 1 kg of top-grade mana stones.
What about the <1-Day Pass> and that could be issued with high-grade mana stones?
Those only appeared after completing the achievement for issuing a permanent residency permit.
Only then were lower-tier options unlocked as rewards.
In other words, you absolutely had to secure 1 kg of top-grade mana stones first to even issue trial or rental passes.
What would have happened to Juhyeok if he hadn’t had Mari?
The place where Rajiks mined naturally occurring top-grade mana stones was on the 84th floor—until then, no one but Juhyeok could have come to the White Tower.
And if he hadn’t even had Rajiks?
‘Was it the 87th floor where top-grade mana stones first appeared as mission rewards? The floor with the undead dragon?’
Only upon reaching the 87th floor could residency rights be registered.
It was incredibly vicious.
The White Tower menu had a resident registration option, yet the means to actually bring people in were fundamentally blocked.
How desperately the White Tower owners must have longed for it.
For the day top-grade mana stones would appear as tower rewards.
Climbing the tower diligently every day.
Clinging to the futile hope that maybe today would be the day.
Outside the 4th floor was no different.
Completely annihilated.
“This feels awful.”
Not just him—every blood summon felt the same.
The remaining floor was the 5th.
If that was the same too—
‘Should we put it off until tomorrow?’
No.
If the 5th floor was the same, tomorrow would be just as depressing.
Better to finish everything today.
So even though it was late at night, they returned to the 17th floor and waited.
“Today’s final stop. Please hang in there just a bit longer.”
“We’re fine, but Summoner, your mood…”
“I’m fine too. After this, let’s have a drink together.”
“Very well.”
They boarded the elevator again.
The fourth move.
They’d spent 40 kg of top-grade mana stones in total.
But there was plenty.
[You have selected the 5th floor.]
But then—
‘This time there’s no message about the owner being absent.’
Then…?
Anticipation welled up.
Could someone actually be there?
The owner of the 5th floor?
Ding!
The arrival chime rang.
And at that moment—
[The elevator has arrived at the White Tower Floor 5 Link Gate.]
What?
[You may travel through the Link Gate to the Dimensional Traveler–Exclusive Auction House.]
“Holy—!”
“Uh—!”
“Did you hear that?”
“Yes, y-yes, I heard it.”
“This old man heard it as well.”
“Hooeh.”
A link gate?
A dimensional traveler?
And an auction house—what’s that supposed to be?
‘The White Tower had something like this?’
Ding!
[The stay duration at the Dimensional Traveler–Exclusive Auction House is 1 hour.]
The door slid open.
And before them appeared a large, oval-shaped, translucent barrier.
‘So that’s the link gate.’
What should he do?
Should he go in there?
At that moment, Kosak spoke up.
“Summoner Bong, I’ll go in first.”
“W-wait!”
There was no time to stop him.
Kosak trudged forward without hesitation.
And then—
Tzzzt!
PAPAPAPAT!
The instant he touched the link gate, a powerful surge of lightning crashed over him.
“KIIYAAAAAAGH!”
Crackle-crackle-crackle!
Kosak convulsed like a fish impaled on a spear.
Was he being electrocuted?
“Gasp!”
If he died like this—
“Mr. Kosak!!!”
“KIIIIIIT!”
“Oh dear!”
“I shall save the warrior.”
Gobang grabbed him firmly.
“Guhhh!”
“Kiiyaa—”
They barely managed to drag Kosak back into the elevator.
“What the hell was that?!”
[Only individuals with Dimensional Traveler qualifications may enter the link gate.]
“You damn— you should’ve said that earlier!”
But more importantly—what now?
“Are you okay? That must’ve been frightening.”
Kosak was still sprawled on the floor, twitching.
The shock must have been severe.
Should he drink a healing potion?
“He appears to be on the verge of death. Rather than letting him suffer, would it not be kinder to sever his neck cleanly and send him off in peace?”
Princess… no.
Even if resurrection is possible—
“This old man will finish it.”
“This mage shall incinerate his central nervous system—”
“Shall I just freeze him solid?”
“A small-caliber round to the temple.”
“Hoa!”
“Dimensional farmhand, put the pickaxe away. This is an execution.”
Perhaps the blood summons’ encouragement worked—
Kosak rolled his eyes desperately and suddenly sprang up.
“I-I’m alive. I’m a-alive. I-I’m Immortal Kosak.”
Thank goodness.
In any case, Kosak didn’t qualify.
“Then who does qualify?”
All eyes turned to Juhyeok.
“Hmm.”
Who installed the dimensional elevator in the first place?
“…Me?”
The one with dimensional traveler qualifications.
Gulp.
Juhyeok swallowed dryly.
‘Should I try?’
If he got electrocuted—
Juhyeok extended one foot beyond the elevator door.
Carefully, he moved toward the link gate.
Hesitant.
Slow.
Tentative.
In—out.
Out—in.
‘…Seems fine?’
Nothing happened.
“Phew.”
Clap clap clap clap clap clap!
The blood summons applauded Juhyeok’s courage.
Test complete.
The qualified dimensional traveler was Juhyeok.
“…Wait here for a moment. I’ll go in and come back.”
“Please be careful.”
“Don’t go up without me.”
“Do you take us for traitors, Young Master?”
Let’s go.
An auction house, huh?
A place exclusively for dimensional travelers.
The items up for auction surely wouldn’t be ordinary.
“Hoo…”
He took a deep breath
and stepped into the link gate.
Whoosh!
Juhyeok entered—
and spot! the environment changed.
“…Wow.”
He was standing in a long corridor.
And lining both walls were rows of locker-like compartments.
Ding!
[Welcome to the auction house, new dimensional traveler Bong Juhyeok.]
[The Dimensional Traveler–Exclusive Auction House may be used once per day.]
So he could come every day—
though each visit would probably cost 10 kg of top-grade mana stones.
[A personal auction locker for Bong Juhyeok has been opened. Please follow the arrow.]
An arrow appeared on the floor.
Following it, he spotted a locker among the many—one that gleamed conspicuously.
‘That must be it.’
Written on the locker:
Amazing.
To think the White Tower had a place like this.
More accurately, this probably wasn’t the White Tower itself.
It was connected to the 5th floor via a link gate—
a separate, isolated space.
[You may open the locker. Please check its contents.]
Should he open it?
He grabbed the handle and pulled.
“…Huh?”
Three compartments came into view.
There were labels.
The top compartment:
The middle compartment:
The bottom compartment:
So this really was an auction house.
The top was for items to sell, the middle for items won,
and the bottom for barter.
[Please place the item you wish to sell in the Auction Listing compartment.]
“Hmm.”
He didn’t know how the system worked yet.
Best to just follow instructions for now.
What could he list?
Among his inventory, what had any value?
‘Top-grade mana stones, obviously. That should work.’
Juhyeok carefully took out several chunks of top-grade mana stones and placed them in the auction listing space.
Instantly—
Ding!
[Currency cannot be traded.]
“…What?”
Top-grade mana stones were currency?
So trades were conducted using them.
Then what could he list?
His inventory mostly had mana stones and equipment.
Equipment was out of the question.
He’d only kept essentials on him.
Rajiks’s subspace bag had tons, but still.
‘This is tricky.’
Nothing to list?
Should he take off his clothes and sell those?
‘…Wait.’
There was one thing.
The most expensive item he owned.
The 1-billion-won wristwatch he’d been wearing for the reunion scenario.
Click.
He removed the watch and placed it into the auction listing space.
Ding!
[You have submitted an item for auction.]
[Please set a starting bid.]
How much should he set it at?
It was just a wristwatch, after all.
Couldn’t be worth much here.
[If no starting bid is set, the auction house will assess the item’s value automatically. Do you agree?]
That was fine with him.
“Agree.”
Whoosh!
The item vanished.
[Auction item registered.]
[Achievement: First to register an item in the Dimensional Traveler Auction House.]
[Reward granted.]
“Oh! Rewards already?”
[An Auction Status Board option has been added to the White Tower Floor 17 owner menu.]
[You may also place bids via the Auction Status Board in the White Tower menu.]
[However, item collection, payment, and exchanges for successful bids may only be completed at the auction locker.]
So he could check it back on the 17th floor?
[The Auction Status Board can also be accessed here.]
Oh?
[The activation command is ‘Check Auction Status.’]
Let’s try it.
“Check auction status.”
Instantly—
Ding!
Whoooooosh!
A flood of hologram-like icons and text floated before his eyes.
- Secret Manual: Twenty-Four Forms Plum Blossom Sword Technique
- Current bid: 3,478 kg of top-grade mana stones
- Mineral: True Gold Ingots, 100 kg
- Current bid: 2,157 kg of top-grade mana stones
- Spellbook: Lightning Storm
- Current bid: 3,022 kg of top-grade mana stones
- Material: Dragon Heart
- Current bid: 51,567 kg of top-grade mana stones
What the hell is all this?
‘They’re even selling dragon hearts?’
And the bids were utterly vicious.
He’d thought he was pretty wealthy—
‘But I can’t even bid with what I have.’
Even if he emptied Rajiks’s subspace bag.
And now he was curious—
how much would his wristwatch sell for?
‘…At least 10 kg of top-grade mana stones, right?’
At the very least, it should cover the round-trip elevator cost.