Episode 51: Stay With Us
Eighteen-year-old Oh Hyun-woo.
Back then, I was a full-on “national pride” kid.
I don’t recall exactly why.
Just a mix of things, I guess.
I loved Korea’s traditional culture, dramas, movies, music—everything.
I’d secretly devour reaction videos from foreigners hyping K-content.
As I grew older, that passion dulled, leaving only a bittersweet attachment.
After the Great Upheaval, guilds like Deathside made me want to escape this country.
‘But… Extinction?’
The weapon “set” for Lucifer.
In the game, adventurers didn’t wield weapons, but I was so engrossed in Lucifer’s lore that I bragged about “my weapon” to my summons.
I preached endlessly about Korea’s ‘hwando’.
Buried dark history creeps back up.
‘Go away! Get lost! Disappear!’
I waved my hands, trying to banish the memories.
I wanted to check the weapon’s stats but was scared to touch it.
What new horror would I face?
‘I shouldn’t have teased Hyun-ah…’
I’m still cringing from playing Lucifer in front of the Seven Sins.
Now I have to carry and swing a ‘hwando’ I don’t even know how to use?
‘…Might as well check its stats.’
【Extinction】
Description: A divine weapon used by the Rebel of the Dawn Star. Its power is highly versatile. When equipped, grants the ability ‘Memory of the Dawn Star’.
I shut my eyes tight.
“Highly versatile” hit me hard.
National-pride-obsessed Hyun-woo added settings to the weapon whenever Korea had a win—like a short track or figure skating gold medal, claiming “swinging Extinction weaves icy blade trails beautifully.”
Or when a movie or drama got praise, I’d add skills inspired by them.
Extinction became a total “elementary schooler’s weapon.”
‘It was just for my own satisfaction…’
A fictional weapon with no game impact, now a privilege reward.
‘If it even slightly matches my settings, it’s a jackpot.’
Half in pain, half in fear, with a sliver of hope, I checked its ability.
【Memory of the Dawn Star】
Description: Copies the abilities of the adventurer’s summons. Three slots available, each copying a specific skill in order. While using a copied ability, the corresponding summon cannot be summoned.
…Oh?
This is interesting.
Copying my summons’ skills?
So I could use Hertia’s Skill 1, Caligo’s Skill 2, Theo’s Skill 3 myself?
It’s like adding another summon—insanely powerful.
The catch?
※Caution! This weapon is currently unusable. It will unlock, along with some abilities, once conditions are met.
Can’t use it yet.
Is that a relief or a shame?
It’s powerful, but every glance reminds me of my dark history, stabbing my heart.
‘…Let’s put it away.’
I need to forget it until the conditions are revealed.
Begone, national-pride Hyun-woo.
Tonight’s gonna be rough.
I’ll probably wake up kicking my blankets in embarrassment.
***
Tower of Records.
Union Leader Jeon Myeong-il gazed quietly at the record chamber.
A heavy silence hung, cautious even of breaths.
Team Leader Lee Jeong-yul broke it.
“Confirmed. It’s Hertia.”
“…You’re sure?”
“Yes. The records are error-free.”
“No way.”
Jeon’s hands trembled.
He couldn’t believe it.
Didn’t want to.
“The Witch of the Apocalypse, who burned the World Tree and destroyed the elves… Hertia, a summon?”
“As you see, it’s a ‘summon’ reaction, not a monster. Unique energy signature detected.”
“…Someone tamed that monster?”
It made no sense.
But the records didn’t lie.
Jeong-yul looked at Jeon silently.
Her silence forced him to say the name.
“…Oh Hyun-woo.”
The moment he spoke it, mixed emotions swirled in Jeon’s chest.
Awe.
Relief.
And vague fear—fear of losing him, of him leaving.
“Who’s seen this info?”
“Just you and me. It’s under your authority’s security.”
“Good. Keep it locked. This kind of record… if the country isn’t ready, it’ll only cause chaos.”
Chaos would be the least of it.
Foreign spies would swarm like dogs.
Some might even plot assassination.
“Any recent moves from Oh Hyun-woo?”
“We’re in regular contact with Ascend. Nothing notable yet.”
Jeon walked to the window.
Sunlight poured through the clouds.
He looked skyward.
Hyun-woo had already soared too high.
‘What now? At this rate, other countries could snatch him, and we’d have no excuse.’
Three major feats already:
Tower of Strife Floor 100.
Twilight Arena.
Elf Fortress.
Oh Hyun-woo.
An adventurer grown beyond the nation’s system.
Still operating as a Korean adventurer, but his true intentions were unclear.
‘Without him, this country would be in a worse state. We can’t lose him.’
“Give him everything—benefits, protection, family support. Full backing.”
“We’re already coordinating with government agencies.”
“Still in that one-room apartment?”
“Yes.”
Jeon Myeong-il thought briefly before issuing his next order.
“Use the fortress matter to offer him whatever he wants—house, anything. Got it?”
“I’ll set up a meeting with Ascend immediately.”
“And… keep showing him we value and trust him. He must never feel underappreciated.”
“Understood.”
Jeon’s voice was earnest.
He prayed this exceptional adventurer would stay by their side.
“…Oh, and the First Deputy Director of NIS called. Some of the four major guilds are preparing to defect to other countries.”
“…!”
“Divert personnel to create a smokescreen, make it look like we’re busy with the guilds. Clear?”
Lee Jeong-yul’s eyes wavered.
“Yes!”
“Guilds don’t matter. We just need to secure one person.”
“Got it. Send me the list, and I’ll distribute it to the team.”
“Good. That’ll shift foreign attention away from Oh Hyun-woo.”
As Jeong-yul left, Jeon was alone.
He bowed his head quietly.
A newspaper caught his eye.
[Radiance Guild and Unknown Adventurer Team Up?! Strategy Info Sharing Announced!]
Jeon whispered like a prayer.
‘We have to keep him. No matter the cost.’
***
《Time until Elf Tower opens: 161:48:32》
I cleared the Elf Fortress, but the tower’s opening is still a week away.
The elves must be preparing something.
Public attention, though, is more on me than the fortress clear.
Expected, since I used Azas, the Tower of Strife’s final boss, as a summon.
[“Why’s hyung there?” Tower of Strife’s Final Boss Reduced to Summon!]
The media’s in a frenzy, and the community’s on fire.
- What’s Unknown Adventurer’s deal? Can you recruit bosses as summons?? Can other floor monsters be recruited too?
└ Dunno, might just be a Floor 100 strategy.
└ But it was crazy strong? Sliced everything solo.
└ Unknown Adventurer’s just on another level.
└ Nah, just a big fish in a weak country’s pond~
└ If he’s a big fish, he’s world-class.
└ Pfft, Twilight Arena global rank 200-ish lol.
Superstars always stir fans and haters alike.
Honestly, I can’t guarantee a win against top-tier global rankers yet.
My setup’s incomplete, and my summon pool’s small.
In collectible RPGs, you grab every summon card, right?
Collect now, use later—you never know.
But seeing these guys’ antics, I’m second-guessing that.
“What? Weak country big shot?!”
Caligo fumed, slamming his hands on the keyboard to reply.
“You punk, if I catch you, you’re my lab rat. Where you at?!”
Caligo was challenging some kid to a real-life fight.
Meanwhile, Theo rolled on my bed, hugging a giant pink bunny plushie—Hyun-ah’s birthday gift.
“Nice texture. I like it.”
He speaks like an old sage but acts like a kid.
“Hmm… smells nice. Cherry?”
Hertia was sniffing hand cream from Olive Zero, slathering on cosmetics she’d bought.
I never imagined Hertia asking me to buy her makeup.
It’s all Caligo’s fault—digging up weird info online to “study this world” and influencing her.
“Ugh! Why are these guys typing so fast? Do they just eat and type all day? Comments flood before I can post!”
“Caligo, it’s not worth getting mad over.”
“Hertia, doesn’t it bother you that they’re disrespecting the Sage?”
Hertia applied bright red lipstick and turned.
“Remember them. The longer you remember, the harsher their punishment.”
Caligo grinned.
“Right! Once the Sage conquers this dimension, we’ll torment them slowly.”
What am I supposed to say to these guys?
Most of our conversations end up like this.
“…Everyone, return.”
“What?! Sage, I’m mid-battle!”
“I’m not done bonding with this thing.”
“I haven’t tried the instant coffee yet.”
I handed Hertia a packet of mix coffee from the kitchen drawer.
She poured it into her mouth, crunching loudly.
“Thank you.”
“Alright, that’s enough. Return.”
I rubbed my forehead, gesturing, and they reluctantly left.
‘I need to escape this one-room.’
It’s too cramped.
For the future, this 8-pyeong space won’t cut it.
I need somewhere bigger.
Maybe then I won’t have to deal with this.
I opened a search portal for properties.
Then, a strange headline caught my eye.
[Deathside’s Sun Sung-tae Allies with Germany’s Schattenlegion!]
[Cross-Nation Alliance… Korea-Germany Elites Aim for Tower Conquest.]
Deathside and Germany’s guild?
Schattenlegion’s where Tobias, who topped the Elf Fortress clear, is.
Why would a powerhouse guild team up with someone like Sun Sung-tae?
‘Are they targeting me?’
Or is Schattenlegion tied to the vampires?
The next article was equally noisy.
[Korea’s Rank 1 Fire God’s Seo Joo-hyun Suspected of Defecting to Japan!]
Disgraced “established” guilds are seeking foreign alliances.
This makes me want to protect my own even more.
‘We need to seize the spots those rocks leave behind.’
Tomorrow’s meeting with CEO Son will be packed with discussion.