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Chapter 17
[This clear will be recorded in the 6th Floor ‘Hall of Honor’.]
[Hall of Honor – 6th Floor]
[South Korea]
1. Svida: Legend (Seoul)
2…….
In an instant, the 6th floor was conquered.
[Your level has increased.]
[Level: 6]
Returning to reality, Chaeri took a deep breath.
“Whoa……!”
Even though she had experienced it dozens of times, the thrill of clearing a Tower floor was always new.
In other words, it was the most fun game in the world.
The sense of accomplishment, the exhilaration, and even a slight addictiveness—it was perfect.
“I wanna do it again.”
“That is not allowed.”
“Hmph.”
Chaeri pouted slightly.
“Mr. Davis is mean.”
“……Pardon?”
[Applying Kids Mode!]
[Re-entry into the Tower is forcibly restricted for 24 hours.]
That’s right.
Even if there are L-grade perks, the system is always firm.
Child Protection Act. No re-entry. 24-hour cooldown.
“Anyway, the system is an old fogey! Can’t go back in! Lee Chaeri knows it, Mr. Davis knows it, everyone in the world knows it! Jason Kim (Kim Myung-ja’s pet dog) knows it too!”
“…….”
“If everyone knows, is there a need to be so cold about it?”
“It’s not cold, it’s firm……”
Davis promptly knelt on one knee and met Chaeri’s eyes.
“I’m sorry, Chaeri. My desire to protect you got ahead of me. My words became cold.”
“…….”
Actually, Chaeri knew.
That Davis wasn’t being cold towards her.
She just felt momentarily hurt.
It’s just that she wasn’t used to handling emotions in a child’s body.
“Lee Chaeri is sorry too.”
*You don’t need to be sorry to me, Chaeri.* Davis didn’t actually say those words.
And just like that, the two naturally made up.
“Are you okay, Chaeri?”
“It’s okay. Time heals all wounds.”
“Huh? Haha!”
Chaeri sometimes said such unexpected things. With the expression of a sage who knows all the ways of the world.
Davis found it unbearably cute.
“But still, Chaeri, let’s agree not to use rude words like ‘old fogey’.”
“……Yes, sir.”
Anyway, Chaeri’s words, ‘Time heals all wounds,’ were true.
Time had solved many things.
*Poing! Poing!*
*Stars twinkling down!*
*White butterflies fluttering!*
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 7.]
[Clear Grade: L (Legend)]
“Hehe.”
The exploits of the 1000% child, Lee Chaeri, continued.
South Korea was heating up.
[What on earth do you have to do to get 7 consecutive L-grade clears?]
└Low-floor Conqueror, King God Seoul
└I literally can’t even imagine it
└The Guild Masters are going crazy lol All the low-floor ranking 1st places are being taken
└In my opinion, there’s a special gimmick. There’s absolutely no way to do this with normal methods.
└I wish they’d just reveal the method once.
[But how on earth can no one figure it out? If only the Seoul Guilds can’t find them, then they’re just stupid……]
└No one can find them lol Even Korea’s most prestigious Busan Guild lol
└Are they entering the Tower secretly?
└Then maybe an assassin or thief type?
└Could be an explorer type.
*Poing! Poing!*
*Stars twinkling down!*
*White butterflies fluttering!*
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 8.]
[Clear Grade: L (Legend)]
Chaeri felt a surge of pride.
“From real-time search 1st to 10th place, it’s all about Legend *hyung-nim*.”
She preferred ‘*hyung-nim*’ (big bro) over ‘*noon-nim*’ (big sis).
This was, literally, an instinctual choice.
*Heung!* Awesome Legend *hyung-nim*. Amazing.
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 9.]
[Clear Grade: L (Legend)]
And it was around this time.
That Davis successfully completed Chaeri’s Awakener registration.
[System Account]
[Account 1: 5,093,889,307 Dia]
Roughly 5 billion Dia.
A portion of this could be converted to cash through the Awakener Bank, after deducting certain fees.
’50 billion in cash!’
She really felt like she had become rich.
‘Hmm.’
It was strange.
She thought she would be incredibly happy to have 5 billion in her account.
But she wasn’t that happy.
‘Why is this? I’m rich now?’
Rather, right now, playing with dolls with Chorok was more enjoyable. While chewing on Haribo.
‘Get a grip, Lee Chaeri!’
She pulled herself together with the capitalistic spirit inherent in a Korean high school senior.
She couldn’t lose to a child’s instincts.
*Poing! Poing!*
*Stars twinkling down!*
*White butterflies fluttering!*
*Giggle!*
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 9.]
[Clear Grade: L (Legend)]
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 10.]
[Clear Grade: L (Legend)]
Finally, they broke through to the 10th floor.
It was a symbolic turning point, marking the end of the Tower’s early stages.
[You have acquired 10 ‘You Did Very Well’ Stickers.]
The stickers fluttering in the air gathered one by one, merged with a bright light, and…
*Dung-seul.* What floated in the air was a white card.
‘A white card!’
A vessel that did not yet hold a hero.
Using that white card, she could summon a new hero.
Meaning one more hero for the world’s only L-grade Awakener.
‘But… it’s different from the novels, isn’t it?’
At that moment.
Davis quietly approached.
In his hand, he held a white card—no one knew when he had gotten it.
Davis’s affectionate voice was heard.
“Chaeri.”
Something completely unexpected began to happen.
—
* * *
A few days ago.
Right after clearing Tower Floor 7.
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 7.]
That day too, Chaeri used her points on the Davis card without any hesitation.
[Enhancing the Davis card.]
[Davis +7]
[Chief Aide of the Perished Empire +7]
……
Manifestation Time: 10 hours
Cooldown: 17 hours
The manifestation time increased, and the cooldown decreased.
For Davis, this was a joyous thing.
Clearing the 100th floor and erasing his regrets was a dream, but being able to stay by Chaeri’s side like this, alive…
That was a greater blessing than any other goal.
But he was facing reality squarely.
‘Chaeri. You need to start saving your points now.’
He was Empire-grade. Although he was top-tier even among support types, he was ultimately ‘support’.
For the Tower climbing ahead, a more powerful combat-type card would be necessary.
For Chaeri’s growth.
These points should not be used on him.
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 8.]
‘Chaeri. This is sincere advice. You should use it on a hero stronger than me. You need to save your points.’
But Chaeri didn’t listen.
“Lee Chaeri is the master of the cards,” she said firmly.
At that moment, Davis felt a little scared.
‘Has Chaeri… grown too fond of me?’
Maybe he needed to be a little more stern.
Maybe he needed to be disliked a little.
But whenever he met Chaeri’s eyes, all his resolve crumbled. *Crash.*
The points continued to pour onto Davis. *Pouring.*
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 9.]
[Enhancing the Davis card.]
[Davis +9]
‘To Lee Chaeri, Davis is the best.’
[You have cleared Tower (Seoul) Floor 10.]
[Enhancing the Davis card.]
[Davis +10]
[Chief Aide of the Perished Empire +10]
……
Manifestation Time: 13 hours
Cooldown: 14 hours
In the end, he failed to stop Chaeri.
They broke through perfectly up to the 10th floor.
And they succeeded in collecting 10 ‘You Did Very Well’ stickers.
—
* * *
At the moment she obtained the white card.
Davis approached closely.
“Chaeri.”
“What is it, Davis?”
Their gazes met in the air.
“Thank you for liking me.”
“Lee Chaeri is thankful too.”
Davis steeled his heart.
‘I want to stay by Chaeri’s side.’
But he didn’t have the qualification for that.
An Empire-grade has limits.
Someday, he would hold Chaeri back.
So he decided to leave.
He had even finished Chaeri’s Awakener registration.
He had also arranged for the accumulated wealth to eventually be returned to Chaeri.
He had one unique ability.
The ability to return himself to a white card.
The ability to sever the contract and disappear.
All the points invested in him would be recovered.
‘There’s only one chance.’
In his eyes, his unique ability, organized by the system, was visible.
[Cancel Contract]
Cancel the contract to forfeit the status of a Card Hero. Permanently removed from the manifestation list. The ‘Davis’ card returns to being a White Card.
The L-grade Awakener can use this White Card to form a contract with a new hero.
As he was bowing his head. Chaeri asked.
“Davis. The mood is weird.”
“I was really glad to meet you, Chaeri.”
They were short but precious days.
The child who called him the best.
The child who would giggle when he read her picture books.
The child who gave him affection unconditionally.
That child was Chaeri.
Now it was time to pass that happiness on to a more outstanding hero.
“I will use my unique ability to give Chaeri a new opportunity……”
Then. Something amazing happened.
