Ex-level Player With the Greatest Civilization of All Time - Chapter 46

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 46

Kang Min-hyeok—South Korea’s undisputed number-one Player.
He checked the news on a portal site and immediately flew into a rage.
“Goddamn it, I should’ve crushed this from the start!”
He hurled his phone onto the floor with nervous fury.
The cracked screen glowed with article after article.

「Naia Rewrites the 15th Floor Section… ‘The Tower’s Strategy Has Changed’」
「Yamada Awakens and Thanks Naia… ‘Without Him, I Wouldn’t Be Here Now’」
「Player Magazine’s Pick: This Year’s Most Promising Player #1 ‘Naia’」

He was sick of it.
Naia, Naia, Naia—everywhere he looked.
The praise for that bastard never stopped.
Kang Min-hyeok was deeply displeased.
Of course, it hadn’t always been this way.
He was the nation’s best, after all.
People used to lift only him up.
But somewhere along the line, something shifted.
The current changed.
When that bastard cleared the Tutorial Section in record time.
When that punk started streaming.
When he turned the Floating Garden upside down.
With each incident, his place in the public eye grew colder, until one day there wasn’t a single article about him.
“Do they even know? Today I cleared the 76th Floor!”
That made him only three floors behind Japan’s Yamada.
And he wasn’t far from the top American rankers hovering in the early 80s.
Unquestionably the first in the country to reach this height.
Yet the public’s interest in him had turned glacial.
“When I was on top, they clung to me. Now they treat me like this?”
He was also unhappy with the Association’s moves.
Offering that bastard a higher contract than him.
They’d renegotiated higher afterward, sure.
But it was a matter of pride.
“If I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t take this lying down either.”
His grip on reason snapped.
On the phone whose screen was cracked and bleeding dark pixels, he searched for a website.
Black Track.
A notorious hunter site.
Before his phone’s lifespan ended, what he intended to do was place a contract for Naia’s assassination.
A low chuckle escaped his lips.
“Huh, there’s already quite a bit on him. Should’ve just kept his head down and lived quietly.”
Kang Min-hyeok let out a short, bitter laugh when he saw the enormous bounty hanging over Naia’s head.
Even without him, there was already 900 billion won piled on that bastard.
Before that it had accumulated to around 200 billion, but yesterday some madman had apparently posted 700 billion.
Kang Min-hyeok threw his own money in like a finishing blow, pushing it to a full trillion won.
“Now that’s more like it.”
He tossed the phone aside, its screen now completely black, and grinned with dark amusement.
The dead, darkened screen seemed to mirror Naia’s future perfectly.

* * *

Early morning.
The dawn dew that had fallen on the city hadn’t yet dried.

『It is time to wake up, Seon-woo.』

I began my morning to the sound of Naia’s voice.
“Mmm….”
The moment my eyes opened, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
Not the Studio Apartment where I always woke.
The Core Center’s command room.
I stifled a yawn, shaking off sleep.

‘Did you rest well last night?’

“Thanks to you.”
Why was I here? The reason was simple.
Last night.
Once I’d learned I could keep up to three Gates open at once.
I’d installed one Gate in this command room and promptly moved in.
Through the Gate beside that entrance lay the mountainside.
And waiting on that mountainside was another Gate leading back to the Studio Apartment.
“Heh heh heh.”
Until now, I’d left the command room entirely unused.
The distance made it inconvenient, and being cut off from the outside world—no internet, no connection—had been a serious drawback.
But now that the distance had collapsed so dramatically, everything changed.

‘I’ve prepared breakfast for you.’

“Thanks.”
I left the bedroom and headed toward the kitchen.
There, on the table, sat a warm meal steaming with fresh heat.

‘The meal has been prepared with balanced nutritional content.’

As I took my seat, Naia continued her explanation of the spread.

‘First, a roasted chicken salad—light on the digestive system.’

The colors were so vibrant it looked appetizing at a glance.
A salad composed of vegetables—sliced cherry tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, red onion—crowned with generously scattered chicken.
I wound some chicken and vegetables together on my fork and took a bite.
‘What dressing is this? It’s insanely good.’
While I savored the salad, Naia prattled on with evident pride.

‘However, accounting for possible insufficient fullness, I’ve also prepared egg toast and strawberry jam.’

A single perfectly toasted slice.
Thankfully, it was evenly browned.
I ate the breakfast Naia had prepared with genuine appreciation.
It had been nearly two years since someone had made me breakfast.
The lonely ache of living alone began to thaw.

‘Did you enjoy the meal?’

“I did.”

‘Excellent. Early yesterday morning you said something about wanting “breakfast made by a beautiful girl,” which I found rather bewildering, but I’m pleased I was able to complete the task successfully.’

“I didn’t say it exactly like that.”
I’d made a request, but this felt a bit unfair.
“And strictly speaking, that’s not a beautiful girl—that robot made it.”
The kitchen robot in the apron over there.
The bulky, ungainly thing stutters under my gaze.

“Our city’s most beautiful maiden, GX-62022.”

If I pointed out that she was, technically, female, I’d probably be called insensitive to AI feelings.
“So… was breakfast good?”
I’d slipped through that minefield barely intact and turned to look at Naia, shaking my head.
She seemed to be thoroughly enjoying teasing me.
Still, the morning had been satisfying.
The menu was something Naia had arranged, after all, so I appreciated the thought.
“Thanks, anyway.”

“Think nothing of it. Please have a cup of coffee.”

The robot—what was her number again, GX-62022?
Too much trouble to remember all that, so I’d just call her Dool-dool instead, using the last two digits.
The black coffee Dool-dool served had a pleasant aroma.
The kind of fragrance that gives a busy modern person a moment of lingering peace.
Post-breakfast tea time while gazing out at the city.
The mind settles.
From a fresh morning meal to tea time like this.
Is this the reason people get married?
If that were really it, then as an unmarried man, I supposed I was getting the best parts without the rest—and I couldn’t complain about that.
Maybe this was civilization’s greatest gift.

“What are you thinking about so intently?”

I was about to give a simple answer when it occurred to me that I always took her jabs, so I fired back.
“I was just thinking life married to an artificial intelligence wouldn’t be so bad.”
What do you think of that, AI?
That’s how humans flirt.
I was congratulating myself silently while looking out the window, but when I didn’t hear Naia’s response, anxiety crept in and I turned my head.
Naia’s eyes on the screen had turned red.
Not malfunctioning, it seemed—was she processing something?
“What are you doing?”

“I was searching for examples of marriages between artificial intelligences and humans.”

Should I tell her it was just a joke? Would she get mad?
No, wait—this could be another trap set by her. And yet I had no choice but to fall for it.
I knew it might be a trap, but I had to bite anyway.
If it wasn’t a trap, there was no better moment than now to do damage control.
“That was… just a joke.”
“…Tormenting an innocent AI like that makes you the worst inheritor sob sob…”
On Naia’s blank face, I caught the faintest glimmer of emotion.
So it really was a trap after all.
Was mankind truly no match for AIs even in humor now?
But seeing things like this, Naia really has changed a lot.
Back then, she had no expression at all.
“You’ve changed.”

“Have I?”

“Yeah.”

“In what way do you believe this to be true? I request information sharing. If this change is negative, I must understand it to maintain perfect processes.”

I let out a small laugh, set down my cup, and stretched.
“I’m not telling you. Figure it out yourself.”
I finished the coffee and washed the cup.
Today happened to be the day I’d fallen two days behind on clearing the sixteenth floor.
“I’ll be heading out then.”

“Come back safely.”

[Entering the tower.]

* * *

I arrived in Feronta and met Baek Jin-seong in front of the tower.
We disbanded the party and entered the 16th floor immediately.

[Entering Floor 16.]

As always, the first thing I checked was the Field of Floor 16.
I had an intuition that this time wouldn’t be easy either.
“Of all the Fields to get….”
The Cliff Field, like the Floating Garden, was a Field many players actively avoided.
Then again, maybe this was fortunate.
Fewer snipers would bother trailing me if fewer people were coming through.
Once I built up momentum, there was no way anyone could match my pace of progression anyway — so the circumstances were likely to work in my favor.
So naturally, I decided to push forward.
I met eyes with Baek Jin-seong, tucked away in a distant corner.
We had a prior understanding.
My face was already well-known enough now that after entering the Floor, he’d stay out of sight.
He nodded.
The moment he gave the gesture, I headed for a secluded spot.
Fortunately, I found a reasonably deep cave and slipped inside.
There, I opened a Gate.
“Krail answered the summons.”
“Is this the battlefield?”
Krail and Ar emerged.
Sermin, arms crossed, stepped out alongside the drones.
Looking at my reliable dream team, I spoke.
“Let’s clear this fast and get back to the city.”
I headed toward Baek Jin-seong, who by now would be waiting with the broadcast running, drones at my side.
Then I felt eyes on me.
Unsurprisingly, the gazes were quite direct.
If I’d been alone, there wouldn’t have been any attention at all.
The drones were as famous as Baek Jin-seong, so it made sense.
“Isn’t that Naia?”
“Should we ask for an autograph?”
“Does Naia even do autographs?”
“Didn’t you see? Community posted about it yesterday….”
“Where did I put that pen….”
The Players who’d been whispering while watching me and the drones cautiously approached.
Of course, I wasn’t afraid.
Krail and Sermin were here.
Right now, this might be the safest place in the universe.
If every Player approaching me rushed us all at once, my companions would protect me.
And even if they somehow broke through,
I was equipped well enough now that I could hold my own against most Players.

Spirit-Imbued Leather Armor
Spirit King’s Crown

So I simply kept a watchful mindset—being cautious never hurt—and observed the situation unfold.
“Naia, would you sign something for me?”
“I’m a fan.”
“Can we touch Ar?”
Sermin and Krail stepped forward to block them.
Or rather, before they even finished blocking, the Players turned away and laced their fingers behind their heads.
“Like… this, right?”
“Just do it on my back instead.”
“Naia’s promotion—now that’s stylish.”
They dropped to their knees without hesitation, faces alight with anticipation.
Was this a hidden camera setup?
How had rumors spread like this?
I spoke, feeling decidedly off-balance.
“What’s your name?”
After signing for about a dozen people, I rejoined Baek Jin-seong.
“You’re back.”
“Yeah…”
The waiting line was nearly finished anyway.
I decided to ask about the broadcast.
“How are the viewers?”
“Just the usual chatter, mostly. Oh, and we’re opening the sponsorship chat now.”
The moment he lifted the restriction that had kept him quiet in the corner, voice chat flooded in.

– Finally free!
– By the way, what’s the boss wearing today?
– Looks sharp.
– Where’d you catch that hawk next to you?

What the viewers fixated on first was, predictably, Krail’s transformation.
Krail’s appearance had changed dramatically.
Krail answered the viewers politely.
“This unit is a robot like myself, entrusted to me by the Commander. And I’ve been promoted—I’m a Captain now, not a Lieutenant.”
There was a distinct note of pride in his tone when he mentioned the promotion.
The viewers responded warmly.

– Oh, really?
– Promoted already? Nice.

Ar, listening to the exchange between the viewers and Krail, deliberately displayed his own insignia.
Though he seemed to hold back somewhat, conscious of Sermin’s presence.
Fortunately, the viewers didn’t miss the gesture.

– Oh, Ar got promoted too.
– So he’s a First Lieutenant now.

Watching the flow quietly, I checked the waiting line at an appropriate moment and opened the topic.
“Looks like the queue’s wrapping up. Should we give it a shot?”
Today’s ascent had a purpose beyond simply climbing the tower.
To test the Crown’s effects.
And to see firsthand how the upgraded Drones performed for the first time.

– But isn’t it the Cliff Field though?

One viewer raised a point about the Field itself.
Related comments followed in quick succession.

– You’re going in there?
– You got a death wish or something?
– At least it’s better than the Floating Garden before, right?
– Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

The consensus was that it was marginally better than the Floating Garden had been.
But the very fact that the Cliff Field was even mentioned as a comparison made its difficulty unmistakably clear.
Of course, I didn’t mind.
If I’d been worried about that sort of thing, I wouldn’t have summoned Drones in the first place.
Above all, unlike ordinary Players who had to painstakingly climb the cliff face and hunt, I had Drones—that was the whole point.
The queue had conveniently filled to capacity at just the right moment.
Ding—
A new mission appeared on the assignment board.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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