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Due to my website structure, chapter 0 will be placed here, sorry about the inconvinience!
------------- Prologue -------------
There is a man known as Geomseon, or sometimes called "Cheon-ui Mubong" (which means something like "Sky's Infinite Peak").

For players, getting injuries and scars is a part of everyday life because life in the tower is a constant struggle.

But this man is an exception.

From the moment he first entered the tower to the present, no one has ever seen him get injured, as if he was an exalted immortal.

Some claim he has a legendary defensive artifact in his possession. A shield that can deflect any attack, meaning he wouldn't get hurt.

Some say he's from a secret special forces unit in the US. Their main argument is that Geomseon demonstrated overwhelming strength from the moment he first entered the tower, and ordinary people can't wield a sword that well.

Others claim he's the lover of a hero. The hero gave him all sorts of elixirs to protect her lover, and as a result, a monster that can recover instantly from severe injuries was born.

There are many rumors and a bit of truth mixed in, so opinions about his real identity are varied. However, there's one fact everyone agrees on:

Geomseon is strong, incredibly strong.

Although he has never joined a party and travels alone, hiding his true abilities behind a veil, the stories from numerous rankers support his strength.

Some even consider him the true strongest person in the tower. Even now, in some bars, there are debates about who is stronger between Geomseon and the hero.

So, where is this man called Geomseon now?

In a forest located on the upper levels of the tower, a place where no one has ever set foot.

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He was sitting on the corpse of a tiger as big as a house, wiping the blood off his sword.

The man, expressionless, wiped his sword with a cloth.

Not a single drop of blood or a scratch was on his body, making him appear mysterious against the blood-soaked forest around him.

"Cheon-ui Mubong", the epitome of perfection. The title couldn't be more fitting.

Of course, it would have been great if the prologue ended here...

While cleaning his sword, the man flinched.

A tiny drop of blood formed on his hand.

"Ah."

It looked like he'd slightly cut his hand while cleaning the sword with the cloth.

For an average person, it would have been a minor injury, easily laughed off, but...

[You have taken damage.]
[You will return to the time when you first entered the 44th floor.]

"... Damn it."

For this man, getting hurt was something he absolutely couldn't afford.

Absolutely not.

------------- Chapter 1 -------------

"Damn it! Where am I?"
I was awakened by the loud noise coming from somewhere. Maybe there's a drunk causing a ruckus outside.
"Ugh... my head..."
I cautiously tried to sit up, holding my aching head. My whole body ached terribly. Did I sleep outside after drinking last night? No, I remember punching in the password to my front door.
Brushing off the crust from my eyes, when I forced them open, I saw unfamiliar surroundings and countless people getting up just like me. The ground I had been lying on was damp and muddy. Except for being soft, it was a far cry from a bed.
Come to think of it, there are too many trees around. Excessively so.
"...sigh..."
Taking a deep breath, the air felt refreshingly clean. It reminded me of the scent of phytoncides. This place definitely isn't Korea.
A vast clearing surrounded by trees. Inside, numerous people were seated.
"Damn it! Where is this? Did you even get our consent?"
Isn't it said that words fail when one is too astonished? Except for the bald man screaming, no one else was making much noise.
"What... Damn... What's going on..."
The shouting bald man seemed to be catching his breath when...
Pop!
A creature that looked like a winged child appeared.
"Hello, dear wasteful humans! Nice to meet you!"
It greeted cheerily. But occasionally, the sharp, predatory teeth it revealed while talking were quite intimidating.
I came to my senses in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by others who seemed to have been brought here against their will... and now a winged fairy appears?
This situation feels eerily familiar. No, it's more than familiar; it's cliché.
"That's the tutorial fairy from webtoons..."
Someone murmured.
He was right.
The creature floating above was the infamous tutorial fairy. The one known for blowing up heads for the slightest annoyances.
Unconsciously, I clenched my teeth. One wrong word, and I could be the unfortunate one getting my head blown off in the prologue.
The clearing grew tense, as others seemed to share my sentiment.
"Uh... um... nevermind..."
The bald man, who seemed to have something to say, cautiously took a seat after scanning the surroundings.
Everyone sat quietly, like a herd of sheep.
Perhaps displeased by our behavior, the tutorial fairy frowned.
"...Um, does anyone want to speak their mind? Or provide constructive feedback? I'm open to considering any input now."
The fairy tried to make eye contact with everyone, but people avoided its gaze.
"...It seems you all know our rules now? Quite observant for mere humans."
It tried to provoke a reaction, but no one in the clearing gave the fairy any reason to act.
"...Sigh. I guess we'll have to go by the book."
The fairy's mood visibly darkened. Blowing up people's heads during the tutorial seemed to be its favorite pastime.
"...I'll just give the essential explanation and move on. I don’t want to do this either, but it's protocol."
The fairy began explaining with a mix of irritation, sadness, and boredom.
In summary: God had grown tired of humanity's arrogance. Earth was now under divine judgment. Humanity had to prove its worth, and the means to do so was by climbing this tower. We were the chosen ones, summoned to ascend it. It was a plot reminiscent of many tower-climbing stories.
In essence, if you don't want to die, climb the tower!
"So, one of you needs to clear the 66th floor of this tower. Otherwise, humanity will perish. Understand?"
Everyone silently nodded. "Alright, now that the background explanation is over... pick what you like from here..."
The fairy in the center of the clearing began dropping various weapons.
"I'll leave the detailed explanations to the system... Let's start the tutorial!"
The creature casually flicked its wrist, and with a cute 'pop' sound effect, vanished.
A slightly awkward silence followed after the fairy's departure.
"What the hell... Phones aren't working..."
"Is this some kind of hidden camera prank? I've seen YouTubers set up stuff like the Squid Game... Maybe it's something similar?"
"There were recent cases of people mysteriously disappearing... Could this be related?"
People slowly began to whisper among themselves, discussing the situation and pouring out words they had been holding back due to the atmosphere.
"...Damn it."
I, too, muttered a curse under my breath.
I was home before I fell asleep, but when I woke up, I found myself summoned to a tower. I understood mentally that I was now living in a story reminiscent of novels or webtoons I've read, but it still felt surreal. I considered pinching my cheek like a protagonist in a comic, but it seemed foolish.
"...Did we really enter the tower?"
If the tower I'm in now is similar to the novels I've read... then outside this clearing, various dangers await. Dangers set up by God with malicious intent to take my life. From now on, my life is on the line. Realizing this fact only intensified my headache.
"Phew... Let's think positively."
Even if you're thrown into a tiger's den, if you keep your wits about you, you can survive. Feeling down won't help. Now is the time to think and make plans for the future.
What do the protagonists usually do in tower tutorials?
"...A tower's tutorial."
When thinking of a tower's tutorial, a specific entity naturally comes to mind. An entity as closely related to the tower as red bean paste is to rice cakes, or ketchup is to hotdogs.
"Status window!!!!"
Perhaps someone else had the same thought, as a loud cry of 'Status window' echoed across the clearing.
"What's up with that student?"
"Did he eat something wrong?"
Elderly people, unfamiliar with 'tower climbing' stories, looked at the man as if he was crazy. But younger folks who knew the cliché watched the man's mouth with a hint of anticipation.
"It's here! The status window!"
The man who had shouted about the status window now cheered as if he'd scored a goal.
"Status window!"
"Status window!"
"Status! Window!"
Following his lead, others began shouting "Status window."
"...Status window."
I too murmured the words cautiously.
[ Name: Kim Junho ] [ LV: 1 ]
View Cover V
[ Traits ]
- Regression [ EX ]
Before me appeared a transparent message window, familiar in form. Calling it a status window seemed a bit of a stretch. Shouldn't it at least have stats?
However, what caught my eye was something else.
"...Regression?"
With trembling fingers, I forcefully pressed the word [ Regression ].
- Regression [ EX ]
- You can return to the time you first entered each floor. No limit on uses.
A brief explanation.
However, anyone who's read web novels knows this: the simpler the description, the more overpowered the ability tends to be.
"Yes!"
Unable to contain my joy, I shouted.
Regression after death is always on the list when picking OP abilities. Dying and returning to the past means one is virtually invincible. Armed with knowledge of the future, the possibilities are endless.
Of course, characters with regression abilities usually suffer a lot. But suffering beats dying, right? As long as one's mental fortitude holds, one is essentially invincible with this ability. I am chosen.
I am the protagonist.
I am the hero who will conquer this tower and save the Earth.
A surge of euphoria spread throughout my body, and I found it hard to contain my trembling.
"Woohoo!"
I leapt up from my seat and rushed towards the bushes in front of me.
Goblins? Orcs? Whatever it is, bring it on.
I am invincible, and regression is divine.
Just as I was about to rush through the bushes... "Ouch."
The leaves must have been quite sharp, as droplets of blood formed where my ankle was scratched by the underbrush.
It's fine. It's just a minor wound. Gathering information is the priority right now.
I need to see what's outside this clearing.
No, calm down. I got too excited.
Then I realized, my hands were empty. I had run out without even picking up a weapon.
I should go back now and grab a sword at least...
"Huh?"
[ You have taken damage. ]
[ You will regress to the moment you first entered the 0th floor. ]
A sword...
Just...
I blacked out.
"Damn it! Where is this?"
My head is throbbing like crazy.
That familiar voice. It's that old man from before.
Instinctively, I realized I had regressed. I had experienced this situation once already.
But why? When did I die?
Was there poison in that thick underbrush?
But it didn't feel painful if it was due to poison, and I was fully conscious right before regressing.
So did I regress due to something other than death?
I recalled the fleeting message I saw just before.
[ You have taken damage. ]
[ You will regress to the moment you first entered the 0th floor. ]
Taken damage... Did I?
I don't recall getting hit or anything.
"No... It can't be..."
Could it be... I regressed just because I got a tiny cut from the underbrush?
Just a tiny droplet of blood, that's all.
Instinctively, I looked around the clearing.
Green over here.
Green over there.
The moment I leave this clearing, the undergrowth is so thick that I won't even see the ground.
It's like a living prison made of grass and trees.
If... just if, regressing happens with just a small scratch from the grass...
"...Damn it."
Escaping this clearing... seems incredibly challenging.