Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn’t

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixteenth Floor): Huh, what’s this?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixteenth Floor): What do you think it is? It's an elixir.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixteenth Floor): Isn’t this one of the more expensive ones?

The average elixir typically goes for a hefty 10,000 points in the shop, but from the name alone, I could already tell that this was no average potion. Factoring in the fact that Ha Hee-Jeong had gifted it to me, I highly doubted it was on the cheap side.

A Great Elixir, hmm…

A climber could never take anything with the prefix “Great” lightly. Great General, Great Warrior, Great Sword—those words carried weight, both in name and essence.

I struggled to comprehend the situation, letting my thoughts drift, when another message arrived.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixteenth Floor): Hmm, not really. Its price is pretty reasonable.

Reasonable? I had a nagging suspicion that her idea of "reasonable" and mine were worlds apart. Curious, I quickly opened the shop menu and searched for Great Elixir.

I was speechless. My jaw practically hit the floor.

What? 30,000 points?

Considering Lightning Essence had cost 45,000 points, the potion was shockingly expensive.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixteenth Floor): Hey, Hee-Jeong. This thing costs 30,000 points! Are you sure you’re okay giving it to me?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixteenth Floor): Who else would I give it to?

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixteenth Floor): I mean... it’s just too pricey.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixteenth Floor): What do you mean? It’s the perfect thing for you at the moment.

Still, I couldn’t ignore the pressure that the gift put on my conscience. Immediately accepting a 30,000-point elixir from a friend didn’t sit right with me.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixteenth Floor): Shouldn’t you be the one taking it?

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixteenth Floor): Nah, I’m good. Even though we’ve taken care of the dragon on the fourteenth floor, the sixteenth floor won’t be a walk in the park. You’ll need this to make it a little easier.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixteenth Floor): Hmm...

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixteenth Floor): Besides, weren’t you saving your points for an armor piece? What was it called again? I can’t seem to remember.

She was right. After clearing the fourteenth floor, I set my sights on a costly piece of armor.

[Feather of the Thunderbird]

After seeing it, I brought it up with Ha Hee-Jeong, who assured me that it was an excellent choice. Unfortunately, it cost 55,000 achievement points. With only around 45,000 right now, I was still about 10,000 points short.

However, if consuming the Great Elixir truly was as essential as Ha Hee-Jeong said it would be, I wanted to buy it with my own points. Honestly, I only felt conflicted because it was Ha Hee-Jeong who was offering to give it to me for free. If anyone else had given me the same offer, I probably wouldn’t be hesitating so much.

Sure, getting stronger was crucial, but my goal wasn’t to climb the tower at the cost of everyone else. I wanted to ascend it with as many allies as possible—and, most importantly, with Ha Hee-Jeong by my side.

Besides, I was already reaping the lion’s share of rewards on each floor.

This isn't just some small item.

Thirty thousand points was a lot even for Ha hee-Jeong. By accepting this, I would be stealing her opportunity to grow stronger, gaining an advantage at her expense. If things continued like this, the stronger I became, the weaker she would be in comparison. I couldn't accept that.

Others would wonder why I am even hesitating.

Truth be told if something were to happen to her—if she were to get injured, or worse, die—this decision would haunt me. It would become a painful memory etched into my mind, stabbing into my thoughts like a sharp blade that would never dull. An indelible scar.

That was why I couldn’t bring myself to accept it so easily. I didn’t want Ha Hee-Jeong to be harmed, nor did I want to carry the burden of guilt if this led to a future mistake. I wasn’t so desperate for power that I would exploit her resources just to make myself stronger.

When I voiced these concerns to Ha Hee-Jeong, she responded with a message laced with disbelief and a hint of amusement.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Sixteenth Floor): Are you serious, Su-Hyeok? Do you really think I'd make such a decision without thinking it through, especially after everything I’ve been through?

***

In the end, I decided to accept the Great Elixir. Ha Hee-Jeong laid out three solid reasons why I should be the one to consume it.

First, the stronger I was, the more climbers I could save on the sixteenth floor. Second, her growth rate had exceeded even her own expectations likely due to the hidden missions that she had been completing floor after floor.

And the third reason? She confidently declared she wouldn’t get hurt or die.

Well, alright then. I will take it, get stronger, and do everything I can to protect her. I will ensure Ha Hee-Jeong never gets injured, and most importantly, that she survives.

After concluding our conversation, I found myself seated in front of the elixir.

[Great Elixir]

- A highly renowned elixir from a prominent planet in region M-30777.

- Enhances physical capabilities while expelling impurities from the body.

- Contains a large reserve of mana.

- Handle with caution. Ingesting without adequate preparation may result in death.

Unlike the vague descriptions that the tower usually provided, this one was strikingly clear—physical enhancement, impurity expulsion, and mana infusion. The warning caught my attention, but knowing it was a gift from Ha Hee-Jeong, I felt confident that it wouldn’t pose any threat to me.

Perfect.

I had been struggling to fall asleep for some time now. Fortunately, elixirs usually knocked me out, though I never quite understood why. Perhaps resting allowed a climber to fully absorb an elixir’s effects.

Regardless, I figured it would be ideal to take it now, get some much-needed rest, and wake up stronger.

I picked up the Great Elixir.

Here we go.

My heart began to race as I finally prepared to swallow the 30,000-point elixir. I could barely contain myself anticipating what kind of changes it would bring.

Taking one last steadying breath, I swallowed the elixir in one gulp. The sweet liquid slid smoothly down my throat, prompting me to lie on the floor. A soothing warmth then spread from my throat and radiated throughout my body.

***

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has consumed a Great Elixir. The elixir’s potent properties are now taking root in his body.」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s status as a ‘Challenger’ has been confirmed. The restrictions on the Great Elixir have been lifted, greatly increasing the absorption rate.」

「Invisible message: The elixir's essences are coursing through Challenger Kwon Sy-Hyeok’s veins, flushing out impurities and replacing them with pure mana.」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok has grown physically stronger and more resilient. Excess mana from the potion will be stored in the Mana Accumulating Gauntlet of the Underworld.」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s stats have grown. Strength and Agility increased by 5. Stamina increased by 7. Mana increased by 10.」

「Invisible message: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s skills have leveled up. Awareness is now lvl 5. Natural Healing is now lvl 8. Pain Resistance is now lvl 8. Iron Skin is now lvl 4.」

***

[1 hour 12 minutes until the rest period ends. Please take a rest.]

By the time I finally opened my eyes, quite a bit of time had passed. The elixir had put me to sleep for nearly six hours—far longer than any rest I had managed recently. Not even simultaneously drinking both of the bug queens’ elixirs had such a pronounced effect, which suggested that the Great Elixir was far superior to them.

I felt light and refreshed, almost as if all my fatigue had vanished.

Wait, is the Great Elixir responsible for my refreshed feeling, not the long sleep?

The elixir did claim to expel impurities and toxins from the body, so I assumed it was responsible for my newfound vitality and strength.

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: 114.3

Agility: 112.7

Stamina: 113.9

Mana: 89.5

Skills: Lightning Essence lvl 9, Sixth Sense lvl 10,... Awareness lvl 5, Natural Healing lvl 7, Pain Resistance lvl 8, Iron Skin lvl 4...

Wow. That one elixir improved my stats by this much?

It was astounding, especially considering how slow my progress had been since surpassing the one-hundred mark in Strength, Agility, and Stamina. Typically, each floor would only increase my overall stats by approximately a single point.

All of my stats rose at least 5 points.

My Stamina had risen even more, but my mana stat had undergone the most noticeable improvement. It seemed to have increased by over 10 points. On top of that, the Great Elixir’s enhancement had leveled up various physical-related skills.

The 30,000-point elixir lived up to its price. As I marveled at the improvements, I felt something different—something I hadn’t sensed before.

What’s this?

Focusing on the sensation, I realized it was coming from the Mana-Accumulating Gauntlet of the Underworld. Foreign mana was being drawn into it even though I hadn’t done anything. Suddenly, I recalled the Great Elixir’s description.

- Contains a large reserve of mana.

The mana that my body couldn’t fully absorb seemed to be accumulating in the gauntlet. There was no other explanation.

Although the mana stored in my gauntlet was single-use, the alternative was just letting it dissipate into the air. I quickly assessed how much mana my gauntlet had accumulated and was shocked by how much had been stored.

Just then, I received a message from Alexei.

That’s odd. Alexei doesn’t usually message me.

- Alexei Braham (Sixteenth Floor): Explain it next time.

Even the message itself was cryptic.

Explain what?

There was no way she had intended this message for another person. The tower required a climber to confirm the message’s recipient before it was delivered—twice no less.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Sixteenth Floor): Explain what?

- Alexei Braham (Sixteenth Floor): Your axemanship. If you have time later, show me how you became so skilled with the axe. You’re good at fighting.

She had sent a fairly straightforward message, but there was something curt about the way she phrased it. From what I had gleaned about her personality, the curtness wasn’t because she was shy—it likely stemmed from her pride. Still, she managed to slip in a compliment, which made me feel pretty good.

Alright, if I have time, I will show her.

I replied, agreeing to help. Shortly after, Ha Hee-Jeong sent more supplies to prepare us for the sixteenth floor.

***

[Welcome to the sixteenth floor of the Tower of Ordeal: The Battle of Fort Pogoren.]

[An invasion has ravaged the continent, wiping out the majority of its inhabitants. Many survivors have gathered under the Deiorne Empire’s banner, joining together at Fort Pogoren for a final stand. The invaders are now advancing on the fortress.]

[Defend the fortress until the invaders are defeated. If the fortress falls, survive for six hours. There is no time limit.]

[The Earthling party that was the first to complete the challenge ‘The Path to the Fortress’ will be selected as the representatives for planet Earth on the sixteenth floor.]

[Planet Earth’s representatives: Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s party.]

[As Earth’s representatives, Kwon Su-Hyeok's party will participate in the military council with the Emperor.]

For some reason, the summoning process took longer than usual. I assumed the tower wanted us to absorb all the information that the messages held before the summoning finished. Despite the blinding light, the notifications remained clear.

Everything was exactly as Ha Hee-Jeong had explained. There would be no time limit, and we either defended the fortress or fled for six hours if the fortress fell.

I could only hope we would succeed.

"The Saint’s prophecies have brought us all here. Let us commence the military council."

As my vision cleared, I found myself in a grand old-fashioned meeting hall. At the head of the room sat a man with golden armor and slicked-back blonde hair—obviously the Emperor. Armored commanders were positioned on each side of him.

“What’s going on here?”

An extremely irritated voice caught my attention.

I turned to see a group of non-human races standing next to our party—and not just one. There was one group for each of the three intelligent species that had entered the tower alongside humanity. They had all gathered here with us, ready to plan for what lay ahead.