I Conquered the Tower with the EX-Class Character That I Raised - Chapter 9

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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 9
[Tower Break – Floor 94]
[Tower Break Boss: Ancient Blue Dragon – Frost Dragon Scathach]
[5 Days Until Start]
“Scathach is appearing?”
With synchronization maintained, EX-grade mana now flows through my body.
In other words, in this very moment, I receive an official hunter classification.
The System Message—a privilege only hunters can enjoy, invisible to me when I was an awakening-disabled individual without mana—is now accessible to me as well.
Ding—!
Overlaying the real world’s crimson warning window came a familiar golden system interface filling my vision.
It was the Lost Honor Quest window.
[Urgent Epic Quest]
[Save South Korea from the Brink of Annihilation 2]
[Quest Objective]
[Eliminate Frost Dragon Scathach]
[Reward]
[Constellation Corridor – ‘Achievement’ Unlocked]
[Possession Ticket]
“As expected. The moment Scathach appears in reality, the extermination quest pops up in the game too.”
My eyes widened as I examined the rewards.
Achievement.
This is truly delicious in Lost Honor.
When you complete special and unique objectives, ‘Achievements’ are fulfilled, and the system grants rewards that are difficult to obtain otherwise.
Constellation Corridor Achievement unlocked?
My experience as a veteran of Lost Honor’s murky depths screams at me.
This is a stat-up system linked to the Corridor.
‘It’s pure honey! And the possession ticket refill is perfect too.’
“Heh heh.”
There’s naturally no reason to refuse such a reward.
However, the quest objective struck me as slightly odd.
‘They’re asking me to personally eliminate Scathach?’
Scathach was an enemy Han Seol-ah had easily defeated in my world.
With a Genesis-grade staff in Han Seol-ah’s hands, there shouldn’t be any major issues with the extermination itself—so why are they asking me to directly intervene?
Rather…
“Five days.”
The Break cycle of thirty days has been drastically reduced.
This is the real problem.
With Han Seol-ah and the power of Eternal Winter, there shouldn’t be major issues eliminating any boss that appears, but…
“Can we actually manage this?”
The issue is that the entire population of South Korea must maintain combat readiness throughout this period.
“I could block it a few times, but if this drags on, it’ll be catastrophic.”
So the system classified it as a ‘Crisis of Annihilation’ and issued me a Quest.
“Either way, the rewards are sweet, so I’m grateful.”
The situation had become crystal clear.
There was only one answer: climb the Tower.
Han Seol-ah would hold back Scathach when she arrived, and in that time, I would ascend the Tower to solve the fundamental cause.
A perfect division of labor.
To make that happen.
I needed to become stronger.
“Oh, magic stones are valuable.”
As my first step toward that goal.
I came to collect the magic stone from the ogre mutation I’d just slain.
A mysterious stone emitting dangerous-looking mist, lying where the ogre had fallen.
The magic stone—called the universal energy source since the dawn of the Hunter era.
It was the size of an adult man’s head.
There were two ways to handle it.
Turn it in to the Hunter Association and earn contribution points.
It was legal, convenient since they handled everything from collection to settlement, and the contribution points could be used freely.
With contribution points, I could buy everything from food to hunter equipment—the best option for now.
But I rejected it.
The reason was simple.
“I’m an unawakened person.”
I’d lived a life where I wasn’t even treated as human.
I couldn’t even get national certification, let alone register with the Hunter Association.
Register now?
What would I say when asked where I’d been and what I’d been doing all this time?
So I went with the second method.
Illegal.
From collection to settlement, there were countless risks of getting backstabbed.
And even after painfully converting it, all the goods came with outrageous markups.
The Black Market.
In other words, the underground market.
“I’m here.”
[We’ve been waiting for you, VIP.]
A VIP like me was treated differently, apparently.
“I have some things to sell.”
[…You’re selling?]
“Yes. Some magic stones.”
[…Pardon?!]
Crash! Thud!
Noise crackled through the phone receiver.
‘Is there really reason to be so shocked?’
Well, of course I’ve only ever been buying until now.
This is my first time selling.
…Is it really so strange that someone who’s only ever consumed rice suddenly decides to sell something?
Lost Honor truly was a magnificent game.
It allowed me to survive for a full decade—someone incapable of external activities or even minimal economic engagement.
Remarkably so.
When I sell items through Lost Honor’s auction house, they deposit coins usable at the Black Market into my account.
I’ve used these coins to buy meals.
I’ve even indulged in some luxuries from time to time.
That’s how I earned the VIP rank.
‘…It sounds grandiose, but honestly, it’s nothing special.’
I know there are those called the ‘Numbers’—the truly elite—above me, so I must remain humble.
[I-I’ll head over there right away!]
“You’ll come?”
[Yes, yes. It’s also to commemorate the VIP’s first sale, and for a transaction of this magnitude—mana stones—we typically provide a house call service.]
“…Really?”
This was the first I’d heard of the Black Market offering house calls.
[Yes, yes. You may not have heard of it. It’s a service we only provide in limited, special cases. As you’re aware, mana stones are… rather dangerous to trade raw, aren’t they? Which makes this a special case.]
“I see, then.”
[If you could provide the meeting location…]
“Hmm.”
Location.
All my Black Market transactions so far had been conducted at Chul-soo’s place.
Chul-soo kept a routine of leaving early in the morning and returning late at night, which made it convenient for my purposes.
Besides, as the saying goes, the lamp at the base casts the darkest shadow.
It would be difficult for anyone to suspect such dealings happening right next door—I’d thought it through rather cleverly.
But I didn’t want to use that address for something this large and dangerous.
I didn’t want him suspecting, ‘Is this guy even giving me a real address?’
‘I’d prefer not to expose my home address.’
“I’ll go myself.”
Problem solved.
I could just go there.
Flip the synchronization on and dash there and back, simple as that.
[You’ll come?]
“Yes. I’ll head over.”
[…]
“Hello?”
[W-well then, I’ll send you the address via text.]
“Yes.”
[Please ensure this doesn’t leak to the outside.]
“Understood.”
I hung up and waited a moment.
Ding.
A text message with the Market’s address arrived.
“Huh?”
‘It’s the neighborhood right next to mine? That’s close.’
There was no reason to hesitate.
I immediately returned home to refresh my remaining synchronization time.
Then I grabbed a mana stone and soared into the air.
* * *
The Market is illegal, yet it operates on a scale larger than the Hunter Association itself.
Even if a nation collapses and the Association disappears, even if administrative power vanishes, not everyone living in that land will perish.
Their only path to survival is earning coins—the Market’s currency—and purchasing survival necessities through the Market.
Everywhere you’d think ‘surely not here?’ the Market exists.
The Market is illegal, so we’ll crack down on it?
That would mean abandoning all of humanity trapped in this extreme situation.
Therefore, no one dares touch the Market.
Of course, a Market exists even in South Korea, the land of ruin.
The Black Market—South Korea branch.
It should have ceased long ago, yet it stubbornly clings to life through abnormal vitality.
A land where everyone predicts annihilation draws near.
“Our branch is first place again this quarter. It’s almost comedic.”
Yet amusingly enough…
The Black Market’s South Korea branch is a mysterious place that has never lost the top revenue ranking among all Markets.
…The reason is simple.
‘A madman’ exists here.
Kang Hyo-jun, the South Korea branch manager, fixed his gaze on the transaction ledger.
[Purchased Item: Calorie Stick (x100)]
“…Why on earth is someone buying calorie sticks with coins?”
What are calorie sticks?
They’re ‘free items’ distributed daily by the system.
Not only that—if someone runs short, they can go to the distribution center in front of their home and receive as much as they need.
Yet this madman.
Buys calorie sticks with coins.
With those precious coins—the lifeblood of the Market!
‘Is he a criminal?’
For someone living such a lowly life… his coins never run dry.
Anyway.
Thanks to this, the Korean branch had become a place performing the miraculous alchemy of creating something from nothing.
And so this madman’s codename was ‘the Alchemist’.
Kang Hyo-jun spun the mouse wheel with a flick.
‘Sticks, sticks, sticks… frozen chicken, sticks….’
Aside from the occasional purchase of cheap frozen chicken, the transaction history was filled entirely with ‘Calorie Sticks’—a mind-boggling pattern that stretched on endlessly.
‘What on earth does this guy do?’
The Alchemist’s true identity remained unknown.
The Black Market couldn’t know its customers’ information.
…But the upper echelons of Market wanted to know everything about the Alchemist except his customer details.
Since Market’s absolute unspoken rule of ‘identity erasure’ couldn’t be touched, instead they demanded thorough analysis and reports on the Alchemist’s trivial preferences, transaction patterns, and activity cycles.
Every single move was to be scrutinized and documented.
“No ‘sales’ today either. Nothing unusual.”
But what was most peculiar.
The Alchemist had never sold anything.
Then where did this endless stream of coins come from?
Everyone wondered.
But Market, the supreme administrator of the Black Market, merely maintained the position that the Alchemist’s coins were legitimately issued, offering no further explanation.
Rather, Market issued a stern warning to those who doubted the Alchemist.
[1. The Alchemist is Market’s first and last ‘VIP’, and shall receive the finest service under any circumstances. Never offend his sensibilities.]
[2. Never forget rule 1.]
Market, who ordinarily treated even the ‘Numbers’ who controlled the world with arrogance, had prostrated himself before this one man alone and issued absolute protection.
‘What kind of person could he possibly be?’
Ring—!
“Whoa, you startled me.”
Kang Hyo-jun jumped at the sudden phone ring.
Ten years since being assigned to the Korean branch.
In all that time, this phone had never rung before.
“…?”
Two dedicated terminals Kang Hyo-jun had prepared exclusively for the Alchemist.
This one was the ‘sales’ terminal.
Gulp.
‘Could it be?’
The Alchemist was selling something?
Kang Hyo-jun hurriedly answered the call.
[It’s me.]
“We’ve been waiting for you, VIP.”
[I have some things to sell.]
Crash—!
‘This can’t be real!’
It was like lightning striking through his mind—a shock of absolute magnitude.
I shot up from my seat without even noticing the objects on the desk clattering loudly to the floor.
Kang Hyo-jun echoed the words back as if entranced.
“…You’re selling?”
This was, truly, a jackpot.
Kang Hyo-jun’s mind raced furiously.
Selling was different from buying.
Unlike buying, where one merely received coin deposits and delivered to a designated location.
Selling required the administrator to personally verify the ‘merchandise’.
Which meant.
‘I could finally meet the Alchemist.’
It didn’t matter what he was selling.
The Market’s sole VIP!
I would finally be able to discover his true identity.
What would that information be worth?
The jackals who had desperately wanted to establish a connection with him would lose their minds.
The value of such information… was beyond calculation.
[Yes. Some mana stones, if you don’t mind.]
‘…?’
Kang Hyo-jun’s rapidly spinning mind came to a halt.
‘Did I mishear?’
Mana stones?
Mana stones?
Obtainable only from Tower floors above the fiftieth.
From Gates, only by defeating boss-class monsters from the eightieth floor and above.
In South Korea, where mana stones were the sole lifeline, even attempting to smuggle them out meant summary execution.
Those mana stones?
“Pardon?”
[Yes.]
‘…This lunatic!!! Treating mana stones like pebbles picked up off the street.’
“I-I’ll head over right away.”
[You will?]
‘Damn it.’
—I’d made a mistake.
The insane proposal to sell mana stones had shattered my composure entirely.
The Alchemist was renowned for firmly shutting down every attempt to uncover his information.
I had always been meticulous, never crossing that line…
“Y-yes. Since it’s the VIP’s first sale and all, and for a transaction of this magnitude, we typically make house calls.”
[…Is that so?]
‘I’m screwed.’
A ridiculous excuse!
Kang Hyo-jun did not miss the subtle silence before the alchemist’s “yes.”
—I don’t trust you.
That’s what the silence seemed to say.
A silence laden with countless meanings.
Kang Hyo-jun scrambled to make excuses, but
the alchemist remained resolute.
[I’ll go myself.]
‘….’
My words caught in my throat.
The locations of Market branches in each country.
That was classified information of the highest order.
No matter how much power wielded threats, the branch locations were never to be disclosed.
Why was it so secret?
Simple.
Each branch housed something that must never be exposed to the outside world—
a secret tool that could be called Market’s Achilles heel.
And yet.
‘M-Market’s location? She’s asking for Market’s location?’
If I refused?
[Do not displease the VIP.]
I would be breaking Market’s warning.
And what was even more terrifying was…
‘…a monster of this caliber would probably find it even if I didn’t tell her.’
There was no need to provoke the monster’s displeasure and make her an enemy.
[Hello?]
“…Then I’ll send you the address by text message.”
[Yes.]
“Please be careful that it doesn’t leak outside….”
That was the best I could manage to add.
[Understood.]
The call ended with her firm voice.
“Ugh…”
I slumped back in my chair.
‘…Just because I asked where she was, I’ve broken Market’s unspoken rule.’
Wasn’t this as good as saying she’d march straight to headquarters and destroy everything just because of one slip of the tongue, just because her mood was displeased?
Truly, the alchemist.
She was someone without blood or tears.
“Sigh…”
I lit a cigarette.
“I’m done for, completely.”
To calm my startled heart, I took a leisurely drag from a cigarette, smoking it down to the filter.
Kang Hyo-jun organized what he needed to do from this point forward.
“When will all this be cleaned up?”
The alchemist was coming.
Then he’d need to tidy up this disaster of an office…
And seal the secret passage leading to the basement firmly…
Knock, knock.
“?”
At the sudden knock, Kang Hyo-jun froze mid-stance.
“Are you in?”
“Huh?”
An unfamiliar yet somehow familiar man’s voice reached his ears.
‘He’s already here?’
“Since time is short, I’ll just come in.”
Crack-crack-crack! The door itself froze solid, then—bang!—shattered into fragments.
Beyond the scattering ice dust, a man walked inside.
He wore a crude plastic pierrot mask on his face—the kind sold at neighborhood stationery shops—with a vapid grin plastered across it.
‘A, a crazy psychopath…!’
The grotesquely cheerful mask and the suffocating discord of the calamitous mana radiating from beyond it made Kang Hyo-jun hold his breath.
* * *
My heart was racing.
The time spent traveling while conserving mana to the maximum was approximately two minutes.
The mana stone transaction had to be completed within four minutes.
That’s why I forced the locked door open.
‘Ugh, what a mess. It even smells like cigarettes.’
The room was so filthy that calling it a pigsty would be an insult to pigs.
A trash bin overflowing with papers would be an apt description.
I quickly scanned the room out of habit.
No windows.
One chair.
One desk.
Everything else… garbage.
Most of it consisted of incomprehensible papers filled with nothing but the text “[Buy Calorie Sticks]”.
‘Buy Calorie Sticks? Does this person also like sticks?’
The managers at Market were said to be quite eccentric.
Just how much did this person love calorie sticks to write it down so many times on paper?
And then I noticed the staircase leading downward.
‘Interesting.’
That area alone was clean.
Above all, traces were scattered everywhere, suggesting frequent passage.
‘This space is a decoy, and the real one must be below.’
After thinking that far,
I confirmed the man smoking inside the room.
Neatly groomed hair.
Intelligent-looking horn-rimmed glasses.
Thick eyebrows, clenched jaw.
A well-trained physique.
A supporting character from a crime film… in other words, the kind of ‘bad guy’ that fit perfectly.
An extremely dangerous-looking man.
The mana wavelength I sensed was far from ordinary.
Just barely below S-rank.
‘Looks like he’s killed both people and magical beasts before.’
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have even made eye contact and would have fled.
But not now.
I have Synchronization activated right now.
“I’m selling mana stones.”

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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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