Conquering the Tower Even Regressors Couldn't-Chapter 311: Seventy-Sixth Floor, Maze of Choices (6)

[Escape the maze. Time remaining: 2 hours 32 minutes.]

Obviously, I had changed in countless ways since entering the Tower of Ordeal.

The biggest change lay in my martial prowess. Back then, the extent of my skills was limited to boxing, which I had only learned as a hobby, but I had now become a master of the axe.

On top of that, the smaller changes couldn’t be overlooked either.

My personality had changed significantly, along with my sense of morality, my outlook on life, and even my psychological state. If someone who knew me before I stepped into the tower were to meet me now, they would likely mistake me for a completely different person.

Though in the broader sense, my fundamental nature remains unchanged.

It was undeniable that the extraordinary experiences and bizarre events I had encountered here had shaped me into someone new.

My life then, and my life now. If someone were to ask which of the two I found more enjoyable, I would struggle to answer.

This life, with the fierce battles, relentless growth, and the constant thrill that sharpened my senses, held a certain exhilarating appeal. Yet I couldn’t deny how deeply I missed the peace and ordinariness of my former life.

Living every moment under extreme tension, with my life perpetually on the line, takes a tremendous toll on the mind.

The brief respites in the waiting rooms weren’t proper rests. Many climbers eventually succumbed to mental illness under the crushing weight of it all. Some even went so far as to end their own lives.

That was why Ha Hee-Jeong and I deliberately made an effort to stay positive, always striving to see only the brighter side of things. The same was true for our party members and the few other climbers who had survived thus far.

Just because the world around us grew dark didn’t mean we could allow ourselves to be consumed by it. Negative emotions spread easily, corroding the spirit, so it was something we had to consciously avoid.

Well, perhaps I am rambling a bit.

Anyway, I was trying to make a simple point.

The life of a climber was far from glamorous. Some would envy our strength, but if they were to live it for themselves, they would quickly change their minds.

Thus, I had only one wish for The Meticulous Architect. Though I had only deliberated briefly, the wish contained the entirety of my reflections throughout my climb.

I locked eyes with the Architect. “Please revert time to a point before the climbers entered the Tower of Ordeal and prevent it from ever appearing on Earth—”

“That’s impossible,” he responded almost preemptively, his firm voice cutting in as I finished my last word.

He said nothing more, simply gazing deeply, beholding me.

“I see.”

To be honest, I hadn’t expected much. Even to me, the notion of erasing everything that had happened seemed absurd. I had only voiced it on the off chance that maybe there was a way.

I had thought he would at least be able to send me back in time. After all, Blue Dawn Breeze, whom I met on the twentieth floor, had said she could resurrect Comet by rewinding time.

However, the situation in the Tower of Ordeal seemed to be a different matter. The tower was powerful enough to extinguish even the gods themselves. Given that context, merely going back in time would ultimately be meaningless.

Still, asking why it was impossible was another matter altogether. He had offered to grant me a wish after all.

“Then, umm... why can’t you?”

The real reason behind that wish was to confirm a lingering suspicion of mine.

“That is beyond my power.”

“But you said you would grant any wish.”

The Architect coughed awkwardly, looking somewhat troubled. “I expected something more reasonable. It’s not as if you’re lacking divinity, after all.”

Well, hearing him put it like that, I couldn’t exactly argue. I had merely thrown the wish out there on a whim.

Deciding to return to my original purpose, I added, “But another god said it was possible.”

“Huh? Someone said they could prevent the tower’s emergence? Who?”

“No, not about the tower. She said she could rewind time. The goddess Blue Dawn Breeze.”

“I’m not entirely sure, but that’s probably because it was her planet. Rewinding the clock of your own world is possible, though it consumes an immense amount of power.”

“Only her own world? They can’t do it for individuals from other worlds?”

“As far as I know, no.”

I furrowed my brow.

Ha Hee-Jeong’s god had turned back time on a massive scale. From everything I had seen while climbing the tower, it hadn’t been limited to Earth alone. Even the gods themselves appeared unaware of our regression.

However, according to The Meticulous Architect, that was supposed to be impossible. How had she managed to reverse time across the universe?

“Why? Did that god say it was possible? If so, it was a lie.”

“I see.”

I pushed aside my swirling thoughts. It wasn’t something that had to be dealt with immediately. As far as he knew, it couldn’t be done.

Ha Hee-Jeong’s god, being a first-class god, could have possessed some unknown method.

In any case, I had learned something new. Knowing that gods could rewind the clock on their own planets was enough for now.

No point in pushing the matter further.

The promise to grant a wish was a favor separate from the tower’s rewards. No matter how kindly he treated me, pressing him would only risk souring his mood.

Fortunately, he still showed no signs of displeasure, which meant I was walking the line carefully enough.

I mustered the most apologetic expression I could manage and feigned innocence. “I apologize. I only recently awakened my divinity, and I don’t fully understand how the tower operates yet. Since you’re a god, I thought anything could be possible.”

The Architect tilted his head slightly. “Well, it’s true you’re still quite new to it. It’s been a long time since I last had a challenger. I suppose that was partly my mistake as well.”

The Architect even scratched the back of his head awkwardly, looking a little sheepish. Judging by his reaction, my ploy had succeeded.

“I’ll grant you a wish within the bounds of what I can do. If something’s impossible, I’ll tell you, so take your time and think it over.”

“Thank you.”

***

[Escape the maze. Time remaining: 2 hours 26 minutes.]

Now then, what should I wish for?

Even earlier, while mulling it over, I realized I didn’t really have anything I desperately longed for. Moreover, any extravagant idea that popped into my head wouldn’t be accepted to begin with.

My equipment was already near perfect, and I had no particular desire for additional skills. The idea of asking for greater martial strength made me uneasy as well.

Though he assured me that the wish wouldn’t harm me, power granted by others ultimately holds little meaning.

If it wasn’t something I had earned myself, it would only end up restricting my potential.

Still, it couldn’t hurt to ask. “Could the wish enhance my martial prowess?”

“Yes.” The Architect nodded, though his expression didn’t look particularly encouraging.

Given how favorably he viewed me, that reaction suggested it probably wasn’t the wisest choice.

“Is there some issue with it?”

“It wouldn’t harm you, but there’s likely a better path you could take.”

“I understand.”

I didn’t bother pressing him for details. Rather than getting bogged down with something I wouldn’t wish for, it was better to carefully consider what kind of wish would truly benefit me.

Ok, now to think of a wish, for real.

I briefly considered making a wish for Ha Hee-Jeong, but soon shook my head. What she wanted most was for us to reach the top of the tower safely. Even if I wished for something that would help her, she would almost certainly not appreciate it.

She would just scold me.

After weighing all possibilities, one choice became more and more obvious.

Information.

Naturally, the best course of action would be to seek information I didn’t already possess. Even though Ha Hee-Jeong was a regressor, she didn’t know everything about the future.

Still, while gathering information, a certain level of discernment was necessary. Details about gods like Omniscient Thunder Axe or Kal-Lain would be of little use to me.

The things that The Meticulous Architect knew about the gods were likely matters I would come to understand on my own once I became one myself.

That left information about the tower and its trials. After all, conquering the Tower of Ordeal was my most pressing objective.

My current dilemma was that I didn’t know whether to ask for knowledge about the floors themselves or about the tower’s inner workings.

To be honest, I don’t see a downside to either.

Ha Hee-Jeong hadn’t reached the very top of the tower, so gaining insights about my future personal challenge floors or the areas beyond the ninetieth floor could only be an advantage.

Also, information about the tower itself would certainly help me determine my stance going forward.

If I had to choose, the former seemed wiser.

Having made my decision, I looked up at The Meticulous Architect. “Can you tell me about the trials that await me?”

He hesitated briefly before nodding. “Hmm, it’s possible.”

That moment of hesitation caught my attention.

Is there some complication?

Regardless, the important thing was that it could be done.

Now, which floor should I ask about?

On second thought, specifying a floor would be pointless. If it turned out to be a trial I could easily overcome, the wish would be wasted.

“Can you show me the trial where I’ll suffer the most?”

“So you chose not to designate a floor. Gods cannot peer into the future, but give me a moment.”

“Okay.”

His eyes briefly lost focus, as if he were conversing mentally with someone.

Instinct told me it was the tower.

After about two seconds, he nodded. “Yes, I can.”

“Then, please show me.”

The Architect let out a faint sigh before clicking his tongue. “Tch. This is turning out to be more costly than I anticipated.”

“Haha.”

You are the one who offered to grant a wish in the first place.

The more I thought about it, the more certain I became that there had to be some connection between us. Given how he had treated me kindly, offering a wish independent of the tower’s rewards, he likely had ties to my sponsor.

Eventually, he answered, “However, I can’t show you everything in detail. The tower will only permit fragmentary glimpses. Do you accept those terms?”

“I do.”

“Then with that, your wish has been granted.”

An illusion unfurled before my eyes, so vivid that I could have confused it for reality. In that vision, I lay collapsed and missing my left arm, blood pouring from my wounds.

Just like that, the fleeting scene that lasted barely a second came to an end.

Startled, I turned to look at The Meticulous Architect. A complicated—no, a deeply tangled—emotion swelled within me. I had no idea why I had ended up in that state, nor whether that brief vision was the full story.

The Architect met my gaze with a knowing smile. “I’ll show you what led up to it.”

***

[Other climbers have not yet conquered the seventy-sixth floor. Please wait.]

[There is no timer until the next floor begins. Please take a rest.]

I returned to the waiting room. Since the other climbers had yet to arrive at their respective waiting rooms, time remained frozen.

Although I had washed up, my mind was anything but clear—the future The Meticulous Architect had shown me weighed heavily on my thoughts.

His smile and additional information had done little to explain the full chain of events. The precursor he had shown me had been merely a fleeting moment, practically a single snapshot.

Of course, I demanded an explanation, asking if that was all.

He should have shown me more.

Unfortunately, he had firmly shaken his head.

“That’s all the tower permits me to reveal.”

Judging by the smile he wore, there was likely a hint hidden within the previous scene.

However, for now, I was clueless as to what it was. I didn’t even know which floor the scene depicted.

Perhaps I would only come to understand once I stood in the very midst of it.

At any rate, I engraved the vision firmly into my memory, determined to recall it whenever needed.

I decided that discussing it with Ha Hee-Jeong could help. I had sent her a message the moment I arrived in the waiting room, but she had yet to reply. She was probably still asleep.

Ha Hee-Jeong had been training diligently as we climbed ever higher.

Ugh, forget it.

When my mind got tangled like this, swinging my axe always helped. I wasn’t sure going to the training room would truly clear my head, but it had to be better than lying idle.

I rose to my feet just as a message came through.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-seventh Floor): You’re back. Sorry, I was sleeping. Everything okay?

Just seeing her message sent a surge of joy coursing through me. I unhesitatingly started typing my reply.

- Kwon Su-Hyeok (Seventy-seventh Floor): No. Something happened.

- Ha Hee-Jeong (Seventy-seventh Floor): Huh? What? What’s wrong?

Even though it was just a string of text, I could sense Ha Hee-Jeong’s worry. I quickly and succinctly explained everything. Rather than detailing the seventy-sixth floor’s trial, I focused on the future that The Meticulous Architect had shown me.

There wasn’t much need for a lengthy explanation anyway.

As soon as I sent the message, my necklace reacted. Then, Ha Hee-Jeong appeared before my eyes.

It was the first time we had actually used the Necklace of Accord. Ever since obtaining the joint pair, we had both thrown ourselves fully into training.

Thinking about it, it was my fault. Ha Hee-Jeong had wanted to meet once, but I had asked her to wait, afraid it would break our focus.

Anyway, when Ha Hee-Jeong arrived in my waiting room, her face was heavy with concern, as if she bore the weight of the world.

Despite the complicated circumstances, I couldn’t help but smile upon seeing her. It had been a while.

Ha Hee-Jeong frowned slightly. “You’re smiling after telling me something like that?”

“Well, it’s been a while. I’m happy to see you.”

“Seriously?” She let out an exasperated laugh.

Still, it didn’t seem like she truly minded.