Ex-level Player With the Greatest Civilization of All Time - Chapter 97

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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 97

“Are you really okay with this?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm….”
I paid for the Chocolate at a nearby counter first.
Then I turned back and spoke.
“Why don’t you pick up some clothes for yourself, Sermin? Just one outfit.”
Sermin’s expression grew stern.
“I’m. Quite. Fine. Thank. You.”
“…Suit yourself.”
When I headed toward the clothing section,
I spotted Neia and Tia in their new outfits.
Of course, they were surrounded by countless onlookers, but….
The moment I stepped forward, the crowd parted.

“You’ve arrived, sir!”
I gave Baek Jin-seong a casual wave and examined both of them.
After seeing them in the same drab uniform day after day,
these new clothes felt refreshing.

– I hope the Humanoid society comes soon!!
– I told you he’d like them too, didn’t I?
– Please give me a daughter like Tia! Please!!
– Why no comment from the boss?

“They suit you both well.”
Regardless, I could feel the crowd swelling around us.
The Drone kept people at a distance, but this situation wouldn’t improve if it dragged on.
If I didn’t want to get trapped in an autograph frenzy, I should leave quickly.
“Shall we head back?”
“Yes.”
I tidied up briefly and made my escape.
Baek Jin-seong and I parted ways midway, as before.
“Keep tomorrow around ten o’clock free.”
When I was about to resume Tower Climbing, which I’d been neglecting,
Baek Jin-seong looked pleased at the work schedule I mentioned while we said goodbye.
“So it’s finally beginning.”
“Yeah, and tell Kang Se-hyun about it too.”
“Leave it to me.”
After sharing the simple itinerary, I was about to turn away when Baek Jin-seong spoke up.
“Ah, sir.”
He called me back and stepped closer, leaning in to whisper.
“Please take this.”
“What is it?”
Baek Jin-seong had already finished paying while I was away.
He glanced at Sermin, then whispered to me.
“It’s the outfit the viewers chose for Sermin.”
“Really?”
I took it regardless.
After confirming Sermin’s stubbornness, I figured throwing it away would be wasteful anyway.
I’d just show it to her casually.
“All right, now really go.”
“Take care!”
Anyway, once I got home, I went straight to the Command Center and collapsed onto the sofa.
Last time, I’d lingered in the One-room apartment, enjoying myself late into the night.
But today there was none of that—we disbanded immediately.
The reason was simple: I didn’t think anyone would enjoy it.
“Everyone worked hard today.”
I handed a gift to Sermin.
That was when I stood up from my seat.
“Ar, you should stop gaming now and head back.”
I need some rest myself.
“Yes!”
Ar, who had been playing a game with Pluto, quickly put things away, spotted Tia, and dropped the controller.
Sigh. This little munchkin was already acting strange.
He’d been odd ever since the festival last time.
“But if this keeps up…”
Maybe we won’t have to argue about family matters anymore.

* * *

The next morning started early.
I woke an hour earlier than usual, ate breakfast, and had tea time.
“Sometimes you do need a day like this.”
To meet Kang Se-hyun today, I needed to clear Floors 26 through 30 by late morning.
The early wake-up was purely for that purpose.
‘Five floors should be enough with four hours.’
Really, if there are no major variables, two hours would suffice.
Ever since leaving the tutorial, each floor has been taking roughly thirty minutes.
But the Tower is unpredictable—you never know what might happen.
So I added two hours as buffer.
Even if complications arise repeatedly.
I could manage it now.
“I’d get through it easily enough.”
The City’s power is stronger than ever.
Beyond sheer numbers, Tia has joined us this time, unlike before.
The energy is unprecedented.
I can’t imagine a scenario where we’re pushed back.
“About twenty minutes left?”
Checking the clock: 7:40 AM.
I wondered if I’d prepared too early.
But having time to enjoy tea leisurely is a good thing.
I was reading a report on the City’s status and sipping coffee when Neia’s voice pulled me back.

‘It would be best to depart soon.’

Already that time?
Clink.
I finished my cup and spoke to Neia.
“See you in a bit.”
“Yes, I’ll be waiting.”
One last check before Tower climbing—making sure I hadn’t forgotten anything.
Though honestly, there’s nothing special I need to pack.
After confirming, I equipped everything.
Then I pulled up my status window.

[Enter the Tower?]

I was about to confirm this message and finalize my departure when Kamang-i came fluttering over and stuck fast to my belly.
“Come back soon and play with me.”
I peeled him off and set him down, but when I tried to leave, he clung to my back again, and when I moved him away, he scrambled up and wrapped himself around my leg.
He just wouldn’t let go.
Did he not want me to go?
Either way, I had no choice.
“I’ll be back soon.”
I ended up putting him in the room.

Miya-a-

A cry brimming with anguish.
Much like the sound it made when separated from its mother.
Does it think I’m its father?
That doesn’t seem right…

[Entering the Tower.]

After a handful of minor complications, I stepped into the Tower at last.
The first thing that greeted me was the neutral zone spanning the twenties.
Grace.
I’d been waiting only a moment when Baek Jin-seong appeared.
About five minutes behind schedule.
“I’ve arrived, sir.”
“Mm… You doing alright?”
“Sir?”
But I couldn’t bring myself to scold him.
The dark circles beneath his eyes were pronounced, and his body seemed drained of all vitality—as if he’d been worn down by the heat itself.
When I pointed this out, Baek Jin-seong spoke up.
“I apologize for the worry, sir. There were quite a lot of inquiries last night.”
Apparently, they’d come mostly from the Tenth Rank Guild—persistent system messages hounding him relentlessly.
In truth, it was partly my doing for dropping all my own duties, so I felt oddly apologetic.
“Accept the party invitation.”
Nearby gazes were already beginning to converge on us anyway.

[Baek Jin-seong has joined the party.]

With Baek Jin-seong now in the party, I moved deeper into the Tower and entered the waiting area on the 25th Floor.

* * *

“It’s been a while since I’ve set foot in here.”
Nearly twenty days since my last entry.
The musty, moldy smell of the Tower’s interior felt oddly welcoming.
But sentiment could wait.
Time was short today, so I cut straight to business.
“Ready to go?”
“Yes!”
I entered the 26th Floor.

[Entering the 26th Floor.]
[Assigning Quest.]
[26th Floor— Queue: 41 / 100]

The first thing I checked was the queue.
From my experience so far,
suspicious incidents tend to begin when the queue and quest windows appear.
But when I surveyed the 26th Floor, I detected nothing unusual.
“The queue looks fine…”
Once the checks were complete, I opened the Gate immediately.
Drones poured out in a torrent.
And among their ranks stood the ever-reliable humanoids.
A low rumble of voices filled the space.
The Gate’s emergence drew attention that hadn’t been there moments before—all of it fixed on me.
By now, I’d become something like an identity card all on my own.
The surrounding area erupted into noise.
Krail and Ar moved to secure the perimeter, shielding my position.
“Everyone, please maintain a safe distance.”
“Come now, as long as you maintain a safe distance, there shouldn’t be any trouble.”
Sermin kept watch around me.
Pluto wasn’t visible, but he was somewhere nearby.
Thanks to them, I could survey my surroundings with ease.
‘It’s hotter than I expected, though…’
The 26th Floor field was a volcanic region.
The ashen ground, blanketed in volcanic ash, made quite an impression.
The heat shimmered thick and heavy.
If I looked closely, wouldn’t lava be flowing somewhere nearby?
“You’re here?”
“Yes!”
It was about then that the surroundings seemed finally organized.
Baek Jin-seong arrived.
I could hear the viewers’ voice chat.

– How long has it been since tower climbing?
– Honestly the ordeal is trash. If it wasn’t for that, we’d have cleared floor 50 long ago.
– Floor 50? More like floor 70 lol, we saw it all.

I was grateful they held me in such high regard.
But honestly, floor 70 was going too far.
It’s because I’m cautious by nature.
I rule out intense tower climbing expeditions.
Though I suppose floor 50 might have been feasible.

– But why isn’t anyone talking about the volcanic field?
– For real, this place is pretty bizarre too.
– It’s Neia, though.
– Well, Neia I guess.
– Are you gonna clear it or not? Clear it or not?
– The fact is, she’s clearing floor 26 even while coasting through it.

[Floor 26 Waiting List – 81 / 100]

The waiting list was filling up quickly…
And all the while, the viewers kept chattering amongst themselves.
I’d heard they’d raised the voice chat rate recently…
Doesn’t the money bother them?
Anyway, rather than leave it unattended, I chimed in after listening for a bit.

– And Neia must have received a blessing anyway.
– Right, now that you mention it.
– Wouldn’t that make her capable of rank 1 in the power rankings right now?

“That’s not quite it.”
For one, that’s because they don’t know my skills.
It’s true that Ar and the Humanoids have grown stronger.
Their skills went up from Combat Learning.
But that’s an indirect benefit from the Blessing — I’m not receiving direct application myself.
So I didn’t think they’d gotten that much stronger.
And it was just as I was saying that.
The rapidly filling waiting list finally completed.
Ding—

– Finally done with the waiting list!
– What quest will come up?
– As long as it’s not harvesting Flame Herb, we’re good, right?

The hardest part was harvesting Flame Herb.
Gathering Flame Herb by itself was already a tedious task, but the real problem was that the monster Flare Worm slept around the Flame Herb.
In the worst case, I’d have to be prepared to be attacked by dozens of Flare Worms while harvesting just a few Flame Herbs.
Ding—
And then, at last, the Quest assignment appeared.

[Complete the given Quest within the time limit]
[Quest: Monster Subjugation – Lava Golems 0 / 80]

– Will Baek Jin-seong clear 80 Lava Golems in under two minutes or go over?
– Obviously under.
– If he goes over, he’s donating.

As my recent popularity skyrocketed, people had begun gambling on my tower-climbing times and clearance ranks.
I knew it wasn’t exactly commendable behavior, but they were still throwing enormous sums at me and asking—
“Under.”
I gave my answer and issued instructions to Krail.
Already twenty seconds had passed.
“Krail, end this in one go.”
“Leave it to me.”
The moment Krail opened the other eye he kept shut normally, eye markings blazed across roughly two hundred Drones.
The extraordinary Drones unleashed beams of light across the entire map in perfect unison.
Rat-a-tat-tat—
Boom-boom…

[Quest: Monster Subjugation – Lava Golems 17 / 80]
[Quest: Monster Subjugation – Lava Golems 39 / 80]
[Quest: Monster Subjugation – Lava Golems 73 / 80]

The kill count climbed in a flash, as if a bug had been triggered.
Before it surpassed eighty—
not even ten seconds had elapsed.

– Uh… isn’t that a new record?

I’d achieved a career high.

* * *

Moments later, I arrived at the waiting room on the 26th Floor.
The result I’d just witnessed wasn’t something I’d anticipated either.
And for good reason—the Drones’ performance had exceeded my expectations.
‘What on earth?’
Fundamentally, the Drones’ range was short.
The longer the distance, the worse the accuracy became—not to mention the power diminished as well.
Krail’s Skill provided calibration adjustments.
Even accounting for the bombardment pattern we’d constructed, this precision made no sense.
But as I thought it over, something occurred to me.

– Blessing is insane
– Always defies imagination.
– It suddenly flashed just now and I fell backward lol lol lol lol lol

The viewers thought the change was purely due to Blessing and my power, but…
“What’s the matter with you?”
The real reason was this one.
Baek Jin-seong.
Live Broadcast and Cumulative Tally.
During the last trial, most of the fighting had developed away from headquarters, so we hadn’t seen their effects.
This time, though, I’d received all of his buffs.
And that wasn’t all.
His Skill itself would have been buffed by Blessing as well…
Ding.
It was precisely as I was thinking just that.
The formal tally had begun.

– Huh? The tally’s starting.
– Obviously it’s gotta be SSS Grade.
– Come on, show us.

Both I and the viewers were waiting for the SSS Grade result when it happened.
A clearance rank I’d never seen before appeared.

[Clearance Rank SSS+ Achieved!]

SSS+
What in the world is that?

—————
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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