145. Tower of Trials 50th Floor (1)
Jaggeo, Dampir.
The sturdy tanker and healer God Ji-nu used in his 8th year.
There were rare runes you absolutely needed in order to use them properly.
“Here, drink.”
Baek Jinwoo, having brought Olivia into the reception room, handed her a cup of coffee.
“Thanks.”
Sluurp.
She accepted it and took a sip.
“I’ll be honest. The highest floor I’ve cleared so far is the 40th floor. If I’m going to challenge the 51st floor like you asked, I’m going to need quite a bit of time.”
“I know. I can wait that long.”
“There are some runes you’ll need to get for me in the meantime.”
“What are they?”
“Will, and Exploitation. They’re both rare runes. Just get me one set of each.”
“...Are those even real runes?”
Olivia tilted her head.
“I may be an early ranker, but this is my first time hearing of something like that.”
“You might not know them. They’re theme runes, so they’re not exactly versatile.”
“Ahh.”
“There are probably quite a few players who pulled them and just let them rot in storage.”
“Because they don’t sell well anyway?”
“Exactly.”
Baek Jinwoo nodded.
At an awkward price point, there was a high chance they had ended up in the hands of rare rune collectors.
'Collectors are always the biggest pain to deal with.'
If you offer too high a price, they actually become even less willing to sell.
Because they know better than anyone how important rarity is in setting a price.
“If you bring me just those, the moment I clear the 50th floor, I’ll immediately try the 51st.”
“...Really?”
“Of course. But if Rachel shows up before then or something, we terminate the contract by mutual agreement.”
“I’m fine with that! Then are you going straight to the 50th floor now?”
“Yeah. I was planning to go right away anyway.”
Monster...
Olivia muttered inwardly.
It wasn’t like the 50th floor was some dog’s name.
But he was more than the kind of guy who could do it.
There was no player left in this world who doubted Baek Jinwoo’s skill.
“Nice and clean. Let’s write the contract.”
As for getting the runes?
With Britain’s help, it wouldn’t be difficult.
No country had more know-how in this area than they did....
‘Will, Exploitation, Will, Exploitation…’
Clenching her fist tightly, Olivia repeated the names of the two runes in her mind.
* * *
Scratch, scratch.
CEO Yoo’s office.
Inside, only the quiet sound of papers turning flowed through the room.
“Mm.”
Yoo Jia sat upright with perfect posture, calmly flipping through documents.
But her eyes were anything but calm. The speed at which she read through the papers was unbelievably fast.
Flip...!
The moment she turned a page, her gaze swept across the document like lightning.
Her eyes were frantic, but her posture never wavered. She was calm to the point of coldness.
The stack of papers piling up beside the table.
If someone were asked to pick the busiest person in Yoobaek, the one with the most work, everyone would choose Yoo Jia without hesitation.
Board meeting minutes and departmental reports were just the basics.
All sorts of project proposals, investment contracts, joint work agreements, and more....
Handling the ideas and documents pouring in daily from all over the world was never an easy task.
And on top of that, the papers stacked beside her had already gone through one round of review by the board.
That alone showed how massive the volume was.
“Hoo.”
She finally let out a short sigh.
Because it was Yoo Jia, she could process all of this in a single day. If it were any other CEO, they would have probably tossed out half of it without even reading it.
Then, at that moment,
“Hm?”
One document with rather interesting contents caught her eye.
“PBC?”
An abbreviation for Player Broadcasting Corporation, it was a hot domestic broadcasting company these days.
From player documentaries to Ranking Players, Survival Challenge, A Day in the Life of a Player, and more.
A broadcaster that had established itself by churning out countless hit programs.
“Why are they...?”
In her hand was a proposal.
[- Recipient: Yoo Jia, CEO of Yoobaek
- Sender: PBC
- Subject: Request for Cooperation in Filming Baek Jinwoo Player’s Tower Climbing Footage and Compensation Proposal
Dear CEO of Yoobaek,
Hello.
PBC, which oversees the production of player documentaries, is sending this official request to ask for footage related to Player Baek Jinwoo’s Tower of Trials climb. Baek Jinwoo’s climbing process is drawing tremendous interest and anticipation among communities and viewers, and if his valiant progress were aired in documentary format, it would inspire even more people. Therefore, PBC would like to inform you that in exchange for providing filming footage of Baek Jinwoo’s Tower of Trials climb, we are willing to offer the following rare elixirs:
Ice-Heart Jade Blood Paste
Azure Stone Milk
Eternal Snow Ginseng
Sun Mythology
Each of these four elixirs possesses outstanding effects, and they are expected to be of great help in Player Baek Jinwoo’s Tower of Trials climb. PBC looks forward to cooperation for mutual benefit and asks that you review this proposal carefully.
We await your company’s positive reply, and if further discussion is needed, please feel free to contact us at any time. Thank you.
PBC Representative
Documentary Production Department]
“Huh.”
They wanted to film Baek Jinwoo climbing the Tower of Trials with equipment and make a documentary.
Normally, she would have just passed it over, but... the compensation wasn’t bad.
'Especially Eternal Snow Ginseng. Jinwoo said he got that from the 40th floor this time.'
They had something that precious?
And those other elixirs were no joke either.
All of them were treasures among treasures that permanently increased a summon’s stats!
'For now.'
The fastest way to handle something like this was to ask Jinwoo.
Especially since if they were going to film this time, they would have to start filming from the 41st floor onward.
Slide.
Yoo Jia immediately picked up her phone.
“Wow, really?”
Baek Jinwoo’s face lit up.
“Take it. Just tell them we’re absolutely doing it.”
His summons’ abilities had already all been revealed through the World League matches anyway.
There was nothing left to hide now.
'I can reveal everything openly now.'
Back then, he used to hide his abilities for safety, but now there was no reason to.
Because he had Explosive Dragon Sorcerer.
“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. My luck’s been good lately. Blessings just keep rolling in.”
The corners of Baek Jinwoo’s lips slowly rose.
First Olivia suddenly appeared and offered to get him runes, and now a broadcaster was offering him elixirs.
He had already planned to climb anyway, but unexpected goodies just kept falling into his lap.
'I already felt a little sorry that I only took care of HunGyo.'
Let’s take those and give the others something too.
Maybe I can even offer one up as a reward for a guild member with good performance.
“Since we’re at it, tell them I’ll leave tomorrow, so they should prepare any equipment they’re going to use.”
“Oh, really?”
Baek Jinwoo continued talking with Yoo Jia.
What was really amazing about her was this: She immediately contacted PBC and asked if they could receive the elixirs in advance as upfront payment.
Saying that getting the elixirs first would help more with climbing the Tower, and wouldn’t that make the footage even more dramatic?
It made sense, so they gladly agreed.
'She’s really sharp.'
Whenever moments like this came up, Baek Jinwoo truly felt just how much Yoo Jia helped him.
Because she handled all the miscellaneous things he couldn’t do himself.
And on top of that, she left no gaps.
She even took care of things that were hard to think about in advance.
There was one more thing.
Yoo Jia asked what they planned to do about the information value of the Tower of Trials after the 41st floor, since it would be higher than expected.
“It’s fine. Even if they watch my play, they won’t be able to copy it properly anyway. There’s no real information in it. Episode or whatever, Explosive Dragon is just going to burn everything.”
To begin with, information on the Tower of Trials had all been revealed before as well.
Was it because Baekcheon lacked information that he couldn’t clear the 80th floor?
The Tower of Trials was the kind of place where strategies varied wildly depending on what summons you had.
“Yeah, don’t worry too much. Thanks for everything, always. Yeah~”
Click.
Baek Jinwoo ended the call.
Having Yoo Jia on his side felt this reassuring.
'Now the break is over.'
The route for the 50th floor was already vivid in his head, and even the detailed plan had all been laid out.
Now only one thing remained.
He just had to go up.
* * *
The next day.
Player Zone, main gate of the Tower of Trials.
“Good day, sir.”
The PBC staff had been waiting for Baek Jinwoo at the main gate.
Two of them, dressed in neat suits and organizing a set of equipment.
One of them gave a perfectly straight ninety-degree bow with a deeply honored expression.
“It is the honor of my family line to meet a ranker.”
“Ah, yes.”
Baek Jinwoo smiled.
“So I just need to put on the equipment here?”
“Yes, that’s right! These are the latest filming devices, so light that you won’t even feel like you’re wearing them. You’re going up to the 41st floor of the Tower, correct? We heard you’re planning to conquer all the way to the 50th floor, Rachel’s highest record....”
“Yes.”
“Really... that’s incredible.”
They weren’t bowing and scraping out of necessity.
The staff had no pretense in them.
Every single action of theirs carried genuine respect.
“Please take this.”
And then, one of the staff handed over the advance payment.
'Oh.'
Baek Jinwoo’s eyes lit up as he accepted it.
'I don’t know where they got things like this, but....'
Even Eternal Snow Ginseng alone would be worth an enormous amount.
They believed filming Baek Jinwoo was worth even more than that.
After receiving the items, Baek Jinwoo examined them.
The Eternal Snow Ginseng was exactly the same as the one he had seen before.
[Azure Stone Milk]
[Grade: S-rank]
[When consumed by a summon, all stats permanently increase by 30, and HP permanently increases by 10,000.]
Azure Stone Milk was the kind that permanently inflated HP.
Perfect for a damage-tank summon.
He’d keep this one for the moment.
[Sun Mythology]
[Grade: A-rank]
[When consumed by a summon, the damage of Fire attribute skills permanently increases by 10%.]
Huh?
Isn’t this completely for Explosive Dragon?
“Explosive Dragon.”
There was no need to think any further.
Sun Mythology.
According to HunGyo, it was a medicinal herb made from a sacred flower that had grown for a thousand years beneath the sun....
“Consume it right now.”
Explosive Dragon approached and accepted it with a grateful expression.
Some might ask what meaning there was in adding another 10% when it was already broken as it was....
'It matters.'
The stronger something was, the more effective that 10% increase would become.
Next was Ice-Heart Jade Blood Paste!
[Ice-Heart Jade Blood Paste]
[Grade: A-rank]
[When consumed by a summon, resistance to Ice attribute increases by 50%.]
Hmm.
The effect was good, but it was a little awkward.
Of course he was going to feed it to someone, but who should get it...?
'If it’s resistance, then it should go to a tank.'
Right.
“It’s you, Jaggeo.”
—Gwo?
“But how are you supposed to eat this?”
Ice-Heart Jade Blood Paste.
A thick medicinal paste made from the essence extracted from thousand-year snow jade within a glacier.
A golem could eat this?
—Gwoooh!
Jaggeo stretched out his hand and opened his fist.
“.......”
When Baek Jinwoo placed the paste on it, Jaggeo brought it to where his mouth was—
Crunch, crunch!
—and ate it far too naturally.
That worked?
Do golems have digestive organs?
No idea.
Probably just Battle of Summoners settings.
Watching that rare sight together with the staff, Baek Jinwoo nodded.
“Thank you for offering such fine elixirs. May I go now?”
“Ah, yes! Of course!”
The staff hurriedly cleared the way.
He had already finished putting on all the equipment.
It was similar to what he had used with Yoo Jia back in the early days, so he knew well how to operate it.
“Then, see you later.”
As Baek Jinwoo strode forward confidently, he sorted out the rest in his mind.
'One Eternal Snow Ginseng goes to Aso, and that Azure Stone Milk will be set aside as a reward for a guild member.'
That seemed the cleanest.
Now then!
From here on, shall we make a proper sprint to the 50th floor?
‘If I’m going to show them, I might as well show them something spectacular, right?’
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