Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn’t
Chapter 189: Fiftieth Floor, Friendly Match (1)

Chapter 189: Fiftieth Floor, Friendly Match (1)
[All aggressive actions are strictly prohibited within the rest area. Climbers are invited to rest and relax as much as they would like. Time remaining: 57 hours 43 minutes.]

Alexei gestured toward a silver necklace. “Hey, Su-Hyeok, what do you think of this?”

Before I could even take a closer look, Ha Hee-Jeong strode forward and examined it. “It’s not great.”

“What? It boosts both strength and agility a lot.”

“Sure, but the one Su-Hyeok’s already using is better.”

“Still, shouldn’t he check for himself before he decides?”

“He doesn’t need to when it’s obvious this can’t even compare,” Ha Hee-Jeong shot back.

Alexei ignored her and gazed fixatedly at me, as if her pride demanded I assess the necklace personally.

Since the necklace cost over 45,000 points, I shook my head. I didn’t doubt that it was decent, but it probably wouldn’t be superior to Paraktus’s Determination Necklace. Even if it granted good stat bonuses, I valued the boosts to Indomitability and Combat Focus far more.

“No. Truth is, the necklace I have now is already very excellent. There isn’t much of a reason to swap.”

“I see,” Alexei murmured, her expression falling slightly as she averted her eyes. 

Though her disappointment made me feel a bit guilty, I hadn’t lied.

Among my current gear—axe, armor, gauntlets, boots, and accessories—nothing would be worth replacing.

I guess I could replace the Seraphim’s Ring?

Even that wasn’t urgent, however. Climbers could wear more than one ring at once, unlike necklaces, which wouldn’t stack their effects even if multiple were worn. It felt odd that the tower didn’t allow climbers to equip multiple necklaces, but the main reason I came to the shop was to see if anything exceptional stood out.

I would definitely consider buying an exceptional ring.

However, the odds of finding something as incredible as my Mana-Accumulating Gauntlet of the Underworld were slim. Most items were good, but doing a cost-benefit analysis often left them feeling underwhelming.

While I mulled this over, Ha Hee-Jeong suddenly took off purposefully in one direction. 

She stopped at a display and glanced back at us. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go check out the rings.”

Though she had aimed the words at me, her eyes stayed locked on Alexei. For a moment, the two engaged in a silent standoff, staring each other down.

Ugh. 

I shouldn’t have brought Alexei along.

Shaking off the thought, I tried to break the tension. “Shouldn’t we focus on finding items you guys need first?”

Caught off guard, Ha Hee-Jeong blinked as she realized I had a point. “You’re right, we don’t need to look at the rings now. I can look at them on my own later. Plus, while 45,000 points isn’t a small amount, more top-ranking climbers will be here soon.”

Even while we stood there, climbers trickled into the tenth floor. She had a point; sticking together wouldn’t be the most efficient strategy.

After glancing at the arriving climbers, Ha Hee-Jeong nodded to us. “I’ll be in the accessory section. You two go check out what you need.”

“Alright.”

Unlike Ha Hee-Jeong, who had readily agreed to prioritizing our own purchases, Alexei pushed back. “I don’t need anything, though.”

I gestured awkwardly. “Still, you never know. You could find something useful. Go have a look.”

Sensing the firmness in my tone, Alexei reluctantly nodded, and her shoulders slumped slightly. “Fine.”

Turning away from the two, I headed toward the accessory section.

For the first time in what felt like hours, I could breathe easier. I had invited Alexei on a whim, but after this, I swore never to make that mistake again. Next time, I would stick with my party.

Once I sensed that Alexei and Ha Hee-Jeong had gone their separate ways, I looked down at my waist. “Ryun.”

“Yes…?”

“You mentioned once that you can return. When exactly will that be?”

“To... my original… form... you mean…?”

“Yeah.”

The question had been lingering in my mind for a little while now. It had been almost ten floors since we first met, even including the collapse of the forty-ninth floor. 

“If... you want... I could... return now…”

“Really? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? And why haven’t you gone back yet?”

“I... could return... but… I’d likely... disappear.”

“Oh.”

I immediately understood. Ryun hadn’t been designated by the tower as one of my climbing assistants. He had essentially hitched a ride in my weapon, finding a loophole in the tower’s rules. The tower likely treated him as part of the weapon itself.

“Then it can’t be helped. Does that mean you’ll remain in this state indefinitely? So will I have to stick with this weapon forever?”

“No… that’s... not it. If you... switch to... another weapon... I can... transfer myself... into it…”

I had been briefly concerned that I would be stuck using Wrath of Yagmur forever, but his response eased my worries.

Besides, possessing an ego weapon that harbored a swordmaster was hardly a drawback. Moreover, I had already promised Ryun that I would guide him to the Omniscient Thunder Axe's Garden, so there was no way I would let him fade away.

Nodding slightly, I turned my attention back to the accessories on display.

***

[All aggressive actions are strictly prohibited within the rest area. Climbers are invited to rest and relax as much as they would like. Time remaining: 56 hours 35 minutes.]

Though the shop had grown massively, now appearing as a top-of-the-line department store, I hadn’t found anything truly impressive. There were some decent rings, but comparing their cost to their effectiveness, I found them lacking.

Nevertheless, I had spent nearly an hour at the shop, mainly waiting for my party members. Those who had gone to the lower floors hadn’t found anything worthwhile, either. It seemed the items there weren’t up to their standards.

Since the tenth floor offered better options, they ended up returning there. I loaned about 60,000 points to my party members during the process, but I didn’t mind.

As I always remind myself, the challenges will only get tougher.

Upgrading their gear would enhance their chances of survival and, in turn, Ha Hee-Jeong’s safety. Unlike her, however, I intended to get those points back eventually.

Gnawing on a chicken drumstick, I listened to the chatter at our table.

“Ha-Rin, do you like it?”

“Yeah! Isn’t it beautiful?”

Seo Ha-Rin swung her platinum mace enthusiastically. No matter how I looked at it, the weapon seemed more menacing than elegant. Sometimes I couldn’t help but feel that Seo Ha-Rin wasn’t entirely grounded. 

Seeing her antics, Seo Ho-Su gently scolded her, “Ha-Rin, put the weapon down. Other people are eating.”

“Ah. Sorry.”

As I set aside my plate of chicken and reached for a steak, I checked the time. There were only thirty minutes left until the friendly exhibition matches began.

Famished from hours in the shop and my enhanced metabolism, I ate like a person possessed.

Cole, idly stirring his soup, glanced at me. “You’re eating a lot more than usual, Su-Hyeok.”

“I’m just starving,” I admitted awkwardly before eyeing his meal.

He had only grabbed a single bowl of soup. At this rate, he would definitely be hungry later.

Looking around, I realized I had the tallest stack of plates on the table. Second place went to Ha Hee-Jeong.

Hmm, looking at my collection, I really did eat quite a lot.

I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern for the climbers who were probably still fast asleep. Having to fight while disoriented and starving—even if it was a friendly match—wasn’t exactly an ideal scenario.

Still, I wouldn’t raise suspicions just to inform them ahead of time. With a silent sigh of resignation, I picked up my fork.

Huh?

I noticed her. Cecilia sat two tables down from us, eating her meal with her party. Her face was pale and gaunt, reflecting the toll her inner struggles had taken on her. Although it hadn’t been long since the forty-seventh floor, it was evident how much she had endured.

Lost in thought, I found myself watching her. Cecilia seemed to sense my gaze and turned to meet it.

For a brief moment, our eyes locked.

Uh, what should I do?

She was seated too far away for me to speak to her, and I couldn’t decide whether to offer her a solemn expression or attempt to smile.

As I hesitated, Cecilia silently broke the lull with a sad, bittersweet smile.

Yet somehow, it felt as though I could hear her unspoken words.

“Don’t worry too much.”

In response, I lifted the corners of my lips just slightly and gave her a small nod. She returned the gesture before redirecting her attention to her party members.

Watching her faint, wistful smile, I hoped she would find solace. I prayed that she would find the strength to endure whatever lay ahead.

An uncertain amount of time later, a notification screen materialized in midair just as I finished my meal and was sipping my drink.

[Attention: The Tower of Ordeal will be hosting an emergency event that requires all climbers.] 

[Effective immediately, climbers are expected to participate in the interspecies exhibition match.]

The previously subdued dining hall, silenced by hangovers and lethargy, erupted into chaos.

“What the hell is this?”

“An exhibition match? What kind of nonsense is this?”

“Wait! My gear is still in the dormitory!”

The tower’s message updated again, indifferent to the uproar.

[The exhibition match will be a friendly competition that will separate climbers based on their roles.]

[Each role will have a separate ranking, although the total rewards given to each faction will be based on a compilation of the four roles’ rankings.]

A separate window appeared in front of me, and I assumed every climber had received their own.

[Role: Warrior. Planet: Earth.]

My vision turned white. The faint sensation of floating, exactly the same feeling I experienced when entering a new floor, wrapped around me.

***

[The warrior exhibition match, Tail Tag, will now begin.]

[The highest-ranked warrior in each faction has been designated as the Tail.]

[The faction whose tail survives the longest will secure the highest rank.]

[Even if a faction’s tail is eliminated, the climbers in that faction will not be removed from the arena and are free to cause as much chaos as they wish.]

[Any injuries that climbers sustain during the match, including death, will be restored upon completion of the match.]

In Ha Hee-Jeong’s previous life, Earth’s warriors suffered a crushing defeat, mostly because of one reason: the Kosharks.

They, a species obsessed with combat, had overwhelmingly chosen weapons tied to the warrior role. Their centaur-like bodies granted them unmatched mobility, making them nearly unbeatable.

There was no realistic way to overcome them.

[Kwon Su-Hyeok has been designated as Earth’s Tail.]

[Capture the other factions’ tails!]

As I appeared on a vast plain, tens of thousands of climbers appeared alongside me. Some were dressed in light climbing gear, while others were clad only in underwear—or nothing at all.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

“Damn it! Someone lend me some clothes!”

Ignoring the unclothed climbers shouting in frustration, I quickly retrieved my gear from the mimic and equipped it.

Amplifying my voice with magic, I called out, “Everyone, get ready!”

There wasn’t enough time to give them detailed instructions.

Thud, thud, thud, thud—

Before most of the human climbers could grasp the situation, the Kosharks began their charge across the plain. Their sheer numbers made the ground tremble.

Yet I wasn’t particularly worried.

Sure, Earth finished last in the first round. But…

I was here now. 

With me as their representative, things would be different. I felt confident that there wouldn’t be anyone who could catch me.

That confidence was shattered in less than three seconds.

Behind me, a voice rang out, “What? Why is my host a man?!”

My tail could speak. Attached near my tailbone, a serpentine appendage with delicate scales and a head adorned with a small horn writhed in annoyance.

This wasn’t something Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned.

A sentient tail? 

It was disconcerting.

Did my presence alter the friendly match’s mechanics?

As I pondered, the tail squirmed and hissed, “I want to get caught as quickly as possible! It’s disgusting being attached to a man, absolutely revolting!”