Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn’t

“I’m Kwon Su-Hyeok.”

“Kwon Su-Hyeok… I see. It was an honor to fight beside you.”

Smiling softly, the legion commander lowered her head slightly.

Her gleaming silver armor and long, intricately braided golden hair were stained with the blood and gore of lizardmen. Dark pieces of flesh clung to the spear she had plunged deep into the earth. These were clear signs of the ferocious combat we had endured.

The battle’s intensity was unmistakable, and it was evident she had fought relentlessly at the frontlines.

“No, the honor was all mine. Fighting alongside the Deiorne Empire’s forces was truly a privilege.”

Weariness laced her voice as she turned to observe the soldiers tending to the aftermath of the battle. “Haha, a privilege, you say? You flatter me. In truth, we came to this battlefield half-expecting it to be our final stand. We were merely buying time for the continent's armies to regroup at the fortress. If you hadn’t intervened and helped us, we surely would have perished.”

Her eyes glistened with unspoken emotion as she contemplated the reality of the situation.

The enemy army was over seven times larger and bolstered by an ancient dragon. The defense line was always intended to fall, and the battle was designed to end in defeat.

“The saintess had a prophecy that the Shadow of the End would send reinforcements, yet I doubted her. I now feel a deep sense of guilt for my disbelief toward both the Shadow of the End, and you, the divine reinforcements sent by the gods.”

The legion commander closed her eyes briefly. In that fleeting moment, I thought I saw her shadow flicker.

The Shadow of the End...

The flicker must have been caused by the power her god had over shadows. I had never witnessed such a profound spiritual bond between a deity and a follower. It was strangely captivating.

Her shadow quivered. If a god connected to shadows can make them sway, does that mean a deity associated with fire would make flames dance?

Wait a moment. Shadows?

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind. I had gained the skill Shadow Veil from Lung Shark’s Daggers back on the eleventh floor. The connection was hard to dismiss, especially since both floors involved black dragons.

“Does the Shadow of the End go by any other name by chance?”

“Before he ascended to godhood, he was known as Lung Shark... but that name is seldom used anymore.”

“Ah, I see.”

So, my suspicions were correct after all. While part of me had hoped it wasn’t true, the fact that it was left me somewhat unnerved.

Now that I thought about it, even though the dagger was merely a replica, its capabilities were extraordinary. Of course, it made sense from what I had found out. The dagger was practically a holy relic since it bore the name of a god. Even as a duplicate, it was still a unique-grade weapon, which now made perfect sense.

“I saw you wielding the power of shadows. Have you received the Shadow of the End’s blessing?”

“Ah, no. The Shadow of the End hasn’t granted me anything directly.”

“I understand. The saintess mentioned that the divine reinforcements are warriors from another dimension. I suppose you do not share the same faith as us.” R̃𝘢Nօ𐌱ËŠ

“Haha... not really. By the way, the 588th Bombing Squadron has already left the battlefield. What do you plan to do next?”

I deliberately shifted the topic, sensing that the conversation had drifted too deeply into religious matters. Kartrey hesitated for a moment, seemingly contemplating my sudden question.

“Our orders were simply to hold the defensive line. Even the emperor didn’t expect us to return victorious, which is why those were the only instructions we received.”

“Ah, right.”

“Still, thanks to you, we’ve secured victory. Now, the legion will return to the fortress and face the next wave of enemies.”

Receiving such direct praise caught me off guard, so I simply smiled awkwardly and nodded.

“I’ve heard that the divine reinforcements cannot remain in this world indefinitely. Will you be returning to your original realm?”

“Yes, it seems we will.”

“Then, according to the prophecy, we shall meet again at the fortress. Until then, I will pray for your safety.”

“And may you travel safely to the fortress.”

“Once again, I offer you my sincerest thanks.”

Smiling warmly, the legion commander extended her hand which I grasped firmly. She then swiftly organized the battlefield and led her forces upstream, disappearing into the distance.

After a brief farewell, only the climbers remained on the blood-soaked battlefield. We collected the bodies of fallen comrades, gathered the equipment left behind by the enemy, and regrouped with surviving party members.

To my great relief, all of my party members had survived. Although some were wounded, none of the injuries were life-threatening.

Tears streamed down the faces of some climbers, while others erupted into laughter. More were laughing than crying. Several cast glances of admiration and gratitude toward me. That brought me a small measure of comfort.

***

[Congratulations. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fourteenth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Drina River Defense Operation. Achievement points will be calculated.]

[An overwhelming victory! Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has overcome both numerical and qualitative disadvantages. He has completed the hidden missions ‘One-Man Army,’ ‘Black Dragon? Black Dragon!’ and ‘Rescue the 588th Bombing Squadron, the Witches of the Night!’]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has been awarded 18,932 achievement points. Total achievement points: 37,425. He will now enter the waiting room.]

***

「Invisible message: Black Dragon Sarkeiz has retreated from the battlefield. It will not appear on any future floors.」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has earned recognition from Kartrey Monaca and the Bombing Squadron. He will receive more favorable treatment on the sixteenth floor.」

「Invisible message: Of the four intelligent species inhabiting region C-66432, only humans have successfully overcome their trial on the fourteenth floor. All human climbers have been awarded 1,000 achievement points.」

***

[Congratulations. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has conquered the fourteenth floor. He will now enter the waiting room.]

[The fifteenth floor of the Tower of Ordeal requires all climbers to enter with a party.]

[Climbers whose parties have disbanded must join a party before the rest period ends.]

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

As soon as I entered the waiting room, I sent Doppy to take a shower. We had been on the fourteenth floor for twelve hours, seven of which were spent in battle. It was covered in filth after being surrounded by the dead or injured, having spent all its time and energy healing others.

I opened my status window.

[Kwon Su-Hyeok (Earthling, C-66432)]

Title: Seeker of the Crossroads

Affiliation: None

Patron Deity: First class, Omniscient Thunder Axe (Share percentage: 1.09% (-?.??%) / 100.00%)

Strength: 108.9

Agility: 107.1

Stamina: 106.4

Mana: 78.5

Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 9,... Combat Focus lvl 19 (+5), Bear’s Blood lvl 10,... Fire Resistance lvl 10 (+3), Poison Resistance lvl 18 (+9), Ice Resistance lvl 5, Shadow Veil lvl 4....

All my stats had increased dramatically, far more than usual. It seemed that the number of enemies I had slain directly contributed to this unprecedented growth. @@novelbin@@

Well, I had fought unendingly, unleashing lightning upon the river, spreading Shadow Veil with my accumulated mana, and wielding my axe. Additionally, the enemies I had defeated were not mere pests like the bugs on the thirteenth floor, but skilled lizardman soldiers.

My skill levels have also seen a notable improvement.

Lightning Essence, Combat Focus, and Bear’s Blood… Each of my combat-oriented skills had leveled up.

What stood out the most, however, were my Fire Resistance and Poison Resistance skills. They were now level 10 and 18. At this point, it seemed unlikely that I would perish from fire or poison. With how high my stats were, if I were to fall, it would mean that all the climbers had met their end.

Alright, I have reviewed my status window enough. What should I do now?

Doppy liked to take its time in the shower. It had just gone in, so it would be a while before it finished.

Hmm, Ha Hee-Jeong and the other party members were likely also washing up, which left me with no one to chat with.

Might as well check the Community.

[Praise Kwon Su-Hyeok!]

[He shot lightning into the river and drove away the dragon. Could we have held the line without Kwon Su-Hyeok?]

[Absolutely not. Half of the survivors would probably be dead without him, haha.]

[No, seriously, I’m thankful, but is Kwon Su-Hyeok even human? Could one person really do all that?]

[Haha, can a human continuously fire lightning, manipulate shadows, and drive away a dragon? 😂]

[Kwon Su-Hyeok! He’s a god!]

[Today, I’ve come to realize that from now on, we must worship Kwon Su-Hyeok as a deity. God Su-Hyeok...]

The overwhelming praise made my face flush with embarrassment. A similar thing had happened back on the sixth floor, though it hadn’t been this extreme since the groups had been more divided. There weren’t as many people singing my praises back then.

Is this what it feels like to be truly embarrassed?

Yet, I couldn’t say I disliked it.

“Gratitude, admiration, awe. Is Kwon Su-Hyeok even a human? He is a god!”

The endless stream of thanks and reverence was addicting. I tried to stifle the grin that kept creeping across my face as I continued browsing the Community.

Of course, there were a few odd posts mixed in.

Some people think I am in cahoots with the tower? What nonsense is this?

One post suggested that I had a secret alliance with the tower, which was why it kept showering me with items and skills. The notion was so absurd that I dismissed it outright. There wasn’t enough time to bother with such ridiculous claims when there was still so much praise I could read.

About twenty minutes passed before Doppy finally stepped out of the bathroom.

“Kriee! Su-Yeok! You creepy face!”

“Huh? Me? No, I’m not.”

“Kriee! Yes! Go shower! Now!”

“Hold on, just a little longer.”

Plenty of favorable comments were still pouring in, and I wanted to savor them for a bit longer. I gave a half-hearted reply, and Doppy pouted in frustration.

“Kriee! Su-Yeok! Stink blood!”

“I’ll shower in a bit. Go to bed first.”

“Kriee! Gross! Always tell Goblin wash up! Su-Yeok! Go clean! Yucky!”

“Haaa… Fine.”

I let out a deep sigh as I rose from my seat. Doppy was right. It would be hypocritical of me to nag it about showering quickly if I refused to do the same. Besides, Doppy was still a growing goblin, and it was my responsibility to set a good example.

Once I stood up, Doppy nodded in satisfaction before throwing itself onto the bed.

Hmm, it is probably hungry with how tired it is.

“Are you sure you’re going to sleep without eating? How about I get you a steak?”

“Kriee! Goblin exhausted! Eat after Goblin wakes up!”

“Alright then, we’ll eat together later.”

“Kriee! Got it!”

After finishing the brief exchange, I made my way to the bathroom. I thoroughly scraped away any dried blood that clung to me, before turning on the hot water and closing my eyes. Typically, I didn’t linger in the shower, but today I felt the urge to stay longer.

As the hot water cascaded over me, memories of the battlefield on the fourteenth floor surged into my mind.

That was a close call.

We had taken a huge risk during the hour before the Bombing Squadron’s arrival. One particularly dangerous moment came when I fought the lizardmen while obscured by Shadow Veil. A random, wild thrust had nearly impaled my heart.

The strike had come from behind, and amidst the confusion of the bombardments, my instincts hadn’t sensed it. If it hadn’t been for Lung Shark’s dagger’s ability to block one strike unconditionally, the attack would have landed.

Poised, deliberate attacks aren’t the only threats on a battlefield, but also wild swings from blinded enemies. I need to be more mindful of such things in future battles.

In that instant, a small realization dawned on me. Memories from battles within Shadow Veil flashed through my mind, and I had an epiphany. When facing an opponent whose vision was obstructed, exploiting their emotions was key.

Fear, confusion, anxiety...

To fight within the shadows, I must capitalize on their psychological vulnerabilities.

Even without checking my status window, I was certain Axemanship had leveled up.

Hmm, is this why I wanted to shower for longer today? Who knows.

I stepped out of the bathroom in high spirits, when I suddenly received a message from Ha Hee-Jeong.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Fifteenth Floor): Are you done showering? We need to discuss the upcoming floors.

***

「 Invisible message: Momentary Insight! Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s skills have leveled up. Axemanship is now lvl 4.」