The great catastrophe that occurred in Chongqing, China.
A liberated player roamed the city streets wielding a chamado.
Countless sacrifices were required just to stop that single person.
A single liberated player slaughtered more than fifty people—an unprecedented, shocking disaster.
It happened in broad daylight.
There were many witnesses.
As a result, the media couldn't suppress it.
Only then did people truly realize
just how terrifying a player with liberated abilities could be.
And the Chongqing incident was only the beginning.
In Shanghai, the Public Security Bureau headquarters was attacked by two liberated players.
After that came Tianjin, Xi'an, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xinjiang Uyghur…
Large and small incidents involving liberated players followed one after another across China.
The entire world was stunned.
What if something like that happened in their own country?
In Korea, news of the Chinese situation arrived as breaking news through the media.
There was no need to rely on the media alone.
It was spreading rapidly through SNS.
Juhyeok also saw the news on the 17th floor of the White Tower.
After sending Rajiks off, he had been idling around aimlessly, turned on the TV out of boredom—
"Holy hell…"
How could something like that happen?
He had expected something like this might occur, but still—
In fact, he'd heard about it before from Commissioner Jeon Gwang-il.
That Rune Necklaces of Liberation appeared unusually often in the Chinese tower,
and that there were even rumors of them dropping from low floors.
He'd assumed it was because of China's massive population, but…
"This is the administrators' doing, right?"
You could tell at a glance.
"That's right. Those bastards definitely rigged it."
"I believe so as well."
"I know because I once sided with them back when I was a Succubus Queen. Only administrators can structure reward items like that."
"These sons of bitches—"
"One day, I'll definitely drop a meteor right on top of their heads."
The summoned ones raised their voices, condemning the administrators.
Juhyeok was furious inside as well.
Instead of managing the tower like they're supposed to, why the hell are they scattering items like that into the real world?
And on the low floors, no less—abnormally so!
"Wow, what a backstab. What? Normalization? This is normalization?"
"Calm yourself. Your blood pressure is rising."
"The most abnormal ones are pretending to be normal."
"The former administrators and the new ones—they're all the same."
"In the end, this old man was right. World conquest! If we'd done that, no matter how much the administrators ran wild—"
"Sir, are you fanning the flames of a burning house right now?"
Among the four-item gift set given as a reward for clearing the 71st floor,
the item with the highest probability was the Rune Necklace of Liberation.
The Ring of Appearance Transformation, the Rejuvenation Elixir, and the Disease-Curing Potion had extremely low drop rates.
It was an extremely deliberate reward design.
The Rune Necklace of Liberation is a cursed object.
It stimulates a player's desires and pushes them to do things they don't need to do.
It's no different from handing out pistols to people arguing over noise complaints between floors.
In the United States, hundreds of gun-related incidents happen every day.
In Korea, they almost never happen.
Why?
Because there are no guns in Korea.
Instead, there are many stabbing incidents.
Why?
Because there are knives.
'If Rune Necklaces of Liberation start spreading in Korea right now…'
No—
they will spread.
The probability is extremely high.
And that's exactly what the administrators are aiming for.
Korea is close to China.
People travel back and forth frequently.
That's right.
If Rune Necklaces of Liberation spread, Korea is the most at risk.
How do you detect a player's inventory, which doesn't even show up at airport security?
Of course, China's situation was the most severe,
but Juhyeok was more worried about it spreading to Korea.
After all, the thorn under your own fingernail hurts the most.
And more than anything, what made him angry—
Do we really just have to sit here and take the administrators' dirty schemes?
Don't get agitated.
Calm down and steady your mind.
"Is there any way to neutralize the Rune Necklace of Liberation?"
At Juhyeok's quietly spoken question—
Perk!
Mackenzie's ears twitched.
"Hmm… it might work if we bind the mana itself."
Huh?
Bind mana?
"Do you remember the magic scroll I showed you before?"
"…Ah! You mean that spell-whatever thing?"
"Spell Power Binding Block—a spell that binds a target's mana for a fixed period of time."
Spell power—mana.
Binding—bind.
Block—seal.
Mackenzie pulled out several sheets of rolled-up paper from his robes.
At a glance, they just looked like ordinary paper.
So this could bind mana?
"Would that really work? The Rune Necklace of Liberation is an item permitted by the system."
Juhyeok's doubt.
Could human magic violate the laws of the system?
"Of course, we can't directly interfere with the activation of skills or items."
"Then?"
"I'm talking about the mana generated after activation. In other words, the player's mana itself."
Hmm.
"So you're saying you can't stop the item from activating… but you can control the mana that manifests afterward?"
Mackenzie answered confidently.
"With a Spell Power Binding Block scroll, it can be sealed."
Hearing it like that, it sounded extraordinary.
An item just as powerful as a mana EMP.
"That's a rare thing, then."
"Well, not really."
"What?"
"Doesn't everyone usually keep a few scrolls at home?"
"They're not particularly hard to make either. As long as you have special paper and ink, you can draw them."
Draw them.
So it's common.
At least, in another world.
"It was the same in the world I lived in."
The magitech engineer El chimed in.
"Everyone carried a few scrolls. For example, Light or Fire Tip scrolls. They were like Earth's flashlights or lighters."
Daily necessities?
"However, the Spell Power Binding Block scroll does have its limitations."
What is it?
"There are countermeasures. Magic scrolls have a simple structure that doesn't contain the will of a mage's incantation."
Mackenzie moistened his dry lips slightly and continued.
"And the higher the level—meaning the greater the mana—the shorter the duration becomes and the higher the failure rate. For SSR rank, or from 7-circle mages or top-tier sword experts onward, the spell doesn't work at all."
So it might not work?
"However, that won't matter for Earth's players. It will apply without fail."
But there was another issue.
"Still, would one scroll be enough? Even if you draw them by hand, the time it takes—"
"It's possible."
"Huh?"
How?
"A mage, an alchemist, and a magitech engineer are all gathered in one place. Is there such a thing as impossible?"
That's right.
And all of them are LSSR.
Suddenly, his chest swelled with confidence.
Why was he even worrying with people like this around?
Juhyeok, Juhyeok.
You've still got a long way to go before becoming a real man.
"Summoner, just give the order. If you decide, we'll find a way. We'll make even the impossible possible."
"Hmm."
Just then—
Gwangma tilted his head and spoke to Mackenzie.
"All well and good… but what if our Summoner gets hit by the magic scroll?"
"Magitech engineer El froze along with the Gigant when he used the mana EMP. What's the countermeasure if the Summoner gets caught in the scroll's area of effect?"
"Ah!"
As if he understood immediately, Mackenzie removed the necklace he was wearing and spoke.
"I'll give you this necklace."
"What is it?"
"A Necklace of Magic Resistance. This is actually the countermeasure. It repels all scroll magic—attack spells and debuffs alike."
Yes!
A free item.
"Please come here. I'll put it on you."
Juhyeok stepped toward Mackenzie.
"Ahem! You, with your outstanding character and benevolent heart, have served as a role model to the summoned ones, contributing to world peace through tower climbing—"
What?
Is this an award ceremony?
He's always been the one giving—now he gets to receive?
At that moment—
Kosak glared at Mackenzie with icy eyes.
"Old man Mackenzie, what do you think you're doing? Who do you think you're imitating? Have you lost your mind?"
"N-no, I was just doing it for fun—"
The summoned ones didn't miss the opportunity.
"For fun? Tsk tsk, you were doing fine, and now you've crossed the line."
"A summoned one holding an award ceremony? And for the Summoner, no less?"
"When a mullet jumps, a goby jumps too—how laughable."
"That's insubordination. Immediate execution."
"We let you be, and now you're trying to climb over our lord's head."
"Do you think our master is easy?"
"Grrr! Rrrrgh."
"Hoeng! Hoeeek!"
Who the hell is "hoeng" now?
I'm already feeling down without Rajiks.
"Who's imitating Rajiks?"
"H-hoeng… I thought you might miss him… sorry."
It was Kosak.
Of course it was.
At that moment—
Mackenzie's eyes flashed.
A chance to counterattack.
"Assassin, have you no sense at all? You know full well how heartbroken the Summoner is because of the Cosmic Farmhand's absence, and yet you still—"
"N-no, I was just joking around—"
The arrow shifted back toward Kosak.
"An idiot who can't distinguish between humor and reckless behavior."
"I was wondering why things had been quiet lately."
"That mouth of yours is the root of all evil."
"You had to imitate someone—of all people—our Cosmic Farmhand?"
"You're trying to make a fool of the Summoner."
"Mackenzie and Kosak—cut off both their heads and hang them from that communication tower. Restore discipline to the 17th floor of the White Tower."
"I'll do the beheading."
Honestly, these people start fighting whenever there's the slightest opening.
Let them sort it out among themselves.
For now, I needed to go out and run some tests.
There were plenty of Rune Necklaces of Liberation sitting in inventories, and players I knew well enough to cooperate.
The Korean government was also watching the Chinese situation closely.
Jeon Gwang-il was on his way into the Blue House for a countermeasure meeting—
When he received a call from Player Bong.
He asked to meet urgently at the Management Agency's materials warehouse.
Then Player Bong came first.
The Blue House could wait.
Awakening Management Agency, materials warehouse.
After waiting a bit, Juhyeok arrived.
"Player Bong."
"Commissioner, am I late?"
"Not at all. I just arrived as well."
The reason for choosing an outdoor location:
inside the White Tower, player abilities manifest as-is.
What Juhyeok wanted to verify:
could mana liberated by the Rune Necklace be sealed by a scroll?
"Commissioner, what's your current level?"
"Level 41. I just started hunting basilisks."
"You're power-leveling fast."
"Hahaha, my equipment's just very good."
"One moment. There are some people I need to call."
Juhyeok summoned Mackenzie, El, Gwangma, and Kosak as well.
Spot! Spot! Spot!
"Oh, Commissioner Jeon."
"Greetings. I'm businessman Kosak."
"Good to see you again."
"Commissioner Jeon, this old man is here too."
They exchanged greetings.
"Here. Take this."
Juhyeok handed a necklace to Jeon Gwang-il.
Jeon flinched in surprise.
A necklace, out of nowhere?
And this is—
"Ah… don't tell me?"
"Yes, it's a Rune Necklace of Liberation. Please put it on and activate it."
"…Right now?"
"Don't worry. We're just checking something."
Not understanding the situation, but deciding to follow instructions anyway.
It was his first time using such an item.
Jeon Gwang-il put the necklace on and activated it.
Swoong!
Mana spread through his entire body.
Power overflowed.
With his [Herculean Might] trait, the effect was visibly dramatic.
Bulge, bulge.
Muscles swelling as if his suit might tear.
Crack!
His shoulders and chest broadened massively.
"Oooooh!"
"Impressive. That looks like a 5,000 total on the big three lifts. If you start a fitness channel, you'll hit 100,000 subscribers in no time."
Clap clap clap clap!
A round of applause.
"All right, then. Let's try it."
"…Go ahead."
Juhyeok pulled out a scroll from his pocket and tore it in half.
Riiip!
At that moment—
Wooooong!
Paaaat!
A sticky pressure filled the vast warehouse.
And when that wave of energy reached Jeon Gwang-il—
"…Hrk!"
His strength drained away instantly.
Psssh! The swollen muscles deflated in an instant.
His chest felt tight.
Like something stuck inside him.
"W-what on earth…?"
Meanwhile, Juhyeok was perfectly fine.
The Necklace of Magic Resistance had nullified the scroll's magic.
Still confused, Jeon Gwang-il looked on blankly.
"Please activate the Rune Necklace of Liberation again."
"Uh, yes, yes."
But nothing happened.
Even though the usage count of the necklace had clearly decreased.
"This is called Spell Power Binding Block—too long, so let's just call it a mana-sealing scroll. It's a magic spell that seals the target's mana for about an hour…"
Jeon listened, stunned.
"S-such an item exists?"
"It's not a tower reward item."
"Then?"
"Ask someone who knows."
Juhyeok turned to Mackenzie.
"Ordinary people can use this too, right?"
"Of course. It's a scroll—even a child could use it."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Not at all. It only binds mana. If there's no mana, there's nothing dangerous about it."
So it was safe.
"What about the range?"
"All targets within a 30-meter radius. It spreads as a magical wave, so it's hard to evade."
Wide range, too.
"And mass production?"
"We simply print them. First, engrave the magic formula onto a metal plate. Then mount it onto a printing press—"
"A printing press?"
El added an explanation.
"Scroll printers are among the most basic facilities in magitech engineering. They're easy to make. All you need is special scroll paper and mana ink."
"And the paper and ink?"
"Any alchemist could make them."
Just in case, Juhyeok sent a message to the stay-at-home alchemist, Mari.
Ding!
: Special scroll paper and mana ink are easy to make.
As expected.
: You just treat ordinary paper with reagents. Same with the mana ink.
: What about materials?
: A few herbs and magic crystals. We've got plenty of crystals, and our farmhand brings herbs regularly, so we've got enough. For scrolls? We could print tens of millions.
Everything was falling neatly into place.
A true dream team.
A mage who knew the Spell Power Binding Block formula,
a magitech engineer who could build scroll printers,
and an alchemist who could manufacture special paper and mana ink.
This was the perfect trinity of LSSR magic, alchemy, and engineering.
Even Kosak, fully switched into businessman mode, chimed in.
"Hm, come to think of it, this is a fine business item. Call it the household emergency scroll—one scroll in every home. North and South Korea combined have seventy million people. We need to print at least seventy million."
Gwangma added,
"If we can suppress the power of the necklace, we can flatten the administrators' noses."
Jeon Gwang-il nodded as well.
"We could also expect a preventative effect. Once the existence of the scroll becomes known, players will hesitate to use the Rune Necklace of Liberation recklessly."
Perfect.
"Put all ongoing projects on hold and prioritize scroll production."
"Yes, sir!"
"We'll begin immediately."
"And at the same time, we need to build the foundation for mass production of the anti-obesity escape bracelet."
"Enough with that bracelet already."
"Scroll sales are temporary. Bracelet sales can last a thousand years."
Jeon Gwang-il's mind was spinning fast.
If they supplied these to police stations and local precincts first, they'd gain real deterrence against liberated players.
"Commissioner Jeon, there's something we need."
"Anything you need, please say so."
"We need analog mechanical printing presses. The kind that apply ink and print—"
At that moment!
Kosak's eyes sparkled as if something had clicked.
"O great Summoner Bong Juhyeok, comrade."
Why is he suddenly channeling a people's commissar?
"…What?"
"Leave the printing work to our Republic."
Printing in North Korea?
"Will that be okay?"
"Our Republic is all about leaflets, is it not? We'll print scrolls just like propaganda flyers."
"…."
"Our glorious leaflet-printing technology does not lag behind the South."
He wasn't wrong.
Decades of experience making propaganda and agitation leaflets meant immense know-how.
"Let's do that."
"Yes, sir!"
Those administrator bastards.
I wonder what their faces will look like
when they realize their plan has failed.
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