The Second Achievement (2)

The second achievement. The place I call the hard tower—the Tower of Pilgrims. If this were a game, it would be hell mode beyond hard difficulty. Because of its despair-inducing survival rate, people call it the 'Coffin.' Even with unique-grade combat traits, clearing the first floor here is no guarantee. It's a demonic realm. Naturally, there were almost no strategy guides. Info-type awakeners didn't come here in the first place, and everyone else was too busy just trying to survive. By the time you reached the fourth-floor boss, there was basically zero information available.

Of course, I was different. Hyun-seo left reviews every single time.

First, the story of the fourth floor in the hard tower. Thanks to Hyun-seo, I had a rough grasp of it. This was a different world line from the normal tower. It seemed to cover an if-route where the war hero awakened far too late. Because of that, you had to start brawling with demons right from the beginning. That much let me understand the overall situation, but—

The Forgotten Knight. Cain, the last emperor of the Babel Empire. Through a certain contract, he obtained the power to turn back time. Even if he is forgotten without ever receiving recompense, he will repeat his mistakes for eternity.

'His trait is regression… Ah, so that's the setting?'

The information I confirmed with Dragon Eyes. The moment I saw it, everything clicked. The boss before me was repeatedly regressing in order to save his empire. It wasn't real regression—just part of the setting, of course. Anyway.

I clicked my tongue inwardly. 'Wow, the strategy for this must be brutal.'

Level 915, and he regressed two seconds by consuming mana? On top of that, his goal was to kill awakeners, absorb their power, and regress even further into the past? From the opponent's perspective, that was pure hell. Even with all my title effects combined, I was still behind in raw specs. Two-second regression was basically a future foresight trait. And on top of that, his will to fight was overflowing. No ordinary trait would stand a chance.

'Baekri-hyang or I could probably burst him down… but did they seriously design this to be cleared?'

I realized all over again why the hard tower's nickname was the Coffin.

'Everything else aside, that future foresight is nasty. What if he predicts ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Protection of the Guardian Dragon activating and lands a guaranteed two-hit kill?'

For a second I seriously considered bailing to another tower. But then—

I froze. 'Wait a minute?'

My hesitation lasted only a moment. I realized something. I might not need to fight at all.

'According to the setting, he eventually regresses to the thirty-first floor of the hard tower.'

From Hyun-seo's review, the fourth-floor story of the hard tower was a downward spiral. No matter what the awakener did, the empire was doomed. Even if he regressed, he couldn't change that. The empire's destruction was a fixed ending.

…In the hard tower, at least.

'The normal tower's story is different.'

The fourth-floor ending in the normal tower. You defeat the demon king and restore peace. Even though it was a different world line, wasn't that the happy ending he wanted?

The moment I realized that, my brain started spinning. A freebie route appeared before my eyes.

'If the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠setting actually works…?'

The setting I had been given in the easy and normal towers was 'time traveler.' If I explained that to the boss, got him to surrender, and turned him into a summon like Dohwa, it would be good for me since I wouldn't have to fight. And if I let him take a look at the normal tower, he'd probably be satisfied too. In other words, assuming he trusted me, we didn't need to fight.

'Of course he won't believe me right away… but what if I show him this?'

After finishing my thoughts, I carefully reached into my inventory. What I pulled out was a ring that looked similar to the one he was wearing, but in much better condition. I immediately tossed it to the knight.

Whoosh—!!

The ring flew through the air.

"That's impossible!! This is my brother's…!!!"

"……Oh?"

Look at him scrambling to catch it. Great reaction, great gut feeling. This freebie might actually work.

'Let's go, Wind Release: Mouth Technique!!'

"Seeing that ring, you understand, right? How I was able to obtain it."

I threw out a plausible line. I wanted to see his reaction a little more first. The fish had taken the bait—hook, line, and sinker.

"This can't be!!! My brother's ring was supposed to be passed down to me!!!"

"Huh? You stole it too?"

"No, that's not it… I was being controlled by the demons… He asked me to take care of the empire in his place…."

"Ooh."

So his ring had the same origin as mine. The fact that two of them existed meant this really was a completely different world line from the hard tower. Hmm, this was a huge harvest. Persuading him should be easy.

"Here's the real question. Why do I have this ring?"

"…No way?"

"I can travel between the past and future of the empire. A little further back than you."

I immediately went into full sales mode. Without telling any outright lies, I mixed my actual abilities and setting together in a delicious way. It took me about three minutes to package myself as an 'adventurer who crosses past and future.'

"Unconditional time leaps are absolutely impossible!!"

"And yet—ta-da! Turns out nothing is absolute!"

I smiled and made my offer. You won't need any more painful choices like infinite regression.

"If you simply swear loyalty to me, you can return to the past together with me."

So become my summon. It was the completion of a world where everyone won big. And the boss's reaction to this magical proposal was—

—Shing.

"Don't lie to me!!"

"Eh?"

Wait, why are you drawing your sword? I thought we were having a nice moment.

"Did you really think this Cain would fall for the schemes of a honorless rat who hides his face!!!"

"…Ah."

Come to think of it, I was still invisible. Even I would be suspicious.

"I'll take the hat off right now, so just wait a sec…."

"Do not mock me with that cunning tongue!!"

I belatedly reached for my hat, but the boss charged at me first.

"I don't know how you replicated the ring, but that is not something a wretch like you should lay hands on!!"

"Ah, damn!!!"

This stupid hat really pissed me off.

* * *

Cain, the last emperor of the empire, swung his sword. His target was the hidden opponent concealed in stealth.

'A rather faint presence… Could it be a demon?'

Normally, noticing his existence would be impossible. He had hidden his body so thoroughly that not even a shadow was cast. But Cain was different. After repeating regressions so many times that he couldn't even remember them all, he had grown used to dealing with invisible demons. Sensing the opponent's presence was possible for him.

The problem was that the presence was truly faint.

'At least archdemon level!'

"Hup!!"

Enormous energy gathered on Cain's greatsword. Perhaps from regressing so many times, his mana had taken on a demonic hue and turned blood-red. He intended to bisect his opponent with it. The power was so immense that even an archdemon would struggle to avoid fatal injury, but…

'…Can't be helped. I'll fight first. If it looks bad, I'll run.'

"Hah!!"

Whoosh—!!

Hwimin immediately leaped back to escape. He pushed his hat back down—he had been about to take it off. Since the freebie route was gone, he decided to fight according to the original plan. However, contrary to his pathetic mindset, his speed was on a terrifying level.

"What?!"

'Dodging is one thing, but what the hell is that?!'

Footwork that now surpassed even Baekri-hyang. On top of that, he was wearing the Tarnkappe invisibility hat from the dragon slayer set and the Concealment Necklace that reduced his presence. To Cain, it felt like fighting a ghost.

"You wicked demon bastard!! As I thought…."

He was about to raise his sword again in fury, but—

—Slice.

"……Huh?"

In that instant, his greatsword was cut diagonally and fell to the ground. It was obviously Hwimin's doing.

'Your ancestors had a sword hermit or something, right? Even he couldn't dodge this.'

First, cut the opponent's weapon. Then maybe conversation would be possible. With that hope, Hwimin used Space Slash to disarm him.

…It didn't help much.

"Now that I've won—"

"Glory to the empire!!!!"

Cain stomped hard on the ground. KWAaaaaang—!!! A crater shaped like concentric circles formed, and stone fragments shot upward. The ceiling began to collapse as well. Since the enemy was stronger than expected, he planned to turn the battlefield into a mess of variables to seize the advantage.

'Where is he?!'

Cain scanned his surroundings. The moment he confirmed the opponent's position, he would cut him down. That was the only thought in his head. But Hwimin was faster.

—Swoosh!

'Space Slash!!'

A safe zone he had found using Dragon Eyes and the Sword God trait. From there, Hwimin launched a Space Slash. It was his favorite 'long-range click.'

However, despite that pathetic attitude, the martial prowess contained within was enough to claim the title of god. Slice—

Cain only noticed the attack after one-third of his neck had already been severed.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Kugh…?!"

'When did he— No, this much is nothing!!!'

An ordinary person would have had their head cut off without being able to react. But Cain was a veteran hero. Activating his ability before his neck was fully severed was easy.

'Again!!!'

The moment he shouted inwardly—

Tick.

The tower's time rewound. The debris that had been falling toward the floor shot back upward, and the attack that had been cutting his neck was nullified. The crisis of nearly losing his head had turned into an opportunity to foresee the enemy's surprise attack.

'He's over there!!!'

The opponent would never dream that he had briefly experienced the future and regressed. He would dodge the next attack by a hair's breadth and charge straight in. Before the enemy could regain his stance, he would bisect him with sword aura. It was the victory pattern he had used to slaughter hundreds of archdemons so far, but—

—Whoosh.

"……!!!!?"

'The trajectory changed?!'

To Cain's great misfortune, the attack Hwimin launched this time drew a completely different path than before. It was because of Hwimin's trait.

"……Oh."

'I regress with him? This is insane.'

When Cain rewound time, Hwimin watched it with both eyes wide open. Even time manipulation didn't work on him. As a result, he held an overwhelming advantage.

'Space Slash again!!!'

Hwimin swung his sword once more.

—Slice.

"Kuhk?!"

'This time from behind… Again!!'

Cain rewound time.

—Slice.

'No!! Why is the future changing!!!'

'You thought I'd only aim for the neck? This time it's the stomach.'

Hwimin swung his sword again. Seeing that, Cain felt that this situation was even more hopeless than the hundreds of regressions he had repeated to save the empire. The opponent was simply that strong.

"Kuuuugh!!!"

'Again, again!! Again!!!'

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Time rewound countless times. Each time, the cycle of attack and hit repeated. As long as Cain's will didn't break, it seemed like it would continue forever—an incredibly selfish deal exchange, but…

"Haa, haa… haa…."

'My mana is completely depleted….'

After roughly fifty regressions, Cain finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed with a thud. Unlike Hwimin, whose mana recovered every time time rewound, Cain's mana had hit rock bottom.

—Muttering.

"Neutralized, mana exhaustion, combat incapable…."

'So the regression induction was the gimmick? I wondered how anyone else was supposed to clear it, but this makes sense.'

Only then did Hwimin finally sheathe his sword. It was an overwhelmingly one-sided victory. But inwardly, he felt a bit awkward.

'…I got scared for nothing.'

He had been so terrified in front of the portal. He had tried to avoid fighting until the very end. Yet the actual fight ended in three minutes. Even the world's greatest coward would feel embarrassed by this.

'I should've just cleared the third floor on hard too… No, it's too late for regrets. Let's deal with him first.'

"Sorry for the late introduction. I'm Ryu Hwimin."

Swish— Hwimin took off his hat and canceled his invisibility. He then gave Cain a light bow. It was imperial etiquette he had learned on the thirty-eighth floor.

"That etiquette…."

To Cain, the etiquette was quite clumsy. Yet he could feel the sincerity in trying his best. It showed that Hwimin respected him in return. Cain let out a hollow laugh.

"So you weren't a demon?"

"I told you I wasn't."

"And that talk about crossing time…."

"Ah, never mind that!"

Shing— Hwimin pointed his sword at the fallen emperor.

"Choose. Die like this, or surrender quietly and become my summon."

"…What's the difference?"

"There isn't one. I'm going to use you as evolution material for Dohwa anyway."

"……Material, huh."

Cain closed his eyes. Complicated thoughts ran through his mind. The being before him was a powerful existence. Unlike himself, this was a powerhouse who could cross at least several years of time. What should his final words to him be?

After much deliberation, what came out was rather servile.

"I beg you."

"Huh?"

"Even if it's only for a fleeting moment…."

Please show me. The time when his half-brother recognized him, shed tears of blood, and entrusted the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠empire to him. The past when he was still alive. The past when there was still hope left for the empire.

"Even if it's only one second…."

"……."

Hwimin's eyes grew complicated. When he had lost the adoptive parents who had taken him in, he had wished for something similar. He understood exactly how Cain felt.

'Yeah. Even if we're leaving, one last memory should be fine, right?'

"I'll give it a try."

After thinking for a moment, he raised his sword.

"Trait reinforcement swap, Ruler of the Tower."

Slice— The Moonlight Sword drew a silver arc. What it cut wasn't Cain, but the empty space right beside the fallen emperor.

'While imagining crossing to the normal tower, with the sensation of piercing a safe zone….'

"……Oh."

'It actually worked?'

A gap formed in the air. It was too narrow for anyone to pass through. But it was more than enough to peek beyond it. The gap led to the Tower of Challengers.

"How is it?"

Hwimin couldn't see beyond the gap. No, he deliberately didn't look. He already thought he knew exactly what would be reflected there.

…He still had no idea that the entire story of the Tower of Challengers had been completely rewritten.

"Ah, aah…!!"

Cain reached out with a trembling hand. He wanted to touch that dazzling sight beyond, even if only with his fingertips.

"……Hm."

'He's neutralized, but just in case. I'll stay ready to take his head.'

Hwimin watched the scene without letting his guard down for a second, but…

"……Huh?!"

'What the hell, a surprise attack?!'

In the end, Hwimin was ambushed.

'If it's an ambush like this, I'm always welcome!!!'

It wasn't that he had been ambushed by an attack. He had been ambushed by a reward.