Dimensional Energy Storage Control Room.

When the Archangel first arrived at this dimensional energy processing complex, the mood had been festive.

But now it was quiet.

Only silence flowed.

What kind of being was an Archangel?

It was the ultimate weapon, one that split endlessly in proportion to the dimensional energy injected into it.

A legion-grade force all by itself.

They had thought the result was obvious.

How powerful was an Archangel?

Was it not a divine android that grew stronger through combat data and deep learning even in the middle of battle?

Still, there had been faint signs of unease.

The summoner was escaping too deftly.

How was it possible to run from an Archangel?

It was utterly absurd.

The summoner was human.

Even after reaching level 100, there were limits to physical ability.

So why was he that fast?

At that level, he was at least Legend Special Super Rare (LSSR) rank.

Completely unexpected.

They had assumed he was the type who summoned his forces and hid in the rear.

Well, even so, the result would not change.

Was the Archangel not an omnipotent god?

They must have sent it after accounting for every contingency.

The controller was firmly convinced of that.

Until those damned monkeys appeared.

[Monkeys? Am I seeing this correctly?]

[Y-yes. They’re monkeys.]

Were those things summoned entities?

Like the Archangel, they self-replicated and increased their numbers.

They had even surpassed the Archangel’s splitting.

In an instant, at an unbelievable speed, a grand golden monkey legion multiplied.

At this rate, they would lose.

So they activated the transmission device and blasted out an enormous amount of dimensional energy.

The Archangel absorbed that overwhelming dimensional energy in full.

Now they would win.

The worry was over.

But after the existing monkeys vanished in an instant, a single shabby golden monkey appeared.

That one was the real thing.

The Archangels were being crushed.

[Th-that thing... what is it? When did it appear, and how?]

[Well... I don’t really know either...]

Did the White Tower intervene?

They had completely blocked it this time.

If so, then—

[Transcendent Summon?]

[There’s no other explanation.]

Fine.

Let’s assume that was it.

That monkey was a transcendent being.

But a transcendent capable of defeating an Archangel?

A demigod Archangel that was practically a god?

The controller himself had experienced many dimensions.

Otherworlds where magic power and internal energy existed.

Swordsmen beyond the Grand Master realm.

Archmages nearing the Tenth Circle.

Ancient dragons that had lived for tens of thousands of years.

Great demons of the Demon Realm.

The Seven Seraphs of the Celestial Realm.

All of them were beneath the Archangel.

They were so weak they could not even be considered opponents.

But that monkey was on a different level.

It was no simple transcendent.

It was toying with the Archangel.

A sight that could not be explained unless that monkey was a god.

[Is that thing the Monkey God?]

Look even now.

To the monkey, the Archangel split-legion was nothing more than a swarm of flies.

They were being annihilated so miserably it was painful to watch.

If this continued—

[...We’re done for. Completely.]

And if that were all, it would be one thing.

Now their own lives were in danger too.

*****

Great Sage Equal to Heaven

Juhyeok was genuinely amazed.

To see a figure from myth right before his eyes.

The Monkey King had arrived.

It felt like he had become Tripitaka himself.

If he set Cossack as Friar Sand, Meatshield as Pigsy, and Crackers as the Dragon Horse, this would be Journey to the West.

At present, there were no golden monkey clones left.

That meant there was no shield.

Because of that, the Archangel legion came flooding in like a tide.

Their target was Juhyeok, without exception.

Mechanically.

Blindly.

All at once, in massive numbers.

They had wings.

Dropping from the sky, charging from the ground.

Pouring down like a waterfall, flowing like a torrent, the Archangel split-bodies stared only at Juhyeok.

After the dimensional energy injection, they had multiplied beyond counting.

It was a tremendous silver wave.

But they could not break through the Golden-Hooped Staff’s barrier.

SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK!

The Golden-Hooped Staff stabbed them like a piston machine.

From every direction, at terrifying speed, with absolute precision.

In midair, in empty space, Archangels burst apart instantly.

Perfect cosmic defense.

The Archangels could not even approach.

It did not even take much effort.

The gigantic Golden-Hooped Staff floated in midair, moving with just a flick of the Great Sage’s finger.

SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK!

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!

Like glass, like tofu, the Archangels were shattered and crushed.

Ahhh!

The Monkey King.

Victorious Fighting Buddha.

Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Beating Archangels to death with the Golden-Hooped Staff.

The bound summoned entities had nothing to do.

They simply squatted together in one place and watched.

“I’m really curious.”

“About what?”

“About Master Bong’s transcendent summon.”

“Hmm.”

“I don’t think the Great Sage Equal to Heaven is a transcendent bound summoned entity.”

At Cossack’s words, everyone nodded.

In truth, rumors of transcendent-grade souls had existed for a long time.

If one were to guess, perhaps another sector.

Somewhere other than Sector S-17, perhaps.

But the descent of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven was not a summon.

The very form was different.

“No matter how transcendent they are, souls are supposed to emerge, right? With created bodies.”

“I think so as well. This is definitely not a transcendent summon.”

The Sword Immortal had been the same.

He could not be called a soul.

It did not seem like he had a contract with the White Tower either.

They opened gates themselves and appeared.

And they all said the same thing.

Fate.

That they were connected by fate.

That they had heard the call.

Were these truly bound summoned entities?

Anyone could tell they were not.

“The Three Principles of Summoned Entities probably won’t apply either.”

“I too find that very unsettling, but...”

“There’s no need to worry. Look at them. They look like old friends.”

That was true.

The two looked extremely close.

Even while dealing with the Archangel split-bodies, Juhyeok and the Great Sage chatted casually.

“Why did you end up doing delivery work?”

“I caused a bit of an incident. A big one.”

He answered while maintaining the Golden-Hooped Staff’s cosmic defense.

SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK!

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

“What kind of incident...?”

“I got caught trying to steal peaches.”

“Ah!”

So, theft.

If it was peaches, those must be immortal peaches.

But was stealing those really that big of a deal?

“We’ve started cultivating immortal peaches too. Want a few?”

“They’re not immortal peaches. Do you think I would commit such an act over something like that?”

“Then...”

SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK!

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!

“There’s a precious fruit called the Heavenly Peach, something even immortals can’t eat.”

Heavenly Peach?

Better than immortal peaches?

“Sounds delicious.”

“It is. Eat one and you become an immortal instantly.”

“Oh!”

It truly made one’s mouth water.

But to steal something that precious...

“It had an owner. I’m atoning for it by doing delivery work.”

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven, now a repeat offender.

“Do you get paid for deliveries?”

“Of course. There are so many places money goes.”

SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK!

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

“I have quite a lot of kids under me. The stone monkeys of Flower Fruit Mountain. If I’m going to buy them banana-flavored milk, I have to work hard.”

“...Banana milk is tasty.”

Juhyeok nodded.

The Great Sage was just like him.

A family man bearing the responsibility of feeding his household.

How heavy that burden must be.

Juhyeok signaled to Rajix with his eyes.

Then—

CLANG! RATTLE-RATTLE!

He rolled over quickly.

SSSST—

Opening the inventory, Rajix discreetly offered banana milk to the Great Sage.

“Oh! Thanks. What a fine spirit beast you are. I’ll enjoy it.”

“WAAH!”

SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK!

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!

He casually dealt with the Archangels, popped the cap, and gulped it down.

“I’ll pack you a lot more later. Enough for your family to eat and drink to their hearts’ content.”

“Mm. It’s the thought that counts.”

“Why? I’m not poor.”

“Smuggling outside goods into the Immortal Realm is illegal.”

“Ah...”

Unexpectedly law-abiding.

“But if you don’t get caught—”

“It’s not easy. I already have a record, so if I get caught again, the punishment is heavier.”

Oh dear.

“If your record piles up, you can’t even use the Immortal Realm shopping mall.”

What a pity.

He had given quite a lot to the Sword Immortal and Lord Yama as well.

‘Are they okay?’

The Great Sage’s expression grew gloomy.

Even so, his Golden-Hooped Staff thrusts never stopped.

Automatic piston motion.

SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK-SHWAK!

The Archangel split-bodies shattered one after another.

“I’ll start wrapping this up.”

“What? You’re already doing that.”

“There are too many. It’s annoying, so I’ll call the monkeys.”

Clone bodies, perhaps?

“You wiped them all out earlier.”

“Golden Stone Monkeys only show their true effectiveness when I summon them myself.”

That made sense.

There was clearly a difference between the owner doing it personally and someone else doing it for him.

But still—

“Um, it already looks like you’ve lost a lot of fur... do you really have to...?”

The fur the Sword Immortal had given him.

Where had it come from?

It must have been plucked directly from the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Patches of exposed skin.

Traces of crude repair here and there.

From there, how could he possibly pluck any more?

“Don’t worry. I don’t pluck it out. That Sword Immortal brat tore it off by force.”

“...”

Guilt stabbed deep.

That fur had ended up with him.

Twice, at that.

“Normally, if I just shake my body like this—”

The Great Sage’s body trembled.

RUSTLE—

Fur began falling.

“Any loose fur just falls out.”

POOF! BANG-BANG-BANG! POOF-POOF-BANG!

Golden Stone Monkeys multiplied without number.

The monkeys that came out from his shaking were even bigger.

Their fur gleamed, and their eyes sparkled with life.

So that was how it worked.

There had been no need to pluck it out.

Guilt seeped in.

Juhyeok bore no small share of responsibility for the Great Sage’s current state.

He must never ask for fur again.

A person had to have a conscience.

How could he ask after seeing this?

“Alright, kids. Let’s finish this quickly.”

WAAAAAAH!

The golden monkeys rushed out at explosive speed.

And then, the slaughter of Archangels began.

Torn apart.

Ripped open.

Snapped.

Pierced.

Cut down.

Shattered.

“...Wow!”

It was truly different.

The fur Juhyeok had thrown and the fur the Great Sage had shaken off were worlds apart.

‘This is just...’

It was brutal.

Each monkey clone was at least LSSR-class.

And with overwhelming numbers on top of that—

Right then.

A chill.

That icy sensation ran down from the crown of his head again.

“...!”

‘Above?’

SPOT! SPOT! SPOT!

Instinctive Shadow Step.

But—

CRUNCH!

It was already smashed down by the Great Sage’s Golden-Hooped Staff.

CRUNCH! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

An Archangel was being beaten senseless.

It must have flown up to ambush Juhyeok.

In truth, there had been no need to dodge.

Who was he standing beside right now?

“This one looks like the leader.”

“Ah!”

It was different, alright.

The fact that it had made it this far proved that.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

With an indifferent expression, the Great Sage continuously pounded the Archangel’s main body.

Of course, the thing could not even resist.

“It looks mechanical, but it isn’t simple. There seems to be a mix of energies... demonic energy, divine power, even dimensional force. In any case, it’s composite.”

Dimensional energy, fine.

But demonic energy and divine power?

Were those not opposites?

How could they coexist?

“I’ll do some laundry. Gotta squeeze all the energy out.”

The Archangel’s main body writhed on the ground.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

‘Poor thing.’

It must have been transmitted from a pretty distant place just to kill him.

CRUNCH! CRACK! CRACK!

Now it was being treated like dirty laundry.

After beating it a few more times—

CRRRRZZZZT! BZZT-BZZT!

THUNK!

The movements stopped.

SSSSSSS—

The split-bodies vanished instantly as well.

“Finished.”

And thus, the Archangel threat was completely erased.

All thanks to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

“...Um, thank you very much. Truly.”

Juhyeok bowed deeply, conveying his sincere gratitude.

“Hey, no need to thank me for something this small.”

Something this small?

He had nearly died.

“I’ll take a lap around here and head home.”

“What? Why are you leaving? Stay a little longer. I’ll give you proper hospitality—”

“Sorry. It’s the thought that counts.”

What a shame.

Was he really leaving just like that?

No matter what, still—

When would they meet again if he left now?

“My delivery calls are backed up. For most things I can send a clone, but for other dimensions I have to go myself.”

Then—

FWOOSH!

The Great Sage summoned a cloud.

The bound summoned entities all rushed over at once.

“Great Sage, it would be disappointing if you left like this.”

“This one is a disciple of the thousand-year Fox Spirit Haeryeong. Since meeting like this is fate, please stay and share a few words—”

“Victory! Second Lieutenant Veronica Caliber! I will serve you with utmost devotion!”

“WAAH!”

“Great Sage, this old man is called the Mad Demon. Please stay a bit longer and impart your teachings to this humble one—”

At that moment, the Great Sage reacted to the Mad Demon’s words.

“Mad Demon? Are you a martial artist?”

“Y-yes, I am.”

“There’s a ‘Demon’ in your name.”

“It is only an empty title. There is also someone here called the Sword Demon.”

“Hm. There’s someone I know called the Poison Demon too.”

Poison Demon?

All kinds of Demons.

Mad Demon.

Sword Demon.

Poison Demon.

“Mad Demon, did your world also have a Poison Demon?”

“...Of course it did.”

“Really? What was the Poison Demon in your world like? From the Sichuan Tang Clan?”

The Mad Demon waved his hands frantically in denial.

“Not at all! He was filthy trash from the Five Poison Sect. Anyone who uses poison arts is like that, isn’t he? Killing people with underhanded methods, poisoning wells, lacing alcohol with poison, sprinkling aphrodisiacs on innocent women, getting hunted as a public enemy of the martial world—”

The Mad Demon was badmouthing the Poison Demon.

But the Great Sage looked pleased.

He grinned widely.

“Right? People with the name Poison Demon are almost always bad guys, right?”

“Of course. You can tell just by the epithet.”

“Got it. I’ll pass that along when I get back.”

“...Pardon? Uh, to whom?”

“To the Poison Demon. I’ll tell him that ‘Poison Demon’ is a name mostly given to despicable, cowardly trash—and that the Mad Demon said so.”

“...”

The Mad Demon suddenly felt uneasy.

As if he had done something terribly wrong.

“Well then, if fate allows, we’ll meet again. Take care.”

There was no time to stop him.

SHWAAAAK!

The Somersault Cloud shot off like an arrow.

From the ground, the Golden Stone Monkeys followed in a rush.

‘He’s gone.’

But they had defeated the Archangel.

Why was there no achievement?

“...”

It was quiet.

It seemed there was none.

Then suddenly—

CLANG! RATTLE-RATTLE!

Rajix came running over.

He pulled out a pickaxe and poked at the fallen Archangel.

“WAAH!”

SSSST!

He stuffed it into subspace.

“Why are you putting that away?”

“WAAH.”

What was he planning to use it for?

Well, since no achievement had popped up, taking a piece of loot did not seem bad.

In a way, the Archangel itself might be a reward.

Now, on to C?

Well, it was time to continue the mission.

At that moment, Cossack glanced at Mackenzie.

“Elder Mack, did you happen to record that?”

No way.

Did he even have the presence of mind to film?

“Of course I did. How could I miss that?”

Oh!

“What? You filmed it in the middle of all that? We were going crazy just protecting the Summoner!”

“I-it’s kind of instinctual...”

“You’re a cameraman to the bone. From now on, hand in your resignation as a mage.”

That was when it happened.

Ding!

A system message rang out.

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 1/145]

“Huh?”

What?

One had been destroyed?

“Who destroyed a storage unit?”

Silence.

“No one?”

The bound summoned entities only exchanged glances.

Then—

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 14/145]

“What the—”

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 32/145]

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 55/145]

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 83/145]

Storage units were being destroyed one after another.

Now that he thought about it—

From far away—

KWA-KWA-KWAAANG! KWA-KWA-KWAAANG!

Faint explosions could be heard.

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 105/145]

Who could it be?

There was only one possibility.

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 127/145]

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 139/145]

Finally—

[Dimensional Energy Storage Destroyed 145/145]

Mission complete.

Ding!

[All Dimensional Energy Storage units have been destroyed.]

[You have completed the third stage of the Great Mission.]

[Rewards will be distributed.]

[A Bound Summoned Entity Upgrade Rune Bundle has been delivered to the Tower-exclusive inventory.]

Floor 93 had been cleared out of nowhere.

Ah, Great Sage.

He could have just left.

Did he really have to be this helpful?

But the mission success messages did not stop.

Ding, ding, ding.

They kept ringing.

Even though Floor 93 was already complete.