Tutorial's a Breeze, But Rewards Are Straight Fire (2)

My jaw dropped, eyes blinking in shock. Why the hell is this popping up now...?

One of my Mythic-grade traits. Tower Harmonizer (Mythic). The notification that I could freely switch tower difficulties—why was it showing up right now, like it was telling me, "Hey, that's not how you're supposed to use it."

Is there more to it being Mythic-grade?

Until now, I'd just accepted it as Mythic because, well, it was an emergency escape hatch. If things got dicey climbing the Normal or Hard Towers, I'd bail to the losers' shelter—Haanamja's Tower. That was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my idea of proper use.

But maybe that's not the whole story.

I quickly opened my status window. Checking the traits tab, the line "Moves to the same floor level upon use" jumped out at me.

I thought it just sent me back to floor 0.

Towers are generally divided into 10-floor chunks. Beat the boss, and a big safe zone opens up with a Magical Elevator that zips you up exactly 10 floors. Even the tower's theme shifts every 10 floors. Lots of awakeners call floors 0 through 9 the "1st layer" collectively.

But it's a different tower, right? So obviously you'd start over from the beginning.

Plus, there was this logical reason. That's why I'd assumed activating the trait would just dump me at floor 0.

But... what if being Mythic-grade meant more?

No way... does it send me to the same floor?

I focused my eyes hard. Time to test another trait.

And sure enough, the Mythic-grade traits lived up to their name.

"...Holy shit."

Dragon Eye, your performance is way too broken. I figured it might work, but not this well.

And 1st floor safe zone?

"...Let's check it out."

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pressed down hard on the glowing tower transfer button.

Unlike entering Haanamja's Tower, a blue light filled my vision.

When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in an identical spot.

It's real.

The notifications poured in the moment I switched difficulties. But my eyes were on what lay beyond.

What had been a wooden chest in the Easy Tower was now a golden one.

"......L-Let's go back."

I wasn't excited at all. Super calm, yeah. First, back to Haanamja's Tower, then think.

"Phew...."

Good, returning works fine too.

No "You got kidnapped, dude?" drama.

And that means...

The Coffin too...?

"T-Transfer!"

I squeezed my eyes shut and hit the button. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠To set foot in the Pilgrim's Tower, infamous for its hellish difficulty.

A sinister blood-red light flooded my vision.

When I opened my eyes, a black obsidian chest sat before me.

"Holy shit."

A curse slipped out before I knew it. I clapped a hand over my mouth in disbelief.

The trait I'd dismissed as crap turned out to be an insane honey pot. Realization hit late.

This is straight-up free carry, no cap!?

I cleared the Easy Tower's 1F. But getting Pilgrim's Tower rewards? On par with clearing the "Coffin" where 99% never return?

Mythic or not, this makes no sense.

I wanted a free ride through life, sure. But I didn't think it'd be this shameless.

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

Of course I'm taking it!!

"Sorry for sleeping on you, GOAT trait!!"

I reached out and opened the chest.

The moment my fingers touched it, notifications exploded like a storm.

"...Ah."

I could feel it. The fatigue from construction work vanished. My strength was 1.5 times greater, my body lighter, vitality tougher. Mana surged higher, a cool energy circulating inside me.

Right now, I was a proper awakener.

One who'd gotten as strong from 1 Easy floor as seven Normal floors.

...No, head back first and celebrate!!

"Transfer!!"

Just in case, back to Haanamja's Tower. The harmless white light enveloped me compared to the Coffin's blood-red.

No last-second "You got kidnapped?" nonsense.

"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!"

Only then did I whoop and jump around. Dopamine overload, no brakes.

This is a free-carry snowball!!

Now I'd level up at a whole other pace. Easy 2F? Nah, I'm 7F spec. 3F? 14F spec. This shit's possible now.

And when I bulldoze all 50 floors of the Easy Tower?

World #1, baby!

Top awakeners of the world, attention! The guy in front of you climbed 50 floors of the Coffin. (Easy Tower in reality, but whatever.)

"Heh, S-rank Ryu Hwi-min."

Se-rin'll love it. Big bro's national power level now!

A golden future shimmered before me. Hell, I even imagined going on TV with my sis for an interview...

[Hwi-min, how are you so strong?!]

[Free carries, exciting free carries, that's the joyride.]

[What's your secret?!]

[Well... Huh? Who're you?]

[Management Bureau here. Time to enlist?]

[...KYAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!]

"Ah, fuck."

Dopamine crashed. Ahh, the sorrow of conscription.

Whatever, I wasn't planning on TV anyway.

Not a huge loss. My dream's "rich guy nobody knows." Fame? Pass, even without the army.

My specs are too good for a normal life, but whatever.

Check the other rewards first.

"Inventory!"

I sat on the bed, reaching into empty air. One of my Mythic traits, Inventory. Time to pull out the stored goodies.

First time using it, but no sweat.

Grab.

Just followed the mental prompt, and it worked.

Like with the sword—when it's time, it tells you how. Like recalling a forgotten memory. "Oh yeah, like this." Hand moved on its own.

Schluck.

Sensation of my hand emerging from thin air, clutching a potion vial and a ticket.

"Oho."

These potions go for good money, right? Score. Check if Se-rin needs one; if not, sell it.

Use the weapon ticket now too.

Might as well rip it open.

Riiip—

A sharp sound, then notifications.

Common, huh.

Seeing this after all the Mythic hype is kinda cute. Whatever, Sword God makes any sword work.

But it's cool-looking, so this one's mine.

Shff—

Stashed the borrowed junk sword in inventory, then stood up lightly.

My eyes on the portal to the next floor sparkled with dreams of easy mode.

"Let's casually clear up to 10F?"

About 10 hours later.

Not non-stop climbing—mostly crashed in the safe zone bed for a sweet nap when sleepy. Actual combat time? Around 3 hours.

But the results?

"Kraaah~."

You lose the other tower rewards when you pick one, but hey, this is plenty.

Average Easy Tower awakener at 9F? Around level 150. I surpassed that in just 9 floors.

Those bus drivers from earlier? Not even opponents now.

Luck's low, sure, but titles and stigmata should balance it.

That's why droves tackle the brutal Coffin. Titles and stigmata make up for it.

I trusted they'd compensate. That's why I farmed straight up without side stuff.

Boss floor now, huh.

"...Gotta smash it quick and see Se-rin."

Done ogling status, I walked toward the boss floor portal.

Leveling too fast in a day might be hard to adjust, and 11F+ has trickier clear conditions. So today, just the 1st layer boss.

But...

Just as my shoe touched the portal—

"......Huh?"

The status window straight-up pulled a "You wanna die?" on me.