Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn't

The Community of the Dead, on the fifty-fifth floor.

[Wow, no way 😂 He actually found that?]

[That absorbing-thingy is way too OP.]

[So what? It’s only natural that Kwon Su-Hyeok got something like that on the fifty-fourth floor.]

[Damn, but Kwon Su-Hyeok is seriously patient. If it were me, I would've killed the employer right from the start.]

[For real. They were obviously gonna stab him in the back.]

[Tsk, weaklings. That composure of his is a sign of true strength.]

[Exactly. He was confident enough that he didn’t care if his employer betrayed him. In the end, he even found the hidden mission.]

[Weaklings? How far did you even make it?]

[Me? Eighth floor.]

[Ah— Ignoring the troll.]

[Yeah, same. If it were me, I'd be too paranoid and just kill the old man first.]

[Wasn't there someone who pulled that crap before, and ended up failing the trial by killing an ally?]

[That was me.]

[LOLOLOLOL.]

[Makes sense. Strength attracts strength. He’s got the composure to find hidden missions and get even stronger.]

[Looking back, I have so many regrets. I should’ve done more, starting from the tutorial. Even Kwon Su-Hyeok is going all out, shedding his armor to grow stronger. What was I so afraid of?]

[Same. If I could go back, I’d seriously crush it this time.]

***

“It’s a second Life Vessel! It was really well hidden!”

What is he, Woldemart? He can just make multiple of these?

Though I had my doubts, the eerie skull sitting right in front of me didn’t allow any room for denial.

I turned and gazed around the underground chamber. The black sludge that had coated the ceiling had been completely stripped away, revealing a completely sealed room—except for the giant hole in the ceiling, of course.

The purplish-black mist, drawn toward the Core of Decay, had apparently been unable to escape. Therefore, it had pounded against the ceiling in an attempt to disperse before finally breaking through.

Kyuntriachae’s voice rang out through the broken ceiling, echoing eerily in the cramped underground space. “Hey, what’s down there?”

Hmm. What should I do?

Bringing him down here seemed like the best choice. If I messed carelessly with the Life Vessel, the necromancer could seize the opportunity to escape.

“Kyuntriachae! You’d better come down and see this. Looks like there’s a second Life Vessel.”

“W-what?”

Startled, Kyuntriachae leaped through the opening. Mid-fall, he mouthed something, and his descent suddenly slowed.

He was clutching the necromancer’s first Life Vessel in one hand, his fingers tensed as if ready to crush it at a moment’s notice. It seemed to be a precaution, ensuring he could react to any unexpected situation.

“Gasp!”

As soon as he laid eyes on the glowing blue skull, Kyuntriachae sucked in a sharp breath. He was so shocked that he didn’t even wait to land before hurriedly chanting another spell.

“―――.”

A square-shaped magical barrier materialized around the skull in the blink of an eye. Only after that did he exhale a shallow sigh of relief.

I asked, “Is this really a second Life Vessel?”

“It is. Without a doubt. Moreover, compared to the first one, this one is far more powerful.”

“Huh. Do necromancers normally make multiple Life Vessels?”

“Most don’t. The more they split their soul, the weaker they become. This is an unusual case. Given the information we have, I bet that this skull is his true core.”

Kyuntriachae lifted the blue orb in his hand. “This one here? It’s a decoy, meant to fool others. Though it does contain a fragment of his soul.”

He chuckled wryly, “Hah. We were on the verge of catastrophe. If you hadn’t found this, the bastard would have escaped, or worse, he could’ve come after me again once you were gone.”

“Lucky us, I suppose.”

“I owe you one. And I suppose I also have that, uh... what was it called again?”

Wait, is he having another senior moment?

No, this time, it just seemed like a slip of the mind.

“The Core of Decay.”

“Right. Without that, we never would’ve found this.”

He wasn’t wrong. If the Core of Decay hadn’t absorbed all the decay in this underground chamber, the second Life Vessel would have remained hidden forever.

Neither Kyuntriachae nor I had even considered looking for another one. Plus, even if we had, we would never have checked under the floor.

This thing really did come in handy.

The Core of Decay that had confused me on the fifty-fourth floor had just earned me a massive advantage on the fifty-fifth.

However, I had predicted it would be helpful, especially since it wasn’t the first time a reward had been tied to a following floor. So, in that sense, maybe this wasn’t so unusual after all.

Now that I thought about it, we had found the first Life Vessel way too easily. It had just been sitting in a book in the research lab. Even without Yoonie, I probably would’ve stumbled across it in an hour or two at most.

Come to think of it, the forty-eight-hour time could have been another clue, guiding climbers to the realization that another Life Vessel existed.

Wait a minute, another Life Vessel?

“Uh, there isn’t another one hiding somewhere, right?”

Despite my concern, Kyuntriachae laughed heartily. “Hahaha! No, no, I doubt it. This chamber was meticulously crafted. You can tell just by looking around. There are layers upon layers of concealment magic enveloping it.”

He had a point. Even when I had expanded my senses, I hadn’t detected this place at all.

“If that weird mist hadn’t broken through the floor, along with the warding spells, I wouldn’t have even thought to check under the castle.”

“Makes sense.”

“Also, that skull over there is the same head from before. I am confident about that.” Kyuntriachae turned to me, grinning. “Besides, even if there were another one, that Core of Decay you brought would find it, wouldn’t it?”

“Huh. Guess you’re right.”

“You may be absurdly strong, but remember. I am a demon. I have extensive knowledge of necromancy. Trust me on this. There’s nothing to worry about. Now, let’s head back up.”

Well, if he was that confident, I supposed there was no reason to doubt him. Just like he said, if there were another Life Vessel, the Core of Decay would probably drag it out into the open eventually.

Kyuntriachae grabbed the skull and floated back up through the broken ceiling. I leaped into the air and landed lightly back on the first floor.

Huh?

The Core of Decay had significantly increased its absorption rate compared to before we entered the underground chamber.

What is going on? Was the purification process slowed because it was trying to get the underground chamber’s decay first?

Well, I wouldn’t complain.

***

Not a single tremor shook the fortress after the Core of Decay absorbed all the decay. Just as Kyuntriachae had predicted, we hadn’t uncovered any more Life Vessels.

Standing before the Core of Decay, now glowing a deeper and more vibrant violet, I turned to him. “The absorption process is complete. Shall we destroy the Life Vessels now?”

“Sure.”

“Mind if I do the honors?”

“Be my guest.”

I had wondered if he would insist on doing it himself, driven by the desire for revenge, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case. “Much appreciated.”

Raising my axe, I prepared to strike the small blue orb first. My lightning-infused axe smashed through it.

“Kieeek!”

A short, shrill death cry echoed through the space.

Aiming for the blue skull this time, I unhesitatingly cleaved downward. My axe came crashing down onto the blue skull’s cranium, and the sickening sound of bone shattering filled the air.

Crack—!

“Kieeeeeeek!”

The second scream had resonated for far longer. I grimaced. Even after a few seconds had passed, the chilling wail still lingered in my ears.

Oof. Is that because it was the real one?

At the same time, a notification window appeared before me.

[Congratulations. Climber Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fifty-fifth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Seized Fortress. Achievement points will be calculated.]

As the messages surfaced, I instinctively turned to glance at Kyuntriachae. My first impression of him hadn’t exactly been great, but after he regained his senses, he had turned out to be a rather decent guy. I appreciated that he had expressed his gratitude multiple times.

A boy in appearance, yet an old man at heart. At times, he felt like a grandfather. At others, like a younger sibling.

Maybe that was why this time—despite my many partings—I felt an inexplicable sense of lingering regret.

“I’ll be leaving now."

“Already? So soon?" Kyuntriachae looked genuinely surprised.

He looked up at me, his expression filled with reluctance.

“Haha. I have some urgent matters to attend to. Oh, and one more thing, my services are on the house. Don’t worry about paying me. Just consider this as an act of goodwill."

“H-hey! You—!"

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has defeated the necromancer and reclaimed the fortress for his employer.]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has completed the hidden missions ‘The Forgotten Memories of the Fortress’s Master,’ ‘Before It Even Hatched,’ and ‘There’s Another One?!’]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 23,312 achievement points. Total Achievement Points: 127,837. He will now enter the waiting room.]

"Truly, thank you! Please, if you can, be sure to visit sometime!"

As Kyuntriachae’s final words reached me, light engulfed me, and a familiar sensation of weightlessness overtook me.

***

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has destroyed two Life Vessels. His skill has leveled up. Demon Slayer is now lvl 7.」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has completed the hidden mission ‘There’s Another One?!’, causing the trial to diverge from its original path.」

「Invisible message: The fifty-sixth floor, ‘The Fortress Once More,’ and the fifty-seventh floor, ‘The Mines,’ have been updated to ‘Welcome Banquet’ and ‘New Commission: Mine Exploration’ respectively.」

***

[11 hours 59 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

Although the tower had given me twelve hours of rest, I wasn’t tired in the slightest and had no real desire to rest. There had been plenty of time to recover after the battle with Delikurn, and on top of that, it hadn’t tired me much in the first place.

Even Doppy had sprawled out on a sleeping bag on the last floor, taking a nap without a care. We didn’t need to linger for long.

My plan was simple—take a quick bath, soak in the training hot spring, and then move straight to the fifty-sixth floor. There were plenty of climbers trailing behind me anyway. I could train before tackling the higher floors.

“Su-Yeok, I'm washing up first!"

“Go ahead."

As always, Doppy dashed into the bathroom first. I leaned back in my chair, exhaling softly. That was when my gaze landed on Yoonie floating idly in the air.

My first encounter with Yoonie hadn’t been great either. Little by little, however, I had grown fond of her. Even if she had only found the decoy, Yoonie had played a crucial role in locating the Life Vessel.

Moreover, she had also helped me restore the Camedeni’s intelligence on an earlier floor. Although, come to think of it, I had never actually seen Yoonie eat anything before.

“Yoonie, do you eat stuff?"

“I survive by feeding off your mana, Su-Hyeok!"

“Huh? I haven’t noticed my mana deplete at all, though."

Puffing herself up, Yoonie floated proudly like a chubby little pink snake—she actually looked kind of cute.

“That’s because Yoonie has excellent fuel efficiency! I can sustain myself with only tiny amounts of mana!"

After a moment, she curled her tail in, almost shyly. “But sometimes, I do eat things like gemstones!"

“Gemstones? I’ll buy you one. Hold on."

Considering that Yoonie had already contributed so much, she deserved a proper reward. Rewards had to be given fairly.

Just as I was about to open the shop menu, Yoonie frantically shook her head. “No, it's okay! You don’t have to waste your wealth on me, Su-Hyeok!"

“Shhhh. If an adult gives you a gift, you take it."

“B-but..."

“Shh."

Ignoring her protests, I accessed the shop and bought three gemstones. Even if they didn’t serve much purpose, gemstones were still pricey; each one cost about four thousand points.

Still, it didn’t feel like a waste at all.

“Here." I tossed one toward her, and Yoonie snatched it out of midair with her mouth, devouring it whole.

Whoa. That was... a big gemstone. She was able to swallow it in one go?

The way her mouth had stretched open looked a bit unsettling, honestly. In the next instant, however, Yoonie returned to looking prim and composed as if nothing had happened. Her throat had a slight gem-shaped bulge, making her look oddly amusing.

“Want another one?"

“No! A gem every now and then is more than enough!"

“Alright, I’ll save these for later."

“Thank you, Su-Hyeok! I promise I’ll find more treasure to repay you!"

“Sure, sure. Get some rest," I responded absentmindedly, when a message popped up.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Seventh Floor): Hey, how was the fifty-fifth floor?

Looks like she finished the fifty-sixth while I was busy clearing the fifty-fifth.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Sixth Floor): Nothing too eventful. You weren’t waiting for me, were you?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Seventh Floor): Kind of. The fifty-sixth floor was a bit tough, so I figured I’d rest while waiting. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Sixth Floor): I told you not to wait.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Seventh Floor): Relax, I am just resting anyway.

No matter how I looked at it, she had clearly waited, just like she said she wouldn’t. Regardless, I had no reason to question her about it. It was her choice.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifty-Seventh Floor): You didn’t have a hard time, right?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Fifty-Sixth Floor): Nah. Just had to reclaim a fortress.

***

[Welcome to the fifty-sixth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Welcome Banquet.]

[The fifty-sixth and fifty-seventh floors of the Tower of Ordeal are connected.]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s former employer has invited him to a banquet! Accept his invitation and enjoy the festivities. Time remaining: 11 hours 59 minutes.]

As my vision cleared, the scene before me came into focus. It was the same fortress I had been in just hours ago.

However, it appeared completely different. What had once been a gloomy and dark fortress now glowed brilliantly. The oppressive storm clouds had vanished, replaced by a sky full of stars and a bright, luminous moon.

Beneath its glow, the trees stretched their branches skyward and exuded vitality.

I have been invited by my former employer?

The message clearly referred to Kyuntriachae. Despite that, enjoying a banquet wasn’t usual for the tower, especially since the fifty-sixth and fifty-seventh floors were linked—something didn’t feel right.

Is this really just a celebration?

That was when a metaphorical light bulb lit up in my head.

Is this because I destroyed the second Life Vessel? Was the fifty-fifth floor the start of an overarching trial?

It seemed possible. If I hadn’t destroyed the lich’s philactery, the fortress would have likely fallen back into the necromancer’s hands, just as Kyuntriachae had feared. In that case, this banquet wouldn’t have existed.

Would I have had to fight the necromancer again? Ugh.

I couldn’t be sure.

Regardless, the fortress gates swung open, and Kyuntriachae came rushing toward me. “Hey! I sensed a strange presence, so I came to check. And, of course, it was you! It’s been so long!"

He still looked exactly the same—a boy frozen in time.

Though it hadn’t been long since we parted, I found myself instinctively waving back.

As he drew closer, however, he suddenly halted in his tracks. His eyes widened, filled with utter shock.

“Why do you look so surprised?"

After a moment of hesitation, Kyuntriachae cautiously added, “Su-Hyeok... It's been fifty years, yet you haven't aged a single day."

“What?"