Chapter 4
Korea Awakeners Association.
The largest space in the “Han-Awakening Association” building—the conference hall where the Association’s highest decisions were made.
Right now, numerous people filled the room.
Among them was the Association President, Lee Kang-yeon.
A first-generation Awakened who had once pioneered the Tower.
Though he had stepped away from the field, his exploits were still spoken of among Awakeners like legend.
“Then, let’s begin the meeting.”
The moment Lee Kang-yeon finished speaking, Ha-min, who had been seated, stood up and walked to the front of the conference room.
“Good afternoon. I’m Assistant Manager Lee Ha-min from Tower Support Team 2.”
After giving a polite bow, Ha-min displayed the prepared PPT.
On the screen were the words:
‘Conquest of Tower Floor 0.’
Standing before the Association’s key officials, Ha-min took a deep breath and began.
“I will now brief you on the conquest of Tower Floor 0 and the occurrence of the quest.”
There wasn’t much she knew, so the briefing was short. Even so, everyone present watched the PPT with intense interest.
And it wasn’t just the Korea Awakeners Association.
A Floor 0 conquest quest—something that had never once occurred before.
Nations across the world were scrambling for even the tiniest clue.
In the midst of that, discovering an Awakened traveling alongside a Tower resident was no small lead.
“…In summary, the individual appears to be East Asian—likely Korean, Chinese, or Japanese. We plan to devote full efforts to locating this Awakened. That concludes the briefing. Thank you.”
Ha-min bowed deeply and returned to her seat.
“So you’re saying they might be Korean.”
“If that turns out to be true…”
“Hm.”
As the room filled with murmurs and dry coughs, one middle-aged man with a belly as round as a mountain—Director Lee Hak-jin—slammed his hand on the table.
“This isn’t the time for talk. We should assemble a search team immediately and conquer Tower Floor 0! And while we’re at it, find that Awakened too.”
“Have you lost your mind? Is Tower Floor 0 your backyard mountain? Do you know how many have died fooling around in there?”
“So how long are we going to cower in fear of those things and avoid doing what must be done? Honestly, is this not like refusing to make soybean paste because you’re afraid of maggots? This is exactly when we should go! It’s for the country! The young people should step up, even if it costs them something!”
Looking around the room, Director Lee Hak-jin muttered, “Young people should make sacrifices for the nation…”
“They won’t lose something—they’ll die, you fool!”
“Oh, come on! If you’re careful, why would anyone die?”
“Come to think of it, didn’t your nephew just start a stealth equipment business specialized for the Tower? What, business not going well? Trying to secure a supplier contract?”
“You’ve got some nerve bringing up my nephew right now!”
The commotion in the room grew louder.
President Lee Kang-yeon’s brow twitched.
“Everyone…”
His voice was small.
But the moment it left his lips, the room fell completely silent. Those who had been arguing moments ago shut their mouths tight, as if struck dumb, and turned to look at him.
Apparently pleased by the silence where not even a breath could be heard, Lee Kang-yeon continued.
“You seem very interested in a place you’ve never even set foot in.”
He finished in a slow tone and swept his gaze around the room.
The executives cleared their throats and avoided his eyes.
Aside from Lee Kang-yeon, none of the executives were Awakened.
They had only heard stories about what happened inside the Tower—about the dangers Awakeners faced—but they did not truly understand.
Only Lee Kang-yeon had challenged the Tower.
He had even participated, ten years ago, in the Z-Project aimed at conquering Tower Floor 0.
“Am I wrong?”
At his question, none of the executives dared even breathe, let alone respond.
A man beyond the reach of anyone in the room.
Once, whenever the question of the greatest player in history was raised, his name was always mentioned.
His hair had turned completely white, and countless wrinkles marked his hands and face—but the presence he carried was anything but that of an old man.
“Hmm.”
He let out a long breath and looked at Ha-min.
“Any Awakened who climbs the Tower knows what Floor 0 means to us. I, too, attempted contact with them—and was left with an irreparable wound.”
He ran his fingers over the scar stretching from his left eye down to his cheek.
“…But we cannot simply avoid conquering Floor 0. If we could use that ‘library’—the sole achievement of the Z-Project—I would gladly stake my life on it.”
He had a point.
On Tower Floor 0, there was a library containing books filled with information on the various monsters that appeared within the Tower.
If they could access that library, the Awakeners’ mortality rate would drastically decrease—that was the Association’s belief.
Discovering the existence of the library had been the Z-Project’s only success.
Of the ten Awakeners deployed for that mission, nine had died.
Only one had escaped the Tower alive—and barely at that.
Lee Kang-yeon clenched his fist.
“I do not wish to see any more Awakeners sacrificed. To that end, we will locate the Awakened suited for Tower Floor 0 as soon as possible.”
A sharp glint flashed through the eyes of a man well past sixty.
“Spare no support in finding them. Assemble a team and begin preparations. And I will appoint Assistant Manager Lee Ha-min—who identified the suspected candidate—as the leader of that team.”
The room buzzed.
Several executives looked at Ha-min with shining eyes, already calculating the advantages they could gain through her.
“That concludes today’s meeting.”
The moment Lee Kang-yeon finished speaking, every executive in the room rushed toward Assistant Manager Lee Ha-min.
“Assistant Manager Lee! I’m Director Lee Hak-jin. Let’s have a meal sometime—”
“Hold on! There’s an order to these things! I’m Managing Director Ahn Dong-seong—you’ve heard of me, right? Let’s have dinner—”
“Assistant Manager Lee! I’m Executive Director Kang Dong-mook. Whatever you want, I can provide it, so—”
“Y-Yes? Ah, uh—yes. N-Nice to meet you!”
Overwhelmed by the sudden flood of requests, Ha-min stammered in confusion.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?!”
Kal barked at Jong-hyeok.
“You’re going to burst my eardrums. I’ll be fine.”
“Is your life not precious to you?”
“Good grief, I’m not going to die.”
Jong-hyeok waved him off casually and looked at the sword Emiel had left behind.
Though the blade itself had lost its shine, the red gemstone and delicately crafted hilt were beautiful in their own right.
Despite its beauty, however, Jong-hyeok’s gaze was focused elsewhere.
“This is a total jackpot.”
“W-What? A what?”
“It’s extremely profitable.”
While listening to Emiel and Kal’s conversation, he had borrowed the sword’s skill.
That skill allowed him to bestow the Breath of a Master, something Emiel had long sought.
And what Emiel desired now was for Ascent to receive that Breath.
Jong-hyeok didn’t even consider the possibility of failure.
The reason was simple.
Information about the skill was flooding into his mind.
And that information told him he would not fail.
If only awakened skills came into my head like this.
Grumbling, he placed his hand on the sword.
“You intend to begin right away?”
“Yes.”
“This is my final warning. Even now, I recommend you go find the vice-captain and beg for forgiveness.”
Ignoring him, Jong-hyeok closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
A translucent blue window appeared before him.
[This equipment can be granted the Breath of a Master.]
[Do you wish to grant the Breath of a Master?]
“Yes.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Blue light flickered from his palm and slowly spread toward the sword.
“Stop fooling around and go see the vice-cap—huh?”
Kal’s mouth fell open as he watched.
The reason Kal had tried to stop him was simple.
To imbue the Breath of a Master, one had to have mastered the field completely—to resonate with the object as though their souls had become one.
It required not only effort, but talent.
Even among Kal’s acquaintances were countless blacksmiths who had spent their entire lives holding hammers and yet never became masters.
Genius-level talent and relentless effort.
Without both, one could not reach that realm.
And this brat without a single callus has reached that level…?
Unable to comprehend what was happening, Kal rubbed his eyes and stared at Ascent.
“A-Am I seeing things…?”
Because the realm of a master was so difficult to reach, most masters were at least fifty years old.
If one could become a master while still young, how far higher might they climb?
That was a fantasy shared by every master—including Kal.
“Y-You!”
Kal instinctively called out to Jong-hyeok, then quickly covered his mouth.
Granting the Breath required extreme concentration.
If that focus faltered, the weapon might split in two instead of receiving the Breath.
Watching the miracle unfold before him, Kal finally steadied himself and observed quietly.
Jong-hyeok stared intently at the sword.
Remarkable concentration.
Kal marveled inwardly.
But Jong-hyeok wasn’t concentrating.
What’s this?
[Epic Quest Complete.]
[Quest Progress: 2/2]
[Deliver Ascent to Emiel.]
[Reward: 500 Achievement Points, Honorary Citizen Medal of Polaris.]
So I have to clear the second quest before I get the reward.
As he finished the work, a faint blue light began to linger around the blade.
“…It’s finished.”
Before Jong-hyeok could speak, Kal lifted the sword.
“The technique I devoted decades to… at your age…”
He trailed off, staring at the blade.
His eyes shone like they had the day he first held a sword.
The reason Kal had lost his pride as a master was tied to his limits.
He had sought higher realms but could not ascend further.
More accurately, there was nowhere left to ascend.
Throughout all history—excluding the mythic era—there had been no blacksmith superior to him.
He was still of an age to hold a hammer, yet after realizing that fact, he had set his own limits.
Believing he could never rise higher.
“I see.”
Kal lifted his head and looked at Jong-hyeok.
There was a new light in his eyes.
His heart was racing again.
“…Perhaps I lost my passion because there was no one ahead of me to pursue.”
“Pardon?”
“Did I not say I had lost my passion?”
“You did.”
“Watching you… it feels as though that passion is returning.”
“Passion?”
Since this result had been achieved through a borrowed shortcut, Jong-hyeok felt a little embarrassed.
“The sensation of someone standing before me. The feeling of having met a true genius.”
Kal closed his mouth, savoring the emotion.
“At last… I can pick up the hammer again.”
Jong-hyeok didn’t fully understand Kal’s feelings, but he nodded anyway.
“That’s good to hear.”
“Thank you. For restoring an old man’s passion.”
Ding!
A clear chime rang out, and a system window appeared before Jong-hyeok.
[Kal’s Favorability has increased by 10.]
[You have successfully increased favorability without using a skill.]
[Skill Level Up.]
[Affinity (Lv. 1) has become Affinity (Lv. 2).]
At that moment, Jong-hyeok’s skill level increased.
