The Legendary Regressor Devours the Tower - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Mopping up the hidden middle boss Ritri.

Killing Dante, the lackey of Iron Man Arut.

Healing the dying Elder Brahman and gaining recognition from him after he regained consciousness.

All of these steps were meant to advance toward EX-Rank.

‘Things are going smoothly.’

Perhaps because it was still the lower floors, nothing had been particularly difficult so far.

Having gained recognition from Elder Brahman, Sungwoon immediately left that place, passed through the maze leading to the final gateway, and even subjugated the 2nd-floor boss.

[You have defeated the Poison Goblin Shaman.]

The boss monster lurking beyond the maze was the Poison Goblin Shaman.

It was a goblin specialized in handling poison, and its level was 10.

Although its level was lower by 5 compared to the Goblin Chief fought on the 1st floor, dealing with the Poison Goblin Shaman was trickier for those without immunity because it wielded poison.

The fact that the mortality rate on the 2nd floor was higher than the 1st floor, even just looking at the statistics, served as proof.

[You have achieved an astounding accomplishment.]

[Health did not drop below 70%. Bonus points are added.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Obtained 4 E-Rank Magic Crystals.]

[Obtained 2 Poison Core Pellets.]

With 45% poison resistance and taking advantage of Deep Poisoning, he ended the battle in under 10 minutes.

Since Sungwoon’s health remained over 90%, he easily satisfied the condition for additional bonus points.

The rewards were far from over yet.

[You have successfully cleared the 2nd floor of the Tower of Ruin!]

[Due to the effect of the title ‘Blessing of Odious (Beginner)’, a 20% clear bonus score is applied.]

[You are a climber belonging to the Association. The tower recognizes this. A 2% clear bonus score is applied.]

[Calculating clear evaluation.]

[Clear Score: EX+]

[Distributing rewards. Please wait a moment.]

A smile formed on Sungwoon’s lips.

Just like the 1st floor, he had finished the 2nd floor with an EX+ as well.

‘Now, shall I collect the mission rewards?’

There was still time left before the reward calculation finished.

Sungwoon collected the 3,000 gold that had been set as the mission bounty.

[Mission accomplished.]

[1,000 gold is granted.]

[1,000 gold is granted.]

[1,000 gold is granted.]

3 people at 1,000 gold each.

He couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed.

If only there hadn’t been a cap, he could have pocketed a far larger sum of gold.

-Woah… holy shit, this is insane

-Is it EX+ this time too?

-Is it because he killed the hidden boss? Why does the Poison Goblin Shaman have such a tiny presence here? lol It’s technically the final boss.

-Don’t end the stream!

-Please reveal the rewards this time!

-If you don’t reveal the rewards, nim, may a hair-loss beam strike your family for three generations. Bye.

-There’s no cure for that either, bye.

Just how curious were they to pour out curses like that?

“Yeah. Not gonna happen.”

In his past life, Sungwoon’s hair wasn’t just lush—it hung all the way down to his waist.

Knowing the future, Sungwoon took zero emotional damage and ended the stream without hesitation.

[Ending the broadcast.]

Part of the reason was to avoid showing the rewards, but there was something even more important.

[You are the very first among all races to finish the climb with an EX+ grade result. A ‘truly special’ reward will be granted to Climber-nim, who achieved this astounding result.]

Just like the 1st floor, he had achieved EX+ rank for the 2nd floor as the first among all races.

[Obtained ‘Golden Dice (SSS)’.]

A Golden Dice of the legendary SSS-Rank, no less.

The corners of Sungwoon’s mouth curled up.

The main reward of the 2nd floor is stat points.

Upon completing the climb, a dice was usually awarded, but because he finished with an EX+ rank, he was given the Golden Dice.

[Golden Dice]

-Type: Consumable

-Rank: SSS

-Upon using the dice, stats increase according to the result.

-Upon using the dice, a random skill is acquired along with the stat increase.

It was a dice he had obtained in his past life.

Back then, it raised a random stat according to the outcome shown on the dice’s pip numbers from 1 to 6.

Sungwoon checked the markings on the granted Golden Dice.

‘It’s not 1 to 6.’

Though it had six faces just the same, the values were different.

The minimum was 10.

And it went as high as 60.

It meant it would boost stats by a whopping ten times more than a regular dice.

And the rewards didn’t end there.

[Your level has increased by 5.]

[876 gold is granted.]

[The title ‘First Climber’ has been upgraded by 1 tier.]

His level increased by an additional 5, and 876 gold was awarded.

First Climber was also upgraded by 1 tier.

Even though he hadn’t obtained additional items beyond that, it was thoroughly satisfying.

[You have achieved a legendary accomplishment.]

[You have completed the climb with a grade of EX or higher 3 consecutive times.]

The reason for his satisfaction was that he had achieved the legendary accomplishment of clearing three times in a row with a rank of EX or higher.

[You can now enjoy the ‘3 Steps’ Jump Privilege!]

The achievement reward was a privilege that allowed him to leap across three steps.

In his past life, Sungwoon had enjoyed this privilege only once.

Even then, the results had been so poor that it was worse than not doing it at all, but this time would be different.

[You may decide whether to use the privilege upon entering the next floor.]

[If unused, the privilege will be automatically deleted.]

[Congratulations! Climber ** (Republic of Korea – Seoul) has completed the 2nd floor of the Tower of Ruin with an EX+ rank.]

The tutorial, the 1st floor, and now the 2nd floor.

With grades of EX or higher appearing back-to-back, over 90% of climbers around the world became certain.

‘That is no coincidence.’

…they thought.

Once or twice might pass as a coincidence with some excuse, but the third time was different.

The third time wasn’t luck—it was pure skill.

In particular, Korean climbers who watched the stream were saying that every single move of his had been calculated.

[Honestly, even if we assume he somehow woke up the hidden middle boss, killing the NPC right after is just insane, fr fr]

-Who in their right mind would call that a coincidence? If you ask me, he definitely has an undisclosed walkthrough guide.

└Is it really a strategy guide? If so, someone else should have gotten an EX-Rank before him.

└Then how on earth can he play like that?

└fr fr he seriously needs to write a guide for us

└The Association should step in and make him write a guide lol

└Honestly, it’s a problem if they don’t

└Are you kidding me? lmao Whether he writes a guide or not is up to him. Did you leave something with him or something?

└└Oh, lol did the Association President join the chat? Go fast and tell him to write a guide already~

“No way, how did they know?!”

Choi Hyuk’s eyes trembled.

After the stream ended, he had sat dazed before checking the online community just in case.

Sure enough, as expected, the community was plastered with posts about EX+-Rank.

Posts praising the climber, posts complaining about not revealing the rewards, and posts blinded by jealousy hurling personal attacks without hesitation.

He tried hard to ignore them, but when he left a comment to refute someone, he was instantly identified.

“Are they just really quick-witted?”

Ttok. Ttok.

As he tilted his head in confusion, he heard a knock.

“Come in.”

Upon his permission, the door opened and a man in his early 40s hurriedly entered.

“…The phones are ringing off the hook, aren’t they?”

He was Department Head Lee Jihoon of the Awakened Situation Management Team.

From Awakened civil complaints to anomalous signal alerts and Awakened hazard reports.

The Awakened Situation Management Team was the place that encompassed all those duties.

The reason Department Head Lee Jihoon visited the Association President’s office without a prior report must be entirely about Sungwoon, who belonged to the Association.

His guess hit the mark precisely.

“Yes. The guild leaders are currently requesting a meeting with you, Association President-nim.”

“Hmm…”

Every single one of them was a top-tier named guild.

‘They probably aren’t trying to recruit him directly. Unless they’re fools, even named guilds would know they couldn’t protect him.’

Even assuming an improbable scenario where someone recruited Sungwoon with an extraordinary offer.

They wouldn’t even have time to celebrate before spending all their energy anxiously worrying about losing him.

Because Korea wasn’t the only one targeting Sungwoon right now.

“…I wish those incredible accomplishments hadn’t been made known to the other climbers.”

Lee Jihoon muttered softly.

Obtaining hidden encounters.

Recording overwhelming results.

What if none of it had been revealed?

No, if only the climber’s nationality and city had been listed as Unknown, this wouldn’t be happening.

“That’s how it’s been from the start. In any case, let’s arrange a meeting with the guild leaders.”

“Understood.”

Choi Hyuk felt certain after watching Sungwoon’s play.

Even if someone had a strategy guide, those who could follow it 100% were an extreme minority.

When first starting the climb, anyone is bound to stumble in certain areas.

However, Sungwoon was different.

His play was absolute perfection with zero wasted motion.

There was no way countries like the United States, China, or Russia would just sit idly by and leave such an irregular alone.

Many factions had probably already begun operations to recruit him.

‘The Association can’t handle this alone.’

Until Sungwoon himself expressed willingness to accept an extraordinary offer, they had to do their utmost to ensure he could focus solely on climbing.

If the named guilds joined forces, they would be able to build a sturdier defensive wall than what they currently had.

After completing his climb and returning home, Sungwoon immediately turned on his computer.

“It’s total chaos out there.”

It wasn’t just the online communities.

The entire internet was plastered with stories about Sungwoon.

It was a natural reaction considering an EX-Rank followed immediately by EX+-Ranks back-to-back.

[Clearing up to the 2nd floor with EX+ Rank! His true identity is a Korean residing in Seoul?!]

Sungwoon chuckled as he looked at the news article posted in large font.

“The Association is going to have a tough time.”

Because other places would never just leave an irregular alone.

Even so, Sungwoon had no intention of hiding his identity.

‘The reputation points that can be newly acquired upon reaching the 10th floor.’

Initial reputation points are determined by how consciously aware climbers around the world are of Sungwoon’s existence.

Furthermore, the number of stream viewers and donation gold also turn into bonus points, allowing the acquisition of additional reputation.

This aspect had long been disseminated through strategy guides.

“Now then, shall I start by using the Golden Dice?”

[User Information]

-Name: Yoo Sungwoon

-Level: 18

[Detailed Stats]

-Strength: 25

-Agility: 25

-Stamina: 25

-Perception: 25

-Magic Power: 25

His current level was 18.

And all stats were set evenly to 25.

Normally, these stats would be more than enough to challenge the 3rd floor, but Sungwoon’s next goal was to use the ‘Privilege’.

If he completed it successfully, he could jump up 3 steps, clearing up to the 5th floor all at once and challenging the 6th floor.

‘It’s worth skipping the rewards I’d receive from the 3rd to 5th floors.’

The rewards he would receive if he finished the 3rd to 5th floors with an EX+ rank.

Using the privilege meant losing the right to first clear, so if he failed, he would have to climb floors 3 through 5 without any rewards.

The reason why it was still worth attempting:

Because the reward earned from succeeding with the privilege was far higher in value than combining all the rewards from the three floors.

Before rolling the Golden Dice, Sungwoon made a phone call somewhere with his smartphone.

[Yes.]

The call connected immediately after a single ring.

“I have a job for you.”

[I was just about to challenge the 1st floor though…]

The person who answered the call was Han Geonu.

While Sungwoon was subjugating the 2nd floor, Han Geonu was preparing to challenge the 1st floor with support from the Association.

“I’ll give you an A-Rank sword.”

The A-Rank sword he had received as support from the Association.

He was only able to receive it because he was Sungwoon; Han Geonu would have gotten a C-Rank sword at best.

[What should I do?!]

Perhaps coveting an A-Rank weapon, Han Geonu’s voice pitch went up an octave.

“Go get me an elixir.”

[An elixir…?]