Chapter 76
Without warning, the “Tower of Transcendence” surged up from the earth.
An additional regulation imposed only on the leading nation.
That unequal barrier—unable to be crossed.
And in the end, the one who awakened was the “Transcendent.”
That was how South Korea met its first annihilation.
Rumbleeeeee—!
How could he ever forget it?
The earth-shaking roar.
That requiem of a fallen nation.
The scenario of the First Cycle’s annihilation, which bound the guardian deities of the land into an endless cage.
It was pressing the replay button right before his eyes.
And yet—
Smirk…
Do-yoon’s lips curled upward.
As if this weren’t the prelude to destruction, but a long-awaited reunion.
“This is completely different from the First Cycle.”
What had changed?
First, the timing of its appearance.
Originally, the Tower of Transcendence only appeared in the later stages—
when the outline of the leading nation was firmly established.
In the First Cycle, it hadn’t appeared until eight years after the Day of Awakening.
Though in later cycles it showed up earlier and earlier…
“…This is the first time it’s appeared in the very first year.”
Second, the difference was that it singled out a single leading nation, rather than a group of leaders.
Meaning this country was running ahead of all others.
“……”
Do-yoon’s gaze lifted to the tower that pierced the sky.
Drawing on his inner sight, he could clearly see the very texture of the Transcendent’s skin, lying dormant at the peak where the air split.
A vast ribcage rose and fell, slowly and rhythmically.
It was undeniably breathing. Alive.
But that was all.
No presence, no will, not even the faintest sign of awakening.
Like a predator in hibernation.
As if it were simply waiting.
And then—
[A sudden Divine Realm Mission has begun.]
[Mission Name: “Repairing the Collapsed Homeland”]
[Mission Objective: Due to the emergence of the Tower of Transcendence, massive damage has struck the heart of the Divine Realm. Calm the shaken residents, restore destroyed facilities, and recover the overall indicators of the Divine Realm. (Details)]
The message snapped him back to reality.
Flash!
His drifting thoughts vanished, and what filled his vision was—
Collapsed buildings, clouds of dust, and the screams of victims.
In an instant, the place had turned into a living hell.
“Help… please….”
Through the noise, a frail voice pierced his ears.
A child?
Before his eyes even moved, his body reacted first.
That supreme sense of qi coursed through his nerves and locked onto the source.
A five-story building, completely collapsed.
A heap of concrete where survival seemed impossible.
Thud.
Having pinpointed the exact location, Do-yoon drew deeply from his core.
Craaaack—
Tens of tons of concrete lifted aside as if it weighed nothing.
Beneath it, an entire family emerged, covered in dust, staring blankly in shock.
“Ah…?”
Was this a dream? A hallucination?
As they gaped at the overwhelming sight, Do-yoon extended his hand.
“You’re safe now.”
At that calm, steady voice, sobs of relief burst out.
“Uhhuh…! W-we’re alive…!”
“Thank you, thank you so much!”
They clung to one another, trembling in shared warmth.
By the time Do-yoon had guided them out—
“Representative…! Of course you came in person!”
Reinforcements arrived.
Not long after, DY Management’s hunters rushed in, even faster than the wail of 119 ambulances.
“From this moment, we begin rescue operations.”
Do-yoon’s command was short, but absolute.
“Injuries will be categorized into three levels:
– Minor injuries to arriving paramedics.
– Severe injuries to DY’s healer squad.
– Critical patients to Team Leader Han Yeon-ha immediately.
And Cha Si-woo.”
“Yes, Do-yoon-nim.”
Cha Si-woo’s gaze flickered with restless excitement as he stared at the tower.
“I understand your feelings, but rescue comes first. Tower conquest comes only after the situation is stable.”
“Ah, y-yes… I’ll remember that.”
As Cha Si-woo lowered his head awkwardly, Do-yoon’s gaze shifted to the man beside him.
Kang Il-ho, wielder of the Whirlwind Spear.
Since the “Tomb of the Martial Sovereign’s Seal,” he had voluntarily joined DY.
Almost like a sworn duty, he had taken up the role of Do-yoon’s right hand.
As a reincarnator aiming for S-rank from AAA-rank, his combat power within DY was second only to Do-yoon himself.
“Kang Il-ho, pair with Cha Si-woo.”
“…?”
“Your [Critical Point] skill isn’t limited to living targets, correct?”
Cha Si-woo blinked, puzzled.
“Eh? Ah, yes… it can apply to objects too.”
The ability to mark weak points wherever the caster desired, destabilizing a structure.
Until now, he’d only ever used it in combat—
“Ah…!”
Cha Si-woo’s eyes widened in awe as he grasped Do-yoon’s intent.
“Si-woo marks the rubble. Il-ho pierces through it, carving a path.”
“That’s brilliant?!”
A safe route to the survivors.
[Activating ‘Critical Point (A)’]
Cha Si-woo marked the precise spots where collapse would not occur.
Craaaash!
Kang Il-ho’s spear struck like a storm, opening escape routes.
Under Do-yoon’s lead, the rescue unfolded with perfect coordination.
Even amid the chaos of a tower rivaling the Day of Awakening—
The Divine Realm slowly regained order.
* * *
Swift initial response.
Flawless leadership from Do-yoon.
And DY hunters’ devoted rescue efforts.
All contributed—but above all, one person shone.
“Han Yeon-ha’s performance was dazzling.”
Hands that could halt even death.
At a disaster site, an S-rank healer was nothing less than a moving miracle.
It was thanks to her that casualties were minimized.
A few days later, at DY Management’s office.
Do-yoon opened [Divine Realm Management] to check the damage.
[Divine Realm Information]
Influence: 45㎢ of Southwest Seoul, population 843,745
Divine Realm Level: 2
▶ Comprehensive Indicator: “Stable” (↓1)
Purity: Cleansed (↓1)
Resident Satisfaction: Uneasy (↓2)
Order: Stable
Security: Safe
Prosperity: Growing
Development: Imitative
(Locked)
Knock knock.
“Administrator.”
A man with utterly plain features entered—plain face, plain height, plain presence.
It was Kim Jeok-dang, the Servant.
“Due to the drop in Purity and Satisfaction, the overall indicator has fallen from ‘Active’ to ‘Stable.’”
Do-yoon glanced toward the window.
There it stood, cutting across the skyline—the colossal Tower.
“The thing doesn’t even pose a direct threat… and still.”
“That’s why it unsettles them more. Like a ticking time bomb.”
Kim Jeok-dang’s words carried weight.
“Like pitching a tent next to a volcano.”
It wasn’t a trivial issue.
The painstakingly earned conditions for promotion to Level 3 had reverted.
“We need to restore it to ‘Active.’ What’s the best way?”
“Hmm.”
Kim stroked his chin, his expression sharp, nothing like his once-foolish self.
“First, funds for recovery and plenty of aid supplies. But that won’t be enough.”
His brain, honed by both study and the Power of Repetition, spun rapidly.
“To truly solve this, we need to tackle the root of their anxiety.”
“The root?”
“Yes. The Tower itself. As long as that thing looms overhead, residents will always fear a second or third Gate Disaster.”
“Oh? You’ve been buried in books 24/7, and yet—”
His assessment matched Do-yoon’s own thoughts.
“You’ve become quite the brain.”
“It’s all thanks to the trait you granted me, Administrator.”
“Then present the solution.”
“We can’t eliminate the Tower… so we must flip the frame entirely.”
“How?”
“The Tower is a magnet. It will draw awakeners from across the nation. Unlike dungeons, which vanish after clearing, the Tower remains.”
His eyes gleamed.
“That’s an opportunity. If we build hunter facilities—treatment centers, trading posts, repair shops—around the Tower, on your land…”
“It’ll generate vast wealth. And with so many hunters present at all times…”
“Yes, their very presence becomes a guarantee of safety. Residents won’t tremble in fear anymore.”
Do-yoon’s smile deepened.
“Beyond that, they’ll even feel pride. The safest land in Korea—Daebang-dong, the monster-free zone.”
Ironically—
The Tower’s appearance became the greatest gift, bringing both stability and prosperity.
The perfect starting ground.
That was why Do-yoon wasn’t rattled in the least, despite the Transcendent arriving far earlier than in the First Cycle.
* * *
As Kim Jeok-dang predicted, the Tower’s appearance ignited global competition.
Hunters from every nation flocked to it.
[Breaking News] Swordmaster Yoon Se-ha: First Korean to clear 20 floors! Ranked 1st in League, 3rd worldwide!
What disaster will the awakened Transcendent bring? Experts weigh in.
Mysterious silence from Hyun Do-yoon. Rumors swirl: injury? slump?
While the world burned with tower fever—
Do-yoon remained eerily calm.
He followed his own schedule.
Overseeing restoration of the Divine Realm.
Directing DY Management’s next moves.
And by night, he moved under another name—
[Purchase Notice] Buying Common & Rare Equipment – Global Merchant D
Commons: 100P each. Rares: 300P each.
No restrictions on type.
Unlimited quantity. No negotiations.
Contact via message.
Common-grade gear, the lowest tier, had long since flooded the market until its value hit rock bottom.
Rares were following the same path.
Thus, though responses on <Global Channel> were still explosive—
they were of a different flavor compared to when he’d been a superstar seller.
“He used to only sell. Now why’s he hoarding?”
“Well, thanks for buying junk metal, but… is he a junk dealer now?”
“Crows collect shiny glass shards too, don’t they?”
[You have completed the Divine Realm Mission.]
[Mission Name: Repairing the Collapsed Homeland]
[Reward Granted:]
250,000 SP
[Divine Realm Enhancement] “Territory Stability” +1
With all tasks complete—
Do-yoon finally stepped into the towering structure that loomed before his office.
[The Tower of Transcendence verifies challenger eligibility.]
[Region: East Asia League]
[You may view the Tower’s Records.]
At the side of his vision lay a strategy guide borrowed from the Great Library of Memories—
the records of “Pioneer Cha Si-woo” in the Fourth Cycle, who had shattered the Tower’s limits.
[Loading Player Hyun Do-yoon’s Record.]
Current Floor: 1st Floor
Death Penalty: –2 Strength
Retirement Penalty: –1 Agility
[Enter the Tower of Transcendence? Y/N]
Even though he was late in stepping inside, his tone brimmed with composure.
“I enter.”
Do-yoon drew in a steady breath.
“…From here on, it’s time to run the race in reverse.”
