Stay-at-Home Summoner

[Late evening, near the dolmen site on Ganghwado, S-Rank Tower.]

“…This has been reporter Lee Yoon-mi.”

As the reporter finished her closing remarks, the cameraman turned off the camera upon receiving the signal that the broadcast had ended.

“Ha.”

“Good job, senior.”

“Good job? You’re the one who’s suffering more for being dragged out here to this useless S-Rank Tower.”

“Ha, haha….”

The bearded cameraman, with his hat pulled low, chuckled awkwardly at reporter Lee Yoon-mi’s words. Both of them were ordinary people, but the cameraman had been called here under the pretense of ‘protecting the senior reporter’ in case something were to happen near the S-Rank Tower.

“Don’t go rushing up to save me if monsters come pouring out because of a dungeon break. Got it?”

“Come on, senior. As if a break would really happen?”

“I’m just saying that just in case. They wouldn’t have sent us if they weren’t expecting a scoop.”

The reporter pointed towards the towering spire that rose towards the sky above the dolmen, which had been erected during the Bronze Age.

“Who knows when a monster might jump out from there and try to kill us?”

“Still, almost all the boss monsters have been killed, right?”

“We don’t know. For all we know, the boss could be laying eggs and mass-producing monsters without us noticing. It’s not like we have an exact percentage for success rates.”

“That’s true, but….”

“If the executives at the broadcasting station are hoping for a scoop like that, they should come here and film it themselves….”

“They sent you because you’d look the best on screen as their headline reporter for the 7 o’clock news.”

“What? Are you trying to flirt with me? Hah, go charm the girls over there instead of someone like me.”

The reporter pointed to a group gathered near a military checkpoint, taking pictures with their smartphones while wearing costumes.

“Those people cosplaying and causing a frenzy.”

“You mentioned it earlier. This place is bustling with people waiting for an S-Rank Hunter’s visit.”

“Right.”

The reporter gestured to the crowd filling the road near the checkpoint.

“Women who came dressed as cosplayer maids, hoping that perhaps they could awaken their abilities by being nearby the S-Rank Tower… and people like me who were sent here to wait, hoping to interview or take a picture if an S-Rank Hunter shows up. Ha, really.”

“Do you really think a cosplayer maid would show up here?”

“I don’t know. But this is the most likely place. Unless someone swims to Jeju Island or Dokdo or gets on a plane and flies abroad.”

Tap, tap.

The reporter pointed to the ground with her foot.

“At least you can walk here, and a S-Rank Hunter with the right physical specs could easily bike or run here.”

“S-Ranks do tend to be quite exceptional in that regard. But….”

“But what?”

“If the government were to hire a cosplayer maid, what would the going rate be? 200 million a month like someone? Or 200 million a year?”

“Can you provide specifics like whether it’s in won or dollars and how much?”

“Of course, it’s in billions. Ramji Thunder makes 20 billion a month, doesn’t he?”

“That’s because that guy is a bit special.”

The reporter pointed to her smartphone battery.

“He’s basically a walking power plant that prevents Korea Electric Power Corporation from going into the red and could easily deposit 200 billion a year by saving on electricity bills.”

“True. He’s good at dealing as a Hunter….”

“Being an S-Rank Hunter isn’t just about clearing the S-Rank Tower. It’s crucial how well they can utilize their abilities in the real world. Where else can you find a patriot among S-Ranks like Blue Lightning, contributing to the nation’s economy with their powers?”

“Patriotism….”

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s just that I remembered a random thought. It probably wasn’t something I should say in front of you.”

“Oh, that?”

The reporter smirked.

“You mean that person who told awakened individuals not climbing the tower to ‘give birth to awakened children if you’re not going to clear the tower; that’s patriotism’? He resigned last time.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“That’s the average sentiment among those in Yeouido. They probably think worse too. If we’re going to go through all the trouble of birthing kids for patriotism, who do you think would be the father? Wait a second. Hey, camera, camera.”

The reporter signaled the cameraman, who immediately adjusted his camera on his shoulder and started recording.

“Excuse me, NVC reporter Lee Yoon-mi here. If it’s not too much trouble, could I get an interview?”

The reporter handed over the microphone to a woman in a black suit wearing black sunglasses. The woman, holding a briefcase containing something voluminous, looked strikingly different from the gathered crowd.

“…Are we live?”

“Oh, no, we aren’t. Is the studio sending a signal…? Ah, wait a moment.”

[Let’s connect with reporter Lee Yoon-mi live on the scene. Lee Yoon-mi?]

“Yes, I’m here at the entrance to the checkpoint leading to the S-Rank Tower on Ganghwado. Currently, there is a diverse crowd of citizens gathered near the checkpoint….”

“Excuse me. Are we experiencing a live broadcast?”

Just as the reporter was about to respond to the studio anchor while looking at the camera, the woman in the black suit gripped the reporter’s shoulder and stepped forward.

[Ahem, it seems that various citizens have gathered at the scene. Director Jeong Cheol-gwang, currently-]

“We’re about to start the conquest here, and I would like to say a few things before we go in.”

“Excuse?”

[Excuse?]

Both the reporter and the studio anchor asked simultaneously.

“Um…?”

“Since it’s so crowded, I felt like I had to say something before going in.”

A clear broadcasting accident.

However, the cameraman, for some reason, found himself capturing the woman’s face as she took off her sunglasses while patting the reporter’s shoulder.

“I hope no one else foolishly enters the tower. It’s dangerous.”

“Um, uh, could it be…?”

The reporter’s eyes wavered, and she swallowed hard.

“A cosplayer maid…?”

“…….”

The woman in the black suit put her sunglasses back on.

With a single bound, she leaped over the gathering crowd, stepping onto the roof of the checkpoint where soldiers were stationed.

Silence.

In the blink of an eye, she leaped a distance of 50 meters and then stood atop the 4-meter-high checkpoint, instantly grasping the attention of those gathered nearby.

Soldiers, reporters, cyber-lickers alike.

“S-Rank Hunter!!!”

With that exclamation, the woman who had previously donned a maid outfit rushed towards the S-Rank Tower and dashed inside.

“Wow… amazing….”

The cameraman’s awestruck voice echoed around the world, and no one could dispute it.

“This is the front checkpoint of the S-Rank Tower on Ganghwado!! Currently, an S-Rank Hunter, presumed to be attacking the S-Rank Tower in Mungyeong Saejae, has suddenly appeared in Ganghwado…!”

* * *

Hunter Appearance

Originally, there was a procedure for Hunters to attack towers.

They needed to report to the government and receive prior approval. When reporting, Hunters had to submit their ID and even draft a ‘conquest plan.’

It’s not just about writing it down.

Only with the government’s approval could they enter the tower.

If a Hunter were to enter the tower without government permission, the government wouldn’t take responsibility for anything that happens in that lawless zone.

However, if they enter after obtaining prior approval, does that mean the government takes on full responsibility? The answer is no.

It’s merely a way of saying that entrance is strictly controlled, as many tower-related experts have pointed out. Still, many Hunters dislike the process of submitting their IDs or obtaining permissions.

After all, towers are places where they fight to eliminate the world’s threats, yet they want to control how they enter so tightly?

Some say it’s a measure to protect those who’ve awakened as Hunters, while others claim it’s a system to control them.

For me now, it’s the latter.

I don’t need to reveal Elaine’s ID to classify it as the former.

‘Whether it’s a resident number or a Hunter’s license inscribed on the ID, there are always people out there hacking to steal that info.’

The moment Elaine submits her ID, hacking will begin.

What’s more concerning than hacking is the possibility of ‘leaks from insiders.’

Among those public servants, one might receive a bribe from someone in a red outfit and hand over Elaine’s information. Thus, I deliberately planned this dungeon entry.

Ignoring procedures, hiding information but declaring it to the world.

Beep beep.

A text popped up from the SNS notifications on my smartphone.

A video posted by US President Eisen A. Louis.

In a short 20-second video, the president in a suit stared directly at the viewer with a serious expression.

[My long-time friend from West Virginia has just informed me that…]

He said.

[He plans to conquer the S-Rank Tower in Korea’s Ganghwado. Please wish him luck. May the gods bless you.]

“…We actually discussed this yesterday.”

Now the world will know.

Whether it’s a cosplayer maid or her master, officially, even the President of the United States is someone who receives ‘notifications’ regarding indepth and unprecedented developments.

Soon, news will be conveyed to President Louis.

Then he will respond.

I’m not in a position to command him.

– Rest assured, my friend. As you requested, I will ensure that no US government agency knows you’re attacking Ganghwado.

Only the person who gave me the black card will know, and only the closest aides who have faced me will be informed.

– To show that even America cannot wield you, we will deploy agents to other S-Rank Towers, not Ganghwado. Whether in Korea or elsewhere, we’ll set things up so they can misunderstand.

A person whom even the United States government can only predict but cannot control.

Then there will be talk even in America.

If he’s a friend, why couldn’t he find out beforehand?

– Oh, you don’t need to worry about political attacks against me. For your freedom, I can take any amount of criticism for being incompetent from my political adversaries. For my friend.

President Louis is cheering.

An unprecedented movement.

The whole world will come to know.

The summoner, me.

I’ll send a summons as I please.

“Alice. Sync with the PC.”

Through the jack connecting the PC and smartphone, I felt a surge of light flow, and the game screen on the monitor gradually became clearer.

[Elaine: I’m ready, Master.]

[Kiharu: I’m also ready.]

Moving forward in the game, Elaine, dressed in a black suit, stood on a massive circular elevator leading to the boss room.

[Elaine: The deadline for the conquest is 10 minutes. If I don’t catch the ‘Storm Dragon Shahabut’ within 7 minutes.]

Elaine drew her sword and assumed her battle stance.

[Elaine: I’ll leave the rest to you, Master.]

“Of course.”

Ten minutes.

If we take too long, others will come in to steal the final blow.

“Let’s wrap this up before any last-minute stealers show up.”

If we fail after all this, it’d be a disaster.

“If we conquer this S-Rank Tower, no one will be able to manipulate or pressure us.”

If successful, we’ll live on our own terms, no matter the pressure.

“Then….”

[Elaine: I’m entering.]

Boss room.

Entering.

At the top of the tower where the elevator stopped.

In the sky, a green dragon, its body measuring over dozens of meters, began to descend from the air, coiling down towards the rooftop.

“Elaine. Just in case—”

Heh.

A faint laugh came from Elaine.

[Elaine: I’ll try to take him down within 3 minutes, Master. Just set up the timing for me.]

“Timing?”

[Elaine: Yes. I’ll handle dodging and striking.]

Clang.

[Elaine: Use us at the most perfect timing.]

---