“Gandara…”

Jinhyuk slowly savored the name.

It was one of the seven major guilds and a mid-sized force that had been growing rapidly.

Naturally, it had received courtship offers from various factions within the tower, and it had chosen to establish a foundation with “Murim”.

But now, they had managed to deal with Velmariel.

There were two possibilities.

One was that they had support from someone of a higher level than those deployed by Murim for the siege, meaning a master equivalent to a sect leader.

Or, the leader of Gandara Guild, ‘Nirasha’, was unimaginably strong.

If it were the latter, it meant Nirasha was growing at a significantly faster pace than ordinary residents.

With the damage caused by the demon’s manifestation, both forces had momentarily entered a ceasefire. The situation was turning quite interesting.

Perhaps an exciting event might occur before heading to the 15th floor where the Witch of Lamentation resided.

Of course, there might be opportunities to gain from it.

“Pesis, can we not see the rankings of others?”

“Normally, there would be conditions, but for you, Mr. Jinhyuk, I’ll make an exception just this once. Would you like to see Player Nirasha?”

“Please.”

Jinhyuk nodded, and another status window appeared.

[Nirasha (275th)]

275th… quite high up in the rankings.

Given that the rankings were continuously changing, there was potential for further ascent.

“Thank you, this was very helpful.”

“Ah, but I heard that Moon Yeong and Andria were with you too, but I don’t see them?”

Pesis glanced again among the group.

“They had some matters to wrap up and couldn’t stay.”

“Matters to wrap up…?”

“Personal matters. They should be at the palace by the time we arrive, so don’t worry too much.”

“Hmm, I see. Something’s going on. Alright, I won’t pry further. As long as I can meet them, I have no issue.”

“Let’s get going then. It becomes quite dangerous here at night with frequent monster appearances.”

Jinhyuk glanced through the trees.

Although it was quiet now, at night, the larger species would awaken and start to roam.

To avoid any troublesome encounters, they needed to leave the forest before then.

Of course, some might never make it out of this forest.

＊＊＊

Under the dim moonlight.

“Pant Pant… Gasp”

Namgung Cheon was frantically dashing through the forest.

His breathing was ragged, and his body was soaked with sweat and blood, but he could not afford to stop even for a moment.

Swoosh. Swoosh!

Multiple shadows continued to close in around him.

All the comrades who had been fleeing with him had disappeared.

Whether they were elsewhere or dead, he had no clue.

But he couldn’t afford to care about that now.

All that mattered was moving as far away as possible.

“I, Namgung Cheon, cannot die in vain like this.”

He had struggled to survive, climbing higher and higher.

Uselessly discarding the useless and exploiting the useful…

And he had finally reached this point.

But now, it was all disintegrating into nothing, all because of that damn Kang Jinhyuk!

“I will kill him. Next time, I will bring everyone from the Five Great Families and the Nine Martial Sects and take his head!”

Just as Namgung Cheon hid behind a tree and gritted his teeth,

“There’s no next time for you.”

A low, beautiful voice echoed through the air.

That voice. Undoubtedly.

It was the woman who had been attacking his comrades.

“Stop hiding and show yourself if you’re not a coward!”

“Cowardly… Well, I suppose it would seem that way to you.”

From the forest, a woman with white short hair and red eyes appeared.

She was the boss of the 5th layer, and the owner of the mental asylum, a major stronghold.

It was Andria.

“Monster, was it? Why would a boss monster follow a human?”

“Does race matter when it comes to whom one follows?”

“I know bosses have their pride. It doesn’t make sense for one to follow a human who is beneath them.”

“It’s interesting you think he’s beneath me.”

Her physical prowess surpassing the bosses of various floors and her strategic acumen were not something that could be categorized as merely human.

Not even the greatest beings in the tower could defeat Jinhyuk.

Jinhyuk possessed a peculiar power that transcended mere figures, forcing victory as an outcome.

“Above all, Mr. Jinhyuk saved my life, which was miserable and destined to be sacrificed. I owe him a debt I can never repay.”

For Andria, wielding her sword needed no other reason.

“Cough!”

Namgung Cheon staggered back as the murderous intent thickened in the air.

But that too didn’t provide an escape.

“There’s no way out.”

A low, heavy voice came from behind.

Moon Yeong, who had activated ‘Shadow Extreme Kill’, slowly rose from the shadow cast by the trees.

The sword’s light was dazzling.

And before he knew it, numerous masked figures had surrounded him from the tree branches.

It was the White Snake and Shadow Corps.

There was no escape now.

“Uuuugh…”

Namgung Cheon’s body started shaking like a leaf.

“The crime of drawing a sword against our lord, and the crime of insolently belittling him with your filthy mouth. You deserve to die.”

Moon Yeong pointed his sword forward.

At the same time.

Andria also held a sharp dagger in reverse grip.

“Wait, wait. Let’s negotiate… tell me what you want. Money? Power? I’ll give you anything, just please…!”

Namgung Cheon desperately begged for his life.

Pride was irrelevant; his mind was consumed only with the need to survive.

But…

“No need.”

“I’m not inclined.”

What came back was a cold refusal.

And that was…

Thump! Swoosh!

“Aaaaagh!”

The end of Namgung Cheon, who had led the Zhonghua Guild and eventually betrayed it.

＊＊＊

Days later, Jinhyuk and his companions finally arrived at the capital of the Empire.

It had been a truly long journey.

Especially managing the terrifying appetites of Goguma and Alice had been the most troublesome.

‘I thought I was used to cooking, but I was terribly mistaken. Do they have a subspace inventory in their stomachs or what…’

Jinhyuk sighed softly, awakened from a dreadful nightmare.

Now, the hardships were over.

A grand welcome awaited them, as they had prevented a massive disaster.

And as if to prove those words,

As Jinhyuk entered through the city gates, a tremendous cheer erupted.

“Wowwww!”

“Wow! It’s the heroes! The saviors of the Empire!”

“Welcome! Please, come in!”

Thousands of people crowded along the road to see Jinhyuk and the rest of the party.

The guards barely managed to hold them back, but the control was nearly impossible due to the fervor of the citizens.

“Is the person at the front the hero who defeated the demons?”

“Hmm. I guess, but the man at the back looks more like a hero, doesn’t he? Just by his looks, he seems more fitting.”

“True, the person in front looks too ordinary. Compared to him, that knight looks like a cold statue… How can someone be that good-looking?”

“It’s like a pauper and a prince, haha!”

The young lady in the third row on the right and the middle-aged man in the seventh row on the left, and finally, a little kid around 7 years old.

He’d made a mental note of them all.

They’d understand why when the public safety officers visited them because of what they said.

As Jinhyuk was internally jotting down their names in a ‘death note,’

“Are you bothered by what those people said?”

Alice snickered beside him.

“Not at all. I’m not bothered in the slightest. Just wanted to get a good look at their faces, might see them again someday.”

“Humans don’t have great judgment. I think you’re better than some sword-fancying hero.”

Hmm. When did this one start making sense?

“Touching. Got something you want to eat?”

“…It’s not that… no, actually, yes, buy me something tasty later.”

Alice nodded with a wry smile.

“You’ve worked hard, so once we’re out of the tower, I’ll treat you to a feast.”

Jinhyuk’s mood slightly improved as he relaxed and steered the conversation again.

But suddenly…

‘…?’

He felt a strange gaze among the crowd.

Jinhyuk quickly turned his head, but he couldn’t discern the source of the discomfort.

It was too subtle, lost among the multitude of onlookers.

For a moment, he wondered if it was Gandara scouting, but Jinhyuk soon dismissed that possibility.

If it were a player, they couldn’t adjust their presence so adeptly.

More than anything, the sensation he had felt was too familiar.

Much like…

The aura he had felt from Alice.

As he reached that conclusion, his nerves tensed up.

‘…Could there be another vampire here?’

There was no other explanation.

And if so, it wasn’t just any vampire but a true ancient one.

The goal might not only be to target Alice but possibly to secure ‘that’ within the Empire…

“…”

“Why?”

“It’s nothing. I think I’m just being sensitive. It must be the fatigue from the long journey.”

Jinhyuk urged his mount forward nonchalantly.

There was no need to worry Alice right now.

Not yet, at least.

They continued through the long welcoming procession and arrived at the resplendent audience chamber.

The figures waiting for Jinhyuk were those he had seen when he first came to the Empire.

Seated on the throne, looking frail, was Emperor Reinhardt III.

And standing by his side were Duke Bainstern and Penheimer.

“We have been waiting for you. You have been through a great deal.”

Reinhardt’s weak voice flowed.

But it was better than the first time.

Unlike when his eyes were dead, having lost hope in preserving the imperial power, now there was a faint glimmer in the Emperor’s pupils.

‘Soon, I will fulfill that dream, not just for you but for myself as well.’

[Gain the trust of Emperor ‘Reinhardt III’ and lead the Empire to complete prosperity.]

[Should you succeed, the third privilege for ‘the first to conquer the tower’ will be unlocked.]

A symbiotic relationship.

To gain the third privilege, he needed to be in the same boat as the Emperor.

‘In that regard, it seems necessary to show some propriety.’

That’s how you score points in these exchanges, especially with the nobility who enjoy pomp and circumstance.

Jinhyuk recalled a scene he had often seen in movies and gracefully knelt on one knee.

As expected.

A faint smile crossed the Emperor’s face.

“The service you performed by securing the fortress and upholding the dignity of the Empire against the vile demons is commendable. Therefore, I wish to express a small token of our gratitude.”

Finally, the Emperor’s reward was revealed.

Jinhyuk swallowed nervously.