TTBC used to be quite an influential game broadcasting channel in the past. They used to be unrivaled among the four existing gaming broadcasting channels then. Also, TTBC had always achieved number one overall, including the viewership ratings.

However, the current TTBC was facing a big crisis. Viewers had chosen them as the lowest ranking channel among the game broadcasting channel. From the viewers’ standpoint, they believed that TTBC was at the bottom of the list, especially in terms of the beneficial attack information. TTBC was also the current lowest in terms of ratings among all available game broadcasting channels.

If this went on, TTBC would be in danger of being left out of the race. Because of that, the TTBC director always had a vein popping out of his neck during every meeting.

“No, you missed Cane in the end?”

Cane was a player that TTBC had spent a lot of effort and time recruiting. In the end, he was taken away by ATV broadcasting station.

“What the hell are you good at then?! You can’t even recruit one player. How the hell can we start a program?!!”

For the first time in a long while, TTBC had received plenty of love from the players. The players had praised their content as fresh and new. Unfortunately, over time, the freshness disappeared, and the players demanded information that was beneficial and were tailored to their needs.

TTBC tried very hard to get that information, but things always ended up poorly. As soon as they got top-rated information from Athenae, other broadcasters would jump in to release the news earlier and faster, while they waited for the right timing to release it.

“If you’re going to be like this, just send me your resignation!!!”

‘That bald eagle. He’s mad again today.’

The program producers and reporters at TTBC were definitely not happy about the director’s daily outbursts. The staff ran out of the room and went back to their posts.

Go Eun-Ah also rushed out to sit in front of her computer. As soon as she booted her computer, she saw an e-mail waiting for her.

‘P…Player Minhyuk…!’ 

The person that might probably become TTBC’s savior!

[A video file named ‘Demon World’s Tower’s First Floor Attack’ sent by nickname ‘Delicious Food is the Best’ has arrived in your mail.]

She hurriedly tried to check the video file. Then…

“Delicious Food is the Best? What a nickname.”

These days, the director’s voice was filled with grudges, so the voice that rang behind her was filled with gloom.

“This childish nickname, who the…”

“It’s Player Minhyuk!”

“...hell would say that it’s a childish nickname.”

‘That’s a quick change of attitude!’

The director also had a faint sense of anticipation. This year, there was still no video from Korea that could be placed in the Hall of Fame.

‘What if Player Minhyuk, who signed a solo contract with us, got listed in the Hall of Fame?’

At this point, it was just his expectations. In fact, even if there were plenty of rankers, the number of players who entered the Hall of Fame could be counted on one hand. Only the most popular had a shot to do so. There were a lot of rankers all over the world, and they also had a lot of different content and styles, so this was just a shot in the dark.

Regardless, even if Player Minhyuk did not enter the Hall of Fame, the director believed that they would at least be able to achieve the most benefits from the contract that they had signed.

“Open it.”

“Yes.”

Just as Go Eun-Ah opened the video…

“Minhyuk?”

“The Food God?”

“Oh, I think I’m looking forward to it?”

…people began to flock toward her desk.

Minhyuk had become the nation’s best player, both in name and skills, after he defeated Carr in Athenae: Korean War. Even those that worked under Athenae had no choice but to look at him with interest, since he had kept himself tightly under a veil of mystery.

Then, the video started. The director and the rest of the employees who flocked to Go Eun-Ah’s desk had their mouths wide open as they watched the video.

“I…Impossible score…?”

“C…crazy…! That’s ridiculous!”

There was no other reaction than shock and astonishment. Once a player started filming, the notifications that popped up in front of them would also be recorded in the video.

“My goodness… To twist it like that…”

“I don’t think that’s a method that anyone can do. At the very least, I don’t think I can do it since the demons are extremely strong. A while ago, didn’t it say that the demons were from the Ghost Unit?”

“Y…yeah…”

All of them gulped unconsciously at the level of strength displayed in the video. Then, Player Minhyuk’s mukbang began. It seemed like the employees became more focused than ever when the mukbang started, compared to earlier.

‘Wow. Look at that cheese… When that stretchy cheese, hot bread and potato meet in your mouth…’

Go Eun-Ah unknowingly gulped down her saliva.

‘R…right. You should try carbonara now. Th…that’s right! That’s right! Have those sweet and sour pickles too…!’

Go Eun-Ah was in awe. This was the best among all of the other mukbangs she had ever seen. Then, Minhyuk started eating the meat platter after drinking some cold cola.

Gulp―

Someone gulped loudly. When she turned her head around, she saw her bald eagle director. Despite Go Eun-Ah’s protest of ‘I want to eat pasta today!’, the director would always speak with his status, saying ‘As expected, we should have pork back-bone stew or rice soup for lunch!’. However, right now, he was watching this mukbang with awe and admiration.

When the video ended, the entire area was filled with silence.

Then, one of the reporters stammered, “Sh…shall we rewatch the video? Just the part where he eats…”

“O…Okay.”

Thus, the part where Minhyuk started eating got replayed. All of them were watching with rapt attention once more. This time, when the video ended, Go Eun-Ah was the one that broke the silence. She said, “He, he’s too…”

Everyone focused on the sound of her voice.

“…happy whenever he eats.”

“R…right! That’s right. He looks really happy when he eats.”

“Correct! Wow…! Although I’m only looking at him, I also can’t help but smile. You feel that too, right?”

Everyone nodded. At this moment, the director had a hunch.

‘A video on challenging the Demon World’s Tower…’ 

It was a rope that descended from heavens to save TTBC! And, it was a golden rope to boot!

“Start preparing the trailer.”

Everyone turned toward the director as he spoke.

“Make the trailer simple. Just put the scene where Player Minhyuk is eating and make it a trailer!”

It was going to be a groundbreaking move.

‘Are you telling us to skip the entire process and just release a preview of him eating?’

The video where Minhyuk attacked the Demon World’s Tower was definitely excellent content, but the eating was the key moment.

Then, the director continued, “Shall we have that for lunch today?”

‘Nice!’ 

Reporter Go Eun-Ah unknowingly yelled out in her head.

***

Roven, one of the tower’s architects and designers, waited for Minhyuk at the entrance of the first trial. He currently had a big smile on his face.

‘Fufufufufufufu. He’s been there for a very long time. No, maybe he did not clear it?’ 

Roven could not stop himself from cackling in a greasy manner. After all, even though the arrogant man went in proudly, he still had not come out after thirty minutes.

However, Roven did not know that Minhuk was just eating deliciously inside. Then, at that moment…

[The first-floor trial has been completed and closed.]

“Ho? He must have cleared it.”

With that notification, Minhyuk and Aruvel came back out. Then, the notification rang loudly.

[You can climb the 2nd floor at any time you prefer.]

Roven could not help but laugh at Minhyuk. He said, “Keuhahahahaha! You said that it will be over in five minutes, but it must have been harder than you thought, huh? As expected, humans are just conceited and arrogant.”

“Eh?”

Minhyuk could not help but tilt his head in confusion. Once Minhyuk returned, the top record on the entrance had also changed. The record that was listed above the entrance the newest high score. However, because of the time Minhyuk took to come out, Roven did not even think to check it out.

“Now that you’ve realized your arrogance, go back to the human world!!!” Roven shouted confidently.

After all, Minhyuk would not be able to climb the tower again. In response, Minhyuk just gestured with his chin at one spot, and did not even say a word.

“What’s there?”

Then, Roven turned his head with a happy smile, his mood high that he made the human suffer a defeat. However, what he saw made his face harden.

‘Wh…what’s this…?’ 

For a moment, Roven thought that he had seen it wrongly. The previous mysterious man’s score was just 25,000, but the score that was written right now was…

“1, 1, 1, 1, 1… 100, 000?!!”

‘No, this is an impossible score!’

It was literally a ridiculous score.

“Wh…what the hell did you do…?!”

Then, Minhyuk said, “I told you. It won’t take long! Now, please give me a reward!”

Minhyuk was very happy. He finally received the rest of the information about the tower from Roven. Then, he took a step forward to challenge the second floor.

***

Aincarr looked around. Most of the guild members of Golden Staff had been wiped out. Even the agile and quick-footed archers had been wiped out.

He looked in horror at the man wearing a black mask and the little boy in front of him. They had been attacked because he said that the little boy was a ‘XXX’. Yet, it turned out that the boy was stronger and more nimble than the dragon tamer. What was worse was that, just one strike from the boy’s lithe body could easily log out his guild members. In addition, the man with the dragon also had a high magical attack and defense.

‘I, I’m one of Blackstone’s monarchs…’

They were also one of France’s top three guilds.

‘We are on the brink of collapse with just the two of them…’

Then, Black Dragon said, “I hope you don’t forget what I said.”

Slash―

Then, Black Dragon slashed Aincarr’s neck without any mercy, before packing the spoils that they had left behind.

“Hoo…”

“Kiyeeeee!”

Poison Dragon curled his body down as he gestured for Black Dragon to lean his body on him. Black Dragon laid down as he leaned on Poison Dragon’s body. Exhaustion overflowed from his body, but he felt that he needed to climb the tower quickly.

‘I won’t let these bastards touch my son…!’ 

If he were not aware that they were after Minhyuk, he would have definitely ended it at just that. However, knowing that fact meant that he could not let a single person be left alive. Then…

Step, step, step, step―

Poison Dragon suddenly reacted to the faint sound of footsteps that registered in his ears.

“Kiyeeek!”

In response to his call, Black Dragon got up again and slowly lifted Dragon Tear’s Sword. Then, he saw the man walking from afar. When he saw him, Black Dragon could not help but let out a sigh of relief.

“Black Minute Man[1]…! No, Black Mage…!”

“Huh? B…Black Minute Man?”

“N…No. Haha.”

Black Dragon knew how mean it was to speak of a man’s ‘insecurity’, so he did not say anything further.

Ali was also on his way towards the tower, after hunting all of the guild members, including Arch, near the entrance to the Demon World Shelter.

After meeting, the two people talked about the experience that they had.

“Hoo. So, you got the Royal Class quest too?”

“Yes. I don’t think there would be any problems if we went up together.”

Parties could enter the Demon World’s Tower, but individuals could do so as well. However, when individuals enter, they need to conquer the tower’s first floor under the same conditions. For that reason, individuals would not overlap with others, even if they climbed together. In the case of the normal floors, such a setting was null so players could freely meet.

“Let’s climb quickly.”

At this moment, the two men's goals had aligned: To clear their Royal Class quest and protect Minhyuk. The two powerful people who easily defeated the elites of a large guild alone started their trek towards the Demon World’s Tower for one person’s sake.

***

[Aincarr: I’m too ashamed to see you.]

[Arch:…I’m sorry.]

Calauhel was speechless.

The person who cleared the first floor and set a new record with a huge gap from his score was definitely the Frying Pan Killer. What was more surprising was that the people he assumed to be Minhyuk’s friends suddenly appeared and dealt with the elites of a large guild.

However, Calauhel still thought, ‘It’s impossible for him to close the gap between us.’

Calauhel had already crossed the 30th floor. He was sure that it was impossible for Minhyuk to catch up to him when the latter had just started on the first floor. On top of that…

‘Why are there so many strong people around this bastard?’

Minhyuk had the backing of the empress of an empire, and friends who could easily lay waste to elites of a large guild alone. However, Calauhel could tell that Minhyuk was very different from him. If the relationship between Calauhel and Blackstone was that of a contractual relationship, then the relationship between those people was fueled by the desire to purely ‘protect’ the Frying Pan Killer. This was not logical. He could not understand them at all. However, Calauhel believed that he could solve anything with the power of money. Thus, he might not be able to find the answer in this lifetime.

Right at that moment…

[Player ‘I’m’ has broken the record, and attained a new high score for the second floor.]

[There is a significant gap from the previous record.]

“…!”

‘The second floor?’

Calauhel’s eyes widened in shock. Just five minutes after this notification…

[Player ‘Going Up’ has broken the record, and attained a new high score for the third floor.]

[There is a significant gap from the previous record.]

Another notification rang out.

Calauhel knew that while nicknames for records could be changed, the person was saving his nickname for every floor.

2nd floor: I’m

3rd floor: Going Up.

And…

[Player ‘Just You Wait’ has broken the record, and attained a new high score for the fourth floor.]

[There is a significant gap from the previous record.]

Finally: Just You Wait.

‘If I combine these words…’

Grit, grit―

Calauhel’s teeth ground together. It was a ‘warning’ message that was solely meant for him.

1. He actually used Jorusa (조루사), where joru (조루) means premature ej******ion. Hence Minute Man. Also, it sounds strangely similar to 마법사 (mabeobsa) or mage/magic man. ☜