“This child’s father.”
At those calm words, Guru flinched, her shoulders shrinking.
“O, On Jurim...?”
Jang Donghyeok stammered, but—
“What on earth are you doing!”
On Suhyeong, both hands full of fried chicken, shouted loudly as he returned.
But the man ignored him, once again raising his hand to strike Jang Donghyeok. On Suhyeong blocked him.
“Enough! Stop it at once!”
“Chairman On!”
With both cheeks swollen red, Jang Donghyeok’s eyes brimmed as he cried injustice.
“This man—who is he? An employee? Fire him right now! Otherwise, my family won’t let this pass!”
“What in the world happened that your face ended up like this...”
The man lifted Guru into his arms and covered her ears.
“This bully hit my kid and said she had no roots, so I figured I’d plant some for him.”
Jang Donghyeok stiffened, grinding his teeth.
“I—It was just a figure of speech! To beat a man like this over that—”
Smack!
His words cut off as his face snapped sideways again.
This time, the hand belonged to On Suhyeong.
“You did well. Right, if someone lacks roots, then they need to be planted.”
Momentarily riled, On Suhyeong quickly collected himself and straightened his jacket.
“Secretary Kim. Do you know what this bastard does?”
“No need. Those are the National Security Director’s aides, aren’t they?”
On Ijo tilted his cap upward just enough to show his face.
At once, several men who had been watching anxiously nearby rose from their seats.
They’d hoped to keep their identities hidden—but realizing the other side already knew, dismay spread plainly across their faces.
“I’m asking you. Smooth this over well. You know what ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) I mean.”
He tapped the brim of his cap twice.
If they wanted him not to reveal himself here, they had better act accordingly.
Choi Cheonho’s aides rushed over and began dragging Jang Donghyeok and his companions out.
“What the hell is this...!”
“What’s going on! Who is that guy that this is happening? Do you know who I am?!”
“We’ll take care of this on our side.”
With a deep bow, the aides escorted Jang Donghyeok and his group out of the stadium.
“Now we can actually enjoy ourselves.”
On Ijo let out a long sigh, then set Guru down on his lap.
Guru sat with her mouth agape, her face shocked.
She had no idea what had just happened. She only knew she’d been pulled behind him while smack, smack sounds rang out.
“Popcorn Ajusshi, what happened to him?”
“Mm. He drank too much and couldn’t stay at the ballpark, so we let him out. Uncle did well, didn’t he?”
“Uum...”
“And Popcorn Ajusshi said he was sorry for doing something bad to you after drinking too much.”
“Wewwy?”
He hadn’t looked like that at all. Popcorn Ajusshi had fought to the last while being dragged away.
But On Ijo smiled gently, kissed her cheek, and answered simply.
“Mm.”
“......”
She couldn’t see, but she could infer from what was said.
An adopted child. A child brought in. A child without shared blood.
That was the surface position the world knew her by.
But it didn’t matter. No matter what anyone said, she was still the daughter of On Ijo and On Jurim.
She remembered On Ijo proudly declaring she was his daughter, even when he couldn’t reveal his identity.
A warm, solid strength settled inside her.
The girl hugged him tightly, patting his back, and whispered her heart into his ear.
“Thank you, Daddy.”
On Ijo’s eyes widened in surprise, then he embraced her close.
“Of course, my daughter.”
***
Near a secluded wetland eco-park.
On Jurim scowled as he stared at the face of his daughter on his phone screen.
While he’d been breaking his back for days—
His father was off having fun with his daughter?
Jurim checked several more of On Suhyeong’s SNS posts filled with photos of Guru.
If it wasn’t just a sudden urge to flaunt his granddaughter-love, then something must have happened.
While Jurim’s mood soured and he mulled—
“Guildmastuh!”
Vwoom!
A massive shadow lunged from behind, swiping down with huge foreclaws.
Without lowering his phone, Jurim raised his free hand and blocked the strike lightly.
Then he looked up.
It was a beast on four legs, ribs and spine caging its body, its back bristling with jagged spikes.
A monster so large he had to tilt his head back to meet its gaze.
“Kwaaaaaaaah!”
Its roar ripped the air, whipping his hair and coat.
[Failed Bone Crebron (AAA)]
'Bone Crebron...'
Jurim mouthed the name inwardly.
Before he even moved, Nayeon’s silver vines lashed out, binding the monster.
“Shall I capture it?”
“Just one.”
Because the higher-ups wanted it.
Nayeon nodded.
While she worked to subdue Bone Crebron alive, Jurim lit a cigarette.
'AAA...'
The higher the grade, the harder it was to cross the boundary.
Unless it had a space-rending skill like Malikian.
So then this was either—
The first official dungeon break (monsters spilling out beyond a dungeon) since the Catastrophe—
—or someone deliberately triggered one.
If the former, a quick deployment of hunters would suffice.
If the latter...
Depending on the purpose, multiple breaks could follow.
And there was more that bothered him.
'Failed.'
That could mean artificial tampering had been done.
***
On Ijo splashed cold water over his face and looked into the mirror, his skin still dripping.
The 99th Floor Snowfield’s completion was far too low.
Because he couldn’t replicate the original conditions of the era the Tower manifested—because he hadn’t yet seized the “system.”
As his mind tangled, a title activated.
[There’s already a worthy heir to the 99th Floor. No need to hesitate. You can raise the Tower right now!]
It was referring to Guru.
After seeing Guru perfectly recreate the Snowfield of the 99th Floor—
The title coiled in his mind had rejoiced, urging him with the same words over and over.
But.
'I can do it without Guru.'
Unlike other Gnosis, he didn’t see the Tower as salvation, nor the dawn of a new age.
To him, the Tower was simply a proving ground.
[After all your failures, churning out nothing but rejects? Deep down, you’re thrilled, aren’t you? That your daughter could be master of the 99th Floor—what could be more glorious!]
His heart thundered, his muscles quivered with frenzy.
On Ijo forced down the laugh that kept welling up from the title.
But judging by how hard it was, his assimilation with it had already gone deep.
Once again, he plunged his face into the basin of cold water.
