The immense magic power condensed in the tower had summoned the floor administrators into existence. Some like Medea, Eirene, and Heimdall used to be mythical heroes while I had created the others like Luke and Simad.

Mythical hero or not, they all had their own obsessions and desires with a self-consciousness far greater than any human. They helped or hindered players from climbing the tower for their own reasons.

Administrators also valued TP.

“Raise.”

Medea threw an additional 5000 TP on the table.

“Call.”

I placed down 5000 TP as well.

“Hmm.”

Medea rested her chin on one hand while keeping a poker face.

We played without any complicated rules like the high-low rule. Just the traditional Texas hold’em where the player with more guts and better luck won.

Surprisingly, we started evenly matched. I didn’t receive anything better than two pairs and I often had the worse hand. I panicked a little thinking the administrators might be scheming against me.

However, the economies of scale and the law of large numbers finally played their part. Over time, I gained the upper hand as the rounds progressed.

“…”

My opponents included Simad (the 7th floor administrator), Cadmus (the 5th floor administrator), and Medea (the 3rd floor administrator). Half of their money on the table now became mine with only Medea left.

“How much did you win from me?” Medea casually asked. I won quite the sum after 2 hours, at least 100,000. Medea had abandoned her formalities and addressed me casually now.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe 130,000-140,000?”

“…”

Medea silently bit her lip. Then she threw a golden bill worth 10000 TP on the table.

“Will you keep going?” I smiled at her.

“Yes, of course.”

I had no idea what cards she had. I didn’t even know the proper amount to bet and generally had no clue how poker worked. Still, I could only lose if she cheated. However, the cards we used had been made with great magic. Even I couldn’t see through them with my gift. Medea couldn’t possibly forge cards like these. Well, perhaps she could, but the magic power required to do so would surely be noticeable.

“Really? You must have a nice hand.”

“…”

I silently placed 10000 TP forward. The money on the table grew to 148000 TP. Even Medea couldn’t casually glance over that amount, but she still added another 30000 TP.

“You calling?”

I finally started feeling a bit anxious… or not. I pretended to think long and hard while scratching the tabletop with my fingernails. Then I sighed and took out all the TP in my inventory.

“I only have 23000 TP left.”

I took off the robe that Medea had been eyeing. “Will this work?”

A small smile spread across her face before she quickly hid it and nodded. “Yeah, sure. That’s okay.”

We would reveal our hands now. I felt a little nervous, but I shouldn’t lose. The best she could have was a four-of-a-kind.

“Please, you go first.“

“Pft. Sure.”

Medea opened her hand with a smile. Four aces, as expected.

“…!”

I widened my eyes and my gaze shivered at her cards. I wasn’t acting. To think all this TP belongs to me now…

“Well then, I’ll take them now.”

Medea’s lips curved into a smile. She placed both arms on the table and wrapped them around the 200000 TP. Then she began raking in the money and robe when… Squeeze! I grabbed her.

“What? Are you crazy?”

“Ah, a bummer.” I spoke in a trembling voice to the frowning Medea.

“Oh, I, I won.”

I showed her my hand and Medea’s body instantly stiffened. Her sparkling eyes lost their vitality. She became a frozen statue as her elegant gestures disappeared.

“Oh! A straight flush? Wow, this is, wow!” Simad watched from the sidelines in amazement.

“I’ve played poker for 100 years and I’ve only seen this hand 1001 times. Uhahaha, congrats!”

“I’m sorry.”

I pushed Medea’s arms off the table. She moved without any resistance and leaned against her chair. She looked as if her soul had left, but only had herself to blame. No one could’ve cheated. Medea knew that better than anyone else. We played fair and square, but unfortunately, she went against me.

“Good game.”

I placed the 200000 TP in my inventory. Medea vacantly watched as the money disappeared into thin air.

“N-no way…”

Gambling would lead to the path of ruin… for most people, but not me.

[363,324 TP]

I robbed them big time considering that I started with 25000 TP. Two-thirds of the money probably came from Medea.

“A straight flush over quads… W-What’s going on? Just what is…”

Medea buried her face in her hands and hadn’t yet recovered from the shock. I found it so pitiful I placed the robe back on the table.

“You can have this robe.”

Take it as the winner’s tip. I didn’t bother saying the last part out loud. After all, nothing good would come from provoking an administrator.

***

I left the gambling house and went to a corner that read [Upgrade Center]. Time to splurge on enhancements now that I had the money.

— Welcome to the Advanced Neurotech Chip Upgrade Center.

A robot that looked similar to APG, but with different clothing welcomed me.

“Hi. I’m here to make enhancements.”

— Please select what you would like from this list.

The robot projected a catalog in the air.

[1. Increase Strength by 1 point: 15,000 TP] [2. Increase Speed by 1 point: 15,000 TP] [3. Increase Stamina by 1 point: 15,000 TP] [4. Increase Perception by 1 point: 15,000 TP] [5. Increase Vitality by 1 point: 15,000 TP] [6. Increase Unique Function of Extra7’s Personal Chip, Battle Sense: 30,000 TP] [7. Add Function, Connection & Synchronization: 120,000 TP] [8. …]...

— You may repeat enhancements as many times as you’d like, but the price will double with every purchase.

“Yeah, I know. For now, I would like 1 through 6.”

I could do everything, but I didn’t recognize one on the list.

“What does number 7 do?”

— I have detected something other than your personal chip around your body. You may connect and synchronize it to your personal chip for easier use.

“My body… Ah, you mean aether?”

I gathered aether onto my palm and the robot scanned the transparent ball.

— Yes. This appears to be the material. It is quite special and marvelous. It only adheres to you and makes your body stronger.

“Uh, so that means I can connect my personal chip to aether?”

— Yes. The price is high because of the complicated procedure. However, this aether will become much stronger after the initial sync.

Robots didn’t lie. I couldn’t imagine spending 120000 TP under normal circumstances, but I didn’t have any reason to reject it now. Thank you, Medea.

“Then I’ll do everything up to number 7. You’ll be performing the procedure, right?”

— Yes, that is correct.

“Before that, can you give me your hand?”

The surgeon robot stretched his arm towards me. I grabbed his wrist and murmured.

“Scan.”

Robots, despite their intelligence, were considered objects. The number 22 flashed on his wrist. With this, he should be able to perform the surgery better.

“Here, 225000 TP.”

I paid in cash as the robot opened the door towards the operating room.

— Please follow me.

“How long will it take?”

— An hour should be enough.

“That’s good. Can you make it so it doesn’t hurt?”

— That is impossible.

“…”

***

[3F, Prestige]

The English Royal Court’s hideout housed a total of 23 guild members. The hideout increased to level 4 and now featured an office for the vice leader. Rachel’s reputation as an elementalist grew day by day. The dignified vice leader currently browsed the public forum in their hideout.

[Anyone seen Black Lotus on the 5th floor?]

— I did. Too bad I didn’t have a recorder :(

— How was it?

— I couldn’t see clearly. He shot some arrows and instantly killed the djinns, then everyone stopped moving. He was like, I’m here to finish the war!

— Why didn’t they move though…

— To evade any arrows that might come their way? Have you never fought before?

[Seriously though isn’t this Lotus or whatever basically on the same level as Nine Stars in reality? It doesn’t make sense otherwise.]

— Probably as strong as the Immortal, I’d say.

— But isn't Chae Joochul stronger than the Nine Stars?

— Here’s my verdict as someone who’s seen the battle. Chae Joochul wins in close combat and Lotus wins in long ranged combat.

— Is Chae Joochul or Lotus your friend? Who are you to judge them?

[Has anyone been to Earth recently? Is there a bounty on Black Lotus?]

— What bounty? He hasn’t committed any crime yet. And even if he did, who the hell is going to kill him? lol They’d be dead long before they even see his face.

— lololol What can you do even if a bounty existed lolol

— Black Lotus is gonna come and find you after reading this lol

“…”

Rachel just returned from a castle attack, but everyone only talked about Black Lotus. She pouted with pursed lips.

“Hmm.”

Rachel checked for anyone nearby before searching her name.

[Search ▷ Rachel, Elementalist] [How did the castle attack turn out this time? Heard there was an elementalist.] [Elementalists must be super effective in castle attacks for the top guilds to allow that lousy English Royal Court guild to keep participating.]

“…”

It only made her feel worse. Don’t talk bad about my guild after complimenting me. She regretted it and pulled up the Guild Alliance group chat.

[Guild Alliance (25/25)]

This chat room only consisted of guild leaders and executives.

[There will be 2-3 days of rest before we capture the 5th castle. Everyone can return to Earth or do what they want in the tower.]

WeaponMaster: Essence of the Strait will leave behind 7 members and return to Earth.

Youngfly: Desolate Moon will leave behind 6 members.

They wanted everyone to take a break together. If some took a rest while others worked, then the ones on break would feel like being left behind. To prevent this, everyone would rest at the same time. Rachel agreed and felt like returning to England.

Ding—

She suddenly received a message from [Extra7]. He finally replied to her message from a couple of days ago.

“... 36 hours.”

He replied after 36 hours. Rachel narrowed her eyes at the message.

Extra7: Oh, rest days? Yeah, I read about it on the public forum lol They even made an announcement. I plan on heading out then, too.

The Guild Alliance actively encouraged the rest days. They even asked individual rankers for cooperation.

Me: Where are you now, Hajin?

Rachel thought to herself as she sent the message, Will he take 48 hours to reply this time?

Extra7: Me? I’m on the 4th floor. Just grinding for something I need to make.

Surprisingly, he replied right away.

“…”

She awkwardly rubbed her neck and wrote back in a lighthearted tone.

Me: Aha =) Then come see me in England. There’s a festival on Clancy Islet this time of the year (๑＞‿＜๑)

Extra7: Lol Okay. You said things were going well in England?

Me: Yes ◕‿◕. Please give me a call when you arrive. I’ll send someone to pick you up.

A minute passed. Then 5 minutes… 10 minutes…

“…”

As expected, the replies stopped shortly afterward. She had already grown used to it. Something probably came up or maybe he ran into somebody. Rachel turned off the messenger and opened the auction house.

“…?”

Something immediately caught her eye.

[Lv.4 Black Suit (J - Green Order)]

Rachel didn’t know, but its real name was actually, [Lv.4 Black Messiah’s Horrible Suit]. Kim Hajin had used it for a while before placing it in the auction house as he switched to better gear.

“Ah…”

She couldn’t help but exclaim the moment she saw the suit. The design looked beautiful and it had great effects as well. Rachel swallowed her saliva and slowly moved her finger towards [Bid].

***

The third tutorial ended the next morning and the players arrived on the 2nd floor.

“…”

Jin Sahyuk hid by wearing a robe she bought in Tutorial Town and even applied stealth oil all over her body. She also had that skill from the black ticket, so surviving shouldn’t be too difficult. It felt humiliating to hide like a cockroach, but she constantly reminded herself to take a step back for the sake of two steps in the future.

Everything went well in the beginning. She didn’t stupidly display her magic power like last time. Strange men calling themselves newbie hunters attacked her, but she easily fought them off and even stole their TP. However, she suddenly felt a chill as she searched for an elevator in the jungle. A wind blew and she instinctively threw herself to the ground.

“Kuuk!”

Something shot forward and brushed her side. It only grazed her, but took away a lump of flesh. She stopped the blood with magic power and thought to herself, He’s here.

Her body trembled and her heart rate went up.

Where is he?

She scouted the area by infusing magic power into her eyes, but found nothing. Streaks of light much stronger than before rained on her.

KWAAAANG!

Jin Sahyuk shrouded herself in magic power and rolled on the ground. The air pressure cut her hair and left a scar on her cheek.

“Fuck.”

She couldn’t predict the attacks or pinpoint his location. The shooting from a distance felt thousands of times more threatening than a blade in the open.

Jin Sahyuk ran with all her strength through the bushes and jumped over swamps as she trembled. Not out of excitement or exaltation. Not happiness, joy, or delight. She had never felt like this before. She didn’t want to admit this feeling, but the streaks of light forced her to.

KWAAAANG!

The arrows caused explosions all around her. Jin Sahyuk managed to jump into an animal hole in the ground.

“Haa, haa.”

She covered the hole with a barrier and caught her breath. Then she checked her HP.

[Vitality: 33/100]

The situation had turned dire. She would die again at this rate. The anger and resentment brought tears to her eyes. Her lungs filled with blood and her nose reddened.

“That fucking bastard…”

Jin Sahyuk whispered in a shaky voice. Then a pillar of unknown magic power suddenly shot up from the ground and slowly took the form of a man. Jin Sahyuk recognized this familiar phenomenon.

“Bell!”

She called his name. He completely materialized and smiled, but Jin Sayhuk felt more furious than welcoming.

“You son of a bitch!”

“Don’t get so upset. I came to help you, after all.”

First, Bell put up a dome-shaped barrier around the hole. Sssss—

“You asshole, if you hadn’t taken my ticket in the first place…”

“Shh. You’ll break the barrier if you cause a disturbance.“

KWANG! The next explosion shook the hole, but Bell’s barrier managed to block the arrows just once. However, that would be enough as a violet light filled the hole. Bell activated his skill, mass teleport.

“What the hell is this? You, you fucker.”

“Teleportation.”

“What?”

“Let’s go home. Even I can’t win against him right now.”

Bell said with a grin as Jin Sahyuk clenched her teeth. Bell was right. They needed to escape.

“I’m gonna kill you. I’m gonna kill you for real.”

“I know. I said it myself, right? You’ll have to do so someday.”

They shared a greeting and a curse before turning into violet magic power and flying away.

A man tilted his head from 3 km away on top of a tall zelkova tree.

“Woah.”

Kim Hajin stored his bow away. It didn’t matter if the target escaped. From the start, his goal had been to make sure she didn’t notice. She would undoubtedly die from the arrow that grazed her.

“Return.”

He collected the dark ore arrows with a murmur. They took about 3 seconds to fly back. He had shot them from an incredible range. Jin Sahyuk only survived the initial shot because of the distance between them.

“…”

He failed to kill his target, but looked at the tip of an arrow without regret. It had a small amount of a dark, sticky liquid.

[Lv.4 Liquified Banshee’s Curse Crystal]

Kim Hajin made this solution from crystals he collected on the 4th floor by being deliberately cursed by 13 banshees. Then he extracted the curse from his body and applied it to his arrows. By now, the curse should’ve seeped into every part of Jin Sahyuk.

“I wonder how long she’ll last.”

He would never show mercy or he would be the dead one. Kim Hajin stared at where Jin Sahyuk had disappeared and tore up the entrance ticket to the 8th floor.