Chapter 343
CHAPTER 343
SIDE STORY 16
It was a satisfying act of intimidation—no, negotiation.
They even obtained a firm promise guaranteeing the safety of the beastfolk laborers.
The allied forces of the five nations returned from the rally point to their respective countries.
The so-called Mezpol Withdrawal.
How peaceful, right?
A hundred times better than, “Oops! My hand slipped!”
Only the finishing touches remained.
Producing magic guns exclusively for the beastfolk.
The guns would be soulbound through enhancement.
As for ammunition, it used mana crystals, so they could procure those themselves.
El was currently working hard on the magic guns at the White Tower Workshop Center.
They would be finished by tomorrow.
But then—
“Huh? Why is that guy still here instead of leaving?”
It was Ralph, a dimensional traveler and enhancer.
He was leaning against the wall of the Rabong Merchant Guild headquarters, utterly absorbed in his smartphone.
“Traveler Ralph.”
“Oh! Guildmaster, did everything go well?”
“Yes, yes. But what’s going on? Are you heading to the labyrinth? Waiting for party matching?”
“N-no, that’s not it… um…”
Ralph hesitated, then spoke.
“The Wi-Fi signal is strongest here.”
“Ahh!”
It seemed they had installed Wi-Fi when building the headquarters.
“There wasn’t a password?”
“There was, but I cracked it. Took some effort.”
Huh?
“…What was the password?”
“Your name, Guildmaster. Bong Juhyeok. Got it on the tenth try.”
Whoa!
Just look at this guy.
A straight-up bandwidth thief.
“…Wait a second!”
Smartphones are usually set to Korean.
So how was he translating the language?
Sure, if you register the Kalzenia language in the system, you get a language pack, but still.
Curious, Juhyeok asked Ralph.
“When I enhanced my smartphone to +5, an automatic language translation option popped up. Hahaha.”
Setting aside the fact that even electronic devices could be enhanced—translation as an option?
“Of course, it’s soulbound, so no one else can use it.”
Enhancement wasn’t just about durability and performance.
It affected far more than that.
An incredibly unique ability.
Well, no wonder he was considered national-power level.
“Um, Guildmaster, since you’re here anyway, I wanted to ask—how do I sign up for those smartphone video-viewing programs?”
That, apparently, couldn’t be solved through enhancement.
Membership registration itself wasn’t difficult.
Currently, places connected to the White Tower with multi-communication capability were Earth No. 1001, Earth No. 843, the main base Earth, and here in Kalzenia.
Content was produced only in parallel Earths.
To stream videos or download content, you had to sign up for platforms there.
For registration credentials, they could ask Jeon Gwang-il of Earth No. 1001 or Jeon Seong-il of Earth No. 843 to create them.
But could that really be done for free?
They had received massive help through bulk deliveries of enhancement stones, but business was business.
“Providing personal information for membership registration isn’t something we do for just anyone. It’s a kind of privilege.”
“…P-privilege? What qualifies?”
“Becoming part of the Rabong Merchant Guild or Rajiks Trading. It’s an employee benefit.”
“Oh!”
Which led to—
“How about officially joining our Rabong Merchant Guild?”
“Me?”
“Yes. Once you’re employed, you’ll immediately receive registration credentials.”
“Oh!”
His reaction was good.
“In return, you’ll need to help protect and operate the guild.”
Ralph thought for a moment.
Then—
“Yes! I’ll take the job.”
“Deal! Let’s sign the contract.”
Thus, Ralph the enhancer became an employee of the Rabong Merchant Guild.
A man of outstanding ability.
The effects of enhancement were even more tremendous than expected.
The soulbinding effect wasn’t a drawback—it was an advantage.
You could even enhance smartphones, after all.
In business, the most important thing is talent acquisition.
Not now, but later, depending on the situation, they should consider granting him residency rights in the White Tower.
It was time to leave.
A moment of farewell.
But this wasn’t a permanent goodbye.
They would drop by whenever time allowed.
Dr. El had produced around 600 custom magic guns tailored to beastfolk physiques at the White Tower.
A gun-awarding ceremony was held.
The beastfolk lined up in front of Juhyeok.
“Worker Enix, gun number 001.”
“Hoo-aye!”
As Juhyeok handed over the gun,
Enix—already holding three enhancement stones—
Clack! Swish! Clack! Swish! Clack! Swish!
Succeeded in enhancement in one go.
Whoosh!
Stored it in subspace.
Next!
“Worker Rubix, gun number 002.”
“Hoo-aye!”
Clack! Swish! Clack! Swish! Clack! Swish!
“Worker Arus, gun number 003.”
“Hoo-aye!”
Excluding Rajiks, the total number of beastfolk was 608.
Juhyeok personally handed a custom magic gun to each and every one of them.
That wasn’t all.
He also gave each of them a smartwatch and a smartphone.
Finally, to Enix—now inaugurated as Chairman of the Meno Gun Committee, no, President of the Rabong Merchant Guild—
“Please take good care of the guild. Ralph and Wiz will help you a lot.”
“Hoh, y-yes.”
Tears welled up in his eyes.
Goodbye.
I’ll be back again soon.
A farewell party was held.
The 355 summoned ones mingled and bonded with the beastfolk.
After the event ended—
“Everyone, pack up and wait at the White Tower.”
Spot!
All summons were dismissed except for the nine veterans.
Then Juhyeok entered the city of Mezpol.
A lively cityscape.
Bright expressions on people’s faces.
“Summoner Bong, will you be going to the Grand Temple to meet the Pope?”
“No.”
Why would I?
We’re not close enough for farewells.
After making a full round of the city, they arrived at the labyrinth entrance.
“…You’re back again.”
Yes, yes.
Stepping onto the magic circle, they entered the labyrinth.
“Party Bong Juhyeok is moving to Labyrinth Floor 126.”
Spot!
Ten people entered—
because the teleportation circle couldn’t transmit more than ten at once.
But once inside, things changed.
More summons could be called.
“Summon Group One.”
Spot! Spot! Spot!
“Is this where Summoner Bong’s legend begins?”
“A legend, my ass.
Just ‘Bong Juhyeok came and left,’ that’s all.”
“Let’s begin.”
“Ready!”
“Hoeng!”
The labyrinth raid began.
From Floor 126 to 150.
They summoned around 13 to 15 people, rotating them floor by floor.
The labyrinth—
in some ways, similar to the Black Tower.
The difference was that you had to defeat the Ruin Guardian for the floor to count as cleared.
But it was easier than breathing exercises.
Those guardians didn’t even compare to the giant monsters on Floor 80.
Add to that the teamwork honed in the Black Tower.
They moved leisurely; whenever Rajiks found ruins, they’d chop off the guardian’s head and claim the relic.
Usually, relics were placed on altars with brief descriptions.
The relic on Floor 126 was—
[Grail of the Forgotten God]
Drink alcohol poured into the grail to cure all diseases and injuries.
However, its divine power weakens with each use, eventually becoming an ordinary cup.
“Ugh, and they call this a relic?”
“Disappointing. We’ve got disease-curing potions.”
“And Mari’s elixir in the corner.”
“Still, just in case, let’s take it.”
After clearing Floor 126, they used the internal teleportation circle to reach Floor 127.
Guardian down, then 128, 129, 130.
The relics obtained?
“All items.”
“No Drops of Creation or Fragments of Divinity?”
“Yeah, we need to raise our Whitey God-Beast.”
The same went for the 130s and 140s.
Nothing that really stood out.
Juhyeok looked displeased.
“Your standards have gotten too high, Summoner Bong.”
“This maiden agrees. If these were released into the modern world, they’d shake heaven and earth.”
Even so…
How are these relics?
You could easily find them at an auction house.
They cleared a few more floors.
If it stayed boring, they’d quit.
“Anyone who wants them, feel free to divide them up.”
Still, there were gains.
Dig the ground and top-grade mana poured out.
Just as rumored—a dimension that attracted dimensional travelers.
Anyway, they reached Floor 150.
As usual: clear mobs, mine mana, find ruins, defeat guardians—clear achieved.
The Floor 150 relic—was it going to suck too?
Not a single good one this time either?
Just then—
“Huh?”
“What?”
“…What is this?”
“Why is this here?”
“I—I don’t know either.”
The relic on the altar of the Floor 150 ruins.
They’d seen it many times before.
Rajiks currently had something similar.
“…That’s a beam projector, right?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Never seen the brand before, though.”
A beam projector.
A video display device.
“…Why is this a Floor 150 relic…?”
At that moment—
Ding!
“Qualification verified.”
Huh?
What qualification?
For what?
Suddenly—
Flash!
A vivid image spread before their eyes.
The beam projector turned on by itself.
“…Looks like a movie screening.”
“What do we do?”
What do we do?
“Since it’s playing, we might as well watch.”
The video began.
With subtitles.
But something was strange.
“Isn’t that Hangul?”
“It is.”
“Why is Hangul showing up?”
“I told you, I don’t know either.”
Not only had a beam-projector relic appeared in a labyrinth, in a completely different world—but it was playing a subtitled video in Hangul?
Anyway, the subtitles read:
— Kalzenia, 200 years ago.
The video showed a young man practicing swordsmanship in a training ground, sweat pouring down his face.
Another subtitle appeared.
— Monteo Aurelion (19 years old)
“Holy crap.”
“Monteo Aurelion—ain’t that the guy the crazy old man was about to slice the neck off?”
That’s right.
It was him.
Watching Aurelion’s youth in a labyrinth movie…
Was he more important than expected?
Wasn’t he just an extra?
“He looked fresh back then.”
“If he was nineteen 200 years ago, that means he’s 219 now.”
“Masters live long. Grands live even longer.”
Suddenly—
A black shadow appeared behind Aurelion.
Slash!
Thud!
A head fell to the ground.
— Monteo Aurelion (19 years old) — Deceased.
…What the hell?
“Whoa.”
“H-he died?”
“Why did he die?”
“Huh…”
What was this?
Fiction?
Aurelion was alive and well right now.
By now, he should be on his way back to the continent.
“…Could this be Kalzenia from a parallel universe?”
“W-who knows.”
The video continued with subtitles.
The successor of a ducal house had died.
The empire was thrown into chaos.
The duke’s family swore vengeance.
A culprit was named.
The imperial family of the Valtarion Empire.
After all, the Aurelion Ducal House—formerly heads of the aristocracy—had never been on good terms with the imperial family.
Civil war erupted between the imperial faction and the noble faction.
Neighboring kingdoms with vested interests joined in.
— The First Continental War begins.
The war escalated, spreading across the entire continent.
Eventually, an armistice.
But peace didn’t last long.
— The Second Continental War begins.
A horrific war.
People dying in droves.
The screen froze.
— The footage you have just seen is a deleted record following error-correction work.
“…Error correction?”
Then the video began playing backward.
Back to before the Second Continental War.
Before the First Continental War.
And finally, to before Aurelion’s head was severed at the training ground.
…Seriously.
What kind of movie is this?
Aurelion stood there alive and well.
From that point, the video restarted.
“This time he doesn’t die.”
“He’s alive.”
“And there’s no war.”
“Well, his death was the cause of the war.”
The butterfly effect?
A branching choice?
One decision changing the entire future?
Anyway—
Aurelion inherited the ducal title, reached the realm of Grand Master, and became an absolute power.
The video showed him eliminating the First Imperial Prince and installing the Third Prince instead.
“That scene from earlier is here too.”
The march on Mezpol, getting blocked by Juhyeok, retreating in disgrace.
— This is the future that has progressed so far due to error-correction work.
No one really understood what was going on.
“…Let’s just accept it.”
Juhyeok opened his mind.
— Thanks to the correction work, Kalzenia has avoided annihilation.
Oh?
That’s good, then.
But Kalzenia wasn’t the only dimension requiring correction.
Oh boy.
Sounds like you’ve still got work left.
— Would you like to know more about the correction work?
Nope.
Not at all.
Why would I want to know?
— Are you interested in participating in the great correction work to save the universe?
Hmm—
“This is getting…”
“Real suspicious.”
“This maiden agrees. It sounds like cult recruiters on the street.”
— We offer Dimensional Traveler Bong Juhyeok the opportunity to take part in this great work.
Yeah, no thanks.
— Therefore, we propose—
Don’t.
Stop right there.
I don’t want to hear it.
“…Gobang.”
“Yes, Summoner.”
“Smash that projector.”
Screeeee!
Bang!
The beam projector shattered into pieces.
Yet the floating image in midair didn’t disappear.
— We invite Bong Juhyeok to the Dimensional Administration Bureau.
At the same time, where the projector had been—
Spot!
A golden ticket appeared.
“…This is driving me insane.”
A dimensional auction house was one thing, but—
“Dimensional Administration Bureau?”
None of this made any sense.
All they’d done was run a labyrinth.
“…Is this just happening to me?”
Did everyone who cleared the labyrinth before get the same offer?
“…Mr. Kosak.”
“Yes?”
“Is this another cliché?”
“It is.”
“Then what kind?”
“Overkill.”
Juhyeok agreed.
What kind of garbage development was this?
Meanwhile, at the Mezpol Rabong Merchant Guild headquarters.
Some time after Juhyeok and the summoned ones had left Kalzenia—
Ralph was once again glued to his phone near the headquarters building with its blazing-fast Wi-Fi.
He was watching a personal YouTube stream, so absorbed he’d lost all sense of time.
Likes, comments, subscriptions, notification alerts.
He even generously donated in off-world digital currency—equal to an outside director’s salary.
There was endless entertainment.
Content poured in daily from two parallel Earths.
Why not return to his home dimension?
No Wi-Fi there.
“I’ll live here until I die.”
And then—
“Huh?”
He felt something.
That distinctive presence unique to dimensional travelers.
Turning his head, he saw an old man approaching from afar.
“Hold it!”
Ralph shouted.
The old man flinched and stopped.
“Traveler?”
“Yes.”
“Origin and name?”
“Ginterbar Dimension, Lumos.”
“Silvaren Dimension, Ralph.”
After a brief exchange—
“Maintain distance.”
“Understood.”
They cautiously edged closer, both ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.
Step by step.
Carefully.
“…Phew.”
“…Hah.”
Thankfully, they weren’t the same soul.
“Traveler Lumos, what brings you here?”
“I’m heading into the labyrinth. Heard this was the place to recruit workers.”
“Ah, a customer.”
Suddenly—
Lumos spotted the smartphone in Ralph’s hand and gasped.
“Ho ho! T-that thing you’re holding—don’t tell me?”
“Heh, yes, that’s right. A smartphone.”
“From the auction house?”
“Well… something like that.”
Grinning, Lumos pulled a laptop from his coat.
“I bought a laptop. Seventeen-inch, dedicated GPU—runs games perfectly! Hahaha!”
At the unexpected brag, Ralph shrugged.
“Good for you.”
“Of course it’s good! Do you know how much this cost?”
Lumos powered it on.
“Look. This is the game I’m playing.”
He launched it, clicked single-player.
“My character’s max level. The weapon’s a unique item—”
“Huh? I play this game too.”
“…You even bought a laptop?”
Swoosh!
Ralph pulled out his own laptop.
“Oh? You’re wealthy. Let’s see your character.”
The game launched.
Click!
The channel list appeared—he selected one and entered.
Unlike Lumos, it wasn’t single-player.
It was multiplayer via Wi-Fi.
“See the bow my character’s holding? Only a few like it on the server. I spent a fortune on microtransactions—”
But Lumos was staring, mouth agape—not at the bow.
“…M-multiplayer?”
“Yes.”
“T-that needs internet connection, doesn’t it?”
“Sure does.”
“Then how are you connected?”
…
Ralph pointed at the headquarters building.
“The Wi-Fi works here.”
“Gah!!!”
“See? Signal bars.”
“M-my goodness!”
Lumos’s hands and feet trembled.
“M-may I ask… the Wi-Fi password—”
Ralph shook his head.
“Nope. Can’t tell you.”
“I’ll pay. Top-grade mana stones—”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It’s an employee benefit. You have to work here to get the password.”
“…Work?”
Lumos pondered for a brief moment.
“Can I apply too?”
“…Well, you’d need an interview.”
“I’ll do it.”
Nodding, Ralph called out to Enix, who was over there practicing spinning maneuvers.
“President Enix!”
“Hoh? What is it?”
“This gentleman wants a job. He’s a dimensional traveler.”
“Huh?”
Lumos bowed deeply—almost pitifully.
“P-please, President. Hire me. I’ll work hard.”
“…Ehh…”
Looking troubled, Enix raised his wrist and spoke into his smartwatch.
“Um, Wiz? Yes, it’s Enix. A dimensional traveler wants to join the guild. Ah, okay.”
After communicating with the AI Wiz—
“Umm…”
“I’m Lumos, President.”
“Yes, yes, Mr. Lumos. Do you have a résumé?”
“W-well…”
“If not, please tell me your profession and abilities.”
“Understood.”
Lumos passionately explained how capable and exceptional he was.
“…Hoh, you’re accepted.”
“Oh!!! Thank you! I’ll devote my life to the company!”
And so, another dimensional traveler joined the Rabong Merchant Guild.