Kim Soo-ae wasn’t the only one stunned.@@@@

    Jung Chul-min was equally surprised.

    “Suho... is actually climbing the Tower of Trials?”

    He pinched his cheek, wondering if he was dreaming, but it wasn’t a dream. A grin crept up his face, lifting his spirits. Jung Chul-min had seen Jo Jin-hwi’s exclusive report, too.

    *“Could we really get an unprecedented talent like him to join our association?”*

    The thought alone was thrilling. And it wasn’t just anyone—it was Ahn Suho. If he joined the Korean Hunter Association, he would be the equivalent of a triple-S-grade rookie.

    However, as Suho’s achievements mounted, so did Jung Chul-min’s concerns. The benefits offered by the association were modest, hardly enough to attract such a high-caliber talent.

    Just then, his phone rang. The caller ID showed it was the Vice President.

    Jung Chul-min squinted briefly. Both the Vice President and President were people he didn’t particularly like, but he picked up the call out of obligation.

    “Yes, Vice President.”

    The Vice President preferred to be called “Vice President” rather than “Deputy President.” It was an odd preference, but since it was the boss’s choice, everyone complied, including Jung Chul-min.

    A moment later, the Vice President’s voice came through the line.

    “Where are you right now?”

    “I’m in Pangyo.”

    “You’re there for the Tower of Trials?”

    “Yes, that’s correct.”

    “You know Ahn Suho, don’t you?”

    How did he know that?

    After a moment of hesitation, Jung Chul-min replied, “We’ve met, but we’re not particularly close.”

    “Doesn’t matter. You know him, so that’s good enough. Bring him in.”

    For a moment, Jung Chul-min’s ears perked up.

    “Wait! Are you saying you want me to recruit him for the association?”

    “What? No, I mean bring him in so he can take a photo with the President.”

    “Oh...”

    He should have known. Why else would they call him out of the blue?

    Jung Chul-min’s face crumpled with disappointment.

    Unfazed, the Vice President continued, “Set it up so the President can get a picture with him. Just come up with any excuse for the summons.”

    “...Understood.”

    The Vice President hung up right after giving his instructions. For a moment, Jung Chul-min had the urge to throw his phone, but he calmed himself.

    *“This is why all association executives should be Hunters...”*

    The Korean Hunter Association was still a government department, which meant top positions like the President and Vice President were usually filled by influential former politicians. The current President was a five-term congressman, and the Vice President a four-term congressman.

    While having politicians as executives wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, none of them were players, meaning they lacked understanding of the industry and often relied on impractical, bureaucratic solutions.

    This lack of understanding was partly why the association struggled to attract talented Hunters.

    - “Hunters are impressive, sure, but what? You think we should spend that much on public servant salaries?”

    - “Is this a corporation?”

    - “Do you think taxpayers’ money is meant for raising your salaries?”

    - “If Hunters didn’t work for us, would the country collapse? Isn’t that what guilds are for? Are we falling apart because we don’t have enough public servant Hunters?”

    It was always the same rhetoric.

    Shaking his head, Jung Chul-min returned toward the Tower of Trials, mentally crafting an excuse to summon Suho.

    ***

    **[You have cleared the 48th floor.]**

    **[A new record has been set in the Tower of Trials.]**

    Thud—whoosh!

    He bounced off the rough parts of the stone tower, soaring higher. With his Strength stat over 90, his jumping power was incredible.

    Now at eye level with the Tower Dragon, the enraged dragon lunged at Suho with its jaws, but Suho twisted his body mid-air, dodging the attack by a hair’s breadth.

    Chomp!

    The dragon’s teeth snapped together in empty air. Using the momentum, Suho stepped on its fang and leapt again.

    **[You have high proficiency in Jumping.]**

    **[The system is evaluating your talent.]**

    **[Congratulations! You have acquired the skill Jump (B).]**

    Suho had acquired the Jump skill. It didn’t surprise him, as it felt like a natural progression.

    *“I didn’t even realize I hadn’t learned Jump yet.”*

    No matter—it was better late than never.

    With the skill now at his disposal, Suho’s jump power increased significantly. He sprang off the stone tower again, finally reaching a height where he could look down on the Tower Dragon.

    *“The inverse scale should be near the top of its head, right?”*

    Suho hadn’t climbed this high just to attack randomly. He was aiming for the dragon’s weak spot, a crucial scale known as the “inverse scale” on its head.

    Among dragon-type monsters, the inverse scale was a universally known weakness. And though Jang Pyung-ho had pointed it out, Suho was already familiar with this common knowledge.

    Amid the sea of dark blue scales, he spotted one that was distinctly teal.

    *“There it is.”*

    He had located the inverse scale. Now, he just needed to strike it.

    As gravity began pulling him down, Suho flipped himself over, preparing for a vertical dive. Then, he aimed directly at the Tower Dragon.

    Crash!

    The accelerating blade struck the Tower Dragon’s scales.

    As expected, its scales were incredibly durable. Realizing the dragon’s defenses were too strong, Suho quickly retreated, as his beginner’s sword was now chipped and unusable.

    Just then...

    **[The Tower Dragon becomes enraged after its inverse scale is attacked.]**

    **[The Tower Dragon uses Dragon Fear.]**

    “ROAARR

    R!!”

    Wounded in its weak spot, the Tower Dragon let out a frenzied roar.

    There was no way to avoid the sound-based attack, and its effects were immediate.

    Unlike regular monster Fear, Dragon Fear operated on a completely different level.

    **[You are now in a state of fear.]**

    **[You are immobilized.]**

    **[You are experiencing auditory hallucinations.]**

    **[You can no longer hear sounds.]**

    Multiple debuffs rained down on him. His vision blurred, and a ringing filled his ears. Feeling the effects closing in, Suho quickly raised his hand and shouted:

    “Enter!”

    **[Entering the Pocket Dimension House.]**

    With a flash of light from his left hand, Suho vanished completely.

    Left alone, the Tower Dragon went into a furious rampage.