The Legendary Regressor Devours the Tower - Chapter 05

Chapter 5

“Arghhh!”

Han Geonu, whose neck had been pierced, screamed and sat up abruptly.

He massaged his neck while gasping for air.

Although he didn’t die because it was the tutorial, the pain of having a blade impale his neck was carved deep into his bones.

“Han Geonu-ssi.”

“You returned quickly.”

The staff members waiting nearby looked at his pale face and could guess that something unusual had happened.

‘He’s a bastard with disappointing judgment.’

Team Leader Yoo Jinseok of the Cheonha Guild made a brief evaluation as he looked at Han Geonu.

If he was a bastard who couldn’t tell right from wrong, he wasn’t worth recruiting.

If not for his A-rank Bulgul, he would have sent him back without a second thought.

‘Proceed with the test.’

The test was being conducted under the condition that if he finished the tutorial with a grade of A or higher, his potential would be recognized, and he would be accepted as an official guild member of Cheonha.

‘But this is way too fast.’

How long has it even been since matching started, and he’s already eliminated?

At this rate, his clear evaluation grade will probably be an F.

“S-Someone killed me.”

“Killed you?”

The staff member frowned.

He wasn’t taken down by a monster, but lost his life to a fellow climber?

‘Is it someone who joined another major guild?’

If they were capable of severing the windpipe of Han Geonu—who was fully equipped with all sorts of gear and possessed Bulgul, which could grow up to A-rank—it meant they were a person of considerable skill.

As far as the staff member knew, the person with the highest probability of being encountered in this matching was Park Seungbeom of the Balhae Guild.

According to rumors, he had acquired a skill capable of growing up to S-rank.

“Yes… He didn’t have a single piece of equipment and was only holding daggers…”

Han Geonu described the man’s appearance in a trembling voice.

Of course, he left out the part where he picked a fight and mixed in bullshit, claiming the guy suddenly lunged at him so he couldn’t react.

“Is that really true?”

The staff member had a disbelieving look on his face.

That was because tutorial mode was matched only with those who had passed 72 hours since receiving an invitation.

‘If that’s the case, then that guy doesn’t belong to any guild…’

If he was strong enough to kill Han Geonu, he was bound to stand out.

Naturally, word would have reached Cheonha’s ears as well, and they would have gathered rough information just like they did with Balhae’s Park Seungbeom.

“Did he use a skill?”

At the staff member’s question, Han Geonu nodded.

“Yes! It was a ridiculous skill!”

This was also bullshit.

Overwhelmed by rage, he hadn’t even clearly seen whether the guy had used a skill or not.

However, for someone to send him down in a single blow while he was using Bulgul, they must have used a skill 100%.

“Is that so…?”

Usually, when people acquire a skill, they often knock on the doors of major guilds first.

If Han Geonu’s words were true, it was actually good news.

Since Cheonha having no information meant the same was true for other guilds.

With Han Geonu being the first to be eliminated, Cheonha ended up obtaining this information first.

‘We must recruit him into our Cheonha.’

The problem was that they couldn’t identify his personal details.

For now, he would report it first.

The staff member hurriedly called Team Leader Yoo Jinseok.

[Yeah. Don’t tell me it’s already over?]

An annoyed voice came from beyond the smartphone.

“Yes.”

[Haaa.]

A long sigh followed the news of Han Geonu’s early elimination.

“Still, there was a takeaway.”

[A takeaway?]

“Yes. He wasn’t taken down by a monster, but by a fellow Awakened.”

[Is it Balhae?]

“No.”

[It’s not?]

“Yes. He said it was a man holding daggers.”

[…What the hell does that mean?]

Endurance.

Upon ascending to the 3rd floor, a bitter cold assaulted Sungwoon.

“Huuu.”

It was a powerful cold that chilled him to the bone.

Sungwoon moved his steps while circulating the mana inside his body.

Jeobeok. Jeobeok.

Every time he stepped into the deep snow, his feet sank, and the chilling cold dug into his legs.

The reason the 3rd floor of the tutorial was called Endurance was simple.

Because one had to endure the harsh environment for as long as possible.

Because of this, novice climbers could not endure this environment, threw in the towel, and were eliminated immediately.

‘Ordinary climbers can’t even last 10 minutes.’

Because this damn cold drove people completely insane.

Awakened who received support from major guilds—ranging from all sorts of equipment to consumable items—managed to endure to some extent due to cold protection, but as the felt temperature dropped every 5 minutes, the majority couldn’t last past an hour.

‘Cold protection is a no-go.’

They relied on cold-protection items with the thought that they had to endure for as long as possible, but according to memoirs, to achieve a proper clear evaluation, one must neither equip items nor use consumable items.

One had to endure purely through willpower alone.

Hwiiiiing-

Every time the wind whipped against his skin, the trembling of his whole body grew worse.

A severe cold tormented his entire body, but he worked hard to keep from losing consciousness while circulating his mana.

‘To endure 20 minutes in a place like this… She really is an amazing woman.’

Rosalane had endured 20 minutes here.

As Sungwoon remembered, she faced the freezing cold without a single item or skill, and after enduring for 20 minutes, bonus points were calculated, placing her in 1st place.

However, you can’t reach EX-Rank with just that.

‘The mark.’

The mark hidden somewhere in this place.

The 3rd floor didn’t just end with simply enduring the cold.

The single mark that existed in this vast expanse.

Finding that mark as well was the true task of the 3rd floor.

‘I definitely remember hearing that a cave was discovered.’

A cave that even Rosalane, who received an SSS-rank, failed to discover.

Although overshadowed by Rosalane’s fame due to his SS-rank, there was a man who caused the tutorial 3rd-floor strategy guide to be newly updated.

Lee Seonghwan of Changseong.

He was someone who climbed the tower 2 years ahead of Sungwoon, a skilled warrior who climbed up to the 61st floor at his peak.

Although he lost his life at the entrance of the 62nd floor, he was a master of spearmanship acknowledged even by Sungwoon.

‘Then shall I get some help from that?’

Unlike Rosalane, Lee Seonghwan was able to find the cave because he possessed cold-protection items and environmental resistance skills.

If he had found the mark with nothing like Rosalane did, wouldn’t he have received SSS-rank beyond SS-rank?

Sungwoon diligently moved his frozen, numb legs and forged ahead.

[Calculating results for Floor 2.]

[2nd Place – 32 minutes 12.83 seconds]

Following the monster who cleared the maze in 10 minutes, Park Seungbeom set foot at the destination point in 2nd place.

The record was 32 minutes.

2nd place.

It was a decent record, and since he passed through the maze within 1 hour, looking at Floor 2 alone, it was a result where even S+ could be expected.

Even so, Park Seungbeom’s expression was not good.

Floor 1 was like that, and Floor 2 was like that as well.

Because he was overwhelmingly outclassed.

“What on earth is that monster’s identity?”

Park Seungbeom was certain that the 1st place on Floor 1 and Floor 2 was the same person.

Because on Floor 1, there was no Awakened superior to himself other than him.

“Let’s go up.”

More than 20 minutes had passed since 1st place went up to Floor 3.

The gap had widened as much as it could.

He had to go up as quickly as possible to narrow the gap.

“Huuu.”

Park Seungbeom pulled out a hand-warmer-shaped item.

Holding this warmer helped maintain body temperature even in the freezing cold.

And since the robe he wore also had an outstanding cold-protection effect, he would be able to endure for at least 30 minutes.

“Did he get eliminated already?”

Unlike himself who paid attention to cold protection, that man had entered without a single item.

No matter how outstanding his abilities were, enduring the freezing cold would be difficult.

Park Seungbeom was confident he would not lose on Floor 3 at least.

At least 30 minutes.

If he could just endure longer than that, he could aim for a final evaluation grade of S-Rank.

[A portal ascending to the final floor is generated.]

[Only 1st place can enter, and climbers who failed to rank will be automatically eliminated.]

Just then, a message appeared before Park Seungbeom’s eyes.

“Huh…?”

A portal ascending to the final floor was generated?

No, how on earth?

Before he could even harbor doubts, Park Seungbeom’s sight turned pitch black.

There is no feeling in his body.

Even though he diligently circulated his mana, his senses showed no signs of returning.

‘I did overexert myself.’

The cave was farther than expected.

It was a distance that could only be reached after walking for nearly 20 minutes.

In the process, there were countless times he almost lost consciousness due to the freezing cold, but with extreme willpower, he entered the inside of the cave and obtained the mark.

The mark was in the shape of a ring, and when he picked up the ring with his hand, a portal appeared before him.

[Calculating results for all floors.]

[You have recorded 1st Place.]

[You are granted qualification to challenge Floor 4, the final floor.]

It was a success.

He recorded 1st place, which he hadn’t achieved in his previous life, and became able to challenge Floor 4, the final floor.

[All stamina of the climber is restored.]

Because he succeeded in climbing up to Floor 3, his stamina recovered to 100%.

Along with that, his lost senses returned as well, allowing him to recover to his original condition.

‘Did they say the final floor is random?’

The strategy guide for Floor 4 was extremely varied, and the reason was that the given task differed for each climber.

It could be hunting, an escape form like a maze, or having to endure a harsh environment like Floor 3.

“Whatever it is, I will definitely clear it with the highest score.”

If it’s hunting, perfectly.

If it’s an escape, quickly.

If it’s enduring, for as long as possible.

Whatever comes out, he is confident.

[Subdue Wolf Fang.]

And the task given to Sungwoon was to hunt Wolf Fang, which was two tiers higher than a goblin.

‘Wolf Fang appears in the tutorial…?’

Sungwoon frowned.

Wolf Fang is a boss monster that appears when climbing to at least the 5th floor.

Although it was a monster appearing on lower floors, it boasted high defense to the point where it was difficult to pierce its skin without using a skill.

For a climber with no experience climbing the tower, it was quite a tricky monster.

‘Strange. In tutorial mode, no matter how strong it gets, a Hobgoblin or Goblin Shaman should be the limit.’

Sungwoon was someone who had read countless strategy guides.

However, there was no instance where Wolf Fang appeared.

‘Is it because I cleared it according to EX-Rank?’

Sungwoon gripped his daggers and slowly approached Wolf Fang.

“Grrrr!”

As Sungwoon came within range, Wolf Fang bared its teeth.

Its golden-glowing eyes glared murderously, but Sungwoon met its gaze with a calm face.

Because in the eyes of Sungwoon, who had set foot on the 80th floor in his previous life, Wolf Fang looked far too cute.

Paaat!

When glaring didn’t work, Wolf Fang kicked off the ground and leapt.

At a nimble movement that one would miss if careless for even a moment, Sungwoon bent his waist as low as possible to enable a counter move and held the daggers in both hands with reverse grips.

Jjeoeok-

The beast opened its maw wide and thrust its head forward.

‘Now.’

When it thrusts its head, its upper body leans forward.

Aiming for that moment, he rotated his body to dodge the head and slashed the blade of the dagger coated in mana across Wolf Fang’s nape from bottom to top.

Kkigigik-

However, the blade of the dagger merely scratched the beast’s skin slightly.

It failed to deal any significant damage.

It was a blade that used to slice through goblin skin without difficulty.

Since it was something he expected, Sungwoon wasn’t flustered in the slightest and backed off slightly while dodging the arm the beast swung.

“Grrrr!”

As if feeling it was ridiculous, the beast snorted and opened its maw again to bite him.

Just like earlier, Sungwoon dodged the beast’s attack and cut the slightly scratched area again without a hair’s breadth of error.

Kkigik-

The scratched wound deepened a little more.

“Keong!”

Whether resentful of the fact that it was hit by the exact same attack, the beast went even wilder like crazy, and Sungwoon, who had learned Super-sensation, evaded all those attacks while focusing his strikes on its neck.

Seogeok-

Before long, he succeeded in slicing through Wolf Fang’s skin.

“Kkiing!”

Whether feeling a sharp pain, the beast let out a whine for the first time.

The blade sank quite deep.

Without hesitation, Sungwoon drove his dagger into the open wound.

“Kkiiiiing!”

The beast shrieked once more, its body shivering violently.

Before long, its body went limp as it breathed its last.

Sungwoon pulled out the embedded dagger and flicked off the blood.

[You have defeated Wolf Fang.]

[You have succeeded in climbing the final floor of the tutorial!]

[Calculating clear evaluation.]

[Clear Score: EX]

[You have finished climbing with an EX-Rank result for the first time. A ‘very special’ reward will be granted to the climber who achieved an astonishing result.]

[‘Title Exchange Token [SS-Rank]’ is granted.]

[420 Gold is granted.]

[Your level has increased by 3.]

[Additional resources cannot be acquired.]

[Player is now able to climb the tower.]

[Community has been unlocked. You can receive gold sponsorships from climbers.]

‘Title Exchange?’

Checking the special reward, Sungwoon tilted his head.