The Legendary Regressor Devours the Tower - Chapter 03

Chapter 3

Clear evaluation score EX-Rank.

A score that could only be received by performing even more exceptionally than SSS-rank.

In his previous life, it was when he was climbing the 44th floor.

Sungwoon happened to discover a memoir left by an unidentified climber there.

‘Clear information?’

For some reason, the memoir contained detailed records regarding clearing conditions.

It revealed every single hidden condition on how to clear with an EX-Rank.

‘Heop!’

Reading down the memoir with a half-doubting face, Sungwoon was startled.

Because the words he read were erased, and those very words became engraved in his head.

1. Valid only upon initial entry, and you must not form a party.

2. If an EX or higher rank appears on each floor, an EX-Rank will no longer appear on that floor.

3. The possessor of the memoir cannot directly divulge information regarding EX-Rank.

The conditions were quite tricky, but thanks to this, he was able to aim for EX-Rank starting from the 45th floor.

The reason he was able to obtain the Immortal Heart was also because he was able to receive it by reaching EX-Rank.

Of course, he didn’t finish every single floor with an EX-Rank.

Since the tower boasted such an insanely wicked difficulty, his success rate was a mere 10% at best.

However, this life is different.

‘If I climb with EX-Ranks from the lower floors, I’ll be able to receive EX-Ranks on the higher floors as well.’

Mysteriously enough, the information engraved in his previous life still remained.

In other words, unlike his previous life, it meant he could aim for EX-Rank right from the lower floors.

Wiing-

The smartphone placed on top of the table vibrated.

[Seo Jaepil]

The caller was Seo Jaepil.

Sungwoon raised the corners of his mouth at the name he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Hello.”

[Yeah, what are you up to?]

“I’m standing by.”

[Standing by?]

“Yeah. I’m able to enter the tower now.”

[Seriously?! You’re finally climbing too.]

Jaepil was a friend who grew up in an orphanage together with Sungwoon.

They had both entered at a young age and fought a lot, but perhaps because they were the same age, at some point they became close.

Jaepil had received an invitation three years ago and started climbing; having talent, he belonged to a major guild and was climbing hard.

“Yeah.”

[Then do you want to join a guild too? Of course, you’ll have to take a test, but it wouldn’t hurt to try.]

“Forget it. I’m not interested.”

[Huh? Then you’re saying you’ll climb alone?]

“Yeah.”

He had no interest in guilds.

In his previous life, he had tried to join a guild no matter what.

Because climbing in a party was far more efficient.

Also, clear rewards were things that could only be obtained by getting high scores.

However, the current Sungwoon had no need for their help.

It was true that forming a party was advantageous for getting good scores, but an upper limit existed, so you could only get up to SS-Rank at most.

In order to receive a score higher than that, you must climb solo.

‘I hate noisy, troublesome stuff.’

Furthermore, if you join a guild, clear information and rewards are automatically shared.

If that happened, things would get quite noisy.

[Don’t tell me you’re saying you’ll do it just by looking at strategy guides?]

“Why wouldn’t I?”

[Seriously, you crazy bastard… I’m telling you, it’s tough with just strategy guides.]

“Forget it. More importantly, I’m busy right now, so I’ll call you back later.”

[Hey!]

Hanging up the phone, Sungwoon flashed a smile at the conversation he hadn’t shared with his friend in a long time.

In his previous life, Seo Jaepil had ended up dying one month before Sungwoon climbed the tower.

“He was a good guy.”

The guy who scraped together and brought all kinds of useful information, saying an invitation might fly in someday.

‘Hehe, I’m doing pretty well in the guild, you know? I can plug someone like you right in, no problem.’

He was a friend who even promised that if Sungwoon happened to receive an invitation, he would exert his influence so Sungwoon could join his guild, and wouldn’t spare any support to enable rapid climbing.

How flustered he was when an obituary suddenly arrived out of nowhere back then.

“That won’t happen this time.”

Because I won’t just stand by and watch like in my previous life.

[An SS-Rank item has appeared! – Seoul, South Korea (Minor Tower)]

The appearance of an SS-Rank item.

Notifications of that news went out to every climber across the whole world.

“SS-Rank?”

Seo Jaepil, who was active in the major guild Horus, could not hide his shock upon checking the notification.

Because the place where the SS-Rank was discovered wasn’t the main tower, but a minor tower called an Instant Tower.

No matter how high an evaluation you received, it was a place people didn’t even spare a glance at, as the additional reward given was merely 1 to 5 Gold.

But an SS-Rank item was discovered in a place like that?

“Wow, this was even discovered in Seoul?”

Seo Jaepil’s mentor, An Pyeongho, also said while unable to hide his astonished expression.

It was an SS-Rank, no less.

It was a rank that had only appeared a mere 8 times since the tower emerged until now.

Since an item of such a rank was discovered in Seoul, South Korea, how could anyone not be surprised?

“Who on earth could be the person who took this?”

Seo Jaepil hadn’t even laid eyes on an S-Rank yet.

That’s why he was simply envious of the fact that someone had taken an SS-Rank.

“Right. Either way, things are going to be crazy for a while.”

“Crazy?”

“To begin with, Instant Towers are places people don’t even bat an eye at. But an SS-Rank popped out from an Instant Tower? What do you think that means?”

“…People will flock to the Instant Towers?”

“Bingo. The probability of this SS-Rank being vested in the association is high too… It’s regrettable in many ways.”

“Why is that?”

Seo Jaepil tilted his head in confusion.

The first person to acquire the reward is the owner.

But why on earth was the association trying to intervene in that reward?

“You know who clears the most Instant Towers in a day, right?”

“The association.”

“Yeah. So there’s a high chance that some association guy obtained that SS-Rank. Since they belong to the association, naturally, what they find must belong to the association—that kind of logic.”

“That must be disappointing…”

To think it’s an SS-Rank, yet they can’t even use it directly…

“It can’t be helped. More importantly, isn’t today the day you climb?”

Seo Jaepil was currently in a state where he had climbed up to the 12th floor.

Thanks to the full support of the Horus Guild, he had reached the 12th floor in just one year.

And today was the day he challenged the 13th floor.

“Yes! I talked on the phone with my friend too, and now I’m going up.”

Seo Jaepil clenched his fist tightly.

Having made thorough preparations, he would definitely succeed in his climb.

“Don’t tell me you left your last will and testament?”

An Pyeongho chuckled playfully and tapped his shoulder.

“Ayy, no way. I just called to ease my tension a bit.”

“Alright, don’t be too nervous.”

“Yes!”

72 hours.

Sungwoon did his best to get accustomed to his newly acquired Super-sensation.

‘It really is amazing.’

Although his Sense stat had risen to 6 as his level rose to 2, it was an extremely low stat.

Even so, his overall senses had become acute.

Even the faint mana scattered in the air moving as it fluttered in the wind could be felt in extreme detail.

Senses of this level were something he couldn’t feel even in his previous life.

If E-rank Super-sensation was at this level, he couldn’t even fathom what it would be like when raised to SS.

[Your level has increased.]

He cleared additional Instant Towers so he wouldn’t make mistakes in real combat.

‘As expected, because there are so many people, even getting in isn’t easy.’

At the news that an SS-Rank item had been acquired, many people flocked to the Instant Towers.

If it weren’t for them, he could only enter a tower just once that he would have entered over ten times.

Still, this much was enough.

[Preparing matching.]

[Please wait a moment. It may take a little more time until the number of participants is filled.]

The time has finally come.

Tutorial Mode was not played alone.

A total of 100 people.

100 people gather all at once, and rankings are determined within through absolute evaluation.

[Matching completed.]

[Entering the Tower – Tutorial Mode.]

It had begun.

His vision was stained black, and when it returned, he was together with countless people.

“Wow, it really is amazing.”

“So we gotta compete against those things starting now?”

Deep emotions stirred within him.

He had never even dreamed he would do Tutorial Mode twice.

Sungwoon offered an apology to them in his heart.

Because if he weren’t here, someone else would have taken 1st place, but now he planned to snatch that 1st place away.

[Welcome to the Tower.]

[Before proceeding with Tutorial Mode, we will explain a few things to you.]

To summarize briefly, Tutorial Mode proceeds while directly climbing the tower.

The number of floors is 4.

Every time a higher floor is cleared, bonus points are added to assess the grade of the final evaluation.

Of course, weapons are also provided.

[Please select your desired equipment.]

From swords to staves.

The majority chose equipment after listening to the explanation, but Sungwoon didn’t choose equipment and was soaked in memories.

‘It’s been a long time here, too.’

In his previous life, Sungwoon exited on the 2nd floor.

However, this life is different.

The 4th floor, which only the climber who took overall 1st place based on floors 1 through 3 can climb.

Even if only to acquire his targeted title, he will definitely climb to the 4th floor.

‘In order to finish with an EX-Rank, I must not choose equipment.’

Because not choosing equipment adds extra points in Tutorial Mode.

Aiming for an EX-Rank, Sungwoon intended to use only the dagger he packed as a self-defense item for equipment.

[Starting Tutorial Mode.]

The long explanation came to an end, and Tutorial Mode began.

[1st Floor – Kill all monsters.]

The task of the 1st floor was monster extermination.

In order to ascend to the 2nd floor, one must kill monsters.

“Can’t we just beat the shit out of the bastards right here and start?”

At that moment, a booming voice resounded from a place slightly further away.

At the bloodthirsty voice, many eyes turned toward the owner of the voice.

Awakening upon receiving an invitation is the general method of awakening.

Occasionally, there were cases of acquiring high-rank skills simultaneously upon awakening, and Han Geonu belonged to precisely such a minority.

Name: Han Geonu

Age: 22 years old.

A mighty physique boasting burly muscles at a height easily exceeding 190 cm.

On top of this, he had acquired the skill called ‘Bulgul’, which was capable of growing up to A-rank, and immediately went to seek out the ‘Cheonha’ Guild.

Because he had heard news that they were looking for an awakener with outstanding physical stats.

‘Welcome to Cheonha.’

As expected, Cheonha welcomed him warmly.

Furthermore, saying he lacked combat experience, they unsparingly supported him with expensive equipment.

Naturally, Han Geonu’s shoulders puffed up to the fullest, and becoming arrogant, he reached the point of looking down on fellow novice climbers.

Although it was a remark made with the simple intention of intimidating them, a sense of superiority filled him as he saw them averting their eyes out of sheer fright.

But there was just one bastard.

That bastard was looking at him as if he were pathetic.

A sweatshirt and slacks.

Grey sneakers stamped with a brand logo.

And in his hand was held a dagger likely used in a kitchen; even at a glance, he was a man dressed too shabbily to be called a climber.

‘That motherfucker?’

Is a piece of trash unable to equip a single gear deluding himself into thinking he’s on an equal standing with me, someone chosen by Cheonha?

‘Yeah. Killing off one loser like that should be fine.’

In Tutorial Mode, even if you meet death, you don’t actually die, so it’s safe to be relieved.

Therefore, by slaughtering that loser, he would make the climbers present in this place feel his dignity to the bone.

Han Geonu unslung the huge axe hanging on his back, gripped it, and approached the man.

Heumchit.

The novice climbers read the room and stepped aside.

Thus, they parted to both sides like the Miracle of Moses, and Han Geonu took large strides and stood in front of the man.

“Hey. Should I kill you first?”

Han Geonu growled lowly as he spoke.

“Me? You?”

The man tilted his head.

Meanwhile, one corner of his mouth twitched, and Han Geonu felt rage boiling up inside.

“You fucking bastard!”

Ultimately, Han Geonu swung down the axe he was holding heavily toward the man’s head.

Buung-

Kwaang!

However, the axe failed to hit the man and slammed heavily into the floor.

Because the man lightly avoided Han Geonu’s attack while slightly pulling his body back.

“The weapon is good, but the user is far too pathetic.”

Pathetic?

At the ridiculous evaluation, Han Geonu’s face flushed bright red.

“You son of a bitch! I will definitely fucking kill you!”

Filled with rage, he swung the axe frantically.

‘Why isn’t a single strike landing!’

The target area was the man’s head.

To slam down on his head, he slammed from above, swung diagonally, and swung heavily from bottom to top, giving variations in his own way, yet every single attack missed.

“You’re stupid, too.”

The man muttered with a pathetic look on his face.

“Shut up!”

Han Geonu shrieked in a voice steeped in venom.

Seogeok-

At that moment, along with a chilling sound, Han Geonu faltered backward.

What was that.

It felt as though a stinging pain was just felt in his neck…

When he brought his hand to his neck, blood was streaming down.

‘H-How…?’

Just when on earth did he attack?

Dammit, the blood won’t stop!

[Bulgoe activates.]

Right. He still had Bulgoe.

A passive skill that reinforced the body in emergency situations.

Pride was crushed at the fact that he was using a skill against a bastard holding a mere single dagger, but right now was not the time to care about such things.

Han Geonu tried to push his body up while the bleeding hadn’t stopped.

At that moment, the man plunged the dagger he was holding into Han Geonu’s neck.

Puuk!

Even though Bulgoe had been activated, the dagger accurately pierced through Han Geonu’s neck.

“Keoheok!”