REAPER SCANS
How to Raise Your Skeletons
[Translator – Dawn]
[Proofreader – BringTheRayn]
Chapter 195: The Magic Tower (1)
I was guided to the first-class seat. But not just any seat—one of those ultra-private ones reserved for hunters.
“Phew,” I exhaled as I sat down.
I went on a shopping spree… Well, to be honest, it was the first time I’d ever really shopped properly, so I went a little overboard. I maxed out the 1 billion won annual limit the Association provided for free. On top of that, I think I spent another billion.
Anyone else would say I’m crazy.
Spending 2 billion won on potions and food alone? Guess I got caught up in the moment, surrounded by vendors, buying without hesitation.
Still…
I had no regrets. I used the guild’s card anyway. And Kim Jinah had clearly said I could go wild with dungeon supplies without any spending limits. A billion or two? That was just a drop in the bucket compared to what the guild earned. Even less so when thinking about its future value.
However…
“Boy. In all my life, I’ve never seen anyone stockpile that much food,” the old man dissented. “Tsk tsk, no wonder your subordinates worry about you… What kind of leader blows that much money right at the start of running a group?”
Yikes. Here came the scolding again. Was he worried about his disciple’s reckless spending?
I’ll eat it all eventually. Besides, once it’s in the backpack, it stays fresh forever.
“You seriously plan to eat all of that?”
Of course. Think about my training volume and dungeon runs. Honestly, I probably need to eat 100 times more than the average person just to maintain my body.
Well… it wasn’t like I actually ate that much. But I did eat more than most, for sure.
And hey, it’s guild money. Demir and I earned it. So who’s gonna say anything? Money’s meant to be spent.
Someone once said if you chase money, it runs; if you ignore it, it comes. When you set your goals and pursue them, the money follows. For dungeon prep, I’d even burn through my entire fortune and go into debt on top of that.
“Hmph.” The old man crossed his arms, clearly displeased.
But oh well. I already bought everything, and there’s no rewinding the past.
—Vrrrrmm… Rumble…
Soon, even his irritation faded as the plane took off.
“Ooohhh.” His gruffness vanished, replaced by boyish excitement. “This massive hunk of metal really can fly!”
He was utterly fascinated. His eyes sparkled like a child’s, marveling at the clouds and horizon. Which meant… now was the perfect time for a nap.
* * *
Reaper Scans
Translator - Dawn
Proofreader - BringTheRayn
Join our discord for updates on releases! https://discord.gg/reapercomics
* * *
Upon arriving at the world-renowned Oxford in England, I realized that the sheer scale of the school was overwhelming. Its history—formed by the merging of dozens of colleges—meant the entire city was practically a campus.
—Bustle, bustle.
The city was a hubbub of tourists, students, and hunters. Much like South Korea, the UK was one of the three major hunter powerhouses. And among its top attractions, Oxford reigned supreme. Why?
“Holy crap…”
Because right in the center of the city, high in the sky, a colossal Magic Tower floated above, reaching up to the heavens.
“Wow, seeing it in person really is something else.”
I couldn’t help but admire it. The spectacle was stunning. The idea that a single structure could be so awe-inspiring was wild enough. The fact that such a massive building could defy gravity and float in midair was simply unreal.
“Whoa…” Even the old man admired the scene. “What in the world is that? Your world is just one surprise after another.”
“Funny thing is… even though I live in this world, I’m just as amazed.”
I wondered… Could Mulung Paradise give off this kind of aura once it was finished? I wondered. And the answer was… I thought it might.
The dwarves were second to none when it came to craftsmanship. And Demir especially, who had reached the pinnacle of creation among them, was pouring everything into that project with fierce ambition.
In any case, this was what a world-class organization should look like. No wonder Kim Jinah insisted I visit the Magic Tower. It had a presence far beyond my expectations.
“Oh, Hoon?” Just then, a familiar voice called from afar. “That mask—you’re Hoon, right?!”
It was Olena’s voice.
I raised my hand to wave, and she ran over with a bright smile. We’d chatted during the trip here via the group chat and agreed to meet up.
“Woooow, that’s the infamous squinty-eye mask? It’s definitely cute!”
“Thanks. Someone else said it looked creepy.”
“What? Whoever said that must have a rotten personality.” She smiled sweetly.
The old man standing beside me looked offended, but I quickly changed the subject.
“Here. This is the invitation from the Magic Tower I mentioned before. With this, I can go up there, right?”
The Magic Tower’s interior was a complete mystery to the public—everything was kept secret. All people really knew was that it was full of magic hunters from all over the world.
“Ahaha! Honestly, Hoon, you don’t even need that to get in.”
“Really?” I blinked in surprise and looked at her.
"Yep! As long as someone with professor status invites you in, you’re good. And just a few days ago, I officially became a professor~!" Olena shrugged with a proud smile on her face.
“Wow, you’re already a professor?”
Back during our first meeting at the start of the trial, she was a water-attribute student. I guess becoming a ranker earned her a proper place in the Magic Tower too.
“That’s impressive. Top of your class and a professor now.”
“Haha, like I could ever compare to you, Hoon.” Even while saying that, she hummed a cheerful tune, leading the way ahead. “Come on, follow me. Things got a bit hectic after I became a professor, but since my trial comrade is visiting, the least I can do is show you around the Tower. Haah, I had a mountain of work as a student, but being a professor is even worse!”
I walked through the city, following Olena and her bright, excited chatter. After a short walk, we arrived beneath the center of the Magic Tower.
“This is the magic circle that lets you enter the Tower.” Olena nodded to a staff member, who immediately recognized her.
They bowed deeply. “Welcome to the Magic Tower.”
After a short exchange with the staff person, she approached and handed me something. It was a golden badge.
“Hoon, wear this. It’s proof that you’re a guest of the Magic Tower.”
“Ah, so that’s how it works.”
Taking the badge, I thought, This is probably what Kim Jinah wanted me to observe.
The process of entering the Tower was simple. Step onto the magic circle under staff guidance. Light shoots up from the floor, and swoosh! Your vision goes white for a second. Then, before you know it, you’re standing on the Tower’s first floor: the plaza. It kind of reminded me of a sci-fi spaceship.
Not bad.
This definitely seemed like something we could adopt. If we managed Mulung Paradise’s portal system like this, it would be perfect for entrance control when Otherworld grew bigger.
“Here we are. This is the plaza. Bigger than you expected, right?”
It was at least ten times bigger than the tower that appeared from the outside.
“Yeah… This is practically… It reminds me of my backpack.”
The one that was way bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside.
Inside, the space was packed with Magic Tower staff and magic hunters. Along the perimeter, a massive circular staircase spiraled upward.
“What do you think? What’s your first impression of seeing the inside of the Tower?”
“It’s amazing. It makes me want to show you Mulung Paradise someday in return.”
“Oh, Mulung Paradise! That’s the place Capu and Maxi kept raving about, right?”
“Yeah.”
Mulung Paradise was incredible, but so was this place. Each had its own unique charm.
While taking in the sights, I looked up. The ceiling stretched so high that I couldn’t even see the top.
“For the record, the Magic Tower has 100 floors.”
“100 floors?!”
“Yep. Each floor is used differently… But even I, as a professor, only have access up to the 70th floor. No clue what happens above that.”
“That’s… strict.”
“Well, that’s how the Tower Master set it up. I’m sure there’s a reason for it.”
“Fair enough.”
If the master of the tower said so, then that was that. No one could really object to her plans.
“Floors 1 to 10 are student dorms and guest accommodations. Head to the main counter, show them your gold badge, and you’ll get a room. You’re planning to stay a few days, right?”
“Yeah, probably.”
Until I found the Ancient Magic Fragment, I wouldn't be heading back to Korea.
“Then you’d better secure a room now. The Tower Master’s probably tied up with conference stuff, so she might take a while… Oh?”
—Buzz!
Olena’s phone vibrated in her pocket.
“Oh no! I totally forgot—my experiment!”
“Excuse me?”
“I had a scheduled project with the other elemental professors…! Ahhh, this is bad.”
Yikes. She really was swamped. We hadn’t even been chatting for very long, and already she had another engagement.
“Anyway, get your room first and explore a bit! With your access level, you should be able to visit up to the 40th floor!” Olena looked at me with an apologetic face, tapping her foot anxiously.
“Ah, no worries. Go on, don’t mind me.”
“I’ll message you later!”
—Whoosh!
She bolted like lightning.
So it was true that professors really were ridiculously busy, huh?
* * *
“Your VIP suite has been confirmed. Please proceed to Room 5510 on the 5th floor.”
Just as Olena said, I handed over the golden badge at the counter, and the staff handed me a key. Even with my face hidden under the black fox mask, they didn’t bother verifying my identity. It must have been due to the badge’s authority. Also, this probably meant that they got a lot of high-profile VIP guests here.
—Vwoom!
I used one of the elevator-style teleportation magic circles to reach the 5th floor and held my key to the door of Room 5510.
—Click!
“Wow.”
The door opened to reveal a luxurious suite that could put five-star hotels to shame. The room had a wide space of roughly 300 square meters,* a massive living room, a bathroom that looked like a luxury bathhouse, and a cozy bedroom.
* ≈ 3,300ft2
“This is… seriously nice.”
Nodding in appreciation, I opened the chat and started typing.
[Skeleton King: Magic Tower floors 1-10 used as lodgings.]
[Skeleton King: Each floor has teleportation circles, which are easy to navigate.]
[Skeleton King: Rooms seem to be graded by badge rank.]
[Skeleton King: Extremely high-end. Around 300 sq. meters in size.]
[Kim Jinah: Nice! Love it!]
[Kim Jinah: Keep writing down everything you see!]
I was passing every bit of info to Kim Jinah. She’d coordinate with Demir back at the base. Even though we already had a blueprint, they said they could still revise things as they built. That was dwarven craftsmanship for you—inhuman precision and adaptability.
“Oh?”
At that moment, something caught my eye—a pamphlet on the center table.
—Flap.
I picked it up and opened it. It looked like a user guide for first-time visitors to the Tower. I figured Kim Jinah would love this. I’d summarize it later and send it to her. For now, I stepped back outside the room.
Well then… Until the Tower Master shows up… Guess I’ll explore this place properly.
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