Misunderstood as an Irregular Hiding His Power (1)

The Hyper-mana Syndrome could be improved with mid-grade potions. That faint hope had blinded me until now.

…It only improved the condition. It might not actually cure it. I hated even considering that possibility.

While Serin hugged me tightly, my Dragon Eyes ruthlessly revealed the truth. The Hyper-mana Syndrome wasn't cured at all. In four months, mana would build up in her body again and she'd collapse once more.

"……Ah."

My tears stopped instantly. It was too early to be moved.

"Oppa…?"

"Serin, can you stay like this for a bit?"

I asked her to keep holding me. I didn't want to show her my face. More than that, I was afraid the warmth I'd only just started feeling again would vanish the moment we separated.

It was a rather sudden request, but… my little sister's response?

"Mhm, tight hug~."

"……."

She's such a good kid. Even though she'd woken up to find her body had grown so much, and her brother had turned into a muscular guy, she must have a ton of questions. Yet she didn't ask a single one.

"Thanks, Serin. Let's stay like this a little longer."

I gently stroked her silver hair. The mysterious illness had changed its color too. As I comforted the aftereffects of her Hyper-mana Syndrome, I organized my thoughts.

"Hmm…."

So this was the root of all evil. Mana kept building up inside a non-Awakener's body. Since it couldn't be expelled, it eventually filled the brain and turned the person into a vegetable.

The mid-grade potion had improved her symptoms, but…

It only cleared the mana currently accumulated in her body. The fundamental problem remained unchanged.

For some reason, Serin had a constitution that accumulated mana despite being a non-Awakener. No matter how much potion you poured into her, it only improved the symptoms. It would never cure her.

The only treatment possible right now was 'symptomatic therapy.' We couldn't fix her constitution itself. So we had to artificially remove the accumulated mana—the symptom.

The moment I recalled the treatment method, my body moved on its own.

"Serin, you can let go now."

"Okay~."

"And can you hold this for a second?"

Clink— I took off the necklace from around my neck. It was the artifact I'd been using diligently all day, the Necklace of Concealment. I placed it firmly in her hand and met her eyes.

"You know how Awakeners have mana, right? That mana is building up inside your body. Let's put it in here."

"…Mana?"

"Yeah. Here, I'll show you how."

I slowly channeled a strand of mana into the necklace. Right after Awakening, I had no idea how to do it, but climbing the Tower had taught me the method naturally. To me, it was as easy as breathing, but—

"Uuuuh… huuuuh…."

"Serin, you can stop now."

"Sorry, I couldn't do it…."

"No, I asked too much of you."

Of course she couldn't. Even if I kept teaching her, she might eventually get it, but I shouldn't get my hopes up too high.

Should I try farming other artifacts?

The second idea that came to mind was artifacts. What if I got one that automatically drained the wearer's mana? But…

…Would that even work?

I discarded the idea the moment I thought of it. Artifacts were extremely rare items—fewer than a hundred existed worldwide. And among those, one that a non-Awakener could use while automatically consuming mana? Finding a needle in a desert would be easier. Even with my Golden Rule trait acting like a metal detector, the prospect still felt hopeless.

"Huu…."

So that's the only option left.

Therefore, the final solution I came up with was…

Stigmata.

Stigmata, normally used for combat. I'd turn one into a utility tool. Since the content and restrictions of a stigmata could be set however the Awakener wanted, I should be able to create a mana-absorption stigmata.

Since it was such an unprecedented skill, I'd have to consult the Tower about what conditions it might come with. Anyway.

I need to clear the fourth floor. And as quickly as possible.

My gaze turned toward the window. Beneath Seoul's night sky sparkling with city lights, the shabby, elongated shape of Egen Tower stood out.

As fast as humanly possible.

There were about four months left until her Hyper-mana Syndrome relapsed. During that time, her condition would keep worsening. Obviously she wouldn't be able to leave the hospital either. So I'd climb at insane speed. I'd exploit every loophole more than ever before. I'd obtain a fourth-tier stigmata as my reward and turn my own body into a cure for Serin.

It was my goal following the creation of mid-grade potions.

* * *

As expected, Serin couldn't be discharged.

"It's practically a miracle that she recovered enough to walk right after waking up… but let's monitor her a little longer."

"Yes, sir."

The doctor was being cautious. Normally I would've resented him a bit, but today he seemed incredibly reliable. I'd been ready to call him a quack if he tried to discharge her just because she seemed a little better.

All the money I'd poured into this hospital from my construction site labor had been worth it.

Though I'll be the one actually treating her.

It was a shame to waste all those sweat drops, but it couldn't be helped. For the next three days, I went back and forth to the hospital to watch over Serin. More precisely, I took care of her as she felt like she'd time-traveled to the future.

It wasn't difficult.

"Oppa became an Awakener?!"

"Hehe, that's right. Cool, huh?"

"So awesome…!!"

Serin's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes sparkled at the news of my Awakening. She'd always liked Awakeners, so just having me by her side made her smile happily.

"But that's not all! Dohwa, come out."

"Kyuuung?"

"Kyaaaaaaa!!! It's Abigail!!!!"

"Kyuuuuuuung!!?"

On top of that, I occasionally summoned Dohwa and tossed her to Serin as a living plush toy. So of course Serin was overjoyed. Instead of feeling anxious about the suddenly changed world, she was busy enjoying the rosy future unfolding before her.

Well, that's a natural reaction.

When she woke up, the old run-down house where she'd had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to sleep with her brother was gone. In its place waited a three-billion-won apartment. Her brother had become an Awakener in the meantime and could even summon the monsters she loved most as pets. Now she could do anything she wanted.

It was a surprise gift I'd prepared even if it meant delaying her treatment a little.

"Is there anything you want to eat? Oppa will buy you anything."

"Then the super huge King Castella!!"

"Uh……."

Didn't that place go out of business?

Because Serin's memories were still stuck in the past, there were occasional awkward moments. Anyway.

Those three days flew by in the blink of an eye…

"Oppaaa, I'm sleepy~ Let's sleep together~."

"…Didn't you sleep at night?"

"I wanna take a nap too~."

"……."

Serin's Hyper-mana Syndrome symptoms were slowly starting to relapse.

It was like this before too.

At first it was just sleeping a lot more. Both our parents and I had simply thought she was just tired. But that was only the beginning. Soon high fever, sweating, coughing, and all sorts of other symptoms would come one after another. In the past it had taken about two years to reach the vegetative state, but… this time it would happen rapidly in just four months.

Is it because it's the second time? Or because she's grown and absorbs mana faster now?

There were too many possible causes to count. But it didn't matter. My job remained the same.

"Serin, Oppa might not be able to visit for a while. Is that okay?"

"Where are you going…?"

"I have to climb the Tower. Since I'm an Awakener now."

I was going to climb the Tower. I'd conquer the fourth floor and obtain a stigmata. When I came back, I'd finally be able to truly be with my sister.

"How long…?"

"Hmm, maybe about seven nights?"

However, the fourth floor was a time-consuming stage. Even Egen Tower usually took ten days to clear it. Even the bus drivers said so. Maybe I should climb the normal difficulty Tower instead? I'd looked into it, but…

They said that one takes a whole month.

Apparently every Tower's fourth floor was story-focused. The normal difficulty one started you out as a low-ranking soldier and you had to lead an army to victory or something. Climbing the Tower of Pilgrims instead? No way.

The scale is insane, seriously.

From the start of the third floor, it took a whole month. After that there were still tons of small waiting periods. Going there would be a waste of time.

So it's that method after all.

After considering everything, over the past three days I'd prepared a truly perfect plan. In gaming terms, it was practically a glitch—an absurdly broken climbing method that only I could pull off.

Alternating between Towers!!

Basically, I'd climb Egen Tower, but when I hit a floor that took too much time, I'd switch to the normal difficulty Tower. I'd keep pushing through like that and conquer the fourth floor in seven days. That was a conservative estimate too—I figured I could actually do it in about five. Anyway.

"I'll come back as fast as I can, okay?"

"Okay… I'll wait while listening to the nurse noonas…."

"You know that stuff about Dohwa or Oppa being an Awakener with lots of money has to stay a secret, right?"

"I knowww… huuam."

As Serin let out a big yawn, I smiled and turned away.

Creak. Thud. The sound of the hospital room door closing.

Alright, let's go!!

My feet finally regained their true speed. The insanely efficient footwork I hadn't used in three days quickly carried me down the hospital corridor.

"Kyaa!? Running in the hallway…."

"Sorry!!"

I'm sorry, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nurse noona. But I'm in a bit of a hurry. I'm going to save my sister, so please understand.

And I'll turn my phone off too.

Beep— I powered off my phone. The post I'd made last time about looking for a gate had gotten plenty of replies, but none of the gates were difficult enough that I needed to get involved. I'd let it sit for another week or so.

They were looking for a Yakgwa seller in Cheonghwa too…

My nickname in the Tower of Pilgrims community had gained a bit of quiet recognition, but it was nothing compared to SteelMin. At least while I was climbing the fourth floor, I probably wouldn't have to worry about it.

So, without a single worry on my mind, I placed my hand on the underdog's tower.

Enter!!

Whoosh—!!

No matter how many times I saw it, the harmless-looking light wrapped around me, and—

"Everyone move!!!!"

Shing—!!!

The moment I stepped through the portal, I drew my sword.

"What?!"

"Sir, what's suddenly…."

"I don't have time to hesitate!!!!!!"

Fourth floor time attack. Start. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠