Stay-at-Home Summoner

Blue lightning crashes down.

Elaine is being controlled to glide and prevent her from just falling, but despite spreading her wings, she can only descend slowly without stopping her fall.

“…Huh.”

The one reassuring thing is the top part of the screen showing my current ‘control state’.

[Storm Dragon Shahaburut.]

Its health bar is heading towards zero.

The rectangular bar that was full at 100% is constantly decreasing to 4%, then 3%.

Kishaaak!

Even while falling, it spits flames from its scales.

The flames become bombs flying towards Elaine, who is falling relatively slowly, but I twist the controller’s directional keys to change Elaine’s course.

Flap.

The flames brush against her wings, but it doesn’t inflict any damage on Elaine.

Unlike before, in this moment of control, Elaine’s health is within the realm of the world displayed on this screen.

Whiiiing.

After dodging all the flame attacks, I lightly released my hands from the pad while observing Shahaburut’s health status.

“Can I leave the finishing blow to you? Should I do it?”

[Elaine: Let’s do it together. Just press ‘Ultimate’ for me.]

At Elaine’s words, I set the pad down in a suitably safe position.

The moment all contact with the pad disappeared.

Pa-ah!

The wings that were spread behind Elaine vanished like smoke, and the screen instantly changes.

Just a moment ago, it was a 3D-filtered screen that overlayed ‘game’ onto reality, but in the blink of an eye, the scenery of reality began to show.

It was a phenomenon I had already experienced while tackling Ouroboros.

As I controlled Elaine, I had already confirmed this phenomenon.

It’s hard to express this ability in a single word, but I can say one thing clearly.

‘The moment I control Elaine, reality instantly transforms into a game.’

Reality of the game.

Game of reality.

I can summon entities from the game, or overlay the game onto reality like this.

Though I phrased it exceptionally well, putting aside the very functionality of this ability, there are definite pros and cons.

When Shahaburut tries to destroy the tower using meteors, I controlled Elaine to prevent the ground from collapsing.

Thus, the tower did not crumble.

Because the battlefield became an ‘object’ in the game, it remained intact, allowing Elaine to withstand it.

In exchange, there were unfortunate incidents with flames hitting the ground and exploding, but I managed to suppress it by timing a ‘Dodge’ command to Elaine.

Additionally, Kiharu’s heal.

Kyaaaak!!

Was Shahaburut telling me to focus on the battle as I momentarily pondered my own ability?

Shahaburut, falling downwards, spews forth flames wildly.

Though smaller than the prior flames, the fiery attack rushes in fiercely as if to burn Elaine the moment it makes contact.

An angle that cannot be dodged in a game.

With no ground present, she must either glide with her wings or plummet straight down.

However, the current Elaine is in ‘reality’.

Ta-ang!

Elaine falls like a bullet downwards.

Her head angled downwards, aiming her sword below, falling faster.

There is only one thing I need to do.

In time with the moments Elaine signals as she drops at such high speed downwards—

‘Now.’

Click.

Before I even pressed the ultimate ability button, Elaine had already fallen to the red jewel in front of Shahaburut and posed toward it.

The motion just before using the ultimate.

Had she taken a different posture, she would have been forced into that pose the moment I pressed the button, but instead, she had already assumed it, which allowed for no delay.

Swish.

With the cutscene, Elaine slashes at the red jewel.

Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!!

With the sound of the red jewel shattering, I gripped the pad tightly again.

Flap.

Wings spread behind Elaine once more.

But now, the red bar no longer appears at the top of the screen.

A boss reaching 0% health continuing to display its health bar suggests that an event occurs due to it being the second phase.

“Have we…?”

[Kiharu: Did we get it?]

“No.”

At Kiharu’s words, I almost blurted out what I had unconsciously said, but thankfully, the feared situation did not occur.

“…Phew.”

Gugugugugu.

The tower is collapsing.

It had already begun to crumble from the top, but the entire tower is shaking.

The phenomenon that occurred in the Mungyeongsaejae dungeon is now unfolding right in front of my eyes.

‘If it had been any other S-Rank boss, it would have been difficult.’

The strategy was easier than expected.

There were no other mid-bosses or mobs while climbing to the lower floors of the tower, and I had familiarized myself with Shahaburut’s patterns to a certain extent.

‘I should thank the traitorous Grade A Hunter who leaked the strategy video.’

It was possible because I already had some information.

If not for that, even in Seoul, I wouldn’t have openly declared “I’m going to take this down” in front of others.

[Elaine: Master, can we leave the tower now?]

Elaine, gliding slowly with her wings spread, asks.

Having tackled the boss, all that’s left is to exit the tower, but it seems there’s something she wants to discuss about ‘right after tackling the tower.’

[Elaine: What’s the situation outside?]

[Kiharu: It’s not possible to confirm from here. If there are any S-Rank hunters outside….]

“That reminds me.”

Somehow, the feared situation did not occur.

“It seems we only need to prepare for an interview.”

[Elaine: Huh?]

[Kiharu: If S-Rank hunters are waiting outside, wouldn’t they just return immediately?]

[Elaine: Didn’t others disappear in front of people using reverse summons?]

“That was already planned…”.

I turned my eyes to the live news footage on the TV, confirming only the subtitles.

“Did we catch it too quickly?”

* * *

[About 10 minutes ago, Seoul. Blue House.]

“Is, is this real?!”

The president jumped in surprise while watching TV.

“What do you mean! A coser maid is tackling the S-Rank tower in Ganghwa?!”

It’s not just a plan to tackle.

“Hey! Is it really okay that I’m finding out this news from the TV?!”

[We’re also trying to get a grasp on the situation…!]

“It’s embarrassing! The person in charge of the National Intelligence Service doesn’t know this… Aaargh!!”

The president hung up the phone, tearing his hair out.

“America! Why didn’t they contact us?! Huh?!”

“Well, maybe they wanted to tackle it solo.”

“What?”

“Fearing interference. Isn’t that right?”

Blue lightning snickered at the president.

“That guy who just literally died was also inserted by some A-Rank underlings seeking to boost their achievements, and those idiots triggered the gimmick that got him killed.”

“I didn’t even approve that!”

“Yes, yes. The next candidate of the party mentioned that. Anyway—”

“Anyway, this isn’t the time for such talk!”

The president yelled at the four S-Rank individuals sitting quietly in front of him.

“Go to the helipad! Hurry! I’ll take you directly to Ganghwa, so go and tackle the tower!”

“I think we should be going somewhere other than Ganghwa…”

The most timid-looking woman cautiously raised her hand.

“Uh, it’s a coser maid, so she should be able to handle a storm dragon easily…”

“What are you saying right now…!”

“Mr. President.”

Kim Minjeong, who had been sitting quietly, slowly stood up.

“Can you handle it?”

“Handle?”

“Yes. I don’t know what the internal situation is, but if the opponent is not reacting much, we can induce a particular situation.”

Kim Minjeong put her hand into her inner pocket and took out a black leather glove, putting it on her hand.

“I’m intervening. Since they’re tackling it right now, I’m going to rush in immediately. The time when you think it’s too late is usually the right moment to start.”

“Don’t you know that when it’s late, it’s already past too late?”

“…Blue lightning. That means ‘So start right now.’”

“If it were me, I think I’d follow Sister Sua’s suggestion.”

Dalram Park pointed at the most timid-looking woman, Jung Sua.

“According to Sister Sua, it would be better to tackle Jeju Island instead. If the coser maid succeeds, the tower in Ganghwa will disappear, and if she fails, it’ll be a pity.”

“What are you saying right now…!”

The president scratched his head, gazing up at the ceiling as he sighed deeply.

“…Even if it’s just a futile effort, at least one of you four should go support tackling the tower in Ganghwa. If not, there’ll be repercussions later…!”

The S-Ranks stayed motionless despite the president’s words.

“Mr. President. I’ll go.”

Only one person, Kim Minjeong, pointed towards the exit.

“Prepare a fighter jet. If I can slide the cable down while passing close to Namsan Tower, I’ll grab that cable and fly to Ganghwa.”

“Wow, as expected…! Truly [Ironblood]!“

The president clapped his hands with a relieved expression towards Kim Minjeong.

“I trust you! Hurry…!”

[Breaking news!!]

In the news live broadcast.

[Th-the tower in Ganghwa!!!]

* * *

Gugugugugu.

The tower collapses.

Like the illusion of a hologram, the enormous tower that had shone opaquely begins to emit light as it crumbles.

“Oh my God…!”

“Is it real? Wow, I can’t believe I’m seeing this with my own eyes!”

“Hey, folks!! Over here, RaBang!! I didn’t come all the way here for nothing!!”

People in front of the checkpoint shout their cheers for the tower’s demise in their own ways.

And one by one, they began to look around.

“H-Hunter!!”

Over there.

A woman with black hair slowly walks over from the direction where the tower used to be.

Taking out a pair of black sunglasses from her thick bag, she puts them on her face and bows her head slightly with a mild posture as she smiles gently at the camera.

“I’ve handled the waste.”

Was it merely a people’s misconception that her slight head shake from side to side occurred with those words?

As though looking for something waiting outside, the gaze felt like it could almost be sensed from behind the sunglasses, causing people to scan the area with hope.

“No way…!”

“Master…?!”

“…Looks like there are no other S-Rank hunters here.”

“Ah.”

They weren’t looking for an unidentified man.

“It’s alright. I was waiting inside, and it turns out it was better to handle it directly.”

“W-Waiting…? Do you mean to say you were waiting for the S-Rank hunters?!”

“……Heh.”

With a friendly or overly confident smile, the black-haired woman waved her hand slightly.

“Then, for now. I hope to see you on the next raid.”

With a flash.

Along with a shimmering disappearance, she suddenly vanished from the road.

“…They didn’t just come and tea bag because the other S-Ranks didn’t arrive, right?”

Someone’s muttered voice vanished into thin air along with the disappearance of the S-Rank hunter.

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