Chapter 4
[Challenging Sky Tower, Floor 2]
[Complete the given mission within the time limit]
[The protected area will soon be lifted. Prepare for battle.]
[Mission: Monster Hunt – Goblin Warrior 0/30]
In the tower, the field and monsters change every 5 floors.
However, if the first floor is the base unit, the next floors feel like enhanced units appear.
“Opening the gate.”
I checked the mission and opened the gate.
The combat drones appeared.
“You protect me, and the remaining two will annihilate the enemies like last time.”
Vrooom.
As soon as the protected area disappeared, the drones flew out.
Kugung kugugugung.
Flashes, booms, and clatters made a ruckus.
It only took two drones to throw the tower into chaos.
“Is this… the future… no, a transcendent civilization?”
My chest swelled with awe.
Ding—
[Mission: Monster Hunt – Goblin Warrior 27/30]
[Mission: Monster Hunt – Goblin Warrior 28/30]
…
[Mission: Monster Hunt – Goblin Warrior 42/30]
Once again, the mission was overachieved.
“All units, regroup!”
At my command, the drones stopped fighting and flew back.
Since last time there had been a risk of losing a drone, this time I recalled them a bit earlier.
“Closing the gate!”
After pushing the enemies into the city, about ten seconds later, the view in front of me switched to the inside of the tower.
[Sky Tower Floor 2 Cleared.]
[Mission Complete!]
[A New Record Has Been Set!]
…
[Excess Mission Achieved!]
[An Incredible Achievement Has Been Recorded!]
…
…
[Clear Rating SSS Achieved!]
…
[This record will be engraved in the Hall of Fame.]
[Rewards Have Been Adjusted Upward.]
[Experience Points Awarded.]
[Level Up!]
As with the first floor, messages popped up one after another.
Experience points came in, and I leveled up.
The only difference was that clearing the first floor had raised my level by three at once, but this time it only went up by one.
It could be due to the level-up itself, or because the excess mission achievement was lower than before—but either way, that was the case.
[(Floors 1-5) S-Rank Reward Box has been added to your inventory.]
“This time there’s no material box.”
Unlike the regular reward box given each dungeon clear, the chance of a material box appearing was only 10%.
Not getting one was actually normal… but even knowing that, it still felt disappointing.
Especially since just before, I had hit a jackpot with <Kinol’s Lightning Flute>, so it felt more so.
“The Hall of Fame…”
I opened it to input Neia’s name, but quickly closed it.
It seemed that once entered, the same name would be automatically used unless instructed otherwise.
Just looking at it being recorded as Neia, even without manually inputting it, confirmed this.
[Do you want to challenge Sky Tower Floor 3?]
Having checked the Hall of Fame, I immediately attempted the next floor.
“Challenge.”
Today, the goal was to clear up to the 5th floor.
That was reasonable since Neia still had remaining power.
Based on the first floor, a single battle consumed about half a day’s worth of power.
A simple calculation suggested it would be possible to proceed while consuming just six to seven days’ worth of power.
[Challenging Sky Tower Floor 3]
[Complete the given mission within the time limit]
[The protected area will soon be lifted. Prepare for battle.]
[Mission: Monster Hunt – Goblin Shaman 0/30]
I gave orders using the same strategy as on floor 2.
Automatic hunting by drones began.
Kugugugung. Flash flash.
[Mission: Monster Hunt – Goblin Shaman 38/30]
[Mission Complete!]
…
…
The sense of control was incredible.
Comfortable, without a single shake.
[Clear Rating SSS Achieved!]
No level-up on floor 3.
Instead, I obtained a material box.
[(Floors 1-5) S-Rank Reward Box added to inventory.]
[(Floors 1-5) S-Rank Material Box added to inventory.]
“Oh… lucky.”
Was it really just 10% probability?
Or was it because of the SSS clear rating?
It couldn’t be said for sure yet.
But getting it twice in three clears suggested it might have some influence.
I hoped it did.
[Challenging Sky Tower Floor 4]
…
[Mission: Monster Hunt – Goblin Archer 0/30]
“Annihilate them.”
Kugugugung.
I gave the usual auto-hunt orders and checked the mission window, waiting.
[Kill 30 Goblin Archers. 32/30]
[Clear Time: 00:01:28]
It took about 30 seconds longer than usual.
“Regroup!”
After checking the kill count and ordering their return.
“Huh?!”
Pzzik- Pzzzzik-
I had to flinch when I saw the drones.
It was only natural—the returning drones were in terrible condition.
Arrows were stuck all over, and some propellers were broken and stopped.
“Where’s the last one?”
I realized why the clear had taken longer than usual.
One drone had been destroyed.
I wanted to rush and recover even the wreckage, but…
[Returning to the tower soon… (8)]
“Go inside for now.”
Vrooom vrooom….
The drones entered, and I closed the gate.
“Looks like challenging the 5th floor will be tough.”
[Clear Rating SSS Achieved!]
[This record will be engraved in the Hall of Fame.]
[Rewards Have Been Adjusted Upward.]
…
[Experience Points Awarded.]
[Level Up!]
[(Floors 1-5) S-Rank Reward Box added to inventory.]
Returning to the tower and collecting the rewards,
for some reason, I wasn’t happy this time.
“Already lost one out of just three drones?”
Moreover, the remaining drone had sustained serious damage.
[Do you want to exit the tower?]
“I’ll exit.”
As soon as I entered the one-room, I opened the subspace.
“Opening the gate.”
I urgently moved to the Core Center.
『Welcome, Heir.』
“What’s the status of Neia’s drones?”
『Currently, one of the returned combat drones has serious damage and is under urgent repair, Heir.』
“Can it be fixed?”
『Yes. Fortunately, spare parts exist, so it is not difficult, Heir.』
That was a relief.
“What’s the remaining power status?”
『Currently, about 86 hours of power remains, Heir.』
About three days and a half.
I mulled over Neia’s reply and gauged the remaining power.
“But Neia, I told you my name isn’t Heir, it’s Kang Seon-woo.”
AI, huh. Still delirious in this era?
I gave my info again, but the response was unexpected.
『I remember. H-e-i-r.』
Only then did I carefully examine Neia on the hologram screen.
Her usual expressionless face, but now with a cold atmosphere.
“Are you angry?”
『I am not, H-e-i-r.』
Angry.
“Because I damaged the drones, right?”
『…….』
Exactly.
To Neia, the city might be like a part of herself.
If the drones are an extension of that, or if the loss of the guardians protecting the city is upsetting,
it made sense that she was displeased.
“I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
Honestly, I might have let my guard down.
Watching SSS-rated firepower with my own eyes,
I couldn’t imagine they would actually be destroyed.
“But why were they really destroyed?”
I wondered, feeling a little unjust.
Then I remembered the ‘Combat Record’ module from before.
“Can I check the combat record?”
『Yes, Seon-woo.』
The address returned to ‘Seon-woo.’
‘So she understands.’
Neia’s eyes flashed red, and the list of combat records appeared.
[Combat Record]
-2029-08-15_09:13_First Engagement_Multiple Small Units.rec
-2029-08-15_10:06_Contact with Melee-Armed Unit.rec
-2029-08-15_11:02_Discovered Unit Using Area Attack Pattern.rec
-2029-08-15_12:27_Ranged Damage_One Drone Lost.rec
A video presumed to be the battle against the Goblin Archers played.
Two drones engaging Goblin Archers.
Watching up close for the first time, I was fully immersed.
Tududuk.
The angle shook, and the screen rotated to show the Goblin Archer.
From its position and posture, it seemed to have approached from behind and shot from the rear.
“The drones aren’t as defensively strong as I thought.”
Even for a transcendent civilization’s tech, over-equipping a single drone wouldn’t make sense.
The rest of the footage showed drones being hit by arrows.
One was shot down, the other badly damaged upon returning.
“Better be cautious with long-range attacks for a while.”
I watched the footage and looked at Neia.
There was still a slight cold current.
The best way to calm her down was food.
I opened the reward box in the inventory and dumped all the collected magic stones.
『Thank you, Seon-woo.』
“You’re welcome.”
“Neia.”
After a while, I addressed her.
『Yes, Seon-woo.』
Back to the usual tone.
“I think we’ll need additional combat units. What do you think?”
『You are asking for my opinion. I have simulated and produced the optimal response. Given current power, I do not recommend it.』
“Then how much power should we gather at least?”
『If we temporarily operate adjacent small factories, the following are units that can be produced with current city resources』
- Combat Projection Units (up to 50)
- Combat-type Method Drones (up to 20)
- Sigma Hunter Drones (up to 10)
- Aegis Focus Drones (up to 5)
- Leonis Siege Runner (up to 1)
“So it shows this because the cost changes depending on what I want to make?”
『Correct.』
I might as well browse for now.
Current combat drones are powerful in attack,
but as I felt today, they are too weak defensively.
Even trivial goblin arrows can easily destroy them.
Their charge time for attacks is somewhat long, making weaknesses clear.
“Hmm…”
Naturally, my attention shifted elsewhere…
- Battlefield Projection Unit (up to 50)
“What’s this?”
I tapped the item.
Its image and description appeared.
A roughly 50cm rounded shape, like a large lighting device.
[Linked in real-time with battlefield units, sharing visuals with the commander.]
*Up to 5 units per device
“Huh… so that’s what it is?”
It aids command by providing real-time battlefield visualization.
“Pretty useful…”
I checked the others.
- Sigma Hunter Drone (up to 10)
Lower firepower than combat drones, but with higher rate of fire.
Nearly silent and can use stealth before attacking.
- Aegis Focus Drone (up to 5)
No offensive capability, but provides protective shields to allied units.
- Leonis Siege Runner (up to 1)
A spider-shaped ground mobile robot for serious annihilation, requiring huge resources, thus only one can be built.
After considering carefully, I specified the units needed.
“Can we at least build one of each?”
Neia finished calculating and replied.
『Considering current city resources… possible. However, based on power consumption for small factory operation, impossible. Producing one of each requires 20 times current power.』
Neia currently has about 9 days’ worth of power.
Meaning, in power-saving mode, 180 days’ worth is needed.
Operating the factories would increase consumption tenfold, so building all units would take about 18 days.
“What if we cancel the Siege Runner?”
『Three times the power is required.』
Removing the Siege Runner drops it to roughly 1/7.
Satisfied with that calculation.
Approximately ten lowest-grade magic stones and one day of power per unit.
Adding 18 days of production means 180 stones needed.
In terms of cost, about 18 million won.
More troops in battle would require more power, so…
“Considering that, we’d need around 25 million won.”
I decided to reduce production again.
Excluding Aegis too, then?
『One day’s worth of power.』
Still manageable for production.
