Chapter 138
You want to buy my Gold Goblin? How much are you paying?
Ho Sung Lee felt the veins on his forehead pop out. For a young kid, he was rude.
Ho Sung Lee cussed out the Arabian prince inside his head, but on the outside, he did his best to keep a smile on his face.
"If there's a price you have in mind, I'll do my best to accommodate."
I don't care about money.
The Arabian prince teased him and laughed.
'This bastard is teasing me.'
'It seems like he wants to flaunt his power using the Gold Goblin. What can I do?'
'I'll just have to go along with it.'
'… Damn it!'
"Please. The Gold Goblin is very important to us."
So how much?
"We'll give you 10 billion," Ho Sung Lee suggested.
No.
"Then 12 billion…"
No.
Ho Sung Lee felt the urge to smoke.
"Okay. Then 20 billion…!"
No.
"Then how much do you want…?"
I'm not selling.
"… Pardon?"
I'm not selling it. I don't care if you have 100 or 200 billion. From what I've heard, this is the only Gold Goblin in the world. Why would I sell it, you idiot?
Ho Sung Lee felt his patience being tested, but he did his best to control his emotions.
"So… you never intended on selling it in the first place."
Of course not, you dumb ass. Hahahahahaha!
The Arabian prince pointed at him and laughed.
'That son of a b*tch…'
Ho Sung Lee wanted to say a thing or two to the Arabian prince, but he held back.
"Please. We really need the Gold Goblin…"
Why?
"Pardon?! Oh, well…"
Should I sell it to you?
"Yes! Please. We'll pay you what you want…"
But why do you need the Gold Goblin?
"Well…"
How much can you pay for it? What's the most you can pay?
'This son of a b*tch.'
Ho Sung Lee felt his patience being tested again, but he held back once more.
"We can offer 30 billion…"
I'll sell it for 100 trillion.
"… Pardon? 100 trillion…? That's ridiculous-"
Forget it then.
Clack.
Beep, beep, beep…
He hung up.
Ho Sung Lee couldn't take his angry eyes off of the phone.
"Haha… That little assholeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-!"
Ho Sung Lee screamed at his phone.
"Ugh, this is pissing me off. What do I do? Ugh, seriously. If he wasn't going to sell it, why did he waste my time? He should've just said he wasn't selling? How dare he tease me!? Arghhhhhh!!"
Ho Sung Lee almost threw his phone before putting it in his pocket and dropping his head.
"Ugh… I'm so stressed…"
He sat on the bench and took out a cigarette.
"It's empty."
Ho Sung Lee looked down at his empty cigarette box. He crinkled it and then sighed deeply.
"That bastard. Maybe he doesn't even have the Gold Goblin."
While Ho Sung Lee doubted the Arabian prince, the phone rang.
"Who is it this time?"
He checked the phone and saw that it was Min Sung Kang.
Ho Sung Lee answered it.
"Yes, Sir. Hello."
Where are you?
Ho Sung Lee looked around him.
"I'm near the assembly."
We're eating. Come to the hotel.
"Yes, Sir. I'll be right there."
He got up from the bench with an aged look on his face.
***
Inside the hotel room, Min Sung looked down at the towel in his hands.
The towel was very soft.
He knew hotel towels were good, but he liked these very much.
He decided he would tell Ho Sung Lee to switch out his towels as he dried his hair.
He was in a good mood after a good night's sleep.
As soon as he was done drying his hair, Bowl walked out of the tub while dripping in water.
Min Sung handed him a towel.
The large towel completely covered Bowl.
Bowl wriggled around and struggled to dry his body.
When he was almost done getting dressed, he got a message from Ho Sung Lee saying he was in the lobby.
He looked beside him and saw Bowl putting on his pants.
Min Sung waited until Bowl finished getting dressed.
Dressing in casual clothes made him look like a real doll.
Once Bowl was finished getting dressed, he jumped into Min Sung's pocket.
Min Sung left his room in order to enjoy a meal.
He intended on eating at the hotel restaurant.
As soon as Min Sung and Ho
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Sung Lee entered the restaurant, they saw a luxurious place lit by gold light.
They saw a fancy wine cellar as well as bowls and frypans which were displayed as if they were works of art.
Min Sung passed the central hall and settled down near the window.
Not a single person could be seen passing by outside the window.
It appeared as if he and Ho Sung Lee were the only humans that existed in this world.
If all humans really happened to die due to the devils…
Min Sung's eyes fell.
'There would be no one to cook for me.'
Just thinking about it was dreadful.
"Sir?"
Ho Sung Lee's voice woke him back up.
They could hear subtle music in the background as well as the manager standing tall.
Min Sung opened the menu.
He picked one and ordered two portions for him and Ho Sung Lee.
Ho Sung Lee smiled out of happiness after noticing that he ordered for him as well.
After they ordered, Min Sung looked at Ho Sung Lee with an intense look in his eyes.
Ho Sung Lee, who was excited to eat, suddenly turned gloomy as a result.
"I did find someone who could be the best for the job of carrying our items…"
Min Sung's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"But… it won't be easy."
"What do you mean?"
"There's something called the Gold Goblin. It's entirely gold with a gold pocket which can hold an infinite number of items."
"A monster?"
"It is, but it can be used as storage. There were only rumors about it, but when I looked into it, an Arabian prince had one, and the general got me connected to him. So the Gold Goblin does exist."
"So?"
"That Arabian prince is stubborn. He asked how much we can pay, so I made an offer…"
Ho Sung Lee shook his head.
"… But he had no intention of selling it in the first place."
Following Ho Sung Lee's report, the appetizer came out.
"Look into where that Arabian prince lives."
Ho Sung Lee jolted his eyes open.
"… You're going to find him?"
"Yeah."
The food then came out.
Min Sung lifted his fork.
The dish that the waitress brought was tilefish.
Min Sung looked at it and smacked his lips.
It was perfect.
It was fried on the outside while the inside was perfectly cooked.
Just looking at it made him salivate.
Since the bone was already taken out, he could eat it comfortably.
Min Sung stuck his fork into it.
The outside made a crackling sound as the fork dug into the inside.
Min Sung tasted the tilefish with great anticipation.
As soon as he took a bite, his face looked in awe.
"Haa…"
'It's delicious.'
He saw it coming, but the real thing satisfied his craving more than he ever expected.
The fried flavors were unbelievable, and the inside was as soft as it could be.
He wondered if there was anything as delicious as this grilled tilefish.
'It's so soft.'
'I can't believe food like this exists.'
Min Sung couldn't help but express his awe.
***
After finishing his meal, Min Sung drank some water and looked at Ho Sung Lee.
He was looking at his phone.
Ho Sung Lee noticed Min Sung's gaze and lifted his head.
"Sir, I found his address. Ji Yoo Kim said she asked some world hunters and got us a meeting with the Arabian prince."
"What about my car?"
"Oh, I checked that on our way here. Samchunkyo got you the same car. And the Warp Gate is making a landing pad for you, but that will probably take some time."
Min Sung nodded.
"Let's go."
Min Sung left the restaurant.
***
Min Sung, Ho Sung Lee, and Bowl headed to the Warp Gate in the new car Samchunkyo prepared.
Ho Sung Lee was surprised while driving.
He killed a Samchunkyo hunter, but they took responsibility.
That meant Samchunkyo was afraid of Min Sung Kang.
On top of that, they even got a new Ferrari to replace the old one.
His influence gave him the chills the more he thought about it.
While he marveled over Min Sung Kang's power, they approached the Warp Gate.
***
They arrived in Arab via the Warp Gate.
"Thank you, Sir. For letting me take the Warp Gate."
Min Sung didn't respond.
Meanwhile, the country was so hot that Bowl changed into a robe that covered his entire body.
Ho Sung Lee looked around him and showed that he was hot.
But Min Sung didn't care about the heat.
A moment later, a car arrived and Ho Sung Lee sat in the driver's seat.
They drove for a long time toward the house that the Arabian prince lived at.
The size of the house was enormous.
Of course, that big house wasn't the only residence that he possessed.
As soon as they arrived, Ho Sung Lee parked the car and rang the doorbell.
He could hear a woman's voice.
Who is it?
He assumed it was a housekeeper.
"I'm here to meet the Arabian prince."
Chapter 139
Do you have an appointment?
"Yes."
What's your name?
"The meeting is reserved under the name, Min Sung Kang."
I see. But the prince is currently a fair distance away from here. There's a memo here asking you to meet him there.
"Pardon?"
Ho Sung Lee thought he heard it wrong.
"Go where? He should've told us earlier."
You should tell that to him…
"Sigh… So where is it?"
The housekeeper told him the address.
When he checked on his phone, it was a few hours away from where they were.
Ho Sung Lee sighed and knocked on the car window.
The window was lowered half-way revealing Min Sung's face.
"Sir, apparently, the Arabian prince is somewhere else, and he wants us to meet him there. What should we do?"
"Break through."
"… Pardon?"
"Break the door."
Ho Sung Lee gulped and walked over to the big door made of iron.
Ho Sung Lee breathed in and out to gather his strength and then kicked the door open.
Thud!
However, the door didn't budge.
"Um… Sir. I think the door is possessed with magic."
Clack!
Min Sung got out of the car.
He walked over.
When Ho Sung Lee looked back, he saw Min Sung approaching.
And then.
Thudddddddddddd!
Min Sung's fist knocked down the magically enchanted door, causing it to roll on the ground.
Min Sung then got back into the car.
Ho Sung Lee nervously got back in the driver's seat and took off.
A moment later, as they were passing the garden, they saw hunters running over from afar.
The hunters blocked the way.
When Ho Sung Lee stopped the car.
"Tell them to move and tell them to tell the Arabian prince to meet us here in 1 hour."
In response to Min Sung's order, Ho Sung Lee got out of the car.
"How dare you break the door!?"
The team leader of the security hunters yelled.
Ho Sung Lee looked back at the car Min Sung was in and then walked toward the team leader.
"My master said to open the door and to tell the Arabian prince to meet us here in1 hour."
The hunter team leader laughed.
"Report to him immediately. If you don't, you'll be in trouble."
He looked at Ho Sung Lee and the car Min Sung was in and then called the security.
A moment later, the call connected and the security hunter team leader reported the current situation.
He then waited for the response.
Ho Sung Lee waited for the response as he took out a cigarette.
He heard a voice from the phone.
After hearing the answer, the team leader opened up the path with a displeased look on his face.
"Bastards."
Ho Sung Lee glared at him. He threw out his cigarette and got back into the car to proceed inside.
***
The Arabian prince's house was grand.
The inside sparkled with gold, and the chandelier was blinding.
Beyond just being luxurious, the design was something else.
There were 3 baby tigers and 2 white tigers roaming about at the entrance.
Since they were trained not to attack, they simply kept their guards up as Min Sung, Ho Sung Lee, and Bowl walked through.
Ho Sung Lee looked at them in fascination.
"I didn't know you could raise them here."
In response, the Arabian prince's secretary appeared.
They were then escorted to a luxurious waiting room.
Min Sung sat on the sofa and checked the time with his language watch.
"I said 1 hour."
In response, the secretary bowed and left the room.
Bowl looked all around the room in fascination and so did Ho Sung Lee.
The waiting room was much more vibrant and luxurious than any fancy hotel.
In contrast to Ho Sung Lee and Bowl's fascination, Min Sung used his magic to pick up a book from the table.
Min Sung sat on the sofa and read "Dubai Cooking" using his language watch.
While Min Sung read the cooking book, time continued to pass.
***
The Arabian prince got off of his helicopter with a displeased look on his face.
This was the first time someone else told him where to go in his entire 14 years of
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life.
"I was having fun at the pool with Helena. This is so annoying."
Mansud headed over to the waiting room where Min Sung Kang was with an annoyed face.
On the way to the waiting room, Mansud's secretary explained how to treat Min Sung Kang.
"Okay. You're saying he's a dangerous man, so I have to be respectful as if he's Mom or Dad."
"That's correct. You mustn't forget that."
"Okay. I get it."
Mansud's father was away on business, so he was unable to stay with Mansud.
Mansud must've been annoyed by the secretary because he covered his ears and went, "Ahhhhhh."
The secretary looked at Mannsud and sighed in worry.
Mansud didn't care for the secretary's feelings and opened the door to the waiting room.
'Who in the world has enough power to call over a prince?'
Mansud looked around the room.
He saw Min Sung reading with crossed legs.
And a man beside him who was idling by.
As well as a skeleton looking around the room in fascination…
'A skeleton?'
Mansud was startled after seeing Bowl.
"W-what's that?"
Mansud pointed at Bowl and asked.
Bowl, who was looking around the room, looked back at Mansud with fascination.
Mansud was unable to take his eyes off of Bowl.
'I can't believe such a small skeleton is alive.'
He was shocked.
"I want that," Mansud remarked while staring at Bowl.
At that moment, the secretary looked around in worry.
At that moment, Min Sung put down his book and Ho Sung Lee walked toward Mansud.
"Hello, Your Highness."
Ho Sung Lee got over the humiliation from before and tried to be respectful.
However, Mansud ignored Ho Sung Lee's greeting and continued to stare at Bowl.
"I want that. I said I want that," Mansud pleaded to his secretary.
"You can't have that, Your Highness."
In response to Ho Sung Lee, he knitted his brows.
"Why not? Isn't that skeleton yours?"
"No, he's not mine. He belongs to the man I serve. That man."
Ho Sung Lee pointed at Min Sung.
"Sell that to me. I'll give you as much money as you want!"
Mansud ran over to Min Sung and yelled.
Min Sung looked back at Mansud and pointed at the chair.
It meant to sit down.
Mansud willingly sat down as Min Sung instructed because he wanted Bowl.
"I heard you have the Gold Goblin. Do you really have it?"
Min Sung asked.
In response, the Arabian prince, Mansud, smirked and flared his nostrils.
"Yeah."
In response, Min Sung nodded.
"Give that to me. That Gold Goblin."
Mansud's face turned serious.
And then…
"Can't you just sell that skeleton to me?"
Ho Sung Lee felt restless.
A kid with an arrogant nature.
He was worried Min Sung would kill the little prince.
"No. Just give me the Gold Goblin."
The Arabian prince dropped his jaw in shock.
Min Sung's shamelessness made his jaw drop, and his head felt empty.
"Why? I don't want to. Are you stupid!? You sell that skeleton to me!"
Mansud yelled in anger.
In response, Min Sung tilted his head 45 degrees. He pressed on his head with his finger and stared at him dead-on.
The air around them grew heavy.
When Mansud looked at his secretary in shock, the secretary stepped up to arbitrate.
"I apologize. His Highness lacks understanding regarding the current situation…"
"Shut up. Hey, kid."
Min Sung called Mansud with his chin.
Mansud knitted his brows and glared back at Min Sung.
"Why do you think there are no hunters around right now?"
After hearing what Min Sung said, he realized that something felt off.
The hunters always protected him when outsiders came in, but they were nowhere in sight.
Mansud showed a confused look on his face and then smirked.
"S-so what?"
"Whether you're a prince or not, if I set my mind on it, I can kill you."
Death.
That word made Mansud freeze up.
The young boy trembled in fear.
He had never been threatened before in his life.
Despite the threat, his hunters didn't arrive.
For that reason, Min Sung didn't act further, but Mansud sweated all over his body.
Ho Sung Lee looked at Min Sung and shook his head with an annoyed look on his face.
"Give me the Gold Goblin. This is an order, Your Highness."
Mansud instinctively realized just how powerful this man was in the hunter world.
However, the emotions within him got in the way of his instinct.
He looked at his secretary not wanting to lose his Gold Goblin, but the secretary simply avoided his gaze.
He was no longer the boss in this situation.
"… Can you sell that skeleton to me?'
"He's not an object."
In response to Min Sung's firm response, he sighed with a sad face.
The fact that his secretary wasn't saying anything meant that telling his father wouldn't change anything either.
Mansud knew that much.
"If I give you the Gold Goblin, what can you do for me?"
Chapter 140
Mansud showed a sad look on his face and cautiously asked Min Sung.
"Tell me what you want."
In response, Mansud pointed at Bowl.
Minsung sternly shook his head.
"Not that."
Bowl stood beside him with his hands on his waist and snickered.
"My master would never leave me with a kid like you. I'm a dark magician Lich…"
"Wow, he even talks! So cute. Then let me just play with him for a day. Please!"
Mansud put his hands together and pleaded.
Min Sung laughed.
"Sure, why not."
In response, Bowl flinched and trembled as he looked up at Min Sung.
He felt betrayed.
"Wow!"
Mansud put his hands in the air and jumped up and down.
He was sad that he couldn't have Bowl, but just the fact that he could play with such an interesting doll made him feel like it was Christmas.
"Then is that a deal?"
Min Sung offered a handshake.
A handshake meant there was a promise.
Mansud took Min Sung's bigger hand and shook it.
As such, the Gold Goblin was obtained.
***
Min Sung and Ho Sung Lee followed Mansud and his secretary in order to meet the Gold Goblin.
Mansud hugged Bowl in his arms and pat his bald skull head.
Bowl felt miserable, but he had to follow Min Sung's orders, so he didn't act up.
On the other hand, Ho Sung Lee laughed at Bowl, who was on the verge of tears.
He felt like his indigestion of 10 years was finally cured.
This was payback for all the ridicule he faced from Bowl.
'That's our Min Sung Kang.'
'He knows how to control kids.'
He was worried that he would be heartless toward the kid, but he was relieved to see that he had some sort of human emotions.
"This is impressive. It looks like a historical site," Ho Sung Lee remarked as he looked around the large underground cave.
It almost looked like a place from the film, "Indiana Jones".
There were some large murals on the walls, and the ground was dirt, but there were also luxurious objects lined up against the walls.
After walking through the unique pathway, they arrived at a large iron door.
Seeing how there was a blue light around it, there must have been a magical enchantment.
Mansud completed an iris and fingerprint scan which caused the door to open in a noisy manner.
And then the sight behind it revealed itself.
It almost looked like a secret treasure.
There were expensive items piled on top of each other, and the most valuable items were even locked away in glass boxes.
Ho Sung Lee dropped his jaw and looked around, but only Min Sung had his eyes fixed on one thing only.
What Min Sung was looking at was an iron cage.
Inside was an object that gave off a gold light.
No, it wasn't an object but a monster.
A gold monster called the Gold Goblin.
As soon as Min Sung walked toward the cage of the Gold Goblin, Ho Sung Lee also noticed it and followed behind him.
Even Mansud, who was holding Bowl, stood next to Min Sung and Ho Sung Lee.
"Oh my god. It's real…"
Ho Sung looked at the Gold Goblin and expressed his surprise.
Just as he said, the Gold Goblin was completely made of gold.
Seeing it in real life made him feel shocked and fascinated.
"Is it in bad condition?"
At that moment, Min Sung asked as he looked at the Gold Goblin.
The Gold Goblin was kneeling inside the cage.
"It was hard to control it after building it. It had a habit of collecting anything it saw, so it was a pain… That's why I locked it up."
He looked at Min Sung and shrugged.
"Am I signing a contract with that Goblin myself?"
Min Sung asked.
"That's right. But you mustn't scare it."
"Why not?"
"The Gold Goblin has a sensitive personality,
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so if you pressure him or get angry, he won't want to sign a contract."
Min Sung crossed his arms with an annoyed look on his face as he looked at the Gold Goblin.
"So I have to convince him?"
"People normally make deals."
"What kind of deals?"
"Hm… something the Gold Goblin might want? If he makes a proposal himself, that would be even better."
Min Sung approached the cage and punched the cage with his fist.
However, the Gold Goblin didn't show a response.
He didn't even look at him.
"Why does he look so down?"
Min Sung kept his eye on the Gold Goblin and sighed.
And then…
Powwwwwwwww!
Min Sung crushed the cage to pieces with his fist.
The cage broke into little pieces and scattered everywhere.
At that point, the Gold Goblin expressed his surprise and looked up at Min Sung.
Min Sung walked toward the Gold Goblin and kneeled in order to make eye contact.
After seeing Min Sung's eyes, the Gold Goblin was so scared that it dropped its jaw and started crying.
What was fascinating was that the Gold Goblin cried without making a sound, but it did shed tears made of god.
In any case, Min Sung clicked his tongue and tapped on the floor with his fist.
"I need you. I want to make a deal with you. What do you want?"
In response, the Gold Goblin stopped crying and looked back at Min Sung with his guard up.
"Can't he talk?"
Min Sung asked the secretary.
"He can. We've been teaching him for a while, so he's able to communicate."
In response, Min Sung turned back to the Gold Goblin.
It almost seemed like the Gold Goblin suffered from severe depression.
Mansud rubbed Bowl's hand and just looked at Bowl without any interest in anything else while the secretary looked at the Gold Goblin in pity.
Min Sung left the cage and called Ho Sung Lee over.
Ho Sung Lee quickly walked toward Min Sung.
"Yes, Sir. What is it?"
"You have 5 minutes. Convince him in 5 minutes."
"Me? That Gold Goblin?"
"Yeah. 5 minutes. If you don't succeed, both you and that Gold Goblin will die today."
Min Sung set a stopwatch on his language watch.
1, 2, 3.
Tick-tock- Tick-tock-
Time began to pass.
The secretary dripped in cold sweat while Mansud showed some interest with Bowl in his arms.
Ho Sung Lee made a face that looked like he was saying, "Fuck!" and ran over to the Gold Goblin.
"Make a deal with my hunter."
In response, the Gold Goblin frowned and shed tears.
Ho Sung Lee looked at the Gold Goblin and smiled.
"It's okay. Don't cry, you baby. Why are you crying? Why don't you want to make a deal? Huh? Tell me."
The Gold Goblin looked down to the ground and spoke.
"… I'm just happier here."
"Haha. What's so happy about being trapped in a cage?"
"I'm a useless goblin. No, I'm not even a goblin. I'm just a dreadful hybrid…"
"Why do you think that?"
"Because everyone treats me that way. I've never met a partner in my life. If I leave, I'll just be even more lonely."
The Gold Goblin began crying again.
"I look weird, so females don't like me. They say I'm not like the other goblins…"
The Gold Goblin spoke while sniffling.
"I've never had a nice conversation with a female before. They ran away before I could say anything. I'm a useless and weird goblin."
He then cried harder, and Ho Sung Lee laughed.
"That's it? I thought it was something more serious. Hey, why are you crying about something like that? You're such a cool guy. You're impressive. You're not weird. You're special. Don't you know "Ugly Duckling"?"
"…?"
"She thought she was an ugly duckling when she was actually a swan. That's you. You're special and cool!"
The Gold Goblin's eyes shook. However, his eyes soon turned sad again.
"Don't you like to collect things? If you make a deal with my hunter, you can collect all sorts of amazing items."
"What's the point when I don't have a partner? There's no point in continuing to live."
The Gold Goblin put his big gold face on his knees.
At that moment, Min Sung tapped on his language watch.
"2 minutes left."
Ho Sung Lee felt pressured.
"Then how about this? I'll introduce you to someone."
The Gold Goblin lifted his head.
Ho Sung Lee saw this as his last chance and continued,
"Once you come with us to collect items and clear the Black Tower, I'll introduce you to as many female goblins as you want. How about that? Deal?"
He continued,
"You don't know "101 Produce", do you?"
"… What's that?"
"It's like a music program. What I mean to say is I'll introduce you to 101 female goblins. And then I'll make it so that you can settle down with one of them. You deserve that much."
Chapter 141
"Who cares about meeting all 101 of them? They'll all hate me anyway."
"You have 1 minute left," Min Sung remarked.
"Haha! You're so stupid. If you become a part of his family and clear the tower, you'll be famous all over the world. Then even the other goblins will love you. You can become the king, you idiot!"
The Gold Goblin's eyes shook.
"… Really? The king of goblins?"
"Yeah! Who else is more suitable for this? There's no other goblin as special and cool as you! They just haven't realized your true worth yet."
The Gold Goblin gulped.
"Let's make a deal. I'll make you desirable among the female goblins. Trust me."
Ho Sung Lee looked at the Gold Goblin with earnest eyes and nodded.
"10 seconds left."
"…"
Ho Sung Lee kept his eye on the Gold Goblin with a nervous look on his face
After thinking, the Gold Goblin opened his mouth in front of Ho Sung Lee and laughed out loud.
"Deal!"
Ho Sung Lee sprung up and looked back at Min Sung.
At the same time, Min Sung stopped the stopwatch.
"1.4 seconds."
Ho Sung Lee plopped down on the floor as if he was about to faint.
"How do we sign?"
Min Sung looked over at the secretary and asked.
The secretary paused for a moment before speaking.
"You just have to stamp your index fingers."
"Index fingers?"
"Yes, have you seen E.T.? The one where the alien matches his finger with that of the human."
Min Sung approached the Gold Goblin and stuck out his index finger.
The Gold Goblin looked at Min Sung and shyly stuck out his finger.
And as soon as Min Sung and the Gold Goblin's fingers touched.
Pinggggggggg!
Gold light shined in all four directions causing words to appear in the air.
[An owner already exists.]
[You can start a new contract once the old contract is terminated.]
[Would the owner like to terminate the contract?]
A moment later, Mansud saw words in front of him asking if he wanted to terminate the contract.
As soon as Mansud accepted, they were able to start a new one.
On top of Min Sung and the Gold Goblin's touching fingers was information regarding the contract.
Min Sung tried reading the contract, but it was too long, so he gave up.
"Bowl."
In response, Bowl escaped Mansud's arms and ran over to Min Sung.
"Read this. See if there are any problems."
Bowl was a Dark Magician, so he was knowledgable about magical contracts.
"Wow! The Gold Goblin is impressive," Bowl remarked while reading the contract in the air.
"Are the conditions all right?"
"Yes, they're great, Master! Nothing bad about it."
Bowl nodded at the contents that stated that once the Gold Goblin helped clear the Black Tower, he would be helped with settling down with a female goblin.
The secretary approached Min Sung and spoke,
"If you accept the contract, you can shake hands with the Gold Goblin to finalize it."
In response, the Gold Goblin withdrew his finger and offered a handshake.
Min Sung felt like this was bothersome, but he accepted it anyway.
Because the Gold Goblin's hands were gold, it was smooth just like real gold.
Once they shook hands, the gold light disappeared.
And then a very thin string could be seen connecting Min Sung's body with that of the Gold Goblin.
It signified their signed contract.
[Please name your Gold Goblin.]
A window popped up in front of Min Sung's face.
"A name…"
Min Sung stared at the Gold Goblin and then wrote down a name.
[You've saved the Gold Goblin's name.]
[Would you like to
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confirm the Gold Goblin's name as Ssol?]
[Accept/Reject]
Min Sung accepted.
The name "Ssol" then popped up on top of the Gold Goblin's head.
"Ssol? Sir, why did you name him Ssol?"
Ho Sung Lee looked over the Gold Goblin and asked with a confused look on his face.
"Because he's single. Solo for life. So I just thought Ssol was suitable."
Ho Sung Lee laughed but then flinched after seeing the Gold Goblin.
The Gold Goblin was crying with his mouth open once again.
When he dripped gold tears, Bowl was busy picking them up.
Ho Sung Lee quietly went to Ssol and hugged him.
***
While Mansud played with Bowl at the pool, Min Sung was served a meal.
How would food at the Arabian palace taste like?
Min Sung was excited.
After all, it wasn't just a normal restaurant, but a royal restaurant.
The atmosphere was impressive as well.
The place, which looked like a grand party hall, made it feel like they were eating in nature due to the plants that they decorated the place with.
The Gold Goblin smiled at the first trees he had seen in a very long time.
"Interesting. Normally, the Gold Goblin is busy trying to collect items whenever he comes out."
In response to Mansud, Min Sung smirked.
"Really?"
"Yes. It looks like he's trying very hard to be obedient."
The secretary continued,
"I felt bad until now. Even when we taught him to talk and fed him, It was sad that he was trapped in a cage until now."
He looked back on his memories and then laughed.
"Although he's a monster, he was quite special… But even the way he signs a contract with humans, he's no ordinary monster. He's very special. I'm glad he met a good owner. Was it Bowl?"
"Yeah."
"I'm glad he's having fun as well."
The secretary watched Mansud playing with Bowl for quite some time.
Min Sung let him watch in silence.
After a while, the secretary snapped back to reality and laughed.
"Haha, the food will be out soon. Please enjoy."
Min Sung responded with a wave.
The secretary left, and Min Sung also watched Mansud playing with Bowl in the pool.
Mansud was playing the way normal young kids played.
And Bowl was just busy running away from Mansud.
However, due to Min Sung's order, he intentionally went slower so that Mansud could have a fun time.
While watching that sight, Ho Sung Lee sat at the table.
"Thank you for letting me join you, Sir."
"Good job convincing the Gold Goblin, Ho Sung," Min Sung said while watching Mansud and Bowl.
"Haha, I'm Ho Sung Lee. I can do anything you ask, Sir."
"I like your attitude."
"This is the attitude I should have as the one who is serving you."
"Try not to die from now on."
Ho Sung Lee dripped in cold sweat and laughed.
"When we go back to the assembly, drop by the market and put ingredients in storage. That Ssol is capable of carrying a great capacity."
"Yes, Sir. I'll do my best."
"And fill your item window with potions."
"Yes, Sir."
"And don't step up until I say so. Even with your Berserker ability, you're done if you lose your head. Special devils are smarter than average devils."
"… I'll remember that, Sir."
When Ho Sung Lee's forehead was nearly on the table, food was carried out by the palace's employees.
Min Sung picked up his fork with great anticipation.
***
The meal served at the Arabian palace was a feast.
There was lobster as well as other seafood dishes on the table, and there were steak and other meat dishes as well.
Min Sung enjoyed his meal at a slow pace.
The meat of the lobster was delicious.
The scent of the lobster was nice.
It was definitely delicious.
It was but Min Sung felt uncomfortable.
Maybe he had high hopes for the Arabian palace…
The meal was delicious, but it wasn't impressive.
He even wondered if this was the best the Arabian palace could do.
But the reason was probably because Koreans could only enjoy foreign food so much.
He didn't sense the kind of depth that he tasted in Korean food.
'There's nothing better than food from the motherland,' Min Sung thought.
He ate the Gambas containing big shrimps while thinking of what to eat once he returned to Korea, but nothing came to mind.
'I can just ask Ho Sung.'
Min Sung nodded and chewed on the shrimp drenched in olive oil.
Chapter 142
The entrance of the residence.
Mansud used a towel to wipe up his dripping tears.
He was sad to part with Bowl, and he wasn't happy about the Gold Goblin leaving either.
Ho Sung Lee patted Mansud on the head and laughed.
"Don't be too sad. Both Bowl and Ssol will work hard to protect this world."
Mansud held back his tears and nodded.
"I'll cheer you on. Keep this world safe, okay? Bye, Bowl! I had fun!"
Mansud yelled while waving his towel.
Min Sung took Bowl and Ssol into the car without looking back.
"You'll hear good news soon enough."
Ho Sung Lee patted Mansud on the back and shook hands with the secretary before heading back to the car.
"Phew, that's done. I thought it would be hard. But now, the Gold Goblin's a part of our family," he said while getting in the car.
But Min Sung was staring at Ssol with a bitter face.
"Hm?"
After seeing Min Sung's face, Ho Sung Lee looked back to see Ssol crying again.
Ho Sung Lee looked flustered.
"Huh? Hey, Ssol. Why are you crying this time?"
He asked, but Ssol didn't answer.
He was simply shedding more gold tears.
Ho Sung Lee blankly stared at Bowl, who was picking up Ssol's gold tears.
"Let's go," Min Sung instructed.
"Yes, Sir."
Ho Sung Lee stepped on the gas.
A moment later.
"Wow!"
He exclaimed.
Ho Sung Lee looked back while driving.
Ssol was the one exclaiming in awe while looking out the window.
"Is he bipolar or something?"
Ho Sung Lee asked while dripping in cold sweat.
"Ssol."
In response to Min Sung's calling, Ssol looked over at Min Sung with a smile.
"Why were you crying earlier?"
"Because I'm happy to have a family," Ssol answered before enjoying the scenery again.
Min Sung quietly looked out the window as well, and once Bowl was finished picking up the gold tears, he went back into Min Sung's pocket.
In the clear sky was a peaceful afternoon sun shining down on them.
***
They took the Warp Gate to Manhattan.
Min Sung rested in the car while Ho Sung Lee took Ssol to the market.
But they couldn't avoid all the attention.
Since the Gold Goblin was walking around, it was no wonder the citizens and employees were surprised and fascinated.
However, Ho Sung Lee had no interest in their reactions.
He was too busy.
He talked to Woong Jang on the phone while gathering ingredients, but the problem was that Ssol's instinct to gather items came back.
Ssol was putting ingredients in his pocket with a bright smile on his face.
"Just a minute, Chef."
Ho Sung Lee ran over to Ssol and pulled on his arm.
"Hey! You can't put those in there until we pay for them!"
In response to his yelling, Ssol started crying.
Since this wasn't the first time, Ho Sung Lee didn't let him off easy.
"Hey, take those out."
Ssol took out a flower from his pocket with a sobbing look on his face.
"Are you kidding me? Not the flower. The things you just put in," Ho Sung Lee said in absurdity.
He then began taking out the rest of the items with a sad look on his face.
"Hello, Chef. Yes, pumpkin and… Oh, j-just a second."
Ho Sung Lee stared at Ssol in shock.
Ssol was taking out an astounding amount of ingredients from his pocket.
"When did you put all these in there…? Ugh, my head hurts."
After Ho Sung Lee grabbed his head in frustration and Ssol finished taking out all the items, Ho Sung Lee warned him not to do that again and continued to shop.
Ho Sung Lee felt as though he came grocery shopping with a child.
***
"Sir, there's not enough space because of Ssol. So I got us an SUV. Is that okay?"
Min Sung got out of the Ferrari.
"Where's the car?"
"It's that SUV over there. All the ingredients are in Ssol's pocket, and I also packed the
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potions."
"Then let's go," Min Sung said while walking over the SUV.
Ho Sung Lee dragged Ssol, who was smiling at weeds, to the car they were to use.
***
They arrived at the assembly.
It appeared that the world hunters got used to being controlled by the Samchunkyo hunters.
Rather than looking down, they were either training or enjoying their own individual activities.
"They're looking good today. I can smell sweat as if they're finally real hunters…"
Ho Sung Lee said while looking at the world hunters.
"They're just Samchunkyo's puppets," Min Sung replied.
Ho Sung Lee minded Min Sung and closed his mouth.
The world hunters, who were training individually, stopped as soon as they saw Min Sung and his group.
They stared for so long that Ho Sung Lee scratched his head, but Min Sung ignored it and continued walking.
Sounds of mumbling could be heard.
"What's that? Is that a new item?"
"It looks like a goblin, but it's all gold."
"Interesting."
"… They're so mysterious."
They mumbled all sorts of things.
To the world hunters, Min Sung's group was ironic and mysterious.
They were always curious.
It was just that they were unable to adjust to the control of the Black Tower and Samchunkyo until recently.
The world hunters continued to watch as Min Sung, Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol got on the boat.
All sorts of emotions could be seen on their faces.
Min Sung noticed their gazes, but he ignored them.
They weren't important.
All Min Sung cared about was the devils in the Black Tower.
That was it.
***
Floor 1 of the Black Tower.
They walked in slowly.
Min Sung was in no rush.
As a result, Ho Sung Lee, Bowl, and Ssol also walked slowly.
Ssol glanced around and scanned the floor with curiosity.
But once he realized there were no plants, he grew glum.
Meanwhile, they went up the floors all the way up to the 15th floor.
No monster showed up until then.
As soon as they arrived on the 15th floor, Ho Sung Lee and Bowl were tense while Ssol was sad that he couldn't see any items to pick up.
Min Sung was the only one focused on killing the next devil.
"Ho Sung. Bowl."
"Yes, Sir!"
"Yes, Master!"
In response, both Ho Sung Lee and Bowl froze and responded.
"If a special devil appears, you could die in an instant. Even if you can turn into Berserker, you could die. You'll be asleep forever. Same with you, Bowl."
"… Yes, Sir."
"… Yes, Sir."
"Ho Sung, when you became the Berserker last time, you would've died if the devil was just a little bit smarter," Min Sung coldly remarked.
The horror of his near-death experience came to haunt him again.
"Survive," Min Sung calmly said as he walked forward.
However, Ho Sung Lee and Bowl couldn't hear that command as anything similar to being calm.
The 15th floor was nothing like they experienced before.
It felt as though death was approaching.
***
The robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, entered the meeting room where the Samchunkyo hunters were gathered and sat at the head of the table.
He scanned the Samchunkyo hunters with blank eyes.
"You'll see hunters trying to leave the assembly soon. If anyone tries, they'll be killed."
In response to Jae Hyuk Han's command, the Samchunkyo hunters looked troubled.
However, that was all.
No Samchunkyo hunter refuted.
"What about Min Sung Kang?"
Jae Hyuk Han asked.
"He went into the Black Tower. It's been an hour," a Samchunkyo hunter responded.
Jae Hyuk Han nodded and took out a roll of paper from his robe and put it on the table.
All the Samchunkyo hunters focused on it.
The roll of paper contained a notice for the Samchunkyo hunters.
The leader had made his decision.
The Samchunkyo hunters kept their eyes on Jae Hyuk Han with nervousness and focus.
"This is from the leader. Check the notice and prepare as the leader instructed. And if any of you…"
Jae Hyuk Han's only eye sparkled.
"… Fail to carry out the orders, you'll be killed on the spot. There will be no second chances."
As soon as Jae Hyuk Han pointed at the roll of paper with his chin, the Samchunkyo hunters got up and spread it open.
At the same time, the notice was read aloud.
It stated that if Min Sung Kang happened to clear the Black Tower, the world hunters would have to kill Min Sung Kang.
The Samchunkyo hunters weren't shocked by the contents of the scroll.
They simply felt pressured about having to face off against Min Sung Kang.
They saw it with their own eyes.
Just how miserably Wang Wei died in his hands.
However, that was because Wang Wei was alone.
Things could be different if there were more of them.
The eyes of the Samchunkyo hunters grew serious.
The Samchunkyo hunters were starting to realize that a big storm was coming their way.
Chapter 143
Following the meeting, Jae Hyuk Han disappeared and the Samchunkyo hunters spoke amongst themselves.
"Will they really be able to clear the Black Tower?"
"Who knows?"
"If they do…"
"The best-case scenario is that they die in the Black Tower. But if they do clear it… we'll have to do as our leader instructed."
"The world hunters are just imaginary. They're nothing but paper shields. What's important is that they clear the black tower, and we attack when their stamina is low."
"But things could end differently depending on how we use the paper shields."
"You should do your best even when catching rabbits. We're up against a dragon. We have to go in with our best strategy."
The wind at the assembly changed directions.
A new meeting began.
***
It grew darker as soon as they got to the 15th floor.
Their footsteps grew faster, and they became tenser as they went further.
Of course, that tension only existed between Ho Sung Lee and Bowl.
Meanwhile, an unpleasant sound could be heard from around them.
Min Sung was able to figure out the origin of that noise, but he didn't step forward.
They were nothing but low-level devils.
"Special devils are mostly high-level. We'll use the low-level devils to call the shots."
Min Sung continued walking as he added.
"There are all sorts of special devils. There are those that use spells as well as champions with outstanding physical abilities. When they start to show up…"
Min Sung's eyes sparkled.
"… Be ready to die."
He chanted it over and over.
'Special devil, special devil, special devil.'
The fact that someone as strong as Min Sung Kang said it over and over again meant that they were that dangerous.
But that didn't mean Min Sung Kang was scared.
It just meant that they had to cross the line of death and proceed forward.
"Sir."
Min Sung didn't look back and continued walking.
But Ho Sung Lee continued anyway.
"Sir, I won't die and will become stronger. I'll make sure those devils won't mess with your restaurants."
Ho Sung Lee's eyes shined with determination.
"Don't overreact and die."
"… Yes, Sir."
***
[They're coming in closer and closer.]
[I don't like this. I feel anxious…]
[It's the Black Slaughterer. The Black Slaughterer found us. I'm scared.]
[Don't be scared. He's just a human. We can win.]
[Where's Shaman?]
[Even with Shaman, would we be able to stop him?]
[Don't let a human scare you.]
[That bastard's not human.]
[There's Shaman. Shaman's coming.]
15th floor.
The words of the devils appeared on the walls with blood.
***
The sound of footsteps could be heard.
As soon as Min Sung stopped in his tracks, so did his party.
The footsteps became clearer and clearer.
A moment later, someone appeared from the darkness.
"…!?"
Ho Sung Lee's eyes were filled with shock.
Bowl also flinched and trembled.
Min Sung Kang's personal chef, Woong Jang.
His granddaughter, Sia Jang, was walking over covered in blood.
Min Sung stared at Sia Jang.
Ho Sung Lee looked at Min Sung and then ran over to Sia Jang, who was about to fall over.
At that moment.
"Stop," Min Sung instructed.
Ho Sung Lee slowed down and looked back at Min Sung.
"That's Sia. Woong Jang's granddaughter! What the hell is she…"
"Stop. Come back here."
Ho Sung Lee took turns looking at Sia Jang covered in blood and Min Sung before biting his lip and taking a step back.
"What's going on?"
Min Sung looked at Sia Jang with cold eyes and took out his Orichalcum Sword from his item widow.
Flash!
Thunder and lightning surrounded the Orichalcum Sword in Min Sung's hands.
Step, step—
Min Sung slowly walked toward her.
Sia Jang continued to wobble.
It looked like she could fall over at any moment.
But Min Sung wasn't fazed by this.
When Min Sung was close enough to Sia Jang.
Swooshhhhhh-
Dozens of devils appeared out
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of thin air and waved their sharp fingernails at Min Sung.
Min Sung clenched his teeth and waved his Orichalcum Sword around.
Boommmmmm!
Along with the sound of thunder and lightning, fireworks went off followed by bloodshed.
The blood splashed in the air and drenched Sia Jang.
Min Sung went toward Sia Jang, who was covered in devil blood.
He then took the Orichalcum Sword and stabbed Sia Jang in the heart.
Slash!
As soon as he did, Sia Jang's appearance transformed into a dark devil.
The devil screeched in a very high pitch.
"Kyaaaaaaaaa!"
It was noisy and painful to listen to.
As soon as Min Sung pulled out his Orichalcum Sword.
Rippppppppp!
The devil's body was ripped to shreds and blood splashed in all four directions.
And on top of the blood, an item fell.
Ssol, who was watching all of this unfold before him, smiled at the item.
"Wow!"
Ssol ran at a very high speed and put the item into his pocket.
He moved so quickly that Ho Sung Lee and Bowl could barely see it.
Ho Sung Lee blankly watched Ssol and then looked over at Min Sung.
"I-I'm sorry, Sir."
"That was Shaman's trick."
"Pardon?"
Ho Sung Lee lifted his head and looked at Min Sung.
"A special devil has appeared."
In response, Ho Sung Lee looked in front of him.
The floors were covered in blood.
And to think there was a special devil there.
The special devil that Min Sung warned him about multiple times.
Ho Sung Lee gulped.
He felt something in his bones that he had never experienced before.
"Bowl."
In response, Bowl ran over and looked up at his owner, Min Sung.
"Yes, Master."
"A special devil has appeared. Don't be greedy about turning low-level devils into the undead. The one special devil is enough for now."
Bowl nodded up and down.
"Ho Sung."
"Yes, Sir."
"Don't be greedy about experience points right now."
"Yes, Sir," Ho Sung Lee responded with a nervous voice.
"Let's go."
Min Sung began walking.
***
"… Our plan failed."
"Well, it's the Black Slaughterer we're talking about."
"Our floor will be cleared at this rate."
"I don't want to go extinct…"
"What about Shaman?"
"Where's Shaman!?"
The devils babbled on and on in anxiousness like a bunch of animals waiting on their mother.
At that moment, Shaman appeared.
A high-level devil that cast spells.
The Shaman Devil was a head taller than the average devil.
Aside from the fact that he had words of the devil language tattooed all over his dark skin, he didn't look too much different.
Shaman looked down at the group of devils and opened his shark-like mouth.
[I will kill Black Slaughterer.]
There was great demonic energy in Shaman's voice.
The scared devils came to their senses after hearing his voice.
[Don't be afraid of going extinct. That fear will only make that come true.]
Shaman's deep voice rang loudly.
However, that voice only rang inside the devil's heads. It didn't reach the Black Slaughterer.
Thud!
Shaman slammed his cane on the ground.
Along with it came a magic square.
A fiery blue light came out of the magic square and went into the devils' bodies.
Just like that, the awakening began.
They forgot their fears and became determined to fight.
The devil's thirst for blood and war. That instinct came to life.
Their cowering bodies stretched out.
The devils' fighting spirit exceeded death.
Their fingernails sparkled, and so did their shark-like teeth.
The devils spread out their wings.
Fwip!
Shaman raised his cane.
[The one who kills Black Slaughterer will bring honor to the Demonic Realm. Prove the Demonic Realm's threat to humans!]
The devils flashed their red eyes and ran in the same direction.
And Shaman followed behind them.
***
His senses gave him a signal.
This time, it wasn't just one.
It was an army.
Min Sung's senses told him that the devils were moving in a big group.
However, there was something he didn't sense.
The special devil.
They were different.
They weren't just different in fighting power, but in other ways as well.
'It was like that in the Demonic Realm as well.'
However, due to his experience, he knew that Shaman would be among them.
Shaman was definitely behind the herd.
Chapter 144
"It will start soon."
Min Sung looked ahead of him and continued,
"I'll go first and get through the devils, so I can get to Shaman. While I take care of the rest of the devils afterward, eat Shaman."
He then took out his Orichalchum Sword and walked forward.
Ho Sung Lee felt weighed down as he watched his spirit.
He felt like the air was being compressed.
He felt frustrated and pressured.
This was all due to Min Sung's existence.
Roarrrr
At that moment, the tower began ringing.
The devils were coming.
The sound was dark and sloppy.
It was a familiar sound.
Min Sung accepted what he sensed with a cold look on his face and kept walking forward.
He sped up.
And then the devils poured out from the darkness.
Min Sung unleashed his demonic powers.
As a result, the devils disappeared, and a path cleared up.
Min Sung ignored the rest of the devils and ran through the path at a high speed.
He had to find Shaman and kill him first.
If not, a war could break out.
Even if he had to turn his backs on the low-level devils, he had to find Shaman and defeat him first.
Min Sung dodged the pouncing devils and continued through the open space.
Min Sung and the devils were differentiated like water and oil.
Meanwhile, Min Sung spotted Shaman.
A devil with words tattooed all over his body.
He was Shaman.
Min Sung pounced Shaman as if he was a wild animal going after his prey.
After noticing Min Sung running over, Shaman raised his cane.
The words tattooed on his body lit up and a strong force exuded from his cane.
A strong light that was blinding appeared.
Demons appeared from that light and flew toward Min Sung.
Swoosh!
However, Min Sung simply laughed at Shaman's charm abilities.
Shaman's main ability wasn't attack power.
He specialized in minor techniques such as restraint and slowdown.
Of course, there was a time when those abilities were scary, but that was all in the past.
On top of that, the fact that Shaman couldn't control his distance very well meant that he was simply Min Sung's prey.
Min Sung slew the dark demons and got closer to Shaman, and after hitting the ground with his Orichalcum Sword and flying up in the air, he stabbed Shaman in the forehead.
The Orichalcum Sword flashed with white light before its dark power exploded.
Boommmm!!
Half of Shaman's body melted into liquid onto the ground.
When Min Sung took out his Orichalcum Sword.
The devils pounced at Min Sung from all four directions.
But the result was the same.
The devils exploded with blood splattering everywhere.
And as instructed, Ho Sung Lee and Bowl ran over to Shaman and Ssol picked up the items at high speed with a bright smile on his face.
And as for Min Sung.
He fought the rest of the devils.
***
"He might reincarnate at this rate! Get it together, Bowl! I thought you were going to make a special devil into the undead!"
Ho Sung Lee desperately yelled.
Bowl tried his best to turn Shaman into the undead, but it was easier said than done.
It took a long time.
Meanwhile, the other devils went extinct due to Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword.
Min Sung then returned to Bowl and Ho Sung Lee as if he finished a boring day at work.
As soon as he did, he stabbed Shaman in the back with his Orichalcum Sword.
Slash!
When the Orichalcum Sword went through his skin, Shaman trembled and shrieked.
Aghhhhhh!
The sound of his screaming was dreadful, but then it grew quiet.
After seeing this, Bowl's eyes went into flames.
Dark smoke then attempted to absorb into Shaman's skin cells.
But that was similar to a needle attempting to go through thick fabric, and it felt as though his stamina was attacking a monster that continued to recover in stamina.
It was that difficult to turn Shaman into the undead, but Bowl didn't give up.
And that effort paid off.
Words popped up in front of Min Sung's face.
[Your Lich Doll, Bowl, successfully turned 'Shaman Devil' into the undead.]
Shaman began the process of reincarnation.
His dying body started standing up again.
A moment later, the complete
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form of Shaman stood in front of Bowl with full obedience.
Bowl's eyes lit up with excitement as he ran around, and Ssol walked over to the Shaman devil and smiled at it in awe.
Ho Sung Lee sighed deeply following the hard battle.
On the other hand, Min Sung quietly prepared to execute his next steps.
***
"Let's eat a hotdog," Min Sung said in front of the stairs to the 16th floor.
"Since I'm not hungry, I think we should just have a snack before we go up."
Ho Sung Lee nodded and called over Ssol.
"Hey, Ssol. Come here."
"…"
However, Ssol continued to look at the murals on the walls and ignored Ho Sung Lee.
"Hey, Ssol! I said, come here!"
Ssol continued to ignore him.
"I think you need to call him, Sir."
Ho Sung Lee sighed and turned toward Min Sung.
"Ssol."
As soon as Min Sung called him, Ssol turned around with a smile on his face and skipped over.
"Take out the hotdogs from the freezer."
"Hotdogs?"
In response to Min Sung's command, Ssol tilted his head in confusion.
So Ho Sung Lee explained what a hotdog was.
Ssol went through his pocket and took out a food item.
"No, that's frozen dumplings."
Ssol took out something else.
"No, not that."
So Ssol took out something else.
"That's a cucumber. It's thicker than that… Hey, that's a zucchini!"
At that moment, Ssol began crying.
When Ssol cried silently with his mouth open while shedding gold tears, Ho Sung Lee sighed in frustration and scratched his head.
"Hey, why are you crying again…?"
Ho Sung Lee patted Ssol on the shoulder.
Meanwhile, Bowl was busy picking up the gold tears from the floor.
"Are you serious?"
Ho Sung Lee looked down at Bowl and asked.
"Hurry up and find it," Min Sung Lee said in annoyance.
So Ho Sung Lee hurried to comfort Ssol and then began looking for the hotdog again.
A moment later, they finally found the hotdogs that Min Sung wanted.
"Yeah, that's the one!"
When Ho Sung Lee gave him a thumbs up, Ssol smiled as if nothing had happened.
Ho Sung Lee then ran over to Min Sung with the hotdogs.
Min Sung took out one hotdog from the plastic wrapper.
He then used his magical power to cook it appropriately.
The hotdog, which was covered with white magic, began cooking in the heat.
Min Sung squeezed ketchup on the warm hotdog.
Min Sung found the look of the red ketchup quite pleasant as he went on to take a bite.
Om nom.
He tasted the warm bread first, and after that, he tasted the hot sausage within.
And the ketchup on top intensified the flavors.
It was a delicious snack.
When looking back on his childhood, it was a messy way to eat, but there was a time when he ate the bread and then left the sausage for last.
Min Sung looked back on his memories as he enjoyed his hotdog.
The combination of the sweet ketchup, the soft bread, and the sausage made for a fantastic harmony.
'It's delicious.'
Once he finished half of the hotdog, Min Sung felt a gaze upon him.
Ho Sung Lee was staring with his mouth open.
He then realized what he was doing and quickly looked away.
"Ho Sung."
'Yes, Sir."
Ho Sung Lee immediately turned toward Min Sung.
"Eat it."
Min Sung threw him the bag with hotdogs in it.
Ho Sung Lee caught the bag as if he had been waiting and took one out and gave it to Bowl.
"Hey, Bowl. Cook this," Ho Sung Lee said with anticipation.
"No."
But Bowl ignored Ho Sung Lee and made accessories out of the gold tears he picked up.
"Hey, come on. Cook one for me."
"No."
Bowl put the completed gold necklace around his neck and shook his butt back and forth.
"Oh, our great Lich doll, I respectfully ask that you cook a hotdog for me."
Ho Sung Lee closed his eyes and pushed the hot dog at him with sincerity.
In response, Bowl snickered and flicked his bone finger.
At that moment, a dark fire passed through the hotdog.
"Oh! Thank you!"
Ho Sung Lee smiled at the cooked hotdog. He squeezed ketchup on top and took a bite.
Crunch!
The hotdog was so well-done that his teeth almost went out.
"You damned skeleton!"
Ho Sung Lee threw his hard hot dog at Bowl.
In response, Bowl snickered and ran away from Ho Sung Lee on his shadow board.
Ho Sung was sad that he was unable to enjoy a hotdog.
***
The difficulty levels of each floor were different.
It was like a labyrinth in that there were floors that were easy to clear as well as difficult situations where special devils appeared.
However, Min Sung was more comfortable with this.
This allowed him to clear the tower faster.
Since they entered the Black Tower with food ingredients ready, he wanted to kill the devils as fast as possible and return to his normal life.
And it seemed like that was possible.
He had Ssol, who could store away an infinite number of items, and Ho Sung Lee and Bowl were growing at a fast pace.
The only annoying part was that the tower was too high.
Chapter 145
"We finally got to the 20th floor," Ho Sung Lee delightfully said while going up the stairs.
He laughed with dark bags under his eyes.
"We got to the 20th floor… but I feel like I'll die of sleepiness before I die in the hands of a devil."
As he said, there was no need to go in and out for food, but since the tower was high, it took a significant amount of time to clear each floor.
Min Sung, Bowl and Ssol weren't affected by this, but Ho Sung Lee was different.
After all, Ho Sung Lee was the closest one to being a normal human in the group.
Wobble-
Ho Sung Lee even wobbled due to his sleepiness.
At this rate, Ho Sung Lee was going to die if another special devil appeared.
"Rest," Min Sung remarked.
"… I'm sorry, Sir."
Ho Sung Lee apologized for being a burden.
However, there was nothing he could do.
He knew his own body more than anyone.
"Bowl, you're on night watch."
"Yes, Master."
"I'll give you 3 hours to sleep."
"Thank you."
Ho Sung Lee leaned his face on a pole and then plopped on the ground.
"Oh… If you're going to rest anyway, you might as well become the Berserker."
In response, Ho Sung Lee stared blankly at Min Sung.
"… Pardon?"
"If you become the Berserker, your stamina will recharge. And 3 hours gives you enough time to cool down."
"T-that means…"
"Sleep tight."
Min Sung took out the Orichalcum Sword from his item window and walked toward Ho Sung Lee.
"H-huh…? Sir!"
Min Sung stabbed Ho Sung Lee in the stomach without any hesitation.
Slash!
Along with an unpleasant sound, the pain of getting stabbed in the intestines washed over him.
"Ugh…!"
[You've been hit.]
[Transforming into Berserker.]
Ho Sung Lee's hair turned red. He grew fangs, and his muscles grew bigger.
Min Sung simply watched Ho Sung Lee transform into Berserker with a calm look on his face.
A moment later, Ho Sung Lee let out a monstrous scream.
Min Sung took a step back and waited for Ho Sung Lee to pounce.
"Wow!"
Ssol showed a surprised look on his face while Bowl ran off like a rat fleeing from a cat.
"Grrr, Grrrrrr!"
Ho Sung Lee wobbled up and glared at Min Sung, and Min Sung tilted his head in response.
The Berserker only had attacking instincts.
'He lost his consciousness, so why isn't he attacking me?'
When he looked closely, Ho Sung Lee's body was shaking.
Ho Sung Lee glared at Min Sung and then glanced around.
He looked like a weak monster who was at a crossroads.
"Graaaaaa!"
Ho Sung Lee then changed his target and pounced at Ssol.
In response, Min Sung dashed over and punched Ho Sung Lee on the side.
Ho Sung Lee hit the wall of the tower with a large thud.
Swoosh!
Crumbs fell from the ceiling and walls.
As a result of the dust, he couldn't see Ho Sung Lee.
When Min Sung walked forward, Ho Sung Lee cut through the dust and popped out.
He was holding his Death Knight Sword.
Ho Sung Lee attacked at an explosive speed.
His Hell Fire ability caused fireworks to explode into the air, but Min Sung wasn't fazed.
The Death Knight Sword simply cut through the air and nothing else.
Min Sung easily dodged Ho Sung Lee's attack as if he was dancing.
And once he decided that enough time had passed, he decided to put him to sleep.
Any damage would turn into experience points.
But if he applied too much damage, he would be affected even after waking up from being the Berserker, so he had to hold back.
Powwwwww!
Min Sung punched Ho Sung Lee in the chest.
"Cough!"
Ho Sung Lee threw up dark blood and plopped down onto the ground.
"Grrrrrr…!"
He then started drooling and trembled as a result of the pain.
Min Sung looked down at his luxurious watch.
8 minutes had passed.
"Will the Berserker be over soon?"
At that moment, Ho Sung Lee turned back to normal from the Berserker state.
He then fell asleep.
That was when Bowl peeked out from the pole he hid behind.
In response to Min Sung's pointing at Ho Sung Lee, Bowl ran over and stood
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as a night watch.
After Ssol smiled at Ho Sung Lee's relaxed face, he sat next to him and slept with him.
***
"The lights keep turning on," one of the Samchunkyo hunters remarked.
In response, a few other Samchunkyo hunters jumped in.
"At a very fast pace."
"It's more surprising that he's even making it up there."
"Maybe he'll really clear the tower."
"What happens if he does? Will all of the dungeons disappear?"
"Who knows?"
"He's stronger than we expected…"
The Samchunkyo hunters looked at the Black Tower and the lit-up floors with heavy gates.
"That's why we made a plan."
Just as the Samchunkyo hunter said, they had a meeting to come up with a plan.
They decided that if Min Sung Kang happened to clear the tower, they would try to attack him when he was the most tired.
There was no better way than reducing harm to themselves while increasing the chances of killing him.
They would make him put his guard down and then attack.
The Samchunkyo hunters had been through this many times before.
But no matter their experience, the Samchunkyo hunters couldn't escape from their feelings of anxiousness.
On top of who they were going up against, this mission was very important.
If the dungeons disappeared and the world found peace…
It had to be Samchunkyo who monopolized on that peace.
They were going to dominate the world.
That was Samchunkyo's objective.
If they succeeded in this mission, they would become the heroes of Samchunkyo.
However, failure meant they would die.
It was like a double-edged sword.
The Samchunkyo hunters were determined to succeed no matter what.
***
They proceeded on climbing up the stairs as soon as Ho Sung Lee woke up.
The tiring process continued.
It took a long time to kill the devils and go up the stairs, and there was nothing more boring than repeating that process.
However, Min Sung kept going without a frown.
Despite having passed the 40th floor, no special devil appeared.
The tower was so easy that it felt like the difficulty was going down as they went up.
Of course, the hunt became faster after Bowl made Shaman and a few other devils into the undead, but it still didn't feel right.
The floors were so easy that Min Sung felt like something was off.
Even now, the tower was silent and still.
"Sir… are you going to keep stabbing me when I get tired?"
Ho Sung Lee asked with a pale face.
"Why? Are you scared?"
"Of course. Just think about getting stabbed every time you get tired. Who would be able to handle that?"
"If you can't, just give up and leave. I don't need someone like that."
"Forget it. Forget I said anything. Ugh, you're so cold-hearted."
Ho Sung Lee looked into the distance with a troubled look on his face.
He then turned to Min Sung.
"But Sir. At this rate, you'll clear this whole tower. When that happens, what will you…"
"This isn't the end of the Black Tower."
"… Pardon?"
Ho Sung Lee looked at Min Sung in surprise.
Min Sung continued with a chilling voice,
"They're not the type to make it this easy."
"…"
"This is just the beginning."
Min Sung sounded like he knew just what was going to happen, and that made Ho Sung Lee scared.
Min Sung Kang always seemed free and confident, but when he faced off against devils, he was different.
Despite being able to kill the devils so easily, Min Sung Kang still kept his guard up against devils.
'It's as if something bad could happen if he let his guard down for just a second.'
Ho Sung Lee was unable to understand why such a powerful man like Min Sung Kang was alert when It came to devils.
***
The unpleasant feelings grew from there.
No matter how high they climbed, the difficulty stayed the same.
The process was so repetitive that it felt like they were labor workers at a factory.
It wouldn't have felt like this if more special devils appeared while they climbed the tower.
So they waited.
Until another special devil appeared.
They wondered who would appear.
They overcame the boredom with that anticipation.
Min Sung walked through the floors drenched with devil blood while looking back at Ho Sung Lee and Bowl.
Ho Sung Lee walked with the will to survive.
As for Bowl, he was obeying his master with flames in his eyes.
And Ssol, who was the last to join their group.
He still lacked in many ways, but he was doing a good job.
… However.
Min Sung focused on the path of the dark tower.
'They will awaken soon enough.'
'Their instincts and second nature will break from its shell and unleash into the world.'
'And that world will be a different playing field.'
'This world will begin tumbling down.'
Just the thought of the peaceful world coming to an end, the restaurants all closing down, and the talented chefs dying were enough to overwhelm him with stress.
It was important to raise Ho Sung Lee and Bowl to be strong, but he felt that he needed more men to fight against the devils.
He wasn't in a rush, but it was something that needed to be done.
Chapter 146
"… We made it up to the 49th floor," Ho Sung Lee remarked at the entrance of the staircase.
Min Sung proceeded up the stairs as if there was no time to waste.
As he went up the stairs, Min Sung slew the devil that appeared as if it was from a horror movie with his Orichalcum Sword.
After seeing Min Sung rip the devil to shreds, Ho Sung Lee swallowed his breath.
He always felt that Min Sung Kang's aura output was at a whole different level.
If an average hunter's aura output was 1, how much would Min Sung Kang's be?
500? 800? 1000?
Ho Sung Lee gulped.
If Min Sung was compared to a car, he would be a Ferrari.
He shook his head.
He saw Min Sung climbing the stairs ahead.
They finally reached the 49th floor.
They cleared the Black Tower at a very high speed.
Ho Sung Lee still couldn't believe this was real.
At that moment, Min Sung looked back at Ho Sung Lee.
Ho Sung Lee breathed quickly and then stopped when he noticed Min Sung's gaze.
"W-why are you looking at me like that? I-I'm not tired. I can keep going. Really. I'm fine."
In response to Min Sung's stare, Ho Sung Lee licked his lips with a restless look on his face.
"We're already on the 49th floor. It's not effective to kill me and make me into a Berserker at this point. Who knows when another devil might show up?"
"I'm hungry."
In response to Min Sung, Ho Sung Lee closed his eyes.
"Oh, I thought… Sigh… You startled me, Sir… Please don't stare at me like that… Just say what you have to say right off the bat. I felt like I was having sleep paralysis while awake."
"Let's eat before we go."
Min Sung looked ahead one more time and then gestured for Ssol to come over.
"Maybe it's because I'm nervous, but it's way past mealtime," Ho Sung Lee said as he took out the ingredients.
Min Sung didn't answer and quietly watched as Ho Sung Lee prepared the food.
That was his way of instructing him to hurry up.
So Ho Sung Lee shut his mouth and sped up.
He decided to make something simple for their meal on the 49th floor.
It was a fish cake soup.
He used radish, green onions, onions, peppers, kelp, minced garlic, anchovies, soy sauce, cooking wine, and salt to make the broth.
He then took out the contents and asked Bowl to boil the broth.
Since Bowl's magic was hotter than a normal fire, the broth boiled a lot faster than usual.
As soon as the broth started boiling, Ho Sung Lee added fish cakes, peppers, onions, and green onions.
All he had to add at this point was salt.
He liked that Woong Jang's recipe was simple yet delicious.
"It's finished, Sir!"
Ho Sung Lee shouted with a smile.
Min Sung nodded and sat on top of the picnic blanket.
"Oh, yeah. The ladle."
Ho Sung Lee found the ladle in Ssol's golden pouch and spooned enough for Min Sung in a bowl.
"Here, Sir."
In response, Min Sung accepted the bowl and looked down at it.
It was steaming.
And a clean and refreshing scent entered his nose.
Since it was a high-quality fish cake, it had all sorts of colors as well as shapes.
Min Sung looked at the pretty fish cakes as he took a bite.
"Slurp."
Hot steam came out of his mouth.
The fish cake was well-cooked and smooth.
The broth was soaked into the fish cake, and that made it taste even more refreshing.
Min Sung chewed on the round and red fish cake as he drank the broth out of the bowl.
"Slurp!"
Gulp-!
"Haa…"
He breathed out visible air.
He felt that his body had warmed up, and his blood was circulating faster.
Being able to take in calories in such a delicious way was a surprising act of magic.
'This is refreshing.'
He was touched by the spiciness of the peppers and the deep flavors of the fish cake broth.
Min Sung looked at Ho Sung Lee and asked,
"Do we have alcohol.?"
"We're stocked up on soju, whiskey, vodka, cognac, and more. Which one would you like?"
Min Sung
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thought for a while and then said, "Fish cake soup always calls for soju."
Ho Sung smiled brightly.
"You're getting good at this."
He tapped Ssol on the shoulder.
"Take out the soju. It's a green transparent bottle…"
Ssol took out what looked like soju from his gold pouch and showed it to him.
"… That's sesame oil."
Ssol took out something else with a smile.
Ho Sung Lee almost got angry, but he then held it back after seeing Ssol smiling.
"That's olive oil."
Ssol showed a sad face as he continued to search for soju.
"Yeah, that!"
Ho Sung Lee patted Ssol on the butt and smiled.
At that point, Ssol opened his mouth wide and smiled brightly.
After smiling back, Ho Sung Lee handed Min Sung the soju.
As Min Sung accepted the bottle…
"Oh yeah, let me get you a glass…"
"That's okay."
Min Sung opened the lid and chugged it by the bottle.
Gulp, gulp, gulp-!
Ho Sung Lee watched in awe and once Min Sung emptied the bottle, he put it down and focused back on the fish cakes.
His throat felt hot.
Min Sung felt his chest growing warm due to the alcohol as he picked up a piece of fish cake.
"Hm…?"
The way the fish cakes tasted after warming up his chest with alcohol was outstanding.
Min Sung knitted his brows and appreciated the flavors.
This time, he ate a round and red fish cake that was much softer.
It melted in his mouth.
It tasted as though this piece contained the most fish meat.
It was soft and delicious, and the sweet scent went in and out of his nostrils.
It was absolutely delicious.
Min Sung looked down at the fish cake soup with a shocked look on his face.
He then realized it was getting cold and quickly started eating again.
This time, it was a standard shaped fish cake.
It had a different texture to it than the other fish cakes.
It was chewier than the others.
'This is good.'
Min Sung lifted his soju glass to take a few more sips and then enjoyed the rest of his fish cake soup.
"Bowl, the broth is getting cold. Heat it up. But use the weaker heat."
Bowl, who was laying on the ground, sprung back up and started up the fire.
Black sparks started flying.
"Wow. Hey, Bowl. You've gotten a lot better at this."
In response to Ho Sung Lee's compliment, Bowl snickered.
"Would you like more?"
In response, Min Sung nodded and handed him his bowl.
Ho Sung Lee scooped more fish cake soup into the bowl.
"I didn't add too much. It's not good when it's cold."
"I know."
Ho Sung Lee smiled in response and poured himself some as well.
As soon as he scooped it in, he heard the ground thumping.
Ho Sung Lee slowly lifted his head and looked ahead of him.
10 devils of large stature were walking his way.
"D-devils!"
Ho Sung Lee dropped the ladle. He sprung up and took out his Death Knight Sword from his item window.
Bowl also stared at the devils with flames in his eyes.
As for Ssol, he stared at the devils in shock.
On the other hand, Min Sung ignored the devils and continued to enjoy his fish cake soup.
Among the devils, the one with the best stamina and attack power was the "Champion".
Min Sung was the one who named them that in the Demonic Realm.
He made it so that he could remember them easily.
The Champion stared at Min Sung and his group and gritted his teeth.
He looked like he wanted to kill them.
But Min Sung ignored him and continued to eat his fish cake soup.
Although the Champion was ready to pounce, he didn't instruct the other devils around him to attack.
They just stared.
Min Sung only looked at the Champion after he took his last bite of the fish cake soup.
At that moment, the Champion flinched and trembled.
"How many floors are there in this Black Tower?"
Min Sung asked the champion, but the Champion didn't answer.
And then…
A dark sword appeared in the Champion's hand.
"I wasn't expecting an answer form you anyway."
Min Sung brushed the dirt off his pants. He got up and then stared at the Champion.
"I'm so bored."
In response to Min Sung's blank stare, the Champion began breathing heavily.
The emotion of someone right before getting sentenced to death started flowing out.
To the Champion, Min Sung was the one sentencing him to death.
"If you're not going to tell me where the tower ends…"
Min Sung stared at the Champion coldly and took out his Orichalcum Sword from his item window.
Swooshhhhhh!
The look of fear overcame the Champion's eyes.
However, that was no reason for him to stop the fight.
"… It's time for you to go," Min Sung told the Champion and the other devils.
At the same time, a great force accumulated around Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword.
In response, the Champion dropped his weapon.
He then moved at an incredibly fast speed.
And the only one to see it was Min Sung.
Min Sung thought the direction he threw it in was weird and then quickly ran over and hit the weapon with his Orichalcum Sword.
Thudddddd!
Dust spread out in all four directions.
'… I'm not the target.'
Chapter 147
The Champion's target was Ho Sung Lee and Bowl.
He risked his life to make the party as small as possible.
As soon as he amplified his senses, a prey was caught into the spider web.
It was in the 1 o'clock direction.
Through the dust and smoke, he could see the Champion attempting to stab Ho Sung Lee with his weapon.
He then calculated inside his head how long it would take for Ho Sung Lee to die.
From Min Sung's Orichalcum Sword appeared thick magic spells that appeared to be dancing.
The magic spell then pierced through the dark and became light.
Swoosh!
The Champion was unable to stab Ho Sung Lee, and his attack immediately transitioned into defense.
A shield appeared on the Champion's arm which was attacked by Min Sung's magic spell.
Crashhhhhh!
The Champion trembled as he resisted Min Sung's magic spell.
He was on the verge of defeat with only the shield protecting him.
Meanwhile, the Champion's devils charged toward Min Sung.
So Min Sung stopped his magic spell and turned his body.
In response to his two spins followed by an attack, the devils all toppled over like dominos.
At that moment…
The Champion went to attack Ho Sung Lee once again, but Bowl summoned the Shaman, allowing him to dodge the dangerous situation.
Even if he was able to transform into Berserker, severe damage could lead to death.
In front of special devils, Ho Sung Lee's Berserker ability was nothing but a bullet-proof vest.
… Even so.
It was hard to say that these devils in front of them were that powerful.
Min Sung's eyes sparkled.
There was no need to drag on the time.
It was tiring to use this technique, but this was the best way to end it quickly.
Min Sung glared at the Champion as he showed off his swordsmanship.
The Orichalcum Sword left Min Sung's hands.
The Orichalcum Sword then teleported and stabbed the Champion right through the chest.
The tall Champion looked down on his chest.
Rippppppppp!
The white magic spell began spreading around the stab wound.
The Champion's body then melted as if he was ice cream on a hot day.
"Bowl, eat it," Min Sung commanded.
Bowl's eyes lit up as he spread out his hands to use his reincarnation skill.
Right before the reincarnation skill took effect…
"Arghhhhhh!"
Ho Sung Lee swung his Death Knight Sword.
Slash!
He cut off the Champion's waist.
And the Death Knight Sword activated its Hell Fire ability, despite its low probability for activation.
Boommmmmm!
Along with great heat, large fireworks went off.
"Graaaaaaaaa-"
The Champion shrieked as it broke into little pieces and disappeared.
Items had dropped on top of the Champion's blood.
Ho Sung Lee saw this and showed a bright smile.
"Sir! I ate the special devil! I got the experience points! Hahaha! Wow, Bowl…"
Ho Sung Lee couldn't contain his excitement, but he froze up as soon as he saw Min Sung's face.
Min Sung stared back at him coldly.
"I told Bowl to eat the special devil."
Ho Sung Lee dripped in cold sweat and attempted to avoid Min Sung's eyes.
"R-r-really? I didn't hear that. I'm sorry. I really didn't… I apologize, Sir."
Min Sung walked toward Ho Sung Lee.
"Ho Sung."
"Y-yes, Sir."
Ho Sung Lee gulped and answered while still looking away.
"From now on, only Bowl will eat the Special devils."
"Yes, Sir."
"Why do you think that is?"
"Because the more special devils Bowl eats, the wider the bounds will get in which we can fight."
"Don't forget that."
"… Yes, Sir."
Min Sung looked around him.
He remembered there being more devils around the Champion, but they had disappeared already.
They didn't have to kill all the devils to move on to the next floor.
There were times when it opened when they all died, but there were cases as well where it would open even though they didn't wipe out the devils.
Min Sung walked through the blood toward the entrance to the next floor.
This was after Ssol had collected all of the items, and Bowl continued to glare at Ho Sung Lee with flames in his eyes.
Ho Sung Lee coughed and avoided Bowl's gaze.
"Sorry."
Ho Sung Lee apologized, but Bowl still looked angry.
"I said I'm sorry. I really didn't know!"
In response, Bowl looked away and ran over to his owner.
After seeing this, Ssol walked over to Ho Sung Lee and looked up at him
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in confusion.
Ho Sung Lee sighed and then looked back.
The fish cake soup and bowls made a mess everywhere.
He had prepared many bowls and spoons.
Ho Sung Lee realized he needed to prepare even more in the future just in case as he began walking next to Ssol with a sad look on his face.
Following a long search, they were able to find the entrance to the next floor.
But the shape of the stairs was different from what they had seen before.
On the right wall were pieces of devils, and on top of that was an arched Tympanum.
And on the door were semi-transparent words written in magical language.
Min Sung touched the door with his hands.
In response, the words 'last floor' appeared in the air.
Tsss!
Although they had yet to pass through the door, everything grew dark.
He sensed the space around him becoming distorted.
The shaking vision made Ho Sung Lee dizzy, which made him grab his head and wobble around.
Bowl and Ssol were also struggling to keep balance.
Min Sung was the only one who stayed still without shaking.
A moment later, a light shined from the darkness.
A wide hallway.
It was a space that reminded him of a grand hall from the Middle Ages.
Following a long black carpet was a throne made of skulls.
And someone was sitting in that throne.
Ho Sung Lee glanced around, and as soon as he saw the person sitting on the throne, he flinched.
Bowl stared on with flames in his eyes, and Ssol took a look around with a smile on his face.
"It looks amazing. And I'm surprised we're on the last floor already."
In response, Min Sung just stared at the throne.
The one sitting on the throne was a monster that Min Sung was all too familiar with.
It looked a little different from devils.
He had short horns on his head, skin paler than that of Caucasians, long and dark fingernails, scales all over his arms and legs.
One of the ruling tribes of the Demonic Realm.
He was The Devil.
The robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, looked up at the Black Tower from the assembly with his one eye.
47… 48… 49… 50.
The 50th floor finally lit up.
There were no more floors above that.
That meant they were on the final floor.
This meant that Min Sung Kang opened the doors to the final floor.
Jae Hyuk Han stared at the Black Tower and then turned around.
He then went into the meeting tent.
As soon as the Samchunkyo hunters saw Jae Hyuk Han enter, they immediately got up from their slouching positions.
In response to Samchunkyo's questioning gazes, Jae Hyuk Han looked back at them and said,
"Min Sung Kang has reached the final floor."
The Samchunkyo hunters responded in various ways.
One looked surprised, another looked like he saw it coming, while another looked uncomfortable.
But they all felt the same way.
Anxiousness.
He cleared the tower and reached the final floor by himself.
No matter how experienced the Samchunkyo hunters were, they thought it was impossible for a human to clear the tower on their own, and for that reason, they naturally felt anxious.
This also proved just how scary experience could be.
Although they were scared and anxious, they had to fulfill their duties and produce results.
The more difficult a problem got, the more they focused.
The Samchunkyo hunters grew wild as if they were eagles.
Their eyes looked calm while also containing attacking instincts.
"We should start getting ready," one of the Samchunkyo hunters remarked.
In response, Jae Hyuk Han took out his sword from his item window and stabbed it right into the table.
The thick table made of wood cracked and then toppled down.
"Rise."
The Samchunkyo hunters got up with wide eyes.
"Whether he clears the tower or dies on the last floor, we have to get moving. If Min Sung Kang clears the tower, we have to immediately assassinate him, and if Min Sung Kang dies, we have to be there to finish off the rest."
"Yes, Sir," the Samchunkyo hunters chanted simultaneously as if they were soldiers.
"Call Ethan."
One of the Samchunkyo hunters left the meeting room in order to find Commander Ethan.
Not long afterward, they returned.
Ethan bowed down to Jae Hyuk Han.
"Ethan, you heard the plan, right?"
Ethan nodded.
"Deliver my order to your subordinates."
"Are you talking about the plan from the other day?"
"No."
Ethan looked at Jae Hyuk Han with questioning eyes.
"If Min Sung Kang clears the tower and arrives at the assembly, Team A of the world hunters must separate the puppets from Min Sung Kang, and Team B must limit Min Sung Kang's view and distract him."
"Is that all we have to do? We don't have to fight?"
"That's all you need to do."
"Yes, Sir."
Ethan left the meeting room.
Once one of the Samchunkyo hunters confirmed that Ethan was far enough, he looked back at Jae Hyuk Han.
"Are we abandoning the world hunters?"
"He cleared the Black Tower on his own. I don't care if you use the world hunters as shields. If we don't attack at the right time, things could get difficult."
No one protested against Jae Hyuk Han.
"Keep a close eye on the Black Tower."
In response, the Samchunkyo hunters left the tent with disturbed looks in their eyes.
Jae Hyuk Han looked down at his sword with cold eyes.
The gold light on the ceiling allowed the thick sword to shine extra bright.