Fired Characters from an Idle Game

26. Tower Assault – (2)

A throng packed the area before the Tower of Yeouido.

The chaos was such that even the police, overwhelmed by the surge of people, could only wring their hands in frustration.

He’d contacted Yu Jun-seo to arrange a quiet entry, but somehow the news had spread, even making the news headlines.

“It’s all well and good, but don’t you think you should reconsider?”

Director Yoo Jun-seo of the Management Bureau spoke to me, his expression visibly uneasy.

“That’s where a Rank 5 Calamity resides. That’s the place where that undefeated storm, that Typhoon b*tch, is. You saw it before. Selene the Scorched Saintess. An Actor’s minion. You saw the video of her cutting down a Rank 4 Calamity with a single swing of her blade, right?”

“Of course, I saw it.”

“Right. I was there. That’s when I knew. Ah, a Rank 5 Calamity is beyond reckoning. Humanity as it is now can’t possibly win.”

“So?”

“So what do you mean, ‘so’? It would be a disaster if Joo-yeon went in there and died! If the Dragon King of the Korean Peninsula meets an untimely end, who will protect Seoul?”

Just when did that title, ‘Dragon King of the Korean Peninsula,’ become accepted lore?

My face naturally soured.

Seeing this, Yoo Jun-seo patted my shoulder and urged me again.

“Let’s go back for now and gather more strength before thinking about it.”

“And then?”

“Hmm?”

“And then what if that Tower erupts?”

Yoo Jun-seo tilted his head at my question.

“Well, if the Tower erupts, we just stop it then.”

Indeed, that was the logical assessment.

There probably wasn’t a single Awakened willing to willingly enter a dungeon where a Rank 5 Calamity lurked.

Except for me.

“Anyway, I’m going in.”

“Didn’t you hear me? Ms. Nam Joo-yeon, this is genuine suicide, you know?”

“Who cares?”

Contrary to Yoo Jun-seo’s concerns, I wasn’t exactly going in to conquer the Tower.

I was going to meet Mirien and talk about what had happened.

So… primarily, it was a place for conversation.

“Haa…. Ms. Nam Joo-yeon, please, just this once, consider the Bureau’s reputation? How troublesome would it be if one of our affiliated S-Rank Awakened went into the Tower and died?”

Of course, it wasn’t possible to reveal these circumstances to them.

Lost in thought, I came up with a reasonably good excuse.

“Director.”

“U-uh, yeah?”

Yoo Jun-seo panicked at my suddenly resolute expression.

Yet, I paid it no mind, speaking loudly,

so all could hear.

“After that tower erupts, it will be too late. Countless citizens will die. With such a calamity poised in the heart of Seoul, I cannot simply stand by. Whatever the cost, I will eliminate this potential threat.”

No sooner had my words left my lips than a thunderous roar erupted from the crowd gathered around the tower.

Cheers, and applause in unison.

Several Awakened and even some police officers stood with hands over their hearts, faces etched with what looked like… inspiration.

“…”

By then, even Yoo Jun-seo couldn’t try to dissuade me further.

What to say…

This was the biggest lie I’d ever told.

A prick of conscience threatened to surface.

“…If that’s the case, I’ll go too.”

It seemed Yoo Jun-seo was similarly moved.

“Ms. Nam Ju-yeon, this Administration Director, Yoo Jun-seo, will accompany you on this subjugation.”

“…”

Administration Director Yoo Jun-seo had declared he would join us.

*

[Entering Dungeon 「Tower of Reversal」.]

[Subjugate the dungeon’s master and acquire ownership.]

A sensation even more unsettling than entering the Storm Dragon’s lair washed over me.

Like being drenched in viscous tar.

The dungeon’s interior, once entered, was thick with musty air.

*Ding.*

[＊Warning＊ Dungeon 「Tower of Reversal」 is a 5★ Dungeon!]

Soon after, a warning message appeared.

When entering The Abyss, there had been an explicit notice urging rapid evacuation, but this time, there was nothing of the sort. This must be because, unlike then, I now possessed a five-star calamity.

Of course, it was a different story for Yoo Jun-seo.

He stared blankly into the void, then his gaze snapped to me.

“…Ms. Nam Ju-yeon, did you see that message too? It says to run away quickly? Maybe we should just get out of here?”

At my side, after all, was Administration Director Yoo Jun-seo.

That wind brought with it the most useless of headlines: a dramatic collaboration between the Underworld King and the Dragon King in this tower raid.

But Yoo Jun-seo didn’t seem particularly interested in conquering any towers. More like he disliked the situation itself, with all the spotlight aimed at me, rather than holding any lofty ambitions of liberating Seoul.

Petty, you could call him. Or generous, for still finding the courage to show up.

Just like Jo Geon-wook said, Yoo Jun-seo was so easy to read.

“Nam Ju-yeon-ssi, anyway, the air here alone is filthy. But it’s a great place for a b*tch like you to live.”

Yoo Jun-seo summoned two 3-star Calamities, ordering them to scout, only to receive reports of nothing there.

“It’s pretty clean inside, though?”

“…Would you please just keep your mouth shut?”

I don’t know how many flags he’s setting up all alone.

In any case, in this situation, Director Yoo Jun-seo of the Management Bureau is utterly useless.

He’s already an A-rank Awakened with four 3-star Calamities, but that wouldn’t allow him to inflict any meaningful damage on Miree-en.

From the start, I didn’t even come here to fight.

Ultimately, I needed to drop this cumbersome Bureau Director, but my dull brain couldn’t think of any other way.

[Summoning 4★ Hellfire Watchdog.]

*Thoom!*

With a deafening roar, the Hellfire Watchdog materialized from the air, glaring at Yoo Jun-seo.

“…Shit! That mutt!”

At the same time, Yoo Jun-seo quickly interpreted the situation.

Of course, he couldn’t dream that the Hellfire Watchdog was a Calamity under my control, so he jumped to a conclusion.

“T-This is an Actor’s dungeon! We need to run!”

Hastily turning around, Yoo Jun-seo pushed me forward, backing away.

Just as I thought, he was planning to throw me and run if it seemed dangerous.

Not bad. It’s actually more convenient for me if he acts that way.

[Summoning 4★ Storm Dragon Tempestura.]

I summoned the Storm Dragon, ready to respond, while Yoo Jun-seo wavered, alternating his gaze between the Hellfire Watchdog and me.

He’s probably thinking this is a matchup he could manage.

But I had no intention of giving him a choice.

[Summoning 5★ Scortched Saint Selene.]

Suddenly rising into the air from within the Abyss, the Scorched Saint stepped out.

A Great Calamity wreathed in crimson flames.

The moment he saw it, Yoo Junseo dropped the hand he was holding, limp.

“…Ah.”

Yoo Junseo groaned, softly at first…

“aaagh! I told you not to come in, aaagh!”

And then he turned tail and ran.

His willingness to abandon even his comrade, one might say it was rather…understandable.

Soon, Yoo Junseo reached the tower’s entrance, tripping over his own feet and collapsing into a clumsy crawl. But, as if a last vestige of conscience remained, he turned back to look at me before exiting.

Of course, I delivered my prepared line.

“I’ll buy you time! Escape!”

Screaming with a face wrung with desperate acting, Yoo Junseo clamped his mouth shut, nodded his head with fervent agreement, and bolted out of the tower.

A bit too tragic, perhaps, for a fleeing soldier.

Once Yoo Junseo was completely out of the tower, I let the tension bleed from my body. I recalled the Storm Dragon and Hellfire Hounds.

“Hoo. Now the uninvited guest is gone.”

“Master, if I may be so bold, there could be no better place to slay that one.”

Selene was talking nonsense.

“No, I can’t kill him. What will people think if only *I* come out unscathed? Especially with someone like Jo Geonwook suspecting me.”

“Then might we slay this Jo Geonwook as well?”

“Selene, silence.”

“My apologies.”

I raised my head. The tower was made of a hollow cylinder, and the spiral staircase that ascended to the very heavens was truly impressive.

“How long will it take to climb that?”

I sighed, and started up the spiral stairs.

As tall as the tower was, so too were the stairs long.

“If I may be so bold, would it be acceptable for me to carry Master up the stairs?”

Selene asked carefully, but I refused.

To climb the stairs embraced in her arms…it felt like a degradation, a step down as a human being, as a man.

“It’s alright. Good exercise, isn’t it?”

Like that, for about an hour.

Quietly climbing the stairs, nothing to do but think idle thoughts.

Outside, at this point, the Bureau Chief Yoo Junseo would be explaining the situation. They wouldn’t re-enter the dungeon. The fact that this tower was a demon realm housing two 5-star disasters would be clear.

Then…what becomes of me?

Should I conjure up excuses beforehand?

Lost in thought, Selene spoke up, unprompted.

“My lord, there is, however, a concern I must raise.”

“Which is?”

“Mirien, the Storm of the North Sea, is… somewhat prone to paranoia.”

“…Huh?”

“And… her hearing is sharper than most.”

Selene frowned, gazing up at the tower. She seemed to have much to say, but her expression suggested she was restraining herself for my sake.

“What is it you’re trying to say?”

“That each and every one of your actions… could be interpreted rather differently by Mirien.”

Only after Selene’s words did I sense a vague unease.

It was around the time we were having this conversation that we reached the tower’s highest level.

The door stood wide open.

At the end of a long corridor, seated on a small chair, was a woman of similarly delicate build.

Mirien, the Storm of the North Sea.

The one I had only ever seen within the game was now a tangible reality before my eyes.

“…Haa.”

As if anticipating something, Selene sighed softly.

“….”

Had she heard that sigh? The Great Calamity, Mirien the Storm of the North Sea, sitting motionless on the chair, lifted her head, which had been bowed deeply.

Lifeless, blue eyes peered out from beneath strands of raven hair that reached her shoulders.

Mirien was a beauty with a frigid countenance, but her face was etched with utter despair.

Tangled hair, makeup smudged everywhere.

With a haggard face, Mirien parted her lips.

“Actor, why… why are you trying to kill me?”

“….”

Only then did I understand what Selene had meant.